I’ve had a pretty memorable life, and I’m not finished yet. I don’t say that lightly. I’ve been successful. I’ve had very tough times. I’ve faced near-death situations and serious health challenges a few times. I’ve been on the top and on the bottom. And I’ve endured through it all quite well, in spirituality and in life-awareness.
That is the backdrop to what the poem and video Ashes is all about. …The poem and video that I present in this post.
Obviously, I use the word ashes figuratively. It represents the ruins that I had to dig through to discern that the transformative journey that I traveled was ultimately a blessing.
I authored this poem years ago and decided to turn it into a video just recently. I wanted to convey the message visually. In the video, I am conveying my life journey, as well as the undoubtedly tough journeys of others, whose lives were transformed by difficult circumstances.
I have these regular spontaneous moments, moments of deep Gratitude. Gratitude hits me deeply in my spirit and it hits me at random. I can never predict when it will happen. It doesn’t matter where I am. And, it has just hit me now, inspiring me to write this post!
I stumbled on a couple of poems that I originally wrote years ago. One is entitled,‘Maybe’, the other, ‘Audacious Wisdom’.
In these writings, I am questioning myself, and my purpose through God’s eyes. I wasn’t looking for the poems. I stumbled on them. I literally have close to a thousand or more bodies of work. But recently finding them was right on time for what’s going on in our world and with me, right now.
Recently, I have been again encouraged to author a book, memoir, or screenplay on my story. I really want to, and know that I can, but I haven’t completed several in-progress projects. Though I’ve started many and have created bits and pieces over the years, I’ve never compiled or finalized anything.
I’ve written a great deal, enough for more than just one book, maybe about six! But still, I have not assembled what has been written, never completing the projects. I have started several videos, much the same way. I want to complete them, but often I feel uncertain about doing so. Years ago, I vowed to never venture into anything new without really feeling it in my spirit. I feel these projects in my spirit, but not strong enough yet.
About writing, and about life in general, I have been asking myself, ’Maybe?’ quite often.
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” – Dr. Seuss “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,” – Philippians 3:13
Forgiving and forgetting are wise practices to exercise, as we are now in the new year of 2022.
Audio Comments On Forgiving & Forgetting The Past
This year promises to be a year of things moving extremely fast. Master Sri Akarshana refers to 2022 as the Quantum Leap year where everything, for and against our greatest good, will be moving rapidly, in health, wealth, and relationships.
So, we must be aware of the energies that surround us, and we, therefore, have no time to be absorbed into past pains. I say that we must forgive those pains, but remember, not forget, what caused them.
We must especially use lessons we learned from the past in the energy-dynamic environment that 2022 promises to be.
Master Sri Akarshana’s Predictions for 2022, explains that in 2022, things will be sped up and we will react in one of three ways, Quantum Leaping Forward, being the best:
Quantum Leap Backwards
Wait It Out – Hoping Only but doing nothing
Quantum Leaping Forward
Check out his video first, to understand the context in which I offer my reflections on Forgiving and Forgetting.
I love this time of year because it is a time of reflection, but for me, it triggers a deeper self-reflection, as it has for me for the last, I would say 30 or more years.
I just celebrated my birthday on January 5th, just a few days ago. With my birthday landing right after Christmas and New Year’s, I began soul searching around Christmas time, while everyone else seemed to be shopping and celebrating. As I mentioned, my holiday season celebrations are spent mostly alone and in nature, as was my birthday “celebration.”
I love the beginning and end of each year. As would be expected, at the end of the year, I usually aim to end a behavior, habit, relationship, or end an unhealthy lifestyle practice. At the beginning of the year, I reflect on how I will adapt to the change in era, time, and vibration. …Or changes in me. I try not to superimpose the prior year on the new year, just as I see ‘every day as a clean slate’. It is a given for me that the new year must be different in some way.
In this year, 2022, I have already accepted that “normal” no longer exists and will never return. I feel more certain that in 2022 I will not be trying to convince others who are on a whole different vibe than I am. I will be trying to connect more with others who are already on or near the vibe where I reside.
I have met such high-vibers through the Seasons as My Teacher blog. I love how blogging allows us to connect with other like-minded people, who have the passion to write, and read posts. It takes a certain calmness to take the time to do so juxtaposed with fast-paced social media.
Honey is amazing! I just had a tablespoon prior to publishing this post.
I chopped 2 cloves of garlic to mix with my second spoon. But I’m allowing the chopped garlic to be exposed to the air for about 10 – 15 minutes to get the maximum health benefits.
I’m learning more about nature’s gift of honey every day, God’s gift. This is yet another example of how I view Health as Spiritual. Most of the things that are healing for us, physically, mentally, and spiritually, are of God. Honey, Bees, and Garlic are directly from the Divine Spirit.
While doing research for this post, I found how incredible bees are in producing it. I’ll elaborate on that below.
I knew of many of honey’s health benefits. I consume it almost every day, but in different ways, and in different strengths, depending on the need.
I add it to warm water, and lemon juice, first thing in the morning as a daily detox, and to reduce digestive stomach acids.
I put it directly on cuts and abrasions.
I mix honey with freshly chopped garlic as a treatment for colds, flu, or just to boost immunity. This is highly recommended during the pandemic, and especially with the unknowns surrounding Omicron. When I mix it with freshly chopped garlic, I follow this as a regiment for 5 – 7 days.
Sometimes I take honey in a teaspoon with essential oils like clove, lavender, and peppermint.
Otherwise, I use it as a food and sweetener. Most of the time, I just swirl it on fresh fruit for breakfast or I just take it raw.
I love honey. It is a part of my regular health regiment.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – Spanish philosopher George Santaya
I am not shy about offering my opinion on diverse topics, offering my perspective, based on my journey.
Though my way of seeing life and spirit may differ from that of others, I feel it necessary to share mines with you. I share so openly to strengthen my own faith. I proclaim my convictions, sometimes audaciously. I also do so because I believe that most people, especially Black people only hear their arguments. They preach to each other, preaching to the choir, themselves.
History repeats itself. I provide several examples in this post. I present my perspective visually, and in Poetrimony, in a video that I produced.
History Repeats – It’s Already Been Told – History, The Remix | World Relations – Seasons As My Teacher – Kevy Michaels
This is a video about history repeating itself in many ways, including Genocide, Pandemics, School Shootings, Economic Crashes, Military Miscalculations, Mass Extinctions, Racism, Assassinations, etc. It’s Already Been Told is an original poem, cast to jazz music, and vivid visuals.
“History repeats itself, but in such cunning disguise that we never detect the resemblance until the damage is done.” – Sydney J. Harris
History repeats on various dimensions. As with most things in life, I tend to not restrict myself to a one-dimensional view.
In Inner Peace Part Two, in this follow-up to yesterday’s post, I provide limited personal commentary. The focus here is on what has been said about Inner Peace by those in Faith & Science.
I have said what I had to say and tried my best to describe the experience. In this post, I focus on what Scientists, Doctors, Prophets, and Spiritual Leaders have said about Inner Peace.
I sincerely share this post to proclaim that Inner Peace is the most valuable gift that God has given us.
In Inner Peace lies Acceptance, Surrender, Trust, Belief, and Patience. These virtues are beneficial to the body, mind, and spirit.
Inner Peace was not always accessible to me. At a time when I earned six figures, I stressed my mind and spirit to keep money flowing. That was over 20 years ago before I became a new man. Today, friends and colleagues attempt to entice me to return to ‘the game’, to be it in IT, bitcoin investments, small business adventures, or money-making ideas du jour.
I have no plans to return to that noisy chaotic world again, though. I fear what money and chasing after it would do to the Inner Peace that I now have. I never want to lose this. I have no interest in going viral or monetizing for profit. Over a year ago, I deleted my Facebook, Linked In, and other social media accounts.
I do wish to reach more people but to do so, unfortunately, costs money. So, I reach who I can on my personal but limited budget. But I do, therefore, maintain my Inner Peace.
Achieving Inner Peace in the New World Order, in our new post coronavirus world, is essential. There are many human challenges that can distract us from this gift, and worse can bring out the worse in us.
Many years ago, I recognized the importance of maintaining a peaceful state of mind. That’s likely because my life has always been dynamic, intense, and bursting with passion, since birth, I’ve experienced, and been told.
Photo – Burst On Spotify – person-faces-the-city-while-sitting-on-a-yoga-mat-on-a-balcony.jpg
Over 30 years ago, I began a ‘deep dive’ into my own spirituality. This exploration was a personal one, whereby I sought to establish a relationship between me and God. …A really close one, with no one in between, for no one seemed True. I did not want the layer of religion or the church between us, though.
I respect religion and the church, but I put them in proper perspective, with regard to spirituality. I’ve found that religions and churches often deviate from what should be their main focus, addressing other priorities, such as tiding, fundraising, televangelism, and social media. …popularity, materialism, etc.
They do a get deal of charity ministries as well. It’s not directly their fault, but the sources of their funding, contribute to making poverty and inequity comfortable, instead of working to totally eliminate it, making those that they help self-sufficient.
Generally speaking, they continue such ministries, foundations and governments keep funding their causes, people keep receiving, but their long-term status remains the same.
Though these efforts may be well-intentioned spiritually, they impeded the closeness that I needed to have with the God of my understanding. I seek, still today, enlightenment. Beyond wisdom and faith, I want to be immersed in the spirit of God.
Furthermore, I wanted to shape the image of the God of my understanding. God bestowed me with this free will. I wanted to use this blessing to see God as I wanted to based on my journey, failures, triumphs, and ever-evolving wisdom.
I longed to see the God in me, and in every living creature. I longed to experience a multidimensional sensee of God, not a one-dimensional one.
Photo – Burst On Spotify – hand-on-tree-bark.jpg
I remember, in early 2000, when participating in an exercise that Minister Rev. Barry Vennard, of Unity Church, asked participants, in a Unity Church spiritual workshop to do. This exercise still sticks with me today.
Minister Vennard asked all participants to close their eyes and imagine God as they would like him to be. He asked that we imagine how he would be towards us? Would he judge us? How would he treat us when we made mistakes? What would he say about our pain, mistakes, defeats, and victories? How would he encourage us through our trials? …And so on and so forth.
I promised to share my eclectic music tastes with you. I love electronic rock, especially from Europe.
Depeche Mode has to be one of my all-time favorite groups. I love their Euro industrial electronic rock sound., But more than that, I love that their messages, so bold and so raw. The messages resonate with me.
I’ve been a big fan of Depeche Mode. I think their 1st album was Construction Time Again. I love almost every song on that album. I’ve been into Depeche Mode for a long time but recently, I guess because of my membership in Spotify, YT Music, and Pandora, as well as other music streaming services, I stumble on old songs that I used to love, that I almost forgot about.
I don’t listen to new music much at all. Anyway, there is a remarkably interesting story behind me rediscovering how much I love Depeche Mode.
“God is said to have written Scripture and Nature.” – Wic
Kevy’s Comment
I am very excited to feature fellow blogger Wic, and giving him a grand showcasing.
Photo Of Wic
A few weeks ago, I found fellow bloggers with whom I connected in several ways, namely in perspective on life, love, and spirituality, just by reading their posts. I posted comments to several of their posts and asked their permission to feature them on my site.
Wic gave me permission a week ago, but I have been so busy that I had become drained and had to get away from computers, blogging, television, and all things media. Do you ever get that way as a blogger? I hope that Wic appreciates that I was not going to force introducing him to my followers. I just can’t do things normally. My friends from New Orleans says that I always have to “add cayenne” to everything I do.
As I mentioned in a post comment, I no longer hold on to old relationships that don’t vibe with who I am today just because of history or tradition. Many of those relationships were simply held together by kinship, religion, race, or class, but not by spiritual connection. None of these things have anything to do with my true spirit, my true essence, today.
Therefore, in these crucial times, I have abandoned many relationships, including family ones, that do not elevate my spirit. Instead, I find adventure in meeting new kindred spirits randomly, such as Wic’s.
“My God is a wild untamed God, who throws stars into space and sits with me, relaxed, and communes in the forest. How about yours.” – Wic
