GOTW OF THE WEEK: Kamil Oshundara
Name: Kamil Oshundara
Location: Midcity LA, CA
Astrological Sign/rising: Scorpio – Scorpio Rising & Sun, Gemini Moon (smh I know)
Which Goddess or Goddess Archetype do you most identify with and why?
While I often fought it, there is no doubt that the Yoruba goddess Oshun is one of the deities I most identify with. She is the embodiment of unconditional love, joy, art, attraction, divine femininity, and all that makes life worth living. Oshun uses sublime sweetness as a strategy of war and is a master of creative resistance. She brings intense emotion, passion, stimulating energy and fury when provoked. She is a magnet and catalyst. For years I struggled to connect with Oshun because I never felt comfortable describing myself as feminine, pretty or soft. I still consider myself a very rough work in progress that conflicted with the delicate, manicured projections of her I’d seen coming up. I feel beautiful and identify as a womxn, but I do not feel included in mainstream representations of her or most goddesses. I feel very queer, fluid, a balance of masculine and feminine energy. Now I realize that my experiences as a womxn are multifaceted and valid. Oshun is a representation of divine femininity but is not bound to our gender binaries; she is not just lipstick, glitter and seduction. Oshun’s energy exists as a spectrum. She receives the world in all its beauty because she knows she is the world – that is the framework I move from. Her unmatched love of self makes her royal, and there’s nothing prissy about that.
I also resonate with an Orisha named Osumare. They’re a gender fluid deity whose symbols are by the rainbow and serpent. Osumare is the embodiment of light, fluidity, transformation, motion, and cycles. Just like the rainbow that returns to the sky as soon as it touches the ground, Osumare can only be on earth for a short while before being called back to the spirit realm. Often, I feel that way -- like a body of Black light from another planet that can’t stay away too long. I like to think I travel between worlds to draw inspiration for my art. I even have a snake in my life (Hendrix) in honor of Osumare, who also helps to balance all the kundalini in my life.
How do you get in touch with/unleash your inner goddess?
Surrounding myself with nature, art-making, self-adornment, and sensuality are the ways I tap into goddess consciousness. When I’m in nature I’m reminded that all I have to do is BE to be holy. Also, I feel like I am a messy goddess (in more ways than one). Squishing my toes in Onile (the earth) to get grounded reminds me that nothing is “clean” or spot free. We need nutrients and dirt and grit to grow. Our process isn’t nasty, its nature.
When I create there is nothing in between myself and my divinity. I just am. All that I feel and desire becomes tangible to me. For me, art (spoken word, painting, curating) is vital to remind myself that I am a goddess, a creative being capable of transforming thoughts into reality. I feel heard and at peace. Too, when I adorn my body with tattoos and piercings I am art. It reminds me that I am the creator of my world, my body belongs to me, I can intention and design it as I please. Each detail I add to my body reveals more of my spirit and leads me to learn something new about myself. When I stretch and mark my skin I feel connected to an indigenous beauty that is only second to godliness, and when I resemble my ancestors in that way I feel like a reflection of their light.
Lastly, erotica and sensuality is a way to get in touch with my goddess energy. I feel like so often we hide our true selves, what gives us pleasure, or what we need out of fear of being judged. When I connect with myself/someone in that way, I like to be vulnerable, show a part of myself that I may normally hide and release. I believe a lot of transformation can come from showing partners who you really are and allowing yourself to be fully present with another body with no distractions. I think it’s divine. When I’m in theses space I just feel powerful.
What is your Goddess superpower?
Like Oshun, softness is one of my superpowers. Her softness exists in balance with her immense strength. Oshun is not weak, she chooses to use sweetness as a tool because she is best at connecting through care. That is an ideology that we share. I believe pleasure and play are modes that will change the world. I’m always ready for war, but I’d much rather connect through feeling. I’m sensitive and enraged and not afraid to feel. I also think that vulnerability is a superpower of mine. I will share any part of myself to help someone else know that they are not alone, if often reminds me that neither am I. I loathe living in shame and to me vulnerability is vital to self-acceptance. If I live a raw, unashamed, honest life no one can make me feel otherwise.
What are some important words of wisdom that you'd like to share with other Goddesses out
there ?
No one can take anything from you. Not your light, your magic, your ability to love or live a full life. Almost any form of fuckery can scrape you, but it cannot break you. I thought that my body was a temple that could be defiled. But now I realize that my body is an intergalactic palace, a home, a haven, a free-zone that could never be conquered. It’s an entity with a cleansing routine that requires upkeep, it has rules and history. It is not for everyone (as some will learn through experience), but it can travel, adapt, become more fortified with time or open up to who it likes. I think the first step to amplifying goddess energy is to design your body (aka your HOME) for yourself. Present in a way that makes you happy and learn to worship your skin. Body modification definitely helped me appreciate my form. We may be spirits, but we’ve chosen to occupy this body for however long and it has needs of its own. My goal is to become a better listener and learn to fully sustain myself first.
Kamil Oshundara’s Instagram: @k6mil