Category Archives: Philosophy/Lifehack

Day 6, Kuumba, Creativity: Gifts from Me Inspired By The Kwanzaa Tradition

Day 6: Kuumba, Creativity

December 26, 2013

For the next 8 days, I will give you gifts (including some of My Beauty & Wellness Secrets) of My Creative Expressions inspired by the Principles of Kwanzaa!  Why?  Because (1) gift-giving is one of My Fetishes and this is a series of special posts to address many questions I receive about maintaining your wellness: Mind, Body and Spirit; and (2) this venture is part of My continuing gifts to improve the state of the Fetish Scene (and beyond) today, which, as with all things, begins and ends with each of Us.  So, I give you opportunities to expand your awareness and education, and to enjoy being creative!

The Kwanzaa tradition was founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga who created a uniquely, African-American and Pan-African holiday which is celebrated from December 26th through January 1st. Kwanzaa is related to many African celebrations of the first harvest.  (Read more on Holidays.net.)

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11Today, the sixth day of Kwanzaa’s Principles is Kuumba (creativity): Using creativity and imagination to make your communities better than what you inherited.

Pronounced koo-OOM-bah

Symbol: Muhindi (moo-HEEN-dee) represents the children (and future) of the family. One suke (ear) of corn is placed on the Mkeka for each child in the family. If there are no children in the family one suke is still placed on the Mkeka to symbolize the children of the community.  The Muhindi also represents the Native Americans who were the first inhabitants of the land. Without whom there would be no corn, also known as Maize. It is used as acknowledgment and respect of their contribution to the culture and ancestors of the African American.  A single ear of corn can also be know as Vibunzi. Indian Corn is sometimes used.  Note:  There are 7 Symbols of Kwanzaa.  I have included them in no specific order.

This year, Kuumba inspires Me to give up boredom and all things that block (and people who drain) My Creative Processes and Enjoyments.  Boredom is a sign that you are out of alignment with your purpose (see Kwanzaa 2013: Nia, Purpose).  Boredom is a result of stress, frustration, FEAR, avoiding personal issues, complacency, giving your power away, and a variety of other activities that you can control and improve in your life.  Ergo, boredom is a barometer for how well you are living.  You can also look at boredom as an indication of how well the CHOICES you make are working for you.

It is said that only boring people get bored.  So, when you get bored, you are clearly not taking the proper care of your mind-body-spirit to keep yourself stimulated to enjoy the creative process.  You need to make changes to your routine, your thoughts, and your actions.

She refused to be bored chiefly because she wasn’t boring. – Zelda Fitzgerald

It is the beginning of a new solar year, so everyone is thinking – whether consciously or connected to the subconscious vibrations all around Us – about the changes and “resolutions” they want to make in the coming year. Repeat after Me: Change is good and you can choose to define change to mean positive progress.  (Note:  Like computers respond to keystrokes, Our mind-body-spirit connection responds to what We say.  Words have power so choose your words carefully.  See also How to Turn Limp Affirmations into Mantras for Success!)

Change begins with intention followed by inspired action.  When you are inspired, you are never bored.  I have given a variety of tools in previous posts in this series and elsewhere on My Ask Mss Didi* resource blog.  Below are other resources to assist you in keeping your focus on Self-Love-and-Empowerment to BEing your Best and being thrilled by the process!

I know what I have given you; I do not know what you’ve received.  – Antonio Porchia

God[dess] helps those who help themselves. – Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanac, adapted from one of Æsop’s fables—Hercules and the Waggoner (6th century BC)

The 10 Differences Between Interesting People And Boring People

30 Things to Do to Keep From Getting Bored Out of Your Skull at Work

How to Build Your Creative Confidence –  watch video on TED Talks

Building Your Creative Muscles

The Mind Map: 6 Steps to Get Your Creativity Flowing

The war between being and nothingness is the underlying illness of the twentieth century. Boredom slays more of existence than war. – Norman Mailer

See related articles at the bottom of this post.

Here’s to BEing Your Best!

Always MY Pleasure,
Mss Didi*

www.PartyDomme.com

*****

If you have a question that has NOT already been addressed, you may Ask Mss Didi*. Remember your manners…

I’m a Domme, not your mom.

More of Mss Didi*s Words of Wisdom

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Being a Lifestyle Dominant for Her entire life, Mss Didi* has explored various aspects of the BDSM and D/s Scenes including 24/7 relationships, slave ownership, Professional Domination (before it became synonymous with “hoochies with whips) and Fetish Event Planning. Mss Didi* has benefited from an extensive education in the functions of the human body and psyche, holds a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Therapy and is currently working on Her PhD. As well as being the Founder of The Fetish League, Mss Didi* is a Model, Speaker, Author, Fetish Facilitator, Certified Hypnotherapist, Certified Psychotherapist, Certified Nutritionist, Certified Aromatherapist, and a graduate of The Institute of Culinary Arts with a specialty in vegetarian cooking. In Her* quest to change the public’s negative view of Fetish to a positive understanding of Fetish as Therapeutic Art, Mss Didi* promotes Fetish Appreciation through Her workshops, performances, and ClassicFetish™ Events. She* believes that the goal of the Dominant-submissive relationship is self-evolution for both to grow towards becoming the best that W/we can be as individuals, to each other, and to The Whole.

Day 5, Nia, Purpose: Gifts from Me Inspired By The Kwanzaa Tradition

Day 5: Nia

December 26, 2013

For the next 8 days, I will give you gifts (including some of My Beauty & Wellness Secrets) of My Creative Expressions inspired by the Principles of Kwanzaa!  Why?  Because (1) gift-giving is one of My Fetishes and this is a series of special posts to address many questions I receive about maintaining your wellness: Mind, Body and Spirit; and (2) this venture is part of My continuing gifts to improve the state of the Fetish Scene (and beyond) today, which, as with all things, begins and ends with each of Us.  So, I give you opportunities to expand your awareness and education, and to enjoy being creative!

The Kwanzaa tradition was founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga who created a uniquely, African-American and Pan-African holiday which is celebrated from December 26th through January 1st. Kwanzaa is related to many African celebrations of the first harvest.  (Read more on Holidays.net.)

 *****

Today, the fifth day of Kwanzaa’s Principles is Nia (purpose): To restore African American people to their traditional greatness. To be responsible to Those Who Came Before (our ancestors) and to Those Who Will Follow (our descendants).

Pronounced NEE-ah

Symbol: Mishumaa Saba (mee-shoo-MAH SAH-ba): The Seven Candles, representing the seven principles of Nguzo Saba (The 7 Principles of Kwanzaa), which are placed in the Kwanzaa Kinara. The colors of the candles are red, green, and black which are the colors of the Bendera (or African Flag).  Note:  There are 7 Symbols of Kwanzaa.  I have included them in no specific order.

SO….

Just when I thought I’d survived 2012’s challenges,  this past year’s gems elicited quite a few swear words…  HOWEVER, I am greatful for how life tried to kick My glorious butt because I got just the clarity I needed for the revival of My Mojo!   I’m feeling really good when I could choose to whine about it all.  Perspective is everything.

Challenges serve to define Us.  They are wonderful servants to show Us what We’re made of; to show Us Our thoughts then and now; to give Us opportunities to reflect and to redirect Our intentions; to assist Us in defining WHO, WHAT, and HOW We want to BE and WHY = Purpose.  The more clarity you have for your purpose, the more thrilling life is!

Most people make a mistake in believing that We only have one purpose in life and that once We choose something, that is what We need to devote all of Our time and attention to.  Another error is to think that your purpose is what you do rather than who and how you are.

The true point of your purpose in life is to BE Happy.

Happiness is defined by the quality of your life including how you feel about yourself.  When We choose to BE Our Best, We are constantly evolving to becoming better and better.  So, your purpose evolves with you, too.  And it is healthy to re-evaluate and update the process as you go along.

I am ever researching ways to make life better and more fun, of course!  Below are some of the gems I’ve found to maintain a positive and powerful journey of purpose!

Finding Your Purpose

Ask The Right Questions.  Success training teaches that when you ask the right questions, you get the right answers.  So, ask yourself empowering questions to clarify and define your purpose.   For example, asking, why am I stuck in a dead-end job? is a question that the answers to are only about being trapped in misery; asking, what do I love to do and how can I support myself doing it? yields answers to take positive actions toward the achievement of your desires.  Check out these guidelines to ask better questions for better results.

Get your priorities straight.  Organize, schedule, and commit to Life-Affirming activities.  Unless you’re making money from it, NO, Keeping Up With The Kardashians and other inane, brain-drain distractions serve NO value – not even for entertainment, because there is no intellectual or creative stimulation in time-and-energy-wasters of this kind.  They are “judgmental TV” where you exercise lower vibrations that suck the creativity and the ability to achieve right out of your life.  If you’re going to exercise  – which you SHOULD do daily – put your energy into maintaining your wellness and enhancing your knowledge.  It’s ludicrous to find time to schedule your life around useless activities that add to your unhealthy and unhappy ways when the same amount of time –  or less – can be used on fulfilling pursuits.   ONLY when you feel good, will your life be good.  The best way to feel good is to be healthy in mind, body, and spirit.

Stay stimulated.  What makes you feel alive?  What makes your life exciting and worth living?   It is scientifically and medically proven that keeping your brain exercised not only enhances the quality of your life throughout the aging process, but also prevents mental and physical deterioration – of course, spiritual health is affected, too.   Keep your focus on positive inspirations.  What you focus on expands.  That means that your attention affects your intention – which creates your outcome.

Do what makes you feel good on a regular basis.  Of course, I advocate regular mental and physical exercise.  Also, having a constructive hobby to engage in keeps your creative and self-loving energies flowing.  When you feel good, you look good, and life is better and better because your perspective permits you to make it so.  AND the better you feel and look, the better-quality people and situations will be attracted to you for collaboration and cooperation.  Which leads to:

Let go of what no longer serves your Highest Good.  This can be an extremely difficult commitment to make to your well-BEing.  As We grow personally and become Better, We discover how many of the people in Our lives are NOT really in Our corner.  Remember, most people operate from FEAR = False Experiences Appearing Real, and project their fears onto you.   Fear projection takes many forms, such as jealousy, sabotage, slander, and just about every form of abuse.  Sadly, We experience most of the abusive behaviors from people We love and trust.

While you can CHOOSE TO HAVE COMPASSION, it is paramount to your well-BEing to  “re-categorize” such individuals’ importance and place in your life.  This doesn’t mean that you stop loving them; it means that RIGHT NOW, you have to love yourself more by loving them in a different way – which can often mean “from afar.”  You CAN CHOOSE to avoid the “ugly drama” and playing the make-wrong games by creating “gentle distance” – which will definitely show the quality and intention of the individual by their reactions RIGHT NOW so that you can choose what you want to do concerning them in the immediate future.  There’s an expression:

If you love someone, set them free.  If they return to you, it’s meant to be.

Not everything or everyone is meant to be in your life forever.   We are all here to learn from each other.  Whatever the outcome, the ultimate lesson I’ve learned and maintain as a practice in My life is  to appreciate them for who they were in My life, and to release them for who they choose to be NOW.  This practice makes forgiveness a whole lot easier all the way around.  There is always the possibility that the person can return in the future to be a loving and supportive person in your life.  However, by letting go of negative, non-supportive people, situations, and things in your life (e.g., habits that contribute to unhealthy practices), you can keep your focus on your purpose, which is, ultimately, TO BE HAPPY.

See related articles at the bottom of this post.

Here’s to BEing Your Best!

Always MY Pleasure & The Best,
Mistress Didi*

*****

If you have a question that has NOT already been addressed, you may Ask Mss Didi*.  Remember your manners…

I’m a Domme, not your mom.

More of Mss Didi*s Words of Wisdom

FREEbook

©Mss Didi* ~ PartyDomme.com

readmynewsletter


Being a Lifestyle Dominant for Her entire life, Mss Didi* has explored various aspects of the BDSM and D/s Scenes including 24/7 relationships, slave ownership, Professional Domination (before it became synonymous with “hoochies with whips) and Fetish Event Planning.  Mss Didi* has benefited from an extensive education in the functions of the human body and psyche, holds a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Therapy and is currently working on Her PhD.

Day 4, Ujamaa, Collective Economics: Gifts from Me for Inspired By The Kwanzaa Tradition

Day 4: Ujamaa, Collective Economics

December 26, 2013

For the next 8 days, I will give you gifts (including some of My Beauty & Wellness Secrets) of My Creative Expressions inspired by the Principles of Kwanzaa!  Why?  Because (1) gift-giving is one of My Fetishes and this is a series of special posts to address many questions I receive about maintaining your wellness: Mind, Body and Spirit; and (2) this venture is part of My continuing gifts to improve the state of the Fetish Scene (and beyond) today, which, as with all things, begins and ends with each of Us.  So, I give you opportunities to expand your awareness and education, and to enjoy being creative!

The Kwanzaa tradition was founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga who created a uniquely, African-American and Pan-African holiday which is celebrated from December 26th through January 1st. Kwanzaa is related to many African celebrations of the first harvest.  (Read more on Holidays.net.)

 *****

mkeka "the mat"Today, the fourth day of Kwanzaa’s Principles is Ujamaa, Collective Economics: To build, maintain, and support our own stores, establishments, and businesses.

Pronounced: (oo-jah-MAH)

Symbol: The Mkeka (pronounced mm-KAY-kah) is a mat woven of fabric, raffia, or even paper that the other holiday implements rest upon.  It symbolizes the experiences, culture, achievements and sacrifices of Our ancestors upon which Our lives are built.  CLICK the graphic to download pattern for crafts with kids!  Note:  There are 7 Symbols of Kwanzaa.  I have included them in no specific order.

I make it a habit not to publicly discuss financial situations concerning Myself and/or any of My associates.  So, I approach this post with the concept of wealth and prosperity in terms of emotional and spiritual “currency.”  The concept of currency derived from an exchange of services, goods, needs, desires – things that add to the quality of life.

Ujamaa propels Me to forge forward with My commitment to restoring Fetish to its rightful place of respect, Art, and integrity at its best.  This year, I created 2 community building ventures:

The DommeSalon™ as a cooperative effort to offer valuable resources to not only Dommes, but anyone interested in developing and maintaining healthy, Fetish practices in Her/his life.  I launched the site with the assistance of only 1 Domme that I know only in passing and I began to receive articles from a number of fabulous Divas!  While it has been an extremely challenging year for Me, the contributions continue to come in and I look forward to building the site with Sister Editors in the future.  Check out the resources currently available on The DommeSalon™.

And by all means, if you would like to make a contribution, please contact The DommeSalon™  with what you would like to share!

I was also thrilled to have created EpicuresNYC Private Members Fetish Club where We enjoy communing with like-minds and energies in gorgeous surroundings with delicious delights!  We have regular SWIRL AfterWork ClassicFetish Soirees where We invite the public to check Us out while We do the same.  We’ve met a variety of lovely people who are now part of Our private Play dates!

I offer these values to The Community to build upon the wealth of information that We can all share when We come together to support each other.

So, in what ways can you/do you contribute to and support the wealth of your communities?

See related articles at the bottom of this post.

Always MY Pleasure & The Best,
Mistress Didi*

*****

If you have a question that has NOT already been addressed, you may Ask Mss Didi*.  Remember your manners…

I’m a Domme, not your mom.

More of Mss Didi*s Words of Wisdom

FREEbook

©Mss Didi* ~ PartyDomme.comreadmynewsletter


Being a Lifestyle Dominant for Her entire life, Mss Didi* has explored various aspects of the BDSM and D/s Scenes including 24/7 relationships, slave ownership, Professional Domination (before it became synonymous with “hoochies with whips) and Fetish Event Planning.  Mss Didi* has benefited from an extensive education in the functions of the human body and psyche, holds a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Therapy and is currently working on Her PhD.