So you’ve set up an altar (or shrine) for your ancestors, and you make regular offerings to them. Yet, you find yourself wondering if you’re truly connecting with Spirit or merely going through the motions.

Here are some tips that I’ve found helpful for building a stronger connection with your Egungun (ancestors).

MAKE IT A PRIORITY: Your relationship with your ancestors is just that – a relationship. And like any relationship, you need to be fully committed in order to make it work. You also need to make sure that you are available if you want them to communicate with you. This means spending time in silence, prayer, meditation or any activity that uplifts your spirit or slows down the rhythm of your life so that meaningful spiritual communication can take place.

BE GENEROUS: Yes, the ancestors can guide and help you in ways beyond your imagination. But never approach them with a list of demands. Your loved ones in Spirit work with you but not for you – it’s a partnership. Be prepared to give, not merely receive. Remember, your ancestors are not “dead”; they are alive in another dimension and are still learning and growing. The Egungun are fully aware of your thoughts and feelings, so be sure to send them positive energy and love to support them on their spiritual journey too.

BE OPEN: Despite what some people might have you believe, the ancestors have no limitations when they want to communicate with you. They can use anyone or anything to deliver a message: they can communicate through dreams, feelings, inspiration, nature, literature and music. And they are not stuck in the past. They are fully aware of modern technology and can manipulate lights, television sets and even cell phones to get your attention. Be open and alert. They know you well and will use the best method to get through to you.

BE TRUSTING: Don’t expect a lightening bolt from the sky. Messages from Spirit are often subtle, soft. So subtle that you might miss them. Pay attention to your feelings because ancestors often communicate through feelings – not words. Pause for a moment. How do you feel right now? Where is it that feeling coming from? Is it coming from you or from Spirit? What inspired you to read this article? Was it your idea or did your ancestors inspire you to read this? Spirit is all around you and guide you more than you realize. Trust what you feel inspired to do.

TAKE ACTION: Don’t waste Spirit’s time. One of my mentors said this to me one day. It takes a lot of energy for your ancestors to communicate with you. And you’re wasting their time if you never listen or do anything to move your life forward. Are you living in fear or faith? Are you taking steps to empower yourself? Are you empowering others? Are you leaving a legacy that others might aspire to follow? Take at least one step each day to move your life forward. Your ancestors are alive and well. Make them proud by living your life to the fullest.

Blessings

James Weeks
Producer, Across The King’s River

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The reading with Tahira West rocked! This gifted young medium brought through powerful messages from my Dad and from my grandmother in Spirit.

And the messages were not only on point but on time. Through Tahira, Grandma gave me not only encouragement but ideas for the funding of my film: potential partners, potential strategies, potential sources. Grandma also told me to give a “shout out” to other members of my family.

Dad, on the other hand, was bossy as ever. Dad said he wants me to talk to him aloud, not silently like I usually do. And he assured me that he’s working hard to open doors for my film and stands firmly behind me whenever I need a burst of inspiration.

Yes, the reading with Tahira was empowering, even though I feel my connection with my ancestors is rock solid since I make it a point to communicate with them every day.

After the reading I wanted to learn more about this rising medium and life-coach who is building a solid business around her passion for healing and transforming lives.

CEO of Pure Peace Life Coaching, Tahira West was born on the Caribbean island of Trinidad and moved to the U.S. when she was 12. “I have always done what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it. I always chose to follow my heart. There is nothing that brings me more joy than to let people know that love can be found inside of them,” she says.

Tahira, 30, readily admits she’s had her share of life’s ups and down. In fact, she founded Pure Peace Life Coaching in 2010 after she heard her last employer say: “I have to let you go.” That’s when Tahira understood the message the universe was trying to send her. It was time to start working for herself, building her own “empire one brick at a time and by healing the planet one broken heart at a time.”

“Our mission is to serve you. The you who you’ve always dreamed of but never thought could be real. We illuminate your positivity by reminding you that you are perfect the way you are. We reinforce that all the answers you need come from within you,” says the mission statement on her website.

Most of Tahira’s clients are executive women who long to be “heard, acknowledged, treated fairly and respected and for all that they do,” she explains.

She was born with the gift for coaching, she says, as well as the gift for mediumship. But she only started offering her mediumship services recently. “I see my messages like a movie and I hear them too at times,” says Tahira.

Her advice to those who want to develop their mediumship? “Be calm. Be introspective. Be still. Don’t force it. It will come. Trust Spirit.”

Blessings, James

HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH TAHIRA? You can find her at any of the links below:

WWW.Purepeacelifecoaching.com

https://www.facebook.com/PurePeaceLifeCoaching

https://www.facebook.com/tahira.west.1

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The client couldn’t believe it. The shift in her sister’s behavior was so profound, my client had a good laugh and called to tell me about it.

For months, the relationship between Tamara, my client, and her sister had been tense, ugly. “Evil” – that’s how Tamara described her sister to me. They both live together with their Mom, and when Tamara consulted me for Ifa divination, the reading indicated that sacrifice was necessary.

And so I dutifully offered one rooster to Esu, the orisa of the crossroads and opportunity, and one rooster to Ifa, since that’s what the reading called for.

A few weeks later, when Tamara called to tell me that things at home had magically turned around for the better, I smiled. I not only felt proud, I felt honored. It also inspired me to go deeper in my studies as an Ifa diviner and priest.

Sacrifice is as old as the hills! It remains an integral part of African healing traditions. It worked in ancient times and it still works today. It’s also controversial because the Western world misunderstands it – or pretends not to understand it.

The truth is that every society and culture on earth practices sacrifice in one way or another. Life feeds on life. Some form of life must die so that you can live. Every meal (whether you’re a vegetarian or not) is a form of sacrifice. Period!

Sacrifice is an ancient way of redirecting energy to bring about desired change: progress, improved relationships, improved health, better business results, etc. To the ancient African mind, only a fool will ignore the call for sacrifice.

In the book: “The Healing Power of Sacrifice,” Chief Priest Yemi Elebuibon, says: sacrifice is important because (a). It is a means of expressing gratitude to spiritual beings. (b). It is a means of fulfilling a vow. (c). It is used for establishing communication and communion between humankind and spiritual beings. (d). It is used for averting the danger of the divinities and spirits. (e). It is a means of warding off the attack and evil machinations of the enemy. (f). It is a means of purifying a person or a community when a certain taboo has been broken. (g). It prevents or expels epidemics. (h). It strengthens the worshippers against malign influences).”

And in the book, “Of Water and The Spirit,” Malidoma Some says: “The purpose of ritual is to create harmony between the human world and the world of the gods, ancestors , and nature.”

Malidoma also explains how disaster struck home when his father, who had been lured away from his spiritual roots by Christianity, refused to perform an ancient ritual for his twin daughters. “One morning Elizabeth caught a mysterious illness that no one could diagnose. She died at noon. During her funeral Marguerite died while running wild with grief. The funeral intensified. People knew what was going on. Twins don’t die on the same day. Pascal, the eldest son, expired two weeks after the funeral of Elizabeth and Marguerite. Nobody knew what killed him. He had been playing with friends and suddenly cried out that he was dying. Julia, the unfortunate mother, died of sorrow during the funeral of her son.”

I’ve always loved this passage in “Of Water and The Spirit” and used to read it over and over again. It boggled my mind how a series of tragedies could be set in motion by failure to perform a ritual. Luckily, Malidoma’s father eventually performed the ritual, but by then so much damage had already been done.

How or why ritual or sacrifice works seems counter-logical to most Westerners. But when the call for sacrifice or ritual shows up in divination readings, I will always advise my clients to comply with it. Just like my ancestors did before me.

Life sometimes has a nasty way of punishing those who refuse to listen!

Now over to you: what are your thoughts on sacrifice (ebo) ritual? What has been your experience? Feel free to comment!

Blessings

James

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Light as a feather! This is how softly your ancestors might speak to you. And this is why you must listen intently – not just with your ears, but with every fiber in your being. They spoke to you yesterday, they spoke to you today, they will speak to you tomorrow and they are speaking to you right now. But you’ll never hear them unless you are willing to sit in silence, to hear the powerful messages that are landing as gently as feathers.

I share this because of a recent experience that I had. I was doing a reading for a client and began receiving messages from her father who is in Spirit. When I asked the Spirit to tell me more about his life, I felt this sensation of him putting keys into my hands. But the keys felt cold. Then, I felt he was connected to a security guard and/or a prison when he was alive.

These feelings were subtle – light as a feather. But when I shared them with the client everything made sense to her; she became very emotional. Turns out, her father had been in prison for many years in the Middle East before he died. But this was the very first time he attempted to contact her in a spiritual reading. The family had been thinking about writing a book about this sad episode.

I was in awe as she confirmed the messages I received from her Dad. Speaking through me, her Dad said the book project was a great idea. It would bring about healing in the family, he explained.

This experience was one of my most profound moments as a diviner and as a medium.

You see, spirit communication is based on trust. But if you don’t trust yourself and the messages you receive, you’ll never be successful. You also have to understand how you receive messages. How Spirit works with you might be different from how Spirit works with me. You are a unique being, a sacred being and it’s important to remember this. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.

Messages might not always make sense to you. That’s because some messages are meant to be delivered and understood by someone else. Messages from Spirit are being sent to you 24/7. Pay attention to subtle feelings and images that you receive…

Powerful messages often arrive softly as feathers.

Blessings

James Weeks

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“I have to remember to trust myself. I felt it with every atom in my body.” That’s what my friend, Tahira, said to me recently. She kept seeing a butterfly hovering about, and somehow she knew it was a sign from Spirit that someone she knew was going to pass.

And boom! That’s exactly what happened.

Tahira got the news this morning. Turns out, it was the sister of one of her mentors. Tahira wasn’t alarmed, though. The butterfly had already prepared her. Plus, the woman who died had an on-going battle with drugs for many years. Her time was up.

The story of the butterfly and the sudden passing made me reflect on the infinite power of Spirit. You see, the Spirit world sends us signs, symbols and messages all the time. Just about every day! And every night!

Most of us miss these messages because we’re not paying attention. Or we’re too busy regretting the past and/or stressing about the future. Does this mean that if you see a butterfly someone is about to die? No. Not at all. It could be a good omen. Could mean your luck is about to turn for the better, or new love is about to come into your life, or you’re on the road to spiritual transformation. Who knows?

Theres no right way or wrong way to interpret messages from Spirit? Just go with the first feeling you get. It will often be correct. You just need to trust and get out of the way.”

Blessings,

James Weeks

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The elders consulted Ifa and warned him not travel to California. He came anyway, all the way from Nigeria, leaving a wife and two young children behind, hoping to find a job here when millions of other Americans cannot.

I also told him he shouldn’t come. The recession is ugly, I told him repeatedly. Even well-educated folks are struggling, I argued. Then I sent him news articles about the U.S. economy to prove my point. It was a waste of my time.

These days my friend is in a deep depression. Not surprisingly, he hasn’t found any work since he arrived two months ago and he misses his family tremendously. “I’m lonely and miserable,” he confessed.

He’s going back to Nigeria in January. “I learned my lesson,” he said.

I bet he has. When the Ifa oracle gives you advice it’s best to listen the first time. One of the very first Yoruba proverbs I learned says: “it’s better to listen than to offer sacrifices.” The accuracy of Ifa is amazing, but our challenge is to apply the wisdom of the orisas to our lives.

To be sure, listening to Ifa comes with unique challenges that are designed to help you grow while developing your character.

In February of 2011, I left my 19-year career at Corporate America to dedicate myself full time to this film project. I’m still awaiting funding from investors. It hasn’t been easy, and I’ve had to rely on savings just to survive. Yet, I have no doubt that leaving my job was the right thing to do, just as Ifa said. The experience has forced me to grow in many ways.

Ifa demands that we listen, but the spiritual journey also requires us to step boldly into the unknown at times knowing that the universe and the ancestors have our backs. Even if you can’t afford Ifa consultation, spiritual guidance is always available via your intuition or Ori. Trust it, develop it – it’s free.

What is your intuition telling you right now? Where is it leading you? Who is it taking you to? Who is it leading you away from? What is it saying your next step should be? Are you awake? Are you listening?

Blessings

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Lately, I’ve been thinking about something my mentor told me years ago when I began Ifa divination training.

My mentor was the late Afolabi Epega, a 5th generation Ifa priest who also had a doctorate in organic chemistry. Although he died in 2006, I still hear his laughter and booming voice. As I invoke Ifa and interpret the odus, his spirit is there to guide me.

The old man saw the future ahead of me. “Clients will come to you looking for magic,” he warned. “But you’re not a magician, you’re a priest. If they want magic, tell them to go to Hollywood.”

As priests, we study the movement of spiritual forces that the ancients call and we invoke the power of the orisas and the ancestors. And once we do our job, we leave it in the hands of the orisas, knowing that the words of Ifa will eventually come to pass. That’s how Baba Epega trained me.

“But when will the words of Ifa come to pass?” I once asked.

I didn’t really like the answer then and I’m not sure I like it now, but here’s the truth: the words of Ifa will come to pass when the time is right. Even the most advanced priest might not be able to pinpoint when the prediction will manifest. Today? Tomorrow? Next month? Next year? Ten years from now?

And then Baba told me of one prediction that took 20 years to materialize.

He also warned me that some clients will not want to hear the truth. “Don’t believe that bullshit,” he said. “They want to hear what they want to hear. But your job is to tell them the truth. They can take it or leave it.”

I’ve been thinking about Baba a lot because I do readings for clients now, and I’ve come to realize that most people are in a rush. I always tell them to slow down.

One client called 30 days after her reading and said “you told me there will be a new lover?” I did, but I certainly did not tell her when. I’m no magician and I’m not trying to be one.

Ifa is a way of life. It is not about getting what you want, when you want it. We are dealing with universal energies. Yes, we invoke forces and appeal to forces but we are not in charge of these forces. We are all subject to forces that are beyond our control and understanding.

I’ve come to believe, however, that we get what we need in the right time. I also believe in the concept of a “sacred time” when things take root and flourish in ways that are more profound and often far better than we ever might have imagined.

Our elders remind us that patience is the father of character.

The search for magic is an illusion. Good luck finding it. Genuine spiritual growth is always available, however. But it’s a life-long journey!

May you travel well.

Blessings

James

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“Not knowing who you are is very costly,” says Across The King’s River producer, James Weeks. “Imagine putting a dollar figure on wasted time and potential. Would you be able to pay?”

“It’s impossible to maximize your potential without knowing who you are. Unfortunately, many people drift through life without having a strong sense of purpose,” says Weeks, whose upcoming film explores how African spiritual traditions intersect with modern science.

And when it comes to the universal search for meaning, Weeks, firmly believes African spirituality has a lot to teach us.

“In Africa it is believed that we all come to earth with a specific mission but we tend to forget our mission when we arrive on earth,” Weeks explains.

For this reason, parents in Africa often consult diviners shortly before or after the birth of a child in order to get spiritual insight into the newborn’s life purpose and wishes.

Among the Yorubas of Southwest Nigeria, for example, the “esen’taye” is a ceremony to welcome a child to earth. During the esen’taye, parents learn about the life path of their child and their relationship with guardian spirits known as orisas. In essence, the “esen’taye” provides a spiritual “blue-print” for successfully raising one’s child.

The Dagara tribe of Burkina Faso, on the other hand, often determine the life-purpose of a child during pregnancy.

“A few months before birth, when the child is still a fetus, a ritual called a ‘hearing’ is held. For the Dagara, every person is an incarnation, that is, a spirit who has taken on a body. So our true nature is spiritual. The world is where one comes to carry out specific projects. The living must know who is being reborn, where the soul is from, why it chose to come here, and what gender it has chosen,” says Malidoma Some, one of the leading voices of African spirituality in the West.

But knowing your purpose is one thing – accepting it is another.

“Before you were born, your family learned who you were and what your purpose is. But even if they were to tell you these things, would you believe them? Would you trust them enough? You would not, because when we come here and take on human form, we change our opinions like the wind. When you do not know who you are, you follow the knowledge of the wind,” – says Malidoma Some in his best seller, “Of Water And The Spirit.”

And what’s the advice for those who find themselves chasing the knowledge of the wind because they feel as though they have no one to guide them?

“Listen to the inner voice,” says Weeks. “And trust that inner voice as if your life depends on it, because it truly does. That voice and your heart will never lead you wrong. Also, know that your ancestors are always around you and have your best interest at heart. Call on them for guidance.”

For more information about the upcoming documentary film, Across The King’s River, visit www.acrossthekingsriver.com

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After studying the divinations techniques of Chief Obafemi Fayemi and Christopher Sangodare Brown, I’ve finally branched out to begin offering spiritual readings to the public. I was initiated into Ifa in 2003 by Aseda Agbaye, one of the 16 major Ifa diviners and priests in the world.

Although Ifa predicted many years ago that I would actively divine for others, I often wondered when the prediction would come to pass. I’ve learned that the words of Ifa do indeed manifest but often not exactly when we think it will. It’s important to stay open and leave everything in the able hands of the orisas and the ancestors.

Divination is a beautiful and mathematically precise way of getting spiritual guidance to help you through current challenges. Not sure what decisions to make? A reading will give you the clarity to lead a more successful and harmonious life. My offering of spiritual readings comes from a place of reverence and service. If you would like to schedule a reading, please call me at 510-388-5500 or email me at james@acrossthekingsriver.com

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Ebb and Flow is a short dance clip that features Tulani, my daughter, dancing on a beach in Southern California. You’ll get a chance to meet her in my upcoming film, but for now you can view Ebb and Flow here…

This clip is part of a series called Dances Made to Order, an on-line dance festival produced by Kingsley Iron. The music in Ebb and Flow was edited by Derick Silva.

On a philosophical level, the title as well as the dance, Ebb and Flow, makes me reflect on life as well as Ifa divination and the 256 sacred odus in our tradition that indicate there is an order and pattern behind all things in the universe. Everything ebbs and flows.

What are the sacred odus? The odus are divine forces which are applicable to every event in the past, present and the future. Like the universe, each odu consists of a pair of opposites, the finite and infinite, the male and the female, active and inactive, odd and even, hot and cold, good and evil, positive and negative.

Ifa, the ancient wisdom, is all about balance. Many of our problems arise because we are off balance and because we fail to understand that everything ebbs and flows. And each moment has a different message and lesson for us.

Instead of trying to force things to go your way, the challenge before us is to try to adapt our lives to this great cosmic rhythm and dance. Slow down, allow the meditation of this video to flow with you and through you. Blessings!!

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