Spiritual Grit

I’m gonna let you know: this is a messy low-quality recording. So much is unfolding at once and in some cases, escalation is building quite rapidly that I didn’t have time to set up my usual mic – I just used some plug-in earbuds with a mic. This is an indication of how urgent and important it is for all of us to understand that “normal” no longer exists. That in order for us to integrate the shifts happening around us (because there’s *no way* we can avoid these shifts at this magnitude), we need to root down into our bodies and to hold fast to our spiritual practices in order to remain centered during these tsunami-like waves of change.

In this week’s episode, I’m asking: how do we balance between our personal daily lives and our larger activist work? How do we make sure we don’t get consumed by both and burn out? I talk about the importance of grounding ourselves and of taking rest and how to do that in ways that feel safe. Remember: we keep us safe. It’s crucial so that we can sustain ourselves for this long fight. Liberation doesn’t happen in a day.

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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:

“Cucumbers and Prayers” by Hafiz

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to mailing list + community:suryagian.com/subscribeand get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”

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Instagram: @leslieannhobayan

Email:leslieann@suryagian.com

To put it simply: there's a hell of a lot going on right now and activism is growing exponentially. There is an urgency in the air that cannot be ignored. And with that urgency, momentum swells and we activists tend to forget that it's necessary to fill our own cup.

We MUST take time to nourish ourselves, to replenish our energy, to rest and restore. This is the long game. And we must remember that we are not doing this alone. When we work in community, we can lean on each other for what we need in order to sustain this movement towards liberation. When you need to rest, know that someone will be there to pick up where you left off and will welcome you back when you are rested. This is what we need to work on remembering. Tune into today's episode for why it's important to pause and take rest –and to learn how!

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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:

Oracle card: Water your garden

Poem: “Why Aren't We Screaming Drunks?” by Hafiz

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

How many of us stuff down our feelings when it comes to sadness or grief? How many of us try to hide our tears or look away when we are not able to? Our society has taught us to repress the emotions that make people uncomfortable. It has taught us that we are wrong or weak when we experience things like rage or grief. What happens when there's a buildup of these emotional energies that stay trapped in the body? When there's nowhere for them to go, the body starts to break down. Tune into this week's episode where I talk about how to discern between qualities of fear that might be haunting you from expressing yourself. And how you might move through that in order to open a valve to release tension and creates softness in your body, which leads to overall well-being.

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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:

Oracle card: The Suit of Swords

Poem: “Wow” by Hafiz

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

Instagram: @leslieannhobayan 

Email:leslieann@suryagian.com

In case y'all didn't know, eclipses are portals of transformation. Everything you hide in your shadows comes to the surface. So for those of you who watched the solar eclipse, how do you feel?

In this week's episode, I'm posing some questions for deep inquiry. From looking at what stories we are addicted to about ourselves to examining the relationships of our lives, asking if they are worth nurturing or if they are draining us. Break out your journals when you listen to this one! It's time for a deep dive. 

We're living in a time where our masks can no longer hold. Curtains are being pulled back. Veils are being torn down. There's no more hiding from yourself or from the truth of yourself. Everyone is showing themselves, whether they intended that or not. Pales-tine is helping us see that. So how do we deal with the loss and ensuing grief of the lives we used to know? The ones in which we had so many friends who understood us and now are no longer aligned because they continue to insist on holding on to how things used to be when really, that's not possible. Not in the face of gen0cide. Tune in to this week's episode to find out how to move on in life without the people you thought would always be there.

There's a lot of talk about one's purpose in life and often, in the West, it is individualistic: what will fulfill one's desires? How can one manifest the car/house/partner that they want?

In this week's episode, I'm talking about what your purpose in life actually is and how you can get closer to figuring it out. Also, if your life's purpose isn't about you, then what is it about? Who is it for? And is anyone paying attention?

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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:

Oracle card: The Ten of Cups

Poem: “A Great Need”by Hafiz

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

In this week's episode, I'm in conversation with Sophia Ali Khan, activist, public interest lawyer, and Canadian-based author of *A Good Country: My Life in Twelve Town and the Devastating Battle for a White America*.

We talked about a wide range of things, playing with the intersection of activism and spiritualit: from the current genocide (do we take the first flight out to Rafah?) to resonance with our ancestral homeland (what is embedded in our DNA that signals we are home?); from balancing being a mom with activism (how does one guide one’s children through the practices of fasting during Ramadan?) to what true spirituality and faith look like. (Hint: It's not all white flowing robes and kumbaya).

Come along with us on this meandering road of understanding what our role might be in this life as a human during this particular moment in time.

Listen in today!

About Sofia Ali-Khan:

Sofia Ali-Khan is an anti-racist storyteller, author, and public interest lawyer. Her book, A Good Country: My Life in Twelve Towns and the Devastating Battle for a White America was published by Random House in 2022 and won the 2023 Nautilus Gold Book Award for Social Justice. Writing at the intersection of politics, race, history, and Muslim America, her essays have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, TIME Magazine, the Chicago Tribune, and other publications, earning her a Pushcart Prize nomination in 2022. She has appeared as a featured storyteller on The Moth's Mainstage in Boston and Philadelphia and at the Manhattan Public Theater. Sofia lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband, kids and cat, and is presently at work on her first novel with the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:

Oracle card: The Queen of Swords

Poem: “Please Stop” by Sophia Ali Khan

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

Instagram: @leslieannhobayan 

Email:leslieann@suryagian.com

Sophia Ali Khan

https://www.sofiaalikhan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/sofia_alikhan/

In this week's episode, I'm talking about how important it is to have nervous system resilience when speaking your truth. It's okay if your voice shakes. What's key is being able to bounce back after feeling so vulnerable. Listen in to learn the four stages to help strengthen resilience so that you can speak your truth.

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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Tarot Card: Justice

Poem: “Cucumbers and Prayers” by Hafiz

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: ⁠leslieann.substack.com⁠

Uh, say what? What the heck is duality and non-duality? It’s a spiritual philosophy and teaching, one of which I’m still trying to unpack (and will likely be doing for the rest of my life!). But I wanted to pose this question of duality vs non-duality in activism: how do we understand these concepts and how do we apply them to real world situations like gen0-side? Is it useful to do so? Or is it akin to spiritual bypassing? Depends on who you are and how you use it.

I’m going to tell you now: this is like pre-school level, super-basic knowledge I have of these concepts, so I don’t know what I’m doing or what I’m talking about, BUT I am curious enough to ask the questions and explore. Listen in to find out possibilities to this question of duality and non-duality in activism. (I mean, that’s the point of this show, right? The intersection of spirituality and activism. That’s what I say in the intro, right? So let’s dive in!)

Uh, say what? What the heck is duality and non-duality? It’s a spiritual philosophy and teaching, one of which I’m still trying to unpack (and will likely be doing for the rest of my life!). But I wanted to pose this question of duality vs non-duality in activism: how do we understand these concepts and how do we apply them to real world situations like gen0-side? Is it useful to do so? Or is it akin to spiritual bypassing? Depends on who you are and how you use it.

I’m going to tell you now: this is like pre-school level, super-basic knowledge I have of these concepts, so I really don’t know what I’m doing or what I’m talking about, BUT I am curious enough to ask the questions and explore. Listen in to find out possibilities to this question of duality and non-duality in activism. (I mean, that’s the point of this show, right? The intersection of spirituality and activism. That’s what I say in the intro, right? So let’s dive in!)

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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:

Oracle card: Five of Pentacles

Poem: “The Fish and I will Chat” by Hafiz

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Many of us compartmentalize our lives, putting things in boxes as if our lives are a bunch of multicolored beads that need to be separated and sorted.. Parenting goes in one box. Job goes in another box. Writer work in yet another. Activist work in another. This isn’t how we’re supposed to live. WIth the continuing gen0-side, compartmentalizing is a survival tactic. “If I can just focus on my job, I can look away from what’s happening in Pal-es-tine.” The thing is, the magnitude of these atr0cities is affecting our daily lives, whether we’re aware of it or not.

In this week’s episode, I talk about how everything is inextricably linked. We cannot compartmentalize. We must stay connected to our humanity. We must continue to bear witness AND to live, to continue the daily activities of our small lives AND do what we can to demand a ce@sefire and fight for a freé Pal-es-tine. How do we do that? How can we act in our daily lives in ways that begin to shift change? Tune in to learn more!

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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:

Oracle card: Queen of Pentacles

Poem: “You are Brave in that Holy War” by Hafiz

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

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We've been living in divisive times for a while now. But now it's all coming to a head. 

How do we balance our activist work with our inner spiritual work? We've gotten to a point where they are no longer separate. They are inextricable. One feeds and nourishes the other. And vice versa. In order for us to be effective in our activist work, we need to be right within ourselves. We need to feel aligned within. In order for us to heal and release the limiting beliefs that are obscuring are deep inner truth, our Sat Nam, we need to take action to liberate the oppressed.

Palestine is showing us who we really are. All the veils are being torn down. All of the masks have dropped. If we fail to take action, we are not doing the necessary work for our spiritual evolution. Change is inevitable whether we like it or not, whether we're ready for it or not.

And this week's episode, I talk about why it's crucial for us to stand with Palestine.

When it feels like the world is on fire and structures are crumbling down (which is, like, all the time!), we must find it within ourselves to keep going. We must dig down to find the resolve within us to keep working towards our vision, whether that is your own personal dreams or a vision for a better world, full of peace and justice.

In this episode, I talk about how we can view challenges as invitations and opportunities for growth rather than roadblocks to give up. Hold fast to your vision! A new earth is being born.

Speaking your truth can be daunting, especially during these times of intense division. How can you practice using your voice so that you can express your truth with more confidence? How can you soften those blocks that prevent you from using your voice? In this week's episode, I talk about how love is the key to leading the way to truth and invite you to explore the possibilities of your voice.

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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:

Oracle card: King of Cups

Poem: “Turn Left a Thousand Feet from Here” by Hafiz

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Community is so important for us. Human beings. And if the last few years has taught us anything, isolation really sucks. In this week's episode, I invite you to be open to creating communities that you need. Rather than waiting for someone to call you in, why not reach out to others? Tune in to find out how.

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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:

Oracle card: Page of swords

Poem: “From the Large Jug, Drink” by Hafiz

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

As I continue to speak my truth and advocate for a free Pal3st!ne, more and more folks are telling on themselves, showing who they really are. And the shedding of various levels of relationships –from acquaintances to friends to community members– continues. In this week’s episode, I address the fears that come with this shedding and what to do about it. How do we keep going? Do we even keep going? (Short answer: YES!) How do we stay on the course of our truth if it means that people will leave our lives? Listen in to dig deeper into why speaking our truths are crucial to our collective healing and liberation.

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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:

Oracle card: All Paths Lead Home

Poem: “When You Wake” by Hafiz

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

This year is about spiritual and material abundance! But if you’ve got limiting beliefs that keep you small, it’s kinda hard to receive that abundance. In this week’s episode, I talk about how the subconscious can hold us back and how you can shift those beliefs. Relatedly, this year is also about rest, about creating more space for dreaming and intuitive guidance. Tune in to find out how rest can help you shift your perspective and release limiting beliefs.

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My first effort at building community for 2024 is offering online yoga nidra classes.

Now, you might be thinking: What's yoga nidra?

Or: That's nice.

Or: Oh, that sounds so amazing and totally what I need right now, but I can't because [insert excuse here].

Let me answer the first question: what is yoga nidra? Without getting too technical or esoteric, it's pretty much you lying down all comfy while listening to me guide you through a meditation journey. What's not to love about that?

As for the other two thoughts, let's consider this: capitalist society doesn't want you to rest. It banks (literally) on you to keep going, to keep working, to keep producing. Capitalism treats us like machines, not humans whose bodies operate in cycles of active states and rest.

So if you're saying “I'd love to rest but I have this giant to-do list to tackle”, then ask yourself what are you prioritizing and why? No judgement. Just an invitation to get curious about the choices you make, the patterns you find yourself in, and why they happen.

It's time to rest, friends. And not just the “I'm gonna take a nap" kind of rest. This is a “reset, a restoration, a softening and a letting go kind” of rest. It's an effective way to release all of the old energy of last week and get a clean slate for this coming week. Plus you'll feel ready for bed! Doesn't that sound heavenly?

Here's the 411:

Sundays, January 14, 21, 28, 2024

8-8:45pm ET on zoom

$20 / class

And here's where you can sign up:

https://suryagian.com/yoga-nidra

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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:

Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

Can you believe it? It’s our 200th episode! What an amazing feat! One that I did not anticipate for sure! To celebrate, I pulled two tarot cards for us: one as a reflection of the 2023 vibe and one for the flavor of what 2024 will be like. I think you’ll LOVE what came forward. I know I did! Listen in as I go IN-DEPTH about how we can learn from the fire that was 2023 and take it as fuel to keep going in 2024, which has so much promise according to the cards!

And as part of the celebration, folks on my mailing list will get a free guided meditation for easeful sleep! Hooray! Not on the mailing list? Subscribe now and you’ll get the free gift too! (Valid until Jan 10th. Sign up here: https://suryagian.com/subscribe or email us at love@suryagian.com Just note that you might not get the recording until after the new year as we are closing the office 12/25/23-1/1/24 for the holidays.)

The other day, a woman in an FB group accused me of ant!-s3m!tism because I had used the word “g3n0cide”. She was clearly speaking from a deeply wounded place, from generational trauma as a Jewish woman. And while I have compassion for her woundedness, I was not going to stop speaking the truth of what is happening in P@l-es-t!ne. But this raises the question that a lot of folks are asking: what do we do when our truth hurts others? In this week’s episode, I talk about the need for discernment and a deep connection with your intuition. If our truths are rooted deep in our heart and soul, they will not exclude others. Our truths show us that there is room for everyone.

Register for my 4-week somatic writing workshop series, Speak Your Truth, which kicks off tomorrow –the winter solstice, Dec 21st! https://suryagian.com/speak-your-truth or email for more info and to register: love@suryagian.com

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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Tarot Card: Lifting the Veil

Poem: “My Body a Tree” by Hafiz

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter:leslieann.substack.com

In this episode, I pull back the curtain on what it's like to speak your truth. It may look easy, like no big deal. But it's not. Especially when there is a lot on the line. On the outside, folks might look like they have it together. But on the inside, it might be a different story. Tune in to find out what it's like to speak your truth (while I also drop a few big truth b*mb$) and questions to consider when you want to step forward and speak out.

To find the folks I mentioned, you can connect with them on Instagram here: @sarahofmagdalene @kimsaira

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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Tarot Card: Seven of Wands

Poem: “Trying To Wear Pants” by Hafiz

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

In this week's episode, I'm talking about how important it is to have nervous system resilience when speaking your truth. It's okay if your voice shakes. What's key is being able to bounce back after feeling so vulnerable. Listen in to learn the four stages to help strengthen resilience so that you can speak your truth.

 ===============

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Tarot Card: Justice

Poem: “Cucumbers and Prayers” by Hafiz

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

Why is it important to speak your truth? Does it really matter? The short answer: absolutely! What can you do to assure your body that it's safe to speak the truth? How can you support your nervous system? Listen in to find out!

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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Tarot Card: King of Swords

Poem: “A Cushion For Your Head” by Hafiz

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

Here's a "Best of" episode!

A lot of people talk about boundaries and having the need to set them. But what does that actually mean? And what are boundaries anyway? What do they look like and why does it feel so hard to set them and hold them?

In this episode, I get into the details of the different kinds of boundaries we can set in our lives,  the reasons why some boundaries are more porous than others, and why it is important for us to have clear and defined boundaries, particularly for us empaths and women of color. People-pleasing behavior is no accident.

Listen in to learn how the mind, body, and spirit connection is essential to boundary setting and how a resilient nervous system is the bridge to it all.

This episode's oracle card is The Great Severing. Feels forboding. How do we stay open to love when we are wounded? In a time when things start to feel hopeless or pointless, it's even more important to keep going. But how? How do we stay the course? What does self-worth have to do with it? How can ritual help us?

Tune in to find out!

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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Tarot Card: The Great Severing 

Poem: "What do White Birds Say?” By Hafiz

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 Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

In this episode, I'm in conversation with JS Park, a Korean American hospital chaplain based in Florida whose compassion has made an incredible impression on so many people, including myself. 

J.S. Park is a hospital chaplain, former atheist/agnostic, sixth degree black belt, suicide survivor, Korean-American, and follows Christ. He. is author of The Voices We Carry: Finding Your One True Voice in a World of Clamor and Noise. Published by Northfield/Moody. He is currently serving at a 1000+ bed hospital, one of the top-ranked in the nation, and was also a chaplain for three years at one of the largest nonprofit charities for the homeless on the east coast.

We talk about compassion and grief, which do not have clear definitions or prescriptions for embodying them. Both grief and compassion look  different for each individual person. It's not a one-size-fits-all. We also talk about how we might hold compassion for those whose beliefs are rooted in our oppression. And how we might identify this collective grief we are currently feeling but can't quite name. Listen in as we dive into how we can human better together.

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Oracle Card: Trust the Timing

Poem: "Torso of Air" by Ocean Vuong

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

JS Park Website: https://jsparkblog.com/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/jspark3000/?hl=en

In this week's episode, I am speaking with poet, extraordinaire, Diamond Forde.

Our conversation centers around how poetry saves us. And that is not hyperbole. How poetry brings us back to our humanness. We also talk about this now moment as we bear witness to the atrocities against P@lestin!ans. How we are being pulled to publicly grieve, something that is unfamiliar to us. How do we remember to be human to each other again? How can we provide care?

Listen in as Diamond reminds us: You don't have to hold grief on your own. Listen to be in community with us. Let us steep ourselves in poetry and hold each other in grief.

I'm inviting you to join me in Create Against Destruction, a 6-week container for women / femmes / nonbinary writers of color to come together in community and process and integrate and move through the complexities of our human experience.

In those 6 weeks we'll sit with fear, anxiety, grief, joy, hope, and empowerment. Sometimes separately, sometimes together, sometimes all at once. This is an invitation to gather together in support and in witness. This is a place for co-creating, co-writing, and care for each other. To build something in the face of destruction. To insist that we are here, that we exist, that we matter, and what we have to say matters. To witness and to be seen. To be held.

We start next Thursday, Nov 9th because time is of the essence. It might not feel like we're doing anything to make change when we are writing or caring for ourselves, but I contest this belief. Our individual actions, our individual energy adds and influences the collective, even if we can't see it. HOW you are BE-ing matters. It always has.

Link in bio.

About Diamond Forde:

Diamond Forde is a Black poet and the author of Mother Body (Saturnalia Books, 2021), winner of the 2019 Saturnalia Poetry Prize. The recipient of awards and fellowships from the Furious Flower Poetry Center, the College Language Association, Great River Review, Callaloo, and Tin House, she lives in Asheville, North Carolina.

Diamond Forde Website: https://www.diamondforde.com/published-works

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/PoemsAndCake/

To help celebrate Filipino American History month, I've got special guest, author, Tamiko Nimura on the show! Yay!

It's easy to forget that we are spirit souls having a human experience. We get wrapped up in what our eyes see and the crazy scrawl our minds make in our heads. In this week's episode, I want to shine a light on things we don't often see or pay attention to. Today I sit down with author Tamiko Nimura to talk about the (invisible) writing process (often, readers think that we poop out perfect books! Haha), how yoga can be the bridge between the physical and emotional/spiritual experience of being a human, and what it means to be an activist (hint: it's not just marching in rallies).

Listen in on this conversation that highlights how times of intense distress can foster the creation of new, surprising things (like a spontaneous course on civil rights!) and how we can reconnect with our inner selves (hint: it's yoga - haha!).

About Tamiko Nimura:

Tamiko Nimura is an Asian American creative nonfiction writer living in Tacoma, Washington. She has degrees in English from UC Berkeley (BA) and the University of Washington, Seattle (MA, PhD). Her poems, essays and interviews have appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, Off Assignment, Narratively, The Rumpus, Full Grown People, Heron Tree, HYPHEN, Kartika Review, and Blue Cactus Press. She has essays in the anthologies Ghosts of Seattle Past (2018) and New California Writing (Heyday 2012). At UC Berkeley, she studied creative writing with Ishmael Reed and Gary Soto. She has read at the Looseleaf Reading series (Seattle), King’s Books and Blue Cactus Press (Tacoma), and the San Francisco Public Library. She is a 2016 Artists Up grant recipient and a 2019 GAP Award recipient.

She has been awarded a Tacoma Arts Commission Tacoma Artists Initiative Project grant (2021-22) for her memoir-in-progress, A PLACE FOR WHAT WE LOSE. She was also awarded an AMOCAT Community Engagement Award for her artistic and community work in 2022.

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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Oracle Card: Earthed

Poem: “A Litany First Revival” by Audrey Allard

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

Tamiko Nimura Website: https://www.tamikonimura.net/

During these times of intense conflict and suffering, what are you doing to release the pressure that is building within you? Our bodies know what is happening before our minds can even register it. Add in all the external messaging that tells us what we should do instead of inviting us to explore options that feel good for us-- and you've got a formula for creating even more pain and conflict.

What are some ways that we can release the pressure that is building within us? How can we understand that nourishing and caring for ourselves creates an energy for others to do the same? How can we express and release the anger, frustration, trauma, and grief that is living within all of us right now? How can we do it in ways that create rather than destroy?

When we can express what is within us in ways that feel safe and allow for us to be seen and heard, we can transmute those heavier, lower frequencies into something that can uplift and carry a promise of life and possibility. Listen in on how you can do this and how you can open your heart even wider.

It’s Filipino-American History month, y’all ! And I’ve got a treat for you! This week, I’m talking with Dr. Allan Punzalan Issac, professor of Asian-American Studies at Rutgers University, where we discuss all things Filipino. From trying to answer our life’s calling (despite the protestations of family… well, at least mine) to thinking about nuance in the conversation around the Broadway show “Here Lies Love”. We’re asking questions about spectacle and visibility and what that means for the Filipino community, a people colonized by Spain and the US. We also talk a bit about his latest research on death and dying in the diaspora (how’s that for alliteration??) and play with the idea of writing a Broadway musical that includes singing aswangs!

Listen in on what it’s like to be Filipino, what it sounds like to be Filipino (you decide what I mean by that! ha!), and why visibility and representation are so essential to how we can BE in this world.

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Oracle Card: Baby Steps

Poem: “Have you prayed?” by Li Young Lee

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

As a daughter of immigrants, I am continually learning how to interact with my parents in ways that are healthy, which contributes to my inevitable evolution. A recent conversation with my mom raised this question for me: How can we care for ourselves while we continue to break the toxic patterns of generational trauma? What kinds of practices can we engage in so that we can heal and remain whole while still maintaining a relationship with those who possess old thinking?

We all know that change is inevitable. What we forget is that we have the power of choice. Maybe we can't choose the experience that we find ourselves in, but we can choose how we respond and interact with that experience. Yes, there are struggles and hardships we all experience in this life. The difference is in how we handle them. In this episode, I talk about the importance of practice. Practicing connection with our inner selves. Practicing resilience and self-awareness.  Listen in to learn more!

Control is an illusion. We only have control over how we take action, the decisions we make, and in how we respond to external circumstances. So what the heck are we supposed to do? Just sit back and watch the world unfold? Um, yeah. Pretty much.

Here's the thing: our perception of the physical world is only a microscopic view of what's possible. How many times have things --like job opportunities, invitations, and the like-- "come out of nowhere"? That's because we don't see all of the intricate web of the universe, working to get you to where you need to be.

When Rumi said that the universe was rigged in our favor, he didn't mean that it would be smooth sailing. That there wouldn't be hardships and challenges. But that everything is an experience for our expansion and spiritual evolution. So can we release control and trust that even the hardships are teaching us how to grow?

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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Tarot Card: Two of Swords | The Hanged Man

Poem: “Easter Sunday” by Sin Yu Pai

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What if I told you your life's purpose doesn't have to be the "be all and end all" of your life? What if your life's purpose was as simple as being You? That making cupcakes because you felt like it was your purpose?

That loving and caring for your dog was your purpose? Western culture has emphasized individuality and pushes us to pursue our life's purpose in the name of that individuality, which is seen as separate from the community, from the collective. But it doesn't stop there. It tells you that you need to "go big or go home". That, once you find your life's purpose, you need to make a huge impact and change the world all by yourself.

No wonder people are burned out.

"It takes a village" isn't a phrase for nothing. Listen in on this episode where I challenge the idea of making your life's purpose your career and how that's putting way too much pressure on your nervous system. Can we have a "regular" job AND live our life's purpose? I think we can!

Tarot card: Six of Cups (reversed)

Poem: "Vestige" by Michelle Penaloza

There are too many messages out there talking about quick fixes and shortcuts. Whether it's about raking in big bucks with creating online courses or healing deep trauma in one session, it's all a ruse! It's an illusion. What they don't tell you is what actually has happened behind the scenes and for how long. There's a saying: slow and steady wins the race. And that couldn't be truer for each of us.

The point of living in these human bodies is to grow and expand like the universe. We're here to experiment and learn from lived experiences. There are no shortcuts. There's no race either (I just want to make that clear.) We all move according to our own timeline. BUT we also must interact with the people around us who are doing the same thing, but in their own unique way. And sometimes their ways bump up against ours.

So how do we do this? How do we evolve as individuals while honoring the evolution of others? How can we participate in the collective while holding true to who we are? Listen in to find out!

Tarot Card: Eight of Pentacles

Poem: "Have You Prayed" by Li-Young Lee

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In a world that moves more quickly than we can perceive, it’s easy to lose connection with our intuition. There’s so much noise, so much that other people are telling you what to do, how to act, what to dream. In this episode, I talk about relationships and somatics. Somatic practices can help us become more in tune with our own bodies, which helps foster self-awareness and emotional intelligence. How can our bodies help guide us when it comes to relationships? How can we know what’s good for us and what’s not? (Relatedly, how can we break the habit of people pleasing?)

Remember, you're not alone in your journey, and there's strength in sharing and learning from one another. So if any of this resonates with you, please send me a DM on Instagram (@leslieannhobayan), email me,  or leave a review! I’d love to hear from you!

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Tarot Card: Three of Cups (Reversed) and Page of Swords (Reversed)

Poem: The Ambience of Love by Hafiz

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
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Humans are a communal species. I have said this before, yes. In this episode, I first invite you to take some time to rest and restore, to create mini vacations for yourself in your daily life. But know that there is a difference between a restorative retreat and tipping over into isolation. Balance is key.

I also talk about being intentional with whom we connect. Who drains us? Who nourishes us? Do we spend time with people in meaningful conversations? Or is it just small talk? And what about connections in the digital spaces (in particular, social media)? How are they affecting our energetic fields?

Listen in as I share about being deliberate with the communities that we create.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com

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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Oracle Card: You Are Not Alone

Poem: "On Beauty" by Adeeba Shahid Talukder

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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

Today's modern world has disconnected us from our relationship with the natural cycles and seasons of life and our relationship with the earth. We have forgotten our rites of passage and our rituals for change. As a result, we experience some life changes with unnecessary pain. As a midlife woman, I find that rituals help to ground and contextualize the inevitable changes that happen with growth and evolution as well as aging.

In this episode, I call for an acknowledgment of the mothers who experience grief during that time when their child's childhood officially ends (which often takes the form of the child leaving for college). What does a rite of passage look like for the mother who becomes a different kind of mother? The kind who is only in her child's life part of the time rather than daily? How can we include a space for grief at this time?

Tune in for a consideration of a mother's inner journey as she launches her children's arrows into the world.

Tarot card: Ten of Cups

Poem: "Easter Sunday" by Shin Yu Pai

You ever wonder how to choose which battles to fight and which wants to let be? When you're an activist, sometimes it's hard to choose. We want to fight them all!

In this episode, I'm talking about using the body to help discern between what's worth our time investment and what isn't. How to reframe unwanted experiences into invitations rather than "why is this happening *to* me?". How to stop assuming you know how it will all unfold (are you a predictor of the future? Do you know tomorrow's lotto numbers? 😂). And how to decide which battles are worth fighting for.

Oh, and you'll love the card that came forward for this week! (Hint: there's so much abundance!)

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August is my month of selfless service. I'm offering complimentary 1:1 coaching packages for two people who identify as women/femmes/nonbinary folks of color for the month of August. Application is available at my Instagram bio @leslieannhobayan

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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Poem: "(Dear Fu'una)" by Craig Santos Perez

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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

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Ep 180 - Best of Spiritual Grit Podcast - Set your boundaries, bbs!

A lot of people talk about boundaries and having the need to set them. But what does that actually mean? And what are boundaries anyway? What do they look like and why does it feel so hard to set them and hold them?

In this episode, I get into the details of the different kinds of boundaries we can set in our lives, the reasons why some boundaries are more porous than others, and why it is important for us to have clear and defined boundaries, particularly for us empaths and women of color. People pleasing behavior is no accident.

Listen in to learn how the mind, body, and spirit connection is essential to boundary setting and how a resilient nervous system is the bridge to it all.

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August is my month of selfless service. I'm offering complimentary 1:1 coaching packages for two people who identify as women/femmes/nonbinary folks of color for the month of August. Application is available at my Instagram bio @leslieannhobayan

It's Leo season! And so we've got the energy of confidence and fire to create the life we want to live. In this episode, I invite you to map out the vision for your life. Nobody asks us anymore where we see ourselves in three, five, and ten years. When you hit midlife, you still have 30 to 40 years of living to do. So tell me: What do you envision for the second half of your life? Where are you living? What kind of relationships do you have? Do you feel financially at ease?

Also, the Knight of Wands comes forward to remind us that arrogance can increase our blind spots. So dream big but don't get it twisted that you are in full control of making those dreams come true. Partnering with the universe is the way to go!

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August is my month of selfless service. I'm offering complimentary 1:1 coaching packages for two people who identify as women/femmes/nonbinary folks of color for the month of August. Application is available at my Instagram bio @leslieannhobayan

Tarot card: Knight of Wands (reversed)

Poem: "Cover Me" by Kazim Ali

What are your gifts to the world? And where are you planting them? What do you find easy to do that others find difficult? How can people benefit from you sharing your gifts? And your gifts don't have to magnanimous things. It could be something as simple as "I give the best hugs". Do you know how important that is??

For my part, I am homing in on telling my stories as a daughter of immigrants and planting the seeds of my gift for healing so that other daughters of immigrants know that there is a better way to Be. I'm shifting my focus to help more daughters of immigrants to heal their generational traumas and build nervous system resilience so that they can set and hold clear boundaries with their families. If you want to know more about this, feel free to reach out! leslieann(at)suryagian(dot)com

Here's to planting seeds so that we may garden of this world!

🎙️ Prepare for an unforgettable auditory experience and full of learnings! 🎧

Join us in the latest episode of our podcast as I share about being your authentic self in a world full of fakes.

Can you be your most authentic self? What does that even mean? Who is your authentic self? What does that look like? And how do you do it?These are some questions on exploring and this week's episode. In a world where more people are talking about being authentic, how many of us are actually doing it? How many of us actually know what our authentic selves look like and feel like? And do we feel safe enough to be our most authentic selves 100% of the time? If we don't, how can we create a sense of safety for ourselves? Also: who cares what other people think?Tune in to find out! And if you'd like support and guidance for this endeavor, I'd love to help! Just reach out - send an email to: leslieann @ suryagian (dot) com.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Oracle Card: The Hierophant (V)

Poem: “Sibola Church” by Karen Rigby

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

And this week's episode, I'm talking about the balance of give and take, of giving and receiving. I'm inviting folks to consider shifting away from the closed-off-ness of individualism ("I'm going to do my own thing and I don't care what anyone else does.") and stepping into collective care. How can we be mindful of how our actions affect others? How can we pay attention to our role in the collective while?

Which then shifts the conversation to representation. For folks who are from marginalized communities, we are used to seeing the varied stories of white folks while only a single story of us is portrayed in the culture. When that changes, when we see ourselves represented in mainstream spotlights, it is profound. It feels like a confirmation that yes, we exist. We are visible and we are seen.

I talk about the new all Filipino Broadway show, "Here Lies Love" and the new Asian-American "girlfriends road trip" movie, "Joy Ride" and what it feels like to be seen in a BIG way.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com

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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Oracle Card: Six of Pentacles (Reversed)

Poem: "How to Eat Your Love" by Jennifer Kwon Dobbs

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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

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In today's episode, I'm talking about Trisha Hersey's Rest is Resistance and how important it is for us to rest, for us to resist the capitalist structures that tell us to Go!Go!Go! How can we remember that we are divinity itself? That what we "do" does not determine our worth? We are worthy simply because we BE.

But it's not easy to step into this practice of resting after being indoctrinated--since birth-- by the ideas of continual labor as worthiness. A community of care can make all the difference in breaking out of systems of oppression. Being in community can help us heal and, as a result, thrive. Community encourages us to keep going when it gets hard. I invite you to join me in community so we can reimagine a world that honors our true nature.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com

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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Oracle Card: Six of Swords

Poem: "Conversion" by Christian Detisch

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

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What lights you up? 

In this episode, I talk about the word “creativity”, how it sometimes carries so much weight that people deny they are the least bit creative. What if we defined it? What if it wasn’t about painting a masterpiece? Or writing the great American novel (whatever the *heck* that is!)? What doors would open up for people? What magic might unfold?

I believe that we can create whatever we want and view it as magic. Magic is real. Magic is energy. When we step intentionally into a space of wonder, delightful surprises unfold! What do you want to create? It can be anything, big or small, fun and light or serious and powerful. You are being called to express your soul in the physical realm. What does that look like for you? And when will you take action? When you’re on your deathbed, what will you remember most? Will you smile at the magic you’ve created? Or will you frown in regret?

Let’s create some magic, shall we?

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Oracle Card: Your Life is a Canvass

Poem: “Baptism of Desire” by Sophia M. Starnes

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

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With the speed of life today, it is so easy for us to forget. To forget what we were doing in the middle of doing it. To forget why we do the things that we do. To forget that we have physical bodies because we are so immersed in what's happening on a screen.

The biggest forgetting is that our bodies hold so much wisdom. Our bodies never lie to us. Our bodies guide us to what's right, to what's aligned with our souls, to the path of our dharma (aka our life's purpose).

The trouble is, because we keep running at the speed of technology, we have forgotten.

In this week's episode, I invite you to practice remembering.

To tune in to the wisdom carried in your cells, in your very DNA.What is possible when you remember?

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Oracle Card: Lost Lands

Poem: “The Price of Rice” Su Hwang

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
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What's getting in your way? What patterns or behaviors are keeping you stuck? Where is your focus? Is that focus preventing you from seeing beyond?

Sometimes we look for things we want in the wrong places. Sometimes they're right in front of our faces.

I've been talking about community and what it is (or can be) and how we can create & build one.

So what is community really? And how do you know that you're in one? What presumptions do you have that prevent you from seeing the community in front of your face?

These are questions I explore in today's episode. Sometimes things are easier than we make them out to be.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Oracle Card: Eight of Cups

Poem: “Timbuktu” by Sahar Muradi

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

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We live in a world that moves so fast that we miss a lot of things, including nuance. We are eager to do-do-do (I can't help but hear BlackPink here. Haha!) and achieve things and solve problems as quickly as possible. This is not sustainable. And while that might be an obvious statement, it needs to be said out loud. Everyone is exhausted and burnt out and overloaded. As a result, we might inadvertently harm other people in the process. Our fuses are short. Our attention spans even shorter.

Which is why it's more crucial now than ever to have communities of care. In this episode, I talk about what that is and how it's different from just being in community. And what exactly is community? I talk about what care looks like and how we can be better humans towards each other.

I want to make a community of care and if this is something that resonates with you, I want you to help me make it. Co-create with me. DM me or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com to find out how you can get involved!

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Oracle Card: Eight of Cups (Reversed)

Poem: “Acolyte_”by Tarfia Faizullah

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

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In this episode, I'm exploring ways in which spiritual teachings and manifestation practices can intersect with activism. I'm interrogating spiritual teachings as delivered by white folks and how they leave out the part about having to exist in this three-dimensional world that includes systemic racism, an inextricable part of my own human existence. Folks of color can't just think positive thoughts to get out of oppression. At the same time, I don't want to discount how our thoughts and beliefs do create our experience of the reality we live in. So how do we bring both seemingly separate worlds together to create a way of being that actively brings about deep meaningful change toward a more just society? After all, this is where we are now, in this moment, as humans having our three-dimensional  human experience. This is our collective purpose.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Oracle Card: Suit of Swords

Poem: “Father in his own age” by EJ Koh

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

Humans are a communal species. I have said this before, yes. In this episode, I first invite you to take some time to rest and restore, to create mini vacations for yourself in your daily life. But know that there is a difference between a restorative retreat and tipping over into isolation. Balance is key.

I also talk about being intentional with whom we connect. Who drains us? Who nourishes us? Do we spend time with people in meaningful conversations? Or is it just small talk? And what about connections in the digital spaces (in particular, social media)? How are they affecting our energetic fields?

Listen in as I share about being deliberate with the communities that we create.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Oracle Card: You Are Not Alone

Poem: "On Beauty" by Adeeba Shahid Talukder

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

It is crucial for women of color to share their stories, to let others know they are not alone in the experiences that challenge us. In this episode, I talk about how to create new ways of being, how to lean into self-trust as you step into the mystery of not knowing what’s ahead. Everything we know is being dismantled. The rules we used to go by no longer apply. It’s a whole new game that we’re learning how to play as we go. How do we build a new paradigm when we don’t have an example to draw from, when we are truly creating something brand new? And how can we, as women of color, do this in ways that keep our nervous system feel safe from the threats of the p@triarcy and whyte supmcy?

Listen in to learn how to step into the mystery and create a new way of being that allows you to thrive.

Enjoy this episode and let me know what you think in the comments below.

To listen to the full episode, search for “Spiritual Grit” by Leslieann Hobayan in your favorite podcast player and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

If the past few years have taught us anything, community matters. It matters a lot. During those times of lockdown, how many of us suffered through so much isolation? How many of us experienced relief when we were able to hug our people once again?

Unfortunately, there have been some residual effects from living a life of precarity. Many of us have forgotten how to be in community, how to connect with each other. Many of us have forgotten that all it takes is a simple gesture of outreach.

Listen in to this episode to remember why community is so crucial to our thriving. And what we can do to build communities that feel safe and supportive. And if you're looking for a community that feels aligned with who you are being, you are invited to hop into mine! I'm building a community for midlife women of color (and if I'm being honest, I'm not quite sure what it is yet! But you can get in on the ground floor and co-create with me!) that will have some magic in it, some teachings on nervous system resilience, and some practices for increasing self-awareness.

A lot of people talk about boundaries and having the need to set them. But what does that actually mean? And what are boundaries anyway? What do they look like and why does it feel so hard to set them and hold them?

In this episode, I get into the details of the different kinds of boundaries we can set in our lives,  the reasons why some boundaries are more porous than others, and why it is important for us to have clear and defined boundaries, particularly for us empaths and women of color. People pleasing behavior is no accident.

Listen in to learn how the mind, body, and spirit connection is essential to boundary setting and how a resilient nervous system is the bridge to it all.

This is a weird two part episode. Weird because they seem unrelated. But are they?

The first part is about growing from conflict. How can the relationships that we are in help us grow and evolve, particularly during points of conflict? Sounds fun, doesn't it?

Then the second part asks this question: how does it feel to move through the mystery of midlife? It feels like a long threshold where there are no windows or doors. You are just inside a giant room full of thick black fog. You are on your hands and knees, feeling around for anything that can help give you direction. Who are you being? How are you being? Any solutions that you might have had no longer apply. The game has changed. The landscape unfamiliar. You must learn how to navigate with trust, both in self and in the universe.

Yup. That's what this episode is about.

“I’m in it. I’m in the Academy, and so this opportunity to go on strike and demand what’s right, this is a huge coalition” - Leslieann Hobayan

With the Rutgers strike last week, I was able to experience first hand how my spiritual practices, along with the progress I've made on my healing journey, have helped me show up as an even stronger activist than ever before. So many of us activists know how draining it can be to proactively fight for social justice. We know how our nervous systems can get fried and how are energies can be depleted. Are there ways for us to be activists without sacrificing our well-being? The answer is YES!! And it starts with self-awareness, building self-trust, and strengthening nervous system resilience.

Listen in to see how it all plays out in my most recent activist activities, including talking to the press(!) (Say what??). And then reach out to me if you're interested in learning how to create this way of being for yourself!

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

“Its about continuing the practice over and over again where you can create awareness in a way that becomes second nature” - Leslieann Hobayan

We live in a time where everything is moving so fast that we miss half of the experiences of our life. It's like we're chasing the finish line so that we can finally rest and enjoy our lives. What we don't know is that there is no finish line. There is only Now.

It is time for us to slow down. To rest and rejuvenate. To learn how to surrender. To deeply connect to the voice of our divine knowing. Sometimes we try too hard to grasp at the things we want instead of allowing for them to enter our lives in divine timing.

It's also time for us to be fully present for each other. In our slowing down, can we look up from our phones and look each other in the eye to say hello? When we slow down, perhaps others will feel called to do the same. And then we might be able to truly engage with each other and appreciate our human experiences.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Oracle Card: Four of Swords

Poem: “Samadhi” by Vikas Menon

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

What do you do when it feels like all the doors have been slammed in your face? As if the universe was giving you a big fat NO? They tell us to look for an open window. (Whoever "they" are) How do you do that when things feel hopeless or impossible? How can you see anything when you're in the emotions that blur your vision?

In today's episode, I talk about how to navigate these moments that feel like a hard NO. How to move through these emotions and reframe our experiences as opportunities for curiosity and growth. How to lean into trust. These are moments when you are being called to create something new, a new way to walk your path. Or, even, a new path altogether.

Listen in to find out how to stop long enough to see where the open windows might be.

What do you envision for your life? When you are in that place in-between, in that place of uncertainty and change, can you see it as a place of exploration rather than panic? A lot of us let fear of the unknown keep us stuck. Our ego's voice feels really loud with fear. Can we reframe the unknown as an opportunity to re-vision our lives and take aligned steps towards making that vision a reality? Movement gets us unstuck. Making a decision gets us unstuck. How can you shift out of indecision? What will you decide today? How can that decision move you closer to your vision?

Explore these questions to me in this week's episode as we learn how to lean into self-trust while navigating the unknown portal of midlife (or any other portal of not-knowingness)

To listen to the full episode, search for “Spiritual Grit” by Leslieann Hobayan in your favorite podcast player and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 

And I’d love to hear any takeaways or breakthroughs you’ve had by sharing it here in the comments!

If you connect with what you heard, please leave a review to help the show gain more visibility so that others can evolve and expand too!

“Can we trust that we have all the time we need to do what lights our souls?” - Leslieann Hobayan

What is your relationship to time? Do you feel like you never have enough of it? What is that about? Time, as we understand it in today's society, is a construct. Meaning, that we can break it and maybe actually play with it. We can stretch it and compress it as we like. Do you ever have those moments when you are having such a good time with friends that you lose track of time? That it only seemed like an hour together, but according to the clock, it was more like 6 hours? What if your relationship to time was one of abundance? What would be possible? (No Time Stone needed! And yes, that's a Dr. Strange reference, if you didn't get it.) What if I told you that time was part of a larger system that we need to dismantle? Curious? Listen in to find out!

To listen to the full episode, search for “Spiritual Grit” by Leslieann Hobayan in your favorite podcast player and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 

And I’d love to hear any takeaways or breakthroughs you’ve had by sharing it here in the comments!

If you connect with what you heard, please leave a review to help the show gain more visibility so that others can evolve and expand too!

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Oracle Card: Cracked Open. (Awakening. Surrender to the Alchemy of Life.)

Poem: “Virginia” by Sarah Gambito

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Spiritual Notes from the Diaspora” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

When we’re stuck, we don’t know what to do. We’re paralyzed by so many things, but usually it’s fear – fear of the unknown.. Our ego tries to keep us safe by staying in the same place, but our higher self is like: “Girl, you don’t know what you’re missing! You’re meant for so much more!”

But you know what else? We spend a lot of time looking at what other people are doing. We’ve got our faces inside screens for a big chunk of our waking hours. And this contributes to the stuckness. We lose connection with ourselves. We lose sight of our own North Star (aka why we do the things we do, what our purpose is). But we can get that back. We can strengthen our connection with our divine knowing within. Tarot is one tool that can help! How? Listen in to find out how a deck of cards can guide you back to you. (A deck of cards? Say what??)

Enjoy this episode and let me know what you think in the comments below.

To listen to the full episode, search for “Spiritual Grit” by Leslieann Hobayan in your favorite podcast player and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

It is crucial for women of color to share their stories, to let others know they are not alone in the experiences that challenge us. In this episode, I talk about how to create new ways of being, how to lean into self-trust as you step into the mystery of not knowing what’s ahead. Everything we know is being dismantled. The rules we used to go by no longer apply. It’s a whole new game that we’re learning how to play as we go. How do we build a new paradigm when we don’t have an example to draw from, when we are truly creating something brand new? And how can we, as women of color, do this in ways that keep our nervous system feel safe from the threats of the p@triarcy and whyte supmcy?

Listen in to learn how to step into the mystery and create a new way of being that allows you to thrive.

Enjoy this episode and let me know what you think in the comments below.

To listen to the full episode, search for “Spiritual Grit” by Leslieann Hobayan in your favorite podcast player and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

We don't know what we don't know. So how do we find out what that is? How do we heal the things that we're not even aware of? How do we release limiting beliefs that we can't see? In today's episode, you will get a glimpse into how to start answering these questions along with:

The secret magic of journaling

How to uncover what's in your subconscious

How saying "I know" shuts doors

What does your external reality say about you?

Healing can be fun (say what?)

Poem: "A Root In Each Act And Creature"

Midlife is chock full of surprises. Identities falling away, unknown futures ahead. What's not to love? Haha! But more importantly, how can you ground yourself and hold yourself through the portals of change and transformation that are inevitable? How can you lean into trust of yourself and the universe? Can you allow yourself to surrender to the natural unfolding of your life's purpose as you make your way toward elderhood? Get curious! Play! Experiment! Get comfortable with the uncomfortable! And know that our community, aka the MCCollective, is walking right alongside you! Listen in to get a glimpse into how to do just that.

And join the Midlife Cauldron Collective for women of color where we come together too support each other as we journey through this portal of mystery called midlife, using alchemy as our map to creating the life we've always wanted. More info and registration here: MIDLIFE CAULDRON COLLECTIVE

Enjoy this episode and let me know what you think in the comments below.

To listen to the full episode, search for “Spiritual Grit” by Leslieann Hobayan in your favorite podcast player and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

“Spiritual practice will inform and will give you strength and resilience when it comes to advocating” - Dr. Ravi Shankar

I sat down with Ravi Shankar Ph.D., a creative writing professor, translator, Pushcart Prize–winning poet and author of 15 books. He teaches creative writing at Tufts University and his memoir "Correctional" was published in 2022. In this episode with Dr. Ravi, we discuss:

Enjoy this episode and let me know what you think in the comments below.

To listen to the full episode, search for “Spiritual Grit” by Leslieann Hobayan in your favorite podcast player and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Spiritual Notes from the Diaspora” advice column: leslieann.substack.com

Sometimes when we are moving through a portal of transformation, it can feel like death. What's really happening is that you are shedding the old identities, ones that actually need to die so that you can make room for the new identity that you are becoming. Often, these experiences can feel unnerving. Who will you be without the familiar? How do you move forward into the unknown when all you see is darkness? How can you trust the process? Listen in to take a closer look at how the caterpillar transforms into a butterfly and how we might use it as an example for leaning into trust.

Oh, and btw, growth and evolution doesn't stop with just one transformational journey. So if you think you've been through it all and have arrived somewhere, you're in for another kind of awakening. Know that this is not the final destination. We all continue to expand as the universe continues to expand. So buckle up! 😂

Poems / Tarot Card Mentioned:

- Tarot Card: The Butterfly

- "The Blue Madonna" by Vandana Khanna

“It doesn’t matter what other people think, because they’re gonna think what they think no matter what we do ” - Leslieann Hobayan

If you look at mainstream media, it paints this picture that midlife sucks. You have to try to compete with the youth by buying into tha anti-aging culture. Or there are ads about the latest medication to help you with whatever latest breakdown is happening in the body. If you’re not self-aware, chances are, you’re believing the message that midlife sucks. But guess what? It doesn’t have to. YOU are in charge of your life! You are in charge of your thoughts. And actually, midlife is the time when that is MOST clearly understood. It’s when you stop giving a fck about pretty much everything that doesn’t feel like a FCK YES! to you. Listen in to learn what can be possible for a midlife that is sensational, not sucky! And why it’s important for us to understand that we are being called to step towards our role of elder, of wise woman and to claim it!

If you’re a midlife woman of color, join me for this free 3-day event, PHOENIX RISING: Mapping Your Way Through Midlife, where we’ll take the ashes of your old life, gather them into a sparking fire that will transmute that old energy into something brilliant –the life that you’ve always been called to live, a life that will take flight! It’s happening Monday, Feb 6th through Wednesday, Feb 8th, 12-1pm ET. Register today! https://thepoetspriestess.com/phoenix-rising (and if you can’t make it live, no worries! Recordings will be sent to you right after! Just make sure you register so we know where to send them!)

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Spiritual Notes from the Diaspora” advice column: leslieann.substack.com

“You don’t know when your last breath will be..” - Leslieann Hobayan

Happy new year! Kicking off the year with this brand new episode (recorded while sick ), I invite you to change things up in more meaningful ways. This is the year of The Chariot, which, in essence means, it's a year of moving. It's time to do things differently. What we've been doing isn't working as well as we'd like. now is the time to take more dramatic action. What will you do to shift your ways of being so that you can actually change your life?

Also, in light of the recent shootings in California, I again ask the question: how can spirituality and activism work together? How can we connect with our inner light and who we are being WITH aligned action to put a stop to the violence?

Tune in for more!

And don't forget to sign up for Phoenix Rising: Mapping Your Way Through Midlife, a free 3-day live event happening Jan 30-Feb 1. Register today! (And don't worry if you can't make it live, there will be a recording!) https://thepoetspriestess.com/phoenix-rising

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife magic, living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

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Keywords:

#ritual #podcast #leslieannhobayan #womanofcolor  #suryagian #mindset #positivemindset #sharing #personalexperiences #guidance #youarenotalone #podcastinglife #podcastlife #podcasters #release #newrelease #magical #magicalmaven #midlife #midlifemaven

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“I am in service of women of color, particularly those in midlife and midlife is when you get this sudden awareness of where you are in life.” - Leslieann Hobayan

How many of us go through life feeling lost, feeling like we're not quite sure who we are or what we're meant to be doing? It's a feeling that a lot of us in midlife are familiar with. For the first part of our adult lives, we tended to just go through the motions, not really living, not being fully present. But then we reach a point where we “achieved” all that we set out to do: get the job, marry the partner, have the kid(s) and realize we still don’t feel fulfilled.

Midlife can be a time of transition and change, and it can be easy to lose our way. But if we align ourselves with our inner light, we can let it shine through and guide us through whatever changes come our way.

If you're feeling lost or disconnected, I encourage you to listen to this episode and try aligning with your inner light. It just might change everything.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

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Subscribe to “Spiritual Notes from the Diaspora” advice column: leslieann.substack.com

“It's better to create prophecy than live in prediction” - Leslieann Hobayan

What’s your biggest seemingly out-of-reach dream that you knew could change your life if it came true? Many of us think we know the outcome of what our lives will be like. If we follow X, then we will get Y. But what if, instead, we just went for our hairy-scary dreams, wholeheartedly believing that they will come true? What if we “saw the vision” of our lives as a prophet might? How would your current reality be different?

Take a few minutes to listen to this short episode on being a prophet for your personal future (instead of a predictor!) and watch your life change!

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

“Keep cultivating the life you want within you and watch the magic of the universe line up to create the thing that you want” - Leslieann Hobayan

There’s all this talk about self-awareness and how it’s so important for our personal development and how practices like meditation can help. But you might be thinking: why do we even need it? What’s the purpose? Once I cultivate self-awareness, then what? How does that help me evolve? Have you ever asked yourself: “I am aware that I’m doing something but sometimes I can’t stop myself, so what’s the point?”

Listen to this episode to find out more about how our power of choice grows with our self-awareness. Stay true to yourself. Come back to your Sat Nam.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com

A couple of weeks ago, I embarked on an adventure canoeing on the Green River in the red rock desert of Labyrinth Canyon of Utah. I was off-grid for eight days with 15 other beautiful people, including Swedish singer-songwriter, Fia (Eeee!! One of my favorite people!!). It was a big leap into the unknown for me. I've never been camping. I didn't know anyone going on this trip. I'd be disconnected from the rest of the world –no WiFi, no cell service– most importantly, from my kids. What if they needed me? So, uh, yeah. What the heck was I thinking??

What I learned about myself and who I am continues to unfold for me. And will likely unfold for a long time. There was some deep soul work happening, some deep deep healing and releasing. And there was magic and song, community and care. And so much love. SO much.

Listen in to hear about my journey on the river to find and hear my voice, my soul song, my calling. (We won't talk about how I feel in the river and killed my phone. 🤐 For the record, I was using it to take photos.)

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Yes, we all experience pain. And it might be particularly acute during this season. But choosing how we create meaning around it is ultimately up to each of us. When we choose to label pain as suffering, we give our power away. It's the "woe is me" thinking. It's a position of victimhood. Is that why we’re here? What can happen if we shift our view of a painful experience into something else? What can that something else be? What learnings can be had? Is this part of our evolution? Tune in to find out!

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Spiritual Notes from the Diaspora” advice column: leslieann.substack.com

This is the time of year when toxicity shows up in sheep's clothing. Capitalist structures put pressure on us to give gifts and spread cheer by getting together for fancy cocktail parties all in the name of Christmas. You know, that time for peace and love and joy. What if I told you that you were not built for that kind of activity? What if we could come back to cycles of our human bodies? This is the season of hibernation. It's time for us to rest and reflect. To integrate what's happened over the year in order to prepare for what will blossom next year. Listen in for how to do this. How to step away from the pressures of spending beyond your means and instead gathering close with those who mean the most to you.

“What we see is very limited.” - Leslieann Hobayan

In this episode, I talk about why it's important for me to focus solely on creating and supporting communities for women of color. Take a look around. Mainstream media shows that support for mental health and spiritual growth are designed for white communities. (For example, it took a long time for Lululemon, a popular yoga clothing brand, to have any models of color in their marketing.) But let's also look at age demographics. How much does the media talk about midlife? Often, it's invisible. But us Gen-Xers refuse to be quiet and insist on visibility, per usual. Hah! So I'm creating a space just for us to be whole ourselves, without self-consciousness, without self-.censorship. Listen in to learn I do what I do.

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

“I am in service of women of color, particularly those in midlife and midlife is when you get this sudden awareness of where you are in life.” - Leslieann Hobayan

How many of us go through life feeling lost, feeling like we're not quite sure who we are or what we're meant to be doing? It's a feeling that a lot of us in midlife are familiar with. For the first part of our adult lives, we tended to just go through the motions, not really living, not being fully present. But then we reach a point where we “achieved” all that we set out to do: get the job, marry the partner, have the kid(s) and realize we still don’t feel fulfilled.

Midlife can be a time of transition and change, and it can be easy to lose our way. But if we align ourselves with our inner light, we can let it shine through and guide us through whatever changes come our way.

If you're feeling lost or disconnected, I encourage you to listen to this episode and try aligning with your inner light. It just might change everything.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

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Subscribe to “Spiritual Notes from the Diaspora” advice column: leslieann.substack.com

“A ritual connects the visible with the invisible, it opens up that space of asking” - Leslieann Hobayan

Ritual opens a portal to help make the intangible more tangible. It's a physical act that gives shape to insights and interior understandings. We all have them and engage in ritual, whether we know it or not. It's a matter of being intentional versus running on autopilot. What's possible when you enter ritual with intention? What insights might you be able to embody? How can you get deeper understandings? Tune in to find out!

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

“It's better to create prophecy than live in prediction” - Leslieann Hobayan

What’s your biggest seemingly out-of-reach dream that you knew could change your life if it came true? Many of us think we know the outcome of what our lives will be like. If we follow X, then we will get Y. But what if, instead, we just went for our hairy-scary dreams, wholeheartedly believing that they will come true? What if we “saw the vision” of our lives as a prophet might? How would your current reality be different?

Take a few minutes to listen to this short episode on being a prophet for your personal future (instead of a predictor!) and watch your life change!

*

Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

“Its human for us to fluctuate, the more we practice awareness, consciousness and, meditation, our response time begins to become quicker” - Leslieann Hobayan

Savor the moment. How many of us run around trying to get to the next thing before we’ve even completed the thing we’re doing? How many of us are trying to desperately to check off the to-do list that we miss the moments of sweetness in our lives? We spend too much time trying to check things off a list, believing that once we “get it done” *then* we’ll be able to enjoy our lives. Here’s a little secret: you’ll never get it all done. Once you check off one thing, there’s always something else that slides int to take its place. So why not pause, take a breath, and surrender to the sweetness of life?

You’ve heard about surrendering –usually in the context of difficulties– but this one is about the delightful things, the ones we usually think are “too good to be true”. Listen in to find out why it’s important surrender to ALL things and how!

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

“Keep in mind that life on this planet is fun and the planet is the playground” - Leslieann Hobayan

This week, I talk about embodying our true selves to express what is within us. And how important it is to PLAY!

How can we allow ourselves to fully experience our emotions, even if they are uncomfortable? We must first listen to what our emotions are trying to tell us. We all have moments when we feel like there's something inside of us that we can't quite get out. So how can we use our bodies to get them out? To express them in the world? How can play help us with this?

It's important to embrace every part of yourself—even if it makes other people uncomfortable or challenges their expectations of who you should be. Living an authentic life is why you're here, not to be someone else's expectation.

So let's do this! Let's go deep and talk about what makes whole, what drives us forward, and how we can share our truth with the world. Listen in!

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

“Keep cultivating the life you want within you and watch the magic of the universe line up to create the thing that you want” - Leslieann Hobayan

There’s all this talk about self-awareness and how it’s so important for our personal development and how practices like meditation can help. But you might be thinking: why do we even need it? What’s the purpose? Once I cultivate self-awareness, then what? How does that help me evolve? Have you ever asked yourself: “I am aware that I’m doing something but sometimes I can’t stop myself, so what’s the point?”

Listen to this episode to find out more about how our power of choice grows with our self-awareness. Stay true to yourself. Come back to your Sat Nam.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com

“The words that we use fall short of the feelings that we embody.” - Leslieann Hobayan

As I continue to process and integrate my experience on the Green River in Utah, more understandings are unfolding. In today's episode, I talk about how we don't need to wait for someone else to lead the way or to give us permission. We can forge our own path. We can be leaders of our own lives.

But sometimes it's hard to know which direction to take. And so we must listen. Deeply. But also to be out in the world and have our human experiences so that we can tune in to what feels aligned. (You can't see signs from the universe from underneath the covers. Just saying. Hah!)

And this is only part of how to make small changes in shaping the old life around who you are now. Listen in!

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com

A couple of weeks ago, I embarked on an adventure canoeing on the Green River in the red rock desert of Labyrinth Canyon of Utah. I was off-grid for eight days with 15 other beautiful people, including Swedish singer-songwriter, Fia (Eeee!! One of my favorite people!!). It was a big leap into the unknown for me. I've never been camping. I didn't know anyone going on this trip. I'd be disconnected from the rest of the world –no WiFi, no cell service– most importantly, from my kids. What if they needed me? So, uh, yeah. What the heck was I thinking??

What I learned about myself and who I am continues to unfold for me. And will likely unfold for a long time. There was some deep soul work happening, some deep deep healing and releasing. And there was magic and song, community and care. And so much love. SO much.

Listen in to hear about my journey on the river to find and hear my voice, my soul song, my calling. (We won't talk about how I feel in the river and killed my phone. 🤐 For the record, I was using it to take photos.)

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Best of Spiritual Grit

“We don’t know what we don’t know so be open to possibilities”-Leslieann Hobayan

For today’s episode, I invite you to be open to possibilities. Back in the day, I worked (temporarily) at a corporate law firm in Manhattan. We all make assumptions what that was like. What I discovered was that it was possible to be creative, thrive, and enjoy that space. These days, what’s coming forward for me now is tarot. I didn't expect it to become such a big presence in my life and in what I do to connect people with their divine knowing. (Of course, now that I say it out loud, it makes sense!) We don't know what we don't know. We don’t know what possibilities lie beyond our bubble of what we do know..

Ask yourself what you want right now and tune in to that. Learn and discern between your ego voice and your heart’s desire by how your body feels. What if this day turned into everything you hoped for and more? Here’s a challenge: begin the day with a sense of possibility, with a beginner’s mind. Approach this day as if you were trying something new: be open, be flexible and be ready for anything. Now go play and step into the mystery!

Take a listen as I invite you to have fun. Think about what you can create in your life to have more fun and play for yourself.

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Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Reading mentioned:

In today’s episode, I talk about strength and how we can be strong through love and compassion, not by forcing our will upon others. When we force things, often the result is less than desirable. When we love, there is only ease in the strength we demonstrate. But there is also the idea of strength as in “What are your gifts to the world?” How do you know what your strengths –your gifts– are?

Much of it has to do with who you are BE-ing. WHO are you being? Are you stepping into your most authentic self? How can you tell?

I also talk a little bit about what it’s like to work with me on your healing journey and how healing is a very specific, individual transformational experience. (And yeah, I bring in the butterfly analogy because, well, how perfect is that!)

Take a listen to find out how you can bring your gifts forward in becoming your truest self and how that is in service of the highest good of all.

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Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses/Exclusive Content Mentioned:

“Whatever you declare, is the thing that happens” - Leslieann Hobayan

How Do You Know What You Want?

In this episode I’ve tackled about how hard it is to know exactly what you want if you don't know where you're going. What would I do if I knew I could not fail? How would my life change if I had this? What would success feel like? These are just some of the questions you may encounter if you have the fear of failure.

In order to manifest anything, we need to have a clear understanding of what we want to create. We then take inspired action towards our goal. (Inspired action comes from the heart, not from the head.) If we focus on negative things, they become bigger. If we focus on positive things, they become bigger and more powerful. Whatever we think about becomes real. To manifest something means to bring it into being. So where are you focusing your attention?

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

Weekend Writing Retreat: https://thepoetspriestess.com/retreat

“The things that we want are not an accident. The things that we want are put there by the divine intelligence. It’s our calling.” - Leslieann Hobayan

For today’s episode, I talk about identity - being your true authentic self.

Is it possible to be your true authentic self and have a good life? Is there a way to break through the clutter of the world and really find yourself? This is a topic I have been exploring for some time because too many of us are hiding.

If you’re reading this, you might be at a crossroads in your life, or you might have recently had an epiphany that has changed the way you see the world. I’m not going to tell you what to do, but rather give you some concepts to ponder. So, who are you? If you want to lead the life you deserve to live, start exploring the world around you and the world inside of you. I also talk a bit about self-forgiveness. Dive in and take a listen!

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:

The Poets Priestess Newsletter: https://thepoetspriestess.com/subscribe

Ep 132: Creating / Planting from the 5-part Self-Awareness August series

“Plant the seeds of what you desire” - Leslieann Hobayan

In the final part of this 5-part series, Self-Awareness August, it’s time for us to plant seeds, to create what we want– what our heart desires! We’ve built our self-awareness in grounding, opening, allowing and aligning. Now it’s time to clear the clutter and CREATE! In this growing awareness of who we are, we now have a vision of who we are meant to be. And now it’s time to plant seeds that support this. It’s time to create! Tune in to start cultivating the life meant for you!

Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:

Ep 131: Aligning from the 5-part Self-Awareness August series

“Time is a limited resource, so be mindful about how you use that time.” - Leslieann Hobayan

For part 4 of this 5-part series in Self-Awareness August, I focus on alignment. Once we’ve grounded and opened ourselves up to receive, how can we build upon that self-awareness? Sometimes, we might wonder: what’s the point of self-awareness when I don’t know what to do with it? The next step is to pay attention to the energy in your body. When you make a decision, when you move out and about in the world, do you tune into your body? You can feel the alignment. Listen in for tips on how to do this!

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Ep 130: Allowing / Softening from the 5-part Self-Awareness August series

“Allowing is also for you to move through the process of healing” - Leslieann Hobayan

In part 3 of our 5-part series for Self-Awareness August, I talk about how allowing is a subtle shift from opening. What’s the difference? It sounds like the same thing. Well, we might be open to receiving, but are we allowing for that love to come in? Do you feel your muscles start to contract when a message approaches or someone offers love? Can you soften those muscles? Can you allow? Tune in for more!

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“Opening is inviting us to receive what is meant for us” - Leslieann Hobayan

Join me for part 2 of this 5-part series, Self-Awareness, August: Opening! Once we get grounded, our bodies can begin to feel safe enough to open up. Open up to what? you might wonder. To receiving love. To receiving messages from your Higher Self, from the Universe. To gain divine guidance. When we open ourselves, possibilities that we didn’t see start to show up in our lives. What lies beyond your closed state of protection? Listen in to find out!

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"Grounding is to be aware of the body" - Leslieann Hobayan

As we work to cultivate more self-awareness, we must first begin with a solid foundation. We need to establish where we are at this present moment in time before we can understand how we got here and where we want to go from here. Grounding is key to anchoring into our bodies before we dive within. Take a listen to find out more!

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“Connection to intuition is everything” - Leslieann Hobayan

This is the final part of the 4-part series of Journey to Thrive. In this episode, I talk about connecting with intuition and its important role in your healing journey.

Living in today’s society, we have lost our connection to our inner guidance, our intuition. There are so many external messages about what we’re supposed to do and who we’re supposed to be. When we listen to these, we lose our way. And when that happens, we live a life of struggle, when it doesn’t have to be that way. We need to reconnect with who we are meant to be, with our true authentic, divine selves. And our intuition –the voice of our Higher Self– can guide the way.

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“This journey does not end. Its just chapters of a very very long book .” - Leslieann Hobayan

This is a 4-part series of Journey to Thrive. In this 3rd episode, I talk about boundaries and feeling safe. This is key for women of color as we work to shift out of survival mode and into thriving, as we heal the people pleaser within us so that we can say Yes to ourselves.

The people pleaser is always putting others first and neglecting their own needs and has no boundaries. They often say "yes" when they really want to say "no." This can lead to feelings of resentment and being taken advantage of. If you are a people pleaser, it's important to learn how to set boundaries. This means learning to say "no" when you need to, and setting limits on what you are willing to do for others. It also means taking care of yourself first, and not always putting others first. Boundaries are the limits you set with people in your life, while safety is the feeling of being protected from any danger. Setting boundaries can be difficult, but it's necessary if you want to avoid being taken advantage of and heal the people pleaser inside of you.

In this episode I talk about how important it is to respect a person’s boundaries and make sure that the person feels safe. Listen in.

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“Play is anything that brings you delight .” - Leslieann Hobayan

This is a 4-part series of Journey to Thrive. In this 2nd episode, I talk about PLAY.

If you have experienced a traumatic event in your past or if someone you know has, PLAY can play an important role in their healing process. It might be difficult for people to find opportunities for healing and personal growth but as long as PLAY comes to the scene, it helps us to thrive.

When we hear the word trauma, our minds immediately go to something negative. But what if we look at it from a different angle? What if we think of trauma as an experience that has the power to heal us instead? Let’s take a moment to acknowledge that almost everyone has experienced some degree of trauma in their life. We all have our own unique challenges and struggles.

In this episode, you will find out more about how PLAY helps with healing and recovering from it.

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“The old patterns, the old habits, the old ways of being are still rooted on you and its now time to release that, let it go.” - Leslieann Hobayan

This is a 4-part series of Journey to Thrive. In this 1st episode, I talk about RELEASE.

What are the things that are holding you in survival mode? It’s time to let them go.

We spend a lot of time worrying about what other people think and that has to do with survival. If someone didn’t like us back in neanderthal times, we’d be tossed out of the tribe and left in the wilderness to die. Wanting to please others has become a survival tactic – one that we can now release.

We can also shift the meanings we hold around fear. Release the idea that fear holds us back. Instead, let’s use it to propel us forward. Let’s look at fear in a new light: Feel Everything And Rise.

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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

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“Abortion is healthcare. They take away the women’s freedom of choice over their bodies, their full sovereignty ” - Leslieann Hobayan

For today’s episode, I talk about the Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v Wade, which eliminates the legal right of abortion. But it’s not that simple. This is about women’s healthcare and full access to that kind of care. This episode is about what abortion is NOT.

The pro-life folks are truly not about honoring the sacredness of life. If they were, they’d help put structures into place that supported pregnant women and mothers. There would be fully paid maternity leave. There would be gun control laws that valued the lives of children. There would be laws that supported the queer community and who each individual is BEing.

This is about women’s choices being taken away by a system that doesn’t give a sh*t about women as human beings. It’s about restricting access to healthcare and wellness. It’s about sending a message that women are not human beings who can make decisions for themselves.

F**K THAT. Our power is within us. We are sovereign in our bodies and we get to decide.

Listen in to know more about this episode.

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“The things that we want are not an accident. The things that we want are put there by the divine intelligence. It’s our calling.” - Leslieann Hobayan

For today’s episode, I talk about identity - being your true authentic self.

Is it possible to be your true authentic self and have a good life? Is there a way to break through the clutter of the world and really find yourself? This is a topic I have been exploring for some time because too many of us are hiding.

If you’re reading this, you might be at a crossroads in your life, or you might have recently had an epiphany that has changed the way you see the world. I’m not going to tell you what to do, but rather give you some concepts to ponder. So, who are you? If you want to lead the life you deserve to live, start exploring the world around you and the world inside of you. I also talk a bit about self-forgiveness. Dive in and take a listen!

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“Be the leader you wish you had. ” - Leslieann Hobayan

Welcome to the final part of the 4-part series: Light of the World: Midlife Transitions and Spirituality. For today’s episode, I talk about reconnecting with your divine self.

In this conversation, I use tarot and oracle cards to reconnect with the divine self that lives within each of us. Tarot and oracle cards are one of the great ways to get guidance from your divine knowing. The Starseed oracle card that came forward in this episode was, ‘Forge, Don’t Follow’. It’s about being the leader to yourself.

Most of us have followed “The Plan”: go to college, find a job, get married, have kids… then what? Is this all there is to life? You might be asking yourself: what lights me up? Do I even know anymore? We need to step out of the comfort zone that has been created by our culture and society. We need to be better and model for our kids, our young people that life is more than that. It is about LIVING, about THRIVING, about following your life’s purpose. To be your true unapologetic divine self. Can you take that first step towards yourself? Can you hear your inner voice, your intuition? Can you listen for what the next step might be?

For this last episode in the series, I want you to step into your role as the light of the world. Then drop me an email to share what that step was!

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“Keep holding the vision because this world needs you to step in and visualize your dream” - Leslieann Hobayan

We are on our 3rd of the 4-part series: Light of the World: Midlife Transitions and Spirituality. At the start of the series, we looked at how far we’ve come. Last week, we took inventory of where we are now. For today’s episode, I ask: where do we go from here?

When you’ve been living your life for others this whole time, your dream becomes a stranger. You forget your true vision. You lose sight of what you want, of who you really are, and that connection to your innermost self. So when you ask yourself: “what do you want? Where do you go from here?”, often the answer is hard to hear.

We are all on this planet with a purpose. We must distinguish between serving others as a form of self-sacrifice and being of service togethers simply by BEING ourselves.

Listen to this episode for questions that can help you get to the heart of what you truly desire for your life, what your vision of a life well lived looks like. Maybe you’ll rediscover and remember WHO you have always been and the dream you’ve always had. (Here’s a tip: it never left you.)

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“Whatever space you make, the thing that you most desire will come to trust that the universe has your back and magic will happen as it always does.” - Leslieann Hobayan

We are on our 2nd of the 4-part series - Light of the World: Midlife Transitions and Spirituality. In this conversation, we will lay out where we are right now.

Midlife women are in, what I’m calling, “the threshold of change”. This is the point in most people’s lives where they pause, look around, and say: “This is it? I thought there was more.”  When you were younger, you imagined The Path – the career, the kids, the house. But did you dream past that? Because that’s where we are now. That place where no one told you that you’d be sandwiched between starting to care for aging parents while still raising kids. This threshold where we can see the second half of life opening up before us. Will we continue down the path we’ve been on? (We know where that goes.) Or will we answer the call of our heart’s burning desires? The call of our life’s purpose?

(And let’s not forget the magical chemistry of The Pause!)

Where do you go from here? What life do you want to intentionally create?

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We interrupt our 4-part series: The Light of the World: Midlife Transitions & Spirituality to pause and take some time to digest the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Texas. In this episode, I offer some solace, some suggestions on ways of being, on embracing grief and understanding that it is a companion that will never leave. It’s up to you to decide the kind of relationship you want with it. I see grief as a teacher, showing me just how expansive my capacity to love is. How can we ground ourselves and care for ourselves during this time? It is a necessity so that we can then take action to help incite change for the better.

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