The Courage to Receive

Listening as an Act of Worthiness

Black History Month invites us into remembrance — but also into listening.

Listening without rushing to explain.

Listening without centering ourselves.

Listening without needing closure.

Receiving stories — especially stories shaped by resilience, resistance, and lived experience — requires humility.  It asks us to stay present even when discomfort arises.

In the body, listening is an act of grounding.  Of staying open without fixing.  Of allowing truth to be held rather than resolved.

Storytelling has always been central to how we understand ourselves and one another.  Stories carry wisdom that statistics cannot.  They ask us to slow down.  To witness.  To receive.

This month, honoring Black History does not require mastery — it requires presence.

Receiving stories is an act of worthiness.

It says: I trust myself to stay.

I trust this moment to teach me.

BodyMind reflection

•   Where do I rush to understand instead of staying present?
•   What happens in my body when I listen without responding?
•   How does listening deepen my connection to humanity?

February Intention

This month, I practice listening as an act of respect and worthiness.