Conscience Conversations in Miami

Miami is a  very popular city with lots of tourists and fun attractions. Some of the most popular nightclubs in Miami are Story, Hearts, King of Diamonds and others. What all these clubs have in common are loud music, overly crowded spaces, and lots of alcohol. Tourists come to Miami to leave the lulls of everyday life and step into a fantasy of hot cars, sexy women and long summer nights. 

GiamoJC in the 305 · Life in Miami: Conscience Conversations

However, unlike tourists, most young hard working residents of Miami cannot party, spend lots of money and chase vices every night. Sometimes it can be difficult to find affordable places to unwind and meet other like minded people. Having the opportunity to gather,  share ideas and network with others in a calm and sober setting  is very important for anyone but especially young adults. 

Fortunately, there are a few places such as Miami Warehouse where young Miamians can get together. Every Monday night in Hialeah, a city in the greater Miami area, a small group of people gather together for Conscience Conversations. This small group therapy session , hosted by Indigenous Empress, is a safe place for people to share art, emotions , food and music. 

Art 

The last Conscience Conversation session was focused on creating a vision board  using a montage of various pictures from popular magazines.  A vision board is a tool used to help clarify, concentrate and maintain focus on specific life goals. This creative activity helps release anxiety for the future and reminds people of what they want to accomplish in life. 

The picture above is my vision board. The different photos  symbolize various values that I seek to live out in my life. In the top left corner there is a drawing of a ferocious black panther with a third eye. This image represents the importance of fighting through adversity and always keeping my mind on the goals I want to accomplish. The Statue of Liberty, clearly identifies my dream to be free mentally, physically, spiritually and financially in my life. The declarative sentence “You, Wake Up” is a constant reminder to dream big and not fall asleep on my potential. 

Conversation 

Each session has a different theme of conversation. In the last meeting, the lovely Indigenous Empress introduced the Law of Attraction as a topic. Through her own questions and selection of videos she created a conversation amongst the group about how to attract positive energy. 

Outside of talking about specific themes, these group meetings are an amazing time to meet other aspiring artists and cool people alike. Fortunately, I got the chance to talk to Shannon Lindstrom, who is a beautiful model and talented jewelry artist. She creates her jewelry using crystals, gemstones and other spiritually charged materials. You can find and buy  her jewelry here at etsy.com/shop/moonstonedshop . 

Food 

The Conscience Conversation usually goes from 8 pm - 2 am, so people get hungry in between that time. Like everything else, Miami Warehouse is all about providing healthy options. Most items on their menu are vegan or include a marijuana infused option.  The health benefits of a vegan diet include lowering blood sugar levels, protecting against certain cancers, helping lose excess weight and so much more. 

In the last meeting I ordered the deliciously handmade Chicken Rito, shown in the picture above. The ingredients included a tortilla wrap,  mixed wild greens, pico de gayo, tomatoes, bread crumbs and seitan which replaced the meat.