Capitalism has co-opted “self-care,” turning it into a consumerist trend. But for Black and Indigenous communities, rest has always been an act of resistance. Drawing on the wisdom of healers, movement leaders, and the Nap Ministry, we’re here to reframe rest as a radical tool for liberation, healing, and sustainability in activism. This exploration looks at the different types of rest, practical tools to find rest in times of global discomfort, and ways to nourish your nervous system to stay centered as an act of resilience. When we hear rest, many times people think about sleep. According to Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, there are seven types of rest: physical, mental, emotional, social, creative, sensory, and spiritual. It’s important to know that some types of rest may nourish you more than others. The key is finding which one truly rejuvenates your nervous system. Being aware of them helps us advance our fight for liberation. What does it look like when we honor rest without feeling guilt or shame?

In the book Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto, Tricia Hersey, founder of The Nap Ministry, shares, “We must believe we are worthy of rest. We don’t have to earn it. It is our birthright. It is one of our most ancient and primal needs.” In a hustle culture running on burnout, many push themselves past their capacity, causing health issues, insomnia, and mental fatigue. Hersey continues, “Productivity should not look like exhaustion. The concept of laziness is a tool of the oppressor. A large part of your unraveling from capitalism will include becoming less attached to the idea of productivity and more committed to the idea of rest as a portal to just be.”Sunday became a day of spiritual rest when the church took over. During slavery in the Americas, Sunday was a day of rest for slaves to go to church. Some slave owners discovered that one day of rest per week was beneficial for slaves, as it boosted their morale. Enslaved people were also known to incorporate traditional spiritual practices from their motherlands, often disguised within church beliefs. Since slavery, colonization has continued to make rest a luxury not everyone can afford. As housing, food, and basic necessities continue to rise in price while billionaires go tax-free, many people are leaning into self-care simply to survive.

When did self-care become the popularized commodified concept, rebranded for white culture and capitalistic consumption, as we know it today? The idea of self-care emerged in the 1950s in the U.S.A through humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers. He later built a framework on the belief that humans could achieve their desired goals through self-worth and self-preservation. It was originally a way to cultivate self-worth and preservation for self-care for patients who were or had been institutionalized. In the 1960s, the idea grew into a powerful pillar of the civil rights movement, serving as a strategic tool for the Black Panther Party, which promoted “radical self-care.” This was a critical concept that the leaders of the party used to maintain the emotional, mental, and spiritual wellness of members while fighting systemic oppression. They knew their fight for liberation was a long game for marginalized communities.

Audre Lorde, a Black civil rights activist, lesbian, and feminist, wrote in 1988. “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” Resistance can sometimes require our long-term support, especially if we want to see the changes we’re fighting for implemented in the world. As the wellness industry expanded, the self-care movement became increasingly whitewashed. The self-care market begins to bypass the issues in our society, cloaked under the facade of “high vibes only.” Self-care became a privilege for those who did not have to confront the daily realities of oppression. In Self magazine’s article, “White People, We Need to Talk About ‘Self-Care,’” the writer explains that self-care is not a time to tune out, especially when confronting racism and anti-Blackness, and offers guidance on how white people can be allies. As we fight to end oppression, BIPOC communities must still prioritize their own well-being.

Self-care can look like taking a digital detox to rest your mind and enjoy a social media break. Learning how to connect to the collective rage, grief, and pain without letting it derail progress forward is the dance the activist has to master. As a wellness expert and healer for over 12 years, I’m constantly preaching joy as medicine, which I go into detail about in my article, “Why Joy Is A Weapon For Activists Fighting The System.” Making an ancestral altar, exploring inner child healing, or healing as an act of resistance are also ways to honor self-care. Taking care of our diet while in food deserts is imperative, since our digestive system produces 95% of the serotonin in our body, the brain’s happy chemical. In my coaching work, I teach mindfulness practices like box breathing (inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4) for 3-5 minutes, which activates the vagus nerve and switches us into the parasympathetic nervous system, or “rest and digest.” Mindfulness practices like breathwork, meditation, and gentle movement help regulate the nervous system by shifting the body out of chronic stress and into a state of calm, balance, and clarity. As a self-care tool, mindfulness builds resilience, improves emotional regulation, and supports sustainable energy so you can show up grounded and focused in your life and as an activist.