by James Weeks | Feb 8, 2015 | Blog
You must honor your Spirit…
This is where you must begin; this is where you must end.
That’s the advice I gave to a client who came for divination tonight
Not only must you honor your Spirit, you must remember that you ARE Spirit!
Forget what everyone else thinks or does.
Be still; attune yourself to what your own Spirit is saying.
Stop thinking you need outside validation for every single decision, for every single step you wish to make.
You don’t…
Listen from within! Be strong! Walk on!
James Weeks/Across The King’s River
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Blessings!
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 6, 2014 | Blog
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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
by James Weeks | Oct 8, 2013 | Blog
A balance of cosmic forces in your life…
Obatala priests in Nigeria: (Photographer Unknown)
That’s what the Ifa spiritual tradition is all about – balance. “If it’s too hot, cool it down. And if it’s too cool, heat things up,” my mentor, the late Dr. Afolabi Epega, once said to me during divination training.
Baba Epega, a 5th generation Ifa priest, also said: things should neither be too positive nor too negative.
What’s wrong if things are flowing too positively (or smoothly) for you? A lot of folks struggle with that spiritual concept. Where’s the harm in that?
From Ifa’s point of view, if everything is going smoothly (positively), how can you grow? How can you reach your full potential? How can you develop faith?
Too much positivity lulls you into a sense of complacency – it dulls spiritual awareness…
Though we dislike negativity, it can provide the impetus we need to move in the right direction. Sometimes you have to be forced to do what’s good for you. The negativity on your job, might force you to find a job that’s more fulfilling.
Same thing for the negativity in your relationship. It might inspire you to question why you’re in the relationship in the first place.
Don’t be too quick to curse the negativity that has appeared in your life. Negativity isn’t always your enemy, sometimes it can be your best friend, a blessing in disguise.
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James Weeks
Producer/Across The King’s River
