My intuition is my superpower. My superpower is what makes me a Strong Black Woman. It is what has caused me to fall so deeply in love with who I am, to value my voice, to allow my presence to be seen and felt. I am my priority. It is my superpower that provides me enough breath to exhale my love back into the world.
Suiting up into my heroine’s regalia and taking the stance of a superhero was no small feat in a world that does all in its might to disallow such an aware connection. The idea of being a “Strong Black Woman” is potentially quite harmful. We are indeed strong. It apparently is written into our DNA. However, this strength denotes to others that we are here to cater to their needs in spite of our own. Too often we oblige. I have endured much in this lifetime. From an outside view, it might cause one to have concern, in fact, one might gasp for breath as I was myself frequently inclined to do. It was a bit awe-inspiring for me twenty-one years ago, when I heard the words from my oncologist, “Congratulations, Ms.James, you are my most remarkable recovery ever. I didn’t believe you were going to make it.” Those words came two years after surgery for 4th stage uterine cancer. Cancer found its way into my body through the tolerated stress experienced because of my lessened connection with my inner guidance. Even though it was always with me, the tug to perform, the seeking approval from the white “superior,” the desire to make the almighty dollar, be a perfect parent, an attentive wife, and all-around good citizen, screamed loudly in my ear lowering the volume of my inner voice.
I came to realize that cancer was a gift, a very dramatic way of reuniting me more closely with my inner world. What my doctors did not know was that intuitive guidance had already informed me that I would not die. I was meant to teach from my ordeal. Yes, I tend to remain standing (in my superhero pose) in the face of adversity because am always being guided from within. I strive to hear it even when the world is shouting its desire of me.
It no longer matters to me what is said from the outside world. What matters to me is what I hear from within myself. So, what maintains my strength is my ability to continue to honor spiritual practices that enhance my superpower daily.
Black Woman has a deeply rooted connection with nature. She once aligned with the phases of the moon. She performed healing rituals. She had her hands in the soil providing food to nourish her being and the bodies of her family. She shared her innate wisdom. I hear my ancestors speak to me. They are an instrumental portion of my guidance system. I know that I am cared for, never alone and that there is no outside power over me.
It has become a major focus for me as a Black woman to research, understand and consume foods that sustain my vitality. It is one way in which the ancestors light my path. I have come to understand that what is appropriate and right for me and my melanated body is not necessarily the same as what is appropriate for the white world which writes the narrative.
To maintain that knowing and connection I meditate. I eat food to sustain wholeness and health. I supplement where needed. I exercise keeping my body in motion even through times when it seems to be failing me. I keep my dreams close to my heart without sharing them with the world until I know the time is right. I see through the lens of my compassionate heart. I pray.
My awareness that I am guided from within allows me to avoid the trap of doing too much, which is often the downfall of Black Woman. The white world calls upon her to care for them in all walks of life. She listens to their stories. They cry on her shoulder. She is expected to conform to their need whatever it dictates at any given moment. She consoles them in the workplace. She makes them feel better about themselves as they remind her that she is inferior to them unless she imitates their imitation of Black people. Yes, White culture is Black culture poorly imitated. I am aware of the power that Black Woman yields. The need for another to cause one to feel inferior is evidence of the tremendous value that she has. Black Woman is strong without effort. It is her inner makeup.
I am a child of the universe, kissed by the sun. Therefore, a worshiper of all that the sun provides. I lay basking in its rays. I eat from its bountiful sustenance. I feel the imprint of the Light in my soul. I am a strong Black woman.
This superpower is not unique to me. Intuitive guidance is available to all. It requires the recognition of its existence. As we become more familiar with our innate nature and the roles we are intended to play, we will move into a greater sense of love of self. When you truly are in love with Self you know your value and love is reflected back to you in your relationships and in your world. This creates the powerfully strong Black Woman who exists within us all; always.
