Jouvayist

blackfashion: Sarah Batt in “Paradise Valley” for Under the...

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 10:03:07 -0400

Sarah Batt in “Paradise Valley” for Under the Influence Magazine

Photographer: Henrike Stahl
Stylist: Annabelle Jouot
Hair & Makeup: Stéphanie Carranza

yesssss! #styleanfashan

leebasays: -Michael love you forever.

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 09:17:36 -0400

leebasays:

-Michael

love you forever.

sharpen your Osun weapons

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:46:14 -0400

sharpen your Osun weapons

"As a class, you and I and our friends who comprise the elite are incredibly blind. We refuse to see..."

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:07:22 -0400

““As a class, you and I and our friends who comprise the elite are incredibly blind. We refuse to see what we do not want to see. That is why we have not brought about the changes which our society must undergo or be written off. We have no option really; if we do not move we shall be moved. The masses whose name we take in vain are not amused; they do not enjoy their punishment and poverty. We say thoughtlessly that politics is a game of numbers. So it is. The masses own the nation because they have the numbers. And when they move they will do it knowing that God loves them or He would not have made so many of them.””

- Chinua Achebe ‘The Trouble With Nigeria’ 1983

Could just replace Nigeria with Trinidad….

(via derica)

"The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his..."

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:23:53 -0400

““The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.””

- Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe

0ptimiz3: Patience - الصبر Patience is the key.

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 08:32:31 -0400

0ptimiz3:

Patience - الصبر

Patience is the key.

safari-black: AFRICAN FABRIC MOPANI WEDGE #FASHION whoa

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:22:23 -0400

safari-black:

AFRICAN FABRIC MOPANI WEDGE #FASHION

whoa

Went to my first Kemetic Yoga class on Saturday. It reminded me...

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:50:00 -0400

Went to my first Kemetic Yoga class on Saturday. It reminded me of why I love yoga: for the stories and the context as much as for the physical engagement.

We are so separated from intention in our daily lives. We seem to be existing in an unconscious way, going through motions without a lot of thought of how our actions impact on others but especially on ourselves.

Even with things like yoga we’ve separated it from its original purpose and made it part of this obscene and frivolous desire to get fit, lose weight. It’s part of the performance of modern life, I guess.

Anyway, I came away feeling energized and excited about learning more. Particularly because I’m a writer and I spend so much time in my head, it’s good to do things like yoga that allow me the opportunity to align my thoughts while challenging my body.

Looking forward to further explorations.

divinemoon: Omiero ~ A cleansing and blessing liquid made from...

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:07:11 -0400

divinemoon:

Omiero ~ A cleansing and blessing liquid made from fresh herbs, plants and natural elements. It is made by Santeria Practitioners and is used for many ceremonies in the religion, including the making of the Elekes or sacred jewelry.

african-fashion-design: Iconic Invanity by Nancy Nwadire -...

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 04:57:33 -0500

african-fashion-design:

Iconic Invanity by Nancy Nwadire - Spring/Summer 2013 - “ Luxury Sweet Candy“ is an exuberant display of luxury fabrics, infinite detail, creative embellishment and sophisticated bead work typical of the contemporary yet wearable glamour the brand attributes to the wardrobe of the discerning woman.

yes, yes, yes and yes

"We are all searching for someone whose demons play well with ours."

Sat, 23 Feb 2013 00:17:04 -0500

“We are all searching
for someone whose demons
play well with ours.”

- (via un-gendered)

ibraake: Sophie Zinga by Ibra Ake.

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:42:39 -0500

ibraake:

Sophie Zinga by Ibra Ake.

Vex

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 12:52:23 -0500

whiteknightstudio:

If I live the way you want me to… I am vex,
If I live the way I want… You are vex,
Better you vex.

darkergod: “Slavery has never been abolished from America’s way...

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 12:47:28 -0500

darkergod:

“Slavery has never been abolished from America’s way of thinking.”

Nina Simone

"Write hard and clear about what hurts."

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 10:51:35 -0500

“Write hard and clear about what hurts.”

- Hemingway (via vous-trouvez)

anndesignn: strange fruits by Sarah...

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 20:06:29 -0500

anndesignn:

strange fruits by Sarah Illenberger

via/designboom/

Photo

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 16:45:34 -0500

I went to see my Babalawo the other day and I was again struck...

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 16:42:46 -0500

I went to see my Babalawo the other day and I was again struck by the thoroughness of traditional belief systems and how lucky I am to have this access and open connection to my truths.

I was born into this Yoruba Orisa tradition in Trinidad, following a path carefully laid by my mother who took a political position on spirituality in a time when it was still taboo for the ‘educated’ black middle class to identify with anything even remotely African, grassroots or traditional, for fear of seeming backward, or worse believing in simi dimi.

Which is not to say that all the good Christians didn’t come to the Orisa yards in the dead of night looking for the kinds of prayers they couldn’t ask their priests or pastors to say.

I can’t say that everyone should walk this road. And there are some who choose it because they think there’s something that they can ‘get’ from it.

The truth of Ifa is not always what we want to hear.

The truth of Ifa is to bring us closer to the balance that has become so elusive in these modern times of search engines that do not hold all the answers.

Because a good Babalawo is more than just someone who can cast Ifa. A good Babalawo is also a psychotherapist, a doctor, a business advisor, a peace-maker, a personal motivator.

A good Babalawo should also be a bit of a comedian, as laughter is its own healing.

I see a lot of pop psychology on social media. Bits and grabs of fragments of ancient beliefs made into palatable sizes for our short attentioned modern sensibilities.
I wish I can broadcast my sessions with my Babalawo. They are sensible and beautiful and poetic in a way that Paulo Coelho or Oprah or any of the other social media sages could never be.

This is a time of one size fits all treatment. But as Baba said, everyone needs their own pin to access money at the ATM.

It is still a mystery to me how the Odus are always so spot on. So true to the moments in my life when I seek guidance. The thing is though, most of the time we know the answers to the questions that we ask.

A good Babalawo is one who gently helps us come to terms with the parts in our heads and hearts and souls that we would rather not confront, because we fear the implications.

The panic comes when we doubt ourselves.

The calm comes when we give in to the mysteries of life, see every person and action as a lesson intended to bring us closer to understanding that we can also make changes to the energy around us and bring us closer to our dreams and desires. We can transform our ase and harness that power to make ourselves better human beings.

That’s a lot to celebrate. And an excellent reason to stay calm.

Ase!

nevver: “I promise to be disappointed by you and you alone....

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 13:36:52 -0500

nevver:

“I promise to be disappointed by you and you alone. I promise to make you the sole repository of my regrets, rather than distribute them widely through multiple affairs and a life of sexual Don Juanism. I have surveyed the different options for unhappiness, and it is you I have chosen to commit myself to.”

"i was just tired of seeing white walls, with white people, with white wine, you know?"

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 10:50:23 -0500

““i was just tired of seeing white walls, with white people, with white wine, you know?””

- Jean-Michel Basquiat (via artismyhustle)

Jouvayist

blackfashion: Sarah Batt in “Paradise Valley” for Under the...

leebasays: -Michael love you forever.

sharpen your Osun weapons

"As a class, you and I and our friends who comprise the elite are incredibly blind. We refuse to see..."

"The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his..."

0ptimiz3: Patience - الصبر Patience is the key.

safari-black: AFRICAN FABRIC MOPANI WEDGE #FASHION whoa

Went to my first Kemetic Yoga class on Saturday. It reminded me...

divinemoon: Omiero ~ A cleansing and blessing liquid made from...

african-fashion-design: Iconic Invanity by Nancy Nwadire -...

"We are all searching for someone whose demons play well with ours."

ibraake: Sophie Zinga by Ibra Ake.

Vex

darkergod: “Slavery has never been abolished from America’s way...

"Write hard and clear about what hurts."

anndesignn: strange fruits by Sarah...

Photo

I went to see my Babalawo the other day and I was again struck...

nevver: “I prom­ise to be dis­ap­point­ed by you and you alone....

"i was just tired of seeing white walls, with white people, with white wine, you know?"

nevver: “I promise to be disappointed by you and you alone....