February | 2013 | The Rise Up

Personal transformation facilitates collective elevation. We rise up, and shine!

Archive for February, 2013

Here & Now: Black History Month 2013

I, a self-identified Black AND African American woman, who knows herself universally and as a global citizen, still like Black History Month. Black History Month, or African American History Month as it is also called, is like my birthmonth. I personally celebrate my life, my individual culture and accomplishments daily, however my birthmonth concentrates fully on me and my development.

In a society that minimizes the sheer power of self-acceptance, self-identity, self-love, self-expression and self-knowlege, it is of critical importance to schedule regular tune-ups. My birthmonth is my scheduled tune-up. My well-being does not just serve me, it serves the world. When I am strong, clear and present, I am more purposeful, efficient, instrumental, productive and constructive.

In the last few yew years, there have been some public discussion exploring whether there is value to the recognition month or whether it is still relevant today. For me, there is no question that Black History Month is valuable in America, moreover worldwide. Certainly we should reflect on how the observance of the month has evolved, and what it means for the progress of African Americans and all of humanity. The question for me in 2013 is not whether we should still celebrate Black History Month, it is how do we, as a society, press forward towards promoting a popular culture that supports the development and well-being of all when we are caught in a political and economic spin.

As I child growing up in the 70’s and coming of age in the 80’s in South Jersey, Black History Month was my access to knowledge and resources withheld. In my home, there were no family discussions about prominent and successful African Americans (or anybody for that matter), nor were there conscious discussions about social struggle despite intensely living the struggle. We operated on a daily basis without vision, purpose or direction. We indulged in popular culture with no intent on defining or developing ourselves. Sadly, for many I grew up with, subsistence living is the fabric of their being and they continue to resist their own development and prosperity.

Black History Month, like my birthmonth and other celebrated observances, supports my foundation. Grounding is critical to living an authentic and empowered life. Without a firm foundation, I could not manifest my own destiny, live joyfully or realize my potential.

Black History Month has been one of the many channels of information that strengthen the context in which I live in this world. It has given me access to people and opportunities. It has been a bridge to understanding, expanding my worldview and connecting with others. If Black History Month has limitations, it is because we have self-imposed limitations. Let’s be more visionary and intentional in shaping a nurturing, inclusive and sustainable society.

Al Jazeera’s The Stream presents a brief, yet dynamic conversation on the topic.

Other Black History Month resources:
http://asalh.org/blackhistorythemes.html
http://www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov/
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/heritage_month/bhm/index.html
http://www.history.com/topics/black-history-month/

How do we show love to Black people in our daily living? How do we demonstrate appreciation and gratitute to the contributions of Black people in America and throughout the diaspora to the quality of our lives around the world?

Category:

Affirmation, Awareness, Healing, Intention

Lizzie Velázquez Being Beautiful

Last week, Aaliyah and I had the sweet pleasure of meeting Lizzie Velázquez in the person. I learned about her less than a year ago, after reading an article on Intentblog.com. Her strength of character was admirable. Her story literally brightened my day. I would not haved passed up an opportunity to meet her.

I observed her closely as she eloquently and comically shared her story. I thought about the grace and beauty of my life. Her message of triumph over obstacles, ostracism and alienation resonated with me profoundly. Her light shined brightly, and beauty emanated, as she, before my eyes, transformed her tribulations into pure potential. She stands in her power. We can all practice that.

http://www.aboutlizzie.com

Follow her on Twitter & Instagram at @littlelizziev

At 23, she has two books published and seven years experience as a professional motivational speaker.

(Although the video is labeled Girl Must Eat Every 15 Minutes, Lizzie explained that the statement is not accurate and that media has used that statement to attract attention to the story.)

What tips do you have for standing in your power? How do you transform obstacles into opportunities??

Category:

Abundance, Affirmation, Joy, Love

Culture, Margins and Talking Back

This has to be one of the sweetest Love Fest (commonly known as Valentine’s Day) greetings I’ve ever received. ❤

“Without justice there can be no love.” – bell hooks

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“The transformative power of love is not fully embraced in our society because we often wrongly believe that torment and anguish are our ‘natural’ condition.” – bell hooks

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“Honesty and openness is always the foundation of insightful dialogue.” – bell hooks

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“I entered the classroom with the conviction that it was crucial for me and every other student to be an active participant, not a passive consumer…education as the practice of freedom…. education that connects the will to know with the will to become. Learning is a place where paradise can be created.” – bell hooks

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“I want there to be a place in the world where people can engage in one another’s differences in a way that is redemptive, full of hope and possibility. Not this ‘In order to love you, I must make you something else.’ That’s what domination is all about, that in order to be close to you, I must possess you, remake and recast you.” – bell hooks

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“When we drop fear, we can draw nearer to people, we can draw nearer to the earth, we can draw nearer to all the heavenly creatures that surround us.” – bell hooks

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“For me, forgiveness and compassion are always linked: how do we hold people accountable for wrongdoing and yet at the same time remain in touch with their humanity enough to believe in their capacity to be transformed?” – bell hooks

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“I want there to be a place in the world where people can engage in one another’s differences in a way that is redemptive, full of hope and possibility. Not this “In order to love you, I must make you something else”. That’s what domination is all about, that in order to be close to you, I must possess you, remake and recast you.” – bell hooks

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“Justice demands integrity. It’s to have a moral universe — not only know what is right or wrong but to put things in perspective, weigh things. Justice is different from violence and retribution; it requires complex accounting.” – bell hooks

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“Dominator culture teaches all of us that the core of our identity is defined by the will to dominate and control others. We are taught that this will to dominate is more biologically hardwired in males than in females. In actuality, dominator culture teaches us that we are all natural-born killers but that males are more able to realize the predator role. In the dominator model the pursuit of external power, the ability to manipulate and control others, is what matters most. When culture is based on a dominator model, not only will it be violent but it will frame all relationships as power struggles.” – bell hooks

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Get hooksed on bell.

Articles by bell hooks in Shambhala Sun.

Love Fest – Loving you fiercely, and self best. ❤

What feeds your soul? What makes your heart sing??

Category:

Awareness, Healing, Love

Let’s Imagine a Man in Love with Himself

In 2002, I discovered a book entitled Imagine a Woman in Love with Herself: Embracing Your Wisdom and Wholeness (Conari Press, 1999). Growing through some self-esteem and relationship issues myself at the time, I purchased the book for myself, but with the intent to use it as a basis for a self-development workshop for collegiate women. The book by Patricia Lynn Reilly is a marvelously empowering collection of 20 self-affirming, honoring, healing and nurturing statement clusters and exercises.

I remember feeling as though I unearthed an ancient treasure. Why I ever let that book out of my sight, I don’t know. Time would reveal that affirmations support alignment and I, obviously, needed checkpoints. I would later take several slight, but dramatic detours.

Several years, and many experiences, later, all I can think about is a world where men realized their true power. I wonder what the world would be if men embraced their true essence, expressed themselves and followed their bliss. I imagine a man in love with himself.

In the self-help/self-improvement section of book stores, rarely if ever do I find resources encouraging men to find themselves, become one with their personal essence, seek inner knowledge or connect with nature. There’s no space for men to process their childhood experiences without stigma. It’s as though the world believes men are soul-less machines. It’s no wonder many are ticking bombs.

I am a feminist and because of that, I’ve had men say that I hate them. That has never been the case. Father, brother, cousin, lover, friend…I see them in their highest light and expect them to rise to the occasion.

“My willingness to be intimate with my own deep feelings creates the space for intimacy with another.” -Shakti Gawain

“Your problem is you’re … too busy holding onto your unworthiness.”  -Ram Dass

“Scarcity of self value cannot be remedied by money, recognition, affection, attention or influence.” –Gary Zukav

“Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.” -Malcolm S. Forbes

What messages do you send the men in your life? In what ways do you support their healing??

Category:

Affirmation, Awareness, Healing, Intention, Love

Cleansing the Temple: Flushing Toxins, Expressing Life

During the second half of 2012, I began intense cleansing of my whole being. I discovered that I was physically, mentally and emotionally encumbered by sludge that accumulated within and around me over the decades. Until now, I had not fully released the toxins because the filter I was still using was a hand-me-down from generations before me. When I began experiencing difficulty recognizing myself, I understood that what I needed was a master cleanse.

As anyone who knows me knows, as I receive clarity, I act. By nature, I am decisive and responsive. On those important life matters, there’s no time to delay. I follow each resolution with an immediate action, communicating my commitment to the universe.

In this case, I needed some direction. I immediately turned my focus inward. Like an armadillo, I know how to preserve myself. Drawing from my intuition, I welcomed new figures into my realm of being, and became active in communities that could support my well-being and positive development.

In that process, I connected with Cinnamon Manicini of the Progressive Movement Center as well as Triné Eich-Koehn and Denise Buttel of the Reiki Wellness and Meditation Center. I also joined forces and regularly retreat with a goddess sisterhood/study group. I teamed up with Vertekul for crossfit action. And, through dance instructor Sunshine, I encountered Sistah Vickie, nutritional health and lifestyle wellness coach.

In an effort to rid my body of stubborn residue, this January, I committed to a 28 – day detox cleanse with Sistah Vickie’s guidance and support. I thought it was going to be a proverbial piece of cake since I had completed various cleanse programs and maintained a pescetarian diet for more than 20 years. With this cleanse, items restricted from my nutrition plan included 1) gluten, 2) dairy 3) alcohol 4) corn and 5) soy. Sistah Vickie, and her team of health practitioners, also suggested that I avoid night shades, high glycemic fruits, nuts and vegetables as well as mushrooms/fungi. Despite not feeling any sense of deprivation, the cleanse turned out not to be as simple as I believed.

Working with Sistah Vickie on the cleanse provided me the nutritional support and affirmation I had been seeking. The cleanse was more than a fitness plan, but a course in intergrative nutrition. I gained an expanded health network, and raised my awarenss of food corruption. I even started a series of colon hydrotherapy treatments to accelerate detoxification.

The benefits of cleansing are countless. The exercise in discipline affirms self-worth. Focus sets manifestation in motion. Making healthy choices is grounding, fortifying and stabilizing. The practice of cleansing is clearing, refreshing and invigorating.

“A healthy social life is found only, when in the mirror of each soul the whole community finds its reflection, and when in the whole community the virtue of each one is living.” – Rudolph Steiner

“The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” Dr. Ann Wigmore

“To keep the body in good health is a duty, for otherwise we shall not be able to trim the lamp of wisdom, and keep our mind strong and clear. Water surrounds the lotus flower, but does not wet its petals.” ~Buddha

What do you do to cleanse your mind, body and spirit?

In what ways do your networks support your well-being, mission and purpose??

Category:

Abundance, Affirmation, Awareness, Healing, Intention, Love

…Making Room for My Joy at 40

It was quite revealing to witness the shifts around me once I finally decided that I would prioritize myself. Ironically, I only came to that decision to begin with because I was killing myself trying to please the unpleasable and to be present for those who were not even present for themselves. Breaking through the chrysalis, I gained a fresh way of being, and I am overjoyed. Sunny is back, and on fire.

“You, yourself, as much as anybody else in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built up against it.” – Rumi

“I can’t live for everybody…I gotta live my life for me…I’m dropping these bags, I’m making room for my joy.”
– India Arie

How are you showing yourself love today?

What standard for loving you are you setting for others to follow??

Category:

Abundance

Musings: Robert “Bob” Nesta Marley (6 Feb 1945 – 11 May 1981)

Art by Tim Saunders

Happy Earth Light to Bob Marley! Your torch will forever brighten our way.

Like the seasons, he came and went. Gone at 36 years young, he nevertheless transformed the world. His magnanimous music resounds today, revealing material evidence of his mystical footprint. Burdened and tormented, duppy conquerer Marley brought to us the Balm of Gilead and left us a legacy of love. This rastaman’s vibrations, raised ours in more ways than we count.