Monday, August 30, 2010

"Changed Womb-an"

I said I would launch this blog by the 1st of September, and I purposely waited until the last minute because I did not know exactly what I wanted this blog to be about. I knew I wanted it to be personal, and I knew that I wanted to provide resources to promote people, places, things, and experiences that are noteworthy and transforming. Little did I know that something would happen that would truly transform me forever, seasoning the purpose of everything that I would do in the future.

I've never blogged before, and while I have put a lot of thought into what I want to shape this blog into, I don't want to spend a lot of time in from of the computer. I need to spend that valuable time "researching." (Lol.) Living is my research. And just to make it really personal, and because stories are always told in a more candid way in the heat of the moment, I'm going to simply paste an email I sent to one of my friends telling her the whole story.

I think I finally got it figured out!! As a youth, I had always dedicated and focused on my future. I knew what I wanted to do and the road I would take to get there. I graduated with honors from high school and went through college with unstoppable promise, of course my journey has not come easy but all of the struggle was worth it for me in the end. Shortly after graduating, I started my career in the non profit/ social services field and loved every minute of my work mostly because it was fulfilling for me. Then, after three years into my career, the most wonderful and beautiful interruption happened; the birth of my first born daughter in the fall of 2004, Ayana Ashe. I felt the most intense love that I have ever experienced when she was born and nothing else mattered to me. Now in the summer of 2010, I am anxiously and lovingly awaiting the birth of my third baby. Since I have become a mommy, I have been so conflicted. I came from knowing which way I wanted to go to constant job changes to work with my most important role as mommy and wife. When I land a job, I feel pure heartbreak at the thought of having to leave my babies.

Have you ever noticed how often you say yes? There's so much power in YES (start paying attention to how often you are a yes of course versus a hell no) Now there’s nothing wrong with being a hell no sometimes yet it’s our yes’s that open us up and thus our possibilities. I’m now clear that when we say yes that the Universe says yes, I use to think I was waiting on the Universe, now I know the Universe is waiting on me...how sweet!

A personal project I'm working on. A year of intentionally living a more gracious, graceful, and grace-giving life.

~SLY from SheenaLaShay.com

When you can, click the link below and check out the promo for my latest documentary. I will keep you all posted on upcoming screenings!

http://www.innarae.com/documentary.htm

Bless you,
innarae

On Saturday (with little understanding) I participated in a virtual tea party and it was just so much fun ... Our hostess was Vanessa of http://afancifultwist.typepad.com/
So much blogger & real life fun, more than 200 tea parties-check it out and if you're not to busy, pop over to my blog as well http://sonyamacdesigns.blogspot.com

Today, June 21st, is the first day of summer–and the longest day of the year– in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of winter–and the shortest day of the year– in the Southern Hemisphere. In both cases this is the first day of the astrological month Cancer, the sign of the mother


Cancer is a water sign and in astrology, water is the element that corresponds to our emotions, our feelings, and our subconscious habits and desires. Cancer is also a cardinal sign, meaning that it directs its energy very purposefully and straightforwardly. Putting those two attributes together (cardinal water) we can better understand Cancer and why it is associated with motherhood: it very directly and purposefully expresses emotions, picks up subtle feelings, and create safe places where we can be confront our emotions in a safe and supportive environment.


To read more please visit:http://riverofhoney.wordpress.com

This is the calling…Listen to it ... The world needs us…

“What Inspires Me” by Michelle Smith
http://blissfullthinking.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/
an SA from the 1st blogger mashup • february 2010 via victoria smith of sfgirlbybay

Every Monday, after I do my chakra meditation, I consult my Osho Tarot Deck and ask for a lesson I need to focus on in the coming week. The Osho Transformation Tarot features startlingly beautiful images on cards that describe themes important to developing spirituality. The deck is accompanied by a book of parables that explains the meaning of the theme. (To read more about the Transformation Tarot go here.)


Last Monday, I selected the "Authenticity" card. The lesson accompanying explained that authenticity is not a trait we should develop on the spiritual path; it is the spiritual path. Our destination means nothing without authenticity; therefore authenticity is the path.

Rise From The Ashes

“Don’t let the negativity given to you by the world disempower you. Instead give to yourself that which empowers you.”

~ Les Brown ~

In mythology, a phoenix is an immortal bird that, when it dies, bursts into flames and is reborn from its own ashes. “To rise from the ashes of the phoenix” means to make a miraculous comeback. No matter what happens in our life, if we embrace the energy of a Phoenix Rising From The Ashes, then we are in the flow of designing our destiny.

Let us think of the phoenix bird in the same context as going to a sweat lodge or sauna, sitting in the heat, to cleanse the toxins from body, mind and spirit. In doing this, we shift the energy dramatically.

Sometimes, events take place in our lives in order to give us an opportunity to bask in the greatness that we are. One can either wallow in self pity and victimhood or one can take the conflict, the adversity and use it as a motivating factor in creating a more blissful, loving, compassionate life.

On May 27, 2010, Uranus, the planet of freedom, rebellion, revolution, anarchy, genius, innovation, and swift changes moved into the fiery, aggressive, and independent sign of Aries. This movement is a huge deal because Uranus (along with Neptune and Pluto) is considered to be a generational planet because of the long length of its orbit. For example, Uranus was in Pisces since 2003. Therefore its energy affected a large group of people, as everyone born from March 2003 until May 2010 had this placement in their natal charts. The effects of the generational planets are less subtle within the individual personality and tend to affect larger world events and movements.


When Uranus was in Pisces it seemed that more and more people began taking the unbeaten path in order to develop their own spirituality. Pisces is the sign of the seeker, the one who seeks mystical union with the nameless. With the planet of freedom and rebellion in Pisces it is easy to see why this is the case.

Lately I've been contemplating Stevie Wonder's 'Black Orchid' a lot. I listen to it while I'm riding the train to work, and I think about the work I was born to do, creating art that heals, and documenting the stories and movements of Black women. It's not always an easy road, and this song reminds me of those who have walked this path before me, and how important it is we all continue.

Here is a beautiful clip from the 1979 film "The Secret Life of Plants" that really inspires me. And the full lyrics to Black Orchid below.

A flake of snow within a storm
A new way waiting to be born
In a world with need of change
A touch of love in fear of hate
A rushing wind that's asked to wait
For the promises of rain
A pearl of wisdom entrapped by poverty

Weakness #1: I’m not good enough.

My fear that I’m not good enough is the biggest obstacle between where I want my business to be and where it is now . (Anyone with me on this? I hear it’s pretty common.)

I’ve compensated over the years by attending trainings galore and getting certified to facilitate empowerment, doula women through childbirth, coach folks through transformation and holistically counsel about health. The verdict: I’m not ready yet.

Back into the oven. This time I sprinkle in some reiki, reflexology and human design. Umm…still not ready.

I need to learn how to run a business. I find guru #1 who leads to guru #2 and a slew of others. Before you know it, I’ve got a “step by step” blueprint to create a million-dollar coaching practice if I so chose. But something doesn’t feel right.

On May 27, at 7:07 EST, the moon reaches her fullness in the fire sign of Sagittarius. As a fire sign, Sagittarius is concerned about identity and self-esteem–how we create and shape our identity so that we can function this world. As a mutable sign, Sagittarius focuses on learning about identity, asking how we fit into the larger scheme of things, how we fit into the divine plan.


In astrology, Sagittarius rules the 9th House, the House of higher education, religion/philosophy, law, and travel. In essence, it rules expansion of the self (education, travel) and an understanding of higher truth (religion/philosophy, law).


The time of the full moon, while magically it represents a time of abundance and reaping, it represents balance on a psychological level. When the moon is full it opposes the sun in the opposite sign, emphasizing an astrological axis. In this case, it is the Gemini - Sagittarius axis that is being emphasized. Gemini represents the lower mind, the mind that researches, seeks out details, and gathers necessary information. Sagittarius rules the higher mind, it synthesizes, looks at the big picture, tries to see the broadest view.

Gentle as a kitten,
but ferocious as a Lioness

Self love is more than the topical solutions that are talked about today. It is a spiritual affair. Think about this, the divine creator is everywhere including in you.

I just want to tell all my sistas that you are beautiful and if anybody tells you different then the truth just ain't in them. Have a wonderful sunny glorious day and may it be filled with no regrets and much laughter.

"Thus, whenever two forces come together, the superior one will impose itself and replace the other. To love your enemy, then, is an act of conquest, not submissive resignation."

Ra Un Nefer Amen

SoulSeed Tees

Happy Mothers’ Day! To all of the women who mother, nurture, and care for others I pray you have a very very blessed day!


Before I head on over to my mother’s house I want to keep my promise to begin sharing my journey through Queen Afua’s Sacred Foods Gateway while working on my root chakra.

A few months ago, I blogged a bit about my journey through the chakras but I never continued with that work. I have been studying the chakras and the exercises and meditations used to develop them for a few years now but I have not spent nearly as much time as I need to truly understand their energy.


But something about the springtime gives me the inspiration to go fervently after what I know I need in order to truly grow and develop myself.


Some I am going back to the root.


The root chakra forms the foundation and support for the rest of the chakra system. The root chakra, which is associated with the earth element, is red and represents the densest energy of the visible light spectrum. It is also associated with the planet Saturn, which represents structure, stability, and limitations. Limitations is not to be taken negatively; in this sense, when we are aware of our limitations as human beings, we can make intelligent choices and take our duties and responsibilities seriously. The number 4 is associated with the root chakra; in numerology the number 4 relates to stability and structure.

Last week I read a blog that really helped me to understand ancestral work. (Here’s the link if you want to check it out. It’s a great blog!) I am understanding that it is so much more than just lighting candles and living pretty bouquets of flowers; it is about investing time to develop a relationship, to work on making the connection strong so that I can begin to benefit from their wisdom.

So this past Sunday, I created a spiritual bath of rosemary and basil and, using a bit of Florida Water, cleansed and consecrated my egun altar. As I was doing so, I felt so peaceful and so grounded — so important for one who lacks Earth in her chart! It always like “ahhhh!” whenever I feel connected to the physical in a balanced way, because I often don’t. In any case, I felt like I was creating a sacred space to do work with my ancestors.

To read more, please visit http://riverofhoney.wordpress.com/.

While sweeping out the flood waters this weekend, I finally papered the back walls of the bookcases in the little studio. Over a year ago when I set up my studio space in the storage building behind our house, I planned a color scheme of red, black, white and turquoise, well as time went by I let this color scheme go. The concrete floor was painted turquoise and boy did it show dirt. In late March I began move n stuff out of the studio to paint the floor black, black shows dirt as well. A friend suggested I cover the concrete floor with hardwood, well there's no money for that! so I grew tired and quit ... then ... inspiration steped in ... Andrea Scott and her blog post titled MY space ... (http://www.andreascottllc.com/blog) posted right here ... Thanks Andrea ... the space is get n better day by day.

Tonight I was reading FB updates of some of my friends. An old classmate of mine had written about how she hates when she knows someone's past, and how they try to act like they think she forgot. She felt that was just really fake.

Radical self-care tip #1: Use music to start your morning off right.

An essential function in African traditional religious belief is ancestral work. To African people, ancestors are a vital part of the community.

The idea of working with ancestors was really difficult for me. When I was first introduced to African traditional religious beliefs, I was still very much entrenched in European ideas of spirituality. Though I had already felt deep within me that there was much more to the universe than what I had learned in church — I intuitively knew that the world was not just this physical universe and that my only connection to the spiritual world was Jesus — I still was not really sure what to believe. The idea that we could and should honor dead relatives was so foreign when I had been taught that when people die they either go to heaven or hell!

Even after I committed to being an aborisha (worshipper of the orishas) I still was not sure what to think when my godmother talked about having an ancestral shrine and spiritual misas –ceremonies that involved communicating with the dead. It wasn’t so much that I didn’t believe or wasn’t curious — I was VERY curious, lol — I just did not know what to think about it all.

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.” -Gandhi

How many times have you heard this quote?

As cliché as it is, I don’t think we really understand what it means. It’s on countless websites. Buttons, t-shirts, bumper stickers and political posters. I’ve even sat in on meetings where it’s been an agenda item. But the truth is, I've rarely seen it practiced.

Whether I'm hanging with women who want to make a difference, activists who want to change the world or healers who want to share their gifts, I've noticed a common mistake: We are so focused on “doing” the change work, we have no time to “be the change.”

We forget to take care of ourselves first.

Why does it matter?

Taurus, the second astrological month, is an Earth sign. This means it corresponds to the physical and material realm, including the physical body. It relates to physical and financial resources, including the values we hold that attract us to certain objects in the physical realm.

Taurus is also a fixed sign, meaning that it directs its energy toward stabilizing and maintaining, rather than initiating (like the cardinal signs) or ending/transitioning (like the mutable signs).

Taurus’ focus is embodiment – a sense of “being here,” “being present,” and “being aware.” Cultivating Taurus energy in our lives helps up to truly enjoy our human existence. It is a sensual energy, meaning that it allows us to indulge in our senses in healthy ways, ways that being joy and sweetness to our lives rather than imbalance and compulsion.

To read more please visit: http://riverofhoney.wordpress.com/

All i have is right now, this moment to make my life work. As the time of my age increases, may I be made glad, for only through many years of living does wisdom grow. May my time be filled with memories of thankfulness and healthy seeds sown. Let me never waste this precious comodity for it never stands still, even for a moment. 

Forget not that cycles come & go and no matter how hard things are right now, or how good they may be, nothing remains the same... neither grief nor sweet solitude will be forever. Knowing this, may I then use my time to heal, to build, to love and to reason.

Creator, may I leave a legacy of time well spent, and when I step over to the other side, to the realm of the Ancestors, may I keep celestial time with them.    

I would define myself as a beautiful soul & spirit having a black experience or a spiritual being within a shell, that shell being the body of a woman of color. I know that I am more than my body, emotions and mind. My true essence is infinite and boundless. On a physical level I am whole and complete just as I am. I know that the Most High Creator makes no mistakes and I am so glad that I manifested as a Black woman.

Hello sisters,