Joyfully Just

Book excerpt: Liberating meditation practices drawn from Black cultural traditions and Buddhism to bring forth courage, transform grief, defeat injustice, and manifest joy Many of us have come to think about justice as a “struggle,” a cause to fight for in the world. But what if the work of justice begins within? What if there were a way to find joy in the journey toward justice? With Joyfully Just, Dr. Kamilah Majied offers an inspiring and unique approach to overcoming injustice with joy, courage, and playful curiosity. She shares many of the insights and experiences that gave rise to her leadership as a joyful champion of contemplative approaches to mental health and social justice. Drawing on timeless wisdom from Buddhism and Black traditions, Majied invites us to play with different ways of being just toward ourselves and all life around us. Here, we discover how to: • Play with creative and artistic practices to develop critical consciousness and become more mindful, inclusive, and anti-racist • Explore language as a pathway to liberation and justice • Unlearn and heal from white supremacy, internalized racism, and other forms of oppression and bias By engaging with these practices, we are able to access the freedom that comes with tearing off the restrictive habits of privilege and internalized oppression as we allow our bodies, hearts, minds, and souls to be liberated, unafraid, and agentive in the world.