These two posts can be found on www.farifacts.com, but the information definitely belongs here for the benefit of all sistren seeking to learn more about the Empress Menen Asfaw. It is a brief summary of Her earlier life leading up to her marriage to Tafari Makonnen.
Woyzero Menen Asfaw was born April 3rd 1891 in Egua at the mountain fortress Ambassel, located in the Wollo district of Ethiopia. She was born to noble parents, Jantirar Asfaw Ali and Woyzero Sehin Mikael who was the daughter of the famed King Mikael of Wollo, father of Lidj Iyasu. She had a brother Haile Maryam Asfaw. Much of Her Wollo family carried an Islamic background which was then converted to Orthodox Tewahedo Christianity. Their family line can be traced back to the Prophet Mohammed.
As a young girl Menen, whose name denotes Her beauty and high esteem, was educated at home by tutors. She was taught to read Amharic letters, cotton spinning, household management and childcare.
Throughout Her life Menen was devoted to Her faith. She loved going to church with Her mother and women of Her community. Like many young Tewahedo girls of Her time Menen had crosses tattooed on Her hands. From an early age, 9 years old, in the year 1900, Menen was married by civil contract (an arranged marriage organized by family for the purpose of economic/political/social alliances), becoming Woyzero (Mrs.) Menen. She had her first child at age eleven. In Her first marriage to Dejazmatch Ali of Cherecha She had two children a boy Jantirar Asfaw Ali and a girl Balaynesh Ali.
This marriage ended in divorce and She wed again to Dejazmatch Amede Ali Aba-Deyas; having another boy and girl, Jantirar Gebre Egziabeher Amede and Desta Amede.
Both husbands were prominent Wollo nobles. Her second husband died suddenly and Her grandfather Negus Mikael arranged for Her to marry a Shoan noble Ras LeulSeged Atnafseged. This marriage was annulled, however, so that She could marriage Dejazmatch Tafari Makonnen when She was 20 years old, which was Her first marriage officiated in the Orthodox Church. Her four children were left in the care of their fathers' families, as in Ethiopian custom, only children under the age of 5 were allowed to stay with their mothers after a divorce.
These children however, continued to be close to the monarchy in later years, and were given prestigious marriages and so on. The Empress had the benefit of having all of her children in her life.
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Dejazmatch Tafari Makonnen at a young age was first married briefly to Woyzero Altayech and had one daughter Princess Romanework Haile Sellassie. This was a civil contract marriage, which was a very popular custom in Ethiopia back then, where families would arrange unions between their children before they came of age, for the purpose of making social, economic and political alliances. These civil marriages could be annulled if the families did not wish to renew their contracts. The second type of traditional marriage was conducted by the Tewahedo Orthodox Church when the bride and groom were of consenting age. A civil union was not recognized by the Church. Woyzero Menen also was married under civil contracts three times before She wed Dejazmatch Tafari in the Church. She had four children from those unions. The Church did not recognize Their previous marriages. On July 27th (or possibly 29th) 1911 at the age of 19 when He was Governor of Harar, Dejazmatch Tafari was legally wed to Woyzero Menen Asfaw (aged 20) in Harar as organized by Her uncle Lidj Iyasu (heir the throne). Their marriage was arranged, but it was a love match. It was observed by Her uncle that She and Tafari, his cousin, had a natural rapport and deep attraction to one another. For the marriage ceremony Woyzero Menen travelled 45 days to Harar from Addis Abeba to meet Her future husband. Their official marriage followed traditional Tewahedo custom: they were both robed in the “Cloak of unity,” exchanged their wedding bands, anointed with the holy anointing oil and crowns were placed on their heads. Then They took the matrimonial oath and received Their first holy sacrament of Communion as a married couple. It was believed that an official Ethiopian marriage which was in tuned with the Most High’s will and favour, would be blessed with children, material abundance and a strong spiritual foundation. These three blessings were granted to Emperor Haile Sellassie I and Empress Menen Asfaw throughout Their marriage which lasted over fifty years. They had a home filled with love, peace and adoration abundantly shared among Their six children and many many grandchildren. Upon the Empress’ passing on Febreuary 15 1962, His Majesty commended Her great spirit and the peaceful union They shared as husband and wife: “All of you knew her well but she was more intimately known by I. She was devoutly religious and did not lose her faith even in the time of hardship. During the memorable days of Our companionship We never had differences that needed the intervention of others. As Sarah was to Abraham, so was she obedient to I. Our wishes were mutual until we were separated by the Almighty. Her assistance for the good of the young, the old and the needy requires no testimony for they are greater than thoughts and words. We have been extremely pleased to live long enough in the perfect union that enabled us to see our offspring, our grandchildren and our great grandchildren. We are thankful to the Almighty for having vouchsafed to us that long uninterrupted union which is not very common in the world today: There could be no more profound prayer for I to utter. In spite of Our utmost efforts efforts to save her life in her time of illness, she was overtaken by the fate of Adam and passed away.”
Sources: The Biography of Empress Menen Asfaw The Mother of the Ethiopian Nation by Anjahli Parnell and
I made a post about Saying No to Burn Out and I wanted to improve upon it with these fourteen tips which I have discussed in the following video.
These tips are:
1. get more rest/sleep
2.exercise, dance and sing
3. eat well
4. carve out personal me time
5. have a passion/hobby
6. pamper yourself
7. change of scenery
8. seek counselling
9. have a girls' night out
10. ask for help
11. set boundaries
12. readjust your mindset
13. pray and worship
14. keep going
I also want to encourage Dawtas to download and join Clubhouse, as I intend to host live chats with the sistren on that space, hopefully every Sunday around 6 pm Eastern time (10 pm UK, 5pm Central). It would be wonderful for us to build a space there where we can share our works, promote our businesses and discuss important matters affecting us in this time, and also learn from each other in sharing skills and knowledge on business, health and homeschooling. My handle is Ila Addis and once you follow me, I will follow you back. Click the bell to be notified whenever I start a room. Please also become a member of the Rasta WifeLine Club!
Give thanks and I pray all sistren have a restful sabbath.
Remember to stay strong and never give up no matter what challenges may arise. We all face hardships and we all feel overwhelmed - even on a daily basis, but it is important that we care for ourselves by seeking balance and taking rest whenever possible. It is important that we also take the time to reflect and plan our busy schedules so that we can move efficiently and with as little stress as possible. Remember that you are always in control of your life and where it's headed!
Just by chance I came across this video of the Imperial Great Grandchildren of Ethiopia, who fled the country to save their own lives after the DERG captured their parents, who subsequently died.
Princessed Rahel and Meheret and Prince Samson speak about their experiences and hope for the future. Humbled, beautiful, resilient and well- spoken. I can't help but wonder what became of them and their siblings. We can all only hope that our children will carry on our names with such strength and grace.
Volume is a bit low, but let I know what you thought of it!
I have a quick announcement to make: Rasta WifeLine videos are back on YouTube! As some have already realized, I have deleted the old set which were of horrible quality visually and with extremely poor audio, and have started re-doing some of them. I cannot say that I will redo all, but I have started the process of uploading new content already. The new channel is called Rasta WifeLine so I do encourage you to Subscribe there. I plan to use the old ILA Designs channel for sewing DIYs once I can find a space to facilitate that. At the end of this post I have posted the video for this particular topic so you can forward from there. Feel free to also email me about any particular topics you would like me to reason about, or any important information you wish to share.
Note that this post is a transcription of what is on the video at the end.
What are the virtues of a Rastafari wombman, what makes her a royal, successful, influential and beautiful woman to know and behold? What are qualities she should strive to emulate in her being? I will provide a list of 14 virtues that all Rasta wombman should possess, and which we should always consider in evaluating ourselves. How can we be better women? How can we elevate ourselves and each other?
In creating this list, I myself have identified areas where I need to put in some more work but I also feel self-assured in others. I have been reminded of the importance of ensuring that my children receive good examples of these virtues from me, so that they too can learn how to be proud, strong, wise and relentless in pursuing their own paths.
1. Divinity
The first virtue of the Rastafari woman is knowing herself as a divine creation, her divinity.
The rasta woman is a goddess in the flesh, a spiritual being having an earthly experience, she is a Creatress, a queen of life, light and love. she is one third of the divine trinity, she knows that her ability to bring forth life from the spiritual to the earthly plane is a gift of the Divine. The world is in her and of her, and she is the world. she must know her glory and her worth in this divine role, and overstand who she was before, who she is now, and her purpose for the now and the future, so that she may continue to elevate and evolve into her Highest Self. Being in touch with her own divine nature is her true crowning glory. Her knowledge of self is her divine crown. She lives a sacred life and creates sacred space around her. she womanifests Zion from her sacred womb and her heart.
2. Self- Raspect
Being one with her divine nature and purpose comes with a heavy dose of self-raspect. She knows who she is and what her role is on this earthly plane and she treats herself with the utmost care and intention in contributing to the circle of life and her tribe and community. She treats her mind, her spirit and her body temple with raspect and love, with truth and goodness. She does not defile herself with pollution – whether in the form of negative or toxic thoughts, people or information. She does not sell her body or use her body to get what she wants from any man. She does not compromise her values for gain, no matter what it is.
She will not carry herself in a manner that does not represent the queen and spiritual being that she is. She will be mindful of how she treats others and how she is treated in return, being sure that all her interactions are rooted in raspect, love, truth and honour. Because she raspects herself, she knows that whatever she wishes to receive has to serve her authentically and align with her opinion of herself. She knows her worth and treats herself as the priceless treasure that she is.
3. Intelligence
A Rasta woman is a woman who knows. She has knowledge about so many aspects of life and the world around her, that she carefully molds herself into a well-rounded unit of productive purpose. She never stops learning, she never stops edifying herself, she never stops elevating her skills and her mind. She pursues knowledge in everything that interests her, she is also a teacher, and shares her ideals with others, spreading that good word around for the benefit of her tribe. She can make important decisions in all manners of life because she informs herself as needed. She plans, she takes care in her actions, she does not act in haste or ignorance. She is intelligent enough to know how to behave herself in the home and in public.
4. Discernment
As an extension of her intelligence is her discernment, her shrewdness, just as was the way of the Empress Menen Asfaw. She is a discerning person, she is sensitive to the vibes around her, she is attuned to her intuition. She is able to chart her path before her, seeking what is good and right, and casting aside what is damaging because she is capable of judgement, of weighing pros and cons, and seeing things as they truly are. She is smart and wise enough to know what activities are beneficial to her, and what are not. She cannot be fooled by Babylon or any individual that seeks to deceive her or members of her tribe.
She is capable of discerning the ways and moves of her kingman as well, advising him on what feels wrong, or advising him on the company he keeps. She does this respectfully, speaking from the heart and gut, not in a condescending manner. She is a keen judge of character, therefore. And this is one of her protective attributes as a Lioness, and a Queen.
5. Temperance or Self-Discipline
The Rasta woman raspects herself and therefore she has self-discipline. She is a strong and sacred wombman, and that means that she has the capacity to exercise self-control. She controls how she reacts to tense and negative situations, she controls how she reacts to tribulations. She does not fight and abuse others, her mouth is not filthy – she does not cuss – and I will say excessively, because we all have those moments when one or two bad words will escape. She is not one who speaks with violence, she does not bring others down with her words and actions. She has great restraint in difficult or frustrating situations, she does not lash-out - she controls her temper in the home, how she deals with her partner and the children, as well as her friends.
Because she is intelligent and self-raspecting, she also knows how to be disciplined in the way she treats herself – she takes care of her body with what she eats. She exercises, she feeds her mind also with the right things and shuns anything that she knows is a pollutant. She is Ital, she feeds her body mind and soul with the fruits of the earth and waters. She is sober, she abstains from harmful substances that addle the mind.
She is disciplined in her works as well. She applies herself to her projects and accomplishes her goals because she knows she is worth the rewards. She exercises patience and restraint when dealing with difficult personalities in her job, whether it be an employer, co-worker or customer. She is respectful, cheerful and courteous while being strong-willed and uncompromising in her self-respect.
6. Cheerfulness
The Rastafari woman is so blessed that she is a cheerful person. She is cheerful in her soul, cheerful in her body, cheerful in her home, cheerful in her works, cheerful in her relationships. People wish to bask in her presence, they wish to reason with her because she is a light in their life. they stop on the street and stare because of this happy vibe that radiates from her person. She shines the light of Rastafari, the goodness of his and her majesty. Her kingman is so proud of her beauty which is not just her outward appearance but defined by her heart, her vibes. Her cheerfulness makes him cheerful, he is uplifted and strengthen by it.
7. Courteousness
And to add to cheerfulness is a strong measure of courteousness or politeness. In her positive attitude she is courteous to people, she speaks with kindness, she is encouraging, she knows how to treat people in the manner in which she wants to be treated. The Rasta woman has manners everywhere she goes, she has respect for her elders and strangers in the street. She does not act or speak out of prejudice and racism, and handles such situations with a level-head and diplomacy.
8. Cleanliness
A Rasta wombman is clean. She is clean mentally, physically and spiritually. She exorcises all demons from her mind, body and spirit. She banishes everything destructive from her past that she may start a new life in Rastafari with a clean slate. She keeps her mind and actions clear of negativity such as jealousy, envy, vindictiveness, and self-denigrating thoughts and deeds. she does not speak or think badly about herself.
Cleanliness is godliness. She keeps her body clean, she washes regularly, practices good oral hygiene, she keeps her home clean and fragrant, and her clothing is clean and well made. She makes the effort to be present herself to her kingman and the world with beauty. She cherishes her natural beauty, she is proud of her person and values herself. She teaches her children these important values of deportment as well. she ensures her family is well maintained and moves about in society with pride and self-respect.
She is spiritually clean in the sense that she practices and acts with faith and righteousness, she is balanced in Maat, she reads texts that keep her spiritually minded whether it’s Scriptures, the Writings of Kemet, the speeches of His Majesty and other Black authors and revolutionaries. She also practices meditation, fasting, dance, exercise and other physical acts which cleanse her temple. She is the living Maat.
9. Tenacity
(how many times did I pronounce this word wrong in the video? Quite a few pronunciation mistakes but meh, I'm only human! Editing is hard with free software Lol.)
The Rasta Dawta is a pillar: She is steadfast, unwavering, persistent and hardworking. She has the patience and temperament to work for that which she wishes to obtain. She does not give up no matter how much it takes, no matter how long it takes to achieve her goals. She also applies her tenacity to her home. She overstands the power of the Nuclear family unit. She overstands the importance of solidifying the Royal Afrikan Family no matter how hard it may be at times to keep the balance. She is persistent in keeping her home unified and cheerful and her marriage as well. She is relentless in providing the best care for her family at all times. Tenacity leads to the next virtue which is:
10. Patience in Long-Suffering
The Rasta Queen is a pillar of strength because she has patience and is able to endure and persevere through all trials and tribulation without allowing it to crush her spirit. She suffers at times, but she does so while keeping her head held high, her household in order and herself in good health and presentation. She overstands that nothing worth having, comes without hardship, which essentially builds character, and strengthens her as a lioness.
She does not give up when things are hard or when it seems like she will never reach where she wants to go, or achieve that which she strives for. But that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t know when it is time to change course and approach her goals through different methods – she is discerning.
She can ENDURE any situation that requires suffering and hard labour. She is grateful for any support that she receives, and she is strong enough to know when to ask for help, but even in doing that, she endures without debasing herself or any other person. She may suffer but she does not let it destroy her because she has her faith and security in universal favour. She knows that tomorrow is a new creation and that there is a rainbow at the end of the storm. She knows that Jah is always there and is always protecting her.
11. Gratitude
She also practices Gratitude in the midst of everything she endures. She is grateful for her home, marriage, children and her works. She wastes none of her gifts, none of her opportunities. She is grateful for whatever she has, and has the ability to find joy and edification in each day and situation. She does not waste her time comparing herself to others, she does not measure herself or way of life against anyone else in a way that damages her self-esteem, she is grateful for where she is in life, and she is grateful to continue to grow and rise, and to greet each new day and each new opportunity. She grateful for the inspiration and love that she receives to do this.
12. Modesty or Humility
Modesty can be related to temperance or self-discipline, and self-respect. When we say modesty in Rastafari, ones immediately think of how a wombman dresses, meaning how demure or decent she is – her long skirt, her long shirt sleeves, her covered crown, her lack of make-up and jewellery. This type of modesty is a personal choice that a Rasta woman makes for herself and is not necessarily the form of modesty that she lives by on a daily basis. While the demure style of dress is important, there are different expressions of that today. Some may be modest but wear a long pants instead of skirt or dress. Some may wear jewellery but no make-up, some may not cover their hair, but wear it neatly. It varies from person to person even though we have that traditional sense of how a Rasta woman dresses.
Being related to temperance and self-raspect, Modesty is about a sense of reservation, decency or propriety in not just dress, but in speech and behaviour, and in how one thinks of oneself. Modesty is humility, the opposite of boastfulness and vanity. It shows a sense of moderation, where a dawta does not engage in excesses or pretentions. The way a Rasta wombman is modest still carries a strong sense of self-care, self-love, confidence, pride and integrity. It is not that she is stripped of everything that makes her feel good about herself or is prevented from having a voice in her home and community – being overly modest in this way, may do more damage to self-confidence, personal happiness and fulfilment in the long run.
The type of modesty that we roll with means that we have cast aside the ways of the world which do not serve the goddess self. We are humble enough to let go of what no longer serves us under the banner of Rastafari and in forging our divine path. We strive to be decent in multiple ways: kind and courteous, even tempered, considerate and compassionate.
The Rasta queen is humble in the face of who she is, what she is and what she has achieved. She overstands that humility plays a role in her lifestyle because she is not just representing herself, but the Emperor and Empress, the Afrikan race, her kingman and her children. She is conscious of who she presents to the world.
She casts aside the woman of Babylon, she casts aside bacchanalia or chaos. She is humble in getting to know who she really is and what her life’s purpose is. She takes the time to reflect on her ways and the nature of her personality. She comes out of the world to build that Afrikan queendom. She sets aside the mainstream world with all its lies, misrepresentations, sickness and iniquity to be her true self, to be a goddess. She is forever a student, humbled to learn and humbled to teach.
13. Charity
Charity is an act of love and goodwill. It is a blessing to the soul to be able to give and expect nothing in return. As mothers and wives Rasta women perform acts of charity daily. Everything she does comes from a place of unconditional love. It is also a blessing to the community for a sistren to share her skills and knowledge and to donate what she can. Her contributions to the upliftment of Rastafari are priceless and truly rewarding to all on the receiving end. Empress Menen was very selfless and charitable, often using her money to provide education for young women, establish businesses or take care of elders and churches.
But while it is important to be charitable, loving and selfless, a Rasta woman should also be charitable with established boundaries. She should not give more than she rationally can to anyone, because she must still carry a sense of self-preservation. She must not overfill her cup. She must not allow others to abuse her kindness. Her acts of charity must not rob the family of what it needs either. We all will meet people who see the good in us, who observe our talents, and who will take advantage, disregarding the cost to our personal well-being. Some call them “energy vampires.” So while it is a good for a Dawta to be selfless, to share her talents, and to do good work for others, she must be wise in her actions and she should not be afraid to be charitable on her own terms in certain situations. She also must not overstep the boundaries of others in being charitable, simply offering what is asked rather than enforcing her will upon others. She must teach her children the wisemind behind charity as well, teach them to stand up for themselves when others also wish to compromise that charity. This is an extension of intelligence, self-respect and discernment.
14. Authenticity
A Rasta Woman IS a Rasta woman because it feels right in her soul that this is who she is meant to be. She is not taking up this culture, dressing, acting or worshipping in a manner that does not sit right in her soul. She is not pretending just to win the love of a man. She is not pretending because it suits her career choice. She overstands the weight of her decision to say Rastafari, and she overstands who she is representing, and what she stands for as Rastafari. She IS Rastafari authentically. It is a calling, a sighting, or it is a livity that she has learned from her parents, and she knows that compared to mainstream society, that Rastafari is an honourable way to live. It is an expression of Afrikan spirituality which is truly complex because it incorporates so many cultures and religious ideals, but also ancient and wholesome values. She blossoms into her true self because she is true to her heart and emotions and she knows what she wants out of this life. She is prepared to shoulder whatever burdens may come, and to do it with her head held high because in her heart, the King of Kings and the Queen of Queens live and reign forIver more.
To recap, the 14 virtues are Divinity, Self-Raspect, Intelligence, Discernment, Temperance, Cheerfulness, Cleanliness, Tenacity, Patience in Long-Suffering, Gratitude, Modesty/Humility, Charity, Authenticity.
But I am adding one more here in this post because it only occurred to me now after the fact, and after going through an older post I made about the Conduct of Rasta Man and Woman
15. Accountable for Self
It is absolutely MOST NECESSARY that we be accountable for ourselves! Everything and anything that we do, we must be accountable for it. We must be able to acknowledge when our attitudes are less than amicable or even righteous, and we must acknowledge when we fall on the side of error, and seek to correct ourselves and whatever damage we have caused.
These virtues are just an Iditation I had when I was listening to my old video on Proverbs 31 Virtuous Woman. I was inspired to cultivate a proper list which, in my opinion, would be more beneficial to myself and all of us in this current time. A Virtuous Rastawoman is hardworking, fruitful, wise, patient, loving, smart...everything! And Empress Menen gives us the inspiration to overcome all hardships and strive to be better and do better every day. I am continuously grateful after all these years, to be inspired by Rastafari Dawtas all over the world, to keep striving and doing my best in my little corner of the world. By comparison here is a list of the Virtuous Woman qualities as one can surmise from the biblical verses:
of good
reputation
wise
good-natured
disciplined/disciplinary
hardworking
skillful
self-sufficient
trustworthy
compassionate
generous
humble
prosperous
confident
regal
able to
make good decisions
livicated
to children & husband
God-fearing
health/appearance
conscious
I encourage you to write in the comments which virtues resonate with you most. Share with me which ones you think you need to work on, or you can also tell me which virtues I have not mentioned that you deem important - such as creativity or faithfulness. Thank you for being here and sticking with Rasta WifeLine over the years, please make sure to subscribe to the channel and this blogspot, and also like the video if it truly was a wholesome message you were grateful to receive. Likes help the videos to be found in searches. Plus, your feed back provides me with the encouragement and moral support to continue developing this content.
I pray the sistren are holding firm during this difficult time.
Blessed Empress Menen Day to the beloved Dawtas of Rastafari!
Although the correct date in the Gregorian calendar is April 3rd for the Empress’ Earthstrong, March 25th will always be our day to honour and selahbrate our Mighty, Fearless Queen Menen Asfaw.
Historically, March 25th was celebrated as the resurrection or birth of the Christ, the opening of the New Year and the beginning of spring. Being so close to the vernal or spring equinox (when the Earth faces the Sun broadside or flat on, instead of being tilted towards the North or South as during solstices), it is a time of year when cosmic and terrestrial birth or rebirth were honoured through fasting, feasting and festivals.
The mighty Mother Goddess ruled supreme, having given birth to her beautiful babe, an allegory for the Creatress bringing the beauty of vegetation back to the land. She was called Easter, whose symbol was the egg or ovum, for fertility. On the masculine side, the crossing of the Sun over the vernal equinox was indicative that the Draconian Devil was conquered, as the glorious King emerged from the tomb of the Underworld or winter.
I think it is important for all Dawtas to truly capture the essence of this time of year, as a time of rebirth and shedding darkness and death (winter blues), looking forward to renewal in our lives. As wombman in tuned to our inner Light, our inner Kristos, it can be a truly transformative, invigorating experience to embrace the seasonal changes and align ourselves with the renewing shifts of the cosmos. For the Tewahedo Rastafari, this has been a time of cleansing and renewal of faith as well.
The Kemetic Sisters usually fast for the equinox, performing self-care rituals to heal and purge their minds and bodies, so that they bring new life to their thoughts, their words, their actions. Some common spring time renewal and healing rituals are: smudging the home with various cleansing spices, gums or leaves; surrounding oneself with quartz and citrine crystals; salt, flower or essential oil baths; exercise; clean eating; parasite purging and drinking tons of water to hydrate and replenish the body on a cellular level. My goal for this year has been to drink no less than 1.5 L of water daily. Having reiki, massage, sauna and bush baths are other types of restorative work that I have seen Rasta Dawtas bring forward as well. Cleaning out the house and getting rid of clutter is also a positive renewal ritual practiced by women all over the world. Spending time in nature or tending to a new kitchen or flower garden are also important activities for this season of rebirth, welcoming the new earth and new light.
Aries, the strongest Fire Sign, the Sign of Empress Menen’s birth, is an enthusiastic, passionate and ego-directed sign overall, but its greatest qualities are enterprise, leadership and tenacity. Aries are natural born leaders, just like Leos, known for their intense sense of self will and success. The Aries woman is typically hot-tempered and domineering, yet spontaneous, full of life, intelligent and creative.
Empress Menen definitely expressed some of these qualities openly for us to observe and be inspired by. We know she was an excellent business woman, and an exceedingly capable queen. We know that She did not let the loss of Her beloved children put a stop to Her works for the greater good. She was not a queen that spent Her time indulging in Her riches – She was livicated to enriching the lives of the women of Ethiopia and Eritrea. His Majesty relied on Her counsel and trusted in Her strengths to head the household and finances.
Empress Menen for me epitomizes the spiritual, hardworking, patriotic and nurturing mother and wife. But she also represents the sacred Feminine Goddess or Womb Energy that lives within each and every one of InI. This Feminine Force has taken millions of names on this Earthly plane since the dawn of time. In Christianity She has been named Mary, which in Semitic languages was Mari, and in Kemetic Meri, meaning Beloved or Mother or Woman. Her title is “Mother of God” which is the same as Neter Mut, the sacred mother in Kemet. Mary was also the “Great Virgin” which is Parthenos in Greek. Auset/Isis and Neit were all called HWNT “the Great Virgin” thousands of years before Mary. Neit was known as a perpetual virgin too.
I draw references to the similarities between these different languages, nations and ultimately religions, because it is important for the Rasta Wombman in this time to grasp the universality of The Sacred Feminine, whether as Mother, Wife, Queen or Goddess. It is all one and the same, regardless of religion or race or culture. By all peoples, the healing, nurturing and restorative power of the Wombman is celebrated and cherished through the Gods - the Lioness being one of the oldest animals associated with the Mother Goddess, along with vultures, fish, serpents and cows. We are reflections of that Divine Energy of many names and womanifestations. She is in our wombs, in our touch, in our words, in our style and grace, our fierceness, our love. She is in the animals, the plants, flowers, the earth, the waters and the Heavens.
The Rasta Wombman culture now, as caretakers of the Earth and its children, is Goddess Energy or Vibes. This is what InI have inherited from the Empress. The same power existed then and will exist in our daughters and their daughters. It is so diverse, and is expressed in so many ethnicities, but it is the One True Sacred I. We must remember to care for Her and Nurture Her in our livity, in the way we treat ourselves. We must teach our daughters to honour Her as well, and of course our sons and kings.
I give thanks to be a strong wombman and fruitful goddess in this life, in this time, in this space. I give thanks to see that thousands of women from all races, are now awakening to their own latent goddess energy, and are now living Ital and harmonizing with their spiritual or Iyah selves. I give thanks for Empress Menen’s example and the example of all women worldwide, my beloved sistren, my friends, my customers, my readers, my own mother and daughter, my sisters, aunts, nieces and cousins. I give thanks that we are all here, and that we are all part of this season of renewal and unfolding beauty.
Remember as the strong-end opens up from tomorrow which is Friday – Freya’s Day or Venus’ Day - that:
It's been so long but JAH know my absence is due to the volume of works I am preparing to bring forth this year (JAH willing). So before I introduce my newest offering I will just give a brief run through of what is going on with me, Ila Addis, at this point.
I am currently on the final editing of my first book to be published: The Lion of God is the working title at this time. It is a five year long expansion of the article I posted back in 2014 The Sun Lion King: Cosmic Messianic Symbolism in Rastafari
I never expected to be taken on this journey but alas it has truly been an enlightening one, where I have come to see that what Rastafari hold dear in our beliefs about His Majesty Haile Sellassie I, are well founded but have not been explored in a collective fullness. So this offering will be my personal exploration into the 'hidden symbolism' and deeper meanings behind the Messianic symbolism of Judeo-Christianity, which we attribute to the Emperor.
Secondly, I have been posting my recipes to www.italpeople.blogspot.com instead of here, so please do connect with that site if you haven't. I am also on instagram as @italpeople. I have been absent for a while there as well but I am preparing to post some more recipes starting today. I also am requesting that Sistren or Brethren email me recipes for not just Ital food but body and home care as well, anything with child care. Ital People is not just about me personally, but about the Ital Livity of the Rastafari collective, so please do contribute! You will be credited. Email me your recipe in article style, with pics and your social media info at italpeople@gmail.com. I would apprecilove it. Ones who work in culinary arts or produce body care items this is a great opportunity for you to get yourself known to the community as well.
Thirdly, my website is still up www.iloveafrika.com Tams and Loc Caps and Wraps are the major sellers at this point. I haven't had the funds to produce my Afrika patchwork skirts like in previous years but I am always hoping to get back to the works.
Fourth, my kingman Jahmaro (instagram @jahmarro) and I have finally been able to produce our own Tshirt line through Amazon. We upload the print and they do all the shipping and so on. So you can find our heartworks by typing in Amazon Search ANCIENT LIONAGE you can find links to the tshirts at www.iloveafrika.com
so far it is just to the USA but we hope to upload to the UK Amazon soon.
Fifth, and to the point of this post, I have FINALLY finished a few of my worksheet printable packs for homeschooling Mamas! It has been a long journey because I have been drawing and digitally colourising the images and creating/formatting the worksheets myself which is a LONG AND TEDIOUS process! Luckily Jahmaro has been helpful with drawing the images of people and animals for me - I am useless when it comes to those types of images haha. So far I only have language arts up but I am working on some Math packs now, and then some Reading Comprehension and Writing packs.
Some of these packs will be freebies at the Teachers Pay Teachers store but on my website I can't offer items free so they will be only $1.00. So I really do hope you will check them out, support the works and also spread the word to other homeschoolers. It is important to bring Rastafari into the classroom and it is very hard to do that without materials that bear the images or themes. Homeschooling is packed with so much subjects to cover, I am pleased to integrate the two. I have developed and used these sheets as I teach my own five year old prince so I myself have been benefiting along the way.
Please leave me some feedback when you download any item on the TpT store. You can also follow my Pinterest Board where I will post up new packs that are available in the store.
Finally, I give thanks for another year ahead, especially since my personal health has improved in the last year (which was why I was also absent - arthritis, anxiety and stress are no joke!)
I am really hoping to once again become more active in the online Rastafari community through Ital People, RastaWifeLine, FariFacts and ILA Designs. It's a lot but my commitment and passion for the works has never ceased, I just need my body to keep up with all the things my mind wants to achieve!
I am also hoping to get back to posting videos on youtube because there are some things I want to re-address in RastaWifeLine, but I need time with QUIET in my house to do so haha!
Everything will forward in JAH Time but I thank you for sticking with me through the years, and I thank the Sistren who take the time to send me an email or post on social media to let me know I am missed! I miss connecting with you too.
Blessed Love and for 2019 let us focus on doing the WORK for Rastafari Upliftment!
Ila Addis
Journaling is an important step to include on your mission to Vibrate Higher. In order to change and improve your mind, body and Irit (spirit) you must first “Know Thyself.” You must first sort through all the many aspects that define you – your experiences, your thoughts, your relationships, your goals, you inhibitions, your desires.
Journaling helps you to sort through yourself so that you can learn who you are on many levels.
It helps you to identify patterns of negativity – experiences or people that have caused blockages, fear and low self-esteem. It helps you identify sources in your life that cause pain and joy, sources that need to be improved or removed. It helps you identify toxic situations and people so that you may remove them for your own health and happiness.
Journaling helps you to make informed decisions about who you want to become for the greater good.
Journaling helps you to sort your feelings, habits, attitudes, actions – past and present, your strengths and weaknesses.
It helps you to determine what steps you need to take to achieve your goals. It allows the space to determine what is needed for you to achieve them.
Journaling creates a sense of self-awareness that allows you to apprecilove and draw upon all positive things about yourself or positive experiences.
Journaling documents your thoughts, hopes and dreams so that you can constantly remind yourself of the future and foundation you are aiming to build each day.
Journaling says YES I CAN, and I AM DOING GREAT.
Journaling is a form of releasing past hurt and negativity, unblocking your mind and body, as you are free to pour your pain onto the page thereby releasing such thoughts and words from your body. You can destroy the pages to bring a final release and cleanse yourself.
Journaling allows you to figure out and solve problems on your own, or it allows you to decide how you will solve conflict with others rationally.
Journaling inspires you to take action, at your own pace, when you are ready. IF things do not go as planned then you can use journaling to regroup, to reassess your ideas and goals and come again. It works with you and for you, because it is your opportunity to always express yourself and figure out where you are going, what you are doing right and wrong.
Journaling is personal, it is your safe space and time to express all the good and the bad. It is an action that is just for you that cannot be controlled or influenced by anyone else but you. So you can be as honest as you need to be no matter how hard it is.
Journaling inspires you to think positive and happy thoughts about yourself and your life, it is quite encouraging and self-loving to write short inspirational poems about yourself, write mantras or one-shot sentences that inspire you or show self-love and care. Stick pictures of yourself at happy times or with people you love, stick inspirational quotes and memes you find so that you can constantly surround yourself with positive image and word sound power.
Journaling is an expression of love because you are committed to healing yourself through your thoughts and these thoughts inspire positive action.
Here are a few journaling prompts to help you get started.
•Things I am grateful for
•People I am grateful for
•Experiences I am grateful for
•Things I am proud about
•Things I am not proud about
•My strengths
•My weaknesses
•Things I wish to change about myself
•Things I love about myself
•Things I love doing
•People I love spending time with
•Positive experiences and memories
•Intentions/Goals for the New Year: family, business, personal, spiritual
•People that inspire me
•Things that inspire me
•People that deflate my confidence
•Thoughts that deflate my confidence
•Good habits
•Bad habits
•Reasons why I am great
•As a parent I am
•As a friend I am
•As a lover/spouse I am
•I wish that I
•I want to
•I feel connected to JAH when
•I feel disconnected from JAH when
•I AM
•I AM NOT
•Adventures I want to have
•In order to achieve my goals I must
•I feel sad/insufficient/unneeded/unloved/incapable when…
•Ten things I love about me
•Ten things I want to change in my life
•My plan to……is
These are just a few ideas that I hope will inspire you to journal, to take action and control of your life and your state of Being. I am no expert on the subject but I do feel that it is necessary for us Dawtas, especially when we feel overwhelmed by life and relationships.
Journaling is a wonder self-improvement and empowering tool. It instills confidence and a sense of clarity which are very important to our daily functioning. People talk about making "new year resolutions" well journaling is a great way to prioritize, reorganize and plan for yourself and your future. It is a good way to "clean house" of all the negativity and make way for abundance and joy.
Get a nice notebook – cover it with pretty fabric or spend extra and get a fancy one. Also acquire a special pen and keep them in a safe place where they can always be on hand but protected from others. Make sure to journal on full and new moon and any special lunar and solar events.
Happy journaling!
Ila Addis
