Transition

I am glad to be able to write to you on this Imani day. It is the end of one week and the beginning of a new one. I want to take this time to discuss last week, which was the week of Nia, and then bring us into tune with the upcoming week of Kuumba. The week of Nia... It was so appropriate that we begin this journey with the weeks on the principle of Nia, or on purpose. Hopefully you allowed your Nia to take the lead in your life, and made some great strides. Nia requires our focus, and she is a "stingy lover", she doesn't like sharing your attention so I hope you were able to give it your all.

The beauty of this week system is that it forces us to look at the many combinations of our principles and it pulls out next week's principle of focus, Kuumba. Everyday we are forced to figure out how the principles can fit together that we may have thought had no connection ( day principle + Week Principle). The power in this is that we are able to not only recite words from our culture, but we now have to spend more time with them figuring out the message that they have for us on a daily basis. Those of you that are in Gye-nyame or GNJsupporters, I will do a lot of that work for you, but our ancestors will still be looking at you and expecting you to solve the puzzle for your life. I would love to hear from you and get some of your ideas so that I can share them with our email list. So I wish you well as we transition into the beautiful principle of Kuumba. May your creativity hit its peak, and reveal new things about yourself that you had no idea about.

Mind’s Eye

Trying to build Unity in the community before we have unity within is impossible. In Gye-Nyame we require every member to take the time to learn about himself. We give them a basic understanding called the 5 parts of being, and challenge them to explore. In the idea of the 5 parts of being we understand that the five parts make up what we call the Soul, and through understanding the soul we can do incredible things. For example you are reading the words that I am writing and possibly hearing them inside using your mind's ear. You have the ability to see without eyes. If I tell you a picture a pink mouse, many of you can clearly see this in what we call the mind's eye. But here is the question that we at Gye-Nyame have to wrestle with. If we can do these things, what else can be done using Soul Power?

The Soul is an amazing thing and it has been demonstrated that when we use 100% of our capacity, also known as unifying our being it is possible to do some incredible things. For example there are people who have mastered techniques that allow them to control their heart rate, blood pressure, even their body temperature. Some have learned how to keep their brain awake while shutting down other parts that make us sleepy. We have all heard about people that can do these things, but is it possible to train people within our circles that can do these things, or better yet train ourselves to do these things? What could a person or a group of people who had this type of Soul power accomplish.

For me it is time to stop speculating and start putting the work in, my people need people that can activate their Soul power, and unify their Being for more than athletic events, and creating music that can make the world move. What type of advances could we make if we were able to awaken this type of power in our Tribe. It is here, if you can hear the words that I am writing in your head, close your eyes and see a purple monkey, or use your imagination to reach out and feel one of the stone blocks that make up a pyramid in egypt, or south America. This Power has always been with us, and it is waiting for us to reach in Unify or being and bring it out into the world.... ARE YOU UP FOR IT?

5 parts of being - look up the definition of each:

───── 1. The Intuition

───── 2. The Mind

───── 3. The Emotions

───── 4. The Spirit

───── 5. The Physical

In future lessons we are going to start touching base on the five parts of being and what they mean to us personally, and how we can get more in tune with them. We really need to perceive that they make up who we are as a whole! Here are some writing prompts for those that are on the #NguzoSabaChallenge:

What part of your being is your strongest?

What part of your being needs work?

How have you grown this year?

Do you think your culture or race has influenced the way you work the parts of being?

Anime Clash Podcast

I was truly inspired this week, by some young men who came together to learn how to podcast. They have been on me for a while and stated that they wanted to do a podcast about anime. Well they completed there first episode last night and I was impressed. The shocking thing for me was that I was the only one that messed up. But each of them were responsible for something, and they did it well. They were responsible for their subject matter and they handled it. They all need to be proud of themselves because their skills are becoming more refined each step of the way.

What impressed me the most was that each one of them transformed in front of me into expert in there field of study. It was incredible, these shy young men turned into Anime experts when I gave the single to go. The show went smooth except for a production mistake made by "yours truly", but other than that I can'yt wait to get back into the studio. We will let you know when the drop date for the show will be but for now here is the link to the show

Remember Your Family

I got a text at 3:15am that led to an almost 4 hour conversation. My son texted me from Las Vegas Nevada and I took the time to talk with him, and it was refreshing. The subject for the day was going to be the mind's eye, but right now I am in family mode. Family is key to this tribe's life, how can I build something that is lasting if my internal supports are collapsing. On this day of Kujichagulia, I want to call on all of us to take some time and not only connect with family, but review some of the lessons that help define you. As a family we are so blessed to have each other; as a tribe we are so blessed to have each other. I was reminded of something great yesterday, but also realized that I can always do more for my family. The first thing that I want you to do is remember your family, and make sure that you are taking care of them.

The second thing that I want you to do is remember your lessons learned. My grandfather told me many things when I was younger and those alone have helped me navigate through life. What are those rules or lessons that were passed down to you by your parents or older siblings? What do you honor today that was handed down that is still relevant in your life today? When I think about my grandfather, who taught me about hard work, honesty and integrity. Those lessons have been invaluable in raising my children and building this platform we call GNJ.Media. What lessons stand out for you, and who did they come from? This is a major part of the reason that we do the Daily Toast Ritual, so that we can remember and unpack the lessons that were given to us.

So we are called to remember our descendants and be accountable to them. The only way that we can do this is if we truly begin to cultivate that relationship with not only ourselves, but the people around us. Kujichagulia is the day that we declare our authority to create and make us complete, so let us call this day, one where families are supposed to be at their best when they're together. Take time today to see what you can see, learn and share about your family culture.

The Tribe Is Changing

Great Ujima:

We are in the midst of another change here at GNJMedia. I personally had to rethink how I was approaching the process of sending out information. I started to understand that I was putting out too much content too fast. I have heard that some people are getting "Ding fatigue" and don't even look at what I post. That definitely was not what I was going for. I just wanted to make sure that I was putting out information to the tribe, and our supporters that can help keep our culture at the center of the discussion. With so much garbage floating out here I felt that I needed to compete, but it appears that I overdid it. I can't help but to laugh here, because this is the story of my life!!!!

We will change how we get information to you, of course we will keep the "Daily Toast Ritual" poppin at 5:45am est, but we will slow down on the emails, and the other shows. Rather than sending out content everyday we will go to a newsletter format that will allow for the reader to select what it is they want to read or watch. I am still thinking about how I will recreate the podcast and stream but believe I am working on it and it will change as well. I will keep creating content but I will not be posting it up all the time. Just remember that the goal here is to build a Tribe, and a Tribe is an organization of people who believe in the same ideals, and who are connected with one another by virtue of that belief. The Tribe is a rallying point for those who see the need for change; a place to help others find their way. We are building a collective to bring you information that can aid you in your personal development, as well as keep you informed about the world and the Tribe. We are striving to set an example for others that are trying to build within their communities.

The Tribe is based not on religion, but on ideals and culture. The principles we espouse are those of self-reliance and self-improvement, of working together towards common goals and supporting one another through whatever comes our way. We believe in the power of our Ancestors, and we believe in learning from our own experiences. We respect all life and we seek to walk in harmony with nature. We believe in truth, justice, and freedom. We believe in the right to defend ourselves and those we love against aggression or injustice of any sort, peaceful for us means being prepared whenever possible.

We are not a "closed" group, but an open society that seeks to embrace like-minded people from all walks of life. So please forgive me if I over post, because this is real to me. This is a way of life that has provided for my family and tribe, and I personally feel that it is my responsibility to get the word out.

Tribal Quotes By Brother Kwame

Working with Proverbs especially from the  “African Openings To the Tree Of Life” is a sport in Gye-Nyame, and we take pride in being able to break them down to the very last compound and use them in our lives. For us it is not enough just to know them but we must be able to translate them into useful information for the Tribe. For years I would do the show on Ujamaa nights at 9pm but I eventually got worn down, with all of the projects that I had brewing, and thankfully brother Kwame decided to step up and take over the show. I will let Kwame describe it for you:

“My name is Kwame Keuchler, a member of the Gye Nyame Journey Media tribe. My brother Ha2tim challenged me to take on the responsibility of doing a weekly podcast elucidating the wisdom of our tribal quotes, most of which are taken from Erskine Peters African Openness to the Tree of Life. Given my discomfort with speaking, I took on the challenge with the added difficulty to make tribal quotes relevant to how they are seen in our Gye Nyame tribe, our daily lives, my lessons learned in my mdw ntr classes and Mathematics. I do not plan to keep you any longer than 15 to 20 minutes; hopefully more close to 15 minutes. But stay tuned! And learn all you can through my experiences in life, our tribe, my classes in the mdw ntr and my love of Mathematics.”

When you get an opportunity, stop in and check out the show

This week's discussion is about: Everything you touch, you change. Everything you change, changes you. The only lasting truth is change. God is change!!!

As my Medu Neter class continues our translation of The Book of Knowing the Transformations of Ra and Overthrowing Apep, my future exploration of this concept of khepera will be to see how closely octavia butler’s concept on “God is Change” adheres to a hermetic concept of Kheper.

I continue by pointing out the importance of being able to validate one’s beliefs in nature or reality. We have hopes on how we want things to be, but try to see things the way they are and are becoming. Hence, let us not be kept ignorant with preconceived ideas and beliefs; let us assess where and when we are and then determine how we got here and now, and later determine where and when we want to be..

You Don't Owe Anybody $#!+ For Free

If you are giving away your time or skills for free then you are only giving away your personal value. You are simply on a hamster wheel because there is no way to build wealth if nobody is paying for it. The point is not to take advantage of others but to make sure they have access to what you have to offer. If it has value, don't give it away.

“You don’t owe anybody $#!+ For Free”

This sounds like a call to be selfish and self-centered but it is the opposite. It means that you don’t have to do things just because they want you to. You don’t have to conform. You don’t have to give in or give up your dreams and goals.

The world is made of people who make choices that benefit themselves in both a good as well as a bad way. The best way for us to create wealth is to make sure we have something valuable to offer and then make sure others have access to it. That requires them putting some skin in the game as well, otherwise we are all just giving our time away for free. We have to build with reciprocity in mind. This means that there is giving and receiving, in our tribe and we protect all from being taken advantage of. The idea that we owe no one anything for free, I believe, is liberating. I believe that the way we deal with each other when it comes to bizness in our community is deeply rooted in the fact that we came out of a state of being property. We kept that mindstate and still deal with each other as if we were property on someone's plantation. Property is to be used and put down, not used and rewarded. So Ujamaa and the principles that work with it challenges this view, and until we begin to deal with them we will always struggle. Here are a few ways to get $#!+ done:

1. Understand the value you offer

2. Set boundaries

3. Never feel obligated to say yes

4. Stop giving your time away

5. Charge for consultations

And most of all, remember that you don't owe anyone anything. . . . When we return to giving value freely and helping others because it's the right thing to do, we all win. Those who seek only to extract value without adding any will lose in the end, while those who give freely will reap the benefits of mutual respect and support, and a tribe that can help them achieve their goals.

*We will define $#!+ for you in a future post

Separation & Nia (16 ways to deal with the "Separation Phase")

In the process of rite of passage, the initiate is separated from their world. When this happens, they are often introduced to a new world that they must master. For most, this is a time of discomfort. A feeling of inadequacy and uncertainty arises. They begin to question what they have done thus far in our lives and wonder if there is more to life than what they have experienced. It is in those moments that doubt must be rejected and their inner-truths must be embraced. It is only in an isolated state that this shift can happen. Separation is an important step in the growth process, it is through separation that room is made for us to bloom.

Nia requires the same thing; when we begin pursuing nia, we experience separation and must master the new world we are presented with. We must be willing to make room to grow. Sometimes we need to remove things and people that we love. We have to be willing to make space so that our Nia can bloom within us. Sometimes people and places can crowd us and make it impossible for our purpose to manifest. So our Ancestors remove us so that we can have our Time & Space, and from their fulfill our Nia. Stop being afraid to grow, stop being afraid of separation.

The first step to mastering separation is acknowledging it. This means accepting that you are not where you want to be, but instead where you are supposed to be. You are starting a path towards something greater than yourself, something that requires hard work and dedication. You will always be on this path because life is about growth and learning; there is no destination. Once you accept your reality, you can begin to plan for your future. Here are some ways to deal with the "Separation Phase" of your journey:

1. Realize it is temporary

2. Find a daily quiet time

3. Ask for help from others

4. Keep your heart open to your Ancestors

5. Maintain balance in your life

6. Accept that this is a necessary step on the way to living your dream

7.Focus on the future you

8. Write in your Journal

9. Find a mentor

10. Write a mission statement

11. Stand up straight (monitor your pasture, your body influences your mind & life... Blog coming soon) and do something everyday that scares you

12. Read or listen to information that can help you with your purpose everyday

13. Hang out with people who support you and push you to your goals (SOUNDS LIKE A TRIBE)

14. Celebrate your accomplishments on a regular basis

15. Eat healthy (Food affects your mind state)

16. Express gratitude for what you already have in

See Ya On The Sofa

See ya on the Sofa is your weekly, interactive personal coaching session with Dr. Stephanie M. Jackson in a FREE Zoom Group Coaching Session. Dr. Stephanie uses the Wheel of Life to help you define your vision and focus on what matters most in life. The Wheel of Life is powerful because it gives you a vivid visual

representation of the way your life is currently, compared with the way you'd ideally like it to be. The Sofa Sessions are a fun, and easy way to work on moving forward in your life and improving yourself. If you want to start living a better life and be in charge of your destiny then this is an opportunity for you. You will leave with a learning that is both multi-dimensional and multi-faceted. This coaching session can be used in more ways than one, as well as be conducted from anywhere there is Internet access.

Join us on the Journey of SelfMastery:

What is the principle of the week?

Those who have been involved with GNJ know that we have taken over the days of the week. We knocked the greek, roman, and nordic gods and goddesses off of their seats of power and have replaced them with the Nguzo Saba. We did this to help solidify the culture in our tribe’s mind. Now instead of reciting deities from other cultures on a daily basis we can use the days of the week as anchors that not only can plug us in with our ancestors, but can remind us of how we are supposed to be carrying ourselves.

In the usual Gye-Nyame fashion we are pushing toward the stars and now we have added the principle of the week.

Everyday you can start your day off by going to www.gyenyamejourney.com . There you will find a daily post that is relative to that day’s principle. We eventually will begin creating something for the principle of the week as well. This is just another way for us to keep our culture in front of us all throughout our day. Just like you take your phone or wallet with you wherever you go, we want you to take these principles with you wherever your journey takes you.

Proverbs for the week:

Umoja - Truth is the first victim of war.

Kujichagulia - To neglect one's ancestors would bring ill-fortune and failure in life.

Ujima - You cannot reject the head of a cow simply because the eye scares you.

Ujamaa - You can't walk before you can crawl.

Nia - The bravery of a lion doesn't protect it from the spear of a hunter.

Kuumba - What makes a fool excited now a wise person had heard before and isn't excited.

Imani - Water from another man's calabash tastes differently.