Afrikan Wisdom: New Voices Talk Black Liberation, Buddhism, and Beyond

by Valerie Mason-John (Editor), Jan Willis (Foreword)

A spiritual, political, and interdisciplinary anthology of wisdom stories from Black liberation leaders and teachers.

Afrikan Wisdom represents an intersectional, cross-pollinated exploration of Black life--past, present, and future. Award-winning author and editor Valerie Mason-John (Vimalasara)'s collection of 34 essays--written by an eclectic and inspirational group of Black thought leaders and teachers--reflects on the unique and multilayered experience of being Black in the world today.

This anthology instills in readers the knowledge, awareness, validation, and spiritual tools necessary to nurture both individual and collective liberation. It is both an inspiration and a motivation for Black readers, as well as anyone else interested in reading about emerging spiritual voices. Topics


• African and Afro-Diasporan cultures, histories, spiritualities, art, music, and literature
• Black radical traditions of liberation and consciousness
• Anticolonialism and antislavery
• Buddhist philosophy
• Social and environmental justice
• The prison industrial complex and mass incarceration
• (Kemetic) yoga, healing, and mindfulness
• Intersections with Indigenous cultures
• Addiction and recovery
• Transgenerational trauma

Genres: Buddhism, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Africa

384 pages, Paperback

Published July 20, 2021

Reviews

[Andre(Read-A-Lot) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite what I was expecting but it was fruitful in that it delivered some ancient wisdom and added new insights to my knowledge base concerning Buddhism and Buddhist philosophy. So the fruit was that learning, but the lack of writing on African spiritual systems and practices was the bitterness contained within, especially given the title, AFRIKAN WISDOM. That was my initial attraction and I didn’t get much of my requited. The majority of the essays are coming from a Buddhist or Buddhist adjacent perspective. And while that is a not problem per se, it wasn’t what I was expecting. Your attraction may vary from mine, and if you are a practicing Buddhist you will find much in these pages that will no doubt be helpful, renewing and restoring. Because there are many different contributors the writing is somewhat uneven as some lack that direct clarity and leave the reader wondering, “what are you saying?” Those moments are not big enough to scare you off the book, and there wasn’t any time where I felt like quitting. It will hold your interest and you will learn something along the way. 3.5 stars!

[Annalies Bradner · Rating 5 out of 5]

With each essay the incorporation and integration off Buddhist theory and practices with Black Liberation and Black Activism is very eye opening and diverse.

[Hilm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book because it was in my library's showcase and it looked interesting--I just met a Buddhist black woman for the first time the week prior. The meeting (not about Buddhism) left me realizing that I had never met a Buddhist who is black before. Certainly people with East Asian ancestry when I was in Japan or Indonesia, or if it's people from the west, white people. Yet of course there's no reason why Buddhism can't find followers among the black population, and the message from this book (especially the first part), is exactly that: Buddha's teaching can be relevant for Black people, with some parallels/similarities to African ancestral beliefs. (One essay argued that Buddha himself was black--see his hair in his likeness).

That being said, this book wasn't written for me so not a lot of it resonates with me. I'm not big on religion in general (anymore) and when some chapters reads like sermons (with a few that actually guided the readers through the chants), just not my cup of tea. Other chapters with reflections interested me more, but they often only scratched the surface, likely a limitation of the short essay forms.