Spiritual Grit

There's a lot of talk about one's purpose in life and often, in the West, it is individualistic: what will fulfill one's desires? How can one manifest the car/house/partner that they want? In this week's episode, I'm talking about what your purpose in life actually is and how you can get closer to figuring it out. Also, if your life's purpose isn't about you, then what is it about? Who is it for? And is anyone paying attention?  =============== Today’s poems/ Books mentioned: Oracle card: The Ten of Cups Poem: “A Great Need”by Hafiz ===============  Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned: Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com Instagram: @leslieannhobayan Email: leslieann@suryagian.com

In this week's episode, I'm in conversation with Sophia Ali Khan, activist, public interest lawyer, and Canadian-based author of *A Good Country: My Life in Twelve Town and the Devastating Battle for a White America*. We talked about a wide range of things, playing with the intersection of activism and spiritualit: from the current genocide (do we take the first flight out to Rafah?) to resonance with our ancestral homeland (what is embedded in our DNA that signals we are home?); from balancing being a mom with activism (how does one guide one’s children through the practices of fasting during Ramadan?) to what true spirituality and faith look like. (Hint: It's not all white flowing robes and kumbaya). Come along with us on this meandering road of understanding what our role might be in this life as a human during this particular moment in time. Listen in today! About Sofia Ali-Khan: Sofia Ali-Khan is an anti-racist storyteller, author, and public interest lawyer. Her book, A Good Country: My Life in Twelve Towns and the Devastating Battle for a White America was published by Random House in 2022 and won the 2023 Nautilus Gold Book Award for Social Justice. Writing at the intersection of politics, race, history, and Muslim America, her essays have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, TIME Magazine, the Chicago Tribune, and other publications, earning her a Pushcart Prize nomination in 2022. She has appeared as a featured storyteller on The Moth's Mainstage in Boston and Philadelphia and at the Manhattan Public Theater. Sofia lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband, kids and cat, and is presently at work on her first novel with the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts.  =============== Today’s poems/ Books mentioned: Oracle card: The Queen of Swords Poem: “Please Stop” by Sophia Ali Khan ===============  Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned: Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com Instagram: @leslieannhobayan  Email: leslieann@suryagian.com Sophia Ali Khan https://www.sofiaalikhan.com/ https://www.instagram.com/sofia_alikhan/

In this week's episode, I'm talking about how important it is to have nervous system resilience when speaking your truth. It's okay if your voice shakes. What's key is being able to bounce back after feeling so vulnerable. Listen in to learn the four stages to help strengthen resilience so that you can speak your truth.  =============== Today’s poems/ Books / Oracle / Tarot Cards mentioned: Tarot Card: Justice Poem: “Cucumbers and Prayers” by Hafiz ===============  Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned: Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: ⁠leslieann.substack.com⁠

Uh, say what? What the heck is duality and non-duality? It’s a spiritual philosophy and teaching, one of which I’m still trying to unpack (and will likely be doing for the rest of my life!). But I wanted to pose this question of duality vs non-duality in activism: how do we understand these concepts and how do we apply them to real world situations like gen0-side? Is it useful to do so? Or is it akin to spiritual bypassing? Depends on who you are and how you use it. I’m going to tell you now: this is like pre-school level, super-basic knowledge I have of these concepts, so I don’t know what I’m doing or what I’m talking about, BUT I am curious enough to ask the questions and explore. Listen in to find out possibilities to this question of duality and non-duality in activism. (I mean, that’s the point of this show, right? The intersection of spirituality and activism. That’s what I say in the intro, right? So let’s dive in!) Uh, say what? What the heck is duality and non-duality? It’s a spiritual philosophy and teaching, one of which I’m still trying to unpack (and will likely be doing for the rest of my life!). But I wanted to pose this question of duality vs non-duality in activism: how do we understand these concepts and how do we apply them to real world situations like gen0-side? Is it useful to do so? Or is it akin to spiritual bypassing? Depends on who you are and how you use it. I’m going to tell you now: this is like pre-school level, super-basic knowledge I have of these concepts, so I really don’t know what I’m doing or what I’m talking about, BUT I am curious enough to ask the questions and explore. Listen in to find out possibilities to this question of duality and non-duality in activism. (I mean, that’s the point of this show, right? The intersection of spirituality and activism. That’s what I say in the intro, right? So let’s dive in!)  =============== Today’s poems/ Books mentioned: Oracle card: Five of Pentacles Poem: “The Fish and I will Chat” by Hafiz ===============  Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned: Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com Instagram: @leslieannhobayan  Email: leslieann@suryagian.com

Many of us compartmentalize our lives, putting things in boxes as if our lives are a bunch of multicolored beads that need to be separated and sorted.. Parenting goes in one box. Job goes in another box. Writer work in yet another. Activist work in another. This isn’t how we’re supposed to live. WIth the continuing gen0-side, compartmentalizing is a survival tactic. “If I can just focus on my job, I can look away from what’s happening in Pal-es-tine.” The thing is, the magnitude of these atr0cities is affecting our daily lives, whether we’re aware of it or not. In this week’s episode, I talk about how everything is inextricably linked. We cannot compartmentalize. We must stay connected to our humanity. We must continue to bear witness AND to live, to continue the daily activities of our small lives AND do what we can to demand a ce@sefire and fight for a freé Pal-es-tine. How do we do that? How can we act in our daily lives in ways that begin to shift change? Tune in to learn more!  =============== Today’s poems/ Books mentioned: Oracle card: Queen of Pentacles Poem: “You are Brave in that Holy War” by Hafiz ===============  Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned: Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

We've been living in divisive times for a while now. But now it's all coming to a head.  How do we balance our activist work with our inner spiritual work? We've gotten to a point where they are no longer separate. They are inextricable. One feeds and nourishes the other. And vice versa. In order for us to be effective in our activist work, we need to be right within ourselves. We need to feel aligned within. In order for us to heal and release the limiting beliefs that are obscuring are deep inner truth, our Sat Nam, we need to take action to liberate the oppressed. Palestine is showing us who we really are. All the veils are being torn down. All of the masks have dropped. If we fail to take action, we are not doing the necessary work for our spiritual evolution. Change is inevitable whether we like it or not, whether we're ready for it or not. And this week's episode, I talk about why it's crucial for us to stand with Palestine.

When it feels like the world is on fire and structures are crumbling down (which is, like, all the time!), we must find it within ourselves to keep going. We must dig down to find the resolve within us to keep working towards our vision, whether that is your own personal dreams or a vision for a better world, full of peace and justice. In this episode, I talk about how we can view challenges as invitations and opportunities for growth rather than roadblocks to give up. Hold fast to your vision! A new earth is being born.

Speaking your truth can be daunting, especially during these times of intense division. How can you practice using your voice so that you can express your truth with more confidence? How can you soften those blocks that prevent you from using your voice? In this week's episode, I talk about how love is the key to leading the way to truth and invite you to explore the possibilities of your voice.  =============== Today’s poems/ Books mentioned: Oracle card: King of Cups Poem: “Turn Left a Thousand Feet from Here” by Hafiz ===============  Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned: Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com https://linktr.ee/suryagian

Community is so important for us. Human beings. And if the last few years has taught us anything, isolation really sucks. In this week's episode, I invite you to be open to creating communities that you need. Rather than waiting for someone to call you in, why not reach out to others? Tune in to find out how.  =============== Today’s poems/ Books mentioned: Oracle card: Page of swords Poem: “From the Large Jug, Drink” by Hafiz ===============  Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned: Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com

As I continue to speak my truth and advocate for a free Pal3st!ne, more and more folks are telling on themselves, showing who they really are. And the shedding of various levels of relationships –from acquaintances to friends to community members– continues. In this week’s episode, I address the fears that come with this shedding and what to do about it. How do we keep going? Do we even keep going? (Short answer: YES!) How do we stay on the course of our truth if it means that people will leave our lives? Listen in to dig deeper into why speaking our truths are crucial to our collective healing and liberation.  =============== Today’s poems/ Books mentioned: Oracle card: All Paths Lead Home Poem: “When You Wake” by Hafiz ===============  Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned: Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.com