Welcome to the Black Girl Burnout podcast, Kelly here.

And today's conversation feels like a deep exhale in the middle of a very, very noisy world.

If you've been feeling overwhelmed

or disconnected from yourself,

emotionally exhausted,

if you've had nonstop racing thoughts,

this episode is for you.

Today I'm joined by the incredible Onika Mays.

She's a yoga meditation teacher,

storyteller, mindfulness educator, and the author of the upcoming book, Sit with Me, a No BS journey to Mindfulness and Meditation.

And let me tell you right now, this conversation is not about aesthetics in the wellness culture world or pretending that life isn't hard. This is a conversation

about how we actually stay human in very difficult, challenging times. Onika brings an incredible

grounded wisdom to mindfulness, meditation. We talk about loving kindness and boundaries and how you return to yourself again and again, especially as black women, when we are navigating a world that constantly asks us to disconnect.

She talks about her background working inside of Rikers Island correctional facility and we talk about how to be

soft and yet not be delusional in any way. One of my favorite things about this conversation

we're going to have is just how accessible Onika makes mindfulness to us. At the end of this

conversation, if you are not excited or at least feel inspired to try

some of the things she's suggesting, I don't know what we'll do it.

You don't need some kind of like candlelit room or expensive retreat.

You just need a space and a presence that belongs to you.

It is a fantastic and moving conversation.

And Onika is the one to give it to us. She's been practicing yoga for more than 20 years.

...