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THE SPIRITUALITY OF JAMAICA PT. 2

Recently I spoke to the Oluwo who first went with me to Africa for the first set of my initiations. We were having a conversation of how initiations are done throughout the country by different people and the techniques most use. During our conversation, I began to remember my Osun initiation and the ten days I spent on my God mothers mat. I had been a spiritual practitioner before I was brought to tradition, and I was taught by non physical elders, no human being imparted anything upon me, other than what I learned from watching my mother, who never explained anything. Sure I had three spiritual mentors, three spiritual gurus who, at different times in my life, I was close to. I learned a lot from them, but the odd thing was that I was never taught by them. It wasn’t until I began to wake up to me that I began to look back on my childhood and see the mystic of who my mother was. While on the compound in Nigeria, being surrounded by the oloorishas who were initiating me, I saw my mother and her wisdom in their actions. The atmosphere there on the compound reminded me of Jamaica and the spiritual churches, and although they (the Africans) did things differently, probably more intense, the energy was almost the same.

When travelling to Jamaica, via airplane, when the plane hovers over the island, you can feel a particular charge in the air – a spiritual vibration. When the plane lands, if people were to pay attention to their feelings of when arriving in Jamaica as opposed to landing in a different country, they can actually tell the difference of their feelings, and what they are feeling is the land’s energy, the spirit of the land. There is almost like a warmth, or a greeting coming from the land itself. Jamaica is a land of Eguns, which, as I wrote in the first spirituality of Jamaica post, is the black in the flag. Egun is a Yoruba word for ancestral spirits, and Jamaica is a land that was built on the blood of many who came before, those who Christopher Columbus met there and also many others who were transported there and who gave their lives for the freedom of others.

But this fight is the same with many other countries, so why is it that Jamaica is any different? My answer to this question reminded me of what I heard from an interview with Chronixx, which not only explains that the land itself stands with the people in it’s geography and how it protects it’s citizens, and what I mean by this is that anyone who knows of the fight between Nanny of the Maroons or the slaves of the Jamaica and their enslavers, knows that it was the geography of the land that gave us victory. In the interview with Chronixx, he was asked, “What do you love most about Jamaica?”

To which he responded, “The people and the geography, because most people don’t understand that Jamaica is a spiritual place, which means anybody who is born under this constellation, on this grid, on this X… is born with a special power. Jamaica is an energy center.”

This is very true and it surprised me to hear him say it because many Jamaican’s are oblivious to the power of the land on which they live. The problems of the country are very easy to fix. Easy because it lies within Jamaica’s and the Jamaican’s spirituality. Their connection to their divine self and also their connection to their ancestry. There was a time in the history of Jamaica when everything that threatened to come their way or that they faced, the island as a collective, sought through prayer, fasting, reverence, solace from their God and their ancestors. Jamaicans have never disconnected from Africa and this IS evident through their music which is their voice (as reggae is known protest and a back-to-Africa movement). However, through recent times, we can see where a great shift has occurred within our culture and this is also evident within the same music. The lack of spiritual connection to our land and our ancestors is no longer being shouted. Every word that a human being utters, unbeknownst to him or her is a prayer, and I told this to my last class on Saturday. And to prove this, if you go through Bob Marley’s music, you will see, through his lyrics, his prayers for not only Jamaica and Africa but for the world. Jamaica highlighted her son and the world received him. He carried that torch.

But no longer is our music protest music because fear is now apart of the once fearless Jamaicans.

Fear of not conforming to the pressures of the world, bringing them into 21st Century which is an illusion. It is a break up of morality, a break of tradition, a break of community where once a village grew a child. The sacredness of this blessed island has been lifted, like the scab off of a sore, therefore leaving it vulnerable for infection. The people of Jamaica do not know that their problems are so easy to fix, and this is going back to our motto, “Out of many one people,” we stand in solidarity, and together not following the world, who we once led. To fix the problems of Jamaica is to find back your spirituality, embrace it as our elders once did.

There were times when Kumina was kept to honor the ancestors, so songs like “weed an’ grabba” or “si mi an’ cock,” were not being sung, as they have NO spiritual connection at all. Kumina, today, is almost like a Dance, where the once powerful Kumina was able to shut down any dance that was held close or in the area. Revival/Zion nowadays is always a play for power. Who is more powerful than the next? The serving of spirits, greeting and entertaining them, for whatever messages they may bring for individuals or for the island, is often lost by the Bishops, Leadress, or Mothers, looking to out “jump” the next one. It is now all competition.

Now let me expound on what Chronixx said and explain to you the metaphysics behind his words:

Within our spiritual system, for example I will use Revival (which is one of them), Jamaica, is indeed an energy center, and what this means is that the island absorbs or pulls, like a magnet, from every and all cultures and their spiritual systems. While Zion/Revival is being worked, and the drillings, drummings, and groanings are invoking, in will walk the Chinese Spiritim. The Chinese Spirit will possess the Jamaican and you will hear him speak Cantonese or Mandarin. The Indian Spiritism will walk in, and you will know when this happens through the Jamaican’s action, dance, and language. The Africans from many parts of the different countries on the continent will also walk in and work through the Zion/Revival order. Yet still, I have been in Africa and have seen the Bongo Man, which is a spirit indigenous to Jamaica, come through possession of a child of Esu in Africa, therefore allowing me to realize, that while I am in a Kumina in Jamaica, and Bongo walks in, this is indeed Esu, straight out of Africa. This is the same with Lucumi’s Elegua, and this is the same with Haiti’s Papa Legba.

Jamaica is able to pull, meaning create, all that which she has never heard of. So if a spirit is in Taiwan that Jamaican’s have never heard of, the land is able to attract that spirit. It would seem as if it has the spiritual key to attract anything exotic or otherwise toward us. This is apart of Jamaica’s spiritual makeup, which is also apart of the DNA of it’s people, and what lends to the creativity and artistry, this is evident in the yellow of the Jamaican flag. The yellow points to the Yoruba deity Osun, the river goddess.

Every Jamaican is spiritual. The greatness of Jamaica is in her spirituality, unbeknownst to the world and even Jamaicans. When I say the greatness of Jamaica, I am speaking of their achievements which gains them worldly recognition.  If they knew the power of the land and how to work with it, honor it, and listen to the messages that comes from it, if they put themselves together as they once did as a community, the force of the island, as in the Star Wars movie, would be with them. When Jamaicans begins to wake up to the spirituality their elders knew and practiced, the country will rise again. It will.

Obara Meji

 

Out of Many One People…..Jamaica Motto
The head could not have got to where it is now if it did not give….Yoruba Proverb.
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KB
Blogger
KB
8 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

Yep and as i woke up Oshun was on my mind. My first thought.

KB
Blogger
KB
8 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

I only remember the female voice telling me im from the water realm. I couldnt see her face only her silhouette n alot of hair. She told me i needed 6 polo shirts n she was counting them. Bent down counting on the ground.Specifically said polo. Beautiful vivid colors. I saw deep purple, blue few other colors. I think my guardian was there also. Yu know the one stays right beside u n u never see them only feel them.

KB
Blogger
KB
8 years ago

Obara i had a visit last night from Oshun.

KB
Blogger
KB
8 years ago

Hey Obara well written. I feel the same energy when flying to Jamdung. It seemly starts right between Cuba n Jamaica, when u can see the plush green trees n deep blue sea. Hmmm such a peaceful, jovial feeling takes me.

Some music being written n song is no longer reaching the spiritual link inside of me, inside of us. Some artist lost n disconnected from their spirituality so their music not reaching that special place again. O ma se!!!

lisa
Blogger
lisa
8 years ago

I love how you say ” The sacredness of this blessed island has been lifted, like the scab off of a sore, therefore leaving it vulnerable for infection” and there is nothing more infectious then the “Jamerican Mentality” , meaning from it come from America it must be good, and a so so negativity they tend to emulate, dem want to live the lifestyle them see on rap music videos, and the dutty lifestyle that goes with it, and because we so passionate about what we do, when we a follow the negativity, we go all out.. Now mi American… Read more »

KB
Blogger
KB
8 years ago
Reply to  lisa

100000% Agree Lisa u made very valid points.
Good night all

Lincoln
8 years ago

Morning Obara

toy7318
8 years ago

Morning Obara, Cami and ES family… Jamaica does have a beautiful energy. I love the picturesque view of the green trees before landing it always brings tears to my eyes. I don’t know America doesn’t give me a that vibe that Jamaica gives me. I guess because Jamaica always have their music in the airport you have those guys beating their drum and singing.

Lincoln
8 years ago

Jamaica is a very spiritual place- I remember growing up listening to my father and his friends talk about the same thing and vividly remember in the 80s when they would speak of the politics leading us to follow the USA culture and will turn Jamaica into a mini USA. So said so it has happened- can’t believe the openness of freaky lifestyle in our JAHLAND.
Most of the younger generation has lost our culture and God bless the few older folks who know what losing the culture would mean and try to keep us together to our roots-

Cami
8 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

You did gongho pon dah one de. At least you know me not bias *wink*

Cami
8 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

Innate values (internal) tells me right from wrong. Morals/norms/more (external) is that setup by a society to guide behavior, for which monotheisms have capitalized on. I love sex and that is innate DWLN, but this thing with moral tells me to only use it to breed? DWLN…I don’t like the word or what it stands for.

Cami
8 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

The collapse comes from the fact that the the cultural norms are traded for foreign ones. We cannot import the norms of others because it isn’t conducive to the environment. I fought chronixx on a comment, and here I agree with him the power of the comment you quoted was “The people and the geography…”.

What is immoral to one region is moral in another.

Cami
8 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

Word press ate my post and gave me this:

Catchable fatal error: Object of class WP_Error could not be converted to string in /home/customer/www/embracingspirituality.com/public_html/wp-includes/formatting.php on line 957

Cami
8 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

Going to take me sign and go sleep.

KM
KM
8 years ago

lol Obara you always say long time, I am always here!

KM
KM
8 years ago

Meaning it is the rise of immorality that allowed the spirituality of Jamaica to crumble…. that along with what Obara said, “conforming to the pressures of the world.” Jamaica is looking to the wrong country, there is no spirituality in places like America.

KM
KM
8 years ago

I think it’s more of immorality than Christianity even tho the religion plays a part in it too, it’s unfortunate but it’s true. Christianity teaches fear and it embeds so much fear within the people. The religion just caused so much stagnation that there’s no room for spiritual growth.

Cami
8 years ago
Reply to  KM

I have an issue with morals. Morals aren’t universal and they are problematic.

Cami
8 years ago
Reply to  Cami

The two best examples of moral issues are christianity (kkk) and islam (isis/taliban).

Cami
8 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

lol, I sit and wait because I like to see the faces of the people and now it’s a habit to wave at the crew outside to let them feel good. I also have a thing with the staff at the exchange store right at the entrance to customs. I LOVE me country…and as I said, I am a totally calmer and nicer person ones that plane reach over the caribbean and more alive once I can see the beautiful, geometric lines of the fields before landing. This is a feeling I’ve always experienced since going back to Jamaica in… Read more »

Cami
8 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

Good to see you. You are so right about the feeling when that plane reaches over JA. I always know when I’m HOME. I feel a warmness going from my navel towards my head, and I feel when it spreads out, causing me to smile and tear up. YEP! I’m one of them that go “YES! me reach a me yard!” when the wheels are going down or the plane land, lol. At times I’m so overwhelmed I go “Wooo”. I never disembark with the rest of passengers, I’m usually the last passenger or one leaving with the flight crew.… Read more »

Cami
8 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

The next thing you are right about (as usual, lol) is that our problems are easily solve IF we wake up from the division created through politics and the church.

Cami
8 years ago

Christianity kill the spirit of Jamaicans. I will not apologize for saying it.

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