Compositions & Coffee Presents: "Creative Soul Digest"
Mindful Movement Monday
Hello and Greetings friends
It’s Mindful Movement Monday and this Monday is all about spiritual and physical healing through meditation and yoga. YES, two of my favorite things because it’s the most serene way to release and refocus. So first I want to hit you with some FACTS that I know you are all going to look like WHAT!!!
FACTS:
Both yoga and meditation have been around since BCE times and both have foundational roots in India and China. WHAT YOU PROBABLY DON’T KNOW is that Yoga has roots in Egypt and meditation can be found in different forms all over the world.
Sebai Dr. Ashby has been doing research on the spiritual philosophy of Ancient Egypt and India and found correlations in the culture and arts of the two countries. Since he has written numerous books on the history of Egyptian yoga (I will include one in the recommendation section).
Yoga is a technique to control the body and mind in order to heal, release suffering, find inner peace, and to raise and expand consciousness from oneself to being coextensive with everyone and everything.
Meditation is a technique in which we train our minds to attend and be aware in order to achieve clarity, and a calm stable state. The goal is to improve thinking, instill logic, while also inducing a relaxed state.
So, as you can see the 2 go hand in hand to achieve a total happier healthier state of being. I won’t hit you with too many facts, I’ll leave that fun discovery to you but what I intend to do is enlighten you with the AMAZINGNESS OF OUR PEOPLE IN TERMS OF MEDITATION AND YOGA!
African spirituality focuses on healing, meditation, spiritual awakening, manifestation, contemplation, and transcendence. All of this is accomplished through meditation. Some forms of meditation focus on the body, and others draw you closer to the most-high. The one thing that all forms of meditation have in common is the ability to address the worst part of the human condition, the mind. POWERFUL!! Aborigines have been practicing a deep form of meditation they called dadirri meaning, inner, deep listening and quiet, still awareness. It is a ‘tuning’ in experience and it recognizes the inner spirit that calls us to reflection. Meditation has also always been an important part of the Rastafari way of life. WE BEEN DOING THIS FOR SOME TIME FOLKS.
I love this quote I found, “ One of the most difficult concepts for new initiates to overstand is that you are not your thoughts. You are the consciousness that observes those thoughts. You are the thinker, not the thought.”-- unknown
Now for those of you that are familiar with meditation the hardest thing in the beginning is training yourself to relax and remove all current thoughts. Here’s my second favorite:
“The mind in its natural state the mind is a wild animal. The thoughts that your mind produces can blind you to nature and reality. If you want to truly gain consciousness, lose your mind.” --unknown
YESSSSS!
WHY THIS IS CRUCIAL NOW MORE THAN EVER:
Living in a system of white supremacy is like living in hell itself. We are under attack always and being assaulted by white values that disconnects us from who we are as a people. All of this causes spiritual “trauma” that starts in early childhood and carries all the way to old age. To combat this, my beautiful friends, yes prayer, but also meditation and the healing of your mind as well as your spirit. Healing is a journey our people must continue down to break some of the generational trauma (a whole different topic for another day). So today I wanted to equip you with some additional tools and some history and facts around how our people have been using it in other parts of the world.
NOW FOR PASTOR BRYANT
Listen ya’ll I get that my man has his own opinions and beliefs and I respect everyone’s differences but he went a little far calling it “satanic intercessions”. He must not be in tune with the history of our people because we’ve been using all sorts of different herbs and medicine to heal and cleanse for generations. Listen smudging is done in many different ways I personally pray before I smudge, during smudging, and after smudging. Everyone does it there own way but the purpose is to CLEANSE YOUR HOUSE not invite anything in! It’s interesting to me because I remember as a child prayer warriors coming over to our house with “holy water” and “oils” and putting it all over the doors and windows of our house to clear out “negative spirits”. So…that’s not the same thing? Oh and let's not forget communion and the drinking of the "blood of Christ" because I'm pretty that can be perceived as witchcraft to some.
All this, my friends, to say...do what works for you, your life, your spirit, your vibe! No one can speak to your life but you.
SUPPORT BLACK-OWNED
Now let me tell ya’ll about two beautiful souls that are out there to educate and offer healing to the world. Sunny Brooks and TJ are both healers that own a company named Soulful Vibes Co. based out of Miami, FL. Their business provides “high quality, affordable, high vibrational, spiritual, and metaphysical items.” Their goal is, “to aspire to spread joy, peace, love, and positivity and education that will not only create a movement but will become a lifestyle filled with soulful vibes. I LOVE LOVE LOVE them ya’ll!! I buy their crystals, incents, smudge sticks, candles etc. from them so much I’m a regular. I also plan on attending a few masterclasses. So please check them out and support this amazing black owned business. Info will be left below.
My second love his YOGA STUDIOS and YOGA INSTRUCTORS!
So, I did a little homework and found some amazing black owned studios for ya’ll to join because OUR PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE DOING IT AND READY TO HEAL YA’LL!!!!
So, I’ll start with my home state:
California
Anasa Yoga (Oakland, CA)
YogaLove (Oakland, CA)
Trap Yoga Bae (Los Angeles, CA)
BFunctional Yoga (Los Angeles, CA)
Rocky Heron (Los Angeles, CA)
Washington D.C.
New York
Urban Asanas (Brooklyn, NY)
HealHaus (Brooklyn, NY)
Louisiana (check their dope names too)
More & More I AM (Baton Rouge, LA)
Yoga Noir Project (Baton Rouge, LA)
Magnolia Yoga Studio (New Orleans, )
Pennsylvania
Vitality Meditation (Philidelphia, PA)
Studio 34 (Philidelphia, PA)
Ase Yoga (Philidelphia, PA)
And please if you know more in other states drop a comment and let me know so we can spread the word and share with others. WE ARE ALL ABOUT UPLIFTING OUR PEOPLE!!
Alright my loves so that’s everything for today I’ve hit you with a lot so go check out these dope people and spread love and joy! Also check out these book recommendations and today’s coffee inspiration.
MUCH LOVE and as always..
--Be Free
Your family at Eclectuals
"Where we mind your mental diet!"
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:
COFFEE RECOMMENDATION:
Central and South America, light roast
Hints of dark chocolate, caramel, berries and touch of citrus
Whole Bean or Ground
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