Rastafari to me means... what?

Probably Rastafari to me means different things than for other people or even other Rastas. To me what's important is that you build a personal relationship with God, that you feel good about that dialogue and that you feel connected through Love to all Creation.

Neale Donald Walsh said, that if God is the target, you can't miss it... He's too big! In fact... He's everywhere.

Rastafari echoes to me because it is a movement made by Africans outside of Africa, and it incorporates a lot of African issues, that can help the African Diaspora to "Repatriate to Africa", to make a inner voyage to the home of our ancestors and by doing so, reclaiming our birthright to be and to belong. A Jungian Circumambulation of the Self so to speak.

Rastafari echoes to me because I have some sympathy for the ideal of anarchy, where man needs no structures, because he is driven by a Higher Good, a Higher Morality. Such is Rastafari, no churches, no ministers. Of course there are those who gather in communities called "Mansions" (Twelve Tribes of Israel, Bobo Shanti, Nyanbinghi, etc.) and that is allright, because All is Good, All is God!

Now, Hailé Selassié to me is one of the Avatars of The Most High...Jah Rastafari... just as Jesus Christ, Buda, Maomé, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Me, You and all of the people! No doubt he was an impressive man and statesman, most of all (that's what Avatars do) he inspired people, he inspired Africans, he was a beacon of hope to Africans worldwide, because he stood as the Only free African Country in Africa (Ethiopia... and that's why Rasta wears the colors of the Ethiopia Flag, and not the Jamaican). So i give former Ras Tafari Makonnen, now and forever Hailé Selassié I praises, as H.I.M. His Imperial Majesty, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah and Elect of God, just as I would praise any Avatar that shines with the Light of Jah!

Last... Rastafari is equal to all other religions, praises, Peace, Love, Unity, and the struggle of all these to our inner demons, that sometimes manifest in our school systems, monetary systems, mental health care systems, etc... That is Babylonia, the Antithesis of Zion the promissed Land, a inner state of calm and peacefullness.

In short, although the words in the story are the same, we can read into it deeper and deeper, the first Rastas read all this literally... some still do... me i tend to a more inner path of religion (re ligare...reconnect) with my Higher Self... by the way this Higher Self in Rastafari is called InI (means Me and You, We all, Me and God, We and God) because were all One.

Blessed Be. Jah Rastafari!
-Ras.Bhenda

20 questions about Rastafari 2/20

Have you broken any rules and if not then if members break the rules what are the consequences or punishment for breaking a rule?

This is my personal view on the movement, these opinions are solely my own, and I wish not to make them speak for anyone else but me... Ras Bhenda

To me Rastafari is a principle and not a set of rules, you can either be aligned with the principle and manifest it, or… not! But because there are many ways to reach the same place (this is one of the principles of systemic thinking in Clinical Social Psychology) there are people who have united under one banner, I believe it is called a Mansion. Mansions are groups of people that look at Rastafari the same way, and so study and practice Rastafari together. These Mansions build rules and conducts they believe will help them to manifest the Rastafari Principle faster, safer and better. Although they are not churches, there could be some parallel, leadership, principles, dress codes, hierarchy, etc. In those Mansions, depending on which one, I suppose there can be (or not) a penalty for breaking rules… but in Rastafari there is no outer consequence or punishment. See it this way. If you make sports, and exercise daily, you will feel good and your body will grow healthy. But if you don’t… your body will grow weak and health issues may arise. That is your consequence. There is no punishment from God or Church, just a feedback on your actions.

Rastafari is Peace, Love and Inity… Respect is a consequence of such thoughts you walk your path and I respect you, as long as you don’t carry injustice to others I will leave you be. A rastafari does not in principle drink alcohol, mainly because it can keep you from reconnecting with your higher self. But if a rastaman drinks, it will be upon himself, it will be his loss.

Other situations may occur that a Rasta behaves unbecoming, and brings rastafari name to a shame. Well that is a known Social Psychology issue (Outer Group Homogeneity: When one watches the behavior of someone not belonging to your group, you will tend to classify the whole group with that behavior), and every Rasta will try to illuminate other rastas who indulge in such behaviors. Blessed Be

Ras.Bhenda: 3 Years, the best of...

Como já devem ter percebido, algumas das tracks aqui estão fora de serviço... o que se passa é que decidi apagar todos os albums que tinha produzido ao longo destes anos, nao porque não gostasse deles, mas porque misturavam muita coisa.

O que escolhi fazer foi uma colectanea das melhores músicas que fiz, e criar um album onde essas músicas pudessem estar, e mostrar assim aquilo que de melhor se fez em termos de Ras.Bhenda! Enjoy!