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Arcanasium
Southern
People of African descent are all over the world today. Unfortunately, much of this is due to the selling of Africans to slavery centuries ago. African Kings and moguls sold prisoners usually from a raided village to slavery for capital and political gain. Slaves were viewed as little more than a commodity. The "triangular trade", starting largely in the 1400s, involved Europeans who would sell firearms, alcohol and fabric to Africa in exchange for slaves. These slaves were mostly taken to South and Central America where the Spanish had Sugar and Coffee plantations. They would exchange slaves in South America for coffee and sugar to be shipped back to Europe. This was a cycle that persisted for some time.
In South America you can still find many elements of the traditional African spirituality such as in Haiti for example. The main hub where the slaves were taken from was West Africa. Now there were several tribes and much like the Celts and Native Americans this dispersion left a people vulnerable to conquest.
Everybody has an ancestral lineage that they don't pay much mind to. The descendants of the African slaves usually have entirely assimilated into the culture they grew up in and have no knowledge of their ancestral lineage. The same goes for the majority of us in the modern industrialized world. There is little time or perceived use for knowing about your ancestors or their story anymore. But there is power in knowing our ancestry. These were once a vibrant and powerful people. One ancestral tribe of some of the slaves that would become African Americans were the Yoruba.
The Yoruba
By now it probably won't surprise you that the Yoruba as well as most other African tribes had striking similarities to all of the things we have covered in the other branches. Their supreme father God that resembles the modern Christian God is named Olodumare. Yet they had a remarkably complex pantheon similar to the Angels or other polytheistic Gods. Their word for fate or destiny is Ayanmo. Ashe is the word for spirit very similar to the way Ruach, Chi or Prana is used. They believed in reincarnation. Demons in their culture were called the Ajogun. They're a beautiful people with one of the most complex, fleshed-out, and complete belief systems there is. For those that have wondered whether there was a real-life Wakanda, this is one of the many such cultures that truly exist.
Obatala
Always seen wearing white, Obatala is the eldest of the Orishas (Gods) and is tied to Creation. He is a God of illumination, truth, righteousness, and clarity. He is an avatar of Olodumere (Supreme God) and stands for purity and the light of consciousness.
Wise counsel and purity would be Obatala's domain. Peace, purpose, forgiveness and resurrection are qualities that have Obatala compared to Jesus, the Egyptian God Horus and other solar personas that have existed throughout time. The ability to shed light and peace with one's very presence is powerful indeed and one of the most time-honored traditions throughout all cultures.
Yemaya
Connected to the Moon, motherhood, animals and the ocean (the moon's effect on the tides), Yemaya has different representations of her being, like there are different phases of the moon:
Asesu- Imagine a deaf and slow to speak calm wise woman. This is a representation of still waters.
Ashaba- A being so beautiful none can look upon her. Like a full moon.
Ogunte- A fierce warrior Goddess with weapons and a temper who is an expert in 'magic'.
Okoto- This avatar of Yamaya is the one for pirates and is basically a mermaid who is an underwater assassin.
This is only a few such avatars or 'paths' of Yemaya. One lives in the forest while another is more of a homemaker and associated with wealth. This is a classic Moon Goddess as seen in many cultures. You'll notice that the moon here is associated with water and of course the sun is associated with fire.
Eshu
There is no doubt that Eshu fits the Mercurial archetype perfectly. He is a messenger, a trickster, a psychopomp, a guide. Associated with the crossroads, language, and new endeavors, he is called the 'Opener of the Way'. He too has many forms and 'paths'.
It may seem vague or confusing when we use short descriptors like Messenger, Guide and Crossroads. To get an idea of the Mercurial nature when practicing the Arcane, it is all about change. Whenever we are transitioning in life, it is time for us to change. Whether we are moving to a new home, to a new position, job or whatever the case may be, we are at a crossroads and decisions have to be made. It is helpful to get sound advice that is in accordance to our Higher Nature. Eshu or whatever you may call the Messenger is the most likely to help mankind. But his spirit is aloof and carefree as the wind. Like the air, we must rise above and observe where all roads lead, look into our past to see what brought us here, and what lies ahead. We should become more like Eshu when we enter transitional periods and become 'lighter on our feet' so to speak. To be adaptable, cunning and detached. Willing to put on any mask or fulfill whatever role we may need to accomplish our goals.
Oshun
The Maiden archetype in the Yoruba Pantheon is Oshun. Shown always as a beautiful woman in a yellow dress, she is the representation of sexuality, attraction, beauty, fertility, and the overall feminine aspect. Like the flowing waters, she is seen dancing erotically. The very principle of attraction like a magnet, the power of seduction again finds its way through this pantheon representative.
Like Venus, Aphrodite and the others she is more of a diva type of personification than true love. More independent and concerned with her own affairs or cohabitation than with marriage.
Notice that both the Yamaya (Moon) and Oshun (Venus) relate to water. Yamaya is more associated with the changes of water. Its depth/shallowness, fluid/solid, tides, ebb and flow, its phases. Oshun is associated with the rivers and fresh, flowing, active and constant waters without phases. She is about being current, popular, active and fresh. She will be noticed and without her, there will be no beauty in life.
Ogun
Yes, Ogun is associated with war, violence, aggression and weapons. He is depicted with a machete and is connected to wild beasts. But there is more to this archetype than just this surface representation.
The active male principle is about getting things done. Forging new tools, he was a smith. As a champion, he stood for a cause, liberating the oppressed. When you consider where anger stems from, it is almost always because of a loss of power and control. Like a cornered animal, we have no choice but to lash out in order to preserve our own livelihood. Without this anger when we are faced with adversity, nothing would get done. But this does not have to culminate into violence and war, but in being strategic and active, one can win the overall war by choosing to strike key points as in a real battle would aim to sack strategic resources. This is much more effective and in a socio-psychological perspective, hitting the critical points on what matters is the only way to be victorious.
Nana Bukuu
The Great Grandmother is a progenitor of all things. She is the ancient wisdom and precious, caring, loving presence we all need and should protect. She may seem stern and cold at times, but it is only because we have lost our way and she is disappointed.
Any that have the ears to listen to her wisdom will hear it. You may have to seek her out and ask. The experience and knowledge she has can be of endless use to you. She is the archetype of the powerful old wise woman. Proficient in healing and nature, she is the archetype of what some would call a 'witch'. These are in all cultures. For those who can't find her, she is found deep within the woods where the swamps pool and the animals sing.
Shango
Shango is yet another representative of the Thunder God. Social or political formation, rulership and the Ego. When we consider those in control, people with unmatched, unquestioned power, Ego almost certainly becomes involved. They become the lightning rod for all attention, responsibility, purpose and hopes of the society. What they do with all of this potential is in their hands and their hands only.
They often overthrow an older system of rulership. New Kings, Presidents and Business Executives remove what was established by those before and establish their own ruling. Often what happens too is that in their overpowering drive they forget what they had overthrown and become overly fierce in their mission. Sometimes they become a new version of the very thing they came to defeat. This is a very masculine aspect. Alpha males are constantly competing to overcome the other.
Power is an unwieldly, wild and potentially dangerous energy. It takes a strong personality to harness this raw spirit.
Omulu
Again, much about the cycle of life and death, old and new, Omulu is an agent of chaos and punishment on behalf of the Divine Order of things. He is a God of Death and disease but is also called upon in order to heal these ailments. Perhaps it is in a process of learning lessons from the diseases and other evil influences we see in the world that we ourselves grow and become better.
There always has to be an enemy and a dark aspect. Ever since we have been able to discern good from evil, we must be able to distinguish between the two. Death is as inevitable as darkness in this life. Ignoring it will not make it disappear, but rather knowing the darker, ancient, primordial principles sheds light on them and gives us more power over them. Knowing history gives you the ability to see the future in some ways. Knowing the darker aspects of yourself and working with them is the only way to grant control over your more base and primal tendencies. Again, Saturn is the modus operandi of the world at large currently as well. You can't be afraid of the dark if you are used to the darkness. Understanding Saturn is far more important than you might think.
Disclaimer: There are some tangents and inaccuracies in the following video
Let's clarify some things. The above video goes off on many tangents. When it comes to the idea of an old sun, the cube concept or numerology, these things may not have any significance whatsoever. The overall connection between Saturn and El is what is important here. A book could be written on the subject, but we are trying to keep it short for you in these lessons and hopefully it is still food for thought.
Another clarification, the Yoruba people are only one of several tribes that African Americans have lineage to and it's likely that only 4% of the Slaves that were brought to the United States were Yoruba. Approximately 25% came from Angola or the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There were also the Ewe, Allada, Mahi, Kru, Mande, Temne, Fula, Mandinka, Wolof, Akan, Fon, and Malagasay to name only a few. But the important thing is this: Just like the Celts and Native Americans, the people shared in the same overall traditional spirituality. Though the names may have been different, these ideas were shared among many of the tribes and were cultivated to the same effect.
In Haiti, the word Vodou was the same as the Yorubas' concept of Ashe. It meant spirit or force that could be utilized to achieve a result. Of course, this 'Voodoo' would be demonized by people that didn't know what it was, similar to all of the universal practices of spirituality or the Arcane. The unknown is scary to fools. Just like all true practices of spirituality, Vodou would be feared and discouraged rather than understood. It is still to this day stigmatized as being Black Magic. Don't forget that meanwhile these very same people that feared Vodou were drinking the blood of Jesus, eating His flesh, wearing an execution device around their necks, revering the torture and crucifixion of the Sacrificial Lamb, and praying to the 'jealous God'. They wrung their blood-soaked hands at the sight of their slaves sacrificing a chicken. Pretty hypocritical and short-sighted don't you think?
Of course, here's Olodumere or the Supreme God with the snake symbolism as he is often depicted.
Just like all concepts of the word spirit, Vodou is not inherently bad or good but neutral. Vodou like all other words for the force of the universe, can be used by the practitioner as they see fit. The stereotypes for 'voodoo' come from much later, largely from Haiti, where the African slaves had been brought. This being said, there is a dark side to every faith system, including the Biblical ones.
These practices fall under the Dark Arts. The stereotypical yet true Voodoo doll is indeed a darker practice. But manipulation always is. True Necromancy that had been practiced gave us the word Zombi, reanimated corpses in servitude to the practitioner. This is certainly a dark art. However, it could be argued that manipulating the living is even darker than manipulating the bodies of the dead.
Vodou
Africa is a bouquet of tribes with different flavors and traditions. There are so many things of interest, we cannot yet leave West Africa. The Dogon Tribe of Mali has been of interest even to the scientific community for their uncanny knowledge of a star system. They claim they were visited by beings from that star system and accurately describe details that should by no means be known to people without a powerful telescope. But there is more.
They knew about the Big Bang, that we lived in a galaxy that was in an ever-expanding spiral pattern, the planets, their rings and moons and more. Should it continue to be a mystery how they attained this knowledge or should we listen to what they tell us happened which they describe in surprising detail?
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Each country, each people we come across in Africa as we go along has a wonderfully rich culture and history. It's unfortunate to see that if it's not Christian conversion then it's Islamic conquest that has undermined the ancestral spirit. A couple more quick videos for you to see just two of the profound civilizations.
The Igbo
The Shona
There are a handful of things that are frustrating to say the least. Of course the systematic colonization and suppression of the truth in Africa. Particularly Islamic beliefs overshadowing traditional African spirit. Seeing yet again an Empire bent on conquest exploiting what is likely the Human family's very home. What's more is there is a recurring theme of seeing African people abandon their ways and adopt either Islamic or Christian fundamentalism. They are not only losing their land but their culture. Frankly, their spirit. It has gotten to the point that we have many African cultures that believe they are Jewish. Or that Jesus was black. Here they are, a culture that is thousands of years older than the Jewish nation with a complex and rich spirituality but they have been so converted that they miss out on a deep ancestral peace and wisdom. We are actively seeing how one culture influences and completely converts another through assimilation. But that's where you come in. To rediscover and cultivate the spirit. To restoke the flame before it fizzles out.
Another major disappointment is peoples' disillusionment. First, this obsession over 'race'.
It is an illusion, a slight variation or mutation in genetics turns the skin pigmentation white for those who lived where there was less sunlight. People squabbling over how much pigmentation in the skin the Egyptians had, or whether people with more melanin in their skin constructed the walls in Zimbabwe or not.
Such things are meaningless and small-minded. We truly are one race, Homo Sapiens. Whether we are born with curly hair or straight, 4 toes or 5, lighter skin or darker skin. Yet there is disillusionment about African societies and why these countries are so poor.
If I picked a person up, stripped them of all they owned and placed them into a desert, how would they live? They would become a survivalist and wouldn't wear much clothing due to the heat. Some make the argument that they shouldn't live in the desert. Many of these people were pushed into the positions they were in due to conquests of long ago. They could hole up in inhospitable territory and stay safe. This is similar to Native cultures in the Americas as you will see. Over time this becomes their way of life and all they know. Who wants their way of life dictated or changed by someone else? Opportunity or lack thereof makes for riches or poverty.
Northern Africa once upon a time used to be more lush and green but is now arid and difficult.
The Egyptians
And of course, there's Egypt. Egypt has been of primary interest to archeologists, anthropologists, historians and spiritualists for centuries. Millennia even. Many things are thought to have originated in Egypt. The reason for this is due to how well-preserved Egypt has been for millennia. They kept great records, which they wrote in stone (something that we don't do even today). The use of all of that stonework is the reason we have anything to look at in Egypt. And we've been very lucky. It has remained relatively dry, arid and has other ideal conditions for the preservation of their stonework. Very few cultures can we see that date back thousands of years with virtually unbroken records of human history in that area. We got lucky in another way. The Rosetta Stone allows us to translate and understand those records.
So, when somebody makes a claim such as 'Alchemy started in Egypt' understand that what they really mean is 'The oldest written records we have found so far of our idea of Alchemy were in Egypt'. We have heard many claims of things supposedly being started in Egypt. However, some are simply untrue. A reputable source made the claim that Alchemy started in Egypt. But you have to ask, what aspect of Alchemy? Metallurgy had been practiced around the world and even applied more proficiently by other cultures of the same period and earlier. The aspect of relating metallurgy and other sciences to spirituality? Knowing what we know about how other cultures of the same period ritualized practically all aspects of their lives, this is unlikely as well.
We view Egypt as a window in time that we simply do not have the privilege of having in other regions of the world. We get to see firsthand how the people operated, what beliefs they held and how they related to the world. As you saw in the last lesson, we simply don't have that luxury in the Northern region for instance. But let's dive in.
Most of you will already know the basic things like their proficiency in astronomy/astrology, their masterful mathematic, architectural and other technical skills. These things are widely known so we won't go over them here.
Their keen insight into the afterlife and the importance the afterlife had to them can be seen in things like the famous Book of the Dead. It offers instructions and rituals in transitioning to the afterlife or Otherworld. Interestingly this is very similar to the Tibetan Book of the Dead.
One thing to point out is the difference in relationship to spirit cultures that were this ancient had. Cultures in times before 4,000 or 5,000 BCE seem to have lived and breathed spirit. Their daily lives were inextricably linked with ritual and much of what they did, even mundane tasks, seemed to have spiritual meaning and power behind it. They did not rely on older texts (because writing was either new or didn't exist) but rather lived their spirituality. The spoken Word had spiritual power because what we call Incantation was regularly practiced.
When it comes to the Entities, the Egyptians practically had a God or Goddess for just about everything. So, while there are connections with the Pantheon like we have been doing so far, rather than draw concrete lines to the eight different celestial aspects, (which there are distinct correlations) we think it's time to start seeing how to relate with or use these Entities.
If deity work is your thing, you will get deeper and deeper in your relationships with the divines. Increasing in power and favor by the Entities. This is something that should be known regardless of which color Focus you choose (other than maybe the Brown Focus which is focused on the scientific).
Knowing the lore of the Gods/Goddesses is one thing in order to get to know the deity, but actively participating in communion with them is more personal and real. This is the only way someone can expect to experience anything in relation to the Entities. This goes for any Entity including the Judaic God Yahweh.
Remember that there are different names in every society for the same God. So, whether you are attempting to commune with Yahweh, Zeus, Thor or Shango, you must be able to feel that presence, that temperament. Build an understanding and relationship with both the aspect in the world, but also within yourself. By maintaining that aspect within yourself, you will forge a connection with the respective Entity. It genuinely really is like love. When you love someone, you emulate them and desire to do their will.
Ka is the Egyptian word that could be used interchangeably with Vodou, Ashe, Chi, Prana, etc.
Yet again, it is annoying that looking into the practices of 'Heka', the utilization of spirit, it is considered to be 'magic'. Heka was personified as an Entity who was able to speak things into existence.
Every person was seen to have different 'bodies' so to speak. Here are seven different aspects of the self according to Egyptian thought.
These relate to what are called the Chakras as you will see later.
Khet- The Physical Body
Shut- The Shadow Self
Ba- The Personality/Individuality
Ib- The Heart
Ren- The Name/Identity/Archetype
Akh- Consciousness
Sah- The Spirit Self
Remember that Entities are sometimes related to animals (and other things) to unveil further understanding of the temperament of the God or Goddess. This is just like relating the Christian God to a Father. It gives us additional insight into His nature and also how He relates to us by thinking of Him as a father. Depicting the Entities with an animal head specifically shows that the Entity's personality or thought process reflects certain aspects that animal has. When they are depicted with the head of a man and the body of that animal, it is telling the story of the strength, power or other physical qualities of that animal. For instance the Sphinx may depict a man who had the strength and power of a lion. Though the human head may have been added much later to what used to be a full lion monument, we are just using this as an example. It is interesting because Egyptian faith seems to be an intermediary between animistic and pantheistic ideology.
Each divinity has a myriad of stories and a rich history. As you watch this video about Sobek, let your mind wander, dive in and get to know this aspect. Of course, consider any deeper meanings, morals of the story or any other insights you might uncover. This can be done with any lore, myth, story, scripture, etc.
Remember that deity work, like alchemy, is just as much about the inner workings of your self as it is about the actual outside elements. The more you learn about any given Entity and its characteristics, the more you unveil about that aspect of your self.
This unveiling of the inner aspect enables you to connect with the actual Entity in the spirit realm. It begins to form a connection with the respective Entity.
Sobek's story is about you using your baser instincts and reptilian brain to do good and be helpful to the rest of the aspects of your Self. Just as much as it is about the actual deities that can be contacted, fully understanding this correlation between your Self and the Higher Power builds a binding relationship to the given deity. Like a tether, it connects you to the divinity unlocking further potential.
Many have heard about the Egyptian Tomb Curses or the Egyptian Book of the Dead. To the Egyptians, writing and even speaking was inextricably linked to spirituality. They were surely more thoughtful, careful and profound when they went to speak or write something in stone. It not only meant something, but set forth a reality in accordance with the universe. What was written or spoken had connections and ramifications along with it. The art of the spiritual written form of the Arcane is called Enchantment. The spoken form we refer to as Incantation. We will be teaching these if you continue your path of learning. It takes time and practice of course. Re-teaching your mind to be closer to the driving force of the universe (spirit) and training your thoughts to be more connected, profound and rooted rather than just surface whims like how we have been taught to think.
We have been conditioned to be linear-minded, physically and materially-oriented beings. In nature this is absolutely practical. To sharpen survival instincts, our reaction time, developing keen senses, physical prowess and so on are essential in survival of the fittest situations in the wild.
However, what has ultimately given us an edge in the animal kingdom is in going beyond that baser cognition and using our minds. When we built civilization it took us out of the wild and survival of the fittest. We shape increasingly better environments, tools and technology through the power of the mind.
So why do we now still live and think as if we were trying to survive in the wild?
Once upon a time, the ancients had time to develop the mind further than what we do today. In their security from the wild and removing themselves from the food chain, ancient cultures had time to sharpen other faculties of the mind. This is due to cognitive tradeoff. We will talk more about it in the Blue Focus, but it postulates the idea that as we focus certain regions of our brain for survival, other parts of our brain are used less. We can observe this in chimpanzees actually being superior to humans in some tests.
In the same way that we have lost this ability that Chimpanzees exhibit because we no longer swing through trees, we have similarly lost different cognitive abilities because we remain too busy and distracted by society. We keep ourselves busy through jobs and our senses are overstimulated by all manner of useless stimuli from television, phones, etc. The ancients would instead use their minds to explore the unseen and inner worlds. When was the last time you yourself have sat still, closed your eyes and started reaching out with only your mind?
The Egyptian Book of the Dead was written by ancient mental voyagers (perhaps experimenting with Death as well) to instruct one in attaining life after death. It describes in detail the afterlife and gives directions and rituals in order to continue living in the beyond. We cannot stress enough the importance of connections, connections, connections. The more connections you make the more powerful your mind becomes.
In order to become more like the ancients were and attain the kind of power they had, we must learn to think bigger, deeper, and be able to see the ripple effects our actions and even our thoughts are constantly having in the outside world.
This is essential in preparing the mind for the actual practice of spirit but before you cultivate the mind we don't suggest trying to perform any rituals but ESPECIALLY trying to contact any spirit or entity. Although we are giving you the fundamental information of what we later actually practice, it can be dangerous if used without a complete understanding.
Only those that have this level of mindfulness will be able to effectively and safely employ spirit to their will. Otherwise, spiritual practices will either be inert or they will be dangerous due to a lack of knowledge of the inner workings of cause and effect. No matter what you are influencing through spirit starting out, the ripple effect comes full circle and impacts the source with a number of times the force it was set out at. Many times it comes back in ways that you don't expect. We will talk in more detail about this later, but for now please take our word for it that you should wait and learn how to effectively manage spirit and prepare the mind and body before attempting to unleash it in any fashion.
Woops
-Many amateurs don't realize what type of spirit they are attempting to contact or where it stems from. Many times, they bite off more than they can chew.
There is still much to go over in order to practice the Arcane and so we will move on. Egypt and the others are yet more cultures that will serve as inexhaustible wells that you will likely tap many times along your long path. We never stop learning on this path. There is always more to be found and boundaries to be pushed.
Hopefully you are getting a clearer and clearer picture as we move along.
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