The question, "Who are you?" keeps showing up in my life. And to be honest, I am not always sure how to respond. Most recently, I have been approaching everything in my life with more intentionality because without it life seems chaotic. I think we have all been stretched in 2020 but I also believe that the stretching is going to catapult us into our best selves, similar to a bow and arrow. The harder the stretch, the further the distance.
Intentionality is just half the journey. We gotta put our actions where our intentions are. That's where the Mindful Moon Deck comes in.
What Is A Mindful Moon Deck?
Mindful Moon Deck/Marsha B.
Moondecks are affirmation decks focused on helping you become more aligned with yourself and your journey of discovery. For many, it serves as a self-love ritual, making it a great investment if you're looking to find peace and power through powerful mantras. Many are reasonably priced and offer a sense of contemplation that can only be deemed as instrumental.
This specific Mindful Moondeck is not like a regular moondeck. The set of 50 cards longs to be the inspiration and motivation needed to get shit done. From a reality check to words of wisdom, you can count on each card to push you into introspection. Most importantly, it was created by a black woman. Writer and Introvert N The City founder, Marsha B, designed this deck as she began to explore spirituality and what it meant for her in her life. She recognized there were areas in her that needed healing. Marsha shared with xoNecole:
"Essentially exploring spirituality is exploring your healing. During my journey, I used different affirmations that helped me really get in-tuned with myself. Not your typical 'I am' affirmations, but the ones that penetrate your soul."
"The ones that remind you to be gentle with yourself when you make a mistake. The ones that are real with you when you're in denial with yourself. I took those affirmations and made a 50-card deck. Each quote is rooted in grace and love for yourself, while giving grace and love to others," she continued.
In Marsha's experience, some people pull a card a day for their daily inspiration, while some pick a card when they need direction from the universe. Then, there are the people who use the deck as a clarifying card during tarot readings. For this millennial New Yorker, as she grows on her spiritual journey, she has began to incorporate a lot of what she experiences into her brand. Marsha says, "My online store also carries sage, incense, and crystals because they're great tools to use when you want to channel positive energy. I want to market high vibes and spirituality."
How The Moon Deck Works
Mindful Moon Deck/Marsha B.
- Shuffle the cards.
- Pull a card in the morning to set the tone for the rest of your day.
- Pull a card in times of uncertainty, or when inspiration is needed.
How The Mindful Moon Deck Got My Self-Care Routine Together
Joce Blake/xoNecole
I have been struggling with anxiety for some time now. It wasn't until I moved to Denver and had more time with myself that I was able to name it. In the past, I just thought it was natural to worry about everything all the time. I even thought that it was sign of failure.
My therapist said something in our last session that I can't get out of my head:
"Black women don't often recognize that they're struggling with depression or anxiety.
Instead, they think they're failing."
— Injera Mami🇪🇹 (@GloriaAlamrew) https://twitter.com/GloriaAlamrew/status/131473344...">October 10, 2020
Over the past two years, I have been trying to find ways and things that keep me grounded. In doing this, I have found that my soul really values having a physical resource that promotes love and light. The actual practice of pulling a card from the deck helped calm my anxiety. I decided that since it was a moment of stillness, I should add meditation to the routine. Meditation has always been a struggle for me because my mind wanders; having something to focus on – the Moon Deck card – was profound.
Adding the Moon Deck to my other self-preservation practices like writing in my self-care journal has increased my compassion towards myself. After reading a card, I feel more centered and ready to tackle whatever the universe throws at me. When I miss a day and don't pull a card, I can feel the difference because my day seems longer and my heart and soul feel heavier. I am so grateful to have this practice a part of my self-love ritual.
Join our xoTribe, an exclusive community dedicated to YOU and your stories and all things xoNecole. Be a part of a growing community of women from all over the world who come together to uplift, inspire, and inform each other on all things related to the glow up.
Featured image by Joce Blake/xoNecole
- The Sacred Self-Care Oracle (@selfcareoracle) • Instagram photos ... ›
- News – Tagged "Self-Care & Rituals" – INSCAPE ›
- The Moon Deck - The Moon Deck - Full Of Insights And Ritual ... ›
- The Sacred Self-Care Oracle: A 55-Card Deck and Guidebook: Pyle ... ›
- Aarona Lea: The Moon Deck Founder on Ritualizing Emotional ... ›
- How to Enhance Your Relationship to Intuition with The Moon Deck ... ›
- I Used The Moon Deck To Set Intentions For A Week | HelloGiggles ›
- The Moon Deck ›
- The Moon Deck: Celestial Self-Care | HUM Nutrition Blog ›
RELATED
While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Leon Bennett/WireImage
