Unity for Life

Unity is harmony, accord, collaboration, oneness, forming a pleasing whole, mutual agreement, solidarity, embracing the same purpose for advancement and representing all sides. Unity is the greatest tool we have for advancement, connection and building our tribe.
When we choose unity we can expect lower blood pressure, reduction in aches, more energy, optimism, less conflict and sadness, protection from illness and less stress. I dare you to give it a try for the holidays and throughout the new year.

Be Authentic

We invigorate our energy when we express ourselves. Your unfiltered story will free you to be an authentic person. Sharing your story builds trust, overcomes skepticism, prompts action, converts, attracts interest, inspires and lights the way for those walking a similar path.  Authentic people are able to identify feeling states such as hope, gratitude, joy and love when out of the storms of life while resolving fear, worry and tension in the storms of life.

Encouraging Curiosity

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? The person that asks a thousand questions drives you crazy - right...before you loose your patience, know that they are practicing the gift of curiosity - the desire to find answers or learn. We are born curious. When we encourage curiosity we receive gifts of closeness, decreased anger, increased understanding, problem solving, humility, boredom relief, and elimination of the risk of selfishness. Give yourself and those around you permission to be creative.

Source: Murray Bowen, Patti Roscoe and Associates, Allina health

Notice the Good

One remedy for depression - for every mistake you spot in even the best works of others and yourself -notice all that is GOOD with your work and the achievement of others. Source:  verywellmind

Watch Out for Depression

                                              Introjective depression occurs when a person feels that they have failed to meet their own standards or the standards of important others and that therefore they are failures.  Introjective depression arises from a harsh, unrelenting, highly critical superego that creates feelings of worthlessness, guilt and a sense of having failure.  A person with this depression experiences intense fears of losing approval, recognition and love from a desired object.  Source: National Institute of Health; Huffington Post

Caring for the Caregiver

                                    

If you are caring for a loved one, remember to take care of yourself.  Monitor yourself for depression - anaclitic and introjective depression. Anaclitic depression involves a person who feels dependent upon relationships with others and who essentially grieves over the threatened or actual loss of those relationships.  Anaclitic depression is caused by the disruption of a caregiving relationship with a primary object and is characterized by feelings of helplessness and weakness.  A person with anaclitic depression experiences intense fears of abandonment and desperately struggles to maintain direct physical contact with the need-gratifying object.

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12626134; huffington post

Honoring Rev. Shirley Williams

We remember a great supporter of our organization, Shirley Mae Moore Williams. She made her transition and joined the circle of ancestors on June 26, 2019. Her spirit-filled music and movement tribute was held on July 7 to a full sanctuary of family and friends. Memorial Donations to assist in the efforts to continue her ministry and legacy may be made to Wells Fargo Bank or online at gofund me.com/memorial-donation-rev-shirley-Williams.

She moved through her epic life journey with an unparalleled depth of wisdom, wit, and warmth. She was a safe harbor of comfort, care and compassion to all those whose path she crossed. In her presence you were reassured, restored and revived through her generous smile, gentle embrace and gregarious conversation. Throughout her personal and professional experiences, she created life giving, trajectory changing, meaningful investments in the world that surrounded her.

Shirley Williams was born in Holladay-Flatwoods, Tennessee on Monday, September 6, 1937. She received her education and training from Benton County Schools, Decatur County Schools, Tennessee State University and Martin Methodist College. She was active in her community as an Alderman, Vice Mayor, Mayoral Candidate, Small Business Owner, Parent Teacher Association President, Planning Commission Chairperson, Rosenwald Community Organization President, Print / Television Ad model and member of Nashville’s own Love Train Gospel Choir. She was President of the ministry “A Moore Excellent Way” to preserve the 149-year old Moore Family Century farm.

Shirley met Eugene on the Tennessee State University college campus in 1956. From their 64-year union, they raised 5 children and curated a vibrant collective of beautiful, supportive souls.

Shirley Williams came from a long line of gifted African American women found in her mother, aunts, sisters, and cousins who taught her that faith, hope and trust in God and Jesus Christ would be her guide in life. While on her spiritual journey she served in many positions in the local church reaching Lay Leader and Annual Conference Delegate in Nashville and Bethel Springs, Tennessee. She has also served in numerous positions and committees of the District, Tennessee and Memphis Conferences becoming the first African American Dean of the School of Christian Mission of the Tennessee Conference. She was Assistant and Associate Pastor at Braden Memorial as well as Nancy Webb Kelly United Methodist Churches in Nashville, Tennessee. She recently served as Senior Pastor of New Bethel United Methodist Church in Bethel Springs, Tennessee. During her tenure the church was blessed to build a new fellowship hall, birth thriving ministries such as the Seniors Exercise and Lunch Program, Youth Praise Band, Youth Praise Team, Youth Summer Camp, Food Pantry, Family Wednesday Night Meal and Bible Study.

Shirley Williams is preceded in death by Father John Henry Moore, Mother Inez Parsons Moore. In-laws Barney Williams, Callie Matilda Baldridge Williams. Sisters Ida Belle Menzies, Pauline Murphy, Roberta Roland. Brother H.L Moore and Son Nathaniel T. Williams

She leaves a cloud of beloved ones which include: Husband. Sister. Brother. Son. Daughters. She is also adored by a devoted tribe of grandchildren, great grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews, friends and colleagues.

She dreamed of a world full of happy loving people where war was a thing of the past and peace was the only reality. May each of us strive to manifest her divine vision in all that we say and do.  

Hang In There

                          

Be Encouraged. Are you offering a culture of encouragement?  This is the foundation of many thriving spiritual communities.  The ability to practice encouragement is any important par of self care.  When people gather you can offer words of encouragement, "We are so proud of you"; "Hang in there"; "Good job"; "Don't give up". Let us consider how we may spur one another forward, not giving up, but encouraging one another.

Source: apa.org; seedbed.com

Heal Me

Looking for a solution to some health concerns? Lipton proposes that the placebo effect is actually a form of healing in itself. If indeed belief can create a change in the body chemistry, then the belief that a certain treatment will help a person recover from a malady actually creates the physiologic conditions that will lead to that person's recovery. Lipton believes that the placebo effect should be taught in medical school for its ability to bring about healing. Instead, it "is quickly glossed over ... so that students can get to the real tools of modern medicine like drugs and surgery ... because of their conviction that the body and its parts are essentially stupid and that we need outside intervention to maintain our health" (pp. 137-138). 

Resource: Bruce H. Lipton, The Biology of Belief

Miracles

Do you believe in miracles?  Dr. John Chirban, psychologist and theologian at Harvard Medical School present one school of thought about the psychology of miracles. He quotes a number of researchers who have scientifically documented miraculous healings that have taken place in a variety of faith traditions and settings.

Several authors document how the immune system and mind effect healing and health, related to belief and perception.

Advances in neuroscience reveal how healing changes occur and affect enhanced functioning in the brain through meditation, mindfulness and prayer. 

More and more scientific investigations confirm the significance of spirituality for our well being; deepening our awareness to our spiritual nature invites a deepening awareness to our life.

Hip Hop Psych

The psychology of hip hop presents another perspective of understanding life. Hip hop psychology utilizes music, lyrics, movement and positive imagery from hip hop culture to help those affected by mental stress from living in toxic environments.  People that identify with hip hop believe in peace, unity, love, community and fun as tools to restore the mind, family and neighborhood.                                              

A neuroscientist and psychologist have collaborated to create Hip Hop Psyche.  Hip hop music is rich with mental health reference related to addiction, psychosis, conduct disorder, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder and so on, as well as multiple environmental risk factors (e.g., urbanicity, poor nutrition, destructive parental influences resulting in childhood maltreatment  in the absence of positive role models) and predisposing genetic and epigenetic risk factors.  

Hip hop artists use their skills and talents not only to describe the world they see, but also as a means of breaking free.  There is often a message of hope in amongst the lyrics, describing the place where they want to be. 

Never Give Up

As we begin a new year consider adding resiliency to your toolbox.  Practice the following:  

Critical mindedness helps protect against experiences of discrimination and facilitates a critique of existing social conditions.                                                                                                                                 

Active engagement includes behavior in school, at home and with peers such that people proactively and positively impact their environment.                                                                                                 

Flexibility promotes adaptation to cognitive, emotional, social and physical situational demands and can include bicultural competence or fluency across multiple cultural contexts.

Communalism includes the  importance of social bonds and duties, reflects a fundamental sense of interdependence and primacy of collective well-being, and offers the drive for connection and promotion within and across diverse groups. 

Resource: American Psychology Association