Wafiñe

I would like to share with you something I read from a book that I borrowed from a friend:

The Buddha offers you some great advice, and you can see that his conclusion is devoid of the word “believe.” He says when it agrees with reason- that is, when you know it to be true based on your own observations and experience-and it is beneficial to one and all, then and only then live by it! (Dyer 2002, p. 7)

I have been searching for many years to find something of substance that I can hold on to when it comes down to my spirituality as a Garífuna. What I know today is that it is important for me to establish a spiritual practice, so it may manifest in my actions.

I would like to know, that you have touched my life maybe in ways you and I might not have imagined. However here we are, looking forward to a New Year filled with hopes and dreams that can come “true.” True in the sense that what I would like for myself should be what I give others.

Now, I would to address a subject that I have been avoiding for many years. The word wafiñe in the Garífuna language means our 'belief.' Taking something to be your personal truth means that you have experienced and observed the situations over and over again for many years, however it does not mean that I am speaking for all Garinagu.

I first visited the Garífuna temple in Labuga in the July of 2008, it is one of the most expensive and modern temples in the Garífuna communities, it was built by an organized group of Garinagu from different countries, however for the past eight months the doors to our Temple has been locked because of a family dispute.

Here we are as Garinagu at the verge of a new year, for the most part, life will go on whether our temple remains locked or open, and that is fine with me.  My question is do you “believe” that there is a solution for this problem?

To be continued.

Au-Le

Lubara Huya 

Dyer, Wayne W. (1998). Wisdom of the ages: A modern master brings eternal truths into everyday life. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.