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Showing posts with the label folktales for grown folks

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Conservatism, Reaction, and the Elder's Responsibility: A Message to My Age Grade

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Conservatism, Reaction, and the Elder's Responsibility: A Message to My Age Grade Great Day, Fam. This one right here? It’s not for everyone. If you’re not at or approaching Eldership—defined in our tribe as about 55 years old and up—you might not feel all of this. But if you’re curious, or if you’re one of those younger souls already walking with wisdom, you’re welcome to keep reading. This message is for the Elders. For those of us who should know better. And yes—I’m including myself. Let’s Start With the Mirror I’ve got to confess something. I’ve been guilty. Guilty of being reactionary. Guilty of falling into the trap of conservatism. Guilty of romanticizing the past. Guilty of looking at our young people and calling them “soft”—as if we were born warriors, as if we didn’t have to become who we are through fire, failure, and guidance. Many of us Elders are stuck in a loop. We remember only the highlights of our youth—the toughest times we survived, the boldest moments ...
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Know Your $#!+

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  Know Yo $#!+ This is a key lesson that I hope that you get. If you have been reading these posts then you are someone that wants to make improvements to your current life. This means that you need to work on becoming a master of something. Preferably something that you can offer to your community that they need. But before you put up your shingle please make sure you know what you are doing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being an apprentice to someone that can guide you on the path to becoming a master. Because what we have out here now is all of of sudden everybody knows everything. You have all experienced it. People who last week working at the electric company and that you have known for years, have all of the sudden become a financial guru. I know yall know what I’m talking about and I am throwing shade. But as one of the Ancestors said ‘ When you throw a rock into a pack of dogs the one that got hit is the one that yelps”, if you are yelping excuse my rock. These i...
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You Can't Be Fooled If You Know Who You Are!

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  You can’t Be Fooled If You Know Who You Are Here we are with another story about the ass. I told you that the ass provided much material for Aesop, and has produced many nuggets of wisdom for us. The ass in this story demonstrated I believe a lesson that we all need to get. Now remember I am looking at this folktale through my lens, my view is not the only view as you will here in the attached video or podcast. This is a story that touches on the maxim that states “Know Thyself”.  In this story unlike the last time we met with the ass, this ass knows who he is and his lot in life. He appears to have harmonized himself with it. Rather than wasting time and energy to run with the old shepherd, this ass appears to have made a choice that lined up with who he is. The lesson for all of us is to take time to learn about us. Know who we are, where we are, and then make decisions from that point. I know many people will disagree with me on this point, because they will say that the ...
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Are You Feeding Your Heart Or Your Stomach

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  Are You feeding Your Heart Or Your Stomach The folktale we will look at here is important because it focuses on one of the unbalanced passions (this is what we call them in Gye-Nyame training) that has destroyed more lives and broken more homes than any other vice. We are talking about greed. Striving to get more than you deserve and in many cases more than you could use. Greed is a deadly vice that will keep you hungry in the midst of a cornucopia. I have personally felt the sting and seen its actions in my life. Greed will constantly whisper “more” to you and if you have not been taught to recognize it,  it will lead you to ruin. We can see greeds effect all around us, and we can hear it in the speeches of politicians, and business persons. The constant move toward growth, and expansion is nothing but one of the disguises for greed. In Gye-Nyame we describe this as an unbalanced passion. Because at times there are moments for greed, but we must be fortified in our other pr...
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Folktales & Proverbs - Daily Toast Nia 69171

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Peace FAM: I have been on the grind for years now with, blogging, podcasting, vlogging and now brewing I am finally making inroads on a platform, but I feel I need to explain why I do what I do. I believe that I need to express the Nia that is flowing through me at this time. My purpose is to enlighten, uplift, encourage, and I must be honest to talk. Those that know me, know that this the truth. I believe and have believed for a long time that I was born to talk. I have supported my family with my mouth, I have provided jobs with my mouth, I have raised money with my mouth, and I can continue but I won't. I am driven to do this, and to the dismay of many in my life I continue. I will get up early in the morning to make sure that I am able to reach those that are taking the time out to listen. Hell I will do a show if no one is there, and I fell I need to explain this desire. Because the fact is that I am not alone, many if not all of my readers, listeners, viewers, and drinkers h...
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