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Summary

In this conversation, Ehime Ora discusses her spiritual practice and ancestral veneration. She shares how her journey unfolded and how her mother played a significant role in her spiritual foundation. Ehime explains the importance of ancestral veneration in African cultures and how it contributes to resilience and identity. She also discusses the intersection of art and spirituality, viewing art as a vehicle for exploring and preserving cultural and spiritual identities. Ehime emphasizes the need to reclaim and preserve cultural and spiritual histories through storytelling and other cultural practices. She suggests that individuals start by creating a sacred space and cultivating mindfulness to connect with their ancestors.

Takeaways

• Ancestral veneration is about intentionally remembering and paying homage to generations before and moving with intention and mindfulness for future generations.
• African wisdom and science should be viewed as whole and not compared to Western wisdom. African art and oral history serve as technologies that preserve ancestral wisdom and connect the physical and spiritual worlds.
• Ancestral veneration is a way of life that contributes to an individual's and community's resilience and identity. It involves a reciprocal exchange with ancestors, keeping their histories alive and removing generational burdens.
• Art, including visual art and storytelling, is a vehicle for exploring and preserving cultural and spiritual identities. African art is inherently spiritual and serves as a medium for invoking ancestral spirits.
• To explore cultural and spiritual roots, individuals can create a sacred space, cultivate mindfulness, and recognize the presence of ancestors in everyday life.