What is #STAYWOKE, and why does this site exist?
The phrase “Stay Woke” has long been a street term for consistent awareness of the realities of life. #StayWoke can be as deep as realizing the corruption in your government is destroying your community. Or it can be as light-hearted as knowing that “I just saw this text” is not always an admission of being busy, but occasionally the strong curve begging for respect.
We decided that while #StayWoke is great in funny and playful circumstances, it deserves greater attention. In this post, we’ll outline the key principles and motivators for this campaign. We are not experts on anything on this site–and that’s the point. Wake up with us.
Namaste.
Special thanks to Samara The Zengod for introducing me to this concept at just the right time. Namaste is an important part of #StayWoke because this is a communal movement. You may have heard “Namaste” before. In Sanskrit, it translates to “I bow to you.” In Hinduism it means “I bow to the divine in you.” According to many Hindus, these three syllables mean quite the mouthful: "I honor the place within you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place within you, which is of Love, of Truth, of Light and of Peace. When you are in that place within you and I am in that place within me, WE ARE ONE"
Uttering this word is usually accompanied by a physical display of this level of respect: a slight bow and hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointing upwards, thumbs close to the chest (The two touching palms represent the unity between those greeting each other). This gesture is called Añjali Mudrā.
Whether or not you believe in a higher power, this concept still applies to our life on this Earth. Stay woke to the universe inside you, but also to that of the Other. We are of the same material and share the same space. Through this consideration, we are no longer separate universes, but a larger universe via network.
“Universe? Sounds Trippy.”
It is. But the idea of having a universe inside you can be simplified as such: Your perspective contained in your own mind, body, and soul is the essence of your life. Every thought you’ve had, every shade of red you’ve seen, and every effect you’ve had on the world is part of your perspective–your universe. But if everyone has this, realize that however much you stick to your own perspective, the Other has one just like you do. Unless you’re a cat lady, you’re bound to run into other universes out there. And even then, you’re surrounded by black and white kitty universes.
Humans are a social species by nature. Interacting with our environment is a primary source of the development that makes us who we are today. If you were raised by wolves, you’d have a lot of difficulty walking into Chipotle and ordering the burrito bowl you need to satisfy your craving…although you’d probably just eat a deer by the highway in that case. As our environment has evolved over time, so has our society, and thus we must each individually evolve according to the world we are born into. It's #justfact that we are connected to others and can only benefit from utilizing the human beings we have in each other.
Sooo…what does this have to do with #StayWoke?
An awareness of ourselves and the other is the first step in remaining woke. Education is a prerequisite to action. In Master Teachers, Erykah Badu explains the importance of searching within yourself before you can search the world. Listen to these words (some of them are conveniently placed in the music player on the desktop version of this page, but you can find the full version in your local Google searchbar). It’s only after you have read the book of “Me” that you can be woke to yourself. At that point, you have earned the distinguished diploma of “Understanding of Self” required to take on the world with precision, success, and meaning. The answers to all our life’s troubles begin within. What do you do with the knowledge you’ve accumulated? Why achieve goals in life when at the end of the day, we will all return to the soil we came from? Why do people raise their children instead of abandoning them like fish? To #StayWoke is not a destination, but a lifestyle of learning, practice, and master teaching. It takes a village. Join us.
