Calming Affirmations from the Heart & Soul

Soul consciousness is infinite. Although each unique soul is energetically connected to the Divine, we appear separate. Our perception of one another as separate energies is just an illusion. We are all connected by the air we breathe, the earth we stand on and our invisible connection to and within the the universe. Indigenous cultures throughout the ages have understood that humans exist not as solid matter but as vibrational beings in direct contact with the greater source of energies surrounding us. Spiritual practices, rituals, astrology, philosophy and transformation bear witness to this understanding. In the past all these things were closely entwined into the everyday lives of our Ancestors.  They did not view themselves as separate from their environment, but functional parts of the whole. They were able to learn about themselves in what they saw and felt. Ritual is important.,,It is how we learn. Rituals were the scientific experiments of our predecessors. By returning to the ways of our Ancestors we can learn to live in harmony with ourselves and our environment.

Lunar Eclipse Manifestation Meditation

Full Moon in Pisces Meditation: BUILD!!!

BUILD! BUILD!! BUILD!!!

Calming Affirmation Meditation with Pilar

Thank you for joining me in my Calming Affirmation Meditation. I captured this tranquil moment at the beach the other day while meditating in the sand. I went to the beach with a lot on my mind; in this video I share the affirmations that calmed my spirit. I left the beach feeling free from the issues I came with. Intention is everything and the mind is a wonderful gift from God. Use it wisely. Anytime you feel stressed or in deep contemplation, simply set aside 3 minutes and change your life...again and again. One Love.      ~Pilar

SUNday SUNset Meditation (Beginner)

SUNday SUNset Meditation

Level: Beginner

Visualization: Ocean Water & Sand Debris

by 

Pilar Sangofemi

In Honor of Ntozake Shange & Sandra Bland

august 6th, 2015/2pm
dear god/
i sit here in despair as the glare of death has its nose smashed against my window.

it looks at me with some kind of evil as if i did something to ignite this war.

i am sore to the core because genocide left her blood at my door

and my feet are frozen in time...

if i had a dime for every crime committed against a person of color

or for every time senseless death was the face of a brotha

i'd be rich...

or for every chic you call "bitch" though she's somebody's motha

...or sister...

the disrespect is a blister that wont heal and i'm deeply wounded/

i mean, everybody's walking round sportin' three fingers and a circle paying homage
to a disloyal devil up in this hell...
casting spells and poppin shells where i dwell/

on the corner chiefin "els"...a soul yells...the body swells...church bells and cartels...
wit teddy bears, candles and flowers...
sometimes i shed tears for hours like showers/
I try to water the seeds in my own blackyard,
but its hard to grow roses on concrete.
flowers don't grow on my street/
just the remains of slain innocence beneath my feet.
it seems like the walls are closing in as i extend much love to the kin on my corner.
i feel like a foreigner in my hood...
where black men are misunderstood and labeled "no good"/
where youth should be runnin' round but instead they're bound by the sound of
clicks...
posts...
chats...
and tweets...
the children no longer play on my streets
and gunshots have replaced the pitter-patter of little feet/
if i could just delete the bad police
and release the walking deceased
who sit rotting in jail cells with no peace
because their innocence is tainted by disbelief
and photoshopped videos of martyred black s/heroes...
instead i just sit here and weep and try to keep
a sound mind in this matrix
and follow my basic instincts
when I feel on the brink/
of insanity/
cause solomon said it best...
all else is just vanity.

My Grandmother's Ring

I am a Prodigal child.
The daughter of the first wife within a marriage that didn't...that couldn't last.
First generation American Trini...raised in a foreign land
with the warmth of the sun forever in my heart.
Raised in the land where winter never really dies,
yet I radiate heat through my eyes.
I was different.
Dark & Lovely...Smart & Proud...
A misunderstood prodigal child.
A Trini called me Yankey; A Yankey called me Trini.
Where do half-breeds reside?
I tried to run, run, ruuuuuuuuun.
But I could never hide.
Bandy legs.
Nostrils wide.
Nappy hair.
African Pride.
Some said, "From whom does she come?"
Others said, "Her hairline is like the Nile."
But by Grandmother said, "I see Ancestors in her smile."
The face of Sango through my bloodlines past.
An Aboku she remembered...
a concept they couldn't grasp.
Laying hands...praying hands...
Holy oil and grail...
I am the stolen legacy.
My feet shall walk their trail.
My wings shall never fail.
Their ears shall hear my tale of two forces that dwell within.
So what they mocked me.
One even said, "Who does she think she is?"
I say, "I am no one, and every one all at once."
Kissed by the Orisa, favored by my people gone home.
A cross to bear and a word to share,
I am the gatekeeper...and my Grandmother knew it.
I tried to run, run, ruuuuuuuuun.
But I could never hide.
Bandy legs.
Nostrils wide.
Nappy hair.
African Pride.
On her 90th birthday she gifted me with a gold Amethyst ring
and I promised to never run again.
I have run my course...I have seen all things...I am complete.
I stand my post...I retain my truth...I rest my feet...
and my mind...and my soul.
I am one with the Universe.
I am whole.

Who Will Teach Us?

Man was created to worship.
In the limitations of human frailty, we use religion to introduce tranquility into the soul.
In the eternal abundance of the soul, the spiritualist understands that human intellect (in wisdom) and the soul (in virtue) travel the same path to enlightenment.
The problems with "morality and ethics" in the world today are actually problems of guidance in the practical application of wisdom and knowledge. It's one thing to read it, another thing to live it.
There is a distinct difference between Wisdom and knowledge...between what our minds are able to comprehend of eternal things versus what we are able to comprehend of the temporal things within the earth. Who will teach us these things and guide us in this way? Just as there exists in close proximity the heaven and the earth, we find ourselves entangled in the temporary, changing things of life as well as the eternal, omnipotent things of God. Who will teach the children the difference? We are a confused society. Every single one of us should be a Master Teacher. Every teacher must have a teacher. Every human needs a teacher to guide the inherent inner Philosopher. Much of what we see manifesting in the streets is misguided philosophy. Misguided philosophy is a tool used by the 10% to keep the rest of us under control. Just open your eyes and take a GOOD look around. Who will teach us? Where are the great Prophets and Philosophers of old? Who will guide us to the infinite light of God? The mind must be prepared for enlightenment. It's not something one just wakes up to, as many wish for unfortunately. The path towards enlightenment, or to the highest self, is first a matter of conversion. A former teacher once told me on the subject of servitude, that I was "convinced, but not converted." Many of us, for example, are convinced that there exists a true and living God, but we are not converted to a way of life that exemplifies God. Who will teach us this? Religion is mysticism without pure, irresistible proof; Spirituality is the journey through the infinite internal void. Who will stand before us and guide us through such terrain? Someone has to teach the masses that the tools to life are hidden in the allegory of life. That's why I love the Wizard of Oz so much...it is truly one of the greatest allegorical satires of all time. Truly, if one can find and follow the yellow brick road, one can find and follow his/her Divine purpose.
I summon the Divinely inspired Master Teachers of this world and beyond.
We are servants and we introduce tranquility into the soul. We live by and teach TRUTH, because the God-joy of Wisdom is sensed in truth...yes, you feel it when you hear it. Who will train the masses which feeling to follow? For the absence of truth also evokes emotion that can mimic the aforementioned joy within the untrained, unlearned, unenlightened soul.
I summon the Divinely inspired Master Teachers of this world and beyond.
Truth begets truth. In truth may be achieved the happiness for which the joy in truth is sought. We are all seekers. EACH ONE, TEACH ONE, in as much as is humanly possible.
May the Force (of God & God's Nature) be with you always.

Peace Be Unto You.

"Giving birth and nourishing,

having without possessing,

acting with no expectations, 

leading and not trying to control:

this is the supreme virtue"

• Change into loose,comfy clothing so that your sitting is not restricted in any way
• Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed
• Sit comfy on the ground, with your legs outstretched or crossed
• Close your eyes and concentrate on relaxing each part of your body
• Begin at the tips of your toes and envision the blood flowing throughout your body to the top of  your head, the Crown Chakra (Sanskrit) or your Ori (Yoruba).
• Once you are focused on your blood flow, tune in to your breathing pattern.
• Breathe in through your nose (if possible) and out through your mouth, making an "Ohhh"or "Ahhh"sound as you exhale.
• Once your breathing is regulated, channel your attention towards your thoughts and feelings. Let them roam free for a while in your mind, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Next, capture your thoughts and move them to the outer space of your mind. This is called "Clear Your Canvas" meditation. 
• Expeditiously push all thoughts that race for the center of your mind to the outer edges, far left/far right,etc.
• Try to focus on your clear canvas, that is, the pure space in the center of your mind, entertaining no thoughts that try to invade that space.
• Keeping calm and still, continue this exercise for 2 to 5 minutes. 
• Once you reach your calm space, envision your inner Teacher. See yourself in this capacity. Feel your inner peace and tranquility. Speak affirmations to yourself. "I am Wise. I am infinite love. I have all the tools I need to be my best."
• Give Thanks.

Orbs in the sky...

Spirits Fly.

Eye speak their language:

Gye Nyame!!!

God is Supreme!!!

If you want a butterfly, you've gotta BE (a butterfly.)

The mind is a powerful tool. 

See it. Believe it. Live it.

Finding Your Nia (Purpose)

Finding purpose.
This thought is on most people's mind these days...well, for decades to be truthful.
Not that I listen to Jay Z (shameless disclaimer), but he has a song entitled "On to the Next One" that has a striking catch phrase. Because my children span from the ages of 10 to 23, I often listen to the lyrics of pop music so that I am always aware of what is being fed into the minds of our youth through the "ministry" of  music. Well in this particular song, Jay Z and Swizz Beats boast, "I gotta million ways to get it, choose one." While they are referring to loot/cash/money/riches, this phrase immediately reminds me of my purpose in life. Society presents us with a million ways to go about finding the reason we are here, but I think this journey begins with ONE major step:

STEP OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE.

I know this sounds basic and cliche, but its gotta be one of the hardest things for people to do initially. OMG!!! I am one who likes to start at the bottom line and build up...unlike my "self help" counterparts who penned The Secret which, for the mass sheeple, is like feeding calculus to a 2nd grader in my humble opinion. This society is so misinformed that true change means that one MUST begin at Ground "0"...yea, but who has time for that, right? In order to find true purpose...YOUR true purpose...the first step is to step away from the bubble we live in...and we all live in one. That place where we are consumed with how we look to others, succeeding in life, personal pleasures and demons, other people's problems...etc., etc., etc.

Stepping outside of our comfort zone means that for the first time we can begin to see things from a less self-centered approach, A certain level of humility is inherent in our new space and allows us to view our strengths and gifts from a more macrocosmic vantage point. Outside of our comfort zone we take things that happen to us less personal and can begin to understand that when someone deliberately offends or insults us, it's less about us and more about their own insecurities and shortcomings. 

Finding your purpose is an inward journey, contrary to popular belief, and far too many of us are so full of the desire for temporary pleasures that the real keys to who we are are buried deep beneath the rubble. When we muster up the courage to take a few steps outside of our normal survival mechanisms, we can see that much of our need for pleasure is just a temporary, fleeting sensation that is neither loyal to our destinies or even remotely interested in our Divine purpose. In our warm fuzzy little comfort zones personal desire is the center of our existence. When we step outside of this we can actually see the things that God has been trying to show us like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Our context shifts from the personal desire to be better to the personal desire to be better within the world we seek to make better. Understand? In this new found freedom, our focus shifts to the greater universal good and our choices stem from our natural roles within this greater universal good. These choices connect the dots to our purpose, our Divine gifts. As we begin to learn ways to fulfill our purpose, everything shifts to a higher frequency including our respective career goals, familial goals, spiritual goals, etc., as well as the kind of company we keep. Once the things that truly matter to us become much bigger than ourselves, our Divine universal purpose can be revealed to us. We open ourselves to receiving the tools that are essential to the fulfillment of our purpose.
Of course, leaving your well lived in comfort zone is not easy; it takes lots of mental, physical and spiritual work. But the reward of unlocking the door to self is an unmatched, never-ending reservoir of peace and wisdom. Keep it simple. When those sneaky feelings of insecurity, anger, fear, anxiety, sadness rear their ugly heads, rebuke them expeditiously for these are the things that drag us backwards and lock us into our bubbles. Outside of the bubble, we discern that such negative emotions are just fleeting traps that can be let go of and loosed for good. Get started. The time is now.
Here are a few pointers to get your ball rolling:

• Read more. For me, it's biblical teachings and other anecdotal literature that inspire. Find yours.
• Meditate on the bigger picture of life. Think on the infinite as opposed to the finite.
• Give freely and be genuinely happy for the success of others. Kill your green-eyed monster.
• Pray all the time. Talk to God. Speak your desire to grow spiritually.
• Seize moments of quiet solitude so that you can train your spirit to hear Divine spirit.
• Choose Joy at all cost.

Soon you will wonder how you ever existed any other way.

Be well and prosper.

Tao Meditation

I am surrounded by distractions.
Distractions separate me from God.
I choose to be ONE with God, not separate.
Being spirits ourselves, both elevated as well as unclean spirits are able to use us to either help or hinder, assist or agitate, uplift or tear down our fellow humans. This will either bring us closer to our destiny or pull us further from our destiny.
Consider the story of sisters Mary and Martha.
The Prophet Jesus had come to visit them in their home per Martha's welcome.
Imagine the tremendous blessing of a Prophet of God visiting YOU in your humble abode.
What a glorious opportunity to sit at the feet of such Wisdom and soak up as much understanding as you can. Imagine your sister preparing food for Jesus, so you take it upon yourself to show the utmost reverence and humility by bearing your soul in tears and servitude, washing his feet and anointing them with soothing oil and ointment.
Now imagine that your sister, who was preparing a meal for Jesus, becomes bitter and resentful towards you simply because you did not choose to serve in the same way that she did. Martha became distracted and projected her distraction upon Mary by throwing her under the bus to Jesus saying, "My Lord, do you not care that my sister Mary has left me to serve alone? Please, then, tell her to get up and help me." Instead of Martha seeing the beauty in the balance of their servitude and the honor of providing food and physical sustenance, she found fault in how Mary chose to serve Jesus, distracting her from her spiritual work with her Lord.
But the Prophet Jesus checked Martha's incessant whining by informing her that she "is worried and troubled about many things," and this was the cause of her distraction.
Sound familiar?
We have all portrayed the actions of both Mary and Martha at different times in our lives; either being distracted by another person's issues, or distracting others with our own issues.
I neither want to be distracted nor do I desire to be a distraction to others, and this has been the crux of my meditations most recently. My mind took me back to one of my favorite meditative anecdotes, the Tao Te Ching.  The passage that spoke to me this month posed several questions whose answers took me on a deeply introspective journey into self:

Can you coax your mind from its wandering and keep to the original oneness?

Can you let your body become supple as a newborn childs?

Can you cleanse your inner vision until you see nothing but the light?

Can you love people and lead them without imposing your will?

Can you deal with the most vital matters by letting events take their course?

Can you step back from your own mind and thus understand all things?

Meditate on these personal inquiries.

"Giving birth and nourishing,

having without possessing,

acting with no expectations, 

leading and not trying to control:

this is the supreme virtue"

• Change into loose,comfy clothing so that your sitting is not restricted in any way
• Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed
• Sit comfy on the ground, with your legs outstretched or crossed
• Close your eyes and concentrate on relaxing each part of your body
• Begin at the tips of your toes and envision the blood flowing throughout your body to the top of  your head, the Crown Chakra (Sanskrit) or your Ori (Yoruba).
• Once you are focused on your blood flow, tune in to your breathing pattern.
• Breathe in through your nose (if possible) and out through your mouth, making an "Ohhh"or "Ahhh"sound as you exhale.
• Once your breathing is regulated, channel your attention towards your thoughts and feelings. Let them roam free for a while in your mind, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Next, capture your thoughts and move them to the outer space of your mind. This is called "Clear Your Canvas" meditation. 
• Expeditiously push all thoughts that race for the center of your mind to the outer edges, far left/far right,etc.
• Try to focus on your clear canvas, that is, the pure space in the center of your mind, entertaining no thoughts that try to invade that space.
• Keeping calm and still, continue this exercise for 2 to 5 minutes. 
• Once you reach your calm space, choose one of the questions from the aforementioned Tao Passage and place it in the center of your mind. For example, "Can you cleanse your inner vision until you see nothing but the light?" 
• Think on the question and understand it. "What is the light?" for example. Define the question in your own mind. If you find that the answer is Yes, then you are already in a perpetual state of peace and love. Congrats and keep rising...answer another question.
• If the answer is "No", then  meditate on how to make the answer "Yes." What does "cleansing" mean for you? What internal work needs to be done? What does it mean to see the light? Relax and let your mind navigate to truth, peace and oneness. Enjoy the journey.

Live Long and Prosper

A Woman's Work

Someone once said a woman’s work is never done.

Someone said that good woman is either underpaid or unpaid for all the work that she does…that a woman who loves her family and lives a simple life is boring or repetitious…unfun and mundane.

I flip through the magazines and I am lead to believe that what we look like is more important than the work that we do…I turn on the t.v. and am left with the notion that if a woman is raped then somehow its her fault and if a woman is beaten she somehow provoked it…

And if we raise our voices we’re angry Black women and if we have lots of sisterfriends we must be gay …if we ask the doctor too many questions we’re a nag and neurotic when we really just want answers and if we’re single and sold out for Christ its because we couldn’t get a “real” man and if we have personal standards we’re selfish and pushy and if we stand up for ourselves we’re aggressive and non-submissive and unlady-like but if we don’t stand up for ourselves we’re typical weak females and if we desire to be married with children we’re looking to trap a man but if we don’t we’re unnaturally feminist…

Women today are still searching for spiritual peace and elevation. We are uber-aware of our hunger and need, but many of us are still in search of what will satisfy this need. In every aspect of our lives, from church to child-rearing, we are more prone to draining our creative springs than to replenishing them. With our great pitcher of water in hand, we attempt to water entire fields as opposed to our own back yards. Instead of slowing down the axis of our inner wheel, we throw ourselves indiscriminately and without pause into committees and causes. Because we do not know how to calm our spirit, we try to muffle its demands in countless distractions that lay at our fingertips.

As a spiritual guide to women clients, I find more times than not that many of us feel trapped subconsciously by our circumstances and situations. I find that when I suggest meditation to my clients, more times than not I am met with a million and one excuses as to why taking the time to find one’s inner Garden of Gethsemane is rarely a conscious priority next to cooking or scandal or Empire...

Many of us feel that life has dealt us a hand and the only option we have is to sit in one place and ride it out. In earlier times women had in their lives more spiritual recipes and ritualistic practices which centered them whether or not they realized it. There were certain things that were inherently passed down to our sisters of old, both consciously as well as subconsciously, that kept them pressing towards the mark. Our foremothers possessed a certain je ne sai quoi about them that was self-sustaining and deeply spiritual. Our Mother’s mothers and their mothers understood that seclusion in the home gave them time alone.

I remember the subtle movements of my mother’s mother around her home…long before the modern mechanization of housework, our foremothers understood that their domestic and familial duties were conducive to a quiet contemplative drawing together of the self. My foremothers understood that nothing feeds our center as much as creative spiritual work. To them creative work was spiritual work, for the handi work of the woman is pleasing to God. Let us consider what the Bible describes as the virtuous woman. In the 31^st chapter of proverbs, the 13^th verse, The bible uses the following imagery to describe her:

“She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
¹⁵ She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.
²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
²² She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.”

The art and craft of housework has been greatly diminished…

The contemplative moments while baking bread…The candid thoughts of yesteryear as we can the preserves…the colorful kaleidoscope of emotions that dance through our minds as we sew the curtains…as we sing a lullabye to the children…as we wash and dry the dinner dishes…as we arrange a bowl of flowers…as we prepare breakfast at the kiss of dawn for our families…

For many of us these domestic tasks provided a sense of quiet in a crowded day…like writing a letter or saying a prayer. They were times that gave us an excuse to be inwardly attentive.

We currently live in a society in which every trend, every pressure and relatively every aspect of our external world seems to be against the power of inward living…that is, living  from the inside out as opposed to from the outside in. Women of faith are the pioneers of this inward living for strength…mainly because the nature of our deep-seated spiritual convictions force us to look inward. Women of faith understand that looking inward builds the kind of inner strength and courage that the world, in it’s superfluous external pursuit of happiness, cannot find…for the woman of faith knows that the Kingdom of Heaven is within.

From time to time I’ll have a client to liken their current existence to a prison sentence…often feeling like the active years of the 30’s, 40’s and/or 50’s have been long outlived. So much sacrifice, and in the midst of raising children, caring for elderly parents, our aging bodies, losing loved ones and all the other growing pains of life, some of us have grown restless in our respective journeys. Some of us feel emotionally stuck in our efforts to remain whole in the midst of distractions…psychologically bound in our efforts to find balance regardless of the external forces that tend to knock us off center…and an even greater number of women tend to feel like they’re in solitary confinement…despite the fact that they are never really alone, they feel lonely…often misunderstood beneath a web of insurmountable, never-ending responsibilities.  I am no stranger to these dips, valleys and cul de sacs of life…and some of my greatest lessons, epiphanies and revelations I have found here. 
Meditate with me...

Meditation for Busy People

"By meditation upon light and upon radiance, 

knowledge of the spirit can be reached 

and peace can be achieved."

Patanjali, 300B.C.

• Change into loose,comfy clothing so that your sitting is not restricted in any way
• Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed
• Sit comfy on the ground, with your legs outstretched or crossed
• Close your eyes and concentrate on relaxing each part of your body
• Begin at the tips of your toes and envision the blood flowing throughout your body to the top of  your head, the Crown Chakra (Sanskrit) or your Ori (Yoruba).
• Once you are focused on your blood flow, tune in to your breathing pattern.
• Breathe in through your nose (if possible) and out through your mouth, making an "Ohhh"or "Ahhh"sound as you exhale.
• Once your breathing is regulated, channel your attention towards your thoughts and feelings. Let them roam free for a while in your mind, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Next, capture your thoughts and move them to the outer space of your mind. This is called "Clear Your Canvas" meditation. 
• Expeditiously push all thoughts that race for the center of your mind to the outer edges, far left/far right,etc.
• Try to focus on your clear canvas, that is, the pure space in the center of your mind, entertaining no thoughts that try to invade that space.
• Keeping calm and still, continue this exercise daily until it becomes easier to reach your clear canvas. When you can sit amidst your clear canvas for 5 minutes or more, you are ready for guided meditation. ("Clear Your Canvas & Guided Meditations" tutorials coming soon.)
• Advanced Students: If you are already able to clear your canvas within a minute and sit within your clear canvas for at least 5 minutes, then choose a color for your canvas and create something in the ethereal space. Here, I often create my "To do" list for the week, "research" my next creative project, write a song/poem,or simply hold my peace for up to 15 to 20 minutes in the quiet.

Kreative Pilar

Sisters, Let Us Unite!

I am so tired of hearing my sisters boast that they "don't mess with other women." More than half of the women I come in contact with in various social settings LOVE to tout their inability to get along with other women. Since when did this become the new normal? And at what cost?  Hmmmm....perhaps this is the addendum to Willie Lynch's letter...arguably one of the most heinous crimes on paper against the African Peoples of the Diaspora to date. Perhaps in the section entitled "The breaking process of the African woman" in which WLynch  breaks down how the male image must be damaged and destroyed so that the female feels alone and unprotected...emotionally frozen and stuck in a psychological state of independence, a footnote was added that explained the importance of destroying female relationships as well. Perhaps by destroying any possibility of true love between the male and the female, the female is forced to acculturate into a male-dominated society thus taking on the characteristics of the new misogynistic male. Henceforth, a misogynistic female, or a female who hates her own feminine counterparts, is as unnatural and detrimental to the healthy advancement of mankind as is a misogynistic male. When one sister encounters another sister, beauty is reflected. For a woman to employ a general attitude of dislike for other women implies a serious imbalance. There are many confounding factors at play here and a multitude of deep-seated underlying issues that affect a woman's ability to connect with her sisters.  More often than not, I have observed, these issues stem from childhood. Mothers often underestimate the impact that their words can have on their delicate offspring. From overly critical ridicule and judgment  to feelings of inadequacy and shame, when a woman proudly boasts that she cant stand other women, you can rest assured that there are deeper emotional blockages that lay just beneath the surface. Women's societies and circles have been an important part of indigenous cultures since the beginning of time. The very prevalent absence of this sentiment among many women today is a sign of the times that I hope to help eradicate. When we truly love ourselves, we can love our fellow sisters (and brothers). When we can affirm ourselves, we can affirm other sisters. The "crab in the bottom of the barrel" syndrome that I have witnessed all too often among my sisters is disheartening and I pray that those sisters who think its cool find their way to this self-affirming meditation:

Affirmation Meditation

• Change into loose,comfy clothing so that your sitting is not restricted in any way
• Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed
• Sit comfy on the ground, with your legs outstretched or crossed
• Close your eyes and concentrate on relaxing each part of your body
• Begin at the tips of your toes and envision the blood flowing throughout your body to the top of  your head, the Crown Chakra (Sanskrit) or your Ori (Yoruba).
• Once you are focused on your blood flow, tune in to your breathing pattern.
• After 2 to 5 minutes relaxed breathingk, channel your attention towards your thoughts and feelings. Let them roam free for a while in your mind, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Next, capture your thoughts and move them to the outer space of your mind. This is called "Clear Your Canvas" meditation. 
• Expeditiously push all thoughts that race for the center of your mind to the outer edges, far left/far right,etc.
• Try to focus on your clear canvas, that is, the pure space in the center of your mind, entertaining no thoughts that try to invade that space.
• Now focus on healing. What does healing mean to you? What thoughts come into your mind when you think on the word HEALING? 
• If there are any people, places or things that come into your mind that have caused you pain, allow them to gather in the center of your mind. 
• Hold them in place there letting nothing leave. 
• Chant to yourself or aloud, "I am love. I give love. I receive love. I am Love.
• As you affirm yourself, pour pure white light into the center of your mind. The more pure white light you send, the more that bundle of hurt begins to erase from your mind. 
• Keep chanting. Feel the Divine love. Keep pouring pure white light into your mind until the space is clear and there is nothing there but your canvas. Feel the victory of letting go.
• With a clear mind, continue to affirm yourself using words of your choice. i.e., "I am beautiful"..."We are, therefore I am."..."I am powerful", etc.
• Keeping calm and still, continue this exercise as often as your busy schedule will allow.

Peace Be Unto You.

                                                                                                                                                                                            

Guided Grounding Meditation

Guided Grounding Meditation

Find a comfortable space to sit in for at least 15 minutes. 

Allow your eyes to resonate within the peaceful tone of this picture.

Observe everything in it.

Look at her eyes, the eyes of the spiritual mother, the Great Mother.

Rest your eyes at the top of her forehead.

Envision yourself standing at the top of the white line.

Now walk down the white line and stand in the center of her chin. 

Leap from her chin into the center of the large bubble above her head.

You have entered the bubble of past memories. 

Stand in your past. Think about how you feel.

Run and leap into the second bubble, the bubble of present life.

Stand in the present now. Think about how you feel in this current paradigm.

Take the quick jump into the bubble of future manifestation.

Stand in your future. What does it look like? How do you feel? Are you content or anxious?

Suddenly a beautiful Sankofa Bird with big, beautiful wings comes and carries you off into the birth of your next life. You are a new person/being. What is the first thing you see? 

(I saw yellow flowers the first time, in a window!)

Open your eyes and journal your experience. Just write about your experience, create a poem or get super creative and paint/draw it.

Peace Be With You.

Meditate on Peace

Emotions seem to make us nuts, dont they? All over the friggin place...from happenstance to happenstance, it seems that we can go from 0 to 10 in the blink of an eye depending on the issue (and what sign you are astrologically;-)). The crazy thing is that with all of this emotion comes a myriad of physical responses. Emotions are forms of energy that run throughout our bodies like electrical currents. Each emotion has a frequency of its own and this is where things get real. The most common (and DEADLY) emotions such as Anger and fear resonate at the same frequency as the color red. The root Chakra (genitalia) also resonates at this frequency. Love, however, resonates at the same frequency as ultra-violet light.  It is the highest visible frequency; the third eye Chakra spins at this high frequency as well.
We must carefully watch these emotionally charged electrical currents because they travel along our neural pathways and trigger the release of chemical proteins called neuropeptides (Np). Each Np controls different physiological functions within our body. From Oxytocin & Adrenalin...to various hormones & endorphines, everything we think and feel has the potential to physically help or harm us. For example, joy, orgasms, happiness and laughter cause the release of endorphins, or powerful opiates that make us feel good. Such feelings are extremely helpful because they help boost our immune system, relax muscles, elevate our mood and decrease pain.
Fear, anxiety and stress, on the other hand, release adrenalin, cortisol & norepinephrine. These Nps cause the heart to race, blood vessels to dilate and muscle to tighten. When we feel these kinds of emotions, it is important to find the time to meditate and sort through them. We must positively channel these powerful electrical currents and turn the negative energy into positive energy. Focus on your energy.

 

The Beginner's Mind Meditation
(Clear Your Canvas)

"By meditation upon light and upon radiance, 

knowledge of the spirit can be reached 

and peace can be achieved."

Patanjali, 300B.C.

• Change into loose,comfy clothing so that your sitting is not restricted in any way
• Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed
• Sit comfy on the ground, with your legs outstretched or crossed
• Close your eyes and concentrate on relaxing each part of your body
• Begin at the tips of your toes and envision the blood flowing throughout your body to the top of  your head, the Crown Chakra (Sanskrit) or your Ori (Yoruba).
• Once you are focused on your blood flow, tune in to your breathing pattern.
• Breathe in through your nose (if possible) and out through your mouth, making an "Ohhh"or "Ahhh"sound as you exhale.
• Once your breathing is regulated, channel your attention towards your thoughts and feelings. Let them roam free for a while in your mind, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Next, capture your thoughts and move them to the outer space of your mind. This is called "Clear Your Canvas" meditation. 
• Expeditiously push all thoughts that race for the center of your mind to the outer edges, far left/far right,etc.
• Try to focus on your clear canvas, that is, the pure space in the center of your mind, entertaining no thoughts that try to invade that space.
• Keeping calm and still, continue this exercise for 2 to 5 minutes. 
• Once you reach your calm space, begin to envision a circle. Look through the circle and around the circle. Write the words,"I AM PEACE" inside of the circle. Focus and meditate on these words for as long as you feel led to. If the words try to fade or disappear, re-write them. Let nothing enter into your mind accept for this mantra.
• When you are done, give thanks to God, the Universe and the Ancestors and close out/seal your prayers with "Amen," "So shall it be,"  "Ase," or the equivalent.

Peace be unto you.

What Kind of Seed Are You?

A Ready Mind is Fruitful Soil

Follow me.

The peaceful prophet Jesus...he walked out of the home where He was residing and sat by the sea. People came searching from near and far; great multitudes were gathered together at His feet. There were so many people in fact, that the Prophet Jesus got into a boat and sat down while the multitudes stood and waited graciously on the shore. Imagine...knowing all that He knows...what his thoughts might have been as He observed the individual faces in the crowd. Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.Then the Prophet Jesus responded with a loud voice saying, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
What Wisdom lies in this parable...one of my favorite in regards to understanding my spirituality. "What kind of seed am I?" I remember asking myself this at the beginning of my current journey which began some 25 years ago. Smile...even now I ask myself at least once a week. This self inquiry is more rhetorical than anything; asking myself questions periodically is a "checks & balance" ritual for me. It is more a need to remain in touch with myself  than a search for a literal answer more times than not. Within a misguided, gravely distracted society, this ritual forces me to constantly assess my relationship with my source, and essentially, my self.
WHAT KIND OF SEED AM I? (Meditate on this using the exercise from February 19th).

The Seed represents my direct relationship with God. Scripture explains this parable as follows:
"When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful, But he who received seed on the fertile ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty.

WHAT KIND OF SEED ARE YOU?
Think back over your life and write your thoughts in your journal. 

When you encounter lessons and/or spiritual wisdom, do you HEAR? We must be willing and open to receive universal instruction in a manner that parallels the way that good soil receives seed (spirituality/Wisdom/Scripture). This is the key to producing fruit or manifestation. Even still, it is not enough to just hear; the work does not stop there. Many humans deceive themselves, thinking that hearing is all that they have to do. They say, "I go to Church so I am spiritual" or "I heard it on television so I understand." We must drink deeply from our spiritual cup...those things we cannot see, but hope for and aspire to. We must work daily to apply the wisdom we acquire to every aspect of our lives, keeping in mind what kind of seed we actually are. Knowing our own natural proclivities is very important. God intends for those called to be Master Teachers to step up and walk in our Destiny. James, the stepbrother to Prophet Jesus, in chapter 3:1 says that not many of us should become teachers because those of us who teach will be judged more strictly. But what if you ARE a Master Teacher? How will you ever know if you don't sit still long enough to know who you are? Now meditate on that.

Peace.

Afterthought on the Afterlife

So many of us ponder what happens after we part this earthly realm. Philosophers have been thinking on this since the earliest civilizations. I often wonder myself...although I must admit that I have my own tried and true belief system well intact. God and His Universe...the heavens and the earth...The Orisa as well as the Ancestors...all things work in tandem to provide us experiences that reveal the keys to not only ourselves, but to the great mysteries of life. God is perfect, and created us in His perfect image. If these things are true then we must regard the various cultures of the world as a part of such beautiful perfection...handcrafted by God Himself. Therefore, we should not judge or regard another's belief system in a derogatory manner when we do not share the same school of thought. Instead, we should say, "That is where that person's experiences has lead them to." That is not to say that the person doesn't need some assistance or guidance along their path. It is simply important to remember that our thoughts and words carry life and/or death. Our words and thoughts are either life-producing or death-inducing. Choose life.
Cultural overlap on earth allows tradition and ritual practices to blend and feed into one another. If we spent more time honoring the "process," that is, the individual journey. oh what beautiful revelations we would encounter! So much to be learned and appreciated. As a Spiritualist and Teacher, I have gained priceless wisdom along my path in quiet reverance of the universal process of seeking and finding. I am particularly interested in the things that happen the moment we leave this earthly realm. Some of the most popular transitional destinations I have come across in my studies are as follows:

• Paradise: The place that Jesus ascended to following his death. A perfect waiting place. 
• Purgatory: The realm of lost souls and departed spirits
• Heaven: Your soul immediately returns to God. A timeless state. 
• Transcendence: Your soul is returned to the Great Mind state, rejoining the sea of consciousness from which it came.
• Awakening: Your soul arrives in pure light. Having shed the physical body, we see truth with acute clarity for the first time.
• Transmigration (Also referred by some as purgatory): The soul is caught up in the cycles of rebirth. Depending on your Karma, your soul returns to earth in a better or worse. higher or lower form.

The Akasha itself, or the source of consciousness and creativity, is the highest state of the soul's journey. It is translated into one of the aforementioned categories of consciousness respectively, depending on who you ask and/or what part of the earth you're in. The common assumption is that no one really knows what happens after we die...but I do not believe this, per se. I believe this knowledge is attainable...I personally believe that I have attained this wisdom indeed. The teachings of Prophet Jesus say that if we seek, we will find. We receive not because we do not ask, and when we do, we ask amiss. Truly, the answers to the questions we wonder everyday are right beneath our nose. We just fail to look hard enough,