the Breath Sekou, Founder, Black Love Day,
AYO HANDY-KENDI,
Ayo Handy-Kendi is ”The Breath Sekou”, a master teacher of 50+ years of breath study and training as a Certified Breathologist, Transformational Facilitator, Laughter Yoga Teacher and Leader, Reiki Master 3, Ra Sekhi 2, Qi Cong II and Diversity Trainer
She is internationally reknown as the founder of Optimum Life Breathology (O.L.B.); the 1993 founder of Black Love Day, Feb. 13, The Ritual of Reconciliation and as “Mama Ayo”, the Storyteller..
Since 2004, she has served as the Founder/CEO of PositivEnergyWorks, a wellness service that uses breathing techniques to primarily, support people of color (POC’s) with health, emotional
wellness, stress, trauma, racism and unconscious bias. She has certified over 250 persons in Optimum Life Breathology (O.L.B.). her solution-based training system of daily applied, breath techniques and joyful, transformative practices. O.L.B includes her signature trainings, “Relearn How to Breathe”, “Power of the Breath”, “Transcendence Breathwork”, “Breath Circles to Heal the Divides”, “The Ritual of Reconciliation”, “The Art of Self-Pleasure”, and “Come Together to Breathe, Laugh, Move and Connect”. She also offers spiritual and cultural relaxation features to “wow” conference and meeting audiences, in digital events.
She is the author of “Applied Breathology” and 4 other wellness books. She has co-produced 10 wellness and cultural DVD’s/CD’s with her husband John, now an Ancestor; 2 plays, and is currently working on 2 books that connect the breath and culture, called, “STOLEN” and “Breathing Thru Stop Smoking Naturally”.. Sekou Mama Ayo is also a B.A. degreed Community Organizer and Counselor since 1989. Further, she is a Sound Healer, Speaker, Workshop Trainer, Wholistic Practitoner and Rituals Facilitator..
Sekou Ayo feels blessed to have “breathed” with millions on radio, t.v, in print, on stage, via Internet, and in private practice. Notable media appearance include Steve Harvey’s Morning Show, Roland Martin’s News Hour, ABC, CBS, NBC and WJLA, Fox News; The Washington Post, and featured virtually on the International Breathwork Foundation (IBF) World Breathing Day, The Shift Networks’ Breath Summits and the Breathing Festival. While being in the leadership of over 30+ social justice marches, she is most passionate about organizing a worldwide, “breath movement” to spread the message that “there is power in the breath”.
Further, she is the Founder of The African American Holiday Association (AAHA), that stewards, “Black Love Day (BLD).co-created in 1993. BLD is the 4th commemorative African American holiday offering a day of celebration, atonement, forgiveness and reconciliation, in a 24 hour demonstration showing 5 specific tenets (loving acts): Love for the Creator, for Self, for the Black Family, the Community and Black Race. Whites show “love in action” thru service, atonement and inspect their own racial behavior and attitudes. It is a day for pro-peace, racial and diversity healing, to heal all relationships, serving as a more cultural, spiritual alternative to the commercial Valentine’s Day
She personally credits transformative breathology techniques for helping her overcome such adversities as the violent death of her 17 year-old son Rashid: the loss of several homes resulting in homelessness; surviving domestic violence, addictions; and 40 years of depression, symptoms of the impact of holding the memory of childhood sexual abuse and emotional trauma frozen within her sub-conscious.; and managing grief after several family members transitioned within 2 months of each other, then in 2022, finding joy despite the incarceration of her oldest son; the mauling in front of her of her beloved dog Arde and the transition of her husband and partner John of 22 years,
who crossed over in their home in her arms.. .
From these life journeys, she has championed the belief that we heal only when we feel our emotions and that the key to healing the divides of race, inequality, separation and relationship disrespect, is also to breathe to feel to heal the repressed stress of race-based/personal trauma and un-conscious biases, held in the cellular memory. which unlocks limited beliefs Her culturally unique Breathology sessions, trainings and certifications, emphasize many ways to breathe, African drumming, sound healing, movement, and laughter
She is relaunching in June, 2023, “The Sage-ing Baby Boomers Show” as her commitment to healing the world in alignment with her membership in The International Breathwork Foundation (IBF). She has been an IBF member since 2013. Filled with abundant love and joy, Sekou Ayo, shares her gifts with her Washington D.C./ Capitol Heights, Maryland community, all humanity, and her big family of 20 grandchildren, 10 great- grand-children, her adult son, a Liberian adopted son and his orphanage and 6 Yorkie/Pomerians.
