“Learning to re-connect with and nurture our inner child is one of the best gifts we can give ourselves in adulthood” ~ Cezanne
Join me at my Retreat Home in the Gambia for 7 days of nurturing your Inner Child!
Didn’t know you had one?
‘All children are artists, the problem is how to remain one when we grow up’ ~ Pablo Picasso
We were all naturally creative as children, but somewhere between childhood and adulthood some of us ‘lose it’.
Is your inner child crying out to be heard?
I will take you through the same processes I went through to unblock as a writer and artist for 15 years, based on the book I credit with helping me unblock, ‘The Artist’s Way’ by Julia Cameron! This is essentially a 7-day holiday, with 5 days of Self-nurturing workshops to nourish your inner child, so you can reconnect with your natural creativity. You will return home with something you created, and the tools to keep your creative juices flowing!
The workshops are completely flexible; the idea is for you to learn to ‘let go’ and let your inner child be free. All materials will be provided, and I will always be on hand to guide you through this process. I will also be giving you two easy exercises to do leading up to the holiday; your Morning Pages, and your weekly ‘Artist’s Dates’. These will help you get in touch with your inner child prior the Retreat!
As part of the ‘Nurture Your Inner Child’ Retreat, I will be teaching the benefits of Colour Therapy so you can choose the right colours for your own Self-healing (I healed myself from the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder with Colour Therapy with the colours in my paintings). You will return home with something you can put on your wall, or turn into a gift for a loved one!
The ‘Nurture Your Inner Child‘ Retreat will held at my newly built 6 bed Retreat Home in Gunjur, which is 10 mins walk to the beach.
The total cost of the ‘Nurture Your Inner Child’ Retreat is only £499 per person based on two sharing (N.B. Flights must be booked separately). There are only 8 PLACES available on each Retreat to ensure you receive individual attention, so book early to avoid disappointment!
The cost of the Retreat includes:
▪Airport transfers ▪Accommodation ▪Breakfast & Dinner ▪5 Self nurturing workshops facilitated by Cezanne ▪All materials provided ▪Artist’s Date to feed your inner child images!
Secure your place with a £100 deposit and flexible monthly payments thereafter by emailing me: cezanne@journeyofasister.com or fill in the Contact Form below:
*Full payment must be made a month prior to travel*
This is a mixed holiday (men and women), you can also join me on The Self Love Retreat
Upon my return from nearly 4 months in the Gambia, I hosted an event in Tottenham, North London, where I shared my vision for a Retreat Home overlooking the sea, and a commUNITY Village, for those of us who wish to return to our Motherland. Here’s part of it:
While I was in the Gambia facilitating The Self❤Love Retreat (Dec to March), I came across some land which fulfilled a vision I’ve had for years, of having a Retreat Home overlooking the sea, with a VILLAGE nearby! Within a short space of time, I was taken to the Akala of the clan who own the land; they liked the idea of us building a village for returnees, and of us integrating with the locals; my idea of having a Retreat Home was to provide a safe space for the Black Woman to heal (not excluding the Black Man and child). I explained in my Presentation that she is the core of the family, and the family is the core of the commUNITY, so for our commUNITY to heal, the Black Woman MUST Heal!
During the process of “breaking them in”, our enslaved ancestors were subjected to a brutal form of brainwashing that also altered their DNA structure. This has been passed down from one generation to the next, so to fully comprehend the dysfunction within our community today, we need to get to the ROOT CAUSE of our issues, that is, we need to look at the CAUSE, not the effect, and the cause is buried deep in our subconscious minds.
In my Presentation, I explained that in the film ‘Get Out’, the ‘sunken place’ is his subconscious mind, and in ‘The Black Panther’, there are two scenes where they buried T’Challa and Killmonger in order for them to visit the ancestral plane, which was symbolic of them going into their subconscious.
Over the past year, I’ve been introduced to plants and herbs provided by Mother Nature that help to alter your state of consciousness, and connect you with the spirit world. I explained in my presentation, that while on a mushroom ‘trip’ last year, I got the message: ‘DNA REPAIR’. Our ancestral mothers are ready and on hand to help us heal, and some of the techniques that will be used are unconventional and frowned upon by modern medicine, yet these are things Mother Nature has provided for our healing. My work specifically centres around the Black Womban healing, because when she heals, our whole commUNITY will heal! Are you truly ready to heal?
Over the past 15 years I’ve been on my own Self-healing journey; this included working with Positive Affirmations to re-program my mind, forgiving those who I felt wronged me, un-indoctrinating my Self from religion, and learning to love myself unconditionally (this is an ongoing journey).
My Self-healing journey has been expressed through my books, art and poetry, yet I reached a point where I felt I couldn’t do anything more for myself – and I still wasn’t fully healed! I still felt held back in certain areas of my life, for example, I’m still not in a loving relationship with my soulmate, even though my work is centred around building sustainable Black relationships!
It was like peeling away layers of an onion; every time I unpeeled one layer (e.g. religion) there was something else I had to deal with underneath. The Positive Affirmations worked for some things, but not others. For instance, they worked really well to help me build confidence and self esteem, which helped me to unblock as a writer and artist, but there were other blocks that I just couldn’t seem to shift. I asked my Higher Self to reveal what I needed, which is when I came to the realization that some of the blocks were buried so deep in my subconscious, I couldn’t get to them on a conscious level; I had to go into an altered state of consciousness to reach them.
Meditation helped to quiet my mind and control my negative thinking patterns, which also helped me heal from depression. I focused on thinking positively and keeping myself in a ‘positive state of bliss’. Yet none of these things seemed to get to the ROOT CAUSE of my issues.
Then last year, I met a woman who put me in an altered state of consciousness (using weed oil), and while I was in a ‘trance’, it felt like I was receiving a spiritual download, which seemed to be affecting my past, present and future. On another occasion, I took mushrooms with this same young woman, and the message I got from the ‘trip’ was ‘DNA REPAIR’. Through my personal studies, I’ve come to learn that the past, present and future are simultaneous, not linear. If we don’t heal from the trauma of our past, it will keep coming back to haunt our present and future. We are POW-HER-FULL creators, especially womben, because we’re more emotional, and our emotions act like FUEL on our thoughts.
My work is to help the Black Womban to heal, because when she heals, our relationships heal, our families heal, and our families are what make up our commUNITY. I wrote this poem the morning after watching the film ‘Sankofa’, and dedicated it to those still suffering the psychological effects of the enslavement of our ancestors, handed down to us genetically through our DNA:
I’m a visionary; it’s my job to come up with the ideas and share them with my commUNITY, but it’s our COLLECTIVE job to bring the ideas to fruition! I’ve now found a lovely 6 bed house in Gunjur for us to rent until our own Retreat Home is built. I need to raise £10,000 by November for the rent and to furnish it, Make your contribution here.
I’m also fundraising to purchase land to build our own Retreat Home, And any surplus will go towards that project.
We’re also building a VILLAGE near the Retreat Home, so if you’ve been thinking about leaving the UK or USA and like the idea of living in a village commUNITY, join us on the Let’s Build a Village Retreat 20-29 November, or 17-24 December.
I showed some photos of the dome-shaped round homes we are thinking of building in the village, and Galactic Clyde (a builder and carpenter who also studies sacred geometry) explained the spiritual benefits of living in such homes instead of square ones:
There are 30 homes available to buy; at the Presentation 17 people expressed an interest in being part of the Village, 5 indicated that they are ready to pay their £3,000 deposit to secure their home, and 11 signed up to join us on the ‘Let’s Build a Village’ Retreat, 20-29th November 2018. You’ll have the opportunity to see the land, meet potential neighbours, and plan how our village will be laid out. If you’d like to be part of our village send me an message below.
(Profits from the Retreat Home will help to build and maintain the village)
Galactic Clyde also builds labyrinths, and he also explained the benefits of walking the labyrinth regularly; we also plan to build a labyrinth on the land, which will form part of our Retreats.
Galactic Clyde has built a labyrinth in a park in East London (Hackney Filter Beds), and we will be taking a walk on the labyrinth this Saturday 19th May between 2-6pm, if you’d like to join us, send me a message!
It takes a VILLAGE to raise a child, let’s do this for our Self, and the sake of future generations!
I’m returning to the Gambia on 22nd May, with part of the funds (hopefully!) to keep the process going, are you in? When I get back, I’ll organize another event (mid July) to share updates, you can also keep up-to-date via my Instagramand Facebook pages.
There’s a saying: “Whatever the mind can conceive, it can achieve.”
If you can think up an idea, you also have the capacity to achieve it. I’m in the process of re-creating my life how I choose it to be, and there’s nothing stopping you from doing the same – other than the seeds that are planted in your subconscious mind.
Now there’s another level to this: your subconscious mind makes sure that you function exactly according to your programming. It makes sure that everything you SAY and DO is consistent with your ‘master program’. What IS your master program? Remember I said that you were programmed between the ages of 0-7? Anything that goes into your subconscious mind during this imprint period becomes the program you run on for the rest of your life – unless you change it, and changing it isn’t that easy; it’s like un-installing all the programs from a computer, then re-installing new ones. Well I wish it was as simple as that! This isn’t stuff I’m just regurgitating from a book, it’s information I had to learn in order to re-program my own mind, because I kept sabotaging my success. For instance, when I was 19 I met this beautiful soul. We were the same age and he was the perfect boyfriend. I’d never had anyone show me such unconditional love, I couldn’t do anything wrong in his eyes. He was the physical MANifestation of God’s Love for me. When we were both 21, he proposed. But as soon as I got the engagement ring on my finger, I started to sabotage the relationship. I cheated on him and we broke up. I ended up having my children with men who didn’t truly love me, while he’s been married over 20 years. I even had another chance at true love as a single mother with two young suns, but my subconscious programming wouldn’t allow me to believe I was worthy or deserving of such love. On another occasion, in 2009 I received a lump sum of over £20,000, and within 3 months, I’d spent it all and was worse off than before I received the money! How could this be possible? My subconscious programming wouldn’t allow me to hold on to the money – I was programmed to be poor, a failure, and to not accept anything good that came my way, because I wasn’t worthy or deserving of it.
Your subconscious programming is the key to your SUCCESS or FAILURE. If you’ve been programmed for success from an early age, great! But if you’ve been programmed for failure, you must change your subconscious programming. This is where ‘The Secret‘ and other Law of Attraction material failed many of us, because they didn’t go into our subconscious programming.
To get to the ROOT CAUSE of your issues, you have to dig deep into your subconscious mind. No-one can re-program your mind for you. Well, there are NLP practitioners and hypnotists, but personally, I’m a bit dubious about subjecting my subconscious mind to someone else’s suggestions. So I’ve accumulated hundreds of Positive Affirmations relating to health, relationships, business, family, finances etc which I can share with you to help you re-program your subconscious mind.
Now I’ll let you into a little secret of my own, which I shared in the book ‘How to Get the Ring On Your Finger’, and which I also take people through on my Retreats: When you’ve developed your list of Positive Affirmations (which I can help you with), record them onto your smartphone using the voice recorder. You can play some meditation music in the background if you like, to help relax your mind. Play them to yourself when you’re in a relaxed state, like when you’re about to go to sleep, or waking up. Be sure to turn off any distractions before you start. If you’re using your phone, put it on flight mode to avoid any interruptions. I’ll get you started with a few affirmations from my own collection, repeat them to your Self slowly, deliberately, and repeatedly:
“I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious and happy”
“I am in perfect health; mind, spirit and body”
“I am mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically and financially FREE!”
“I am the master of all my thoughts and feelings”
“All my thoughts are rooted in love”
“I am consciously uprooting negative thoughts and replacing them with positive thoughts”
“I am planting Seeds of Love in the Garden of my mind”
“I am operating on the highest frequency, which is love”
“I am re-programming my subconscious mind for GOOD”
Hmmmm….how do you feel now?
This is just the beginning of your journey to Self-actualization; my Self-help novel ‘Journey of a Sister‘ will help you continue the journey, order your paperback:
Journey of a Sister Limited Edition paperback
Featuring Cezanne's artwork (in colour) and poetry
FREE postage (UK only)
£14.99
If you’re outside the UK, or to order ‘How to Get the Ring On Your Finger’ as well, visit >> LULU << (ships worldwide)
The Law of Nature states that you reap what you sow; you can’t plant an apple seed and expect to reap oranges! If you want more LOVE, plant Seeds of Love; if you want better health, plant seeds of health, if you want better relationships, plant health seeds; if you want more MONEY, plant money seeds, so I’m giving you the opportunity to plant a money seed into fertile soil – make a contribution to The Self Love Retreat Fund, which will enable me to offer subsidized places to two women on each Retreat.
Lastly, listen to “I AM What I WILL to Be!” where I’ve compiled a list of Positive Affirmations into one uplifting poem!
Continue ‘the journey’ with me, and if you’ve enjoyed reading these ARTicles, share them with your friends from Part One
P.S. I’m available to share this series as a Presentation (15-20 minutes) To book me, use the Contact Form below. I’m also available for interviews, or to host a Book Signing & Discussion Event at your book club, singles group, women’s group, church, or any commUNITY event, just send me a message:
My first Self Love Retreat ended last Saturday, and I’m now thinking about how I can make it even better! Firstly, the three ladies who joined me commented that it went far too quickly; I personally arrived two weeks ahead of the Retreat in order to unwind and de-stress, and while I had intended for us to have plenty of time to do that, we were trying to cram so much into the week!
We started off with a Pamper Day at the Kairaba Hotel in Kotu, where we had a full body massage, facial, manicure and pedicure.
I purposefully kept the numbers for the first Retreat small because The Healthy Ways Guest House (where we were staying with Mama Naasira and Dr Joe Bledsoe) only holds up to 6 people. Their Spicy Tasty Vegan Cuisine meals played a big part in the healing aspect of the Retreat.
The aim of The Self Love Retreat is to nurture your Self from the INSIDE, OUT. The Pamper Day was for our outer self, while the Self-nurturing workshops were for our inner Self. The first workshop was entitled “Who Am I?” which questioned whether we are the things we do, what we have, or what we project to the outside world. By the end of the workshop, we had developed personalized Positive Affirmations to help re-define ourselves, and speak it into being. In Part Two, ‘Who I AM!’ (the following day), we recorded the affirmations to music. This is now a tool we can use to play just before we go to sleep, to help re-program our subconscious mind. (It’s our subconscious programming that we’re running on most of the time, not our conscious thoughts).
“The Loving Me workshop gave me a lot of food for thought for reflection” ~ Deanne
I’ve been working with Positive Affirmations for about 15 years, which has brought me from having a ‘Self Love Deficit’ with very low self-esteem, lacking self-confidence, and being a blocked writer and artist for over 20 years, to writing and performing poetry, writing books, painting, and now organizing the The Self Love Retreat. I’m simply sharing some of the techniques that have helped me raised my levels of confidence and Self-esteem, helped me unblock as a writer and artist, and to push myself out of my comfort zone to achieve more. The day before the Retreat has due to start I was writing my journal and the first thing I wrote was “Who am I to organize The Self Love Retreat? What do I know about Self Love?” This was my critical voice talking, and my old programming of not being ‘good enough’ was trying to creep back in! I had to silence it with Positive Affirmations about Who I Am. In the past, I would have succumbed to those voices, and crawled back into the dark cavity in the corner of my mind. But no, I’m here to make a difference, and in doing so, help others to transform their own lives too!
In another workshop, I shared some research conducted by Dr Masaru Emoto, about the effect our thoughts and words have on water, and because we are made up of 70% water, how pow-HER-full our words really are:
We then stuck “I LOVE YOU” onto a glass of water, and focused our thoughts and intentions into the water, before drinking it – try it! We also looked into a mirror and said “I LOVE YOU” to ourselves. This can feel awkward at first, but the more you do it, the easier it will feel.
We also wrote Love Letters (or poems) to our Self based on the Affirmations we developed, and used them to make our Self a card, which we can now refer back to whenever we need a pick-me-up:
When you fill your Self with Love, you can then give of your overflow, and radiate the love you feel for your Self – you will then attract that love back to your Self!
Self Love 30 Day Challenge!
Do these daily rituals to develop Self Love, and see what happens:
Close your eyes and go deep within (or look in the mirror) and say repeatedly “I love You!”
Pour water in a cup, and say “I love you” into the water before drinking it
If you did the 30 Day Challenge, email me your results: cezanne@journeyofasister.com
Aside from the 5 Self-nurturing workshops, we also enjoyed some Gambian nightlife, and went clubbing two of the nights! I’m not a clubbing person, but I loved the vibe and the Afrobeats!
I had these dresses made especially for the Colour Therapy workshop, which was also meant to incorporate dance, but we ran out of time! I explained how different colours affect the mood and emotions, and how wearing colourful clothes can make you (and others) FEEL. Try it! Incorporating more colour in your life especially during the dark, winter months will help lift your mood and emotions. (For more information on how I healed myself from Seasonal Affective Disorder using Colour Therapy, visit my Artpage).
We didn’t spend enough time on the beach, but we enjoyed early-morning yoga:
I also organized a Day Trip to Kunta Kinte Island, which took us about 3 hours to get to, including two river crossings! We were taken to the original place Kunta Kinte lived (not where they take tourists). On the long journey there, we had to take a ferry and a small boat. Someone had sent me a photo of a boat owned by a sister named Aminatta, encouraging us to use her (in the yellow skirt), but when we got to the island and I found her, the boat was out of action because it needed repairs to the value of around £150:
I told her I would help raise the money and get it to her as quickly as possible, you can send her a gift towards her boat repair using my Gofundme (put ‘BOAT’ as a reference) and I’ll make sure she gets it ( we’ve raised £45 so far).
“I had an amazing time on The Self Love Retreat – I recommend to everyone! I feel enlightened, refreshed, healthier and positive. I’ve learned many techniques to benefit me going forward. Met so many great people who I intend to keep in contact with. We made so many memories, I really wanted to stay longer! So glad I went and Cezanne is the hostess with the mostest, so inspirational, love her! I will defo do another retreat with you. I loved Gambia too, will go back”
Based on the feedback I received, I’ve decided to extend The Self Love Retreat in November to 10Days so you can relax and unwind for the first 3 days before the workshops start! The cost for the The Self Love Retreat is just £899 (Flights must be booked separately). If you can only come for 7 days, the price of accommodation will be deducted.
We will be staying at Ocean Villa Heights, a lovely hotel in Bufurt with swimming pool, internet, restaurant, and spa facilities, and it’s just a few minutes walk to the beach! To book, go HERE (or send me an email to cezanne@journeyofasister.com pay by bank transfer)
Support a Sista!
I set up a Gofundmecampaign in order to be able to offer subsidized places on the Retreat, if you’re unable to attend yourself, but would like to help your sisters on their Self-healing journey, please make a contribution to the Fund!
If you would like to be considered for a place, 1) make a donation to the fund, 2) email me: cezanne@journeyofasister.com explaining why you need it.
More Retreat dates will be added when destinations have been chosen (I’m also looking at Grenada, Jamaica, or Dominica)
Singles & Couples Welcome!
Whether you’re single, or would like to come with your partner, The Self Love Retreatis for YOU! The techniques will help you in your own personal development, which will no doubt impact your relationship. If you have any questions, or would like to book, email me: cezanne@journeyofasister.com
Easy Payment Plans for November Retreats
I’d like to make it as easy as possible for you to join me, so I’m offering monthly payment plan options for the Retreats in November 2018 < click on the link to find out more. If you’re coming from the UK, you don’t need a visa, just book your flight, and pay for your Retreat!
Nurture Your Inner Child Retreat 16-23 Nov
I’ve also organized the Nurture Your Inner Child Retreat in November, where I will take you through the same processes I went through to unblock as a writer and artist, all materials will be provided! If you’re interested in joining me on any of these Retreats, email me: cezanne@journeyofasister.com
To keep up-to-date with me daily acivities, and for more pics and videos follow me on instagram!
I’m now in the Gambia preparing for the women who will be joining me on The Self Love Retreat, a week of nurturing yourself from the inside, out!
There are still two places left for the Retreat dates 17-23 December, and a few places available on 3-9 January (date changed), 17-23 February and 3-9 March, join us if you can!
Getting to the Gambia is easy:
Flights are cheap!
You don’t need a visa if you’re travelling from the UK (we would love you to join us from anywhere else in the world!)
So far, I’ve not seen much difference in the culture between Gambia compared to Ghana, and I’ve yet to connect with many of the ex-pats who live here (people who have moved here from the UK and USA).
Last night I attended Gambia Fashion Weekend, and met up with Shakina from the UK who now lives here, and another sister Anna, who I also know from the UK. I also met a brother named Adam who is on holiday from Manchester, and I bumped into another brother who happens to live not far from me in Croydon!
Me and Shakina at Gambia Fashion Weekend last night
Apparently there are lots of opportunities to build, grow and develop in the Gambia, and I’ll be checking it all out and sharing the info with you! Shakina has moved here from London and now runs her business in Gambia! She uses the same Adinkra symbol for her business as I’ve used in ‘Journey of a Sister‘, the symbol for ‘Transformation!’
I gave myself a 5 year ‘get out plan’ (to move from the UK), and I have 3 years left, so providing I like it here I’ll be laying some roots! My ultimate goal is to build a VILLAGE with homes, schools, farmland where we can grow our own produce, businesses (making things that we can send back to the UK and USA to sell), and which is totally self-sufficient e.g. our own solar power and water supply. I see that in a few years time, my people will have to flee the USA and UK, and they’re going to need somewhere to go!
When God gives you a vision, provision will also be made. Meeting Mama Naasira Ageela and Dr Gregory Joe Bledsoe in London last year was part of this Master Plan. I instantly clicked with them, and we kept in contact when they left London and came to the Gambia. They are an African American couple, who are authors of the Amazon Bestseller ‘Spicy Tasty Vegan Cuisine’. We spoke regularly on the phone, and seemed to have lots of similar ideas in terms of how we wanted to help our community to heal. I shared my vision of building a village with them, and they were in accordance with the idea, so we decided to work together. This is our long term plan, but for now, we are working together to help our people to heal. They specialize in the food side of things, while I work with healing the mind. I’m not a psychologist but I studied how the mind works, in order to heal my own mind (I’ll tell you more about this on the Retreat, or read my Self-help novel ‘Journey of a Sister’).
People always say to me “Cezanne, you’re such an inspiration, when you say you’re going to do something, you do it!” But I can tell you, none of this has been easy. But when you set your mind to do something, the universe somehow conspires to help you make it happen. For instance, my goal was to spend every winter ‘somewhere warm’. I mean, why be in cold, grey England when you can jump on a plane and within a few hours, be somewhere warm? Once I set that intention, the ideas came to make it happen. The Self Love Retreat is the result of my thoughts manifested; not only do I get to enjoy being in a warm climate, I’m also helping others at the same time!
One of my mottos is;
“As I heal myself, I heal others”
The other is;
“The Black Woman MUST Heal!”
The Self Love Retreatwas born out of my own need to heal myself. I’m not coming from a standpoint of “You need to be like me”, but more of “We’re all in this together”. The reason why the Black Woman MUST heal, is because she has always been the core of the family, and the family is the core of the commUNITY. If we want our commUNITY to heal, she must heal first. I began to innerstand this while studying our history, and learning how the Black Family was broken down through the process of slavery and colonialism. For the sake of our future generations, something radical must be done, and it starts with the food we eat, what we watch and listen to, how we raise our children, and how we treat each other, starting with our Self. Hence, The Self Love Retreat (and Healing Village)!
HelpUs Offer Subsidized Places on The Self Love Retreat
Just like my vision for The Healing Village, I know that not all the women who need to come on the Retreat will be able to afford it, which is why I set up the GoFundMe Campaign. I set it up on my birthday on November 5th, and so far, no donations have been received (partly because I’ve been so busy preparing to come to the Gambia, that I haven’t been pushing it!). If you would like to support two women to come on each Retreat, please make a donation here. Getting the first contribution is the hard part; most fund organisers advise you make the first donation yourself; it’s human nature that once people see others donating, they will too, so are you a leader or a follower? Let’s see! If you would like to come but need help with finances, sow a money seed! I strongly believe in sowing money seeds; if you want more of something, you have to sow a seed of that kind. Mother Nature teaches us that we cannot sow an apple seed and expect an orange.The Self Love Retreat is fertile soil!
How will the women be chosen?
Send me an email cezanne@journeyofasister.com explaining your circumstances, and how much financial support you need (flight/accommodation £200/workshops £500). Myself and Mama Naasira will choose from the submissions received for the subsidized places. (We aim to raise £3,000 to provide two free places on each Retreat).
Join Us!
Does The Self Love Retreat feel right for you? Join us! There are still two places available in December, and a few places in January, February and March. You can find more information at www.journeyofasister.com/selfloveretreat or send me an email above to secure your place today.
Admittedly, I’ve not been out much since I arrived, apart from yoga on the beach (check Facebook to watch my FB live video!) and the fashion show last night; I didn’t get to take many photos because my battery died, but there will be lots more to report on; in my next blog post I’ll be showing you around the Healthy Ways Guest House and interviewing the Bledsoes, and also sharing more about what we’ll be doing on The Self Love Retreat, in the meantime, visit the page, and if it feels right, do it!
The clocks going back means shorter days, which means even less sunlight! This can have an adverse effect on people ‘of colour’ because the pigmentation in our skin (known as MELANIN) needs the sun to function properly. When we don’t get enough sunlight we can lack energy, feel lethargic, unmotivated, and suffer from a form of depression known as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), which is caused by a lack of natural sunlight.
We need the sun!
Symptoms of SAD can include:
A persistent low mood
Loss of interest or pleasure in normal everyday activities
Irritability
Feelings of despair, guilt and worthlessness
Feeling lethargic (lacking in energy) and sleepy during the day
Going to bed much earlier than normal yet finding it hard to get up in the morning
Comfort eating and gaining weight
The main treatments offered by the NHS are:
Getting as much natural sunlight as possible, exercising regularly and managing your stress levels
Light Therapy – where a special lamp called a light box is used to simulate exposure to sunlight
talking therapies, such cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or counselling
antidepressant medication such as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
Many of us are mis-diagnosed with depression and are prescribed SSRIs, instead of seeking a more natural remedy. I healed myself from SAD using COLOUR THERAPY, which isn’t even mentioned on the NHS website!
In the winter of 2009 I intuitively painted some bright, colourful paintings, and noticed that I wasn’t getting my usual symptoms; this led me to study the effect of colours on the mind and emotions, known asColour Therapy. Last year I facilitated a number of workshops showing others how to introduce more colour into their life to help them feel happy, which I’ve now incorporated into The Self Love Retreat. This is where I meet small groups of women in the Gambia for a 7 day holiday in the sun, with 5 days of Self-nurturing workshops, including one day of pampering!
Join me at Katakata on Sunday 5th November 2-5pm for a Taster Workshop
3 of my original paintings (which incorporate Colour Therapy) will be on display at Katakata, 132 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1RS from 2-29th November; join me there on Sunday 5th November at a Taster Workshop for The Self Love Retreat! I’ll be explaining the colour therapy and symbolism used in my paintings, and also giving you a taster of the workhops we’ll be doing on the Retreat! Join us for a fun afternoon, it’s also my birthday so come and join in the celebrations! Entry is £15 which includes a vegan lunch, and a signed copy of my Self-help novel ‘Journey of a Sister’, register your attendance by emailing me: cezanne@journeyofasister.com
Unspoken Art Exhibition Private Launch, Thursday 2nd November
If you’re interested in purchasing one of my originals, join us for the Launch on Thursday 2nd November, 6-10pm @ Katakata, 132 Brixton Hill! It’s FREE, but you must purchase a ticket, get yours here – Prints of my artwork will also be on sale (£10 each), as well as my Self-help novel ‘Journey of a Sister‘, which features my artwork and poetry! If you didn’t think you could afford an original oil painting, think again! I’ve greatly reduced the prices! Prints will also be on sale!
Two of the issues the main character in my novel ‘Journey of a Sister‘ battled with, were to do with Self Love and Self worth.
She believed that because she had two young children, she wasn’t ‘good enough’ for Charles. Do you have the ‘not good enough’ program running in your subconscious mind?
Feelings of being unworthy, not deserving, or not good enough, will make you sabotage your success in relationships, health, business and finances – not necessarily all at once, but one or the other. For instance, you might be a great business woman, but lacking in the area of your relationships. Or you might be good with money, but lacking in the area of your health.
Suzanne, the main character, had to go really deep within her Self to get to the root cause of her issues, in order to heal.
But in today’s society there are so many distractions, we rarely take the time to shut off the outside world to connect with our true, inner Self.
To truly Love yourself, is to know your Self, and you can only truly know your Self when you are connected with your Source!
I have designed The Self Love Retreat to cater to your personal needs, as well as a group. It will help you connect with your Source from within, to help you identify any issues you may have that are preventing your progress in any area, so you can begin the process of Self-healing.
I will be sharing some of the techniques that have helped raise my confidence and self-esteem, eradicate a poor Self-image, unblock my creativity, and connect with my Source, in order to find my Purpose, and for guidance on the necessary steps to fulfill it.
The Self Love Retreat isn’t just about pampering your outer self (although that’s included!) it will help you take ‘Time Out’ to go deep within, and get clear on the steps you should be taking in life, instead of wandering through life aimlessly. It will involve:
Spending time in ‘the Silence’
Mirror Work and Affirmations
Healthy eating
Exercise and relaxation
5 daily workshops: ‘Who I Am’, ‘Loving ME from Within’, ‘Self Healing Through Forgiveness’, Colour Therapy, Sensuality
A day of Pampering (massage, manicure/pedicure, facial)
Self Love was something I had to learn; I grew up in a love-less home, and was led to believe as a child that I was ‘no good’, ‘ugly’, ‘didn’t deserve it’ (anything I wanted), and that anything I did wasn’t ‘good enough’. On top of that, my Christian programming led me to believe that I was born in sin, and that without Christ I was ‘unworthy’, and a ‘poor, wretched sinner’! I grew up believing I didn’t deserve the good things that I actually wanted (especially my relationships), so I kept sabotaging myself when anything good came my way. Now, I’ve learned to love my Self, put my Self first, and accept when good things come to me!
If you have issues with Self Love or Self worth, or just want to spend some time connecting with your Source from within, The Self Love Retreat is right for YOU!
Join me for a Taster Workshop!
If you would like more information about The Self Love Retreat, I’m holding a Taster Workshop on Sunday 30th July at Katakata (vegan restaurant and art space), 132 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1RS, 2-5pm. You’ll be able to ask any questions, and I’ll be giving you tasters of some of the workshops! The cost for the workshop is just £15 which includes:
A delicious vegan meal
Freshly squeezed juice
A personally signed copy of my novel ‘Journey of a Sister’
Tasters in The Self Love Retreat workshops (inc. Colour Therapy)
Networking with others who may be joining us on the Retreat!
Your £15 will be reimbursed towards the cost of the Retreat if you sign up on the day! (£150)
If you are unable to attend the Taster Workshop you can visit this page for more information, and to book your place.
My mentors, Dr Joe Gregory and Naasira Angeela Bledsoe, authors of ‘Spicy Tasty Vegan Cuisine‘ will be our hosts and cooks, plus they have a wealth of experience behind them that they will be sharing with us, especially regarding eating for health, and relationships! Visit their website to watch their welcome video to the Healthy Ways Guest House!
If you like the sound of The Self Love Retreat but are unable to join us in November or December, you can arrange with me to pay monthly installments that are affordable for you, towards a Retreat next year (not always in the Gambia, but somewhere warm!)
The price of The Self Love Retreat is likely to go up after December, so don’t put it off, treat your Self! This Retreat if for WOMEN ONLY, but if you’re a man, and are thinking of treating your special lady, you’re welcome to join us for the Taster Session!
Last October I attended an event where I met Caz Mac, who was in the process of setting up the No Ordinary Woman Chat Show YouTube Channel. She would be interviewing a number of ordinary women doing extraodinary things! I gave her a signed copy of ‘Journey of a Sister‘ to read. Some time later she contacted me really excited, having just finished reading the book, and invited me for an interview! We had a good connection because she identified with a lot of what I’d written about. In this interview I share my inspiration behind writing both books, but it’s mainly focused on the one she read. The video launched on the No Ordinary Woman Chat Show YouTube Channel last week, and is available to watch NOW! (No Ordinary Woman) 🙂
Read ‘Journey of a Sister’ Year One FREE! If you like what you’ve read so far, order your personally signed paperback for just £9.99 with FREE delivery in the UK! (Years 1-13)
(If you live outside the UK, order your paperback from Lulu.com)
Over the past two weeks, I’ve become crystal clear about who I wrote my Self-help books for, and who I want to work with (predominantly).
Are you a Single Black Woman seeking to meet and marry your soulmate?
Are you in a relationship, and would like to know how to sustain it long term?
Do you have Self Love and Self Worth Issues? (be honest with your Self)
As a Black Woman raised in the UK in a Christian home, I received no love from my (single) mother, was indoctrinated into a religion which kept my mind in a fearful box, and received negative affirmations which seeped into my subconscious mind and became the program I ran on as an adult. As a result, I grew up lacking Self Love, had poor Self-Esteem, and struggled with Self-Identity. These in turn affected my relationships with my partners; I turned down two opportunities to marry soulmates, and had my children with two men who either I didn’t truly love, or who didn’t truly love me.
My poverty mindset (received from my religious upbringing and negative affirmations as a child) also affected my ability to generate financial abundance.
Can you relate?
I know many of us share the same story, and it’s my job to work with you to help us heal – together!
I’m starting a series of videos explaining ‘Why The Black Woman MUST Heal!‘ from this week! These will cover our Hair, Skin, Body Image (how we perceive ourselves), Ancestral Lineage, operating in our Feminine Energy (as opposed to our Masculine energy), Sex & Spirituality, Mindset (including mental health), learning about The Power of our Womb and Yoni, Child-raising, and much more!
All these topics are also raised in my Self-help novel ‘Journey of a Sister’. I would love for you to read it so you can get an idea of where I’m coming from, and whether I’m someone you’d like to work with in your own Self-healing journey. Start by reading Year One FREE! (<<< click on the link)
You can also order your personally signed paperback for just £9.99 with FREE delivery in the UK!
(If you’re outside the UK, order your paperback from Lulu.com)
I’ll be sharing the videos about ‘Why The Black Woman MUST Heal!’ on the Journey of a Sister YouTube Channel so subscribe, or ‘follow’ this blog to get email notifications!
Join me on The Self Love Retreat!
From November, I will be taking 6 women (each month) on The Self Love Retreat, where we will be doing inner and outer work to Self-heal! We will be staying at The Healthy Ways House with Dr Joe and Mama Naasira Bledsoe (pictured below), authors of the Amazon best-seller ‘Spicy Tasty Vegan Cuisine’. Apart from healthy eating and exercise, we will be doing daily workshops that will help increase your confidence and Self-esteem, build a positive Self-image, help you develop your intuition, show you how to use your Feminine Energy to better your relationships, how to make healthy life-giving meals, how to make natural skin care products using ingredients from your kitchen, and more! (with plenty of leisure time!) I’m keeping the groups small and intimate so you can get plenty of 1-2-1 attention. The Bledsoes will also be on hand to offer any advice and support, and will also be doing their own Spicy Tasty Vegan Cuisine workshop!
Who is The Self Love Retreat for?
Women who have issues with Self-identity, Self-Love and Self-worth
Women who would like to learn how to truly love themselves from the inside out
Women who would like to develop a support network with other women to aid them on their Self-healing journey
Women who are open to transformation of the mind.
How much does it cost?
Just £599 for the week (7 days), which includes accommodation, a healthy Spicy Tasty Vegan meal each day, and Self Love workshops, with plenty of time for leisure activities and relaxation! I always like to over-deliver, so you can expect more than you paid for! (N.B. Flights must be booked separately). *This is an introductory price*
I’ve organised a Taster Workshop where you will learn more about what to expect at The Self Love Retreat; the cost for the workshop is just £25 which includes a FREE copy of my Self-help novel, free refreshments, a FREE Self Love Poster, and your money off the cost of the Retreat if you sign up on the day! Go here for details!
There are only 6 spaces on each Retreat, to guarantee you the personal touch! A £100 deposit will secure your place, and you can pay in flexible monthly instalments. If you are unable to attend the Taster Workshop but would like more information, or are interested in joining us on The Self Love Retreat, drop me an email at cezanne@journeyofasister.com, or message me below!
Let’s heal together!
Upcoming Events:
Visit the Events Page for details of events I’m taking part in!
Are you an Amazon Prime member?
Borrow the e-book series of’Journey of a Sister’ from Amazon’s library FREE! (links are on the Books page)
In your service,
Cezanne Taharqa aka Cezanne Poetess
Award-winning Visual & Spoken Word Artist| International Author| Events Host| Workshop Facilitator
If you are a Book Lover, don’t miss my special offer to celebrate International Women’s Month!
If you’ve been thinking about getting my books, now’s the time! For the whole of March (International Women’s Month), you can get both paperbacks for the price of one! (while stocks last)
How to Get the Ring On Your Finger
I wrote this book for all the sisters (and brothers) who are seeking marriage as opposed to long term dating. Over 30 brothers have contributed to this book; it will help you PREPARE to meet your match, suggests ways to meet your soul mate (including my events!) and then guides you through the whole dating process, by introducing the DIY Arranged Marriage, which involves doing the 6 Month Test. It’s not a step-by-step manual, but it will help you learn to be guided by your own intuition, and suggests ways you can help yourself when emotions are clouding your judgement! I have used the tips in this book on numerous occasions to help me avoid making those big relationship mistakes! Watch my performance of my poem “I Need a MAN!” which mentions the 6 Month Test!
‘How to Get the Ring On…’ would normally cost you £7.99, but you can get it FREE when you purchase my Self-help novel ‘Journey of a Sister’ – WHILE STOCKS LAST!
Why do you need my books?
If you are on a journey of Self-discovery, Self-development, and spiritual growth, both books will be of service to you. I wrote Journey of a Sister to share everything I’ve learnt along my own Self-healing journey, including un-indoctrinating myself from religion and embracing spirituality, developing Self Love through I-dentity, learning about the creative power of my mind, and much more! Journey of a Sister is a beautiful Black Love story with plenty of wisdom (which I channeled), that will help you on your own journey of Self-discovery, whether you are a sister or a brother!
I printed 1,000 copies of Journey of a Sister with my artwork in FULL COLOUR so you can benefit from the Colour Therapy in them while you read! (see my Art page for full details). Once these are sold all future books will be printed in black and white! (50% already distributed)
Happy reading! Visit my Events page for details of event’s I’m taking part in!
In your service,
Cezanne Taharqa aka Cezanne Poetess
Award-winning Visual & Spoken Word Artist| International Author| Events Host| Workshop Facilitator
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