Orisa Heart, Community Love

The longest journey you will ever take is the eighteen inches from your head to your heart. Without emotional development, you cannot enjoy the benefits of collective growth. Your ability to overcome feelings of loss, fear and anger, for example, will absolutely determine the power and scope of your connection with others. In other words, your emotions function as an obstruction or a gateway, depending upon how you decide to position yourself in relationship to them. 

Collectively, when trauma is not addressed it becomes a pathology and is eventually woven into the very fabric of the culture. Throughout the African diaspora, our progress is limited by the emotional scars created by slavery, colonization and imperialism. Mistrust, disrespect and envy prevent many of us from creating and sustaining the kinds of institutions that support a healthy culture. 

The Ijinle is a small but significant step towards healing modern, urban society. The collective power of these small groups can contribute to the creation of a healthy fabric for people to live lives that enable them to realize their dreams, find purpose and meaning in their lives and gradually build vibrant communities.  Independent of theological, ritual or liturgical discourse, the Ijinle is organized to promote sharing, connecting and supporting. Our objective is to create an inspiring social atmosphere, where practitioners of Orisa Lifestyle can really get to know one another and deepen our relationships with the people we were born to serve.  

Ultimately,  my experience has taught me that Orisa Lifestyle can teach us to love ourselves and one another. The countless stories of birth, getting lost along the way, meeting influential characters and making tough decisions facilitate self discovery and build bridges of mutual understanding. Find out how you can establish an Ijinle in your community. 

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