Welcome into the Café,

September is a universal 1 month in numerology. After those two eclipses in August, this new month is good for embracing a fresh, new cycle. That last full moon eclipse in Pisces helped us flush out and rinse off. And now you get a clean plate to fill with whatever nourishes your soul.

You may know my mantra for this space is: Fill your cup and fulfill your dreams.

I was reminded last week how important it is for me to not only hold this space for others, but to make sure I’m always filling my own cup as well.

So, our Flavor of the Month is Nourishing Nectar—What is it? Where is it? How can you keep it on tap for regular refreshment?

My next book tour stop is a special one because it’s in an area where I lived for a bit and where my closest family still lives: Dallas—Fort Worth! I’ll be doing an author talk and book signing in the Oak Cliff neighborhood at Whose Books in conversation with Dr. Jay Guillory (@black_boysread on IG). Last I checked, tickets were sold out! However, you can put your name on the waiting list in case more seats become available. Click here for details and RSVP.

INGREDIENTS:

Last week, two things happened that inspired this Nourishing Nectar flavor. I received this message in a channeling session:

The following morning, I pulled the Hummingbird card from The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit oracle deck, which carries this message:

While these messages were given to me, I know they’re helpful for others in this Café community because many of you are also artists, also helping people, also sharing your heart. Continuing to refill and restore your own cup is essential.

If you don’t already know your sources of nourishing nectar, September is as good a month as any to start observing which spaces, places, people, activities, and things fill you up, renew your energy, and leave you feeling energized.

And pay attention to what or who does the opposite. As people who are naturally givers, we might easily attract people who compulsively take and consume without reciprocity.

As a universal 1 month in numerology, September is also a great month for art and creativity. While the number 3 is explicitly about art and creativity, my dream mentor helped me recognize how creativity requires individuality, which is precisely what 1 energy is all about.

High vibrational 1 energy gives us the courage to do what’s unique and different. It also gives us the confidence and boldness to create a platform for expressing and sharing our art and creativity with the world. Your platform doesn’t have to be big. It doesn’t have to be online. It doesn’t have to meet traditional metrics of success. It’s about having dedicated space in your life for using and developing your gifts and for your soul’s authentic expression.

Similar to artists, leaders of all sorts also require 1 energy. Like creativity, leadership asks us to be okay with going first, blazing new trails in uncharted territory, not waiting for something to become popular before we pursue it, not waiting for the crowd to jump on the bandwagon before we forge ahead, not waiting to be understood, not waiting for others to see our vision.

What I discussed with my channeling friends last week is how leadership often feels lonely in that way. And as the song goes, “One is the loneliest number.” We often think great leaders are the ones with massive followings. Perhaps the visionaries not yet getting lots of attention are the ones really on the leading edge…

In tarot, the energy of 1 is best represented by one of my favorite cards: The Magician. The Magician symbolizes yang energy, manifesting desires through aligned action, resourcefulness, and skill mastery. The Magician is someone who’s skills, gifts, and talents are honed, practiced, and evident. In this universal 1 month, leverage all your resources, skills, and magic to create a reality you desire.

Every sign has an array of qualities we can all learn from and apply to different areas of our lives. For Virgo and Libra season, here are some archetypal themes for tapping into your Nourishing Nectar.

Virgo- Good Health and Nervous System Regulation

In astrology, the Virgo archetype empowers us toward great physical health, strong mental health, and routine nervous system regulation. Consider what supports and services you need in your daily routine to care for these aspects of yourself. Because Virgo is ruled by Mercury, you might try writing/journaling, reading, talk therapy, group exercises, an app on your phone, etc.

Virgo energy is also great for organizing. Having an organized closet, desk, or calendar might be the structure you need to reduce stress. You don’t even have to be the one who organizes it 😉. If you’re someone who gets stressed out by the thought of following a schedule or routine, how can you create more open, flex, and free time in your everyday?

Libra- Equity in Relationships

I could go the route of beauty and art with Libra, but I sense we would all benefit from a recalibration in our relationships this year. Libra season is a great time to work on this. Consider relationships of all types. This could apply to literally anyone you know in person and online.

You might feel called to completely walk away from certain relationships, but for the most part it’s likely a matter of making adjustments in time, effort, attention, and various parameters that make the relationship more equitable.

At my author talk in Connecticut, a woman asked how to have conversations about colorism with friends who don’t want to hear it. She said she doesn’t want to lose the friendship, so for the sake of the friendship, she just stays silent.

My first response to her was, why should she be the only one being uncomfortable and making sacrifices in the name of the friendship? Why isn’t the friendship important enough to the other person that they’re willing to do the uncomfortable thing and listen to her? Are they really your friend if they’re perfectly good with you being uncomfortable, but they’re not willing to get uncomfortable for you sometimes?

I then offered her some specific strategies from the book. But I share that response with you now because you might see certain relational dynamics differently when you consider them through the lens of equity.

Equity doesn’t always mean tit for tat, I get exactly what I give. Parents of young children, for example, give a lot more than their young children even have capacity to reciprocate. So we need not use a wrecking ball to open a window. But do reflect on the health of your relationships.

My self-organized book tour for Colorism: The Politics of Skin Tone and How We Get Free is still underway! On Saturday, I connected with a beautiful community in Bridgeport, CT.

This author talk was different than the other two I’ve had so far (in Brooklyn and Atlanta) because I did not have a designated conversation partner. Per the audience request, I began by reading a few pages from the book, then went into audience questions. After a minute of silence, hands started going up, and questions and comments kept coming for an hour and a half.

This community was so delightful. Their questions and comments were thoughtful, their energy was palpable, their body language was deeply engaged. We kept it all the way real.

One of my favorite synchronicities was a reader telling me how her dark-skinned friend had trauma around wearing the color red, and here I was wearing what is perhaps the brightest shade of red possible.

To read the longer Connecticut recap, see my Author’s Journal Entry 007. For the full Atlanta review, read 006.

This week’s feature is slightly different from what I usually share. This song matches certain themes of the number 1 in numerology, such as confidence, leadership, ambition, action, resourcefulness, and willpower.

This song also resonates with the macro concept of cycles, which is the essential latticework for numerology, astrology, and tarot, as well as history, astronomy, biology, psychology, and more.

Songs have always been powerful sources of soul nourishment for the endurance of freedom fighters throughout history. And for many folks, staying connected to their history and their ancestry is a significant source of replenishment.

Wherever you are in your freedom journey, I wish for you all the sustenance to sustain you.