In Kongo spiritual tradition the ancestors taught us that sickness (BÊLA, in Kikongo, the Kongo language), or any kinds of inharmony, is a reprimand (BELA) for failing (BELA) to put oneself in proper protective relationship with the water (MPÊMBA), i.e., with their world of holiness.

Now, when one fail in a court of law, the Kôngo speaks also of BELA. To avoid the failure (BELA) in court, one has to plead (SÂMBA) correctly and efficiently. So the remedy for BELA is SÂMBA.

The beauty of Kôngo tradition in this matter is that to pray is also SÂMBA.

Hence, as the remedy for not failing (BELA) in court is to plead (SÂMBA) efficiently, in the divine practice of religion the remedy for sickness (BÊLA) is to pray (SÂMBA). Do you see the parallelism? To pray is to plead one’s case in the court of the ancestors!!!

We don’t , have to confuse: at one side, the divine practice of African traditional religion (ATR), where one seeks to become back a Child of the Most High, an Osiris, through the purification of thoughts. Hence the need of appropriate prayers.

And at the other side, the human practice of ATR where there’s no notion of God’s law, but conjectural ethics and rituals to be obeyed.

The first practice first is seen only among the Bantus, especially the Kongo; while the second is what is mostly seen around.