Jessica Pimentel Instagram – Beautiful photo of Queen and inspiration, Tina Turner performing a Buddhist ritual at her home altar, Studio City, California, 1979. 🙏 A sister in Dharma and a true master of her craft. . #Repost – @nmaahc For many African Americans, their introduction to the Buddhist faith came with the release of legendary singer Tina Turner’s autobiography, “I, Tina.” In her memoir, Turner details her life’s journey and emphasized how reflective Buddhist chanting strengthened her personal resolve. A member of Soka Gakkai International (SGI), Turner embraced Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism that taught self-awareness and the capacity everyone has to “change poison into medicine.” Her faith includes morning and evening prayers (gongyo), chanting a mantra (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo), and regular study of Buddhist principles. Turner said of her practice, “The more I studied Buddhist principles, the deeper I dug within myself and cleaned up whatever attitudes or habits were standing in my way. And the more I chanted and aligned my goals with an authentic desire to inspire happiness in others, the more my life began to improve. I credit my spiritual practice with all the positive transformations—from the smallest to the largest—I’ve had in my career and personal life.” Turner is among the hundreds of thousands of African Americans who practice this form of Buddhism and work to transform their lives and eliminate suffering through spiritual meditation. 📸 Tina Turner performing a Buddhist ritual at her home altar, Studio City, California, 1979. Photograph by Isaac Sutton. Johnson Publishing Company Archive. Courtesy J. Paul Getty Trust and Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture