Sacred Pauses: Honoring Ourselves and Our Ancestors
We live in a society that glorifies busyness, where the phrase “I’m tired” is met with admiration rather than concern. But what if I told you that choosing to pause and rest is not only radical…it’s ancestral? For Black women, taking sacred pauses is not just self-care; it’s an act of resistance, a conscious honoring of the struggles and triumphs of those who came before us.
Why Rest Matters
Rest isn’t laziness. It’s the intentional act of giving our bodies, minds, and spirits the time to recover, process, and realign. When we pause, our nervous system repairs itself, creativity flourishes, and mental clarity deepens. Sleep, meditation, leisurely walks, or simply sitting with a cup of tea can reset the body’s stress response and help us move through the world with more ease and intention.
The Ancestral Connection
Our ancestors endured unimaginable physical, emotional, and spiritual labor. Choosing to pause and rest today is an act of honoring them. It’s telling the generations before us, “Your struggle was seen. Your rest is not in vain.” In many African diasporic traditions, care for the self and the body is intertwined with spiritual practice. When we nurture ourselves, we continue the work of intergenerational healing and reclamation.
The Cost of Not Pausing
For Black women, the refusal, or near impossibility, of rest can be a silent killer. The pressure to “do it all” can manifest as chronic stress, cardiovascular strain, disrupted sleep, anxiety, and a constant state of hypervigilance. Over time, this takes a toll not only on our health but also on our emotional well-being, relationships, and connection to community. We are conditioned to bear more than our fair share, but this doesn’t mean we must.
Pause as Radical Self-Love
Choosing sacred pauses is choosing ourselves. It is an acknowledgment that we are worthy of care, that our lives matter, and that our energy is sacred. When we honor these pauses, we shift the narrative from productivity as our primary value to presence, health, and legacy as our guideposts.
Practical Ways to Begin
Schedule intentional pauses—even 15 minutes counts.
Engage in movement that feels restorative, like yoga or gentle stretching.
Practice “speaking into your water”, literally speaking words of affirmation into a glass of water before drinking, a small ritual to align mind, body, and spirit.
Connect with ancestral wisdom: light a candle, play music, or reflect on what rest would have meant for the generations before you.
Pausing is not indulgence; it is survival. It is rebellion. It is love. And for Black women, it is a necessary act of honoring the lineage that flows through us. This week, give yourself permission to pause. Breathe. Receive. And rest. Not just for you, but for the ancestors who paved the way.
