Feature: Sojourner Zenobia, Healer & Performing Artist

I met Sojourner Zenobia during one of the community events she curates called Stillness: A Meditation for Women & Femmes of Color. It was my first time engaging in group meditation (of any kind) and it was certainly my first time seeing something so targeted towards my own sociocultural identities. This was back in July... and I have barely missed one of her meditations since that time. Sojourner has helped to facilitate for so many women / femmes of color (myself included) "a spiritual return". From Sojourner, I learned that there was space to dig deeper into my individual self, spiritual self, and sociocultural self - at the same damn time!It is in this moment, given the shit-show of this current election season and all of the feelings that are surrounding the upcoming inauguration, that I find Sojourner's words to be incredibly helpful and timely. So, I want to e-introduce ya'll to a woman who has become a sister and teacher to me this year. [Text below is largely her own, to preserve the intent behind her words].SOJOURNER ZENOBIA began practicing Samatha (peaceful abiding) meditation in 2004 at Naropa University a Buddhist inspired school. In 2006, Sojourner received a BFA in Interdisciplinary Performance and a minor in Buddhist studies. She has studied vipassana (insight meditation) at Amaravati, a Theravadan Monastery in England. She currently a resident artist at Life Force Arts Center in Chicago where she studies energy work through strengthening ancestor/guide relationships and vision journeys. She facilitates a bi-monthly meditation for women and femmes of color at the Shambhala Center in Chicago's West Loop.As noted above, her work  in both guided meditation and performance art centers women and femmes of color. She notes:"I have been in 'spiritual','New Age' communities since 2004. These communities, more often than not, are populated by white people who have no consciousness of anyone else's experience but their own. Spiritual practices tend to center the individual - this leads to the valuing of one's own bliss over dismantling any ingrained perceptions and actions that are oppressive to marginalized groups. Since there are generally only one or two token people of color (POC) in these spaces it might seem that there is no need to expand ones understanding of spirituality beyond a personal agenda - which is projected onto the world as a "saving grace". Often, if token POC have anything to say about their personal experience (and sociocultural realities), they get into a cycle of having to convince masses of white people in this community that a) they are telling the truth and that b) the white spiritual bubble will need to change completely in order to actually have an impact on anyone other than themselves...I left these communities highly traumatized and with a damaged sense of self worth. This is why I create spaces where ain't none of that".*(This is where your friendly narrator-blogger pauses to snap and YAAAHHHS all over the screen)Sojourner finds inspiration for her performance art and meditation practice through / from formative life experiences:"I grew up in white spaces. I had one particular 'last straw' experience and I looked around saw that I was surrounded by whiteness. I was very hurt. I read bell hooks',Rock My Soul: Black People and Self Esteem and it revealed everything I had ever felt about being the token black my whole life. I embarked on a healing journey that included the trauma of my mothers lineage around self worth and power. I decided that I wanted to cultivate my art and my spirituality to hold space for my black self. In doing this, I can offer my findings to black and brown femmes who are deepening their own self healing work.The Stillness Women and Femmes of Color meditation is a place where women and femmes can come and workshop themselves. I do have very clear ideas about the mind. I do believe that silent meditation is a clear and effective way to know how our minds work. When we can see that, we have more options beyond habitual patterns. However, I also don't like telling people what to do in regards to their spirituality. I think there are infinite ways that people can talk to spirit. No person has the same experience of being in a body. So, this combination of training the mind and opening to spirit gives us access to our inner worlds.I think our bodies hold all of the wisdom! All of the secrets! In our world, we (especially brown and black bodies) are forbidden from going inward unless it is in a way that is super controlled through religion or media. I want to give our bodies back to ourselves. I hold spaces where women and femmes can listen deeper than we ever do to "The woman who whispers"- Luisah Teish. We sit in meditation, light candles, draw our hearts, ask questions to grandmothers, write letters to past selves and fall in love with breath. I hope people will grow this space of creative self and community love. It will give us ways, never seen before to protest, love, express, resist and evolve. Her advice to readers is something I will also follow - ESPECIALLY in the weeks, months, and (4) years to come. It is:Pause.Slow down.Cut your pace in half.take your bath.restore...These slower places are where spirit comes to us.dismantle busy-ness. If possible, make self-care a part of what is making you "busy."The inner voice will scream.Loudeveryday, telling us what we need.If we never slow down, listen with them, create with themwe lose the opportunityto become who we came here to be. To learn more about Sojourner Zenobia and her practice, visit http://www.sojournerzenobia.com/Click here for more information on / to get involved with Stillness Meditation for Women and Femmes of Color.