Featured Mindful Meditation

Creating Our Own Sacred Space

 Create your own sacred space. (it's the gift that keeps on giving) The keys to our inner peace rests within the sacred spaces that we c...

Saturday



God created the moon. The moon belongs to God. Is there anything made by God that is made in vain? I think NOT! Just as the insect and the seasons have purpose, so the moon has her divine resonance. Today is the second day beneath the first quarter moon, or half moon. It is very cloudy out so we will have a difficult time seeing her in Chicago, but her presence is definitely felt, especially if you CHOOSE to feel her. This phase of the moon is often underplayed or overlooked, but truly each phase is of equal significance and rolls into the next like a divine wheel. As for meaning, you ask? The half moon is a GREAT time to give mind to the future. Now that you have set your intentions during the New Moon, what are your long term/short term goals as you move forward? The only constant in life is change and the moon is a celestial wheel of change that our ancient Ancestors paid attention to. The work requires that we turn ourselves towards fulfillment, pay close attention to the incoming tide of possibilities that present themselves, meditate on them, pray over your choice-making and be diligent in making bold, confident, spirit-led decisions in your life.

A Sacred Space: A good place to begin your moon phase ritual will be quiet, uncluttered, and will feel positive and peaceful. If you already have a prayer alter, this is the BEST place. You need a writing surface ( or your lap will suffice), paper that you love, and your favorite pen or markers. Because this is a ritual, make sure everything you use is something you find pleasing. Light a candle. Diffuse essential oils. Add crystals or anything else that feels good to you (see photo).

Intention: Center your energy with a few minutes of meditation, quiet steady breathing and let your thoughts come to rest. Think about where you are in life and listen to your inner guidance to help you decide what you most wish to manifest and receive.  Write out your intentions. For example:
“I am ready to receive ______ into my life for my greatest good and highest purpose with perfect divine timing, complete harmony, and with grace and ease. Thank you for this blessing.”

It's a good ritualistic practice to place a quartz and other crystals on the paper to increase the energetic vibration as we channel manifestation...especially freshly charged ones. Symbols are a form of universal communication so draw a symbol such as a heart, Adinkra, star, or anything else that has meaning to you.

Sunday

I am hoping those prayer alters are coming along. We should all have one. It's not a matter of religion, but spirit. We are communal, ritualistic beings so we must be cognizant of what "rituals" we partake of. What better ritual than prayer/deep thought/meditation. To the ancient Blacks of the Nile Valley, to reach Maat (truth, justice, balance and morality) was the highest ethical goal for the spirit. The natural law that we must subscribe our mind to in order to attain Maat is the Law of Reciprocity; The Most High God the Creator gives us life, and in return we offer our life-sustaining gifts back to the Creator in the form of prayer and supplication (worship). That's the significance of having a prayer alter in your personal space...it serves as a sort of portal between our world and the next and, according to the ancients, this ritual in itself is Maat. And of course, Maat is one of the foundational requirements of manifestation.

Thursday


Sunday Meditation "Ah ha" Moment:
The last few weeks of my life have been pivotal. Comfortable in my own place and purpose, I now reflect on the relation-ships that have come and go. I know for certain that what most people call relationship is actually dependence. What we call relationship could be great now and a conflict later; it can be loving today and hateful tomorrow. There is no stability in it, because many of us are regulated by the external...but what is TRUE & REAL is not subject to moods. I have learned through trial and error that I exist in my highest self, with balanced relationships across the board, when I remove the flagrant whims of personality from my interactions. Just like truth and love are independent of personality, I try to relate to people in a space beyond likes/dislikes, beyond good/bad and reside in a space in which anything can be reconciled or, at best, perceived in a positive light. Call me crazy, but I feel the elevation in my spirit as a result.
In my own meditations I have come to know that if I am condemning, blaming or accusing someone it stems, for the most part, from a shortcoming within myself. I have to figure out what ignorance or fear or motivation is within me that makes me feel offended. My mantra to assist me in this spiritual work is:
"Everything is good. I can be hurt by nothing but my own thoughts." I chant this to myself, and instead of correcting another person, I simply correct my own feelings about them within myself. I have recently found myself in situations in which, had I not had the ability to discard my thoughts about another person and simply address what's going on inside of me, the outcome could have been less than favorable. There's that turning the other cheek theory Black Jesus preached about; most people see this as a weakness, but I find great strength in my self-control. Reacting, as most of us do, relinquishes control to other people and situations. Once I have had time to think and ponder my next move, I am no longer reacting, but simply moving in a direction that I choose. Think about it. If everyone practiced this ancient principle, what harmony we could sustain in our relationships. I'm starting with the (womb)man in the mirror. LOL.