What’s In My Cup

12:25 pm// Day 1 for me- Day 3 for the challenge// Started late but I aim to finish restored//My loose tea concoction – hibiscus, turmeric, ginger, green tea, Moroccan mint tea// Sitting in Lotus asana

7:00 a.m.

My body woke up before my alarm today.  I did not sleep well at all.  Perhaps, it was the uncanny dreams or the cramps and lower back pain from my menstrual cycle.  Shower. Breakfast. Antibiotics.  Ugh.  I despise taking these pills, however, I’ve been sick far too long so I had to give in.  As soon as I’m done with them, I’m going to detox my body with activated charcoal and a raw diet.  I don’t know what to do first.  So many thoughts circling my mental and all I can do is just sit here.  That’s my problem.  I think way too much and leave little time to be proactive.  At least I am aware.  Now change that habit Dom!  I aim to accomplish all my goals I set this month during the new moon.  I have to take myself seriously. If I don’t, who will?  I refuse to waste my talents and I refuse to let doubt and fear oppress me any further.  I am molding my future, shaping my destiny and polishing up my faith.  I know that everything I am experiencing all serves a purpose.  I thank you God.  I thank you for this moment of clarity right now.  I know I am one piece of artwork just hidden in a corner waiting to be discovered.  And the only one who can discover me… is me.  It’s time that I stop neglecting my soul.  The fire that burns deep inside of me needs to be released, not hosed down.  I am working on me.  I am working on me.  I am working on my masterpiece.

Affirmations

Gifts: The tools to Reflect. A Guide Towards Self-love.

God has an amazing and creative way to share gifts with us. Today, spirit did it again and gave me an abundance of gifts to start out 2016 with.  First, I was blessed to see another year (made it to 30, I’m a big kid now!) and spend that time with family and friends. Second, I got accepted to graduate school and started last week.  Third, I was in attendance at an amazing and uplifting Queens Round Table conference entitled “Reclaim Your Crown,” which also included two workshops.

From that awesome workshop, I took a lot of important and powerful messages with me today.  I was reminded that, in spite of all that I do or plan to do to hold down my kingdom, it is important for me to find balance and take care of myself.

Man, I needed that reminder!

There was also one question that arose during the workshop that I really wanted to reflect on and journal about this evening. That question was, “what are three things you appreciate about yourself?”  It’s a very important question and, to be honest, it was a hard one for me. After reflecting on it, I was only able to answer two and that’s okay right now. I’m aware now and will do a better job to think about myself in a positive light and not focus so much on the negatives or what I used to consider to be “weaknesses.”  It is absolutely imperative that we understand the importance of growth. However,  growth can be achieved in a more positive way, whilst highlighting the best in myself at all times.

What are three things that I appreciate about myself?

1. I appreciate the fact that I’m ever-changing.
For so many years people made me feel like I was all over the place. I was told things like:
“You like too many things.”
“Focus on one thing.”
“Girl, what are you getting yourself into now.”
These few quotes would constantly circle my mental and keep me stagnant.   It took me a long time to remove the toxic words out of my psyche and to appreciate this part of me. I’m in love with many things and that’s okay! I’m always willing to learn and grow and with growth comes change. I’m always finding ways to elevate myself. I started out as a blank canvas. As I go through life, I’m adding many colors to my canvas.  I started with the basic primary colors.  From those primary colors, I’m creating more colors and from that creation, I’m creating more and so forth.  Some may interpret my canvas as a colorful mess, but there’s beauty in my mess!  There’s an artistic quality to it and, even more importantly, it’s my canvas and I hold the paint brush!

2. I’m in love with love!
I freaking love, love. I love humans, animals,  plants, this earth, the galaxy, I just freaking love everything. I also love to forgive. Not only because it’s the right thing to do for the world, but because it’s very important to forgive for myself. Why? Well, I need peace within. We all do. How can I move forward with love and through life when there is no peace within? If there is no enemy within, then no enemy outside of me can interfere with my peace.

Thank you Valencia and for the rest of the amazing women who’ve helped turn this  workshop into food for my soul.
Bless Queens

A Wombman Kind of Love

The initiation has begun.

Take me to your source, the spring of all beginnings,

where I fill my cup with moon light,

burning away my insecurities,

facing my demons and my angels,

explore all the shades, valleys, dimensions of my shadowland

rediscovering my personal rituals of self-love,

dispelling the myths of female inferiority.

The mirror is no longer a pool of rage, guilt, and self-denial,

I can reflect positive self-images,

being more than a reflection of my mother, children, or lovers.

I can breathe deeply now,

breathing in my joy, hope, faith, and patience,

becoming the nurturing mother of my wounds,

breathing in the energies of the nurturing moon.

The daughter of the moon awakens,

I become the wild full moon dancer,

who is free at long last,

to rediscover the ancient rituals of self-love.

The pathway to my heart is open now.

I can now sing songs of love,

celebrating the awakening of my deep feelings,

sensual needs and sexual self-satisfaction.

I take care of the woman of my sea,

filling my cup with the deep waters of my soul,

becoming the wise queen of the moon.

~Marcia Moonstar

Fro Lovely: NUELE Product Review

For a long time I’ve been hesitant to blow out my hair because of the potential damage that heat can cause to my natural hair.  But after taking out my faux locs, I noticed all the new growth and I wanted to see the true length of my hair.  So, I decided to go forward with the blowout and I used NUELE as a heat protectant.

NUELE is an organic and natural moisturizer ideally used as a heat protectant for natural hair.  However, this product is definitely versatile.  Although it is comprised of a mixture of different oils (in the past, I was weary of using oil to blow out my hair), the product is very light and did not overheat.  My hair did not feel greasy or weighed down at all.  Following my blowout (on medium heat), I was amazed at the results.  As you can see from the photos, I was left with lustrous and bouncy hair!  This product definitely works as advertised and I’m so happy I gave it a shot!

What’s in the bottle?

Jojoba Oil, Rosemary Oil, Clary Sage, Fragrance, Moringa Oil, and Argan Oil

Overall, this product is very light.  If you have sensitivity to smell, don’t worry because the product actually has a natural rosemary and sage scent.  My hair felt extremely soft after blowing out my hair.  I also used it to re-twist my hair.

NUELE is retailed at 29.89 for their 4oz bottle.  A little goes a long way so this product will surely last a long time.

You can also find instructions on how to use the product on the bottle.  This product will definitely make waves in the natural community market soon.  Keep up with NUELE at http://nuelehair.com/, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

With Love,

DS