I am creating a blog to open people’s minds to new ideas. It will be about my many interests such as astrology, astronomy, finances, science, history, mythology, religion, etc. I will also accept ideas from other people.
Introduction
Queens of Kush were called Kandake. The word Kandake became Candace in Latin. There were at least 8 of them. They led the Kushite army into battle. They ruled Kush for several centuries. Legend has it Alexander was afraid of Kandake and her army of elephants.
Kandakes
Shanakdakheto: She was the first known Kandake. She ruled for a decade or 2. She had a temple built during her reign. She felt she was the son of Ra. She has her own pyramid and statue. Meroitic language is craved in her pyramid. Meroitic language was the language of the Kushites.
Amanirenas: She was one of the most famous Kandake. She fought the Romans for 5 years. She ruled for 30 years. She was blind in one eye. Kushites attacked Roman Egypt and defeated the Roman military, captured prisoners, loot, and expelled the Jews from Elephantine. A peace treaty was signed after this.
Amanishakheto: She was Kandake after Amanirenas. She wore a lot of jewelry. She defeated an attacking Roman army. An Italian treasure hunter destroyed her pyramid. The pyramid was filled with jewels. The jewels are in a German museum.
Amanitore: She ruled after Amanishakheto for 50 years. She restored 2 Amen temples in Kush. Over 200 pyramids was built during her reign. She has her own pyramid tomb.
Amanikhatashan: She helped Titus squash a Jewish revolt. She has her own pyramid.
There were other great Kandakes as well.
Conclusion
Kandakes were great African Warrior Queens!!!!!!!!! They led armies into battle, had many pyramids built, and had diplomatic relationships with other countries. African women are the most powerful women on the planet!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My mama African. Sweet.
Introduction
Queen Nzinga was a great African queen. She was ruled over the Ndongo Kingdom. The Mbundu tribe was the biggest tribe in Ndongo. It was the tribe she was a member of. She became queen in the 17th century. She was a member of a royal family. She had a amazing birth. She married the chief of Imbangala. She fought to free Africans from the Portuguese. She had great military tactics.
Ndongo
This kingdom was in modern day Angola. It was created in the 16th century, if not earlier. The king of this kingdom was called Ngola. There were providences called kanda. They each contained villages and towns. The mayors of these villages were called sobas. The Ngola and the governors of the kandas ruled with a council of nobility. There was a judge and military leader as well.
Ndongo was a vassal state to the Kongo Kingdom. It also had diplomatic relationships with Portugal. Portugal sent missioners to Ndongo but, the Kongo king made them leave. He sent a priest from his kingdom to Ndongo.
Mbundu
They are a Bantu super tribe. Mbundu are composed of several smaller tribes or clans. They are matrillineal; meaning inheritance comes from the the mother side. They moved into Angola in the Middle Ages. They traded with pygmies and the San.
Some Mbundu people in big cities married Portuguese people. They also adopted their culture. Some of them went to college. They were known as assimilationists.
The Mbundu were the main supporters of Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MLPA). MLPA fought Portugal so Angola could be free. There were several militias in Angola in the 70's and they fought each other.
Chris Tucker and Isaiah Washington have Mbundu ancestors.
Queen Nzinga Family
Her father was King of Ndongo but, her mother wasn't royal at all. She had 2 sisters and 1 brother. I think her brother ruled after her father died. Her nephew became king after her brother died. She became regent during his rule.
She went with her brother to talk to the Portuguese. They gave her a mat to sit on. Someone in her entourage got on all 4s and she sat on her back.
She was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. This was a omen she was going to do something of great significance. Someone prophetized she would become a queen. If she never became a queen she probably would have became a great shaman.
Nzinga as Queen
She made a treaty with the Portuguese that was beneficial for her people. She converted to Christ-insanity for political reasons. The Portuguese broke the treaty. In responsive to this she went to war with them. She sat many Africans free. She married the chief of Imbangala, so she could have a stronger military. Later on she became allied to the Dutch. The Dutch were enemies of the Portuguese. She led her warriors into battle.
Conclusion
Queen Nzinga is a great inspiration!!!!! She had a shamanic birth and she was great leader. She ruled over Ndongo. She helped enslaved Africans get free. The tribe she was a member of is sweet too. She shows me that you can triumph even if the world is against you. All you need is great ambition and intelligence. She an abundance of that.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Ndongo
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mbundu
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPLA
http://kwekudee-tripdownmemorylane.blogspot.com/2013/06/mbundu-ambundu-people-angolas.html
http://www.blackhistoryheroes.com/2011/03/queen-ana-de-sousa-njinga-mbande-of.html
http://blackhistorypages.net/pages/nzinga.php Queen Nzinga History of the Queen More Beautiful Freedom Fighter
Introduction
Taoist philosophy is over 2,000 years old!!!!!! It is a major Chinese philosophy. It has many great ideas. There were many Taoist texts. Taoist philosophy had to compete with Confucianism during several dynasties. Taoism was marginalized when Confucianism became popular during the Han dynasty. The Yellow Turban Rebellion was inspired by Taoism. Neo-Taoism came into being after the Han dynasty. Taoism became popular during the Tang dynasty. Taoist temples popped up all over China starting in the 10th-century C.E. During the Yuan dynasty the Mongols favored Taoism at first and then they destroyed Taoist books. Once the Ming dynasty came to power Taoism became popular again and a new Taoist text was written that contained Confucian and Buddhist ideas. Christians tried to eradicate Taoism completely; thankfully they were unsuccessful.
Great Ideas
Tao: The formless sea of oneness, which all things are a part of.
Yin-Yang: Complementary pair. Examples-male/female, fire/ice, day/night, etc.
Chi: Lifeforce. It keeps the body alive. A person dies when it depletes completely. There are ways to increase chi.
Jing: Sexual energy. Chi becomes Jing after it stays in the body 4 a while. It is a good idea for men and women to mix their Jing together. It will cause them to be more spiritual.
Shen: Spirit. It is like chi, but the highest octave.
Nature: Everything in existence that isn't man made. Humans are a part of it and always will be.
Immortality: By refining the chi your soul can live forever.
Relativity: All things are unique to the individual. We all have different points of view because we are all unique.
Wu Wei: Effortless action. Non-goal oriented action. Act spontaneously, so your life will flow easily.
Taoist Texts
Guanzi: This text was had a mixture of Taoist, Confucian, and Legalistic ideas. It was written by Guan Zhong in the 7th century BCE.
Zhuangzi: It was written by Zhuang Zhou in 369 BCE. The book was full of allegories. It promoted the idea of being spontaneous and atonement with the Tao; death is a natural part of life. Huainanzi: It was a collection of debates around 139 BCE. It has Taoist, Confucian, and Legalist idea. It contained mythology, history, science, philosophy, nature, politics, nature, metaphysics, and other ideas. It has 21 chapters.
I Ching : It is a book of divination used by Taoist. It has 64 hexagrams; each one has its own meaning.
Yellow Court Classic: It was about alchemy. The book has meditations for becoming one with the Tao. It has 5 elements in it. It was written 288 CE.
Dazozang: It is a large collection of Taoist text. It took over a millennium to create it. Taoism vs Confucianism
Both systems were created around the sam time. Confucius is the founder of Confucianism. LaoTzu created Taoism. Confucian priests were bureaucrats; Taoist priests weren't government officials. Confucianism is hierarchical: king over peasants, husband over wife, old over young, etc. Taoism is egalitarian. Worshiping a deity wasn't so important in Taoism. Deities are seen as more evolved entities, not creators of the universe. There is one god and ancestral spirits in Confucianism. Taoism is more subjective because of its focus more on the self-improvement. Confucianism is more objective because its focus is on a better society.
Taoism during the Han Dynasty
Taoism was backed by the government during this dynasty. It became the state religion. There was a Taoist movement called Way of 5 Pecks of Rice. They had their own country until it became a part of the Kingdom of Wei. They thought someone could become immortal after they die. Way of 5 Pecks of Rice was the first Taoist organization.
Yellow Turban Rebellion
Peasants revolted against the Han dynasty. They were connected to Taoist secret societies. There was a food storage that caused northern farmers to move south, and peasants had to pay high taxes. Militias were created and landowners became very powerful. The government was able to squash the rebellion, but it was tough. Over 100,000 people were killed.
Neo-Taoism
Neo-Taoism lasted for 3 centuries. It may have been influenced by Jixia Academy. There was the Pure Conversion School, which focused on poetry. The Metaphysical School combined Confucian ideas with Taoism. Members of the Metaphysical School were greatly impacted by the I Ching.
Taoism during the Tang Dynasty
Taoism became the state religion during the Tang dynasty. It competed with Confucianism and Buddism. People during this time followed all 3 philosophies/religions. A king of the Tang dynasty wrote about all 3 traditions and promoted all of them. Tao Te Ching had to be studied b4 taking the government exam.
Taoism during the Yuan Dynasty
A lot of Taoist texts got burned up during the Yuan dynasty. Neidan became popular during this time.
Neidan is internal alchemy, which is balancing the energies of the body. One of Genghis Khan teacher's was a Taoist. He was a life saver. If it wasn't for him the Mongols would have killed millions of Chinese people. Taoism uring the last 2 Dynasties
The Daozang was completed during the Ming dynasty. It took 40 years. A Ming king had a Taoist protector deity. Another Ming king tried to make elixirs to be immortal. The Manchus ruled the Qing dynasty. They liked Confucianism and despised Taoism. Christian Destruction of Everything Taoist
After China became a republic the Christians destroyed most Taoist temples and texts. Some temples were turned into some government buildings. Christians saw Taoism as an inferior religion. Jesuits convinced the Chinese government that Taoism is evil centuries ago. In the 19th century, a Chinese man thought he was Christ. He led the Taiping Rebellion. A lot of Taoist material was destroyed.
Conclusion
Taoist philosophy is amazing!!!!! It has a long history. It has many great ideas. It had a positive effect on China and surrounding regions. You should look into inner alchemy. Taoist philosophy will enrich your life. Get into it. To learn more about the religion of Taoism click Here.
Introduction
Buddha was the greatest philosopher of all time! In my opinion. He knew a lot about the mind. There are 3 marks of existence. They are Annica, Dukkha, and Anatta. There are 4 noble truths. The Eightfold Path leads to nirvana. Once you have nirvana you escape samsara. Everything comes from pratityasamutpada.
3 Marks of Existence
Annica: It means impermanence. Our universe is transitory. Everything comes and goes. Anything that has a beginning has an end. Change is constant. That which change not is eternal.
Dukkha: It means suffering. Suffering comes from attachment to desire. When we lose something we have or can't get something we want we experience dukkha. We want relationships, objects, emotional states, places to remain permanent. But the nature of reality is annica. Once we embrace annica we will be on the road to supreme peace. If we can truly embrace emptiness we will no longer dukkha.
Anatta: It means there is no permanent self. What we think of as self, are composed of various parts. Self is made out of spirit, mind, and body. All of these parts are annica. Some these parts reincarnate.
4 Noble Truths
1. Life is full of suffering.
2. Suffering comes from our attachment to desire.
3. Suffering ceases when we lose our attachment to desire.
4. The Eightfold Path teaches us how to do that.
Eightfold Path
1. Right View: To see reality the way it truly is, instead of how it is perceived.
2. Right Intention: Purified desires.
3. Right Speech: Speaking honestly and positively.
4. Right Action: Be on your utmost behavior. Help people, animals, and the environment. Harm none.
5. Right Livelihood: Live a life full of righteousness. An example of this is having a legal job.
6. Right Effort: Our motivation should be to minimize suffering 4 self and other.
7. Right Mindfulness: We should be present in everything we do.
8. Right Concentration: Sometimes we should rest our mind on 1 thing and exclude everything else.
You should do all of these in any order. The Eightfold Path helps us be virtuous, insightful, and it strengthens our mind.
Every occurrence happens because of various causes. This because the universe is impermanent. Because of this impermanence, it always changing. This is known as pratityasamutpada.
Samsara and Nirvana
Samsara: The cycle of life, death, and rebirth. It is full of suffering. In every incarnation, you will suffer.
Nirvana: Escape from samara. You are free from torment. There is only supreme peace. Nirvana is reached when you realize/experience emptiness.
Conclusion
Buddhist philosophy is amazing!!!!!! It has a lot to teach. I've learned so much from it. You should too.
Buddhist philosophy consists of 3 modes of existence, 4 Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, samsara, nirvana, and much more.
There is a very magical form of Buddhism. It is Tibetan Buddhism. To learn more about it click here.
There was a great Buddhist monk named Mikao Usui. He created Reiki. It is a wonderful system of healing. Click here to learn more about it. References
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Philosophy/What_is_Buddhist_Philosophy%3F
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da
http://www.hinduwebsite.com/buddhism/buddhist_philosophy.asp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impermanence
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha
https://www.britannica.com/topic/anatta
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lewis-richmond/emptiness-most-misunderstood-word-in-buddhism_b_2769189.html Emptiness
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path
http://buddhism.about.com/od/theeightfoldpath/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana Samsara
https://www.britannica.com/topic/paticca-samuppada Intro to Buddhist Philosophy Samsara & Nirvana The 4 Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path 3 Marks of Existence
Introduction
Reiki (universal life-force/spiritual essence) is a Japanese philosophy and form of healing. It was created by Mikao Usui in 1922. There are several different forms of Reiki. It is very safe and works well in conjunction with other forms of healing. Reiki is popular around the world. Reiki has been proven effective by science.
History
Mikao Usui was a Buddhist that learned sword fighting and Qigong. He wanted to create a method of healing that didn't decrease the energy of the practitioner. He studied many techniques from different traditions. They were combined and put into Reiki. Usui went to a mountain and fasted for 21 days, then he created Reiki. He made it non-religious so anyone could practice it.
Dr. Chujiro Hayashi was Mikao most important disciple. He took Reiki in a more medical direction. He set up a clinic in Tokyo. He had 14 disciples.
Mrs. Hawayo Takata was a disciple of Hayashi. She brought Reiki to the US. She had 22 disciples. She changed Reiki to fit Westerners. Her disciples mix Reiki with New Age ideas.
Symbols and Chants
Each symbol has a corresponding chant. The 1st symbol is the earth symbol. It represents power. Its chant is Cho-Ku-Ray. The 2nd symbol is heaven. It represents the mind. Its chant is Say-Hei-Ki. The 3rd symbol is heave and earth. It is used for distance healing. Its chant is Hon-Sha-Ze-Sho-Nen. The 4th chant is Tam-A-Ra-Sha. Its symbol balances. The master symbol deals with the spirit. Its chat is Dai-Ko-Myo.
Different Types of Reiki
Traditional: You simply let the ki flow through you into the client.
Karuna: Compassionate spiritual beings aid in the healing of clients.
Rainbow: Focuses on healing the inner child and spiritual body.
Kundalini: Practitioners use the energy of the coiled serpent to heal.
Angelic: Angels aid the facilitator in the healing of the client.
Dragon: Dragons aid the facilitator in the healing of the client.
There are many other forms of Reiki, but this will suffice.
Reiki Effectiveness
Scientists have proven that reiki is effective at relieving stress. It reduces pain and depression. Reiki causes relaxation, which increases the body natural healing mechanisms. There aren't any negative side effects to Reiki.
Conclusion
Reiki has a rich history and it been around 4 almost a century. There many different types of Reiki. It has been proven by science and it can help a person get well. It is magnificent!
Reiki is amazing! It will make you so happy. It is very simple. Get into it.
References
http://psychcentral.com/lib/reiki-healing-and-mental-health-what-the-research-shows/
http://www.dorsetreiki.co.uk/scientificexplanationofreiki.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reiki
http://www.oneworldhealing.net/reiki-healing-2/different-types-of-reiki/
http://www.medindia.net/alternativemedicine/reiki/reiki7.htm
http://www.dragonreiki.com/
http://angelicreikitraining.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikao_Usui
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chujiro_Hayashi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawayo_Takata
http://www.practicalreiki.com/blog/tag/the-22-reiki-master-initiated-by-hawayo-takata/
http://www.reiki-for-holistic-health.com/reikisymbols.html Reiki Session Mechanics of Reiki Reiki with the Doc Reiki on the News Reiki Distance Healing