2018 Wood Element Playlist

Spring sprung late this year!  Just as we are getting used to sunny, clear skies... BAM!  Summer is knocking on the door.   But I've been living in the energy of Spring, the Wood Element, since early March. One thing I love about the Five Elements is that even though they come out of an ancient philosophy, they are still working forces in our lives.  Check out this list of songs that have something to teach us about the how the Wood Element shows up today.

Note:  Most of the songs on this list have explicit lyrics.   But now that I think about it, by the time folks get to cussin', usually the Wood Element is involved!   Enjoy!  (Listen to this Wood Element Playlist on Spotify- but not around the kids!)

All the Way Up Remix by Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Jay-Z, French Montana 

The energetic of the Wood Element is up...  all the way up!   The metaphor for the Wood Element is the sprout,  and the tremendous upward energy it takes to counter the force of gravity and burst through the soil.   The Wood Element inspires us to be at the top of our game, as we strive to self actualize and bring the best of ourselves into the world.  Entrepreneurship and artistic creativity also fall under the Wood Element's domain.  So.... how high is high enough?  When the Wood Element is healthy, we rise to the challenge of making sure our unique brilliance is respected. There's no limit to how high we can go!
Medicine Cabinet: Abundance flower essence is the remedy for when you're ready to open yourself up to the best your life has to offer as an innovator, visionary, entrepreneur, or creative.

Mad by Solange featuring Lil Wayne

Photo Credit: Parlour Magazine

Every Element has a core emotion associated with it, and the emotion governed by the Wood Element is anger.  What happens when the natural upward movement of the soul gets blocked?  What happens when we are denied the right to express ourselves and stand in our power?  Righteous indignation-AKA anger or even rage.  Though the emotion has a bad reputation, it's really the appropriate response to the violations of the self.  The trick is learning to respond- with consequences and boundaries.  When we learn to appropriately respond to our triggers, rather than merely exploding or imploding, anger can be a powerful catalyst for growth and change.
Medicine Cabinet:  Eloquence flower essence empowers us to speak our authentic truth and express ourselves, even- and especially- when it's uncomfortable.

Photo Credit. Poponandon.com

I Don't F**K With You by Big Sean Featuring E-40

The Wood Element governs conflict and boundaries in relationships, and helps us maintain a healthy sense of self as we relate to others. This song so perfectly demonstrates what it feels like when the grief of the Metal Element and the anger of the Wood Element get jammed up and intertwined.  This is especially common when anger is easier to recognize and articulate than
rejection or vulnerability.  We can also see how anger can be the incentive to help up let go of what doesn't honor us, demonstrating the dynamic relationship between the Wood and Metal.
Medicine Cabinet:   Exhale flower essence, which helps us let's go of people, situations, habits  and anything else that stands in the way of our best life.  

Kilmonger- Original Score by Ludwig Goransson

To date I've seen Black Panther 4.5 times (and counting), the most I've ever seen any movie in a theatre.  The cinematic masterpiece is rich with powerful archetypes- including my main man Michael B. Jordan as Kilmonger. Kilmonger is a warrior that  represents the best and worst of the Wood Element.  In his heart of hearts, what he really wants is justice, at any cost.  His vision is to arm the oppressed with tools to revolt against their oppressors.  Can we really be mad about that?  The Wood Element governs social justice and equality- believing that everyone should have he right and resources to self-actualization.   His theme song makes the list because of its warlike, rising meledy that captures the essence of the rising energetic of Wood.

This is America by Childish Gambino

Speaking of war, Childish Gambino is stirring up controversy with his newly released video for This is America.  Whether we love it or hate it, I don't think we can deny Mr. Glover's unflinching gaze at American policy, channeling the Wood Element's ability to question, confront and transform. I'm  particularly struck by the church choir scene, which is a symbol for 

This is America Video Still

the continued struggle to make Black Lives Matter in a country where historically, they don't.  

Medicine Cabinet:  Get Up Stand Up helps us to restore our self-respect and dignity when we feel afraid, discouraged or oppressed.   And let's be real: this political climate is calling for us to ALL stand up.

The Choice is Yours by Black Sheep

The Gall Bladder Energy Channel

Can't make up your mind?  The Yang Wood (Gallbladder) meridian is known as the General- it makes decisive action and choices to move us on our de
stined path.  The meridian zig zags across the head and then  continues to sig zap down our body. When afflicted, we experience pains that alternate from one side to another, or come and go, as if our body can't make up its' mind!  In our lives, an afflicted Wood Element can manifest as indecision, paralyzing us as we juggle conflicting bits of information.    

Medicine Cabinet: Sacred Source flower essence takes us out of the mind and into the heart, supporting us as we learn to trust and follow the truth from within.

Time 4 Sum Aksion by Redman 

Let's get ready to ruuummmmble! 

The Wood Element is about taking concrete action in the world- NOW.  When the Wood element is blocked, we feel stuck in procrastination or an endless cycle of ideas that never manifest.  But when the Wood Element is thriving, we experience an eruption of clear intention along the energy and motivation to make it happen.  As Amelia Earhart is known for saying, "The most effective way to do it, is to do it."
Medicine Cabinet: Aligned Intentions  flower essence helps us get clear and get busy when we're stuck, procrastinating, lethargic- or just plain talking the talk more than we're actually walking the walk.

Beychella

So, if you haven't had a chance to watch Beyoncés killer performance at Coachella, please dedicate two hours of your life to this incredible homage to Black music.   Beychella makes the Wood Element list not only because Bey is is truly at the top of her game, but because she uses her art to stand unapologetically in her self-definition.   Her rendition of Lift Every Voice following Formation made me so proud, and I loved her cheeky side eye at Coachella for being the first Black woman to headline.  Looking at her catalog, we can truly get a sense of Bey's evolution over time, which is what the Wood Element is all about.   

Photo Credit: Vulture.com

Medicine Cabinet: Queendom flower essence helps us stand unapologetically in our authentic Feminine power.
If you love Bey like I do, check out additional flower essences for Lemonade!

Sorry not Sorry by Demi Lavato 

Inspired by the Queen Bey, Demi's first single from her Tell Me You Love Me album  is oh sooooooo Wood Element.  The Wood Element is about self- validation, and being unapologetic as we go after what we deserve.   Remember, a plant doesn't ask for its share of the sun, it just grows instinctively toward the light.  As Demi so eloquently states in Wood Element fashion:  "Payback is a bad b*tch, and baby I'm the baddest".  Yuuuuuuuuuppppp!
Medicine Cabinet:  Worthy flower essence helps us know our inherent value, and get rid of paralyzingly shame.  

Sky Walker by Miguel & Travis Scott

One of  the most popular herbs in Chinese Medicine for treating the Wood Element is translated as 'free and easy wonderer'.  When our path and vision is clear, life feels effortless and free!  This song from Miguel's War & Leisure (ahem: both are signature of the Wood Element) evokes that sense of ease and contentment.  

Medicine Cabinet:  Present Presence flower essence is recommended when anxiety and worry- the war in our minds- keep us from experiencing the beauty of our lives.  

Cardi B's Invasion of Privacy (yup, the whole album) 

The Wood Element is represented by the sprout, and as the debut album, Invasion of Privacy is just the beginning. There are just so many signatures of the Wood Element, including its release in the heart of the Spring!  There's anger- just think how much you gotta be in your feelings to hang up on someone's mama and cut the tongues out all those sneakers.  When the Wood Element doesn't have the chance to demand the respect it deserves, it turns into resentment (on repeat).    Classically, the Wood voice is considered shouting, which relates more to its quality- pointed and direct- than to its actual volume.   Cardi has a voice that even the ancients would classify as Wood Element.  Then there's the  #BossBitch moves Cardi's making; its the Wood Element that affords us the freedom to say "I do whatava I like'.   And at the end of the day, the Wood Element  inspires us us to live our Best Life, to fulfill our dreams, live on purpose, and to turn all our L's into lessons.   
"I'm like gold, I'm #lifegoals, man, I'm chosen, I'm floatin', ayyyy!"
Well played, Cardi!

Water Element Seasonal Playlist

One of the reasons music is such a powerful force in our lives is that it moves us on the Etheric Plane of  our subtle body.  The Etheric Plane is like a field of electromagnetic Qi, a sheath of  energy surrounding our physical body.   Even though its invisible, many of have experienced the Etheric Plane- its what gets activated when we "feel" someone staring at us.  Or... when we feel upcoming weather changes in our bodies (i.e. my knee hurts when its about to rain).  We also move our Etheric Body when we put on our power playlist to hype us up before an important meeting or presentation, or put on sad music to make ourselves cry.

The point is:  music is energy, music is vibration, and we can use it to move our Qi! 

Each of the Five Elements of Chinese Medicine are also vibration.  Element corresponds to a season, a phase of life, colors, emotions, parts of the body, and more- reminding us that we are an extension of nature.  The Elements bring to life a fundamental alchemical truth:  As above, so below; As within, so without; As the Universe, so the soul…   

In Classical Five Element Acupuncture, the sound of Water will cause a person’s voice to exhibit a groaning quality.  An example of this groan when your first words in the morning are “that was a good sleep”, before fully waking up.   The sound of Water has a characteristic sinking quality, either in its low tones or in a voice that falls and sinks at the ends of sentences.  Musically, we can evoke the feeling of Water with songs that carry the vibration of sinking to the depths, slow rhythms that evoke stillness or trance, and notes that accumulate in the lower register.   

All of the songs on this year’s Water Element playlist reflect the low, sinking quality of water as it surrenders to the force of gravity.  These Water songs evoke the stillness, introspective, and mysterious quality of water and Winter.   Check out these songs whose lyrics can also teach us something about this season of the Water Element: 

Silence is the Way by Miles Davis & Robert Glasper featuring Laura Mvula 

Don’t be afraid

Don’t be afraid

You gotta listen in the silent way

Listen in the silent way

I love this jazzy hip hoppera, and use it in almost all of my yoga playlists!  The Water Element governs our sense of hearing and listening.  Try this: close your eyes and see if you can identity the quietest sound in the room.  Listen underneath the most obvious sounds (here in NYC, there are plenty!) and tune in.  Notice how that attentiveness brings you fully present to the here and now?  That’s the gift of Water:  a stillness and presence that allows us to transmute fear into cautious awareness of our environment.  Indeed, this season invites us to listen in the silent way.

My Friend the Moon  by Fertile Ground
I am not alone... 
At night I see a light like my own
And it is not all blues...  there is peace in Heaven's Womb
So please don't be confused about my friend... my friend the moon

The Water Element is associated with the moon and her intuitive, reflective power.  The water element brings us deep within ourselves, where we can access our intuition.  The moon is also associated with our lunar state of consciousness and our ability to receive messages from our dreams.  Sacred Source flower essence includes the flower essences of Mugwort, Deerbrush, and Cerato to help us listen more closely to the messages from within.  

River by Ibeyi

Carry away my dead leaves

Let me baptize my soul with the help of your waters

Sink my pains and complains

Let the river take them, river drown them

From baptism to libation, Water is used across religions as a conduit between worlds. Water draws us in to our depths.   The energetic direction of water is downward, as water always seeks the deepest level.  Imagine if you were to knock over a glass of water.  The water would first roll off the table and onto the floor. If there is a hole in the floor, the water will seep into the hole and keep falling, down… down… down- just like the cadence of this praise song.  Soothing, healing, yielding, cleansing, the Water Element is the master shapeshifter in our lives.  

Weary by Solange  

I'm weary of the ways of the world

Be weary of the ways of the world

Oh Solange!  You nailed it with this song.  With all the political happenings and the whirlwind of 2017 (or 2018, or 2019, or 2020, or... forever),  many of us are feeling that weariness!  If we follow nature, Winter is a time to retreat from the ways of the world and replenish our inner reserves. If you're feeling burned out,  less inclined to go out and party, or unmotivated to take on  new projects, the Water Element is having her way with you.  Try the  Oasis flower essence recipe to rejuvenate and replenish, so that when it’s time to act, you have the resources in your body to back up the intentions in your mind.

Lemonade: My Album of the Year

Ya'll know all of last year I was absolutely obsessed with #Lemonade, right?  I was so taken by it that  I joined forces with another sacred feminine powerhouse and hosted an exclusive event-  a gathering at the New Moon to watch the album, have an intimate discussion about the Sacred Feminine, and to sip on our own special lemonade cocktail. 

As I watched Beyonce's performance on the Grammy's last night, I was reminded of how incredibly honored I feel to be part of the lineage of Goddesses she paid homage to in her performance.  I felt incredibly proud of her well-thought out acceptance speech, and choked up a bit hearing Adele's honest deference to the Queen Bey.   Sure, there are talks of cultural appropriation and all kinds of critiques, because that is what our logical minds are literally programmed to do.  But I just feel proud.  It was beautifully and magically done.  But i digress.  

I'm a self-proclaimed neoancient, so I'm always looking for ways to connect what happening out there in the world with what's happening in here. As the ancient axiom goes:  as above, so below;  as without, so within.  When #Lemonade dropped,  I immediately started dreaming up flower essence blends for each song.  Now, as I prepare to formally launch Elementals- my new collection of flower essences to heal the heart and soul-  I am struck by how many of the essences align with the archetypal themes explored in the 
album:

 

The Catch Me Remedy (Sacred Source) Sometimes what we truly need to honor is above the pay grade of our logical minds, and we can only find solutions through intuition and alignment with our inner knowing.   Sacred Source is a recipe with  Star Tulip essence to create space for meditative awareness, Deerbrush essence to tap in to our true feelings about a situation, Mugwort essences for cultivating a relationship with the messages received through dreams, and Cerato for the confidence to trust our intuition. 

The Sorry... Not Sorry Remedy (Worthy)

A major recurring theme in my executive, entrepreneurial, and personal leadership trainings is 'sorry not sorry'.  We explore the many ways that women in positions of power overwhelmingly over- apologize, give disclaimers, and ask for validation. The Worthy recipe includes Buttercup essence for self-validation and confidence, Gold essence for honoring our inner worth and value, and Larch for confidence and clear expression.

Are you Neo-Ancient? 7 Ways to Tell

Forget all this talk about Millennials, Generation Xers, and Baby Boomers.  These  crazy times call for the ones I've been affectionately calling Neo-Ancients.  As confusion, worry and fear run rampant, the Neo-Ancients can be found gathering our inner resources as we prepare for assertive, clear and directed action.  Here are seven clues you just might be part of our tribe:

1) Solstices and Equinoxes are your holidays

Maybe you go all out with fasting, cleansing, meditating and aligning with your intentions at the change of of each season. Or maybe your body takes care of it for you by giving you seasonal cold or fatigue at these cross points.  Either way, the Summer and Winter solstices and the Autumn and Spring equinoxes hold special meaning for you.   Interestingly enough, many popular holidays tend to fall around these powerful shifts in the balance of Yin & Yang.  At this time of year, festive lights and candles for remind us of the return of the Sun after six months of increasingly long nights.   If the solstices and equinoxes facilitate physical, emotional or spiritual shifts in your life, you might be Neo-ancient.

2) You are more than your Sun Sign

When most people think of astrology, they think of the sign that aligns with the month in which they were born.  They may even refer to the daily horoscope for entertainment, or you might feel a particular kinship with those who share your sign (big up to all the scorpios in the house!  heeeeyyyyyy!)  Neo-ancients know that the natal birth chart is more than just really fun insight- it's a map of human psychology. Each planet position gives archetypal insight an aspect of our psyche, as well as what we most need to feel like our authentic selves.  So if your answer to "What's you sign?" sounds like mine:  "I'm a Scorpio sun with a Libra Moon and Venus, Mars in Scorpio,  and Gemini rising...", you might be Neo-ancient.

3) Your schedule is cosmic 

You don't just set your intentions and goals on a monthly basis, but you pay attention to the fluctuations between Yin and Yang as you plan your year.  You know active force, Yang,  is at its height in summer, as well as during full moons. You know that stillness and reflection, the Yin, are amplified in the winter and during new moons.  And the happenings of Mercury Schmercury have on more than one occasion affected your plans.   If your schedule is cosmic, you might be Neo-ancient. 

4) You take care of your subtle body

Neo-ancients understand that health is not just physical- it's emotional, mental and spiritual as well. While conventional medicine is about 500 years old, it's really a baby when compared to many of the ancient healing systems that considered the physical, etheric, astral and spiritual planes.  Acupuncture, for example,  is a 2000+ year old medicine that's now gaining popularity in the West for its success treating muscular pain and fertility. In my practice, we honor the Shamanic lineage out of which acupuncture emerges.  This means we're not only attending to the physical body, but also attending to heartache, lack of inspiration, confusion, anxiety, depression and any of the myriad ways we might be out of alignment with the unfolding of our path, our Tao.   We use earth medicine such as flower essences, essential oils, gemstones and herbs to facilitate inner and outer shifts.  If you believe that health is about more than being "free from disease",  you might be Neo-ancient.

5) You're etherically sensitive 

Photo Credit: NASA

Speaking of the subtle body, the etheric body is the first layer of the subtle body.  It can be likened to an electromagnetic sheath that envelops our physical form.  It's the aspect of the subtle body that gets charged when you 'feel' someone staring at you, your back hurts cuz it's cold outside, or your knee acts up every time it rains.  Our electromagnetic bodies are in close synergy with the electromagnetic poles of the earth, and etherically sensitive folks are often affected by full and new moons and
changes of seasons.  Because our emotions live mostly in our etheric body, etherically sensitive folks tend to be very empathic- and can often sense when someone is feeling angry or sad even if their words indicate otherwise.  Being in crowds of can upset the nervous system of etherically sensitive folks, who might need to spend some time decompressing alone after lots of interaction with others.  If any of this sounds like you, you might be Neo-ancient.

6) Synchronicity has meaning
Neo-ancients know that there is no such thing as a coincidence.  Every moment has the potential to answer a question that was posed with intention (or inadvertently) to the Universe.   We are constantly  reminded that we are not physical beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a physical experience.  A random song that's stuck in our head that carries a potent message.  Being in the right place at exactly the right time.  The friend you were thinking of that happens to call at that moment.  The person on the train that catches your eye.  The billboard you never noticed before that carries a special message today, just for you.   Neo-ancients find a way to live in the meaning and magic of it all.  It's like that quote from the book Conversations with God, when God tells the author to look for her in:

"...the words to the next song you hear.  The information in the next article you read.  The story line of the next movie your watch. The chance utterance of the next person you meet.  Or the whisper of the next river, the next ocean, the next breeze that crosses your ear….”

If you have ever experienced the magic of synchronicity, you might be Neo-ancient.

7) You believe in it all

You consider yourself "spiritual" instead of "religious".  You grew up on the Bible and can drop a Proverbs quote at a moment's notice, and know all 12 signs of the zodiac.   Or you can recite the original, modified, or personalized declarations of Ma'at. You have gained wisdom from the I Ching, Yogic philosophy, the Secret, the Buddha, Earthseed scripture, Nature and/or your Highest Self in meditation.  You light candles for your ancestors and pour libation.  An Ifa reading once transformed- or saved- your life. Quantum physics has your mind blown. On top of that, you're a magic manifestress.  You believe in it all, because all is one.  If your heart can hold yes/and instead of either/or in your spiritual practice, you are definitely Neo-ancient.

Join our "Vibe Tribe" this Winter Solstice!

What the World Needs Now...

IS YOU.

I'm going to be completely honest and transparent.   This blog was supposed to be a celebration about the upcoming Magic & Medicine flower essence training happening this weekend.  I love flower essences... LOVE them.   I am REALLY excited about the training.  So, I was going to write a blog about the difference between flower essences and essential oils, and I was going to share stories of the profound shifts they facilitate.  

But everytime I went to write, I kept seeing images of Alton Sterling's son weeping.  

I couldn't write.  My excitement felt inappropriate, and I started feeling despondent.  sad.  angry.  distracted. powerless.  unexpected tears would well up.  As my heart wept for humanity, I felt even more disconnected from my purpose.  

In my practice, so many came in yesterday feeling the same way.   Eyes slightly glazed over, distracted and unable to focus.  Some felt almost numb, while others' muscles tensed in a hyper-viligent state of fight or flight.   Secondary trauma, which is the emotional duress that results when an individual witnesses the firsthand trauma experiences of another,  is REAL. 

I remember reading somewhere that when a mouse dies on a trap, it energetically sends out a message to its fellow mice colony so they can avoid the same trap.  A telepathic "don't eat the peanut butter!" of sorts, which is why you have to keep switching the bait.   

I believe that we as humans are no different.  I believe when one of us is affected by crimes of hate, we ALL are.  We receive the message- yes through social media, but also deep in our bodies.  

The question is:  how do we stop eating the peanut butter?  

There are no easy answers, but I personally always turn to flower essences when my heart is aching. When my mind needs clarity.  When my soul needs solace.   Here's whats in my medicine cabinet right now:

Star of Bethlehem Flower Essence:  For any type of shock and trauma, Star of Bethlehem flower essence helps to reconnect the body and spirit for a sense of renewed wholeness.

Borage Flower Essence: Creates a sense of buoyancy in the heart when it is weighted by grief or disappointment.

Mountain Pride Flower Essence:  Helps us respond to injustice with clarity and conviction, while staying connected to our soul purpose.  

As I slowly, gently and lovingly come back to myself, I am reminded of my purpose. I am reminded that this ancient medicine is needed in times like this.   I am inspired to be an agent for change, and allowing space for RIGHT ACTION to reveal itself. 

May each and everyone of us find the connection between our personal purpose, and the soul of the world.  We are the ones we've been waiting for.  

The Legend... The Icon... The Archetype

When I woke up my patient to remove her needles,  she told me that she had felt another presence in the room while she was resting during her acupuncture treatment .   We explored if she had sensed the pigeons outside of the window, or perhaps an ancestor visiting as a healing ally.  "No", she insisted, shaking her head.  "It was none of those, but definitely a presence".

About an hour later, she sent me an email stating, "It was Prince.  He's been my idol since I was in elementary school.  Someone I never met, don't know personally but have adored most of my life."

I received the news of Prince passing while that patient was resting, and I could feel the reverberations of shock and sorrow throughout the city.   I knew that, like myself, people were reliving memories of a cultural icon's music that raised a generation.   Recalling with a nostalgic "remember when...?" , and all of the moments embraced in the music.

Suddenly it's 1980-something, and I see myself perfectly-  begging my dad to let me watch Under a Cherry Moon on our Beta-Max machine.  I am at the 8th grade dance, feeling like I've arrived in an alarming combination of hair spray, lace, and ruffles.    I'm brought back to first boyfriends and first kisses and summers with my sister-cousin in PG County. Then I'm in Carolina blue, partying with my fellow Tarheels as the Class of 1999.  The memories- from each stage of my life- are hauntingly, sweetly, refreshingly clear. 

How is it that we are so greatly affected by the loss of someone that we never knew personally, but was so intimately wrapped into our lives?  

Spike Lee Block Party Tribute Photo Credit:  NY Daily News

Then i remembered.... ARCHETYPES.  It's all about archetypes.

Carolyn Myss defines an archetype as "psychic power patterns in the unconscious mind." She writes that "although arcehyples are collective symbols that everyone in the culture shares, they can also speak to us individually, as personal archetypal patterns that are the foundation of our beliefs, drives, motivations, and actions, organizing and energizing all out relationships in life".   I work ALOT with archetypes in my practice- calling on the Elements, the Zodiac, the Chakras, Orisha, media personalities, and the archetypal wisdom of flower essences to help us understand how and why we do what we do.

The point is, when a person lives very close to an archetype, they become iconic.  Their presence becomes a symbolic and earthly representation of a cosmic force that lives within all of our psyches. We love them like we love our best selves- because they represent something that IS part of ourselves.  Something universal, yet intangible.  An icon gives us rare access to a subconscious human pattern of the psyche- manifesting in real life so that we can see it, dissect it, critique it, adore it,  and if we're lucky, integrate it into our lived experience.

Beyonce as the Venus/Het Heru/ Oshun archetype, calling us to embrace the aspect of feminine sexuality that is powerful and defiant.  Michael Jackson as the Puer Eternal archetype, challenging the aspects of ourselves that desire to live in perpetual childlike wonder, joy and fantasy.  Princess Diana as, literally, the Princess archetype who found her Prince Charming.  When an archetype either emerges or dies, the whole world feels it.

The Legend Formally Known as Prince breathed life into the archetype of Aquarius.

Aquarius.  The Eccentric One.  The Rebel.  The Original.  The Inventor.  The Cosmic One.

Astrologically speaking, the spiritual principle of Aquarius is "individuation and the freedom to be original."  Indeed, the Aquarius energy is one that allows us to be creative, inventive, and to defy the rules in honor of our orginality.   Governed by Uranus, the transgender planet of rebellion against social norms, Aquarius affords us the psychic impulse to be uniquely, eccentrically, authentically ourselves.

Didn't he do it, tho?

Prince refused to be imprisoned, not even within a box of his name or his fame.  His music became the soundtrack for the freakiest, sexiest, darkest desires that were too unconventional to express. Rigid delineations between black and white music dissolved.  We lived through him as he rocked eyeliner and heels in all his masculine glory, helping us expand our preconceived notions of gender, of coolness, of sexy.

And I can't think of single woman that didn't want to sleep with that musically genius, incredibly sexy, androgynous little man. 

The archetype of Aquarius 'aims for total freedom to pursue enlightenment and raise the consciousness of the planet. And in his fame, Prince turned is attention to humanitarian effort,s seeking to raise the vibration of the planet by attending to those who needed it most.  A close friend recalls him saying, "I don't need any more attention, but I can't be in this world and see this much pain and suffering and not do something".

Rise in Power Dearly Beloved.   May we honor you by honoring that which is cosmic, radical, innovative, and humanitarian within ourselves.  Rock on.

Why this Black History Month was the best EVER....

This was, without a doubt, the best Black History Month I've had in a long, long time.   Usually, my Februarys are filled with generalized snarkiness about it being the shortest month of the year, redundant black history trivia, and competing Valentine's Day grumpiness..  but February 2016?  oh 2016...   you got us ready for some REAL conversations about race.  Here's what rocked my world this month in Black History:

#1. Birth of a Nation at Sundance
Birth of a Nation, a new film produced by Nate Parker, broke the internet this month when it was awarded a record setting $17.5 million distribution deal after sweeping the awards at Sundance.  The folks that I know who are connected to the film have been in the trenches, supporting real change as it relates to institutional racism, so this is a big win for ALL of us.  Why else am I so excited about this film??  Because it is about Nat Turner, a freedom fighter who led a rebellion of slaves and free blacks.  So many of Hollywood's dipictions of slavery and the aftermath (aka the present) are demoralizing.  I'm looking forward to a movie that shows us fighting back for once- for our lives, for our families, and for our future.  Rumor has it that Birth of a Nation will be released theatrically this October, and I can't wait.

# 2.  Beyonce's Formation

My girlfriend and I joked that forever more, February 7th shall be known as Beyonce Day.  Let's face it- her execution was perfect:  BAM! new video, which is a straight-up celebration of southern Black culture. BAM! Superbowl Black Panther-inspired 'badassiness' (yes, it's a word).  BAM! Tour announcement, including her and hubby's donation of a gazillion dollars to #blacklivesmatter and Flint.  And then a few weeks later... BAM! Beyonce drops a mini doc on racial injustice.

I've been a fan since way back when, but Formation took it to the next level for me.  For one, I can't stop singing "I dream hard, I work hard, I grind till i own it" while doing the dance from the video.  All day.    For two, I also 'like my baby hair with baby hair in afros'.  In this foreign land of weaves and extensions,  and it feels really GOOD to have a 'black and proud ' song that beats with the pulse of this generation.    But most importantly, I love the controversy- and dialogue-  Formation has stirred.   The video and its varied reactions has opened the door for me to have conversations about race with colleagues and girlfriends that I didn't even know were waiting to happen.  Well played, Queen Bey.
  

#3. Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes

After watching Formation with my daughter, she had LOTS of questions.  Given the current political climate,  she understood the messaging of the boy dancing in front of the police line, and the "stop shooting us" plea.   But the police car in the flood?  The sinking buildings?  That required a longer conversation about Hurricane Katrina and the racial, socio-economic, and political injustices that surrounded it.   Insert Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes.  This historical fiction breathes life into Lanesha, a 12- year old ninth ward resident that must call on her faith, courage and spirituality to help her family survive the storm. Spoiler alert:  there's a chilling scene towards the end of the book when Lanesha, on her roof after the storm, sees a helicopter passing her overhead.  Followed by her slow realization that no one is coming to help. She, like so many families, is left to help herself.

#4. Kendrick Lamar on the Grammys
This month, Kendrick SMASHED the Grammys with his performance of "the Blacker the Berry" and "Alright".  Now, Kendrick is my celebrity crush, so i'm predisposed to like what ever comes out of his mouth.  But that performance? From the lyrics, the set design, costumes, and choreography, my mind was blown.  Yuuuup, 'we gonna be alright!!! ' If you missed it, you can check out the performance here.

#5.  Eclipsed on Broadway

I have been blessed to see quite a few amazing shows on Broadway.   But I have never seen ANYTHING like Eclipsed, which opened for previews on Broadway last week.   I was holding my heart and crying audibly within the first ten minutes.   I also laughed.  I related.  I was was enraptured with- for two whole hours- the melodic song of African dialect.  Eclipsed tells the story of five women during the Liberian Civil War, was about about so much more than this oft neglected part of history.  It was about patriarchy, about loving fiercely, about protecting ourselves, about taking a stand, about finding our way, about fear, about acceptance, and about survival.  Lupita was phenomenal, and the entire five women cast was equally mind-blowing.  I am forever changed, and look forward to seeing more from playwright Danai Gurira.

Metal Element Playlist

When most people think of songs of the season, they think of the holiday cheer that has bombarded the speakers of every store and coffee shop. But instead of feeling like decking the halls, most of my friends, family and patients are still experiencing the grief, wonder, and reflective stillness of autumn's Metal Element as we transition into the deep Yin of Winter.   

Every fall as the leaves turn gold and red, my daughter observes the solemn autumn air and announces, "I miss Pop", her grandfather who passed two years ago.  With confusion around Gaza, Ferguson, and the Native American Day of Mourning in many of our hearts, the Metal Element invites us come to terms with both our personal grief and collective loss.   

Yet the Metal element also gifts us with inspiration, present presence, and transcendence, which we can all tap into at this time of year.

Holiday magic and cheer is just around the bend, with Christmas, the Solstice, Hannakah and spiritual traditions the world over celebrating the return of light after a period of darkness. But first, let's get to know the ancient Metal element through a contemporary soundtrack, and key flower essences to balance the waves of emotion that may flood us in the Fall:

#1-  Star People by Fertile Ground

We keep missing, and missing, and missing, and missing the point... 
Of who we are and why came.
And as this reality deceives us, we get caught and lose our aim.... 
We get in the way of ourselves and we dismiss the call.  
We get in the way of ourselves, and make it so hard...  
Star people come down we are preparing to be with you again.

Don't judge me. I know there are at least two Fertile Ground songs on every one of my element playlists.  But what can I say? The group is cosmically in tune!  And there's no denying that Star People is a Metal element classic. Not only does it honor the beings of light that have passed on or are getting ready to be born, it reminds us to look skyward and to connect to our true purpose.  The Metal Element reminds us that "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience." Star Tulip flower essence helps us to listen to the subtle whispering of our souls, allowing us to slow down enough to reconnect to why we are here and what we are really up to.