Lauryn Hill Still Reigns

I ran into this video after searching YouTube for my weekly fix of Lauryn Hill or most recently named Ms. Hill. Although critics and friends have attempted to write my wifey off as an emotionally unstable wreck, I beg to differ with them and their harsh judgments of the woman who reigns as the most prolific female artist of our time. There is nothing this queen can not accomplish. She is simply a spiritually, gifted artist and teacher who has continued to enlighten us with her depth using words and music, even when many have turned the lights off on her.

Lauryn is reminiscent of one of the many profound prophets that weren't truly understood by the masses until their physical body had left Earth.

There are many, many songs by Mother Hill that I delight and rejoice in, but I decided the collaboration with Common on "Retrospect for Life" was fitting at for the moment. The reason, it sheds light on the immediate reactions most men encounter when their girl or wife informs him they are pregnant. The initial thought for the man who didn't plan on this new life, is shock. And the first emotion is fear, but he doesn't tell his lady he's afraid because he isn't supposed to show signs of weakness. Yet, that is exactly what he exhibits when he runs out on her with a nonchalant attitude because he is not ready to step up to the plate and provide for his family.

Watching this video gives me hope. Although plans don't always workout the way we want them to, there is still blessings in those unforeseen miracles. With a little bit of patience, communication, understanding, guidance, support and prayer, couples can overcome any minor stumbling block.

How Much Internet Broadcasting is Too Much?

How much of our personal life should we splash over the Internet for all to view? Over the past few years, technology has become the #1 form of communication for most folks. Gone are the days when we wrote intimate letters to someone to express our thoughts or picked up the phone and held a coversation while sitting on the couch in the living room of our home. These days text messages using incorrect grammar has replaced letters and phone calls using a blue tooth device while driving has replaced calls from home.

I have witnessed folks race to electronic stores for the latest Blackberry and IPhone as if they never lived without such gadgets before. Of course it is our right, for some a duty, to keep abreast on what's current in the world of technology, but how much is too much?

The rise of technology has also brought an increase in the various modes of broadcasting of oneself. Today it is imperative that you own some sort of social networking account with popular sites like: Black Planet, MySpace, Facebook and recently added Twitter. Some use these places to catch a date, others use them to connect with friends from the past and present. I know people and businesses who use the cyber locations for advertising and marketing. When Oprah Winfrey has a few accounts then you know it's serious. And when Ashton Kutcher beats out CNN for the most followers on Twitter, you know social networking systems must be the place to be. If you don't have one you are considered "lame" and out of the loop. I guess this is where the pressure comes from, for the 20-30 something age group, to stay hip and connected.

I started a MySpace account over two years ago after hearing so much buzz about it from friends, celebrities and radio jocks. I became interested mainly because I wanted to market my business and build some sort of following for my mission. The page was used to connect with lost friends and give them a peek into my world using pictures, video and blogs. Then, about three months ago a close friend turned me onto Face book. She informed me that it was much easier to navigate than MySpace. After a few days, the pressure took over and I started an account. Soon after I began receiving loads of friend request from people I went to school with, but never really had a relationship with. I thought it was awfully weird, but had come to the conclusion that after ten years maybe everyone had matured and were seeking to connect on a networking level. Well once I accepted these folks, I heard nothing from them again. Not even a "Thanks Erv" or "How has life been treating you?" nothing! My immediate feelings were to delete all those who did not really want to be a friend, but I decided against it because there had to be some sort of purpose to the connection.

This is when I realized, maybe they just wanted to see what I had been up to over the years, how I had aged and what was going on in my personal life. I guess that's cool, but how much should I broadcast myself to the world to critique? And are there people out there truly interested? Is it okay to have so many accounts? What would be the limit? And who decides that limit? My overall concern is safety. How safe is it to put all your business over the net with pictures of your family? I am not being paranoid. I just had a few ideas about this popular phenomenon of broadcasting and wanted to ponder a few questions to you guys.

A Special Person Deserves a Unique Gift on Their Birthday

Every year we spend on this earth draws us closer and closer to death. Yeah, I know it's a tough reality to swallow, but it is just that- a reality. Now that we have accepted the fact “we are all living to die”, the hope is that we can finally begin to live and celebrate life.

We are fortunate to be reminded about the celebration of life at least once a year, if we are lucky. This time is called our birthday! It's a period when friends and family members gather to host a surprise party, join together for an exquisite dinner at a 5-star restaurant or escape to a party spot like Vegas, Miami, New York, Atlanta or New Orleans. What ever the plans are, you can bet the moment shared with loved ones is a pleasurable experience.

What about the giving and receiving of tangible gifts during the festivities? Should this still be expected when we reach a certain age? Or are gifts wrapped in expensive paper and donned with ribbons something only children should be privy to receive?

Maybe it's my innate nature, but I have always cherished the born day of my friends and relatives. I view this day as their special day to be spoiled and catered to without hesitation or concern of cost. Everyone likes to be treated and thought of as special if only for a day. Plus, it marks the beginning of their new year so we should rejoice in it as such. Someone said, "if you have one true friend you are lucky". God has blessed us to have close relationships with certain individuals for a reason and we should honor them for the love they bring to our life. This is just a few reasons why birthdays should be made a huge deal, regardless of the age of the recipient.

With that in mind, I have a young lady in my life that has morphed into an older sister to me over the past decades. She has showed me the power of love through giving when I was just a teenager trying to understand the true meaning of love. Her simple gesture transformed the way I view birthdays every since. It is to her I am deeply indebted. I vowed a long time ago to spend my life showing her just how royal she is and how much I adore our connection, being in her presence and sharing in her story.

Since I already know her favorite things range from jewelry, antiques, designer bags /clothes and all things dainty, it won't be too difficult to come up with a gift for her. The challenge is making sure that what I give her is unique and can touch her deep into her heart and tap on the soul. Maybe even cause her to shed a tear or two and then crack a smile that slowly transforms into an uncontrollable crescendo of laughter. It may seem like I am asking for too much, but I actually aim for these types of reactions when giving gifts of love. To make this goal more obtainable, I prefer to use some sort of artistic expression that captures the essence of the person leaving them with a memento they can constantly reflect on when in search of endless days of pleasure.

So as I process my thoughts and bring them into a visual existence, I will keep you posted. My ultimate focus is to construct a small masterpiece that includes various sentimental items my beloved friend/sister enjoys. The central theme is her favorite show and movie, "Sex in the City". From this, the foundation of the project begins.

Freedom vs. Work

After a long week off from work it is sort of bittersweet to be back in the rat race again. Yes, I did enjoy my time away from the tedious tasks performed at my place of employment and the time spent revitalizing my self was well appreciated. It's just that now I have to get my head, and body back into the routine of things and it is always challenging.

For a whole week I went without an alarm clock. I just feel asleep when I was tired and awoke when my body was ready. Never did I use the clock to monitor my daily activities. I was free to live without restrictions. Now that I'm back at the job, I feel myself slowly letting go of certain freedoms I had become use to. It's time to transform into a robot again. I truly hate this mundane feeling and am counting the school days until I can once again live without the confinement that comes with living and a capitalistic society.

One day I will be set free from the captives of "making money" and being a slave to the system. That is when Freedom really will become a true reality.

With that in mind, let me get back to work.

7-Day Fast Ends

It's has been a very rewarding 7 days. I am literally in another zone in all areas of my life. Isn't it beautiful when everything in life aligns to meet you where you are and carries you to the next level? It's the best feeling in the world. I hope you are blessed to feel this vibe one day.

Since my detox was such a success, I decided to extend it for the rest of the month. The focus is always to live a healthier lifestyle, so I will be eating only Raw Foods--Alive foods for you that understand. Basically all those foods which grow from the ground and have life and if placed back into the earth should breed new life. Isn't this the way we eat, "to live"?

Spritual Detox

Personally, I think any detoxification program that doesn’t include a spiritual; dimension is simply worthless. When I imagine ridding one self of toxins this includes all things poisonous to the body and thus needs to be eliminated. If you are a spiritual person in any form, than you understand that sometimes the soul of man is contaminated by outside forces. This causes a disruption of spiritual peace, leaving us uninspired and more susceptible to the temptations of life. Therefore it is safe to conclude that spiritual consciousness has healing properties that must always be included in any cleaning process in order for total wellness to be achieved.

The daily ritual engaged in during detoxification and afterwards is designed to strengthen faith, communication and connection with the creator. I usually take time in the morning to pray. Thanking God for his mercy and love and for keeping me whole. I also spend time praying for friends, family members and for those whose needs I don’t really know of, but who need delivering from something. While driving in the car, I listen to gospel music. I also take the time to read “Faith to Faith” by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland. It is filled with daily affirmations to help motivate and uplift the spirit. I spend the day applying those lessons to my life. Before turning down to bed, I read a few verses of the Bible, and pray. Although I try my best to stick to some sort of format, I know the spirit moves when it sees fit and I must move with it wherever it leads. So always remember to “let go and let God have his way”.

This is way cleansing the body of all things foreign is crucial. When there are items inside the temple that are not supposed to be there, they block the natural flow of positive enlightenment and cause harm to the mind, body and spirit. It is in our best interest to always keep these elements of self balanced and healthy, so we can live a righteous life that focuses on taking care of the world around us.

Meditation, Relaxation and Sleep

Hot water and steam have a relaxing capability that works well with soothing the mind and calming breathing patterns. Soon after I get out of a bath or sauna, I want to drift off into a deep sleep. This is the moment when tranquility is at its highest point and the freedom meditation brings is very obtainable.

The beauty of meditation is that it can truly be done any place at anytime. The time spent in silence will do a great deal for you, even if it’s just for a few minutes of motionless peace. Allow yourself a moment to collect your thoughts and just be. Our lives are constantly bombarded with so many issues that attempt to agitate and frustrate us to the point where we become disconnected with self. Often causing stress, this ultimately leads to various illnesses like high blood pressure and depression. It’s important for our overall health that we remain serene as much as possible. We should be at a point where we are able to identity those trigger that cause anxiety and also be equipped with effective techniques that will work to alter the agitated state and get us back on track to a centered space.

A few techniques I have found helpful with bring about relief from life’s daily task included: listening to soothing music (I prefer Jazz, Classical or any type of mellow sounds), yoga, candlelit room with incents burning, an awesome massage or facial is the ultimate form of relaxation. But the number one relaxation medicine is sleep. Nothing tops deep, uninterrupted, good old fashion-sleep.

Hypothermia- Hot Baths, Sauna and Steam Showers

Incorporating hot baths can be seen as a luxury and it is, but creating a hot tub sort of environment in your home bath works wonders in the detoxifying process. I recommend bathing in Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate), which draws toxins out of the body and helps to relax the muscles. You can also add bath beads or oils for a calming aroma. I have used rosemary and eucalyptus oils several times.

It is recommended that you soak every night while detoxifying for 20 minutes. While bathing, use a scrub and natural soap to cleanse the skin of impurities. When you are done, try to refrain from rubbing lotions on the skin. Give the skin time to breath.

Another popular form of heat therapy is the sauna. If you own a gym membership you know about the benefits of spending time in the sauna after a workout. It is very effective in speeding up the sweating process and healing strained muscles. But if you are not able to attend your local gym, you can always create a similar effect at home. All you have to do is close the bathroom door, block any airways under the door with a towel and cut the shower on to its hottest temperature. This will create a steam effect. Clog the tub and let the water fill in the tub. Pour a little bit of hydrogen peroxide in the water and watch it work wonders for the nasal passages. Add these different types of cleansing regimes to your detox, but limit them once you have ended your program to 1-3 weekly. You should notice the difference in your skin immediately.

Check out the video blog on youtube!!

Look over to the left of this blog and click on the video you want to view. I have the detox updates on my YouTube page at Maurice075.

I also have to add the spiritual and hypothermia section to my post. They should be up tomorrow.

Detoxification Through Exercise

Exercise-Aerobics, Crunches and Push ups

Exercising is also a great way to detoxify because you work up a sweat while engaged in physical activity. Many specialists on the subject of detoxing recommend that you limit the amount of exercise to 30 minutes of aerobics. Your body is not getting its normal amount of calorie intake; therefore it doesn’t have extra calories to exert doing heavy lifting or strenuous activity

If you are not exercising on a daily basis than you should back until the program is over to start a fitness regime. Since I have been working out for awhile, I choose not to totally stop hitting the gym. Instead I decided to focus on light walking, push ups, crunches and bicep curls. This is just to maintain some sort of definition and the muscles I have built thus far. If you wish to reframe from adding light exercise to your detox, than by all means go ahead. Just remember that your body is renewing itself, so a brisk walk will add to the benefits and not hinder your growth.

Detoxify the Body-The Plan

For fasting of the body, I prefer a combination of various fasting methods. First, I began by reframing from eating all foods for two days. The only type of intake through the mouth is water. Natural water like Evian or Fiji is preferred, but distilled water works well for this process also. Water will help with the emptiness in the stomach and elimination of toxins. It is essential to drink water through any detoxification process.

After two days of not eating anything, I move to a fruit smoothie fast. Mixing a variety of fresh and frozen fruits high in antioxidants and other healthy fruit like blueberries, black berries, raspberries, strawberries, pineapple, and bananas, into a blender with natural orange juice and water. Sometimes I add ice cubes for a thicker shake, but it depends on my mood at the time. This sort of juicing fast is adhered to for two days.

The third part of the body detoxification focuses on eating raw organic vegetables. I prefer to eat mostly leafy green veggies like spinach, broccoli, cabbage and asparagus in small portions. Meals should be eaten six times daily for two days. I also add carrots to each meal for there….. benefit. Always remember to add the essential amounts of water to assist with the natural process of continuous elimination of waste.

Once the third part of the process is completed, the addition of fresh organic fruits will be added back into the detox, but will be eaten whole instead of blended or juiced. The fruits to be eaten only include only those that have the most effective benefits in helping the body revitalize itself. Research has proven that apples, grapes and watermelon are best for healing and cleansing. These fruits along with various berries can be combined into a salad or eaten alone.

The final few days of the cleansing regime entail slowly adding other raw foods back into the diet like beans and nuts. These items can be added in as snacks throughout the day or tossed into a salad. It totally depends on you, just as long as they are eaten. They provide the fiber and protein that has been missing during the earlier process.

On the tenth day and for the weeks after, focus should be placed on eating well balanced meals. This is a safe time to incorporate breads, dairy or meats back into the diet. Or maybe this is where the decision is made to totally eliminate certain items from ever entertaining your body again.

7- Day Detoxification-What to Eat or Not Eat
2 Days
No food, just water
2 Days
Organic Fruits—Blended into a smoothie w/ orange juice or just juicing the fruit without any additives.(all berries, banana)
2 Days
Organic green leafy vegetables with carrots (broccoli, spinach, asparagus ect.)
1 Day
Add whole fruits back into the diet(apples, grapes, watermelon)
Days After
Add beans and nuts( kidney, pinto, black beans; almonds, walnuts)
Weeks Later
Eat well balanced meals and avoid over processed foods.(candy, chips, cake, ect.) 3 meals, 3 snacks. No snacks two hours before bed.

This plan should be stricly adhered to unless your doctor advises against it or it becomes too overwhelming. Either way try your very best to follow each step, but you can always tailor any program to fit your lifestyle.

Detoxification: The Rebirth of Healthy Living

Why is it that we don’t do all we can to take care of the only body we have? It is clearly one of the most precious gifts from God we were given and it should be our privileged duty to keep it in the best condition possible. Rarely do we take time out of our busy day to exercise or give our body the nutrients it needs to effectively work for us. We consume way more food than any other nation. Our portion sizes have rivaled many countries for decades. America's alarming and disturbing rate of obesity is an act of gluttony and must be controlled at once. Instead of forcing our body systems to work overtime, digesting and eliminating over-processed foods we eat on a daily basis, we should refrain from eating for a few days and give our body time to rebuild itself through detoxification.

Fasting

Fasting is the process of not eating food. You are basically giving the digestive system a break from having to do your “dirty work”. Allowing it instead, the time needed to focus on cleansing its vital organs.

Many cultures around the world consider fasting to be the perfect ritual for cleansing of the body from more than just toxins. Some view it as a way to rid the spirit of negative, damaging energy that has invaded the temple and troubled the spirit, causing a blockage of communication with God or the Most High.

When to Detoxify?

There are many times of the year when fasting may seem most appropriate, but I believe it depends on the individual person to decide when and what type of fast they would like to partake in. Personally, I chose Spring Break as the perfect period for my revitalization. Besides the fact of being on a break from work, I also find the beginning of spring as a period of new beginnings. Everything about nature and the world around us displays this, from the budding of flowers to the buzzing of insects and the chirping of birds. The outer environment is preparing itself for a new life cycle and so should we. As the winter waves farewell to those things that have withered and died, so should we say goodbye to those things within that have become old and obsolete. Therefore, the beginning of the season of rebirth is my ideal time for change.

Preparing For a 7-Day Detox

Before I begin any form of detox or exercise regime, I start a few days or weeks earlier preparing my body, mind and spirit for the challenging journey that lies ahead. To embark upon an revitalizing process takes a lot of focus, dedication and commitment. For starters, I slowly draw back my food intake to smaller portions and nothing to eat after 7pm. Decreasing the amount of social time with friends and watching television is an essential part of the plan. The less distractions you have, the more concentration on achieving maximum success you will exhibit.

One area where I increase intensity is my fitness regime. I turn the heat up, literally, and lift more weights. During detoxification I will not have energy for strenuous activity, so I exhaust my muscles ahead of time. The last thing I want to lose is too much muscle mass. Elimination of toxins and fat; reintroducing the body to all that is natural and pure is the objective. The hope is to give the lungs, liver and kidneys the proper rest they need while feeding them the vitamins and nutrients they require to operate most effectively.

Stay posted as I document this rebirth of healthy living.

"My Brotha.com" Publishes Poem

One may write and write and write, but rarely thinks those intimate words will be seen, heard or adored by others. So I was pleasantly surprised when "MyBrotha.com" decided to post my work onto their site, for their huge population of visitors to delight in.

It was just the motivation I needed to continue capturing those visions from my past, present and future, onto blank white pages.

Check the poem, Consistentcy for My Rib out when you get a moment and tell me what you think.

www.mybrotha.com/poetic-vibe.asp?pid=11 - Cached