Akosua Dardaine Edwards's Blog, page 232

Listen to the Whispers

Open heart - we are willing to be with whatever is evolving and whaever is showing up, just be present with what is and entertain the opportunities that might be there Paul Ferrini

I'm planning my NYC trip where I do 3 book signings and a couple radio shows, it's a bit of a challenge planning things for there from far away and I must admit technology is really so bloody awesome it makes this whole exercise so much more easy. But here's the thing I learnt that really got me to pay attention and remember that this Universe really really got me! I had a band booked for all the events, package deal they go where I go and we were running ahead with all the marketing like that. Then they couldn't make it again at the last minute and of course I was disappointed, I sulked for a twenty minutes and then I said you know what start moving start focusing on something else because everything is either a lesson or a blessing! So I convinced myself that its all ok.
I'm driving home from Brasso and I just got a voice in my head saying send a message to LaShawn and I'm like "what? who said that?" I don't even know the girl very well. Just message her and ask her about the launch! I reached home and did it right away and things are just falling into place so nicely with the creative part of the event! Always listen to the whisper, the positive creative voice that you hear is your gut, your intuition leading you, and when you question it then you get in trouble as half of the time it makes absolutely no sense to you! But it doesn't have to make sense and we don't know it all so trust the process and know the Universe got ya!
So the planning continues and I'm not stressing one little bit!!
Peace

The daily commitment to being genuine in everything you s...

The daily commitment to being genuine in everything you say or do. The courage to be innocent and vulnerable, to express who you are in a world that wants you to conform, to be fearless and loving toward those whose own genuineness is so blocked that they will want to judge yours. To know with all your brain cells that the authentic self is indestructible because it is essence and essence is eternal. How will you know your authentic self when she arrives to greet you? You’ll feel a sense of at-homeness, a lack of pretence, nothing over-produced, a wholeness. You’ll know her as the “genuine article”—like an organic apple or a one-of-a-kind couture dress. Unique, different, imperfect, yet exceptional. That is your true nature. – Elizabeth LesserJust for today, show up as yourself! There's something magical that happens when YOU show up!
Peace!!

 

Everything we give is given to ourselves

The Six Human Needs
1. Certainty: assurance you can avoid pain and gain pleasure
2. Uncertainty/Variety: the need for the unknown, change, new stimuli
3. Significance: feeling unique, important, special or needed
4. Connection/Love: a strong feeling of closeness or union with someone or something
5. Growth: an expansion of capacity, capability or understanding
6. Contribution: a sense of service and focus on helping, giving to and supporting others (Tony Robbins, motivational speaker and author)




Yesterday I had a meeting to attend as part of my Rural Development Programme Project. The village is about 2 hours North of the capital and is extremely scenic, nestled in a valley, the lush hills surround the village and can be seen at every vantage point, there are rivers, nature trails, a beach and waterfalls, the village grows food to survive, cocoa, coffee and christophene. I always like going there, this time I was meeting a new set of villagers, the farmers! I met the driver who was about to take me and I approached him all smiley and happy and he was, as we call it here, sour! Just a grunt to acknowledge my presence. I myself wasn't please, I got in the car thinking, ok then, somebody is grumpy let me relax its a long drive! We get to the meeting and I did my bit, presentation, answering questions and so on. The driver says," you're too high falutin for this. you aren't getting through to the people, be more like the people" well I will confess I got mad! How dare he? what does he know about me? Why was he in the bloody meeting in the first place? I was mad, I just responded , thanks for the advice!
I told my friends, who thinks I should get angry one day and cuss someone to which I always respond, nah, not my style, that wow this guy may just grant you your wish! So I gathered my wits, finished the meeting and jumped back into the car for the ride back into the city. As he dropped me off he said. Edwards, I decided that you are a nice lady, you are nice and calm and cool.
I said thanks and got out the car
As I got out I was preparing for bed and started reading and randomly (although I know nothing now is random) I opened A Course in Miracles one of my favourite books and this is what jumped out at me (thank you Universe for the lesson)

"If we understood that everything we give is given to ourselves, we would realize that other people are not apart from us. Their behavior does have bearing on our thoughts, and our behavior has bearing on their thoughts. Our attitudes affect other people. Their appeals for help are intimately related to our own

If we understood all this and believed it, forgiveness would happen naturally. We would realize that judging someone as sinful causes our own guilt and loss of peace, and we would not choose to do it. We would realize that how we see the other person is how we see ourselves, and we would not want to see ourselves that way. We would learn very quickly to perceive that their ego actions are not sins but calls for help, closely tied to our own calls for help, and we would respond accordingly. We would know that our judgmental attitude has an adverse effect on the behavior of others, and would choose to change our attitude. We would adjust our thoughts so as to have a beneficial effect on their behavior instead of a detrimental effect. We would recognize that we are not separate and apart, but share in the same struggle with fears and doubts, as well as sharing in the release from those things."

Peace
 

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Faith is what you are!

"What you are looking for you are looking with" Rev Deborah L Johnson (my favourite Rev!!)

So, right on time I always get a lesson, and that is the beauty of this Universe, it shows time and time again that it is for me! It actually loves me and wants me to "get it" so the whole ask and you shall receive concept is absolutely true but I must be willing and remain open to receive! Anyways, this whole scenario came about on the weekend, I was having one of my huge human moments and doubting myself and the lesson came which I want to share with you, if it resonates, yayy, if it doesn't take what you want and need and leave the rest.

Faith is what you are. You don't bring faith into your circumstances. There is not you, the circumstances and then faith. You, everything about you- how you perceive things, what you embrace and accept, what you perceive as possible, how willing you are to live in a place of non attachment and the like - you bring you as you enter the circumstances! The more faith you carry with you, the less attention you pay to the crap hole or situation that you are in and the more you go back to who you really really are. The less you try to fix something and allow it to heal the more joyous your life expression will appear to be. You are not merely to have faith, you are to BE faith!
same with love, be love, be clarity, be joy, be power! Be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just Be!
Peace!!!

Acceptance

I want to share what I read today, read it before and keep going back to remind myself time and time again, today I am compelled to share - Peace!

Acceptance is the acknowledg- ment of the inherent perfection in every person, situation and experience regardless of how difficult or challenging it may appear or feel. 
Acceptance does not depend or rely upon what is going on externally. It is an internal state of awareness and being.
Acceptance of others as doing the best they can, regardless of what they do or how they do it, eliminates judgment. In order to come to a place of accept- ance, you must be willing to relinquish your position (e.g. being right, what is fair, what you should or should not do, etc.)
In the midst of a difficult experience, you are called to acceptance. You cannot change the past. Only by acceptance of the feelings and memories associated with the past are you able to change your choices and responses to similar experiences.
Acceptance requires that you embrace all seeming imper-fections which present them- selves, knowing that you can set a new course for your life, one minute at a time, one day at a time. Acceptance of experiences is realized as an outgrowth of acceptance of self. Acceptance of who you are and what you have experienced is the foundation of unconditional loving of self.     Inner Visions Institute






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A song for NiNa!

Without me, the sun comes up in the morning and the stars twinkle at night. Before I’ve even gotten out of bed in the morning, the earth has spun 1/3 of the way round its axis and six billion people have done the best they know to do to increase their happiness and mitigate their suffering. And since I’m not in charge, I get to relax and enjoy the ride. Rather than cower in recognition of my own weakness and even helplessness in the face of forces far greater than my own, I am set free.” Michael Neill coach


NiNa Young Entrepreneur's Programme finished its 4th cycle today, the participants gave a 5 minute business pitch in front of 3 judges and a winner chosen. NiNa is a programme I started in 2010 for young women between the ages of 15-19. The programme introduces the concept of entrepreneurial thinking and entrepreneurship as a career option, so far we have seen businesses open and participants receiving scholarships to study business! Today I felt such joy and gratitude seeing the ideas and the presentations, the creativity and the courage that was on display and I can say without a doubt that this is one of the best things I have ever done, ever ever ever!!
So just sharing my joy and news to you guys, that's all LOL!
I have learnt that service is really the rent I pay for being on this planet and when you serve others you serve yourself!
Peace!!

Triggers - have you discovered yours?

The better that we are being with ourselves, the better that we are with relationships (all) (unknown(

Do you know what your triggers are? Like what are the things that trigger certain responses and reactions? I am still learning mine, I know what a few are and so that when I feel or see the trigger coming I can get ready or be better prepared instead of responding by either shutting down completely or getting mad vex and doing something stooopid! or comfort eating, I notice that I fall back on comfort eating as a response to a trigger
So I learnt another one yesterday and wow that one was a shocker to me, why? because I grew up watching my mother react in the same way. I said I will never do that when I become an adult! My mum loves her house to be in order when she gets home from work. The dishes must be done, things must be in place, the house must welcome her in a clean and orderly fashion and if it's not well my friend it was hell to pay! Don't stick around when she gets home and the place is disorderly, the neighbours sometimes saved me! I never got that! So here I am doing the same thing, I got home yesterday and the place was like, in my mind, world war 4! I never even asked a question I was just mad vex and then after about 30 minutes I said wait a bloody minute this is familiar! I turned into my mama! Lawd have mercy!
So a new trigger is found and now I know so I can deal with it!
What are your triggers?
Peace!!

You will stretch your whole soul to reach it

When joy is the aim, you will stretch with your whole Soul to reach it. Your satisfaction will begin to eclipse your need for approval and acceptance. You won’t have time to validate your choices or keep  score because you’ll be too busy with pleasure. Danielle La Porte
Got another gig in NYC today! I am so excited to be doing a book signing in Harlem! Harlem NYC here I come! The Sisters Uptown Bookstore on Amsterdam Avenue, a Harlem institution. I remember going to Harlem as a teenager, hitting 125th street and being in the buzz of all the action, the culture, the soul food, the stores, the revolution, the parties, the spots!
Here I am now going to Harlem to add to the mix, not just watch and participate but to contribute, to serve! I am beyond excited! Its going to be super duper awesome!
My NYC trip is shaping up to be a blast!!!!
Peace!!!!
 

Do something!

If you cannot support from the front, push from the back!

I spent some time on Saturday at the NGC Bocas Literary Festival in Port of Spain Trinidad. The festival brings together literary works from all over the Caribbean and the diaspora with a number of world renowned writers and poets. What struck me at this event was the honest and open stories of a few young men who were incarcerated from the age of 15 for an average of ten years at the Youth Training Centre (YTC). They along with their English teacher, a woman who volunteered to teach them English Literature whilst at the institution, decided to tell their story in this open, honest and wonderful piece of work called Wishing for Wings. I found myself literally weeping listening to their story! And there and then I vowed to do something! We have young people from the age of 11 being incarcerated and locked inside for 23hours a day, we have a rehabilitation system that instead of rehabilitating it creates more prisoners and resentment! and the thing that made me weep more is that it is so easy to play a part in making where I live a better place! I want to thank those young men for being open and honest, for deciding that they want to live a different life. That was the other thing that I learnt from them, it all starts with a decision! there is nothing more powerful than a made up mind. No wavering, no doubt, just a firm decision and things fall into place after that, not without its challenges but that power overrides them!

The stories from Wishing with Wings are truly inspirational!
Peace!!