Africa | Metaphysical Freedom

July 4, 2015
by Dana Leave a comment

Adventures in Africa Part 5: Coming Back to America wasn’t Easy

Approximately 5 days prior to my return from my journey in Ghana, many people started messaging me frequently. Most of the messages said one of two things: “When are you coming home?” or “You’ll be coming home soon!” I kept on receiving those messages almost daily. I felt conflicted when I read them. By this point, I had gotten accustomed to being away from the US, and was excitedly exploring areas of Ghana on my own.

In the beginning of the trip, I was anxiously trying to make sure that I had access to wifi. I have this app on my phone (that I will keep anonymous for now) that allows me to communicate with anyone across the globe who also has the app. The more that I let go of my fears about being overseas, the less that I looked at my phone to see if there was a wifi connection. So, by the time I had reached the closing of my trip, I really did not overwhelm myself with using the app, unless I was talking with the locals and a few friends.
Plus, part of the conflict I was experiencing was because I kept thinking and wanting to reply, “I AM home.”

I loved walking freely down the streets with the locals, smiling, wearing my summer dresses, eating fried or fire-baked plantains, slurping down the sweet chunks of local pineapple, and having heartfelt discussions with fellow young adults about ways we can unify our world.

I was definitely Home.

Yet the time came for me to leave. I was very upset, but checked in with my heart and got clear: “All is in Divine Order and there is a reason for my return at this time”.

I got on the plane heading back to the US. It was going to be at least an 11-hour flight into JFK airport, and then another 3 hours or so back to Atlanta. I wanted to stay awake for most of the trip, so I decided to watch movies while I was on the plane. There were several choices, but I was drawn to two particular films. I watched Selma and 12 Years A Slave during my flight back to the United States of America…coming from Ghana, West Africa.

Notice any irony?

Needless to say, I am not sure what drew me to those films (and I knew what they were about), but watching them during the flight had more of an impact than I had imagined. I cried, felt disgusted, and was reminded of another fact about the foundational history of the place I was heading to.

So many thoughts and emotions rolled through me. My parents, who are in their late 60’s and early 70’s now, were once forced to use public amenities that were for “Coloreds/Blacks Only”. They went to schools that were segregated. They saw the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. in real time. My dad marched in demonstrations, and I recalled marching with him and local members of the community as a very young girl in order to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr’s activism when he visited my home town. (Where he was arrested, by the way.)

Then I landed on US soil. I made it back into Atlanta, Georgia, and attempted to re-assimilate myself into American culture by catching up on the latest news. The first thing that I heard about was another shooting of an African American male. I turned off the news and sat in silence for a few hours. I felt numb and heavily detached, because I knew (and know) that this does not have to be.

Not long after that, the shootings in Charleston occurred. Once again, I thought about my experience in Ghana, and then recalled what I was witnessing here in America. It was challenging to go from an environment that oozes with freedom into a place that began to feel oppressive and constrictive. But I always remember that I have choice, and I can choose my own thoughts.

From our thoughts, our feelings and behaviors are affected. We can choose to interact with our environment from an intentional and positive mindset.

Yet, I still chose to reflect upon the history of America…briefly.

Many Americans know that this country was built from the desires of ego-centered men who seemed to have lacked understanding of the True Essence of humanity as a whole. Here it is, the 4th of July, where many of us Americans celebrate Independence Day. Yet, what is really being celebrated? The signing of the Declaration of Independence is not completely about freedom. (I also learned that some colonists did not sign it until an anti-slavery clause was taken out of it, but that may be for another blog post.)
Essentially, the 4th of July is celebrated because the colonies chose to declare their independence from Britain. The colonists were upset with Britain because they were being taxed, feeling stressed, and various rules were placed upon them that they did not like. But think about it…aren’t these same types of taxations and rules in existence in the country right now?

So I ask you, “What are you celebrating?”

I love this line in Bob Marley’s Redemption Song:

“Emancipate yourself from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our mind.”

One of the reasons I named my company Metaphysical Freedom is because Freedom first begins in the mind. For example: The colonists who declared their freedom from Britain first had to THINK they could be free from British rule. The slaves who fought for freedom first had to THINK that they could be free. The activists who marched for Civil Rights first had to THINK that change was possible.

I encourage you to recognize the power of your mind and the unshakable freedom that you have from owning your own thoughts and creating your experience from your authentic mind. Not from what someone else has told you, and NOT based on history. History does NOT have to repeat itself, and would not be able to if we renewed our minds and evolved.

You and I KNOW that there is a better way for ALL of us to live on this planet, and that is in HARMONY with it and each other.

Celebrate Harmony. Celebrate Love. Celebrate true Freedom.

With Love,
Dana (Intuitive Dana)
http://www.metaphysicalfreedom.com

June 19, 2015
by Dana 2 Comments

Adventures in Africa Part 4: The People Are Rich, but Do Not Know It

I mentioned in Part 1 that earlier this year, I traveled to Ghana, West Africa and stayed for a month. In my time there, I learned a lot of positives about myself and the Ghanaian culture. I also recognized some of my own stigmas, and challenged others’. However, there are some things that I learned which opened my eyes to the reality of the challenges we face due to our ego-centric human nature and history. Through my next set of posts, I will address some “ugly truths” that I developed a better understanding of while being in Ghana.

As I shared in the first post, there were several people from other countries visiting Ghana. Due to my naivety, I thought that the majority of these people were tourists or volunteers. When I spent more time in the country, I paid attention to the landscape, noticed the architecture, and witnessed the different “classes” of people.

There were notably many people from China, India, and France in Ghana. (Through conversation, I learned that there are many people from these countries who reside or visit Africa in general.) I have seen videos of other African countries with “foreigners”, but the experience is different when something is observed firsthand.

I saw extravagant hotels, numerous casinos, and fancy apartment buildings in Ghana. When I asked the locals who owned them, I was surprised to know that most were owned by “foreigners”. These luxurious establishments were in the middle of cities with shack houses, cramped market spaces, and unstable roads. In the least, they were hard to miss because they appeared to have higher quality construction.

Why, you may ask are all these businesses there? Well, think about this: Which nation/continent is one of the largest leaders in cocoa production, has lots of oil, precious metals, diamonds and gold? You got that right. Africa.

I was bothered to not only to witness the economic disparity among the native Ghanaians, but also to observe the ways that the people were being taken advantage of by “foreign” businesses (example: Paying workers far less to run million-dollar businesses). I talked with many educated local businessmen who expressed that other countries are investing heavily in the continent of Africa and its countries. I learned that treaties were formed centuries ago that have left the people with little to no input or income when it relates to the extraction, use, and distribution of their resources.

It is funny to me that a great amount of the American publicity about the continent has been geared towards driving people away from Africa, or displays the people as poor and impoverished. Yet, I clearly saw that other countries see Africa as a rich continent filled with resources and wealthy opportunities.

I am not against people thriving and doing well in their business and economic endeavors, but I do not vibe with groups who take advantage of and oppress another group for their own gain.
It is once again, another form of slavery. The Ghanaian people are very kind, open, and non-violent. Their hospitality is nothing like any Southern hospitality I have experience in the United States. But, something is missing. They are rich and do not know it.

The long-term effects of colonization have left several of the people with a case of learned helplessness. I will talk more about the long-term effects of colonization in another post.

However, a crafty way that I can explain learned helplessness is like this:
A person desires to get help with turning off a light in a room. The person is facing a wall, and the light switch is on the opposite wall that the person is not looking at. Due to the person’s history and past experiences, the person was made to believe that he/she cannot help him/herself. So, this person asks every other person who comes into the room for help with turning off the light. In reality, all that the person has to do is turn around and flip the switch.

When I roamed around Ghana, a lot of the people expressed that they want to come to the US in order to find jobs and make money. Almost none of them said that they wanted to have their own businesses and thrive in their own country. I couldn’t understand it. I felt like they were in a land overflowing with wealth, yet they were seeing it only from a limited viewpoint, and a very negatively skewed one at that.

It appears that their view of their situation is a result of a centuries old “(human) race consciousness” that supports limited awareness of personal strength and freedom.
I desire for the Ghanaian people to know how rich they truly are. Food grows almost everywhere, the air is lively and basically unpolluted (most places I went), and the land has a wealth of resources.

These ants did not question if they could build this structure. They knew they had the ability, worked together, and did so, unencumbered.

To my Ghanaian brothers and sisters (and you the reader):

Do not look outside of yourself in order to discover riches.
See who You Are.
You Are already Rich and well-equipped.
Tap into your innate strength and wealth.

With loving conviction,
Dana (Intuitive Dana)
http://www.metaphysicalfreedom.com

June 2, 2015
by Dana Leave a comment

Adventures in Africa Part 3: Making Connections

Connecting with the Ghanaian People

I toured a small portion of the country and gathered as much information as I could about the people, culture, language, and customs. Most of the Ghanaian people are Christian, and there is also a large Muslim population as well. The day after Easter Sunday, I visited the beautiful Aburi Botanical Gardens for an Easter Monday festival. There was a live band, picnics, dancing, singing, games, and lots of food everywhere. I noticed the FREEDOM of the people, unlike anything else I have ever experienced. Everywhere that I looked, everyone was walking around confidently, laughing, smiling, and LIVING in the moment. I loved every moment of it!

Here is a video clip from Aburi Botanical Gardens on that day: https://youtu.be/Irxx91oxWMo

Without me saying a word, people noticed that I was “different”and often asked if I was African at all. A few people said to me that my skin was too light, so they were willing to believe I was from South Africa. I found that hard to believe, because I have a brown complexion. (Then, I jokingly thought about the 13% of my lineage that is European.) After this happened frequently, I learned very quickly not to be bothered by these statements because I knew that it was only curiosity.

I met two young men in their 20’s at Aburi. Their names were Francis and Joe. They were excited to meet an American and asked me hundreds of questions. The first thing they said was, “Are you a Black American?” I nodded. Francis and Joe expressed that they wanted to come to America so that they can have jobs and live a good life. I did not want to discourage them, but I was realistic and told them that many people in America are having difficulty finding work. They looked puzzled so I explained more about the American economy until they understood.

I asked Francis and Joe for their Ghanaian names. With hesitance, they told me. Then, they asked me what my African name was. I told them that I did not know. They looked so surprised at me and asked why I didn’t know. I had to explain to them how slavery impacted my family (and many others) to the point where I could not tell them my whole lineage or my ancestors’ names. They continued to look surprised and a little empathetic.

We continued our conversations and talked about several issues facing each country. I wanted them to know how much freedom they truly have and how amazing life can be, right where they were. I ended up talking to them for a few hours, but it was worth it. After our conversation, they each told me their native names again, and with pride.

New friends Francis and Joe at Aburi

There are talented young people in Ghana. I met Jacob during some downtime. Jacob is a creative and fashion-forward young adult. He makes handbags, shoes, accessories, clothing, and much more…ALL BY HAND. As I learned more about him, I discovered that he had given a large portion of his products to someone in another country who paid him little to nothing for it and now sells it in her store for 120x’s more. I encouraged Jacob to share his work globally using social media, instead of just in Ghana. I pointed out to him that he spends a lot of time and effort to do his work, so he should get back what it is worth. He agreed, and has started working with a Facebook page to share his work. (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ja-Creation/832268476851066)

Jacob, a talented and fashion-forward guy. He makes shoes, clothing, handbags, and accessories. By the way, he made the bookbag in this picture.

Hanging out with Jacob and taking selfies at a local Lounge in Tema

I also had the pleasure of meeting Kingsford. He is another young adult, and he works in one of the small shops in the Accra Arts Center area. He was cool, kind, and made very nice bracelets…BY HAND. I supported his business by getting personalized bracelets made. I would sit in the chair and chat with him while he made them.

Kingsford making a personalized bracelet.

Giving Kingsford a goodbye hug and thanking him.

My next to last week in Ghana, I stayed at the home of a missionary woman. She worked with several organizations and had numerous projects. One day, she asked if I could sit in on a meeting and give feedback based on my perspective. I agreed. The meeting was at the Malku Institute of Technology. The topic of interest was marketing and social media. I gave my honest opinion and shared research that I had read. Surprisingly to me, I was asked to come back and present a workshop to the core staff about the topic. I was thrilled to do so, and I put together a simple presentation to assist them in the best way that I knew how.

As I continued with the intention to connect with the Ghanaian people, I discovered that the ones I connected with were ones who needed to be encouraged and reminded that they are worthy of greatness. (Don’t we all need that?!)

Here is another person that I met. Thomas, pictured below. He was my cab driver during my last week in Ghana. Thomas is 70 years old, and has 2 adult children living in New York. He and I had great conversations about spirituality, religion, and stages of the lifespan. Thomas shared that he feels like his time on Earth is about to be up. He said, “My kids are grown and a lot of my friends are dead.” I expressed to him that there is so much life to live right now. He smiled when we talked and shared, “I wish we could have met sooner so we can really talk about Life!” Before I left, he commanded me, “You come back in a year, and I want to meet your husband and baby.” This statement made me laugh.

All in all, I loved to hear Thomas’s perspective, yet most importantly, he also appreciated my willingness to listen.

By the last week of my trip, most people said to me, “Are you Ghanaian? You look Ghanaian.” I was so amused by this because the only thing that changed for me was that I felt less like a tourist or visitor and more like I was at home.

When my host family asked me how I felt about being in Africa and specifically in Ghana, I replied: “I see the faces of my friends and family in the people here.”

It easily felt like home, indeed.

Think about this:

The more we seek to understand each other, the less and less we support the false barriers that exist between us.

Joe gifted me with a bracelet and asked to be a lifelong friend.

With Love,
Dana (Intuitive Dana)
http://www.metaphysicalfreedom.com

June 2, 2015
by Dana Leave a comment

Adventures in Africa Part 2: Exploring My African Roots

Exploring My African Roots

One of the many reasons that I traveled to Ghana and spent a month there is because I wanted to learn more about my African roots. One of my siblings did the DNA genealogy test to help us to determine what regions/countries that our ancestors came from. To me, the test results were…well…they weren’t very conclusive. They read something like: Overall 85% from Africa (of course), then it was broken down into countries- Cameroon/Congo 31%, Ivory Coast/Ghana 26%, Nigeria 10%, and traces of Senegal 7%, Mali 4%, Togo/Benin 4%, and the South-Eastern Bantu region 2%. The other percentages were roughly 13% European and 2% Central Asian. When I first heard the results, I asked, “What does that really mean?” I don’t believe that the same borders or boundaries existed when my early ancestors were living freely on the land hundreds of years ago, so I figured that Ghana would be a good place in West Africa to learn at least something about the people I come from.

I grew up in South Georgia with small beginnings on family farmland in the countryside. The farms were former plantations. I remember having family get-togethers outside where we fried fish in a large pot of oil over an open flame. We had live animals running around…horses, pigs, chickens, and the family dogs. My uncles loved cooking Brunswick stew, or bringing back fresh fish from the local river. My dad would cut sugar cane, and we all enjoyed chewing it to get the sweet “juice”. I remember when I was very young, I used to sit on my great grandmother’s porch overlooking the farmland and help her to “shuck” corn.

Some of the houses were more like shacks because they were built by family members and had tin roofs. We called some of them “shotgun” houses because you could walk into the front door and see straight through the house all the way to the back door.

Even when we moved to the city, we continued some of our lifestyle. We grew plums, pecans, figs, blackberries, and peppers in our own yard.

Life was simple and rich.

Sogakope, Ghana in the Volta Region felt the most like my hometown to me. There were mostly dirt roads, several handmade houses, and the people were laid-back.

A few homes in Sogakope

Mango tree in the yard

Food stand: Pineapple, yam, plantain, palm nuts, and chopped sugar cane (at the bottom)

Laid-back moto riders relaxing by a “shack”

Something else that was interesting to me was related to funerals. My family usually wears black to funerals. However, if it is a grandparent that dies, we (as grandchildren) wear white instead. I don’t remember questioning why we had this tradition.

During my time in Ghana, I learned that red, black, and white are the funeral colors for Ghanaians. The people wear red if it is a young person who has passed away. They wear black if it is an adult/middle-aged person. They wear white if it is an elderly person. I felt a sense of satisfaction with this information and pondered if our family tradition was a watered-down version of an ancestral practice.

One final thing that caught my attention and felt comforting was the clothes-washing. Almost everyone hand-washes their clothing and hangs them out on a line to dry. My parents grew up doing the same thing, and they did the same for us. At some point, we had a washing machine, but we NEVER had a dryer, so we used a clothesline. As a teen, I used to be ashamed of it, but now I smile joyfully about it. (Plus, it is very environmentally friendly.)

Clothes hanging on the clothesline at a university guest house.

These small similarities made me feel more at ease in the “foreign” country. I started to pay more conscious attention to the people, and began to see familiarity in all of them.

It is such a pleasure to notice the small things that connect us all as a people.

With that being said, Here is Part 3: Making Connections.

In Joy!
Dana (Intuitive Dana)
http://www.metaphysicalfreedom.com

May 18, 2015
by Dana 1 Comment

Adventures in Africa Part 1: Confronting Stereotypes/Myths

In March 2015, I traveled to Ghana, West Africa and stayed for a month. This was my first official flight overseas, so I was nervous. I was not sure what to expect on my way to Ghana. I flew solo, and was going to meet my host family at the final destination in Accra. I took a red-eye flight, but there was a brief layover in Amsterdam. When I made it to Amsterdam, I could already feel a difference in the air. There was a sense of movement and action that did not feel like mindless busyness.

My layover was only for a few hours, so I made my way to the next gate for the plane heading to Accra, Ghana. When I got to the gate, I immediately noticed that almost everyone was Black. The people’s beautiful dark skin had a supernatural glow. I KNEW I was among Africans. It was an exciting feeling. The second part of the flight was long and turbulent. When the plane landed in Accra that night, most of the passengers applauded in relief. Shuttle buses came to the plane to pick up the passengers and take us into the airport. It was raining and humid, but I was in Africa!!

The customs line was long, and I had to wait for over an hour to make it through. Many diverse people were in the line with me. I saw Chinese, Lebanese, Nigerian, Belgian, and Canadian visitors, just to name a few. I admit that I was surprised to see many “foreigners” coming to Ghana. Then it hit me…I realized that I may have had some subconscious stereotypes and misconceptions about Africa even though I consider myself to be a very open-minded and an independent thinker. Due to this realization, this first post of the series is going to address some of the stereotypes and myths that many people might have about Africa. Although I was only in Ghana, I think that a lot of this information is relevant.

Language Stereotype
Prior to leaving the US, many people asked me, “Do they even speak English over there?” Often times, the tone of the question was condescending and judgmental more than curious.
To answer that question…Yes. A majority of the people in Ghana do speak some English (and also one or more of the native dialects).
Honestly, even if the people didn’t speak English, I was willing to learn their language. As people of a culturally diverse world, I think it is beneficial not to be xenophobic or extremely ethnocentric. It benefits us if we do not go into another country expecting the people to speak the language that we are most comfortable or familiar with. It causes us to open up and develop an understanding of each other that verbal language can sometimes distract us from.

But yes, a majority of the people spoke English. This was a blessing, and I was extremely grateful.

Sign Above the door at a Primary school

Stereotype: There is extreme Lack of Education
This is not completely true. There are professionals such as doctors, lawyers, pharmacists, teachers, etc in Ghana. I did notice that public schools seemed to get the least amount of assistance and care. The conditions were not the best ones for learning. (I will discuss this in a more in depth post later on in the series.)

There are colleges, universities, and tech schools in Ghana.

Stereotype: People only wear Traditional Clothing
I can admit that I expected a majority of the Ghanaian people to dress in traditional African clothing. This was not the case.
In all of the places that I visited, the majority of the people were dressed similar to me or my close friends. They looked like Americans. I did learn that this varied based on regions, belief systems, and age.

Adults waiting for a ride near the Volta Region.

Young people dancing in the park at Aburi Botanical Gardens.

Myth: There are only Dirt Roads and Villages with no Running Water or Electricity
There are some paved roads, and there are some unpaved roads in Ghana. I had the joy of experiencing both. In some areas, when it rains, the paved roads get washed away and turn back into muddy roads with enormous craters. It can make for a bumpy ride or limited access to areas, especially if you do not have a moto (motorcycle).

Man and woman riding the moto near the Volta Region.

There are traditional villages and thatch roof houses like the ones that are often portrayed on television. However, many people do have homes like the ones in America, and they are HUGE!

Village home in Dodowa.

Back view of a “toilet” at a village home in Dodowa. The owner was kind enough to let me use it.

Private bathroom in my bedroom in West Legon.

There IS running water and electricity in parts of Ghana. Not all places have running water or electricity, but many of them do. Unfortunately there is an issue with frequent electricity outages. The people are accustomed to it, and even have a name for it: Doomsor. Some days I had electricity, but almost every day I did not have electricity for 6, 12, or more hours. I seldom had hot water, but it was bearable because the weather is very hot and humid.

Village children pumping water while a man walks by carrying goods on his head.

Stereotype: There is dangerous “Wildlife” (lions) roaming everywhere.
There are several animals in Ghana. I did not get to see the monkeys, elephants, zebras, and giraffes, but I learned that they have nature reserve parks in different regions where I can go see them. Everyday I did encounter many cows, goats, chickens, dogs, cats, and sheep freely roaming around the streets and in harmony with each other.

Baby goat in Dodowa casually heading under the vehicle for shade.

Herd of cows calmly crossing the street in the city.

Myth: All of Africa is only Deserts. There is no Vegetation.
Ghana is beautiful! I was able to experience the lush Aburi Botanical Gardens, go to the beach, see mountains, and visit the bush areas. Plus, almost every where that I went, there was mango, papaya, avocado, and plenty of foods growing naturally. It was magnificent!

Home on a hill in Aburi

Walking a path out in the “bush” north of Aburi.

Cape Coast (The other side of the Atlantic Ocean)

Stereotype: There is nothing for Tourists because the countries are underdeveloped.
I would recommend that anyone with a genuine interest in the continent of Africa visit at least one country, even if it is only for tourism. In Ghana, there are hotels, spas, shopping malls, museums, national parks, and movie theaters. I am certain that other countries in Africa have the same amenities as well. 🙂

Spa in Sogakope, Ghana (Volta Region)

Museum in Kumasi (Ashanti Region)

Myth: They do not like African Americans.
My experience was that many of the people do like African Americans…and people in general. I was often referred to as “sister” (or “girlfriend” or “wife” by some guys who were really trying to push the envelope). The mindset of the Ghanaian people that I interacted with is , “We are family”. The people were extremely nice, helpful, and I felt very safe. I met some kindhearted individuals and made wonderful new friends during my time in Ghana.

My message to you is this:
Africa is a rich and enchanted continent.
Do not allow stereotypes, myths, and targeted media coverage prevent you from visiting Africa, meeting the beautiful people, or exploring other regions of this planet.

If the inner guidance of your heart is pulling you to venture out, give it a try.

A loving presence is understood across all cultures and languages.

In Joy and with Love,
Dana (Intuitive Dana)
http://www.metaphysicalfreedom.com
Questions about my trip? Contact me.

April 16, 2015
by Dana 2 Comments

Slave Dungeons or Castles? El Mina & Cape Coast in Ghana

El Mina Castle (Dungeon) in Ghana

I am currently in Ghana, in the western part of Africa, on my first trip to the continent. I arrived in the city of Accra late on a Tuesday night in March. I was nervous, excited, and exhausted all in one. The customs line for foreigners was very long, so it took over an hour for me to get through. When I made it outside the airport, the first thing that I felt was extreme heat and humidity. I had been on the freezing cold airplane for several hours, the airports were very cold, and then suddenly it was hot. The second thing I noticed was all the Black people…Africans. They looked so beautiful, glowing, and so dark that their skin mixed with the night sky. It was lovely.

My first week here was spent doing tourist-like activities. I have been exploring the region and getting a better understanding of the people. During this tour, I visited Cape Coast Castle and the El Mina Castle. Some ex-pats refer to these locations as the Dungeons instead of castles. These are places where Africans were held in captivity before boarding ships to be sent to other parts of the world as slaves.

Needless to say, going on a tour of the castles was an emotional experience for me. Maybe not in the way that you would think, though. Instead of tears of sadness and sorrow, I became very angry when I heard about the inhumane things that were done to my ancestors. Although I learned about slavery, I was only given a small perspective—one from the lens of American History. The more I learned, the angrier I became. It was disturbing to think about the level of maltreatment that one human can inflict upon another and continue to live a fairly normal day-to-day life.

I heard about the ways that Africans assisted the Europeans to capture other Africans, especially if they were from another tribe or were offered a large amount of European goods.

I learned how the female slaves in the castle were abused and sexually exploited by the governor and his men. The women were forced out of their dungeon and had to walk in a small open courtyard. The governor’s quarters overlooked the courtyard. He simply would point at the woman he wanted to have sex with, and then she was taken through a secret door to his bedroom. Once he was done, she was put back in the dungeon with the others. If she refused, she was left outside, a ball and chain around her ankles to suffer…as punishment.

In the courtyard: Ball (without chain) for female slaves who refused sex

There is a great amount that I would like to write about this experience, yet I will keep this post brief. (Maybe this will turn into a book.) One other thing that I will mention is the “Door of No Return”. The slaves were kept in the dungeons for weeks and months at a time (men and women were separate).
Think about it: Hundreds of people in one room–eating, sleeping, defecating, urinating, sick, etc…in ONE small room. The ones who died were taken out and tossed into the sea. The ones who survived made the life-altering journey onto the ships that transported them all over the world…. when they walked through the Door of No Return. Not only did they have to endure the dungeons, but the ones who survived had to endure the ship rides around the globe. What a shame that so many people suffered from this tragedy at the hands of their own people.

This is only a miniscule piece of the history of this planet.

Door of No Return

Why am I writing any of this? Because I desire for you to open your eyes and your mind.

Slavery still exists today, right here and now, and it takes on many forms. Some examples are: Mental slavery, economic dis-empowerment, sex trafficking, free/cheap labor, and cultural imperialism.

I refuse to believe that human nature is naturally selfish, greedy, and immoral.

Yet, I do wonder: What will it take for all humans to see each other as fellow brothers and sisters on this planet? How can we mend the mistakes of those before us and live in a peaceful world instead of repeating this revolving pattern?

Several RIP flowers and gifts were left in the dungeons from visitors around the globe.

In spite of the anger I felt, I found one thing to be slightly comforting. Several people from all over the world left gifts, flowers, and memorials for the slaves who were in the dungeon. Most of them read, “Rest In Peace” and referred to humanity learning a vital lesson from the pains of the slave trade.

I know that healing is possible. But first, we must have compassion for ourselves and each other.

We all need each other now more than ever.

With Compassion,
Dana (Intuitive Dana)
http://www.metaphysicalfreedom.com

January 12, 2015
by Dana Leave a comment

The Miraculous Power of YES

There is a burning inside of me. I cannot ignore it.
There is a purpose that calls from far away. I have to answer.
There is a Vision that shows up in my dreams,
and it is pouring into my waking life.
It Must be My Reality.

What shall I do?

Today, I have chosen to outgrow fear of the unknown.
What is the worst that could happen?
I could have never tried to live out my dream.
That is the worst that could have happened.

–Dana D. Robinson

Miracles are but Divine Orchestration at its finest! Here is a personal story about my experience with saying YES to my Spirit and a greater calling:

Fall 2014: My heart was set on going to Cambodia in January 2015 for an outreach project through my spiritual center, but the Universe told me something different.
Let me rewind. It started with a Joel Fotinos talk and workshop on “living my purpose”. At the workshop, I felt so convicted to focus on my job at the time, build a large savings, and “tough it out” a little longer before I stepped out on my own as a fully self-employed entrepreneur. That Sunday, I had also made up my mind that I was going to take some vacation time off work and go to Cambodia with the group.

The next morning, I did an extended meditation on my decision to leave and asked for guidance regarding my next steps. I was told very clearly to go to Africa instead. I wanted to go to Africa for years, but it never seemed like the right time. During that meditation, I asked which country I should go to. I was clearly told to go to Ghana. I simply said, “Yes, okay” and let go of any other attachment to it.

That following Sunday, I went to the spiritual center and the senior minister did a talk on Beauty for Ashes. It really struck me so hard that I was tearful and attended both services. I realized that I was holding on to fear, and was not happy with the situation I was in.
That afternoon (Sunday) I felt led to go to a local organic food store to get dinner and relax. I randomly met an interesting guy there in the store café, who happened to be a Financial Adviser. I did not feel afraid, so shared with him that I felt the pull to go to Ghana. He was receptive, and kindly shared some financial planning and abundance building tools with me in exchange for a Reading. It was a cool experience!

The next morning on Monday, I went to work feeling discontent. I was very detached and could intuitively feel myself leaving the job soon. That evening, I went to a vibe session (music, poetry, open mic, etc). One of the guys there asked me about the work that I do and invited me to come and do healings at another event the next evening. I agreed.

Tuesday, at work, one of my co-workers yelled at me and became verbally aggressive. The entire staff and director witnessed what happened, but no one said anything. I remained calm, but felt a strong desire to leave and not return. I knew it wasn’t for me, but I kept on working. That night, I did the healings at the event, and it was fantastic! I felt rejuvenated!

Wednesday, I went in to work very early to try to regain some sense of loyalty to the company. One of my very quiet and soft spoken co-workers came very early too. We were the only two there. She looked up at me and said, “You need to get out of here. What they are doing is wrong, and they don’t care about the workers. If you are able to go, then you should go.”
It was one of those moments when I could tell that Spirit was speaking to me without a doubt. I looked at her and said, “I can find a job in 6 weeks, I’m sure.” She strongly agreed with me.
I sent a text to my oldest brother and asked him if it seemed crazy to leave my job and go to Africa. He text me back, “I have been paralyzed for too long in my life. Go where Spirit leads you.” All I could do was sit in awe at his response. But, I still went through the routine at work, and found it very difficult to stay focused that day.
That evening, I went to a class located in a store in the west side. I overheard a person at the store say “Africa“. I went straight to this person and asked if he mentioned the continent. He was very nice, and shared with me that he had been to Ghana and other African countries. He told me that one of the women who worked with him had connections in Ghana and I should contact her. I agreed to reach out to her during regular business hours.

Thursday, I had to take a client to court (part of the job). At the court house, the client was very rude and even yelled at me. In the years that I have worked as a psychotherapist, I have had supernatural patience and compassion for my clients. That day, it was different. I stayed calm, but I excused myself and stepped into the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror and said, “I’m done.” None of what I was doing felt right anymore. What’s funny is that at the same time, one of my friends text me and said, “Had enough yet?” I was appalled, but I text back, “Yes!”
That same day, the HR Manager at the company called me into the office late that afternoon. She never looked me in the eyes, but said they had to terminate my contract with them, stating that I was affecting their billing. (By the way, they were asking me to do things that were not ethical, so I did not do them). When I left out of their office, I celebrated and felt so elated and free. I kept saying, “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

Friday, I went back to west side and met with the woman who had connections in Ghana. We talked for hours, and she asked very profound questions. I noticed that she was very curious and smiled confidently at me. She provided me with information about places to go, how to get my Visa, and what I would need to do and have in order to make the trip. Then she did something that gave me chills…
She pulled out her computer and began emailing someone who she knew that also lived there. She wrote a little bit about me, and then had me to write a few things about myself, and provide my contact information. I thanked her, we ended our conversation, and I went along my way feeling happy and open.

I talked to my oldest brother on the phone, and he asked me, “When are you going to Africa?” I laughed quietly. He said, “Hmm. Christmas is coming up. That’ll be your gift. A ticket to go.” I could tell he was serious. I was baffled and could only say, “Thank you.”

The next day (Saturday) I received a call from a foreign number. It was the gentleman who lives in Africa! We talked for over an hour and a half. He was very articulate, strategic in his questioning, and thorough. I found out that he is an educational consultant who travels to different countries. He asked several prominent questions. He asked me, “What do you see yourself doing?” I shared that I had thoughts/visions about teaching, but I also wanted to learn more about the culture to see what I can do to best serve the people. He then said, “What do you need me to help you with?” I was honest and shared that I needed assistance with housing because I wanted to stay longer than a week or two–more like a month.
He was quiet for a moment, and then shared with me that the woman I met at the store was a very long-time friend of his… 20 plus years. He told me that he trusts her judgment and knew that she referred me to him because she felt like I was serious about going. He paused, took a deep breath, and then spoke slowly and carefully saying, “I spoke with my wife, and she agreed that you could stay with us while you are here. Also, I know that I can get you into at least one school where you can teach if that is what you want.” My jaw dropped, my eyes teared up, and I felt ecstatic! I said, “YES” and thanked him.

He and I continued talking every few days, and linked up on social media. I learned that he also works in the human services field, and has built a good business for himself.
One day, we were talking, and he shared that he and his family would be coming to a nearby state. “I would love to meet you in person,” he stated. “Yes,” I agreed. “I will drive to where you are and meet up with you.”

I met with the family on the first day of this New Year! The father was kind, his wife was sweet, and his children were so polite and curious. I felt at ease with them. The father and I talked all night, got up early, and talked until mid-afternoon the next day! If we both didn’t have to travel several hours, I am sure that we would have kept on talking well into the night!
What I loved the most is that it wasn’t just mindless chatter. We talked about life challenges, relationships, psychology, consciousness, books, and various philosophies.
I had desired a mentor to help me to grow in my field of work. Not just any mentor, though. I desired for it to be someone who has similar life-views, lots of educational training, a successful business, unwavering discipline, and compassion. I felt like a student that had finally connected with a long-awaited teacher.

Recently, my mentor and I were discussing our personal visions for this year. We discovered that we have similar visions regarding the outreach that we would like to do. It was in this conversation that he asked me, “Can you stay for two months? There is so much work that needs to be done.”
My first thought was, “Yes.”

Why not?

I know that the Universe conspires to support our dreams.
All we have to do is:
1) Listen for instructions
2) Say “Yes”
3) Follow Divine Guidance
4) Be ready to receive

What do you need to say “Yes” to today?

You can support my journey here–> http://www.gofundme.com/jvz5pc

With love,
Dana
http://www.metaphysicalfreedom.com

	Dana D. Robinson on Speak from Your Heart (Mindful…
	El Kamau on Speak from Your Heart (Mindful…
	kineticascent on Speak from Your Heart (Mindful…
	kineticascent on Empty Yourself (to Serve)
	Dana D. Robinson on Music: The Universal Heal…

	Dana D. Robinson on Speak from Your Heart (Mindful…
	El Kamau on Speak from Your Heart (Mindful…
	kineticascent on Speak from Your Heart (Mindful…
	kineticascent on Empty Yourself (to Serve)
	Dana D. Robinson on Music: The Universal Heal…

Metaphysical Freedom

Psychotherapy/Counseling, Metaphysical Coaching (Life and Business), Counselor Consultation and Supervision, Mindfulness-Based Energy Work

Category Archives: Africa

Adventures in Africa Part 2: Exploring My African Roots

The Miraculous Power of YES