Love Yourself Know Yourself

Traversing the path to professional and academic success is a journey filled with unique challenges, especially for women of color. Despite the facades that might suggest otherwise, the truth is that the journey toward healing, growth, and success isn't always easy. Many of us face heightened levels of stress, anxiety, frustration, fear, and sometimes even rage. And, rightly so, since the burden of discrimination, from micro-aggressions to systemic racism, sexism, gender biases, and more, continues to impact our lives significantly. 

The reality is that without a robust support system, these challenges can feel even more daunting, and even alienating. Navigating the prickly thorns of discrimination, the invalidation, negative social stigmas, and the neglect in healthcare becomes an uphill battle that demands resilience, inner strength, and unwavering belief about possibilities that exist beyond current circumstances and environments. 

As Black women striving for ascension in our lives, it's essential to acknowledge the difficulties we face. However, it's equally important to recognize the collective strength we possess to weather these storms and rise above the pervasive struggles that try to hinder our progress and liberation. Together, by sharing experiences, supporting one another, and fostering a community of empowerment, we can navigate these challenges and achieve our goals while advocating for change. As we continue to band together and openly acknowledge the hurdles in our path, it is vital that we remember the importance of building a community that provides the support and strength needed to thrive.  

In the passages to come, we'll consistently revisit the distinction between merely comprehending something and genuinely knowing it. As we discussed earlier, truly understanding oneself involves being intimately acquainted with the nuances, idiosyncrasies, personality traits, qualities, and values that shape our identity. However, tapping into these nuances to comprehend how we present ourselves to the world is just the beginning. This section will explore further the significance of nurturing self-understanding as a fundamental pillar in our journey toward self-love. Additionally, we'll uncover various methods and approaches to facilitate this process. 

Reconnecting with our roots marks a vital step in our journey towards self-love. Thus, it is imperative that we remain encouraged to delve deeper into our roots, tapping into our inherent power, and embracing an inward-out way of living. 

What Does "Gettig Back to Our Roots" Mean? 

"The Path and the Power" is written with a specific aim: to embolden women to embrace an inside-out approach to life. Its purpose extends to aiding us in reaching our utmost potential and providing support for those who grapple with feeling unseen, unheard, unprotected, and invalidated daily. As emphasized earlier, achieving one's highest potential always involves an inward and onward journey, rather than seeking validation from external circumstances and environments.   

That's exactly why it's so essential to reconnect with our roots; doing so brings us to a profound self-awareness and helps us embrace the profound truth that resides at the core of our being through cultural awareness.   

Before wholeheartedly embarking on the journey to "reconnect with our roots" in our pursuit to enhance self-love, here are a few initial steps to contemplate. Each of them will empower us to wholeheartedly, unapologetically, and authentically embrace the journey of self-love: 

• Recognize that everything we embody today—our culture, lineage, family traits, and challenges—has been passed down through multiple generations preceding us. 
• Dismantle the internalization and expression of cultural stereotypes that surround the black experience, particularly for black women, as they subconsciously limit our ability to reach full potential. 

• Become mindful of, heal, and release the burdens of generational traumas rooted in the injustices faced by the black community. 
• Acknowledge and respect the innate resilience within us, a resilience inherited from ancestors who persevered despite enduring captivity, oppression, and displacement. 
• Free ourselves from societal norms and myths that have previously compelled us to conform in order to fit in and achieve success.

Why Is This Important?  

Reconnecting with our roots holds immense significance in supporting our journey toward wholehearted self-love. By delving into the stories of the powerful, magical, and resilient queens, warriors, nurturers, and matriarchs from our cultural heritage, we unearth a profound connection to our intrinsic strength and resilience. Embracing these ancestral narratives contributes to a deeper understanding of our identity, fostering a sense of pride and divine femininity. 

This journey of self-discovery and cultural reconnection provides a much-needed counterbalance to the limited representations of women of color in mainstream media. It enables us to craft a more authentic and complete narrative about who we are, beyond the stereotypical or absent portrayals seen in society. As we recognize and celebrate the multifaceted, feminist roles our foremothers embodied, we begin to acknowledge the incredible strength and grace inherent in our lineage. 

Reclaiming these mighty, diverse, and authentic narratives not only instills a sense of pride but also deepens appreciation of ourselves. Ultimately, reconnecting with our roots amplifies our sense of worth, belonging, and respect for our true essence. 

Embracing the Feminine Divine 

Reconnecting with our roots as women of color holds immense significance when interwoven with feminist ideals and the concept of the feminine divine. Feminism focuses on social change and rights, while embracing the feminine divine acknowledges and values the deeper aspects linked to femininity. Both can intersect, with feminism advocating for equality and the feminine divine valuing feminine traits beyond societal expectations.  

Wholeheartedly embracing both feminism and the feminine divine propels us further on our journey back to our true power and authenticity. It's essential to acknowledge that the strength and essence of the feminine divine have always been intertwined with the struggles and resilience of black women, as they navigate the complexities of their role in the world.  

In contrast to the historical representation of women's rights, the true origins of feminism stem from the lived experiences of being both a woman and black. It's a narrative often overshadowed or misrepresented, one that emerges from the unique intersectional challenges faced by black women. The feminist movement, in its purest form, owes its foundation to the multidimensional approach towards liberation embedded in the struggles of black women. 

Hence, our most profound act of love is to ascend into our true power, a powerful demonstration when we rise above oppressive circumstances, enabling our authentic essence to shine, even amid adversity, thus illuminating pathways for others to follow suit. The path to real freedom begins with understanding ourselves authentically, reclaiming our roots, and embracing our complete identity. The road to collective freedom commences when each of us discovers her true self. When we all rise into our full power, it becomes a catalyst for the liberation and empowerment of everyone.  

Understanding who we are and where we come from sheds light on our present selves. It not only gives us a clearer direction of our path but also unveils possibilities through the experiences of our ancestors, making our journey through life more manageable. Frequently, we live under the impression that we exclusively possess certain gifts, aspirations, or even distinct challenges within our family line. Sometimes, we may feel we haven't been blessed with a specific purpose in this lifetime. Yet, upon deeper exploration, we may uncover unique traits woven through our lineage or reveal hidden possibilities that we would have never known without delving into the lives of our ancestors. 

With this added insight, we stand tall and purposefully on the shoulders of our ancestral giants, enhancing our power and capability beyond navigating the world alone. In photographs, articles, or stories passed down, we find reflections of ourselves, allowing us to wholeheartedly embrace our identity without apology or compromise. It gives us the courage to delve inward during challenging times, returning to what is genuine, powerful, and inherent, rather than following whitewashed paths or perceiving the world through the white perspective. 

Paths for Returning to Our Roots 

Exploring our ancestors' stories, understanding their cultural practices, victories, challenges, and sacrifices, allows us to connect with different layers of our own human experience. Witnessing our reflection in the women of past generations, even tracing back before the era of slavery, serves as a means to recall the regality and feminine divinity that resides within us. 

Knowing the tribe you come from paints a clearer picture complete with a vision, purpose, path, contribution, and power. Below is a short list of ways to start returning to your roots. 

• Conversations with Matriarchs: Engage in discussions with the elder women in your family, drawing upon their wisdom and experiences. Consider recording these sessions for guidance and encouragement during your journey. 

• Old Letters and Documents: Examine old letters, certificates, and legal documents for clues about your family history. Check if any family member maintains lineage records or a family tree and arrange a conversation with them. 
• Ancestral Tree Exploration: Investigate your family tree, connecting with other relatives to deepen your sense of belonging to a lineage of resilient women. 
• DNA Registry Exploration: Consider subscribing to DNA registries like Ancestry.com, 23andMe.com, or MyHeritage.com to explore your heritage. 
• Visit Ancestral Land: If feasible, visit the land where your ancestors lived to connect with their history and culture. 
• Study Language and Religious Traditions: Explore religious traditions or learn the language spoken by your ancestors to gain cultural insight and understanding. 
• Explore Ancestral Lives: Research the lives of ancestors who have passed, discovering their stories and experiences. 
• Consult with Spiritual Guides: Seek counsel from a priestess or Babalawo to gain spiritual insights. 
• Study Orisha Goddesses: Learn about the Orisha goddesses for inspiration and to connect with your innate power (Ase’). 
• Musical Influences: Listen to the music of women who used their art to inspire movements throughout history. 
• Explore Black Women's Contributions: Read books or watch documentaries highlighting the contributions of black women to historical movements globally, not solely in the U.S. 
• Visit Black History Museums: Experience and learn from the exhibits at black history museums. 

Until next time, embrace peace and love on the Journey Up! 

Ase`! 

Here's Your Daily Journal Prompt:  

Reach out to an elder in your family or community and simply have a conversation. Invite them to share details about their upbringing, and even their relationships to your foremothers and forefather. Journey with them as far back as they can go in their memory or sharing of stories.  In your journal, jot down your experience. Share some of the following details: Who did you talk to? What did you discover? What avenues did you take? Do you identify with anything you learned? How do you feel now that you know what you know? 

One Last Note:  

Stay tuned. The Path and The Power of Self-Love will be available for purchase January 1, 2024. 

For further inspiration and resources, feel free to explore our Journey Up! Book Club, peruse the shelves of our Journey Up! Library,  immerse yourself in Meditation and Affirmation Videos, or join our Growth Academy, and join our Membership Program (app). You can also join the waitlist for our upcoming Classes and Masterminds.