"Change creates struggle. Struggle builds character. Beyond the typical definitions of IWA (character) as morality, gentleness or virtue, I invite you to explore the idea of character as AUTHENTICITY. Too many practitioners pretend to be good - just like we pretended to be good Christians or good Muslims - and call that IWA. In order to truly embody and exude character, you must be willing to face yourself; the good, the bad and the ugly. You must be willing to transcend your insecurities and break out of the shell of personal limitations, which is a painful experience. But just as a mother suffers intensely before giving birth to a gifted child, so must you realize that the agony of breaking through personal limitations is the agony of spiritual growth. The numerous artistic disciplines that make up Orisa Lifestyle are vehicles that take you beyond those horizons imposed upon you by those who would have you believe that you are merely a consumer, a sinner and a pawn. The visual arts, sacred texts, mythology, philosophy, music, costume, food, social structure and communication systems that are integral to our majestic tradition are all gateways leading into spheres of ever-expanding states of AUTHENTICITY.
|
Sign up for a free eBook!As you consistently go to consult IFA, for example, the ODU that speak for you will enable you to cross threshold after threshold, conquering demons and shadows that would otherwise limit your spiritual growth. Throughout these experiences, you learn to summons your ANCESTORS, your indwelling spirit and the deities themselves. Gradually, the true stature of your authentic self expands, like the full moon rising, until it illuminates your consciousness. Finally, you see beyond the limitations and appreciate the absolute truth and indispensable nature of your authentic self. Falsehood is no more. Live the medicine."
|