Mama Africa

55 minutes of beautiful African music. Listen, find yourself!

The Measure of a Man…or Woman

Humanity may refer to:

• The human species

The total world population

• Human nature, psychological characteristics that all normal humans have in common

Compassion, altruism, or similar positive aspects of human nature along with aggression, fear, or similar negative aspects

• The human condition, the totality of experience of existing as a human
• The humanities, academic disciplines which study the human condition using analytic, critical, or speculative methods
• The Kingdom of Humanity, a micronation.
• Humanity as one of the six core virtues in the Character Strengths and Virtueshandbook.

The Character Strengths and Virtues (CSV) handbook of human strengths and virtues, by the Values in Action Institute, represents the first attempt on the part of the research community to identify and classify the positive psychological traits of human beings. In the same way that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is used to assess and facilitate research on mental disorders, the CSV is intended to provide a theoretical framework to assist in developing practical applications for positive psychology. The CSV identifies six classes of virtue (i.e. “core virtues”), made up of twenty-four measurable character strengths.

 

List from the book

The organization of these virtues and strengths in the book is as follows.[1]

• Wisdom and Knowledge (strengths that involve the acquisition and use of knowledge)
  • creativity (personified for example by Albert Einstein)
  • curiosity (personified for example by John C. Lilly)
  • open-mindedness (personified for example by William James)
  • love of learning (personified for example by Benjamin Franklin)
  • perspective and wisdom (personified for example by Ann Landers): the coordination of “knowledge and experience” and “its deliberate use to improve wellbeing.”[4] Many, but not all, studies find that adults’ self-ratings of perspective/wisdom do not depend on age.[5] This stands in contrast to the popular notion that wisdom increases with age.[5]
• Courage (strengths that allow one to accomplish goals in the face of opposition)
  • bravery (personified for example by Ernest Shackleton)
  • persistence (personified for example by John D. Rockefeller)
  • integrity (personified for example by Sojourner Truth)
  • vitality (personified for example by the Dalai Lama)
• Humanity (strengths of tending and befriending others)
  • love (personified for example by Romeo and Juliet)
  • kindness (personified for example by Cicely Saunders)
  • social intelligence (personified for example by Robert Kennedy)
• Justice (strengths that build healthy community)
  • active citizenship / social responsibility / loyalty / teamwork (personified for example by Sam Nzima)
  • fairness (personified for example by Mohandas Gandhi)
  • leadership
• Temperance (strengths that protect against excess)
  • forgiveness and mercy (personified for example by Pope John Paul II)
  • humility and modesty (personified for example by Bill W., co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous)
  • prudence (personified for example by Fred Soper)
  • self-regulation and self control (personified for example by Jerry Rice)
• Transcendence (strengths that forge connections to the larger universe and provide meaning)
  • appreciation of beauty and appreciation of excellence (personified for example by Walt Whitman)
  • gratitude (personified for example by G. K. Chesterton)
  • hope (personified for example by Martin Luther King, Jr.)
  • humor and playfulness (personified for example by Mark Twain)
  • spirituality (personified for example by Albert Schweitzer)

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Character_Strengths_and_Virtues

The Journal of Dreams 03/14/2010

RED and the Hummingbird

It is an odd thing, life.  Never had I liked the color red much in my younger years, it was not until my older years that red best suited my need for various expression.  In The Revelation Painting, it has grown into the passion and life’s blood of the painting itself.  I found a wealth of information regarding color and the effects it has on our psychological understanding, or feelings and the impact it has that often times we are unaware of.

In researching red in business matters, I wanted to see why the Hummingbird was attracted to the red color.  I found that it is because the color shades they can see are green and red. And since most of their surroundings are green (trees) the red stands out to them.  Then I thought about business, people in general and know that often times people are overwhelmed by life and their minds mute their environment making the red attractive.

When a person is attracted to the seductive red color, maybe they cannot see the dangers or “the big picture” because the red dominates their passion and desires.  When this happens, a psychological happiness occurs and the person is left vulnerable…under the spell of red.  Walking around in a world hypnotized under a seductive “spell” could prove less than favorable and against the very grain of existence.  Remember business is a predator, it wants you!

Color Meanings in Business

 Understanding color meanings in business is essential when you are establishing a business profile. Color psychology affects our lives in so many ways, yet we often don’t realize the impact of our color choices on our website colors, on our stationery and packaging, in our retail store or office, in our marketing or our business clothing. Color has a powerful subconscious effect on every part of our lives, without even saying a word; an understanding of color meanings in business gives us an invaluable tool to get the best response to our marketing and promotional efforts and ultimately to create a successful business.

In applying the information about color meanings in business to enhance your own business profile and marketing, don’t use any color entirely on its own; it is always best to use a complementary color with your main choice as over-use of any one color can negate its effect and in fact have the opposite effect.

There is almost always more than one option of color combinations to assist your business, so you don’t have to choose any color that you do not like or resonate to. Or you may use the disliked color in a very small amount to get the response you want from your customer. For example, you may use just a very small amount of red to indicate your passion or energy for your business or as a call to action button on your website. Read all the information on each color in this ‘color meanings in business’ section to determine the best choices for your business.

Red: color meanings in business

Red is a warm and positive color, a very physical color which draws attention to itself and calls for action to be taken.

In color psychology red means energy, passion, action, strength and excitement.

Red stimulates the physical senses such as the appetite, lust and sexual passion. Although it is often used to express love, it really relates more to sexual passion and lust – pink relates more to romantic love than red.

Red represents masculine energy, whereas its softer version, pink, is associated with feminine energy.

Red, a universal sign of danger and warning, can also show and create aggressiveness and anger, particularly if used to excess in the wrong applications.

Physiologically, red stimulates and energizes the physical body, including the nerves and the circulation of blood, raising blood pressure and heart rate. It is stimulating to the appetite and therefore a great color to use for any product associated with food and its service, including restaurants and take-away businesses.

Red excites and motivates but in excess it can cause anxiety and tiredness. It also has negative connotations associated with blood, war and violence.

The color which most complements and balances red is turquoise, although green or blue will also create balance.

Key Words:

Positive Color Meanings in Business:

• action, power, energy, speed
• passion, desire, lust
• strength, courage
• attention-getting, motivating, stimulating, energizing
• driven and determined
• exciting, warm, spontaneous, assertive and confident

Negative Color Meanings in Business:

• aggression and anger
• domineering, over-bearing and tiring
• quick-tempered, ruthless, fearful and intolerant
• rebellious and obstinate
• resentful, violent and brutal

Using Red in Business:

Often used as a warning sign, red is best used as an accent color as too much red can overwhelm.

Red will always elicit a passionate response but the response may be either positive or negative and you may have no control over this response as it will be in the hands of your potential customer.

Red encourages buyers to take action and make a purchase. For example, it could be used to tempt an impulse buy at the purchase counter in your store, as footprints or arrows directing people around your store or to your cash register, or for a ‘buy now’ button on a website.

A touch of red can be used as one of the colors on your website to indicate your energy and passion for your business. In larger amounts it is effective in the promotion of products or services related to food and appetite, energy, passion or speed.

http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-meanings-in-business.html

The Journal of Dreams 02/02/2010

It is Groundhog Day today and the sun isn’t up yet.  I love winter but not when my life is unstable.  The cold and dreariness makes it difficult to step out of the house.  I haven’t worked in several days and fear of the future is wearing thin.  Often times I wonder if my life is so difficult because I seem to live it against the grain.  My motivation is sinking…not depression just tired-tired of thinking and thinking.  My mind is on an endless rollercoaster ride that never stops.  Sometimes when it is bad like this, I seek religion.  Today I will buy a medallion of St. Michael, the Archangel to protect me from negativity, to protect The Revelation Painting, and to help me shake these bad feelings of being conquered.  Believe it or not, sometimes I think about tearing up the canvases of the painting and leaving it all behind.  It must be the gypsy in me that has forever kept me moving.  It is true that a rolling stone gathers no moss.  At least if I were working, taking care of people, I would feel better.  I miss the people.