Meet Honey Bee | Artist: Author, Poet, & Spiritual Advisor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Honey Bee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Honey, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I believe risks are taken each and every day. Some we take consciously, others may be done unconsciously. When I think about risk, allowing oneself to do something with the awareness that the outcome could potentially be unfavorable, a rush of excitement and nervousness begins to flow. Throughout my life experience I’ve come to realize that every time a risk had presented itself, and I was made consciously aware, there was a desire, feeling, or urge calling me to go with the action or choice. Whether or not I went through with it is a completely different story, but when I think about the risks I can remember this internal nudge attempting to encourage me. I am grateful for that nudge, and for the risks. Every time I allowed myself to take a risk, the outcome was always growth. It is because of this that I choose to not judge the outcome of situations, looking at them as good or bad, but rather open myself up to what the experience, journey, and outcome provided and taught me.

Throughout our existence, no matter the length of time we spend in a particular form on Earth, I believe we are meant to learn, share, and teach others. By doing so, we expand the consciousness of the collective. When we provide information, knowledge, and wisdom gained from our life experience, others have an opportunity to utilize it as a means of broadening their awareness, constructing a more evolved society, developing their creativity, gifts, natural abilities, and talents, extending their lifetime, and so much more. When I think about risk and how it has brought about much personal growth, I remember how fearful I was, and how bold and courageous I am now.

Growing up as an effeminate and peculiar boy in South Central, LA, I was accustomed to risk. My younger self had a unique way of being and viewing the world. I was aware of my novelty, and would often conceal many aspects of my authenticity because I wanted to belong, connect, socialize, and survive. However, there were many moments where being in constant disguise would trigger my anger and I would rebel. This is when I would find myself making choices such as waiting on the corner of Manchester/Figuerora for my school bus wearing a red bandana, red t-shirt, red shorts, and red Converse, all because I liked to match monochromatically and despised being restricted from wearing colors. Although this was not the brightest idea, and had me receiving an earful from my mother, I felt proud for choosing to express myself how I felt inspired. I am most certainly aware that my spirit team was working overtime that day keeping 13 year old me safe, and extend the utmost gratitude for I placed myself in a number of situations that had great potential to shift completely left field. Being where I am today, I look back on these risks and realize how they provided me opportunities to connect with my faith, inner power, and strength, develop a sense of self, experience a myriad of activities, careers, people, and places, learn about different truths of the world, and mature into an authentic, compassionate, loving, spiritual, understating, and wise being.

It is because of my willingness to take risks, that I am being interviewed by Shoutout Atlanta. Risk played a role in me choosing to share my art, spiritual gifts, talents, and wisdom with the public. Risk lead me to quitting my full-time job during a pandemic to focus on creating my own healing business. Risk provided me an opportunity to remember that I am more than any limitations placed on me by others or myself.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art is authentic, empowering, healing, honest, insightful, and vulnerable. Whether I am delivering channeled messages from the spirit realm, giving a speech, performing spoken word, or writing poetry, it is artistically expressed with intention. I’ve committed myself to inner-standing my unique light and how it naturally shines. The deeper I dive, the more my love grows for both myself and all of creation. My art is an honest reflection of the multifaceted being that I am. By taking the journey to heal the aspects of myself that have been wounded, and learning from those experiences, I’ve grown to embrace vulnerability and authentically express my point of view. I am currently in the process of releasing my second book, Honey & The Blood Moon, which is a poetic expression of a chapter along my healing journey where the faith I had built was tested, and the faith I needed to have for what was, and is, to come was developed. This body of work encompasses a part of my soul I didn’t anticipate me ever being able to share, and I am geeked! My willingness to expose deeper truths about myself, and life experience, has me extremely proud of myself because I am doing what I consider to be more risky than me jumping out of a plane that time in Aruba, which was a milestone in itself.

The arrival to where I am today professionally has been quite a challenging journey, but a fulfilling one nonetheless. In order for me to have the courage to share my art and spiritual gifts with others, it required me to heal myself and face the shadows within. I am a woman of integrity, and choosing the social media handle AuthenticBerns was also a constant reminder to show up in that exact manner, authentic. This led me to discovering the purpose and reality of my past, along with my contribution. It influenced me to acknowledge triggers, face fears, heal trauma, and release harbored emotions. One of the most difficult aspects of my journey was being able to forgive, but I knew it would have to be done. To overcome challenges, I’ve learned it takes commitment. I chose to commit myself to making choices that would continuously move me in a direction that aligned with my authenticity, joy, passion, and peace. Because of this, I allowed myself to say no and set boundaries, chose to move forward from the relationships that weren’t aligned with my development, engaged in tough conversations with my parents, expressed my honest feelings, felt my raw emotions, revisited traumatic childhood memories, and surrender to divine timing and outcomes. Each day I get the opportunity to help others, and knowing that I get to approach from a place of personal experience brings me peace for I feel connected to each individual I get the chance to assist. I am a being that is committed and tenacious when I am set on a mission. When I chose to professionally pursue a career that involved me speaking my truth and spiritually advising others, I knew the path was unknown, which already had me nervous. However, the signs were too loud for me not to listen. So I took these Capricorn hooves and did what I felt called to, which was climb a mountain that I knew aligned with my heart’s desire.

This journey has reminded me of how creative, eccentric, fun, helpful, loving, nurturing, and wise I have always been. I have learned that the journey of returning to ones true nature is extremely fulfilling to the self, but not always received by others with open arms. To chose our own happiness is important as it not only affects ourselves and the inner child that still exists, but the energy of the entire planet and everything that exists within. When we live a life that is fulfilling, we are making choices that align with our happiness and truth. In order for that to be done, one has know what makes them happy by remembering who they are at the core underneath the person they may have become out of circumstance. Choosing to go down this path of self rediscovery will bring different challenges for each individual, and is by no means simple, but reconnecting to our personal power is what can truly shift the paradigm of the collective from competition, domination, fear, jealously, and worry to acceptance, authentic creation and expression, compassion, healing, love, peace, and support.

I intend on this world knowing that I, Honey Bee, am a Goddess of love. I lead with compassion, honesty, love, and an intention to understand. I come in peace, but also set boundaries. My journey has had its challenges, difficulties, and traumatic moments, but it’s also been filled with adventure, connection, excitement, joy, laughter, and love! I believe we are all unique on purpose. I believe that love will bring much needed light back to the Earth and humanity. I intend on sprinkling my love glitter all over the place, hoping to bring genuine smiles upon every face.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have spent a total of two days in Atlanta, but the time spent was cute! While I was there, my friends and I visited a hair salon to get my friend loc extensions, which was the reason for the trip. Quite frankly, with how great his hair turned out, the trip was well worth it on that alone. Other than the salon stop, we popped over to visit a few HBCU’s, the birth home of MLK, the Apex Museum, the Natural Center for Civil and Human Rights, and drove these electric scooters around what I believe was the downtown area. Living in New York City, and prior to that Los Angeles, I was not accustomed to the city offering electric scooters as a means of transportation so this was exciting! Being able to have the sun shining, as it was beginning of summer, the wind blowing across this radiant melanin, and the streets free and open for our enjoyment and exploration was a treat. There was a bar we went to that evening, which had probably one of thee most entertaining drag performances I’ve ever seen, but the name is truly escaping me. Should I have the chance to visit Atlanta again, I would love to visit Modern Mystic Shop, SluttyVegan ATL, some nature based attractions, and more street art. I have a few friends that are living in ATL now, so I’m sure I will find myself visiting again.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate my shoutout to everyone I have engaged with throughout my journey thus far. The challenges I’ve faced, encouragement I’ve received, experiences I’ve had, knowledge I’ve gained, and lessons I’ve learned, come from my life as a whole. I feel that each person played the exact role they needed to in order for me to be where I am, and who I’ve become today. My story, and all who has been a part of it, provided me with all I required to be confident and skilled in the path I’ve chosen to help others in need of compassion, guidance, healing, love, and support.

Website: https://bernardvelasquez.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authenticberns/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiWxlNCd-MVi9-KeBR3z0JQ

Other: TikTok: @AuthenticBerns

Image Credits
Healing Wave (Business Logo) illustrated by Eddie Cruz; IG: @eahimself