Health, Resistance and Liberation

The breath of life is that vital force which sustains us.  Learning to manipulate the breath while moving or being still can be a great boon to you.  Exercises such as Tai chi, yoga qi gong and kung fu can help you immensely.  Free flow of air throughout the body is of the utmost importance.  In this world we have a tendency to breath constricted.  Almost as if we are struggling for air.  This is NOT how it was meant to be.

          Think back to when you were a child and remember how free and natural the breath was to you.  Instead of the lungs, the origin of the air seemed to come from deep with.  This is what is known as the diaphragm or tan tien. Lungs must be free from impediments in order to function In addition; blood must be oxygenated for the brain to function properly.  Combining static breathing techniques with a fighting style will do wonders.  But why?

          Meditation will serve to calm the mind and body as well increase awareness of world, both internal and external; while the fighting style will give you confidence control and effective ability to defend yourself.  Self-defense as we know it is the basis of liberation.  As we are attacked we defend. After we defend we attack to ensure no future attack occurs.  In order to attack we must be fit in both mind and body. Culture is supposed to imbue our people with health and wealth.  But we must secure our culture NOW, for the simple reason we are under attack. 

          In my view the best way to secure our culture is to acquire knowledge.  We must become knowledgeable about who we are, knowledgeable about our enemy is, about his defenses and the methods he employs.  Information is power.  With the proper information we have the power to resist.  

          Resisting a culture of death is no easy task family; the elements that will bring us back to life (mentally, spiritually, and culturally) is however. 

1) Eat right

2) Exercise

3) Get proper sleep

4) Transform pain to joy

          The first three are pretty straight forward. A little bit of research will put you on the correct path toward a blissful life.  So let’s address number four for a moment.  Oppression leads to pain. Pain comes in any number of forms.  It could be the loss of a sibling or you yourself were victim of a calamity.  Perhaps racial or economic bias has scared you in some way.  Whatever the situation, pain is not a game.  But once you experience it life doesn’t come to an end.  One thing I have learned is that life continues.  Not in a straight path but in a circle, cycles if you will. In reality it’s more of a spiral. You can either go upwards or down but move you shall.  The ability to transform pain caused by situations will go a long way in determining how successful you and subsequently we are in liberating ourselves from the fetters of white supremacy. 

 And remember:

           

The Unseen Revolution

For those familiar with the concepts of liberation, freedom, war, poverty, sorrow and elevation, the notion of reclaiming the family structure has a familiar ring.  A seemingly over abundant number of talking points crowd our collective psyche.  But without concrete, take the bull by the horns, step by step action, it remains just that—talk.

                The bottom line is this, like anything, our family issues are a complex mixture of individual experiences and collective vision.  There are black, beautiful couples producing wonderful works and magnificent children to be reared in lovely homes.  There are also black beautiful couples producing NOT so wonderful works.  “Raising” children, that without the intervention of the righteous force, become yet another reminder of how far we have to go collectively.  This is the family structure most talked about; saving existing children and repairing existing families.

                But there is an unseen issue.  The millions of men and women seeking to pair with another great mind committed to liberation and having brilliant children.  As a single solider I’ll admit I’m in a somewhat biased position.  Often I am left wondering how is it possible to endeavor to be the best man I can be, a template to be improved upon for my brothers, yet not (apparently) coveted by my sisters.  Go figure. During these times of questioning, of doubt, it is easy to fall victim to yet another by-product of our social conditioning.  Hatred of our sisters, and self-loathing

But why does this persist? What exactly is plaguing the psyche of so many brothers and sisters that results in so many unable to find good partners in the very places where prospects should be abundant? Hurt caused by expectations not met seems to be a likely answer.  Also, disconnection between man and women results in a lack of respect shown by word and deed.  Part of the solution can be found by implementing a rites of passage system.  When it comes to meshing logic and nature our people need to do better.  For instance there should be no reason why the “ratchet and ghetto” members of our family should be in relationships, and having babies while the so called “conscious” are single. 

Let’s be honest, many of our family is so emotionally traumatized from past experiences before they join the movement that they simply shut down the portion of self that craves unification, instead choosing  to dedicate themselves to other parts of the struggle. That is understandable and often needed.  However, when the time comes to step back into the realm of family building, emotional baggage left unresolved becomes like a cancer to the Afrikan mind, causing strife between man and women.  We must break down that wall in order to progress.  There are way too many knowledgeable, driven brothers and sisters out here not having babies, not starting families.  In war, if able, it is generally a good policy to open multiple fronts in which the enemy must defend.  Let’s open up this front family.  To be clear when I say we must save the babies, I speak those currently in the world and those present in our sperm and eggs.  The future is fluid so the better we do NOW; the better life WILL be for the future babies. So stop fronting, be men and women and unite the collective struggle.  Remember a house divided against itself cannot stand.

Taking from an ancient Egyptian concept of unification, we must reunite the two houses of humanity; the Kingdom and Queendom.  Looking at the trend brought about by mass incarceration, which is a tactic in an overall strategy to thin the black male from society, division has grown in our household. The war on drugs, lack of employment( no viable trade programs in inner city schools) have resulted in young black man being killed, unfairly  targeted or locked up at an astonishing rate( women are being incarcerated  at an ever increasing rate as well).  Combined with an astounding number of programs geared specifically toward women, designed to economically and socially empower them, an educational/financial gap has occurred between the black man and woman. 

To be clear this is not a pity party. Black men, self-included, need to step up and become powerful figures in our community again.  However the black woman needs to educate herself on the plight of her brother, her partner.  By doing so, perhaps they can begin (on a massive scale) to select better men.  As we men learn ourselves again and start to exhibit those qualities of a good partner we too can select better partners, not to mention treat our partners better.   Want to be less likely to become divorced or abused?  Then don’t look down on the brother with a job but rides the bus.  You know not his plans.  If you wish to be taken care of, while still being pushed to be the best woman you are?  Perhaps the brother who acts 19 yet is pushing 30 is not for you (or maybe that works depending on the level of focus). 

In short a new evaluation system is order.  There is a well-known truth in war.  “Everything is fluid”.  Meaning as the times change we must adapt.  The old rules don’t completely apply.  Women are as whole, in a position to be the financial backbone of the family. Embrace it.  At the same time we as men need to articulate and expand our vision for our people.  As our women make headway in this European world, we as men should use this time to reflect and perfect our strategy.  A key function of manhood is the ability to shape reality, by dictating and adapting to events. 

As Afrikan men what is our collective vision?

 

We Are All Marcus Garvey!!

We are All Marcus Garvey!

From http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb13-ff02.html

43.9 million

The number of blacks, either alone or in combination with one or more other races, on July 1, 2011, up 1.6 percent from the census on April 1, 2010.
Source:Population Estimates <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/population/cb12-90.html>

77.4 million

The projected black population of the United States (including those of more than one race) for July 1, 2060. On that date, according to the projection, blacks would constitute 18.4 percent of the nation's total population. 
Source: Population projections <http://www.census.gov/population/projections/data/national/2012/summarytables.html>

NYC August 2013

 

          Commonly referred to as Marcus Garvey’s month in NYC august is truly an exciting time.  Throughout the month events and programs are being organized and actualized.  These events illustrate the power of the Afrikan to be self sufficient and quite forceful in determining our reality.  As an interesting contrast to the poverty, ignorance and confusion our people are afflicted with, these events provide a ray of hope.  More than that, it provides another stone in which the future Pan Afrikan nation will be built. 

          Garvey was truly a man before his time.  His ideas were so radical they were sensible; so extreme they were reasonable.  His militaristic stance made the ruling class (I.e. white supremacists) and Afrikans in rehabilitation nervous yet hopeful.  The U.N.I.A was and is exactly what we need.  More specifically the ideology and infrastructure offered was and is the remedy for the Black nation.

          Imagine if we all embodied the same nationalistic, organizational spirit and will to take control of our individual and collective destiny, Brain power is not lacking. A concerted effort to analyze and reach a consensus about what our collective reality is the problem.   For centuries the world has had European minds at the forefront of development.  The results have been less than encouraging.  Rampant corruption, poverty, sickness and cataclysmic climate change are just a few of the issues we face now.  We must self affirm and self determine how we wish to run our existence or we will continue to be exploited by the savage ones. 

          So learn from Garvey family.  Instead of seeking to buy into the celebrity leader model, where the chance for success is a crap shoot at best, be practical.   By focusing on providing the goods and services needed to cope, compete and otherwise live in this world now and moving forward, you can be a star in your own right.  Money is there to be made.  In fact many trades such as carpentry, plumbing, computer engineering, and graphic design offer highly lucrative careers. “Based on its present configuration, the full configuration of an Afrikan American economic system requires that it undergoes a number of phases. The first phase is the establishment of a broad base retail and service outlets…” –Amos Wilson Truer words have never been said. 

          The more businesses we open amongst our selves combined with a fundamental change of our attitudes regarding our worth as human beings, the better off we will be.   We Afrikans have enormous gifts and a storied history; we need only develop and channel our power. 

          Garvey learned the power of media earlier. He then tried his hand at business achieving varied results.  Unfortunate infiltration by he savage ones derailed his projects, but not his ideas! So, study those ideas and engineer them.  Creation and control is the key to our future existence. 

          Peace

Help build the People’s survival Program @

Guillermo Morales- Assata Shakur Center @ CCNY 
NAC - Building: Room 3-201 
W.138th Street - Bet. Amsterdam & Convent Avenues 
Info:   Bro Jamarr 718-802-8142

          marndsp@yahoo.com