Connecting With Nature
I moved into my new office recently... You'll find me under a tree in my backyard. O.K. I'm not outside all day but I've been spending a lot more time there. It's addicting... I've fallen in love with the butterflies, the constant cooing of pigeons, and for the first time in many years, I've planted tomatoes, strawberries, eggplant and a...
Rituals For Living
"When you live by Spirit, there will always be a way made out for you," says filmmaker Dalian Adofo, co-producer of the documentary Ancestral Voices, a film that combats misconceptions about African spirituality. I'm interviewing Dalian by phone, and he's telling me about his experiences working on Ancestral Voices 2, the sequel to his first...
Reunion in Exile
My spirit soared home to the Virgin Islands and returned to Virginia again and again. I'm traveling on the East Coast and had a chance to visit two childhood friends in Maryland recently. They’re from St. Croix, Virgin Islands, too. It's been a long time, too long. Seeing Ian and Brenda, after not seeing them for so long, stirred up memories of...
Wisdom From The Sea
"Wisdom comes from the sea," says famous South African spiritual leader, Credo Mutwa, in the film, Dolphins. "The Zulu people of South Africa believe that centuries ago, a race of intelligent creatures chaperoned humans into this world. Members of this race returned to the sea to become dolphins. Over the centuries, dolphins and whales sent...
Honoring What Spirit Brings
"I write exactly what comes into my head," my friend, Keisha, tells me. "I honor whatever comes. When I'm writing the poems, I'm listening. I go into a different zone." Keisha is a poet and a rising force in the literary world. She "wields her pen like a Samurai swordsman," says master poet, Abiodun Oyewole, a founding member of the legendary...
Finding Soul on the Path of Orisa
I fell in love with Tobe Correal's book immediately. Tobe, an initiated priestess, is the author of "Finding Soul on the Path of Orisa: A West African Spiritual Tradition." She's a talented writer: "Yoruba religion is a way of life. It is seeking to know the sacred nature of life - the breath of God flowing through all things. It is the holistic...
Staying On Track in 2016
2016 is here... And I hope you're ready to take massive action to achieve your personal and spiritual goals! There's no time to lose if you're serious about making 2016 your best year ever. You've got to be laser-focused. My goal is to complete my book by end of year. It's called "Meditations Across The River: African-inspired Wisdom for Life's...
Giving Thanks Again
We gave thanks for our blessings! That's what we did as we gathered for dinner on Thanksgiving. Of course one should give thanks every day. But let's face it, on some days we give thanks more than other days. My wife, Stephanie, led the prayer by acknowledging my brother-in law, Hashim. He's no longer with us. But he had dinner with us last...
Birth Of a Miracle
Myles is here... His birth is one of the miracles of 2015, and he's teaching me faith and courage and perseverance. His Mom, Letitia, says "nothing is too hard or impossible to achieve when you're walking in your destiny. When you follow the voice of God and guidance from the ancestors, everything that is meant for you will come to you at the...
Finding Peace Within!
If there's no peace in within, you'll drift off course... And you might end up pursuing the wrong things, or the wrong people, or the wrong dreams! So important to get back on course! So important to find that center of peace within. So important to understand that there's no need for outside validation. I've been thinking about inner peace a lot...