Finding Your Spiritual Self
Intuitive creative and soul care cultivator Malaika Martin finds self through self-care.
Malaika Martin
In early 2019, I attended Grit and Grace Day with the incomparable Cheryle Jackson in Chicago, seeking some inspiration from like-minded women during the midst of one of the more painful phases of my personal life. I barely made it in time, and as I was walking in, a kindred spirit called my attention. Malaika and I instantly broke out in a simultaneous nervous giggle about our late entrance at the registration table and went our separate ways…only to sit down, turn, and find ourselves next to each other, erupting in more smiles.
We met up a couple weeks later and bonded over corporate work, our common creative personalities, and our entrepreneurial lives. What sticks with me most from that coffee meeting was the instant ease of our conversation—I felt like I had made a buddy for life. When we connected for this interview, it was like we hadn’t missed a beat, though we had only spoken sporadically in the last few years due to our life transitions. As I reflect on our chat, I am struck by the rooted energy Malaika maintains in her faith. “Why put a limit on how God can communicate with us?” This statement came up in our interview and is evident in how she has expanded her self-care practices to include tarot intuitive card readings, nature, and spiritual guidance. To me, the deep answers we seek are all around us if we choose to listen.
Self-Care Leads to Big Success
Since our session, Malaika has transitioned through changes in life like a butterfly. This mother of twin boys continues to thrive, having shifted from full-time entrepreneur into the corporate lifestyle, proving that success is living a life that flows with you. She maintains time for independent creative projects and continues to cultivate balance so that in the future she might focus once again on small business ownership. (The DoWell craft juice brand she founded flourished in its three years across the city of Chicago, from being featured on NBC Chicago to its countless pop-ups at festivals and neighborhoods across the city.)
“In my darkest hours, I showed up for myself and stopped looking to someone else to save me”
Malaika’s Top 3 Tips for Finding Your Spiritual Self
Try multiple self-care practices until you find what works for you.
Determine what helps you make decisions and develop it into a practice.
Reset yourself in nature.
A few of my favorite insights from Malaika
0:00 - Introduction
2:06 - Finding a friend in Malaika
2:57 - Running businesses in challenging times
4:07 - Her story
5:28 - Transitioning a business
7:14 - Meditation & intuitive card reading
8:45 - Creating structure in a business partnership
10:55 - Getting started with tarot
14:49 - Being open to spiritual guidance
16:44 - Self-care routines for creativity
18:29 - Clearing your energy
22:46 - Going inward during change
24:33 - Finding your way back to self-care
27:37 - Perspective & inner peace
29:36 - Discovering spiritual teachers online
32:58 - Self-care in community
34:12 - How to work with Malaika
About Malaika
Malaika Martin (@malaikacreates) is an intuitive creative, soul care cultivator, and founder of two Chicago-based enterprises. An artist and maker at heart, her career in design and event industries combined with her intuitive gifts has enabled countless creatives to excel in what they do best.
For nearly two decades, Malaika has assisted creative leaders and entrepreneurs in finding balance while capitalizing on the logistics and structure needed to be successful. To her, self-care means authentically showing up every day, fully productive and with a sense of connection to spirit. She believes in the power of recognizing and releasing negative behaviors while finding empowerment through systems that enable her colleagues and clients to connect with the dynamic business owners they've always been.
Feeling inspired to start your own self-care routine?
🎶: Karianne is a pioneer in wellness programs that fuse meditation and sound bath healing into corporate cultures. Her latest album, Dreamscapes: A Sound Bath Journey, is available on streaming platforms worldwide.
🧘🏼♀️: Join Karianne on YouTube for sound baths and guided meditations and find your zen.
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