Tina Turner’s abusive marriage to Ike Turner was well-documented in the biopic What’s Love Gotta Do With It? starring Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne.
While promoting her upcoming book, Happiness Becomes You: A Guide To Changing Your Life For Good, the singer spoke to The Guardian about how she “summoned her inner lion” to overcome health issues.
“Over the years I have summoned up my inner lion and overcome each health problem. Illness has given me a greater appreciation for health and reminds me to live each day to its fullest.”
Ms. Tina also spoke about practicing Buddhism. “Buddhism found me. The abuse I endured in my 20s and 30s had become obvious to people around me, and at different times a number of them suggested that I learn about Buddhism.”
The 81-year-old said she had “nothing to lose” as she reflected on the amount of time it took her to gain the strength to leave “the unhealthy environment with no regrets.”
Fans may be shocked to learn that Tina Turner wasn’t confident about her looks and even hated her iconic legs. “Busted lips, black eyes, dislocated joints, broken bones and psychological torment became a part of everyday life,” she writes of her legacy.
She shares, “That’s how I’ve been able to fully embrace all the flaws and imperfections of my life, to appreciate both the hard times and the good, and let go of past hurts. That’s true freedom.”
