2020 The Year of Change

 

Growth is painful but it's necessary. The year 2020 was a year of growth for a lot of us. The year brought many changes around the world and the U.S. I was quarantined at home for 7 months, and for the first 2 months I woke up every day and cried. I was going through a spiritual transformation and didn't really know what to do. Most of us have never been in a pandemic, so we didn't know what to expect. At the onset of the Coronavirus Pandemic I was going through separation anxiety from my soulmate. While trying to make sure my parents, children, and siblings were alright; I neglected to properly take care of myself. I wasn't depressed, but spiritually I was going through this metamorphosis. By the third month I had began having weekly tarot readings. Every reading pretty much said the same thing. I was on my way to gaining control of my life. I started doing shadow work, and I had my first Distance Reiki Healing.

After The Reiki session I felt lighter and I had gained a lot of insight on my situation and life. After a couple more months I attained more clarity and direction. I instituted working out daily and implemented more self care. Many days I woke up feeling overwhelmed, not knowing what the day would bring. Each day I tried filling my time with exercise, reading, cooking, and tarot readings to try and make some sense of what was going on in the world. For months I would hear about people dying because of the Coronavirus, but no one I was close to. To take my mind off of death, sickness, and Covid-19, I decided to continue to work on myself. I conducted tarot/oracle readings on myself as a form of self care, and to seek insight into what I needed most in my life.

Shadow work, tarot readings, and meditating helped to relieve anxiety over the unknown. I decided to surround myself with positivity and positive people, or I spent most of my time alone. I was alone in the house for months, but the alone time aided in me healing from past life traumas. Working on myself during this time of crisis was the best thing I could've ever done. I learned a lot about myself; I learned what I want in my life and what I definitely don't want. I learned that I have a strength and power in me so strong, that I can actually overcome anything. I fought for myself! I grew in areas I never knew existed. I acquired knowledge of what deal breakers are for me. I became intuned with my soul. The year 2020 brought hurt, pain, death, and grief but it also brought learning experiences, evolution, change, and growth.

I started school at Shaw Academy for a diploma in Alternate Therapies while I was quarantined at home. I learned new ideas to enhance my businesses. In August I returned to work after 7 whole months. In those 7 months I became whole. In July my publishing company began the work of publishing an anthology written by 7 dynamic ladies. This anthology also opened up doors to healing for myself and these great authors. The year 2020 brought so many changes our way, some welcomed and some not so much but we made it through. Change, Growth, Evolution, are all inevitable and they are much needed to take us to the next level on our journeys through this life. As the old cliché expounds, "no pain no gain". In order to move to the next level or advance in this life we must endure some pain beneficial to growth. Many people don't accept change easily, but its needed to advance as spiritual beings. With that being said, I am all the more better for having gone through this pandemic the way I did. So many changes in me transpired over the 7 months I was home. In 2021 I'm rolling out new services and products for my businesses. Who would've thought that a Global Crisis could change our lives for the better???

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Changing Direction and Vibrating Higher

My publishing company, Purple Poet Publishing LLC recently published an anthology entitled, "Changing Direction and Vibrating Higher: Telling Our Stories, Evolving, Becoming". In this epic book seven ladies whom I know personally, all tell their stories of life and loss but also stories of purpose and life altering experiences. I woke up one summer morning in July with the title and concept for the book in my head. I had a vision during the night to gather nine ladies at the time to write this awesome book. Two of the young ladies had to bow out of the project gracefully because they had prior responsibilities.

Each lady's story is unique, but they all have a common thread that unites them. Each queen saw her life spiraling out of control and she decided to make a change, or changes to vibrate on a higher frequency. Every living thing emits a vibration, but life and stress can lower our vibrations and we're left feeling sluggish, fatigued, and depressed. With this book I wanted to capture REAL, RAW emotion. The authors of this book hold nothing back. They are transparent as they allow a peak into their struggles, and ultimately their success.

The dictionary defines direction as: a course along which someone or something moves, the course which must be taken in order to reach a destination, a general way in which someone or something develops, and general aim or purpose. Sometimes we may feel like our lives have no direction and we're wandering around aimlessly, lost. There is purpose for your pain! You have the power inside of you to change the course of your life. Meditate, take spiritual baths, get a massage, open up your mind and unlock all of the potential you hold inside.

If you want to read some amazing stories of worth, change, growth, evolving, and becoming then this is the book for you! These ladies don't sugar-coat anything, they tell it like it is. Spirit chose these ladies for such a time as this to tell their stories and yours. Some of you may be living their stories right now. Each experience is idiosyncratic and distinctive to each queen. You may find parts of yourself in each chapter. Let's celebrate life, womanhood, queendom, telling our stories, evolving, and becoming!

Beginning the Vegan Lifestyle

(Wild rice, mock scallops made from King oyster mushrooms)

I began the journey to a vegan lifestyle over 3 years ago. In August of 2017 I stopped eating bacon, the only pork I was still eating at the time. I had given up beef and pork a couple of years prior. In 2015 I began the journey to myself. During the discovery of myself , I researched meats and what eating flesh and foods made from flesh did to the body. I also studied foods of indigenous people and African tribes. My native ancestors and our African ancestors mostly lived off of plants, herbs, berries, and seeds. There are medicine men and women in both cultures that used herbs and plants as medicine as well as food. So many people of color and some of my family members suffer form diabetes and high blood pressure, and I wanted to change the narrative for myself and future generations who spring up out of me.

Veganism isn't just about being healthy, but for me becoming vegan was more spiritual than physical. I stopped eating flesh for my health, but also because of who I was becoming. In order to vibrate at a higher frequency I had to stop eating certain foods. I had to start eating living foods that give life, not dead animals. Some people's reason for becoming vegan is to save the animals, but my reasoning goes much deeper than that. As a spiritualist certain aspects of life are not conducive to me harnessing my gifts and spiritual powers. Eating the right foods opens up your pineal gland (third eye) which allows you to see things clearly and truthfully. Eating flesh and foods made from animals calcifies the pineal gland and clouds your perspective.

Before you begin the journey to veganism it's important to explore your Why. Why do you want to become vegan? I told you my reasons, but each person's Why is different. After you've determined why you want to become vegan, you then need to decide what type of vegan you want to be. Do you want to just be a vegetarian and still eat dairy products, or do you want to become a raw vegan and eat raw uncooked veggies, fruit, nuts,and seeds? For the new vegan it's best to start out simple and explore with new fruits and vegetables. Being vegan doesn't mean you just eat salad or vegetables all of the time. Veganism includes: vegetables, fruit, nuts, grains, and seeds. For vegans, vegetables are cooked without meat and vegan or non-dairy items are used in the place of eggs and cheese. Some grains that are popular among vegans are: wild rice, black rice, brown rice, yellow rice, spelt, kamut, and quinoa. Popular seeds for vegans are: chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame, and pumpkin seeds. Nuts to include in a vegan diet are: almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, pine nuts, and hazelnuts. Beans and legumes such as lentils, garbanzo beans, and black beans are great for beginning vegans.

Farmer's Markets or an actual farm are great places to shop if you're vegan. Stores like Sprout's, Whole Foods, and Aldi are excellent for purchasing veggies, fruit, and processed vegan foods. As a new vegan you want to stay away from so much processed food. Brands like Boca, Gardein, Morning Star, and Beyond Meat are okay in moderation, but any type of processed food is not good for you over time. As a new vegan you're looking for ideas and a variety of foods to add to your palette. The vegan lifestyle gives you an opportunity to explore many new foods. Farmer's Markets like Nam Dae Mun offer produce and foods from around the world; you can try new foods you've never heard of before. If you find yourself missing the texture of meat, mushrooms (oyster, portabella, shittake), eggplant, and jackfruit are great substitutions for meat.

Make the transition to veganism your own! It may be easier to slowly ween yourself off of meat by cutting out beef and pork first, followed by chicken and fish. The use of processed vegan foods may be of good use in the beginning. There are many brands of processed vegan foods in the stores; some of my favorite brands are Gardein, Yummy, and Dr. Praeger's. Sprout's brand foods are a great value and taste great too. As a new vegan research lots of foods and decide what is best for you. Tauheedah Michelle and Purple Poet Publishing LLC are launching a vegan cookbook entitled, "Empressive Eats"  to offer help for vegans who are looking for great vegan dishes. I will offer up some of my favorite vegan recipes in this unorthodox cookbook. Be on the lookout for "Empressive Eats", meanwhile I wish you Peace & Blessings on your vegan journey.

(Vegan Lasagna with Spring Salad Mix)

 

Midlife Crisis or True Awakening?

Last month I crossed the half a century mark. Yes, I turned 50 years old on August 5th. About 3-4 years before my 50th birthday I began to feel unfulfilled and lost. I was seeking for answers in church and the Bible but found no solution to my problem. I started to seek within myself for answers instead.

During this 3-4 year time period I learned a lot about myself. I learned who I am, and who I was born to be. I am now at a point in my life where my focus is to make me happy. Others can be happy in the process, but my focus is now on me. My children are grown, I'm divorced and don't have a husband to cater to. I live life on my terms and do what pleases my soul. I think I look pretty good for my age. I wear what accentuates my body. Some people may feel that some of the things I wear are not appropriate for someone my age but I give no fu@ks.

I recently made the decision to finally live alone, without my children. At the end of this month I will be moving out of the apartment with the now 5 of my 6 children and moving to a 2 bedroom house. I have been looking forward to this for quite some time. It's not so much about getting away from my children as it is about getting away to me. Since I began evolving I don't wear clothes when I'm home, and I don't wear pajamas or a nightgown when I go to bed. I walk around my bedroom in just my panties. I want to walk around my house the same way. I have a vision for this new place of residence. It will be a home of serenity. I'm putting a plant in each room; plants like the spider plant, snake plant, and lavender. There will also be crystals in each room, and a fountain in the living room. I'm looking forward to enjoying the place I call home and pay rent and bills for.

There is so much to live for at 50 and beyond. I'm happy with who I am and who I'm becoming. This new life is about freedom and liberation. It's about finding and being your true, authentic self. I don't care what people think about me and I don't need anyone's approval to do anything. I'm ready to take trips, start more businesses, have awesome sex, and live Unapologetically Ever After. Fifty is the new thirty!

What are you Thankful for?

On yesterday most of you celebrated a day that the U.S. calls, "Thanksgiving". We in the enlightened world call it, "ThanksTaking". How can you really be thankful for a day that celebrates foreigners invading people's land and taking it over? White so-called "settlers" arrived from Europe and as part of their nature they raped and murdered the natives of this country. I could do a whole history lesson on Thanksgiving, but I want to discuss something a little deeper. What are you thankful for, and why do you celebrate Thanksgiving?

Last Sunday I had a get-together at my house that had nothing to do with a holiday or religion. It had all to do with love, at least on my end. I can't say the reasoning for my family attending, but my reason for having the get-together was to spend time with the people I love... my family. I don't need made up days or white society to tell me when to love and when to celebrate, or even WHAT to celebrate. I'm thankful and grateful for everyday because each day is an opportunity to spread knowledge and try to liberate my people. David Banner (my future husband) made a great point in his Twitter post yesterday; as black folks all it takes for us is a day off and some food and we'll bow down to whatever society says. He also added, "You say you're with God but you celebrate a demon's day. Are you thankful for what they did? What do we stand on or for?' Brother Malcolm X said, " A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything."

In 1862 Virginia passed an act that combined Native Americans and Africans (African Americans) into one category as "Negroes and other slaves". Did you know that some black people are actually descendants of natives of this country? There were Native Americans, or Indians as we like to call them here in the south. They were killed or shipped to concentration camps. Lake Lanier is a huge Indian burial ground. Waters from the Chattahoochee swallowed the natives and buried them alive underneath the water. I guess that would make Lake Lanier a sacred burial ground that white people love to invade. Some people (black people especially) can't see past the facade of pagan days, religious days, man-made days. As long as we get a "day off and some food" we're good. We even celebrate days that are detriMENTAL and harmful to us.

What are you really thankful for? Do you need a special made-up day to celebrate love, family, life? I'm planning another get-together for next month to celebrate my grandmother's 89th bEARTHday and my grandson's 10th. Their birthdays are just days before Christmas, but who needs to celebrate a white man who is obviously not coming to save us? I'd rather celebrate the people in my life who are special to me, and those that I know love me. I'm thankful and grateful for life, love, family, my business, and knowledge. What I know can't be "unknown", but what I learned can be "unlearned". As a people if we're going to be strong and unite we have to let go of these European holidays and mindsets. Put your mind to work on your family, your health, and your business. Create your own special days for you and your family. What are you thankful for?

Visionary

Grand Rising Family! I hope everyone is gearing up for a great weekend. I know a lot of you are preparing for Vision Board Parties for the end of this year, or the beginning of next year. My family will have our own Vision Board Party as part of our Kwanzaa celebration. How many of you actually work on accomplishing the things on your vision boards? I keep mine in a place where I have to see it daily, right next to my bathroom door. For the past couple of years I have just been adding to my vision board instead of creating a new one. As I accomplish some of my goals/visions I add more. I am a visionary; I envision the life I want and deserve. I have lost some things along the way, but I have also gained some things. At the end of this year as I celebrate Kwanzaa I will set my intentions for the coming year. One huge goal that I intend to accomplish is a family business with my kids. I have a vision for myself and my family. Purple Poet Publishing LLC and a life insurance policy are not the only things I want to leave for my children.

Being a visionary is not just about having sight, but it's also about having insight and 3rd eye vision. When your 3rd eye is open the veil is removed from your eyes, and you see things much more clearly.... You see things and people for what they truly are. When your 3rd eye chakra is cleansed you don't just LOOK but you SEE. There is a significant difference in looking and seeing. You can look at, or in the direction of something and not really see it. Having that 3rd eye vision helps you to see past the facades and lies, and in the case of the enlightened; you can even see into your future. As you plan your vision board parties, write new year's resolutions, or set intentions focus also on envisioning your life and future. Let's finish this year strong.
Peace and Blessings