Black Girl In Om

This conversation goes DEEP, y’all. We know this episode is going to touch so many of you with the affirmations, advice, and real talk provided by the absolutely incomparable Rev. angel Kyodo williams. She is a teacher formally trained in the Zen tradition, a person deeply aware of who she is, and an honest reflection of what liberated living really looks like. We are so honored to open the door to their incredible teachings and work to you all. Join in for this conversation, shared with Black Girl In Om Founder, Lauren Ash, Art Director, Deun Ivory, and the members of the Wellspring audience. Nearly everyone present for this conversation left feeling ready to really embrace liberation in their lives. As you do the same in yours, we know these words from Rev. angel Kyodo williams will serve as a reminder to always do so with love.

Get the full show notes, links to what was shared in this conversation, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates today!

In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory talk all things skincare with beauty writer and BGIO contributor Siraad Dirshe. Lauren and Deun ask their pressing skincare questions and the three ladies dive into how to become a beauty writer, the importance of representation in the beauty world, Siraad’s favorite beauty trends, DIY beauty and more! Be sure to continue to follow Siraad's journey on her Instagram page @sdirshe.

In this episode, Black Girl in Om Founder Lauren Ash explores the belief of creativity as a spiritual practice with mystic and mixed media artist, Chetna Mehta, creator of @mosaiceye. Through the lens of wisdom she has gained from lived experience and studying psychology, Chetna explains how practicing self-compassion can not only expand our capacity to connect with others, but also opens the floodgates of our divine creativity. Chetna encourages us to connect to and lean on our spiritual support system as a way to cultivate a deeper relationship with ourselves and subsequently the world around us. She offers decolonizing our relationship to creativity as a soothing balm to comparison mind and creativity as a gift for our inner child. Chetna believes that “our capacity to feel the “darker”, more uncomfortable emotions informs our capacity to feel the other spectrum of emotions. They play into each other and there’s wisdom in both.” [invitation]

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL FIND OUT ABOUT:

• The three major life events that brought Chetna’s to self-healing through art and creating @mosaiceye.
• The meaning of @mosaiceye & how it relates to all of us.
• How Chetna stayed connected to her after moving from South Africa to California + discovered her purpose through art.
• The benefits of tapping into the deeper why of your creativity.
• The ancient Greek and Romans belief that creativity is a divine archetype that human beings need to exude and transcend our actuality
• Why we need our egos (sometimes).
• Chetna’s beautiful newsletter, The Moon Times: a nourishing, informational deep-dive into personal & relatable topics such as healthy boundaries, body wisdom, leaning into your awkward, and reparenting your inner child.
• Three pillars of mindful self-compassion:
  acknowledging the moment that you’re in
  understanding that what we’re going through is a part of common humanity
  having self kindness; allowing what is happening to happen, and asking “what do i need right now?”
• Why Chetna loves crying.
• Decolonizing our creativity by reclaiming the belief that we are supported by a collective, Universal source.

In this episode of the Black Girl In Om Podcast, co-founder and creative director of Freedom Apothecary, Bonkosi Horn (she/her), joins BGIO founder Lauren Ash (she/they) in conversation around reclaiming self care and wellness as our birthright. Freedom Apothecary is a space that centers Black women & WOC coming together in community along their self-discovery, healing, and wellness journeys through holistic lifestyle practices and rituals. All of the products they carry are nontoxic, clean beauty, and created by women. Lauren and Bonkosi talk about offering ourselves grace as we bring further awareness and active intention to what goes on and in our bodies. While mainstream wellness conversations can get a bad rap for being only for a certain type of person, Lauren and Bon discuss how true self care is our birthright as Black women. We deserve to prioritize our experience and nurture a relationship to self. Bonkosi is here to help us along this journey, and to connect us with a network of like-minded women through Freedom Apothecary! While their physical space is in Philadelphia, you can access an abundance of clean, women-founded offerings from them wherever you are through their website. True wellness should be accessible to everyone because, as Bon says, “It’s a right. It’s not a luxury.”

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT

• How tapping into what she was craving positioned Bonkosi to dream up Freedom Apothecary
• Where to start when making a choice to divest from brands and products with dangerous ingredients.
• An App that helps you to choose the safest beauty and household products by allowing you to see what ingredients are in them and alerting you to which ones are toxic.
• Resources that help Lauren to feel more empowered in her choices around the products she uses
• Bonkosi’s advice for doing DIY skincare right
• Bon’s experience growing a brand that is centered on wellbeing specifically for women and women of color
• The process of learning to ask for help when you need it
• How motherhood encourages intentional prioritization and boundary-setting

Keep up with Bonkosi Horn on Instagram and twitter @Bonkosi

Freedom Apothecary is reopening, safely and slowly the first week of April, so head over to FreedomApothecary.com to find out more about their many offerings or to book an appointment at their Blend Bar!

For 20% off of Organifi’s delicious completely plant-based and low-sugar organic superfood blends, head over to Organifi.com/blackgirlinom

If you're interested in offering support to BGIO's very first physical healing space for Black women, head over to gofund.me/8de0022e