african spirituality meditation

Your new found knowledge- along with other spiritual practices like meditation and fasting – will put you on the fast track to spiritual enlightenment. While some traditions have a supreme being (next to other deities), others have not. To get you over the hump, I used morenga and heavy green teas to nourish myself while my body adapted. Background: Meditation, yoga, and mindfulness are popular interventions at universities and tertiary education institutes to improve mental health. Join more than 12K subscribers and get access to study groups, private live streams, and our global network of Pan African organizers. Eating consciously means consuming foods and drinks in ways that reflect your self-love and strengthens your spiritual ability to accomplish things in the physical world. Peavy, D., (2016). He summarizes that traditional African religions are not only religions, but a worldview, a way of life. [30], West and Central African religious practices generally manifest themselves in communal ceremonies or divinatory rites in which members of the community, overcome by force (or ashe, nyama, etc. That means reducing your meat, sugar, and processed food consumption. spirituality is considered a belief system that guides the welfare of society and the people therein, and eradicates sources of unhappiness occasioned by evil. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account. Most religions can be described as animistic[4][5] with various polytheistic and pantheistic aspects. [6][1] The role of humanity is generally seen as one of harmonizing nature with the supernatural. In 2013, the Frederick Meditation Center was founded by Heather Stang, MA, C-IAYT on the following principles;. Have you recently left Christianity? Ancestors (ancestral ghosts/spirits) are an integral part of reality. A big part of the mission of the Pan-African Alliance is to create spaces to have discussions about concepts like African Spirituality. [18], Traditional African religions can be broken down into linguistic cultural groups, with common themes. Some meats should be avoided altogether: The World Health Organization has classified processed meats – including ham, salami, sausages and hot dogs – as a Group 1 carcinogen which means that there is strong evidence that processed meats cause cancer. [21][22] New world religions such as Santería, Vodun, and Candomblé, would be derived from this world. Ancestors can offer advice and bestow good fortune and honor to their living dependents, but they can also make demands, such as insisting that their shrines be properly maintained and propitiated. That means studying indigenous African religions and applying the lessons that speak to you. All aspects of weather, thunder, lightning, rain, day, moon, sun, stars, and so on may become amenable to control through the cosmology of African people. A belief in ancestors also testifies to the inclusive nature of traditional African spirituality by positing that deceased progenitors still play a role in the lives of their living descendants. [10][11][12][13][14] The two Abrahamic religions are widespread across Africa, though mostly concentrated in different areas. According to Gottlieb and Mbiti: The environment and nature are infused in every aspect of traditional African religions and culture. But to do so, you must take responsibility for your own education and growth. Examples include social behaviors such as the respect for parents and elders, raising children appropriately, providing hospitality, and being honest, trustworthy, and courageous. Today, some religions have become so corrupted that they do nothing for spiritual development, . By studying, meditating, fasting, and eating consciously, you can start to develop your African spirituality faster than religions will allow. As a public health precaution due to COVID-19, all Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo are temporarily closed to the public as of Monday, Nov. 23. Ask 3 people to define it and you will get three different answers. Sort by: Relevancy. Raleigh, NC: SI. Olupona rejects the western/islamic definition of Monotheism or Polytheism and says that such concepts could not reflect the complex African traditions and are simplistic. Traditional healers are common in most areas, and their practices include a religious element to varying degrees. Spirituality is the state of your soul, emotions, beliefs, mindset, and connection to the infinite. [40] With a long farming tradition, the Serer high priests and priestesses (Saltigue) deliver yearly sermons at the Xooy Ceremony (divination ceremony) in Fatick before Yoonir's phase in order to predict winter months and enable farmers to start planting.[41]. Listen to thousands of best sellers and new releases on your iPhone, iPad, or Android. An African understanding, The List: The World's Fastest-Growing Religions, "US study sheds light on Africa's unique religious mix", Ian S. Markham,(A World Religions Reader. These systems include: There are elements of truth in all of these spiritual systems. Outdoor … [34] Some recognize a dual god and goddess such as Mawu-Lisa. "Religions of South Africa" pp. The traditional African religions (or traditional beliefs and practices of African people) are a set of highly diverse beliefs that include various ethnic religions.. Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural, include belief in a supreme creator, belief in spirits, veneration of the dead, use of magic and traditional African medicine. The religion of the Yoruba is finding roots in the Islands of the Caribbean and portions of Central and South America. It takes about 3 – 5 days before you start feeling these effects, so push through days 1 and 2. African Spirituality is one of the most misunderstood concepts in the Black Conscious community. Instead, these religious have become systems of indoctrination that create. The will of the gods or spirits is sought by the believer also through consultation of divinities or divination. Index of Cults and Religions. For the Kikuyu, according to their primary supreme creator, Ngai, acting through the lesser deities, is believed to speak to and be capable of guiding the virtuous person as one's conscience. Since emotions are a part of your light body, your emotional stability should be developed along with the rest of your spiritual anatomy. -- Wayne Teasdale and George Cairns in The Community of Religions. Here is how and why: Diets that are high in sugar and processed foods have been linked to depression and other mental illnesses. Yoga. The oldest Aboriginal cultures of the Earth used meditation as a tool for spiritual fortification, a nd every religion uses meditation for spiritual development. For toys, books, and more, check out our selection of religion and spirituality catalogs and coupon codes. [35], Traditional African religions generally believe in an afterlife, one or more Spirit worlds, and Ancestor worship is an important basic concept in mostly all African religions. The traditional African religions or traditional beliefs and practices of African people are a set of highly diverse beliefs that includes various ethnic religions. Bishop Alexander McGuire, who had served for many years as a UNIA chaplain, served as the first Archbishop of the African Orthodox Church. Which African Ancestry DNA Testing Kit Is Right For You? Among Niger–Congo-speakers is a belief in a creator God, force or higher deity, which is considered by some to be a widespread and ancient feature of Niger-Congo-cultures,[19][20][21] along with other more specialized deities, ancestor spirits, territorial spirits, and beings, as well as evil caused by human ill will and neglecting ancestor spirits, and priests of territorial spirits. It makes room for spirituality to seep in. 4 Powerful Ways to Develop Your African Spirituality Now, Black Activists Are Being Lynched One By One And Nobody Is Talking About It, Hannibal Barca – How One Black Man Brought Rome To Its Knees, Exposed: The Global Agenda To Prevent The Rise Of A Black Messiah, 43 Of The Best African Spirituality Books, 12 Black Consciousness Books Every Pan-African Must Read, 8 Of The Best Dr Sebi Books That Will Teach You How To Eat To Live, 7 Free Black Audiobooks You Need In Your Life Right Now, Terms, Conditions, and Consumer Protection, The 5 Percenters (Nation of Gods and Earths). It is … The Semitic Abrahamic religion of Judaism is comparable to the latter world view. Relevancy ... BUDDHA OM prayer flags Spiritual gift Yoga Meditation Art Buddha Wall art Zen Tapestry Mindfulness Print Tibetan Buddhist Bunting AUM Banner BUDDHADOMA. ), World Christian Encyclopedia, summarized here, "Ancient African Religion Finds Roots In America", "The Need to Re-Conceptualize African Traditional Religion", The Civilizations of Africa: A History to 1800, Black God: the Afroasiatic roots of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religions, Sayings of the Ancient One - Wisdom from Ancient Africa, culture-exchange.blog/animism-modern-africa, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Traditional_African_religions&oldid=1007391037, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with dead external links from October 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Manjonjo Healers of Chitungwiza of Zimbabwe, Information presented here was gleaned from, Chidester, David. I started asking the question of who am I meaning all the way back to my roots in Africa. Natural phenomena are responsible for providing people with their daily needs. Historically, meditation was not conceptualized as an expedient therapy for health problems. Instead of getting caught up in the dogmas taught by Christianity, Islam, Judaism, return to your African roots. From what research has shown, fasting might be the single greatest natural healing therapy missing in today’s Western lifestyle. Sports. Some systems are better than others at achieving this goal. What Do We REALLY Know About The African Origins of Christianity? [8][9], Although the majority of Africans today are adherents of Christianity or Islam, African people often combine the practice of their traditional belief with the practice of Abrahamic religions. It is possible for you to develop your spirituality without religion. Get any audiobook FREE during your Free Trial. Britannica Book of the Year 2003. They have replaced indigenous African religions, but are often adapted to African cultural contexts and belief systems. [33] This includes also nature, elementary and animal spirits. Meditation is one way you can unlock this superpower. In the United States Vudon is more predominant in the states along the Gulf of Mexico. Meditation. Her work, legendary for its extremely modern minimalism, revolved around spirituality, womanhood and African-American identity. African Spirituality. In this state, depending upon the region, drumming or instrumental rhythms played by respected musicians (each of which is unique to a given deity or ancestor), participants embody a deity or ancestor, energy or state of mind by performing distinct ritual movements or dances which further enhance their elevated consciousness. In some African contexts, [which?] As confusing as spirituality can be, there are 4 easy ways to develop your spirituality, with or without religion! According to Clemmont E. Vontress, the various religious traditions of Africa are united by a basic Animism. Gods were either self-created or evolved from spirits or ancestors which got worshiped by the people. Pin. Becoming a vegetarian (a person who does not eat meat, but can eat animal products like milk) or vegan (eliminating all animal products from your diet) might not be practical for you initially, reducing meat consumption can have positive effects on your well-being. Once your body is cleansed of toxins that cause emotional instability, you will begin to gain control over your emotions. [1][7], Adherents of traditional religions in sub-Saharan Africa are distributed among 43 countries and are estimated to number over 100 million. Would you add anything to the article above? There are also religions with a single Supreme being (Chukwu, Nyame, Olodumare, Ngai, Roog, etc.). In this vein, some research has shown that mantra-based meditation to a spiritual phrase is more effective in reducing physical pain than meditation to a secular phrase. Introduction to African religion. [31], When this trance-like state is witnessed and understood, adherents are privy to a way of contemplating the pure or symbolic embodiment of a particular mindset or frame of reference. Here are 5 books on African religion that anyone interested in African spirituality should read: The oldest Aboriginal cultures of the Earth used meditation as a tool for spiritual fortification, a. nd every religion uses meditation for spiritual development. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Diviner (also known as priest) are also sought for their wisdom as counselors in life and for their knowledge of herbal medicine. Some African religions adopted different views through the influence of Islam or even Hinduism.[36]. How to use spirituality in a sentence. The Benin Monarchy, Olokun & Iha Ominigbon. [23][24][20] San religion is generally non-theistic but a belief in a Spirit or Power of existence which can be tapped in a trance-dance; trance-healers. According to him, the belief in spirits and ancestors is the most important element of African religions. In essence, the circle represents completeness, fullness. Meditation is one of the most powerful ways to develop your African spirituality! Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. By the Staff of Watchman Fellowship, Inc. Introduction. It grounds the body, as well as clearing the mind. Religion is a system designed for spiritual development. [38] Traditional African religions embrace natural phenomena â€“ ebb and tide, waxing and waning moon, rain and drought â€“ and the rhythmic pattern of agriculture. There are generally no prohibitions against the practice. She wrote a book called The City of Wellness: Restoring Your Health Through the Seven Kitchens of Consciousness that should be on your shelf if you are serious about your spiritual growth. In order to help you get started with meditation, we have written a full, step-by-step article that you can read by clicking here. When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. One religious ceremony practiced in Gabon and Cameroon is the Okuyi, practiced by several Bantu ethnic groups. Detoxification is your body’s process of eliminating toxins that you eat, drink, and breathe through your colon, liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph nodes, and skin. In recent times, traditional religions, such as the Yoruba religion, are on the rise. Meditation is one of the most powerful ways to develop your African spirituality! Among Nilo-Saharan speakers is the belief in Divinity; evil is caused by divine judgement and retribution; prophets as middlemen between Divinity and man. Diverse traditional beliefs and practices of African people, Encyclopedia of African Religion (Sage, 2009). This builds skills at separating the feelings elicited by this mindset from their situational manifestations in daily life. The difference between powerful spirits and gods is often minimal. Traditional Niger-Congo religion also included polytheistic and animistic elements. In fact, the first 72 hours will leave you feeling sluggish and weak. The ancestors are generally believed to reside in an ancestral realm (spiritworld), while some believe that the ancestors became equal in power to deities.[29]. The defining line between deities and ancestors is often contested, but overall, ancestors are believed to occupy a higher level of existence than living human beings and are believed to be able to bestow either blessings or illness upon their living descendants. Ministries; Education; Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation; In Action: Helping Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers; In Action: Care for our Common Home; SHCJ Responds to Laudato Si’ Close; Share Our Mission. June Jordan. There are more similarities than differences in all traditional African religions. It will give you the knowledge you need to stick with it! The Greatest Story Never Told: Ausar, Aset, and the Battle For Kemet. In order to help you get started with meditation, we have written a full, step-by-step article that you can read by clicking here. It’s not limited to practices of Kemetism. The African Roots of Kemetism. However, the effects on depression, anxiety, and stress are unclear. The African Orthodox Church was founded in 1921 in the midst of Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) under the belief that black Episcopalians should have a denomination of their own. "Traditional Religion", in his. Learn how your comment data is processed. If you want to listen to this article instead of reading it, check out our video below. Introduction to meditation Meditation is a method for training our minds to have a more beneficial state of mind or attitude. While those results may not seem related to developing your spirituality, they are. [1] Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural and passed down from one generation to another through folk tales, songs and festivals,[2][3] include belief in an amount of higher and lower gods, sometimes including a supreme creator or force, belief in spirits, veneration of the dead, use of magic and traditional African medicine. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers, 1996. This is true for people of all backgrounds. Fasting gives these organs the time and energy they need to repair themselves and clear existing toxins that may be backed up in your system. So by fasting, you give you body – and your soul – the opportunity to ‘reset’ itself. Wars and immigration policies and cruelties have separated wives and husbands, parents and children and grandparents from each other. African Spirituality. Open to people of a This is largely because cosmology and beliefs are intricately intertwined with the natural phenomena and environment. ), are excited to the point of going into meditative trance in response to rhythmic or driving drumming or singing. [17] Traditional African religions also have elements of fetishism, shamanism and veneration of relics. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 48 hours left to save $200: “Only join Elephant Academy if you love You already have an innate capacity to reduce stress and anxiety.

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