Religion vs. Spirituality vs. Culture

Religion vs Spirituality

What is religion?
I've been wanting to cover this for a while, because people always talk about religion like it's a dirty word. You can look it up for yourself, but this is it in a nutshell. When someone has a religion it is simply a way of doing things the same way all the time according to the requirements of that belief system. For example, I wake up and pray to Olodumare and Ori. After that I go work out and clean up and then I complete the rest of my prayers in a very precise and consistent order every single morning. Most of my prayers are recitations that were given to me or suggested to me by my godmother.

What is spirituality?
Now, this is more my opinion than fact. Spirituality is more based on intuition. Rather than sticking to hard fast rules you follow your Ori. It's like tailoring your practice to you. For example, my husband and I go through our prayers in the same order, pray the same prayers, but we add different things that are unique to us as individuals. Why do we do things differently? Because at some point we felt that we were being guided to do so. For example, he has this whole set up he does with Esu to make sure that Esu is not missing out on any offerings. I make sure that Esu isn't missing out on offerings either, but mine isn't nearly as time consuming as my husband's is. Sometimes, I still takes things to the crossroads for Esu and I feel like I should kunle or kneel. For my husband, he's a little concerned with the neighbors being nosy. Nothing is wrong with either one, because we are doing things as we have been led to.

How to you mix religion and spirituality?
We were talking to our children the other day about the fact that Jesus did Jewish things because he was a Jew. We told them about my husband's friend who is a Christian and practices Jewish Holy Days although he CLEARLY of Afrikan descent. Jews generally would not welcome or expect someone of Afrikan descent to practice their Holy Days. Why? Simple. He ain't Jewish. Furthermore, why would a CHRISTIAN practice JEWISH Holy Days? Because the Christian is of Afrikan descent and hates all things Afrikan so he will go to the extreme to assimilate to cultures that look most like massa. As we talked to the children, we told them that no matter what religion the grew up and practiced there was one thing that BETTER be in their houses. They had BETTER have an Egun shrine. Why? Because we are Afrikan and that's what we do. We stay connected to our past. We seek out that wisdom. We know and acknowledge that the Egun gave birth to us all.

The truth is that religion and spirituality are and have always been mixed. One really doesn't seem to do well without the other. One is about dicipline and one is about intutition. When you mix them together, you get what has become distant memory for most Afrikans. It's call culture.

What is culture?
Marimba Ani says that culture:
Brings us from chaos to order
Binds us to each other
Gives us identity
Gives us a reason for surviving
Tells us who we should live for
Tells us who we should die for if necessary
It's an energy source for thriving
Gives us a sense of security
Puts us into a system of accountability, we are accountable to our ancestors
It reproduces what it is.
It's the way we protect ourselves
It's the immune system of a people

Culture is the wholistic view of ourselves. It involves ALL that we do. It determines what we eat, when we sleep, how we interact with each other, how we raise our children, and even the languages that speak as children and the ones that we later learn. So in short, culture is the point at which our religious and spiritual practices flow into our everyday lives. It's hearing our Godmother ask about and respect food taboos of the people she is cooking for and it's about us respecting the taboos of her house. It's the reason that we teach our children Yoruba language rather than Spanish. The truth is that learning Spanish is simply learning another language of the conqueror that slaughtered yet another group of people that were living at one with God and nature. Of course, that's another post for another day. Culture, is setting food aside for your Egun or cooking just for them. Giving a special them space in your house to keep them close to you. Culture is teaching your children to always respect elders, because there is wisdom to be gained simply from their years on this earth. For us, it's learning our connections to the elements in order to show respect and reject the destruction of Onile. Culture is all these things and more.

The truth is that I shouldn't have titled this "Religion vs. Spirituality vs. Culture" as these things are not in conflict with each other. They are as they should be. They are complements that produce the whole. They aren't to be compartmentalized as that is a Eurocentric view and that is not of us. We are whole beings, not broken, and not intended to be in constant conflict.

Intro to Afrikan Spirituality-www.blackpowermedia.com

Freed up a little...

Okay, so I'll admit that I'm not the most patient creature ever created, but I have to best intentions. When I am excited about something I want to learn everything about it. This has been especially true with any religious experiences I've had. I am hitting a major wall with the differences between my experiences in Christianity and Ifa. You see when I was in the church I pretty much was made a minister first and learned all about the religion and stuff later. With Ifa, not matter how I push, pull, and throw fits I can't move forward until I complete and fully understand the next step. This generally has nothing to do with being blocked by various elders. Oh no. Not at all. That would be too easy for me to maneuver and manipulate to get my way. I swear I'm being blocked by shear spiritual force. I am being made to be still and master each step before moving on. Ori, is able to make total sense of this, but the rest of me looks like the girl bouncing back and forth wanting to jump in the double dutch ropes. I was listening to Baba Ifategunse and he was dancing all over my toes. At the same time I was saying ouch I was being relieved of the pressure to achieve. I have been told repeatedly to slow down, but sometimes you just have to hear it the "right way." The way that makes sense in YOUR ears. He was telling me (well it seemed that he was speaking to me) that I should take about 3 years to just concentrate on my Egun. Get that relationship tight first at it is the foundation to everything else. Now, let me say that everyone that has played a role in my "Ifa Education" has told me the same thing, so this is in no way a reflection on those that have taught me thus far. I have just been rushing and pushing and not mastering. Now, I want to master my communication with Egun because I need them and they need me. Our relationship is reciprocal and they have been waiting a long time to be heard and have a lot to say...

Egun ati Master Cleanse

Yesterday a client of mine brought me some fresh field peas from her father's garden. I was so excited. I just kept thinking about what I was going to do with them and how I was going to make a one bowl meal and eat them for all three meals on the first day I can eat whatever I want.

Well, this morning as I was juicing for my "lemonade" I heard, "we want some field peas". Okay, I stopped juicing and put the field peas on. Went back to juicing. "We like green beans in our peas." Okay, I added that. Went back to juicing. "We'd also like a little rice." Put that on and went back to juicing. When it finished cooking I put it all on the white plates that belonged to my grandmother and created a lovely presentation as a drooled over food that I couldn't not have. See most times "We" eat together. I was a little irritated, but heard Iya say, "It ain't 'bout chu baby." I put my iwa pele 3 piece suit on and graciously and humbly took the food to my appreciative egun.

They have gone without food for longer than my little 10 days, so who am I to act like a spoiled brat. I give thanks for them even speaking to me and finding me worthy to serve them at all. Iba se Egun!

Ofo ase and Ancestors

Well, I have officially learned the power of ofo ase and not letting every ancestor in your space.

So I've had my ancestor shrine set up for a while and we been chilling and talking and such. Well, recently my husband started to lightly communicate with some of his folks. All of a sudden he starts to have unexplainable feelings of anger. I wasn't feeling anything. I decided to cleanse the space and was having a rather difficult time so I knew that somebody didn't want to go and was resisting. After I was done I spent the rest of the evening reading and studying. We made a wine run and he expressed to me that he didn't feel that the room was cleansed. When we got back, I talked to my folks again and found out that somebody that he'd been talking to wasn't a person of iwa pele. I couldn't really talk to him right then because he was still being affected. His sleeping was restless and everything, but I was fine.

This morning we continued to talk about it, and when I felt it was a good time I began to tell him about what I learned about elenini and ofo ase from Ajoke. We sorted through the two choices and decided that a person that he talked to hadn't been someone that he wanted around because of the anger they had when they were on this plane. I asked him had he told them that they weren't welcome and had to go. He said no he hadn't. As soon as he did they left and life has been sweet ever since.

I guessed that the reason I couldn't get rid of them was because they weren't my folks, I hadn't invited them, and/or maybe because I'm a beginner. Either way. Nothing happened until Titus invoked ofo ase. I am so proud of Titus. I am so happy that I was able to pass what I have learned on to him. I am happy to be a part of something that I can see the results. I love that I am learning to have what I was supposed to have all along--dominion.

Now had it been elenini it would have been a situation of having to get rid of a self created issue. This is not something that you can blame on a spirit or anything external. They are your fault. They are your creation. They are the love children of your irresponsibility and denial. Only you can rid yourself of them.

I have learned a lot in a short time and am more excited each day because Spirit constantly manifests.  Constantly wants to communicate with you. I give thanks. Who knew that life could be this way?

*to the tune of yes Jesus loves me*
Egun love me this I know.
For Ajoke told me so.
All of us to them belong.
Because of them we are made strong.

Yes Egun love me!
Yes Egun love me!
Yes Egun love me!
'Cause Ajoke told me so!

Last night's roller coaster ride!

E kaaro Iyas and Babas! 

So yesterday I set up the Egun shrine and I left the candle burning. I feel like I have been traveling all night. The sista (omo Oya) that is helping and teaching me more about Ifa is out of town at Black August/Happily Natural. Yesterday, I so wanted to talk to her to tell her that I set everything up, but I missed her call and didn't realize it until late last night. When I went to bed I had a dream(s) that I was surrounded by egun, but it was more of an impression than something I could see. I just knew they were there and it was like we were meeting each other. Then I was suddenly in Atlanta in some club and could see the sista in something like a club full of people. It was like the dream was going back and forth between the two things. At one point I was back in my room and had the impression that she was there. I asked her how she got here and she said, "Astral projection. You said you wanted me to come see the shrine. Good job." Then I heard two big knocks on what sounded like a HUGE door. I looked at the clock and it was 5:13 and I immediately added the numbers, which I never do, and got 9 which is Oya's number. I got up and tended the altar. 

Whoa! That was interesting...

Guess what I did!!!

E pele O people! Well, I have fulfilled my goals for the day. I have cleaned and cleansed my room and that is wonderful, however, it isn't what I am REALLY excited about. I set up my Egun Shrine! Yes, I did it! It was such a beautiful experience. I finally felt connected with them. I started crying and was really caught off guard by how emotional I was because I have always felt really estranged from my egun. I am so excited to be able to tend to them as they have tended to me all this time without my knowing. I am the only person in my family to my knowledge that is doing this so I hope the egun can have all that they need through me until somebody else in the family is open to hearing from them. I am practicing from the standpoint of Ifa/Yoruba as they are really close to where my DNA results put my egun and I have always felt drawn to that tradition. I have a desire to erect a shrine outside eventually, but until then they are being kept close to me. Now, I want to learn to cast obi to make sure that they are pleased with the shrine that I have put together. Any input on this subject is welcome.