A journey to your centre

As you go through life, consciously and subconsciously, somewhere along the way there is need to unburden, retreat into yourself, in order to return again, anew, to the world. It is a process that calls for great openness and honesty with your inner self in order to truly listen to what you need to leave behind in your journey ahead.

I like the Labyrinth for its representation of life: at times straightforward, at times circular, at times a maze but always with a way out…all is needed is sincerity and courage to step into oneself. The Labyrinth is a symbol of the two journeys we make in the pilgrimage of life, while responding to a Higher Call. “…the inner and the outer journeys, which are in fact one journey. It creates a sacred space and place that takes us out of our ego to “that which is within”. The way in is the way out”.

In every moment of great adversity or triumph, it is not an exaggeration that there is power within you to meet each in the right spirit. As you move inward, return to the beginning of your faith – uncluttered. Travel light; discard the few or many hats you wear, the demands and most importantly the noise. Leave behind the naysaying voice of guilt, resentment, 

self-hatred, failures, depression, shame and forgive yourself. Simply be and reckon with your true self, hidden in God.

Purge and focus on centering yourself in the stillness, recognising the emptiness that can only be filled by love. Receive wholly and gladly the gifts that come your way. See the possibility of the new and the light for your path so that as you move outwards back to your world, there is less anxiety and more peace in a simpler and more focused life.

That letter to your heart actually has as its reference Re: treat. Go on, make it your regular practice; slow down, find some soulful time, silence and satisfaction.

The real country

I just got back from Hargeysa. Like with every trip i make, i return with a sense of wonder of all that i have seen, revelled in and eaten;-)

One thing that struck me about Somalilanders is their patriotism. Now some of us understand patriotism differently. That it is an action summarised in that jersey worn, that drink raised and that win at the olympics. Then the following day, the tearing down of your neighbour. In these times where national identities and loyalties are so fluid, it is refreshing to be reminded of the real meaning of patriotism. Somaliland renewed my belief in uzalendo in what i observed. A deep pride for country and the added zeal to making it a place where fellow country woman and man thrives.

As i was mulling over this, i saw a piece of news from home, a border away, that moved me to silence. His nickname draws you - Jadudi but his reality even more. Jadudi, a young Kenyan man who has undergone brain surgery three times already, and is due for a fourth in coming days was at his end. Financially he was drained due to the high cost of treating the cancer. Naturally this has taken a toll on him and his family in all other ways. In a dark moment, he reached out to his country folk. He asked his kin to help him fight this battle. The will was there but the way…Biko Zulu heard his brother's call and he told the village.

In under two days, Kenyans rose magnificently as one and responded in a resounding way to Jadudi's appeal to raise one million Kenya shillings for his fourth surgery. The hundreds and hundreds of thousands of shillings flooded in totalling to just over six million shillings. The power of humanity was proven yet again. Put aside all other fickle matters and the results are stupendous! Kenyans remembered. I salute you. As African wisdom goes, "cross the river in a crowd and the crocodile won’t eat you".