In Chapter Three of TRANSitions I share that Angela Davis speaks about the importance of developing an individual and communal practice of radical self-care. She reflects on her experiencing working for social justice and learning to recognize the need for this practice:
For a long time, activists did not necessarily think that it mattered to take care of themselves; in terms of what they eat, in terms of mental self care, corporal self care, spiritual self care… I know that there were some people who emphasised it.. I’m thinking about one of the leaders of the Black Panther Party, Ericka Huggins, who began to practice yoga and medication in the 70’s, and she encouraged many people including Huey Newton and Bobby Seale to join that practice.. I think they did a little bit of it, but I think that movement would have been very different, had we understood the importance of that kind of self care. Personally, I started practicing yoga and meditation when I was in jail. But it was more of an individual practice; later I had to recognize the importance of emphasizing the collective character, of that work, on the self.
