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de geas of rickydoc: 81 hoodoo maxims

81 MAXIMS OF THE HOODOO BOOK OF FLOWERS

1M:  initiation

1   consciousness: open your eyes - know thyself - awaken the sleeper

2    trial: trouble come to us all - turn trouble into strength, tribulation into power - focus & finesse

3    survival: this one thing you must do - you must survive

4    will:  I will - do what must be done - ibayo

5    action is timing, positioning & the decisive moment - let it not pass undone

6    character:  every thought word and deed is one of character - practice daily renewal

7    spirit: it is only in the spirit that we truly live

8    purpose:  live your life with point and purpose – master your own fate

9    achievement: manifestation in the world - i am here - ibayo

2M:  lifeworks

10   youth:  in your youth be conscious, it is in the beginning that paths are laid

11   education:  lifelong learning makes everything is a lesson - evolve or go under

12   work:  work hard work smart - good work habits bless every endeavor

13   love:  its all love - embrace it

14   family:  greatest weakness, greatest strength - in every generation someone must be the rock

15   finance:  respect money, earn it in grace, leverage it wisely and it will bring great blessings

16   maturity:  in your maturity be a force - a player in the arena

17   eldership: in your eldership be a model, a teacher, a font of earned advice - strategos

18   death:  in death be not dismayed, graduation comes to us all - ibayo


3M:  struggle

19         rebirth: for every death there is rebirth - a new and stronger you

20         adversity: it is only thru adversity that you master your true strengths

21         struggle:  the pace of life is struggle - every day i wake up ready

22         fortune favors those who prepare for it, a free floating adaptation - always ready

23         blueswork: take a blues to get thru the blues - sing on

24         courage in time of need - i can do this - ibayo

25         transgression:  it happens, you human, come stronger next time - redemption required, rise up

26         redemption:  rising suns dispel blame, restitution in hand, rickydoc understand, rise up

27         victory is mine, whats next


4M:  changes

28         mojo rising - ibayo

29         health:  sanctifying the temple, purifying the instrument - keep it clean, lean and mean

30         journeys: in journeys i see - within and without - journey forth o traveler mine

31         time: use time wisely or it will use you, every move must be nurtured w/time - patience

32         knowledge: from experience study, from study knowledge, from knowledge wisdom

33         conjuration: conduct yourself as you aspire to be and you are - this is the essence of conjuration

34         morality for morality's sake, i will not abide a thief of souls

35         growth or die, be prepared to adapt on notice - keep stepping

36         transformation is inevitable, reality an ongoing fluidity - shape it to your liking

5M:  service

37         stewardship: responsibility for the well being of tribe & all humanity - the true nature of power

38         sanctuary: we who gather here to seek the highest, this holyground, this quilombo
 
39         community: wherever we gather seed beauty harmony security & power - seed love, be the answer

40         organization: rdoc & the prime directive: always organize for survival & prosperity - ibayo

41         guidance: be my vision sincere & my path well lit - pathfinders stand on higher ground

42         strategy: be ye masters of strategy, the key that opens all locks - be ye players all

43         leadership: good leadership always cost you more than it benefit - to lead you must serve

44         sacrifice: the only sacrifice worth giving is yourself - make it count

45         governance: when ruling rule well - a strong people always your best game - ibayo

6M:  empowerment

46         power: o i would you be players all - unto each an army

47         game: unto each a game, unto each a mission - ascension

48         modality: behind the mask we dance - a shapeshifter in play

49         solidarity: when a gathering is called all things petty must be put aside

50         scitech: enhancing the human conditions by seeding tomorrows - one step ahead of the cutting edge

51         war: ongoing and ever more - when war it must be totalwar

52         rootwork; when you work you work the root of things - dig deep

53         finesse: doing it with style, and grace, that little extra something something - whatever you do - stylee

54         nobility: always strive to be greater than you are - let every day be one of grace

7M:  destinywork

55         craft: no craft no game - apply yourself

56         divination: open yourself  to the seeds of things, the shape of things to come - i see

57         mythwork: the mythworkers greatest mythwork always they own

58         the hoodoo way: an african american way, incorporating the best of whatever it touch - a better way

59         highmagic: making real into the world that which was not - cosmic custodianship

60         longgame: ideological orchestrations at play, shaping generations - i am the player here

61         boardwork:  on the hoodoo board of destiny, everybody on the planet work for you - mount the board

62         prophecy:  cast your vision, young hoodoo, as far as you can see, determine
             the challenges the tribe will face, prepare the tribal soul to meet them

63         de geas of rickydoc: awaken the sleeper, protect the weak, guide the strong


8M:  illumination

64         vision: o to see deep, o to see far, o to see tho blind - come spiritvision in the blink of the eye

65         wisdom: from life and study comes knowledge & the rudiments of wisdom - love wisdom

66         compassion: the compassion of o kllens in everything you do - blessings on us all - ibayo

67         meditation: working the soul before the soul work you - opening doors, working the cosmos

68         illumination: i see, said the blind - i see

69         sanctification:  i purify,  i sanctify,  i make ready the holyground, i prepare the soul

70         crossroads: when you come to the crossroad, always take the highroad - lord legba open this gate

71         faith: i believe the spirit is stronger than reality - if i believe it is - ibayo

72         one world: cosmically speaking one world one people one universe - keep trying


9M:  irie grace

73         serenity: peace of mind in the midst of storm - its all good

74         harmony: in the hands of a good conductor every note has agency - in the music of the spheres

75         mastery: mastery in every thing you do - the consummate professional, thru & thru

76         transcendence: human evolution, always the next step - personal evolution, always a way

77         legacy:  every word thought and deed a gift - to all the generations - all my love

78         revelation: god speaks in all things - if you willing to listen

79         grace: i am - in the zone, at ease w/myself and my world - cant touch this

80         fa (destiny): i will be - the greatest me that i can be - i meet my destiny, my fa meet me

81         godhead: all god - ibayo ibayo ibayo

the maxims of delphi and the 81 hoodoo maxims of rickydoc

THURSDAY

well i guess the longhaul has ended, im totally burnt out on this project
and im kinda discouraged, the more i dig in the deeper the hole and im
seeing all this selfhelp trash, spiritual pablum, and mine is no better

kept running across mention of this book, a course in miracles
aoparently a spiritual quest legend, i tried a sample on amazon

and its not a book i want to pay 9.99 for, trying to find it at the library, also this
chop wood book, once i start digging its still good but im just tired of if all

and im just tired of it, think i will do novelwork this weekend, maybe that
will refresh me, im always telling my students, pay no attention to the ebb
and emotional flow - good or bad just keep working

started this new riff, was thinking about the phrase, know thyself
wanted to use it talking about the who am i part of the quest and

was wondering where it came from, had a rough idea it was carved
onto an egyptian temple which would work well w/my panafrican focus

love that research questions like that can just answer with click of mouse these days
wikipedia told me it was carved onto delphic oracle, one of the delphic maxims, which

is what im doing, maxims by rickydoc, so i check the delphi maxims out and they fascinate me
amazing how they are still useful guides to life as spiritual quest, to life well lived, also interesting

are the ones that time have ravaged, the gender based refs, the distintions between gods & mortals
what i really like about them is that they are tight and right, hit right to the point, easily remembered

so im thinking i will put them in the text and im transcribing them when i think hell i will do my own
one for each movement, so i start but mine arent as trenchant, ima finish them and see what i got

this 1st run will be 1st draft, ie weak, ima try to finish that maybe this weekend, it never ends do it
so first ima put theirs on here, then ima do mine over the next week or so, mine are below theirs

i left my notes to myself in the post because these posts are all about process for me
recording my process for anybody who might be interested one day, and in particular for

anybody who might want to do it themselves, make texts, not just books - texts - just do what i do:

147 MAXIMS OF DELPHI

1          follow god
2          obey the law
3          worship the gods
4          respect your parents
5          be overcome by justice
6          know what you have learned
7          perceive what you have heard
8          be yourself
9          intend to get married
10         know your opportunity
11         think as a mortal
12         if you are a stranger act like one
13         honor the hearth
14         control yourself
15         help your friends
16         control anger
17         exercise prudence
18         honor providence
19         do not use an oath
20         love friendship
21         cling to discipline
22         pursue honor
23         long for wisdom
24         praise the good
25         find fault w/no one
26         praise virtue
27         pratice what is just
28         be kind to friends
29         watch out for your enemies
30         exercise nobility of character
31         shun evil
32         be impartial
33         guard what is yours
34         shun what belongs to others
35         listen to everything
36         be religiously silent
37         do a favor for a friend
38         nothing to excess
39         use time sparingly
40         foresee the future
41         despise insolence
42         have respect for supplicants
43         be accommodating in everything
44         educate your sons
45         give what you have
46         fear deceit
47         speak well of everyone
48         be a seeker of wisdom
49         choose what is divine
50         act when you know
51         shun murder
52         pray for things possible
53         consult the wise
54         test the character
55         give back what you have received
56         downlook no one
57         use your skill
58         do what you mean to do
59         honor a benefaction
60         be jealous of no one
61         be on your guard
62         praise hope
63         despise a slanderer
64         gain possessions justly
65         honor good men
66         know the judge
67         master wedding feasts
68         recognize fortune
69         flee a pledge
70         speak plainly
71         associate w/your peers
72         govern your expenses
73         be happy w/what you have
74         revere a sense of shame
75         fulfill a favor
76         pray for happiness
77         be fond of fortune
78         observe what you have heard
79         work for what you can own
80         despise strife
81         detest disgrace
82         restrain the tongue
83         keep yourself from insolence
84         make just judgement
85         use what you have
86         judge incorruptibly
87         accuse one who is present
88         tell when you know
89         do not depend on strength
90         live without sorrow
91         live together meekly
92         finish the race w/o shrinking back
93         deal kindly with everyone
94         do not curse your sons
95         rule your wife
96         benefit yourself
97         be courteous
98         give a timely response
99         struggle w/glory
100       act without repenting
101       repent of sins
102       control the eye
103       give a timely counsel
104       act quickly
105       guard friendship
106       be grateful
107       pursue harmony
108       keep deeply the top secret
109       fear ruling
110       pursue what is profitable
111       accept due measure
112       do away with enmities
113       accept old age
114       do not boast in might
115       exercise (religious) silence
116       flee enmity
117       acquire wealth justly
118       do not abandon honor
119       despise evil
120       venture into danger prudently
121       do not tire of learning
122       do not stop to be thrifty
123       admire oracles
124       love whom you rear
125       do not oppose someone absent
126       respect the elder
127       teach a youngster
128       do not trust wealth
129       respect yourself
130       do not begin to be insolent
131       crown your ancestors
132       die for your country
133       do not be discontented by life
134       do not make fun of the dead
135       share the load of the unfortunate
136       gratify without harming
137       grieve for no one
138       begat from noble routes
139       make promises to no one
140       do not wrong the dead
141       be well off as a mortal
142       do not trust fortune
143       as a child be well behaved
144       as a youth be self disciplined
145       as middle aged be just
146       as an old man be sensible
147       on reaching the end be without sorrow

interesting how this lays out a whole theory of life, one that has remained pretty consistent over all these years, id say about 10 maybe 20 that have been outdated on them, I was going to put it in the text, then thought what the hell I will do my own, for my 81 movements, laying out a whole strategy of life, too bad I wont end up with on reachin the end be without sorrow, that was so cool, we will have to see

so what I have to do is make sure my 81 incorporate all of theirs thru contemporary consciousness

the one about youth, maturity, eldership, death and rebirth, surely I can get that all in a movement, but its nice having each one be a phase, I will have to compact their list though, im kinda excited about the idea of encapsulating my afromology in 81 precepts, lets start that process, can often use the initial epigrams, we will see, or maybe stick their epigram on end of mine, options options options

also I want to keep it tight and right, like these, easily remembered, easily applied

 

initiation

 1   consciousness: open your eyes, know thyself - awaken the sleeper

2    trial:  turn trouble into strength, tribulation into power

3    survival:  this one thing you must do - you must survive

4    will:  I will - do what must be done

5    action: action is timing, positioning & the decisive moment - let it not pass undone

6    character:  every thought word and deed is one of character

7    spirit: it is only in the spirit that we truly live

8    purpose:  live your life with point and purpose – master your own fate

9    achievement: manifestation in the world - i am here

 

lifeworks

10   youth:  in your youth be conscious, it is in the beginning that paths are laid

11   education: lifelong learning makes everything is a lesson

12   work; work hard work smart - good work habits bless every endeavor

13   love:  its all love

14   family - your greatest weakness, your greatest strength - be the answer

15   finance: respect money, earn it in grace, leverage it wisely

16   maturity: in your maturity be a force - a player

17   eldership: in your eldership be a model, a teacher, a font of earned advice - strategos

18   death: in death be not dismayed, get your work done, graduation comes to us all - ibayo

struggle

19         rebirth: for every death there is rebirth - and new and stronger you

20         adversity; it is thru adversity that we learn our true strengths

21         struggle:

22         fortune

23         blueswork

24         courage

25         transgression

26         redemption

27         victory

changes

28         mojo

29         health

30         journeys

31         time

32         knowledge

33         conjuration

34         morality

35         growth

36         tansformation

 

service

37         stewardship

38         sanctuary

39         community

40         organization

41         guidance

42         strategy

43         leadership

44         sacrifice

45         governing

 

empowerment

46         power

47         game

48         modality

49         solidarity

50         scitech

51         war

52         rootwork

53         finesse

54         nobility

 

Destinywork

55         craft

56         divination

57         mythwork

58         the hoodoo way

59         highmagic

60         longgame

61         boardwork

62         prophecy

63         de geas of rickydoc

illumination

64         vision

65         wisdom

66         compassion

67         meditation

68         illumination

69         sanctification

70         crossroads

71         faith

72         one world

 

irie grace

73         serenity

74         harmony

75         mastery

76         transcendence

77         legacy

78         revelation

79         grace

80         fa (destiny)

81         godhead

 

 

the hoodoo book of flowers: digging in for the longhaul

MONDAY I THINK

wow djenra, sorry about all this wordage but I think you will appreciate this, and right now we project buddies, feeding off each others discipline, process and commitment - so whats happen is I’m in a state of grace thinking how amazing it is the universe gives you what you need when you need it, so im full court pressing my holybook, first thing I did was take all my notes and extracts from olddrafts and put them in the new structure, basically what you will be dong next step, that's why text right now is big unholy mess but what this did was a revelation to me, showed me what really interest me and what doesn't, all the power and illumination stuff (more power) I got pages and pages of notes, but the mundane life, work, family, etc stuff, I got a couple of platitudes and that's it, so it became obvious I was going to have to apply myself there, I don't doubt with stimulation I can come up with text for that so im thinking go to barnes and noble and start reading thru their self help books – thhe day I was going to do that I stop by the local alt neighborhood street fair, folk call it the Westcott nation, and there is a city library there, neighborhood institution, that always has a book sale, im thinking they might have a book or two I can use, they had many, including these history of the world books that are going to come in handy but there waS one, “chop wood, draw water: a guide to finding spiritual fulfillment in everyday life” that is just amazing, its got everything I need to stimulate my thinking/text in these matters, the chapters are stuff like, learning, intimate relationships, sex, family, work, etc etc, the very things I need and just chock full of phenom spiritual advice from all these classic and contemporary selfhelp folk, its going to help me fill a big hole in my text, ima do a full court press extraction this weekend and the next, I want to incorp this with this quickness and move on to some of the historical/mythical stuff, recently ordered old versions of gates Africana encyclopedia, and this 3 vol pan African chronology set, again an old edition, ie cheap but one i can mark to my hearts content, i go by the library and see which research works work for me then i see if i can find them cheap on amazon, found too many truth be told - ima be dug into to research for the next year I think, which is a fucking bummer, this ia all stuff i woulda swore i had enuf knowledge but now that its showtime i got to go deep, so im working text while i do it, cant stay down a year - all that knowledge you be throwing down you must do constant research too but it appears like it all comes to you easy but I know that's just good craft, okay im gone, I was just too tickled finding this book, 1984 no less, 30 fucking years ago and im just now finding it, I feel like one of those long bearded wizards in his aerie surrounded by books and papers and im like, jesus im too old to be stuck in major research projects, everyday im bargaining with god, time lord, give me enuf time to finish these two and we will call it square – im gone, next two days all I got to work before schoolhouse again, I give sun mon tue thur to schoolhouse, wed, fri, sat and sun morning belong to me, which mean both of them suffering from inadequate time and everyday im god awful weary and that dont count domestic obligations, which are ongoing but such is life in the literary lane, im just happy I can swing 3-1/2 days out of the week – hope your project is going as well as mine

gratitude

every morning i wake up thanking the gods of literature and all the powers that be, another day to get my work done, whatever aint been done aint gods fault, the universe has kept its part of the deal, the universe has been good to me, i love the literary life, dues and all - on that note let me greet my day, get some worship in, got pages need clocking, tick tock tick tock - ibayo ibayo ibayo

patience, my people, i got this

 TUESDAY

the afrofuturism/activism conference sessions at princeton - god i love it when black folk be
visionizing - the vsionary literature conference, you know i was suppose to be there

one of the conveners, ruha something, made i thought the most provocative presentation
in the opening session, specially when she start talking about being shapeshifters moving
between artist, activist and academic modes as necessary, her presentation wrapped it,

the rest was filler

im throwing down, dear regulators, making progress on novel
and holybook - one fist of iron, the other of steel, if the right one
dont get you, the left one will - i feel good, dear regulators, and

maintaining schoolhouse so far, i feel like a champion

of course its just 3 weeks in schoohouse, but i like that im still on it 3
weeks in & still clocking woodshed quality pages, im in a good space

im out, all my love, times like this i got love to spare

ps: thats one of my kittys in the bush, thats serenity

 

 

 

SUNDAY

govs report on ferguson just came out, good suggestions like oversight of police stops that turn violent
addressing fact that 75% of stops in Missouri are black, community repair stuff, etc etc, very good report,

aware of challenge of implementing its suggestions, unfortunately its not going to change much, we've tried
everything before, economic empowerment, political empowerment, cultural uplift, etc etc, as a hoodooman

i long ago determined that as long as we a weak minded people nothing will change this historical trackbag
we have found ourselves in - except a retooling of the tribal soul, i got to forge a different kind of people -

which takes a least 3 generations - what we know in our heads, our children will know in their hearts, our grandchildren in their souls - i got to give black folk a vision of themselves as a people of power and purpose,

something for them to live up too - thats why I'm trying to do an afroam holyook, shaping generations
like babajohn taught me (a good holybook shape many generations, even a weak one will do) -

talking longgame, i don't see no other way out - patience, my people, maintain -  i got this

 

backedup facebook commentary

SATURDAY: FROM NYT HUMANS OF NEW YORK SERIES, MAY 1, 2015

 “God sends me little moments all day long to say: ‘You’re not alone, brother.’
Just a little while ago, an old hunched-over Chinese lady smiled at me with
the greatest warmth in her eyes.”

“And you think that was a message from God?”

“I think that was God.”

 

old boy sun-ra's syllabus for his 1971 uc Berkeley course, black man in the cosmos - 1st one off the mothership

 

helping a buddy of mine do a book and hoping she doesn't balk because of the work it entail, it would be an iconic work - i recall all the tricks i tried back when i was a cub in the city, to not actually have to do the work, one in particular still amuse me - thing about being a conjureman is magical meditation, you create the image in your mind and then you invest power in it until its real in the world, kinda like an artist - so one day i decide i would just conjure the book in my mind, read it, translate it to paper, boom, done deal - o i thought i was slick - so i meditated on it, conjured the image in my mind and invested mojo in it until it was real and material, a work i could hold in my hand, then i open it and the pages were blank - finally figured out you just got to do the work, got to clock those pages and you got to clock them everyday, everyday, a bo hawg grind, some of my buddies were potentially better writers but they never figured that out, the daily grind, thats what separate the writers from the dilettantes

 

 

one of our alum just start a publishing house, we had no idea she was a koch while she was here, though that was her name, duuh - I'm kinda impressed she hid the connection so well, while here she was judged strictly on her work, just like the rest of them, and she was judged a contender - but after she left and start putting together a publishing house we notice she got capitalized big time right away, that was our first clue, i wish her well, i suspect she will do good books, that alone redeem any questionable parenting

 

 

toby wolff will always be special to me, it was toby brought me in out of the cold, me and george both, i was not very hopeful on the cuse mfa gig, came up for the audition, did the dance, it went well, when i was leaving toby pull me aside and say don't worry about it, you got this - making toby proud one of my literary ambitions now, toby came thru for me, saved my life