by James Weeks | Jun 27, 2013 | Blog
Why do you think your dream not attainable? Or why do you think you’ll never get support for your vision?
When I began the journey toward my film in 2008, I never imagined that I would be invited to speak at Harvard University one day.
But it happened. Even though my film is not finished yet. (You can see a clip of my presentation below.)
I’m sharing this story with you because too often we limit ourselves. We imprison ourselves with negative thinking. We stop ourselves before we even give ourselves a chance to soar by venturing into the unknown.
And the unknown is where the action is..
The path of the unknown is the path of the warrior, the visionary, the healer, the prophet…
My journey toward this film has not been an easy one. It has been full of challenges and setbacks along the way. And the challenges are far from over.
Why do I stay on the path?
Because I know Across The King’s River will have a significant impact in the lives of millions of people around the world.
I believe you can have a significant impact as well.
But only if you stay in your path. And step into the unknown with faith.
Blessings,
James Weeks/Across The King’s River
by James Weeks | Jun 9, 2013 | Blog
Baba Femi and his sons
But a client has just dropped by to pick up ose dudu (spiritual soap) and Femi must attend to him first.
Femi explains how to bathe with the soap but the conversation doesn’t end there. Next, Femi talks to the client about Ifa ceremonies – “The Warriors” and the “Hand of Ifa” – how long the ceremonies take and what to expect after these rites of passage.
In the meantime, I’m still on hold.
But the wait is worth it. When Baba Femi finally wraps up with the client and gets on the phone with me, he delivers the goods: insights from years of studying and practicing the ancient wisdom known as Ifa.
He’s a teacher, a philosopher, a diviner, an author and a life coach rolled into one…
And while Baba Femi respects the Yoruba spiritual tradition because it’s our foundation, he’s a free thinker. He’s an avid student of spirituality who fuses numerology into his readings. He encourages some students to study tarot as well. He argues that African-Americans and Westerners are not Yoruba and have unique spiritual needs.
“Ifa is a universal system and should not be relegated to just a Yoruba cultural perception,” he says. “In Ifa, it is not about which way is right verses which way is wrong, it’s about understanding what works.”
“I am of the opinion that Ifa, left the shores of West Africa on slave ships in the minds and hearts of Ifa priests and priestesses to bring forth a new way, to see a new order and to follow new definitions. Not by choice but by destiny.”
Expand! Expand! Expand!
Baba Femi loves that word. He wants his godchildren to expand. Expand the way they think, expand the way they approach their spiritual practice, expand the way they do business, expand their understanding of the sacred Odu, expand the way they deal with clients.
Not surprisingly, Baba Femi’s business is expanding. Surprisingly, approximately half of his client base are Christians.
When he’s not in Houston, maybe you’ll find him in New York, or Seattle, or L.A or Atlanta, or New Orleans. One “Hand of Ifa” ceremony here, a “Warrior’s” ceremony there. A lecture here, a class there: readings, ebos – it never ends!
Last summer, I spent some time with Baba Femi, quietly observing and asking questions as he divined for clients in Oakland. He taught me some of his techniques. Those techniques have not let me down yet.
Expand! Expand! Expand! My business is expanding.
But I’m always hungry to learn more. And that’s why I check in with Baba Femi frequently.
Born Stephen Mackey in Houston Texas on December 30, 1957, Chief Mayegun Obafemi Fayemi was the fifth of Vivian and Fletcher Mackey’s six children. He comes from a long line of educators. His great grandfather worked in education under President William Taft.
At the age of 16 he had a vision, he says. A feminine angelic being visited him and guided him during rocky times. And like most African-americans, he grew up in the church and was once a Sunday school teacher. He’s also a former professional athlete and a retiree from Corporate America.
Like me, Baba Femi was also a student of the late Dr. Afolabi Epega, a renowned Yoruba Ifa priest (and scientist) who, perhaps, had one of the biggest influences on Ifa in the West. Dr. Afolabi Epega was the co-author of “The Sacred Ifa Oracle” as well as other books on the orisa tradition. There’s no doubt in my mind that Dr. Epega is still inspiring us in Spirit.
Here’s what Baba Femi had to say during our recent interview:
The Best Way To Connect to Ancestors:
Answer: “Be sincere. I don’t think you need to approach them with a rehearsed prayer. Simply be sincere. The universe hears one language – sincerity.”
What To Expect In A Good Reading:
Answer: “A good reading is about 70 to 75 confirmation about something the client already knows, has been feeling, thinking, praying for or wishing for. It gives you the confidence to make a conscious decision about how to move forward, let go of something, or step into something new.”
What To Do After The Reading:
Answer: Trust the process. Don’t be so quick to judge the outcome. That’s where all the insecurities, fears and doubts come in.
What Is Ifa?:
Answer: “Ifa is the wisdom of nature, the natural order of things, the sacred science of self and how self connects to the environment.”
Why More and More Christians Are Turning To Ifa:
Answer: “Christianity is based on a system of faith. What you don’t know, you believe. What you can’t get to, you hope. If you don’t understand, you pray. People don’t just want to believe anymore, they want to know. To be in a system of faith like Christianity, then to be around a system like Ifa where we say: ‘here’s what occurred 20 years ago, here’s what you did last week – to see that client get emotional about what you’re giving them (through divination) and how much it hit home, let’s me know one thing. They are not just Christians, they are human beings and as much faith as they have, in some areas they don’t have the strength to believe, they just want to know. Any person that wants to know has a right to know. Everything in life is based on a system of knowing. You want your mechanic to know how to fix your car, you want your teacher to know how to educate your child. You can’t walk into a bank and get a loan if they don’t know you. In Christianity they want you to just walk in and believe. You can’t ask questions because you’re not supposed to question.”
Advice To Aspiring Ifa Diviners/Priests
Answer: “Be diligent in your studies. You can’t put every scenario in a book. If you’ve already been through initiation to let the ase flow through you, then just let if flow. Be open to understanding. Odu is ever expanding. Learn the signs and the symbols.”
To learn more about Baba Femi or to contact him for a reading, visit his website at: www.oisiglobal.com or call him at 1-281-536-3827
For a divination session with me. Contact me at james@acrossthekingsriver.com or by phone at 510-388-5500
Blessings
James Weeks/Producer Across The King’s River
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 15, 2013 | Blog
The email I received via Facebook sounded desperate…
“I need you to help me have financial freedom…pleaseeeeeeee,” wrote my new FB friend. He wanted me to consult Ifa to find out how he can be wealthy and successful in business.
The email bothered me a little bit. But I wrote him back right away and said I would be happy to divine for him and would tell him what Ifa says.
And he promptly wrote me back and said he couldn’t afford to pay me because he doesn’t have any money now.
I didn’t perform the divination. If my FB friend couldn’t even afford to pay for divination, how on earth could he possibly be thinking about launching and running a business?
And that leads me to a bigger question. Why does he even want a business?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for financial freedom and in Ifa, we do ebos all the time to help folks who are trying to expand their business.
But you need to have a business…
And having a business means investing in the business, working hard at the business, having a business plan and doing everything it takes to ensure it’s successful. In short, having a long term vision. Just doing an ebo isn’t going to cut it. Sorry!
And starting a business just because you want financial freedom isn’t a smart move – at least not in my book.
Instead of allowing money to lead you, I believe you should allow love to lead you. In other words, build a business around your passions. In tough times, the love for what you do will keep you moving forward even when you’re tempted to throw in the towel.
But if there’s no love for the business, you’ll abandon it long before it has the chance to take off. And if it does take off, you’re likely to be miserable because you had no love for it in the first place.
I didn’t explain all of this to my FB friend…
I know his business aspirations will quickly vanish. Anything that’s not motivated by love always vanishes.
Blessings
James
by James Weeks | May 9, 2013 | Blog
We’ve just finished breakfast! And soon I’ll have the house to myself because Stephanie, my wife, and Malcolm, my son, will be taking all four grandchildren to the movies.
The little rascals (Malcolm’s kids) don’t live with us. They visit every other weekend. Jakari, 8, loves to eat; he also loves school and soccer. He almost scored in his last game, he tells me. And he’s still on the honor roll. Naya, 5, is an old soul: helpful, refined and sweet! Mai Mai, 4, is cute as hell. No doubt about that. She isn’t afraid of anybody, and she’ll give you a “beat down” if you mess with her. And Jadan, 4, is just coming out of his shell. He whines a bit too much (if you ask me), but who knows, maybe he’ll grow out of it soon.
Malcolm and Mai Mai
All in all, I enjoy their visits! They’re affectionate and they make me happy! “Papi,” that’s what they call me. I love it – it’s a cool name. And when Stephanie asked what I wanted for my birthday, I didn’t have to think about it. What’s there to think about? The answer came right away. Cake and ice cream with my grandchildren, I blurted out. Shouldn’t every birthday be this way?
And while I ate with my little ones, I couldn’t help but reflect on the power and promise of Ifa.
We’ve come a long way!
You see, 10 years ago I couldn’t imagine that there would be peace in my family. That’s because Malcolm was giving us hell night and day. He was 16 at the time. And to say he was merely in a dark place would be more than an understatement – it would be misleading.
Back then he was an aspiring thug who ran with gangs in the streets of Oakland. He was arrested numerous times and spent months in Juvenile Hall for stealing a car.
And we didn’t know if he would live or die.
But Ifa turned things around for us.
I took Malcolm to Nigeria with me when I went to be initiated into Ifa. There, the elders performed ebo (ritual) to help him. They also assured me that I would see “good things in my family”.
The changes in Malcolm didn’t happen over night, but they happened. And the changes are still happening even though 10 years have passed since our trip to Africa. I’m grateful because some of his friends are in jail and others have long been buried in the cemetery.
These days, Malcolm, 28, works two jobs and stays out of trouble. He still has important life lessons to learn, but so do all of us.
As for me? These days I’m a busy filmmaker and Ifa priest. As an Ifa priest, I help clients facing a wide range of challenges.
And if you come for divination, I’m sure I can relate to you because I’ve had my share of problems too. But I’ve learned there are solutions. Maybe you can’t see them but the orisas can.
Amazing things have happened for some of my clients. Miracles. And when I witness them, I get on the phone to tell my mentors in Africa all about it.
Though we can’t always predict when the change you seek will come to your life, have faith that it can.
Then work hard and never give up. The power of Ifa is no joke. The orisas for me and can work for you!
And that’s a promise…
Blessings
James Weeks
Producer, Across The King’s River
