Empress Menen Asfaw and Spring Renewal Goddess Energy

 

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:

You are a Sacred Wombman.

You are beautiful.

You are intelligent.

You are creative.

You are deserving.

You are strong.

You are capable.

You are doing your best.

You are winning

And 

You got this.

Love and Light in Jah Rastafari,

Sis. Ila Addis

Journaling to Vibrate Higher

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

Vibrate Higher for 2018

For 2018 I wish to inspire all Sistren to grow and improve themselves as I myself aim to do the same. As wives and mothers we tend to lose commitment to ourselves. We become so consumed by work and the needs of others that we often neglect our bodies and our minds. We get so lost in satisfying others that we aren’t even aware of our own needs until stress, anxiety or illness start to knock us down. We go through the motions, we fulfil our duties but we are not fulfilling ourselves on an Iritual level. We can’t give our best to anyone if we don’t first provide for ourselves. In order to improve our lives in various ways, in order to be truly grounded, happy and prosperous we must pay closer attention to our own needs. We must increase our vibration.

To vibrate higher is to consciously enhance our mind, body and Irit, it is the foundation of RasTafari Livity. It is about increasing the positivity in one’s life, to strengthen one’s character and will in order to create a better mental and physical living environment for self and by extention, friends and family.

To vibrate higher is to feed the soul with positive attitudes and actions that serve to make us more in tuned with our God-Self, to make us LIVE in the I-Self rather than just the body.

I have been thinking about my own journey and came up with some steps that will help me to raise my vibration. My intention is for these steps to positively adjust my thoughts, attitudes and habits so that I can be mentally and physically healthy, proactive and at peace – not ill and stressed. Lots of these steps may seem obvious, and familiar as we do already factor most if not all of these things into our daily lives. But there is something more encouraging about writing it all down and feeling responsible for carrying them out. Life is hectic and it gets in the way. A month may pass and you don’t do anything for yourself, take time alone to just relax, clean out the clutter or read a book or pamper yourself. Weeks may pass and you haven’t listened to your favorite music or danced or exercised. Years may pass and you haven’t looked at yourself in the mirror and had a deep discussion about your feelings and what you want for yourself.  Time passes and you forget who you are, who you used to be or who you wanted to become. Time is like a thief in the night when we are just so busy trying to raise a family.

So it is important to make a list, to commit yourself to that list, to review it daily, to even plan for it weekly, just so that you know that YOU are giving YOURSELF what you need to improve and enhance your life. We mustn’t take our lives for granted. We must dwell in the present and consciously create a better future.

Start by journaling, by sitting down and having a quiet conversation with yourself about your fears, your wants, your strengths, weaknesses and the goals you need to set for yourself in order to improve your situation and how you view yourself and life. Then make that list and stick it up in a place that you can see it every day. Make other mini lists in your journal as well, of your dietary intentions, your exercise regime, a list of activities and projects you wish to try. Make lists about the relationships and characters in your life so that you are more aware of the people who positively and negatively influence you. Changing your vibrations also includes the vibrations of others around you.

Create visuals for yourself. Use Pinterest to create vision boards of these things as well - collect recipes, inspiring photos, mantras and DIY tutorials. Use the internet for positive reinforcement and stay away from all the “people watching” which does nothing but make you feel bad about yourself or makes you feel like your life is shit compared to others. You see people out there doing things you cannot do because you don’t have the money or have a family to take care of. The negative feelings and thoughts that arise from social media creates a negative living environment for your mind and soul within your body. It is depressing and is like a disease.

For the last few years I myself do not go on social much anymore aside from Instagram (which I limit outside of business) because I find it counteractive to my self-confidence and it is time consuming. I choose to spend my time working on me - my business and my written works since becoming a published author is my biggest goal, one I hope to fulfill by 2019.  These commitments have also caused me to stray from Rasta WifeLine which I am not proud of, but have been necessary for me to achieve my goals for the RasTafari community. All my time away hopefully will be worth it when I am able to publish my book and my homeschooling materials.

So it is important to prioritize your time, to spend your time constructively. We often say there aren’t enough hours in the day, but there are once we choose to use them wisely. Orient your time in a way that works for you, that promotes YOUR BEST SELF. Taking time away from others is beneficial and necessary to your goals and you mustn't regret that. Vibrating higher requires full commitment, full dedication to the cause which is to improve yourself and your life.

So here is my list, which you are free to copy or use as a template for yourself and your needs:

1. Daily affirm mantras and compliments to myself in the mirror. State my intentions to myself.
2. Plan a daily routine of Ises, Exercise and Meditation
3. Journal daily or weekly to focus my intentions, process my feelings, track my growth and tackle my inhibitions
4. Don’t worry or stress – instead make plans for improvement or find solutions instead.
Never go to bed angry or stressed, clear the mind and lighten my mood first.
5. Budget and control my attachment to money – don’t let it stress or control me
6. Spend time outdoors in the natural elements
7. Learn and use crystals for attracting positive energy and healing
8. Dance!
9. Read!
10. Smile!
11. Pamper or treat myself once a month
12. Eat healthy live foods and drink plenty of water
13. Wear nice clothing everyday, things that make me feel like a goddess
14. Get enough rest – to bed early, rise early
15. Create something beautiful for my home, self or others
16. Clear away clutter from my living and work spaces
17. Learn something new, develop a skill that can help me in other aspects of life
18. Set positive goals and activities for myself and family
19. Hug my family and say “I love you” daily
20. Say loving, kind, complimentary and positive things to others
21. Do good deeds for others, especially for the RasTafari community
22. Do not yell
23. Control my temper
24. Do not gossip
25. Stay away from negative people and places, walk away from negative situations
26. Surround myself with inspiring, happy, likeminded people
27. Be grateful
28. Believe  - in the possibility of everything believe I am CAPABLE of accomplishing whatever
29. Visualize the future I wish to have, the person I wish to be
30. Take action and never back down when things are hard
31. Be patient in the process

I hope you will find this idea useful and give it a try. Please let me know how it goes and for the Bredren, I hope you will find these words encouraging and do the same. Tell your Fari family about it, encourage others to make the next year of life a better more Upfull one.
RasTafari on the whole needs to raise its vibration as a collective force in the world. Let us all individually work towards the greater good.

Ila Addis

Four Lessons to gain from the Coronation of Emperor Haile Sellassie I

Blessed Ilah Honourable Coronation Selahbration to one and all RasTafari Idren on this day,


I give thanks for November 2nd 1930 as a constant reminder of the greatness and Ivinity of Emperor Haile Sellassie the First, Negus Tafari Makonnen. A Man who fought all odds to claim a seat of power that He knew was destined to be His no matter the socially accepted order of succession. The throne of Ethiopia was not just handed to HIM because He was the heir, it was an honour bestowed upon HIM because of His tenacity and Wisemind to do what was necessary to ensure it would become His.

That is the first lesson InI can learn about the coronation, that we must fight for what we know in our hearts to be our destiny. InI must know what our individual calling in life is, so that we can perform all necessary steps to fulfill that purpose. Our works must also be considerate of others, bring goodness to them, uplift their lives. The Emperor didn’t just gain a crown for HIMSelf, but for His people, that He could do what was right and necessary to ensure that their lives improved and that they were protected. This was His purpose, this was the fulfilment of His upbringing as a noble youth, son of a diplomat and leader of an army.

The second lesson InI can learn from the coronation is to stand tall in the presence of our enemies, to treat our enemies with respect and show them our worth even if they will not like it. The Emperor was crowned in front of twelve nations from around the world, namely Europe. He was well aware of the racist attitudes they had towards HIM, especially Great Britain ruled under King George V, but that did not deter HIM from making His legitimacy as Emperor known and respected. These nations bowed to HIM as He ascended a throne more ancient than theirs, in a country more powerful than theirs. Even if for a few days, He forced them to respect the Afrikan nation in its independence, which was a thing most hated by the Europeans. InI must learn to shine even when others cast nets of darkness, InI must see competition as a tool to strengthen ourselves for success. InI must use adversity to better ourselves.

The third lesson is the importance of unity between Husband and Wife, King and Queen. The Empress Menen Asfaw was joined to Her Husband the Emperor on that day eighty-six years ago. This was the first time in Ethiopian Istory that an Empress Consort shared the coronation ceremony of an Emperor. Empress Menen’s anointment as Queen was granted by the Ethiopian Tewahedo Orthodox Church upon the request of Her Husband. She too took a vow to serve Her nation, to be a Guide and Help unto the realm and Her King. She did not merely gain a crown and high position that would move Her into the palace of Emperor Menelik II, but took on an enormous responsibility to share the Emperor’s work. There must be balance and equality in all aspects of a marriage. A wife is not there just to adorn her husband, she is there to uplift and improve him as he handles all the responsibilities and burdens that come with his position in life as a man. And vice versa as well, naturally. There cannot be one without the other. Life is better when there is full unity, love and mutual raspect between a husband and wife. The world they create together as One is beautiful and a thing of power and fruitfulness.

The fourth lesson, sealing the great fourfold journey of the I, Kristos (as represented in the Cross/Ankh/Tau which adorns the crown and orb) is within the symbolism of the crown itself. Coronation Day represents the bestowing of the Crown, the gain of power. In RasTafari InI wear the crown of the Ras, the Natty. InI must remember that the crown or Ras upon our heads is a sacred thing and also a symbol of authority – the authority InI gain over our minds, bodies and souls through our individual awakenings. The Natty represents, like the golden crown given to the Emperor and Empress, InI Jah-given Ivinity, it represents our Union with the Most I – Wisdom, Beauty and Life Iternal. 

The wooly crown is a sacred adornment to the body, it enhances our internal intuition, our connection to the vibrations that exist outside of our bodies. It is an antenna system that feeds upon and yet physically represents the awakening of our senses, the unlocking of our chakras/aritus/light centres in our bodies. The Ras sits upon the head, the head represents the dwelling of Kristos, together they are the pinnacle of InI Kristos-Consciousness. InI must therefore remember to raspect and treasure our crowns, to feed them correctly, both with Ital foods of Neter and with Truth and Wisemind. Our Crowns are manifestations of the glory InI receive through a personal connection with the Ivine I. InI must be conscious not to desecrate the crown with bad words, feelings of ill will towards others and dishonest, destructive works and attitudes. The Emperor and Empress are Figures of High Morality and Goodness and we must remember as Rastafari to emanate the attitude of Kristos in all things, to let our rootical crowns, our lion manes, be reminders of that. A crown is more raspected when its wearer behaves in a worthy manner.

Ultimately, it is the hard times, the difficult struggles that show forth the value of a crown and the greatness of the one who wears it. Let InI be reminded of this fact and shine forth with the power and majesty of a thousand suns.

I invite you to revisit other post I made a few years back on the symbolism of the coronation regalia.

Blessed Coronation Day one and all

Selah!



Ila Addis

Say No To Burn Out

Blessed Love and Power

As Dawtas InI wear many crowns: InI are sisters, daughters, wives, mothers, friends and business women all at once. Although a kingman has his own share of duties and roles, I honestly don't think it can compare to the roles and duties of a wombman.

A man can come home from work and relax after work, but not a wombman, our duties run from sun up til eyes close - meals have to be prepared, clothes have to wash, house has to tidy, business has to be tended to if you're self employed, children have to be settled for bed, homework tended to, homeschool schedule tended to, there are no set working hours for InI.

A kingman can go on vacation from work and relax as he sees fit, help if he wants to, be out all day if he wants to, sleep late if he wants to, but a wife or mother can never do that unless HE is willing to take over her duties! Think about it, InI can go on a family vacation to a beach house or something, but mama still has to rise up early and get everyone dressed, meals prepared, she still has to keep the place in order, still has to cater to every single need of the family.
The only vacation a mama gets is when she is given that vacation without the yutes, or if papa says "I will do it, you relax!"

The old saying "No rest for the weary" never gets old in truth.
InI can easily find ourselves burnt out because as wombman we never.stop.going. InI Never Stop Going!

And sometimes it feels like the kingman dem dont get it! To hear a one complain about vacation over, work starting back etc. but YOU never get a vacation because you still doing the same things everyday without a break of your own. There is no end to the cycle of mama/wifey duties! There is no vacation even when it's vacation for everyone else!

It is important that InI as Wombman find and demand the time for ourselves or we'll burn out - we'll be sour and in bad moods, we'll feel physically ill, mentally fatigued and overall unhappy.

Somehow, sometime, somewhere it is a must that InI have ME TIME.REAL ME TIME
I know many of us don't like to send our yutes to be under the care of others, even if they are family members, I am guilty of that always, but we also have to be reasonable and think about our own selves, and give ourselves one day of peace and quiet, of doing nothing - and I don't mean a day to stay home and clean but a day of no duties whatsoever besides self-pampering, reading, listening to music or just resting in bed! No one to dictate our pace or set the tone!

I know it's an impossible feat sometimes especially when InI don't have the family or even kingman support that is necessary to make it happen. I live in a country different to where I grew up and long for the extra help from my mum or brother who love my children and would gladly keep them for a day or two.

But where there's a will there is a way, and InI have to acknowledge that InI are worthy of rest, and worthy of time to just be ourselves, free of pressure and constant service to others. InI must stand up for our right to relax and rejuvenate rather than always just being slaves to our duties - cause that's how it feel sometimes. While we love the family, it can be OVERWHELMING.  Self love and service is the foundation of loving and serving others.

InI have to have these conversations with our kings and make them see how much we need help when we feel like we are at our breaking points. Hopefully the kings will be willing to support us and offer to help rather than be nagged into helping. All wives ask for is a little initiative, for our kings to read the signs from us. It is not selfish to ask for time alone, neither should it be something that sparks a quarrel when the issue is raised. Mutual overstanding and support makes a happy marriage.

In the meantime, to take the time daily before the yutes rise or after the house is quiet at night is also important, but hard as well. Use the quiet hours for Ises and exercise, reading an inspirational word to set the mind right for the day. It is also necessary to protect the I from burnout: Eat well, rest enough every night, keep hydrated and listen to the body. Visit Nature, tend the garden. Make time to meet with other sistren and just relax, even if the yutes are there. Laughter is great medicine too!

InI must become mistresses of stealing time if we are to keep ourselves strong and mentally capable of being the Super Wombman that everyone thinks we are!

Love Thy Self, Protect the Crown and Listen to your Heart
Say no to Burn Out
Ila

RasTafari WiseMind Magazine July 2016 issue

Blessed Love

I post the July issue of WiseMind Magazine here.
This issue features my article on Rastafari King and Queen Conduct which I posted here on the blog a while ago. I give thanks to be a part of the newsletter again.
The newsletter this month features some great words of the elders, calling us to wake up to the social and political atmosphere that is brewing against Afrikans of the Diaspora. So much of our brothers and sisters are suffering right now in America and we must remember to keep taking our own stand against the system. Support black business, keep your money out of Babylon as much as possible - find a way in your life to be a revolutionary, This is what RasTafari stands for. Now is the time for us to lead by example, to show Afrikan pride in the West and remember the suffering of our elders and ancestors. We must take a stand against the injustice just as the Emperor did and would have Himself.

Give thanks to Ras Ravin and Itrice Beepath for their works in bringing the voices of Rastafari to the world. Let InI learn and grow with one another.

Please remember to view my latest contributions to the RasTafari community at www.farifacts.com 

RasTafari Love!
Ila

RasTafari Wisemind Newsletter June 2016 Issue

Beloved Sistren and Bredren

Here is your link to the June 2016 Wisemind The People's Voice Newsletter Publication.

It includes a special article on Dr Jahzani Kush the author of Roaring Lioness! She is definitely an inspirational pioneering Rastafari Empress.

Give thanks if you share this, please spread it around


Ila

RasTafari Wisemind May News Letter

Greetings and Blessed Love

Just want to share the May 2016 edition of the Wisemind The People's Voice Magazine. This is
 a RasTafari Newsletter which is an effort of the Elders to teach and conserve RasTafari trodition, as well as to voice concerns on the Livity - areas that InI need to improve upon or take heed of more in this time.
Back when I operated under the name of Empress Gong I too was a contributor of Ras Ravin's newsletters so I give thanks to see this Elder still issuing important word sound power to the community.
Give thanks for Life and Light and Idance of RasTafari in this time! Works must forward!

Let me know if the link doesn't work

Wisemind Magazine


RasTafari Love
Ila

Womb Wellness Salad and Dressing

Blessed Love Sistars and Bredren!

So I have been continuing with incorporating as many raw foods into my daily livity as I can - each day varies as does each week. Some days I just don't have enough fruits and veggies to eat mainly raw til dinnertime, other days I do. So it's about finding a balance each day. I have however, definitely cut out snack and sugary or salty foods - no more cheat meals on that end. I have also stopped using marijuana - I stopped smoking a while back, only vaping, but now I am on a break from vaping as well. I am actually hoping to eat the oil instead. This is just what I need to do for myself. I thought my withdrawal would be horrible, but it's been a week and I feel great, no side effects.

So today I just want to share a simple salad and dressing that are great for the womb and overall wellness.  This meal is good for mental clarity and energy/iron levels. Please note bredren that though I provide a lot of information for Dawtas  - you can still try these meals because they are overall healthy no matter your gender. Furthermore you can serve your wife these meals, you can ensure she buys the correct foods to keep herself and you - and the family, healthy and fit. Livity is a partnership - a man must see his woman's womb as his own. he must see her physical struggles as his own, have compassion for his mate for life. Likewise a Dawta can use my recipes to create her own kitchen healing magic - everything I post you can get creative with and make your own substitutes based on what you and your family like or need!

Note this salad and dressing is meant to serve one person, it is a whole meal.

Salad:

4 small-medium tomatoes
1 leaf kale
2 leaves lettuce
4 leaves bok choy or pakchoy, whatever you call it (chinese cabbage)
 or you can use spinach or chard - really any combination of greens you have at home will be good!
1 large cucumber or 2 medium, 3 small
2 stalks of chive/green onion/scallions
1 bunch parsley
half a beet or a whole one if small

chop everything up, grate the beet and put them in your big bowl

Dressing


ToMango Dressing

1 small Mango
3 small-medium Tomatoes
1 pimento
1 sprig parsley
Half 1 leaf of leek
4 chives

celery leaves
1 tamarind pulp not seed (optional)

thumb turmeric (or 1 tsp ground turmeric)
1 tbsp coconut oil
½ tsp salt



Soak tamarind in water for 15 minutes
Extract mango flesh from seed,
Slice tomatoes and take out seeds
Use a knife and scrape the tamarind flesh from the seeds into the blender container. Combine all the other ingredients and blend til it becomes creamy.

Smother your salad and mix well. You will use all the dressing!

What a great and refreshing meal that will help reduce your experiences with bad and painful periods!

Eating these types of meals daily will eliminate period pains and reduce the blood flow. Turmeric is great for treating the womb as is beetroot. Parsley detoxes the blood.

Be sure to keep up with my Ital Livity practices on Instagram @rastawifeline

Blessed Love

Ila

Homemade Scalp and Beard Oil

Skin Scalp and Beard Oil Recipe

Today I prepared a lovely natural organic oil for the family – for skin, scalp and beard.  It was expensive to get everything but at least I know we will get a few uses or bottles out of them – they should last a while. Rastafari and Muslims here in Trinidad go to a store in Port of Spain called Mustafa’s. But they sell all kinds of essential oils, the raw black soap, shea and cocoa butters from Afrika. You can even get incense and musks, all types of shampoos and baby items – literally everything. You can buy in bulk or in small quantity which is great too. But its better to buy in bulk and store.
If you live in a cold place, this oil may become more of a butter that will soften when it makes contact with the skin, so you cannot use a container like what i did, but something with a wide mouth.

Also pictured below is Miswak flouride free all natural toothpaste. Lots of great tooth pastes and powders come to Trinidad out of India.

1.5 -2  cups cold-pressed coconut oil

1 cup a mixture of cocoa and shea butter (4 big pieces of cocoa butter and 2 spoons of shea butter)

1 tbsp jojoba oil

½ tsp of rosemary oil

½ tsp bergamot oil

½ tsp tea tree oil

5 drops of patchouli oil

1 tsp sweet almond

1 Container with a fine spout ( a plastic condiment container from a variety store or dollar store)

Metal container and pot it can fit into

Metal teaspoon

Now this is a thick mixture so if you know you hate a lot of oil, lessen the Shea and cocoa butter to quarter cup. Shea and cocoa butter can also cause build up on the locks but I find them to be such good moisturizers still.  Good thing about this recipe is that you can tweak it to suit your tastes. 
You can use a combination of two or more oils or just one oil even, like olive oil or the coconut or sweet almond or jojoba, they are all good hair oils on their own. 


NOTE: I have found that shea butter causes me to get a serious acne break out - so I remade this oil eliminating both butters  - instead To make a light and simple oil that won't cause breakouts I use the coldpressed coconut oil, rosemary oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil and bergamot oil. i use this on my entire body and scalp while the rest of the family uses the recipe with the butters for their scalp and beard only not body. Again you can tweak as you wish!

So to start:

Put some water in the pot, bring to boil.

Set the metal bowl into the pot and in it, melt cocoa and shea butter. Use a metal spoon. Turn off the stove when the pieces are tiny they will melt on their own. Remove the bowl and swizzle the melted butters in the breeze to cool it instantly.

Pour into the container it will be kept it. Add in the other oils and cover. missing is the tea tree oil from the picture. in the line you can see how much from each bottle I used.

Apply this oil directly to the scalp and ends of natty after a hair wash. Massage the oil into the scalp and locks. Apply directly to the skin under the beard and massage well. I don't usually reapply to scalp unless I have an itchy area. I use shea butter to make the front hairs and my ends moist. Keeping the ends moist reduce split ends and breakage or shedding of the locks.

These particular oils chosen are good for skin and blemishes. They also nourish the skin/scalp improving wool and skin quality. The natty crown will have more lustre and be stronger, grow abundantly.  I recommend using this mixture should along with pure water and pure Afrikan black soap, to clear up acne and dandruff issues – and for the general maintenance of all nattys in the family! I will also be using it for underarms, and for blemishes on my face in hopes of reducing breakouts.

Here are some pictures of what I did for my princess today. I washed, dried for a bit then I separated her locks because our hair tends to matt up very badly. I then applied the oil all over her scalp directly and rubbed it in and palm rolled each after. I didn’t need to reapply oil very often the oil spread well.

Stay blessed and in good health!

Ila

How Ila Uses Coconut The Superfood

Greetings Family,

As I promised, just a simple post about how I use coconut, as I recommend you do too because it really is a superfood filled with so much nutrition as an oil, as water or as "white meat" - coconut is the real white meat! Very sweet and filling too.
Now this is just my biased opinion - there are raw vegans who don't use coconut because they believe it has the wrong balance of sugars. But again to each his or her own. Coconut water is so pure it can be used for blood transfusions and it still provides hydration for the cells - although the argument is also that a raw food diet without an dehydrating foods like Nori and cocoa will require little water. 

                                           

First of all coconut water is the bomb! As often as I can get them off the tree I have it. Sometimes we buy from vendors. It hydrates and cleans the body and blood instantly. Makes you feel happy and ready to go on the inside. It is just the perfect boost. It is best to drink young coconut water because when it ages it gets very fatty and sweet. I don't mind this though because I like it to use as a natural source of fats, healthy fats. 

                                        

Daily I use coconut oil. I use it for oil pulling, which is an ageless method of dental care, naturally. In the morning I take a mouthful, not too full though, and I swish it around and gargle for about twenty minutes. You will get saliva added in with the oil as you swish so don't take too much oil to begin, a tablespoon is enough. I usually swallow it when I'm done as a vitamin. But apparently I am ingesting toxins the oil is removing, so I guess it is up to you - you can spit it out in the toilet trash or in the garden.
 For smokers this is a great practice to have once or better twice a day, because it freshens breath and protects against gum disease. I recommend you look it up for better tips on how to oil pull.

It is good otherwise to just drink a spoonful of the oil for a vitamin, it hardly has a taste so don't be apprehensive! If you can't do that then you can try eating it with food.

I also add the coconut oil, which is specifically cold-pressed not cooking oil, to what I'm eating. When I make my salad dressings, I always include this oil, again to add more healthy fats to the meal.

 I also stir fry my veggies or make my peas or beans with it.

A popular trend that I myself have tried and will do again is making marijuana coconut oil. It involves heating and steeping for four hours, the marijuana in the oil. It must be a very low temp. Crock pots are mainly used to do this. the herb is lightly toasted first. But do check on YouTube for a variety of DIY videos.

My whole family uses this coconut oil for our hair and body too. I put it on when InI natty are still damp because the hair absorbs it better. I use it for scalp itch. I also used it for my babies in the diaper area. Coconut oil can also be used as a safe all natural lubricant for king and queen - but please do not mix with latex!

I love eating the white jelly of coconuts, so delicious and very filling! I also use the dried white meat in the shredded form. I blend it with water for milk and strain that, add a little cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. You can use this with oats to make smoothie bowls of cereal.   My kingman puts that in his oats punch too. I love to put the shredded coconut in my salad too, again to add fats. I also eat it plain as a substitute for unhealthy chocolate snacks. The reason being is that raw foods which I eat until dinner, makes you lose weight, that's why most of these raw vegans online do it to begin with. But I'm not trying to lose weight skinny as I am! I'm just trying to heal and become truly Ital and balanced, so I don't want to lose weight at all, so nuts seeds coconut and avocado and oils are the foods I eat for maintaining weight.

Coconut meat can also be used to make yogurt - i have done it but not with the added probiotics. If you want it to taste like yogurt these healthy gut bacteria must be added and allowed to stand overnight I believe. I would like to try one day.

I have recently bought coconut flour but I haven't figured out how I will use it vegan yet, as it will require trial and error. Cause they say it needs a lot of eggs and liquid to make it work. I have only used it to make bliss balls, which are just dates, nuts and gluten-free flour blended and rolled together into a ball.

So I hope this post gave you a few leads to check up on, do your coconut research and make it fit into your daily routine for better health! And don't forget to link RastaWifeLine on IG, reasoning to soon come I know ones are wondering what has happened, but it is all in the works! Bless!

 Love!

Ila

Raw Almond Cheese and Eggplant Mini Pizza

Greetings!

I wish to share a recipe for a very simple nut cheese that I came up with when making veggie pizza. Now unfortunately this cheese will not melt because it has no liquid in it like water or almond milk, so while I call it a cheese, it is more of a topping, that reminds me a lot of coconut flakes in texture. Now I personally don't think vegetable pizza actually needs cheese, the way I make it (a recipe to followup very soon as I plan to give it a second test tomorrow) so if you are looking for a melting cheese you can try what I have put below which is what I did in my cashew cheese recipe. I have to try it also to see how it will melt. You can also check some other vegan bloggers.

This almond cheese goes perfectly with salad or even a sandwich as a topping. If I still ate tofu eggs I'd definitely add to my omelet. The added bonus is that you can use as much as you would like and not be overpowered in flavour (because of the soaking).



ALMOND CHEESE

TOPPING
1 cup almonds raw
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp dried basil (optional)


Soak almonds overnight in the water or at least 6 hours. Make sure they are well covered. Peel off the skins when time is up. A lot of people do not soak their almonds to retain the great oils and flavour, be that as it may, almonds unsoaked will not digest in the tummy because the blocking enzymes have not been neutralized by soaking.

Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor until it becomes I thick paste that is soft and spreadable.  You have to mix and stop constantly because it is a very dry mixture, it just requires a bit of patience especially if using a plain ole blender.

It will still be grainy in a very fine texture but with no visible chunks of almonds.

Scrape it all into a bowl and mash around with a spoon.

Mould into a ball and place in a ziplock bag. Freeze for at least 2-4 hours.

It should be hard enough to grate over pizza.

The crumble will not melt.


For a cheese that can spread try adding these ingredients:

2 tbs apple cider vinegar or juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic

two stalks of chive
1 cup Water (slightly warm to help the almonds blend)
Blender or food processor

2 tsps nutritional yeast

If you want a mild taste leave out chive and garlic. nutritional yeast just for flavour it is not necessary.

Now for a recipe that will put your new almond cheese to great use!


EGGPLANT PIZZA

This is the same concept as baking or grilling seasoned eggplant slices, but with some fresh grated and chopped veggies on top.

1 eggplant
Turmeric powdered
Cumin powdered
Dried basil
Dried Italian seasoning
Dried parsley
Baking tray
Coconut or olive oil

small piece pumpkin
small carrot
small beet
1/2 sweet pepper
2 medium tomatoes



Slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch thin circles.
Grate pumpkin, beet, carrot; and chop sweet pepper and tomato. I actually used the veggies from my rainbow salad to whip up these pizzas to show how easily they can be prepared!

Put half in a big bowl and sprinkle all the seasons on the pieces. If it is dry sprinkle a little water to help the seasoning to stick.
Do the same to the rest of the eggplant. 

Transfer to greased pan with or without foil, it is up to you. Cover each piece of eggplant with the vegetables prepared. 

Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes on medium heat around 150 C.

Pull out and allow to cool 15 minutes.

Serve with grated almond cheese on top.
Two bites and they’re gone! Lovely little mini pizza substitutes. 

Will not be a favorite of anyone who doesn’t like "mushy" eggplant however.


Stay tuned for more to come, now that I have internet, I will be able to keep things going here on RastaWifeLine and InI YouTube channel.

Ital Cauliflower Rice Recipe

Selamta Family,

Give thanks for the Rastafari Ilah Days or feasts April18-21st and other Binghi groundsing days, honoring the Coming of the Messiah to His People, InI Afrikan descendants of the Caribbean,. This time pays homage to the union of King and Nation, the groundsing that occurred between State and Dreadlocks, the strong bond that formed between the two, the renewal of InI as Ethiopians, Rastafari acceptance by Ethiopia.

I wish to share my version of one of the latest vegan fads on Pinterest, Cauliflower rice, which is a great substitute to brown and white rice. I have recently learned that wild rice or black rice or the only types not genetically modified, they are safest to eat. So rice is another food to be on the look out for. I will post more about the foods we as vegans or italists still consume that are hybrid, but overall you can look at the Electric Foods list from Dr. Sebi.

You will need

Cauliflower Rice

1 head cauliflower or more if it's a big family (serves four)

Stalks of Chive

Sprig of small leaf Thyme

1 Small onion

1 pimento

Thumb ginger

Dried oregano leaves, 'Italian' seasoning, seasalt

Thumb Tumeric and 2 clove Garlic (these foods are said to be hybrid by Dr Sebi so this is optional)

Coconut oil for stir frying

Stir fry pot if not having it fully raw

Blender

Wash cauliflower and separate the florets I soaked mine in vinegar water to clean it.

Allow to fully dry in the fan or in the sun. Pat them dry and turn them often to speed the process.

  

Dice all the seasoning ingredients and set aside.

When dry place cauliflower in three batches into your blender. Press grate. You will need to push the cauliflower down onto the blades as the bowl is dry. It requires starting and stopping the blender a lot to keep things moving.

 Empty each batch into a bowl. 

Don't over blend as it will get moist. The point is to keep the cauliflower dry so it is more rice-like.

You can grate by hand if required.

When all grated  combine the seasonings and cauliflower in the stirfry pan with a little coconut oil and stir for five minutes. 

As you see I still had a few chunks in there but most of it became fine like rice! 

Full joy with my other recipes!

Give thanks for life!

Ila 

Baked or Roasted Vegetable delights for Womb Wellness Livity

Greetings my Sistren,

I really have so much I want to reason about but my time is as always, hard to come by. And I have no internet at home so I can't load my website or blogspot to  update them, yes I sis Ila too can't always manage the bills good and so we go without for a while. But that doesn't get me down, I can still make these small connections to spread some positive vibes with InI, I have good food to eat daily and a happy home because I work hardest on having these things and I hope that no matter what you have or don't have right now, that you too know the value of what is and still find joy and blessing each day. 

I wish to share two baked veggies recipes which are ideally the same steps. While it is good to eat raw salad daily it is also good to have warm foods when on the period cycle as the body itself when losing fluids, needs extra warmth. it. is good to wear a sweater and socks when on the flow to protect the womb structure form excess cold.  So teas and soups and baked veggies are good along with salad and juicing, I personally eat less of any grains like wheat and rice and focus on these more during the seven days before and during the cycle. I have found that no sugar, wheat and soy on the whole are best. No sugar drinks and snacks, I drink my beet juice instead.

Oven baked vegetables (and potato)

Select your vegetables and cut them into cubes, I choose from

Carrot

Squash or pumpkin 

Beans

Okra

Eggplant

Cabbage

Broccoli 

Christophene or chayote

Zucchini and so on

Cube the red potatoes if you are having. Or use sweet potato or omit potato 

In a large bowl mix the veggies with powdered tumeric, "Italian" seasonings, cumin, ginger, seasoning salt. I usually add some, mix well, add again and mix til everything is nicely coated.

Spread foil on a baking dish with depth, spread the veggies flat, cover with foil again 

bake at about 150 c or a medium flame for 25-30 minutes.

Baked eggplant

Slice the eggplant in circles about 1/4 inch thick

Repeat the bowl dressing, mixing the eggplant well with the seasonings

Spread them on a flat sheet like a pizza pan, on foil 

bake ten minutes til brown underneath, flip and bake another five minutes and remove.
You can also try this with potato and sweet potato - it is so delicious!

These dished make great sides with quinoa, peas, or just a salad and sweet potato! I love the eggplant plain too! The bonus is that the kingman will love it!

I wish my Sistren health, success and positive feelings of self love and strength. Whatever you go through, you can overcome. Believe in yourself and Jah's favour and love.

Ila