We recently connected with Aolani Coban and have shared our conversation below.
Aolani, we are so happy that our community is going to have a chance to learn more about you, your story and hopefully even take in some of the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Let’s start with self-care – what do you do for self-care and has it had any impact on your effectiveness?
Self-care is a radical act of love. Having the emotional and mental awareness to know that the Spirit within you requires attendance can sometimes be overwhelming. In a society centered around a “do more, better, faster” mindset, it can be intimidating to take the time away from doing, to focus on your sense of being. And while yes, acts such as taking a walk in nature, a eucalyptus bath, reading your favorite book, or a hot yoga session are all forms of self-care, the form less talked about and most important is the self-care act of healing.
Being active and intentional about the health and well-being of your mental and emotional state is an act of self-care. Self-care starts from the love you have within yourself. You develop that sense of love by spending lots of intentional time with yourself, learning about your likes and dislikes, triggers, and boundaries, thought and habit patterns, your Spiritual welfare, etc. Phases of solitude wrapped in prayer and journaling, accompanied by effective tools learned in therapy, self-help books, and community healing spaces, can teach you how to effectively manage and maintain your being. At least, it has for me.
On my website, heavenlycloudandco.com, I speak about how intentional self-healing has changed my life by making me a person more cognizant of my actions and reactions and thus a person more cognizant of my consequences, be it positive or opposite. Releasing thought patterns, narratives, and untruths about myself, my life, and the world around me has brought a sense of peace and balance that carries over into all things. Whether it be work, creativity, relationships, or day-to-day, I can peacefully traverse the ebbs and flow of life because I am adamant in the self-care tactics of addressing my mental and emotional health and well-being through any change or shift.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Hey y’all, my name is Aolani Coban! I am a Spirit alchemist, sometimes known as The Spiritual Abbess. I am a professional movement artist, writer, speaker, Spiritualist, and all-around creative. My creative content centers primarily around the health and wellness of the mind body and soul.
I have been dancing since I was seven years old. For certain it was the gift ordained to me by God. There is a long history of dancers in my bloodline and my mother was adamant that I continue the legacy. When I am dancing I am the most at peace. A trance, pure meditation, not a thought in the world. I didn’t realize it at a young age, but I began to transmute my emotions through movement. Using dance as a form of release, understanding, and connection became a huge part of my life. I created a workshop called “Sacred Movement with the Abbess” which is a yoga-based workshop that incorporates various skills from the mirage of dance forms that I have studied throughout my life, intended to prioritize the physical and mental health benefits of movement.
Movement is a great tool to facilitate the healing of the body, but what about the mind and the soul? That is where my passion for writing takes over. On my blog site, heavenlycloudandco.com, you will find five-step guides on how to heal various aspects of mental and emotional well-being. Discussion topics range from inner child recognition to shadow-self acceptance, and holistic anxiety management tactics. There are also blogs focused on nature and building a grounding connection with the Universe around you. Recipes and rituals teach us how to use the physical tools given to us by Earth, to connect our mind and body with our soul.
What I enjoy most about my work is the opportunity it affords me to be an active member of my community. From working with grassroots organizations such as The Visionary Collective (Houston) to volunteering with city and state councils, my ministry of self-healing through movement, art, and a righteous life grounded in God and Spirit has allotted me grand opportunities to give to back the world all of the joy it has given to me.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three important qualities that have sustained me thus far are belief, faith, and patience.
Over access to people, places, and things can have a dire effect on the way that we view ourselves. Belief is the knowing that if it can be done in this Universe, it can be done by you. Nothing is out of reach. If your dream is to be a housewife with a farm and a family, you can have that. If you find that you will be the “first” to make a major achievement, understand that there is nothing new under the sun- meaning your destiny has already been aligned for you in the cosmos. Simply step into it with belief. Energy flows where your focus goes. When you close your eyes and hear your thoughts, become aware of the narratives you hold in your subconscious about your abilities. Do you encourage yourself to keep moving forward?
Your journey is 100% your own. It won’t look, sound, or feel like anyone else’s. If you are pursuing acting it may not be wise for you to quit your job, pack your things, and move to LA. You might want to keep your day job and build a reputation with your local theater. No matter your journey, you must have faith in your belief.
Faith is knowing that if it can be done, then it will be done. In talking faith I don’t mean having faith in yourself. We have belief in ourselves, we have faith in a higher power. ALL things can be done through God. As a Spiritualist, I often remind people not to get caught up in wordplay. You may lose your blessings by being resentful and denouncing God. If you prefer to refer to the highest divine as Ra, Olodumare, Allah, Yahweh, Jah, Krishna, Buddha, The Universe, or Source, it’s okay. That is all a matter of language and translation. What is most important is the innerstanding of the one, absolute, divine, energy of creation- God. And faith that the same divine creation that has made plants, animals, and the minds that made cars, will also make your dreams come true.
And while it is happening you have to have patience. We live in an era of instant gratification. Anything you need can virtually be found at your fingertips. But even Google has taken decades to form and is still ever-growing. Consistent over constant. You will get farther taking one step at a time with minimal recovery, than taking huge bounds with extensive recovery. Every step you take on your journey is a step in the right direction. Remember this, though it may seem morbid, the destination is inevitable death. Life is about the journey! The balance of the highs and the lows, the process of learning, relearning, and unlearning, recognizing growth and change in and around you. That’s what there is to look forward to. So when you find yourself in the waiting period for blessings to come, maintain an attitude of gratitude with patience!
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I would love to collaborate with other creatives! Individuals who have a passion for community building, uplifting black women, the arts, health and wellness, and Spiritual well-being will have the easiest time creating collabs with my brand. I also do food and event reviews on my Instagram and YouTube shorts, so food and event places and spaces will also find an avenue for collaboration with me. On my website, there is a photo gallery that includes creative modeling shoots that I have either participated in or creatively directed as well! In short, there are a lot of opportunities to do collaborations with other brands!
You can connect with me on
Instagram: @heavenlycloudandco
Website: heavenlycloudandco.com
Youtube: youtube.com/@heavenlycloudandco
Email: [email protected]
Contact Info:
- Website: www.heavenlycloudandco.com
- Instagram: @heavenlycloudandco
- Youtube: www.youtube.com@heavenlycloudandco
