Mama Koko’s New Year’s Wisdom: Honoring the past is the path to a better future

I’m the daughter of Marcelite Marie Landry, the granddaughter of George Esther Rabb, the great-granddaughter of Effie Gladys Webb, and the great-granddaughter of Elizabeth Agràs. I’ll start with the names of my maternal line because these are the sacred scriptures of the DNA, the strands of strength that strengthen me. While the other names could also be unfamiliar to me, I do know that despite their supposed anonymity, there is a possibility of data, an epistemic memory that is made possible by making connections. It protects me from amnesia and cultural death. Calling their names is the release of sound vibrations that resound, opening countless possibilities of existence. I still remember to remember. The Bantu people of West Central Africa express this reference to the proverbial expression umuntu umuntu nagabuntu – meaning that a person is a person due to the people. This sacred imperative to be collective drives me to live with purpose and an unwavering commitment to community.

I come from ancestors who continually encourage me to keep reaching to unlock myself. I listen to their whispers, urging me to allow myself the freedom to discover the great thing about all the majesty of God. At the core of my being is the intention to serve others – but above all, the desire to serve my “I”, over which I even have primary care. How will we nurture this accountability and maintain this commitment? Here I share the strategies which have helped me chart a course towards limitless possibilities in the hope that you’ll uncork your life.

Start by removing the barriers that keep you from moving towards your best and achieving inner peace. These blockages hinder progress and lead to imbalance. I call these imbalances vibrational frequency disorders. In medicine, words like stress, depression, cancer and hypertension are used to describe the symptoms of this inequality. Start with an assessment. What are the barriers? Who built them? How can we replace this inconvenience with optimal health and well-being? How are you able to open your spiritual channels? What areas do you wish guidance, balance and support in? What do you wish to enrich your life so you could meaningfully work towards achieving your goals? Step inside and answer these questions. Remember that any thoughts you’ve about your life could be modified.

After assessing, ask: Make a list of everyone
Your assets and supporters, in addition to the areas where you wish guidance. We must try to balance our lives with reciprocity, the principle of life. African spiritual scholar K. Kia Bunseki Fu-Kiau explores this notion of reciprocity through the Bantu concept of Simba Simbi: “I sustain what sustains me.” In all of your endeavors, honor your obligation to watch over and protect yourself by sustaining what sustains you.

This idea from Simba Simbi could be repeated endlessly – because like the ouroboros, the snake swallowing its tail, a symbol of eternity, the list of what you support and what supports you is countless on this universe of abundance, prosperity and possibility. No matter what you do, you possibly can deal with this principle and count on joy. It is a way to pray and be grateful throughout the day. Empower yourself with thoughts that can empower your best life and best self, true to the full potential with which you were created. Talk about your life journey – reciting stories that keep you up, stories that affirm you, whilst you reserve space in your self-awareness for growth.

In the ancient KMT (Egypt), the Goddess Ma’at represents balance. The heart of a deceased person had to be as light as his ostrich feather when weighed on the scales of truth to secure a favorable place in eternity. Don’t let your heart get too heavy. Take the pressure off yourself by declaring your intentions day-after-day, and align your head and heart for optimal living. One of my prayers is, “May I be more like myself today than I was yesterday.”

Balance this loving investment in yourself with love and empathy for others. Follow your mind and the desires of your heart. Get closer to nature. Inhale deeply. Touch the ground. Step on it with bare feet and feel its energy. Dip your feet in the sea or river. Get inspired by a tree, a bird, a bee. Connect with these forces. Collect their essences. You will gain strength, clarity and a healthy perspective.

Also learn to dream out loud. Dreams that occur throughout the day are essential portals to conscious self-formation. Create vision boards to make it easier to imagine and manifest what your best life looks like. How do you present yourself and your people? Broaden your horizons and rethink the way you imagine your life. And find humor in as many things as possible. Laughter is good medicine. Keep it light and have a good time every probability you get, because deep laughter cleanses the soul. You understand how it sounds. You know the harmony you’re feeling when producing this sacred sound. It is powerful enough to lift unbearable burdens from you.

Free your mind from limited, negative and pessimistic considering. Cultivate positive vibrations and tune your spirit to higher frequencies. Become a radiant light and inspiration for yourself. Surround yourself with individuals who give light and create as many memories as possible with them. “This is my little light, I’ll let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.” May all of us reach our potential. As and Amen.

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