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Menstrual Cycle

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Time Zone: EST (New York, Toronto)
Messenger: Ark I Sent: 9/20/2007 1:03:17 AM
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I think people have misinterpreted the laws about menstruation, in regards to the number of days of separation and the reason for the separation.

When I read the scripture, to I it says that a woman should be put apart a minimum of seven days. But if her menstruation continues more then seven days, she will continue to be put apart until it is finished.

I will reason about the scripture to show why I say this.

Leviticus 15

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[19] And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.
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If a woman doesn't have her issue more than seven days, then she is put apart only for seven days.

Here are the orders for whatever or whoever comes in contact with her issue
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[20] And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.
[21] And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
[22] And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
[23] And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even.
[24] And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean.
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Here are the orders if the issue continues more then seven days or finished before seven days.


Here is what happens if the issue continues after the seventh day.
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[25] And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean.
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So when her issue is finished, she will no longer be separate.


A summary repeating the orders when things or people come in contact.
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[26] Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation.
[27] And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
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Then it says,
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[28] But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.
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I sight that as saying if a woman's issue stops before her seven days, then she shall count the remaining days. So if her issue stops on the fourth day, then she will count days five, six and seven and then she will be clean.

I can also see the possibility that it is saying that if the menstruation continues many days after the seven, then the woman will wait an additional seven days. And the reason that might be true is maybe because if the menstruation continued for many days more than seven, then it was likely a miscarriage.

But when I consider this line in verse 25.
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all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation
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It is saying that the day of the issue will be the days of separation. So that makes I think that verse 28 it is more likely talking about numbering out the remaining seven days even if the menstruation end before the seven days are finished.


Here is the sacrifice after the separation is finished.
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[29] And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
[30] And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness.
[31] Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them.
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A lot of the laws in the bible are about cleanliness. There were no tampons or maxi pads in those day and it was hard to prevent the blood from coming into contact with other things. So that is likely the reason why the woman were kept apart until their menstrual cycle was over.

Ark I
RasTafarI
Haile Selassie I





Messenger: IIESI Sent: 9/20/2007 3:58:40 AM
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Greeting in the name of His Imperial Majesty,

I give thanks for the topic!
Now, the last sentence was the most interesting for me. I was meditating upon that biblical law of woman`s seperation before, but I don`t see, why a woman is unclean in the course of the time mother nature shows her beauty. This blood tells the woman that her body is ready for the miracle of birth. Maybe the I is closedminded but this is a nature thing and nothing to be hidden...

Jah guidance


Messenger: Ras Bredren Nicholas Sent: 9/20/2007 4:46:31 AM
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Blessed Love Everytime Jah RasTafarI Haile I Selassie I

Iyah, its not about being open mind or close-minded. its the fact on staying true to all Jah commandments, as Ark I said this one inparticular is about staying clean....its Jah Word. So peace all the while, Love is what prospers. Bless the I, JAH RASTAFARI.


Messenger: Ten Sent: 9/20/2007 5:38:55 AM
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Greetings
I think Ark I makes an interesting point about the time that the Bible was recorded people did not have pads and tampons so in that instance they might have considered unclean. I think historical context is an appropriate way to view this law - as it was applied at that time and under specific circumsances. If we are to practice this law today, in this time then we also have to be aware of the times in which we live and the geographic/cultural spaces in which we live as pratices differ accordingly. I know these are holy days too and JAH world unfolds daily in a spiritual order that comes in the form of many things and in many thoughts some of which have changed from the times the Bible was written in.
In many African cultures a woman's menstrual cycle also indicated a time of seperation and a girl goes through a traditional ceremony to initiate her into womanhood. Among the Ndebele a girl had a special menstruation kit consisting of a soft leather strip she attached to herself to act as a holding place for the absorbents she would use. Absorbents could be cloths, leaves of corn and other absorbent natural materials.
My issue is not so much with rituals and the spiritual significance of this process. My problem is the thinking that goes with it - as much as a woman might have been seen as unclean in a practical sense there was still a mental association made with woman and uncleanliness.
Quoting from Ark I's selected verses
[20] And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.
[21] And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
[22] And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
[23] And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even.

Was this really all about the blood, just blood only? If so then us as people have misinterpreted the meaning of this for many many generations. I'm inclined to think there was a deeper meaning to it but I would also like to hear what other Ites feel.
For some African cultures where the written Bible was not used, rituals of menstruation meant a woman came to learn of the spiritual power she possessed like rain making or as a diviner or a military fighter as in my culture. Its important for I to also look at from that perspective for I to fully over the meaning of womban and a menstruation cycle - its a heavy time. These are the self-affirming rituals I n I must also teach the young girls so they do not hide their bodies in shame or get caught up in the sexual problems of today's world.
Empress Yaa I would love to hear your thoughts on the matter, Sister why hold back on us, of course we want to know : )
Blessed Love


Messenger: Ten Sent: 9/20/2007 5:41:36 AM
Reply

Praises FarI Dawta
Why did the I say I used Babylon as a measuring stick - regarding this matter or sexualities? (I'm yet raspond I'll make a seperate post but for now I must attend to other works)
Bless


Messenger: Ras KebreAB Sent: 9/20/2007 9:39:32 AM
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Perhaps, just perhaps, the i them might be underestimating the Incients


Messenger: Ras KebreAB Sent: 9/20/2007 9:53:53 AM
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If i may ask
why do ones, especially Women, consider the laws of purification during time of issue to be about the downpression of women?
If that is so, is Leviticus 15, vrs.1- vrs.17 to be considered as the downpression of men?


Messenger: Ras KebreAB Sent: 9/20/2007 10:13:48 AM
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Ark I
The i said
"A lot of the laws in the bible are about cleanliness. There were no tampons or maxi pads in those day and it was hard to prevent the blood from coming into contact with other things. So that is likely the reason why the woman were kept apart until their menstrual cycle was over."

and i see your meaning. I just was wondering

when a woman is in menstruation, we know that it is not only blood that issues forth.
When a woman has completed purification/menstruation, the seed within her is ready to be fertilized, the seed of life, indeed she carries life itself within her
But during menstruation, if the seed goes unfertilized, the dead tissue is mixed with blood and expelled.
So, until her time of purification is complete, cannot it be said in a sense that she is carrying a form of "death" within her?

i dont know, but as a man who doesnt deal in no funeral or burial business , it kinda makes sense to i

The ancients considered it as pollution. The thing is, this is like what i was saying the last time when ini were discussing vanity. It is almost impossible to say with certainty whether the observance of this Law will be benificial or detrimental or even inconsequential to life, because the effects will be so far removed from the actions

But like i said before, i dont underestimate the incients, and everything i know as of now, tells i that ini need to take heed,
sometimes ini may not overs all the reasons why, but sometimes overstanding can only come by observance

Blessed Love, i will let the i them forward the reasoning

Holy Selassie I Jah Rastafari


Messenger: Yaa Asantewa Sent: 9/20/2007 11:01:51 AM
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OK... well, not surprisingly... I agree with Prince Emmanuel. I do not sight the 21 day purification as oppressive, rather I see it as an upliftment. I believe it to be intended as an upliftment and it is the Kings that overstand it as such. As for some who want to distort natural levels to support the continued oppression of women, then there are no prizes for guessing what I say about that... you know it's gotta be lightening & thunder for them. LOL.

OK... for InI it is not so much the Bible scriptures that refine my overstanding of the 21 day ights. And as far as KJversion of the bible... well, we know that he and his re-writers were raging soddomoites who had BIG problems with women. So, where they may have left the remnants of the principles, I'm sure that the INTERPRETATIONS of the significances are something that InI are going to have to look to the ants about... if you know what I mean.

In the oppression of women, and castration of InI from our divine & earthly knowledge of self... a main point of focus has been on removing us from overstanding our creational cycle... which is something that is unique to each womban. Through the knowledge of our natural cycle... we are able to order our family planning, we are able to overstand our most creative and dynamic seasons, we are able to overstand the ebb and flow of our emotional currents... and hence we are able to order our womanly lives accordingly. This is because the cycle is not just at the bleed... the cycle is just that, an entire CYCLE... the "issue" is simply one part of it.

This cycle is an absolute essential part of our lives and our bodies, and our mentalities. It is actually fundamental. Ancient laws of spirituality tell InI that one of the seven human divinities is our system of reproduction and the cycles related to it. The Kingman are able to overstand the potency of creation in their DAILY cycle... their cycle is linked to sun-rise. InI cycle, is related to that of the moon... the full moon symbolic of InI fertile time. Once per "month".

To honour the 21 day purification is to make an ESSENTIAL prinicple of livity based on acknowledgement of the potency of I woman's creational cycle. InI are not supposed to take it light. The time comes when InI shed the excesses & unused of the womb. The things in the womb that have passed their shelf LIFE. And the bottom line is, it's a very private and intimate thing for a woman. It is an emotional time at varying degrees for different people. After that period of shedding, the fact is we would have spent days bleeding, so it makes perfect sense to me to let your body rest and collect itself for 7 days prior to the last appearance of blood. Now depending on your knowledge of your individual cycle, it is likely that within 7 - 9 days further after this, InI will ovulate... preparing the womb for creation again. InI don't use contraception... but that does not mean InI womban must be sloppy about my family planning. InI are royal children, so we must know what we're doing in this iwah.

If it is the time for the I and the Kingman to bring forward LIFE and make that sacrement to each other, InI can invite him before the 3rd week is out. If the couple are serious about making life, then the Empress should know the exact days at which she is at the optimum point. However, if the family sees that there are works to do and the time is not right to bring the youth forward yet... then InI honour the full 21 days. This is why InI say... after 21 days InI are "free". InI can lay with the Kingman freely, knowing I body enough to know what I am dealing with.

Now, in that first week of the "issue"... it is not appropriate to attend Tabernacle or what have you... this is due to InI obligation to know what is happening in our body... honour the process and honour those around you. The Sabbath of the first week is when I think it is best to hold a meditational one away. Then the remaining 2 Sabbaths are the time to commune with women... as we are either in the healing, or we are forward into the full moon of our cycle... both are sacred times when we would wish to be surround by the femi-9.

I don't overs why it is that when women are encouraged to commune together to worship Omega, Mother Earth, Life Cycle... they see that as oppressive. I personally PREFER women's company.

Anyway, that is my point, those 3 sabbaths should be livicated to honouring the Mother, by the Mothers. The first should be solo, the other two with Sistrin. Then when InI are free, we attend with the Kingman them. But... when you check it out... we get to attend BOTH types of worship. The Kingman NEVER get to come and praise with InI. So, why is it oppressive? I think it is representative of InI womban's general relationship to, and role on, the planet.

Relating to cooking and sleeping arrangements... I'm not clear on any rules on the matter... but I do not cook for the first seven days... definitely not. The 2nd week, I don't purposely refrain from cooking... but the Kingman is aware that I would be in the 2nd week... so he will continue to do the cooking, but for example... by the end of that week, I might cook something, or share out food... so, it loosens up... and by the third week, we're back to normal behaviour... but with the knowledge that InI will not make love til after the 21st day, until we are looking for another baby (which we are planning for next year). We do sleep seperately during the first week, this loosens up during the second... and then the final week again is back to normal with a small wait left. All of these things come naturally to us, we don't find ourselves really thinking about it or doing anything really on purpose. I don't take turtles or pigeons to alters or anything afterwards though.

There are times when it may take up to 25 days for InI to be free. So as with everything, Emmanuel gave InI guidance and principle but it is left to InI to find what that means to our individual selves. A definition of principle is "a guiding sense of the requirements and obligations of right conduct". So, it is a guiding sense.

Now in terms of the idea of "seperation", I don't see it that way. The way I approach my womban's side of Emmanuel livity is that, as with his general Moses teaching he lays down the principles that SHOW InI the way to our anciency. I have never felt more empowered and with an overstanding of the wonder of my creational cycle.

It really doesn't bother me what some random chauvanist RasTa man thinks of my ights... who feels it knows it, as InI do know already. The space that the 21 days gives InI makes us really THINK during that time of what this cycle means to us. The appreciation of the cycle changes your whole rems, your whole understanding of the femi-9 self.

I think if every women stuck to the 21 day principle for 6 months, a lot of the Mothers would find a lot of healing in places they didn't even know were damaged.

You know what... I LOVE Holy Emmanuel I Selassie I... JAH... Ras Tafari...

The glory & honour of the King of Kings... Empress Itegue Menen Selassie I... Honourable Mother of all... Queen Omega, Mother Earth...

Ras Tafari!!


Messenger: Ras KebreAB Sent: 9/20/2007 11:12:16 AM
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Give thanks , Empress. Love and Honour

Holy I Selassie I Jah Rastafari


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