Quote of the night

[SemiEnlightenedBum]

..cause 99%of all this doesn't exist,
thee observer changes the properties of the observed,
this is done with your mind,not with your words

-St.Germaine Williams

 

[KnowledgeIsQueen]

5-16-2013

"ACTIVITY: STOP EVERYTHING AND DO A MANTRA


Before you read any further, stop whatever you're doing and say the following ancient Egyptian Mantra: "Aum Pri Tee Zee Tu Fu."

Say it ten times out loud, and don't worry about who hears you. I'll explain why this is essential to your sense of self in just a minute. Don't read any further until you've done it.

Are you done? Did you make it ten? Did you not do it at all? Was it because you're lazy? Or skeptical? Did you read ahead? (smart) Or did you realize right away that this "mantra" was total gibberish? Was it the fact that none of those words looking anything like ancient Egyptian words? Or was it the fact that the mantra, when read aloud, says "I'm pretty easy to fool." I really hope you didn't say it ten times. If you did, consider it a blessing that you're reading this lesson.

Don't believe everything you hear, read, or even see with your own two eyes. People take advantage of those who do, and that is true whether you're in a church, a conscious group, or anywhere else. Always read the fine print. Always think twice. Always consider how something could be used to manipulate or exploit you, and make sure that naiveté doesn't cost you a ton of money, your health, your life, or your relationships.

One of the elements that may have snared a few readers into trying this out was the element of trust. You wouldn't think that we would mislead you. And we wouldn't. But you should always think critically, no matter who it's coming from. After all it might not be corruption; it might just be an honest mistake. Still doesn't mean you should go down with the ship. Another snare was the use of a "buzz word." Buzz words like "Egyptian," "mantra," and other "New Age" words tend to "turn off" our BS detector and have us wide open for some BS that's ten times worse. How else do you think people could leave a church and then end up in an Egyptian alien sex cult? If you don't get anything else out of this book, we just want people to think critically about everything. Together with applying what we learn, scientific thinking provides the foundation for successful personal and community development.

The catch phrase "the dumbing down of America" refers to the downward spiral in the education of the public. One result is that people have a poor understanding of the mechanics and language of science. Overall, this doesn't seem to affect the general public because only those who understand science are allowed to work with technology (the application of science), like all these great toys we depend on, from cars to cable. People don't have to understand the science behind these tools to use them, however - only to create them or improve them. If you're not concerned about either, you're good. But maybe not. There are far too many instances where our lack of scientific understanding can cripple or harm us. To understand why it is in our best interests to learn how to think scientifically and NOT in the best interests of the people in power for them to teach us how to do so, we need to explore the relationship between knowledge and belief.

Belief can give you a nice, warm fuzzy feeling, yet it isn't something that you should trust any aspect of your life with. For example, as youth, many of us were fed a belief in Santa Claus. Now that we're older, we know it was taught in order to encourage good behavior during the Winter season, and was then "verified" by the "miraculous" appearance of presents on Christmas Day. Belief is simply the acceptance of some statement or explanation without any requirement for proof. Typically, we'll grow out of "childhood" beliefs such as monsters under the bed, Santa Claus, or Tooth Fairies. Some don't and society labels them crazy. But what about the rest of us?

Consider this: The insidious truth is that these "childhood beliefs" are the training grounds for our later acceptance of adult beliefs (particularly religion, but also in politics, economics, etc.) You are taught to have faith (read: "don't ask any questions") that a person can see you all of the time, know your entire moral record and will reward or punish you at some point. Now tell me if I'm talking about Santa Claus or an invisible deity! In the Christmas scenario, the presents (or lack thereof) are attributed to Santa when, in reality, the end results comes from your parents. In religious contexts, good "things" or bad "things" are attributed to an invisible deity when, in reality they are simply the result of cause and effect in the natural world (and often directly the result of human agency).

According to conservative estimates 2.4 people get scammed each day. Not two adults and a small person, but an average of 2.4 people. This is because they choose to hinge their economic future on belief. It is the belief that some great "opportunity" will make them rich, and this isn't limited to pyramid schemes and such. If you take a casual look at the last century, you'll find no lack of people in religions and cults who were tricked out of their money, wives, and in some cases, even their lives. Yes, they were lied to, and there is certainly some victimization going on, yet the greater issue is that belief is like having sex without a condom. If the person has the cooties, you're going to get it also.

So you may be asking, "How can I not get cooties?" (unless, of course, you want cooties). Easy. You have to strap up with knowledge and information. Knowledge is your own personal awareness of the world, gained through direct interaction and experience. Knowledge deals with that which is detectable through your four senses. You can believe my car is red all you want. In fact, I may have told you that it was red. You may have actually read a story that said my car was red. Yet the only way that you will actually know if it is red, is to see it with your own two eyes and verify that it is my car. Now information can come from many sources: books, scientists, religions, etc. The key for you is to weigh the source because all sources are not created equal.

The Science of Self

~*Supreme Understanding

"Intelligence - Not because you think you know everything without questioning, but rather because you question everything you think you know."

 

[IronFist]

"Unhealthy People are like unhealthy food, they add unnecessary weight to your life"

 

[KnowledgeIsQueen]

5-19-2013

"It was because of my letters that I happened to stumble upon starting to acquire some kind of a homemade education.

I became increasingly frustrated at not being able to express what I wanted to convey in letters that I wrote, especially those to Mr. Elijah Muhammad. In the street, I had been the most articulate hustler out there. I had commanded attention when I said something. But now, trying to write simple English, I not only wasn’t articulate, I wasn’t even functional. How would I sound writing in slang, the way 1 would say it, something such as, “Look, daddy, let me pull your coat about a cat, Elijah Muhammad—”

Many who today hear me somewhere in person, or on television, or those who read something I’ve said, will think I went to school far beyond the eighth grade. This impression is due entirely to my prison studies.

It had really begun back in the Charlestown Prison, when Bimbi first made me feel envy of his stock of knowledge. Bimbi had always taken charge of any conversations he was in, and I had tried to emulate him. But every book I picked up had few sentences which didn’t contain anywhere from one to nearly all of the words that might as well have been in Chinese. When I just skipped those words, of course, I really ended up with little idea of what the book said. So I had come to the Norfolk Prison Colony still going through only book-reading motions. Pretty soon, I would have quit even these motions, unless I had received the motivation that I did.

I saw that the best thing I could do was get hold of a dictionary—to study, to learn some words. I was lucky enough to reason also that I should try to improve my penmanship. It was sad. I couldn’t even write in a straight line. It was both ideas together that moved me to request a dictionary along with some tablets and pencils from the Norfolk Prison Colony school.

I spent two days just riffling uncertainly through the dictionary’s pages. I’d never realized so many words existed! I didn’t know which words I needed to learn. Finally, just to start some kind of action, I began copying.

In my slow, painstaking, ragged handwriting, I copied into my tablet everything printed on that first page, down to the punctuation marks.

I believe it took me a day. Then, aloud, I read back, to myself, everything I’d written on the tablet. Over and over, aloud, to myself, I read my own handwriting.

I woke up the next morning, thinking about those words—immensely proud to realize that not only had I written so much at one time, but I’d written words that I never knew were in the world. Moreover, with a little effort, I also could remember what many of these words meant. I reviewed the words whose meanings I didn’t remember. Funny thing, from the dictionary first page right now, that “aardvark” springs to my mind. The dictionary had a picture of it, a long-tailed, long-eared, burrowing African mammal, which lives off termites caught by sticking out its tongue as an anteater does for ants.

I was so fascinated that I went on—I copied the dictionary’s next page. And the same experience came when I studied that. With every succeeding page, I also learned of people and places and events from history. Actually the dictionary is like a miniature encyclopedia. Finally the dictionary’s A section had filled a whole tablet—and I went on into the B’s. That was the way I started copying what eventually became the entire dictionary. It went a lot faster after so much practice helped me to pick up handwriting speed. Between what I wrote in my tablet, and writing letters, during the rest of my time in prison I would guess I wrote a million words.

I suppose it was inevitable that as my word-base broadened, I could for the first time pick up a book and read and now begin to understand what the book was saying. Anyone who has read a great deal can imagine the new world that opened. Let me tell you something: from then until I left that prison, in every free moment I had, if I was not reading in the library, I was reading on my bunk. You couldn’t have gotten me out of books with a wedge. Between Mr. Muhammad’s teachings, my correspondence, my visitors—usually Ella and Reginald—and my reading of books, months passed without my even thinking about being imprisoned. In fact, up to then, I never had been so truly free in my life."

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

~*Alex Haley



"Yes, I have cherished my "demagogue" role. I know that societies often have killed the people who have helped to change those societies. And if I can die having brought any light, having exposed any meaningful truth that will help to destroy the racist cancer that is malignant in the body of America - then, all of the credit is due to Allah. Only the mistakes have been mine."

 

[KnowledgeIsQueen]

5-21-2013

Will Smith once said, "If you’re fixated on obstacles they become harder to climb, get out of your own way." This is so profound because it is the reason why Player hateHERs lose their focus. A Player hateHER will focus much more on someone else’s success than on their own goals. To a person who is already insecure, this can lead to a whirlwind of player hating.

KATRINA: Have you ever sat down with one of your girlfriends and exchanged ideas about your plans and goals, only to find out later that she secretly hoped that all of your aspirations would NOT come true? Well, honey, beware! This hateHER has no obvious telltale signs of who she is, and the way she finally reveals herself to you is usually by accident and without her knowledge.

All of my life I have had the drive and determination to be successful. It was never just a dream, I made it my choice to be great and I was willing to put in all the hard work it took to make it a reality. Fear of success is what stops some women from achieving greatness. Their fear is greater than their confidence.

"I would have to agree that my fear of getting out
on my own held me back for years. I used to
criticize people for doing their thing until I realized
why. I was so afraid to try something other
than what I already knew that it made me angry.
It wasn’t until I took a leap of faith and started
my own business that I truly found happiness.
Now I’m successful and I always want to kick
myself for taking so long to just be me."

CLENCY, Pennsylvania

It is so easy to do when you make the commitment to YOU! I made a commitment to myself to be the best me possible. I started in school by majoring in communications because I knew that I would need those skills to work in the sports and entertainment business. Then I surrounded myself with positive people like my family and my best friends, who encouraged me to reach for my dreams. Having the support that I did helped me to overcome many of the setbacks that I had to endure during my pursuit for success.

In my line of work, contacts and networking is vital. I have had so much “funny” luck with some female contacts. For instance, there is a young lady whom I have known for a very long time. Let’s call her Kelly. Kelly saw how determined I was to grow my business. She would even tell me she admired my persistence, but for some reason I could not stop feeling as if Kelly secretly did not want me to attain the success I had been working toward all these years. Every time I would pursue an opportunity to advance my career with my management company, it seemed as if Kelly would try to talk me out of it. A couple of times I even considered staying in my “secure” job as a high school teacher collecting a decent, but steady paycheck . . . because after talking to Kelly it seemed like the right thing to do. There’s nothing wrong with maintaining a nine-to five, but I was dead set on working for myself. It was all I had ever dreamed of.

I’d always felt that I could start my own business and everything I did before forming my own company was just preparation. Tamara and I discussed forming a partnership
years ago. We wanted to create a record label that would promote great music for real artists, not the “Making the Band” artists that are flooding the airwaves now. We also had dreams of becoming fashion designers by creating a clothing line for the curvy woman.

We sat down many days and discussed big, big plans for the future and today we are living that future. We both have had several detours along the way, but we never ever gave up or thought that we weren’t going to achieve our goals. However, we did recognize where our support did and did not come from and we picked up on the subtle hints of jealousy from some of our friends.

And I don’t think it’s so much that they didn’t want us to succeed as it is they were projecting their own fears and insecurities upon us. For example, someone with low self-esteem and an insecure attitude does not possess the determination it takes to do some of the things I have set out to do and completed. What they don’t know is that in spite of my fears, I tried. And that’s the first step.

"I don’t have many friends, especially female
friends. I find that females are usually jealous
and judgmental. I think it is better to just be
alone than deal with all of the nonsense."

FLORA, Florida

Unfortunately, Flora can’t recall a positive female relationship to draw strength from. After corresponding with her, we learned that she doesn’t have a great relationship with her mother and doesn’t have any sisters. This could be a big part of her unfortunate attitude toward women. It is possible that Flora doesn’t feel comfortable interacting with women because she’s never really had to.

When you have a bad experience—or should we say a player-hating experience—with a female not everyone will react the same or feel the same as you, so be mindful. Another thing to think about: when others hear good news, they may pat you on the back, give you a hug, and congratulate you over and over as if they, too, had achieved this success. But the Player hateHER appears to be reserved, smiles (fake), and says something such as: “That’s nice, has anybody seen my purse?”

TAMARA: Unfortunately, insecurity is innate for many women. Some of us are more sure of ourselves than others, but we are all insecure in some way.

During my time in the entertainment industry, my upbeat personality always stood out. I was always considered the “nice one” in SWV. I didn’t have the strongest voice, but my positive attitude helped me stay afloat in the music business. I could make the devil feel loved. This didn’t always sit well with the other members of the group. They often felt like they were being criticized and that no one ever saw my indiscretions. And the other girls began to resent me. Sometimes it would get ugly. Let’s just say I spent many nights alone in my bunk on our tour bus just to have a break from all of the venom that was being spit.

One girlfriend of mine, I’ll call her Toni, told me about how she thought she’d found a good friend in someone only to find out that this so-called friend was out to get her from day one. Toni told me that this “friend” disguised herself very well. No one could tell her she was not on the straight and narrow. She called Toni daily, they would go out clubbing together, and it seemed like she was always there for her when Toni needed someone to confide in. Toni couldn’t ask for more. So she thought!

Toni learned the hard way that every chance this “friend” could get to dog out Toni, she would take it. At the same time this “friend” would talk about her behind her back. This girl actually told people that Toni had herpes! That was a low blow. When Toni tried to discuss the situation with this person, she became rude and defensive. I told Toni the bottom line was that her friend was jealous of her for some insane reason and that she needed to get as far away from her as possible. Until this girl realized that she had personal issues, she would always project her insecurities and fears onto someone else. In this girl’s mind, it was always someone else who was wrong and not her.

I understand where a lot of Toni’s alleged friend’s frustration came from, so my sensitive side would try to be there for her. This girl seemed to have plenty of friends, but she had been in several relationships that were not productive, her career was not working out the way she had thought it would, and she was heavily in debt. On the outside looking in, she resented Toni for following her dreams of opening her own nail salon. This is a classic example of “since I can’t do it, I’ll be damned if you do.” This woman deliberately befriended my friend with ill intentions.

Player hating can be premeditated and obvious, as it was in Toni’s story, or it can be covert. It is important to recognize the signs and deal with them appropriately. This leads to a very important point that needs to be clearly understood. Everyone makes their own choices. Some may be good and some may be bad, but ultimately one has to be prepared to stand behind every choice that one makes. Everything in life has its purpose. It’s up to you to believe that the path you have chosen was meant for you. Most women love to play the victim when the choices they make do not work out the way that they expect. If another woman’s choice seems to be more productive than your own, it can cause a resentment that can build into a messy catfight down the line. Learn to be content with the choices that you make whether good or bad because life is really what you make of it.

"I know someone who has decided to quit her job
to pursue other avenues. I felt like I was very
supportive of her efforts because I know how
hard and scary it must be to start a business,
especially for a black woman. After time passed,
this person found herself under a little bit of
pressure to get her business up and running.
She started to take everything so serious. She
didn’t want to joke around anymore. She was
always snappy and her attitude was the worst.
She hated on everyone around her because she
was having a hard time."

CATHERINE, North Carolina

For Catherine, it’s probably best for her to try to convince her friend to discuss how she feels about her situation with the people who are closest to her. They can help her get through her rough period. If she shuts out the world, it is easy to make a mountain out of a molehill. And we all know how women can escalate a simple no into a major “Hell NO!”

Nothing in life is perfect and you will run into some women who are just not happy with themselves no matter what. Don’t let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch. Do not prevent yourself from meeting a really good friend because you met one person that can’t handle a little adversity. Always foster someone else’s talents and dreams no matter how outlandish they may seem. You may not be rewarded instantaneously, but good actions are always noticed and will be reciprocated in time.

KATRINA: Ultimately, the hateHER is afraid that someone else will have the drive and tenacity to do something she herself can’t do. I have made several leaps into what I thought would be a successful career only to fall short. One attempt that comes to mind is the mail-order catalog business that I started and ended after a brief six-month stint. After receiving orders from no one but my immediate family members, I gave up. But from each of those ventures came a lesson learned. One Christmas Tamara got me a book on 101 careers you can start at home. I had to laugh because I didn’t realize my drive toward entrepreneurship was so apparent. She knew exactly what I was trying to accomplish in life, and she encouraged it...without me ever having to say a word. On the flip side, I’ve had other friends who had direct connections to someone who could possibly advance my career, but they never once offered to initiate some type of meeting or conversation between me and the contact. All I needed was an introduction; no one can sell me better than me. And the rest I would do on
my own.

Have faith that you will succeed, lift yourself up, but most importantly, lean on the friends who do support you. They will help you to combat the hateHERs, and every time they give an encouraging word, it’ll be right on time. But at the same time, your player-hating friend is obviously experiencing difficulties and dealing with some issues. So don’t cut her off, be there for her because she wants what you already have. On your way up the ladder of success, don’t forget to turn around and reach out a helping hand to other women on their way up. There’s room for us all at the top.

Player HateHer: How to Avoid the Beat Down and Live in a Drama-Free World

~*Tamara A. Johnson-George & Katrina R. Chambers

"Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It’s beyond me." ~*Zora Neale Hurston

 

[IronFist]

you familiar with density levels?

 

[malbaker86]

My dawg back in this bytch dropping knowledge (don't ask me how)

 

[IronFist]

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

[KnowledgeIsQueen]

you familiar with density levels?

Elborate please.

 

[IronFist]

Elborate please.

i believe it to be a concept as it relates to people (maybe just me) but it comes from a book called the prism of lyra

 

[KnowledgeIsQueen]

i believe it to be a concept as it relates to people (maybe just me) but it comes from a book called the prism of lyra

Very interesting!

I'm in the process of ordering the book from amazon. Thank you for sharing

 

[IronFist]

Very interesting!

I'm in the process of ordering the book from amazon. Thank you for sharing

not a problem, mama

 

[IronFist]

Knowing others is wisdom;
Knowing the self is enlightenment.
Mastering others requires force;
Mastering the self needs strength.
He who knows he has enough is rich.
Perseverance is a sign of willpower.
He who stays where he is endures.
To die but not to perish is to be eternally present. ----Tao 33

 

[SemiEnlightenedBum]

i had to post this in here for those that don't visit the Booth,this shyt touched my anahata

and the streets is like Leviathan's beast,eatin our kids
you know what it is,society's reverse psychology
the school system lied to me,feedin me trick knowledgery
**** it,i ain't preachin,you could take it or leave it
this is more for the babies,just hopin they receive it
the hood is hellfire,most of us die breathing
wasting our own potential,not knowin what we achievin
cause we can't believe it or see it,let alone be it..

for those interested here's the whole track

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahkvwr95X68]7 G.E.M.S. [Tragic Allies & Tragedy Khadafi] - "Aura Snatchers [Remix]" OFFICIAL VERSION - YouTube[/ame]

 

[IronFist]

Forgiveness is a power and art form that many still do not over-stand. It frees your mind from incessant internal dialog and confusion. It releases your spirit and allows your soul to rest in peace. It shares joy and peace to all those around you. Forgiveness means letting go of a past memory. It does not necessarily mean to forget a memory but it teaches us not to dwell on a memory and make it personal. This art is another discipline towards mastering mind and emotions. Many families and friendships are dissolved because of grievances and unresolved issues, most of which is trivial and not worth discussing anyway. Real power is the awareness of the divine within also known as divine love. Divine love is unconditional and all inclusive. Its foundation is so solid that no disagreement can break it. No argument can survive for any length of time. Tension can be released almost immediately by way of conscious breathing and meditation. Releasing tension of any form is the foundation to healthy living. When you are able to separate your thoughts and emotions from your/our true essence, you re-discover ultimate power. Ultimate power is the Source and releases you from all desire and the prison of your mind​

Ironfist