No More Grind: How to Finally Rest with Tricia Hersey (Best Of)
Mar 23, 2025
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Discover how the Nap Ministry promotes rest as a revolutionary act against grind culture and systemic oppression. Learn about the imaginative practices that can help reclaim our humanity and well-being. The discussion emphasizes rest not just as relaxation, but as a powerful form of resistance and self-liberation. Explore the intersections of art, theology, and social justice in fostering a culture of healing. Embrace ease as a birthright and reimagine rest in your hectic life to challenge societal norms and prioritize self-care.
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Quick takeaways
Rest is not just a personal choice but a form of resistance against oppressive systems like capitalism and white supremacy.
Recognizing the history of exploitation under capitalism emphasizes the dehumanizing effects of grind culture on modern workers.
Shifting from self-care to community care fosters a stronger, interconnected approach to challenging societal norms and promoting collective well-being.
Deep dives
The Importance of Rest as Resistance
Rest is framed as essential to resistance against oppressive systems of capitalism and white supremacy. The concept reveals how relentless 'grind culture' serves to exhaust individuals, thereby limiting their capacity to think critically and make changes. Embracing rest is not merely a personal choice but a profound act of societal defiance, allowing individuals to reclaim their time and well-being. This redefined relationship with rest can lead to greater awareness and the ability to imagine and enact a world outside the constraints of current systems.
Historical Context of Capitalism and Grind Culture
The origins of capitalism are tied to the exploitation seen in plantation systems, where human bodies were treated as tools for profit. This history highlights the inhumane pace of work that continues in modern society, mirroring the relentless demands placed on workers. Recognizing this connection fosters understanding about how grind culture perpetuates violence, especially against marginalized communities, in a cycle that prioritizes profit over individual dignity. By examining this history, individuals can better grasp the importance of stepping away from a culture that dehumanizes through incessant labor.
Connection to Ancestral Wisdom
Ancestral legacy plays a vital role in understanding the present and reclaiming personal agency. Those who endured the horrors of slavery and oppression had their rest and autonomy stolen; however, reclaiming this space is essential for healing. Acts of rest can become powerful rituals of remembrance and empowerment, intertwining past struggles with present liberation quests. By honoring ancestors and embracing practices like resting, individuals reconnect with their heritage and the wisdom embedded within, forming a foundation for future generations.
Imagination as a Tool for Freedom
The ability to imagine new possibilities is posited as a critical component of liberation work. Engaging in rest cultivates a mental space ripe for creative thinking, allowing individuals to envision alternatives to their current realities. This act of daydreaming can spark transformative ideas that counter oppression, serving as a counter-narrative against the forces trying to dictate how people should live and work. Fostering imagination is essential for self-liberation as it empowers individuals to conceptualize and create a future rooted in justice and equality.
Community Care Over Individualism
The narrative shifts from self-care to community care as a more impactful approach in challenging societal norms. Individualistic ideologies promote isolation and competition, while community care recognizes the interconnectedness of personal and collective well-being. This emphasis on shared responsibility and support allows for a more robust fight against exploitative systems. Encouraging individuals to prioritize collective wellness fosters stronger bonds and resilience against societal pressures, ultimately weaving a fabric of communal liberation.
1. The Nap Ministry’s Nap Bishop shares small, concrete ways to bring rest into our own lives – especially when rest seems impossible.
2. Why so many of us feel like machines instead of humans – and the power of imagination as a spiritual practice to reconnect with our humanity and divinity.
3. Why grind culture – a collaboration of capitalism and white supremacy – wants to keep us exhausted, and how we can resist a culture of overwhelming busy-ness.
4. Why everything changes when we embrace ease as our birthright.
5. Creative ways to reimagine rest within our hectic daily lives.
About Tricia
Tricia Hersey is a Chicago native who has called Georgia home for the last 12 years. She has over 20 years of experience as a multidisciplinary artist, writer, theologian and community organizer. She is the founder of The Nap Ministry, an organization that examines rest as a form of resistance and reparations by curating spaces for the community to rest via community rest activations, immersive workshops, performance art installations, and social media. Her research interests include Black liberation theology, womanism, somatics, and cultural trauma. She is the author of the upcoming book Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto which will be published in October 2022. You can learn more about her work and the book at thenapministry.com.
