IGNITING POWER

Broken Conditioned Heart of Humanity

2010-09-07T10:22:00.001-07:00

I have been following a story that has broken my heart in many different ways.

The story is about Pakistan; the flood waters in Pakistan.

The flood waters in Pakistan have been triggered by monsoon rains and it has destroyed crops, villages in their entirety, and has also caused rapid spread of disease among the flood victims.

The part that perplexes me is that 2 days after this occurred international aid said they could not reach the flood victims and they were trying their best to help. As I am watching this being reported on CNN by a reporter that is standing in Pakistan in the midst of the flood waters. My question is how did this English speaking reporter get here and international aid can not figure out how to make a dent in this horrifying situation.

The other part that is so heart breaking is that the world does not care. The international community is not rushing to give aid as they did in Haiti, there are no telethons on TV to support the efforts, and no radio hosts are speaking about this grave devastation.

What are the reasons for this lack of response? People are suffering in Pakistan as they still are in Haiti, lives have been lost and changed forever as Haiti, and there is a definite apparent need for help as Haiti.

Why is there no cry out from humanity for these people that are suffering?

Maybe it is because the death toll in Pakistan is estimated to be ONLY at 1100. But I say one life lost is one too many. Maybe its because they are so far away that it is easy to turn our backs because now they are someone else's problem. But I say when you don't cry out for your brother or sister, who will cry for you when you need help. Maybe its because they are a different religion. But I say that religion is man made but humanity is not.

I feel like the spirit of humanity is crying right now because we have failed it again.

I guess only lights, camera, and action determines what cause we will focus our time and energy.

So to that I say, cheers to you humanity for you have just been bamboozled into thinking your life and this world is only as great as the most recent popular snap shot.

Go beyond the borders of your mind and your self-imposed limitations.

God Bless You and Keep You Pakistan!!!!!!!

Who Are You

2010-08-17T10:23:00.000-07:00

As I get older my intuitive spidey senses become more heightened. As I meet more people, I noticed that God has given me a gift to be able to pirce through the character that people want me to meet and look at the real person. I must admit sometimes I do ignore it though.

This is a blessing and a curse because as soon as God shows me the things that people so desperatly try to hide I can not ignore it. The saying "ignorance is bliss", is so true.

Being given this gift also lets me be more real and true with my stuff. I am keenly aware of the fact that everyone has their stuff. We are all human shaped by hurt, pain, insecurities, a past, and experiences. So we can not help but to have stuff.

But when does having stuff become dangerous?

It becomes dangerous when you do not want to face it. When you allow your "stuff" to remain in your life to the point that it actually has control over you and your decisions.

For example, you have a good friendship or relationship. But you ruin it because you are not used to actually being loved or cared for in a healthy manner. You are used to relationships with turmoil and drama at least some of the time so this healthy relationship does not feel good to you.

That is an example of letting "stuff" control you. Take an inventory of your stuff and figure out how you can maintain control. Whatever insecurities you may have figure how you can take power over that insecurity. Whatever fears you may have, figure out where the fear came from and how you can control it.

Even though I speak for a living, I had the biggest fear of speaking in public. My hands and legs would shake, and my voice would quiver. The only way for me to overcome it and follow my dream was to control it. I still become nervous when I speak but I have control over it and it does not control me. That fear did not stop me from following my dreams.

Take inventory now, before your stuff controls you later.

The Moment

2010-07-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

Did you see that? Did you feel it? It was moment that just passed you by and you missed it thinking about tomorrow! FOCUS MAN!!!!!

A moment is a precious thing. It is probably the most valuable commodity in the world but it is always taken for granted.

My new goal, since I have turned 30, is to be ever presently involved in each moment. At least to really try to be.

Each moment prepares you for the next moment. They are all connected in some way. Just think.

Just think about the moment you met that special person in your life. Think if you had not been fully involved and paying attention you would have missed that connection.

Just think about the moment you came up with a brilliant idea that changed your life and moved your life in many different directions.

Just think about the moment you decided that it was ok to be you and to be the best you. You had to be present within that moment and present within yourself.

This weekend be present in each moment even if it is a moment that makes you feel uncomfortable for there is always a lesson to be learned in the moments of our lives.

Did you see that? Did you feel it? It was a moment that just passed you by and you missed it thinking about tomorrow! FOCUS MAN!!!

Keep Pushing

2010-07-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

Everyone has a vision in life that they would like to see come to reality. A vision that wakes them up in the morning and puts them to bed at night. A vision that excites them and confirms that they are alive and living within "this thing called Life" (to quote Prince).

I always say the most dangerous person in the world is not a person living in poverty or a person with no education but its a person that has no vision.

When you do not have a vision, it means you have stopped believing in your passion, and when you have stopped believing in your passion you have stopped feeling the connection to your soul.

Your passion and your vision does not come from your mind it comes from your soul.

If your vision came from your mind then there lies the reasons you have not tried to complete the designed vision for your life. Your mind sees all the obstacles and turmoil that you must get over.

But your soul, your soul gives you the courage to know that the walls could be falling down around you but you still have the courage and tenacity to complete your vision.

Guard your vision people do not let the problems of this world take it away. Keep moving forward this world needs you because we were all put here for a specific purpose.

Remain inspired.

Date Yourself

2010-07-12T09:18:00.000-07:00

There are many different reasons why people enter into relationships - whether they are personal, professional, acquaintances, or friendships. The reasons are varied but the reason that frightens me the most concerning people is when they look for others to complete who they are; they look for others to define the very essence of where they stand in this world.

Many of us do this very thing. We are involved in a romantic relationship and we allow our being to be lost in this person to the point that we forget how to stand on our own two feet. We depend on this other person for support to the point that we forget that we have strength enough to support ourselves. We depend on this other person for happiness, to the point that we forget that we experienced happiness before them. Last but not least, we depend on them to complete who we are but not realizing they are not one of the main ingredients that make up our personal recipe called Life. That this relationship in fact is just something to add spice and flavor.

It does not mean this relationship is not important it means that a relationship whether it is familial, friendship, or professional should not be your focus to the point that you lose yourself in it.

I have heard friends of mine say after a break up now what do I do. My response to them is always the same, you keep doing you. Whatever you did during the relationship you continue to do now. Usually they will then say well I did everything with them. This means they forgot who they were.

While in a relationship whether romantic, friendship, or professional have a hobby outside of that relationship. If you work all the time what if suddenly that job is taken away, you will be devastated. But if you have worked hard while maintaining who you are, if it is taken away at least you are still in tact.

I go out to eat by myself at least once a month and I love it. I always have fun talking to the bartender and other people in the restaurant. I have a good time with me, myself, and I. This is just one of things I do to make sure I do not lose myself within any relationship in my life.

I have lost friendships, romantic relationships, and professional relationships for whatever reason and what I have realized is that life goes on and so will you.

Start today to celebrate who you are and do not involve anyone just allow you to love you. If a relationship disappears at least you will still be in tact.

The Oil Spill in Your Life

2010-07-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

I was looking at pictures of the oil spill and they are very much disheartening. This man made process and man made machinery have caused Gods natural process and God made land and wild life to operate under a different mode.

Instead of the wild life flowing within the natural order that was given to them, they now must operate outside of their basic divine given operation. They can not move smoothly from water to land because now they have to contend with a foreign element that has invaded their natural elements.

Some of us have allowed a foreign element to enter our lives. We have been operating within an oil spil in our personal lives. Something that has caused us to become stuck within the same routine and the same operation. But the operation is not a divine given operation within our lives but a man made one that has altered our course.

Maybe your oil spil is depression, jealousy, pain, hurt, drugs, a person, or a job whatever it is that has made you operate out of the natural divine element that God has given to you.

You know you are because it has caused you to become stuck in thought and stuck in moving forward in life.

We do not have a government to save us but we have our tenacity and spirit to not to settle for anything less then what we know we deserve.

Clean that oil spill out of your life and move forward.

Life Is Not A Game

2010-06-28T21:11:00.000-07:00

Life does not give you a free card to pass to the next rest stop, life does not give you
a get out of jail free card and it certainly does not have a do over or a roll again. But yet most
of us treat life as if it has all of these amenities.

We treat life as if it is doing us favor by allowing us to be a part of its purpose, a part of its history. But if you only knew the few breaths we give to life and the many breaths we take away.

When you breathe pain, hate, judgement, ridicule, jealousy, violence etc., you are stealing from life, for life was not created to generate a path of ignorance. For this means you have just stolen breath and violated life itself.

When you violate something it stops working in the full capacity that it was meant to do. It begins to work at half of its power and half of its energy. It loses the momentum for which it was charged to operate.
hink

Think about your life and think about if its operating at full maximum capacity. If the answer is no then then ask yourself are you stealing precious breaths from life.

Own Your Destiny 1 in 30

2010-03-18T09:50:00.000-07:00

Your mind works in a very interesting manner.

If you do this 1 time every 30 minutes your life will change!!!

Your actions follow the thoughts which your mind generates. You never commit to an action such as sitting down and then your mind all of a sudden thinks, Oh I am sitting down.

If you train your mind to think certain thoughts that action will come to pass. Some of you may be saying that this is similar to the movie, "The Secret", but it is slightly different.

I am not speaking of just having random thoughts in your mind and those thoughts coming to light. I am speaking of actually conditioning your mind in a very real manner to produce the goals you would like to fulfill within your life.

It does not stop at training your mind. Its about training your mind to become confident in fulfilling its actions.

For example, you can have the thought in your mind that you are a good singer. But that thought does not make you confident, its the carry thru of that thought that allows one to receive that confidence, true purposeful confidence. It involves getting singing lessons, participating in talent shows, and receiving feedback.

Energy + Thoughts + Action = Movement

Whatever thoughts you have daily leads to your actions which determine your movements.

A definition of movement is a progressive development of ideas toward a particular conclusion.

Example, if you are married but you have continuous thoughts about having relations with another person. Your thoughts will lead to certain actions such as going to a club all the time or spending time with your single friends more than your mate. Those thoughts plus your actions will develop work toward a certain movement/conclusion. The movement will eventually be you having that affair.

I implore you. Once every 30 minutes do something (something positive) that has to with whatever movement you would like to create within your life. It can be something as simple as just writing down that conclusion. The conclusion can be financial, relational, or career.

If you would like to own a home. Even if you are sitting at work write on a piece of paper, I will buy a home in a year. The thing that will happen is that your spirit will become more empowered which will then move your energy to form your thoughts to develop actions to then create movements.

This thinking is about empowering you to create a life you deserve. But do not wait for it to be handed to you.

So 1 time every 30 minutes have a thought/ action concerning the movement you would like to create.

Then watch your life change!!!

Ignorance Begots Ignorance

2010-03-15T04:02:00.000-07:00

I read a quote over the weekend that said "Time is a blessing". No one does anything to get it, no one can do anything to buy it, and it is not promised to any person.

Then I started thinking about how I have been using my time. My thought was, concerning myself, how could I have been so ignorant. I have wasted my time on ignorant people, ignorant moments, ignorant situations, and ignorant emotions. I am using the term ignorant as the colloquialism that means stupid.

Last week I said how mistakes are experiences. But sometimes we waste time trying to make a relationship, whether friendship or otherwise; a situation, a job, a business opportunity, or a moment something that it is not or will ever become.

Some of us are repeat offenders. We go into something with our eyes wide shut and we have this tiny inkling of exactly what it is but we ignore it. We become "ignorant" to it.

We become a slave to what we want something to be and not what it actually is.

Some of the greatest CEOs and generals in history became great because they were able to look at reality dead on with its flaws and all.

How do you do such a thing:

Be courageous, know that you are equipped to handle your life.

Value you! You would not let anyone drive your Mercedes, why let anything or anyone crowd your life.

Take inventory! Look at what people, emotions, and situations should not be in your life.

In order to redecorate a room sometimes you have to move the old furniture out. Its the same for your life.

Live on purpose and be courageous.

Mistakes - everyone makes them

2010-03-08T08:08:00.000-08:00

What is that seeping into your veins?

You know if you insert this into your blood stream it will ruin your life?

I am speaking of mistakes.

Do not wallow in the mistakes of last week, just write them down, and recognize that it was not a mistake but an opportunity to learn...to learn more about yourself and the operation that surrounds you. Whether that operation is filled with family, friends, co-workers, ideas, school, etc...

The key is to not to allow these mistakes to be your stop sign, your road block, or your cause for confusion. You can not turn a mistake into an emotion. AN emotion that seeps into your blood stream and causes you to question who you are, who you are meant to become, and your present task at hand.

Mistakes are meant to help form your experiences. I compare mistakes to a video game. In some video games a player has three lives. Once you make three mistakes, you...as the player dies. But do you stop playing...No!!! You recognize it and now you play more proficiently because now you understand what detail to observe and also what not to do.

Mistakes help to tailor and stream line your movements.

This week keep moving and pushing.

Mistakes...the best leaders make them. It does not mean you give up. A newspaper editor fired Walt Disney because he said "he lacked imagination and had no original ideas."

Go out and make this week yours!!!

In the words of a leader that has made many mistakes, "Can't Stop, Won't Stop".

50 Cents new book "50th Law" is the TRUTH

2010-03-01T03:15:00.000-08:00

50 Cents new book "50th Law" is the TRUTH

Now I do not buy his music and I do not run to the computer to download his videos...basically on the musical side of things I am not a fan. I respect him but not a musical fan.

One thing I can not put past 50 Cent is that he is a genius. He is inventive and knows how to create a situation not for a moment but so that it continuously leads to another endeavor or opportunity. Many of us, as human beings, do things for a moment until we can create another moment. Its as if we always start from the beginning. But 50 Cent has learned the art of what I like to call "chain opportunities".

Chain Opportunities is basically looking at an opportunity and figuring out what to do to make that opportunity lead to another opportunity or endeavor. 50 Cent teaches in the "50th Law" by giving concrete examples from his experiences how to do this and how to make it an art form.

Also the "50th Law" had a great co-author and that is Robert Greene. Robert Greene is the author of the best selling book "48 Laws of Power". For those that have not read it, it is a very powerful book and that if used the wrong way can actually be used to support evil intentions.

Robert Greene and 50 Cent have together written a great book! The book uses 50 Cent's experiences (even from drug dealing days) and Robert Greens flips it and teaches how to use the specific tool in every day life.

I recommend the "50th Law" for those that need to expand their mind to think beyond the moment and move into the next experience or opportunity.

New Year...What does it all MEAN?

2010-01-02T10:49:00.000-08:00

I am glad that our previous forefathers of humanity thought well enough to make a New year. The date was formed most studies show for political reasons in the Late Republic period. But the reasons why it was formed is not important right now but the feeling that it represents.

People cling to the new year for many reasons:

to forget about the problems of the past year, regeneration of mind, body, and spirit, forge new relationships and mend old ones, contemplate life in a way that will allow a person to create a new energy, and also to form new goals and put a battery pack on the goals that need a new jump start from last year.

There is a definite excitement. Its almost like a re-birth as if we get a second chance to learn to walk, talk, and breathe again.

Inhale...Exhale. Do not hold your breath. Allow your breathing to just flow.

One foot in front of the other. Try not to fall and try not to wobble. Be steady.

But what if you lose your breath again this year and what if your walking and you happen to fall again this year.

What if you have different problems but you happen to stumble as you did last year. What if you lose your breath and get the wind knocked out of you by some unfortunate mishap of life.

Life is still life whether its the new year or midyear.

This blog sounds depressing but its not.

What I am trying to say is that instead of trying to figure how not to fall and how to maintain your breath. We should learn how to make the recovery from the fall a little shorter each year, so soon we do not fall but just slightly wobble.

Instead of having to catch our breath we should just try to breathe more slowly and each day we take a breath realize that it is a connection to our next moment of peace, enlightenment, and point of destiny. But you must keep breathing.

I am not a huge fan of football but I love to watch football diaries that have an inside view at preparation, practices, and games. One of the things that football players do is that they practice how to fall so they do not get completely injured. We should take a page from this, for we waste the most time during the process of the fall and the recovery.

This year lets breathe a little better and recover more quickly from a fall; for at the end of the day your destiny awaits.

Life is Contagious

2009-12-18T15:10:00.000-08:00

I have not written in a while because I honestly tried to wiithdraw from life. I wanted to become absent from roll call and if I could I would have stopped time.

Was I depressed? Not at all. I was trying to catch up to my spirit. We all have a part of ourselves that is already at the point where we woould like to be in life. You see yourself becoming a success in the career of your choice, involved with the partner of your greatest desires, or standing in the backyard of your dream house.

We all see it. All of us have these thoughts. Well mine was running and trying to pull me along while my feet were dragging behind me as if I was a 3/4 year old child.

I wanted to be absent from life so I could become one with that person again. So instead of me being pulled, we could walk hand in hand.

I figured out that life is contagious. In fact, its hard to ignore life. Now I am not speaking of the bad things that happen or the everyday mundane things that happen to us. I am speaking about the life that is calling to us to continue on a journey that may seem difficult but in the end has its rewards. I am speaking about the life that is waiting for us and each time we accomplish something, life shows us another thing to capture, to create, or to realize.

Forest Gump was right, life IS like a box of chocolates you never know what you are going to get.

Cheers to Life, for it is contagious.

For America

2009-01-23T11:01:00.001-08:00

The time has come to get rid of our second class vision, so that we are able to prepare for our first class position.

It is time to look beyond the walls of our ghettos and past the ills of our neighborhoods.

It is time to remove the bricks of hopelessness, illiteracy, and ignorance; and replace them with walls of courage, education, and pride.

Courage; Courage enough to realize that the time is now to become our best most unique selves. Even though you may have been born into disfunction, you embody enough courage to know that you were created for something more.

Education; Go out and grab the education that you deserve so that you are able to be the leader of your own footsteps.

Pride; Pride great enough to realize that the same problems that affected this generation we will not allow to affect the next generation.

We must go forward with a purpose that is filled with tenacity, perserverence, and grace.

We should know that we are standing on the shoulders of ancestors that planted seeds of resilience, sticktuidness, and determination.

Now those seeds are finally being watered and are able to grow because the soil has been turned.

Yeah. The soil has been turned.

Now we must plow the field so that the soil has roots. Roots good enough for the next four generations to feed on.

You feel that people, the soil is firm and good.

So, walk tall and walk proud. And walk forward into your divine destiny.

The Authentic Swing in the Authentic New Year

2009-01-03T13:17:00.000-08:00

I love movies. Since I am one that is a sucker for learning things I always lean toward the movies which I walk away learning something new about life and wisdom has been added. Yes, I am a wisdom freak. I am always searching for that next personal gem that will cause my positive to shine brighter and my negative to be faced.

One of my favorite movies is Bagger Vance. It is filled with clumps of wisdom about love, life, and dealing with personal demons.

There is a part of the movie which the caddy (Will Smith) speaks to a down trodden golfer (Matt Damon) about finding his authentic swing. The swing that he was born with and the swing that no one else has or ever will. Its the swing that hunts you down but you must get out of the way long enough so we can feel it. Its the swing that is buried within all of us but the world has tried to take it away with the what-ifs, shoulda's and coulda's. But your authentic swing is still there.

The powerful part of this is that those above words apply to everyone. All of us are born with this "thing" that is only for us. The "thing" that chases us and won't leave us alone. Its the "thing" that wants to be birthed from us, so it keeps kicking letting us know its there and it wants to come out. I will never forget reading the biography of John Lewis (leader of SNCC, civil rights movement) and he said that he had no choice but to be a leader in the civil rights movement because history chose him, history continued to call his name.

This New Year, everyone should to take time to find their authentic swing. That swing that makes them one with the universe and instead walking against the winds of the earth it actually feels like you are walking with it. The "swing" is anything that you like to do that makes you happy; that makes you feel like your time on this earth has been worth it.

Crazy part about your authentic swing is that it is right inside of you. You just have to settle yourself long enough to feel it and to listen to it.

Is The World Sick

2008-12-20T08:18:00.000-08:00

There is a consciousness that has been disregarded by humanity. Humans have remained on a level of worldly consciousness that has created more ills in our personal lives and in the world. I wonder when our consciousness became guided by the barriers of the world.

What many people that study theology and many that follow the word of God and follow the practices of Jesus Christ don't understand is that they have developed a lay-away system of religious/ spiritual consciousness.

They read the bible to look for answers to their personal problems, humans read the bible to support their judgments and biases, and God is looked at as the supporter in their life's play.

The words of God are not there to make us feel more comfortable so we may sit on the complications of our life but it is there for us to look deeper into the our personal efforts of causing these complications.

Words of God are there to look at God and how God dealt with complications and situations. It is not to look for ourselves but if we happen to find ourselves that is then the blessing. People use spirituality for their gain and not for the rise in consciousness that it should present in our lives.

If you practice the word of God and follow the path of Jesus Christ all of your life but yet still continue to think on a worldly level and have a consciousness that rises no higher than this earth, then you have missed something.

What I mean is that if you continue to worry yourself about what you will eat, or what you will wear, or if the world will perceive you as great and successful. You have missed the word of God. Also, if you still allow yourself to be jaded by human thought and human action, and if your life is dependent upon the reaction of another human you have failed in spiritual thought. Your reaction and action should be dependent upon that where your consciousness lies. If it lies within the barrier of human life then you will always be dependent upon that which is conditionally human. You will be dependent upon another's opinion, you will be dependent upon friends, and you will be dependent upon the mistakes of others and judging others to make you feel greater.

If you follow the path of Jesus Christ then you should not even be able to judge the life of another without feeling first ashamed that you have committed a sin against your own path. For no one's path is perfect so to judge means that you have created a life of sanctity and purity. And your path is filled with that of completion and compassion. For Jesus Christ created completion and had a life of continuous lessons and a life of compassion.

Surpass the level of this world and do not accept its barriers for your purpose is not to remain within the confines of a human society but to elevate to a spiritual sanctity.

Help Wanted Ad: Black President Needed

2008-11-05T22:03:00.000-08:00

Now if we were to see this in a newspaper before the historical occurrence on November 4, 2008, there would have been several reactions. Some black people would have thought that someone was playing a cruel racist joke and some white people, well white people would have been bewildered at the suggestion of such a thought. Not necessarily rejecting the thought but not being able to digest such a thought. Other races probably would have taken it as a joke, but at the same time insulted by the fact that their race or culture was not suggested for such a powerful position.

This is one of those moments that years from now people are going to ask the question, "Do you remember what you were doing when Barack Obama was elected the first African-American president of the United States of America?" Let me tell you what I was doing; I was at the gym working out. Many are confused by my avenue of celebration but there was a reason. Please understand I contemplated about what I was going to do at least two weeks prior and I just knew I was going out with my friends in a great celebration to this historical and breath taking occasion. But, after I cast my vote on Tuesday something came over me. I felt as if I needed to be within myself and really think about what this moment means to me.

Of course, I thought about my ancestors or "humanities ancestors"...I thought about their foot prints that are forever imprinted in the dirt roads of American history. The roads that were once filled with the pain of submission and the agony of turmoil but are now filled with the celebration of a new day. I raise my glass to humanities ancestors for challenging democracy, for if they had not, America probably would not have stood at attention towards the ills of this country.

I thought about the door that has just opened as a result of the movement of Barack Obama. It is not just a door for Black people to say to their children that they can be president. But it is a door which released a healing in the lives of Americans. It begins to heal the pains of African-Americans, a pain which circulates like a brute force throughout the African-American community. It begins to heal White Americans because it creates a bridge of connection which the ills of this country has tried to knock down. It heals other cultures and also immigrants because it lets them know that America is not a lie. That America really does give life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to all citizens.

I am healing today. America is healing today. Humanity is being healed today.

Most importantly this movement and America's new president has heightened the spirit of hope. The spirit of hope can be stifled by the ills and pains of a person or of a country. But now the top has been lifted and hope is soaring. It is soaring to new heights and it does not just affect African-Americans, Whites, Hispanics, or Asians; it affects Americans. It affects Americans because when hope is soaring peace has no choice but to follow, joy has no choice but to follow, and love has no choice but to follow.

As Barack Obama is the commander in chief of this country; hope is presently the commander in chief of humanity. How long will it last? That can not be answered. I needed to be alone to make sure I was brave enough to submit myself to it. When one succumbs to the spirit of hope, you open yourself to possibilities of change. You change internally because you allow yourself to shun your fears, to release your pain, and to create your destiny.

I celebrate America this day. I feel closer to its soil and its mountain tops. I feel closer to its plains and its valleys. I feel closer to this dear land; the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Conditional Living

2008-10-14T07:57:00.001-07:00

I have not posted in a while because I started school over a month ago and I had to learn how to be smart again :) which is not easy. But I am back to posting weekly so please check back and tell your friends.

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So many people live their life based upon another person's condition. The conditions are bestowed upon us by friends, family, a lover, or society. Sometimes we recognize when this happens, but other times this detail seems to slip by us. When we do not recognize it, we become stressed, depressed, and uncomfortable because we are living a life that is not in direct line with our divine path. Think of a path in a park; its usually smooth dirt with a couple of rocks that you will approach with caution, so you watch your step, but if you go off the path there are trees, hidden holes, thick patches of grass, streams and ponds, and boulders that you must step over. A path is there to make life a little smoother.

But when we allow people to give us conditions, it takes us off of our path. For example, you may think... I know I can satisfy this person if I show them I am exciting (condition). I know I have made it once I buy a certain car (condition). When I get my doctorate, no one can deny my intelligence (condition). We will never be happy with ourselves nor the life we are living by having external conditions. Once one condition is satisfied, another condition is always born.

One of the reasons why most people in this country are in such bad shape is because of their conditional living. Too many people have lived their life based upon the conditions of an American Dream that they could not afford.

Please listen people, when you try to satisfy a condition that exists on the outside of yourself you are no longer taking care of the most important, which is your inner being. If your total being is only satisfied by the conditions that come from the outside, then your life will seem off balance.

You must know that your inner path is not cultivated by the conditions of your outer path. Your inner path is the only force that will lead to your happiness, your joy, and your peace.

Your inner being is a path that can only be traveled by you. So, you must nurture it with care, honesty, and self-fulfillment. You can not run away from your inner being no matter how big your house is, how fast your car goes, or how smart you think you are.

Walk down that inner path and allow your inner being to shine forth. Enjoy!

The Democratic National Convention (DNC)

2008-08-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

We all have fantasies. Those moments when we imagine ourselves being someone or doing something that would be a total outer body experience. Well, while watching the DNC last night, I had a fantasy that I was a politician giving a rousing and enthusiastic speech. Especially after the CNN commentators gave their opinion of the line up of speakers being boring and lack luster in their presentation of the focus of the Democratic party.

If I were there here is what I would say....

We are here on the edge of democracy working at the height of its definition. Democracy means a free and equal representation of people. Here is the time to make the "equal" a reality. This is the time to show how far we have come as Americans and to show the world that we are returning to the basic foundation which this land was supposed to be built upon. That foundation is filled with opportunity; opportunity for each American to be given the chance of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

But this foundational right can not be given to any American if it is not made available by the hands that are put in charge to mold this land into greatness.

There are new hands that are ready to make that foundational right available to all Americans. Those hands come from the Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Barack Obama has made plans to rebuild our economy so that we are able to rebuild our lives, Barack Obama has made plans to renew our health care system so that it is made available to all Americans not just the wealthy and middle working class, and also Barack Obama has made plans to finally fill the gaps of education that separates our communities.

The time is now for opportunity to begin in this country and for all people to have the rights to an equal pursuit of happiness.

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Thank you for sharing in my fantasy.

What is the Truth?

2008-08-17T17:18:00.000-07:00

I promised myself that I would update my blog every week but I do not write just to write. Writing to me is a way of giving a piece of my soul, so I wait for my soul to call for me to write on a particular topic. I know it sounds a little too heavy, but I figure if I consciously write to inspire, I will make a conscious effort to speak in the same way.

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I was watching the Oprah show and the show was addressing "The Face of Poverty".

I know there are a number of people that will not agree with what I am going to say but I welcome you to leave a comment. I am in Seminary and I am getting my masters in Divinity. I do not have a relationship with religion but I do have a relationship with God and Jesus Christ. I may not agree but I respect all different types of religions.

I know humanity will have to answer to God for the tests that God gives us daily as brothers and sisters on this earth and involved in this race. One of those tests is the plight of poverty. If I believe God is all powerful and provides blessings, then I must also believe that God allows ills to occur. There are some theologians, spiritualists, and God-fearing people that would disagree with me fully on this point. But I see God as a great parent that rears its children teaching them the way of the world and then backing off as they become adults to let them learn their way.

This world is not learning the way. What is the way?

The way is to look at the truth. I was not raised in the 60s or 70s, but it seems as though the truth was looked at and dealt with, most of the time it was faced with a fight, but they faced it. If the truth was not given to them, they went looking for it.

No one wants the truth anymore but they want their truth, the truth that makes them comfortable. The truth that makes them remain safe within themselves. This world distorts the truth so much through religious judgements, opinions, and mainstream media.

The truth is this country is full of poverty especially for African-Americans and Hispanics. We have television shows that talk about it but there are no shows that promote the action of doing something about it.

Poverty is a heavy monster that has roared for many years and it affects us all.

The truth is we do not have marches any longer to help promote awareness regarding poverty.

The truth is we do not have sufficient and dedicated programs to help create a change within people.

The truth is churches are now having a race to have the most buildings wrapped inside their iron gates.

The truth is we have reality shows that have nothing to do with most people's reality.

The truth is........well, as cliche as it sounds, we can not handle the truth.

We can not handle the fact that we have failed each other.

We have failed God's truth. God's truth basically is to take care of each other through actions of love, compassion, and understanding. But we have allowed our judgements, our biases, and our truths to stop us from doing that work.

God has his truth and its a perfect truth, so if he helped us based upon His truth we would all be living in complete hell. But instead he comes to us full of mercy, grace, understanding, and love.

Change is Inevitable

2008-08-04T23:30:00.000-07:00

Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better.
King Whitney Jr.
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I have been having a lot of conversations lately with people about CHANGE. It did not begin with speaking about change but the bottom line was being able to accept change. One of the most fascinating things that separate humans from animals, beyond rational thought, is the power of change. Animals must continue the same behavior, the same movement, and the same direction without hesitation. Humans are blessed with the beautiful choice of change!!! We can change our thinking, our behavior, and our mind. This is great because this means we are able to grow into something new, we are able to create and recreate, and we get a do over. We are able to rationally and actively change our lives!!!

How can such a beautiful thing become the center of discussions that are usually filled with hurt, pain, and confusion?

Well its simple, humans do not and are not able to accept the one thing that causes our waves to crash against our human shores. In other words, we can not accept the thing that helps to mold us into greatness.

Parents put their children in a box and plan their entire life before their 16th birthday and when it does not go as they planned, there is conflict. Friendships end because one person begins to change and the other person can not accept it. Civil uprisings occur because a certain people want change but they are forced to remain in a box by the government.

Why are most people scared of change within one another?

People believe that through the unfamiliar they will no longer be familiar. People become worried that what bonded them previously; whether it was doing a certain thing, having a certain pattern, or thinking a certain way; now that it has changed slightly, the relationship will change.

But, people must not be put in boxes and when you truly understand this notion, you allow people to change without hesitation. A true relationship, whether it is between family, friends, or lovers, will remain through the changes.

The more you are resistant to change within a person, the more you will stop the person from evolving which will eventually kill the relationship. What if you stopped a chicken from hatching and somehow you kept it in the egg, eventually it would die. This is exactly what happens if you physically, mentally, or emotionally hinder someone from changing. You kill them little by little as a result of the hurt and pain.

Change is scary and hurtful for everyone involved but when you as the receiver allow change to happen without conflict you allow love to flourish. Even if you are on the short end of the deal, such as a break up or you lose a friend.

For it is better to allow change and produce love, then to stop change and produce conflict. That love represents love for self and love for the other.

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This is dedicated to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for forcing the ideals of this country and its citizens to change.

INVISIBLE CHAINS - tribute to CNN BLACK IN AMERICA

2008-07-24T16:22:00.000-07:00

The Chains are no longer visible.
They are no longer made by iron causing us to tremble.
They no longer make an audible sound with the shuffle of feet,
and they no longer keep us from physical defeat.

The chains are now in our minds
causing our neurotransmitters to shoot blind.
These invisible chains make us think we are weak,
which then cause us to be a part of the streets.
The streets?.... They give us invisible chains you would not believe,
one that makes our souls sad and our hearts bleed

So, where do we go with these invisible chains,
when we can not visit memory lane?
A lane which gave us our chains as a child,
from the shoot ups, shoot outs and, tribulations and trials

How can this culture grow up and break thru
when the familiar pain of the chains is all we know to do

The pain from the chains is no longer causing our wrists and ankles to bleed,
but it is now causing our future to become bleak.

Because now it seems we are no longer running from
"The Man" but each other.

Tag Your It!!! You have the invisible chains on now, my brother.

A Crowd Is Not Needed

2008-07-15T07:34:00.000-07:00

I had a visit from a friend one afternoon and it was one of those conversations filled with laughter and insight. A conversation where you walk away feeling better about each problem in your life.

We began to talk about my birthday. I had a few friends come to the Walnut Room on a Thursday night (highly recommend) and we drank, danced, and laughed. There were about five friends of mine that were there and I had a very nice time. My visiting friend and I began to talk about how it feels good to reach a point in life where you do not have to be surrounded by a lot of people to have a good time, but you appreciate the time spent with friends. The people that know your good and bad, and still want to celebrate your life. You may not speak with them often but you still feel that friendship the next time you interact.

Whats great about this time of growth is that there are certain things you begin to appreciate and other things you could do without.

You begin to appreciate those intimate moments with friends and strangers, which hopefully you learn something new.

You begin to realize you do not need a booming system and flashing lights to feel fulfilled.

You begin to look forward to having a drink with a friend just because.

You stop realizing that you do not need to be seen by everyone but just by those that are important to you.

The best lesson of all, is that you figure out that time is not replaceable; the moments are precious and the minutes are few. So why waste time with people that do not add some type of value to your life or spend time worrying about things that only create thoughts full of conflict and unease.

Be at peace with your divine moments.

Each day add something that gives you peace.

Those things which do not give you peace release them whether its thoughts, people, or the past.

Cheers to the celebration of life!!!!!!!!

VALIDATION

2008-07-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

At the end of the day, every human being yearns for validation. Validation that their life on this earth is worth something. Validation that they are needed and appreciated. Toddlers test the strings of validation by getting attention from their parents through drawing a picture or playing with building blocks. The smile or clap they receive, validates their existence during these moments. We become friends with certain people because they validate us in some way whether its our lifestyle, our interests, or our purpose. Divorce, break ups, arguments, disgruntled co-workers, and wars occur most times because validation has not been exchanged.

I was watching a CNN report on South Korea which it summarized the history and present condition of this country. The report also mentioned how South Koreans have been molded to dislike Americans, and this attitude has been prevalent since the Vietnam War. South Korea has waved fear and intimidation over the US by parading its powerful army and very detailed nuclear system. As a result, this has caused the United States and other countries to stand and take notice. But this is South Korea's way of trying to get validation. In other words they are waving their hands like a child and screaming for attention. The fear and intimidation for South Korea, validates them as a powerful country. Recently they have began to dismantle their nuclear system, the Philharmonic Orchestra performed there which is huge, and they have started to allow the trade of American beef back into the country. Why all of these recent changes: validation has been given.

Validation says to people, you recognize me and appreciate my purpose on this earth. When that is not done then people begin to find ways to get it. A toddler has a tantrum, a spouse starts an argument, a youth turns to violence, or citizens of a country have an uprising. All of these scream look at me, tell me I am ok and I have a purpose here.

When it becomes complicated is when people continuously look for validation outside of themselves, and depend on a person, a car, a job, or success to bring them validation. True consistent validation can only come from the love of self and the defining of one's own purpose.

As you busy yourself with the fleeting things of this life, ask yourself where does my validation come from? and why?

The Barack Obama Nomination

2008-06-25T10:06:00.000-07:00

We are here in 2008 in a moment of truth and a moment of victory. A black man has been elected as a presidential nominee for the Democratic Party. Now we must ask these questions whose truth is it and whose victory?

First let’s look at truth.

The truth is that in 1965 African Americans were given the right to vote but alas when they reached the polling place they were turned away because they could not read. So that was a lie.

The truth is that slaves were deemed free with the Emancipation Proclamation. After African Americans were given that right they still had to fight for freedom; freedom for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. There were no provisions put in place to make that declaration of freedom actually available which made this truth actually a lie.

The truth is that Brown vs. the board of education was passed on May 1954. This made it possible for Black children everywhere to receive the same education as their white peers. It made it possible for books to finally stop becoming a symbol of luxury and change to a symbol of necessity. But this also made it possible to brush the educational inequalities more under the rug. So that truth was actually a lie.

The truth is that as a result of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Freedom Rides, and the Civil Rights movement we have made great strides in desegregating this country on all levels. The United States of America agreed to do what was needed to make sure segregation was no longer a monster in this country. But you can look no further than our schools and our neighborhoods and our work place to see how well that promise was kept. So that was a lie.

How does this country celebrate at this moment when it seems as if we have been continuously running on an engine of lies that have fueled the inner workings of this political system? How does this country celebrate when victory still seems available for a select few and hope for the masses.

Hope has nothing to do with color, religion, or status. For hope is not born out of the thread of success or the thread of acceptance. Hope is born out of the thread of pain, struggle, and the greatness of CHANGE.

So again, whose truth is it and whose victory is it?

Well, it’s the truth of humanity and the victory of hope.