"Livity"



Rastafari is often considered by its followers more a function of the heart and a way of life (a 'livity') than a religion. This may be influenced by a dislike for the negative connotations of the term 'religion', which today is often blamed for many wars and much hatred and misunderstanding. On this website, I have avoided referring to Rastafari as a 'religion', though undeniably it does have many 'religious' aspects.

Perhaps more important still is the implication that one does not 'convert' to become a Rastafarian; instead one simply lives the Rasta way of life, and hence remains essentially much truer to oneself and to God. The point is to set an example through righteous livity, rather than to waste time arguing over doctrines and dogmas of belief.

The word 'livity' is a very concise expression, embodying many of the key principles of Rastafari. At its core, it obviously contains the idea of 'life' or 'living'. This is a major preoccupation in the very life-oriented Rasta tradition, with its pragmatic emphasis on acting to improve one's current situation rather than simply resigning oneself to Babylon and hoping for a better existence in the afterlife. The sacredness and assertive power of life are also closely linked to the very real presence of the 'living God', who always remains directly and intimately connected with people's everyday lives, for 'Almighty God is a living man', never a distant impersonal force. Jah live!

Livity may also refer to various aspects of the Rasta way of life, for example the Ital diet, or the Nazirite Vow.



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