Spiritual Grit: Recent Episodes
Leslieann Hobayan
Welcome to Spiritual Grit, the podcast where we talk real-talk about spirituality through the lens of activism and social justice. What happens when activism and spiritual practices collide? What sparks of change call for the grit we need to create meaningful strides in social justice. I'm your host, Leslieann Hobayan, poet, priestess, activist, professor, hip hop dancer, and bad-ass mama. Join me as we dive in to learn more about our deepest selves so that we can be better ancestors to create a stellar world for our descendants. Grab your dancing shoes and let's get groovy with the grit!
Today, I’m changing it up a little bit by pulling a tarot card to kick things off! In this episode, I cover a range of topics --from finding beauty to seeking our life’s purpose to meditation’s magic.
What we are seeking is ourselves - seeking our purpose, seeking who we really are. There's no such thing as failure. Failure is the only disappointment in our expectations not being met. What failure is actually information we can use to take the next step in inspired action.
As we gather information, we can peel away the layers that cover up our inner knowing. And meditation can help with that.
Want to learn more about healing your trauma? Visit https://hobayanhouse.com for more insight on healing, offerings to learn how to heal, and invitations to practice. And follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems: “Needing a mirror” by Hafiz
“Ode to a Bar of Soap” by Pablo Neruda
You know the saying: where your attention goes, energy flows. So let me ask you this: in a time of empire collapse, where are you placing your attention? Are you focusing on the despair fed to us by mainstream media? Or can you direct some of your energy towards joy?
In this week's episode, I talk about how thriving is possible when the world feels too much. Restoration and connection are important to helping us keep going in the fight for liberation. Don't give in to despair and hopelessness! Listen in to learn how to not just survive, but thrive.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Knight of Cups (Reversed)
- Poem: “Elephant God” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@hobayanhouse.com
- Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kapwa bowls: https://hobayanhouse.com/kapwa-bowls
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
How many of us lie about a friend's bad haircut? Or concede to a restaurant choice that you don't like? It's fine, you say.
In this week's episode, I'm talking about Don Miguel Ruiz's first agreement: be impeccable with your word. Too many of us throw away words. Too many of us just say things to say them. There's lots of word salad being tossed around (see what I did there? Haha) What might the world be like if all of us practice meaning what we said and said, as accurately as possible, what we mean?
In the age of fake intelligence and misinformation, it's more important now than ever to be impeccable with our words. To be honest and true about what we are trying to say. Listen in to hear an example of someone not being impeccable with their word and how we might practice saying what we really mean and truly meaning what we say.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Knight of Cups (Reversed)
- Poem: “Elephant God” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@hobayanhouse.com
- Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
How many of us feel alone and isolated as the world continues to burn with so many fires? How many of us have forgotten how to connect with each other? Why does it matter? In this week's episode, I'm talking about how important it is for us to find or build community so that when push comes to shove, we will have people to turn to. And these communities don't have to be solely about liberation, it can be as simple as a book club or a knitting group. Tune in to learn more!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Two of Cups (Reversed)
- Poem: “The Fish and I will chat” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@hobayanhouse.com
- Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
Inner work starts with thinking about how pain and sorrow is an opportunity for us to break down our barriers or any other walls. Allow yourself to feel the pain and sorrow.
What if the wound is the place where the light shines forth from you? There is a light within that connects all of us.
We are able to heal ourselves from the inside out.
The work we do on ourselves affects those around us. Everyone can see your light radiating out and they will be inspired.
Humans are communal beings. We are a species that thrives on supporting each other and helping each other.
When you do the work of healing, observe the pain and sorrow, notice it, feel its presence, let go, and acknowledge the lessons learned.
Thinking of starting a meditation practice for the new year? Grab my free resource, 5 Tips on Meditation, to get you started on a high note! Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
Want to learn more about healing your trauma? Visit https://suryagian.com for more insight on healing, offerings to learn how to heal, and invitations to practice.
Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan.
Also, subscribe to my Youtube Channel: Leslieann Hobayan.
Today’s poems:
- “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” by Rumi
- “Spiced Manna” by Hafiz
Books/ Verses Mentioned:
- Matthew 6:25-30
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
Last week was a little rough. I'm calling it Fury Week (kind of like shark week but without the sharks ha!). During that time, I found myself noticing patterns and asking: what is the universe trying to show me?
In this week's episode, I'm inviting you to consider what your reactions (as opposed to intentional responses) might be trying to tell you. As empire and its oppressive systems continue to crumble, the familiar ways of doing things no longer work. Can you get insight on what direction to take next from your reactions? How can you get guidance from rage? Tune in to learn more!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Sun
- Poem: “In the City, A New Congregation Find Her” by Barbara Jane Reyes
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@hobayanhouse.com
- Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
We've got the new moon in Pisces, the Spring Equinox, and Mercury turns direct! Hooray! What have you learned during this time of reflection and review? Now is the time to move forward towards the light. Plant the seeds of your dreams (Pisces energy!) and nurture them for their full bloom later this season.
In this week's episode, I am talking about how our frequency and who we are being already contribute to the fight for liberation. Of course, it is still crucial for us to take the necessary actions to dismantle empire and build this new world (boycotts, communicating to your elected officials, etc), but it's also important to honor our individual Divine calling as well as build meaningful connections in our communities. Tune to hear more!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Seven of Pentacles
- Poem: “Easter Sunday” by Shin Yu Pai
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@hobayanhouse.com
Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
We get tired. We get run down. We burn out if we're not careful. How do you keep going when the world's fires continue to burn? What do you do when your spiritual practices fall short? When they start to get stale? Or when your grit to fight for social justice and liberation weakens?
Tune into this week's episode where I admit to feeling less “spiritual gritty” and what you and I can do to shift out of it.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Three of Pentacles
- Poem: “Then Winks” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@hobayanhouse.com
- Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
Are you feeling stagnant or tired or uncomfortable? We are in eclipse season! So this portal is expediting change rapidly whether you want it to happen or not.
This week, the Eight of Cups comes forward to remind us that letting go of old stories, limiting beliefs, even people in our lives is important to making room for our growth. In this episode, I offer a couple of tools (including one ritual) to help with identifying what needs to be released and how. Tune in to this lesson-filled episode to learn more!
Email me to get the ritual for releasing the old: leslieann@hobayanhouse.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Eight of Cups
- Poem: “Galleon of Prayer” by Barbara Jane Reyes
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@hobayanhouse.com Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
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
What does the nervous system have to do with activism? What does it have to do with spirituality? In this week's episode, I talk about the importance of caring for our nervous system, which serves as the bridge between the spirit realm and the earthly world. Without it, we can't see clearly where we are being guided and know what aligned action to take in order to move forward.
We are of no use to anyone if our cup is empty and our nervous systems are fried. So it is essential to strengthen our nervous systems while also understanding how to regulate them. Our bodies have been living in survival mode for too long. We need to give ourselves real, somatic rest so that we can be effective in our fight for revolution. Tune in to hear more!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card:The Knight of Swords
- Poem: “Blue Madonna” by Vandana Cana
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@hobayanhouse.com
Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
When you hear “nervous system”, do you think about your high school biology class? When you hear “nervous system REGULATION”, do you ask yourself: what does any of this have to do with spiritual practices or liberation work?
In this week's episode, I'm talking about the importance of nervous system regulation in relation to spirituality as well as our human experiences. How does this science term and our understanding of it have anything to do with connecting to our Divine selves or hearing our intuition? Everything, actually. Tune in to learn more!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Seven of Swords (Reversed)
- Poem: “Advent” by Wendy Chin Tanner
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@hobayanhouse.com
- Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
The pace of our world today makes it easy to forget that we have physical bodies. There are so many things in our face to distract us from being physically present in the Now. As spiritualists, we are more interested in what's happening deep within that we forget to ground ourselves. As activists, we want to single-handedly save the world, which gives us no time to pay attention to the fact that we have a physical body with needs, like food and water and rest.
In this week's episode, I am bringing us back to basics: care for our bodies. Tune in to hear about some somatic practices that help make sure that our bodies are in good health and resilient while the world continues to burn. We need to serve from full cups, not broken, leaky ones. Listen in today! Oh, and if you want to reach out and get on my mailing list to hear about future breathwork and Kundalini yoga sessions, email me here: leslieann@hobayanhouse.com (note: I've got a new domain!)
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Devil
- Poem: “The Art of Forgetting” by Neil Akin
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community:suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes:https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth:https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
It's still January and so we still have the New Year vibes! This week, I'm asking you what your intentions are for this new year. Intentions give us focus and help to infuse a certain kind of energy into the goals we set (including the dismantling of émpirè).
Relatedly, I want to know: what are your gifts that are to be offered to the world? Do your goals align with these gifts? Are you sharing your light or trying to hide it? Tune in to hear how goals, intentions, and sense of self are all intertwined as we continue to work towards a liberated world.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Six of Wands
- Poem: “Religion” by Sheryn Maddon
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community:suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes:https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth:https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
As empiré continues to crumble, it doubles down on its destruction by taking as many with it as possible. This is akin to the death rattle. Gasping for its last breath. As people living in the center of empiré, we must remain steadfast in our resolve for a liberated world. But how?
Community and creativity. The key is to remember that we are not alone and that we have the power to create. And creativity doesn't just mean painting or writing or theater (which are all excellent things!), but it can be as simple as making a meal for yourself or for another person. Tune in to hear more about how this does not just mean survival, but thriving amidst the upheavals that include violence and tragedy.
And yes, if you want to connect: reach out to me at leslieann @ suryagian.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Page of Cups
- Poem: “Faith” by W. Todd Kaneko
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community:suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes:https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
Speak Your Truth:https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
Happy New Year listeners! Welcome to a fresh new start! I don't know about you, but I am glad to see 2026! In this week's episode, I'm talking about the difference between setting intentions and making resolutions (don't even bother with the latter). And using goals as a place for your focus rather than a marker of achievement.
This year needs to be different. This year is about community and sharing, kindness and compassion–and of course LOVE! – all the soft things that we cannot assign metrics to. In order to build a world that is truly liberated, we need to work towards right relationship with each other as well as with mother Earth. Tune in to hear more!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Ace of Pentacles
- Poem: “Televangelism” by K-Ming Chang
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community:suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
-
Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
-
Kundalini Yoga Classes:https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth:https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
Three hundred episodes! Can you believe it?? How did we get here? What an amazing feat! Never did I ever imagine that I would have a podcast let alone release 300 episodes!
To celebrate, I have invited my writer-friends and fellow Pinays, Rebecca Mabanglo-Mayor and Tamiko Nimura! In this episode, we talk about what has kept us steady and tethered during this year of upheavals and drastic change. With the new moon and the winter solstice approaching this weekend, we also talked about what seeds we want to plant for the coming season and new year. Bring a cup of tea and tune in to this episode to feel uplifted by listening in on a chat with good friends. Here's to 300!
Tamiko Nimura’s forthcoming book, A Place For What We Lose, is due out April 28, 2026 from University of Washington Press. Pre-order your copy today and take advantage of their 40% off sale! Go here: https://uwapress.uw.edu/book/9780295754758/a-place-for-what-we-lose/
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Three of Swords (Reversed)
- "Samadhi" by Vikus Menon
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
About Tamiko Nimura
Tamiko is an award-winning creative nonfiction writer, community journalist, editor, and educator with experience in higher education, the arts, public history, and Asian American communities. Her forthcoming memoir, A Place for What We Lose: A Daughter’s Return to Tule Lake, will be published by the University of Washington Press.
She is the author of Rosa Franklin: A Life in Health Care, Public Service, and Social Justice (Washington State Legislative Oral History Program, 2019) and co-author of We Hereby Refuse: Japanese American Acts of Wartime Resistance (Chin Music Press/Wing Luke Museum, 2021).
For eight years, Tamiko coached writing and literature students across a wide range of academic and non-academic settings. Since leaving academia in 2011, she has expanded her work to include public history, social media support, blogging, grant writing, and writing for newspapers and magazines.
For more than a decade, she has written a commissioned monthly essay series on Japanese American history, arts, and culture for Discover Nikkei, with a focus on the Pacific Northwest and Washington State.
Her areas of specialization include diversity and equity, higher education, Japanese American history, writing and editing, grant writing, publishing, food writing, proofreading, and Asian American issues.
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About Rebecca Mabanglo-Mayor
Rebecca Mabanglo-Mayor’s non-fiction, poetry, and short fiction have appeared in print and online in several journals and anthologies including Katipunan Literary Magazine, Growing Up Filipino II: More Stories for Young Adults, Kuwento: Small Things, and Beyond Lumpia, Pansit, and Seven Manangs Wild: An Anthology. Her poetry chapbook Pause Mid-Flight was released in 2010. She is also the co-editor of True Stories: The Narrative Project Vol. I-IV, and her poetry and essays have been collected in Dancing Between Bamboo Poles. She has been performing as a storyteller since 2006 and specializes in stories based on Filipino folktales and Filipino-American history.
Rebecca, as Rebecca A. Saxton, received her MFA in Creative Writing from Pacific Lutheran University in 2012, her BA in Humanities from Washington State University in 1998, and her MA degree in English with honors from Western Washington University in 2003.
In this week's episode, I’m talking about the challenges of balancing the material with the spiritual in this overwhelming world. How can we remain true to our spiritual practices while the external world inundates us with so much noise that we lose track? How can we hear what our ancestors are trying to tell us if we don't sit still for one goddamn minute? Tune in to remember why we’re here and what we’re meant to do, how to navigate the material world while staying rooted in our spiritual purpose.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: King of Pentacles (Reversed)
- “Forgive the Dream” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
-
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
-
Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
This week, the new moon in Scorpio is asking us to release the things that are holding us back, to let go of the old so that the new can be planted in fertile soil. In this week's episode, I'm asking: how do we know what is weighing us down? How do we know what we are supposed to release? And then: how do we step into our life's purpose? Do we even know what our life's calling is? Does it matter? Why does it matter? Tune in to find out!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Eight of Cups
- “I Hope You Won’t Sue This Old Man” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
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.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
I can't not talk about Mamdani’s win. This is a huge example of what is possible when we come together in solidarity. In this week's episode, I'm talking about hope and inspiration, practicing discernment between what is yours and what is not yours, and working towards reclaiming our innate power. When we stand firm and proclaim our truths, and when we come together to help each other out, all things are possible. You can heal your trauma while also stepping into your power. You can build while tending to your wounds. Listen in to hear more!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The King of Wands
- “I Want Both of Us” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
What do comics, writing, and Pilates have in common? None other than this week's guest, Mel Hilario! In this episode, we talk about all kinds of things from intuition to creative expression to somatic practices and everything in between! Including what it's like to be a daughter of Filipino immigrants who don't understand what we do in our lives. Join us as we continue the celebration of Filipino American History month with this episode!
We embody many different roles and I have likened this existence to that of our ancestral lands: an archipelago. Tune in to hear how we link up all of our multiple passions and identities into who we are being. And how that in and of itself is a form of resistance.
Mel Hilario Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Agent-Cupcake/Mel-Hilario/9781637158760
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Queen of Cups
- “The Sorcery”
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
===============
About the Guest:
Melanie “Mel” Hilario is a writer who empowers readers by helping them understand the world around them, blending genres and transforming traditional character archetypes into fully realized people, with their own quirks, language, and interior lives. Mel received her MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College, has been a recipient of the Elizabeth George Foundation grant and residencies at VONA (Voices of our Nations Arts), Las Dos Brujas Writers Workshop, Writing by Writers, and Hedgebrook. She has developed characters for toy lines, masterminded educational workbooks, and written wrenching essays, most recently for the Kindred Souls anthology, Angry Women.
Along with Lauren Davis and Katie Longua, Mel is part of the Eisner-nominated team, Triple Dream Comics. Together, they created the middle grade graphic novels, "Debian Perl, Digital Detective" and "Agent Cupcake." Their short story, "Traitor, Trickster, Dummy, Doll" appeared in The Nib and was nominated for the 2022 Eisner Award for Best Short Story.
When she isn’t writing fiction, nonfiction, and comic books, Mel is in martial arts or ballet class, teaching Pilates, or attempting to stay off social media and failing miserably. She lives in Oakland with two of the largest cats her friends have ever seen.
Continuing with our celebration of Filipino American History month, I've got a special guest today who is an artist, death doula, and spiritual ceramicist, Marjorie Milloria!
In this episode, we talk about connecting with our spiritual and cultural inheritances, the healing practices we engage with, what it means to remember, and how this can help us towards collective liberation. We also talk about what it's like to go “home” and this continual search for belonging as daughters of the diaspora.
And believe it or not, the fight for liberation starts with the practice of pouring liquor for each other and passing the glass around card tables full of salty snacks. Tune into this lively and nourishing conversation about topics that range from soju & lambanog (coconut “moonshine” ha!) to finding out we went to the same Catholic grammar school! All is not lost, friends. Remembering connection and community care are the keys to getting us through to the other side.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Hermit (reversed)
- “The Gardner” by Rabindranath Tagore
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
===============
About the Guest:
Marjorie Grace Milloria is an artist, death doula, and Craigslist queen who uses creation as prayer, art as activism, and connection as medicine. Her work is informed by her study of native Filipino healing and customs, and guided by the Filipino concept of “kapwa” or “the shared self.”
In addition to performance and grief facilitation, Marjorie (apparently) hand-makes sacred pottery. Through channeling ancestors and Spirit, the pieces she creates are prayers made manifest with carvings inspired by “batok” or “patik,” the ancient practice of Filipino tattooing.
Marjorie’s artistry is devoted to honoring the divinity of all (and not some), and rooted in her passion for deepening collective relationship. Her prayers are that we remember that joy is resistance, and that in all things, we return to love as many times as we can.
This week I have a guest! Yay! As part of Filipino American History month, I am featuring a Filipino guest each week during the month of October. This week, I am talking with Rebecca Mabanglo-Mayor, poet, writer, and storyteller. Our conversation touches on spiritual inheritance & practices, our relationship with cultural identity & the land upon which we live, and our mutual obsession: K-pop demon hunters. (Because, I mean, how could we not talk about that? It has all the topics that we're curious about!)
Tune in to hear all about it! From cultivating and strengthening your intuition to Rebecca's brag about Kpop Demon Hunters, you'll be entertained while also enticed to dig deeper within. Because that's how we roll - light laughter and deep inquiry.
Blog: https://rebeccamabanglomayor.com/#blog
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Queen of Cups
- “Aswang Paces Outside of Kaiser Permanente Hospital” by Rachelle Cruz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
===============
About Rebecca Mabanglo-Mayor
Rebecca Mabanglo-Mayor’s non-fiction, poetry, and short fiction have appeared in print and online in several journals and anthologies including Katipunan Literary Magazine, Growing Up Filipino II: More Stories for Young Adults, Kuwento: Small Things, and Beyond Lumpia, Pansit, and Seven Manangs Wild: An Anthology. Her poetry chapbook Pause Mid-Flight was released in 2010. She is also the co-editor of True Stories: The Narrative Project Vol. I-IV, and her poetry and essays have been collected in Dancing Between Bamboo Poles. She has been performing as a storyteller since 2006 and specializes in stories based on Filipino folktales and Filipino-American history.
Rebecca, as Rebecca A. Saxton, received her MFA in Creative Writing from Pacific Lutheran University in 2012, her BA in Humanities from Washington State University in 1998, and her MA degree in English with honors from Western Washington University in 2003.
In this week's episode, I'm talking about being bold and brave in how you live your life. Maybe it's the full moon in Aries that is inspiring me this week, but it's time for us to take down the walls around our hearts and really experience the life we're meant to live. Even if it means heartbreak. Even if it means feeling grief. Even if it means feeling at all!
This is why we're here. To live through the experiences of what it is to be human. And in order to do that we need to open ourselves up. Not just our hearts. We also need to open ourselves up to the people around us. And to build community and connection. I know I probably sound like a broken record after all of these episodes around community, but it can't be emphasized more. We are at a crucial point right now and it is so essential for us to come together if we are to survive the end of this empiré. Tune in to hear more and to learn what grounding actually is and why it is key to everything I'm talking about.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Knight of Cups
- “All the Talents of God” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
The title of this episode is basically this: will you choose capitalism? Or humanity? Which is to say: you can choose to be a full human being with all of your facets and complexities, living life exploring this existence in all ways (art making! communities of care! food growing!). OR you can give your power away and allow capitalism to dictate your fated path by constantly running on the treadmill of productivity. (Reminder: you’re not a cog in a machine.) And before you get all “well, how am I supposed to live in a capitalist society if I don’t make money?”, listen to this episode. It’s about remembering your soul path and learning self-trust again. With the lunar full moon eclipse in Pisces, there’s a whole lotta unconscious releasing (which, if you ask me, includes the conditioned thinking we got from capitalism). And with that release is a remembering and an invitation to create. Tune in!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: I Remember and I trust myself more than capitalism
- “The Heart is Right” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
After being sick last week, I got to experience the effects of the failure of care. It reminded me of how important it is for us to truly make efforts showing care for each other. It emphasized how crucial community is during a time where systems of oppression are crumbling.
In this week's episode I offer ways to think about care and how to show it. I also invite folks to think about how to build their own communities of care if they are not part of one already. Tune in to hear more about our basic human need for connection and care.
And if you want to be part of my private mailing list, sign up here: suryagian.com/subscribe
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Nine of Swords (Reversed)
- “The Tree We Planted” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
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
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Even when you don't see immediate results, it's so important for us to keep going. To understand that every little thing we do matters and that every little thing we don't do also has an effect.
In this week's episode, I'm talking about an insistence to make the effort even if it feels too hard or feels too insignificant. For example, sometimes it's easier just to put on sweatpants and a sweatshirt. But if we can make the effort to put on jeans and maybe a clean shirt, we can feel better on the inside. Similarly, in our fight for a liberated world, every little action matters. From buying a bar of soap from a Pal/es/tin/Ian vendor to attending a rally, we might think it doesn't do much, but these build momentum and soon change will happen.
Listen hear about why our efforts are necessary, how we can tap into our innate strength and compassion, and how community can help us to keep going. Tune in!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Strength
- “The Clay Bowl’s Destiny” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
As we enter a portal into more darkness, we need to remember that change equals growth. And while nobody really talks about this, growth is painful. How can we stay steady and endure the discomfort, knowing that change is inevitable? How can we reframe challenges in order to learn from the pain? To learn that we are not being tested nor are we being punished. We are just being pushed to grow.
Tune into this week's episode to learn how to stay steady in the chaos. How to be like a seed in the earth.
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Doors are opening for you: you decide rewards and wildcard
- “I saw two birds” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Writing as Resistance: https://www.suryagian.com/writing-as-resistance
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
We're all struggling in our personal lives, from financial strain to job insecurity and beyond. AND there are so many fires burning both in our communities and at the collective level. So how do we navigate it all? How do we keep going and not burn out?
In this week's episode, I'm talking about how the global and the local are intertwined, how what we do on the personal level affects the collective in ways that we may not yet see. Tune in to hear more about how we can hold both, how we can sustain the work we need to do, and how we can discover our heart’s desire in the midst of it all. We can have the courage to dream big and manifest it for the highest good of all!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: King of Pentacles
- “A Cushion for your Head” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
What does our inner world have to do with our external actions? What does meditation have to do with activism? How can we discern between my inner voice and the voices of others?
In this week's episode, I'm talking about the connection between spiritual practices and external activist action. Also talking about a longing for home and how we can find it in meditative practices. Tune in to learn more!
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NmlshGX4ijHPXmFIgT1Nu
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-grit/id1497436520
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Hiraeth from the Starseed Oracle
- “Cucumbers and Prayers” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
When we practice mindfulness, we can pay closer attention to how we move in our lives. And when we have that power, we can choose how to take aligned action and create the life we want along with the liberated world we dream of.
In this week's episode, I highlight the importance of relationship audits, intentionality, and mindfulness in the continuing work towards collective líberätion. Tune in!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Lovers (Reversed)
- “Dropping Keys” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
What does it matter whether or not we have a spiritual practice? Does that truly make a difference as we fight for collective liberation? The short answer: yes! The longer answer is in this week's episode.
How do spiritual practices help us with our activism? Why is it important for us to connect with our interior world? How do we even do that? Tune into this week's episode where I offer some practices to help fortify us as empire crumbles and we help midwife the birth of a liberated world.
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Hangman (Reversed) and The Two of Pentacles (Reversed)
- “If You Don’t Stop That” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
The pace of life keeps rapidly increasing. Many of us feel like we can't catch up, like it is a race uphill with no end in sight. But what if you rested? What if you took the time to just pause and look around? To tune into your body and understand how the external changes are affecting internal ones. Who we are being is changing, whether we like it or not. How you handle it is the key. Tune in to hear more!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Four of Swords
- “A Root in Each Act and Creature” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
With each passing day as the situation in Gázä becomes more and more dire, it is hard to not feel the energetic shift of dramatic loss. In Buddhist tradition, the soul wanders 49 days after death. Imagine: so many ghosts have been wandering around for the past 22 months. What energy imbalance are we grappling with?
As the gee-side continues, it is also hard to hold respect for those who have remained silent or have looked away.
In this week's episode, I get real with my feelings about all of the above. It's messy and fumbly, but it's human. That's the whole point. Are you able to articulate the multitude of feelings and emotions that you might be experiencing right now? Are you able to identify and speak your truth? Tune in to feel less alone, find words, and articulate aligned action.
Full episode here:
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Page of Swords
- “Like Passionate Lips” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
How many of us let things slide? Maybe it's a question you had that you thought was too unimportant to ask. Or maybe you feel like no matter what you do to try to change a situation, it won't matter. I know a lot of folks feel like nothing they do is stopping the G side. So why bother?
In this week's episode, I talk about how the little things do matter. That they build momentum which then becomes a movement. We need to demand better of ourselves in order to create the world we want to live in. Tune in to learn how and what community has to do with it.
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Ten of Cups
- “We Might Have to Medicate You” by Hafiz
===============
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- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
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- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
Does it feel like the world is ending? That all hope is lost? It's time to pause and take a step back. Ask yourself: where are you placing your attention? Is it on the death and destruction? Or are you also seeing the joy and progress of our collective efforts towards liberation?
Where we place our attention, energy flows. Can we be intentional without focus? Can we stay informed and bear witness to the atrocities while at the same time, pay attention to the wins both big and small? And how do we do this? Tune in to learn more!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Three of Wands
- “Our Hearts Should Do This More” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
Did you know that your subconscious runs 95% of your life? It's the little man behind the curtain. Have you ever wondered why you have a 500-item to-do list? Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we put so much on our plates? And why is there so much urgency?
In this week's episode, I talk about why it's important for us to be aware of this and how we can bring the subconscious to our awareness. This inner work is intertwined with activist work.
Tune in to hear more and what you can do about it to help create a liberated world!
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
Everyone's talking about community and how we need it in order to survive the fall of empire. But how do we actually find it? How do we create it and sustain it?
In this week's episode, I'm talking about what community can look like and what is needed in order for it to become the very thing that helps us through these upheavals and help the fight for collective líberätion and a free Paléstïnê. Tune in!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Eight of Pentacles
- “Some Fill with Each Good Rain” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
In a world that moves at lightning speed, it is easy to forget ourselves. As the géno/side in Pal/estí/ne continues, many have been desensitized and disconnected from their humanity, their empathy. And still others choose to look away and stay silent (likely because they've lost their humanity).
In this week's episode, I'm talking about our natural instincts to care for one another, how we can reconnect and remember who we are, and how ritual can help. Tune in!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Knight of Cups
- “A root in Each Act and Creature” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
Where are you placing your focus? What is your part in the collective fight for liberation?
In this week's episode, I talk about how it's important for us to ask lots of questions. How we need to remember that there is much more beyond the frame of our screens. It's not all death and destruction. There is joy and love to be found. Where are we focusing our attention and energy? What do we want to amplify in our lives?
I also talk about our roles in the fight for collective liberation. It is inefficient to try to do everything (not to mention disheartening when you don't see immediate results). So what is your part in all of this? What lane are you in? Tune in to hear more about how to find your purpose in all of this and how to stay focused.
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Page of Pentacles
- “The Heart is Right” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
“What is your purpose?” This question stresses out a lot of people. There seems to be a lot of big expectation applied to this question. But maybe it's not that deep. Maybe it's not as magnanimous as we think it is. Tune into this week's episode as I offer different ways of considering our life's purpose… and how that can help our efforts towards collective liberation, even if our efforts feel too small or insignificant. It all matters. Even the smallest of purposes.
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Temperance (Reversed)
- “She Responded” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
There are things in our lives that have been there for so long we can't imagine life without them, whether it's a relationship, a job, or even a particular way of doing things. What will life look like without capitalism, for example? What are new ways of interacting with each other?
Sometimes this thing can be what holds you back, what weighs you down or keeps you small. Other times, it can be the thing that asks you to rise to the challenge, to grow and evolve. How do you discern between the two? Or better yet: are we even paying attention to these things in our lives at all?
In this week's episode, the King of Swords offers us insight on this dilemma, inviting us to connect our book knowledge with our spiritual and emotional intelligence. Tune in to hear– in real time how– I come to a decision about the podcast, thanks to this tarot card.
*
Omg y'all! I have an opportunity to walk a path towards my dream! But I need your help getting there. Anaphora Arts’ novel writing bootcamp is that path. This GoFundMe will help me get there: https://gofund.me/d0789e32 Please consider contributing because you want to amplify writers of color whose voices will change the world for the better! THANK YOU!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The King of Swords
- “An Old Musician” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
With so many blazing fires in the world and the constant upheaval in our daily lives, it's easy to get overwhelmed by what we think needs to get done. What protest do I go to? Do I sit and meditate to help the collective frequency? Do I do both? How? What if nothing I do actually affects any kind of change?
But the real question is: how can we focus on what feeds and nourishes us? Yes, we must continue to fight for collective liberation. And yes, we have to tend to the daily responsibilities of caring for ourselves and our families, but can we do them in ways that allow us to feel fed by them? Can we reframe washing dishes into a kind of meditation, for example?
When it comes to being a human in the world, are we choosing actions that help to create the life that we envision for ourselves? Or are we doing things out of obligation, things that feel like we should do? These are questions I'm asking all of us in this week's episode. Tune in to hear more!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Nine of Wands (reversed)
- “Counting Moles” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
What's your relationship to money? What about all of your possessions? Have you examined the importance you might place on these things? Why is it important? Does it bring up stickiness or discomfort? Can money do good and heal the collective? (And I don't mean this in the literal sense.) How can this kind of inquiry help the fight for lîbérätîon?
While we're at it, I talk about my GoFundMe page, why I'm running a fundraiser for myself, and what kinds of questions that brings up for me and for the collective. If you'd like to support me and the pursuit of my dream to become a novelist, you can donate here:
https://gofund.me/d0789e32
If you've benefited from and learned from me on this ad-free podcast, please consider a donation to support my endeavor. Thank youuuu!!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Four of Pentacles (Reversed)
“Our Hearts Should Do This More” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
It's a challenge to find inspiration while living in the center of a crumbling émpîre. It's a challenge to remain hopeful while despair pulls us down as the gën/oside in Pal/est/ine continues. But we must continue to dream and imagine - what does the new liberated world look like? How do we keep hope? The short of it is: we need each other more than ever. Tune in to this week's episode to hear more!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Page of Wands (Reversed)
- “Migratory Daughter” by Kenji Sy Lu
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
With so many blazing fires in the world and the constant upheaval in our daily lives, it's easy to get overwhelmed by what we think needs to get done. What protest do I go to? Do I sit and meditate to help the collective frequency? Do I do both? How? What if nothing I do actually affects any kind of change?
But the real question is: how can we focus on what feeds and nourishes us? Yes, we must continue to fight for collective liberation. And yes, we have to tend to the daily responsibilities of caring for ourselves and our families, but can we do them in ways that allow us to feel fed by them? Can we reframe washing dishes into a kind of meditation, for example?
When it comes to being a human in the world, are we choosing actions that help to create the life that we envision for ourselves? Or are we doing things out of obligation, things that feel like we should do? These are questions I'm asking all of us in this week's episode. Tune in to hear more!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Nine of Wands (reversed)
- “Counting Moles” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
How do you tune into your intuition and allow yourself to be guided by the Divine if you are too tired? How do you stay steady during these upheavals as émpîre crumbles? In this week's episode, the Hierophant comes to reflect the current time and invites us to examine our limiting beliefs. And in this examination, I am calling for true care of ourselves and of each other. What does this look like? And does it help the fight for lîbérätîon? Tune in!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Hierophant (reversed)
- “Meeting a Mirror” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
As émpïré continues to tumble down, it's hard to avoid feeling overwhelmed and helpless. This distracts us from our work towards liberation AND from living our lives. How do we stay sane amidst it all? How do we balance between being fully present in our daily lives and fighting for collective liberation? How do we manage the range of feelings and emotions while staying grounded? Tune into to learn a few tools that can help you stay grounded, clear and focused while also creating joy.
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Knight of Swords
- “This Sky” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
With so much upheaval going on and so many fires to put out, it's easy for us to get wrapped up in despair or hopelessness. It's easy for us to get fixated on our activist work and forget about joy. In this week's episode, I talk about how essential it is for us to be present in the now while also looking and imagining a liberated future. We need the sweetness of our lives in order to remember why we're doing this work at all. Tune in to hear some ways to enjoy our lives now, especially as a mode of resistance in the face of oppression.
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Surrender to the Sweetness
- “Imagination Does Not Exist” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
I hate to state the obvious, but we live in a divisive time. Everyone is quick to pick a fight or react with sharpness, even harm. Everyone is in hyper-survival mode. So how are we supposed to create communities of care when we're too busy cutting each other down? How can softness help us remember our common humanity?
In this week's episode, I share some insights I learned while laid up in bed for two weeks with the worst case of the flu I'd ever seen, including how we might connect with the simple kindness of a smile. Tune in!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
Tarot/Oracle Card: The Four of Pentacles
“All the Hemispheres” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter:leslieann.substack.com
Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
As each day passes and émpïré claws for desperate gasps for life by inflicting more and more harm, it's becoming more and more crucial for us to speak out, to speak truth, to take aligned action. But it can be scary and uncomfortable, activating our sympathetic nervous systems to alert mode. In order for our fight for lîbérätîon to be sustainable, we must listen to our bodies, root down into the Earth, and support ourselves with somatic practices. Tune into this week's episode where I give you some simple practices, which will help ground you and that you can do anywhere.
And if you are looking for even more support in grounding yourself during this time of intense upheaval, sign up for my next 4-week Kundalini Yoga series happening on Wednesdays, 9-10:15am ET. We start April 2nd. $100.
More info here: https://suryagian.com/anchor-and-amplify
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Major Arcana Card: Judgement
- “Wow” by Hafiz
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
-
Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
-
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
In this week's episode, I'm talking about the importance of sharing our individual gifts and wisdom so that we can co-create a world of liberation. How speaking our truth is crucial to this work. And if we are to build communities of care, we need to remember that communication is a two-way street. It's not just about being clear in what you have to say; it's also about deep listening. When we can consciously collaborate, there is no limit to what we can build. Tune in to hear more!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Three of Pentacles
- “Tired of Speaking Sweetly” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
- Speak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth
As émpïré continues to tumble down, it's hard to avoid feeling overwhelmed and helpless. This distracts us from our work towards liberation AND from living our lives. How do we stay sane amidst it all? How do we balance between being fully present in our daily lives and fighting for collective liberation? How do we manage the range of feelings and emotions while staying grounded? Tune into to learn a few tools that can help you stay grounded, clear and focused while also creating joy.
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Knight of Swords
- “This Sky” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
How can we navigate in this very noisy world according to our purpose if we can't hear ourselves? How do we know what our soul's purpose is? Do we even need to know what it is?
In this week's episode, I give you tips on how to listen deeply to your heart. I also talk about dreams and your heart’s desires. How they are a compass for you. How your purpose plays a role in the collective imagination during a time of disintegration.
Tune in to find your way, your path amidst the chaos
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Knight of Wands
- “I Vote For You For God” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
I hate to state the obvious, but we live in a divisive time. Everyone is quick to pick a fight or react with sharpness, even harm. Everyone is in hyper-survival mode. So how are we supposed to create communities of care when we're too busy cutting each other down? How can softness help us remember our common humanity?
In this week's episode, I share some insights I learned while laid up in bed for two weeks with the worst case of the flu I'd ever seen, including how we might connect with the simple kindness of a smile. Tune in!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Four of Pentacles
- “All the Hemispheres” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter:leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
How do you know what you don't know? How can you bring unconscious patterns to the surface if you don't even know they're there? How can you hear yourself amidst all the noise?
Winter is hibernation season. A time when we are meant to get quiet and cozy. But our capitalist society does not allow for that. Between holiday sales and the pressure socialize at Christmas parties, how can we even hear ourselves think?
In this week's episode, I am talking about the kind of darkness that's made for incubation. Winter hibernation. And in that darkness, we can find our true selves and work towards strengthening that light. So that come springtime, we are renewed and strengthened to take on the systems of oppression.
Listen in as I talk about ways in which we can journey into the darkness to connect with our inner selves, to allow space to nourish oneself, and to rest. If we are to sustain our fight for a better world, we need nourishment and rest. Tune in!
More info and to register for Dig Into Divine Darkness, a 21-day journey into mystery for women, femmes, and nonbinary folks of color, go here: suryagian.com/dig-into-divine-darkness
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Seas of Mintaka
- “The Clay Bowl’s Destiny” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter:leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
So many people want to speak out for social justice and for the liberation of all. So many want to speak their deepest truths. But many don't. Because it can be scary. What's at risk when we speak our truths? What's at stake? Are we willing to contend with the results of our truth telling? Even if that includes losing friends and family? What do those consequences look like?
In this week's episode, I talk about the nuances and complexities of how we can stand in our truth and still honor the very messy existence of being human. Tune in to consider how to navigate these complexities while staying in integrity with your truth.
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Whale
- “Becoming Human” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community:suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter:leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email:leslieann@suryagian.com
- Creative Writing Camp:https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
How can we navigate in this very noisy world according to our purpose if we can't hear ourselves? How do we know what our soul's purpose is? Do we even need to know what it is?
In this week's episode, I give you tips on how to listen deeply to your heart. I also talk about dreams and your heart’s desires. How they are a compass for you. How your purpose plays a role in the collective imagination during a time of disintegration.
Tune in to find your way, your path amidst the chaos
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Knight of Wands
- “I Vote For You For God” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
In this week's episode it's all about connecting with the body. How can we stay centered and clear-minded during the crumbling of empire? How can we stay focused on our task at hand for liberation? It comes down to our relationship with our bodies and with each other.
Tune in this week to learn how we can walk through the ever-growing and deepening darkness of our time. And if you need practical support, sign up for my 4-week Kundalini yoga class starting on Friday, January 31st.
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Deep Cellular Healing
- “A Hole in the Flute” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
-
Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
-
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRy
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
As we enter a portal into more darkness, we need to remember that change equals growth. And while nobody really talks about this, growth is painful. How can we stay steady and endure the discomfort, knowing that change is inevitable? How can we reframe challenges in order to learn from the pain? To learn that we are not being tested nor are we being punished. We are just being pushed to grow.
Tune into this week's episode to learn how to stay steady in the chaos. How to be like a seed in the earth.
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Doors are opening for you: you decide rewards and wildcard
- “I saw two birds” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Writing as Resistance: https://www.suryagian.com/writing-as-resistance
- Kundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundalini
As we enter what seems to be the new phase of another darkness, it is crucial for us to come together in community. If we are to remain steadfast in our fight for liberation and our collective survival, we must stay anchored in the spiritual practices that we have learned.
In this week's episode, I talk about different aspects of what community means, how we build it, and how we remain true to our shared vision for liberation. It begins with deep listening. Tune in to learn more!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Emperor (Reversed)
- “Counting Moles” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com Writing as Resistance: https://www.suryagian.com/writing-as-resistance
How do we prepare for this new year that promises to be full of upheavals? How do we keep going, keep fighting for libëration in the face of the Empïre’s indifference? Resilience, community, and creation. As I often like to quote “La Vie Boheme” from the musical, RENT: “The opposite of war isn’t peace - it’s creation!”
In this week’s episode, I start off by talking about abundance, generosity, and compassion and how these are crucial for community. If we are to affect change, we must be in relationship with each other in these ways. And in the face of so much destruction, we must create. Listen in to learn how writing can be that mode of creation AND resistance. And then sign up for the 5-day writing workshop intensive, Writing As Resistance, because taking tangible action towards liberation feels good. It’s happening next week! Online, Jan 13-17, 2025. Register here: suryagian.com/writing-as-resistance
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Six of Pentacles (Reversed)
- “The Hatcheck Girl” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
-
Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
-
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Writing as Resistance: https://www.suryagian.com/writing-as-resistance
Lots of people are urging us to build community in order to work towards a better world in the face of a new US administration. But what does that mean exactly? How does one build a community? What even IS a community? In this week's episode, I'm sharing ideas on community and ways to build it. But more importantly, we need to understand that it is built on mutual love, trust, and support. Tune in to learn more!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Six of Pentacles
- “Our Hearts Should Do This More” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Dig into Divine Darkness: https://www.suryagian.com/dig-into-divine-darkness
How many of us give our power away? How many of us look to other people for the solution? How many of us let other people decide our fate? In this week’s episode, I invite you to reclaim your power and remember that words matter. What we say, how we say it, the language we use – it all matters, even when we feel it doesn’t. (See: “ceasefire”) When we speak, when we possess the power to tell our stories and write our narrative. The challenge here is: are you writing it in integrity? Are you writing it with the truth of the heart? Too many lies are being manufactured by mainstream media and if we allow for that to pass as truth, then we’re in bigger trouble than I thought. Listen in to understand the power of words and the frequency they carry and how that affects us all.
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Eight of Swords
- “Scratching my Back” by Hafiz
Articles mentioned:
- “Klamath River Dam Removal Allows Salmon to Run Free for First Time in More Than a Century”
- https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/klamath-river-dam-removal-allows-salmon-to-run-free-for-first-time-in-more-than-a-century/
- “The Shapes of Grief: Witnessing the Unbearable” by Cristina Sharpe
- https://yalereview.org/article/christina-sharpe-shapes-of-grief
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
-
- Dig into Divine Darkness: https://www.suryagian.com/dig-into-divine-darkness
The holiday season is not a free pass to wipe away toxic behavior and pretend all is well. So many messages tell us that “Because it's Christmas” we should make things right, even if it's not our wrong to correct. Sure, sometimes there are petty family squabbles that can be put aside in the name of love, but when it comes to whyte súprémacy, there is no free pass.
In this week's episode, I talk about how it's important to honor ourselves and our healing journey, to not give our power away, to break family expectations, and to set boundaries with everyone, especially that terrible uncle. Tune in!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Sea Serpent - The Spirit Card
- “Scratching My back” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Dig into Divine Darkness: www.suryagian.com/dig-into-divine-darkness
===============
Keywords:
ritual #podcast #leslieannhobayan #womenofcolor #suryagian #mindset #positivemindset #sharing #personalexperiences #guidance #youarenotalone #podcastinglife #podcastlife #podcasters #release #newrelease #activistwork #truth #holidays #boundaries #importantboundaries #whytesupremacy #honorthyself #honor #setexpectations
How do you know what you don't know? How can you bring unconscious patterns to the surface if you don't even know they're there? How can you hear yourself amidst all the noise?
Winter is hibernation season. A time when we are meant to get quiet and cozy. But our capitalist society does not allow for that. Between holiday sales and the pressure socialize at Christmas parties, how can we even hear ourselves think?
In this week's episode, I am talking about the kind of darkness that's made for incubation. Winter hibernation. And in that darkness, we can find our true selves and work towards strengthening that light. So that come springtime, we are renewed and strengthened to take on the systems of oppression.
Listen in as I talk about ways in which we can journey into the darkness to connect with our inner selves, to allow space to nourish oneself, and to rest. If we are to sustain our fight for a better world, we need nourishment and rest. Tune in!
More info and to register for Dig Into Divine Darkness, a 21-day journey into mystery for women, femmes, and nonbinary folks of color, go here: suryagian.com/dig-into-divine-darkness
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Seas of Mintaka
- “The Clay Bowl’s Destiny” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
So many people want to speak out for social justice and for the liberation of all. So many want to speak their deepest truths. But many don't. Because it can be scary. What's at risk when we speak our truths? What's at stake? Are we willing to contend with the results of our truth telling? Even if that includes losing friends and family? What do those consequences look like?
In this week's episode, I talk about the nuances and complexities of how we can stand in our truth and still honor the very messy existence of being human. Tune in to consider how to navigate these complexities while staying in integrity with your truth.
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Whale
- “Becoming Human” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
In order to build community, we need to actually hear each other. How many of us begin to form our response to somebody while they are still talking? Are we truly listening to what they are saying? How many of us have already decided our opinions of what someone might be expressing? Are we actually listening? In this week's episode, I'm talking about deep listening, why it's necessary in order to build community, and how to do it. Tune in!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: The Queen of Wands (Reversed)
- “What Do White Birds Say” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
Lots of people are urging us to build community in order to work towards a better world in the face of a new US administration. But what does that mean exactly? How does one build a community? What even IS a community? In this week's episode, I'm sharing ideas on community and ways to build it. But more importantly, we need to understand that it is built on mutual love, trust, and support. Tune in to learn more!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Tarot/Oracle Card: Six of Pentacles
- “Our Hearts Should Do This More” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
Now that we've had a week to digest, it’s time to focus on the task at hand. We need to remember our training. (Do I sound like Yoda? Haha)
So many of us have signed up for trainings and workshops and classes centered around healing ourselves, from yoga to meditation to sound healing. A lot of folks have even learned about astrology and human design and herbalism. This is a sign of us returning to I wear Roots, to returning to our relationship with ourselves and with the Earth.
Now is the time for those practices to be applied to the greater whole, to the collective. This is what we have been training for. What does that even mean? Tune into this week's episode to learn more!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle Card: The King of Cups
- “Power” by Audre Lorde from the book “The Black Unicorn”
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
If you're feeling lost or enraged or grieving or any combination of emotions, I have a message of hope for you in this week's episode. As naive as that might sound. But first, today, give yourself the space to take care of yourself, to process all that you are experiencing, to nourish and restore yourself. Get coffee with a friend. Take a nap. Ground yourself on the earth (literally put your bare feet on the ground). Breathe. Because tomorrow, we continue the fight for líbératión.
Tune in to find out how!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle Carerspectived: The Four of Swords
- “Litany for Survival” by Audre Lorde
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
It goes without saying that most folks are feeling election anxiety and there’s lots of conversation around who to vote for. But here’s the thing: there’s only so much we can control. We can’t control the results; we can only control the choices we make. It’s important to make decisions that feel right for you, that sit well in your heart – and not one based on fear. It’s hard, I know. But if we focus on the big picture –like, Universe-level– then we can understand that our work does not stop with casting one vote. Liberation is a lifetime’s work. The question needs to be: what actions will I take (or not take) after the results of this election? And: what does liberation look like? Will my actions work towards realizing and manifesting that vision? This is a long game, folks. And the oracle card from the Starseed oracle deck, Perspective, reminds us of that. That we are but a speck in the vast Universe and that this current life we’re living is a blip in the timeline of our soul’s existence. With that perspective in mind, how can we really shake things up to break down oppressive systems and create a liberated world? Tune in to learn more! And if you want to continue the conversation, reach out via IG (@ leslieannhobayan) or email: leslieann (at) suryagian.com
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle Card: Perspective
- “Spiced Mana” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
As Star Keepers, we are the ones who seed the light. How do we stay grounded amidst all the upheaval so that we may serve as the anchors for others? How can we shift our perspective towards focusing on celebrating and continuing the resistance while also honoring the rage and grief we feel? To not focus only on loss but to also to amplify the light of lîbération? We must keep rooted and clear on what our work is. We must remember who we are.
Tune in to this episode to be reminded. To remember.
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle Card: Star Keeper
- “The Body A Tree” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
In this week’s mini-sode, I talk about how pottery is yet again showing me what I don’t want to look at, making me ask questions I didn’t know I had, and teaching me about discernment — does one keep going or redirect? Or give up altogether? Tune in to hear about my adventure with Buddy, the imperfect pot, and whether I’m keeping him or not.
How do we hold both the mundanity of everyday life and the grief we experience at the collective level in witnessing the now yearlong g-side in Pali? How can we reconcile the contrast of going to a kid's birthday party when we are aware of how many children in G@za have been martyred before their first birthday? On the 1-year anniversary of the ongoing g-side, the tarot card Strength comes forward. It's the eighth card of the major arcana and is calling us to have courage and to keep going, to keep fighting for líberätion. We need to remember that every little bit matters, that every action and intention matters. Whether it is for what is happening in our personal lives or for the greater good of the collective and our planet. What we do in our everyday lives has ripple effects that we are not aware of.
In this episode, I encourage you to pay attention to where you focus your energy and how to balance between the everyday and the world at large. Tune in!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Major Arcana Card: #8
- “The Fish and I will Chat” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
The tectonic shifts we have been experiencing cannot be ignored. Systems are burning to the ground. Empires are crumbling. How do we stay grounded in all of this when what we used to do is no longer effective? How do we not lose ourselves?
There's so much we've forgotten. We need to get back to our magic. We need to remember. Listen in to this week's episode to find out how! And we need each other. Tune in!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Five of Cups (Reversed)
- “We Might Have To Medicate You” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
There is so much upheaval it’s hard to get our footing. The degree of change and the pace at which it’s happening is overwhelming. We easily get swept up in contentious arguments, get consumed by grief and rage. It’s hard not to fall apart. How can we stay steady on our feet? How can we not lose our balance during these times of extreme change? In this week’s episode, I’m offering you five ways to stay grounded during this collective evolution. It all comes down to the body. Are you listening to it? Tune in!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: King of Cups
- “Passionate Lips” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
The title of this episode is basically this: will you choose capitalism? Or humanity? Which is to say: you can choose to be a full human being with all of your facets and complexities, living life exploring this existence in all ways (art making! communities of care! food growing!). OR you can give your power away and allow capitalism to dictate your fated path by constantly running on the treadmill of productivity. (Reminder: you’re not a cog in a machine.) And before you get all “well, how am I supposed to live in a capitalist society if I don’t make money?”, listen to this episode. It’s about remembering your soul path and learning self-trust again. With the lunar full moon eclipse in Pisces, there’s a whole lotta unconscious releasing (which, if you ask me, includes the conditioned thinking we got from capitalism). And with that release is a remembering and an invitation to create. Tune in!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: I Remember and I trust myself more than capitalism
- “The Heart is Right” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
How many of us give our power away? How many of us look to other people for the solution? How many of us let other people decide our fate? In this week’s episode, I invite you to reclaim your power and remember that words matter. What we say, how we say it, the language we use – it all matters, even when we feel it doesn’t. (See: “ceasefire”) When we speak, when we possess the power to tell our stories and write our narrative. The challenge here is: are you writing it in integrity? Are you writing it with the truth of the heart? Too many lies are being manufactured by mainstream media and if we allow for that to pass as truth, then we’re in bigger trouble than I thought. Listen in to understand the power of words and the frequency they carry and how that affects us all.
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Eight of Swords
- “Scratching my Back” by Hafiz
Articles mentioned:
- “Klamath River Dam Removal Allows Salmon to Run Free for First Time in More Than a Century”
- https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/klamath-river-dam-removal-allows-salmon-to-run-free-for-first-time-in-more-than-a-century/
- “The Shapes of Grief: Witnessing the Unbearable” by Cristina Sharpe
- https://yalereview.org/article/christina-sharpe-shapes-of-grief
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
How are spirituality and activism connected? What do they have in common? Short answer: it's about the journey. (Cliche, I know.) But sometimes the journey is long and frustrating. If we don't see tangible results, we get discouraged and might feel like giving. How can we use spiritual practices to keep us devoted and grounded in our work for liberation? How can we keep the momentum going? Tune in to learn more!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Night of Pentacles
- “All The Talents of God” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
The tectonic shifts we have been experiencing cannot be ignored. Systems are burning to the ground. Empires are crumbling. How do we stay grounded in all of this when what we used to do is no longer effective? How do we not lose ourselves?
There's so much we've forgotten. We need to get back to our magic. We need to remember. Listen in to this week's episode to find out how! And we need each other. Tune in!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Five of Cups (Reversed)
- “We Might Have To Medicate You” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
Since the quarantine years, many of us have been hungry for community. We've been longing for real connection. But how badly do we want it? At what cost?
Not all communities are created equal. Not all communities are built with your best interest in mind. Are we willing to compromise who we are in order to feel like we belong somewhere?
During this time of jen-0cide of Pali-stin-ians, it's becoming harder to find communities of care and support. It's on us to create them and communicate that it's a safe place. Tune in to hear my experience of a community that suddenly became unsafe for me and how we might build the safe community that we need.
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Ten of Cups
- “Too Beautiful” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
In a world that feels like it's crumbling, where all that's familiar is falling away, and everything around us is changing faster than the speed of light, how do we stay true to ourselves? How do we remember who we are? What do we do when immense grief overcomes us and we lose our way, when we lose sight of who we are?
In this week's episode, I'm inviting you to lean into patience and devotion. To ask yourself: what practices can help us stay the course? These hold the key to finding your way back to yourself. Tune in to learn more!
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Eight of Pentacles (Reversed)
- “The Mountain” by EJ Koh
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
This week we've got the energy of a fiery new moon in Leo, which is inviting us to be bold and audacious! With this boost of confidence, what truth will you embody? How can you be more of your true self? What's holding you back? Fear? (Let's face it: we live in fraught times.) Friends? Who is truly around you for support? And how can Mercury retrograde help us with this? (Yes, Mercury Rx can be helpful!) Listen in to learn how to step into living more boldly.
And now I invite you to my Creative Writing Camp! This is no ordinary summer camp. This is lïberation work. Somatic healing practices. Creative expression. Writing as release ritual. Nervous system resilience.
Register because you want to be part of the résistânce. Because you want to make a difference. Because you are done playing small.
Sign up here:
https://suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
August 12-16, 2024
10am-12pm ET
Online community
$200
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Night of Pentacles (Reversed)
- “Practice this New Bird Call” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
This week, the King of swords (reversed!) is reflecting back to us all of the hubris out there, with people being rigid in their thinking and trying to convince us of their beliefs, telling us what to do. We must remember that we know ourselves best. How do we get back to our inherent knowing, our deep resonance with our inner Truth? How can we discern what's our voice and what's not?
In this week's episode I talk a little bit about voting, how to listen to your own heart, and how this election is not the silver bullet to solve all problems. That we will continue to work towards liberation no matter the results. Tune in to learn more!
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: King of Swords (reversed)
- “If you don’t stop that” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
- Creative Writing Camp: https://www.suryagian.com/creative-writing-camp
As the world continues to burn and we continue to fight for social justice, the question that comes to mind is this: what does liberation look like? Yes, we know what we don't want. But have we envisioned what we do want? What world do we want to create on the other side of this burning? We need to imagine it in order to understand how to get there. And we need to ground ourselves.
Tune into this week's episode to feel into possibilities. And to start a conversation about what is possible.
Also note: a single eléction does not change anything. Changes happen at the ground level. We will still need to continue to fight and dismántle the systems that 0ppress no matter the outcome. Keep going. We keep us safe. We will liberate us.
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Starkeeper
- “A Root in Each Act and Creature” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
As the world continues to burn (in my eyes, it's the burning down if oppressive systems), it's easy to lose sight of the big picture and fall into hopelessness when you witness so much destruction over and over. How can we continue to sustain our fight for liberation? How can we keep going when the allure of despair calls us?
The answer: we create!
What does that mean? What does that look like? And why does it work? Tune in to learn more and hear suggestions on how to get creative!
And if you're looking for a safe space to express your feelings and create in the face of destruction, join me for Creative Writing Camp: Find Your Voice.
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
It takes courage to ask for help, at least for the kind of help that feels vulnerable. But this is power. And this is the kind of power we must remember that we possess. We have to power to choose how we want to experience what the world brings into our lives.
In this week's episode, I accidentally get meta with my own teaching. Haha! I'm sharing wisdom about remembering our innate power through the challenges we face in our lives by telling you about an experience that I had. Tune in to learn more!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: The Earthworm
- “I Imagine Now For Ages” by Hafiz
- Song: “Two Little Doves” by Fia
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
After the appalling decisions made by Scotus this past week (being homeless is a crime & presidents can get away with anything), many of us are falling into despair or rage or both. What is this world we live in and how did we get here? Are we going to survive?
In this week's episode, I'm bringing our focus back to the bigger picture: we exist beyond this three-dimensional plane. So how does this world on fire help us to grow and evolve as spirit-souls? If you think about the universe, there are plenty of things dying and exploding all while the universe continues to expand. Is this moment our supernova (where Empire is the dying star)? (“A supernova is the cataclysmic explosion of a massive star at the end of its life.”) Tune in to learn more!
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Three of Pentacles
- “Cucumbers and Prayers” by Hafiz
- Book: The Sum of Us: What racism costs everyone and how we can prosper together - Heather McGhee
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
How do we know what our gifts are to the world? And how do we know with whom to share them? Do we even want to share them? The body can help. Tune in to learn more!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Oyster
- “We Might Have To Medicate You” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
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!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Queen of Pentacles
- Poem: “You are Brave in that Holy War” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Since the quarantine years, many of us have been hungry for community. We've been longing for real connection. But how badly do we want it? At what cost?
Not all communities are created equal. Not all communities are built with your best interest in mind. Are we willing to compromise who we are in order to feel like we belong somewhere?
During this time of jen-0cide of Pali-stin-ians, it's becoming harder to find communities of care and support. It's on us to create them and communicate that it's a safe place. Tune in to hear my experience of a community that suddenly became unsafe for me and how we might build the safe community that we need.
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Ten of Cups
- “Too Beautiful” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
The world is on fire. How can we continue to live our lives while so many lives are being lost every day? How does our passion, our calling in life matter during times like these? How do the things that light us up help fight for a free Palestine?
What about our relationships? The ones where the people we love have been silent. Not those actively advocating for the elimination of an entire people, but rather those who have not spoken out. Why have they not said anything? Do we cut them off entirely? Or can nuance be applied? The answer: it depends.
In this week's episode, I explore some possibilities for these questions. Tune in to find out more!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Double Mission
- “Between Our Poles” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
Who are your people now?
As the jenny-side continues to drive us down into witnessing deeper barbarity and the grief and rage mount higher and higher, we might be looking around and asking ourselves: who are our people now? Who are our truest people? And: what difference can I make, if any at all?
In this week's episode, I explore ways that we can make a difference– no matter how small– in the face of despair. And how we can keep going even though our friends and family start to fall away because you can no longer stand their silence on gen-0-side. We do have support and a community. It's just a matter of remembering where to find them. Tune in today!
After the quarantine years, a lot of us have forgotten how good it feels to be in community with others. A lot of us have even forgotten how to do it. It's kind of like when you are sick for an extended period of time that it becomes your new normal and you don't know what it feels like to be healthy until the sickness goes away and then you remember.
Do you remember what it's like to feel seen? To be in a group where people get you? Or what it's like for someone to train with you when you are trying to prepare for a triathlon? Doesn't it feel good to share in a commonality with others?
In this week's episode, I am reminding all of us how crucial it is for us to be in community with each other so that we can grow and evolve in uplifting and unexpected ways. So that we might thrive. Because, after all, isn't that why we are here?
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: The Seas of Mintaka
- “I Imagine Now For Ages” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
How do we stay present for the people in our lives while we are fighting for social justice? How do we stay vigilant about not becoming consumed by our activist work? And when it comes to conscientious parenting, how much do we guide our children and how much do we allow for them to figure it out on their own? The line keeps moving… in waves.
And while we ask these questions, our personal relationships start to come into question as well. Maybe some of your friends are aligned in social justice, but when it comes to genny-side, they are silent and take a step back from the front line.
Tune into this week's episode as I explore possibilities for these inquiry questions.
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Loosen your grip
- “I Hope You Won’t See This Old Man” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
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
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
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.
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Cucumbers and Prayers” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- 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
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
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
===============
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
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
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
===============
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
===============
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!)
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Five of Pentacles
- Poem: “The Fish and I will Chat” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
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!
===============
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- Oracle card: Queen of Pentacles
- Poem: “You are Brave in that Holy War” by Hafiz
===============
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
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:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- https://linktr.ee/suryagian
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.
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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
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.
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?
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
- Tarot Card: Two of Swords | The Hanged Man
- Poem: “Easter Sunday” by Sin Yu Pai
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
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
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
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:
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
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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
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
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:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
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:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
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:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
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” Sue Hwang
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Oracle card: You Are Not Alone (Starseed Oracle deck)Poem: "On Beauty" by Adeeba Shahid Talukder
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:
- Tarot Card: The Fool
- “All the Hemispheres” by Hafiz
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:
- Oracle Card: Earth Pulsing (from the Starseed Oracle deck)
- “the blessings” by Evie Shockley
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:
- Tarot Card: The Fool
- “All the Hemispheres” by Hafiz
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:
- The concept about having a soul / spiritual name
- Being raised as a Hindu boy and having a life with Christian experience in the US.
- How he was shaped to where he is now in relation to spirituality and writing
- Thoughts about poetry that had given him a sense of purpose and direction in writing
- How he was able to be reach success in writing and success being a poet
- Aspect of activism
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:
- Oracle Card: Soul Name
- “Gayatri Mantra” Translation by Dr. Ravi Shankar
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:
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Tarot Card: The Butterfly
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"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:
- Oracle Card (2 cards today!): Cracked Open | The Blue Flames
- “Faith” by W. Todd Kaneko
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:
- Oracle Card: All Paths Lead Home
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Join our free 3-day live event for women of color, Phoenix Rising: Mapping Your Way Through Midlife, Jan 30-Feb 1. Register here: thepoetspriestess.com/phoenix-rising
- Subscribe to “Spiritual Notes from the Diaspora” advice column: leslieann.substack.com
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Keywords:
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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:
- Oracle Card: Let your light shine
- “Elephant God” by Vandana Gahna
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
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:
- Tarot Card: The Star (Reversed)
- “Jesus in a Jar of Mayonnaise” by Benjamin Naka-Hasebe Kingsley
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com
“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:
- Tarot Card: Ace of Cups (Reversed)
- “Be the Lighthouse” from Divorce Papers: A Slow Burn by Leslieann Hobayan
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:
- Oracle Deck from The Secret Language of Light by Denise Jarvie: You are the Universe
- “High Garden” by Katie Xiong
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:
- Oracle Card: Channeling
- “God” by Adeeba Shahid Talukder
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:
- Oracle Card: Vesica Pisces
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Spiritual Notes from the Diaspora” advice column: leslieann.substack.com
“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:
- Oracle Card: Let your light shine
- “Elephant God” by Vandana Gahna
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
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:
- Oracle Card: Let Go
- “Cancer” by Sue Hwang
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” 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:
- Tarot Card: The Star (Reversed)
- “Jesus in a Jar of Mayonnaise” by Benjamin Naka-Hasebe Kingsley
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com
“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:
- Oracle Card: Surrender to the Sweetness
- “In the City, A New Congregation Finds Her” by Barbara Jane Reyes
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com
“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:
- Oracle Card: Wellness
- “Easter Bonifacio High Street” by Joseph O. Legaspi
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com
“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:
- Tarot Card: Ace of Cups (Reversed)
- “Be the Lighthouse” from Divorce Papers: A Slow Burn by Leslieann Hobayan
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com
“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:
- Tarot Card: Ace of Cups (Reversed)
- “Be the Lighthouse” from Divorce Papers: A Slow Burn by Leslieann Hobayan
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com
“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.
*
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:
- Tarot Card: Ace of Cups (Reversed)
- “Be the Lighthouse” from Divorce Papers: A Slow Burn by Leslieann Hobayan
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:
- Oracle Card: Forge. Don’t follow.
- "Awakening of Stones: Hypothesis / Central argument" by Lisbeth White
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.)
*
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:
- Oracle Deck from The Secret Language of Light by Denise Jarvie: You are the Universe
- “High Garden” by Katie Xiong
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:
- Tarot Card: The Dragonfly
- “Track Black Wing Bird Emm Gryner 2006” From the book “Letters To Young Brown Girl” by Barbara Jane Reyes
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.
*
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:
- Tarot Card: The Dragonfly
- “Track Black Wing Bird Emm Gryner 2006” From the book “Letters To Young Brown Girl” by Barbara Jane Reyes
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:
- Tarot Card: #8 Strength (from The Light Seers Deck by Chris-Anne)
- Tarot Card: Page of Swords (from The Light Seers Deck by Chris-Anne)
Courses/Exclusive Content Mentioned:
- Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
- The Story of Joy: https://suryagian.com/subscribe
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.
*
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:
- Tarot Card: #8 Strength (from The Light Seers Deck by Chris-Anne)
- Tarot Card: Page of Swords (from The Light Seers Deck by Chris-Anne)
Courses/Exclusive Content Mentioned:
- Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
- The Story of Joy: https://suryagian.com/subscribe
“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:
- Tarot Card: Messenger
- “Acolyte” by Tarfia Faizullah
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com
- The Poets Priestess Newsletter: https://thepoetspriestess.com/subscribe
- Embodied Healing: www.thepoetspriestess.com/embodied-healing
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:
- Tarot Card: The Judgement (Reversed)
- Tarot Card: The Chariot
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com
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:
- Tarot Card: Star Keeper
- “The Crows” from Good Bones by Meggy Smith
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!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
- Tarot Card: Cracked Open
- “Consider the Deer” from Inheritance by Taylor Johnson
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!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
- Tarot Card: the Great Severing
- “Oxygen” from Tethered to Stars by Fady Joudah
“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!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
- Tarot Card: Eight of Cups (reversed)
- “The Leaving” from Un-American by Hafizah Geter
"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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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
- Tarot Card: The Empress (reversed)
- "Birth Right" from Smoking the Bible by Chris Abani
“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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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:
- Tarot Card: Page of Cups
- Tarot Card: Ace of Cups
“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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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:
- Tarot Card: The World
- “Shaman” by Ej Co
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com
- The Poets Priestess Newsletter: https://thepoetspriestess.com/subscribe
- Embodied Healing: www.thepoetspriestess.com/embodied-healing
“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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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:
- Tarot Card: Ten of Cards (reversed)
- Tarot Card: The Empress (reversed)
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com
The Poets Priestess Newsletter: https://thepoetspriestess.com/subscribe
“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
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
- Oracle Card: The Courageous Peony
- Oracle Card: To Forge, Don’t Follow
“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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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:
- Oracle Card: Calling
- Oracle Card: The Courageous Peony
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com
- The Poets Priestess Newsletter: https://thepoetspriestess.com/subscribe
“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:
- Tarot Card: The Judgement (Reversed)
- Tarot Card: The Chariot
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com
The Poets Priestess Newsletter: https://thepoetspriestess.com/subscribe
“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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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:
- Oracle Deck: Forge, Don’t Follow
- “The Guesthouse” by Rumi
“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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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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Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half-hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
- The Starseed Oracle Deck: A New Earth
- “Dissolver of Sugar” by Rumi
“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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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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Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half-hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
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Subscribe to my NEW! advice column, Dear Tita Tarot, to get insights on all of your burning questions about life, relationships, money (say what? yes, money!), and sure, spirituality, too - haha! For just $11.11, you'll also get monthly tarot-inspired writing prompts to help you dive deeper into your spiritual development. And if you sign up for an annual subscription, you'll get 2 months free! Subscribe today! First column drops June 1st! Eeeee! I'm so excited!!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
- Oracle Deck: Loosing our Grip
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.
TexasShooting #Texas #specialepisode #leslieannhobayan #spiritualgrit
How Far Have You Come?Part 1 of Light of the World: Midlife Transitions and Spiritualities
Healing has many layers, just because we think we feel one thing, doesn’t mean that we’re done, it's just this continual peeling away of layers” - Leslieann Hobayan
In today’s episode, we have the 1st of the 4-part series I’m calling the Light of the World: Midlife Transitions and Spirituality. It’s my hope that over the next four episodes you can create a map of your life – where you’ve been, where you are now, where you are going –and how you might get there.
Midlife is the time when most folks take a look at their lives, after having realized the goals they set for themselves when they were in high school or college (or even younger). We think we’re planning a life we want to live, but what we don’t realize is that these plans were actually planted in our minds early on. Do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up? Are you now that person you imagined? Or have you fallen into the mold of what you’re “supposed” to do (like work a corporate job for “security” - whatever that means!). Pause and listen to this episode to really consider how you got to this place. Are you satisfied with where you are? Have you come closer to your dreams? Or further away?
For this first episode in the series, I’m inviting you to take inventory. How have you come to this place where you are now? In order for you to figure out where you want to go, you need to take a look at how you got to your present moment.
For next week’s part 2 will check in with where you are now. Listen in!
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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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Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half-hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
- Oracle Deck from The Star Seed Oracle Deck by Rebecca Campbell
- “Where Everything is Music” by Rumi
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
- The Story of Joy: https://suryagian.com/subscribe
- Magic of I Journal: https://au.magicofi.com/
Suryagian Newsletter: https://suryagian.com/subscribe
This week’s episode features a conversation with special guest, Terry J Stokes, who is an associate pastor at the Reformed Church of Highland Park, NJ, where he gives spiritual care to the youth of the congregation and of the town. He holds a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Bachelor's from Yale University. His book Prayers for the People was published by Convergent Press in 2021. Terry loves dance, tennis, songwriting, and pop culture. And we talk about ALL the things!
Finding your people. Building intentional community. Covenants we can make with other people aside from a relationship that leads to marriage. A church that is focused on being of service to the community. Religion/Christianity versus secular spirituality. A sense of belonging. Christian tourism and imperialism disguised as missions. Expanding the vision of what’s possible for kids of color.
Y’all, we talked about it all! Take a listen to this important (and fun!) conversations we have about spirituality and activism. And Terry closes the show with the gift of song!!
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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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Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half-hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
- Tarot Card: Six of Wands (from The Light Seers Deck by Chris-Anne)
Courses/Exclusive Content Mentioned:
- Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
- The Story of Joy: https://suryagian.com/subscribe
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Keywords:
podcast #leslieannhobayan #meditation #fellowship #womanofcolor #womenofcolor #space #divineself #sacredlove #perception #divinelight #devotionalpractice #suryagian #mindset #positivemindset #personaldevelopment #positivity #selfaware #positivemindset #sharing #personalexperiences #guidance #youarenotalone #podcastinglife #podcastlife #podcasters #possibilities
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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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Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half-hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
- Tarot Card: #8 Strength (from The Light Seers Deck by Chris-Anne)
- Tarot Card: Page of Swords (from The Light Seers Deck by Chris-Anne)
Courses/Exclusive Content Mentioned:
- Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
- The Story of Joy: https://suryagian.com/subscribe
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Keywords:
podcast #leslieannhobayan #meditation #fellowship #womanofcolor #womenofcolor #space #divineself #sacredlove #perception #divinelight #devotionalpractice #suryagian #mindset #positivemindset #personaldevelopment #positivity #selfaware #positivemindset #sharing #personalexperiences #guidance #youarenotalone #podcastinglife #podcastlife #podcasters #possibilities
“When things start to settle down, you start to less stimulated so how do you continue the practice, how do you continue to be inspired?”-Leslieann Hobayan
For today’s podcast, I am looking at how we can be passionate and driven by the things that light us up. How can following our passion create a life of ease and flow? How can it create a life of abundance? Some people give up their passion because it doesn’t pay the bills, so they don’t have time for it. But what is your life’s purpose? To pay the bills? Or to follow your heart’s deepest desire? What kind of life are you living now? Is it full of challenge? Or ease?
Fear often drives us away from what makes our heart sing. Especially when our passion in life isn’t “practical”. We don’t trust ourselves to our true heart’s calling. As a result, our lives feel blah, full of heavy obligation. Can you focus your attention on what lights you up? Can you trust that each step towards your passion brings you closer and closer to your life’s purpose?
You are born with a purpose, so tune into those intuitive hits, those seemingly “random” ideas. Don't compromise on how you are BE-ing. Tune into your passions and choose. You have the power of choice. Are you really being who you have been called to be?
Take a listen to know what your heart’s desire and see what’s in alignment for you.
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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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Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half-hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Reading mentioned:
- Tarot Card: The King of Wands (Reversed)
- “Chain You To My Body” by Hafiz
“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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Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half-hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Reading mentioned:
- Tarot Card: The Dragonfly
- “Track Black Wing Bird Emm Gryner 2006” From the book “Letters To Young Brown Girl” by Barbara Jane Reyes
“We are at a time in this life, in this era where we are coming to a realization that what other people expect of us doesn't always serve our life’s purpose, our inner truth”-Leslieann Hobayan
In this episode, I talk about how experiences can bring about big realizations in life, particularly those during this time of c*vid. It seems we, collectively, have come to understand that there is more to life than living up to other people’s expectations. Many of us are asking: what is our life’s purpose? There has to be more than the job, the house, the partner, the kids; more than just working to accommodate others. So how do we step into our full being? How do we do that AND live in this human experience that relies heavily on the material necessities of money and other things?
Many of us have a hard time finding balance between life and work. We’ve lost sight of our larger purpose. What cost are we willing to pay in order to feel “secure”? Are we willing to lose our true selves? Your divine spirit knows what it wants and your body responds accordingly. Your body can help lead the way to your purpose. Your body knows the truth of who you are. So how can you use the body to tap into your life’s purpose?
Take a listen to know how and what you are being called to do with your divine presence on this planet.
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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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Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half-hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Reading mentioned:
- Tarot Card: The World
- Tarot Card: The Knight of Cups
“Your body is the best truth-teller, ever. Your body and its vibrations help guide you in the direction you need to go” - Leslieann Hobayan
In this episode, I talk about how we can turn to the tarot for guidance. We are limited to what we know. How do we expand beyond that? Tarot can create a new awareness around how we see our lives. With this awareness, we start planting good thoughts in how we perceive our world. We can shift our mindset into positivity even if it doesn’t feel that way in that present moment. How we see things or what we think affects HOW we are BE-ing. And how we are BE-ing affects how we act in our lives and how we commit ourselves to what we do. Do you move through the mundane with drudgery or with devotion? Do you interact with others with a chip on your shoulder or with love? The answers are in your body. You know when you are not in alignment; you know when you’re doing something that doesn’t make you happy.
Can you see beyond what your five senses show you? Can you see there are larger forces at play? Tarot can help us see what’s beyond the physical world. And what we focus on, where we bring our attention to– that’s the thing that will grow. It’s what will keep expanding in our lives. Shift where your attention goes and energy will flow.
Take a listen to figure out where you focus your attention so that everything works out in your favor.
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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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Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half-hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Reading mentioned:
- Light Sears Tarot Deck by Chris-Anne: The Star
- “Prayer Near A Farm by Black Mountain North Carolina 11:36 pm Early May” by Matthew Olzmann
“ If you’re really looking at the transformation, everything needs to have more than one entrance or more than one gateway” -Lisbeth White
For today’s episode, I have the lovely Lisbeth White. She is a lover of the earth and wanderer of lands, an alumna of VONA, Bread Loaf Environmental Conference, Tin House and Callaloo Creative Writing workshops. Her writing has been published in Obsidian and she is co-editor of the anthology Poetry as Spellcasting: Poems,Essays, and Prompts for Manifesting Liberation and Reclaiming Power, forthcoming in Spring of 2023. Her debut poetry collection, American Sycamore, winner of the Perugia Press Prize, that will be published in Fall 2022.
In this conversation, Lisbeth and I talk about how we balance engaging in the spiritual realm with the mundane of the physical world. She shares about what it’s like to be a witchy writer of color and how one practice informs the other and vice versa. She gives us a glimpse into her writing process, talking about how she tries to stay open to the magic of possibility, of discovery. It’s all about surrender. (Easier said than done! Hah!) We also talk about the importance of REST - real rest!-- and the work (hah!) required to unlearn our conditioning, to give ourselves permission to REST!
Take a listen to also learn how Lisbeth made the shift into full-time writer after closing her private practice and the learnings she’s gathered in the process. Also! There’s a bonus secret “half episode” at the end. Shhh… haha!
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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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Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half-hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Reading mentioned:
- Tarot Card: The Black Panther
- “Sonnets to Orpheus: Number Two” by Rainer Maria Rilke
“Who we are being already changes the world.” -Leslieann Hobayan
In this episode, I share my thoughts about the pain and suffering that’s happening all around the world, particularly the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
There are a lot of conversations arising on this topic, from what is behind the invasion of Ukraine to neighboring countries opening their borders to refugees. What I’ve noticed is that white folks have been easily welcomed as refugees while brown folks who were also feeling conflict and seeking refuge were being denied entry, often to the point of being beaten down off fences.
In times like this, how can we help? I mean really help? And will our help–whatever that looks like– really make a difference?
I recount the times when I joined demonstrations, marching for what I thought was right, including protesting against the invasion of Iraq after 9/11 and, more recently, the Women’s March in 2017. I talk about how sometimes our actions feel feeble, maybe even * seemingly * useless.
Each of us feels the need to take action, to help shift violence into peace and understanding, and to create balance in the world. But often we wonder: are our actions enough? Is it enough to donate money? To write and call our representatives? To participate in protests? Can BE-ing who we are truly creating the change we need?
Take a listen to discover possibilities to these questions..
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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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Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half-hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle mentioned:
- “The Bag Lady” by Hafiz
- “Vestige” by Michelle Penaloza
In case you missed this great episode with Aaron Banes...
In this episode of Spiritual Grit, we have a special guest, Aaron Banes aka misterwitchboy! He is a gay Filipino-American actor, singer, writer and tarot reader born and raised on the Kingdom of Hawaii. Whether on a stage or in a tarot reading, he sees himself as a storyteller first and foremost. He believes stories help us remember ourselves.
We jumped right into talking about astrology (hello, Mercury & Venus retrograde!) and how that relates to how we are experiencing the world right now in pandemic times. How do we hold ourselves during such uncertainty and volatile change? How can certain practices support us and keep us grounded? We also talked about his upbringing as Christian, how he struggled to be accepted by the people around him, people who believed that being gay was a sin, and about his path to where he is now – fully embracing and remembering who he is at his essence. Also? We dove into the wondrous support of tarot cards!
Listen along to Aaron's story, how he explored deep inner questions, how he broke out towards his freedom, and how tarot supported his evolution.
To find our more about Aaron and book a tarot reading(!), head over to misterwitchboy.com or find him on Instagram @misterwitchboy
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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 mentioned:
“Elephant Wondering” by Hafiz The Wisdom of Your Body (book) by Hillary McBride “Acts of Helplessness” by Rumi
In case you missed this great conversation...
In today's episode, Leslieann talks about Free to Move, a movement workshop for people of color with Rahnee Haskins, and about how crucial it is for folks of color to be in community with each other. How powerful it is to be in a space where you feel like you belong, to be seen for who you are, to let your guard down. To be among your people. You don’t have to explain a thing. You don’t have to apologize for your accent or your thick thighs. You get to be you. That kind of magic is potent! Leslieann shares a few stories from the event to illustrate just how powerful we can be when we come together in community.
Listen in to understand how important it is to create a safe space for people of color and to unravel all of the conditioning that has separated us from our inner knowing.
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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
*
Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
“Sometimes I Say To A Poem” by Hafiz “Nate Brown is Looking For A Moose” By Matthew Olzmann
“There is a time of transition, and it's important for us to honor that, to not rush things.” -Leslieann Hobayan
In this episode, I recall the time I entered college, not knowing what to do with my life. I didn’t know who I was or who I wanted to be or what I wanted to do. The suppression of my true self had gone on so long that I had forgotten. So my path was chosen for me: pre-med student. There’s a running joke (which is not really a joke, but fact) that Asian immigrant parents always want their American-born children to be a doctor, lawyer, or engineer. Their perception was that there was guaranteed financial security in those occupations. And that would lead to success and happiness. In college, I rediscovered who I was and make the decision to shift my identity into something else: an English major.
But what happens when an identity we’re so accustomed to is suddenly no more? Who are we then? What about that in-between space? That transition between the old identity and the new one?
As we move towards the expression of our authentic selves and step into this uncertain in-between space, can we trust? The unknown can create a lot of fear. Can we step into this true version of ourselves and trust that we have our own backs as we move into something new and unfamiliar?
Take a listen to know if we have the space to evolve and grow into whatever new thing coming our way.
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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
*
Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half-hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle mentioned:
- Tarot card reading - Light Seers Tarot Deck by Kris Anne: 7 of Swords
- Tarot card reading - Light Seers Tarot Deck by Kris Anne: Queen of Wands
“Being human has unexpected turns, it has surprises and perfection does not exist” -Leslieann Hobayan
In this episode, I shared how the adults around me told me how to act “appropriately” or behave properly. Little girls didn’t sit with their legs spread or play with boys in the dirt. Anytime I did something “wrong”, I was punished. As a result, my authentic self was suppressed. Growing up as a kid of Asian immigrants, my true self was beaten down into hiding. I obeyed everything they told me to do out of fear. But my authentic self couldn’t stay contained –and chances are, yours can’t either. I found ways to escape the boxes of prim-and-proper through journaling, writing poetry, and small, sometimes unnoticeable rebellious acts. And then my divine self couldn’t take it anymore and bust out of the prison created by ego!
What’s my secret? Take a listen on how you too can shed the prison of other people’s expectations and step into who you already are.
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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
*
Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle mentioned:
- “Dropping Keys” by Hafiz
- “The Same Santan” by Hafiz
This week is all about bringing out your authentic self. As the daughter of Asian immigrants, I grew up in an oppressive environment where I was not permitted to be my true self. It wasn’t safe for me to be Me. I was too much. Too loud. Too rowdy. Not very lady-like. So I tucked away that part of myself, that heart song of myself. After years of deep healing work, I’ve shed layers of the conditioning that has prevented me from shining my light at its fullest.
What if we understood that our light was meant to shine brightly? What if we thought that those who are calling us “too much” only need a little time to adjust their eyes. Like when you flick on a light in a dark room: you squint a bit at first, give your eyes time to adjust and you get to see the whole beautiful room basking in radiance. THAT is what we do when we are BEing our authentic selves!
We are not here to work towards earning anything from other people whether that’s approval or love or gifts, whatever. We are here to be who we are at our essence and to share the gift of us with others.
I invite you to listen along to this episode and take some time to tune in to your beingness. Step into self trust. And sing that chorus of the heart.
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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
*
Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle mentioned:
- “The Chorus In The Eye” by Hafiz
- “It is Unanimous” by Hafiz
“We only have control over who we are being and how we respond to the external stuff. We can only control how we are in relationship with ourselves deep within.” -Leslieann Hobayan
This week is all about living in the space of in betweenness. In this episode, I take a look at how we can move through these ever-changing times and find places to land. In my own life, I’m between residences. I found a landing place at my mom’s house where my daughters and I are staying while we wait for our own space to open up. Living in between is nothing new for me. Being part of the diaspora, I am born into that liminal space. Many, if not all, children of immigrants are familiar with this in-betweenness, where you do not belong in the US nor do you fit in in your parents’ homeland.
Looking for the other side of this in-betweenness, questions arise: when and where are we going to land? What does it look like? Can we also move in such a way that it feels supportive to our physical bodies?
I invite you to listen along to this episode to get curious about these liminal spaces we occupy, the spaces that hold no certainty or landing pads.
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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
*
Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
“With this move, support is really crucial. It helps to work with somebody in clearing the emotional and spiritual spaces and to allow for growth to happen” -Leslieann Hobayan
This week’s episode is all about MOVEMENT. I recently moved out of my house–where I lived for 11 years– and am now ready for big changes and new beginnings. In packing up and sorting through the clutter, I got to see first hand –and literally IN my hands– the growth and evolution of me and my family. This whole process of moving is an apt metaphor for our spiritual growth: What’s taking up space in our life that doesn't need to be there? What relationships are no longer nourishing us? What habits or ways of thinking do we still have that are no longer serving us? Time to take inventory and declutter!
I also talked the importance of having a support system. Getting help with this move from other people was just amazing. Imagine what it feels like to get that kind of support on your spiritual journey. To get support that allows you to feel that you can do anything.
I invite you to listen along to this episode and assess where you are now so that you can get clear on where you are going.
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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
*
Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle mentioned:
- “With That Moon Language” by Hafiz
- Tarot Card from The Wild Messengers Alchemical tarot deck
Happy New Year! In this episode of Spiritual Grit, we have a special guest, Aaron Banes aka misterwitchboy! He is a gay Filipino-American actor, singer, writer and tarot reader born and raised on the Kingdom of Hawaii. Whether on a stage or in a tarot reading, he sees himself as a storyteller first and foremost. He believes stories help us remember ourselves.
We jumped right into talking about astrology (hello, Mercury & Venus retrograde!) and how that relates to how we are experiencing the world right now in pandemic times. How do we hold ourselves during such uncertainty and volatile change? How can certain practices support us and keep us grounded? We also talked about his upbringing as Christian, how he struggled to be accepted by the people around him, people who believed that being gay was a sin, and about his path to where he is now – fully embracing and remembering who he is at his essence. Also? We dove into the wondrous support of tarot cards!
Listen along to Aaron's story, how he explored deep inner questions, how he broke out towards his freedom, and how tarot supported his evolution.
To find our more about Aaron and book a tarot reading(!), head over to misterwitchboy.com or find him on Instagram @misterwitchboy
*
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
*
Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle mentioned:
- “Elephant Wondering” by Hafiz
- The Wisdom of Your Body (book) by Hillary McBride
- “Acts of Helplessness” by Rumi
If you have missed this episode, now's a great time to listen to this one. A very timely episode for this new year, 2022!
“There seems to be no purpose to your meditation if you don’t set the intention” - Leslieann Hobayan
Today's podcast is about intention. Intention is everything -- it is the thing that makes the difference where it allows us to evolve and grow out of our old versions. Ask yourself: Is setting the intention helping you grow? Is it helping you evolve from the place you were when you started? Why sit in meditation if you just end up being in the same place? These are just some questions to ponder.
Listen along to this full episode as we figure out ways to take action for social justice while deep in our spiritual work, how to bridge both of them through the power of intention.
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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 mentioned:
“I saw two birds” by Hafiz “UnAmerican” by Hafizah Geter
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
If you missed this great conversation, now's the time to press that play button and listen to this meaningful and worthy episode.
In today's episode, Leslieann shares about her recent experience in a writing community she’s part of where she offered a program for writers to help them avoid emotional hangover. Then the (white) gatekeepers came for her, demanding she show her credentials, which was really a guise for “who do you think you are?”. This incident is an example of how systemic racism puts high expectations on folks of color, where we have to prove time and again that we are capable and competent human beings. It also highlights the VERY unaware people who reinforce this oppressive system. In the instance of people of color, how many qualifications do we need before it’s enough? Statistically, we usually need way more than our white counterparts. They have one bachelor’s degree? We need two bachelor’s degrees, a few masters degrees and at least one PhD.
And who gets to decide all of this?
So, how do you respond to these kinds of aggressions? Well, it’s all about building nervous system resilience and leaning into self-trust.
Listen in on Leslieann as she shares her own experiences of dealing with these kinds of not-so-obvious racist attacks online and how she dealt with this condescension.
*
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
*
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
“A Root in Each Act and Creature” by Hafiz The Body Keeps the Score - a book by Bessel Van Der Kolk “Easter Sunday” by Shin Yu Pai
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Courses/Exclusive Content Mentioned:
Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
The Story of Joy: https://suryagian.com/subscribe
“One way to fight the system of oppression is to not participate in it. Step away and rest your mind, body and soul.” - Leslieann Hobayan
Today's podcast is about creating spaces for Women of Color. We live in an environment where we experience suffering and pain because of who we are. We feel like we do not belong. Creating safe spaces only for WOCs gives us the opportunity to freely share our experiences. No judgement, no explanation. It’s important to celebrate who we are being, hold each other up, and step into our power. How can communities of WOCs support our healing journey in a world designed to harm us? And how can rest--our rest-- disrupt this system of harm? (Thank you The Nap Ministry for leading the way in rest as rebellion!)
Listen along to the full episode as we strive to step away from oppression and make a safe place for women of color.
*Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
“She Responded” by Hafiz Magical Urbanism by Mike Davis “Dear Puntan” by Craig Santos Perez
Today’s episode is about self awareness and being a work in progress, being better about balancing the doing and the being. Are you doing enough? The whole personal development is a kind of work in itself, a lifelong journey but you have to remind yourself to be gentle. Ask yourself, what is it that you want in your life? Examine what is happening from within. How can we get back to our authentic selves? Listen along to the full episode as we unfold the intention of being self aware.
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Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
“Damn Thirsty” by Hafiz
“Dirt by the Old Creek ” by Preeti Kaur Rajpal The World I Leave You: Asian American Poets on Faith and Spirit
Some folks might have missed this important episode where I talk with Noah Weisman about the problem of so-called gurus who bypass the real issues of today's society, opting to use spirituality as an excuse to not take responsibility for their actions that bring harm to others. One such example is our former teacher Raghunath Cappo. Listen in on our discussion as we try to bring attention to the real work of building an anti-racist society.
For today’s episode, we have a special guest, Noah Weisman. A little bit about him: growing up biracial in the predominantly white communities of Vermont, he began his study of the body and mind through mixed martial arts in 2003. Diving headfirst into the physical, mental and energetic practices, he discovered a wealth of knowledge in the philosophy of yoga and became a certified yoga teacher. He and his wife, Priscilla Rybicki founded Sukha Yoga School in 2015, and continue to offer classes and training all over the world.
In today's conversation, he shares some insights about his racial relationship between his friends/colleagues and social justice. We also talk about the dangers of popular and visible white teachers who fail to see the racism and sexism of their ways, perpetuating the very problem we are trying to solve, including one specific teacher, Ray Cappo. These so-called gurus who bypass their own spiritual teachings only create more harm for communities of color.
Listen along to this full episode to know more about Noah Weisman and how yoga changed his life.
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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
*
Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each LIVE class is just a half-hour. All this week at 1 pm ET. If you can't make the live classes, you'll get the recording to learn a few things in your own time. And don't worry about missing yesterday -- you'll get the recording for that too! Five classes just for $11.11!
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
“Muhammad's Twin” by Hafiz “Where Everything is Music” by Rumi
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
“We are coming to a close of that potent energy that magnified the shifting of our lives, what else needs to be let go of?” - Leslieann Hobayan
As we approach the end of the year, let’s take a look at what worked and what didn’t. I start this episode by consulting my oracle deck and the Autumn card came forward. It’s an invitation to release what’s no longer serving us. What’s holding you back? Is it doubt? Is it fear? Fear of the unfamiliar, of the unknown? Are you willing to release your old identities that you are used to? There is the gap between the familiar and the place where you are called to. You can’t be in two places at once. You have to decide. Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone and take the leap? With the winter solstice approaching and the new calendar year on the horizon, what can you let go in order to create a new chapter in your life?
Listen to this episode to take a look at where you are now and how you can take the leap into the next chapter of your life!
This is the last episode of 2021 as we will take time to rest, recharge, and plan for a stellar 2022! Stay tuned for that! In the meantime, be well, breathe deep, and get groovy with the grit!
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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
*
Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle mentioned:
- Deck by Kyle Gray “Angels and Ancestors”, artwork by Lily Moses
Courses/Exclusive Content Mentioned:
- Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
The Story of Joy: https://suryagian.com/subscribe
“My intention was not to make them accept me, my intention was to be there and have them work to be accepted by me.” - Elise Guadalupe
In today's episode, we have Elise Guadalupe. Elise is an Aerial Yoga Educator. her personal practice is by quieting the mind, making it possible to hear and see one’s real truth. Her teaching style is authentic to who she is as a person, compassionate and straightforward.
In this conversation, l talked with Elise about her yoga journey, how she turned to yoga after the death of her husband after 9/11 when she entered a period of deep grief, sadness, and depression. She shared that yoga was the key for her recovery from the darkest moment of her life. She also told of her journey and struggles of being a black woman from Queens in a predominantly white yoga community in suburban Pennsylvania. We also talked about being childlike in certain ways: being fearless, playful, creative and flexible.
Listen in to this great conversation where two yoga teachers of color share their journey and growth experiences to bring them where they are now.
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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
*
Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “The Body, a Tree” by Hafiz
- Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali, 1.14
- “Black Workers” by Langston Hughes
Courses/Exclusive Content Mentioned:
- Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
The Story of Joy: https://suryagian.com/subscribe
“The deeper you look into your ancestry, you will see both.” - Lisa Factora-Borchers
In today's episode, we have Lisa Factora-Borchers, a Filipinx American writer, activist, and co-publisher of Guernica magazine. She was recognized by Rewire. News as one of the five revolutionary Asian American activists who are leading the fight for reproductive freedom. She is a board member for Zora’s House, an entrepreneurial think tank and haven for women of color, and a political thought leader for OPAWL (Ohio Progressive Asian Women’s Leadership). She cofounded and cofacilitates a healing justice group Feminist Grounding where AAPI women and nonbinary folx reflect upon the intersecting points of identity, trauma, and liberation. Lisa is also the founder of The End Writers Collective, a decolonizing-in-practice community space for BIPOC writers finishing their literary manuscripts.
In this conversation, Leslieann and Lisa talk about what love really is, about Catholicism and indigenous spiritual practices, the friendships that die, and how ancestral inheritance--both trauma AND abundance-- ties it all together. When one’s ancestor survives being a prisoner of war, what is passed down? How can we carry forward the abundance and transmute the trauma into ways that can uplift our descendants?
Listen in to this very rich conversation between two Pinays who live in the Diaspora and understand the world and the idea of home from a “neither here nor there” perspective.
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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
*
Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “I Want Both Of Us” by Hafiz
- “Elegy For A Song Between” by Jennifer Kwon Dobbs
Courses/Exclusive Content Mentioned:
- Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
- The Story of Joy: https://suryagian.com/subscribe
In today's episode, Leslieann talks about Free to Move, a movement workshop for people of color with Rahnee Haskins, and about how crucial it is for folks of color to be in community with each other. How powerful it is to be in a space where you feel like you belong, to be seen for who you are, to let your guard down. To be among your people. You don’t have to explain a thing. You don’t have to apologize for your accent or your thick thighs. You get to be you. That kind of magic is potent! Leslieann shares a few stories from the event to illustrate just how powerful we can be when we come together in community.
Listen in to understand how important it is to create a safe space for people of color and to unravel all of the conditioning that has separated us from our inner knowing.
*
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
*
Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Sometimes I Say To A Poem” by Hafiz
- “Nate Brown is Looking For A Moose” By Matthew Olzmann
Courses/Exclusive Content Mentioned:
- Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
- The Story of Joy: https://suryagian.com/subscribe
In today's episode, Leslieann shares about her recent experience in a writing community she’s part of where she offered a program for writers to help them avoid emotional hangover. Then the (white) gatekeepers came for her, demanding she show her credentials, which was really a guise for “who do you think you are?”. This incident is an example of how systemic racism puts high expectations on folks of color, where we have to prove time and again that we are capable and competent human beings. It also highlights the VERY unaware people who reinforce this oppressive system. In the instance of people of color, how many qualifications do we need before it’s enough? Statistically, we usually need way more than our white counterparts. They have one bachelor’s degree? We need two bachelor’s degrees, a few masters degrees and at least one PhD.
And who gets to decide all of this?
So, how do you respond to these kinds of aggressions? Well, it’s all about building nervous system resilience and leaning into self-trust.
Listen in on Leslieann as she shares her own experiences of dealing with these kinds of not-so-obvious racist attacks online and how she dealt with this condescension.
*
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
*
Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “A Root in Each Act and Creature” by Hafiz
- The Body Keeps the Score - a book by Bessel Van Der Kolk
- “Easter Sunday” by Shin Yu Pai
Courses/Exclusive Content Mentioned:
- Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
The Story of Joy: https://suryagian.com/subscribe
“We forget who we are. We are love made manifest.” - Leslieann Hobayan
In today's episode, Leslieann talks about joy and trying to find it in the middle of an argument or struggle. At our core, we are all divine light but because of the conditioning we received as children, we’ve forgotten about that light. So many messages from our external world tell us that who we are is wrong. So many expectations are placed on us to perform as people we are not. As a result, out of protection, we hide our true selves. And if trauma enters the picture, it’s that much harder to find our innermost selves. Can we tap into the joy of our essence? Can we radiate out the very being-ness of ourselves so that others might be inspired? And more importantly, HOW can we do this?
Listen in on Leslieann as she shares her own experiences of dealing with the layers of conditioning and expectation to excel on things that she was expected to do while suppressing her true Self. Also, learn how to find and live with Joy.
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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
*
Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Two Giant Fat People” by Hafiz
- “The Music” by Rumi
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
- Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
- The Story of Joy: https://suryagian.com/subscribe
“It's important for each person to find their own way of connecting beyond our current reality.” - Kazim Ali
Welcome to another episode of Spiritual Grit Podcast!
In today's episode, I have a very special guest, Kazim Ali! Kazim was born in the United Kingdom and has lived transnationally in the United States, Canada, India, France, and the Middle East. His books encompass multiple genres and he is also an accomplished translator of Marguerite Duras, Sohrab Sepehri, Ananda Devi, Mahmoud Chokrollahi and others, and an editor of several anthologies and books of criticism. In this conversation, we talked about how books including the bible were being translated differently, depending on the agenda of those in power since access to sacred texts were usually controlled by the authority. Ultimately, it is our personal conversation with sacred text that guides us through life… a kind of choose-your-own-adventure journey. Speaking of which, Kazim also talks about what inspired him to write his newest book, The Citadel of Whisperers, an actual choose-your-own-adventure book!
Listen in on Leslieann and Kazim’s chat about a wide range of topics, including the importance of our conversation with texts, sacred or otherwise.
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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
*
Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Burglars Hears Watchdogs” by Hafiz
- “Recite” by Kazim Ali
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
- Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
“Interpretation evolves. It changes with the people who are changing.” - Leslieann Hobayan
Welcome to another episode of Spiritual Grit Podcast!
In today's episode, I talk about my recent Catholic mass experience (thankfully I attended virtually for reasons you’ll soon find out). The new priest gave his homily, stating his beliefs plain and simple: marriage which is for only a man and woman only; being gay/homosexual is a sin; divorce is also a sin. He really jammed all the hot button issues into one foaming-at-the-mouth speech. There was no nuance, no room for discussion. Needless to say, it felt abusive and I was activated. This experience raises the question: what is the role of religions like Catholicism in a world that is quickly evolving to show that it doesn’t matter what religion you practice, but how you love? What is the role of the old stodgy dogma of Roman Catholicism--which feels very distant from Jesus’s message of love-- in this rapidly-changing 21st century ? Are practices like Catholicism useful in spiritual growth? In our overall evolution?
Listen along to this full episode to learn more about how I continue to be disappointed (but, unfortunately not surprised) by the American Catholic Church.
Original Translation of Homosexuality reference: https://um-insight.net/perspectives/has-“homosexual”-always-been-in-the-bible/
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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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Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each recorded class is just a half hour. Five classes to create self-awareness and inner peace-- for just $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Trying to Wear Pants” by Hafiz
- “Easter Bonifacio High Street” by Joseph Legaspi
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
- Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
“Yoga in itself through self-reflection, you’re also able to learn other people as well and to put yourself in their shoes.” - Noah Weisman
Welcome to another episode of Spiritual Grit Podcast! For today’s episode, we have a special guest, Noah Weisman. A little bit about him: growing up biracial in the predominantly white communities of Vermont, he began his study of the body and mind through mixed martial arts in 2003. Diving headfirst into the physical, mental and energetic practices, he discovered a wealth of knowledge in the philosophy of yoga and became a certified yoga teacher. He and his wife, Priscilla Rybicki founded Sukha Yoga School in 2015, and continue to offer classes and training all over the world.
In today's conversation, he shares some insights about his racial relationship between his friends/colleagues and social justice. We also talk about the dangers of popular and visible white teachers who fail to see the racism and sexism of their ways, perpetuating the very problem we are trying to solve, including one specific teacher, Ray Cappo. These so-called gurus who bypass their own spiritual teachings only create more harm for communities of color.
Listen along to this full episode to know more about Noah Weisman and how yoga changed his life.
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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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Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each LIVE class is just a half-hour. All this week at 1 pm ET. If you can't make the live classes, you'll get the recording to learn a few things in your own time. And don't worry about missing yesterday -- you'll get the recording for that too! Five classes just for $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Muhammad's Twin” by Hafiz
- “Where Everything is Music” by Rumi
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
- Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
“There seems to be no purpose to your meditation if you don’t set the intention” - Leslieann Hobayan
Welcome to Spiritual Grit Podcast! New name, new logo but same topics, with just a little more edge.
Today's podcast is about intention. Intention is everything -- it is the thing that makes the difference where it allows us to evolve and grow out of our old versions. Ask yourself: Is setting the intention helping you grow? Is it helping you evolve from the place you were when you started? Why sit in meditation if you just end up being in the same place? These are just some questions to ponder.
Listen along to this full episode as we figure out ways to take action for social justice while deep in our spiritual work, how to bridge both of them through the power of intention.
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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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Sign up for Joyful Meditation, a 5-part introductory series to meditation. Each LIVE class is just a half hour. All this week at 1pm ET. If you can't make the live classes, you'll get the recording to learn a few things in your own time. And don't worry about missing yesterday -- you'll get the recording for that too! Five classes just for $11.11!
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “I saw two birds” by Hafiz
- “UnAmerican” by Hafizah Geter
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
- Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation
“One way to fight the system of oppression is to not participate in it. Step away and rest your mind, body and soul.” - Leslieann Hobayan
Today's podcast is about creating spaces for Women of Color. We live in an environment where we experience suffering and pain because of who we are. We feel like we do not belong. Creating safe spaces only for WOCs gives us the opportunity to freely share our experiences. No judgement, no explanation. It’s important to celebrate who we are being, hold each other up, and step into our power. How can communities of WOCs support our healing journey in a world designed to harm us? And how can rest--our rest-- disrupt this system of harm? (Thank you The Nap Ministry for leading the way in rest as rebellion!)
Listen along to the full episode as we strive to step away from oppression and make a safe place for women of color.
*Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “She Responded” by Hafiz
- Magical Urbanism by Mike Davis
- “Dear Puntan” by Craig Santos Perez
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
- Brown Girls Breathing : https://suryagian.com/brown-girls-breathing
“We are born perfect. We are living our own human design before conditioning starts” - Leslieann Hobayan
Today's podcast is about practicing devotion and sacred action in your everyday life. In this episode, you will learn that everything is a learning experience. This is our journey: to continually learn lessons to become better human beings and more connected with each other. How can you use devotion as a practice to being present in your life? How can you keep the everyday sacred? Self-awareness is a part of the process. Leslieann offers ways to evolve, dive deeper, and grow spiritually in our daily lives.
Listen along to the full episode as we set the intention to peel all the layers and to get down to who we are at our essence.
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Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Like Passionate Lips” by Hafiz
Today’s episode is about self awareness and being a work in progress, being better about balancing the doing and the being. Are you doing enough? The whole personal development is a kind of work in itself, a lifelong journey but you have to remind yourself to be gentle. Ask yourself, what is it that you want in your life? Examine what is happening from within. How can we get back to our authentic selves? Listen along to the full episode as we unfold the intention of being self aware.
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Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Damn Thirsty” by Hafiz
“Dirt by the Old Creek ” by Preeti Kaur Rajpal The World I Leave You: Asian American Poets on Faith and Spirit
In this Best of Vinyasa in Verse podcast episode, we will take a look at the experiences we went through that gave us some valuable lessons. Life is unpredictable and each day is not promised, something that most people are really being made aware of now in these pandemic times. // Lessons are all around. Sometimes we learn them right away, other times we don't. But all are made to help us grow. // We all have this divine light within us. // People come and go but they come into our lives bearing the gift of life lessons. // You have the power to choose how to respond to things that are not within your control. The only thing you have in control of is your response to things, your mindset. // Accepting the things we cannot control and learning from them is really powerful. Remember to be grateful for whatever or whoever comes because each has sent as a guide from beyond. // When you're thinking about your humanness as a guest house, to allow for the experiences to flow through you, learn whatever lessons you need to learn, and then continue on where you left off. Continue forward in your journey and experience the growth as uncomfortable as it may seem. // Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @suryagianyogi
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
“The Guest House” by Rumi
“Owl at Home” by Arnold Lobel
“She Responded” by Hafiz
In today’s episode, I am joined by Ruth Forman, an acclaimed poet, writing mentor to many, and author of children’s literature. Her most recent children’s books are Curls and Glow from Simon & Schuster. We talked about ways in which we can connect with ourselves, including saying a prayer in the morning when you wake up, and how the connection with nature is so essential to our nourishment. // Remember to just give yourself a little bit of time to write and let the divine just come through. // Give yourself space to respond to others because it speaks to your own practice of staying connected to yourself. // Talking to somebody doesn't necessarily change their behavior or their thinking, but the example you set, by staying connected to the power within yourself, can create change in people’s lives.// Connect with the divine in our own ways. // Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
“The Sky Hunter” by Hafiz
We Are The Young Magicians (poetry book) by Ruth Forman
“The Vintage Man” by Hafiz
“May You Take Your Pen In Your Hands and Never Stop Writing” by Ruth Forman
In this week's Best of Vinyasa in Verse, I had a talk with one of my favorite people and oldest friends, Ross Gay, award-winner poet, professor at Indiana University, baller, gardener, and all-around big-hearted human. We were poetry babies together in college with Lee Upton, poet and professor extraordinaire, as our poetry mama (Ross mentions her here). We talk about the practice of poetry and presence, about being part of a collective (both physically as people and spiritually), and how to “unfix” a poem. We also explore how we hold each other’s memories and minds, that what constitutes our minds are held, not just by us, but also by others (enter the story of Negative Nelly and Positive Polly - haha!). People, this conversation was so much fun! You GOTTA listen! (We might even do a Part 2!) Also, he mentions a few folks I’d like to identify: Pat is NJ-based poet, Patrick Rosal. Nora is a CA-based writer and editor, Nora Issacs.
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Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
“That tree we planted” by Hafiz
The Wisdom of No Escape (book) by Pema Chodron
“To the Young Who Wants to Die” by Gwendolyn Brooks
“Where does my belief in divination tools come from?” - Leslieann Hobayan
Today’s episode is about magic in relation to healing. How does magic play a role in healing? How do you connect with your inner self? By divination tools? Meditation? What can magic reveal about ourselves? Relatedly, how can our relationship with these tools inform us about limiting beliefs we hold that we may not have been aware of? Examining the origins of our belief systems is key to permanent healing.
Listen along to the full episode as we incorporate some play into our healing work.
WRITING MAGIC - A CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP
I've got a FREE creative writing workshop for women of color happening THIS THURSDAY at 12pm ET! All levels are welcome. You don't have to be a writer! Just someone who's curious about creativity and magic and inspiration and expression! :D
WRITING MAGIC is a generative workshop to tap into otherworldly inspiration (aka magic!) for insight into our inner creativity.
Come play with us! Sign up here: https://suryagian.com/writing-magic
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WITCHY WRITERS membership doors are closing!
It's your last chance to join our magical community of women/femme writers of color this year! We've got all sorts of delights in there! First and foremost, a community of support and accountability! Working on a project? We'll hold you to your goals. Starting something new? We'll cheer you on! The bonus stuff? New moon sacred circles. Weekly tarot-inspired writing prompts. Monthly coaching calls around your writing projects and personal development. AND to close out this year, we'll be doing some work with the elements! Four months left to the year (what?? yikes!) and four elements to call in for support in our writing! Omg I can't wait! Join TODAY! Doors close on Friday August 13th (lucky number 13!!!) and won't open again until January 2021 with a rate increase ($97/mo).
If you join us before the 13th, you lock in 2021 rates for as long as you're a member in good standing ($47/mo. Pay annual rate & save!).
https://suryagian.com/witchy-writers
Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “We might have to medicate you” by Hafiz
- “The Burning Monk” by Shin Yu Pai
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
- WITCHY WRITERS MEMBERSHIP: https://suryagian.com/witchy-writers
- WRITING MAGIC - A CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP - https://suryagian.com/writing-magic
“Listen to your heart, to your gut, your inner knowing and your instinct. Look for teachers, but always know that YOU ARE the teacher.” - Leslieann Hobayan
Today’s episode is about how we personally interact with our educators. How do you connect with them? Is there any chemistry?
It is important to be in integrity with who you are, who you want to be, who you need to be, and who you look up to. People seek more and wonder if there is more to life. We see things that can unfold right before our eyes and are curious about what lies ahead. What can we do as seekers that prevent us from falling into blind devotion to another person?
Listen along as we seek the connection and chemistry of who you are seeking guidance from.
WITCHY WRITERS membership doors are closing!
It's your last chance to join our magical community of women/femme writers of color this year! We've got all sorts of delights in there! First and foremost, a community of support and accountability! Working on a project? We'll hold you to your goals. Starting something new? We'll cheer you on! The bonus stuff? New moon sacred circles. Weekly tarot-inspired writing prompts. Monthly coaching calls around your writing projects and personal development. AND to close out this year, we'll be doing some work with the elements! Four months left to the year (what?? yikes!) and four elements to call in for support in our writing! Omg I can't wait! Join TODAY! Doors close on Friday August 13th (lucky number 13!!!) and won't open again until January 2021 with a rate increase ($97/mo).
If you join us before the 13th, you lock in 2021 rates for as long as you're a member in good standing ($47/mo. Pay annual rate & save!).
https://suryagian.com/witchy-writers
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Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Tired by speaking sweetly” by Hafiz
- “The Patron Saint of Bingo” by Craig Santos Perez
- How to be an Anti-Racist by Ibrahim x. Kendi
- Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
- WITCHY WRITERS MEMBERSHIP: https://suryagian.com/witchy-writers
“Enjoy life and if you feel guilty doing it, do it anyway. You deserve a rest.” - Leslieann Hobayan
Today’s episode is about going after that “American Dream”, one of success and riches. As immigrants and people of color, we’re told that we need to hustle in order to get there. Are you hustling hard to make it and chase the American dream? Are you a woman of color living an exhausting life?
This episode takes a look at how we, women of color are conditioned to do things above and beyond our “normal” capacity. The idea of proving your worth, asking for acknowledgment, working so hard to earn your keep is a never-ending cycle. We seek approval to assure us that we belong because as marginalized people, we are given the messages that we are less than, that we don’t matter. If we “belonged”, then maybe we would finally be worthy. When will we learn that our worth is already inherent just by BEING? I’m also curious to know: does this exist in other countries?
Listen along as we learn how to create space in our life for small moments of rest.
POP UP PODCAST: DITCH IMPOSTOR SYNDROME AND FEEL FREEDOM
Subscribe to my private pop-up podcast Ditch Impostor Syndrome and Feel Freedom to learn more! But hurry! This pop-up is going away after Friday, July 30th!
Sign up here: https://bit.ly/3hOUbES
JOIN THE WITCHY WRITERS MEMBERSHIP!
Looking for a community of women writers of color to help you stay on the writing track? Looking for accountability? Are you also seeking ways to get back to practicing your magic? To infusing tarot and astrology into your writing practices? Then look no further! In Witchy Writers, we meet monthly for group coaching calls to address any writing trouble spots or mental blocks. There’s also a monthly new moon sacred circle where we practice ritual to support our projects as well as ourselves. You also get a weekly tarot-inspired writing prompt. Join this amazing magical group of women today!
https://suryagian.com/witchy-writers
Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “I have learned so much” by Hafiz
- Excerpt from the book “Be Holding” by Ross Gay
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
- POP UP PODCAST: DITCH IMPOSTOR SYNDROME AND FEEL FREEDOM: https://bit.ly/3hOUbES
- WITCHY WRITERS MEMBERSHIP: https://suryagian.com/witchy-writers
“Trauma shows up in different ways. It shows up in more undercover ways-- more than we expect” - Leslieann Hobayan
Today’s episode is about trauma. I take a look at how trauma occurs, how it gets stuck in the loop within our body, how we push through with it (which is not necessarily the best thing), and what steps we can take to overcome it. I also shared the differences between trauma from physical experiences to those of psychological damage. How is impostor syndrome connected to trauma? What are other ways that trauma shows up in our lives?
Then the next question is: how will you cope living with it?
Listen along as we get to the bottom of being stuck in trauma cycles.
POP UP PODCAST: DITCH IMPOSTOR SYNDROME AND FEEL FREEDOM
Subscribe to my private pop-up podcast Ditch Impostor Syndrome and Feel Freedom to learn more!
Sign up here: https://bit.ly/3hOUbES
Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Like Passionate Lips” by Hafiz
- “Postcolonial love” by Natalie Diaz
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
- POP UP PODCAST: DITCH IMPOSTOR SYNDROME AND FEEL FREEDOM: https://bit.ly/3hOUbES
Today’s episode is about SELF DOUBT. I take a look at how it plays a role in who we are and who we are being. It feeds impostor syndrome, which keeps us hiding and living small. Too many of us allow it to take over our life. Is this the life you want to live? Yes, most of us have experienced self-doubt at some point in our lives, but how we deal with it, how we cope with it, and how we might let go of it quickly can give us confidence in whatever we do.
Listen along as we unravel the cause and effect of having self-doubt.
QUEEN UP!
Ditch Imposter Syndrome And Rule Your World!
A special VIP day with me to help you Queen the eff UP! And be rid of impostor syndrome once and for all! Want in on it? Check out details thru the link in bio. Only 6 spots are available. Bookings in July and August. Doors close 7/22.
Sign up here: https://www.suryagian.com/queen-up
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Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “God's Bucket” by Hafiz
- Color - Tarot Cards
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
- Queen Up! Ditch Imposter Syndrome and Rule the World: https://www.suryagian.com/queen-up
“Are our minds resting or are they being distracted by other things?” - Leslieann Hobayan
Today’s episode is about what it means to rest and to go on a retreat. What are your perceptions or expectations when you hear the word 'Retreat'? Is there a schedule full of yoga and hiking? How important is it to rest and reset? We live in a culture and society where there's a lot of focus on DOing in order to be considered a contributing member of the society. You are expected to produce something, but what would it look like if you put REST as a top priority? What does it look like to simply BE?
Listen along as we unfold the ideas on how you can totally rest while on a retreat.
WRITE IN RITUAL Retreat is approaching fast! Thursday, July 29th-Sunday August 1st. Sign up today! Spots are limited. Join me for some time to rest and reset so that you can get clear on your writing, on what you want to create for the second half of the year.
More info and registration is here: https://suryagian.com/write-in-ritual-retreat
Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Everywhere” by Hafiz
- Nine of Wands - Tarot Cards
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
- Write-In Ritual Retreat: https://suryagian.com/write-in-ritual
“We see the wound, we see how it got there, now the next thing to ask is how do I heal the wound, how do I stitch it up?” - Leslieann Hobayan
Today’s episode is centered around racial trauma. What does it look like? How does it show up in our lives? How are we affected by the deeply ingrained racism of today’s society? For many of us, people-pleasing or looming fears can be the results of this trauma. We can see it in the small acts of racism many people of color are subjected to daily, and we can see it in the long-term mindsets that we carry as the result of feeling the need to prove that we are equal. Listen along as we discuss how racial trauma is translated into our lives and how we can begin to acknowledge and heal through awareness.
WRITE IN RITUAL Retreat is approaching fast! Thursday, July 29th-Sunday August 1st. Sign up today! Spots are limited. Join me for some time to rest and reset so that you can get clear on your writing, on what you want to create for the second half of the year. More info and registration is here: https://suryagian.com/write-in-ritual-retreat
Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “With That Moon Language” by Hafiz
- We Should All Be Millionaires: A Woman's Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power by Rachel Rodgers
- “Prayer for the Newly Damned” by Ocean Vuong (part of a collection called “The World I Leave You: Asian American Poets on Faith and Spirit
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
- Write-In Ritual Retreat: https://suryagian.com/write-in-ritual
“Intuition is our hotline to the divine. ”- Leslieann Hobayan
In this episode, Leslieann talks about intuition. It’s not always readily accessible for a lot of people. Why? Because we’ve been conditioned to look for answers externally. When our intuition speaks to us, the external world tells us it’s crazy, illogical, unreasonable, irrational. And as children, we want to be safe, so we listen to the adults. We trust them to guide us. This is how the layers of conditioning begin to muffle our intuitive voices. Listen in on how we might start to peel away those layers and get to the heart of our inner wisdom, our intuition.
WRITE IN RITUAL Retreat is approaching fast! Thursday, July 29th-Sunday August 1st. Sign up today! Spots are limited. Join me for some time to rest and reset so that you can get clear on your writing, on what you want to create for the second half of the year. More info and registration is here: https://suryagian.com/write-in-ritual-retreat
Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Mismatched Newlyweds” by Hafiz
- “Allegory for Family Members” by Duy Doan (part of a collection called “The World I Leave You: Asian American Poets on Faith and Spirit
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
- “Don’t Should On Me T-Shirt” - https://www.etsy.com/shop/moonandmanifest
- Write-In Ritual Retreat: https://suryagian.com/write-in-ritual
“If you don't take care of yourself, no one is, there is no one else who is going to take care of you except you.”- Leslieann Hobayan
In this episode, we are asked to be reminded that we are spirit souls having a human experience and that we are here for a purpose.// Be mindful of how you use your energy. Yuu don't want to give your energy away to a drain. Ask yourself: does this nourish me? // Boundaries. What are boundaries? How can we think about setting boundaries for ourselves that help us keep our integrity in alignment?// Sometimes you need to say no to others in order to say yes to yourself. // When you set boundaries, people will actually respect you. It may feel counterintuitive based on how you've been conditioned, but people will respect you. It's about enforcing the integrity of respect for your space and who you are as a human being. // In order to follow your dharma, to live your life's purpose, it's important for you to care for yourself. This includes setting strong boundaries and understanding that when you are your best self, others will follow your lead.
MAGIC YOUR BOOK (AND MINDSET!) VIP DAY! - This is a special VIP Day where you get to work one-on-one with me to get clarity on your vision, release limiting beliefs (which feeds fear), break the curse of imposter syndrome, and get you on your way to finishing your book!
Don't have a full manuscript yet? That's okay! I can help you use your inner knowing and Human Design like a divination rod to tap into the flow of your creativity to help birth that writing into a fully realized book! This is a special offer with limited spaces so don't delay! More info and book a session here: https://suryagian.com/magic-your-book
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Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “A Strange Feather” by Hafiz
- “Elephant God” by Vandana Khanna
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
Magic your Book VIP Day! - https://suryagian.com/magic-your-book
“Truth is who you are at your very essence - at your core” - Leslieann Hobayan
Today, I’m talking about identity. In this episode, I explore the layers of identity and of coming back to your own self - returning to your truest self. // How people perceive us as an idea of who THEY think we are. They already have this projection that has affected us in some ways even though it's not true. // Sat Nam is a mantra that means truth is your essence. “Sat” means truth. “Nam” mean name. You are declaring your truth, who you are at your core. Come to understand that the essence of you, the life force within you is just that: truth. It is LOVE. // Now, how do you go back to your truth, your essence while being in this three-dimensional experience, this human body and not lose sight?// Having a deeper connection with your intuition - your inner knowing, your connection. That leads to flow, to alignment. // How we are conditioned to think that “success” is a planned path for your life steers us away from having a “LIFE” -- life that has a purpose, has an intention, has learning, a life that we can have a memorable experience and something to live for and to live about.// “Imposter Syndrome”? This is an idea that we are not good enough or not up to par with other people’s perceptions and expectations of what we are supposed to be doing. // If you listen deep down in your heart, in your soul and your intuition, that inner knowing will guide you. //
BREAK THE CURSE OF IMPOSTER SYNDROME - an exclusive VIP Day! Join me for a special one-on-one experience to finally break free of the curse of Imposter Syndrome! Details will be revealed June 14, 2021! Get on the waitlist to be first notified!
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Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “This Sane Idea” by Hafiz
- “Dropping Keys” by Hafiz
Membership(s)/Retreat(s) Mentioned:
- Witchy Writers: https://suryagian.com/witchy-writers
- Write in Ritual: https://suryagian.com/write-in-ritual-retreat
“If you’re a mess, how can you help others? In what way can you help others at all?”- Ira Sukrungruang
For this week’s podcast episode, I talk with Ira Sukrungruang, poet, writer, and creative writing professor at Kenyon College and a former Buddhist monk. We talk about “striving for nirvana first” before we can help others get to enlightenment. It’s another way of saying “put your own mask on before assisting others.” This striving includes self-examination, looking at how our language was formed and informed, at how we express ourselves, at how we respond (or react) to external events.
Some of the things that came up in our conversation:
- race relations: the rise in awareness around racism and white supremacy but in particular, the relationship between Black and AAPI communities
- cultivating of the skill of deeper listening
- self-awareness - why we need it and what to do with it once we have it
- being fully present in your body, something we take for granted
- communication: where language is formed and how it plays a role beyond just talking to each other.
- and of course, writing! All the things about writing!
Ira is the author of four nonfiction books, including the forthcoming memoir, This Jade World; the short story collection The Melting Season; and the poetry collection In Thailand It Is Night. He is the recipient of many awards, including the 2015 American Book Award and the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Nonfiction Literature. He is one of the founding editors of Sweet: A Literary Confection (sweetlit.com), and is a creative writing professor at Kenyon College.
Introducing the Witchy Writerscollective! In this membership, you'll not only be part of an amazing community of women of color, but you'll also get weekly tarot-inspired writing prompts to help jump-start the creative juices or get you out of any stuck-ness in your writing. AND you'll get to participate in monthly new moon sacred circles and receive guidance in monthly group coaching calls. Become a member now!
Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Forgive the Dream” by Hafiz
- “A Small Needful Fact” by Ross Gay
Membership(s) Mentioned:
- Witchy Writers: https://suryagian.com/witchy-writers
“Loosen up and just not have answers sometimes to feel through things.”- Su Hwang
I’m so excited! Today I have a very special guest, Su Hwang! Su Hwang is a poet, activist, stargazer, and the author of Bodega (Milkweed Editions), which received the 2020 Minnesota Book Award in poetry and was named a finalist for the 2021 Kate Tufts Discovery Award. She is a teaching artist with the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop AND recently completed her first year studying Hellenistic astrology!
This is a great conversation about poetry, the cosmos, astrology, and how they can come together! Here are some highlights of what we have covered in this latest podcast episode:
-Struggles with the idea of spirituality versus religion
-How Su started to have an interest in astrology
-The process of getting to know herself better during this pandemic
-both of us sharing our journeys on how we ended up where we are now
-how this past year has affected and influenced her writing and writing process
...and a lot more! Make sure to head on to your favorite podcasting app and listen to the full episode!
Introducing the Witchy Writerscollective! In this membership, you'll not only be part of an amazing community of women of color, but you'll also get weekly tarot-inspired writing prompts to help jump-start the creative juices or get you out of any stuckiness in your writing. AND you'll get to participate in monthly new moon sacred circles and receive guidance in monthly group coaching calls. Be a member now!
Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Dividing God” by Hafiz
- “Graveyard Shift” by Su Hwang
Membership(s) Mentioned:
- Witchy Writers: https://suryagian.com/witchy-writers
About the guest:
Su Hwang is a poet, activist, stargazer, and the author of Bodega (Milkweed Editions), which received the 2020 Minnesota Book Award in poetry and was named a finalist for the 2021 Kate Tufts Discovery Award. Born in Seoul, Korea, she was raised in New York then called the Bay Area home before transplanting to the Midwest. She is a teaching artist with the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop and is the cofounder, with poet Sun Yung Shin, of Poetry Asylum. Su currently lives in Minneapolis.
We interrupt our usual programming to bring you a special episode I just recorded late last night. With the escalating violence in Palestine, I felt the urgency to speak about it. All day, I had felt heavy, like an anchor, and couldn’t figure out why. Then, it hit me. I could sense the grief and pain -- it’s so palpable. In this episode, I reiterate that spirituality and activism are NOT mutually exclusive. They go hand-in-hand. I also call on folks to take a stand, to take inspired action to end the violence. We need to focus on peoplecare --truly caring for each other, even if we disagree (or not even like each other!). What might a world like that look like? A world where we could practice genuine peoplecare?
Call your Congresspeople and tell them to stop Biden’s $735 million arms deal with Israel. We refuse to be an accomplice to the genocide of Palestinian peoples. And that money can be used to fix our healthcare system and help solve so many more of our own problems. Doing nothing makes you complicit in the violence.
Resources to help free Palestine: https://savepalestine.carrd.co
#freepalestine #takeaction #activism #inspiredactivism #stopgenocide #aapiinsolidarity #speakup #dosomething #spiritualityandactivism #peoplecare #permaculture #suryagian #leslieannhobayan
In this episode, I talked about Being vs Doing. // It's hard to stay vigilant about BEING versus DOING because DOING is very much part of the machine that we are in. // Society puts expectations on us to keep DOING in order to feel like we’re contributing, that we’re doing our part of participate as a member of this construct. With awareness, we can pay attention to the decisions we make on autopilot, decisions we make to please others. What might happen if we were more intention with our decisions? If we were more intentional with our BEING? // I also talked about how challenging it is for us spirits-souls to have human experiences if we're not even aware of the patterns we have and the constructs we line in, so we end up living challenging lives (or boring ones!) until we start to wake up. // Creating awareness to tune in to discern between your inner voice and your Ego takes a lot of practice. // Where is your story coming from? Who gave you this story? Is this the story that you believe? Is this true for you? From these questions, you will start to notice the underpinnings of how you act and how you behave. // Tapping into you intuition takes practice. Why do this? You can use it as a way to make decisions that serve your highest good. // My program, Heal to Power, helps you, a woman of color, move from exhaustion, insecurity, and emotional hangover to empowered writer with kick-ass resilience. Over the span of 8 weeks, you’ll learn how to release fear and anger, loosen up blocks, and begin to heal your traumas so that your creativity can flow freely! Get on the waitlist to be the first notified when registration doors open NEXT WEEK!// Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan//
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “The Same Suntan” by Hafiz
- “Migratory Daughter” by Kenji C. Lu
Course(s) Mentioned:
- Heal to Power: https://suryagian.com/heal-to-power-waitlist
“I have to be realistic in the way things are presented and how things are going to be seen” - Rahnee Haskins
In this special episode of Vinyasa in Verse, I have the amazing Rahnee Haskins. He began practicing yoga in 2015 after a work injury that did not allow him to participate in his favorite physical hobbies such as running, hiking, and biking. Before practicing yoga, Rahnee practiced meditation and mindfulness using this to balance work life, home, and graduate school. Rahnee is a humble gentle giant with a big heart. When in his presence, he makes you feel calm and safe. He is a true humanitarian helping and showing compassion to those in need when he can because he loves all beings big, small, and in between.
In this episode, he made a distinction between different identities or roles that he might play within the community, family, neighborhood, etc. This brought up a discussion about identity. // He said that all the hats he wears are part of his whole being - the interconnectedness of being a father, a husband, a counselor, and even as a yoga teacher. // He also talked about what it was like growing up, not really aware of being “different” as a Black man. Using the example of a recent job search, he talked about what it means to be Black and how to navigate the world in this way. // We also discussed how yoga as a whole way of BEing (not just the asana practice) has helped both of us as people of color living in a racist society. // You can find Rahnee teaching yoga at Onyx Yoga Studio in Warren, NJ, and online! Check out the link below. // Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan//
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Imagination does not exist” by Hafiz
- “There are things I can't force. I must adjust. There are times when the greatest change needed is a change of my viewpoint.” - Denis Diderot
Links Mentioned:
Rahnee Haskins Website: https://www.mindbodyonline.com/explore/fitness/instructors/rahnee-haskins
Another Asian elder has been attacked in NYC. In this episode, I talk a little bit about the invisible systems in place that uphold white supremacy with regard to this latest attack on the AAPI community. I also invite folks to take a look at our relationship with our elders, the respect and reverence that is missing. // There are a lot of ways to take action to fight racism and other social issues: protests, running for an office in your local town council, signing petitions, and sending donations to non-profit organizations to name a few. But, ALSO are there steps that we can take that are less visible, steps that feel safer for some? Yes, here’s one option: to focus on yourself. // Work on who you are and who you are being. It is important to take care of yourself; inner work can heal your trauma. You can learn to recognize your behavior patterns, acknowledge your habits that are harmful, and revise them so that you can live the life you desire.// How can one live your best life despite the not-so-happy happenings around us? Each of us is put on this earth individually to follow a certain calling - your Dharma. What is your Dharma? What is your duty? What is your life's purpose? // Everyone has a very specific life’s purpose. Some may have more visible callings that might change the world. Others’ purposes can be simple and small, affecting those in their families or immediate communities. It doesn’t matter. It all counts. // Join me on Tuesday, May 4th, 7-9 pm ET for Write to Heal, a workshop for women of color, where we use the magic of stories to begin healing. It’s a space for you to just BE. To be seen and to be heard. Register at https://suryagian.com/write-to-heal// Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan//
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “The Hatcheck Girl” by Hafiz
- “Ghazal For The Lost” by Faisal Mohyuddin
Courses Mentioned:
- Heal to Power: https://www.suryagian.com/heal-to-power-waitlist
How are you going to be intentional in your life? // Everyone is meant to be their whole selves. Most of the time, we shift and adjust ourselves to be a version that we think is going to be accepted and to be loved so we can feel like we belong. This is where less obvious trauma sets in. How to address these traumas? Build resilience. // All bodies are different. All souls are different. Every action we take is going to look different from what another does. But if we follow our heart and our life’s purpose, the results will be the same: one of love and belongingness. // Most of our beingness is in our subconscious. Awareness can bring forward those subconscious thoughts to the conscious mind. From here, we can make better choices. // When we are inspired, we can act from a place of empowerment. We feel confident. // It’s important for us to follow our own individual callings so that we can create a beautiful orchestra of life… or a kickass gymnastics team! // Mimicry into mastery: it’s okay to mimic the people who inspire us. Often, they are a mirror of who we already are and what we already have within us. We can use them as a model to follow until we master what it is that we're meant to do. // Our heart is a compass through the life that we're living. // Join me on Tuesday, May 4th 7-9pm ET for Write to Heal, a healing space for women of color, a space for you to just BE. To feel cared for, to be held. To be seen and to be heard. Register at https://suryagian.com/write-to-power // Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan//
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “A Great Need” by Hafiz
- “Disbelief” by W. Todd Kaneko
Programs Mentioned:
Heal to Power: https://www.suryagian.com/heal-to-power-waitlist
In this special “Best of” series of Vinyasa in Verse, I’m highlighting some episodes that recap a crazy year full of shifts, growth and healing. In this one, I talk about healing as a journey. It doesn’t happen overnight -- it’s a continuous evolution. This is only a starting point // If we can build resilience around trauma in ways that help us stop being overwhelmed by past experiences, we can find joy in healing. // We need to recognize the patterns in our behaviors to create awareness and space, which will support our whole healing journey. // Be kind to yourself as you work towards wholeness and towards gathering the pieces of yourself.
Want to learn more about healing your trauma? Visit https://suryagian.com for more insight on healing, offerings to learn how to heal (from in-depth courses to 40-day meditation classes), and invitations to practice.
Heal to Power is a program designed for women writers of color to help them heal their traumas --known and unknown-- and step into their power. Get on the waitlist for when doors open again in May! https://suryagian.com/heal-to-power-waitlist // Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today's poems:
“The prettiest mule” by Hafez
"The Last Time Marvin Gaye Was Heard in the Sudan" by Safia Elhillo from the book The January Children
What we experience in this human body is designed to help us evolve, to help us move our souls into growth and to help us get closer to that divine existence. // How do you connect your day-to-day life to what’s happening in your culture, your society or your life? // With the recent media coverage on violence against Asian American Pacific Islander bodies, how does this true-to-life violence relate to spiritual practices? How does our own healing help the community? // What we do affects the people around us. Who we are BE-ing has a ripple effect on the world. Consider those folks you see as role models. They inspire you. Do they know what kind of effect they have on you? Some might, but many don’t. They are simply BEing themselves. // We don't always know how we affect people. And sometimes, we don't have any idea how we are affected by them. // As you continue to do your own personal healing work, the ripple effect will show up as people who are ready to learn from you as well as teachers who are there to guide you to the next level, to guide you into deeper healing. // Everyone has their own individual way of responding to challenges, adversities, violence. We must honor that. // With more awareness, change can be possible. // We can't change people's minds. Each individual has to change their own mind. But what we can do is create awareness. With awareness, a person can then decide what to do with that information. // Heal to Power is a program designed for women writers of color to help them heal their traumas --known and unknown-- and step into their power. Get on the waitlist for when doors open again in May! https://suryagian.com/heal-to-power-waitlist // Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “The Quintessence of Loneliness” by Hafiz
- “To My Many Mothers, Issei and Nisei” by Mia Ayumi Malhotra
In this episode, I talk with Filipina writer, comic maker, and fellow parent, Isabel Garcia-Gonzales. A week after the Atlanta shootings, we sit down to share how we’ve been processing and responding to these killings and how we’ve been talking with our children about it. We noticed that people in the AAPI community had different responses to what was happening - some were outspoken and some were silent. // We sometimes take our own personal experiences for granted, thinking that people like us already know what we know. // By sharing our experiences, someone out there will feel normal and less alone. This was made apparent by a young person speaking at a gathering in Isabel’s community. Connections are what make us stronger. // Heal to Power is a program designed for women writers of color to help them heal their traumas --known and unknown-- and step into their power. Get on the waitlist for when doors open again in May! https://suryagian.com/heal-to-power-waitlist // Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Why Aren’t We Screaming Drunks” by Hafiz
- Untitled - Amihan Gonzales
The gloves are coming off for this episode. // Spirituality and activism are not mutually exclusive. One can exist without the other, but you don't have to choose one over the other. // Spirituality is your grounding place to help you understand who you are in this world as a spirit soul having a human experience. Activism is the act of standing up to do what we are called to do in order to create change. // We need to raise our voices to tell our story and to stand up for who we are and who we're being. // Are white allies willing to put themselves on the line, including personal safety, in order to fight for racial equality? // And yes, I’m calling out the white folks who are sitting in deafening silence. // The layers of being Asian American and trying to shake the “model minority” myth. // Speak your truth unapologetically. // There must be a Black-Asian coalition so that we can effectively fight white supremacy. // Join me on Tuesday, March 30th 7-9pm ET for Write to Heal, a healing space for women of color, a space for you to just BE. To feel cared for, to be held. To be seen and to be heard. Register at https://suryagian.com/write-to-power // Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Throw Me On A Scale” by Hafiz
- “Making Roti in the Land Guard Kitchen of Highway 99” - Preeti Kaur Rajpal
You are more than who you're being right now, more than your physical or cultural identity, and more than the roles that you play in this life. // Let's understand who we are in this physical moment so we can learn how to expand. // The idea of identity and naming your stories give us a starting point for healing. // Before you can get where you want to be in the future, you need to know where you’re starting from and how you got there. // Be present in the Now. Don't live in the past and try not to project into the future. // Look at the past so you can see how far you’ve traveled and identify the lessons learned along the way. This will help you figure out the next steps to move forward. // By writing these Maverick Monday stories, I am finding that they hold the power to transmute energy into healing. // Over time, we gain knowledge and wisdom from our lived experiences. Will you choose to grow from this? // Telling our stories can help us understand that these things happened to help us grow and to inform who we are right now. // If you want to experience the healing magic of telling your stories, join me on March 30th 7-9pm ET for Write to Heal, a workshop where we’ll work on identifying the source of our hurts and uproot them from our gardens through meditation, writing, and ritual. Register at https://suryagian.com/write-to-power // Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Without Brushing My Hair” by Hafiz
- “Wished for Song” - Rumi
Everyone is discovering the intimate universe in their own way - don't worry about what others are doing or thinking or even what their opinions are of you. They are on their own path. // It's important to think about how you can best serve others by being your most authentic self// The nectar of this life is a every divine moment, even when you're sleeping. Every moment is taking you to grow. Every moment is not wasted. Every moment is information for one’s growth and evolution. // Meditation practice is different from other practices. It doesn’t have a goal. Meditation is a practice in which you sit and observe. You create awareness. // With meditation practice, you get more attuned to your inner voice and your inner wisdom.// Don’t forget to play. We adults should be reminded to play and to experiment just like kids for our growth and evolution into our highest selves in every moment in our lives.// Your subconscious mind does not register negative thoughts so help it by making positive statements. // Move forward in ways that are within your power, within your control. // When you show gratitude, the hard things, the challenges, the pain, the difficulties, they all can be seen as moments that are helping you grow rather than as afflictions.// Living in the past, doesn't help us heal. It doesn't help us learn either. // The questions we ask help shape the quality of our lives. // The moment you decide you want to heal usually is when you can no longer withstand the pain of hurt. // Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays and some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Insight Verse 160" from The Radiance Sutras by Lorin Roche
- “Who Will Feed My Cat?” by Hafiz
In this episode, I talk with Luisa about how poetry writing and spiritual practices overlap and intersect. Both are a kind of meandering, a kind of exploration. // Our human minds always want to be linear - a ‘feeling’ is not a straight line nor a destination, but it is a moment or an experience. // This episode brings the idea of mapping the patterns according to what we see in nature rather than trying to live a linear life. // Writing is not all magic nor fairy dust but it is an idea of finding a point of stillness where you can just be in your own space. // Poetry is a lot like a prayer. The idea of prayer as an internalized form of speaking to another, not just a supplication but also for disclosure or for company. // It has the capacity to draw out an experience from us when we are most vulnerable, as if we're not just talking to ourselves, but we're talking to something else in the living universe. // Memory is something that is directly attached to the ability to repeat. You use it as a way to find something or to find your way back to that thing by remembering its associations. // Poetry is related to saying the rosary - it is how we lay down the verses, how we lay out the lines, and how we choose the words. // Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays and some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “In a Circus Booth” by Hafiz
- Meander, Spiral, Explode: Design and Pattern in Narrative by Jane Alison
- The Buddha Wonders If She is Having A Midlife Crisis by Luisa Igloria
- “The Morning Porch”(blog) by Dave Bonta
- “Fata Morgana” by Luisa Igloria
Keywords:
Creativewriting, ChooseInnerKnowing, InnerKnowing,healing, healingblueprint, blueprint, healingjourney, meditation, suryagian, writing, yoga, trauma, light, love, feel, past experiences, joy, offering, kindness, beauty, failure, inspiration, self care, love yourself, human beings, live life, healingtrauma, purpose, lifepurpose, humanconnection, humanwellbeing, wellbeing, humanego, meandering, evolution, memory
Monotony is an illusion. // Compassion and dignity are the antidotes to Anger. It helps us thrive in this human experience.// We have choices as far as how we interact, how we see those interactions. We have intentions that we're in charge of. We have power over how we respond to things.// The physical body needs human connection. Sharing of the everyday actions/tasks reminds us of our humanness. // Take notice of how amazing your life experience is despite the perceived limitations and perceived monotony // We're spirit-souls having a human experience. We can use that perspective to really pay attention to how different life's every moment while breathing. No moment is the same. // You have life experiences that help build and shape and shift and evolve the way you see the world // Pay attention to the details of what's going on in your life and just see the wonder and the beauty of it. There is no monotony. // Appreciate where you are at this moment even if it is uncomfortable and painful. There is growth happening. // Suffering is a choice. Be mindful of what it is that we tell ourselves. Notice how we're living our lives right now moment by moment.// Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “The Great Expanse” by Hafiz
- “How To Prepare The Mind for Lightning” by Ben Saito
Omg. I’m so freaking excited about this episode! You don’t even know. I get to talk with one of my favorite people and oldest friends, Ross Gay, award-winner poet, professor at Indiana University, baller, gardener, and all-around big-hearted human. We were poetry babies together in college with Lee Upton, poet and professor extraordinaire, as our poetry mama (Ross mentions her here). We talk about the practice of poetry and presence, about being part of a collective (both physically as people and spiritually), and how to “unfix” a poem. We also explore how we hold each other’s memories and minds, that what constitutes our minds are held, not just by us, but also by others (enter the story of Negative Nelly and Positive Polly - haha!). People, this conversation was so much fun! You GOTTA listen! (We might even do a Part 2!) Also, he mentions a few folks I’d like to identify: Pat is NJ-based poet, Patrick Rosal. Nora is a CA-based writer and editor, Nora Issacs. // REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for Write to Heal, my 2- day workshop to help you identify what’s holding you back and getting you started on the healing journey. But hurry! Doors close on Thurs Feb 19 at 9 pm ET! // And follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “That tree we planted” by Hafiz
- The Wisdom of No Escape (book) by Pema Chodron
- “To the Young Who Wants to Die” by Gwendolyn Brooks
When trauma happens, your neurological pathways get interrupted and new ones get formed. Without healing, these pathways become your way of life - one in which you experience the trauma again and again. // Often, the conversation around healing from traumatic experiences excludes people of color. // By focusing on God, the divine, the Universe --whatever you name the higher power-- we remember that we are more than just a physical body. We are love made manifest; we are love in a physical existence. // Spiritual work is one effective component for healing. // Healing trauma IS possible. // Your life is meant for way more than you even dreamed possible. // Dream by tapping into your inner selves, beyond what you see and what you feel.// Trauma is like a big anchor that weighs you down. // Our power is within us. // By healing our trauma, we can help ourselves to open up our lives to something bigger. // We need to start stepping into our power because we're not put on this planet to live a half-mast life. // When you're living your life at half-mast, when you're settling for life, instead of really stepping out and thriving, you risk spending time on this planet with more suffering than necessary. // Seek your purpose. // REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for Heal to Power, my 8-week course that teaches women writers of color how to heal from the inside out so that they can speak their truths and claim their power. But hurry! Doors close on Thurs Feb 11 at 9 pm ET! // And follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Forgive the Dream” by Hafiz
- The Magic (book) by Rhonda Byrne
- The Body Keeps the Score (book) by Bessel van der Kolk
- “Won't You Celebrate With Me?? by Lucille Clifton
In today’s episode, I am joined by Ruth Forman, an acclaimed poet, writing mentor to many, and author of children’s literature. Her most recent children’s books are Curls and Glow from Simon & Schuster. We talked about ways in which we can connect with ourselves, including saying a prayer in the morning when you wake up, and how the connection with nature is so essential to our nourishment. // Remember to just give yourself a little bit of time to write and let the divine just come through. // Give yourself space to respond to others because it speaks to your own practice of staying connected to yourself. // Talking to somebody doesn't necessarily change their behavior or their thinking, but the example you set, by staying connected to the power within yourself, can create change in people’s lives.// Connect with the divine in our own ways. // Want to learn more about healing your trauma? Visit https://suryagian.com for more info on Heal to Power, my 8-week course that teaches women writers of color how to heal from the inside out so that they may tell their truths and claim their power. And follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “The Sky Hunter” by Hafiz
- We Are The Young Magicians (poetry book) by Ruth Forman
- “The Vintage Man” by Hafiz
- “May You Take Your Pen In Your Hands and Never Stop Writing” by Ruth Forman
Our intuitive voice knows that we are worthy, knows that we deserve all the things we want.// Our desires in our hearts were put there for a reason - this is our purpose in life: to go and to seek it out. // We are here to play the game of being a human on this planet and learn lessons in the process. // It takes some work to discern between the desire of the heart and the desire of the ego, but if that doesn't resonate in your heart, in your intuition, and in your deepest inner self, that’s materialism. // FREE WORKSHOP! We are worthy of so much more than we give ourselves permission to have. Are you ready to stop holding back and declare your worthiness? Sign up for my FREE 5-day workshop, You Are Worthy, that helps boost self-love and invites you to step into your own innate power. It starts on Monday, February 1st. Sign up at suryagian.com/you-are-worthy // Grab my free resource, 5 Tips on Meditation, to get your new year and your new healing started on a high note! Email: leslieann@suryagian.com // Want to learn more about healing your trauma? Visit https://suryagian.com for more info on Heal to Power, my 8-week course that teaches women writers of color how to heal from the inside out so that they may tell their truths and claim their power. And follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “The ambiance of love.” by Hafez
- “Dervish at the door” by Rumi
Movie mentioned:
- "The Best of Enemies"
In this episode, I talk with Autumn Saunders, a very special guest who is a soul dancer, a soul doula facilitator, a NIA movement artist, a poet, a singer-songwriter, and a budding herbalist. // Here she shared about how she uses movement in the work of connecting the mind, body, and spirit for healing and encouraged us to find our internal rhythm - Rise, Rest, Rejuvenate. // Find what’s fun for you, finding a way to play. Once you have the fun, it makes you want to do it again. // We need to give ourselves permission to heal. To be on that path gives us the opportunity to live our best life. // Believe that we deserve to heal. Make this a conscious choice and commitment to oneself. // The pathway to connect in believing that we deserve to heal is to go back and recognize your ancestors.// Joy is a life force energy - energy that gives us our liveliness. // Healing is not an achievement, it's a process, an integral part of living. // Voices are powerful. It is powerfully healing to hear your own sound. // You can find Autumn and all the good work she does at her website: https://www.soulflowerrising.com and on IG: @soulflowerrising // FREE WORKSHOP! We are worthy of so much more than we give ourselves permission to have. Are you ready to stop holding back and declare your worthiness? Sign up for my FREE 5-day workshop, You Are Worthy, that helps boost self-love and invites you to step into your own innate power. It starts on Monday, February 1st. Sign up at suryagian.com/you-are-worthy // Grab my free resource, 5 Tips on Meditation, to get your new year and your new healing started on a high note! Email: leslieann@suryagian.com // Want to learn more about healing your trauma? Visit https://suryagian.com for more info on Heal to Power, my 8-week course that teaches women writers of color how to heal from the inside out so that they may tell their truths and claim their power. And follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @leslieannhobayan
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “The body, a tree.” by Hafez
- “Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver
- "Wild spirit dance" by Autumn Saunders
Happy New Year! How was your year so far? In our 50th episode of Vinyasa in Verse, I shared about having fun, celebrating, being present and enjoying the experience of being a human being, even in the challenging parts, even in the pain and the suffering. // Be open when receiving answers to prayers in ways that you may not expect. Be receptive and listen to your intuition, your inner voice. The heart will give you the answers that you need. // Meditation helps us create awareness around the things that were previously unaware of; it helps us pay attention. // This year is a reminder of being playful in life and not always being serious. For this new year, set a goal, an intention, a resolution to live your best life // Meditation can be a great first step towards healing.// Grab my free resource, 5 Tips on Meditation, to get your new year and your new healing started on a high note! Email: leslieann@suryagian.com // Want to learn more about healing your trauma? Visit https://suryagian.com for more insight on healing, offerings to learn how to heal, and invitations to practice. And follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @suryagianyogi
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “There is nothing in this well, but wind.” by Hafez
- "Laughter came from every brick" by Saint Teresa of Avila
Mentioned Links:
Find Allegra West for your Human Design magic on IG: @allergra.west
#creativewriting #chooseInnerKnowing #InnerKnowing #healing #healingblueprint #blueprint #healingjourney #meditation #suryagian #writing #yoga #trauma #light #love #feel #past #experiences #joy #offering #kindness #beauty #failure #inspiration #selfcare #loveyourself #humanbeings #livelife #powerfulwords #wordsofaffirmation #security #acceptance #thankful #grateful #blessed #meditation #newyear #newyearresolution #newbeginning #newchapter #2021 #hello2021 #bye2020 #startinganewleaf #startanewchapter #blankpage #starttheyearright
In this special “Best of” series of Vinyasa in Verse, I’m highlighting some episodes that recap a crazy year full of shifts and growth. In this one, I talk about how we explore finding joy in healing.// Most people think that healing is difficult because subconsciously, we feel comfortable with the pain and suffering of trauma. We tolerate it because it’s familiar.// Hug your trauma. Embrace it. Accept it. Acknowledge it. It will then transmute all those wounds of hurt and trauma into something that will help you flourish.// Thinking of starting a meditation practice for the new year? Grab my free resource, 5 Tips on Meditation, to get you started on a high note! Email: leslieann@suryagian.com // Want to learn more about healing your trauma? Visit https://suryagian.com for more insight on healing, offerings to learn how to heal, and invitations to practice. And follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @suryagianyogi
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “That tree we planted” by Hafiz
- "Maganda begins" by Eileen Tabios
#creativewriting #chooseInnerKnowing #InnerKnowing #healing #healingblueprint #blueprint #healingjourney #meditation #suryagian #writing #yoga #trauma #light #love #feel #past #experiences #joy #offering #kindness #beauty #failure #inspiration #selfcare #loveyourself #humanbeings #livelife #guesthouse #powerfulwords #wordsofaffirmation #security #acceptance #thankful #grateful #blessed #meditation
In this special “Best of” series of Vinyasa in Verse, I’m highlighting some episodes that recap a crazy year full of shifts and growth. In this one, I talk with one of my mentors who has made a big impact on me and helped shape my spiritual journey: Mahan Rishi Singh Khalsa. He’s one of the first people to call me by my spiritual name, Surya Gian, which, when I hear it, makes me feel like my true essence, my Sat Nam. Here, he shared about our spiritual journey being a subtly formless, yet solid experience in which we can grow and evolve. // We are born with an incredible facet within our being - to have a sense of curiosity, exploration, a constant experience of experimentation, a constant sense of discovery, and imagination. // There's nothing wrong with having a beautiful material quality in one's life. But when one’s energy is consumed by that, and one's attention and sense of self worth is built on material well being or material aspects, we get really sidetracked. Awareness and consciousness are the foundation for making healthy choices. // There's still a lot to be grateful for - not to focus on what we don't have, but to focus on what we do have. // Take a listen to savor the goodness he offers to help us birth a new vision for ourselves and our lives. // Find Mahan Rishi here: Khalsa Healing Arts, Yardley, PA https://khalsahealing.com // Thinking of starting a meditation practice for the new year? Grab my free resource, 5 Tips on Meditation, to get you started on a high note! Email: leslieann@suryagian.com // Want to learn more about healing your trauma? Visit https://suryagian.com for more insight on healing, offerings to learn how to heal, and invitations to practice. And follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @suryagianyogi
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “Turn left a thousand feet from here” by Hafiz
- “Keeping Quiet” by Pablo Neruda
In this episode, we will take a look at the experiences we went through that gave us some valuable lessons. Life is unpredictable and each day is not promised, something that most people are really being made aware of now in these pandemic times. // Lessons are all around. Sometimes we learn them right away, other times we don't. But all are made to help us grow. // We all have this divine light within us. // People come and go but they come into our lives bearing the gift of life lessons. // You have the power to choose how to respond to things that are not within your control. The only thing you have in control of is your response to things, your mindset. // Accepting the things we cannot control and learning from them is really powerful. Remember to be grateful for whatever or whoever comes because each has sent as a guide from beyond. // When you're thinking about your humanness as a guest house, to allow for the experiences to flow through you, learn whatever lessons you need to learn, and then continue on where you left off. Continue forward in your journey and experience the growth as uncomfortable as it may seem. // Thinking of starting a meditation practice for the new year? Grab my free resource, 5 Tips on Meditation, to get you started on a high note! Email: leslieann@suryagian.com // Want to learn more about healing your trauma? Visit https://suryagian.com for more insight on healing, offerings to learn how to heal, and invitations to practice. And follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @suryagianyogi
Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
- “The Guest House” by Rumi
- “Owl at Home” by Arnold Lobel
- “She Responded” by Hafiz
Inner work starts with thinking about how pain and sorrow is an opportunity for us to break down our barriers or any other walls. Allow yourself to feel the pain and sorrow. // What if the wound is the place where the light shines forth from you? There is a light within that connects all of us. // We are able to heal ourselves from the inside out. // The work we do on ourselves affects those around us. Everyone can see your light radiating out and they will be inspired. // Humans are communal beings. We are a species that thrives on supporting each other and helping each other. // When you do the work of healing, observe the pain and sorrow, notice it, feel its presence, let go, and acknowledge the lessons learned. // Thinking of starting a meditation practice for the new year? Grab my free resource, 5 Tips on Meditation, to get you started on a high note! Email: leslieann@suryagian.com // Want to learn more about healing your trauma? Visit https://suryagian.com for more insight on healing, offerings to learn how to heal, and invitations to practice. Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @suryagianyogi. Also, subscribe to my Youtube Channel: Team Surya.
Today’s poems:
- “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” by Rumi
- “Spiced Manna” by Hafiz
Books/ Verses Mentioned:
- Matthew 6:25-30
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
How would you live your life? What would you do differently if you knew that you couldn’t fail? If you knew that every decision was the right one? In this episode, I talk about how trusting yourself and your inner knowing to take the big leap really does work out. // The universe doesn't work according to your plans. The universe works according to what is best to serve your highest good. // We are conditioned to want to have control and this leads to a lack of self-trust. // Whatever we focus on multiplies - when the negativity comes up, the momentum builds in that direction. When the positivity comes up, then the momentum goes that way. // We have power over our ways of seeing things. // Happiness is fleeting, but joy is eternal.// Bad is just a label for the unfavorable experience. // Thinking of starting a meditation practice for the new year? Grab my free resource, 5 Tips on Meditation, to get you started on a high note! Email: leslieann@suryagian.com // Want to learn more about healing your trauma? Visit https://suryagian.com for more insight on healing, offerings to learn how to heal, and invitations to practice. And follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @suryagianyogi
Today’s poems:
- “It’s rigged — everything, in your favor. So there is nothing to worry about” by Rumi
- “Where Great Lions Love to Piss” by Hafez
How do we treat our physical body? In this episode, we will talk about how we give treatment to our bodies and how we navigate it as human beings. //Self-care is taking care of our soul - our innermost selves. It's the idea of honoring who you are and what activities best nourish and nurture you. // Choose to thrive rather than exist. We have the power to choose. // Remember that sometimes, in our seeking, the answers we get aren't the answers we expect. But when you choose to see this as part of the inner work, you will be inspired and thrive.// Let's take care of ourselves. Let's be friends with ourselves, let's embrace who we are. // Want to learn more about healing your trauma? Visit https://suryagian.com for more insight on healing, offerings to learn how to heal, and invitations to practice. And follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @suryagianyogi
Today’s poems:
“His Ballet Company” by Hafiz
“Kerosene Litany” by Mahogany Brown
Today, I’m changing it up a little bit by pulling a tarot card to kick things off! In this episode, I cover a range of topics --from finding beauty to seeking our life’s purpose to meditation’s magic. // What we are seeking is ourselves - seeking our purpose, seeking who we really are. // There's no such thing as failure. Failure is the only disappointment in our expectations not being met. What failure is actually information we can use to take the next step in inspired action. // As we gather information, we can peel away the layers that cover up our inner knowing. And meditation can help with that. // Registration for our FREE 40-Day Meditation course, Amp Up Your Joy, is now OPEN! For other details and to register, click here. Our Live Q&A will be on Friday, Nov 20 at 12 pm ET on Instagram head on to this link.// Want to learn more about healing your trauma? Visit https://suryagian.com for more insight on healing, offerings to learn how to heal, and invitations to practice. And follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @suryagianyogi
Today’s poems: “Needing a mirror” by Hafiz
“Ode to a Bar of Soap” by Pablo Neruda
Keywords:
Creative writing, ChooseInnerKnowing, InnerKnowing, healing, healing blueprint, blueprint, healing journey, meditation, surya gian, writing, yoga, trauma, light, love, feel, past experiences, joy, offering, kindness, beauty, failure, inspiration, wild horse, tarot card, 7th card
Healing is a journey. It doesn’t happen overnight -- it’s a continuous evolution. This is only a starting point // If we can build resilience around trauma in ways that help us stop being overwhelmed by past experiences, we can find joy in healing. // We need to recognize the patterns in our behaviors to create awareness and space, which will support our whole healing journey. // Be kind to yourself as you work towards wholeness and towards gathering the pieces of yourself. // Want to learn more about healing your trauma? Visit https://suryagian.com for more insight on healing, offerings to learn how to heal (from in-depth courses to 40-day meditation classes), and invitations to practice. And follow me on Instagram for some real talk about healing AND play: @suryagianyogi
Today's poems:
“The prettiest mule” by Hafez
"The Last Time Marvin Gaye Was Heard in the Sudan" by Safia Elhillo from the book The January Children
In this episode, we begin our second part of the three part series on finding joy in healing// Healing is NOT all about crying.// We are specific individuals who have specific and unique experiences and so trauma and healing is different for everybody.// One healing approach is to create awareness around patterns and behaviors that might trigger trauma.// With awareness, you can find the root of the problem. // Crying is a natural release of bad energy, feelings, and toxins but when repressed, it becomes anger - an explosion of pressure from the inside which has been kept over time. // Hold yourself with such care and kindness to mend the broken parts and let healing take over. It's important for us to think about trauma as a part of us, rather than something to be expelled from us. // Visit https://suryagian.com for more insight on healing, offerings to learn how to heal, and invitations to practice.
Today's poems:
“It is Unanimous” by Hafez
"The Trees" by Jericho Brown (The Tradition, book)
This episode is the first of a 3-part series that explores finding joy in healing. // Healing is hard when you try to go it alone, when you don’t have support. // Most people think that healing is difficult because subconsciously, we feel comfortable with the pain and suffering of trauma. We tolerate it because it’s familiar. // It is important for us to approach ourselves with gentleness, kindness and compassion. // Our egos are not our enemies, but a neglected piece of ourselves that we’ve allowed to take over our lives. We need to show it our love. // Our body can heal itself - with the proper knowledge of its natural processes, proper support, care and love. // Hug your trauma. Embrace it. Accept it. Acknowledge it. It will then transmute all those wounds of hurt and trauma into something that will help you flourish. // Today's poems: “That tree we planted” by Hafiz, "Maganda begins" by Eileen Tabios (from the anthology, The World I Leave You: Asian American Poets on Faith and Spirit) // Visit https://suryagian.com for more insight on healing, offerings to learn how to heal, and invitations to practice.
Some folks might be new to the podcast, so I thought it'd be a good idea to go way back to the very first episode where I set my intention for this show. It's also an invitation for regular listeners to remember the power of meditation, poetry as we own our choices. And to keep this essential question at the forefront: Who are you BE-ing? // In this podcast, we combine the idea of flow, the current love of the universe and using poetry as a tool in which to access the flow of our innermost selves. // Meditation goes hand in hand with poetry which can help us create awareness about ourselves and how we interact with others. // Often we forget that we have the power to take charge of our lives, to change the decisions that we make, how we view certain circumstances, we have choices.// With the help of this podcast, we can get quiet to check in with ourselves, to get curious of what lies beneath this physical body. // Poem: Hafiz's "God just came near" // Visit suryagian.com for more delightfulness!
Often our habits are so automatic, we become unconscious about them. Once you bring awareness and consciousness around a habit, you'll find your power or choose to continue it, or choose to change it.// Choosing is where the power lies - choose which habits or patterns you'd like to drop. // I invite you to examine your spiritual beliefs, practices and habits and wonder what might happen if you choose to change it.// We cannot change the past; we can't undo our experience but we can let go of the emotions attached to it - anger, fear.// The decision comes from within your inner knowing - may it be called gut instinct, your heart, your intuition but they are all aligned for your highest good.// Today's poems: “In a circus booth” by Hafiz and "I will just say this" by St. Teresa of Avila.//
In this episode I talk about creating a healing blueprint. // Everyone is an individual - very specific, very different. In this idea of your own healing blueprint, you can design your healing path. // When it comes to healing trauma, everyone's experience of trauma is varied, thus, the healing approaches are going to be varied. // We might not want to heal because we are comfortable where we are. We learn to live with pain, with being triggered, with being sensitive. // We don’t know how good life can be until we experience a moment without the pain we’ve grown accustomed to. // The idea of being able to live in your life fully! Unbounded and untethered. // Today's poems: Hafiz’s "Turn Left a Thousand Feet from Here" by Hafiz and Kabir’s "Where the Shopkeeper Would Say"
People tend to come to poetry when they're at their lowest points, but it’s possible for poetry to become more than that. // Poetry is always a perfect place to notice the highs and lows more acutely rather than just moving through grief, loss, and deprivation unconsciously. // Art happens in our lives as a way of being in ourselves. Everyone's feeling that they're in darkness and struggling so they end up returning to poetry to look for the light. // Let go and trust. You have to acknowledge that there is something supernatural or something unseen that is more powerful than us. // Our right to pass through this place, this planet has everything to do with how properly we are regarding and treating these spaces well. // The importance of awareness of being in a relationship with nature, with the Land and being in a relationship with the things that are unseen that instead of dominating one over the other, it’s about being in collaboration with them.
In considering Barbara Jane’s new poetry collection, how do we frame our experiences as active resistance? How can poetry mirror what is happening so that we can find another way to witness it? // Consider the roles of our elders and our ancestors and our relationships with them when thinking about how we are being in the world. // We also talk a bit about superstitions, ghosts, and our ancestral inheritance. // Today's poems: “Unanimous” by Hafiz , "Acquainted with lightning" by Marjorie Evasco
In this episode, I talk about why healing is so important, especially for women writers of color. // Change is inevitable. It is the only thing constant. We change even when we don't want to, even when we resist it, even when we think we're staying in place. // A few people may not know what their life purpose is that's why they take the part of discovering what their purpose is and what is not. // Action is information. Action can help you start to uncover the thing that you want to understand. // Each person is different. Some can adapt to their environment easily. But some are not. They prefer small steps to emerge their life purpose. // Nobody knows what the future holds. No one knows how the future is going to unfold. Nobody does. The only thing we should do is, Be Present right now. // Most women, particularly women of color, face challenges from sexism to racism. Their effort is most likely being rejected, unshared, unpublicized, unheard, and unseen. They are discouraged to share whatever story they have. // As you go along with this journey, start to build your trust in yourself. The trust that is within you. The trust that has been lost, that has been covered with several layers of illusion. // The Heal to Power Blueprint, a tool designed for healing specifically for women writers of color. It is a tool to access our own inner knowing, our own modes of healing. The world will be so much better with it. // You don't have to play the victim. The people who have power over us are there because we gave them our power. if we can strengthen our nervous system, if we can build resilience, if we can heal from our traumas, we can stop giving our power away, we can step into our own power, and share our voices and stories. // Today's poems: "All the talents of God" by Hafiz and "Patience" by Ross Gay // Sign up for my free workshop for women writers of color, Healing Magic, Saturday, 9/26 @ 12pm ET at https://surygian.com/healing-trauma-for-wocs-free-workshop
In this episode, I explore a few questions that come up for those of us on a healing jounery. Are we being our true selves or are we playing roles that people expect us to take on? Who are we? Who are we really? And who are we being? Why is it important to we heal our traumas? And how can we do this when talk therapy doesn’t quite complete the job? // Meditation isn’t always the answer. (gasp! Don’t worry, Ani Pema said it, so it’s okay! Haha!) // Can you create warmth for yourself? Can you be gentle with yourself? // Get to the root of the things holding you back, the things no longer serving you. // Today’s poems: Hafiz’s “Two Bears” and Barbara Jane Reyes’s “Track: ‘My Life,’ Mary J. Blige (1994).” // Join me on IG Live Tues 9/22-Thurs 9/24 for a free 3-day pop-up training on healing from the inside out. This will culminate into a free workshop on Saturday, 9/26, where you’ll get to learn about my new course offering, Heal to Power. Follow me on IG @suryagianyogi Visit my website to register and get more info: https://suryagian.com/heal-to-power-interest -list Your best life starts now!
In this episode, you’ll learn about: how trauma shows up for us in our bodies and in our daily lives / what the 4 F responses are / strengthen your nervous system, strengthen your whole being / healing is an individual journey (as we draw from different modalities in varying combinations) but can be walked in community with others / writing is healing / regular practices are not only healing but can bring you closer to your true essence / when you heal, you remember your own power, your own divinity / Today’s poems: Haifz’s Muhammad’s Twin and Ross Gay’s “Ending The Estrangement” / Next week I’m offering a free 3-day mini-training on Instagram Live on Sept 22-24 at 1pm ET where I’ll talk more about how our bodies hold trauma, how to identify those spots, and what to do to being healing. If you can’t make it live, the recordings will be available on IGTV. Follow me @suryagianyogi or get more info at suryagian.com / Start healing so that you can live your best live now!
This is not your ordinary podcast chat about spirituality, meditation practices, and self-awareness. This is a rowdy, fiery, real conversation (complete with some bleeped out expletives! Haha!) where Karen Kenney, a spiritual mentor, memoirist, and all around badass, and I dive into who we are as humans on this planet –both as individuals and as a collective. We talk about how we choose everything in our lives, whether we know it or not, and what we can do to remember this innate power, to remember who we are, how to strip away the BS, how to heal our wounds, and remember that WE ARE LOVE made manifest. So many great teachings here! And fantastic analogies (“sitting in a sh--ty diaper”!)! Karen also answers the burning questions we all have: who am I and what is my purpose? Omg – you HAVE to listen to this one! * Today’s poems: Hafiz’s “The Earth Braces Itself” and Rudy Francisco’s “Mercy, after Nikki Giovanni” * You can find Karen Kenney here: karenkenney.com and her podcast is The Karen Kenney Show, which can be found on all the podcast platforms. Follow me on IG here: @suryagianyogi and my website: https://suryagian.com / Are you an empath? Get on the waitlist for my membership community, Empowered Empaths, where we come together to support and empower each other as we practice yoga & meditation, hear from guest speakers, and engage in pop-up events, like tarot card readings. Sign up here: https://suryagian.com/membership-waitlist
How we read things is informed by who we are being in that moment in time. / In this age of zoom interactions, don’t forget we have bodies! / The earth nourishes and supports us. / How do we respond to the external events of our lives. / How our internal state informs how we choose (consciously or subconsciously) to act externally. / Overwhelm is a choice (whut??) / Bonus! At the end, I give you a six-day experience: a practice that will help you deal with overwhelm. Let me know how it goes my DMing me on IG or dropping a comment on the IG post about this episode! I’ve love to hear what happens for you! / Today’s poems: Hafiz’s “The Body a Tree” and Kabir’s “Professional Counseling”/ Follow me on IG here: @suryagianyogi and my website: https://suryagian.com / Are you an empath? Get on the waitlist for my membership community, Empowered Empaths, where we come together to support and empower each other as we practice yoga & meditation, hear from guest speakers, and engage in pop-up events, like tarot card readings. Sign up here: https://suryagian.com/membership-waitlist
In this episode, I sit with down playwright, college professor, and spiritualist, Djola Branner, where we really dig into how meditation practice (and other practices, like writing) creates a solid foundation for us to navigate the unsteady ground of change. Hafiz’s poem “Dividing God” kicks off our conversation with the idea of courage. “It takes courage to be a black gay man.” And then we talk about how meditation creates a different sense of engagement with the world, detachment versus non-attachment, the physical stress of racism, and how it all comes back to the great I AM – that we are all connected. To close the episode, Djola performs his poem “For Robbie”, a tribute to Robbie McCauley, performance artist, playwright, and teacher. It’s not to be missed! * Hafiz’s “Dividing God”, Patricia Smith’s “Skinhead”, and Djola Branner’s “For Robbie” * https://www.hampshire.edu/faculty/djola-branner * http://robbiemccauleyncompany.com * Find me here: https://suryagian.com * This weekend: Goddess Vision Boarding Workshop for Empaths!
In this episode, I speak with Marguerite Harrold, poet, spiritualist, and traveler extraordinaire, about her recent travels through ten countries, many of which are known for their spiritual teachings, and what it’s like to travel solo as a Black woman. We have such a rollicking good time talking about her experiences (there might have been a few cackles) –from discovering what Black privilege feels like in Fiji to spiritual shifts clicking into place in India. She talks about the lessons we learn when we travel and how we can grow from them. So many great takeaways in this one! “Ask. Then, sit and listen. When we don’t listen, the messages just get louder.”, “Writing is a way to scribe the way out”, “You have a responsibility to help your people.” * Today’s poems: Hafiz’s “There Could be Holy Fallout” and lucille clifton’s “Blessing the Boats” * Where you can find Marguerite's work: https://thebluenib.com/poetry-by-marguerite-l-harrold/ * https://www.chicagoreview.org/62-463-12-web-companion/ * https://www.aseiarts.com/single-post/2019/02/03/What-inspires-you-A-dialogue-with-author-Marguerite-Harrold * https://vinylpoetryandprose.com/2019/03/marguerite-l-harrold/ * Healing the Decolonized Voice: a retreat for writers of color Aug 27-30 at Millay Colony in Upstate NY. More info and registration here: https:/suryagian.com/healing-the-decolonized-voice Deadline to sign up: Friday, August 14th @ 5pm * BIPOC-only yoga & meditation classes every Sunday @ 5:30pm in my zoom yoga room. Go here to sign up! https://suryagian.com/bipoc-class
Hafiz calls us to fill the wells of our hearts. And so what do I do? I try to teach you all the things. Haha! I think my subconscious said: okay, let’s fill everyone’s different wells with spiritual teachings and awareness practices. Of course, please know that these are gems to be considered over a period of time. Here’s a quick run down: Representation matters. Intention matters. ~ The balance of our spiritual identity, our very essence, with our material, physical identity is something to hold in intention. ~ Operating from the heart, from our intuition can help us achieve this balance. ~ Pay attention to connections. ~ Writers offer their souls to the world, and like the lover in Hafiz’s poem, use them –manifest as stories-- as a kind of protection, an act of service in love. Our writing bears witness and serves as a mirror; it’s so important to see and to be seen. Our writing does this for others. ~ Fill our heart wells with rest and nourishment so that we are able to continue the work of telling our stories with vibrancy. ~ Continue to dismantle racism. ~ And: it’s all about practice. Without judgment. // Today’s poems: Hafiz’s “Some Fill with Each Good Rain” and Rabia (of Rabia) “The Sky Gave Me Its Heart” * Healing the Decolonized Voice: a retreat for writers of color Aug 27-30 at Millay Colony in Upstate NY. More info and registration here: https:/suryagian.com/healing-the-decolonized-voice * BIPOC-only yoga & meditation classes every Sunday @ 5:30pm in my zoom yoga room. Go here to sign up! https://suryagian.com/bipoc-class
Have you heard this one before? “This too shall pass.” It can be seen as a bypass for the challenges that we are experiencing right now in this PRESENT MOMENT. If I’m being real, there’s some crazy shiz going on out there! Some folks (not all) use this phrase as an opportunity to look away. How can we be fully present in the ever-shifting landscape of these wild times? Can we sit in the dark and just be in it? Can we allow for growth to unfold while fully present in the dark? Can we create even more awareness around how we are BEing in the world right now? You’ll be amazing at just how you can affect others simply by your BEing! If you’re low vibe, does it feel like everyone else is low vibe too? What if you shifted to high vibe? Will folks match your frequency? Try it out and see what happens! Oh! And get this: random acts of kindness have more impact than you’ll ever know! The sweetest ones are the undercover ones when folks don’t know you’re the source of the kindness they’ve received. * Today’s poems: Hafiz’s “Two Puddles Chatting” and lucille clifton’s “11/10 again” from her book The Book of Light * RETREAT! Healing the Decolonized Voice: a retreat for writers of color. Go here for more info: https://suryagian.com/healing-the-decolonized-voice * BIPOC-only yoga & meditation classes every Sunday @ 5:30pm in my zoom yoga room. Go here to sign up! https://suryagian.com/bipoc-class
What if you viewed your mind like a teenage girl? All awkward and lanky, carrying this belief that she knows it all. Could you approach your mind with compassion? Dana “rhymes with banana” Evans is my guest for this episode and we really get animated (or at least I do!) during this conversation about calming the mind with compassion so that we can turn up the volume on our inner voice. Join me for some great insights on how we can create more space in our bodies and in our heads when we listen more often to our inner knowing rather than spin into a frenzy of overthinking. And when that happens, an amazing peace can wash over us. There’s so much goodness in this one that I can’t choose one to highlight here. You’ll have to listen for yourself! BUT! I will say that I had a lot of fun AND beach balls make the best analogy! * Poems: Hafiz’s “I Saw Two Birds” and Oriah Mountain Dream’s “The Invitation” * Dana Evans’s 4-day challenge on turning up your inner voice: https://alignful.com/challenge * BIPOC-only yoga & meditation class Sundays at 5:30pm Sign up here: https://suryagian.com
In today's episode, I riff of Hafiz's poem "These Beautiful Love Games" and talk about the importance of play. How it can shape our experience of our lives. Many teachings tells us that suffering is a choice: you can choose to suffer or you can choose to learn. Play offers a way to grow that feels less painful. If we can rest and play like we did as kids, it can soften the discomfort of our learning, our growing, and our evolution (no one said growth was an easy walk in the park!). So go forth, my friends! Cartwheel in the grass! Take afternoon naps! Spin wildly in circles with your arms out until you get dizzy and fall down, laughing! See how your world will start to shift, how your suffering might start to lessen. * Poems: Hafiz's "These Beautiful Love Games" and Rumi's "Only Breath" * Join me for yoga and meditation just for People of Color at Onyx Yoga Studio! Sundays at 5:30-6:30pm www.onyxyogastudio.com/schedule * Check out my membership community for empaths and highly sensitive people: https://suryagian.com/membership-registration * My other offerings include intimate healing retreats and coaching. Check it out here: https://suryagian.com
Today’s guest is coming to you from Dubai! Neha Duseja is a yoga instructor, visual artist, and handstand/inversion/hand balance extraordinaire for whom yoga helped guide her out of one of the lowest points in her life when her "identity" was stripped away to nothing. She was faced with this difficult question: who are you without your roles? Our identities are often conflated with the roles we play: dutiful daughter, fiancée, advertising art director. What's the difference? Listen in on our conversation full of goodness as Neha shares her journey of self-discovery and the lessons she’s learned along the way, lessons that we all can use as we evolve as spirit-souls. A few key quotes: “Nothing can replace human contact.” “I’ve head to unlearn so many behaviors I’ve learned as a child that I had to imbibe.” “The universe is always challenging you to rise to the occasion to actually practice the yoga you’ve been doing on your mat: this is the practice. This is the REAL practice.” * Poems in this episode: Hafiz’s “Dividing God” and E.H.’s “Dandelion” * Find Neha on IG: @nehadusejayoga and YouTube: Neha Duseja Yoga * Yoga and Meditation for People of Color, Sundays, 5:30pm at Onyx Yoga Studio https://onyxyogastudio.com * Healing the Decolonized Voice Intimate Retreat in Upstate NY: https://www.suryagian.com/healing-the-decolonized-voice * Empowering Empaths membership community: https://www.suryagian.com/membership-registration * Reach out and let me know what you think of this episode and podcast. I’d love to hear from you! leslieann@suryagian.com
In this episode, I take you on the road with me —literally. I’ve been working at keeping things fun and this idea popped in my head: why not record while taking Bailey for a walk? And so I did! Hah! Today, I talk about manifestation —what it is, what it isn’t, and how we can approach it in ways that are intentional and intuitive. It’s not just thinking, “I want a million dollars” and then suddenly voila! A genie appears. It’s about frequency. What’s that? you say! Take a listen to find out! // no poems today since I was on the road! // James Wedmore: https:/jameswedmoretraining.com // Yoga and Meditation for People of Color, Sundays, 5:30pm at Onyx Yoga Studio onyxyogastudio.com // Learn more about me and what I offer: suryagian.com // Reach out and let me know what you think of this episode and podcast! leslieann@suryagian.com
In this episode, I explore the understanding of self-love in contrast to the story of not-enoughness. Often, we tell ourselves stories about our worthiness, about what we deserve, what we are capable of, what is good enough. Often, those stories have us falling short. We forget that there is a mine full of holy rubies inside of us, waiting to be excavated. Today, I take the take the time to ask questions that might bring awareness to the stories we’ve long told ourselves that, up until now, have gone unquestioned. What patterns have we ingrained into our brains? Into our bodies? How can we let those stories go and create new neural pathways for stories that allow for self-love to emerge from those layers of illustion (also known as maya)? And then can we ask: who are we BEING? And HOW are we being? Can we be the person we’ve always wanted to be simply by BEING it? Consider how these questions can not only create awareness but also expand one’s perspective of life! // Poems in today’s episode: Hafiz’s “Don’t Die Again” and Rumi’s “Polishing the Mirror” // BIPOC-centered yoga & meditation classes every Sunday starting THIS Sunday, June 28, 2020 @ 5:30p ET at Onyx Yoga Studio in Warren – both in-person/outdoors AND live-stream. Save your spot at: onyxyogastudio.com // Early Bird membership is now open for Empowered Empaths, a membership community of healing, growth, and support for empaths and highly sensitive people. Get more info and register at https://suryagian.com/membership-registration Doors close on THURSDAY JUNE 25 @ midnight ET! After that, membership won’t open again until late August at full-price rates. Sign up today! Got questions? Email me at: leslieann@suryagian.com
Lots of folks think yoga is all love and light. But that’s just a part of the picture. No one really wants to think about shadows or the messiness of evolution. In today’s episode, I look at some questions I’ve been turning over in my head since the protests demanding justice for George Floyd and an end to police brutality began. If we’re not the body or the mind, but spirit-souls, how do we reconcile the very real material work of social justice with the more intangible work of spiritual evolution? Can you compartmentalize? Do they have to be mutually exclusive? Can we see this discomfort of the messiness of racial justice in our yogic spiritual spaces as opportunities for growth? How are we using our life experiences to grow, evolve, and to deepen our spiritual practices? If we are at all? If we’re a spirit-soul having a human experience, does fighting for social justice matter? It’s not all love and light. The hard work of yoga is to love everyone, to see everyone as a spirit-soul, even the hateful ones (yeah, I said it!). We’re not as different as we think we are. So how can we move to create something that recognizes this, that honors this? What will you do about it? // Poems in today’s episode: Hafiz’s “Trying to Wear Pants” and Rumi’s “Someone Digging In the Ground” // BIPOC-centered yoga & meditation classes every Sunday starting THIS Sunday, June 21, 2020 at Onyx Yoga Studio in Warren – both in-person/outdoors AND live-stream. Save your spot at: onyxyogastudio.com // Free resilience training to stop energy drain and overwhelm Saturday, June 20, 2020 @ 12noon ET / 9am PT. Register at https://suryagian.com/free-resilience-training
In this episode, I talk with Cheryl McLeod, practicing yogini and Black owner of Honor Yoga Warren in Warren, NJ. She shares her story of how she came to yoga, how her practice and her connection to prayer and meditation has been her guide through many transitions, shifts, and challenges that she’s faced. She addresses how she came to make her public statement as a Black business owner on the Black Lives Movement. She also talks about how focusing on who is hurting right now doesn’t mean it diminishes the need of anyone else. Her closing message for our listeners: do what you need to do to find joy. // poems: Hafiz’s “I Want Both of Us”, Rumi’s “All Rivers At Once” // Find Honor Yoga Warren here: https://www.honoryoga.com/warren/ // Free sacred healing circle for people of color this Sunday, June 14 @ 7pm ET. Register at suryagian.com/free-sacred-healing-circle to get access.
In this episode, I speak with writer, spiritualist, activist, and professor, Daisy Hernandez, about how the we work we do within ourselves affects our actions on the outside, especially in the wake of growing protests sweeping our nation that call for justice in the murder of George Floyd and in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Our spiritual identities don’t have to be separate from activism. Neither do our writing or our cultural identities as women of color have to be separate. They all can actually be one and the same. If action is enacted from a place of love, from a groundedness in ourselves, then perhaps that action can help change the world. At one point, we discuss perception and perspective. If our perceptions create the narratives of what’s happening around us, how can we be more intentional about how we see things, especially in mainstream media? What aren’t we seeing? And can we bring those things to light? It is also important to understand that sometimes BEing is more important than doing. Who are you BEing? How are you BEing? “As women of color, the fact that we exist is already a political act.” Take a listen to this rich conversation that I hope brings you encouragement! // Hafiz’s “Now Is The Time” and Minal Hajratwala’s Facebook post that begins “I love the young women walking out calmly…” // Find Daisy here: daisyhernandez.com // Her new book, In Search of the Kissing Bug, is coming out from Tin House Press next Summer 2021! YAY! Keep a look out for it! An excerpt was published in National Geographic (the link is on her website). “The World Is Here In My Spine” https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/focusing-on-posture/?fbclid=IwAR2JwZZ9oZ9fnV6VImSGX31rTegci6Nem15hyCyK91Ybyf2qbYVEcIOJqSk // Daisy’s story On Being: https://onbeing.org/blog/daisy-hernandez-what-i-learned-about-the-heart-from-a-man-who-lost-his/ // Gina Sharpe, co-founder of New York Insight Meditation Center ginasharpe.org // Suggested action to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement and for justice for George Floyd and all those folks who have died at the hands of white oppressors: Donate to bail funds to get protesters out of jail: https://bailfunds.github.io // Free sacred healing circle for people of color this Sunday, June 7 @ 7pm ET. Register at suryagian.com/free-sacred-healing-circle to get access.
In this episode, I talk with Allegra West, transformational coach in Human Design and modern neuroscience, about our perceptions of reality, different planes of existence, and realms we don’t see. What IS reality? Can we choose to create realities that serve our highest good? We get in deep with some spiritual topic, including a discussion of fear and worry and how those influence our realities, but can we remember that we have the power to decide what we read, what we listen to, what media we consume? As within, so without. Which is to say that the state of our inner world is reflected in the external world around us. Allegra also touches on Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, citing the idea that “work is love made visible” and how we can flip our perception of work. // Hafiz’s “The Bag Lady”, Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, Nayyirah Waheed’s “Swim”, and Allegra West’s “The Bluebird of Happiness” // Find Allegra at www.celestialreckonings.com and on IG: @allegra.west // Flow, Flow Baby! A 4-week vinyasa yoga series starting THIS SUNDAY May 31st @ 8am ET! Register here: https://suryagian.com/flow-flow-baby //
In this episode, I talk with Ohio-based writer, poet, and editor (and fellow Filipina Catholic-daughter-of-immigrants mama) Lisa Factora-Borchers! Our conversation is rich with explorations about what it means to find ourselves unmasked and what to do with that discovery; how inextricably linked our spirits are with our bodies; and the varied ways in which we can work towards healing our conditioned (and often damaging) thinking, including language-less prayer and writing. She also talks a bit about how her spirituality feeds into how she invites her kids to be aware of the divine. // Today’s poems: Hafiz’s “The Warrior” and Joy Harjo’s “Eagle Poem” (found here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46545/eagle-poem) // Find Lisa here https://lisafactoraborchers.com // The quote about what her memoir is about can be found here: https://rewire.news/article/2020/05/05/5-reproductive-justice-advocates-to-know-this-asian-pacific-american-heritage-month/ // Fabulous Fire Fridays on IG! Follow me here: @suryagianyogi // More offerings: https://suryagian.com
Today’s conversation is with poet, yoga teacher, writing teacher, and –get this—founder and co-owner of the Pizza Loves Emily restaurant group, Emily Hyland! This one is soooo good! With the many hats she wears, Emily shares how her identity has evolved over time and how she has come to better understand who she is. We get to talking more about identity, especially during this time of dramatic shifts. Who are we without our jobs? Without the material things that we have come to use as markers of our identity? What does it mean to be radically authentic when the material world (specifically, social media) has wanted us to project a perfect picture? If anything, this pandemic has stripped away the materiality of our identities. What is left? We talk about how this moment can be an invitation to be radically authentic and how that example can change our worlds. // Today’s poems: Hafiz’s “Friends Do Things Like This” and Rumi’s “Gamble Everything For Love” //
Find Emily’s restaurants: https://www.pizzalovesemily.com // Find Emily’s yoga classes: https://loveisjuniper.com and https://yogamayanewyork.com // Find Emily’s teacher, Mirabai Starr, here: https://www.mirabaistarr.com // Check out Fabulous Fire Fridays! on Instagram for insights on how to navigate as an empath: @suryagianyogi // https://suryagian.com
In this episode, I get to talk with one of my mentors who made a big impact on me and helped shape my spiritual journey: Mahan Rishi Singh Khalsa! He’s one of the first people to call me by my spiritual name, Surya Gian, which, when I hear it, makes me feel like my true essence, my Sat Nam. Here, he shares his wisdom and light on how to navigate the new world that is emerging from this pandemic. He invites us to let go of our attachments (to the past, to material things) and to call on our inner child to draw out wonder, imagination, and exploration so that we might create a new future. How do we do this? He offers the analogy of the butterfly, who previously was a master of walking as a caterpillar, and now must figure out how to be a master of flying, of air. Take a listen to savor the goodness he offers to help us birth a new vision for ourselves and our lives. And! He closes the episode with “Keeping Quiet”, a poem written one of my faaaavorite poets of all time, Pablo Neruda! You don’t want to miss this one! // Today’s poems: Hafiz’s “Turn Left a Thousand Feet From Here”, Pablo Neruda’s “Keeping Quiet” // Find Mahan Rishi here: Khalsa Healing Arts, Yardley, PA https://khalsahealing.com // Fabulous Fire Fridays! on Instagram: @suryagianyogi // Find me and some helpful resources to get grounded here: https://suryagian.com
The Birthday Episode! What does that mean? Only that I recorded this on my birthday. Haha! And that it’s all about me! Hah! I’m half-joking I share my story as an empath and the journey I have taken in the past year to step into my own power and life’s purpose. This journey has involved some deep work in revising the stories and beliefs about myself and about the reality around me that I carried. In sharing this, it’s my hope that, if some of these challenges resonate with you, you can find assurance that you’re not alone! And that it IS possible to overcome them and thrive as an empath. I also talk about how crucial Lola Pickett has been in this life transformation (her episode on this podcast is Ep #10: PLAY!! And the Unknown Future) and how that work has led to me create the Empowered Empaths community! Take a listen! // Hafiz’s “There Could Be Holy Fallout” and Ada Limon’s “Instructions On Not Giving Up” // Episode # 10 with special guest Lola Pickett! // My episode on Lola Pickett’s podcast, “Empath to Power” // EMPOWERED EMPATHS: suryagian.com/membership-registration // You can reach out to me at leslieann@suryagian.com Drop a note! I’d love to hear from you!
Today, Hafiz’s poem opens my talk with Claire Boyles, Colorado-based fiction writer and Hallmark screenwriter, with the idea of care – caring for ourselves, each other, and our planet. And I’ll tell ya: it’s not all high vibes and butterflies. It’s a conversation that takes unexpected turns from taking an honest look at our relationship with the earth to looking at how art functions and reflects the current world we live in. What is the responsibility of art? What is our responsibility to ourselves, our families, our wider world? What does this pandemic mean for our lives, for our society? In the end, it’s a matter of understanding that we can hold both – grief AND hope. Dark AND light. // Hafiz’s poem “Who Will Feed My Cat?”, Wendell Berry’s poem “The Peace of Wild Things” // Resources to help: Feeding America: https://www.feedingahc.org/ and Red Cross Blood Donation: https://www.redcrossblood.org/ // Sign up for my free class that will create energy and resilience for your highly sensitive self! It’s happening this Satuday, April 25th @ 4pm! https://suryagian.com/strong-and-resilient-empaths // Want to send feedback? I’d love to hear from you! Email me: leslieann@suryagian.com
Are we fish riding camels, to only realize this now and notice how damn thirsty we are? Hafiz’s poem opens this episode and get us thinking about how this pandemic has stripped us of our distractions and is forcing us to take a real good look at who we are and who we are called to be. Today, I’m in conversation with one of my dear spiritual teachers, Shannon Elliott, owner and director of Onyx Yoga Studio in Warren, NJ. We talk about how this global crisis is bringing so many essential things into focus, like creating community, holding BOTH the dark and the light, and to saying YES when we are called to serve. We also discuss what it means to be in the present moment (like being “in the zone”!), how we all possess the power to choose the present moment, and why that’s important. Shannon also talks a little bit about the magic of breathwork and reminds us: “Yoga will always meet us where we are.” // Hafiz’s “Damn Thirsty”, Rumi’s fragment of poem: “"Very little grows on jagged rock. / Be ground. Be crumbled. / So wild flowers will come up/ Where you are./ You have been stony for too many years./ Try something different. Surrender." // FREE yoga & training class ““How to Create More Energy & Resilience for Empaths”. Register here: suryagian.com/strong-and-resilient-empaths // #meditation #ownyourpower #bepresent #createcommunity #community #beherenow #breath #breathwork
I go in deep conversation with poet-writer and activist, Suzanne Gardinier, about how this pandemic is shifting and shaping us and how we can ride the surf toward evolution. We talk about how regular practices –yoga, meditation, writing, long term projects—can help keep us grounded during a time of uncertainty, a time of unknowing, especially doing it first thing in the morning, which helps set the tone for the day. There’s also talk of surfing, human nature in times of crisis, knowing vs. not knowing, and the magic and challenge of being present in the NOW. We ask: how do we live together in ways that are sustainable and are in harmony with mother earth? // Hafiz’s poem “Elephant Wondering” and Nazim Hikmet’s “That’s How It Goes” // Find Suzanne Gardinier and “The Spookmalas” (along with her other work) here: fruitfulplace.com // New Sanctuary Coalition – organization in support of immigrants in NYC www.newsanctuarynyc.org // Movie “Doing Time, Doing Vipassana” // Free mini-class and training: Strong and Resilient Empaths https://www.suryagian.com/strong-and-resilient-empaths
Note: This was recorded on Friday March 27, 2020. The COVID-19 statistics have spiked since then. As a reference point, since this recording, the death count in my town has risen from 2 cases to 6.
Leslieann has so much fun and play in this conversation with Lola Pickett, mentor and coach of empaths and highly sensitive people, talking about how play and self-expression can support us during stressful times. Lola says, “Play is the medicine for resilience to see us through.” During these times of global crisis and visceral change, it’s necessary to create beauty, to create joy – it’s a survival mechanism! It’s also important to ask: who are we going to be and what are we going to build? And what about the unknown future? It’s about making plans without expectation, without attachment to a specific outcome. Tune in to learn more! // Hafiz’s poem “Turn Left A Thousand Feet From Here” (from _The Gift_ trans. Daniel Ladinsky), Rumi’s poem “#110“ (from _Like This_ trans. Coleman Barks) // Find Lola Pickett here: lolapickett.com and on IG: @thelolapickett And check out her amazing life-changing course, EMPATH*ology! // California retreat info: California retreat (Aug 5-9, 2020) info: suryagian.com/petaluma-retreat (YES! We got a new website!!) // #meditation #poetry #play #createjoy #createbeauty #selftrust #spiritualgrowth #chooselove #suryagian
In this episode, Leslieann invites us to consider what we might learn from this quarantine experience. How can we grow from this global moment in time? Eckhart Tolle reminds us to be present in the NOW – that the past is a longing for something we used to have and the future is an imagined outcome. There is nothing real but the present moment. So how can we be present in the age of self-isolation and social distancing when we are distracted by fear? How can we turn our focus to getting centered and being present in the now? // Hafiz’s poem“What Do White Birds Say”; films referred: “A League of Her Own”, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”; Leslieann Hobayan's “Shopping in the Pandemic” (work-in-progress) // California retreat (Aug 5-9, 2020) info: suryagian.com/petaluma-retreat (YES! We got a new website!!) // #meditation #poetry #makefriendswithfear #pandemic #selftrust #spiritualgrowth #evolve #leap #letgo #suryagian
In this episode, after several takes (haha), Leslieann talks about how our mindset affects our physical health, how we can lean into the fear and get curious about it – what lies there beneath the fear? What can we learn about ourselves when we embrace our fear and ask it questions like we would a new friend? She also invites us to take time to pause, take inventory of what really matters to us, and to extend compassion, kindness and care for others. // Hafiz’s poem “That Lamp That Needs No Oil” from The Gift and Jacob Saenz’s poems “Evolution of my Block” from The BreakBeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip-hop // California retreat (Aug 5-9, 2020) info: suryagian.com/petaluma-retreat (YES! We got a new website!!) // #meditation #poetry #makefriendswithfear #selftrust #spiritualgrowth #evolve #leap #letgo
Identity Evolution and Self-Trust
In this episode, Leslieann talks about life transitions and evolutionary growth, how self-trust is key, and letting go of old patterns creates space for new things to come in to play in our lives so that we might thrive. “What we focus on we create more of.” What do you want to create in your life? “Dividing God” by Hafiz opens the episode and “Graveyard Shift” by Su Hwang closes the show. // Books: The Gift by Hafiz trans. Daniel Ladinsky and Bodega by Su Hwang // California retreat (Aug 5-9, 2020) info: suryagian.com/petaluma-retreat (YES! We got a new website!!) // #meditation #poetry #selftrust #identityevolution #spiritualgrowth #evolve #letgo
Today’s guest is poet and essayist, Camille T. Dungy, author of several books, including the poetry collection Trophic Cascade and the essay collection, The Guidebook to Relative Strangers: Journeys into Race, Motherhood, and History. In this episode, Leslieann speaks with her about the practice of language and how we use it, being open to receive, and the Big Snap. They talk about how the practice of poetry and awareness can allow for us to engage with alternate intelligences (the intelligence of trees, birds, all of nature) and act with radical empathy. // Find Camille here: http://camilledungy.com // California retreat (Aug 5-9, 2020) info: leslieannhobayanyoga.com/retreats // #meditation #poetry #lovewins #alternateintelligences #radicalempathy #suryagian
Let’s celebrate! We’ve got our first guest on the show! In this episode, Leslieann speaks with Veronica Corpuz, Pittsburgh poet and visual artist. They talk about how poetry creates doors into our spirituality, how we can try to see the Buddha in everyone, how meditation can happen anywhere and how it can look like everyday tasks like doing dishes. The conversation ranges from deep engagement with writing to being examples for the people around us, including our kids, but above all things: LOVE rules! // California retreat (Aug 5-9, 2020) info: leslieannhobayanyoga.com/retreats // #meditation #poetry #washingdishesismeditation #awareness #seethegodineveryone #seethebuddhaineveryone #bepresent #satnam #suryagian
In this episode, Leslieann speaks about the recent allegations of sexual abuse against Yogi Bhajan, the man who brought Kundalini Yoga to the West. There are no specific details about sexual abuse mentioned, but rather this is an inquiry to the role of spiritual teachers in our lives. How can we discern who is a good teacher for us? What do we do when our teachers fail us? There are no answers here, only more questions to consider. There is also a reminder that we are in control of the choices we make in our lives. // Mentions: Premka: A White Bird in a Golden Cage by Pamela Dyson; Simrad Bhagavatam, Haifiz poem from The Gift: “The Great Expanse” // #kundaliniyoga #bhaktiyoga #raghunathcappo #kaustubhadas #wisdomofthesages #satman #suryagian
The labels and roles we play are not who we are at our very essence. Awareness and meditation can help differentiate between the roles we play and our true identities, the Sat Nam within us. How can we release attachment to these labels and roles? And how can this help us find our life's purpose? Reference to Hafiz's The Gift (trans. Daniel Landinsky) and Michael Singer's The Untethered Soul. Looking ahead: interviews and conversations with poets and writers and spiritualists! /// website: leslieannhobayanyoga.com /// retreat info: leslieannhobayanyoga.com/retreats /// meditation life purpose healing true selves sat nam role breaking poetry
How can poetry help us dive deep into our inner personal work? What might happen if we saw poetry as a portal into our spiritual selves? Shake off your ambivalence about poetry and see it as a tool for connection. Maybe it'll hit you like the "breaka breaka dawn". Leslieann invites you to find a poem for yourself and share it with her by emailing her at: leslieannyoga@gmail.com You can also get more info about her offerings on her website: leslieannhobayanyoga.com #meditation #poetryaspractice #poetry #spiritualpath #spiritualwork #spiritualword #divineself #satnam #liveyourtruth
Welcome to this podcast that uses poetry as a window into ourselves and meditation as a tool to connect with our divine selves so that we might live a life of purpose in service of our highest good.
With each new year, we set resolutions, goals and intentions. Unfortunately, many of us give up after the first month. Why does this happen? It's not a matter sheer of willpower. It's deeper than that. It's about who you are BEING. Who is the person that realizes these goals? Who is the person that manifests these intentions?