In this  episode of The Sound Bath, recorded live from the LUSH Banned Book Library at SXSW in Austin, Texas, aja is joined by educators Erin Green and Bavu Blakes to discuss the state of education in the era of book bans. From the history of misinformation in the United States, to their students desire for truth, to what we can do to help tell the untold stories, aja, Erin, and Bavu turn up the heat on how to teach truth in this era of book bans. We invite you to leave us a voice memo and...

Abolitionism is an important tool that can help us repair and move towards healing and justice. The American lawyer, organizer, and author of Becoming Abolitionist, Derecka Purnell joins aja in conversation about what it means to be an abolitionist, how racial capitalism is killing Black people, and the importance of dismantling the systems that caused the violence in the first place. They also discuss cultivating a space of learning for children and how social justice spaces are deep messy...

American conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas joins aja in conversation about what it means to be an artist, the creative process, and the power of branding and advertisements. They also talk about democratizing art for the people and For Freedoms, an artist collective he co-founded that focuses on using art and creativity as a catalyst for liberation.We invite you to leave us a voice memo and answer some of the same questions we ask our guests. Click HERE to leave us a voice message!For more...

It’s always important to be gentle and kind to yourself when you slip, but you should also know when to invite moments of discomfort, confrontation, and conflict to heal. Harm reductionist and psychedelic explorer Charlotte James joins aja in conversation about Sacred Earth Medicines, respecting these indigenous practices, and the impact of understanding our own ancestry. They also laugh and share fond memories about the cleansing but sometimes maddening sounds in ceremony.Follow Charlotte...

Although chasing your dreams can be very rewarding, it can also be a real challenge and that’s exactly how Hannibal Buress felt when he decided to start rapping under the pseudonym Eshu Tune. The comedian and rapper joins aja in a conversation about the meaning behind his pseudonym, the sense of real community care that he's building around live-events with family and friends, the influence that his daughter had on his music career, and his struggles before getting into music.  We invite you...

Raw foodist and celebrity chef Lauren Von Der Pool joins aja in conversation about how a violent experience pushed her into a path of healing through food, choosing positivity over negativity when approaching veganism, and the importance of a mental diet so you have other tools to utilize when you hit some glitches in your healing journey.We invite you to leave us a voice memo and answer some of the same questions we ask our guests. Click HERE to leave us a voice message!For more info, check...

Trigger Warning: This episode contains mention of sensitive subjects, including sexual assault, rape and violence. There’s so much pressure and fear around discovering and exploring who you are when it should be a fun and joyful journey. Sexuality doula, author, and educator Ev’yan Whitney joins aja in conversation about the importance of sexual liberation, the connection between sex and power, the importance of approaching each other’s bodies with compassion and care, and how to begin a new...

Award-winning singer, songwriter, and cultural worker, Kehlani joins aja in an intimate conversation filled with laughter and moments of reflection about her relationship with spirituality, therapy and social media—and why you shouldn’t be scared of love even if sometimes it turns you into a clown. They also dive into how her healing journey shaped her latest album Blue Water Road.This episode contains strong language that some listeners may find uncomfortable. We invite you to leave us a...

Hurt is an inescapable fact of life that many people don’t understand which makes healing all the more difficult. The New York Times Bestseller and doula adrienne maree brown joins aja in conversation about the different types of hurt, liberating ourselves from living inside the boundary that a capitalistic society has imprisoned us in, and the gift that is aging and how it allows us to understand ourselves and appreciate our fleeting days. We invite you to leave us a voice memo and answer...

People who can become pregnant should have the right to choose when and if they want to become a parent. This decision should be defended as a basic human right. Sharmin Hossain is a Bangladeshi queer Muslim activist, political organizer and Campaign Director for Liberate Abortion—fighting for everyone's right to choose. Sharmin joins aja to discuss her experience as a reproductive rights activist growing up in New York and how she's moving forward after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v....

We live in confusing, challenging times – and Dr. Thema (A.K.A The Lioness) aims to guide us through them by encouraging qualities of love, healing, acceptance, compassion and creativity. The licensed psychologist, ordained minister, sacred artist, and president-elect of the American Psychological Association joins aja in conversation to discuss hearing your calling, solidarity, therapy, the art of listening, and the rise of women's voices on an intergenerational and international scale....

New York Times Bestseller, award winning author, speaker, and Critical-Race practitioner, Ijeoma Oluo joins aja for an intimate and emotional conversation about the state of the world, our place in it, and how we might think and act differently in respect to each other and our environment. They discuss the connection between comedy and absurdity, processing trauma, and why taking action early on is necessary especially after the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Followed by...

Welcome back to The Sound Bath, a Lush Cosmetics podcast that explores what personal, social, and environmental care and wellbeing really mean in today's society.In thought-provoking and intimate discussions with some of her favorite authors, artists, activists and experts, surrealist blues poet and host aja monet dives deep into ideas that transform and reveal us.  We invite you to leave us a voice memo and answer some of the same questions we ask our guests. Click HERE to leave us a voice...

In our first bonus episode, we revisit some of the previously un-released segments of aja’s interview with Naomi Klein - climate justice activist, professor, and author of The Shock Doctrine and This Changes Everything. From the reasons why she’s decided to live in rural so-called ‘British Columbia’, to the choices we make about how we spend our time and how those choices are either replenishing or diminishing our personal energy and our environment, Naomi’s words, perspective, and experience...

For our second bonus episode, we’re revisiting some of the previously un-released segments from aja’s interview with Hope Giselle - national organizer, Author, Diversity and Inclusion specialist, and Trans Activist. From what it takes to be in dialogue with someone on the opposing side of the ideological spectrum, to answering the question that nobody ever asks about what it really takes to make your dreams happen, Hope Giselle is a powerful force to be reckoned with. If you haven’t heard the...

That’s a wrap on our first season of The Sound Bath — thank you all for joining us on this journey! We’ll be taking a short break while we put together the lineup for an amazing season two.  We invite you to leave us a voice memo and answer some of the same questions we ask our guests. Click HERE to leave us a voice message! In the meantime, stay tuned for bonus episodes in the coming weeks and be sure to like and follow us wherever you listen to your podcasts so you can enjoy season two of...

Mohammed El-Kurd was named one of TIME100’s most influential people in the world in 2021, but he grew up in a constant state of war and displacement. The Palestinian poet joins aja for a conversation about how he’s found dignity, self-respect, solace, and solidarity in words and freedom of expression. Followed by meditative sound bath music from The Dojo Upstate. We invite you to leave us a voice memo and answer some of the same questions we ask our guests. Click HERE to leave us a voice...

Abiodun Oyewole is a talented poet, teacher, as well as member of African-American music and spoken-word group The Last Poets. He joins aja in conversation about the power of community, how creativity is more than just poetry, art, and music, and how caring for one another is caring for oneself. Followed by meditative sound bath music from The Dojo Upstate.Please note that this episode contains discussion of mental illness and includes sensitive, adult content that some may have difficulty...

Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah, the author of The Sex Lives of African Women, joins aja to talk about African women’s sexuality, feminism across the African diaspora, and the idea that caring for your community is integral to self-care. Followed by meditative sound bath music from The Dojo Upstate. We invite you to leave us a voice memo and answer some of the same questions we ask our guests. Click HERE to leave us a voice message! For more info, check out The Sound Bath Podcast site. See...

Oludara Adeeyo, the author of Self-Care For Black Women works with the unhoused population of Los Angeles as a psychiatric social worker. She shares her thoughts on being in-relationship with people suffering from mental illness, and how the system might be changed to better care for all. Followed by meditative sound bath music from The Dojo Upstate. We invite you to leave us a voice memo and answer some of the same questions we ask our guests. Click HERE to leave us a voice message!For more...

Philosopher, professor, and poet, Bayo Akomolafe joins Aja in a discussion on the evolution of activism and society, what resides in the space between words, the meaning of love, the healing power in the sound of children laughing, as well as different ways of looking at the world and one another. Followed by meditative sound bath music from The Dojo Upstate.For more info, check out The Sound Bath Podcast site. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In her new book, Who Is Wellness For?, poet Fariha Róisín examines wellness culture and who it leaves behind. She joins Aja for a conversation that touches on wellness, activism, healing from childhood trauma, and being accountable for our own wellbeing. Followed by meditative sound bath music from The Dojo Upstate. For more info, check out The Sound Bath Podcast site. Please note that this episode contains discussion of sexual assault that some people may find disturbing. If you or someone...

For author Jason Reynolds, sometimes “slaying dragons” means writing #1 New York Times bestselling youth fiction. Sometimes it’s about kicking back to watch the game with his friends or spending Sundays with family. Jason joins Aja to talk about building intergenerational trust and how to play a game he invented called Brain Yoga, as well as some of the things we might discover in ourselves by really unplugging. Followed by meditative sound bath music from The Dojo Upstate. For more info,...

Hope Giselle is all about self-love. As the first openly trans woman to graduate with a MFA from conservative Alabama State University, she’s learned to put her mental health first while challenging people on the opposite side of the political spectrum. When it comes to confronting a bully or a racist, she says sometimes it’s ok to say “Today, I don’t have the power.” But if you do step up – you should do so with the full knowledge of what it is that you’re stepping into. The author...