"JUST PRAY ABOUT IT" | a smallanyana chat on faith and action

[A Smallanyana Thread]

#CultureShock @VumaFM

"Just pray about it" is not a solution.

Many have drowned deep in the pits of depression and getting temporarily knocked down by life because of this vague statement.

Changing your life atmosphere involves Prayer, absolutely, AND Ritual.

What is a Ritual?

Negative connotations are attached to the word "Ritual". Average minds go straight to scenes of blood and sacrifices!

Definition:

Ritual is a SEQUENCE of activities involving GESTURES, WORDS, ACTIONS, & OBJECTS, performed in a sequestered place and according to a set sequence.

GESTURES:

Def: a movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express an idea or meaning. (Cred: Oxford Languages)

Gestures and Posture is the beginning of surrendering to a power higher than yourself. It's a physical representation of humility.

People kneel, fold their hands, sit down on the floor, while others raise their hands. Your revelation will lead you, not copying from what you see from others.

Just as you would automatically have a respectful demeanour when meeting a president, same applies to uMvelingqangi.

WORDS:

Proverbs 18:4; 21 - 4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

What you AFFIRM in WORDS, you BECOME. There is no two ways about it!

When seeking to get out of a tormenting cycle, the words you consistently speak the most create your atmosphere.

Key word: Consistency. Does this mean one should be amped and pumped all the time? Most probably not, but the scale should tip in favour of the positive all the time.

ACTIONS:

James 2:18 - But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

All healing goes hand in hand with actions. This could be cultivating a state of mind that breeds recovery...

...It could be bathing in water with sea salt everyday, could be using isiwasho for a prescribed period, it could be ukuphalaza (not everyday asseblief) for a period prescribed, could be taking note of one's destructive thinking patterns and triggers and go against them, etc

Into egcizelelwayo on this specific point is that when one gets up off their knees from prayer, there also need to be a consistent and focused action to carry the prayer to practicality.

Consistent and focused action inevitably changes your atmosphere.

OBJECTS:

The use of objects, in the context of this thread, is to assist a person in focusing and aligning their energy to a specific focal point.

Depending on where you are in your spiritual walk, a lot of people find it hard to align their energy.

The object itself is not the source of healing, but its importance makes it one of the catalysts to a person's healing. The sacred synergy of your spirit and your soul (heart and mind) is the key. You'll be surprised at just how much of your wellbeing is linked to these.

There are many other factors to "Faith and Action" that could be discussed, but personally I feel the above mentioned are the most important building blocks on anyone's road to healing and recovery.

Of course there's varying degrees of issues we come across, and some might need a bit more force in tapping into spirit through imithi emihle.

The ball that's in your court heavily leans on your revelation and the steps you are shown by the One who lead you.

Let's wrap it up there for now Let's also discuss points you feel need more clarity. I don't claim to know-it-all or to have all the answers so I implore all of us to chip in and share our varying knowledge.

Ngiyanithanda Philani, Kukhanye njalo