About this ebook
A fascinating story of race and class, poverty and addiction, healing and childhood trauma—and what they can teach us about ourselves and our definition of success
Graduating, getting established in your career, and dating another professional are things many young middle-class women expect to do and take for granted. But when your parents don't support you and you have siblings in prison, those milestones seem monumental. What does growing up poor do to your self-esteem? How do patterns of stress and family violence, poor diet and poor health continue to affect you even after you escape to a higher income bracket? And what can one woman do to turn around the cycle of racism, poverty, and intergenerational suffering? Hafiz gives a frank account of the anxiety and rewards of becoming "middle class" through a complete change of diet and adopting habits such as traveling and doing yoga. While her peers pursue one kind of African American dream by climbing the corporate ladder, Hafiz finds meaning in learning to cook macrobiotic food and practice meditation. By doing so, she recovers from chronic health conditions and heals from the family trauma she has inherited.
Graduating, getting established in your career, and dating another professional are things many young middle-class women expect to do and take for granted. But when your parents don't support you and you have siblings in prison, those milestones seem monumental. What does growing up poor do to your self-esteem? How do patterns of stress and family violence, poor diet and poor health continue to affect you even after you escape to a higher income bracket? And what can one woman do to turn around the cycle of racism, poverty, and intergenerational suffering? Hafiz gives a frank account of the anxiety and rewards of becoming "middle class" through a complete change of diet and adopting habits such as traveling and doing yoga. While her peers pursue one kind of African American dream by climbing the corporate ladder, Hafiz finds meaning in learning to cook macrobiotic food and practice meditation. By doing so, she recovers from chronic health conditions and heals from the family trauma she has inherited.
Ratings and reviews
5.0
1 review
Alison Souter
- Flag inappropriate
May 31, 2019
I came across this book while searching for a Sivananda Yoga book I used to have - after reading the sample, I had to buy it! You don't need to be interested in yoga to read it btw. The author writes from the heart, and I couldn't put it down. It is an honest and eloquent account of living in the shadow of childhood pain - without sensationalism or platitudes. Great recipes too!
About the author
Saeeda Hafiz is a graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia. She spent her twenties working in management, believing mainstream success was her key out. After discovering the power of yoga to transform, she took a leap of faith to train to become a yoga teacher and wellness expert. She studied yoga at the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers and Ashrams and holistic nutrition at Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City and keeps a busy schedule as a yoga teacher and speaker. For the past twenty years she has held leadership positions in the YMCA, the San Francisco Unified School District, and other organizations to bring a more holistic understanding of physical and mental wellness to a diverse population.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
