Greetings Fari Family!
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.
More life health and prosperity,
Ila Addis
