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August-September 2017 This bimonthly newsletter, Volume 2 Number 5 August-September 2017 produced by Pastoral Care Services/Office of Diversity and Inclusion, will highlight Spirituality Spotlight: Rastafarianism some of the spiritual and by Chaplain Terry Wilson religious beliefs held by pa- tients and their families, The Rastafarian religion was developed in Kingston, to healing. They believe that the concept of health providers and others in the Jamaica, in the 1920s and 30s. Rastafarians believe in extends to three spheres, namely mind, body, and soul, though sometimes the psychological and spiritu- MUSC community. It will the Judeo-Christian God, whom they call Jah. In gen- eral, Rastafarian beliefs are based in Judaism and al can be categorized together. Healing is an art. Its offer strategies for staff self- sphere of relevance applies not only to physical and care as well as information Christianity, with an emphasis on Old Testament laws, prophecies, and the book of Revelation. The mental illnesses, but also to what one may call ‘ills,’ to better address the spiritu- following terms, practices, and beliefs in the Rastafar- which have their roots in social conditions. Rastafari- al needs of the diverse pa- ian religion will help you to better understand pa- an ideology dictates that human beings are so central tients and families that we tients of this faith. to the cosmos that if there is an illness, God will have serve. provided a cure for us. They acknowledge that for Jah – Manifested on earth as Jesus, whom Rastafari- any condition there is both a spiritual and natural ans believe was black. Emperor Haile Selassie is re- cause, though the first assumption is always that it is Interfaith Calendar Highlights ferred to as His Imperial Majesty or H.I.M. purely physical. (pronounced "him"), and believed to still be alive. He August 1. Tish’a B’av (Jewish). Practices - Rastafarians are well known for their Day of fasting in remembrance of is worshipped as divine. the destruction of the temple in religious use of marijuana. They call the cannabis 586 BCE and AD 70. End of Life - Rastafarians do not believe in an after- plant “ganja”, the holy herb, Iley or callie, and believe life, but instead look to Africa ("Zion") as a heaven it was given by God. The nyabinghi is a nighttime August 15. Krishna Jayanti on earth. True Rastafarians are believed to be im- drumming and dance ritual held on Rasta holidays and (Hindu). Commemoration of the special occasions. Nyabinghis can last for days and birth of Krishna—the eighth mortal, both physically and spiritually, a concept incarnation of the god Vishnu, called "ever living." An important Rastafarian concept bring together hundreds of Rastafarians from all over who took the form of Krishna to is "I and I," said instead of "you and I." It emphasizes Jamaica. destroy the evil king Kansa. the oneness between humanity and God as well as Dreadlocks - One of the most visible practices of August 26 - September 4. the equality of all humans. Paryushana Parva (Jain). Festi- Rastafarians is the wearing of one's hair in dreadlocks. val signifying human emergence Death - For Rastafarians, illness and death are the Dreadlocks have several purposes and layers of into a new world of spiritual and result of an interference with the course of nature. meaning for Rastafarians, including: the biblical com- moral refinement. Marked by They are extremely proud of their health and vigor, mand not to cut one's hair (Leviticus 21:5); the ap- recitation from sacred writings pearance of a lion's mane, representing strength, and family exchange of cards/ which they attribute to upright living and to the use Africa, Ethiopia, and the Lion of Judah. Many Rastafar- letters. of herbs, especially ganja. ians have dreadlocks, but all people with dreadocks August 31. Hajj Day (Islam). Diet - The most observant Rastafarians follow a are not necessarily Rastafarians. Pilgrimage rites in the holy city dietary law called “ital”, derived from the word Mecca. "vital." Ital food is completely natural (not canned, Sources: http://www.religionfacts.com/rastafarianism September 1-4. Eid al Adha free of chemicals and preservatives) and eaten raw. https://caribbeanreligionuvm.wordpress.com/ (Islam). Festival recalling Abra- category/natural-healing-and-medicine/ ham’s willingness to sacrifice his Health Care - Rastafarians take a holistic approach son in obedience to Allah. September 21-22. Rosh Hasha- nah (Jewish) / Hijra (Islam). New Year celebrations. Health Care Religious/Cultural “Zebras” and Stereotypes August 8, 2017 September 22. Mabon (Wicca/ 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Pagan). Observance of autumn Theater 300 Clinical Science Building (CSB) equinox. This monthly program provides a forum for MUSC September 30. Yom Kippur care team members to debrief difficult cases and (Jewish). Day of Atonement, Patient-Centered Care: Challenges and Re- share strategies to support families, colleagues, and observed with strict fasting and wards repentance of sins. themselves. One hour of Diversity Education training will be provided. Participants must register via September 12, 2017 Source: http://www.interfaith- MyQuest. The following programs are planned for 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm calendar.org August and September. 300 Clinical Science Building (CSB) Page 2 August-September 2017 WHAT DID YOU LEARN? Get to Know a Chaplain In each issue, we will focus on a different member of MUSC Pastoral Care team. Which of these things is most helpful when speaking to parents who have just experienced perinatal loss? Came to MUSC in: 1994 A. Assuring them they can have Hometown: Charleston, SC Rev. Melvin Williams, M.Div other babies. B. Telling them their baby is now Education and Training: Bachelor of Arts an angel in heaven. from Allen University; Master of Divinity from C. Inviting them to tell you about ITC Seminary; Clinical Pastoral Education resi- their baby if they would like to. dency at Grady Medical Center (Atlanta); retired pastor in the AME (African Methodist Episcopal) Church. The first team member to respond with the correct answer will be recognized in As a chaplain, what do you bring to the a future edition of the newsletter. Send MUSC team? “Thirty-two years of combined responses to [email protected] experience in military and correctional chaplain- cy, and psychiatric hospitals. I also bring wisdom and an appreciation of diversity and inclusion.” What do you do to relax? “I enjoy gardening, Clemson University sports, and fishing.” What is one thing you wish people knew Caring for Your Spirit by Chaplain Stacy about chaplains that most don’t? “Never Stephanie Chomos, RN Sergent forget that chaplains/ministers are human and at Nursing Professional times need support. Thank you to staff who en- Development Specialist courage and support us.” Correct answer from the Interesting/fun fact about you: “I enjoy June-July issue: bringing Krispy Kreme donuts for the staff! Some people call me the Donut Chaplain.” B. Speaking or praying in tongues. Helping Patients Through Perinatal Loss by Chaplain Stacy S. Lawton It is not something anyone likes to think about, but perinatal loss is an issue we do sometimes have to face in healthcare. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines perinatal loss as “the loss of an infant through miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death.” This can be a time of intense grief for par- ents, and everyone from family members and friends to health care providers can be unsure what to Do you have topic ideas for future issues say to grieving parents. Here’s a list of some potentially hurtful things not to say, and some things or would like to provide general feedback that could be more helpful to say. (You can find more at missinggrace.org.) about the newsletter? If so, send an email to [email protected] HURTFUL Chaplain Stacy S. Lawton, Editor “He/she is in a better place.” For parents, there is no better place for their baby than in their arms. Compliments, complaints, or other “At least it wasn’t a real baby (in reference to ectopic pregnancy, for example).”/ “At least you acknowledgements about Pastoral Care weren’t very far along.”/ “At least you have other children.”/ “At least you didn’t have time to Services should be directed to: get attached yet.” Basically avoid anything that starts with “at least,” as it minimizes the loss. Chaplain Terry Wilson “Everything happens for a reason.” The loss of a child does not make sense to a parent. Manager, Pastoral Care Services “You can have another one.” Even if this is true, a new baby does not replace the one lost. [email protected] 843-792-9464 HELPFUL OR “I’m so sorry.” Simply acknowledging the sadness of the loss is always okay. Stephanie Taylor, MPS “_____ is a beautiful baby.” If the parents have said the baby’s name, it’s good for them to hear oth- Director, Diversity & Inclusion ers say it, a way of affirming the “realness” of their child. [email protected] “Would you like to tell me about your baby?” Even if their child never took a breath, parents often 843-792-2341 need to share memories of the pregnancy and dreams they had for their child, in order to grieve. Chaplains are available 24/7/365 .
Recommended publications
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    Chant Down Babylon: the Rastafarian Movement and Its Theodicy for the Suffering

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  • Negotiating Gender and Spirituality in Literary Representations of Rastafari

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  • Rastalogy in Tarrus Riley's “Love Created I”

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  • Relation Between a Health-Conscious Diet and Blood Lipids

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    European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2001) 55, 887–895 ß 2001 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved 0954–3007/01 $15.00 www.nature.com/ejcn Original Communication Giessen Wholesome Nutrition Study: relation between a health-conscious diet and blood lipids I Hoffmann1,2*, MJ Groeneveld1, H Boeing3, C Koebnick4, S Golf 5, N Katz5 and C Leitzmann1 1Institute of Nutrition Science, University of Giessen, Germany; 2National Research Centre for Nutrition, Karlsruhe, Germany; 3German Institute for Nutrition Research, Potsdam-Rehbru¨cke, Germany; 4Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany; and 5Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Department of Medicine, University of Giessen, Germany Objective: To study in humans the relationship between a diet consistent with most of the current recommenda- tions for the prevention of nutrition-related diseases (Wholesome Nutrition) and the blood lipid profile (total cholesterol, LDL-, HDL-cholesterol, LDL=HDL-ratio, triglycerides). Design: Cross-sectional study with two diet groups. Setting: Former West Germany. Subjects: Healthy women (n ¼ 243, aged 25 – 65 y) adhering to Wholesome Nutrition for at least 5 y (subdivided into 111 ovo-lacto vegetarians and 132 low-meat eaters) and an according control group of 175 women eating an average German mixed diet. They were all recruited through an advertisement campaign and selected on the basis of their food consumption. Results: Considering potential confounders, the Wholesome Nutrition subgroups had higher HDL-cholesterol levels than the control group. No differences were observed for total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. For LDL=HDL-ratio and triglycerides the effect of diet was dependent on interaction terms.
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    European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2013) 67, 1310–1315 & 2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved 0954-3007/13 www.nature.com/ejcn ORIGINAL ARTICLE Higher insulin sensitivity in vegans is not associated with higher mitochondrial density J Gojda1,2, J Patkova´ 1,3, M Jacˇek1, J Potocˇkova´ 1,2, J Trnka1,3, P Kraml1,2 and M Andeˇl1,2 BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Vegans have a lower incidence of insulin resistance (IR)-associated diseases and a higher insulin sensitivity (IS) compared with omnivores. The aim of this study was to examine whether the higher IS in vegans relates to markers of mitochondrial biogenesis and to intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) content. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Eleven vegans and 10 matched (race, age, sex, body mass index, physical activity and energy intake) omnivorous controls were enrolled in a case–control study. Anthropometry, bioimpedance (BIA), ultrasound measurement of visceral and subcutaneous fat layer, parameters of glucose and lipid homeostasis, hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp and muscle biopsies were performed. Citrate synthase (CS) activity, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and IMCL content were assessed in skeletal muscle samples. RESULTS: Both groups were comparable in anthropometric and BIA parameters, physical activity and protein–energy intake. Vegans had significantly higher glucose disposal (M-value, vegans 8.11±1.51 vs controls 6.31±1.57 mg/kg/min, 95% confidence interval: 0.402 to 3.212, P ¼ 0.014), slightly lower IMCL content (vegans 13.91 (7.8 to 44.0) vs controls 17.36 (12.4 to 78.5) mg/g of muscle, 95% confidence interval: À 7.594 to 24.550, P ¼ 0.193) and slightly higher relative muscle mtDNA amount (vegans 1.36±0.31 vs controls 1.13±0.36, 95% confidence interval: À 0.078 to 0.537, P ¼ 0.135).
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  • Carlton Barrett

    Carlton Barrett

    ! 2/,!.$ 4$ + 6 02/3%2)%3 f $25-+)4 7 6!,5%$!4 x]Ó -* Ê " /",½-Ê--1 t 4HE7ORLDS$RUM-AGAZINE !UGUST , -Ê Ê," -/ 9 ,""6 - "*Ê/ Ê /-]Ê /Ê/ Ê-"1 -] Ê , Ê "1/Ê/ Ê - "Ê Ê ,1 i>ÌÕÀ} " Ê, 9½-#!2,4/."!22%44 / Ê-// -½,,/9$+.)"" 7 Ê /-½'),3(!2/.% - " ½-Ê0(),,)0h&)3(v&)3(%2 "Ê "1 /½-!$2)!.9/5.' *ÕÃ -ODERN$RUMMERCOM -9Ê 1 , - /Ê 6- 9Ê `ÊÕV ÊÀit Volume 36, Number 8 • Cover photo by Adrian Boot © Fifty-Six Hope Road Music, Ltd CONTENTS 30 CARLTON BARRETT 54 WILLIE STEWART The songs of Bob Marley and the Wailers spoke a passionate mes- He spent decades turning global audiences on to the sage of political and social justice in a world of grinding inequality. magic of Third World’s reggae rhythms. These days his But it took a powerful engine to deliver the message, to help peo- focus is decidedly more grassroots. But his passion is as ple to believe and find hope. That engine was the beat of the infectious as ever. drummer known to his many admirers as “Field Marshal.” 56 STEVE NISBETT 36 JAMAICAN DRUMMING He barely knew what to do with a reggae groove when he THE EVOLUTION OF A STYLE started his climb to the top of the pops with Steel Pulse. He must have been a fast learner, though, because it wouldn’t Jamaican drumming expert and 2012 MD Pro Panelist Gil be long before the man known as Grizzly would become one Sharone schools us on the history and techniques of the of British reggae’s most identifiable figures.
  • Metabolic Effects of Fasting and Animal Source Food Avoidance In

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  • The Desert Trod the Transcendence of Self And

    The Desert Trod the Transcendence of Self And

    THE DESERT TROD THE TRANSCENDENCE OF SELF AND OTHER IN RASTAFARI IN GUYANA A THESIS SUBMITTED ON THE SIXTH OF APRIL 2018 TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS OF TULANE UNIVERSITY FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS BY ERIN LIERL APPROVED: Grete Viddal, Ph.D. THE DESERT TROD THE TRANSCENDENCE OF SELF AND OTHER IN RASTAFARI IN GUYANA AN ABSTRACT SUBMITTED ON THE SIXTH OF APRIL 2018 TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS OF TULANE UNIVERSITY FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS BY _______________________________ ERIN LIERL APPROVED: ________________________________ ________________________________ Grete Viddal, Ph.D. ________________________________ ABSTRACT This thesis addresses the relationship between self and other within Rastafari culture in Guyana. Heirs of a tradition of resistance against the dichotomous, hierarchical approach to nature and humanity embodied by European colonialism, Rastas in Guyana have conceptualized the individual self as an integral aspect of a divine, universal whole comprising the natural world and its diverse, interdependent constituents. This has involved the transcendence of conceptual dichotomies between self and other, humanity and divinity, physical and spiritual worlds, and people of different gender and ethnic identities. The transcendence of these conceptual divisions has supported the development of socially nonviolent and ecologically sustainable communities tied to soil, charting a course for global communities seeking to mitigate social and environmental crises. The transcendence of conceptual dichotomy is symbolized in this thesis by the “desert trod”—the journey of the Israelites of the Old Testament from captivity to the promised land.
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    The significance of the use of ganja as a religious ritual in the Rastafari movement S P Pretorius (University of South Africa) ABSTRACT The significance of the use of ganja as a religious ritual in the Rastafari movement In 2000, the South African Constitutional Court ruled that religious freedom, including the exercise of religious rituals, may not contradict the laws of the country. This ruling came as a result of the Western Cape Law Society’s refusal to admit a Rastafarian as lawyer because of his habit of smoking marijuana. He appealed to the Constitutional Court and claimed that the ruling infringed upon his right to religious freedom. The Constitutional Court upheld the decision that no exception may be made for one religion. The smoking of marijuana or “ganja” as it is better known is viewed as a deeply religious ritual element in the worship of the Rastafarian movement. But what significance and value does this ritual have in the Rastafari religion? The conclusion of this article is that irrespective of the negative connotations often associated with the use of ganja, it remains an important religious ritual in Rasta spirituality. The significance lies in the experience associated with an altered state of consciousness when ganja is used. A spiritual enlightenment or revelation of God is obtained during this altered state of consciousness, that is, a closeness or oneness with Jah. A type of spiritual/psychological healing or transformation also takes place during this period of altered consciousness in terms of establishing the self-worth of a person through what is known as the “I-and-I” consciousness.