Information posted here is based on or relevant to my international Fulbright Distinguished Chair research. The information here is provided for education, personal growth, and discussion. Subscribe for all updates.
Above image created by Michele K. Lewis using Meta AI.
What is Cosmic Consciousness?
African-centered psychologists and scholars often reference African cosmology and cultural traditions. We rely on an Afrocentric worldview to explain that cosmic consciousness is an awareness that the self is not separate from the universe, from others, or from spirit. It transcends a narrow, individualistic Western concept of consciousness and embraces the interdependence of life, spirit, ancestry, nature, and community. Cosmic consciousness as a way of knowing and a way of being in non-western psychology is a foundation for mental health, authentic cultural identity, and psychological liberation. This isn't something to be learned in traditional college classrooms, but it's never too late to dive into it on your own for personal growth.
Above photo: I'm pictured here just before giving the 2024 annual Florence Bird Lecture at Carleton University, in Ottawa Ontario Canada
In these times, there are many who won't get that my Black LGBTQIA+ project is valid albeit unconventional scientific research. They will label it a matter of DEI (as though these are bad words) that has no usefulness. But those who know, know differently.
Ekow Eshun stated in his 2022 book, In the Black Fantastic, that for art to exist in the Black fantastic is a "way of SEEING (emphasis my own)" that began to flourish when international Black artists called upon “dreamlike evocations of Blackness based on notions of spiritual power and memories of ancient Africa”(Eshun, 2022, pg. 13).
Who says that social science research like the arts, can't also be "in the Black Fantastic"? It most certainly can be. I've so far drafted 60 pages of text and over 80 slides featuring a multitude of infographics, images, and video to create a workshop for use with people of African Descent who broadly identify as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. I argue that "In the Black Fantastic" research is required to do a deep dive into understanding the cosmic consciousness that can divinely manifest among Black queer people.
If you're LGBTQIA+; if you're gender fluid; or if you have a family member or a friend to whom this applies, Contact Me to book a virtual chat. I will share further information about cosmic consciousness and how it relates to healthy psychological and spiritual understanding,
Can you recognize the cosmic consiousness in Frankie Knuckles' The Whistle Song (1991)? Comments welcome.