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Ujamaa: Moving Beyond Survival to Shared Prosperity

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Podcast Episode: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-green-harvest-of-the-we--69434400 In the Gye-Nyame Journey, we speak often of moving away from the toxic cycle of BSG (Blame, Shame, and Guilt). One of the most practical ways to break that cycle is through the application of Ujamaa , or Cooperative Economics. Economics is often seen as a cold, distant field of numbers. But in our community, economics is deeply personal. It is about who we trust with our hard-earned resources. When we practice Ujamaa, we are asserting our Self-Determination (Kujichagulia) on a collective scale. We are saying that we have the power to create our own systems of support. The Practicality of Ujamaa: Intentional Spending: Look for ways to keep your dollar within the community for as many "hops" as possible. Shared Resources: Can you pool resources with others to start a garden, a business, or a youth program? Mentorship: Sharing your professional "secrets" is an act of Ujamaa. Wea...

Ujamaa: Moving Beyond Survival to Shared Prosperity

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Podcast Episode: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-green-harvest-of-the-we--69434400 In the Gye-Nyame Journey, we speak often of moving away from the toxic cycle of BSG (Blame, Shame, and Guilt). One of the most practical ways to break that cycle is through the application of Ujamaa , or Cooperative Economics. Economics is often seen as a cold, distant field of numbers. But in our community, economics is deeply personal. It is about who we trust with our hard-earned resources. When we practice Ujamaa, we are asserting our Self-Determination (Kujichagulia) on a collective scale. We are saying that we have the power to create our own systems of support. The Practicality of Ujamaa: Intentional Spending: Look for ways to keep your dollar within the community for as many "hops" as possible. Shared Resources: Can you pool resources with others to start a garden, a business, or a youth program? Mentorship: Sharing your professional "secrets" is an act of Ujamaa. Wea...

From Generalist to Master: Reclaiming Depth in a Surface-Level Society

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From Generalist to Master: Reclaiming Depth in a Surface-Level Society In a recent conversation with an elder, a powerful truth surfaced—one that continues to rattle my spirit and demand attention. As I reflect on it, I’m not sure if I’ve written about it directly, but I know it shows up in our work, our walk, and our struggles. And it’s this: We are drowning in general knowledge. Our culture today celebrates the idea of being a jack-of-all-trades—a so-called master of everything. We toss around terms like multidisciplinary and well-rounded as if they are inherently empowering. But I fear we’re missing something vital: depth . Real power does not come from shallow waters. It comes from those who dive deep. The Myth of General Knowledge We live in a time when it’s easy to learn just enough to sound informed. Just enough to be dangerous. Just enough to be wrong . This is the Dunning-Kruger effect in motion—when people overestimate their understanding after a surface-level encou...

Those Who Want Rain Must Also Accept the Mud

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Listen to "Episode 2966 - No Frills, No Thrills just Brother ha2tim: "Those who want rain"" on Spreaker.   Those Who Want Rain Must Also Accept the Mud Great day fam. Let’s get straight to it. “Those who want rain must also accept the mud.” – African Proverb That’s the one I chose to work with on Day 2 of our Tribal Quotes journey. It hit me different, and I had to sit with it. See, everybody wants the rain. We pray for the blessings, for the harvest, for that growth to come in. But what we don’t talk enough about is what comes with it—the mud. The mess. The struggle. The uncomfortable parts that stick to you while you’re trying to bloom. We want the rain to fall and wash us clean, to nourish our seeds and bring our visions to life. But that same rain turns the ground soft. It gets slippery. It slows you down. That’s the mud—and you can’t avoid it if you really want the growth. You Can’t Have One Without the Other This ain’t just about weather—it’s about life. A...

CANEI: Constant and Never-Ending Improvement

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CANEI: Constant and Never-Ending Improvement Great Day, Family. This reflection is for the Elders, Warriors, and Nation Builders out there who understand that growth doesn't stop at a certain age or title. This one is personal—and tribal. Because I’m walking this path, just like you. Today’s theme? CANEI : Constant and Never-Ending Improvement. From Kanai to CANEI: How the Journey Began Long before it was a concept, CANEI was my life. Back in the early days of Gye Nyame, I had the honor—and the challenge—of raising my sons. I was blessed with a contract through a program called Kanai that allowed me to work with African American boys many deemed “difficult.” But what they called “difficult,” I called “diamonds in the dirt.” These young men became the Gye Nyame Boys , and we birthed what would become the Gye Nyame House . Through that sacred work, I realized something powerful: self-improvement wasn’t enough. We had to aim for self-mastery. That shift in perspective laid th...

Out the Mud? Nah. The Myth of Capitalist Merit and the Power of Perspective

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Out the Mud? Nah. The Myth of Capitalist Merit and the Power of Perspective Great Day, Family! This is Brother Ha2tim coming through with another blog—not just any blog, but one born from lived experience, cultural awareness, and unapologetic truth-telling. I'm experimenting with a powerful technique, and I invite you to take notes. What you’re about to read started while I was ironing clothes and recording my thoughts. Through technology, my words were transcribed, refined with the help of Baba AI (a digital extension of the Gye-Nyame mindset), and shaped into this message for the Journey. Let’s get into it. The Tool Is Not the Threat—Your Lack of Use Is People keep asking, “Are robots or AI going to take my job?” Family, the truth is deeper: you won’t lose your job to AI—you’ll lose it to the person who knows how to use AI . The tool isn't your enemy. Your resistance to using it is. I’m pushing out more content than ever because I’ve embraced the tools of the age. This ...

In Between the Opposites: Mastery, Principles, and the Gye-Nyame Way

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In Between the Opposites: Mastery, Principles, and the Gye-Nyame Way By ha2tim | Gye-Nyame Journey There’s a thought that’s been sitting with me lately—something that blossomed during a morning meditation, rooted in reflection, and now ready to be shared with the Family. We talk about mastery a lot in Gye-Nyame Journey— self-mastery, family mastery, tribal mastery, community mastery . And I’m beginning to understand that this isn’t just a sequence—it’s a cycle , a spiral, always turning, always returning, always evolving. At any given time, you’re working on all of them. Getting yourself together while trying to help your family grow. Building family while refining your tribe. Tending to tribe while holding space for community. It's not linear. It’s layered. But here’s the key: your frame matters . The way you view the world determines how you move in it. Sin, Harmony, and the Space In Between In "African Openness to the Tree of Life," there’s a framework that shi...

"Who Are You Responsible To?" – A Blueprint for Belonging, Responsibility, and Respect

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 "Who Are You Responsible To?" – A Blueprint for Belonging, Responsibility, and Respect There’s a quiet frustration that builds when you're walking a path of service, especially when working with young people. You see their brilliance, their questions, their fire—and you feel called to guide them. But there’s also a tension. A generation that’s constantly told the world revolves around them often struggles to see beyond their own immediate needs. This message is for them. For us. For anyone who's forgotten—or never been taught—that there’s a method to the madness, an order to the chaos, and that responsibility doesn’t come without structure. Concentric Circles: A System of Self and Service In the Gye-Nyame Self-Mastery system, everything starts with the individual—the self. But the self doesn’t exist in isolation. The self is connected to larger circles: family, tribe, community, and so on. Each layer expands your responsibility and your support system. But here’...

Tricks Are for Kids, But Stories Are Not

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Tricks Are for Kids, But Stories Are Not We live in a world shaped not by facts, but by stories . And somewhere along the line, we made the mistake of thinking stories were just for kids. At Gye-Nyame Journey , I’ve been saying this for years: the stories we tell ourselves shape our lives . The stories we hold about ourselves, our families, our communities, and our nation—these aren’t just words floating in our minds. These stories direct our behavior , mold our worldview, and set the parameters for what we believe is possible. But the problem is, most of us didn’t write these stories. We inherited them. We absorbed them. We consumed them like junk food—unaware they were feeding us poison. Narratives Are Weapons In today’s world, narratives—or “stories” as we used to call them—are some of the most powerful tools being used against us . And what’s worse is, we let it happen . We let others tell our stories for us. We allowed systems, media, and outside forces to define who we are,...