A Post-election Reflection

I am reminded that I am a descendant of people who have endured the worst atrocities known to humankind--enslavement, racism white supremacy, Jim Crow laws, institutionalized lynching, the U.S. prison industrial complex, social injustices, miseducation, and the Willy Lynch plan. 

Surely, we will survive the reign of he-who-shall-not-be-named; the right wing political coup; the Republican take over of Congress; and, possibly, a conservative stacked Supreme Court. The ability to rise above even this, to thrive, and to carve out a new reality is in my DNA. 

I stand on the shoulders and backs of miracle workers named Truth, Douglass, Wells-Barnett, X, King, Hamer, Obama, et. al. I am guided forward by the divine wisdom of W.E.B. DuBois, Marcus Garvey, Angela Davis, James Baldwin, and many more brilliant thinkers. 

Surely, I and I--WE--will prevail. Being a Black woman, I can't do nothing else but ARISE.

Post-reading Update

In the 24-year herstory of The Conjure Woman Episode, we have never done a play reading until Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016 at the OGOT Center in Baltimore. It was wonderful. And, for the first time, I didn't play, Conjure Woman, but read Sista Spirit #2's role instead. The lead assignment went to the always fabulous Olufunmilayo Jomo. The brilliant Cheryl Williams took on Sista Spirit #1 and directed the reading. I was so honored to share the stage with such seasoned, masterful artists. Thanks beyond words.

The panel discussion after the reading was just as deep and thought provoking. Rev. Doug Kinney brought his wealth of knowledge and experience on the play's central themes of reincarnation and past life regression, and Rev. Bernette L. Jones made it clear once again why she is one of the leading new thought ministers and metaphysical teachers in the U.S. Thank you both.

Special thanks to the audience for showing up and making this event happen. It is our great pleasure to bring you art and spiritual food for the soul.

The Artist & Writer Finding Balance

Okay, where was I before being stunned by that striking photo of the beautiful elder woman? Working on a companion accordion book for The Conjure Woman Episode playbook. I wish.

I've spent most of August and September tending to the business of my creative projects, i.e., the play book launch and revving up for the 2017 art show. In other words, I've been thinking about working on the new accordion book instead of actually creating it. Although handling the business stuff is top priority right now, it's frustrating that I have yet to figure out how to sustain my creative productivity between periods of super focused business work and teaching--this semester five classes, which brings me to another point of balance.

Because I teach writing to students who may be interested in reading my blog, I've decided to use proper capitalization and initial caps. (My body actually sighed after I wrote that sentence.)

The point is, I have to create time this week to work on the accordion book.

Wait a minute  . . .

I don't have to create something I already have. I mean, as long as I'm on this planet, I have time like I have air to breathe. It's a birthright. It goes along with having "authority and dominion." We all have time.

I feel an epiphany coming on. Let's see what happens this week. Meantime, let me take care of this little piece of promotional business for the upcoming reading.

On Second Thought: Derailed by A Photo of an Elder

i was just about to share my plans for creating a companion accordion book to The Conjure Woman Episode playbook when i came across this photo on my FB page, posted by Earth is Beautiful. her face says more about art, creating art, being an elder, and beauty than i can express in words today. she says it all. i'm done for this week. i am complete.

Much Ado About Covers

i want to shift gears this week from conversations about my play, The Conjure Woman Episode, to designing the play book. it didn't take long to choose the format. out of all the play books on my bookshelf, i especially love the old school, soft cover play scripts published by Samuel French, Inc. they take me back to my early theater training days at Western High and Towson State College (before it was a university). how i loved those script books freshly bought and broken in with notes and tech cues scribbled in the margins, highlighted dialogue, doggy-eared pages, and well-worn covers. and how convenient they were to carry in oversized pockets and purses. those old Samuel French publications are jewels.

i haven't decided on a font yet for my script book; the type will likely be a traditional element as well. the bigger challenge is choosing a cover. to that end, i want to engage readers in helping me choose a color from among the three covers below that i've used in previous program books for the play. 

everyone who sends a suggestion will get the book at half price during our pre-launch week in November. so, send your suggestion, name and contact info via my blog, Facebook page (L. Nef'fahtiti Myrick), or at nefnfx@gmail.com. here are the choices:

About The Conjure Woman Episode

A troubled palm reader is forced by her spirit guides to revisit past lives in order to remember why she has incarnated at this time.

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The Conjure Woman Episode Synopsis

Conjure Woman is on the verge of a total breakdown tonight. She’s loosing her ability to foretell the future, her sole source of income, and with it all of her old faithful clients. The few new clients she has are calling to demand their money back with threats of reporting her for false advertising. The bank is about to foreclose on her house and she’s run out of extensions on her power bill. On top of all this, she’s too broke to buy medicine for the migraine headaches she suffers constantly. All she can do at this point is pray for help to get her through the night.

Help arrives when a paying customer shows up at her door for a reading. No sooner than Conjure Woman begins to see a trip on the horizon of her visitor’s palm, she sees something else that scares her to the bone. With little explanation, she stops the reading and shoos the visitor out the door just as a host of lively Sista Spirits descends on her parlor. They have come in response to her prayers.  They know what she saw and will do whatever it takes to make her finish what she’s started. 

But when the visitor returns, Conjure Woman refuses to continue the reading until the Sista Spirits warn that if she doesn’t, neither she nor her ancestors will ever rest in peace. Her only hope for the future is to recall the story her grandmother used to tell of the evolution of their bloodline. Conjure Woman happily concedes to take the visitor on the trip of remembrance, if that’s all it will take.

The problem is she doesn’t remember the entire story. The Sista Spirits intervene by taking her back through time to relive her grandmother’s incarnations and ultimately the darkness and terror foreshadowed in the visitor’s palm. The horrors of her ancestral memories are so painful that Conjure Woman wills herself to death. 

Yet, what she learns in the Spirit realm gives her the compassion to forgive the unforgivable and the courage to reincarnate with a distinct purpose. She returns to the early 1900s as her great-great grandmother to rewrite her family’s herstory and to pass on her enlightened consciousness for generations to come.

She eventually returns to the present, her memory fully in tact.  Conjure Woman has become the woman that her spirits guides always knew she was destined to be.  

Reincarnation, Part I

i want to pivot from our conversation about the African American spiritual practice of Conjure to the topic of reincarnation, which we will explore in the upcoming event:

as stated in the flier, reincarnation/rebirth is one of the central themes of my play The Conjure Woman Episode. The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions defines rebirth as "[t]he belief (also transmigration, *metempsychosis, reincarnation, etc.) common in Eastern religions, that there is a continuity from one life to a next, either of a self or soul . . .  or, in the case of Buddhism, of the process itself." although i get it on an intellectual level, i can't honestly say i totally believe in reincarnation. my soul isn't yet convinced of that truth, because i can't tell if, at times, i'm truly remembering past life experiences or receiving information from Spirit, or just making stuff up in my head. 

on the other hand, i'm fascinated with the whole phenomenon of cellular memory and the possibility that i have inherited grey matter genes, that is, grey matter composition, including memories, from my parents and ancestors. this would explain why i have felt at home the first time i've visited new places and other deja vu type experiences. from that perspective, reincarnation makes perfect sense to me; bits and pieces of my ancestors abide in me. they live on through me.

i've invited Rev. Douglas Kinney to participate in the panel discussion for the aforementioned event, because he's written extensively on this topic and performs past life regressions, which is another central theme of the play. my Conscious Life Design partner, Rev. Bernette Jones, will also participate on the panel to bring a metaphysical perspective to the discussion. AND, if at all possible, i want to bring my fellow Trail of Dreams Peace Walker, Audri Scott Williams, up to B-more for this event, because she has a wealth of information to bring to this conversation.

please join us on October 2nd for what promises to be an enlightening and entertaining experience. i look forward to sharing the stage again with the fabulous Walks on Water (aka Nataska Humminbird) and Olufunmilayo Jomo. big fun!

Conjure in the Culture & Arts Continued

i've come across what promises to be an eye opening documentary on Conjure titled The United States of Hoodoo (2012) by Oliver Hardt and written by Darius James and Oliver Hardt. the distribution website states, "The United States of Hoodoo is a film about how African American based spirituality has influenced American culture." here's the link if you'd like to read more: http://hoodoo.stokedfilm.com/

 the film is available for rent or sale on Vimeo. i plan to watch it later this week after completing my final teaching gig for the summer at Howard Community College. (looking forward to reclaiming some free time head space for the next 3 weeks!!) anyone care to watch the film with me? i would appreciate your thoughts/responses as we continue to explore what Conjure is and isn't, how it shows up in our culture, and--of particular interest to me--how we give life to this topic in different artistic forms and mediums.

follow me on FB and join the conversation there (Lenett Nef'fahtiti Myrick & Lenett Nef'fahtiti Partlow-Myrick)

A Conjure Culture

as we continue this conversation about Conjure (aka hoodoo, African American folk magic, and root work), i'm noticing that Conjure is ubiquitous, i.e., everywhere present around us. it's in our conversations, food, music, dance, visual art, and of course literature. Conjure is an inextricable part of our expression and culture. it's in us. but not everyone is eager to embrace that reality.

it's a two-headed creature, for sure. one side practices Conjure to heal, for protection, to understand dreams, and to receive the blessings of good luck and fortune. lucky number and dream books, candle shops, herbal products, charms, talismans, and home remedies abound. i was out in the boondocks the other day, and in the middle of corn fields and gas stations and little road side restaurants, there was a house with a neon PALM READER sign in the window. even the smallest communities have their own conjure womens and mens.

the other side, however, exists for darker purposes, typically to harm, injure, and manipulate. i'm not interested in that stuff. it's whacked. 

and yet i can't ignore or disregard those classic tributes to Conjure's mirky side like Junior Wells' "Hoodoo Man," and Santana's "Black Magic Woman" and Alice Smith's cover of "I Put a Spell on You" that just wears me out! like i said, Conjure is ubiquitous. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47djAb6jVJk

The His/Herstory of Conjuring Continued

Conjure Cures & Curiosities

it occurred to me while listening to a podcast on the life, legend and lore of Harriett Tubman that many of us know something about folk medicine practices that have passed down in our families. my grandfather has often told me the story of how his maternal grandmother, Lina Wimberly, used her knowledge of herbs and herbal remedies to cure people of various ailments, including a woman with TB. seven generations later, we're still using her remedy for colds and the flu: 1 part cod liver oil, 1 part bourbon and 1 part honey. i'm telling you, it works!

i've also heard all kinds of stories from people about cures for coughs, fevers, asthma, cramps, headaches, toothaches, and so on using everything from raw onions to spirit of turpentine oil. it's a wonder that any of us ever get sick given the wealth of information we possess on folk/root medicine practices within our families and social tribes. 

it's all conjure, but we don't call it that. 

many of us are too spooked by the negative connotations of that word to even research this fascinating part of our collective his/herstory and "to learn something," as the Conjure Woman at the center of my play would say.

but if you look and listen carefully, conjure is everywhere present in our society, familial traditions, community, art, and quotidian affairs. it's as much in the music--"i put a spell on you / because you're mine"--as it is in the stews and brews we drink. it's everywhere.

Defining the Conjure Tradition

over the years i have attended many gatherings where religions, spiritual traditions, and practices of people from different cultures have been celebrated.  i cherish these interfaith experiences that have given me such rich opportunities to learn, expand my consciousness, fellowship with like minds, build bridges of faith, and be of service to the vision of a global beloved community. what a blessing.

yet, there were many times while attending these gatherings when i would feel something was missing for me. and after a while i began to question why the African American spiritual heritage and culture was not represented or even explored to any extent? while participating as an original member of the Trail of Dreams in a walk of remembrance to retrace our ancestors' footsteps along the parts of the Underground Railroad that parallel and cross the Appalachian Trail, i came to understand that our ancestors were working with something outside of Christianity, something that was spiritually unique and powerful.

it bothered me for many years that the voice of that reality was always absent within the circle of gurus, ministers, priests, priestesses, et al. representing Christianity, different African religions, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Wicca, Judaism, various indigenous spiritual traditions, and so on, although African Americans could be counted among those faith traditions. of course, i was thrilled when my sista-friend-guru Audri Scott Williams began to bring Harriett Tubman into those circles, represented by her walking staff, and to tell the stories of our ancestors spiritual legacy and triumphs.

and there is even more to tell and learn and celebrate by exploring 
the history and herstory of the Conjure tradition, also known as hoodoo, rootwork  and African American folk magic. according to several sources, Conjure--not to be confused with voodoo--is a gumbo of African, European, and Native American spiritual practices and botanical wisdom teachings that intersects with Christianity at debatable intervals. Yvonne P. Chireau, author of Black Magic: Religion and the African American Conjuring Tradition, further defines Conjure as "a magical tradition in which spiritual power is invoked for various purposes, such as healing, protection, and self defense," to serve individual and collective needs.

throughout the rest of this month, i will share some of my research on Conjure with the intention to give voice to this often misunderstood but fascinating spiritual culture that is as an art form in and of itself. meantime, check out my Facebook page (Lenett Nef'fahtiti Partlow-Myrick) for daily posts on this topic 

THE BOOK

sometimes ancestors will project their voices across dimensions to give us special spiritual assignments. sometimes they'll creep in our ears in the middle of the night and whisper instructions. and then there are times when they will take hold of our fingers and write what they want us to know. i'm certain The Conjure Woman Episode is a product of the latter instance. 

it is the story of a struggling palm reader forced by her spirit guides to revisit past lives in order to remember her true purpose in this lifetime. the play is inspired by my paternal great-great grandmother Lina Wimbley, who, according to my grandfather, had amazing healing power and astute knowledge of herbs and seasonal changes. Lina had a big part in birthing this play.

i first performed the show in 1993 at Cafe Montage in Baltimore, MD, as a one-woman performance piece, and later that year at the old BAUhouse. it has since evolved into a two-act drama with three characters under the direction of Nzinga Ama, featuring jaki-terry, Janice Short and me; and most recently, in 2006, with five characters under the direction of jaki-terry, featuring Olufunmilayo, Walks on Water (aka Nataska Humminbird), Mahatara (aka Nkosazana) Youssef, voiceover by Kay Lawal Muhammad, and me. 

the script, like the main character, has seen several incarnations. the ancestors always have some new revelation or insight or bits of dialogue to add to Conjure Woman's story, which is the story of women everywhere across the planet who are awakening to and walking in their true purpose here on Earth.

no doubt: this is a spirit-driven work of art. i have NO say in when or how it will evolve. i simply get "the call," and i am obedient, 'cause there's nothing like getting whacked with a cosmic 2x4! a couple of months ago i received the clear message to "publish the play book." so, that's what i am up to. we'll start taking pre-orders in September and will present a reading in October with a panel discussion on the play's central themes of reincarnation and past life regression. i'll be posting details on these events here in my blog and on my Facebook page. so stay tuned in. 

meantime, pay attention to those messages from the ancestors when they come. you never know . . . 

A Quiet Page

i'm feeling very quiet and still right now,  centered and focused, much like this page (circa 2008).

that's it. some days/weeks there's not much to say. just Be.

A Favorite Page

for some reason the following page is calling me today, so i'm following my intuition and posting it here rather than focusing on a particular journal to discuss this week.

this is one of my favorite journal pages because i was able to weave six different elements that i really love into a composition that compels me to stay with it for a while before moving on to the next page. the weaving includes--

• top/bottom indigo blue border ribbons
• pic of splashes of white and turquoise paint on a gradient sky-blue background; i cut out the rectangle in the middle of the page as a window for the--
• pic of pure marble blue eyes  
• pic of an anime character 
• silver, crystal and aquamarine appliques accenting the splashes of paint and pupils of all eyes on the page
• shimmering purple and blue embroidered ribbon pieces

i think i chose to write on those white strips to cover unrelated text that came with the larger page with the splashes of paint. altogether, "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts" (Aristotle). the trippy thing about this composition is i didn't intend its outcome. it just happened as a result of being present with a blank page and trusting the creative process, much like trusting the process of life.

About Journals (Functions & Distinctions)

I want to share a bit of information about journals that we discuss in my 3-week journal course, which you may find useful. 

There are four distinct aspects of a journal that define its functions, content, and purpose. 

 

A journal is essentially a “living” document that functions as:

·       A repository of thoughts, feelings, dreams, revelations, and ideas

·       A self-exploration tool for working through issues, tapping into the subconscious

·       A reference source of study materials, notes, articles, sketches, etc.; it can be used as a basis for other works, e.g., books, films, etc.

·       An earth record of your being, experiences, life, or an era of your life (memoir)

Your intention for keeping a journal defines its function, which may be singular or varied. The focus can also change in mid-stream, consciously or subconsciously. Just go with the flow, let it unfold, and watch where it takes you.

We still have room in the course if you want to join us next Saturday. You can register at EventBrite (Baltimore City / More Than a Journal) or contact me at either moonmythpublishing@gmail.com or 443.857.2402 to register on site.

Register at EventBrite: https://goo.gl/gxafss

My Next-to-Favorite Journal

my next-to-favorite journal to date chronicles one of my 60-day non-human experiences, as defined by John Randolph Price. (i think this experience is detailed in his book, A Spiritual Philosophy for the New World). this journal began as a 9" x 12" sketch book with a spiral binding at the top. the front cover is made of textured paper, with a couple of coats of shellac, ribbon at the top and bottom, and a mardi gras mask.


i truly love each page of this book, from the first with the pic of that little boy, to the last. in addition to some striking pics, i used all kinds of materials--cellophane, glitter glue, beads, appliques, feathers, ribbons, deco paper, cloth swatches, leather. i especially love the top-to-bottom layout that the spiral binding affords.

the biggest challenge for this week's blog was which pages to include here without making this week's entry too long. i settled for two collages of my favorite pages. if you want to see the entire book you'll have to come to my journal class that begins on Saturday, April 16th or check out my Facebook page or wait until my next 33 Bookzz art show.

meantime, just experience how a journal can also be a repository of experiences as well as a chronicle of your spiritual growth over a period of time.

More than a Journal Course Cont.

continuing with the conversation from last week re: my upcoming MORE THAN A JOURNAL 3-week course, a journal can be a notebook, i.e., a place to store notes/information that you want to use and keep handy, as in this 12 spiritual powers journal i made about 12 years ago.  the finished size is @ 8 3/4" x 11 1/2". the F/B covers are made of poster board covered with a teal, floral design, velvet cloth paper. i tried a wire binding for this book--a nice contrast to the velvet. 

i had this pic for a long, long time and figured this wise-looking elder black grandmother was the perfect preface to a journal on the 12 spiritual powers. every strand of her braided head emanates spiritual KNOWLEDGE. 

in addition to pics from zines and postcards, i used lots of ribbons and swatches of deco paper to create collages and frames for each page. 

journals should make you want to touch them, too.

More Than a Journal Class #1

finally, i got it! since the beginning of the year i've been thinking and meditating on my commitment to this blog AND, most important, to sharing my journal art with the world. very long meditation made short: i've been inspired to hold a journal class. but it's more than that; it's a class for anyone who is working on a book or family document project as well as people who want to enliven their journal life. this class will support people to:

• generate raw material for new writing projects
• get a focus for book projects
• actually WRITE something
• develop design ideas for book projects
• develop daily discipline to journal / complete book projects

i want people to realize that a journal can be anything they imagine. those of you who followed my blog last year know that to be true. but what does that look like? 

someone suggested that i begin to use my daily journal creations as raw material for smaller books on specific topics / experiences. so, here's my first mini journal of the year, which focuses on the experience of watching my dear adopted brother, W. Dale Baxter, make his transition during the month of February. the journal is a 3 1/2" x 4" accordion fold design. i've wanted to make a black-white-grey book for a while now. that idea seemed the perfect backdrop to Dale's passing. this was the largest accordion book i've made to date, with 12 front and back panels and five pop up features. it's made with textured papers, fabrics, beads, and appliques. the first pic below is of the front and back covers.

i am especially committed to supporting people to tell their stories and to leave records of their Being on the planet for posterity. i'm calling my 3-week class More Than a Journal. It will be held at: 

BYI High School /4701 Yellowwood Ave. / Baltimore 21209

on Saturday, April 16th, 23rd and 30th 

12 noon - 2:15 p.m. 

Fee: $150 / $75 per class

i'll post a link soon for early registration. meantime, email me at nefnfx@gmail.com if you have any questions.

What next in 2016?

hello blog family. i've missed you. although i'm happy to be complete with the 2015 weekly bookmaking challenge, i keep feeling like i'm supposed to be posting something here every week. i reckon it's the conversation i miss most, the sharing, and the feedback. creating art can be such a solitary activity, like most contemplative practices. but when we can design a step into that process that allows us to share what we're doing and how we're doing it, without effecting the end product, then we can enjoy a full creative exchange. that's what the previous blog challenge gave me.

so now i'm thinking about what's next and what i can honestly commit to producing on a regular basis. that's the question i'll explore this week and get back atcha as soon as i get an answer.

Final Wks. 46 - 53: The Holiday Books

although i'm 3 days late for my final posts of 2015, i'm happy to get it done. the 2015 commitment was a BEAST to sustain; however, some good work came out of that commitment, which has laid the foundation for my next exhibit in 2016. more on that later.


as for this final post, i made one new journal for another private journal circle--that's another BIG surprise that came out of this year's work. i can show the cover but not the inside, which has participants' names and other info on the first two pages. 

i also made a new photo book out of this old 4" x 12" sales log book from way back when. my artist friend William Rhodes gave it to me--he knows i like to turn odd things into books. i love the size and the vinyl cover, which should stand the test of time.

lastly, i made over 50+ 2016 calendar BARDS in December. the folded down size is @ 3 1/2" x 4" with hard covers. at first glance it looks like a two-sided card with original art, a new year's message, and space to write a message of your own. 

the signature actually folds out to an 8 1/2" x 11" calendar that includes spiritual principles, disciples, new and full moon dates for each month. people love these BARDS because they're pretty, functional, easy to carry and easy to keep on a desk/table top.

so there. i'm complete with the book-a-week challenge, and want to thank everyone who has followed this blog. i hope you were inspired to make art and meaning out of the substance of your own lives. many blessings in the new year.