Summer of Greatness Ft. Louis Narcisse

Join us Mon. June 24th as we discuss a "Summer of Greatness" Ft. Louis Narcisse of Pharaonich Brand. We will discuss his career as an artist and designer. We will also explore the concept of greatness. The call in number is 917.932.8881. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/109-9penstation/2013/06/25/conversations-with-the-queen

Born in Brooklyn in 1972, I think my mother was a big influence in my love for fashion. As a single mother of three, she took pride in her & her children’s appearance. We then moved to Long island in ’83 & ever since 1st grade we attended Private schools, so no real expression of individuality & school & especially being a twin my mom still used to try & dress my brother the same or at least similar. In my sophomore year in High School I transferred to Uniondale Public High School & it was then I was free to dress differently & boldly! Having worked at some clothing stores & the local mall, I developed my sense of fashion & got my own style of dress. This was when designers Like Karl Kani was coming up & I admired how He turned his own personal style into a brand! It’s at that point I wanted to work in fashion & one day have my own clothing line. I spent the next few years working in Fashion affiliated jobs, first starting out in a Screen-printing Factory for several years & then went on to work in the Garment Industry in Manhattan, where I worked as a graphic designer rapidly moving up to Art Director, working for 12yrs in the #1 Apparel company in the US. Having as much experience & passion for the Fashion, I feel like it’s time for me to leave my mark in an rapidly growing industry. 2003 is when I created the Pharaonic Clothing Line under Pharaonicorp LLC. The clothing line first started out as just a hobby but realized that my production knowledge & design sense I could easily turn this hobby into a brand. I’ve spent the last several years taking classes & attending seminars formulating the Pharaonic Brand into what it is today. The idea for the Pharaonic brand came about because I didn’t really see too many clothing line representing the African Diaspora & also because we as descendants of African ancestors have through the decades, centuries & millennia have forgotten our vast history! This is why most of my graphics represent something from our lost legacies & great period in our history! I want the Pharaonic Clothing brand to remind us all of what great heritage we have & come from. My goal is pretty much summed up by the clothing lines motto “Get Back to Greatness” Because we owe it to our ancestors & all those who have paved the way for us to be here today!

Music, Sound, Creation Ft. Tebe Zalango

Join Conversations with the Queen Mon. June 3 @9pm Et for our show "Music, Sound, Creation" Ft. Tebe

Zalango. Tebe Zalango is a talented and inspiring Violenist, gituarist, and hip-hop artist. He strives to not only bring versatility through his many talents but to educate through his music as well. So tune in while we discuss the importance of music in the process of creation. The call in number is 917.932.8881 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/109-9penstation/2013/06/04/conversations-with-the-queen

As a child growing up in Decatur, Tebe Zalango had his hands on a violin before he left kindergarten.

One day he heard Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" on the radio and told his mother, "I want to do that!"

Zalango's mother took her son's proclamation at face value - he immediately began learning violin - even though he would rather have been playing with the neighborhood kids instead of the many hours of practice. Zalango may have grated at the practice then, but now he relishes his musical gifts. He is getting steadily closer to a year-end release of a debut double album that has been the work of a lifetime.

It may be his commercial debut, but Zalango been selling CDs for years. He personally burns thousands of them during his travels to play across the country, and even in places like Mexico and the Bahamas. It is the mode of his travels that is unusual.

Zalango has no agent. Like a troubadour, he simply travels to distant cities - Atlanta, Chicago, New York - and hits the streets, bringing about "5,000 flyers and 500 burned CDs" wherever he goes. During the day he talks to people, whips up interest, hangs fliers and sells CDs. At night he performs at the nearest open mike, wherever it may be.

"I make connections," Zalango said. "They let me know where and when the shows are. Sometimes I'll be asked to open up for a well-known performer. I let God lead me. The decision to travel comes out of the blue, and I don't fight it."



‘Music is my life'

To read the rest of the article click HERE

Yoga Pose of the month June: Reclining Big Toe Pose

Benefits

Stretches hips, thighs, hamstrings, groins, and calves
Strengthens the knees
Stimulates the prostate gland
Improves digestion
Relieves backache, sciatica, and menstrual discomfort
Therapeutic for high blood pressure, flat feet, and infertility



Step by Step

Lie supine on the floor, legs strongly extended. If your head doesn't rest comfortably on the floor, support it on a folded blanket. Exhale, bend the left knee, and draw the thigh into your torso. Hug the thigh to your belly. Press the front of the right thigh heavily to the floor, and push actively through the right heel.

Loop a strap around the arch of the left foot and hold the strap in both hands. Inhale and straighten the knee, pressing the left heel up toward the ceiling. Walk your hands up the strap until the elbows are fully extended. Broaden the shoulder blades across your back. Keeping the hands as high on the strap as possible, press the shoulder blades lightly into the floor. Widen the collarbones away from the sternum.

Extend up first through the back of the left heel, and once the back of the leg between the heel and sitting bone is fully lengthened, lift through the ball of the big toe. Begin with the raised leg perpendicular to the floor. Release the head of the thigh bone more deeply into the pelvis and, as you do, draw the foot a little closer to your head, increasing the stretch on the back of the leg.

You can stay here in this stretch, or turn the leg outward from the hip joint, so the knee and toes look to the left. Pinning the top of the right thigh to the floor, exhale and swing the left leg out to the left and hold it a few inches off the floor. Continue rotating the leg. As you feel the outer thigh move away from the left side of the torso, try to bring the left foot in line with the left shoulder joint. Inhale to bring the leg back to vertical. Lighten your grip on the strap as you do, so that you challenge the muscles of the inner thigh and hip to do the work.

Hold the vertical position of the leg anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes, and the side position for an equal length of time. Once you have returned to vertical release the strap, hold the leg in place for 30 seconds or so, then slowly release as you exhale. Repeat on the right for the same length of time.

Phases of Rebirth Ft. TrueGod

Join Conversations with the Queen as we discuss "Phases of Rebirth," with independent hip-hop artist TrueGod. We will discuss his upcoming album release "Soul Revival 2", his radio show, his brands, and how he is handling single parenthood. The call 917.932.8881
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/109-9penstation/2013/05/28/phases-of-rebirth-ft-truegod

The Art of Dying Ft. Queen Afua

Join Conversations with the Queen as we host our monthly segment with Queen Afua. This show will be centered around the topic "The Art of Dying."; how we make life decisions that are detrimental to us physically, mentally, financially, spiritually and emotionally. We will explain how these decisions shorten our lives and what we can do to be dedicated to our own highest and best good. The call in number is 917.932.8881


http://www.blogtalkradio.com/109-9penstation/2013/05/21/the-art-of-dying-ft-queen-afua.

HAIR'itage: Telling the Hair Story of the Black Woman

Join Conversations with the Queen as we discuss Hairitage with members of the cast. HAIR'itage is an original play about the evolution of the Black woman’s Hair by Niccole Nero Gaines. The call in number 917.932.8881

To listen to the show visit http://www.blogtalkradio.com/109-9penstation/2013/05/07/conversations-with-the-queen

May's Yoga Pose: Lotus Pose

Step by Step

Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front. Bend your right knee and bring the lower leg up into a cradle: The outer edge of the foot is notched into the crook of the left elbow, the knee is wedged into the crook of the right elbow, and the hands are clasped (if possible) outside the shin. Lift the front torso toward the inner right leg so the spine lengthens (and the lower back does not round). Rock your leg back and forth a few times, exploring the full range of movement of the hip joint.

Bend the left knee and turn the leg out. Rock your right leg far out to the right, then lock the knee tight by pressing the back of the thigh to the calf. Next swing the leg across in front of your torso, swiveling from the hip and not the knee, and nestle the outside edge of the foot into the inner left groin. Be sure to bring the right knee as close to the left as possible, and press the right heel into the left lower belly. Ideally the sole of the foot is perpendicular to the floor, not parallel.

Now lean back slightly, pick the right leg up off the floor, and lift the left leg in front of the right. To do this hold the underside of the left shin in your hands. Carefully slide the left leg over the right, snuggling the edge of the left foot deep into the right groin. Again swivel into position from the hip joint, pressing the heel against the lower belly, and arrange the sole perpendicular to the floor. Draw the knees as close together as possible. Use the edges of the feet to press the groins toward the floor and lift through the top of the sternum. If you wish, you can place the hands palms up in jnana mudra, with the thumbs and first fingers touching.

Padmasana is the sitting asana par excellence, but it's not for everybody. Experienced students can use it as a seat for their daily pranayama or meditation, but beginners may need to use other suitable positions. In the beginning, only hold the pose for a few seconds and quickly release. Remember that Padmasana is a "two-sided pose," so be sure to work with both leg crosses each time you practice. Gradually add a few seconds each week to your pose until you can sit comfortably for a minute or so. Ideally you should work with a teacher to monitor your progress.

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/488





Benefits

Calms the brain
Stimulates the pelvis, spine, abdomen, and bladder
Stretches the ankles and knees
Eases menstrual discomfort and sciatica
Consistent practice of this pose until late into pregnancy is said to help ease childbirth.
Traditional texts say that Padmasana destroys all disease and awakens kundalini.