UFC fighting champ Rose Namajunas, also known as “Thug Rose”, is tough on the outside
PHOTOSAUSTIN ARREGUIN WORDS ROSE NAMAJUNAS OPENING ROSE GARDNER
Milwaukee-born Rose Namajunas began practicing martial arts at the age of five. Last year, at the age of 26, she became the undefeated UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion. The smallest girl in her neighborhood growing up, she adopted an intimidating scowl in an attempt to look tougher, earning the nickname “Thug Rose” from her friends. Tough she certainly is, but this moniker belies what lies underneath: creative passion, reverence for nature, and a deep spirituality.
Gardening is a great pastime because it slows things down. It makes us appreciate things that we take for granted. We go to the store and buy fruits and vegetables, but mostly waste a lot of it because we don’t appreciate it.
It’s not normal to compost, to recycle water, to grow your own food – those are seen as privileges in our society, rather than norms. An outdoor lifestyle is about not just looking at nature, but learning from it. So maybe one day we can sit back and say, “Why aren’t there more people on the planet giving back, because we are a good thing for this Earth!”
Spirituality ensures that the intentions behind what i’m doing are good – that they’re in line with my higher power. There is evil spirituality in this world that can infiltrate you mind, make you think things that you don’t really want to be thinking, and do stupid things. Meditation can be a way to help with that.
My favorite flower is the dandelion because it’s viewed as a weed, but is probably one of the most medicinal flowers out there. It’s way under-appreciated, and it’s pretty, and yellow!
Music is very important in my life. It’s the art form that balanced out martial arts for me. I started piano around the same age, and it was a great way to stimulate my mind and my emotions. It’s another form of patience and appreciation for things.
Why is it that nobody ever says, “There are too many trees on the planet,” yet we talk about humans? Why is it that we look at ourselves as bad – a sickness- that the Earth needs to have less of? It’s because we don’t give back. If you look at nature, everything gives back. If you look at society, we only take, take, take from the environment.
I shaved my head leading up to a fight. It was getting in the way and I just wanted no distractions.
I like praying. That’s my number one form of meditation, but there are many different forms. You can write, run, draw, sing, and express your spirituality in many ways. Meditation is a form of controlling your thoughts, being aware of your thoughts, and making sure that your purpose is in line with your higher power, which some people call God, but which can be many different things.
