So the first book that I finished in 2015 is "sisters of the yam: black women and self recovery" by bell hooks. I've been on a 6 month mission to regain control of my emotions. My mom had been suggesting a self-help book for the longest. I was anti-self help books and had been for a long time. I'm like, no one can tell me how to live my life but myself. BUT I took my mom's advice and stepped outside the box.
I decided on a book by bell hooks, well because I am a trained academic. I tend to give more respect to people who are also trained academically. bell hooks is a well known Black feminist author. I can say that I have read some of her work, but I haven't worship'd it. I say that because people worship her and her thinking. lol. I guess I have never identified as a feminist. Not that I don't believe in women rights or women equality, I just never identified myself as a feminist. I've had some issues with owning my womanhood. I've been mostly focus on my identity as a Black person in this world. My female identity had never been something that was of major concern to me. However, I am just now starting to own my woman. Own the goddess that is within. Its been a work in progress. Okay...back to the book...
So this book had a few interesting elements. One thing that I appreciated about this book is that it tied the struggles of Black women to history. bell hooks did a good job by situating our modern day concerns with how it relates to our history as a people. Making connections to institutionalized slavery and oppression. That is something that is not necessarily always present on our minds. But it is good to be reminded of the history.
Here are some quotes from the book that really spoke to me:
"it is practically impossible to maintain a spirit of emotional well being if one is daily doing work that is unsatisfying."(32) Need I say more. Don't we know this, lol. Going into a job everyday that has a toxic environment can harm the spirit and halt growth. That's real!
quoted Mwalimu Imara (professor of Ethics and Human Values) "abandoning old ways and breaking old patterns is like dying, at least dying to old ways of life for an unknown new life of meaning and relationship. But living without change is not living at all, not growing at all. Dying is a precondition for living." (84) We can see this in nature. A tree grows, the leaves die off, then new leaves grow. Change is growth.
quoted Lorraine Hansberry (playwriter/author) "we were not a loving people: we were passionate in our hostility and affinities, but the career embarrassed us. We have changed a little." (89) OMG, if this isn't my family. Growing up we showed each other love by capping or clowning each other. Rarely, if ever, did you actually hear people tell each other I LOVE YOU. Or give each other an embracing hug or kiss (unless one was ill). This is something that I have struggled with in my personal relationships. How to show affection and be comfortable with it. But I have grown, and I vow to change this cycle when I start my own family (and I have also started to gradually change with my present day family lol).
"love heals." (111) Simply stated, yet carries so much weight.
quoted Susan Jeffers (psychologist) "I believe what all of us are really searching for is this divine essence within ourselves." (142) I am definitely in search to become more in tune with my spirit guardians and with my inner goddess. I have been receiving many signs, and I am opening up my mind, body, heart and spirit to receive all of them. Taping into the universe energy, and leading with love.
Next book is "Ask and it is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Destiny" by Esther and Jerry Hicks
I decided on a book by bell hooks, well because I am a trained academic. I tend to give more respect to people who are also trained academically. bell hooks is a well known Black feminist author. I can say that I have read some of her work, but I haven't worship'd it. I say that because people worship her and her thinking. lol. I guess I have never identified as a feminist. Not that I don't believe in women rights or women equality, I just never identified myself as a feminist. I've had some issues with owning my womanhood. I've been mostly focus on my identity as a Black person in this world. My female identity had never been something that was of major concern to me. However, I am just now starting to own my woman. Own the goddess that is within. Its been a work in progress. Okay...back to the book...So this book had a few interesting elements. One thing that I appreciated about this book is that it tied the struggles of Black women to history. bell hooks did a good job by situating our modern day concerns with how it relates to our history as a people. Making connections to institutionalized slavery and oppression. That is something that is not necessarily always present on our minds. But it is good to be reminded of the history.
Here are some quotes from the book that really spoke to me:
"it is practically impossible to maintain a spirit of emotional well being if one is daily doing work that is unsatisfying."(32) Need I say more. Don't we know this, lol. Going into a job everyday that has a toxic environment can harm the spirit and halt growth. That's real!
quoted Mwalimu Imara (professor of Ethics and Human Values) "abandoning old ways and breaking old patterns is like dying, at least dying to old ways of life for an unknown new life of meaning and relationship. But living without change is not living at all, not growing at all. Dying is a precondition for living." (84) We can see this in nature. A tree grows, the leaves die off, then new leaves grow. Change is growth.
quoted Lorraine Hansberry (playwriter/author) "we were not a loving people: we were passionate in our hostility and affinities, but the career embarrassed us. We have changed a little." (89) OMG, if this isn't my family. Growing up we showed each other love by capping or clowning each other. Rarely, if ever, did you actually hear people tell each other I LOVE YOU. Or give each other an embracing hug or kiss (unless one was ill). This is something that I have struggled with in my personal relationships. How to show affection and be comfortable with it. But I have grown, and I vow to change this cycle when I start my own family (and I have also started to gradually change with my present day family lol).
"love heals." (111) Simply stated, yet carries so much weight.
quoted Susan Jeffers (psychologist) "I believe what all of us are really searching for is this divine essence within ourselves." (142) I am definitely in search to become more in tune with my spirit guardians and with my inner goddess. I have been receiving many signs, and I am opening up my mind, body, heart and spirit to receive all of them. Taping into the universe energy, and leading with love.
Next book is "Ask and it is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Destiny" by Esther and Jerry Hicks
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