What Is It About Jay-Z?
For the second year in a row, I am spending the summer living in Los Angeles. Personally I love that on any given day I can go from hiking in the mountains feeling connected to nature and the universe to enjoying all of the culture and amenities of a vibrant city. Also being a lover of “pop culture” and “what’s trending now,” I am always fascinated by what’s going on in Los Angeles since I have heard that many innovative ideas start in California and then move across the country.
This past month, along with blow dry bars, urban sweat lodges to detox and lose pounds, nail art (each nail a different but complementary design), tattoo sleeves on every limb, kale, pressed juice gluten-free everything, the one thing that stands out is L.A.’s obsession with hip-hop artist and entrepreneur Jay-Z. Everywhere you go, there are exercise classes dedicated to his music and people quoting his lyrics and using his name as an adjective to describe what they aspire to becoming. I was really taken by this phenomenon when a charismatic, beautiful, heartfelt, and professional woman teaching my spin class announced that the next song was by Jay-Z and if anyone talked during it, she would start it again since there had to be absolute reverence for the man and his music! In that moment, I could not help but think, “How does this magnificent woman who is obviously here to deliver such a gift to so many not get who she is?” What is the light she is projecting on Jay-Z that she needs to own so that she can understand everything that she sees in Jay-Z is already in her?
Debbie Ford explained in The Dark Side of the Light Chasers that each one of us contains every aspect and trait in the universe. Each human being possesses the thousands of qualities and traits that make up every human being. Beneath the surface of every human being exists the blueprint of all humankind. There is nothing we can see or perceive that we are not. If we did not possess a certain quality, we could not recognize it in another. Although these qualities will not be expressed all the time, we each have the ability to act out any quality we see because we are all that we see, all that we judge, all that we admire. We share the same universal qualities. All humans are the same in this essential way.
As an Integrative Coach and workshop leader, I am always struck by the number of people who do not own their light or see in themselves the greatness, brilliance or beauty that is so obvious to others. At The Shadow Process Workshop, which is truly a journey from the dark to the light, it amazes me how so many people have a much harder time reclaiming their light than they do identifying their dark. But when they finally get it, watching their faces and souls light up is truly inspiring!
To illustrate what is possible when you reclaim your light, I want to share with you snippets from two of the testimonials we received after The Shadow Process we did in June:
“For the first time in years, I am holding my head high. I am proud of who I am. I haven’t felt that way that in years so it was a great revelation. It feels really good to be happy with where I am.” – A.Z.
”Reclaiming my light was so powerful. I feel like it is the missing link to clear so many obstacles in my life. I’ve done spiritual work since my twenties – a lot of internal work – and for me, this was about being more external, so I even made an appointment to have a complete outer makeover! I was able to see and embrace that physical component as well. I’m allowing myself to be who I really am!” K.P.
When you understand that you contain everything you see in others, your entire world will alter. If you want to have the life of your dreams and manifest your goals and vision, then it is essential that you recognize your light and reclaim the traits and characteristics that you see in others who have achieved what you want. How can you have the relationship you want if you do not understand that you are loveable? How can you have the success you want if you do not believe that you are smart and capable? And for all of you who want to be like Jay-Z, I suggest you start identifying all of the characteristics that you see in him that inspire you and start owning that you are that since, as Jay-Z says, “I’d rather die enormous than live dormant.”
Transformational Action Steps
1. Identify three people who you love, admire, or want to be like.
2.Make a list of all of the qualities or characteristics you see in them that you most admire.
3. From your list, circle the one quality that you most want to be or think you need to attain your goals and dreams.
4. Every morning when you wake up, breathe into that quality and claim it as your own. Affirm that you already possess this quality. Then ask yourself what action you can take this day to bring forth this quality in yourself. Take that action. I promise that when you find and embrace everything you love in other people inside yourself, you will open a powerful door to a whole new universe.
With love,
Kelley
