More wisdom from my shero & ancestor bell hook
Author: Ananda Leeke
Thriving Mindfully Coach + Author + Artist + Human Design Doula
Honoring My Inner Little Girl & Creative Journey
Every creative journey I’ve been blessed to experience over the past 30+ years includes one or more self-love lessons that call me back to honoring and celebrating my little girl self named “Puf.” Lastweek, I made a photo collage of my little girl Puf’s early years. When I look at myself, I am reminded how special I was and still am. I love that little girl inside of me and give thanks for her courage to explore, curiosity, “joie de vivre”(joy of living), playfulness, and desire to make things.
What wisdom is grounding you in your life and work right now?
Last week, I have been rereading several wisdom quotes from my shero ancestor bell hooks that have helped me honor, nurture, and celebrate my creative spirit, heart, mind, body, work, and journey as an African American woman over the years. bell’s wisdom grounds me, especially as I work on a community art project, next novel, and several articles.
WHAT WISDOM CURRENTLY GROUNDS YOU IN YOUR LIFE AND WORK ?
What is your relationship to aging?
Whether we like it or not, each one of us is aging. The teenager is becoming the young adult at 20.The 20 something is finally legal and getting the first taste of adulting as they head towards 30. The 30 something is climbing the ladder to 40. The 40 something is on the way to hitting a major milestone at 50. The 50 something is reaching a checkpoint that invites an evaluation of life goals, career achievements, and future plans that lead to the 60s. The 60 something (like myself) is walking into 70, 80, 90, and beyond with a deeper commitment to be our REAL self.
Last year, I wrote a Black Health Matters article entitled, “Older and Better: 6 Tips for Authentic Aging,” that discusses my relationship with aging at 60. Take a moment to read the article here.
What’s your relationship with aging?
How would you describe your aging process?
What’s guiding your aging journey?
National Arts and Humanities Month Reflection
National Arts and Humanities Month is observed in October.
I CELEBRATE THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES EVERY DAY.
This month, I am taking time to remind myself to honor, nurture, and express my creativity in small, medium, and big ways.
I encourage you to honor, nurture, and express your creativity in small, medium, and big ways.
Let’s use this month to recommit and give birth to our creativity no matter how old we are!
Join me for October 7th workshop in the Thriving Mindfully on U Street Series
If you’re in DC, join me for my the Thriving Mindfully on U Street workshop entitled, “The U in U Street Community” on October 7th from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the True Reformer Building, 1200 U Street, NW, in DC. GET MORE INFO HERE.
Venus Retrograde in Scorpio on October 3rd
Learning about and following astrology and using oracle card wisdom have been a part of my mindful self-care for the past 30+ years. These practices ground me and energize my creativity.
Yesterday evening, I spent time reading and listening to some of my favorite astrologers and herbal practitioners’ insights about Venus Retrograde in Scorpio.
I believe Venus Retrogrades are sacred invitations to surrender and flow with the energy of planet Venus as it moves backward in the sky from Mother Earth and offers us an opportunity to review and reevaluate our self-love and self-worth, love for others, connections with others that create relationships and situationships, and relationship with money and how we use it.
I think astrological retrogrades are upgrades because they invite me to slow down and practice my birthrights of mindfulness and self-care that offer stillness and space to reflect, gain clarity, tap into wisdom, and set intentions before moving forward.
This morning, I took time to pull some of my favorite cards for wisdom insights. I plan to sit with the wisdom and journal about it this evening and tomorrow.
What practices ground and energize you during the fall season?
HEALTHY AGING MONTH REFLECTION: What’s your relationship with aging?
Whether we like it or not, each one of us is aging.
The teenager is becoming the young adult at 20.
The 20 something is finally legal and getting the first taste of adulting as they head towards 30.
The 30 something is climbing the ladder to 40.
The 40 something is on the way to hitting a major milestone at 50.
The 50 something is reaching a checkpoint that invites an evaluation of life goals, career achievements, and future plans that lead to the 60s.
The 60 something (like myself) is walking into 70, 80, 90, and beyond with a deeper commitment to be our REAL self.
Last year, I wrote a Black Health Matters article entitled, “Older and Better: 6 Tips for Authentic Aging,” that discusses my relationship with aging at 60. Take a moment to read the article here.
What’s your relationship with aging?
How would you describe your aging process?
What’s guiding your aging journey?
A Different World (ADW): Favorite Episodes and What Surprised Me Most About “OG” ADW Characters
This post is for my fellow A Different World (ADW) fans.
If you have watched the new ADW series, what were your favorite episodes?
What surprised you the most about the “OG” ADW characters’ lives?
MY FAVORITE EPISODES:
Episode 2: I loved the discussion about love, patriarchy, feminism, and bell hooks’ work in Freddie’s class. I also loved the students’ diverse opinions and enjoyed seeing Deborah reach her own understanding of hooks’ wisdom on love. I enjoyed the tutoring scene between Deborah and Ellington. I adored the young love buzzing between Deborah and Shaquille after his football game and Kojo gifting Rashida with a textbook for her Black social movements class.
Episode 7: The relationship confession conversation between Shaquille and Amir was AWESOME. I also loved Rashida’s performance with Kojo’s assistance, Kojo’s fashion show, the exchange between Kojo and his mother Abena, and Deborah’s independent art major presentation that focused on Black girls’ self-love during the talent show.
Episode 8: I was geeked about the tarot card scene between Deborah, Rashida, and Hazel during a spring- break thunderstorm. I think they were using Black Tarot: An Ancestral Awakening Deck and Guidebook by Nyasha Williams, one of my favorite decks that I use regularly. I loved the honest conversations and romantic interactions between Deborah and Shaquille and Rashida and Kojo.
WHAT MOST SURPRISED ME ABOUT “OG” ADW CHARACTERS’ LIVES
Episode 1: Learning Whitley became the founder of a beauty empire called Glitter by Gilbert was surprising. When the original ADW ended, I often thought that Whitley would become a leading museum curator and/or an international art buyer given her previous career as a corporate art buyer at E.H. Wright. I was surprised Dwayne was selected to serve as interim president of Hillman. I was totally shocked that he and Whitley were separated and Ron married Jacqueline who was played by Halle Berry in the original ADW. It was great to see Hillman President Dorothy Dandridge Davenport played by Jenifer Lewis, the “Mother of Black Hollywood.”
Episode 3: Hearing Jaleesa’s conversation with Whitley about her affair with Walter Oakes was shocking.
Episode 6: It was a wonderful surprise to learn Kimberly became a world renown heart surgeon with a full-grown daughter, Brooklyn, a psychologist and Hillman professor who happens to be her Alpha Delta Rho soror. Finding out Byron played by Joe Morton was more like Papa Pope on Scandal was surprising. I always thought he would be a “good-to-shoes.”
Photo Credit: Netflix
A Different World: Favorite Characters
