Dick Gregory, from the bottom of my heart — THANK YOU.

Oh, how do I begin?

Few people truly shine bright on many levels, & Dick Gregory is one of those people. He has shone inside & out, as well as across the board since the late 1950′s. And even now in 2012, you can see him at almost every major event that speaks on behalf of people’s rights.

His list of achievements is too long to list here. We are talking about almost 80 years of living fully. And when I say living fully, I don’t mean living a full life — I mean putting your life on the line! Living out loud & speaking your mind; doing all you can to find the truth; standing up for yourself & others; experimenting & testing & investigating; being an artist (first black comedian to break the color barrier); being an author (of 13 books, as either writer or co-writer); being an athlete (ran from California to New York City, averaging 50 miles per day for 71 days); being vegetarian since the 1960′s, and in more recent years raw vegan (he chose to not eat animals or animal products, because of his dedication to non-violence); fasting on water for 70 days straight (Dick Gregory is well known for his hunger strikes); running for president in 1968 (garnered 47,097 votes, including one from Hunter S. Thompson); feeding the hungry (shipped 10,000 pounds of beans to feed people in Marks, Mississippi); cancer survivor (cured himself of lymphoma with natural methods); I can go on & on.

Peter Barry Chowka summed it up perfectly when he said, “Gregory’s name, is synonymous with progressive social and political causes. He is that rare combination (like Gandhi) of activist and healer, one whose own life illustrates how real change first must come from within oneself.”

Thank you, Dick Gregory. Thank you for taking a stand. Thank you for having the courage to think for yourself. Thank you for putting yourself on the line. Thank you for looking deeper. Thank you for leading the way. Thank you for teaching others how beautiful & powerful they are. Thank you for reminding us to love & to be fearless. Thank you for showing us how much can be accomplished in one lifetime. Thank you for being you. Thank you, thank you, thank you…

The Future of Cosmetics (We create it!)

This post is about cosmetics & other personal care products. From morning to night, just take a rough estimate of how many you use. Include the things you use only monthly too. (Go ahead, I’ll wait for you.)

Are any of these on your list?

Toothpaste
Teeth Whitener
Deodorant
Hand Soap
Face Cleanser
Face Cream
Body Wash
Body Lotion
Mouthwash
Hair Gel
Hair Pomade
Hairspray
Hair Color
Body Scrub
Make-up
Shampoo
Conditioner
Saving Cream
Body Powder
Nail Polish
Perfume
Cologne

Think of all of the products you use. Was it more than you thought it was? Even if you can say that you only use a few things, you use most of those things everyday, sometimes twice a day. - It does add up.

Take look at this video:

I’m sure the first thought most people have is “That is so extreme. It’ll never catch on. People won’t go for that.”

I am quite attached to my jet-black liquid eyeliner. So I can understand why people would resist something as subtle as using mashed berries for eye make-up. But is fruit for make-up really extreme?

Now look at this video:

Let’s use the same first thought from the previous video “That is so extreme. It’ll never catch on. People won’t go for that.”

Interesting, right? Why did something so extreme (& toxic) catch on? Why did people go for it? (& still go for it) It’s an interesting question.

The way most cosmetic & personal care products are made today is extreme. Raw fruit & veggies for make-up in my opinion is not extreme. It may not appeal to most of us. But if we really knew what was in the products we are being sold (what we put in & slather on our bodies) we may not find those products appealing either.

It’s definitely something to think about.

No matter what we think about it, let’s consciously create our future. Let’s spread love, spread awareness, & let’s choose wisely!

[Big thanks goes to Megan Elizabeth & The Story of Stuff Project for inspiring this blog post & for spreading awareness. Thank you!]

How to Shine Like a Copper Penny

I just want to share with you what my days are designed like these days & what my intention is regarding my health in the upcoming months.

My goal is to shine. Plain & simple. I want a diet & lifestyle that is …plain & simple. (*laughing*) I want to feel bathed in light by my choices. I want to feel light as a result of my choices. I want to chose only foods that have been produced by the light & are ready to eat. Eat them in their natural state without needing something more. To feel connected to the light everyday through the sun & its rays. Rays that have fed me & the food I chose to eat. (“You are what you eat!”) To feel touched by the wind & its cool breezes. To be open & clear enough to hear, see, smell & feel subtle moments that happen throughout the day. Being able to exhale fully & breathe deeply. To enjoy the process of breathing. To be as fast or as slow as I chose. Able to move my body with ease, with grace. To be still or to be active at will. To feel efficient & perfect like a wild animal that has stayed true to its original design. I want to clear all blocks between me & nature. Between me & my highest, most connected  self. No buffers needed. No assistance. No pacifiers. No crutches. No stimulants. No crap or junk to make myself feel better because I feel like crap or junk. No rich or fancy foods to make me feel rich or fancy because I feel poor, or not special. Nope not needed, not natural, not me. I’ll stick with the basics that I know fuel me, fill me, keep me clear & make me happy. There are a list of things I believe everyone needs in order to feel whole & to stay healthy. Right now my plan is to design my day around them. I am currently receiving great results by doing this. These results are not just physical, but emotional, mental & spiritual. I also believe that they support the existence of everyone around me. In living to raise my vibration, light & load, I would have to believe that it does the same for others.

The Daily List (My general plan for everyday.)
Focus: 30 minutes of mediation, pranayama & kriya. (When I practice these I am able to fully relax, breathe & center myself before I start my day.)
Water: 3 liters. (Usually a liter of spring water before I eat my breakfast & lunch, then I drink the last one throughout the evening.)
Exercise: 15 minutes of skin brushing, 30-60 minutes of cardio &/or mixed strength training using my own body weight. (Similar to Body Rock & Monkey Bar Gym‘s suggested routines.)
Food: Plant based diet. Almost 100% fresh whole fruits & leafy greens. Raw living foods that I can peel or pull (a leaf) & chew.
Work: Work on my new website that I am designing & creative projects that I am developing.
Sunshine: 45-60 minutes either sunbathing, walking or working-out outdoors. (Getting outside daily for fresh air makes a huge difference in my overall well being & energy.)
Feel: Stay on purpose. (Meaning, I focus on what I want to feel. If I’m feeling emotions that aren’t on purpose or aren’t enjoyed, I take the time to pay attention to them & to redirect my energy.)
Study: Research & read books that will inspire or back up my current work projects.
Stay clear: Give away, donate or discard things that are not needed in my home. Keep my environment clean & organized at all times.
Misc: Return emails & calls, run errands, take care of bills & paperwork, visit with friends in Manhattan, study languages, etc.
Rest: To give my body as much sleep or rest as it asks for. Waking up with no alarm (when I have the opportunity).
Check-in: Touch basis with groups, coaches & friends that support me & remind me of what I stand for, what I love. (Without daily or weekly support, examples & encouragement, I do not think I could stay on track, or on purpose. Living a bit differently, or away from mainstream thinking/habits takes a lot of courage & focus. It is completely possible to do this on your own, but much more fun to do it with others that have a like mind. Over the years I have seen what a difference this makes. To me it’s night & day. If I really want something, I must provide an environment that supports its growth. If you want something to grow, plant it in fertile soil.)

There are several questions I ask myself before I decide to watch, eat, listen, talk, read, drink, do something. They are;
“Will this give me energy, or take away my energy?”
“Will this cleanse me or clog me?”
“Will this raise my vibration or bring my vibration down?”