This year I decided to participate in a well-known Muslim practice known as Ramadan. Ramadan is a celebratory Holiday that is observed during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. During Ramadan Islamic practitioners, referred to as Muslims, fervently partake in four of the five pillars of Islam: Shahada- the profession of faith, Salat- prayer, Sakat- charity and almsgiving, and Sawm- fasting. According to the Britannica…
Ramadan is a period of introspection, communal prayer (ṣalāt) in the mosque, and reading of the Qurʾān. God forgives the past sins of those who observe the holy month with fasting, prayer, and faithful intention. Ramadan, however, is less a period of atonement than it is a time for Muslims to practice self-restraint, in keeping with sawm (Arabic: “to refrain”), one of the pillars of Islam (the five basic tenets of the Muslim religion). Although sawm is most commonly understood as the obligation to fast during Ramadan, it is more broadly interpreted as the obligation to refrain between dawn and dusk from food, drink, sexual activity, and all forms of immoral behavior, including impure or unkind thoughts. Thus, false words or bad deeds or intentions are as destructive of a fast as eating or drinking.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ramadan
The practice of self-restraint is what called me to participate in Ramadan. Coming off my participation in Lent this year, I felt like I could use more practice in strengthening my willpower. In true U-N-Iversal alignment, Ramadan began at the end of Lent; so I seamlessly glided from one prophetic practice into the next. I created an entire schedule- wake up before dawn, pray, eat a date, go back to bed, make sure I pray three more times throughout the day, break my fast with a date, eat something light like a salad, and final prayer before bed. Unlike Lent, the prayer requirements of a Muslim prove to be the biggest declaration of their faith and the pillar that would initiate the most change in my heart.
The first day went well. But by day two, the fasting overwhelmed me. I kept reminding myself “you are not alone. Thousands, if not millions, of people, are fasting with you,” “those who are without, go without for much longer,” “when in doubt turn to God,” and a number of other un-comforting cliches. Needless to say, fasting lasted for about 4 days before I gave in. Initially, I felt bad, shrouded in doubt and negative self-talk that my feeble restraint would prove unsatisfactory in the eyes of Allah. But then I remembered I’m not actually Muslim. I stand in solidarity and I am participating in Ramadan as a spiritual practice to strengthen my connection to God and the U-N-Iverse. I decided to focus on one pillar- Salat.
"One of the most distinctive aspects of Muslim life is the emphasis on daily ritual prayer. Ritual prayer, called salat, is one of the Five Pillars of Islam; every Muslim after reaching adolescence is required to perform five daily prayers. The prayers punctuate the whole day: the first prayer takes place before sunrise, followed by a prayer at midday; the third is at mid-afternoon, another after sunset, and the final prayer when the sky grows dark. The salat provides a regular interruption of the day’s activities in order to focus the mind and heart on the first priority of life, service to God." https://pluralism.org/salat-daily-prayers
Spending the majority of my childhood in a Baptist church I’d grown to believe that God was a huMAN outside of myself. What if I prayed to him daily, would my life be exactly as I imagined it? Very rarely did pastors speak about the actual physical, emotional, and mental work that has to be coupled with your faith in order to actualize the splendors of God. Spirituality taught me that. Spirituality taught me that God chastens those who chase it. That God is a creative energetic entity that I am a manifestation of. God is not taking the steps for me, God is the pipeline to the U-N-Iverse that guides my steps. Think of it like a child learning to walk. The parent can not physically take the steps for the child. They simply hold the child’s hands, support their trials, pick them back up when they fall, and guide each movement until their crawls turn to steps, their steps to walks, and their walks to run. My dedication to Salat was my attempt at running, and in the true fashion of self, I wrote down the downloads I’d received from Spirit in order to share them with you…
Day 1:
- If I’m not struggling alone, I’m not struggling alone.
Day 2:
- I talk about the present in the past tense in my head. Meaning I’m not present in the moment- not grounded.
- Coping with hunger- laying in bed.
- Trust Spirit with my spiritual journey.
Day 3:
- I’ve been called to prayer.
- Selfishness is the opposite of love. Don’t follow the thought, follow where the thought came from. The mind wants to take you to the object, the truth is the subject. Relief is fine but you should find release from all delusions. Knowledge and wisdom will bring you contentment and peace but for bliss, you have to be devoted. – Mooji “don’t figure life out, just fall in love with self.”
- I am the CEO of the overthinking brigade. Do I have ADHD or something of the like?
- My nature is freedom, my nature is consciousness.
- 422 angel number
- What does devotion look like?
Day 4:
- “I am” is a presence.
Day 5:
- Take note of resistance energy and when it comes up.
- Boundaries are created in the mind.
- “Stay in the glory.”- Mooji
- Shivas amnesia.
- “What you are searching for is already where you are searching from.” – St. Francis of Assisi
- “Become aware of your reactivity then you can respond to it more easily rather than just repeating reactions.” – Midnight Gospel
Day 6:
- “I’m willing to see the truth but not if it hurts/takes away attachment”
- I think in the past tense. I project myself so far into the future that I don’t even give myself a chance to do it in the now.
- “What would I do if I knew I was going to die? The more difficult something became the more rewarding it was in the end.”- Big Fish
- The mind is not the truth, the heart is. The heart is pure. Your heart never steers you wrong, your mind deters and doubts you. Understand your mind but live through your heart.
Day 7:
- Healing for past lives as I give thankhs to my ancestor! I handle healing with grace and patience each time to show respect and appreciation for my ancestors.
- Lust is a trance.
- No matter where you go, there you are.
- I’m not necessarily ready to be the person I see myself to be. As far as a beacon of light- an All Might if you will. I’m more like Endeavor right now. All the components, but number 2.
- I’m content. Contentment.
Day 8:
- I am doing a good job.
- Follow my heart.
- What is God? God is the energy of CREATION. When we call on God we are calling on the energy of that which is not…to become that which is. We are calling on the creation of…
Day 9:
- I don’t need any one person. Even though we all need each other. The creator will provide. The U-N-Iverse will provide.
Day 10:
- Thinking of things you should’ve said leaves no guarantee things would’ve gone the way you expected or would’ve liked. Accept and give thankhs that things happen exactly the way they do. In perfect alignment.
- Let go and let God.
- All money is not good money.
- All of my experiences prepare me for the life I desire to live.
I used to get upset when elders would tell me to “pray about it.” That’s because I used to associate prayer with religion. But Ramadan has shown me that prayer is the ultimate alignment. The voice of God has transformed from an abysmal white man to my very own. Salat fine-tuned the frequency that my direct connection with God vibrates on. The entire month of diligent prayer really altered my perception of God. I now understand God as the entity of Creation. Creation of the U-N-Iverse, creation of the galaxy and planets, creation of humans and all life forms on Earth, creation of ideas, creation of peace, and any other forms of creation. God can also be the creation of unrest and confusion. Whatever frequency your aura vibrates on will manifest what you are creating. That’s why there is a religious history of war in the name of God. God is simply the power to create.
I give thankhs for the calling to participate in this experience. No matter how many times I falter, no matter how many times I stumble, Spirit is always seeking me. Using my mind and body, guiding my thoughts and actions, and showing me that I am supported in so many ways. My guardian Ancestors send me signs in the form of numbers, words, times, moments, people, places, coincidences, lessons, dreams, thoughts, and most gratuitously by keeping me (and my friends and family) safe and protected. I have to give thankhs to my Ancestors for divine leadership. I give thankhs to Elegba for clearing the path. I give thankhs unto the Queen Mothers in my life for divine love, guidance, nurture, and softness. I give thankhs unto the U-N-Iverse for divine provisions, support, and sustainability. I give thankhs unto God, Spirit, Yahweh, Jah, Ra, Krishna, Allah, Jesus, Buddha, Mohamed, and every other exalting high name that we call the glorious, gracious, all mighty Creator! I give thankhs for mercy, forgiveness, grace, help, support, and for never leaving me. I am so grateful I can’t even begin to describe my true appreciation. God is so good! Here’s to new life, new growth, and new changes!
