💜☕️Lavender Heart Tea releases 11.11.21 at withlovekeesh.com💜☕️click ‘Sip the TEA’ to purchase the eBook, audiobook, or bundle eBook/audiobook! 🖌What that Throat Chakra Due? is an excerpt poem from my book, Lavender Heart Tea. Click the link below to watch the video and make sure to click the like button and subscribe to my Youtube channel and hit the notification bell so you never miss when I post a new video!🔵The Vow of Silence“Growing up, I didn’t talk much; if at all. At some point, I learned to be ‘silent.’ To be ‘agreeable.’ To be ‘nice.’ At my own expense. But now, I got a whole lot to say..”And I mean a WHOLE lot. As the digital release of my book, Lavender Heart Tea, approaches, I find myself feeling an array of emotions throughout any given day. Emotions ranging from relief, to anxiety, to nervousness; just to name a few. But one feeling I feel that outweighs all my other emotions is empowerment. Empowerment that I do not feel I have ever experienced before. I started writing Lavender Heart Tea June 2021 after my therapist, Danielle, challenged me to write a 15-page essay exploring the painful space my life was in. A challenge that unbeknownst to me at the start, would begin the unblocking and complete activation of my throat chakra.🛋This is an Aligned Community love note being shared with the collective. Interested in joining the Aligned Community for future in-depth love notes? Click below to join us!🗣The Throat ChakraBefore diving fully into the throat chakra, allow me to explain chakras in general. There are seven main chakras: root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown; each positioned down the center of the body in their respected areas. Chakras essentially are balls of energy that facilitate the functioning of both our emotional and physical wellbeing; energetic forces that when are open and balanced, cultivate fulfillment for us both internally and externally. I realized the power in studying and understanding each chakra intimately and began exploring different strategies to assist me in healing the emotional trauma residing rent-free within each of my chakras.When considering the throat chakra, it is the 5th main chakra located within the neck region. The throat chakra governs our ability to speak our truths through authentic communication and actively listen to those communicating with us. It also facilitates our own internal dialogue and well-being expressed through our mental, physical, and spiritual bodies. Have you ever wanted to cry or speak your mind about something, but held onto it instead and as a result, felt a burn or strain in your throat? That is a short-term block in the throat chakra. Of course at times, we must activate the necessary restraint depending upon the situation and circumstances, but overtime if we consistently block our throat chakra by not speaking our truth or refusing to actively listen to our internal and external environments, it will inevitably lead to long-term blocks in the throat chakra. These long-term blocks can cause you to consistently remain silent (vow of silence), although, you really have something you’d like to express. This ultimately will result in one existing within a false truth; silencing themselves time after time again hoping to never shake the table.I believe that many of us that took the unknown vow of silence as children did so by way of conditioning; realizing our needs would only be met, even if only partially, only if we blurred into the background and did not cause any trouble. In my personal experience, it was often labeled as being the bigger person, but one person should not always have to be the bigger person. If you find yourself in situations, relationships, etc. in which you are regularly shamed and guilted into being the bigger person, your authenticity is more than likely being stifled. Those people and those surroundings ultimately do not have your best interest at heart.As you continue on your journey to your most authentic being, pay attention to your throat chakra. Are you speaking up for yourself and/or the things you believe in? Are you verbalizing when someone does something that hurts or offends you? Are you actively listening to your loved ones’ vulnerabilities with openness and care? OR Are you dismissing your truth in the hopes of maintaining a life-long relationship? Perhaps, you are biting through your tongue, swallowing your own blood in the hopes of not offending someone who has no issue offending you? Maybe you are coldly dismissing other’s point of view and perspectives because they do not fully align with what you consider to be the truth? Are you perhaps not firm enough in your own being to be open to the opinions and experiences of others without being offended? Only you can answer these questions and reevaluate your relationship with your throat chakra. Know that, there is no real prize in the burn of swallowing your truth to appease another. The prize lies in the lane of authenticity; the ability to be unapologetically who you are, while simultaneously, not berating and/or dismissing other’s experiences and perspectives.💜☕️Lavender Heart Tea releases 11.11.21 at withlovekeesh.com💜☕️click ‘Sip the TEA’ to purchase the eBook, audiobook, or bundle eBook/audiobook! Until next time. With Love, Keesh With Love Keesh links Subscribe at withlovekeesh.substack.com

💜☕️Lavender Heart Tea releases 11.11.21 at withlovekeesh.com💜☕️click ‘Sip the TEA’ to sign up for all updates!🧶The Inspiration For this year’s spooky season, I chose to challenge myself beyond my typical fashion- based and inspired Halloween costume to something that would better relate to my personal healing/authenticity journey. For those of you that are not following my other social media platforms, my Halloween costume was inspired by the character, Beverly Sutphin, from John Water’s 1994 Horror/Comedy, Serial Mom. Serial Mom has always been a nostalgic favorite of mine. Water’s brilliantly transforms a horrific story into a comedy; something that is much easier to consume for the public. If you have never seen or heard of Serial Mom, click HERE for a brief plot synopsis. Many people are unaware, I know I didn’t realize it until much later in life, that Serial Mom is indeed based on true events. As I sat and relived a brief moment of my childhood and rewatched it a few different times over the past few weeks, I realized just how frequently trauma-based realities are put directly in our faces, but many times, it is too hard for us to even fathom they have any real truth to them. I feel this is why Water’s chose to tell the harsh reality of the actual story the individuals involved endured in the way in which he did. It is hard to believe that someone, especially a mother, would be capable of such horrendous actions and crimes as Beverly committed. Her actions created deep, dark wounds for her family and the others involved, while she simultaneously, presented herself to the public as a stellar mother, friend, and community member. Water’s decision to portray this horrific story in a comedic way allowed the portrayal of such a vile, narcissistic, psychopath to be broadcasted to a worldwide audience. Especially for that time frame of the early 90s when the word narcissism and narcissists were not as prevalent as they are today. Overall, Beverly’s actions created a deep mother wound sure to plague them all until each person takes the necessary actions to properly heal the trauma. Below is a TikTok video I created to merge into Serial Mom herself.🥻Tailored Some of you may be thinking that this is just a movie and that I am essentially making a mountain out of a molehill in considering the trauma and healing process of fictional characters. But remember, I mentioned earlier that it is based on true events; so, there was real trauma present for all individuals involved in that situation. But even going beyond that, many of us unknowingly carry our own mother wound that has been secretly plaguing our lives and repressing and stifling our authenticity and integrity. Tailored creatively explores my mother/matriarch wound. How I personally wore trauma tailored specifically for me to bear. Trauma I had no part in creating, but that I was expected to silently wear and carry my entire life. Authenticity I was never allowed to custom-fit to reflect my true being. Click the link below for Poetic Justice: EP 2: Tailored🎃The moUrning after HalloweenTo some of those that choose to celebrate Halloween, it is a time in which participants young and old get the opportunity to dress up as their favorite cartoon or movie character or whatever their imagination desires. A time in which those willing to participate get the chance to dress and behave totally out of their character and mimic and embody another’s look, personality, character, etc. By November 1st, the multitude of characters are neatly tucked and stored away and the collective’s focus quickly shifts into the Holiday season (Thanksgiving and Christmas) mode. But, what about those that do not have such a luxury and are left to battle the continuous turmoil and dysfunction of some of those very same characters others got to simply play at then put away? 🧡The mother woundThe mother wound is a wound many, especially those in the Black community, are ashamed to admit they bear. The mother is the foundation in many Black households and it can be intimating, and even isolating, to stand in your truth and tell the matriarchs of the family how their actions, whether intentional or not, negatively affected you. The mother wound can manifest in many, many, many ways; some in which include, tumultuous relationships (platonic, romantic, career, etc.), a negative relationship with money, stunted or stifled creativity, repressed sexual identities, and fear of the unknown (an insatiable crave for ‘control’ over everything in one’s life); just to name a few. The mother wound is not necessarily just the immediate mother, whether born from or adopted. It includes ALL the women/matriarchs of the family. If any of the women in one’s family created mental, physical, or spiritual anguish for the individual, it is still considered the mother wound. It is important for us all to stand in our authenticity and reject the shame and guilt commonly attached to properly identifying the mother wound. It is not your responsibility to protect those that have harmed you, but it is your responsibility to protect YOU. Toss aside those improperly fitting truths you were thrifted and have worn for so long as your own. It is now your time to create custom-fitted truths; your authenticity and integrity. I will dive much further into the mother wound and its entangled connection to our sacral chakra in a future Aligned Community love note.Interested in joining the Aligned Community? Click below to join us!💜☕️Lavender Heart Tea releases 11.11.21 at withlovekeesh.com💜☕️click ‘Sip the TEA’ to sign up for all updates!I hope you enjoy this week’s Poetic Justice episode and love note! Please feel free to like, share, and subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow my other social media platforms.Until next time.💌With Love, Keesh Subscribe at withlovekeesh.substack.com

an invitation to TEA☕️ Lavender Heart Tea: A Collection of Love Notes, Monologues, Short Stories, and Poems Dedicated to Reconnecting with the Authentic Self Release date: 11.11.21Hello everyone!I know I have been MIA for a few weeks, but I have a fantastic reason behind my absence: I wrote my first book!Lavender Heart Tea will release in eBook and Audiobook versions on Thursday, November 11, 2021 on withlovekeesh.com Please stay tuned for more details! I look forward to sharing this journey and connecting with you all soon!with love, keesh Subscribe at withlovekeesh.substack.com

Our energy is our most sacred form of currency; how we choose to distribute our time and attention each day is vital to our overall wellbeing and the prices for our chosen purchases are due immediately upon receipt.What does that mean?!The way we choose to spend our currency (our time, attention, and energy), the payment for those choices is due immediately upon receipt (reflected in the trajectory of our lives). If we consistently, without limits, choose unaligned purchases, such as, binge watching hours of television, instead of, consistently choosing more aligned purchases, such as, working on our small business plan as we promised ourselves we would, the return on investment is minimal to non-existent. You pay the ultimate price in wasted time for an activity that in the long run, will not add any value or longevity to your life. Now don’t get me wrong, we all love a bit of mindless activity at times to blow off a little steam from the day or to relax unapologetically into a pool of nothingness, but like everything, those purchases need a cap; a cutoff point, in which, you are aware of the price you are paying for investing in such activities that ultimately hold no long term value and will eventually cost you the life you wish to manifest. Funny enough, this poem and message came to me as I was watching The Temptations, (one of my top five favorite movies). In response to seeing it on tv, I tweeted:Now, of course I was being dramatic and silly, but watching The Temptations was a purchase I actively choose to invest my currency in. As long as I am aware of the time spent while investing in my preferred recreational activities, while simultaneously, intentionally and consistently making honest efforts to limit those activities in a way that best serves me, then I am operating in my own lane of integrity. Notice the time stamp of 2:04 a.m. I had been writing for about two hours or so prior, so a break from the minutia of the keyboard clicks and the computer screen glare was well deserved! I had already invested a great amount of my currency into something that will create abundance for myself in the long run.Important: Never will I ever, tell you how to spend your currency. My only purpose is to bring your awareness to the sacredness of it. Remember: you are the only one that can walk your journey forward to reconnecting with your authentic self; myself and the community here are merely your cheerleaders and supporters. In this space, we encourage one another to be our best self, in whatever way that looks best for each individual, however, a properly aligned community wouldn’t be doing its job to inspire and encourage one another if we didn’t hold each other accountable. There is no shame if you realize your currency spending habits need improving; if anything, that is a cause for celebrating! You are becoming more aware and open to receiving messages aligned with your best interest in heart, just as I’m sure you ultimately want for yourself.A few practical suggestions for realigning your currency spending habits and reclaiming your time:Acknowledge any current energy leaks: These include, but are not limited to: excessively binge watching tv, excessive social media scrolling, gossiping, physical inactivity (skipping workouts, walks, etc.), excessive poor eating habits, etc. Accept any current energy leaks without guilt or shame: We are quick to guilt and shame ourselves when we become aware of actions we are taking that are not conductive to our growth; this is not a healthy mindset to host and will more than likely lead to continuing the current energy leaks at a more aggressive rate (self-sabotage). View this awareness as an opportunity for change and congratulate yourself for accepting it for what it is.Create small steps toward your bigger picture: Write out or journal your current energy leaks and develop small steps and adjustments you can actively do each day or week to improve upon them. For example, if you have not exercised or worked out since the start of the pandora, it wouldn’t be in your best interest to set a new goal of exercising 7 days/week for 2 hours/day. Some may be able to do this extreme, but the majority are more than likely to see better, long-lasting results when smaller, more consumable baby steps are implemented. For example, setting a goal of walking at least 2 days/week for 30 minutes/day. Keep building momentum! Each new week, build upon the progress you made the previous week. Each small step will inevitably reveal the bigger picture of the ultimate goal you set out to accomplish!If you experience a setback, no worries! Just start back at one (no, Brain McKnight 😁) knowing there is no shame or guilt in beginning again. For this time, you are beginning with experience and not from scratch! (For those unaware of the Brain McKnight reference; I got your back!☺️) This life is imperfect and we are imperfect and it is okay when we slip out of alignment. The magic is in being aware of it and lovingly bringing yourself back into alignment.📓Weekly Journal Prompt: 9/12-9/18📓How do you plan to efficiently use your time this week? What are your goals for the week?Don’t click that ❌ just yet! Keep scrolling friend, there’s more⬇️‼️Before you go‼️As I was writing this this love note, I received confirmation of this being a divinely aligned message for us via The Pattern app:Spend your currency wisely, for you can never get the same moment back again. Have an amazing week!with love, keeshlove donations (thank you, you are appreciated) Subscribe at withlovekeesh.substack.com

I know you’re probably wondering if I made a mistake and if I actually meant to type effect. But no, I meant to type affect. Let’s take a moment to clarify the meaning of each:affect- v. to influence, alter, change, modifyeffect- n. the outcome of an event or situation that created a change; a result of something 🦋Now allow me to explain, the butterfly AFFECT…Have you ever heard the saying, they give me butterflies? Typically, it is a phrase that refers to the giddy, bubbly feeling felt in the body, predominately the stomach, one can feel when they think of or are approaching a special person, lover, or friend.If you are like me, I grew up thinking that feeling butterflies in the stomach meant I was extremely excited to see the person. Now I realize, those were flutters of panic and anxiety that my nervous system was sending me; alerting me to run for the hills and deal with the real issues that were plaguing me. Trauma affects our bodies in a host of different ways and it is important for us to be able to properly identify the internal signals our bodies are sending us. Now of course, seeing or thinking of a lover or friend can excite you, but in a calming way; less frenzy and nervousness. You feel a sense of ease knowing you will soon be in each other’s presence vs a sense of dis-ease.Our bodies are beautiful communicators; they are always communicating things to us. We have to learn how to intentionally listen to those communicators and make the appropriate adjustments necessary. Our nervous system is one of our biggest communicators and it is essential that we cultivate a calm and trusting internal environment for it to operate at its most optimal efficiency. I have been researching practices and techniques for a few months now geared toward realigning and calming the nervous system. It was brought full circle for me Monday night that I am on the right track after attending a beautiful New Moon ceremony with my circle sister, Mahadevi. In our ceremony, she discussed the importance of a calmed nervous system and I instantly accepted the divine alignment of her message. When we are exposed to trauma for extended periods of time, our nervous systems can become stuck or lodged in hyperactive or hypoactive gear and cause several negative manifestations for us, both physically and mentally. All stress isn’t bad; our nervous system is designed to successfully assist us in navigating through more commonplace stressors, such as a public speaking event or a work deadline, however, a nervous system that is consistently in “go” mode due to significant periods of trauma and never receives the signal to disengage, essentially malfunctions and causes the individual internal and external pain.Know that the process of realigning your nervous system, will not happen over night; for it did not become unaligned overnight, but over time. This is why the journey to reconnection with the authentic self is so vital; it grants us the space to find the things that center us, thus steadily relieving the stressors and pressure on our nervous system. In this space of healing ,reassure your body that you know it is doing the best it can and that you are so grateful for it. Keep it hydrated and nourished and aware that you will not abandon it, even during the times that it is not operating at its fullest capacity.What happened to you is not your fault, but it is your responsibility to heal it. Heal it for yourself, heal it for your lineage.Learn to be still and listen to your body. As Mahadevi said, look at your aliments as communicators; our bodies are always speaking to us.The moth isn’t any less than the butterfly, just know how to identify, the affect it has on you.with love, keeshlove donations (thank you, you are appreciated!) Subscribe at withlovekeesh.substack.com

As I have mentioned in several earlier love notes, we are each on our own frequency level and it is important to act as the observer and not the judge; allowing another the space to be; just as they are on their chosen frequency level.The same goes for you; observe and acknowledge where you have been, where you are now, and where you intend to manifest to be. Even if now you feel as if some of the choices you made in the past were not the best decisions for you, acknowledge them for what they were: the best you could do with the knowledge you had at the time. Prior to my spiritual awakening, I whole heartedly believed that I was doing what was best for me in the way I chose to live my life. And I was indeed doing the best I could for me; at my then frequency level. Even though now I realize I was living my life primarily for the acceptance of others, I can also acknowledge that I did the best I could for my then awareness level. I did the best I could to survive. I was operating from more of the primal, grounding chakras (root, sacral, and solar plexus) versus a more integrated chakra frequency (all seven main chakras).Now, I better inner stand that operating from that more primal and lack mindset frequency was not in alignment with my highest good; it was a frequency that required me to steadily be doing versus resting in being. Now, I embrace all parts of me; the shadows and the light and honor all the spectrums of my existence. The most beautiful thing about even resting in this integrated frequency is understanding that I will continuously evolve and grow and perhaps there will be things I do and agree with now, that I won’t later in life.Life is ever evolving and changing and so are we.Love who you were, for you would not be who you are now, without them.Love who you are now, for who you will be, would not be an option, without you now.You knew you loved you then and you know you love you now.With Love, Keeshlove donations (thank you, you are appreciated!) Subscribe at withlovekeesh.substack.com

My goal for this space is to create a community of individuals with the intention of reconnecting with the authentic self. We are all at different points and spaces within our individual journeys and I want to cultivate a space where all points and spaces are acknowledged, honored, and celebrated by each of us for one another; a space where we help one another as we unapologetically step into our true being.Over the last two weeks, this community has grown exponentially and I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself; there are many new tribe members here I have not had the pleasure of meeting or knowing in person!My name is LaKeshia Williams, but I mostly go by Keshia or Keesh. I am a 32 year old Shreveport, Louisiana native that graduated twice from two universities within my home state. I have also lived in various parts throughout Louisiana my entire life; northwest, northeast, central, and southwest Louisiana to pinpoint a few. My spiritual awakening unknowingly began for me late 2017 when I chose to separate from my marriage. It was one of the most difficult decisions I have made to date, but my inner knowing knew it was what was best for me. As I approach my four year anniversary of my healing journey, I am slowly beginning to realize that I really know nothing at all, as I mentioned in the earlier love note, Balance.When I say that, I mean that each and everyday I learn something new about myself. This is a beautiful perception; it allows one to steadily pick up the small breadcrumbs presented to them each day that will ultimately lead them to their authentic self. The power is in the flexibility and willingness to receive, even when the gift does not look as you wished. The power is in trusting that it all will make sense; and not necessarily make sense one day, but make sense each day. The mindset of believing it all will make sense one day trains the mind to believe there is an end goal or destination and that is the furtherest thing from the truth. Life is a never ending journey of authenticity, if you are open to it. The final destination is only made available to us, when our work here is done. Until then, let’s live in pure authenticity and integrity open to each new day and experience! We are all individual parts to one whole, and I would love to connect with you further, not only in this space, but across other social media platforms. We are in this together; at times we may feel lonely, but we are never really alone.Instagram: @withlovekeeshTwitter: @withlovekeeshFacebook: With Love KeeshYouTube: With Love KeeshTumblr: @withlovekeeshPinterest: Keesh A La‘ ModeWith Love, Keeshlove donations (thank you, you are appreciated!) Subscribe at withlovekeesh.substack.com

When I first began my healing journey, the thought of surrendering my life to the unknown was laughable to me. I lived my life in a way that I felt I had complete control over everything; I left little to no room for chance. The thought of relinquishing that control into the hands of the unknown was not what I considered to be smart or efficient. Now I realize, I never really had control over anything; I had only fooled myself into believing so.The more I heal, the more I realize that I know nothing at all and I’m okay with that. I’m okay with that because it leaves me open and flexible; open to the unseen things that have no room to flourish when living under the delusional sense of complete control. However, I later found myself on the complete opposite side of that spectrum; expecting things to simply happen because I wrote them down during a New Moon manifesting ritual. This sort of mindset is just as extreme and fruitless as the thought of having complete control; neither will garner the abundance we desire. It is all about balance; remaining open to the unknown, while taking intentional action in the known toward the things we are calling into our lives. Your balance, is where the magic happens.With Love, Keeshlove donations (thank you, you are appreciated!) Subscribe at withlovekeesh.substack.com

May you find the courage to boldly stand in your truth.With Love, Keeshlove donations, thank you. Subscribe at withlovekeesh.substack.com

Affirmations have been one of my favorite forms of meditation to use on my healing journey. Many of us grew up hearing, There is power of life and death in the tongue (Proverbs 18:21), but I can honestly say I did not fully understand what it actually meant until recently. We are what we speak; we are the co-creators of our existence. This does not mean that we will always have the most aligned and positive thoughts; we are humans and we experience a spectrum of thoughts and emotions throughout any given day. The power is in not making a home in those mere moments of existence, as I mentioned in an earlier love note, Eternal Sunshine. Make an honest effort to realize when you have shifted out of alignment and lovingly shift back. A powerful way to do so is to incorporate daily affirmations into your day. The beautiful thing about affirmations is there is no wrong or right way to do them; they can be spoken and affirmed at any given moment throughout the day. Affirm all the things you wish to manifest in the physical realm and so it shall be in divine timing.I look at it this way, you can continue to sit in how things are and nothing changes or you can try something new and see what happens. The worse that can happen is that things stay as they already are, but at least you know you tried and simultaneously, created new discipline and courage within yourself to be open to trying new things.There is power in the tongue; its a loaded gun. You can either choose concealing it or healing it.With Love, Keeshlove donations, thank you. Subscribe at withlovekeesh.substack.com