The Re-education and Emancipation of Master Sage as Expressed Through Moyo Aflame: The New Mission/Vision Statement of This Blog

Sage Mahosadha/East Oakland circa 2005-2006

moyo aflame (heart afame) is a consciously and intentionally commercial free blog that has the mission of existing at the intersection of Sacred Activism and the African diasporic, people of color, same gender loving, socio-political and spirituality/consciousness and radical inclusion realms. The concrete expression of that mission is mostly achieved on the blog in the following ways:

• Posts that reflect the broad ideas behind the concept of Sacred Activism especially as that concept is applied to the lives of Same Gender Loving People (SGL) of The African Diaspora. This is the meta-objective of this blog. Everything else here is contained, in one form or another, under this rubric. 
• Original articles, essays, poems, other writings, photo essays and contributions by Sage Mahosadha covering a wide range of topics but especially those I believe to be of import to the same gender loving community of African descent. 
• Selected essays and writings by others on and about what I (Sage Mahosadha) consider to be important, spiritually relevant and/or newsworthy aspects and elements of the socio-political and spiritual lives of same gender loving people of African descent and other people of color. A specific objective of the blog is to create posts that attempt to erase the divide between sexuality/sensuality and a vibrant, living spirituality.
• Writings on and about and that impact the cultural lives of same gender loving people of African descent and other people of color.
• Posts by guest bloggers to this blog who will gradually and consistently be added as the blog matures and who will more or less be posting pieces strongly related to the mission/vision of the blog though usually with a unique and different perspective all their own.
• If you would like to be a guest blogger for moyo afame please contact sage at ravenanda@gmail.com

When Love takes Over: A Celebration of SGL (Same Gender Loving) Couples of Color By Darian Aaron, Atlanta Book Tour

The Emancipation of Master Sage: Final Chapter

This is the final chapter in this series because if it turns out (God forbid) there is more to this, I'll name it something else.

For those who do not know, posts with this title are about an ongoing process I have been engaged in for the last 3 months. I do not refer to myself as "Master Sage" btw. It is a term of endearment given to me by a friend. While I believe this friend views me a quite a wise one indeed. I would not be surprised if there is also tongue-in-cheek action going on with that name.

This series has not been a self indulgent, self conscious nor a crazed exercise in self absorption as far as I'm aware. It has been the result of an honest and intense evolutionary process for me personally. And it has been an honest attempt to help people save themselves some precious time as I go through this process of trying to find the right note/voice for this blog. I am aware that people who started following this blog 2 years ago are now faced with a very different blog today.

Until recently I have had three significant experiences in my life that can best be described, in my opinion, as "spiritual awakening experiences." Although as soon as I say that I also have the deep awareness that I have absolutely no idea what constitutes a spiritual awakening experience. All I do know is that I spent years not understanding what the experiences were. It wasn't until I met others who had similar experiences that I started gaining some understanding. Most of these people referred to their experiences as awakening experiences. And so I adopted the same lingo.

I had a similar experience after experiencing a stroke three months ago. It was both similar and dissimilar from the other three. It was far less intense in many ways. In other ways it was so much more so. One of the similarities is that just like with the other three experiences, I was prompted, really more like absolutely compelled to make one or more very serious changes in my life.

This blog is integral to my life at the moment. So it stands to reason that the inner and outer changes occurring with me would manifest in some outpicturing of the essential energy of the blog. I believe I have now found that outpicturing. This blog is primarily going to be an expression of my embrace of sacred activism. So what does that mean? It means this blog is probably going to become an expression of my radical black power, radical black gay activist, Angela Davis, Tim Wise, Malcolm X, Nisargadatta-esque self. This blog will not become an over-the-top outrage filled, name calling, foaming at the mouth screed of a blog. I'm frankly too old, too mature, too wise, have been a meditator for way too long and just plain ole know too much to go that route. That's also where the "sacred" part comes in. At the same time I have no interest in pulling punches in order to make people comfortable. Many of the broad topics that have shown up here before, especially more recently, will keep showing up for blog posts in the future---LGBT People of Color Civil Rights, LGBT Civil Rights, Black and Brown Survival in a World of White Privilege, Economic Disparity and its Affects, Arts and Culture, Political Commentary, Homoeroticism and Post Modern Spirituality and all of it attempted to be presented through my sometimes unique lens of spiritual consciousness and sacred activism.

If this is not what you are interested in at this time, this would be a good time to stop following this blog.

Ashe,
sage

The Emancipation of Master Sage Part II: A Message to Regular and Drive-By Readers of This Blog Alike

My personal evolution in various areas of my life continues to move at what seems to be warp speed and it seems this blog is moving along right with me at the same speed. 

About 6 weeks ago I posted a piece here entitled The Emancipation of Master Sage (BTW, Master Sage is a nickname one of my friends refers to me by, presumably because he believes I have achieved a level of wisdom in this life that justifies such a moniker. Its not a way I view or refer to myself). At that time, six weeks ago, I spoke of changes I was making to this blog. Mostly what I talked about was the narrowing or sharpening of the focus of the blog. Elements that had been a focus of the blog since the beginning were going to be eliminated. The elements that were to remain were naturally going to be substantially increased and focused on. The evolution continues. The narrowing is continuing. More clarity is emerging.

For all intents and purposes I am rather a classic renaissance man. I am a renaissance man more in the sense of my having a very broad set of life interests more than I am a  renaissance man n the sense of being a very cultured and highly educated man with wide reaching knowledge. Although I am rather well educated also. Because I am such a renaissance man with such broad interests, I sometimes find it extremely difficult, when engaging in something like the authoring a blog, to find my authentic voice, so to speak. I don't just have one or two voices. I have many voices. Each of them nearly equally strong. All of them deeply appreciated by me. So I have never felt the need to emphasize or de-emphasize any of those voices. I don't feel that now either. What is happening with me is not a de-emphasizing of certain of my voices. Rather, I am discovering there are simply some ideas I want to put forth more in this blog than others, at this time.

The biggest tangible changes the blog has seen in four years are now taking place. The biggest of the biggest of those is the name change. The blog is now called moyo aflame. That is a "heart aflame" in Swahili. Later I will create a "page" that will explain the significance of this new title for the blog for me. Additionally, I am continuing to narrow the focus of the blog bit by illuminating bit. The core of the blog will remain at the intersection of spirituality and LGBT culture. I do not view myself as belonging to mainstream spiritual ethos. I definitely do not view myself as being a part of the mainstream LGBT community, whatever that means or is. So those realities, again, whatever they mean, will show up repeatedly here and will be strongly reflected in the overall tone of things here. I believe at some point some of the regular visitors to the blog will get some idea of what that all looks like, if you haven't already. When you do, tell me, so I too will have a clue.

 Ashé. Namaste. Om Shanti Shalom,
sage

This is HUGE, (though not quite as huge as the accompanying photo here). Introducing the, The Whole World is a Single Flower's "DEFENDING EQALITY AWARD." See the Right Sidebar for More Information!

This award will be given to people this blog believes demonstrates a fierce dedication to equality in some big or interesting way, especially in the face of some kind of tangible opposition. This award is NOT limited to people who defend LGBT rights or gay marriage. Anyone in ANY field or expression of life who shows a dedication to equality is eligible for the DEFENDING EQUALITY AWARD. Woo Hoo!!!

The Emancipation of Master Sage: A Message to Regular and Drive-By Readers of This Blog Alike

The content and likely the tone of this blog is about to change. I don't know if these changes will be huge or small, grand or subtle. All I can say, at this moment, like the Sam Cooke song proclaims, "A Change is Gonna Come!"

I have, after much and long thought, decided to have this blog primarily be an outlet for my Sacred Activism work. The strongest expression my sacred activism work has is expressed by my being a black, same gender loving, American man who is also a philosopher and teacher of conscious living. So what that means in terms of the content of the blog is that a strong emphasis will be placed on pieces I believe will appeal to black gay men specifically, LGBT people in general, and people who are interested in deep and meaningful activism minus the outrage, hubris, sanctimonious self righteous judging and constant finger pointing without self reflection.

There will continue to be "spiritual" pieces, whatever that means. I will retain my general playfulness though I also know I can be a very mental person. Both are traits I relish in myself. Both traits will show up heavily on the blog. I will probably do more button pushing and any respect I had for sacred cows in the past will be just that---a remnant of the past. For example, I plan to speak out as often as I am able on the homophobia and heterosexism found in the African American community in general and in "The Black Church" specifically. Additionally I also plan to speak out strongly about the racism, entitlement, misogyny and lack of spiritual consciousness that can be found in various segments of the LGBT community. Ditto for the bigotry, man-hating bully-speak found in elements of the feminist and especially "radical" feminist communities.

Previously, this blog was heavily invested in posting pieces I referred to as pieces attesting to the consciousness of, "The Sacred Masculine." Those pieces will largely disappear as my friend Bill Harryman over at The Masculine Heart blog does an absolutely excellent job of covering this entire area with grace, intelligence and inspired dedication. News pieces that do not specifically address or deal with race and ethnicity, the LGBT community or sacred activism will, for the most part, now be absent from here. Pieces like the popular Man 2 Man: Homoeroticism, Hypermasculinity and the Sacred Male series will continue and similar pieces like this will likely show up as well, in the future. Book reviews by Sara Falls will also continue.

If you feel so inclined, please help get the word out about this blog to people, you believe, based on what I have said here, will be interested in the content. I Believe I have considerable skill in creating a blog that will be creative, informative, intelligent, witty and unique. The posts that have showed up here in the last 2-3 weeks are a pretty good indication of the direction the blog is going to take in the future.

Thank you,
Ashé,
sage