A Glass Of Water And A Candle

By Oba Ade Dayo

This groundbreaking book explores the importance of spiritualism. As you read, you will gain a greater understanding of the foundations of spiritualism and how to cultivate your spiritual court. Most importantly, this book dispels the boggy-isms improperly associated with every day cultural nuances practiced by African Americans.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Omidina Productions
• Release date: Oct 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9780578512211

Book preview

A GLASS OF WATER

AND A CANDLE

QUENCH MY SOUL AND LIGHT MY WAY

2021 SECOND EDITION

OBA ADE DAYO

Copyright in progress © 2019 Oba Ade Dayo

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

ISBN: 978-0-578-51221-1

Imprint: Omidina Productions

www.Omidina.com

Books. Content. Culture

OBA ADE DAYO

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to Carol Ann Robinson Ibae, Anthony Johan Olff Ibae, Mary Margaret Lee Robinson Ibae, Charles Jason Robinson Ibae and my Godmother, Martha Sanchez and Maria Elena Gonzalez Lopez

Table of Contents

Introduction

Phase I: What is Spiritualism?

Phase II: Ancestral Worship and Major Religion

Phase III: The Basis Of Spirit… What is Spirit?

Phase IV: Altars, Devotion and Sacrifice

Phase V: The Spiritual Court Guides, Protectors, Laborers and the Malevolent

Phase VI: The construction of the Boveda

Phase VII: Channeling Spirit and Spirit Possession

Phase VIII: The Commissions

Phase IX: Glass Configurations

Phase X: Conducting a Misa (Spiritual Gathering)

Phase XI: Prayers & Songs

PLEGARIAS/SONGS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Introduction

Iam Oba, a third generation Afro-American Lucumi devotee. My father was half Cherokee and Surinamese. His father Albertus Olff, was born in Suriname and his mother Amabelle was a Cherokee with other blood mixtures to add to my ancestral bloodline. My mother was born in New York to a Catholic mother from Baton Rouge, and a Baptist father from South Carolina. My maternal grandfather was very religious and spiritual, as was my grandmother. She had four children, a set of twins, my mother and my uncle Charles. In 1968, one of the twins (Baba Jay) - my uncle, attended a New Black Power conference in Philadelphia, to see Brother Omar Ammad and the Republic of New Africans. It was there that he saw Walter King / Osejimon Adefunnmi I say, " Voodoo is the true religion of the black man. "

Two years later on Palm Sunday of 1970, both my uncles, Jay and Charles, underwent the preliminary initiation ceremony of receiving their ilekes (beads). Two weeks later, my maternal grandmother followed suit. This was the beginning of the spiritual foundation laid down for my spiritual heritage. This is significant because I am not a convert! I was born aware and conscious of spirit and deity. My understanding and articulation of the subject is unprecedented in English. Though I am no expert as there are none, I have had the luxury and pleasure of seeing true spiritual evidence and interaction, much of which by way of my immediate family members and mentors.

My maternal grandmother Mary Margret Lee Robinson, was affectionately known as Agba, a Yoruba word for elder. The Yoruba word for elder usually has a prefix preceeding the word denoting the gender, e.g. Iya Agba, Baba Agba. Agba was born on December 29, 1925 in Akron Ohio. She was raised in Baton Rouge and later in Houston, Texas. Her mother Sophie Lee was a dark skinned Creole woman who was known for making novinas - ritual promises made to the saints of the Catholic creed. And Agba’s father, William Lee was a Garveyite who was murdered when she was a little girl. I start with Agba because she was very special in regards to spirituality. She was born with a caul over her face - a white membrane covering an infant’s body or face. This is considered very mystical among many indigenous cultures and religions. As a Lucumi of the Yoruba, it’s more relevant because in Africa and Cuba, the name Talabi or Salako is given to the child denoting Orisha Obatala’s ownership of the child. Subsequently, Agba was initiated to the Orisha Obatala on June 16, 1979 by Lloyd Weaver - Olosunmi, Oni Yemonja. She was reborn Oru Oba - Heaven’s King, and she was the first of my blood relatives to make Ocha or become a Priest. Not long after, my aunt, uncles, and my own mother followed suit. Agba also had the credit and title of being Iya Ibeji - a mother of twins, which is a mystical phenomenon it itself. She was a clairvoyant and intuitive and was often referred to as goat mouth amongst her children. If she said something was gonna happen, you could bet on it. And although she wasn’t a medium, she possessed Obatala once. I spent a significant amount of time with Agba. She was my babysitter, teacher and best buddy as she affectionately called me. She taught me about universal law, and how to control myself and emotions. I saw her cry once in my life, shortly after my own mother passed away.

Agba was undoubtedly the most upstanding human being I’ve ever met. At 16 years old, she graduated from Jack Yates Highschool in Houston, Texas to then go on to Albany, New York where she was the first African Amercian registered nurse to graduate from Russel Sage College for Nursing. She ran two to three clinics in Downstate Medical Center after working in Coney Island and Kings County for decades and she was very active in the Uhuru Sasa Black empowerment movement, and served on the council of elders for B.A.M. (Brooklyn Academy of Music) and Dance Africa. Agba was also a deputy inspector of the auxiliary police of Brooklyn South. A true leader and elder, Agba single handedly legitimized the African American Ocha community by converting before her children. To my knowledge, no other African American families can make this claim. There are other families, but none where the matriarchs blazed the trail before her baby boomer children. Only a brave and humble woman would convert religions based on the actions taken by her sons. It takes great courage, humility and realization to follow your children to find God. Blessed be the day Agba descended to the earth.

Carol Anne Robinson without a doubt, is my next influence. She was born August 6, 1951 behind a set of twins. In Yoruba and Lucumi traditions, this child is known as Idowu (Ideu). The Idowu child is responsible for putting the Iya Ibeji (mother of twins), head back together. It is said that twins split the mother’s head creating a lack of focus due to the strain of pleasing two infants at the same time. Because of this, the Idowu is given credit for putting that mother’s head and focus back together. My mother was brilliant and very intuitive, but under developed due to neglect and rebellion. My mother was the last of her siblings to go forward with her priestly initiation. In June of 1988, she was initiated to Yemaya by the same man who guided most of my family members, Baba Lloyd (Olosunami). My mother was good at keeping a regiment of cleaning her alter regularly. She taught me the value of spiritual upkeep and maintenance, and she also serves as example of lack of development. She had a strong spirit guide, but due to depression and poor self esteem she became unsure and doubtful. She is my strongest spiritual advocate in my own spiritual court. God bless her and may light, peace and progress reach her for as long as I exist, or until we meet again.

My father Anthony Johan Olff was born February 6, 1939 and was not involved in Afro-Diasporic traditions. He was, if asked - a Buddhist. But he only worshipped by himself. He was very anti-group thought when it concerned spirituality. My father taught me to make logistical assessments of everything, including spiritual practice. He taught me how to search for truth, how to use my mind, control my own perspective, and how to find one’s true feeling without external influences. He was a master carpenter/contractor and very skilled with his hands. Wood, cloth, beads and food were his creative mediums. His father Albert Olff, was a farmer from Suriname. He spoke many languages and traveled the world as a merchant seaman. Albert was born October 11, 1895 and died an amputee in September 1974, three years before I was born.

My grandmother Amabelle Kennedy Olff, was a black Cherokee, a herbalist and scry, as was recounted and shared with me by my father. She was known to her children as Mother Dear, the name speaking for itself. Having a grandfather from Suriname and a grandmother who was Native American makes for an interesting spiritual court.

My mother’s brothers, Baby Jay and Baba Charles are genuinely spiritual beings:

Baba Jay

Jonathan Michael Robinson II was born breached, and the second twin to my grandmother. Baba Jay

Reviews for A Glass Of Water And A Candle

[afrykandol · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ive learned so much. Definitely needed for novice and still learning practitioners . Thank you. may our paths cross at some point . I am interested in learning so much more, and initiating . ASE.