inspiration

7 Years- Time Well Spent

Posted on by Ashaki Omikunle

Peace fam! I do hope this post finds you well. I have been having the damndest time carving out time in my schedule to write my annual Loc-versary post. But, here I am, a day (or few) late but, here nonetheless!

This month marks 7 years as a loc’d goddess, 7 years of having a head of kinky dreads. The number 7 holds so much significance. For me, 7 has always represented completion, self-mastery, god status; 7 is the number of my spiritual goddess mother Yemoja.

A little research and one discovers the number 7 also represents the seeker, the thinker, the intellectual, and so much more. 7 is a highly spiritual number, which brings me back to myself and this celebration of sorts.

 

I am for once standing in my truth, allowing things about myself to be known, sharing gifts that I had hidden for most of my life, and discovering new things about myself along the way. I am finally feeling free enough to fully express my truth through word, video, action, and more. Talk about fucking liberating!

It has taken me years to love myself deeply enough to honor ALL of my emotions, my desires, my needs, my space, my time, the entirety of me! 7 has been a year of completion for me.

I have let go of people, places, situation, and things that are no longer serving me or were unhealthy to me and have no qualms about further releases that are to occur. I am not holding onto anything that will keep me from living my life the way that it is truly intended.

I can actually see my destiny and it is beautiful. I know my purpose and I am walking in it each and every day that I rise and give my tribe what they need through the gifts that I have been given.

Life is coming full circle and I am here for it. As I look at my hair, lightly decorated with new silver hairs, I am pleased. I see the rough times, the successes, the heartaches, the growth.

It is absolutely beautiful.

And it is not over.

 

Peace,

Ashaki

Surveying the kingdom
The journey is getting better and better!

Repainting Your Life Landscape

Posted on by Ashaki Omikunle

Peace, love, and light fam! Hope you are enjoying your Sunday. It is not even 8:30 here and I have to say I am feeling quite lovely. Well I launched my business this past week and am so excited about all that is to come. I was thinking on how I have changed the course of the past few days by choosing not to participate in activities or conversation that are based on negativity or things that simply are not feeding my spirit. I have literally woke up everyday with a smile on my face and not because everything is copacetic or perfect but because I am truly grateful for my life and all that is happening and going to happen. I have found peace and  am literally chilling in the eye of the proverbial storm!

I have also been reflecting on the connectedness of us all and how awesome it is to be connected to so many amazing people. I am seeing great work among them, progress, babies being born, couples dedicating themselves to each other, and so much more. I am ecstatic for them and their journey. So, I wanted to share 3 insights to help you begin the process of changing the landscape of your life.

  1. Know that your life matters. I know that may sound trivial to some but as a woman who did not know that my life was worthy, was never told that my life mattered, or that I was important, learning that my life mattered was life altering.
  2. Know that just as there is light and dark, there will be trials and triumphs. The universe dictates that there be balance in all things. Life will present obstacles and it is not always easy. Just hold onto the fact that all things are temporary and that you can weather the storm
  3. Know that you have a purpose to serve. Your soul chose to come to the planet at this time to serve a particular purpose. I once believed that I was damned and somehow had been a mistake. But now I know and realize that the little voice that was telling me all of these hurtful things was not my voice, but voices of others that had been an influence in my life. They no longer dictate how I feel. My life has an amazing purpose and so does yours.

So, there you have it. Your life matters, life will have ups and downs, and you have purpose. Meditate on these insights today. Allow your spirit to lead you. Each new day is a promise for more of everything and an opportunity to begin again. If you would like more guidance and assistance on living your best life, please subscribe to www.ashakiali.com. You can also find my on social media (Instagram as CoachAli17 (True Transformation Coach), Twitter (@TrueTransforma1), and FB at True Transformation Life & Health Coaching Services. I look forward to hearing from you!

 

Hetepu,

Ashaki Ma’at Mirembe Ali

Beginning Again…

Posted on by Ashaki Omikunle

Peace everyone. It has been quite some time since my last post and for so many different reasons. I have lost a dear loved one, started a new business (which is soon to launch), among other things. I titled this post “Beginning Again” because that is literally what I am having to do at this point in time.

About six weeks ago I joined a business bootcamp. Now, on the surface, it appeared to be solely business based but what I found along the way is that I had to confront my life at its current state. I had to come to the realization that I was not totally clear on what I wanted and once I gained clarity, I knew a lot had to change. Change is not always easy, desired, or painless.

For most of my adult life, I have been someone’s wife and then I was in another serious relationship soon after my marriage ended. I have never had to truly be alone since I was about 22 years old and even then, I had long relationships for the most part. Now, I have to deal with Ashaki– her quirks, her longings, her feelings. It has been emotional but also enlightening.

I just celebrated a bEarthday on March 15th and last weekend I took myself out of town for the weekend. I enjoyed my stay in a lavish hotel, eating beautiful food, getting a massage, and napping to the sound of the ocean. I learned that I am a “company addict”.  I am not the “be alone” type if that makes sense even though I have been feeling that I want to be alone for a while. Anywho, I came to the realization that is not truly the company that I desire but rather the distraction from being with myself.

And so life is beginning–again. I am restructuring everything as I must. And this journey may be arduous but at the end I will be rewarded. No I am not speaking in terms of anything monetary, but I will gain a greater understanding of who I am, what kind of stuff I am made of, and also what I have to offer to the world. I would love to be a wife again someday but for now, let me just learn to be a friend and lover to myself.

 

 

Hetepu,

Ashaki Ma’at Mirembe Ali

 

 

Unity is Strength

Posted on by Ashaki Omikunle

Peace, love, and light as always fam! The hot days of summer have descended upon us and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I have begun to start my days a tad different lately. Instead of sitting around and collecting my thoughts (or rather getting lost in them) when I wake in the morning, I rise and ride my bike a few miles each day. The daily bike ride serves me in several ways—it of course is strengthening my body, it is also a time for me to meditate and zone out, it is building my endurance, it is also allowing me to see the world and my surroundings more clearly. Riding my bike each day allows me to see my community for what it is.

I wish I saw more unity among our people. I spend time online as well as out and about within my community and the lack of unity is apparent. We have families that don’t even have relationships and it is a sad state of affairs. Have we lost the core love we had for each other? What has happened to us? No matter what word you use for unity, whether it be umoja or isokan, the lack of unity is literally killing us. Sadly, I see more of us getting together for nonsense than for events, discussions, and likewise that are serving us. Why is it that we don’t mind gathering to party but refuse to show up to events that would help build and sustain our people? Is it complacency? Is it lack of consideration? Or is it that most of us truly do not care?

We live in a very materialistic world. We are bombarded with media that is full of misogyny, violence, superficiality, and things that degrade our people day in and day out. What will it take for us to tune out the noise and tune in to what matters? We don’t realize how truly powerful we are. Yesterday, I spoke to my dear friend Mia who lives in Memphis. She told me how a friend of hers, who  is a little person, had been mistreated at a local store. She said he was going back to the store and she told him to stay away from the store. Why would he continue to spend money at a store that had treated him poorly? Now, she will not shop at the store either because she is standing with him. This is unity. Now, imagine if that community decided to boycott the store. If no Afrikan spent money with the merchant, the store would be forced to close. This is just one example of unity as strength. Imagine if we stood together on all fronts—our children’s education, our healthcare delivery, where we purchased our household goods, our groceries, etc. We have to grow beyond waiting on anyone to come in and make things right. We have all the power. We simply have to apply knowledge and be consistent. Onipa nnye nwura (Unity is Strength!)

 

Hetepu,

Ashaki Ma’at Mirembe Ali

Reflections on Ali

Posted on by Ashaki Omikunle

Peace, love, and light to all on this gloriously beautiful and seasonally warm morning. As always, I hope this message finds you well. I am sure by this time you are well aware that another hero has transitioned, our fighter, our warrior Muhammad Ali. I just wanted to take a few moments to reflect on Ali’s impact on my life. I am sure my sentiments are held by many but as with anything else, each person’s experience in unique.

Muhammad Ali fought his last fight in the year I was born, 1981. It was a loss on the record books to Trevor Berbick. However, Ali’s life was triumphant and will always be celebrated. As a child, I would watch various programs and see Ali all over the place. He was larger than life. There was something in his eyes that I could not explain. His smile was contagious. I am not quite sure of when I began to truly understand the enormity of what he had accomplished but I do vaguely remember family members praising him. These praises sparked my interest and I began to research Ali to find out what was so special about this retired boxer.

The thing you have to realize is that I came up in an era that was enthralled with “Iron” Mike Tyson. But, no matter how great Tyson was, Ali’s name was always mentioned. What had Muhammad Ali done to make such an impact that even years after his retirement, he was still praised. More recently, Floyd Mayweather has been at the apex of the boxing forte and still Ali is mentioned. Over the years, I have come to find that Ali was not great because of his boxing skills, Ali was great because of his heart for the people. Ali was funny, confident, unwavering, and steadfast. He was great because he believed with every ounce of himself that he was great. He once said that he was calling himself “the greatest” before he knew he was.

Several years ago, I began to listen to old videos and recordings of Ali. He was unapologetic about his blackness and was outspoken against the injustices in this country and abroad. He laid everything he had on the line for what he felt was right. His moral convictions and unwavering stance on social issues are inspiring. His sacrifices are the stuff that legends are made of. Ali was a champion of the people and it showed.

I used to post quotes on my Facebook page each morning before I would leave for work each day. It was my way of inspiring my followers and friends and most people (I hope anyway) appreciated it. I began to post quotes by Muhammad Ali. Although I love many of them, I want to leave you with one in particular. Ali once said, “Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in a world they‘ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” Ali helped me to realize that in this fight for justice and for freedom, no sacrifice is too big. He helped me to see that each of us has the ability to change the world and be “the greatest”—if we only BELIEVE.

 

Hetepu,

Ashaki Ma’at Mirembe Ali

 

 

Photo Cred: YouTube