Liberatory Praxis: Centering Love, Creativity, Joy, and Mindfulness
Photo credit: Miriam Alonso
In the zeitgeist of the modern era, marred by hatred and regression, a resounding call for liberation cuts through the din, urging us to adopt a framework centered on love, creativity, joy, and mindfulness. At its heart, liberatory praxis involves prioritizing the experiences and perspectives of marginalized people. When we align these essential values, we pave the way for a transformative path toward empowerment and genuine freedom —challenging systems that seek to deplete our vitality and our capacity to drive social change.
Love
Love plays a powerful role in our mental health and overall well-being, acting as a catalyst for spiritual awakening, self-empowerment, and liberation. As bell hooks eloquently stated, "All awakening to love is spiritual awakening. Love empowers us to live fully and die well." When we embrace love in its various forms —be it romantic, familial, platonic, or self-love —we nurture our emotional and psychological resilience, fostering a sense of purpose and connection.
Creativity
Art, renowned for its ability to enhance mental wellness, serves as a channel for creative liberation. Engaging in artistic expression facilitates emotional release and healing, offering a sanctuary for self-discovery and catharsis, delving into the depths of our innermost selves, and reclaiming our innate capacity for innovation.
Photo credit: Miriam Alonso
Joy
Navigating through adversity requires a deliberate pursuit of joy and peace. Play emerges as a liberating force, unlocking boundless creativity and limitless joy. By embracing playful exploration, we transcend societal constraints, tapping into the wellspring of our imaginative spirit.
Mindfulness
Our bodies, reservoirs of profound wisdom, serve as conduits through which liberation can flow. The somatic nervous system intricately weaves together physical sensations and mental states, inviting us to honor our bodies' cues and nurture their resilience. This practice fosters a deep connection with ourselves and the world, promoting a profound sense of liberation.
Mindfulness techniques, such as anchoring, provide solace amidst life's complexities and moments of emotional overwhelm and fatigue. Grounding ourselves in the safety and stability that we create within our communities enables us to fortify our spirits against tumultuous currents.
Here’s an example of how I practice grounding techniques during my regular routines.
In the immortal words of bell hooks, “I will not have my life narrowed down…” Let us heed her call to take up space and embrace the multitudes of our identities and histories with unyielding boldness, drawing strength from the enduring legacies of our ancestors. Through the prism of love, creativity, joy, and mindfulness, we engage in a praxis that empowers us to express authentically, create boldly, and celebrate exuberantly — illuminating a pathway to true liberation.
