quickie!

the fabulous tangerine jones shakes her thang thang to the classic babalu



lesson learned: you ain't gotta be a size 0 to kick it.

welcome, beloveds!!

imagine our delight when we noticed there were new beloveds among us! please, cuddle up on the chaise with a cashmere throw and have a cup of rose tea. we are thrilled that you have graced us with your presence and hope you're reading regularly. tell a friend or five!

we would like to remind you that we'd love to know what you're reading, what you think of the space, and what you think should be here, so feel free to leave a worshipful reply whenever the spirit moves you.

if there's an event or news story we've overlooked, holla.

furthermore, for those who are not acquainted with her, inspiration is a cruel mistress. please excuse any programming delays as your proprietress and her helpful honeys--yes, hopefully there will be other contributors soon!--have regular ol' 9-5's and 6-10's {darn this recession...}. sometimes we simply can't think of what to say. however, as we are in the business of growth and expansion, we endeavor to bring you new ways to love yourself, life, and love itself as often and as deliciously as possible.

afterglow, giggles & glitter,

ms. bliss

in memoriam: bettie page

one of the iconic pinups has made her transition. bettie page left this plane on december 11th after a december 2nd heart attack left her on life support.

from her la times obit:

Page, whose later life was marked by depression, violent mood swings and several years in a state mental institution, died Thursday night at Kindred Hospital in Los Angeles, where she had been on life support since suffering a heart attack Dec. 2, according to her agent, Mark Roesler.

A cult figure, Page was most famous for the estimated 20,000 4-by-5-inch black-and-white glossy photographs taken by amateur shutterbugs from 1949 to 1957. The photos showed her in high heels and bikinis or negligees, bondage apparel -- or nothing at all.

Decades later, those images inspired biographies, comic books, fan clubs, websites, commercial products -- Bettie Page playing cards, dress-up magnet sets, action figures, Zippo lighters, shot glasses -- and, in 2005, a film about her life and times, "The Notorious Bettie Page."

Then there are the idealized portraits of her naughty personas -- Nurse Bettie, Jungle Bettie, Voodoo Bettie, Banned in Boston Bettie, Maid Bettie, Crackers in Bed Bettie -- memorialized by such artists as Olivia de Berardinis.


"I'll always paint Bettie Page," De Berardinis said Thursday night . "But truth be told, it took me years to understand what I was looking at in the old photographs of her. Now I get it. There was a passion play unfolding in her mind. What some see as a bad-girl image was in fact a certain sensual freedom and play-acting - it was part of the fun of being a woman."

"The origins of what captures the imagination and creates a particular celebrity are sometimes difficult to define," Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner said Thursday night. "Bettie Page was one of Playboy magazine's early Playmates, and she became an iconic figure, influencing notions of beauty and fashion. Then she disappeared. . . . Many years later, Bettie resurfaced and we became friends. Her passing is very sad."

In an interview 2 1/2 years ago, Hefner described Page's appeal as "a combination of wholesome innocence and fetish-oriented poses that is at once retro and very modern."

rest well, and stay beautiful.

global orgasm for peace ~ 12.21.2008

yes, you read that right. global orgasm for peace.

why?

to effect positive change in the energy field of the Earth through input of the largest possible instantaneous surge of human biological, mental and spiritual energy.

there are more reasons under the "3 reasons" tab on the site. there's even a blog.

find out your local O time here.

east coast: 7:04am
west coast: 4:04am
chicago: 6:04am

who says activism isn't blissful?

cradle of civilization

hetep, party people. let's take a moment to talk about our wombs, shall we?

this deceptively simple aspect of our anatomy does many things: aligns us with the phases of the moon, works to ensure hormonal balance, centers and informs creativity, populates the planet...

wait.

let that last one marinate for a breath or two. like an asana.

you populate the planet.

now that you've been reminded of this spectacular role, understand that womb health is a process. like most other things, what works for one sista may not work for you, and that's ok.

it is never too late to love your womb.

it does not matter if your womb is physically present or not.

you can love her if she is infertile. in fact, she could be infertile because you're disconnected.


you do not have to be a mother, nor do you have to desire motherhood. planet population has just as much to do with the birthing and nurturing of art, ideas, words, visions, and concepts as it does babies. all are important, valuable, and necessary.






your moontime does not have to be a painful "curse". in fact, it was never a curse at all. without it, there would be no life. {you.populate.the.planet}

learn which herbs, meditations, stones, sounds, and scents you need. don't fret if your sistagurl's sandalwood & myrrh makes you wanna retch. you might just be more of a lavender and palmarosa kinda chick.

the for the sensual intellectual sidebar includes many resources that can start you on your journey. several of the books deal with women's health, chakra work, and other womb-friendly practices.*

by now, most of our afrikan-centered readers are probably familiar with the wisdom of queen afua. sacred woman is a great way to start or continue on your womb wellness journey, no matter what your starting point.

dr. sunyatta amen is another excellent holistic health practitioner and womb advocate. her bellydancers of color association holds a conference each year.

dr. christiane northrup is author of the classic women's bodies, women's wisdom. she also has a lot to say about menopause, so if you're entering that phase of life or have a beloved crone** who is, you might want to look into her work. there are some who say that having a hysterectomy {spiritually} catapults you into crone status, no matter your age.

suns, if you've wandered in and all this sounds familiar, put your queen on. monthly trouble with her cycle, creative/emotional blockages, a sense of aimlessness...all these could be signs of womb distress.

if this is the first post you've come to, then you probably needed it! let your consciousness drift over the information here, and embrace your path towards a miraculous relationship with your womb! the love and support you need will rush to meet you.


*as stated in our disclaimer, always check with your physician and/or gynecologist before trying any "alternative" methods you may read about here or elsewhere.

**you've probably realized that words like crone, hussy, heathen, witch, slut, jezebel, old woman, harlot, and even bitch are used positively and with reverence at the shack. question the connotations surrounding the language you've been given. search for the knowledge it's meant to conceal from you.

quickie!

free moon module you can post to your blog, myspace page, personal website...wherever! you can even customize the colors.

or, if you prefer, we'moon offers beautiful lunar calendars, date books, etc. makes a great gift for the earth mama on your kwanzaa list.

sexy news

what we've known all along: joy is contagious!

the economy's bad for lovin'.

a good analysis of female objectification in films.

we have forgotten more than we think: homophobia is the european construct, not homosexuality.

in the waiting room...

brand new heavies
"i don't know why"
{originally by stevie wonder}

I don't know why I love you
I don't know why I love you
I don't know why I love you
But I love you

Always treat me like a fool
Kick me when I'm down that's your rule
I don't know why I love you
But I love you
Oh you never stop your
Cheatin ways with another guy
You laugh in my face
Lord how long must I be disgraced
Cause I love you
Oh baby, baby, baby
I don't know why I love you
I don't know
You and me baby, oh
I don't know why I love you baby
But I love you baby
Oh darlin, darlin, darlin

You throw my heart down in the dirt
You made me crawl on
This cold black earth, baby
No I never, I never knew
How much love could hurt
Until I loved you baby
Till I loved you baby, baby
Oh baby, I can't stop
I can't stop crying can't you see
Here I'm pleadin on my knees
I'm on my knees
Won't you help me, help me please
Cause I love you, I love you baby
Sure enough, baby, yeah
I don't know, you don't know
We don't know none of us
Can't do nothing about it
I don't know, I don't know
Oh baby, I don't know, I don't know
Nobody can do nothing about it

quickie!

the love art lab

a wonderful example of making love happen, no matter what.