The new Elevate Lounge is a spoken word forum - base on spirituality - a counseling and bereavement Group.
Elevate is about spirtual awareness and consciousness of self as women. It is to promote a positive self image of women and serves as a forum to express and share our hurts, pains, disappointments, fears as well as our joys. There is abuse counseling, rape and bereavement support. A completely Second Life project that we hope will grow and be able to thrive in Real Life
And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
Luke 4:23
Every day living brings about pain - so we end up with wounds and scars. Some wounds are superficial and some run very deep and take a long time to heal. Typical daily things can cause wounds - losing a love one, losing a job, low self esteem and even loving someone can leave you with scars that need to be healed - but if left unattended can turn into a serious condition. Conditions that can lead to self destructive and self sabotage type behavior. But how do we heal up those wounds? Some turn to drugs or alcohol for a quick relief, others choose to focus on positive measures such as encouragement and strength from friends and my favorite method - PRAYER! Another way to heal a wound is a preventative measure - its hard to predict what will hurt us - but there are some measures that can be taken. Avoiding toxic people and not having unrealistic expectations of others is a way to protect ourselves. Recognizing the need for a healing is sometimes one of the hurdles we have to jump. We live busy , hectic lives that don't leave much time to focus on some matters in our lives - so we ignore the symptoms until we see the blood. We end up so battered, tattered, torn and bruised with unbearable pain. There is an answer - the one true God can heal and mend up every single wound and give you the strength to endure the pain until your healing is complete. Trust God. Give it all to Him every single pain and hurt. Let us encourage each other to seek the healing power of prayer for all our pains.
"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."
The new year is here and we are excited! As you know, the start of a new year is perfect for initiating projects or jump starting old ones. We have some ideas lined up for 2011 and we hope that you'll join us as we work towards materializing each and every one of them!
Elevate Poetry Lounge has always been a place that values quality over quantity in regards to the events we've held. Although we still value quality and connecting with people who encourage and inspire us we're ready to take that idea and kick it up a notch! This year is all about taking things to new heights. Get ready for more discussions, open mic nights, and maybe a conference or two. The sky is the limit and we're ready to fly.
Please check back here on the blog as we'll be keeping you updated on the weekly activities and events held in world.
Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.
~Ralph Waldo Emmerson
It's been a while since I've posted but I felt the beginning of the year is an excellent time to start fresh!
I sat here reflecting on the mission of Elevate! and I thought that I'd start a series of blogs over the next few weeks that focus on our tag line - Inspiration! Healing! Love! Truth!.
The new year brings about new joys, new fears, new goals and so many other things we desire for the new year, but to accomplish anything we need to be fueled by INSPIRATION! The INSPIRATION we need is all around us ... in the sheer joy of waking up in the morning ... to either a crisp blue sky or the gloomy grey goodness of God - it's all by His glory. I just want to encourage you this year to seek out your sources for inspiration - find them in the big things and the small things and then never hesitate to act upon your inspiration! Accomplish those goals - even if it's to just love yourself a tiny bit more go ahead and indulge yourself. Inspiration is its own reward... go forth and be INSPIRED!
Okay...I know it's been a minute since my last post, probably TOO long but you know how the saying goes "Life is what happens while making other plans." So rather than wasting time with excuses or various excerpts from my nonexistent social life, how about we get right into it? Sounds good to you? Okay! The topic I chose for July (and since we're at the end of this month...August as well)
Self Esteem: Loving Yourself Completely
Take a moment to let that settle in your heart and mind. How many of us are struggling with this issue on a daily basis? Do we ever reach a point where we are comfortable with who we are completely? Can we all truly look into the mirror and love the person staring back at us (inside and out) even on our worse days? What should we do when we don't feel so beautiful, secure, loved, accepted, or etc? How do you rebuild a broken person?
A simple solution for some would be... possibly getting together with a couple of friends, where you'll maybe have yourself a good cry over a cup of coffee, and then polishing off the evening with an empowering message or two from each person (round table style of course)about what makes you so incredibly awesome and finally a group hug to recharge your battery so you can face the world again. Two phone calls, a lunch date, and crises averted. Sounds easy right? Yes, it's great when you have a loving family or understanding group of friends who can pick you up when the chips are down. But some people don't have the luxury of a good support system. What should those people do when faced with a case of the "blues?"
I arrived at this topic while listening to a resounding outcry from my friends and other people I've crossed paths with this year. It's an issue that has been talked about on many levels but due to the rise in unemployment, other economic woes, and unrealistic standards that are set by media, more people are seriously starting to struggle with fostering a healthy self image.
My aim for this month, is to attempt to touch on all the topics that truly hinder us from loving ourselves no matter the situation, life path, or circumstance.
Please stay tuned... much more to come.
In the meantime, check out these poems by Dana Gilmore
"Freedom is never given; it is won." -A. Philip Randolph.
I really meant to post this sooner. Like most of my past blog posts, I planned write out a detailed article on the importance of this time but I only have a few minutes so here we go! This year like every year in February we pause to recognize, remember, and celebrate Black History Month. A time where we can salute the great strides that have been gained since 1926 when it first originated by historian Carter G. Woodson as "Negro History Week". Woodson chose the second week of February because it marked the birthdays of two Americans who greatly influenced the lives and social condition of African Americans: former President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglass. Long gone are the days where Black and White people could not sit next to one another on the bus, at the movies, or in a classroom.
Who would have guessed or imagined back then that we would now have a Black president? Recently, on January 31, 2010 Caressa Cameron, a 30 year old Black female from Fredricksburg, Virginia was crowned Miss America. She was the fifth Black woman to receive this coveted honor. How inspiring and profoundly amazing! There is still "a ways" to go but I believe that if we (not only Blacks and Whites but all nationalities) keep moving forward we shall indeed "overcome."
Black History Month sheds a light on issues that need to be addressed and challenges us to continue to rise above injustices, Ethnic intolerance, and any other acts that do not productively serve our great goal which is peace and fairness. Please take a few moments to remember what was done and what still needs to be done to make this world a better place for our children and generations to come. To all of you making history.... Thank you and continue to fight the good fight!
In closing I'd like to leave you with this poem. Let's keep hope alive, live the dream, and Elevate!
Over the past few weeks since the tragic earthquake that has devasted the nation of Haiti, there's been one fluid thought that has flowed through my mind and through my heart ...HOPEfor the HEALING for the people of Haiti. We can only imagine how hard it must be to muster up the courage to have hope in light of what they face. The Word of God tells us to "rejoice with those who rejoice and to sorrow with those who sorrow" Today Haiti we sorrow with you! We share your losses and we share your pain! We also HOPE to share one day JOY again! We pray for you, we cry for you, we care for you and we HOPE! We HOPE and we believe in the restoration of JOY and PEACE! But not back to the lives you used to have but to an even better life ... not just an existance but LIFE! Accept our love, our prayers and our hopes for you Haiti!
It's been a while since my last post. Sorry about that guys, I guess I needed some time to retreat, regroup, and reconnect to my inner self. 2009 was a tough year for me and I'm almost sure I'm not alone in feeling that way. Now that 2010 is in full swing I think it's a good idea to start over with some fresh ideas. So.. without further ado let's get right into it.
Most mornings I meditate. I may not go through the whole ritual of burning incense or sitting in lotus position while channeling my "Inner Buddha"however... I do set aside time each day purely for mental relaxation. I'm saying all this to say while in deep thought today I've finally arrived at this month's topic and it is FEAR. That ugly four letter word that can make or break our dreams. To me to live with fear is far worse than any movie directed by M. Night Shyamalan or any monster concocted in the imaginative mind of Stephen King. To be afraid is to be captive of your own self created prison. But for whatever reason we all gladly accept our fate with not so much as a whimper of protest. And so the question I put before each of you today is What would you do if you weren’t afraid? Now, take about 10 minutes and really think about this question. I'll wait.... Kick your feet up and allow yourself to play "make believe" the way you did when you were six or seven. Think about the way you lived before you realized there was a possibility of your dreams not materializing. Imagine how you lived before you cared if your shoes matched, if you lost a tooth, or if your best friend was Republican or Democrat. What would you (really) do if you had no fear?
Would you quit your job as a jet setter and become a street performer?
Would you drive an Harley even though you live in a Eco-friendly neighborhood?
Would you approach that hot next door neighbor who has been giving you the eye all week?
Would you call an estranged relative and make a peaceful overture?
Would you tell someone you loved them?
Would you quit your job and start your own business?
Would you end a relationship that isn’t serving your highest good?
Would you have a child?
Would you ask for help?
Perhaps you'd get that tattoo.. or go skydiving?
What stops you from living the best possible life that you can live? I think it really boils down to fear. Fear that if we change we won't be accepted by our peers, family, or love ones. Fear that if we quit that cushy job at the law firm and we don't keep up appearances we'll be doomed to live in squalor. Fear of death, poverty, rejection, humiliation, or loneliness. The list goes on. So what then do we choose as a result of letting this fear rule our lives? Discontent? Restlessness? Let's not forget the constant "what ifs."
Most of it is not fear at all... it's just excuses. I'm sure you've all heard the saying that if you repeat a lie enough times you'll soon start to believe it yourself. Sometimes we talk ourselves out of our greatest destiny due to unrealistic appending doom which we're sure will certainly find us if we travel outside of our comfort zones. But if we don't test our limits then how would we know what we are fully capable of and whether or not it's what we truly want? Let's face it, success requires risk and sacrifice. Those are two major components that are more often than not accompanied by fear. What are you willing to do differently about your fears in 2010?
I plan to explore this topic even deeper but I'll stop here today. Ask yourself... what's stopping you and if it's fear challenge yourself to stare it right in the face and do it anyway. You can change your life.. it's your choice.
In the meantime.. Check out this poem by Marianne Williamson entitled "Our Deepest Fear." No matter how many times I hear it, I still come away feeling inspired and re-energized. I hope it does the same for you. Until next time..
Let's elevate?
Credits: The Fear photo (pictured above) in this article was found through google here. I'm not sure who created it. Youtube video by estari4life her page and videos can be found here.
