Zodiac: A Sense of Understanding and Empowerment

Angel Quintana October 11, 2015

ZODIAC: A SENSE OF UNDERSTANDING AND EMPOWERMENT

Article by Cinthia Singleton
Photo Credit: Hailley Howard
Magazine: Issue #29

There it is. Right there in the newspaper or your favorite magazine. And even if they never seem to come true or be accurate… you read it…

YOUR HOROSCOPE ::
So why do you read them again and again, even when they don’t seem to pertain to your life? Because when they do, they’re eerily right on. Also, they are, no denying it, fun. Wanna know the trick to gleaning more from them? Come close… closer… *author whispers for only the reader to hear:*

Read the horoscope for your sun AND rising signs!

Sun is the astrological sign under which we are born. Reading the horoscope for it gives us an idea how we follow our life’s map. Sun is, after all, our soul plan and inner self. The Rising sign, though, - otherwise known as Ascendent, the sign rising in the East when we were born - gives us perhaps a better interpretation of trends, obstacles and possibilities ahead. It’s our outward self, the one that reacts with the world.

So if the horoscope in the newspaper says, “The [ full moon, mercury retrograde, solar eclipse, mars is entering your ___ house ]” and you’re only reading the sun sign horoscope, you’re getting a fuzzy snapshot of what’s going on with you. It’s no fault of the astrologer and their skills but the limitations inherent in the “mass-crafted” horoscope - they simply aren’t written for each of us personally but for ALL as if 1 :: everyone is born at 0 degrees into their sun sign and 2 :: our sun and rising signs are the same sign. It’s called a Solar Chart.

IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY ::
1| Get a personal chart cast at astro.com. It’s free. All you have to do is input your date, place and time of birth as recorded by Vital Records
2| Find your rising (or ASC or Ascendent)

Now start reading the horoscopes for your rising sign ALONG WITH your sun sign’s horoscope. Blend the two horoscopes together. Use the rising sign one to get a sense of timing and the more short-term movement. The sun’s for the big picture and for pursuing your loftier goals.

The best astrology gives us a sense of understanding and empowerment. When it resonates, we are better equipped to see possibilities where we didn’t before as well as the obstacles the lie ahead. Miss out on that, you maybe miss out on having another tool in the arsenal of preparation and self-awareness. Personalize the mass-crafted horoscopes and maybe get a little more out of that out of them.

Chance favors the prepared mind.
—Louis Pasteur

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Knowledge is Power. So's Sharing it.

Angel Quintana September 14, 2015

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. So's Sharing It.

Article by Cinthia Singleton
Photo Credit: Dasha & Mari
Magazine: Issue #28

Knowledge is power. Well, that’s what Sir Francis Bacon first said, then many many others after him in one way or another. Then we all assumed that if one KNOWS something, extra-special, super powers are bestowed upon us. This, of course, also assumes a few things, that our knowledge is:

1. a vast amount of information
2. exclusive and specialized, unlike another’s
3. recalled swiftly and on demand
4. providing deep enlightenment
5. not only guaranteeing the extra-special, super powers but in perpetuity

Problem is this is also assumes that knowledge is wisdom when, without application, it’s just data, statistics, etc. So use it or lose it. Share it. THIS is part of being a compassionate member of a community, and it’s wise. True wisdom is the act of sharing the information you got. Therein lies the empowerment.

So what’s the reason not to? No good one but the very real one is insecurity. We fear not being as expert as we perceive in our own head.

The Chopin preludes we play at home sound pretty darn good and skilled. Then we meet that person who can play anything by ear. [Insert Sound Effect: sad trombone]

Question is asked of us, “How do you prune roses?,” and while we can garden like Mother Nature herself, we suffer a sort of stage fright as the librarian for the Gardening Dept. in our head can’t get to the filing cabinet fast enough. [Insert Sound Effect: crazy run-slip-crash]

Maybe it’s difficult for to explain step by steps and dry hows in an interesting, energized way. [Insert Homer Simpson loop: Youreboringeveryonequitboringeveryone]

Perhaps we’re too attached to our title of Expert to share an iota of what we know because, well, then everyone will know and it/we won’t seem as precious. On the flip side, we might feel like only the real experts (Nobel Laureates, Golden Globe winners, published author agents) are listened to so why bother?

Yes, it can be awfully scary and risky to share this stuff but …

THE INFORMATION DOESN’T BECOME KNOWLEDGE UNTIL IT’S SHARED.

This is the true super power bestowed upon us. The dynamic of sharing. You and another. You and the class, workshop or the people who read your blog. The discussions. The questions. The comments that make you think. The answers that aren’t quite being grasped and need further extrapolation. The person who asks WHY in such a way we really need to deviate from rote explanation and challenge ourselves. New seeds are planted and from them grow further curiosity and passion. Doesn’t matter if it’s native “intelligence” or laboriously acquired with years of study; to not share what we know or what we’ve learned it is wasted arsenal. Henry Miller said something interesting about books, which also holds true for the information we can share with others: “When you have possessed a book with mind and spirit, you are enriched. But when you pass it on, you are enriched threefold.”

So whether it’s treating laundry stains, speaking a foreign language, splitting atoms or dancing swing, the dynamic of sharing (teaching, helping, healing) is the glue. It, not the information we amass, is why we’re here. Sharing it is the power, wise one.

“It ain’t no fun if the homies can’t have none.” — Snoop Dogg

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Ditch the Clutter & Dress for Success

Angel Quintana August 6, 2015

DITCH THE CLUTTER & DRESS FOR SUCCESS

Article by Cinthia Singleton
Photo Credit: Nancy Schoenmakers
Magazine: Issue #27

Without clothes or even a smile, we embark on our journey. Yet most of us in the Western world end it with an vast collection of stuff, most of which utterly unnecessary for day-to day survival. It’s incredible considering we start out needing so little beyond food and someone looking out for us. But the needs arise. Diapers. Pajamas. Blanket. Crib. More diapers. Something in which to store the pajamas, the blanket too. Soon we begin smiling… now there’s the need for toys. And more toys. Special toys to comfort us when we cry or to help us fall asleep. Suddenly there are so many toys we need shelves and boxes in which to keep them.

From nothing to a room of stuff, it happens so quickly.

Then we discover how certain objects make us feel and, in turn, “fill” our hearts. A stuffed bear becomes a bff. The dress we wear makes us feel beautiful, special and all grown up. The simplest trinket given to us by a grandparent makes us feel loved and close to them. These things plant a seed; we need things to feel things.

Some of us are as able to acquire as to relinquish. Others become hoarders. Then there’s everyone in between. Wherever we are on the spectrum, there’s some value placed on the things we own AND the (in)ability to unravel the need to keep them around. With a little conscious thinking, we can all enjoy nice things yet not being enslaved by them or, with time, their history. “The things you own end of owning you.” Remember that from Fight Club? We don’t want that. We want to enjoy our things like the treasures they are meant to be.

If you must keep that set of crystal goblets around - you know, the ones you inherited that sit unused in a box? - start using them, for Snoopy’s sake. ENJOY them! Are you not worth a couple sips of tap water from fine Waterford crystal? You are. Of course, if you really hate those goblets, sell them and use the money to get the kind of glasses you adore.

A jewelry box filled with your beloved Aunt Mabel’s brooches and clip on earrings. Not exactly your style but you’ve dragged it around since college because that great lady was something else. How ‘bout you once in a while take out a piece and wear it? Someone compliments you on it, there’s your chance to say, “Why thank you. It was my dear auntie’s…,” and to share a sweet memory. For a moment the great lady’s still alive and vibrant. That’s worth the price of a ton of cocktail rings and big brooches, isn’t it?

It’s not junior year and the 80s prom dress that’s still in your closet doesn’t look the same on you. Make peace with that and give yourself some credit for doing a lot of great living since high school. Now. Quick. Shepherd the dress out of your closet and into the give-away bag. There’s bound to be a niece who’d love it or a charity thrift store who’ll do good things from its sale. And there’s a better dress for that great dame you’ve become.

A box of letters from the one who got away might make you smile but if they don’t, why are they in your possession? Time to shred or burn them. Or maybe, before you do that, use them as inspiration for that short story, one person show, blog entry, song or poem. Emotional upcycling. It’s cleansing.

Donate
Give away
Sell
Toss
Let someone who loves it more be its archivist and keeper

All are options. Tell that to the closets, homes, sheds and garages full of stuff. Give ‘em all you got:

I have loved this and I have [used, appreciated, loved, enjoyed] it but it’s now time to let someone else [use, appreciate, love, enjoy] it or [toss, shred, upcycle].

It’s just stuff and learning to detach from it isn’t saying that we can’t or didn’t love it but that we need more room to breath life into our future growth and passions.

“You can’t have everything. Where would you put it?” — Steven Wright

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Vintage items have a soul and heart, and they are unique. We search high and low for them, mostly from the estates of some really neat people. So there's often a story about the item shared with you the buyer. We live with this stuff, it has meaning; otherwise it's just stuff. Shop now!

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Dress for Success: Why You Should go Vintage!

Angel Quintana July 11, 2015

DRESS FOR SUCCESS: WHY YOU SHOULD GO VINTAGE!

Article by Cinthia Singleton
Photo Credit: Dasha & Mari
Magazine: Issue #26

Why buy vintage shoes? Well, there’s their originality, design aesthetic and those special details one just won’t find on most shoes today. Rhinestones. Kid leather. Filigree buckles. Leather soles. Hand-stitching. The shape of a heel. Goldfish in a lucite heel even! And they can be a such value for the price. “They just don’t make them like they used to” holds true for so much vintage, the materials and craftsmanship often superior to many of today’s apparel and accessories. So while a pair of couture slingback flats, even if caught on sale, may never be in your budget, a similar, well-crafted vintage version just fill the bill.

And there are so many beautiful shoes online from which to choose once you know the #1 trick: compare measurements given in the listing to the measurements of a similar type shoe you own that fits well.

Measurements are generally provided on vintage shoes being sold online. This means:

Your similar shoe’s measurement + Online vendor’s measurements = virtual fitting room!

So there’s an adorable pair of vintage slingback flats on Ebay (or Etsy, Rubylane, Bonanza, or maybe a independent vintage dealer’s website) they’re similar to those Manolo Blahniks slingback flats you adore that aren’t in your budget, so perfect maybe!

1| Get your similar kind of shoe out and tape measurer, and measure:

a. interior length, from heel to toe
b. across the ball of the foot. Interior is best for fit but if the listing shoes measurement being taken from bottom of shoe, get that too.
c. vamp, taken across the top from seam to seam. This is an important one as it tells you how much room available for your tootsie toes.

2| Now compare measurements between your similar shoe’s and those given in the listing.

3| Don’t use this measurement comparison technique with your foot but similar type shoes, i.e. pump to pump, platform to platform, slipper to slipper, sandal to sandal. Don’t forget that a shoe like cowboy boot or stiletto has a longer, more exaggerated toe. Knowing where your toe ends comfortably in that type of shoe helps with a good fit.

Now what if you want a vintage shoe but don’t like the idea that another has possibly worn a pair of shoes before you? Consider a deadstock vintage shoe, a vintage shoe that never left the department store or manufacturer’s stock! Yes, you, too, can add a little vintage flair to your wardrobe.

Now get on good foot and take that discerning eye and this new bit of mindful shopping to the online stores - there are beautifully-made vintage shoes awaiting you!

“a good shoe is like a good wine. These shoes are going to stay and last a long time.” - Christian Louboutin

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In An Entrepreneurial Rut? 5 Ways to Deal With the Boredom

Angel Quintana June 12, 2015

IN AN ENTREPRENEURIAL RUT?
5 WAYS TO DEAL WITH THE BOREDOM

Article by Cinthia Singleton
Photo Credit: Mariana Garcia
Magazine: Issue #25

Boredom. It happens when life slows down to the point of… flatline … and we find ourselves chomping at the bit for the next thing to impose itself upon us like a gale force wind. But boredom is safe too, doesn’t ask for much, just that we keep to our known, habitual course… and… FLATLINE.

So how then do we get out of that safe and predictable place AND experience our best life AND feel like there’s safety net below us?

1 :: Set your body clock. Do things that take your mind somewhere, i.e. meditate, prepare a meal, walk or play with a pet, garden, journal, nurture others, do a puzzle. Simple activities like these, performed on a schedule, help us feel anchored to Earth.

2 :: Know that expression Use it or lose it? It’s true. Keep busy. If you let the ennui of your bored state settle in, you’re losing the a) ability to accept change as good and 2) capability to spring to action when the Universe dispatches something to knock at your door.

3 :: Boredom SHOULD be a part of our lives so accept its occasional visits but not it. Think of it as your soul’s winter, a time of dormancy when you prepare for planting season; and a temporary, passing state. Helps us rest. ‘Bores’ us into a state of innovation. Also irritates us enough to challenge complacency with the status quo. It’s also an important indicator of a deeper problem, i.e. depression. [ Signs of this are sadness, lack of interest in things that used to thrill, feeling worthless, feeling isolated, etc. Seek professional help if this is you, please. We need you whole! ]

4 :: Don’t bottle it up. I’M BORED. Say it, loud and proud. Just make sure you can shout from those same rooftops how grateful you are; slowing down enough to BE bored is a luxury. Knowing life, it can all change in a New York minute, especially if you’re open to attracting new adventures and opportunities to fill its place.

5 :: Think of ways to knock the dust off yourself. Ever think that the boredom could be that, dust? Take a walk. Go left instead of right. See what’s around that corner that’s familiar or different. Like that coffee shop? Well, go to the other one today.

If you can stand and stretch in your bubble of boredom, no need for Steps 1-5. But it’s not likely. Boredom is self-absorbed and claustrophobic after a time. So enjoy it while you can and get ready to transform that bubble into a cocoon, little butterfly.

“Is life not a thousand times too short for us to bore ourselves?” Friedrich Nietzsche

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How to Live a Perfectly Perfect Life That Matters Most to YOU!

Angel Quintana May 4, 2015

HOW TO LIVE A PERFECTLY PERFECT LIFE
THAT MATTERS MOST TO YOU!

Article by Cinthia Singleton
Photo Credit: Mariana Garcia
Magazine: Issue #24

Shine. Stand out. Leave something behind. But what if what we got to offer ‘pales’ in comparison to what the brilliant rogues all around us offer? And what if ours isn’t ever really ready for prime time? What if we aren’t so special, really?

Stop
Cease
Enough
Hush

It’s about a life and we shine truest when immersed in it. That is all. The immersion. The rest is the cherry on the sundae. Get it? We all have something unique to offer just by being alive. Attendance is everything in this case. From grub worm to Nobel Laureate, we’re molecular energy. Can’t ‘matter’ more than that. lol

But seriously we all want to matter.

Let’s take it down to the bare essentials… How to live a perfectly perfect life that matters most to YOU:

1| Know who you are. Be confident in it. You are who you are and that in itself is unique. This is your special brand of Light. That you can dance a mean lambada is a vehicle for that light inside you.

2| Get in touch with your inner compass each and every day. Take a quiet moment. Clear your mind. Meditate. Breathe. Feel only your life force surging through you; this is your core YOU. Nothing selfish in listening to it above all else.

3| Get grounded. See #2. That way, when you’re out in the world with the other humans you’re as steady and prepared as possible. It’s like tennis. If you hold your weight evenly, got your eye on the ball, you’re ready for that 70 mph ball coming at you.

4| Quietly. Loudly. Actively. Passively. Doesn’t matter whether you’re tough as Steve McQueen or meek as Bo Peep, energetically we ALL add something to the mix. Appreciate it, in yourself and others.

5| That inner compass is a good guide but it shows different directions at different times. So once a Girl Scout, not always a Girl Scout, but there might be an energetic element that carries from troop to sorority to family. The continuum is YOU, the compass there to point you to things that make your core YOU most fulfilled.

6| Embrace Earth and its citizens, warts and all. Remember, your interaction with them is why you’re here. You do the best with what you’ve been given, so do others. Sometimes we’re not our best; these are some of the warts, sadly. Compassion comes in handy.

We ARE by association not isolation. Why we’re here doesn’t matter so much as how we interact while we are. Embrace it. Then you shine, matter and leave something wonderful behind… your light.

“Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light.” Theodore Roethke

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Taking Control of Your Own Success

Angel Quintana April 6, 2015

TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR OWN SUCCESS

Article by Cinthia Singleton
Photo Credit: Angel Quintana
Magazine: Issue #23

To be an expert in a specific area of study or field. To gain the utmost respect and receive oodles of recognition. We all want it. Well, let’s do it!

1 :: Don’t wait but DO. Actually get that paint, brush, canvas… the still life… and paint. You want to have your own business? What are you good at and what are the steps to take to actually start it. If you’re not doing, research those in the know.

2 :: Expect to try, don’t except to be perfect. The City Ballet dancers didn’t just roll out of bed to amaze us. They struggled, each and every day, to perfect. It’s a verb not an adjective; so much of mastery is.

3 :: Attendance is 90% of the struggle. If you find yourself saying, “I would love to write,” you’re not. 30 minutes of fully engaged writing is far more ‘present’ than 2 hours of talking about it. Outline that novel or short story. Push the words out of your head and onto the page or screen. Be the verb.

4 :: Assume no one but you can really help YOU, i.e. “attend” as in 3. But rest assured that their are others who’ve either 1. been where you are, 2. can inspire you to find your way. Meet those people. Read their books. Listen to their Ted Talks. So much inspiration comes from those who’ve been there and pushed through it.

5 :: The more you learn, the more you learn but the more you combine and blend, the more you learn how creative you truly are. THAT is a master, one who can craft the present gifts and be fluid as new ones evolve. Start out making soaps, discover a product that would be amazing for a body scrub… and a new line is added to your products.

6 :: The element of fluidity IS when we truly become masters of our, well, mastery of whatever it is we work so hard to achieve.

So enjoy the chase. Would you do what you’re doing for free? If yes, you are on the right track. True, money is a vital energy we need to survive, but it’s not the best motivator. See, the energy of MONEY best translates as a tool. We work hard, we get paid. We get paid, we can pay for [rent, clothes, car, food, trips, etc]. If not used as the tool that it is, money creates things that lack soul and are inauthentic to you.

“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do and liking how you do it.” Maya Angelou

You and the gifts you master are the footprint of YOU. Be true. Be brave. Savor it.

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How to Enjoy Life's Lessons...Painful or Not

Angel Quintana March 2, 2015

HOW TO ENJOY LIFE'S LESSONS...PAINFUL OR NOT

Article by Cinthia Singleton
Photo Credit: Rose Jane
Magazine: Issue #22

{A foreign object finds a nice soft nook in the oyster’s body. It lodges itself in that place… deep in there to ensure it can’t be expelled. Ouch. That hurts. And so the oyster secretes a special substance that will assuage the irritation one thin layer at a time, layer upon layer, till the irritant is completely encased by a silky, luminous coating.}

Look! It’s a pearl! - We humans experience our best lessons much like the oyster. To paraphrase poet Aberjhani, we “howl diamonds and pearls at the edge of madness.” lol

A little irritant + Some discomfort + Maybe a lot of [ anger/sadness/fear/pain ] = Feeling awful.

No better motivator for solid change than that, eh, and let’s face it, learning from a place of comfort and joy is, sadly, not as frequent in this life. So how do we accept this as part of life, even make it a more a JOY-ful one?

1| Live in the moment. Most lessons aren’t normally recognized while we live them out, and they come in all forms. Problem is they often remain unrecognized till they are well behind us in a place call The Past. Since we already spend so much time and energy there - as well as in the future wishing for specific outcomes - why not slow down and breath… in the present moment?

2| Be self-aware. A little mindfulness goes a long way. See the fork in the road, the decision to be made and the resistance in doing so? Don’t react right away; just acknowledge it. By the same token, don’t slip in an old, habitual way of reacting. Instead ask the higher powers for a sign.

3| Be forgiving. You’re human and part of being being one is experiencing life in all the ways meant for us. So feel those emotions and thank the pain if it’s there for being that ’fast track’ schooling you need to get to the core of things and GROW.

4| Try a little more of #2. If you need and ask for help if you need it even if just an ear to bend. As sentient, aware beings, we’re here to help one another. One day you’ll get to do same. Surround yourself by those you admire, respect, those who don’t fear diving deep for pearls too.

Ultimately, another pearl is born for your strand. You watch. You’ll become a better YOU adorned in beautiful pearls, ropes and ropes of them.

Without pain, there would be no suffering. Without suffering we would never learn from our mistakes. To make it right, pain and suffering is the key to all windows; without it, there is no way of life. -Angelina Jolie

Zodiac: A Sense of Understanding and Empowerment