by James Weeks | Sep 14, 2014 | Blog
“A blessing is the state of the soul,” says African shaman, Malidoma Some, in this You Tube speech.
Malidoma Some
“People tend to see blessings as meaning prosperity. You have to disconnect these two things. Blessing does not necessarily mean prosperity. Blessing is a state of the soul. A place in which the person’s psyche sits in comfort,” Malidoma explains.
I’m grateful for Malidoma’s wisdom…
If you’re not familiar with Malidoma Some, be sure to check his classic book, “Of Water And The Spirit: Ritual, Magic and Initiation in the Life of an African Shaman.” Malidoma is also the author of “The Healing Wisdom of Africa” and “Ritual, Power, Healing and Community.”
“Of Water and The Spirit” wasn’t the first book I read on African spirituality…
But it was the first book that I read that made our traditions sound fun, magical. Before Malidoma, most books on African spirituality were dry and scholarly. Sure, they spoke to the head but seldom the heart – at least in my opinion.
By contrast, “Water and The Spirit,” was riveting, poignant – an unforgettable saga of the triumph of the African spirit and the will of the ancestors against all odds.
Even though my own path led me into the Yoruba spiritual traditions, I’ve always been fascinated by Malidoma Some and Dagara culture. (You can read one of my articles here).
But back to what Malidoma says about “blessings being a state of the soul”.
I love it…
Why? Because it’s too easy to become blinded by the allure of materialism. It’s also easy to get swept up into the drama of others.
And if you tune into the news these days, you’re bound to get swept into even more drama – drama that has nothing to do with you. Drama beyond your control.
So you’ve got to ground yourself spiritually and emotionally or you’re not going to make it; you’ve got to take time out to nurture yourself.
Yes, the all-consuming fight for more financial stability is important but what about emotional stability, spiritual stability, relationship stability? How are you doing in those areas?
As you reflect on your own life, what is the current state of your soul? What do you feel is missing and why? How well do you feel connected to your own Spirit? Your ancestors and your loved ones? Your culture? Your path? What do you feel called to do? Are you doing it?
While you reflect on these questions, here are some other quotes from Malidoma’s lecture that I would like to share…
“The Gods are underground and the only way we can make the world above better is to go down underground and listen to the Gods.” – Malidoma Some.
“Relationship with Spirit has no nationality. The world is a country for all of us.” – Malidoma Some.
“A wasteful culture like this (America) has no right to claim itself the head of the Free World.” – Malidoma Some
“We can’t come here because we have reached a middle class status and this qualifies us to go into the woods and do something slightly different from what we normally do. We have to come here because we are worrying. Because we are seeking a new sense of home. A place where grandchildren can be reconnected with grandfathers. A place where adolescents can be allowed to remember. And finally, a place where we can call community.” – Malidoma Some
Now over to you…
What are your thoughts? I welcome comments so please feel free to let me know what you’re thinking and feeling.
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Blessings,
James Weeks
Producer/Across The King’s River
by James Weeks | Aug 18, 2014 | Blog
Baba Afolabi Epega
He came in my dreams, the way ancestors often do, because that’s when we’re most receptive.
Baba Epega didn’t stay long.
I guess he had other things to do in the Other World. After all, an Awo’s (diviner’s) work is never done – not even on the Other Side.
Baba Epega was a world authority on Ifa; he was the co-author of the book, “The Sacred Ifa Oracle.” Baba was also a mentor to many, including myself, up until his passing in 2006.
And I can still hear Baba’s laughter and booming voice as he taught me the basics of divination.
In the dream, the other night, Baba was teaching me songs for the orisas.
Oddly enough, I don’t think Baba visited me by dream merely because he wanted to talk to me. After all, we had tons of conversations on earth.
I believe Baba wanted to talk to YOU!
For those who never had the privilege of meeting Baba, this is what I sense his Spirit is trying to say to you right now.
Listen carefully and take notes cause Baba’s a very busy man.
1. Be totally dedicated to what your spirit is calling you to do. No excuses.
2. When will love come into your life? When you learn to love yourself. When you have more self-respect.
3. Change your character if you expect to see changes in your life.
4. Be patient in all things! If you can’t follow ants, you can’t follow Ifa.
5. Study! Study! Study!
6. Don’t forget the ancestors. You’re nothing without the ancestors.
7. Sacrifice is important. There’s no way you can succeed without sacrifice.
8. The truth never changes; it never dies. The truth will always prevail.
9. The purpose of divination is to make you think; to give you alternatives.
10. Do not fear death; death is not the end; it is an obligation of life.
Blessings,
P.S. (To hear some brief audio clips of my old conversations with Baba Epega, visit this link:)
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James Weeks
Producer/Across The King’s River
by James Weeks | Apr 7, 2014 | Blog
Are you taking your medicine? 
No! Not Western medicine! African ritual medicine!
As a professional Ifa diviner based in Oakland, California, I sometimes struggle when it comes time to explain the importance of ritual (ebo) to both new and old clients.
Luckily, my Yoruba friend, Olushola, recently helped me out.
“Just tell them that it’s like going to the doctor and getting medicine,” he said.
I love that analogy because it’s simple…
But in reality it’s way more complex than that, as anyone in the orisa community will tell you.
For starters, in most cases you’re not actually ingesting ritual medicine. Secondly, in many African traditions, you don’t have to be physically present when ritual work is being done.
In the Yoruba tradition, you’ll know if you need “ebo” because it will be revealed during a divination session with a trained Ifa priest/diviner.
Besides health issues, here are other common reasons for why ritual might be needed:
1. Help with financial issues.
2. Help with relationship issues.
3. Ward off spiritual attacks from enemies.
4. For optimum emotional and physical health.
5. To fight witchcraft or sorcery.
Are you in need of some kind of ritual medicine now?
Based on what I know about life and the work that I do with my elders, I have to say yes.
Why?
Because 1. There are things that are going on in your life right now that you are not aware of but should be addressed spiritually. 2. Because it’s a mistake to assume that things are well just because all seems well now. 3. Because ritual can give you the spiritual and competitive advantage you need to move forward in life.
In some cases, ritual (ebo) is a matter of life vs death…
Don’t assume that tomorrow will be like today! It’s important to pay attention to things that you cannot see and address them spiritually, if necessary.
I shudder to think what my life would look like without the help of my elders and all the powerful rituals that have been done on behalf of my family over the years.
I know one thing! It wouldn’t look pretty!
In Nigeria, ritual work can go on for days or even weeks. The elders I work closely with in Ile Ife, Nigeria spend an average of 2 to 3 weeks working on a ritual. It’s a team effort. As many as 5-7 Ifa priests might work together just to complete one ritual for a client. And they might spend 4 to 5 hours a day working on the ritual.
“Ise t’o l’agbara,” (it’s hard work, they say)
How long does it take to see results or changes? It varies. Sometimes you’ll notice the effects right away, but in other cases it can take weeks, or even months, so it’s hella important to be patient.
Also, some situations might call for more than one ritual treatment, (just like a medical patient might need to have more than one surgery or might require ongoing physical or emotional therapy over a period of time.)
What experiences have you had with indigenous rituals or African rituals? I would love to hear about them so be sure to leave a comment.
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Blessings,
James Weeks/Producer, Across The King’s River
by James Weeks | Mar 3, 2014 | Blog
Just go with the flow…
The flow is the first thing that comes to your mind. The first impressions. The first feelings.
This is how the spiritual masters roll…
And you can roll like this too…
See, that initial gut feeling about something or someone is often correct, even if you don’t know why. It’s the voice of Spirit speaking to you, the wisdom of the ancestors guiding you, the power of intuition trying to protect you.
Reflect on the past two years of your life. Think of the costly mistakes that could have been avoided if you had only listened to your gut.
How much did these mistakes cost you?
1. How much did it cost you financially? More than $1,000? $2,000, $3,000?
2. How much did it cost you emotionally? Can you even put a dollar figure on it?
3. How much time did it cost? Did you waste a few days? A few months? A few years?
As I reflect on my own journey of the past two years I’ve wasted both time and money dealing with folks that I thought could advance my film project. They couldn’t deliver anything they promised.
And I remember all the “red flags” that I saw…
How much time did I waste? A lot. How much money did I waste? A lot.
These days, as I professional Ifa diviner, when I sit with clients who come for Ifa divination, I often remind them of the power of their own intuition and to trust their first impressions.
See…your Spirit can size up people and situations in a nano-second. Your brain, however, often second-guesses your intuition and wants a logical explanation for why you feel the way that you do.
Well, by the time you get the evidence that Spirit tried to warn you about it’s often too late…
1. You ended up in the wrong relationship.
2. Got hooked up with the wrong business partners.
3. You’re further off course than you’ve ever been before.
You can’t always make up for lost time, lost money, or hurt feelings. But you can do this:
Listen to your gut the next time you meet a “wonderful person” or encounter a “great opportunity.”
You will be better off for it.
As always, I welcome your comments and would love to hear your thoughts about this. Leave a comment!
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Blessings
James Weeks
Producer/Across The King’s River
by James Weeks | Dec 29, 2013 | Blog
The message I delivered wasn’t the message she wanted to hear…
Vodun Ceremony in Benin
(Photographer Unknown)
She didn’t think it was “spiritual” enough, and she couldn’t understand why I was asking her questions in the divination session.
As for the ritual ebo for her health that Ifa prescribed?
Well, the client said she could tell right away that I was I was trying to “sell” her something that she “really didn’t need”, and furthermore, she could do rituals on her own by just following her intuition.
And so the reading ended. In all probability, I’ll never hear from this client again. Nor do I really want to.
My experience with her made me think of something, my mentor, the late Dr. Afolabi Epega, told me years ago when I was a student diviner.
Many people don’t come to a divination session/spiritual reading prepared to listen. “They want to hear, what they want to hear.” And if they don’t hear what they want to hear, they will discard whatever Spirit has to say.
Though the attitude of this client was pissed me off, it was a great lesson for me on letting go…
Our job as diviners is not to please the client, but to deliver the messages that Ifa says to deliver. Whether the client accepts it or not is their business.
Here are some things to keep in mind if you’re thinking of booking an Ifa divination session:
1. We Are Only Messengers: We have no control over the messages. We give what we get. Ifa often speaks of the past, the present, or the future. Some aspects of the reading might not make sense to you at the time of the consultation but it might make sense later.
2. It’s A Two-Way Street: A divination session/spiritual reading is a dialogue. That means it’s a two-way street. We expect you to ask questions, and we may ask questions of you to get further insight to guide you correctly. If you don’t want to talk about what’s going on in your life, you’re wasting our time and your time.
3. Ritual Ebo Is Important: In Ifa, a ritual (ebo) may be prescribed during or after divination for a number of reasons: health, protection, business success, relationships, etc. If a reading calls for an ebo to be done, we are obligated to tell you, and it’s in your best interest to do it, even if you have to struggle to come up with the funds.
4. Embrace The Truth: As my mentor, Baba Epega told me. “The truth is always the truth. It never changes and it never dies.” Be prepared to deal with the truth. It’s not easy, but in the end it will liberate you.”
As always, I welcome comments. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!
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Blessings
James Weeks/Producer Across The King’s River
