Customer Reviews

Ancestors: Hidden Hands, Healing Spirits for Your Use and Empowerment

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book really opened my eyes and gave me a deeper appreciation for myself and the importance of ancesral communion. The book took a subtle and direct approach to African spiritualty in a way that one could easy digest. It was the epitomy of common since and quite easy to follow. I became engrossed as it keep my attention by giving step by step instuctions on how I could begin my own personal journey. By the time I completed the book I felt very comfortable with the subject and eager to do the work as the lessons provided.

Yeah there is some spiritism in this author's practice and a little bit of African Revisionist in there as well. But it doesn't make the book a bad book.

Unfortunately, a lot of people outside of the U.S. (and within) are not aware of the close kinship that the ancient Egyptians and the traditional African societies of the West of Africa have in common. This author recognized it and wrote about it.

Now, I am quite sure that some people don't like that because they are accustomed to having their own customs as it appears that the author is mixing traditions. But a careful study of what is actually being presented will give the reader a deeper understanding of ancestral honoring, the ethics surrounding becoming an ancestor to your own community and an understanding about how the ancients revered their ancestors.

No, if you are a purists it is not for you. But if you can open your mind, this book will be in the same vacinity as Awo Falokun's Iwapele.

I should have written a review on this book a long time ago but hopefully this will help clear the air.

This book is a good little pamphlet explaining ancestor veneration from a black nationalist perspective. It was written specifically for African Americans and anyone who has experienced racism in the United States based upon their ethnicity. And, this is the reason why it comes off sounding so harsh in word and content because it speaks of the plight to freedom from African American perspective.

For those of you, just tuning in to the Protestant American scene, Native Americans and African Americans have been at the heel and butt of this great country for over 400 years. Yes we have all heard this before, and many people will say that they are tired of hearing people complain. But, until you have read the history of both people and how every aspect of their cultural existence was strategically and systematically set for annihlation, you will not understand the black nationalist perspective. Unlike some of the countries in the Western hemisphere that were predominantly Catholic influence. There was no masking of the tradition under 'Mary's Skirt'. There was no masking at all and when the powers that be in USA realized that fragments of the Native American and African culture remained, they created viscious stereotypes and promoted their idea of a people throughout the world. The cultural conditions that Native Americans and African Americans are in today and the liberties that people have allowing them to practice Ifa, Santeria, Palo, Cuanderismo, witchcraft, and so on. Came at a very great price and was the compounded result of banned languages, customs, styles of dress, practices, drums (instruments), and thoughts.

Besides Native Americans and African Americans, the Aborigines of Australia, the Pacific Islanders and blacks of South Africa are the only other groups that have experienced this harsh reality of European racism.

I concur with some of the reviews, that race should not be the determining factor on who and who is not considered an ancestor. A different set of standards is used and in the Khametic traditions it is based upon one's growth and development symbolized by the decease's ab (heart) weighing the pan of justice, order, truth, law and balance. This is where the author strays from the path and finds himself in the wilderness surrounded by color lines. But there is still a lot of good information in this little book. And, if you can accept the fact and understand the harsh reality that the forefathers and the many of the descendants of people of European decent did rape, enslave, kill, murder and lynch people who were not White-Anglo-Saxon-Protestants (Native Americans, Black Americans, Latin Americans, Jews, Catholics and Asian Americans). And this is how a lot of European blood got into the bloodline of African Americans, then you will appreciate why the author has taken the tone that he has taken.

If you're a beginning beginner as related to spirits and the spiritual realm, this book serves as a pretty good introduction. Otherwise, you'll end up skimming past most of the topics.

In actuality, I purchased the book to learn more about preparing an Ancestral Altar. This particular section of the book provides detailed step-by-step instructions that will guide you to properly prepare and use your alter.

Finally, also of particular interest was the listing of "Books of Interest." A section similar to this is always helpful for those on a "Knowledge-trek."

I would recommend this book to any brotha or sistah...Ancestors are the key to get out of this mess...Much wisdom you can gain from your Ancestors.. I seen Ra Ifagbemi speak a couple of times, I never heard anyone break down Ifa like he does....give thanks peaceeee

Take a walk into knowing your ancestors with this book. Your inner spirit will agree to the concepts contained in this book. Please choose this book to learn about the ancestors. I definitely enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend it.

The strange thing about this purchase, is that, I wasn't actively searching for this book but stumbled across it while looking for other books, and something said buy it.

I could have cried when I read it, it was just what I was looking for. I was already practising some of his methods, as they have always been practised in my family, but needed guidance in certain areas.

This book clarified a lot of things for me and also answered other questions I had been pondering on.

I would definetley recommend this for those who are attempting to connect with their ancestors and unsure how to proceed, or those wanting to find the correct way of doing so. Was worth every penny and more.

This is a short book but my is it powerful

Thank you so much for this book brother Babalawo

I can not give this book five stars or recommend it to all, because simply it is not meant for all. What could have been a very beautiful introduction of African Egungun, Ancestor Veneration, took a few word twist that really feel heavy on my mind and I could not enjoy the book after this. It is not that I am trying to discredit Ifagbemi Babalawo, buy no means. I honestly give him my respects and reverences. But let me explain what made this potentially good book turn a bit sower for me.

I was born Puerto Rican, and though my Father is of Taino bloodline, I took on my mothers Spanish Castilian completion. This is also true to half of the Puerto Rican and Cuban population. Either you are a mix of Castilian bloodline, with either African or Carib bloodline, or any mix of the three. My Godparents in Ocha are both a married Cubans; my godfather like myself is of Castilian European background, and his wife my godmother is of predominantly African heritage. So upon their Ancestral boveda lies pictures of their parents together, pictures of handsome and beautiful Cuban Men and Women, and yes you se the mix of black, white, and Indio Taino in the pictures. These are the images of the Ancestors of my godparents. This is the way you will see many Cuban and Puerto Rican Ancestral Shrines, with pictures of Ancestors that come from different groups, but they are all venerated as one.

Know the book would have been a good read for many beginners, except for the Caucasian community who reads this book, and might find words of offense, as I did, and a few others of my White Latino brothers and Sisters, who have been worshipping the African Orisha ways since birth.

Race should never be mentioned in Ancestor Veneration, thi makes people feel uncofrtable, and it s honestly not what respecting ones Ancestors is all about. But if you can pass a few words that might sem bothersome to some, then this is a good book for those people who have no Common Knowledge of Ancestral Reverence.

This is a beautiful book. Many people hate the truth and are prejudiced against Africans which is why this books ratings are so low. NonAfricans hate to hear an African tell it like it is. You nonAfrican's who deal with "The Black's Magic" love when an African smiles at you and teaches you how to play life like we do(using our cultures science that is) but most of you dont deserve any of OUR ancestral sciences because look at how you act when one author decides to talk excusively to his brothas..i mean,we, Africans are the descendants of the creators of these sciences..This is OUR legacy that we decided to share a little portion of with the world.....and we cant talk alone for a moment without you foriegners to African spirituality cryin?

Africa is where "espiritismo" ,quimbanda, kondomble, palo, Vodun, Santeria, Yoruba etc all come from and the ignorant and insensitive people who gave this book a bad rating are actually surprised that a descendant of the people who CREATED these spiritual systems is talking exclusively to fellow Africans????? Thats prepostorous! Arent there enough black men out there permitting,initiating and teaching you people little peices of African spirituality?...we cant have just one brother exclusively talkin to us?...
The African Olmecs also invented Brujeria, the Vodun type system found in Mexico but the people in Mexico and most of the authors who write about Brujeria just so happen to not mention that fact..they rather say the Mayans and Aztecs invented it when its been conclusively proven that the African Faced Olmecs who spoke a Mandingo langauge and built ethiopian style pyramids gave the Mayans and Aztecs everything they knew, including cities, their language and the most accurate calendar ever made, the calendar the Mayans are credited with making, the Sacred Calendar Round..but popular concensus will never admit the African's contribution's to the Americas.
How long did you think it would be before a brother like the author of this book stepped up and said what you had to know is at the back of every black man thats in the ATR'S mind. Did you forget what happened to the Black men here in america and abroad?! Or is it that you dont care?
You people talking about the Orisha and the Lwa "love everybody"....phooey!...so you think they love the european bloodlines who kidnapped and tortured and raped their very descendants or anybody that did that kind of atrocity to the descendants of the Gods?! Is Vodun and Yoruba some kind of christianity where the Gods forgive everyone for their sins.............NO ITS NOT.....Your crazy if you believe they do and you will learn as you teeter that line of foolish-ignorance and insensitivity..besides if the Gods felt like how some of you fake-wannabe Babalow's say, then why did Africans have to teach the nonAfricans how to deal with the Gods as opposed to the Gods teaching you foreigners to African spirituality how to do it,like how they personally taught their children, the Africans, how to deal with them? i heard someone speak on the fact that race shouldnt be mentioned when it comes to ancestral veneration...indeed some of us have european family, but so what? Most African-Americans have some european blood in them also but that blood was left by psychopathic murderers, rapists, theives and kidnappers..or the descendants of such....so you honor that filthy blood if you feel but dont any of you ever expect an African to respect some filthy slavetradin monsters that raped somebody in our family or the descendants of them who sit rich today because and ONLY because of our ancestors pain......you people who gave this book a bad rating should be ashamed of yourselves....and the only reason any of you nonAfricans were allowed and taught the little peices of African science that you all play with, is because you caught us at a time when the Black man is mentally traumatized (post-traumatic slavery syndrome) and at the moment they cant tell their enemies from their friends...and our ancestors who taught you foriegners to African spirituality things knew very well that they werent going to teach you the complete African science and that even if they did you noncolored peoples bodies wouldnt be able to handle but so much energy....just like the how the Sun's energy burns white skin and could kill them if too much exposure....and how that very same Sun's energy blesses dark skin with vital nutrients and minerals, same thing with having a spirit of too much energy possess a Melanin-less, non-pigmented body.... but no matter how the African haters hate, you all who read this book and didnt like it......will most definitely.... only look for another book about the African's Traditions....so you can sneakily steal some more peices of a culture not your own..........so you can learn a little more about the black mans legacy.... so you can go home and try to use a peice of the Black mans sciences....s'funny....nobody seems to want to credit them properly.....but everybody seems to want to do.......The Black's Magic....

As a Babalawo, I have never seen so much racism in a book. Perhaps the author would like to offer a refund to any person not "of color" since he declares that the ancester ceremonies will not benefit them. The ancester ceremonies of Ifa, which he describes in the most rudimentary of ways, will work for all people. Shame on Ra Ifagbemi for spreading hatred and confusion.