Breathe- African centred Mindfulness

Breathe - Monthly People of Colour group

5:45 Doors open for guided meditation

6:00 Welcome and checking in

6:30 Presentation and breakout rooms

7:30 Good bye, announcements

African centred Mindfulness for healing 

For People of Colour to adopt mindfulness strategies, it's important such strategies seem both relevant and applicable to them.  Many communities of African ancestry experience intergenerational trauma (from the trans-atlantic chattel race based slave trade and/ or colonisation).  Furthermore, racial combat fatigue, microaggressions and macro-aggressions from or when working, driving, shopping and simply living as black people. Re-traumatisation can occur when repeatedly exposed to modern day lynchings of Black bodies.This combination can overload the sympathetic nervous system and lead to dis-at-ease and many health concerns prevalent in people of colour.  Mindfulness strategies which are accessible, engaging and fun are urgently needed to cope and thrive despite such interruptions to our trajectory.  This is to repair, reduce tension and optimise; brain, emotional, physical and spiritual functioning.Therefore in this session, African origins of mindfulness will be highlighted, in addition to expressions of mindfulness which both reflect and appeal to African diasporic cultures.  The pioneering work of Dr Shelly P Harrell who developed the African-centred mindfulness model 'Soulfulness' will be referred to.The session will include a brief introduction to the approach, African centred meditations, group work discussing mindful quotes and time permitting reflections following a piece of music for the 'Soul'.

Dr Erica Mapule McInnis : is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist (UK); and Founder, Director and Principal Clinical Psychologist for Nubia Wellness and Healing www.nubiawellnessandhealing.co.ukHer interest in meditation and mindfulness began following a back injury which she found meditation amongst other strategies to assist.  She went on to complete courses in Mindfulness for Health and meditationand regularly attended a Buddhist temple prior to COVID-19 restrictions.  She became interested in African roots of meditation and issues specific to people of African ancestry following attending a presentationled by Dr Shelly Harrell at a conference organised by the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi).  This led Dr McInnis to work with Dr Harrell to develop the first online African Psychology Emotional WellnessSchool in the UK with its first course an African centred application of mindfulness ‘Soulfulness in the Present’.

Dr McInnis is a Churchill Fellow (2016), was awarded post fellowship funding to develop 'Know Thy Self - Adinkra Cards’ (an African centred therapy engagement tool with diverse applications), and haspublications in several peer reviewed journals.She has 22 years NHS (National Health Service) experience and is an occasional lecturer for university clinical psychology training programmes.

Recent speaking engagements on African Psychology include Kensington Royal Palace (London), The High Commission for Trinidad and Tobago (Belgravia, London), a Mental Health Foundation (MHF)Podcast (aired July 2020), a podcast for ‘Mentally Yours’ (to be aired October 2020), and contribute to the BBC Radio 4 award winning 'Black Girls Don't Cry', (2019). She is a professional member of theAssociation of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) and is Black British of Jamaican parentage.’

Cost: Free with Membership or  £10 single ticket or £20 for 2 people, or £30 support us

Free with Breathworks annual membership

About MNPC

The Mindfulness Network for People of Colour (MNPC) is a small, not-for-profit independent organisation established in 2018 in the UK by William Fley. MNPC is made up of our community leaders, committee board members, peer group facilitators, key volunteers and project coordinators.

We are happy to announce a collalboration with Breathworks- please let us know if you are member of Breathworks and you will have your admission covered within your yearly Breathworks membership.

We are not associated with any political, religious or institutional organization.

We are dedicated to making a kinder, wiser world by making transformational education widely available.

We want everyone to have access to transformative tools such as mindfulness, emotional awareness and self-compassion regardless of economic, social or physical challenges. Our events are led by gifted and exceptional BAME teachers from various backgrounds who can connect with the BAME and the LGBT experience. And people who want to practice together and develop a meditative practice to build a better life for themselves and those around them.