Website of Rehema Gray, Ph.D.

 E-mail Address: DrRGray@aol.com

Spiritual Pathways

"In the beginning there existed neither heaven nor earth, and nothing existed except the boundless mass of primeval water which was shrouded in darkness, and which contained within itself the germs and beginnings, male and female, of everything which was to be in the future world. The divine primeval spirit, which formed an essential part of the primeval matter, felt within itself the desire to begin the work of Creation, and its word woke to 'life' the world the form and shape of which it had already depicted within itself. The first act of creation began with the formation of an egg out of the primeval water, from which emerged Aton [Amen-Ra], the immediate cause of all life upon the earth. The almighty power of the Divine Spirit embodied itself in its most brilliant form in the rising sun." {From the world's first Holy Book-- Coming Forth By Day and By Night}

Temple of Aset (Isis)

In the beginning there was the majestic Nile River, symbolizing the primordial waters of Nu in the ancient Ethiopian and Egyptian (Kemetian) creation story from the Memphite Theology.  This grand cultural waterway was referred to as Gihon (White Nile) and Pishon (Blue Nile) in Christian theology, representing the first and second rivers of the "Garden of Eden" creation story.   It was along this sacred 4,300 mile African river (world's longest) that scientific and salvation history unfolded.

COMING FORTH BY DAY AND CARRYING US FORWARD:

FOUNDATION FOR A SPIRITUAL HEALING

     A TRIBUTE TO OUR ANCESTORS     

 Rehema Gray, Ph.D. 

Message from the Holy Book of our ancient African ancestors Coming Forth By Day and By Night:

          "I have done away with my wickednesses.  I have put away utterly all the

             taints of evil, which appertained to me [upon the earth].

            I have purified myself.  I have made myself to be like a god.

            Hail, O ye Doorkeepers, I have completed my journey.

            I am like unto you.  I have come forth by day."  

These words convey a transcendence in consciousness that our ancestors strived for, coming forth from the lower plane of material existence and carrying  forward on a spiritual mission to an exalted Godlike level.    

          Guiding Memory of Our Ancestors

           From the beginning our ancestors left us very big shoes to fill.  Millions of years ago (between 4 to 5 million) our African ancestors gave birth to the human race.  Then tens of thousands of years ago (between 200,000 B.C. and 50,000 B.C.) our ancestors emerged from the center of Africa, travelling north down the Nile Valley, with a divine mission to traverse the four cardinal points of the earth.  Thus they populated the world and spread civilization to the four corners of the earth. In accomplishing this feat we pay tribute for that profound contribution, and their steadfastness to purpose-- coming forth and carrying forward. 

          In honor of our ancestors, we stretch our arms to the four cardinal points to receive their vital energy and healing. To the South, we give thanks to the strength and guidance of the Twa visionaries (derogatorily called Pygmies), the founding parents of modern humanity, and the originators of civilization.  To the North, we call on the wisdom and endurance manifested in the ancients of Ethiopia and Egypt-- who achieved the zenith of civilization.  To the East, we call on the tenacity and fearlessness of those adventurers who migrated to the Eastern Hemisphere.  To the West, we call on the  perseverance    and    determination   of    those   trailblazers   who  struggled    to   restore   our   freedom  and  dignity  in  the  Western  Hemisphere.  In  celebrating the 13th  amendment of the U.S. constitution,  we pay a special tribute to our ancestors  of  the West  for  their  hard  fought  battle  to abolish slavery.   

          Legacy of Struggle and Transcendence 

          With the colossal holocaust of slavery, our divine mission was derailed and distorted. We have had to overcome the falsification of history.  Our humanity was maligned.  Our culture was denigrated.  Our physical bodies were subjugated. And our people were wantonly torturted, brutalized, and killed-- between 100,000,000 and 150,000,000 lost their lives.  For over four hundred years our ancestors had to endure the terror of enslavement and the degradation of bondage. Despite all odds against us we survived, even thrived in some areas.   We revolted and established free nations in Brazil, Central America, and the Caribbean.  In North America, we built our own colleges and self-sufficient communities. All of this we did  in the midst of adversity and severe repression.  To the Supreme Being and our Ancestors we honor you for giving us the vision to come forth by day and carry us forward, resulting in the 13th constitutional amendment.

           In honor of King Zumbi (1595), who mounted the first revolt against slavery,

          and established the Republic of Palmares in Brazil  

          In honor of Zeferina in Brazil and the female Nanny revolutionaries all over    

          the Western Hemisphere, who fought and established free communities

          In honor of  Henri Christophe,  Toussaint L'Ouverture, and Jean Jacques   

         Dessalines,  who in succession led the Haitian revolution against slavery

          In honor of Vicente Guerrero, our African hero who led the struggle against

          slavery in Mexico, and as its first president abolished this heinous institution

          In honor of the great African Chief John Horse of the Seminole, who in

          collaboration with our Native American brothers and sisters led the most

          protracted struggle against slavery in the U.S., spanning the pre-Civil War

          and Civil War years.

          We recognize our ancestors who led unsuccessful revolts, but whose

         heroism and bravery stand as an inspiration to us all. 

          Gabriel Prosser and Jack Bowler, who led the 1800 rebellion in Richmond, VA

          Denmark Vesy, who led the 1822 revolt in Charleston SC

          Nat Turner, who led the 1831 rebellion in South Hampton County, VA

          John Brown, our ally, who led revolts in 1856 (Kansas) and 1859 Harpers Ferry, VA

          To other exceptional ancestors, whose contributions also led to the 13th

 amendment, we speak their names: 

          David Walker, the fearless visionary

          Sojourner Truth, the great orator

          Frederick Douglas, the great abolitionist

          Harriet Tubman, the great liberator

 For all of our unrecognized and unrecorded foreparents and grandparents,

we acknowledge your tenacious legacy of resistance.

Standards of Excellence From Our Values Traversing Time and Space 

          Standards of excellence have been reflected in our values from that slogan "Know Thyself"-- written on the walls at the Temple of Waset and other centers of learning in Kemet-- to the motto of the Free African Society "To Seek for Ourselves," our parent institution in the U.S. We moved through history with the vision of our ancestors, combining spiritual power with social action.  When our youth connect their social aspirations to our spiritual foundation, we need to give them reaffirmation. Most of them are trying to do the right thing.  Most of them are not involved with anti-social activities. Yet usually they are not the community focus.  Social healing begins with spiritual healing.  And spiritual healing affirms the fundamental righteousness that persists, despite attempts to distort our positive images and malign our character.

    To those youth who obey their parents, we affirm you.

    To those youth who have tried to help others, we affirm you.

    To those youth who resist the influence of gang and drug involvement,                  

         we affirm you.

    To those youth who got out-- who called the gang peace truce, we affirm you.

    To those youth who finish high school despite the massive distractions,

        we affirm you.

    To those youth who achieve a college education despite all odds, we affirm you.

    To all those youth who go unrecognized for performing good deeds, we affirm you.

          Yesteryear binds us together, and propels us forward.

          How the ancestors rejoice in the virtues of our youth

                   when they are steadfast to their profound legacy

                   of excellence and transcendence.  

                   Axe' (Ashe) / Amen

Website of Rehema Gray, Ph.D.

 E-mail Address: DrRGray@aol.com