ONE PERFECT LOVE
here's an excerpt from my book "Rastafarian Mysticism":
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Human intelligence is symbolistic in nature. Very few of us ever find even a brief moment of inner silence; so what is it that disallows internal quietness? The ‘noise’ that rarely ceases is language, a system of symbols so entwined in human consciousness that the relationship between consciousness and language constitutes a mystery in itself. In fact, to contemplate anything that is not currently physically stimulating the senses is to employ symbolism. Spoken language is sound symbolizing ideas and written language is glyphs, or drawn figures, representing the sounds of speech. Symbols can be simple and universal, like the solar disc, or very sophisticated and specific, like a royal insignia. The point, the line and the circle are the basic building blocks from which various alphabets are constructed and represent pre-linguistic or archetypal ideas in themselves. In its most refined form, symbolism is employed where elaborate systems of symbols are used to direct the individual inward to the realization of the Unity of All.
It is well known that in the biblical tradition Jah created the heaven and the earth by use of language, “Jah said, ‘Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3) and that the messiah, called Jesus Christ, was the ‘logos’ or Word of Jah, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Jah and the Word was Jah” (John 1:1). This connotes the mystery of the relationship between language and consciousness and indicates that the individual’s highest faculty is capable of creating its own world through the willful and imaginative use of symbolic language. Within Rastafari this Mystery is referred to by the formula “Word, Sound, Power”.
The Rastafari, originating in Anglophonic Jamaica, have always sought to stretch the limits of language because it is widely recognized that ‘The Queen’s English’ has imbedded in it a repressive vibration. For example, the words “understand”, “wisdom” and “dedication” can be perceived to contain the negative vibrations of the words “under”, “dumb” and “dead” within them. These negative vibrations serve to minimize or cancel out the power of the concept being expressed. The Rasta response to the negative influences within the Word Sound Power of the English language is to create a new form of linguistic expression, called Iyaric or Rasta speak, where the words mentioned above are transformed into “overstand”, “wisemind” and “livication”.
The most important and pervasive innovation of Rasta Iyaric is the conception and usage of the word “I”. “I” is used in place of all personal pronouns so as to remove the illusory separateness of us/them and you/me and to consciously replace it with the concept of unity. “I” is worked into everyday speech as often as possible, continually invoking the spirit of “Inity” (unity). The locution “I and I” or “InI” is used to express first the concept of ‘me and my God’ or ‘my lower self and my Higher Self’ and secondly it is used by an individual Rasta to refer to Rastafari collectively.
The musicality, the poetry, rhyme, innovation, rhythm and beauty of Iyaric within its native Jamaican patois is not easily reproduced. However, Iyaric is the language of the Rastafari and it is the responsibility of every Rasta to overstand its function and form and to use it inasmuch as their talent and natural disposition allow. Bible reading is a common practice among Rastas and it is customary to replace “the LORD” with “JAH” and to replace “me” and “us” with “InI” when reading or citing scripture.
This use of language not only provides cohesion within Rastafari and provides an effective means of communicating the Mysteries; it also actually begins the process of development within the individual by challenging one’s fundamental perception of individuality. Changing language changes thought; changing how we think changes who we are.
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(The last sentence is the central point here)
LOVE AND ONLY LOVE
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