April 2024 Update

Happy April!

Early Happy Birthday to me and my sister! In addition to it being my solar return month (April 27), I am giving this month an elevation in significance in light of the total solar eclipse that crosses North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada this Monday, April 8. There is a plethora of astronomical, astrological, and other information available about this event (and past eclipses) for you to dive into at your leisure and according to your interests. What feels good for me to share is the story from my past and a bit of what is going on for me right now around eclipse energy.

The photo above is from the total solar eclipse that occurred on August 21, 2017.

While I didn’t capture the image myself, I was in close proximity to (if not feet from) the person who did: Tommy Goodson, a financial advisor within the company I had devoted 15 years of service to as a salaried employee.

The eclipse occurred during our final national conference. 

Just days before (on August 15), the leaders of the network to which my company belonged made the public announcement about our entire entity being purchased by one of our competitors—home office staff had been notified internally not too long prior. All of our advisors were to be transferred and all home office staff (myself included) were to be let go on a regimented roll-out concluding at the end of 2018.

My last day was scheduled for January 31, 2018. 

Though the original intention of the conference was no longer relevant in light of the acquisition, going through with it (on one level) opened the doors for moments of togetherness, and the collective witnessing and processing of any emotions and feelings coming up for our field office in particular—anger, sadness, confusion, and grief, just to name a few. Some of these individuals had been with our company from day one; some had just transitioned their entire books of business; and all were connected, at the very least, by the fact that they had chosen us specifically versus our competitor (and now purchaser) if deciding between the two at some point in the past, or just period. The shock of the decision and what it meant needed to soothed; and the ability to do so physically—with as many people as possible in one space—was a blessing.

On another level, the conference allowed us to collectively experience that year’s eclipse. While I doubt the coordinators chose Nashville as the host city with astronomy or astrology in mind, I don’t put it past my spirit, and that of others, to co-orchestrate being in a state that just so happened to be one of the handful of places along that eclipse’s path of totality. We were able to witness the full spectrum of this cosmic event in ways that others couldn’t from their vantage points. To this day I still marvel at the serendipity and synchronicity of it all.

What I remember the most from that time as we all looked up in anticipation of the visual experience, was the utter and even eerie silence that fell as the Earth, Moon, and Sun shifted into full alignment for those transfixing few moments. 

EVERYTHING went silent. 

Needless to say, the course of my life has looked drastically different than I thought it would; and the eclipse was one of a few powerful experiences heralding my period of molting.

Fast forward to the present…

Over the last week, silence has been a necessary companion for me as I have navigated themes around true and effective leadership, conflict and mediation within communities, the hoarding of resources/gifts and belief in lack, how we are caring and holding space for each other, and so much more on individual and collective levels.

Silence has supported me through: (1) days I designated and communicated to family, friends, and community as periods of “unplug”; (2) decisions around limiting social media use to break away from the “noise”; (3) moments during vulnerable conversations with friends and community members to give space for the revelation, release, witnessing, and alchemy of pent up emotions, old wounds, and unknown experiences; and (4) illumination around how, for some, silence is actually (or seems to be) a necessary response to help process an experience.

It is also within this past week or so that I have been sitting with the ways in which we have: (1) stayed silent when what there was to do was speak up/communicate in some way; (2) created the idea of harmony and agreement because there is silence, when what is bubbling beneath the surface is misalignment, dissatisfaction, injustice, and misunderstanding; and (3) shut people out or silenced them when they dared to speak up, speak in ways, or speak about things we didn’t prefer or want to hear.

Silence, like any other expression, experiences, or tools can be used for positive, negative, and the spectrum in between.

Initially (and quite emphatically) I decided that I would stay in silence for the entire day of the upcoming eclipse.

There are so many insightful messages from brilliant folks about this upcoming eclipse, what people should/could do during and around its presence, etc. I encourage you to remember that whatever importance you give to it and how you use it as a permission slip is up to you and completely your own. Listen to, follow, utilize whatever feels aligned with your peace and joy. And doing nothing at all and just enjoying the silence (or noise) wherever you can allow for it, is quite transformative. The meaning we give anything is a force to be reckoned with—how could it not given how powerful we are?

May you experience the endings that are necessary in order to birth the beginnings that are here.

May you expose, process and alchemize that which is finally ready to move on.

May you make time for being with self and with others in all the ways that are joyful, peaceful, and authentic.

May you trust yourself, life, and the ways in which all of it is unfolding.

With love and sweetness,

Onyi

Image Credits:

Image at beginning of the newsletter captured by Jigme Tenzin Salto

Silence and Going With the Flow cards from the Osho Zen tarot deck. They have been showing up quite frequently during this eclipse season.

Community Spotlight and Support

Viver Brasil, the LA-based Afro-Brazilian dance dance theater company needs your support in raising $50,000 by May 31st!

As a member (singer and narrator) of the organization, someone personally connected to the leaders and many artists within it, and one who has witnessed and benefited from the work the organization does, I ask for your support in any ways you can provide it. Direct contribution, amplification of the fundraiser, and prayers are all helpful!

News & Upcoming Events

Make sure to check the ONYI LOVE Calendar for upcoming events throughout the month!

Tools, Resources & Offerings

Written Tools

• O’s Corner Blog

• Support Guides

  • Loud Sounds & Explosives

  • COVID & Other Vaccines

Sonic Tools

Sound Healing

• Sound Immersion Library: Complimentary sound based healings (also containing verbal channeling, meditations, or conversations) by/with Onyi that are currently not accessible via social media.

• Soul Cleanse

Recorded music by/featuring ONYI LOVE

• Songs of Soothing (album by ONYI LOVE)

• Voices for Ogum (song by Aye Sonidos: ONYI LOVE, Dana ‘Minha Velha’ Maman, Destani Wolf, Emina Shimanuki)

• Usawa (album by Tristan de Liège, ft. ONYI LOVE)

• Usawa Remixes, Pt. 1 (album by Tristan de Liège ft. ONYI LOVE)

• Azure - (EP by Tristan de Liège, ft. ONYI LOVE)

Playlists compiled by ONYI LOVE

• Onyi’s Faves #1 (Spotify)

• Butterfly Things (Spotify)

Conversational Tools

• O’s Corner Podcast (by ONYI LOVE)

• Features Library: Conversations by other hosts ft. Onyi

May you be at ease and heal.

May you stand firm in your healing.