revdrxk

Rev. Xolani Kacela, Ph.D.

  • Home
  • Courses
    • Spiritual Survival as a BIPOC or Ally
    • Stop Anxiety In Its Tracks
  • Podcast
  • Blog
  • Links
  • Works
    • The Black UU Survival Guide
      • YOUR READING COPY! The Black UU Survival Guide: How to Survive as an African American Unitarian Universalist and How Allies Can Keep It 100
      • NFT – Black UU Survival Guide
    • How We Can All Help Keep it 100
    • Jumpstart Your Allyship
      • Hunting, Fishing, and Pick-Up Trucks
      • FREE READING COPY! Jumpstart Your Allyship
      • JYA, Preview Videochat
      • JYA on Think Again, Part 1
      • JYA on Think Again, Part 5
    • Get a Hold of Yourself
    • Finding your Way Home
    • It’s your World
    • Hank and the Runway Catfish
    • Hard Things
  • Bio – Dr. Xolani Kacela
    • Photo Gallery
    • Videos from Recent Sermons
    • Facilitated Webinar Content
  • FAQ
  • Contact

Rev. Erin J. Walter

September 24, 2021 by xk Leave a Comment

Rev. Erin J. Walter, UU Community Minister

Take On Faith – October 25, 2021

Rev. Erin J. Walter is a community minister ordained in the Unitarian Universalist tradition. She also plays bass for two bands: Parker Woodland and Butch County. She joined host Xolani Kacela from her home in Austin, Texas. You will enjoy this episode of Take On Faith on KTAL-LP.

Rev. Walter (center)

Erin Walter talked about her life as a minister in liberal faith. She discussed the sacred part of her ministry many people don’t see. Walter shared much needed wisdom. In particular, she described ways to build bridges over our differences.

The pandemic affects us all, she said. She described how her UU ministry affects the people she serves. A member of the Texas UU Justice Ministry, her work often focuses on social justice. She put light on how listeners can change their neighborhoods by being humble.

Click the arrow above to listen to the audio or click here to download the file.

You can reach Rev. Erin J. Walter on her websites, ErinWalter.com and ParkerWoodland.com.

From the guest’s website:

Rev. Erin serves the wider community through ministry open to people of all faiths, including:

  • Officiating weddings, memorials, and rites of passage
  • Guest preaching, music, workshop facilitation, camp chaplaincy, retreat leadership, and spiritual direction
  • Teaching Zumba for body and spirit in community settings
  • Writing about ministry and music for publications including the UU World and Austin American-Statesman

Erin’s community ministry is intentionally eclectic and grounded in the first and seventh UU principles — affirming the worth and dignity of all people, interconnected across faiths and cultures, age groups and class. She is an original TXHandmaid, using arts activism to promote reproductive rights, as well as a member of the queer rock band Butch County and activist supporting human rights movements for accessibility, racial justice, immigrant rights, trans rights, and more.

MUSIC AS MINISTRY

Rev. Erin serves via songwriting and community building with her band, Parker Woodland. Their new EP “Live From LOVE Hill” is available on Bandcamp starting Friday, 9/3/21, to benefit mental health serves by the SIMS Foundation. Listen to Parker Woodland’s debut EP “The World’s On Fire (and We Still Fall in Love)” on Spotify, Youtube, and wherever you buy or stream music.

Dealing with Fear, Anxiety, and Anger

September 21, 2021 by xk Leave a Comment

Dealing with Fear, Anxiety, and Anger

Take On Faith – September 18, 2021

Dealing with fear, anxiety, and anger requires disciplined spirituality and commitment to your values. During the show, Rev. Xolani Kacela, host of Take On Faith, discusses some of the challenges churches faced and still face during the pandemic.

Rev. Xolani Kacela goes solo on this episode of Take On Faith.

Importantly, Kacela explores the struggles to build on-line community amid fear, anxiety, and anger. Kacela builds upon his Unitarian Universalist practice.

Also, he explores the spiritual practice called reconciliation. He attributes the practice to the African American mystic and spiritual teacher, Howard Thurman.

During this solo episode, Kacela shares an intimate story from his past about attempting reconciliation. He discusses the risks we encounter pursuing honest relationships in an era of great division.

Enjoy a very personal talk and discover ways for taking your spirituality to the next level.

Tune by clicking the link below.

Click on the arrow to listen to the content or click right here to download.

Excerpt from Jumpstart Your Allyship on interrogating your feelings

In the episode, Rev. XK addresses the need to confront and interrogate your feelings. Here is an excerpt from his latest book, Jumpstart Your Allyship, which covers the topic in detail.

It is important to acknowledge and accept uncomfortable feelings, knowing that they represent something tangible in your experience. But, first, you need to determine what those feelings represent. Lean into them until you have answers. Once you nail down what caused your feelings, you can confront your history and move into your new self-image.

(This work may involve you beginning a relationship with a culturally competent mental health provider. Either way, you will need to confront your feelings and find a resolution to be an effective, reliable ally.)

Jumpstart Your Allyship VideoChat

September 15, 2021 by xk Leave a Comment

Jumpstart Your Allyship VideoChat

Think Again – September 28, 2021

Click the arrow to watch the video or click here to download to your device.

This video follows up on our in-studio conversation on Think Again, broadcast on KTAL-LP FM 101.5.

This Jumpstart Your Allyship VideoChat presents a real-life conversation between two persons with opposing ideas. Watch them strive for common ground, and therefore, allyship. The two men, Randy Harris and Xolani “xk” Kacela, discuss the pros and cons Zoom meetings. They contrast Zoom with in-person meetings.

As a viewer, we hope you discover merit in the approach we take, which comes from the book, Jumpstart Your Allyship, by Xolani. We offer this videochat as an example of allyship in action.

What To Look For In The Video

We hope the videochat demonstrates two guys, one African American and one White. They have different backgrounds and views. Yet, they hash out an important issue with respect for each other.

Together, the two guys jumpstart their allyship.

Notice how “xk” kept it 100 by asking Randy a difficult question about whether he’s approaching Zoom meetings like “a Neanderthal.” That question demonstrated interrogating Randy’s status honestly. In order to make that move, “xk” overrode his fear factor. Often, prevents people from getting real with each other.

Next, Randy responded to “xk’s” challenging and personal question without getting defensive. He answered openly and sincerely, thus, moving the conversation and allyship in a positive direction.

Your Challenge

Take time to rewatch the video. What do you notice the second time? Can you imagine yourself engaging in a similar conversation with a BIPOC over a difficult topic? Where might you begin? With whom do you wish you were an ally?

Bottom line: It’s up to you to keep it 100!

You can reach Randy Harris at rharris27@hotmail.com and xk at xk@revdrxk.com.

Randy Harris, host of Think Again on KTAL-LP. Jumpstart Your Allyship Videochat.
Randy Harris (right) and Keith.

You can purchase the book, Jumpstart Your Allyship by clicking this link.

Please leave your comments below.

Valerie Mason John aka Vimalasara

September 8, 2021 by xk Leave a Comment

Valerie Mason John aka Vimalasara

Take On Faith – September 11, 2021

Valerie Mason John, also known as Vimalasara, teaches Buddhism in the Triratna Buddhist tradition. They joined host Xolani Kacela from her home in Vancouver, British Columbia for this episode of Take On Faith.

Valerie Mason John is the award-winning author of 10 books, and the co-author and co-founder of Eight Step Recovery: Using The Buddha’s Teaching to Overcome Addiction.

Vimalasara shared many powerful life experiences. Those included: how they discovered Buddhism after years of life in foster care, on the streets, and in prison as a youth. Importantly, they found themselves surrounded by people who meditated. That sparked their curiosity about practicing meditation.

Valerie Mason John discussed their Buddhist practice and how it helped them adopt a new mindset to overcome “stinking thinking,” which they discussed on their 2013 TEDx Talk.

Click the arrow above to listen to the audio or click here to download your own copy.

You can reach Vimalasara on their website: https://www.valeriemason-john.com/about/ or on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/valeriemasonjohn

From the guest’s website:

Dr. Valerie (Vimalasara) Mason-John, M.A (hon.doc) is a public speaker and master trainer in the field of conflict transformation, leadership and mindfulness. They was featured at TEDxRenfrewCollingwood where they gave a talk titled, We are what we think, which outlined a course of action we can take to work on the global epidemic of bullying.

Valerie is the award-winning author of 10 books, and the co-author and co-founder of Eight Step Recovery: Using The Buddha’s Teaching to Overcome Addiction. Since its publication, it has won the Best USA Book Award 2014 and Best International Book Award 2015 in the self motivational and self help category. Eight Step Recovery offers an alternative to the 12 step program for addiction. Eight Step meetings are now taking place in the UK, USA, Canada, Mexico, India and Finland. Valerie uses the pronouns they/their/them because they do not subscribe to how society defines a woman. She/Her limits their capacity to be who they truly are.

Mindfulness Teacher & Recovery Coach

Valerie is the co-creator of Mindfulness Based Addiction Recovery (MBAR). They are a certified professional Mindfulness Teacher, Recovery Coach, Life Coach, and a Compassionate Inquiry Facilitator and Practitioner. Valerie has been practicing mindfulness for over 30 years and is one of the leading African-descent voices in the field of mindfulness and addiction. She trains professionals working in the field of addiction all over the world.

They are also  the author of Detox Your Heart: Meditations for Emotional Trauma — a self-help guide on mindfulness of negative emotions.

Dharma Teacher

Valerie — also known as Vimalasara — was ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Community and is a senior teacher in this tradition. Although they work tirelessly in the field of mindfulness, the Buddhist teachings are an essential part of her personal practice.

They are the chairperson of the Triratna Vancouver Buddhist Centre in British Columbia, Canada, and leads and co-leads retreats both nationally and internationally. They was also the co-founder of Healing and Insight and is a teacher on Worldwide Insight.

Playwright

Valerie wrote the box office sell-out cult play, Sin Dykes, and has been touring their one woman show, Brown Girl In The Ring, internationally for the past ten years. The show is adapted to current issues and politics, while keeping to the plot that they are related to the Queen of England. They recently co-produced blackhalifax.com — 12 short poetic dramas documenting the African-descent history of Halifax, Nova Scotia dating back to the 1600’s.

« Previous Page
Next Page »

Search

Best Posts

  • New Book Ready for Preorder Now!
  • Take On Faith Sunsetted in May 2022
  • Stephani Grace – Creating Real Happiness

Comments

    Categories

    • affordable housing
    • Air National Guard
    • Animal Chaplaincy
    • Articles
    • Author
    • Blog Post
    • Blogger
    • Books
    • Buddhism
    • Chaplaincy
    • community vulnerability
    • consciousness
    • Covid-19
    • Don McCleary
    • energetics
    • Happiness
    • helping friends get vaccinated
    • Ideas
    • Judaism
    • KTAL-LP FM 101.5
    • Law
    • LGBTQ issues
    • Love
    • low income housing
    • Magic
    • Military Chaplaincy
    • Ministry
    • New Mexico National Guard
    • Pastor Jared Carson
    • Podcast Post
    • politics and culture
    • Reiki
    • Religion
    • self-awareness
    • Social Justice
    • Spiritual Practices
    • Take On Faith
    • theology
    • Think Again
    • Third-World living
    • Uncategorized
    • Unitarian Universalism
    • Vaccine for coronavirus

    CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA

    • Behance
    • Dribbble
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Flickr
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Medium
    • Tumblr
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    © Copyright Xolani Kacela. X to the k Publishing. All rights reserved.

    LOOKING FOR SOMETHING? SEARCH THIS SITE WITH GOOGLE BELOW

    Inspiration and Information Take On Faith (Archives)

    Thanks for visiting X to the k Publishing

    Most of the information on this site is free for you to read, watch or listen to, but X to the k Publishing is also a business and my livelihood. So please expect hyperlinks to be affiliate links in many cases. I only recommend tools, books and services that I either use or people I know personally. Integrity and authenticity continue to be of the highest importance to me. I hope you find the site useful! Thanks – xk

    Copyright © 2025 · Beautiful Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

    Sign up for my newsletter and get your FREE copy of "Be a Master of the Universe"