JAMAICA’S legislators have approved the amendment of the Dangerous Drugs Act to facilitate the decriminalisation of possession of small amounts of ganja.
The announcement was made by Justice Minister Mark Golding during a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kingston yesterday.
“Cabinet has approved certain changes to the law relating to ganja. These relate to the possession of small quantities of ganja for personal use, the smoking of ganja in private places and the use of ganja for medical/medicinal purposes,” Golding said.
He also announced that Cabinet had also approved the decriminalisation of ganja for religious use and said he hoped the law would be amended by early September.
Golding’s announcement came on the heels of recent calls by the Opposition for individuals who are held smoking a spliff to not be given a criminal record.
This year’s Calabash audience had the rare opportunity of hearing from the immensely talented Jamaica Kincaid – first in an amusing reading from her latest book, and then in a insightful and engaging conversation with Kwame Dawes. The interchange included Kincaid’s description of the impact the Concise Oxford Dictionary had on her, as the only thing she had to read – punishment handed down to her seven-year-old self to copy out pages of “Paradise Lost” – passing comment on letters to the Corinthians from “the constipated Paul” – and her request for a picture of the Calabash audience, which she said included the most black people she had ever seen at a reading, proving that black people do read (and write!)
I was also honoured to have been asked to participate in the celebration of this year’s featured book at Calabash 2014…
Yesterday I went on a road trip with a load of the 4th year medics I’d met on A&E at UWI. An amazing day out, we hired a minibus and went to The Blue Hole near Ocho Rios. These stunning freshwater waterfalls and azure pools are a relatively hidden gem and certainly a far cry from the tourist trap of the nearby Dunn’s River Falls.
The journey from Kingston was spectacular in itself, traversing up the gorge of the Rio Cobre (and stopping to look at a local highlight – a rock formation resembling female genitalia known affectionately as Pum Pum Rock) and across Mount Diablo. Then, whizzing round blind corners, we drove through Fern Gully which is a marvel of unspoilt tropical vegetation.
Spent a good few hours at the waterfalls themselves.
There are various jumping points into the deep blue pools, some more adrenaline pumping than others, or you…
The quote at the start of this article has been the basis of my ancestral search. I was discussing this very issue with a friend yesterday. He does not know who his father is and doesn’t seem to understand how this lack of vital information could be hindering his progress.
“Whoever does not inform his children of his grandparents has destroyed his child, marred his descendants, and injured his offspring the day he dies. Whoever does not make use of his ancestry has muddled his reason………” -King Steven Adebanji
Ancestry – King Steven Adebanji, Ehyeh Heru El Bey and Michael Miller.
“Makinde my son how is your wife?”
“Mama she is fine” He had replied briefly, trying to keep the conversation brief and devoid of her usual questions. Arewa knew the meaning of the tone he used in replying her, an indication that he wasn’t in the mood to listen to any of her usual talk about coming home……
“I won’t keep you long my son, it’s just a dream that I had that I have to share with you. I had a dream that Karen and you came on vacation and she looked so happy. The only thing that made…
On Wednesday I braved the cold and wind to attend the launch of a new organisation called TickIT. It’s been set up to educate people from African Caribbean backgrounds on the important of voting. I learned that even if you don’t like anyone of the candidates you can write ‘none of the above’ on your ballot paper. It shows you’re willing to participate in the process but can’t find anyone to vote for.
From June of this year you will no longer be automatically registered to vote. You have to opt in. I didn’t know this. Did you?
I was also reminded that the democratic process continues whether or not I engage with it. It means fewer and fewer people are electing our politicians who represent all of us. Or rather in the case of the African Caribbean community – don’t represent us well enough.
One year ago today (10th January 2013) I started this blog to share with others the strange phenomena that had happened with my second novel, (i.e. things I’d written about started to happen in real life) see below and also see about. I wanted to see whether engaging in psychic development would have any noticeable effect on my future writing.
It has been an amazing year.
Crystal ball
Circles – I began going to psychic development circles on Mondays and Thursdays. The Monday classes were focused more on using tools such as cards, crystal balls etc to give messages. The Thursday classes focused more on connecting directly with spirit (mediumship) in order to give messages.
I had many fantastic experiences. I realised that I could give messages using just about anything from cards, crystal balls, photographs, coloured ribbon, to plant leaves, flowers and scrunched up bits of paper. I learned that these things are just props, something to focus on until the connection with spirit is so strong that you don’t need them anymore. In the Thursday sessions I built my connection and learned how to do it without the props.
I was given many amazing messages from others in these sessions. I also learned that a trained and experienced circle leader can see inside your meditation. It was in one of these sessions that I was directed to look more closely at the Maroons in Jamaica. Several messages from different people lead me to push past my fear and explore shamanism. I first met one of my animal teachers at a Thursday circle.
The Amadeus Centre, West London
Shamanism – My exploration of shamanism took me to a workshop at the Amadeus in London in June. It was called The Way of the Shaman. It was incredibly intense and I came away knowing that shamanism was the spiritual path for me. It lead to a new category of the blog by the same name.
Earl Purdy and me at A Course in Miracles Conference – awesome man
Workshops – In between the circles and the shamanic workshop I attended a number of other developmental workshop. These are recorded under Developmental Events.
Dreams – Once I began the circles my dreams became much more active and in some cases predictive. Many of these are recorded under Dreams. I was incredibly grateful to everyone who made suggestions on how to interpret them.
Graves at Brompton Cemetry
Stepping stones – Sometimes things would happen that didn’t fit into any of the categories. Things like seeing things flash before my eyes, or hearing voices that instructed me to do certain things (am I scaring you now?) like when I was told about Tom Seligman. The information lead me to more information for the research for the book I was writing. Another lead me to West Brompton Cemetery in London.
Countdown to Cameroon – From the research I developed a curiosity about my African ancestry. I took a DNA test which showed that my ancestors were from Cameroon. In October I set off to find them and had an adventure that surpassed all my expectation.
African Ancestry DNA kit
Writing – And what about the writing? As well as the many thousands of words of blogging I wrote two more books.
The first, Never on Sunday was published as an ebook in August and in December in hard copy. Both are available from Amazon.
Never on Sunday by Penny Dixon
The second book, Love is Not a Reward is current out to readers for comment. The ones I’ve received so far are favourable. This is the one that’s linked to the parenting course that I’ve been writing for the polytechnic in Barbados. It’s due out in about three months time.
It wasn’t all hard work in Barbados
So has the experiment worked? Did the psychic development influence my writing? The only evidence I have is that things I’ve written in both Never on Sunday and Love is Not a Reward have happened in real life. I’m still a little spooked by it because I never know which things are going to manifest in real life. Maybe that would be true prediction, true prophecy.
Where to now? – Well, the writing continues. I have at least eight books in my head waiting to come out. Spiritually I will be focusing more on shamanic practices and will write about these as much as I can.
Dancing with the juju man in Cameroon
Back to Cameroon – I’ll be going back to Cameroon later this year so will be writing about that too, along with anything interesting that happens in my spiritual, ancestral and writing world. I hope you will continue to drop in from time to time.
I’m going to join the many millions of people wondering where 365 days went. It’s been an amazing year and it’s been a pleasure to have shared some of it with you.
Me and Miles
Christmas was perfect. Like many of you I spent it with family. As we come to the end of 2013 I want to wish you all a brilliant and fun-filled 2014.
Leon and Samantha
Me Ash and Miles
I’m looking forward to continuing the journey with you next year. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
The most exciting event of the Christmas celebrations for me so far was watching my son play saxophone with the Arabian Chisel Technicians at the Bull’s Head in Moseley Village last night.
Ash Gabbidon
It was worth the wait till they got on stage at 10.30 p.m. as the head line act. The crowd was with them right from the first note but my personal favourite was their rendition of Papa’s got a brand new pigbag. It began with delicious reggae overtones before the horns filled the room. The whole room moved in unison.
Arabian Chisel technicians at the Bulls Head
Can’t wait for their next gig at the Yardbird on January 10th. Check them out on Facebook. Arabian Chisel Technicians
Fear does not define her limits anymore. It is no longer the place where her journey ends. This is not where her river dries up and the sun never shines.
She is re-defining fear as the edge of the diving board to jump off from, as the starting point to great journeys. Every fear is becoming a calling,. Every contraction is the beginning of a new expansion, a thrill of the unknown.
She has come to sit in a safe space inside herself ~ finally. She’s connecting to her relaxed Shakti that rests in her womb temple. From here she can go anywhere, do anything. Her fear becomes her dare.
The spirit of adventure is awakening in her heart. She’s willing to go to all those places she has only stood on the edge of, till now. All unfinished journeys are on their way to completion. All incomplete songs will…
Marijuana in Jamaica 
Writing Creatively With Spirit 