The Concept of Freedom
The Concept of Freedom
Being an initiate of M'TAM is very challenging. Normally, this level of spiritual initiation is done only in the initiation camps of deep Africa. This makes the nature of what my fellow initiates and I are going through unprecedented. Actually, challenging is too weak of a word to describe what we are learning. M'TAM reveals many diverse realities of existence. This exposure puts the pilgrim into a compromising situation. "Knowledge limits your freedom," our teacher, Neb Naba, says. I found this to be very profound, as I was always taught that knowledge is what sets you free.
As M'TAM students, we are partaking in the oldest initiatic science in the history of mankind. We are exposed to realities that most people, without the prerequisite education, would not be able to accept. Because we have been educated on this level, we, as initiates, can no longer use the excuse of being ignorant to many of life's realities and dimensions. The more we learn, the more our lives become restricted. Many of my old pleasures have become mundane. Many conversations that I have with friends have become either more serious or less interesting, depending on the level of mutual openness between us. There is music that I once enjoyed listening to, that sounds totally different to me now because of the energy that the words carry. There are places that I once enjoyed frequenting that I have no motivation to visit now. Yes, knowledge truly limits one's freedom.
Freedom is what is to be compromised. If anyone says that knowledge is what frees you, rest assured that he/she has no true knowledge.
Since becoming an initiate, my level of awareness has reached amazing heights. In many cases, I pretend not to be aware of things in the face of others. But like our teacher, I keep a mental rolodex of everything that takes place in every environment I am in. Doing this helps me exercise tolerance and humility. These qualities are tested daily, and I understand that they are very important in attaining the level of spirituality that I am striving to achieve. Yes, this education is very challenging indeed.
Being born and raised in America has proven to be a disadvantage for those of us seeking higher spiritual knowledge. There are values that come with the knowledge of M'TAM that I have not been raised with. This country never raised or educated me on values based on intelligence and logic; instead, the values that are taught here are based simply on belief and emotion. This puts M'TAM initiates who are not born and raised in Africa at a huge disadvantage. A totally new paradigm was needed before true understanding even began. All of my old monuments had to be destroyed in order for new ones to be built. This is the law of transformation and becoming. Many people find this concept unrealistic, but if one is to progress, it is necessary.
Being able to speak Medu (hieroglyphs) has opened many doors and dimensions for me. There are many ancient texts and powerful invocations that M'TAM students can utilize to affect oneself and one's environment. These abilities have been taught in the mystery schools of Kemet for millennia. The power has not been lost, but passed down through initiations generation to generation. We are fortunate to be the first generation outside of the African bush to receive this education, which is the same education that the pharaohs and their priests received. Although we have not yet reached the level of priesthood (and may not for some time), the level that we have reached, thus far, has fostered deeper self understanding and enables us to appease many deities by speaking to them in their tongue. (Contrary to popular belief, they do not speak English!) This is why learning the language of the Gods is so vital for one claiming to be on a spiritual path. This is what M'TAM gives us: a direct link to our ancestors and to the Gods through communication.
Throughout the initiation camps of Africa, M'TAM remains the oldest, and among high priests, the most respected. With its roots based in the pyramids and temples of the Nile Valley, there is no higher spiritual education available. Those that are truly seeking will, sooner or later, be led to M'TAM.