GODDESS
Photographer: @irishuynhphotography
I never embraced the colour yellow before. Any shades of yellow. From lemonade yellow, pastel yellow, or mustard yellow, I stayed away. My past wardrobe consisted of hues of greens and blues. You would catch me wearing a lot of mint green. I felt really pretty in mint green and I still do. Last year, I was honoured to be one of the Master of Ceremonies for my friends, Pete & Janet’s wedding. I wore an ASOS mint green off-the-shoulder dress with a revealing side slit. Yes! I killed it in the mint green and of course, as the MC! AYYYY! You can catch me on 106 & Park live!!
Now, I love everything and anything YELLOW! Especially, mustard yellow. I think we have to give it up to Beyoncé for the LEMONADE vibes! When I saw the music video, “Hold Up”, and Beyoncé rockin’ the yellow off-the-shoulder Roberto Cavalli number, I was in awe of her beauty and presence. From reading the blogs, there are speculations she was portraying Oshun a Yoruba orisha, the Goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. The Goddess, Oshun exudes sensuality and all the qualities associated with fresh, flowing river water/sweet water. In the Yoruba/Cuban religious views, Oshun is associated with the colour yellow, the important metals gold and copper, seashells, peacock feathers, mirrors, and anything of charm, lightness, beauty and sweet taste. She is the protector of the poor, the mother of all orphans, the one who brings them what they need in this life through periods of strengths and weaknesses. If you’re into Reiki or have an understanding of the seven chakras, you know the colour yellow correlates with the 3rd chakra or the solar plexus chakra known as Manipura Chakra in Sanskrit. ‘Mani’ meaning gem or jewel and ‘pura’ stands for city. It is often translated as “city of jewels”. The Manipura Chakra is situated behind the navel. Its Mantra is RAM. The yellow chakra functions as the centre of energy associated with ego. It’s the source of PERSONAL POWER, SELF-BELIEF, and SELF-WORTH. One that gravitates to the colour yellow are coming to their own personal power. Exuding strength, confidence and assertiveness because she knows deep down in her core she is WORTHY.
I’ve always been told I come off as a strong and confident person. I have a strong presence. My sister always jokes with me, “Take it down a notch!” I didn’t know whom or what they were talking about. Because I never felt that way about myself. I was just me. Going through the motions of life like everybody else, figuring out who I am and what my purpose is in this lifetime. These couple of years, I committed myself to doing a lot of inner work. It brought out a lot of darkness in those times of going deep within. But the saying goes, “In all darkness there is a light and in all light there is a darkness.” I saw light in those times of darkness. What I found? I found what I always already had. My confidence, authenticity, inner-voice and worthiness. At the core, I re-discovered Sammy. She was always there but she never wanted or was not quite ready to embrace the spotlight. She was too fearful of her greatness and what she could do for herself and others. She cared too much how others would perceive her and how much she would lose if she exposed her true self. I’ve come to the realization and acceptance, I can’t play small no more to make people feel comfortable. It’s a disservice for myself and for others. How can I grow when I don’t come into the light. Like the flower who needs the sunlight to blossom.
It’s funny because when I embraced the colour yellow and wore more yellow, it was the time I was working on myself and the Manipura chakra. I was finally opening my 3rd chakra. Isn’t it crazy how things interrelate? I love it when things work out like that! In this present moment, I continue on the path of self-discovery and stepping into the spotlight. It’s hard work because it’s unfamiliar but it’s my personal goal to make it very familiar.
She came to realize there was only one her. Only she knew how to be her. Finally she was free.
