A Spirit Sister-Inacota Lune

I first met Inacota when I attended a photography conference in St. Louis. She was part of the modeling team that we could photograph and our meeting was an instant connection. She made motherhood and pregnancy look ethereal and glamorous. Somehow I felt that. The softness of the love pulsing from mother and child. The child is most content and growing strong yet delicate.

In that meeting, we felt each other's vibe, how we navigated through the world with our bodies and spirit. We knew that we would remain friends-soul sisters on a plain of motherhood, empowerment and spiritual connections that seem to happen rarely and only for a few.

It is with great pleasure that I introduce my friend Inacota-

- I remember photographing you at Shutterfest for your maternity shoot — what was going on in your life in that season?

Would you believe it if I told you that I was freshly terminated after requesting Maternity leave. I was grieving the loss of my dream job.

- Looking back at those images now, does that shoot feel like it marked a turning point for you?

Yes, the photos you took of me were iconic. Life hasn't been the same ever since, in the best way

- What did you want that shoot to capture about yourself as you stepped into motherhood?

I didn't want motherhood to erase who I am at the core.

I am still a woman living in purpose, empowering other women to be unapologetically themselves. You captured that beautifully, that I am still the Fashion Icon Medicine Woman while carrying new life simultaneously.

## Origin Story & Identity

- You're Afro-Indigenous — how has that heritage shaped how you move through the world and the work you do?

I have a deep respect for life. Everyone and everything serves a purpose, whether that is a lesson or a blessing. There is medicine in even the most devastating situations. I have been able to survive the most critical moments of my life with a deep understanding that setbacks and challenges are like a bow, pulling me back so I can sling forward to bigger and better. I don't take things personally. I understand that most times when people do the worst to you, it's just them acting out from an unhealed version of themselves. That doesn't excuse bad behavior, that just makes moving on easier knowing that it's not you.

- What was life like for you before you became the woman people know as Inacota Lune today?

Well...I went to college, I worked a corporate job, I battled Lupus. I was keeping up with the Jones's. It was boring.

- Was there a specific moment or season that changed the entire trajectory of your life?

When I became pregnant with my Luna, Prancing Unicorn, I was pressured to get an abortion, which I refused. That one choice was my “fall from grace”. I was kicked out of the home I helped build, and I was on my own...4 months pregnant. I kept clinging on to what was familiar, a toxic marriage, begging for change, not realizing that I was handed the keys to make the life of my dreams. My Grams jumped on a plane, scooped me from the hole I was in, and took care of me for 6 months while I was pregnant. That's when I began to put two feet into modeling as a healing outlet. Since then, I use my platform and influence to inspire and empower women to leave, end the cycle of abuse, to love yourself, to always choose yourself, to be true to yourself and the right people will pour into you.

## Health & Resilience

- You've navigated some real health challenges — how has that experience shaped the way you see your own strength?

When you suffer from chronic illness or have a near death experience it stays with you. It forces you to slow down and appreciate the little things, things that are often taken for granted.

- Did going through that change your relationship with your body, or with the healing work you do for others?

Absolutely! I am a huge believer that dis•ease is a physical manifestation of spiritual and/or emotional distress that needs to be addressed. You would be surprised by the correlation that anger is stored in the kidneys, or grief in the lungs. This is why some people, and even animals suffer from broken heart syndrome. Unprocessed emotions can have a detrimental effect.

- Is there anything about that season you feel proud of, looking back?

I was dependent on oxygen back then. I don't think people knew I was running to the nearest corner to take a puff of my oxygen tank. I was so embarrassed. Despite being oxygen dependent, I still gave my all. I danced, I loved deeply, I put on a smile despite internally suffering inside. That was a very hard season for me. I was carrying a lot, but my resilience carried me.

- What helped you keep going on the hardest days?

My children, and this baby inside of me. She was depending on me to get her Earthside, and I wanted to meet her.

- If someone reading this is in the middle of their own health battle right now, what would you want them to know?

Ask yourself, what is this trying to teach me? Am I overfunctioning? Am I keeping myself trapped in an unfulfilling job? Am I staying in a toxic relationship? What needs to end so I can find happiness again? Oftentimes we have to come to terms with our own internal struggle, being a people pleaser, a chronic avoidant, there are so many things. Let go of the past. The future of your dreams requires it. The doors won't open when you are carrying the trash of the past in your hands. The Life of your dreams requires you to let go of everything that is no longer serving you: that can be the job you worked at for 20yrs+, that relationship you've been in since high school, leaving the only home you've ever known, really hard decisions, but I promise you, the reward is so much better.

## Spiritual Awakening

- When did you first realize you had a spiritual gift or calling — was there a specific moment, or was it more gradual?

I have seen spirits ever since I was child, but I had no idea they were deceased because they looked like you and I. They weren't transparent like Casper. Unfortunately due to religious beliefs I was forced to be “in the closet”.

- What was happening in your life right before that realization hit?

I was just a kid. One night I was laying in bed asleep when someone yanked the bun in my hair. I saw a woman who I recognized from a photo my mother had hanging. I ran to

tell my parents that a lady pulled my hair, pointing to the picture hanging up and my mother said “that's impossible, she's been dead since before you were born”.

- Did you resist it at first, or did it feel natural to step into it?

When I was older it was easy for me to tap in. I spent years learning my gifts and understanding myself with different tribes, different spiritual modalities, finding my own magic and what resonated with my soul.- Who or what helped you understand what you were experiencing (a mentor, elder, community, or was it something you had to figure out alone)?

Every person you meet is a teacher, whether they know it or not. Each encounter is a learning experience. I am a forever student, but to answer your question all of the above. I let my intuition be my compass and it's taken me thousands of miles away from home. The mountains, the desert, into the arms of different indigenous people. I have been adopted by various spiritual communities, and I have had seasons where I had to navigate alone.

- How did the people around you react when you started talking about it openly?

Your vibe attracts your tribe. I used to be scared to be open and public about it, but I have learned that the true people who deserve to be in my circle will love and accept me even if they don't understand me. Now, all I attract are like minded individuals.

## Shamanic Practice

- How did you go from that first spiritual awakening to formally practicing as a shaman?

In my initiations and trainings I had to practice until I mastered the lesson at that time. I think the longest part was me gaining the courage to overcome my shyness and put myself out there.

- What does a shamanic reading or ceremony actually look like for someone who's never experienced one?

It looks like what their soul has been craving. Sometimes it's a message from a loved one in spirit. Sometimes it's a journey to resolve how their past life is bleeding into this life. Sometimes it's looking into a future timeline. It varies from one person to the next, just as with doctors every patient comes in with a different set of symptoms. The people who receive my medicine always leave changed, excited for life, and with a newfound sense of clarity.

- Is there a teaching or tradition you draw from, or has your practice become uniquely your own?

It is uniquely my own. It's difficult to put into words. It's an unworldly experience. As an Aquarius we tend to march to the beat of our own drum and go against the grain.

- What's a moment in your practice that still humbles you, even now?

In a past Life, my sister and I were Demon Hunters. Ironically in this life they scared me and I often had to call on my friends to fight my battles for me until one of them said to me to sit with it, the Demon. When I did, I realized that it was an unhealed aspect taking form as something external and scary. Sometimes we run from things that we would rather avoid, often making it bigger and scarier in our brains, not realizing that if we just confront it, it's not that scary. Then, and only then, it can be transformed into an ally or a tool used to our advantage. Talk about inner demons.

## Overcoming Adversity / DV Advocacy

- You're open about being a domestic violence advocate — if you're comfortable sharing, was that born from personal experience?

Yes, it was a culmination of multiple experiences.

- What helped you find your way out, and what do you wish someone had told you in the middle of it?

I suppose deep down I wanted better for myself. It was in the moments of being misunderstood, not because I was confusing, but because the other person refused to understand me, the core of me. It was in the moments where I was disrespected, where my “no” was overridden, when my body wasn't treated as sacred, when doorways were physically blocked and I couldn't escape, the moments when I was yelled at behind closed doors and in public. At first, I had to physically be ripped away from that. Then in time I slowly gained confidence to leave and not look back. Now I cut people off the moment they disrupt my peace and feel they can override me. Abuse starts with small micro-aggressions. People always tell you their true intentions in the beginning. Don't make excuses for it. Don't mistake those butterflies in your stomach for love. That's your internal radar trying to warn you before your brain is able to make sense of what the reality is.

- How did that chapter shape the spiritual and healing work you do today?

Everything is connected. The abuse i endured resulted in dis•ease, and in search for a natural cure it led me to spiritual healing. Spiritual healing is no longer taboo like it used to be. Breakthroughs in science have connected spiritual healing and mental wellness so it is now commonly used in mental health and therapeutic environments. With all that said and done, Indigenous cultures around the world have always understood the connection of mind, body, and soul.

- What's one thing you'd want a woman in a similar situation right now to hear?

True Love doesn't hurt. Don't ignore your body's signals, it always knows. If you can't fully relax and feel safe around them, then they aren't safe, and that can be mentally, emotionally, financially, sexually and/or physically. Don't suffer in silence hoping things will change. It will only get worse and the longer you stay, the more you increase your chances of not making it out alive. It's not over exaggeration, its facts. It takes an average of 7 times to leave.

## Self-Love & Manifestation Coaching

- Your book is centered on self-healing — what's the biggest myth about self-love you find yourself correcting most often?

“Love yourself” is so redundant and annoying. Many people don't even know what that looks like, or even feels like. It's almost like handing the keys to a 6yr old and expecting him to know how to drive. He can't even reach the gas pedals. When you frame it differently, such as, “treat yourself the way you want to be treated” then that changes things.

- What does "manifestation" really mean to you, beyond the buzzword?

*Manifesting is simply claiming what you want. Realizing your power within and turning your dreams into a reality. How you achieve it looks differently from one person to the next. For some, visualization works wonders, for others Journaling, for others prayer. There is no right or wrong, as long as there is no harm done.

- Can you walk us through a practice you personally use on the days you don't feel worthy or confident?

EFT tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique). There are multiple pressure points throughout our bodies and when you tap them, while simultaneously saying mantras, or affirmations, or even “even though I am upset, I love and accept myself”, you activate your parasynthetic nervous system to help shift and move that energy out of your system. Do this as many times as you need during the day. I do it with my kids saying to them, “you're safe, you're protected, you're loved”.

## Motherhood

- How has your view of yourself as a mother evolved since that maternity shoot?

Baby Paloma is teaching me about Peace. In fact she is the Peace Dove. So much chaos was going on around me. I was navigating wrongful termination, a high risk pregnancy, my health was declining, I was unsupported, but she was teaching me to

remain calm during the storm. To keep my peace. When I look back at that shoot, I carried myself with grace, resilience and strength.

- Was becoming a mom part of what pushed you deeper into this healing work, or was it already unfolding?

*Becoming a mother is a whole other level of healing. It also added extra pressure on me to heal so that my child isn't healing because of me. Prior to becoming a mother, I was a workaholic battling Lupus SLE. I was doing a Chemo drug trial in hope of curing Lupus at the time and I remember looking at the ceiling and saying “there's got to be more to life than this”. As I left that session, there was a chalkboard outside that said “Psychic Readings”. I remember being curious but also scared because I grew up in a religious household that believed that was evil. At that time I had questions regarding my sister's death and I threw all of those beliefs in the trash and said, “if I'm going to hell then let me go knowing the truth”. That was when I met Maribeth Ashley, a Minister who specializes in Healing Activations. That was the moment that changed my life forever. She saw me, and my natural born gifts, and not only did she see me but she said there were more people like me. That's where my healing journey began.

- What's a lesson your child has taught you that surprised you?

*Luna, or Prancing Unicorn is her tribal name, taught me to stop making excuses and waiting for the right time. She taught me to just go after the life that you want to live. She taught me that the best things in life often require us to let go of what's no longer serving you. Sometimes that looks like leaving your entire life behind: the relationship, the friendships, the only home you ever knew, and driving across the country with your 8lb chihuahua to meet some strangers you met on Facebook. That really happened to me. Sometimes the best things in life require letting it all go and the new start is more rewarding. Those strangers became my best friends and carried me so much farther than clinging on to my old life ever would.

Sol, my son with the Heart shaped mole on his wrist, taught me to swallow my pride and allow people to show up as they are. To stop trying to control how they show up and what it should look like. I am still learning to master this.

Paloma, the Peace Dove. She is my most recent catalyst. When my Life is literally being burned down to the ground, she was my Peace. She is teaching me to stop running when Life gets uncomfortable and hard and to keep my Peace. I am trying to get the hang of this.

Children are Masters. When we observe and seek to understand them, not control them, then we are able to receive their medicine, often disguised as lessons.

## Modeling & Public Life

- What's it like being a published model while also being so vocal about inner healing — do people assume those two things don't belong together?

*People who don't take the time to get to know me automatically categorize me as someone who is vain and capitalizes on her beauty. They assume that I am pretentious or conceited, which is the furthest thing from the truth. Modeling for me has always been about healing. I was bullied my entire life for the color of my skin, the texture of my hair, and repeatedly called fat. When I step in front of the camera, I embody the version of me that no one ever sees. The raw me, because the camera doesn't judge me. I tell a story in the expressions of my face, the poses. My work reaches those who resonate, who have been there before. It's as healing for me as the audience who views it.

- Has your relationship with your body and image shifted as your spiritual work deepened?

*My relationship with my body has shifted for various reasons. After the birth of Paloma, my body has changed so much and continues to change. I do a lot of EFT tapping, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), and say “I love and accept myself”. Pregnancy made me realize that my body really is a temple. It is sacred and deserves to be treated with the utmost respect. I love my stretch marks. They are a testament to everything I endured to bare new life. I have beautiful birthing hips, which did not exist when I was a size 2. I flaunt them loudly and proudly from the grocery store aisles of Albertson's, to the runways. I model for real women.

## Entrepreneurship

- You're running this as a business now — readings, coaching, the book. What was the hardest part of turning your gift into an actual livelihood?

*I suppose the hardest part was giving myself permission to be seen, and accepting myself even when others pushed back or gave me backlash. I reflect back on the people who criticized me and none of them live lives that I would aspire to have. The life I live may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I like what I have in my cup.

- What does a real, unfiltered day in your life look like right now?

*You caught me during another sacred time in my life. When we first met I was pregnant. Since then I have given birth and almost died three times. I call this my 2nd chance at life. Life has forced me to slow down. Where I used to wake up and rush out the door, consuming my day with traveling, working on various TV and movie sets, modeling across the country, I now spend a majority of time at home or at doctor's appointments. In a way it is a gift. I am more present with my kids. A luxury that not many people get to have because they are forced to work. My kids wake me up each

morning and I am grateful for another day of life, and another day with them. I make them breakfast, and we dance together as a family. They attend Montessori school, giving me some moments to myself in between. I still have a 1yr old who is attached to my hip. I attend doctors appointments almost every day. I am prioritizing my health so I can live long enough to see them have their own families. I cook lunch, then take a nap with the baby before picking them up from school. Then we stop at our favorite coffee shop, “Sunrise Espresso”, where they get “lattes with Sprinkles” and return home for dinner. Bathtime lasts an hour, until their hands turn like raisins. Then they request for me to read them a story before bed. Sometimes I will sleep with them, other times I am restless and will read to myself, take a candlelit rose shower, or research things. When the cameras stop rolling, we are still humans functioning in this world.

## Closing / Empowerment

- If you could sit across from the woman you were before all of this, what would you tell her?

*I would hold her for as long as I can. I would let her melt into my arms and give her the safety and love she had been searching for her whole life. I would tell her that true love comes from within. She doesn't have to earn it or prove it to anyone. I would tell her that all of the love she has poured into others needs to be poured back into her. That sets the tone for how she deserves to be treated. I would tell her to stay wild. Anyone who tries to tame her, only dims her light and they don't truly love her. The ones who truly love you remind you of your light, which is already inside of you. Don't be so hard on yourself. You are perfectly whole as you are. You don't need anyone to complete you. The right person will enhance your life.

- What does "empowered woman" mean to you, especially compared to how the term gets used online?

*An empowered woman, to me, is a woman who knows her value, she knows her worth, she knows what she brings to the table and she stays true to herself even if that means she is standing alone. Her authenticity radiates outwards and she inspires those around her effortlessly. That is a woman empowered. She doesn't seek external validation. She validates herself.

- What's next for you that you're most excited about?

*Right now I am focusing on recovering my health so that I can make my comeback.

It was a great pleasure to interview my friend Inacota. If you would like to learn more of her and follow her personal journey she shares for all women seeking empowerment- please consider grabbing up her book at:

https://www.amazon.com/war%C2%B7ri%C2%B7-Little-Book-Self-Healing/dp/B0C87Q R993