Author: Melanin Rich Wellness

I'm committed to being the best version of myself and embracing the journey of truly loving who I am through self-healing
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Carry Only What You Need For The Journey

black woman raising hand against skyline

“The knowledge we need to face most of life’s experiences is imprinted on our genes. It was passed on to us by our grandmothers, reinforced through and by our mothers”

Iyanla Vanzant

This is a powerful concept and one that I have been grasping at the root for about a year now. This also ties into the concept that everything we need to know; we already know. And the answers we need are already inside of us. There is no higher wisdom or authority outside of our own soul. If this is true (which I know it is), then I have been wasting an awful lot of time struggling to figure out my life. And that is exactly what I have been doing. Going from one struggle to the next, one drama to the next, believing that happiness, love, and peace were so far out of reach the best I could do was to survive the struggles and drama. Oh, how wrong I have been.


What keeps us from this inherent knowledge and wisdom that will save us years of hurt, pain and struggle? If it is imprinted on our genes why don’t we access it? It is like finding a needle in a haystack. There is simply too much in the way. We are carrying too much. In our effort to balance all that we carry and keep it intact, we don’t even have the ability to see that there is a wellspring of knowledge, truth and wisdom within us.

One of the most significant purposes of life is to let go, release, and move on. We’ve convinced ourselves that our strength and resilience is best demonstrated by our ability to hold on, dig in and stand firm. I’ve learned a very valuable lesson recently, it’s better to let go than to hold on. I’ve learned that it is best to only carry what I need for the journey. Everything else must go. All I need is to know myself, accept myself, love myself and be at peace with who I am. Any and everything that prevents me from doing these four things, I must let go of and release. I don’t need them for the journey.

Anger, bitterness, resentment, feelings that someone owes one something, unrealistic expectations of others, past life and current life traumas, the criticism of others, and the issues of our parents and family members that were projected during childhood will get in the way . All of these are unnecessary for the journey and must be let go of.

Once I began to let these things go and start to carry only what I needed for the journey, I began to reactivate dormant DNA. I began to access the knowledge that was imprinted on my genes. I began to live from the heart and not out of the fear and doubt that had carried me through all these years. I began to access my highest soul truth. I found my path, cleared away the debris and began to walk it. The problems and issues that had seemed insurmountable before, became beautiful stepping stones and reminders of the power that resides within. It was then that I realized I had what I needed for the journey. A deep love and appreciation for who I was. A deep desire and ability to forgive myself for past mistakes and perpetuating a cycle that kept me in bondage.

Once I began to carry only what I needed for the journey, I felt lighter. A sense of peace and calm seemed to always be close by. When those moments of fear and doubt resurfaced, my higher self immediately said, NO and began to speak my highest truth to me. Carry only what you need for the journey. Everything else must go. If you’d like to speak with me about how you can begin to carry only what you need for your journey, please feel out the form and I’ll be in touch.

“Trust your heart, for there is the truth. Sop loving with your minds, love with your heart, your true heart…”

Iyanla Vanzant
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Shame, Shoes and Stones: The Skeletons in My Closet

“Shame dies when stories are told in safe places”


Yesterday morning while I was cleaning the juicer I started screaming and hollering. The screams and hollers bellowed from my belly. My heart felt so heavy and I had to get it out. There were three huge, long hollers. My stomach hurt . The same hurt you feel in your stomach after you throw up when you’re really sick. But afterward I felt like I could breath. I felt some of the life force coming back to me.

The irony is that I had just done an ancestral reading where I conveyed to the client the need to let go. The need to release some of the things they had been holding onto. That just as if we don’t release our physical waste (poop), the toxins start to recirculate in our system, causing dis-ease. Our emotional waste (anger, shame, guilt, bitterness, resentment) will do the same, recirculate in our systems and cause emotional and spiritual dis-ease.

I’m one of those people who gives the best advice but also struggles to take her own advice. I can lift up, motivate, inspire, and encourage so many, but will often neglect to do the same for myself.

I’m at a crossroads in my life. A weird space where I’m no longer who I was, but not yet who I’m going to be. The in between, in process, still loading phase. The question is, what’s next? And it all depends on my next few moves. When the pandemic started I took a long break from social media and the world. You can read about it here. I came back to social media and the world like “yes, let’s get it”. I was getting it for a moment but still with a heaviness and burden.

When I turned 35 last year I went to sleep asking to receive a message from my ancestors about what’s next. Dreams are powerful that way. You can receive and download so much information while you sleep. That night I dreamed I was looking for my favorite pair of shoes. I kept asking everyone in the house if they’d seen them. They said they hadn’t. They were nowhere to be found. I gave up after awhile but then I opened the closet door and there they were. My favorite pair of shoes. Black, old, worn, tattered and honestly pretty ugly. I was so happy I’d found my favorite shoes!

Now time for a little dream interpretation. We put on our shoes to go places. These shoes had taken me many places and have walked a lot of miles in some not so nice places. Those shoes and I have been through some things and it shows. That is why they were so worn and tattered. And I had lost them. The message of the dream was I had lost that which I needed to take me where I must go. Those tattered shoes were the real me. I had lost myself. Most people want new, shiny, and designer shoes. To be noticed and make a statement. Look at me, I make good money, I’m stylish, I’m fabulous. My shoes aren’t shiny, new, or aesthetically fabulous. Neither is my life.

I have some stones in my pocket, secrets in my heart, and some skeletons in my closet. They’ve burdened me. Weighed me down. At this crossroads in my life, this in-between phase, it’s time to lay my burdens down. For good. Some of my closest friends and family know these things about me, they’ve been there to help me pick up the pieces, but I’ve never spoken about them publicly. My blog has been a place of transparency and authenticity as I’ve shared many personal stories of tragedy and triumph, but there’s still more that needs to be revealed.

“The journey of descent consists of encountering your shadow many, many times. Emotions as intense as shame and guilt give themselves up only a bit at a time-and you wouldn’t want more”

Deepak Chopra


Honestly, there are many things I’m ashamed of. I sometimes wish they weren’t apart of my story. I wonder if I would be better or if my life would look different without these experiences. Alas, I must fully own ALL of my story. Every part, even the ones with shame. The definition of shame is:
a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior. Sometimes this behavior is our own. Sometimes it’s the behavior of others. But Shame along with guilt are some of the heaviest weights I’ve carried. Since I’ve decided to walk in my old shoes, I realized that shame and guilt don’t match with my shoes. In fact, it’s outright tacky. So I’m no longer wearing them. These are my skeletons that carry so much shame. Someone very close to me calls them rocks or stones in our pockets.

“You either walk inside your story and own it you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness”

Brene Brown


In 2006, I had an abortion. When I was 18, my very first boyfriend and the man who took my virginity was 33. He told me he was 28. We were together 4 years. I was young, naïve, and very impressionable. He was emotionally and sometimes physically abusive. And I was madly in love with him. When I got pregnant, he told me that no child deserved a mother like me. He also had another woman pregnant at the time. I made the tough decision to have an abortion. Had that not happened, I’d be mother to a 14 year old.

In 2011 I had my daughter. I met her father at the gym. He kept trying to talk to me for weeks and I finally gave in and we developed a relationship. I later found out that not only was he married but an alcoholic and addicted to weed and cocaine. He was controlling, emotionally, physically, and sexually abusive (he raped me multiple times). One morning he came over drunk, upset that I was going to travel for work. I yelled at him and told him that I have to travel. I have to work. We fought from the living to the dining room where a knife was laying on the table. He took that knife and held it to my throat and said he’d kill me and walk out the door like nothing ever happened. My daughter was right there. Crying. In my head I said, “Jesus”. He dropped the knife, backed into the corner, and started to cry and apologize, asking me please don’t call the police. I said if he left, I wouldn’t. He left. I didn’t. And we didn’t see him for 3 years after that.

I spent most of my adult life in abusive relationships with men. I can’t count how many times I’ve been called a hoe or a bitch. How much I heard how no one wanted me and how worthless I was. How many times I’ve been held down, panties ripped off, forced to do things I didn’t want to do. I attracted alcoholics, drug addicts, and womanizers. My childhood abuse at the hands of a man my family trusted for 7 years set me up to live the rest of my life being used and abused. And that’s what happened mostly. But then I decided to make a change. And I did! And I had relationships with men who were kind and never so much as even yelled at me for anything. They were supportive and helped me grow.

In 2017 I met the man I thought I would marry. This man loved me. Said he knew me from a past life and he’d finally found me. Said he loved how radical I was and loved my organic, natural beauty. He said he was going to marry me and asked if I would have his babies. I said yes. He was perfect. And I couldn’t believe my good fortune. Was my luck finally changing. I had manifested a whole new life…And then I got pregnant. Unplanned, but still a blessing right? Well not for a traditional Igbo man who still has to fulfill his familial obligations. Having a child out of wedlock is a HUGE no-no. And with a Black American woman? There was no way I was going to get rid of this baby. But he wasn’t ready. I wasn’t ready either but this was OUR baby. We loved each other. It was different. There was no decision to make because I had a miscarriage. I don’t know what’s worse; abortion or miscarriage. That experience stained the relationship. I blamed him, he blamed me. We limped along until I couldn’t any longer. My baby would have be 2 this year.

“He was part of your story but not your happily ever after”.

Mark Anthony


Instead of one child, I should have 3. The skeletons and shame of abortion, abuse, miscarriage, and failed relationships have burdened me for 14 years. The painful feelings of humiliation and distress have overwhelmed me and I’m tired. It’s too heavy. These stones in my pocket. The shame in my heart. The skeletons in my closet. I got these old shoes on and they trying to take me somwhere.

I wake up and I do what I must. I work. I care for my child. I fast. I pray. I workout. I write. I run my business. I smile. I laugh. I cry. I’m fighting for my life. I’m fighting to love and be loved. I often wonder is it supposed to be this hard. Is it this hard for everyone? Life is something, y’all. It really is. Because we get through it. Every single time. We live to fight another day.

Shame, shoes and stones.

“She has good days and some that are bad. Some feel like flying and others feel too much like dying, and none of that matters. Because every day, she is doing the best she can”

J.M. Storm
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A Sojourn Back Home: My Book of Poems

“When the dust settles and all that is left is the bones of who you have always been. Will you be brave enough to sing them to life”

Jessi Mendez

Many of you may not know, but I wrote a book of poems and self-published the book this summer. I’d like to share the introduction and 3 of my favorite poems with you from the book; “Welcome Home”, “C.J.C” and “Disruption”

Introduction

I’ve been writing poetry since I was 16. I never thought I would publish a book of my poems though. They weren’t for anyone but me… My 2019 was the world’s 2020. Everything fell apart. I lost one of my most valuable friendships, I lost my last living grandparent, I left a job after nearly a decade and lastly, I lost a nearly three- year relationship I was certain would lead to marriage and mo children. After all these losses in six short months, I was left standing alone. Everywhere I turned, there was nothing in sight. Just desolation and devastation. There was nothing left of the life I had been living. There was nothing else to do, nowhere else to go, except Home. Home to my ancestors. Home to the place where I could sort through and pick up the pieces of my life. I went back to go forward. During that time, I completely removed myself from social media and eventually changed my phone number. This was during the NYS stay at home order, so I was really off the grid.

This collection of thirty poems is the manifestation of my sojourn back home. A sojourn is defined as a temporary stay. I’ll go back home one day for good. For now, I’ll visit often in my dreams and hold on to the memoires of my time there.

During my sojourn, I found more than I bargained for. The purpose of my sojourn was to heal, to tend to my wounds and to rest my weary spirit. I found pieces of myself that I had thought were long gone and would never be recovered. I developed an even greater intimate relationship with my spirit guides and guardian ancestors. I unearthed remnants of past lives and treasures of my unique, enigmatic being. I found grace, gratitude, and guidance.

My fatal flaw is that my eyes say “Welcome Home”

to tattered,

 worn,

broken,

 nomad men.

They travel from my eyes to my smile,

down to the curve of my breasts

and finally

to the vacant, warm comfort between my thighs

“Welcome home” …

Only, I am not home

I am respite on their journey

A safe place for the night

My eyes say “Welcome home” to men that only intend to visit.

When they leave, I tidy up my space with tears.

But my tears that should erase, “Welcome Home” from my eyes

is only a whore bath.

-Welcome Home

I’ve never been a fan of easy love from easy men.

The men who walked through life

 aimlessly

 not in search of anything or anyone.

The hardened men

The troubled souls

I ache for them.

I beckon them to let me in their world

The men who travel far and wide

across lifetimes, searching.

I saw his longing and could not walk away

I followed him

wanting to witness life through his eyes

feel every ache and want of his heart.

To hear the words, he has never spoken

To be the calm in his storm

Hardened men who give hard love

The love that empties you

Leaving you breathless

not knowing where you end, and he begins.

Give me that love

The love from a hard man.

Cause I can’t do a gotdam thing with love from an easy man.

-C.J.C

I didn’t send for you

You came for me

I was not looking for you

You were looking at me

I didn’t want love

I was in search of forever home in my heart

Clearing space

Throwing shit from my past away

You interrupted me

disrupted my life

took me away from my chores

Just to love you

I didn’t send for you

You didn’t tell me you were on your way

You showed up at my door

Hat in your hand

I did not ask you to sit for a spell

I did not offer you a cold drink

And I did not ask you to stay

So, tell me, why are you leaving?

-Disruption

Purchase “A Sojourn Back Home”

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The Trees Teach Us The Beauty of Death

nature red forest leaves

“In the end only three things matter: How much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you”

Buddha

My daughter and I took a walk at the park and we marveled at the radiance and gloriousness of the changing colors of the leaves. She exclaimed, “mommy, it is SO beautiful”, as she pointed at each tree that charmed us. I debated whether I should disrupt her joy to let her know that what we were marveling at was death. Yes, the changing colors of the leaves are a sort of death; a letting go, a release. Being the mother that I am, never wanting to shield her from the most important truths of life, I said, “Baby those leaves are dying. It is the only way the trees can survive the winter”. She replied with a slow and somber, “Ohhhh”. I said, “But see, even death can be beautiful”.

“There is beauty to be found in the changing of the earth’s seasons, and an inner grace in honoring the cycles of life”

Jack Kornfield

Western society shuns death. We’ve accepted that death should be eluded and avoided at all costs. We fear death because of the uncertainty of what comes afterward. No matter what one’s belief system is, no one can be sure. And even if we are sure, do we really want to experience what’s next, forever leaving what was?

“Everybody wants to go to heaven. Nobody wants to die”

Joe Louis

“This place is only a dream. Only a sleeper considers it real. Then death comes like dawn and you wake up laughing at what you thought was your grief”

Rumi

During the fall, trees release their leaves to survive winter. In a way, trees are actively “pushing” their leaves off, allowing them to die. Photosynthesis requires a lot of energy and water, and during winter there is simply not enough of either to sustain foliage.  During winter, trees go through a process similar to hibernation called dormancy. Everything within trees slows down so they can conserve energy. This is what keeps them alive during winter and allows them to get ready for the Spring season. To survive, they let their leaves die.

“Love is a kind of survival”

The trees show us the beauty of letting things go for our own survival. More than that, the trees show us how beautiful this can be. We don’t have to go into our next season or cycle kicking and screaming. We can release people, relationships, jobs, friendships, and cities with the same grace and striking beauty trees release their leaves. We can let the thought patterns, mindsets, and habits die that will hinder our survival with the same dignified brilliance and splendor that tress let their leave die.

Death can be beautiful and freeing. It can welcome a much-needed transition and even a survival. Some things you have to let go of or it will kill you. If the trees did not let their leaves die, they wouldn’t survive the winter season. And we all know that if you don’t survive winter, there will be no spring.

There are many things that we are holding onto that we simply need to let die. Look to the trees and let that death be glorious and grand!

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In Honor of the Slave Mother

“A mother holds a knife by the blade”

Tswana Proverb

I’ve been here many times before. I keep coming back because there is a lot of unfinished business. There is much karma to transcend and wrongs that must be made right. Some of them are mine, but most have nothing to do with me. Still, it is my duty to make them right. I owe it to myself, but more importantly, I owe it to them. My children. The precious souls that have chosen me as their mother. I often wonder why they chose me. Why choose a mother who is a slave. Why choose a mother who will give birth to more pain than joy. Despite my many flaws and no matter what oppression we were born into, whether it was the backwoods of Alabama or the low country region of the Geechee, whatever child I birthed, I loved to no end. I didn’t care who the father was either. Whether it was Massa’s or my husband. My child was MY child. My devotion to them is steadfast, and I will protect what is mine even if it cost me my life. And it has cost me my life before.  And I’d do it again. They know that. My children know my heart. And that’s why they was MINE. The only thing stronger than my love for my children was my hate for the massa. They say you ain’t supposed to hate, but most days my hate was the only thing that kept me alive.

I couldn’t love them with all of me; working them fields and then in the Massa’s house. But what was left, I gave it all to them. I can’t think of where else it could go. I loved my babies with all I had and all I didn’t have. How I did it, only God and my mama, and her mama, and all the mamas before them know. When a child is born, something is also born in the mama. I learned that with my first child. A girl. I couldn’t love nothing in the world more than her. I had her bout 4 years and then they sold her. She on that wagon screaming “Mama” and I bout lost it. Took 3 men to hold me down. I would have tore that wagon to pieces to get my baby. I never was the same after that. I had four more children after that. Two of them sold too. After my girl, they sold two of my boys. They tried to run. They was caught. I seen the fire in they spirit. I never would try to stop it. I was proud of em. They whipped em them sold them as punishment. Massa said didn’t make no sense to kill em, make some money off em instead. I wonder if they would still be here if I had taught them different. If I put the thoughts of freedom out they head. I can’t help but think it is my fault.

After they sold my three boys, all I had was my last one. A boy too. He was born a little sickly. I wasn’t as strong as I was. My body was, but my heart was so full of pain, I guess he carried that with him. He was never gonna be fit to work the fields and I couldn’t bear the thought of my last child being sold or killed by Massa. So I figure we try to run. I wasn’t able to save none of my children. But maybe this one I could save. My mind was made. Run. I had to be smart about it. Plan it really good and talk to the others about how to get to freedom. But before we could leave, my last child, died in my arms. Yellow fever they say. 

Wasn’t nothing left to live for after that. Not even freedom. But I run anyway cause I can’t stay.  All my babies gone. Gone. Ain’t never gon see them again, cept in the land of the ancestors. After we all dead. So what is freedom here? I wonder bout my other children. How they faring in this world. Did I give em enough to carry them through this lifetime. I ran. Don’t know what I was running to or from. I just ran. It was bout a month before I was caught. Massa tied me to the post hisself. Gave me those fifty lashes with everyone watching. I didn’t cry or scream. Wasn’t no tears left in me. Make an example out of me they say. I would get the noose. I was worth more dead than alive.

I could have lived without freedom if I had my children. My children gave me freedom in bondage. But they took every one of my children. I could hate the Massa and still live in bondage if I had my children. But with that noose around my neck I was strangled to a sort of freedom.

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I Started Doing This One Thing and It Changed My Life

“If we are going to heal, let it be glorious”

Beyonce

As a Holistic Health Practitioner, my health and the health of my community is my number one priority. I am always looking for ways to improve my health and optimize the functioning of my body, particularly the systems that are designed to remove toxins and waste from the body… I’ll just cut to the chase. The one thing I started doing that changed my life was enemas! Once I started doing weekly enemas my health drastically improved. I felt lighter, I had less headaches and less toxins recirculating in my system.

The Colon

One of the most important systems of elimination is the digestive system and within that system the colon plays a very important role. The colon is responsible for reabsorbing fluids and processing the waste from the food we eat for removal and elimination (bowel movements).

Think about it. If we eat 3-6 times a day, 7 days a week, that is a total of 21-42 meals per week. If you only have one bowel movement a day that means you have 12-35 meals worth of waste still in your system. And some people do not have a bowel movement every day and that means more waste not being eliminated. Feces can become impacted in the colon and the bacteria and toxins will recirculate through the body causing several ailments and dis-ease.

The Benefits of an Enema

An enema helps to remove impacted feces from the colon. Enemas should especially be used when fasting. The following benefits are reaped with enemas:

  • Treats constipation
  • Clears out the bowels
  • Relives headaches
  • Increases energy levels
  • Clears the skin
  • Removes toxins from the body
  • Removes excess mucous
  • Alleviates Bloating

How to Perform an Enema

You can start with using store-bought enemas and then graduate to making your own. Lie on the floor or bed (yoga mat or blanket) on your left side. Gently massage the left side of your abdomen. Laying on the left side eases the passage and flow of fluid into the rectum. Gently insert the tip of the enema in the rectum (don’t go too deep) and squeeze the enema bag so the fluid is released into the colon. Gently massage the left side of the abdomen. When you feel the need to eliminate, feel free to release. You can use a stool for your feet for deeper cleansing. The water loosens up stool and allows for feces to pass though easily.

I do enemas at least once a week as preventative maintenance. This may be TMI, but I have the best and most productive bowel movements when using an enema. It feels great knowing that waste is no longer in me and I literally feel so light and free. After intermittent fasting and increasing water intake, enemas are my next and favorite recommendation. If you’ve never done an enema, you must try. If you have any digestive or bowel disorders, please check with your PCP to make sure there are no contraindications. One of the first articles I posted on my blog in 2015 was titled: Poop: The Perfect Sign of Pure Health. It was true then and enemas have made this even more true today.

Kathleen is the Owner of Melanin Rich Wellness Inc. The mission of MRW is to optimize the physical, mental, and spiritual health of the black community using African Holistic Health. Kathleen is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant, Certified Vaginal Steam Facilitator, Certified Yin Yoga Instructor, Herbalist, and Intermittent Fasting Specialist.

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Adapt or Die: Why Many of us Won’t Make It Through the Pandemic

man in white crew neck t shirt sitting on brown pavement

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”
Charles Darwin



We are the children of the African Diaspora. We are the offspring of super humans. We are the progeny of the most resilient people on this Earth. It took an immeasurable amount of strength and mental fortitude to survive the middle passage and life on the plantation. Not every African was able to do so. Many died on the ship and many others chose suicide over slavery. But more than strength and fortitude, it took the unique ability to adapt. It took the ability to assess the current situation and figure out how to make it work for one’s best interest. That was and still is our greatest tool to navigate this racist, white world. Our ancestors had it figured out. Adapt or die. Adaptation manifested into Hoodoo, Negro Spirituals, Gullah Geechee culture, the Blues, soul food, and every facet of slave quarter culture and black life. We created an entirely new way of life that nurtured our bodies and souls. This allowed us to excel and thrive in the midst of bondage, subjugation, and deep oppression. Our ancestors chose adaptation over death.

“My ancestors survived the Middle passage, Chattel Slavery, and Jim Crow. I am the descendant of superhumans”


We are now living in a time that no one has seen or experienced before. The global pandemic and current political climate has wreaked havoc on our world. Everything we once knew is seemingly fading away. The life we once lived is no more. Many people are unable to cope. But It’s sink or swim baby. It’s adapt or die. Lamenting what once was is only going to cause more anxiety. Wishing for days gone by won’t bring them back.

Our ancestors survived because they accepted their new reality and adapted. They kept the remnants of the past they could and created something new. They assessed their new surroundings, tapped into their God given Ashè and lived their life to the fullest. Many of us won’t survive this new world that’s emerging. For some it may be a literal death as many of us have died from Covid-19 due to underlying chronic diseases. For many more, it will be a spiritual/mental/energetic death. We will succumb to anxiety, depression, panic, mania, breakdowns, illness and disease. It doesn’t have to be this way. Our roots run too deep to be carried away by the storms of life. The ability to Adapt is embedded within your DNA. It’s who you are at your core. You are the offspring of the greatest adapters this world has witnessed.

“You are worth every prayer whispered by your ancestors”

Adapt or die

Kathleen is the Owner of Melanin Rich Wellness Inc. The mission of MRW is to optimize the physical, mental, and spiritual health of the Black community using African Holistic Health. Kathleen is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant, Certified Yin Yoga Instructor, Certified Vaginal Steam Facilitator, Herbalist, Intermittent Fasting Specialist and Hoodoo Practitioner. Kathleen takes the upmost pride in tapping into her melanin rich DNA and following in the footsteps of the warriors, healers and teachers she lovingly calls ancestors.

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The Liver: The Seat of Life

woman with blue lips on body of water

The heart has become the focus when it comes to our overall health. And while the heart is vitally important, there is one organ that is often forgotten and ignored: the liver. It is believed that the word liver is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word “to live”. And rightfully so because there is no life without the liver. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the liver is believed to house the soul and is the origin of many of our most turbulent emotions like anger, frustration, and bitterness. Once I learned about the liver and its functions, from both a physical and spiritual perspective, I developed a deep appreciation for the liver and have made a commitment to always take good care of my liver. It became a priority.

Functions of the liver

The liver is a very large organ with more than a thousand functions! And while I won’t go through them all, I want to focus on one particularly important function of the liver. The liver is the master detoxifier. Everything that we eat and drink (including medications) is first metabolized and processed by the liver before being distributed throughout the body. The liver is responsible for removing toxic substances and metabolic wastes from our bloodstream. The health of the entire body is dependent on the health of the liver.

Toxic Overload

If the liver becomes overburdened with toxins and wastes from the food that we eat, the beverages we drink and the medications we consume, the liver will be unable to remove toxins from our system. These toxins and waste will re-circulate in our bodies and wreak havoc on our other systems, particularly the woman’s reproductive system.  Dr. Catherine Kousimine has found that when the liver isn’t able to detoxify the system the body will develop cysts and fibroids to serve as a “second” liver to store toxins.

Signs and symptoms of the liver not functioning properly are feeling over fatigued, lethargic, and lacking motivation and mental clarity. Other symptoms include feeling overly anxious, frustrated, or angry. Hyperpigmentation in the skin, feeling nauseous, increasing PMS symptoms, and more aches and pain will also manifest when the liver is overloaded with toxins. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, then it is time to detox the liver. Here are three simple yet effective ways to remove toxins from the system and regenerate the liver.

Detoxing the Liver

  1. Increase your water intake and add lemon. Water is nature’s healing elixir. Water clears toxic waste from different parts of the body and takes to the liver and kidneys for disposal. Adding lemon alkalinizes the blood and helps to flush the toxins out further.
  2. Intermittent fasting allows the body to have a much-needed rest from digestion. Instead of digesting, the body then focuses on eliminating toxins from the liver allowing regeneration to occur and the liver will begin to function properly again. 16/8, 18/6 and 20/4 are all great intermittent fasting regimens that will bring healing to the liver.
  3. The Melanin Rich Wellness 2-week Liver Detox Herbal Tea regimen will remove built-up toxins from the liver and cleanse the blood. It will energize the body, clear the skin, and bring stability to the system. To purchase the Liver Detox Tea and begin your journey to liver health, click here.

The liver is the seat of life. It is time for you to come on in and sit a spell.

Kathleen is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant, Certified Vaginal Steam Practitioner, Certified Yin Yoga Instructor, Herbalist, Intermittent Fasting Specialist and Hoodoo Practitioner.

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Slave Quarter Conjure: A Message from Beyond the Veil

There is so much to learn from our enslaved ancestors. If we would shift our focus from the present and simply take a moment to look back, we would find solutions to problems that cause us anxiety, worry and fear. We have become so preoccupied with further integrating with white society and pleading with a people with no moral compass, we have denigrated the power of our melanin. We believe that white is right, and the further we remove ourselves from the painful history of our enslavement, the better off we’ll be. And that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Most of us came here in chains and most of you came here to escape your chains. Your freedom was our slavery, and therein lies the bitter difference in the way we look at life”

John Oliver Killens


One important lesson our enslaved ancestors have taught us is that when Massa and the other white folks is distracted, that’s when you run for freedom! During the Holidays, wedding celebrations, big parties, and even catastrophes (fires, storms, etc.) proved to be the best time to run. During those times, white society’s focus was not on the slave quarters or the enslaved. And that was the best chance of escaping unnoticed. And by the time they figured out you were gone; you were well on your way and your chances of being caught were greatly diminished. Our ancestors knew that and planned their escapes during these times of golden opportunity. In fact, after making her own escape, Harriet Tubman went to get her parents at Christmas.

“If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If there’s shouting after you, keep going. Don’t ever stop. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going”

Harriet Tubman


Why is this relevant today? We’re in a freaking global pandemic! While also being in the midst of one of this country’s most contentious presidential elections ever. White Society is completely distracted! They are even fighting amongst one another now and not just us. White society is more anxious, more on edge, and more worried than ever before. White society is in a state of instability. And this is our chance to escape! This is not the time to get caught up. Don’t follow suit and become just as panicked, anxious and unstable. Don’t be that house nigga that looks at Massa’s trouble and takes it on as your own. See the turmoil as the blessing it is and run with it. For our ancestors, this meant run literally.

“I prayed for freedom for twenty years, but received no answer until I prayed with my legs”

Fredrick Douglass


Start your business, get that certification, create, go back to school, or apply for that position. Now is the time to fortify your energy, get grounded and centered. Now is the time to focus on your health and wellness; physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Run! Escape! While they are distracted, use this time to build yourself, your family, and your community. By the time the dust settles, you’ll be so far ahead, they won’t be able to stop you. Take full advantage of your enemy’s weakness and use it to your advantage.

“The most powerful work is done in response to an opportunity, not in response to a problem”

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The Grace of Gratitude

“And one of life’s gifts is that each of us, no matter how tired and downtrodden, finds reason for thankfulness”

Unknown

My brother and I now joke about the infamous “Ungrateful” speech we would hear growing up from our mother. She would get on us whenever we demonstrated an attitude of ungratefulness. She would remind us of how blessed we were, how the things we had (material and nonmaterial) some people would never have. Not that we should ever compare what we have to what others don’t to have an attitude of gratitude, but it helps to put things in their right perspective. Those dreaded ungrateful speeches have been etched in my heart. And I’ve learned that there is always something to be grateful for.

“Gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

One of my favorite gospel songs is “Thank You Lord” by Walter Hawkins. Whenever life begins to weigh on me, and I begin to think of all the hardships, obstacles, pain, and the struggle. When I start to feel sorry for myself and when depression looms near. When I look at all I have lost and the past comes storming in, seemingly from nowhere I hear these lyrics:

“Tragedies are commonplace.

Economy’s down, people can’t get enough pay.

 But as for me All I can say is,

Thank you Lord, for all you’ve done for me.

It could have been me, outdoors.

With no food and no clothes

or all alone without a friend

or just another number with a tragic end.

But you didn’t see fit, to let none of these things be

and every day by your power, you keep on keeping me.

Thank you, lord, for all you’ve done for me”

“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, ‘thank you’, that would suffice”

Meister Eckhart

I have said many times, if I never receive another blessing for the rest of my life, I’ve already received enough to say thank you over and over for the rest of my life. I’ve learned that there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for. Always. Breath, life, health, and strength.  (I know I sound like a Friday night testimony service). I can walk, talk, see and hear. There are some people who need someone to come and bathe them. I can hop in the shower whenever I want, and I have hot water. I have a roof over my head. I have food to eat. I have a place to rest my head. These things are more valuable than we realize. I am in my right mind. That is a huge blessing. I look at what I’ve been through and I am surprised I haven’t had a nervous breakdown. I survived what should have ended me. For that I am grateful. I don’t have as much money as I like, but my needs are always being met. A way is always made. Always. For that I am grateful.

“Seeds of discouragement will not grow in the thankful heart”

Unknown

I am grateful for walks in the park with the sun shining on me. I am grateful for funny memes I see on social media that make me literally laugh out loud. I am grateful for Friday Pizza night. There is so much to be grateful for, both big and small. And I am also grateful for what didn’t happen. The car accident that almost happened, the job I didn’t get because there was a better door that was open. And then I am grateful for the protection from unseen dangers.

“If you have lived, take thankfully the past”

John Dryden

When we choose to focus on what we are grateful for, it lifts the hung down head and shoots a bolt of hope into the hurting heart. It allows us to walk though life with a grace that will cause others to look at us in wonder. How are you still smiling? The ability to stop yourself in the middle of a pity, complaining or negative party to bring the focus back to gratitude demonstrates a mastery of life and of self. It demonstrates that wisdom has sprouted in the heart and the spirit has been fortified. Life loves a grateful heart. And it will reward you for your gratitude with even more to be grateful for.

“What you send out in the world is what you get back”

There is another song by Walter Hawkins that comes to mind, “Be Grateful”. The lyrics say:

God has not promised me sunshine

That’s not the way it’s supposed to be

But a little rain mixed with God’s sunshine

A little pain, makes me appreciate the good times

Your gratitude may be mixed with tears, regret, guilt, or shame. Your gratitude may be on the lips of a “I don’t understand, but I’m still thankful, “I’m hurting but I’m still thankful”, “My life is falling apart, but I’m still thankful”. That is the grace of gratitude. It will carry you through. Because my dear, “every storm runs out of rain”.

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, gratitude”

Denis Waitley