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Natural Woman Magazine Contributors Azizah Nubia Editor In Chief
Tammarah Overton Chief of Beauty of Fashion
Gidget Hunter Allen Head of Cover Photography
Likia Christine Executive Director of Health & Wellness
Shanell Russell Executive Beauty Director
Contributors
Social Media Likia Christine
Isis Swink
Tammarah Overton
Jazzy Sdlich Trazana Staples Zephanie Garret
Advertising & Sales DeAndre Washington
Photography by: Gidget Hunter Allen of GidgetImages
Roy L. Hall II
Make Up by: Shanell Russell
Graphics
Natural Woman Magazine is a Media Cooperative Copyright Š2014
Jan-Maxwell
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Wordz from the Editor...7 Ask Natural Woman...11
Unique Fashions...14 Kale...21 Stop Global Warming‌ 31 Healing our wombs...37 Mom in Chief: Meet Sarah Aderson...41 Nubia Sunshine...43 Get Elevated Women’s
Conference...45
Did You Know? Kale is far more nutritious than other leafy greens.
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Beauty Tip: Foundation Sense...57
Natural Hair Pics...59 Natural Hair in the Work Place...61 Miss Too’s Fashion Tips...62
Fashion Week 2014...64 Sacred Space: Altar Building...67
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Let’s be empowered to be the change we want to see in the world. It is our time Natural Women, lets redefine how we see ourselves so we can begin changing our lives. We have been given this sweet opportunity to break free from limited thinking. Our Universe is calling us to be the medicine in healing our planet with our love, beauty and grace. By utilizing your natural skills, talents, and creativeness you can create better for ourselves and our planet. Break free from your limiting thoughts and beliefs about who you are, and be that ray of light that you were born to be. You can have the life you desire, but it will require you to change how you think. Have an Empowered state of mind. Let your thoughts em- Photography by: Gidget Hunter Allen of GidgetImages power you to make a better way for Make Up by: Shanell Russell yourself. I do not care how old you are or what you have been through. You have the power to create a brand new reality. Live up to your potential and don’t be afraid of a little challenge. We have meaning and we are all in search of finding what it is. And the only way we will get there is through Love of self and each other.
Peace, Azizah Nubia
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@Azizah11
Follow me on WATCH THIS MOVING VIDEO 7
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Q:
Natural Woman,
I love this magazine I’m learning new ways in how I can maintain my natural self. I have a question I hope you can answer. What can I do to enhance my memory naturally? Aris Temple Bridgetown, Barbados
Answer : Great question "The average person's memory deteriorates as they get older, but that's not due to the ageing process - it's because they are unwittingly training their memories to become worse," explains world-renowned memory expert Tony Buzan. "The decline of memory with age is not inevitable - it's just that we tend to neglect it, as we do our bodies. We feed it the wrong foods and don't exercise it, then wonder why it's going wrong. We have to learn to expand our memory powers." Here are some tips that may help you increase the brain power…
Getting regular exercise (especially cardiovascular exercise)
Maintaining social connections
Managing your stress (through mind-body techniques like yoga and deep breathing, for instance)
Keeping your mind stimulated with challenging activities (such as doing a crossword puzzle or learning to play a musical instrument)
There's also emerging evidence that practicing meditation may help improve your memory. However, more research needs to be conducted before any conclusions about meditation's memory-improving effects can be drawn.
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Health tip
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We have all heard of the mineral magnesium, but do you really know how important it is to your body? Magnesium is an incredibly versatile and important nutrient that many doctors, nutritionists, and researchers believe is the single most important nutrient for human health And it is shocking to see how many people overlook this essential nutrient. It is essential for over 300 different chemical reactions in the body, including maintaining your energy level, helping you relax, and sustaining the health of your heart and blood vessels. One of its most common uses of magnesium is alleviating constipation. It is also a natural calcium-channel blocker – many integrative medicine practitioners have used magnesium supplements to help lower blood pressure and maintain healthy blood pressure.
portant nutrient for that energy powerhouse, the human heart; it helps the heart muscle itself function better. Magnesium also helps protect blood vessels, which is where most of what we call heart disease actually happens. Magnesium is also a natural blood thinner, much like aspirin, so many doctors and researchers believe that it may help prevent heart attacks and strokes. Perhaps the area where magnesium could have the biggest impact is in the prevention of diabetes: Scientists have proven that magnesium levels are low in people with diabetes; people with higher magnesium levels do not develop diabetes; and that supplementing with magnesium appears to help reverse pre-diabetes Sources: http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/daniel -heller-nd/magnesium-miracle-mineral
Magnesium is probably the most imNatural Woman Magazine
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By: Likia Christine
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7 reasons why we love Kale!
digestive disorders and cancer. Protein-rich
(and why it's the new beef)
ber, but it also provides 2 grams of protein.
foods, like meat, contain little to no fiber. One serving of kale not only contains 5 percent of the recommended daily intake of fi-
Kale is far more nutritious than other leafy greens, but these seven reasons why it is such 5. Omega fatty acids: Essential Omega fats an important future food may just surprise play an important role in our health, unlike you.
the saturated fats in meat. A serving of kale
1. Anti-inflammatory: Inflammation is the
contains 121 mg of omega-3 fatty acids and
number one cause of arthritis, heart disease
92.4 mg of omega-6 fatty acids.
and a number of autoimmune diseases, and is triggered by the consumption of animal products. Kale is an incredibly effective antiinflammatory food, potentially preventing and even reversing these illnesses.
6. Immunity: Superbugs and bacteria are a serious risk to our health. Many of these come
as a result of factory farm meat, eggs and dairy products. Kale is an incredibly rich source of immune-boosting carotenoid and
2. Iron: Despite the myth that vegetarians are flavanoid antioxidants including vitamins A anemic, the number of non-vegetarians with and C. iron-deficiencies is on the rise. Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef.
7. Sustainable: Kale grows to maturity in 55 to 60 days versus a cow raised for beef for an average of 18-24 months. Kale can grow in
3. Calcium: Dairy and beef both contain calcium, but the U.S. still has some of the highest rates of bone loss and osteoporosis in the world. Kale contains more calcium per calorie than milk (90 grams per serving) and is also better absorbed by the body than dairy.
most climates and is relatively easy and low impact to grow at home or on a farm. To raise one pound of beef requires 16 pounds of grain, 11 times as much fossil fuel and more than 2,400 gallfons of water. **Article courtesy of TriJake http://trijake.com/kale-is-the-new-beef/
4. Fiber: Like protein, fiber is a macronutrient, which means we need it every day. But many Americans don’t eat nearly enough and the deficiency is linked to heart disease, Natural Woman Magazine
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Watch Likia make this dish Here
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Kale Chips W
ith so many easy ways to add this nutrition powerhouse to your diet, here are just a few recipes that
we love! Let’s start with the easiest. Kale chips are surprisingly tasty, and so easy to make. I tried this recipe out on the kids. They loved it, and we all know that the children are the true taste testers! Whether baked or fried, these crispy snacks will give those old potato chips some competition!
All you will need:
Olive Oil cooking spray Organic Kale (one bunch will make a large bowl) Extra Virgin Olive Oil Sea salt Garlic Powder (optional) Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray large cookie sheet with Olive oil. Chop kale into snack size pieces and line on the sheet. Drizzle with Olive oil, and season to taste with Sea Salt and Garlic powder. You can get as creative as you like with your seasonings though! Bake for about 15 minutes, and enjoy!
*If you’d like them to be more crisp, instead of baking they can be fried in a skillet with about 1 tbs of olive oil
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Avocado, Kale and Apple Smoothie Ingredients 2 apples 1 cup ice water 2 leaves kale 1 avocado 2 dates
Instructions Put all ingredients into blender, blend and enjoy! Remember to put the avocado in last, so it doesn’t get too frothy.
Kale's nutrient richness stands out in three particular areas: (1) antioxidant nutrients, (2) antiinflammatory nutrients, and (3) anti-cancer nutrients in the form of glucosinolates
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By Trazana Staples Global Warming is carbon dioxide and other air pollution that is collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket, trapping the sun's heat and causing the planet to warm up. Coal-burning power plants are the largest U.S. source of carbon dioxide pollution -- they produce 2.5 billion tons every year. Automobiles, the second largest source, create nearly 1.5 billion tons of CO2 annually. Here's the good news: technologies exist today to make cars that run cleaner and burn less gas, modernize power plants and generate elecNatural Woman Magazine
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tricity from nonpolluting sources, and cut our electricity use through energy efficiency. The challenge is to be sure these solutions are put to use. http:// www.nrdc.org/ globalwarming/ f101.asp
We can help reduce the effect of global warming my using less energy sources. Simply by turning the lights off when not necessarily needed. Walking, riding a bike, taking the bus, or car pooling. Last but not least, sharing with friends and family....using less energy leaves more room for love! 31
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The Be A Natural Woman Web Series This is a Free Live event that Natural Woman Magazine is offering to the public in celebration of International Women's Month. This Event will motivate you to... Find your Life Purpose
Get Healthy & Fit Start Your Own Green Business And finally be the Natural Woman you know you can be! Featured Speakers
Isis Brantley
Dr. Consir Thot
Owner of the In- Owner of Inside stitute of Ancestral the Body Holistic Braiding Health Therapy Natural Woman Magazine
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Iyalosa OlaOmi Trazana Staples Akalatunde Author of 10 Steps Spiritual Leader and to Create Your Owner of Green Business Got2BOshun 36
"sin" by experiencing our sexual selves before marriage. These belief pattern can be detrimental to our wombs, harboring these thoughts about yourself or feeling ashamed about your sexuality can cause many reproductive health issues. We have to remember that we have a mind and body connection. What we predominately think about creates our vibrational environment and this vibration pulls to us experiences, people, and situations that match the frequency we emit. So if you are experiencing any reproductive ailments or disorders and you find it difficult to heal them completely out your life. You may need to visit deeper parts of yourself to see if you hold a thought pattern or belief about yourself that needs to be changed.
By: Azizah Nubia
I love my womb. I really do, it wasn't long ago that I felt the opposite about my womb. I use to be a woman that disliked my sexual organs. I use to have a deep sub conscious view of myself as nasty because of my sexual urges and desires. Coming from a strong Christian Family background where I was raised to feel ashamed about my sexuality. I suffered from years of negative thinking about how I saw myself. The guilt that was created from having sex before marriage and becoming a teenage mother at 16 weighed on me for years. I felt like I was low class and no good. Like on the movie The Color Purple when Celie’s step-father told Albert Celie was "spoiled"... that's how I felt. I know we all have felt those moments of On the next page you will see a list of shame about our sexual life, especially common reproductive issue that many those of us who "so called" committed
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women face and their related imbalanced thought pattern. UTERUS Problems (Home of creativity, symbol of womanhood & femininity): Anger at the self. Hatred of the body & of the feminine side. Self righteous & dogmatic thinking, critical of others. How you feel about being a woman, or about having or not having children. Do you live up to the image your mother instilled in you? Do you find femininity over burdening & hard to deal with? FIBROSIS (Benign tumors found in the uterus): A soft tissue lump indicates thoughts & attitudes that have been suppressed for so long that they have taken a solid form. Issues relating to femininity, sexuality, motherhood. Unexpressed guilt, shame or history of abuse. Unwilling to let go of sexual inhibitions. Since the uterus is where a woman nurtures new life, there may be conflicts about nurturing, for example, giving to others while feeling unnourished yourself. A desire to keep everything the same by blocking your creative forces. PREMENSTRUAL TENSION: Resentment towards having a menstrual cycle when having to work or resentment towards work. Struggling to prove yourself as a woman, would rather be a man. Resenting monthly reminder of being feminine. Finding it hard to flow with nature, preferring to be in control & dominate instead of submitting. Guilt, shame, lack of love for the self. Would rather not have a menstrual cycle or would rather not be working. MENSTRUAL PROBLEMS (painful menstruation, irregular cycles, cramps, increased & heavy menstrual flow, amenorrhoea, continual menstruation): Desire to get pregnant or a fear of parenthood. An inability to surrender to the body’s natural rhythms & flow, therefore, creating a blockage behind which your feelings gather. ConfuNatural Woman Magazine
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sion about your role as a woman. or resentment towards men. Competing against others for another person’s love. Not loving yourself, & not realizing that all the love you need is inside you. Rejection of one’s feminine side. ENDOMETRIOSIS/OVARIAN CYSTS (create menstrual problems & hinder pregnancy): Deep conflict of being fulfilled as a woman or expressing your femininity, or wanting to be a mother or not. Resenting the children you already have. Your femininity has been repressed or abused. You perceive that your partner is rejecting you. Repressing your sexuality. Inner conflict with creating and finding your own path. THRUSH (Yeast-like organism which infects warm damp areas): The yeast is kept in check by the acid/alkaline balance in the vagina, but if balance is upset due to emotional causes or because of antibiotics killing the natural flora, the the yeast flourishes causing a white, foul smelling discharge. The discharge indicates discharging unacceptable feelings. An infection implies that something is irritating you and making you angry, such as having to be intimate, or being intimate with the wrong person. Feeling sexually abused or exploited. Feelings of guilt, shame or repressed sexual feelings.
INFERTILITY: A woman’s unwillingness to be like her mother. Unwillingness to go through what her mother went through. Shutting down of feminine side. Unresolved childhood abuse creating an unconscious fear of having a child. Fear the responsibility, or feeling inadequate, unable to cope, especially financially. Believing that having a child is the only way life will have any meaning for you. MENOPAUSE: Fearing the purpose of your existence since your role as a mother has diminished. Fear of the aging process and of inevi38
table change taking place, and that you are no longer in control of your body. Menopause is a stopping of blood flow and may mean you have stopped loving yourself, as if your feelings are drying up inside. Hot flashes may indicate the fire of anger or fear, and so the body is burning the past releasing all the old ways..
Interesting stuff huh? After reading the common belief attached to the physical manifestation of the female reproductive orders. Can or have you ever identified with any of those thoughts or feelings?
things into your space, do not trash your wombs with negative thoughts and beliefs. The womb has been a portal for all life to enter into this reality. Without it nothing would exist, so it deserves honor and respect and because you have been blessed posses this powerful tool, use it wisely.
Now I’m not saying that changing your thoughts about your reproductive cycles will make them go away. But what I do know is once you accept and welcome the cycles of being a woman (menstrual flows, childbirth, and menopause). You will begin to have enjoyable experiences about being a woman. You will also be able to tap into the power of your womb and believe me it is POWERFUL. The rate of reproductive issues around the world are high, and that is because we have been taught to deny and hate who we are as women and because of this ignorance we have created many unhealthy experiences in being women. So where do you go from here? One thing for sure I know you better subscribe to Natural Woman Magazine, because we will lead you to the right source. But that’s not all, it is important that you take care of yourself. And accept who you are as a woman, do more research and explore what it means to be You. Eat healthy, only allow positive Natural Woman Magazine
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BLACK COHOSH
BEST FOR: Hot flashes and night sweats.
DONG QUAI
Ginger
CRANBERRY
FLAXSEED
Its is usefulness in treating irregular periods, fatigue, and premenstrual irritability and anxiety.
Nausea. Whether your queasy stomach is caused by PMS, pregnancy-related morning sickness, or , ginger can most likely help. -
Prevention of UTIs. For reasons that aren't well understood, women are more likely than men to develop a urinary tract infection (UTI).
Heart health. Nearly twice as many American women die of heart disease and stroke as from all forms of cancer, including breast cancer, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).
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Women’s Empowerment Feature
Interviewed By: Azizah Nubia
Sarah Aderson, also known as the Leg-a-SHE Strategist, where she empowers women business owners to charge what they're worth so they can leave a legacy not only for their family, but for the world. She up level a woman's inner worth and transform it into tangible wealth. She is also a speaker and author of the forthcoming book The Single Mompreneur Bliss Blueprint: 7 Steps to Activate the Superpower in Your Heart. And host and founder of the Mom-InChief Lounge, a free weekly empowerment session for busy single moms .
back to school, make healthier choices - whatever your life without limits looks like for you - it is absolutely possible for single moms to live life abundantly. Azizah Nubia: What are some of the challenges you experienced while creating the Mom-In-Chief Lounge. And how did you overcome them?
Sarah: The Mom-In-Chief Lounge has truly been a labor of love. I wanted to get it out to the world much faster than when I did. Impatience was probaAzizah Nubia: What inspired you to create the Mom bly my biggest challenge. I was able to hear God more clearly when I stopped focusing on my wants. I in Chief Lounge? surrendered my time-table to God's will. I learned that although I'm a solo-preneur, I am in partnership Sarah: I created the Mom-In-Chief Lounge to rewith God. I took action daily towards my goals define single motherhood for the masses. Single moms can thrive and live without limits. I'm a single and trusted that everything was going to work tomom myself and I don't believe that our situation has gether for my good. As a result, all of my needs have to be a limitation. All the dreams and desires we had been supplied. before are still attainable, but we must take inspired Azizah Nubia: Do you feel you are living in alignaction. The Mom-In-Chief Lounge is where dreams and possibility intersect. I wanted to provide access ment with your highest destiny? And why? to world renowned experts for free to a market that Sarah: I 100% believe that I'm living in alignment with has been ignored for far too long. The events are designed to empower single moms to create the life my soul purpose. I know that my purpose on this they want. Whether you want to start a business, go planet is to serve and teach others. My coaching business and the Mom-In-Chief Lounge allow me to Natural Woman Magazine
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do just that. Being a single mom and an entrepreneur have been huge parts of my spiritual journey. Both have caused me to search for the truth about myself. Not my parent's or society's ideas of who I should be, but God's vision for me. I did my heart work, pulled back all the layers of blame, anger, guilt, shame, and silenced the inner critic to receive divine guidance. I was divinely guided to create the Mom-In-Chief Lounge, stay on my path, and share my truth to serve others.
Believe that you can do anything: I truly believe in my heart that I can do anything-with some training, studying, and practice of course. This is true for everyone. I've never flown a plane, but I believe that I can learn how over a period of time. Everything can be learned, but you have to put in the time and effort to learn it. Not knowing how to do something isn't a valid reason for not trying.
Azizah Nubia: Please give our readers your 3 tips of advice on how they can live up to your their divine purpose, just as you are. Sarah: See the glass as full: I know most people see the glass as half-full or half-empty, but I see it as full. It's full of water and air. If you follow the normal concept of half-full or half-empty, then that implies that you are missing or lacking something. This causes people to act out of fear. I prefer to act from a place of faith where I trust that I have everything I need. I can then respond to situations, instead of reacting to them. No matter what the outer conditions look like everything will all work together for your good. Look for the lesson: When things don't go the way I would have liked, I look for the lessons. It's in those moments where I learn the most about myself. I discovered this motto the hard way (literally). I used to run track back in the day. The first time I jumped hurdles in a meet I tripped over the first one. Without thinking, I got up and jumped the rest of them without an issue (even though I was dead last). That isn't at all how I envisioned that going. I was devastated and embarrassed. While I was pouting, my mom said, "You got back up. That's what matters." I learned in that moment that when I fall down, my first instinct is to get back up and keep going. I never would have realized that if I hadn't fallen down. Every experience and encounter holds a lesson.
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Women’s Empowerment Feature
Interviewed by: Azizah Nubia
Monique Nubia Sunshine is 42 year old native of Brooklyn NY. Where she sets up shop as a Reiki Practitioner, Life Stylist, Fashion Designer, and Owner of KUSH Design. From counselling, designing clothes, healing meditations, crystals and energy healing, Nubia Sunshine is a trusted source for sacred spiritual growth and lifestyle desired by many “I strive daily to earn and maintain that trust and to cultivate an environment of peace, confidentiality and trust”. Nubia’s gifts helps her to create garments that are uniquely deNatural Woman Magazine
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signed to fit the aura and inner essence of her clients. Azizah Nubia: What inspires you to do what you do? Nubia Sunshine: I have a love for people. I want them to be transformed into the inner being, the inner essence of who they are and showing that glow on the outside healing with style to enhance the inner you. I get excited to be apart of the transformation as I am inspired to share my gifts in unconditional love. 43
Azizah Nubia: What do find most challeng- to the order I need to take with each cliing about the work you do. And how do you ent personally. Allowing me to be guided based of the needs of my clients. deal with it. Nubia: What’s challenging is that there is so much I want to share in limited time to be effective in giving a well-rounded understanding. I am excited about healing as a reiki practitioner, and I want to give so much so soon. Combining the design aspect with the life force healing in creating a look that illuminates the inner energy to glow on the outside along with, designing alters, colour therapy with chakra awakening and meditation, reiki and crystal healing can be difficult when folks cannot see how they can all be related. Explaining can be very challenging I want to heal and give makeovers simultaneously!! How I over come the challenges I meditate and consult with my spiritual guides and allow the energy to flow naturally as
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Aziazh Nubia: Do you feel your on the path of fulfilling your divine destiny.? Nubia: Absolutely!! I am living in the divine essence of who I am. As I have been developing and learning on this journey it has been revealed that this is my life's work and purpose. And all doors seem to open and bring me further into divine order. Azizah Nubia: Can you give our readers your tips of advice on how they can live their divine purpose?
Allow your true essence to sprout out sending love... And love will find its way back to you, unconditionally supporting all your desires and dreams!! Find Nubia Sunshine on FB: Nubia Sunshine
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The vision for GEWC 2014 started a little over two years ago as a result of Yetta Young & Felicia Davis both experiencing life-altering events that completely shifted their lives causing them to look at life through brand new lenses. Yetta Young is the CEO and Executive Producer of YYP & Associates, LLC, a production, management and consulting firm specializing in producing extraordinary events. Her premiere sold-out productions are known for their class and elegance and she has had the pleasure of producing and/or directing such luminaries as Oscar winner, Mo’Nique; Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson; Iyanla Vanzant (Iyanla Fix Your Life); Kendra C. Johnson (Tyler Perry’s Love Thy Neighbor); Wendy Raquel Robinson (The Game); Sher-
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ri Shepherd (The View); Star Jones (The View); Ella . Yetta’s life changed when she found out that she was going to be a mother for the first time at the tender age of 42. While being given the gift of motherhood was certainly a blessing to Yetta, the high-risk pregnancy offered a myriad of medical complications coupled with the stressors of moving across country to take on a high visibility executive position, while pregnant. With the challenges of both new motherhood and being the Executive Director of a start-up theater and cultural arts center, Yetta found herself feeling depressed and disconnected. Felicia Davis is a wife of 20 years, mother of three, a leadership branding strategist and most importantly a child of God. She has been blessed with many successes including more than two decades of experience in Human Resources, most recently as an HR Executive, 11 years as an Entrepreneur, founder of a communitybenefit, 501(c) 3 organization for girls and a Producer of sold-out women’s conferences, retreats and cause related celebrity events. Felicia’s life changed forever when she suffered a second stroke at the tender age of 41. What’s even more alarming is that she didn’t know she had the first one until the tests revealed that another part of her brain was dead. “I had all the signs leading up to this, but I was too busy being busy that I wasn’t listening to God’s whisper telling me that something about my ‘busy & very stressful’ life needed to change.”
Yetta Young
Felicia was certainly thankful for the gift of life, but the stroke accelerated her plan for leaving a very stressful Executive HR role and left her in a state of depression due to the many side effects. Those side effects include a slight speech impediment, brain damage and loss of the full function of her right hand and foot. “It was in this moment of darkness that we came together in support of and lifting one another up and realized that we could not let our circumstances cir-
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Felicia Davis
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cumvent our progress.” “When we shared our stories with other women, we found that women all over were feeling stuck and unsure of how to move forward. We quickly realized that women were looking for something more. They wanted to feel more empowered in their lives. They yearned for a life that honors their need for connection, confidence and harmony between their personal and professional lives so that they could be more fulfilled.” It was through these heartfelt conversations, many of which mirrored their own lives, that the idea for the Get Elevated Women’s Conference was born. This conference was also born out of their desire to create an event for women where a contact becomes a connection and the right relationships are formed that allow you to support, collaborate and celebrate one another.
The GEWC is an one-of-a-kind movement for women who are ready to step up boldly, fully embrace and own their calling and live a life by design. Over the course of 3 transformational days, you’ll be engaged in a ‘whole woman’ experience like no other. The guest speakers are , transparent and ready to impart wisdom, share their perspectives and insight on a variety of topics that integrate into every part of your
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life:
Family Relationships Health & Wellness Career/Business Finances. Held in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona at the fabulous Montelucia Resort & Spa. Every detail at the Get Elevated Women’s Conference has been meticulously thought through to create an environment for you to come and fully connect with other women, in an intimate environment, while being empowered and elevated in both your personal and professional life. After 3 powerful days of being fully embraced, connected and empowered with a new level of confidence, the only way for you to go is up! You’ll leave the conference with new ideas, new connections and a brand new attitude ready to live life on your own terms. You’ll be Motivated, Inspired and Activated!
Take A look at our guest! Visit GEWC 2014 Website Here
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By: Zephanie Garrett
You give me a reason…. A reason to be me I stand tall and strong because I finally feel I belong In a natural state of mind…. Your words and actions are so kind Filling me up to the moment where its hard for me to breathe And my eyes I never want to close... Because I’m afraid the beauty I see is just a fantasy. You surpass the ordinary spectrum…. but I still can plainly see your just a man… And here I stand before you . A woman, naked fully exposed revealing every single inch of me…. My beauty and my flaws and through it all You calm tainted fear with every gesture You strengthen my weakness making the picture so clear I can’t doubt the highest part of me. You truly give me a reason to be what I’ve always wanted you to see… Me. Natural Woman Magazine
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How many of us have several different types of make up to create that perfect face?. Or are you like many of our Natural Women and just feel overwhelmed by all of what you think you need and choose not to wear any make up at all. Well, hopefully we can solve that problem today. We all want to enhance our Natural beauty and we are going to start with foundation. Foundation is the start of it all. There are so many to choose from. Creams, powders, cream to powder. How do you choose? First is knowing your skin type. Oily skin/dry skin/ combo to normal. Oily skin. You may think that a foundation will just make it worse. Let me tell you that there's some relief to that shine.
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Here are my top 5. Maybeline Super Stay Stay Matte by Rimmel Bobbi Brown long wear even finish Covergirl outlast stay fabulous L'OrĂŠal true Match. With any skin type you want to achieve that matte look all day.
So for dry skin if you're looking for a more dewy hydrated look. Here are my top 5. Revlon color stay Ester Lauder double wear Revlon color photo ready Neutrogena healthy skin Cover girl stay fabulous
So if you have combination to normal skin, It gets a bit easier. Here are my top 5. Reason color stay L'OrĂŠal true Match Maybeline pure liquid mineral foundation Max Factor miracle touch liquid Illusion foundation. Knowing your skin type is very important to determine your selection. A good idea is to also do some research by reading the comments of your skin type users. And when you go to make that purchase instead of using the old swap on the back of your hand. The best place to choose your right shade is on your jawline( between your face and neck). Be sure to check out natural woman's website and send us an e-mail if you have any questions.
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Natural hair has come along way. Or should I say we have come along way ladies. After hours of research on this topic of Natural Hair in the work place . I began to realize that, there are plenty of powerful women in the corporate world who wear their Natural Hair. That had me thinking, what is the difference between women who wear their natural hair and women who do not. It’s courage. Check out an article I came across on www.corporette.com by
By: Azizah Nubia
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For Naturally Professional, a monthly interview series on Afrobella.comand CurlyNikki.com, I recently featured Carolyn Edgar, a stunning woman with beautiful locks, who works as Vice President and Legal Counsel for The Estee Lauder Companies. She knows professional women in every imaginable field, who wear their hair naturally and are well respected for their talents. Carolyn also pointed out that most often, we expect 62
judgment from others because of our own fears and past experiences. “It turned out no one cared what I did with my hair, as long as it was neat. That doesn’t mean people didn’t notice, or ask questions. But I have never been reprimanded, ‘talked to,’ or discriminated against because of my hair,” she said. Carolyn also pointed out that concern about hair texture in the office isn’t solely a black female issue. Black men can face a different experience and find more judgment about their hair choices, particularly in corporate environments. Also white women with curly hair often also feel a pressure to straighten their hair so as to appear “professional.” “Curly-haired women of all races and cultures feel pressured to wear their hair straight and think of their own natural hair as “unmanageable.” I think all women would benefit if acceptance of our hair’s natural texture became a cross-cultural or multi-cultural conversation,” Carolyn added. “
Carolyn Edgar
Going into the work place with your Natural hair should not be a challenge. Have confidence in yourself and you will be accepted. So many women want to use the
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excuse of “ My natural hair will not be accepted in the office� . And half the time no one is telling you that , but your own sub-conscious beliefs. It is not matter of being accepted, its all about how you fill about yourself. So be confident and rock your Natural Do. Natural Hair is here to stay!
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Fashion
By Tammarah Overton
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The Dos and Donts for dressing for an Job interview….
Don’t shy away from color. The key is to keep it simple and confine in one pattern wither it be a sold color jacket with a plaid skirt. You can also add color coordinated cardigan.
Do shift away from ill fitting suits: sometime wearing suites can get a little uncomfortable. Try something new go for a coral shaped jacket to fit your body along with some nice slacks.
Don’t over accessorize: Too much jewelry can cause a distraction in your interview. Accent your outfit with bold hues with gold or silver. Classic gold and silver are a foolproof, but its okay to venture out with bold pieces such as fierce belt or watch. Be creative with your shoes!!!! Find the perfect pump or flat boost your attire.
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Interviewed by Likia Christine
All of us have the same desire. We all want unconditional love, and to suffer no more. With countless forms of therapy available, Rev. Louisa Dyer takes a less common approach. She is a metaphysical reverend, an author and teacher, helping many to alleviate suffering; to live their lives where they are growing from Love, and not fear. Likia Christine: Are you a psychic? Rev. Dyer: Of course, though I don’t like to call myself psychic because I believe that we all are. For me to label myself that way feels arrogant and even ridiculous. I prefer saying I’m a grounded intuitive who is also empathic.
LC: Tell us a little about your background. What brought you to this type of work? RLD: One important thing is that I was a drug addict for 20 years and have been clean since 1987. I was severely depressed and suicidal the first 30 years of this life. My childhood was rather traumatic. Helping others come up out of their own dark places is my passion and it feeds me.
“traditional” field. I worked primarily with those who suffered from brain injury, severe disabilities, and depression. I began to realize that I couldn’t really do what I wanted as a therapist, so I gave up that hat in 1999 and became a metaphysical minister. Now I work with people in a much broader way. LC: From the services that you provide, what is the goal for you to achieve with your clients? RLD: The same goals that I’ve long held for myself. My life’s work is to raise human consciousness from the level of fear to one of Love. Once I understood that we are all interconnected, the whole of humanity, I understood that raising my own level of consciousness is my first responsibility. For my clients, I want for them whatever they want and help them achieve it as efficiently as possible. LC: I see from your website (LouisaDyer.com), that you offer a range of services. What is “reading Akashic Records”?
RLD: Akashic Records is a way of talking about the I went to school in my 30’s and got a masters in psyfield of energy, the field of consciousness that surchology, practicing for about a decade in the
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rounds everything. The Akashic Records is one name for that field. You can get almost any question answered accurately. You can ask about any thoughts, deeds or actions pertaining to you. You also can access other lifetimes, or just ask “why do I keep doing the same thing?” The records offer a lot of love and healing as well as guidance. It’s a powerful tool for growth. I open the Records with a prayer that’s been used for over 200 years. There are different ways to open the Records, I like to use the prayer. LC: What is the WOW Process? RLD: The WOW Process is energy psychology that a healer friend and I created. It’s like 3 months of therapy in a 90 minute session. It gets really deep, really fast. During WOW Processing, you are shown whatever is blocking you, how to be present with it, and Presence automatically clears the negative programming that caused the block. All you have to do is be present. It’s amazing work, not always easy, often intense, a way to shine Divine light through your mind, body and spirit, which automatically releases whatever blocks have been in your way. Many people absolutely love WOW, for some it is a bit too intense. Rev. Dyer hosts her own radio show, Inner Divinity; Knowing the Source within. This show serves as a free resource on a myriad of topics. If you are in the Cincinnati Oh area, you can listen on 88.3 fm. Wednesdays 2-3 pm, and livestreaming on waif883.org. All of the shows are archived on her website as well.
Read more about Rev. Dyer on our Natural Woman blog page! http://awakenthegoddess.blogspot.com/ Visit thewowprocess.com Contact Rev. Dyer at www.LouisaDyer.com Email: info@louisadyer.com Call:
513-248-0069
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By: Azizah Nubia
Alters have been used for millions of years as a sacred place to come and be one with your mind body and soul. In todays world a common place for altars are in a sanctuaries, temple, or churches. It’s a place to come and pray, give thanks, and even receive healing.
I think it is important for every woman to have a sacred place in her home. There is no limit to what you can do or create at your alter. An altar can be used in many ways:
To say thank you to the powers that be I have my own personal altar and I feel that its im- To celebrate Mother Nature in all her guises portant for every woman to have a sacred place in To seek spiritual wisdom her home to just be still and free. Since my journey To honor the ancestors of using altars I have created a sacred portal to the To offer up struggles To receive creative inspiration spiritual world. We are all spirits having a human experience, but we get so caught up in our human To dialogue with the deeper part of her being life, that we forget to take the time to visit our spir- To honor her body Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/Wellness/2002/09/A-Guide itual self. Having an altar can help you remember to -To-Womens-Altars.aspx#66ZcfrTlP8Wj32je.9 take some time to be still in reflect. I feel connectIt doesn't matter what your spiritual beliefs are anyed to spirit when I sit at my altar, it reminds me that one can benefit from using an altar. With so much I am more than just my physical self, it represents negative programming concerning spirituality outmy inner feminine essence. side of religious orders. People maybe nervous
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when you see someone with an altar. Do not let someone else's belief cloud your own experience. An altar is special place, where you can commune with both the personal and the cosmic aspects of yourself. Here are something's you can place on your altar. ( You can be as creative as you please, this is only ideas to get you started.)
Candles
Incense
Pictures of your Ancestors (Obituaries)
Fresh Cool Water
Crystals
Feathers
Bells
Mirrors
Statues of Gods or Goddess
Flowers
Remember your altar should reflect your inner self. It should be a place where you go to be still and connect with your higher self.
To Learn More about Altar Building Check out this video . Click the Eye icon
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