Introduction

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Introduction

THE CANEY

The way of the Cemi

Taino Religion

Taino Spirituality

Ciboney Religion

Ciboney Spirituality

A Realm of profound spirituality and ancient Tradition, a path that people of all races may walk together in brotherhood

But IF YOU ARE A TAINO, you owe it to your ancestors, you owe it to yourself to awaken the ancient blood-fire within your own soul! I encourage you to read everything in this page but as a Taino, I also urge you to click here so that I can introduce you to that personal wisdom

Caney spirituality is based on the shamanic belief in the power and sacredness of the spirits of Nature , and our relationship with the living soul of Mother Earth and all her creatures, animals and plants who are our brothers and sisters. We express that belief in our ceremony , legends and our Art. It is a spiritual tradition based on the ancient culture of the Taino Indians of the Caribbean as well as other sacred paths.

There are many spirits in our tradition but we believe that there are two major cosmic entities which encompass the reality of all of these spiritual beings. The name of these two major spirits are Yoka Hu and Ata Bei. Together these two spirits make up the Universal Consciousness. That unity of the archetypal Divine Male and the archetypal Divine Female manifests itself in the spiritual concept that we know as GUA-TUREY, The Great Spirit. Gua-Turey has also been identified by the name "Yaya" in other interpretations of Taino spirituality.

Ata Bei is the Cosmic Matriarch. She is the All-Mother from whose womb (represented by the "stone collar" coa hoop), all things originated. She is the creative force of the Earth and the Universe. She also represents all matter, that which is tangible and physical. At the beginning of time She gave birth to the divine twin sons Yoka Hu, the spirit of the Life Force, and Guakar, the spirit of Trials. Yoka Hu is the Lord of Life. He is the universal manifestation of all that lives, all that manifests itself in an organic and biological state. But Yoka Hu is also the Lord of Energy, for in Caney tradition Energy and Life are the same. Yokahu is the quickening force that causes living things to breathe and propagate. He is the radiant energy of the Sun that bathes the surface of the Earth Mother and brings to her the gift of solar vitality.

At the heart of our belief in the vitality of spiritual experience is the knowledge that Cosmic wisdom exists within the concept of the Sacred Circle. This concept is similar to the concept of the North american Indian belief in the "Medicine Wheel" and Asian belief in the "Mandala".