Spiritual Grit

We live in a world that moves so fast that we miss a lot of things, including nuance. We are eager to do-do-do (I can't help but hear BlackPink here. Haha!) and achieve things and solve problems as quickly as possible. This is not sustainable. And while that might be an obvious statement, it needs to be said out loud. Everyone is exhausted and burnt out and overloaded. As a result, we might inadvertently harm other people in the process. Our fuses are short. Our attention spans even shorter. Which is why it's more crucial now than ever to have communities of care. In this episode, I talk about what that is and how it's different from just being in community. And what exactly is community? I talk about what care looks like and how we can be better humans towards each other. I want to make a community of care and if this is something that resonates with you, I want you to help me make it. Co-create with me. DM me or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com to find out how you can get involved! * Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned: Oracle Card: Eight of Cups (Reversed) Poem: “Acolyte_”by Tarfia Faizullah Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned: Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

In this episode, I'm exploring ways in which spiritual teachings and manifestation practices can intersect with activism. I'm interrogating spiritual teachings as delivered by white folks and how they leave out the part about having to exist in this three-dimensional world that includes systemic racism, an inextricable part of my own human existence. Folks of color can't just think positive thoughts to get out of oppression. At the same time, I don't want to discount how our thoughts and beliefs do create our experience of the reality we live in. So how do we bring both seemingly separate worlds together to create a way of being that actively brings about deep meaningful change toward a more just society? After all, this is where we are now, in this moment, as humans having our three-dimensional  human experience. This is our collective purpose. * Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned: Oracle Card: Suit of Swords Poem: “Father in his own age” by EJ Koh Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned: Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

Humans are a communal species. I have said this before, yes. In this episode, I first invite you to take some time to rest and restore, to create mini vacations for yourself in your daily life. But know that there is a difference between a restorative retreat and tipping over into isolation. Balance is key. I also talk about being intentional with whom we connect. Who drains us? Who nourishes us? Do we spend time with people in meaningful conversations? Or is it just small talk? And what about connections in the digital spaces (in particular, social media)? How are they affecting our energetic fields? Listen in as I share about being deliberate with the communities that we create. * Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com. You can also check my website at www.suryagian.com Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned: Oracle Card: You Are Not Alone Poem: "On Beauty" by Adeeba Shahid Talukder Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

It is crucial for women of color to share their stories, to let others know they are not alone in the experiences that challenge us. In this episode, I talk about how to create new ways of being, how to lean into self-trust as you step into the mystery of not knowing what’s ahead. Everything we know is being dismantled. The rules we used to go by no longer apply. It’s a whole new game that we’re learning how to play as we go. How do we build a new paradigm when we don’t have an example to draw from, when we are truly creating something brand new? And how can we, as women of color, do this in ways that keep our nervous system feel safe from the threats of the p@triarcy and whyte supmcy? Listen in to learn how to step into the mystery and create a new way of being that allows you to thrive. Enjoy this episode and let me know what you think in the comments below. To listen to the full episode, search for “Spiritual Grit” by Leslieann Hobayan in your favorite podcast player and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. * Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned: Tarot Card: The Fool “All the Hemispheres” by Hafiz

If the past few years have taught us anything, community matters. It matters a lot. During those times of lockdown, how many of us suffered through so much isolation? How many of us experienced relief when we were able to hug our people once again? Unfortunately, there have been some residual effects from living a life of precarity. Many of us have forgotten how to be in community, how to connect with each other. Many of us have forgotten that all it takes is a simple gesture of outreach. Listen in to this episode to remember why community is so crucial to our thriving. And what we can do to build communities that feel safe and supportive. And if you're looking for a community that feels aligned with who you are being, you are invited to hop into mine! I'm building a community for midlife women of color (and if I'm being honest, I'm not quite sure what it is yet! But you can get in on the ground floor and co-create with me!) that will have some magic in it, some teachings on nervous system resilience, and some practices for increasing self-awareness.

A lot of people talk about boundaries and having the need to set them. But what does that actually mean? And what are boundaries anyway? What do they look like and why does it feel so hard to set them and hold them? In this episode, I get into the details of the different kinds of boundaries we can set in our lives,  the reasons why some boundaries are more porous than others, and why it is important for us to have clear and defined boundaries, particularly for us empaths and women of color. People pleasing behavior is no accident. Listen in to learn how the mind, body, and spirit connection is essential to boundary setting and how a resilient nervous system is the bridge to it all.

This is a weird two part episode. Weird because they seem unrelated. But are they? The first part is about growing from conflict. How can the relationships that we are in help us grow and evolve, particularly during points of conflict? Sounds fun, doesn't it? Then the second part asks this question: how does it feel to move through the mystery of midlife? It feels like a long threshold where there are no windows or doors. You are just inside a giant room full of thick black fog. You are on your hands and knees, feeling around for anything that can help give you direction. Who are you being? How are you being? Any solutions that you might have had no longer apply. The game has changed. The landscape unfamiliar. You must learn how to navigate with trust, both in self and in the universe. Yup. That's what this episode is about.

“I’m in it. I’m in the Academy, and so this opportunity to go on strike and demand what’s right, this is a huge coalition” - Leslieann Hobayan With the Rutgers strike last week, I was able to experience first hand how my spiritual practices, along with the progress I've made on my healing journey, have helped me show up as an even stronger activist than ever before. So many of us activists know how draining it can be to proactively fight for social justice. We know how our nervous systems can get fried and how are energies can be depleted. Are there ways for us to be activists without sacrificing our well-being? The answer is YES!! And it starts with self-awareness, building self-trust, and strengthening nervous system resilience. Listen in to see how it all plays out in my most recent activist activities, including talking to the press(!) (Say what??). And then reach out to me if you're interested in learning how to create this way of being for yourself! * Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com

“Its about continuing the practice over and over again where you can create awareness in a way that becomes second nature” - Leslieann Hobayan We live in a time where everything is moving so fast that we miss half of the experiences of our life. It's like we're chasing the finish line so that we can finally rest and enjoy our lives. What we don't know is that there is no finish line. There is only Now. It is time for us to slow down. To rest and rejuvenate. To learn how to surrender. To deeply connect to the voice of our divine knowing. Sometimes we try too hard to grasp at the things we want instead of allowing for them to enter our lives in divine timing. It's also time for us to be fully present for each other. In our slowing down, can we look up from our phones and look each other in the eye to say hello? When we slow down, perhaps others will feel called to do the same. And then we might be able to truly engage with each other and appreciate our human experiences. * Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about midlife living in the diaspora, healing, alchemy, the magic of poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned: Oracle Card: Four of Swords Poem: “Samadhi” by Vikas Menon Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned: Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

What do you do when it feels like all the doors have been slammed in your face? As if the universe was giving you a big fat NO? They tell us to look for an open window. (Whoever "they" are) How do you do that when things feel hopeless or impossible? How can you see anything when you're in the emotions that blur your vision? In today's episode, I talk about how to navigate these moments that feel like a hard NO. How to move through these emotions and reframe our experiences as opportunities for curiosity and growth. How to lean into trust. These are moments when you are being called to create something new, a new way to walk your path. Or, even, a new path altogether. Listen in to find out how to stop long enough to see where the open windows might be.