Viva Menstruation!

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blood, connection, female, Feminism, God, Goddess, magic, menstruation, moon cycles, new moon, period, spirituality, taboo, teal swan, women

Cheers to those 3,500 days of our lives that we bleed!

 

In honor of the upcoming new moon on Thursday, here is a little love from Teal Swan.

And in honor of all the women that have this magic energy inside us.

We have it, so let’s tap it and lets make miracles with our blood!

Much love,

Mensa

 

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The Peaceful Atom is a Bomb

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atomic bombs, bumper stickers, Cara Reynolds, Communists, Flatbush, hydrogen bombs, make love not war, Mushpa + Mensa, nuclear bombs, outrider.org, peace, The Peaceful Atom is a Bomb, VW Bus, What would happen if a nuclear bomb went off here?

Flatbush!!!!

“The Peaceful Atom is a Bomb”, was a bumper stick on the VW Bus parked across the street from me growing up. I thought they were the coolest. It was the late 80’s and most hippies had joined the corporate 9-5 jobs by then. Nuclear bombs equaled world domination, which was in. People wanted more bombs as the Communists were just around the corner.

Now people know nuclear bombs aren’t cool, but don’t really think about how they are out there, quietly ready to annihilate. The reality is we are barely skirting our own destruction with this Tr*mp and J*ng debacle,

Here is a visual tool to remind us that this is serious business. We are the guardians of our world.

What would happen if a nuclear bomb went off here?

After you test out where you live, your parents live, and your ex that broke your heart, then go here to see what you can do to put and end to this global threat!

Make love not war!

– Mushpa

Pa’lante My Friends

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Alynda Segarra, Alyse Young, bass, Bob Boilen, Bronson Arcuri, Bronx, Cara Reynolds, cello, Charlie Ferguson, Claire Harbage, congas, Cubana, Electric Guitar, Hurray For the Riff Raff, Jordan Hyde, Josh Rogosin, Juan-Carlos Chaurand, keyboards, Maia Stern, Morgan Noelle Smith, Mushpa, Mushpa + Mensa, New York City, Nothing's Gonna Change That Girl, NPR, NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert, NYC, Pa'lante, Patricia Santos, Puerto Rican, Puerto Rico, Rican Beach, rums, Salvatore Maicki, Sarah Goldstone Claudia Chopek, The Bronx, violin

Before you loved me like that.

The three faces of Eve… She is amazing.

I gave up TV and fell deep into the music and books y’all. Not gonna go on and on about it, but life, I must admit, is improving and it wasn’t so bad to begin with.

Edify us Girl.

– Mushpa

Tr*mp + Sinclair Broadcast Group = Extreme Danger to Our Democracy.

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ABC, apocalypse, armageddon, CBS, deadspin, end times, false news, Fox News, NBC, news propaganda, propaganda, Sinclair Broadcast Group, THX-1138, Tribune Media, Trump war on meadia, Trump's war on media

Click Picture To Watch Video First

Tr*mp + Sinclair Broadcast Group (the country’s largest broadcaster, which owns or operates 193 television stations. The company is seeking a $3.9 billion deal to buy Tribune Media, a move that’s being held up by regulators over antitrust concerns.) =  Extreme Danger to Our Democracy.

To quote Peter, whom I got this Deadspin video from (click on the link to read more about “How America’s Largest Local TV Owner Turned Its News Anchors Into Soldiers In Trump’s War On The Media“),

It’s not just national media like Fox “News”, it’s more and more of our local stations, across different brands…NBC, ABC, and CBS are all part of it. The local anchors we’ve trusted for so long (more than national ones) are part of propaganda system most of us didn’t even know actually existed or thought it was happening elsewhere or on channels we don’t watch. Only ONE television news brand source isn’t part of it: PBS.

I just got a little scared watching this video and I rarely get scared. I am always prepared, so I am not scared of what’s going to come, now I am scared that it is here.

Unplug the TV. Don’t watch/read the mainstream news. Read a book. Go outside. Play. Love. Change the world for the better.

-Mushpa

 

Mushpa + Mensa’s Book Nook

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Annie Spence, books, Cara Reynolds, Dear Fahrenheit 451, Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks: A Librarian's Love Letters and Breakup Notes to the Books in Her Life, Happiness, librarian, library, Mushpa, Mushpa + Mensa, Mushpa + Mensa Book Nook, Nook, public library, reading, reading is fundamental

Dear Fahrenheit 451, by Annie Spence

Welcome All to the Mushpa + Mensa Book Nook! The definition of a nook is a corner or recess, especially one offering seclusion or security. I think a book can be defined the same way. For example, when I read a good book my mind finds itself in a secure corner, alone, where the external world no longer exists. I compare it to dreaming while awake, a dream written by someone else and you’re in the dream, but you’re different. This is what I mean by book nook. The book is the nook!!!

Now that we have the meaning of the name Mushpa + Mensa’s Book Nook, I can tell you what it is about. Here’s the long story, we, have been reading a lot more lately. This is due to giving up watching “TV” (We don’t have a TV but we do have Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc and huge computer monitor to watch said “TV” on, in my book it’s the same.) on February 19th. All those series to binge watch was taking over the little free time we did have and honestly, the payout was never worth the time. We find good movies to watch on the weekends now, but that’s it for the boob tube. I had been reading non-fiction somewhat, but I really wanted to get back into reading. Not reality reading, but that “take you somewhere else then come back with a better understanding of the world around you” type of reading. I wasn’t sure where to start, but being someone who loves free and community I headed over to my local public library. Ah, the library, how I love you; what a treasure to have in this country. I would pay more taxes so librarians could take the amazingness they create with what money they have now and truly go hard, but I digress. I went to the recommended section and found this book, Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks: A Librarian’s Love Letters and Breakup Notes to the Books in Her Life, by Annie Spence. This is a book about a librarian Annie, who is also happens to be the author of the book, very post modern. :] The book is letters she writes to different books, be it love letters, break-up letters, super fan letters, reminiscing about the good old days letters, never liked you letters, Dear John letters, etc. Annie writes from her “personal” self, her “librarian” self and sometimes the “two merged into one” self.

Near the end of Dear Fahrenheit 451 she gives book recommendations in a super witty way, which is how I found the book I am reading now in the “Falling Down the Rabbit Hole: Books that Lead to More Books” section. I am halfway done and will say it has not disappointed. I have 200 and some pages left. I’ll let you know all about it in my next M+M Book Nook post.

Until then, do yourself a favor and go find an amazing book.

– Mushpa

Lean Into It

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art, artist, Cara Reynolds, death, Meshpa y Mensa, Mushpa + Mensa, ocean, Painter, Robin Clonts, water

What’s positive about today and humans? Robin Clonts is. This entry, I dedicate to Mensa and all other beautiful artist humans out there.

Let’s go out there and take a risk, all day every day.

– Mushpa

Textures From Spain: Inspiration For Your Art

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arabic, artist, azulejo, badajoz, carvings, inspiration, madrid, Mushpa + Mensa, Mushpa+Mensa, patterns, portugal, salamanca, segovia, sevilla, spain, textures, tiles, unique tiles, valladolid

Over Christmas break, we went to Spain to visit Cara’s family. We traveled to Valladolid, Salamanca, Segovia, Badajoz, Sevilla and Madrid, as well as a bit of Portugal.

One of the things that impressed me the most about the architecture was the visible textures and patterns that covered the walls of churches, courtyards and buildings. I became obsessed with capturing these textures and would yell out every time I saw a pattern I loved “Texture texture!” and we would have to stop, and take out the camera so I could capture it. Here I have gathered samples of these textures.

I hope that you may find inspiration for a mural, a background for your paintings, a pattern for your next pottery project or whatever other inspiration these may bring you.

Enjoy!

Here are some delicious off white and cream textures….I love this set.

Some colors were often repeated. Blues, Mustard Golds, and Sea Foam Greens. Many many many patterns in southern Spain are also a reflection of the interconnection between the Arabic and Spanish history.

While the architectural details in every corner were made of marble and metal, to plaster and wood carvings.

Even the floors with tiny stones decorated in patterns and shapes.

Traditionally called Azulejos, pictured here are some of the traditional Spanish and Portuguese ceramic and painted tiles. A collection of  my favorite textures in Blues.

Hope these give you a little inspiration for your design work!

-Mensa

 

Music – Make Me Feel Alive Again

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A Change Is Gonna Come, AHI, Alive Again, Bob Boilen, Cara Reynolds, Closer (From a Distance, DIY Musicians Conference, Frank Carter Rische, Maria Emilia Borja, Mushpa + Mensa, Mushpa Y Mensa, music, music video, Nashville, NPR, Ol' Sweet Day, Ontario, Robbie Crowell, Sam Cooke, Shawn Killaly, Tiny Desk Concert, true love, We Made It Through The Wreckage

I said in Mushpa + Mensa’s 2018 goals meeting that for our blog entries this year no more posting just music videos as an entry. Saying it more for myself than anyone, being the only person that does it. :] I went on to say, we need the entries to have sustenance, depth, words, links pictures, etc. It has to be a REAL blog entry. The last few days I have been thinking about what I should write about and nothing raised my interest. Cut to this morning when I went to check my e-mails and found this…

I was mesmerized, enraptured really. Move in an undefinable way that music gifts you. It connects you to the place of magic, which these days is not always easy to find. Music, when good, allows your vision to clear and your strength to return.

AHI’s (pronounce eye) music brings good things to the table. It creates hope in humanity’s light and confirms the existence of beautiful humans. That in itself is worth writing about.

So down with the rules, first blog entry of 2018 is a music video my friends. Forgive me my love!

We bring light to the table.

– Mushpa

The Four Agreements: Personal Growth Tips

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books to read, deepak chopra, don miguel ruiz, God, how to be happy, how to improve your life, inspiration, magic, Mushpa + Mensa, new york times best seller list, personal growth, self care, self help, self love, source, the four agreements, tips for self care, toltec tradition, turth, universe, wayne dyer, wisdom book

A few years ago, my father gave me this little book called The Four Agreements. It is a type of “self help” book, although self help sounds so…clinical? I like to refer to books of this nature as food for the soul, brain food, and also good advice for life. Some of these writers in this genre that I like include Dr Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, and author of The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz.

Essentially this book gives you four different “rules” that you should live by. In return, he argues, you will gain insight and live a more peaceful and happy life. These rules are nothing extraordinary, and have been said one way or another by many people before him. The nice thing about his presentation though, is that these agreements are useful to check back in with yourself…. “Am I following this agreement? Or am I acting in a way that doesn’t align with these agreements?”.

I highly recommend you READ THIS BOOK. He talks about concepts based on ancient Toltec wisdom that give you a Toltec perspective of the story of life, the Source of all, and where it is our souls stand against everything else.

But I would like to just give you the bullet points of the four agreements as even just that can give you a boost of understanding everyday.

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First Agreement:

“Be Impeccable with your Word: Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.”

Your words are powerful, and the thoughts behind those words are even more powerful. When we express ourselves we should speak from the heart and only truth. For me, being impeccable with my words means being honest with myself, God/the Universe, and speaking truth and beauty only. Everything else is static.

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Second Agreement:

“Don’t take anything personally: Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.”

It’s true. What others say it is just a reflection of their reality, and my reality in the end is what affects me. Others perspectives and options are their own. If i judge myself on others perspectives, I am not being honest and true to my perspective. I try to assess what others say, absorb it, and apply my own experience instead. This one is very hard for me, but I have seen the difference it makes when I do not take things personally. I am honestly happier.

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Third Agreement:

“Don’t make assumptions: Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.”

You know how the saying goes…When you assume, you make and ass out of you and me. It is a universal truth. We are not Vulcans last time I checked, so we cannot read each other’s minds, and thinking that “we know” certain truths can get us in a lot of trouble. Yes, sometimes gut feelings are on point, but communicating avoids the drama on every point…I should know!

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Fourth Agreement:

“Always do your best: Your  best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgement, self-abuse and regret.”

This seems like something your teacher tells you in grade school…But what happens when we don’t? I personally end up feeling gloomy, disappointed and even physically drained. My best today, is not the same as my best tomorrow. We are ever-evolving beings. As long as we work hard towards our dreams, our reality will reflect the results of our very best. When I try my best, my life feels like the best!

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There it is then! The Four Agreements. Simple but true. Write them in a notebook, or on a piece of paper and stick them on your wall. They have helped me get a better grip on my feelings, my happiness and my reality.

I hope sharing these with you will do the same!

Happy day to you,

-Mensa

More Cats!!! The Scratching Post Cafe

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10%, Cara Reynolds, Cat Café, cat rescue center, Causes, delicious, fair trade Guatemalan coffee, Happiness, healthy food, indiegogo, inspiration, local coffee shop, Maria Emilia Borja, Mushpa + Mensa, Mushpa Y Mensa, organic teas, Our Monthly Cause, The Scratching Post Cafe

Starting in 2017, we chose a monthly cause and will donate 10% of our sales to support said organization, project, human, etc. It will always be a cause that Mushpa + Mensa believes brings more love, hope, and peace to this world.

This month we will be supporting our soon-to-be local coffee shop and cat rescue center: The Scratching Post Cafe! What is better than coffee and cats? Mushpa would argue than nothing comes close.

Meow!

The Scratching Post Café, Wilmington’s first Cat Café plans to offer delicious, fair trade Guatemalan coffee, organic teas, and healthy food options for Wilmington residents and visitors! They will be the first of their kind here in our area, offering delicious refreshments all while being able to play and hang out with adoptable, cuddly kitties! Their ultimate mission is to give cats a loving and comfortable environment until they get adopted and get to go to a loving home!

Purrfect!

– Mushpa + Mensa