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Just two days ago , I did something that was very difficult. This day of reckoning was a long time coming . This day of reckoning was intense. One can talk about going to war forever and a day , but once on the battlefield, reality hits you from every angle. But as a fighter , I knew that I had to fight on this battlefield from the front line. I had to stay calm and use little emotion. As a spiritual warrior , I had to repair the chinks in my armour. When I need to do this, I usually start by asking myself this question , How do we feel God? Sure we know that God is present whether we're meditating and reciting Om in a dark room. Or praying the Dhuhr on our sajada. But how do we feel Him , Her or It? How do we feel the ch'i of God? Usually in times when I ponder such questions , I turn to nature; literally. There in nature I can grasp the concept of life. So I decided to walk a nature trail. After a while , I sat on a tree that had completed it's life cycle, to absorb this pure energy that surrounded me. As I'm sitting there, trying to find a part of me that has been lost in the digital world. I asked myself many more simple yet everlasting questions. One's that answers will surely vary from person to person. Like...... How does it feel to be that plant on the forest floor? How does it feel to be that duck, if only for one day? How does it feel to be that tree in the wilderness? But before you dismiss my questions and write me off as crazy , keep in mind that these are all living , breathing things. Do you value your life in this form more? Do you now despise pollution and wastefulness? Why does life for us humans have to be so hectic? Do you see how everything on this Earth is related? Yes, I felt God and feel God. And I come to realize that the more you "know thyself", the better reception you will receive from God. I can truly say that observation of nature gave me the spiritual charge I needed to fight the spiritual battle of pursuing justice. Yes, the Creator of all , through nature , gave me the one thing I needed most on April 24th, something I thought that I had lost , strength!!! And I'm sure that you too will find strength , but keep in mind that you must walk with a open heart, open mind , and pure thoughts in your quest to "Know Thyself". Hello Friends!! I know that I haven't posting so many reflections lately, but once again it's not so daily, lol. Plus, I've been really busy with everyday obligations. Well with the exception of last night. Which was the first time I actually went out in a long while to have fun. I have a very stressful, emotional next few weeks approaching. And honestly, I'm not looking forward to it, but what has to be done, has to be done. Now normally, I hit my readers with something spiritual, political,or emotional. My mantra is something like "What's the point if one is not talking about what's important in life". "What's the point of wasting words that have no substance"? After all, whether we want to accept it or not , spirituality, politics, and our emotional state affect our happiness or pursuit there of in this dimension. You know what? Enough of that - for now!! I want to share with you a small chapter in my book of life.
After many years of listening, admiring, and analyzing this great man's lyrics, I finally had the opportunity to attend his live performance. Well worth the trek to NYC, I relished every moment of it. My cheeks are literally sore from singing, smiling, and swooning. This great man that I'm speaking of, is non other than K'naan. ( A Canadian- American rapper of Somali descent ; I have an homage page to him for all my new readers ). Unadulterated talent such as this, come around ever so often. Let me say that , I'm just starting to come down from my natural high. I didn't have one cocktail. I wanted to fully consume ( and remember,lol ) his poetic food for thought. He performed some of his classics; Soobax, Take a Minute, Fatima, Waving Flag, In the beginning, The Seed, Somalia. These songs I knew, I might have gotten a word or two tangled in my excitement, but I don't think anyone noticed; hopefully,lol. He performed some new songs, yet to be recorded. Based on the powerful lyrical content, I hope that they do become studio records. The songs- Clinched Fist, 5 Steps,Heart of Gold, and ah if I remember correctly, 2 men. I've managed to find teaser lyrics from the song "5 Steps", and after K'naan sung it, I was sitting there in awe over it's deepness. Everything under the sun, K'naan summarized in 5 brutally honest steps. Here they are: "Well,let me try to paint it- Here's the 5 steps, in hopes to explain it" "1): It's me and my nation against the world" 2): "Then me and my clan against the nation" 3):"Then me and my fam against the clan" 4): "Then me and my brother, with no hesitation we go against the fam until they cave in" 5): "Now who's left in this deadly equation"? "That's right, it's me against my brother- then we point a kalashnikov and kill one another" *( b.k.a AK-47) This vicious cycle can be attributed to any nation,creed, or color. But just when I thought things couldn't have got any better, I actually met the man!! I shook his hand, and then took a picture with him. My heart was pounding, and I was praying that he didn't hear it, lol. And yes I was dumbfound, lost for words ( it's hard for me to get lost for words,lol ), and goofy. Though I tried to recover. K'naan is charismatic, articulate, talented and handsome, and I'm a bit of a sapio!! I wanted to tell him how his music helped me through tumultuous times but my anxiety started to kick in. Anywho, long story short, I had a great time and I would recommend any true hip-hopper, poetry aficionado, or lover of world music to check out his show. Even if that means traveling outside of your immediate area, you won't be disappointed !!!! Why does the majority of modern society want to support manufactured(False) talent ? Shouldn't we want to see pure talent, it's like a piece of God at work!!!  I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become!!- Carl Jung Collective Reflective Power: a memoir To all who have suffered any tribulation in life,let this proverb be your guidance!!  "Pay no attention to time, for it is the enemy"!!- Shakira Z. Chi  |
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January 2021
"I'm an avid student of life, love, and spirit. My blog isn't about external beauty per se, clothes, fashion, make-up,or even politics. No none of these things!! The articles that I write come from my heart and are about something simple yet complex, rugged yet fragile, dark yet light. Something beautiful yet at times can be ugly. I write about something that all reading this shouldn't take for granted. Life!! Something everlasting yet fleeting." - Shakira Z. Ch'i Peace Always |
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