As we brace for 2019 and stack up our resolutions, Broadly is focusing on finding motivation for the hard tasks that await us—like getting out of bed. So, throughout January, we're rolling out Getting Out of Bed, a series of stories about all things related to rest and resilience. Read more here.This month, Broadly collaborated with artists niv Acosta and Fannie Sosa to bring you an issue of Black Power Naps Magazine, a publication focused on interrogating racial equity and promoting rest and healing among Black people. To that end, we commissioned poet jamilah malika to write a piece that could facilitate rest and relaxation among fellow Black people. She gave us “rest / woke”, a love letter of sorts that tenderly guides the reader through connecting with their body in the moment and remembering to be present and kind to themselves. It's the ideal salve for a day when you wake up aching and need some centering before entering the world. — Sarah Burke, editor
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wherever you are, whether you are walking around or lying down,noticeif your top and bottom teeth touch,part themif your tongue touches the roof of your mouth,soften it down and awaynotice your eyes—like your tongue—can rest inside your dear headsoften down and awayand your eyebrows, might they rest too?or if not, notice if you can feel their weight for a momentlike your bottom teeth, tongue, eyes, and eyebrows, notice your shoulderscan there be any amount more space between your shoulders and earsand your ears—like your shoulders—can let go a little with each exhaleany amount is real good… there will be another exhale for another gonotice if this next exhale can last any amount longer than the lastand the next… and the next… keep going, dear one…and there isn’t anything you must do or be to be breathedyour exhale will always follow your inhale and your inhale will always follow your exhalemaybe put one hand on your belly or chest to feel your breath in your bodymaybe feel breath above your lip or below your nosemaybe hear the sound of your body breathingmaybe find the bottom of your exhale and then the top of your inhaleto do so, maybe stand on all four sides of your feetnotice which feels heaviest: the inside edge, outside edge, heels, or toesif you are lying down, you can flex your feet to feel that place you tend to rest most onis one spot tighter than the rest?
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if you are standing, you can bend your knees any amount and lift and spread your toesis there one part that is heaviest?notice all the parts of you that rest to any surface like the floor, chair, or bednotice all the parts that don’tmaybe the arch of your foot, or the arch of your back,maybe not…notice the parts of yourself that rest on yourself, like your soft inner arms to the sides of your body, or your soft inner thighs to each othernotice because it is nice to know ourselves more and more not because you have to change anything; we can be curious…if you are lying down, notice on your next exhale how the front of your body softens into the back of your body and the back of your body can soften, tooif you are standing, notice how your shoulders can soften towards your feet and your feet into the floorif you like, you can speak this aloud: my flesh and bone are home
Read more from Black Power Naps Magazine here, or pick up a print copy inside the Black Power Naps exhibition at Performance Space New York through January 31, 2019.
Read more from Black Power Naps Magazine here, or pick up a print copy inside the Black Power Naps exhibition at Performance Space New York through January 31, 2019.