New to Rastafari?
Posted: by RasIene
April 22, 2003, Rastafari Speaks Reasoning Forum
I must inform you that Rastafari is not a faith or religion that you go to a building (church) and become a member. Now! It is a vibes, which starts with self. How so? You first recognise that you are more than just living for living sake. I can see that you are in the realm of consciousness and that is the step towards Rastafari. Rastafarianism has a lot to do with how you conduct yourself among your Sistrens and Brethrens. Every human being have a sense of life. The things is that will be important to you is does that sense of life you are aware of make any sense at all is it harming me or my other fellow Sistrens and Brethrens around I and I. If you can say yes it make sense, yes it is not harming I or any one else then you are in tune to the way of Rastafari. And thus to make you overstand I shall say this to you which is the basic tenets of Rastafari-given to our early Brethrens by Ras Sam Brown who has since Passed away.
Precepts of Rastafari
We are basically vegetarian. Abstain from: Swine (Pig) Meat, Cow Meat, Goat Meat, and any form of flesh eating. In some cases some of our brothers eat scale fish only* Abstain from Liquor, beers, and other mood changing drinks, in most cases most Rastas do not drink sodas, candies, sweets or use salt, if so it is done sparingly. However, in some instances natural wine may use where health is concern. Harm not yourself or your Sistren or Brethrens, do not put yourself in situation where you become trap or ridicule by the system of Babylon. That is do not mix with people who will bring harm or evil to you. Rastafari do not preach instead I and I teach: Love, The Messages Of Haile Silassie I, health, reasoning to resolve disputes, self government, and right thinking using only positive language. For example, Rastafari use words like Forward, Overstand, Sight up, Livity. These words signify coercions, Kingly and Queenly thinking.
Rastafarians do not believe in using sharp instrument to round the corners of one's head, Tattooing, or marking one's body for fun and pleasure. Do not participate in modern day pleasures and that is definable by the Rases. In your case it could mean you should not be putting on makeup, cutting your body parts to improve it looks for pleasure only; unless where medical concern is required. It could mean also, you must not be carrying yourself around to cause lust upon yourself when not merited, showing your body to the public just to stimulate wantonness, lust, self worship or to bring harm*.
Our help is to our Sistrens and Brethrens the Rastafari family first then others in the universe. That is we must always hold the love and protection of the Rastafari culture, way of life, and people first. If a Brother or Sister needs help we must reach out to them without any scorn.
The Rastafarian prayer is this:
Rastafari Prayer
Princess shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall stretch forth her hand unto God. Oh thou God of Ethiopia, thou God of divine Majesty, they spirit come within our hearts to dwell in the parts of righteousness. That the hungry be fed, the sick nourished, the aged protected, and the infant cared for. Teach us love and loyalty as it is in Zion.
Deliver us from the hands of our enemy that we may prove faithful for the last day, when our enemy has passed, and decayed in the depth of the sea or in the belly of the beast.
O' Give us a place in they Kingdom forever and ever.
So we haile our God Selassie I, Jehovah God Rastafari, Almighty God, Rastafari great and terrible God Rastafari.
Who sit in Zion and reigned in the hearts of men, and women; hear and bless us and sanctify, and cause they loving face to shine up on us thy children threat we may be saved.
Selah.
Amen
Now! as a woman you should live so that it first pleases you, your Idren whom you have decided to bond with and your children. It must be known that bad thought jealousy is not welcome for the Rastafari to exhibit. For example, there may be a case where while living with your Idren, he may take another woman maybe out of protecting her, or helping her get on her feet. Good thought jealousy is the concern you will have about your man and family; that is whether he is standing in love with you and your children while having to deal with other women, not picking quarrel with other woman about your relationship, accepting the things you cannot change, accepting the respect of you in the relationship. Babylon way of love and the Rastafarian is different.
Rastafari deals with factual love and not emotional love. So stand firm and know yourself and what you want. Now there are no book or contextual manual to follower on relationship in Rastafari. There is no known spokesman who gives out rules and principles to follow. Therefore, you will have to be a strong woman to learn what is good for you and your relationship. Most Brethren like a strong woman who can be feminine at the same time. Therefore, much of what you do in your relationship with your or for your family will be up to your judgement call. However, do remember to use your intellect and make sense of living. As for the clothes that will be up to you and your Idren, no known Rastafari houses set those rules. In Rastafari rules are not set up to hold or chain but to liberate so it is up to you to decide the chain you want to place on yourself, but remember that our objective is to rid I self of Mental chains.
As for sex
It is a beautiful thing between a man and a woman; it is one of the ways, which connects us as one in the creation of Jah Almighty. There is no negative vibes about sex when it comes to Rastaman or Woman. However, in certain houses the woman follow their own strict rule of abstaining when they are seeing their period, or blood. Really, that is a special time for the woman and the Rases do not interfere at that time. As for contraception or contraceptive the very name show that is not all that of a nice thing. However, Babylon reality is that it protects one from diseases and unwanted pregnancy. As Rastafarian the natural way of life is our way of expressing ourselves. And thus we use self-control and vibes to conduct our sex life. Most Rastas follow the natural menstrual cycle in order to mate. Now! No Rastas see a child as unwanted...so pregnancy is never an issue or a problem. However, it is best to discuss that within the relationship from early. In the family of Rastafarian problems exist but it is reason out or talk out without harm to anyone.
Now women have become more employable in America and you say you are in Texas, therefore, you will need to let an interview or company employer know that the way you dress or present yourself is part of your belief or 'religion' I use the word religion as that is how they will become convince that you have a merit reason for wearing your head covered or wrap and your blouse and skirt to certain length etc. However, you must find what is best for you in dressing if you are single, but if you are with an Brethren you both should decide on the right form of clothes.
Now! you must read a lot of His Imperial Majesty books and speeches, become knowledgeable about your living. Remember the prayers too. I hope that this have been helpful to you. There are other Sistrens and Idrens here who will shed light on where darkness covers my response.
If you want to meet Idrens visit www.nimbs.com or make an open post here. I am sure Idrens are here who are looking to meet some one. I will post an article dealing specifically with sex and the Rastafari so look out for that, in the mean time learn all you can here.
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