Ask And It Shall Be Given!

Taken from Mastin at The Daily Love.com

"Don't listen to those who say, 'You're taking too big a chance.' Michelangelo would have painted the Sistine floor, and it would surely be rubbed out by today. Most important, don't listen when the little voice of fear inside you rears its ugly head and says. 'They're all smarter than you out there. They're more talented, they're taller, blonder, prettier, luckier, and they have connections. I firmly believe that if you follow a path that interests you, not to the exclusion of love, sensitivity, and cooperation with others, but with the strength of conviction that you can move others by your own efforts, and do not make success or failure the criteria by which you live, the chances are you'll be a person worthy of your own respects." - Neil Simon

We have to be able to communicate our needs if we want them to be met!  It's amazing to me how many folks I meet who are afraid, for many reasons, to not ask for what they want.

"Ask and it is given" is not just some silly phrase muttered by an ancient guy for his own good. It's a real spiritual law. Our minds get in the way.

First, we think we aren't worthy of what we are asking for. Then, we are  worried that if we really ask for what we want that those around us will abandon us and leave. We fear that we are not worthy, not loveable and we fear abandonment.

But I say that anyone who leaves you because you step into your power is a GOOD THING! We can only mold powerful lives if we are willing to keep a high standard around what we accept in our lives. To tolerate folks who only  "love" us when we fit the mold of how "they" want us to be isn't living an empowered life.

We must not lower ourselves to make others happy. No, instead we must step into our own large life and let go of whomever isn't cool with that.

You hear me!? LET THEM GO! If they aren't down for you to be empowered, there isn't enough room for them in your life, PERIOD. This isn't a selfish thing - this is a self-love thing. You want to rise? Surround yourself with people who have your best interest in mind! They will WANT to support you when you ask for what you want.

That's what you deserve. But you have to believe that you deserve it; ask for what you want and then be willing to let go of anyone who wants you to stay small. See yourself as large and step into your largeness. Celebrate those people in your life who celebrate your largeness. And celebrate their largeness, too!

The people who guilt trip you or threaten to leave you when you ask for what  you really want don't have your best interest in mind. They are threatened by your potential power and freedom. Free yourself from these chains! Let go of the heavy weight of those folks who can only see you as being small. Love  yourself enough to walk away and keep high standards so only those who are down for your largeness are in your life.

Throw off your fear, open up and boldly ask for what you want! And give  those you Love the room to do the same!

Fadah P's All White Virgo Affair!

Fadah P is one of Boston's most loved Selectors and radio jocks, so it's no surprise that the city is going into overdrive in preparation for his All White Birthday bash!

Some of the industries elite will be on hand to celebrate this party of parties including Froggy Madd Squad, Junior Rodigan, Nico Bam Bam, Mikey Million, Shortman Movements and many more.

We spoke to Fadah P who says he's blessed to see another year, and is happy that some of his closest friends will celebrate his special day with him.  His one request is for everyone to come to his party tomorrow at Kay's Oasis!

With that said, he's asking, and we're asking that you make 1125 Blue Hill Avenue in Boston your "Final Destination" as we celebrate one of the best in the business!

Some of the artists sending Fadah love include Delly Ranx, Gappy Ranks, Pamputae, Kris Kelli and more.  To see and hear what they have to say, click on the video below!  Peep the flyer too for full musical line up!

Waves of Healing

Taken from the Daily OM.com

"There is much we can learn from the ocean as we have a similar inner landscape within us as well."

Like us, the sea is ever-changing. And, like us, the earth’s vast oceans appear at a distance to be stable and homogenous. But beneath the mask of solidity that both we and the sea wear, there lies unpredictability, sensitivity, and power. There is much we can learn from the ocean, representative as it is of our inner landscapes. The rough sounds of the sea’s waves are spiritually soothing, and its salt can purify our physical selves. Yet not everyone has the luxury of living by the shore or even visiting the coastlines where water and land meet. The ocean, however, exists in our conscious minds, put there by images we have seen and descriptions we have read. Wherever we are, we can access that mental image and use it as the starting point from which we can help to heal our emotions by meditating on the sea.

To begin, gather together any ocean artifacts you may have on hand. Seashells, a vial of sand, beach glass, stones rubbed smooth by the pounding surf, or a recording of ocean sounds can help you slip more deeply into this meditation, but they are not necessary. Sit quietly and visualize the ocean in your mind’s eye. Allow all of your senses to participate in your mental journey. Feel the tiny grains of sand beneath your feet and the cool spray of mist; hear the sea’s rhythmic roar as the waves meet the beach and retreat; smell the tang of salt in the air. Watch the sun’s rays play over the ocean’s surface, creating shifting spots of teal, cerulean, cobalt, and green. Don’t be surprised if you see dolphins or whales frolicking in the waves—they are there to assist you. Spend a few minutes drinking in the ocean’s beauty and appreciating its vast splendor.

Once you are fully engaged with the setting before you, visualize yourself sitting on the beach, facing the ocean, and watching the waves advance and retreat. As each new wave of seawater approaches, imagine it carrying healing energy toward you. The magnificent ocean in your thoughts is sending you light and love while the sun supports your healing efforts and Mother Earth grounds you in the moment so healing can occur. When you feel you are finished, grant the ocean your earnest gratitude for the aid it has given you. Thank the sun, the sand, and any other elements of your visualization that offered you guidance. Perform this meditation daily or monthly in order to rid yourself of negativity and reestablish emotional equilibrium. Just as the ocean’s tides sweep the shores free of detritus, restoring balance, so can the waves in our mind’s eye cleanse our souls of what no longer serves us.

Keeping Our Minds Supple!

Taken from The Daily OM.com

Being open-minded means that we are willing to question everything, including those things we take for granted.

A lot of people feel threatened if they feel they are being asked to question their cherished beliefs or their perception of reality. Yet questioning is what keeps our minds supple and strong. Simply settling on one way of seeing things and refusing to be open to other possibilities makes the mind rigid and generally creates a restrictive and uncomfortable atmosphere. We all know someone who refuses to budge on one or more issues, and we may have our own sacred cows that could use a little prodding. Being open-minded means that we are willing to question everything, including those things we take for granted.

A willingness to question everything, even things we are sure we are right about, can shake us out of complacency and reinvigorate our minds, opening us up to understanding people and perspectives that were alien to us before. This alone is good reason to remain inquisitive, no matter how much experience we have or how old we get. In the Zen tradition, this willingness to question is known as beginner’s mind, and it has a way of generating possibilities we couldn’t have seen from the point of view of knowing something with certainty. The willingness to question everything doesn’t necessarily mean we don’t believe in anything at all, and it doesn’t mean we have to question every single thing in the world every minute of the day. It just means that we are humble enough to acknowledge how little we actually know about the mysterious universe we call home.

Nearly every revolutionary change in the history of human progress came about because someone questioned some time-honored belief or tradition and in doing so revealed a new truth, a new way of doing things, or a new standard for ethical and moral behavior. Just so, a commitment to staying open and inquisitive in our own individual lives can lead us to new personal revolutions and truths, truths that we will hopefully, for the sake of our growth, remain open to questioning.

 

Look With The Eyes of Love!

Taken from Mastin at The Daily Love.com

"We see black and white
In between is what's right
Time fades all colors
And your darks will turn light..."
- Ofer Abraham Moses


What does that mean, exactly? I mean, it SOUNDS nice, right? "Look at them with the eyes of Love..."  Yeah, who WOULDN'T want that?  But I can hear the negative voice in my mind going, "Mastin, WTF does THAT mean?!"

To me, what it means is to see all communication as either an expression of, or a request for, Love. It also means remembering that someone's actions, statements, beliefs and actions have nothing to do with you, so to take anything personally is to take responsibility for the other person's perception.

If everything someone does is but a projection of their own world view and their action is either a request or an expression of giving Love, that makes it much easier to understand, talk to, engage with and resolve with people.

When someone calls you a name, it's his or her projection and underneath that is a deep and perhaps unconscious desire to just be Loved. When someone critiques you, it's a reflection of his or her own inner critic and you can simply take it as feedback instead of a judgment about your worth or abilities.

If you decide to open up to someone and reveal yourself and he or she doesn't like it, it does not define you, it's just more feedback.

Many times we are so afraid of losing someone or so desperate for approval that we alter ourselves to please other people and end up with major resentment and frustration. Then, we tend to externalize those feelings and then blame the other person or people for them - when, in reality, we've done it to ourself. The person we are really resentful toward is ourself; the person who is response-able for our circumstance is us, because we have chosen our way into this moment. Perhaps we have chosen to not reveal who we really are or what we really want. Perhaps we take on and assume the judgments of others and then act on them, slowly cutting off our own self-worth and heart. Perhaps we need Love so much that when someone touches where we are wounded just a little bit, we lash out at him or her for inflicting this hurt.

But you see, the only person who can inflict hurt, judgment and make it stick in our lives is us. Everything, EVERYTHING outside of ourselves is just INFORMATION. And WE, with the gift of FREE WILL, get to CHOOSE how we want to interpret the outside world and then what ACTION we will take as a result of our interpretations.

We should not fear opening up and being abandoned (this just means we are beginning to manifest an authentic life); no, we should fear closing down and never taking the "risk" to be vulnerable. Life is short - demand the most and the best from it, starting with the most and the best of yourself.

So, where are you asking for Love and blaming someone else? Where is someone else asking for Love and blaming you? What can you do today to take your guard down, not take things personally and send Love to yourself and those who are asking for it?

 

L3 Magazine September, 2011 ft. Miss Jamaica Universe + More...

Canada’s leading Caribbean-Urban online publication, L3 Magazine, has just released their September edition which sees the team connect fans and readers with Miss Jamaica Universe, Jessica Rich from VH1 and Eric Blagrove, founder of the Montreal International Reggae Festival.

Interviewed in Kingston, Jamaica, Miss Jamaica Universe opens up0 on how she prepared for this years’ Miss Universe competition, what it’s like to represent a nation of 2 million plus people, as well as the cause she is campaigning for within the Miss Universe competition and outside of it which is Sickle Cell Anemia.

Jessica Rich is a VH1 actress, and reality TV starlet based in Los Angeles, California.  Having appeared in the show Real Chance of Love as well as having hosted key television events for BET, people would be surprised to know that she is also a fierce business person who has plans outside of the reality TV industry.  She also has a very famous aunt who gives her sound advice.  This is a must read!

 Eric Blagrove is a man you may not know, but he is a man you experience!  This Reggae and music pioneer transformed the Montreal list of elite summer events to include the highly successful Montreal International Reggae Festival.  Considering that the festival attracts 20,000 plus attendees, readers will be surprised as to how the festival’s founder selects artists to perform on the stage.  Mr. Blagrove also shares the reason why Mavado didn’t perform at this years’ festival.

Additional highlights in the September edition of L3 Magazine include Platinum Kidz, Taddy P who puts Bass in your face, Chris Walker’s R&B album ‘Zone,’ Guinness Sounds of Greatness, Africa Fashion Week – London, as well as part 1 of an ongoing series called ‘A Private School.’  In that series, playright Gloria Gomez introduces readers to the character Bobo as he relocates from a private school in Jamaica to a high school in Toronto, Canada.  This with music reviews make the September edition of L3 Magazine a definite must read!

Make sure you log on for these great articles and more!  www.L3Magazine.com

  

Melodies of the Heart Vol. 2

Melodies of the Heart is a quarterly concert series that is showcasing live entertainers under the title Melodies of the Heart.  Together with the support of our amazingly talented Canadian artists, these events will result in the growth of awareness of Canadian Art and Culture and Urban music here in Canada.  It will also foster as a medium where young entertainers can meet to express themselves and market their products directly to their fans while raising funds for charities.

The second event in this series will be a live concert to benefit Sickle Cell Association of Ontario and Red Cross for Africa Relief taking place on Thanksgiving weekend, Sunday, October 9th, 2011 inside the legendary El Mocambo, 464 Spadina Ave, Toronto (Spadina @ College). 

Featuring some of Canada’s top Urban and Reggae performers all back by Iauwata & H.I.M Band; artists such as Juno Award Winner Korexion, Juno Award Winner Sonia Collymore, Eyesus and RnB Sensation Carlos Morgan to name a few.  There will also be an after party with some of Toronto’s top Urban Djs such as Tasha Roses, Suppa Natty, Bigga Boss and DJ King Sharpe.

These events are open to all music lovers.  For additional information about Melodies of the Heart log on to http://www.wix.com/heartmelodies/melodies