by Kenny 'Cinque' Anderson
Today is my ‘birthdate’, not ‘my born-day’, I was born on Monday, regarding this day I am very-very ‘thankful’ to still be alive. This post is not about me it’s about wisdom and transformation.
Yes I’m thankful for life, I’m thankful for the 64 circle cycles ‘seasons’ that I’ve lived. As an integrative New Afrikan spiritualist I view my life ‘existence’ as a self-circle ‘Mduara wa Kibinafsi’ (Kiswahili) and self-change based on the African ‘Akan Adinkra’ symbol ‘Sesa wo Suban’ - change you character; this symbol signifies personal reflection and transformation.
Sesa wo Suban is a composition of two symbols; the inner star which represents a new day and an outer wheel which implies initiative and moving forward. The symbol encourages people to make a positive change to the world by their actions.
My spirituality also integrates the Bokongo Cosmogram Circle of Life ‘Dikenga’ that means ‘turning’ depicting the continuous four moments of the sun that causes the cycle of life. The Cosmogram Circle of Life also reflects one as a living miniature sun that has four seasons of life.
In the context of Swahili culture my self-circle is a smaller circle ‘Mduara Mdogo wa Maisha’ of transformation engulfed by the larger circle of life ‘Mduara Mkubwa wa Maisha’. This larger circle of Life ‘Nature’ contains 4 seasons that are replicated in my self-circle as the Four Seasons of Life ‘Misimu Minne ya Maisha’:
1. Spring ‘Masika’ (Childhood)
2. Summer ‘Kiangazi’ (Adulthood)
3. Fall ‘Demani’ (Late Middle-Age Adulthood)
4. Winter ‘Kipupwe’ (Elderhood)
My spirituality as a New Afikan is based on tradition ‘cultural insight’ and experiential realization that people fulfill their potential of life’s developmental stages ‘seasons’ through mindful 'meaningful' living, not by just gradually drifting ignorantly through their lifespans as is the case of the overwhelming majority of Americans including Black folks. This drifted living is unconscious, driven by superficiality, consuming, surviving ‘paying the bills’, some vacations, and then you're dead.
This birthdate finds me in the last year of ‘Fall’ late middle-age adulthood, according to the significant Kikongo scholar Kimbwandende Kia Bunseki Fu-Kiau who says that during this seasonal period one has to learn how to walk the 7th direction ‘inwards direction’ for the sake of self-knowing and self-healing to truly become a "thinking-acting-being", a 'doer' who is a master of himself 'Nganga'.
That one must through ‘Sankofa Deep-Processing’ cleanse the first 3 seasons ‘periods of life’ that enables one to provide cleansed and clear wisdom in the final season of life as an Elder. Through this processes of finishing up of freeing oneself internally is to let go of Eurocentric notions of success and happiness in all areas acquired ‘socialized’ from these 3 previous life stages that never served one’s New Afrikan interests. One must rid ‘cleanse’ oneself finally of the residues of insidious racial oppression, false consciousness, dysfunctionality, toxic emotions, and trauma. Moreover one must resolve contradictory beliefs and behaviors to have integrity 'wholeness' and inner peace.
One must conclusively analyze these 3 seasons of their life story for lessons, guidance, warnings, reconciliations, and clarity for insight to provide clear ‘wisdom’ to the youth and young adults. Indeed, the outcome of this deep process is to live as a New Afrikan beyond contradictions “being a light set on a hill.”
Today is my ‘birthdate’, not ‘my born-day’, I was born on Monday, regarding this day I am very-very ‘thankful’ to still be alive. This post is not about me it’s about wisdom and transformation.
Yes I’m thankful for life, I’m thankful for the 64 circle cycles ‘seasons’ that I’ve lived. As an integrative New Afrikan spiritualist I view my life ‘existence’ as a self-circle ‘Mduara wa Kibinafsi’ (Kiswahili) and self-change based on the African ‘Akan Adinkra’ symbol ‘Sesa wo Suban’ - change you character; this symbol signifies personal reflection and transformation.
Sesa wo Suban is a composition of two symbols; the inner star which represents a new day and an outer wheel which implies initiative and moving forward. The symbol encourages people to make a positive change to the world by their actions.
My spirituality also integrates the Bokongo Cosmogram Circle of Life ‘Dikenga’ that means ‘turning’ depicting the continuous four moments of the sun that causes the cycle of life. The Cosmogram Circle of Life also reflects one as a living miniature sun that has four seasons of life.
In the context of Swahili culture my self-circle is a smaller circle ‘Mduara Mdogo wa Maisha’ of transformation engulfed by the larger circle of life ‘Mduara Mkubwa wa Maisha’. This larger circle of Life ‘Nature’ contains 4 seasons that are replicated in my self-circle as the Four Seasons of Life ‘Misimu Minne ya Maisha’:
1. Spring ‘Masika’ (Childhood)
2. Summer ‘Kiangazi’ (Adulthood)
3. Fall ‘Demani’ (Late Middle-Age Adulthood)
4. Winter ‘Kipupwe’ (Elderhood)
My spirituality as a New Afikan is based on tradition ‘cultural insight’ and experiential realization that people fulfill their potential of life’s developmental stages ‘seasons’ through mindful 'meaningful' living, not by just gradually drifting ignorantly through their lifespans as is the case of the overwhelming majority of Americans including Black folks. This drifted living is unconscious, driven by superficiality, consuming, surviving ‘paying the bills’, some vacations, and then you're dead.
This birthdate finds me in the last year of ‘Fall’ late middle-age adulthood, according to the significant Kikongo scholar Kimbwandende Kia Bunseki Fu-Kiau who says that during this seasonal period one has to learn how to walk the 7th direction ‘inwards direction’ for the sake of self-knowing and self-healing to truly become a "thinking-acting-being", a 'doer' who is a master of himself 'Nganga'.
That one must through ‘Sankofa Deep-Processing’ cleanse the first 3 seasons ‘periods of life’ that enables one to provide cleansed and clear wisdom in the final season of life as an Elder. Through this processes of finishing up of freeing oneself internally is to let go of Eurocentric notions of success and happiness in all areas acquired ‘socialized’ from these 3 previous life stages that never served one’s New Afrikan interests. One must rid ‘cleanse’ oneself finally of the residues of insidious racial oppression, false consciousness, dysfunctionality, toxic emotions, and trauma. Moreover one must resolve contradictory beliefs and behaviors to have integrity 'wholeness' and inner peace.
One must conclusively analyze these 3 seasons of their life story for lessons, guidance, warnings, reconciliations, and clarity for insight to provide clear ‘wisdom’ to the youth and young adults. Indeed, the outcome of this deep process is to live as a New Afrikan beyond contradictions “being a light set on a hill.”