All About LOVE

Some of my favorite people

2011-02-05T09:27:00.000-08:00

Infinite Possibilities

2011-01-30T10:38:00.000-08:00

Believe…

Everyone can be fed

Everyone can have clean water

Every disease can be cured

Every person can live a life in abundance

Every person can be happy

Everyone can rise up in adversity

Everyone can make a difference in their world

Everyone can rejoice for others victories

Everyone can love their neighbor just as much as they love their self

I don’t know how…but it’s possible…

All things are possible with God

.

Dang I love the Whispers

2011-01-02T14:20:00.000-08:00

They have the best videos ever

Check out these dance moves HA

John Serrie

2010-12-28T16:22:00.000-08:00

I really like this artist...beautiful & peaceful.

O my God

2010-12-10T18:09:00.000-08:00

Rumi

2010-12-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

We have fallen into a place where everything is music...

Know Yourself

2010-12-05T10:50:00.001-08:00

Wise words from Paulo Coelho

2010-12-04T20:17:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite authors

Why the good things in life usually corny??

2010-12-02T17:27:00.000-08:00

This is actually a little sad...Heeeelllllooooo...is it me your looking for??

Best lyrics ever

You don't mess with the Juice!
I gave you silk suits, blue diamonds and gucci handbags.
I gave you things you couldn't even pronounce!
But now I can't give you nothing but advice.
Cause you're still young, yeah, you're young.
And you're gonna find somebody like me one of these days . . .
Until then, you know what you gotta do?
You gotta get on outta here with that alley-cat-coat-wearing,
punch-bucket-shoe-wearing crumbcake I saw you with. Cause you
dismissed!
That's right, Silly rabbit, tricks are made for kids, don't you know
that. You without me is like corn flakes without the milk! This is my
world. You're just a squirrel trying to get a nut! Now get on outta
here. Scat!
Don't touch that coat...

Anita makes everything better

2010-12-02T14:49:00.000-08:00

I love Ps22

2010-11-23T19:09:00.000-08:00

These kids are so amazing. Precious.

God bless this teacher.

I don't get down like that

2010-11-23T14:22:00.001-08:00

90's rap

Graffiti. Either it's fun or it's dumb.

2010-11-23T13:48:00.000-08:00

I love these 70's graffiti stock footage flicks.

The Giving Tree

2010-11-23T13:40:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite books of Shel Silverstein

Keep On Loving Me

2010-11-20T09:47:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite videos. This video is comedy. Whispers have more hair on their face than Rick Ross's beard, Drake's eyebrows and Questlove's afro. I love the Whispers.

Osho

2010-11-18T20:06:00.000-08:00

Osho is one of my favorite favorite authors/poets. His insight towards love and life has really helped me grow. I know he looks crazy, a mixture of Osama and Santa Clause but his wisdom is very enlightening. Check out his books. If you live in Los Angeles, The Bohdi Tree off of Melrose by Urth Cafe has many of his books.

"The more you disturb people the more you make people think" - Osho

Some of my favorite things...

2010-11-16T18:56:00.000-08:00

lol why can't we wear costumes to the clubs in 2010?

80s Soul Train forever...remember mom cleaning the house on Saturday mornings. I'd be learning the new dances in the living room...

I still watch Sesame Street. So What.

2010-11-16T18:35:00.000-08:00

Where is John John these days?

Some of us need to get back to the basics...here you go

Beautiful

2010-11-14T20:04:00.001-08:00

Female Video Directors Remain Rare In Industry

2010-11-12T15:40:00.001-08:00

Just read a really cool article on female music video directors.

NEW YORK -- When it comes to making music videos, there's no shortage of female artists and producers. But women who are music video directors remain a small minority in the business.
Industry observers believe that this situation is indicative of a long-entrenched structure in which it is expected that most directors will be men and that the business lacks noticeable outreach in encouraging women to become directors. Of the approximately 450 music video directors represented by major U.S. and Canadian production companies, less than 9% are women.
"I think artists set the tone," Faris (video director) adds. "If there were more artists willing to take chances on having women direct their videos, we'd see more female directors."
Although today's top female music video directors come from varied backgrounds, professionals in the music video business say that three qualities are necessary for women to break through the directorial glass ceiling: talent, persistence, and a genuine love of music. - "All Business" online article, November 2009.

Fatima Robinson, who is best known for her choreography has directed a few music videos herself. She first became known to the music video business as a choreographer. Over the past several years, Robinson has choreographed videos for a diverse group of major acts, such as Michael Jackson, Backstreet Boys, Busta Rhymes, and Aaliyah.
Being a relatively new music video director, Robinson believes that "when you're in the beginning stage, the biggest obstacle is getting people's trust. It's a little harder for people to trust women with directing videos. At the same time she says she doesn't see herself competing with men.
Directed by: Fatima Robinson

Fatima Robinson

I would love to see the ladies make an impact in behind the scenes, especially in film. As I grow in this industry, I would love to inspire other women not only can we can embrace the screens with our beauty but we can also direct the videos too.

Do me baby

2010-11-07T14:32:00.000-08:00

Can you move like Prince? I don't think so...

Still has it and still fine...

At the end of the day its all about love, its all about family.

2010-11-06T16:09:00.001-07:00

As you and I both know we can get burnt the hell out just grinding...hustling just to survive. We become tired as we strive towards our dreams after the 9 to 5.
I live in Los Angeles and the stresses of the grind can get to you if you don't stop, breathe, and remember what is important.
Living in Hollywood, there is so much stress on keeping up with the latest or who's the hottest. I've come across alot of superficial attitudes and a lot of clones numb to the things that are real in life, like love, family, compassion, sincerity and just being a genuine cool person. It seems like these characteristics have become instict like the Bengal Tiger.
I was driving home last night on La Brea so stressed and tense from a day at work and then "Reasons"Earth Wind and Fire came on 92.3. This is a song that my family would sing together whether it be a holiday, reunion, birthday or any family get together.
My uncle Bob who passed several years back would always be Philip Bailey holding the mic or should I say hair brush, chicken drumstick or any other object that resembled a mic.
Immediately I started crying and my body relaxed as I sang outloud. My worries of the day started fading. What seemed like the end of the world just hours prior to me hearing "Reasons" soon melted away.
Made me remember that nothing matters. Love matters. Family matters. These are the things that hold us together as we go through this journey called life.
This world is so cold & hard as it is. If we can carry this same feeling of love that we feel from our loved ones within our hearts everyday, I believe we would be so much happier and so much more confident.
Here is my families favorite group, including mine. Earth Wind and Fire.
Miss you Uncle...

Typical soul train line with the Rubias during the holidays...

Dilla love

2010-11-04T17:21:00.000-07:00

Telling you I need you. I love you.

2010-10-26T09:45:00.000-07:00

Let me be patient let me be kind
Make me unselfish without being blind
Though I may suffer I'll envy it not
And endure what comes
Cause He's all that I got and tell him...

Tell Him I need Him
Tell Him I love Him
And it'll be alright

Now I may have faith to make mountains fall
But if I lack love then I am nothin' at all
I can give away everything I possess
But am without love then I have no happiness
I know I'm imperfect
& not without sin
But now that I'm older all childish things end
and tell Him...

Now I may have wisdom and knowledge on Earth
But if I speak wrong then what is it worth?
See what we now know is nothing compared
to the love that was shown when our lives were spared
and tell Him...

Become a mentor

2010-10-24T14:52:00.000-07:00

If you would like to become a mentor this year for "Day of The Child" with Childrens United Nation please copy and paste the link below and register for November 14, 2010in Culver City. https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=891669 There will be 1000 foster children so we are looking for 1000 mentors. ...
Bunny Gibson is a good friend of mine with such an incredible heart for the children. She will be hosting the 2010 Dance Contest for the kids. She was an original American Band Stand dancer and uses her passion for dance for the youth, especially foster kids of Los Angeles. Please join us November 14 in Culver City and spend the day with some awesome kids. It's all about Love. It's all about Community. Blessings Tiana

Why You Should Become a Mentor...

Think & Grow Rich

2010-10-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

"Don't be mad at me cause I'm going up hill. While you were watching The Hills, I was reading Think & Grow Rich by Napolean Hill."

Think and Grow Rich is a book that has helped me so much along my journey. This is definitely a timeless classic. Read this 10 times and you will find something new and something inspiring from it everytime. I have truly realized the power of the mind and what we can accomplish just with positive thinking. This book has helped me grow on so many levels. I highly recommend it to anybody and everybody, wherever your at on your journey in life. G-R-O-W:)
One of my favorite authors, Napolean Hill.

Excerpts from "Think & Grow Rich"
Self Confidence Formula
First. I know that I have the ability to achieve the object of my Definite Purpose in life, therefore, I DEMAND of myself persistent, continuous action toward it's attainment, and I here and now promise to render such action.
Second. I realize the dominating thoughts of my mind will eventually reproduce themselves in outward, physical action, and gradually transform themselves into physical reality, therefore, I will concentrate my thoughts for thirty minutes daily, upon the task of thinking of the person I intend to become, thereby creating in my mind a clear mental picture of that person.
Third. I know through the principle of auto-suggestion, any desire that i persistenly hold in my mind will eventually seek expression through some practical means of attaining the object back of it.
(You got to get the book. Amazon or any bookstore:)

Never give into self doubt and face your every fear. You can accomplish ANYTHING you put your mind too. True riches are within. Wealth begins in the mind.

So many pearls being cast into the sea, so sad to see...

2010-10-23T13:25:00.001-07:00

All Is Vanity
Through my eyes...
I see that we live in selfish times
It’s so scary how we can carry
An, “All about me” mentality
Today we see the industry
Influencing society with their prideful philosophies
Misusing talents and God given gifts
Producing men and women with unattractive ego trips
What does it profit a man with an inheritance
When he uses his skill to belittle to gain his confidence?
Really, it’s a sign of impotence
It's such a waste
It’s like a prostitute with potential
or a man who lost it all to drugs and alcohol
I look at all the labor that’s being done under the sun
So many pearls are being cast into the sea
It’s so sad to see that All is Vanity
Material minded are entering fields of no interest
Just for the purpose to gain interests off investments
Four years are being wasted towards a degree
To achieve unfulfilling careers
Pursued for a title or status from peers
It’s the simple minded who stress their importance
With things that have no significance
That’s why today’s relationships don’t last
Cause they had to use material or exterior to attract
I laugh at men who pull out their cell phone
and make conversation with the dial tone when they see a pretty face
These kinds are usually chased by testosterone
But they say, “Like attracts Like”
Just like women who get with men for their regimen
Determined to find their soul mate at the gym
But if they only knew that it takes a lot more than good looks to keep him
Wisdom is virtue
That’s why today there’s so very few Proverbs 31 women
Because today most females seek advice from the Cosmopolitan
It is written, in Ecclesiastes 7:1 that a good name is better
And the day of one’s death than the day of one’s birth
Because the world recognizes your works after you left this earth
Naked you came and naked you will leave
Only a fool believes there is power in his possessions
Cause you’ll have no power in the day of your death
You’ll just be left with things you can’t take when you take your last breath
So you can dress your flesh in the very best
Or surround yourself with the top notch
But where does it stop?
You might be attracted to all the glamour and the glitz
But I’ve seen the rich hit the bottom once they reached the top
I look at all the labor that's being done under the sun
And there isn't any new thing that hasn't already been done
So what does it profit a man with an inheritance
When he’s the only one who benefits?
So many pearls are being cast into the sea
It’s so sad to see that all is Vanity

Never do...what they do...what they do

2010-10-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

Haven't heard this in a while...stay true.
Lost generation, fast paced nation
World population confront their frustration
The principles of true hip hop have been forsaken
It's all contractual and about money makin
Pretend to be cats don't seem to know their limitation

Prince announces his 2010 Tour

2010-10-18T12:52:00.000-07:00

Prayer and fasting does work.

I have never seen Prince perform live. Looking forward to this concert:)

It's all about Zo!

2010-10-17T18:15:00.000-07:00

I'm all about community so when I see an individual using their gifts to better the lives of other people, I want to acknowledge them and share it with the world. I was truly blessed & inspired when I seen these clips of producer & multi instrumentalist Zo of Foreign Exchange teaching his students how to play in a band setting. He has been teaching music to high school kids at a special education school, Rock Creek Academy, in Washington D.C. since 2006. Check it out:

Passing the knowledge of great music to the young generation. Raised on Earth Wind & Fire so thank you for schooling these kids Zo, let them know! lol:)

Best known for his 2008 collaboration with Phonte on the cult classic "Zo and Tigallo Love the 80's" as well as his work on The Foreign Exchange's Grammy-nominated LP, "Leave It All Behind," 'SunStorm" is an extensive 12-track set that shows the ever-expanding range and depth of Zo! and the entire Foreign Exchange Music family.

"SunStorm" is the latest album from the Detroit-area born, DC-area based producer/multi-instrumentalist Zo!

This is a beautiful song titled, "All is Well with Love" featuring Chantae Cann off the Sunstorm album.

You can purchase SunStorm NOW at the link below:
http://www.theforeignexchangemusic.com/2010/03/zo---sunstorm.php

Foreign Exchange Family. Shouts to my brother Big Pooh. We share the same birthday Feb 12th. Go Aquarius! BTW I just directed his song "Set It Off" with RocC from their Young Americans album coming soon. Had to throw that in there:)

Inspired by Slum Village:

So, Zo you are recognized. Keep shinging. Thank you for sharing your amazing gifts with the world. You are inspiring & bringing healing to many people including myself through your music. More people need to know more about you as well as the Foreign Exchange family. Blessings!
You can also follow Zo on twitter, see what he's up to @Zo3hree5ive

More Prince &Apollonia

2010-10-16T17:09:00.000-07:00

The infamous Lake Minnetonka scene. "Take Me With U"

This is so beautiful. Never heard this before. Unreleased Prince "Moments" just on the keys.

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And...Action

2010-10-07T20:15:00.001-07:00

If you don't know already, I am an aspiring director. I have been so thankful grateful blessed to have worked with some cool artists which most happen to be my "rapper friends" :) I truly appreciate each and everyone of them to entrust me with their music to create a visual experience for their fans.
It all started with Frank Nitt. So shout out to Frank from Frank & Dank for letting me get my first taste to the "Dream". And an even bigger shout out Mike Ross of Delicious Vinyl to support me as well.

My first baby. "LOVE" by Frank Nitt ft. DJ Quik produced by Terrace Martin

This is "Unfaithful" by Dae One and Noni Spitz

Behind The Scenes Footage

Comptons Buck

The next video soon to drop is the single "Set It Off" to Rapper Big Pooh & Roc C's album Young Americans. Coming really soon. I am EXTREMELY excited about this one. I hope yall like it too.
Just wanted to say thank you for everybody supporting me. It really means a lot. Not too many female directors doing the damn thing especially in this rap world so all support and love from everybody is amazing. Helps keep me going:) Thank you to 3 Shape Media and Dwayne Wayans who have helped me so much. I appreciate you.
BTW if you are looking for a director please hit me up. And Lastly, I don't do videos for free lol. So please don't hit me up asking. There is a lot of time and energy that goes in this. I appreciate it.
Follow Your Dreams.
Don't
Stop
Ever

Remake of the Last Dragon

2010-10-05T09:25:00.001-07:00

Three Movies that define me are Purple Rain, Trading Places and The Last Dragon. I'm not sure if it's because I was a latch key kid & these movies were my only source of entertainment. But how else can you explain a 10 year old reciting word for word R rated movies back in the 80's? Back then HBO was equivalent to watching an X rated movie if you were still under 14. Every time this HBO intro came on, I'd get this feeling I was doing something sinfully bad because I knew we were about to watch a movie we weren't supposed to watch. Who remembers this?

Anyways, when I found out that the Last Dragon was being remade I screamed. But then I thought, "Dang, this is a classic. I hope who ever does it doesn't eff it up". Then I found out that a friend of mine named Dallas Jackson is producing this movie, I screamed again. Him knowing I am a huge Last Dragon fan he offered me a job when it goes into production. So DALLAS JACKSON if you are reading this I have not forgotten;)
This movie is going to be so frekin dope. I was told that this movie is going to be an action movie. Not a comedy like the original movie but on some action hero type flick like Wolverine or Tomb Raider. I am only sharing information that has already been publicly released so don't call me up saying to take this off, whoever that would be. HA.
First question arises is, who is going to play Bruce Leroy and Vanity? I was told back in the days that Chris Brown and Rhianna were possibly to be casted. I said, "Oh Lord Jesus please no". Thats just ME. But after the whole situation with the domestic violence that wasn't going to happen. But still not sure if Rhianna is still up for this role. Nobody can outshine Vanity though whoever plays her. Cool story about Sho Nuff is, that Samuel Jackson is already casted for this role. Dallas had shared with me that Samuel Jackson actually auditioned for the original Sho Nuff back in the 80's. Over a decade later, he will now be playing Sho Nuff. Personally, I think he is going to do an incredible job. The RZA is producing this movie as well as the soundtrack. This movie is going to be so ridiculously insane on all levels. So to even have part of this movie/musical film history will truly be a dream come true. This will definitely be another check off my dream list.
Here are some cool Last Dragon "stuff"
this dude lives at the 7-11 off of Pico & La Brea. We were shooting Frank Nitt's Love Video. This guy would not shut up. Realized what movie he was reciting then HAD to get him on tape. I had this feeling he was a latchkey kid too left at home with HBO while his was at work. LOL.

Prince is a pimp

2010-10-05T01:13:00.000-07:00

So by now, I am sure you all know I am a Prince fanatic. Finding rare Prince footage on Youtube is like finding money in the washer for me. I don't know what's been going on but Youtube has so much Prince videos out WITH sound. I'm wondering if he had a change of heart about the internet or are we entering revelation times & Jesus is returning? Either way, I don't care. I just pray I meet Prince before he returns.
Prince if you are reading my blog. I love you. I always have. You are the last musical genius to walk this earth & I know your hip joints are not so strong these days. I will be more than happy to massage your hip bones so I can help get you back to doing the splits. The world is praying and fasting for a Purple Rain tour. Till we meet...xoxo

Let's see, body oil - check
Incense - check
Environmental records - double check!
I'ma get some serious drawls 2night, think I ain't?
Let's see, if I tell Gilbert & Rome 2 meet me at 11 then I creep at 10
That'll give me an hour of free reign
Mo drawls Mo drawls

Speaking of rare Prince finds. I found an original Tshirt from the Purple Rain tour at Tokyo Pop on Sunset Blvd. It was $90 and at that time, I needed to pay my phone bill. Guess what took priority? As you can see the shirt won. Yes this is DJ Quick and Terrace Martin. But that's not the point, this $90 shirt is.

My best friend Malia is also a Prince fan. This is her shirt from the Purple Rain tour. BTW She has been pulled up by Prince on stage when she was 14 and danced on stage with him. Every girls dream.

Little Dragon

2010-06-12T09:02:00.000-07:00

I get excited when I hear new music, that I LIKE. It's been a while. Music has just been a little too dry for me lately. I was turned on to a band called Little Dragon from a friend of mine. For the first time in a long while I got excited by music again. Little Dragon is so dope to me. I appreciate them for giving us something different. Check them out. Peace T

Follow them on Twitter @TwittleDragon

First Avenue 1983 Purple Rain

2010-04-20T00:10:00.000-07:00

Electric Intercourse

2010-04-19T23:43:00.001-07:00

My Exodus

2010-04-19T15:35:00.001-07:00

I had to walk through desert sands
Like the Israelites when they had to pass through the wilderness
In order to get to the Promised Land
The purpose of this wilderness was to show me my wickedness
A place to escape after He delivered me from Egypt
Which represents my flesh
This quest also brought deliverance
From things and people that didn't benefit
Like old habits and corrupt relationships
All this was the Genesis to my Exodus
It started out like this
Like the kiss of Judas
I was betrayed
Been played
Always afraid what people would say
I swayed back and forth like ocean waves
Tossed to and fro
Who would have known my foes were those close to home
Now I've grown and I see there was no trust or no love
Sharing nothing in common except drugs thugs and clubs
Foundation of these friendships were vain
While they remained I started to change
My mind was reaching higher planes
Conversation not the same
Relationships I thought were significant
Became stagnate and a hindrance
Rejected and left forsaken
But no hard feelings taken
These situations only strengthened and my eyes were now awakened
God closed doors on the people I ran towards
Inside these glass shields were the only place I could be healed
From the spirit of rejection that had taken deep root from no fatherly affection
Correction was needed as I proceeded
But before I could continue all flesh had to be shed
I was broken like bread before the multitudes could be fed
I had to understand that it wasn't about me
So many nights I would cry as I stared towards the sky
Asking God, 'Where you at in all of this?'
I couldn't feel His presence
Even doubted if He exists
Such a lonely place when the only person I could be embraced
Was by a man with no face
But still I would chase after a dream I couldn't see
I grew through this journey of long suffering and pain
So for me to stay the same
My exodus would be in vain
To have learned without love
This all don't mean a thing

LOVETiana (1996)

Prince Unauthorized

2010-04-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

Here some great footage on Prince and The Minneapolis Movement. Prince fans enjoy.

missing Part 3

Minneapolis Movement

Ladies Behind the Lens

2010-04-06T22:27:00.000-07:00

There are alot of talented up & coming photographers & filmmakers of our time. Just a few that come to mind are photographers Mel D. Cole, Tone, Kris Perry, Frolab & Imani Waddy. Directors Paul Coy Allen, Earnest Rhea, Stephen Dummit, Rik Cordero, Sieta Williams and Emiliano Styles. But my focus is on the ladies.
Why are there so few female filmmakers & photographers? Why the lack of? or atleast the lack of recognition. It's as if we have been wiped out of the books of entertainment history. Could it be that women are seen as organizers, great at delegating and keeping the house in order - tasks that in the film industry are done by producers - while the men take on the role of director, seemingly giving them power and authority.
Well, we do exist but the numbers are few. Thankfully, things are progressively starting to change. Ladies behind the lens are beginning to flood today's theaters more than ever, with movies as diverse as the women themselves. Yet the struggle for equality, recognition and respect continues.
I believe we play a very important and significant role in our time & era. We are pioneers stepping foot in a predominantly male driven industry. Capturing a time in Hip Hop where new artists are beginning to emerge. The public will always be able to look back and remember the underdog emcees, musicians, producers, fashion, and Hip Hop culture in all its entirety, all through the lens. I am just wanting to pay homage to the females who are help making this happen.
I'm an artist, poet, writer, photographer, music video director & aspiring filmmaker. I am truly thankful to all my musician friends who have entrusted me with their music and allowed me to provide a visual experience to their art.
As an artist, I have always been drawn to capturing love through the lens. Whether it be a child smiling, lovers kissing, an emcee rocking the mic on stage or simply capturing a beautiful sunset. All of these images to me represent love. I have always said that an emcee and a filmmaker are very similiar. We are both storytellers. We are telling a story from words which casts a visual image in one's mind or on screen. We are alot alike in many ways.
I know there are alot of dope photographers all across the globe but I wanted to highlight three special ladies that live right here in Los Angeles. Kyla Wright, Jeanette Parades and Mai Shafik. I will also have the priveledge to be working with two of them this weekend on Frank Nitt's new single with Delicious Vinyl records, "You Go Girl" produced by Terrace Martin featuring,Its A Problem. These ladies are Mrs. Kyla Wright and Jeanette Parades. I will be assisting the talented director Stephen Dummit. Kyla Wright is lead stylist. Jeanette Parades is the lighting director and key grip. Stay tuned for the video. There will be many cameo appearances.
I posted below, just a few of my favorite shots that represent my hearts interests. I also put up some really cool clips of some female directors that inspired me to continue. If you would like to see more of my work, please check myspace.com/lovetiana75. You can add me on Facebook and check my work out there.
My last words I wanted to impart to all women of every color, young & old, all over the globe. Never give up on your dreams. We have been given the gift to tell stories through the lens. Our numbers are few, that is why we really need to support and encourage one another in our craft. In full support and unity rather than competition or division. We represent the ladies behind the lens. We are all one. We represent us. The world needs to see what we see. We add a different, unique and beautiful outlook towards life. The world is waiting. Best of Luck and God bless. LOVETIANA

Talented female directors are all over the globe. Each have a different story to tell.

First female director at CBS. Started out as a receptionist for company.

Female director discussing her shortcomings. I can relate to her alot.

Kyla Wright

If you don't know who Kyla is then you must not have any knowledge of the LA/Detroit Hip Hop scene. Kyla is a hard working, innovative, fashion foward, business savvy, and a lover of Hip Hop culture. She is usually spotted on Sundays at the Do Over capturing Sangria spilled shirts as well as DJ's, emcees and faces in the crowd at a Night Life, Rootdown, or Dilla Tribute event. Kyla is a pioneer and definitely gets my vote as a great representative of a lady behind the lens. You can check out her blog at www.blacknbling.com

Jeanette Parades

I have worked with Jeanette Parades many times on set or capturing a performance of your favorite emcee on stage at various Hip Hop venues. She is an amazing girl, extremely talented and I can say that she is my friend. You will most likely see Jeanette snapping shots at a Freak City Party or at any Delicious Vinyl event. If you would like see more of her art check out:
www.whyiamagenius.blogspot.com
www.jeanetteparedes.com

Mai Shafik

I just recently met Mai Shafik on a road trip to SXSW in Austin, Texas. I was introduced to her through my friend and Producer/Emcee, Dae One. Who would have known that we would have connected on so many levels. I think of the word, "serendipity" when I think of our introduction. I just wanted to experience SXSW and needed a ride. Dae told me that some of his homies were coming up and I could possibly hitch a ride with them. What a blessing in disguise. We didn't even start conversating about our love of film and music till after our 2 day excursion wandering the streets of downtown. The more we talked on our 22 hour drive back home to Los Angeles is that we had many same passions, views and values. Mai has worked with many Hip Hop artists such as Bad Lucc, El Prez, Jansport & Hawdwerk and the most recent project with her crew DRG Films, U-N-I Love Supreme Documentary. You can see links to work she has done with DRG Films. She has been working with them since 2002. You will definitely be hearing more from this talented and wonderful person, Mai Shafik.
http://drgfilms.tumblr.com/
You can follow Mai on twitter @msDRG

A Love Supreme 2.0 (Trailer) from DRG Films on Vimeo.

Raphael speaks about Prince & Sheila E.

2010-02-16T23:10:00.000-08:00

RAY RAY ON DRUMS from TONE on Vimeo.

I LOVE PRINCE

2010-02-15T23:05:00.000-08:00

The very first live performance of Purple Rain in Minnesota in 1983. History right here. Please enjoy before this is removed. WOW. I am going crazy right now.

Prince Rogers Nelson was born June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to John L. Nelson and Mattie Shaw.Prince's father was a pianist and songwriter and his mother was a jazz singer. Prince was named after his father, whose stage name was Prince Rogers, and who performed with a jazz group called the Prince Rogers Trio. In a 1991 Current Affair interview, Prince's father said, “I named my son Prince because I wanted him to do everything I wanted to do.”Prince's childhood nickname was Skipper.

In a PBS interview Prince told Tavis Smiley that he was "born epileptic" and "used to have seizures" when he was young. During the interview Prince also said that “My mother told me, one day I walked into her and said mom I’m not going to be sick anymore, and she said ‘why?’ and I said; ‘an angel told me so.’”

Prince's sister Tyka was born in 1960. Prince's parents then separated when Prince was ten years old and Prince lived with his father. Prince moved out after his father found him in bed with a female friend. Prince moved into the home of a neighbor, the Andersons, and befriended their son, Andre Anderson who later became known as André Cymone).

Prince and Anderson joined Prince's cousin, Charles Smith, in a band called Grand Central while they were attending Minneapolis's Central High School (which later merged with South High School). Smith was later replaced by Morris Day on the drums. Prince played piano and guitar for the band which performed at clubs and parties in the Minneapolis area and was managed by the mother of one of the band members.[citation needed] Grand Central later changed its name to Champagne and started playing original music influenced by Sly & the Family Stone, James Brown, Earth, Wind & Fire, Miles Davis, Parliament-Funkadelic, Carlos Santana and Jimi Hendrix.During this time Prince was also a student at the Minnesota Dance Theatre.

Career
In 1976, Prince created a demo tape with producer Chris Moon in Moon's Minneapolis studio. Unable to secure a recording contract, Moon brought the tape to Minneapolis businessman Owen Husney. Husney signed Prince, at the age of 17, to a management contract and helped Prince create a demo recording at Sound 80 Studios in Minneapolis using producer/engineer David Z. The demo recording, along with a press kit produced at Husney's ad agency, resulted in interest from several record companies including Warner Bros., A&M, and Columbia records. With the help of Husney, Prince signed a recording contract with Warner Bros. records. Warner Bros. agreed to give Prince creative control for three albums and ownership of the publishing rights.[citation needed] Husney and Prince then left Minneapolis and moved to Sausalito where Prince's first album, For You, was recorded at the Record Plant recording studio. Subsequently, the album was mixed in Los Angeles and released in 1978.

Musical beginnings: 1977–80
In 1977, Pepe Willie, the husband of Prince's cousin, Shantel, formed the band 94 East with Marcy Ingvoldstad and Kristie Lazenberry. Willie added Andre Cymone and Prince to the band. Prince composed music for the lyrics written by Willie and played guitar and keyboards on some studio recordings. Prince also wrote for 94 East including the song Just Another Sucker. The band recorded tracks which later became the album Minneapolis Genius – The Historic 1977 Recordings. In 1995, Willie released the album 94 East featuring Prince, Symbolic Beginning which included original recordings by Prince and Cymone.

Prince released the album For You on April 17, 1978. The album was written and performed by Prince, except for the song "Soft and Wet" which had lyrics co-written by Moon. According to the For You album notes Prince produced, arranged, composed and played all 27 instruments on the recording.

The cost of recording the album was twice Prince's initial advance. Prince used the Prince's Music Co. to publish his songs. The single from the album reached #12 on the Soul chart and #92 on the Pop chart. The song "Just as Long as We're Together" reached #91 on the Soul chart.

In 1979 Prince created a band which included André Cymone on bass, Dez Dickerson on guitar, Gayle Chapman and Doctor Fink on keyboards, and Bobby Z on drums. Their first show was at the Capri Theater on January 5, 1979. Warner Bros. executives attended the show but decided that Prince and the band needed more time to develop his music.

In October 1979, Prince released a self-titled album Prince, which was #4 on the Billboard R&B charts, and contained two R&B hits: "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" and "I Wanna Be Your Lover". Prince performed both these songs on January 26, 1980, on American Bandstand. On this album, Prince used Ecnirp Music – BMI.

Prince's next album Dirty Mind was "certified gold" and the single "Uptown" reached #11 on the Billboard chart and #1 on the R&B charts. Prince was also the opening act for Rick James' 1980 Fire it Up tour.

Controversy era: 1980–84
In 1980 Prince released the album, Dirty Mind, which he recorded in his own studio. Dirty Mind contained sexually explicit material, including the title song, "Head", and the song "Sister". In February 1981, Prince made his first appearance on Saturday Night Live, performing "Partyup".

The songs on Controversy were published by Controversy Music – ASCAP a practice he continued until the Emancipation album in 1996.

In 1981, Prince formed a "side project" band called The Time. The Time released four albums between 1981 and 1990, with Prince writing and performing most of the instrumentation and backing vocals, with lead vocals by Morris Day.

In 1982, Prince released a double album called 1999 which sold over three million copies.The title track was a protest against nuclear proliferation and became his first top ten hit in countries outside the U.S. With his video for "Little Red Corvette" he joined Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie as part of the first wave of black artists on MTV.[citation needed] The song "Delirious" also placed in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album was also number six in The Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop critics poll for 1983.

[edit] The Revolution: 1984–87
During this period Prince referred to his band as The Revolution. The band's name was also printed, in reverse, on the cover of 1999 inside the letter "I" of the word "Prince". The band consisted of Lisa Coleman and Doctor Fink on keyboards, Bobby Z. on drums, and Brown Mark on bass, and Dez Dickerson on guitar. Following the 1999 tour, Dickerson left the group for religious reasons. In the 2003 book Possessed: The Rise and Fall of Prince, author Alex Hahn says that Dickerson was reluctant to sign a three year contract and wanted to pursue other musical ventures. Dickerson was replaced by Wendy Melvoin, a childhood friend of Coleman. At first the band was used sparsely in the studio but this gradually changed during the mid-1980s.

Prince's 1984 album Purple Rain sold more than thirteen million copies in the U.S. and spent twenty-four consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The film of the same name won an Academy Award and grossed more than $80 million in the U.S.

Songs from the film were hits on pop charts around the world, while "When Doves Cry" and "Let's Go Crazy" reached #1 and the title track reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. At one point the #1 film, #1 single, and #1 album in the U.S. were Prince creations.[citation needed] Prince won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score for Purple Rain, and the album is ranked 72nd Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.The album is also part of Time magazine's All-Time 100 Albums.

Prince performing in Brussels during the Hit N Run Tour in 1986 After Tipper Gore heard her 12-year-old daughter Karenna listening to Prince's song "Darling Nikki" she founded the Parents Music Resource Center. The center advocates the mandatory use of a warning label ("Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics") on the covers of records that have been judged to contain language or lyrical content unsuitable for minors. The recording industry later complied with this request.

In 1985 Prince announced that he would discontinue live performances and music videos after the release of his next album. His subsequent recording Around the World in a Day, held the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 for three weeks.

In 1986 his album Parade reached #3 on the Billboard 200 and #2 on the R&B charts. The first single, "Kiss", reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was originally written for a side project called Mazarati. That same year the song "Manic Monday" which was written Prince and recorded by The Bangles, reached #2 on the Hot 100 chart.

The album Parade served as the soundtrack for Prince's second film, Under the Cherry Moon. Prince directed and starred in the movie, which also featured Kristen Scott Thomas. In 1986, Prince began a series of sporadic live performances called the Hit N Run Tour. The European tour went to Europe in the summer and ended that September in Japan.

After the tour Prince fired Wendy & Lisa and replaced Bobby Z. with Sheila E.. Brown Mark quit the band while keyboardist Matt Fink remained. Prince then recruited new band members Miko Weaver on guitar, Atlanta Bliss on trumpet, Eric Leeds on saxophone, Boni Boyer on keyboards, Levi Seacer, Jr. on bass and dancer Cat Glover. (Wikipedia)

Age of Aquarius

2010-01-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

My born day is February 12, 1975 which makes me an Aquarius. I am a humanitarian and have a passion to bring the people together. We are artists. Strange. Artistic. Revolutionaries. Peace Makers.
Now in the Age of Aquarius, everything becomes unified. All our differences, all our dualities mix together like the fragrances of a flower shop, with all of the different flowers adding their bouquet to the overall mix until they are inseparable. Each individual flower remains distinct and individual, each one’s fragrance is unique and discernible when you come up close to it, yet joined together in unity with the others in the wonderful mixture that is the smell of the shop.Our individual worth comes from inside, from what we have inside, through our development, our evolution, and what we can give to society. Now our drastic differences dissolve and we integrate into the whole. We integrate and unify with the energy of the universe, with the great cosmic spirit.Mystically, Aquarius signifies friendship. Friendship bursts upon us in its most elevated sense, in its most noble aspect — with understanding, collaboration, and fraternity. Love and friendship will have nothing to do with possessing or ego. The idea of love meaning "you belong to me" ends in the New Age. The thought of friends of convenience, friendship based on an ulterior motive such as business ends. Love and friendship based on anything other than pure love, the divine and pure love of God, changes the sentiment into a coin of exchange — you no longer have love or friendship because of who you are, but because of what you do or can do for me.This is the era of peace, of unity, of love. The polarity of Aquarius, Leo, floods us with its complementary characteristics. The celestial throne of the Sun, Leo, encourages, ennobles, enriches, and enlightens us for the growth of our hearts, the growth of our inner beings. Together with Aquarius, Leo promotes the integration of our individuality with our unity with all humanity. We realize that we must first be something in and of ourselves to be something for others.

Aquarius
January 20 - February 18
Aquarius is the eleventh Sign of the Zodiac, and Aquarians are the perfect representatives for the Age of Aquarius. Those born under this Sign have the social conscience needed to carry us into the new millennium. These folks are humanitarian, philanthropic and keenly interested in making the world a better place. Along those lines, they'd like to make the world work better, which is why they focus much of their energy on our social institutions and how they work (or don't work). Aquarians are visionaries, progressive souls who love to spend time thinking about how things can be better. They are also quick to engage others in this process, which is why they have so many friends and acquaintances. Making the world a better place is a collaborative effort for Aquarians.

The Sign of Aquarius is symbolized by the Water Bearer. In much the same way that the Water Bearer brings that precious liquid as a gift, Aquarians shower the world with their thoughts and new ideas. Luckily for Aquarians (and the rest of us), they are at a near-genius level, so their minds churn out some amazing things. Their thought process is also inventive and original. While Aquarians are happy to bestow these ideas as a gift with no strings attached, they are much happier when the rest of the world agrees with them. Naysayers will quickly find out that Aquarians can be impatient, even temperamental, with those who disagree. Yes, these folks can be quite fixed in their opinions, in keeping with the Fixed Quality assigned to this Sign. Even though Aquarians are happy to give, and they do, it's often on their terms and within their comfort level. Generally, that means ample space, since these folks are freedom-loving and individualistic and need to roam (and yes, they do enjoy travel). While Aquarians are generally sympathetic and compassionate, they like it when things go their own quirky way. Some might call their behavior eccentric (and they would be right), but when you consider that the Aquarian's heart is truly in the right place, a few oddities should be overlooked. In their own way, Aquarians treasure their many friends and acquaintances and want to give back as much as they can. They do not give themselves easily - perhaps their judgment of human nature is too good for that - and are sometimes accounted cold. But once they decide that someone is worthy of their friendship or love, they can exert an almost hypnotic and irresistible mental attraction on them and will themselves become tenacious friends or lovers, ready to sacrifice everything for their partners and be faithful to them for life. However, they are sometimes disappointed emotionally because their own high personal ideals cause them to demand more of others than is reasonable. And if they are deceived their anger is terrible. If disillusioned, they do not forgive. Aquarians work best in group projects, provided that they are recognized as having a leading part in them. They have a feeling of unity with nature and a desire for knowledge and truth that makes them admirable scientists, especially astronomers and natural historians. They may excel in photography, radiography, electronics - anything connected with the electrical and radio industries - aviation and everything technical. On the arts and humanities side their progressive tendencies can be expressed in writing, especially poetry, and broadcasting, or as welfare workers and teachers. Some have gifts as entertainers and make good character actors (having an ability to mimic) and musicians. The more psychic among them possess healing gifts, especially in curing the mentally sick. Aquarians have a gift of healing and they use it through their arts whether music, poetry or their words.

From the album Soul Zodiac by Cannonball Adderly and Nat Adderly & their sextet featuring Rick Holmes

Be An Extremists For Love

2010-01-18T21:15:00.000-08:00

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a man who my life has personally been inspired by. He is my personal hero and I want to acknowledge him in honor of his birthday. I am drawn to men & women who inspire me by their words, actions & courageous spirit in the midst of opposition and adversity. He stood up for what was right even when it was not socially acceptable.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the very few political leaders that ignites my spirit when I hear him speak. His speeches always leave me feeling empowered. Truth, passion & conviction resonate with my soul & provokes me to rise up to be a better human being.
His words inspire me to serve my brothers, sisters and my community. I can personally say my involvement with my community, "Alliance for Lupus Research" and "Childrens United Nations", has been inspired by his messages that we are to serve others.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.has been that example to me of what a true leader is. A servant.
I am not a perfect leader. I do not have a background made up of Degrees or come from a financially wealthy family. But I do however strive every day with the resources that surround me to become to be an active leader, friend, servant and example of inspiration like him in my world.
May we all be extremists of love at this capacity or even greater.
Happy Birthday Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Thank you for being a courageous human being without ever losing sight of the vision you had for us, which is freedom. We are still living out your dream.

"Letter from Birmingham Jail" dated April 16, 1963

"But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for LOVE: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Was not Amos an extremist for JUSTICE: "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream." Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel; "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. "Was not Martin Luther an extremist?: "Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God. "And John Bunyan: "I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a buchery of my conscience, " And Abraham Lincoln: "This nation cannot survive half slave and half free. And Thomas Jefferson: "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal..."So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be?. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary's hill three men were crucified. We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime-the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in the direct need of creative extremists.

- Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr.

Let's all be creative extremists for LOVE and strive after greatness and purpose like leaders like this. We are all created to accomplish great things on this planet but always remember these gifts were intended to bring us all back to one thing at that is to LOVE. And it begins with self. Before we see peace and love in our homes, our neighborhoods, our cities, our nation or even our world, this peace that we all desire to see on this planet must FIRST take place within our own hearts.

My Favorite MLK quotes:

Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illumines it
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate
destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and
retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

Everybody can be great because anybody can serve.You don't have to have college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

If man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness. This is the judgment. Life's most persistent and urgent question is,What are you doing for others?
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

We must combine the toughness of the serpent and the softness of the dove, a tough mind and a tender heart.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Let us be dissatisfied until that day when nobody will shout, "White Power!" when nobody will shout, "Black Power!" but everybody will talk about God's power and human power.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The Rest of Dilla Vol.1

2009-12-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

Props to DJ Rasta Root & Eric 9 for the artwork. So dope.

All Is Vanity

2009-12-02T09:30:00.001-08:00

Through my eyes...
I see that we live in selfish times
It’s so scary how we can carry
An, “All about me” mentality
Today we see the industry
Influencing society with their prideful philosophies
Misusing talents and God given gifts
Producing men and women with unattractive ego trips
What does it profit a man with an inheritance
When he uses his skill to belittle to gain his confidence?
Really, it’s a sign of impotence
It's such a waste
It’s like a prostitute with potential
or a man who lost it all to drugs and alcohol
I look at all the labor that’s being done under the sun
So many pearls are being cast into the sea
It’s so sad to see that All is Vanity
Material minded are entering fields of no interest
Just for the purpose to gain interests off investments
Four years are being wasted towards a degree
To achieve unfulfilling careers
Pursued for a title or status from peers
It’s the simple minded who stress their importance
With things that have no significance
That’s why today’s relationships don’t last
Cause they had to use material or exterior to attract
I laugh at men who pull out their cell phone
and make conversation with the dial tone when they see a pretty face
These kinds are usually chased by testosterone
But they say, “Like attracts Like”
Just like women who get with men for their dividends and their regiment
Determined to find their soul mate at the bank or the gym
But if they only knew that it takes a lot more than good looks to keep him
Wisdom is virtue
That’s why today there’s so very few Proverbs 31 women
Because today most females seek advice from the Cosmopolitan
It is written, in Ecclesiastes 7:1 that a good name is better
And the day of one’s death than the day of one’s birth
Because the world recognizes your works after you left this earth
Naked you came and naked you will leave
Only a fool believes there is power in his possessions
Cause you’ll have no power in the day of your death
You’ll just be left with things you can’t take when you take your last breath
So you can dress your flesh in the very best
Or surround yourself with the top notch
But where does it stop?
You might be attracted to all the glamour and the glitz
But I’ve seen the rich hit the bottom once they reached the top
I look at all the labor that's being done under the sun
And there isn't any new thing that hasn't already been done
So what does it profit a man with an inheritance
When he’s the only one who benefits?
So many pearls are being cast into the sea
It’s so sad to see that all is Vanity

Who's gonna take the weight

2009-11-22T22:01:00.000-08:00

Become a Mentor

2009-11-21T13:05:00.001-08:00

I know we are all busy, but if you feel challenged to give more of yourself, check your community outreaches and see how you can get involved. Even if it's volunteering for one day. Become a mentor.

One person can make a difference to change and inspire a life for the better.
At the end of the day, this is what it's about. It's about the children.

This is true LOVE.

Save The Children - Marvin Gaye

We must be in LOVE

2009-11-11T08:39:00.001-08:00

Los Angeles, it's that time again! Year 3 & still growing strong. This Saturday, November 14th we are walking for Dilla & joining hundreds more as we continue to come together in support to finding this cure for Lupus.
If you have not registered yet you still have time. You can go to www.lupusresearch.org Sign up under the Jay Walkers Team with Team Captain Rashonda Hayes. You can also get more information about the walk at www.officialmadukes.com
We are still in need of sponsors & donations. Big shouts to Phyne Print & 2 Fresh 4 yall for donating T-shirts for the walk. Thank You so much!!
If your company would like to support the Jay Walkers team, please contact Herman Hayes at disfadilla@yahoo.com or you can reach Rashonda Hayes on twitter @Detroit613
There are a couple Jay Walkers pre-party events this Friday night. Check the flyers for more info.
We look forward to seeing you this Saturday! Blessings T

Love Feat. Pharoahe Monch - J Dilla (AKA Jay Dee)

Adriana Evans is back!:)

2009-11-10T16:55:00.000-08:00

I was just thinking about her a couple weeks ago, wondering "Where is Adriana Evans?" I love her! I always thought she was an artist who never got the shine she deserved.
Her voice is so beautiful, her style & vibe is so fresh and nobody really knows who she is. Anyways, just seen this write up from Fusicology. I'm really excited to see she's back in the game. Can't wait to check out her new music. It's out today, November 10th!

"Fusicology"
Singer Adriana Evans was born and raised in San Francisco, California. Her mother, Mary Stallings was also a gifted jazz vocalist who sang with Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Cal Tjader and released several solo records. At 18, Adriana relocated to Los Angeles, where she met rapper/producer Dred Scott whom she collaborated with on his 1994 album “Breakin' Combs”. A year later she and Dred wrote and recorded her debut self titled album for Capitol Records but soon after, the urban music department disbanded and her contract ended up in the hands of Loud/RCA.

Alongside Erykah Badu’, “Baduizm”, Adriana and her album with it’s jazzy vibe, had the unique distinction of being responsible for ushering in what would later be dubbed the “neo-soul” movement. Rising to the heights of success on the backs of hip-hop groups like Mobb Deep and The Wu-Tang Clan, Loud Records was essentially a “rap label” and regrettably, ill equipped to properly promote and market such a revolutionary release.

Critically acclaimed yet commercially panned, (only 70,000 units sold) Adriana became disenchanted with the politics of the music industry and retreated to the warmth and freedom of the independent scene. Seven years later, her sophomore album, “Nomadic” was released on her own label to be sold only at shows and on her website… until now.
Animatedcartunes proudly re-issues this hard to find classic enhanced to include a music video for the lead single, “7 Days”. The album is a departure from her jazzy self titled debut in that it draws it's inspiration from many genres of music including samba, reggae, rock and hip-hop but all VERY soulfully composed. It is an extremely unique sound that defies description and can only be truly understood when you give it a listen.

Classics...she's so fly

Healing through Music

2009-11-09T01:28:00.000-08:00

I found this cool interview with Sheila E on CNN. She talks about helping children who have experienced abuse, though music. I already loved Sheila E. being a huge Prince fan, but now I respect & admire her even more for using her talent to help others.
I was sexually abused when I was younger. I can talk freely about it now because my heart has gone through much healing. Because of this experience, it is my desire to want to help others who have experienced this same situation.
In my opinion, sexual abuse to a child is the worst thing that could ever be done on this planet. To have your innocence taken away and to never regain it back is such a tragic epidemic that takes place all over the world. Unfortunately, the child grows up into a fearful, rejected and shameful adult. Trust me, I know this topic oh so well. But I thank God everyday for bringing me into wholeness.
I know this topic is deep and personal but sexual abuse has happened to sooo many people, women and men. I'm all about reality and seeing people set free & happy.

Check this link out:)copy/paste http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/showbiz/2009/10/07/dcl.delaney.sheila.e.intv.cnn

Antwone Fisher is a personal hero for many reasons. I admire him for sharing his experience of abuse & abandonment. When I seen this movie at the theaters, I never seen so many people crying, even grown men. This movie definitely touched a lot of people. Thank you Mr. Fisher for being so transparent. You have helped so many people, including myself.

We all share the same story. Everybody has grown up in some sort of dysfunction. We can't change our past but we can choose to rise above it and make our future a bright one.

This is why I'm a "Believer"

2009-11-09T01:18:00.000-08:00

If you have read any of my poetry, you see I make a lot of reference about God. I never try to push my relationship with Him on anybody, I just love Him so much because of the healing He has brought into my life. He is so real to me, just as real as you are to me. I'll never be ashamed or embarrased to talk about the wonderful things He has done in my life. If you think I'm weird, good:) God's love brings healing, it's there for you too:) blessings xoxo T

This is why...
I put Him first...
I need silence as I write this
I don't even know what to title this
But I know what I want to say and that is....Thank you
I have to wipe the tears that fall from my eyes
Before I even write the next line to this rhyme
Honestly, this poem gives no justice to describe
This expression of gratitude that I'm feeling inside
I can't even capture the right words to express
So I'll do my best to describe what dwells in my chest
How I feel for you?
Cannot even fit in the form of Haiku
And if I were to write it in words
It would carry more strength than action verbs
There would be no ending, no period, it goes beyond a sentence
It's like your love for me, it's endless
That's why I put you first
Nobody else's love helps me understand what I'm worth
You've been there for me from the beginning
When nobody cared it was you that was listening
I didn't know who You were but you were always watching over me
If I close my eyes and go back through my history
When I should've been protected instead you sent your angels down from heaven
You know the story, every time they'd argue she'd run out the house
But this is the part that I try to black out
It's more painful than my mom's black eye
It's when he came in my room and stood by my bedside
While I was pretending to be sleeping
I was really awake but dreaming
When I asked in my mind for somebody to take me to a place I could hide
You brought me to a place where I believed I could fly
A safe place where every little girl was free to play
That was the first day I learned how to pray
This game of hide and seek became a survival technique
I'd call your name and quickly you came to my aid
So strong you held me close in your arms
While another man's hands took my innocence away
That pillow that my head rested on, was really your lap
You caressed my face while your angels rubbed my back
Gently you whispered in my ear so softly...
My dear, I am here, you have nothing to fear
Have to remind myself when I don't feel Him he's still near
Just as He stood with me then, He still stands with me today
That's why at the end of the day I could careless what people say
Cause He's the only one who understands
When we walk side by side you see His footprints in the sand
When my dad went away it was you that took his place
Yes, I wished I could've seen the look on his face
Every time I made a wish before I blew out the cake
Pretty soon the candles were outnumbered by my tears
They didn't represent my age
But for every year that my daddy wasn't there
From age two to thirty two
Imagine what you could do,if you melted all those candles into one?
If it was sparked it would never go dark
And I'd bet it would be larger than Candlestick Park
And yes I wished it was his arm that I held onto on my special day
But I'm glad that I chose cousin Trav to give me away
But the reason why I smiled was because I knew you were there
When I walked down that aisle
But even though our marriage lasted only a short while
You still walk with me
arm in arm like you're the one who married me
I will never be ashamed of you
I don't care who sees me raise my arms just to praise you
And if they do I will tell them
You are real
That's why this poem gives no justice to describe how I feel
But I know what I want to say
And that is....Thank You

Freedom Writing

2009-11-01T17:44:00.000-08:00

Freedom writing/Fighting to stay alive/Writing this line while driving down the 405/ The real grind begins after the 9-5/Entering Golden Time/Praying that illumination shines through this rhyme/Just had a thought…if confession brings healing, then expression brings freedom/So if artists expressed their hearts then their art can really free men/So why then, do artists keep on reaching for a dream that has no meaning?/Gifts were meant for giving/But most use their gifts in vain/All for a name, fame or just to entertain/It wearies me, when I see the music and film industry continuing to put things that leave us with no feeling/Please forgive me, but I just feel Hollywood is on some fake shit/That's why today, Holly would do just about anything to make it/Little girls repeat what they see/Believing reality is a world they see on MTV/Kids don't read books anymore/Don't know their history, brainwashed by media/Entertain their brains with pop culture trivia/Who gives a shit if Tom Cruise shops at Whole Foods or if Tara Reeds got lopsided boobs?/Millions are wasted on media that continues to feed garbage to our spirits/Can you imagine if that money was used for a good purpose?/Who knows? Research could have used that money and found a cure for Lupus/Dilla would still be eating donuts loopin Rufus/We've all been told from the young and the old/All that glitters is not gold/ Don't be fooled by Tinseltown just because it shines so bright/Like moths drawn to the light but soon get lost in the flight/Many stories told, of how they sacrificed their wife, slept in their cars at night, just to be a star/But somewhere along the dream, they forgot who they are/Were in a time, where the amateur is on the rise/Be wise/Utilize all resources to speak your mind/Who needs a publicists these days when you can promote yourself online?/How powerful it is to have the opportunity to bring unity through a MySpace community/I don't worship idols but in a way Tom's a god/Thank you for helping me re-unite with my Aunt Kim through a blog/Young Babes, you ought to be ashamed/It's time to change your default pic on your MySpace page/ Tired of seeing reflections of legs and darriers taken by yourself in your bathrooms mirrors/We were created for a specific purpose in a specific time as this/Be different/Be an instrument/Use your gifts to uplift...../D.J.'s keep us dancing/ Keep playing the music that flows from the soul/Poets and writers continue to write what you know/Lyricists keep using your gifts of prophecy to show us the way to go/ Photographers keep capturing history of emcees that rock the shows/Producers keep making fruitful beats that help makes us grow/Peace not war but support the bombs Graff arms throw/Write. Draw. Paint. Recite. Act. Dance. Sing/If you all have a dream, don't stop/Stay strong and just believe/Pass the baton of our creative energy that sets us all free.
DREAM

Lip Gloss

2009-10-30T21:59:00.001-07:00

I heard you're going to be at the party tonight
I wanted to look just right
So I bought a pretty black dress just for you
I hope you like
I like the way you dress too
Your so cool
You keep up with the latest
But seem to keep it old school
So fresh and brand new
You always know what to do
You know how to mix the vintage with the fly
The way you comb your hair
It's kind of cute to me when you part it to the side:)
Turns me on how you can make the crowd go wild
I haven't felt this funny feeling in such a long while
When I look at your picture you bring out a smile
You make this fly girl turn into a shy girl
But right now I want to move
So if you feel like I do
Then tonight let's groove
On the dance floor just me and you
So just take a chance
Don't be shy boy
Please come up to me
and ask me to dance
It will be fun
Your the only one
Your the reason why
I put my lip gloss on
muah xoxo

Lets groove tonight

A Midsummer's Night Dream

2009-10-28T00:18:00.000-07:00

This is dedicated to one fine gentleman
Is he fact or fiction?
Or just a figment of my imagination?
A mid summer nights dream that became a reality?
This distant lover caught a flight
landed on the beach & I arrived round midnight
You greeted me with a hug & a kiss on my cheek
It was just right & it was just like I prophesied
The moonlight reflected off your sparkling eyes
You made me so shy, you are so fine I had to look away
We walked along side the waves that crashed at our feet
You got me smiling like a school girl at every word that you speak
So handsome,sexy and intelligent
I could tell right away your a true gentleman
I love learning about you & your religion
I admire your integrity & your discipline you're really living it
I know this couldn't work were both from two different worlds
But attraction only knows truth & sees beyond any laws
This feels so natural, it just feels right
No drug could ever make you this high
I prayed to the most high in one of my darkest nights
I looked to the sky & prayed for a light
I opened up my eyes & now here you are
He answered my prayers and sent me a star
That's why I know your a gift from above and if He is love
Then how could this be wrong?
Even if we never become one
I am blessed because you inspired this song
You make me feel safe that's why it was ok with me to walk back to your place
What's gotten over me? Your making this independent woman want to act domestically
Cook you good food to make sure your eating healthy
But only because your sweeter then the coconut tea you shared with me
Asking me questions about my family tree showed that you really cared for me
Never felt this close to someone fully clothed & your still into me
This is true intimacy with respect
Getting sleepy but I'm not ready to leave yet
Let me close my eyes and fall asleep on your chest
I am awakened at the beautiful music that comes from our silence
Your heart beating in my ear and the sounds from the waves of the ocean crashing outside your window
I'm embracing this moment
taking you in slow tasting your pheromones as I breath in your soul
This is beginning to feel to good now I really got to go
4 am now I'm driving home
trying to stay awake listening to Love Love Love by Donny Hathaway
Sent you that text to let you know I got home safe
I fell asleep right away & when I woke up the first thing I thought about was you
Was this dream really true or just a case of de ja vu?
I want to fall back asleep so I can dream of part 2

Never Give Up

2009-10-26T20:53:00.000-07:00

This poem is dedicated to all the artists. Keep believing in your dreams even when nobody else does. The ones who ever felt like Noah when he was trying to build the ark. The dream stealers didn't believe him, thought he was crazy and stupid. But guess what happened to the haters when the storm hit? Exactly...To all the dreamers this ones for you.

Growing up, it was just me & cousin Trav
We never had a dad to tell us, 'Yes we can'
or that 'We can be anything we want to be'
Just two latch key kids that lacked self esteem
Couldn't rely on he, so I had to rely on I
So don't think I'm crazy when I talk to the sky
My whole life I had to fight
Trying to turn my dark past into a future that is bright
& just like you I want to do what's right
But anytime you want to better your life you get resistance
For instance, not very long ago I had to pray myself back into existence
Broke down from all the stress and tension
In 07, I hit a great depression but in this time my soul learned the greatest lessons
Never took the time to grieve over things that were stole
So in a sense I became a modern day Job
Lost my job, lost my home, lost my car, lost my hope
But when Uncle Bob passed that's when I couldn't cope
But no matter how hard I tried to hide & end things
God's love would always come and find me
Sent me human angels to keep me smiling
So to all the people who have a problem with me rising
You haters can take it up with my Creator
Because I was created for greatness
So this next message goes out to the all the dream stealers
Let me get my hit list time to check off all the hatin b******
That smiled to my face, hugged my neck, but when I walked away they'd talk their sh**
Warning other people to be careful, to watch out & look out for me
But if you took the time to get to know me
See what I'm about & read my poetry
You would clearly see that my message is about spreading the love
& encouraging others that they can make their dreams come true
So when you spoke against me you really were speaking against you
Really, we should be on the look out for you
But enough about you
Going on to number 2
Never thought you could be home alone
and run up a thousand dollar phone bill and never pick up the phone
Who were you calling? Cause it sure wasn't me
Imagine the agony to not hear from you husband & it's going on month 3
Yeah nobody's perfect, I was still working on me
Acted real immature said things I didn't mean
But one things for sure, I loved you
And all those things were no reason to leave your Queen
Who needed enduring love & consistency from her King
While I put mine aside I supported your dreams
But you forgot that we were on the same team
Love never has to compete it completes
I was down for you & yours
Sold the Symphony merch when you went on tour
& yes it wasn't right to call your sister Jenny a b****
Which she made my hit list 3
But what do expect?
How would you feel if you shared your heart & they turned right back around
to kill your dream? Told me to be more realistic
Said I was good with my hands
Massage therapists are high in demand
Well she did speak some head knowledge
Let me share with you what I learned in hand college
If you take the middle finger with the palms facing up
It means Ya Basta! Spanish for Enough is Enough
But then if you flip your hand over you get a whole new meaning
So to all the artists who work the hardest keep on dreaming
Turn up the middle finger to all the dream stealers
Don't Stop, stay strong and keep believing!

Crush

2009-10-24T12:02:00.000-07:00

Have you ever loved somebody that never knew how you truly feel? The pain of being a distant lover. Crushes are exactly that. But the most beautiful songs come from this feeling.

Wishing Upon A Starbucks

2009-10-24T11:56:00.001-07:00

Always be kind to everyone on your comeup. You maybe steps ahead but in time the Under Dog will catch up. It's all a matter of time.

Never Give Up on your Dreams. Ever.

It's sad when I see
Wannabe actresses and models
Giving up their asses for a role
I'm no role model but I'm working my ass off
To get this dough
This industry is mean that's why I keep smiling
While I'm humbly climbing
Up this ladder of politics
Making my way through haters, publicists and top execs
That's why I say always respect the servants
Who they are today may not be who they are tomorrow
You'd never know that standing before you
is an undiscovered star
From the receptionist
Answering the phones
To the personal assistant
Who has the keys to your home
You never know
There maybe a day when positions could switch
And now were the ones who signs your pay checks
And you'll be living in regret
Cause you can never take back
That day when you laughed
When I had to go fetch bottles of water for the staff
Now guess who's going to have the last laugh?
Just remember these words
The last shall be first and the first shall be last
This is not a threat but facts so take heed
In fact my job is not an assistant
But a Gardner planting seeds
Until then I just trust in the divine
Cause I know in due time
A harvest will come back to me
So what you see
Is just history in the making
I'm not complaining but I'm just saying
I'm getting tired of running to Starbucks for the stars
One day, I'll be running my own Starbucks like Magic cause like him I got charm
But this dream can only be achieved from me working hard
That's why I remind myself to stay on this grind
And I'm not talking about coffee
but writing these rhymes

wrote this 3 years ago:D I still believe in this.

The Secret...Law of Attraction

2009-10-20T22:22:00.000-07:00

Like attracts like
So my right type
Is a fly guy who typewrites
Rocks mics & rocks Nikes
Right now I'm feeling like
Explosive like some Dynomite
Tired of being a distant lover
So let me catch a flight
Make this fantasy in my mind come to life
If I were to die tonight
At least I could say I felt a love that felt right
Let's hold hands and slow dance on the sand
Underneath the moonlight
Been hurt in the past
But for you I just might
Give love another chance
Sexy in your B Boy stance
Loving the fact that your not too shy to dance
Attracted to your discipline
Most fools try to rush in
But you take your time
I believe we were a King and Queen in our past lives
Died and this lifetime we came back as butterflies
Now our purpose in life is to be like the One that shines bright
We are rays of light
Reflecting the love that comes from above
I pray at night God's protecting my love
A Golden bridge maybe between us but we still connected to a Golden Son
Just look at my name, we will always be one
We have so much in common
Even from the same hood
Now we're both grown-ups using our gifts to bring good
Making me want you more than just my brother
Want to become more like your secret lover
While your at work Ill send you a sexy text
For your eyes only I'll even send you a sexy pic
We on some alien shit
Connect on an intellectual and spiritual tip
Floatin minds coastin on a spaceship
But then can flip it and get
artistically freaky like Prince
Soft and wet I can't help but lick my lips
So thoughtful and so sweet
Telling me that I crossed your mind peacefully
so you prayed for the Creator to be gentle to me
You make me feel beautiful
Cause normallay I don't believe em
When the boys say I'm prettay
But you maken me feel sexay
Got me feeling myself like Kanye
I pray that this feeling never goes away
Holding out for you I'll wait
Patiently I anticipate the date
our souls will mate

Hood LOVE is Good LOVE

2009-10-16T16:48:00.000-07:00

Hood love is Good love
Its that David's Sunflower Seeds and Popeye's red beans and rice with a bisquit & honey kind of love.
Its that holding hands at the mall shopping for fresh kicks and fits for your photo shoot together kind of love.
Its that massaging Palmer's Cocoa Butter & Baby oil on each others backs and feet after we shower kind of love.
That popping each others pimples straight monkey grooming each other kind of love.
Washing each others cars in the driveway listening to The Gap Band in some big ass sweats wearing one another's house slippers kind of love.
Its that waking up late to go to church so we pray together for our friends, family and our new president in bed kind of love.
That spooning on a futon mattress with no frame in our new empty studio apartment cause we gave up on assembling complicated IKEA furniture kind of love.
Its that volunteering at the soup kitchen on Thanksgiving Day and donating our old kicks to better our community kind of love.
Its that writing rhymes together and sharing poetry you wrote from your old journals back from highschool when you realized you wanted to be an emcee kind of love.
Its that helping you pack your bags for tour and picking you up from LAX when you get back from overseas kind of love.
Its that saying no to the single friends that want to go to the club on a Friday night cause I want to build with you kind of love.
That Hennessey straight out the bottle rolling blunts shot gunning in each others mouth kind of love.
Its that applying for a new credit card in your name cause my credit sucks and now I'm going to make your credit go to shit as well kind of love.
That waking up with crust in your eye kissing each other stank breath and all sharing each other's toothbrush in the morning kind of love.
Its that, "get your ass out the car and help push bitch!" cause the battery died kind of love.
Its that checking on your myspace page and seeing who the hell is that sending you some, "Showing you Love, where you've been?" kind of love.
Its that making beats & writing some hard core gangsta raps in the studio together kind of love.
Its that Guitar Hero playing drums all night thinking we rock stars kind of love.
Its that highschool 90's crush feeling all over again rhyming Tribe and singing "Let's chill in our mid thirties being like teenagers kind of love.
Its that breaking away from the party making out in our friends guest room kind of love.
Its that doing the Kid and Play in the living room watching House Party kind of love.
Its that laying on your stomache on a rainy day watching Cosby Show and Three's Company reruns and not doing a damn thing all day long kind of love.
Its that sending nasty pictures to your phone while your at work for inspiration letting you know what's waiting for you at home kind of love.
Its that taking your daughter from your baby's mom to the park and playing Horse and letting me brush and braid her hair kind of love.
That midnight making runs to 7-11 to get a extra large half and half Cherry/Blueberry Slurpee with a solo Peach Blunt and a lotto ticket kind of love.
That holding my hair cause I'm puking my guts out the side of your car after the club then eating Roscoes Chicken and Waffles at 2:36 am kind of love.
That beef jerky eating playing Mrs. Pacman and Centipede waiting for our clothes to be done at the laundromat kind of love.
Its that going to the Bank, Grocery store, Liquor store & Western Union for YOUR mama cause I'm family now kind of love.
That electric slide and soul train in the kitchen in your socks while making a big ass pot of spahgetti kind of love.
That sneaking Taco Bell a flask of Jose Cuervo and a big bag of peanut M&M's into the movie theater kind of love.
That talking shit watching music videos Tivo'ing Flavor of Love and America's next best dance crew kind of love.
That arguing in the Mc'Donalds parking lot about some dumb pointless bullshit that has nothing to do about us for hours kind of love.
That friday night when your friends want you to go out but we chose to stay in and recite Trading places & Coming to America kind of love.
That up all night it's 4 am and where the fuck are you at and why aren't you picking up your gawdamn phone! kind of love.
That reading each other's daily horoscope and reading, "Linda Goodmans Love Signs" to check our compatibility at Barnes and Nobles kind of love.
That cappin & snappin each other with endless Yo mama jokes battle rapping each other kind of love.
The pull over the side of the road and give head listening to Led Zeppelin kind of love.
The playing the drums and keyboards at the Guitar Center on a Sunday afternoon then heading to Amoeba to shop for vinyl kind of love.
That praying for one another for strength and comfort when your auntie passed away kind of love.
That punching holes in the wall then going to the club with the homies to piss you off and make you wonder kind of love.
That laying on the top of your hood together staring at the stars in the Hollyhood Hills thinking of girls and boys names for our babies kind of love.
Hood love is good love.
Hood love is true love.

Little Girl

2009-10-11T17:18:00.000-07:00

Daddies be there for your little girl. Your presence is so vital to our existence.
"He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers" Malachi 4:6

She was brought into this world as a result of sin
But there' no question...she was predestined
A blessing...in disguise
It's true that God can use the foolish things to confound the wise
She came as a surprise but not in God's time
Her purpose was to shine and bring light to her father's eyes
A young man who didn't understand what it meant to be a man
or a dad to ay the least
17 with no dreams but she showed him the true meaning of life
He was happy but overwhelmed
He couldn't handle the responsibilities
so mommy used baby as a threat till he would get it right
But that day never came
So one day, mommy packed up her things and drove away from her pain
While baby played in the backseat
not realizing she would be leaving what she would need most
Years pass, and now baby's all grown up
Still a little girl but a little girl in a womanly body
Her mind doesn't match her physique
Feminity incomplete
Insecure and not sure of her worth
because a healthy girl is built up by her father's words
Her confidence is built by compliments by men who only see her as an object
Her one true desire in life, is just to be held
by masculine arms that will never leave
She truly believes that she is not worthy to be loved
So she developed a mentality of thinking that giving is the key
to make him stay
Bending over backwards...compromising herself just so he wouldn't leave
But in the end she's left empty carrying his seed
History repeats & now she's left without peace
She can't rest unforgiveness & bitterness dwells in her chest
All she ever wanted was to be loved & caressed
But in this test..She finally could see
That the love she was searching for was right there all along
It's all she would need
This unconditional love came from above...
God is a father to the fatherless
His love will never leave:)

My Exodus

2009-10-05T19:30:00.000-07:00

Never give up on your dreams.

Sacrifice
Endure
Persevere
Forgive
Get up
again
and again
and again
recast the vision.

I had to walk through desert sands
Like the Israelites when they had to pass through the wilderness
In order to get to the Promised Land
The purpose of this wilderness was to show me my wickedness
A place to escape after He delivered me from Egypt
Which represents my flesh
This quest also brought deliverance
From things and people that didn't benefit
Like old habits and corrupt relationships
All this was the Genesis to my Exodus
It started out like this
Like the kiss of Judas
I was betrayed
Been played
Always afraid what people would say
I swayed back and forth like ocean waves
Tossed to and fro
Who would have known my foes were those close to home
Now I've grown and I see there was no trust or no love
Sharing nothing in common except drugs thugs and clubs
Foundation of these friendships were vain
While they remained I started to change
My mind was reaching higher planes
Conversation not the same
Relationships I thought were significant
Became stagnate and a hindrance
Rejected and left forsaken
But no hard feelings taken
These situations only strengthened and my eyes were now awakened
God closed doors on the people I ran towards
Inside these glass shields were the only place I could be healed
From the spirit of rejection that had taken deep root from no fatherly affection
Correction was needed as I proceeded
But before I could continue all flesh had to be shed
I was broken like bread before the multitudes could be fed
I had to understand that it wasn't about me
So many nights I would cry as I stared towards the sky
Asking God, 'Where you at in all of this?'
I couldn't feel His presence
Even doubted if He exists
Such a lonely place when the only person I could be embraced
Was by a man with no face
But still I would chase after a dream I couldn't see
I grew through this journey of long suffering and pain
So for me to stay the same
My exodus would be in vain
To have learned without love
This all don't mean a thing

LOVETiana (1996)

Radiance

2009-10-03T22:56:00.000-07:00

She was a beauty queen with low self esteem
Who gave up on her hopes and her dreams
Put aside her own life to become the wife
of a man who won’t make the same sacrifice
She tries for him
Even compromises sin for his attention
That’s why there’s no respect because for him she’ll always give in
She never waited nor was patient for God to lead her relationships
She noticed it all began when he stopped doing the simple things
The sweet things that made her shine
Around his friends she became like all the rest
He could care less if his friends showed her no respect
Like a silly girl she would fight over a guy that had other girls on the side
Putting the blame on the other women
when the enemy was the one she was sleeping with
Everyday became a battle
The minute her eyes would open to the new morning sun
She’s overwhelmed with frustration and unappreciative of God’s creations
Her feelings are like a roller coaster
Unstable moods
Her days are even ruled by his attitude
She continues to pray that his ways will change
But in exchange she’s left spiritually drained
Tries to maintain strong in her weak little frame
Her days at work are filled with thoughts of what he did
A man she can’t stand but if he asked for another chance she’d give in
Crazy love
Conjuring thoughts to ruin him but the next minute she’s pursuing him
She can’t rest
Unforgiveness and bitterness sits in her chest
But still she holds on
Reminiscing of their first kiss to their song
While he’s moved on as if nothings wrong
She’s mad at herself because she promised she wouldn’t let this happen again
She was even hesitant before she stepped in
Even told him of what others did to her last
But despite her past she decided to give love another chance
It was a rushed romance
She always had somebody there and if they left
She moved on to the next
She didn’t understand where she kept going wrong
Since friendships were never established from the get
The foundation of respect was replaced with feelings of regret
He really wanted to do right
But he was never challenged to act right
He could only see her as she seen herself
I wish I could have told her that her righteousness
can make a boy want to become a better man
But understand no matter what sin she fell in
When she looks to Him
She will always be radiant in His eyes
She shall never be put to shame.
Psalms 34:5

Friday Saturday LOVE

2009-10-02T23:17:00.000-07:00

Just Got Paid Friday Night
Best friends want to head to Nightlife
But they can go head without me
Cause tonight I'm feeling like
I want to hang with you tonight
So call me after you get out the studio
I'll call Roscoes & order Chicken n Waffles to go
So we can come back home
Roll one and be rollin n watch the Chappelle Show
Or we can sip some wine & recite every line
Watch Trading Places for the 99th time
Last but not least we can pop in Purple Rain
But we both know what comes next after the Basement Scene
You start thinking you Prince and I'm Apollonia
Convincing me I need to put this apple on ya
Got me stripping down like I'm passing initiation at Lake Minnetonka
Let's purify ourselves and head to the shower
Let's give head for hours and then take it back to the bed
Only 2 am and you getting breakfast in bed
Let's light some candles 'Do me baby's' on repeat
I know your beat
making beats working 80 hour weeks just so we can eat
So lay your head down and relax
Let me massage your back
Spoiling you sitting on you while I'm rubbing oil on you
But you deserve it
It's my pleasure to serve you too
Let's fall asleep and then wake up at noon
But before we get dressed let's go for round 22
Now we grooving in the car to Earth Wind and Fire tunes
Headed to the mall so we can shop for your photo shoot
You know I'm stylish
I'm your personal stylists
Dress you in fly fits that get the ladies posting up photo comments
They can comment how sexy you be
But I know I'll always be the lady you want to see
I believe in you and you believe in me
We will always be
Best friends
Lovers
Your so special to me

FeeL U uP

2009-10-02T23:10:00.000-07:00

I LOVE PRINCE FOREVER!!! xoxo

Beautiful People Places Things

2009-10-01T01:41:00.000-07:00

Find more photos like this on All about LOVE

Laws of Love & Attraction

2009-09-22T18:21:00.000-07:00

The Laws of Love & Attraction, Mr. Deepak Chopra.

Imagining my ideal:)

When it is time. I don’t know who he maybe but I know he will be man of
greatness.
His reputation is respectable and his presence is acknowledged.
He strives for excellence in all that he does that is why is an
honorable man.
He is held in high regards within the upper echelon.
His appearance may fool spectators or maybe viewed as ordinary.
But there is nothing ordinary about him.
Without a trace of a degree many are confound by the words of wisdom
that comes from his lips.
He carries a spirit of greatness that cannot be denied.
His eyes gleam with confidence because he knows that it is not him but
the Greater One that lives within him.
He is an urban prince that roams about the cities but still carries a
heart of a servant.
That is why he is favored among the poor and the rich.
He recognizes his influence is powerful that is why he chooses wisely.
Linked to the elitist but still chooses to eat among those whom men look
down upon.
He understands the importance of servant hood and does not look down
upon it as a weakness but as a prerequisite to authority.
His discipline makes him attractive and is openly rewarded by his
obedience that has been done in secret.
Never wasteful he uses his time wisely.
Never lazy because he knows it leads to poverty.
A skilled worker is he.
Always putting his hands to good use.
He has been misunderstood and not appreciated the way he deserves by the
women in his past.
For they cannot see the greatness within this man because they cannot
see the greatness within themselves.
These lovers in his past have been nothing but mere pawns. Chess pieces
in this predictable game of love.
They carry the least value and only obstacles to obtaining his goals and
full potential.
Undeniably, he has learned from these pawns but now he has reached a
place in life where he is open to love in it’s purest form.
Grown weary of playing this game alone and now ready to win with his
equal.
As one we will be a powerful force on this earth and do many great
exploits together for the sake of peace towards mankind.
We recognize that our communion is not intended for self-fulfillment but
for the serving of others so that they may in turn serve others.
We are merely forerunners.
We both see the future as if somebody has given us a map to our destiny
but in fact we have only been led by the dream that’s been within our
hearts.
It’s the light that has lead us out of our dark past towards one
another.
But for now, we are just strangers among the crowds doing what we know
to do.
We don’t know how or when this day will come but we just know that it
will. When it is time.
We will be at peace with one another because for the first time in our
lives we have found peace within ourselves.
We will enjoy the fruits of our labors and appreciate the blessings that
God has given us.
We both have come from little but know that the little is what caused us
to love great.

I still L.O.V.E. H.I.M.

2009-09-19T16:22:00.000-07:00

I just want to see you...
Put down the facade
Take off your chain
Quit trying to be hard
It's me... With me, you can put down your guard
Quit trying to be something your not
I understand this industry
You got to stay on top
The bling, the rings, the next hottest thing
But I love you for you and not for what you got
I don't understand why the ones who got your back are the ones long forgot
Now you big shot and now we small talk
Remember the long walks down our block and I was your girl?
Holding hands and dreaming of how we gonna rock this world?
Now you on top
And now I'm wearing that rock
But on bottom
Long forgotten
And all along I just wanted your heart
You say the game has changed
The money really got in the way
When we were poor & in love you'd seranade and say, 'My Cherie Amore'
Now you rich and just call me your bitch
Well, I stayed the same
My name never changed
You divorced me and I'm still wearing your ring
While you took off yours and traded it in for an iced out chain
Love you making a fool out of me and I'm still waiting in vain
You the only one who changed
You know where to find me, still I wait
So step off the stage, lock up the Range
Come home where you belong
and I'll make you a plate.
I miss you.
Let's change.
The babies need us.
Let's bring this back
to love.

To Hip hop, to the Industry, to Music.
To him.

This is why I believe & why...

2009-09-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

I put Him first...
I need silence as I write this
I don't even know what to title this
But I know what I want to say and that is....Thank you
I have to wipe the tears that fall from my eyes
Before I even write the next line to this rhyme
Honestly, this poem gives no justice to describe
This expression of gratitude that I'm feeling inside
I can't even capture the right words to express
So I'll do my best to describe what dwells in my chest
How I feel for you?
Cannot even fit in the form of Haiku
And if I were to write it in words
It would carry more strength than action verbs
There would be no ending, no period, it goes beyond a sentence
It's like your love for me, it's endless
That's why I put you first
Nobody else's love helps me understand what I'm worth
You've been there for me from the beginning
When nobody cared it was you that was listening
I didn't know who You were but you were always watching over me
If I close my eyes and go back through my history
When I should've been protected instead you sent your angels down from heaven
You know the story, every time they'd argue she'd run out the house
But this is the part that I try to black out
It's more painful than my mom's black eye
It's when he came in my room and stood by my bedside
While I was pretending to be sleeping
I was really awake but dreaming
When I asked in my mind for somebody to take me to a place I could hide
You brought me to a place where I believed I could fly
A safe place where every little girl was free to play
That was the first day I learned how to pray
This game of hide and seek became a survival technique
I'd call your name and quickly you came to my aid
So strong you held me close in your arms
While another man's hands took my innocence away
That pillow that my head rested on, was really your lap
You caressed my face while your angels rubbed my back
Gently you whispered in my ear so softly...
My dear, I am here, you have nothing to fear
Have to remind myself when I don't feel Him he's still near
Just as He stood with me then, He still stands with me today
That's why at the end of the day I could careless what people say
Cause He's the only one who understands
When we walk side by side you see His footprints in the sand
When my dad went away it was you that took his place
Yes, I wished I could've seen the look on his face
Every time I made a wish before I blew out the cake
Pretty soon the candles were outnumbered by my tears
They didn't represent my age
But for every year that my daddy wasn't there
From age two to thirty two
Imagine what you could do,if you melted all those candles into one?
If it was sparked it would never go dark
And I'd bet it would be larger than Candlestick Park
And yes I wished it was his arm that I held onto on my special day
But I'm glad that I chose cousin Trav to give me away
But the reason why I smiled was because I knew you were there
When I walked down that aisle
But even though our marriage lasted only a short while
You still walk with me
arm in arm like you're the one who married me
I will never be ashamed of you
I don't care who sees me raise my arms just to praise you
And if they do I will tell them
You are real
That's why this poem gives no justice to describe how I feel
But I know what I want to say
And that is....Thank You

#SPREADLOVE - message from Uncle Herm

2009-09-10T09:49:00.000-07:00

Hi family,
just got this in the email from Uncle Herm, to long to twit or fb. So here are the details for the upcoming walk in Atlanta. We are looking for sponsors, donations, if anything just simply spreading the word makes a difference. The community is really coming together tough this year, finding this cure for Lupus. There is so much LOVE when the comm*unity* comes together. Lets do this!! LOVE you Tiana

Hey Dilla fans and friends, thanks again for your help.........we are really aiming to make this a special day in Hip Hop....as far as food ..we need the basic BBQ items....maybe 200 hot dogs and buns, 200 hamburger and buns,400 bottled waters or drinks, and any type of Dilla stuff that's out there.....maybe Stonesthrow could send us something to give away or raffle off....as I said before.....we would like to start the BBQ around 12 noon, with running DJ sets all day, around 2pm till 6 or 7pm we plan on having production,dj,and B Boys sessions and lessons for kids 16 and under (for those who sign up and come to the Lupus walk @ 9am). The performances and guest DJ"s will start around 8pm and the kids will be at home soaking in thier new found skills.There will also be a walk video shoot and this is a good time for some sponsors to step up and be seen as a contributor to the cause ....so on that note....we need to really blast that we need sponsors,donations,walkers volunteers and media coverage. The Walk will be held at The Highwoods Century center office park ...just off of I-85 at the Clairmont exit......the walk is 5 K which is 3.2 miles....you dont have to be in Atlanta to sign up as a virtual walker....so please encourage people to sign up for the J.Dilla Project and register at http://walk.lupusresearch.org/goto/jaydee .....the Dilla Day event will be held @ the Bench 602 Marietta St. Atlanta Ga.......MaDukes will be hosting this Day in Atlanta and we need to show her the love and respect that Jay Dee deserves ...you can contact us at officialmadukes@yahoo.com or disfadilla@yahoo.com ....also check out www.officiamadukes.com for all of your Real Dilla info.....peace love and donuts......MaDukes,Uncle Herm and the J.Dilla Project

Expression = Freedom

2009-09-05T13:55:00.000-07:00

Thought about this poem. Had to put it back up here. Stay inspired always:)

Freedom writing/Fighting to stay alive/Writing this line while driving down the 405/ The real grind begins after the 9-5/Entering Golden Time/Praying that illumination shines through this rhyme/Just had a thought…if confession brings healing, then expression brings freedom/So if artists expressed their hearts then their art can really free men/So why then, do artists keep on reaching for a dream that has no meaning?/Gifts were meant for giving/But most use their gifts in vain/All for a name, fame or just to entertain/It wearies me, when I see the music and film industry continuing to put things that leave us with no feeling/Please forgive me, but I just feel Hollywood is on some fake shit/That's why today, Holly would do just about anything to make it/Little girls repeat what they see/Believing reality is a world they see on MTV/Kids don't read books anymore/Don't know their history, brainwashed by media/Entertain their brains with pop culture trivia/Who gives a shit if Tom Cruise shops at Whole Foods or if Tara Reeds got lopsided boobs?/Millions are wasted on media that continues to feed garbage to our spirits/Can you imagine if that money was used for a good purpose?/Who knows? Research could have used that money and found a cure for Lupus/Dilla would still be eating donuts loopin Rufus/We've all been told from the young and the old/All that glitters is not gold/ Don't be fooled by Tinseltown just because it shines so bright/Like moths drawn to the light but soon get lost in the flight/Many stories told, of how they sacrificed their wife, slept in their cars at night, just to be a star/But somewhere along the dream, they forgot who they are/Were in a time, where the amateur is on the rise/Be wise/Utilize all resources to speak your mind/Who needs a publicists these days when you can promote yourself online?/How powerful it is to have the opportunity to bring unity through a MySpace community/I don't worship idols but in a way Tom's a god/Thank you for helping me re-unite with my Aunt Kim through a blog/Young Babes, you ought to be ashamed/It's time to change your default pic on your MySpace page/ Tired of seeing reflections of legs and darriers taken by yourself in your bathrooms mirrors/We were created for a specific purpose in a specific time as this/Be different/Be an instrument/Use your gifts to uplift...../D.J.'s keep us dancing/ Keep playing the music that flows from the soul/Poets and writers continue to write what you know/Lyricists keep using your gifts of prophecy to show us the way to go/ Photographers keep capturing history of emcees that rock the shows/Producers keep making fruitful beats that help makes us grow/Peace not war but support the bombs Graff arms throw/Write. Draw. Paint. Recite. Act. Dance. Sing/If you all have a dream, don't stop/Stay strong and just believe/Pass the baton of our creative energy that sets us all free.
Keep DREAMING!!
LOVETiana

Sufism

2009-08-22T21:11:00.000-07:00

Peace and respects to all religions. No wish to impose my beliefs on to yours. We are all one. I was an evangelism major, thankful for the time at the University to learn theology but what is head knowledge of scriptures if there is no love in your heart? I don't claim a specific religion except strive every day to be love because God is love. I do however favor Sufism. Very interesting and I feel drawn to the teachings. If you are curious to what Sufism is, please read. Peace to everyone's personal and spiritual journey. Much love and peace Tiana.

What is a Sufi?
One who does not separate himself from others by opinion or dogma;
and who realizes the heart as the Shrine of God.

What does the Sufi desire?
To remove the false self and discover God within.

What does the Sufi teach?
Happiness.

What does the Sufi seek?
Illumination.

What does the Sufi see?
Harmony.

What does the Sufi give?
Love to all created things.

What does the Sufi get?
A greater power of love.

What does the Sufi find?
GOD.

And lose?
self

Hazrat Inayat Khan
The word, 'Sufi' has been ascribed various origins, among them words meaning 'purity' and 'wisdom.' The Sufi, therefore, is one who has discarded all that does not belong to his innermost self, and who has cultivated the garden of the heart, for there is no other place where wisdom grows.

The Sufi sees the Divine Presence reflected in all names and forms, and is limited by none. Knowing that no man-made distinction can contain the One Being, the Sufi offers sincere respect to all forms of worship, while ever striving to be free of dogmatic limitation.

The Sufi is one who has two points of view: his own, and that of the other.
Sufism, the Religion of the Heart

The subject of Sufism has been interpreted in various ways in India , Arabia , and other Middle Eastern countries over hundreds of years. This subject is also found in numerous historical documents as well as in contemporary publications, and yet to the question, ‘what is Sufism?’ there seems to be no precise definition which could satisfy the curiosity of those who, in the disguise of seekers on the spiritual path, are searching only for the key to performing wonders.

Sufism is neither a religion nor a cult nor a sect, nor is it only from the East or from the West. Sufism, which means wisdom, has always been and shall always be an open door to Truth; the wise feel sympathy towards all beliefs, while at the same time avoiding speculation upon abstract concepts. Sufism believes in the Divine origin of every form of worship in which the unity of religious ideals is respected.

Sufism, which is without any religious obligations, regards spirituality as the religion of the heart. That religion is one wherein the unity of religious ideals is followed unconditionally in search of truth, without going astray in following the followers of the followers of the great religious reformers, whose messages have been altered beyond recognition through the centuries by those who confuse mysticism with fanaticism.

In Sufism there is no place for comparisons or preferences. All Messengers are regarded with the same respect and their messages are worshiped with the same veneration, knowing that Buddha was not a Buddhist, Christ was not a Christian, and Mohammed was not a Mohammedan. They were bringers of new impulses of the Divine Message, which the multitude uses as toys to play with, and impostors use for power games.

Sufism is an attitude of inner sympathy towards all beliefs. All religions are Sufi religions as long as they recognize the limits inherent in any speculative interpretation of Truth. One might say that Sufism is a process leading to the widening of the horizon of the heart, so that Truth may shine within as a brilliant sun, illuminating all that is receptive of its rays of light.

Through the ages there has been one religion after another, but each one came as a confirmation of the previous one. Now, in our century and with the development of science and communication, it has become clear that each religion had a special purpose to fulfil at a particular period of human evolution. For the wise, one can only be really attuned to any religion if one’s heart is open to all religious beliefs with the same love and understanding for each.

If one took six or seven different glasses, each one of a different colour, and poured water in each glass, the water would appear red in one glass, blue in another, green in a third, and so on, although it were the same water in each. In the same way, all religions are in their origin of divine inspiration, but, like the image of water poured into different coloured glasses, as soon as divine inspiration is crystallized in human thought, it acquires the colour of that thinking. We then call the one colour Hinduism, another colour Buddhism, another Islam and still other colours are called Judaism, Christianity, or by any other religious denomination.

Therefore, since the origin of all religions is of divine nature, these can only be understood inasmuch as one is prepared to recognize the unity of all religious ideals, at which level all religions are so many derivations of one and the same impulse, the cry of the heart, the longing of the soul for God.

Wisdom might reveal itself in the guise of a recognizable form, although wisdom is not tangible, nor does it have a form of its own. Examples of wisdom might perhaps be described, although wisdom cannot be defined in words. Furthermore, there are just as many expressions of wisdom as there are seekers of wisdom. Yet, for the one who is really wise, there is only one wisdom but many different ways of understanding that one wisdom, and different forms of expression through which the one and only wisdom is recognized by the wise.

Wisdom takes it for granted that some very specific dogmas must have made much sense at the time that they were preached, but these don’t necessarily apply any more in our world today, where science has taken over the responsibility of such subjects as health and education, which were originally once part of the basic structures of ancient religion.

The word Sufi means wisdom, but that does not mean that when pursuing the Sufi path one is necessarily wise. Sufism is a test with which one is constantly confronted, when expected to show an example of how well one understands what spirituality truly is. Spirituality does not mean drifting away upon the clouds of illusion; it means having the feet firmly on the ground of reality, proving thereby, without pretence to have acquired discipline over the physical and mental energies. It is only then that one can possibly inspire others on the path where honesty in spirituality is the watchword.

A Sufi is a religious soul whose nature is to refuse to submit to imposed beliefs, and who is conscious that life is not necessarily just what one might think it to be, nor what one is told it to be. Life is not only lived at the level of physical experience, nor only at the level of thought, nor only at the level of feeling, but also, and most importantly, at a still higher level of consciousness, where the self is no more the barrier separating reality from illusion.

On the path of spirituality, one ventures to vanquish one’s own faults rather than to judge others, whose faults are not very different to one’s own. One tries to master one’s own feelings rather than misinterpreting those of others, and one treasures even the smallest sign of appreciation coming from those who are dependant upon one’s sympathy.

At this level of consciousness, there are neither limitations nor opposites, nor is there any relationship with pre-conceived ideas, such as those expressed in all dogmatic religious interpretations of Truth. When trying to explain God one only fashions an individual concept, limited to the size of ones thoughts.

Perhaps one might discover someday what it really means to have inner security, when seeing that all things only have just as much importance as one attaches to them. Nothing is important and yet everything is important, but that which seems so important to oneself does not always seem important to others. The Sufi will always remain free from judging others and from specifying what is good and what is bad. For the Sufi, good and bad are concepts that can only be discerned within one’s own conscience.

As soon as one attempts to define abstract concepts, one is taken away into the labyrinth of one’s own thoughts that soon break down into speculative descriptions from which one constructs dogmatic ideas; these are then added to the many pre-conceived ideas picked up through one’s education, together with the numerous impressions and influences which constitute our mind world. Then, when one tries to express one’s beliefs and understandings, the words tend to deviate from the original ideas, which were themselves only arbitrary concepts, and the result of all this is so often presented as being the one and only truth.

The Sufi Message is a message of, ‘Spiritual Liberty,’ revealing in its essence, the true nature of spirituality as being the liberation from dogmas and preconceived ideas. And in its call for “Unity of spiritual Ideals, the Sufi message offers a source of inspiration, reaching far beyond such feelings as ‘my religion’ as opposed to ‘your religion,’ because there is only one religion and several interpretations of the one Truth.

Let us unite as brothers and sisters without any pretension, with the great ideal of bringing happiness to a world where illusion reigns regrettably in full authority, over the freedom of spiritual awakening.

The religion of our time is destined to be the religion of the heart, and since there are many hearts, there are obviously many religions, although all religions spring forth from one and the same heart, the temple of God , wherein, when wisdom prevails, love harmony and beauty together constitute the living altar.

Jay Walkers, it's that time again!

2009-08-21T16:21:00.000-07:00

Can't believe it's going on year 3. The J Dilla Project/Jay Walkers keeps growing every year. Thank you Herm and Shon for creating this team from start and dedicating your time and energy to see a cure for this disease. It's an honor to be part of this team.
They are extremely close with finding this cure for Lupus, according to the ALR. For all of those who have walked in the past, these pics are familiar to you, looking good;). As a community, lets get together again. Walk for Dilla, walk for LOVE, walk to find a cure.
Please sign up with Team Captain Rashonda Hayes. Next walk will be in Detroit. More details to date and time. Copy/Paste link below. The Los Angeles walk is coming soon.
Thank you to all in advance for your time and donations. Everything helps. Spread the word and thank you for spreading the LOVE.
Peace Love Tiana
You can sign up here at this link or you can get in touch with Shon at Shon603@gmail.com

Link to Rashond Hayes Jay Walkers Team Page:
http://walk.lupusresearch.org/site/TR/Events/MID?px=1787455&pg=personal&fr_id=2210&et=FehibflPTUcI6wLONGfvgw..&s_tafId=20186

Love Feat. Pharoahe Monch - J Dilla (AKA Jay Dee)

Jazz and The Civil Rights Movement

2009-08-12T21:45:00.000-07:00

I love learning about jazz history and especially the jazz musicians that influenced us and music during the "Civil Rights Era". It was a time of hate, war and social injustices amongst races and organizations. All were fighting for equality and a voice to be heard.
I imagine the love stories that emerged amongst the people of this dark time that never made it to the movies or novels for us to read about. Can you imagine living during this era of ignorance and chaos searching for some sort of light? Love and music is true freedom. This is why the music that came from this period interests me so deeply. I feel it was love and music that kept the spirits of people alive and gave them hope during this time. Enjoy, Peace LOVETIANA

Courtesy of: How Jazz Musicians Spoke Out for Racial Equality
By Jacob Teichroew, About.com

From the days of bebop, when jazz ceased to be pop music, and instead became solely about the music and the musicians who played it, jazz has been symbolically linked to the civil rights movement. The music, which appealed to whites and blacks alike, provided a culture in which the collective and the individual were inextricable, and in which one was judged by his ability alone, and not by race or any other irrelevant factors. “Jazz,” Stanley Crouch writes, “predicted the civil rights movement more than any other art in America.”
Not only was jazz linked to civil rights in its structure. Jazz musicians took up the cause, using their celebrity and their music to promote racial equality and social justice. Below are just a few cases in which jazz musicians spoke out for civil rights.

Louis Armstrong

Although sometimes criticized by activists and black musicians for playing into an “Uncle Tom” stereotype by performing for mainly white audiences, Louis Armstrong often had a subtle way of dealing with racial issues. In 1929 he recorded a song called “(What Did I Do To Be So) Black and Blue?,” a song from a popular musical. The lyrics include the phrase:

My only sin
Is in my skin
What did I do
To be so black and blue?
The lyrics, out of the context of the show, and sung by a black performer in that period, were a risky and weighty commentary.

Armstrong became a cultural ambassador for the U.S. during the cold war, performing jazz all over the world. In response to increasing turmoil swirling around the desegregation of public schools, Armstrong was more outspoken. After the 1957 Little Rock Crisis, when the National Guard prevented nine black students from entering a high school, Armstrong canceled a tour to the Soviet Union, and said publicly, “the way they’re treating my people in the South, the government can go to hell.”

Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday incorporated the song “Strange Fruit” into her set list in 1939. Adapted from a poem, by a New York high school teacher, “Strange Fruit” was inspired by the 1930 lynching of two blacks, Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith. It juxtaposes the horrid image of bodies hanging from trees with an description of the idyllic South. Holiday delivered the song night after night, often overwhelmed by emotion, causing it to become an anthem of early civil rights movements.

Lyrics to “Strange Fruit:”

Southern trees bear strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.

Pastoral scene of the gallant south,
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,
Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh,
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh.

Here is fruit for the crows to pluck,
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,
For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,
Here is a strange and bitter crop.

Benny Goodman

Benny Goodman, a preeminent white bandleader and clarinetist, was the first to hire a black musician to be part of his ensemble. In 1935 he made pianist Teddy Wilson a member of his trio. A year later, he added vibraphonist Lionel Hampton to the lineup, which also included drummer Gene Krupa. These steps helped push for racial integration in jazz, which was previously not only taboo, but even illegal in some states.

Goodman used his fame to spread appreciation for black music. In the 1920s and 30s, many of the orchestras that marketed themselves as jazz bands consisted only of white musicians, and played a mawkish style of music that only drew sparingly from the music that black jazz bands were playing. In 1934, when Goodman began a weekly show on NBC radio called “Let’s Dance,” he bought arrangements by Fletcher Henderson, a prominent black bandleader. His thrilling radio performances of Henderson’s music brought awareness of real jazz to a broad and mainly white audience.

Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington’s commitment to the civil rights movement was complicated. Many felt that a black man of such esteem should be more outspoken, but Ellington often chose to remain quiet on the issue. He even refused to join Martin Luther King’s 1963 march on Washington, D.C.

However, Ellington dealt with prejudice in subtle ways. His contracts always stipulated that he would not play before segregated audiences. When he was touring the South in the mid 1930s with his orchestra, he rented three train cars in which the entire band traveled, ate, and slept. This way, he avoided the grasp of Jim Crow laws, and commanded respect for his band and music.

Ellington’s music itself fueled black pride. He referred to jazz as “African-American classical music,” and strove to convey the black experience in America. He was a figure of the Harlem Renaissance, an artistic and intellectual movement celebrating black identity. In 1941 he composed the score to the musical “Jump for Joy,” which challenged traditional representation of blacks in the entertainment industry. He composed “Black, Brown, and Beige” in 1943 to tell a history of American blacks through music.

Max Roach

Max Roach was not only one of the great innovators of bebop drumming, but also an outspoken activist. In the 1960s he recorded We Insist! Freedom Now Suite (1960), featuring his wife at the time, and fellow activist Abbey Lincoln. The title of the work represents the heightened fervor that the 60s brought to the civil rights movement, as protests, counter-protests, and violence mounted.

Roach recorded two other albums drawing focus to civil rights: Speak Brother Speak (1962), and Lift Every Voice and Sing (1971). Continuing to record and perform in later decades, Roach also devoted his time to lecturing on social justice.

Charles Mingus

Charles Mingus was known for being angry and outspoken on the bandstand. That’s why, in response to the 1957 Little Rock Nine incident in Arkansas, when Governor Orval Faubus used the National Guard to prevent black students from entering a newly desegregated public high school.

Mingus displayed his outrage at the event by composing a piece entitled “Fables of Faubus.” The lyrics, which he penned as well, offer some of the most blatant and harshest critiques of Jim Crow attitudes in all of jazz activism.

Lyrics to “Fables of Faubus:”

Oh, Lord, don't let 'em shoot us!
Oh, Lord, don't let 'em stab us!
Oh, Lord, don't let 'em tar and feather us!
Oh, Lord, no more swastikas!
Oh, Lord, no more Ku Klux Klan!

Name me someone who's ridiculous, Danny.
Governor Faubus!
Why is he so sick and ridiculous?
He won't permit integrated schools.

Then he's a fool! Oh Boo!
Boo! Nazi Fascist supremacists
Boo! Ku Klux Klan (with your Jim Crow plan)

Name me a handful that's ridiculous, Danny.
Faubus, Nelson Rockefeller, Eisenhower
Why are they so sick and ridiculous?

Two, four, six, eight:
They brainwash and teach you hate.
H-E-L-L-O, Hello

“Fables of Faubus” originally appeared on Mingus Ah Um (1959), although Columbia Records found the lyrics so incendiary that they refused to allow them to be recorded. In 1960, however, Mingus recorded the song for Candid Records, lyrics and all, on Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus.

John Coltrane

John Coltrane, while not an outspoken activist, was a deeply spiritual man who believed his music was a vehicle for the message of a higher power. Coltrane was drawn to the civil rights movement after 1963. That was the year that Martin Luther King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech during the August 28th March on Washington, raising public awareness of the movement for racial equality. It was also the year that white racists placed a bomb in a Birmingham, Alabama church, and killed four young girls during a Sunday service.

The following year, Coltrane played eight benefit concerts in support of Dr. King and the civil rights movement. He wrote a number of songs dedicated to the cause, but his song “Alabama,” which was released on Coltrane Live at Birdland (Impulse!,1964), was especially gripping both musically and politically. The notes and phrasing of Coltrane’s lines are based on the words Martin Luther King spoke at the memorial service for the girls who died in the Birmingham bombing. Mirroring King’s speech, which escalates in intensity as he shifts his focus from the killing to the broader civil rights movement, Coltrane’s “Alabama” sheds its plaintive and subdued mood for a crackling surge of energy, reflecting the strengthened determination for justice.

RIP Baatin

2009-08-12T15:27:00.001-07:00

Exclusive SLUMVILLAGE VIDEO "Actin Normal" from SCRAPDIRTY on Vimeo.

I think I was a Jester in my past life

2009-08-09T21:57:00.000-07:00

This is interesting, I always said I think I was a Jester in my past life. I read about it and it's all now making sense. LOL.

The tradition of the court jester, a man who would amuse courtiers and monarchs with his antics and jokes, is ancient. Most people associate jesters with medieval and Renaissance Europe, but in the fact the practice of retaining a jester or fool goes back beyond the birth of Christ. In the modern era, jesters can still be found, although the official position of a royal jester at court is not often filled. Many fans of medieval history like to dress up as jesters, celebrating a rich and complex tradition. The court jester can also be seen symbolically in many places, including decks of cards, where he is known as the joker.

The classic uniform of a court jester includes a tri-pointed floppy hat with bells, and brightly colored uniquely patterned clothing. Many garments in the medieval age were actually quite bright and even garish by modern standards, but the court jester would have stood out, thanks to the distinctive hat and ringing of bells which accompanied every movement. Some jesters were also gifted with jewelry, beautiful clothing, and other presents in thanks for their services, and they undoubtedly would have worn their gifts to demonstrate their favor.

The position of the court jester was actually very complicated. On the surface, a jester might be taken as a mere buffoon, but he also had to walk a fine line in the court, as he had no official place in the ranks of the court. This allowed court jesters to be more free with their opinions, since their words could be considered jokes, but they had to be careful about overstepping their boundaries, as a court jester who went too far could be punished by the monarch.

In some cases, people who were disabled took up a position as court jester. The mentally disabled might find a place in medieval society by capering and frolicking at court, thereby relieving their families of a significant burden. Other court jesters were trained musicians, actors, or artists, and some of them even became trusted and valued confidants in the court.

Many court jesters were extremely intelligent and sensitive to the political and social trends of their eras. Their skilled entertainments might have included clever or subtle gibes at the enemies of the king, along with commentary on general problems in society. A court jester could also purely entertain, of course, with acrobatics, music, silly songs, and many jesters or buffoons did just that during periods of uncertainty and fear.

The meaning of Soul Mates Friendships and Companions

2009-08-09T21:29:00.001-07:00

This is really long but I had to copy/paste. Very interesting. We truly don't know what is truth, but to ME, this is very interesting to learn. I thought I'd pass the information along. Enjoy! Peace and @LOVETIANA

For as long as we have had recorded history, there has been a very natural and powerful attraction of the masculine and feminine energies for one another. And yet, few have ever taken the time to ask some very fundamental questions about this magical oneness known as man-woman.

Does it exist by accident? Is it nothing more than a by-product of Mother Nature that guarantees more humans? Or could there be a deeper purpose and sacred meaning to it all? Why do we have feelings of oneness with another that can be so profound at times we want it to last for all of eternity? How do we account for a knowingness deep within our being that often reminds us we are incomplete; that there exists a someone, somewhere who will make us feel whole again?

Quite frankly, I can't think of any other human experience that rivals the passion and intensity of falling in love. That is why we seem to be so preoccupied with it. Eventually we reach a point along the spiritual journey when we discover that it has everything to do with our souls.

How did the concepts of soul mates and twin souls begin in the first place? Was it all the result of someone’s vivid imagination or is there a deeper meaning and purpose to it all? Why is the word soul common to both? Why do we find ourselves so intrigued by these kinds of thoughts? Is there a difference between the two? How will this affect relationships as we enter the New Age of Aquarius? Will a deeper understanding of soul partners and the Aquarian energy change our lives dramatically for the better? Do we even realize what our soul is up to while on its cosmic journey?

All of these questions are important because they bring a very important realization into focus. If we want to have meaningful soul mate or twin soul relationships, and there is a difference between the two, we must start thinking of ourselves as souls. Unless we do so, these kinds of partnerships will have little chance for true meaning and fulfillment.

Your Soul...

In order to understand how all of this began, we must look into the spiritual teachings of the Eastern mystics and some of the channeled insights we have received over the years. There is a common theme that runs through all of it. And it is no accident that this sacred body of mystical knowledge is making its presence felt at this moment in time.

Humanity is slowly awakening to its true spiritual nature and, as we do, our minds and hearts are opening to this new wisdom in our midst. More importantly we are getting ready to live it now and over the many lifetimes we'll experience during the 2160-year Age of Aquarius. This will be a time when relationships foster spiritual growth between lovers. And that is a big difference from the past age of Pisces, when couples stayed together for purposes of survival more than anything else.

The mystical teachings say that each individual soul is a fragment of God; something like a miniaturized version of our Source. God has a dual nature or essence, which is an equal blend of the masculine-feminine, ying-yang principle. The dynamic interplay that occurs between the male-female energy of Father/Mother God is responsible for the incredible, creative forces that originate within their divine mind. Since everything that exists comes from Them, the male-female essence is found in all things, including you.

Not surprisingly, our individual souls contain an equal blend of Father/Mother's masculine and feminine essence. That blend can be likened to a magnet, which has two polarities. One is positive, the other negative. But the magnet is whole within itself. At the soul level we are neither female nor male. We are both. Just as God is.

In order to understand how the soul mate and twin soul concept fits into all of this, we need to go back to the beginning. Literally.

Before our souls and the universe came into being, all was ONE within the realm of the Absolute or the mind of God. Nothing else existed. There was no division, no separation, no opposites, no conflicts and no contrasts. Just the purest unity, bliss, joy and love imaginable. In that state of being, God could only know things, but not feel and experience them. In order to experience and feel, there had to be an opposite for everything that exists.

To remedy that dilemma, God created our souls and a place where there could be countless experiences and feelings. That place is the physical universe in which we now find ourselves, complete with galaxies, stars, planets, intelligent life, feelings, emotions and so on. As souls, we agreed to leave the Absolute for a while to experience and feel its offerings and God would do the same through us. Another way to say this is that when we smell a rose, Gods smells a rose. Our connection with our Source is that intimate.

In a flash of God’s magnificent mind and imagination, the material universe in which we live was created. All of it is a place of exquisite duality. For everything that exists, including our emotions, there is an opposite for it. For heat there is cold, for darkness there is light, for health there is sickness, for anger there is forgiveness, for hatred there is compassion, for love there is fear, and so on. Without these opposites how could we and God appreciate the wonder of joy unless there was sadness to compare it to?

God also brought into being the greatest opposite of all. It was the feminine and masculine energy or the male-female principle, which is a truly awesome gift. As we awaken spiritually, we are becoming more and more aware of the male/female energies and the profound implications they will have during our relationship with another.

When we begin to understand and appreciate the origin of our souls and how this led to the soul mate and twin soul concepts, we will want no other kind of partnership. That is why the New Age of Aquarius, which will be a time of love, peace, truth and harmony, will also set the stage for grander soul-to-soul couplings. It promises to be incredible. And it's already beginning to happen.

When our souls were released from the Absolute into the universe to experience and to feel, a series of divisions or separations took place. The original ONE SOUL fragmented into massive bodies of souls (over souls). They in turn divided into races or groups of souls. The human race is one of those them. The divisions continued until it reached a point where small, intimate families of souls came into being. Eventually, individual souls existed. That is where we find ourselves now. As we return to God during our cosmic adventure, this process will be reversed.

Brian Weiss, M.D., in one of his many books, "Only Love is Real," uses a very good analogy to understand how we relate to one another at the soul level and to the God who created us. He says...

"I like to think of soul relationships as similar to a large tree with a thousand leaves on it. Those leaves that are on your twig are intimately close to you. You may even share experiences, soul experiences, among yourselves. There may be three or four or five leaves on your twig. You are also highly and closely related to the leaves on the branch next to yours. They share a common limb. They are close to you, but not as close as the leaves on your own twig. Similarly, as you extend father out along the tree, you are still related to these other leaves or souls, but not as closely as those in your immediate proximity. You are all part of one tree and one trunk. You can share experiences. You know each other. But those on your twig are the closest.

There are many other trees in this beautiful forest. Each tree is connected to the others through the root system in the ground. So even though there may be a leaf on a distant tree that seems quite different from you and very far away, you are still connected to that leaf. You are connected to all leaves. But you are the most closely connected to those on your tree. And even more intimately connected to those on your branch. And almost as one with those on your own twig.

You probably have met other souls farther out on your tree in previous lifetimes. They may have been in many different relationships with you. Their interactions may have been extremely brief. Even a thirty-minute encounter could have helped you learn a lesson or help them or both of you, as is usually the case. One of these souls may have been the beggar in the road to whom you gave a heart's gift, allowing you to extend your compassion to another human being and allowing the recipient to learn about receiving love and help. You and the beggar may have never met again in that lifetime, and yet you are part of the drama. Your meetings vary in duration - five minutes, one hour, a day, a month, a decade or more - this is how souls relate. Relationships are not measured in time but in lessons learned."

This is a remarkable description of how we are all linked together as one. In addition, individuals from the same tree are soul mates, while "half" souls within the same leaf are twins.

The forest contains countless trees and leaves (souls) that are joined together as a gigantic, cosmic oneness throughout the universe. And that entire oneness is God.

Your soul, and all the other countless souls that were ever created, are constantly trying to return to their Source to help recreate the ONE SOUL that existed in the very beginning. That yearning for oneness is in each and every one of us and that hunger can never be destroyed. That is the underlying basis for the cosmic principle behind our existence. And this incredible adventure goes way beyond the single lifetime we are now experiencing on planet Earth.

What we are also beginning to discover as we awaken spiritually is that the yearning we have for oneness with our Source is the driving force behind our falling in love. The experience and feelings that come from the completeness of body, mind and spirit between two spiritual partners reminds us of our desire to be one and whole with God. The New Age of Aquarius is gradually bringing out that realization in us.

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Soul Mates...

During each of our lifetimes, individuals from your close knit family of souls, your soul mates, will more than likely be your parents, sisters, brothers, children, aunts, uncles, cousins, best friends, and even your lovers. Some members of this intimate group are in Earth heaven at this moment in time. Most of these souls share the same branch of leaves that you are on. Those you feel closer to are nearest to the twig on your branch or may be on the same twig with you.

You and your soul mates have been together since the beginning of creation. You've had many intimate relationships and experiences with them for a long, long time. And it will continue on like that throughout eternity. Members of this family are helping each other awaken to their true spiritual nature. And all of you are assisting one another's spiritual growth and evolution. In the process, we find out who we really are, as each member of the family plays a very important role during our cosmic journey together. How wonderful it is to know that God's perfect plan of love will keep us bonded throughout eternity to our soul mates.

Soul Fragments...

As mentioned above, your soul is a part of God. As such, it is incredibly powerful. It can send pieces or fragments of itself into the different realms and dimensions that God has created for us. One of those realities is the 3-dimensional world of planet Earth, in which you now find yourself. You are a projection of your soul and, as that fragment, you are occupying your body for a very important reason. As you read these words, a part of your soul, and God, is experiencing and feeling the material world through you.

Here's where it really gets interesting. If is chooses to do so, your soul can send more than one fragment of itself to occupy different physical bodies on planet Earth at the same time. What that means is that you can literally meet someone on this planet who is a part of your soul. These individuals are not soul mates nor are they your twin. They're called parallel souls. Should two of you meet, there will be a spontaneous and very powerful recognition and exchange of energy that takes place.

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Twin Souls...

In order to understand the twin soul concept, one has to look at what your soul is composed of. It's not a lump of undefined energy nor is it as simple as we've been led to believe.

Today we are being given new wisdom that will have a profound impact on twin soul couplings. Eventually they will transcend all others. Over time, these sacred unions will emerge as the relationship of choice, as we go through the 2160-year era of Aquarius. Why? Because this kind of soul-to-soul bonding will create the most powerful of God mates. And these divine pairings represent the first serious step of soul reunion during our journey back to Spirit.

As mentioned, when God created your soul, it had an equal balance of male and female essence. One can think of it as two distinct bodies of powerful Light energy within the same soul. One half is the male body of consciousness; the other half is the female body of consciousness. Although there is a difference between these two energies within a single soul, they coexist in a very harmonious way, much like one magnet with two opposite forces or polarities.

Because your soul is multi-dimensional, the female half of the soul is divided into many individual parts or fragments. Each of these female fragments vibrates at a different frequency of light. It is the same for the male half of the soul. Thus, within the same soul, there are many female and male fragments each vibrating at different speeds of light. Within the soul, only two fragments of light energy, one male and one female, will vibrate at the same speed or frequency. These two, identical halves of the same soul are called twin souls, twin flames or twin rays.

Another way to say this is that each soul contains many twin pairings, but only one pair, within all the pairs, have the same frequency of light and are considered twins. Forever. You are one half of a pair. During the Fall of mankind many eons ago, twins separated from one another in a moment of weakness to become physical man and physical woman. Since that time, each set of twins have been searching for their other half. And the Age of Aquarius will be the time when they find one another for permanent reunion.

Our twin can be our lover, brother or sister, mother or father, another relative or a very dear friend. Regardless of who your twin might be this lifetime around, you will feel a closeness to that person that is usually very, very strong and goes way beyond all others. The strongest attraction will be felt between lovers.

Who your twin is during any given lifetime depends upon the choices the both of you made prior to incarnating. Your twin may not be in body at this time; perhaps he or she is serving as your loving guide to help you through your challenges while here on Earth.

I won't go into more detail here, but there are reasons for having many pairs of twins within the same soul. Suffice it to say that our Source has an incredible imagination. What is important to keep in mind is that as we begin to walk the path back home to God, it appears that three very important things must happen. The first is that we awaken spiritually and become aware of our divine connection. The second is that we balance the masculine and feminine energies within ourselves. And the third is that we reunite with our twin to form a spiritually mature and lasting partnership.

It's also important to point out that romantic, twin soul relationships will only endure when two God mates are spiritually mature and ready for it. There is an enormous amount of energy associated with twin pairings. And this kind of partnership is very susceptible to the presence and influence of the ego.

Spiritually mature individuals know how to deal with the ego. And their partnerships are stable because of it. If two twins are not spiritually advanced, their relationship will be electric but stormy. Eventually it will end.

Soul mate couplings are extremely important, because they prepare us for eventual twin reunion. That is why they need to be blessed. If you have not yet reached a stage of serious spiritual maturity, you can have a far more rewarding soul mate affair than one with your twin.

The Journey Home...

According to the all-perfect, divine plan, the soul divisions that have taken place all the way down to the individual level will, at some point, begin to reverse themselves. First the twins will reunite as one, complete, spiritually aware soul. Reunited twins will then group together to reestablish the family of souls from which they came, and so on.

Each rejoining carries with it more and more love, joy, happiness and ecstasy. The rapture we will experience with each reunion will intensify more and more as original soul groups coalesce with one another. The more we coalesce the more we will experience love and joy. Most of this will take place in higher realms and dimensions of experience and feeling. Ultimately, we will all reunite as ONE with our Source as it was in the beginning.

As always, the return journey back to our Source has to begin with a free will choice that each and every one of us makes on our own. The first step of that incredible journey home occurs when we become aware of our divine connection and decide to grow spiritually. That will happen when we awaken to who we really are and then begin living it. At that moment, a very important cosmic signal is released. It not only provides the soul with a very clear direction, but it also lets the soul know in no uncertain terms that we now desire reunion with our twin. The universe will pick up this signal and do all in its power to bring the two twins together.

Keep in mind that making the decision to grow spiritually is not enough. Living your decision is the crucial part. Why? Because that is how we start to prepare ourselves for the twin reunion. All of the preparation for a lasting relationship with our twin has to take place inside of us. Much of that inner work has to do with the ego and the imperfections that come with it. Over many lifetimes we have had many opportunities to do this with our soul mate relationships. All soul mate relationships eventually lead to God-centeredness and lasting twin reunion. That is why they exist. That is why God created them.

Whether you are having a twin soul or soul mate relationship at this time, honor it for what it is. You are together for a very important reason.

In order to write this section, I have done quite a bit of research on the soul mate and twin soul concepts. My thoughts represent a blend of that effort. One should not jump blindly into this soul adventure without the right kind of preparation or you can become disillusioned and hurt.

You'll also need to know a good deal about your soul and where you are on your spiritual path. The new Aquarian insights we've been given today are radically different than the traditional, ego-based teachings we've been exposed to during the Age of Pisces. Aquarian romance is serious stuff and it requires a genuine desire to understand what it is all about.

I highly recommend you visit the resource page I have created to help you with your heart and soul journey. In the end, it is best that you make you own decisions.

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SOUL MATES

"The term soul mates is often used to mean twin souls; but there is an important distinction. Twin souls are two sides of the same soul, whereas group souls, though intimately related, are separate. We have many soul mates but only one twin soul

Soul mates can be lovers, parents, siblings, relatives, best friends and other individuals in our lives who are usually very close to us. As I understand it, three different kinds of soul mate relationships are possible.

"Karmic" soul mates are two individuals who have come together during a given lifetime to heal something from a past life or previous lives. Their relationship with one another can be very profound and loving, or it can deteriorate into the same negative situation that was created in a previous life. Another possible outcome is that the karma may only be partially resolved, leaving both with more work to do during this or some future life together.

All the negative karma we’ve incurred during any of our previous lives will eventually be healed through decisions that are based upon unconditional love and forgiveness. This will not happen because we are forced to do so as a form of punishment. Rather, our choices to bring healing will be based upon free will, which we and we alone will make.

This is what the universal law of karma is about. And we will have as many lives as we need to eventually balance all we have caused others to feel through fear, anger, hatred, bitterness, jealousy, and other ego-based choices.

The second kind of relationship we can choose to experience with a soul mate is one that involves important life lessons. For example, during our in-between life stay, we might plan to have a relationship with another while in-body that would teach us the value of patience, forgiveness, tolerance, openness, acceptance, honor or another personal behavior that would foster our inner growth and spiritual awareness. Keep in mind that it could take many lifetimes to appreciate the importance of such qualities, and even more to make them a permanent part of our nature.

The third type of soul mate partnership between a man and woman has been generally referred to as a "companion" relationship. These are individuals who join together in a bond of deep love to work on a project together. This might involve the formation of a spiritual center or the creation of an art gallery. Or perhaps the couple will compose music during a prolonged union.

The decision to accomplish a project through this kind of union was made by the two individuals prior to entering the earth plane. And their choice to do so was arrived at freely. This type of partnership may endure for part or all of a lifetime. Having made plans for their coupling prior to entering the Earth plane, the intent may have been for healing karma, for experiencing life lessons that come from partnership, or both. And life-plan contracts, made with spiritual growth in mind, always override man-made laws or religious dogmas.

It is very important to keep in mind that all soul mate relationships help us to remember who we really are, return us to God-centeredness and prepare us for the eventual reunion with our twin. As such, they can be extremely valuable and should be honored and respected for these very blessed reasons.

A dramatically different kind of relationship exists that is considered to be the most profound and compelling of all. This is the twin soul or twin flame union that will eventually transcend all others. However, because it is so highly charged with energy, the two individuals must be spiritually ready for it to last any meaningful length of time. When fully prepared, this union is meant to endure for eternity, because of its relationship to the ultimate Oneness we will all seek with our Source.

It is important to realize that any relationship you may now be having, whether it be soul mate or twin-soul, has the potential to be a glorious, fulfilling, extremely loving and very rewarding one, assuming that is what both individuals are striving for.

The coming together of twin souls does not guarantee fulfillment any more than a soul mate relationship might bring. What increases the chance for lasting twin reunion is that the two twins must be spiritually prepared for their relationship and then constantly find ways to make it work on that basis. The key ingredient is unconditional, unselfish love and the desire to base the union on a spiritual rather than a ego-based foundation. Only spiritually mature couples can deal with the influence of the ego in relationships. And that is a major reason for their success.

Always remind yourself that all relationships have a higher purpose. God created them to inspire us to understand and remember who we really are. After all, if you had no one to relate to, how could you know yourself? That is why all relationships are sacred.

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TWIN SOULS

"And when one of them meets with his other half, the actual half of himself, the pair are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy and one will not be out of the other's sight even for a moment

The moment your soul was created it possessed male-female, ying-yang polarity and energy. God's love for you made sure that these two forces of consciousness, the masculine and feminine, would be bound together throughout eternity. The two halves have been called twin souls, twin vibrations, twin rays or twin flames. Said another way, you only have one twin aspect of your soul in the entire universe who vibrates at the same frequency of light that you do. This is quite an awesome thought. However, the story is a bit more involved than this simple explanation.

As mentioned elsewhere, soon after our souls were created we left the joy and bliss of the Absolute to enter and experience the universe. Originally we were ONE complete soul, one family, one Being. There was no separation. However, when we entered the physical universe of duality and opposites, in which we currently find ourselves, all of that changed.

The ONE Soul, which was originally whole, began to separate and divide itself into smaller and smaller fragments of Itself over the ages. This was needed so that we could eventually relate to one another as races, nations, and families or as individuals while in the universe of opposites. When that happened, relationships were born. And it is through relationships that we create opportunities to know ourselves, to remember our divine origin, to seek reunion and oneness with one another and eventually return to our Source. The twin relationship plays a very important role in all of this, as part of the divine, cosmic plan.

At the end of the soul division cycle our individual souls made one final and very painful decision. We separated from our twin, the other half of our soul self, when we lost our way on planet Earth and became physical man and physical woman. We did this for a reason. As part of the divine plan, separation had to be experienced at all soul levels. This included twins within the same soul, so that we could initially experience and feel what separation was like. Then, when the time was right, we would reverse the entire process and experience the ecstatic joy of reunion.

Over the ages, and throughout our many lifetimes, the experiences and feelings of separation constantly reminded us of our yearning and craving for completion with our Source and with our twin. That inner hunger for wholeness is why we search for romance and relationship. That is why we have families. That also is why we seek God. We are trying to re-create the same oneness we felt in the beginning.

At some magical moment in cosmic time each of us will reach a point during our personal growth and evolution where separation is no longer the path of choice for us. The signal that would ignite the experience of soul reunion would be our spiritual awakening. In the process we would also realize that we are divine Beings of Light.

Awakening to our true spiritual nature takes us on a inner journey that leads to the opposite of separation, which is reunion. As you can well imagine, reunion brings with it feelings of love, joy, bliss and ecstasy. At that moment, the soul begins to crave oneness with its Source. Part of this hunger will be satisfied by reunion with our twin. From what I read, this is when the journey home to our Source begins in earnest.

Our spiritual awakening will eventually inspire us to question, and then cause us to discard, the false beliefs we have about traditional relationships, which are primarily ego driven and fear based. We will discover that, in order to have a lasting, fulfilling and meaningful partnership, the positive energy of unconditional love will have to replace the negative influence of the ego.

Once twins begin to think and feel this way they are setting the stage for reunion. And once reunited, the twins will still have to work at their relationship to make it a lasting and rewarding one. Twin reunion by itself does not guarantee happiness. It simply sets the stage for it. Bringing a powerful spiritual awareness into a newfound twin reunion will provide the sustenance and glue for its balance and longevity.

Another very important step prior to reunion is the need for balancing the male-female energy within each of us. The masculine half has always retained some of the original feminine energy that the soul possesses, while the feminine half still holds onto a part of the masculine essence it once was united with.

Since that time, we have roamed around in this incomplete, unbalanced state of being looking for soul completion. We'll continue to experience life after life and relationship after relationship until we decide we've had enough separation from our other half and want something more fulfilling.

Several important things must happen before lasting twin reunion can be experienced. And it must be achieved by both partners. The first is spiritual awakening and a return to God-centeredness. The second is minimizing the influence of the ego in choices made. The third is achieving a healthy balance of the masculine and feminine energies so that each twin can bring that inner harmony to one another to complete the whole. Twin soul relationships will not last unless both partners are spiritually mature.

One of the most important things to keep in mind is that it is very easy to fall in love with the "picture" of the twin soul concept and be blinded by all that it promises. That has to be brought into proper focus and balance. Another danger is over-idealizing and hyper-romanticizing your partner and your relationship to the point where you believe you will live happily ever after regardless of what the future brings. That is not true. Depending upon one's level of spiritual development, twin souls can have varying degrees of ego issues just as other partners do.

Over many lifetimes soul mate relationships have been and continue to prepare us for lasting twin reunion. They are a very important part of the process and should be blessed as such. Most often, soul mate unions will last longer and be more rewarding than the electrifying, but often stormy, twin pairings. Twin soul ship is a very highly charged partnership and the two must be spiritually ready for it to last. When they are, their union will transcend all others.

Plato

The twin-soul concept is not new. Plato described it 2,500 years ago. Here is an excerpt...

"and when one of them meets the other half, the actual half of himself, the pair are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy and one will not be out of the other's sight even for a moment...

"If Hephaestus, son of Zeus, were to ask the pair; 'do you desire to be wholly one, always day and night to be in one another's company? For if this is what you desire, I am ready to melt you into one and let you grow together, so that being two you shall become one, and after your death in the world beyond you will still be one departed soul instead of two - I ask whether this is what you lovingly desire?' - and there is not a man or woman of them who, when they heard the proposal, would not acknowledge that this melting into one another, this becoming one instead of two, was the very expression of their ancient need. And the reason is that human nature was originally one and we were a whole, and the desire and pursuit of the whole is called love."

It seems that when each of us separated into our male and female halves long ago, the soul knew, and still knows, that the rejoining of its incomplete self would inevitably take place. It was part of the divine plan. After that agonizing and painful division occurred, a deep-seated yearning for oneness began to linger within each of us and the desire for reunion and completeness has endured over the ages. Only one other in the entire universe can satisfy it. As a result, we are constantly searching for our twin.

But the desire for completion doesn't stop there. And the soul also realizes this. What the soul really wants is not only reunion with itself through twin half union, but the original feeling of Oneness it had with God at the very beginning of creation. This craving for the original intimacy will not stop until it is fully satisfied. We have as long as we want to make it happen. But it will happen.

It would seem that this desire for oneness must be the foundation upon which all relationships are built. Male-female unions have come into being and have fallen apart for thousands of years. However, if a deep, spiritual union with our Source can be established and maintained, the chances for lasting joy and fulfillment between loving partners becomes more and more of a possibility.

It also makes more sense that our relationships should be based upon spiritual principles rather than man made religious dogmas, which can bring so much fear and guilt into people's lives. In my opinion, it is this lack of spiritual sacredness and blessed oneness that is missing in many of today's relationships, be they marriage or otherwise.

The Sufis

Plato is not the only individual who has given us insights into twin soul relationships. Spiritual writings from the Sufis 800 years ago say that...

"Out of the original unity of being there is a fragmentation and dispersal of beings, the last stage being the splitting of one (twin) soul into two. And consequently, love is the search by each half for the other half on earth or in heaven...

As twin souls are so alike to begin with, it seems necessary for them to go their separate ways before they can complete each other. Identity and complementarily are the two driving forces and axes of love... For the complete being there must be a blending of the two."

Edgar Cayce

Even Edgar Cayce, the wonderful "sleeping prophet," also spoke about twin souls. He tells us that, in the beginning, the "male and female were as in one." In his historical description of Atlantis, Cayce says that as long as several hundred thousands of years ago "there lived in this land of Atlantis one Amillius, who had first noted the separations of the beings as inhabited that portion of the earth's sphere or plane of these peoples, into male and female as separate entities or individuals."

Even more remarkably, in the book "Edgar Cayce's Story of Jesus," (pages 27-28) he says, while in trance, that Jesus and Mary (his mother 2,000 years ago) were twin souls...

"... you see, in the beginning, Mary was the twin soul of the Master in the entrance into the earth!"

"Neither Mary nor Jesus had a human father. They were one soul as far as the earth is concerned."

Soul mates are souls aspects of your own soul who experience with you.

As you are a multidimensional being, your soul has many experiences, in many realities, at the same time.

Soul mates can have many different types of relationships, which do not always include romantic love.

Souls often come together to work out issues or play reverse roles than that which they are experiencing elsewhere.

Anyone who is in your biological family - or adopted family - or pseudo-family - is a soul mate to you. As it would seem, we are all soul mated. You feel closer to certain souls, because you have attracted them into your life as they are on the same frequency as you or because you want to work out issues with them.

Often souls mates come together to bring in another soul - male and female mate and produce one or more children. The karma ends. The couple separates and should share whatever karma is linked to the child. Sometimes the karma is between mother and child - so the child remains exclusively with the mother. Sometimes the karma is with the father and the mother leaves or deceases. Sometimes it is with both parents or with a sibling who has entered the game before or after you.

Karma is that which both souls desire to experience when they meet.

Soul mates can be close friends, co-workers, a teacher, anyone who influences your life one way or another. They play the game of 3D with you.

Did you know that you often attract people into your life who look as you do in parallel or past lives? For example - you are a man seeking a female partner. You will seek out someone who looks and acts if you were a woman - like a mirror image. Your ideal partner is who you are in that physical body! We are always seeking ways to experience ourselves.

Men often seek the goddess look in woman - the priestess with the slim body, long flowing hair purity of soul - beauty and gentleness of creation that speaks to their soul of union with the female creational force. It is SHE who brings loves, guidance, compassion and reunion of your twin soul aspects.

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TWIN FLAMES
Your soul is consciousness or thought. We often perceive it as a creational flame, a light or a soul spark of light.

Physical reality is made of electromagnetic energy which has poles (north/south) - polarity - duality - opposites - male/female - yin/yang.

When you experiences in third dimension your soul sparks splits in half - male and female. One half remains in higher frequency [As is Above] while one half spirals in third dimension [So is Below]. If you are female, your partner above is male and vice versa.

Sometimes you catch a glimpse of that spark of light - if only for a second. The flash of light appears as gold, silver, blue, or violet and can vary in size and duration of time - usually no more that one second. It is at this time - we are raising our frequency - our level of consciousness thought - to experience beyond what our physical eyes show us. We see our twin flame who exists as a soul spark in higher frequency. It is who we are as well.

Encoded in our DNA - as part of the human experience - is the need to reunite with our twin flame. This draws us back to our creational source after we experience in third dimension. It reminds of that we will journey Home - to find this twin aspect of ourselves who loves us unconditionally and makes us feel complete - as One.

We search for ourselves by healing to restore balance at which time we will reach Zero Point - the merge of our matter and antimatter selves.

The third dimension is often referred to as 'In The Box'. When your polarities merge - Your male and female aspects will move 'Out of the Box' igniting union with your Twin Flame or Twin Aspect.

Many people miss their other soul aspect, and feel incomplete throughout their lives. They feel alone, often abandoned and lost, depressed. They cannot find themselves. A piece of themselves is always missing. They search for it in third dimension but never completely find it. If they are lucky, they find someone who comes close to making them feel whole. They want someone to love them, share with them and help them through this journey.

You can meet someone who can carry the frequency of our Twin Flame and give you the feeling of union - Oneness. When you make love with that partner - you can experience all of who you are - the union is multi-dimensional. You can also feel the energies of your other soul aspect - as part of the union!

Creation is linked to the color frequency BLUE as that is the color of electricity. One day you will rejoin your Twin Flame and you will spiral out in the color BLUE.

SOUL MATES CONT

Almost every person feels a longing for companionship. At times we may understand this desire as a directive toward union with God, and at other times, as a desire for union with another person.

Two ideas come together in the material from the Edgar Cayce readings concerning the choice of a companion-particularly a life partner. First is the principle that we are here in the earth for the purpose of growth and development in consciousness. What is more, associations with some individuals are more conducive to growth than associations with others; therefore, it is prudent to choose carefully our companions. This principle is probably easy for us to accept if we merely reflect on the types of influence various friends and acquaintances have had on us in the past. The impact is most powerful in a marriage relationship, and a good union should be founded upon a shared purpose in life and the capacity to help each other to grow.

The second principle relates to reincarnation: We as spiritual beings (or souls) experience our growth in consciousness through a series of lifetimes in physical human form. In other words, we have been in the earth many times before, and more specifically have had close personal relationships with particular souls. Attraction to another person and thoughts of marriage could very likely be related to memory patterns (even subconscious memories!) of having been with that soul in the distant past. In the readings, Cayce suggested that, often, we are attracted to a particular person for marriage in this lifetime because of such a relationship at least once before.

But if reincarnation is a fact, we might expect that we have been married to many souls in the course of other incarnations. Which one of these partnerships is the best one to build upon now, in this life? Does each person have exactly one other special soul that it is meant to be with whenever possible?

Many sources of psychic information and other metaphysical teachings have proposed concepts such as "soul mate" and "twin soul." The Cayce readings, although simultaneously raising some provocative questions, do shed some light on this topic.

In the beginning, as was outlined, there was presented that that became as the Sons of God, in that male and female were as one... Reading 364-7

A fundamental issue is the very nature of the soul. Is it male or female? Both or neither? The readings propose that the soul itself does not have gender.

However, in order to learn and grow, a soul enters into the physical domain (which is characterized by such polarities as light/dark, positive/negative, thinking/feeling, etc.) and chooses to incarnate in a male or female expression. Likely, in the long-range growth of the soul over many incarnations, male and female experiences are needed. In selecting one gender over the other in a particular lifetime, a condition is usually created in which a balance or complement is needed, such as can be found in a marriage companion. This is not to say that important spiritual growth is impossible during a life without marriage; rather, the marriage relationship is one great avenue for development.

Perhaps this pattern of growth has not always been the usual way. Some readings suggest that in ancient prehistory, such as the times of Atlantis more than 12,000 years ago, a soul could incarnate in such a way that male and female qualities were manifested simultaneously. It is not clear what form the physical body took in these cases. One person was told in a reading about an Atlantean incarnation: "for then both male and female might be-desired so-in one." (288-27)

What, then, is a soul mate? Is it the soul that one has married in the most incarnations? Frequency of marriage may be one factor because, according to Cayce, status as soul mates is built by shared physical experiences over a long period. However, a more precise understanding is this: A soul mate is a complement to oneself. One reading poetically describes it as "the tongue to the groove, the tenon to the mortise..." (1556-2) It is more than merely a physical attraction; it is a capacity to help each other at the physical, mental, and spiritual levels.

Another interpretation of the term "soul mates" was offered by Hugh Lynn Cayce, who was present for a number of the readings his father gave on this subject. He wrote: "The idea of soul mates and affinities is closely related to the theory of reincarnation as explained through the Edgar Cayce readings. Two souls may, in a number of incarnations, grow very close together in their pattern of spiritual evolution. These souls will need the help and assistance of each other as they evolve and hence, in any one incarnation, will be drawn closely together because of their many past associations and the intricate entwining of their respective personalities."

Status as soul mates is also a matter of ideals. One important passage stated: "Such as have in an experience found an ideal may be said to be soul mates, and no marriages [are] made in heaven nor by the Father save as each do His biddings." (275-38)

These criteria suggest that one could have more than a solitary soul mate, although such a fact is not explicitly spelled out in any Cayce reading. However, we should, no doubt, be cautious about leaving a current marriage partner merely because of an attraction to someone else. In all likelihood, the very same problems and "opportunities" we are currently facing would be the same regardless of which partner we have in our lives-in relationships we most often come to terms with those things we need to work on in ourselves, even though we might sometimes think of our partner as being the source of our frustration. Those who come across the idea of soul mates after having already married can still rest assured that their partner is, in fact, a "soul mate."

For those who are single and who would like to find their soul mate, what do the Cayce readings have to offer?

First, they suggest choosing someone who will help you to a "more helpful, more sustaining, more the well-rounded life..." (364-7) In modern language, we might say that we are looking for someone who has the "right vibrations" for us. In fact, this is a phrase used in the readings in describing the kind of experience that might be felt between soul mates: "with the union of two that vibrate or respond to those vibrations in self..." (364-7) Together, the two would assist one another in finding a balanced life.

But even if we find someone who fits these criteria-someone who is perhaps a soul mate-this does not guarantee a good marriage. The two will still have to work together in order for the great potential of the relationship to flower. This is what the readings seemed to suggest in the following question-and-answer exchange. We might assume that the question, in effect, asked whether or not these two people were soul mates.

Q. Is this girl the type and quality of womanhood best suited to this man for a successful life? A. May be made so in each. No one is suited exactly in the beginning, unless it has been fore-ordained through the ages of the mating of each. (Reading 257-15)

The final statement is not clearly explained. We might understand "fore-ordained" to include a choice made by the two souls before being born this time, or it may relate to very strong bonds built over many lifetimes of being married (i.e., "the mating of each").

A concept similar to that of soul mates is "twin souls." When Cayce used this term in the readings, he did not mean to imply that two souls were identical. Instead, it is two souls sharing a common purpose or ideal. They would not necessarily have had previous marriage incarnations. In other words, the soul-mate condition is largely built in the material plane of experience (although, as previously mentioned, it has mental and spiritual components beyond just sexual attraction). However, the twin-soul condition evolves more from a commonality in the nonmaterial realm-at the idea or ideal level.

One example of twin souls, according to the Cayce readings, is Jesus and His mother, Mary. One reading states: "In the beginning Mary was the twin-soul of the Master in the entrance into the earth!" (5749-8)

Finally, we might ask ourselves, "Where does this subject of soul mates and twin souls lead us? Is our destiny to find and be reunited with some other special soul?" Such is not the point of view in the Cayce material. They refer to Jesus' teaching that, in the heavenly kingdom, we are neither married nor given in marriage. As helpful as marriage relationships may be in the earth, beyond this material domain, it is our destiny to find wholeness within our own souls. If one must think in terms of being destined to ultimate union with some other soul, then think of that other soul as the Christ Soul. One reading made the point this way: "But know, the soul is rather the soul-mate of the universal consciousness than of an individual entity." (2988-2)

The principle of soul mates and twin souls are, therefore, potentially both helpful and misleading. These concepts can help us understand some of the key factors in making a wise choice of a marriage partner and can remind us that some relationships are tremendous storehouses of love and helpfulness which can be reawakened. However, these concepts can be misleading if we forget that our ultimate companion is the Christ, or if we are tempted to leave the responsibilities of relationships to which we have already committed ourselves in this lifetime.

______________________________________

What are Soul Mates and Twin Souls?

Soul Mates are souls we have met and lived with in many life times. They have been our lovers, spouses, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, teachers, students, friends, and family, or even our enemies, victims, or tormenters. We contract with these souls to return to earth together for greater learning and growth.

Twin souls, also called Twin Flames or Twin Rays, are the other half of your soul. This is based on the belief that we are all parts of the Divine Being, God, All That Is, Source, Spirit, Creator. The Divine Being, in order to experience Its Self, divided into many souls, each in turn divided into many others and many others. The final splitting of the many neutrally gendered souls created male and female halves of a whole, the Twin Soul.

_______________________________

Soul Mates

We have many soul mates, the first larger splitting of souls. These souls resonate with us and there is a comfort in that recognition. We evolve and reincarnate with these souls through many lifetimes, learning lessons in our many unions and partings, you can say on some level we are all soul mates one with another, learning and growing together. Not all these lessons are loving or comforting as lessons in forgiveness and unconditional love are challenging. Sometimes we are the "victim", and sometimes we are the "darkness" that shows another soul their light. This is where freewill and choice comes into the "game", how we react or perceive our relationships. Someone can come into your life and cause you much pain and suffering, this is a soul contract between you to grow and evolve in love and forgiveness. This is one perception of karma, and one that will free you from the karmic cycle of "I kill you, now you kill me" type of karmic dance some souls are involved in for many lifetimes. You break the cycle by acting rather than reacting, by freeing the ego from the soul and learning to love and forgive even in suffering.

Our greatest joy and our greatest pain are both conceived in these soul mate relationships, our feelings intensified by our soul connections, whether for good or bad. You can often spot a soul mate or karmic relationship by "love at first site" or "revulsion at first site", depending upon the lessons you've contracted to learn from this soul.

One can live a lifetime in joy and harmony with a resonant soul mate, and this a beautiful, but rare gift.

___________________________

SOUL MATES

A "soul mate" is really nothing more than a soul or souls (and there may be several of them) with whom we have closely shared so many lifetimes that we now resonate to the same pitch, so to speak. We understand each other like no one else could hope to understand us. This acquired understanding gives soul mates the capacity to help each other in ways that would be difficult without the deep bonding that has occurred through the ages.

Soul mates often help each other reach their highest potential, and though this is not automatic and each will still have to apply themselves to making the present relationship the best it can be, their deep inner-knowing of each other gives them a distinct advantage. However, being soul mates doesn't automatically mean that they see eye-to-eye on everything. In fact, they are usually more like complements one to another than duplicates of each other, each one bringing to the relationship something the other is missing, thereby rounding-out the relationship and giving each of them more than they would have separately.

When soul mates are together, they form a dynamic bond and provide a source of strength for one another that is very hard to find in our world. They may presently be in either sex and interact with each other in any number of relationships. There is a strong tendency to think of soul mates only in the sense of lovers and marriage mates, but they can also be partners, parents, siblings, teammates, friends, etc. Having been lovers and mates in many past lives, it would be very hard for them to avoid at least a romantic interlude in the present life - there would simply be too much magnetism for them to easily ignore each other and the physical attraction. If, on the other hand, they had been close friends or family members throughout their incarnations, they would be inclined toward a similar relationship in the present. The point is, a soul mate is not always a sexual mate.

Another important point about soul mates is that the true mate of every soul is its Original Companion, the Creator, who gave each soul life for the very purpose of being eternal companions with Him. As far as the sexual dynamics of soul mating, it's important to keep in mind that in the heavenly home we (our souls) "neither marry nor are given in marriage." As souls, we are actually siblings in the Universal Family. Therefore, even though soul mates may give each other the support that is needed and deserved in this difficult world - which may include healthy, intimate, sexual companionship - they are ultimately brothers and sisters in the spiritual realms.

_________________________

TWIN SOULS

This brings us to one of the strangest concepts concerning soul relationships, that of "Twin Souls." As we have already seen, a soul possesses both the male and female forces within itself prior to entering the duality of the Earth. As the soul enters the world it usually selects one of its two sexual natures and projects the unique characteristics of this sex while incarnate. As difficult as it may be to understand, the unmanifested sexual part of our soul can actually incarnate at the same time we do. In other words, our soul, which is much more complex than we have imagined, is capable of separating its dual sexual nature into two separate and distinct entities, one male and the other female, and each of these two entities can incarnate into the Earth at the same time in separate bodies that usually complement the present sex. That is to say that somewhere out there in the physical world is literally our other half - the other sexual aspect of our soul!

Generally, the twin soul relationship is presently found among spouses, friends, occasionally as parent and child, and sometimes the twin soul isn't even incarnate at the same time. However, there does seem to be a pattern that most twin soul relationships follow. In their early incarnations together they tend to be mates or at least seek a lover's relationship with each other, while in later incarnations with each other they tend to seek less sexually involved relationships and more work-related activities together, especially when the work has a soul purpose. This could be due to the involution/evolution process where, in the early periods of the descent into materiality they tended to continue their self-seeking, self-satisfying pursuits; but on the ascent toward a return to spirituality they tended to seek more holistic purposes and relationships. That is not to say that all present sexual relationships are self-seeking. From the Cayce material we find healthy support for marriage and home, and all the natural sexual aspects that are a part of the union of two in love and mutual caring.

__________________________

How Do You Know if You've Met Your Twin?

Meeting the "other half of your soul" is generally so life changing and profound that this question is unnecessary.... you just know. Twin souls will both recognize this extraordinary bond, whether they are evolved and whole enough to acknowledge and act upon it is another thing. Meeting with your twin soul brings about an internal spiritual revolution, a deeper connection and understanding of the Divine and the Universal Oneness, this is the greatest gift of knowing your twin. Twin soul love is not to be confused with an obsessive/compulsive disorder, it's not a desire to "possess" another, but truly a challenge to love unconditionally and without expectation, to be whole and complete within yourself before joining with the other whole and complete side of your soul. The longing and desire to be with your twin soul is intense, but through growth and perception can be seen as the greater longing to join with the Divine, and that is the true lesson, you are two halves of a much greater whole. When you meet your twin, there will be no "game-playing" or manipulation, you will have the need to be transparently honest in your relationship and communication with one another. If there is karma from past lives to work out between you, it will be apparent and consciously worked out. If you or your twin is committed to another relationship, you will respect and honor that bond and realize the tests of unconditional love. Meeting your twin soul challenges you to grow spiritually, heal mentally, emotionally, physically, and to see beyond time, ego, and physical limitations. You will be driven with the desire to be the best manifestation of your soul on earth. This is not a relationship of hearts and flowers, but one that will be tested in fire and will endure beyond time and space.

____________________________

Companion Souls

Companion Souls are especially close Soul mates who have shared many lives in close relationships to assist each other to learn the most difficult lessons

But, to disappoint the forever romantic, a soul mate is not necessarily linked with love and marriage. According to American psychic Edgar Cayce, there are three kinds of soul mates: Companion souls, with whom you share a spiritual relationship; you have a mental relationship with twin souls (Mary and Jesus would fall in this category, felt Cayce); and soul mates, with whom you share a strong bonding.

I love Michael Jackson forever

2009-08-04T14:24:00.000-07:00

If you look at the date I wrote my last blog you will see I haven't been here in a minute. I apologize. I have just been out of it ever since MJ had passed. His passing really effected my being. It hurt everyone. It felt as if a family member had passed. Anybody who knows my family knows how close we are and when we get together we sing, dance, do soul train lines, Michael and the Jacksons have been so much part of my childhood teen and growing up.
The minute I heard the news, I walked out of work and went straight to UCLA. I was so sad. I had to be there, I didn't believe the news. I didn't leave the campus till 1:00 am. We danced, sang, shouted Michael, cried. It was a surreal dream that I wished it was a dream but woke up to realize MJ was really gone.
Michael was such an incredible human being. He was truly love. It still hurts sometime to think he's not here with us anymore but his music and his spirit will live on forever. I see and appreciate life and realize that we are only here for such a short period of time. He inspired so many people for better. He inspired me. Thank you MJ for sharing your heart with me, the world. You are the greatest. RIP MJ.

UCLA 6/25

I was very fortunate to be in "Rock my World". I am not starstruck but being in the presence of the King I couldn't believe MJ was in front of me dancing. One of the greatest moments of my life.

LOVE

2009-06-23T19:06:00.001-07:00

The time has come...I hope you enjoy. Peace LOVETiana

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My BIOgraphy

2009-06-21T00:27:00.000-07:00

I had to write a bio today. It was pretty frustrating at first knowing that I've never completed school or received a degree towards my dreams and aspirations of becoming a writer/director. AND also, dealing with the embarassement of being in my mid thirties & finally beginning to do what I have always dreamnt of doing...O'well fug it. God's timing never makes sense. But, I came to the conclusion in full confidence knowing that the school of life and being hands on is just as rich and rewarding then any degree I could ever receive from any establishment. I decided to share it with you. SO, here it goes...

Tiana Mandrigues was born on February 12th, 1975 in San Jose, CA. An only child, raised by a hard working single mother and help from her grandparents, uncles and aunts, Tiana grew up surrounded with love from her family.

She grew up along side her cousin Travis, whom was like her brother. Both latch key kids, raised by single mothers that had no extra money to put them through extra curricular activities. It was during their summer vacations together, they were forced to become creative and naturally entertain one another with the little they had. From hosting cooking shows to invisible audiences, performing live radio shows and lip synching concerts to being models in fashion shows with makeup and wardrobe straight from grandmas closet, these early years helped her grow into becoming the humorous, entertaining, inventive and creative artist that she is today.

In 1995, she came to a turning point in her life when she heard her father passed away from a sudden heart attack. She never knew her father but would soon come to find closure in her life when she found out that her love for poetry and the ability to express through word came from him. It was after her fathers passing she grew the desire to share her story of loss and the importance of a father through film.

In 2000 she relocated to Los Angeles, CA and took a writing class at USC. She soon lost interest and failed the class when her teacher said trying to find the love from her father was not “Hollywood” enough.

In 2003, Tiana got her first big break working in the entertainment industry through a friend from church working as a personal assistant to actor/celebrity Marlon Wayans. Working for the Wayans Bros. is where she learned professionalism in the business, how to “beast” and to be excellent at her work, even if the responsibilities seemed unimportant. Marlon always stressed to “put your best work out” because your name is attached to it. She is extremely grateful for the learning experience and the opportunity to work with one of the most influential, loving and hard working families in this entertainment industry.

With a strong belief in family and community, Tiana has been actively involved in various outreaches and sees the importance of giving back to people. She has volunteered her time at South Central YMCA, in a youth program called “Peace 4 Kids” as a volunteer to the youth in the film & arts department. She has helped raise money and brings awareness of the rare blood disease called, “Lupus” by being involved with the J Dilla Project and the ALR (Alliance for Lupus Research). Tiana is also a survivor of sexual abuse and is an advocate for children of abuse & domestic violence. She has volunteered her time to the organization, “Day of the Child” and encourages others to become a mentor to a foster child.

In her spare time, she loves learning about great leaders who came from nothing who’ve accomplished great things on earth and made major contributions to humanity. Going to museums, art galleries, reading books, painting, writing poetry and going to the beach helps bring her inspiration as an artist.

Tiana continues to follow her dreams as a writer/director and desires to make her mark in this entertainment industry by bringing a message of love, hope, laughter, healing and provoke change for the better through her work. Her desire is to share the vision in her heart through the lens of a camera so the world can see what she sees.

Being a female and a minority in this entertainment industry, Tiana strives to break all stereo types and desires to become a respectable writer/producer/director with hopes to inspire other future female film makers. She truly believes as women, "We don't have to just be the eye candy in the videos and movies, but we can also make the videos and movies. We can make history".

I don’t have much in the eyes of man, but I have an over abundance of love in my heart and spirit. And with this, I am the wealthiest woman alive. - Tiana Mandrigues

Illa J "Sounds Like LOVE" feat. Debi Nova

2009-06-17T15:17:00.000-07:00

Beautiful

Thank You

2009-06-14T22:24:00.000-07:00

I just want to thank Frank Nitt for giving me the opportunity to direct his video to his song, LOVE. It really all started as a contest, (Where's my watch!?) lol, then I ended up just doing the actual video thanks to Mike Ross. So this blog is a HUGE thank you to Frank, Mike Ross and EVERY single person that helped and participated in making this video.
Special thanks to Ernest, Imani and Victor (3 Shape Media) in the countless hours working on this. Can you say 21 hours no sleep? Hard work but feels so good doing what you love. LOVE YOU GUYS! And to Jenny Villaruz, the cute Filipino girl, and my friend playing the lead girl, your expressions and spirit is so fresh. Michael, thanks for sacrificing your time and your amazing acting skills. You two captured the essence of what I was trying to portray in a relationship. It really looked like you guys been together forever. My friends dressing up in different fits to look like different people cause we had no $ to cast people. HA! Kashmere, the owner of 711 who let us shoot at his store. John, the owner of "The Don", the fresh caddy in the vid. Our meeting was so divine. Just so happened to meet him at 711, how funny is that? and to everyone who blessed their presence in this vid.
I'm really excited, it's finally coming out soon. It feels real good to complete something. I feel really proud of this accomplishment. Even if people hate on it, which we will ALWAYS have critics, I feel good that this will be my very first video I directed. No matter what people may say. I know my family is really proud of me too and thats what matters most. And also thank you to Marlon Wayans, my mentor and friend. Always engraining in my brain to put out my best work, because my name is on it.

I hope to inspire other females working the behind scenes in film. There are so many dope lady directors/producers/writers etc. I can't wait to see the ladies do their thing. We don't have to JUST be in the videos we can make the videos, movies and commercials, etc. etc. We can make history:)
Peace LOVETiana

This dude is for real. lol. He actually hangs out at the 711 off Pico and La Brea. I forgot his name but he's actually a really friendly guy. He definitely was amusing. I am so glad I got to meet him.

Frank Nitt "LOVE" featuring DJ Quik and Jay Black. Produced by Terrace Martin. Out on ITunes. I love this song. I am so excited for Franks new album coming soon. Follow him on Twitter Franknitt

My gramps was so cool...RIP Gpa, miss u lots

2009-06-14T21:07:00.000-07:00

I love jazz so much. I come from a family of musicians. My moms father was a jazz saxonphonist. My other grandpa used to be part of a Filipino jazz group and play the keys/drums in the Filmore District in San Francisco. I have many great memories listening to Blue Note Records with my gramps and going to jazz festivals growing up. It's because of him I have a love for jazz music. I have been blessed to be introduced to Bill Evans, Stan Getz, Miles Davis, Sonny Stitt and MANY other Jazz Greats because of my grandpa playing these records throughout the house when I was a little girl. I remember studying and being captivated by the cool Blue Note Vinyl covers. Here are some of my favorite songs that remind me of him. Enjoy...Peace LOVETiana
My Uncle Paul and my gramps playing the drums at a BBQ.

I'm from the Bay Area and MISS so much the cool jazz spots in San Francisco. Living out here in Los Angeles there are very few venues that play great live jazz but I happened to be introduced to an incredible place called The Vibrato Jazz and Grill in Bel Aire. If you are looking for a place to hear some great music, good food and incredible ambiance, go to Vibrato.

http://www.vibratogrilljazz.com/

I Love Selena

2009-06-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

Selena was loved by so many. I cry EVERY time I watch this movie, lol. Her story is one of the best Underdog stories to ever come to film. Her family was like the Mexican Jackson 5. R.I.P. Selena.

The Power of Music in Film

2009-06-12T21:27:00.001-07:00

E.T. is definitely a classic for me. This era in music and film was so magical. I remember being a little girl at the movie theaters with my grandma and balling my eyes out when E.T. was sick and dying. And then, at the same time feeling like I could fly when I seen Elliot taking off in the air with E.T. on his bike. This feeling didn't just come from the visual but the music took me there as well. As an aspiring Writer/Director I understand the power of emotion that can be provoked from film and music, the most powerful mediums. I feel they go hand in hand. Artists, continue to create work that provokes feeling. Whether you are an actor, writer, musician, photographer, stylists, or director. We are all story tellers of some sort. Stay original. Get emotional about your art. Let your work provoke feeling and tell a story.
Peace LOVETiana

John Williams, one of the most amazing genius composers of all time.

MAGIC.

If Truth Be Told

2009-06-12T19:59:00.000-07:00

I can't wait for this

Hate on Human "Ways" not Human "Beings"

2009-06-12T15:24:00.000-07:00

I am tired of BIG ASS CHAINS
The letter "B" alone could have helped a community in PAIN...

I don't ever want to hate on an individual. I have love for Human "BEINGS" but there are some things I hate in Human "WAYS".
When I see things like this right here, it really disappoints me, like really. Makes me shake my head, saddens my spirit and say, "WTF?!?!" Especially, when we are in a time of recession. Even if YOU are not experiencing recession in your world, there are others that are. Don't get me wrong, there is NOTHING wrong for being successful and being able to live a lifestyle which you worked so hard for. You deserve it, BUT this looks like to ME, money x ???= ????? I don't know the behind the scenes stuff, so maybe there is another side of community, philanthrophy or giving back in some way that I am not aware of, then much respect.
Even if we weren't in a recession flamboyancy and excessivenes seems wasteful, especially in the times that we are living. But that's just me. This is the great freedom we have in choice and free will. We all have the right to express ourselves. Just think though, if you passed tomorrow how will people remember you by? By what you did for them? or how you looked to them?
You know, at the end of day it's our own choice on how we want to spend our own $. To each his own.
Honestly, sometimes I think thoughts like, If Marvin Gaye was alive today to see the state of where music and times are at? What would his songs be about today? I'm wondering if he would sing a part 2 Version of "What's Going On?".
Once again, PEACE LOVETiana

F* this Rap Sh I listen to Classical

2009-06-12T14:14:00.001-07:00

I love giving my mind a break from the music of today and go back to the beauty and essence of musical instruments. I was lol to myself wondering if Bach or Chopin or other genius pianists would hate or battle one another like we see in this rap industry today, but on some keys. In my opinion, you can't get any realer than strings and keys.
Beautiful...

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Not to long ago, I had the opportunity to hear Dilla's music composed into a 40 Piece Orchestra set conducted by Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and Carlos Nino. The event was called, "A Suite for Ma Dukes". If you were there, then you got to experience this "magical" moment in music history. If you weren't there, here are a few pics and clips. If you ever get the chance in life, see a live orchestra or a theater play. You will truly appreciate music and the arts on a whole different level. Enjoy! Always stay true to music. Protect it. It is a gift.

On stage with some of the greatest.

From Karriem with Love

2009-06-11T18:03:00.001-07:00

From Karriem with Love….

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I LOVE PRINCE 4 EVER!! HAPPY 51st BIRTHDAY!

2009-06-08T12:07:00.000-07:00

I believe in my Lord and Savior and place no one above thee except one man and his name Prince. lol. I have been loving this musical genius sex god since I was a little girl. I believed I would grow up and become Apollonia and marry him and then marry Michael Jackson second. To this day, I watch Purple Rain almost everyday. I just keep it on playing in my house while I clean, put on my makeup and get ready for the day, eat dinner whatever. I have been reciting this movie with cousin Travis since I was about 10 years old. When this movie came out I wasn't allowed to watch it because it was too nasty so I had to sneak and watch it at my best friends slumber parties. I am sure you 30 plus went through the same thing with your parents. I will be a Prince fan till the day I die. Please enjoy these clips before The Kid finds out and takes them off YouTube. Happy Birthday to the Kid. LOVETiana

Word

2009-06-07T23:14:00.000-07:00

Tired

2009-06-07T02:40:00.000-07:00

I’m so tired
But it’s hard for me to sleep
The state of this industry is so unsettling
Always check your motives behind the striving of your dreams
Don’t get lost in this Hollywood shuffle
My hustle is not for fame
I just want to see change
I’m tired of seeing my mom cleaning houses at minimum wage
So my dream is not for me
I just want to see prosperity for my friends and family
Tired of working for free
Tired of being deceived
Tired of people being mean
Always be good to those who feed you greens
Just want to see you healthy but why you like to see me lean?
Tired of being used by people who say they’re for my dreams
At the age of 6 my innocence was thieved
Right when I came into this world the enemy tried to kill my being
That’s why I fight for life and hate those who use & steal
So in a sense my 6th sense helps me to see the things that’s real
That’s why I am so tired of seeing
People placing favor in aesthetics
You can be beautiful on surface but wretched in your spirit
How can you expect your relationships to last?
Heart motives are wrong,
Got attached just to get cast
Now you Mrs. Johnny Cash
Plans to run away with half
Now your Mrs. Stacey Dash
Tired of seeing industry chicks getting their own reality shows
Getting their big break from leaked tapes giving felatios
Tired of seeing dogs that have more expensive gear than my own
Tired of seeing little girls hanging out in studios
Bobbin their heads to songs about tricks and hoes
Wonder who they’re rapping about, don’t you know?
You don’t need a corner to be on call for lucci
I’m tired of fashion whores
Prostituting for Prada bags and Gucci
Tired of skinny jeans
I’d rather see an ass in saggin pants and go back to 93
Tired of seeing pics in Star and US weekly magazine
Filled with attention starved celebs eating at The Ivy just to be scene
Baby you might be a star but have no personality
Just cause you Ivy League
Doesn’t mean your smarter than me
F*** your degree
I graduated with honors from The University of L.I.F.E
Tired of reading blogs that aren’t saying shit
What’s the purpose of your gift when your writings don’t make sense?
It boggles me how nonsense clips get the most hits?
Tired of Big Ass Chains
The letter "B" alone could've helped a community in Pain
Thank U Jay Z for putting out the D.O.A
I’m just tired of being tired
Damn it’s late, it’s almost a quarter to 3
Peace out
I need to catch some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz’s

Peace LOVETiana

Teach yourself

2009-06-02T23:44:00.001-07:00

You don't need a classroom to become a great student. The University of L.I.F.E. is available to us all. A lot of us do not have the time nor the $ to go to school because we have families, full time jobs or even both. We have the ability to teach ourselves ANYTHING we want to just by the resources that are available to us. Youtube is an incredible resource to teach yourself literally anything your heart desires. Piano, guitar, a foreign language, how to draw, cook, how to edit film. It's limitless when it comes to the internet. I love to play the keys. I taught myself how to play by ear and learn easier when I watch someone play. These clips are helpful if you learn better visually as well. Take advantage of your local museums and libraries. You can save tons of $ by checking out DVDs, CD's and books. Educate yourself. You can literally teach yourself anything.

Twin Souls: When Love Incarnates

2009-06-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

If this is true, I pray for my twin soul daily. This topic of love made me think deeper then the skin color that we maybe attracted to. Go beyond that and you see a persons spirit and soul which has no color. I know there are a lot of races that like stay within their race, which is wonderful if that is your preference. But I started to think about our spirits. Our spirits do not claim or hold a race. Their is absolutely NO love in pride so if we have a twin soul mate somewhere out in this world, have you ever thought that he or she could be a different race other than what you are? Love sees beyond any race or religion. What a beautiful thing it is that we have Black, White, Asian and Latin Queens and Kings. Love doesn't look at the surface. Love looks at the heart and soul. Love is just Love.

The more I love, the more love I get

2009-06-01T22:44:00.000-07:00

The more time we take to be good and love ourselves the easier it will be to love others. We are all vibrations and energy which affect one another because we are all literally ONE. I really like this clip because it brings us back to remember the important things in life. When we become healthy and full of love and peace within, then our music will change. Our movies will change. Our writing will change. This industry will begin to change for better, it just starts out with you and what you meditate on the moment your eyes awake. Peace LoveTiana
I absolutely LOVE Lonnie Liston, enjoy.

Happy Father's MONTH

2009-06-01T19:59:00.000-07:00

I know it's a little to early to wish many a Happy Father's day, Sunday (June 21st). I actually wanted to acknowledge some new Daddy's. Congratulations to Hex and Robyn Elaine. They just gave birth to a little princess, "Rex", literally as I am typing this. I want to Congratulate Shoes and miss Leo, bringing in James Buchanan. just recently. My friend Micah just had a baby girl. So shout outs to all the fathers that do their very best for the kids, much respect. Here is just a FEW men that I really respect when I hear them talking about their sons or daughters that I may have read some where or seen a picture with their kids, ChinoXL, Pigeon John, Terrace Martin, Karriem Riggins, Scrap Dirty, Dilla, Dave NY, Kevin Hart, Eminem, Marlon Wayans, Omar Epps, Talib, Slopfunkdust, Fuzzy Fantabulous, Buster Rhymes, Common, Malik Yusef. I know there is more but these really touched my heart. So to all the daddies, Happy Father's MONTH.
You have no idea how I feel about the importance of a man and the importance of a father. Maybe you do if you ever read my poetry. I make a lot of references back to my dad, Guy Mandrigues. I never knew him and when I wanted to finally meet him at 21, I received a call that he had a heart attack at 38. It's so unfortunate that we just missed each other. So with his passing, I honestly feel my one soul purpose in life is to encourage men and remind men how much we need them. Your absence or presence effects us tremendously. I wonder how much my esteem would have been affected if I had my dad telling me when I was a baby till now that I am beautiful, a princess, that I can do ANYTHING I put my mind to. Would I be much younger than 34 years old starting to finally tap into making my dreams come true? Would I have dodged so many heart breaks because I would have been "wise" to spot a wolf that was trying to only get one thing? Would I still be married today because I would have been more confident and not so insecure and having trust issues? I can go back and forth and get upset and sad but I am just so thankful that I have a relationship with my heavenly Father.
It really makes my heart melt and makes me smile when I see a father holding his little girls hand. It really jacked me up a couple weeks ago seeing this little girl at La Cienega park trying to scoot herself back and forth in a swing. Seriously, choked me up cause I knew what that felt like. I do have one amazing memory though as little as I was, I think I might have been two years old, when my father lifted me high in the sky. So I hold close to that vision. I literally daydream what it would be like to just chill and hang with my pops. Go have dinner with him and just talk. I pray IF, lol, I ever get married again that my husband will be an incredible father to our babies.
There is a scripture that says, "He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers" - Malachi 4:4-6. I feel this is that time.
Love to all the men holding it down for their families, being a father and husband even if you never seen a good one modeled for yourself. Thank you. You are the root and foundation to making this world a better place because it ALL comes back to YOU. You were made in HIS image.
Peace God Bless LOVETiana

Daughters - John Mayer Youtube LOVE THIS! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f38Ne96R3iE

Character

2009-05-31T18:29:00.000-07:00

Earlier today, I was at this temple in the Hollywood Hills that I love to go to and pray. There is a bookstore that has many different books of different religions, saints, yogis, etc. I found this book for $1.00. It is called, "How to build Character". It was probably the best dollar that I have ever spent in my life. I literally gained a million times over what was spent in the natural. Here are some excerpts that really inspired me and helped me to grow. Enjoy the richness. LOVETiana

The character of a man is but the aggregate of tendencies, the sum total of the bent of his mind. We are what our thoughts have made us. Thoughts live; they travel far. And so take care of what you think. Evey work that we do, every movement of the body, every thought that we think, bears an impression on the mind-stuff. What we are every moment is determined by the sum total of these impressions. If good impressions prevail, the character becomes good, if bad it becomes bad.

The man of character develops upward, the man without character slips downwards. The man of character makes history, the man without is marred by history. The man of character is the hope, solace, well being, peace and inspiration of mankind; the man without character causes trouble, strife, worry, and misery in society.

When we do not have enough character, our enemies will be more powerful than our friends, there will be more wars than peace, more killing than healing. When we do not have enough character, our trains will not run on time; factores will not produce goods to their full capacity, industries will founder, fields will not yield the expected crop. Our world will end up in complete chaos.

When we do not have enough character, ugliness will reign everywhere, our faces will lose lustre, there will be no light in our eyes, hope in our heart, power of conviction in our mind, and joy in our soul.

Granted enough character, young men and women will be full of grace, dignity and self control, staying youthful to advanced age, and old people will become things of beauty to see. Granted enough character, our culture will be sweetness and light, art revelation of God the beautiful, and literature on high endeavour for self expression and transcendence. Granted enough character, our faces will shine, eyes sparkle, our hearts will bubble with hope, our minds will be full of firm convictions, and our soul scintillating with joy supreme. - Swami Budhananda

Such great words of wisdom. Daily, I see so many amazing and talented men and women but lack character. In my opinion, a talented man without discipline or character is plain, uneffective, ordinary and boring. Strive to be different and stand out from what has already been shown to us for years.
Even when everything in life seems to have been stolen from you, your character can never be robbed.
Peace and God Bless Tiana

Crushin

2009-05-30T16:22:00.000-07:00

I'm so in love with love, as you can see;)But on the real, I pray for 80's love to make a come back. I'm a sucker for song dedications, love poems, holding hands at the mall, feeling young and in love. Here are SOME of my favorite love songs from the 80's early 90's. LOL Prom at Blackford High, best.

Man! all the New Edition links are disabled, got to copy and past. MY FAVORITE!
Mr. Telephone Man - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umEbhFKV6mc
Cool it Now - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYgxifjHsb8

LIfe and Works of Hildegard von Bingen

2009-05-30T15:29:00.000-07:00

I love learning about men and women who did great things on this earth and made major contributions to humanity. Saints, inventors and scientists really fascinate me and I love learning about their history. I stumbled across the book that was a biography of a Saint named Hildegard von Bingen. I never heard of her before but when I read her story and how much she helped influence the world, I was so inspired and wanted to continue to learn more about her. If interested, here is a little about this incredible woman.

The Life and Works of Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179)
Introduction
Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was a remarkable woman, a "first" in many fields. At a time when few women wrote, Hildegard, known as "Sybil of the Rhine", produced major works of theology and visionary writings. When few women were accorded respect, she was consulted by and advised bishops, popes, and kings. She used the curative powers of natural objects for healing, and wrote treatises about natural history and medicinal uses of plants, animals, trees and stones. She is the first composer whose biography is known. She founded a vibrant convent, where her musical plays were performed. Although not yet canonized, Hildegard has been beatified, and is frequently referred to as St. Hildegard. Revival of interest in this extraordinary woman of the middle ages was initiated by musicologists and historians of science and religion. Less fortunately, Hildegard's visions and music had been hijacked by the New Age movement, whose music bears some resemblance to Hildegard's ethereal airs. Her story is important to all students of medieval history and culture and an inspirational account of an irresisible spirit and vibrant intellect overcoming social, physical, cultural, gender barriers to achieve timeless transcendence.

Hildegard was an abbess, prophetess, poet, healer, theologian, and musician. She was born in one of the most innovative and creative centuries of the Middle Ages, and is herself symbolic of the apex of medieval culture. One of the most educated, prolific women of all time, she preached against heresy and corruption, wrote massive works on medicine and visionary theology, was a prolific and highly original composer, and commanded the respect of an entire continent. Although she called herself but a "simple creature," and "a poor little womanly creature," she was known to others in her age as the Sibyl of the Rhine and Old Wrinklegard.

HILDEGARD'S MUSIC
At the heart of Hildegard von Bingen's extraordinary creativity was her accomplishment in music. In the poetry and melody of her songs, she reveals the full authority, intelligence and striking originality of her genius. She wrote profusely as no woman before her. Even though she received no formal training in music, her talent and motivation drove her to write 77 chants and the first musical drama in history which she entitled "The Ritual of the Virtues." She writes in her autobiographical passages: "I composed and chanted plainsong in praise of God and the saints even though I had never studied either musical notation or singing." Unlike the mild, mainstream music of her day, her lyrical speech breaks into rhapsodic emotion; her zesty melodies soar up to two and one half octaves, leaping and swirling into flourishing roulades which leave the singer breathless. The poetic vision and thematic themes of her hymns encompass the vast expanse of all her writings.

Choir of Angels
THE WIDE COMPASS OF HER MUSIC
Hildegard's music can only be fully understood in the light of all her work. The beauty and depth of theme found in her theology, philosophy, cosmology and medicine, can all be found condensed in her music as in a jewel. For Hildegard as for the medieval, music was an all-embracing concept. It was the symphony of angels praising God, the balanced proportions of the revolving celestial spheres, the exquisite weaving of body and soul, the hidden design of nature's creations. It was the manifest process of life moving, expanding, growing towards the joy of its own deepest realizations and a profound unity of voices singing the praises of God here on earth. It was beauty, sound, fragrance and the flower of human artistry. Over 300 times in her writings, Hildegard uses music to illuminate spiritual truths.

Beautiful and angelic. Musicians are gifted from God. Oracles. There is power in music. It brings healing to our spirits.

Day Dreaming

2009-05-28T22:57:00.000-07:00