Mariëlle

Little girls with dreams,become women with vision.

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Hello my gorgeous people!

It’s a new year and I”m totally exited to be opening thenew year with the second issue of Marielle.

Either way, I’m happy to be here and I’m excited to sharethe life lessons that I’ve learned in the last couple ofmonths. And I have to confess, as I was putting thecontent for the magazine together, I realized that I wasvery much in a student position the last couple ofmonths. I’ve been meeting amazing people, learning toshut up and listen, learning that it’s okay not to knowthe answer and learning to trust my intuition.

So this edition will not be packed to the rim withinterviews. Instead I think one could say that I was theinterviewee... You will find the things that made animpression on me. My hope and prayer for you is thatmy life lessons will resonate with you. And that they willleave an impression in your life.

Enjoy the mag and feel free to share your favoritearticles with the Marielle Magazine Facebook Fanpage.

LetterMariëlleFROM

Love, hugs ‘n kisses,Mariëlle

MariëlleTable of content

Surviving winter with cabbage

The AM reset button

The ABC’s of Happiness

Sunday is…

Mother- daughter book challenge

Equipping your child for life

Visionaries

The 42 principles of Ma’at

Serenity and I

Cynette Applewhite on spiritual parenting

Spiritual growth

6

8

10

18

24

26

28

34

36

39

46

When it comes to buying fruitsand veggies, it’s always recom-mended to buy the fruits andvegetables that are in season.Main reason being, that you getmore vitamins for your buck.But what winter veggies aregood for your body and easyon the taste buds? Well, cab-bage of course! With the largefamily of cabbage and contem-porary recipes, there is noreason that you cannot rack upon some fiber, Vitamin D,vitamin K, and peace at thedinner table.

Survingwinter

withcabbage

Green cabbageInstead of buying extra orangesfor the winter season, you mightwant to consider green cabbageas a significant source of vita-min C. Cabbage adds a stagger-ing 54% of your daily value ofvitamin C. Which is only 33%

less than a tangerine! To ensuremaximum absorption, eat thecabbage raw. They are greatways to add crunch to your

salad or stir fry.

Brussels SproutsA half cup of Brussels sproutsprovides as much as 81% of

your daily requirement of vitaminC and a staggering 137% of

your daily requirement of vitaminK. Add them to your meal byroasting them with some oliveoil and your favorite seasoning.Roast the baby cabbages until

they’re golden brown.

Purple CauliflowerThis psychedelic looking vegeta-ble is a must try this winter!

Purple cauliflower is fun to seefor kids, and is loaded with a

legion of good stuff! This purpleveggie is a good source of

dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitaminK, vitamin B6 and folate. Greatway to prepare purple cauliflow-

er is to sauté it with somecoconut oil and garlic.

KaleWith the art of juicing comingback to life, kale has become

the talk of the town. Praised forits health benefits, kale has

become a veggie superstar! Andlooking at the nutritional value,it’s no surprise! With one cup ofkale you get 206% of your dailydosage of vitamin A, 134% ofvitamin C, 6% iron and 684%

vitamin K! See, I told you… kaleis a superstar!

mind 8

My basic meditation practice is simple: I pray and depending on my day(and mood) I extend it with a walk, biking in nature or yoga. After havingfound the following exercise, I’ve also started to implement that into mymorning practice. And because It has enriched my morning meditationpractice, I’ve decided to share it with you.On the following page you will find positive emotions. Find the emotionsthat you are experiencing or would like to experience throughout theday. Think of different ways that you’d be able to remain in that stateof mind or how you’d be able to get into that space of mind.By reading these positive emotions, you will be able to put your life intoperspective. You will realize that you have much more positivity lockedinside of you. Journal about it and track your journey to becoming amore positive person!

The AMresetbutton

mind 9

daptableAdoredAdventurousAmbitiousAthleticAuthenticAwesome

eautifulBlessedBraveBrilliantBohemianBountiful

apableCaptivatingCharmingChicCleverCompetentConfidentCourageousCreative

aringDarlingDazzlingDecisiveDependableDeservingDesirableDistinguishedDreamyDynamic

latedEloquentEmpoweredEnchantingEnergizedEnterprisingEvolvingExquisiteEye-catching

abulousFascinatingFlawlessFoxyFriendly

enuineGloriousGlowingGorgeousGracious

appyHealthyHopefulHotHuggable

lluminatedImpressiveInsightfulInspiredInspiringInterestingIntriguingIntuitiveIrresistible

ubilantJoyful

issableKnowledge-able

evel-headedLiberatedLight-heartedLikeableLovedLovelyLovingLuckyLuminous

agicalMarvelousMasterfulMerryMindfulMotivated

iceNobleNomadicNoviceNurturing

ptimisticOverjoyed

assionatePeacefulPhenomenal

PlayfulPoisedPowerfulPresentProductive

adiantRegalRelaxedResourcefulRestedRevitalized

atisfiedSelf-assuredSereneSillySkillfulSophisticatedSparklingSpiritedStrongStudiousStylishSuccessfulSweet

alentedThoughtfulTranquilTremendousTriumphant

niqueUnshakableUnstoppableUplifted

aluableVibrantVisionaryVivacious

ell-roundedWhimsicalWiseWittyWonderfulWorthyWanderlust

enZealousZesty

The

ABC’s

of Happiness

CIt takes courage t

o endure

the sharp pains of

self

discovery, than c

hoose to

take the dull pain

of

unconsciousness th

at would

last the rest of o

ur lives.

Marianne Williamso

n

ourage

Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation.It means understanding that somethingis what it is and there’s got to bea way through it.

Michael J. Fox

cceptanceABIt takes courage to

endure the sharp painsof self discovery, thanchoose to take the dullpain of unconsciousnessthat would last the restof our lives.

Marianne Williamson

eing

DKeep what is worthkeeping and with thebreath of kindness blowthe rest away.

Dinah Craik

e-clutter G

DGFGenerosity is a practical expression of love.

Gary Inrig

enerosity

There are many ways to calm a negativeenergy without suppressing or fightingit. You recognize it, you smile to it,and you invite something nicer to comeup and replace it; you read some inspiringwords, you listen to a piece of beautifulmusic, you go somewhere in nature, or youdo some walking meditation.

Thich Nhat Hanh

nergyE

HBe so happy thatwhen others lookat you, theybecome happy too.

Rumi

appiness

I can forgive, but I cannotforget, is only another wayof saying, I will notforgive. Forgiveness ought tobe like a canceled note - tornin two, and burned up, so thatit never can be shown againstone.”

Henry Ward Beecher

aith

MLThe

intui

tive m

ind is

a sac

red gi

ft and

the ra

tional

mind

is a f

aithfu

l serv

ant.

We have

create

d a soc

iety th

at hono

rs the

servan

t and

has fo

rgotte

n the

gift.

Albert

Einst

ein

ntuition

I Joy is whathappens to uswhen we allowourselves torecognize howgood

thingsreally are.M a r i a n n eWilliamson

oyJKindness is a

language that thedeaf can hear andthe blind can

see.

Mark Twain

indnessKYour innerlight shineswhen you’reat peacew i t hyourself andthe worldaround you.Let go ofthe struggleand feel theb e a u t yinside you.Allow all tojust be andjust be you.

ight

Meditation is a process thatstills the mind in order tofacilitate sacred healing andgrowth. Meditation can and willorder your thinking andtherefore your mind. As we healthe broken and wounded placesthat exist in our hearts andminds, we grow mentally andemotionally. Mediation is,therefore, a tool for growth

Iyanla Vanzant

editation

N

MJ

R

It takes courage toendure the sharppains of selfdiscovery, thanchoose to take thedull pain ofunconsciousnessthat would last therest of our lives.

M a r i a n n eWilliamson

atiencePI only went out fora walk, and finallyconcluded to stayout till sundown,for going out, Ifound, was reallygoing in.

John Muir

atureNEmotions and thoughts andsensations, they come andgo. What is really ‘here’ isyou. Everything else is atourist. Everything else iscoming and going. You arethe witness of the comingand going. Once you know thatyou are not the thing whichis coming and going, peacewill prevail inside yourmind and heart.

Mooji

bserve

It takes courage toendure the sharppains of selfdiscovery, thanchoose to take thedull pain ofunconsciousnessthat would last therest of our lives.

M a r i a n n eWilliamson

atienceQ To rest is asacred act ofnourishmentand solacethat takescourage andtrust!

est

UTBe still and listen forguidance. Stillness is thelanguage God speaks andeverything else is a badtranslation.

Eckhart Tolle

tillnessSI suspect the most wecan hope for, and it'sno small hope, is thatwe never give up, thatwe never stop givingourselves permission totry to love and receivelove.

Elizabeth Strout

ogetherness

The first peace, which isthe most important, is thatwhich comes within thesouls of people when theyrealize their relationship,their oneness, with theuniverse and all itspowers, and when theyrealize that at the centerof the universe dwells theGreat Spirit, and that thiscenter is reallyeverywhere, it is withineach of us.

Black Elk

niverse

The true soldier

fights not because

he hates what is in

front of him, but

because he loves

what is behind him.

G.K. Chesterton

alue

V

UZ

We either makeo u r s e l v e smiserable or wemake ourselvesstrong. Theamount of work isthe same.

Carlos Castenada

orkWTrue yoga is not about theshape of your body, butthe shape of your life.Yoga is not to beperformed, yoga is to belived. Yoga doesn’t careabout what you have been,yoga cares about theperson you are becoming.Yoga is designed for a vastand profound purpose andfor it to be truly calledyoga, it’s essence must beembodied. Aadil Palkhivala

ogaYGod draws withstraight crookedlines.

Richard Scheenstra

ig zag

SUND

AYIS…

LOVE IS… SUNDAY MORNING

SUNDAY IS FOR CUDDLING

SUNDAY IS GREAT FOR MEDITATION IN NATURE

mind 24

Books are great tools to teach yourchild life lessons, spark a taste foradventure and expand their creativ-ity by reading captivating stories.To get an idea of what I’m talkingabout, I’ve picked two stories thatwill help your daughter express hercreativity and help you learn howto your daughter on herjourney to womanhood. Just bemindful of the fact that the experi-ence needs to bring you closer inunderstanding and supporting eachother. HAVE FUN!

Mother - daughterBook challenge

mind 25

byBoni Ashburn tells the storyof a little black girl whodoesn’t want to part wayswith her favorite dress. In-stead of giving the dressaway or throwing it out, hermom decides to re-purposethe dress into a ruffly shirt,tank top, skirt, scarf, pair ofsocks and finally, a hair bow.

Does yourchild have a favorite clothingitem that they do not wantto part ways with? If so,

your child in creatingtheir own DIY project byre-purposing that clothingitem.

In Jane O’Connor’s

, Fancy Nancywants to buy herself alace fan, but finds herselfwith limited funds. Shedecides to take mattersin her own hands, byselling some of her oldgowns and accessories inher front yard!

Bring thisbook to life byyour fashionista in open-ing her own fabulousfashion boutique! Em-brace your child’s per-spective and creativity inselling her fabulous out-fits!

Share @ Mariëlle Facebook community

Inspire us with your experience.We would LOVE to see your pictures and videos!

mind 26

Wanting the best for your child, issomething that all parents share.And that’s why we go out of ourway to provide for our children. Wegive them the things that we believethey cannot and should not livewithout. But while we’re trying tomake their future comfortable, weshouldn’t forget to stop and smellthe roses. Helping our childrenprepare for their future is important,but so is being a child. Just thinkabout it, our fondest childhoodmemory with our parents do notinvolve planning our future. Ourfondest moments involve our par-ents having their full attention onus.

There are times when you feellike the Jones’ are doingsomething better and biggerthan you are. Looking at otherpeople’s lives can be veryinspiring and might teach youa new trick or two, but itbecomes a problem whenyou’re constantly comparingyour life to theirs. Instead ofworrying about how you’regoing to finance your nextover-the-top family vacation,concentrate on the things thatare important to you andyour children.

It’s not serious! The grass isn’t greener

Equipping your child for life

mind 27

Equipping your child for life

Showing your child how to dealwith failure is one of the mostvaluable lessons that you canteach them. Life is filled withtwists and turns., and it isimportant for child to know thatfailure isn’t just a part of life,but they have what it takes torecover from it. Providing yourchild with the tools to recoverfrom disappointing situationshelps them understand theimportance of communication,healing and forgiveness. Notjust towards the other party butalso for themselves. Failing isnot the end of the story, it’sjust one chapter in their life.

You fall and get back up

Share with the Mariëlle Facebook community

mind 28

This issue’s visionary is Sister Idya. She isa kemetic yoga instructor, founder of ABreath of Fresh Air and co-founder of TheLibrary of Hope.

Visionaries

mind 29

What is the Library of Hope?Library of Hope is a resource center, a place thatprovides a space for educational activities, retreats,and workshops that are supported by initiativesdesigned to cultivate creative and critical thinkingskills for black learners throughout the Diaspora.

Why did you start Library of Hope?As my action statement for the 21st century andbeyond, The Library of Hope will create a sense ofeducational equity, cultural awareness, and racialuplift for diverse learners in the Caribbean region ofJamaica. It is a symbolic gesture of my love forcommunity building via engagements with the arts,technology, social justice, and human rights issuesconcerning women and children of color.

What is your vision for Library of Hope?My vision for the Library of Hope is that one day itwill be known as a collaborative center for educa-tors, artists, and writers who willingly share theirinsight and expertise with at-promise youths who arestriving in at-risk situations as a result of colonization.

Where is Library of Hope located?The Library of Hope is located in the lush hills ofLethe, Jamaica. It is about 15 minutes from theMontego Bay airport.

mind 30

How can people come into contact with

you and your organization?People can contact us via emaillibraryofhopejamaica@gmail.com or our Facebookand Instagram page. We also encourage people tovisit our GoFundme page to follow our progress aswell as to donate to

http://www.gofundme.com/8avt2w

Why should people get involved?People should get involved because this is historyin the making as it supports the cause for advancingthe education of black learners throughout theDiaspora. All of the programs including our commu-nity outreach initiatives promote and developliteracy and technology skills and are aligned withthe standards of education.

People should get involve because the Library ofHope is a grass roots project that is not funded byany government assistance. I took my life savingsan invested everything as means to see themanifestation of the Library of Hope. I am filled withkujichagulia (self-determination), nia (purpose), andimani (faith), in spite of the bumps that we haveencountered along the way.

mind 31

To fund this project, you started an

online fundraiser. Why did you choose

this medium?We chose this platform because it offers an onlinevenue for the world to see our mission andhopefully support our cause. It provided us with aplatform that allows others to follow our progressas well as a link for those interested in supportingour cause.

We are getting ready to launch our T-shirt Drive forthe Library of Hope through another online platform.I am excited about this because people will have anopportunity to own a piece of the Library of Hopein addition to sharing the message about our projectin Jamaica.

How has the response been towards

this project?The response towards our project was really goodat the beginning but seems to have come to a lullas a result of utilizing Facebook as our onlyplatform for advertising. That is why for 2015 weare seeking other social media outlets to get ourmessage out to the people and hopefully support.

mind 32

How can people come into contact with

you and your organization?People can contact us via emaillibraryofhopejamaica@gmail.com or our Facebookand Instagram page. We also encourage people tovisit our GoFundme page to follow our progress aswell as to donate to

http://www.gofundme.com/8avt2w

Why should people get involved?People should get involved because this is historyin the making as it supports the cause for advancingthe education of black learners throughout theDiaspora. All of the programs including our commu-nity outreach initiatives promote and developliteracy and technology skills and are aligned withthe standards of education.

People should get involve because the Library ofHope is a grass roots project that is not funded byany government assistance. I took my life savingsan invested everything as means to see themanifestation of the Library of Hope. I am filled withkujichagulia (self-determination), nia (purpose), andimani (faith), in spite of the bumps that we haveencountered along the way.

mind 33

To fund this project, you started an

online fundraiser. Why did you choose

this medium?We chose this platform because it offers an onlinevenue for the world to see our mission andhopefully support our cause. It provided us with aplatform that allows others to follow our progressas well as a link for those interested in supportingour cause.

We are getting ready to launch our T-shirt Drive forthe Library of Hope through another online platform.I am excited about this because people will have anopportunity to own a piece of the Library of Hopein addition to sharing the message about our projectin Jamaica.

How has the response been towards

this project?The response towards our project was really goodat the beginning but seems to have come to a lullas a result of utilizing Facebook as our onlyplatform for advertising. That is why for 2015 weare seeking other social media outlets to get ourmessage out to the people and hopefully support.

mind 34

When do you think that Library of

Hope will be able to open its doors to

the public?Originally the Library of Hope was to open up byApril 2015 but due to some financial setbacksexperienced in Jamaica we are now striving for April2016.

What’s the legacy you’re trying to leave

for the future generations?The inheritance of my legacy that I am leaving forfuture generations is for them to plant seeds ofempowerment, love, and accountability with eachother and may we never forget that “what (we) youdo today affects (our)your tomorrow”. The dynamicsof culture is prevalent where ever we are and evenmore prevalent in today’s diverse learning environ-ments. In depicting the Library of Hope as a toolfor teaching, learning, and leading, a gateway isprovided for educators, artists, and writers to affirmtheir strengths and capacities for educationalchange.

mind 35

“The Library of Hope will forever strive to

cultivate effective dispositions, knowledge,

and skills that will allow us to stand tall

as we rekindle and walk with the greatness

of our ancestors. Live, Dream, and Do.”

Sis. Idya

spirit 36

The

principles of Ma’at

Last year I became acquainted with a friend who taught me a lot aboutAfrican spirituality and Kemetism. One of the things that I have reallycome to appreciate are the 42 principles of Ma’at. According to theancient Egyptian belief system, Ma’at is the deity of order, peace,harmony and love. And these divine principles are found in her 42 laws.Often times people who practice Kemetism will recite her laws in themorning and evening as a form of meditation. Even though I do notrecite her divine laws on a regular basis, I can definitely see how herlaws make you aware of your actions throughout the day.

42

spirit 37

I. honor virtue2. I benefit with gratitude3. I am peaceful4. I respect the property of others5. I affirm that all life is sacred6. I give offerings that are genuine7. I live in truth8. I regard all altars with respect9. I speak with sincerity10. I consume only my fair share11. I offer words of good intent12. I relate in peace13. I honor animals with reverence14. I can be trusted15. I care for the earth16. I keep my own council17. I speak positively of others18. I remain in balance with myemotions19. I am trustful in my relation-ships20. I hold purity in high esteem21. I spread joy22. I do the best I can

23. I communicate with compas-sion24. I listen to opposing opinions25. I create harmony26. I invoke laughter27. I am open to love in variousforms28. I am forgiving29. I am kind30. I act respectfully of others31. I am accepting32. I follow my inner guidance33. I converse with awareness34. I do good35. I give blessings36. I keep the waters pure37. I speak with good intent38. I praise the Goddess and theGod39. I am humble40. I achieve with integrity41. I advance through my ownabilities42. I embrace the All

spirit 38

Coming full circle…

Serenity & I

spirit 39

Not too long after myhusband and I started dating, myhusband asked me if I’d be willingto move to the US with him. Withmy family living nearby, it wasn’t aneasy decision to make. However,when you’ve seen (too) manyromantic comedies - as I have -moving across the world for love issuper romantic and the ultimatelove declaration! So I said yes!

About 6 years later my husband’spaperwork was in order, and it wastime for part 1 of the immigrationprocess to begin: The hubster andour daughter were moving to theUS! The day that we’d been lookingforward to for so many years, hadfinally come. But it wasn’t half aseuphoric as we had imagined.Personally, I’ve categorized it as

!

My heart has been beating outsideits chest for the past two years.And there isn’t a day that goes bythat doesn’t hurt. Missing your

peoples is not an easy pill toswallow. It’s harsh and it feelspretty inhumane. But it has alsotaught me many lessons. One isthat I’m definitely stronger than Ithought I was. Living within theconfines of your comfort zonedoesn’t show you just how strongyou are. Now, I’m not trying to rackup emotional bodybuilding points,but it’s true. It’s not until you hithot water that you find out whatyou’re made of. And I needed toknow that I was strong. When myhusband and daughter left, I wasunder emotional construction. But Iwouldn’t have made half the deci-sions I’ve made, if we weren’t in thissituation. This situation forced meto stand on my two feet. Youcannot whine about changing,.you’ve got to change. And with nofamily to take care of, it was timefor me to embrace it and take careof myself.

The second lesson I learned, wasthat it’s never as bad as you thinkit is. Perspective is everything!Looking at your situation and beingupset at what you don’t have, willnever bring you what you do want.No matter how many tears I cry, itwill not make an immigration officerwork any harder. I need to wait myturn just like everyone else. Andwhile I’m waiting, I might as well

spirit 40

make it count for something. Youare never going to have theopportunity to get this currentmoment back. Why waste it onbeing a wallowing, narrow mindedmess? Knowing you’re strong is notjust about enduring a difficultsituation, it’s about truly living inthe face of adversity. Life goes on,put your big girl panties on andmake it a story worth telling yourgrand kids about!

Which brings me to lesson numberthree. I’ve learned that you cannottruly live unless you’re free. In theKemetic religion, there is a goddesswhose name is Ma’at. Ma’at is theancient Egyptian (Kemetic) conceptof truth, balance, order, law, moral-ity, and justice. And her symbol isthe feather. The story behind this,is that when you’ve passed away,Ma’at would weigh your heart to afeather. If you’re heart was as lightor lighter than a feather you hadlived a good and righteous life.And that’s pretty much what youshould be striving for. When yourheart is light, you’re able to makedecisions that enhance your life.Living light is not a matter ofhappiness, it’s a matter of beingaware and making conscious deci-sions that impact you and youcommunity in a positive and mean-ingful way.

I’ve been able to make room foracceptance and surrender. And I’vecome to appreciate simplicity. Mak-ing things (seem) complicated iswonderful for when you’re wallowingin self pity, but it’s hell when you’reactually trying to grow and develop.When you’re trying to grow, simplic-ity is your BFF! Keeping it simpledoesn’t mean not caring, it justmeans that you accept yourself ora situation for what it is, and youstop hoping that things could bedifferent.

My life isn’t the same as it used tobe. And even though I miss havingmy family with me, it’s okay. I havea new reality now. And when I openmy eyes to see the beauty of thepresent, I’m actually able to enjoythe ride. Accepting reality can seemharsh, but in actuality, it makesroom for new and beautiful experi-ences. It was when I was able tolet go of the past, accept what is,and surrender to the unknown, thatI was able to step into a state ofserenity.

Imagine that, there’s a whole newworld outside of my hurt. And it’sbeautiful!

body 41

Talking spiritual growth withauthor, therapist and spiritual

healer Cynette Applewhite

body 42

I am light… These are the words to one of my favorite songsand the words that I hope my children will be able to expressabout themselves. As a mother I try my best to provide mydaughter with an environment where she can see herself asan individual entity, connected with the world. I want her toknow that she’s not me, she’s not her family, nor the ideathat society has of her. She’s her own person and at thecore of who she is, she is light. I want her to find an identityin spirituality. One derived from personal experiences ratherthan someone telling her who she is. It’s not me telling herthat we believe a certain thing, but that she sees that peoplecan believe something different than her, without it becomingan either/other situation.

From the day I found out that we were expecting, I’ve beentrying to find ways to provide her with the wisdom that wouldget her to that space of enlightenment. As I have changed,my ideas have become more clear. During a conversationwith Cynette Applewhite, she showed me a picture of what Ihad envisioned.

Cynette is a therapist, author of three books and a spiritualhealer. She’s a sweet and calm soul with a beautiful smile.And I got to sit down with her and have her explain to mehow she’s able to incorporate her children in what shebelieves to be true. She was raised for several years by hergrandparents in the bayous of Moorhead, Mississippi. In thetime that she lived with them she learned a lot about theirspiritual practices. Her great grandmother was a NativeAmerican and her great grandfather was from Ghana. Shesays “the way I practice my African spirituality now, is mainlybecause of the example they gave me. I would see mygrandparents do things, and follow their example. Mygrandparents didn’t tell me this is what we do or tell me thatI needed to do something a certain way.” And that is exactlyhow she teaches her children. Here are some things that Ilearned from Cynette that I think might be of value to you.

Teachablemoments

“When I first started out in behavioral therapy, I had to work withadolescent sex offenders. I would have them tell me the story of theperpetration as a way to help them release the hurt and shame. Andeven though each story is different, they all had one thing in common:they hide and sneak when they are going to perpetrate. While telling methat part of the story, I would stop them and ask them why it was thatthey would sneak and hide when they were about to perpetrate. Andthey would always say because they knew it was wrong. What istranspiring in that moment is the communication with their God self.

I always isolate that moment of decision to show them that they havethe power to make a different decision and to show them the divineconnection between them and God. ‘Cause God was telling them not todo it.” And that’s how Cynette teaches her son. “You have to catch thosemoments when the spirit is talking to them.”

spirit 44

Teachingcharacter

Cynette explains that her mother is the newest Christian in their familyand likes to take her son to church. She says that she does not seethat as being in conflict with that she believes, because the teachingsof truth correlate with the teaching of yoga. For instance the teachingsof good character is found in both traditions. “So we can take out whatwe want to use.”

She tells about her son being stuck on the story about Jesus sowingseeds in good ground. She teaches him that Jesus was a great man,the son of God, and that he is too. She wants him to know thatimpeccable character is attainable if you can see it in your mind.

Each morning they do affirmations, and one of her son’s affirmationssays “I am like God”. Her son tells her that he’s like God because hecreates his day and then he goes on and says what plans he has forthe day. And they do that every single morning.

spirit 45

Conflictingbeliefs

She says: “For me I never felt that going to church was in conflict withmy beliefs. I believe that we’re all one. That we are all reflections of oneanother. And that’s what I teach my son. I constantly remind him thatthe only thing that separates us from each other, is our bodies. If ourbody weren’t, we would all be one.”

To clarify this she gives an example of water. She said “if you put waterin 3 different glasses and then poor them into one container, they’llbecome one body of water again.”

spirit 46

IdentityNow that her son is in public school and is communicating with childrenthat have different views, gets the opportunity to share his views andvice versa. When he’s had one of these experiences, he comes homeand asks her about it. But she’s not concerned about that, because sheaware that this type of conversation will happen each year. She knowsthat he will have challenges and questions from others, but they willdiscuss them as they come up.

She translates this concept in a simple and childlike manner that he canunderstand by explaining to him that he might like the color yellow andSally might like the color red, but that they can still be friends. Thisgives him something to fall back on when he finds himself in a similarsituation. “People don’t have to change just to get along.“

spirit 47

MaturityCynette has a friend whose kids are older. And this particular friend isfrom Africa. When her friend’s daughters were in middle school and highschool they sometimes didn’t want her to come out of the car whenshe wore her gele. Now that they’re in college they tell their mom thatthey like Ifa. They say: “I like knowing who I am and where I come from.This is my culture.” So they went through the different stages.

She goes on to say that she’s not attached to who her son becomes.She want him to be a good person, a healthy and whole person. Aslong as his character is good and he’s a happy, emotionally balancedman. She wants him to be a black man who’s going to contribute to hisfamily, community and nation. And not just a black nation. We arehumanity and must contribute to everybody, this is what she tells him.And she reminds him that his loyalty is first of all to The Black Nation.

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SP

IR

IT

UA

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G ROWT

WGrowing spiritually, means feedingyourself with the things that willstrenghthen your spirit. The Bibletalks about the fruits of the spiritthat should be evident if you’reliving ‘right’. In order to be in thatspace of mind, it’s important thatyou surround yourself with thosethings that bring you into that

space of mind. One way to do this,is by listening to certain types ofmusic. For me, India Arie and ErykhaBadu are my persons of interest.Their music is positive, inspirationaland spiritual. That’s why I would liketo share the words that haveinspired me these past months.

TH

I am not the pieces ofthe brokenness inside

I am not the mistakesI’ve made. I am light.

India ArieI Am Light

I’ve found strength, courageand wisdom. It’s been insideme all along.

India Ariestrength, courage & wisdom

I picks my friends like I pick my fruitAnd Granny told me that when I was only a

youthI don't walk around trying to be what I'm notI don't waste my time trying ta get what you

gotI work at pleasin' me cause I can't please you

and that's why I do what I doMy soul flies free like a willow tree

doo wee doo wee do wee

Erykha BaduApple Tree

Photo by: Michael Ryu

Bag lady you goin' hurt your backDraggin' all 'em bags like thatI guess nobody ever told you

All you must hold on toIs you, is you, is you

Erykha BaduBag lady

I took a swimIn the sea of guilt and misery

To find myself in an islandIn the middle of nowhere

In my solitudeI asked to know the highest truth

And what I was toldIs to let own self be true.

India ariewings of forgiveness

Love of my lifeYou are my friend

Love of my lifeI can depend

Love of my lifeWithout you, baby

It feels like a simple true love

Erykha Badulove of my life

Upcoming theme& deadline

April ‘15Theme: Black womanhoodDeadline: 31 March ‘15

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