The Mind of Rasta

Rasta is beyond religion.  It is a literally a way of existing in a social oneness.  It is an open door that takes you to your independent mind.  It releases mankind from the bondage of internal slavery. To be a Rasta is for anyone who embraces free thinking and is capable of loving the self and respecting the elements of life. To be truthful to yourself and seeing life as you want it to be is permitted in the world of RASTA! The teachings of Emperor Haile Selassie is the guiding force of the "Rasta Mind".  Rastafarianism owes a lot to Marcus Garvey, as he is credited as the founder. The Rasta origin was born on the words of Marcus Garvey who said, "Look to Africa for the crowning of a Black king."  They waited and in 1930, the prophecy was fulfilled when, Ras Tafari Mekonnen was crowned emperor of Ethiopia and took the name Haile Selassie.  Though the origin of Rasta came about in the late 1940's in Jamaica, it has traveled worldwide.  Rasta life  is one that seeks and strives for a peaceful, spiritual and natural livity.  In 1941 one of the early teachers of Rastafari, Leonard P. Howell, one of the teachers of Rastafari movement set up a Rasta community of sixteen hundred Rasta’s.  The community was called Pinnacle. At Pinnacle, Howell grew Ganja.  It was then that Rasta discovered the nature of Ganja and experienced the power and value of the divine plant, which added to their reasoning's in a positive way.  Ganja is enlightenment, it opens up the mind and allows man to become more conscious. However people have different stories to tell about their experience with it.  Rasta confirmed the glorious use of Ganja, it was in the HOLY BIBLE that they found reverence to the use of  cannabis to be a most beneficial healing plant.  Marijuana,Ganja, Herb or Cananbis was then embraced wholeheartedly into the Rastafari culture, it is known as the healing of the nation. Though it is illegal in Jamaica, it is an UNSTOPPABLE plant, smoked by people who have no knowledge of Rasta. It is indeed a seductive plant.  Genesis 1:29-30 English Standard Version (ESV)

And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.”

Dreadlocks are another signature of Rasta.  The origin of the dreadlocks traces back to ancient Africa, originating in eastern Africa,  “The hairstyle was worn by warriors in Kenya, and a Hairstyle of ancient Kemet and Nubia. In Jamaica, in post slavery and Euro-centric culture, locks was deemed in the early years as “Dreadful” .Rastas were treated like garbage, they were scorned, harassed,beaten and even killed.  I am proud to say that some of the warmest and most loyal people I know are Rastas! Selassie continues and shall eternally be a tower of undeniably strength and guidance in my life.

 JAH RASTAFARI NEVER FAR EVER NEAR!