Melanated Talk + Meditation | Clarity For Direction

Good morning,

Hello,

I am Candy Dugas and I am here as your guide.

I am your guide for meditation in seeking direction.

It is morning when I am recording this,

But this meditation is one for any time that you need to connect spiritually,

Energetically,

To get some clarity around which way you should go,

What decision you should make,

What it is that you ought to do,

What's the best thing for you,

Your family,

Your life,

Those that you care about,

Your future,

What's the best thing,

What is it that you ought to do,

How is it that you can let go of something that you've cared so deeply about,

How is it that you can launch into something you feel called to and you don't know much about it,

What's the direction for you,

That is what you seek in this moment and the best way to get that answer is from within and around and beyond and you get to that place of connection through meditation,

Through suspending consciousness,

Tangible consciousness,

To tap into the forces,

The energies that run this world,

This universe of which you are a part and when you align there,

It manifests physically in ways that you can touch and see and feel and taste.

So welcome to this YouTube channel.

This is the original platform of this meditation,

No matter where it is that you're experiencing it.

The work of Candy Dugas Collective is to help us to be fully free as black people in all the ways that it matters and we do that through the arts and we do that from within and that's why we produce these meditations.

So if you want to stay connected,

Feel free to like and subscribe and turn on your notifications and share this meditation widely.

We hear often on the news that we are living in unprecedented times and I would like to bring some balance to that feeling,

That many generations that have lived through some pivotal times in history have experienced them as unprecedented and it is,

But it's not anything that any of your ancestors have not lived through,

Have not participated in,

Have not contributed to guiding humanity and all of creation toward a better and best way of being.

Not just living in a way of survival,

But thriving and creating better space for our descendants,

For those who will come after us,

For those for whom one day we will be an ancestor,

A spiritual guide.

So we're going to begin with breathing and I invite you,

If you haven't already,

To close your eyes or to cast them down so that all the objects around you,

All the physical objects around you are not distracting to you in any way.

And of course you want to make sure you're in a quiet space in which you will not be disturbed for several minutes,

More than 10,

Maybe 20 or more.

This is a meditation to take your time,

To connect spiritually and be present there and you want to be fully present and I'm going to guide you through a journey to do that as you seek direction.

Our breathing will focus on the cycle of your breath.

The cycle of your breath is a representation of the cycle of life and it's a full cycle and we're going to breathe five to eight times.

We're going to slowly exhale.

Our exhales are going to be longer than our inhales.

When we inhale,

We're going to fully extend our belly and we're going to pause.

You may be familiar with holding your breath or pausing at the top of the breath.

We're also going to pause at the bottom so that we are engaging in a full cycle.

Let's begin.

Inhale,

Pause,

Exhale,

Pause and pause means to hold.

Inhale,

Hold,

Exhale,

Pause,

Inhale more deeply,

Hold,

Exhale,

Pause,

Inhale,

Exhale.

This time when we exhale,

We'll include a more audible sigh and when you inhale,

Inhale as deeply as you can.

Fill your belly with air,

With breath as much as you can,

Inhale,

Exhale,

Pause,

Inhale,

Exhale,

Pause.

Last time,

Inhale,

Hold,

Exhale,

Pause.

Now you want to feel all of this energy that is swirling around in your mind.

If part of that energy is about what you're supposed to be doing right now instead of meditating,

Think of a container that you consider to be very safe and secure and think of it in a color that pleases you.

Open it up and that's where you're going to place all of these thoughts that are tempting to distract you.

In this secure container,

This beautiful secure container that pleases you,

Is going to hold all of these thoughts.

They'll be there for you when you return from this experience,

From this journey,

From this meditation.

That to-do list.

That concern about what you're about to experience,

Put it all here in the container,

It's yours.

It'll be safe and protected and intact.

That's where the thoughts go and you can close it and in any time throughout the meditation that you get distracted by something else,

There's a little,

Little slot that you can slip that thought into and then return to your place in this,

In this space and time.

Any of the rest of the mental energy or charge that is swirling around in your brain and your mind,

Imagine it's swirling and then direct it downward through the rest of your torso.

It's going to hit your inner,

Your heart energy center.

Give it some love.

Let it have some energy,

Some spark,

And then it's going to hit your gut.

These are other energy centers that are as intelligent or more than your brain,

Than your mind.

These are energy centers that you might even say are more pure.

They don't have to battle against how we think about things,

Against what has poured into our minds that guide our thinking.

We have to separate and sift and discern this and that.

The energy centers of our heart and of our gut are more directly connected to the energy around us that moves the earth.

I said you're a part of that universal divine energy.

Yeah,

They,

It directly,

It more directly connects here to the heart and to the gut.

And the more you meditate,

The more it connects to your mind as well.

Share that amazing energy downward.

Then I would like for you to firmly feel your seat and think about your tailbone.

Wherever you're seated,

Feel yourself firmly supported by that,

The chair,

The ground.

Let that represent for you that you are fully supported in this moment.

You're not going anywhere that you don't want to go.

And now continue,

Imagine a continuous flow of energy from your head.

It's flowing downward.

It's swirling around and flowing downward in your heart and your gut.

That energy,

Push it down,

Push it down more through your legs to your feet and into the ground.

You could be inside right now,

But imagine it's going through the floor,

Through the foundation,

Into the earth,

Into the ground upon which you are anchored.

You are seated,

You are grounded,

You're not going anywhere,

And you have a distinct pair of footprints on this earth.

You are the only one who can feel this spot.

Imagine your feet firmly planted onto the earth.

Whatever platform feels inspiring for you,

For me,

It's a broad,

Vast,

Lush,

Green field of overgrown goodness,

Grass that is soft and lush,

Tall,

And surrounds me as I stand upon it.

I can feel the moistness of the soil.

I can imagine just how fertile it is and all the organisms that run through it,

That provide it nourishment and receive nourishment from it,

That grows this grass.

And anything else that I might decide to plant here,

And just as it might nourish the plants,

It nourishes me.

It provides for me to live,

And to prosper,

And to grow,

To be strong and healthy,

And to be all that I was created to be.

That's what I'm grounded on right now.

And then run this energy through all the layers of the earth,

Down to its core,

Where there's fire and rock and eternal energy that burns and supports the rest of us.

We don't ever see it.

We hardly ever think about it,

But yet it's there,

And it's sustainable,

And it's reliable.

It's been running for eons,

And it'll run for eons more.

And you are connected to that very energy.

And then run that energy right back up through all of the layers of the earth,

Through your feet,

Through your legs,

Through that other powerful energy center of your gut,

Through your heart,

Up to your brain,

And this is where it all balances.

I invite you now to open your crown energy center,

Yeah,

And let energy from above and around and beyond flow through you from there,

And swirl around there with the energy of your mind,

Your heart,

Your gut,

The earth,

All of this power is within you.

Let it be.

Open,

Receive,

And feel.

Now notice some places in your body where you may be holding some tension.

Is it in your shoulders?

Your neck?

Are you holding your tongue at the roof of your mouth?

Is there tension in your jaw,

Your chin?

What about that space in between your eyebrows that you might furrow and hold?

I want you to release that.

You can do that physically by scrunching up your shoulders,

Holding it,

And then dropping them,

Like you're dropping something that you were holding that was really heavy.

Tense up the muscles between your eyebrows,

Furrow that brow,

And then release as if you are surprised by something.

Just drop your tongue from the roof of your mouth,

And open wide with some tension,

Your mouth,

So you can tense up those jaw muscles,

And then release them.

Take a few moments to notice any place that you're holding tension,

And then feel like you're floating.

Send some calming,

Good,

Healing energy to those places.

Imagine that you can blow your breath.

Send that kind of energy of refreshment to the places that hold the tension for you.

Breathe,

Inhale,

Hold,

And exhale.

Now we are inviting a spirit guide to come alongside us and to assist us.

This may be a spirit guide that you're familiar with,

Even if you haven't called it that before.

This may be someone that you know,

Someone who has passed on,

Or someone that you've read about,

That you receive wisdom from,

Guidance from.

It may be a feeling,

A familiar feeling.

It can be a light,

It can be an image,

It can be an angel,

An animal,

A plant,

It could be something from a dream,

It can be an orisha.

An orisha in Yoruba tradition is a divine force of Oldumare,

Or God,

That assists humanity or you throughout this lifetime.

These guides can be something you know,

Or someone you know,

Or it can be something entirely new that you are experiencing for the very first time in this moment.

Invite the guide to be alongside you right now.

For example,

In your information for me,

I have several guides.

I travel in a pack.

They are wonderfully familiar,

And they have grown over time.

They are close in to me,

And they support me,

They protect me,

They show me things,

They connect with me,

We're all connected,

And it's just a thumb,

A thimble of all those who are available to me that,

You know,

Whom I've not met yet,

But this core group right here,

I love them,

And I'm grateful for them.

You may have just one guide that you're aware of right now,

And that is completely fine.

You are grounded.

You ain't going nowhere.

You are fine.

Ask your spirit guide to cleanse your aura now,

And your aura is your energy field that surrounds you.

This is actual energy that is around you,

And it can be felt,

And sometimes it can be seen.

Before you go any farther in this journey,

You want to be cleansed,

Refreshed,

Cleared of anything that can prevent,

Or block,

Or distract you from what you seek in this moment.

Ask your spirit guide to do that now,

To cleanse you,

To clear you.

And once you feel completely relaxed,

Centered,

And focused,

Grounded,

And cleansed,

And cleared,

Ask your spirit guide to protect you.

We never enter these spaces without all of those things I just listed,

And we never enter these spaces without being protected.

This is how you self-care,

By making sure of all of those qualities that I've mentioned,

And making sure that you are protected.

Your protection is something that makes you feel completely comfortable.

So it could be a blanket.

It could be a weighted blanket.

It could be a bubble,

Or a shield.

It could be a diamond,

Or mineral-like structure that's in sections,

Maybe woven together.

It could be a quilt.

It could be smoke.

It could be light.

It could be a mist.

Imagine and feel your protection now.

And with all of this established,

You will state your intention for this moment.

I seek direction about,

And you fill in the blank.

I am here to seek direction for blank.

In this moment,

I intend to be fully present,

To be open,

And to ask for guidance and direction about,

For,

Blank.

Ashe,

Thank you.

And now we're on our way.

Follow your spirit guide forward.

They are assisting you in getting the direction and the guidance that you seek.

So as you're traveling now,

What is it that you see?

Where are you?

Are you at the beach?

Are you at a familiar childhood spot?

Are you where you went to school,

The playground?

Are you among the trees in the woods?

Is it someplace that you've seen in a movie that you haven't visited yet,

But you want to go?

Are you among the mountains,

The red rocks of the Western United States,

Colonized,

Unseated land that we have named the United States?

Are you in a park?

Wherever you are,

It's a place that feels so right for you right now.

It could even be a well-stocked kitchen,

And you're gathering all the ingredients to prepare a delicious meal.

Or you could be in a garden,

Or even a construction site where you are building or crafting something of beauty or function or both.

Where are you right now?

And when you feel you have arrived,

You want to stop and take a break and be available to be shown or presented the direction that you seek.

The direction may come in images or words.

We're going to wait for this direction.

You should be ready to make note of it in some way,

To write it down or draw it.

You can have a conversation,

If you'd like,

With your spirit guide or the other energies that may show up here to give you direction.

We're going to take some time,

So you'll hear the silence,

But I haven't stopped the meditation at all.

I'm just giving you space and time to receive and to converse.

I'll let you know when it's time to return,

And if you need longer,

You can feel free to pause the recording and then come back so that we can close this out together.

Okay,

It's time to prepare to end your conversation or your receipt of all this wonderful direction and guidance that you have been receiving from those who care so much about you,

Those who support you,

And are here for you to help you in everything that you need to do and want to do.

We're not ending this time abruptly,

Let's take our time as we disconnect.

Express gratitude to your spirit guide and to anyone else,

Any other energy that you've met in this moment,

Deep,

Deep gratitude,

Thank you,

Ashe,

Ashe,

Ashe,

Asheo.

You can ask if there's anything else that you need to know,

That you should take back with you.

You may not have known to ask,

It's all right,

Is there anything else?

Anything else?

And you can take your spirit guide by the hand and return the way that you came,

Holding in your heart the loveliness that you just experienced,

Smiling and giddy and shining from within yourself,

Even in ways that can be seen and felt by others as you return.

You can slowly open your eyes,

Put your hands together,

Touch your hands,

Feel them,

Look at the objects around you,

The wall,

Any artwork,

Family pictures,

Furniture,

Floral arrangements,

The lamp,

Spiritual icons,

Books,

Things that belong to you,

Shoes,

Keys,

Breathe,

Wiggle your toes,

You can stretch,

Shimmy your shoulders,

Roll them around,

Blink some more,

Feel your body,

Feel that you are fully present again in your body.

Anything that you haven't written down yet,

Feel free to do so.

Thank you for doing this work,

Everybody doesn't do this.

Thank you for taking the time to seek direction,

So that everything you do counts,

The energy you expend in what you do counts.

It not only helps you,

It helps your sister,

Your brother,

It helps us all.

Thank you,

I'm deeply grateful to you for doing this.

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your journey in some way.

Thank you for returning to this meditation to help you as you continue to go farther and farther,

As you continue to go beyond and beyond.

If it's helpful for you,

Share a comment.

If you have another kind of meditation you'd like,

Drop it in the comments,

We'll create it for you and share it with others as we continue to connect worldwide and build momentum toward a better way of living and being on this planet.

Ashe.