Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

Everyday my lya says, "Ocha doesn't make your life easier, Ocha makes you stronger."

And everyday I see this come to pass. I feel it deep within in my bones, in my spirit, in the heat and coolness activating my core, in my personal challenges and capacities, in the beautiful yet painful spectrum of life that creates the tension that keeps things “interesting”. I feel it in my breath. I feel it in everything, everywhere, all at once. As I embark more deeply into my path, my Ori requires that I eradicate the fear of the unknown, embrace the magic of the mystery, love harder, surrender sooner, trust more deeply, live more authentically, be me more radically, and take no shit. This is much easier said than done. Sometimes I love it. Other times I hate it and everybody (and they mama too). But nonetheless, each time it’s necessary.

Yemaya requires me to have better boundaries & more SELF compassion - reflecting back my ocean deep love back into my Self. Oshun requires me to be more creative with my problem solving and rest in sweetness while living in a world that demands bitterness and a wrecked nervous system from Black women through its treatment & disrespect of us. Elegua requires me to choose my words more wisely when expressing my POV and accept when a door closes (even if I really wanted that jawn wide open) because it's protection. Oya requires me to embrace change and be about my business frfr. Olokun requires me to keep some things to myself, everythang ain't for everybody.

Shango requires me to be brave and take no shit, no self betrayals just to make myself more palatable & others more comfortable. Ogun requires me to guard my heart more closely and that I don't play about me, taking disrespect very seriously and to the knife to be cut down ***immediately***. Ochosi requires me to move more stealthy, like the Jaguar, and that I measure twice & cut once. Obatala requires me to be patient and that I keep my head cool & my heart calm, allowing no one to take me off my square, even in moments when I wanna crash out. My Egun require me to do the self work to break the chains of generational curses, and that I heal myself in order to venerate & heal them.

This all sounds cute, but it's the truest definition of testing & developing your gangsta. Breaking down & rebuilding. Being self-accountable. Facing even the cringiest, most scary shit about you and breaking deep-seeded patterns because you deserve to be liberated into your highest path. Saying goodbye to connections you deeply valued but no longer align or you can no longer sustain, facing your shadow & healing when there is no where else to run and no one left to blame, evoking change and no longer being able to rest in victimhood. I don’t always get it right, but I always get up. This shit takes WORK. But the divine intelligence of Source is you were chosen to do this. The point of this human life thang is walking (and sometimes even crawling) down the twisted, unwinding road of “remembering”. I am chosen. I am chosen for exactly this work. I am grateful for the medicine in these lessons - even if not the exact moment of impact - and for the medicine that is patience & growth.

I love harder.

I balance better.

I learn faster.

I am stronger.