self-actualization - Forum/Discussions - TheBlackList Pub2024-03-28T18:34:02Zhttps://www.theblacklist.net/forum/topics/feed/tag/self-actualizationElevate Your Consciousnesshttps://www.theblacklist.net/forum/topics/elevate-your-consciousness2023-07-20T12:00:32.000Z2023-07-20T12:00:32.000ZJunious Ricardo Stantonhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/JuniousRicardoStanton<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Elevate Your Consciousness</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">Junious Ricardo Stanton</p><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12157474070,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12157474070,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="12157474070?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></p><p>“The ultimate explanation of all things is a state of consciousness.” Emmet Fox</p><p>Albert Einstein said, “You cannot solve problems using the same consciousness that created them.” In other words, if you keep doing the things you do/did; you will always get the results you’ve gotten. Life is about facing challenges and danger, solving problems overcoming obstacles and bringing forth the best of what is within ourselves. No one escapes this process, it is part of life. All of us have to endure what Shakespeare called “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune”, the vicissitudes of life, trials and tribulations, ups and downs, failures, successes and triumphs. Each of us must deal with this reality, you can run but you can’t hide from life!</p><p>We are living in an era of accelerated change on all levels: personal, familial, social, moral, technological and economic. While change is the essence of life, change can be disruptive, damaging, difficult and often calamitous. Much of the calamity in our lives are situations we’ve brought on ourselves, through our own thinking and actions. Other issues/circumstances are due to outside forces. For example the age of European expansion and colonialism brought about disastrous changes everywhere they set foot on this planet from the fifteen century on. Everywhere they went social and ecological disruption and upheaval followed. Their ruling elites rationalized their plunder and genocide by saying they were bringing “civilization”, “spreading Christianity” and saving indigenous people from the ravages of benightedness, isolation and savagery.</p><p>This of course was a made up justification for what they were doing. That consciousness was based upon what I call reverse or anti-Ubuntu where the Caucasians (Arabs and Europeans) felt is was their birthright to take whatever they wanted from others, “what is mine is mine and what’s yours is mine”, and might make right were their mantras.</p><p>Contrarily, Ubuntu says “I am because we are, we are because I am,” it is a philosophy and worldview of inter and intra-connectedness, interdependence, cooperation, mutual aid and responsibility.</p><p>The contrasts between Ubuntu and anti-Ubuntu are based purely on a way of thinking, doing and behaving in the world. Our current world reflects this predatory consciousness. This is why the world is in a perpetual state of conflict, rapine, suffering and depravity. It is based upon a consciousness of greed, callousness and exploitation. It has been that way since the fifteenth century.</p><p>If we say we want change and we say we want to make the world a better place, we have to alter our consciousness, we have to think, behave and relate differently to ourselves, each other, the “other” and the environment. We cannot save the world using the same consciousness that is currently destroying it; believing we are separate from it, that we have no kinship with those who do not look like us, the animal kingdom (other than our own pets) and the natural order.</p><p>The Dictionary of Psychology defines the word consciousness as: 1.the state of awareness, 2.the totality of experience at any given moment as opposed to mind which is the sum of past consciousness, awareness of acts, activities and reactions, 3. the subjective aspect of neurological activities, 4. self-knowledge, self-awareness.</p><p>Many mystical and philosophical teachings say we humans are not consciousness, we are not totally aware, that we are susceptible to illusions and unreality. I don’t have time to fully comment on this but suffice it to say these teachings are correct, we are not fully aware, we are not using the totality of our mental faculties and potential and we lack self-knowledge, the true knowledge of who and what we are.</p><p>Ancient sages admonished “Man, Know Thyself.” Unfortunately, we don’t know ourselves and we haven’t even attempted to discover our true selves! We have allowed those who rule over us to dissuade us from the commencing the process of self-awareness and self-knowledge. Their socialization and pedagogical institutions and systems ignore the processes of self-actualization and individuation in favor of pigeonholing us and keeping us ignorant of who and what we really are. As a result, our consciousness is extremely limited and myopic to the point of cognitive impotence, we’re being reduced to Zombies.</p><p>In the West various movements have sprung up to counter what I call the Zombification of humanity. Various teachers, philosophers, mystics and metaphysicians have introduced and promoted the ancient wisdom teachings from Africa and Asia in an effort to improve humanity. In the early twentieth century one such teacher as an Englishman named Emmet Fox. He was a leading spokesman for what he called the <strong>Truth Movement</strong>. He visited America and while he was here lecturing, he went to the headquarters of Unity in Kansas. While there he gave a speech entitled Life is Consciousness. In it is said, “The way to meet a problem is to raise your consciousness, If you do this, the problem disappears. In the Bible a valley always stands for trouble, sin, limitation: and the mount (mountain) for uplifted thought and prayer for understanding. We must go up the mount,; raise your consciousness.”</p><p>Emmet Fox also spoke about self-image, cultivating your self-image as a divine being, “The Great I Am that I Am”. This is not new, the Nile Valley Mastery Schools taught their initiates to cultivate and invigorate their latent potential, physical, psychological and emotional with the ultimate goal being identification as a living divine being!</p><p>I encourage you to read any of Ra Un Nefer Amen’s <strong> Metu Neter </strong><strong>book </strong>series especially <strong>Nuk Au Neter I Am A Divine Being The Kametic Holy Scriptures</strong> ISBN 978-0--9820156-1-2 . Dr. Muata Ashby also teaches these anceint African principles of personal transformation and enlightenment.</p><p>This is the great secret of the ages; if you want the energy and conditions of your life to change for the better, raise your consciousness, change your self-image, commence seeing yourself as a divine being, as an extension of THE CREATOR (Ubuntu: I am because of THE CREATOR and THE CREATOR is in me.)</p><p style="text-align:center;"> -30-</p></div>Commencehttps://www.theblacklist.net/forum/topics/commence2023-06-08T12:45:04.000Z2023-06-08T12:45:04.000ZJunious Ricardo Stantonhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/JuniousRicardoStanton<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Commence</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">Junious Ricardo Stanton</p><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}11518302894,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}11518302894,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="11518302894?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></p><p>The dictionary defines the word <strong>commence</strong> as: a verb meaning to start, begin. Recently my wife and I attended two commencement ceremonies: my cousin graduated from medical school and her cousin graduated from high school. Graduation is not an end it is a new beginning which is why these ceremonies are called commencements.</p><p>Commence is a verb, verbs are action words, they describe action, doing or a state of being. Life in its essence is about change, growth, evolution and expansion. Change is inevitable and it is a crucial aspect of living and life. Change is action often is is subtle, but it is a universal process. Life is change. We began on the physical level as a sperm uniting with an egg both of which contain energy/intelligence/design/purpose and instantly change commences, the process to create a magnificent being such as you, me and all creation. Within this fertilized egg resides the divine blueprint and design for you/us/all creation. From this egg springs life, within this egg lies the genius, latent potential and energy to make a difference in the world. This is the design and purpose of creation and we are an integral part of this design.</p><p>This is what our African ancestors called <strong>Ubuntu </strong>“I am because we are, we are because I am.” It is a universal concept it applies to all things. We meaning all of creation, the whole universe exists because the CREATOR exists and the CREATOR exists in us. It is THE CREATOR within us that unfolds the physical and spiritual design, the divine blueprint for our lives. This design is nothing dreary, mean spirited, boring or stifling, on the contrary; it is expansive with untold potential and wonder! We just have to tap into it get in its divine flow and go with it and enjoy the ride.</p><p>Our African ancestors postulated THE CREATOR created with purpose, they believed the universe is the result of a divine plan and this plan constantly evolves and changes resulting in the various occurrences we see around us like: the seasons, plant, animal and human growth, even climate change like the previous ice ages, current desertification around the world and the so called “global warming” the ruling class con artists and fools want us to believe is caused by humans!</p><p>The life process is unfolding within us all, it is THE CREATOR in us that keeps our hearts beating, cells dividing, digests the food, supplies abundant energy and health if we don’t sabotage it with unwise and unhealthy lifestyle choices. Yet within this divine design we also have the power to make choices that impact our lives.</p><p>All the religious creation stories tell of a CREATOR who is aware of itself and purposely creates by thinking or speaking the universe into existence. “Let there be light”, for example. The universe we see is the result of unseen forces and action. THE CREATOR commenced meaning it took action and the universe we inhabit is the result of it taking action to begin the creative process.</p><p>THE CREATOR exists in us, it is dynamic and spiritual energy driven by purposeful intelligence. What we see is us being alive, being and doing. There is a major difference between a living person and a dead body! Like THE CREATOR we have the ability to create, we create images in our mind’s eye, we create (formulate) action plans to accomplish those goals and objectives we create in our minds. We have agency, mobility power and the ability to craft an environment first in our minds then in the material realm. (Notice the root real in the word realm). We have the ability to make things real, “to call forth those things that be not, as if they do in fact exist” because they do exist in our minds. From our minds, our thinking and our actions we manifest our goals and objectives. My cousin Kaila always wanted to be a physician and she worked hard to make that happen.</p><p>Everything that exists begins with thinking, planning and action. This is the fundamental law of the universe and a lesson we should all take to heart. You are the embodiment of THE CREATOR and untapped potential resides in you that is part of a divine plan formulated for you to do great things and make awesome contributions to the collective! You are far greater than you realize, you have been blessed with talents,, genius and the wherewithal to accomplish great things. You have a divine purpose and reason for being alive. THE CREATOR has been prompting you through dreams, your aspirations, physical and mental gifts and intuition to pursue your greatness and your purpose for being here. THE CREATOR is guiding you, prompting you to take action. You just have to begin, you have to commence.</p><p>Commence means to start, to begin. You have to begin to actualize your potential, display and demonstrate your genius, your gifts and talents to benefit the world. Start now, now is the time to start, to show up and show out. You owe it to THE CREATOR, your ancestors, your family the world and to yourself to be all THE CREATOR intends and created you to be. Commence!</p><p style="text-align:center;">-30-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p></div>What Are We Going To Do Now?https://www.theblacklist.net/forum/topics/what-are-we-going-to-do-now2023-03-02T15:52:58.000Z2023-03-02T15:52:58.000ZJunious Ricardo Stantonhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/JuniousRicardoStanton<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10978847480,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10978847480,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="513" alt="10978847480?profile=RESIZE_584x" /></a></strong></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>What Are We Going To Do Now?</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">Junious Ricardo Stanton</p><p> </p><p>“Basically, reconstruction is the next necessary phase in this process of learning how to educate ourselves. It is not sufficient to just point out what’s wrong in the miseducational system- it is necessary to do the research that begins to set the record straight.” Dr. Na’im Akbar from <strong>Know Thyself</strong> page 59</p><p> </p><p> During Black History Month 2023 I have been sharing books, authors and Websites by Africans, people of African heritage and ancestry who have researched the facts, who are setting the record aright and are offering insights and suggestions on what we have to do to heal ourselves, tell ourstory to reconnect to our ancient African and modern Diasporan roots.</p><p> History is not just names, dates and places in the past; it is certainly not viewing events in a vacuum as isolated occurrences or through a myopic lens. History helps us learn lessons about life and living, discern patterns, history offers road maps, guideposts and wisdom along our journey on this physical plane we call life in this space we call earth.</p><p> A people who shun or eschew learning about their own history are a lost people a people devoid of meaning and purpose. A people whose history has been stripped from them, distorted, maligned and/or obfuscated are a people experiencing psychic trauma and pain, who are unconsciously disoriented and more easily malleable and manipulated by outside coercion and influence. </p><p> This is the state Africans find ourselves in today, whether we are residents on the continent or throughout the Diaspora. We have lost our history our culture (language, cosmology, family structure, social cohesion, values, science, art and ways of sustaining ourselves) and any self-determined vision of ourselves. This is why all around the world, we find ourselves on the bottom, victims of foreign colonization, imperialism and enslavement languishing in a state of impotence, disorganization and purposelessness. This was all deliberate! Our oppressors have a plan and their plan calls for us to remain in this state or worse!</p><p> We deserve better, we can do better, what are we going to do about it? The books I shared provide history, perspectives, information, strategies and tactics but that is only the beginning a starting point. We have to do the serious work to heal, restore and redeem ourselves. We cannot depend upon the charity, kindness and intentions of others; especially not those who have a vested interest in keeping us in this state of deliberate degradation, disorientation and malleability.</p><p> We have to engage in what has been called <strong>The Sankofa Movement</strong>. Sankofa is an Andinkra word and symbol of the Akan people of Ghana West Africa. It means to go back, fetch and bring forward. We have to go back to our African roots, our African history, traditions, recollect them, honor them, bring them forward and apply them to our modern lives. Why? Because it is essential in the arduous process of becoming whole, sane, reconnected, purposeful and intentional in our existence and being! We have to recapture and cultivate our minds. Our great intellectual warrior and educator Asa G. Hilliard put it this way, “When any people make a cognitive and spiritual shift to support the supremacy of their oppressors, in their own mind and soul that will be the end of those people.”</p><p> Unless we recognize our disconnectedness and alienation from ourselves, meaning not knowing or embracing who we are, where we come from and failing to bring forth the gifts and legacy of our ancestors and apply them to our present circumstances, we are done as a people! No other group on the planet seeks to erase their past, they may elect to blend that past into new places, spaces, surroundings and circumstance but they always retain their sense of self.</p><p> We must begin to think about ourselves in new ways, rethink what it means to be African from an African perspective and orientation, not as a caricature forcefully and cunningly imposed upon us by others via lies, miseducation, the media and “authority figures”.</p><p> Time is of the essence we have to begin the journey, the Sankofa Movement and our ancestors are calling on us to take decisive action to actualize and manifest the genius and gifts bestowed upon us from THE CREATOR through our ancestors. I have given some resources and offered the incentive of self-knowledge and self awareness. It’s on all of us now. What are we going to do? Only each and every one of us can answer that question.</p><p style="text-align:center;"> -30-</p><p> </p><p> -30-</p><p> </p></div>Facing the Challenges of Lifehttps://www.theblacklist.net/forum/topics/facing-the-challenges-of-life2022-06-09T16:14:10.000Z2022-06-09T16:14:10.000ZJunious Ricardo Stantonhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/JuniousRicardoStanton<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10550695669,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10550695669,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="612" alt="10550695669?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></strong></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Facing the Challenges of Life</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">Junious Ricardo Stanton</p><p> </p><p><em>“The only people with no problems that we know of are in the cemetery.”</em> Junious Ricardo Stanton</p><p> Life is such that we are faced with a myriad of situations, circumstances and challenges every day. Problems and adversity are part of the human condition. They are unavoidable; we all have them, have had them or will have them. The solution is not to avoid challenges, they are part of daily living and they serve as a means to strengthen us toughen us and make of wiser if we see them in that light and perspective.</p><p> Some of our problems are of our own making, they are the consequences of our thinking, our attitudes,, our emotions and our actions good or bad. Other situations are thrust upon us by life, by the powers that be and our social environment. Either way at one time or another we will be faced with obstacles, challenges, adversity and problems.</p><p> The great Avatars, teachers, philosophers and mystics wrestled and grappled with life’s vicissitudes and challenges. Many of today’s world religions are based upon the teachings of those wise ones. When we examine their teachings and the ancient folk wisdom of our ancestors we find a deep sense of optimism even in the midst of hellacious circumstances and situations. Some of these situations lasted days, months, years and even centuries. Nevertheless within these challenges, amidst despair, oppression, unspeakable tragedies people found ways to cope, thrive and transcend even the worse of times.</p><p> When troubles come and they will, our attitude about life is crucial to how we cope and deal with whatever we are facing. In today’s era of mass psychology and mass media manipulation we have been conditions to adopt a hopeless helpless mentality. We tend to exaggerate or awfulize the situation or think we are inadequate and ill equipped to thrive in the midst of adversity. The ruling class overlords want us to be in this mindset that is why they exert so much time, energy and resources to program us to be infantile in our responses to life! This allows them to exert more control over us, the more helpless and hopeless we feel the more in control they are. They can sell us their solutions even if the solution is more helplessness and hopelessness.</p><p> The late great Amos Wilson said that in order for this oppressive system to exist the vast majority of African-Americans must be kept out of our minds. “We have stated before, that in order for us as a people to be in the situation we are in and not be in concentration camps and not have guns pointed at our heads throughout the day, we must be maintained in a particular state of mind. In a sense then, we must be literally out of our minds- and we must be kept out of our minds.” <strong>The Falsification of Afrikan Consciousness Eurocentric History, Psychiatry and the Politics of White Supremacy</strong> page 66.</p><p> The socio-economic-political system we live under is designed to maximize profit for the ruling class; whether that means enslavement, low wages, selling tainted food and pharmaceuticals with lethal side effects, waging war all the time all over the world or stifling our innate genius and potential.</p><p> This type of environment: an outer driven consumer based, youth oriented hedonistic culture is not conducive to introspection, developing viable coping skills personal enlightenment and circumstantial transcendence. We have to take ownership of our lives and discover how to be our best self. We are not going to learn how to do it in the American educational system or in the mainstream corporate/digital media.</p><p> We can transcend our challenges, we can solve our personal and collective problems, we can move from maladaptive responses to life to enlightened self actualization and competence. We are not helpless or hopeless. Discard self-sabotaging thinking; replace it with self-assurance, critical thinking, meditation/introspection and an innate sense of success.</p><p> Life has its ups and downs and bad times don’t last always. We have proven we are resilient. We took on the most oppressive system in the world and won, we just allowed them to dictate the terms of their surrender, and they maintained the status quo for the most part.</p><p> We are greater than our problems, we have the internal wherewithal to deal with our circumstances and thrive. We have the capacity to endure horrific situations and our ancestors did so for hundreds of years! We have the same capacities. Problems are unavoidable they are part of life, so is the process of solving our problems and winning.</p><p> </p><p> -30-</p><p> </p><p> </p></div>