Belly dance fitness =)

My belly dance work out for the day--It did work me! but it was fun...
~Im determined to hold up my legs by my abs before it's done (seen in Part 3 towards the end)
And remember to SMILE!

Do less...to do more.

A CRITICAL Reminder ladies--it could be life or death.

Sometimes you have to delegate. Sometimes you have to lock yourself in your office, your room, your space.

You ever heard of working smarter, not harder?

Honestly, who wants to be running in place?

Dont Underestimate the Power of Hair

OHHHH EMMM GEEEE!

So I've just discovered the sercret to unblocking the spiritual and mental clogs at the root of your creativity ruts, physical fatigue, mental slowdowns and that are overall holding you back!!!

Take GREAT care of your hair....no like, really.

It sounds simple. It sounds silly, but its absolutely true. OK so maybe taking care of one's crown and glory has to be done in tandem with other important things to experience full results, but let's not underestimate the power of our hair.

I say this because I JUST recently started my locs (I'm embarking on my loc journey!!). Prior to my locs, I've always had a lot of hair. I went totally natural in 12th grade, and that summer is when i decided to wear my scarf officially. I guess that combination resulted in a lackluster A.T. towards my hair. (Ironiccally, in h.s. i was obsessed with the appearance of my hair--truly the other extreme). As an Au Natural, people might ask me, "what do you do for your hair to keep it so full?", and I'd be thinking "nothin :/"  I kept it clean, semi-moisturized (I didn't even moisturize as much as I probably should have), sometimes braided, sometimes bumped, occasionally a color here and there, but thats about it. (That actually sounds like a lot--I assure you it wasn't. No matter how much I wish I WERE in this moment, I simply was NOT that fly sista always in the salon or with a new hairstyle everyother week!)

But, as y'all well know, change happens. Right in line with my enhanced awarenee and expression of my womanlyhoodness (lol! like why I started this blog)...I knew i had to do SOMETHING for, with, to my hair, and that it needed to be nurtured and cared for on a regular consistent basis. Flash forward---> I got twisties last Sunday to start my locs.

Like honestly, I woke up the next day a different person....hella weird. I felt clear, I felt strong, I felt powerful, I felt like "I'm owning this!!"..."this" being my life, my temple, my destiny. I feel womanly, I feel sexy, I feel fierce, I feel RENEWED, I feel like there's less in the way between me and peace...Something about cultivation of the hair communicates cultivation for the soul, in such a major way...and I think that's why, as we can see in the movie "Good Hair", a sista's hairdo is such a big deal. So anyway I think great hair care has several facets--hair should be healthy, clean, moisturized, styled (take the time to see what it wants to say to you and the world each day--or most days, you're allowed a day or two of "hell, who cares"...lol), and most important....it must be loved!

Blissful Body

"Here in this body are the sacred rivers; here are the Sun and the Moon, as well as all the pilgrimage places...I have not encountered another temple as blissful as my own body." ~Saraha

Peace and blessings beautiful ladies, just a reminder, based on throughts caressing my dome as of late:

Our body is our temple...Lets be EVER aware of what we put inside of it, how we're moving it (or allowing the blood to move through it), how we adorn it, keep it clean, nurtured and cared for...

I thought about our sacred places of worship, and how we respect them. We wouldnt dare defile them. One wouldn't fill a mosque, church or ashram with garbage, harmful substances, or the like--we want the places we go to perform our worship to reflect the purity, cleanliness and reverance we bring to the endeavor...

Likewise the way we treat our bodies should reflect the reverance we bring to living, for our bodies are our pathways--our vehicles--to experiencing this earthly life and to LIVING our sacred commune--in a practical way. I can pray to God with my heart and mind but if I neglect doing a good deed for my family or neighbor, or am in the habit of stealing, or simply am not using my body to SERVE humanity and right endeavors, then a major part of worship is not being fulfilled. Hence our bodies are a means to the bliss that will fill the Soul and can encompass the spirit...

Besides, it just feels greeeat to pamper yourself....feed your vessel wholesome things that will propel and re-energize it: take an aromatic bubble bath, rub yourself in scented oils and lotions that make your skin feel silky and soft, clean out those cuticles, enroll in that dance class that'll make you feel ALIVE!, learn some fresh veggie-laden and delcious recipes, tell your body you love it, treat it like you do, and give thanks that it honorably carries your essence through this journey.

POWER! words...

Another fun, and very rewarding activity I recently engaged in was jotting down my POWER words--these are words that my Soul is reaching for and are importnat for me in my development. It was an intuitive--gutinstinct pull towards these words, I didn't have to think, just feeeeel. When some words would come up, I dug deeper and said "no"--that's not what I need, what am I searching for? what is making my smile and my toes curl?...these are my POWER words (for my sacred being)--that give me strength, nutrition and direction....

round. love. sensual. full. sacred. feminine. water. moisture. smooth. divine. colorful. swirls, curls, vibrant, vital. life. blood. orange. red.  purple. pink. thanks. grace. heat. stimulation. movement. circulation. motion. dance. swing. power. bold. glory to God. pretty,.beauty. sanctuary. garden. flowers.  trees. air, breath. breathe. inhale. exhale. release. clean. pure. natural. organic. sizzling. womb.hood. cultivation. earth. seed. lovemaking (not warmaking or indifference). moon. sun. light. warmth. pigment. silky. skin. rest.

Make YOUR list....read it....watch what happens...

Loving the precious Self Pt. 1

Healing. yes, we're gonna heeeeaall together. Im in the --- throes of a lifestyle revamp. And--naturally--thinking on some thangs....
we get run down so easily as women, we get insecure, we get anxious, we get jealous, sometimes we panic, or feel scared, or suddenly feel so very isolated from our truest, joyful self, we get physically ill, mentally confused and spiritually disconnected (maybe in the reverse order)...I've been feeling all these things in varying degrees lately. And one morning recently, I got still--very still--and The Peace (that never left in the first place :) ) became known to me again, and I jotted down my inlking thinklings....lets share this journey together---its so exciting and fuuun!

With God's Name
My recommittment to being a Sacred Woman.
1) Gratiitude--when I look in the mirror, consciously embrace and give thanks for my being and my vessel.
2) Meditate--get quiet and let go of all the hurt. Allow my/yourself to go within and explore how you feel. Research your mind and heart's history and acknowledge the "pains" as well as the "whys." Tell yourself its ok. And slowly release it. Yes, Breaaathe it out of your system--forgiving yourself and others.
a) Note about deepbreathing--let your sstomach rise fully at your inhale and recline at your exhale--sweeping the air (and the mental bacteria) from the floors of your stomach and out of your internal environment.
3) A recommittment to cleansing of impure and unpleasant thoughts (feeling negative about someone else or yourself) on a regular basis--outside of meditation but "in the moment". We have to look @ our thoughts as PHYSICAL phenomena, if we're overrun w. bad bacteria, our bodies will get sick, period. IMAGINE what unclean thoughts do to out psyche, spirit, and body eventually as well!! :( :( :(. Lets make a committment to cleanse ourselves. and ask God to show us how--oh yes! bring The Creator into it--no way will we succeed without doing so--thats more than half the battle right there. Let go of fear, "I cant's" and all that disempowers and de-energizes you...

That concludes the first traverse on this VERY nourishing trip...To be continued,..Stay tuned for our next Session on DEALING W. JEALOUSY and INFUSING JOOYYY into our lives...!
=)

I promise myself...

"I promise myself to live by the authority of my own soul today and to practice being my own best friend and motivator...I promise not to hide out or play it safe, but to bring my open heart and Master mind to each moment with confidence. I promise to believe in myself and in the genius of my people.

I promise myself to live this day with joy and enthusiasm, to allow only love and light to flow through me no matter who or what life sends my way. Everywhere I look I will see beauty and possibility, and I let my light shine in service to my people, giving joyfully from a full-cup.

I promise myself to remember that every circumstance is a pathway to God, that every crisis is temporary and lasts not a moment longer than it takes for me to surrender it to God and ask for a divine solution.

I promise myself to remain faithfully aware that God is always here, with and withib me. That no matter what the question, God is the answer. No matter what the need, God is the fulfillment. I promise myself to
remember."
~Susan L. Taylor

What's your DIVA?!

DIVA!

I never really took to this word. I've always seen a "Diva" as someone full on themselves, lots of A.T., not a lot of humility....But today, all of a sudden, I started feeling differently...(an aha! moment?)....maybe Diva can be that aspect of WOMAN that fiercely loves herself....is unchanging and essential. The part thats been around for decades and effortlessly "knows" and sparkles luminously. She enables you--to be cute. and fun! a lil spunky. creative. spontaneous. and dramatically feminine....

Sooo, then I do a lil research, and the dictionary tells us that Diva means "a female version of a hustla"......sike! ;P It says "distinguished singer" or "prima donna." (Right, right.) Buuut, the word comes from Latin and has roots in Italian as well. In Italian, diva means "goddess, fine lady." In Latin it means "goddess" and was the feminine of "divus", which meant "divine." Whenever I read or hear "goddess" or "divine woman", I like to think: The woman that is in love with her true essence (and all that gives it expression)...and very much connected w. the spirit of God which works through her! She does indeed, love herself.

So---I definietly think Ms. diva has her place in personality. But naturally, she must be kept in check :) Reigned in with the knowledge that--every female has one. As a matter of fact, every diva is a part of a larger undivided Association of Divas! So--no 1 diva better than the next!

;-)

What does your diva share and express?

sisterhood pt. 1

With God's Name

Question: Since when did it become popular to be that "I-don't-really-get-along-w.-other-females " sista?

This must be one of the most oft-repeated phrases I hear from young ladies (and sometimes older ones too), and it's always interesting when I hear it. 'cause its said with an air of "this makes me kinda cool", "this makes me dfferent", "this makes me edgy"....But I always just walk away feeling sad that its become the cool thing to not like other woman, not feel the need to address an obvious imbalance in the harmony-equation , and instead, actually be proud of the circumstance. Something that should be viewed as an obstacle or challenge with an attainable resolution, is tossed around casually as if to earn bragging rights...hmmm, interesting indeed.

I think the most profound changes take place when we examine our mental frameworks (the thoughts, feeling and attitudes that shape our patterns), reassess if they are actually healthy and true, and consciously make the necessary shifts (replacing ill, non-productive thoughts with positive, true, productive ones). And paying attention to the subtle, silent killers--like nonchalance, apathy, or arrogance--makes all the difference. Since when did we NOT CARE about the negative state of any type of relationshp, let alone that of our sisters--our gender buddies. The entity that effortlessly shares collective stories and secrets that can only be known and felt by another real deal girl :-) Ya know--like that moment you crossed the threshhold from the courtyard of girldom to the palace of womanhood. Or how about how it felt to be kissed by your special guy for the first time ? How can you downplay and forfeit all these special, estrogen-ridden experiences?--Like doing eachother's hair, or swapping jewelry and outfit pieces so yall can look fly for that event no one wants to miss!, or talking for hours about love and hopes and dreams, or learning those crazy dance moves from the latest music video, or just actin silly, or being that shoulder and tissue-hander when boy problems show their inevitable face. It just wouldn't be right. It's too much fun you'd miss. Too much love you wouldn't get (that rhymed:) ) and it it just wouldn't fit (ha!)

Seriosly though, let's not let what's feels cute at the moment, destroy our blessings and God-given connections. Everything has a purpose and has it's place. Now, instead of shrugging off the difficulties that can come w. interacting with women, why don't we take the pro-active approach and try and get to the bottom of it, and in process heal ourselves and our relatioships...more on that to come....

Guess What????

I'm getting married!!!! [Godwilling]

Details to come...

Work it Sis!

Wow. I literally feel like the art of "living" can be exhausting. Im sooo tired. More so, mentally and emotionally, than physically. There's always so much going on. I live in a house with 6 other people, 3 of them young boys (.....the definition of whirlwind, I constantly feel Im spinning at top speed on my axis). There's a lot of noise. There's a lot of sparring. There's a lot of laughter. There's a lot of love....There just a lot of...A LOT. lol And there are a lot of endeavors I'm currently engaged in...in order to exist in all that I am; a full woman. This is the epitome of being a woman these days...doing so much while trying to stay centered.

So in the midst of it all, I've been picking up tips from the women I admire, and anyone who knows a little something about making it all work. I've picked up some things of value, such as the power and art of routine. A quote I recently read in an email a friend sent: "Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit."~ Aristotle

It is reported that Muhammd the Prophet, prayers and peace be upon him, said: "O people, perform only those acts which you have strength, because God is not afraid of giving rewards until you are fed up. God likes best the act which is done consistently, even if it may be ordinary."

I think the theme here is consistency. Declare a goal or many, and craft your life and shecdule so that you can be working a little towards it daily, or weekly, or whatever the consistent basis that you set up is. Now traditionally my problem with routine is that I'll carry it out for a couple days only to get restless, bored and feeling like I need some splash! some spice! Well a good friend of mine recently told me that its normal for the mind to eventually get used to a repetivie act and consequently, feel less engaged about it. Thats usually when we ditch it. But, he said, the trick here is to keep the ultimate goal, but employ a little variety in the means you go about accomplishing it. For example, Goal: Strengthen Arms--For ten consistent days do 10 reps of 15 lbs, then for the next ten days do pushups, then for the next ten days--choose another method, or go back to the first. It will keep things more spicy (lol) amidst the ordinary.

So, that was an important tidbit I wanted to share with my sistren, working hard, seeking the best life has to offer. It CAN work, we just have to work it! :-)

Sacred power of WE

We

its the only language I hear

and now speak.

the only steps I now dance

with you

...to the rythyms of love.

the entanglement of mind, body, soul

the dance of life and death and life once more.

this love song that vibrates throughout my inner cells 

and harmonizes with the beat, the strength of my heart.

the sacredness of the pair

tastes of the sweetest nectar

traveling the winds of resurrection and birth

carrying the blessed seeds

that swell and grace the earth.

flower petals descend about our heels

and we stand upon the crystal gateway

ascending the kingdom of magic

floating into the synchrony...

of we.

Lovers

With God's Name

As women, we are innate lovers. And our love shall extend to all things. It pains me deeply to hear about all the suffering occuring in various parts of the world. Whether it be the large sums of human beings driven to displacement camps in Sudan, or the little girl being abused in a "home" across the road from me. Though prayer is a powerful tool, many times I feel lost and confused when I can't seem to do more than pray.  And at this point, there's no other option BUT to do more. Putting an end to human suffering is what I was put on the earth to do. This I'm clear about. Honestly, I think we all share a role in that mission, and especially as mothers--lovers--caretakers--life-bearers. We have to remain committed and devoted to the giving and sustaining of life, on every level. Our bodies support the growth and development of life, unlike the male anatomy. A woman's fabric is warm, colorful and made of love, and shall cover the Earth, to protect her from the cold and harshest of winds. Winds that affect all of us. We are protectors, in our special way. Love-warriors.

On that note, I will always add information that speaks to this mission. I urge all of us to read, listen, and involve ourselves in the cause for humanity in any way.  Many times, the way of the moment will be a simple, yet heartfelt prayer. That counts. That 

keeps The Heart alive and connected.  Being seriously devoted to your own family counts. But let us never forget about the forgotten, the suppressed, the less-fortunate, the downtrodden. 

The situation is DIRE is Sudan, as ALL the Aid organizations were recently kicked out by President Omar El-Bashir, because a warrant was issued for his arrest by the International Criminal Court. Read Why Activism Still Matters for Sudan....AND What YOU Can Do.

http://www.enoughproject.org/publications/why-activism-still-matters-sudan

Quick Tidbit

With God's Name

Your life opens up the day you embrace that everything God has let happen to you, was done because of His utter, unquantifyable LOVE...for you.

Peace lovely ones,
I was thinking of you'all and wanted to stay connected. There's a lot going on internally and externally. I like to use the "box" analogy...in many ways I feel like my insides can be catagorized or "boxed"...for example, theres the career box, the romance box, the spirituality box, the leisure box, etc. etc.....but for a long time the spirituality contents were in the romance box, or the romance contents were in the career box...you get the picture. Things can be out of order on the inside. Using the wrong things to "fill" us. And of course, its not as simple as the box analogy in real life. Because there are some themes that should string throughout each box, that overlap and interchange. What I'm realizing is at the center of the equation is our relationship with The Higher Power--which expresses Itself in various forms and holds many names: The Peace...Pure Love...Truth. When we commit to experiencing this--irrespective of what happened in the past, or what's going on in our external lives--then assessments, cleansing and reogranization can occur. The turmoil starts to settle--so we can think. be still. listen. take survey. not from a place of panic, where we're trying to cover the discontent w. whatever we can get our hands on......Nothing can go in that Higher Power box but The actual Higher Power--when we come to anything else for the Peace that only The Source of All Peace can give--we end up dissapointed, disillusioned and confused. And because that box is in misuse, it throws everything else off. Conversely, if that box is given its proper contents: its proper respect, honor and attention--it enables the proper arrangement of all our stuff. Some things need to be cleaned and refurbished, some things thrown out.

When we feel The Peace thats inherent in our being (and give up looking outside for it, realizing we can't guarantee its staying power when it comes from the outside), we see things for what they are and what they should be. And we can make the necessary shifts. "Oh no!! I was pursuing law because I thought Daddy would be proud but...I don't really want to do this--I'm an artist"..."Oh my goodness--this man that I loved, and thought lovved me--treats me like CRAP!! I put up with this??" Aha!! Clicks, bells, whistles....the light is on. And you get passionate about living. Really living...

You realize you're here for a reason. Your Soul isn't just taking up space. Its come to add color/vibrancy, make an indent upon the Universe, shape the world towards Oneness and Love...Health and Well-Be.Ing. This is your service. Discharge--or perish inside.

me, Me, ME....

I have some thoughts to throw out there, because they're so intriguing to me:
Imagine there was a new machine or gadget or--something--that could generate and image of YOU  at 100% full capacity, utlizing and manifesting your FULL POTENTIAL!!!!

How would this look? What would you be doing? would you be a billionaire, touring and speaking all over the world, would you have found the cure for AIDS? Saved millions of lives, saved ten lives as a neuro-surgeon, or doing all these things at once....makes you wonder. They say possibilities are limitless. Perhaps potential is also. STILL, as individuals aren't our capacities finite? There's nothing in my inclination that would suggest that at my fullest capacity/potential I'd be a major-league hockey player. I just dont have the interest. But there is SOMETHING that MY mind/body and spirit is MEANT to excel at--and create change with. As indiviuals we are parts, vessels created to express some aspects of a WHOLE, a ONENESS that we cant begin to fathom. Perhaps the WHOLE I speak of is what is Infinite. Perhaps not. I don't know enough about it to delve.

But the thought of--"what am I at my highest capcaty?"--is just--staggering to me. It has expanded my mind. All the fears of--success--of BEING my bigest dream, are melting as a result of asking this question. Because there's an apsect of myself that has already identified with that person, IS that person. Its like my highest self is lovingly looking at the self I am now, holding out her arms as a mother would to child, and warmly motioning for it to come to her. And its not scary, cus its simply me, living as I'm truly supposed to be. As me--not Michele Obama, or Oprah Winfrey or Mohandes Ghandi, but Muminah Qadar. And allll of those people are GREAT because they're EXCELLING at being THEM. They are our examples of a high utlization of human potential, so we celebrate them. But we ALL have that in us. We can all stand sid-eby-side with them without a flinch because WE are GREATNESS as well. Some may utlize even more of their potential but live their lives never to become famous or known by the masses. But the work they've done has had an immeasurable impact on human life, in some form or fashion. And, I would imagine, has brought them a great deal of peace; if not in this life, then the next.

And thats success.

Just think on it, meditate on it, let it permeate ya brain cells. How would YOU look? Its already there....make it happen.

Peace be upon all. I created this blog to connect with other young women and discuss issues that are meaningful to us. It's really an extension of some written work I'm engaged in at the moment, a book for young women (13-21) who are looking for guidance, discussion and engagement about everything from sex, to love, motherhood, fighting, art and expression, purpose...etc. I hope to use whatever I've gained over the years, through experience and observing others, to facilitate an open discussion, the exchange of info and ideas, and coming to the right conclusions--together. I love women (not to the exclusion of men, but w. a common understanding that I don't have w. a man :)] and pray we can be all that SHE--our best self--is: loving, kind, intelligent, fulfilled, nurtuting, nurtured, bright, wise and shining in her special, distinct essence...with the will and help of God, The Most High.
Peace.