CELIBACY AND SPIRITUALITY: THE QUEST TOWARD SPIRITUAL ONENESS

Since the beginning of time celibacy has always been a cornerstone to one's
quest toward spiritual oneness and part and parcel of African spirituality.
However, since the African continent is known to be composed of polygamous
societies (Muslim, Vodun, Orisha, Sangoma and others) it is not often readily
associated with celibacy. But, we can see it clearly when we hear of women
serving in the temples as virgins or the purity associated with women who are
past their menopausal years serving to care for the tombs of kings. For, in each
case, these women are considered pure in the eyes of the spirits. Women, while
experiencing their menstrual cycles, are not allowed to serve in the temples.
And, only old mothers who are past their childbearing years can care for the
tombs of kings. When the spirits require a priest and his vodunsi to travel in
performance of great spiritual work, as our temple often does, those vodunsi,
who must accompany the priest as well as the priest himself, are subject to
specific requirements as dictated by them. Chosen are women who are not
menstruating or do not expect to be in the time they will be traveling. Both
females and males must have abstained from sexual relations, a given amount of
days, prior to the trip. This applies to vodunsi as well as anyone traveling from
the priesthood. However, if the trip is of an indeterminate amount of time (our
temple has been out in the field for as much as four months), then only the old
mothers and males are chosen due to their expertise, in vodun, and their purity.
So, why does many in the diaspora attempt to elevate the sex act to something
divine? And further, why do some think that menstruation, because it is a normal
bodily function for women, is to be elevated to some type of spiritual
prominence? The answer is that many are caught up in the folly of human logic
rather than listening to the words of the spirits themselves. They put their
human logic above that of the tenets of the spirits and claim that those who
adhere to such tenets are antiquated. But, if many understood some of the
biological workings of the body, the bacteria that is created to allow
menstruation and a few other factors associated with it and the sex act then
they would understand why these things are unclean psychically and thus
spiritually.

In the Hindu tradition celibacy is termed "brahmacharya" and is considered an

important virtue and essential to spiritual life. In Catholicism we view monks and
nuns as those who abstain from sexual relations/marriage in order to devote
their entire lives to God. Throughout the world's spiritual systems, we witness
those who seek the divine in earnest by giving up sexual relations in order to
devote themselves to that to which they recognize as the creator in their search
for oneness. Most people on their spiritual journey, even in African spirituality,
can say much of the same. We all have our stories. In fact, there are many
sistahs out there, right now, who are beautiful, talented, educated and wonder
why they can't see that perfect mate? Well my sistahs I can tell you one reason.
For many women, or men for that matter, who carry big divinities as their head it
is your spirit that runs these people away. Such spirits are very high in the
spiritual realm and want your acknowledgement and your devotion. And, it is
only after it is given that they will allow you to have a mate. And, it is they who
will choose that mate. They are jealous. For they are your husband or wife and
they will reject any other that you desire above them. So, stop fretting about
your biological clock! Get your spiritual life right first and everything else will
follow. These are the very sistahs that I often butt heads with. They are
educated and successful but so focused on finding a man that they cannot
understand my insistence on them getting their spiritual life in order as being of
primary importance. They've got the education, the job, the money and now they
want the man! They do not understand that their spirit gave them the education,
the job and the money in order to do their ceremonies. So, they think they can
stand toe-to-toe with this big ole' Dattatreya, gets de' feelins' hurt then go
running off in a huff complaining. But, later, when they've lost it all they will be
back wondering what happened. But, would you believe it? There are actually
people whose lovers are spirits from the sea who visit them periodically and run
off any other human lovers. But, that is a subject for another day; however, be
aware that this is the mark of a person carrying a great divinity from the sea as
their head.

In African traditional spiritual systems there is no requirement that one must

abstain from marriage or sex in order to serve the spirits. But, one should know
that in great spiritual work it is often required; and, for many it is an actual
choice. Our quest, in African spirituality, is to serve in whatever capacity we are
required as per our ancestors and the personal divinities that we carry. But, for
many, celibacy offers an opportunity to build an even closer relationship with the
divine... a oneness that has no earthly parallel.