This is really a fill-in-the blank kind of offering. Sometimes food is the thing. In fact, A LOT of the time food is the thing - just because it is so acceptable and accessible. But it could just as easily be drinking alcohol or gossiping or sleeping too much or sleeping too little. It is that thing you are using to avoid you, while desperately wanting a closer, deeper and more obvious relationship with that same you. The question of "How do I get to me, while avoiding me?" is both the dilemma for all ages, and completely impossible, at the very same time. Deliberately and routinely refraining from eating, or any habitual practice, in order to see your Self more clearly, is a powerful and creative way to advance yourself in this game of life. Refraining brings things up and moves things out with a kind of efficiency that can only come from a Supreme Creator. And if you have already begun to notice some inner resistance to refraining - to being present with your life in this way - the notice of this feeling is a great the first step. This is how spiritual information and opportunity often presents itself; with refusal or resistance. Why not meet it with a plan? Get a copy of The New FastGirls and read what it is like to deny some part of your pattern in order to grow so much more of your Self. I have lived in this practice for nearly two decades, including everything from food and alcohol to speaking and over engaging the internet. And what I now know and Am, has been of more benefit to me than those things (or anything) ever could have.

Waist Beads, or African Waist Beads from Alaiyo are more than pretty pieces of jewelry. These handmade beaded strands are a waist bead technology that help the wearer develop self awareness, including mindfulness of actions and thinking. Alaiyo Waist Beads also support the manifestation of intentions, whatever they might be for each person. Every Alaiyo waist bead strand is created using an insightful yet studied knowledge of the energy of chakras - particularly as they correspond to color. Alaiyo Waist Bead technology is a tool to empower each wearer on their journey to embody a grounded confidence and inner strength. Each color represents a particular energy and the purpose of this blog post is to answer the top 10 questions that Alaiyo waist bead wearers and potential waist bead wearers are asking. Question 1: What are Waist Beads and what purpose do they serve? Waist beads are a conventional piece of African jewelry made of tiny glass seed beads. Beads are strung onto various types of string or wire and worn around the waist or hips. Waist beads - or sometimes referred to as African Belly Beads - can be found in various colors and shapes and might also consist of decorative stones, crystals, or charms. Waist beads have been worn for centuries by women in West African cultures and in more recent years they have acquired appeal amongst people in the West; particularly women. They are sometimes described as stubborn belly beads, waistline beads, or beaded waist chains. In Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and other West African countries, waist beads are a sign of womanhood, fertility, sensuality, and spiritual wellness. Today, in both Africa and the United States, women and men use waist beads for visual and practical functions. Alaiyo waist beads are crafted with non-stretch material. This means that over time they will not become misshapen or change length. Alaiyo waist beads are also tied permanently onto the body until the wearer decides to cut them. As a result, strand(s) will fall lower on the hips when the wearer loses weight and rise up the belly if the wearer gains weight. In addition to the weight tracking benefits of wearing waist beads, people who wear them report feeling sexier and more empowered in their bodies. Question 2: What do waist beads do and how do waist beads work? Waist Bead strands are used for several purposes including adornment, attraction (partner, resource, energy), weight management, body/posture awareness and correction and energetic shift, using the practice of focused intention and attention. Waist Bead wearing at Alaiyo is an ancient practice revived for the modern person. Alaiyo Waist Beads are more than just jewelry for the body.They are both a tool and technology used in order to practice mindfulness. When wearing Alaiyo Waist Beads you will get immediate, real time signals from your body. And If you have ever wanted a way to know when you are losing or gaining weight, this adornment offers immediate feedback which allows you to adjust your choices and behaviors accordingly. When you purchase one or more strands of waist beads from Alaiyo they will serve the purpose of bringing your attention inward. The mindfulness created by wearing this waist bead technology will help you gain clarity, courage and momentum for whatever your intentions are because you are reminded of and supported in them daily. Question 3: How long can I wear waist beads? At Alaiyo, all waist bead strands are permanently tied on. This means you wear them 7 days a week, 365 days per year. In the event that you want to remove them they would have to be cut off. Alaiyo Waist Bead Technology is a great way to stay continually present in your body and maintain mindfulness around both weight and energy. Question 4: How do I practice mindful eating by wearing waist beads and lose weight? If you are practicing mindful waist bead wearing in order to lose weight you will want to tie at least one strand 1 - 2 inches above the navel. This is the placement that will give you the fastest feedback signal in terms of how full your body is becoming while eating. Once you have successfully tied your waist beads you will notice that the strands drop lower on your body when you begin to lose weight and rise higher if you begin to gain weight. Because being full happens faster in your belly than your brain, you will get a much more timely and beneficial response when waist beads are present and placed properly. Question 5: What size waist beads should I get? Alaiyo Waist Beads are custom made for each order. To determine the correct size for your waist use a tape measure to measure at or slightly above the navel. If you are not using them for purposes of tracking weight you can measure wherever you would like the waist beads to live. If you choose more than one strand you can provide a different length for each. This will allow for a layered look on your belly. Waistbeads can be ordered in any length at Alaiyo. Lengths 0-45 are considered standard while 45+ comes with a slightly added cost. Question 6: How to tie waist beads? We have created a video as well as written instructions which will help you tie your new strands with as much ease as possible. Before you begin, make sure that your hands are clean and dry. You will also need scissors that are sharp and a container to put any extra beads that you may have after your strand is tied. Placement Instructions: Pull the waist bead from its packaging and have it in hand. Take one end of the strand in each hand (notice that each end has a white fixed anchor bead. DON’T CUT ANY ANCHOR BEADS UNTIL YOU FINISH TYING THE STRAND IN PLACE) Bring the strand around your body from the back as if you are putting on a belt. Pull on (BUT DO NOT UNTIE) both white anchor beads until they loosen the slipknot which will make room for the beads to loosen (with the anchor bead in place, the beads will not slide off). Make sure the anchor bead it not inside the loop when you pull it. Place the strand at the preferred location on your waist or hips. Make sure all of the beads are pushed back from anchor beads so that the strand has no gaps Cross the two strands - as in the beginning of tying a knot - to close the waist bead around your body. Fold the top strand under and through in order to tie the first knot (remaining beads should fall toward the anchor bead) Tie 6-8 knots in order to ensure a secure fit Cut the excess string just below the group of knots and allow and remaining beads to fall into your container Please refer to the video below for a visual demo. Question 7: How to Wear Waist Beads? You can wear waist beads over or underneath your clothing. This choice is completely personal and left up to each individual. Question 8: How to use waist beads? Alaiyo encourages all wearers of waist beads and those who are considering it, to use them as a technology which allows you to be more present in your body. In nearly every country and community around the globe, it is easier than ever before to become so involved in and overwhelmed by the events and people around us that we often neglect ourselves and attend poorly to our most basic needs. As a remedy, waist bead wearing has become a radical act of self care that your body will thank you for every day. You will grow in confidence, clarity, and understanding of yourself and the world around you. Question 9: Where can I buy waist beads/Where to get African waist beads/Where to buy waist beads? You can purchase waist beads here at alaiyo.net. click this link to shop our collection of Waist Beads strands whose colors and designs will help support you in setting and then realizing your specific intentions. Whether you are looking for peace, clarity, abundance, love or any number of other things, please visit our color map and browse our waist bead collection to find the colors and designs that match your intentions. Question 10: What are waist beads color meaning? Particular colors call forth and support particular energies. Our color map can serve as a guide and help you understand how colors vibrate related to particular energies. Taking time to read through the color chart will also help you select the waist bead strands that are right for you. The strand designs that you will find in our catalog are all pieces that come from our Chief Designer’s own inspired creative energy and express animal, vegetable, mineral and cosmic qualities that the wearer can embody to acquire self-confidence and strength at their center. You can delve deeper into the significance of each color by visiting our Alaiyo Color Map then browse the waist bead strands that match those colors and intentions. Here at Alaiyo our focus is on the beads as another tool and technology for mindfulness. They act as a reminder to be present, which is a tremendous convenience and support. We began to make waist bead strands because the process presented itself as therapeutic and we enjoy supporting women as they begin to gain a more heightened awareness and engage in greater levels of self care.

One of the most important tools in the process of awakening is the ability to speak life and shift into yourself and circumstance. The words you say matter. The way you use breath and sound to create experience, matters. And while it might sound easy to do, if you have lived longer than a few years or have ever had the privilege of someone mirroring back to you your speech, you know that to speak the thing you want to be true, as supposed to the thing that seems to be true - or the thing that is programmed as true - is as difficult as letting go and giving in to birth. Not only is it a tough negotiation, it can also be painful and so many unexpected kinds of frightening. But The Word is life. The things we choose to say (understanding that every single word is a choice) are the building blocks we use to construct our days, relationships and dreams. The ability to master our words and frame our story is not something that can be relegated to a time and space where we feel good, or healthy or passionate or fearless. The regulation of our speech must happen precisely in the middle of our storms because it in the exact magic we need in order to navigate through. “Free to” is an opening. It is wide and wondrous. It has opportunity sewn into its seams. “Free to” prepares our wings for flight and trains our eyes in the direction of the horizon. This is the thing we say when we know we can win, when we know we have already won. It sits lightly in our bellies and alights in the way that all freedom signals do when it is time for us to make beneficial moves. “Free To” is a power perspective with the ability to create, support rest, lift spirits and facilitate growth. “Free from” catapults us backward. It makes us remember times, things, people and even our own behaviors which may have wrung us out or flung us into the depths. The words themselves make us walk backwards and give just a bit more energy to things we would do well to let fade. So the choice seems simple even as the movement takes mindfulness; to say ONLY the things we wish to see, experience, make. To give language and voice and power only to the versions of ourselves and others that we want to experience. While never ignoring reality, we can use speech to manifest versions of this life like nothing we have ever seen. In love + magic, Jasai

Journal Entry: January 29, 2018 11:02pm, Los Angeles, CA It has taken me a long time to figure out how to love this woman; this mountain of water, this river of fire. A long time to be able to approach her at an angle that lets her feels safe and seen at the same time. She is freedom that has never quite learned how to use her extraordinary wings, laughter that has always cringed just a bit at her own sound. She got told at some point, during some critical period that she was too much to handle and so containment has been her uncomfortable way of staying; a safe, ill-fitting seat at the table. She is love; albeit of herself. But when allowed, the love she pours into her own soul overflows with such force that towns and tribes and nations thirst and hunger no more. She is why we give thanks. Why we bow and pay homage to things like trees and dewdrops, moist soil and tears.

Women often write to me and ask about the point or purpose of waistbeads. As an ancient holistic tool for healing, the answer to that question is as varied as the people asking it. Because of this I am always grateful to read reflections from the women who wear them. The following is from one of our Michigan Tied Tribe members; an account of how her waistbead keeps her present to her emotional life and reaffirms the power of this practice for staying awake in our bodies and allowing us to course-correct should we find ourselves going astray. • • • January 22, 2018 07:03pm "I woke up today wanting to cut off the waistbead. It has been on me a little over 2 weeks. I opened my eyes to the feeling of being unsettled and unwell. I knew that if I wanted to I could just cut it off. I thought about how it might feel. I imagined grabbing the scissors and snipping the strand and all of the beads falling to the floor. I saw an image of me without the waistbead. I thought of the Tied Tribe Facebook community I share in and how I could just fade into obscurity and nothing truly bad would happen, except I enjoy belonging to it. So I decided that for now, the waistbead stays. Now that I am further along in my day, I see how emotionally full I am; in the span of one week there has been the arrival of my nephew, and a memorial for a deceased colleague. I am wondering how much have I allowed my feelings on these things; where am I placing them as they are happening and am I taking time for me. To look honestly at what I am doing, I have been bingeing on food, trying to ground and stuff-down and soothe. On the plus side I have been spending time with loved ones and friends, yet also holding in feelings about them and what they say and do. I find that for as peaceful and accepting as I have become, I still do not get to skip  the messy business of feeling like someone is being selfish, cringing inside about someone's tone, or experiencing fear around things like money and sex. To help me deal this week I take a bath.I do my moon workbook. I dance. I listen to a meditation. I hold the space at a friend's house for meditation and healing. My friend even does impromptu hands-on healing for me and we create collaged boxes that capture our intentions and desires. I am taking on the task of respecting the suffering that cannot be conquered by puny humans, other than through maintaining the truth of one's soul. Maybe the best I can do right now is nurture my growing belief that healing is always available.

Hey Love! I pray all is well. I wanted to let you know I delivered Friday via c-section. As a repeat high risk pregnancy, we prepared for a lot of complications, but let me tell you how good God is....I suffered zero complications. I delivered the biggest baby I've ever carried and despite him passing stool into the amniotic fluid during delivery (which can be fatal for babies) He was in perfect health! I purchased Bark, Leaves and Branches and put it on 30 days before he was born; something told me to do that from the very beginning. I know that these beads kept my space for him healthy and protected. The nurses were sad to have to cut them as they were a risk for surgery, but they saved them for me. I welcomed my son Shai after an emotional pregnancy filled with lots of uncertainty. I struggled so much that I even considered adoption because Shai's father left the day I told him I was pregnant. It's been a long hard road but I just kept praying and my prayers were heard. I never felt worried about him. I always felt he was healthy and growing and even though I was so sad, he is so sweet. 💚 I thank you, truly thank you for your energy. I have my eye on two of your beads and pray I can order them for myself soon. I know I need the positive energy as well. God bless and keep you! Summer and Shai

"I have been wearing Alaiyo Waistbeads for three months and can truly say it was not a casual meeting, but a divine appointment. I locked eyes with Jasai from a distance, unaware of what was about to take place, and was drawn to her. Our spirits and energy connected. It is not often that you meet someone who knows EXACTLY who they are, what they want, and what their purpose is and I knew she did when I saw her. I wanted to share in that space of knowing who I was, and what I wanted, because I have known my purpose for years. I literally danced my lil curious self over to her table to see what she was offering. She sat there in her Queendom; whole, aware, authentic, with a quiet strength, loving heart and healing hands, ready to show me the tools I needed to be mindful and intentional. I picked out three strands knowing I'd be back for more in the future and went on my merry way. When selecting my initial strands, I asked for something I wasn't ready for and the truth of that manifested shortly after she tied them on. I showed up for a second time at her studio to get that strand "corrected" and got the read of my life. I sat there vulnerable, exposed, finally facing a reality I had viewed with scaled eyes. I cried as she guided me through the pain with her gentleness. I had been set free from the chains that bound me for over 10 years by a stranger. I left that day with a different strand to go with the two I already had. That was the catalyst for the communication and healing that needed to take place with multiple people in my life, including my mother. Since then, I have added 2 more strands and love all 5; I like to think of them as the crown of my waist. So here I stand, in my Queendom. Flawed & fabulous. Confident. Speaking my truth. Healed. Aware. Full of love & journeying through mindfulness. Not to mention I feel sexy as hell, fluff and all. I had to learn to love me first and loving me began with wearing my intentions around my waist. It's a daily reminder of the Queen I am, outside of everyone and everything else." - @niita.mimi.malkia

The literal translation of the word sankofa is "It is not taboo to fetch what is at risk of being left behind." Here at Alaiyo, Sankofa is our acknowledgment that there is immense benefit and beauty in the gifts of our ancestors. Along with that acknowledgment comes our commitment to keep the spirit of these gifts alive, even as we reshape them to meet our modern needs. Our Sankofa strands are all made from the overflow of beads collected after each woman has said yes to the journey of being more fully present in her body and life.  Over the course of the last 15 months the question of what to do with all of the extra beads has come up. In the past there was some suggestion that we would get around to sorting them. At other times I have had the reluctant thought that time is more important than a small loss of resource. This meant that maybe we would find creative ways to use them but eventually deem the spoilage as the cost of doing business. I would often take this dilemma into my quiet space and just as often come up with no better plans. Then three days ago while beading along in my workspace she delivered herself into the world; bold, brilliant, full of texture and context. Her arrival immediately signaled an opportunity to energetically connect the thousands of women who have become a part of the Alaiyo family and even more tangibly hold the space of our individual intentions with a renewed and collective strength. I am thrilled that she has finally made her way into the world and that the first of this collection is tied around the waist of my daughter. My hope is that many more of us will join the sisterhood of Sankofa, as we continue this practice of being more fully present; shedding that which no longer serves us while leaving nothing essential behind.

This weekend was one for the books! Up early and into bed way too late, I relished in the presence of so much life magic.  I met or saw again so many brightly lit, beautifully open women. Those who have totally changed their lives using the power of mindfulness and waistbead wearing and those that believe beyond any doubt that they can and will. I met women with unshakable faith in nature's magical wisdom and women who are taking the magic that they know themselves to be and sharing it with anyone who has need and a willingness to listen. I met young women who will change the world simply by diving into their own inner space as well as women on the second and third phases of their blooming; divine sparks of information and inspiration. Every one of these souls is poised to create enough shift in herself to alter the foundation of her world. And for it, everyone in her orbit will be blessed. I am honored. I am humbled. I am giddy that this is my reality, that this is my life, that this is what friendship, family and tribe looks like for me. -xoj

There are things and people that we started this year off with that no longer serve us as well as insights and inspirations that have taken hold of us and won't let go. As we enter into this collective season of reflection, consider whether ceremony for the rising and falling is in order. For clients local to the Los Angeles area, Alaiyo will facilitate group and individual tying ceremonies. A container into which you can place all of your intentions. A space where there is witness and affirmation for the things you hold sacred as well as agreement and support for the things you wish to release. A tying ceremony is a wonderful way to clear out old energies and plant new energy and intentions before you embark on any new journey. It can include a 45 minute reiki treatment or a unique connecting and centering belly massage, tea and tying in a beautiful and peaceful setting. If this is something that you or someone you know would be interested in exploring, please feel free to send us a quick message of Interest. We look forward to holding the space with you. -xoj

When I say that 2017 has been a startlingly generous year, it is only because the adequate terms to convey the encounters, conversations, intimacies and emotional exchanges do not exist within the phrasing of our sometimes course language.  As the creative director, waist bead stringer, administrative support, driver and customer service rep for Alaiyo, I have gotten to immerse myself in the lessons and challenges that is hands - on service work. I have taught and gleaned so many things that it feels like the magical advanced education one might be initiated into after their academic advanced education; totally unexpected and dare I admit, bewildering. I am still amazed at the number of ways there are to softly split a heart open so that the giver and the gifted  both delight in the warmth and shine. And because sharing and teaching are my first true love I am delighted to be moving into the new year with The Art of Mindfulness and Waist Bead Wearing; an interactive, lively, conversational exchange about how the use of various mindfulness tools and techniques including waistbead wearing are challenging and transforming every corner of women's lives, all across the world. I hope you will carve out some time in your busy schedule to tune in live or put us in your queue to watch on playback. It promises to be a widening, wondrous place where practical tools and honest sharing will take center stage. So mark your calendars for every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month beginning December 26th and let's come together as a community so that we can begin to come together more surely within our individual lives.  It's possible and it's time. 💚 - xoj

We receive testimonies about the power of waist bead wearing regularly. These stories from women who are looking to lose weight, achieve greater focus or be more present and confident in their bodies and with their sexuality, are all reasons for us to celebrate and keep at this work. But there is a special kind of glee that is born when we get the chance to see a version of so much amazing progress and inspiration with our own eyes. Gratitude and congratulations to our client and friend Chanel for saying yes to the work of coming to her own rescue. To showing up for the committed challenge of being fully in her body with all of the frustration and fear that can sometimes surface. We see you and appreciate you for being a bright light and a willing soul. You and your journey are an inspiration to us and this work we do. Read Chanel's mindful waist bead wearing testimony: "I have been wearing my mindful waist beads since late April early May of 2016 and I absolutely adore them. Mentally and spiritually I am evolving and metamorphosing daily. My growth has been witnessed by those who are close to me. My confidence to set goals and achieve them has magnified ten fold. I also started toning and losing weight, and I have lost about 5 inches off of my waist! I have purchased new strands because my older waist beads had become "hip" beads. I was overjoyed by the fact that I was able to re-tie them to make them smaller. That act alone was such an epic moment for me. There is definitely magic happening over here. Jasai thank you for allowing your light to shine." Mirror mirror, Chanel. Mirror mirror. 💚