These Be the Good Old Days-2011 Wrap Up

Time is a man-made construct. Energy just keeps moving. Every day is like new years eve to me because every day is a new beginning. Nonetheless, I am compelled, on this last day of 2011 to reflect on the year. A lot has happened, and I've noticed that everything that one might consider as "bad" that has happened to me has been followed up by something "great." So, I no longer see things as bad, only necessary steps to the great. Here are some highlights.

I found myself without a car at the start of the year, by spring I had another one, free of charge, no payments, and great on gas.  I've struggled to meet new friends in my new city, but I've had time to do a lot of writing which brings me joy, pick up a new hobby-jewelry making-and I've made a closer connection to my Creator, my Father, The Mighty King. Oh, and let's not forget my mini tour with my favorite group Groundation. (read about it here).

There have been some special people who have entered my life, however briefly, or infrequently. They have made a great impact on my life and they probably aren't even aware of how great. The connections we've shared have enhanced my living, and for that I give thanks, you know who you are. I've even gained lessons from those whose energy I had to learn to counterbalance. That is what this blog is about anyway. I am not here to dispense wisdom, but to gain it. The Rising of a Queen is about my journey to the throne, the throne being a place of mutual love, respect, peace, and oneness with all of creation. I am just sharing what I learn, as I learn it.

I hope this year brings more interaction and connections with good people. I'd like to see barriers taken down between people. Celebrity, wealth, "power", religion, "race," age, education, geographical location, possessions, and anything else one can think of to separate, are insignificant. We are all spirits wrapped in skin, flesh, and bones, with the same destiny. No one is better than the other. Connections and interacting with people is what gives spice to life. You never know who might be just the right ingredient to give flavor to your life.

I want to give a heartfelt thanks to anyone who has read my blog, but especially to those of you who visit regularly. Thank you to my biggest viewers the U.S., A special thanks to my Russian readers, I see you! Spasibo balshoye. (I hope that's right). Thank you United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Malaysia, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Ireland, the Ukraine, , Belgium, and Latvia. Stay tuned. Happy New Year. Love and Light.

A Lesson in Lessening Waste: Weigh your Pesolet

I was watching a program last night about a Jewish camp for youth. Of particular interest, was an activity they did at the end of meals in which they weighed their "Pesolet," or waste. Each table scraped their left overs onto one plate and one of the children brought the plate up and emptied it into a bucket which they then weighed. Their goal was to lessen the weight of the pesolet each day.

The part I liked most was that the youth were not encouraged to clean their plates, rather, to be more aware of how much they put on their plates in the first place. This act caused the children to really think about how hungry they were and what their needs really were. They also had a farm and lessons on where their food came from and were challenged to think of other forms of pesolet such as paper, litter, and recyclables.

The Jewish faith has always be great about educating the youth about traditions and how to be good responsible citizens. I love that the lessons evolve to fit 21st century concerns. We should all encourage our children and ourselves to really consider what we really need so as to eliminate waste. Take a look at the toys and gadgets that you and your children received/gave for Christmas this year. Look again three months from now and see if the items are still being utilized or if your "Pesolet bucket" is getting heavier.

I have found that if you want to need less, you must first learn to desire less. The children in the program at first piled food on their plates because they wanted it, but later found that they didn't need it in order to be full. By the end of the camp, the children had gotten their pesolet down from 13 pounds to 7 pounds. That equals less waste and  more food for those who need it.

Finally, the youth were asked to challenge themselves for 6 weeks. Some chose to eat organic eggs and others chose to give up eating meat. The Pesolet challenge showed the youth that not only could they do well with less, but that they could challenge themselves and have a high chance of success. I challenge you to challenge yourselves for 6 weeks. This is not a resolution, this is an attempt to better yourselves and the world.

I encourage all of you to take a look at your own waste, including clothing and gadgets, and challenge yourselves to get by with less. It could save you money, make you healthier, and save the planet. Let us start teaching our children how to be caring and responsible global citizens, and let the first lesson be your example. Love and light.

Love is the Season

Holidays are mixed with so many different emotions and attitudes. Some people seem to feel an extra sense of gratitude, generosity, and family, while others tend to lean towards grumpy, lonely, and bitter. Either way, a day or season shouldn't have such a dramatic effect on your personality. We should always be grateful, generous, and family oriented, and we should never let anything or anyone change our outlook, mood, or countenance.

I speak from experience as I remember the stress of the holiday season especially when it comes to family gathering. But I recognize, this year, that the past only repeats itself if I keep bringing it up in my thoughts and emotions. As soon as I convince myself that I am surrounded by love and peace, that is what I tend to give, and therefore get. It's not easy, but it certainly is worth it.

I am working on letting others' opinions, words, and actions, slip away because I know it is more about what's going on with them than me. I don't make new years resolutions generally, but I am determined to keep love, peace, and positivity as my of life. I will immediately change  my thoughts from negative to positive, I will be kind and pleasant to everyone I encounter, and I will encourage you to do the same. Please check me if I slip.


We shouldn't expect others to be the bigger person when we are just as capable. Don't let someone else set the tone, be the leader, the lover, and set it, even if they start with being mean, selfish, or rude. If you want love or peace, you must come from that place regardless of where the other person comes from. Let everyday be a holiday. Love is the way, love is the day, love is the answer to every question. LOVE and Light.

Music: Rx for Happiness

Considering the economic downturns around the world, unemployment rates, poverty, hunger, corporate and government corruption, and violent and senseless crimes, it's no wonder many find themselves reaching for a prescription to ease their woes. Prescriptions, however, come with their own set of issues such as a dozen side effects and the risk of addiction. There is one prescription whose only side effect is an improved mental, and physical state; music. I've been reading a lot of studies written about the effects music has on the brain and the body, and these studies have found some amazing things.

I wrote briefly in a previous post about how music increases intelligence, i.e.  reading and literacy skills, spatial-temporal reasoning, mathematical abilities, emotional intelligence, and it even improves memory and concentration. (Musicians  really should be the smartest people on earth). Studies have also found that music is effective in pain therapy, slowing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, speeding post stroke recovery, and even boosting immunity. I'll go into those studies more in another post. Today I would like to concentrate on the effects music has on one's mood and mental status.

We've all used music to relax and sometimes to fall asleep. The reason this works is because relaxing music reduces sympathetic nervous system activity, decreases anxiety, blood pressure, heart and respiratory rate and may have positive effects on sleep via muscle relaxation and distraction from thoughts.*  For this reason, using music to reduce stress is a valid and useful tactic. Slow classical music has been proven to reduce stress, even on newborns.* One can play it in the background while performing other tasks, and it will still work. It's not just classical music that does this. Any relaxing music can relax your muscles, including your brain. Using music while doing yoga, guided imagery, or just soaking in the tub will aid in the relaxation process. Upbeat music can also help reduce stress by making you feel more positive and optimistic. Researchers have also found that music can decrease the amount of cortisol, a stress-related hormone produced by the body in response to stress.*

Many cultures have and do use music as a part of the healing process.  In ancient Greece, Apollo was both the god of music and medicine.  Healing mantras, chants, and incantations have ancient origins and are seen throughout history and in every major world culture-- Hinduism, Muslim, Judaism, Native American, Polynesian, Asian, Sufi, etc. The power of chant involves bridging the two worlds of humanity and eternity (spirituality.)** The mind, body, and spirit connection is a powerful one.  It makes sense, then, to connect to the spirit (which  is where music comes from) to heal the mind. 

I am not saying anything you didn't already know. Many people say music lifts their spirits. But now you know that not only does it help without the negative side effects of MAOI anti-depressants, it actually improves your physical health! Modern research has confirmed music's therapeutic influence on the psyche. They've even identified  bright, cheerful music (e.g. Mozart, Vivaldi, bluegrass, Klezmer, Salsa, reggae)* is the most obvious prescription for the blues. So instead of going for the Prozac next time you're depressed, why not play some Bob Marley. Love, light, and music.

*http://www.emedexpert.com/tips/music.shtml

**http://www.healingmusic.org/Main/What_Is_Healing.htm

Music is the Healing of the Nation/World

So I've been itching to blog about music again for a while. Maybe I should start a new blog just about music. It's extremely rare that I go a day without music; it's like breathing for me. I listen to all kinds of music and I love hearing new music. I am, however, very careful of the music I choose to listen to because I am aware of the power music has. In the past, I loved any song with a good beat, especially if it had good bass and I could dance to it. As I grew, I began to listen to the lyrics more closely and as a result, a lot of music has been eliminated from my listening experience. Although I wasn't paying much attention to the lyrics before, they were penetrating my subconscious and they didn't always have a positive effect on how I viewed myself or the world. Songs with misogynistic, depressing, or destructive lyrics can have a negative affect on one's consciousness just as easily as uplifting positive songs can have a positive one.

I am puzzled and a bit dismayed that music with socially, culturally, spiritually conscious and uplifting lyrics aren't more 'popular' in the U.S. I see young girls, and by young I mean starting at age 4, who dress and dance provacatively, they sing lyrics and use words that they don't understand, and take pride in allowing young boys to disrespect them and call them bitches and hoes. Once I heard a five year old girl tell a five year old boy, "I'm a bad bitch with the ill na na." She doesn't know what it means now, but she will, and that's how she will define herself unless she's guided in a different direction. Our children, and their parents are obsessed with "swag" "ballin" "bling" and chasing the American nightmare, while at the same time big corporations, banks, and government are making it harder and harder for them to reach financial wellness. But these albums that perpetuate meaningless pursuits are still going platnum. Meanwhile, music that gives hope and strength doesn't even get played on the radio.

Just today I read a post on a social network where one of my friends described an upsetting situation she experienced. She went on to say that when she got into the car, an uplifting song came on and she was better. This is clear cut evidence of the power of music. Those of you who have read my blog before have heard me speak, often, of my favorite group Groundation. They play roots reggae music fused with jazz and many other influences. I've read so many comments to the group and lead singer Harrison Stafford about how Groundation's music has changed people's lives, saved them even. If you ever go to one of their concerts, you'd think you were at a peace and love summit. I'm not sure if their music attracts peaceful loving people or creates them. Actually, I am sure it is both. The group is very popular in France, Belgium, South America, all over the world in fact.  But here, in the U.S., the demand for music that is positive, enlightening, and that promotes unity and equality has been virtually non existent for sometime.

As the world is on the precipice of big change, a shift if you will, I think it's time to have a collective shift in consciousness. We can start by moving away from the hollow, oppressive, and banal music that fuels the destructive and stagnant behaviors that the entire world seems to now be fighting against, to positive, hopeful, constructive music that creates the energy needed to counterbalance the darkness. I am of the belief that music can and will facilitate positive change. If you have the opportunity to experience positive music, especially live, take a chance and do it. Groundation will be touring in California in February 2012. You can find their schedule here http://www.groundation.com/live . You will be glad you did. I'll be posting more on music soon. I welcome guest bloggers, especially musicians. Please make your submissions to impressashaki@gmail.com. I will also gladly post any videos or links to positive music. Love, light, and music.

Seek the Good

I had a discussion recently in which someone said that "there are no righteous people on earth." If you define righteous as, "acting in an upright, moral way; virtuous" then I must say that I know plenty of righteous people. They're not perfect; they may lose their tempers from time to time, and their egos may sometimes get in the way, but they strive to do good, to do what's right. There are good people in the world and I think it is sad when people can't see that. It seems we are encouraged at every turn to be other than righteous. People say 'only the good die young,' or 'good guys finish last,'  The good don't die young, they don't die at all. The good they do lives on, their spirits live on, long after they leave here. Think of the life lessons, love, and care a loved one gave you while they were here. The good they did ensures that they will never finish last. Perhaps we need to re-evaluate our definition of finishing "first." If you define finishing first as being wealthy with lots of things and power, then you don't know what true wealth is.


My grandmother told me once that if you go looking for trouble, you're sure to find it. If we constantly look for people to be wicked, dishonest, or "bad" then we're sure to find them to be so.  When we look for the good in people and focus on what we appreciate in others, we will surely see it. Make no mistake, there is good in everyone. We were created from love, beauty, and all that is good. External influences and ego sometimes get in the way, but good is who we are at the core. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Treat a man as he is, and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he could be, and he will become what he should be." Imagine if we treated everyone as they could be. Working with youth has taught me that if you have high expectations of a child's ability, they will rise to their potential with the slightest encouragement. I believe this to also be true with adults.


The media feeds us news about all the tragedies, injustices, and horrors going on in the world, with little attention to the good people do. This leaves us believing no good is being done. Don't believe the hype. I personally know or have made acquaintance with many men, women, and children who seek to do the right thing, live morally, and help others. I look for what is good in a person because that is what I want to experience from them. I've found that if you want peace, you must come from peace, if you want love you must come from love, and if you want goodness, well you get the point. Those who say there are no righteous people in the world are talking to a mirror, but they don't realize it. We are all connected and made from the same substance. If you see good in people, it's because you see good in yourself, if you don't....Love and light.

Great Love, Great Adventure, Great Deeds

Once in an interview I was asked how I would define success. I would think I was successful if I was happy and helped others, but I didn't answer that way.  Instead, I rattled off what I thought was relevant to the position and left it at that. But I began to ruminate on that question. I have never measured success in dollars, status, or material goods. I always felt I would be successful if I had people in my life who loved me and if I was a good person who did her best to help others. So I wondered, have I achieved my definition of success? If not, what was missing?

After surveying my life and much introspection, I realized I still had things to do. I found that what was missing was 1) Great Love 2) Great Adventure and 3) Great deeds. In other words, I haven't lived my best life yet. Life, as they say, is short. I've seen so many leave this planet at such a young age and I always wonder if they lived their lives to the fullest. Daily I look into so many forlorn and exasperated faces as they work or drive to work, or speed away from work. Some of them have expensive cars that they drive to big houses. Their children are well dressed in famous labels and they communicate to each other on the latest ever changing gadgets. But their expressions and demeanor are not the same as the people in the commercials who tell them they have to live these lives. They've been bamboozled into thinking that this is what happiness is and if they want it, they'd better tow the line. Been there, done that, over it.

I would like to travel the world, and the country, even the state. I, however, want a unique experience. I don't want to book a hotel at a tourist resort and go on scheduled tours (unless, of course, the company was interesting). I had a fantasy of paragliding over the ocean the other day. Really? I thought. Why not. There are so many ways I can help others that I don't even know them all yet. So part of my great adventure is doing something great for at least one other. I would like to experience great love. I would like for it to be of the "romantic" variety, but great love is great love, and it will feel great no matter how it shows up. I'm not going to bother the universe or my Father the Mighty King with the details because they have given me things beyond my wildest dreams, so I'll leave it to them.

I'm not striving to get a Benz, wear the most expensive fancy clothes, or have the big house. We can't take any of the things we work so hard to attain with us when we leave here. So if I find, in my last days, that I have no money or things to leave loved ones in a will, I'll ask myself, 'Have I left great memories and impressions on those I've touched, and am I taking with me a fulfilled and joyful spirit into the next adventure?' If I can answer yes, I think I would have had a successful life. Love and light.

Come Together

There are so many ways and reasons we separate ourselves from one another it's quite sad, tragic even. We use race, ethnicity, religion, age, income, education, height, weight, looks, celebrity, power, status even geographical location as reasons to separate ourselves. There is enough that is unique about all of us to make us special so we don't need to divide ourselves into categories. We are ONE. I hear enough people talking about recognizing our oneness, but I see very few of them actually behaving as though they believe it. Rapper Chubb Rock once had a song called "Treat 'Em Right" where he said, "sign an autograph you might make a new friend." He was talking about artists/celebrities giving time and respect to their fans who made them popular, but I think this could apply to everyone. Signing an autograph = giving people a chance to show you how great they are because you might make a new friend.

All of those things I listed above that we use as reasons to separate are just parts of a person's story, and some of it may not even be accurate. There could be a lifelong connection that you would cherish with that person you've chosen to ignore, exclude, and judge. I see it, and experience it far too often. No one knows the capacity of a person's heart and mind until one takes the time to find out. I've been judged in one glance. They see a woman of African decent with dreadlocks dressed humbly, rate my looks and guess at my age and already they have a profile of me. Most of the time people are wrong. I've dated men that people couldn't see why I was attracted to them (mostly because they thought they knew my "type") I told them to talk to them, you'll see what I see. On these social sites, "celebrities" never respond to their adoring fans who buy their music or see their movies or read their books. I've worked around "celebrities" before, they're just people. CEOs and other wealthy or so called powerful people put themselves on pedestals to separate themselves from "regular" people. Bob Marley once sang "The biggest man  you ever did see was just a baby."

We miss out on a lot when we divide ourselves. Challenges and struggles could be easier, there could be more joy, compassion, and understanding. But we build these walls out of fear. What is it that we fear? Rejection? Heartache? Maybe we just fear having to be kind because that's too much work and takes too much time. Separation causes isolation and alienation which leads to loneliness and despair. Isn't there enough in this world causing that without adding to it?  It's time we come together and get through life together as ONE in deed and not just in words. "So pull out your pen, sign an autograph you might make a new friend." ~Chubb Rock.  LOVE and Light

Make Way for a Positive Day

Holidays always make me think of the lonely, poor, and downtrodden. It may sound dark, but all of the excess, the gifts, the food, the decorations, makes me wonder what people who have no family or friends, or who can't afford the overpriced goods are doing. I know for some, it's difficult to watch all of the good cheer when life is so challenging for them. Staying positive in the face of trials can seem impossible, but this is exactly when we need to kick the positive vibrations up a few notches.

Think of the universe as the ocean. There are waves coming in and out, up and down. Some waves are surf able, some are barely noticeable ripples. But waves have crests (peaks) and valleys, and they keep moving. But what causes waves? Wind. The size of the wave depends on the velocity of the wind. Think of our energy as the wind. Positive energy is like increased wind speed. So the more positive your energy, the bigger your crest will be. When we're in the valleys of life, we just need to increase our positivity to get out. I know some of you think this is a bunch of new age nonsense, but it's just a metaphor for something I have found to be true.

How does one increase positivity when everything seems to be going wrong? You've heard it before, gratitude. I think when most people hear this, they think, I'm thankful for what I have, but I'm not more positive. If you take the time to actually sit and make a list of everything for which you have to be grateful, even the barely noticeable ripples, you'd be surprised how quickly a smile will appear on your face. For instance, if I just look at a picture of my nephew, it brings me joy. I think of the fun times we have together and the sweet and precocious things he says, and I'm almost laughing! The process of listing every little thing, makes us really think about all of the good and positive things and people in our lives.

Taking time to do things that make us feel good or bring us joy is a must. As you know, music does that for me. Music is so powerful it's mystical. It increases brain function, it causes the body to move (at least for me), and it can often change your mood, thoughts, and outlook. There are even certain tones that can change brainwaves! Music is a gift, it definitely goes on my list. Writing also helps me. I may not be the best writer, but I tend to express myself better in writing, and it helps me change negative energy into positive. When I write this blog, I try my best to be positive, so it forces me to find a positive way to express whatever negative thoughts I may be having. Writing, then, becomes therapy.

One of the biggest ways to gain positivity is to take the focus off of ourselves, and put it on others. When you realize there are those much worse off than you all around the world, you should be grateful. Once you decide to try to help make life even the tiniest bit better for someone else, positive energy returns because you are fulfilling your purpose here on earth, to serve your brothers and sisters. Have I told you before that we're all connected? Helping others, then, is helping yourself. I encourage everyone to remember the lonely, poor, and downtrodden, everyday, but especially during the holidays, even if you are one of them yourself. We're in this together. Love, light, and positive energy.

Going With My Gut

I was reading an article on instinct, reason, and intuition from a theosophy perspective (Theosophy-Religious philosophy or speculation about the nature of the soul based on mystical insight into the nature of God.- yes, I'm a bit of a nerd). It described instinct as "the facility acquired by life-forms through repeated experiences gained through transmigrations, in their respective kingdoms" while reason is "faculty of the lower mind and its instrument, the physical brain...always tinged with desire, and is limited to the physical senses...it is therefore liable to err" and finally intuition "is the direct cognition of truth in all things. It is the highest spiritual faculty in man but lies dormant as long as man remains in bondage to the senses and the mind." My conclusion of the relationship of the three is this: instinct is what we have learned from past experiences, intuition is what we know in our gut, and reason sometimes gets in the way of both.

In the recent past, I have made some decisions based on intuition. I ignored my instinct to stay with what I knew, and I had no experience to show I was moving in the right direction. I'm still waiting to see if I've made the right decisions on some things. I truly believe in the spiritual aspect of intuition because it is often much stronger than my instincts or reason. I have, however, ignored my intuition reasoning in such a way to keep my comfort level on track. That's a fancy way of saying "out of fear." I realized later that I missed out on some great opportunities as well as needlessly endured unpleasant situations, all because I ignored my intuition. The thing that bothers me most is that when I made these decisions, I had a very strong feeling that I shouldn't or should do it. The phrases "go with your gut" and "follow your first mind" keep ringing in my head like giant church bells.

The odd thing about reason is that it is supposed to be rational, logical. But I see now that reason can often be a way we talk ourselves into or out of something depending on what we desire. Intuition is the important faculty. People talk about a woman's intuition as though a man doesn't have it. I don't know if a woman's intuition is stronger than a man's, but I do know that mine is very strong so I have to stop ignoring it. When you ignore your intuition, you start to question whether or not you are capable of making the best decisions for yourself, at least I do. Other people also get into your head with their own reasoning because they are suspect of spiritual matters. When we listen to their reasoning, we're ignoring the gift given to us by the Creator, or universe, or whatever higher power to which one ascribes.

So what brought this on is I ignored my intuition again and missed out on an opportunity I have been waiting for.  I won't let this experience cause me to question my judgement. Instead, it has reinforced my belief that my intuition on certain things are correct. I think intuition is the light on a path to our blessings, and although I don't think we can miss our blessings, only postpone or destroy them,  it is my intention to follow my spirit from now on. I suggest you do the same. Love and Light.

Change, the Missing Link

As I'm sitting here studying the remnants of broken chains in the waste basket (I never use that term because I don't care for waste, but it seems appropriate here) I see photos, cards, mementos of the past. I'm also surveying the unlinked chains of what could be the future. They don't look dissimilar. There are also photos, some framed, perhaps prematurely, and mementos signifying promises of memories to come. I am reminded of how much of a constant change is in life. Chains and change are inextricably linked.

I've always been a fan of change, so much so that I used to change the furniture in my bedroom and living room around every few months. As I got older, and better employed, my furniture became more substantial. Being a single woman living alone, that kind of change doesn't happen much anymore. I started changing hairstyles every few weeks, probably to compensate, but then I grew dreadlocks.  I realized that as we get older, life's dealings become more substantial and so do the changes. Families are formed, careers flourish, bank accounts get bigger (a little bigger) children grow. Changes then have a bigger impact than the sofa being by the window.

Many people are resistant to change. They grumble about restructuring on the job, some stay in bad relationships. There's even a commercial for baby clothing with a slogan "If they could just stay little till their Carters wear out." So now we don't even want children to grow. Being resistant to change is about fear. People are afraid of the unknown. But remember what fear is : (F)alse (E)vidence (A)ppearing (R)eal. Changes happen everyday, every second, and the world hasn't ended yet. Change is necessary for progress, and although not all change is what we would like, we can't pick and choose the changes we want. Children need to grow, learn, make memories, form links of their own. Without change, careers don't advance, love doesn't grow, life doesn't progress.

As this country, the world, is sitting (literally) on the precipice of change, we seem to be in a waiting period. Maybe that's what people find most frustrating about change, the anticipation. I think of it as a building time, a period of preparation. Perhaps what we think of as waiting, is actually the change slowly beginning. It took a change in resolve to decide to unite and make a stand, as is happening  around the globe. Bonds, or links are being formed, clarity is being gained, and I'm sure quite a bit of self realization is happening. At this thought, I am brought back to the chains around me whose links have either been broken by change, or will be formed by it. I'm a little nervous about letting go of some links though they have served their purpose, and of connecting to new links whose purpose I have yet to learn. I find it to be at once sad and exciting, and definitely necessary. Love and light.

What You Don't Know About Hunger

When you think of world hunger, what comes to mind? Africa? Children with distended bellies? Drought? Well there is so much more to know about world hunger. Let me share some facts with you.


What is Hunger?


There are different manifestations of hunger which are each measured in different ways:




Under-nourishment is used to describe the status of people whose food intake does not include enough calories (energy) to meet minimum physiological needs for an active life.
 
Malnutrition means 'badly nourished', and is characterised by inadequate intake of protein, energy and micro nutrients and by frequent infections and diseases. Starved of the right nutrition, people will die from common infections like measles or diarrhoea.


Wasting is an indicator of acute malnutrition that reflects a recent and severe process that has led to substantial weight loss. This is usually the result of starvation and/or disease.


Who are the hungry?

• There are 925 million chronically hungry people in the world
• Over half are in Asia and the Pacific and about a quarter are in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• 60% of them are women
• 1 out of 4 children in developing countries are underweight
• 65 percent of the world's hungry live in only seven countries: India, China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and Ethiopia. 
•  More than 70 percent of the world's underweight children (aged five or less) live in just 10 countries, with more than 50 per cent located in South Asia alone

Why are people hungry?                                         

• Poverty              
• High Food Prices                                          
• Inadequate access to food
• Climate change
• Social exclusion
• Low investment in agriculture

Did you know?

• Rural women produce more than 55% of all food grown in developing countries
• Women make up a little over half of the world's population but in many parts of the world, especially in Asia and South America, they are more likely to go hungry than men.
• There is enough food in the world today for everyone to have the nourishment necessary for a healthy and productive life.
• 
  These men significantly reduced hunger and poverty in their countries: John Agyekum Kufuor & Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (click and read how they did it)     

What can we do?
Call and/or write your congressmen and senators and ask them to support funding for hunger programs in the Fiscal Year 2012 budget. (No there isn't a budget yet. We have until November 18, 2011)

Find their contact information here  and here

Now you know. There's no need for hunger, so let's get rid of it.

Don't Box Me In

When I was a little girl, I remember my brother and I playing in a big box pushing each other around. (We were easily entertained). My brother then put the box over me and sat on it. I freaked out. This was the beginning of my claustrophobia. I knew even then that I didn't like being stuck in a box. Although I have my claustrophobia in check now, I'm still struggling to get out of boxes. People are not content with allowing others to be and evolve into who they were meant to be. It seems to be much easier for some to categorize, box, and label people in order to know how to deal with them accordingly. This hinders ones from truly being themselves and living freely. Even if a person lives his or her life the way he or she pleases, those who object or who cannot accept it either cause a disagreement, annoyance, or separation. So why do we feel the need to put people in boxes?

I was recently told by someone who has known me all of my life that my spirituality may be what turns my friends off and that I haven't been dating because I am too socially conscious. Now, this was ridiculous to me because it would seem to me that those qualities would be appealing to people, at least the people I would want to hang out with. But I know that what she was really saying was that it was a turn off for her. Yes, I have become more spiritual and socially conscious as I have gotten older, but those aren't the only facets to my personality. Yet, she has put me into these boxes as if I couldn't be more, as if she didn't know more. Perhaps the real issue is that she is unable to deal with those aspects of who I am and so they stand out to her. But she is not the only one who puts me in a box.

When I walk into a room, it's like filling out one of those "optional" surveys you see on job applications. Immediately people see African American and female. So now I'm put into the boxes of what that means to the observer. They see my dreadlocks, or my head wrapped, and now an entirely new box appears. Then they will ask a slew of questions to find out what other boxes they need to put me in: how old are you? what do you do? where did you go to school? where are you from? what's your religion? (when I tell them love is my religion they bring out the "coocoo" box). Once they're done surveying me, they think they know me. Then, they find out I'm rasta, vegan, and don't drink and they throw out all of the other  boxes and bring out new ones. But they still don't know who I am, and they will never learn if they insist on deciding before they interact with me or communicate with me for any length of time

They say you only get one chance to make a first impression. Well, a first impression is not always the entire truth, and sometimes not the truth at all. Some of my closest friends are people whom I didn't care for when I first met them. I either gave them a second or third chance, or it was forced upon me, and when I got to know them, I realized I was wrong. Youth go through this all of the time. Adults assume they don't know about certain things because of their age. I have learned from them that wisdom doesn't come from age but from experience, observation, listening, and learning. Some youth have experienced and seen a lot. So I let them show me who they are. If only everyone would do the same for each other.

India Arie sang, "I am not my hair, I am not my skin, I am not your expectations no. I am not my hair, I am not my skin, I am a soul that lives within." Remember, humans are multi dimensional beings with many different experiences, moods, desires, and abilities. We are souls, and souls are very complex because it takes a lifetime to shape them. So I say stop being Fed Ex and throw away the boxes. Enough employers and government agencies want to categorize us, we don't need to do it to each other. If you only know one side of a person, try getting to know other sides before you decide who they are. Better yet, don't decide who they are, just accept them.  Lastly, be your authentic self and refuse to get into the boxes people create for you. Love and light.

Food: Rx for Health

As I'm fasting today for World Food Day, I reflect on my relationship with food, both past and present. Being raised in a household with a southern (U.S.) grandmother and mother, there was no shortage of tasty food for my pallet. But what is good to you is not always good for you. My mother always told me to clean my plate because there are "children starving in Africa." To my dismay, this is still the case. This thought taught me not to waste food, unfortunately, it also taught me to eat too much. Food was my best friend. She comforted me, celebrated with me, brought me closer to people, and helped me fill a void. But I took advantage of food, I took her for granted. I thought I could manipulate her by consuming as much of her as I want in any form and she would always be my friend. Then one day, she turned on me. She gave me gallstones and started me on a journey that would change my life.

People don't realize that food has been rebelling against us for  mistreating her for years. The things we do to food is reprehensible. We add chemicals and additives, we abuse animals farmed as food, we prepare food in unhealthy ways, we serve it, at least in America, in gluttonous portions, we abuse food. She began rebelling, much like people in America and the world recently have: occupation. We aren't even aware that food is occupying our bodies and refusing to leave. Even as our scales begin to tip and our waistlines grow wider, we are unaware that food is waging a rebellion. Because we haven't listened to her, she has gone to the next level: causing disease. In this country diabetes, especially childhood diabetes rates are way up. Heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer, are all diseases that can be linked to the amount of or types of food we eat. Yes, food is livid, and we'd better start listening to her demands.

Four years ago, after I had my gallbladder removed, I began to make amends with food. I wanted to repair our relationship because I need her. I became vegan and started using organic foods as much as possible and I looked to food for healing. I only use medications when absolutely unavoidable because now that food and I are besties again, she let me in on a little secret: she's a healer! I already knew that in her natural state she could provide me with all the vitamins, minerals and vital nutrients I need to stay healthy. But she also has healing powers. When I got pneumonia, tea made with thyme was the only thing to help me breath. Ginger helps me with digestion, onions relieve nasal congestion, and garlic is a natural antibiotic. There are many fruits, vegetables and herbs that are not only healing, but also prevent disease. I have included links to sites that show you which foods are good for what ailment or disease.

A year ago, three years after I had my gallbladder removed, I awakened one morning to a familiar pain in my abdomen. I had no gallbladder, so it couldn't be another gallstone attack, but it certainly felt like it! In the emergency room, they were sure it was an ulcer. I wasn't convinced, so I went to see my doctor who scheduled me for an endoscopy. I asked the nurse if she could find a natural remedy for my pain so she went on the Internet and saw a doctor had recommended cabbage juice for his ulcer patients. I had a juicer so I was ready to try it. Sure enough, an ounce of cabbage juice eliminated my pain immediately. For a week I only drank cabbage juice and fruit smoothies because I felt like food was stacking up in my stomach. Oh no, I thought, food is turning on me again. What had I done to her this time? Turns out, it was a wayward gallstone that had blocked my bile duct. Ok ok, food, I learned my lesson the first time!

I've learned to respect food. I no longer live to eat, I eat to live. I let food do her job. I make sure she is organic, healthily prepared, and I only have her in moderation. She, in turn, gives me vital nutrients, energy, a strong mind, and pleasure. Instead of avoiding her or manipulating how I eat her, I eat healthy meals and snacks and she helps me lose weight and stay healthy. When I am sick, I go to Dr. Food first. I am grateful for the relationship I have with food now. I wish everyone could have the same relationship. Food is our friend, a friend we can't live without. If we treat her right, she will treat us right. Listen to her demands. Love and light, and good eating.

http://www.juicing-for-health.com/healing-foods.html

http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/foodsthatheal.html

http://www.healingfoodreference.com/

World Food Day-The Challenge

Have you ever been so hungry that you actually said, "I'm starving?" I know I have, many times. The sensation of hunger, a lack of food in your stomach, is universal. But there are different manifestations of hunger which are each measured in different ways:

 

• Under-nourishment is used to describe the status of people whose food intake does not include enough calories (energy) to meet minimum physiological needs for an active life. At present, there are 925 million undernourished people worldwide, most of them in developing countries.

• Malnutrition means 'badly nourished', but is more than a measure of what we eat or fail to eat. Malnutrition is characterised by inadequate intake of protein, energy and micro nutrients and by frequent infections and diseases. Starved of the right nutrition, people will die from common infections like measles or diarrhoea. Malnutrition is measured not by how much food is eaten but by physical measurements of the body - weight or height - and age.

• Wasting is an indicator of acute malnutrition that reflects a recent and severe process that has led to substantial weight loss. This is usually the result of starvation and/or disease

Tomorrow, October 16, 2011 is World Food Day. I present a challenge for you all. For tomorrow only, I challenge you to fast for the entire day, going to bed without eating to experience a tiny fraction of what 925 million feel everyday. Then, take whatever money you would have spent on food, say if you are craving tacos, or you were going to make a chicken dinner, and donate to an organization that feeds the hungry. Perhaps you are unable, for whatever reason, to fast, how about volunteering at a soup kitchen (they're not just open on holidays) or collecting can goods from friends, family, and neighbors and taking them to a food pantry. Or simply go to one of the websites at the links provided below, gather some information and share it.

There is enough food in the world for everyone to have the nourishment necessary for a healthy and productive life. As daunting as the task of feeding 925 million people seems, it absolutely can be done. John Agyekum Kufuor and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have been chosen to jointly receive the 2011 World Food Prize for their personal commitment and visionary leadership while serving as the presidents of Ghana and of Brazil, respectively, in creating and implementing government policies to alleviate hunger and poverty in their countries. Check out what they did here to greatly reduce hunger and poverty in their countries.

The only hunger this world should see is the hunger for knowledge. Despite what you have been told, we are our brothers' keepers. Join me in the fight to end hunger. Please share this post and spread the word, and leave comments about what you did for World Food Day. Love and Light.

 http://www.worldfooddayusa.org/

http://www.bread.org/hunger/global/facts.html

 

Being the Change

I keep thinking about the John Mayer song "Waiting on the World to Change." I never liked that song because I disagreed with everything it says. Hasn't John Mayer ever heard Gandhi's quote "Be the change you want to see in the world?" I'm elated to see the thousands of people who are no longer waiting on the world to change, but creating change. All of the people occupying America, all of the people fighting for justice for their brothers and sisters, all of the people who are battling world hunger, and all of you who are defending the children, I salute you and give thanks.

It gives me great pride to see my brothers and sisters standing up for their rights, and in a peaceful manner. I offer up two pieces of advice. The first is to figure out the next steps. Now that we are occupying the country, especially Wall Street, how do we ensure we get the specific changes we seek? In fact, what are the specific changes we seek? These are the questions we should ask ourselves. I think one way to show the elite we mean business is to hit them where it hurts, their wallets. We need to shut down consumerism. Stop buying their products they claim we can't live without. Refuse to put more dollars in their pockets. Sometimes I think that if we refuse to vote for any of them until changes are made, they would see we mean business. I'm not sure if either of these will work, but I am sure that we must begin to think beyond occupation. These are serious movements that I have not seen in this country in my lifetime. Dr. King would be proud.

The next piece of advice that I offer is to make sure that your mind, body, and spirit are occupied by love, peace, justice, intelligence, and rationality. As Groundation says, "They want to control with violency." We should make sure that is not our way. One thing our government is very prepared for and highly skilled at is violence. That's not how we will win the battle. They have the big weapons and still control the system. Our biggest weapon is peaceful resistance because they still need us to make their money and keep their power. It takes more strength, courage, and character to refrain from violence than to engage in it. I don't want to see any of my brothers and sisters hurt.

Our children are receiving good lessons and witnessing history. They will be the generation who will finish the fight and perfect the change. They are seeing that even the smallest effort is huge. One man, woman, or child, can make a big difference.From spreading the word and getting vital information to the masses, or inspiring others, helping one person eat, showing one person you care to protesting, publicly speaking out, and risk of arrest, there's always something one can do. So I give thanks to all of you soldiers for justice. Be of good courage and don't give up. I leave you with some wise words I recently read, "I think some will be driven out, and some will be pushed together, but with the bond of Truth and Rights we, those who come with love in their hearts for ALL, will stand dominant." ~Harrison Stafford  Love and Light

The Rising of a Queen: Year One

Today marks one year since I took my first step in my journey towards the throne and moved 400 miles north of family and friends. I am, therefore, in a reflective mood. A friend told me I "bare my soul" well in this blog. It's funny, that wasn't my intention, but a blog about this journey of mine is bound to be revealing. So  this question comes to mind; what have I learned and/or accomplished this past year? Hmmm, well a lot has certainly transpired, both good, and not as good. I think I can certainly say the good outweighs the not so good. But have I learned anything? Have I gotten any closer to the throne? This past year has definitely been a roller coaster ride, many ups and downs, highs and lows. I've learned that the lows weren't that low, and the highs, well they were pretty high.

During the coldest and wettest winter of my life, I was without a car or the finances to get one, then one was given to me. Many of the people I've come in contact with haven't been very friendly, and I don't really fit in in my new neighborhood. I haven't made many friends that I can spend time with, but one friend I made enabled me to meet and spend time with some very lovely and friendly people who just happen to be my favorite band. That experience alone has made this move worth it. Although I have spent a great deal of time alone, it has meant plenty of time to pick my writing back up. I'm not sure if I've gotten any better at it, but the inspiration is definitely there. Things seem to always balance out. I guess one lesson is that when life doesn't seem to be going your way, be patient and have faith that life is happening that way for a reason; to make way for something even better.

Preparations for the throne include self evaluation and improvement, adjustment of my attitude and outlook, paying attention to that voice inside of me, the voice of my Father the Mighty King, increasing my faith, positivity, confidence, and knowledge, and knowing myself. I have overcome fears, recognized weaknesses, and gotten closer to my Father. I still have many miles to travel, but now that He knows I am serious, my Father has revealed a great deal more of the path to me that I am to follow. If we pay attention to what's going on around us in nature, with other people, society, our heads and hearts, we can see and hear what the universe or Higher Power is trying to tell us. I've learned that not everyone will be able to see what I see, or understand it, and some may call me crazy, so I keep much of it to myself.

In this year, I've noticed many changes in myself spiritually, mentally, and physically. I don't know if it's age, the different environment, or could I be getting wiser? Maybe it's all of those. I'm a seeker of wisdom. I never feel wise so I always look for answers as well as questions. I like to surround myself with people who are more intelligent about the things I need to learn more about. Everyone has something they can teach us. I learned that from working with youth. They get a bum rap. People dismiss them because of their age, but with age does not necessarily come wisdom. Some wisdom leaves us as we age. We get wrapped up in worldly meaningless pursuits and forget the keys to happiness that were given to us at birth. Age doesn't bring wisdom, we have to seek it, continually. The first place to start is within ourselves.

Everything we need to be happy, to succeed, to make a beautiful life is inside of us already. We create the reality in which we live. I used to think that some people make life happen while others let life happen to them. The truth is, we make the life we live with all the things we do, say, and think, as well as all we don't do, say, or think. Now this is a lesson a few people have tried to teach me a while ago, but I was not in the right place mentally, spiritually, and physically to understand it. So in that respect, this move was not only a good decision, but a necessary one. There are goals, hopes, and dreams that I have neglected that will now receive my full attention because I am now aware that I can bring them to fruition without waiting for the "right" time, people, or circumstances. The time is now, I am the person, and circumstances are inconsequential. I give thanks to the few of you who have been following this blog. I do bare my soul a bit in it and your interest is honored. I wish you Love and Light.

Blessed Be the Ties that Bind

I had so many things that I wanted to blog about that I had a difficult time deciding which to choose. Once I gave it some thought, I realized that it all came down to connections. We are all connected, true, but we feel certain connections more strongly than we do others. I have a theory about that. Everything is energy and was all once the same energy, coming from the same source. Once this energy dispersed, we began vibrating on slightly different frequencies. Stay with me here. Some of us are on or closer to the same vibrational frequency with each other than we are with others and that's why we gravitate towards each other. This may be a little out there for some of you, but think about how we describe certain connections we have. We "vibe" well with each other. We're on the same "wave length". I like his "energy".  I know the source of this energy to be divine. Whether or not you buy into this theory of mine, there's no denying that some connections are stronger than others. I'm not going to concentrate too much on this theory, rather, what it means and what we do with it.

Family connections are much more than DNA. They are also shared experiences, heritage, culture, traditions, interests, beliefs, and so on. These things bind us to one another. This is why I say your family is who you make it. These are the people you love outwardly, forgive infinitely, help selflessly, and enjoy effortlessly, right? They should be. We should, of course, do these things for one another regardless of our connection, but for those we are bound to, it should be even easier.  What I've seen far too often, however, is quite the opposite. "We hurt the ones we love most" is a phrase I hate. It doesn't even make sense. If you love someone, wouldn't your instinct be to do everything possible NOT to hurt them? You see, here's what's left off of that phrase, "because we take their love and forgiveness for granted." We think that these ties that bind us are impenetrable. But are they?

I've watched many people say 'until death do us part' and then watched them walk away, still alive! I've seen parents sacrifice to raise their children as best they could only to grow old and be deserted by those same children, and that is a relationship bound by DNA! Why do we take these ties for granted? We live in a world that asks so much of us. People want money, degrees, experience, talent. They want you to look this way and act that way, believe this, and feel that. When someone loves you for you, despite you, why would you reject, ignore, or mistreat that person?  When someone wants to spend time with you, wants to know how you are and what you've been up to, it's a sign that they care about you. We spend more time trying to please and impress those who couldn't care less if we are happy or miserable, successful or failures, live or die. Yet, we expect the ties we have made to withstand abuse, and still be bound when we need them.

I don't always honor the ties I have the best I can because I let life and my own needs get in the way. I do value them, however, and if they reach out to me, I will be there as best I can. It saddens me to see people mistreat each other, but it is even more disheartening when I watch love get shined away like a smudge and ties get whittled away to nothing. I've been on the receiving end of that shining far too often so I take care not to do the same. Honor your parents, they gave you life. Honor your siblings, they helped you become who you are. Honor your friendships, love relationships, and other connections, they happened for a reason. Stop treating each other with disdain and disregard. These ties that bind us are so much bigger than any dispute, grudge, or selfish pursuit. We will, all of us be reunited on the same vibration one day, and that will mean complete harmony. These ties are the beginning of that reunion. Blessed be the ties that bind. Love and Light.

Change

One thing I know for sure is that good, bad, or ugly, change is going to come. Some people like to reminisce about the past, talk about how things were better in the good ol' days, or constantly bring up other people's past mistakes. It's good to know your history, so as not to repeat what doesn't need repeating, and also to see where you've been so that you can know where you need to go. But we can't spend too much time looking back, especially since we should be moving forward, one is likely to run into something that way. That's why I reflect with the intention of making adjustments for my forward movement, because like I said, change is going to come, I want to be ready.


People are often resistant to change, at least change for which they didn't ask. Take Facebook, for example. They're about to make enormous changes without having consulted their subscribers. They have so many people on their network around the world that they're not worried if they lose a few thousand. So, our choices are to leave, or get used to half a million people knowing everything about us and every move we make. Sounds like the CIA or something doesn't it? Zuckerberg did meet with President Obama....but I digress. The point is, the change is coming and we have to make some sort of change with it. Some other changes are more vital to our stability and can severely disrupt our lives. A loss of a loved one, job, or home, changes in the economy, and natural disasters can be devastating. We can prepare, to a certain extent, for these challenging changes by having savings or other plans in place. One of the best ways to prepare for change, I think, is to have a solid spiritual center, or something from which you can draw strength.


What about the good changes? A change in financial and love status, achange in address to a better neighborhood or more comfortable home, a change of health, can all be very good types of change. Believe it or not, we have to be prepared for those too. More money could mean more taxes, love won't last if you aren't ready for it, a bigger home needs more furniture, better health means more life to live, how will you live it? Again, I say, a solid spiritual foundation is the key. Regardless of what the change is, if we are going to survive it or thrive in it, we need to be grounded, peaceful, thoughtful, and aware. That is why I think having a solid spiritual center from which all thoughts, words, and actions radiate is necessary.


Then there are the changes we want. This week, I saw people around the world rally in support of one life. Desperate for a change in this young man's fate, people signed petitions, protested, made calls to government officials, tweeted, blogged, and posted information to try to save Troy Davis' life. Unfortunately, these efforts were unsuccessful, but hopefully not in vain. I really hope that losing this battle has not discourage you from continuing to fight. There are many more awaiting the same fate who need us to fight for them (Reggie Clemons is facing execution in less than a month). Millions of people in the Horn of Africa are still dying of malnutrition and could benefit from a fight to save them. Change doesn't have to just happen to us, we can create it too. I listen to people complain about President Obama and what he is or isn't doing, but they don't do anything to change that. You, a record number of you, African American and Caucasian alike, voted him in. It took grassroots efforts during his campaign to get him there. YOU did that. That's not a slight, it's a compliment. You have proven what you can do when you act. Write the President a letter outlining what you think he needs to do to be a better president. Someone does read them, and I bet if you begin it with, "Mr. President, if you want my vote to get re-elected...." it will at least get to his advisers, especially if enough of us do it. I'm not campaigning for President Obama, I'd just rather do something other than complain.We've all seen or heard Mahatma Gandhi's quote, "Be the change you want to see in the world."  Have you thought about what it means? If you want to save the environment, recycle, use natural products, do something towards that change. We can't just will it to happen and continue doing the same things.


There are many huge changes going on around the world, much of it is being created by people who want to see change. We've seen Egypt, Libya, Israel, and Palestine make moves towards big changes. People are camped out on Wall Street as you read this. What the outcome of these movements will be, still remains to be seen, but I am sure they will create some sort of change, one way or the other. The earth is even changing. It's shaking in places it hasn't before, or in a very long time, some places are being covered with water, while others are becoming dust bowls. Tsunamis are now a concern after every quake. Mother earth is telling us it is time for things to change. We can prepare by looking back briefly to see what we've done wrong, and then forging ahead to create the change for a better world. Yes, good, bad, or ugly, change is going to come. Are you ready? Love and light.

Silence and Solitude

I've been trying earnestly to figure out what it is about me that can be so off putting. I really have. When I'm negative, people don't like it. When I'm too positive people hate it. So I've tried to have balance. But I'm thinking now that it's not at all about balance when it comes to me. Perhaps, it's about silence...and solitude. I think I want and need too much out of life. I could deconstruct and analyze my past to justify these wants and needs, but it doesn't matter. One should be grateful for all of the blessings he/she has in life and know that it isn't necessary to want or need anything.

I've tried very hard to be in this state of mind, and I have been to some extent. But want and need creep back. Maybe it's the human condition in this world that tells you that what you have and who you are is not enough and we continually try to create happiness from external things. I can reclaim my joy at any moment because I know The One who is always with me, who always provides me with everything I need. But I'm in this place right now and I need to feel it before I find the cause and rid myself of it. So I'm feeling it. Yes, I have feelings, contrary to popular belief. There are those who think that unkind words and deeds, or no words and deeds at all, roll off of me like water off a duck's back. I've tried to surreptitiously convey that in some of my blog posts, but of course, those people don't read my blog.

Solitude is such an unwanted condition. We associate it with loneliness, ostracization, and rejection. But we come into this world alone. Even if you are part of a multiple birth, you have your own mind and soul. You alone think your thoughts and feel your feelings. And we leave here alone as well. I know I always have the Most High with me so I will never really be alone. I will just be one. I'd much rather keep to myself than to allow my vulnerability to become a salted open wound. Solitude can be a blessing. It can allow one the opportunity to go deep within, reflect, and heal.

So what does this solitude mean? For me, it will mean distance. This is not where I wanted to be in life, nor is it where I thought I would ever be. I've always been a person who loves people. I love meeting new people from different backgrounds with different interests  from whom I can learn and grow. But I think this isolation I have been in for the past year has made me too eager, too much. But I can only be who I am at this time. I have music and wonderful memories to keep me company. Please forgive me for not being positive today. It is a daily effort and sometimes I fail. I will take some down time to regroup and try it again another day. I sincerely wish you love and light.

What About Love?

People seem to make a really big deal about love, yet they don't seem to make a big enough deal about it. What I mean is, we as humans tend to want to qualify and quantify love. We categorize love as romantic, platonic, and familial. Then we say we love one more than the other. We find reasons to love each other instead of loving for the sake of loving. When someone tells us they love us, depending on the type of relationship we want with that person at that moment, we either run away scared, shine it away like they're crazy, take it for granted, or put so much meaning on it that everything else they say or do from that point on is weighted by it. Then there are the conditions. I love you only if, when, because. I only love these people, but not those. I find people have an easier time loving things, places, and activities than they do other people. But what is love anyway?
This tendency to categorize love as if it comes from a different place depending on our relationship with the beloved is baffling to me. Love is love. Sure there are physical reactions that come with attraction, but all feelings of love come from the same place. The instinct a mother has to nurture and protect her child, the desire to mate, the connection you feel with a friend all emanate from the same place. Love doesn't actually come from the physical heart. The physical heart is just a muscle (albeit a very important one) that pumps blood through the body. The brain tells the heart to do this work. Feelings come from the limbic system in the brain. It's a complex system that governs feelings, emotions, self preservation, and memory to name a few. But there's actually a part of the brain that specifically governs this emotion/feeling. This is why love comes naturally to us as humans. We are hardwired for it. Love is our natural state. But, the brain being the amazing organ that it is, is capable of filtering and mutating this emotion/feeling as a survival mechanism.


We allow past experiences to taint how we love and our definitions of love. Although the words "emotions" and "feelings" are often used interchangeably, there are some differences in their meanings. There have been many philosophical, psychological, and biological theories and debates on this, but I like this explanation : Feelings need external stimuli to occur such as heat or cold, or a sad or frightening event, whereas emotions can occur internally, without external stimuli. An emotion is deeper and can be longer lasting. It can be triggered by a thought, memory, or external sensation, and can often change our physical state. When I read these explanations, it became clear to me; we allow our thoughts, memories, and external stimuli to influence how we experience love. It's interesting how selective we are in that process, however.  We let past hurts and deceptions color our view of love, what it is, should be, or can be. Yet, we fail to allow the good feelings or emotions of the past to influence our view of love. When someone lies to you or betrays you, do you automatically think 'I'll never trust again' or do you take a moment to remember the people in your life who have been faithful and loyal to you?

It's ashamed, really. Think about what it feels like to "be in love." You can't stop smiling. Everything seems wonderful, more colorful, vibrant, fragrant, pleasing. And if you think really hard about it, these feelings come even before the object of your affection expresses his/her love for you. That's because it feels good to love. You may think the good feelings are coming from how sweet he/she is being to you, but it's actually coming from within. It's not the short lived external stimuli causing a feeling, it's you recalling the love that you have experienced in the past as an emotion that may cause you to cry at sentimental commercials, or your heart to beat faster. It's you remembering your natural state. What's strange is, even though you may love the person before you know if they love you, you somehow stop if you become certain that they don't.

Love is so expansive an emotion, it should show up everywhere. If you love curry chicken, why can't you love the man who held the door open for you? Sure, curry chicken may taste good, but that door wasn't going to open itself. I joke, but every smile, good deed, hug, thoughtful act, every kindness, is an expression of love. If we take a moment to see these things that way, maybe we would be compelled to oblige, to return the love. Lately, I've decided to see everyone I met as someone I loved. I consciously told myself 'I love this person'. I found strangers were drawn to me and I think it's because they felt the love I was sending them. To love and to be loved is the greatest thing one can do or have done to them. If someone expresses love for you, you should feel honored and grateful. It is not natural for us to avoid, run away from, or limit love. It should be so natural and commonplace for us to love and express love, that the ideas of reacting negatively to it, putting conditions on it, or ending it should be foreign to us.

Nelson Mandela said, "No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite. " We are, after,connected; one energy taking different forms. If you love yourself, and I hope that you do, then you should easily be able to love me, or anyone else. LOVE and Light.

Balance

Over and over you can be sure

There will be sorrow but you will endure

Where there's a flower there's the sun and the rain

Oh and it's wonderful there both one in the same

                                Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain ~ Frankie Beverly & Maze

While reflecting on the past year or so, I have come to realize that life for me has been an equal blend of trials and blessings. Everything in life is in divine order, perfect balance. When life seems out of balance, it's usually our reactions that are actually out of balance.  Some people say life is like a roller coaster, it has it's ups and downs. The crest, or the top of the hill are the ups, and the trough, or the dip, are the downs. But if you've ever ridden a roller coaster, you know that when you dip into those troughs, you never stay there. The ride either takes you back up, on a curve, or evens out. Life is like that too. That's where the balance comes in.

I read, "Krishna Hindus are very conscious of the paradoxes that make up the universe. Siva is simultaneously the creator, maintainer, and destroyer of life. All phenomena is a constant interplay between hot and cold, male and female, light and dark. Vedic medicine teaches that keeping these opposing forces in balance is central to the maintenance of bodily, social, and cosmic well-being."* We see this to be true in everyday life. Too much of anything puts the universe off balance. Imagine a scale. Differing weights make it tip to one side. One might find themselves pleased if the heavier side contained all of the pleasant things of life. But how would we grow, become stronger, smarter, better if we had no reason to try?

When everything seems to be going the way we'd like, we are happy and positive. However, when things aren't going the way we'd hoped, we become sad or angry and negative. This uses a lot of unnecessary energy. It is not really that times are "good" or "bad," rather how we interpret them. If making a lot of money, having a nice car, or being with a beautiful woman is, in your opinion  "good" and will make you happy, then if you should lose it or are unable to attain it, you will interpret that as "bad"  and become unhappy. The key, I am learning, is to feel these feelings of anger, depression, or low self-esteem caused by the so-called "bad" events in life, get to the root causes, but then, ask yourself what you can do to change that. It is often not about changing the situation, rather, how you interpret it and react to it. It is both simple and complex at the same time.

I was watching a video of a talk given at Google by a Buddhist nun (posted below) about being your own therapist. It was very interesting because the concept she spoke of was about achieving balance not by taking the "bad" and "good" with equal acceptance, but by removing the idea of "bad" altogether She said that we are all "good" in the core of our beings and that it is not natural to have any bad qualities or thoughts. We must seek out the causes of our bad feelings or thoughts and change them. We are "mutable" as I said in a previous post. This idea of not being "good enough" is self imposed and derived from some past experience or teachings. Balance comes when we can see ourselves and our lives as good. Pain will come, but suffering is unnecessary. Coming to this mindset takes time and work, and I am still taking the time to do the work myself. What I am noticing is that as I remove each neurosis, and it is neurosis because it is delusional to think that any of us is lesser, in any way, than anyone else, but as I remove this neurosis, joy is present more often.

Back on the roller coaster, think of where the real fun is. Is it at the top teetering for a few seconds knowing the thrill of the drop is coming? Is it the thrill of the drop itself? Or is it the excitement of it all knowing even the drop has something thrilling coming after it? Yes, yes, and yes. It is a ride, and all parts of it together make it thrilling. The top of the hill is only thrilling because of what is coming next. Know that it is all necessary to move forward on this joyful ride, and it is all good. Love and light.