Saturday, September 14, 2013
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Talk radio show: why do you keep getting played
Hey Readers! Check out the latest conversation held on why you keep getting played. Get some suggestions on where the issue stems from and how to address them.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
King Without a Crown pt. 3: Our leaders
Where and who is our leader? Right now it's the blind leading blind. Some may have had an idea, some may have the money, some had the right attitude...I have seen none who can do the job for our people today. We have a whole army of black people with no leader, no direction and no purpose. We don't know how to function as a team, as a pack or clan. We live individual lives trying to be better than the next not knowing we can be greater together with one leader, God, with one mind, One goal. Right now our pack of lions, our kings, are lead by a Chihuahua, all bark, no bite and with the worst A.D.D. no focus. Lets find our focus, set our goals and work together with respect and admiration for each others position. 100 black kings standing together versus 100 of any other people, who would win? In what battles? Those of physical strength, mental ability, creativity, spirituality, love and anything else...where are our weaknesses? Lets address them together.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Sister-2-Sister pt. 1
Taken from my cousins page...I will continue this series in a later post.
In a brief conversation, a man asked a woman:
"What type of man are you looking for?".
She remained quiet for a little while before looking into his eyes. Then she asked him,
"Do you really want to know"?
He responded "Yes !"
She began by saying: Being woman of this era, I am in a position to ask a man for that which I cannot do for myself because, I pay all my bills and I am in charge of my house without the aid of a man.
Therefore, I am also in a position to ask a man, "What contribution are you able to make in my life"?
The man looked at her and made reference to money! But she explained to him that she was not referring to money.
She said, "I need more than that, I need a man who fights for perfection in all aspects of life. "
The man sat back in his chair, crossed his arms and still looking at her, requested that she explain what she meant.
She said, "I look for a man who desires and works on his own mental perfection, because I need someone who I can talk with, who can stimulate my mind. I do not need someone who is simple minded.
She continued: I am looking for a man who seeks and pursues spiritual perfection, because I need someone with whom I can share my faith in God. By following God, financial security will come. I do not need a man who fights for financial perfection because I do not need a financial position.
I need someone sufficiently sensible who can understand what I go thru in this life as a woman. Someone who is strong enough to give me encouragement, someone who will never let me fall.
And finally, I am looking for a man whom I can respect. In order for me to be submissive, I must respect him. I cannot be submissive with a man who cannot fix his own problems. I "do not have a problem with being submissive, he simply has to deserve it. God made the woman to help the man. I cannot help a man who cannot be help himself".
When she finished, she looked at his eyes and he seemed very confused. He said "You are asking for too much". She answered without hesitation, "I am worth much".
AND I SAY U BETTER PREEEEEEEAAAACH!!!!
In a brief conversation, a man asked a woman:
"What type of man are you looking for?".
She remained quiet for a little while before looking into his eyes. Then she asked him,
"Do you really want to know"?
He responded "Yes !"
She began by saying: Being woman of this era, I am in a position to ask a man for that which I cannot do for myself because, I pay all my bills and I am in charge of my house without the aid of a man.
Therefore, I am also in a position to ask a man, "What contribution are you able to make in my life"?
The man looked at her and made reference to money! But she explained to him that she was not referring to money.
She said, "I need more than that, I need a man who fights for perfection in all aspects of life. "
The man sat back in his chair, crossed his arms and still looking at her, requested that she explain what she meant.
She said, "I look for a man who desires and works on his own mental perfection, because I need someone who I can talk with, who can stimulate my mind. I do not need someone who is simple minded.
She continued: I am looking for a man who seeks and pursues spiritual perfection, because I need someone with whom I can share my faith in God. By following God, financial security will come. I do not need a man who fights for financial perfection because I do not need a financial position.
I need someone sufficiently sensible who can understand what I go thru in this life as a woman. Someone who is strong enough to give me encouragement, someone who will never let me fall.
And finally, I am looking for a man whom I can respect. In order for me to be submissive, I must respect him. I cannot be submissive with a man who cannot fix his own problems. I "do not have a problem with being submissive, he simply has to deserve it. God made the woman to help the man. I cannot help a man who cannot be help himself".
When she finished, she looked at his eyes and he seemed very confused. He said "You are asking for too much". She answered without hesitation, "I am worth much".
AND I SAY U BETTER PREEEEEEEAAAACH!!!!
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
The Gift of Life and The Gift of Death
In memory of James 'PAPA' Hazelton
Whenever we have a loved one that has passed on we always say Rest in Peace. If you really think about it, we are not leaving to rest. We are leaving to live. Live life as the ultimate light being. Here on earth we are so limited. We are limited by our physical actions, our mental thoughts and most of all, we are limited by time. We live such a short human existence. Before we were born we lived in the spirit world, for lord knows how long, then we come here in this realm to live for lest than 100 years for most of us, just to return back to our spirit world.
The way I'm beginning to view it is that this human life we live is only but a dream to our spirit because it is so quick, just like in our dreams here on earth. Things have got to be the relative opposite. 100 years here could translate to 10 minutes in spirit. So are we really "resting" in peace in heaven or finally getting the chance to LIVE in peace?
I choose to believe we get to really live it up in heaven. We get to party Holy-Style with the Lord our Creator. We will feast as Kings and Queens at His table. Nothing shall be more sweet.
See you when I wake up PaPa. Much love.
RIP aka LIP(Live in Peace) James "PaPa'' Hazelton
p.s.
Is it weird that Live in Peace spells lip? Just another way to connect the fact that we speak our reality into existence.
King Without a Crown Pt. 2
"Strip away the layers and reveal your soulGive yourself up and then you become wholeYou're a slave to yourself and you don't even knowYou want to live the fast life but your brain moves slow
If you're trying to stay high, then you're bound to stay lowYou want God but you can't deflate your egoIf you're already there, then there's nowhere to goIf you're cup's already full, then it's bound to overflow
If you're drowning out in the waters and you can't stay afloatAsk Hashem for mercy and he'll throw you a ropeYou're looking for help from God, you say he couldn't be foundLooking up to the sky and searchin' beneath the ground
Like a king without his crown"
These are some lyrics by Jew-ish reggae musician Matisyahu called "King Without a Crown". You might read this and think that it is referring to a general population of any man/woman who may be spiritually lost...That may be how Matisyahu intended but If you know even an ounce of truth you would realize that this can also pertain to the black man. I will explain...
We will start to decipher this song from the bottom up, where all work should start (always begin with a solid foundation or your house would fall and sink back into the ground).
We've discussed what it is like to be a king without a crown. If you didn't read it check out at king-without-crown-pt-1-my-answers. If you really think about it, every black man in America or any other country living by the rules and standards of another race is a king with no crown. From the man living in the ghetto trying to get out all the way up to the man with money and in the lime-light. The man at the bottom is constantly trying to fit into the mold created for him. The man at the top has unfortunately fit into that square and lost sight of who he is.
Matisyahu says that "You're looking for help from God, you say he couldn't be found, Looking up to the sky and searchin' beneath the ground"...We are looking everywhere in the world for our salvation, for answers, for the way things were to be intended for us. We should be looking within ourselves not towards any other man or thing.
"You're a slave to yourself and you don't even know,You want to live the fast life but your brain moves slow
If you're trying to stay high, then you're bound to stay low, You want God but you can't deflate your ego. If you're already there, then there's nowhere to go, If you're cup's already full, then it's bound to overflow"...
I would love to know other people's interpretation on this verse. I see this as we are slaves to our minds and the neural connections we've made, the paradigm we live in is not our own. It's not one that is in alignment with our nature, our souls and definitely not our GOD. If a cup is full and you keep pouring the poisoned liquid into it, the cup will overflow. Most of us are full to the brim with lies and are programmed better than any Apple product out on the market. We behave and believe exactly how we are programmed to. Our metaphorical cups must be emptied and cleansed before it can be used again. In turn, we must empty ourselves of our old paradigm as well as let go of our feelings of hate confusion and anything of fear.
We try so hard to hold onto everything we know, everything we've been taught, not knowing that by doing so, we leave no room for new ideas to come to us, no room to allow the truth to come to us. There are endless possibilities in this world but if we only allow this to be our truth, how will things change? Open your minds and hearts and watch your life become dramatically different. Even in HIS-story we see that this is true. At one point, people could not fathom a world where we lived separately in different houses, families split and move to other countries, plumbing systems, electricity, cars...These were all never thought of at one point but someone opened their mind and inspiration came. Once one person has a thought, we all have the opportunity to think it, expand on it and believe it if we so choose.
"Strip away the layers and reveal your soul, Give yourself up and then you become whole"...This is self explanatory. Lets get rid of our egos, empty ourselves and let God fill us with love, joy compassion, truth, true LIFE for his people. Why do we have to live like this? Yes, some things we have are nice but if we let God fill us, He can make what we think as great be beyond anything we could ever imagine. Let go and Let God. He can do it better than all of us put together. Let Him.
If you're trying to stay high, then you're bound to stay lowYou want God but you can't deflate your egoIf you're already there, then there's nowhere to goIf you're cup's already full, then it's bound to overflow
If you're drowning out in the waters and you can't stay afloatAsk Hashem for mercy and he'll throw you a ropeYou're looking for help from God, you say he couldn't be foundLooking up to the sky and searchin' beneath the ground
Like a king without his crown"
These are some lyrics by Jew-ish reggae musician Matisyahu called "King Without a Crown". You might read this and think that it is referring to a general population of any man/woman who may be spiritually lost...That may be how Matisyahu intended but If you know even an ounce of truth you would realize that this can also pertain to the black man. I will explain...
We will start to decipher this song from the bottom up, where all work should start (always begin with a solid foundation or your house would fall and sink back into the ground).
We've discussed what it is like to be a king without a crown. If you didn't read it check out at king-without-crown-pt-1-my-answers. If you really think about it, every black man in America or any other country living by the rules and standards of another race is a king with no crown. From the man living in the ghetto trying to get out all the way up to the man with money and in the lime-light. The man at the bottom is constantly trying to fit into the mold created for him. The man at the top has unfortunately fit into that square and lost sight of who he is.
Matisyahu says that "You're looking for help from God, you say he couldn't be found, Looking up to the sky and searchin' beneath the ground"...We are looking everywhere in the world for our salvation, for answers, for the way things were to be intended for us. We should be looking within ourselves not towards any other man or thing.
"You're a slave to yourself and you don't even know,You want to live the fast life but your brain moves slow
If you're trying to stay high, then you're bound to stay low, You want God but you can't deflate your ego. If you're already there, then there's nowhere to go, If you're cup's already full, then it's bound to overflow"...
I would love to know other people's interpretation on this verse. I see this as we are slaves to our minds and the neural connections we've made, the paradigm we live in is not our own. It's not one that is in alignment with our nature, our souls and definitely not our GOD. If a cup is full and you keep pouring the poisoned liquid into it, the cup will overflow. Most of us are full to the brim with lies and are programmed better than any Apple product out on the market. We behave and believe exactly how we are programmed to. Our metaphorical cups must be emptied and cleansed before it can be used again. In turn, we must empty ourselves of our old paradigm as well as let go of our feelings of hate confusion and anything of fear.
We try so hard to hold onto everything we know, everything we've been taught, not knowing that by doing so, we leave no room for new ideas to come to us, no room to allow the truth to come to us. There are endless possibilities in this world but if we only allow this to be our truth, how will things change? Open your minds and hearts and watch your life become dramatically different. Even in HIS-story we see that this is true. At one point, people could not fathom a world where we lived separately in different houses, families split and move to other countries, plumbing systems, electricity, cars...These were all never thought of at one point but someone opened their mind and inspiration came. Once one person has a thought, we all have the opportunity to think it, expand on it and believe it if we so choose.
"Strip away the layers and reveal your soul, Give yourself up and then you become whole"...This is self explanatory. Lets get rid of our egos, empty ourselves and let God fill us with love, joy compassion, truth, true LIFE for his people. Why do we have to live like this? Yes, some things we have are nice but if we let God fill us, He can make what we think as great be beyond anything we could ever imagine. Let go and Let God. He can do it better than all of us put together. Let Him.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
An Introduction from me, Olisa!
How rude of me. I realized I’ve never formally introduced
myself, and why my cousin and I decided to start this blog…
My name is Olisa (*cyber waves*) and I am a recent college
grad who double majored in Psychology and African-American Studies. I am super
passionate about Blackness, the African Diaspora, and Black identity—with a
particular interest on how the male experience is implicated within the three.
Yes, I am a woman. Yes, I consider myself a feminist. But there’s something so
special to me about Black men. I look around on the daily—in the media, within
my friend groups, in my academic material, etc. and much of what’s out there
about our brothas is highly negative. Have I contributed to the negativity—ABSOLUTELY!!
And that right there is one of my reasons for co-establishing this blog (my
fabulous cousin, Channelle De., really took the lead on this one though.) I’ve
always been the type of woman who was very comfortable around men. I vibe with
y’all. I’m infatuated by you. You’re sexy, strong, opinionated, hard headed,
and I love it. But I digress…
When I don’t understand something, I inquire. I love to
investigate, to ponder meanings, and gain new perspectives, and hear your
voices, BM. My posts will be my ramblings—the good, bad, and ugly. I’m gonna write
things you agree with, lots of things you’ll disagree with, and things that
will make you think. I love to be challeneged as it helps me learn. Don’t be
shy. Share your thoughts, and I’ll share mine. Peace and love.
Olisa
Interracial Relationships: Am I the Hypocrite?!
So let me tell y’all about this constant mental struggle I
go through—rationalizing interracial relationships! Anyone who knows me, knows
I stan out for Black men (BM). I’m still looking for my “Idris-Elba-in-shining-armour”
(PS: if y’all know where he is, put me ON!!!!! LOL)
My feelings on interracial relationships weren’t fully
formed until I found myself in undergrad at a small liberal arts school in one
of the most racially homogenous states in North America. Being a first year
student provided me with a number of challenges that I never had to deal with.
Prior to matriculating at my undergraduate institution, I did not have to
explain my socio-economic background, I was never questioned about my race, and
I had no exposure to the ways in which stereotype threat could (and would)
affect me. Yes, there were some observable parallels between my college’s
social culture, and that of my high school. Emerging from behind high school’s
protective veil, however, allowed me to experience novel situations, and
critically evaluate them. It was from this standpoint that I decided to focus
my undergraduate years learning about both human behavior and Black history’s
role in comprehending race relations around the world.
Now, in a school of no more than 1,850 students, there
weren’t really many pigmented folks around. A few Latino/a (s) here, a few
Black folk there, what seemed like a whole slew of Asian Americans (I’ll
explain what I mean in a later post J).
As I became more passionate and vocal about racial equality, and how it related
to my new social environment, one thing constantly puzzled me—interracial
relationships. Don’t get me wrong—my school wasn’t a place where people
particularly “dated” or were “in relationships.” Hooking-up was the norm, and
even that racial racially polarized. One of my favorite Deans (whaddup Joe lol)
put it quite poignantly for me—“It’s sad, but at the end of the day, on college
campuses, Black women are at the bottom of the barrel. White guys want white
girls, black guys want white girls [or any other race besides their own] and not much has changed since I was in
undergrad!” (Joe is quite older…)
Based on my observations on our campus, Joe was right. What
was even more interesting was that when I had conversations about this with
brothas on campus, I got an array of excuses. They went a little like this:
- “I think of y’all as my sisters. We’re already too close. We’re friends—things could get awkward.” *blank stare*
- “Black women are too aggressive. Too loud. Y’all don’t need us men—you’re men enough for yourselves” (Again, someone remind me to write a post on this point.)
- “Y’all aren’t in shape. Not on teams.”
- “There just aren’t enough of y’all.”
And that’s just me paraphrasing. Don’t get me wrong. I know
fully well that not all of you precious brothas think this way or can relate.
But this was my reality at that
time. And while I could sit here on my high horse and talk about how these
things didn’t bother me, I wouldn’t be honest with myself. What’s more
important, however, is why BM dating outside of their race translates to some sort
of self-hatred to me? Am I buggin’? Why don’t I feel the same way when I see a
sista dating outside of her race? Am I the hypocrite for that? What does that say about me? In all of my conversations with BM, I haven’t
really gotten the answer I’m looking for. I surely have my reasons thus far
(which I’ll be following up on the blog about later), will I ever get the
answer I need from BM?...
To be continued…
(please feel free to comment and sound off below! I love a passionate debate!)
King Without a Crown Pt. 1: My Answers
Reminder--These are my beliefs from what I've witnessed and from what knowledge I have gained. I don't speak of things that are not true. Remember as well this blog is meant for my brothers and sisters to come into truth, NOT to advocate racist beliefs and hate. Its about LOVING our people and coming into who we are suppose to be, NOT who we were "made" into by the hands of another. I admit I don't know everything but what I Do know as FACT, I will share.....
1. Are we individual fingers or are we One hand?
Within our black society their are many individual fingers. Some may argue that there are those who work as a hand, which by definition can be true. What good would multiple baby's hands do in the garden of knowledge/ growth/ family/ spirituality etc? Not much but cry bloody murder when they don't get their way, Throw tantrums when their favorite toy is taken away for misbehavior and break things that belong to others or maybe even themselves.
2. What is the benefit of being a hand over being a finger and vice-versa?
The benefit of being a hand is that as a people we can think and function in unison, educate in unison, help each other for each other and be able to ball up a fist to show our strength in numbers and fight if need be.Everyone has their place and task but we work together as one. With this comes security, stability, family, support, LOVE. I personally don't see any down-sides to unity, especially when our people have not experienced that in...lord knows how many hundreds/ thousands of years.
The benefits of being individual fingers....I don't see any...there will always be competition with the individual mindset. With that comes envy, jealousy, hatred, FEAR.
3. What is the psychological state of a King without a crown? ...Can my Kings identify?
Lost and confused. Feelings of having no identity. Feelings of being inadequate. Feeling like a failure. No longer knowing what your purpose is here on this earth. Loss of ambition. Angry. Feeling like the everyone is against you.
4. My Queens, ever thought of the reasons behind the recent fad of other races adopting our children and raising them as their own?
I'll save my response to this question till a later date....
5. How would growing up believing that the crown rightfully belongs to another but feeling the royal blood flow through you affect your life and the others you interact with?
If I grew up, Which i did, feeling like I am/we are greater than the life I live, I'd be pissed! Just like in Ishmael, I ask myself why why why why? Why to EVERYTHING!! I realize that many people are so brainwashed by what we are told by untrustworthy people and what we are taught in schools that lie (everyone that has an education knows this for a fact.We were all taught that Christopher Columbus was the first to discover America then later told that we've been lied to for many years).
6. What would it take for a King to give up the fight and willingly forget his true place?
It would take a bunch of individual fingers instead of a full hand with fist. A King without his peoples support is easily overthrown. A community of people that are being invaded and only think of themselves, try to protect only their material belongings such as their house, cars, cloths, jewelry etc...these people lose sight of what is important. A family can not be replaced. A people who bow down to someone other than their Lord and Savior will essentially lose everything: their mind, their riches (literally and metaphorically speaking), their women and children, their status, their legacy...Everything will be erased and filled with lies and half truths of their conquerors.
We live the white mans truths everyday. We are programmed to behave and think a certain way through radio PROGRAMMING, television or TEL-LIE-VISION PROGRAMMING, through music and movies and newspapers/ magazines. The easiest way to control a people is to control what they value most. Before we were infiltrated and reprogrammed, we valued our Creator more than anything. That is exactly the first and most important thing that has been taken away and revised and controlled by the white man. He took our Lord from us, replaced his face with a blond blue-eyed white man, changed his sons name to Jesus because they claimed the names were too powerful for us to know. When the Holy Bible was translated into the many languages, books and chapters were omitted and hidden away to keep the truth from us. If they did that, don't you think they could have possibly changed the little information that they did give to us? When has the white man ever been trusted? Even some white people don't trust their own.
It is NOT all the white mans fault. We must take responsibility for not being true to ourselves and forsaking our Creator. We gave up on him. Now we are paying for it. We MUST find the truth in the Lord Power and come together as a people so our spirits can once again rejoice and our minds can be free from this bondage. I don't want to wake up another day living the life of a white person but as a Black Queen. I am more than what I can portray. I need my Kings to support, provide and protect. Most importantly, I need my Kings Remember who we are and to regain their throwns. I need my Queens to support our Kings in return and stop putting them down. We black women put more pressure on our Kings more than the white man. When did we take the job of the white man into our own hands? This is a topic for another post..
The truth is out there. Let us find it and educate ourselves and come together.
1. Are we individual fingers or are we One hand?
Within our black society their are many individual fingers. Some may argue that there are those who work as a hand, which by definition can be true. What good would multiple baby's hands do in the garden of knowledge/ growth/ family/ spirituality etc? Not much but cry bloody murder when they don't get their way, Throw tantrums when their favorite toy is taken away for misbehavior and break things that belong to others or maybe even themselves.
2. What is the benefit of being a hand over being a finger and vice-versa?
The benefit of being a hand is that as a people we can think and function in unison, educate in unison, help each other for each other and be able to ball up a fist to show our strength in numbers and fight if need be.Everyone has their place and task but we work together as one. With this comes security, stability, family, support, LOVE. I personally don't see any down-sides to unity, especially when our people have not experienced that in...lord knows how many hundreds/ thousands of years.
The benefits of being individual fingers....I don't see any...there will always be competition with the individual mindset. With that comes envy, jealousy, hatred, FEAR.
3. What is the psychological state of a King without a crown? ...Can my Kings identify?
Lost and confused. Feelings of having no identity. Feelings of being inadequate. Feeling like a failure. No longer knowing what your purpose is here on this earth. Loss of ambition. Angry. Feeling like the everyone is against you.
4. My Queens, ever thought of the reasons behind the recent fad of other races adopting our children and raising them as their own?
I'll save my response to this question till a later date....
5. How would growing up believing that the crown rightfully belongs to another but feeling the royal blood flow through you affect your life and the others you interact with?
If I grew up, Which i did, feeling like I am/we are greater than the life I live, I'd be pissed! Just like in Ishmael, I ask myself why why why why? Why to EVERYTHING!! I realize that many people are so brainwashed by what we are told by untrustworthy people and what we are taught in schools that lie (everyone that has an education knows this for a fact.We were all taught that Christopher Columbus was the first to discover America then later told that we've been lied to for many years).
6. What would it take for a King to give up the fight and willingly forget his true place?
It would take a bunch of individual fingers instead of a full hand with fist. A King without his peoples support is easily overthrown. A community of people that are being invaded and only think of themselves, try to protect only their material belongings such as their house, cars, cloths, jewelry etc...these people lose sight of what is important. A family can not be replaced. A people who bow down to someone other than their Lord and Savior will essentially lose everything: their mind, their riches (literally and metaphorically speaking), their women and children, their status, their legacy...Everything will be erased and filled with lies and half truths of their conquerors.
We live the white mans truths everyday. We are programmed to behave and think a certain way through radio PROGRAMMING, television or TEL-LIE-VISION PROGRAMMING, through music and movies and newspapers/ magazines. The easiest way to control a people is to control what they value most. Before we were infiltrated and reprogrammed, we valued our Creator more than anything. That is exactly the first and most important thing that has been taken away and revised and controlled by the white man. He took our Lord from us, replaced his face with a blond blue-eyed white man, changed his sons name to Jesus because they claimed the names were too powerful for us to know. When the Holy Bible was translated into the many languages, books and chapters were omitted and hidden away to keep the truth from us. If they did that, don't you think they could have possibly changed the little information that they did give to us? When has the white man ever been trusted? Even some white people don't trust their own.
It is NOT all the white mans fault. We must take responsibility for not being true to ourselves and forsaking our Creator. We gave up on him. Now we are paying for it. We MUST find the truth in the Lord Power and come together as a people so our spirits can once again rejoice and our minds can be free from this bondage. I don't want to wake up another day living the life of a white person but as a Black Queen. I am more than what I can portray. I need my Kings to support, provide and protect. Most importantly, I need my Kings Remember who we are and to regain their throwns. I need my Queens to support our Kings in return and stop putting them down. We black women put more pressure on our Kings more than the white man. When did we take the job of the white man into our own hands? This is a topic for another post..
The truth is out there. Let us find it and educate ourselves and come together.
Friday, July 12, 2013
King Without a Crown Pt. 1
Excerpt from Daniel Quinn's "Ishmael: An Adventure of Mind and Spirit"
This is a very deep and symbolic story of a gorilla who uses his great mind and will to communicate with humans and teach. What he teaches directly correlates to the life of our people.
I would like to ask you after having read this, think about how this relates to the story of our black men and women. I will write a follow up post to expand more on this.
And the excerpt begins:
“I was born somewhere in the forests of equatorial West Africa,” he said. “I’ve never made any
effort to find out exactly where, and see no reason to do so now. Do you happen to know anything
about animal collecting for zoos and circuses?”
I looked up, startled. “I know nothing at all about animal collecting.”
“At one time, or at least during the thirties, the method commonly used with gorillas was this: On
finding a band, collectors would shoot the females and pick up all the infants in sight.”
“How terrible,” I said, without thinking.
The creature replied with a shrug. “I have no actual memory of the event—though I have memories
of still earlier times. In any case, the Johnsons sold me to a zoo in some small northeastern city—I
can’t say which, for I had no awareness of such things as yet. There I lived and grew for several
years.”
He paused and nibbled absentmindedly on his branch for a while, as if gathering his thoughts.
In such places (he went on at last), where animals are simply penned up, they are almost always
more thoughtful than their cousins in the wild. This is because even the dimmest of them cannot
help but sense that something is very wrong with this style of living. When I say that they are more
thoughtful, I don’t mean to imply that they acquire powers of ratiocination. But the tiger you see
madly pacing its cage is nevertheless preoccupied with something that a human would certainly
recognize as a thought. And this thought is a question: Why? “Why, why, why, why, why, why?”
the tiger asks itself hour after hour, day after day, year after year, as it treads its endless path behind
the bars of its cage. It cannot analyze the question or elaborate on it. If you were somehow able to
ask the creature, “Why what?” it would be unable to answer you. Nevertheless this question burns
like an unquenchable flame in its mind, inflicting a searing pain that does not diminish until the
creature lapses into a final lethargy that zookeepers recognize as an irreversible rejection of life.
And of course this questioning is something that no tiger does in its normal habitat.
Before long I too began to ask myself why. Being neurologically far in advance of the tiger, I was
able to examine what I meant by the question, at least in a rudimentary way. I remembered a
different sort of life, which was, for those who lived it, interesting and pleasant. By contrast, this
life was agonizingly boring and never pleasant. Thus, in asking why, I was trying to puzzle out why
life should be divided in this way, half of it interesting and pleasant and half of it boring and
unpleasant. I had no concept of myself as a captive; it didn’t occur to me that anyone was
preventing me from having an interesting and pleasant life. When no answer to my question was
forthcoming, I began to consider the differences between the two life–styles. The most fundamental
difference was that in Africa I was a member of a family—of a sort of family that the people of
your culture haven’t known for thousands of years. If gorillas were capable of such an expression,
they would tell you that their family is like a hand, of which they are the fingers. They are fully
aware of being a family but are very little aware of being individuals. Here in the zoo there were
other gorillas—but there was no family. Five severed fingers do not make a hand.
~End excerpt~
Questions to ask yourself:
1. Are we individual fingers or are we One hand?
2. What is the benefit of being a hand over being a finger and vice versa?
3. What is the psychological state of a King without a crown? Can my Kings identify?
4. My Queens, ever thought of the reasons behind the recent fad of other races adopting our children and raising them as their own?
5. How would growing up with your crown already taken and believing that the crown rightfully belongs to another but feeling the royal blood flow through you affect your life and the others you interact with?
6. What would it take for a King to give up the fight and willingly forget his true place?
This is a very deep and symbolic story of a gorilla who uses his great mind and will to communicate with humans and teach. What he teaches directly correlates to the life of our people.
I would like to ask you after having read this, think about how this relates to the story of our black men and women. I will write a follow up post to expand more on this.
And the excerpt begins:
“I was born somewhere in the forests of equatorial West Africa,” he said. “I’ve never made any
effort to find out exactly where, and see no reason to do so now. Do you happen to know anything
about animal collecting for zoos and circuses?”
I looked up, startled. “I know nothing at all about animal collecting.”
“At one time, or at least during the thirties, the method commonly used with gorillas was this: On
finding a band, collectors would shoot the females and pick up all the infants in sight.”
“How terrible,” I said, without thinking.
The creature replied with a shrug. “I have no actual memory of the event—though I have memories
of still earlier times. In any case, the Johnsons sold me to a zoo in some small northeastern city—I
can’t say which, for I had no awareness of such things as yet. There I lived and grew for several
years.”
He paused and nibbled absentmindedly on his branch for a while, as if gathering his thoughts.
In such places (he went on at last), where animals are simply penned up, they are almost always
more thoughtful than their cousins in the wild. This is because even the dimmest of them cannot
help but sense that something is very wrong with this style of living. When I say that they are more
thoughtful, I don’t mean to imply that they acquire powers of ratiocination. But the tiger you see
madly pacing its cage is nevertheless preoccupied with something that a human would certainly
recognize as a thought. And this thought is a question: Why? “Why, why, why, why, why, why?”
the tiger asks itself hour after hour, day after day, year after year, as it treads its endless path behind
the bars of its cage. It cannot analyze the question or elaborate on it. If you were somehow able to
ask the creature, “Why what?” it would be unable to answer you. Nevertheless this question burns
like an unquenchable flame in its mind, inflicting a searing pain that does not diminish until the
creature lapses into a final lethargy that zookeepers recognize as an irreversible rejection of life.
And of course this questioning is something that no tiger does in its normal habitat.
Before long I too began to ask myself why. Being neurologically far in advance of the tiger, I was
able to examine what I meant by the question, at least in a rudimentary way. I remembered a
different sort of life, which was, for those who lived it, interesting and pleasant. By contrast, this
life was agonizingly boring and never pleasant. Thus, in asking why, I was trying to puzzle out why
life should be divided in this way, half of it interesting and pleasant and half of it boring and
unpleasant. I had no concept of myself as a captive; it didn’t occur to me that anyone was
preventing me from having an interesting and pleasant life. When no answer to my question was
forthcoming, I began to consider the differences between the two life–styles. The most fundamental
difference was that in Africa I was a member of a family—of a sort of family that the people of
your culture haven’t known for thousands of years. If gorillas were capable of such an expression,
they would tell you that their family is like a hand, of which they are the fingers. They are fully
aware of being a family but are very little aware of being individuals. Here in the zoo there were
other gorillas—but there was no family. Five severed fingers do not make a hand.
~End excerpt~
Questions to ask yourself:
1. Are we individual fingers or are we One hand?
2. What is the benefit of being a hand over being a finger and vice versa?
3. What is the psychological state of a King without a crown? Can my Kings identify?
4. My Queens, ever thought of the reasons behind the recent fad of other races adopting our children and raising them as their own?
5. How would growing up with your crown already taken and believing that the crown rightfully belongs to another but feeling the royal blood flow through you affect your life and the others you interact with?
6. What would it take for a King to give up the fight and willingly forget his true place?
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Not so Mysterious...
You always hear that the Lord God/ All Mighty/ The Universe works in mysterious ways. I'm starting to believe that it's not as mysterious as it is believed.
I graduated from college thinking that I would get a job in my field right away like my best friend did. Wrong. I stayed unemployed for months without a glimmer of hope that I started work as a caterer in a new town with a new/old boyfriend (one of those break up to make up situations) and my almost year old puppy. Turned out to be a mistake getting back together with this ex..(have to remember they are an ex for a reason or multiple reasons in my case). I had to move back home with my mom and quit my job all in one day. I felt like such a failure. I wanted so much for my relationship to work out after all the years of energy and time and love that went into it. I had to put my mental/ emotional/ spiritual/ physical health first (sadly, all four were in jeopardy) as well as the safety of my puppy. Yes, she's just a dog but she is a life that I had assumed responsibility for and I wanted to give her all the love I could because she gave me all of hers. I was mentally and emotionally abused while my spiritual beliefs were put under scrutiny all while being threatened to be put out on the street by the man who said he loved me and wanted to marry me. I knew that I had to get out. I knew that I could not and would not live my life trying to please someone just so I could have a roof over my head. One day we had an argument over something so small it wasn't important to store it in my memory and the next thing I know, I'm in a full-body lock down. No room to even roll my eyes. I Hauled ass!!
on a side note- Why do we women put up with so much? I found my personal answers as to why I did what I did, all thanks to Iyanla Vanzants work on Broken Relationships and Betrayal Why do men feel the need to degrade the women they love? What is the need to show physical dominance over your woman? Is there an inferiority complex that is held? So many questions come to mind...
Back on track- I moved back home with my mom and two weeks later my dad calls and asks for my help to take care of my sickly grandmother. I stayed with her for 3 months and did everything for her. It was not an easy task at all. She likes things to be a certain way. It was definitely a learning experience. We bumped heads many times but I always had to check myself. No matter what she may do or say, she's my grandma and I love her so much. I took a lot of crap but she deserved to be pampered after all the hard work did throughout her life. My dad sometimes gave me a little pocket change and I figured that since I had all the basics covered, when someone was in need I would give what little I had. I was blessed to have received a job in my field and I was just offered an opportunity to be a permanent guest on an online radio show Wednesday nights. I feel really blessed to have this.
Is it such a surprise? I think not. I've been trying to live as positively as I can (Yes, I still have my down days but I try to climb out of it), I give when and what I can. Have I not stated that positivity breeds positivity? I am living proof. I expect things to only get better as long as I keep doing better and spreading positive energy.
I plan on changing the world one day, one person, one moment at a time. For my people, for my family and for my future children if I am to be blessed with them.
We are promised greatness as long as will give it out as well. There is no mystery behind it.
I graduated from college thinking that I would get a job in my field right away like my best friend did. Wrong. I stayed unemployed for months without a glimmer of hope that I started work as a caterer in a new town with a new/old boyfriend (one of those break up to make up situations) and my almost year old puppy. Turned out to be a mistake getting back together with this ex..(have to remember they are an ex for a reason or multiple reasons in my case). I had to move back home with my mom and quit my job all in one day. I felt like such a failure. I wanted so much for my relationship to work out after all the years of energy and time and love that went into it. I had to put my mental/ emotional/ spiritual/ physical health first (sadly, all four were in jeopardy) as well as the safety of my puppy. Yes, she's just a dog but she is a life that I had assumed responsibility for and I wanted to give her all the love I could because she gave me all of hers. I was mentally and emotionally abused while my spiritual beliefs were put under scrutiny all while being threatened to be put out on the street by the man who said he loved me and wanted to marry me. I knew that I had to get out. I knew that I could not and would not live my life trying to please someone just so I could have a roof over my head. One day we had an argument over something so small it wasn't important to store it in my memory and the next thing I know, I'm in a full-body lock down. No room to even roll my eyes. I Hauled ass!!
on a side note- Why do we women put up with so much? I found my personal answers as to why I did what I did, all thanks to Iyanla Vanzants work on Broken Relationships and Betrayal Why do men feel the need to degrade the women they love? What is the need to show physical dominance over your woman? Is there an inferiority complex that is held? So many questions come to mind...
Back on track- I moved back home with my mom and two weeks later my dad calls and asks for my help to take care of my sickly grandmother. I stayed with her for 3 months and did everything for her. It was not an easy task at all. She likes things to be a certain way. It was definitely a learning experience. We bumped heads many times but I always had to check myself. No matter what she may do or say, she's my grandma and I love her so much. I took a lot of crap but she deserved to be pampered after all the hard work did throughout her life. My dad sometimes gave me a little pocket change and I figured that since I had all the basics covered, when someone was in need I would give what little I had. I was blessed to have received a job in my field and I was just offered an opportunity to be a permanent guest on an online radio show Wednesday nights. I feel really blessed to have this.
Is it such a surprise? I think not. I've been trying to live as positively as I can (Yes, I still have my down days but I try to climb out of it), I give when and what I can. Have I not stated that positivity breeds positivity? I am living proof. I expect things to only get better as long as I keep doing better and spreading positive energy.
I plan on changing the world one day, one person, one moment at a time. For my people, for my family and for my future children if I am to be blessed with them.
We are promised greatness as long as will give it out as well. There is no mystery behind it.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Hatred and forgiveness
DO U HATE SOMEONE???
A Nice story with a good moral. Please go through.
A kindergarten teacher decided to let her class play a game.
The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic bag containing a few potatoes.
Each potato will be given a name of a person that the child hates.
So the number of potatoes that a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number of people he/she hates.
So when the day came, each child brought some potatoes with the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some 3 while some up to 5 potatoes. The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week.
Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides, those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1 week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended...
The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes with you for 1 week?". The children let out their frustrations and started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through having to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.
Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game. The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just 1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred in your heart for your lifetime???"
Moral of the story:
Throw away any hatred for anyone from your heart so that you will not carry sins for a lifetime.
Forgiving others is the best attitude to take!
Love Everyone & Be Loved
Friday, July 5, 2013
Positivity breeds positivity
Living in this world, sometimes it gets hard to see the good in people. We are so blinded by the things that shine and by the crinkle sound money makes. We have to bless others with what we can even when our own blessings seem so dim and far away. The reality of life can hit you hard at any moment in time: while watching your favorite movie, after coming home from the best date in history, after getting that promotion you worked so hard for.
Don't always think that the only gesture of compassion and love is by digging into your pockets and giving money. Money at the end of the day will make not one person happy. Knowing that you are loved and cared for will. Knowing that a stranger will open their heart to you, can turn a suicidal person into a pro-life person. Spread kindness to all life you come across. That is people, animals, nature...it will come back in abundance to you.
Have you ever noticed the synchronicites in life? When things line up so beautifully that your own imagination could not have thought it up? That is the universe supplying back to you what you've given it or created and asked for. Think and actively live in a positive manner.
Remember, positivity breeds positivity.
Channelle De.
Don't always think that the only gesture of compassion and love is by digging into your pockets and giving money. Money at the end of the day will make not one person happy. Knowing that you are loved and cared for will. Knowing that a stranger will open their heart to you, can turn a suicidal person into a pro-life person. Spread kindness to all life you come across. That is people, animals, nature...it will come back in abundance to you.
Have you ever noticed the synchronicites in life? When things line up so beautifully that your own imagination could not have thought it up? That is the universe supplying back to you what you've given it or created and asked for. Think and actively live in a positive manner.
Remember, positivity breeds positivity.
Channelle De.
Broken Relationships and Betrayals
From Iyanla fix my life.
This exercise really helped me figure out one of my own relationships. Unfortunately, I found myself to be in an abusive entanglement where expectations were not discussed.
What I have found is that even though this relationship has been over for quite some time, I still feel a type of deep love for this person. I never want to be in a relationship with him again and I have voiced that but I still care.....
The work:
Regardless of whether you are married, when emotional or physical intimacy is violated in a loving relationship, it is tempting to point the finger at the person who engaged in the violation. However, in order for true learning, growth and healing to unfold, it is critical to understand the role you played in your own violation.
A relationship is not only an experience in which we find companionship, support, connection and what we know to be love but also one that teaches us a great deal about who we are and what we expect from ourselves and others. If you have ever been cheated on or cheated on someone else, this week's study guide is designed to support you in gleaning lessons from what happened, understanding your role in the experience where betrayal/cheating has occurred, and learning how to make and break agreements.
1. Examine the definitions below of three different kinds of relationships.
MARRIAGE (Union of Souls)
Spiritual partnership
Purpose larger than the individuals
Source of support that facilitates growth
Shared/common vision that advances union
Commitment to God, family and community
Anchored in God/divinity
RELATIONSHIP (Conscious Union or Agreement)
Interactions of mutual respect
Unconditional positive regard
Source of support and encouragement
Source of common interests
Commitment is to individuals and personal interests
Anchored in choice
ENTANGLEMENT (Codependent Interactions/Unconscious Agreements)
Competition of needs
Repetition of learned behaviors/dysfunction
Advancement of historical patterns/pathology
Sourced from the negative aspects of ego
Anchored in woundedness
2. Which of the above descriptions best describes your experience?
3. What were your expectations of your partner?
4. Were these expectations discussed and agreed upon?
5. What agreements between you and your partner have not been honored?
6. How have you participated in breaking the agreements? What have you done or not done?
7. Have you accommodated or gone along with the broken agreements?
8. Why have you tolerated these behaviors? What reasons or excuses have you made that allow you to believe that this was okay?
9. Examine the following definitions of abuse and addiction.
ABUSE
Forms of emotional abuse include being disrespectful, discourteous, rude, condescending, patronizing, critical and judgmental. They also include making "joking" insults, lying, repeatedly "forgetting" promises and agreements, betrayal of trust, "setting up" of another, and "revising" history. One of the most difficult things about identifying and leaving someone who is a psychological and emotional abuser is that the really successful abusers are highly intelligent and hide their abuse incredibly well under the guises of loving and wanting you. They find the one thing that you do well together and use that as the carrot to keep stringing you along in the relationship.
They present an exterior of calm, rational self-control, when in reality, they have no internal control of their own pain and chaotic self-hate, so they try to control others and drive others to lose control. If an abuser can cause you to lose control, it proves how healthy he is, so he can say, explicitly or implicitly (it's amazing how sighs and rolling of the eyes can accomplish as much as words): "There you go again, losing it, crying and yelling. I'm not the one who needs therapy; you are."
ADDICTION:
A state of being enslaved to a habit or practice that causes psychological or physical harm. Persistent, compulsive dependence on a behavior or substance that leads to a diminished recognition of significant problems with relationships and emotional responses. Without treatment and recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death.
10. Which of the above (if any) describes your experience?
11. Which of the following describes your current mental/emotional state?
a) Sad, conflicted, hurt, angry
b) Betrayed, abandoned, confused, disregarded
c) Weak, disappointed, humiliated, used
d) Trapped, lost, victimized, ashamed
e) Guilty, bitter, rejected, stupid
12. Have you disappointed yourself?
13. What have you done or not done to create the experience of disappointment for yourself?
14. What are you acting like you do not know?
15. What choice or action have you been avoiding?
16. What (if anything) do you need to forgive?
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