I Got Life: The Body as a Site of Liberation & Wholeness
This week, these are the stories I’ve heard:
• A single mother of two, laid off with no safety net.
• A bright and determined 19-year-old, undocumented yet full of hope, finally catching a break with the opportunity to attend college, only to discover that the program funding the dreams of undocumented youth was being cut, deferring her own aspirations.
• Countless others now facing unemployment and financial precarity, casualties of the current administration’s funding cuts.
All the while, the billionaire class continues to amass wealth and power on the backs of our struggle. It makes me want to holler, like Marvin did—holler at the weight of it, the squeeze of it, the way it presses into our ribs, our backs, our breath. My life, our life, your life…all of it bound in this cycle, this system.
And then, I remember one of the greatest protest songs of all time. I hear Nina Simone calling us back to what cannot be stolen, to what will always belong to us through her song, “I Ain’t Got No: I Got Life”:
🎶 …And what have I got?
Why am I alive, anyway?
Yeah, what have I got?
Nobody can take away?
I got my arms, got my hands,
Got my fingers, got my legs,
Got my feet, got my toes,
Got my liver, got my blood—
I’ve got life… 🎶
This refrain is more than just words. It’s a testament to the body as both a site of oppression and a wellspring of liberation. Our bodies are living archives, a tactile, rhythmic testament to pain and resilience, memory and possibility. Even as the world seeks to strip us of resources, dignity, and access, the body remains our steadfast source of power, knowing and joy.
Consider the body: it is not merely something we “have”—it is a living, sensing, and remembering force that carries both the imprints of systemic harm and the seeds of healing. It carries the imprints of suffering of systemic harm, of generational wounds living in our breath, blood, muscles, and nervous system.
And yet—
It is also here that we discover the gentle warmth of sunlight on our skin, the steady cadence of our heartbeats, and the soft, assuring rhythm of our breath rising and falling. This dual nature, where pain and liberation coexist, embodies a nondual understanding of our experience. It transcends the simple binaries of oppression versus liberation by revealing that both reside within us. Embracing this truth means accepting that wholeness is not about perfection or the absence of struggle, It is about remembering what has always been ours…our breath, our movement, our resistance, our ability to feel and to be.
Inspired by Nina Simone’s call, we are invited to return to ourselves through breath, through movement, through presence. At Whole with Joy, somatics and embodied healing remind us that wholeness is something we feel, live, and reclaim every day. When we listen deeply to the wisdom of our bodies, we access a reservoir of resilience and connection.
Here are ways to touch the life within you:
Breath Awareness:
Slow down and deepen your breath. Notice the gentle expansion and contraction of your chest. With each inhale, invite presence; with each exhale, let go of tension. Ask yourself: What does this breath awaken in me?Touch & Sensory Connection:
Place your hands on your heart, belly, or limbs. Close your eyes and feel the subtle vibrations of life. Say aloud:
Breathe in: “I got life.”
Breathe out: “Life flows through me.”Embodied Gratitude:
Acknowledge your body for all that it does what it can feel, create, and sustain. Gently speak to yourself:
“I’m grateful for this body, its strength, its sensitivity, its endless capacity to heal.”
4. Allow the Life Within to Move You:
The inner experience of struggle and stress can leave our bodies feeling numb, overwhelmed, or in despair. Yet, life is always moving within us, even in the face of hardship. When we connect with this ever-present vitality, we reclaim our power to make a difference and stand up for what we believe in.
Healing through the body is not merely a personal journey, it is a radical act of liberation, a reclaiming of space in a world that often seeks to diminish us. In recognizing that, despite the systems of oppression we face, we still possess the power coursing through our veins, the wisdom in our bones, and the movement that reaffirms our aliveness, we come to see that even when the world tells us what we lack or burdens us with the crushing weight of struggle, our body reminds us of what we still have: life, sensation, rhythm, choice, voice, resistance and the capacity for joy.
As Nina Simone sang,
I got life
And that, in itself, is a revolution.
Welcome to Whole with Joy!
I’m so glad you’re here. I truly hope this reflection has offered you something positive or perhaps something to consider. I’d love to hear your thoughts and any feedback you may have, so please feel free to share in the comments.
At Whole with Joy, we believe in our collective potential to heal and reclaim liberation through wholeness—an embodiment of a love ethic that is courageous, action-oriented, and transformative. Join the movement by subscribing to our newsletter. By subscribing, you’ll discover more about our community, explore ways to support and connect, and stay updated on offerings and opportunities that inspire us all to embrace wholeness as a path to liberation and transform the world with love.
Thank you for being part of this journey!