LE Botanica Presents: FREE Knowledge

Hey Soul Family,

So, while I have been revamping my inner child and shadow working book, I realized that I didn’t properly take the time and space to properly explain dark nights of the soul. In order to explain a dark night of the soul though, I needed to break down psychological theory that is VERY important to know if you want to really know why we experience this dark night. After doing a little bit of research, I wasn’t satisfied with what I found because no one has realized what a dark night of the soul actually is- it is an identity crisis. This identity crisis is one that is unresolved from our teen years and since we resolve that crisis so much later from when we first faced it- this can be a bit of a rollercoaster ride to navigate. Yes, it can very much feel like a dark night.

Hey Soul Fam!

I want to take a moment to touch upon codependency and breaking down what that means from a psychological level because this has been such a huge theme in the last year. Codependency is not to be confused with BEING codependent. Being codependent is something completely different and the definition of codependent is what most people think of when they hear the term codependency used, yet these terms should not be used of thought of in conjunction of one another. 

Hey Soul Fam!

This week during Thankful Thursday we discussed the origins of prejudice, the documentary A Class Divided, and microaggressions. First we will be talking about the psychological origins of prejudice. What are the theories that surround this topic? What do they say about how prejudice is formed? Then we will quickly go over our documentary of the week. Last but not least, we will be exploring in depth the concept of microaggressions. This is a topic that I believe many people have never really discussed, but it definitely needs some light shone on it. So, that being said, we will be exploring quite a few concepts this week, so buckle up kids!

Hey Soul Fam!

This week during Thankful Thursday we discussed colorism by way of the Clarke Doll experiments and the documentaries: Dark Girls, Dark Girls 2, and Light Girls. For those of you who do not understand this concept, colorism is prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group. Yet before we get into that I want to go over a few terms. These terms need to be defined so that their clear and distinct differences can be understood, since many people tend to use these terms interchangeably and some terms may not be known at all. Prejudice is defined as a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience. Discrimination is defined as the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex. Stereotyping in the context of social psychology, is an over-generalized belief about a particular category of people. It is an expectation that people might have about every person of a particular group. Microaggression is a term used for brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative attitudes toward stigmatized or culturally marginalized groups. Lastly, racism is defined as prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized. Racism is also defined as the belief that different races possess distinct characteristics, abilities, or qualities, especially so as to distinguish them as inferior or superior to one another.

Hey Soul Fam!

Last week during Thankful Thursday we discussed Self-Actualization and how this concept and theory coincides with our spiritual journey. In my opinion, this journey is intertwined with one another, and you cannot achieve one without fulfilling the other. That is why I believe it is so important to understand the psychological processes one will endure on their spiritual journey. It is important to understand these concepts and learn what it all means. It is important to understand how it will all affect the mind and psyche as we grow and evolve. I truly believe that we can’t grow and reach our highest selves without self-actualizing in the process.

Hey Soul Fam!

This week during Thankful Thursday we discussed Attachment Styles. Why is this so important to know? Well because our attachment style is how we develop our sense of self. This sense of self when translated into our adult lives is responsible for how we will attach and love others in both platonic and romantic relationships. Attachment styles are solidified usually during the first year of our lives, but for some not up until the third year in cases of neglect or abandonment. Either way, within the first five years of our lives we form our sense of self and this is determined solely by the connection that we have with our parents- primarily our mother. While original studies focused primarily on the role of the mother within this dynamic, newer studies have brought the role of the father to the forefront as well.