b'ANCIENT SECRETS . continued from page 8also do using divine spiritual power).legitimacy of the God who embedded The ancient African scholars believedin them the manifestations that would that God gave these manifestations toallowthemtocreate,sustainand us so we could sustain, enhance lifemaintaintheworldasGodhadcre-and perpetuate the beauty of all Itsated it. They saw the presence of God creation.God,toourancestorslivesin everything as reflected in everyday within uswe are mini-gods endowedlife.Wetoo,ifwelookcanseethe with the powers of God, but to a lesserPrinciples of Maat in everything in the degree.universe. And it is clear to me that if To sustain a society of peace, pros- we live in accordance with the sacred perity and growth the ancient Africansprinciples and documents, we can cre-establishedacivilizationalstructureate institutions that change the trajec-thatmimickedGodsorganizationoftory of problems we see in our world theuniverse,astructurewhichtheytoday.Thechallengeswefaceinthe hadobserved,bywatchinghowtheschools can be changed by holding up world worked, for thousands of years.these ancient, sacred documents and Throughtheirobservations,patternsusing them as blueprints to the solu-emerged. They witnessed the changestions we seek. of the seasons, night turned into dayThe answers to our educational chal-andviceversa,thebirthanddeathlenges are to go back, to re-visit what of all living things, the different kindswehad,howweusedwhatwehad, of animals, trees, flowers, insects, theand what parts of what we had can be risingandfallingofthewaters,andof used to change the trajectory of our differencesinhumanbehaviors,fea- lives and the lives of our children. The tures and qualities. They watched assurvival of us and the planet is a team newcreationscameintobeingandeffort that depends on how we conduct asoldonesdiedorbecameextinct.ourselves individually and collectively Bywatchingthechanges,discussingas family, community and as stewards themwithotherscholars,andre- of the planet, everything is intertwined thinking as new information came toand interdependent. Survival of us all them or others, they came to under- isdependentonhowweutilizethe standtheprinciplesuponwhichthemanifestations of God, omnipresence, universewasfounded,andhowbestomniscience and omnipotence to align to use them to sustain their own lives,ourselves, our families, our communi-the lives of others and the universe. ties,ourchurchesandschoolsand What the ancients ascertained frompolitical structures to meet the needs theseobservationswasthatlifeonof all people, and not just a few. Using thisplanetrestedonususingGodthis structure whatever solutions, we manifestations embedded in us to takecometo,iftheyareinspiredbyand responsibilityandaccountabilityforalignedwithdivinespiritualpower, our own actions and behavior by fol- they will be of God. The African truism lowing the principles and practices setAs above, so below attest to this. forth in several sacred documents. TheTo the ancient Africans there was no first sacred document is The Principlessuch thing as the devil made me do of Maat which are representations ofit, mentality. Any action or behavior thenaturalforcesinlifethatregu- thatanindividualengagedin,was late all-natural events in the universe,done out of their own free-will which includingmansbiologicalmakeup.then required each person to take full These universal principles are: order,responsibilityandaccountabilityfor balance, harmony, reciprocity, propri- theiractions.Knowingandbelieving ety (doing the right thing at the rightthistheancientAfricansmadethe time),justiceandtruth.Thesecondobservation that the devil or Set as sacreddocumentisThe42NegativetheynamedItoperatedasaresult Confessions(whichalignalmostper- of mans free-will. By observation, the fectlywiththe10Commandments)ancient Africans placed mans behav-andbeginwithIhavenotstate- iors and actions into three categories: mentsinsteadofThoushallnotSahu Man, (the least God-like behav-statements.TheConfessionsareaiors) AB Man demonstration of life lived in harmony(most decisions based on divine spir-withthePrinciplesofMaat,andtheitual powers) and Ausar Man (the most TreeofLife.LifelivedinthiswayisGod-likebehaviors).Thesedesigna-respectfulofself,family,communitytions are to help us understand that and the universe and any digression isfree-will is a choice, man/woman can corrected through amends and atone- choosewhichcategorytheywishto ment.Livinglifeinthismannerisbelong. done willingly as it is aligned with the manifestationsofGodwhosepowersSahuManisinfluencedbyani-are embedded in all human life.mal urges and desires (high emotional The third document is the The Treeand sensual energy) which dominates of Life which is a classification systemthedecisionstheymakeduetothe composedof11categoriesshowingabsence of influences and use of divine theirrelationshiptoandinterdepen- spiritual power. The Sahu Man oper-dence of each other and the universe.atesontheurgesoflust,envyand Tenofthecategoriesarehowman/ jealousy.Theyrarelyutilizethegifts woman can actualize their lives mov- ofinsight,reflectionandmeditation inghigherandhigheronthetree.whicharetoolsthathelpusgarner Theeleventh(11th)categoryisrep- thepowerofdivinespiritinbring-resentedas0(zero)demonstratingingthoughtsandideasintoreality. that all aspects of tree are leading toSahu Man relies heavily on distortions the one and only creator, which if lifeofthetruth,greed,selfishnessand is lived according to the sacred docu- exploitationofothers.Thebehaviors mentsman/womanwillhaveeternaloftheSahuManareresponsiblefor lifewithGod,inthespiritworld.Tokeepingthefoundationsuponwhich the ancients, the God they worshippedmostWesterninstitutionsarebuilt, was an everyday God, a spirit, an Italiveandthriving.SahuMankeeps and not a person. Thus, their God wasmostWesterninstitutionsafloatand not seen as a father or mother or anexplainswhyitiseasytopropagan-entitythathadfavoritesbecauseItdizethemwiththenotionsofwhite does not have favorites supremacy and black inferiority. Sahu Man stands in the way of progress and TheancientAfricansstudiedtheassist institutions in maintaining the world in which they lived. In nature, throughobservations,theysawtheContinued on Page 17BODY OF CHRIST NEWS NOVEMBER 2019 15'