My friend, Simone, had to hit rock bottom before she fully embraced her spiritual gifts.
“I was scared, and fear took over,” she told me during a FB talk last year. “I was focused on what other people would think.”
Simone is a spiritual medium; she connects with ancestors to help guide people through life.
But coming from a middle-class, church-going family in Barbados made it challenging for Simone to open up as she stepped into the work she has been called to do.
Simone’s journey is interesting to me because she loved her former career as an event planner in the travel and leisure industry.
But Spirit had other plans for her.
Simone says we learn valuable lessons when “we are in the valley and our faith is in the dirt.”
What gifts do you have? What do you feel called to do?
If you’re not sure there’s no need to worry or rush because I’m confident that your destiny will be revealed in time. I was in my early forties when an African shaman told me I was destined to be an Ifa priest and diviner.
Once you have clarity about what you feel called to do, pursue it with conviction, discipline and commitment. “Trust and obey,” says Simone.
What do you plan to do with your gift in 2023? Have confidence! There’s nothing to fear. We are all blessed in different ways.
Your gift might be exactly what the universe needs right now. What you have to offer is priceless.
Simone says that when you are walking in your truth, the opinions of others no longer matter. “Who will be for you, will be there when you make that shift,” she says.
“Trust your intuition,” says Simone. “Trust your feelings.”
There are eleven months left in 2023. Don’t let fear stop you from living your best life.
Would love to hear your thoughts on this message. Blessings to you in all your endeavors.
“Life is happening right now — in real time” says coach, Jewel Love. Take advantage of what today has to offer. Don’t waste this moment — make it happen.
I spoke to Jewel recently on FB Live.
We discussed many things: healing, the importance of maintaining a daily spiritual practice, and not being afraid to ask for help when you really need it.
And travel — which is so important to the soul, says Jewel.
You don’t have to travel internationally, he points out. Even travelling locally can help keep your mind and spirit fresh, says Jewel. Try visiting a new museum, take a different route on your way home; the opportunities to experience something new are endless.
I especially loved what Jewel says about living life now.
“It’s lifestyle and a choice,” says Jewel. “And it’s possible for all of us.”
Of course, mystics and philosophers have been talking about living life today for centuries.
But what makes Jewel’s message so compelling is the fact that he actually tries to live this way. Because he’s self-employed and can work remotely, he’s been traveling and living in different Latin American countries for the past two years.
Jewel wasn’t always traveling the world on the scale he is now.
I remember sitting in his tiny apartment in Oakland several years ago, sharing a meal and our visions for the future.
At the time, Jewel was still training as a therapist, and I was working on my book, Meditations Across the King’s River: African-inspired Wisdom for Life’s Journey. We’ve both come a long way since those days.
You can go far too. Don’t give up on your visions for the future.
As you reflect on living your best life, think about what this means for you. What do you need to start doing? What do you need to stop doing? What support you need to maximize 2023?
This is all for now.
I would love to hear your thoughts. I will respond once I hear from you. Here’s the link to my talk with Jewel once again, Live Your Best Life. Check it out!
That’s what my eldest son, Malcolm, was saying the other day.
We were in his truck, on our way to buy a new water heater for our home, when our spiritual conversation began.
I listened, and I smiled, and I wanted to share.
Malcolm and Jakari
If you know our story, or if you’ve read my book, Meditations Across The King’s River, you know my son was not always in a good place – he was once in a very dark, scary place.
When he was in his late teens, my son was caught up in the gang life in Oakland.
But you would never guess this if you listen to him now or if you spend time with him. Malcolm is a dedicated Dad, a successful businessman, and he often goes out of his way to help others.
Malcolm says a little faith goes a long way…
Granted. He didn’t change overnight. But he changed. He is still changing. We can all change.
If you’re in a dark place right now, or if you feel like you can’t win because you’ve been having one problem after another, I encourage you to not give up.
I know what it’s like to be tested, and 2020 has presented all of us with extraordinary tests and challenges.
But I’ve also seen things shift for the better and dramatically improve. I believe this can happen for you.
Yes, my friend, I believe in miracles.
Not sure what you are going through in this season: relationship, health, financial, emotional, legal.
But I do know that this season does not define your next season nor the rest of your life.
I really mean this.
Faith is not wishful thinking. Faith is a radical act. It requires strength, action, perseverance.
Wishing you the courage to envision other possibilities for your life, or for your family.
I’m with you in Spirit. Feel free to write, and I will respond asap.
All My Love
James
P.S. Still available for spiritual readings.
P.S.S. If you would like to purchase a signed copy of my book, let me know.
P.S.S. Working on a new trailer for my film, Across The King’s River, and will be sharing it with you in a few weeks.
We spoke of many things — the spiritual experiences in the Caribbean that inspired me to write my book, the forces that led me into the Ifa spiritual tradition, why I decided to include chapters on technology and finance in Meditations Across The King’s River.
Jeanette, who lives in Southern California, shared why the book touched her deeply: “I felt like I was with you in Guadeloupe. I felt I was with you in Jamaica. I felt I was with you and your son in Nigeria. It felt like part of my own healing journey.”
“It was the first book I read cover to cover during the stay at home order. For me, it was a way to release the pent up anxiety, the pressure, and the concern that has been growing since covid 19.”
…Jeanette also shared one of her favorite affirmations from the book:
“When the story of your life is told, let it be said that you went after your dreams. That you had vision and could see what others could not see. That you had courage and did what others did not do. That you had faith and persevered to the end.”
My time with Jeanete went by so quickly. I didn’t have time to say everything I was hoping to say.
But now that Jeanette has inspired me, I’ll be doing more intimate Zoom calls with readers and scholars, and I’ll be doing my first FB live event soon as well.
If my work has impacted you in some way, and you want to talk to me about it, let’s make it happen.
I know you have wisdom that others can benefit from too.
You can’t stop now, , and neither can I.
The world needs your gift, your vision, your presence. There’s so much at stake, and you can make a difference.
2021 is right around the corner…
Don’t walk in fear. Tap into what inspires you and focus on that.
So many things are still possible for you.
Let me know what you’ve been up to, and I will write you back ASAP.
Talk soon,
James Weeks
P.S. Still available for spiritual readings.
P.S.S. Meditations Across The King’s River is available at the link below:
Meditations Across The King’s RiverMeditations Across The King’s River
Like the rest of the world I was shocked and saddened by the passing of Chadwick Boseman — our beloved Black Panther.
…Yet I am also inspired by the incredible legacy he left us all.
My son, Diallo, broke the news to me late Friday evening. Then, over the next 48 hours, I learned what had been hidden for so long.
Mr. Boseman had been diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2016, which eventually progressed to Stage 4.
Yet, Chadwick
“persevered through it all and brought you many of the films you have come to love,” his publicist said. “From ‘Marshall’ to ‘Da 5 Bloods’, August Wilson’s ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ and several more, all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy.”
And Oprah Winfrey said:
Chadwick was a “gentle, gifted soul. Showing us all that greatness between surgeries and chemo. The courage, the strength, the Power it takes to do that. This is what Dignity looks like.”
Chadwick Boseman as Tchalla, The Black Panther
Even “during this summer’s wave of protests against systemic racism and police brutality, he expressed support for the Black Lives Matter movement and joined other black entertainers and executives in calling on the industry to cut ties with police departments,” says the New York Times.
To prepare for his role in Black Panther, Chadwick studied the speeches of Nelson Mandela, grooved on the music of Fela Kuti, interviewed a Yoruba diviner, trained in the African martial arts, and traced his African roots through DNA.
Then, in the final months of his life, Chadwick married Taylor Simone Ledward.
“Simone, you’re with me every day. I have to acknowledge you right now. Love you,” Chadwick told her during his acceptance speech for Outstanding Actor.
How did Chadwick do it all? How did he stand tall, and perform at peak levels as his body was failing?
One quote by Chadwick circulating on the internet gives us a clue:
“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope I would not have a single bit of talent left, and can say I used up everything you gave me.”
In passing, I can’t help but feel Chadwick is challenging us all.
What are we willing to endure? What excuses are we willing to drop? What will we contribute to the world? How can we make the best use of the time we have left TODAY and every day?
If you’ve been feeling stuck or overwhelmed that’s understandable. After all, 2020 has presented daunting challenges none of us could have foreseen.
But knowing what we know now, surely we can imagine that Chadwick Boseman often woke up to challenges that felt overwhelming.
He gave us his all, and in passing he is challenging us all.
I think you might agree that the legacy of the Black Panther will be etched into our memory forever.
And it’s a legacy of majesty, brilliance and wonder!
Rest in power, good brother. The ancestors are proud.
I would love to hear what Chadwick or the Black Panther meant to you. So feel free to respond and I’ll write you back asap.
