The Artist Corner: Introducing Dreya

Hey Peaceful Lovers! It's been a while, but here is 4th installment of 'The Artist Corner' where we shine the spotlight on various artistic members [up and coming & established] within the Humbly, Peax & Love community. After all, the Earth without ART is just 'Eh'...
 

Today is all about a woman in transition that we are GREATLY inspired by. Introducing Dreya..

HPNL: Who is Dreya? What are your values and passions?

Dreya: Dreya is an driven, independent, vivacious and ambitious young woman that has been through much that has molded her into who she is today. The battles that I've come up against I've turned into positives stepping stones because I'm able to voice my pain, hurt and heavy load through my outlet of expression called poetry.

HPNL: How do you define yourself as an Artist??

Dreya: Multiple! All around I'm an creative individual. Besides poetry, I've evolved into a freelance graphic designer, fitness coach with Beachbody and I'm interested in becoming a personal trainer. My poetry and graphic designing are my biggest artistic areas. I've been writing poetry since I was twelve and graphic design I graduated with my Bachelors in Graphic Design in 2011 - plus it's fun to do for myself. 

HPNL: We also hear you are writing a book, tell us about this!

Dreya: My book is my baby. I've been working on my book for almost three years come December. It's my story and my poetry combined. I wanted to have the platform to tell my story in my own words and be real. I wanted my experience to be felt even if it's dark times because that's life. It's the dark times that created who I am. I'm currently in editing life pushing to publish next year, 2014 - God willing!!!!! I'm very excited.

HPNL: Who are your biggest inspirations?

Dreya: I'm a family oriented person, so before anybody my grandmother is my #1 inspiration because of her love for Jesus Christ, her smile that never leaves her face, and her spirit. That's my heart and she's been supportive from day one, regardless what I wanted to pursue she said "as long as you're happy, pursue it. "

HPNL: Family support is always a plus. Where can we follow your journey and see samples of your work?

Dreya: Well I've just launched my website: www.dreyais.com 

I'm on IG: DreyaIs 

Twitter: Dreya_Da_Diva 

Facebook: Dreya (Brand page) 

YouTube: DreyaDaDiva

HPNL: We have been following your weight loss journey. How did your transition begin?

Dreya: My weight loss began in May 2012 when I was told by my doctor I weighed 300 pounds. That stung deeply and I just kept it real with myself. I wasn't in love with my physical and it was beginning to effect all areas of my life! So I made it a decision to take back my life. I'm now at 240!

HPNL: What was your diet like BEFORE your transition?

Dreya:  My diet prior to my transition was all over the place! I didn't really eat breakfast, I didn't care about how late I ate dinner. I didn't watch what I was eating, so if I wanted to eat Oreos, I ate how many I pleased.  Now I know that foods like Oreos  must be in moderation, like prior to working out so that you burn it off during your routine.

HPNL: What kind of diet nourishes your spirit NOW?

Dreya: Wow good question. I'm into fruits and vegetables heavy. I love feeling light and being able to feel free. I love sweet potatoes, string beans, collard greens, strawberries lol the list could go on but if it makes me feel good...I'm for it!

HPNL: How do you juggle all of your responsibilities and goals? What keeps Dreya focused and on track?

Dreya: I understand I have the power to impact lives, I understand that God has given me a vision and HE has given me these talents to do more than just what meets the eye. People are going through depression and struggling with weight loss, I've been depressed and obesity is what I'm apart of but I've figured out how to get past both. It's a blessing and in that it keeps me going! I'm stronger than my excuses and progression is highly important to me so that keeps me on track! 

HPNL: So, What encouraged you to join the Humbly, Peax & Love community?

Dreya: I liked what I saw and I knew it was a place of growth and positivity - Which are both part of life and success. It attracted me so here I am!  

HPNL: What else can we expect from Dreya in the future? What are your other ambitions?

Dreya: Dreya is in high gear, I'm looking to build my FIT CLUB, push my website, gain clientele for my freelance work and help people fight obesity! Having my own t-shirts and more is in the works. I've also been recommended to get into modeling so I'm preparing for that as well. There's nothing I can't do, so I'm doing it ALL. I will break barriers and push towards success.

HPNL: Any advice for our readers, writers, or those looking to lose weight?

Dreya: DREAM BIG!!!! Don't allow negativity to slow you down or interfere with what you are doing. When you stay within your own lane, it helps you stay focused. Don't compare yourself to anybody and move at a steady pace. Learn from your failures and practice those weaknesses so they become your strengths. Be ahead of the game because there's always someone waiting for you to slip. Be blessed, follow me and do what you love 

 - Dreya <3

____________________________________________

What a beautiful transition! Thank you for choosing to be a part of the Humbly, Peax & Love community Dreya. We stand beside you in support of all you do. You will continue to inspire many!

Show her love everyone and be sure to follow her journey!

Autumn Equinox 2013

Happy Equinox!

 

The seasons are changing and so are we! Today is the OFFICIAL first day of Fall and the energy is super high!

Just as Mother Nature sheds her leaves, changes colors, and bears new fruit, we too should initiate a similar change in order to release those things that no longer serve us. Clean the house, welcome new seasonal fruits and veggies, but most importantly take time to cleanse YOU!

 

Last week, we had a Clean-a-thon. I’m talking we emptied the corners, cracks, and crevices of EVERYTHING! Even donated a few bags of clothes to Humbly, Peax & Love's own- The People’s Thrift. Click the link if you have articles of clothing you’re anxious to do away with.

 

Since the big clean-up, more opportunities have already begun greeting us. Our creative space feels like new. The clarity and balance have not faded, but in fact been enhanced. So now that the outside is tidy, we must take action towards the internal clutter. We like to approach this seasonally with a full body detox. If you are local to the DMV, check out the ladies of RAW! Inc. They are running a 5 Day Seasonal Autumn Equinox Detox, plus they deliver!

 

Your form of cleansing may differ from ours. Juice cleanse, wash your hair, trim your ends, take a god/goddess bath full of herbs/aromatherapy/candles, dance, or whatever is your preferred form of release. Celebrate yourself!

So, what is an Equinox anyways?

There are 2 equinox's each year, the one marking the astrological beginning of spring and the other the ending of summer.

The word equinox comes from the Latin words for "equal night" and is used to denote the time of year when the length of darkness is roughly the same as the length of daylight in a day. The equinox occurs when the sun crosses the celestial equator. 

Day and night were thought to be in balance hence the balancing scales in the astrological sign of Libra, observed from September 23 to October 23 each year. After the equinox, the length of each day will get shorter and shorter and night will get longer and longer until the Winter Solstice, when the Sun is thought to have been "born again".  From there, the days get longer and longer, while the cycle continues to repeat itself.

The earliest humans spent more time outside than we do today. They used the sky as both clock and calendar. They could easily see that the sun’s path across the sky, the length of daylight, and the location of the sunrise and sunset all shift in a regular way throughout the year. 

 

  

FUN EQUINOX FACTS

1. This year, the Autumn Equinox Falls on September 22, 2013.

2. The autumnal equinox and vernal (spring) equinox are also the only days of the year when a person standing on the Equator can see the sun passing directly overhead.

3. On the Northern Hemisphere's autumnal equinox, a person at the North Pole would see the sun skimming across the horizon, signaling the start of six months of darkness.

4. On the same day, a person at the South Pole would also see the sun skim the horizon, beginning six months of uninterrupted daylight.

5. The term equinox comes from the Latin word equinoxium, meaning "equality between day and night."

6. Our ancestors built the first observatories to track the sun’s progress. One example is at Machu Picchu in Peru, where the Intihuatana stone has been shown to be a precise indicator of the date of the two equinoxes and other significant celestial periods. The word Intihuatana literally means ‘ for tying the sun .’

7. THERE ARE AN ABUNDANCE OF NEW FRUITS AND VEGGIES AVAILABLE!

 

 

Here's a some fun facts about one of our seasonal favorites - PUMPKIN.

• Technically a fruit, this seasonal and holiday treat is a super food!
• We only deal with heirloom varieties of pumpkin which are indigenous and a staple in Native American diet and culture.
• Pumpkin juice is beneficial to the bladder and kidneys and full of antioxidants, potassium, natural sodium, zinc, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A.
• Pumpkin increases the body’s natural insulin making it beneficial for diabetics.
• Pumpkin is an anti-inflammatory and shrinks the prostate making it a great addition for men.

 

There is an ABUNDANCE of other seasonal deliciousness, such as apples, pears, squash, beets, persimmon, collards, cabbage, green beans.... sheesh, the list goes ON!

 

Many medical experts and researchers are preparing you for Winter’s sadness and seasonal depressions due to the end of Summer’s brightness, warmth, and activities. Well, we are here to tell you otherwise. You are abundance! You are warmth and brightness! You light up every room you enter! You are a healthier you for this season and all to come!

You’ve planted many seeds - watered, pushed, pulled, and waited patiently - you will collect your harvest and all of its abundance. What you reap depends on what you’ve sewn - you all know that universal law.. The copiousness, richness and flow will come in various forms for all of us. There's is one thing though. As we collect we must let go of something (s).  Remain open to receiving, without being resistant to change.

Once again, Happy Autumn Equinox!

 



Veggie Tales: Letting it all out

Happy Thursday everyone, I hope it is a peaceful  one for you today and for those of you living where it's colllllllllld outside, I hope you are inside where it's warm.

I apologize for not having a lot to write this week.  I have a lot on my plate today that I need to accomplish, so this is going to be a short thursday session.

Although I have a lot to do on my plate today the one thing I didn't have on my plate this week: Solid Food...O.K. well I did have a little, as much as I'm trying not to over this five day juice cleanse.  I did find myself in need of a bite of something on the third day. I felt like I was feeling a little antsy and slightly irritable, plus, as my man sat there eating his tortilla chips while I was drinking my delicious, and yes it was delicious, third vegetable juice for the day I found myself thinking I just need something to chew on.  I tried hard not to, I did.  But my desire got the best of me.  Good news though, I did not eat the chips and never again will I. Way too much salt and no more processed food for me.

I did however get up and make some Kale chips.  My first attempt at making them and they were sooooo delicious.  It was a crunchy healthy spicy snack that left me feeling satisfied with my need for something solid.  I mixed them with crushed red pepper, a little bit of olive oil and a little bit of nutritional yeast.  I almost ate a small meal that night too, but I resisted and went for the last juice of the day.

HEALTHY EATING - HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS - HEALTHY LIFE!

I am on day five of my juice fast and I  have to say, I feel more amazing and energetic than I thought I would and on top of that when I stepped on the scale this morning I discovered that I lost 7 pounds. 7 pounds of the unhealthy gunk that has been sitting in my body for the last few years: GONE and not coming back.  I was shocked to say the least.  I knew I would be losing some weight.  I figured 1-3 pounds, the average weekly weight loss that I've come to understand and accept. At first I thought, wow that is a lot in one week, but I realize that although I lost that much I have not done anything that was an unhealthy way of losing it, such as I have done in the past.  I know that's it's from all the greens I've been absorbing and the lack of processed foods that have not been a part of my life this week.

I have learned a lot since the first day of the detox juicing.  As you can see by the recipe under the photo I shared above, I was juicing half greens and half fruits.  After talking with the lady's of RAW! Inc, I realize now that it's not right for this process.  More than half of my juice detox days need to be made with greens with the fruit being an addition for flavor and not substance.  What a difference that has made in cleaning out my system ;) I will say this though, the recipe I made on the first day was delicious and I will make it again, but not until I'm finished with my juice cleansing and it will only be used as an afternoon sweet treat.

http://rense.com/1.mpicons/acidalka.htm

I really appreciate the ladies of RAW!.  I am learning so much from them as well from the reading I've been doing on my own from information I've been finding online.  I also plan on hitting the library next week for some books on living a RAW life and on nutritional balance.

One of the sites I found online shares information about the proper ph balance for your body and which foods are in similar categories in ph for optimal absorption.  I'm using it as a guideline in understanding how to mix and match what I'm putting in my body.

Seeking further advice: Does anyone have any books, articles or videos that they recommend for nutritional education and RAW understanding?

I FEEL ENERGIZED!

This week I feel like I am getting more vegetables, with greens at the top of the list, than I have in the last six years living as a vegetarian and then vegan.  There's no way I could sit and eat as much as I've been juicing in greens during the day if it was placed in a bowl and I know from past experience that if I was to eat a bowl of salad, I would be hungry within an a hour or so.  This week, minus my moment of desiring something solid, I have been mostly satisfied as far as hunger.  Day one I had a little bit of a hungry feeling in the evening, but I managed through it and was fine the next day.  Day three as I said, I craved something solid and today, I'm thinking, O.K. even though I'm feeling good, I am looking forward to a healthy solid meal tomorrow :)

This is just the beginning and I as continue to move forward I will move forward with making juicing a part of my every day living along with eating meals that don't contain starch and that aren't processed.  I'm not getting any younger, you know and I want the remaining life I have in front of me to be the healthiest it's ever been.

I AM BEAUTIFUL AND MY WEIGHT DOES NOT DICTATE MY FEELING OF BEAUTY!

I'm no longer in my early 20's thinking I have to be a certain size to be pretty for the person that I'm with or by so called society standards, better known as magazine industry standards.  We are not magazine cover bodies and neither are the men and women who grace them.  They are photo-shoped versions dreamt up by the industry and trying to fit into some ideal is not worth it.  It's not worth the constant yo-yo diets, it not worth the lack of self esteem that we feel when we don't measure up to what is pushed in front of us.

What is worth it is knowing that what I'm doing for myself and what I'm putting in my body is what is best for living life with a healthy mind, healthy spirit, and healthy body. It is thinking and knowing that the weight loss that happens on this journey is going to benefit my overall health and the issues that I currently have internally.

I do look forward to showing that weight loss does not have to come at the expense of depriving your body of things that taste good or depriving your body of so many calories that you are down to eating 500 calories a day just to fit into some dress or some ideal of what you think society expects you to be.   I want to show first hand that you can overcome medical issues that are plaguing your body with proper nutrition and exercise.

HERE I GO: LETTING IT ALL OUT!

One of the things that has been a problem for me, and I wasn't sure if I was going to say this out loud or not, but this journey is about being honest and letting it all out there.  For a few years now, I have had urinary leakage.  Not a lot, but enough that sometimes I feel damp and I can smell it and it seems to happen wether I'm sedentary or whether I'm exerting my self in exercise or heavy cleaning.  Wow, I know once I post this, it's going to be out there.  I'm a little embarrassed, I'm not going to lie.  But I also know that I'm not the only one out there with this problem.   I know my bladder  has the potential to get weaker as I get older plus I've given birth twice, vaginally and I've been carrying excess weight over the last five years.  I have been learning in this process that weight and the types of food I've been eating could be the biggest factor in the leakage that I have.  When I started this week I was at 187 and I'm only 5'1" and that's scary.  I told myself I'd never weigh that much for health reasons, and yet there I was and here I am now, slightly disappointed in where I let myself get to but feeling uplifted and revitalized in this journey that I've begun.

So as I go through this journey, I know that what I'm doing is the best gift that I can give myself: for my mind and for my body.  HEALTHY PEACEFUL LONGEVITY.

Wow, I typed more today than I thought I would.   Until next week, peace and love.

About our Veggie Tale Blogger

Mary Anne is the owner of Ailgif Studios, Ailgif Media, and Ailgif Memories.  She lives with the love of her life, she is a mother of two grown sons, a mother in-law to two daughter in-laws, and a Nonna to a sweet little granddaughter.  She is a photographer, videographer, and visual anthropologist with a degree in Mass Communications and a minor in Anthropology.  Her primary focus is in documentary photography and ethnographic multi-media projects for an applied purpose. Mary Anne's work as a photographer and videographer has been used by advocacy groups and health organizations to bring awareness to social issues and chronic health issues. She also provides her skills as a photographer to low income individuals in her community who are in need of photography services.

To contact Mary Anne email: maryanne@ailgifstudios.com

www.ailgifstudios.com | www.ailgifmedia.com | www.maryannebenner.com

facebook.com/ailgifmedia |facebook.com/ailgifmemories

Veggie Tale: Week of Understanding

Hi everyone, It's been one week since I first began this journey and in this week I have spent a lot of time reading and developing an understanding of the process of preparing food and the reasons behind why it's done that way.

I've also spent a lot of time looking at recipes and looking at things that I can do as I transition from a high starch vegan to a raw vegan.  I'm still in that stage of figuring things out and in the process of waiting on an order I placed for a juicer so I can begin a week long detox.  In the meantime I've been using what I have left in my fridge as far as fruits and vegetables as well what I had left in tofu and tempeh.  I only had a little left and wanted to use what I had remaining before walking away from it completely.

While this isn't the first time that I've started down this path to being a RAW Vegan, this is the first time I have had others on this journey with me and because of them, I have a lot more information to help me as I learn.   I know I can succeed on this path and I know I can get through some of the struggles ahead while at the same time learning about nutritional balance and recipe variety.

Variety was one of my struggles the first time I tried going from a vegetarian to a raw vegan and one of the worries that I had when considering my journey this time.  Can I get the variety and tastes that I enjoy as a vegan who is use to cooking food and who is use to using tofu, tempeh, and vegan cheeses as a base in some of my meals. The first time that I turned to being a raw vegan, about four years ago, I found myself eating primarily raw fruit, a hand full of nuts, and salads.  I had no idea what I was doing. I only knew that I wanted to live a healthier lifestyle.  As tasty as the fruits, nuts and salads were, it left me feeling like I was giving up something and it left me feeling dissatisfied.  I felt like I had no where to turn for the education and recipes that I needed.  I didn't have a dehydrator, I didn't have the support I do know, and I didn't know that I could incorporate a lot of what I do now into a raw vegan eating plan.   It didn't take long for me to switch back to being a vegetarian.  I think part of it was also that I was still eating fish, cheese, and yogurt.  Switching back not only gave me the variety that I needed, but the spices that I craved as well.  It has taken me a long time to get back to this point again.  I was afraid I would run in to the same problem and I was uncertain that I could I live a life of a raw vegan without getting bored and without feeling lost.   But, I have since seen, in the last year, from companies like RAW Inc! that there are soooooo many things that can be made, including sweet tasty treats, YUMMY raw goodness.

A couple of things I did struggle with this week.  Thinking ahead for food preparation.  I didn't really put a lot of thought into what I would need ahead of time and I'm not able to go grocery shopping till this weekend.  So, I felt a little limited this week.  I also missed having hot food this week, I'm not going to lie.  I like hot food.  Especially now in the cold months.

Winter months are the months I prepare a lot of soups: split pea and lentil soup being my favorites.  I know that I can still prepare them by sprouting the beans and incorporating all the spices and vegetables that I would normally add, but it's the warmth of the soup that I crave in the winter.  I need to check to see if I can still warm it up just as long as I keep it below 115 degrees.   Advice greatly appreciated :)

RAW Vegan Fruit Blended Parfait
by Mary Anne Benner

I am excited to say that I am currently waiting on a nutri-bullet that I ordered.  As soon as that comes in I'll be juicing for a week in order to cleanse my body of the toxins that exist.

During this least week however, I have been going through what I have left in the refrigerator and working on recipes with what I currently have on hand.  This morning I made this delicious raw vegan blended fruit parfait using pears, bananas, raw almonds, cinnamon, and raw sunflower oil and seeds.   it was DELICIOUS.  It also gave me another idea.  I'm going to purchase raw vegan cocoa when I go grocery shopping this weekend and test out the idea.  If it's as tasty as I think it's going to be, I will share the recipe next week.  I'm planning on doing a video blog session for next week so I'll shoot video of me preparing it as well.  I will do my best to measure ingredients.  Normally I just cook with what feels right when I'm preparing it.  I never measure spices, but I will try for this.  Wish me luck!

RAW Vegan Stuffed Portobello Mushroom
by Mary Anne Benner

MMM, another recipe I put together last night was a stuffed portobello mushroom made with raw sunflower seeds, spinach, nutritional yeast, onions, green peppers, fresh garlic, basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme, and rosemary.  Great taste and aroma.  The only thing I would have preferred would be for the mushroom to be softer.  I normally prepare the mushrooms in a pan on the stove which softens them up. 

Is it wrong to warm things up?  

I still have a lot to learn, after all it's only been a week and while there are some things I'm going to miss (pasta and warm soup), I am excited to know that I have a lot of variety ahead of me and good friends for support and knowledge.  

Prepared to incorporate my italian background and my love for baking tasty treats into Raw Vegan recipes.  I am determined to tweak a lot of what I prepare normally through the process of cooking so I can enjoy it as a raw vegan.   

Peace and Love

Mary Anne 

About our Veggie Tale Blogger

Mary Anne is the owner of Ailgif Studios, Ailgif Media, and Ailgif Memories.  She lives with the love of her life, she is a mother of two grown sons, a mother in-law to two daughter in-laws, and a Nonna to a sweet little granddaughter.  She is a photographer, videographer, and visual anthropologist with a degree in Mass Communications and a minor in Anthropology.  Her primary focus is in documentary photography and ethnographic multi-media projects for an applied purpose. Mary Anne's work as a photographer and videographer has been used by advocacy groups and health organizations to bring awareness to social issues and chronic health issues. She also provides her skills as a photographer to low income individuals in her community who are in need of photography services.

To contact Mary Anne email: maryanne@ailgifstudios.com

www.ailgifstudios.com | www.ailgifmedia.com | www.maryannebenner.com

facebook.com/ailgifmedia |facebook.com/ailgifmemories

Women's Wisdom Wednesdays: Pretty Wings

Pretty Wings

In October, I walked away from a 2 year, on-again-off-again, long distance relationship.  Almost every time that I speak to him, he says that whenever he hears Maxwell's song, "Pretty Wings" he thinks of me.  

Since October, I have had moments where I questioned my choices and my decisions, both in the relationship and in deciding to leave.  

On Sunday, I was at my little sister's house.  I picked up a book on her bookshelf and, in it, Iyanla Vanzant said something about knowing that you have done the best that you could have done in any given situation, based on who you were and what you had at your disposal at the time.  

Think about it...

Sometimes, we do something and then we think, 

"I could have been nicer..."

"I could have been more patient..."

"I could have tried a little harder to understand..."

But, the bottom line is...if you could have (and probably, even more importantly, if you truly wanted and/or needed to), you would have.

You Can't Fly with One Wing

Yesterday, on my flight from Barbados to NYC, I watched Sparkle for the first time.  I found myself in tears...on a plane...with people next to me...but, at least, as Erykah sang...I had a window seat.  (Silver lining in every cloud, eh?)

So...I'm watching and thinking what an amazing talent we lost in Whitney Houston (RIP) and how, sometimes, life throws some speedy curve balls at us...even though I know we are already standing with our feet planted wide apart and waiting with the catcher's mitt raised in our hand...sometimes, at least on a physical level, those curve balls still take us by surprise.

But, what can we do?

How do we make sure that we are ready for anything that life brings to us...for anything that we ourselves have created and set into motion?

First, we have to realize that many of us are not flying with both wings.  Many of us are only half-wishing, half-believing, half-loving, half-living.

In my personal case, I can say that I recognize that I have never once given all of me to another individual.  Not because I didn't want to...but because, I had yet to under-over-innerstand (that's some "ish Conscious people say" stuff right there...please indulge me) what "all of me" entails.  

I know there are times when I could have done more, in every area of my life.  I grew up in a household where NOTHING done half-assed was tolerated.  Either you give your all, or you sit down and shut up.  We don't understand what half-way is in my family.  And yet...when it comes to relationships outside of the household, whether personal or business, I held myself back many times.  That has proved to be detrimental to my possible growth and the possible growth of others.

And yet...it is never too late to make a change in our habits.

Commit to the Process

For 2013, I am fully committing to the process, whichever process/processes may arise.

I am taking more time to actively know more about everything I am passionate about and, at the top of that list, is ME.

There are so many aspects to my person and my Self that I have yet to acknowledge and/or unlock.  In order to be free to fly my pretty wings (plural) around, I have to access as much of me as I can and I recognize that I cannot do that while doing the same things I have in the past or with the same thinking that previously kept me grounded.

Albert Einstein said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Change something...anything...but, make sure it is a change for the better.  

Commit to the process.  

Be courageous.

Affirm: I commit to being the best me and doing all the work that it takes to achieve this.

Fly High!

Be Peace...Be Love...Be Better 

 Women's Wisdom Wednesdays is brought to you by Ayesha NuRa. 

Ayesha NuRa is an empowerment motivator who focuses on healing and uplifting the Divine feminine. She provides counseling, coaching and expertise in countless areas that lead to empowerment. 

Reach out to her here: 

nuraproductions@gmail.com 

www.facebook.com/AyeshaNuRa 

https://twitter.com/#!/NuRa_Sunbeam 

http://ayeshanura.tumblr.com/ 

Hempday Friday : How We Can Save The World

    At the end  2009 I began a journey which many of us are experiencing. Some call it awakening, others call it ascending, I would like to think of it as a form evolution. My journey began with a cross country road trip to California in 2010 chasing the dreams of all the successful entertainers before me.  During my year stay in California I discovered the Cannabis / Hemp Industry. Being an entrepreneur, entertainer, and social activist, I immediately saw the potential with both Cannabis and Hemp. From then to the present I began establishing a name for myself in this growing industry. I started by marketing for a collective in Inglewood California, moved on to marketing for Cannabis Planet TV, was the event coordinator for OC NORML, and established a very tight knit relationship with members of the OCDA to eventually create The Moon Eyes Align. Those early beginning has lead to me building bigger brands around Hemp. This new found knowledge ignited a fire in me that has not lost flame since.
   

During a transitional period later in California I discovered "The Secret" which almost seemed as if GOD put me in the right place at the right time.  I spent everyday after that growing spiritually and learning about this deeper connection we have not only to each other but to our Planet. This inner power we have can accomplish amazing feats. I now believe if as a human culture we utilized the many applications of Hemp within the Food, Fuel, Fiber, Medicine, Agriculture, Industrial, and Green Tech industries we could begin building what I call "The New World Align". Unlike "The New World Order" an Align is designed to promote harmony and balance within the planet. Regardless if we agree with it our not, the next phase in human evolution is Globalism, but their are many different forms of globalism. The New World Align suggest we reach this higher state of civilization through Love, Acceptance, Harmony, and Human Advancement vs the current methods of Order out of chaos and control.
  

 

 

For us to achieve this goal we will first need to be very disciplined as a human culture. We must give up many of our former mindsets. Our Egotistical nature has to be removed, we can no longer see color, class, gender, and division. Money and Power must no longer be the motives of our existence. Once we can over come these obstacles we can begin building a united world. Hemp as a  renewable resource can virtually do everything we need with utmost simplicity. Growing it will create billions of jobs while allowing our forest replenish themselves which will in effect cleanse the polluted air we breathe. Manufacturing it will create billions of jobs while Hemp made products become a staple around the world.  Hemp as a food source will begin to end hunger while nourishing the people who have been with out good food and good water (Which is almost everybody on the planet). I could go on for hours about the many applications, but the one benefits that trumps all others is that the Hemp Leaf in it’s essence represents love, strength, and growth in a devastating environment.

    For the first time in history we have a chance to build Heaven on Earth, and it’s all possible with 1 simple plant... Hemp

--Moon

VEGGIE TALE: A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY

Hi everyone, today I begin my journey from a high starch vegan to the life of a RAW Vegan.  Over the course of this year I will self document my journey through the use of videography, photography and written words.   As I journey forward, I will be honest about the moments in which I struggle, about the moments in which cooked food enters, and about the things that I miss the most, but also on this journey forward: I will share the positive light that exists on the road ahead of me. 

Nonna Figlia and Uncle Tony

Today, I begin writing with a step into my genetic past in order to acknowledge that chronic illness is a part of my internal make-up and how it is a factor in my decision to let go of the foods that have weighed me down physically.  

I can not escape my genetic past, but I can learn to make healthy choices that will diminish 

my chances of acquiring many of the diseases that have taken my family members and that currently plague members of my family now. I pray that my journey into a raw vegan lifestyle mixed with body movement will also be a testimony to other members of my family. 

Genetic Diseases that have plagued my family:

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Multiple types of cancer
• Under-active thyroid
• Alzheimers
• Glaucoma 

My birth father passed away when he was in early 40's from a heart attack and my half-brothers, from my father, have suffered health issues related to heart disease.  Both of them are in their 40's and one of them is my exact age (I know, scandalous story on that one).  Each of them have had a heart attack, one of them has had bi-pass surgery.

My sweet beautiful mom on the left and
my sweet beautiful Aunt Marie.  A few month
before my Aunt Marie died of bone cancer.

My mother suffered from mental illness in her early adult life and several chronic illnesses throughout her life.  Some of her illnesses were genetic and some of them were due to the unhealthy choices she made.  My mother, although she has since passed away, survived breast cancer, colon cancer and uterine cancer.  She also had congestive heart failure, diabetes and an under-active thyroid.  She was on multiple medications that at times affected her negatively due to their interaction with each other.  Although unhealthy for the majority of her adult life, my mom worked hard to get healthy in the last few years of her life on this earth.  Right before my mother passed away, she was just starting to lose weight, eating the healthiest she had ever eaten and she was becoming more active, but the years of unhealthy eating, disease and excessive weight had taken too much of a hold on her body and in the end was too weak to continue.  She was a beautiful spirit and I know that she is still around me, because at times I feel her presence as though she is sitting next to me.

My aunt from my mother's side passed away from bone cancer and my grandmother was stricken with alzheimer's.  I know that there are some things that can not be avoided completely and we are still learning about the many causes of cancer and alzheimer's disease, but I do know that I can do as much as I can to be the healthiest that I can be: mentally and physically and I can give myself the best chance for holistic longevity for a better quality of life in the time that I have on this earth.  

I am not old, but I am no longer young in my years.  At 48, I am realizing even more the importance of the choices that I make for the longevity of my mind and body.  I want the next half of my life to be one that is built on health and awareness and internal peace.  Not that I have lived a life of unhappiness and unhealthiness, but I have spent too many years holding on to hurtful moments of my past and have over the last few years spent less time outside doing the things I enjoy doing and making choices, even as a vegan, that have been unhealthy for my body.  What I have held onto from my past has continued to manifest itself in insecurities and self-doubt and what I have chosen to eat has manifested itself in weight gain and bloating.  So, as I move forward in this journey, I move forward with a new lease on eating healthy, and a renewal of my spirit as I let the wounded little girl free, and as I learn to eat food that is free of harmful chemicals, starches, and that which is heavily processed.

I have a lot to learn over the course of this year and I am so thankful for the loving and knowledgable support that the ladies of Humbly Peax and Love and RAW Inc! are giving me.  I could not make this journey without them.  It is through their lessons that I will begin to understand the holistic nature of the foods that I eat, and the negative side affects that the foods I chose to eat before have had on my health.  I have been a vegetarian for six years and a vegan for a little over a year but even in that process of living a healthier lifestyle, I have chosen foods, that although seemingly healthy, were not what was best for my body.

I am not a great writer and I know that some weeks there will be less written than others, but I hope that as I document my journey over the next year, that my story will show that we are never too old to change, and with the help of community support and knowledge shared, that we can stay the course of our journey and we can alter the genetic make-up that waits to take hold of our bodies.  I also hope that in my journey, I reach others who are like me.  I do not live alone and the man that I love is a carnivore. I have already learned as a vegan how to prepare similar meals side by side, but now my journey will take me to another level of thought and preparation with what I eat, while at the same time preparing a meal for him.  I am also living in a low income situation with a food budget of $250.00 a month for the both us.  So, the choices I make and where I can shop are based on finances, but I know that it will be doable and I hope to show that you can still make healthy choices even when you are in a low income situation and living with others who do not share your eating habits.

My Journey begins.....

About our Veggie Tale Blogger

Mary Anne is the owner of Ailgif Studios, Ailgif Media, and Ailgif Memories.  She lives with the love of her life, she is a mother of two grown sons, a mother in-law to two daughter in-laws, and a Nonna to a sweet little granddaughter.  She is a photographer, videographer, and visual anthropologist with a degree in Mass Communications and a minor in Anthropology.  Her primary focus is in documentary photography and ethnographic multi-media projects for an applied purpose. Mary Anne's work as a photographer and videographer has been used by advocacy groups and health organizations to bring awareness to social issues and chronic health issues. She also provides her skills as a photographer to low income individuals in her community who are in need of photography services.

To contact Mary Anne email: maryanne@ailgifstudios.com

www.ailgifstudios.com | www.ailgifmedia.com | www.maryannebenner.com

facebook.com/ailgifmedia |facebook.com/ailgifmemories

Women's Wisdom Wednesdays: What a Difference a Week Makes

What a Difference a Week Makes

I am in the middle of planning two workshops for My Empowerment, My Way.  The Goddess Series, a workshop that I birthed last year, will be debuting in two new cities: Jersey City, NJ and Washington, DC.  In approximately one week, I will be writing this blog from another room in another country with another topic or view point trying to come forth.  And that made me think, "What a difference a week makes!!"

Transformation Time

So...a little known fact about your girl, Esh...I LOVE (like, times infinity) transformation.  Whether that is of an individual that you can read about (think Malcolm X's autobiography) or that you watch on a reality show (think Extreme Makeover: Home Edition), I am all for it!

Today, I was watching re-runs of The Biggest Loser.  That is one of my favorite shows because you get to see people go through so many changes and, at the weigh in every week, you can see and measure change; and I don't just mean on the scale.  When we change in one area, many times we find that we begin to change in other areas of well.  If we are healing on a physical level, sometimes (not always, but sometimes) the mental, spiritual, emotional change follows immediately.  I have seen people change all my life.  In the line of work that I do, "success" is usually measured by change.  Most importantly, I have found that once we begin to change on an individual level, the whole or collective begins to change as well.  

Commitment Time

Now, let's look at the things in our lives that we are going to work on changing in the next week.  These things could range from the tone of voice you use when you pick up your phone to the amount of cayenne you put on your food.  Literally...anything you choose.  To be really real, once you can see a positive outcome, go for it!  We can all find ways to be better in our day to day experiences. Maybe your commitment could simply be to take the next week to shift the way you view things in your life so you are able to see what areas are crying out for changes, for a difference, for some new energy to be injected into them.  

Share with us the things you are willing to commit to changing in the next week.  Let's hold each other accountable.  

In the next week, and hopefully, for the rest of my life...I will be making a commitment to change my pesky little habit of worrying about things that I have no control over.  If you can change it...why worry?  If you can't change it...why worry?  Why worry...ever? (Please...don't even attempt to answer that question.)

Let us know what you come up with.  We'll be right beside you...EVERY step of the way.

Be Peace...Be Love...Be Better 

Women's Wisdom Wednesdays is brought to you by Ayesha NuRa. 

Ayesha NuRa is an empowerment motivator who focuses on healing and uplifting the Divine feminine. She provides counseling, coaching and expertise in countless areas that lead to empowerment. 

Reach out to her here: 

nuraproductions@gmail.com 

www.facebook.com/AyeshaNuRa 

https://twitter.com/#!/NuRa_Sunbeam 

http://ayeshanura.tumblr.com/ 

Progress is Everyone's Business

 

Autumn is here and change is in the air. Everyone is feeling it.

 

While sitting on the floor - vision boarding for the new season, a certain scrap piece caught my eye. It simply read, 'Progress Is Everyone's Business.'

 

Now, I didn't interpret this in a bragging manner but rather that we can't truly progress without EVERYONE progressing. It's everyone's business to succeed and progress, contrary to the common belief in this society. So, how to we help to make sure everyone is progressive?

 

Investing in the Community

Every time you spend money, you are taking a vote on the kind of world you desire. Where are you investing?

 

The question reminds me of a conversation I had with Mr. Nate, owner of Dynamic Wellness (402 H St NE DC) about an organization he once belonged to - Recycling Black Dollars. Instead of giving their money (or power) away to greedy corporations, they chose to re-invest their money into each other and the black community.

 

I'd like to reinstate that notion, but dissolve any color lines. Why can't we keep resources IN the community of people who uphold the community? Why not put our resources together to create something bigger and better for EVERYONE?

 

Buy Land. Grow Your Own Food. Barter & Trade. Create Housing. Home School - or better yet, Community School. ANYTHING is possible when we work together.

This is precisely why Humbly, Peax & Love was created.

 

"You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." - Buckminster Fuller 

 

Responsibility of Success
 

Success holds great responsibility. You then have the conscious duty to teach others, support others, and be a guide for those that have eyes to see and ears to hear.

 

This past weekend, we assisted Khepra, owner of Khepra's Raw Food & Juice bar (402 H St. NE DC - yep, at Dynamic Wellness with Mr. Nate! That's working together! www.kheprarawbar.com) at the Green Festival DC. In turn, we set up our hemp & bamboo t-shirts to raise money and spread Humbly, Peax & Love awareness. Bartering at it's best!

 

We consider Khepra to be a mentor and a prime example of responsibility with success. He buys organic produce and also uses compostable plastic for serving food. He offers much advice from his raw food journeys and experiences that guide us through our own. He provides a positive work environment for young people while opening them up to healthy, living foods. Khepra is definitely a bright light in the dark - helping to spread health awareness.

Never forget, the ultimate goal is to help others. After all, we have not found success until the people around us have as well. Share your knowledge, thoughts, experiences, ideas, talents, and trades with one another. Co-operate rather than compete.

 

"A corporation has no conscience, but a corporation of conscientious men is a corporation with a conscious." - Henry Thoreau



Expansion: Non-Profit Efforts

As our numbers grow, we realize we need more resources to be able to help in the capacity we envision. So, for the remainder of the 2012 year, we will be developing Humbly, Peax & Love into a 501(c)3 community organization.

Yay!

We aim to provide a barter-trade database, community classes, programs, work-studies, jobs, food giveaways, clothing swaps & giveaways, affordable holistic services, community gardening, greenhouse projects, land development & more.

We wish to give an example of a different way of living; one of true community.

PROGRESS IS EVERYONE'S BUSINESS.

If interested in assisting with our transition, please email volunteers@hpnl.net.
Not yet a member, Join Us! Membership is FREE!