4 Tools To Help Heighten Your Self Awareness

These are four tools that I've come across that have helped me to gain better knowledge of myself and the intricacies of my mind, body, and spirit.

1. The Enneagram- This is a model of the human personality which was developed in Alexandria in the 4th century and was introduced to the United States in the 1970s. It basically states that there are nine personality types: The Reformer, The Helper, The Achiever, The Individualist, The Investigator, The Loyalist, The Enthusiast, The Challenger, and The Peacemaker. This is what the enneagram looks like:

The figure may seem complicated, but it truly is not. I would recommend in depth analysis and reading to thoroughly understand all aspects of the enneagram (wings, subtypes, points of integration and disintegration etc). A VERY good book that breaks all of this down as well as each personality type at its healthy, average and unhealthy stages is:

Personality Types: Using the Enneagram for Self Discovery By Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson

Also, a few links to try and discover your enneatype by taking a short quiz:

http://www.eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/dotest.php

http://similarminds.com/test.html

http://www.enneagramtest.net/

2. Astrology and the Zodiac- This is the first tool that I really began utilizing for myself. I suggest very in depth research of your sun sign, which most people already know (I'm a Leo, born August 8th). Google your sign but try to be more specific with your search like "Leo female personality" or "Leo characteristics and traits". From there, I would suggest learning your moon sign, which can be found out by getting a free birth chart at this link http://www.0800-horoscope.com/birthchart.php/. To obtain a birth chart, you do need to know your TIME and PLACE of birth, which can be found on your birth certificate. Once you have your birth chart, begin researching those signs and the personality traits associated with them. I would definitely start googling things like "Sun in Leo, Moon in Cancer" or "Sun in Leo with Aries Ascendant". Then there are planets, and houses; its a very in depth science.

Also, read books!! Learn the history of astrology!! It is alot more than these simple ass horoscopes we see on twitter, facebook, and in the paper. A few good books I can suggest are:

But there are so, so many and everyone prefers different reading selections. Amazon has a number of books that you can get for less than $5 or just visit the library. Google also works just fine too.

3. MBTI Personality Typology- The Myers Briggs Test was developed by Isabel Myers Briggs and is based on the theory of psychological type presented by Carl Jung.  Jung basically states that humans have their rational functions (thinking and feeling) and irrational functions (sensing and intuition) and they are expressed in an introverted or extroverted sense. From this, the MBTI questionnaire was developed and your personality is described using a four letter schematic (ISTJ, ENFP, etc.) Many people typically use this tool to help them discover what career typically fits their personality, but I have found it EXTREMELY helpful in just understanding my motives and actions as a whole. The test can be taken at this link http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp or this one http://similarminds.com/jung.html.

4: Keirsey Temperament Sorter- Temperament is a configuration of observable personality traits, such as habits of communication, patterns of action, and sets of characteristic attitudes, values, and talents. It also encompasses personal needs, the kinds of contributions that individuals make in the workplace, and the roles they play in society. Dr. David Keirsey has identified mankind's four basic temperaments as the Artisan, the Guardian, the Rational, and the Idealist.This test can be taken at this link http://www.keirsey.com/sorter/instruments2.aspx.

Some tips when exploring any of these further or taking the quizzes especially:

• Have an OPEN MIND
• Be HONEST with yourself when answering the questions
• Look at various sources (books, websites, authors). Find one that YOU find credible 

I hope these can be as useful to others as they have been to me.

PEACE

Religion & Rap: Mind, Body, and Spirit

As I'm sitting here listening to Nipsey Hussle's Marathon Continues mix tape for like the 3rd time in a row, a fluster of thoughts/epiphanies (as I like to refer to these sudden realizations I have all the time when deep in thought) are running through my mind:


1. Nipsey Hussle is that ni**a! When the f**k is he gon' blow up! This man is definitely sexy, talented, and enlightened as f**k! He is definitely in touch with [my next thought/concept]:


2. Mind, Body, and Spirit. First let me explain that I do not identify with any specific religion. Many times people automatically put me in the "atheist" category. I am not an atheist! I have a very strong relationship with My God. I do not have anything against atheists though because I believe everyone is entitled to their own beliefs but let me not go off on a tangent. 


We've always gone by this little slogan right: Mind, Body, and Spirit (MBS). Being strong in MBS, healthy in MBS, alive in MBS, etc.  So I'm thinking this ancient slogan is so true! Its always the eldest, most simplest s**t that holds the most truth right? That's because everything that America and this westernized and capitalistic society teaches us is watered down shit to distract us from strengthening our MBS. We have a sense of these things, because the things that American society teaches us makes us SLIGHTLY aware of MBS.  Let me explain further:


Especially if you come from a public education, and even worse if from an inner-city neighborhood, the education system is horrible. The curriculum is racist and very skewed. The resources, including technology, books, space, and teachers, is limited. The unqualified teachers may just be the worst but I attribute that to the broken spirits and lack of love apparent in the human population.  That's just 1 quick example, but it explains the weakening of the individual's minds in America. Now for the body:


In life, we must preserve our body. This includes being alive, healthy, and prosperous in our endeavors, enjoying the wealth of the world by satisfying our hearts desires. First we must remain healthy, especially impoverished people. We have to eat the right foods, visit our physicians, exercise, have safe sex, stop over-indulging on drugs, alcohol and anything else that harms our bodies! Basically, we must stop indulging and feeding into the images and concepts that America emphasizes in our society. Money, sex, drugs, and fast food lol. These are but tests of the body that we must overcome in our lifetime by simultaneously strengthening our minds and :


Spirit. I am apt to say that this is the most important aspect of MBS to overcome but maybe it is just the most difficult.  Being strong in spirit, in my opinion is being aware of self. I know ppl probably hear conscious ppl say things like this all the time and the best explanation is, in my opinion, doing what the fuck you want (s/o to Drew for that lol). If that is not a good explanation for you, google self-actualization and Maslow's hierarchy of needs. In America, they emphasize individualization i.e freedom of speech and religion, and press blah blah blah which is why we are SLIGHTLY aware of our Spirit and our self. We are nowhere near free in this country and most ppl are zombies and so out of touch with themselves it is sad. The exploitation of Spirituality through organized religion and the capitalistic and money-hungry nature of America has left the individual so absent in spirit it is sad. 

Now, Mind, Body, and Spirit all connect with each other and by America weakening each one of these things simultaneously in society, and fast as f**k through a process called socialization (that muthafu**a), we are so lost in MBS it is disheartening. In life, if we can simultaneously work to overcome the challenges we face in mind, body, and spirit, we will reap the benefits of a fulfilled soul and joyful lifetime and will probably end up in whatever afterlife you believe in. This is hard as f**k though lol.

Nipsey is definitely powerful in MBS and it is apparent in his success as well as his lyrics. He definitely says some of the most realest s**t I have ever heard and he's got bars! Talent. IDK why he isn't hot yet. I'm just awaiting it because he is too hot to be slept on and he sparked this epiphany/post lol. Marathon 1 and 2 are both must listens, especially for people who have lived that life and are really not trying to be about that life anymore lol. No but really, his music is motivation music to get your grind together. Nipsey always shows love to his Christian faith on his tracks through stories and bars and his lines definitely show that he is very educated and aware. He is just one display of what constant work in strengthening the MBS can yield. 

Some of my fave Nipsey tracks:

1. You Don't Got A Clue
2. The Mansion
3. Tommy Gunz
4. A Million
5. They Know