Spiritual Grit

“Keep cultivating the life you want within you and watch the magic of the universe line up to create the thing that you want” - Leslieann Hobayan There’s all this talk about self-awareness and how it’s so important for our personal development and how practices like meditation can help. But you might be thinking: why do we even need it? What’s the purpose? Once I cultivate self-awareness, then what? How does that help me evolve? Have you ever asked yourself: “I am aware that I’m doing something but sometimes I can’t stop myself, so what’s the point?” Listen to this episode to find out more about how our power of choice grows with our self-awareness. Stay true to yourself. Come back to your Sat Nam. * Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about 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: Ace of Cups (Reversed) “Be the Lighthouse” from Divorce Papers: A Slow Burn by Leslieann Hobayan Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned: Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com

“The words that we use fall short of the feelings that we embody.” - Leslieann Hobayan As I continue to process and integrate my experience on the Green River in Utah, more understandings are unfolding. In today's episode, I talk about how we don't need to wait for someone else to lead the way or to give us permission. We can forge our own path. We can be leaders of our own lives. But sometimes it's hard to know which direction to take. And so we must listen. Deeply. But also to be out in the world and have our human experiences so that we can tune in to what feels aligned. (You can't see signs from the universe from underneath the covers. Just saying. Hah!) And this is only part of how to make small changes in shaping the old life around who you are now. Listen in! * Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about 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: Forge. Don’t follow. "Awakening of Stones: Hypothesis / Central argument" by Lisbeth White Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned: Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com

A couple of weeks ago, I embarked on an adventure canoeing on the Green River in the red rock desert of Labyrinth Canyon of Utah. I was off-grid for eight days with 15 other beautiful people, including Swedish singer-songwriter, Fia (Eeee!! One of my favorite people!!). It was a big leap into the unknown for me. I've never been camping. I didn't know anyone going on this trip. I'd be disconnected from the rest of the world –no WiFi, no cell service– most importantly, from my kids. What if they needed me? So, uh, yeah. What the heck was I thinking?? What I learned about myself and who I am continues to unfold for me. And will likely unfold for a long time. There was some deep soul work happening, some deep deep healing and releasing. And there was magic and song, community and care. And so much love. SO much. Listen in to hear about my journey on the river to find and hear my voice, my soul song, my calling. (We won't talk about how I feel in the river and killed my phone. 🤐 For the record, I was using it to take photos.) * Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about 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 Deck from The Secret Language of Light by Denise Jarvie: You are the Universe “High Garden” by Katie Xiong

Best of Spiritual Grit “We don’t know what we don’t know so be open to possibilities”-Leslieann Hobayan For today’s episode, I invite you to be open to possibilities. Back in the day, I worked (temporarily) at a corporate law firm in Manhattan. We all make assumptions what that was like. What I discovered was that it was possible to be creative, thrive, and enjoy that space. These days, what’s coming forward for me now is tarot. I didn't expect it to become such a big presence in my life and in what I do to connect people with their divine knowing. (Of course, now that I say it out loud, it makes sense!) We don't know what we don't know. We don’t know what possibilities lie beyond our bubble of what we do know.. Ask yourself what you want right now and tune in to that. Learn and discern between your ego voice and your heart’s desire by how your body feels. What if this day turned into everything you hoped for and more? Here’s a challenge: begin the day with a sense of possibility, with a beginner’s mind. Approach this day as if you were trying something new: be open, be flexible and be ready for anything. Now go play and step into the mystery! Take a listen as I invite you to have fun. Think about what you can create in your life to have more fun and play for yourself. * Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com * Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Reading mentioned: Tarot Card:  The Dragonfly “Track Black Wing Bird Emm Gryner 2006” From the book “Letters To Young Brown Girl” by Barbara Jane Reyes

In today’s episode, I talk about strength and how we can be strong through love and compassion, not by forcing our will upon others. When we force things, often the result is less than desirable. When we love, there is only ease in the strength we demonstrate. But there is also the idea of strength as in “What are your gifts to the world?” How do you know what your strengths –your gifts– are? Much of it has to do with who you are BE-ing. WHO are you being? Are you stepping into your most authentic self? How can you tell? I also talk a little bit about what it’s like to work with me on your healing journey and how healing is a very specific, individual transformational experience. (And yeah, I bring in the butterfly analogy because, well, how perfect is that!) Take a listen to find out how you can bring your gifts forward in becoming your truest self and how that is in service of the highest good of all. * Follow me on Instagram for Maverick Mondays, Free Verse Fridays, and some real talk about healing, poetry, AND play: @leslieannhobayan or email me at leslieann@suryagian.com * Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned: Tarot Card: #8 Strength (from The Light Seers Deck by Chris-Anne) Tarot Card: Page of Swords (from The Light Seers Deck by Chris-Anne) Courses/Exclusive Content Mentioned: Joyful Meditation : https://suryagian.com/joyful-meditation The Story of Joy: https://suryagian.com/subscribe

“Whatever you declare, is the thing that happens” - Leslieann Hobayan How Do You Know What You Want? In this episode I’ve tackled about how hard it is to know exactly what you want if you don't know where you're going. What would I do if I knew I could not fail? How would my life change if I had this? What would success feel like? These are just some of the questions you may encounter if you have the fear of failure. In order to manifest anything, we need to have a clear understanding of what we want to create. We then take inspired action towards our goal. (Inspired action comes from the heart, not from the head.) If we focus on negative things, they become bigger. If we focus on positive things, they become bigger and more powerful. Whatever we think about becomes real. To manifest something means to bring it into being. So where are you focusing your attention? * Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about 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: Messenger “Acolyte” by Tarfia Faizullah Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned: Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com The Poets Priestess Newsletter: https://thepoetspriestess.com/subscribe Embodied Healing: www.thepoetspriestess.com/embodied-healing Weekend Writing Retreat: https://thepoetspriestess.com/retreat

“The things that we want are not an accident. The things that we want are put there by the divine intelligence. It’s our calling.” - Leslieann Hobayan For today’s episode, I talk about identity - being your true authentic self. Is it possible to be your true authentic self and have a good life? Is there a way to break through the clutter of the world and really find yourself? This is a topic I have been exploring for some time because too many of us are hiding. If you’re reading this, you might be at a crossroads in your life, or you might have recently had an epiphany that has changed the way you see the world. I’m not going to tell you what to do, but rather give you some concepts to ponder. So, who are you? If you want to lead the life you deserve to live, start exploring the world around you and the world inside of you. I also talk a bit about self-forgiveness. Dive in and take a listen! * Follow me on Instagram for some real talk about 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 Judgement (Reversed) Tarot Card: The Chariot Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned: Subscribe to “Dear Tita Tarot” advice column: leslieann.substack.com The Poets Priestess Newsletter: https://thepoetspriestess.com/subscribe

Ep 132: Creating / Planting from the 5-part Self-Awareness August series “Plant the seeds of what you desire” - Leslieann Hobayan In the final part of this 5-part series, Self-Awareness August, it’s time for us to plant seeds, to create what we want– what our heart desires! We’ve built our self-awareness in grounding, opening, allowing and aligning. Now it’s time to clear the clutter and CREATE! In this growing awareness of who we are, we now have a vision of who we are meant to be. And now it’s time to plant seeds that support this. It’s time to create! Tune in to start cultivating the life meant for you! Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned: Tarot Card: Star Keeper “The Crows” from Good Bones by Meggy Smith

Ep 131: Aligning from the 5-part Self-Awareness August series “Time is a limited resource, so be mindful about how you use that time.” - Leslieann Hobayan For part 4 of this 5-part series in Self-Awareness August, I focus on alignment. Once we’ve grounded and opened ourselves up to receive, how can we build upon that self-awareness? Sometimes, we might wonder: what’s the point of self-awareness when I don’t know what to do with it? The next step is to pay attention to the energy in your body. When you make a decision, when you move out and about in the world, do you tune into your body? You can feel the alignment. Listen in for tips on how to do this! Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned: Tarot Card: Cracked Open “Consider the Deer” from Inheritance by Taylor Johnson

Ep 130: Allowing / Softening from the 5-part Self-Awareness August series “Allowing is also for you to move through the process of healing” - Leslieann Hobayan In part 3 of our 5-part series for Self-Awareness August, I talk about how allowing is a subtle shift from opening. What’s the difference? It sounds like the same thing. Well, we might be open to receiving, but are we allowing for that love to come in? Do you feel your muscles start to contract when a message approaches or someone offers love? Can you soften those muscles? Can you allow? Tune in for more! Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned: Tarot Card: the Great Severing “Oxygen” from Tethered to Stars by Fady Joudah