a Lumbee story

I love this land dotted with abandoned old barns and smokehouses now filled only with memories of another time... they tell of a forgotten tribe in forgotten times and oh my, how much the old clapboard houses and fading worksheds can tell us if we would choose to be still and look at our past instead of speeding by it with disregard.

We are so blessed ...for we live in a land we intimately know like "no other place on earth." It is but the few who can make such a claim to the land they call home....We are the blessed....We are the survivors... We are the prodigy of warriors whose graves we drive past each day ...

And so I like to do small things, like stopping along the journey to really look at what resembles what must have been a plow or a tobacco crate or crib. And Many times I leave with only more pictures in my camera, but my brother, sometimes ...just sometimes, I leave inspired to be the best I can be because THEY...our grandparents and great grandparents were the best THEY could be everyday and I know this to be true, how? Because they survived so that we can now thrive.

And those words my friend, came from a rusty old red tractor sitting in a cleared field down "nyear" the schoolhouse....🌻
Best Regards,
JoJo Brooks Shifflett 

Anita Jo Shifflet with Dennis Banks.

One has to stand still to know this story, not move to know the motion of the past, and one needs to care enough to listen in silence without rushing to the next moment, the next thought! Jo Jo, in your story a phrase caught the rhythms, in my ear, of Ubuntu. I heard it catching the universality of your storytelling.

"I leave inspired to be the best I can be because THEY...our grandparents and great grandparents were the best THEY could be everyday ...Because they survived so that we can now thrive..."
This concept, Ubuntu, is far away from Western ideologies and much to do with Lumbee and other nations here on Turtle Island. This interconnection is a language you speak very well. - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories

He Loves her, He Needs her

The Awaken One.spoken Poetry 

A voice that lasts a lifetime came out of the dark,
From the fetus, black beauty connected to my heart.
Hidden somewhere deep within your melanin skin,
You are the universe that never has any end.
Within your arteries pumps beauty for us all,
You are teaching us that even God can give a smile.
She said her hair wasn't done and she didn't have any makeup on,
Do me a favor and leave your beauty along.

Ancient autumn daybreak comes because of you,
Your black mix with beautiful become one of the few.
I am instinctively feeling your connection all the time,
That's why I always put you in my rhymes.
Always evolving is your eyes so deep,
Vital lovemaking that always put us to sleep.
She said her hair wasn't done and she didn't have any makeup on,
Do me a favor and leave your beauty along.

An inherent sense of knowing the beauty of your walk,
Please forgive me, but even your booty talk.(wink)
I am always harvesting the look you give to me,
Writing poetry hoping for a kiss for free.
Your nature’s symmetry is irresistible to the human mind,
Creating a brand new language ebonics call a Dime.
She said her hair wasn't done and she didn't have any makeup on,
Do me a favor and leave your beauty along.

A revolving circle of perfection was always your to control,
You are teaching the world about melanin gold.
You have me changing my religion with a smile on my face,
Losing my mind for a second singing “Amazing Grace.”
The sun shines a little brighter when you step outside,
There is proof of your beautiful lips beauty cannot hide.
She said her hair wasn't done and she didn't have any makeup on,
Do me a favor and leave your beauty along.

You always delight my searching eye with your coke bottle shape,
Proving that turning my head to look at you was not a mistake.
I give you immortal love from a king to a God,
being blessed by your Skin pigment is such a great job.
The most significant commandment is love I so gladly do,
Being baptized in your beautiful, powerful womb TOO!!
She said her hair wasn't done and she didn't have any makeup on,
Do me a favor and leave your beauty along... 

© Patrick Hornsby

March 14, 2018  

I am therefore we are.  Ubuntu.

I dig where you're coming from. "With a glimpse of where you will go from this place of being a man imagine where maturity will find a place within you to justify growth. You make it easier to grow where you are going, Patrick Hornsby with your sense of what a woman's sacred place is and what to call the 'She' of essence: the Womb. That is the place the warrior within the man develops a priest craft..."

I'll stop here. - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 3/22/18 

WHAT WE ARE RESPSONSIBLE FOR!

Gregory E. Woods walking in Daddy's spirit. I was in a park in Bowie, MD.

We were conducting a relaxed manhood session in March 2017.

Willie T. Stoddard likes to write profound observations as comment, or reaction to the beauty of former Playboy model, Abby Parece's photos. I have read a few of them. But, this one he wrote angered the woman! She said, "Did this make you feel better to waste your time writing tons of nonsense in my page over a damn quote from a movie. 😂 pathetic!" Four other men sided with her. I wanted to ask if the words were from a movie and if so what was the movie? It wasn't what I really wanted to know, but online people tend to be frivolous without articulation that merits the concentration of thought. These are the following words the model detested, Mr. Stoddard wrote:

"In Western psychology, some approaches stress the importance of reinforcing ego to enhance self-esteem. We may misinterpret this to mean that we should promote ourselves at the expense of others. A person may become very self-centered with this attitude. It is like you are saying to the world, “Don’t you know who I am? I am what I am. If I’m attacked for that, that’s too bad. I’m on the side of the right.” You feel justified in what you’re doing, as if you had God on your side, or at least law and order on your side.


Perhaps we should reexamine these assumptions, to see what really works. We need to investigate whether it’s beneficial to build ourselves up, especially to do so by putting others down. We need to seriously question what is harmful and what is beneficial. In my own experience, I have found that employing a self-centered approach and being constantly on the defensive are not helpful.


Rather than reinforcing our “me-ness” and justifying ourselves constantly, we should base our lives on something more powerful and trustworthy. If we develop real trust in ourselves, constant self-defense is no longer required. That may sound good, but what are we going to trust in ourselves? To begin with, we need to look within ourselves. When we look, what do we see? Ask yourself: Is there something worthwhile and trustworthy in me? Of course there is! But it’s so simple that we tend to miss it or discount it. When we look into ourselves we tend to fixate on our neurosis, restlessness, and aggression. Or we might fixate on how wonderful, accomplished, and invulnerable we are, but those feelings are usually superficial, covering up our insecurities."

Whatever the man's intention was I found a decent rant that has tremendous insight into the psychology of white people. In the simplest terms it shows a profound lack of soul my Ancients were well aware of centuries ago. What is missing is Ubuntu. Americans subscribing to Western psychology cannot resolve their major obstacles to clear thinking, or unravel the chaos Trump brought to the world stage, nor understand the Catch-22 of their thinking into action because of the distance between where they live in their cultural stories, and where the standard Ubuntu resides. Why this is, is found in unearthing what belief in Christianity did to the Europeans in centuries past!

What Ubuntu is lives in the stories throughout the African cultures that embrace Ubuntu deep in the marrow of their bones and the fabric of their souls.


"A white man visiting a small African village was playing with the children. To make the game interesting he told the children he would give the winner of the race a bag of candy. The kids lined up and raced to the tree. The winner was given the bag. The winner surrounded by the other children eating the candy with him was so happy, but the white man was confused. He didn't understand why the children were sharing the victory. They told him, "Ubuntu!"

What they embodied was this: "I am because we are!"

This is an incomprehensible way of relationship for us in the West. The momentum of world peace flows towards Ubuntu, but deep peace is too distant from the relationship of taking, and war as a way of life. We are the greatest producers of killers, graduating thousands from high school each year, who for the most part don't kill, but ache to kill. Killing feeds the killers and the culture of high level of violence governing the U.S. plagues the conscience of many citizens, but not to the point of core changes taking place. We are comfortable with toying with ideas, but reluctant to be the change at the core level of being. The hope is that ideals will become reality without the prerequisite spiritual work taking place within us, and nationally we cannot deter from what was begun in the long ago when European countries sailed across the Atlantic ocean.  


Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories
June 12, 2017

Abby Parece. Sneak a peak.

Your sound

Accents are physical manifestations of shared energy. It is commonly known that people from a shared region effortlessly pick up tonal reflections and ways of speech especially during early formative years. This energy share is happening all the time. Effortlessly. Think about buzz words such as YAAAAS, fleek, lit, swag, wow, awesome, dude and countless of others. These words ride a wave of energy that before you know it are a part of your vocabulary. Of course there is mass media programming that will have us humming songs that we dislike at times but the only reason mass programming works is because of the natural energetic sensitivities that we all share.

This is why it is important to protect and project your energetic space. Be clear on the resonance that you allow in and around you. Energy is contagious, permeable and transmutable and it is our responsibility to own up to the celebrations and the consequences that it brings.
What goes around, come around.(lu why def sa bo pum).

Today, may I be mindful of my thoughts, speech and actions. May I learn to shift my energy into the highest of vibrations while recognizing that even periods of low resonance have value and major impact. May I dive deep into the pulse of life. Effortlessly.


~Ubuntu
Candace Mickens 

Black Confederate Veteran by Clinkerbeard

Black Confederate soldiers

The World She Sees

Aśe


I see a tribe of women that holds things down and creates a circular wall that encompasses and protects all. In the background deep in the shadows and unseen by most these women stand shoulder to shoulder doing the work that few can understand let alone bear witness to. They are beyond the permeable and movable red tent. They are the white solid rock that blazes across the desert that appears as a mirage but is strong unmovable stone and clear water flows from. Individually you can see these women shine as the brightest star in the cosmos but collectively they sit back in the dark at the ready taking more than one for the team. This tribe doesn't need words or a call to action. The call is enough. The act in itself is never ending. These women simply exist for a purpose that is beyond comprehension.

I see a tribe of women.

-Ubuntu

Candace Mickens
April 1 at 4:56am


 

Promise YourSelf TIME

The reason why such beautiful creative work comes out of places where resources are scarce is because creativity takes time. The actual creative spark or impulse may be quick but the art of producing what was seen in visions or dreams takes time to bring forward. Time and patience is necessary for the full creative act. Whether it is film editing, fine art, fashion,photography, writing or dance most creative works have a lot of unseen time in the backdrop that was necessary... to push the art forward.

Time is the resource that is lacking in America and therefore the brilliance of creativity is lacking.


The quick fix syndrome and the "I want it right now" attitude causes dull repetitive, mechanized acts that have no depth or unique quality and the outcome is a assembly line of products that lack creative distinction.


Today, may I give myself the gift of time to allow my dreams to manifest in beautiful ways.


~Ubuntu

Candace Mickens 
April 3 at 7:11am



sculpture made of Vantablack, the blackest material ever created which absorbs
more than 99.96% of light, covering a bronze statue.



cat being served.

 

Sacred Life as Science

eyes behind her.

Genetics goes beyond the exhilaration of having a “Mini-Me” or the thrill of being able to say "Aww, he looks just like his daddy”. It goes beyond, medical histories of diabetes, heart problems and statements of I got good hair from my mama’s side (regardless of what good hair means.)


Our DNA is the code to all that we are meant to be in this life. It is our deepest connection to our ancestors yet we reduce it to a science that is not even studied let alone attempted to be understood. It is a spiritual code that must be unlocked beyond facial features, paternity tests, criminal cases and mannerisms because we have all manners of work to be done when it comes to restoring our bloodlines to their highest quality.

Our ancestry is worth looking at because they are the piece to what puzzles us and causes confusion generation after generation when it is not honored in a way that brings about healing and restoration.
Today, may I face the messages that are being brought forward through my bloodline. May I do the work in the names of those known and unknown so that we can all stand strong.


~Ubuntu

Candace Mickens 
Yesterday at 7:41am ·

celestial moment.

 

Blood Story & Motherhood

The most random menstrual story ever..lol

 So I was walking in the co-op health food store looking for chlorella tablets for a liver cleanse and I as I waited for the sales person to finish talking to a very young girl and her sheepish looking father, I noticed they had the Diva Cup in their hand. The whole scene was rather awkward, the sales person, the teenager and the dad. lol So I bust in on the conversation since I was hovering and said, "I'm just looking for some chlorella tablets, but I use the Diva Cup. Do you have questions?"

So a 30 min. conversation began about tampons, pads and the menstrual cup. The whole time we were talking, the girl (who was 14 by the way) had one of those funny water cups in her hand (you know the kind that looks like a sno cone that you get out of a water cooler) and I asked her to let me use it to show her how to put it in. LOL It was at that point the father walked to another aisle. LMAO
Seriously I can't begin to convey the depth of this conversation without writing a book. But I can say I was honored to guide this quiet shy young girl on her beautiful rite of passage into womanhood and influence her decision making to purchase her first diva cup. As I checked out her dad introduced himself to me and thanked me. I couldn't help but to think of the things dads do for their children and I got a little choked up. I then looked on my phone to confirm that the diva cup could be used while swimming and the young girl was so excited that it could be used that I invited her and her friends to my the pool in my building one day with her dad's permission of course. So then come to find out this young girl dances with a Indonesian dance company so they were astounded that I had been to Bali and now I got a invite to a Indonesian dance performance.


All week I have had the honor and pleasure to interact with young girls and it does not escape me that this is all a part of my divine healing surrounding motherhood. All I can' do is accept all the children who randomly adopt me and say THANK YOU....


~Ubuntu

Candace Mickens 

June 16 at 2:40pm ·

Candace Mickens in Bali, Indonesia April 7, 2010

 

TRUE LOVE

Lacey Duvall holding hands.

Jada Fire's classic beauty from behind 

True love is not rare. It exists in belief, and lives in truths, and clarity of mind. Love is invisible to the wounded souls, the gossips, manipulators and unappreciated by cynics, and fouled by the powers of dominance. Love isn't rare. It holds hope, keeps the world circulating, propels change, bursts between two lovers in bed into inexplicable meanings, and changes the scope of desperation by its mere touch, or the suggestion of its arrival to a dismal life.

Love is not rare. Love is like the Tao. Love is like Aleph. Love is like the spirit of Budo. God is Love. Love is Ifa. The Goddess is Divinity and her love is divine. Love cannot be contained, but if you want to contain it it will be contained. Such is the nature of all mysteries. True love can be held captive by bitterness, unbelief or disappointments, but no, true love is not rare. Love is because I AM. - Gregory E. Woods 1.10.14

Lovers kiss. 

lovers deep in each other.

Making IT work

Nguzo Saba principle:
Ujamaa & Ujima

Cooperative Economics &
Collective Work & Responsibility

 

"I tried and tried to capture the shot of John Legend and his wife sitting next to Baba Dick Gregory and his wife. I could see the juxtaposition of 56 years of marriage against a few years and it had me marveling over the evolution and transformation of relationships. My immobility didn't allow me to fully capture the shot but my heart did. Relationships are valuable in all the many stages and transmutations the love stays constant if we only take a minute to truly see.. Ubuntu."

 

Candace Mickens

 

The Idea of a Higher Ideal

 A collage of the mystical traditions of African women's spirituality, beauty & philosophies.

In the commencement of time
Our diversity was the survival
Mechanism that enabled our existence
To endure in all terrains across the globe.

To deny Africa is to forsake humanity.
To forsake Africa is to deny the humanity
Which exists in all of us.

Many people with different languages
And customs are all belong to one
Place. For, Nature doesn't discriminate against
any one person. It affords all of us
the privilege to exist in our actuality

From atoms emerging out of the early
Universe to Humans On earth
Try to decipher their purpose
And origin, we connect to have 
the ultimate human experience
In this universe.

Belmoun Ibo Lelé 

Halle Berry & Gabriel Aubry at the mall.?

My wife and I dancing at my son's wedding in 2010.

Against our materialism Ubuntu

 Ubuntu, and similar practices and philosophies are being relearned as the sting of missionary work wears off. The missionaries were repulsed by views like this expressed in the worlds they explored over the centuries of European conquests. I remember these things as I help my people and other people remember their ancestors, and re-adjust themselves in their quest to keep their sanity, and not kill themselves ... Dawn Wolf, Keeper of Stories 12.25.13