Jan 2012
New African Spirituality Forum
31/01/12 20:08
We put up a new forum. Feel free to leave comments and post threads.
Comments
Warding Off Evil In African Religions
25/01/12 22:21 Filed in: Curse
I
couldn’t help but get back to my favorite scary movie, the
“Exorcist.”
It’s not only a movie that defined
my childhood, it was a work of art, a classic that revealed the
basic protocol for dispelling negative energy from people who are
possessed. First, you must pray, and then you throw around a little
bit of holy water. Then you hold up a cross, look away, squeeze
your eyes tight and hope for a miracle. I like to watch and write
about fantasy and horror movies because it allows people to “ walk
on the wild side.” It allows us to enter a gateway where the
physical and spiritual worlds collide.
The cross, in the movie and in real life has a number of meanings. For one, the cross is used to ward off evil. It can also provide a gateway or chamber to higher worlds. An X also obstructs or blocks negative energy. Wearing a cross as a necklace works as your own “do not enter sign” for the symbol protects you from marauders and other negative energies.
Holy water is used for many purposes. Throughout the years, spiritualist and shamans have understood that water has significant healing qualities. Our bodies are mostly water and so is the earth. Water molecules have north and south poles just like our earth. Each water molecule has a dipole length, as in a magnet. In dummy terms this means that water can actually store information. Both mystics and shamans understand that the earth has its own memory. Everything in our universe is energy. When energy is concentrated, it creates physical matter. This happens through the power of intention.
The power of intention is not really a new concept. In fact, our ancestors understood the power of sound. They believed that everything on earth was created by sound. Now, self -help gurus are jumping on board and teaching people that high frequency sounds work to energize the brain, and to attract energy. While low frequency sounds drain energy.
Some scientist and spiritualist say that sound originates from light, and that it even has an effect on our DNA. This is why prayer is so important. It is our way of communicating with God, so we can attract and deflect energy. It also works as our protective shield to ward off evil, to keep us grounded, to help us reflect, and develop our character. So if there are times when you feel like your head is about to spin. Take some time out, get a glass of water, hold a cross, and say a small prayer.
The cross, in the movie and in real life has a number of meanings. For one, the cross is used to ward off evil. It can also provide a gateway or chamber to higher worlds. An X also obstructs or blocks negative energy. Wearing a cross as a necklace works as your own “do not enter sign” for the symbol protects you from marauders and other negative energies.
Holy water is used for many purposes. Throughout the years, spiritualist and shamans have understood that water has significant healing qualities. Our bodies are mostly water and so is the earth. Water molecules have north and south poles just like our earth. Each water molecule has a dipole length, as in a magnet. In dummy terms this means that water can actually store information. Both mystics and shamans understand that the earth has its own memory. Everything in our universe is energy. When energy is concentrated, it creates physical matter. This happens through the power of intention.
The power of intention is not really a new concept. In fact, our ancestors understood the power of sound. They believed that everything on earth was created by sound. Now, self -help gurus are jumping on board and teaching people that high frequency sounds work to energize the brain, and to attract energy. While low frequency sounds drain energy.
Some scientist and spiritualist say that sound originates from light, and that it even has an effect on our DNA. This is why prayer is so important. It is our way of communicating with God, so we can attract and deflect energy. It also works as our protective shield to ward off evil, to keep us grounded, to help us reflect, and develop our character. So if there are times when you feel like your head is about to spin. Take some time out, get a glass of water, hold a cross, and say a small prayer.
How Do Voodoo Spells Work In African Religions?
23/01/12 21:41 Filed in: Curse
Voodoo, not to be confused with Vodun can be used in the
practice of
witchcraft.
I like to think of Voodoo as malware that disrupts the natural flow of energy. Much like a virus, Voodoo spells operate to gather sensitive information and or to gain unauthorized access to your computer system (your mind). The virus’ ultimate goal is control and exploitation.
I can’t understand why someone would want to intentionally corrupt files.
However, people do it everyday in the spiritual world. They do it through the power of intention. Of course there are 101 thousand books on display about intention and how it’s great to attract abundance, love, and peace into your life. But, the power of intention has a “dark side” that’s crueler than Darth Vader.
Your intention actually directs the flow of energy.
If your intentions are to help your nephew get out of the hospital and be healthy, then positive energy will be directed towards him. If your intentions are to see your boss drop dead from a stroke then negative energy will be directed toward him. However, there’s a catch! People who are spiritually developed vibrate at much higher frequencies. Their immune systems (souls) are stronger and they can repel and deflect negative energy.
Just think of negative energy like a virus.
You pick it up from surfing the Internet, opening an email, or an attachment. Your computer starts to act funny. You began to lose files; you get millions of pop-ups, and spammers trying to sell you Viagra. You get frustrated because you need to use your computer for work, school, and socialization. At this point, you are either going to do one of two things. You are going to get the virus removed, or you are going to continue to work on your computer with the virus on it.
If you accept the virus, you accept the dysfunction.
By doing this, you are giving the hacker full and complete control over you. Now, he or she has access to your credit card accounts, personal information, and bank files. This is really how negative energy works, whether it’s a spell, a curse, an ajogan, a demon, or virus. It will trick you into believing that it is stronger than you. So you can succumb to its will.
The smarter thing to do is to get the virus removed.
However, I can tell you that it is not an easy task. First, you have to find where it is hiding. Secondly, you need to discern how badly damaged the computer (soul) is. Worse case scenario you’re going to have to wipe out the hard drive and reinstall all the software programs.
Negative energy makes you sick.
It causes stress, depression, financial hardships, and relationship problems. Negative energy causes people to degrade in character. This is why Yoruba and African based religions stress growth and development. So you can become strong, operate on a higher vibrational frequency and be able to repel and deflect spells, curses, and negative intentions.
If you are looking for a crash course on how to be fearless, check out my e-course. The Seven African Powers: The Stepping Stones to Enlightenment. Or, if you have additional questions call for a consultation. I am always ready and willing to help! www.newafricanspirituality.com
I like to think of Voodoo as malware that disrupts the natural flow of energy. Much like a virus, Voodoo spells operate to gather sensitive information and or to gain unauthorized access to your computer system (your mind). The virus’ ultimate goal is control and exploitation.
I can’t understand why someone would want to intentionally corrupt files.
However, people do it everyday in the spiritual world. They do it through the power of intention. Of course there are 101 thousand books on display about intention and how it’s great to attract abundance, love, and peace into your life. But, the power of intention has a “dark side” that’s crueler than Darth Vader.
Your intention actually directs the flow of energy.
If your intentions are to help your nephew get out of the hospital and be healthy, then positive energy will be directed towards him. If your intentions are to see your boss drop dead from a stroke then negative energy will be directed toward him. However, there’s a catch! People who are spiritually developed vibrate at much higher frequencies. Their immune systems (souls) are stronger and they can repel and deflect negative energy.
Just think of negative energy like a virus.
You pick it up from surfing the Internet, opening an email, or an attachment. Your computer starts to act funny. You began to lose files; you get millions of pop-ups, and spammers trying to sell you Viagra. You get frustrated because you need to use your computer for work, school, and socialization. At this point, you are either going to do one of two things. You are going to get the virus removed, or you are going to continue to work on your computer with the virus on it.
If you accept the virus, you accept the dysfunction.
By doing this, you are giving the hacker full and complete control over you. Now, he or she has access to your credit card accounts, personal information, and bank files. This is really how negative energy works, whether it’s a spell, a curse, an ajogan, a demon, or virus. It will trick you into believing that it is stronger than you. So you can succumb to its will.
The smarter thing to do is to get the virus removed.
However, I can tell you that it is not an easy task. First, you have to find where it is hiding. Secondly, you need to discern how badly damaged the computer (soul) is. Worse case scenario you’re going to have to wipe out the hard drive and reinstall all the software programs.
Negative energy makes you sick.
It causes stress, depression, financial hardships, and relationship problems. Negative energy causes people to degrade in character. This is why Yoruba and African based religions stress growth and development. So you can become strong, operate on a higher vibrational frequency and be able to repel and deflect spells, curses, and negative intentions.
If you are looking for a crash course on how to be fearless, check out my e-course. The Seven African Powers: The Stepping Stones to Enlightenment. Or, if you have additional questions call for a consultation. I am always ready and willing to help! www.newafricanspirituality.com
Curses in African Religions
20/01/12 23:33 Filed in: Curse
People think that a curse starts and ends with the
mind.
This is only partly true. A curse begins with the exchange of energy. It is best to think of a curse like an airborn virus, for it works to tear down your immune system and weaken your defenses. When a curse is not properly treated, it grows to infect all parts of the mind, body, and soul. The best way to combat a curse is through prayer and meditation.
Curses can come from other people or they can come from other realms.
In many cases, they come from people’s auric fields. Every living being on earth has an aura that vibrates at a different frequency. These auras have individual bands of energy that pulsates much like a heart beat. When we interact with other people, our auras merge, and we began to exchange energy (information). The energy could be good, or it could be bad. Bad energy can be transferred in forms of a curse and it works in two ways. It can either take your energy and or dump bad energy into your auric fields.
Just imagine a curse being like a leech that latches onto your body and sucks on your blood.
Or a fly that lands on you and regurgitates on your skin. Curses can be exchanged unintentionally and intentionally. People who are well versed in the dark arts, such as brujeria and witchcraft are able to work with this kind of energy. However, most people are unaware that they are carrying a curse, or that they are spreading it to other people. Curses can be exchanged from person to person, from group to group, to family to family. The energy is malignant and so strong, that it binds people together in the worse way.
We can see this with spousal abuse and relationships that are completely chaotic.
Couples cannot pull away from one another; no matter how hard they try. Curses work in other ways where it causes interference and you can’t discern your own thoughts and emotions from others. We see this happening a lot in cults and in families that are highly dysfunctional. In these cases, the curses are so strong that people no longer have contact with their true self. Their sense of intuition is gone and they are exposed to corrupt “crazy” leaders who force them to drink the poison kool-aid. Curses cause us to abuse ourselves. Curses are commonly inflicted during times of trauma and many people cannot heal, because the curse forces them to relive and suffer from the traumatic event over and over again. Others carry a curse of unworthiness and invite themselves to be abused and mistreated by others.
How do we combat curses?
We need to make sure that our souls (immune systems) are strong. We do this by meditating and developing our intuition to know who to interact with and who not to interact with. If we feel like we have been cursed, we need to sit and pray. Prayers to Obatala are great because he can help us clean negative energy. However, the process of identifying a curse can be extremely painful, and curing a deeply seated curse can be an arduous task. But, with faith and support from our spiritual community, we can overcome anything.
If you are looking for a crash course on how to be fearless, check out my e-course. The Seven African Powers: The Stepping Stones to Enlightenment. Or, if you have additional questions call for a consultation. I am always ready and willing to help! www.newafricanspirituality.com
This is only partly true. A curse begins with the exchange of energy. It is best to think of a curse like an airborn virus, for it works to tear down your immune system and weaken your defenses. When a curse is not properly treated, it grows to infect all parts of the mind, body, and soul. The best way to combat a curse is through prayer and meditation.
Curses can come from other people or they can come from other realms.
In many cases, they come from people’s auric fields. Every living being on earth has an aura that vibrates at a different frequency. These auras have individual bands of energy that pulsates much like a heart beat. When we interact with other people, our auras merge, and we began to exchange energy (information). The energy could be good, or it could be bad. Bad energy can be transferred in forms of a curse and it works in two ways. It can either take your energy and or dump bad energy into your auric fields.
Just imagine a curse being like a leech that latches onto your body and sucks on your blood.
Or a fly that lands on you and regurgitates on your skin. Curses can be exchanged unintentionally and intentionally. People who are well versed in the dark arts, such as brujeria and witchcraft are able to work with this kind of energy. However, most people are unaware that they are carrying a curse, or that they are spreading it to other people. Curses can be exchanged from person to person, from group to group, to family to family. The energy is malignant and so strong, that it binds people together in the worse way.
We can see this with spousal abuse and relationships that are completely chaotic.
Couples cannot pull away from one another; no matter how hard they try. Curses work in other ways where it causes interference and you can’t discern your own thoughts and emotions from others. We see this happening a lot in cults and in families that are highly dysfunctional. In these cases, the curses are so strong that people no longer have contact with their true self. Their sense of intuition is gone and they are exposed to corrupt “crazy” leaders who force them to drink the poison kool-aid. Curses cause us to abuse ourselves. Curses are commonly inflicted during times of trauma and many people cannot heal, because the curse forces them to relive and suffer from the traumatic event over and over again. Others carry a curse of unworthiness and invite themselves to be abused and mistreated by others.
How do we combat curses?
We need to make sure that our souls (immune systems) are strong. We do this by meditating and developing our intuition to know who to interact with and who not to interact with. If we feel like we have been cursed, we need to sit and pray. Prayers to Obatala are great because he can help us clean negative energy. However, the process of identifying a curse can be extremely painful, and curing a deeply seated curse can be an arduous task. But, with faith and support from our spiritual community, we can overcome anything.
If you are looking for a crash course on how to be fearless, check out my e-course. The Seven African Powers: The Stepping Stones to Enlightenment. Or, if you have additional questions call for a consultation. I am always ready and willing to help! www.newafricanspirituality.com
Yoruba And The Concept of Demons
18/01/12 23:06 Filed in: Yoruba
I am
a big fan of scary movies. In fact, one of my favorite movies
growing up was The
Exorcist. Now that I
am a grown-up, I understand that the movie was incredibly
sensationalized. However, as crazy as it sounds, I believe that the
movie had an element of truth. There are people who get possessed
by mysterious entities. Some people may call them demons; others
may say they are evil spirits or negative energies. In Yoruba,
these spirits are called the ajogan.
Ajogan are demons that attack and take you away from your natural self. Although I have never heard of any cases where people’s heads starting to spin. I’ve seen people totally lose contact with reality. The ajogan work in two ways, they can either pull you down, or boost you up by giving you a false sense of self.
The ajogan are tricksters and master manipulators. They will work to blow your head up by stroking your ego. Having your ego stroked is like having your pictures photo-shopped. It starts out with little changes, that aren’t really you. You use the slimming feature to erase pounds off your stomach and thighs. You take out the red-eye, you lighten or darken the picture, and you even start to remove whole people from the frame. However, by doing this, you move farther and farther away from your natural character. And you become oblivious to your flaws and weaknesses.
The ajogan will work to create a dream world for you. Where you can sleepwalk through life, and never have to address your flaws, mistakes, or weaknesses. Millions of people live their lives this way. However, they cannot sleep forever, one day they are going to have to wake up. When they do, they are confronted with a reality that they simply can’t handle. They are disappointed in life and with themselves, because they hate the way they look in pictures without them being touched up with photo-shop.
The ajogan also work by pulling people down. People who suffer from depression and feelings of unworthiness are most susceptible to the ajogan. Depression, low self-confidence, and feelings of unworthiness are symptoms of energy not flowing smoothly through the body. In fact, energy gets stale, and the ajogan feed on this energy like vultures eating a dead corpse. The ajogan will bring you down to an ultimate low and turn your life into the “Hell” that is described in Dante’s Inferno.
We can combat the ajogan by staying close to the earth and understanding our true nature. This means that we need to take the time to reflect and meditate. We must also work to acknowledge our flaws and shortcomings. Some of us need to come to the realization that we are perfect just the way we are!
Yamaya Cruz is the author of When The Shadows Began To Dance. She writes about African spirituality, chakra healing, shamanism and much more. For more information go to http://www.newafricanspirituality.com
Ajogan are demons that attack and take you away from your natural self. Although I have never heard of any cases where people’s heads starting to spin. I’ve seen people totally lose contact with reality. The ajogan work in two ways, they can either pull you down, or boost you up by giving you a false sense of self.
The ajogan are tricksters and master manipulators. They will work to blow your head up by stroking your ego. Having your ego stroked is like having your pictures photo-shopped. It starts out with little changes, that aren’t really you. You use the slimming feature to erase pounds off your stomach and thighs. You take out the red-eye, you lighten or darken the picture, and you even start to remove whole people from the frame. However, by doing this, you move farther and farther away from your natural character. And you become oblivious to your flaws and weaknesses.
The ajogan will work to create a dream world for you. Where you can sleepwalk through life, and never have to address your flaws, mistakes, or weaknesses. Millions of people live their lives this way. However, they cannot sleep forever, one day they are going to have to wake up. When they do, they are confronted with a reality that they simply can’t handle. They are disappointed in life and with themselves, because they hate the way they look in pictures without them being touched up with photo-shop.
The ajogan also work by pulling people down. People who suffer from depression and feelings of unworthiness are most susceptible to the ajogan. Depression, low self-confidence, and feelings of unworthiness are symptoms of energy not flowing smoothly through the body. In fact, energy gets stale, and the ajogan feed on this energy like vultures eating a dead corpse. The ajogan will bring you down to an ultimate low and turn your life into the “Hell” that is described in Dante’s Inferno.
We can combat the ajogan by staying close to the earth and understanding our true nature. This means that we need to take the time to reflect and meditate. We must also work to acknowledge our flaws and shortcomings. Some of us need to come to the realization that we are perfect just the way we are!
Yamaya Cruz is the author of When The Shadows Began To Dance. She writes about African spirituality, chakra healing, shamanism and much more. For more information go to http://www.newafricanspirituality.com
The Yoruba Religion and Initiations
16/01/12 23:09 Filed in: Yoruba
Within the last two centuries, African based
religions such as Candomblé, Vodun, and Yoruba have gotten a bad
reputation, partly because of the practice of witchcraft. There are
all kinds of wives tells about voodoo and brujeria. As a result,
many people become “part-time” believers, flocking to African based
religions only when other religions have failed them. This has
resulted in people looking for a quick fix, or ways to assuage
their immediate needs and desires. This way of thinking is not what
Yoruba is about. Yoruba as a religion guides people back to their
true nature through practice and initiations.
Getting back to your true nature means aligning your earthly consciousness with your heavenly consciousness. But so many of us live just to fulfill our immediate needs. We become hustlers, swindlers, liars, and cheaters, without understanding that we have to experience the consequences of both our intentions and actions. If we constantly put out negative energy, we will constantly receive negative energy. This results in the hamster wheel effect, where we re-create the same experiences and situations over and over again until we learn from our mistakes. The initiation process in Yoruba helps us to break the cycles of reincarnation by elevating us to a heavenly consciousness, where we can have direct communication with higher powers.
Of course, these higher powers would be the Orishas. I like to think of the initiation process as being a journey to enlightenment, or in other words, a way to increase our bandwidth. We all want the ability to be able to “talk” to the Orishas. However, we have to develop physically, mentally, and spiritually in order to do that.
Ilekes is the first process for the novice. Ilekes are religious beads that mark the first level of commitment made by the novice. Five Ilekes are presented ceremoniously to the initiate, with each one representing a particular Orisha. Initiates are giving a white Illekes for Obatala, black and red for Eshu-Elegba, yellow for Oshun, blue for Yemaya, and red and white for Shango. Receiving the Ilekes gives people limited access to the Orishas. It’s almost like having a cheap cell phone plan. You don’t have a lot of bandwidth or reception, you only get so many minutes, and the signal is weak and unclear.
The second initiation process is receiving the Ajagun or the warriors. The ajagun are comprised of Elegba, Ogun, Oshoosi, and Oshun. Their function is to protect the initiate from destruction from opposing spiritual forces (ajogan). This initiation process allows you to have better reception. It is like having free nights, weekends, and carry-over minutes.
The third and the fourth stage of initiation deal more with the initiate and their relationship with Orunmila. The initiate is instructed on how to use the Odu, on how to pray using the Ikin, and on how to call on the Orishas for worldly assistance and spiritual elevation. The Elehan is the last stage in the initiation process where you are deemed ready to serve as a priest/priestess of the religion. This is the state of realignment between your earthly and heavenly consciousness.
In these last stages of development, you have unlimited band-with. You have good communication with the Orishas because the signal is crisp and clear. It’s like having a plan with unlimited calling, text, and face-to-face communication. The whole concept of initiations in Yoruba is development. The stages of initiations allow you to elevate to points where you are stronger, mentally, physically, and spiritually. The initiations allow you to increase your bandwidth, so you can receive stronger signals, and thus have better communication with the Orishas.
Getting back to your true nature means aligning your earthly consciousness with your heavenly consciousness. But so many of us live just to fulfill our immediate needs. We become hustlers, swindlers, liars, and cheaters, without understanding that we have to experience the consequences of both our intentions and actions. If we constantly put out negative energy, we will constantly receive negative energy. This results in the hamster wheel effect, where we re-create the same experiences and situations over and over again until we learn from our mistakes. The initiation process in Yoruba helps us to break the cycles of reincarnation by elevating us to a heavenly consciousness, where we can have direct communication with higher powers.
Of course, these higher powers would be the Orishas. I like to think of the initiation process as being a journey to enlightenment, or in other words, a way to increase our bandwidth. We all want the ability to be able to “talk” to the Orishas. However, we have to develop physically, mentally, and spiritually in order to do that.
Ilekes is the first process for the novice. Ilekes are religious beads that mark the first level of commitment made by the novice. Five Ilekes are presented ceremoniously to the initiate, with each one representing a particular Orisha. Initiates are giving a white Illekes for Obatala, black and red for Eshu-Elegba, yellow for Oshun, blue for Yemaya, and red and white for Shango. Receiving the Ilekes gives people limited access to the Orishas. It’s almost like having a cheap cell phone plan. You don’t have a lot of bandwidth or reception, you only get so many minutes, and the signal is weak and unclear.
The second initiation process is receiving the Ajagun or the warriors. The ajagun are comprised of Elegba, Ogun, Oshoosi, and Oshun. Their function is to protect the initiate from destruction from opposing spiritual forces (ajogan). This initiation process allows you to have better reception. It is like having free nights, weekends, and carry-over minutes.
The third and the fourth stage of initiation deal more with the initiate and their relationship with Orunmila. The initiate is instructed on how to use the Odu, on how to pray using the Ikin, and on how to call on the Orishas for worldly assistance and spiritual elevation. The Elehan is the last stage in the initiation process where you are deemed ready to serve as a priest/priestess of the religion. This is the state of realignment between your earthly and heavenly consciousness.
In these last stages of development, you have unlimited band-with. You have good communication with the Orishas because the signal is crisp and clear. It’s like having a plan with unlimited calling, text, and face-to-face communication. The whole concept of initiations in Yoruba is development. The stages of initiations allow you to elevate to points where you are stronger, mentally, physically, and spiritually. The initiations allow you to increase your bandwidth, so you can receive stronger signals, and thus have better communication with the Orishas.
Ifa Yoruba And Reincarnation
11/01/12 21:37 Filed in: Ifa
Among the West Africans and aspirants in the United States and
the Caribbean,
Orunmila
is recognized as a primordial deity that was present at the
beginning of creation.
According to legend, around 2000 B.C, Orunmila was born again as a priest teaching aspirants an advanced form of spiritual knowledge and ethics known as the Odu. Orunmila also led a league of priests known as Babalawos. From the holy city of Ile-Ife, he instructed them on how to use the Odu to help aspirants to overcome their karma and stop the cycles of reincarnation.
Karma is a retributive process whereby we re-experience certain situations in life, until we learn a lesson, or get back on our right paths.
Babalawos not only use the Odu to guide us and to help us pick up on certain patterns and mistakes that we have made in past and current lives. They work with our energy, also known as ashe to help us reach a divine state of oneness. We reach a divine state of oneness when our earthly consciousness, known as the Ori is elevated and developed to an extent where it can be unified with our heavenly consciousness.
I explained in earlier articles that those who are completely developed vibrate on a much higher frequency.
Also, I touched on how difficult it is to reach a divine level of oneness. This is because many of us still operate using our earthly consciousness, which are lower desires such as greed, envy, and power. These lower desires urges us to go for the quick fix, they force us to take shortcuts and to be cunning and vindictive. These desires affect our decisions, which in turn generates bad karma. People who always complain about being stuck in a rut, or people who make the same mistakes, over and over again are going through cycles of reincarnation.
People who operate from a level of earthly consciousness are not only re-creating their own bad experiences, but they are allowing themselves to degrade spiritually.
Energetically, they are becoming weaker and it will be more difficult for them to manifest good things into their lives. Many of these people become “vampires” for they need to feed on people with lower vibrational frequencies in order to survive. We can see this with drug dealers, thieves, and other criminals.
The only way to stop this process is to develop the Ori and elevate oneself to a level of heavenly consciousness.
This happens when people become aware and start to raise not only their own vibrational frequencies, but others as well. This means that people need to make their decisions differently. They need to create win/win situations, where all parties involved are elevated to a higher state. People can do this by working with Babalawos who understand the Odu.
If you are looking for a crash course on how to be fearless, check out my e-course. The Seven African Powers: The Stepping Stones to Enlightenment. Or, if you have additional questions call for a consultation. I am always ready and willing to help! www.newafricanspirituality.com
According to legend, around 2000 B.C, Orunmila was born again as a priest teaching aspirants an advanced form of spiritual knowledge and ethics known as the Odu. Orunmila also led a league of priests known as Babalawos. From the holy city of Ile-Ife, he instructed them on how to use the Odu to help aspirants to overcome their karma and stop the cycles of reincarnation.
Karma is a retributive process whereby we re-experience certain situations in life, until we learn a lesson, or get back on our right paths.
Babalawos not only use the Odu to guide us and to help us pick up on certain patterns and mistakes that we have made in past and current lives. They work with our energy, also known as ashe to help us reach a divine state of oneness. We reach a divine state of oneness when our earthly consciousness, known as the Ori is elevated and developed to an extent where it can be unified with our heavenly consciousness.
I explained in earlier articles that those who are completely developed vibrate on a much higher frequency.
Also, I touched on how difficult it is to reach a divine level of oneness. This is because many of us still operate using our earthly consciousness, which are lower desires such as greed, envy, and power. These lower desires urges us to go for the quick fix, they force us to take shortcuts and to be cunning and vindictive. These desires affect our decisions, which in turn generates bad karma. People who always complain about being stuck in a rut, or people who make the same mistakes, over and over again are going through cycles of reincarnation.
People who operate from a level of earthly consciousness are not only re-creating their own bad experiences, but they are allowing themselves to degrade spiritually.
Energetically, they are becoming weaker and it will be more difficult for them to manifest good things into their lives. Many of these people become “vampires” for they need to feed on people with lower vibrational frequencies in order to survive. We can see this with drug dealers, thieves, and other criminals.
The only way to stop this process is to develop the Ori and elevate oneself to a level of heavenly consciousness.
This happens when people become aware and start to raise not only their own vibrational frequencies, but others as well. This means that people need to make their decisions differently. They need to create win/win situations, where all parties involved are elevated to a higher state. People can do this by working with Babalawos who understand the Odu.
If you are looking for a crash course on how to be fearless, check out my e-course. The Seven African Powers: The Stepping Stones to Enlightenment. Or, if you have additional questions call for a consultation. I am always ready and willing to help! www.newafricanspirituality.com
The Concept of Karma In Yoruba Religious Practices
10/01/12 23:25 Filed in: Yoruba
Yoruba, as a practice,
a religion, a culture, and way of life, can be incredibly difficult
to understand. Orunmila, a great prophet who lived approximately
5000 years ago in West Africa, taught the Yoruba people an advanced
form of spiritual knowledge and ethics, known as the Odu. The Odu
is a collection of 256 verses, each with its own collection of
knowledge and wisdom. Many priest use the Odu for divination
purposes, for they believe that the practice bridges the gap
between the spiritual and physical world. Divination is a process
of seeing how the past affects the future. This concept is known in
both the Eastern and Western world as karma.
Many people use the word karma pretty loosely. Suffice it to say that karma is a process where we re-create our experiences until we learn from our mistakes and walk down the path that God has created for us. Many people fail to realize that we carry karma from previous lives. We also carry karma from our lineage and family ties. Priests who interpret the Odu or use the Odu for divinations are looking for particular patterns and or mistakes in past and present lives. Then, they are able to guide initiates and practioners down the right path to rectify a problem or reoccurring situation. The Odu acts as a tool or a religious script that morally guides people through life.
Many of the participants in Yoruba and other African religions don’t believe in the concept of good or bad. In fact, the concept of dualities is a rare form of thought that is used mainly in the Western world. African religions operate from a different paradigm. They believe that everything is good and bad. War is good for the people who win because they get the additional resources needed for survival, but bad for the losers, who end up with nothing. Good and bad are on different sides of the same coin, and one cannot exist without the other.
Frederic Wiedermann sums up this concept by saying that Karma is the sum total of the consequences of all actions. This means that we cannot escape our karma. We must experience the positive and negative consequences of our actions. The Odu is a religious scripture that allows us to get feedback and guidance from a Godly force. The process of divination allows us to become conscious of our mistakes, patterns, and misdeeds, so we can learn from them and stop the cycles of reincarnation.
Many people use the word karma pretty loosely. Suffice it to say that karma is a process where we re-create our experiences until we learn from our mistakes and walk down the path that God has created for us. Many people fail to realize that we carry karma from previous lives. We also carry karma from our lineage and family ties. Priests who interpret the Odu or use the Odu for divinations are looking for particular patterns and or mistakes in past and present lives. Then, they are able to guide initiates and practioners down the right path to rectify a problem or reoccurring situation. The Odu acts as a tool or a religious script that morally guides people through life.
Many of the participants in Yoruba and other African religions don’t believe in the concept of good or bad. In fact, the concept of dualities is a rare form of thought that is used mainly in the Western world. African religions operate from a different paradigm. They believe that everything is good and bad. War is good for the people who win because they get the additional resources needed for survival, but bad for the losers, who end up with nothing. Good and bad are on different sides of the same coin, and one cannot exist without the other.
Frederic Wiedermann sums up this concept by saying that Karma is the sum total of the consequences of all actions. This means that we cannot escape our karma. We must experience the positive and negative consequences of our actions. The Odu is a religious scripture that allows us to get feedback and guidance from a Godly force. The process of divination allows us to become conscious of our mistakes, patterns, and misdeeds, so we can learn from them and stop the cycles of reincarnation.
Chango And The Law of Degradation
05/01/12 21:04 Filed in:
Chango, Yemaya, Oshun, Ogun, Obatala, Orunmila
In the news, there are stories about students who are working
three jobs to avoid taking out school loans.
Businessmen are paying themselves a below poverty line salary to stay afloat. The great recession has caused many people to cut back, to an extent that it hurts both their spiritual growth and long-term goals. In fact, many businesses fail because they don’t have enough income to support their short-term goals. College students drop out of school because it becomes too exhausting to juggle three jobs and a full load of classes. Many say that people fail at long-term goals because of lack of planning. I believe that people fail because they lack the foundation necessary for growth.
Chango, is an African deity in Yoruba.
He is commonly associated with the root chakra. We cannot thrive, live, or even stay upright without the stable support of our roots. We need to grow roots deep into the ground so our branches can reach the sky. Having strong roots gives us a sense of security, belongingness, and a great sense of physical health. Chango is the deity that allows us to become grounded; everything that happens in our minds, bodies, and spirits finds its source through Chango.
If people have a weak root chakra, or are not in touch with the Orisha Chango, they may have major insecurity issues.
These are the people who are incredibly needy and are constantly looking for external validation. These are the people who can’t take criticism, or just crumble when one little thing deters them from their goals. Their foundation is not rooted and strong, rather it is weak, and works more like quicksand, sucking them into a bottomless pit.
This concept is called degradation.
Degradation is the main reason why people fall off their path, or fail to develop good character. This is because our lower desires will always find a way to pull us down, like quicksand. The first thing that we have to understand is that we cannot ignore or suppress our lower desires. We cannot drive our cars without fuel, and we cannot run marathons without water. We need to ensure that we have a strong foundation, and that means knowing where we came from, having a strong sense of self-confidence, strength, and security. This means taking care of our physical and immediate needs. The concept of degradation is further explored in the fiction book When The Shadows Began To Dance.
If you are looking for a crash course on how to be fearless, check out my e-course. The Seven African Powers: The Stepping Stones to Enlightenment. Or, if you have additional questions call for a consultation. I am always ready and willing to help! www.newafricanspirituality.com
Businessmen are paying themselves a below poverty line salary to stay afloat. The great recession has caused many people to cut back, to an extent that it hurts both their spiritual growth and long-term goals. In fact, many businesses fail because they don’t have enough income to support their short-term goals. College students drop out of school because it becomes too exhausting to juggle three jobs and a full load of classes. Many say that people fail at long-term goals because of lack of planning. I believe that people fail because they lack the foundation necessary for growth.
Chango, is an African deity in Yoruba.
He is commonly associated with the root chakra. We cannot thrive, live, or even stay upright without the stable support of our roots. We need to grow roots deep into the ground so our branches can reach the sky. Having strong roots gives us a sense of security, belongingness, and a great sense of physical health. Chango is the deity that allows us to become grounded; everything that happens in our minds, bodies, and spirits finds its source through Chango.
If people have a weak root chakra, or are not in touch with the Orisha Chango, they may have major insecurity issues.
These are the people who are incredibly needy and are constantly looking for external validation. These are the people who can’t take criticism, or just crumble when one little thing deters them from their goals. Their foundation is not rooted and strong, rather it is weak, and works more like quicksand, sucking them into a bottomless pit.
This concept is called degradation.
Degradation is the main reason why people fall off their path, or fail to develop good character. This is because our lower desires will always find a way to pull us down, like quicksand. The first thing that we have to understand is that we cannot ignore or suppress our lower desires. We cannot drive our cars without fuel, and we cannot run marathons without water. We need to ensure that we have a strong foundation, and that means knowing where we came from, having a strong sense of self-confidence, strength, and security. This means taking care of our physical and immediate needs. The concept of degradation is further explored in the fiction book When The Shadows Began To Dance.
If you are looking for a crash course on how to be fearless, check out my e-course. The Seven African Powers: The Stepping Stones to Enlightenment. Or, if you have additional questions call for a consultation. I am always ready and willing to help! www.newafricanspirituality.com
Yoruba and The Concept of Spiritual Degradation
03/01/12 22:20 Filed in: Yoruba
I
have been studying numerous religions for a long period of time. I
hear the same phrases over and over again. I’ve attended many
seminars and workshops and listened to gurus, leadership experts,
priest and priestess all talk about the same thing. They speak
about enlightenment, about peace of mind, and awareness. However,
many of these people are missing out on one huge concept,
degradation.
There is the law of gravity that pulls us down; it keeps us near the earth and from floating away. However, gravity can be our worst enemy when it comes to self-development. The best way to explain degradation is to imagine going into a seven-story walk up building. Each floor represents a stage of development that you have to pass through in order to reach the top. The top is like the pen house suite. In spiritual terms this pen house suite is a symbolization of completeness, where you are freed from the confines of the physical body. Many mystics believe that reaching the top allows one to tap into innate powers and magical abilities. Others believe that the top is where the soul is free from the wheels of life that forces reincarnation.
The goal is to get to the top. Each level has its own vibrational frequency that you need to master. As you climb the stairs you become more powerful because the higher up you go the more you can see. However, there is one small problem. The law of degradation will pull you down. It will make it completely difficult if not almost impossible to get to the top. Many people trip, fall, and stumble down the stairs. The higher they are, the harder the fall. Some people fall and can’t get back up again. Others work to dress their wounds and heal before they make an attempt to climb the stairs again. Those who are wounded need to work twice as hard to make up for the ground that was lost.
This happens to many of us when we make bad choices and fall off our path. The force of gravity sends us tumbling down. But that’s ok. The biggest problem that many of us face is getting up again. Many times, we don’t dress or wounds properly, or give ourselves enough time to heal. So we limp back up the stairs, knowing full well that we are not strong enough to make it to the top. So we keep falling down, over and over again, until we just give up. We can see this with criminals who are repeat offenders and drug addicts.
The only way to combat the law of degradation is to completely heal our wounds. This means taking the time to reflect and look within. Healing is about acceptance and taking responsibility for our lives. The concept of degradation is further discussed in the fiction book When The Shadows Began To Dance.
There is the law of gravity that pulls us down; it keeps us near the earth and from floating away. However, gravity can be our worst enemy when it comes to self-development. The best way to explain degradation is to imagine going into a seven-story walk up building. Each floor represents a stage of development that you have to pass through in order to reach the top. The top is like the pen house suite. In spiritual terms this pen house suite is a symbolization of completeness, where you are freed from the confines of the physical body. Many mystics believe that reaching the top allows one to tap into innate powers and magical abilities. Others believe that the top is where the soul is free from the wheels of life that forces reincarnation.
The goal is to get to the top. Each level has its own vibrational frequency that you need to master. As you climb the stairs you become more powerful because the higher up you go the more you can see. However, there is one small problem. The law of degradation will pull you down. It will make it completely difficult if not almost impossible to get to the top. Many people trip, fall, and stumble down the stairs. The higher they are, the harder the fall. Some people fall and can’t get back up again. Others work to dress their wounds and heal before they make an attempt to climb the stairs again. Those who are wounded need to work twice as hard to make up for the ground that was lost.
This happens to many of us when we make bad choices and fall off our path. The force of gravity sends us tumbling down. But that’s ok. The biggest problem that many of us face is getting up again. Many times, we don’t dress or wounds properly, or give ourselves enough time to heal. So we limp back up the stairs, knowing full well that we are not strong enough to make it to the top. So we keep falling down, over and over again, until we just give up. We can see this with criminals who are repeat offenders and drug addicts.
The only way to combat the law of degradation is to completely heal our wounds. This means taking the time to reflect and look within. Healing is about acceptance and taking responsibility for our lives. The concept of degradation is further discussed in the fiction book When The Shadows Began To Dance.
New African Spirituality
02/01/12 20:49 Filed in: Orisha, Yoruba,
Ifa
Many
people have been writing and asking me, what is New African
Spirituality? Of course, people can read many of my articles and
see that I write about Orishas, chakras, and energy healing.
However, there is a much deeper purpose to the website. New African
Spirituality is about self-development.
I have learned that millions of people in the United States suffer from depression, abuse, and other illnesses. People contact me and tell me horror stories about their lives. They speak of the awful things that have been done to them, and the terrible things that they have done to others. Then, I have people who contact me and have read every self-help and spiritual book in the world, and they’re still lost. They are looking for me to help them, to give them advice about love, relationships, and good health.
I was on that same path, just a few years ago. I soaked up knowledge like a dry sponge, I went to workshops and numerous seminars, and yet, I still didn’t really know anything. That was until I started studying Yoruba, and the principles of Ifa. It was then that I realized that the essence of spirituality is growth. If we as people are not developed, we are not going to be able to attract abundance, success, and love into our lives.
Enlightenment is about finding the light that is within. However, we can only do that if we take the time to reflect, to meditate, to go within and explore who we truly are. This process starts with “reprogramming.” So many people have been programed to believe that African religions are dark and evil. There are some people who think it is a taboo to even mention Santeria, or Vodun. This kind of programing works as a dark cloud that hovers over us. For true development involves healing, and the first step to healing is awareness. The second step is acceptance of all things, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Many people fail to develop because they are constantly looking outside of themselves. They become mechanical, going through the motions, without understanding the true essence of enlightenment, which is inner peace that comes from beyond the mind. People who are mechanical become zealots. They can always find fault in others but have a blind eye when it comes to their own flaws. These are the people who take the time to send me hate mail.
I am not looking to argue with anybody, for I am also on the journey to enlightenment. I used to point my finger and the play the blame game too. However, over the years I realized that there is really no need to do that. We are all one, and race, sex, gender and religious preferences are just programs that work to tear us apart. My job is to bring people together. My purpose is to raise awareness and help everyone understand that we are all looking for the same thing, inner peace. We all just have different ways of finding it.
I have learned that millions of people in the United States suffer from depression, abuse, and other illnesses. People contact me and tell me horror stories about their lives. They speak of the awful things that have been done to them, and the terrible things that they have done to others. Then, I have people who contact me and have read every self-help and spiritual book in the world, and they’re still lost. They are looking for me to help them, to give them advice about love, relationships, and good health.
I was on that same path, just a few years ago. I soaked up knowledge like a dry sponge, I went to workshops and numerous seminars, and yet, I still didn’t really know anything. That was until I started studying Yoruba, and the principles of Ifa. It was then that I realized that the essence of spirituality is growth. If we as people are not developed, we are not going to be able to attract abundance, success, and love into our lives.
Enlightenment is about finding the light that is within. However, we can only do that if we take the time to reflect, to meditate, to go within and explore who we truly are. This process starts with “reprogramming.” So many people have been programed to believe that African religions are dark and evil. There are some people who think it is a taboo to even mention Santeria, or Vodun. This kind of programing works as a dark cloud that hovers over us. For true development involves healing, and the first step to healing is awareness. The second step is acceptance of all things, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Many people fail to develop because they are constantly looking outside of themselves. They become mechanical, going through the motions, without understanding the true essence of enlightenment, which is inner peace that comes from beyond the mind. People who are mechanical become zealots. They can always find fault in others but have a blind eye when it comes to their own flaws. These are the people who take the time to send me hate mail.
I am not looking to argue with anybody, for I am also on the journey to enlightenment. I used to point my finger and the play the blame game too. However, over the years I realized that there is really no need to do that. We are all one, and race, sex, gender and religious preferences are just programs that work to tear us apart. My job is to bring people together. My purpose is to raise awareness and help everyone understand that we are all looking for the same thing, inner peace. We all just have different ways of finding it.
