1 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:04,240 Speaker 1: On this week's episode of Cultivating her Space. 2 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 2: We all have an intuited voice. I feel like black 3 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:10,880 Speaker 2: women have very strong, intuitive voices. Like I said, it 4 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 2: actually takes a lot for us not to listen writ 5 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 2: a lot, and we do it sometimes that we don't listen, 6 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:18,760 Speaker 2: But it takes a lot for us not to listen, 7 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 2: and so to me, it's almost like getting acquainted with 8 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:24,280 Speaker 2: that voice. 9 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 3: Hey, lady, have you ever felt like the world just 10 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 3: doesn't get you? Well, we do. 11 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to Cultivating her Space, the podcast dedicated to uplifting 12 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: and empowering women like you. 13 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:46,840 Speaker 3: We're your hosts, doctor Dominique Russard and educator and psychologists. 14 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:48,919 Speaker 1: And Terry Lomax, a techie and transformational speaker. 15 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 3: Join us every week for authentic conversations about everything from 16 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 3: fibroids to fake friends as we create space for black 17 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 3: women to just us be. 18 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 1: Before we dive in, make sure you hit that follow 19 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 1: button and leave us a quick five star review. Lady, 20 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: we are black founded and black owned, and your support 21 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: will help us reach even more women like you. 22 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 3: Now, let's get into this week's episode of Cultivating her Space. 23 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: If you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of your next steps. 24 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: This is for you. Hey, lady, is Tea here and 25 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 1: I just want to invite you to my free goal 26 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 1: map like a pro coaching workshop, where I'll share the 27 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: five proven steps to get unstuck and achieve your goals. 28 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:41,479 Speaker 1: Whether you're feeling overwhelmed by all your ideas, juggling scattered ideas, 29 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 1: or maybe you just need confidence to start, this workshop 30 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: will give you the clarity, tools and the motivation to 31 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 1: take back control. Reserve your spot for free by visiting 32 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: her spacepodcast dot com and clicking on the goal map 33 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 1: like a pro webinar link. Lady, don't miss this chance 34 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 1: to build a roadmap that fits your life and set 35 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 1: you up for success. I hope to see you there, Lady. 36 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: Today we have a very special guest. Okay, she is magical, 37 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: she's intuitive, she's impactful, and so much more. I truly 38 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 1: believe that this conversation is something you may not know 39 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:18,799 Speaker 1: you need, so I'd encourage you to vibe with us 40 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: and stay until the end of the episode if you 41 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 1: feel called to do so. Anita Copax is an award 42 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 1: winning writer and spiritual advisor based in New York City. 43 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: Formerly the editor in chief of Heart and Soul Magazine 44 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: and managing editor of Beauty Since Magazine. Anita is also 45 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:39,559 Speaker 1: the author of Shallow Waters and The Wind on Her Tongue. 46 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 1: Her work weaves together things of African diasporic spirituality, healing, 47 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 1: and cultural exploration. When not writing, Anita enjoys dancing and 48 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 1: traveling the world with her children. Anita, welcome to cultivating 49 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:56,519 Speaker 1: her space. 50 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 2: Yay, I'm so excited to be here today and talk 51 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 2: about African spirituality and my books, all my favorite things. 52 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 2: So thank you so much for creating the space for 53 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 2: me to be here. 54 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 3: Yes, we are so looking forward to this conversation. And 55 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 3: so I am going to give us the quote of 56 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 3: the day, which Anita will sound familiar to you because 57 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 3: we pulled this from your Instagram page, which, lady, as 58 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 3: you're listening, if you have not checked out Anita's Instagram page, 59 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 3: you are missing out because it is full of inspirational quotes, 60 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 3: fun videos, and lots of tips to help you navigate 61 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 3: your overall spiritual well being. So our quote of the day. 62 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 3: No one is supposed to understand your calling. It wasn't 63 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 3: a conference call. I'm gonna say that one more time 64 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 3: for the folks in the back to make sure you 65 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 3: heard this. No one is supposed to understand your calling. 66 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 3: It wasn't a conference call. 67 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:16,280 Speaker 2: Oh Asha, all right, I have chills already, missus starting 68 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 2: at lunch. 69 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, so Anito, when you think of this quote 70 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 3: and you think of your journey, what comes up for you? 71 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 2: So a lot comes up for me because, especially with 72 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 2: writing my books that I do write, it's so interesting 73 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 2: when I try to tell the story right, like try 74 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:50,159 Speaker 2: to explain it before I write it. And I am 75 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 2: a sensitive being, so I know sometimes I want to 76 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:54,799 Speaker 2: be like I don't give a fuck about what people think, 77 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:58,840 Speaker 2: but for the people who are close to me, I 78 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 2: care a lot about, like their energies, what they think, 79 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 2: maybe sometimes too much, And so it's really important for 80 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:12,279 Speaker 2: me to I think of my ideas like infants, right, 81 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 2: like they don't sometimes they don't need to be out 82 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 2: right out in public, even if the people love you, right, 83 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 2: because if you say it, then they might say something 84 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 2: not meaning too, but they might say something that stops 85 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 2: your movement forward or stops and so I'm I guess 86 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 2: I would say I'm very careful in the beginning when 87 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 2: my ideas are in infancy because I understand that it 88 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 2: is my calling and you know, and I've done so 89 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:50,559 Speaker 2: much work with growing my intuition and figuring so many things, 90 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 2: working on my emotional intelligence and all of those. 91 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 4: Things, so. 92 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 2: I know how to create that space for me and 93 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:04,039 Speaker 2: to inky bit the ideas. And I feel like that 94 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 2: has helped me because I don't know if this if 95 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 2: I would have really understood this quote when I was younger, right, 96 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 2: like it's it feels definitely more like like a grown. 97 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 4: Woman quote for me. 98 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 1: Oh Anita, that is so good. And then let me 99 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:22,120 Speaker 1: just tell you. You know, we always for interviews, we have 100 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 1: questions lined out. We're about to just totally go with 101 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: the flow because but you just brought out something else 102 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:30,279 Speaker 1: and I'm like, okay, when you're in that incubation stage 103 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 1: right and you want feedback, you're curious about is it possible? 104 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 1: Because I'm in that stage with certain ideas right now. 105 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 1: So this is so timely. When you're in that stage 106 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 1: and you want to get feedback. You have ideas, you 107 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:43,839 Speaker 1: want to validate them, what does it look like in 108 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 1: action to protect it, but also to make progress when 109 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 1: you're unsure and like, yes, yes please. 110 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 2: They're Like basically it feels like for me, there are 111 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 2: a group of people that I know I can go 112 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:03,919 Speaker 2: to when my my projects are at that stage. Only 113 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:07,600 Speaker 2: go to those people, right because they're going to know 114 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 2: how to hold space for you. They're going to know 115 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 2: how to give you feedback in a way that helps 116 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 2: you continue to move, Like it doesn't stop the movement. 117 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 2: And it's not like people do it on purpose, you know, 118 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 2: but it's like they're it's knowing your people, knowing who's 119 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 2: the person I can go to for this because I do, 120 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 2: you know, like I do want feedback. And for me, 121 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 2: it's hilarious because I will say, only positive feedback please 122 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 2: when I'm in my infancy stage, right, especially if I'm 123 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 2: still writing, once I'm in the editing phase, give me 124 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 2: it all right, Like it's like I need, I can. 125 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 2: I want my shit to be good when it comes out, right, 126 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 2: So I'm not opposed to, you know, having some good 127 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 2: feed I mean some not harsh feedback, but you know 128 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 2: feedback that's that's going to make my work better. But 129 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 2: when I'm in the infancy stage, I just need this 130 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 2: is so amazing. Amen to that, Okay. 131 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 3: I appreciate that acknowledgement on like what being able to 132 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 3: fully identify what it is that you need. And so 133 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 3: I want to take us back a little bit to 134 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:35,559 Speaker 3: understand your origin store, because I'm assuming that you weren't 135 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 3: always at that space where you were able to identify 136 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 3: what it is that you need and who the people 137 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:46,040 Speaker 3: are that you can go to. So take us back 138 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 3: and like walk us through your journey and how did 139 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 3: you get to become the needle we see in front 140 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 3: of us today? 141 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:57,319 Speaker 4: Yes, I love that question. 142 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:02,440 Speaker 2: I was actually just thinking about little Anita, and my 143 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 2: family knows me as I was very slow, I was 144 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 2: very quiet. This is very young because I've gone through 145 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 2: so many stages of Anita. I'm a Gemini, so there's 146 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 2: so many different parts of me, but young Anita. I 147 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 2: was just thinking about this because one of the things 148 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:26,839 Speaker 2: that I did a lot was daydream and my mom 149 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:30,600 Speaker 2: never allowed anybody to get me out of a daydream. 150 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 2: So if she saw me like daydreaming, she would make 151 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:34,679 Speaker 2: sure nobody. 152 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 4: Messed with me right. 153 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 2: And I realized now how important that was for my storytelling, 154 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 2: because when I describe things, because I was so observant 155 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 2: as a child, barely ever talked. 156 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 4: I was always listening. 157 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 1: I was. 158 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 2: I understood so many people's different personalities. I understood all 159 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 2: of the sounds that a car makes when it's turning 160 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 2: off because I would sit in there and I'd hear 161 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 2: all the like species. I was a strange shock. But 162 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 2: as far as origin story, that had me pay attention 163 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:18,839 Speaker 2: to so many different layers of existence, and so I'm 164 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 2: able to put that into my writing. So if you know, 165 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 2: if someone does start to feel emotional in my book, 166 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 2: I understand all of the things that happen or can 167 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 2: happen within someone's body, their throat constricting, you know, their 168 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:37,880 Speaker 2: eyes pooling with tears, you know, whatever it is, like, 169 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 2: I just I remember those things, and so I feel 170 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 2: like that's one thing of my Origin story. Another part 171 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 2: for me is that as far as spirituality and invisible world, 172 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 2: I've always seen ghosts. And one thing that I realized 173 00:10:57,400 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 2: because I was scared of it when I was younger, 174 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 2: and when I got older, I was a little bit 175 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 2: more curious because I realized nothing ever happened and they 176 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 2: never hurt me, you know, Like it was interesting. I 177 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:14,640 Speaker 2: was very scared when I was younger, and I had 178 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 2: this moment because I went to a friend's house and 179 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 2: I walked into their house and I was taking my 180 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 2: shoes off, and I saw this black woman sitting on 181 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 2: the couch and she was dressed like a mammy. And 182 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:31,200 Speaker 2: I was like, oh, I need to tell my friend 183 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:34,760 Speaker 2: that she cannot have you know, people dressed like that 184 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:36,960 Speaker 2: who work for her, right, Like I was just. 185 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 1: Like I. 186 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,320 Speaker 4: Was taking away shoes off and I look and she 187 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 4: was gone, and I was like, where's the woman that 188 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 4: was sitting on the couch And my friend was like, 189 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 4: there was no woman sitting on the couch. 190 00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 2: I was like, yes, there was. And she was dressed 191 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 2: like a mammy. And she was like oh, she said 192 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 2: she just had her house cleared and the only spirit 193 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 2: that would leave was the cook. And I was like, okay, 194 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:08,080 Speaker 2: now she didn't look like she looked like one of us, right. 195 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:11,840 Speaker 2: And I don't know, Like it's like moments like that 196 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 2: where I'm like, I'm not sure what that was for, right, 197 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 2: like if there was a special meaning behind it. But 198 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 2: there was a moment when I was feeling like, what 199 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:24,559 Speaker 2: if these are my characters from my books coming to 200 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 2: me or letting me know that they want to be 201 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:29,720 Speaker 2: in the books, right, Like there was a moment where 202 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 2: I was like, what, like, who have I because I 203 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 2: have seen Harriet Tubman actually have a picture of it, 204 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 2: which I'll sent to you all. 205 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: Out yes please, oh my goodness. 206 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:45,200 Speaker 4: And you know Harriet ended up being in my books. 207 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:45,680 Speaker 3: So I. 208 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 4: I don't know, I don't know. I can't say exactly. 209 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:54,920 Speaker 2: What it is. I just know that that I am 210 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:58,960 Speaker 2: a sensitive being in all ways and you know, in 211 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 2: with my spirit is one of the way. 212 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 1: Wow, so fascinating. I'm definitely into the wu Wu stuff. 213 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 1: So I'm like, come on in. We've talked about a 214 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 1: lot of the spiritual topics on the podcast, so really 215 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 1: excited to dive into this. And before we talk about 216 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:16,679 Speaker 1: the wind on her Tongue, can you give us a 217 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:20,440 Speaker 1: general understanding of the orishas and the role in African 218 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 1: traditional religions because I think it might be helpful for 219 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: some listeners who aren't familiar with these concepts, and it 220 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 1: will also provide us with a great just some great 221 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 1: context before we dig into the book. So what is 222 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 1: your understanding because I know, for me, I didn't realize 223 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:38,000 Speaker 1: that they were real like people until looking at the 224 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 1: timeline in your book and the role they played like slavery, 225 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 1: So can you are They were like, can you tell 226 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:44,560 Speaker 1: us about that? Please? 227 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 3: No? 228 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:48,040 Speaker 2: I made them real in my fiction story. So they're 229 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:53,200 Speaker 2: not real people. They are real, real spirits. 230 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:55,800 Speaker 4: So they are so the Arishas. 231 00:13:56,400 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 2: It's from the Etha tradition in Nigeria, and so they 232 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 2: are spirit of different things in nature. 233 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 4: So you Maya is the spirit of water. 234 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:10,600 Speaker 2: So some people might say it's they're pantheon of gods 235 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 2: and goddesses, but they aren't gods and goddesses necessarily, but 236 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 2: some people will assign that to it. 237 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 4: But they're more spirits. 238 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 2: And old Mare is the is the god. And then 239 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 2: these spirits are the spirits that made the world. And 240 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 2: Yaya is said to be the mother of all people, 241 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 2: right she says it's the mother of all fishes is 242 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:36,440 Speaker 2: her name, but it means she's the mother of us 243 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 2: all and so for so for Oya in the wind 244 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 2: of her on her tongue, she is the spirit of wind, 245 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:54,320 Speaker 2: of the weather, of storms, transformation. And so there are 246 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 2: so many orishas and they all represent different things. I 247 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 2: know one that's so super famous right now because if 248 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:09,400 Speaker 2: Beyonce is Oshoon and she is the Arisha of everything, 249 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 2: sweet in life, so dancing, honey, love making, and she's 250 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 2: also very fierce. She has her warrior side as well, 251 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 2: and of fresh water, and so there are so many 252 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 2: different representations of the just all of the different natural 253 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:31,359 Speaker 2: things in life. 254 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 3: Beautiful, thank you for that, Yes, thank you for yes, 255 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 3: thank you for giving us that grounding, and tell us 256 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 3: a little bit more how you got to the space 257 00:15:46,280 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 3: of becoming comfortable with and accessing African traditional spiritual reality, right, 258 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 3: because my guess is that that's not how you were 259 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 3: raised right, right, And for a lot of us school 260 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:16,200 Speaker 3: grew up in America, that's not how we were raised, 261 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:20,400 Speaker 3: and that for some of us even that might be 262 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 3: something that is frowned upon, shunned, like absolutely no, this 263 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 3: is you will not even though we are of African ancestry. 264 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 3: So can you share with us your journey and how 265 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 3: you came into it and got to where you are 266 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 3: with it now? 267 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 4: Absolutely? So. 268 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 2: I think the first time that I heard about the 269 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 2: orisha was in my beginning years of college, and I 270 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 2: don't even know how to really explain like what I felt. 271 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 2: I just felt at home and I was like, oh 272 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:03,480 Speaker 2: my gosh. So yes, I was raised in the church 273 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:10,280 Speaker 2: and taught that anything that wasn't of the Bible was demonic, 274 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 2: and I did used to ask my mom. 275 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:15,960 Speaker 4: Things because I would question. 276 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:17,760 Speaker 2: I was like, oh, there's so many different types of 277 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:20,639 Speaker 2: people in the world, Like why would what they're doing 278 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:21,359 Speaker 2: be demonic? 279 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:24,639 Speaker 4: Right like I would you know? It didn't make sense 280 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:27,880 Speaker 4: to me. And so when. 281 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:32,919 Speaker 2: I came in contact with Theoresha in college, it just, 282 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 2: like I said, I felt like I was at home. 283 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 2: It just felt like I sat into myself and I 284 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 2: was like, what is this? And that's when I first 285 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:49,320 Speaker 2: learned about Yameya and O'shoon. And then Love Jones had 286 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:52,680 Speaker 2: come out and he had the poem where he talked 287 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:55,960 Speaker 2: about Yameya and O'shoon, and so I was like, oh, wow, 288 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 2: what is all of this? And I'm not a part 289 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 2: of the religion, and so for me writing the books, 290 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 2: I try to be as respectful as possible, right like, 291 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 2: because while I'm not a part of the religion, I 292 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 2: feel very connected to the spirit of it. And actually, 293 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 2: when I wrote Shallow Waters, to me, it felt as 294 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 2: if Yemeya was telling me the story. It didn't feel 295 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:25,439 Speaker 2: like I chose it right to write about it was 296 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 2: she was like sit down, honey, I'm gonna tell you 297 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 2: a story and you're gonna write it down. 298 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 4: I was like, okay. And so I was like, why 299 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:37,879 Speaker 4: do I feel so connected? 300 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:43,439 Speaker 2: Because I do know that my ancestors were from Nigeria 301 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 2: and Ghana, but I didn't know where where, you know, 302 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:52,399 Speaker 2: what people they were from, what tribe, right, And so 303 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 2: when Shallow Waters came out, African ancestry got ahold of 304 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,480 Speaker 2: me and they were like, do you want to find 305 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:02,640 Speaker 2: out where your people are from? On your the matriar 306 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 2: mate that on my mom's side. 307 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:10,680 Speaker 4: And so I was like yeah, And so. 308 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 2: They did it and then they did the reveal and 309 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 2: it was Yureba, Yoruba and Hausa and I was like, so, 310 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:23,040 Speaker 2: of course that is why I feel so connected. It's 311 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:31,120 Speaker 2: literally in my blood. And and so one of the 312 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 2: things that Yama said to me as I was writing 313 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:39,879 Speaker 2: was that she's bigger than the religion. And I know 314 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:44,480 Speaker 2: that might be controversial to say, because they're you know, 315 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 2: there there is I don't know if gatekeeping would be 316 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:52,879 Speaker 2: the right word, but it's there is a lot of 317 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 2: like protecting right of the religion, of the. 318 00:19:56,840 --> 00:19:59,440 Speaker 4: The different ceremonies they do. It's very protected. 319 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 2: But what what I feel like that is from is 320 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:06,600 Speaker 2: because when our ancestors came over, if they practiced the 321 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 2: religion here, they would either be murdered beat right like, 322 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:16,159 Speaker 2: and so they had to make it a secret. It 323 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:22,520 Speaker 2: wasn't a secret back home in Africa freely practiced, right, 324 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:27,120 Speaker 2: and so when it came through the diaspora, that's when 325 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 2: it became more a secret for protection. And so I mean, 326 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:39,119 Speaker 2: there's so many different layers of trauma that our ancestors 327 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:43,159 Speaker 2: have gone through in order for them to strip us 328 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 2: of our religion, our language, our culture right. And then 329 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:55,480 Speaker 2: the Bible was introduced as a tool to keep us enslaved, 330 00:20:55,720 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 2: to keep us, you know, following our master right, because 331 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 2: that is what it's taught in it. And so you know, 332 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:08,960 Speaker 2: it's an interesting history. 333 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 1: It is. It's an interesting history, and it can be 334 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:17,679 Speaker 1: very emotional for people like again growing up you know, 335 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 1: from America, growing up in a very Christian household. I 336 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:23,000 Speaker 1: remember when I asked certain questions like you asked, I 337 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:25,720 Speaker 1: was like all these people in the world and things 338 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:29,439 Speaker 1: don't make sense, and people get very offended and the 339 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:32,879 Speaker 1: family upset sometimes violent if you question those things. But 340 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:35,199 Speaker 1: you have to ask your So why can't I just 341 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 1: get a realistic answer that makes sense, right, So I'm 342 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 1: so happy that you pointed that out. And I want 343 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 1: to ask another question about African traditional religions because it's 344 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:47,479 Speaker 1: often referred to as voodoo, right, but that isn't accurate. 345 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:49,920 Speaker 1: So can you tell us more about the African traditional 346 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:52,560 Speaker 1: religions and what are some of the common misconceptions and 347 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 1: even ways that you might practice some of those. I 348 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:58,120 Speaker 1: want to say, I don't know some of the practices 349 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:00,160 Speaker 1: in your daily life. 350 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:04,119 Speaker 2: So voodoo is one of the African traditional Voodoo is 351 00:22:04,119 --> 00:22:09,440 Speaker 2: from Benin originally, and so, and there are some crossovers 352 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:16,320 Speaker 2: between voodoo and ifha. Sometimes, like the like the orishas 353 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:20,840 Speaker 2: will have similar names to their spirit, which. 354 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 4: I'm trying to think of. 355 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 2: I know what it is, but I can't think of 356 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 2: what theres are called, and or there will be similar 357 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 2: things as far as what certain energies will do or 358 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 2: what you know, like have someone like Yameya who's within 359 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:36,680 Speaker 2: that religion. 360 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:40,840 Speaker 4: And then there's also hodoo, which, as you know. 361 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:47,360 Speaker 2: As African Americans, we know hudo is based more in nature. 362 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 2: It's not necessarily about spirit worship. So there's a lot 363 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 2: of healing herbs and you know, putting pennies in your 364 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:02,240 Speaker 2: mop water so that you can have abundance when you're 365 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:03,680 Speaker 2: when you're cleaning. 366 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 4: So there's a lot of different things like that in 367 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:07,679 Speaker 4: Hudu and. 368 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:12,800 Speaker 2: So they're you know, they're I mean an abundance of 369 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 2: African religions. But because so many people who came over 370 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 2: on the Transatlantic slave trade, I feel like I need 371 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:24,960 Speaker 2: to find another word for that. 372 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:27,520 Speaker 4: I don't like that word. 373 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:30,800 Speaker 2: But a lot of them were from Nigeria, so so 374 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:34,320 Speaker 2: many of us that are here were will have ancestry 375 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:40,159 Speaker 2: in Nigeria. So I think that is probably why EFA 376 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:47,639 Speaker 2: so Ifa Sanfarria. They are from the same origin. So 377 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:51,440 Speaker 2: it's just depends on where we were dropped off. 378 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:59,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, And you know, the what I find interesting is 379 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:05,360 Speaker 3: that if we think about some of the practices that 380 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:09,080 Speaker 3: we engage in. Because you mentioned the practice of putting 381 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 3: a pinny in the mop water, that's not something I 382 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 3: had heard of before. But what it made me think 383 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:18,399 Speaker 3: about is that there are certain things that we that 384 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:22,880 Speaker 3: get passed along from certain traditions and practices that get 385 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 3: passed out generation to generation, right, And it's like hold 386 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:33,440 Speaker 3: on if we On one hand, you tell us to 387 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 3: that we are Christian and that we if we follow 388 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 3: anything outside the Bible is demonic. Yet we are engaging 389 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:51,919 Speaker 3: in practices that are connected to our African ancestry. But 390 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 3: we aren't making these connections. 391 00:24:54,680 --> 00:25:00,399 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, and that's on purpose. That is on purpose. 392 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:03,400 Speaker 2: This is all by design, right, And I think one 393 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 2: of the things for me is that I feel like, well, 394 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:10,760 Speaker 2: I feel like black women are God like, that is my. 395 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:14,120 Speaker 3: Yes, we are. 396 00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 4: And I feel as though. 397 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:23,040 Speaker 2: I don't even remember what I was going to say 398 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 2: because that just took us all, like, took up all 399 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:29,000 Speaker 2: the space. But I feel like we are such divine people, 400 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 2: I mean Black people in general, and many times it 401 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 2: takes a lot to hide from our magic. And we 402 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 2: know we all have that Auntie that had the dream 403 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 2: of the fish and Summer was pregnant, you know what 404 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:50,160 Speaker 2: I mean. It's in there, and there's so much fighting 405 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 2: to hold all of that back. And sometimes I got 406 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:59,760 Speaker 2: to ask myself, why, right, why? What if we were 407 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:03,720 Speaker 2: in our magic? What if we were fully awake? And 408 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:08,880 Speaker 2: to me, I know, I feel like there is some 409 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:13,520 Speaker 2: of that fear right of damnation and things like that. 410 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 2: But my mom told me. So when I was around eighteen, 411 00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:24,200 Speaker 2: I started hearing voices, and so I thought I was 412 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:30,359 Speaker 2: going crazy. I was at college and I was I 413 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:32,200 Speaker 2: started to hear the voices. 414 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:34,119 Speaker 4: And thank god I was. 415 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:40,640 Speaker 2: I would say intuitive enough to just say, wait, these 416 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:44,640 Speaker 2: are not my voices that I'm hearing, because they were 417 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:46,240 Speaker 2: saying things that were not me. 418 00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 4: Right. 419 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 2: So the first one of the first things I remember 420 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:52,159 Speaker 2: hearing was like I want to kill my parents. And 421 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:55,400 Speaker 2: it was while I was walking down the street, and I. 422 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:56,439 Speaker 4: Was like, that is not me. 423 00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:01,640 Speaker 2: Okay, further thing right, And I didn't take it as 424 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:04,800 Speaker 2: as a directive or you know, like there's some things 425 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:07,280 Speaker 2: that can happen, right, And so I was like, well, 426 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:09,800 Speaker 2: I guess I'm going crazy right like that, this is 427 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:13,200 Speaker 2: the time. And then I realized the voices were coming 428 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:17,200 Speaker 2: in and out as I passed people, and I was like. 429 00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 4: Am I reading people's minds? 430 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:19,880 Speaker 1: Oh? 431 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:23,160 Speaker 2: What is happening right now? And so I was eighteen, 432 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:27,119 Speaker 2: so I started asking people. I started telling people what 433 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:30,200 Speaker 2: I heard and asking them, and so it got kind 434 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 2: of crazy. This one person I heard him, this is 435 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:38,280 Speaker 2: the last one I heard him, like crying and saying 436 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:41,560 Speaker 2: I don't know where my wife and kids are, but 437 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 2: he was smiling and saying something. I was like, look, 438 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:46,040 Speaker 2: I know you don't know where your wife and kids are. 439 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:49,119 Speaker 4: And he grabbed me. He was like, where are they? Well? 440 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:51,439 Speaker 2: I was like, no, I just heard you saying that, 441 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:53,959 Speaker 2: and he's like, I didn't say that, and so like 442 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 2: that was the last one because he grabbed me and 443 00:27:56,400 --> 00:28:00,200 Speaker 2: I ran home. I ran upstairs and I just started praying. 444 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:02,119 Speaker 2: I was like, God, if this is supposed to be 445 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:04,280 Speaker 2: a gift, I don't want it. I don't know what 446 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 2: it's going on. I feel like I'm going crazy. And 447 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:11,639 Speaker 2: so that night I had a dream that I was 448 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:16,560 Speaker 2: throwing stones and reading them, and so I was like ooh, 449 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:20,480 Speaker 2: And so I started practicing on people. 450 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:22,520 Speaker 4: I asked people. I was like, would you be open. 451 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:24,440 Speaker 2: I already had a bag of stones because I've always 452 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:27,720 Speaker 2: correct collected crystals ever since I was little, and so 453 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:33,119 Speaker 2: I started practicing, and I completely understood everything the stones 454 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:37,399 Speaker 2: were saying. So and I had no idea that I 455 00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 2: come from a people who throw stones shells right like 456 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 2: objects in nature to read for people. I didn't know 457 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:49,360 Speaker 2: any of that of my history. I didn't know where 458 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:54,160 Speaker 2: my people were from in that way, and So that 459 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 2: was how I would say I really connected with my intuition. 460 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 2: But I did have fear because people will call me 461 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:05,960 Speaker 2: a demon. You know, like this was at a time 462 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:09,560 Speaker 2: when people were not doing reading. This is like over 463 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:13,520 Speaker 2: twenty years ago where they were not doing People were 464 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 2: doing it, but it wasn't like out in the open, 465 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 2: and you know it's not It wasn't like I'm gonna 466 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 2: do it on Instagram, right, like yeah like that. And 467 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:26,200 Speaker 2: so I got scared because I was like, well, I'm 468 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 2: knowing things. I'm knowing things before they happen, and I 469 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:31,600 Speaker 2: just felt like it wasn't of the Bible. And so 470 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:37,600 Speaker 2: I asked my mom and all she said to me was, honey, 471 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:41,720 Speaker 2: everything that comes out of you is God, which I 472 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 2: wouldn't have thought that's what she would say to me. Right, 473 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 2: It was exactly what I needed to hear. And you know, 474 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:55,320 Speaker 2: so I was able to develop in the develop those 475 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 2: skills in the way that I could because I didn't 476 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:03,120 Speaker 2: have a mentor. Right, there was a point where I 477 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:04,440 Speaker 2: looked in the Yellow Pages. 478 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:06,680 Speaker 4: Some people might not know, Oh my goodness. 479 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:09,560 Speaker 1: Yes, I love that. 480 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:13,400 Speaker 2: I looked at the Yellow Pages to find like a 481 00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:14,200 Speaker 2: palm reader. 482 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:15,520 Speaker 4: I don't read poems. 483 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 2: But I was like, I don't know any I don't 484 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:20,440 Speaker 2: know what this is that I'm doing, and I didn't 485 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:22,760 Speaker 2: have any guidance, and so. 486 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:23,560 Speaker 1: I didn't do that. 487 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:26,680 Speaker 4: Though I didn't end up like shit doing that, but 488 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 4: I did look because I was like what do I do? 489 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:32,560 Speaker 2: But eventually I ended up doing my master's in spiritual 490 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:35,720 Speaker 2: psychology so that I could have tools of psychology to 491 00:30:35,760 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 2: help people with you know, what I was feeling and 492 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:43,000 Speaker 2: seeing coming through. But I use all of that in 493 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:47,360 Speaker 2: my writing. So with my books, they are so layered. 494 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:50,520 Speaker 2: It's not just about the words that are on the page. 495 00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:55,160 Speaker 2: It's layered. It is medicine. There are so many different 496 00:30:55,200 --> 00:30:59,080 Speaker 2: things that are weaved together. And to me, I feel 497 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 2: like it's a gift that the Orisha are giving me 498 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 2: right giving me these stories. 499 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:09,280 Speaker 1: Oh, I want to ask about your writing process for 500 00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:11,880 Speaker 1: your lovely new book, The Wind on Our Tongue. But 501 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:15,360 Speaker 1: before you answer that question, Anita, can you share when 502 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:17,960 Speaker 1: you hear when you would hear those voices? You know, 503 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:20,080 Speaker 1: how we have our thoughts? Did it sound like you? 504 00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:22,360 Speaker 1: Was it in your voice or was it in someone 505 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 1: else's voice? When it came through like you were channeling it. 506 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:28,840 Speaker 2: It felt like it was in someone else's voice, but 507 00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:32,160 Speaker 2: it didn't feel like it didn't feel like like, oh, 508 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:34,040 Speaker 2: if I passed by a man, it would be in 509 00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:36,560 Speaker 2: a man's voice. It just felt like it was a 510 00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:39,960 Speaker 2: difference voice. It wasn't a man voice. It was just 511 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:42,040 Speaker 2: I don't even know how to explain what it was, 512 00:31:42,680 --> 00:31:47,880 Speaker 2: because especially because now the way I see now is 513 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:53,120 Speaker 2: it's not auditory anymore. I don't hear I see pictures, 514 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:56,200 Speaker 2: and so as I'm because i still do readings. I've 515 00:31:56,240 --> 00:31:58,719 Speaker 2: been doing readings for over twenty years now, and so 516 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:03,520 Speaker 2: when I do them, I am shown images and then 517 00:32:03,560 --> 00:32:06,760 Speaker 2: I translate the images. But because it's almost like a 518 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:10,000 Speaker 2: language that I've spoken for twenty years, I'm able to 519 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:11,400 Speaker 2: translate it in a way. 520 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:16,080 Speaker 4: Whereas before they would keep showing me so say, they 521 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:18,560 Speaker 4: would show me an ocean, and I'd be like, Okay, 522 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:22,360 Speaker 4: there's an ocean, you know, is it a turbulent ocean? 523 00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:22,600 Speaker 1: You know? 524 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:25,200 Speaker 2: Like like in the beginning, I had to guess, keep 525 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:28,440 Speaker 2: guessing what it meant until I got it, and then 526 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:34,760 Speaker 2: they'd twitch the image. Now, because I've practiced the language 527 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:38,720 Speaker 2: for so long, I usually understand what it means sometimes 528 00:32:38,760 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 2: I do a little bit of guessing, but I usually understand. 529 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:46,600 Speaker 1: It is so fascinating. And then Anita, back to your book. 530 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 1: I know you talked a bit about the writing process 531 00:32:49,160 --> 00:32:52,840 Speaker 1: for your first book and how that was given to you, 532 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:55,680 Speaker 1: like it was like, hey, sit down, write the story. 533 00:32:55,880 --> 00:33:00,120 Speaker 1: What was your writing process like for this book and 534 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:02,239 Speaker 1: how did it come to you as far as what 535 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:03,440 Speaker 1: you were going to be writing about. 536 00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:08,280 Speaker 4: Yes, so that both processes were so different. 537 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:13,000 Speaker 2: So yamey yeah, the the energy of yam yeahs like 538 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:16,600 Speaker 2: mother right, like I said, mother of fishes, and I 539 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:20,400 Speaker 2: felt like she was a beast. She was loving, but 540 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:23,920 Speaker 2: she was a beast and it was hard. I was 541 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:27,800 Speaker 2: learning all kinds of hard life lessons to understand the 542 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:31,600 Speaker 2: words and stories that needed to go into the story. 543 00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:36,680 Speaker 2: And it took me seven years to write Shallah Waters. 544 00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:41,000 Speaker 2: And that includes two years of writer's block, which I 545 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:45,120 Speaker 2: put into the process because I learned so much about 546 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:48,600 Speaker 2: about myself, right, so I always keep it in the process. 547 00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:52,320 Speaker 4: But it was a long process, right to write the book. 548 00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 2: Now, oh yeah, feels like she's a homegirl, right, like 549 00:33:56,960 --> 00:34:00,600 Speaker 2: think she would be on here talking with us, And 550 00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:05,440 Speaker 2: so it was a different process and this took I 551 00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 2: had six months to write it. 552 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:09,560 Speaker 4: That's that's how long they gave me. 553 00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:12,960 Speaker 2: And of course I did three months of not writing 554 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:17,680 Speaker 2: and I wrote it in three months. 555 00:34:17,719 --> 00:34:18,560 Speaker 3: But in. 556 00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:24,400 Speaker 2: The three months of not writing, I was writing in 557 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:27,000 Speaker 2: my head right, Like I was figuring out the story. 558 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:31,640 Speaker 2: And I don't usually write with an outline, but because 559 00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:35,920 Speaker 2: I did do a book proposal for this book, I 560 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:39,480 Speaker 2: did have somewhat of an outline. I didn't completely stick 561 00:34:39,560 --> 00:34:42,720 Speaker 2: to it, but so this process was with an outline. 562 00:34:42,719 --> 00:34:47,160 Speaker 2: But usually I just write and whatever comes through because 563 00:34:47,200 --> 00:34:50,080 Speaker 2: it feels as though the characters are telling me what 564 00:34:51,160 --> 00:34:51,720 Speaker 2: is happening. 565 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 3: So wow, six months, okay, six months. 566 00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:01,760 Speaker 4: Three months, three months the actual three months of writing, 567 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:04,279 Speaker 4: but no, but six months because I was writing in my. 568 00:35:04,239 --> 00:35:06,320 Speaker 3: Head, you were writing in your yeah. 569 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:07,520 Speaker 4: And so. 570 00:35:09,520 --> 00:35:14,439 Speaker 3: When you think about these two books, and like other 571 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:21,680 Speaker 3: pieces of your career beforehand, right, how did you incorporate 572 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:28,040 Speaker 3: pieces of you into Because you said you said that 573 00:35:28,160 --> 00:35:31,480 Speaker 3: for your first book you had that case of writers blocking, 574 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:34,560 Speaker 3: you incorporated that into the book itself. But what does 575 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:37,000 Speaker 3: that really look like in terms of how you bring 576 00:35:37,239 --> 00:35:42,560 Speaker 3: you into the book, Like is it we see do 577 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:47,960 Speaker 3: we see it through one of the characters. Right, question, Yeah, 578 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:49,400 Speaker 3: I love that question. 579 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:52,880 Speaker 2: So my mom just finished it like a couple of 580 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:56,160 Speaker 2: weeks ago, right, and she was like, I feel like 581 00:35:56,200 --> 00:36:00,160 Speaker 2: you're writing my story and the story is not her story, 582 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:02,680 Speaker 2: you know, like it's not her story. So I was like, really, 583 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:07,160 Speaker 2: how how did you feel that? And then I realized 584 00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:10,360 Speaker 2: because my mom is a storyteller. So growing up she 585 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:13,040 Speaker 2: told me all of the things she's So her family's 586 00:36:13,080 --> 00:36:16,520 Speaker 2: from Saint Kitts in the Caribbean, and so she was 587 00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:20,839 Speaker 2: telling me, like we said, right, they're Christian, but right, 588 00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:23,680 Speaker 2: they were still practicing different things. 589 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:26,719 Speaker 4: And so she always told me those magical stories. 590 00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:32,520 Speaker 2: And so I realize, like, those things are in this book, 591 00:36:32,960 --> 00:36:35,239 Speaker 2: and so she's reading it like, oh my gosh, this 592 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:37,480 Speaker 2: is what I experienced when I was younger. 593 00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:39,000 Speaker 4: So it felt like her story. 594 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:41,560 Speaker 2: So I feel like that is the part of me 595 00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:44,560 Speaker 2: that it's in there, right, like the things that I've 596 00:36:44,840 --> 00:36:48,040 Speaker 2: learned just by listening to my mom's stories, by listening 597 00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:52,759 Speaker 2: to my cousins stories, my grandmother's stories, And so I 598 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:55,839 Speaker 2: feel like that is. 599 00:36:57,239 --> 00:36:59,360 Speaker 4: One of the big ways that I'm in the book. 600 00:37:00,239 --> 00:37:06,000 Speaker 2: For Shallow Waters, I felt very connected to Yamiyah, I 601 00:37:06,040 --> 00:37:09,440 Speaker 2: felt like a lot of like we were very enmeshed, 602 00:37:09,760 --> 00:37:12,759 Speaker 2: like a lot of I was. 603 00:37:13,120 --> 00:37:14,600 Speaker 4: She was in me and I was in her. 604 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:20,600 Speaker 2: And so with Oya, like I said, it felt a 605 00:37:20,640 --> 00:37:21,840 Speaker 2: lot more gentle. 606 00:37:21,920 --> 00:37:24,680 Speaker 4: Even though she's of the storm, right, she's fierce. 607 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:29,480 Speaker 2: She is an unbeatable warrior, which means you could never 608 00:37:30,080 --> 00:37:33,040 Speaker 2: defeat her. So if you're ever going into a place 609 00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:35,440 Speaker 2: where you are going into a fight, whether it's a 610 00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:40,000 Speaker 2: legal battle or something, it's like call upon o. 611 00:37:40,120 --> 00:37:43,480 Speaker 4: Ya, right, like a call upon Oya. 612 00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:49,919 Speaker 2: And so with her, I didn't necessarily feel as though 613 00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:52,320 Speaker 2: she was in me. But when I was done writing, 614 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:56,919 Speaker 2: when I finished writing the last word, I went downstairs 615 00:37:56,920 --> 00:37:59,440 Speaker 2: and I put on some drumming music and I just 616 00:37:59,480 --> 00:38:01,799 Speaker 2: started like drumming, and then all of a sudden, I 617 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:08,279 Speaker 2: started crying, like like when I say bawling crying, And 618 00:38:08,320 --> 00:38:08,959 Speaker 2: then it just. 619 00:38:08,880 --> 00:38:11,600 Speaker 4: Felt like all of the characters came out of me. 620 00:38:12,239 --> 00:38:12,319 Speaker 3: Wo. 621 00:38:12,440 --> 00:38:14,520 Speaker 2: I didn't even realize they were in me, Like it 622 00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:15,520 Speaker 2: was just like like. 623 00:38:15,480 --> 00:38:18,239 Speaker 4: I was doing all kinds of annoyses. There was like 624 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:21,920 Speaker 4: a fly on the wall watching me. I know I 625 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:25,719 Speaker 4: looked crazy, but it was like ceremony of letting go 626 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:28,440 Speaker 4: right of these characters. 627 00:38:29,280 --> 00:38:30,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, I was just going to ask you that. So 628 00:38:30,840 --> 00:38:32,279 Speaker 1: I'm so glad you said that, Nida. I was gonna 629 00:38:32,280 --> 00:38:34,160 Speaker 1: ask you about a ritual that you may have had 630 00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:35,200 Speaker 1: after the process. 631 00:38:35,200 --> 00:38:38,440 Speaker 4: So you just answered that. Love that, thank you. And 632 00:38:38,520 --> 00:38:39,720 Speaker 4: I love that your. 633 00:38:39,600 --> 00:38:43,120 Speaker 1: Writing style, how you can literally just like see the word, 634 00:38:43,160 --> 00:38:45,759 Speaker 1: like see the picture as you read the words. It's 635 00:38:45,760 --> 00:38:49,200 Speaker 1: so beautifully stated and so loving that experience. And I 636 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:52,160 Speaker 1: want to talk a bit about storytelling and the power 637 00:38:52,200 --> 00:38:55,640 Speaker 1: of storytelling. I typically gravitate towards self help books, and 638 00:38:55,680 --> 00:38:58,360 Speaker 1: so fiction is usually like away from me to escape 639 00:38:58,360 --> 00:38:59,800 Speaker 1: and like go into a different world where I'm not 640 00:38:59,880 --> 00:39:02,280 Speaker 1: like got to do this thing and you know, take notes. 641 00:39:02,600 --> 00:39:05,760 Speaker 1: So how would you say the act of storytelling, especially fiction, 642 00:39:06,520 --> 00:39:12,080 Speaker 1: helps to process trauma or difficult emotions. Yes, so. 643 00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:18,600 Speaker 2: For these stories, especially based in times that it was 644 00:39:18,719 --> 00:39:22,759 Speaker 2: very difficult for our people in America. Right, So with 645 00:39:23,480 --> 00:39:29,880 Speaker 2: Shallow Waters, it was slavery. Right for me what this 646 00:39:29,960 --> 00:39:36,120 Speaker 2: book did because every other book, movie, TV show that 647 00:39:36,160 --> 00:39:40,040 Speaker 2: I've seen that had slavery in it left me feeling 648 00:39:40,600 --> 00:39:45,520 Speaker 2: fucking pissed off. Okay, mad, right, like just like ready 649 00:39:45,520 --> 00:39:48,600 Speaker 2: to go out there and you know, like you know 650 00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:51,279 Speaker 2: like I had that feeling, and I was like, when 651 00:39:51,320 --> 00:39:55,360 Speaker 2: people finish reading Shallow Waters, I want them to feel healed. 652 00:39:56,760 --> 00:40:01,520 Speaker 2: And I hadn't healed from that, right, So in the 653 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:06,719 Speaker 2: when I was first writing and I started writing what 654 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:10,520 Speaker 2: was happening on the middle passage, I had a full 655 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:13,480 Speaker 2: on breakdown because I was like, oh, my gosh, this 656 00:40:13,560 --> 00:40:21,760 Speaker 2: happened to my ancestors. This actually happened to my ancestors, 657 00:40:24,160 --> 00:40:26,520 Speaker 2: like really allowing myself. 658 00:40:26,080 --> 00:40:31,359 Speaker 4: To be in there. Wooh. 659 00:40:31,600 --> 00:40:35,880 Speaker 2: It was so intense, and I was like, Okay, my 660 00:40:36,080 --> 00:40:42,279 Speaker 2: intention is that whoever reads this book that they go 661 00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:47,359 Speaker 2: through that same healing. And so I put it out 662 00:40:47,400 --> 00:40:51,960 Speaker 2: as an intention. Intention is such a strong, powerful tool 663 00:40:52,560 --> 00:40:55,680 Speaker 2: because it almost doesn't matter what we say after it. 664 00:40:55,760 --> 00:41:00,279 Speaker 2: We can set an intention, give it up to God, right, 665 00:41:01,960 --> 00:41:06,439 Speaker 2: and then whatever happens after that, our intention is already set. 666 00:41:07,520 --> 00:41:12,600 Speaker 2: And so I set that intention and I got feedback 667 00:41:13,920 --> 00:41:18,160 Speaker 2: throughout my Shallow Water's journey where people said exactly that that, 668 00:41:18,440 --> 00:41:23,200 Speaker 2: you know, like what my intention was, and I was like, all. 669 00:41:23,239 --> 00:41:24,720 Speaker 4: Right, I'll take. 670 00:41:26,080 --> 00:41:27,160 Speaker 1: Mission accomplished. 671 00:41:27,280 --> 00:41:29,400 Speaker 4: It's an accomplished exactly. 672 00:41:30,320 --> 00:41:35,120 Speaker 3: Yes, that that is beautiful, And you know what I 673 00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:39,400 Speaker 3: appreciate is the acknowledgment that the book, that these that 674 00:41:39,480 --> 00:41:45,680 Speaker 3: the experiences that you write about are not easy, and 675 00:41:45,719 --> 00:41:50,120 Speaker 3: that you're not shying away from from telling these stories 676 00:41:51,080 --> 00:41:54,480 Speaker 3: and so. But I also appreciate because yes, what you 677 00:41:54,560 --> 00:41:57,080 Speaker 3: pointed out about a lot of what we when we 678 00:41:57,760 --> 00:42:00,880 Speaker 3: the books that have come out and the movies and 679 00:42:00,920 --> 00:42:06,600 Speaker 3: things that have come out are heavy and which are 680 00:42:06,760 --> 00:42:10,359 Speaker 3: not that we need things. Yes, exactly, it's important. It's 681 00:42:10,440 --> 00:42:12,880 Speaker 3: not that we're expecting it to have a happy ending. 682 00:42:14,880 --> 00:42:18,839 Speaker 3: But I appreciate that you're writing this, that this is 683 00:42:18,920 --> 00:42:24,480 Speaker 3: like historical spiritual fiction in the sense that, yes, that 684 00:42:24,600 --> 00:42:30,279 Speaker 3: does give space for healing and taking but and more 685 00:42:30,320 --> 00:42:36,480 Speaker 3: importantly taking it in. Yeah, without walking away with the 686 00:42:36,600 --> 00:42:41,319 Speaker 3: extreme heaviness, like you can. I appreciate that it can. 687 00:42:42,000 --> 00:42:45,439 Speaker 3: By the end, it's been work through. 688 00:42:46,520 --> 00:42:47,680 Speaker 1: Yes. Yeah. 689 00:42:47,960 --> 00:42:51,000 Speaker 2: One interesting thing that I realized because it's working with 690 00:42:51,200 --> 00:42:56,160 Speaker 2: ancestral wounds, right, healing of our ancestral wounds, which sometimes 691 00:42:56,200 --> 00:42:59,799 Speaker 2: we don't even know our ancestral wounds, right. Is one 692 00:42:59,800 --> 00:43:04,319 Speaker 2: of the major ones I had was about work, Like whenever. 693 00:43:04,040 --> 00:43:07,400 Speaker 4: Anyone talked about me doing work, I was like, I 694 00:43:07,440 --> 00:43:09,400 Speaker 4: don't even want to do any work, you know, like work. 695 00:43:09,719 --> 00:43:13,120 Speaker 2: But then when I'm actually working and doing things, I 696 00:43:13,200 --> 00:43:18,000 Speaker 2: love it, and I'm like, why do I hate it 697 00:43:18,960 --> 00:43:21,040 Speaker 2: when it's spoken about? Right? 698 00:43:21,600 --> 00:43:23,040 Speaker 3: What is that thing? 699 00:43:24,480 --> 00:43:28,560 Speaker 2: And it was like, my fucking ancestors worked for free. 700 00:43:28,800 --> 00:43:32,359 Speaker 2: They built this country for free. 701 00:43:32,520 --> 00:43:36,879 Speaker 4: They were not doing the work of their passion right, 702 00:43:37,520 --> 00:43:38,040 Speaker 4: And so. 703 00:43:40,000 --> 00:43:42,200 Speaker 2: I that was one of the things, one of the 704 00:43:42,239 --> 00:43:46,960 Speaker 2: ancestral wounds that I wasn't even aware of, like, and 705 00:43:47,000 --> 00:43:50,560 Speaker 2: it didn't it didn't align because I loved work when 706 00:43:50,600 --> 00:43:54,000 Speaker 2: I was doing it right. I love you know, writing, 707 00:43:54,040 --> 00:43:58,799 Speaker 2: I love working with people, doing sessions right, like leading retreats, but. 708 00:44:01,400 --> 00:44:05,759 Speaker 4: Talking about it brought an deety right, like like a 709 00:44:05,960 --> 00:44:08,799 Speaker 4: feeling like I don't want to do this, And so 710 00:44:08,880 --> 00:44:11,759 Speaker 4: that was It's just so many little things that we 711 00:44:11,800 --> 00:44:17,760 Speaker 4: can heal once we bring awareness to them. 712 00:44:17,880 --> 00:44:21,319 Speaker 1: Oh my goodness, Anita, there are so many questions in 713 00:44:21,360 --> 00:44:23,319 Speaker 1: my mind right now, Dom Is there anything else that 714 00:44:23,320 --> 00:44:24,759 Speaker 1: you really want to ask because I feel like there's 715 00:44:24,800 --> 00:44:27,279 Speaker 1: so many questions on my mind that I want to ask, like, 716 00:44:27,320 --> 00:44:29,839 Speaker 1: stay focused, you got it. 717 00:44:31,800 --> 00:44:34,239 Speaker 3: Yeah, There's so many questions for me. And then I'm 718 00:44:34,320 --> 00:44:37,120 Speaker 3: like there's like some personal questions that I'm like right right, 719 00:44:37,200 --> 00:44:39,759 Speaker 3: and I'm like, Nope, this not Nope, let's not do it. 720 00:44:40,040 --> 00:44:44,400 Speaker 3: And so but what I appreciate is that that's the 721 00:44:44,600 --> 00:44:49,239 Speaker 3: energy that you have called into this space, right, And 722 00:44:49,360 --> 00:44:52,799 Speaker 3: that's a beautiful energy that you don't get with everybody 723 00:44:52,800 --> 00:44:55,560 Speaker 3: where you're like, all right, I want to let's let's 724 00:44:55,560 --> 00:44:56,440 Speaker 3: have this conversation. 725 00:44:56,760 --> 00:44:58,720 Speaker 1: I want to dig in, okay. 726 00:44:58,760 --> 00:45:04,440 Speaker 3: And so how do you recognizing that that is a 727 00:45:04,480 --> 00:45:09,640 Speaker 3: gift that you have, right, how do you set boundaries 728 00:45:10,280 --> 00:45:14,320 Speaker 3: and take care of yourself knowing that this is your gift? 729 00:45:15,280 --> 00:45:15,520 Speaker 1: Yeah? 730 00:45:16,320 --> 00:45:17,480 Speaker 4: I love that question. 731 00:45:18,160 --> 00:45:22,560 Speaker 2: And I think for me, because of my origin story 732 00:45:22,719 --> 00:45:26,680 Speaker 2: of where I come from, it's so important for me 733 00:45:27,080 --> 00:45:31,560 Speaker 2: to have quiet space, to have alone time, and so 734 00:45:31,760 --> 00:45:36,919 Speaker 2: my boundaries for that are super strong. And I make 735 00:45:37,000 --> 00:45:45,240 Speaker 2: sure that I am recharged right by just even doing nothing, 736 00:45:45,480 --> 00:45:48,800 Speaker 2: like just sitting in my house right and doing nothing. 737 00:45:49,680 --> 00:45:52,759 Speaker 2: And there's other ways that I recharge, but that's a 738 00:45:52,920 --> 00:45:55,880 Speaker 2: very important thing for me. Like how I said, like 739 00:45:55,920 --> 00:45:59,840 Speaker 2: my mom, let me daydream, right, So that's a student 740 00:46:00,120 --> 00:46:02,759 Speaker 2: super important way for me to recharge is to. 741 00:46:02,920 --> 00:46:05,840 Speaker 4: Sit and daydream. 742 00:46:06,680 --> 00:46:11,200 Speaker 2: And I also love to create, so we have to 743 00:46:11,600 --> 00:46:15,200 Speaker 2: create space in order for us to create, right, And 744 00:46:15,280 --> 00:46:20,400 Speaker 2: so I would say boundaries are something I'm pretty good at, 745 00:46:20,520 --> 00:46:25,040 Speaker 2: though I guess I'm also a recovering people pleaser. So 746 00:46:25,200 --> 00:46:28,880 Speaker 2: there was a part of me that, you know, I 747 00:46:28,960 --> 00:46:30,879 Speaker 2: did want to please people, but. 748 00:46:32,680 --> 00:46:34,080 Speaker 4: I would get to the point where I. 749 00:46:34,040 --> 00:46:42,120 Speaker 2: Was like, all right, bitch, okay, I want you to 750 00:46:42,160 --> 00:46:47,840 Speaker 2: be happy, but okay, But yes, it is it's important 751 00:46:47,840 --> 00:46:51,879 Speaker 2: for us to understand who we are, to know what 752 00:46:51,920 --> 00:46:54,560 Speaker 2: we want to make space for, right, because for some 753 00:46:54,719 --> 00:46:58,239 Speaker 2: people there are so many distractions that we don't even 754 00:46:58,280 --> 00:47:04,360 Speaker 2: know who we are, especially people who are raised with 755 00:47:04,560 --> 00:47:08,439 Speaker 2: all of these different distractions, right, like have been in 756 00:47:08,480 --> 00:47:13,560 Speaker 2: this probably your generation, right, have been in like there's 757 00:47:13,600 --> 00:47:17,719 Speaker 2: always been a phone, right, and so there's a lot 758 00:47:17,760 --> 00:47:20,440 Speaker 2: of distractions and it's like, wait, who am I? 759 00:47:23,000 --> 00:47:23,160 Speaker 1: Right? 760 00:47:23,360 --> 00:47:26,400 Speaker 2: Sometimes it's scary when it goes quiet, and it's like 761 00:47:27,239 --> 00:47:32,640 Speaker 2: just in our own minds and like, so important to do. 762 00:47:32,960 --> 00:47:36,239 Speaker 2: I have been thinking about this a lot, you know, 763 00:47:36,400 --> 00:47:43,279 Speaker 2: the saying to thine own self be true? Yes, I 764 00:47:43,320 --> 00:47:48,200 Speaker 2: have been thinking about that so much because if we 765 00:47:48,400 --> 00:47:54,040 Speaker 2: know that as young people, it is so powerful, because 766 00:47:54,120 --> 00:47:56,759 Speaker 2: so much of what people do when they're young is 767 00:47:56,920 --> 00:47:59,680 Speaker 2: try to be what other people want them to be. 768 00:48:00,560 --> 00:48:04,880 Speaker 2: And it can feel like that end of the world. 769 00:48:05,040 --> 00:48:09,480 Speaker 2: If we choose ourselves, choose who we are. Let me 770 00:48:09,560 --> 00:48:12,239 Speaker 2: tell you, if you live long enough, eventually you're just 771 00:48:12,320 --> 00:48:15,279 Speaker 2: gonna have to choose yourself. It's the end of the 772 00:48:15,360 --> 00:48:18,320 Speaker 2: road if you choose in yourself. So you must do 773 00:48:18,840 --> 00:48:22,240 Speaker 2: it as a young fricking person. I tell my daughters. 774 00:48:22,880 --> 00:48:26,520 Speaker 2: I tell my daughters, I'm like, you actually are in 775 00:48:26,560 --> 00:48:31,359 Speaker 2: one of the most powerful positions right now. Do your shit, 776 00:48:32,280 --> 00:48:34,439 Speaker 2: do what you came here to do. Don't worry about 777 00:48:34,440 --> 00:48:38,160 Speaker 2: what other people say. And so anyway, I felt like. 778 00:48:38,080 --> 00:48:39,600 Speaker 4: You were going to say something terry. 779 00:48:41,440 --> 00:48:45,000 Speaker 1: You are on boy, I can sense the intuitiveness. You're like, 780 00:48:45,040 --> 00:48:47,480 Speaker 1: read my mind, know when I'm gonna say stuff. I 781 00:48:47,480 --> 00:48:49,480 Speaker 1: love it. And I just went to whole space for 782 00:48:49,520 --> 00:48:52,279 Speaker 1: your mom because and even you, because of what you 783 00:48:52,400 --> 00:48:54,520 Speaker 1: just shared about your daughters. Like, the more that we know, 784 00:48:54,600 --> 00:48:56,880 Speaker 1: the better we can mother those that are coming behind us, 785 00:48:57,200 --> 00:49:00,920 Speaker 1: whether we're physically you know, mothering or spiritually mothering. But 786 00:49:01,360 --> 00:49:03,040 Speaker 1: I want to hold space because the fact that your 787 00:49:03,040 --> 00:49:08,520 Speaker 1: mom protected your day dreaming time was so incredible, so admirable. 788 00:49:08,920 --> 00:49:11,399 Speaker 1: And also that quote that she said when you were 789 00:49:11,480 --> 00:49:14,000 Speaker 1: questioning your gift, like everything that comes from you is 790 00:49:14,320 --> 00:49:17,960 Speaker 1: from God, oh my, like goosebumps, so incredible, And I 791 00:49:18,000 --> 00:49:21,120 Speaker 1: wanted to also ask about something else you said around 792 00:49:21,280 --> 00:49:24,400 Speaker 1: growing your intuition. I think that it's so important for 793 00:49:24,520 --> 00:49:27,680 Speaker 1: us as people, but especially black women to go within 794 00:49:28,000 --> 00:49:29,600 Speaker 1: And I'm in the season in life where I'm like, 795 00:49:29,760 --> 00:49:32,000 Speaker 1: we're you visiting and reminding myself to do that. So 796 00:49:32,480 --> 00:49:35,600 Speaker 1: tell us more about how you've worked on growing your intuition, 797 00:49:36,000 --> 00:49:38,880 Speaker 1: ideally in some practical ways that listeners can like start 798 00:49:39,160 --> 00:49:40,760 Speaker 1: implementing today in their lives. 799 00:49:41,400 --> 00:49:44,319 Speaker 2: Yes, So we all have an intuitive voice, right, we 800 00:49:44,360 --> 00:49:47,040 Speaker 2: all have an intuitive voice. I feel like Black women 801 00:49:47,080 --> 00:49:49,160 Speaker 2: have very strong intuitive voices. 802 00:49:49,400 --> 00:49:50,560 Speaker 4: Like I said, it. 803 00:49:50,600 --> 00:49:53,319 Speaker 2: Actually takes a lot for us not to listen, right, 804 00:49:53,560 --> 00:49:56,600 Speaker 2: a lot, And we do it sometimes that we don't listen, 805 00:49:56,640 --> 00:49:58,360 Speaker 2: But it takes a lot for us not to listen. 806 00:49:58,800 --> 00:50:03,000 Speaker 2: And so to me, it's almost like getting acquainted with 807 00:50:03,040 --> 00:50:05,359 Speaker 2: that voice. So if you're walking out of the house 808 00:50:05,400 --> 00:50:08,960 Speaker 2: and you hear a voice saying grab that pen, you know, 809 00:50:09,239 --> 00:50:12,279 Speaker 2: something as small as that, right, and it's like, oh, no, 810 00:50:12,320 --> 00:50:13,080 Speaker 2: I don't need a pen. 811 00:50:13,160 --> 00:50:14,680 Speaker 4: You know, you go out into the world all of 812 00:50:14,719 --> 00:50:15,279 Speaker 4: a sudden you. 813 00:50:15,239 --> 00:50:18,880 Speaker 2: Need a pen, and you're like, oh, how funny, my 814 00:50:19,000 --> 00:50:22,120 Speaker 2: intuition told me how right, Like, it can be so 815 00:50:22,440 --> 00:50:27,400 Speaker 2: small and it's just about like listening to it, like 816 00:50:27,440 --> 00:50:29,520 Speaker 2: when you hear it, like okay, even if it's so 817 00:50:30,840 --> 00:50:33,520 Speaker 2: like like that as small as grab a pen, just 818 00:50:33,640 --> 00:50:37,240 Speaker 2: doing it, and eventually it gets louder and louder and louder, 819 00:50:37,239 --> 00:50:40,480 Speaker 2: because it is definitely a whisper. Right at first, we 820 00:50:40,640 --> 00:50:44,560 Speaker 2: might not necessarily hear it. And like I said, like 821 00:50:44,719 --> 00:50:48,359 Speaker 2: even with my readings that I've learned the language, right, 822 00:50:48,920 --> 00:50:53,640 Speaker 2: it's like learning our language. What is our intuition our 823 00:50:53,640 --> 00:50:58,160 Speaker 2: intuitive language? And I feel like to me that is 824 00:50:58,239 --> 00:51:03,040 Speaker 2: one of the practical ways. What's really interesting about meditation 825 00:51:03,440 --> 00:51:07,839 Speaker 2: for people of color. Moving meditations are great for us, 826 00:51:08,320 --> 00:51:12,080 Speaker 2: so taking a walk and you know, but but like 827 00:51:12,200 --> 00:51:16,640 Speaker 2: really taking in the you know, nature and if you 828 00:51:16,680 --> 00:51:21,680 Speaker 2: want to have some soothing music playing, because sometimes sitting 829 00:51:21,960 --> 00:51:26,560 Speaker 2: and meditating without moving is a little bit it can 830 00:51:26,600 --> 00:51:28,880 Speaker 2: be hard, right, it can be hard for anyone, but 831 00:51:29,680 --> 00:51:34,279 Speaker 2: it's there's for people of color, we learn best. 832 00:51:34,000 --> 00:51:34,840 Speaker 4: When we're moving. 833 00:51:34,920 --> 00:51:39,760 Speaker 2: So even in therapy, so like like there's a therapy 834 00:51:39,840 --> 00:51:42,879 Speaker 2: called equestrian therapy where you're on a horse and you're 835 00:51:43,040 --> 00:51:45,960 Speaker 2: getting therapy while you're on a horse, so you're moving. 836 00:51:46,080 --> 00:51:47,480 Speaker 4: It's a really good. 837 00:51:47,560 --> 00:51:51,760 Speaker 2: For us, right, like to be able to move even 838 00:51:51,920 --> 00:51:57,359 Speaker 2: if we're learning. Like my sister teaches young children, young 839 00:51:57,640 --> 00:52:02,040 Speaker 2: mostly black and brown children, and she lets them get 840 00:52:02,160 --> 00:52:05,120 Speaker 2: up and do like, you know, like jumping jacks while 841 00:52:05,120 --> 00:52:10,040 Speaker 2: they're learning their math, and they retain it, right like 842 00:52:10,400 --> 00:52:12,920 Speaker 2: that is how they retain it. So there's like movement 843 00:52:12,960 --> 00:52:15,440 Speaker 2: because when you think of school, it's like sit down. 844 00:52:15,320 --> 00:52:20,080 Speaker 4: At your desk. That's not how we learn. I'm gonna 845 00:52:20,080 --> 00:52:20,640 Speaker 4: go to sleep. 846 00:52:21,960 --> 00:52:25,719 Speaker 3: So yeah, oh my gosh, that feels so validating, that 847 00:52:25,800 --> 00:52:30,120 Speaker 3: last part because I just remember being in college and 848 00:52:30,480 --> 00:52:33,959 Speaker 3: being calling myself borderline narcoleptic because I would be sitting 849 00:52:34,000 --> 00:52:37,040 Speaker 3: in classes and the class the electro hall would be 850 00:52:37,040 --> 00:52:43,000 Speaker 3: freezing cold, and I would every time I would be 851 00:52:43,200 --> 00:52:45,759 Speaker 3: if I would fall asleep. And literally there are times 852 00:52:45,800 --> 00:52:47,759 Speaker 3: when I can look at my notes because this was 853 00:52:47,800 --> 00:52:50,839 Speaker 3: back when we would handwrite our notes, and I could 854 00:52:50,880 --> 00:52:52,360 Speaker 3: look back at my notes and I could see the 855 00:52:52,360 --> 00:52:54,600 Speaker 3: moment where I fell asleep, and I'm sitting straight up 856 00:52:54,640 --> 00:52:58,440 Speaker 3: with a pen in my hand, and as you're saying this, 857 00:52:58,440 --> 00:53:02,240 Speaker 3: this like makes sense to me that like, oh okay, 858 00:53:02,320 --> 00:53:05,680 Speaker 3: I mean, yes, there probably were some nutritional health things happening. 859 00:53:05,360 --> 00:53:06,960 Speaker 4: But for a while I was fall asleep. 860 00:53:07,320 --> 00:53:13,400 Speaker 3: But yeah, the idea of being able to get up 861 00:53:13,480 --> 00:53:15,959 Speaker 3: and move around. It also makes sense about the piece 862 00:53:16,000 --> 00:53:19,600 Speaker 3: about how moving meditations can be more helpful for us, 863 00:53:19,800 --> 00:53:25,719 Speaker 3: because I know for me personally meditation works. Is I 864 00:53:25,840 --> 00:53:29,279 Speaker 3: use meditation to fall asleep, Like, that's what I use 865 00:53:29,320 --> 00:53:32,439 Speaker 3: meditation for because and I had the best sleep when 866 00:53:32,480 --> 00:53:36,640 Speaker 3: I do that. And so for me, sitting down to 867 00:53:36,800 --> 00:53:43,080 Speaker 3: meditate on something doesn't work, yeah when I but I 868 00:53:43,200 --> 00:53:47,360 Speaker 3: do go on walks a lot to help me think 869 00:53:47,480 --> 00:53:52,080 Speaker 3: things through and obviously for exercise and movement and all 870 00:53:52,080 --> 00:53:52,760 Speaker 3: of that stuff. 871 00:53:52,800 --> 00:53:55,160 Speaker 4: But like, yeah, what. 872 00:53:55,120 --> 00:53:58,080 Speaker 3: You're saying is making sense, and it's it's also a 873 00:53:58,120 --> 00:54:05,720 Speaker 3: reminder around the importance of our own internal knowing. 874 00:54:06,840 --> 00:54:13,680 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, yes, and that is oh my gosh, okay, 875 00:54:14,760 --> 00:54:17,080 Speaker 2: whatever you just said just sparked something in me. 876 00:54:17,239 --> 00:54:17,879 Speaker 4: But it's like. 877 00:54:19,360 --> 00:54:22,520 Speaker 2: That is what all of these things have been put 878 00:54:22,560 --> 00:54:24,600 Speaker 2: in place for us to forget who we. 879 00:54:24,520 --> 00:54:28,400 Speaker 4: Are, right, like all of these things. 880 00:54:29,200 --> 00:54:32,960 Speaker 2: Yes, And so when you said that internal knowing like 881 00:54:33,320 --> 00:54:35,320 Speaker 2: allowing ourselves. 882 00:54:34,719 --> 00:54:37,919 Speaker 4: To be able to learn, to be able to listen. 883 00:54:39,960 --> 00:54:44,560 Speaker 1: Oh wowerful Anita. This, we're gonna wrap up because you know, 884 00:54:44,600 --> 00:54:47,040 Speaker 1: this converse, this conversation has been amazing. We appreciate you, 885 00:54:47,080 --> 00:54:48,719 Speaker 1: and we just had a couple other questions and then 886 00:54:48,719 --> 00:54:50,640 Speaker 1: we're gonna wrap up because we could talk to you 887 00:54:50,680 --> 00:54:54,440 Speaker 1: all day. Clearly, we appreciate you so much. We appreciate 888 00:54:54,480 --> 00:54:57,879 Speaker 1: your gifts, we appreciate your books. Yes, lady, make sure 889 00:54:58,000 --> 00:55:00,400 Speaker 1: we're going to add the show the link to Anita's 890 00:55:00,400 --> 00:55:01,880 Speaker 1: book at our show notes. I'm trying to get my 891 00:55:01,960 --> 00:55:04,680 Speaker 1: horse together, so make sure you go support Anita and 892 00:55:04,800 --> 00:55:08,880 Speaker 1: her work. My heart is overflowing. Anita, thank you. Is 893 00:55:08,920 --> 00:55:11,080 Speaker 1: there anything we love for you to share with our 894 00:55:11,120 --> 00:55:14,480 Speaker 1: listeners where they can find you, how they can support. 895 00:55:15,360 --> 00:55:19,279 Speaker 2: Absolutely, Yes, please go get the book. It comes out 896 00:55:19,360 --> 00:55:22,839 Speaker 2: January twenty. First, the Wind on her tongue, you can 897 00:55:22,840 --> 00:55:24,040 Speaker 2: get shallow waters. 898 00:55:24,239 --> 00:55:25,200 Speaker 4: It is standalone. 899 00:55:25,200 --> 00:55:28,000 Speaker 2: You don't have to reach shallow waters before, but I 900 00:55:28,320 --> 00:55:30,640 Speaker 2: know that would be awesome. I would say most of 901 00:55:30,680 --> 00:55:33,640 Speaker 2: my information I put out there is Instagram, which is 902 00:55:33,719 --> 00:55:39,320 Speaker 2: my name, Anita Copatch an Ia KOPACV. 903 00:55:41,160 --> 00:55:41,480 Speaker 1: Thank you. 904 00:55:41,640 --> 00:55:41,799 Speaker 3: Oh. 905 00:55:41,960 --> 00:55:45,520 Speaker 2: Also, I am a part of the Goddess Wisdom Council 906 00:55:45,600 --> 00:55:49,360 Speaker 2: and we have monthly calls for community, and so we 907 00:55:49,440 --> 00:55:51,960 Speaker 2: have that and then we do retreats once a year. 908 00:55:52,040 --> 00:55:55,400 Speaker 4: So our next retreat is April in Costa Rica. 909 00:55:56,280 --> 00:55:58,319 Speaker 1: Oh well, we need to sign up and go get 910 00:55:58,360 --> 00:56:00,960 Speaker 1: that link. Thank you so much, Anita. We appreciate you. 911 00:56:02,000 --> 00:56:03,759 Speaker 4: Yes, thank you. 912 00:56:05,480 --> 00:56:08,319 Speaker 3: Hey lady, it's doctor dom here from the Cultivating her 913 00:56:08,360 --> 00:56:12,359 Speaker 3: Space podcast. Are you currently a resident of the state 914 00:56:12,400 --> 00:56:17,879 Speaker 3: of California and contemplating starting your therapy journey? Well, if so, 915 00:56:18,640 --> 00:56:22,880 Speaker 3: please reach out to me at doctor Dominique Brusard dot com. 916 00:56:23,320 --> 00:56:28,319 Speaker 3: That's d R D O M I N I q 917 00:56:28,520 --> 00:56:32,880 Speaker 3: U E b R O U S s ar D 918 00:56:33,560 --> 00:56:38,600 Speaker 3: dot com to schedule a free fifteen minute consultation. I 919 00:56:38,640 --> 00:56:43,279 Speaker 3: look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for tuning into 920 00:56:43,320 --> 00:56:47,560 Speaker 3: Cultivating her Space. Remember that while this podcast is all 921 00:56:47,600 --> 00:56:52,800 Speaker 3: about healing, empowerment, and resilience, it's not a substitute for therapy. 922 00:56:53,840 --> 00:56:57,239 Speaker 3: If you are someone you know needs support, check out 923 00:56:57,280 --> 00:57:02,080 Speaker 3: resources like Therapy for Black Girls or Psychology Today. If 924 00:57:02,080 --> 00:57:05,240 Speaker 3: you love today's episode, do us a favor and share 925 00:57:05,239 --> 00:57:09,080 Speaker 3: it with a friend who needs some inspiration, or leave 926 00:57:09,160 --> 00:57:12,440 Speaker 3: us a quick five star review. Your support needs the 927 00:57:12,480 --> 00:57:15,400 Speaker 3: world to us and helps keep this space thriving. 928 00:57:15,960 --> 00:57:20,080 Speaker 1: And before we meet again, repeat after me. I am 929 00:57:20,120 --> 00:57:25,080 Speaker 1: the architect of my destiny, shaping every moment with purpose 930 00:57:25,720 --> 00:57:30,120 Speaker 1: and passion. Keep thriving, Lady, and tune in next Friday 931 00:57:30,160 --> 00:57:34,640 Speaker 1: for more inspiration from cultivating her space. In the meantime, 932 00:57:34,920 --> 00:57:37,880 Speaker 1: be sure to connect with us on Instagram at her 933 00:57:37,920 --> 00:57:38,920 Speaker 1: Space Podcast