Black Girl In Om (Lauren Ash)

Erica Chidi-Cohen is an educator, author, doula, and the co-founder and CEO of LOOM, which provides empowered education from periods to parenting. She is passionate about helping people cultivate body literacy and sex positivity by giving them the tools to advocate for their and loved one’s reproductive health and wellbeing. Her work has guided thousands of people in their transition from pregnancy to parenthood in her work as an educator, doula, and author with the bestselling book, Nurture: A Modern Guide to Pregnancy, Birth and Early Motherhood. Beyond womxn and healthcare, Erica works to educate on pleasure, relationships, vulnerability, and self-care by providing an empowered, shame-free perspective. Erica Chidi-Cohen is a rich gift and we are so grateful to have her.

Enjoy this conversation on finding a deeper level of self-awareness + self-love, examinations of our pain + trauma, sexual liberation, and more recorded live from the Los Angeles stop of The Black Girl In Om Expansion Tour.

Get the full show notes, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates today!

In this episode, Black Girl in Om Founder Lauren Ash explores the belief of creativity as a spiritual practice with mystic and mixed media artist, Chetna Mehta, creator of @mosaiceye. Through the lens of wisdom she has gained from lived experience and studying psychology, Chetna explains how practicing self-compassion can not only expand our capacity to connect with others, but also opens the floodgates of our divine creativity. Chetna encourages us to connect to and lean on our spiritual support system as a way to cultivate a deeper relationship with ourselves and subsequently the world around us. She offers decolonizing our relationship to creativity as a soothing balm to comparison mind and creativity as a gift for our inner child. Chetna believes that “our capacity to feel the “darker”, more uncomfortable emotions informs our capacity to feel the other spectrum of emotions. They play into each other and there’s wisdom in both.” [invitation]

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL FIND OUT ABOUT:

• The three major life events that brought Chetna’s to self-healing through art and creating @mosaiceye.
• The meaning of @mosaiceye & how it relates to all of us.
• How Chetna stayed connected to her after moving from South Africa to California + discovered her purpose through art.
• The benefits of tapping into the deeper why of your creativity.
• The ancient Greek and Romans belief that creativity is a divine archetype that human beings need to exude and transcend our actuality
• Why we need our egos (sometimes).
• Chetna’s beautiful newsletter, The Moon Times: a nourishing, informational deep-dive into personal & relatable topics such as healthy boundaries, body wisdom, leaning into your awkward, and reparenting your inner child.
• Three pillars of mindful self-compassion:
  acknowledging the moment that you’re in
  understanding that what we’re going through is a part of common humanity
  having self kindness; allowing what is happening to happen, and asking “what do i need right now?”
• Why Chetna loves crying.
• Decolonizing our creativity by reclaiming the belief that we are supported by a collective, Universal source.

In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory share five challenges that they have faced in their journeys in becoming creative entrepreneurs and how they have overcome them. From how to stay committed and convicted in your craft to staying present through the lows and highs of working for yourself, Lauren and Deun drop knowledge gained from their own inspiring journeys. This conversation speaks to anyone who is interested in starting their own business, charing their creative work or learning how to stay true to themselves.

This episode is sponsored by Bantu, a free app which helps you find local hairstylists for kinky, coily, and curly hair. Bantu caters to women with both relaxed/natural hair textures and is available on iPhones and Androids! Download Bantu app today and follow them on Instagram @bantuapp for hairstyle inspiration.

Press play to immerse yourself in this conversation that truly feels like a breath of fresh air. In this moment of sisterhood, Black Girl In Om Founder, Lauren Ash is joined by the one and only Lalah Delia. In what can be considered a continuation of her first BGIO podcast moment Lalah is here to keep us all on the path to vibrate higher daily and alchemize our own lives. Since we last spoke, Lalah has created a whole entire book that encompasses the lessons, the learnings, the blessings, and the challenges she faced in the journey to the miraculous life she lives today.

If you’re reading this, consider this an invitation for you to invite a new way of living and being into your daily existence, from your relationships to your purpose. You’re here because you’re ready to own your narrative. You’re here because you’re ready to step into your power. You’re here because you’re ready. You’re ready in all the ways to breathe new life into your most authentic and highest self. Let Lalah and Lauren guide you through with this purposeful discussion on their journeys to all they are and hope to be and call in the same intentionality for yourself. It’s time, boo. You’re ready.

Lalah Delia invites us to step into our power. She is an author, spiritual writer, and wellness educator. She is the founder of VibrateHigherDaily.com. Her work is a response to her journey and the current world we live in, share, navigate in, and through daily. Her best selling book, Vibrate Higher Daily: Live Your Power, is published with Harper One Publishers and is available wherever books are sold. Follow her at @LalahDelia on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook and sign up on her website to receive Sacred Sundays, the exclusive newsletter featuring her weekly insights, wisdom, and words of encouragement for you on your path.

In this episode, you’ll hear more about:

• The process Lalah went through to get to the place she’s at now — the author of a bestselling published book, Vibrate Higher Daily: Live Your Power
• The spiritual traditions and ritualistic living that Lalah draws from for inspiration as she defines her path to her highest and whole self
• Some of the insights and explorations described in detail within the book
• How the power of community plays a role in the healing process
• Writers, leaders, and spiritual guides Lalah has called on at different points in her journey
• Why it’s crucial to set yourself up with practices and rituals that serve you
• Ways your space — both immediate and distant — can activate or limit you
• The “Divine Disruption” that Lauren experienced, and the spiritual breadcrumbs she received from her Grandmother, to make a big leap and move from a place of faith and inner knowing
• One empowering ritual you can start using today to clear energetic space in your life
• The impact Lalah’s healing had on her mindset around motherhood

Lyvonne “Pastor Bae” Briggs is a body and sex positive pastor and preacher, spiritual life coach, transformational speaker, and founder of The Proverbial Experience, an IG Live series of spiritual gatherings to nourish your soul. She is committed to centering the experiences of Black women in her work of rooting spiritual practice in pleasure and authentic empowerment rather than in shame. In this episode of the Black Girl in Om (BGIO) Podcast, BGIO founder Lauren Ash and Lyvonne Briggs join in a joyful conversation around reclamation of our sexual agency as daughters of the African diaspora and women of color. As Pastor Bae says herself, “I’m not your mama’s preacher. Praise the Lord!”

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT:

Utilizing pleasure as a vessel for healing
The transformative power of vulnerability
The art of integrating our sensuality, sexuality and spirituality
Decolonizing sex, the body, and religion in ways that make room for us to live fully in our humanity and worthiness
Shifting from conversations about intergenerational trauma to conversations about intergenerational healing
Unapologetically giving voice to our desires
Lauren’s Kundalini yoga practice and journey
Deepening into ancestral connection
Starting your Ancestral Altar

Get in touch with Lyvonne through her website LyvonneP.com
Meet her on Instagram @LyvonneP
Find her on Patreon if you’re ready to learn in community about the art of integrating your sensuality, sexuality, and spirituality
Cohort 4 of her online course “i’m a Surthrivor” is launching Wednesday March 3, 2021

Trigger Warning: sexual violence 12:46

This episode of the Black Girl in Om Podcast was sponsored by BirchBox. Head over to birchbox.com/blackgirlinom to get 50% off of your first box!

We are buzzing with excitement because the number of vital life lessons shared in this conversation are too abundant to count. Listen in to experience the powerful (un)learning, necessary affirmation, and bountiful wisdom shared between Black Girl In Om Founder, Lauren Ash and the transcendent spirit that is Rha Goddess. As the Founder and CEO of Move The Crowd [movethecrowd.me], Rha inspires the entrepreneurs she’s worked with for decades to redefine their relationship to work and success. With the release of her book, The Calling: 3 Fundamental Shifts to Stay True, Get Paid, and Do Good , she is bringing that wisdom to us all, a point made clear in this poignant conversation.

You may already have a vision for what you’d like your life to look like, but worry that you won’t be successful. You could already be doing exactly what you’re meant to, but feel uncertain about how to maintain it sustainably. Perhaps you’re just getting started in imagining what your mission may be. Regardless of your exact place in your journey, this conversation with Rha will help center your energy on the path forward to achieve your highest potential. As shared in this conversation, in her book, and in her work every day, Rha Goddess is here to remind you that every single one of us has a calling. Today is an invitation to embrace yours fully and wholeheartedly.

Rha Goddess is the entrepreneurial soul coach behind hundreds of breakthrough changemakers, cultural visionaries and social entrepreneurs, from New York Times bestsellers to multi-million dollar social enterprises. As CEO of Move The Crowd, Rha is galvanizing a movement of three million entrepreneurs dedicated to re-imagining “work” as a vehicle for creative expression, financial freedom and societal transformation. She’s passionate about creating a “whole self” approach to entrepreneurship, and her unique methodology has empowered a new generation of conscious entrepreneurs to stay true, get paid, and do good. Purchase her book, The Calling: 3 Fundamental Shifts to Stay True, Get Paid, and Do Good, and keep up to date with her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter . To learn more about Move The Crowd, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

In this episode, you’ll hear more about:

• The journey Lauren and Rha took to finally get to this destined
  podcast moment

• How Rha defines herself today

• What is at the core of Rha’s book, The Calling: 3 Fundamental Shifts
  to Stay True, Get Paid, and Do Good

• Ways to embrace your wholeness and magnificence exactly as they are

• Three concerns Rha sees for every person answering the call for their
  lives

• One specific anecdote that speaks to many of the lessons shared in
  this conversation

• How Lauren’s definition of happiness fits into this discussion —
  catch more on this in the tail end of this conversation

• Tips to battle the questions of worthiness many of us face daily

• Why a shift in mindset is absolutely CRUCIAL to getting paid —
  economies of health and wellbeing are a major, major key!

• The most important thing Rha hopes you gain from this dialogue and
  her book

Rachel Cargle is a public academic, lecturer, and author. Her work centers at the intersection of race and womanhood where she is building an intellectual legacy through teaching, storytelling, and critical discourse. Her organization, The Loveland Foundation, champions Black women through a sturdy commitment to integrity and intention. Rachel manifested her vision of free therapy for Black women & girls in 2019 and is now raising funds to continue sustaining her community in this way and beyond. (Interested in supporting her in this incredible endeavor? Donate here!) Whether in her essays for Harper’s Bazaar, the TedX stage, or her social media platform of over 300K followers, Rachel’s work is pushing boundaries and fighting for change. We are infinitely grateful to have her with us. Prep your listening ears for some seriously stellar + synchronous shares from these absolutely beautiful and brilliant Sagittarius sisters.

Immerse yourself in this conversation on seeking softness, defining “enough” for ourselves, creating space for ease, abundance, opportunity, and so much more from the New York stop of The Black Girl In Om Expansion Tour.

Get the full show notes, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates today!

In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory close season two with vulnerability and reflection. Deeply inspired by Solange Knowles’ letter to her teenage self in Teen Vogue, both women share what they would tell their teenage selves. For example, Lauren shares how she has learned to define herself on her own terms, rather than in relationship with someone else and Deun sheds light on how she has learned how to say no. This episode offers encouraging and affirming notes for young black women in particular, but for anyone striving to cultivate self-confidence, healing, and intuition. Stay tuned for season three of the BGIO Podcast scheduled to return in September 2017. Share your ideas for topics, guests, and more via Twitter @blackgirlinom and keep up with all things BGIO on www.blackgirlinom.com.

This episode is sponsored by Thrive Market, a membership community that uses the power of direct buying to deliver the world’s best healthy food and natural products to their members at wholesale prices, and to sponsor free memberships for low-income American families. Thrive Market's mission is to make healthy living easy, accessible and affordable for everyone. For everyone that signs up to become a member, Thrive Market donates a free membership to a family in need, teacher or veteran. Thrive Market is gifting BGIO listeners with 25% off their first purchase, free shipping, and a free 30 day trial. Visit www.thrivemarket.com/bgio to sign-up.

In this episode, co-hosts Lauren Ash and Zakkiyyah Najeebah have a lively conversation with top UK fashion blogger and confidence consultant Frédérique "Freddie" Harrel. The dynamic stylist and digital strategist vulnerably shares about how her personal history battling racism and depression, combined with her career change and healing of a broken heart, pushed her to start her blog and move towards realizing her passions. Be empowered in hearing these three women discuss tips for radiating confidence everywhere you go.

Thanks to our episode 008 sponsor Shyp, a shipment service made easy, listeners may also enjoy $10 toward their first "shypment" using the code SHYPCHI10.

Journey through the chakras and renew your energy with BGIO on December 5th! The Annual Day of Wholeness is our annual radical trip within to explore the levels of your highest self and our divine, inherent liberation. We will journey through each core chakra in our bodies. spinning wheels of light in all of us that receive, recalibrate, and radiate energy and—when clear and activated—help us operate at optimal levels.

Now, more than ever, Black womxn deserve to have access to spaces, practices, and knowledge that realigns us with our sovereignty and empowers our vision for what is possible even when the material realm presents roadblocks.

We’ve been told to keep the same energy, Black Girl In Om is challenging you to renew it instead.
Journey through the chakras and renew your energy with BGIO on December 5th! The Annual Day of Wholeness is our annual radical trip within to explore the levels of your highest self and our divine, inherent liberation. We will journey through each core chakra in our bodies. spinning wheels of light in all of us that receive, recalibrate, and radiate energy and—when clear and activated—help us operate at optimal levels.

Now, more than ever, Black womxn deserve to have access to spaces, practices, and knowledge that realigns us with our sovereignty and empowers our vision for what is possible even when the material realm presents roadblocks.

We’ve been told to keep the same energy, Black Girl In Om is challenging you to renew it instead.
Journey through the chakras and renew your energy with BGIO on December 5th! The Annual Day of Wholeness is our annual radical trip within to explore the levels of your highest self and our divine, inherent liberation. We will journey through each core chakra in our bodies. spinning wheels of light in all of us that receive, recalibrate, and radiate energy and—when clear and activated—help us operate at optimal levels.

Now, more than ever, Black womxn deserve to have access to spaces, practices, and knowledge that realigns us with our sovereignty and empowers our vision for what is possible even when the material realm presents roadblocks.

We’ve been told to keep the same energy, Black Girl In Om is challenging you to renew it instead.
https://blackgirlinom.mn.co

In this episode, we get DEEP. Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory sit down with yogi Danielle Lyles Barton. Continuing our Questions for a Yogi segment, we enter one of our most heartfelt conversations yet. With her powerful and earnest convictions, Danielle Lyles Barton is a wonderful illustration of our Women's History Month theme to honor our duality and the soft, strong woman. Allowing love to guide her path, Danielle Lyles Barton assists women to transform emotional trauma and heartbreak into the manifestation of their life’s dharma, drawing deeply from her own healing experiences and spirituality. What ensues once these three ladies gather in the studio, is a deeply moving and cathartic discussion on healing, philosophy, womanhood and the practice of yoga as a vessel to explore all of those. Listen in, buckle up and take a ride with us as Danielle Lyles Barton guides us through this incredibly powerful journey. Oh, and be prepared to GO THERE.

This episode is sponsored by Get Loved Up, an inspiring platform rooted in loving yourself, loving others, and loving the planet with self-love, oneness, and eco-friendly living. Founded by Koya Webb, GLU features holistic wellness resources including yoga teacher trainings, vegan nutrition resources, and more!

Is your wig secure? Keep it on hold because this conversation with Yaminah Mayo a.k.a. Spicy Mayo just might snatch it! In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory delve into the benefits, challenges, and power of listening to ourselves with Yaminah. It may not always be easy, especially for us as Black women, but standing firm in yourself and in your community can help you find the path that’s always been meant for you. We’re manifesting new possibilities and opportunities for ourselves every single day. Hopefully, after listening to this chat, you will too!

Francheska Medina, lovingly known as Hey Fran Hey, has had to learn to find balance, say no, and discern what’s best for her life just like anyone else. In this episode, BGIO Founder and Creative Director Lauren Ash and BGIO Art Director Deun Ivory chat with lifestyle influencer and fellow wellness podcaster Fran about the power of establishing boundaries, recalibrating your energy, and being intentional about how and what you focus your energies on. Fran gets vulnerable in sharing her personal journey of self-healing from a life-threatening health scare and how listening to her body and reassessing her relationship to work and lifestyle choices ultimately led her toward holistic wellness. This episode is a must-listen for anyone standing at a crossroads in your career, lifestyle, and health, or anyone who needs a reminder about the power of intention and loving, supportive relationships.

This episode is sponsored by Afro Hair & Skin Co., an independent afro beauty and wellness business located along the beautiful English coast. Afro Hair & Skin Co. is dedicated to creating truly organic and natural products carefully crafted by hand, using fresh natural, and locally sourced ingredients that will feed your skin and hair with all the goodness necessary to blossom and be truly healthy. BGIO listeners get to enjoy 10% off using the code pureplantmagic, so shop their site today to find your new favorite skincare product!

This conversation has us feeling good, y’all! Everything about it demonstrates the power leading a life of love, for self and others, can make in your relationship to the world. Listen in as Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory are joined by Koya Webb, a holistic health coach, yoga instructor, and true embodiment of all things light + love! In this episode, Koya takes us on the journey she’s had with her yoga practice and the various ways it expands and improves her existence, both physically and spiritually. From the creation of Get Loved Up to the lessons she’s learned off the mat to little moments that led to life lessons, we’re positive all that was shared in this episode won’t just leave you feeling good: you’re gonna feel GREAT!
This episode is sponsored by Bright Pink, a nonprofit that saves women’s lives from breast and ovarian cancer by empowering us to live proactively at a young age. Bright Pink targets the 52 million women between the ages of 18-45, as well as the people who love and influence them. While listening, learn! Text PREVENT to 59227 to Assess Your Risk or visit www.assessyourrisk.org/bgio.

In this episode, co-hosts Lauren Ash and Zakkiyyah Najeebah chat with Brandie Gilliam, the Founder of Thoughtfully Magazine. This magazine maven shares her journey in manifesting her wellness magazine and transitioning from being a marketing and branding manager into a full time creative. Brandie talks about the intentional work that goes into being a resource for women of color who want to be mindful of what they put in and on their bodies. Brandie, Lauren, and Zakkiyyah each share how trusting and taking a leap of faith was pivotal for realizing their respective passion projects. Listeners will learn practical tips and tricks to living life more thoughtfully, one step at a time, and will also receive a special, limited discount to the Thoughtfully Magazine online shop.

In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory explore the question what is mindfulness? with neuroscientist, multi-disciplinary artist and integrated lifestylist Nkechi Njaka. Nkechi has spent the majority of her life investigating the relationship between the brain and the body and has always felt the significance of their integration. For several years, Nkechi worked as a neuroscientist as well as a professional modern dancer and choreographer. Through this work, she discovered that mindfulness and creativity are crucial for sustaining individual and global wellbeing. Both Lauren and Deun have been intentionally cultivating mindfulness practices, have benefited from them, and add their insights to this conversation. This episode offers valuable revelations for anyone interested in starting a mindfulness practice inclusive of mindful meditation, mindful movement, and integrated mindfulness through everyday activities.

This episode is sponsored by Thrive Market, a membership community that uses the power of direct buying to deliver the world’s best healthy food and natural products to their members at wholesale prices, and to sponsor free memberships for low-income American families. Thrive Market's mission is to make healthy living easy, accessible and affordable for everyone. Thrive Market is gifting BGIO listeners with 25% off their first purchase, free shipping, and a free 30 day trial using code BGIO.

This conversation goes DEEP, y’all. We know this episode is going to touch so many of you with the affirmations, advice, and real talk provided by the absolutely incomparable Rev. angel Kyodo williams. She is a teacher formally trained in the Zen tradition, a person deeply aware of who she is, and an honest reflection of what liberated living really looks like. We are so honored to open the door to their incredible teachings and work to you all. Join in for this conversation, shared with Black Girl In Om Founder, Lauren Ash, Art Director, Deun Ivory, and the members of the Wellspring audience. Nearly everyone present for this conversation left feeling ready to really embrace liberation in their lives. As you do the same in yours, we know these words from Rev. angel Kyodo williams will serve as a reminder to always do so with love.

Get the full show notes, links to what was shared in this conversation, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates today!

Happy New Moon, loves! We know many of you are still getting your lives from The Expansion Series and we have another treat from this tour to serve your journey to expansion. In this recording, live from the Los Angeles stop of The Expansion Tour, BGIO Founder, Lauren Ash shares a moving testimony on the expansive power of pleasure, connecting with our bodies, and reclaiming the idea of being home within our bodies. What does it mean to do these things? How can you deepen into the relationship you have with yourself meaningfully and with intention? What are the things you can do today to create the relationship you desire for yourself and your body? Press play and receive this word from Lauren on how these lessons came to play in her life and a special meditation that will help you uncover this in your own life.

Get the full show notes, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates (and the first part of this phenomenal conversation) today!

Take a brief moment to close your eyes, breathe, and affirm with us that in this moment you have everything you need to get through. Our founder Lauren Ash offers a calming moment within what may be a storm for many of us right now. And, then, she offers an exciting announcement about something our team has been creating with love for our community.

This week, Black Girl In Om officially introduces The Circle—a new digital sister circle for our global community. This month in our five-week journey, we invite 250 black women and women of color to join us in leaning into the unlimited growth opportunities, spiritual awakenings, and community support possibilities that this unprecedented moment in history affords us.

Get more details and enroll in the beta experience of The Circle here before we reach capacity. We understand that this is a time of financial uncertainty for many, so please apply to our community scholarship here by April 20th and encourage a sisterfriend that you believe would benefit from the 35-day journey we have in store.

Eager to support our mission and our community? We welcome your generosity here. 10% of all gifts at this time support the creation of more community scholarships for The Circle.

Through her words, her work, and her presence, Rikkí Wright is creating a legacy that will live on forever. As a modern-day storyteller, Rikkí demonstrates the beauty, the power, the vulnerability, and the stories of Black women through the unique perspective of her lens. If you haven’t seen her work yet, do yourself a favor and get familiar. In conversation with Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory, Rikkí takes us on the path that created the incredible human being she is today. She feels affirmed by the deep bonds of sisterhood. She chooses to do the same for us through her creative processes. She has experienced deep, profound loss. She is constantly creating, moving, and living with intention. There is no set definition for this creative genius, but through sharing with us today, Rikkí Wright is a powerful reminder that we are always at the helm of the story of our lives. Are you ready to settle into that yourself? Get into this conversation full to the brim with inspiring affirmations, passionate proclamations, vulnerable confirmations, and so much more.

Get the full show notes, links to what was shared in this conversation, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates today!

In this episode, co-hosts Lauren Ash and Zakkiyyah Najeebah chat with self-proclaimed emotional nudist and empowerment coach Brittany Josephina. Brittany breaks down the power of manifestation, mantras, and intuitive purpose in this highly inspirational episode. All three women affirm the wisdom found in reflecting back to their childhood curiosities and desires in revealing glimpses of their purpose.

Let’s talk about sex, baby... but for real though! Black Girl In Om Founder, Lauren Ash and Art Director, Deun Ivory are sharing all types of fortifying, affirming, and healing thoughts on this topic with exceptional educator and sexuality doula, Ev’Yan Whitney. As she once shared on her Instagram, “a womxn doesn’t have to be modest to be respected” and we are all the way here for it, her message, and all she teaches and reflect on across her platforms. In this incredibly enriching, honest conversation, we explore sexuality and sensuality in a way we’ve never done before. We’re discussing trauma, the importance of therapy, real deal self-awareness, and so much more. You definitely want to get your journals out for this one because Ev’Yan has a number of questions you should ask yourself to explore your own liberation right now. Ev’Yan Whitney is at peace with her sexuality. By sharing the wisdom held in this conversation, we’re manifesting the same for all of you.

Get the full show notes, links to what was shared in this conversation, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates today!

In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory take a deep dive into a conversation on being a healer and finding true wholeness through healing with two Atlanta-based guests and friends: Dr. Crystal Jones, multifaceted healer, and Tie Simpson, yoga and mindfulness instructor. Crystal shares her powerful perspective on how she approaches the healing process and the first thing that she believes all those who are considering becoming a healer should consider. Tie enlightens us about how she embraces a taboo lifestyle and how yoga as a holistic practice has been a fundamental part of her wellness journey as an individual and as a mother. All women offer their thoughts on the most valuable action that black women can do for themselves on their wellness journeys. This episode is a must-listen for any holistic wellness practitioners, for anyone interested in exploring her shadows as much as her light, and anyone looking to recommit to her wellness journey.

Who are you in your relationships? In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory are sitting down with the most mindful neuroscientist we know, the incredible Nkechi Njaka, to dive into this question in a major way. Given her status as a longtime, frequent, and beloved contributor to our online publication, consider this a continuation of all the things she’s brought to this community over the years.

If you’ve been seeking relationships that leave you feeling fulfilled, this episode is for you. If you’ve been actively avoiding intimacy with the people in your life, this episode is for you. If there’s a friend you’re ready to dig beyond the surface with, this episode is for you. If you’re wondering why you’re single or pondering your status in partnership, this episode is for you. Essentially, if you’re a human being and you’ve ever interacted with another human being, this episode is for you.

With this episode as the catalyst, you can take all your relationships to the next level, including the most important one: your relationship with yourself.

Get the full show notes, links to what was shared in this conversation, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates today!

In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory join in conversation with brilliant Registered Dietitians, Wendy and Jess, to talk about one of our favorite topics: FOOD! In addition to counseling sessions with their patients, Wendy and Jess created Food Heaven Made Easy, a creative outlet launched in 2011 to spread the word about nutrition and healthy eating. Uncover the origin story of this incredible platform when you listen today! Plus, get their thoughts on maintaining sustainable eating habits, following your intuition when it comes to food, the impact of dietary education in our communities, and more. Keep a pen nearby — you don’t want to miss the nuggets (food pun intended!) of wisdom and must-have recipes shared in this episode! This episode is sponsored by Golde Turmeric, a brand which creates turmeric blends for inner and outer radiance. Tune into the show to receive an exclusive BGIO discount!

In this episode, Black Girl in Om goes live for the first time at the first annual Chicago Podcast Festival! Co-hosts Lauren Ash and Zakkiyyah Najeebah have an illuminating discussion inspired by BGIO's Visual Content Director and special guest Deun Ivory's blog post on comparison stifling creativity. They share their thoughts on avoiding comparison, avoiding burn out in creative entrepreneurship, and remaining authentic no matter what. Listeners will also find a guided meditation by Lauren to end one of their liveliest chats yet.

Thanks to our episode 012 partner Sir & Madame, a husband & wife owned brand and boutique, dedicated to styling the Urban Sophisticate through its offering of clothing, accessories & apothecary goods. Sir & Madame provided styling for this live episode.

In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory have a heart-to-heart with their friend Lindsey Day, co-founder of CRWN Magazine. In sharing her journey shaping this beautiful print magazine for black women, Lindsey gets real about the importance of black women’s representation in the editorial field, and shares how this representation contributes to our mental health and self-image. A must-listen for any aspiring or beginning creative entrepreneur, Lindsey offers tips on maintaining perspective, patience, and the urgency of financial sustainability. This conversation is a great prequel to the second issue of CRWN Mag which focuses on Self-Love and features a cover story on Lauren, Deun, and BGIO sisterbrand Lifestyle with Ivory + Ash. Be inspired by all three women’s insights on sisterhood, the creative process, and creating a necessary project or space for marginalized people.

Inspired by their birthdays, Lauren Ash and Zakkiyyah Najeebah take this episode to reflect on their truths. They affirm the value in being intentional about acknowledging how life experiences can teach us meaningful lessons and deliver wisdom that can and should impact our life choices moving forward. From Lauren embracing that "good things take time," to Zakkiyyah acknowledging and embracing love from those around her, each co-host shares five truths that they know for sure at this point in their journeys. Listeners will also enjoy learning what Lauren and Zakkiyyah have been up to, and what is on the horizon for the BGIO podcast.

In this episode, co-hosts Lauren Ash and Zakkiyyah Najeebah chat with Anisah Ali, author of the recently released self-love focused book 'anonymous.' Anisah powerfully shares her years-long journey of intentionally unlearning unhealthy ways of relating with loved ones, including the ways in which writing served as a form of reflection and healing, and how therapy supported her entering into a healthy union with her husband. This episode is a must-listen for women of color who experienced chaos or trauma during childhood. Listeners will enjoy hearing Anisah share two of her poems, and a guided meditation inspired by one of Anisah's poems by Lauren, as well.

In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory chat with Dr. Tiffany Lester, their favorite doctor who takes an integrative approach to health. Dr. Lester takes a holistic approach to wellness as she is additionally trained in acupuncture and nutrition. She encourages all of us to go beyond medicine as the cure-all and to consider preventative approaches. From tips on how to build resilience and effectively manage stress, to healing yourself through food and gut health practices, Dr. Lester addresses listener questions and provides useful advice. At the heart of this conversation, we hope listeners will feel empowered to get to the root causes of health challenges.

Award winning executive marketer, talent manager, and founder of boutique consultancy, Gild Creative Group, Tiffany Hardin (she/her) joins Lauren Ash (she/they) in conversation around conscious hustling and intentional partnerships. Tiffany is one of the phenomenal women co-creating the presence and impact of Black Girl In Om in the world. With great thanks to her wealth of knowledge, BGIO’s central intention of helping to facilitate intergenerational healing for Black women across the Diaspora begins with how we operate behind the scenes and ripples outward. She’s committed to supporting divine partnerships rooted in equality and equity that move our culture forward. 

In this episode of the Black Girl In Om Podcast. Lauren and Tiffany talk about creating pathways to success that are aligned with our purpose and that do not rely on proximity to whiteness or patriarchy. They get into the paradigm setting choices that go into building and sustaining a platform like BGIO, and offer insight into how to maintain business partnerships that are nourishing rather than draining. Tiffany shares her fulfilling journey of moving from unconscious to conscious hustling, and the decisions she’s made to get there. While white supremacist ideas of success surround us in the world and can tempt us to prioritize winning over integrity or community, we need not compromise our beliefs to get ahead. Press Play to listen in on a gem-filled conversation between friends and partners who are making big ideas into realities.

THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT

• How Tiffany and Lauren met and began their partnership
• The foundations of healthy relationships between talent and managers
• Consciously equal and equitable partnerships 
• How internalized white supremacy and patriarchy can show up in Black workplaces 
• Decolonizing relationships
• Moving beyond overwhelm to a sense of control 
• How to effectively be of service as a leader 
• Holding space, for ourselves first, and then for others
• Creating frameworks for success outside of white supremacist standards of achievement

If you’re curious to turn your big idea into a reality, head over to GildGreativeGroup.com to learn more and get the ball rolling 

Find her on Instagram @Tiffany_Hardin

Check out BGIO’s Sleep EP mentioned in the episode here: bit.ly/BeautySleepBGIO

This episode, co-hosts Lauren Ash and Zakkiyyah Najeebah introduce the Black Girl In Om podcast, an extension of their mindful lifestyle brand, global community, and tangible platform for an increasingly marginalized audience around the world. Founder Lauren speaks to the origins of Black Girl In Om, and Art Director Zakkiyyah shares her aesthetic and philosophical investment in their vision of holistic wellness for women of color. Both hosts illuminate the revolutionary, and necessary, aspects of BGIO and share some of their favorite moments of their nearly two year journey with BGIO thus far. In this episode, listeners may also enjoy a mini guided meditation, and learn who Zakkiyyah and Lauren want to take to yoga with them.

This week's sponsor: Boodywear, an organic, bamboo, undergarment apparel line that is offering Black Girl In Om listeners 25% off a purchase for a limited time. Use the code 'bamboo' at checkout.

Lauren (she/they) announces that Black Girl In Om’s very first physical space, home, is coming soon to the Longfellow community in Minneapolis! In this mini-sode of the BGIO Podcast, Lauren takes us through the serendipitous journey toward crafting the vision and finding the perfect location to plant the roots of what will be an oasis of intergenerational healing and wellness for black people. Home will feature a black-sourced, organic herbal apothecary, diverse healing modalities from specialized practitioners, culturally-specific programming for black folk to heal and come together in community, a curated shop of essentials, and more. Even in the face of injustice, we can create heaven on earth right here, right now. The story of how home came to be is a testament to how walking in alignment with your purpose and staying committed to your vision inevitably attracts a resonant community along your shared path. Let the journey begin!

You can offer support to home by BGIO here.
To find out more about the space, head over to blackgirlinom.com/home-by-bgio

THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT

• One of Lauren’s most frequent prayers
• How Lauren uses triggering experiences as fuel for catalyzing change for what she desires to see
  in the world
• Tracee Stanley’s acknowledgement of the three different pandemics we’re living through this cultural moment
• How Lauren manifested the space for home
• What it looks like to hold the vision and allow the vision to be made manifest
• A peek into what home will offer to the Longfellow community in Minneapolis and to children of the diaspora across the globe.
• Lauren’s journey with Human Design

Those of y’all who’ve been with us for a while already know today’s guest. The darling, jubilant, and all-around lovely Jenné Claiborne is joining us on this episode and we couldn’t be happier. Jenné has been a member of the Black Girl In Om family for years and recently expanded her own family in a whole new way: she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl! Get a peek into her journey through motherhood, the power she unlocked through this path, what she’s manifesting for her new life, and all the necessary reminders that the potential for greatness is something available to us all, whether we’re mothers or not.

Plus, if you know Jenné you know she always has all the nutritious and absolutely delicious food advice. Today’s episode is no exception. She schooled us on everything from travel snacks to finding healthy options in a food desert. And we gotta give her bonus points because, just like the recipes shared on all her platforms, they’re fully plant-based! Listen in as Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory enjoy all types of laughs, heart-to hearts, and moments of resonance love in this conversation with one of our forever favorites.

Get the full show notes, links to what was shared in this conversation, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates today!

The darling Danielle Lyles Barton is back on the podcast to chat about the incredible journey she's taken since we last spoke in this special "minisode". Listen along as she and BGIO Founder, Lauren Ash chat through the evolutions that have birthed the incredible experience that is the unfolding. In this four day, immersive experience you’ll find so much:

Truth.
Healing.
Stillness.
Sisterhood.

And that’s just a sampling of all the blessings on the way when you choose to show up for you. Press play on this episode to get all the details, including a special opportunity just for our listeners, and start your application to join today.

We hope this episode and this invitation serves you well, love. If you feel called to it, follow your intuition and trust that your unfolding is on the other side of this beautiful experience.

If you’d like to know more about Danielle, you can check out her full bio here and follow her on Instagram @daniellelylesbarton.

What does connection mean to you? From the early days of Black Girl In Om, our consistent and unwavering core has always been this incredible community. Connection is at the heart of our lives as human beings and in this podcast conversation, Morgan Harper Nichols is sharing more on what that means to her. Through her incredible artistic endeavors, Morgan offers a voice to people across the globe in visually stunning, incredibly intimate, and emotionally relatable experiences for all of us to connect with intentionally. Join Black Girl In Om Founder, Lauren Ash and Art Director, Deun Ivory for this inspiring chat on the beauty of divinely led creation. This conversation unfolds between these creatively connected women and reminds us of the power, the love, and the release we can all find as we align + ascend to our highest selves. As Morgan shares so beautifully in this episode, your story is always part of anything you’re putting into the world. You just have to figure out how to do so in a way that feels right for you. And when you do? Know that this community is always in your corner, cheering you on as you find your way.

Get the full show notes, links to what was shared in this conversation, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates today!

(We're releasing this episode a little earlier than our usual schedule, but we know you're gonna love it. Consider it our gift to help you flourish through the final moments of Mercury retrograde and as we approach the new moon.)

Jas The Moon Mother guides people to retrieve their liberation and align with their soul’s purpose. She utilizes the tools of Human Design and intentional language to interrupt looping lies that can keep us trapped in cycles of burnout. In this episode of the Black Girl in Om (BGIO) Podcast, Jas joins BGIO founder Lauren in conversation around identifying as God and bringing radical presence to each moment. Jas shares that we are all here to embody and deliver a divine message unique to only ourselves. She encourages us to tap into patience in the process of defining and working toward the “why” at the heart of our mission. While the inevitable nothingness of uncertainty can be intimidating, there is no need to fear the fruitful black velvet of the void.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT:

• Human Design; a synthesis of many different ancient teachings and wisdoms wrapped into one
• Utilizing Human Design as a tool to help you discover your “why”
• Serving your purpose rather than your ego
• Interrupting counterproductive patterns of passive comfort
• Reacquainting ourselves with the black velvet of the void
• Nurturing narratives that serve our purpose and releasing narratives that place us in unnecessary bondage
• Switching your mindset around resources from scarcity to receptivity
• Transforming our relationship to triggers
• Jas’s perspective on the 3 key reasons why we are either manifesting the opposite of our desires, or not manifesting our desires at all
• Clearing up the differences between our beliefs and our identity

Keep up with Jas The Moon Mother on Instagram @themoon.mother
Find her on her website Moondustourmother.com where you can order a personalized Human Design Soul Map reading
Listen to her podcast Divinely Human wherever you listen to podcasts

Head over to takecareof.com and enter the code blackgirlinom50 to get 50% off your first Care/of order!

Deun Ivory is a traveling wellness creative, inspirational speaker, influencer, and multidisciplinary artist whose work centers and celebrates Black women. Widely recognized for her striking portrait photography and authentic influence in the creative and wellness industry, she has partnered with brands like Apple, Glossier, Nike, Netflix, and more to create visual experiences through visual storytelling. Her unapologetic yet inimitable presence has made room for her as a powerful speaker. She has led workshops and delivered keynote presentations for universities, photography conferences, and brand activations.

In 2018, she was awarded her first artist grant through VSCO Voices which led to the start of her nonprofit, the body: a home for love, a wellness and healing space for Black sexual assault survivors. Deun is a multifaceted Black creative and servant leader shifting culture through mindful creativity and authenticity.

Enjoy this conversation on walking in alignment, finding + following your ministry, Deun’s incredible journey to where she is today, and more recorded live from the San Francisco stop of The Black Girl In Om Expansion Tour.

Get the full show notes, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates today!

In this episode, we’re blessed with “the glow Gospel”, a crash course in reclaiming our divine feminine energy. Black Girl in Om founder Lauren Ash and art director Deun Ivory sit down with special guest Latham Thomas in an important discussion surrounding the beauty that is womanhood. Latham is an author, doula and wellness maven whose latest book Own Your Glow serves as a roadmap to help women return home to themselves. In sharing about her book, Latham breaks down the restorative processes for connecting to and learning through our ancestral lineage in the midst of everything thrown at us that is meant to disconnect us from our femininity. She stresses the importance for women, especially women of color, to have accessibility to safe spaces and tools such as, Own Your Glow and Black Girl in Om where we can collectively begin to peel back the layers within and realize the truth and light of who we are. Prepare yourself for hand waving, spontaneously shouting “yasss” or “preach”, and ALL the gems you need to feel empowered this week.

In this "minisode" our beloved sisterfriend Deun Ivory returns to the Black Girl In Om podcast to chat with Lauren Ash about what she is cultivating within her 501c3 (it's official, ya'll!) nonprofit organization the body: a home for love. For our Los Angeles loves, this Sunday, March 1st Deun and her team present an experiential fundraising activation featuring a series of wellness programs and art installations for black women. With a 2020 goal to raise $100k to support survivors in their healing journey through a day retreat tour, pop-up gatherings, and an interactive coffee table book, we encourage our community to get involved and support, so head to www.thebodyahomeforlove.org to learn more and donate.

Get more details about Sunday and RSVP today!

Follow along Deun's phenomenal new chapter and journey on Instagram at @thebodyahomeforlove

This episode, co-hosts Lauren Ash and Zakkiyyah Najeebah chat about veganism, yoga, and living a life of intention with their first BGIO Podcast guest: their friend Jenné Claiborne, founder of the amazing vegan lifestyle platform Sweet Potato Soul. Jenné shares how, for her, veganism is more than just a diet—it’s a lifestyle rooted in compassion and ethics. Lauren and Zakkiyyah admit some of the challenges they have faced in adopting veganism. Jenné shares how her yoga practice informs veganism (and vice versa) as well as what she eats in a typical day. Listeners inspired by this conversation should join the nearly 50k other vegans (or vegan lifestyle enthusiasts!) who subscribe to Jenné’s inspiring YouTube Channel for practical vegan food and skincare recipes and Jenné’s favorite vegan beauty products! You may find Jenné online at www.sweetpotatosoul.com as well as on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Mariam Mouna Guessous, Founder of I See You Wellness, is giving us the real life hacks—an Ikea Pinterest board could never.

Join Lauren Ash, Black Girl In Om Founder, as she talks all things adventure with Mariam. Learn how to say yes to your soul-self by diving into the mystery when you follow your heart. Mar shares her story of breaking out of a corporate box as an NYC award-winning advertiser who said “f*ck it” to answer the calling to be herself. To be, that is our only mission.

Mar explains our inherent power to create a reality without the wait that a linear way of living has convinced us is necessary. When it comes to timeline work and working in the quantum field, now is the hack. There is no traditional finish line, what you desire is accessible in this moment.

Listen to the mission she challenges us with: be you, right now.

This is such a fun and fascinating conversation that will inspire you to find the wisdom, insights and magic in the present. Don’t you want to do what feels delicious? Tune in and take a bite.

In this episode you'll hear more about:

• The journey of Mariam, founder of I See You Wellness
• Recording during a full moon in Pisces. Intuition is heightened, a beautiful moment of opening. Flow.
• In every single moment there are multiple versions of ourselves existing and powerfully tap into, jump timelines, and we have a radical choice in doing this.
• We are moving from a linear way of living life and we are moving into our multidimensionality.
• Transcending the physical, the material.
• Turn life into an adventure by surrendering to what spirit and your highest self have for you, greater than what you can imagine.
• “Life Visioning” Rev Michael Beckwith
• Awakening among black women and woc around the world to tap into their soul-self. How can I say yes to my spiritual gifts?
• Advertising creative in the corporate space in NYC. After achieving many milestones in the industry, wasn’t fulfilled. Had to go deeper.
• Came into a fork in the road, a split decision. Continue in career, acknowledging that I need this job to exist in this world or dive into the mystery.
• Spiritual awakening in Puerto Rico. 180-shift.
• Everyone has a role, you are not alone. Guides in the spiritual realm help lead you.
• You chose to shed the conditioned you in favor of higher self supporting you in your destiny, that is what is generating all of this phenomenal possibility around you.
• Doing things doesn’t come from “I have to do…”, it comes from this is the most delicious way that I can be of service to my community. It nourishes me and nourishes everyone around me. This is in alignment to where we’re going as a collective.

Plumps pillows Sis, when’s the last time you invested in making your sleep ritualistic? Given the nature of the intensity that has been 2020, we hope that you can end this year on an intentionally regenerative note with us and consider how to enter 2021 more supported than ever. Because truly: #YouDeserve.

At BGIO, our phenomenal sponsor Tempur-pedic, home of the most highly recommended bed in America among traditional mattress brands, has been helping us re-center rest all year long. In this special minisode, our host and self-proclaimed sleep enthusiast Lauren Ash shares her suggestions for how we can all get to sleep faster, deeper, and more enjoyably than ever. Serving as a dreamy prequel to our forthcoming Sleep EP, Lauren shares how much her Grandmother Lillian influenced her love for rest and beauty sleep. As always, keep your journal close for the wisdom Lauren shares and the practices she suggests for the ways you may deepen into an awareness of tending to your physical vessel through one of the most underrated and truly sacred practices possible: catching those zzz’s.

Makkah Ali (she/her), Chicago-based podcaster, facilitator, and public speaker, joins BGIO founder Lauren Ash (she/they) in conversation around spiritual seeking and creating spaces for ourselves outside of the white gaze. Makkah is a multidimensional being who makes space for others to find peace and beauty in the many identities they claim. She executive produces and co-hosts the Identity Politics Podcast, which centers the voices of Black Muslim women and features new stories and perspectives about race, gender, and Muslim life in America. 

In this episode of the Black Girl In Om Podcast, Lauren and Makkah talk about their individual journeys of defining their relationships with God for themselves outside of anyone else’s expectations. Makkah shares about the many ways that wellness and Islamic faith seamlessly overlap in her life. Lauren and Makkah also discuss the power of intentional connection in a white supremacist world that banks on us feeling and being isolated from one another. Makkah encourages us to create spaces for ourselves outside of the white gaze so that we can self actualize and define our values for ourselves. Press play to get inspired! 

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’ll LEARN MORE ABOUT

• Lauren’s first yoga class ever that Makkah attended in Chicago
• The Smithsonian National Museum Of African American History and Culture’s traveling series, GOD-TALK, where both Makkah and Lauren spoke
• Makkah’s answer to the question, “what is God?”
• Makkah’s journey of creating a space outside of the white gaze through the podcast she executive produces and co-hosts, The Identity Politics Podcast
• What it means to flatten yourself, and how to resist pressures to do so.
• Lauren and Makkah’s journeys of exploring their multiple identities and creating space for all of who they are.
• What it looks like to define your relationship with God for yourself
• Finding a community where you feel safe to ask questions
• The ways that wellness and Islam seamlessly overlap in Makkah’s life

Note: This conversation was recorded in September 2019 while Makkah was the president of the Board of Directors of the Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative. She now serves as a Director on the Managed Organizations Team at Arabella Advisors, where she works with philanthropic partners to develop, structure and maximize the impact of social sector projects. Makkah is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Crossroads Fund which supports community organizations working on issues of racial, social and economic justice in the Chicago area.

Follow Makkah on Instagram and Twitter @MsMakkah

Listen to the Identity Politics Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, and find out more about the show at www.identitypoliticspod.com

For 20% off of Organifi’s delicious completely plant-based and non-GMO organic superfood blends, head over to Organifi.com/blackgirlinom and use code blackgirlinom

In this episode of the Black Girl In Om Podcast, co-founder and creative director of Freedom Apothecary, Bonkosi Horn (she/her), joins BGIO founder Lauren Ash (she/they) in conversation around reclaiming self care and wellness as our birthright. Freedom Apothecary is a space that centers Black women & WOC coming together in community along their self-discovery, healing, and wellness journeys through holistic lifestyle practices and rituals. All of the products they carry are nontoxic, clean beauty, and created by women. Lauren and Bonkosi talk about offering ourselves grace as we bring further awareness and active intention to what goes on and in our bodies. While mainstream wellness conversations can get a bad rap for being only for a certain type of person, Lauren and Bon discuss how true self care is our birthright as Black women. We deserve to prioritize our experience and nurture a relationship to self. Bonkosi is here to help us along this journey, and to connect us with a network of like-minded women through Freedom Apothecary! While their physical space is in Philadelphia, you can access an abundance of clean, women-founded offerings from them wherever you are through their website. True wellness should be accessible to everyone because, as Bon says, “It’s a right. It’s not a luxury.”

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT

• How tapping into what she was craving positioned Bonkosi to dream up Freedom Apothecary
• Where to start when making a choice to divest from brands and products with dangerous ingredients.
• An App that helps you to choose the safest beauty and household products by allowing you to see what ingredients are in them and alerting you to which ones are toxic.
• Resources that help Lauren to feel more empowered in her choices around the products she uses
• Bonkosi’s advice for doing DIY skincare right
• Bon’s experience growing a brand that is centered on wellbeing specifically for women and women of color
• The process of learning to ask for help when you need it
• How motherhood encourages intentional prioritization and boundary-setting

Keep up with Bonkosi Horn on Instagram and twitter @Bonkosi

Freedom Apothecary is reopening, safely and slowly the first week of April, so head over to FreedomApothecary.com to find out more about their many offerings or to book an appointment at their Blend Bar!

For 20% off of Organifi’s delicious completely plant-based and low-sugar organic superfood blends, head over to Organifi.com/blackgirlinom

If you're interested in offering support to BGIO's very first physical healing space for Black women, head over to gofund.me/8de0022e

Join us for The Expansion Tour!

Venture deeper into your wellness journey with Black Girl In Om Founder, Lauren Ash and an incredible group of very special guests. Sign up and be ready to expand and elevate yourself through meditation, intention setting, and reclamation of a space that's been ours all along.

Head to our website to get all the details and save your spot today.

Are y’all ready for this? From start to finish, this episode explores some very important topics as it relates to our experiences as black people in America. Join Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory in a powerful conversation with Randi Gloss, a social entrepreneur, activist and founder of GLOSSRAGS, wearable activism sporting critically crafted designs that are a catalyst for social activism and discourse. In this episode, we begin to peel back the layers to some of the most trying issues that are facing communities of color in today’s social climate. Randi breaks down the evolution of the word “woke”, the many facets of activism, how her work helps to celebrate life and the ways in which mindfulness helps her to stay balanced doing this critical work. We’re taking woke to a new level with this one.

You are perfect. You are whole. You are complete.

All the thanks to the incomparable and absolutely incredible Dr. Crystal Jones for gifting us with that truth to forever hold onto. Throughout this conversation, Crystal reminds us that we are and always have been everything we most desire. As a longtime member of the Black Girl In Om circle we’ve featured several times, we are still constantly left in awe of the incredible energy Crystal brings to every interaction we share. She is the embodiment of what operating from your genius truly looks like. In this episode, Crystal taps into her powerful gift of spiritually led curiosity to demonstrate that our lifelong path towards healing is always evolving and expanding. Press play and settle into this conversation with Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory as they journey through the beauty of conscious communication, healing to uncover wholeness, and so much more with Dr. Crystal Jones.

When the episode is done, offer yourself a moment to recite this affirmation to yourself with any additions that feel right for you and your journey towards your highest self:

I am perfect.

I am whole.

I am complete.

May I be that which I ask for.

And so it is.

Get the full show notes, links to what was shared in this conversation, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates today!

In this episode, get to know Britt Julious, an intersectional writer with an incredible spirit and a deep love for so much of what we celebrate at Black Girl In Om. Britt’s work has been featured in several major publications, examining arts, music, and culture across cities, states, and countries around the world. She recently shared space with the ever-inspiring Solange Knowles (!!!) at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and is currently writing a book of essays we’re already looking forward to reading. Listen in as Britt recounts her work, the journey she took to get here, the joys and struggles of Black womanhood, her love for all things music, and everything in between with Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory. After this conversation, we are beyond excited for what comes next from Britt and are confident you will be too!

In this episode, co-hosts Lauren Ash and Zakkiyyah Najeebah and special guest Deun Ivory take questions from the Black Girl In Om community in the season one finale of the BGIO Podcast. This lively and candid conversation covers several topics like some of their favorite books, advice on developing a consistent yoga practice, and their go-to self care practices for breaking out of a rut. Zakkiyyah gives a bitter sweet goodbye as she announces her transition out of the BGIO Team and meditates on her two years as Art Director. Look out for new episodes of the podcast in Feburary 2017 hosted by Lauren Ash and Deun Ivory.

As much as we love a huge green salad, smoothie, or juice, we’re discussing going green in a whole new way today. In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder, Lauren Ash and Art Director, Deun Ivory sit down with DeJanae Evins, an expert on cannabis, wellness, and their various intersections. As the creator of and creative mastermind behind Green Goddess Glow and HighTide Tours, DeJanae educates on how to incorporate cannabis into your self-care with intention across the globe and uncover new experiences of life in the beautiful city of Los Angeles.

Whether you’re a cannabis connoisseur, curious about the science behind it, have no experience beyond media perceptions, or fall somewhere in between, we’re certain this will be an enriching, educational, and easeful listening experience. As a woman growing into her own glow, DeJanae is committed to promoting the divine feminine through education about conscious cannabis use and self-care practices. Consider this an invitation for you to find your own glow and dive deeper into the world of conscious consumption with DeJanae. Sit back, get comfy, and let this deeply knowledgeable and incredibly intentional green goddess get you right. We’re sure you won’t regret it.

Get the full show notes, links to what was shared in this conversation, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates today!

Karlene Graham Perry is the founder and executive director of NUEVOLVE. She leads manifestation retreats and workshops in places like Bali and Peru, teaching women how to create ManifestAction Plans otherwise known as MAPs. These MAPs offer clarity around the pruning and planting needed to allow the seeds of your dreams to expand to abundant fruition in each area of your life.

If what we’ve described sounds like exactly what you need to receive, Karlene and her team are crafting a divine experience to help you manifest your dreams into reality. With The 20/20 Vision Retreat + ManifestAction Mastermind, start your year and decade with clarity + community as you create plans for greater freedom in every area of your life.

In this episode, Karlene speaks on the power of manifestAction, how her definition of love has evolved over the years, how you can join the beautiful experiences she creates, and so much more. We hope this conversation, continued from the DC stop of The Black Girl In Om Expansion Tour, encourages you to step into 2020 knowing you are always unconditionally Loved and supported.

Get the full show notes, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates (and the first part of this phenomenal conversation) today!

Hello, hello. Hey, hello hello. We're back, y'all!

In this episode Black Girl in Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory welcome everyone back for season 3. It has been three months since season two ended and the dynamic podcast duo discusses what they've been up to lately. We gain insight into how music impacts both of these beauties and which artists have their attention at the moment. They each share recent life lessons learned about the importance of staying true to yourself and your needs as well as the concept of radical self-acceptance. We also hear about their latest self-care cultivation strategies and recent wins for Deun, Lauren and BGIO. Throughout their conversation, we're reminded that it is both okay and necessary to celebrate your achievements.

In this episode, co-hosts Lauren Ash and Zakkiyyah Najeebah delve into the deep value of sisterhood among women of color with their special guests and best friends Chelsea and Theo. All four ladies reflect on building the foundation to their respective friendships through a need for a safe space to express, affirm, and love themselves and each other. Listeners will also learn more about Lauren and Zakkiyyah's paths to different cities and chapters in their lives with their sisterfriends by their side.

The life you desire is already yours, but do you trust that you can create it? With encouragement from the one and only Millana Snow, we’re confident your perspective will be changed forever. As an energy healer and ever-evolving spirit, Millana is fully focused on helping us heal through expanded consciousness in our everyday lives. Most recently, she founded Wellness Official, an online marketplace of practitioners & brands focused on democratizing wellness for all. In this episode, Millana breaks down energy healing, the law of attraction, tangible practices, and so much more to help us forge the path to claiming and creating a truly divine reality. Black Girl In Om Founder, Lauren Ash, Art Director, Deun Ivory, and members of the Wellspring audience received this healing, affirming conversation in person and we’re so thrilled to bring it to you today.

Feel empowered to make the reality you seek as tangible as your wildest dreams. You deserve it, love.

Get the full show notes, links to what was shared in this conversation, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates today!

We are back and we’re better, people, like that Bryson Tiller quote. Season 5 of the Black Girl In Om podcast is cultivating energetic and spiritual conversations that speak to deeper aspects of our healing journeys as black womxn and as multifaceted spiritual beings.

At this moment in human history, in global history, BGIO is honing in on the value of vulnerability. Our founder, Lauren Ash, opens episode one acknowledging the generative nature of sharing her story as a catalyst for healing, for awakening, and for connection.

It begins with a birthday in Barbados. As we’re soothed by the transient visuals of turquoise tropics, beauty, and Oshun energy, Lauren’s story transports us to a place where clarity reigns and imagination meets intention. Listen as she walks us through her return to self and her return home, physically and spiritually, by being crystal clear on what she needs. What is deserved. Every single moment that we breathe, we have access to every single thing that we need.

When you’re clear on what you need, you’re signaling to God, you’re signaling to the Universe, you’re signaling to all of your guides in life, and to your highest self, that you’re willing to receive just that. If you’ve ever wondered what it means to be unconditionally loved and supported, this episode tangibly defines it. Get into it.

A message from our host:
To me, what we’re cultivating at BGIO is an energetic and spiritual conversation. I can sense and I can feel your precedence, and it is to you individually and collectively that I am speaking to, that our guests are speaking to. I see you and I honor you.

Season 5 is taking on a markedly more spiritual tone. We’re going to be having conversations that speak to deeper aspects of our healing journeys as multifaceted spiritual beings.

Clearly aware, in ways that I haven’t been before, about the importance of the conversations we are having here given this moment in human history, in global history.

I am excited to start season 5 with opening up about my personal journey at this moment in time because I have discovered this year 2020 more than ever before the value of vulnerability, the generative nature of sharing my story as a catalyst for healing, for awakening and for connection.

Begins with a birthday in Barbados, series of fortunate and serendipitous events, speaking at a mindfulness retreat. Divinely able to celebrate birthday on this beautiful island. I had been calling in greater clarity around the next steps in my life, I had been sensing ways in which I was being led to re-clarify my values.

In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory chat with singer-songwriter, poet and Chicago native Jamila Woods. They connect about their self-care practices and the meaning and powerful process behind Jamila's new music video for her single “Holy”. Lauren, Deun, and Jamila also explore why they create for women of color, their collaborative community in Chicago, and Jamila shares her poem “Black Girl Art”.

The Black Girl In Om podcast returns with Season Two featuring new BGIO Art Director Deun Ivory and BGIO Founder and Creative Director Lauren Ash as your co-hosts! This season, expect conversations about mental health, skincare, current issues, music, and, of course, yoga. An amazing line-up of guests join Lauren and Deun this season, including some of today's leading ladies in the wellness and beauty industries. Take a deep breath, open your heart, and get ready for necessary conversations about holistic wellness, self-care, and inner beauty as women of color!

A sneak peek at what to expect from Black Girl In Om. This show is a bi-­monthly conversation on all things wellness, self­-care and self­-love, hosted by Black Girl In Om Founder and Creative Director Lauren Ash and Art Director Zakkiyyah Najeebah.

Reunited, and it feels so good! In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory welcome Siraad Dirshe back to the show for a second time to discuss all things beauty. As a Beauty Editor at Essence, Siraad’s writing aims to shine a spotlight on women of color and amplify the voices of women in the beauty conversation that might otherwise go unheard. In this powerful conversation, the ladies begin to explore where black women’s place in the beauty industry has been historically, where it is heading, how black women are claiming their space in the modern beauty world and the relationships each of us have with our own beauty. Listen to each of these ladies describe their own experiences with beauty and ask yourself, “How did I come to embrace my beauty”? Tweet us @blackgirlinom or email us at hello@blackgirlinom.com with your answers we will share some of your stories with our community on the next episode! This episode is sponsored by MAKE UP FOREVER, creators of the 100% flawless Ultra HD foundation which comes in 40 shades and creates the perfect canvas for whatever look you’re going for

Hey Community! Lauren’s popping in to announce that 28 Days To Alignment, Black Girl In Om’s quarterly alignment and intention masterclass, kicks off this Tuesday the 11th with an intention-setting gathering. This program is all about you setting a clear intention in your life and learning Lauren’s personal rituals, journaling inquiries, and personal best practices for living a life of intention. Your investment in 28 Days To Alignment comes with 2 live group coaching calls with Lauren, 7 guided audio meditations, 4 recorded spiritual downloads, the 28 essential truths of alignment, and more. This self-paced but community interactive journey offers you life-time access so that whenever you’re in need of a reminder of how to return to clear intention and aligned action, you’re supported. All you have to do is show up!

If you’re down to enroll for the Spring 2021 experience, head over to blackgirlinom.com and click on “Offerings” to sign up. Use code BGIOPodcast for a special discounted price of $222 ($58 off)

In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory talk all things skincare with beauty writer and BGIO contributor Siraad Dirshe. Lauren and Deun ask their pressing skincare questions and the three ladies dive into how to become a beauty writer, the importance of representation in the beauty world, Siraad’s favorite beauty trends, DIY beauty and more! Be sure to continue to follow Siraad's journey on her Instagram page @sdirshe.

In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory chat with writer and founder of Vibrate Higher Daily Lalah Delia. Lalah uses her writing and experiences to create a platform for personal growth, elevation and transformation inspiring others to live more freely in their heart, their mind and their energy by cultivating a lifestyle of higher vibrations. All the good vibes start flowing as these ladies begin to unpack what it means to Vibrate Higher Daily and discuss ways that each of us can start today, wherever we are, on our own path towards deeper connections to ourselves and to the Divine. Let the energy from this talk flow from your headphones or your speaks and into your life and may it guide you to be more mindful in your interactions with yourself and others from this point forward.

In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory lift the veil on ancient spiritual practices and tarot card reading with intuitive tarot therapist and spiritual wellness practitioner Tatianna Tarot. As an expert in the space of ancient spiritual practices and mystical divine feminine energy, Tatianna explains the practice of Tarot readings. She has explored mysticism and spirituality since childhood and is now a mystic mama helping us demystify the magic and intuition. Tatianna enjoys guiding women of color in cultivating inner peace, self awareness, heightened intuition, and expanded consciousness. Listen to the ways simply exploring all of these things can draw each of us closer to our higher selves and one step closer to our true potential.

In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory share space, lessons, blessings, and laughs with Liana Naima, a reiki practitioner, voice alchemist, dreamwork facilitator, spiritual guide, and beloved member of our Black Girl In Om Tribe. In essence, Liana helps those who seek her guidance uncover, restore, and live fully as their higher self, an ability she became aware of when she surrendered to her own truth. We KNOW this episode is going to touch lives, a gift Liana bestows with her radiant presence and meaningful work. Listen in for a preview into the wonderful world of wellness Liana inhabits! This conversation encompasses so many different topics, but they all comes back to a central theme: awareness and honesty in your relationship to self. Press play and get inspired to live your best life today.

We invite you to join The Circle to begin or continue your path to whole, visit the new blackgirlinom.com for more details and enrollment.

BGIO has been uniquely positioned in the digital space and in-person to be able to connect with our community. We’ve always had a strong online component, from the beginning.

So many of our community members have asked: How can we have more of this when you all leave? How can we continue this essence beyond this afternoon of the expansion tour? Our team deliberated to create a more intentional digital sisterhood using the best parts of the internet to bring our global community together.

Bringing together all of the phenomenal womxn in our collective around the world to one place online to heal. It has manifested into The Circle.

This episode, co-hosts Lauren Ash and Zakkiyyah Najeebah discuss challenges they face on their respective self-care journeys—including unforgiveness, selfishness, patience, and more. This dialogue comes from a vulnerable place for both of them in the hopes that this conversation will inspire more women of color to open up about the challenges that they face in order to grow.

This week's sponsor: Warby Parker. To receive your free, 5-day home try on, go to warbyparkertrial.com/postloudness

Alexandria Eregbu is a visual artist and arts practitioner. On a fundamental level, Alexandria believes that the impact of art is strengthened by shared values within community. As such, she is most dedicated to providing services that promote empowerment and advocacy for artists and communities engaging the arts. Her early background and interest in the purpose of art and communities was initially fostered through her involvement as Lead Teaching Artist and Co-Founder of the community curatorial project TRACE: Teens Reimagining Art, Community, and Environment.

As an artist, Alexandria’s multi-vocational practice has received generous support from The Propeller Fund, Chicago Arts Coalition, The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Chicago, The University of Chicago’s Arts + Public Life, Independent Curators International, The Joyce Foundation, and 3Arts. She received her BFA in Performance and Fiber & Material Studies and is a current MA Candidate in Visual and Critical Studies, both at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago. She recently held the position as curator for Illinois Humanities’ city-wide initiative, Envisioning Justice. It examined how incarceration affects Chicago communities and interrogated the failures of our criminal justice system while presenting plans towards self-empowerment and communal liberation. She has several previous curatorial projects and you should check them all out on her platforms.

In short, Alexandria is a showstopper, y’all.

Her wondrous personality and dedication to authentic expression of self pours through in this episode. Live from our origin city, Alexandria guides us through finding home outside of just people and places, flowing with our internal rhythm, and creating what we need for ourselves. Enjoy as we dive deep into this nourishing conversation for the soul with Alexandria from the Chicago stop of The Black Girl In Om Expansion Tour.

Get the full show notes, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates today!

This honest and open conversation between Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory serves as a reminder that the direction of your life is always in your power. Our leading ladies are reflecting on their current paths to greatness and we are feeling oh so inspired as a result. Listen in to get a taste of some of the powerful intentions they set for themselves and hear the affirming wins + places of growth that have come into their lives as a result. Every season finale is a bittersweet occasion because it marks the end of one chapter but the beginning of another. See y’all soon for Season 4 — we’re already counting down the days! In our best Beyoncé voice, salud, salud, salud, salud to all these accomplishments and all that's to come!

We’re back, loves! This new season is starting off with so much greatness, thanks to y’all. In this episode, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory answer your questions with the wisdom they’ve received in their own lives. This conversation is just a preview of all that’s coming this season. We’re talking intention, transformation, faith, trust, abundance. As you can tell, there’s lots to chat about and we’re thrilled to dive in deep with affirming conversation, loving advice, and all the laughs.

Want to hear about something specific? Email podcast@blackgirlinom.com with the subject line “Podcast Questions + your name” and dive in deep with that thing you’ve been wanting to ask our co-hosts. Maybe after listening to this episode, being clear in your question, and setting the intention, life will show you the answer you need, in more ways than one.

Get the full show notes, links to what was shared in this conversation, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive updates today!

In a word, this conversation feels like home. Join Black Girl In Om Founder, Lauren Ash and Art Director, Deun Ivory for this enriching, moving, cackle-filled chat with their very best * clears throat and sings * giiiiiiirlfriend, Abena Boamah.The mastermind founder of Hanahana Beauty has been a truly beautiful reminder for our community to stay smooth and confident since the early days of BGIO. While you listen, you’ll hear moments of remembering, laughter, and genuine love as a reminder of what supportive, enriching, and true community looks like in practice. As is clear from all the ways we’ve recognized Abena over the years, we absolutely adore her. After listening to this conversation on creative entrepreneurship, forging authentic relationships, managing anxiety, and truly living one’s best life, we know you will too.

Get the full show notes, links to what was shared in this conversation, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates today!

Spiritual warrior Dr. G (Doc/She/This Being) joins BGIO founder Lauren Ash (She/They) in conversation around the power of play and presence in the face of life’s transitions. Dr G is a clinical psychologist, death doula, writer, and multidisciplinary teacher who works with individuals to transform their adversity into the grounds for strength by bringing greater awareness to the harmony of body, mind, and spirit. Doc and Lauren offer that deep rest and surrender through Yoga Nidra empowers them to dissolve imposed identities rooted in capitalism and patriarchy. With those influences quieted, the void space between lives and between worlds becomes accessible. From that space, we’re able to connect with the immortality of our collective consciousness, and to our power as individuals living within that collective. Lauren and Dr G encourage us to seek out who we are outside of the constructed systems we navigate. Once we dissolve those edges of being, anything becomes possible.

Stick around after the conversation with Dr. G to hear a special Q+A with Soulful Vibes Co. co-owner, Sunny Brooks, all about accessible wellness and the power of ritual. 

THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT

• The immortality of collective consciousness
• What ‘dissolving’ our identities looks like, and how it open us up to possibility and reclamation
• Intentionally wielding our power of choice
• The question that led to a breakthrough for both Lauren and Dr G at the life-changing retreat that brought them together
• How an active connection with Nature can awaken us to essential truths of growth and transformation
• Utilizing the power of play to transform your relationship with difficult situations
• How Lauren is returning to imagination and commitment
• Rituals from the Diaspora for facing and processing death that Dr G invites us to utilize in the present moment.
• The mantra that’s been helping Lauren to feel at home and at ease in nature.
• Making the impossible possible

Head over to http://claudelleglasgow.com/ to schedule an appointment with Dr G

Stay in the loop with Dr G on Instagram @garudagrin

If you were touched by this episode and are inspired to extend a heart offering to Dr. G, you can do so through Paypal @ClaudelleRGlasgow or Venmo: DrCGlasgow

Shop by intention at SoulfulVibesCo.com for whatever affordable, high quality, high vibrational, spiritual and metaphysical items you may need to get your spiritual practice started, or to supplement your existing rituals. Use code BGIO15 for 15% off your purchase

Follow Soulful Vibes Co on Instagram @soulfulvibesco to keep up with their many intentional offerings

#SoulfulVibes #SoulfulVibesCo #SoulfulVibesCoPartner #SoulfulVibesCoAmbassador

In this episode, co-hosts Lauren Ash and Zakkiyyah Najeebah dive into the politics, theories and specific women who shaped the culture and mission of Black Girl in Om. They chat about the importance of safe spaces that are created and cultivated for and by marginalized groups and, in particular, spaces created and cultivated for and by black women. Lauren and Zakkiyyah discuss womanism, exclusivity and standing firm in convictions that need to be held and conversations that are imperative to have when holding space rooted in womanism.

In this episode, co-hosts Lauren Ash and Zakkiyyah Najeebah invite Tracy G., self-proclaimed “edutainer, emotional empowerer, and trillass individual” onto the show. They dive into the power of affirmations, Tracy’s unique origins empowering other women, and Tracy’s approach to her incredibly transparent and inspiring platform and podcast She’s Beauty and the Beast. Nod your head in agreement (and laugh!) with Tracy G., as she candidly and eloquently discusses emotional empowerment, the power of writing affirmations in battling imposter syndrome, how she stumbled (serendipitously) into sharing her once-private audio vision boards, and her suggestions for how we should approach our creative projects. After listening (and relistening) to this powerful episode, learn more about Tracy G. by visiting ShesBeautyAndTheBeast.com.

In this episode of the Black Girl In Om Podcast, chef & author Klancy Miller joins BGIO founder Lauren in conversation around the expansive power of expressing love to ourselves and our communities through the preparation and enjoyment of food. Klancy and Lauren share their unique food rituals that help them to create the perfect vibe for a truly nourishing and joyful culinary experience. Klancy talks about how never seeing Black women featured in food magazines growing up inspired her to build a first-of-its’-kind biannual printed food & culture magazine called For The Culture created by and about Black women tastemakers across the Diaspora. As Klancy points out, we are literally everywhere as chefs, somaliers, farmers, bakers, food activists and restaurateurs, playing essential roles in architecting cuisines and influencing the culture. No matter where you’re at in your relationship to cooking and food, you’re sure to take away something nourishing from this conversation that inspires you to infuse each meal with love and joy.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT:

• Klancy and Lauren’s cooking rituals
• The best parts about cooking solo
• How spending part of her childhood on a farm in Atlanta making food grown off the land informed Klancy’s deep
  love and appreciation for food
• The ways food plays a role in our expression of spirituality
• Klancy’s practice of cooking as meditation
• The power of cooking as an act of love
• Klancy’s mouthwatering and surprisingly easy recipe for Tian De Légume - a delicious dish with summer vegetables
  and goat cheese (YUM!)
• The energy-boosting benefits of a sugar detox
• How Klancy organically built a dynamic network of black women throughout the food world
• Some of Lauren & Klancy’s favorite black women owned vegan restaurants in NYC and Los Angeles

Pick up the beautiful 1st issue of Klancy’s food magazine created by & about black women tastemakers, For The Culture at ForTheCultureFoodMag.com

Keep up with Klancy on instagram at @Klancycooks

Order your copy of Klancy’s incredible cookbook Cooking Solo on her website, KlancyMiller.com

If you’re interested in trying Green Chef, the number one meal kit for eating well, go to GreenChef.com/90blackgirlinom. Use code 90blackgirlinom to get 90 dollars off including free shipping. Green Chef is sustainably packaged, uses fresh certified organic ingredients, and makes it super easy to follow a delicious plant based diet!

Head over to blackgirlinom.com to join us in Black Girl In Om’s online sisterhood of black women committed to wellness, joy, and healing in community, The Circle. The Circle sources our members with empowering guides, divinely ordained connections, and culturally aligned resources for you as you expand into your most authentic self.

In this episode, co-hosts Lauren Ash and Zakkiyyah Nejeebah kick-off a new podcast series, Questions for a Yogi. They introduce the series by chatting with their friend and fellow yogi Karla Huffman, a Chicago-based yoga instructor and Founder of Gypsy Yoga. Lauren and Zakkiyyah pick Karla’s brain and explore her thoughts on the holistic practice of yoga, what inspired Karla’s yoga practice and desire to start teaching yoga. This is a must-listen for any woman of color contemplating yoga as a holistic lifestyle change!

In this episode, Black Girl in Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory chat with popular Atlanta based yogi Chelsea Loves Yoga. In this lively conversation, Chelsea shares how she turned to yoga, her passion for working with young women of color, and how she cultivates community through yoga. From studying black female ancestors to evaluating her own wellness practice, listeners will learn how Chelsea dives deep and brings her valuable work full circle. This episode is must-listen for anyone looking to learn more about yoga or deepen their yoga practice! Love this conversation? Follow along Chelsea's journey by following her on Instagram: @ChelseaLovesYoga. If you're ever in Atlanta, check out Chelsea's non-profit Red Clay Yoga.

Press play and journey through the musings of an incredible and impactful multidisciplinary artist we love, Kenesha Sneed. She truly embodies what it means to be a multifaceted Black woman through her exploration of art forms and absolute refusal to be boxed into any specific way of being. We’re especially lucky to catch Kenesha at this time as she celebrates ten years of crafting her artistry in a meaningful way. As is clear from our conversation and look through her work, what she brings to this world will last in your soul for a lifetime. In this conversation, Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory explore Black womanhood as an entity in Kenesha's work, the path compassion for your craft can take you, grief and the importance of a support system, and the layers we all peel back to go a little deeper. 

What does it mean to be a Black woman existing? Kenesha adds her sentiment to this question and as you listen, we invite you to do the same. Even though as a Black woman existing, there are pops of color and light, behind all of that there is someone still seeking and searching for solace. 

Follow her artistic path on her website and feel more of her illustration vibes by perusing Tactile Matter.

Get the full show notes, links to what was shared in this conversation, quotes to tweet, and more here and join us on Patreon for exclusive podcast updates today!

Natural hair care stylist Caprice Dominique (she/her/they)joins BGIO founder Lauren Ash (she/her) in conversation around naming and claiming our desires. Caprice has been blessing Lauren’s life and hair for several years with her healing hands and personal touch of love and compassion. She’s all about empowering Black women to own our unique hair journeys. She encourages us to love our hair and ourselves holistically, and affirms that self care is about so much more than the products we use on our hair or on our bodies. It’s also about our patterns of self-talk and our healing practices. Lauren and Caprice share how they keep their ancestors present, and how this active connection helps them to feel rooted in unconditional worthiness and a sense of belonging within the collective consciousness. As both women affirm, we deserve to have the things we want. Press play to listen in on a heartfelt conversation between friends about trusting ourselves to claim our blessings unapologetically. 

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT

• Lauren’s and Caprice's hair journeys
• How Caprice takes care of herself during what can be at times a strenuous labor-intensive experience of giving care
• The importance of self care for wellness practitioners and caregivers
• Trusting ancestral guidance
• A prayer Lauren speaks every day
• The Sow The Seeds retreat experience that changed both Lauren and Caprices lives - Shoutout to Danielle Lyles Barton and Karlene Graham Perry for leading this beautiful offering
• Caprice’s self love rituals
• Trigger Protection Mantra, the song that Lauren’s friend Ananda sent her in a synchronistic moment

Keep up with Caprice and schedule an appointment with her on Instagram @CapriceDominique

For 20% off of Organifi’s delicious completely plant-based and non-GMO organic superfood blends, head over to Organifi.com/blackgirlinom and use code blackgirlinom

Gina Breedlove is a sound healer, a vocalist, a composer and a medicine woman. She is committed to the liberation of us, one body at a time. In this episode of the Black Girl In Om (BGIO) podcast, BGIO Founder Lauren Ash and Gina Breedlove join in conversation and discuss the power of voice and listening as a radical act. They poetically weave us through history and the source of our healing--our roots.

In this episode you’ll find out more about:

How Lauren and Gina Breedlove met at Rev Angel Kyodo Williams’ Being Transformation Retreat
The power and timing of connection
Learning how to honor lineage
Sourcing medicine from our ancestors
Moving grief out of the body
The power and practice of listening as a radical act
Gina’s divine introduction to Chakra science
The body’s way of telling us that there is a necessary step before forgiveness
Individual reclamation
Gina’s work with women in the South, specifically sound healing in reproductive social issues
Grief is inexhaustible, let yourself cry

Catch the latest from Deun and Lauren with the first peek into Season 4!

Support us on Patreon and subscribe today, wherever you listen to podcasts.

Deun Ivory is back! In this mini-episode of the Black Girl In Om Podcast, Deun Ivory (she/her) joins Lauren Ash (she/they) in conversation around creative wellness and the Black Women Are Worthy movement. For those who are new to the show, Deun is the founder and creative director of The Body: A Home For Love, a 501C3 nonprofit and wellness membership space that shifts culture around how Black women heal from sexual trauma. They provide trauma-informed care, community, and creative wellness to black women seeking a safe space to heal and journey towards self-love. Deun is also the former art director for BGIO, so you’re sure to have interacted with her intentionally gorgeous work. In the episode, she affirms the power of channeling our creative energy toward healing our inner child and loving on ourselves. 

Deun and her team recently launched the Black Women Are Worthy movement with the intention of providing resources and care to Black Women survivors of sexual abuse. Their goal is to raise 2 million dollars to serve and grow a community of over 10,000 black women and to become the standard for trauma-informed care and creative wellness. The short film that catalyzed the movement is a stunning love letter to our undeniable worthiness as Black Women. It’s a must-watch experience filled with loving intention! Press Play to listen in on a joyful conversation between friends about creativity, healing, and sustainable joy. 

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT 

• creative wellness and how art can be restorative and therapeutic
• knowing ourselves intuitively
• the Black Women Are Worthy movement (donate here)
• the body: a home for love

Connect with The Body: A Home For Love on their website thebodyahomeforlove.org

And find them on Instagram @thebodyahomeforlove

Watch the powerful short film and donate to the Black Women Are Worthy movement here: blackwomenareworthy.co

Join Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory for this chat with “the golden girl of wellness,” Candice Kumai. In this episode, these marvelous women explore the work they do with an appreciation for our ancestors, an awareness of the present, and an attentiveness to future generations. Listen in as they journey through their stories of self and those that inspire them with lots of laughs, life lessons, and love along the way. And when we say love, we mean it! There is so much genuine adoration and affirmation all up + through this episode. When you’re done listening, we hope you’ll feel inspired to take a moment to appreciate the incredible women in your life!

In this episode of the Black Girl In Om Podcast, author and lineaged yoga teacher Tracee Stanley (she/her) joins BGIO Founder Lauren Ash (she/they) in conversation around why Yoga Nidra is the powerful healing practice the world needs. When we give ourselves the tools of rest, we build upon our strength, peace, and ability to focus on what matters. Yoga Nidra offers tools that allow us to hold space for ourselves fully first. From that place, we are able to truly hold space for others also. Lauren and Tracee discuss how paying homage to lineage in our yoga training and practice provides us with key context that positions us to connect more profoundly to source, and to find our own voices within long-standing traditions. Tracee encourages that bringing self-inquiry to everything we do can help us peel back layers of conditioning and experience to reveal our purpose and essential life force. She describes how nurturing a relationship with nature in our spirituality practice can open us up to further power and self awareness. This conversation is filled with nourishing gems, so get your journals ready! As Tracee says, “You are your most beloved. Lift yourself up like you’re your most beloved!”

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT

• Yoga Nidra
• What it looks like to truly hold space for ourselves
• Honoring lineage in your spiritual practice
• Allowing your unique voice to shine through your spiritual practice
• Moving from fight or flight to rest and digest
• Lauren’s Yoga Nidra journey and how she’s holding space for herself
• Yoga Nidra as a tool for manifestation
• Partnering with the unknown
• Tracee’s intention for her Book, Radiant Rest: Yoga Nidra for Deep Relaxation and Awakened Clarity
• What a Rest Nest is and how to create one for yourself
• Incorporating nature in spiritual practice

You can keep up with Tracee on her websites traceeyoga.com and radiantrest.com

Follow her on instagram @tracee_stanley and twitter @Shaktidiva

Buy her beautiful book Radiant Rest Yoga Nidra for Deep Relaxation and Awakened Clarity here!

Listen to her podcast Radiant Rest anywhere you listen to podcasts https://www.radiantrest.com/radiant-rest-podcast/

If you’re hoping to add more rest and ease into your life, head over to Organifi.com/blackgirinom for 20% off your purchase of completely organic superfood blends

Head over to blackgirlinom.com to join us in Black Girl In Om’s online sisterhood of black women committed to wellness, joy, and healing in community, The Circle. The Circle sources our members with empowering guides, divinely ordained connections, and culturally aligned resources for you as you expand into your most authentic self.

In this episode, the Black Girl In Om podcast officially kicks off Season Two with BGIO Founder and Creative Director Lauren Ash and new BGIO Art Director Deun Ivory sharing what they have been up to lately. From discussing new directions with Black Girl In Om's online publication, to personal creative projects, both ladies give highlights about their lives in this moment. They share insights about how to remain present during times of transition and excitement and also give listeners tips about how to cultivate self-care and balance with a full plate. Lastly, they hint at some exciting guests and topics to come. This episode's sponsor is Piper Wai. Piper Wai is the first naturally powerful, aluminum-free deodorant that uses activated charcoal to absorb wetness and fight odor.

Hi community! BGIO founder Lauren Ash (she/they) is popping in with this special episode to announce that The Process: Unconditional Love begins tomorrow June 10th. This 28-day journey, exclusive for an intimate collective of members, will deepen into unconditional love and support with weekly group coaching with Lauren, a heart-chakra focused experience with special guest teacher Millana Snow (she/her) (Wellness Official Co.) and weekly community support. Rooted in the power of intention, spiritual rituals including meditation, Kundalini, and movement, storytelling, and journaling, those who fully commit to The Process will experience transformation. The Process: Unconditional Love is most rooted in an exploration of the root, sacral, and solar plexus chakra.

The journey kicks off on the New Moon in Gemini on Thursday, June 10th with our first group coaching call, and continues with 90 minute group coaching calls starting at 5:00 p.m. CST / 6:00 p.m. EST Thursday, June 17th, Thursday, June 24th, Thursday, July 1st. All calls will be live and recorded so that members unable to attend the call will be able to access the replays.

All those who enroll will receive:

• All questions answered during The Process group coaching sessions or during 1:1 sessions
• Group meditation and energy healing during weekly coaching calls
• Resource list for unconditional love and support
• Access to all content, including replays of weekly group coaching sessions, for the duration of their membership in The Circle
• Special guests, exclusive meditation and yoga playlists, and more!
• An invitation to The Process of Summer/Fall 2021 first (theme to be announced). It is required that you are a member of The Circle to access this.
• An invitation to The Process: Unconditional Love 30-day check-in. It is required that you are a member of The Circle to access this.

If you’re interested in claiming unconditional love as your center, we invite you to join us for this 28-day journey. Head over to https://bit.ly/3tZxGQ9 to claim your spot in the program. You can also find The Process: Unconditional Love by going to blackgirlinom.com and clicking on Offerings. Sign up soon before enrollment closes on June 17

If you’re curious to become a certified yoga teacher, or simply want to learn how to live a healthier lifestyle, you can sign up for Koya Webb’s Get Loved Up month-long yoga teacher training here: https://koyawebb.com/get-loved-up/

The life-changing book that Lauren mentions in the episode is called The Five Levels Of Attachment by Don Miguel Ruiz. You can order it online here from a local bookstore: https://bookshop.org/books/the-five-levels-of-attachment-toltec-wisdom-for-the-modern-world-9781938289453/9781938289453

In this episode, uncover the beauty of intentional living with Roe! As one half of brownkids, a platform contributing uniquely to the world of minimalism, Roe has been a guiding light for thousands finding their way to living and thriving unapologetically. Listen in as Black Girl In Om Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory uncover Roe’s transition to this lifestyle, all its benefits, and ways you can do the same! Featuring book references, countless words of wisdom, and tips on how to apply this mindset to your closet, your home, your career, and your life, this is definitely an episode you don’t want to miss. We’re getting our collective lives from all the greatness Roe shared and helped us realize in this conversation. What a perfect way to start the year!

Photographer, wellness guide, and artist, Taylor S. Hunter (she/her), joins Black Girl In Om founder Lauren Ash (she/they) in conversation around building self-trust and getting specific about our dreams. Taylor’s work is dedicated to affirming black women on their divine paths to self-love and self-discovery. Through her lens, she intentionally creates visuals that encourage us to feel seen and loved; inside and out. In this episode of the BGIO Podcast, Taylor invites us to expand our perceptions of self by stepping into all parts of who we are, shadows included. She shares that connecting with our inner child can remind us of who we truly are, and also nourish and protect our creativity. Lauren and Taylor discuss how we can build self-trust and avoid wasting time by looking to ourselves as sources of insight instead of defaulting to others. By being specific about our dreams and standing firm in our “no”, we create the conditions for our most resonant desires to become realities. As Taylor affirms, “your canvas is yours.” Press play to listen in on how both Lauren and Taylor are authentically co-creating the present moment with the universe. 

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT

• The beauty and freedom in embracing change
• Taylor’s return home to New Orleans and how she’s creating a richly inspiring artist residency experience for herself there
• How Lauren and Taylor build self-trust
• The difference between purpose and career, and how they can inform one another
• How inviting the “no” can lead you to a resonant “yes”
• Ways to check in with how we truly feel in relationships
• Infusing relationships of all kinds with authenticity and ease
• Allowing our past, present, and future selves to inform one another through journaling
• How important it is to be specific about what we want in all areas of our lives
• The importance of intentional community for artists

Stay in the loop with Taylor on Instagram @goldentimetay 

Book a self-love session with Taylor, check out her beautiful work, and sign up for her lovenotes newsletter at taylorshunter.com 

For 20% off of Organifi’s delicious completely plant-based and low-sugar organic superfood blends, head over to Organifi.com/blackgirlinom 

Offer support to BGIO’s first physical healing space for Black women, Home, here: bit.ly/bgiogofundme