Who knew my"Self" could be this amazing!

I crave moments of solitude everyday when I can sit and gaze into the YOUniverse and possible be inspired to write, doodle or just think. 

Who knew my 'self' could be this amazing!  

#LovingMyself

#FullJoyingMyself

#NurturingNeema 

Tilt your head to the sky and ....... Smile!

Appreciate the moments of solitude; When you can be by yourself with no interruptions, even if only for a moment. Listen to the breeze rustling the leaves on the trees that are anchored in the earth. Gaze at the Sun shining on and charging up the plants. Feel the cool air of the day. 

Tilt you head to the sky and ...... Smile!

You deserve it. 

Surrender

When alone you can appreciate the synchronicity of the Universe around us. Every sound, every sensation, every vision.  

Surrender to the synchronicity. Even for just a moment and then a moment longer. 

Asè

Selah. 

Ayesha Grice: FULL MOON ECLIPSE IN SAGITTARIUS, SATURDAY MAY 25,...

Ayesha Grice: FULL MOON ECLIPSE IN SAGITTARIUS, SATURDAY MAY 25,...: This is the 3rd eclipse in a row...exciting isn't it?  The Full Moon Eclipse will be in Sagittarius on Saturday, May 25, 2013.  We (my g...

Are You Satisfied????

My SUN came to me recently, anxious that he had tried to impress upon a peer that he could not afford to replace a pencil that he had broken because his mother was "poor". 

I became angry with him at the fact that he had actually told someone outside of our home our personal financial business. I asked him why would he tell someone that and what made him think we were poor. 

He responded by saying that I was always telling him he couldn't get something he asked for because I did not have money get it, or not enough money to waste on his trivialities. 

Then it dawned on me. I had been subconsciously teaching my Sun that our life consisted of lack, by outwardly and constantly professing that I never have any money, as opposed to highlighting the abundance in our life. I spoke from a space of not having instead of one where abundance dwelled. 

I was not doing a good enough job of teaching him how to be satisfied with what he has while making a way to receive more. 

I said, "Jah, we are not poor!"  And he responded by gleaming, "Where rich?"  

I gently looked at him, "We are not rich either. At least not in the sense you are thinking."

Perplexity took over his face. He leaned his head to one side and shrugged, "Then what are we?"  

"We're satisfied," was my reply. 

Sweet Darkness

Sweet Darkness

When your eyes are tired
the world is tired also.

When your vision has gone
no part of the world can find you.

Time to go into the dark
where the night has eyes
to recognize its own.

There you can be sure
you are not beyond love.

The dark will be your womb tonight.

The night will give you a horizon
further than you can see.

You must learn one thing:
the world was made to be free in.

Give up all the other worlds
except the one to which you belong.

Sometimes it takes darkness

and the sweet confinement

of your aloneness to learn

anything or anyone

that does not bring you alive

Is too small for you. - David Whyte

Taken from Soulseeds.com
http://tinyurl.com/7xnvxvk

Reach Back

www.thesavvysista.com/

There was a period of time, not too long ago, when I had not been writing because I decided to take some time off to do some thinking. Recently, I have felt myself doing a lot more thinking than writing; thinking about everything I do and the choices I make and why things are they way they are and how I can ...... my vision to throughout the yoUniverse.

 

You see, I took a break because I began to feel lost in a voided space that was indefinable. I had ceased wanting to push myself; I was not seeing the fruits of my labor. I began to doubt what I had to say and whether I should write or share it. For a second, I kept telling myself that 'maybe I am not good enough, yet; maybe I was too eager to begin and not prepared enough.

http://nemoss.deviantart.com/art/Space-Abyss-161805658

For a period in my life I kept hearing negative affirmations that I was not _________ enough. I kept focusing on feelings of inadequacy. I felt I was losing me; losing me to a quiet storm of negative thoughts. Losing me to an abyss that I had allowed to open up and suck me in to float around aimlessly.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/MyEmpowermentMyWay

Then I met an empowerment coach, Ayesha NuRa. I don't recall how I became aware of the invitation to the workshop she titled "My Empowerment, My Way" in August, 2012 but something stirred in me that this was something I needed to experience. After securing enrollment in the workshop, I attended with a small group of other ladies and for the first time in my adult life I felt truly grounded. In that moment, I was being transformed; I was a participant and an observer of that change.

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/rise%20again

You see, changing is living. Lauren Hill stated that anything that isn't changing is dead. In the moments that followed, I began to strip away and to see and feel the stripping away of the pieces of me that contained negative thoughts and ideas. I began to literally experience a transformation. Everyday I began to use the tools Ayesha shared with us, some more than others, but I began to 'do the work.' Everyday is a struggle; there are some days I feel depleted. However, everyday I rise and resolve to try again.

So in this moment, I have realized that sometimes we need to take a break and do some thinking. Thinking is changing done mentally and consciously. Besides, all this thinking has made me realize that I have a vault of writing material tucked away in old journals and notebooks; random, sometimes verbose utterances of active thoughts I have had. So, instead of pressuring myself to be perfect now, why not take the pieces of perfection from my past and repurpose them.

A friend, Deirdré Hector writes a blog titled "Reach Back and Fetch It" (http://reachandfetch.com/), reminiscent of the principle of Sankofa. We should all take moments to look back and 'fetch' instances from our past that teaches us and empowers us. Learn from our past to appreciate the now and to guide our future. So, why not reach back and fetch something. Dance, Write, Sing. 😊

Photo: http://reachandfetch.com/

Allow me to reintroduce myself.

Allow me to reintroduce myself.

Taken from: http://deeply-inspired.blogspot.com/2010/11/still-i-rise-by-maya-angelou.html

My name is Neema Imani Selah. A WOMBman on a path of celebrating her divine feminine. Some of you may know me as Cheslyn, and in some respects I still am. That's the name that my parents gave to me and the name I still hold dear in my heart. However, I had become very unhappy with the me I had become; unhappy because I didn't feel like my true self because I had been so busy trying to be the"me" that everyone else wanted me to be. I had been trying tirelessly to fit myself into the box that everyone else wanted me to fit into. I allowed other people to define the person I was. They suggested who I should be as a mother, as a wife, as a woman, as a being; and I readily conformed to their standards. Truth be told, I didn't feel like I had a choice. I desperately needed their affection, their approval, and their love.

Taken from:
http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/p/this-is-me-and-this-is-my-life-2/

But then, I woke up one day and realized that I do have a choice. This is my life. I have a right to be who "I Am", the right to be who "I" want to be. And I didn't have to conform to their narrow-minded, selfish vision if me. Lauryn Hill said that "whenever we submit our will to someone else's opinion, a part if us dies." And I had died a thousand deaths.

So one day it came to me very concretely that I had to allow my old self to have one more death. A sort if self-sacrificial death so that a new me could be resurrected. As apart of the transformation and redefinition of me (part of the journey) I needed to adopt a symbolic name that would represent me on this journey.

After much reflection, prayer, meditation and consultation from the elders, I chose the name Neema. I received it from my aunt, Adelyn Binta Mgonela (fluent in Kiswahili) She said that when she thought of me, she thought of Neema.

Neema, she explained, means grace. Grace can be defined as:

~unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification

~a virtue coming from God

~approval, favor

~ease and suppleness of movement or bearing

Imani means faith and is a reminder to myself to "keep the faith", "have faith" and "be faithful" on my path. Faith is a belief. It's an understanding that even though I don't know who, what, when, where, why or how, what I do know is that if I believe wholeheartedly and put in the necessary work faithfully, my dreams and visions have the possibility to manifest.

Selah is a concept I commit to practice. It translates loosely to "pause and reflect or praise" and "it is so". After all interactions and connections I pause and reflect and encourage others to do the same. That is how we allow ourselves to regenerate, for when we take the time reflect on ourselves, our interactions, and the types of connections we have with others and the universe, we are able to renew our spirits.

So now, let me reintroduce myself "I am Neema Imani Selah. I am Grace - Faith - Reflection. I am 'Me'". I am blessed by the divine. I am anointed in the spirit. I am that I am with the infinite Goddess within.

Selah.

Taken from: http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/i-am-what-i-am/images/28309113/title/nice-photo

 

What is your vision doing for you????

I just had one of my most deepest epiphanies to date while reading 'Take Hold of your Dream' by Jentezen Franklin. He writes:

If your vision is not doing these four things then you are not walking in your purpose.

"Your vision stops you: it will stop you in your tracks. One day you will happy doing why your doing, and then, all of a sudden, it just hits you, and instantly everything changes.

Your vision sends you: it will send you new places and send you to new faces.

Your vision strengthens you: when adversity comes, when all hell is breaking loose, you will always find the strength needed to get up and keep going in spite of everything.

Your vision stretches you: it helps you become what you would never have become without it. It will enlarge you. A rubber band never fulfills its purpose until it is stretched. In order to walk fully in your purpose you have to be stretched."

I have been stopped, I am being sent, I am being strengthened and I am being stretched.

ARE YOU????

I am ready to be ME

I am ready to be ME. The real me.

Photo taken from: http://static.ragamuffinsoul.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/realmeevite_friend_02.jpg

Because, the real me is more interesting than the fake somebody else. We try so hard as beings to put on an outward show catered to what we feel other people want to see. But we need to start being truthful with ourselves.


Reality is, you can't get it from the outside in. "Truth is from the inside out. We have been taught for too long to protect our outer WOMBman while our inner WOMBman is dying." As a result we walk around with a tremendous burden of anxiety and shame that eats at our psyche while we force ourselves to smile.



Photo taken from: http://sosonsee.blogspot.com/

We gotta stop pretending. We have to start knowing and learning our own selves. And we are going to have to reintroduce ourselves to ourselves and everyone else around us. I know that most of the people I know think you know me, but to be 'real', you don't.

The reality is, I'm just getting to know me. I'm just learning to allow myself to be ME without feeling guilty or ashamed. And I am in the process of reintroducing myself to everyone I know; family and friends.





Photo Taken from:
http://madamenoire.com

You see when we start being honest with ourselves and give people reality from the door, we are going to attract LOVE and the ones that really love us. And that love is going to begin with you, self love, because you will be free to love yourself without the pressure of fitting into someone else's box for you.   Then you won't have to falsify or pretend.

You can be YOU...

Adapted from Interlude 5 ~ MTV Unplugged No 2.0 - Lauryn Hill

Show Yourself Some Love

Photo Taken From: http://pinterest.com/joybauerhealth/pins/

I was flipping through some magazines for my vision board when I came across the August 2008 issue of Essence Magazine. There was an article that highlighted 5 steps to take to show yourself some love.
 

Photo Credit: Thirstyroots.com

 1. Give yourself a bouquet.

I remember one summer when I was trying to get back in shape after the birth of my sun. I used to walk pushing the stroller for approximately 15 blocks to take him to daycare so I could go to college.  Everyday for that whole summer, I would pick myself a flower and walk around with it on me. I can attest that just having it in my hair or pinned to my clothes made me feel a little bit more confident and beautiful. 

 

2. Write a love note.

Write love notes to yourself reminding yourself of what your good at or about your lovable personality. Or just to say 'I love you' to yourself. I wrote a love letter to the universe that is within me and after I finished I felt a great release. I felt closer to myself having communicated what I desired.

 

Photo Credit: www.tumblr.com

3. Put yourself first.

Give yourself permission to place your needs above everyone else's once in a while And don't feel guilty about it. You have got to learn to love you and nurture you in order to be effective at being loving and nurturing for others. For me, whenever I forget to put my needs first, I usually end up feeling drained and used and hurt. When I start showing myself some love and nurturing myself before I nurture others I feel more loving, empowered and at ease with myself.

 

Photo Credit: www.123greetings.com

4. Make appointments.

To keep your life on track in all areas, make and keep appointments for things such as doctor visits, time to rejuvenate yourself and events to stimulate your mind. I have found that when I set a scheduled time to do something, I usually accomplish it without forgetting, especially when I write it down somewhere.

Photo Credit: madamenoire.com

5. Rest assured.

Make sure you are getting enough rest. Many women sacrifice sleep to get everything done. But you should surrender to rest. Try having a warm bath before bed or listening to relaxing music before dozing off to ensure a good nights slumber.

I am going to pledge to do more of these steps in the future. Especially #5. I always complain of feeling tired and sleepy in the morning.

Comment below and share how you are incorporating these steps into your daily life.

Blessed for a Reason

When I feel myself heading toward a funk in emotions or beginning to wallow in self pity for having setbacks.... I nurture myself by remembering the following:

 

 

"The creator has kept me here for a reason."

"I survived because there is a plan for me. All my bad relationships, the consequences, the hard times, the sad times, the death of my loved ones, the backstabbing of my friends, the negative thoughts or the lack of support, I made it because I AM BLESSED!"

http://aaronmcrae.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/blessed-logo.jpg

 

 

"I release and let go all my past hurts, misunderstandings and grudges because I am abundantly blessed! I recognize them as the illusions that they are, sent to kill my spirit, steal my joy and destroy my faith. I will conquer these issues and continue on to live the best me."

 

http://erikadolnackova.com/10-most-powerful-affirmations-to-start-creating-the-life-you-want/affirmation-something-wonderful/

 

"Be blessed, Be Nurtured and know that you are one with the spirit of the God within you."

Celebrate International Woman's Day

At Nurturing Neema, We honor all women. For when we do we are honoring our divine selves.
We are all connected in soul and spirit.
We are all Divine Women.
~
Nurture a Woman......Nurture a Nation!
Neema Selah

Celebrate International Woman's Day
and
Women's HERstory Month

Photo Credit : http://nubianepistle.blogspot.com/2009/12/opinions-of-black-women-black-and-white.html

 

 

There is nothing too great of an accomplishment for the woman who knows the power of her word and who follows her infinite spirit.

~

Florence Scovel Shinn

I LIVE freely

Thank you for choosing to nurture yourself and for visit my space.

I am humbled by your interest and support. This year I was blessed with 31 years if life. 31 is the number 4 which symbolizes FREEDOM.



http://lionhearteagle.blogspot.com/2012/05/live-free-regret-nothing-and-hope-for.html

This is the year I LIVE freely. It is also the year that I learn balance. LIVE Freely to receive abundance yet remain humbled; LIVE freely to know my power yet acknowledge the responsibility it breeds. This is my year of being free to LIVE.

Join me as I enjoy self nurturing and share my experiences. Share your visions with me and together we can expand them.

31

31 = Freedom