TEA: What WOC Need In The Akashic Age

The Empath Accelerator, I know that’s an unusual name for an “accelerator” -- better yet, empathy is probably a unique approach for many. However, it’s one that more of us should engage in as a tool for personal and professional growth. 

Here’s why it was important to me to launch The Empath Accelerator (TEA): women of color need more spaces where they can be themselves and completely understood without a need to communicate the why. 

It’s February 2021. Although the big steaming mug of TEA took place last summer, it definitely took a minute to really understand what the takeaways were from everything that transpired and why they are critical to process. Also, it’s Black History Month, so let’s celebrate women of color out loud whenever we can. 

Let’s get into the stand out participant in TEA:

This woman of color hasn’t had the easiest time in her walk with spirituality.  But, I tell you, if Spirit is giving out awards for trying and staying on the path with openness, then this lady will win hands down.  I have known Meron for quite a few years. And, throughout our time together, she has struggled with her beliefs.   Honestly, Meron’s struggle is similar to what many black women struggle with Christianity.  Black women are often raised in the church led by their parents or grandparents and play out traditions that black people in the U.S. have held onto for over 400 years.  Yet, as a millennial growing up in the Akashic Age, Christianity does not hold up anymore when more and more of the truth about our existence as a people enters our consciousness. Christianity was used as a tool to control the African slaves, and that same Christianity became the guiding light of the oppressed. As social justice, activism, celebrating blackness, and embracing the diaspora become more prominent in modern times, the same rings true with the need for modern spirituality. 

TEA was designed so that women of color could experience group healing, a way to look more deeply at their narrative and process how to present it to the world after lessening the attachment to their woundedness (which is a result of their circumstances).   I learned that while the term spirituality is more common among Millennials, many of them had never been exposed to genuine empathy or spirituality in their daily lives.  The absence of empathy in their occupations, and lack of training on how spirituality could be used as a healing modality, has left them feeling unseen and disconnected from their white counterparts. At the same time, many cultural and organizational norms don’t offer room for their unique perspectives.   

In providing a place for this work to be done, we were able to hold space for them to express without judgment and be seen in a way that no typically minded facilitator could offer.   Honestly, many organizations reject the idea of an empath coming into work in group clarity sessions with their creative teams.  From an organizational perspective, spirituality is akin to religion, and they overly concern themselves with possible backlash.  But, here’s what the average C-suite team is missing: intuitive coaching and spiritual guidance are the new normal, especially for millennials. 

And honestly, there are a lot of contributing factors. But the one that resonates with folks the most is therapy takes too freaking long.  Besides, therapy serves as a hiding place for most people who want to say that they are facing their issues, getting better and talking about it even when they are barely present, doing the bare minimum, much less getting to the root causes of their trauma.  

Any real empath (cuz we got a lot of folks pretending these days) will tell you that empathy is the ultimate lie detector test. Although many have attempted (and will continue) to hide from, lie to, and downright deceive empaths, please know that you are only making a fool of yourself when you engage in such shenanigans with someone authentically intuitively gifted. Don’t say I never gave ya’ll anything cause that’s advice that will guide you in life. 

Getting back to Meron. She stood out in the group because she set a clear goal.  During a global pandemic and the risk of leaving the cool kid advertising scene on the West Coast, she desired a new job.  And, not just any old job, a six-figure position that would help her realize her dreams of homeownership.  This was a hefty goal for a 3-month accelerator, but what Meron had on her side was that she trusted the process of achieving emotional clarity and allowed herself to be guided in creating her new narrative. Most importantly, she took action and sought new employment in truth about where she was in her career and why she desired more.  TEA took more than an interest in her. We fed her with the messages of her ancestors, opened ourselves for her, made ourselves available to her until we achieved our goal.  The Empath Accelerator started mid-July, and I sent Meron her flowers on September 29th— her congratulatory flowers, that is!  She got that six-figure gig and moved across the country to NYC, where all dreams are possible. 

Here’s what she wrote me: 

Dear Tonesha, 

A thousand ‘thanks’ could not fully express my gratitude for your support over the last 3 years and support, guidance, prayer, patience, energy to plant the seed and help me manifest this new opportunity!  What a relief this moment is, but also the start of me showing up and stepping up and into my destiny.  I’m grateful to have you by my side as I go higher in so many ways and start to show up and see myself the way you see me in energy and light.  

Thank you for changing my life and leading me to opportunities and possibilities that set me on my path. Thank you also for the most gorgeous bouquet of flowers I’ve ever received!

Love you much <3

With this in mind, let us now transition to the heart of the matter: what I learned by crowdfunding. You may want to go ahead and clutch your pearls now -- it’ll save you the trouble of doing so later. 

Here’s why I wouldn’t crowdfund again:

All money ain’t good money. I quickly found out that while many people needed the project amid George Floyd and the social justice movement that ramped up in 2020, many folks had too many unsolicited suggestions.  Firstly, while I never ever had a desire to work for or own a non-profit organization of any kind, it seemed that the number one suggestion was precisely that!  Most days, I don’t even think of myself as a business because this is my gift, and I use it to help others. However, it doesn’t mean I can help everyone, and I certainly didn’t do this work to start pushing a lot of paperwork like I did when I worked in sales.  Paperwork, scheduling, contracts, and anything else that sounds even remotely complex (like filing tax documents to create a whole organization) is not what I want to do anymore. At a fundamental level, I am helping people heal when I feel drawn to their energy and circumstances-- that’s all I want to do. From time to time, I think of creative ways to do so, and sometimes I tap in, and Spirit aids in pushing me in certain directions, but I don’t expect anyone but Spirit to direct me in the very specific type of work I do. 

Besides, there are plenty of religious organizations with nonprofits, but what psychic do you know that offers spiritual guidance to help others feel comfortable about giving in exchange for a tax break?! Cuz that is literally what the suggestions felt like. 

I am not sure what the pathway forward is for TEA.  My soul is down for the work of guiding others, but crowdfunding or creating an organization cannot be the only options for such an important project. I will share more stories throughout the month about my experience. It’ll be the good, the bad, and the spiritual.  If you would be interested in solo intuitive coaching, schedule some time with me here.   

But, if you have a team and would like to consider how pairing emotional clarity and guidance through empathy could improve connectivity, and improve your employees’ whole being,  let’s talk.

And, check out these episodes of the podcast:

‘Rona Realness’: Organizational Response to the Culture

‘Rona Realness’:  Update on these Uncertain Times