I Got Issues

Sunday, June 9, 2019

Meditation – To Do Or Not To Do. What is the Question?

Looks like more and more people are turning to mediation as a way to cope with everyday life and/or as a way to finding answers to purpose and the secret of life. As an avid Vipassana meditator, I found the attached article posted in NewScientist very interesting.

What I found most interesting is the claim that 1/4 of the participants in the study reports "experienc[ing]e negative mental states", and that "those who only engaged in deconstructive types of meditation, such as Vipassanā and Zen Buddhist meditation, were more likely to report negative mental states than those who only practised other types, such as mindfulness." The mental states mentioned are "fear" and "anxiety". As a society most everything that we do is motivated by fear or anxiety. Fear or anxiety of what might or might not happen. We get insurance out of fear of what could happen. We suffer anxiety over what could happen, i.e ., rejection, loss of a loved one, etc.

What most people don't understand is that Vipassana and Zen techniques are designed to primarily purge the brain of negative reinforcements to behaviors/emotions that don't serve the body well , ie fear, anxiety, hate, craving etc. The very fact that negative thoughts surfaces is exactly what the techniques were designed to do.

Also what most people don't know is that the body stores every reaction to every experience it encounters to the body as a memory in the brain or the part of the body that is affected by external force. So you are in fact training your body/brain how to react should that experience happen again. Every time you experience that situation you automatically react the same way, i.e. rejection: your heart aches, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, difficulty breathing etc. Fear of losing your job brings about anxiety of losing the ability to care for yourself financially. By unearthing these emotions, the individual is now able to apply the other portion of the technique which is to observe the emotion/symptom without reacting to it.

By so doing they starve the emotion/symptom of energy that is essential to its existence. As a result the emotion/symptoms is removed from the brain and body and the next time they experience rejection they will remain neutral. The absence of this step renders the technique ineffective. By purging the brain of automatic responses, you're now able to control your responses in a healthy way. However you have to make a conscious effort to choose your response wisely otherwise you run the risk of creating a response which will promote misery.

Clearly the participants who reported negative mental states stopped short of applying the technique in its entirety or properly. Vipassana is in no way a walk in the park. While simple in its application - focusing on the breath - it is a two-step process. It is a very intense process as it requires focus to keep the mind from wondering. It is an internal struggle that reveals a person’s true nature/self. At times the revelation can be quite surprising to the person themselves. It's not easy to discover the truth about yourself especially when the revealer is yourself and the revelation is less than desirable. There is no one pointing out your faults besides you.

I once heard that the worst thing that could happen to a person who is incarcerated is to be placed in solitary confinement. I now understand why. It is because they are left to face who they are with no distractions and are forced to acknowledge who they really are. There is no one to blame and they must take responsibility for who they are and what they have done. Most times than not they don't like who they are.

Meditation is the key to riding the body and mind of impure thoughts and emotions which is responsible for sickness and diseases. Meditation, when applied properly restores the body perfect state - mentally and otherwise.

My advice to anyone undertaking meditation is to choose wisely, make a commitment to follow the technique properly, and be kind to yourself. It takes time to undo what you've done to yourself over the years. It won't and can't be undone overnight. Keep working intelligently, patiently, persistently, diligently and you will succeed. I'm just saying - I got issues. What about you?)i(

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2202323-a-quarter-of-people-who-meditate-experience-negative-mental-states/amp/

#higherconsciousness #consciousthinking #yah #yahsdaughter863 #powerfulmind #mythology #religion #realtalk #realtalk💯 #spirituality #spiritual #spiritualawakening #higherpower #igotissues #yaminah #behappy #truth #wakeup #takeresponsibility #destiny #potentiality #facts #yaminah89 #iam #iloveme #ilovebnme #focus #lifestylechanges #acceptyourself #universe #knowledgeisthekey #vipassana #meditation #zen

The views and opinions shared here are by the Author and are the property of I Got Issues, Inc.

A Test of My Resolve

Yesterday was truly a test of my faith but I am happy to report that I did not waiver nor did I buckle under the pressure. Three separate incidents tried my faith beyond measure. Just goes to show that it's not enough to talk the talk. You have to walk the walk. Choosing to let stuff unfold without reacting is by far the toughest thing to do however the satisfaction it brings is priceless. True peace from within requires it. No, it demands it! This path I am on may become a lonely journey at times but that's okay. There is nothing or no one worth losing my peace for. No one. My prayer is that you too become this dedicated to protecting your peace. I'm just saying - I got issues. What about you?)i(

The views and opinions shared here are by the Author and are the property of I Got Issues, Inc.

Spiritually Linked

Sometimes you meet someone who you are attracted to physically but the more you get to know them you realize their spiritual beliefs contrast or conflicts with yours or that they really don't have a personal relationship with the Creator. They are just blindly following religious traditions and/or rituals. It's evident that their life is stagnate - no growth and no "fruit" to speak of. Their faith is weak so nothing happens. Moreover, they can't even explain - in their own words - what they believe in or why they do what they do. No matter your convictions, you should - at the very least - be able to articulate your beliefs and you don't necessarily need to quote scriptures to do that. May you be so rooted and grounded in your spiritual beliefs that not only can you articulate it but your life also manifest the results of your beliefs. I'm just saying - I got issues. What about you? )i(

The views and opinions shared here are by the Author and are the property of I Got Issues, Inc.

Roe v Wade - Trouble on the Horizon

m/2018/09/05/politics/kavanaugh-roe-v-wade-planned-parenthood-casey/index.html

With all the hoopla and uproar over the recent turn of events involving Planned Parenthood and the new abortion laws that various states across the country are passing that seems to threaten the overturn of Roe vs Wade, I could not help but reflect on a conversation I had with a friend several years ago. It was around the time when I was heavily into my blogging. My friend was very impressed with my writing skills and felt he had the ideal subject for my next blog. He claimed it would put me on the “map”. Said he could not trust just anybody with it and felt I would get his point across. But first he had to ask me a question. He wanted to know if I could guess what the number one killer of Black people was? He quickly added that it was not diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or even police shootings. “Well damn!!” I though. “That really don’t leave much else.” Fact is I was leaning towards police shootings but he took that off the table. So after finally admitting that I had no clue, he informed me that it was abortions. He said that more Black people were killed every day through abortions than any of the other things he mentioned. He went on to share some other things but to me it was coming from a racially motivated stand point. As a rule of thumb I try to steer clear of racially charge subjects. Anyway I decided to hear him out and was actually game about writing the piece but after doing the research I decided against it. Why? Well I’m glad you asked. First off I was not as racially motivated as he was and secondly I found that at the time White women were having abortions at a higher rate compared to Black women.

https://world.wng.org/2005/02/abortion_by_race

Unfortunately I did not think to save any of the diagrams I found in my research at the time but I do remember enough to recall that even combining the number of Black and Latino women who had abortions, the numbers were still lower than that of White Women.

https://www.guttmacher.org/united-states/abortion/demographics

According to Wikipedia, “The origins of Planned Parenthood date[s] [back] to October 16, 1916, when Margaret Sanger, her sister Ethel Byrne, and Fania Mindell opened the first birth control clinic in the U.S. in the Brownsville section of the New York borough of Brooklyn.” According to an online article in the Time FeifeiSun Jan 30, 2012, “Brownsville, located in east Brooklyn, has long been one of New York City’s most dangerous neighborhoods.” The headlines for the New York Daily News online article written by Rikki Reyna and Erin Durkin dated 3/26/17 also echoes that same sediment when they wrote “Brownsville is Brooklyn's worst neighborhood for children due to high poverty, lousy access to fresh food and day care.” So much for Planned Parenthood being introduced to help families overcome social obstacles.

https://prochoiceohio.org/state-choice-report/the-state-of-abortion/

https://www.liveaction.org/news/the-truth-behind-planned-parenthoods-abortion-marketshare/

http://www.theradiancefoundation.org/ppkkk/

Truth is Plan Parenthood was something that was put in place in minority neighborhoods as a way to reduce the number of black babies born – nothing else. Margaret Sanger was reported to once have said, “The most merciful thing that a family does to one of its infant members is to kill It.” and “A free race cannot be born of slave mothers.” She also referred to people of color as “weed that must be exterminated.” Is there any coincidence then that she was one of the founders of the very organization which perpetuated the killing of unborn babies across the country? In fact I just read another online article which gave more insight into the inner working of Margaret Sanger. Arina Grossu Director of the Center for Human Dignity at Family Research Council said in an article entitled Margaret Sanger, racist eugenicist extraordinaire, which appeared in The Washington Times on May 5, 2014, “Sanger shaped the eugenics movement in America and beyond in the 1930s and 1940s. Her views and those of her peers in the movement contributed to compulsory sterilization laws in 30 U.S. states that resulted in more than 60,000 sterilizations of vulnerable people, including people she considered "feeble-minded," "idiots" and "morons." The article was riddled with detail accounts of Sanger’s determination to eradicate the black race. Such as, “In a letter to Clarence Gable in 1939, Sanger wrote: "We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population, and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members" (Margaret Sanger commenting on the 'Negro Project' in a letter to Gamble, Dec. 10, 1939).” And my friend wonders why I no longer attend church. How can I – once I realize that preachers are commissioned to help lead us astray. But I digress from the issue at hand.

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/09/a-conservative-judge-takes-aim-at-roe-in-face-of-a-shifting-supreme-court/571006/

Last week I was speaking with another friend who shared something I had actually thought about but had not gotten around to verbalizing it to anyone yet. She said that she heard an activist share that the recent abortion laws like the Fetal Heartbeat law, which many of the states are implementing/adopting is nothing more than a way for White people to stop the aborting of White babies because they were afraid that their race was well on its way to extinction. Then just two days ago another friend send me a video interview of Jane Elliott where she was sharing that very same point of view. I am prone to believe Jane Elliott was that advocate my previous friend eluded to in her comment. Up until I got that video I had never heard of Jane Elliott. If I did I have no recollection of it. You may know her as a retired 3^rd grade school teacher who is known for her controversial “Blue eyes – Brown eyes” exercise which she conducted the day after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Others may know her as an anti-racism activist who speaks out against social injustice. The internet is littered with tons of information and speeches she has given.

After listening to much of what she had to say on the subject I am convinced more now than ever before that my initial summation of what is transpiring as it relates to abortion laws popping up all over the country, i.e. Georgia, Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, etc. It is an attempt to slow the decline of White people and nothing else. Just as legalizing marijuana after all these years was done purely for profits. How many black men are sitting in prison for possession of a nickel/dime bag? Sometimes even less. What makes marijuana safe all of a sudden when before it was given such a bad name? The weed is still a weed even if it’s just sitting there. Nothing changed about its properties. Many Reggae artists, including the Legendary Bob Marley, sang songs about the health benefits of using it, yet the powers that be turned a blind ear and continued to persecute those who would defy the law. Now all of a sudden it is “gold”. I saw a report on line which reports the marijuana industry is projected to clear Billions in sales. Billions!!!

https://janesdueprocess.org/blog/roe-v-wade-now/

So now that the White race is on the verge of extinction – it is projected that in another 30 years or so they will be way less of them – they now are trying to undo what was set in motion all those decades ago. What was introduced as a way to control minority races has turned out to be their destruction. The very tool they used to reduce minority races is proving to be their downfall. Make me think of an old saying, be careful what you wish for others because it might just come back to haunt you. Or this one, when you dig a ditch make sure you dig two. Karma really is a bitch or not. It all depends on which side of the spectrum you’re on. Karma is nothing more than the universe’s way of righting a wrong. Say what you want about life i.e., it’s not fair, it’s short, it’s tough, etc., but one thing for sure, what goes around comes around. If you live long enough you’ll be able to see the reward of the ______. Pay attention, stay vigilant, and don't get distracted. Everything is not as t seems. I’m just saying – I got issues. What about you? )i(

For more information on abortion visit abort73.com

The views and opinions shared here are by the Author and are the property of I Got Issues, Inc.

Thursday, January 31, 2019

Trying?? Just Do It!

I was just sitting here thinking about life when a conversation I had with a friend crossed my mind. She told me she was “trying to do better” about embracing her healing. I was confused of her choice of word - "trying". What does that look like, I thought. I mean either you believe you're healed or you don't. In an instant Nike's tagline "just do it!" came to mind. In that moment that slogan has never been more real to me.

As I rehashed this leg of my journey in my friend's life, i.e. everything that she has been through, how she has evolved, the direction that her life is taking - the word “trying” seemed useless to me in this instance. Fact is trying serves no purpose when it comes to getting stuff done. Don't believe me, try walking. Either you walk or you just stand there. There is no trying to walk. Your brain can't compute trying. You may sway forward, but the minute you raise your foot to take a step you are walking.

Birds don't try to fly. Trees don't try to grow. They just do it. Whatever you want to do you just need to do it. This thing about saying “I'm trying” has no place when it comes to living. Well maybe it does. You try on clothes to see if it fits and if you like it. You try new foods for pretty much the latter reason. But when it comes to just about everything else in your life you need to just do it. Let's face it, trying is an excuse some people use for explaining why they are not operating at optimum levels. So whatever you want to do just do it. Don't let fear keep you hostage in the "trying" phase. Don't try to be happy. Just do it! Be happy!! I'm just saying - I got issues what about you?)i(

#higherconsciousness #consciousness #consciousthinking #yahsdaughter863

#powerfulmind #brainpower #realtalk #realtalk💯 #spirituality #spiritual #spiritualawakening #higherpower #igotissues #yaminah #behappy #ilovebnme #iloveme #goodwoman #queen #nike #doit #justdoit

The views and opinions shared here are by the Author and are the property of Todos Escribe.

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Purge Your Mind and The Rest Will Follow

Sometimes you reflect on past events or people's actions that caused you pain and the memory of it can feel like it just happened. You need to purge your thoughts and the feelings associated with those memories in order to feel good again. Truth is that person or event did nothing to you. It's your interpretation of the event or action that made you feel some type of a way. Everyone is operating from their level of consciousness meaning their experiences. The trick is to learn not to let people's actions or an event affect you to the point that it disturbs your peace of mind. Instead of absorbing the behavior and making it personal, see it for what it really is - they are just being them. It has nothing to do with you. People can't make you feel bad. You chose to feel bad based off the behavior they exhibited.

As you move through your day make a conscious effort to pay attention to how you react to the things going on around you. How does it make you feel? If you're not feeling good about it then change your response. Tell yourself "this has nothing to do with me or about me" and move on. The more you pay attention to and evaluate your feelings the less the event will impact your mood and ultimately your health.

The body stores every emotion and trauma as a memory. Eventually when the sensory system gets overloaded those memories manifest itself as symptoms i.e. pain, ache, itching, etc. The symptoms is a signal that the body is trying to purge those emotions or memories. So when you feel a sensation or symptom acknowledge it but don't give it any energy. How do you do that? I'm glad you asked. Just act as if it's not happening to you. You just observe the sensation/symptom. As you ignore the symptoms/sensations something wonderful happens. The brain releases the memory and you will no longer have that sensation/symptom. However you've been in this world a long time so it stands to reason that you have stored tons of emotions and trauma in your body as memories. As a result you have to consistently repeat the process several times over to eradicate the memory and discomfort you've been carrying around all your life. The minute you give it energy or react to it you've reattached or reinforced the memory thus you reinforce your misery.

The other important factor is not to create or store any new undesirable memories. To do that you must refrain from giving energy to any external stimuli. As you encounter difficult people or situations stay neutral. Don't react. Ignore the behavior and move on. I know it's hard but with practice and persistence you will succeed.

We all have a responsibility to guard our emotions and protect our own mental health. If we all do our part to not inflict others needlessly with our own issues, by taking steps to purge our memory bank and come out of our misery, we improve the possibility of promoting a healthy environment for everyone to coexist. I'm Just saying - I got issues – what about you?)i(

#purge #brain #misery #life #healthyliving #healthythinking #igotissues #mindfullness #realtalk #consciousthinking #subconsciousmind #wakup

The views and opinions shared here are by the Author and are the property of Todos Escribe.

Sunday, July 22, 2018

A Tribute to Malik Ahmed Kofi Euzebe

For years I’ve heard people say, “Only the good die young.” Never truly understood that old saying until now. Recently I attended the Life Celebration ceremony for my cousin, Malik Euzebe who died as a result of a swimming accident on July 9^th, (just a month short of his 22nd birthday). He was only 21. While I had the pleasure of meeting him only once in person (we lived in different states), we were Facebook friends. Can’t remember whether he befriended me or me him, but I do know I got a kick out of viewing his posts. At times he would post videos of himself doing some skateboard stunt. He looked very skilled as he glided effortlessly through the air, defying gravity like he belonged there. There was no doubt in my mind that skateboarding was his passion.

His funeral was held at the Mountcastle Turch Funeral Home in Dale City, Virginia on July 20^th. I made every effort to attend because his mother is dear to me and besides that, this is family. I really wanted to be there to give physical support to both her and her husband. Not surprising, the event was well attended with easily more than a 100 people in attendance. As an avid skateboarder, Malik was well known in the skateboarding community. Many of his “homies” as he affectionately likes to call them, were in attendance. As I sat quietly listening to those who chose to give a vocal tribute to Malik, it was easy to tell how loved and revered this young man was. One after one each person echoed what a phenomenon man Malik was.

From rescuing stray dogs to convincing his parents to give financial support or take in others who had no place to go, the picture of Malik’s life began to take shape right before my eyes. From educators, to classmates, to other family members, the sediments were the same, he was an all-around great person. He was referred to as a “big brother”, a “little brother”, “mentor”, “best friend”, and an “inspiration” by many.

He was said to be funny, friendly, giving, selfless, engaging, compassionate, and caring. Basically, he was the kind of person you wanted to keep in your life because he had love and compassion for all. It did not matter if he knew you for a life time or just met you five minutes ago, or if you were a friend, a family member, or a stranger - he embraced you just the same. His love was genuine and was only out done by the concern he displayed. Nothing seemed to bring this young man down. Even when faced with disappointments or conflict, he found a way to shake it off and move on without missing a beat. From all accounts, he was soft spoken, mild mannered, positive, upbeat, artistic, and very creative. To the latter he used the letters U Z B to phonetically spell out his last name on his Facebook account. I would have never thought of that. Overall, he was a well-rounded person who would easily flash his trademark warm smile to anyone he encountered in a heartbeat.

Malik had only just moved out of his parents’ house a mere 2 months ago. Not because he needed to but because he was trying to help some friends out. That in and of itself spoke volume to me of just how far he would go to ensure others had what they needed. Even in death, his desire to help others was manifested in his decision to be an organ donor. So selfless, so caring. There is no doubt in my mind that his death left a void in many lives, one that won’t quickly, if ever, be filled. But on the flip side, a part of him lives on in the body of the donor recipients. While I don’t know for sure where our love ones go when they leave us, I pray it’s to a better place. Where ever that road took Malik I feel that he is smiling down on us feeling very satisfied that he fulfilled his assignment here on this earth, short a time it may have been.

There is a GoFundMe account set up to help defray funeral cost.

Such an some guy could only come from awesome parents. Malik embodied all the nurturing/caring characteristics of his mother Desiree and the strong supportive characteristics of his dad Anthony. Together those qualities made him a great human-being that left a lasting impression on anyone who was lucky enough to have encountered him. What a life he lived and a legacy he left behind. His parents should be very proud of the job they did raising such an awesome human-being. May you be so lucky to encounter such an awesome human-being in your lifetime? I’m Just Saying. I got issues – what about you?

If you would like to contribute to his GoFundMe account, please click the GoFundMe link. Thank you in advance for your donation. Much love and abundant blessings.)i(

The views and opinions shared here are by the Author and are the property of Todos Escribe.

I Got Issues

Sunday, June 9, 2019

Meditation – To Do Or Not To Do. What is the Question?

A Test of My Resolve

Spiritually Linked

Roe v Wade - Trouble on the Horizon

Thursday, January 31, 2019

Trying?? Just Do It!

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Purge Your Mind and The Rest Will Follow

Sunday, July 22, 2018

A Tribute to Malik Ahmed Kofi Euzebe

Featured Post

MARTA - A Call for Action

Search This Blog