Quote of The Day

"Heal a women, heal a nation"

Sacred Woman: A Guide to Healing the Feminine Body, Mind, and Spirit

The City of Wellness Book

Heal Thyself

Quote of The Day

Knowledge is like a garden: if it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested.

African Proverb (Guinea)

Quote of The Day

Les poussins apprenant à voler, voleront et y percheront. (French)

A child of the kwale bird learns how to fly

The kwale bird hatches its nestling on the ground. This takes place normally during the rainy season. Because they can perch the parents of the nestling always searches for food for it. Since the nestling cannot perch it is always stationed at the nest and waits for food from its parents.

Hence the nestling is dependant on its parents until it starts to perch. This is why the parents urge it's young one to perch so that it can find its own food and thus ensure its own future.
The meaning of this Tonga proverb is that you need to learn to work for your own future self reliance and sustainability. This proverb is used to encourage the youth to work for their own living. It is used to encourage lazy children who always sit at home and never bother to go and work in the fields or never look for employment.

It is now difficult to have everything in one village or one area. One has to go out to get the needs of the family. It is in going out that an individual prepares for his or her future. Therefore our future is taken care of by our present actions. Hence education and learning are very important for any person so that the future can be assured.

Quote of The Day

Nalukolekejaga sonda (ng'weli) walola lwala. (Sukuma)

Nilikuonyesha nyota (mwezi) na uliangalia kidole tu. (Swahili)

"I pointed out to you the stars (the moon) and all you saw was the tip of my finger." (English)

In the history of the Sukuma people in Tanzania in East Africa (and African people everywhere) there is a great richness and wealth in their culture, language, traditions and customs (like the vast richness of the stars). But people recognize, understand and use only a very small part of this treasure (like seeing only the tip of one's finger).

This Sukuma proverb also teaches that sometimes people can focus on the wrong part or point of a particular subject such as African culture, that is, look at the tip of the finger of the culture rather than its stars. The challenge of inculturation and contextualization is to go beyond the superficial changes in liturgy and religious symbols to an all-encompassing pastoral inculturation that has African flesh and blood.

Rev. Joseph G. Healey, M.M.

A Room Full of Sisters by Aqil

(I'm wearing the silver bangles)
A room full of sisters, like jewels in a crown: vanilla, cinnamon, anddark chocolate brown. Now picture yourself in the midst ofthis glory, as I describe the sisters who are part of this story...



They were wearing purple, royal blue,and all shades of red; some had elegant hats on their heads.With sparkling eyes and shiny lips,they moved through the room swaying their hips...



Speaking with smiles on their African faces; their joy and laughter filled all the spaces. They were fashionable and stylish in what they were wearing; beautiful sisters all, who were loving and caring...



You see, it’s not about how these sisters appeared; their beauty was in the values they revered. They were smart, articulate and well read,with all kinds of African history stored in their heads...



Jugglers of professions, managers of lives -mothers of children, lovers and wives. They were good-hearted and kind, reachingout to others; giving back to the community and supporting our brothers...



All these sisters had struggled in the path; suffered from prejudices and endured the wrath. But they brushed off their dresses and pushed on the door; and they came back stronger than ever before...



Now imagine if you will,the essence and thrill,as you stand feeling proudin the heart of this crowd...



The Sojourner Truths of today,still out in front, blazing the way...A room full of sisters, like jewelsin a crown: vanilla, cinnamon, and dark chocolate brown.

By Aqil, Thanks to Nunet for this beautiful poem.

Quote of The Day

Isihlahla saziwa ngezithelo zaso. (Zulu).

A tree is known by its fruit. (English)

The meaning is that a person's success is shown by his or her deeds. A person can talk, and talk convincingly. He or she may be an orator, or a bragger, and those listening to the person may believe him or her for a while. But, if there are no deeds to go with that talking, he or she may as well have kept quiet. One's story will be validated only by one's deeds. Some people are good at talking, but what they have done or are doing is the real proof. This Zulu proverb emphasizes that a person is successful because of actions, not words.

People can tell that this is a banana tree, or a peach tree, or an orange tree, by the fruit the tree produces. You can try to tell people that this banana tree is an orange tree all you want, but the fruit will tell the truth. So it is with us. You can claim you love the people all day long, but if you do not show it by being there for them, physically, emotionally, monetarily, or otherwise, then guess what? You do not. Your words mean nothing. Your deeds make the difference!

Quote of The Day

"Prosperity comes from the Latin root which literally translates: "according to hope" or "to go forward hopefully." Thus it is not so much a condition in life as it is an attitude toward life. The truly prosperous person is what psychologist Rollo May calls "the fully functioning person."" ~

Eric Butterworth from Spiritual Economics

How cool is that?!? The word we use to describe "abundance," "wealth," etc. is not about having the material possessions per se but moving forward in life with hope. That's incredible.
Of course, the good news is that as we "go forward hopefully" with a "prosperous" attitude in all things, we'll be rewarded with all the external (and internal!!) fruits of true prosperity.
My vote? Let's go forward hopefully!

PhilosophersNotes

Acceptable to Ourselves

The message in this video clip from Malcolm X played by Denzel Washington is short but sweet .

Quote of The Day

"Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time; for that's the stuff life is made of."
~ Benjamin Franklin, 18th century US statesman, writer and scientist
Do you value every moment?
Or, do you fritter away precious time and energy on stuff you know is a waste?
Don’t torture your soul. Channel your energy into your growth and rest and truly meaningful activities. (Pretty please, of course. :))

Finding and Keeping a Life Partner

Golden rules for finding your life partner. A relationship coach lays out his 5 golden rules for evaluating the prospects of long-term marital success. When it comes to making the decision about choosing a life partner, no one wants to make a mistake. Yet, with a divorce rate of close to 50 percent, it appears that many are making serious mistakes in their approach to finding Mr./Ms. Right.

If you ask most couples who are engaged why they're getting married, they'll say: "We're in love." I believe this is the ..1 mistake people make when they date. Choosing a life partner should never be based on love. Though this may sound not politically correct, there's a profound truth here. Love is not the basis for getting married. Rather, love is the result of a good marriage. When the other ingredients are right, then the love will come. Let me say it again: You can't build a lifetime relationship on love alone. You need a lot more. Here are five questions you must ask yourself if you're serious about finding and keeping a life partner.

QUESTION ..1: Do we share a common life purpose?

Why is this so important? Let me put it this way: If you're married for 20 or 30 years that's a long time to live with someone. What do you plan to do with each other all that time? Travel, eat and jog together? You need to share something deeper and more meaningful. You need a common life purpose. Two things can happen in a marriage. You can grow together, or you can grow apart. 50 percent of the people out there are growing apart. To make a marriage work, you need to know what you want out of life Bottom-line and marry someone who wants the same thing.

QUESTION ..2: Do I feel safe expressing my feelings and thoughts with this person?

This question goes to the core of the quality of your relationship. Feeling safe means you can communicate openly with this person. The basis of having good communication is trust -i.e. trust that I won't get "punished" or hurt for expressing my honest thoughts and feelings. A colleague of mine defines an abusive person as someone with whom you feel afraid to express your thoughts and feelings. Be honest with yourself on this one. Make sure you feel emotionally safe with the person you plan to marry.

QUESTION ..3: Is he/she a meniscus?

Meniscus person is someone who is a refined and sensitive person. How can you test? Here are some suggestions. Do they work on personal growth on a regular basis? Are they serious about improving themselves? A teacher of mine defines a good person as "someone who is always striving to be good and do the right thing." So ask about your significant other: What do they do with their time? Is this person materialistic? Usually a materialistic person is not someone whose top priority is character refinement. There are essentially two types of people in the world: People who are dedicated to personal growth and people who are dedicated to seeking comfort. Someone whose goal in life is to be comfortable will put personal comfort ahead of doing the right thing. You need to know that before walking down the aisle.

QUESTION ..4: How does he/she treat other people?

The one most important thing that makes any relationship work is the ability to give. By giving, we mean the ability to give another person pleasure. Ask: Is this someone who enjoys giving pleasure to others or are they wrapped up in themselves and self-absorbed? To measure this, think about the following: How do they treat people whom they do not have to be nice to, such as a waiters, bus boy, taxi driver, etc. How do they treat parents and siblings? Do they have gratitude and appreciation? If they don't have gratitude for the people who have given them everything, you cannot do nearly as much for them! Do they gossip and speak badly about others? Someone who gossips cannot be someone who loves others. You can be sure that someone who treats others poorly will eventually treat you poorly as well.

QUESTION ..5: Is there anything I'm hoping to change about this person after we're married?

Too many people make the mistake of marrying someone with the intention of trying to "improve" them after they're married. As a colleague of mine puts it, "You can probably expect someone to change after marriage...for the worse!" If you cannot fully accept this person the way they are now, then you are not ready to marry them. In conclusion, dating doesn't have to be difficult and treacherous. The key is to try leading a little more with your head and less with your heart. It pays to be as objective as possible when you are dating; to be sure to ask questions that will help you get to the key issues. Falling in love is a great feeling, but when you wake up with a ring on your finger, you don't want to find yourself in trouble because you didn't do your homework.

Another perspective... There are some people in your life that need to be loved from a distance. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you let go of or at least minimize your time with draining, negative, incompatible, not-going anywhere relationships.

Observe the relationships around you. Pay attention. Which ones lift and which ones lean? Which ones encourage and which ones discourage? Which ones are on a path of growth uphill and which ones are going downhill? When you leave certain people do you feel better or feel worse? Which ones always have drama or don't really understand, know, or appreciate you? The more you seek quality, respect, growth, peace of mind, love and truth around you...the easier it will become for you to decide who gets to sit in the front row and who should be moved to the balcony of your life. African proverb states, "Before you get married, keep both eyes open, and after you marry, close one eye." Before you get involved and make a commitment to someone, don't let lust, desperation, immaturity, ignorance, pressure from others or a low self-esteem make you blind to warning signs. Keep your eyes open, and don't fool yourself that you can change someone or that what you see as faults isn't really that important. Once you decide to commit to someone, over time his or her flaws, vulnerabilities, pet peeves and differences will become more obvious.

If you love your mate and want the relationship to grow and evolve, you've got to learn how to close one eye and not let every little thing bother you. You and your mate have many different expectations, emotional needs, values, dreams, weaknesses and strengths. You are two unique individual children of God who have decided to share a life together. Neither one of you is perfect, but are you perfect for each other? Do you bring out the best in each other? Do you compliment and compromise with each other, or do you compete, compare and control? What do you bring to the relationship? Do you bring past relationships, past hurt, past mistrust, past pain? You can't take someone to the altar to alter him or her. You can't make someone love you or make someone stay. If you develop self-esteem, spiritual discernment, and "a life" you won't find yourself making someone else responsible for your happiness or responsible for your pain. Manipulation, control, jealousy, neediness and selfishness are not the ingredients of a thriving, healthy, loving and lasting relationship. Seeking status, sex, and security are the wrong reasons to be in a relationship.

WHAT KEEPS A RELATIONSHIP STRONG IS:

1. TRUST
2. COMMUNICATION
3. INTIMACY
4. A SENSE OF HUMOR
5. SHARING TASKS
6. SOME GETAWAY TIME WITHOUT BUSINESS OR CHILDREN
7. DAILY EXCHANGES (a meal, shared activity, a hug, a call, a touch, a note)
8. SHARING COMMON GOALS AND INTERESTS
9. GIVING EACH OTHER SPACE TO GROW WITHOUT FEELING INSECURE
10. GIVING EACH OTHER A SENSE OF BELONGING AND ASSURANCES OF
COMMITMENT

If these qualities are missing, the relationship will erode as resentment, withdrawal, abuse, neglect, dishonesty and pain will replace the passion.

Imagine a Women in Love with Herself: Written by Patricia Lynn Reilly

"Imagine a woman who believes it is right and good that she is a woman. A woman who honors her experience and tells her stories. Who refuses to carry the sins of others within her body and life.

Imagine a woman who has acknowledged the past's influence on the present. A woman who has walked through her past and healed her way into the present.

Imagine a woman in love with her own body. A woman who believes her body is enough just as it is. Who celebrates her bodies rhythms and cycles as an exquisite resource.

Imagine a woman who embraces her sexuality as her own. A woman who delights in pleasuring herself. Who experiences her erotic sensations without shame or guilt.

Imagine a woman who honors the body of the Goddess in her changing body. A woman who celebrates the accumulation of her years and wisdom. Who refuses to use her precious life energy disguising the changes in her body and life.

Imagine a woman who has access to the full range of human emotion. A woman who expresses her feelings clearly and directly. Who allows them to pass through her as gracefully as breath.

Imagine a woman who tells the truth. A woman who trusts her experience of the world and expresses it. Who refuses to defer to the thoughts, perceptions and responses of others.

Imagine a woman who follows her creative impulses. A woman who produces original creations. Who refuses to color inside someone else's lines.

Imagine a woman who names her own gods. A woman who imagines the the Divine in her own image and likeness. Who designs a personal spirituality to inform her daily life.

Imagine a woman who refuses to surrender to gods gurus and higher powers. A woman who has descended into her own inner life. Who asserts her will in harmony with it's impulses and instincts.

Imagine a woman who is interested in her own life. A woman who emabraces her life as a teacher, healer and challenge. Who is Grateful for the ordinary moments of beauty and grace.

Imagine a woman who authors her own life. A woman who trusts her inner sense of what is right for her. Who refuses to twist her life out of shape to meet the expectations of others.

Imagine a woman who participates in her own life. A woman who meets each challenge with creativity. Who takes action on her own behalf with clarity and strength.

Imagine a woman who has crafted a fully formed solitude. A woman who is available to herself. Who choses friends and lovers with the capicity to respect her solitude.

Imagine a woman who refuses to diminish her life so that others will feel better. A woman who brings the fullness of her years, experience and wisdom into each relationship. Who expects others to be challenged and blessed by her presence in their lives.

Imagine a woman who assumes equality in her relationships. A woman who no longer believes she is inferior to men and in need of their salvation. Who has taken her rightful place beside them in the human community.

Imagine a woman who refuses to use her precious life energy managing crisis and conflict. A woman whose relationships deepen in satisfaction and contentment without depleting her. Who chooses Friends and Lovers with the necessary skills to navigate through the challenges of life.

Imagine a woman who values the woman in her life. Who sits in circles of women. Who is reminded of the truth about herself when she forgets.

Imagine a woman who has relinquished the desire for intellectual safety and approval. A woman who makes a powerful statement with every word she speaks and every action she takes. Who asserts to herself the right to reorder her own world.

Imagine a woman who has grown in knowledge and love of herself. A woman who has vowed faithfulness to her own life and capacities. Who remains loyal to herself...Regardless."

IMAGINE YOURSELF AS THIS WOMAN. Written by Patricia Lynn Reilly

Prayer for the Wombniverse

I call upon the Divine Creator to protect my womb and the wombs of our daughters. Heal our wombs from all wickedness. From this day forward we must speak up for and guard our wombs with all our inner power as we call on the ancient Afrakan spirit of Meshkenet, Afrakan Guardian Angel of the Sacred Womb. I call upon the Afrakan spirit of Maat, for womb balance and wellness. I call upon the spirit Het-Hru within me , to demonstrate divine love of my womb and absolute harmony. I call upon the spirit of Tehuti within me, so that I may make wise decisions on behalf of my womb's restoration. I call upon Ast, the great Afrakan Mother spirit within me, to inspire the continuous nurturing of my saced womb. I affirm that all abuse and desecration of the womb are to be no more. My womb speaks and commands peace upon the earth and throughout the " wombniverse" Through the healing of my womb all wars shall cease. Through the healing of my womb all men and wombmen shall be at peace. Earth Mother, because of the peace within my womb, tidal waves, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, floods and earthquakes shall cease. According to my womb there will be peace, for it is my womb that is the spiritual coordinator of all activity on this sacred earth and all the wolrds within the wombniverse. Women, guard your womb and guard it well, so wickedness will no longer exist.

According to my womb, PEACE!!!

By: Queen Afua

Clinging to the Roots

Clinging to the roots of African culture based solely on the land called Africa is not enough to sustain survival. We must be conscious of Africans all over the world and unite spiritually, economically and politically; recognizing that the common thread of our survival is our history, culture and the spiritual nature expressed in our culture.



Baba Kwasi Charles Harris

Terrie Williams: Testimony on 'Black Pain'

In Williams' line of business, it's all about relationships; in her new book, 'Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting,' (Scribner), she not only outlines her battle with depression but coralles regular folks and celebrities alike to talk how mental illness has affected their lives.

Black folk, especially, says Williams, have a specific historical context which makes our relationship with mental illness unique:

"Can you imagine how heavy the weight of all that trauma must have been in the hearts, minds, and souls of our ancestors? She asks. "They had no outlet in which to express it and no proper means of processing it. Instead of airing our dirty laundry and getting help for our issues we engage in behaviors that are harmful to ourselves or others such as crime, violence, promiscuous sex, eating disorders, drug and alcohol abuse, workaholism, shopaholism, gambling, in order to cope, and it's killing us," says Williams. source

Equally magnificant.......WOMB-MAN!!!!

From the beginning, Khamitic cosmology was Maatical (balanced) it taught of NTR, a Mother/Father Creator. The NTRU (Divine Attributes) were likewise feminine and masculine, for example, Ptah/Sekhmet, Amen-Ra/Mut, Tehuti/Maat, Ast/Asar. This way of viewing The Divine that filtered down into everyday life was Maatriarchal, and women enjoyed a measure of equality unduplicated in these so called modern times. The Greeks and Romans were appalled at the level of freedom of Khamitic women, who could own property and functions as Queens, High Priestesses, and Living Oracles. The lineage of kings was transmitted through the mother, as was inheritance.


The Maatocracy (righteous government) of the ancient Khamites eclipsed the democracy of modern time, whose hallmark has been the suppresion and oppression of women, coupled with a pervasive undercurrent of racism.


In order to understand the spirituality of "Our Ancient Kahmite Ancestors" it is important to open your consciousness and familiarize yourself with the cosmological legacy that created the Maatocracy.



Soak it up: source

There is no force more potent than love.

Take away love and your earth is a tomb.
Without love, your life will echo emptiness.

With it, your life vibrates warmth and meaning.

Even during times of hardship,
love always shines through.

If you have it, you don't need anything else,
and if you don't have it, it doesn't much matter
what else you have.

As you look back on the events in your life,
you will find that the moments that stand out,
the moments that you have really lived,
are the moments when you have done things
in the spirit of love.

Therefore, search for love.

Once you have learned to love,
you'll have learned to live.

Love is the most important ingredient of your success.


From: Nunet

Quote of The Day

"A woman whom Providence has provided with beauty of spirit and body is a truth, at the same time both open and secret, which we can understand only by love, and touch only by virtue.

Women opened the windows of my eyes and the doors of my spirit. Had it not been for the woman-mother, the woman-sister, and the woman-friend, I would have been sleeping among those who seek the tranquility of the world with their snoring.

The mother is everything-she is our consolation in sorrow, our hope in misery, and our strength in weakness. She is the source of love, mercy, sympathy, and forgiveness. He who loses his mother loses a pure soul who blesses and guards him constantly."

Words of Wisdom from Sista Souljah

Check out this audio clip with words of wisdom from Sista Souljah. Thanks to NUnet for the clip.