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Anthony Mackie Reveals First Look At Falcon & The Winter Soldier – Heroic Hollywood

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

Avengers: Endgame star Anthony Mackie has shared a photo from the set of the Disney Plus series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Marvel Studios plans for the next phase of its cinematic universe includes a number of series for the Disney Plus streaming service, the first of which will center on Anthony Mackies Falcon and Sebastian Stans Winter Soldier. Production on The Falcon and the Winter Soldieris now underway and Anthony Mackie has shared his first photo from the set of the series on his official Twitter page.

Of course, Marvel Studios is keeping a tight lid on the secrets of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, meaning Anthony Mackies set photo was limited to the two chairs reserved for himself and Sebastian Stan. However, Anthony Mackie included a caption celebrating the start of production and welcoming the Falcon and the Winter Soldier team to the set, which appears to be located at a harbor.

You can check out Anthony Mackies The Falcon and Winter Soldier set photo below!

Are you excited to see Anthony Mackie and Sebastian return in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier?Sound-off in the comments!

The Falcon and The Winter Soldieris currently set to be the first Marvel Studios series to debut on Disney Plus. Set after the events ofAvengers: Endgame, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is rumored to center on Anthony Mackies Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes as the former finds himself facing resistance from the United States government and its opposition to him taking on the Captain America mantle.

Directed byKari Skogland from scripts written by showrunner Malcolm Spellman andDerek Kolstad,The Falcon and The Winter Soldierstars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Falcon, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes / The Winter Soldier,Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter,Daniel Brhlas Baron Helmut Zemo, andWyatt RussellasJohn Walker / U.S. Agent.

The Falcon and The Winter Soldierwill debut on Disney Plus in late 2020. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding Anthony Mackie and the upcoming series!

Source: Anthony Mackie

Along with the premiere of the first teaser forDoom Patrol,DC Universe also debuted a collection of character posters for each of the members of perhaps the strangest team of characters to be adapted in live-action form for DC Comics.

In particular, these new character posters highlight Timothy Dalton's The Chief, Diane Guerrero's Crazy Jane, Joivan Wade's Cyborg, April Bowlby's Elasti-Woman, Matt Bomer's Negative Man and Brendan Fraser's Robotman. These posters each follow unique designs that reflect the nature of each character and tease unique personalities amongst the group as well.

You can start the gallery of new posters by clicking "Next".

Which of theseDoom Patrolposters is your favorite? Are you excited to see what the cast brings to these roles? Sound off in the comments below, and be sure to continue following Heroic Hollywood for all the latest news in the DC Universe.

Doom Patrol is a reimagining of one of DCs strangest group of outcast Super Heroes which includes: Matt Bomer as Larry Trainor/Negative Man, Brendan Fraser as Cliff Steele/Robotman, April Bowlby as Elasti-Woman, Diane Guerrero as Crazy Jane, Joivan Wade as Victor Stone/Cyborg and Timothy Dalton as Dr. Niles Caulder/The Chief.

Here is the synopsis for the show:

Doom Patrolwill find the reluctant heroes in a place they never expected to be, called to action by Cyborg, who comes to them with a mission hard to refuse, but with a warning that is hard to ignore: their lives will never, ever be the same.

Doom Patrolwill premiere on February 15, 2019 exclusively on DC Universe.

Continued here:

Anthony Mackie Reveals First Look At Falcon & The Winter Soldier - Heroic Hollywood

The only thing deadlier than Leslie Smiths hands is (apparently) her Chapstick – MMA Mania

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

Bellator 233: Salter vs. van Steenis takes place this weekend (Fri., Nov. 8, 2019) at WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla., streaming live online via DAZN. Two Middleweights collide in the main event as John Salter (16-4) and Costello van Steenis (12-1) each look to improve their standing behind Rafael Lovato Jr. for a future title shot.

Speaking of future title shots, The Peacemaker Leslie Smith (11-7-1) is currently on a three-fight win streak, including her promotional debut at Bellator 224. Coincidentally that fight was in the exact same venue as her next bout this Friday against Arlene Blencowe (12-7). As physically and mentally durable as Smith is, shell have to redouble those efforts against Angerfist if she wants to move into Featherweight title contention. Blencowe has knockouts in 58 percent (seven of 12) of her wins, including her last two in a row. Either one will get in line behind Cyborg to face Julia Budd, but thats not such a bad place to be.

Smith recently spoke with Smith about returning to WinStar for another Bellator bout at 145 pounds and the curious fact she won her last outing by majority (not unanimous) decision.

Yeah, I was surprised, but I tend to think that Im winning fights when Im in em anyway. When youre inside of the cage, you can really steal somebody elses energy. You feel it going down. I feel like in a fight where theres this thing where youre kind of a VAMPIRE of someone elses energy, because theres a transfer of energy going on. So I know that people outside of the cage cant feel that, and so my reality is a little bit different from their understanding.

Although John McCarthy said round two was close during the Sinead Kavanagh fight, the striking dominance and forward aggression throughout defy one judge scoring it 28-28.

I was really surprised that she was avoiding me so much. I really thought especially after watching her fight against Arlene Blencowe, who Im about to face, they really stood toe to toe with each other in the middle of the cage. Thats how I was expecting Sinead to come at me, or just to stay there with me, and so when we ended up with her backpedaling and me pushing her to the outside of the cage the whole time, it was not what I expected so I had to adjust pretty quickly.

Alls well that ends well, though, and happily the win does indeed set her up to face Angerfist Blencowe this Friday night, an opportunity Smith is very excited about.

Im still waiting for the opponent who is going to stand in the middle and bang with me. I feel like thats the kind of fight that I really enjoy, thats the kind of opponent I really enjoy, and I feel like thats the kind of fight that the fans enjoy the most. Im hoping that Arlene is going to be the one who stays up there in the middle of the plate.

Both women are returning to the same venue they fought at last time out, but as the native country fighter Smith may have the homefield advantage here.

Yeah, totally! Im excited! Its always nice to have a little bit of familiarity, and I know some things about the area. Ive got an AirBNB set up which is nice, its always nice to have a spot a little bit away from the casino to go to. I know ahead of time not to bring anything into the venue. They wouldnt even let me bring Chapstick! The commission, they couldnt let me bring Chapstick into the back.

Its hard to imagine that would be considered a performance-enhancing drug (PED), but Ill let The Peacemaker tell the story herself.

Keri Melendez, my teammate, she has been coaching me and training with me, she just won her fight a month ago in Temecula. She was standing right next to me and the commissioner was like, Uh yeah so you cant bring that and it was more than Chapstick. It was Chapstick and mascara, you know I wanted to look nice after the fight. And I looked at him and I was like, Its MAKEUP! Like, are you serious? I thought he was just kidding! And he was like, Yeah, no. You cant bring it. And so I was like, Huh? And Keri looked over at that moment and she was like, Do you want me to take that? And I was like, Uh, you can TRY! So she went through the exact same process and did the exact same look at him and was like, Um, its makeup! It was pretty funny but at least now I know!

Its crazy that Greg Hardy used an inhaler between rounds, but Smith couldnt have a makeup kit for after her fight. Nevertheless, when shes done with Blencowe they may both need it.

Yeah, Im really excited about it. She is an accomplished MMA fighter. This is going to be her 20th fight, just like its MY 20th fight. Were actually pretty pretty close in the records, and I think its going to be really exciting. People are going to get to watch two seasoned veterans going at it.

Does Smith believe the winner of this fight is next in line to face Julia Budd vs. Cris Cyborg after their match in January?

Absolutely! That is definitely what Im looking at this fight. In my mind this is the fight for No. 1 contender. It has been a long time since Ive been able to see such a clear path to a title shot, and Im definitely on that path right now. (Im) going to seize the opportunity.

Complete audio of our interview is embedded above, and complete coverage of Bellator 233: Salter vs. van Steenis resides here at MMA Mania all week long.

To check out the latest Bellator MMA-related news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive news archive right here.

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The only thing deadlier than Leslie Smiths hands is (apparently) her Chapstick - MMA Mania

The worlds largest cruise ship has a bar with robot bartenders. Heres how my margarita compared to one made by a human. – Business Insider

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

captionOne of the robots getting liquor in order to make a drink.sourceSophie-Claire Hoeller

The worlds largest cruise ship is filled with surprises, from a working carousel to a zip line and even a Starbucks, but one of the wildest things on it is undoubtedly the Bionic Bar a fully functioning cocktail bar staffed entirely by two robot bartenders.

I recently took a cruise in the name of journalism, and just had to find out whether cyborg concoctions taste as good as human-made ones.

Keep scrolling for the full experience.

The pros are that theres no squeezing through a crowd to get to a stressed-out bartender, no playing favorites, and totally consistent drinks, as well as the showmanship, of course.

I love a good gimmick and this was a super fun experience but for my next drink, Ill be seeking out a human.

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The worlds largest cruise ship has a bar with robot bartenders. Heres how my margarita compared to one made by a human. - Business Insider

Keanu Reeves Goes Public With First Girlfriend In Decades – Heroic Hollywood

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

The Matrix star Keanu Reeves just made his red carpet debut with his first girlfriend in decades.

In recent years, the stardom of Keanu Reeves has never been bigger largely due to the John Wickseries. Keanu Reeves is also one of the most respected actors working today because of his unique outlook on life. Recently, Keanu Reevesattendedthe ACMA Art + Film Gala Presented By Gucci in Los Angeles, where he was joined by Alexandra Grant, the first girlfriend hes gone public with in quitesome time now.

At the event, Keanu Reeveswas accompanied by his business collaborator Alexandra Grant, hand in hand. You can check out the photos of Keanu Reeves and his new girlfriend in the photos provided by Daily Mailbelow:

In addition to reprising his role as John Wick in the characters yet-to-be titled fourth movie, Keanu Reeves is set to return to his iconic role of Neo in the upcomingMatrix sequel.

The Matrixand its two sequels collectively earned a total of$1.6 billion at the worldwide box office. Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss portrayed Neo and Trinity, respectively,in all three chapters of theMatrixfilm series,each of which were directed by Lana and LillyWachowski.

Directed by Lana Wachowski, who co-wrotethe script withAleksandar Hemon and David Mitchel,The Matrix 4is set to starKeanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss andYahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Neil Patrick Harris.The Matrix 4is reportedlyeyeing an early 2020 production start date with Lana Wachowski also serving as a produceralongside Grant Hill.

Stay tuned to Heroic Hollywood for all the latest news regarding John Wick and The Matrix star Keanu Reeves.

Source: Daily Mail

You can start the gallery of new posters by clicking "Next".

Here is the synopsis for the show:

Doom Patrolwill premiere on February 15, 2019 exclusively on DC Universe.

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Keanu Reeves Goes Public With First Girlfriend In Decades - Heroic Hollywood

The Top 15 Onscreen Terminator Robots, Ranked in Order – Superherohype.com

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

The Top 15 Terminator Robots, Ranked

Whether we like every Terminator movie or dont (lets face it, most of us dont love at least one of them), we can usually all agree that the robots are cool. But how cool? The Arnold Schwarzenegger cyborg clearly commands the most popularity, but where does he rank in terms of actual effectiveness? Were going to bring the fake math and work it out, by ranking the top 15 Terminator robots to appear on the big screen. Note: this list only includes the movie Terminators. The Sarah Connor Chronicles and the comics are their own thing. And while we dig Cameron and the Robocop vs. Terminator dogs, we had to draw the line somewhere!

Matt Smith might have played the most amazing, powerful Terminator of them allhad Genisys actually started a new trilogy. According to the writers, he was a dimension-hopping Skynet in humanoid form who traveled the multiverse to fix the timelines in his favor. Thats a perfectly ironic bit of casting. Unfortunately, based on what he actually does onscreen, we cant say very much about him, save that he turned John Connor. Thats a twist but doesnt offer much idea of what he can really do.

Marcus Wrights story has a great hook. A prisoner on death row donates his body to science, then wakes up in the apocalypse. Later, he finds out he has been turned into a cyborg and an unwitting spy, with a conveniently donation-ready human heart. Whatever you think of him as a character, though, he sucks as a Terminator. Skynet would have done just as well to plant a bomb inside him instead. And they definitely blew it by making him the same blood type as the one guy theyre definitely trying to kill.

Basically just mildly intelligent miniature tanks. They barely qualify as Terminators, but since theyre officially the first ones, they count.

Robot snakes that can swim are creepy, but ultimately more effective as drain cleaners than human killers. Unless humans hide in drains and sewers. Then theyre great. But on land, definitely inferior to humanoids.

The icon of the franchise, besides Arnold Schwarzenegger in sunglasses. Endoskeletons were an instant creepy classic since their introduction. With a look thats both a throwback to walking-skeleton ghost stories and an echo of future mechanization fears, they strike a primal nerve. However, in the future war, theyre basically cannon fodder.

They make terrible fake humans, but these rotting rubber-skins with big guns look supremely creepy. Its everything scary about Terminators combined with every suppressed fear of mannequins and dolls. The biggest disappointment with Salvation not being a great movie is that we never got good consumer-grade toys of these guys. (Mega-expensive Hot Toys figures aside.)

Infiltrating is tossed out the window with this one. Giant robots make for great intimidation tactics, but they also make much bigger targets. With humans waging guerilla warfare against Skynet, giant war machines prove less effective than ground-level soldiers.

The ultimate fusion of man and machine, the nanocyte T-300o is theoretically the most powerful shape-shifter and best infiltrator in the arsenal. It would also have been the most shocking plot twist if trailers hadnt spoiled it. But ultimately all it succeeded in doing was accidentally turning the Arnold Terminator into a T-1000, giving Skynet an even more powerful enemy. Way to go. Had he been more human, he might have known: its not the size of your powers, but what you do with them that counts.

The new infantry of the future, these endoskeletons up the ante by having all the powers of Dr. Octopus. Spider-Man would have his hands full, and humans barely have a chance. It takes cybernetic upgrades for even a fighter as gifted as Grace to have a real shot against them. The downside is theyre not well suited to be infiltrators, because where would the tentacles fit inside a human skin?

Humans can run from an Arnold Terminator, because hes slow and deliberate. Nobody can run faster than a robot motorcycle. But because bikes are loud, potential victims will hear them coming, which helps.

Are these vehicles piloted by robots, or just giant vehicle-shaped robots? Nobody knows for certain. But theyre invaluable to that whole future war atmosphere, just by hanging in the sky or crushing skulls on the ground, and looking badass.

The original liquid metal shape-shifter is like a robot Johnny Knoxville it just keeps moving forward no matter how many times it gets blown apart or knocked down. And it even has a mildly impish sense of humor to boot (that finger wag rules). But its vulnerability to extreme heat and cold needs work. As the directors cut of T2 reveals, he was already starting to mess up before the Connors and their cyborg pal messed him up forever in that molten steel. The next generation of variants learned from his mistakes.

He just keeps coming back. The original Arnold model appears in nearly every film (well get to the main exception in a couple more entries). And its because hes the most popular. As T2, Genisys, and Dark Fate reveal, hes also capable of learning at least a facsimile of compassion, and functioning as a father figure. The problem is he also usually gets destroyed at the end of each adventure, so his real super power is just having multiple bodies that keep being sent back in time. Its kind of like The Prestige, except robots dont care so much about dying again and again.

Skynets major backup plan if their first Terminator failed seems to primarily have been to send back several more. But not until the T-X did they realize that maybe programming two plans into one Terminator was a good idea. So shes not just here for John Connor, but also to ensure Skynets creation, plus she has a blaster under that liquid skin. And as we see in Dark Fate, they probably should have thought of that of all for the T-800s as well. Silly Skynet you retconned yourself out of existence. Your flaws are officially Legion.

Most Terminators can be taken out with the extreme heat of a plasma weapon, or at least crushed in a hydraulic press or melted in red hot steel. But not the Rev-9, whose flexible skeleton never breaks and whose processor cannot be crushed. Specifically vulnerable to nothing less than an electromagnetic pulse, this guy can also split in two and hack any computer system with his fingers. Hes the threat Ultron should have been to the Avengers, if JARVIS/Vision hadnt immediately matched him move for move.

Why the T-850 over the T-800? Simple. The slightly older Arnold was the first Terminator to successfully kill John Connor. More impressively, it was the future Messiah, height-of-his-powers John Connor. Assuming we can take the Terminators word for it, of course. He did tell us to Tawk to da hand, after all.

Which Terminator model would you rank at the top? Let us know in the comment section below!

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The Top 15 Onscreen Terminator Robots, Ranked in Order - Superherohype.com

Grant Gustin Dons Green Lantern-Impressed The Flash Go well with In Neat Fan Art – The Media Hq

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

Alongside with the premiere of the initially teaser forDoom Patrol,DC Universe also debuted a selection of character posters for each of the users of maybe the strangest group of people to be adapted in stay-action variety for DC Comics.

In distinct, these new character posters highlight Timothy Daltons The Main, Diane Guerreros Crazy Jane, Joivan Wades Cyborg, April Bowlbys Elasti-Female, Matt Bomers Destructive Person and Brendan Frasers Robotman. These posters every adhere to special designs that reflect the mother nature of each and every character and tease exceptional personalities amongst the team as well.

You can start off the gallery of new posters by clicking Subsequent.

Which of theseDoom Patrolposters is your preferred? Are you excited to see what the solid provides to these roles? Seem off in the remarks beneath, and be sure to continue on adhering to Heroic Hollywood for all the hottest information in the DC Universe.

Doom Patrol is a reimagining of just one of DCs strangest team of outcast Super Heroes which contains: Matt Bomer as Larry Trainor/Destructive Guy, Brendan Fraser as Cliff Steele/Robotman, April Bowlby as Elasti-Girl, Diane Guerrero as Mad Jane, Joivan Wade as Victor Stone/Cyborg and Timothy Dalton as Dr. Niles Caulder/The Chief.

Right here is the synopsis for the clearly show:

Doom Patrolwill find the reluctant heroes in a put they never envisioned to be, known as to action by Cyborg, who comes to them with a mission hard to refuse, but with a warning that is challenging to dismiss: their life will under no circumstances, at any time be the very same.

Doom Patrolwill premiere on February 15, 2019 completely on DC Universe.

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Grant Gustin Dons Green Lantern-Impressed The Flash Go well with In Neat Fan Art - The Media Hq

Baylor regents hear report from spirituality and character study – Baptist Standard

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

WACOPreliminary findings from a study of Baylor University students indicates seniors report reading the Bible more often and indicate stronger character than entering freshmen.

The studys preliminary findings also indicate Baylor seniors and alumni have higher levels of Bible belief than new students.

At a Nov. 1 meeting, Baylors board of regents heard early findings from the Baylor Spirituality and Character Study, a longitudinal study to track the long-term impact of a Baylor education on a persons faith and character.

Researchers leading the study are Kevin D. Dougherty, associate professor of sociology; Perry L. Glanzer, professor of educational foundations; and Sarah A. Schnitker, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience.

The initial survey of 3,369 first-year and 969 senior students, as well as 271 alumni who graduated 10 years ago, was conducted in fall 2018, with additional qualitative interviews of 42 first-year and 35 senior students.

The ongoing research project will continue to collect information each year about students faith and character from when they arrive at Baylor, when they graduate and a decade after graduation.

Researchers noted their conclusions are only preliminary, adding they will be able to provide more accurate comparisons when they have data from the same groups of students in their first year at Baylor and in their senior year.

Both entering freshmen and graduating seniors at Baylor are more religious than Americans in general. More than nine out of 10 new students and seniors (93 percent) identify with a religious tradition, and half (50 percent) of Baylor students attend religious services at least once a week, compared to 30 percent of the U.S. population.

Furthermore, new students and seniors reported high levels of being spiritually moved by nature, talking with others about their faith, their commitment to God, applying their faith to political and social issues and seeking opportunities to grow spiritually.

About three-fourths (74 percent) alumni and more than two-thirds (69 percent) of seniors agreed the Bible is inspired by God, compared to 61 percent of new students.

One in three new students (31 percent) report reading the Bible at least once a week. Thats more than the general U.S. population (26 percent), but less than seniors (43 percent) or alumni (54 percent).

Seniors also self-report stronger character than new students, giving themselves higher ratings on measures such as forgiveness of others, forgiveness of situations, gratitude, openness to revising ones viewpoint and respect for others viewpoints. Seniors also displayed more curiosity, faith, judgment, love of learning, perseverance, prudence and wisdom.

When it comes to having purposeful lives, entering students and senior agreed. Eight in 10seniors and new students report that their life is filled with meaning and purpose. However, in qualitative interviews, more than half of new students could not yet identify a purpose.

Baylor President Linda Livingstone said the long-term study will help the university better understand where students are in their faith, why they change, how they grow and what is most impactful during their time at Baylor. The study will help Baylor learn how the university can support their spiritual and character development, she said.

Its important for Baylor, as well as other faith-based colleges and universities, that we understand what most influences the spiritual and character development of young people while theyre in college, Livingstone said. We want to ensure this continues to be an important part of their life after college, and that Baylor continues to stay true to our Christian mission.

At the same board meeting, regents continued discussion about how Baylor can provide a loving caring community for LGBTQ students, listening to a panel of three students from that segment of the student population. The board took no action regarding any policy change.

The universitys statement on human sexuality affirms purity in singleness and fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman as the biblical norm. Temptations to deviate from this norm include both heterosexual acts outside of marriage and homosexual behavior.

Baylors student conduct policy stipulates that the university expects each Baylor student will conduct himself or herself in accordance with Christian principles as commonly perceived by Texas Baptists.

Also at the board meeting, regents approved $5 million for the first phase of design and fees for the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center. The total projected budget for the project is estimated to be $60 million. Construction could begin by summer 2020, with an anticipated opening in spring 2022.

Regents paid tribute to Mark Hurd, a 1979 Baylor graduate and Oracle CEO, who died Oct. 18. Hurd had served on the board of regents since 2014 and as vice chair since 2017.

For the past five years, Mark Hurd served tirelessly and selflessly on the Baylor board of regents. He genuinely loved and cared for Baylor and contributed his time, strategic leadership and treasure to help achieve Baylors vision for the future as the preeminent Christian research university, said Jerry Clements, chair of the board of regents.

Our board greatly misses his presence, wisdom and leadership, and our thoughts, prayers and support continue to be with the Hurd family.

Based on information provided by Lori W. Fogleman with the Baylor University office of media and public relations.

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Baylor regents hear report from spirituality and character study - Baptist Standard

Religion and Spirituality Book Deals: November 6, 2019 – Publishers Weekly

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

Actor/Influencer Lands at Zondervan

Senior acquisition editor at Zondervan Mick Silva took North American rights from Anthony Mattero at Creative Artists Agency to a book by actor and content creator Marcus Johns. The book, You Cant Do It!: There Are A Million Reasons You CantFind the Reason You Can, collects short personal stories that shows Johnss path to becoming an influential digital producers and the positive, motivational perspective he lives by. Its slated for publication on June 23, 2020.

Fortress Takes Two

Lisa Kloskin at Fortress Press acquired world rights from Dawn Frederick at Red Sofa Literary to Twelve Tiny Things by Heidi Barr and Ellie Roscher. The book invites readers to identify and engage in small, intentional practices that root us in our humanity, according to the publisher. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021.

In a second world rights deal for Fortress, Kloskin acquired Alice Connors untitled follow-up to Fierce: Women of the Bible and Their Stories of Violence, Mercy, Bravery, Wisdom, Sex, and Salvation (Fortress, 2017). It will examine the stories of women from the Bible, including such well-known names as Rachel, Leah, and Miriam, as well as lesser known characters including Tamar and Jephthahs Daughter. The book is slated for publication in spring 2021. The deal was unagented.

Sounds True Flies High

Sounds Trues editorial director Haven Iverson bought world rights from Lauren Goodwin and Ava Taylor at Yama Talent to Spiritually Fly by Faith Hunter, a yoga and meditation teacher based in Washington, D.C. Slated for publication in spring 2020, Spiritually Fly collects Hunters teachings on breath, movement, sound, and stillness that are geared toward inspiring and empowering readers.

Due to a technical error, Religion and Spirituality Book Deals was unavailable in Religion BookLine on Oct. 23. Check out the column here.

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Religion and Spirituality Book Deals: November 6, 2019 - Publishers Weekly

These Celebrities Say Their Spiritual Journeys Have Benefitted Their Lives And Careers – Forbes

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

Now with Natalie is a documentary series on Hillsong Channel featuring Hailey Bieber, Kelly Rowland, Tyson Chandler, and other celebrities. The six episodes, executive produced and hosted by Natalie Manuel Lee, feature insightful conversations with some of todays leading figures in entertainment, sports and fashion sharing how their spiritual journeys have positively impacted their lives and careers. The aim is to lift the veil on celebrity, exploring how a culture of compete and compare leads to many stars grappling with industry pressure, social media versus self-worth, defining happiness on your own terms, and leading a more purpose-filled life.

Natalie Manuel Lee is the producer and host of "Now with Natalie."

Lee is a celebrity stylist by day who served as brand manager for her brother Jerry Lorenzos brand Fear of God before leaving the company to pursue her own life purpose.The shows first season features Hailey Bieber, daughter of Stephen Baldwin and wife of Justin Bieber, on how her spirituality helped her to create her own identity and find her purpose outside of her familys legacy. Kelly Rowland discusses her humble beginnings, becoming a member of Destinys Child, and how tapping into her spirituality helped her find her identity as a solo artist. Los Angeles Lakers Center Tyson Chandler talks about what purpose looks like in an industry where value is determined by performance, and the role spirituality has played in his athletic career.

The main message of the show is that our worth and value does not lie in material things, how much money we have, how famous we are, or our job titles, says Lee. Now with Natalie breaks down these false narratives. Being your authentic self is the key to achieving a sense of purpose and happiness. The celebrities I interview on the show are open and honest about their struggles with shaping their own identities, depression, the compete and compare epidemic, fame, and so on.

Lee encourages celebrities to share how their spirituality has helped them to thrive.

After studying communications in college, Lee interned for CBS. She then moved to Los Angeles, where she began styling celebrities and collaborating with her brother to help build his clothing line, Fear of God. But these days, she feels she has truly tapped into her life purpose, which is creating Now with Natalie. With the show, my aim is to inspire people. The lessons learned and the truth being told by my guests will help serve viewers, she says. We live in a culture that glorifies celebrity. There is power in hearing these famous people vocalize their struggles because weve all been through some version of them. It helps us heal ourselves.

Lee herself suffered from depression after transitioning out of her work for Fear of God. She realized that she was allowing her job title to determine her self-worth. So, she turned to her faith, her family, and her friends for support, opening up to them about her problems in an authentic way. This awakening led to her creating Now with Natalie in order to help other people heal.

To young people interested in finding their life purpose, Lee says, Get to know yourself and who you really are. Then youll understand your purpose and why youre here. These days, its easy for young people to scroll on social media and compare themselves and their lives to someone elses. Run your own race. Success is not defined by your job title or material things money, cars, clothes, etc. Understand the tools you need to truly sustain yourself and stay encouraged.

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These Celebrities Say Their Spiritual Journeys Have Benefitted Their Lives And Careers - Forbes

Why modern yoga should be more spiritual and less narcissistic – The Guardian

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

Oh my, people have been hurting themselves trying to look good on Instagram. Its not funny, is it? I mean, we dont laugh at people who fall off cliffs while taking selfies, do we? Anyway, a wave of hip and knee injuries among yoga instructors has led to concern. A leading physiotherapist, Benoy Mathew, has said he has seen a lot of injuries as a result of inexperienced teachers attempting the most complicated poses for the gram. God, its all so spiritual, isnt it? So much part of yogas 5,000-year-old tradition.

Who hasnt been to a yoga class where madly competitive people contort themselves at the front while some of us lie at the back snoring? What qualifies some people to be yoga teachers I shall never know, apart from a week on a beach in Kerala and undiagnosed hypermobility. Of course, yoga is great if taught properly and sensitively; the very opposite of endless pictures of lithe young things in specious, sunset poses. Look at me, is not part of any meditative practice I understand. It is simply mindful flashing.

The worst yoga teachers are surely the ones who demonstrate poses in front of stiff, horrified middle-aged people with little instruction except: Behold my toned abs. The second worst are the ones who speak a few words in Sanskrit and then offer nuggets of philosophy that are about as far from compassion as you can get.

My favourite was at a class I attended with a woman who had just had a knee operation and was unable to sit in certain positions. What I notice, said the teacher, is that people with knee problems often have way too much ego.

I caught the womans eye. Oh, the ancient wisdom of the terminally up themselves. That universe is boundless.

And breathe.

Suzanne Moore is a Guardian columnist

Excerpt from:

Why modern yoga should be more spiritual and less narcissistic - The Guardian

Trump’s new ‘spiritual adviser’ thinks saying no to him is like saying no to God – The indy100

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

Despite spending his campaign shamelessly pandering to the religious right, Donald Trump isn't exactly known for his spiritual inclinations.

But fear not, his latest White House appointee is ready to change all that. Sort of.

Former megachurch leader Paula White is now officially Trump's "spiritual advisor" taking on the role of special adviser to the Faith and Opportunity Initiative.

Her particular brand of Christianity is pretty convenient to the president, as apparently she claims that God rewards people with... loads of money.

She also reckons she has the right to declare the White House "holy ground" because she was standing in it, and that saying no to Trump is basically the same thing as saying no to God.

Obviously, everyone is free to believe whatever they wantto believe, butthe internet mostly believes she's a rather hilarious choice.

It's pretty interesting that Trump has chosen the run-up to the 2020 election as the moment to re-assert his supposed faith, but we don't want to be cynical, maybe he truly believes that it was God - and not his father - that made him rich.

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Trump's new 'spiritual adviser' thinks saying no to him is like saying no to God - The indy100

Wealth inequality and spiritual currency | Torah Study – Jewish News of Greater Phoenix

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. So that the land could not support them staying together; for their possessions were so great that they could not remain together. -Genesis 13: 5-6

Parshat Lech-Lecha is one of the most fascinating and thematically rich Torah portions in our yearly cycle. In this parsha, we are presented with a wide array of emotions ranging from drama, tragedy and triumph and the tone ranges from quiet to thunderous. From a macro-perspective, Lech-Lecha is a recording of change and growth where we see Abram receive his true name of Abraham and thus the fulfillment of the first portion of his holy missions actualization. We read about war and degradation, but we also encounter the first moment of circumcision, and thus, the recording of a deep covenant between God and creation.

We also see moments concerned with humanly needs, including the excerpt posted as the epigraph to this commentary, which discusses the wealth that is divided between Abraham and his nephew, Lot. In this brief passage, we already see the issues of class, access to resources and the inherent inequality thereof in the land of Israel. It seems that even millennia before social movements and politicians placed their ambitions in combating or exploring the problems of wealth, the Torah laid down approaches to understanding the need for a balanced and skeptical view of excessive wealth and its impact on interpersonal development.

The Rabbis seemed to have picked up on this biblical observation, especially about the challenges of extreme wealth in one direction or the other. One midrash explains that, typically, a significant problem on one side of the scale is that people in poverty cant live together because extreme poverty has the potential to lead to violence. However, those who hoard their wealth and use it as an excuse to influence society in such a way that leads to the regressive treatment of those who have nothing are also in violation of Judaisms commitment to fairness and justice, making extreme wealth just as dangerous as extreme poverty.

Indeed, part of creating a safe society for all is addressing the underlying root problems of poverty. Opulence often grows a sense of entitlement, which leads to corruption, which leads to an exploitation of those without access to the same resources be they institutional, educational or political. Consider how Egypts prosperity factored into the devaluing of the Israelites or how Americas growth to a superpower was largely dependent on slave labor. Being charitable, to remove guilt, does not erase ones oppression which enabled that charity. When one views those with less means as a transactional object toward ones personal fulfillment, then one loses his or her central values to a life of lavishness.

On the other hand, Judaism does not condemn wealth. While there are serious risks that come along with wealth, that does not make the wealth, when earned with integrity, itself objectionable. But the responsible approach requires us not only to accept wealth but to think together about our moral obligations, individually and collectively, to ensure wealth adds dignity rather than destroys spirits. Deuteronomy 15 reminds us that while there always be people who are poor that we must nevertheless never desist from supporting them. In the case of Lot and Abr(ah)am, one might argue that the land could not support them precisely because their possessions were so great and that this is not a space-issue, but a relationship-issue. This is to say: the problem is not about enough land but how they view that land. The family can no longer remain a family due to greed and jealousy. It was precisely their relationship to wealth that made it impossible for them to dwell together. Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch suggests, on this verse, that there really was enough land for the two of them, however, Lots desire for more than what was necessary led him to leave Abraham. Today, there are enough resources to support every human and every animal and yet the exploitation and greed that is so rampant leads to global conflicts and national strife.

Based on this passage, and many sprinkled throughout our wisdom tradition, Judaism strongly condemns a society that tolerates extreme poverty. Rather than retreat into moral callousness by citing the markets, or the job creators as vehicles of inevitable progress, our Torah portion here asks us to rise above the myopia of the next payday. Like Abraham, we can leave behind the idol worship of possessions and instead seek spiritual currency by helping others, advocating for the less fortunate and creating an environment where all people have the opportunity to actualize their fullest selves. JN

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz is the president and dean of Valley Beit Midrash and the author of 17 books on Jewish ethics. The opinions expressed here represent the authors and do not represent any organizations he is affiliated with.

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Wealth inequality and spiritual currency | Torah Study - Jewish News of Greater Phoenix

Spirituality as Joy the Art of Spokane’s Brittney Trambitas – spokanefavs.com

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

By Kelly Rae Mathews

Sophia Nali Allison wrote in the New Yorker, that people of African descent, even through slavery in America, believed they could fly, as a spiritual freedom. Creating this spiritual space of joy helped keep her people moving forward. Artist Brittany Trambitas brings themes of the souls flight to freedom through joy to Spokane in her fantastical and exuberant art.

An example of this is the portrait of a beautiful woman that looks like the cover of a science fiction magazine, or a metaphysical place. The woman looks of divine, cosmic origins. One half of her looks warmer, imbued with the light of a single sun, the other side of her is full of an entire universe of stars.

Kelly: When I first saw your paintings, I felt such joy clearly emanating through them. I felt they were very spiritual. But do you, the artist feel there is a spiritual component in your work?

Brittany: I want to create joy and space for brown women. We need a space to just be joyful. My mom is Catholic. Dad not really. Mom didnt want to force it or for my belief to be fear-based. I had thought maybe I was an atheist.As I got older, I did more research. I felt connected to something greater than myself. Im spiritual, but not religious. Im not an atheist, but Im hesitant to refer to God. What society has done with it, is made God Singular. I feel God is more of a vast expanse than that. I connect on a universal plane.

Kelly: When I look at your art there is to me a theme with women connected to the divine feminine of the universe.

Brittney: My work is very connected to female presence. Women and the feminine are not getting recognized for the power they have. My art is an ode to female presence. Theres an aura, that is otherworldly. I like to dig deeper to express my spirituality. Perhaps Im bordering somewhere on Pagan. I like to pick and choose. I connect on a certain level to Wicca. I dont follow all of that. Some people just want you so badly to say, I am this. I think people are more complicated than that. It all comes together in this weird ball of Brittany. I feel there is a strong female connection to nature. Representation of personhood connects to more than one spirituality.

Kelly: I noticed at FemFest 2019 there were a few artists who seemed Wiccan. Some of these were part of the Shades of Me Art Collective of which you are a member.

Brittany: There was a nice mix. There were artists with heavy Baptist background open to discussing crystal work and Tarot cards. There was also a little clashing of beliefs. Shades of Me is about art work no matter your background.

Kelly: Tell me about your first art Show with Shades of Me.

Brittany: I really loved it. I had so many women come into my booth. There was, however, one woman who asked me why there werent any paintings of white women. I grew up in Spokane. Ive heard all the things, been called all the names. I was still surprised. Shades is an event explicitly put on by and for women of color. A painting of a white woman at that event would be me apologizing for taking up space as a brown woman at an event that was explicitly for us. People will enjoy your cultures food, fashion, and music, but deep down, they are not interested in the core of your culture.

Kelly: Its the mindset of the colonizer. Im sorry for that. I see there is some ambiguity in your painting. Women have green and blue skin as well as brown.

Brittney: Painting the women green and blue with the features of brown women was a way of me removing color to see how people perceive the paintings and women in them. Representation is less of a theme, and more of a foundation in my work.

BriOn Nov. 10 Brittany Trambitas will be featured at Dinner with Shades: A Bridge to Intimacy.

The spiritual value of Halloween – The News Star

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

Marc Gellman Published 9:49 a.m. CT Nov. 1, 2019

Every year you are stuck with so much leftover Halloween candy you don't know what to do with, here are some creative ways to get rid of it. USA TODAY

The cycle of holidays during the year includes three distinct categories:

Category I: Sectarian Holidays

Of course, the year is filled with totally and purely sectarian holidays like Christmas and Easter andPassoverandRamadanand last week's Diwali, which are only intended as celebrations for the believers of a certain faith. They are not universal or universalizable (OK, maybe chocolate Easter bunnies are acceptable to all). They are for the faithful holidays and they are beautiful.

Category II: Secular Holidays

The next category of holidays are those secular holidays that are for everyone but are not really spiritual. National holidays likeIndependence DayandNew Year's Dayand, yes,Super BowlSunday are examples of secular holidays. They provide unity for a national culture and they do not require sectarian beliefs. Some want to include Christmas as a national secular holiday, but I am not buying it. Christmas is a holiday celebrating (for Christians) the birth of Christ. Santa is an imposter.

Category III: On the Fence Holidays

Marc Gellman(Photo: Tribune Content Agency)

Finally, there are those holidays that might once have had religious origins, but over time they have been secularized and are now acceptable for people of all or no faiths. The best of this bunch isThanksgiving. It probably began its life in the 17th century as a Pilgrim celebration of the Jewish holiday of Tabernacles (Sukkot), but it has become a national celebration of thankfulness (and turkey and football) that brings all families together for a meal with almost the identical menu throughout the country. Other once-religious-but-now-secular holidays areValentine's Day(not really St.Valentine's Dayany longer) andHalloween.

Halloweendefinitely mixed religious and pagan elements in its beginnings. It may well have originated as a pagan Celtic harvest festival called Samhain. In the Christian calendarHalloweenis the evening before All Hallows Day, which is a holiday celebrating saints and deceased righteous ones. However, the religious elements ofHalloweenhave by now been washed clean in a shower of chocolate peanut butter cups.

Though I do not agree with it, here is the best case againstHalloween:

Sugar. It is a vile addictive substance that causes obesity and tooth decay. The sugar jag caused byHalloweenhas sustained generations of dentists.

Demons and Witches. Why should we dress up like or allow our kids to dress up like ghouls and witches? Why encourage a trip to the dark side?

Tricks. Whatever dental damage is done by trick or treat candy pales into insignificance when compared to the shaving cream, egg throwing, toilet paper tossing and assorted vandalism that accompanies the holiday. If kids would be satisfied with treats it might be fine, but the tricks can be costly, dangerous and stupid.

SexyHalloweenparties. For the post-candy age population,Halloweencan include drunken parties with provocative and outrageous costumes. In a PC age these parties can be offensive and even abusive.

OK, that's the best case againstHalloween, but it is ultimately unconvincing to me. I loveHalloweenand defend it, and this is why:

Community. One of the ways my friendships were cemented in my childhood was by going out trick or treating with my pals. We ran from house to house, screaming and scarfing up piles of candy. I am old now and I remember that in the suburbs ofMilwaukeein the '50s my parents did not have to accompany us on our prowl. Now it is different but there is still a powerful bond formed by the trick or treat youth corps. Let me ask you, when other thanHalloweendo you really get to wave hello and smile at your neighbors? In fact,Halloweenis better for the middle class than for rich folks. In communities with large homes, it is too far to efficiently walk between houses. The ideal territory for trick or treating is in more modest communities with smaller houses that are closer together.

Dressing up like someone else is occasionally spiritually necessary.Europeis filled with holiday celebrations that include costumes and parades.New OrleanshasMardi Grasand we all haveHalloween. The point of all this costumery is that religion and life tend to push us to observe fairly strict rules of behavior and occasionally, likeMari GrasandHalloween, it is good to have social and religious sanction to go a little crazy and dress up in a way that might be inappropriate on other days. And one does not need to succumb to commercial pressures to buy expensive children's costumes that are mostly licensing plays from movies and television. The ghost costume I wore for an entire childhood of Halloweens was a sheet with two holes for eyes. Frugal and effective.

So, I am okay withHalloween. I love the way it brings us together, creates childhood memories of joy and ... cavities.

Send questions and comments to The God Squad via email atgodsquadquestion@aol.com.Rabbi Gellmanis the author of several books, including "Religion for Dummies," co-written with Fr.Tom Hartman.

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"Harriet" Director on the Film’s Themes of Spirituality, Love, and Family – UrbanFaith

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

Director Kasi Lemmons on set. (Credit: Focus Features)

Director Kasi Lemmons spent seven months unearthing little told details about Harriet Tubman to rework a screenplay that had lain dormant and direct it into the first major film about her life. After years of delays, audiences across the country will get to experience on the big screen Tubmans painful and hasty journey 170 years ago, starring Cynthia Ervio, Leslie Odom Jr. and Janelle Mone.

In an interview with Urban Faith, Lemmons, who made her directorial debut with the film Eves Bayou (1997), shared some insights on how she crafted the storytelling to introduce the Moses of her people to audiences in 2019.

UF: In this first theatrical treatment of Harriet Tubman, what did you hope to accomplish?

KL: Really to get her story out there and to add to images that we had of her as an older woman and really give a context to her work. She was a young woman when she was doing these incredible feats of heroism. She loved, and she was loved, and she was passionate. One of the things I think that makes the story so accessible and not at all abstract in terms of her as a hero is that she was motivated by love of her family and love of her husband. And thats why she originally went back. It was for her family.

UF: In the event that some say set her on the path to divinely led life as an abolitionist, Harriet Tubman, around age 13, was hit in the head with an iron weight. Many films that explore slavery capture the audiences attention by opening with a scene of violence, but your film doesnt. Why not?

KL: I really wanted to speak in the movie to the separation of family rather than the violence to the body. Definitely, its an important part of our history and understanding slavery, but also, what is the violence of separating families? It was in the news and it was very much on my mind and its very much a part of her story. She was haunted by the image of her sisters being taken away.

The thing that stopped most people from running away, if they chose not to, is they wanted to stay with their family. That can be missing at times in stories about slavery. When visiting or shooting at plantations where people have been enslaved you feel the horror, but you also feel the kind of sacredness, the kind of hallowed ground where these people lived and loved and had children and worked and suffered. They led lives. Sometimes the brutality, I feel, can kind of get in the way of you really seeing that these were people with lives.

UF: You show a lot about Harriet Tubmans character through her dialogue with others. How did you find these words to put in the mouth of Ms. Tubman?

KL: The way that I write is the way that I write for fiction and nonfiction, which is I start with character. But when youre writing something about someone who has really lived, you start with the research. Its a character, but youre starting with the research.

Harriet did one-woman shows for groups of abolitionists to raise money. So we have her own words because she would talk about her life to abolitionists who found her absolutely fascinating. She was entertaining. She would sing Go Down Moses. She would tell her own stories.

Sometimes Im using the words that she actually said. For instance, she said, There I was with a suit and no husband. Because I know that she said that one sentence that way that tells me something about her and how she talks. So I used actual authentic quotes of hers. And I start to hear a rhythm. I can feel where shes humorous or ironic. I can feel her intelligence and then a southern cadence, which is very important to me. What is that cadence like in Maryland? What is the regional specificity of it? And once I get into the research and start to look at it that way, I hear characters as if theyre talking in my ears and then I write down what they say.

An expert speaks about the role of spirituality in Harriet Tubmans work.Video courtesy of Cassie Chew

UF: Where do you think Harriet got her resolve? Who were her role models?

KL: Her father was a role model. She and her father were very connectedspiritually connected as well. They were bonded in that way. But also her mother was very fierce. I Iooked at the story that comes from her childhood, where they were going to sell her brother and her mother intervened and fiercely stood up to her master and was like, Im going to break your head open if you try to sell my son.

So I look at that fierceness that comes from her mother and I say thats part of Harriet. We tend to not think of enslaved people as quite human until we examine all of these things and then you say, of course, she had role models. We know that Reverend Green was a very complex character who was very important to the underground railroad. He became very important in her life. So he would have been a role model as well.

UF: Even though plantation owners used Bible passages to convince their workers that a life of slavery is what God wanted, the slaves were able to parse through that definition of spirituality. But that was instrumental in Harriet Tubmans success.

KL: They so underestimated the enslaved people who worked for them and lived on their plantations and farms. They so underestimated them that they completely missed it. It was a whole language going on and a form of communication that, as we know, started with the drums and then became a coded language in spirituals as well. They were coded messages for those that were ready to hear them. There were coded messages in most of the spirituals. There were coded messages in the scripture as well and as it was interpreted into spirituals by the African American community.

UF: Your earlier work, Eves Bayou, included a fictional character who saw visions. How did that work inform your writing on what some people consider divinely led visions that led Tubmans work as an abolitionist?

KL: The two films are in conversation with each other. I come from a very southern family and Mozelle was based on my aunt. So to me, thats something very familiar to mesomething thats been a part of my family. Its been a part of a lot of families that I know and its part of Harriets life. When I realized from doing the research that this was such a big part of her life, Im like Oh, this is speaking my language. I know this language.

UF: Why has it taken so long for a major film project on the life of Harriet Tubman?

KL: Its hard to get any film made. But its been hard to get a film made with a female protagonist, not to mention a Black female protagonist. You know what I mean? And this is like recently were able to say, Oh a film could be viable with a woman as a protagonist.. And so the idea that a Black woman can carry an adventure film in the title role is still a relatively new ideayou know people have had the idea before, but you were told that that might not be viable or that Black dramas were not viable or that dramas starring women in period pieces were less viable than dramas staring men.

I think that we are seeing the industry change and theres lots of reason for optimism. I do believe that we are beginning to see more representation, more films with women protagonists, and honestly, it really has to get diverse behind the camera. The storytellers and the gatekeepers of storytelling have to be diverse because were the ones interested in it.

UF: What do you look for in a script?

KL: I try and just look at an overview of the story and see if its a story that I like and if its a character that I like. Im very interested in character. Its really the way that I approach a story. So for me its like, is the story interesting? Are the people interesting? Do I want to spend the next two years, maybe three years, maybe four years of my life involved in this story? A story has got to be so compelling because it takes a very long time to get movies made and you have to sustain the passion that happens. I have to have a love for a project before I agree to sign on as a writer/director.

UF: Do you think this film might add to calls for Harriet Tubman to replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill?

KL: I absolutely hope so. I cant really think of anyone more deserving. The funny thing about those men on the bills is that most people dont know very much about them. So what they really should do is look into Jackson. You know, look at the history of him and everything he did and was responsible for and look at Harriet and everything she did and was responsible for and you tell me who is more deserving to be on the $20 bill.

Hes very problematic as many of those guys and yet they are still commemorated. I think that its time to really commemorate Tubman and give her a place in history. I think shes a really essential and important American hero. And people do. If you ask people who are the most admired people that have ever been Americans, her name is going to come up. Shes kind of like essentially an American herothis idea of live free or die, give me liberty or death, thats very American. She deserves her place in history and she deserves her place on the currency as far as Im concerned.

Video Courtesy of Smithsonian Channel

With the peculiar institution of slavery entrenched in Antebellum life, Harriet Minty Ross Tubman, in 1849, learns that the Brodess family, who have owned her since birth, are about to sell her in order to pay off debts from running their small farm in eastern Maryland.

With her older sisters sold to plantations in the Deep South and never heard from again, Minty has no time to waste. She goes to the field where her mother is working. She sings a spiritual in her mothers earshot. Then she goes back to her slave cabin grabs a knife and begins tucking it into her skirt. But Minty pauses, draws out that knife and takes some of her precious few moments to use its pointy blade to draw a heart on the dirt floor.

In these moments from Harriet, director Kasi Lemmons hopes to communicate to audiences how painful this hasty departure 170 years ago must have meant for the woman who would become known as Harriet Tubman after making a remarkable decision to leave her husband, parents, and siblings to be free or die.

Despite the odds, the five-foot Tubman, who also was prone to sleeping spells, makes it 100 miles away to freedom in Philadelphia. As a young woman in her mid-twenties, she finds work and creates a life for herself. But her longing for her family is so strong that she does the unexpected.

Tubman makes a risky decision to go back to the plantations of Marylands eastern shore to get her husband and then, again and again, to lead other family members and friends out of slavery. She eventually makes a name for herself asone of the most successful conductors of the Underground Railroad.

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Bronx-based nurse speaks on ‘Spirituality and Health’ – Caribbean Life

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

Photo by Nelson A. King

RN Hopina Quammie-Samuel (3rd from left) receives a plant from executive members of the Caribbean American Nurses Association, Inc., Bronx, Manhattan, Westchester Chapter.

Stating that the spiritual aspect of health is often times neglected and ignored, among other things, a founding member of the Caribbean American Nurses Association Bronx, Manhattan, Westchester Chapter (CANA-BMW) says that spirituality has become a greater concern to her over the years.

Registered Nurse Hopina Quammie-Samuel, the Vincentian-born former CANA-BMW president, lamented on Saturday that spirituality has not been given the same attention as physical and emotional health, and that it is not documented when rendered.

Spirituality was not part of many nurses curriculum before or after graduation (in the past), said Quammie-Samuel in delivering the keynote address at CANA-BMWs 24th Annual Vernese Weekes Scholarship Luncheon, at Eastwood Manor, on Eastchester Road in the Bronx.

Many people only focused on spirituality during times of crisis or set- backs, added Quammie-Samuel, an active member of the Creston Avenue Baptist Church in the Bronx, where she is founder and president of the Health Ministry.

She expressed concern about increase in work place violence and mental illness, including emotional instability on a whole, and the rise in the suicide rate among professionals, stating that the time is now to speak on it (spirituality) since everyone has a need to maintain his/her spiritual health.

Everyone can provide spiritual care to a point, Quammie-Samuel said. However, (one) needs to know when to get specialized help.

She noted that many organizations address the topic of spirituality in the US, pointing to, as an example, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO-2001) that establishes mandates that specifies requirements in addressing spiritual needs and practices.

According to Quammie-Samuel, JCAHO recommends, among other things, that a spiritual assessment be conducted on all patients; health care organizations (HCO) define the content and scope of the assessment; individual performing the assessment be qualified; assessment include at minimum the patients denomination, beliefs and spiritual practices; and that health care workers (HCW) demonstrate respect for patients values, religion and philosophy.

In defining, spirituality, according to Oxford Scholarship, as ones relationship with God, deity, supreme being or higher power, Quammie-Samuel said spirituality is reflected in our everyday lives, expressed through a framework of values, practices and beliefs.

All people example clergy, priests, nurses, presidents are all in need of spiritual care, no matter their beliefs, she said, adding that the beliefs should be respected.

As a country becomes more diverse, she said that health care providers (HCP) encounter religious and cultural challenges while planning and providing care.

In reviewing the literature and conversing with many of her colleagues, Quammie-Samuel said she discovered that about 80 percent of health care professionals perceive religion and spirituality as an important aspect of care.

Few nurses felt that they effectively addressed clients spiritual needs and reported some barriers, she said, listing some of the barriers/challenges as lack of time due to the nursing shortage; inadequate education about the topic; uncomfortable talking on the topic; different religious beliefs and practices; inability to identify clients need for spiritual care and those in spiritual distress; the role should be played by a priest, chaplain or spiritual leader, rather than by professionals; and the need for support and guidance in addressing spiritual issues.

Alluding to the School of Health and Promotion, Quammie-Samuel said there are eight dimensions of health/wellness, with nine in the making, namely sexuality.

She said the eight are: Physical the most effective way of achieving good health, regular movements, nutritious diet, adequate sleep, rest and practicing safe behaviors; Emotional positive attitude, ability to express a wide variety of feelings in appropriate manner; Social positive interpersonal relationships, sense of connection and belonging; Financial money management; Occupational engaging in meaningful, enjoyable work; Environmental lifestyle that is committed to sustaining nature; Intellectual seeking to expand knowledge, skills and creative abilities; and Spiritual the most neglected dimension of wellness.

Quammie-Samuel said spirituality is the ability to establish peace and harmony in our lives.

It is achieved when you feel at peace with life, she said. One is able to find comfort and hope in the hardest times. It (spirituality) can help to support you as you experience life completely.

Becoming spiritually means striving for consistency, with our values and beliefs, she added.

Quammie-Samuel gave suggestions to help better equip nurses become more confident in dealing with spirituality.

She urged that they do a self-spiritual needs assessment; attend related retreats, ongoing related educational workshops; utilize myriad personal resources at work and in local community groups; interact with colleagues. chaplains, spiritual leaders and social workers; read relevant literature; address unresolved and spiritual issues in their lives, such as unforgiveness, guilt and biases; seek help after a sentinel event or crisis from employee assistance and help healers heal program; become active listeners; meditate and pray daily; Spend time in quietness/solitude; become part of a social network; be grateful; and pray for a servants heart.

These have proven to help many of my colleagues personally and professionally, Quammie-Samuel said. A persons health and well-being benefit when his or her spiritual needs are met (referring to Koenig, 2004).

Quammie-Samuel received a Bachelor of Science in Health Administration and certification in Community Health from St. Josephs College, and a Master of Science degree in Health Education from the City University of New York at Lehman College.

Her extensive clinical experience spans adult nursing, maternal, newborn and womens health nursing, pediatric nursing and community health.

She has held positions as instructor, nursing care coordinator, certified lactation consultant, and is currently employed as an assistant director of nursing at an unidentified hospital in the Bronx.

Posted 4:55 pm, October 31, 2019

2019

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Classic ink paintings on show reveal the spiritual ‘xieyi’ style – Chinadaily USA

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

Bodhidharma, by Luo Pin, collection of Tianjin Museum. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The xieyi style of classic Chinese ink painting is more than a technique that features a reduction in detailed brushstrokes. Essentially it describes a philosophy of Chinese culture to emphasize freedom, spirituality, individuality and expressiveness.

Figure paintings drawn in the xieyi style emerged the third century and reached its peak in the 13th century.

The creation of xieyi-style figure paintings further diversified in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties to cater to the taste of the upper-middle-class and the interest of a rising group of city dwellers, boosted by commercial prosperity.

An ongoing exhibition at the Art Museum of Beijing Fine Art Academy reviews the booming scene of xieyi-style figure paintings. The exhibition through Dec 15 shows works by prominent Ming and Qing artists, drawn from the collection of eight museums across the country.

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Classic ink paintings on show reveal the spiritual 'xieyi' style - Chinadaily USA

Are Humans Here in Search of a Corporeal or Spiritual Experience? – The Good Men Project

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

Not too long ago, a movie came out based on a book by Garth Stein titled,The Art of Racing in the Rain.The storysmain character, a dog named Enzo, narrates the story. According to Enzo, the canine existence is an apprenticeship to becoming human. If the dog finishes their years having evolved enough, they will return to a new life as humans.

This is not a spoiler alert, for I will not reveal any other parts of this great story. But, although the story is fictional, its premise supports Doctor Wayne Dyers belief that;

We are not human beings in search of a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a temporary human experience.

Do living things evolve and advance to a next phase?

This is the existential question about human life. While Quantum Physics can support the probability that living things evolve and advance to a next phase, it can also support the premise that living things begin and end with just one life, period. Since no living being has ever returned from death to prove either theory, we must accept both premises as conjecture. This means we have the freedom to choose the one that best fits us.

Life, Death, Soul, Heaven and Hell

With the Catholic Church as the foundational teacher of my religious beliefs, I learned human beings are born with a soul that our deathsets free to live in heaven or burn in hell. Each person determines their souls fate by theirability to live in accordance to Gods law.

This idea that our human acts govern our spiritual fate seems flawed to me, for it does not take into account the effects nature or nurture have on an individual. The church contends it is each persons responsibility to find his/her souls salvation. This is the same whether one grew up in an affluent family with well-educated, loving parents or under the influence of drugged out parents who ran a crack house.Therefore, this is the theory that our human existence stumbles through life in search of the right spiritual truth and then we can ignore it or committo follow itto save our souls.

This belief may have served early humans well, for it helped societies reach agreements and establish laws that would protect communities and define nations. But I dont thinkthis serves us well today because it counts on ego consciousness to judge whatis right or wrong. Relying on our ego, we set out to compare ourselves with others to measure our righteousness and modulate our behavior with fear, guilt, violence, punishment and revenge. It also forces us to see ourselvesunworthy of Gods love because we have been convinced that we were born imperfect and, therefore, must spend our lives trying to earn Gods eternal approval.

This idea we are here in search of a spiritual experience does not work for me. It is the philosophy that the cup of our life is always half empty. Fortunately, the view of spirit has evolved beyond this.

Spiritual beings having a temporary human experience

All spiritual teachings contend we originated from a Higher Consciousness or spirit we call God. For example, this is what the first chapter of the Book of Genesis addresses. Modern physics and metaphysics support the premise that everything originated from an original being. This means that all living organisms are spiritual beings because they all have this essence in them.

Using our surroundings to guide our thinking, we can see that everything is part of a never-ending cycle of birth, evolution, transformation and death. But endings are never final, for they lead to new beginnings and forms.

It makes sense then that this cycle we witness daily in the material world is the perfect metaphor for what happens in the spiritual world. Just ponderabout our own spiritual evolution through the many endings and beginnings in our lives.

I am convincedwe are spiritual beings experiencing a temporary human experience. This makes the example of Enzothe hero of our aforementioned storypossible. This may not just apply to dogs; it is plausible that every living thing serves as a phase of learning and evolving for a next and higher being.

Seeing ourselves as spiritual beings on this earth temporarily to grow and evolve fills me with hope, serenity and gratitude. This belief converts my life into a wonderful package of experiences and people meant to teach me important lessons on how to express the divine spirit that is part of me.

We can, of course, adopt the traditional view of the relationship between God and ourselves, salvation and eternal damnation. But these beliefs have fueled great divisions and tribalism among human beings. We still argue over whose god is the one true God and who are the true believers and infidels. These beliefs dont allow us to see our connection to each other and to our world.

Considering ourselves as spiritual beingshere to learn and grow give every life meaning and value. This does not judge our experiences and people as good or evil, butas essential elements in our individual life curriculum. It also sheds light on the important value and purpose each person, animals, and every living thing contributes to our world.

Adopting this perspective has brought great joy and significance to my life. Knowing the people and experiences in my life were there to help with my spiritual development defuses my anger and desire for revenge and fills me with gratitude for them. It gives the full span of my life meaning and purpose and gives me the energy and openness to accept new challenges for as long as I live. I have never been so content and thankful for my life nor have I ever felt so comfortable inside my skin as I do now. I am a spiritual being learning from this temporary existence and getting ready for the next transition.

Remember, paying gratitude for your life forward will bring you great joy and contentment.

Previously published here and reprinted with the authors permission.

Photo: Shutterstock

Link:

Are Humans Here in Search of a Corporeal or Spiritual Experience? - The Good Men Project

Festival takes care of mental, physical and spiritual health – Cyprus Mail

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

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Festival takes care of mental, physical and spiritual health - Cyprus Mail

These Sunglasses Have "Spiritual Healing" Properties Thanks to a Tiny Detail on Their Frames – Yahoo Lifestyle

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Danzig

While we tend to wear sunglasses all year long (especially with that 4:30 p.m., right-in-your-retina winter sunset), part of us still associate this accessory with the summer or, rather, summer relaxation. Even now, we can vividly picture ourselves sliding on a pair of shades while louging on a beach. And Garrett Leight wants to take that feeling to a whole new level.

The eyewear brand is currently selling a 30-piece, limited-edition Olinda collection, which promises spiritual healing properties for those who wear them. This is all thanks to the crystal details included in the sunglass frames, with each stone holding a different type of power. The light pink pair, Lomita, features rose quartz, meant to calm the mind. A darker, Black Shell pair is accented with onyx, which is said to stop negative thought patterns. Lastly, a tiger eye stone sits in the warm yellow-brown pair, and is supposed to help with clarity and creativity.

Elena Doukas, the head designer at Garrett Leight, explained the inspiration behind the collection, which stemmed from a visit to the South West specifically, Taos, New Mexico.

"Taos in known for ornate jewelry," she said via press release. "My family would get the most beautiful gemstone gifts when we would drive down there from Colorado. The tourist stops along the path from Arizona to New Mexico always have amazing finds. They sell gemstones at every store as well as petrified wood pieces. Ive always been enamored by the power of these stones and there is something about this particular place that feels incredibly peaceful and serene.

The sunglasses are being sold on garrettleight.com for $595. They'll no doubt make the perfect holiday gift for that busy someone in your life, or, at the very least, be a calming essential as you visit family during the holiday season.

To Buy: $595, garrettleight.com

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These Sunglasses Have "Spiritual Healing" Properties Thanks to a Tiny Detail on Their Frames - Yahoo Lifestyle

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