#authentic journey

[turiyatitta]

The Paradox of Enlightenment

The Journey Beyond AwakeningIn the realm of spiritual awakening, there exists a profound paradox that challenges the very essence of enlightenment. This enigma revolves around the transformation of spiritually awakened individuals into spiritual gurus. At the heart of this transformation lies a pursuit, a quest not just for the dissemination of wisdom, but for an embodiment of an ideal that, by…

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[michellesanches]

Book Summary - "Greenlights" by Matthew McConaughey

For me, Matthew McConaughey is like Marmite, its hard not to have an opinion, you either love him or hate him. I love Marmite, not so much Matthew. That said, everywhere I turned, I heard about his book, “Greenlights”. Setting aside my own thoughts on Matthew McConaughey personally, I found “Greenlights” to be more than just a celebrity memoir; it was a unique dose of wisdom and life lessons…

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[cortinajenelle-blog]

And Then The Women Came.

Often the moments that completely shift who we are, are not those moments that come parading back into our memories like an elephant train.  Often the moments that completely shift who we are, whisper ‘Remember Me…’ as they slip by nearly unnoticed.  Often the moments that completely shift who we are, are one point on a complex grid of synchronistic connections and seamless interaction with the right people at the right time.

In a time when so much is uncertain, the certainty of peace at a gathering among women from all across the globe; from all trails blazed for the rights of women to gather in the name of herbs and share amongst them the wisdom of healing, gifted to us by Mama Appalachia and beyond; from all ages; all stages..and ethnicities multiplied. In a time when so much is uncertain, we certainly did gather together this Fall because the revolution cannot be denied.  When given every reason to stand apart, we unify. And re-mind ourselves to use our Third Eye.  To look into the windows of souls without rosy colored glasses.  To connect with people whether they look like bleached sugar or molasses.  Re-mind yourselves that only love is real, the plants will heal us and the revolution will not be televised.

And so then the women came.

And with the women came a new way. There tucked away in the wombs of 1,200+ women was the seed of love, hope and faith. Everyone that came, gave graceful birth to the path of sacred sisterhood.

For me – true to my water-fire sign – I met Corinna, Founder & Director of the Southeast Wise Women Herbal Conference, around a firepit after a long day of being on and off stage and in and out of rain at a music festival produced by and for women. The conversation around the fire was about gathering spaces and places for women of all walks of life.  In some ways similar to SEWW, the mission of music festival we were attending then was focused on celebrating the talents and artistic expressions of badass women.  To learn that there was another gathering similar that I didn’t yet know about, was exciting. I was game.   That weekend in Boone around the fire, I jumped into the front seat of a 4-year transformation from shamed/confused tomboy to acknowledging and owning fully the divine feminine. I personally feel that my maturity into womanhood has been due to finding my medicine and learning about healing at SEWW.  It is here that I get to be my full self – queer, old soul, Southern black girl from ‘round the way and vegetarian humanitarian convinced that authenticity is the answer to global conflict. Often the moments that completely shift who we are, are one point on a complex grid of synchronistic connections and seamless interaction with the right people at the right time.

So, after some immediate correspondence with Corinna about participating in the Work Exchange program and helping with the inaugural Sister Love (Tent at that time, now it’s a Deck), my first journey to SEWW was set (2013).  Throughout that first weekend, I learned one very important lesson/observation about myself – engaging with folks simply because of the color of their skin was a deep edge for me.  I grew up poor and black in the South so, naturally I grew up on hot combs, grits, relaxers, fried chicken, Kool-Aid, Yo! MTV Raps, bad cable and loyalty to ruckus.  Furthermore, I am the black sheep in my family so when I went natural, got a few tattoos, stopped eating meat and began dating women, I left all relevancy with relatives on the front porch of the country store.  Yet, here I was having psychosocial and poli-cultural conversations with women who were healers, medicine women, entrepreneurs, ceremonialists, doulas, midwives, teachers and artists. Everything I had been taught to chase for success in life was shot.  The lies I thought I had discovered and conquered, multiplied. How dare my family and friends not tell me that our people were healers?  How dare my family and friends tell me that capitalism and indebtedness to Sallie Mae meant a bright future? What had I done?  What had I done? What had I done?  So, not only did I feel guilty for immediately gifting some of these women I encountered my immediate respect when my mother didn’t have it…I was thrown down a deep hole of unpacking my identity and educating myself on balance, alternative wellness, herbal medicine and the sacredness of community in spite of lost ties to the familial network.  It rocked my world.  It scared me and challenged my fearlessness.  It made my queerness throw tantrums because it often had to run and hide in spaces that were exclusive to black folks.  Yet, I helped to set up/cultivate the space.  I went to the Sister Love Tent as little as possible until Spirit called me back.  I came in, sat down and stayed in the role of observer and listener for most of the time feeling heavy because I was going to have to tell Corinna that I couldn’t do this anymore, it was too hard.  That day though, was different.  We held space for all lenses and perspectives and through a loosely facilitated check-in, I was able to expose my wounds around sisterhood and lack of trust in the black family unit.  Our conversations were the salve to my deep cuts and betrayals that I had been wearing and not showing to anyone.  Strength don’t fail me now. I spoke my truth about the beauty and potential I see in ALL women and the hope for collectively releasing anger while welcoming love.  We had a slumber party that night under the stars – the Earth braided our roots and the Moon carried our dreams off with the stardust.   Often the moments that completely shift who we are, whisper ‘Remember Me…’ as they slip by nearly unnoticed.

Since the time of my first SEWW, my life has completely changed…but not because I’m just standing around.  My life has completely changed because that night in the Sister Love Tent and riding the waves of SEWW, I found home in more ways than I knew at that time.  Four years later as I stood under the full Blood Moon at this year’s gathering, I recollected parts of my dream that night, several moons ago.  To give you a glimpse of that magic: I now live at Earthaven Ecovillage (home to the offices and some organizers of SEWW); I work with LEAF Community Arts, which happens on the same land that I walked on and wished on 18 months prior to that opportunity even coming into my awareness; I work with SOIL, which is also based at Earthaven; and I have researched my ancestry to find out that my lineage is rooted in West Africa (explaining my visceral connection to my first fire circle with African drumming – also at the SEWW in 2013)…and many, many, many interactions with mentors and guides.

This year at SEWW, I got to give back to my roots by hosting Newcomers in the heart of the Violet Tent. I appreciated the art and fire of the leaf messengers sitting on trees in the valley.  I had a chance to lay on the Earth, with no rain or flooding in sight!  And I got to plant the seeds of my future…our future in the soil of the same land once walked by visionaries and artists of the Historic Black Mountain College. Most importantly, I saw myself in the eyes of my sisters at the Sister Love Deck and my sisters in attendance from Earthaven and my sisters from all walks of life, of all nationalities and creeds.  This year at SEWW, I became one with my curiosity about the meaning of life and realized that the meaning of life is to keep my curiosity intact.  Question everything. Furthermore, I realized that in order to be a real sister and tender of others, I had to first be a sister for my inner child, inner warrior and inner healer.  It is my duty to know who I am and where I come from so that as I do my work, I am doing so as a whole and integrated being – armed with the truth of my heritage and the radicality of what I believe to be possible for humanity.  SEWW did that for me again, and again, and again, and again.

So, if you’re considering coming to SEWW for the first time or many, keep in mind that what happens at this gathering is so much bigger than plants.  This gathering is truly all about the seeds of our sisterhood and sharing practices with one another so that we nurture them and help them grow. For it is on their sprouts that love, faith and hope exist.  Often the moments that completely shift who we are, are not those moments that come parading back into our memories like an elephant train. Often the moments that completely shift who we are, whisper ‘Remember Me…’ as they slip by nearly unnoticed.

Until next year.

And Then The Women Came. was originally published on Cortina Jenelle