Indigenous Wisdom Mind-Altering Substances and the Spiritual Quest: Paths of Permission, Paths of Prohibition by Ameena Ahmed Throughout human history, spiritual communities have sought methods to thin the veil between the visible and invisible worlds. Some traditions have pursued this aim through ritual intoxication, others through prayer, fasting, breath, rhythm, and disciplined consciousness. The divergence between these approaches reveals not a single spiritual truth, By The Rising Firefly • 4 min read
Social A Travelers Goal by Zebekiya Merutepiaou What do you want to be when you grow up? Where do you want to live? How much money do you want to make? One could go on and on with elaborate, ambitious illusions. None of these is the actual goal in life for the seeker working By The Rising Firefly • 3 min read
Social The Dangers of Being Right By Bezsati Maheqwir Completed - SaMa’at Sometimes it's better to be wrong than to be right. Master NABA said a person who succeeds without failure or making mistakes along the way isn't a winner, and someone who may fall many times along the way isn' By The Rising Firefly • 4 min read
Social Cultural Appropriation and Spiritual Consumerism by Ibasahu Pernebsati Whiteness is not about skin color because Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is a very dangerous white male oppressor, and his skin is dark in color. So don’t think this is about skin color or hating yourself, and honestly, the intellectual and emotional exercise of “hating By The Rising Firefly • 5 min read
Cultural The Orchard Lesson by Kemabib Dematepia I was about 10 years old on the day my elder brother and I set out with two older friends foraging for rare fruits in the jungle. After about a kilometer of trekking we located soursop, guava, rare mango and avocado trees. There was a problem; we By The Rising Firefly • 2 min read
Social The Expression of Words by Menksah Hezahadjed Words have power, especially when used precisely and within the appropriate context. My observation is that the word is often suppressed, especially when it challenges the prevailing narrative and contains truths. As the saying goes, “the pen is mightier than the sword”. By The Rising Firefly • 2 min read
The Initiate To Be Human Again by Netefi Khentimah Somehow, the beings whose roots stretch deep beneath the earth and whose branches reach toward the sky do not need instruction on how to be. The tree does not question its purpose. The fish in the ocean are not taught their nature or how to use their By The Rising Firefly • 3 min read
The Essence of the Revolutionary Spirit by Tehala Pernebsati Revolution as Self-Transformation In Kebtah, we have a saying: “Revolution starts with the self.” This simple quote encapsulates a powerful concept that can transform one's perspective on life. You see, society often imposes grandiose notions that we can/should “change the world” or “save By The Rising Firefly • 7 min read
Supernatural by Ameera Pernebsati Since I was a child, I have had a fascination with stories involving the supernatural. Whether it was about fictional creatures, witches, wizards, magic, mutants, superheroes, and the like, I was always drawn to anything that seemed to have more power and ability than the average human By The Rising Firefly • 4 min read
THE MANUFACTURED CRISIS OF IDENTITY How Western Illusion-Creation Diverted Us From Our True Selves — And the Ancient African Wisdom That Had Already Provided the Answer by Ameena Ahmed For centuries, the Western colonial enterprise has relied on a subtle but devastating mechanism: teaching people to construct lives of illusion so thoroughly that they forget By The Rising Firefly • 4 min read
Social The Identification system imposition on the human beings Identity by Sahkana Merutepiaou Modern societies have developed formal identification systems to organize populations, administer governance, and regulate access to rights and resources. These systems—such as birth certificates, national identity cards, passports, and digital databases—are standardized, state-controlled, and designed to identify individuals within a large population. However, the By The Rising Firefly • 3 min read
Social The Spiritual Awakening of Africa: A Call for Global Redemption by Hatnima Shemzura In a world increasingly shaped by division, ecological collapse, and spiritual disconnection, a quiet but powerful renaissance is emerging from the heart of Africa. Led by nations like Burkina Faso, this movement is not merely political—it is profoundly spiritual. It marks the beginning of a new By The Rising Firefly • 3 min read
