In the earlier post
Three Major Components of Yoruba Religion I shared thee basic aspects characteristics of that specific african spiritual system. In reality, these three components are inherent in all African spiritual systems, whether they be traditional or ancient (an era sometimes also referred to as "classical africa"). In addition to these three parts, others exist that can help one distinguish between genuine african spirituality or new age developments. Its up to each one of us to decide if we would participate in something with ten thousands years of spiritual and scientific testing, or something that was birthed out a few years of academic research and cultural pride.
Adura - Prayer, most importantly Mantra or Words of Power. All legitimate african systems have studied the effect of sound on the human psyche as well as physical events and have words of power that are known to
cause things to occur or to at least encourage things to occur. This is a step beyond simple prayer and it is what distinguishes whites from africans, asians, amerindians etc.. Judeo-Christian religions are based entirely on faith alone and contain no words of power for the most part, at least none that were purposefully created, fine tuned and taught from generation to generation.
Sacrifice - Africans do not ask for anything without giving some in return. Like our Amerindian family, we have a covenant with the animal kingdom that allows
willing animals to be used as a part of the alchemic process of sacrifice, which lends extra force to mantra. A few traditions have abandoned animal sacrifice. But plantlife is still used in this fashion.
Divination - Systems of knowing if you will. If you are familar with the I Ching or Tarot Cards then you know divination. In Africa, divination was developed to be the direct voice of God and/or Ancestors and is executed in a way that everyone has some level of access and everyone can "doublecheck" the essertions of anyone else. You can ask direct questions of God and get direct answers. NO clergy comes into the room and tells you that while you were away "God told him" to make you turn in all our cash and goods. "If" such a message was ever given, a diviner would have to prove it and then you could take that reply to any other diviner and if the original answer was correct - even if you travel 2,000 miles the answer would be the same. Divination serves practical uses (should i marry this man? , will this job be a good experience for me? did my best friend lie to me yesterday?) and it serves esoteric purposes (will marry this person provide positive spiritual growth? will job eventually conflict with my spiritual values? do my best friend and I provide the kind of spiritual reinforcement necessary to maintain a positive relationship?). You can pretty much always get a yes or no answer that you can trust. When the answer is definitive you are told why (maybe the ending result to your question lies in your own commitement or hard work. etc.) It doesnt take away your right to free will or your obligation to think either.
Possession - In african spirituality people get possessed with divinities and ancestors. period. They talk in other languages. They perform feats of strength and power. They tell you things about yourself that only you know. They confront you about things you did that no one saw. (I once witnessed a "horse" - which a possessed person tell a complete stranger to us all that she was hiding the fact she had cancer from her family. None of us knew this lady and of course we looked her when the horse said this and asked "well, do you want to tell your family anything?" and of course she broke down crying - she did in fact have cancer. What the horse told her was that she would beat it, and guess what? She did. The important part was that participating in the one ritual on a fluke allowed her to have the support of her family instead of being scared all alone.)
Lineage - all african spiritual systems are passed on by lineage. I can tell you the priest that came from Africa in chains that brought the Orisa that I worship to the Americas. If I wanted to, I could tell you where in Africa she most likely came from. No there are other rites I paricipate in where I could TAKE you to Africa to the elders of that lineage and you would find them practicing the same way after this 500 years we been in AMerica. If someone cant tell you where in africa their faith comes from and what SPECIFIC Ancestor passed down the spiritual sciences they practice - it aint african. Thats right. Not only do we know the priest that came in chains with this Orisa to the AMericas, we can talk to her. And in a esoteric manner, we pass on her spiritual essence through generations of devotees, along with many other elders.
Per Ankh, to my limited knowledged meets none of these criteria. So one must decide: can I learn more from a wise elder or a wise young man? In the realm of spirituality Per Ankh is not a wise elder in that it can not tell us one Kemetic Ancestral Initiate that sanctions its existence, appears at rituals, nor possesses members. Nor do they get possessed with Kemetic divinities. To be an african spirituality there MUST be possession. this is fundamental. It is why Africans KNOW God and Europeans "HOPE" there is a God. You see the drastic difference? And do you see how it manifests differently in the behavior of our two cultures?
Besides how you practice a religion when no one can interpet the sacred text of your spirituality without the use of books written by white "scholars" ? If this was a legitimate expression, the Kemetic Ancestors and Divinites would "read" for them.
All my humble opinion. Hope no ones gets offended.
11-14-2004
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