Friday, January 22, 2010

Age of Aquarius

My born day is February 12, 1975 which makes me an Aquarius. I am a humanitarian and have a passion to bring the people together. We are artists. Strange. Artistic. Revolutionaries. Peace Makers.
Now in the Age of Aquarius, everything becomes unified. All our differences, all our dualities mix together like the fragrances of a flower shop, with all of the different flowers adding their bouquet to the overall mix until they are inseparable. Each individual flower remains distinct and individual, each one’s fragrance is unique and discernible when you come up close to it, yet joined together in unity with the others in the wonderful mixture that is the smell of the shop.Our individual worth comes from inside, from what we have inside, through our development, our evolution, and what we can give to society. Now our drastic differences dissolve and we integrate into the whole. We integrate and unify with the energy of the universe, with the great cosmic spirit.Mystically, Aquarius signifies friendship. Friendship bursts upon us in its most elevated sense, in its most noble aspect — with understanding, collaboration, and fraternity. Love and friendship will have nothing to do with possessing or ego. The idea of love meaning "you belong to me" ends in the New Age. The thought of friends of convenience, friendship based on an ulterior motive such as business ends. Love and friendship based on anything other than pure love, the divine and pure love of God, changes the sentiment into a coin of exchange — you no longer have love or friendship because of who you are, but because of what you do or can do for me.This is the era of peace, of unity, of love. The polarity of Aquarius, Leo, floods us with its complementary characteristics. The celestial throne of the Sun, Leo, encourages, ennobles, enriches, and enlightens us for the growth of our hearts, the growth of our inner beings. Together with Aquarius, Leo promotes the integration of our individuality with our unity with all humanity. We realize that we must first be something in and of ourselves to be something for others.

Aquarius
January 20 - February 18
Aquarius is the eleventh Sign of the Zodiac, and Aquarians are the perfect representatives for the Age of Aquarius. Those born under this Sign have the social conscience needed to carry us into the new millennium. These folks are humanitarian, philanthropic and keenly interested in making the world a better place. Along those lines, they'd like to make the world work better, which is why they focus much of their energy on our social institutions and how they work (or don't work). Aquarians are visionaries, progressive souls who love to spend time thinking about how things can be better. They are also quick to engage others in this process, which is why they have so many friends and acquaintances. Making the world a better place is a collaborative effort for Aquarians.

The Sign of Aquarius is symbolized by the Water Bearer. In much the same way that the Water Bearer brings that precious liquid as a gift, Aquarians shower the world with their thoughts and new ideas. Luckily for Aquarians (and the rest of us), they are at a near-genius level, so their minds churn out some amazing things. Their thought process is also inventive and original. While Aquarians are happy to bestow these ideas as a gift with no strings attached, they are much happier when the rest of the world agrees with them. Naysayers will quickly find out that Aquarians can be impatient, even temperamental, with those who disagree. Yes, these folks can be quite fixed in their opinions, in keeping with the Fixed Quality assigned to this Sign. Even though Aquarians are happy to give, and they do, it's often on their terms and within their comfort level. Generally, that means ample space, since these folks are freedom-loving and individualistic and need to roam (and yes, they do enjoy travel). While Aquarians are generally sympathetic and compassionate, they like it when things go their own quirky way. Some might call their behavior eccentric (and they would be right), but when you consider that the Aquarian's heart is truly in the right place, a few oddities should be overlooked. In their own way, Aquarians treasure their many friends and acquaintances and want to give back as much as they can. They do not give themselves easily - perhaps their judgment of human nature is too good for that - and are sometimes accounted cold. But once they decide that someone is worthy of their friendship or love, they can exert an almost hypnotic and irresistible mental attraction on them and will themselves become tenacious friends or lovers, ready to sacrifice everything for their partners and be faithful to them for life. However, they are sometimes disappointed emotionally because their own high personal ideals cause them to demand more of others than is reasonable. And if they are deceived their anger is terrible. If disillusioned, they do not forgive. Aquarians work best in group projects, provided that they are recognized as having a leading part in them. They have a feeling of unity with nature and a desire for knowledge and truth that makes them admirable scientists, especially astronomers and natural historians. They may excel in photography, radiography, electronics - anything connected with the electrical and radio industries - aviation and everything technical. On the arts and humanities side their progressive tendencies can be expressed in writing, especially poetry, and broadcasting, or as welfare workers and teachers. Some have gifts as entertainers and make good character actors (having an ability to mimic) and musicians. The more psychic among them possess healing gifts, especially in curing the mentally sick. Aquarians have a gift of healing and they use it through their arts whether music, poetry or their words.

From the album Soul Zodiac by Cannonball Adderly and Nat Adderly & their sextet featuring Rick Holmes

Monday, January 18, 2010

Be An Extremists For Love

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a man who my life has personally been inspired by. He is my personal hero and I want to acknowledge him in honor of his birthday. I am drawn to men & women who inspire me by their words, actions & courageous spirit in the midst of opposition and adversity. He stood up for what was right even when it was not socially acceptable.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the very few political leaders that ignites my spirit when I hear him speak. His speeches always leave me feeling empowered. Truth, passion & conviction resonate with my soul & provokes me to rise up to be a better human being.
His words inspire me to serve my brothers, sisters and my community. I can personally say my involvement with my community, "Alliance for Lupus Research" and "Childrens United Nations", has been inspired by his messages that we are to serve others.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.has been that example to me of what a true leader is. A servant.
I am not a perfect leader. I do not have a background made up of Degrees or come from a financially wealthy family. But I do however strive every day with the resources that surround me to become to be an active leader, friend, servant and example of inspiration like him in my world.
May we all be extremists of love at this capacity or even greater.
Happy Birthday Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Thank you for being a courageous human being without ever losing sight of the vision you had for us, which is freedom. We are still living out your dream.

"Letter from Birmingham Jail" dated April 16, 1963

"But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for LOVE: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Was not Amos an extremist for JUSTICE: "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream." Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel; "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. "Was not Martin Luther an extremist?: "Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God. "And John Bunyan: "I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a buchery of my conscience, " And Abraham Lincoln: "This nation cannot survive half slave and half free. And Thomas Jefferson: "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal..."So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be?. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary's hill three men were crucified. We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime-the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in the direct need of creative extremists.

- Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr.

Let's all be creative extremists for LOVE and strive after greatness and purpose like leaders like this. We are all created to accomplish great things on this planet but always remember these gifts were intended to bring us all back to one thing at that is to LOVE. And it begins with self. Before we see peace and love in our homes, our neighborhoods, our cities, our nation or even our world, this peace that we all desire to see on this planet must FIRST take place within our own hearts.


My Favorite MLK quotes:

Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illumines it
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate
destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and
retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

Everybody can be great because anybody can serve.You don't have to have college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

If man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness. This is the judgment. Life's most persistent and urgent question is,What are you doing for others?
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

We must combine the toughness of the serpent and the softness of the dove, a tough mind and a tender heart.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Let us be dissatisfied until that day when nobody will shout, "White Power!" when nobody will shout, "Black Power!" but everybody will talk about God's power and human power.
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.