by James Weeks | Jun 3, 2013 | Blog
The ancestors are not there to give you what you want…
But they'll make sure you get what you need. Think about it. Why should they give you what you want when they know (and you know) you could do much better? Way better?
The Egungun (ancestors) are there to look after your highest interest. Is that relationship you're whining about really in your highest interest? Was that friend you fell out with serving your highest interest? Is that job that's draining your life force (and driving you crazy) serving your highest interest?
You'll never reach your full potential if your ancestors simply grant you what you want. So, at times, they'll take away the very thing you want, or the very thing you think you need.
Why? To force you to grow spiritually and to prove to you that you don't really need half the things that you're chasing. And when the distractions fall away a beautiful thing happens…
You'll slowly begin to see and hear the spiritual world with greater clarity.
When you move closer to the Spirit World you'll also discover that many of your fears have no basis in reality. So much fear comes from being overly dependent on things or people that you think you need, when, in fact, you don't need them at all. In fact, they probably need YOU for more than you need them.
Your ancestors are working with you right now whether you realize it or not. What you're going through isn't a mistake – it's a plan to bring out the best in you so that, hopefully, you can live a more empowering and inspiring life.
Isn't it time you've realized this?
Blessings
James Weeks
Producer, Across The King's River
P.S.
Contact me for an accurate and insightful spiritual reading today!
by James Weeks | May 30, 2013 | Blog
The answer floated into my head out of nowhere…
©Photo by and courtesy of Frank Kee www.keesphotos.com
And the answer was wildflowers – wildflowers in the mountains. Akosua, my client, asked me for a ritual she can do in the mountains with her daughters, Christine and Jennifer.
Spirit told me to suggest wildflowers.
But I struggled with that answer. I was worried Akosua wouldn't think the ritual was African enough, or Yoruba enough, or complicated enough.
So I flipped through two books on Orisa-inspired rituals to see if something else spoke to my Spirit. When nothing else did, I went with the wildflowers idea.
“Get three packets of different wildflower seeds,” I told her via email. “When you get to the mountains, take out the seeds and pray to them. Then, toss them in the air and ask the universe to nurture them and allow them to germinate.”
“The seeds represent your deepest wishes,” I explained. “And when you release them, you are symbolically handing everything over to God and the ancestors. You've done your part. Now let God and the ancestors do theirs.”
I sent the email off to Akosua…
Akosua
But when she didn't write back immediately I began to worry that my idea did not resonate with her after all.
There was no need to worry. This is what she said:
“Well now James…did you pick this up from me ~ or did I pick it up from you ~ or is it simply that our Ancestors and the universe is placing it in both our spirits as confirmation? Last night and this morning, the song, Wildflower was in my spirit. I have been humming it all night and even early this morning. I absolutely enjoy planting SEEDS! So this ritual is totally PERFECT in ways you can't begin to imagine!”
“The other reason your ritual choice is powerful, is because a few years ago (because I love flowers so much) one of my friends asked me which flower did I liken myself to? As with my nature, I had to do some research before I named one. After looking at pictures of flowers and reading about them, I chose one. It was the PROTEA that resonated with my spirit! It's a fascinating wildflower that originates in South Africa. The thing that made me choose it is the fact that even after forest fires, this flower will blossom again! Its seeds/bulbs are kept in a very strong stem and embedded deep inside the earth … the heat from the fire actually causes it to germinate! When I read that, I immediately said ~ “that's me! So yes, this ritual is intriguing for many, many reasons.”
Christine and Jennifer
In the end, the wildflowers ritual was not only for Akosua, it was meant for me. I had an important lesson to learn. Just like she needed to release the seeds and trust the universe would nurture them, I need to release whatever Spirit gives me to share without questioning it.
I know this ritual also has a message for you. Spirit has given you the answer you've been looking for. Listen to it – trust it! – James Weeks/ Producer Across The King's River
by James Weeks | May 3, 2013 | Blog
So you’ve set up an altar (or shrine) for your ancestors, and you make regular offerings to them. Yet, you find yourself wondering if you’re truly connecting with Spirit or merely going through the motions.
Here are some tips that I’ve found helpful for building a stronger connection with your Egungun (ancestors). 
MAKE IT A PRIORITY: Your relationship with your ancestors is just that – a relationship. And like any relationship, you need to be fully committed in order to make it work. You also need to make sure that you are available if you want them to communicate with you. This means spending time in silence, prayer, meditation or any activity that uplifts your spirit or slows down the rhythm of your life so that meaningful spiritual communication can take place.
BE GENEROUS: Yes, the ancestors can guide and help you in ways beyond your imagination. But never approach them with a list of demands. Your loved ones in Spirit work with you but not for you – it’s a partnership. Be prepared to give, not merely receive. Remember, your ancestors are not “dead”; they are alive in another dimension and are still learning and growing. The Egungun are fully aware of your thoughts and feelings, so be sure to send them positive energy and love to support them on their spiritual journey too.
BE OPEN: Despite what some people might have you believe, the ancestors have no limitations
when they want to communicate with you. They can use anyone or anything to deliver a message: they can communicate through dreams, feelings, inspiration, nature, literature and music. And they are not stuck in the past. They are fully aware of modern technology and can manipulate lights, television sets and even cell phones to get your attention. Be open and alert. They know you well and will use the best method to get through to you.
BE TRUSTING: Don’t expect a lightening bolt from the sky. Messages from Spirit are often subtle, soft. So subtle that you might miss them. Pay attention to your feelings because ancestors often communicate through feelings – not words. Pause for a moment. How do you feel right now? Where is it that feeling coming from? Is it coming from you or from Spirit? What inspired you to read this article? Was it your idea or did your ancestors inspire you to read this? Spirit is all around you and guide you more than you realize. Trust what you feel inspired to do.
TAKE ACTION: Don’t waste Spirit’s time. One of my mentors said this to me one day. It takes a lot of energy for your ancestors to communicate with you. And you’re wasting their time if you never listen or do anything to move your life forward. Are you living in fear or faith? Are you taking steps to empower yourself? Are you empowering others? Are you leaving a legacy that others might aspire to follow? Take at least one step each day to move your life forward. Your ancestors are alive and well. Make them proud by living your life to the fullest.
Blessings
James Weeks
Producer, Across The King’s River
by James Weeks | Apr 29, 2013 | Blog
The reading with Tahira West rocked! This gifted young medium brought through powerful messages from my Dad and from my grandmother in Spirit.
And the messages were not only on point but on time. Through Tahira, Grandma gave me not only encouragement but ideas for the funding of my film: potential partners, potential strategies, potential sources. Grandma also told me to give a “shout out” to other members of my family.
Dad, on the other hand, was bossy as ever. Dad said he wants me to talk to him aloud, not silently like I usually do. And he assured me that he’s working hard to open doors for my film and stands firmly behind me whenever I need a burst of inspiration.
Yes, the reading with Tahira was empowering, even though I feel my connection with my ancestors is rock solid since I make it a point to communicate with them every day.
After the reading I wanted to learn more about this rising medium and life-coach who is building a solid business around her passion for healing and transforming lives.
CEO of Pure Peace Life Coaching, Tahira West was born on the Caribbean island of Trinidad and moved to the U.S. when she was 12. “I have always done what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it. I always chose to follow my heart. There is nothing that brings me more joy than to let people know that love can be found inside of them,” she says.
Tahira, 30, readily admits she’s had her share of life’s ups and down. In fact, she founded Pure Peace Life Coaching in 2010 after she heard her last employer say: “I have to let you go.” That’s when Tahira understood the message the universe was trying to send her. It was time to start working for herself, building her own “empire one brick at a time and by healing the planet one broken heart at a time.”
“Our mission is to serve you. The you who you’ve always dreamed of but never thought could be real. We illuminate your positivity by reminding you that you are perfect the way you are. We reinforce that all the answers you need come from within you,” says the mission statement on her website.
Most of Tahira’s clients are executive women who long to be “heard, acknowledged, treated fairly and respected and for all that they do,” she explains.
She was born with the gift for coaching, she says, as well as the gift for mediumship. But she only started offering her mediumship services recently. “I see my messages like a movie and I hear them too at times,” says Tahira.
Her advice to those who want to develop their mediumship? “Be calm. Be introspective. Be still. Don’t force it. It will come. Trust Spirit.”
Blessings, James
HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH TAHIRA? You can find her at any of the links below:
WWW.Purepeacelifecoaching.com
https://www.facebook.com/PurePeaceLifeCoaching
https://www.facebook.com/tahira.west.1
by James Weeks | Apr 15, 2013 | Blog
“Christians look toward the sky. We look toward the ground.” That's what Baba Oluwale Ifakunle said as he poured an ancestral libation at the Divine Space and Sacred Territories conference that was recently held at Harvard University.
Organized by the African and Diasporic Religious Studies Association, the conference featured scholars from around the world and focused on beliefs that are central to our sacred traditions. (Read more about the Divine Space and Sacred Territories Conference here: )
I didn't get a chance to attend this conference, but I had the good fortune of meeting Baba Oluwale Ifakunle last year, and I'm reflecting on what he says about “looking to the ground.”
In the book, Ifa Will Mend Our Broken World, Yoruba scholar, Dr. Wande Abimbola, also talks about looking to the ground.
“With the exception of the Orisa Sango, all the other Orisas dwell on the surface of the earth or in the earth's crust,” says Abimbola. “The planet earth is a very sacred place.”
Grand Canyon
All of this talk about looking to the ground and the sacredness of the earth makes me think of my childhood in the Caribbean. I'm from the island of St. Croix and loved to run around barefoot as a kid.
I still do.
In fact, one of my favorite rituals when I go home is to take off my sandals and sink my bare feet in the rich, dark Caribbean soil. It soothes my soul as I look at the rolling hills, the trees and the plants.
And I think about the wisdom of my ancestors. Their struggles, their vision, their spirit, and how I vow never to sell the land that has been passed down to me.
I do my barefoot ritual each time I go home. Rituals can be as a complex as you need them to be or very simple.
I prefer simple.
It's a powerful way to stay grounded and connected in a crazy world that's trying it's best night and day to uproot you from who you are and what you came to earth to do.
Blessngs
James Weeks
The ancestors are not there to give you what you want…
