Black Lives Matter and so does your sanity
Let’s cut to the chase – this past week has been one hell of a ride. Black Lives Matter protest have been held in every state in the country not to mention the hundreds that have been held globally. The pride that swells up in me when I watch thousands of black and brown people bravely standing in solidarity with other races with their fists raised high in the air from every corner of the county is indescribable. What was easy to ignore before is almost impossible to ignore now as thousands of peaceful protesters continue to march in the streets daily to voice their frustration over the wrongful killing of George Floyd.
For nearly two weeks, we’ve all experienced an intense roller coaster of emotions. Some of us, like myself, were forced to paint on our ‘happy’ faces as we joined Zoom meeting after meeting after meeting at our 9-5’s and struggle as we tried to answer the ever-annoying question of, “Are you ok?”. Side note, we’re not ok. I’ll even bet the notification sound on your phone has probably been working overtime because your friends continue to send you BLM related updates every ten minutes. Am I right? You want to stay connected but mentally, emotionally, and physically you’re drained – well at least I am or should I say, I was. I finally decided to unplug daily to keep myself centered and I’m going to share my routine below with the intention that it will help at least one other person. And to add a little ‘oomph’ to it, I’ll also share the products I use in my daily routine which happen to be from black-owned businesses.
I typically wake up between 6:30 – 7 a.m. and after the basic morning routine, I get settled in a quiet space to begin my morning meditation. I like to set the intention for my session so I’ll begin by clearing the energy in my space with lavender sage. This helps to remove any negative energy and restores emotional balance. I purchase my bundles from The Vybe Collection. They have several other bundles available as well as Palo Santo and waist beads. Next, with my space now cleared, I’ll play a few frequencies on my singing bowl and then apply protection oil to ward off any negative interactions I may encounter throughout the day. Master manifestor Ty Johnson Anderson, of Spiritually Bougie, offers a protection oil called, “On the mainline” that I swear by. I’ve used this oil before entering intense meetings with people at my job that are usually nasty to me and have come out of those meetings without a scratch! Trust me, during these uncertain times, you want an extra layer of protection to keep you covered from the enemy you can’t see. You won’t find this little gem anywhere on her site, uh uh… this is top shelf honey. Send her an email and let her know you’d like a bottle.
After about 15 minutes of meditating, I’ll move on to the next step of my routine which is journaling. The feelings that I feel are valid but most of them are negative because of the hurt that I’m visually ingesting daily. To release this, I’ll imagine the negativity in my heart chakra physically move from the center of my chest, down to my arms, down to my hands, through the pen and onto the paper. Once I’ve felt that I’ve moved the negative energy out I’ll begin to jot down notes of gratitude. I like to do this with a dope cup of coffee because it also signifies the start of my workday and I’m going to need the caffeine to wake me up. These days I’m usually sipping on Boss Blend Coffee. I really like their medium roast because it has a bold flavor with no bitter after taste.
The last step in my routine is practicing Yin Yoga in the evening after work and after I’ve likely consumed too much negative social media. The light stretches really help to release the physical tension I’ve built up throughout the day. Now if you know me personally you know how much I absolutely love candles so it should come as no surprise that I’m likely burning one of my favorite soy candles from Blue Lotus Candle Creations. It’s the perfect way to end the day and restore balance to your mind, body, and soul.
If you’re thinking of giving this a try, let me know. Leave a comment below and tell me what part you’re looking forward to trying. I really hope you enjoy it as much I do.
~With Love, Meek
WithLoveMeek 