@garyvanwykphotography
In one of those amazing twists that for me confirms that there is no such thing as coincidence I returned from a plant medicine journey two days before the world as I knew it ... changed forever.
I learned much from the wisdom of the plant medicine. More than I can express in this blog post but I will share the most important points that will be relevant for you.
1: Meditation is Self-Preservation
Like so many of us on the planet, last year was a very FULL year for me which demanded that I be present, challenged me to be clear about my desires and intentions and really forged a new me against the odds of many an internal battle.
Challenging. Clarifying. Good words for my 2019 and perhaps good words for you?
MEDITATION HAS SAVED MY LIFE continuously over these past 18 months. It's kept me from flying off the handle when things didn't go my way. It's kept me from reaching for countless bottles of alcohol, bags of chips whatever ways I've taught myself to self-soothe through disassociation from feeling over the years. Meditation has helped me to get in touch with who I really am... past being a singer, a "celebrity", a mother, a wife, a daughter. Through meditation I get in touch with who I am without any of the labels. And who I am is AMAZING! But that's not where it ends. The true gift is that when I tune into my inner voice I come to see how amazing we all are, what a gift it is to be alive in these bodies in this age and time.
When I still my mind in the mornings for 15/20 minutes my day is bound to be good because I have intentionally lain the groundwork for a day full of presence and appreciation.
Below are two of my favourite meditations. Oh ... both Wayne Dyer and Abraham Hicks deserve a deep dive by the way!
*Dr Wayne Dyer's I AM THAT, I AM meditation- with a long intro which it is worth listening to once or twice then you can just scroll past the 6 minute mark. There is also a shorter vid online without the long intro but this is a great introduction.
*Abraham Hicks 15 minute meditation
@garyvanwykphotography
Do yourselves a favour and check out Abraham Hicks. All I'm saying.
2: Connection is Key
I wrote and staged a play at the end of last year called The One Who Sings. Called this because that's what people say when they don't remember my name lol. As I walk in the street I hear cries of "Nankuya! Ngulo uculayo!" "It's her! The one who sings!" So that's me now: The One Who Sings. I like-ey.
In my play I shared about coping mechanisms I developed as a child to numb the pain of being alive (so I felt) by escaping through food, entertainment, alcohol, other people ... anything really to escape feeling bad. As I grew older these coping mechanisms served as distancing measures (yes social distancing of a type) between me and those closest to me. They stood in the way of me connecting to the people I love most in the world.
So its part of my "work" now to strive to be present with my loved ones. Not to use busy-ness, technology, food and other substances to take me away from myself and them. Not easy as this is such an engrained habit but even being 20% more present makes us all feel that much more seen and heard. And I want the people I love to be seen and heard.
Can COVID19 provide a space for more connection with you and yours too? If you want it to for sure.
3: Sometimes Taking a Nap is the most productive thing to do!
I have been on a hamster wheel for 17 years and it's been a helluva ride! I've sung with my heroes: Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba, Stevie Wonder, Busi Mhlongo too many to name! I've been all over Asia, Europe, America, my beautiful crazy continent. I've sung in incredible spaces and tasted the most wondrous exotic flavours and it's been damn cool man.
I am not one for regrets but if I were to do it all again I'd have rested a bit more. The mind and spirit need time to digest the bigness of it all otherwise it's easy for the caviar to start tasting a little ... like calamari. We all like calamari but we love the special feeling of enjoying caviar!
And when we rest and day dream we get messages from our inner beings, solutions to problems before they're even problems. We gain access to even more magic. What COVID19 is showing me is that the rest I've been longing for ... is here biatch! You betta werrrrrrk at your chillin' muscles cos there's never been a better time for innovation-inspiration than right now!
4: We were all Born to Create
When I was on my plant medicine journey I was shown very clearly that every one of us is on our own unique journey in life. I experienced myself as a grand Creator gifted with an extraordinary tool: that of being able to direct the flow of my life by choosing which story I wanted to create and live with. This resonated with me so much because of watching people like my father and many other humble heroes who raised me in a township under the harsh rule of the Apartheid government. These heroes who managed to hold on to their humanity, to their true natures as gentle and loving people in the face of dehumanisation on every level. These people showed me; through the radical choice of believing in and loving themselves, that the stories we choose determine the lives we lead.
And so we create. I create a story of myself as a worthy and loveable being who creates art out of listening to inspiration that comes from within and outside of me.
And so you create. In this time where we are brought to reckon with the stories we have been living with, I believe we are being called to create new ones. One that place us all in the centre of our own stories, drawing from the well of inspiration and wisdom from deep within. Creating with intention and great joy.
I wrote a song that I would love for you to respond to in your own unique way. Send me your response via email to info@zolanimahola.com and I will share my favourite responses on Friday March 3rd here and on my other platforms.
The Song
With all the love and all the peace
Ciao for now
The One Who Sings
@garyvanwykphotography