Ancester Veneration & Anger

This is why ancestor veneration is important. No one’s putting ancestors above God or on their hands and knees bowing repeatedly to the dead.

We have to know the stories.

When I finally learned what true, unfiltered anger was and how hot it feels and how tight it makes your chest and how all of a sudden breathing isn’t easy anymore - I was also learning about my great (insert however many greats) Uncle Khan.

Learning his story and how he dealt with a certain life-changing event was such an aha moment.

Anger is simply the feeling that arises when our boundaries or values have been crossed.

It’s a signal to move differently, and to not let muhf.. cross those boundaries again. If they do, it’s because you allowed them to. His story taught me that my anger was my responsibility to soothe. Action will always be required to move that energy out of my body, or let it consume me and everyone around me. Unc’s story taught me constructive anger and how it’s such a beautiful emotion when we focus on how we can ensure our boundaries/values are not crossed again.

Revenge is the Lord's, but better habits are mine.

Get to know your people. Sit with your elders and learn the stories of those who came before you. They left a literal blueprint for your very specific, down to the unique DNA, success (it’s also okay to focus on the good ones, and leave the no-good ancestors & their stories in the smut where they died).

Stories of the Bible, Orisa, etc are cool, but throughout my learning, the sauce and chisme definitely starts with those who have our same artistic ability, the same mental health diagnosis, the same eyes and nose, blood, and NAME as us that can be traced back generation to generation because that same magic of how they survived literally all the things runs through us too 🔥