Can I just say that I have never felt so connected in all my life? I love tending my shrine. I love communicating with my egun. For example, the other morning I was cooking eggs and toast for my children. I made some scrambled eggs (no salt), dry toast, and coffee for my egun. I sat it on my shrine feeling quite pleased with myself and excited to be doing something different with them. Later I went to hang out with them at the shrine and just as clearly I heard somebody say, "I like honey on my toast". I just laughed. How do I know it wasn't me? Because I don't even really like honey. I will mix it with peanut butter, but I don't even like it in tea or anything. I drizzled the honey and they seem to have been pleased. They will sometimes even tell me scriptures to read. I still have to purchase a Quran for the Muslims in the family (Fulani Cameroon) so that I can read to them too. My uncle also told me that he wants a puzzle. He LOVED puzzles and I forgot all about it until he asked for it. I need to add the Choctaw people to the mix of folks represented. I still have a really hard time acknowledging my father's side of the family. Long story for another day. I just have to remember that they are not as they were.
Master Key System
What can I say about this? I am reading part one and it is tedious, but has some really good information. This is going to teach me to quiet my mind so that I can meditate and hopefully trance and vision more readily. I have never been able to sit and still my mind. I want to be able to hear and respond appropriately to Spirit where ever I am. Part three looks much more interesting and I look forward to prepping myself for it. I'll be able to levitate by the end of it. lol
Inner Peace
OMG! Can you say LOVE IT? I love this book and I am only on the introduction! I love it! If I weren't married already I would marry it. It just makes things so understandable and helps you to know that where you are is where you are supposed to be like Ajoke told me a long time ago. I didn't believe her wholeheartedly, but I do now. Sssshhh, don't tell her that she was right all along as usual. lol I can't wait to really get into this book! I am so excited!
10 reasons I love Ifa Culture
- The only thing that cannot be changed is the date of your birth and the date of your death. I love that because it gives me some type of control over my life and responsibility. I actually have choices.
- Egun worship is foundational. I love the fact that we are EXPECTED to worship, venerate, respect, acknowledge, and connect with those that came before us in our bloodline both known and unknown. Beautiful thang people. It's a beautiful thang.
- Balance. I love the fact that where there is male there is female and where there is female there is also male. None is above the other and both are acknowledged equally. Unlike the system I was raised in, female energy is held in as high regard as male energy. I must admit this has been difficult for me as I am accustomed to be being second class, but I'm movin' on up. lol
- Culture. I love that this is a culture rather than a religion. This is something that I think of in my every action and behavior. I acknowledge different aspects of this culture when I drive through an intersection, pass a cemetery or a river, walk a path in the woods or go off the beaten trail, or even drive over RR tracks. I love it!
- You are allowed to have a show me attitude. You are not expected to just say that everything that does happen was because of your faith or everything failed because of your lack of faith. This was really easy for me to transition to. I hated when the church would pray for my husband repeatedly to get out of the wheelchair and it would never happen. They even went so far as to announce that it would happen by that next Sunday and of course it didn't. It caused so many of the youth to lose faith because imho either the preacher lied or God did because they said that God said he was going to walk in that next Sunday and it didn't happen.
- Each one teach one. When I tell you that I am surrounded by people with this attitude I mean it! Everybody is such a willing teacher as far as my experience so far. I know that everybody in this culture isn't going to be that way and I'm not going to fool myself, but I have a wonderful circle of Sistas. Lessons are valued based on effectiveness not titles. We are all able to learn from one another and it is beautiful. If you mess with any of them I'll kick your ass! This takes me to my next point...
- Iwa pele. Gentle character. Good character. I'll still kick your ass, but only with good reason and then I will reflect on how we came to the point of physical conflict to help you to avoid pissing me off the next time. Seriously, it is the core of the culture. I even look at as meaning wise character. Ifalola taught me this lesson early on. It was a hard on too, because I have pitbull tendencies. I am extremely loyal, but DO NOT CROSS ME! *whoooooosaaaaaaa*
- Connection with nature. All the orisa are forces of nature. You can't disrespect nature without disrespecting them. If you take a flower, you leave an offering. That has made me think before I just go snatching flowers and such from their homes. Everything has a purpose and there is a price to pay for removing a specimen from it's home and purpose. We love to go to the creek and Mari used to get rocks. Well, now we know that we should offer something to Iya Osun, ask permission, and make an offering if we are allowed to remove it.
- From birth. This culture on the continent starts from the literal moment we return to this plane. It tells me that this is for ALL ages. There is no children's church etc. to separate the children from the rest of the community. From the very beginning they are taught this culture, not by worksheets and such, but by living it out hands on with everyone in the community.
- Children are blessings and not burdens. I have to be honest. This is one that I am still working on. I have spent a lot of time speaking that children, mine included, are burdensome. It was just they way I learned from what I saw and or heard at different points (not from my Mama). It didn't help that I was a single parent for quite a while. Maybe that was just a self fulfilling prophecy. Idk. Either way I am relearning this beautiful lesson. My children are blessings indeed and for all I know I maybe born again as their grandchild. :)
I really like your "10 Reasons I Love Ifa"--that was great! What is this Master Key? Is it a book? Could you give the complete name and title, or tell me where I can find out more? Thanks.
ReplyDelete