Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Orisa Ori with Araba Ifayemi Elebuibon 04/14 by Osaremi | Blog Talk Radio
Everything you could ever want to know about Ifa culture can be found on Omo Oduduwa Radio on blogtalk radio. Here is a like about Ori. What is Ori? Listen to find out. ;)
Sango went to church yesterday...
When I go to church I often feel as if I am going against Orisa or just being plan old fake. Yesterday was different for me.
Yesterday, I was suddenly able to recognize the similarities between Sango and Christ. When they sang songs I recognized the story of Sango. Whey they talked about what Christ stood for, I hear the praise names and stories of Sango. Yesterday, as I sat on "the minister's row" taking pictures of children while wearing a red and white dashiki, it struggled to resist shouting "KAWOOOOOOOOO" at the top of my lungs. I met Sango on the front row yesterday. I suddenly felt sorry for the Christ figure. I suddenly realized how the European mindset has feminized what was probably once a very strong man.
I wandered why all day Saturday, I felt excited about my outfit for Sunday. I wondered why I couldn't stop thinking about draping myself in red and white (in Christian terms, the blood that was shed and the purity that comes from it). I wrapped my head in white, probably Obatala prepping me for a cool head in the midst of foolishness. I know now, that Sango wanted me draped in his energy to receive his energy. He wanted to bless me. He wanted to strengthen me. He wanted to dance with me, and I am humbled.
KAWOOOOOOOOOOO Kabiyesi!!!!!!!!!
Yesterday, I was suddenly able to recognize the similarities between Sango and Christ. When they sang songs I recognized the story of Sango. Whey they talked about what Christ stood for, I hear the praise names and stories of Sango. Yesterday, as I sat on "the minister's row" taking pictures of children while wearing a red and white dashiki, it struggled to resist shouting "KAWOOOOOOOOO" at the top of my lungs. I met Sango on the front row yesterday. I suddenly felt sorry for the Christ figure. I suddenly realized how the European mindset has feminized what was probably once a very strong man.
I wandered why all day Saturday, I felt excited about my outfit for Sunday. I wondered why I couldn't stop thinking about draping myself in red and white (in Christian terms, the blood that was shed and the purity that comes from it). I wrapped my head in white, probably Obatala prepping me for a cool head in the midst of foolishness. I know now, that Sango wanted me draped in his energy to receive his energy. He wanted to bless me. He wanted to strengthen me. He wanted to dance with me, and I am humbled.
KAWOOOOOOOOOOO Kabiyesi!!!!!!!!!
Elders VS youth or elders AND youth
Nigerian Proverb:
Owo omode o to pepe, be t'agbalagbe o wo kengbe
Literal: A child's hands are too short to reach a high shelf, but the elder's hands too are too big to enter into a narrow gourd.
Real: Every member of society has his/her own roles to play to enable the society to operate in an orderly manner beneficial to all.
I'd heard this proverb before, but I wanted to talk about it today. Yesterday, we went to church and celebrated what I have dubbed "Bunny Sunday". I don't call it this in disrespect to the practice of the belief of the resurrection of Christ, but in acknowledgement of the lie it has become. Ase. I went to the church I grew up in basically to spend time with my family at dinner afterward. While at church I noticed something in a very different way.
The proverb above came into play because I saw how ignoring such an idea can cause dysfunction and imbalance. I am somewhere in a limbo between child and elder. At 33, I am really beginning to understand how much I DON'T know. When I think of elders, they are people full of wisdom, but wise enough to know that their wisdom is limited. They are willing to readily share what wisdom they have with others to ensure the transmission of knowledge. Old and elder, at least in my mind, are two completely different things. When I looked around I saw a lot of old people, but very few elders. Very few who have been formed by learning from their experiences. I have always said that I don't want my gray hair to come upon my head without the wisdom to go with it. I don't want to be a gray haired fool. Yesterday, made me realize that time is short and I need to strive even harder to reach my goal.
As for the youth, while they are responsible for their behavior, I have to admit that I believe that ball of wisdom transmission was dropped somewhere along the way. How do we expect to have reverent, intelligent, conscious youth and we are not willing to cut past all of the foolishness learned from this society? Our children want to be saved, but like anything else that has been allowed to get out of hand, finding the starting point for such an endeavor can SEEM to be quite the daunting task. At the end of the day, we just have to start somewhere. Begin by speaking to them. Spend time with them. Feed them if they are hungry. Go eat lunch with them. Hell, do something. Anything.
Basically, we all need to get on our jobs wherever we are in our journeys. We have to realize and acknowledge the value of the youth and the elder. Both are needed and they balance one another. We have forgotten our ways and we must remember them if we have any intentions of surviving. We cannot hold hands and sing Kum ba ya with other nations and people until we get ourselves repaired and built back up. We shouldn't even strive for such things.
Self preservation is the first law of survival. (a lesson I was taught and am still struggling to learn.)
Owo omode o to pepe, be t'agbalagbe o wo kengbe
Literal: A child's hands are too short to reach a high shelf, but the elder's hands too are too big to enter into a narrow gourd.
Real: Every member of society has his/her own roles to play to enable the society to operate in an orderly manner beneficial to all.
I'd heard this proverb before, but I wanted to talk about it today. Yesterday, we went to church and celebrated what I have dubbed "Bunny Sunday". I don't call it this in disrespect to the practice of the belief of the resurrection of Christ, but in acknowledgement of the lie it has become. Ase. I went to the church I grew up in basically to spend time with my family at dinner afterward. While at church I noticed something in a very different way.
The proverb above came into play because I saw how ignoring such an idea can cause dysfunction and imbalance. I am somewhere in a limbo between child and elder. At 33, I am really beginning to understand how much I DON'T know. When I think of elders, they are people full of wisdom, but wise enough to know that their wisdom is limited. They are willing to readily share what wisdom they have with others to ensure the transmission of knowledge. Old and elder, at least in my mind, are two completely different things. When I looked around I saw a lot of old people, but very few elders. Very few who have been formed by learning from their experiences. I have always said that I don't want my gray hair to come upon my head without the wisdom to go with it. I don't want to be a gray haired fool. Yesterday, made me realize that time is short and I need to strive even harder to reach my goal.
As for the youth, while they are responsible for their behavior, I have to admit that I believe that ball of wisdom transmission was dropped somewhere along the way. How do we expect to have reverent, intelligent, conscious youth and we are not willing to cut past all of the foolishness learned from this society? Our children want to be saved, but like anything else that has been allowed to get out of hand, finding the starting point for such an endeavor can SEEM to be quite the daunting task. At the end of the day, we just have to start somewhere. Begin by speaking to them. Spend time with them. Feed them if they are hungry. Go eat lunch with them. Hell, do something. Anything.
Basically, we all need to get on our jobs wherever we are in our journeys. We have to realize and acknowledge the value of the youth and the elder. Both are needed and they balance one another. We have forgotten our ways and we must remember them if we have any intentions of surviving. We cannot hold hands and sing Kum ba ya with other nations and people until we get ourselves repaired and built back up. We shouldn't even strive for such things.
Self preservation is the first law of survival. (a lesson I was taught and am still struggling to learn.)
Saturday, April 23, 2011
I'm here to make you think. I'm not here to ruin your life.
My client list consist of all types of people and I love it. Some are thinkers, while some are regurgitaters. Some are leaders, while some are followers. That being said, I have one that is a die hard Christian, but has no world view whatsoever. She doesn't realize that there were MANY other cultures and religions prior to what we call Christianity.
While we were talking on day, she went in for the kill with me with what she thought was a MAJOR point. She said with much confidence and conviction, "Well Jesus said something that NOBODY else in history every said." I literally moved to the edge of my seat. I really believed that she was about to change my entire life with whatever this mysterious thing was. What did he say? "He said that he is the son of God." *whomp whomp whomp* Man I was so disappointed. I am ever the learner and always am listening for something that I didn't know before. I told her, "Um, no. Not so much. There are like at least 25 historical/religious figures that claim, not only that, but they also claim many of the other things that set him apart from mere mortals." She was stunned. "WHAT? Are you serious?" When I told her that I was indeed serious and that this information could be easily found, she looked deflated and defeated.
I felt really bad. I didn't tell her the truth to ruin her life. I just didn't want her to continue to believe a lie. Although she went on to her next point, I could see that her mind was still trying to process what I'd just said. I felt bad, because I remember that feeling. The feeling of wanting to undo what I just heard and the eventual feeling of holding on to my belief just because I was scared of hell. I personally don't care what people believe if it makes them better, but I do believe that we should know the truth. Afterall, John 8:32.
While we were talking on day, she went in for the kill with me with what she thought was a MAJOR point. She said with much confidence and conviction, "Well Jesus said something that NOBODY else in history every said." I literally moved to the edge of my seat. I really believed that she was about to change my entire life with whatever this mysterious thing was. What did he say? "He said that he is the son of God." *whomp whomp whomp* Man I was so disappointed. I am ever the learner and always am listening for something that I didn't know before. I told her, "Um, no. Not so much. There are like at least 25 historical/religious figures that claim, not only that, but they also claim many of the other things that set him apart from mere mortals." She was stunned. "WHAT? Are you serious?" When I told her that I was indeed serious and that this information could be easily found, she looked deflated and defeated.
I felt really bad. I didn't tell her the truth to ruin her life. I just didn't want her to continue to believe a lie. Although she went on to her next point, I could see that her mind was still trying to process what I'd just said. I felt bad, because I remember that feeling. The feeling of wanting to undo what I just heard and the eventual feeling of holding on to my belief just because I was scared of hell. I personally don't care what people believe if it makes them better, but I do believe that we should know the truth. Afterall, John 8:32.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Pay it Forward and Piss Somebody Off. Huh?
Last week I went to the grocery store. When I paid, I left my change (a couple of dollars) for the person behind me. It's not unusual. I do it pretty often. Today, I went back to the store and the cashier started to weave a tale that I simply couldn't believe.
Cashier: Do you remember last week when you came to the store and told me to put your change on that man's bill? Me: Yea.
Cashier: Do you know that man got all pissed off and offended behind that? He went off!!! Talkin' 'bout, "I got money! I don't need her money!" I told him that you didn't think he needed the money, that you just do that, but he was still mad. Shoot I wish I'd been behind you in line. I just put it in the till.
Me: Shoot, I don't have any money myself. I was trying to be nice. Why did you do that? You shoulda kept it. If that happens again, you keep it.
Cashier: Hmph. Don't make no sense. Can't even be nice to people these days. It don't make no sense.
I really found it strange that in this economy someone would reject someone being nice, or at least trying to. I'm not that best at receiving and I must admit that giving is my strength. Hell, it's damn near my super power. It makes me happy. I am having to learn to receive, but I have NEVER been offended. I may never know that brothas personal story, but I pray that his heart is healed and his apparent pride is broken so that he doesn't miss small blessings.
Lesson for the day: You can't give OR receive with a closed hand or a prideful heart.
Cashier: Do you know that man got all pissed off and offended behind that? He went off!!! Talkin' 'bout, "I got money! I don't need her money!" I told him that you didn't think he needed the money, that you just do that, but he was still mad. Shoot I wish I'd been behind you in line. I just put it in the till.
Me: Shoot, I don't have any money myself. I was trying to be nice. Why did you do that? You shoulda kept it. If that happens again, you keep it.
Cashier: Hmph. Don't make no sense. Can't even be nice to people these days. It don't make no sense.
I really found it strange that in this economy someone would reject someone being nice, or at least trying to. I'm not that best at receiving and I must admit that giving is my strength. Hell, it's damn near my super power. It makes me happy. I am having to learn to receive, but I have NEVER been offended. I may never know that brothas personal story, but I pray that his heart is healed and his apparent pride is broken so that he doesn't miss small blessings.
Lesson for the day: You can't give OR receive with a closed hand or a prideful heart.
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