New to celebrating the holiday or looking for a new way to celebrate Kwanzaa? Give self-care a try.
Kwanzaa, which kicks off today, is traditionally celebrated with candles, dinner parties, and growing one’s awareness of the collective. The week-long celebration honors African heritage, culture, and traditions, and was founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, an African American professor of Africana studies and a key figure in the Black Power movement.
The seven-day celebration of Black culture also promotes seven specific principles: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith).
While these seven principles are meant to inspire ways to uplift the Black community as a whole, they could also be decent ways to practice self-care. Sharon Lewis, a professor of clinical neurology at the University of Pennsylvania, led a talk on how to incorporate the principles into a self-care practice.
“Self-care has become really important,” she said, according to a release from the event. “I wanted to share ways that people can take care of their own well-being and also come together and promote wellness with those around them.”
Kwanzaa comes once a year, but the principles are meant to be followed all year long—as is a healthy self-care regimen. So, whether you’re new to celebrating Kwanzaa or looking for a new way to celebrate the non-religious holiday, below we outline ways to approach the seven principles through self-care. After all, one can’t pour from an empty cup!
Umoja
The first principle of Kwanzaa, Umoja, means unity. It promotes striving for unity in your community. However, one can’t be unified with others if one is not unified within oneself. Connecting with your mind, body, and spirit through mindfulness practices such as meditation, breathwork, or yoga can help you develop and maintain a sense of inner peace.
Kujichagulia
Kujichagulia stands for a major goal of self-care: self-determination. As a Kwanzaa principle, it means understanding how to control your destiny. As a self-care directive, it’s akin to “manifestation.” Achieving self-determination could involve utilizing different methods to self-reflect and get clear on what you want out of life, like journaling, isolating clear goals, and setting standards or boundaries for yourself.
Ujima
The third principle of Kwanzaa, Ujima, promotes tapping into the collective work and responsibility of the community as a whole. While self-care is often about taking care of oneself, it could also mean finding communities that prioritize self-care. For example, you could join a new gym or yoga studio or invite some friends to attend a mindfulness workshop.
Ujamaa
From journals to yoga mats to wellness books and beyond, shopping Black-owned brands for your self-care needs is a simple way to infuse some Ujamaa or cooperative economics into your life.
Nia
Kwanzaa principle number five, Nia, is all about knowing and understanding your purpose. Think of things that get you out of bed in the morning outside of work and home life. This could be chocolate, rock climbing, hanging with friends, live music, you name it. Once you have it in mind, pursue your purpose relentlessly for no other reason than to inspire some joy after a long year.
Kuumba
The penultimate principle of Kwanzaa, Kuumba, means creativity. Making time for creative hobbies is a highly recommended way to practice self-care. You could take a dance class, bust out the adult Lego sets, invest in some new adult coloring books or art supplies, or engage in a little sip and paint.
Imani
Last but not least is Imani, the principle of Kwanzaa that’s all about faith. If you’re religious, you can practice things that bring you closer to your faith, such as praying, reading religious texts, and more. If you’re not religious (and even if you are), you can also do things that promote finding faith or confidence in yourself. This could include anything that helps you hone in on your own voice. Michelle Obama eloquently wrote about where her “true confidence” comes from in British Vogue.
“When you start to rewrite the story of not-mattering, you start to find a new center,” she said. “You remove yourself from other people’s mirrors and begin speaking more fully from your own experience, your own knowing place. You become better able to attach to your pride and more readily step over all the despites. It doesn’t remove the obstacles, but I’ve found that it helps to shrink them. It helps you to count your victories, even the small ones, and know that you’re doing OK.”
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