Sacredness Of Your Ori: A Cultural, Personal and Spiritual Perspective
In my African Ancestry your head is referred to as your Ori
which is a Yoruba word from West Africa.
In the middle of your Ori is what my East Indian ancestors call your
Crown Chakra. The Celts of Scotland
according to archaeologist Anne Ross in her writings state that "the Celts
venerated the head as a symbol of divinity and the powers of the otherworld,
and regarded it as the most important bodily member, the very seat of the soul”.
(1) All three of my cultures above plus
my Indigenous Carib, referred historically as Kalinago, holds great reverence to
your head.
This area of the human body has great spiritual significance
in all four of my cultural composition.
Your Ori is your "spiritual intuition and destiny which is the
reflective spark of your human consciousness embedded into your human
essence". (2) My African and Hindu heritages in particular believes
covering this area is key, especially when you are praying. Over time some people in my heritages have
modified it by using a hat, a bandanna, or a mantilla, but the essence of
keeping the crown of your head covered still remains a sacred part of my
prayer life as it was for my ancestors. Though, in my everyday social life I
choose when and where I deem it necessary to cover my head, for I believe that it is my fundamental right and decision I make as an individual. However, when you make that choice to go
uncovered in daily life then you must be conscious that extra measures of
protective prayer meditation to seal your crown chakra must be adhered to.
You may ask, why keep such an ancient tradition as part of
my prayer life, when my hair covers my scalp? The middle of your head, crown
chakra, though covered by your hair is still exposed to the energetic forces of
the Universe and even earth's elements.
A physical example of the importance of your head is with energy
loss. This is very evident in cold
climates where your greatest body heat is released from the top of your
head. However, once covered with a hat
or scarf you are able to retain your body heat better. Or if in a hot climate you cover to keep your
head cool away from the scorching sun rays or keeping sand out of hair if you
are in the middle of a desert.
The Crown Chakra in your Ori is the entry point for your
body spiritual energy and your spiritual connection to The Divine occurs
here. On the physical level your brain
which guides your life decisions sits in your head and should be cared for
meticulously and covered when praying. Individuals
in The Mind Body industry understands this fact and adheres to what I call
"Protocol Dressing". Just as
you would have the wisdom to wear a business suit for a Western corporate position,
your head ought to be covered when doing your daily prayers, administering Mind
Body consultations, Energy Healing sessions, Spiritual Services or conducting
Sacred Prayer Festivals in the outdoors.
In almost all religions and spiritual systems when going
into deep meditative prayer covering your head is seen as a sign of respect,
and your humility to The Creator/God.
Whether you choose to wear a scarf when you attend a spiritual gathering
or in completing daily prayers to cover your crown chakra is all up to you and
the spiritual guidance you decide to incorporate into your life as well as any
required protocol for an event.
Coverings to your head have various names such as the common everyday
hat; a Chapel Cap worn by Catholic women; a Dupatta worn by Hindu women; a
Hijab worn by Muslim women; a Kufi worn by Muslim men; a Mantilla worn by
Christian women; or a Yarmulke worn by Jewish men.
If you do visit a sacred place or another country let us not
be arrogant and brash, let us have the wisdom to be respectful and cover our
head accordingly based on the culture or spirituality we are in the presence of. In essence, having "Travel Common
Sense" will not just keep you safe and gain respect, but it may even open
doors of opportunity that you may never have gained access to that can make
your trip an exceptional experience.
When it comes to your prayer life, this is not to say that
God will judge you harshly should you choose to not cover your crown
chakra. No one holds that answer
definitively. You must make that decision
on your own and be at peace with it, but also be in alignment with the
spiritual life you have chosen. I simply
choose to cover my head when attending a sacred gathering indoors or outdoors
because I feel it is my outward expression of respect to a force greater than
me, and it is a sacred part of my spiritual practice.
Blessings to all and may peace be with you. Have a prayerful year.
References -
1. Ross, Anne (1974). Pagan Celtic Britain: Studies in
iconography and tradition. London, UK: Sphere Books Ltd. pp. 161-162
2. Fagbemijo Amosun Fakayode., "Ori Mi Gbe Mi: Ori
Support Me", 2012
3. Personal Knowledge. Ajibike's Ancestral Oral History Teachings
originating from West Africa, The Caribbean, India, and Scotland.
"CherCher Ajibike Sunshine" is the Author of "You Are Not Alone" Blog for Ajibike Universe as well as an Ancestral Intelligence Mindfulness Life Consultant, Reiki Master in the Tradition of Dr. Mikao Usui of Japan, and a Spiritual Sound Energy Wellness Practitioner.
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