Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Well-written, Concise, Yet Dangerously Biased, October 3, 2003
This review is from: The Challenge (Paperback)
I am an African-American woman, Aborisha, not yet initiated, but on my way in the path of initiation. Overall, I enjoyed the book. It is a refreshing change of pace from the personal biographies and overly academic texts that I have read so far on the religion. Although I find it no more informative than other books on Orisa worship, I appreciate the way the information is presented by Iyanifa Alcamo. The thing that bothers me most about this book is how the author seems to demonize of all forms of discipline that occur in the religion. There is even an itemized list of phrases characterized as "you know you're being abused if your mentor says..." [paraphrased] I understand the intent of the list and agree with it wholeheartedly, but I find this a potentially dangerous message for neophytes. I have known peers interested in the religion who are impatient, shallow, stubborn, self-centered, and looking for entertainment (hocus-pocus). They get frustrated when a mentor wants them to slow down to slowly soak in the depth of information. If any of these students were to read Iyanifa Alcamo's book, they might come away justified in their beligerence and mistakenly coin their mentor as "abusive." The book could have used a more in-depth discussion about how certain forms of discipline could be either nurturing (positive/ encouraging growth) or abusive (negative/ hampering growth) depending upon context, vs. those forms of discipline that are just plain abusive. The lack of discussion on this topic left me with the impression that the author was venting frustration of personal past experiences. In spite of this shortcoming, I applaud Iyanifa Alcamo for bringing the difficult issue of egocentric and abusive mentors to the forefront and contrasting this with the positive side of the religion.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
FACING THE MIRROR, January 30, 2003
This review is from: The Challenge (Paperback)
I am an Iyalorisha initiated Oshun Olordi. When one of my godchildren came to my house with this book, my first reaction was put it on top of a dish shelf and continue to do what I was doing. I totally forgot about this book. A few days later, I was searching for a beautiful cup that belongs to Oshun and to my surprise the book fell on my feet. I picked the book and started to read the overview and I had to sit down. It was a shock for me to read in black and white how precise what Iyanifa Alcamo was describing as abnormalities that has been passing thru generations. I was astonished and I started reviving this book in dreams as I had to look at myself again in the mirror. I had been initiated in this religion for over 25 years and nothing has changed. I was a person who live those experiences myself. When I started my own house,I promised Oshun that I will never treat a person the way I was treated.What appeared incredible to believe was what Iyanifa Alcamo reveals in her book, regardless of how people are going to deny these abnormalities by covering it up as an excuse and that this is "not a way of respect"? All religions are good; it is only the people who are involved with it that would make it good or bad. A good example is what is currently going on with major religions. Iyanifa Alcamo really reveals just a few of the abnormalities, and I can say that there is quite a bit more than what she exposes in this book. I read and read more than once each page and I am still in shock, admire her courage to come out publicly with some of the hidden agendas that you would only discover when you are inside. She alerts the reader to be attentive to leaders, teachers, guidance counselor, priest or priestesses of any religion and not to be victimized by any bad behavior that may destroy a person's well being. Iyanifa Alcamo give us a good and living examples on everyday life situations and gives guidance to Babalorisha, Iyalorisha, Babalawos etc. whether in Lukumí or Yoruba or any religion to teach and cultivate moral values . The most important thing that she describes is to help others to develop a personal self esteem which is important in life. As a personal example,it took me over 10 years after being initiated to find out how to worship Oshun Olordi.No one in my house could explain to me how to worship this path of Oshun.I have to discover it by myself, because everyone was to busy on how to prepare "tronos" and keep up with the Jones by buying more Orishas. Iyanifa Alcamo I also applaud you not only for your courage but for the awakening especially for the Aleyos.
May Oshun Olordi bless you every day of your life.
Ocan de Nille
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
FACING THE MIRROR, February 6, 2003
This review is from: The Challenge (Paperback)
I am an Iyalorisha initiated Oshun Olordi. When one of my godchildren came to my house with this book, my first reaction was put it on top of a dish shelf and continue to do what I was doing. I totally forgot about this book. A few days later, I was searching for a beautiful cup that belongs to Oshun and to my surprise the book fell on my feet. I picked the book and started to read the overview and I had to sit down. It was a shock for me to read in black and white how precise what Iyanifa Alcamo was describing as abnormalities that has been passing thru generations. I was astonished and I started reviving this book in dreams as I had to look at myself again in the mirror. I had been initiated in this religion for over 25 years and nothing has changed. I was a person who live those experiences myself. When I started my own house,I promised Oshun that I will never treat a person the way I was treated.What appeared incredible to believe was what Iyanifa Alcamo reveals in her book, regardless of how people are going to deny these abnormalities by covering it up as an excuse and that this is "not a way of respect"? All religions are good; it is only the people who are involved with it that would make it good or bad. A good example is what is currently going on with major religions. Iyanifa Alcamo really reveals just a few of the abnormalities, and I can say that there is quite a bit more than what she exposes in this book. I read and read more than once each page and I am still in shock, admire her courage to come out publicly with some of the hidden agendas that you would only discover when you are inside. She alerts the reader to be attentive to leaders, teachers, guidance counselor, priest or priestesses of any religion and not to be victimized by any bad behavior that may destroy a person's well being. Iyanifa Alcamo give us a good and living examples on everyday life situations and gives guidance to Babalorisha, Iyalorisha, Babalawos etc. whether in Lukumí or Yoruba or any religion to teach and cultivate moral values . The most important thing that she describes is to help others to develop a personal self esteem which is important in life. As a personal example,it took me over 10 years after being initiated to find out how to worship Oshun Olordi.No one in my house could explain to me how to worship this path of Oshun.I have to discover it by myself, because everyone was to busy on how to prepare "tronos" and keep up with the Jones by buying more Orishas. Iyanifa Alcamo I also applaud you not only for your courage but for the awakening especially for the Aleyos. May Oshun Olordi bless you every day of your life.
Ocan de Nille
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