Are You a Vestal Virgin?
Dr. Amanda Kemp, Podcaster/Author Mother Tree Network Host
Founder at Racial Justice from the Heart
I’m just leaving a visit in New Orleans where I got to see Miss Makeda, my podcast co-host and beauty-full daughter.
While there, we experienced the Queen Nefertari exhibit at NOMA which left me full and heavy.
As I moved from jewelry to coffins to instruments, I wondered how did these artifacts and grave pieces from five thousand to eight thousand years old Kemet/Egypt end up in Italy and then in a 21st century art museum in NOLA?
(Okay, I know—colonialism, imperialism, war, and greed.)
But what was cool about the exhibit was how Queen Nefertari had a whole plaque listing her many names.
For example, she was: Beautiful Companion, the One for Whom the Sun Shines, Mistress of Two Lands, and many more.
This reminds me of a West African tradition of announcing who a leader is by saying aloud their lineage, including their feats and accomplishments.
So some of y’all know, I’ve been living through a spiritual awakening. And, a part of this journey is a new name.
I’m not ready to share it yet, but… it’s so cool to know that I can keep ALL of my names.
I don’t have to surrender Dr. Amanda Kemp. I can just add on to that. After all my mother gave me my name!
But my new names remind me of who I am for this season of my life and what I’m here to do.
领英推荐
So, I gratefully accept them and wear them like a robe (inside the house until I’m ready to walk under their weight on the outside).
This week I invite you to make some space to reflect on your sacred purpose or service.
Take advantage of the cosmic energies to acknowledge your sacred service. Today the quarter moon is in the constellation virgo, which is connected to the archetype of Vesta and sacred service.
Like the vestal virgins of Roman times, I encourage you to protect your inner flame, your sacred service.
Just take a moment right now to close your eyes and breathe.
Say out loud: “I accept and protect my sacred work.”
(Nice job!)
If your work is:
To make peace
To be compassion
To transmute shame,
I invite you to check out our?Transform your Conversations about Racism?digital course.
Owner, Transforming Space + Self + Loss
2 年Yes, we can keep all of the names we want to keep. We can even name ourselves! thank you for this powerful reflection on protecting our own inner flame and the names by which we are known, @ @ Dr. Amanda Kemp Author/Mentor to Healers and Feelers !
exploring the liminal space of possibilities
2 年As we are called to contribute more to the world, so, too, is it vital to acknowledge the fullness of all that we are and what we bring. ?
Activated the 80s with David Bowie and Scritti Politti. Team Builder. Retro Futurist raising the roof.
2 年"Just take a moment right now to close your eyes and breathe. Say out loud: “I accept and protect my sacred work.” Well, d'you know what Dr. Amanda Kemp? Thanks for saying this on LinkedIn. When this platform started it seemed to be all about profits and nothing about prophets. We need the balance, thanks for this article.
Stanford Ambassador of Applied Compassion | Designing next generation digital tools to make you and the world a more compassionate place
2 年That course looks amazing.
An international consultant and expert in human behaviour, Claire is the Creator and Founder of The Universal Needs (a proprietary model and methodology), specialising in business, HR, leadership and mental health.
2 年“I accept and protect my sacred work.”