What a Retrograde

Many joke around about Retrogrades, commonly blaming occurrences or changes in behavior on the Retrograde season. Humor on the matter gives me hope that there’s awareness of the fact that our human experience is effected by celestial movements.

When I first heard the term Mercury Retrograde, I was fresh out of college. I had a silly, almost unexplainable spat with an old friend about the way our phone call was greeted. It was so annoying and I couldn’t figure out where the communication went wrong. Needless to say someone dropped me a line about Mercury being in Retrograde. That meant sometimes our everyday communications can become convoluted and jumbled.

Since then it hasn’t stopped. Every Mercury Retrograde Season for the next three years was met with tumultuous experiences, bad endings, long distance and troubling travels, no need to go on you get the picture. Everything that happened during the Retrograde was drama and annoyance. I couldn’t figure out why this season meant days of bad luck. There was so much dread around the the matter. What the hell was going on up there?

During a Retrograde, the planets are seemingly moving backward across the etheric back drop from earth’s perspective. From our understanding all of the planets are rotating in the same direction around the sun at different speeds and frequencies. This means some planets can be either a head or behind us in there rotation yet will appear to be moving backwards. Now each planet; Mercury thru Pluto; has a Retrograde Phase and they all correspond with different areas of our life.

After feeling fooled and shamed to many times by the universe I began to look ahead and research the next Retrograde coming up. I decided that I’d be ready for whatever and to know not to have any expectations of anyone or anything. Since, every seasonal Retrograde has become a time of excitement, paradigm shifts, and affirmations of my alignment.

Visualize yourself in the celestial worldview. You are in space standing on a rotating orb that represents earth and you are looking towards the sun. Because the sun is spherical, the orb is taking you on a path that goes 360 degrees with the Sun in the center. All of the other planets are orbs as well circling the bright star at the center. If you observe the scene ahead, you see a tiny orb of Mercury moving the fastest around the sun. As the tiny orb gets closer to you approaching you on the left, it soon passes you continuing in the the same direction now moving further right. As the tiny orb becomes oppositional from you perspective it appears to now be moving against the flow. From your standing position on the orb you see Mercury is completing the circle and moving backwards coming up upon you again from the left.

To ride the Retrograde, I learned some very important things about the people I seek council with, the energy I give to situations, and how I look at what’s happening in front of me. Often times the conflict that is occurring between yourself and another during a Retrograde was already present. Due to the monotony of the day to day, we typically overlook certain degrees of negativity due to the nature of consistency. The Retrograde time brings any issue that is not being address to light.

The environments you find yourself in during your daily experiences begin to shift during a Retrograde. They tend to test you or congratulate you. If your in a state of dissatisfaction with your environment than it becomes intensified. Some lose jobs and relationships. The other side of the game is the spaces your in can become rewarding. It’s always a time when new people emerge presenting opportunities. It’s up to you to use your intuition to guide you.

Once you find gratitude in the day to day, the up and down, your life’s work feels enriched. The daily experiences are sweeter and negative talk lessens. If everything is aligned, certain thoughts and speech materialize instantly into your worldview. Many know this as the Law of Attraction. Well Retrograde Season is primetime to draw your needs and wants to you. To give a brief story to coincide this way of thinking:

The Headliner for the Summer Season has been The Carter’s OTR Tour. I had a desire to see Beyoncé perform after just recently becoming a supporter. Her ticket prices were astronomical however, I was not fittnah pay more than $100 for some tickets. The only person I’d spend big bucks on is Erykah Badu. I remember saying outloud that I’d rather see Muva Badu before I see Beyoncé. That being said my girlfriends and I purchased our cheap nosebleed seats for Yonce. OTR was one day away when a client offered me FREEE tickets to see Erykah Badu! So just by saying out loud my desires the universe helped me achieve it.

This Mercury Retrograde season was full of feminine energy and healing. New love interests to get to know and beginning new projects. I’m looking forward to the next season this fall.

Curl Fest 2018

Here’s another melanated voice chiming in with their testimony of how uplifting and awe- inspiring experience Curl Fest was:

The morning of Curl Fest was filled with anticipation. I had spent the night before picking out my outfit and hot glue gunning together my flower crown. This is my first year in attendance for this particular pilgrimage to the Neathermeads in Prospect Park. (Sounds so Mystical) Curly Tops, Twist Outs, and groups of beautiful, glowing black people were just pouring out of the station from my up-top view of the street. As soon as we crossed the threshold to the park, my friend Kayla says, “l feel like we’re going to find God today.”

Before we could even figure out were we were on the festival grounds, the Devas found us.

@Deanna_devacurl @ Fitzed_Devacurl

The two of just a handful of the most talented stylists at DevaChan Soho. Their personal styles are married in their skill. They truly know how to get results that leave you feeling joyful about your hair. If your not trusting of your neighborhood DevaCut; book your appointment with them. (@deanna_devacurl, @fitzed_devacurl)

So of course I had to check out the Deva Stand. I have been wanting to try the Super Stretch. I received word that it’s not bad on Lvl4 Curly Hair. Definitely want to do a twist out or maybe just a wash-and-go.

Lotta Body has been my favorite styling brand to use daily. I love the foam! It makes my hair manageable if it’s becoming shrunken and frizzy. It’s to hot to have any real expectations of an edge control but I like that the Lotta Body Edge control vibes nicely with perspiration in the skin. Just remember to clean the hairline with witch hazel at the end of day to absolve product build up. Any way, I just got the Lotta Body comb because I was not waiting in that line. Lotta Body’s line had a Lotta people!

There was a lot of people everywhere so much to love and appreciate. My favorite are those with bright colorful curly curls.

At one point me and some Goddesses attempted to make a rainbow.

So many faces at Curl Fest some old some new.

It was hard to say goodbye to but I know I have next year to say hello again.

After the event ended, a spectator stopped asked if the vibe felt different this year. Almost like certain neighbors were questioning the colorful display of pride on their streets.

I contemplated back. I don’t recall feeling unwelcome in this community. More importantly, I was with my community. Everywhere I looked there was a black or brown person that had a pride in who they are that you can feel. It always feels good. If it feels bad it’s bad. I’m used to disregarding the judgmental energies around me. I don’t look for their presence. My intuition guides my way from negativity to spaces that are safe for me to occupy. Hence the evolution of my hair to this bright green ombré situation I have going on.

It’s a statement:

We can live out our wildest dreams. No one can tell you that you can’t love what you do. With love to my sisters whose hair is healthy, bouncy, and bold their life is busy, booked and blessed. Asé

💚

New Moon in Pisces

This New Moon In Pisces has most intuitive folks experiencing vibrations on a whole ‘nother level. It has been a season of hail storms destroying and cleansing everything in the way not strong enough to resolve the water works. Rightfully so, I’ve been praying that anything within me and around me that is not going to connect me to the Highest Good be removed from my being.

Consequently pain and grief follows. Letting go is never easy especially when your feeling yourself be stripped of what you thought was a quality and what you thought made you, well you. Grief, guilt, pleasures, and people. Now let’s get into it.

Leaving New York moving back home I brought a ton of personality with me. The past few years were dedicated to trying something new, exploring and observing. Now that I am back in what is considered to be an unchanging environment I am really able to analyze what kind of people I want in my life.

Being more discerning of character is something I neglected to adapt to. I allowed energies to openly mesh with mine and making allowances for their energetic needs. No more. This moon alerted me to boundaries that have no choice but to be set. This means certain characters no longer have a place in my lineup. This means certain conversations will no longer be had. This means certain activities will be laid to rest.

This means growth above all. The Aries season is approaching and a New Astrological Year is just ahead. While I have been teary eyed and distant this past cycle I am born a Fearless Ram. I’m coming into my power and charging for my destiny.

I am my own self fulfilling prophecy

The past few years I have lived behind a veil… no one knew who I was because I did not know…

My shadow self became my voice while I allowed myself to sit back, just on the horizon of light and dark. I hid…

Deep inside of my heart was a pain. It burdened me to speak of it so I silenced my voice to protect my being. It was a choice. My choice.

I listened and learned from my surroundings in stealth. Only speaking what I considered necessary truths. Only to protect my walls and boundaries.

The secret to my silence was My Smile. My beauty cloaked my pain. The light on the horizon was bright enough to shield the darkness beyond.

The Secret Smile was a struggle. The weight of the lies I told my self grew heavier. No one knew the gravity weighing on me. If there was a clue ever written on my face. The veil of silence eliminated any proof.

But then, I began to lose belief in myself. I thought I was safe teetering on the borders I created. I was losing sight of my purpose and no longer had a choice. I was spiraling out of control. Who was I ?

I humbly asked my Ancestors for direction. I lifted my eyes up to the Heavens. I met with the Source, the Source acknowledged my Substance. The Silence was filled with a Most High and Holy Vibration.

When I looked back at me I saw a reflection of the Great Goodness within me, the dark path behind me was light up and guided this new path before me. My pain was replaced with gratitude.

The veil is a souvenir I have on this journey of self discovery. I am becoming my own self fulling prophecy. I wished to share this with myself as a reminder of how far I’ve come. My smile is lighter. Asé.

Third Eye & Crown Challenge

Grand Rising! I begin this day with confidence. This challenge was inspiring on so many different levels. It was a push for mindfulness. Channeling my energy into my chakras from my surroundings and from within myself daily. I learned to set aside time for things that need to be sorted out. Using the core values of each chakra to empower my actions and intentions. By this day I felt some where in between energized because of the meditation, realization, enlightenment; and exhausted from the information overload and tired from work. You see I, was having so many ideas and visions that I needed sometime to process. Of course, time stops for no one so I have to keep moving!


My I arranged my crystals for the Third Eye: Selentine, Blue Calcite, Lapis Lazilu, and Flourite. In the early rising of this day, I spent sometime mediating on the paradigm shift and all the changes approaching. Hoping to add as much positivity and love into the frequency of energy. I opened my third eye to the new day to experience. Anointed myself as a vessel for Light and Love, then hit the grind.


I am very specific about who I employ to cleanse and style my hair. My hair is my physical crown as well as shields my ethereal crown. I’m also very particular about who I employ to cleanse and style my hair. The hands must be gifted and source their energy from Light and Love. I got a much needed No-Poo Transformation to cleanse my hair for a protective style. Remember at the end if this week I’m seeing Kendrick’s Damn Tour in D.C. My hair has to be laid.


On the last day of this challenge I took to reflect on the previous days. In entirety, I was so proud of myself from starting and finishing. I encouraged so many of my friends and collegues to try the challenge. I intend to do the challenge again. Instead if a heavy focus on my aesthetic and crystals, I’ll work with foods and oils.

 

Chakra Challenge: Throat Chakra

Since the last Full Moon I have decided to move back to my home town of Philadelphia. I made the choice to go back home to be closer to family, friends, and the movement. My city is growing and changing its important that Philadelphia is my home base. Leading up to this upcoming moon cycle the Chakra Challenge is helping me to reshape my energy, thoughts, and emotions.

Since I’ve made the choice to transition. There has been a weight lifted off my shoulders. As a result, I have been very keen to analyze my own needs and my own time. Constantly working for someone else to barely make ends meet isn’t cutting it anymore. I took the day off to get my mind right as this move means that so will be my own boss. On the contrary of going to work I need to get into the hustlers spirit.

I stayed home all day today meditate and manifest. I did some journaling, prioritized some moving operations and overall enjoyed peace and quiet at home. Most of my day was spent silent speaking to myself thru the words I wrote. With my fluorite and lapis in hand I had a very productive day.


Later in the afternoon I decided it would be wise to go for a walk. It was a truly beautiful day, one that was spent indoors mostly. Stepping out felt like an adventure. I just wanted to take a light stroll and spend some money. My course led me to a Light Worker named Star. We shared conversations about dreams, growth, and change. For the first time I got my tarot read.


The tarot cards read Swiftness, The Fool, and Failure. They resonated very well with the path I am beginning to walk down. Swiftness expresses my attitude towards life, as an Aries I’m quick to jump into things. Pulling this card reminded me of my impulsive nature. It doesn’t work for everyone but it works for me. Swiftness is a strength of mine. The Fool was a reminder to live my best life for me. When you place the needs of others before your own you become The Fool. Lastly, Failure, everyone has their own perception of failure. This card reminded me not to fear change because of the possiblity of failure. Then I thought if I am on a journey of growth and change, failure is relative.


As time goes on I’m working on providing clarity with my words and speech. Star shared a great technique for observing self talk. Switching a bracelet from wrist to wrist each time your openly or maybe even quietly express a complaint. The movements start to reshape your reality as your become more conscious of what is being said once a movement is prescribed. It was the perfect takeaway for my throat. chakra day.

Heart Chakra Challenge 

Today was a time for focus on love and strengthening the heart. The Heart Chakra Center is placed on the heart. The heart chakra is the first in line of the upper Chakras. In most people there is a slight disconnect between the lower Chakras and the upper. The upper region has more of an impact on the spiritual body while the lower dictates the physical body.

In all honesty, my heart chakra day was a very rocky one. Around mid-day my being was challenged by the very distinctive ways of the word. I am an extremely passion person when it comes to my people and the treatment of my people in all walks of life. I stood up for what I believed in, knowing in the back of my mind my choices were made out of love. Although I feel I passed the test, I still had a heavy feeling weighing on me. My support system reaffirmed that my words were true and my intentions were pure.


I carried my tourmaline with me as per usual and I’m glad I did. When the energy in a space is to negative and consuming it’s best to work out an exit. My Rose Quartz aided my tolerance for myself. I can release thoughts that do not serve my intentions. I’m working to balance my spiritual body with my physical body. The Malachite creates space for the hearts energy to grow. The bands and layers teach the heart to recognize patterns and to flow with patterns of love and compassion.

Unfortunately my heavy heart was distracting my drive to meditate this evening. I did write out some things I wish to release from my trinity and set them free. I wrote out some positive intentions over water and drank that. I decided to record a video journal of how I was feeling and to speak it out positively.

Solar Plexus Challenge 

I looked forward to this day. Not only because it was my day off but because I genuinely love Sundays. It was a beautiful Sunday to be out and active. The most perfect day to charge up my Solar Plexus Chakra. Yellow is my color!


The Solar Plexus Chakra is located in the center or core of the body. Self confidence is key when charging up the Solar Plexus Chakra. Creating a space for your body to feel safe in. At noon when the sun was high, I attended Vinyasa & Flow just to align my energy appropriately. Body goals: to be healthy, fit, and always flexible.

While working on my Core I began to analyze the spaces I take up. I currently feel as though I am wearing clothes that are too tight and that I must shed them in order to grow. I’m making a big move in the fall and relying on my devices and my faith to lead me. I’m very excited and look forward to what is to come. In the meantime I am still claiming my territory and shining intentional light when I can.

Yellow crystal and stones positively impact the Solar Plexus. The energies within the stone charge up feelings of self confidence and optimism. The strength of the shine with the body is drawn out by the crystals. Separately of course they have their own powers. Golden Calcite helps one on a spiritual journey. The stone allows for the mind to open up to new realizations and new perspectives. Citrine allows for abundance to flow actively throughout your life. As the body acts on desires they become a reality.


One of my goals is to become a creative director for scenes, videos, and photoshoots. Today I got my make up done professionally and designed my own shoot. The act of modeling is allowing for more comfort in my body. It felt amazing to allow my confident to take up space and flow thru my being.


That evening I meditated on my core. I thanked the universe for the beautiful day. For the sunlight and the moonlight. For family and friends. For the opportunity to grow and shift. For blessing me with Divinity. Amun

Sacral Chakra Challenge 

The Sacral Chakra is second on the Chakra scale. The sacral chakra is influenced by water and creativity. It honors uniqueness and change within an individual body. In a sense ‘going with the flow,’ and allowing space for the self to be open.

This chakra has the strongest effect on the body’s sexual tendencies and desires. It is located in the region of the reproductive organs on both the male and female body. The Sacral Chakra encourages a healthy connection between emotions and sexual pleasure. To often, this Chakra is weakened by poor experiences and meaningless encounters. It is important to know and understand how one feels love.

This morning I woke particularly confident. Grateful for another day to challenge myself to Be Better. I prepared my crystals for the day’s world: Orange Calcite. This stone works with the creative energies to keep imagination active. Seek inspiration from everything and go with those motions.


When you perceive yourself as an artist you give yourself the constant relief of never having to justify your decisions. You allow yourself to explore and learn. Even as things may feel wrong or bad, you learn to accept even that for what it is… possibilities.


My day was great and full. Spent my sunset in Prospect Park celebrating new life and birth. A genius idea of becoming a dula or midwife came to me this evening while blowing bubbles with a baby girl, Luna. Although I want kids I want to overcome my apprehensions about childbirth.

Later that evening, two Cancer friends joined me for my Sacral Meditation Session for the night. My rising sign is a Cancer so I enjoy being amidst Cancerous energy, it helps me toss a softer palette. For as long as I’ve known my Soul Sister, she has insisted that I read crystal balls. I doubted myself as working on crystal ball readings is not something I considered, although I have great communication with crystals. My Soul Sister granted me with a powerful gift, a Bright Blue Calcite Crystal Ball.

Root Chakra Challenge

The Chakra Challenge is something I’ve been conceptualizing for a few months. I’m constantly looking for new and creative ways to explore my energy portals. And improve my quality of health.

The Chakra System is a channel of energy points beginning at the base of the spine rising to the crown of the head. Each energy point corresponds to an organ or organ system and effects the functions of physical body. The chakra points also have specific colors aligning to their energy patterns. Many things such as foods, sights, smells, and touching the points can all be very stimulating to the chakras.

The Chakra Challenge is a self care technique inspiring one to reflect on the inner strength while putting effort into the outer appearance. Wear the colors that influence the Chakra point or charge up the chakras by meditating.


Day 1 began today! Starting at the Base Chakra, the Root Chakra. The day was designed to be busy and I knew I would need a lot of endurance. From early afternoon to about 9pm my books were loaded at the salon. The goal was to not get distracted by outside energies but to focus on my own levels. Doing the best I can from start to finish, remaining consistent, and checking in with my clients as well as myself.

As a crystal child, I am constanty working with crystal energies and frequencies. I make a point to never enter my place of work without Black Tourmaline. Simply because it protects against negative vibes and that is crucial in my industry. On this day however the tourmaline was to ground me in spiritual practicality. Assisted by my Red Jasper to ground me in my work and keep me determined.


Aside from stability the root chakra assist one in their analysis of their fears. Prior to starting this challenge I was in a position in which I felt extremely unsafe. I’ll include the details in a separate post. The experience served as a catalyst for me to begin the challenge so the details are equally as important.

Fear is a strong determined factor for how behavior is rationalized. The scale has two extremes – fear and love. While my work day was extremely productive I encountered my fear late into the night… waterbugs.

Although the insect wasn’t alive I still felt myself frozen in fear. I am aware of my bugphobia and perhaps this brought an awareness to start developing courage. I was able to observe myself in fear. I become very still. On this journey I want to use this stillness to my advantage and train this stillness into stealth.

I finished off my Root Chakra day with a meditation session. I have exploring binary beats and frequencies and their effects on the body. The sacred sounds induce a new level of focus and have impacted me tremendously. A 10 minute Binary Chakra healing session provided by YouTube allowed me to tune my base and prepare my mind.