I appeared as a guest on Master Mind, Body and Spirit recently…
It’s a show hosted by Matt Belair. He’s an author, speaker, athlete, coach and speaker. His show is a top rated podcast on Spirituality on Itunes and has 200 five stars reviews.
Here’s the link to the You Tube Clip: https://youtu.be/6wpPdN3o7DE
We spoke of many things: I shared a bit about my spiritual journey into the Ifa traditions. But I also spoke about:
How we can keep ourselves grounded with a connection with nature.
Why having a daily spiritual practice is crucial for our spiritual and emotional well being.
Different ways our purpose might be revealed to us.
How progress doesn’t always mean moving forward.
Core principles of the Ifa Spiritual Tradition.
How to live a more purposeful and fulfilling life and more.
I enjoyed talking to Matt. It was a short, meaningful exchange and I would love to talk to him again when my book, Meditations Across The King’s River is published in November.
Once again, here’s the link: https://youtu.be/6wpPdN3o7DE
Take a listen and comment or send me an email and let me know what you think.
My friend Vanessa messaged me on Facebook recently…
“How does one discover their purpose,” she asked. “Does your Spirit guide or teacher tell you? I wonder if I’ll ever know mine. I want to choose something that makes me feel happy or fulfilled. But I want it to be aligned with my life’s purpose,” she said.
As a spiritual advisor I hear this question fairly often. The search for purpose is universal and it’s one of the core themes of my upcoming documentary feature film, Across The King’s River.
For many, the search for purpose is elusive because the struggle to survive is so time-consuming and draining that it often leaves little time for addressing the needs of our spirit. Yet our souls long to be fed in a meaningful way.
I believe living a more purposeful life is attainable for each of us. Spirit did not send us to earth to drift aimlessly. Here are some tips for connecting to your purpose.
The clues to our purpose are often around us but it’s our responsibility to put the clues together. Ask yourself these questions: What are your hobbies? What causes are you drawn to? If money was not an issue, what would you spend most of your time doing? What problems are you good at solving? When do you feel most fulfilled? What kind of help do others come to you for? Who are your heroes and what do you admire about them?
What kind of jobs have you done in the past? Is there a connection between past jobs and what you’re doing for a living now? If so, what is the connection? Don’t assume there’s no connection. Thirty years ago I worked as a journalist. My skills as a writer helps me to fulfill my current path as a healer by enabling me to reach large audiences through my inspirational writing.
While someone can give you insight into your purpose, no one can tell you everything about it. Why? Because you’re not a cog in a machine, you’re a spirit with infinite potential. Your purpose can change over time depending on the needs of your ancestors and the universe. The spirit world is the employer, your purpose is the task or the mission the spirit world is asking you to fulfill.
Your family members can lead you closer to your purpose. Shortly after I met my wife, Stephanie, she helped me launch my career as a writer. I might not have considered it otherwise. My eldest son led me to my path as a healer. Pay attention to what members in your family are inspiring you to do, but also pay attention to issues family members are struggling with. Their struggles might lead you to your purpose.
Knowing your purpose does not necessarily make your life easier, but it does make it fulfilling. Though I have clarity about what I’ve been sent here to do, I face hardship and obstacles along the way just like everyone else. Malidoma Some, the great African shaman and author of the book “Of Water and The Spirit,” was kidnapped by Jesuit priests as a child and was taken away from his culture and people for many years. He had to go through that experience in order to fulfill his purpose. You have to go through certain tests to bring you closer to your purpose, too, and that’s precisely what your going through right now. Embrace it. Try to see it as a friend, instead of a foe.
Envision who you feel called to serve. What is his or her story? What keeps him or her up at night worrying? What is his/her deepest fear? How can you help? What will happen to him or her if you don’t do what you feel called to do? What will happen to YOU if allow your own fears or insecurities to get in the way of being of service and following your purpose? What steps are you taking on a daily basis to sharpen your skills? What legacy would you like to leave for others to follow?
I have so much to share with you, but I can’t say it all in one blog. I’ll be sharing more in a few weeks. In the meantime, I would love to hear your thoughts.
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We’re rebuilding from the rubble. There’s no other choice…
…And there’s a lot of rubble left in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria that swept through the Caribbean last month, as well as from Hurricane Harvey that caused extensive damage and flooding in Texas.
I haven’t been home to the Virgin Islands yet, but thankfully Mom and the rest of my family are doing okay.
But the island, like many others, has been devastated…
For my people, climate change is not an intellectual debate. We see it.The evidence is in all the rubble staring back at us every single day.
“Climate change is the human rights movement of our day,” says Elizabeth Yeampierre, an internationally-known environmental activist of Puerto Rican and African descent.
“Our communities continue to get hit time and time again by climate catastrophe. We cannot choose between a Black Lives Matter protest and a climate justice forum because our survival depends on both of them,” she says.
I’ve only learned of Elizabeth’s work recently but she’s been fighting for environmental justice for more than 20 years. She’s challenging all of us to raise our fists and our voices.
“Our communities know another way. As people of African and indigenous ancestry, we come from societies and ways of life that protect and nurture Mother Earth. Now is the time to reconnect with our old ways. The knowledge is there – it is in our historical memory,” she says
I love what Elizabeth says about reconnecting to our old ways and how the knowledge we need is in our historical memory. It reminds me of something one of my mentors often said when he was teaching me the Ifa spiritual tradition. “When we break the rules of nature, nature breaks us,” he told me.
Professor Wande Ambimbola, a Yoruba scholar says: “To the ancient African mind, animals, plants and human beings were part of one large family. Planet earth is a very sacred place,” he adds. “She was not meant to be exploited as human beings have done for centuries.”
We have a lot of rethinking and rebuilding to do. Yes, we have a lot to learn from the indigenous world, but we also have a lot to learn from each other too. We’re all in this together, like it or not.
There’s something we can all do; we just need to find what that something is and we need to do it.
And we have a choice…
We can choose to see the current crisis as an opportunity, says my good friend, Maria Stiles, an artist and activist from St. Croix.
“Those of us who have been spared have a responsibility,” she says.”We have to restore balance and harmony with the earth. We need to wake up. If this is what it takes for us to look up and see the sky, then so be it.” says Maria.
“We have to plant more; we have to connect more. Times like these force us to realize how fragile we are, and how we’re totally at the mercy of the wind, the earth and the sea,” adds Maria.
Would love to hear your thoughts. Respond to this blog, and I’ll write you back as soon as I can. Would also love to hear what’s been on your mind lately.
Also, be sure to sign up for my FREE newsletter if you enjoyed reading this blog.
Meanwhile, back home in the Caribbean, we face the daunting task of rebuilding from the rubble left behind by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
On the island of St. Croix, where I’m from, we’re still trying to assess the damage. Thankfully, my Mom is safe, and as far as I know friends and family are safe as well.
But the financial and emotional strains will be with us for a long time.
The prime minister of Dominica described Hurricane Maria as “merciless” and left “mind boggling devastation” in her wake.
In Puerto Rico, the passage of Irma, then Maria, has left most of the population without electricity, drinking water or food. Many clinics and hospitals are closed. Like elsewhere in the Caribbean, many lives are at risk.
My Uncle Gerry was the first person to alert me when Hurricane Maria was on the way. He texted me over the weekend. “We are in a predicament,” he wrote. “Hurricane Maria formed in the Atlantic and might hit us.”
I haven’t spoken to Mom since the hurricane because with the exception of AT&T, there’s no cell phone or landline service. My Uncle assures me Mom is in good spirits despite the chaos.
In just two weeks, so many islands, economies and hearts have been devastated.
But we will rebuild. We have no choice. Hopefully, we will emerge stronger and wiser. Each crisis reminds us how much we need each other, how everything is interconnected, like it or not. And each crisis is a reminder that each moment is precious and must not be taken for granted.
These hurricanes, in their own way, are also telling us that global warming is a very real, very dangerous and must be seriously addressed. The earth is rebelling, and world leaders ought to take heed because too many poor people are paying the cost.
Many organizations are helping hurricane victims in various islands. Here’s a list of a few of them, but I’ve also included a link for victims of the recent 7.1 earthquake in Mexico.
Thank you in advance for your support. A donation of any amount can help save lives.
Blessings
James
USVI Recovery: https://www.usvirecovery.org/
United For Puerto Rico: http://unidosporpuertorico.com/en/
…Because who knows what’s coming next? These are troubling times.
Just a little over one month ago, the nation’s attention was riveted on white supremacists marching through the streets of Charlottesville and President Trump’s unwillingness to condemn them.
And then Hurricane Irma suddenly appeared on the horizon this month with deadly 185 per hour winds that decimated several Caribbean Islands before creating even more damage in Florida.
….But wait, almost forgot to make mention of Hurricane Harvey’s unwelcome visit to Texas. At least 70 deaths so far. Forgive me. There’s so much mayhem to keep track of these days.
And right this minute, Hurricane Maria, another Category 5 super storm, is on the way…
…Is there no end to our trials?
Back home on St. Croix, Virgin Islands, and elsewhere throughout the Caribbean, we’re praying for the best but bracing for the worse. Just this morning, my sister and I were trying to decide whether Mom will be better off at a hurricane shelter or whether she’ll be safer at home. Who knows? Trying to predict the path of a hurricane is sometimes a bit like rolling a dice.
It’s been a rough year for my people. It’s been a rough year for many people.
How do you stay grounded when so many things, so many forces are beyond your control? There’s no simple answer. But I know this. While you do what you can to help others and your community, you must also make self-care a priority.
You can’t be of much help to anyone or any cause if you’re depleted emotionally and spiritually. Rest when you can, eat a sensible diet, and make sure you maintain some kind of spiritual practice.
I practice meditation and made sure I did twenty minutes of meditation this morning before I got on the phone to figure out what to do about Mom as Hurricane Maria storms through the Caribbean.
…And last Sunday I spent all day in the hills of Oakland working with local filmmakers on my film, Across The King’s River. I intend to keep things moving forward no matter what. I suggest you do too.
Knowing I can guide and inspire others during this daunting time warms my heart. There’s too much on the line. The struggle continues. Lots of rebuilding to do. And we must be vigilant. We all need each other.
Would love to know what’s most on your mind these days and how you’re coping with all the challenges. Be sure to comment on this post and I’ll respond as soon as I can.
May the ancestors continue to guide and protect you.
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