Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to James and Khadijah Dawkins. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi James and Khadijah, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
We are absolute, meaning, we are not dependent upon external conditions for our existence. We remain authentic, and genuine regardless of our surroundings. There were times in the past when we used to try to adapt or reconfigure our image and persona in an effort to make others in the room more comfortable. Those times have long since passed. Over the years, we began to recognize the importance of remaining true to ourselves. There is no need to be real in one room and conform in another. If you are in a room where you feel you won’t be accepted unless you transform your identity, then you’re in the wrong room. The benefit of walking in your authenticity is that there is no image or persona to maintain. Many will connect with our vibration, some will not and that’s alright. We have learned not to take things personally. Someone else’s comments and opinions are derivatives and projections of their own reality, not ours. We have also mastered the concept of adaptability. You can adapt and maintain your authenticity at the same time. For example, if you travel to a foreign country, you will need to understand the culture and customs and learn the language for communication. However, that does not mean you do not honor and fully function in your own culture or heritage; nor do you stop speaking your own language of communication. Authenticity and adaptability, that’s how we remain effective.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
As co-owners of Essential Element Healing Arts, we are dedicated to providing intuitive wellness to enhance the quality of life for our clientele. Ultimately, we teach others how to heal themselves, live their best lives, and discover their own personal power. We offer energy, sound, and vibration therapy via Reiki, Shamanic Healing, and Sound Baths. We also offer Akashic Readings and Soul Therapy sessions where we connect you with your Spirit Guides, past lives, and guidance toward your soul purpose. Additionally, we have classes and workshops as well as Healing products that help keep your chakras aligned and balanced, activating your body’s natural healing abilities.
What’s so exciting and special to us about what we do is the fact that we get to watch positive transformations take place in others while we, ourselves, continue to transform. We learn from our clients as they learn from us.
Essential Element is a safe space for all, including the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities. We truly find joy in helping you realize your full potential to heal. Please know that you are the Essential Element in your healing process. No one else can truly heal you. We hold the energy for you but the true healing starts from deep within.
We are excited to be offering several new services this year that are geared towards couples healing themselves and their relationships. We are now offering Couples Soul Therapy Sessions as well as Couples Sound Baths and Couples Energy Therapy Sessions. These sessions offer a unique wellness experience designed to guide couples towards emotional and spiritual growth, fostering deeper connections and enhancing overall well-being.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Along our journey we have found patience, listening, and being willing to put in the work, to be the most impactful. Growth really requires you to be patient with yourself. Healing deep rooted wounds will take time to process and recover. The key is to remain consistent with the wound care along the journey. Cleanse the open wound by grounding your energy and focusing your awareness on the present moment. Consistently change the bandages by changing your mindset and thought processes to match your true beliefs and core values. Apply the healing ointment of identifying and walking in your true identity and soul purpose. Then, before long, the deep-rooted infection of past trauma has been removed with minimal scarring.
To prevent further wounds, learn to communicate effectively with yourself and others. Effective communication requires effective listening. Don’t assume the best or the worst. Take the time to really listen and ask questions for clarity; “What did you mean by…”, “So what I hear you saying is…”. Slow down and pay attention to what your body is telling you. Implement self care techniques into your routine. This helps to avoid miscommunication and misunderstanding.
At last, healing is not easy; however, the end result is so worth the process. You must be willing to put in the work. As we have previously mentioned, you cannot expect transformation if you are not first willing to transform. With will, the body moves; for what the mind can conceive, the body will indeed achieve.
Our best advice to improve on patience, listening, and being willing to put in the work, is to simply do your best to practice each skill. Always do your best. Your best will change from moment to moment. Nonetheless, as long as you are doing the absolute best you can in that moment, you eliminate suffering from guilt, doubt, and self-judgment. When all else fails, tomorrow offers a brand new opportunity to try again.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
We are always looking for ways to partner and collaborate with organizations and other wellness practitioners, especially within the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities! Creativity sparks within the realm of collaboration. You can connect with us via our website at www.EssentialElementHA.com, via email, or through any of our social media platforms. All contact information and links to social media can be found at www.EssentialElementHA.com/contact.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.essentialelementha.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/essential.element.ha
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/essentialelementhealingarts
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@essentialelement
- Other: https://tiktok.com/@essentialelement
Image Credits
Khadijah Dawkins Canva Portrait Innovations
