BeYouTFull UnivHercity

There's a name, that if someone calls you it, it feels like a slap in the face. And no, it is not profanity. The name is "victim". I am definitely not talking about a "true" victim of some heinous act, God forbid. I am talking about when someone accuses you of being "a victim" or acting like "a victim" regarding how you are handling a situation in your life or handling your life itself. Most of the time we become indignant when this happens. Being a victim definitely translates into the idea of being weak and powerless. Nobody likes that. It would not be a stranger who says this to you. Perhaps that is why it tends to offend us more. Usually it is a friend or loved one, who has been an outside observer, who more than likely loves you and wants to see you take control over a situation or in your life in general. Regardless of their intention or desire for your good, it probably angers you more than it seems helpful.  Because, real talk, ...

There exists a phenomena that is such a huge part of life yet it remains a mystery and secret to most human beings.  It is integral, recurrent, and critical to our living life successfully, but it seems to elude us. It is an intangible and invisible dimension of Life.  We hear references about it quite often, we've all heard it called by name, and yet it remains an enigma to most of us.  I believe that if we fully understood and embraced this very important aspect of life, the quality of our lives would improve exponentially. What am I speaking of? I'm glad you asked. It is called "the process." How many times have you been going through situations in life and realized yourself or were told by others about "the process" in various ways. You are going through a trial and your supportive community tells you, "oh, it's just a process" you are going through, "everything is a process."  We also are encouraged to "honor the proce...

Today, during my morning Devotion, I read from one of my favorite books. The author referred to "the Doubter within" as she talked about our inner feelings.  It made me think of our "interiors"; our real selves as human beings; that is, as  Spiritual Beings .  A question arose within me, " W hat is the music of your Soul?" I know that the Soul is the place in our tri-une Being that represents our Thoughts, Mind and Will.  I speculated that the music of one's Soul  must correlate to the tone or quality of one's thoughts. I began to think about my own symphony . If I were to contemplate on the kind of music that my Soul most resonated to, what kind of music would it be? What would yours be?  Would it be a happy, upbeat tune.  Or would it be a funeral dirge? Would the song of your Soul, that is played most be like the intro to a scary movie... (dum, dum, dum, dummm!) leaving you in a constant state of anxiety, suspense and fear; waiting f...

I am very excited to re-enter the stage and to continue sharing with you from the majestic landscape of "BeYouTy". It's been about a year and a half since I have written here.  Not to be cliche', but "where did the time go"? One thing that usually gets in the way of starting is starting . Ideally, you want to have a map of how you will approach everything and lay it out completely. What I have come to learn about myself is that I simply do not operate that way. I have self-integrity. I will get it done ultimately.  I always have the concept and vision in my Soul and Spirit, before I start. What it becomes however, is " my  glorious journey ." I have always lived on the "revelation" and daily "discovery" road. At the end of the day, when I reflect on my accomplishments in life thus far, I usually say, "not too bad."  I am content. As I am now in what some call "legacy years". Indeed I am looking forwa...

Grace is one of those beautiful words which kindles images of ancient glories, Queens, and of the most beautiful dancers.  I have had this very strong feeling to write about Grace lately, as it has become one of the most important and significant principles in my Life.  Like many, I had a very casual and even perhaps infantile understanding of this concept of "Grace".  My first recollections of it came from my childhood upbringing in which I was simply taught to "say Grace" before eating.  The only other references to grace were the occasional references to someone being graceful in the way they physically moved. Even today to hear one speak of someone's "graciousness" is rare. Grace in its fullest and highest understanding is profound when you mature up to it and it is revealed to you.  In the spiritual sense, it is so deep and ever present in our lives that, like the wind or the air we breathe we can't see it so we just take it for granted....

Something has been ruminating in my Spirit for a while now.  It is a subject that continually comes into my daily life and into the lives of others that I observe.  It is a universal and perpetual conversation of humanity. I believe it is something that we all reckon with until we leave here. What is it you ask?  It is the concept of   "the process". It is spoken of very matter-of- factly by most.  As we go through personal trials and tribulations, feelings of doubt, challenges, not understanding...Life, we usually comfort ourselves with the notion and satisfaction that well, "Life is a process...it is a process." The depth of this concept however is really profound if you are trying to grasp it and work powerfully with it.  We all know the cliches'...the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step...the race is given not to the swift but to the one that endures to the end, etc. On the court (in Life) however, it is a lot easier said...

There is one thing that anyone would want in a time of emergency like when there’s a “blackout” -  that is, a “generator”.  A generator turns on the power and sustains a source of light and electricity sufficient to run everything within your home.  Most of the time, we go through our daily lives and only think about a “generator” when disaster or an emergency strikes.  This is much akin to how we live our personal lives. What are you generating? What do you generate on a daily basis? There is a living power source within all of us which is available for us to tap into every day of our lives.  As human beings we have the ability “to generate” the kind of life we want to live.  We express this primarily in how we think and speak; our thoughts and words.  These in effect create our reality.   First thing in the morning, when you arise, what do you generate? What are your first thoughts?  Are you a subject or a victim of whatever sh...

I took this title from a local newspaper that I found on a subway seat last week and thought it was most awesome!   We are in the most auspicious time of any given year; the first of, the beginning of, the new year. As a human family we have started a tradition of "making New Year's Resolutions."  By now, that phrase carries the same unhealthy dose of cynicism and sarcasm as most things left to humanity. My thoughts around this idea of "Evolution rather than Resolution" moves quickly toward the axiom that "change is not an event - it is a process" and so it is.  I am wondering as we are coming near the end of this month of (re)newal, (re)constituting, (re)solving, that perhaps it is not about "re" anything.  Maybe it is about becoming acutely aware of what is important to us and what our priorities are in a very real, tangible and pragmatic way; not the lofty, glorious, hard to reach, idealistic goals that we usually set up for ourselves w...

Reflecting on 2013… it’s about 5 hours from the New Year, 2014. I have long given up and outgrown the drinking, club hopping, being out in the world with stranger’s years.  For the last decade and better I usually attend “Watch Night” services at my church.  I love it…it’s about gratitude, community, acknowledgment and Blessing God for all that He has done for you, all that’s He’s brought you through.  It's about the Grace and Mercy that you have been granted for things that would have, should or could have happened to you.  It is rejoicing, celebrating, worshiping and feeling safe…at home…a part of something greater than yourself. I am not going out tonight though.  It’s one of those years where I will "be" the church and have church at home. 2013… I am having a little bit of a struggle trying to describe it.  Usually I look for a word that seems to highlight the tone and movement of the year.  The first word that showed up for me was “transitiona...

In the course of living, as we go through trials and tribulations, our Soul speaks to us.  It is a presence, a knowing, a conversation between I and I, the knowing that you have within you.  In these times, when you have been questioning yourself, wondering, pondering, perhaps even agonizing over something…there is a part of you that Speaks… It is moving…it is dancing…it it trying to shake something off.  It is giving you an answer…telling you what is right and what is wrong; what you should actually do.  You get the answer….you know the answer…because it speaks, it tells you…either in secret but out loud…you have a “soul scream”.  Now you are at the moment of Truth.  You must choose. Make a very important decision; to say Yes or No.  To make an agreement that is integral and in alignment with your Soul or one which is contrary to it.  The vote has been cast, it’s already a fix because the Soul carries much weight.  It leans…it burdens…beca...