The Core of Fire~A Path to Yoruba Spiritual Activism~ Chapter 1

I just recently purchased this book, and let me just say, I have not been disappointed. I have just completed chapter one which is mostly based on the concept that we all have a "core belief system or CBS" as it is referred to in the book. I must say that the introduction, at first, was frying my brain a bit. I was taking it as a light read while it is quite the opposite. This book is full of knowledge from page one, in my opinion. For me this is not a book to just sit down and charge through at first, you have to be prepared to let some things digest if you are new to this culture. I am very new, so...yea.

Oko mi (my husband) was told, by a friend and teacher of ours (Iyanifa Ifalola), that you won't just go straight from a church mindset and straight into a Yoruba mind all the time (me paraphrasing). I was nodding at him, all the while thinking that I was "deep" so I was going to instantly be Afrikan. Yea, that worked until I said grace and ended it "in Jesus name" and clasped my hand over my mouth as if I'd cursed. lol Another teacher friend (Iya Ajoke) has been able to draw parallels for us using our CBS of Christianity to help us understand some of the teachings of Ifa. Why did they have to explain an ancient tradition by using examples from Christianity? Because right now, we still filter things through our CBS of Christianity. Christianity, as much as it pains me to admit it, still can move me emotionally with it's prayers, songs, and scriptures. It took me from birth until some months ago to absorb Christianity, I don't know why I thought that in less than probably 6 months I would be Ifa mind all the time. I wish, but that just isn't reality.

In the book the author, Aina Olomo, talks about how we can know things intellectually and utilize them in an intellectual fashion, but still not have them replace our CBS. If I were to be in a car wreck right now or some other horrible situation, I would be callin' on Jesus. Why? Because I was basically born and bred to do so. Even when I pray in English it takes all I have not to end it with "in Jesus name we pray", which is why I like to pray in Yoruba. lol She gave an example of a couple with children that have been in the culture for 25 years. They have children who I believe were 8 and 11 when they started living the Yoruba culture. On the parents' egun altars you will find crosses, bibles, and will hear them singing hymns. Now, I think that the reason lies both in the CBS of the parents AND some of the egun. I feel that why because of my experiences at my altar. Now, on the other hand, their children don't have all that stuff on their altars because they have no emotional or spiritual attachment to Christianity. She also spoke about one of the children's experience when she attended church for the first time at the age of 26 (?). All she was able to grasp from the sermon was when they talked about animal sacrifice and casting lots, because her CBS is Ifa. Ahhhh, to reach that stage...

Anyway, I am just so excited about this book I just wanted to share. I hope you will join me in reading it. Just understand that the author did not write to book as something for us to ALL agree on. She wrote it in many ways to challenge the system with all of it's divisions and chasms. If you read it, let me know whatcha think about it.

Odabo Emi!