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The Art of Broken Wood: Why Brute Force Is Killing Your Genius

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The Art of Broken Wood: Why Brute Force Is Killing Your Genius Listen to the episode for this week of Kuiumba We love to sit by the muddy banks and complain about the storm. Look at our households, our ventures, and our exhausted minds. The shelter caved in, the resources feel waterlogged, and the old blueprint doesn't work anymore. So what do we do? We drop our tools, sit in the mud, and drown in the lower emotional loop: Mad at the downpour, Sad about what washed away, and Scared that we don't have what it takes to rebuild. From that paralyzed place, we drown in blame, shame, and guilt. We blame systemic weather; we carry the shame of broken foundations; we carry the guilt of not saving everyone. But Kuumba (Creativity) —burning in its radiant fire of deep Orange—does not ask you for seasoned, kiln-dried timber from the master’s storehouse. Kuumba looks at your mud-soaked reality and asks a sovereign question: What did the flood wash to your feet? Ancient Mangbetu lore tel...

Initiation by Imagination- Lost story of Gye

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“Elder we hear many stories in Gye-Nyame, but very few about Gye himself.” I stated as we sat in the shop drinking coffee and smoking hookah. This elder was hard to catch up with, and even if you caught up with him you were not guaranteed to be blessed with a conversation. So I planed to take advantage of every minute that he blessed me with. “You are right young man there are not many stories about Gye that we share, but they do exist, and at the right time they appear to those who earnestly seek them.” the elder said as he sat back holding the hookah stem enjoying the flavor he had chosen. “Elder will you share one with me?” I asked hoping for a yes... “Young man it will be my pleasure, I have heard a lot about you and the work you have been doing in the tribe, so I feel it is time for you to get more info about our mythic founder.” He then passed me the hookah, and took a sip of his coffee. Looking at me very seriously, “make sure you take care of this story and do not pass it to ...

"It Is Time For You To Leave"

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Before you read please check out the video so that you will not get lost, some of my readers are to young to remember the show Kung Fu, and will not understand my references.  What I loved about Kung fu was that it introduced me to different way of thinking. The scene that I am discussing today is the test that was set up in this fictional shaolin temple that determined when it was time for a student to leave. The test was basically the head monk (Master Khan) standing before the student every so often, and challenging the student to snatch the pebble from his hand. When the student missed he went back to his daily practice in the temple as a student. When he was finally able to snatch the pebble he and the master knew that it was time for him to leave. In other words it was made clear to the student and the teacher that student had no more to learn in the temple and it was time for him to continue his studies in the world. If only real life was this simple, and clear cut. ...