consciousness

Conscious: knowing and perceiving; having awareness of surroundings and sensations and thoughts; aware or awake. the waking mind policed by ethics, morality, rights and wrong. It self-imposes rules, restrictions, and regulates action and behavior...


Consciousness IS exactly what it implies, being "conscious" of what goes into one's physical body as well as one's mental body. Being "conscious" of what is coming out of one's mouth, being "conscious" of one's surroundings, being "conscious" of the company that one keeps, etc... It's a lifestyle that many have given their lives for, for Revolution, for change... When I was a member of the Nation of Islam, just getting out of high school, there were many young men and women who came looking for "revolution", they came saying that they were Rastafarians, they were "militant", they were "afrikan this" and "afrikan that", and they were ALL of these things at one time - young, raw, energy and talent - unfocused!

I've seen many read books by Frantz Fanon, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and whatever else is considered "deep"; then they start walking around with backsacks on, listening to Bob Marley and Burning Spear, smoking "la", wearing Army Fatigues with the timbs, locking their hair; they stop eating meat, and then start calling themselves "conscious" - it goes much deeper than than that. Because these same people are seen in some very UNconscious environments, doing some very UNconscious things.

I remember back in 1991, I was 18 - young with that raw natural energy. Me and some of the homeboys went to a club that night. I ran into an older cousin, and he was like, "hey cuz, whats up? my grandmother told me that you were muslim now?" Me, standing there with a Long Island Ice Tea in my hand, and an egotistical mind full of pride replied, "yeah, i am..." And he looks at me, and asks very seriously, "then what are you doing in this club with that drink? this devil azz club isn't righteous! Cuz, you need to get out of here... If you're muslim be that, all day, every day, 24/7. When you in here, and saying you're muslim, you making your people look bad..." And what he said immediately hit me, as I found myself driving home thinking over what he said...

See, the outside appearance had changed, but I was still the same person on the inside. Revolution is about change, but more of a mental change than some superficial material change. Over the years I've ran into many individuals who "speak" that conscious talk, but don't "live" that conscious talk. I've built with some people who have stood on corners for hours talking "black this, black that, revolution this, pro-black that" to only go home and indulge in some swine. I've known brotha's who appeared to be really militant, who were down for their people, to only leave a rally or demonstration to go home to/with a white girl. These are the types of things that make me leary of people. I've met alot of fakes, alot of "internet militants" who speak one thing, but live another way. This is mainly why I deal with only me.

Being conscious, and living RIGHTeous is about more than calling ones self sincere, peace, queen this or that, king this or that, brother such and such, and on and on... It's about more than walking around with a head wrap on, or having locks standing in some crowd with some old 70's revolution book quoting all day. Being conscious is not a change of clothes that we take off when we get to the dinner table, we don't take our "consciousness" off when it's time to go clubbin'...

KNOW better, DO better!
KNOW better, BE better!

peace