Spiritual Grit
By Leslieann Hobayan
Spiritual GritAug 09, 2023
Ep 217 - Grounding Ourselves During Activism
I’m gonna let you know: this is a messy low-quality recording. So much is unfolding at once and in some cases, escalation is building quite rapidly that I didn’t have time to set up my usual mic – I just used some plug-in earbuds with a mic. This is an indication of how urgent and important it is for all of us to understand that “normal” no longer exists. That in order for us to integrate the shifts happening around us (because there’s *no way* we can avoid these shifts at this magnitude), we need to root down into our bodies and to hold fast to our spiritual practices in order to remain centered during these tsunami-like waves of change.
In this week’s episode, I’m asking: how do we balance between our personal daily lives and our larger activist work? How do we make sure we don’t get consumed by both and burn out? I talk about the importance of grounding ourselves and of taking rest and how to do that in ways that feel safe. Remember: we keep us safe. It’s crucial so that we can sustain ourselves for this long fight. Liberation doesn’t happen in a day.
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
“Cucumbers and Prayers” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”
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Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
Ep 216 - Caring for yourself as an activist
To put it simply: there's a hell of a lot going on right now and activism is growing exponentially. There is an urgency in the air that cannot be ignored. And with that urgency, momentum swells and we activists tend to forget that it's necessary to fill our own cup.
We MUST take time to nourish ourselves, to replenish our energy, to rest and restore. This is the long game. And we must remember that we are not doing this alone. When we work in community, we can lean on each other for what we need in order to sustain this movement towards liberation. When you need to rest, know that someone will be there to pick up where you left off and will welcome you back when you are rested. This is what we need to work on remembering. Tune into today's episode for why it's important to pause and take rest –and to learn how!
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
Oracle card: Water your garden
Poem: “Why Aren't We Screaming Drunks?” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
Ep 215 - Expressing yourself opens a valve
How many of us stuff down our feelings when it comes to sadness or grief? How many of us try to hide our tears or look away when we are not able to? Our society has taught us to repress the emotions that make people uncomfortable. It has taught us that we are wrong or weak when we experience things like rage or grief. What happens when there's a buildup of these emotional energies that stay trapped in the body? When there's nowhere for them to go, the body starts to break down. Tune into this week's episode where I talk about how to discern between qualities of fear that might be haunting you from expressing yourself. And how you might move through that in order to open a valve to release tension and creates softness in your body, which leads to overall well-being.
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
Oracle card: The Suit of Swords
Poem: “Wow” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
Ep 214 - Working with shadows and eclipses
In case y'all didn't know, eclipses are portals of transformation. Everything you hide in your shadows comes to the surface. So for those of you who watched the solar eclipse, how do you feel?
In this week's episode, I'm posing some questions for deep inquiry. From looking at what stories we are addicted to about ourselves to examining the relationships of our lives, asking if they are worth nurturing or if they are draining us. Break out your journals when you listen to this one! It's time for a deep dive.
Ep 213 - Honesty Rooted in Love
We're living in a time where our masks can no longer hold. Curtains are being pulled back. Veils are being torn down. There's no more hiding from yourself or from the truth of yourself. Everyone is showing themselves, whether they intended that or not. Pales-tine is helping us see that. So how do we deal with the loss and ensuing grief of the lives we used to know? The ones in which we had so many friends who understood us and now are no longer aligned because they continue to insist on holding on to how things used to be when really, that's not possible. Not in the face of gen0cide. Tune in to this week's episode to find out how to move on in life without the people you thought would always be there.
Ep 212 - Your life's purpose is not about you
There's a lot of talk about one's purpose in life and often, in the West, it is individualistic: what will fulfill one's desires? How can one manifest the car/house/partner that they want?
In this week's episode, I'm talking about what your purpose in life actually is and how you can get closer to figuring it out. Also, if your life's purpose isn't about you, then what is it about? Who is it for? And is anyone paying attention?
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
Oracle card: The Ten of Cups
Poem: “A Great Need”by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
Ep 211 - When two diasporic women have a conversation... with Sofia Ali-Khan
In this week's episode, I'm in conversation with Sophia Ali Khan, activist, public interest lawyer, and Canadian-based author of *A Good Country: My Life in Twelve Town and the Devastating Battle for a White America*.
We talked about a wide range of things, playing with the intersection of activism and spiritualit: from the current genocide (do we take the first flight out to Rafah?) to resonance with our ancestral homeland (what is embedded in our DNA that signals we are home?); from balancing being a mom with activism (how does one guide one’s children through the practices of fasting during Ramadan?) to what true spirituality and faith look like. (Hint: It's not all white flowing robes and kumbaya).
Come along with us on this meandering road of understanding what our role might be in this life as a human during this particular moment in time.
Listen in today!
About Sofia Ali-Khan:
Sofia Ali-Khan is an anti-racist storyteller, author, and public interest lawyer. Her book, A Good Country: My Life in Twelve Towns and the Devastating Battle for a White America was published by Random House in 2022 and won the 2023 Nautilus Gold Book Award for Social Justice. Writing at the intersection of politics, race, history, and Muslim America, her essays have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, TIME Magazine, the Chicago Tribune, and other publications, earning her a Pushcart Prize nomination in 2022. She has appeared as a featured storyteller on The Moth's Mainstage in Boston and Philadelphia and at the Manhattan Public Theater. Sofia lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband, kids and cat, and is presently at work on her first novel with the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
Oracle card: The Queen of Swords
Poem: “Please Stop” by Sophia Ali Khan
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
Sophia Ali Khan
https://www.instagram.com/sofia_alikhan/
Ep 210 - Best of Spiritual Grit - 4 Stages to Strengthen Resilience and to Speak your Truth
In this week's episode, I'm talking about how important it is to have nervous system resilience when speaking your truth. It's okay if your voice shakes. What's key is being able to bounce back after feeling so vulnerable. Listen in to learn the four stages to help strengthen resilience so that you can speak your truth.
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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Tarot Card: Justice
Poem: “Cucumbers and Prayers” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 209 - Duality and Non-duality in Activism
Uh, say what? What the heck is duality and non-duality? It’s a spiritual philosophy and teaching, one of which I’m still trying to unpack (and will likely be doing for the rest of my life!). But I wanted to pose this question of duality vs non-duality in activism: how do we understand these concepts and how do we apply them to real world situations like gen0-side? Is it useful to do so? Or is it akin to spiritual bypassing? Depends on who you are and how you use it.
I’m going to tell you now: this is like pre-school level, super-basic knowledge I have of these concepts, so I don’t know what I’m doing or what I’m talking about, BUT I am curious enough to ask the questions and explore. Listen in to find out possibilities to this question of duality and non-duality in activism. (I mean, that’s the point of this show, right? The intersection of spirituality and activism. That’s what I say in the intro, right? So let’s dive in!)
Uh, say what? What the heck is duality and non-duality? It’s a spiritual philosophy and teaching, one of which I’m still trying to unpack (and will likely be doing for the rest of my life!). But I wanted to pose this question of duality vs non-duality in activism: how do we understand these concepts and how do we apply them to real world situations like gen0-side? Is it useful to do so? Or is it akin to spiritual bypassing? Depends on who you are and how you use it.
I’m going to tell you now: this is like pre-school level, super-basic knowledge I have of these concepts, so I really don’t know what I’m doing or what I’m talking about, BUT I am curious enough to ask the questions and explore. Listen in to find out possibilities to this question of duality and non-duality in activism. (I mean, that’s the point of this show, right? The intersection of spirituality and activism. That’s what I say in the intro, right? So let’s dive in!)
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
Oracle card: Five of Pentacles
Poem: “The Fish and I will Chat” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- Instagram: @leslieannhobayan
- Email: leslieann@suryagian.com
Ep 208 - “Both/And”: You Can Be An Activist in Your Everyday Life
Many of us compartmentalize our lives, putting things in boxes as if our lives are a bunch of multicolored beads that need to be separated and sorted.. Parenting goes in one box. Job goes in another box. Writer work in yet another. Activist work in another. This isn’t how we’re supposed to live. WIth the continuing gen0-side, compartmentalizing is a survival tactic. “If I can just focus on my job, I can look away from what’s happening in Pal-es-tine.” The thing is, the magnitude of these atr0cities is affecting our daily lives, whether we’re aware of it or not.
In this week’s episode, I talk about how everything is inextricably linked. We cannot compartmentalize. We must stay connected to our humanity. We must continue to bear witness AND to live, to continue the daily activities of our small lives AND do what we can to demand a ce@sefire and fight for a freé Pal-es-tine. How do we do that? How can we act in our daily lives in ways that begin to shift change? Tune in to learn more!
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
Oracle card: Queen of Pentacles
Poem: “You are Brave in that Holy War” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 206 - External activist work = internal spiritual healing work
We've been living in divisive times for a while now. But now it's all coming to a head.
How do we balance our activist work with our inner spiritual work? We've gotten to a point where they are no longer separate. They are inextricable. One feeds and nourishes the other. And vice versa. In order for us to be effective in our activist work, we need to be right within ourselves. We need to feel aligned within. In order for us to heal and release the limiting beliefs that are obscuring are deep inner truth, our Sat Nam, we need to take action to liberate the oppressed.
Palestine is showing us who we really are. All the veils are being torn down. All of the masks have dropped. If we fail to take action, we are not doing the necessary work for our spiritual evolution. Change is inevitable whether we like it or not, whether we're ready for it or not.
And this week's episode, I talk about why it's crucial for us to stand with Palestine.
Ep 205 - Holding the Vision and Birthing a New Earth
When it feels like the world is on fire and structures are crumbling down (which is, like, all the time!), we must find it within ourselves to keep going. We must dig down to find the resolve within us to keep working towards our vision, whether that is your own personal dreams or a vision for a better world, full of peace and justice.
In this episode, I talk about how we can view challenges as invitations and opportunities for growth rather than roadblocks to give up. Hold fast to your vision! A new earth is being born.
Ep 204 - Let Love Lead Your Voice
Speaking your truth can be daunting, especially during these times of intense division. How can you practice using your voice so that you can express your truth with more confidence? How can you soften those blocks that prevent you from using your voice? In this week's episode, I talk about how love is the key to leading the way to truth and invite you to explore the possibilities of your voice.
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
Oracle card: King of Cups
Poem: “Turn Left a Thousand Feet from Here” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
- Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
- https://linktr.ee/suryagian
Ep 203 - Calling in your community
Community is so important for us. Human beings. And if the last few years has taught us anything, isolation really sucks. In this week's episode, I invite you to be open to creating communities that you need. Rather than waiting for someone to call you in, why not reach out to others? Tune in to find out how.
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
Oracle card: Page of swords
Poem: “From the Large Jug, Drink” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 202 - The Great Shedding: A Consequence of Standing In Your Truth
As I continue to speak my truth and advocate for a free Pal3st!ne, more and more folks are telling on themselves, showing who they really are. And the shedding of various levels of relationships –from acquaintances to friends to community members– continues. In this week’s episode, I address the fears that come with this shedding and what to do about it. How do we keep going? Do we even keep going? (Short answer: YES!) How do we stay on the course of our truth if it means that people will leave our lives? Listen in to dig deeper into why speaking our truths are crucial to our collective healing and liberation.
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
Oracle card: All Paths Lead Home
Poem: “When You Wake” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 201 - Rest and Reset: Letting Go of Limiting Beliefs
This year is about spiritual and material abundance! But if you’ve got limiting beliefs that keep you small, it’s kinda hard to receive that abundance. In this week’s episode, I talk about how the subconscious can hold us back and how you can shift those beliefs. Relatedly, this year is also about rest, about creating more space for dreaming and intuitive guidance. Tune in to find out how rest can help you shift your perspective and release limiting beliefs.
—--------
My first effort at building community for 2024 is offering online yoga nidra classes.
Now, you might be thinking: What's yoga nidra?
Or: That's nice.
Or: Oh, that sounds so amazing and totally what I need right now, but I can't because [insert excuse here].
Let me answer the first question: what is yoga nidra? Without getting too technical or esoteric, it's pretty much you lying down all comfy while listening to me guide you through a meditation journey. What's not to love about that?
As for the other two thoughts, let's consider this: capitalist society doesn't want you to rest. It banks (literally) on you to keep going, to keep working, to keep producing. Capitalism treats us like machines, not humans whose bodies operate in cycles of active states and rest.
So if you're saying “I'd love to rest but I have this giant to-do list to tackle”, then ask yourself what are you prioritizing and why? No judgement. Just an invitation to get curious about the choices you make, the patterns you find yourself in, and why they happen.
It's time to rest, friends. And not just the “I'm gonna take a nap" kind of rest. This is a “reset, a restoration, a softening and a letting go kind” of rest. It's an effective way to release all of the old energy of last week and get a clean slate for this coming week. Plus you'll feel ready for bed! Doesn't that sound heavenly?
Here's the 411:
Sundays, January 14, 21, 28, 2024
8-8:45pm ET on zoom
$20 / class
And here's where you can sign up:
https://suryagian.com/yoga-nidra
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Today’s poems/ Books mentioned:
Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 200 - The Vibe of 2023 and The Flavor of 2024: Our 200th Episode!
Can you believe it? It’s our 200th episode! What an amazing feat! One that I did not anticipate for sure! To celebrate, I pulled two tarot cards for us: one as a reflection of the 2023 vibe and one for the flavor of what 2024 will be like. I think you’ll LOVE what came forward. I know I did! Listen in as I go IN-DEPTH about how we can learn from the fire that was 2023 and take it as fuel to keep going in 2024, which has so much promise according to the cards!
And as part of the celebration, folks on my mailing list will get a free guided meditation for easeful sleep! Hooray! Not on the mailing list? Subscribe now and you’ll get the free gift too! (Valid until Jan 10th. Sign up here: https://suryagian.com/subscribe or email us at love@suryagian.com Just note that you might not get the recording until after the new year as we are closing the office 12/25/23-1/1/24 for the holidays.)
Ep 199 - When Your Truth Hurts Others
The other day, a woman in an FB group accused me of ant!-s3m!tism because I had used the word “g3n0cide”. She was clearly speaking from a deeply wounded place, from generational trauma as a Jewish woman. And while I have compassion for her woundedness, I was not going to stop speaking the truth of what is happening in P@l-es-t!ne. But this raises the question that a lot of folks are asking: what do we do when our truth hurts others? In this week’s episode, I talk about the need for discernment and a deep connection with your intuition. If our truths are rooted deep in our heart and soul, they will not exclude others. Our truths show us that there is room for everyone.
Register for my 4-week somatic writing workshop series, Speak Your Truth, which kicks off tomorrow –the winter solstice, Dec 21st! https://suryagian.com/speak-your-truth or email for more info and to register: love@suryagian.com
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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Tarot Card: Lifting the Veil
Poem: “My Body a Tree” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 198 - Speaking Your Truth Can Be Scary
In this episode, I pull back the curtain on what it's like to speak your truth. It may look easy, like no big deal. But it's not. Especially when there is a lot on the line. On the outside, folks might look like they have it together. But on the inside, it might be a different story. Tune in to find out what it's like to speak your truth (while I also drop a few big truth b*mb$) and questions to consider when you want to step forward and speak out.
To find the folks I mentioned, you can connect with them on Instagram here: @sarahofmagdalene @kimsaira
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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Tarot Card: Seven of Wands
Poem: “Trying To Wear Pants” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 197 - 4 Stages to Strengthen Resilience and to Speak your Truth
In this week's episode, I'm talking about how important it is to have nervous system resilience when speaking your truth. It's okay if your voice shakes. What's key is being able to bounce back after feeling so vulnerable. Listen in to learn the four stages to help strengthen resilience so that you can speak your truth.
===============
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Tarot Card: Justice
Poem: “Cucumbers and Prayers” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 196 - Speak Your Truth Even If Your Voice Shakes
Why is it important to speak your truth? Does it really matter? The short answer: absolutely! What can you do to assure your body that it's safe to speak the truth? How can you support your nervous system? Listen in to find out!
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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Tarot Card: King of Swords
Poem: “A Cushion For Your Head” by Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 195 - Best of Spiritual Grit - Set your boundaries, bbs!
Here's a "Best of" episode!
A lot of people talk about boundaries and having the need to set them. But what does that actually mean? And what are boundaries anyway? What do they look like and why does it feel so hard to set them and hold them?
In this episode, I get into the details of the different kinds of boundaries we can set in our lives, the reasons why some boundaries are more porous than others, and why it is important for us to have clear and defined boundaries, particularly for us empaths and women of color. People-pleasing behavior is no accident.
Listen in to learn how the mind, body, and spirit connection is essential to boundary setting and how a resilient nervous system is the bridge to it all.
Ep 194 - Keep Going
This episode's oracle card is The Great Severing. Feels forboding. How do we stay open to love when we are wounded? In a time when things start to feel hopeless or pointless, it's even more important to keep going. But how? How do we stay the course? What does self-worth have to do with it? How can ritual help us?
Tune in to find out!
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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Tarot Card: The Great Severing
Poem: "What do White Birds Say?” By Hafiz
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 193 - On Being Human During Times of Collective Grief with JS Park
In this episode, I'm in conversation with JS Park, a Korean American hospital chaplain based in Florida whose compassion has made an incredible impression on so many people, including myself.
J.S. Park is a hospital chaplain, former atheist/agnostic, sixth degree black belt, suicide survivor, Korean-American, and follows Christ. He. is author of The Voices We Carry: Finding Your One True Voice in a World of Clamor and Noise. Published by Northfield/Moody. He is currently serving at a 1000+ bed hospital, one of the top-ranked in the nation, and was also a chaplain for three years at one of the largest nonprofit charities for the homeless on the east coast.
We talk about compassion and grief, which do not have clear definitions or prescriptions for embodying them. Both grief and compassion look different for each individual person. It's not a one-size-fits-all. We also talk about how we might hold compassion for those whose beliefs are rooted in our oppression. And how we might identify this collective grief we are currently feeling but can't quite name. Listen in as we dive into how we can human better together.
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Oracle Card: Trust the Timing
Poem: "Torso of Air" by Ocean Vuong
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
JS Park Website: https://jsparkblog.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jspark3000/?hl=en
Ep 192 - The Power of Poetry During Times of Crisis with Diamond Forde
In this week's episode, I am speaking with poet, extraordinaire, Diamond Forde.
Our conversation centers around how poetry saves us. And that is not hyperbole. How poetry brings us back to our humanness. We also talk about this now moment as we bear witness to the atrocities against P@lestin!ans. How we are being pulled to publicly grieve, something that is unfamiliar to us. How do we remember to be human to each other again? How can we provide care?
Listen in as Diamond reminds us: You don't have to hold grief on your own. Listen to be in community with us. Let us steep ourselves in poetry and hold each other in grief.
I'm inviting you to join me in Create Against Destruction, a 6-week container for women / femmes / nonbinary writers of color to come together in community and process and integrate and move through the complexities of our human experience.
In those 6 weeks we'll sit with fear, anxiety, grief, joy, hope, and empowerment. Sometimes separately, sometimes together, sometimes all at once. This is an invitation to gather together in support and in witness. This is a place for co-creating, co-writing, and care for each other. To build something in the face of destruction. To insist that we are here, that we exist, that we matter, and what we have to say matters. To witness and to be seen. To be held.
We start next Thursday, Nov 9th because time is of the essence. It might not feel like we're doing anything to make change when we are writing or caring for ourselves, but I contest this belief. Our individual actions, our individual energy adds and influences the collective, even if we can't see it. HOW you are BE-ing matters. It always has.
Link in bio.
About Diamond Forde:
Diamond Forde is a Black poet and the author of Mother Body (Saturnalia Books, 2021), winner of the 2019 Saturnalia Poetry Prize. The recipient of awards and fellowships from the Furious Flower Poetry Center, the College Language Association, Great River Review, Callaloo, and Tin House, she lives in Asheville, North Carolina.
Diamond Forde Website: https://www.diamondforde.com/published-works
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/PoemsAndCake/
Ep 191 - Writing, Yoga, Activism: a conversation with Tamiko Nimura
To help celebrate Filipino American History month, I've got special guest, author, Tamiko Nimura on the show! Yay!
It's easy to forget that we are spirit souls having a human experience. We get wrapped up in what our eyes see and the crazy scrawl our minds make in our heads. In this week's episode, I want to shine a light on things we don't often see or pay attention to. Today I sit down with author Tamiko Nimura to talk about the (invisible) writing process (often, readers think that we poop out perfect books! Haha), how yoga can be the bridge between the physical and emotional/spiritual experience of being a human, and what it means to be an activist (hint: it's not just marching in rallies).
Listen in on this conversation that highlights how times of intense distress can foster the creation of new, surprising things (like a spontaneous course on civil rights!) and how we can reconnect with our inner selves (hint: it's yoga - haha!).
About Tamiko Nimura:
Tamiko Nimura is an Asian American creative nonfiction writer living in Tacoma, Washington. She has degrees in English from UC Berkeley (BA) and the University of Washington, Seattle (MA, PhD). Her poems, essays and interviews have appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, Off Assignment, Narratively, The Rumpus, Full Grown People, Heron Tree, HYPHEN, Kartika Review, and Blue Cactus Press. She has essays in the anthologies Ghosts of Seattle Past (2018) and New California Writing (Heyday 2012). At UC Berkeley, she studied creative writing with Ishmael Reed and Gary Soto. She has read at the Looseleaf Reading series (Seattle), King’s Books and Blue Cactus Press (Tacoma), and the San Francisco Public Library. She is a 2016 Artists Up grant recipient and a 2019 GAP Award recipient.
She has been awarded a Tacoma Arts Commission Tacoma Artists Initiative Project grant (2021-22) for her memoir-in-progress, A PLACE FOR WHAT WE LOSE. She was also awarded an AMOCAT Community Engagement Award for her artistic and community work in 2022.
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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Oracle Card: Earthed
Poem: “A Litany First Revival” by Audrey Allard
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Tamiko Nimura Website: https://www.tamikonimura.net/
Ep 190 - Transmuting Pain into Possibility: Releasing Pressure, Nourishing Ourselves, and Creating Connection
During these times of intense conflict and suffering, what are you doing to release the pressure that is building within you? Our bodies know what is happening before our minds can even register it. Add in all the external messaging that tells us what we should do instead of inviting us to explore options that feel good for us-- and you've got a formula for creating even more pain and conflict.
What are some ways that we can release the pressure that is building within us? How can we understand that nourishing and caring for ourselves creates an energy for others to do the same? How can we express and release the anger, frustration, trauma, and grief that is living within all of us right now? How can we do it in ways that create rather than destroy?
When we can express what is within us in ways that feel safe and allow for us to be seen and heard, we can transmute those heavier, lower frequencies into something that can uplift and carry a promise of life and possibility. Listen in on how you can do this and how you can open your heart even wider.
Ep 189 - FIlipino Spectacle and Hauntings With Dr. Allan Punzalan Issac
It’s Filipino-American History month, y’all ! And I’ve got a treat for you! This week, I’m talking with Dr. Allan Punzalan Issac, professor of Asian-American Studies at Rutgers University, where we discuss all things Filipino. From trying to answer our life’s calling (despite the protestations of family… well, at least mine) to thinking about nuance in the conversation around the Broadway show “Here Lies Love”. We’re asking questions about spectacle and visibility and what that means for the Filipino community, a people colonized by Spain and the US. We also talk a bit about his latest research on death and dying in the diaspora (how’s that for alliteration??) and play with the idea of writing a Broadway musical that includes singing aswangs!
Listen in on what it’s like to be Filipino, what it sounds like to be Filipino (you decide what I mean by that! ha!), and why visibility and representation are so essential to how we can BE in this world.
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Oracle Card: Baby Steps
Poem: “Have you prayed?” by Li Young Lee
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 188 - What immigrant parents can teach us
As a daughter of immigrants, I am continually learning how to interact with my parents in ways that are healthy, which contributes to my inevitable evolution. A recent conversation with my mom raised this question for me: How can we care for ourselves while we continue to break the toxic patterns of generational trauma? What kinds of practices can we engage in so that we can heal and remain whole while still maintaining a relationship with those who possess old thinking?
We all know that change is inevitable. What we forget is that we have the power of choice. Maybe we can't choose the experience that we find ourselves in, but we can choose how we respond and interact with that experience. Yes, there are struggles and hardships we all experience in this life. The difference is in how we handle them. In this episode, I talk about the importance of practice. Practicing connection with our inner selves. Practicing resilience and self-awareness. Listen in to learn more!
Ep 187 - Control is an Illusion
Control is an illusion. We only have control over how we take action, the decisions we make, and in how we respond to external circumstances. So what the heck are we supposed to do? Just sit back and watch the world unfold? Um, yeah. Pretty much.
Here's the thing: our perception of the physical world is only a microscopic view of what's possible. How many times have things --like job opportunities, invitations, and the like-- "come out of nowhere"? That's because we don't see all of the intricate web of the universe, working to get you to where you need to be.
When Rumi said that the universe was rigged in our favor, he didn't mean that it would be smooth sailing. That there wouldn't be hardships and challenges. But that everything is an experience for our expansion and spiritual evolution. So can we release control and trust that even the hardships are teaching us how to grow?
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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Tarot Card: Two of Swords | The Hanged Man
Poem: “Easter Sunday” by Sin Yu Pai
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 186 - What if your life's purpose isn't to save the world?
What if I told you your life's purpose doesn't have to be the "be all and end all" of your life? What if your life's purpose was as simple as being You? That making cupcakes because you felt like it was your purpose?
That loving and caring for your dog was your purpose? Western culture has emphasized individuality and pushes us to pursue our life's purpose in the name of that individuality, which is seen as separate from the community, from the collective. But it doesn't stop there. It tells you that you need to "go big or go home". That, once you find your life's purpose, you need to make a huge impact and change the world all by yourself.
No wonder people are burned out.
"It takes a village" isn't a phrase for nothing. Listen in on this episode where I challenge the idea of making your life's purpose your career and how that's putting way too much pressure on your nervous system. Can we have a "regular" job AND live our life's purpose? I think we can!
Tarot card: Six of Cups (reversed)
Poem: "Vestige" by Michelle Penaloza
Ep 185 - Honor What Works for You While Also Honoring Others
There are too many messages out there talking about quick fixes and shortcuts. Whether it's about raking in big bucks with creating online courses or healing deep trauma in one session, it's all a ruse! It's an illusion. What they don't tell you is what actually has happened behind the scenes and for how long. There's a saying: slow and steady wins the race. And that couldn't be truer for each of us.
The point of living in these human bodies is to grow and expand like the universe. We're here to experiment and learn from lived experiences. There are no shortcuts. There's no race either (I just want to make that clear.) We all move according to our own timeline. BUT we also must interact with the people around us who are doing the same thing, but in their own unique way. And sometimes their ways bump up against ours.
So how do we do this? How do we evolve as individuals while honoring the evolution of others? How can we participate in the collective while holding true to who we are? Listen in to find out!
Tarot Card: Eight of Pentacles
Poem: "Have You Prayed" by Li-Young Lee
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
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Ep 184 - What Is Your Body Telling You?
In a world that moves more quickly than we can perceive, it’s easy to lose connection with our intuition. There’s so much noise, so much that other people are telling you what to do, how to act, what to dream. In this episode, I talk about relationships and somatics. Somatic practices can help us become more in tune with our own bodies, which helps foster self-awareness and emotional intelligence. How can our bodies help guide us when it comes to relationships? How can we know what’s good for us and what’s not? (Relatedly, how can we break the habit of people pleasing?)
Remember, you're not alone in your journey, and there's strength in sharing and learning from one another. So if any of this resonates with you, please send me a DM on Instagram (@leslieannhobayan), email me, or leave a review! I’d love to hear from you!
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Tarot Card: Three of Cups (Reversed) and Page of Swords (Reversed)
Poem: The Ambience of Love by Hafiz
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 183 - Best of Spiritual Grit - Creating Connections with Intention
Humans are a communal species. I have said this before, yes. In this episode, I first invite you to take some time to rest and restore, to create mini vacations for yourself in your daily life. But know that there is a difference between a restorative retreat and tipping over into isolation. Balance is key.
I also talk about being intentional with whom we connect. Who drains us? Who nourishes us? Do we spend time with people in meaningful conversations? Or is it just small talk? And what about connections in the digital spaces (in particular, social media)? How are they affecting our energetic fields?
Listen in as I share about being deliberate with the communities that we create.
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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com
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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Oracle Card: You Are Not Alone
Poem: "On Beauty" by Adeeba Shahid Talukder
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 182 - A Mother's Transitions in Life & Grief
Today's modern world has disconnected us from our relationship with the natural cycles and seasons of life and our relationship with the earth. We have forgotten our rites of passage and our rituals for change. As a result, we experience some life changes with unnecessary pain. As a midlife woman, I find that rituals help to ground and contextualize the inevitable changes that happen with growth and evolution as well as aging.
In this episode, I call for an acknowledgment of the mothers who experience grief during that time when their child's childhood officially ends (which often takes the form of the child leaving for college). What does a rite of passage look like for the mother who becomes a different kind of mother? The kind who is only in her child's life part of the time rather than daily? How can we include a space for grief at this time?
Tune in for a consideration of a mother's inner journey as she launches her children's arrows into the world.
Tarot card: Ten of Cups
Poem: "Easter Sunday" by Shin Yu Pai
Ep 181 - How To Pick a Fight
You ever wonder how to choose which battles to fight and which wants to let be? When you're an activist, sometimes it's hard to choose. We want to fight them all!
In this episode, I'm talking about using the body to help discern between what's worth our time investment and what isn't. How to reframe unwanted experiences into invitations rather than "why is this happening *to* me?". How to stop assuming you know how it will all unfold (are you a predictor of the future? Do you know tomorrow's lotto numbers? 😂). And how to decide which battles are worth fighting for.
Oh, and you'll love the card that came forward for this week! (Hint: there's so much abundance!)
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August is my month of selfless service. I'm offering complimentary 1:1 coaching packages for two people who identify as women/femmes/nonbinary folks of color for the month of August. Application is available at my Instagram bio @leslieannhobayan
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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Poem: "(Dear Fu'una)" by Craig Santos Perez
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 180 - Best of Spiritual Grit Podcast - Set your boundaries, bbs!
Ep 180 - Best of Spiritual Grit Podcast - Set your boundaries, bbs!
A lot of people talk about boundaries and having the need to set them. But what does that actually mean? And what are boundaries anyway? What do they look like and why does it feel so hard to set them and hold them?
In this episode, I get into the details of the different kinds of boundaries we can set in our lives, the reasons why some boundaries are more porous than others, and why it is important for us to have clear and defined boundaries, particularly for us empaths and women of color. People pleasing behavior is no accident.
Listen in to learn how the mind, body, and spirit connection is essential to boundary setting and how a resilient nervous system is the bridge to it all.
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August is my month of selfless service. I'm offering complimentary 1:1 coaching packages for two people who identify as women/femmes/nonbinary folks of color for the month of August. Application is available at my Instagram bio @leslieannhobayan
Ep 179 - Dream big: What do you envision for your life?
It's Leo season! And so we've got the energy of confidence and fire to create the life we want to live. In this episode, I invite you to map out the vision for your life. Nobody asks us anymore where we see ourselves in three, five, and ten years. When you hit midlife, you still have 30 to 40 years of living to do. So tell me: What do you envision for the second half of your life? Where are you living? What kind of relationships do you have? Do you feel financially at ease?
Also, the Knight of Wands comes forward to remind us that arrogance can increase our blind spots. So dream big but don't get it twisted that you are in full control of making those dreams come true. Partnering with the universe is the way to go!
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August is my month of selfless service. I'm offering complimentary 1:1 coaching packages for two people who identify as women/femmes/nonbinary folks of color for the month of August. Application is available at my Instagram bio @leslieannhobayan
Tarot card: Knight of Wands (reversed)
Poem: "Cover Me" by Kazim Ali
Ep 178 - Planting Seeds in Service of Others
What are your gifts to the world? And where are you planting them? What do you find easy to do that others find difficult? How can people benefit from you sharing your gifts? And your gifts don't have to magnanimous things. It could be something as simple as "I give the best hugs". Do you know how important that is??
For my part, I am homing in on telling my stories as a daughter of immigrants and planting the seeds of my gift for healing so that other daughters of immigrants know that there is a better way to Be. I'm shifting my focus to help more daughters of immigrants to heal their generational traumas and build nervous system resilience so that they can set and hold clear boundaries with their families. If you want to know more about this, feel free to reach out! leslieann(at)suryagian(dot)com
Here's to planting seeds so that we may garden of this world!
Ep 177 - Being Your Authentic Self in a World Full of Fakes
🎙️ Prepare for an unforgettable auditory experience and full of learnings! 🎧
Join us in the latest episode of our podcast as I share about being your authentic self in a world full of fakes.
Can you be your most authentic self? What does that even mean? Who is your authentic self? What does that look like? And how do you do it?These are some questions on exploring and this week's episode. In a world where more people are talking about being authentic, how many of us are actually doing it? How many of us actually know what our authentic selves look like and feel like? And do we feel safe enough to be our most authentic selves 100% of the time? If we don't, how can we create a sense of safety for ourselves? Also: who cares what other people think?Tune in to find out! And if you'd like support and guidance for this endeavor, I'd love to help! Just reach out - send an email to: leslieann @ suryagian (dot) com.
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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Oracle Card: The Hierophant (V)
Poem: “Sibola Church” by Karen Rigby
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 176 - Representation matters: "Here Lies Love" and "Joy Ride"
And this week's episode, I'm talking about the balance of give and take, of giving and receiving. I'm inviting folks to consider shifting away from the closed-off-ness of individualism ("I'm going to do my own thing and I don't care what anyone else does.") and stepping into collective care. How can we be mindful of how our actions affect others? How can we pay attention to our role in the collective while?
Which then shifts the conversation to representation. For folks who are from marginalized communities, we are used to seeing the varied stories of white folks while only a single story of us is portrayed in the culture. When that changes, when we see ourselves represented in mainstream spotlights, it is profound. It feels like a confirmation that yes, we exist. We are visible and we are seen.
I talk about the new all Filipino Broadway show, "Here Lies Love" and the new Asian-American "girlfriends road trip" movie, "Joy Ride" and what it feels like to be seen in a BIG way.
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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com
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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Oracle Card: Six of Pentacles (Reversed)
Poem: "How to Eat Your Love" by Jennifer Kwon Dobbs
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Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 175 - Communities of Care Can Support the Rest We Need
In today's episode, I'm talking about Trisha Hersey's Rest is Resistance and how important it is for us to rest, for us to resist the capitalist structures that tell us to Go!Go!Go! How can we remember that we are divinity itself? That what we "do" does not determine our worth? We are worthy simply because we BE.
But it's not easy to step into this practice of resting after being indoctrinated--since birth-- by the ideas of continual labor as worthiness. A community of care can make all the difference in breaking out of systems of oppression. Being in community can help us heal and, as a result, thrive. Community encourages us to keep going when it gets hard. I invite you to join me in community so we can reimagine a world that honors our true nature.
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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com
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Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Oracle Card: Six of Swords
Poem: "Conversion" by Christian Detisch
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 174 - Being Intentional with Magic and Creativity
What lights you up?
In this episode, I talk about the word “creativity”, how it sometimes carries so much weight that people deny they are the least bit creative. What if we defined it? What if it wasn’t about painting a masterpiece? Or writing the great American novel (whatever the *heck* that is!)? What doors would open up for people? What magic might unfold?
I believe that we can create whatever we want and view it as magic. Magic is real. Magic is energy. When we step intentionally into a space of wonder, delightful surprises unfold! What do you want to create? It can be anything, big or small, fun and light or serious and powerful. You are being called to express your soul in the physical realm. What does that look like for you? And when will you take action? When you’re on your deathbed, what will you remember most? Will you smile at the magic you’ve created? Or will you frown in regret?
Let’s create some magic, shall we?
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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Oracle Card: Your Life is a Canvass
Poem: “Baptism of Desire” by Sophia M. Starnes
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 173 - Remembering the Wisdom Within Ourselves
With the speed of life today, it is so easy for us to forget. To forget what we were doing in the middle of doing it. To forget why we do the things that we do. To forget that we have physical bodies because we are so immersed in what's happening on a screen.
The biggest forgetting is that our bodies hold so much wisdom. Our bodies never lie to us. Our bodies guide us to what's right, to what's aligned with our souls, to the path of our dharma (aka our life's purpose).
The trouble is, because we keep running at the speed of technology, we have forgotten.
In this week's episode, I invite you to practice remembering.
To tune in to the wisdom carried in your cells, in your very DNA.What is possible when you remember?
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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Oracle Card: Lost Lands
Poem: “The Price of Rice” Su Hwang
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 172 - Community is Right in Your Face
What's getting in your way? What patterns or behaviors are keeping you stuck? Where is your focus? Is that focus preventing you from seeing beyond?
Sometimes we look for things we want in the wrong places. Sometimes they're right in front of our faces.
I've been talking about community and what it is (or can be) and how we can create & build one.
So what is community really? And how do you know that you're in one? What presumptions do you have that prevent you from seeing the community in front of your face?
These are questions I explore in today's episode. Sometimes things are easier than we make them out to be.
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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Oracle Card: Eight of Cups
Poem: “Timbuktu” by Sahar Muradi
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 171 - Co-creating Communities of Care
We live in a world that moves so fast that we miss a lot of things, including nuance. We are eager to do-do-do (I can't help but hear BlackPink here. Haha!) and achieve things and solve problems as quickly as possible. This is not sustainable. And while that might be an obvious statement, it needs to be said out loud. Everyone is exhausted and burnt out and overloaded. As a result, we might inadvertently harm other people in the process. Our fuses are short. Our attention spans even shorter.
Which is why it's more crucial now than ever to have communities of care. In this episode, I talk about what that is and how it's different from just being in community. And what exactly is community? I talk about what care looks like and how we can be better humans towards each other.
I want to make a community of care and if this is something that resonates with you, I want you to help me make it. Co-create with me. DM me or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com to find out how you can get involved!
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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Oracle Card: Eight of Cups (Reversed)
Poem: “Acolyte_”by Tarfia Faizullah
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 170 - Interrogating Spiritual Practices As a Woman of Color
In this episode, I'm exploring ways in which spiritual teachings and manifestation practices can intersect with activism. I'm interrogating spiritual teachings as delivered by white folks and how they leave out the part about having to exist in this three-dimensional world that includes systemic racism, an inextricable part of my own human existence. Folks of color can't just think positive thoughts to get out of oppression. At the same time, I don't want to discount how our thoughts and beliefs do create our experience of the reality we live in. So how do we bring both seemingly separate worlds together to create a way of being that actively brings about deep meaningful change toward a more just society? After all, this is where we are now, in this moment, as humans having our three-dimensional human experience. This is our collective purpose.
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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Oracle Card: Suit of Swords
Poem: “Father in his own age” by EJ Koh
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 169 - Creating Connections with Intention
Humans are a communal species. I have said this before, yes. In this episode, I first invite you to take some time to rest and restore, to create mini vacations for yourself in your daily life. But know that there is a difference between a restorative retreat and tipping over into isolation. Balance is key.
I also talk about being intentional with whom we connect. Who drains us? Who nourishes us? Do we spend time with people in meaningful conversations? Or is it just small talk? And what about connections in the digital spaces (in particular, social media)? How are they affecting our energetic fields?
Listen in as I share about being deliberate with the communities that we create.
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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
Oracle Card: You Are Not Alone
Poem: "On Beauty" by Adeeba Shahid Talukder
Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:
Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com
Ep 168 - Best of Spiritual Grit: Cultivating a New Way of Being
It is crucial for women of color to share their stories, to let others know they are not alone in the experiences that challenge us. In this episode, I talk about how to create new ways of being, how to lean into self-trust as you step into the mystery of not knowing what’s ahead. Everything we know is being dismantled. The rules we used to go by no longer apply. It’s a whole new game that we’re learning how to play as we go. How do we build a new paradigm when we don’t have an example to draw from, when we are truly creating something brand new? And how can we, as women of color, do this in ways that keep our nervous system feel safe from the threats of the p@triarcy and whyte supmcy?
Listen in to learn how to step into the mystery and create a new way of being that allows you to thrive.
Enjoy this episode and let me know what you think in the comments below.
To listen to the full episode, search for “Spiritual Grit” by Leslieann Hobayan in your favorite podcast player and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.
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Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com
Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned:
- Tarot Card: The Fool
- “All the Hemispheres” by Hafiz
Ep 167 - Community is key to thriving
If the past few years have taught us anything, community matters. It matters a lot. During those times of lockdown, how many of us suffered through so much isolation? How many of us experienced relief when we were able to hug our people once again?
Unfortunately, there have been some residual effects from living a life of precarity. Many of us have forgotten how to be in community, how to connect with each other. Many of us have forgotten that all it takes is a simple gesture of outreach.
Listen in to this episode to remember why community is so crucial to our thriving. And what we can do to build communities that feel safe and supportive. And if you're looking for a community that feels aligned with who you are being, you are invited to hop into mine! I'm building a community for midlife women of color (and if I'm being honest, I'm not quite sure what it is yet! But you can get in on the ground floor and co-create with me!) that will have some magic in it, some teachings on nervous system resilience, and some practices for increasing self-awareness.