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The Art of Adaptation: Unveiling the Wisdom of The Bat and The Weasels

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  The Art of Adaptation: Unveiling the Wisdom of The Bat and The Weasels “It is wise to turn circumstances to good account.” — Aesop In the world of fables, we often find animals acting out the deepest parts of our humanity. These creatures, symbols of instinct and survival, carry lessons older than time itself. The Bat and The Weasels , retold from the mind of Aesop and reimagined through the lens of Gye-Nyame Journey, isn’t just a tale for children—it’s a guide for those grown folks who still seek mastery. When the World Has You Cornered Here’s the setup: A bat falls to the ground and is caught by a weasel. The weasel hates birds. So the bat, slick with the tongue, says, “I’m not a bird—I’m a mouse.” The weasel lets him go. Later, the same bat falls again. This time, a different weasel catches him. But this weasel hates mice. So what does the bat say? “I’m not a mouse—I’m a bird.” And he gets set free again. Now, you could say the bat was being dishonest. But hold on. Let’s go de...

Pimping the Attention Economy: Reclaiming Our Time, Rebuilding Our Power

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Pimping the Attention Economy: Reclaiming Our Time, Rebuilding Our Power Check one, check two... You hear me now? I mean read me now? Good. Let's get into it. There’s a new economy out here—and it’s not built on dollars, gold, or crypto. It’s built on attention . And if you’re not paying attention to what you’re paying attention to, you’re getting pimped . I’m calling this one: Pimping the Attention Economy . But don’t get it twisted—this ain’t about exploitation. It’s about elevation. It’s about learning how to leverage the most valuable currency we’ve got in this digital age: our time and our focus. The Realest Currency is Time Let’s keep it 100—money comes and goes. But time? Time don’t play. Once you spend it, it's gone. So here’s the challenge: How are you spending your attention each day? What are you investing in—mentally, spiritually, culturally? The attention economy is built on you . On your clicks. Your views. Your scrolls. Your shares. And while the system is built...

"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’...

The Three R’s of Relationships: Building Bonds on Respect, Responsibility, and Reciprocity

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The Three R’s of Relationships: Building Bonds on Respect, Responsibility, and Reciprocity In every relationship—whether personal, professional, or communal—there are foundational pillars that support and strengthen our connections. I call these the three R’s: respect , responsibility , and reciprocity . They’re the legs of the stool upon which strong, enduring relationships rest. Respect: Seeing Beyond the Surface True respect goes far beyond superficial acknowledgments. It’s about looking deeper—truly seeing the person beyond what’s on the surface. This means engaging with others on a level that honors their stories, experiences, and inherent worth. Respect isn’t just a courtesy; it’s a commitment to understanding the person in front of you, appreciating their struggles and triumphs, and valuing their unique perspective. Responsibility: Owning Your Part in the Relationship Responsibility in a relationship isn’t just about meeting obligations—it’s about owning your role in nurturing a...

Respect Reciprocity

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  Great Ujamaa in this week of Ujima: These are two beautiful principles especially when they come together like today. we are forced to look at them and then take a hard look at ourselves, and think about whether we are exercising them. Ujima (which is the week that we are in) speaks to us about collective work and responsibility, but also in our system it represents the powerful and necessary principle of respect. Without respect nothing moves. Respect is like oil; it allows different parts to run smoothly together, and it reduces friction. Today's Principle is Ujamaa which talks to us about cooperation and resources, but it also represents the principle of gratitude, and reciprocity in our tribe. When we take the time and put these two principles together we get an unbeatable combination. A combination sorely needed in our communities. "Ujima reminds us of collective work and responsibility; but also respect, without it nothing moves." Today, I want to take a look at t...

Reciprocity requires Imani (sample)

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Reciprocity is the act of returning something to someone who has given you something. In Gye Nyame culture, reciprocity is an integral part of daily life. To  understand why, one must first understand that the Ujamaa concept does not exist in isolation; it is at the very heart of our belief system and culture. Ujamaa requires reciprocity from everyone throughout the community which includes both giving and receiving within it. No other element or quality can be found in our system without it being regarded as lacking in some way if there was no reciprocity involved with it. The individual members of our community are taught that when they receive something, they must return the favor so that they are experiencing a balance of giving and receiving throughout their lives. This balance then allows us to experience an overall sense of harmony throughout our group which is necessary for us to function together in peace and tranquility since our group members recognize that they will be ...

You Don't Owe Anyone $#!+ For Free. (sample)

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  You Don't Owe Anyone $#!+ For Free. This might sound harsh, but it's not—it's inspiring. It's liberating. It means that you don't have to do things just because they want you to. You don't have to conform. You don't have to give in or give up your dreams and goals. Everyone is trying to get you to give up something of value to them, whether it's your time, your money, or even just your attention. But you don't owe anyone any of that. You can choose to do what you want, when you want, and how you want. You can choose to be selfish and self-centered if you want. It's all a matter of choice. The world is made of people who choose to make choices that benefit themselves in both a good as well as a bad way. And because everyone has a different set of values and things they're looking for in this world, the best way for us to create wealth is to make sure we have something valuable to offer and then make sure others have access to it. That requir...

Sowing and Reaping (7 Ways to unleash the power of reciprocity) sample

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"How can we overcome failure if not through action?" Today we are called to look at the power within the cycle of reciprocity. The power to overcome failure, the power to lead yourself and those around you, and the power to build strong communities that break the shackles of poverty. The cycle of reciprocity is built on a fundamental truth: Sow what you want to reap. What this means is if you want to reap something in your life, you must sow it first. As Marcus Garvey would say: "A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots." So first we must understand where we come from and what our history has been in order to change our future. It is our goal today to learn more about the roots of reciprocity so that we can continue to sow seeds of success for ourselves and others. In order for us to create a healthy environment for our children, there must be an understanding that we have all sown some good and some bad i...

Using Ujamaa To Overcome Fear (sample)

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I think we could all agree, at the least abstractly, that we want to live in a world without fear. Let's break it down and go on a run-through of some ideas, principles and practices which are fundamental to overcoming fear. Then maybe you'll see why you should take a closer look at the principle of Ujamaa, and how it's intersection with other principles helps us overcome fear and build friendship through the proper use of reciprocity and gratitude. The first idea I'd like to bring up is Ma'at, which is roughly equivalent to the western idea of justice - but with an important distinction. Ma'at wasn't about punishment or vengeance; it was about restoration, harmony and balance. One way to think about it is this: when someone violates a boundary, they have knocked the system out of balance, and Ma'at is there to restore that balance by restoring that boundary. If someone steals your bike, Ma'at seeks not to punish them as much as it seeks to return yo...