Womb + Compassion = Justice

In Hebrew and Arabic the word for compassion comes from the word for "womb" (The Return of the Black Madonna: A Sign of Our Times or How the Black Madonna Is Shaking Us Up for the Twenty-First Century by Rev. Matthew Fox, Ph.D). I find the connection between the womb and compassion extremely interesting. "Meister Eckhart knew and taught: Compassion means justice." If compassion comes from the word for womb and compassion means justice then the womb does not only have the capacity to create life but justice.

Dr. Cornel West states that "justice is compassion in the public square" which means that as women our womb wellness will directly impact our ability to give compassion and practice justice in our society. If we look around our communities and see a lack of compassion and grave injustices we need to examine how we are treating our wombs-spiritually, mentally and physically. I do know the social causes of systematic oppression but I also know that our wombs give us the power to not only create life but to create art, love, compassion, justice and our entire reality. We are spirits, souls and bodies and if we are out of balance in any area it will affect our ability to practice compassion first with ourselves and finally with our neighbor.

As women we have to claim our divine right to co-create a world of compassionate justice with God. Women can be the moral compass of the world if we have the courage to heal ourselves and then in turn spread this healing to our children, lovers, neighbors and communities. This energy of healing will then vibrate throughout the entire world. In the documentary "Pray the Devil Back to Hell" Christian and Muslim women in a war-torn African nation combine forces to end war; this is just a small example of the power of wombs can yield if we only take a chance on just co-creation.

Many women suffer with womb wellness issues, especially Black women. I do not think it's a coincidence that the group that faces the most injustice and receives the least compassion faces the highest rates of womb wellness issues. There is a divine connection between our liberation as women and our womb wellness. Though healing is our divine birthright it is ultimately our choice.

How can we balance the scales of justice for the healing of our wombs and communities?

How can we show compassion to our wombs?

"Remember Life is for Living and Love is a Choice!"

Wholeness4ALL-http://www.wholeness4all.wordpress.com

Breaking The Breastfeeding Barrier

With so many myths surrounding breastfeeding, it can be easy to see why so many women shy away from it.

And although almost every doctor will tell you that breast is best when it comes to feeding and nurturing your child, some women have let the so called "breast stigmata" send them all but running for the infant formula hills, when it is time to give their baby a taste of first milk.

So just what are the true benefits that come along with breastfeeding, and how can you be sure that breastfeeding is best for you? let us investigate and see shall we.

According to The American Academy of Pediatrics breastmilk should be offered for at least the first six months of an infants life and would recommend that mothers breastfeed for the child's first twelve months if not more.

Breast milk has been found to be the best source of nutrition your baby could ever need and for numerous reasons.

Human milk contains two types of proteins specifically targeted for human consumption Whey and Casein.

Most infant formula's find it very hard to perfectly balance the two proteins equally, making it difficult for some babies to digest.

Some new mothers say they choose formula over breastmilk, because they feared their milk supply would never be enough to nourish their baby.

And although a few women have experienced a slow let down, in the beginning of their breastfeeding journey, the average lactating mother can produce up to 32 ounces of milk in a twenty-four hour setting.

I had a pregnant woman tell me, she feared breastfeeding because she heard it was extremely painful.

And while some women do experience tenderness in the breast after delivery, that can make breastfeeding quite uncomfortable, most breastfeeding pain will come from your baby latching on to you improperly.

Other new mothers are worried that, their breast will sag and never look the same if they breastfeed.

But the reality is, gravity, mother nature, and age will do way more damage to your lady humps, than breastfeeding ever will.

In fact your breast become very full, a few days after delivery and most women go up a few bra sizes. and although some breast may be left a bit less perky after breastfeeding, most women report they have experienced no major breast changes once they have weaned their babies.

What about the fear of springing a leak in a public place, who wants that attention drawn to them one expectant mother asked me during one of my surveys regarding breast versus formula.

And for her question, I point out that although it is common to leak from the breast getting to full close to your babies feeding time, the breastfeeding market offers a wide variety of comfortable, durable breast pads that will ensure your most leakiest moments will go unnoticed to the general public's eye.

And the biggest breastfeeding stigma of all, goes to the fear of embarrassment. Many new mothers simply can not phantom the idea of breastfeeding in public.
some women feel they could never breastfeed their baby in a crowded setting such as a mall, for fear of complete strangers gawking at them.

However, with the many covers and shields on the market today breastfeeding in public places, has never been more discreet.

With a healthy approach, a positive attitude. and plenty of loving patience breastfeeding can not only be a great source of nutrition for your baby, but also become a way for you to snuggle close to your child and bond as nature intended.

I am a successful exclusive breastfeeding parent of, a very happy and healthy 2 year old, and although I have introduced a solid diet into her world, she still breastfeeds and is self weaning.

Simplify Your Holiday Schedule in Two Easy Steps

 

One December several years ago, my husband casually observed, "You don't like Christmas very much, do you?" I was heartbroken. I love the holidays, but I realized that I had lost my enthusiasm by trying to do too much - stress had taken all of the fun out of it. I certainly didn't want to ruin it for my family, too. That was the year I started making an effort to prune my "holiday overachiever" mentality, relax and enjoy the season. Easier said than done, I know. Still, I've managed to convince my husband that I'm really not a Grinch. You can simplify and reduce stress in two easy steps:

1. Prioritize activities and events.

Gather the family together and get out your calendar. Decide which events are on your "must do" list: visits with family, religious observations, and school activities such as holiday recitals and concerts may be most important to you. Then, look at the rest of your options. If you discover, as we did, that you are invited to holiday parties three nights in a row, you may want to rethink your plans. Ask your kids which events are really important to them. You may be surprised to discover that rituals we take for granted, such as visiting Santa, may not matter to them, particularly as they get older. This will free up some time for some much-needed R & R.

2. Simplify your "to-do" list.

•I've really pared down my holiday baking. Try one of the "One Dough Makes Ten Cookies" recipes or organize a cookie exchange with your friends. Keep it simple by sticking to your strengths. I finally gave up on making candy from scratch - I'm just not good at anything that requires a thermometer. Instead, we make peppermint bark by melting chocolate in the microwave, spreading it on a cookie sheet and sprinkling it with chopped up candy canes. My kids absolutely love smashing the candy canes and have been demanding to know when we are making peppermint bark!
•I've also simplified my shopping - we live in a remote mountain location - so what I can't buy locally I buy online and ship directly to long-distance family. No more all-day trips to the outlet mall.
•I also don't send hand-made cards anymore. I like Smilebox for making a nice slide show e-card that can easily be emailed or shared on social media.

I know how strong the temptation is to make everything "perfect" for your family, but is it really worth it if you're trying too hard and losing your holiday spirit? As working moms, we have enough on our plates already. Relax and enjoy yourself and your family will, too.

Feel like you're too busy to enjoy being a mom? Want to make changes and achieve a better work/family balance? Contact Certified Professional Life Coach Jenny Lewis to explore your New Frontiers with confidence. Download her free guide, Five Essentials for Happy Working Moms at http://www.newfrontierslifecoaching.com

The Importance of Having a Women's Healthcare Institute

The majority of women unfortunately do not make their health as important an issue as it should be. Taking care of yourself means being aware of your body and keeping yourself in the best health, and you can only do this when you understand your body and the different conditions that can plague it.

Women's health is still somewhat of a hidden issue, but we as a society are seeming to become more and more okay and accepting of it.

Women's health services are imperative to have available. After all, there are hundreds of different serious health conditions that a woman can develop, and the biggest problem is that the majority of these conditions can be underlying, meaning that they show no symptoms and the woman may not even realize that anything is wrong.

One of the most commonly contracted conditions that is included in this category is the human papillomavirus, better known as HPV. This is a sexually transmitted disease that often can go unnoticed due to a lack of symptoms, and this can be devastating because this is the most common reason that a woman develops ovarian cancer.

Women's Healthcare Institute

Because of the importance of women's health, it is therefore crucial that every woman know of a women's healthcare institute available in their local area. This is important because then they can visit or contact this women's healthcare institute when they are having a problem and can speak to qualified and experienced physicians that they can trust.

If you are interested in finding a women's healthcare institute in your local area, the first thing you should do is talk to your primary health care worker. Talk to your doctor and let them know that you would like to get the contact information for one of these centers available in your area, and they should have some very valuable information to offer you.

Also keep in mind that as women's health is being made into more of an issue around the world, more and more research and educational women's health centers are opening up, so you will want to keep your eyes and ears open on this and make sure you are aware if any pop up in your area.

Learning about your health means loving yourself inside and out, and if you want to live a long, healthy and happy life, this is something that you are going to need to do.

Antony Richard,Internet Marketer please visit my site to read more topics

 

Gender Identification Challenges in Online Edited Writing and Copywriting Considered

Generally, when we read a news item from an online source there is a name attached to the article but not always. When we read these articles with no name, we probably often wonder who wrote it, if they are male or female, or what their background is. It seems rather unfortunate when the author is not identified in the article, and it also leaves question marks in our minds having a stop and wonder if the article is even credible.

It may very well be, but if we can't even know the sex of the person who wrote it, how are we to be sure if the advice being given is legitimate, or worthy. Let me give you an example where this might matter. Perhaps you are reading an article about relationships, dating, marriage, or getting along with your spouse. Wouldn't you care who wrote the article, and what sex they are? After all, you might consider the advice to be less than relevant or take it with a grain of salt depending on what the gender of the author was.

In an interesting research paper on this topic "Automatically Profiling the Author of an Anonymous Text," by Shlomo Argamon, Moshe Koppel, James W. Pennebaker, and Jonathan Schler the researchers looked at bloggers and forum posters online and were able to determine the gender of the individual posters at an alarmingly high percentage.

In one table the research paper shows; "the style features that prove to be most useful for gender discrimination are determiners and prepositions (markers of male writing) and pronouns (markers of female writing). (Note that for the case of gender, as with all the other problems we consider here, the most discriminating style features include parts-of-speech and not only function words."

Well, that's pretty good isn't it? These computer algorithms can figure out to a very high percentage of probability the gender of the author. However, what if it is a man writing an article who has his secretary edit it, or what if a woman wrote the article, and she has an editing team, and a male was the one doing the editing? Then all bets are off, and the article will appear to have been written by either a man or a woman, or it simply won't register on either side of that scale, rather the computer algorithm will show it as gender-neutral, or take a guess, which could easily be wrong, due to a much lower probability.

This is why I have to question the author gender identification algorithms and their use in the real world, or rather using a real application of an article written and posted online in the virtual world. It's not that these systems don't work well and come with a high probability rather, it is that sometimes they can't work at all or they could give us a false positive, or the wrong impression.

Likewise, if you are reading the text of a speech given by a politician, we need to ask who the speechwriter was, a male politician could be reading a speech written by a female speechwriter, and the computer system might show that it was written by a woman, but we know that a man was the one the one who stood up to the podium and stated those words.

Although these things are known by those that write the algorithms for author gender identification, this is not something that is widely considered by those who might assume that the high percentage rates and probabilities are valid in all cases. Please consider all this and think on it. By the way this article was written and edited by a man, but you already knew that due to its poor quality!

Lance Winslow is the Founder of the Online Think Tank, a diverse group of achievers, experts, innovators, entrepreneurs, thinkers, futurists, academics, dreamers, leaders, and general all around brilliant minds. Lance Winslow hopes you've enjoyed today's discussion and topic. http://www.WorldThinkTank.net - Have an important subject to discuss, contact Lance Winslow.

 

Guarding You: Tips on Guarding Yourself Against Sexual Violence

I guess that I have been watching too many real life crime shows as of late. Maybe, maybe not, but I am becoming increasingly concerned about people being assaulted, kidnapped, injured or killed by harmful people. Perhaps we need more information. There is a great deal of information about personal safety out there but it might not always be discussed as regularly as it needs to be. Below are just a few tips to keep in mind and share.

•When someone approaches you in a public setting. Be aware that that someone may attempt to distract you to draw your attention away from being alert and slightly guarded.

•Too often when we do get a strange feeling or a feeling that something isn't quite right, we tell ourselves that nothing will happen or that we are being paranoid. It is always better to paranoid than injured or harmed in some other way.

•Be aware that it is dangerous to leave your beverages unattended if you are in the company of persons you do not know and trust well whether they be male or female.

•Be aware that it is not safe to be in a position that causes you to be dependent upon another person. Carry a well-charged cell phone and always memorize the numbers of persons you can call in a jam. Be sure to call people that can actually come to pick you up. They have transportation, they are nearby and an illness or condition is not an obstacle to their coming to the rescue. A call to a friend or relative who can't come to your assistance is not the best use of your phone call.

•When communicating your limits and boundaries speak from an assertive stance. Speak clearly in short concise statements. Polite statements may be ignored. Make it clear that your decision is not up for discussion.

•Be aware that a violent crime can happen to anyone. Ignoring that reality may further increase your risk of becoming a victim.

It is important to remember that we should think about our personal safety even when we feel that we know the person. Dating partners or people who have an attraction to you easily come to mind. Between 70-80% of all sexual assaults occur at the hands of someone that the victim knows.

These points of awareness may help to reduce your risk of sexual assault but may not entirely prevent this violent crime from occurring. It is essential that you know on every level of your being that the offender is always to blame and that sexual assault is never the fault of the survivor! No one "asks for" or deserves to be sexually assaulted no matter what. It is one of the worst and prevalent violations of human kind.

Should the unfortunate occur, be aware that help is available. I would personally recommend contacting the National Sexual Assault Hotline @ 1-800-656-HOPE(4673). You may also contact the Rape, Incest, and Abuse National Network or http://www.rainn.org.

Tonya Genison Prince is a domestic and sexual violence expert who educates through speaking engagements and writing. She is the author of the blog: Lights! Voices! Action! at http://www.lights-voices-action.com Email: tonyaprince@live.com

 

Top Ways to Pamper Yourself

Is your busy career giving you stress? Why not take some time off and pamper yourself a little? A long bath, a massage therapy, and sumptuous dinner with friends or family, are just some of the things you should try.

People with busy lifestyle often deal with stress. Sometimes they tend to focus only on their careers and forget some of the finest things in life. If you are one of them, maybe it is time to know some ways to pamper yourself after a tiring day at work or during weekends. Here are some of the things you can try to relax your mind and body.

Take a long bath.

A long bath will help calm your body. Thirty to sixty minutes of relaxing in your bath is a great way to relieve stress. Go for a long soak in the tub with bath oil and bubbles. The scent of lavender bath oil, for instance, can help you forget the pressure of work and worries for the following day.

In case you want a shower, it is wise to take it slow. Use warm water and let it pour on you for several minutes.Just standing there for a short while will reduce your stress level. This can also help relax tired muscles and a worried mind.

Cook and dine with the family.

Another way to spend a restful evening is to bond with your family or with someone dear to you. Go and prepare your favorite dish together.This is a lot better than having a box of pizza delivered. This is also a great time to talk about what happened during the day or about some plans for the coming holiday.

Watch your favorite TV show or movie.

Maybe you are often too tired to watch your favorite movie or TV series. Try going home early and treat yourself by catching it. Whether it is silly or gory, watching your favorite show is always a pleasure. Grab some snack from the fridge and munch on them as you watch.

It is also a wise idea to watch a chick flick from your DVD collection at home. You can choose your favorite movie or perhaps try one you haven't seen before or for a long time.Laugh aloud if it is comedy; cry if it's a tearjerker; and shout if it's scary. Letting out emotions is a sure way to take a load off.

Get a massage

Another great way to pamper yourself is by getting massage therapy. You can choose from different types such as Zen and Swedish massage. Other than its relaxing effect, it also has a number of health benefits. For one, it helps restore tired muscles and realigns your spine and joints.Body pains due to work-related activities can also be relieved through the help of a professional masseuse.

Most importantly, massage helps reduce levels of depression and anxiety. You will start to see how soothing and relaxing it is when you start feeling sleepy on the massage bed. It is also easy to find reliable massage specialists when you go online. A few searches on the Internet will give you a number of choices.

Visit sites like placetoheal.com for a great massage service.

Christopher is a physical therapist who writes articles on different relaxation techniques and massage therapies.

http://WomensInterests-Articles.blogspot.com
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