Sun and Planets Spiritualities (AYINRIN): BENEFITS OF GRATITUDE POST BY ADMIN

BENEFITS OF GRATITUDE

Showing gratitude at all times for all our episodes of life will bring us great benefits, which perhaps we do not perceive by mishandling our character, but have been gratified for us by Olódùmarè, Ifa and our neighbors. Showing a lack of gratitude for anything that has been done for us could be a situation where ingratitude would not be tolerated and can be referred to the place where their cries for assistance are ignored or handled lightly. Ifá also says it is necessary to greet and praise Olódùmarè and Ifa every day in the morning, for all the good things he has received in life and ask for more good things. If we do this as a normal practice we will never experience a lack of the good things in life, otherwise we will have a sad and worried life.

Ifá says that it is when it dawns that we greet each other
Failing to greet us is the same as maintaining malice
Refusing to say hello means maintaining malice with such a person
This issued Ifá by Olúrómbí
Who wakes up early in the morning
And he declared that he would never greet IFÁ again
When asked why
He replied that he followed Ifa for a long time
But his Ifa was not of benefit to her
Òrúnmilà woke up early in the morning
He said "good morning to you Olúrómbí"
Olúrómbí responded with "hùn-ùn hun-un"
Òrúnmilà said "Olúrómbí, why are you muttering and gruñes?" (...)
Olúrómbí replied that it was because he was not his own son
Òrúnmilà answered that the son was not with the
He asked him to see Ìròkò Olúwéré
And ask for your baby
He advised him to offer ebo
She fulfilled
Èsù Òdàrà accompanied her to visit Ìròkò
Now, Olúrómbí or, please support me
Or Ìròkò, please have mercy and be lenient of my condition
Many people promised goats
Your thin goats
Others promised sheep
His robust sheep
But Olúrómbí, his son promised
Your fair-skinned son like fresh palm oil
Olúrómbí, baby receiver
E Ìròkò, baby receiver
In a short time, not too far away
Join in the midst of happiness
Come and see everything I go in life.

Olúrómbí was a follower of Ifa for a while. At a certain point, he refused to greet Ifa. Òrúnmilà, realizing this, visited Olúrómbí early in the morning to greet her. She responded with complaints. Òrúnmilà asked her why she complained, she replied that after following Ifa for so long, she did not have the wealth to prove it. Òrúnmilà saw the opportunity to prepare herbs that made people rich. She became very rich, but she still refused to show her gratitude to Ifa.

Later Òrúnmilà, realizing that Olúrómbí refused to show gratitude for having married, approached her again and greeted her. Olúrómbí responded with complaints. When Òrúnmilà asked why she complained, she replied that it was impossible for her to have a responsible husband and her choice. An appropriate Ifa job was prepared for her, and as a result she became a successful wife. He also became the envy of other wives and spinsters. However, Olúrómbí refused to thank or show gratitude to his Ifá who made all this possible for her.

After IFA managed to make Olúrómbí a prosperous woman, happily married, she still refused to thank him, show appreciation or give thanks to Ifa for everything he had done for her. But to demonstrate that Ifá did not hold a grudge against him and that he did not keep malice, Òrúnmilà continued to visit her early to greet her. As always, he replied muttering and complaining. He answered that it was because he had no home of his own. Òrúnmilà prepared her some herbs, and in a short time she became the owner of a huge mansion. After erecting and completing its construction, he refused to thank Ifa or demonstrate any form of gratitude.

Òrúnmilà realized that after having secured a home of his own, Olúrómbí still refused to thank Ifa. He went to greet her early in the morning. Olúrómbí complained and clarified that his denial in gratitude
1. When you complained about not having money, I made you prosperous beyond what you could imagine, did you return to thank or show gratitude? "Asked Òrúnmilà. She replied that she did not.

2. When you complained about not having a husband, I did everything possible to have you the husband of your dreams. You became the envy of all. All prayed to have a husband like yours. Was not it like that? "" It was like that, "answered Olúrómbí. "Did you come back to thank or show gratitude?" "No, I never did," replied Olúrómbí.

3. When you complained about not having your own home, Ifa did everything possible to erect the largest mansion in your area. Was not it like that? "Asked Òrúnmilà. "It was like that", answered Olúrómbí. "Did you come back to thank him or show gratitude to Ifá and Olódùmarè that made it possible?" "No, I did not." Olúrómbí answered.

Then, Òrúnmilà declared that she was the person who never knew how to show gratitude for the good deeds done by her. For this reason, Òrúnmilà told him his son was not with him. "If you need a child, go and pray at the home of òròkò Ogbó Olúwéré".

Ifa told him that he would meet many other people who have gone for similar requests. The only condition was that he needed to make a solemn pact with Ìròkò Ogbó after receiving what they asked for.

They told him he should mention anything he knew he would be able to redeem as a covenant, no matter how small. Òrúnmilà warned him not to exhibit the kind of attitude he had shown with him. With that, it was dispatched.

When Olúrómbí arrived at the altar of òròkò, he met many women making their requests. "Ìròkò, if you give me a son, I'll be here next year to give you a big beef"; "Ìròkò, I need a son, if you give it to me, I will come next year to give you a great chiva"; "Ìròkò, my husband's family has planned to disappear because I can not conceive a child, if you give me a son, I will bring a big chicken next year at the same time"; "Great Ìròkò, tree in the earth, Deity in heaven, my home is being threatened because I can not give a son to my husband. Make it possible for me so I can give you a child sooner than any other woman. If you do this for me, I'll give you a big ram of twisted horns next year. These were some of the requests that Olúrómbí heard from other women. However, he did not believe that Ìròkò was able to fulfill them. When it was her turn to make her request, she said: "Ìròkò, I came to give me my beautiful son. If you give me this son, I will come next year to sacrifice the child as gratitude. " They all looked at her surprised and shocked. They advised him to make another request but he refused. Òròkò told her to think about her request and she replied that she said what she had in mind. They all dispersed.

The next month, she became pregnant. Ten months later, she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. He was the most beautiful baby in the whole area. She had a clear complexion, strong, healthy and happy. The same Èsù Òdàrà took care of him. The baby became the baby of the entire community and everyone loved him.

However, when the time came to fulfill the promise that Olúrómbí had made, he could not sleep. He cried every day at all times. He said he never knew what Ìròkò could do for her. He thought he could not have the baby. Her reason was that Òrúnmilà knew that she was sterile and for that reason she referred her to Ìròkò. Now that he had had his baby, he could not think of losing it. He was full of courage and went to an Ifa consultation.

In the house of Babaláwo, she told him that she had this dilemma because she did not know how to show appreciation and gratitude when someone did something good for her. However he was advised to offer ebo what was immediately fulfilled. Èsù Òdàrà offered to accompany Olúrómbí, since the day would be very bitter for her.

At the altar, Olúrómbí saw all the women he had met the previous year fulfilling his promises. They went with chickens, goats, sheep, rams, goats, pigeon

Olodumare-Creator * Orisha-Nature Spirits * Egun-Ancestors

THE ORIGIN OF RELIGION

Religion is the Belief in and the acknowledgement of a superior being and the recognition of deities or forces and the worship of that superior being by prayer and propitiation. Such Worship can be direct to the superior being or through any recognized intermediary, deity or force.

Religion is everywhere an expression in one form or another of a sense of dependence on a power outside ourselves. A power Which we may speak of as spiritual or moral. It should also be clear that a belief in spiritual beings or indeed in anything else, cannot by itself constitute Religion.

A religion which consisted merely of belief without prayers, sacrifices, or rites of any kind would be no Religion at all… ** Religion of one kind “or” another is the only permitted language in which one could formulate the dream of becoming a free subject.

Bernard Maupoil, during a tour of administrative duty in Danxome during 1933–36, made an extensive study of the Ifa system of divination, which plays such a large part in the religious life of the Yoruba and of their neighbours in Danxome who have borrowed it from them. Although to the masses Ifa, or Fa as it is called in Danxome, has become personified as a god, to the initiated it is more truly the voice of god or of fate. Unlike the cruel, capricious and unreliable gods of the Danxome and Yoruba pantheon, Ifa is infallible, impartial, and never deceives. It consists of an abstract method of divination by manipulation of sixteen palm nuts, in the course of which a number of signs are made with the fingers in a yellow powder placed on a special tray. It is these signs which reveal to the initiated practitioner the past or the future. In its simpler form Ifa gives the consultant an answer to the everyday problems of his life ; in its more esoteric, it gives him an opportunity of discovering his destiny.

CrossRoads = RingSide Seat…

!!! Vodun: African Spiritual Religious Systems !!!

#vodoun, #vodoo, #vodou, #Orisha, #Ifa, #Culture, #Spirituality, #Cult, #Festival, #Heritage, #History, #Ancestry, #Diaspora, #Black, #Slave, #Africa, #Benin, #Danxome, #Ouidah

Vodun is a derivative of the world’s oldest known religions which have been around in Africa since the beginning of human civilization. Although its essential wisdom originated in different parts of Africa long before the Europeans started the slave trade. The Essence of Vodun: Practitioners believe that nothing and no event has a life of its own. Many spiritualists agree that we are not separate, we all serve as parts of One. So, in essence, what you do unto another, you do unto you, because you are the other. We are mirrors of each other’s souls. God is manifest through the spirits of Ancestors who can bring good or harm and must be honored in ceremonies. There is a sacred cycle between the living and the dead. Believers ask for their misery to end. Rituals include prayers, drumming, dancing, singing and animal sacrifice.

Vodun is a practical religion, playing an important role in the family and the community. One’s Ancestors, for instance, are believed to be a part of the world of the spirits, and this is one way that Vodun serves to root its participants in their own history and tradition. Another practical aspect of Vodun ceremonies is that participants often come before the Priest or Priestess to seek advice, spiritual guidance, or help with their problems. The Priest or Priestess then, through divine aid, offer help such as healing through the use of herbs or medicines – using knowledge that has been passed down within the religion itself, or healing through faith itself as is common in other religions. Spirits may be invoked to bring harmony and peace, birth and rebirth, increased abundance of luck, material happiness, renewed health.

The Cave You Fear To Enter Holds The Treasure You Seek…

The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are. If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it’s not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That’s why it’s your path. If the path before you is clear, you’re probably on someone else’s. You must give up the life you planned in order to have the life that is waiting for you. Your sacred space is where you can find yourself over and over again. The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature.

All religions are true but none are literal.” We’re not on our journey to save the world but to save ourselves. But in doing that you save the world. The influence of a vital person vitalizes.

“Regrets Are Illuminations Come Too Late.”

The Temple of Python in Ouidah…

An interesting and historical sight to visit in DanXome (Benin) is in the Python Temple in the town of Ouidah. The pythons are called Royal pythons and are worshipped in Benin especially in Ouidah.

The snakes are a totem in DanXome and are important especially in the religion of Vodun. They are not harmful and as a respect, pythons are not supposed to be killed or bad luck will strike if it does occur. Every 7 years, the adepts hold a ceremony where they would celebrate the symbolism and value of pythons in the temple.

The Temple of Pythons, a sacred shrine, home to dozens of royal pythons that slither freely within the temple’s venerable walls. Images of snakes are plastered throughout Ouidah as tributes to the serpent deity Dan, a powerful Vodun God thought to be a divine mediator between the spirits and the living. These exotic creatures are revered in DanXome, and it’s considered a sign of good fortune should a snake cross one’s path…

***Vodun designates a venerated and adored divinity. It also defines the whole social, psychological and supernatural structure surrounding this popular sort of religiosity. Indeed, Vodun permeates everything, one could see how all the social fabric, starting with the family, was imbued by it. We must refer to the social and cultural context which gives rise to Vodun in order to grasp what Vodun really is.

The argument for naturalism and fetishism in Vodun rests on some of its practice: the Voduns are related to different concrete elements of the universe and are materialized through specific objects to which devotional cults are rendered and sacrifices are offered (mounds of earth, metal bars, tree trunks…). Indeed, some would see the Vodun cult as a coarse idolatry of material objects or as a cult of matter, without any consideration of its rich functionality which we shall illustrate below. Furthermore, it should be noted that these mistaken views are due to ethnological approaches to the Vodun phenomenon which refrain from articulating its uniquely physical, cosmic and social function in religious mediation…

THE VODUN = ORISHA PHENOMENON IN BENIN W/AFRICA

Indeed the religious phenomenon is not limited to a cult or an established link with the transcendent, but springs from the awareness of finite which gives rise to the need for the transcendent. Consequently, all men are religious, even if some are more religious than others, and the manifestations of human religiosity are numerous and owe much to the cultures of which they are the soul. In the specific case of the cultures of South Benin W/Africa, whose religious soul appears that this is to be found in a convergent way in the phenomenon of Vodun = Orisha. Most of the peoples of South Benin have very similar if not identical cultural roots, and almost the same historical origin. This is why the religious phenomenon in this geographical region is manifested most fully in Vodun = Orisha, with the Nago or Yoruba peoples.

The Fon, Gun, Mina and Ewe peoples is characterized by a similar conception of divinity: belief in the existence of God is general. This God, recognized as the Supreme Being, as Transcendent, is referred to by the term Mawu. According to the testimony “everyone professes the existence of a Supreme Being who created ‘the trees and the ropes’, a Fon idiomatic expression which means everything that exists… This Supreme Being is called Mawu”. That God is the creator of the universe, of mankind and of all that exists is generally accepted. And this notion of God existed among these peoples before the arrival of the great monotheistic religions (Christianity, Islam).

Mawu is God, but he does not concern himself directly with man; he is omnipotent but has delegated his power to the Voduns. Hence the Voduns, recognized as Mawu’s creatures among men, signs of the divinity’s immanence in response to the spiritual desires of mankind. In this sense, Vodun designates all that is sacred, all power coming from the invisible world to influence the world of the living, everything that is mysterious. The Voduns receive the worship because of their proximity to man compared to Mawu. Divine qualities are attributed to them, characterized as the spirits they are considered to be above all natural laws. Examining the internal dynamics of the Vodun pantheon will give a clearer idea of the dependent relationship the Voduns have with Mawu.

We have this extraordinary conceit in the West that while we’ve been hard at work in the creation of technological wizardry and innovation, somehow the other cultures of the world have been intellectually idle. Nothing could be further from the truth. Nor is this difference due to some sort of inherent Western superiority. We now know to be true biologically what we’ve always dreamed to be true philosophically, and that is that we are all brothers and sisters. We are all, by definition, cut from the same genetic cloth. That means every single human society and culture, by definition, shares the same raw mental activity, the same intellectual capacity. And whether that raw genius is placed in service of technological wizardry or unraveling the complex thread of memory inherent in a myth is simply a matter of choice and cultural orientation.

***The surface of the Earth itself is an immense loom upon which the sun weaves the fabric of existence. The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. These other cultures are not failed attempts to be us; they are unique manifestations of the spirit other options, other visions of life itself…

Ironically, it was the enforced immigration of enslaved African from different ethnic groups that provided the circumstances for the development of Vodun. However, in the misery of slavery, the transplanted Africans found in their faith a common thread. They began to invoke not only their own Gods, but to practice rites other than their own. The result of such fusion was that the different religious groups integrated their beliefs, thereby creating a new religion: Vodun (Spirit)…

Legacy of Drums…

***The History Of The Drum…

The concept of the Drum is probably as old as intelligent man. A drum is an instrument that is played by beating on a stretched membrane. It consists of a body, or a hollowed-out piece, a membrane, or a piece of animal skin or synthetic material placed over the top, tuning pegs, or pegs placed into the sides of the membrane to tighten or release the pressure on the membrane, and the striking object, usually a stick of some sort. While most people may think that a sound is produced in the body of the Drum, sound is actually produced by the membrane and its vibration. Sound can be changed by the amount of tension in the membrane, or by how tightly it is stretched over the body of the drum. The oldest Drums were probably hollowed sections of tree trunks, with a piece of animal skin over the top. Gourds are other hollow vegetables and fruits are also prime candidates for early Drums.

Ancient Drums have been discovered in almost every part of the world. Egyptian tombs have yielded small Drums used for ceremonies. Several caves in Peru contain wall markings depicting Drums in various aspects of societal life. The American Indians used a series of wood and gourd Drums for their celebrations and music, and some of these Drums are still used in ceremonies today.

In Africa, where music is simply an interpretation of everyday life in sound, Drums were used as speech. Simply a pattern of beats played in a certain way could communicate vast amounts of information. Drums are also used for many religious purposes. In certain parts of Africa, Drums are venerated, and also given entities and gender. Therefore, the history of the Drum has evolved from one of religious use and interpretation to musical accompaniment and creation. The structure of their religion identifies this in its classification which is belief in God – Divinities – Spirit – Ancestors and in the practice of Magic and Medicine. This practice entails communication and communion with a deity within the context of worship.

It is noted in this sense that most of the worship and festival go with a particular type of Drum that is made sacred for a peculiar ritual. ***Ritual, is known to be a method of carrying out religious actions or ceremony. It is also a means of communicating something which is of religious significance, through word, symbol and action. A visible demonstration of these activities occurs in ritual and festivals. It is highlighted by both of them that ritual could take communal or personal form. Personal ritual is considered as the rites that surround the principal events in the lives of individuals while the communal ritual shows the relationship of religion to the structure of the society. In all, their submission shows that ritual can generate a sense of certainty and familiarity and it can also provide continuity and unity among those who perform or attend it. Through the ritual action and word, people are able to exercise a certain amount of control over the invisible world and forces of nature. In this way, humans consider themselves not just as passive creatures in the universe, but creative agents. For the purpose of ritual, human beings use almost everything at their disposal to communicate their actions and words.

A true Master Drummer has to be called to the Drum, often from an early age. This highly respected status that is conferred by other Master Drummers is not easily earned. Technical agility represents only a stage through which the would-be initiate passes. In African Drumming, the title of Master Drummer is given to a Drummer who is well known by other Masters for their high skill and knowledge. It is a title passed down from a Master to their pupil, after they have learned all there is to know about the African Drum. In general, a Master Drummer has given their whole life to the Spirit of the Drum. They are able to play any part of any rhythm for their ethnic group and neighboring ethnic groups, in any ceremonial situation. They also knows the Songs and Dances that go with each Rhythm.

“A Drum-maker often chooses a tree from the side of a well–traveled road from which to carve a Drum, for such a tree will have heard much conversation and will therefore make a Drum that is especially good at talking.”

The Great Master Drummers: Bata-Drums traditionally have been sacred instruments touched and played only by certain initiates and reserved for a religious context. This has changed somewhat since the 1950s, and now some drums are played in some secular contexts by people not involved in the religion, including folkloric and even modern performances and on commercial recordings. This is a bit like the transition of certain songs of prayer into commercialized gospel music. The Bata-Drums rhythms are considered sacred and spiritually powerful, but are now sometimes played outside religious settings. There are still certain sacred Drums, however, and some rhythms, which are reserved purely for ritual contexts. Non-initiates do not play these drums, do not play in ceremonies, and are not taught certain more secret rhythms.

*** In 1936, Bata drumming was brought out into the public for the first time in Cuba. Pablo Roche = Iya (Iyalu) Aguedo Morales = Itotele (Omele-Ako) Jesus Perez = Okonkolo (Kudi)

*** I’ve come so far and achieved so much… But the best part of it all is that this is only the beginning… I will never stop growing… For my evolution is eternal and I am forever becoming…

Master Drummer: “We created this community for people from all backgrounds to discuss Spiritual, Paranormal, Metaphysical, Philosophical, Supernatural, and Esoteric subjects.”

***West African knowledge of God is expressed in proverbs, short statements, songs, prayers, names, myths, stories, and religious ceremonies…

Reference Sources: J.K Olupona = B.W Adepegba = A. Bankole =

Sensually Empowered Woman…

((( SAGEWORDS )))

“The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you; they are unique manifestations of the human spirit.”

An Awakened Man’s Apology To Women: As a Man, I feel sorrow that women and feminine energy have been suppressed for so many thousands of years on our planet. Everywhere we look, Women have been disenfranchised. Throughout history, we have raped and abused you, burned you at the stake, bought and sold your bodies for sexual pleasure, barred you from religious and political office, relegated you to subservient chores, forced you to hide your faces and even cut off your organs of sexual pleasure.

Although I may not have done these things personally, I am aware of the forces in the masculine psyche that are responsible for dishonoring the feminine. I take responsibility for those forces and choose no longer to be run by them. I do this on behalf of all men, in order to usher in a new era of co-creation. I commit to treat your heart as the sacred temple it is, and I commit to celebrating the feminine in my intimate relationships as well as in my relationship to all life. I acknowledge that the religions of the past several thousand years have been mainly founded by and propagated by Men.

You are awoken in a way that no longer draws an ordinary Man. Wise Woman, wild Woman, ancient muse of artists and poets, you crave a partner who can discern your siren call. You’ve been the shadow that’s slipped past him on moonlit walks, when he’s been searching his heart. He’s reached out to grasp you but the time was never right. Like a wisp of wind, you’ve eluded him on his journey toward enlightenment. Perhaps he was not ready, perhaps you weren’t either, while you’ve been soaking your bones in mystery and reading sacred texts, he’s also been feeding his mind with poetry and prose

A Man with a deep voice and gruffness and grunting—at least sometimes. I like a Man who can occasionally cuss without apologizing, mixed company or not, and that will laugh heartily. I like a Man who can wake up next to me with my hair tussled and knotted and grab my ass and say, “Come over here, my sexy, beautiful Woman.” A Man that I can feel naked with—emotionally exposed and fragile & tender – who doesn’t feel threatened by my blatant femininity.

I bow to you, the men who leave us breathless. You have mastered the complexity of what it means to love a Woman. Perhaps when you were new to us, you found love at the hand of some generous teacher, someone who knew that to receive one must give. A Man like you resists our pleas for mercy, while our eyes close and our mouths reach for the thing you use to tease us with. Thank you for knowing us enough to please us. Thank you for giving without expectation of receiving. Thank you for finding the secret places that thrill us, and whispering such tender and freely given “I love you.”

She’s Opening Her Phoenix Code… That is because she’s ignited a sacred fire inside her that holds the fire of the sun. It’s burning to ashes all that is untrue in her life. No one else but she herself can now shine the light to who she’s becoming. She’s always looked for mentors and idols to emulate. Not anymore. She’s evolving into a Woman who is unique. No one in her world really fits the template for who she is becoming. She’s realizing that at this time she has to fall back on herself to mold, forge and craft her new self. The key to owning all of herself, is to be her own source. She’s remembering the art of reincarnating in the same body. The more she stands in her own singularity, the better she fits into her world.

We Women crave men we can rely on. We want Men who complement us. We don’t want to compete with you. We want Men to know our core desires, honor our brilliance, beauty, personalities, and capabilities. We want Men who lift us up, not ones focused on tearing us down. We revel in the present and look for men who can take us to the future. We will not give away our precious energy.

“I believe that if some Men would just stop trying to impress all Women and simply focus on the physical and emotional needs of the one they are with, their lives would be far less expensive and much more fulfilling.”

We are willing to go to great lengths to develop ourselves emotionally. We will not apologize, minimize our feelings or sell ourselves short for self-entitled brats who want to be the prize. We want you to stand for the greatest version of us. We will not fluff you up emotionally. If a Woman is bold enough to tell you she wants you or likes you, you need take the reins. We won’t cater to your insecurities if you lack the ability to feel our love. We will not shovel reassurance at you. If you want us, come get us. We will not wait around. We look for authenticity and integrity. We want the real deal. But our intensity… our bitchiness… it has an origin. We know when we’re getting less than your best. We want your love and affection. We crave your admiration and adoration. We want you = We need you.

The Head That Should Not Go Naked Will Find A Cloth Seller When The Market Opens …

There is, indeed, a fire burning over the earth, taking with it plants and animals, cultures, languages, ancient skills and visionary wisdom. Quelling this flame, and re-inventing the poetry of diversity is perhaps the most important challenge of our times. Sensitivity to nature is not an innate attribute of indigenous peoples. It is a consequence of adaptive choices that have resulted in the development of highly specialized peripheral skills. But those choices in turn spring from a comprehensive view of nature and the universe in which Man and Woman are perceived as but elements inextricably linked to the whole.

HOW TO TOUCH A WOMAN: It’s not where a Man touches his Woman as much as how he touches her that makes her feel safe. It’s not his touch that matters as much as the energy of his intent. And when all of these are aligned it’s not even a touch needed to make her shudder, but a word, a breath or even just his gaze.

Wild Woman + Spiritual Seeker = Choose A Man Who Will Serve & Feed Your Soul…

Perhaps while you’ve been listening to the whispers of forest spirits and leaning against wise old trees, he’s been a step or two behind you, aching for the sound of your steps on the sodden moss. You have seen him in the cards, he’s illusive but he’s real. He’s a challenge, he’s unafraid to speak his mind. He’s a Man who knows his path. You need a Man whose strength is in more than his hands. You need a Man whose character makes your heart pound, your body lose control. He’s the kind of Man who will drink your essence but who won’t worship you, because he knows how real you need to be.

I love a Woman who has built up strong walls around her heart. It tells me that you’ve been through some things and, not only are you a survivor, but from those experiences, you’ve learned how to better protect yourself. You’ve also learned the true value of your love and now getting close to your heart is not that easy. Her secret desire is to be ravished, lovingly forced open in unbearable pleasure, and taken fully open to love by a Man of deep spiritual wisdom, strength, humor, sensitivity and integrity.

Any guy can spoil you with materialistic things, but the right man can do way more than just that… He can spoil you with understanding, listening, honesty, loyalty, affection, communication, and he can spoil you with happiness…

I no longer force things. What I only have Space and Energy for things that are meant for Me. You simply come to know yourself as Life Itself. And you turn towards the wounded place. And you flush it with attention, which is love. And maybe the wound will always be with you. Maybe you will always walk with the hurt. But now, you hold it. It doesn’t hold you. You are the container, not the contained. The One who is always present. The One who can bear even the most intense feeling states. The Indestructible One. The Infinite One. The Powerful One. You.”

World-African Arts…

*** Greatness Is Homemade !!!

World-African Art is a term typically used for the art of the continent full of People, Societies & Civilizations, each with a unique visual Culture. Despite this diversity, there are some unifying artistic themes when considering the totality of the visual culture from the continent.

African Arts presents original research and critical discourse on traditional, contemporary, and popular African arts and expressive cultures. The journal offers readers peer-reviewed scholarly articles concerning a striking range of art forms and visual cultures of the world’s second-largest continent and its diasporas, as well as special thematic issues, book and exhibition reviews, features on museum collections, exhibition previews, artist portfolios, photo essays, contemporary dialogues, and editorials. African Arts promotes investigation of the interdisciplinary connections among the arts, anthropology, history, language, politics, religion, performance, and cultural and global studies.

African art history has played a significant role in shaping the culture and history of the world. The belief that Africa is the cradle of the history of mankind is virtually unshakeable. The origins of African art history lie long before recorded history, preserved in the obscurity of time…

Reference Sources: James S. Coleman =

Kutiro-Balafon-Sabar = Drums Ensemble…

****Music of the Mande – Gambian Tantango=Kutiro Drumming…

The Mandinka Drum Ensemble consists of three Drums. The leader plays the long Sabaro, assisted by two Drummers playing the Kutiro – small Kutirindingo and larger Kutiriba. Drum troupes play for recreational dances and various festivities. The Mandinka, descendants of the Mande peoples of western Africa, now reside primarily in Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau. Among the Mande people in general, rhythm expressed as drumming is linked with all forms of movement, be it dancing, wrestling, procession, or agricultural labor.

There is a defined hierarchy within the ensemble where the Sabaro takes the fore, both musically, and socially. A Drummer will begin a long apprenticeship, usually starting in youth, gradually working from Kutiros to Sabaro as his skill increases. The Tantango ensemble is employed in many life-cycle rituals circumcisions, fertility, agricultural and recreational, wrestling events. The most prominent such event is recreational dance Bantaba and singing held in a wide-open space in the center of a village or at a crossroads in town. Participants amass in circles which can vary in size: sometimes with barely enough room for dancers, at other times as large as city blocks with rented folding chairs placed along the sides of the street for guests. The Bantaba events begin with a signature recreational dance – Lenjengo, danced primarily by women and girls, and which typically includes a collection of rhythms, songs, and dances leading up to the “Lenjengo” a fully engaged dance-music gathering that could go on indefinitely. The term Tantango is often used to refer to any of these Drums, and sometimes the ensemble is called a Seruba ensemble after the name of an important dance event in which they are played. The ensemble is used throughout the Gambia and Cassamance as far east as Tambacounda.

Evidence from neighboring Drumming traditions suggests that the Mandinka may have fashioned their Drums after models used in their new Senegambian homeland or even acquired them there. Both the name and the shape of the Mandinka Sabaro and Wolof Sabar Drums are very similar, and the method of attaching the head to the body is the same for these two as well as for the other Mandinka and Wolof Drums. But in contrast to the Mandinka ensemble, fixed at three Drums and rarely augmented, Wolof Sabar-based ensembles consist of more Drums and can accommodate large numbers of players. In the case of celebrations with many participants, the Mandinka ensemble is still not augmented; rather, many ensembles play for smaller groups within the larger crowd. In addition to Wolof influence, there is also an exchange of rhythms between Jola and Mandinka, even though the Jola play the very different Bugarabu, a group of three of four large Drums played by a single person with bare hands. The practice of wearing iron jingles (Jawungo) around the wrist is widespread among Mandinka and Jola Drummers as well as Bala.

Each Drum is played with one hand and a short stick approximately of nine inches long; the two Kutiro Drums are sometimes played with both bare hands. The minimal vocabulary necessary to play the Drums consists of two different hand strokes and two different stick strokes. The hand strokes are an open bounce (kun) where a clear tone is produced, and closed damped stroke (Ba) where the fingers press on the head and remain there. The stick strokes are a bounce (Din) and a press (Da). With two hand sounds and two stick sounds on each Drum, a strikingly full orchestral sound can be created by just the two Kutiro Drums.

As a village rather than urban event, Lenjengo can be contrasted in organization with analogous urban Jembe Drumming (Dununba)events in Mali and Guinea. In Lenjengo a long-term compositional process is at work with a specific sequence of pieces. While the Sabaro Drummer plays the phrases linked with the entrances, exits, and other movements of the dancers, the two Kutiro Drummers play the indentifying parts that are unique to each dance.

The stage presentation Mandinka Drumming and dancing has a history that is now over half a century old. New traditions have developed, moving Drumming in a variety of directions. Although some of these traditions flourished abroad, the general recognition of Africa as a wellspring of a deeply entrenched culture of drumming and dancing still operates. The number, diversity, depth, and uniqueness of Drumming traditions in Africa are astounding. So is the musical sophistication and power that can be routinely achieved by a small ensemble of instruments with a limited palette of sounds.

***Drum Call – The Drum call begins all ceremonies. The Drums speak the opening prayer and request blessings for the dance ceremony to begin. The purpose of the drum call is to contain the spirits that would normally be invoked through the dances. The drum call is also called “Baque.” Each ethnic group has its own “Baque,” and within each ethnic group every family has its own special rhythms that are passed down from generation to generation.

Forango: Sitick 9″ long … Jawungo = Bell – Iron Rattles … Kusango – Peg …(5″Long Hole -5/8″) Bora or Bisango – Beard or Skirt for Sabaro… Minango – Antelope Skin… Fasango – To Lace… Manduka – Mallet…

“Sabaro = 6 – 7″ Diameter 25 – 27″ Long…(4 1/4″) Kutiriba = 9 – 10″ Diameter 15 – 17″ Long…(4 1/2″) Kutirindingo = 7 – 8″ Diameter 12 – 14″ Long…(4″)

Griot, Jaly, or Ayan (keepers of African oral traditions) dies, they literally take libraries of African music and dance to the grave where it is entombed and lost to the world forever. Since the music and dance of Africa is largely an oral tradition that is verbally passed down from one generation to the next, sheet music is not available. Younger generations of Africans no longer practice or know the traditional music and dance of their Ancestors, therefore, African music and dance is an endangered species.

***The African Balafon: Listen – Feel & Move…

An instrument known to have existed during the Mali Empire, the Balafon has been and still is popular in West Africa. Its name has a Manding origin but the name varies in some parts like Sierra Leone, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso. Balafon means the “act of playing the Bala,” with “Balan” corresponding to the instrument, while “fo” a verb meaning “to play” in the Malinke language. Guinea’s Susu and Malinke peoples, as well as the Manding people dwelling in Senegal, Mali, and Gambia are the popular users of the instrument. Balafon traditions were also recorded in Chad, Cameroon, and around the Congo Basin. In Ancient times, the Balafon is considered a sacred instrument that is exclusive to trained and skilled caste members. It was stored in a temple for safekeeping and can only be played at certain traditional and ritual occasions such as funerals, weddings, and festivals. Not to mention that the Balafon has to be purified first before being played.

According to one of the Mandingo myths, the first inhabitant of the Earth coming down from the sky was a blacksmith. It is certainly not by chance that the Balafon played an important part in the history of the accession of the kingdom of Mali. Castes formed, and among them the blacksmith was found at the center of all craft activities and became powerful. Without him there would be no weapons for hunting, nor farming implements, nor cooking utensils. He was master of fire and wood. Traditionally, it was he who sculpted the shell of the Djembe, or the slats of the Balafon. The Bala-Fola’s gesture is the same as the blacksmith’s. Beating with the stick is the same movement as with the hammer and the slat replaces the anvil. Everything seems to indicate that the first Balafon players were smiths.

Amongst thousands of percussion instruments, there is an important family, the mallet instruments. Xylophones, vibraphones, marimbas, have a common Ancestor – the African Bala. The culture of Balafon music is highly developed in the countries south of the Sahara desert and the tropical rain forest. With the ethnic groups like the Senoufos, Bobos, Miankans, Lobis, Toussiens, Samogos, Gouins or Tourakans (Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Ghana) a large Bala can have up to 21 slats. Normally, the Balafon is tuned from the lowest to the highest note, usually in a pentatonic chord (five tones), like, for example, the black mallets on a piano keyboard. Nowadays, “western” chords can be found as well, like diatonic and chromatic. But at all times, African musicians have known how to cope with influences coming from abroad in an own, original style.

Gum-rubber mallets on a balafon: A Balafon can be either fixed-key or free-key. The Balafon is generally capable of producing 18 to 21 notes, though some are built to produce many fewer notes. Balafon keys are traditionally made from Béné wood, dried slowly over a low flame, and then tuned by shaving off bits of wood from the underside of the keys. Wood is taken off the middle to flatten the key or the end to sharpen it. In a fixed-key Balafon, the keys are suspended by leather straps just above a wooden frame, under which are hung graduated-size calabash gourd resonators. A small hole in each gourd is covered with a membrane traditionally of thin spider’s-egg sac filaments – nowadays more usually of cigarette paper or thin plastic film to produce the characteristic nasal-buzz timbre of the instrument, which is usually played with two gum-rubber-wound mallets while seated on a low stool or while standing using a shoulder or waist sling hooked to its frame. This effect is accentuated by the sound of metal bracelets attached to the player’s wrist. Mallets and resonators are fixed on a frame of wood sticks and strings made of goat’s skin.

Regional traditions: As the Balafon cultures vary across West Africa, so does the approach to the instrument itself. In many areas the Balafon is played alone in a ritual context, in others as part of an ensemble. In Guinea and Mali, the Balafon is often part of an ensemble of three, pitched low, medium and high. The Susu and Malinké people of Guinea are closely identified with the Bala, as are the other Manding peoples of Mali, Senegal, and the Gambia. Cameroon, Chad, and even the nations of the Congo Basin have a long Balafon traditions.

The Bala, kora , and the Ngoni are the three instruments most associated with Griot bardic traditions of West Africa. Each is more closely associated with specific areas, communities, and traditions, though all are played together in ensembles throughout the region. Guinea has been the historic heartland of solo Balafon. The Balafon, also known as Balafo, Bala, Balani, Gyil, and Balangi, is a type of tuned percussion instrument. It is played by using two padded sticks to strike the tuned keys.

***The gyil is the name of a buzzing Balafon common to the Gur-speaking populations in northern Ghana, Burkina Faso, southeastern Mali and northern Ivory Coast in West Africa…

In some cultures the Balafon was and in some still is a sacred instrument, playable only by trained religious caste members and only at ritual events such as festivals, royal, funeral, or marriage celebrations. Here the Balafon is kept in a temple storehouse, and can only be removed and played after undergoing purification rites. Specific instruments may be built to be only played for specific rituals and repertoires. Young adepts are trained not on the sacred instrument, but on free-key pit Balafons.

*** Sabar Wolof Drums ***

Sabar drumming is the very exciting syncopated drumming of the Wolof tribe in Senegal and Gambia. The Djola and Mandinka Sabar is very rare. The only place to see this Sabar is in rural areas during a ceremony such as a naming ceremony, wedding, or birthday. Wolof sabar can be seen throughout Senegal and Gambia in urban areas as well as rural. Sabar is not complete without the dance. Of course this is true with most drumming in West Africa. The dance is a very beautiful style… almost even like a martial arts. Sabar dancers display incredible flexibility and agility.

The Sabar drums are traditionally peg tuned…but some players today are using the more modern method of rope tuning. There are 5 drums in the Sabar family and they all have different sounds and roles to play in the music. The M’balax drum is the main rhythm drum and is fairly high in pitch and medium size. The N’der drum is the tallest and highest in pitch and is the lead drum and plays a lot of ‘calls’ or signals to cue the group what to do. The Toongani was originally a mandinka drum called the kutiro but was in recent years added to the Sabar ensemble. This drum is the smallest drum and has a unique bass sound. The Joll is the lowest in pitch of the bass drums. It play various patterns and is also a solo drum. The highest pitch of the bass drums is the Tahnbat. This drum plays interweaving patterns sort of opposite the Joll. All drums are played with hand and stick.

In Gambia and Senegal the most common place to see Sabar drumming is at a ceremony such as naming ceremony, wedding, birthday, or return from Mecca. These ceremonies typically happen in the streets. It is very popular even outside the Wolof tribe. Most ceremonies of all tribes in Gambia and Senegal will have Sabar drumming at the party. Typically Sabar drumming and dance will start after all the formal ceremonies are finished. During a naming ceremony the child is given a name one week after he or she is born. In the morning the baby will be prayed for… as well as all the family prayed for… and during this time the baby’s head is shaved. Depending on what tribe the ceremony can have different events that follow. Typical food at this ceremony is benechin…or jaybuchin.

Reference Sources: Wikipedia = Roderick Knight = Charry Eric = Erik Silverman = Mosheh Milon = Stephan Monssen = Souleyman Diop = Gert Kilian = Stream Africa = Mike Bennett = Rob Holland = Kim Atkinson = Rob Simms

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Posted on January 24, 2018Categories Dieties3 Comments on Food *Gift from the Gods*

Iyerosun = Opon-Ifa…

The Divining Powder (Iyerosun)

Iyerosun is a powder used in the Yoruba Ifa tradition mainly by Diviners in Ifa divination practices to mark Odu Ifa. It is termite dust from the Irosun tree, the Irosun tree is a special tree that is said to have a connection to the spirit realm. Iyerosun is sprinkled o. This powder is very important to Ifa and a competent Awo can use it to perform wonders. This powder has blessed by God and whatever a Diviner wishes to do with it shall come to pass as long as it is properly done. The position of Iyerosun in Ifa is such that Ikin cannot be used for consultation in the absence of this powder.

*** By implication, the most sacred aspect of Ifa cannot be carried out without the use of Iyerosun. Ifa tells us what led to the situation where Iyerosun choose never to part with Ifa forever…

Ogbegbarada Adebayo Ebo-Riru

*** The figure of Ifa are marked on the tray in a powder which is scattered on its surface. There are problems in botanical classification and apparently regional variations in the name of the tree, but Iyereosun as the name for the powder is widely recognized. Divining powder Iyerosun is often kept in a bottle or other container. Ifa Diviners bring home a piece of the trunk of the Irosun tree during the dry season and leave it on the ground so that termites can eat it. The termites, they explain eat only the whitish outer parts of the wood.

Initial Invocations: Before the first divination of the day, prayers and invocations are offered to Ifa and other Deities while the apparatus is being arranged. The Diviner sits on a mat with his tray in front of him. He spreads wood dust (Iyerosun) on the tray, and places the divining cup in the center of it. He draws a line clockwise with his finger in the wood dust (Iyerosun) around the base of the divining cup, saying, “I build a house around you, so you can build a house around me, so you can let children and money surround me.” He erases the line with his cow-tail switch, saying, “I pay homage oh..(3x) Homage come to pass…(3x) He takes a little wood dust (Iyerosun) from the tray and places it on the ground, saying “Ground I pay homage; homage come to pass.”

***Opon = Ifa Divination Board…

***Ifa is not merely a Collection of Verses, Proverbs, Parables and Anecdotes. Ifa is God’s Sacred Message to Mankind. It is the embodiment of the totality of human existence. It is also clear that Religion, Worship and Sacrifice are but few aspects of what constitutes the Divine Message known as Ifa. It constitutes what is also known as the Great Mystery System.

Yoruba Traditional Wood Carving

God gave the holy spirit Orunmila a flawless method of communication between himself and the Orishas. Sixteen is the number of Cosmos; it represents the primal order that issued from the unity of God. Sixteen is also a significant number in the world of computers. When the world was first created, it spread out from an original palm tree that stood at the center of the world at Ile-Ife. The palm tree had sixteen branches, which formed the four cardinal points and the sixteen original quarters of Ile-Ife. The number sixteen represents the variables of the human condition, the sixteen possible situations of human life. The sixteen principle signs are called Odu or Olodu, from each of which are drawn sixteen subordinate signs Omo-Odu, “Children of Odu”.

These are the universal energies that give birth to all given circumstances and situations, all the blessings and misfortunes of the universe are contained within them. It is through the knowledge of these energies, called Odù Ifá, that a Diviner is able to work with individuals to achieve the greatest potential of their destiny. The Odù Ifá are the blueprints to all the energies possible in the Universe. Each has verses of esoteric knowledge associated with it along with Medicines, Rituals, and Sacrifices…

A Diviner uses the Opon Ifá in order to communicate with the spirits who are able to identify the causes and solutions to personal and collective problems and restore harmony with the spirits. Opon Ifá are flat and usually circular, with a raised outer edge carved with figures, objects, or geometric designs. Opon Ifá may also be rectangular, semi-circular, or an approximate square. The top of the tray is called the head, and the bottom, the foot – the latter is typically placed closest to the diviner. The diviner, uses several art objects in communicating with the spirit world during divination.

At the beginning of a divination session, the Ifa diviner will draw a cross-roads pattern on the surface of the Opon Ifa as a sign that this is the place of meeting between human concerns – sickness, barrenness, fear of witchcraft and spiritual powers. It is the place of communication between humans and Orisha Orunmila, the God of wisdom who knows the prenatal destiny (Ori) chosen by each person. The diviner will then use his Iroke Ifa, Ifa tapper to invoke the presence of the Ancient Diviners. Tapping rhythmically, he will call upon Orunmila and Orisha Eshu, to be attentive to what he is doing. Eshu is the guardian of the ritual way, the messenger of the Gods and other spiritual powers, as well as the conveyor of the sacrifices of humans to such powers. Eshu’s face always appears at the top of an Opon Ifa.

When the holy spirit of Orunmila wants to communicate with you, chances are he’s got what it takes to bypass all the human trappings that people say must be done. Orunmila has so many ways to at his disposal to make an appearance to an individual’s consciousness that it boggles the mind. Conversely, simply because we’ve gone through all the hoops that the community of Ifa worshipers says are necessary in order to become a Diviner doesn’t automatically make us a Diviner. A person can study Odu verses and spiritual text from now until the end of time. However, if the individual s not right in his or her relationship with Orunmila, if they do not embrace social consciousness, if the person does not practice personal integrity, Orunmila would not trust that individual to be his manifestation of spiritual instruction. Only people with the fortiHowever, if the individual s not right in his or her relationship with Orunmila, if they do not embrace social consciousness, if the person does not practice personal integrity, Orunmila would not trust that individual to be his manifestation of spiritual instruction. Only people with the fortitude to maintain their good Character will have his trust to guide others…

*** No Leaf can fall from the Tree without the Authority, Power and Knowledge of God…

Reference Sources: Wikipedia = William Bascom = Ifasola Ogundabe Ajigbotifa

Atare = Agbon = Odidere…

The Magic of Ataré..”Grains of Paradise = Alligator Pepper”

Atare = Agbon = Odidere…

The Magic of Ataré..”Grains of Paradise = Alligator Pepper”

EKPE = ABAKUA: The Voice Of The Leopard

***The Sacred Language of the Abakua…

“The goat that breaks the drum will pay for it with his hide”

Abakuá is an Afro-Cuban men’s initiatory fraternity, or secret society, which originated from fraternal associations in the Cross River region of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon. Known generally as Ekpe, Egbo, Ngbe, or Ugbe among the multi-lingual groups in the region, these closed groups all used the leopard as a symbol of masculine prowess in war and political authority in their various communities. The term Ñáñigo has also been used for the organization’s members. The creolized Cuban term Abakuá is thought to refer to the Abakpa area in southeast Nigeria, where the society was active.

The first such societies were established by Africans in the town of Regla, Havana, in 1836. This remains the main area of Abakuá implantation, especially the district of Guanabacoa in eastern Havana, and in Matanzas where Afro-Cuban culture is vibrant.

Abakuá members derive their belief systems and traditional practices from the Igbo, Efik, Efut, and Ibibio spirits that lived in the forest. Ekpe and synonymous terms were names of both a forest spirit and a leopard related secret society. Members of this society came to be known as ñañigos, a word used to designate the street dancers of the society. The oaths of loyalty to the Abakuá society’s sacred objects, members, and secret knowledge taken by initiates are a lifelong pact which creates a sacred kinship among the members.

The duties of an Abakuá member to his ritual brothers at times surpass even the responsibilities of friendship, and the phrase “Friendship is one thing, and Abakuá is another” is often heard.

One of the oaths made during initiation is that one will not reveal the secrets of the Abakuá to non-members, which is why the Abakuá have remained hermetic for over 160 years. Aside from its activities as a mutual aid society, the Abakuá performs rituals and ceremonies, called Plantes, full of theatricality and drama which consists of drumming, dancing, and chanting activities using the secret Abakuá language.

Knowledge of the chants are restricted to members of the Abakuá but Cuban scholars have long thought that the Abakuá expresses their cultural history through their ceremonies. Other ceremonies such as initiations and funerals, are secret and take place in the sacred room of the Abakuá temple, called the Famba.

Prejudice about the Abakuá dates back to the colonial era, and stems from the negative propaganda associated with the fear of slave uprisings. It was compounded by the secretive nature and mysteries surrounding the culture… While Abakuá members do use some of the same phrases that their Ancestors did in Africa, it is only for religious purposes, not for everyday oral or written communication. Some of these expressions have become popular sayings, such as -Ekue mbori aborekin ñangue, which means “The goat that breaks the drum will pay for it with his hide.”

However, sometimes people use refrains from the Abakuá moral code that can cause misunderstandings. The concept of Manliness depends on a subjective interpretation, and that depends on one’s cultural education and on psychological and sociological factors such as a person’s family, school and community. Some Abakuás view it as being – a good father, son and brother.

The expression that refers to – cleansing honor with blood, advocates being ambia koneyó – sincere friends and solidarity among Ecobios – Brothers in religion. The Abakuá’s roots go back to the slave trade. The Carabalíes – people from the Calabar region of Africa who were brought to Cuba maintained their legends and their secret societie

The rhythmic dance music of the Abakuá combined with Bantu traditions of the Congo contributed to the musical tradition the rumba.

The antecedents of the Abakuá or ñañiguismo are in the secret society that existed in Nigeria, Calabar. Its organization and content have the roots in the African legend that tells the story of the violation of a secret by a woman: the princess Sikan. She found the sacred fish Tanze and reproduced the roar in the sacred drum Eku. The ñañiguismo cannot be separated of the African believes about the existence of Ancestor (spirits), that’s why in all the ceremonies they are called to guaranty the development of the ritual according to rigorous liturgical norms. Its symbolic representation is the Ireme or Diablito.

The ñañigismo has several hierarchies. The Indisime is the applicant to enter into a potencia, the Obonekué is an already initiated man. The Plaza is a everlasting hierarchy with a relevant position in the juego. This person is in charge to preserve and to make follow the norms and ritual and social principles. The Iyamba, Mokongo, Ekueñón, Nkrikamo and Nasako have the title of Plaza. Only men are admitted in the secret society Abakua.

ZANGBETO = Enforcement & Order…

Zangbeto Masquerade Have Supernatural Powers

Zangbeto are the traditional Vodun guardians of the night in the Yoruba religion of Benin and Togo which are known as the “Night- Watchmen”. As a nominal, it represents a group of men who are involved in policing the community and who also double as members of Zangbeto as a cultural masquerade group during public performances. Zangbeto is also used to convey the notion of a socio-cultural phenomenon made up of a series of beliefs and practices. As an institution, it is backed by an oral history that accentuates its origin as an Egun concept, not an alien or imported one. Sources consulted on the origin and history of Zangbeto asserts that it has existed before we were born and was handed down to us by our forefathers .

In centuries past, The Zangbeto masquerade provided security for the community and ensured discipline among the Egun society (the people of Badagry), and although it is no longer relied on to play these roles, it is still a cherished cultural icon in Badagry, particularly in Ajido-Zangbeto festival is celebrated every three or four years, during which the Zangbeto appease the gods, pray for the immediate community and generally offer good wishes for all households, after which the people expect to reap a plentiful harvest, farmers and fishermen alike. The Zangbeto masquerade is clothed in Asho-Gbeto, made from locally sourced palm fronds and is dedicated to breathtaking showmanship, dazzling its audiences with spirited and ‘magical’ displays. During a Zangbeto performance, you are likely to see fire burn in dry sand or white cloth sprout from underground!. Watching the Zangbeto wade through the water, spinning and shuffling is a rare thrill in itself. Zangbeto never walk alone and are always accompanied by minders know as Kregbeto, whose role it is to guide the masquerade’s every step.

Zangbeto is believed to have supernatural powers, and is communal, rather than the initiative of private individuals or a self-defined group. Its origins lie in the pre-colonial history of the Egun people of Badagry and the coastal region of PortoNovo in neighbouring Benin.

*** One of the responses given by the head of the group in Yeketome, Badagry, is that Zangbeto dates back several centuries to when an Egun man was said to have been pursued by his enemies and needed to flee from his hometown unnoticed in the night. Using supernatural powers, he disguised himself by covering his body with dried leaves and raffia and by making scary sounds with the horn of an animal. Thus he was eventually able to leave the town unharmed and undetected by his enemies. He later founded a settlement, which he named Hugbonu (Porto Novo, Benin) and subsequently had the men with him dress in a similar manner and keep watch over the new settlement by night to ensure that his enemies did not attack him in his new home. Since then, Zangbeto has been used to keep watch over settlements and towns of the Egun community.***

As regards traditional precolonial ‘night watch’ institutions, the Oro and Egun cults of the Yoruba are the closest masquerade groups to Zangbeto. Earlier studies of both institutions have shown that in precolonial times, in addition to other cultural and religious functions, they were also security outfits mandated to guard the community against foreign or enemy invasion. They are also both regarded in their respective communities as personified representations of ancestral spirits, and their presence is an assurance of the ever-protective and supportive help of the ancestors for their descendants. The Ancestral spirits have collective functions that cut across lineage and family loyalty. They collectively protect the community against evil spirits, epidemics, famine, witchcraft and evildoers, ensuring the well-being, prosperity, and productivity of the whole community generally.

Form and Content of Zangbeto In contemporary Badagry, including the Egun villages surrounding the coastal town, the Zangbeto society is headed by the Zanga, a highly respected elderly man who is well tested and reliable. The Zanga occupies a position of responsibility in dealing with sensitive issues affecting individuals, families and the larger community. Zanga is not just the head of the Zangbeto group, but is also a representative of the people. The Zanga is in effect a traditional chief who functions within the Zangbeto group and in the larger community.

Traditionally, the Zangbeto were the policemen of Benin and were the main guardians of law in the country before the official law establishment. They are said to form a secret society which can only be strictly attended by Zangbeto, and when in a trance are said to have magical abilities such as swallowing splinters of glass without coming to any harm and scaring away even witches.

Zangbeto as spirit and messenger; Zangbeto as peacemaker, moral spokesperson and custodian of Egun culture; Zangbeto as an indivisible whole; Zangbeto as a non-religious group; and Zanga as the honorable one. It is important to note that Zangbeto songs are contributed at different times by members of the group. As with most songs in African oral literature, no single person can claim sole authorship: songs are considered as creations of the group. Moreover, these songs do not possess a singular theme, but themes that underline the circumstances of the creation of such songs and their performance.

The appearance of Zangbeto masquerades during cultural festivals or public performances is usually announced by short but pungent praise. This is a kind of formulaic verse that is not so flexible, in the sense that the words and phrases used retain their structure and content in most performances. The chanter, usually a woman, stays at a distance neither too close nor too far from the masquerade.

The opening chant is translated thus: He wishes to be heard, But the horn would not let him, The horn that makes sounds, the horn that breathes. This introduces Zangbeto as a being with a ‘horn’ and a desire. The horn, located at the tip of the mask and is used to symbolise the position of Zangbeto as a leading group in the community. The masquerade is only a constitutive part of a whole. Zangbeto is a group, an institution, and even a way of life that is represented in physical form by the mask. ‘He’ is then used to represent the form under this mask.

*** Zangbeto may be chiefly about social order within traditional Egun society, using oral forms of art, rituals and cultural practices, some of which have been adapted to the security needs of the town’s inhabitants in the face of the state security agencies’ inability to satisfy the demands of law enforcement and order.

***Magical Calabash…

Calabash (Gourd) History & Cultural Background…

The Myth Of The Sacred Calabash = Mankind’s Most Useful Plant…. Magical Calabash Anthology Of Sacred Wisdom From The Ancestral Mothers And Magic

The Calabash (Gourd), was one of the first plants cultivated by humans – not for food, but for use as a container. It came from Africa and has accompanied us around the world for thousands of years.

In Africa, the Calabash (Gourd), plant, has long been used as a food and medicine, and its hard shell as a bottle, a dipper and even an ancient musical instrument. Calabash have traditionally been used to carry medicine, wine and “magic”. Calabash were also tied to the backs of children and boat people to serve as life preservers. Calabash is also possibly mankind’s oldest musical instrument resonator. It is the only known plant whose use by humans spanned prehistoric cultures across the entire globe, but one thing that has puzzled scientists was how – given its African origins – it came to be so widely used in the Americas.

The Calabash (Gourd) seeds drifted across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa to the Americas, then took root and grew wild in the New World. The wild African Calabash belongs at the base of the bottle Calabash family tree. The tree then splits into two main branches: African domesticated Calabash, and Eurasian ones. Both ancient and modern American Calabash samples belong to the African branch of the tree.

Furthermore, genetic mutations showed that the American Calabash- shared a common Ancestor with African Calabash. The seeds of wild African Calabash may have washed out to sea to successfully germinate after making landfall in the welcoming climates of places like Florida, and Brazil.

The Calabash (Gourd) is a functional creation of nature with a wide variety of uses and traditions in cultures around the world. A fruit of varied shape and size, it commonly grows on a vine not unlike the squash, but there are also varieties that grow on bushes and trees.

***The most highly esteemed and favorite Calabashes (Gourds) had chants composed for them as though they were human beings, and when they were placed on the table one would hear their owner with proud countenances, chanting of the celebrated deeds of those for whom they were named.

More and more, as Western utensils and pottery became available, traditional Calabashes were not thrown away but rather, were kept and treated as valuable heritage.

Ancient Shaped Calabashes (Gourds) – after the Calabashes had been shaped and hollowed they were finished with tung oil to enhance the grain and polish the Calabash leaving it with a soft finish. Iron tools replaced the traditional stone and coral tools for fashioning Calabashes when they became popular to collect, they were often refinished with shellac to give the surface a glossy finish, the Calabash being treated as any piece of fine woodwork. Ancient methods of polishing Calabashes fell into disuse.

Repairing Calabashes (Gourds)during the crafting process or during the life of the Calabash was also a skilled art and repairs were often looked upon as marks of beauty. Repairs consisted of filling holes and cracks with wooden plugs and using plugs to stop cracks from enlarging. The most commonly identified repair is the butterfly repair.

***Steps which can be taken to ensure a longer life for your Calabash (Gourd). Because Calabashes are made of wood, an organic material, they are susceptible to damage from insects, humidity, light and dust. The following is a summary of how these forces work to accelerate deterioration of Calabashes and steps which can be taken to limit them. Insects Wood-boring insects such as termites are a major source of damage to Calabashes. They should be examined periodically for the presence of holes and fine pellet or sawdust droppings. If a Calabash has any cracks, as many do, these are sites of exposed wood which are particularly vulnerable to insect infestation.

***Calabashes (Gourds)should never receive direct sunlight – Illuminated by bright spot lights. Dust can damage Calabashes by attracting insects and mold. The goals of safe storage are to avoid insects, mold, dust, light damage and damage due to mishandling. Calabashes should be stored in a clean, dry, dark storage space.

Calabash (Gourd) are related to melons, squash, pumpkins, and cucumbers, all members of the cucumber family. The Calabash family also includes many economically important fruits and vegetables, including pumpkins, squash, and melons. Calabash are used by people throughout Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean and the Americas for musical instruments, including shakers, maracas, drums, horns, marimbas and various string gourds resembling a banjo.

Other uses include pipes, masks, canteens, water jugs, dippers, birdhouses, bath sponges and decorative Gourds with intricate etched designs. So important were Gourds to Haitian people in the early 1800’s that gourds were made the national currency.

Musical Calabash from Africa and India, such as drums, lutes and sitars, have beautiful, polished finishes decorated with beads and carved designs. Some of the earliest guitars and violins in the United States were made from Calabash by African slaves. Shaker Calabash are probably one of the earliest of all musical instruments.

In Africa, hollow Calabash are covered with a loose netting strung with hundreds of beads. As the beads slap against the gourd, a loud shaker sound is produced–as good as any modern instrument for this purpose. Using the neck of the Calabash as a handle, the sound is amplified by the hollow interior.

But of all the uses for Calabash, some of the most interesting are the “Penis Sheath Calabash” worn by men of New Guinea. Penis Calabashes are also known from Africa and northern South America. There is considerable speculation among anthropologists about the purpose of such Calabashes, but most agree that they are more than a protective device and serve an important social function.

***Calabash was historically used as a container for water, and still is an essential utensil in many parts of the world. In rural areas of the U.S., they are often used as birdhouses…

In Africa it is found primarily, but not exclusively, in the countries of Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, DanXome, Sierra Leone and Côte-D’Ivoire. Different language groups in each country often have their own names, styles, techniques, and traditions associated with the Shekere. It is a personal instrument and never loaned or shared, even with family members. However, a son who is a professional musician may inherit his father’s Agbe-Shekere. Ilu-Shekere among the Yoruba of Nigeria are often connected with religion, given great respect, and play a very important role in certain traditional musical forms.

Ilu Anya *Shekere – Mangala* Chief Yagbe Awolowo Onilu

In Nigeria, the very Large beaded Calabash is called “Agbe” Medium size Calabash “Sekere“ and Small size Calabash “Akese” Traditionally these Drums are used in Religious Worship strictly attached to Ritual Ceremonial events.

SECRETS OF WATER…

***I Tell You The Truth, No One Can Enter The Kingdom of God Unless He/She is Born of Water & The Spirit…

*** Water is a mystical element that can transform our lives if we are willing to open heart and mind to its gifts. No matter what the specific health or fitness goal, one cannot achieve the maximum benefit from any health program without drinking the right kind of water in the proper amount. Without sufficient water to constantly wet all parts, your body’s drought-management system kicks into action. When histamine and its subordinate “drought managers” come across pain-sensing nerves, they cause pain.

Many religions also consider particular sources or bodies of water to be sacred or at least auspicious.

A Water Deity is a deity in mythology associated with water or various bodies of water. Water deities are common in mythology and were usually more important among civilizations in which the sea or ocean, or a great river were present. Another important focus of worship of water deities were springs or holy wells.

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Experts in the scientific communities as well as homeopathy and holistic sciences have proven the “memory” of water; the carrying capacity of water for “energy,” and the ability of water to “remember”. Experts realize that water retains information, even after the most stringent purification and filtration processes. This is termed the energy signature or vibration imprint. The vibration imprint of toxins can be picked up by the water molecule and are in turn passed on to living organisms.

The true nature of water, which is the source of life – is unknown.

To See: …A flowing river in your dream it mean your journey in life is clean and running fast it mean the dreamer is progressing developing with no disturbance. If the river is running slowly it mean the dreamer is not progressing in his or her journey of life. A violent water in your dream it mean the dreamer is likely to encounter big problem beyond his or her control. It also mean the dreamers should control his/her temper. A muddy or unclean water in your dream mean that the dreamer dwell his or her life in negativity, the mind of the dreamer is beclouded by negative thoughts. The dreamer is experiencing halt or stoppage in his /her spiritual, physical and economic development.

A water deity is a deity in mythology associated with water or various bodies of water. Water deities are common in mythology and were usually more important among civilizations in which the sea or ocean, or a great river was more important. Another important focus of worship of water deities were springs or holy wells.

Nothing Is Softer or More Flexible Than Water – Yet Nothing Can Resist It…

Aje-Witches = Elders Of The Night

Witchcraft Territory of Malignant Women-Magic Words & Practices Territory of Wizards…

***My sacred Mothers, they are everywhere – They have it all, they give it all, not to everybody only to the faithful devotees, you always see them but you don’t know them. Sacred birds children of my Mothers – Eye that see the World, legs that walks the Earth – Giant rat makes them smile -Palm oil is the water, Liver is the food, Night is the day, Day is the night. They call them “Witches” To me they are the sacred Mothers with the master key of Earth… Mojuba Iyami o !!!!

” Mysterious Mother Osoronga Who Kills Without Sharing. The Dominant Force At Midnight. One Who Devours Human Livers Without Vomiting. One Who Vacates Only When The Market Closes. One Who Terrifies In Dreams.”

The Aje – Witches On Earth Fall Into Two Categories: Osho – Male Aje & Eleiye – Female Aje.

” Mysterious Mother Osoronga Who Kills Without Sharing. The Dominant Force At Midnight. One Who Devours Human Livers Without Vomiting. One Who Vacates Only When The Market Closes. One Who Terrifies In Dreams.”

The Aje – Witches On Earth Fall Into Two Categories: Osho – Male Aje & Eleiye – Female Aje.

“No one can choose to initiate Aje-Iyaami; they choose who they want to initiate.” No one can say they have initiated to Iyaami or say they can initiate you. No one can have or give a shrine to the Iyami or Aje. If someone claims to have an Iyaami shrine, can give a shrine, to have been initiated to Iyaami or wants to initiate you, they are speaking falsely. It is impossible to truthfully make these claims.There is no specific shrine to Aje. To feed the Aje one must either feed them through Eshu, Orita Meta-3 road junction or the Iroko tree.

No one knows the actual Aje shrine, however according to Elders and what Ifa says, we know that the name of their house is called Ota and the name of their shrine is called Idi. No one knows the actual place of the Idi and if they do they can never say…

** According to Ifa, the difference between Men and Women is that Women are born with Ofo – Ashe or the power of the word. This power is called Aje and is rooted in the concept of Female Ashe.

Witchcraft is a Feminine art and has its power from Eshu. This power is generally attributed to older women but young women or even girls can sometimes be involved. Witchcraft power is a kind of immaterial substance which may be kept in a calabash hidden in a hole in the wall of a witch’s house or in a hollow tree. The power itself may be lodged in the roots of a tree or even in a young child. In the latter case the witchcraft power will not harm the child but on the contrary will protect the child from other witches as the child is serving one of them as a refuge.

The red tail feather of the parrot is used as a sign of witchcraft power and may be placed in the calabash or in the tree containing witchcraft power.

Yoruba cosmology is heavy in duality and polarities that are constantly seeking balance in unity. Just as there exists the polarity of Male-Female energy, within female energy itself exists a polarity that is create and destroy. Many focus on the destructive power of the mothers, giving the impression that they are destructive. However, they are also needed for all creative pursuits. The mothers are believed to possess a spiritual life force (Ashe) equal or superior to that of the deities (Orisha).

A central figure that embodies the dual nature of the mothers, and arguably the most powerful Orisha, is Oshun (leader of the Iyaami cult). Knowing that she was the source of all good things as stated in the Ifa literary corpus, Oshun never needs to vie for position among her fellow Orisha. Compared with the other Orisha, Oshun represents a higher and more inclusive religio-aesthetic concept immediately relevant to the solution of human problems, regardless of their origin, nature, or severity.

Iroko – Oak Tree Is Sacred To Iyaami…

The trees are scattered throughout the rain forest and grow in isolation, meaning a single tree and not in clusters. In traditional Yoruba culture, villages were built around the Iroko tree. The Iroko tree is the Ifa tree of life because within the shadow of the Iroko tree there are over a 1000 species of living things living in perfect harmony. The effect of all these living things creating a balanced environment, is that the Iroko tree is an inter-dimensional portal. The tree is used both for the Ancestors and for Iyaami. In Ijebu-Ode on the full moon all the women of Iyaami meet in the Iroko tree in their astral bodies. It is taboo for men to walk past the tree on a full moon.

Witchcraft power is like a breeze, you can’t see it but it has effect. A woman can’t die possessing it. When she dies, she vomits out the invisible witchcraft and it passes to her daughter. A person can buy witchcraft power or may, as well, inherit it from another person. This mostly depends on the interest or love the witchcraft woman has in the person that is going to possess it. But it is necessary and matter of must, to give this witchcraft power to somebody before she should die. Witchcraft bought with money is not given directly, it can be given through foods such as baked beans Akara , Kola, Porridge, red Yam and many other native foods. When this is taken, the power will start to grow, until when the person will start to fly at night.

Witches take part in some obscure nocturnal orgies for which one member of the witch party must supply a human child. By drinking the life blood of numerous victims, the witch is able to prolong her own life and it is for this reason that old people are suspected of being witches. A pregnant woman will avoid visiting an old woman during her pregnancy and the birth of a baby will be kept a secret from a suspected old woman. In some areas the death of a young person or child is considered unnatural and all such deaths are attributed to the work of witches.

Hand Work Of Witches: One of the most common deeds attributed to witches is interference with reproduction. Impotence is common among males and it is the prevalent idea that this is the work of witches. A witch is capable of taking the penis of a man and having intercourse, using it with the man’s wife or some other woman. The witch will then return the man’s penis but it will be altered in some way and may not be able to function.

Witches Control The Menstrual Flow of Women: They may obstruct the expulsion of the child from the womb. There is some obscure fundamental relationship between witchcraft and menstrual blood. The menstruating woman and the witch both have power to render magic and the native doctor’s medicines powerless.

Most witches transform themselves into animals like Night Owl, Birds, Cats, Dogs, Rats, Bats, Snakes, Cockroaches…

!— Pledge of Allegiance to “Woman” —!!!

There’s more to me than the human eye can see. I’m a woman of purpose and destiny. A perfect design, I’m special and unique. I won’t be identified by the parts that make up my physique. My beauty is not defined by my skin or my hair and my soul has more value than the clothes that I wear. I’m not a symbol of pleasure or sex appeal; I have the natural ability to comfort and the power to heal. When God made me, It created a gem, because it fashioned me in the likeness of Her and Him. I refuse to do anything that will put myself to shame. I deserve to be treated with reverence and called by my name. I can’t be purchased or sold at any price. I Am divine, A Creator of life…

Awon Agba = Elders of the Night…
Those who eat from the intestines – Those whose have menstrual flow made divination for the Mother Witches when they were coming from Heaven to Earth….

Aje – Witch simply refers to the use of extrasensory clairvoyance beyond normal human knowledge in other to accomplish an aim, be it positive or negative, and it also refers to the original power given by God to Iyami Osoronga who is the Mother of Witches.

CLASSIFICATION OF AWON AGBA…
In order to do the pact or harmonious relationship called Imule, it’s important to identify the following – Imule Aje-pact with witches – Imule Osho-pact with wizards – Imule Emere-pact with Egbe spirits and Abiku.
An Imule is usually done by burning or pounding some bones of birds, cats, tree bark, parrot feather, sometimes vultures, different leaves etc, it can be made as incision in the body or soaps after the necessary invocations and prayers are made and it will restore harmony to the user and it will act as a sign that when witches sees such a person they will grant he/she favors. Most Diviners in Nigeria often use this method.

EGUNGUN: Ancestral Spirits…

Egungun = Life After Death

Light as a feather! This is how softly your Ancestors might speak to you. And this is why you must listen intently – not just with your ears, but with every fiber in your being. They spoke to you yesterday, they speak to you today, they will speak to you tomorrow and they are speaking to you right now. But you’ll never hear them unless you are willing to sit in silence, to hear the powerful messages that are landing as gently as feathers.

Egungun is regarded as the collective spirits of the Ancestors who occupy a space in heaven, hence they are called dwellers of heaven. These Ancestral spirits are believed to be in constant watch of their survivors on Earth.

Egun (Ancestor) = To die Of Natural Causes At An Advanced Age, Leaving Behind Numerous Progeny, Like A Tree Bent From The Weight Of Its Fruits & In Harmony With the Divinities & The Ancestors – To Be Buried With The Performance Of All The Rites That Mark The Tradition Which Permit One To Enter Orun. Where One Is Reunited With The Ancestors Of One’s Lineage (Isheshe) to be Later Reincarnated Constitute For Yoruba The Good death.

Egungun = Ancestor Masquerade – We are born with death = Without the death of the flesh, there is no resurrection, no immortality. Every birth is the rebirth of an ancestor. The spirits could be invoked collectively and individually in time of need. The place of call is usually on the grave of the Ancestors, the family shrine, or the community grove. The Ancestral spirits have collective functions that cut across lineage and family loyalty. They collectively protect the community against evil spirits, epidemics, famine, ensuring the well being, prosperity, and productivity of the general community.

Although it is regarded dangerous for the Ancestral spirits to dominate day to day activities of the people on Earth, occasional physical appearances of Egungun/masquerades visibly demonstrate the closeness of the Ancestor to their survivors. The lineage or family ties become strengthened as each member displays his or her loyalty. The coming out of the lineage Egungun is a source of blessing and pride to the family. Egungun appearance is a time of festivity and entertainment, a time of apprehension of forces of evil and of engendering deep belief in divine guidance and protection. Above all, having an Egungun is a way of immortalizing one’s name because anytime the Egungun comes out, the drummers and women of the family sing in praise of one, recounting the heroic deeds of the family.

To understand Egungun mysteries one needs to understand the historical development of the cults. Every member of a community seems to be involved in the worship of Egungun, since everybody has at least one Ancestor to call upon. The Egungun ensemble acts as the medium for the masker’s transformation into his Ancestors.

An Egungun society is composed of Men and Women whose lineages have the right to present the Masquerade. **Men do the masking. ***Women never wear the costume, although they participate in the chorus that sings the oriki – praise poems and histories of the families. Elder Women of high title also perform invocations, prayers, and offerings. The Masker is kept at a distance from the surrounding crowd with the help of attendants dressed in Masquerade costumes of different types…
In African culture it is common for the uninitiated to make direct contract with Ancestor spirits. The most prevalent process of communication is through dreams. Communication also occurs during participation in annual Ancestor festivals. Because such festivals are not common in this country. Worshipers in the West have created several viable alternatives. Using these alternative methods, the first step in the process of honoring the Ancestors is the construction of an Ancestor shrine used as a focal point for prayer and meditation. There are a number of traditional African methods for building an Ancestor shrine, some of which are very complex and require personal training. For example it is common in traditional African culture to bury revered Ancestors under the floors of the family home. The tomb of the Ancestor is the foundation of the Ancestral shrine.

ANCESTRAL SHRINES… The power to effectively invoke Spirits comes as a result of initiation and the training that is sanctioned by initiation. The exception to this rule is Egun (Ancestor spirits). Ancestor initiations (Egungun, Isegun, Ato), but everyone is believed to have the power and the ability to communicate with the spirit of those blood relatives who have passed beyond this life.

Communication with your own Ancestors is a birthright. At times this communication can simply involve remembering a revered Ancestor and making use of the memory as a basis for making life decisions. In many ways Ancestor communication is an extension of the training and wisdom we receive from our parents. You cannot know who you are if you cannot call the names of your Ancestors going back seven generations. Remembering names is more than reciting a genealogy, it is preserving the history of a family lineage and the memory of those good deeds that allowed to the family to survive and create a home for the continued cycle of reincarnation.

Before a shrine to the Ancestors can be assembled, several preliminary steps need to occur. First the room should be clean and neat. After the altar is built it should stay as clean as possible. Dirt and disorder can attract unwanted spiritual forces. This may seem simplistic, but in my experience it is a very important consideration. Our external environment reflects our internal state of being and either supports resistance to change or growth. The idea that if you are confused about anything, remove the clutter and disorder from your home and clarity will surface from the newly transformed physical environment. The boundaries which divide life from death are at best shadowed and vague. Who shall say where the one ends and where the other begins.

The Yoruba afterlife consists of Reincarnation. However, Africans explain that you reincarnate from your Ancestors and into your descendants. The truth is that you can only reincarnate thru your clan or extended-family descendants. It doesn’t have to be your direct great grandchild. It just has to have enough of your DNA code for you to transfer your spirit into it. In theory, you can transfer to anyone who shares your ethnic group DNA code. However, most genetic DNA theories are racist manipulation of science. DNA is not just a physical code but like a keyhole lows you to open doors in the next reincarnation.This is why many Yoruba names point to the reincarnation of people, but always thru the extended-family. Names like Babatunde – father has returned reflect the Yoruba notion that reincarnation is a family affair.

This is why Ancestral veneration is important in Yoruba. You are not just talking to dead people; you are remembering and learning from your past. If you do not learn from your past, in this life and in former ones you will repeat mistakes. That is the purpose of Ancestral veneration – Egungun) in Ifa. The Odu Ifa tells us that we will all reincarnate until every single human has reached enlightenment. We are a communal species.
When you don’t understand this truth about reincarnation, you will not take efforts to improve the conditions of your clan or ethnic group because you think you will escape it in death’s heaven or join another ethnic group in reincarnation. Then when you return to Earth in the same oppressed ethnic group, you complain even though in your former life you did not fight to liberate your ethnic group.

It Is Only After Separation With The Flesh Can Man/Woman The Creation Of God, See God Face To Face. It Is Forbidden To Unmask Any Egungun Masquerade. The Face Of The Spirit Is for the Spirit To See, Not The Human Eyes…

Egungun also we all know is the deity of the departed Ancestors. The belief of Yoruba people and Ifa is that even departed ancestors are still part and parcel to the larger family. Below are ten facts you should know about Egungun. They are present in the family and they guide the living member of the family. – Egungun Maternal and Paternal are fed so that will continue to guarantee protection, safety, prosperity, good health and all ire for the living.
Egugun should be fed at least twice in a year – Egungun comes out in the form of Masquerades which are called “Ara-Orun-Kinkin” that is, “The inhabitants of heaven”. – Egungun symbols are: Decorated switches and whips, a hand woven coarse cloth used as Egungun, socks and foot wear. This cloth is known as “Aso Iyamoje”.

Egungun taboos: Palm kernel oil. Women are declined to enter Egungun’s shrine. Obatala devotee must not carry Egungun Masquarade. Egungun face must not been seen or disclosed to anyone. Egun Masquerade must not enter a blacksmith – Egungun is fed in three forms; while kneeling, sitting or bending.- If the Egungun to be fed is a specific Ancestor all the feeding materials will be taken to the tomb site of the Ancestor and all the necessary ritual performed there.

There are various types of Egungun among are; Egungun Eleru, Egungun Olopon (Masqurade with big load on thier head), Egungun Janduku (switch carrying Masquarade), Egungun Alate also known as Tombolo etc. other categories of Masquarades are Gelede and Aabe. The hunters Egungun are known as “Egungun ode”.

Worshipers of Egungun: Alapinni = The head chief priest of Egungun – Alagba = The head of the Oje – Alaran = Third in command – Eesorun = Mostly Women, they are fourth, most important title , and revered position in the cult of Egungun – Oje = The name given to all Egungun worshipers…

Reference Sources: Ogunsina Olayinka Adewuyi = Wikipedia = Awo Falokun = Les plus Belle Egungun Benin =

IROKE = Elephant Tusks

Elephant Tusks Evolved From Teeth = Giving The Species An Evolutionary Advantage.

Ivory is an Elephant hard, white material from the Tusks – Elephant & Teeth of animals, that can be used in art or manufacturing. The chemical structure of the Teeth & Tusks of mammals is the same, regardless of the species of origin. The trade in certain Teeth & Tusks other than Elephant is well established and widespread; therefore, “Ivory” can correctly be used to describe any mammalian Teeth or Tusks of commercial interest which are large enough to be carved. Elephant Ivory is the most important source, but Ivory from hippopotamus, sperm whale, killer whale & warthog are used as well. Elk also have two Ivory Teeth, which are believed to be the remnants of Tusks from their Ancestors.

Both the Greek and Roman civilizations practiced Ivory carving to make large quantities of high value works of art, precious religious objects, and decorative boxes for costly objects. Ivory was often used to form the white of the eyes of statues. Elephant populations were reduced to extinction, probably due to the demand for Ivory in the Classical world.

The Chinese have long valued Ivory for both art and utilitarian objects. Chinese craftsmen carved Ivory to make everything from images of deities to the pipe stems and end pieces of opium pipes. Prior to the introduction of plastics, Ivory had many ornamental and practical uses, mainly because of the white color it presents when processed. It was formerly used to make cutlery handles, billiard balls, piano keys, buttons and a wide range of ornamental items…

Ivory can be taken from dead animals – however, most Ivory came from Elephants that were killed for their tusks. Kenyan Elephant herds were devastated because of demand for Ivory, to be used for piano keys. Owing to the rapid decline in the populations of the animals that produce it, the importation and sale of Ivory in many countries is banned or severely restricted. Since the Ivory ban, some African countries have claimed their Elephant populations are stable or increasing, and argued that Ivory sales would support their conservation efforts. The use and trade of Elephant Ivory have become controversial because they have contributed to seriously declining Elephant populations in many countries.

A species of hard nut is gaining popularity as a replacement for Ivory, although its size limits its usability. It is sometimes called vegetable Ivory, and is the seed endosperm of the Ivory nut palm commonly found in coastal rainforests of Ecuador, Peru and Colombia.

Why do Elephants have Ivory Tusks = Elephant Tusks evolved from Teeth, giving the species an evolutionary advantage. They serve a variety of purposes: digging, lifting objects, gathering food, stripping bark from trees to eat, and defense. The Tusks also protect the trunk—another valuable tool for drinking, breathing, and eating, among other uses. Just as humans are left or right handed, Elephants, too, are left tusked or right tusked. The dominant Tusk is usually more worn down from frequent use. Both Male and Female African Elephants have tusks, while only Male Asian Elephants, and only a certain percentage of Males today, have Tusks.

** Falsehood Of Elephant ** At one time Orunmila – Ifa befriended Elephant and went to the forest with him. They did any kind of work to get money, but Orunmila – Ifa was not as powerful as Elephant and could not endure the hardships as well. They worked in the forest for three years; but when they returned, Orunmila – Ifa had earned only enough money to buy one white cloth.

On their way home, Orunmila – Ifa asked Elephant to hold the cloth while he went into the bush to relieve himself. Elephant did; but when Orunmila returned, Elephant had swallowed it. When Orunmila – Ifa asked for it, Elephant denied he had ever been given it! A great dispute arose between them and continued as they walked along the road. Finally they came to the crossroad, where they parted, Orunmila – Ifa going on the road Ado without his cloth, and Elephant going to Alo.

On the road to Ado, Orunmila – Ifa met Hunter (Ogun), who said he was going to hunt Elephants. Orunmila – Ifa told him that he knew where he could find Elephant, and directed him along the road to Alo. He said he would meet an Elephant and kill it, and that when he cut it open, he would find a white cloth, which he should bring back to him. Hunter (Ogun) went along the road, met Elephant and killed him. When he cut Elephant open, he found the white cloth inside. He returned the cloth, with an elephant’s tusk as a gift, to Orunmila – Ifa.

Because of the falsehood of Elephant, Orunmila – Ifa and the Diviners use the tusk of an Elephant as Iroke. And since that time, any hunter (Ogun) who kills an Elephant must take the Tusk to a Diviner. (Ogbe-Okanran)

IVORY DIVINATION TAPPER AND RATTLE “IROKE – IFA”

The little Ivory clappers set in the end of these tappers are rattled to invoke the spirits, then the diviner takes the heavy end and gently strikes the divining board with the pointed end murmuring prayers and chants inviting the spirits and the god Eshu to be present and hear the prayers.

Ifa was a spirit often identified with a deity called Orunmila (heaven knows salvation) and it is he who directed creation under orders from God. He was believed to be a great linguist knowing all the tongues of earth and heaven and was able to advise men of every nation mediating and interceding with the gods on their behalf. The divination is performed by casting sacred palm nuts in a combination of four and sixteen and marking a pattern on the divining board, which is then read by the priest.

“As part of a ritual carried out to predict the future, Diviners beat tappers such as this against special Trays – Opon Ifá and while praying, singing sacred music and incantations. The sound is meant to attract the attention of the deities and Orunmila – Ifa, the deity associated with divination.”

At the beginning of a divination session and at other moments in the rhythmic movement of the ritual a priest of Ifa will gently tap the point of his tapper ‘Iroke’ against the edge of his divination board. He does this to invoke the attention of Orisha Orunmila – Ifa the deity who was present at creation and who knows the personal destiny of all Men and Women. Among the Yoruba the use of Ivory was the privilege of persons of high rank, especially those whose spiritual powers affected the lives of others. Ivory was the privilege of Kings, of the elders of the secret Ogboni society and of Ifa priests.

The divination tapper (Iroke Ifa) is an essential tool for Yoruba diviners, used to initiate the Ifa divination ritual by invoking the God of fate, Orunmila. By attracting Orunmila’s attention through this action and through the tapper’s pleasing visual form, he opens the necessary channels of communication with the spirit world.

El Kimpungulu: Corpus Santoral Del Palo Monte Mayombe Belief System & Rituals…

Palo, also known as Las Reglas de Kongo, is a group of closely related religions which developed in the Spanish Empire among Central African slaves with roots in the Congo. A large numbers of Kongo slaves were brought to Cuba where the religion was organized. Palo’s liturgical language is a mixture of the Spanish and Kongo languages, known as Lengua. During the late 18th-19th century, Palo began to spread from Cuba to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Colombia, and Latino communities in the United States.

The branches of Palo include Mayombe, Monte, Briyumba, and Kimbisa. The word “palo” (“stick” in Spanish) was applied to the religion in Cuba due to the use of wooden sticks in the preparation of altars, which were also called “la Nganga”, “el caldero”, or “la prenda”. Priests of Palo are known as “Paleros”, “Ngangeros.

The Palo belief system rests on two main pillars: The Veneration of the Spirits of the Ancestors – The Belief in Natural/Earth Powers.
Natural objects, and particularly sticks, are thought to be infused with powers, often linked to the powers of spirits. These objects are known as “nganga” and are the ritual focus of Palo’s magical rites and religious practice. A certain number of spirits called Kimpungulu (singular: Mpungu) inhabit the Nkisi (sacred objects; also spelled Enkisi. Kimpungulu are well known in name and deed, and are venerated as spirits. They are powerful entities, but they are ranked below the Supreme Creator Zambi or Nzambi.

Roots of Palo Mayombe go back to Kongolese sorcery, the warrior and leopard societies, and the impact of the Portuguese Mission. The original African faith is carried in chains across the abysmal waters of Kalunga and it flowers in Cuba as a New World Creole religion and cult. Yet Palo Mayombe can only be truly understood in the light of a highly developed African cosmology.

The magical head of Palo Mayombe in its three-legged iron cauldron has implications. The Misa Espiritual suggests one way in which we can forge that vital connection and resurrect both our dead and ourselves. In Palo Mayombe the golden vein of fire still transmits the ancestral wisdom and transforms the Paleros into true spiritual warriors who are the walking dead.
The main practice of Palo focuses upon the religious receptacle or altar known as a Nganga or Prenda. This is a consecrated vessel filled with sacred earth, sticks (palos), human remains, bones and other items. Each Nganga is dedicated to a specific spiritual Nkisi. This religious vessel is also inhabited by a spirit of the dead (almost never the direct ancestor of the object’s owner), also referred to as “Nfumbe”, who acts as a guide for all religious activities which are performed with the Nganga.

Various divination methods are used in Palo. Chamalongos uses shells of various materials, often coconut shells. A more traditional method, Vititi Mensú, is a form of envisioning, using a sanctified animal horn capped with a mirror. There are many spiritual branches, or Ramas, that have developed through the ages such as Briyumba – this branch has separated into branches such as Siete Briyumba Congo; the branch born when seven Tata’s from Briyumba combined their ngangas to create an Nsasi Ndoki.

Many houses of Palo, a spiritual Misa is often held before the initiation, in order to identify the main spirits which will help to develop one’s life. These guides often speak through possession, and may give direct advice.

The highest level of the pantheon in Palo is occupied by the supreme creator God, Nzambi. The Kimpungulu (singular: Mpungu) are spirits encapsulated in sacred vessels (Nkisi). Other spirits that can inhabit the Nkisi are Nfuri (wandering spirits ), Bakalu (spirits of ancestors), and Nfumbe (anonymous spirits).

Higher Gods: Nzambi – Lugambe – Kimpungulu – Nkuyu – Kengue – Kobayende – Mariguanda – Gurufinda – Kalunga – Chola Wengue – Kimbabula – Watariamba – Nsasi – Sarabanda

Reference Sources: Wikipedia = Nicholaj De Mattos Frisvold =

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IGBA ODU = Container of Existence

SPIRITUAL CONSECRATION: (((IGBA IWA-ODU)))

Oriki – Prayer = Odu… *** Odu the one with lead spear marks beautify the leopard’s face the tiger whose body is full of small-pox like marks spirit, Wife of my lord the deity that blesses her child one who allows secret never to leak out it is through the back head that you drink blood it through the face that you eat snail. One who rejects palm oil and does not take it one who abhors pepper and eat it not. One who rejects palm kernel oil and never taste it she who use shear butter to prepare soup. Mother, with whom one enter into covenant so that one will not die.

*** Mother, with whom one enters into covenant for all good things. Mother that puts breast of wealth in her child’s mouth you are not up to a louse before an unbeliever you are not up to an egg of the louse before a fool you louse, the fire on head that burn them more than the real fire you are up to an egg of the louse and much more you are up to an egg of the louse and much more. Odu, it is your blessings you should shower me with. Mother, never allow people to know my life secret…

The Redemption process might be said to begin with the final episode in the saga of Witches. Odu the female principle imagined as a container, the fourth elemental being to issue forth from the Python’s egg, having grown “Too Old”, expresses her desire to go underground.

*** Seated on her mysterious cylinder box, she calls her four advisers: Obatala – Obaluaye – Ogun – Oduduwa gets them to agree on her departure by promising revelations to those of her children ( Awo Orunmila ) who come to solicit her properly in her house in the forest.

*** This house has become Sphere-Box containing a Calabash (Her Body) which contains in turn the four Calabashes given to her on that occasion by the four advisers.

*** Obatala gives a Calabash of chalk (Efun) – Obaluaye offers his favorite substance Cam-wood (Osun) – Ogun Offers charcoal (Eedu) – Oduduwa offers Mud (Eere).

*** These gifts imply four roads, four corners of the universe. They are the original four major signs. From one of them will be “born” another first principle, as once Odu from the Python’s egg.

Ofun, the Calabash of Chalk (Efun) who gives himself, produces Obatala the white divinity as: Orisha-nla, greater than, the beginning and the end, first and last, the container of them all. The egg within becomes the womb, passivity becomes creativity personified. Surely this is part of the meaning of the Orisha Obatala as Ofun. Igba Iwa-Odu becomes an Orisha, the divinity worshiped by Diviners (Olodu) who have attained the highest degree of self-knowledge ( Awo Orunmila ). Only such diviners may install the terribly powerful Calabash of existence.

“Symbol of the sky and earth in their fecund union, container of the supreme wisdom of Ifa. The Installation of which validates an esoteric principle of universe symbiosis”

= Egg Symbol of the Soul & Life = Holy Odu “Ofun Meji” teaches that in the Spiritual Egg, Divine Spirit stands before primordial matter and from their union springs the great Soul of the World. Often connected with the Spiritual Egg is the idea of a sacred bird that drops the Egg into the waters of space or chaos.

Universal Symbol = The Egg was incorporated as a sacred sign in the cosmogony of every people on the Earth, and was revered both on account of its form and its inner mystery. From the earliest mental conceptions of man, it was known as that which represented most successfully the origin and secret of being. The human egg is the female reproductive element. The egg contains within itself all the essentials for development, leaving the sperm the role of activating an already prepared system.
IGBA IWA-ODU (Calabash Of Existence) The Diviners of the house of Orunmila consulted Ifa in order to know the day that he would take Odu as his wife. The Awos of Orunmila said “Hee.” Odu that you wish to take for your wife. A power is in her hands.They said, because of this power Orunmila must make an offering to the earth. In the interest of all of his people. They said, so that with this power, she will not kill and eat him. Orunmila carried the offering outside. At the arrival of Odu, she found the offering in the street. She said, but she did not wish that they should fight with him. She said, she did not want to fight with Orunmila.

== She wish to tell him her taboo: She said, she did not want his other wives (Apetebi ) to see her face.

!!! From this day no Diviner is complete without possessing this Odu. One who does not have Odu will not be able to consult Ifa. The day that one comes into possession of Odu, On that day will he become a person that Odu will not allow to suffer.!!!

** The struggle for dominance between Male and Female that is a central component of life on earth is repeated over and over in the world. Central to this struggle is Man’s acknowledgement of Women’s superior spiritual power that cannot be taken from them, that is based in Women’s ability to create life.**

The VAGINA is the 3rd dimensional portal to Mother Earth. In order for all souls to have a physical experience here on this planet, they must come through her divine portal. It’s no wonder that she is considered the – Gate of Heaven. The Intention Is To Offer Practical Guidance To Connect And Work With The Divine Mother Ancestral Wisdom, And To Use It To Empower Lives Today. The Calabash As Symbol For The Womb… Because Of Her Shape, Calabash also Symbolizes The “Womb”. In Both The Sense Of The Female Reproductive Organ As Well As In A Broader Creative Sense.

*** Magical Calabash – Gourd Anthology Of Sacred Wisdom From The Ancestral Mothers And Magic Inside It We Add Ingredients To Direct Our Intentions To That Which We Want To Birth To Life.

The calabash shape is taken to represent heaven and earth with an extended meaning representing the entire universe. Within the Calabash there is a mystical zone in the form of an alternate universe or the entrance to another world, and Orisha – Vodun – Spirit immortals and practitioners can travel between these two worlds. The “marriage” of these two substances was a sexual metaphor for the union of semen and menstrual blood to create life.

The top half signifies Maleness as well as the sky/heaven–the realm of invisible spirits. The bottom half represents Femaleness and the primeval waters out of which the physical world was later created. A mysterious Power called Ashe is thought to hold the gourd in space, enabling the sun and moon to shine, wind to blow, fire to burn, rain to fall, rivers to flow, and both living and nonliving things to exist.

This power emanates from a Supreme Deity known as Alashe – Owner of Power Olorun- Lord of the Sky and Olodumare – Eternal One and Source of All That Exists. Assisting Olodumare in administering the universe is a host of deities or nature forces called Orisha-Vodun-Spirit. Said to number four hundred or more, each Deity (Orisha) personifies a Power (Ashe) associated with a natural or cultural phenomenon.

*** If an Egg is broken by an Outside force, life Ends. If an Egg is broken by an Inside force, then life Begins. Great things happens from the Inside.

Reference Sources:

Ashe = Mysterious Powers…

Ashe = Mystical – Preternatural & Esoteric Powers…

***We Speak Things Into Existence – Speak Your Power & Become It – We Are The All In All – Our Power Is Within

Ase – Ashe = (Ah Shay) … A Yoruba Word Meaning ** Power – Command & Authority. The Ability To Make Whatever One Says Happen. Often Summarized As “So Be It” = “So It Is” = “It Definitely Shall Be”

Ashe-Power is a component of the life force breathed into each human being by God; it is spiritual power; it is the power to create everything – Gods, Ancestors, spirits, humans, animals, plants, rocks, rivers and voiced words such as songs, prayers, praises, curses, or even everyday conversation. Existence, according to Yoruba thought, is dependent upon it; it is the power to make things happen and change. The power of the word is an important part of harnessing Ashe.

Ashe-Power: is an African philosophical concept through which the Yoruba of Nigeria conceive the power to make things happen and produce change. Existence, according to Yoruba thought, is dependent upon it. In addition to its sacred characteristics, Ashe-Power also has important social ramifications, reflected in its translation as “power, authority, command.” A person who, through training, experience, and initiation, learns how to use the essential life force of things to willfully effect change is called an Alaashe.

Rituals to invoke divine forces reflect this same concern for the autonomous Ashe -Power of particular entities. The recognition of the uniqueness and autonomy of the Ashe-Power of persons and gods is what structures society and its relationship with the other-world.

The concept of Ashe-Power influences how many of the Yoruba arts are composed. In the visual arts, a design may be segmented. Such elements can be seen in Ifa trays and bowls, veranda posts, carved doors, and Ancestral masks.

The language of Ashe-Powers is profound because the Yoruba conceive of their religious discourse as such ritual language is “Deep” and stylized, and it possesses Ashe-the capacity to invoke Powers, appropriate fundamental essences, and influence the future. Rich in metaphor and poetic devices, it expresses fundamental ideas of ritual power which are highly valued and closely guarded. Because of restrictions imposed by Deity-Orisha Cults, ritual-language texts are difficult to record. Many are performed only once a year, and some only once in a lifetime. To sing or perform them at other times is infelicitous. One must bring offerings and undergo many Initiations to gain access and trust. In addition to these practical problems of restricted access, the texts themselves are difficult to understand.

Ritual language texts are of course verbal, oral-talking. They are spoken, sung, chanted, even danced in dialogue with drums. Formal categories based on stylistic criteria are always mixed in practice-praises can include proverbs and incantations extensively from Ifa. But the language itself remained a closed book. Textual fragments which possess Ashe-Power are clearly rich in metaphor and allusion-as in most poetry are sensed and intimate rather than formally explicated. Like the deeper meaning of ritual symbols, the language of Ashe-Power undermines the fundamental differences-linguistic which it outwardly reproduces. Best way to discuss ritual language is by letting it speak for itself, as it were, through transcriptions, translations…

These mystical, preternatural and esoteric powers are virtually inexplicable, but they cannot escape notice when they are manipulated by those who have access to them. Outsiders tend to dismiss such powers as superstitions; others class them as Mumbo-Jumbo and the like. But we should realize that one person’s superstition is another person’s belief. Traditional society understand the belief in mysterious and mystical powers which manifest themselves in different ways-in the form of incantations, medicine, magic, sorcery and witchcraft. Belief in these powers which can alter the course of nature is very real and prevalent among the Africans.

Incantations involve the chanting or uttering of words purporting to have magical power. Sometimes the incantations go with some medicinal preparation which is carried in the form of a ring, amulet, girdle, small gourd or needle. Words coupled with charms have mysterious powers which are frequently used by “those who know how”, to escape death, to vanish in the approach of an imminent danger, to escape a ghastly accident, to destroy an enemy or wild animal, to shorten distance, and such like.

Eshu receives Ashé when all the Gods journey to the Supreme God to find out who is the next most powerful. Each brings a huge sacrifice, carrying it on his or her head. But Eshu consults the Ifa oracle before he goes, and finds that all he needs to bring is a bright red feather set upright on his forehead. When the Supreme being sees this he grants Eshu the power of Ashé, because Eshu had shown his unwillingness to carry burdens, as well as his sensitivity to the power of information. To this day, Eshu figurines often have a large phallic plume or nail on the head. Eshu shows us that one must “cultivate the art of recognizing significant communications…or else the lessons of the crossroads–the point where doors open or close, where persons have to make decisions that may forever effect their lives–will be lost.”

Ashe is an African philosophical concept through which the Yoruba of Nigeria conceive the power to make things happen and produce change. Àshe = a coming to pass; law; command; authority; commandment; imposition; power; precept; discipline; instruction; effect; consequence; is derived from the meanings: law, command, authority and power.

Ashe as the vital power, the energy, the great strength of all things. It is also the divine energy manifest in the process of procreation of life, to begin. Ashe does not signify anything particular, yet it invests all things, exists everywhere and as the warrant for all creative activity, opposes chaos and the loss of meaning in human experience. The underlying spirit of this root is “the power to cause to happen, the authority to make changes.

Ashe is power and this power is manifested in two primary forms: biological power which shapes one’s physical existence for good or ill, and political power which shapes people as moral and social beings. It is in its latter branch of meaning by which “kingship” becomes a euphemism for Ashe.

Ashe among the Yorùbá is associated with the very force which is life and brings things into being in the universe. As we will see later on, it is also associated with the power of speech as can be seen in its meanings of command, ordain, and law. We will see that there are two primary themes for Ashe – power and speech and these are derived from two different linguistic roots that were pronounced the same in ancient times. These terms have merged over time because of the similarities in associations.

Èshú : keeper of the word which is also the life-force and is master of language. In Yorùbá, one of the paths of Èshu is known as Elegbara.

Reference Sources:

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RUMBA = La Negra Tiene Tumbao…

El Espiritu De La Rumba: “Pa Ke Tu Me Llama”

African slaves first arrived in Cuba in the 16th century with the early Spanish settlers. Due to the reliance on sugar as an export during the late 18th and early 19th century, great numbers of slaves were brought to work on the sugar plantations. Where large populations of slaves lived, African religion, dance, and drumming were clandestinely preserved from generation to generation.

During the 19th century in Cuba, specifically in urban Havana and Matanzas, people of African descent originally used the word Rumba as a synonym for party. The term Rumbón is frequently used to denote rumba performances in the streets.

Rumba is a secular genre of Cuban music involving Dance, Drum, and Song. It originated in the central regions of Cuba, mainly in urban Havana and Matanzas, during the late 19th century. It is based on African music and dance traditions, namely Abakuá and Yuka, as well as the Spanish-based coros de clave.

Traditionally the Rumba has been classified into three distinct styles: Yambú, Guaguancó and Columbia. Both Yambú and Guaguancó originated in the solares, large houses in the poorest districts of Havana and Matanzas mostly inhabited by the descendants of African slaves.

Rumba instrumentation has varied historically depending on the style and the availability of the instruments. The core instruments of any rumba ensemble are the Claves, two sticks that are struck against each other, and the conga Drums: Quinto (lead drum, highest-pitched), Tres Dos (middle), and Tumba or Salidor (lowest-pitched). Other common instruments include the Katá or guagua, a wooden cylinder; the Palitos, sticks to struck the catá; shakers such as the Chekeré and the maracas; scrapers such as the güiro; bells, and cajones, wooden boxes that preceded the congas.

Yambú is considered the oldest style of Rumba, originating in colonial times. Hence, it is often called “yambú de tiempo España” – yambú of Spanish times. It has the slowest tempo of all Rumba styles and its dance incorporates movements feigning frailty. Although Male dancers may flirt with Female dancers during the dance, they do not use the vacunao of Guaguancó.

Guaguancó is the most popular and influential rumba style. It is similar to Yambú in most aspects, having derived from it, but it has a faster tempo. The term “guaguancó” originally referred to a narrative song style which emerged from the coros de clave of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Columbia is a fast and energetic Rumba, originated in the hamlets, plantations, and docks where men of African descent worked together. Unlike other Rumba styles, columbia is traditionally meant to be a solo male dance. Columbia originated from the drum patterns and chants of religious Cuban Abakuá traditions. The drum patterns of the lowest conga drum is essentially the same in both Columbia and Abakuá. The rhythmic phrasing of the Abakuá lead drum bonkó enchemiyá is similar, and in some instances, identical to columbia quinto phrases.

Men may also compete with other men to display their agility, strength, confidence and even sense of humor. Columbia incorporates many movements derived from Abakuá and Yuka dances, as well as Spanish flamenco, and contemporary expressions of the dance often incorporate break dancing and hip hop moves. In recent decades, women are also beginning to dance Columbia.

In Cuba, Rumba is a generic term covering a variety of musical rhythms and associated dances. The Rumba has its influences in the music brought to Cuba by Spanish colonizers as well as Africans brought to Cuba as slaves. Rumba is more than a music and dance genre; it is the collective expression of the Creole nature of the island itself. Rumba is a secular genre of Congolese African and Spanish flamenco influences, and is one of the primary ancestors of popular music in Cuba.

Cultural retention among the Bantu (Palo), Yoruba (Lukumi), Fon (Arará), and Efik (Abakuá) had the most significant impact in western Cuba, where rumba was born. The consistent interaction of Africans and Europeans on the island brought about what today is known as Afro-Cuban culture.

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OYA = Guardian Between Life & Death

“In Yoruba mythology, Egungun-Oya is a Goddess of divination. Egungun refers to the collective spirits of the Ancestral dead; the Orisha Oya is seen as the mother of the Egun.“

Oya is one of the most powerful African Goddess – Deity = Orisha = Vodun.

A Warrior-Queen, She is the wife of the God Shango, to whom She gave the power to create storms. Much of Oya’s power is rooted in the natural world; She is the Goddess of thunder, lightning, tornadoes, winds, rainstorms and hurricanes. A Fire Goddess, it is Oya who brings rapid change and aids us in both inner and outer transformation.

Oya is the guardian of the realm between life and death; as such, She is not only the Goddess of spirit communication, funerals and cemeteries but also the Goddess of clairvoyance, psychic abilities, intuition and rebirth. She can call forth the spirit of death, or hold it back — such is the extent of Her power. Because of her affiliation to the dead, and her intense knowledge of the magic arts.

Oya is both loved and feared, and for good reason: Unleashed, Oya is the Savage Warrior, the Protective Mother. She whose power sweeps all injustice, deceit and dishonesty from Her path. She will destroy villages if the need is true enough, for while She understands everything, She will only accept, act upon, and speak the truth. Oya Enin-Heyi…

Oya is the protector of women and patron of feminine leadership. Fiercely loving, She is wildly unpredictable and can change from benevolent, caring Mother to destructive Warrior in the blink of an eye. Passionate, fearless, sensual and independent, Oya is not a Goddess to be invoked lightly and must be treated with respect and care. Oya is known as a fierce warrior and strong protector of women, who call on her to settle disputes in their favor.
As the Orisha of change, She brings down the dead wood to make room for the new, and She uses her machete or sword to clear a path for new growth. She is believed to watch over the newly dead and assist them as they make the transition from life.She can manifest as winds ranging from the gentlest breeze to the raging hurricane or cyclone. She goes forth with Her husband during His thunderstorms. Oya is the Orisha of the Niger River, and violent rainstorms are said to be its source. She is worshiped not only in Africa but in Brazil, Cuba, where the Amazon is said to be Her river. Oya attributes are the sword or machete and the fly whisk, and Her animal is the water buffalo, in Whom she sometimes manifests.

Oya-Yansan is the Queen of the Winds of change. She is feared by many people because She brings about sudden structural change in people and things. Oya does not just rearrange the furniture in the house — She knocks the building to the ground and blows away the floor tiles. She is the Orisha of rebirth and new life. Goddesses such as she are referred to as Dark Goddesses because. They not only pull you into the darkness guide you through the dark and turmoil, but they point you to the light of hope.

Oya is the sentinel between the realm life and death. She gives assistance and guidance to those when they make their final transition into the veils. She can either hold back the spirit of death or call it forth. Hence, She is the last breath taken. Oya also governs over the cemetery and the realm of the dead, and it is said that She entered into the lower world of Ira upon hearing that Shango died. She is known for using charms and magic…

As a Crone Goddess she is a teacher of truth and a bringer of justice. Do meditate and take in Oya’s power during the wind, rain, snow and thunderstorms, for she speak to those who listen. She cleanses that which is sullied with her mighty broom . Oya has nine children and her favorite number is 9. (Owonrin Oyeku)

Oya’s Symbols: Oya has a few symbols associated with her. Among them are the lightning bolt with crossed arrows, the vector or hurricane symbol, nine violet feathers carried by a spiraling wind, nine veils each of a different color, a necklace or skirt with nine colors, and a spiral wind chime made of nine ornamental spearheads. Oya’s colors vary from place to place, but the main one is purple or dark burgundy or maroon. She is also symbolized by the nine colors, purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red, black, white, and brown. Depending on her function at a given time, she may wear purple and orange to work a storm, dark red to motivate a group of warriors or sportsmen to work as a team, all colors to make a tornado, etc.

Offerings to Oya: Traditions vary, Oya loves eggplants, beets, red wines, and purple grapes. She also enjoys popcorn and sesame seeds, especially caramel corn or sesame candy. She likes locust beans, amala, and chickpeas too.

“To fight and stir up dust like Buffalo” was the one who cast Ifa for Hunter. They said he should make a sacrifice so that he would find a wife to marry during that year. Hunter sacrificed = Whenever her children should want to perform their annual festival, Ogun should sacrifice with them to the horn that she had pulled off and left at home as a remembrance of her when they might want to sacrifice to their heads. From that time on, her children have continued to sacrifice to the horn when they perform their annual festival. Those who sacrifice to horns in this way are the ones that we call and greet as “Children of Buffalo” until this very day.

In Egba and Egbado area, as well as many parts of Yoruba land, Odun Egungun festivals are held in communities to commemorate the ancestors. Egungun Masquerade are performed during these annual or biennial ceremonies as well as during specific funeral rites throughout the year. The Masquerade is a multifaceted ceremony which includes the making of offerings as well as the honoring of Ancestors for past and future aid.

Oya is the Orisha of sudden change. Drastic transformation is Oya’s rightful territory, and for this reason the Orisha is linked greatly with death. Associated with the whirlwind, tornado and lightning, Oya is the energy that can reverse luck at any moment, bringing with it either wealth and blessings, or destruction and chaos. Oya is the energy of the marketplace, where fortunes are lost and won. On the converse of loss, even from chaos all things grow – and so this Orisha is always sought out for support and blessings whenever change or something beyond our control is imminent or already occurring.

Oya is the Orisha of the warrior. An energy both fearless and knowing, Oya fights against any perceived injustice. Orisha Oya’s children have often developed stronger survival skills than most, due to having endured much suffering in life. This allows them to be familiar with the shadow side, and those aligned with Oya are often perceived to be magical. However, past trials and tribulations also enable those associated with this Orisha to express its more empathetic aspects, for Oya is the energy that will provide for an individual what will most serve them, though it may not always be what is easiest.

Shango (Alaafin Tella-Oko) in one of his journeys wanted to hunt a buffalo that turned into a beautiful woman, who he felled in love. He carried her home and his wives gave her the name of Oya, because they were not expecting their husband to return so suddenly. Oya was the beloved wife of Shango. She alone of all his wives accompanied him in his fight towards Tapa (Nupe) country his maternal home. When her husband entered the ground and disappeared, she summed up the courage to follow his example and hid among a sheep flock, helping her not to be found and to disappear. Due to the support is given to her by the Sheep, her followers are forbidden to eat Mutton (Sheep).

Nobody could see her”órá” (no see), which gave the origin name for Ira (no see). She entered into the ground at a place called Igbo-Oya in Ira. This place was founded by an Oyo hunter called Laage. It was the need to move closer to Oya’s grove that made him found the present site of Ira. Oya became a river called Odo Oya or River Niger, which is named after her. As thunder and lightning are the tribute to Shango so tornado and violent thunderstorms are attributed to Oya.

Oya is known as well as Iya Sán (Mèsán) the mother of 9 children. She was known for being always surrounded by children, but she had never born. Two swords and the horns of Buffalo (Efòn) are the representative images of Oya. The followers are distinguished by a particular kind of reddish beads which are always tied around their necks. Oya disappeared in the town of Ira Shango disappeared at Koso.

OBI ABATA = KOLA NUTS = EVI NKUNE

Sacred Messenger Of God… Communication Between Earth & Heaven

Obi -Kola Nut is an Orisha (Deity), one of the 401 Orisha which constitute a major part of the Yoruba worship system. Obi was reduced to subordination to other Orisha because she refused to make her Ebo (Sacrifice) as prescribed by Ifa when she was to embark on her journey into the world. In addition, Obi was sentenced to suffer the fate of dryness, whenever she departs her husband leaf.

AJO “Awo Ile Aiye” / ABEMO “Awo Ode Isalu-Orun” They both usually met at the unknown boundary between Heaven & Earth, they were told to make sacrifice so that a single woman may not cause disagreement between them. They both play deaf & refused to appease “Holy Odu Obara Meji”, they said “How can a single woman bring misunderstanding between Heaven & Earth.

The woman is called Obi, the wife of Abemo Awo Ode Isalu-Orun(Heaven). Abemo had gone to consult Ifa; he was told to make sacrifice for a child & money, Abemo made sacrifice for money only.

It is getting late in life, Obi has no child, she became sad, she ran to marry Ajo Awo Ile Aiye(Earth). Ajo heard & performed sacrifice for a child. Obi then got a single child for him. Then the year rolled by, the time for outing ceremony of the child came by Obi followed Ajo to meet Abemo. He was so angry to see that Ajo kept his wife for a whole year without sending her back to him, so Abemo began to say bad words to Ajo who voluntarily brought his wife from the world to meet him.

The fight became great between them. Obi moved clear from them to observe them, nobody to separate them, it became a bitter fight. When the two became exhausted and began to rest, then Ajo said, “It is a stupid fight that is staged between Heaven & Earth, there is no one to separate them, so that there may be confusion in heaven & on earth that is why Obi left me for you. Alright, you Ajo Awo Ile Aiye do not want us to ponder, and keep our words in the pocket. The Two of them became pleased, they came to an agreement and they decided to kill Obi, the source of the fight between them.
Obatala was passing by and found the dead body of Obi by the tree, he raised her up and asked her how she got there. When Obi finished telling him the story of how she got there, Obatala answered, It’s alright, I cannot question them, what they did is not bad. So he tied Obi Into the same bag, hanged her on the side of the tree he found her from, he went his way.

We Break Obi (Kola Nut) To Settle All Concerns Between Heaven & Earth

Obi – Kola Nut was also made to become an edible fruit to be eaten by other Orisha and also human beings. To the African, the Yoruba in particular, Obi is a symbol of life. Giving out Obi – kola Nut to visitors, friends, and well-wishers is a very symbolic gesture, meant to represent the continuity of life. Obi is therefore important to the African not only for eating but for symbolic purpose and also for the celebration of the sacredness of life continuity. Obi comes in two colors, Red and White. But Obi as we are told in Yoruba mythology, also suffers as part of her punishment.

Six (6) Various Types of Obi- Kola Nut

Akiriboto / Single Obi – The most uncommon types of kola nut according to mythological stories the kola nut has been maned to henceforth become subdivided into more than one lobe. This type is called “Akiriboto”. This type is mostly used for medicinal purposes.

Gbanja / Two Lobes Obi – Comes in both white and red colors with majority in white color. It is usually big in size and it is the one mostly preferred for chewing by many kola nut buffs for snacks or stimulants. It is not used for asking questions from the Orisha, divination, or any ritual, because it has no differentiation lines within the lobes and so it is not regarded for any ritual purpose, because it lacks the Male or Female characteristics.

Eta-Obi / Three Lobes Obi – Regarded as being very special to Eshu/Elegbara and other Orisha or for special medicinal use.

Iya-Obi / Four Lobes Obi – Regarded as the Mother Obi. She is eaten both by the Orisha and human beings. The Iya-Obi has two male lobes and two female lobes. It is this equal number of Male and Female lobes of the four lobe kola nut that make it very suitable for asking questions or for divination purposes. All divination systems other than Ifa, the accuracy of their responses to questions is not always reliable, because they could not be made to clarify detailed aspects of questions or responses. As a matter of fact, the Obi does not entertain asking the same questions more than once. It also does not respond to questions in variations. It usually answers Yes/No questions outside its designated Odu codes when used for that purpose.

Olufuwa / Five Lobes Obi – Said to belong to Oshun, the Deity for puberty, whiteness and cool serene water. It has the female lobe or the “Ofa” which have a double Female characteristic making her bottom ending look like a delta of a river. For divination purposes, the “Ofa” is always taken aside and given to Eshu from the lot and only two Males and two Females are used.

This is a 5 Lobes Olufua Obi-Abata top left are 2 females (delta) – center is a double female (belongs to Orisha Oshun)- far right are 2 males (straight lines).

Iwarefa / Six Lobes Obi – Regarded also as a special kola nut. Usually used for very special occasions. It is used mostly for very sacred activities particularly the Awo Ogboni, who name their top-most hierarchy of the Iwarefa. During the coronation of Kings and the installation of important chiefs, the Obi Iwarefa is used.

Originally a tree of tropical rain-forest, it needs a hot humid climate, but can withstand a dry season on sites with a high groundwater level. It may be cultivated in drier areas where groundwater is available.

Regular weeding is a must and can either be done manually or by using herbicides. Some irrigation can be provided to the plants, but it is important to remove the water through an effective drainage system, as excess water may prome irrigation can be provided to the plants, but it is important to remove the water through an effective drainage system, as excess water may prove to be detrimental for the growth of the plant. When not grown in adequate shade, the kola nut plant responds well to fertilizers. Usually, the plants need to be provided with windbreaks to protect them from strong gales. Kola nuts can be harvested mechanically or by hand, by plucking them at the tree branch. When kept in a cool, dry place, kola nuts can be stored for a long time.

Human use of the kola nut, like the coffee berry and tea leaf, appears to have ancient origins. It is chewed in many West African cultures, individually or in a social setting, to restore vitality and ease hunger pains.

Kola nuts are an important part of the traditional spiritual practice of culture and religion in West Africa. Kola nuts are used as a religious object and sacred offering during prayers, ancestor veneration, and significant life events, such as naming ceremonies, weddings, and funerals. They are also used in a traditional divination system called Obi divination. For this use, only kola nuts divided into four lobes are suitable. They are cast upon a special wooden board and the resulting patterns are read by a trained diviner. This ancient practice is currently enjoying increased growth within the United States and Caribbean.

== In the 1800s, a pharmacist in Georgia, John Pemberton, took extracts of kola and Coca and mixed them with sugar, other ingredients, and carbonated water to invent the first cola soft drink. His accountant tasted it and called it “Coca-Cola”.==

Reference Sources: Wikipedia =

***Women of the Calabash…

SIMPLICITY IS THE KEY TO BRILLIANCE…

Mistakes Are The Portals Of Discovery * Play A Wrong Note = Insignificant * Play Without Passion = Inexcusable

*** Mother, with whom one enters into covenant for all good thing the Woman that supreme among other Women the mother that puts breast of wealth in her child’s mouth you are not up to a louse before an unbeliever you are not up to an egg of the louse before a fool you louse, the fire on head that burn them more than the real fire you are up to an egg of the louse and much more you are up to an egg of the louse and much more.

Existence Is Not About Learning To Accept Reality, But Rather Remembering Your Power To Create It…

*** The Calabash is a functional creation of nature with a wide variety of uses and traditions in cultures around the world. “Shekere” is a general name to describe the beaded calabash rattle. It comes in many shapes and sizes, is played in a variety of styles, and has many different names. In Africa it is found primarily, but not exclusively, in the countries of Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, Benin, Sierra Leone and Côte d’Ivoire. Different language groups in each country often have their own names, styles, techniques, and traditions associated with the Shekere.

Mother Shekere…. A Beautiful Face Will Age…A Perfect Body Will Change…But A Beautiful Soul Will Always Be A Beautiful Soul…

Calabash is the embodiment of Women’s Mystical Power, the ability to control physical & spiritual forces, to create life through procreation, and the sustenance of life are considered to be ultimate power. The Female being has been chosen by the creator to be the portal between the spiritual realm and this physical realm.

Be Strong Enough To Stand Alone = Be Yourself Enough To Stand Apart = But Be Wise Enough To Stand Together When The Time Comes.

All Women of the Calabash ever really needed was someone who holds a safe space for us. Someone who sees our gifts and magic, understands the incredible potential this kind of presence is capable of and creates a safe place for it to unfold. You’re not complicated, you’re exquisitely created. You’re a unique gem waiting to be revealed from your raw form. Have you been touched by hands that don’t shake with the responsibility of revealing such extraordinary beauty? You deserve a confident touch and an experienced eye. If you’ve never felt fully seen, your beauty never fully revealed, know it’s not the perfection of your beauty that’s been missing, but the eye of one with the vision to see what’s been there all along. You’re more than enough. You always were.

There Is A Line Where Ignorance & Knowledge Merge As One. Everything That Can Be called Wisdom Happens On That Line.

The VAGINA is the 3rd dimensional portal to Mother Earth. In order for all souls to have a physical experience here on this planet, they must come through her divine portal. It’s no wonder that she is considered the – Gate of Heaven. The Intention Is To Offer Practical Guidance To Connect And Work With The Divine Mother Ancestral Wisdom, And To Use It To Empower Lives Today. The Calabash As Symbol For The Womb… Because Of Her Shape, Calabash also Symbolizes The “Womb”. In Both The Sense Of The Female Reproductive Organ As Well As In A Broader Creative Sense.

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BELLS = Points Of Passage

BELLS = SUPERNATURAL ENCHANTMENT….

From very early times, there has been a link in myths and legends between Bells, water and spirits. Water was seen as the element that joined the world of the living and the world of the dead. Spirits could make contact through water and the idea of spirits coming out of the sea would not have seemed strange. It was also believed that the spirits of people who died suddenly or violently, or who had not had a proper burial, would not rest and would wander the earth. This included the many sailors who were drowned in stormy seas; their bodies were often never found.

This may have come from their use in real life, to be rung for good or bad times. Bells were used in celebrations such as weddings or to call people to pray. From Celtic times, they were thought to contain magic. The Celtic priests would throw bells into rivers, streams or springs to get rid of bad spirits and make the water pure. Throughout history, bells have also been used to signal good or bad news. Bells were rung at funerals or as a warning of invaders or war. They were even rung in times of plague, to tell people to bring out their dead. There are many stories of ghostly bells heard at sea or near to the sea and they are nearly always a sign of bad luck or a warning of a storm or disaster.

Bells are used in a wide variety of contexts. You probably associate Bells with religious activity, and rightly so, because they’re often ordained for some spiritual purpose. While some Bells are merely decorative or serve some benign practical function, their appearance and use usually involves idolatry and magical enchantments. The value in this study is in helping you correctly interpret the influences of the familiar world around you. Bells, chimes, jingles, cymbals and gongs are commonly said to be good luck and are often used to ward off evil spirits. Could the ringing of bells really exercise spiritual power, enabling some supernatural influence in the natural realm.

Any spiritual significance of any Bell comes from the hearer of the Bell, rather than the Bell itself. A case in point is bells rung on Sunday morning, and other times of the week. To some, the Bells are calls to prayer, and sometimes for some people, a Bell at a specific time is a call to a specific prayer. To others hearing the same sounds, the Bells simply denote the time of day, and to still others, they sometimes are only a nuisance to be endured.

“BELLS GEOGRAPHICALLY widely distributed and usually possess a clearly defined cultural status. Legends surround them, and beliefs abound concerning their special powers to induce rain or to dissolve storm clouds; to thwart demons when worn as amulets or when placed on animals, buildings, or conveyances; or to invoke curses and lift spells. The concept of their purifying action is ancient, as is their use in ritual, especially in the religions of eastern and southern Asia. Chinese rang Bells to communicate directly with spirits. East Asia, the fading tone of the Bell is considered spiritually significant. Russian Orthodoxy, Bells directly addressed the deity–hence, huge ones were cast by both peoples to lend greater authority.

Bells are consecrated before being used liturgically. Bells symbolize paradise and the voice of God. Among the most basic and widespread uses of Bells is signaling–marking significant points of ritual, calling to worship, tolling the hours, announcing events, rejoicing, warning, and mourning. It’s common around the globe to find the belling of livestock and horses. “In folk-magic brass is used to effectively repel witches and evil spirits. The protection is thought to be similar to that given by iron. It is used to make various kinds of amulets. Brass bells are hung around the necks of horses, cows and other animals to protect them against the evil eye.” The Hebrews wore crescent moons to ward off the evil eye and they attached Bells to their garments to ward off evil spirits.

In the Middle Ages the supernatural world was believed to be very real and close. Special protective powers were desired by the superstitious and were attributed to certain objects, including Bells. The Church itself condoned the use of Bells to frighten away evil spirits and this ensured its survival and development. Bells were actually baptized, and once baptized had the power to ward off evil spells and spirits. The use of the dead Bell was typical of this belief, rung for the recently deceased to keep evil spirits from molesting the body.

The dead Bell was therefore originally rung for two reasons:
Firstly to seek the prayers of all Christians for a soul just departing; Secondly to drive away the evil spirits who stood at the bed’s foot and about the house, ready to seize their prey, or at least to molest and terrify the soul in its passage; but, by the ringing of the Bell evil spirits are afraid of the sounds of bells, they were kept away; and the soul, like a hunted hare, gained the head start.”

Passing Bell – The name given to the Bell which is rung in the church when a person is near to death; it is said to have the effect of frightening away the evil spirits which are ready to take the soul as it passes from the body. In the medieval period, Bells were sometimes rung to destroy witches, as it was supposed that the sound of Bells threw them off their night flight and rendered their diabolic magic ineffective. The ringing of Bells is also associated with funerals, so sounds mimicking bells were thought to forecast death. The ringing of a wine glass was such a sound, and had to be stopped before its reverberation ended. Ship’s bells were exempted from this superstition, because they signaled time and the changing of watch duties. But if they rang of their own accord, as in a storm, somebody was going to die.

Tones have a healing effect on our bodies, calm our minds and awaken our spirits. The resonance and vibration of sound releases stress and emotional blockages in the body and calms the mind. The calming of mind expands conscious awareness and connection with spirit. Wind chimes thereby help enhance the mind/body/spirit connection bringing us a sense of peace and well being.

A clock is an instrument for measuring, indicating and maintaining the time. The word “Clock” is derived ultimately from the Celtic words Clagan and Clocca meaning “bell”. For horologists and other specialists the term “Clock” continues to mean exclusively a device with a striking mechanism for announcing intervals of time acoustically, by ringing a Bell, a set of chimes, or a gong.

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In the Middle Ages, however, members of religious orders were expected to pray at definite times. Failure to maintain godly habits because of cloudiness or variable flames was not acceptable. The monks and nuns were summoned to prayer by a bell. Soon someone realized that the elaborate astronomical model was not needed; a system of striking the hour with a series of rings of the Bell was sufficient. Sometime after that, people added a dial to show the hours with a pointer (hand). A similar pointer for minutes was not needed until clocks greatly improved in accuracy. Although the first clocks were installed for use in religion, within a few years people began to keep time by the hours, since the ringing of the Bell often could be heard or the dial seen all over a village

The Agogo/ Gankogui is comprised of two conical-shaped flange Bells of differing size joined at their apexes. Each Bell is made from two arched pieces of sheet iron with a pronounced tapering so that when their edges are welded together a deep cone-shaped vessel results. The larger Bell is approximately twice as long as the smaller one. The apex of each Bell is welded to the flared end of an elongated piece of iron that serves as the Bell’s handle. A wood stick is used to strike the rims of theBells, which are what vibrates most energetically when the Bells are played. The Agogo/Gankogui player holds the handle of the Bell in one hand with the Bells facing either upwards or downwards. The wood beater used to strike the Bells near their rims is held in the player’s other hand. Each Bell produces one basic pitch, and the larger Bell is noticeably lower in pitch than the smaller one. When held facing downwards, a seated player can, in addition to allowing the larger Bell to ring at full volume, also press it against her/his thigh to achieve subtle timbres effects.

The Agogo/Gankogui is sometimes referred to as “forged iron carrying a child”. The larger Bell is considered to be the parent of the smaller one. The larger Bell of the Agogo/Gankogui is tuned approximately one octave (Tin) below the smaller one (Go) – The person playing Agogo/Gankogui must have excellent time and not be distracted easily.

The Atoke/Apitua Bell, also known as a banana Bell, is common throughout West Africa. It is made from hand-forged iron and resembles a small boat or, as its other name suggests, a banana. The Bell is held in the palm of one hand, and sound is produced by striking it with a metal stick. Think of the characteristics associated with Bells. They usually were associated with carrying messages through the air and over distances. Clearing the air…changing the frequency in the air…clear messages as associated with the prophetic…these are the main ones that I connect with when it comes to Bells.

In our dream we may see Bells, or hear them or both. Bells are important to many religions and cultures around the world. They may be deep and resonant, light and joyous, sad or celebration. Bells are not things we see or hear as often as we might have in previous generations, but their symbolic significance still holds a profound sway over many of us. And while we may not see actual Bells so often in day to day life, we still have more abstract Bells around us in many forms – door Bells, the “ring tones” on our phones, the alarm clock and so on.
The Meaning of a Bell in a Dream… Bells call us to prayer, so in a dream they may symbolize a spiritual calling, or even a special message we are about to receive. Bells are used by town criers to announce important events, so in a dream we may hear Bells when our subconscious is trying to ensure we pay attention to an important piece of information it is trying to impart.

Bells at their most celebration signal an end to war, the highest of holy days or a wedding. To dream of such joyous Bells as this is a wonderful sign of exceptional and blessed transition. It may be an end to warning parts of our own personalities, a sign that we are reconciling deeply held internal conflicts. Dreams of such celebration Bells may signify a sacred union, a merging of our opposing male and female sides. These dreams can remind us of the very best that being alive is about. Bells can be joyous, celebration or even sacred. But Bells can be warnings, a call to action, a call for help or a symbol of passing. Bells help communicate between the world of matter and the world of spirit. If we dream of Bells we would do well to heed their message, whatever it may be. The ringing of a Bell or Bells can represent a message being delivered. For example, the ringing of a school Bell sends the message that class is beginning or ending. The ringing of church Bells sends a message that a significant event has occurred. The ringing of a delicate Bell or chime could mean there’s a message you need to pay attention to, either in the dream or in real life.

Throughout society and culture around the world, Bells have a multitude of meanings and purposes. Bells symbolize beginnings and endings. Bells are rung at weddings, funerals and to kick off boxing rounds. Church Bells gather people by summoning them to church or events. Bells announce that someone’s at the door or on the phone and warn us not to cross railroad tracks. Chimes tinkling in the breeze can relax us and help us guess the speed of the wind. Bells even have the power to tell us what to do! Alarm clocks tell us to wake up and school Bells tell us to get to class.

Reference Sources: Wikipedia = Bob Schlenker =

This site is a dedication of my love for the orisa deities of Yorubaland (known as ‘irunmole’) and for the Brazilian guias, spirit guides, of the Xango religion as practiced in Northeastern Brazil.

It is through the orisa, principally Esu, and through the Mestres e Mestras, os Pretos Velhos e Velhas, os Cabocolos e Caboclas, as Pomba Giras e os Exus, that I have learned to respect the many ways in which they can participate in our lives, bringing endurance, acceptance, evolution, growth, healing and enlightenment. No matter where the orisa and eguns are called down from heaven, the same magical interchange of faith and renewal transforms the lives of believers as we open ourselves to receive the Divine.

Central to any orisa and Ifa worship is the gathering place where sacred rituals, words and intent can be focused to create a bridge between man and the divine, and that bridge used as both an exit and an entrance for both human and divine deity.

Ile-Ifa means literally “the house of Ifa”. The ile-ifa is one of the places where this bridge can be constructed; out of words, intention and prayer. The word Ifa is sometimes also used to signify the orisa Orunmila, the savior of the Yoruba people and their first sacred priest (known as a Babalawo). Ifa is the name used to define the sacred oral divination corpus of 256 “odus”, a type of binary code encyclopedic divination which holds all the potentials and outcomes, both good and bad-and how to overcome them-for man’s destiny. It was Orunmila who received the perfect knowledge, from God, of Ifa and the mastery of the oracle. The reasons for following Ifa are the same for any religious practitioner: the procurement of inner and outer harmony, health, money, love, children and a long life. There is no human on earth who does not strive to be better-whether in a negative sense or positive, depending on their free will.

I believe there is room on earth for all faiths to co-exist in peace, and the mark of a man or woman is how willing they are to live and let live, to take care of their own without the need to harm others who may not believe, live and worship the same as they. There is too much disharmony in the world today, especially within the religious practices of the Diaspora. I am striving to keep this website a place of purity and simplicity. I would rather see the things we all have in common. What matters is that the work functions, that the messages and development lift us up to a better place not only for our betterment, but for that of our families, our loved ones, our friends, neighbors and the world.
The content on this site is my own. I only write what I know about firsthand, what I have lived, experienced and what I practice. It is our Supreme Creator Olodumare who knows all.

Olodumare blessed the world with the ancient sacred Yoruba city of Ile-Ife, situated inland in what is now known as Nigeria, which lies on the West African coast. Considered the birthplace of the Yoruba civilization and race, the Yoruba nature deities called igba irunmole, came down from heaven and began their exploits on earth, opening the road for human inhabitants and leaving behind the highly complex divination and worship system known as Ifa.

It incorporates the use of plant, animal, mineral and elemental knowledge codified in oral verses, or, itan, held inside 256 odu signatures, a type of binary code which predated the modern computer. Each odu is a type of womb that we are born through, a life path and destiny we are born with which describes our human dilemmas, being that we are all born under the influence of a certain odu, similar in a way to being born “under” one sign or the other of the Zodiac. Each contains the blueprint to our individual birthright and destiny, giving the Babalawo clear instructions on which sacrifices must be made to avert our problems or negative tendencies, and ensure that our positive traits, talents and tendencies are stimulated and encouraged by means of proper sacrifices, following our personal taboos, and correct thinking and living-divinity in action.

The Babalawo, Iyanifa, or Olorisa priest or priestess can consult by throwing 16 cowrie shells (merindinlogun usually used by women), 8 seeds connected on a chain which is draped to have two “legs” (opele divining chain), or “beating” 16 sacred four-eyed palm nuts together while trying to transfer all from one palm of the hand to the other. He counts only whether one or two remain in the hand, thus creating the odu signature through consecutive attempts (palm nut divination is performed by male priests only, though there are some Iyanifa in Yorubaland who do). By following the advice of the chanted verses and their remedies, order, harmony and happiness can be restored to the client, and disaster can be transformed to prosperity and happiness when one is born under a difficult odu.

The Ifa divination system and its accompanying orisa worship, rituals and practices is the root source from which various Yoruba-based religions in the Diaspora sprung, such as: Santeria, Umbanda, Lucumi, Candomble and many others. The seeding of the religion in the Diaspora was realized by means of four centuries of trans-Atlantic slave trade. Millions of people who were violently gathered together from all points on the African continent were carried away from the West African coast to places such as Brazil, the United States, Cuba and many European countries and territories held by European occupiers.
There are distinctions between the practice of worshiping orisa in Yorubaland and, for example, Brazil, or Yorubaland and Cuba. This is logical given the mixture of captured peoples who were chained together both physically and spiritually on their terrifying journey across the sea to their new homes. Their different languages, cultures, religious practices and the deities they worshiped became a type of muqueca, a religious stew, which added new elements to a changing and evolving worship.

While Cuba preserved more of the elements which make up Ifa divination, with its sixteen sacred palm nuts consulted and their corresponding Odu signatures answering, Brazil lost a great portion of knowledge of using the ikin-the sacred palm nuts of Ifa-while preserving and expanding upon cowrie shell divining and intricate, highly ritualized orisa worship with emphasis on spirit possession by mediums, much like the Masquerade Egungun festivals held in modern day Nigeria in Yorubaland. What was not lost in either place was the intense need to try and manipulate their surroundings in order to survive, whether by using an ebo (offering) for Esu against the slave master, or using leaves and seeds to make a medicine to support the body and mind both physically and spiritually.

Some plants and leaves in the New World were similar to those in the motherland back home, but the new and changing landscape demanded flexibility when relics and tested healing medicines were not available. Spirit worship and practices were molded according to the circumstances, driving slaves to adapt Catholic or Christian saints, icons and religious motifs to their worship in order to dupe plantation owners and others who held their lives and fate in their hands.

In modern times, congregating to drum, sing, dance and be taken possession of by orisa in Brazil was outlawed and driven underground by force, even as late as the 1970’s. Similar conditions persist worldwide with ignorance and social pressure coming to rest on the head of the person who declares him or her self an elisin ibile, a traditional believer of the Ifa religions in all their variations, within and without traditional Yoruba land. We are the people of Brazil, Cuba, the United States, and many, many more nations, who are creating new trails and history on this earth, continuing the divine tie between heaven and earth, between orun and aiye, bonded together by a shared love and reliance on the nature deities and their forces. They teach us humility, endurance and adaptability by means of their overwhelming divine ase (power backed by wisdom and the spoken command), and their mysterious essence of the beyond. My wish is that we all come together in peace, acknowledging our similarities and celebrating our unique differences; to work together in Ifa to make the world a better place.

The Ifa religion excludes no one because of color, race, or sex. Many of us are making the trip across the waters to the African Continent, the true homeland of the entire human race. The slave ships which sailed under dark skies so long ago have now been replaced with sleek, modern aircraft ferrying spiritual pilgrims back to the motherland. Life has a way of balancing out, like water and truth, it cannot be stopped.

May Olodumare give us faith, peace, patience and tolerance. May he give us the wisdom to recognize our blessings and to recognize the Father or Mother, Son or Daughter, Brother or Sister in the person standing next to us, and that we all, throughout the world, see our fellow human being as worthy of tolerance, patience, understanding, love and respect. May we all find the strength to overcome our weaknesses, May we all find and listen to our divine inner voice, our ori, which elevates our hearts, minds and lives, May we all strive to set and be an example for others to emulate, May Olodumare, Ifa, Esu and all the irunmole guide and protect us, so we can live in harmony together on this earth we call home. Ase

ESU ELEGBARA – SACRED CHILD OF HEAVEN – ESU IS NOT SATAN
In the Yoruba pantheon of elemental deities called orisa, there is one who remains a mystery to most people in spite of mans’ inquisitiveness and desire to understand him. Reviled, respected, misunderstood, revered, maligned, praised, trusted, feared, railed against by Christian preachers, supplicated on bended knee by Yoruba Babalawo priests of Ifa and traditional believers seeking his aid, Esu has the last laugh as all humans and creation dance to his beat of life.

The worship of Esu originated with the Yoruba people in the region now called Nigeria. Taking center stage in the Yoruba creation stories, Esu is also referred to as Elegbara by the Yoruba who populate the coastal region. Translated to English, Elegbara, one of Esu’s many praise names, means “the mighty and powerful one”, or, “the mighty one of wonders”. These praise names, called oriki by the Yoruba, are used to describe the qualities and powers of Elegbara. They can also be found in the lyrics of his songs and in the sacred verses called ese, recited much like poetry, which are gathered under odus. These odus are arranged as chapters, as divination signatures which comprise the 256 marks of the Ifa corpus, the oral bible of the Yoruba.There are dozens of names, as there are dozens of manifestations of Elegbara. He is also known as Dagunro, Goroso, Lukuluku and Apagbe. Elegbara can be difficult to describe. As Papawara, “the quickest and fastest one”, he slips in and out of definitions with alarming speed, quickly concealing what was thought to be concrete, open and fixed, then, with absolute glee, reveals himself in a completely new and baffling transformation.

The adjectives and phrases that can be used to describe Elegbara are varied but are used consistently among West African traditional cultures that have an Elegbara figure among their gods. He can be described as a disruptor of order, ironic, a master linguist, ambiguous, a conciliatory peacemaker, the possessor of a huge phallus with a ferocious appetite, a satirical mimicker who finds our “hot buttons” and pushes them with childlike insistence, and as one who both hides and reveals secrets. Elegbara is a master of change, of chance, a divine alchemist who only needs to blink his eyes or speak and it will be so. His name of Esu Odara translates as “Esu the magician”, or, “One who can do and undo”, and adds weight to his reputation as a performer of magical feats.

In the odu of Osetura we are shown how slippery and difficult Elegbara is to pin down:
Peri-pokun,
Pokun-peri
Esu bambi
A dia f’Akon omo oluwara oje….

Pursue him here
He is over there
Follow him there
He is back here
So revels Esu the Trickster
In confusing detour
Thus declared the Ifa oracle to Crab
Who hides from hole to hole in marshes.

It is not just in West Africa but in every culture of the world that one finds a similar deity or god like Elegbara, many times referred to as a “trickster” due to his sense of humor, command of all languages, love of mischief, ability to shape-shift and his tendency to play tricks on unsuspecting humans.

In West Africa, the worship of Elegbara spread from the Yoruba to the Fon who populate parts of Benin, Togo, Cameroon, and southwestern Nigeria. He is known as Legba to the Fon, as Ananse to the Ashanti people in Ghana and as Ogo-Yurugu to the Dogon living in the central plateau of Mali. In Brazil, Exu, as his name is spelled there, goes by many names that describe his qualities and the manner in which he works. Some of these are Exu Tranca-ruas ( Esu close/lock-the-roads), Exu da Meia-noite (Esu of Midnight) and Exu Caveira (Esu Skull i.e. of the Tombs). Brazilian devotees of Exu also work with his female counterpart (since every orisa has male and female qualities), known as Pomba-Gira, which is a complex mix of a female egun linked with Exu, popular in the Xango (Sango) cult of northeastern Brazil. These female Exus, predominantly manifested by

Brazil. These female Exus, predominantly manifested by women, are known for their powerful expertise in the love affairs of men and women and are unparalleled seductresses who offer their help, advice and recipes to the faithful. Santeria and Lucumi devotees in Cuba use the name Elegua for Elegbara, while New World Voudun practitioners call him Papa Legba or Legba Atibon and another manifestation of Elegbara, Kalfou, in Haiti, and Papa La Bas in North American Hoodoo. Europeans were no strangers to “trickster” gods and the Greeks had the god Hermes, while the Romans had Mercury, a messenger of the gods with winged sandals on his feet. A great number of Native Americans in the United States worshiped or still do worship the coyote, a type of jackal, as their trickster deity. Other tribes worshiped the wily rabbit, crow or raven.

Professor Byrd Gibbens, University of Arkansas, U.S., states that, “Many native traditions held clowns and tricksters as essential to any contact with the sacred. People could not pray until they had laughed, because laughter opens and frees from rigid preconception. Humans had to have tricksters within the most sacred ceremonies for fear that they forget the sacred comes through upset, reversal, surprise. The trickster in most native traditions is essential to creation, to birth.”

Indeed, Elegbara is the life force pumping in our veins, he is the electrical spark in our hearts which gives us life, he is the stream of semen which impregnates, he is impetus, he is forward movement, and all along that forward movement of life he dances circles around us, laughing when we take things too seriously, warning us of our weaknesses and infractions, poking fun at us, but always looking to combat darkness and bring about balance and harmony after we have stumbled, fallen, scraped our knees and risen again to face another day. Elegbara has existed since the beginning of time. Bearing the name Lagemo Orun, meaning “sacred child of heaven”, he was created by Olodumare, the Supreme Creator, and holds a position of unchallenged importance and authority. Though having divine origins, many of the ese of Ifa divination speak of Elegbara as having lived on earth.

There are many localities where Elegbara supposedly walked the sacred land of the Yoruba. The first of these is the spiritual cradle of the Yoruba race called Ile-Ife in current southwestern Nigeria. This is the area where Orunmila and the orisas first descended to earth to take up residence and populate the world which had been created by Olodumare and Orunmila. Ese of Ifa also place him on a mountaintop near Igbeti, close to the Niger River. Other ese take him to Ketu of the Dahomey kingdom, now the present day Republic of Benin. There are also reports that he was worshiped or lived in a village called Iworo near Badagry on the coast of what is now Lagos State, Nigeria. Researcher Peter McKenzie identifies a sacred grove in Iworo as the most famous site of Elegbara worship, but claims that this shrine was destroyed in 1863 by Governor Glover of Lagos. Present day worship of Elegbara in Nigeria is strong in Osun and Ondo State but he is worshiped throughout Yoruba land.

As Olodumare’s loyal and faithful servant, Elegbara works under him and alongside Orunmila, punishing anyone who does not carry out the wishes of Olodumare, who does not make the prescribed sacrifices, or who does not live within the godly principles laid out by Olodumare. He is the most powerful and important deity amongst the orisa as he must be acknowledged first in all rituals by humans and all orisa alike. His praise name Alajiki tells us that he is “the one to be addressed first” and his name Akeregbaye tells us that he is “small but in control of the whole world”. He is a force to be respected and no one should ever think they are clever enough to get the upper hand with Elegbara.

Elegbara and Orunmila are inseparable friends, and of all the orisas, Orunmila is the one who knows how Elegbara and Orunmila are inseparable friends, and of all the orisas, Orunmila is the one who knows how to handle the dynamic power, energy and uncertain temperament of Elegbara. Orunmila is the embodiment of the wisdom of Ifa and head of the Ifa priesthood. It was Orunmila who was sent to earth by Olodumare to aid in the creation and development of earth and foster the human beings living there. Olodumare gave to Orunmila the ability to divine his will by using the sixteen sacred palm nuts, so that man would not suffer anymore.

Ese of the odus speak of Elegbara tagging alongside Orunmila as a kind of learner priest as he walked the land divining, but it is safe to say that Elegbara was created out of necessity by Olodumare. He arrived already possessing his great destiny to fight for anyone who has offered the appropriate sacrifice against the powerful Ajogun Orun. These negative forces are Death, Disease, Loss, Destruction and Lawsuit, who wreak havoc in humans’ lives. The praise names of Alaakalu, “one whose greatness is manifested everywhere”, and Amonisegun Mapo, “he who is all-knowing and has powerful medicine”, attest to his capabilities and superiority over the Ajogun. It is this incomprehensible ability to be both big and small at the same time that confounds normal human sensibilities. Elegbara thumbs his nose at physics and makes us rub our eyes more than once as we try to accurately perceive him. The following praise chant attempts to explain his size:

Esu sleeps in the house
But the house is too small for him
Esu sleeps on the front yard
But the yard is too constricting for him
Esu sleeps in the palm nut shell
Now he has enough room to stretch at large….

Carved statues and ese describe Elegbara as a short man with a beard, pointed teeth, polished skin black as night, and with the curious habit of walking with a limp, due to his having one foot in the world of the humans and one foot in the spiritual realm. His statues sometimes portray him as holding a calabash in his left hand in which the divine ase of Olodumare rests. This ase, pronounced ah-shay, is the power of divine command and he has the discretion to use it as he sees fit. At other times he is seen with a magic bag or gourd, or a type of wand in hand. This takes the name of Ado Asure which contains fortunes or magic inside. In some verses it is said that he points his wand and whatever he wishes comes to pass. Elegbara is said to have eyes in the front and back of his head as shown in his carved statues, by the hook-like outgrowth attached at the back of his head. It is here where his other eyes are said to be. This can be thought of as having the ability to see into the future or the past, and also as having foresight and hindsight, something we need in our daily lives as we make split-second decisions which can have far reaching consequences. Clearly, this is Elegbara’s territory.

He is sometimes depicted in statues as having a huge, over-sized, erect phallus, linking him with fertility and also the potentially dangerous relations between men and women. In Brazil, one of the many names for the African-based religions is Candomble and there is a terreiro (sacred house where the orisas are called down), of Candomble in Itapoa, Bahia State, Brazil, that has a wooden phallus carved from a fairly large tree trunk. Those possessed by Exu can be seen sitting with it between their legs, smoking, drinking and giving advice to the people seated around him and seeking his favor. There are risqué comments, laughter and clever joking in between the serious words.

There is a common saying amongst the Fon of West Africa, who imported Elegbara from the Yoruba: “Legba everywhere dances in the manner of a man copulating.” Anthropologist Melville J. Herskovits (1895-1963) was a pioneer in research on African cultures and saw Legba dance in the flesh. American born, he traveled to most of the countries with an African presence in the New World and produced ground breaking ethnographic research while in Africa. He was an advocate of African self-determination and he devoted his life trying to destroy the myths that the beliefs and cultures of Africans were primitive and that Africans had not made a contribution to world history.

His research on the Fons’ Legba and his peculiar dance was documented by later researcher Robert Pelton, whose quoted work follows: “On the next day “Legba” makes his first appearance. He is represented by a young girl dressed in a purple raffia skirt and a purple straw hat, and on the final days of the emergence ritual this “Legba” leads the dancing of the novices.” Herskovitz wrote about Legba in the body of the young girl: “dancing toward the drums. When she reached the drummer, she put her hand under the fringe of raffia about her waist… and brought out a wooden phallus…This was apparently attached in such a way that it would remain in the horizontal position of the erect male organ, and as she danced…toward a large tree where many women were sitting watching the ceremony, … they ran from her, shrieking with laughter, and they were made the butt of many jokes by the spectators.”

It is certain that these kinds of antics were looked upon with horror by the first European missionaries who arrived in West Africa and who dared witness such “primitive” and “heathen” gatherings. In his book, A History of the Yorubas from the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the British Protectorate, Samuel Johnson, an Anglican priest and missionary who claimed descent from the Alaafin Abiodun of Oyo, depicted the worship of Elegbara in the early to mid 1800’s as thus: “… Esu or Eleghara. — Satan, the Evil One, the author
Contrary to the Euro-Christian view defaming him as the ruler of hell and bearing the name of Satan, or, Devil, the translation of Esu means “the divine messenger” while his name Elegba translates to “spirit of good character”. Both names are hardly reminiscent of the evil deeds and qualities attributed to Satan throughout the ages. Christian missionaries have loudly denounced Elegbara and all who worship or profess belief in his kind as pagan or “fetish” for almost 200 years. Missionaries already had a foot in the country in the early 1800’s and the Christian Missionary Society pushed further in to the hinterlands in 1841 when Sir Thomas Fowell, accompanied by Yoruba born preacher and linguist Samuel Ajayi Crowther, made an investigative trip called the Niger Expedition that was to prepare a “…religious, economic, and civilizing mission…” along the Niger.

The pendulum has now started to swing back in the other direction with noted scholars and important public figures defending traditional Yoruba culture, and more importantly, the peoples’ right to worship the gods of their ancestors in peace, asking for a more enlightened and civil attitude from modern-day “preachers of the cloth”.

Funso Aiyejina, Professor of Literature at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, gave an interesting lecture at the National Theatre in Lagos in 2009, organized by the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC). The title of his lecture was ‘Esu Elegbara: A Source of an Alter/Native Theory of African Literature’ and in it he blamed the late Bishop Ajayi Crowther for having chosen to translate the word Satan as the Christian meaning for Esu when he translated the Bible into Yoruba. A more appropriate use of words would have been to use Awon Aye, evil powers, to describe Satan. Aiyejina also pointed fingers at Africans for allowing him to translate the word erroneously. He said, “If Africans had been less trusting and more cynical and suspicious, they would have wondered why the same translators of the Bible who saw nothing wrong with equating Satan with Esu, did not find a near-equivalent Yoruba deity for Jesus Christ, instead of Yorubanizing his name into Jesu Kristi…If Satan translates into Esu because of some perceived incidental similarities between the two, how come Jesus does not translate into Orunmila, given the fact that Orunmila is as proverbial, wise, calm, peaceful and forbearing as Jesus?” he asked. He raises an important question, central to all people who call themselves Yoruba and who now in modern times find themselves at odds with their family ancestors’ past and with the imported Western cultures and values which have been steadily eroding the traditions of this land since the first Europeans set foot on the African continent.

It has reached such proportions that UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization), has had to step in and offer protection to the Ifa divination oral tradition under the umbrella of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. In Convention 2005, the Ifa Divination System entered the protected list as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Measures are being taken to ensure that the tradition is kept alive along with the Yoruba language.

The heart of the Yoruba Ifa tradition and theology is the act of divination with the sixteen sacred palm nuts of Ifa, the casting of the opele and of the sixteen cowrie shells. Olodunmare and Elegbara are called upon to open every divination session, before the other orisa are named. Elegbara’s face is depicted on almost every wooden opon used for Ifa divination, with his eyes and mouth being the central focus carved into the wood. He takes the central position at the top of the board which lies opposite the seated Babalawo, the Ifa priest, reminding us that it is he that travels between orun and aiye, heaven and earth, possessing the divine ase that will allow any sacrifice or work carried out to come to fruition. Elegbara is the eyes and mouthpiece which carries to Orunmila the vision of the past, present and future and Orunmila in turn makes sure that Elegbara is always given his share of every sacrifice offered, no matter how big or small, and he is served first of any food or drink being offered. Failure to comply and make sacrifice after divination ensures that Elegbara will simply stand by and watch impassively as a perhaps negative fate, of which the Ifa oracle warned, comes to pass. Conversely, we will also not attract the positive blessings which Ifa predicts for us due to non-compliance. Elegbara both sympathizes and at the same time disregards the human condition of man.

Without Elegbara, Orunmila would not be able to carry out the will of Olodumare through Ifa divination and ensure properly delivered sacrifices. The results would be disastrous for humans on earth. As the ultimate controller of our fate, Elegbara has a hand in our destiny, working in a type of mutually beneficial partnership. We can either use Elegbara to our advantage to clear all evil and misfortune from our road of life, or ignore him and suddenly find we are stepping off into a bottomless abyss.

Praised as Osetura, the gatekeeper, we pray that he takes our wishes, requests and sacrifices to the invisible realm of heaven where they can be fulfilled, restoring harmony in our lives. One of his praise songs is Alare na ode orun, meaning “the middleman between heaven and earth“, which shows us that the intersecting lines of the material and spiritual planes are his natural home. Elegbara owns the crossroads, materially, spiritually and metaphorically. Each road leads to an exact center, a ground zero where our cosmic karma either comes in the form of Elegbara to club us on the head, or a new road appears to lead us to spiritual and material well-being and insight.

Esu Laalu Omokunrin Ode is “t

Esu Laalu Omokunrin Ode is “the noble man who dwells at the cross-roads” and a verse from the Odu Ika Meji states:

Igbori nile Eegun,
Iranje nile Oosa,
Ita gbangba Elegbara.

The departed ancestors were first revered in the city of Igbori,
Orisanla was first venerated in the city of Iranje;
The mighty one of wonders has his shrine
In any public place where three or more roads cross.
ESU ELEGBARA-SACRED CHILD OF HEAVEN

Historically, Elegbara is the protector of earthly crossroads, towns and homes. His various shrines of chunks of laterite or simple mounds of earth with scattered offerings can be found at city gates, outside domestic doorways and shrines and in public markets where the faithful offer palm oil, bits of bitter kola, kola nut or other pleasing offerings for Elegbara. He has an insatiable love of palm oil and if nothing else is available, this is the offering which pleases him most. He also accepts he-goat, cock, fried bean fritters, mashed yam, clean water, and catfish amongst others.

It is interesting to note that even in the New World, the foods and sacrificial preferences and names of the Old World orisas have remained overwhelmingly intact. This is not surprising as the transatlantic slave trade carried away millions of West Africans who took their belief systems, deities and their food preferences with them to the New World. Central to food offerings is the ever-flowing red palm oil, epo pupa, or azeite de dende, as it‘s known in Brazil. Brazil has an abundance of foods typical to Nigerian soil counting yam, cassava, the okro of Sango, various beans delectable to Oya and hot peppers amongst the orisas’ menu. The akara of Nigeria is spelled acaraje in Brazil and it has remained one of the preferred foods of Oya. Strong alcohol, bitter kola, kola nut, hen, cock, he-goat, she-goat, sheep, ram, and bull; all of these things are offered in the New World.

The sometimes lusty and abandoned manner in which Elegbara dances and the colors in which he is clothed are also intact when compared with West Africa, with the colors red and black or black and white making up his sacred wardrobe in the New World. In Brazil, Exu delights in being set free to roam the streets to dance in the crossroads, be it a road made of asphalt or of earth-under the full moon or the hot midday sun. Lucky is the person who witnesses Exu set loose to dance on the pounded red earth with rattles made of gourds clacking about the ankles, a leather cap affixed to his head. Some terreiros clothe Exu in a handsome satin cape covered in sacred symbols and slung about the shoulders, which adds to Exu’s striking presence on feast days. These feast parties, or giras (making reference to the circle of devotees dancing to the drums and awaiting possession), usually take place once a month honoring one or more orisa and they are no more remarkable in the eyes of society than a child’s birthday party. It is not uncommon to see young mothers breastfeeding babies, young men and people of all ages up to octogenarians enjoying the drumming and the spirited dancing of the orisa. There are also large communities of orisa worshipers in the United States with a huge presence in the states of Florida, New York, California, and Louisiana. The coastal islands off Georgia and South Carolina have sheltered the descendants of slaves for centuries with strong African traditions surviving there.

Though there are many regional differences in how Elegbara is worshiped in ritual form, there is a common thread that runs through all sacred houses of worship, no matter their location on the planet. This tells us that belief in the orisa is very much alive and well in spite of the faithful sons and daughters having been forcefully carried away across the waters from the birthplace of the orisas.

From the years 1650 to 1900, almost nine million slaves were taken from the Gold Coast, the Bight of Benin, the Bight of Biafra, and West Central Africa. The great majority landed in From the years 1650 to 1900, almost nine million slaves were taken from the Gold Coast, the Bight of Benin, the Bight of Biafra, and West Central Africa. The great majority landed in Brazil, with the rest going to the United States and the islands of the West Indies in the Caribbean such as Cuba, Jamaica, present day Haiti and Puerto Rico, Trinidad-Tobago, Curacao and Antigua. A small number of captives were taken to Mexico and to Columbia in South America. Later migrations led to orisa worship and syncretism with the Catholic church in various countries such as Honduras, Venezuela, and French Guinea amongst others. During the twentieth century, orisa, and principally Ifa worship, spread to Argentina, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Russia, Japan, Denmark, Finland and many other countries, showing that so-called advanced and literate societies have found spiritual value and meaning in African-based religious traditions, specifically the Yoruba traditions, while so many Africans have tried to purge these from their family lineages and their own modern day lives.

For lack of a better or more creative phrase, a global village best describes the world we are living in today, with religious adherents of many skin colors, languages and nationalities praising the names of Olodumare, Elegbara and the orisa. In just a few hundred years humanity witnessed a huge migration, with a resultant subtle shifting of thought, as the slaves of the Middle Passage disseminated what can only be called a non-rational and “electro-dynamic” approach to spirituality and of place in the order of the universe. That universe is a flexible, gossamer web which shimmers like the night sky. Within the streams of living energy that make up the web are all the elements, the planets, stars, galaxies, orisa, humans, plants, animals, minerals and vegetative life. We are all inter-connected and the Ifa divination system accesses the plant, animal and mineral wisdom that Olodumare, all the orisa and the elders handed down orally to relieve our suffering. For every problem known to man, there is a solution within the chanted ese of Ifa. By manipulating the cosmic strings of the web through the power of Elegbara, the Ifa priests, who embody Orunmila, align us with the universe, bringing about order, harmony and victory for us on earth. Happiness and peace enter our hearts and it is there in the human heart where Elegbara resides.

He teaches us how to behave, how to make proper choices with our heart that knows, or should know, the difference between right and wrong, good and evil. He reflects the positive and negative forces which exist in the world and within all humankind. He is the ultimate tempter, offering us everything we selfishly desire with one hand, and with the other he makes ready to club us on the head. He will give us just enough rope so that we can either tie a noose and hang ourselves, or we can use the rope to help lift ourselves up out of our troubles. These are the lessons Elegbara gives us as we live out our days on earth.

Our blue planet is spinning at 1,000 miles an hour, rotating around the sun in a dance of 67,000 miles an hour, nestled in a twinkling galaxy called the Milky Way that contains about 100 billion stars. As we move within the solar system, our galaxy is also drifting through the darkness of intergalactic space where an estimated 100 billion galaxies are scattered throughout the visible universe. In the face of this incomprehensible and limitless enormity, man must find a way to rectify himself, to justify his presence in the order of the universe and as he stands staring up at the night sky, somewhere on the planet Elegbara is dancing barefoot on red earth, laughing.

Cowrie Shell Divination & Ifa Spiritual Tools
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Obatala ~ King of the White Cloth
Oba tí kìí kú, Oba tí kìí rùn, Oba tí kìí tòògbé, Oba tí kìí sùn.
The King that does not die
The King that is never sick
The King that is never sleepy
The King that does not sleep

He is The King who wears immaculate clothing, pure and white, also known as Orisa Nla, Olufon and many others. Orisa Nla always represents the essence of Yoruba ritual and purity, ethical purity and the ideal of high character and morals.

Children/omo of Orisa Nla are known for being mature beyond their years, sober, deep thinkers and with very high standards of conduct. Followers of Obatala take an oath to not lie, and conduct themselves with a very high moral standard. It is very rare to find a child of Obatala behaving badly.

Obatala, as he is usually called in the diaspora, and Olodumare, the Supreme Creator, are linked together, with Obatala seen as the symbol for or linked to Olodumare. Some praises of Olodumare describe Obatala as a King on Earth. It is through Obatala that one can reach God.

The whiteness associated with Obatala symbolizes purity and his praise names reflect his sacred and pure character:
Osun ninu ala, oji ninu ala, otun fi ala bora: One who sleeps in white, awakens in white, and who covers himself completely in white.

Aterere kaye: The one who spreads over the whole of earth.

Alagbawi niwaju Edumare: A greatly honored petitioner and advocate who stands before Olodumare.

Alamo rere: The one who works with special clay ( used to mold man).

Olodumare gave to Obatala the right to create the body of man,. When he finishes working in clay to create man, Olodumare then breathes the life force principle into the body. He was given the power to create man as he chooses, in all shapes, colors and sizes. People who are crippled in the leg, arm hand, hunchbacked or, especially if albino, are regarded as receiving a the special mark of Obatala and are seen as special to him.

Orisa Nla devotees use white clothes and necklaces of bright metal or lead. Though they are free to use other colors of clothing, it is white which brings them into alignment with the vibration of Obatala. They use a gong to awaken him as they chant the special praise names. They must not take strong drink and must not use any substance which will alter their perception of reality or make them lose their senses.

The temple of Obatala is painted white inside and out, and the staff of Obatala is white and the beads worn by devotees are white. The shrine water is changed every day if possible, from pure water taken very early in the morning from a stream by a virgin or an older woman who is no longer sexually active and with upstanding character.

Many praise names and songs show Obatala’s talent:

Eni soju se’mu: He who makes eyes, he who makes noses.

Ada ni bo ti ri: He who creates as he pleases.

Adimula: The one who holds all the good things of life.

Orisa Nla can be appeased with kola nut, shea butter, orogbo, corn meal, white gin, clean water, pigeon, snail, white beads and cloth, efun chalk, mashed yam, guinea fowl, he and she goat but he MUST NEVER, EVER BE FED PALM OIL.

Cowrie Shell Divination & Ifa Spiritual Tools

Odu Ifa
When one speaks of the Yoruba people, culture and their traditions, it is impossible to separate the subject from Odu Ifa. Within the oral corpus of the Ifa divination and worship system resides the soul and beating heart of the Yoruba people as a whole. The 256 odu signatures of Ifa and the thousands of ese/verses they contain, comprise all of the science, cosmology, metaphysics, medicine and wisdom held within that sacred ground. Ifa embodies the wisdom of life, truth, the revealing of destiny and destination. Ifa is the living body of wisdom handed down by Olodumare, given to Orunmila, the first diviner priest and the only one who is witness to our destiny in the spiritual realm when we are ready to be born. He used this wisdom to heal and resolve all human problems that come with living on this earth as well as training the diviner priests who came to be known as “Babalawo”, priest of Ifa who are teachers and know the secrets contained within the 256 odu, and how to use that knowledge to help us attain our perfect destiny. The odus are the wombs which each one of us come from, with our own unique road or path that constitute all of the possibilities inherent in one’s life destiny-positive and negative. The odus and their verses are road maps that can guide one in detail through life towards the things that all living beings cherish: long life, health, family, children, love, money, position in life, freedom from loss, victory over sickness and death. But who is the savior priest who brought IFA to the people?

The first Babalawo priest who walked the earth was named Orunmila. It is he who encompassed and encompasses the entire order of the Yoruba cosmology, as he IS deity, prayed to and the prayer. Orunmila is the custodian of the wisdom of IFA, along with Esu, the Sacred Child of Heaven, Lagemo Orun. Without Esu, none of the divination or sacrifices could be completed with success. Orunmila is the only person among the descendants of God who can give prophesies of the future, the present and can change the future outcome of situations in order to bring us more perfection, power, success and happiness. It is through the eyes of Esu that Orunmila can see into the past, present and the future. It is Orunmila that people turn to when confronted with the need to assess how to overcome a problem and/or which life purpose is their destiny and how to achieve that destiny wholly. He passed down to his learner Babalawo, the priests, the entire knowledge held within all 256 odus; the paths and life destinies to be played out here on earth by all humans, but it is only Orunmila who knew all of the verses in their entirety. Within each odu there are hundreds of ese, verses or poems, that describe in detail a particular client who approached an Ifa priest because of something troubling them in this life. The client could be a woman desperately wanting a child, it could be a cat needing to rid himself of creditors who will not let him sleep, it could be a common vine wanting to rise above the rest of the forest and claim her place in the sun, all of them with problems similar to what befalls man and it is in parables that Ifa speaks, much like the words of Jesus. The negative forces of life, called the Ajogun, are what bedevils all of us at one time or the other. These are : loss, sickness of pocket (money trouble), sickness of body, lawsuit, obstacles of every sort imaginable, impending death etc.

‘Òwe ni Ifá ípa, òmòràn ni ìmò ó’
Ifá always speaks in parables;
It is a wise man who understands his words.

Contained within the verses is the key, the answer and remedy to the clients particular problem, and it is the task of the Ifa priest to prescribe the sacrifices, call upon the orisa deities and other heavenly forces, make the sacrifices and once again bring about harmony in the client’s life. Over time, these verses have slowly faded from memory, a few here, a few there, lost over the centuries as inter-tribal warfare, slav

Contained within the verses is the key, the answer and remedy to the clients particular problem, and it is the task of the Ifa priest to prescribe the sacrifices, call upon the orisa deities and other heavenly forces, make the sacrifices and once again bring about harmony in the client’s life. Over time, these verses have slowly faded from memory, a few here, a few there, lost over the centuries as inter-tribal warfare, slavery, colonization and jihad encroached upon Yorubaland. It has been solely through the oral tradition of memorization that the odus and their myriad verses have been preserved. It is only now in the 20th and 21st centuries that academics and priests have taken to the task of writing these verses down to preserve them, to share the tradition, and to ensure that future generations will have recourse to the knowledge of their forefathers and foremothers.

A junior priest must be able to recite a minimum of 4 verses for each odu to be qualified to become a full fledged Babalawo. Initiation into Ifa does not make one a Babalawo priest or diviner. It is only after mastering not only the verse, but all of the prescribed sacrifices, the chants and orikis, the plant medicine and accompanying songs, that a junior initiate can then take his place as an embodiment of Orunmila in society. There are at least 40 ese for each odu and upwards of 800 cited as possible, with many more lost to time.As of today, many Ifa priests still travel from town to town to learn new Odu Ifa from a competent Ifa priest. Some Ifa priests might even stay for some years as a student in order to learn more and before going back to their home to continue the gospel of Orunmila. It is very common to study with a learned priest, whether it is an Onisegun, to learn more of ewe oogun (the practice and manipulation of destiny with plant medicine), or an elder whose memory and experience far surpasses any of his juniors in the Ifa priesthood.

All the descendants of God, and this includes the orisa in the beginning, called upon the great diviner Orunmila to give advice on how they could be successful at their various endeavors here on earth. The orisa, just as all of us, wanted to find solutions for their problems, to achieve their highest glory and honor here on earth, to know the outcome of voyages, business propositions, where to settle so that they could lead productive and happy lives. Many of the problems faced by the orisa, the first diviners and their companions, were problems that were spiritually rooted, from ignorance, the breaking of dietary taboos and deviating from accepted customs.

The Ifa priests took their origin from Orunmila and other great and wise diviners from generation to generation, before the emergence of the reforming prophet of the Oduduwa era of Yoruba history (500 BC-500 AD). To this present day the divinatory process of Orunmila, the principles and procedures have yet to change, although some verses have been lost as stated earlier. The ancient people believed that heavy power should not be left within the hands of one person only, that it should be spread among the people of a community to provide checks and balances. This was done so that one person would not become so powerful as to dominate others.

The Story of ODU IFA

One of the first diviners is/was called ODU, and Odu is female. She is the second wife of Orunmila. Orunmila married Odu when the first wife of Orunmila, called EGAN, could not get pregnant. Orunmila consulted the Ifa oracle about his wife’s barrenness. Ifa told him to go and marry a second wife before Egan could bear a child. According to the Odu Ifa of Iwori Rete:

Aja oni bode Mowa
Dog is a watch guard of Mowa town

Agbo onibode Moba
Ram is a watch guard of Moba town

Adiye Irana Aba ara sukusuku
The fowl that roams about always look strange

Adifafun Orunmila baba mani egan sile
Thus declared Ifa oracle, and advised Orunmila that Egan his wife, was without a child

O lo re gbe Odu ni iya

Egan a so, Odu awo, omo awo a male (how Ifa priests greet Babalawo’s wives)
Egan will produce seed, Odu will continue multiplying, and Ifa students will increase.

This was how Odu gave birth to the 16 children of Odu Ifa after Orunmila married Odu as a second wife.

From the verse called Ofu-Meji, it was made known to every Babalawo that Odu the diviner is the one who gave birth to all the first 16 children of Orunmila.

Oloko lo mo bi isu tasi
It is the farmer that knows where yam has germinated

Ko to ma di oyi kale biri biri biri
Before it started to spread over the land

Adifafun Orunmila baba lore gbe Odu ni iyawo
Thus declared Ifa oracle to Orunmila after he took Odu as his wife

Won ni o kara giri, ebo ni omo kose
He was asked to hold himself, and after the sacrifice for his wife to get pregnant

E wa wo omo Odu bere
Come and see the children Odu has spread everywhere

Odu lo biwa, Odu lo yawa
Odu is the one that gave birth to us, Odu is the one that produced us

E wa woo mo Odu bere
Come and see the children Odu has spread over the land

Odu lo bi wa ba se po ba won
Odu is the one that gave birth to us

All Babalawo should always see each other and love one another as they love themselves. In order to embrace, love and have compassion for one another, the senior Babalawo always says to others:

Ati elegan, ati olodu ni won jo se awo (words of shared love among all Babalawo).

Ifa priests and Iyanifa initiated without seeing Odu and Ifa priests initiated seeing Odu, can both participate in any Ifa services (women cannot gaze upon the Odu calabash though women ARE innately, ODU). That is, we are all children from Orunmila, because Egan and Odu were wives to Orunmila.

ODU then gave birth to sixteen children called ODU IFA. The first ranking among them is:

EJI-OGBE

OYEKU MEJI

IWORI MEJI

ODI MEJI

IROSUN MEJI

OWONRIN MEJI

OBARA MEJI

OKANRAN MEJI

OGUNDA MEJI

OSA MEJI

IKA MEJI

OTURUPON MEJI

OTURA MEJI,

IRETE MEJI,

OSE MEJI

and the last rank among them is OFU MEJI,

the eldest son among the ODU IFA, but EJIOGBE was the one crowned as king among them in spite of his being the youngest among them, according to verses of Ejiogbe as follows:

Oloto, Orororo, Ototo laje epa, ototo leje omu,

ohun to ri,

ntori ohun tori nitori,

ohun toritori ni won fi fun oba maki ni ode ikanje,

kole bafi oun toritori tani lore,

adifafun Erinjinlogun odu,

won lo ba olufe tun aye so bi igba.

Adifafun Ejiogbe o loba olufe tun aye o so bi igba.

Ayi mo iwa fun ara won ni,

ara isewaju wa di ara ikeyin,

eni mo fun ara won ni

Meaning: After some time when Orunmila had left Earth to go to heaven, the king of Ife land now summoned Orunmila to come back to Earth to help him to resolve some problems within the community. Orunmila said he could not come back to Earth again, so he then sent his sixteen children called ODU IFA, as they were well trained and had full knowledge of Ifa to help the King of Ife solve his problems. Orunmila immediately told them of their impending journey to Earth. The team, led by Ofu Meji excluded little Eji-Ogbe from embarking on the journey with them, but Eji-Ogbe is the one that went to consult Ifa about the journey. Ifa now advised him to not overlook anyone, especially those seeking his assistance. Ofu Meji lead the team and after a few days journey they met the son of the King of the Forest who informed them that his father was requesting their assistance in solving his own problem before they went to see the King of Ife. Ofu Meji rejected the request and replied to the boy that when they were through with the King of Ife, he and his team would come back to assist him. He then asked the boy the road that would take them to Ife. The boy gave them the wrong direction and the team set out. In the meantime, Eji-Ogbe had set out on the journey, tagging a few days behind the team of Odu. He met the boy on his way and the boy once again requested assistance on behalf of his father the King. Eji-Ogbe

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Ogun ~ Orisa of Iron
The orisa Ogun is referred to as Osin Imale, Chief among the orisas. One of the first divinities to walk the earth, it was with his cutlass that he cleared a pathway through the thick impenetrable bush on earth when the first orisa were trying to inhabit it. He is known as the owner of iron and steel; in fact all metals and alloys are owned by him. He is the patron of all blacksmiths and iron workers, roadway and rail workers, firemen, policemen, hunters, soldiers, anyone who uses the roadways, anyone dealing with tools, as an artisan, or implements of war propitiates Ogun, asking for his help before undertaking any task or battle to escape disaster. He opens our roads both materially and spiritually, in both material endeavors such as business and in warfare, earthly or heavenly.

Ogun is depicted in verse and icon as carrying two cutlass or machete. One is used for farming the land and the other for clearing paths or roadways: Ogun alada meji, o fi okan sako, ofi ekeji ye ona.
Though a fierce and victorious warrior, he is also known as an orisa of indispensable talent during times of peace as he is the maker of hoes and farm tools for use in cultivating the land. Because of his talent as the greatest blacksmith on earth, he is known as The God Of Iron.

It is Ogun who remains undefeated in battle both in heaven and on earth. According to oral history he was married to a woman named Ijaa, and she was also a great warrioress who followed Ogun into every one of his battles to support him and fight by his side. Warriors and soldiers summon his spirit before they go into battle so they may conquer their enemy. Hunters also make offering to Ogun before they go into the forest to hunt for food, asking for his protection from harm and to also ensure they are successful. He is known for his love of charms and he is known as having the power to multiply whatever he wishes in quantity, an oriki praises him as having the power to make one fish into two. Hunters typically cover themselves in charms before they go into the bush to ensure not only their safety but also a productive hunt. Ogun also fashioned the first fish hooks for fishing and every market square has a place reserved for Ogun and Esu, as Ogun was the first orisa to inaugurate a market for the diviners to be able to trade amongst themselves. You might not even find the simple shrine unless you carefully observe the area, but with certainty every market in Yorubaland has a place to put offerings for Ogun on their premises.

Praise oriki depict Ogun thus:
Ogun lakaye: The indispensable one, known everywhere.
Olomi ni le fi eje we: One who has water, but chooses to bathe with blood.
O laso ni le fi imo bo ra: One who has cloth, but chooses to wear palm leaves.

Though depicted as having a rather brutish and crude, gruff temperament with a ferocious need for blood, Ogun in actuality is an orisa who despises injustice, betrayal and people who do not play by the rules or bend them to their whim. In fact, in Yorubaland it is known that if one swears or takes an oath in the name of Ogun, they are risking swift and mighty justice if they in fact are lying, as Ogun will either strike them dead or leave the unfortunate liar or miscreant partially or totally deformed with a physical affliction. There is a popular saying that it is better that one should not break an oath or promise if it has been given to Ogun. So Ogun’s boldness and ferocious temper is not aimed at those who are doing good, but rather at those who are behaving badly in life and causing misfortune for others. It is Ogun who will go to fight for the weak, disadvantaged and those who have been mistreated by others with no morals and sense of right and wrong. Ogun Ye O! Omo Ogun must always live their lives in uprightness, treat others fairly, not tolerate injustice, and exercise great patience with others.

Olodumare ~ The Supreme Creator
Everything known of Olodumare (The Almighty), is handed down from the oral verses of Ifa, Ifa being the perfect wisdom and spoken word of God which embodies the 256 sacred odus of the Ifa divination corpus. Olodumare is the living word of Ifa: “Atewilese” – He that speaks and makes it so. Creator of heaven and earth, orun and aiye, he gave life to the Yoruba race. Having no equal, he is perceived as being unfathomable and omnipotent in the form of a blinding light. The many other names of Olodumare are Olorun (owner of heaven), Alaaye (the living one), Oba aire (the King no one can see) and many others.

Historically, the Yoruba did not worship Olodumare directly, meaning it is not customary to have dedicated shrines or direct sacrifices, though some modern day Yoruba do have a shrine for Olodumare in their home. Olodumare created the primordial divinities, the irunmole, and these lived in heaven, fashioned in the image of Olodumare. The creation myth varies greatly as to who helped create solid earth and descended first, with the role being assigned at times to Orunmila, Obatala (Orisa nla), or Odudua (Oodua), but most agree on basic points.

In the beginning there was only heaven, water, an iron chain or thread to descend to aiye and one sacred palm tree sticking up from the marshy vastness. Since Olodumare wanted to populate the earth with humans, the earth needed to become solid ground. It is said he gave Orunmila (or Obatala/Orisa nla) the very important task of moulding human beings from clay, and these bodies along with their heads would be set aside after formed until the time that Olodumare would come and breathe life into them. Other orisa were also involved in creating the human beings but it was mainly Obatala who was entrusted. Now Orunmila was said to be the only one who witnessed the process of Olodumare breathing life into the clay figures, the secret being unknown to all the rest of the orisa, so he is also known by the name of eleri ipin, the witness of human destiny. Odu Ifa say this is the reason why Orunmila is so successful in aiding man, as Olodumare gave him not only the knowledge of their destinies, but also the divine knowledge contained in the Ifa divination corpus to fix any shortcomings in life.

According to the oral verses of Ifa, Olodumare ordered Orunmila (or Odudua or Obatala, according to which area in Yoruba land you are residing), to create solid earth below so they could spread out and achieve their greatness each one according to the talents bestowed upon them by Olodumare. Orunmila was given a snail’s shell with a little earth inside which he sprinkled far below in the vicinity of the sacred palm tree. Immediately the water begun to bubble up and sand rose from underneath the water and mounded itself around the palm tree. Seeing that there was now an island of sand below, Orunmila sent down a five-toed hen which immediately set about scratching and flinging the sand far and wide, creating the four corners of the earth. To this day one can see the hen behaving just as she did when the earth was first formed. Next, in order to make sure the earth was truly firm and habitable, Orunmila sent down the chameleon to test the surface. With tentative steps the chameleon walked first this way, then that, stepping carefully before committing to put his full weight upon the rich red soil. He found everything was good and solid so went back up to report back to Orunmila. The place where the earth was first spread is known as Ile-Ife, the spiritual birthplace of the Yoruba people and still the spiritual center of all things Yoruba in modern day Nigeria.

Cowrie Shell Divination & Ifa Spiritual Tools
Olodumare ~ The Supreme Creator
Everything known of Olodumare (The Almighty), is handed down from the oral verses of Ifa, Ifa being the perfect wisdom and spoken word of God which embodies the 256 sacred odus of the Ifa divination corpus. Olodumare is the living word of Ifa: “Atewilese” – He that speaks and makes it so. Creator of heaven and earth, orun and aiye, he gave life to the Yoruba race. Having no equal, he is perceived as being unfathomable and omnipotent in the form of a blinding light. The many other names of Olodumare are Olorun (owner of heaven), Alaaye (the living one), Oba aire (the King no one can see) and many others.

Historically, the Yoruba did not worship Olodumare directly, meaning it is not customary to have dedicated shrines or direct sacrifices, though some modern day Yoruba do have a shrine for Olodumare in their home. Olodumare created the primordial divinities, the irunmole, and these lived in heaven, fashioned in the image of Olodumare. The creation myth varies greatly as to who helped create solid earth and descended first, with the role being assigned at times to Orunmila, Obatala (Orisa nla), or Odudua (Oodua), but most agree on basic points.

In the beginning there was only heaven, water, an iron chain or thread to descend to aiye and one sacred palm tree sticking up from the marshy vastness. Since Olodumare wanted to populate the earth with humans, the earth needed to become solid ground. It is said he gave Orunmila (or Obatala/Orisa nla) the very important task of moulding human beings from clay, and these bodies along with their heads would be set aside after formed until the time that Olodumare would come and breathe life into them. Other orisa were also involved in creating the human beings but it was mainly Obatala who was entrusted. Now Orunmila was said to be the only one who witnessed the process of Olodumare breathing life into the clay figures, the secret being unknown to all the rest of the orisa, so he is also known by the name of eleri ipin, the witness of human destiny. Odu Ifa say this is the reason why Orunmila is so successful in aiding man, as Olodumare gave him not only the knowledge of their destinies, but also the divine knowledge contained in the Ifa divination corpus to fix any shortcomings in life.

According to the oral verses of Ifa, Olodumare ordered Orunmila (or Odudua or Obatala, according to which area in Yoruba land you are residing), to create solid earth below so they could spread out and achieve their greatness each one according to the talents bestowed upon them by Olodumare. Orunmila was given a snail’s shell with a little earth inside which he sprinkled far below in the vicinity of the sacred palm tree. Immediately the water begun to bubble up and sand rose from underneath the water and mounded itself around the palm tree. Seeing that there was now an island of sand below, Orunmila sent down a five-toed hen which immediately set about scratching and flinging the sand far and wide, creating the four corners of the earth. To this day one can see the hen behaving just as she did when the earth was first formed. Next, in order to make sure the earth was truly firm and habitable, Orunmila sent down the chameleon to test the surface. With tentative steps the chameleon walked first this way, then that, stepping carefully before committing to put his full weight upon the rich red soil. He found everything was good and solid so went back up to report back to Orunmila. The place where the earth was first spread is known as Ile-Ife, the spiritual birthplace of the Yoruba people and still the spiritual center of all things Yoruba in modern day Nigeria.

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OLOKUN ~ Owner of all Waters
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“Awa ntoro ilosiwaju lowo Olokun”
“We seek prosperity from Olokun”
“Obirin takun takun ti ngbe inu Omi”
“Our bountiful lady of the Ocean”

Where does one begin to speak of the vast and mighty power that is Olokun, the owner of all waters on earth? Known as Yemoja in the diaspora, Olokun is the owner of all wealth, all riches, both materially and spiritually. She is the grand and majestic ocean that covers most of this home we call earth, and all rivers and streams bow down to her and empty into her arms. Her name Olokun means owner of the Ocean, and Olokun seri aje means she who created the ocean (and implies owner of all wealth). Her praise name Olokun serin ade means the maker of brass crowns, as she gifted Odudua, her husband, with the finest crown anyone had seen to date. As cowrie shells were used as money in olden days, she was seen as the possessor of all the great wealth of the Sea as well as the patron deity of traders and merchants due to trans-Atlantic trade. Even as late as the early 1900’s, offerings to Olokun were recorded in written documents during power struggles along the coastal kingdoms, consisting of white pigeon, salt and even a leopard.

Olokun worship historically was always concentrated on the shores of West Africa, as the Yoruba and related people shared her worship. Parts of Benin and Togo include Olokun worship, though oftentimes Olokun is viewed as a male irunmole there. We know that even as recently as the early 1900’s, sacrifices were being made to Olokun along the coastline of present day Nigeria by Obas desperate to retain power during the struggles and changes of that time.

It is of great importance to understand the relationship between Olokun and Orunmila, for they were best of friends. And it is important to remember how Ifa speaks using parables. Much like Olokun, the owner of vast wisdom and hidden riches, the meaning must be pondered over before true understanding arises and the messages and their wisdom are understood.

Orunmila went to Olokun, using the magic of the Akoko tree, to dwell with her in her underwater kingdom for many years. Though a great and learned diviner, he went to her to learn her wisdom and to become wealthy before returning to earth. Though the Yoruba speak of Olokun as ocean deity, she is also considered as having walked on earth and was the owner of a very successful bead making business. The remains of crucibles and many beads were discovered in archaeological excavations in the depths of her sacred shrine in Ile-Ife.

One cannot speak of Olokun without describing a very majestic and successful woman, owner of the finest cloth and beads, loving, stern, temperamental, giver of children though barren herself, and a very powerful sorceress with unlimited ASE. Her cdhildren are AJE, the large cowrie shells, and also the smaller cowrie shells which were used for centuries as a monetary unit all over West Africa. She is depicted in the colors of blue and white, with clear crystal beads or bright blue Olokun beads flowing over her large breasts, which represent her ability to nurture and give children.
If a child is born with the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck they are given to Olokun as their destiny and the Babalawos and followers of Ifa must make a special sacrifice for the children. They are initiated to Olokun to overcome their bad destiny as they are special children who must follow Olokun. In order to partake in the Olokun dance they must bring obi abata, a clay pot, chicken eggs and all things that are found in the ocean such as seashells, cowries etc., palm oil and put all in an oru pot, and sew a white bag to put everything inside. Anyone who digs up wholly or partially a white necklace must go to the Chief or King along with pigeons, snail, goat, beans and boiled corn. After receiving the items they will summon the Babalawos to make an offering to the ileke where it was found and to bring it out

One cannot speak of Olokun without describing a very majestic and successful woman, owner of the finest cloth and beads, loving, stern, temperamental, giver of children though barren herself, and a very powerful sorceress with unlimited ASE. Her cdhildren are AJE, the large cowrie shells, and also the smaller cowrie shells which were used for centuries as a monetary unit all over West Africa. She is depicted in the colors of blue and white, with clear crystal beads or bright blue Olokun beads flowing over her large breasts, which represent her ability to nurture and give children.
If a child is born with the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck they are given to Olokun as their destiny and the Babalawos and followers of Ifa must make a special sacrifice for the children. They are initiated to Olokun to overcome their bad destiny as they are special children who must follow Olokun. In order to partake in the Olokun dance they must bring obi abata, a clay pot, chicken eggs and all things that are found in the ocean such as seashells, cowries etc., palm oil and put all in an oru pot, and sew a white bag to put everything inside. Anyone who digs up wholly or partially a white necklace must go to the Chief or King along with pigeons, snail, goat, beans and boiled corn. After receiving the items they will summon the Babalawos to make an offering to the ileke where it was found and to bring it out of the ground. If a pot is found, it will be taken out of the earth and worshiped. The ileke is called Olokun and it will be put inside of the pot. Like the human womb, Olokun is the womb of all life on earth and in the sea, the keeper of secrets and esoteric knowledge.

ORIKI OLOKUN
Olokun, orisa that lives in water
She spreads herself all over the earth
Orisa that has no hand
Orisa that has no leg
She uses her power to take your legs out from under you
That makes a small child fall down flat
Please, we beg you, do not make me fall down
Okun, help me to achieve my desires
Olokun, bless my head
Make my head become a head of riches
The way you have turned the head of foreigners
Who make the ocean as their passageway
Ocean that is not black like dyed cloth
The mother that helps her child avoid being caught
Save me!
Olokun the Queen of Water
The good protector, help me protect my child
The one who leads children
Save me and save my soul
Nobody can see the end of Okun
And no one sees the end of Olosa (lagoon)
No one can see the root of omo gelegele
Those who dare try to see the end of Okun
Are ships in the ocean
Ocean is orisa that went to the land of her people
Ocean is the most powerful amongst all waters
Olokun seri aje has long narrow hands
That she uses to remove her daughters from holes
Seri aje Save me O!
You cannot use a calabash to

The odu of Ogbe Ate tells us a true story of Olokun, as the odu Ifa have been handed down orally for thousands of years, and it is to this authentic and reliable Yoruba source that I will tell one story of Olokun, and know that there are many other versions backed up by Odu Ifa, such as how Olokun became a cowrie diviner, or how she became the most powerful among all diviners.
Ogbe Ate
Olokun is one of the most prominent, powerful and courageous orisa on earth and she holds a very high position among all diviners, besides being one of the prettiest. Her home is in Ile-ife, in the area called Igbo Olokun. The followers of Olokun were not many in the beginning. Many of them were leaving to follow and worship other orisa. Those who left were saying “Olokun is too honest, she doesn’t tolerate lies”. Olokun only wanted honest people around her. Olokun’s intelligence goes beyond ordinary human intelligence and she doesn’t tolerate any kind of nonsense from anyone. Very neat and tidy, she detests a dirty environment.

One day Olokun realized that she was not achieving the mission that Olodumare had given her because she was so honest, detested lies, didn’t like dirt, and did not tolerate those things in others. She decided to consult Baba Orunmila.
IROSUN-OGBE
To her surprise, he said that he would assist her and help her to solve all of her problems. He said he needed to make sacrifice and after doing so, all of the people who had left her would come back to join her again. Furthermore, he said that she would become a powerful orisa that everyone would worship, that the work would make her rich and had never been done before on earth. Olokun of course agreed on the spot to make the sacrifice.

One day Olokun noticed a big stone that was a lovely blue color, as if water were inside, in the backyard of her home. She began thinking about what she could use the stone for. Days later she decided to fashion a necklace using the blue stone and she made a lovely ileke. When the other diviners saw the ileke they began begging Olokun to please give them their own set of ileke necklace and wrist beads. They started buying the beads from Olokun and she began to be rich and famous, to the extent that all the people who left her came back and joined her. Olokun took them back as any merciful mother would. In spite of her fame, wealth, many followers and her power amongst all the irunmole and people, she still had one problem: she did not have a husband she could lay under so she could have a child. To solve this problem she went once again to Orunmila to ask for his help.a

OGBE FUN
The odu that was divined for Olokun was Ogbe-Fun II I
I I
II I
I I
Ifa said that she will have her own husband , that he will be someone of very good character from among the diviners, that she is the one he will marry, but she must make sacrifice. She carried out the sacrifice in grand style, following all that Ifa said.
Not much later all her prayers were answered.

This is when Odudua Olofin heard the news about Olokun and her powers and beautiful beads. He began buying necklaces and bracelets from her and he himself was an accomplished blacksmith who also made lovely necklaces and bracelets made of metal. Upon first meeting her he thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and also saw that she not under any man, nor were there any men chasing her. She was clearly not an easy woman. He saw her as a very dignified woman and he began to look for a way to befriend her in order to take her as his wife. But he began to be afraid of her power and her position. He sent for Orunmila to divine the Ifa oracle for him. Heaven advised him to go ahead and propose to Olokun, that she would accept his offer and that he should make sacrifice in order to have many children with her. Odudua refused to make the sacrifice for children. To his great surprise, Olokun accepted his proposal to be his wife with no objections. This is how Olokun became the wife of Odudua Olofin.

But to his surprise, Olokun refused to move and live with Odudua in his palace as she said it would disrupt her work of making beads for necklaces and bracelets. Odudua accepted this because he loved her so much, and also because of her beauty, wealth, power and position in society. Olokun continued doing her work and without any doubts or compromise, she loved Odudua completely, but the fact is that she did not bear him any children. She still made beautiful jewelry for him, including a brass crown that was of such beauty that it was the most beautiful in all the land and it was on his head. Europeans discovered the glass making quarry and brass works that Olokun used to create her works on the border of Ileshe in Ogun State and Esinmirin in Ile-Ife, Oyo State.

As time went by, Olokun had lots of money, her blessings were accumulating, the irunmole were all coming to her side. Among all the diviners in Ile Ife it was Olokun who was the most famous (she was also an accomplished cowrie diviner). She was very generous to all and very happy to be in the midst of people and attending to their needs. This made all the irunmole want to be around her and also ask for her assistance, but it also made them jealous. Her shrine was always full and because of this they used to complain that they were really the better ones. Every year a festival was held for Olokun and everyone knew it would be the largest, grandest, and many gifts were handed out freely for all.
OSE OWONRIN
The verse of OSE WORIN tells us that the irunmole would choose to go to her festival over all the other’s festivals and this caused so much jealousy that they agreed as a group to not attend her festival. Obatala consulted Ifa to see if he should go to her festival, or stay away with all the other irunmole. The irunmole asked Obatala if he was going and he said “No, I won’t go”, but Ifa told him to send his messenger, the Chameleon Alagemo, so Obatala could continue to have a friendship with Olokun. Unbeknownst to Obatala, all of the irunmole who had said they were not going to her festival, went, and when Alagemo the Chameleon saw this he cried “Oh NO! Obatala has been betrayed by them. Look at them all here!”. Obatala had asked Alagemo to tell Olokun that his destiny had forbade him to attend her festival.

After the festival Chameleon appeared in the gardens of the all the irunmole and he took all of the colors of their clothes. This made them very afraid and they thought that Obatala was ready to do battle with them, thinking that he had sent his messenger on ahead. The irunmole all started to feel very guilty that they had betrayed Obatala but Olokun and Obatala remained friends in spite of the irunmole’s attempts to make them quarrel.

Olokun was very troubled that the irunmole were not ready to honor and respect her. They thought they were all Gods, but not her. She went to Orunmila to talk to him, as she was not happy with everything that was happening on earth. She had decided to leave IFE land and told Orunmila that she would be amazed if he could find a solution to help her.

EJI OGBE
Orunmila divined for Olokun and the odu that came was Eji Ogbe. Orunmila assured her that all of her problems would resolve and she would find a new home. He asked her to do the sacrifice. He told her to go at night and get one calabash of water and in the morning one calabash of water, to go to the left side of earth and bring water and to the right side of earth to bring water, both morning and evening, and to go to the Red Sea to bring water. Orunmila used the waters to make sacrifice for her and when he was finished he said she should take the waters he had prayed over and to bathe her body, then stay inside her home for 7 days. She must not open the door, see anyone, or see daylight. She did exactly as he said.

On the third day she discovered that the door in front had turned to grass and the door in back had turned to copper. The wooden door on the right side had turned to zinc, and the door on the left side had turned to silver. On the seventh day when she decided it was safe to leave the house she saw that all under her home had become water. Olodumare had decided to giver her a house on top of the water. Olokun was amazed and set out to Orunmila’s house to give him the news. He was very happy for her and she took him home to treat him as a pampered guest, entertaining and feeding him as he had never experienced before. He began to sing praises that Olokun had given him a wonderful gift and that he was happy Eledumare had allowed him to understand the message. Olokun began singing praises saying “IFA is great!”. Ever since that day Orunmila enters the ocean to divine for Olokun. The story continues on as to how Orunmila came to live with Olokun for many years in her underwater realm, but as all good stories go, we shall save that part of the story for later.
PRAYER TO OLOKUN
I bow before your mystery Olokun
The Queen of all Mothers
Mother of all Orisa
The Womb of all Life
The Keeper of feminine ASE
Womb of the whole World
Orisa of all Oceans and Rivers
It is you who holds the mystery of divine feminine Ase
Mo juba O!Cowrie Shell Divination & Ifa Spiritual Tools
Orunmila ~ Man of Wisdom
‘Òwe ni Ifá ípa, òmòràn ni ìmò ó’
Ifá always speaks in parables;
It is a wise man who understands his words.

Orunmila was the very first Ifa diviner, the first Babalawo (father of mysteries or secrets, a teacher), who came from heaven to earth as part of the 17 original irunmole that Olodumare/Eledumare sent down from heaven. He was given the knowledge of Olodumare which is encoded into the 256 odus of Ifa: the word of Ifa is the word of God, and it covers every possible calamity of humankind and how to avoid them, how to live well and in peace. These trials can come through our own choice of destiny, and also by our own actions or in-actions. It is only Orunmila who knows our destiny as shown by the praise name ‘The Eyewitness of Destiny, Ẹlérìí Ìpín’. He is also known as ‘The historian of Ifè land’, Òpìtàn Ilè Ifè, Ife being the first area that the irunmole came down from heaven. Orunmila was made the leader of the deities while on earth, before he returned to orun.

Orunmila walked the length and breadth of Yorubaland and also traveled to neighboring communities like Tapa land, (Tiv tribe), in the middle belt part of Nigeria. Before leaving each place, he ensured that he had trained and taught one or more students in the oracle of Ifa, as well as ensuring they could perform healings, divination consultations and knew by heart the gospel of Ifa before he left. This is no easy task, as up until this day it is considered to take at least 12 years to learn well the complete set of knowledge which encompasses not only being able to recite, from memory, all 256 odus and their thousands of verses, but also know the proper sacrifices, songs, and herbal medicine for each one of those verses. He is known as ‘Akerefinusogon’, the small man of stature yet large in wisdom.

Olodumare placed Orunmila here on earth to intercede for humans, to teach us how to co-exist peacefully, to act as a mediator between humans, the orisa and our ancestors, to resolve the many problems which face us as humans. He was an example who walked this earth, trying to instill in humans the basics of iwa pele, good character, and for us to be able to harvest the fruits that correct behavior brings. Ifa says he reincarnated many times, and is yet to come back to earth in another reincarnation to bring about a new era of truthfulness, sincerity, honesty and purity of heart.

Many stories abound of how Orunmila came by his knowledge of divination using the 16 four-eyed palm nuts called ikin; some say it was Esu who taught Orunmila the art, others say he was taught in heaven. Regardless, he holds the wisdom of the 256 odus and all the verses within those odus which contain the remedies for every situation and ailment known to humankind. Truly, not even death can stand up to the mastery of Orunmila (or an able Babalawo)! Aided by Esu, he (and all Babalawo priests), uses Esu’s eyes and powers as Esu moves freely between orun and aiye seeing all that pertains to our human lives and how he can better them.

This union of Orunmila and Esu is represented by the eyes and face of Esu always carved into the wood of the opon divining board at the 12 o’clock position opposite the position where the Babalwao sits. When the Babalawo first chants ‘Iwaju Opon o gbo’, “front of the tray you have heard the client’s request”, he is speaking to Esu and asking Esu’s consent to carry out the divination. Also telling, is that any money offered at the beginning of divination is not in payment of the Babalawo priest but actually an offering to Esu, who is always paid, and paid first, even if just a few coins or naira. Esu watches and bears witness to the divination being performed and he is also the keeper of the ase, the divine authority without which nothing would come to fruition by Orunmila or any Babalawo who practices! It is Esu who presides side by side with Orunmila over divination and it is Esu who allows Orunmila to see into the past, present and futureEvery Babalawo priest who walks this earth is a representation of Orunmila himself and his role is to help us redeem our lives here on earth, to find peace and satisfaction. They are expected to embody the ethics, values and morals befitting of the King, as Orunmila himself is also viewed as a King here on earth and in heaven. In fact, when Orunmila came to earth he wore a crown, and this crown was the first instrument used in divination to further the happiness of humans on earth. It was only later that he ‘traded’ his crown to a King of earth who had need to be publicly recognized.

“Emi Oba logboogba,Oba ndade, mo gbede borun.”
“The king and I are equal, The king wears the Crown,
I wear the long bead necklace (ide),
The King and I are equal.”

Another method of divination was needed on earth so that more Babalawo could help the suffering people and give them the healing and aligning powers of Ifa, the spoken and divine word of God. The Ope tree was then initiated into Ifa and bore the fruit which became the instrument of divination til this day.

LINEAGE APPRAISAL OF ORUNMILA BABA AGBONMIREGUN
Orunmila Baba Agbonmiregun
Orunmila, the Father, the brave one that makes prayers manifest
Okurin dudu ti gbe oke Igeti
The black short man that lived in Igeti valley (Ekiti State)
A tun ori eni ti ko sunwon se
The one that help mankind prevail to their destiny
Odudu ti du ori Eleku
The one that protected the head of the mouse owner from evil
Odudu ti du ori Eleja
The one that protected the head of the fish owner from evil
Odudu ti du ori Elere
The one that protected a child from untimely death, against the evil cult
Oba ti nfi Oba je
King that crowns another king with power
Igba keji Orisa
The deputy of Ifa oracle
Ifa omo Enire Ifa
The son of the great one
Ifa omo Enire Ifa
The son who spreads blessings
Ifa omo Enikan Saka bi Agbon
The son of ones who are smart as wasps
Ewi nle Ado
The decider of Ado town (Ado-Ekiti)
Orisa n’deta
The only oracle in Ideta town
Erinmi lode Owo
The chief Erinmi of Owo town (Ondo State)
Mapo Elere
The messiah of Mapo Elere town
Maba Otun
The rescuer of Maba Otun town (Ondo state)
Gbola jokoo omo okuku ti merin erin fon
One that is seated surrounded by wealth, and makes the trumpeting of the Elephant
Omo opolopolopo imo tit u jiajia yo wodi
The son of many professions that flows strong and high as a stream flowing becoming a river
Omo Asese yo ogomo tii fun ningin ningin
The son that appears shining like a fresh leaf bud
Omo Ejo Meji tii sare ganranganran lori erewe
The son of two snakes that runs fastest on the fallen leaves
Omo ina joko mo joorun
The son of a burning forest which does not blot out the sun
Omo ina joko mo je eluju
The son of a burning forest which does not harm the young palm seed tree
Ifa pele omo Enire
Ifa we praise the son of who gives blessings
Ifa pele omo Enikan Saka bi Agbon
We praise the son of the one clever like a wasp
Ifa pele Orisa Oko Aje
Ifa we appraise you, the oracle that married Aje (goddess of wealth)
Ifa pele Orisa Oko Osun
Ifa we appraise you, the oracle that married Osun (River goddess)
Ifa pele o, Omo Orisa kan Orisan kan ti afisin eye ti ori oko ti afi sin eye
If we praise you, the only oracle that can make a bird fly away without throwing a stone
Ifa pele o, Omo Olope ba n owo biwo
Ifa we appraise you, the only owner of Ope seed that produced money
Ifa pele o, Omo Olope ba n bimo
Ifa we praise you, the only owner of Ope seed that gives child
Omo Olope kan Ope kan ti se ewe jiajia lori igi
The son of Ifa that makes the breeze on the Ope tree to make it strong
A kere finu se ogbon
One that is very small with quick wisdom
Opitan Ife tin je Agbo
The historian of Ife town that likes to eat rams meat
Baba komo loro bi iye kan eni
The Father that teaches/gives every child nourishment though not their relative
Baba afi edefeyo
The Father that uses his speech to recite proverbs from Ifa.

Devotees of Orunmila (women can also be initiated into the order but usually do not dDevotees of Orunmila (women can also be initiated into the order but usually do not divine using ikin, only opele or cowries, but some do use ikin), usually have a corner of their home dedicated to the priest diviner. The ‘hand of Ifa’ consisting of a quantity larger than 16 palm nuts is kept in a covered dish, usually set on top the wooden opon and both on top of a type of platform as befitting a King’s throne. There can also be an ajere, a wooden bowl carved specifically for just the 16 four-eyed ikin used in divination; a cow or horse tail switch called an iruke or irukere; a carved rattle or tapper with Esu’s likeness or that of a kneeling man or woman, called an iroke, and used to awake Esu and the spirit world; iyerosun powder to spread on the divining board and mark the odus as they are discovered and usually a quantity of cowrie shells. The ikin are fed on certain days and enjoy offerings of liquor, shea butter, dried rat, orogbo, obi, and other treats. The ikin are viewed as the body of Orunmila himself, as all diviners have a need for food and drink, so do the ikin in order to work well at the service of humankind.Osun ~ Owner of Brass and Coral
Ore Yèyé Òşun
Ore Yèyé Mọlè
Oníkìí Amawo-má-rò
Onítèé tutu
Ọba lódò
Òşun Àyílà gbà mí o
N ò lénìkan
Ẹni a ní níí gbani
Òşun, Precious Mother
Precious and Mysterious Mother
Gracious Mother Oníkìí,
an initiate who keeps secrets
The one who possesses a watery throne
King of the river
Òşun Àyílà, save me
I have no one
Give me refuge

Osun is one of the 17 main irunmole who were given divine Ase (power/authority/command/wisdom backed by God), by Olodumare (God), to come down to earth to prepare, govern and make life sweet for the human race. She is worshiped worldwide, being the image of maternal care, giver of children, exemplifying happiness and harmony in the home. Known for her great beauty and skill at throwing cowries, Odu Ifa are full of verses about Osun’s powers, both as a mother, and as a fierce and powerful force of feminine energy, or, ASE. One could even say she was the first feminist, demanding recognition and respect equal to the male irunmole as we can see from the account given by verses of the Odu Ifa Osetura.

Olodumare gave to the principal irunmole divine ase to come and govern the world below heaven. Of the 17 irunmole, only one woman was among them – Osun. As these irunmole had been handed the very important task to govern earth, they believed themselves to be like Gods, and each one strove to show themselves off to the other. They descended to earth and the task at hand to put order into the world so that humans could thrive. They held important meetings, made plans, but they would never inform Osun or invite her to their meetings. They turned their back on her thinking she was of no significance, as she was only a woman, so what could she possibly contribute? Osun became angry and decided to teach them a lesson. They tried their best, but things began to fail. All the beautiful crops to feed man began to wither and die, the streams began to dry up to a mere trickle and then stopped altogether. Women were no longer bearing children and those who were born died soon after taking their first breath. Animals were dying, crops were dying, people were dying, clearly, the male irunmole had missed something. They had to report back to Olodumare in heaven and they went before Him to admit their complete and utter failure at nurturing earth. Olodumare then said, did I not send 17 of you to the earth? Where is Osun? Did I not send her with you to earth?” The irunmole then had to tell Olodumare that they had ignored her and had not allowed her to take part in governing the earth. This is when Olodumare told them they had made a mistake in not including Osun in their plans for the earth. Olodumare made them aware that Osun, the feminine, was not only worthy of respect, but also as powerful or even more powerful than they as she has the power of LIFE. When Osun was begged to right the mess they had made of earth, she blessed it with rain and the crops began to grow again, the red soil began to sprout with vegetation and greenery, new animals were being born and soon women were becoming round with pregnancy and their children were living beyond birth. The irunmole now understood that without the feminine force, and without respect and honor of the Feminine, all life will fail.Wón bèrè síí pe Òşun They began to include Òşun
Ní wón bá ń ki Òşun báyìí They began to pay homage to Òşun :
A-rí-pẹ pẹ-kódẹ-sí The one who has a shelf to store brass.
A-fidẹ-wéwé-r ẹmọ The one who lulls her children with brass.
Yèyé, Afiyùn-gbàsè The mother who receives corals beads in her rituals.
Ọta o! Omi! Ẹdan o!
Stone! Water! Ẹdan!
Ládékojú, OoreYèyé Òşun – Ládékojú, precious mother Òşun.

Other verses of Odu Ifa Osetura state:

Kómú-n-kórò
The priest of Èwí of Adó,
Òrun-mú-dèdèèdè-kanlè,
The priest of Ìjèşà Township,
Crab was inside the water
Marching on very cold ground.
Divination was made for the seventeen Odù
On the day of their plight from heaven into the world.
They got into the world.
They cleared Orò grove,
They cleared Ọpa grove,
They planned,
They ignored Òşun,
They tried to govern the world.
There was no peace and order in the world.
They rose up instantly,
And went to Olódùmarè.
Olódùmarè welcomed them,
And asked for the seventeenth of them.
Olódùmarè said, “Why did you ignore her?
They said, “It was because she is a woman among us,”
Olódùmarè said:
Boríborí, the diviner of Ìrágberí,
Is an apprentice of Òşun.
Ègbà, the diviner of Ìlukàn,
Is an apprentice of Òşun.
Àtòmù, the diviner in Ìkirè Ilé,
Is an apprentice of Òşun.
These divinities (deities) are those,
Who allow a person to trade,
Who allow a person to make gain,
But, they don’t allow the person to go home with the gains.
Olódùmarè said:
What you were ignorant of before,
Is what you have now known!
Go back into the world and involve Òşun,
In whatever you want to do.
Whatever you lay your hands upon
Will continue to prosper.
When they got into the world,
They began to involve Òşun in their plans,
And they begin to praise Òşun as: The one who has a large shelf to store brass.
The one who lulls her children with brass.
My mother, the one who receives coral beads in her rituals.
Stone! Water! Ẹdan!
Àwúrà Olú Agbaja,
The Precious/Gracious Mother,Òşun.
Ládékojú is the ever-present-one-in-decision-making,
Òşun, the Precious/Gracious Mother.

Seeing that Osun has as apprentices “Overcomer”, “Paralysis”, “Harm” and “Able Captor”, it served the irunmole well to take heed as she not only has control over those “diviners”, but is their teacher.
This is a very important lesson that continues to be played out to this day, as man has not learned how to govern the earth, nor how to respect, honor and cooperate constructively with the women who make up over half the population of earth. Osun is a defender of women, she demands fair play, and she is not above fighting to make her point.

Geographically speaking, the heart of Osun worship is in the Osobgo grove set outside of the town of Osun-Osogbo, in Osun State. This grove is historically linked to Osun, the river of her namesake flows through the land and grove and is the site of her worship for centuries. Every year there is a festival in her honor, as well as other important deities. In the olden days there were groves and shrines set up for all of the irunmole and spirits, but over time they became abandoned and most do not exist in present day times. Osun Osogbo’s grove (spelled “groove” in Nigeria), was preserved and revived due to the divine efforts of Adunni Olorisa, also known formerly as Suzanne Wenger, an Austrian whose destiny with Osun and the grove began when she came to live in Yorubaland in the 1950’s. She led an incredible life, was taken in by Osun and became a priestess of very high standing and esteem, attending to the local and international population, greatly loved by all in Nigeria. It was through her efforts that the grove was restored and a new vitality and pride in Yoruba tradition began. I have heard some people in the diaspora disparagingly refer to her with contempt and disdain as a “cracker”, a horrible and gross racist disrespect for an elder who embodied Osun on earth until her recent death. She did more for the preservation and promotion of the Yoruba Ifa and orisa traditions and litThere are many stories attributed to how Osun worship started in Osogbo and they are very long stories (as most Yoruba stories are). One says that about 400 years ago settlers came looking for a place with good water to create a new town. Everywhere they stopped with water, the source soon dried up. A river spirit urged them to go further along where they would encounter a source of water. They came to where the Osun river meanders through a lush area and decided to make it their home. They had some trouble however, there were spirits that nagged them, and strange things were occurring, but they decided to stay. One day a woodsman felled a tree and it splashed into the water of the Osun river. A spirit voice cried out: “You have broken all my indigo pots!”. The woodsman immediately went to the community and the diviners were called to consult Ifa. Ifa said that it was the spirit of Osun, and that she was vexed and annoyed that people were disturbing her indigo dye pots in the invisible realm and disrupting her business. It was also told that they needed to make offering to her, and also that if they just moved their town a little further off, they would prosper. The King of the people was summoned and as the sacrifice of ram, corn porridge and yanrin vegetable was being offered to the waters, a giant fish called Iko, the Messenger of Osun, came up out of the river and ordered King Ọláròóyè to stretch out his hands and take the fish as an offering of peace from Osun. This divine exchange meant that the sacrifice had been accepted. From that day forth all the ruling Kings of Osogbo have been known as “Ataoja”: ẹni tó téwó gba ẹja – The person who stretched his hand to receive fish. In the photo on the left above, the Royal emblem can be seen in the form of Oki, divine messenger fish of Osun. Later on she offered them her protection and ability to heal their sick, especially children and the infertile, if they would honor her once a year. That tradition is being held up until today, every year between August and September. I can testify that the grove of Osun is truly a wonderful place, full of Osun’s love and ase. She will embrace you, change you, and when you leave, you will never forget that embrace. Osun is truly the Great Mother Ore Yeye Osun!

Recent history attributes Osun as the deity that protected and saved the town of Osogbo from the Muslim Fulani invaders who had waged Jihad on the Yoruba people. They pushed down from the North in 1804 but could not get past nor defeat Osogbo. It is said that Osun transformed herself into a common market seller of food and went to the encampment of the Fulani to sell them poisoned amala. Those who ate it died of a violent diarrhea and the numbers who did not die were so few they quickly retreated lest they be slaughtered on the spot. This is completely in line with oriki which state:

Òşun Òyèyénímò
Obìnrin gbònà okùnrin ń sá
Agègùn-sorò
Obínrin tíí dádé okùnrin
Irú re sòwón.
Òşun who is full of knowledge
The woman who blocks the road and men run away
The One who lays in ambush to afflict the enemy
The woman who wears a crown like a man
You are rare
Ajegun soro
The one who makes war with her fury

Osun symbolizes purity and her colors are white and shades of amber or gold. Her devotees are expected to uphold fair play, not tolerate gossip, backbiting. Her shrine always has a pot of fresh water which is filled early in the morning by a virgin. Osun is owner of all rivers, streams or small rivulets of water and offerings can be placed there for her. She accepts cool water, corn porridge, goat, mashed yam, yanrin vegetable etc. She is known as the owner of brass, brass being held in high value by the Yoruba, so bracelets, anklets, necklaces, musical instruments such as bell, rattle, are all symbols of Osun. One will usually always find a pair of brass edan, the male and female figures, in her shrine. She is known for her love of coral beads and children of Osun can braid them into their
Oya ~ She Who Tears the Leaves
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“Obinrin roro ju okunrin lo“
“The woman more courageous and brave than her man”

Yoruba oral tradition in odu and ese verses narrates the love between Sango, the orisa of fire, thunder and justice, and Oya, his favorite wife. While not actually a tempest deity, Oya is known as having similar traits due to her swift and furious actions while handing out justice. There are some Yoruba narratives which uphold that it is in fact Oya who was responsible for giving Sango his power of breathing fire from the mouth and throwing thunderbolts and stones, by bargaining cleverly with Esu. It is believed that it is Oya who is the driving force behind Sango and many of her praise names attest to this.
“Obinrin sokoto penpen”
“The woman that wears short pants”

“Oya aya ewe”
“Oya who tears the leaves”

“Talo ko eri Oya?”
“Who can capture the head of Oya?”

The orisa Oya is an indigene of Ira town which is in Osun State in modern day Nigeria. Though associated with the wind, she is a river deity and one of her praise names is Odo Oya; the river Niger is actually named after her. There are many oriki which back up her function as river goddess/orisa.
“Aba Oya kuni igba rinrinrin”
“The river deity that fills the largest calabash”

The afefe, or wind, is linked to Oya not only in Nigeria but also in Brazil where a “mal afefe” is spoken of when the evil and unscrupulous use the powers of Oya to send bad things to people using the power of the wind to deliver. While Sango strikes and breaks things to pieces and sets things on fire, it is Oya who will rip the roofs off of buildings and tear them down, and uproot trees and shrubs wherever she passes. But odu Ifa also narrate that Oya is a maternal orisa and is in fact “the Mother of nine”, Iya nsan, and in Brazil she is known as Iansã. The odu Ifa of Osa Meji states:
“The small tree, the pepper tree,
“One who comes to earth and never fades”
Cast for Olomo (“One who has children, referring to Oya)
Who bore small children in a caul.
There was Olomo, will she be able to have children on earth?
They said she should go and offer sacrifice.
What should she offer?
They said she should offer 18,000 cowries;
They said she should offer a many colored cloth;
They said she should offer the meat of a ewe.
Olomo collected the sacrifice, she offered the sacrifice;
She appeased the gods.
They took the meat of the ewe
And they made a medicine for her,
And she ate it.
When she gave birth, she gave birth to nine children,
And she sold palm oil.
Which mother is she?
She is the “Mother who bore nine.”
The meat of the ewe that she ate in order to bear children,
She never again touched to her lips;
This is why we do not eat ewe. (male or female sheep, by followers of Oya)
Olomo was dancing, she was rejoicing;
She was praising the diviners, and the diviners were praising Ifa
That her diviners had spoken the truth.
“The small tree, the pepper tree;
“One who comes to earth and never fades”
Cast for Olomo who bore small children in a caul.
“Song of the Village Weaver bird,
“Gosh! Like making the market a house for a diviner,
“Song of the Village Weaver bird.”
Ifa says that as blessing of children will come to pass,
As Ifa has spoken.
Nine Osa.”
Tradition says that Oya was also a market seller; Oni olojo, Owner of the market. She is very restless, hot tempered, impatient and woe be to the dishonest cheaters, liars and gossipers who bring her wrath down upon them. Though more than capable of doing better than most men, Oya and her children are known for always elevating the status of their man, supporting and “backing down” when in their presence. Children of Oya are usually very successful in life without the need to lean on a husband, though they are extremely devoted wives, albeit with a temper that rises quickly if pushed or if they witness or bear a dishonest or unjust act. It is best to behave when around a child of Oya.
Her shrine can include a large covered calabash which holds beads, an edun ara, cloth and usually a pair of buffalo horns are also displayed somewhere in the shrine. She is associated with buffalo horns due to the odu Ifa which tells the story of how she had the body of a buffalo while in the forest, with the magical power to change into a beautiful woman.

Offerings to Oya can include obi, orogbo, oti (liqour), palm oil, akara (fried bean cake), duck, hen, mashed yam, honey comb, raw cotton wool, goat, female pig. Children of Oya should not raise a dog or come close to things like sheep, ram, their hair or wool. So if you are child of Oya watch your clothing such as sheep’s wool socks, sweaters, clothing. You could be breaking a taboo and not know it. Oya must not be fed with palm kernel oil, dog, male or female sheep.Sango ~ Orisa of Fire
Sango is one of the most well loved and charismatic of the orisa. Also known as arira, “light and fire that flashes here and there in the sky”, he is not to be mistaken as the son of Oranmiyan and the one time Alaafin of Oyo. It is very important to distinguish between irunmole and humans, who because of their feats and behavior in life, were elevated to irunmole status while alive. This myth of Sango the irunmole as the Alaafin of Oyo seems to be very prevalent in the diaspora but is soundly rejected in Yorubaland. Odu Ifa (Owonrin Wori) clearly state that any reference to Sango in the Kingdom of Oyo is due to the King of Oyo naming his two sons, Ajaka, and the other Sango, because of the latter’s character and powers similar to that of the ancient orisa Sango. There is a difference between humans who were given title as an orisa because of their feats during life, and the irunmole. Hardly anyone uses the word “orisa” in Yorubaland, they use irunmole when speaking of the forces which humans have anthropomorphized to call orisa. Ifa speaks in parables, and even when talking about which orisa had many “wives” and seemingly human endeavors, there is a deeper meaning if we look into the matter. There is a spiritual meaning beyond what our human mind wants to make fit so neatly with our own lives and social environment.

Sango is known as the Lord of Thunder, a master herbalist, and one who metes out Justice by means of the thunder and fire that he can blow from his mouth, and his use of the many thunder stones he throws to strike his enemies down. He dresses in a tunic and skirt of strips of cloth covered with cowrie shells in intricate designs and plaits his hair in the fashion of a woman. Many statues and icons are mistakenly thought in the diaspora to be those of female orisa when in fact they are depicting Sango with a bosom as he is also an orisa linked to fertility.

Sango’s nature is very masculine, straight forward, bold, confident, energetic, brilliant and confident. Children of Sango are usually very attractive, tall and slim limbed, adventurous and have little patience with slow thinkers. This is due to Sango being a brilliant strategist and tactician; a natural leader who rallies people around him. Magnetic, intelligent, Sango uses his talents to push strategies and plans through to a successful outcome. He is capable of succeeding in all matters of Justice and just as capable to relish the fruits of his conquests and victories after the battle is won.Many praise oriki recite his virtues:
Ino loju, ino lenu: fire in the eyes and mouth.
Aa fi igba ita segun: One that won battle with 200 stones.
Onimu nsimu, eke nsa: Sango is working and the dishonest are nervous and fleeing.
Oloju orogbo, elereke obi: One that has eyes of bitter kola and cheeks of obi seeds.
Sango lomo aa ja maa jebi: Wherever and whenever Sango fights, judgment is always on his side
Ayanyan ino, akata yeriyeri: Light and flames that blow here and there.
Sango lo mewe , emi ko mewe: I do not know how to use herbs and leaves, but Sango knows very well)

Sango possesses both male and female devotees, and while in trance can eat fire, walk on coals, and carry a live brazier of coals on the head or place coals in their mouths. Sango is owner of the most spirited dancing and his leaps and high kicks are fantastic to watch as he dances to the very fast paced beat of his signature drumming.

Sango priests can be seen in Yorubaland performing feats of magic such as cutting the eyes, tongue, skin with a machete and within seconds the wound will stop bleeding and heal up before the eyes. They pierce the skin with needles, swords, nails, razors and suffer no permanent damage. Sango makes the human body impervious to injury while manifested and he is linked to the sacred Baobab tree which is also the only tree in the forest that can withstand fire and remain standing. Baobab tree bark, roots, leaves and fruit and its use in Ifa medicine/preparations is sacred to Sango and at the tree’s base after a thunderstorm, Sango’s edun ara ( a smooth stone shaped like an ax head), can often be found along with smaller thunder stones. Devotees search for these after thunderstorms to use in their devotion and for protection.

Sango was historically married to Oya, the river orisa, who rises up to create rain drenched wind storms and tempests, and some say it was actually she who gave the power of fire to Sango. What is certain is that wherever Oya arrives, Sango soon follows. He is a strict enforcer of justice and detests liars, thieves, dishonesty and insincerity. The children of Sango are also very astute in the judgement of character and do not tolerate liars, will fight passionately to defend those who are wronged, and take vengeance on those of bad action and character. They must always strive to those ideals of honesty and truth.Some of the symbols of Sango are his two headed axe, or ose, and this is always in his shrine along with an upturned mortar, the edun ara on a clay plate covered with palm oil and many small stones which are used to fight enemies. His colors are red, white and some black, the cloth is usually always elaborately covered with cowrie shells. There can be bata drums and there is always a seere, a small gourd which is used in the shrine offerings and its larger cousin can also be used as a musical instrument when covered with a net of beads called a shekere, in the diaspora. The seere gourd has a long history with Sango and you will never find one without the other.

The Story of Sango and the Seere
A verse from Oyeku Rete says:
…Adifafun sere ti o fe Igbadun leyin Sango Thus declared Ifa oracle to Seere that wanted to pair up with Sango.
Seere is the one that announced the arrival of Sango to the townspeople, just as the Oba’s messenger who runs before the arrival of the King, that Sango would soon be coming to help the people solve their physical and spiritual problems and afflictions, as well as pray for their material needs. After Seere’s announcement, Sango would appear and immediately solve their problems. He performed as a physician using herbs and leaves (contained in the magical Seere) as well as foreseeing and predicting the future. Almost all of the people would give them money, fine cloth and many other gifts for assisting them overcome their troubles. When Sango and Seere reached their home one day to divide their gifts, Sango said that he would take the larger share, simply because he was the doctor attending to the people, while Seere only summoned for them. Seere rejected the notion and said they were full partners so they should either share the gifts equally or they should split up. Both of them agreed to dissolve their partnership and went their separate ways. Then, whenever each of them went out to work alone, people said, “this is not the real Seere! The Seere we know announces the arrival of Sango!”. The same happened when Sango went out, people said, “the coming of the real Sango we know is always announced by Seere!”. So both starved and they didn’t receive any food, gifts, or money as recognition from the people. Unbeknownst to each other they now separately went to consult the Ifa oracle. Ifa then revealed to them that they should settle the dispute that had arisen between them so they can have progress in life. They became partners again and Seere continued to announce the arrival of Sango and contain his ewe, leaves for Ifa medicine (ewe oogun). It is for this reason that since that day Seere the gourd is always found in most shrines next to the ota of Sango.

‘Yoruba Mind Meld’: The Alignment of Mouth, Thought, Emotion and Ori
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You might be wondering how on earth the famous Vulcan, Spock, has landed leading off a blog post on Ifa, but there is something very logical and appropriate in bringing his memory and spirit to life (May Leonard Nimoy Rest in Peace). Spock was known for having an open mind, willing to approach life with inquisitiveness while tempering it with analysis (and self-analysis), something very important to those on the path of Ifa.

Among the Yoruba there is a saying of great importance to Ifa practitioners : ENU NI ÌFÀÁ WÀ, which roughly translates to ‘mouth brings favor’, or, ‘mouth brings blessings/fortune’. While this is not used exclusively within the context of Ifa and is a common expression, it bears taking a closer look as to the importance of ‘mouth’ in our daily lives – whether on the path of Ifa or not.

Words – no matter how big or small – hold power, as well as the emotions and feelings behind those words. When we are appeasing a deity we use not only the food offerings, but we also use our tongues and mouths in unison with our prayers to bring about the desired change in our lives (and/or others), through ritual. This is Ifa in action, the ase of our tongue in active prayer, everything turned towards the desired goal and outcome. We can also chew pepper to bring more ‘power’ to our words/requests, or even put a type of powdered ewe oogun on the tongue to bring about ‘command’ – but what of our words/thoughts spoken in daily life when we are not inside the shrine?

Esu, being the most ‘gluttonous’ of the irunmole, is always given his share first of all offerings made to other deities and is sometimes depicted as having a large mouth. Because of his special role in giving vision of the past, present and future to the mouthpiece of Orunmila in the Ifa divination system (again, that word ‘mouth’), and of also ferrying the requests and appeasements from earth to heaven and vice versa, Esu is portrayed as always eager to receive his share – whether a capful of palm oil, a whole jug, or a whole ocean of it. And we must carefully watch our words AND our thoughts while taking care of Esu Lalu Ogiri Oko! Without proper mind control, a Babalawo or Iyanifa is courting lackluster results – or worse – a possible thumping on the head. And in making offering to one’s ori we can find a similar focus on the mouth – but linked this time directly to our ori/best destiny. We take a sip, a bite of everything offered, and afterwards we may be instructed to also have those around us share in the offerings. Mouth as ritual – ritual as mouth. When we go for Ifa divination, we whisper our queries and desires before putting our symbolic money down (‘put your money where your mouth is’). Mouth is central to worship and to life. It is how we suckle as babies, how we nourish ourselves to stay alive, how we formulate the words and prayers that bring our victory. The one hiccup in all of this is in how we control ourselves in terms of our thoughts and our own spoken words – towards ourselves and towards others.I have talked before about the importance of heartfelt prayers of thanks to God/Olodumare and to our ori, but it is also just as important for us to police our everyday thoughts and spoken words. While it may sound like some kind of New Age jargon, controlling not only our actions (positive/negative), but our own statements – whether voiced or just thought – is very important to our well being and progress. And this also dovetails into my other frequently expressed belief that we can be our own worst enemy when it comes to sabotaging our own lives.

When facing a difficult task/problem, when facing life and its many challenges, do we give in with our mouths – or do we rise to the task and take command of the situation?

Life already throws at us the most myriad of challenges – why make it worse by allowing our own thoughts and words to reinforce what we do not truly want for ourselves?
I have heard many times (myself included in some of these!), “I cannot possibly learn this”, “I am not moving forward”, “I don’t have the means/money”, and on a more destructive level, “I am too old”, “I am not smart enough”, “I’m finished”, “it is impossible”, “I am ugly”, “no one will ever love me”, “I’m headed nowhere good”, “I might as well be dead”, “I can’t find a job”, etc., etc., etc.

To misuse the mouth against another is a type of negative ‘killing’ – to misuse the mouth against ourselves is suicide.
The first thing I do when faced with negative circumstances (after having already sussed out everything I can do within the power of Ifa), is to immediately counter any negative thoughts or speech I might be using towards the situation with the exact opposite thoughts/speech in the positive. There is nothing more sad than someone who has gotten stuck in a broken loop repeating the same negative litany of curses towards their own life. A person MUST APPLY THEIR ORI/HEAD/MOUTH/THOUGHTS to their situation and all will-power available to counter the negativity.

Instead of waking up and looking in the mirror thinking “ugh, my ugly bald head/I hate how I look”, reinforce how your good character shines through your face and eyes, that you are beautiful with or without hair, that the people who are attracted to you will be kind and favour you and love and accept you just as you are (just as you would love and accept them). I know some people who actually talk so badly about their looks it makes me cringe inside! They pick on their teeth, their skin, their eyes, their hair, their hips, their legs, in fact it seems as if none of their body escapes their withering criticism! How can we expect to thrive and bloom when we are heaping the dark, negative coals of derision upon our own heads and bodies? Discounting our own intelligence? Our own beauty? Our ability to overcome adversity? We MUST prevail and be our own champion!

The instant you think or utter something negative about your self or your life – STOP that thought/spoken word – and counter it. If you cannot verbalize it publicly right then, then think it and make it the opposite. Words have POWER, and what you generate today can come back to bite you! The energy you put into those words backed by your emotions and ‘feelings’ can devil your heels. I cannot emphasize enough how many people get stuck in negative loops that they cultivate for years, decades, and on into their graves. Don’t be one of those people. Use your mind. Use your intelligence. Use your will-power. Use your ori. Be your own friend. Proclaim your victory. In spite of the worst odds, the worst conditions around you in real-time evidence, do not give in to the appearance of hopelessness and desolation, to the feeling of hopelessness and desolation, because you have the power to transform it and fashion it closer to your liking.It takes practice, yes. It takes will-power, yes, but once you get in the habit you will find yourself with new energy and vitality towards solving/moving towards solutions, besides the fact that your life becomes much more pleasant, and you are someone that others find pleasant to be around! And you will find that yes, life never stays the same, that we DO find solutions and positive outcomes, but it requires us to keep all things in balance, apply slow and steady effort, watch our words, thoughts, our emotions/feelings and never let them run away with/spoil our good ori/head/destiny.

I frequently put ‘Western Mind’ in the cross-hairs when talking about Ifa but there is some truth for that. You will be hard-pressed to find any Yoruba man, woman or child who indulges themselves to the point of speaking ill of their own life or allowing themselves to reach the emotional pits that many Westerners seem to frequent like some kind of perverse watering holes of Hell. I once was talking to a friend of mine in Nigeria, a very beautiful and kind woman, a hard worker, who had been badly wronged in a serious love issue. I wasn’t so much ‘advising’ as trying to comfort her. Knowing the particulars, I proffered the usual palliatives one gives in these female to female teary confessions, but then after maybe 15 minutes of tears I witnessed her perform on herself what I half-jokingly call the ‘Yoruba Mind Meld’. Instead of giving in weak-kneed and weak-minded, she visibly gathered/called her ‘good’/highest ori/destiny to the forefront by focusing her will-power and resolve, grabbed hold of her emotions, stopped her tears and proclaimed that this situation would not get the best of her, that she would not let her heart destroy her life and that she would carry on happily until finding another man who valued and cherished her. Yes, indeed, and though this had been a many year’s long relationship, the betrayal did not take her down into a many year’s long recovery. Though clearly not the text-book description of a true Vulcan ‘mind meld’ (don’t want to offend the hardcore Trekkies here), it does incorporate the idea that our best/highest/’good’ ori is always at the ready to lead us, guide us, teach us and impart all of its wisdom and benefit to our lives. Think of it as a transference of the Divine as we become accustomed to digging deep to bolster and support our ‘good’ ori/destiny, by reining in the out-of-control ‘bad’ head/ori. The value the Yoruba put on the proficiency to control words, thoughts, emotions and feelings is also summed up nicely by Spock’s father Sarek:

“Emotions run deep within our race. In many ways more deeply than in humans. Logic offers a serenity humans seldom experience. The control of feelings so that they do not control you.”
Wise words indeed.

I’ve witnessed the ‘Yoruba Mind Meld’ in other situations with Babalawos who have run aground here and there for various reasons. The face visibly changes in intention as they take charge and take control of their ori/their thoughts/their ase and command and nip situations in the bud before they take root. IT IS A CHOICE – BUT NOT AN OPTION WHEN ONE IS ON THE PATH OF IFA, WHEN ONE CLAIMS TO WANT PROGRESS, WHEN ONE CLAIMS TO BE ‘TRYING THEIR BEST’, WHEN ONE IS ACTIVELY PURSUING VICTORY NOT ONLY FOR THEMSELVES, BUT FOR OTHERS.Our ori is symbolized by/resides within our head, and what do you think is the most powerful of all the features of the head? The eyes? Nose? It is the mouth! The inner and outer ori coming together, working together in alignment, the positive subduing and transforming the negative equals the ‘Yoruba Mind Meld’. We do not allow our ‘bad’ ori/head to spoil our ‘good’ ori/true best destiny! And as Spock would say, we can then “Live long and Prosper”!

Here in the Western world, prescription drug use for ’emotional disorders’, ‘bi-polar’ and every other umbrella diagnosis for the lack of a spiritual path/guidance and spiritual consciousness to support, guide and buffer the hard knocks of life is rampant. Perceived slights and injustices seem to affect many people to where they can’t think straight, talk straight nor conduct themselves civilly and without loose cannon emotions/actions in public, let alone face a job loss, relationship issues, etc.,. Anger and angry displays towards a perceived ‘other’ (who seemingly is the ‘enemy’), have reached levels where many people are seriously losing what little of their minds and possible peace they had left. Do I think this a symptom of Western lifestyle/culture and synonymous to some degree with Western thought/lack of true spirituality/humbleness before God, in the Western world? Yes, I do. Do I think that the spiritual practice and tradition of Ifa can be an example/lend wisdom for some on how to better live our lives here on earth and be happy? Yes, I do. It only takes a level of self-awareness and self-accountability, along with effort. Ifa gives us nothing for free without our own effort and striving, though God has freely given us this precious life.

Life is hard at times, and sometimes there is a long slog to endure before the road levels out, but it is never in good character to harm another or curse another – with words or otherwise. A lack of love towards another is simply a reflection of the lack of love and self awareness/self respect we have of, and towards ourselves. We do not need to agree with everything and everybody in this world. But at a minimum we are expected (at least within Ifa) to be responsible for our own thoughts, our actions, our character, our words, to mean and cast no harm onto ourselves, nor to others. We have one shot at this life. Make it count, make it beautiful, leave a legacy that is one of joy, elegance, peace, understanding, good nature, tolerance and a willingness to LOVE. Take control of your thoughts, spoken words and the emotions behind them so they do not negatively control you and your life. May God bless and keep you, May your Ori guide you perfectly, May you receive all the good blessings of life, Ase O!

“Logic is the beginning of Wisdom – not the end.” ~ Spock
Yeye Ekundayo Adele Ifamuregun practices the Ifa religion in the United States of America, and as a priestess of the African Traditional Religion (ATR), she has used her calling to assist people with spiritual problems. However, in this interview with ADEWALE OSHODI, the priestess laments the large number of fakes currently parading themselves as priests in the US, while also highlighting how she has found her way towards practicing her faith in a country that is not known for understanding African culture and traditions.

For how long have you been practising professionally as a priestess in America, and how does the average American see you as having a solution to their problems?

I’ve been working as a priestess inside the United States since coming here in 2001, and before that, working in Brazil. When you speak of an “average” American, one must understand that the portion of the population who follow Diasporic African Traditional Religions (ATRs), is very small, percentage wise, and true IFA is even less.

The “average” American as a whole is simply unaware of IFA and how it works, but people are very willing and open to anything that will pull them out of their issues. Some people are called towards the path of IFA and the orisa (irunmole), others just want help. It can be through divination, ewe oogun, sacrifices, works – whatever is needed. The Western Mind in general approaches things differently, which can take a lot of patience and guidance from my side to get people to a place of understanding.

The Ifa practice comes with placing sacrifices, which I understand, may not be permitted in the American society; so how do you go about offering your sacrifices?

Actually, people in the United States have already gone to the Supreme Court to fight for their right to conduct ritual blood sacrifice within their own shrines and temples, and won in every case, so while this is something that one must be sensitive to in terms of community and your neighbors, there is already a precedent set within the court system protecting the rights of orisa worshipers to practice their rituals in certain localities under certain constraints.

Discretion is needed, along with creativity and sensitivity. I happen to live in the countryside, with many streams, rivers, isolated roads and forests, the ocean is nearby, so this is not really a problem. I can rest items on my own property and in my own shrine so there is no issue. In Brazil, however, there are now environmental laws put into place by Evangelical politicians, and also laws which control where you buy the animals needed and where you can then keep them until the time of sacrifice; their own bid to stamp out freedom of religion and the African tradition of Ifa and orisa that took root there with the slave trade.
One big problem that we have in Nigeria is the issue of fake priests, and with the growing popularity of Ifa in America, do you also have this problem?Absolutely, YES! Of the people who come to me, a large majority have made contact with unscrupulous or simply ignorant “Ifa” practitioners here inside of the US, though some have also been bamboozled in Nigeria. Many clients come to me spiritually, emotionally, mentally and financially bankrupt, after passing through the hands of “IFA” organizations, in the US, as well as passing though the hands of various independent priests – you name it, I have heard it, and dealt with every kind of ridiculous story there is.

This is a huge problem, I cannot stress it enough, and it has pained me for many years as I feel I am rowing against a tide of outright charlatanism, well-meaning or willful ignorance, or, in some cases, very dangerous injustices.

Just yesterday I divined for an American initiated into IFA in Nigeria, a so-called IFA priest with his own shrine having issues. He is having trouble with a certain energy and had been offering something ridiculous to them, and it was his Nigerian Awo who had told him this was a proper offering. He didn’t even know that one must throw cowries or obi after making an offering to check if the offerings have been accepted! So this US man, with no authority in IFA – not a real Babalawo, just an initiate – opened up a shrine and is teaching people IFA in the US. It is ridiculously insane what is going on out here in terms of IFA, and it needs to stop.

I work closely with my family in Nigeria and most of our work consists of sweeping up the pieces of peoples’ lives who have gotten involved with these “priests” and “priestesses” who simply have no authority or knowledge to be working in the capacity as a priest or priestess, or, they might have some working knowledge but are morally and ethically not capable of turning the practice into something other than a moneymaking tradition, or, they simply do not have the deeper understanding of Ifa and neglect to set their clients/initiates up with the fundamentals they need to know.

Although you don’t have the power to tackle the rise in the number of fake priests; is there a way you are sensitising the public so that they won’t fall victims?

I discussed this with a very prominent person involved in IFA in Nigeria a few years back, how IFA is being taken over, modified, diluted, exploited and appropriated by cut and paste priests and those who make a quick trip to Nigeria for an initiation (or have one within the US), then think that gives them the right to practice as a Babalawo, start divining and open up shop. Some of these people are churning out books about IFA (after spending all of 3 weeks total in Nigeria), which are absolute nonsense, they open moneymaking IFA mills and churn out initiates, hold workshops geared towards Western “New Age” “healing” in the name of IFA, but people in the Diaspora have no idea they are nonsense books, invalid initiations with no odu calabash present nor truly linked priests, workshops that have nothing to do with true IFA. They are helpless like babies in the face of this – earnest in seeking – but cannot distinguish what is true IFA, as they don’t know the difference. It is happening all over, with disastrous results. This is not just a “US – IFA problem” but a Yorbaland problem as well, as there is some blame to lay there.

The best I can do is write extensive blog posts and articles on my website farinadeolokun.com, talking about what IFA is and isn’t, what to look for, what to watch out for, give people some basic solid knowledge and pray that Orunmila guides them, or brings me those who have been broken in trust and faith so we can set things straight and get them up and walking forward in life.There is no one in the Diaspora who can offer initiations into IFA or under any orisa unless they somehow transplant at least a good handful of high level, wise, ethical and LEARNED priests and priestesses from Nigeria, with all of the animals needed, all of the items needed, a complete correct shrine, an igbodu with the most important item of all, the sacred Odu calabash. It simply cannot be done, unless all of the above are present. It is better for a person in the Diaspora to receive an initiation via proxy in Nigeria thru ethical and learned elders – if they cannot travel in person – than to risk their ori and destiny in the hands of someone they have not fully researched in the Diaspora. I’m sure there are people who will shake and shout over those words but that is my position after years of experience dealing with the fallout from these Diaspora “initiations” and some Yorubaland initiations.

Can you share an instance when you’ve had to rescue a victim who had had his ‘hands burnt’ by a fake priest?

There are simply too many instances to narrate. And I am speaking of both fake priests within Diaspora ATRs and also within IFA, both US and in Nigeria. I’ve had everything from someone getting actual serious burns on their body from gunpowder during a “ritual” to “banish negative spirits”, women being sexually molested, clients being told to sell off millions of dollars worth of their properties and “give the money to IFA” (leaving them destitute), IFA initiations being done with no 4 footed sacrifice, no odu calabash, or at times even no blood sacrifice at all (which is possible with certain orisa but not within IFA initiation).I’m currently dealing with the aftermath an American IFA priest has left behind in his “omos”, who was initiated by others who have “title” and initiation in Nigeria. They are well known on the East Coast and have been initiating people into IFA inside the US for years, giving out a “hand of Ifa” with ikin of three eyes (actually there are two people I know of who are doing this). This is astounding, as any true Babalawo or Iyanifa will attest to, and is a great curse on the person, a sacrilege to Orunmila, and will do nothing but cause upheavals in the recipient’s life.

I have identified at least 16 people who have received these “hands of IFA” from this man for certain, and know there are dozens more –if not hundreds more. How is it that a Babalawo doesn’t know the number of eyes the ikin of a sacred hand of IFA should possess? And how is it that his elders in Nigeria have allowed this to happen? Amazing.

This is a very grave situation, yet they are still being promoted as an IFA priest. Where is the accountability? If you speak of IFA and the US/Diaspora, you must speak of the role of Nigeria. Does anyone within Nigeria understand that in some instances they have set loose forces into the world, by their own hand under the white flag of IFA, who are not only harming innocent people but also harming the future of the IFA tradition itself? Of course not all Nigerian priests and priestesses are unethical, nor should they be held responsible for all actions of their initiates, but surely they should make an effort to distinguish which people are coming for initiation/title out of a true need and calling from IFA, and not simply from a desire to puff up their ego and embark on a moneymaking venture once back in the US, using the name of IFA to achieve that. The greed for money is truly the root of all evil.

So how does one identify a fake priest from a real one?

The example of the ikin is an obvious red flag for someone who truly works inside IFA. The issue is the initiate or client does not have this knowledge inside of the US, unless they are lucky enough to find someone who can steer them straight before disaster and spending big money. As far as blanket identification of a “fake”, that is a sticky issue, because you can find people who say “a real Babalawo does not throw cowries”. Well, no, actually any “real” Babalawo can use cowries; cowries are just another means of divination and you might have to use what is at hand, if needed, but in straight defined terms of IFA, if you visit a Babalawo for divination and they use opele or ikin Ifa and pull a book about odu off of a shelf in order to recite verses (don’t laugh, most do in the US) this is not a capable learned priest. In the case of a woman client – if the “priest” starts sexual advances, or starts talking about being a “spiritual wife”, you are in the presence of – at best – an unethical and immoral Babalawo – at worst, a charlatan. If there is any kind of work with candles, glasses of water on a “shrine” (other than to make ibori or using a glass holding water in feeding/calling/”cooling” an orisa etc), you are dealing with a Diaspora priest (charlatan or not).

But if a priest/ess is presenting themselves as IFA only, ask if they came from an ATR before entering IFA – which tradition it was, were they fully initiated, by whom, where, when. I usually ask my clients to describe exactly what took place in their IFA initiation if they had one, where it was, who took part, how many Nigerians were present (if any), was there blood sacrifice, which animals and items, what was the odu given them (if any), the background and origin of the priest or priestess, was the odu calabash present (if a man, or does the woman know if one was present), were their eyes bathed with the proper herbs before entering the igbodu, many questions.

Also, In the case of otas and orisa, sometimes people send me photos of the inside of their pots when they suspect something is “off” and thinMy simplest advice in a nutshell is for a person to always trust their ori, their head, their higher self, that feeling in the pit of the stomach, the small voice inside of them. How do they feel in the presence of that person? Does the person offer guidance and explanation of how the IFA system works? Does it make sense? Are they asking for big money for immediate initiations when you have only just met them? Are they making financial demands that are far beyond what one can afford? Do they offer to do works that harm others instead of simply defending via “return to sender”? If you are feeling uncomfortable, there is usually a good reason for that.

Those who willingly harm and cheat others will end up paying, sooner or later, and those who have suffered at their hands, their own victory will come. The travesty is that the good name of IFA is being soiled by charlatans, and by people in the Diaspora who are “loving” IFA and orisa to death with their own egos and concepts, financial ambitions and their “Westernizing” of the principles of the IFA system.

My prayers are always with the good Babas and Iyas of Nigeria, my family, and especially the so-called “bush Babas and Iyas” (the ignorant of Nigeria call them “illiterates”), who hold the true and correct lineage upright and are examples of Orunmila incarnate in action, this precious gift of IFA the Yoruba people have so far managed to preserve and be sustained by. May Olodumare, IFA and all irunmole guide, protect and bless Yorubaland, her people, and the nation as a lineage upright and are examples of Orunmila incarnate in action, this precious gift of IFA the Yoruba people have so far managed to preserve and be sustained by. May Olodumare, IFA and all irunmole guide, protect and bless Yorubaland, her people, and the nation as a whole, ASE O!Dangerous Diaspora: Disinformation, Trinket Selling and Outright Lies
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As the never ending deluge of disinformation of Ifa continues in the diaspora from cut and paste book readers/market sellers, there comes a point when I have to put out some countering information for people who have no knowledge of what is being marketed towards them. This is tiresome, and I really do have a life other than tracking down offenders when it comes to marketing Ifa. I have one client in particular who enjoys perusing websites and then coming back to me for verification of what is being said and sold, which keeps me free to do the real work focusing on Ifa, while keeping an eye on the rot that is settling into the diaspora, and the rot is deep. Stay tuned for another post on faux Babas and their ‘Ifa initiations’ coming soon.

In today’s offering of questionable market sellers and items, we will touch on various items being touted as suitable for ‘orisa offerings’ or human consumption and wearable ‘Ifa jewelry’.

1.”Ewe Ero”

This is a generic term for cleansing/charging herbs. While it may or may not contain the plant materials needed for consecration of Ifa items and “house/body cleansing”, do you really want to trust your ori and implements to something bought online from someone you have no knowledge of/no link with as a spiritual elder? NEXT!

2. “Dried Kola Nut”

Shaking my head….the market seller states “This kola has been dried so please do not ingest” (exactly, because it is dried leftover rejects from market). This is NOT FIT for offering to ANY ORISA. Why would you offer something to orisa which IS NOT FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION! Market sellers will do ANYTHING to create a new product category and MAKE MONEY, using YOUR IGNORANCE in order to make a dollar. Stick with the fresh. Trust me. NEXT!3. “Iyere Pepper”

This is being touted as an offering to Esu to “spice up” spiritual works. Again, THIS IS A COOKING CONDIMENT FOR AROMA. This is not a pepper for use in orisa rituals and offerings! NEXT!

4. “Agba Seed for Sango”

This is touted as being used in cooking/eating and also offered to Sango. THE SEED HOLDS A POISONOUS INNER CREAMY FLESH! DO NOT USE THE INNER SEED FOR ANYTHING! YOU WILL GET SICK! Again, if you do not know what you are doing, do not touch/buy items that are being touted as ‘Ifa items’. NEXT!

5. “Epo Pupa for Ikin”

Sigh….red palm oil is ONLY USED FOR IFA WHEN THERE IS BLOOD OFFERING, OR, IFA, THROUGH DIVINATION, HAS ASKED SPECIFICALLY FOR RED PALM OIL for the client. The website quote my client sent me says this: “Epo pupa is especially necessary for Babaláwos because Ifá must never be dry, not for any length of time.”

The normal offering for ikin Ifa is oti/gin, omi tutu/cool clean water, eku Ifa/dried Ifa rat. No one, trust me, no one in Nigeria, drowns their ikin in red palm oil. NEXT!

6. “Adidan” (Aridan)

This is a seed pod being touted as being used for offerings to orisa. No, no it’s not. It IS used with other ewe for a work with a certain energy. This is NOT an orisa food offering! NEXT!

7. “Eku Ijebu”

Being touted as an offering to Osun and orisa. NOT TRUE. This is ONLY USED IN POUNDED SOAP FOR EWE OOGUN PREPARATIONS. If you know what that recipe is, great, if not, this is NOT FOR ORISA OFFERING. NEXT!

8. “Obe Esu”

This is a small knife being offered purely for diaspora market. it has no use whatsoever, unless you just think it looks cool. NEXT!

9, “Ogo Esu Eshu Staff”

See above number 8. Unless this is consecrated, it makes a pretty shrine decoration and nothing more. NEXT!

10.”Osun aka camwood”

This is being touted as an offering to Osun. This is an old Yoruba beauty aide, used with ori to rub into the skin of small babies, to make them attractive to Osun, i.e. bring blessings and protection. This IS NOT a typical offering to Osun and not seen in Nigeria as a ‘real’ offering. This is market invention to chum business. NEXT!

AND SAVING THE WORST FOR LAST:

11. “Ileke Ide Ifa Large Ifa Beads Otutuopon For Wrist with Ikin Ifa”

This is perhaps the most disturbing of all. There are people mass marketing these Ifa beads with a 4 eye ikin beaded onto the necklace/braclet, via a HOLE in the ikin Ifa. Where do I begin….

While this ‘fashion item’ does exist in the diaspora, it is NOT used as a fashion item in Nigeria, and the ritual involved in making it is NOT ONE THAT CAN BE USED IN ORDER TO MASS MARKET THESE ITEMS TO THE DIASPORA!

The people who wear this item are only SOME BABALAWO, BUT IT IS WORN MOST ASSUREDLY BY THEIR WIVES/APETEBI (if they have the money for the rituals/ebos needed), AND WORN AROUND THE WAIST, NECK OR WRIST TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE MARRIED TO AND UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THEIR BABALAWO HUSBAND. In order to reach that point there is a weeks long ceremony that must take place, and not just by one person, but by a whole group of Babalawo together, it costs money, and is not taken lightly!

You must first find a suitable tree with Ikin from where you want to take it from, there are leaves laid down around the base of it, oriki are chanted and Ifa is washed with the woman present. She prays to the ikin Ifa, the appropriate sacrifices are made according to DIVINATION, be they she-goat, ram etc, and the special ikin Ifa she will wear are looked for. The proper incantation is recited, the proper leaves are looked for to wash, offerings are made and the whole lot is left to rest for 7 to 15 days, after which the offering is removed and ikin cleaned. Divination is done again to make sure that all is okay, that the offerings were accepted, and any messages / taboos received in regards to the woman who is to wear the waist bead / wrist bead / necklace set. THEN YOU MUST DO ANOTHER EBO FROM THE DIVINATION THAT CAME OUT!

PEOPLE WHO ARE DRILLING HOLES WITH METAL TOOLS TO IKTake it slow and take it easy if you are in the diaspora! Understand that the Ifa tradition is being slammed sideways by diaspora ethnocentric meddling, whether by sheer ignorance or simple plain greed. Seek out qualified people, and as always, use your head/ori to guide you! It pains me that the true Ifa tradition, the true root tradition is suffering under the weight of diaspora nonsense marketing rubbish. Do NOT TRUST THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE / FOUNDATION MEMBERS RECEIVED THEIR INITIATION IN NIGERIA, THAT THEY ARE THE REAL DEAL AND OFFERING CORRECT RITUAL AND PRACTICE! BEWARE AND BE CAREFUL! DO NOT LET YOURSELF BECOME A PART OF THE DESTRUCTION (and a victim!) OF UNSCRUPULOUS IGNORANT ‘LEADERS’ WHO ARE DIRTYING THE TRUE IFA TRADITION!
Our Word is Our Character
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In the Yoruba tradition of Ifa, words are what bring to us the messages of Orunmila and the orisa. Words are the vehicle to impart wisdom and the means to alleviate our life struggles. By following the word of Ifa, we are guided to solutions. Looking beyond all the other parts that make up a successful outcome, words, and our faith and trust in those words, stand alone as the most important glue that holds together a sacrifice. They are ASE in action, power in action, containing all of the knowledge, desire and information needed to complete the sacred pact of Olodumare with Orunmila when he gave the Ifa Divination Corpus-handed down divinely in order to make man’s life on earth sweet.

Prayer, incantations (ofo), are part of ritual life of a Babalawo or Iyanifa, and a person puts their utmost trust and faith in those words spoken on their behalf, but what about in daily life? What about the power of words in our dealings with other people in “normal” day to day circumstances? Where does the power of words begin and end?

While there is much written and studied in academics about iwa pele (good character) in Yoruba culture, there is an area of what should constitute “good character” where I feel most all of us can improve, and that is in the power of our own spoken word. If you have read my other posts I talk about the importance of prayer, the importance of putting positive thoughts in place of negative, and that prayer is the basis for a sound mind and life. But the inner spiritual life of a person is not just a little box or room, separate from others, hidden, personal and private. Our spoken words broadcast much louder who we really are, what we really stand for, and are a true measure of our good character.

My father raised me to speak the truth, and this was imparted not because I was a liar or difficult child, but because that is the honor that my family stands upon. He taught me by his example, that people who do not speak the truth can not be trusted in other areas of life (and why would you want to keep a relationship with that person anyway since you cannot trust them), and that there is no area more sacred between two human beings than the bond of a spoken promise or pact. Family shame would be to agree/accept/promise to do something and then not follow through and complete that spoken promise. Does speaking the truth mean that one must spill everything out into the public? No. And when dealing with others who do not have your own best interest at heart, you must use your discretion as to what you reveal, but when you have judged anothers character as worthy and then agreed to do something for/with them, than you must be responsible for upholding that.I could say on the one hand this has been a burden to me, as it seems most people in the world do not share the same beliefs and ethics. I learned that the word of others can many times not be trusted, and even the word of those who are sworn and initiated to uphold,be pillars of trust in their communities, is many times hollow. There are many deceitful and duplicitous persons in the world, even in the guise of Babalawo or community leader. Politicians are a good example of “do as I say, not as I do”, and they allow themselves to be corrupted for material gain, they go back on promises to their constituents. On the other hand, I can at least go to bed at night and lift my head in the morning with pride knowing that I stand by my word. What you hear from me is what you get.

I believe that if we want to be in good standing with God, with our fellow human beings, that we must walk and talk a Godly life. If we are reaching out to others and offering help in the form of promises, than we must do our utmost to make that come about. If not, then we must offer a solution, at the very least ask for forgiveness for breaking our sacred word, just as much to make things right with ourselves, as to make them right between Us and God. Ifa priests and priestesses are especially in need of watching what they say and to whom they say it. The spoken word sets into motion many things, and one must be mindful at all times of that power.

As a person grows in age, they should be growing in wisdom. There are proverbs in Yoruba which state that an elder need only speak a few words to have his weight felt in any issue, and so should it be for each one of us in our daily life. When we are honest with ourselves, we are honest with others. Does this mean we will only encounter good people in our daily dealings? No. We will come across others who are not very spiritually developed, with no sense of urgency to better themselves. That does not mean they are any less or more than any other, and yes, we can be disappointed when others make promises and then let them lie idle or do the opposite of what they professed and promised. Just know that what matters in this lifetime is ultimately between you and God, doing what is right, only offering and speaking what you can assure or guarantee. Do not exaggerate, only claim what you know you are capable of, or make clear you will try your best to do right by the person.

The other night I manifested Esu for a client who had some issues surrounding a supposed friendship that had deteriorated into a situation of blatant and outright blackmail on many fronts: emotionally, spiritually and materially. What was most hurtful to my client is that not only had the one time friend threatened by use of lies to bring him down, but had spoken words that cut him, not only because they were lies, but because their gross negative energy was aimed straight at the very sacred spiritual core he holds dear, and setting into motion a far reaching and ugly scenario.

Esu had a few words of wisdom that my helper wrote down, which got me to thinking about my own life; how I interact with people, how I view the spoken word and issues of trust between people and led me to write this post in the first place.“When you reach a certain age you need to measure very well your strengths and weakness, your abilities to withstand stress, financial hard times. You have to calibrate, measure any possible pitfalls or problems that could arise and there’s a point where what could be called the youthful folly of friendships; a wise man does not extend his hand in friendship to the whole world.

When you’re young you have the grace to make mistakes and learn and move on, but as you get older you see friendship as a treasure, which means that you, as a human being, are offering (to others) the sum totality of everything that you have learned up to that point. It’s a treasure. You don’t just go offering people that willy nilly, you offer it to the people that will benefit you. Old men learn something; older men in whichever society, whether it’s a traditional, third world so to speak country, or first world, a wise old man learns if you can trust someone with your money, you can trust them with your life, because money is life. You might not give a fig for their religious affiliation but a man who deals fair and square in business is worth gold. Business is a litmus test, financial transactions, and you find out who is who. And if you do repeated dealings with people who repeatedly do well, follow through, well, you can count on that man. That’s why you find older men in these business leagues, these clubs. They love money, there’s nothing wrong with that. They love people who know how to do an honest deal, there’s a give and take but there should never be force or extortion. You don’t rape your business partner. I don’t begrudge anyone the love of money; it buys food, sustenance, opportunity. A great man with a lot of money, he surrounds himself with trusted advisers, who understand in order to keep the pathways open, there has to be transparency, honesty, ethics. You don’t reward somebody for behaving badly.”
Mo dupe O Esu, for those words of wisdom. Even the Yoruba know that money came before child in order of importance to earth, and this is in the verses of Ifa. Without money, a child cannot be fed, clothed, there is no money to buy a bar of soap to wash the child, there is nothing one can do to raise that child to success without Money. The verse of Ifa is trying to show young couples that one must have money in place before embarking upon raising a family and I believe Esu in his manifested talks was also trying to show that as we get older, friendships can boil down to “who can you trust your money with”! Whoever that person is, they are your true friend…
May Olodumare, Ifa, Esu and the irunmole guide and protect each one of us in our day, May we all come together in peace and development of a better life here on Earth, Ase Ase Ase Amen O!THE ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
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When people reach out to me for help, I am obligated to act to the best of my ability as an ambassadress of Ifa. I am responsible for my vision, words, guidance and actions, and I take that very seriously. I strive daily to lift up others, give counsel, guidance and I work for their alignment within the tradition of Ifa and the irunmole. After decades of dealing with the psychology and spiritual makeup of people from many parts of the world, I have come to learn some of the major stumbling blocks people have to reaching their true potential.

What is required of a person passing through difficulties is their openness and willingness to listen to the counsel of Ifa, act on it and put forth effort to understand, change or modify their own behavior, or, at the very minimum, to open their minds. At times I will have clients who truly do need and want help, but who are unwilling to look at their own hand inside their downfall, or, they are simply stubborn to change and “everyone else” is at fault for their predicament, or, they are what I call “troublemakers”.
Troublemakers enjoy their own perceived victim-hood or superiority over those around them who they deem below them in intelligence and/or attainment in life etc. Or they are troubled (hence become troublemakers) by evil spirits who influence them to make a mess of their life. The troublemakers put up a dramatic fuss, lie to themselves and also try to lie to me, which is a losing tack. This is not a winning mindset; not inside the Ifa tradition, nor in everyday life. We must be willing to quiet down, be receptive and open our minds to trying on new attitudes and perceptions, to step out of our routine habits and thinking and have faith.

To follow the path of Ifa and the irunmole, one must begin at the beginning: God first, Esu and Orunmila below, the irunmole, the elders and parents, then our self. I have commented in other blog posts about some of the challenges people face living in and being from a Western culture and society and recognizing this “spiritual order” energy. I am not saying that Western culture is “bad”, but there are some trends which are apparent that hold people back who are seeking help. One of the top issues is a lack of gratitude.

GRATITUDE: thankfulness, gratefulness, or appreciation is a feeling or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive.
There is a reason I seem to harp on this, and it is because I see a deep need for gratitude and humbleness in many people who are seeking the aid of Ifa. Too many times the tradition is approached as if it’s a type of candy shop, full of goodies and wonderful ego fulfilling things, that if one just hands over money and cries loud enough, that all one’s ills will be magically solved overnight. This will not happen without our own involvement, from the top of our head to the soles of our feet, both spiritually and physically. There are plenty of “miracle peddlers” willing to take people’s money and promise the world, but in the end, the person is left standing in the same place, with less money and with more problems. One must take stock of their situation with brutal honesty, and fan the inner flame of striving, seeking and development as a spiritual being–not just one of flesh and blood–cognizant that there is an afterlife and spiritual body, and that there are repercussions to words and actions taken here on earth.

So when I speak of gratitude in the context of life and following the path of Ifa, I am speaking of a key ingredient in ensuring that our offerings are accepted, that we will continue to reap the benefits of those offerings, and that the blessings we are yearning for shall come. I want to make a point very clear here: we can make our prescribed offerings, but if we slight, dismiss and ignore what we are handed, no matter how small, we run the risk of not only acting contrary to Ifa, Esu and the irunmole, but contrary to our very ori/destiny and life force–and worse–contrary to God.

A lack of gratitude walks hand in hand with a spiritually unaware, selfish, self centered, egotistical existence and mindset: a person who is short on wisdom and long on suffering. A person who lacks iwa pele – good character – and our character is worth more than gold. Gratitude is an attitude that frees our heart, that opens us up to the realm of the spiritual, that gives wings to not only our own life, but also ensures that the energy put into motion by sacrifice/offerings continues forward. The quickest way to cut our blessings short is to overlook and diminish our blessings. And number one of these blessings is the gift of life.

The greatest gift of all that we enjoy is the gift of life. Think about that for a few seconds. Now think a few more.

THE GREATEST GIFT

THE GREATEST GIFT OF LIFE IS THE GIFT OF LIFE ITSELF.
How many people wake up every day with no thought whatsoever for being given the opportunity to see another sunrise? But wait, you say, what if your circumstances are a living hell? What if you hate your job, spouse, dog, co-workers, your knees are giving out, you have cancer, your teenage son is heading for jail? Where there is life, there is hope, where there is hope, there is faith, where there is faith, there is a means for blessings to come to us. It is very simple really, but in the midst of the luxury of the Western world, some people wake to curse the day. They do not appreciate their bed or the fact they even have a place to lay their head, nor the fact they have nutritious food they can purchase or waiting in a chilled refrigerator for their breakfast. They curse and fuss because of a “bad hair day”, they don’t like the way a co-worker looked at them, they get angry driving in traffic, railing against small inconsequential details that are not to their liking. They overlook the blessings they have that so many other people in the world would almost kill to attain. That is ingratitude.

There is a very easy and simple formula and system to how the universe works inside of the Ifa tradition: the attitude of gratitude begets the arrival of happiness and blessings. When we have no gratitude for people who assist us, even in some small way, when we do not give thanks for our very life and the material comforts we have, how in heaven or on earth can we expect to be in sync with Ifa and the irunmole in order to live out and attain our destiny, achieve and manifest our highest abilities and be happy ? Ifa is not a one-way street with us on the receiving end just because we plunked down money for some offerings. Some people even downplay the signs of victory they are given because they want more, expect more, and are never satisfied or happy with anything. We must reciprocate every blessing we receive, no matter how small, with gratitude, thanks and appreciation. By not having an attitude of gratitude we contrary our own life and become our own worst enemy. Ifa will not continue to reward those who do not have humbleness and heartfelt thanks, or those who do not have the fortitude and patience, the determination to rise above their challenges. Ifa and the irunmole do not carry us, they give us a helping hand to pull us up to where we can see clearly, but we must walk our road. They can set us in the right direction and walk side by side with us, but we must give thanks and make our own effort, be cognizant that this life is not a given to be taken for granted. If we turn our back and turn up our noses at any small signs that Ifa is with us, has heard and answered our pleas, we run the risk of walking alone, stuck with our own negativity in a never-ending loop and abandoned by the irunmole. If we say we are followers of Ifa, than we had best think deeply on this.
An attitude of gratitude is like a fragrant rose blooming in our heart; it perfumes our life with sweetness and attracts our blessings. Starting today, right now, please, give thanks and focus on the things you want for your life, and not what you don’t want. Give thanks for every wonder and luxury you have been given, starting with your life.Eledumare, Ori, Orisa: The Puzzle of Ifa in Western Society
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If you have not read any of my previous posts, my name is Iya Ekundayo. I was brought up in the Brazilian spiritual tradition of “Xango”, a diaspora offshoot of the Ifa tradition of the Yoruba people of Nigeria, and am a fully initiated Iyalorixa. I am also a Iyanifa, a priestess of Ifa of the same Yorubaland. My days are spent talking to people, divining with cowrie shells, pounding out soaps and medicines which are within the oral Ifa divination corpus, making offerings, writing emails with advice or just chatting keeping up, manifesting spirit or orisa into my body during consultations, and generally just living my life to best serve the people who come looking for advice and help. Some people know a bit about Ifa or orisa, some are initiated, some know nothing of the tradition and just need help.

Having lived in many different countries of the world and also still traveling and residing for periods of time inside of the US, I have come to note many marked differences in how different peoples inside different nations approach Ifa and this path of the orisa. This is the longest stretch that I have been in the US for some time and working with people here. I have made several observations and at times become a bit frustrated, even angry, at what is being put forth and touted as authentic “Ifa/orisa worship” in the US. But what frustrates and angers us also teaches us, and patience – “suuru” – is just as applicable when dealing with clients who “don’t get it”, as it is to waiting for a long prayed for blessing to finally arrive. It is my job to help the people “get it”. I can be quite outspoken in my opinions, but they come from experience and observation, and most importantly, come from the wisdom of Ifa, the orisa and spirit guides I have worked with for decades.There are many and varied obstacles to achieving harmony in ones life on the path of Ifa and orisa out here in the US it seems, and I could probably address each one individually in long blog posts. But this past week I reached a sort of tipping point where all of these issues came together in a perfect storm of clients with their varied problems, attitudes, perceptions and needs.

There are two major issues to start with (and it’s hard to not name all of them at once, as major), the first being: Many people in the US do not bow down to Eledumare/God/Olorun/Olodumare. However you wish to name the Creator God, feel free, but there is a very apparent lack of understanding that:

WE ARE NOT THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE, NOR DO WE CONTROL IT.

Of course I am not saying all people within the US present this, but yes, many. I see it over and over. I have come to the conclusion that many people have not been brought up in a home with a religious conviction or teaching, or, they have rejected the Christian model and are looking for all things “African”, yet somehow in their haste to embrace the “African” orisa, they have thrown God out of the equation.

Over the years I have tried to discover the root of this. I believe it is also partially due to not experiencing true lack, want and need. Most people are relatively well off in the US when compared to other nations like Nigeria and Brazil, actually, they are materially much better off. But until one has experienced fear and hunger in their belly, dealing also with day to day realities of perhaps washing clothes in a bucket, battling malaria, hustling to make ends meet and feed one’s self, many in the US don’t seem to see the need to pray to God or think much about God. And then there are the people who read books or articles online that parrot, “The Yoruba do not worship Eledumare”, that there are “no shrines to Eledumare/Olodumare/Olorun” to be found in Yorubaland. This is incorrect, and in no way, shape or form should one think that followers of Ifa do not put Eledumare front and center before all divination, all prayers, all sacrifice, and first thing in prayers of thanks upon waking. There is the English expression of putting “the fear of God” into someone, and there is some truth to that. Life in most places of the world is a tenuous existence, even protecting your life and arriving home safely is not a “given”, so I find that the mindset of people who live in countries with less stability and material comforts – such comforts as one finds in the US – is very cognizant of the place of God in their lives. Also, if it were not for the power of God, we would not be here, Orunmila would not have come as God’s emissary to give the Yoruba and the world the oral Ifa divination corpus, nor would there be orisa. All things come from God, but many people turn to, what is in their minds deemed, “the other God worship”, which is orisa, as if orisa are the “Gods” and the head and source of all, but I will come back to more of that subject later.So, number one, people seem to believe that they hold the strings to life, that their desires, their wants and needs are paramount, that life revolves around their waking and sleeping, all else be damned, and the idea seems to be that the orisa are to be squeezed and manipulated, to be demanded from. The idea is that (in a very Western material fashion), ” I bought this ota of Oya online in a shop, I paid good money, now Oya is mine and works for me!” Well, that’s an interesting concept, but you do not “buy” otas willy nilly offered for sale with the click of a button online (unless from a charlatan), you do not order your knowledge, understanding and wisdom from an online market, and you do not “control” or “possess” orisa. An online purchased ota for sale outright in a shop (or any other “magical bean” purchased online), no correspondence/divination/sacrifice needed, has no ase, no power. Unless you are dealing with someone who is qualified, has the authority and true ase, does divination for you, finds you have a reason to pay for something involving Ifa/orisa and it is confirmed by Ifa, unless they make the proper blood sacrifices or any other sacrifices needed, you are being fleeced. And you also do not hand over money to unqualified (or qualified), “Babas and Iyas” whether in person or online, and then demand that you receive exactly what you asked for in your prayers, and most especially if you have no idea what you are doing and what the Ifa/orisa spiritual path is all about, and/or if you are not willing to look at your own fault in your current miseries/predicament. There are many moving parts to this problem: Lack of knowledge-a softer word for ignorance; a lack of respect and humbleness towards God; a lack of respect and humbleness towards authentic spiritual elders; rubbing shoulders and putting faith in people who are not qualified and authentic in Ifa and orisa worship; a completely wrong understanding of what Ifa is, what orisa do and don’t do, can or can’t do, and what the person’s own role and responsibility is in reaching harmony/resolution in their life. Which brings me to the second issue: not understanding Ori.

In the headlong rush to adore, worship, lavish money on orisa in a quest to find peace, power and happiness, many people do not understand that there is ONE orisa who is the KING of all orisa and is to be worshiped first: ORI. So what is ori? Ori is our destiny. Ori is our beacon and guiding light. Ah! So does that mean ori is outside of us? NO. Ori is within us. It is the guiding voice, the higher self, the spark of divinity that has within it the secret to our life and how it should unfold. There is an inner and outer ori. Think of it as two heads: One, the willful negative and “unenlightened” head, meaning us: our daily actions, thoughts, spoken words, the second and true head is our perfect and aligned with God ori/destiny, the one we are meant to pray to, sacrifice to, enrich, follow and merge with. It is an investment and alignment with our true self and path.

There is a type of schizophrenia in the US, in my opinion, where people have become so disjointed and cut off from God and their own ori, their own true self, that they have great difficulty in pulling together the threads of their life or even their thoughts in everyday life. They don’t realize that the key to their happiness lies within themselves. And it is important to understand the order of things. God first. And our ori is not “outside” of us in some kind of planetary orbit of orisa that seems to be circling just out of reach of the people, and that if they buy just “one more tool”, “one more initiation”, “one more sacrifice”, than somehow the orisa and a perfect life will be theirs. No. There is no orisa who can help you more than your own ori. Granted, it helps to be born in a culture and nation where you are aided in that knowledge, and the naming ceremony of a newborn baby (Akosejaye), is done by Ifa priests precisely to fORI is first and foremost, and each morning after giving thanks to Eledumare, one should hold their head in their hands, address their Ori, pray to be made small and humble so one can hear, pray so that your actions, voice, deeds that day will enable and be worthy of supporting and merging with your true destiny, to bring the inner and outer destiny into alignment. We can behave a certain way that is contrary to our ori, contrary to how we are to behave and conduct our life. Certainly, we are given this information from a (hopefully) trusted and qualified Babalawo at our initiation into Ifa, but what we DO with that information is up to us. You must humble yourself before God, be willing to do what you know is right and wrong, be striving to become more of a spiritual manifestation of divinity on earth. You can make all the initiations in the world, make all the ebo, etutu you want, spend all the money in your bank account, and it will not bring your good destiny into your hands if you do not align with your ori, do your work, straighten out your character, thoughts, words, actions and deeds.There is a seeming lack of will and fortitude in many people, where their minds race, they have no control over their self-negative chatter, and most importantly, they refuse to bow down, be thankful, make themselves small and go before God as a humble spiritual being, asking to be remade, reformed, asking to change their character into one of lack of ego, lack of violence, lack of negativity towards one’s self or others.

And many people make the mistake of initiation/crowning under an orisa before they have even received Ifa initiation. That is putting the cart before the horse. There are far too many opportunities for people in the US with curiosity about Ifa and orisa worship to be railroaded quickly into initiations, receiving “Warriors”, receiving “beads”. This is not how it is done. You must first have a good base understanding of what you are getting into. In Brazil, we spend years developing inside the ile-Ifa, attending sacrifices, “giras” where the orisa come down, developing as spiritual mediums who can be possessed by orisa and egun, and we bow down to not only the deities, but humble ourselves in love and respect for our Baba or Iya who are sheltering us in their nest! It is only after years of praying, using special preparations and baths, observing, learning, partaking, and developing as physical mediums for the orisa and spirit guides, that we take initiation. NO ONE HANDS YOU YOUR SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE-YOU LIVE IT AND EARN IT!Somehow the idea of initiation has become like a “diploma mill” in the US, and sometimes in Nigeria, where hungry people are facing American dollars being offered. There will always be someone willing to take your money, unless they are the real deal. There is an order to learning and spiritual growth, and it is just too common to see people being initiated left and right, only to then think they have somehow received the “right” to open up shop, set up their own shrine, buy some cowries or ikin Ifa to divine with, and start playing the game of marketing. It is a very sad reality, very wrong, and makes a mockery of the tradition. It is only the Ifa priesthood who can pave the way for your future initiations into orisa worship (if you want to TRULY follow the authentic IFA root tradition), not the other way around, and don’t even think that because one has received a hand of Ifa, that you are now a fully fledged priest of Ifa! You must be ready for initiation when Orunmila says you are meant to, and you must trust the mouthpiece. You must make your way to the gateway through your own humble spiritual striving-not because some priest conveniently says you “need” initiation when they have a large bill coming due, and not because you yourself are in a mad quest for “power” or inflation of ego.

I have seen over and over where people have been “crowned” with orisa ahead of Ifa/Orunmila-sometimes in the diaspora, sometimes in Nigeria- and been crowned incorrectly, with very bad consequences for the person’s life. This is what can happen when YOU DO NOT TAKE CARE WITH YOUR ORI. Be very careful who you listen to, allow to initiate you, allow to touch your head and life. ASK YOUR ORI FIRST. Your inner ori knows many things which your busy and under-developed outer “you” does not know! It is the small voice inside, the pit in the stomach, the hunch, the inner self that knows right from wrong, good from bad. The trick is to listen, pay attention, bolster your ori, align with your ori, call on your ori to guide you. Do not entertain negative thoughts/self hatred of your life or of others lives. Do not speak negative things/self hatred of your life or others lives. You must keep your mind together and strong-not divided. You can ruin and destroy your own life much better than any enemy can, and the power is all there in your ori to guide and bless you.

There are plenty of people looking to make money off the ignorant and star struck: those who are more than willing to enter orisa worship without understanding that the doorway is the IGBODU OF IFA. You enter through Ifa initiation, whether as a baby or as an adult, but the correct order is Ifa first, learn your orisa influences, and then seek out orisa initiation. To not do so is possibly courting disaster. This is not to take away from the priests and priestesses in the diaspora who have no true knowledge of Ifa, but who have carried on as their ancestors did solely within orisa worship and that of eguns; the ones who are truly gifted and capable of divining and seeing what is what. But the truth is the truth, and the diaspora traditions that use any Yoruba orisa name-their origin is IFA. Think about that. And choose wisely where to put your trust in Ifa priests and priestesses in the US, or anywhere.So, we have a lack of acknowledgement/reverence/respect towards God. We have a lack of knowledge of Ori. We have a lack of respect towards true spiritual elders. We have multiples of websites, foundations, organizations, ile Ifa, centros, botanicas, tiendas, Ifa Babas and Iyas, all kinds of New Age diviners, half breeds and cross pollination people claiming – with NO authority or standing in Ifa – that they can “infuse” a statue/ota/shell/etc., etc., etc., bought online, with ase/sacred energy for the client to “invoke” orisa or egun, simply by “bathing” it with certain herbs etc.,. Rubbish.

If one is not dealing with a fully initiated priest or priestess from a country where the root religion is practiced or at least with having spent years in learning with correct authentic elders from those countries, in good standing, with sound mind and motives, a seeking person is courting danger, courting a fleecing of the pocket, and worse.

There are some simple items which can be purchased online without consulting and working with a true Babalawo or Iyanifa, as long as they are not meant to represent authentic initiation into or the ability to “invoke” or “use” an orisa or spirit guide. A true representative of Ifa will guide you, help you understand how you can (and need), to help yourself, will make your needed sacrifices along the way until it (possibly) is divined that you need to enter the Igbodu or be initiated under an orisa for any reason (and not everyone is called to be initiated), but, they will not do the work that you and only you are meant to do: with your own head and prayers, your own hands, your own two legs.

What I see all too often as the motivation for seeking out Ifa/orisa is a hunger for power or a fascination with something “new”, “ethnic”, “different”. A hunger for money and material things. A hunger for puffing up of the ego, with no respect for the tradition, no respect for the true elders of the tradition, no practice or even knowledge of authentic tradition, no willingness to make ones self small and pay the dues one must pay in order to learn what orisa is, what Ifa is, or even the role of spirit guides. And it is simply amazing to me what many people in the US are marketing and getting rich off of-meeting these power hungry needs- when they themselves have no authentic knowledge, are basically charlatans, and they get away with it because the majority of people here are simply ignorant of the facts.

There is the need for the quick fix, and people in the US have the power and custom of acquisition of goods to “better” their life-instantly. They treat spiritual issues the same way. They believe with a click of the mouse and a credit card that they can avail themselves of the world of orisa, of Ifa, or whichever tradition is being marketed. On the one hand, it is not their fault, not knowing any better, but again, you must treat your precious life as gold, it is your future, your destiny, your money that you are entrusting and putting into the hands of others. And frankly, many people have no business getting involved with the Ifa tradition nor the offshoots in the diaspora. Whether it is because they enter for all the wrong reasons, or they enter and have come away bitter, spiritually broken, financially drained, some even raped, taken advantage of, and it is suffered at the hands of unscrupulous supposed Ifa and orisa “elders” and “leaders” who will market even their own mother if it means making a dollar. USE YOUR HEAD IN DISCERNING WHAT YOU ARE SEEING WITH YOUR EYES AND HEARING WITH YOUR EARS.I have said it before in other places and will say it again here: Do not hand over your money to people simply because they have a “title”, have a following, have charisma, have a large “foundation”. Run, and don’t look back, if a so-called “priest” says that you must give sexual favors to them. Run, if they divine and say,”Ifa says, Orisa says” that you must do something which will cut into your savings, deeply, beyond comfort, that you must do a work which will harm another or yourself, that in any way will reduce you or put you in a position of lack or possible bodily harm, or if they demand that you stay up all hours of the night in “rituals” (outside of an authentic Ifa initiation which takes several days, with authentic and trusted Babalawo and Iyanifa). And conversely, don’t seek out Ifa/orisa if you are not willing to HUMBLE YOURSELF DOWN IN FRONT OF GOD, ESU, THE IRUNMOLE/ORISA AND YOUR ELDERS!

And now we come to orisa. The trend in the US seems to be that either the person becomes a slave to orisa (over-ritualized and long ceremonies with no basis in Ifa or true orisa root tradition, $$$$$$ needed for unneeded offerings/rituals, clothing, implements that have no purpose or reason in true Ifa etc., etc.,) or, that some people view orisa as nothing more than Gods to be manipulated, whined at, cried to, demanded from, exactly when they need them and how they need them, for whatever whim they have on earth. Which brings us back to the point of no respect for God, no respect for Ori, no respect for the tradition, and no understanding of the spiritual nature required of us to fulfill our part of the bargain.

The orisa are not a vending machine; they are not some kind of cosmic ATM machine where one can withdraw material goods and needs at will and as one pleases. The orisa are not meant to be “sent” to “destroy” people just because one doesn’t “like them”. The worst, most petty and ugliest nature inside humans comes out when the issue is power- how they can get it, how they can keep it and how they can use it for their own gain and against others. And jealousy of those who have true power, jealousy of those who are doing their work and progressing, jealousy and simple lack of good character is exhibited by many people who yearn to “control” orisa, “command” a shrine, yet they cannot even take the first step and stand naked and transparent before God and admit their bad character and being, in order to grow in spiritual understanding.The orisa deities are not “Gods” in the sense of the Creator God Eledumare, though they are frequently called that. And this is where people who are not familiar with the Yoruba spiritual cosmology can go astray thinking that the orisa are the end all and be all, little gods in their own right. No. Orisa are under God. And for every good side and trait of orisa there is a corresponding negative, and as human beings we are meant to look within and see how best we can align ourselves with the positive traits, be calling the positive into our lives, with sound reasons and motives, and heeding the examples of the negative traits shown by the odu verses narrating the lives of orisa, and avoiding those. Orisa is not going to hold you up as you whine and puff about your horrible life (when it has come partially or fully through your own hand), though they do support at times when one is completely spent and weak (but transparent, honest and willing), but I am talking of taking responsibility for ones life. You can make ebo after ebo to orisa, but if you continue to do things which are against your birth odu taboos, or simply just full of bad character, you will not get far in life nor in your understanding of life. You will not reach the cherished and lofty goal of becoming a revered ancestor; an example that your children and children’s children would be proud of. If you cheat others, lie, steal, back stab, gossip, speak negatively to yourself or others, create trouble, break both spiritual and man’s laws, you can make all the ebo you want to try and “fix” things, but your character and bad actions will catch up to you, and you have missed the point entirely of being involved in the tradition. It is not about power, not about acquiring wealth at all costs, not about rising up above others in a peacock fashion, not about getting the money for a new car simply because you want it-not that you need it. You do your work. You go within, you humble down. You work with your ori, with your thoughts, actions, you wake up and pray, you make your offerings and prayers to orisa that they become your right hand in all you do. You ask that while you move your legs down the path, that they make sure to keep those legs in the correct stride and on the right path. When you are moving forward with Eledumare above, your inner and outer ori working in tandem, Esu below Eledumare, Ifa as the guiding eyes, and orisa as the energies which can each assist in bringing us what we specifically truly need, AND is part of our destiny, then we are right with Heaven and Earth.

Sometimes what one “needs” is to face difficulty, take a good look at it, experience it, look within, summon our inner strength and innate guidance, and GO TO WORK ON THE PROBLEM! Perhaps divination and an ebo is needed, as that is part of the functioning tradition, but one does not sit back, reluctantly put money down for the Baba or Iya to perform a “miracle” through Ifa (though we can and do), and then expect that everything is going to be blue skies, milk and honey, while one continues down the same incorrect path, not heeding the words of Ifa, not heeding the advice of the Babas and Iyas, not changing one’s own rotten, selfish, puffed up egotistical self centered importance, one’s stubborn and ignorant ways of carrying on as a little human god.We do not sit back and wait for orisa to help us as if we are helpless spoiled infants. No! We are spiritual beings, we are meant to grow and learn in life. Each hardship creates an opportunity to overcome, learn and attain wisdom. With time and adjustments to our character and habits, we become stable, enlightened, life’s trials are seen for what they are-temporary roadblocks that can be removed or avoided and gone around. Once we understand our true position in the order of the spiritual universe, we enter the stream of life and consciousness where happiness comes, peace comes, even in the midst of temporary trouble. We become more and more like orisa in action, and that is the puzzle and riddle of Ifa.The Importance of Prayer and Ori
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God/Olodumare is Supreme

For followers of Ifa, known as elesin ibile, prayer is a daily practice. When one understands their place in the Universe along with all the irunmole, it is only natural (or with a little practice), to give thanks for everything one has, no matter how small. Our heavenly Father Olodumare has given us the gift of life along with this magnificent planet we live on. I like to start each day praying to God, starting with giving thanks for everything I have in detail, adding prayers for loved ones, and stating: “As I take my place in your world today, I ask that I be given the ability to send and receive Divine Ase.” This is because I know that everything I do is only because of the Power of God who animates my life and who gives me breath. I owe everything I have to Olodumare.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYING TO ONES ORI
In my work as a priestess I encounter many people who are passing through difficult times, so as a basic foundation I try to instill the practice of daily prayer by my clients as a means of stabilizing the mind and generating positive thoughts, words and actions that will see the person through their day. Over time, changes do occur as the benefits of prayer, the spoken word, bring harmony. Prayer focuses and harmonizes one with their place in the Universe, God’s realm and prepares one to receive blessings.

Principle to this is our ori. Our ori is what is translated as the head, or higher self. Each person is born with an ori that guides them. Much like a bird that instinctively knows the migratory routes it must fly to reach food and their nesting grounds to lay eggs and continue the circle of life, so does our ori know what is best for us. We have both an inner ori and an outer ori. Within our own personal Odu, or road/path/destiny of life, we have innate tendencies to think or behave in certain ways. These can be both positive and negative. This is why we ask when praying to our ori: ” My Ori, do not spoil my inner wisdom, or “ori inu” . Though we might be a mild mannered and calm person, if we “lose our head” in a fit of anger and utter words that we might regret later, we are in essence spoiling our outer and inner destiny by letting our head run away with and rubbish our “good head”, our inner wisdom that knows right from wrong, good decisions from bad decisions.While it can be difficult to understand the concept of having an ori, ori is simply our higher self that knows what it is we need and can lead us to it. Sometimes we have personality disorders, perhaps a drug habit or dependency that effectively shuts down our ori; we simply cannot “hear” it. Some people are born with impaired mental functioning, emotional problems, psychological disorders that keep them from enjoying life. The stresses of life here on earth are many, and it is our thoughts and attitudes towards these challenges that will make or break us. We are meant to be happy and there are steps we can take to improve our happiness.

Ifa is all about bringing ourselves into alignment with the Universe around us, our environment, our social, material and emotional landscape. By understanding that our ori is something to venerate, we now see that having good guidance from within is a very precious thing. Many times I tell people, “if we are not for ourselves, than who will be?. If we do not love ourselves, than who will?” We must be our own best friend and our ori IS our very best friend, protection and guidance in life.

HOW TO PRAY TO YOUR ORI
After waking I advise people to pray, even before getting out of bed. If you want to rinse your arms, legs, mouth with water first and then kneel on the ground, even better, but the main thing is to do it as soon as you wake up. After praying to Olodumare, move on to your ori. Place your hands on your head, one on the forehead and the other on the back of the head and pray out loud:“Ori Ori Ori! You are the first and foremost, you are the King and the Head. You are the first amongst all orisa. Without ones ori, we cannot find our way, please listen and hear my prayers. It is I (state your name), the son/daughter of (state your mother’s name), who received the odu of (state your odu name. If you do not know, skip this.) My ori, please guide me to the people, places and things which will help me in life today. Bring me the people and things I need to receive wealth, health, happiness. I am asking you my ori to….(state your prayers/desires/wishes), listen to my prayers and take them to heaven Ase Ase Ase O!”.
Starting our day in this manner aligns us positively. We have clearly stated what we are looking for, and as we have spoken it, so shall it be. The Yoruba speak of ori as such:

ORI APERE! ORI, THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL!
ORI EWU! ORI, I ADORE YOU!
ORI OKUN! ORI, YOU ARE PRECIOUS!
ORI IDE! ORI THAT SHINES/IS PRECIOUS AS BRASS!

When we take the time and effort to venerate and honor God first, then our own ori, we are opening ourselves up to receiving and radiating positive energy which affects how we move in our environment. Just try this as an experiment for one week. You will be rewarded!Praises to the River Goddess
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Bright Mother
who flashes fire
reflecting yellow sun
Owner
of countless riches below
shell pearl river stone throne

you are seated
like a crown
diamond-filled and flowing
you spread your ribbons
cross land
to kiss sweet with salt sea tang.

Queen Mother
who carries a fan
you plait your hair
quick fingers
mid-stream
showing supple back
glowing gold onto the sand.

Blue-silver ice-green
frothing white
your arms
soothe beads of fever
dry throats
we drink coolness with our hands.

Bringer of children’s laughter
maker of happy homes
your nimble feet
dance quickly
chiming
like struck brass bronze and gold.

You delight our eyes and ears
fanning water
rainbow spray
a flash of color
tiny pearls
blown by the wind.

A shake of your skirt
makes fish leap
bubbling
from below
Kind Mother
who feeds the hungry net
fills the belly
of all who remember you.

Queen Mother
who gives life
you are the Owner
of infinite riches
jewel heart
bosom made of gold
let me rest my head there with you.

Omi ero to heal my body
Omi ero to rinse all sorrow
Omi ero to end all hardness
Omi ero to sweeten life.

The pot which virgins carry
if sits empty
silent is
the chorus of praise which firmly
seats the crown on your royal head.
Mo juba
Owner of the Fan
May your pots be filled at dawn.
Mo juba
Queen Mother
May your name be praised at river’s edge.
Mo juba
Radiant Mother who gives birth
May we respect your miracle of life.
Mo juba
Breast-feeding Mother who Commands
May we learn your patient strength.
Mo juba
Queen of Sweet Waters
May you be worshipped and admired
to run forever free.
O Mother,
Bring health, long life and wealth
to my name and hand
Bring me children
so I can taste
all riches savored sweetness
the nectar between woman and man.
Ase Ase Ase O!The Passage
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Beads fall
across your face
pearl water drops
hidden dark beauty
radiant beneath
Queen that holds the iruke
Owner of all mysteries deep
I thank you
for dressing me in your clothes
Mo dupe O Mamae
Your body moves
glistening foam
steel blue
under moon
slivered
ships rock tossed
as you spray
salt fury
to the heavens
churning below
you roar undeniably
Who is foolish enough
to challenge you?
Centuries ago
branded,
beaten,
forced
the last step from land
your people
entered
darkness
Mother of all Waters
your groans mix
with sobbing pleas
crying out to you
Deep water
fear
deep water
fear
sliding tipped sideways
smeared in
excrement
vomit mixed with tears
crossing the infinite
Mysterious Mother
children carried away
on your breast
crying mother
hoarse father
skin bloodied raw
from terror
beating boards
above
below
no escape
only the rise and
fall
of ocean where
none had gone before.
Your promise your love
glows shining bright
night star
you hung
in the sky
closest star to earth
like a lamp
your people
sailing silently
womb imprisoned belly
of the ship
cargo wailing to the sky
those
who did not sink
who did not float
down
in grace
buried deep
in watery arms
took
weak steps on sand
while you kissed
their bodies quivering
fear
deep water
fear
unknown
Olokun
you did not
abandon your children
what agony
cut you
to ferry them away
against your will
Olokun seri aje
we learn from you
vast Mother of wisdom
owner infinite and deep
Even Orunmila went to you
looking for all riches known
and unknown to man
Great Mother
bring peace now
upon your people
wherever they walk
on whatever land
carry us back
through the Akoko
though scattered far
bring peace of mind
and heart
Bring us hope
the ASE of goodness
health
riches, happiness
long life
and loved ones
to our hands
Please, bring us understanding
bring us wisdom so when old
we may wear crowns
on our heads
Ase Ase Ase oooo!Wake Up Your Life with Prayer
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Prayer is an often forgotten ally in our modern world, even for traditionalists who call themselves orisa worshipers or followers. Certainly we all pray when ebo is being made, when we are bowed standing or on our knees in a shrine, but what about when we first wake in the morning? How many people can honestly say they pray, or even know how to pray? While this is easy for those who are initiated into Ifa, if one is not initiated into Ifa with a hand of ikin (the sacred palm nuts of divination which represent Orunmila), then what exactly is one supposed to pray to?

I was brought up in the “Xango” tradition in NE Brazil, and while we had orisa and our own personal spiritual guides we worked with and prayed to, we were never taught certain things that were lost over the centuries of slave trade from West Africa. Though my Mae de Santo’s Ile-Ifa had a Yoruba title and orisa, we were missing many basic Yoruba practices which bring about a healthy psychology and life.

In brasil we were taught to bow at the doorway of the shrine in greeting and recite the xire of the orisa while pressing our palms of each hand firmly on the front, back and sides of the head, to gather the energy up with our hands and press it to our head but there was never any talk of how to care for our ori (our divine spiritual self/destiny/life path), though we used the term “ibori” when speaking of feeding the head of an initiate when entering the realm of orisa through initiation and blood offerings.

The laws of attraction are that what you put your thoughts, your mind to, and what you speak, becomes who and what you are and live. Ofo is the power of spoken command, backed by Ase or spiritual force, spiritual energy, but how does one achieve that type of ofo, that power, to transform their own life? How does one turn around a life that seems without hope or direction? I believe WE are responsible for what comes out of us, more so than any prayer to orisa to come enter our life and “save” us.

Firstly, we hold within us, all of us, our divine inner self, our spiritual double which knows exactly what is best for us, and that divine self is called ori and is situated in our head, is our spiritual head. The Yoruba believe also that the big toe is a type of head of the body, and for this reason it is anointed with offerings when we make any ebo, especially an offering to our ori: an ibori.

So, interestingly enough, getting cut off from one’s ori can also mean that one is lost in life, not sure of their direction, like having a wonderful sailing ship full of food and water, riches, but not having the sail raised nor the understanding of how to raise that sail in order to maneuver the ship. Do you know the expression “he/she can’t see beyond their own nose” ? That is similar to a person who is lost, is seemingly “living” in their head and not seeing the bigger picture, stuck in their head where so-called thinking goes on, but at the same time they are completely lost, not knowing that their divine head has been there all along, but has just not been awakened, not recognized, not called into power and use! But while life would seem a bed of roses if we all chose “good heads”, some of us are born with some inner flaws, perhaps a hot temper, perhaps a tendency to be negative, perhaps with a desire to just “do bad” or going through tough times and not able to stop the loop of negative and self fulfilling thoughts. These are problems and issues that Ifa can address, that worshiping our ori can aide, but for some people, going against the negative they were born with can be a tough march through thick grass. We must gather everything within our power to awaken and reinforce the positive.

The Ifa divination oral corpus makes no mistake about it; our ori IS the most important orisa amongst all the orisa who can help us!

“kosi orisa ti danigbe lehin ori eni, ori pela atetegbenikosa”
“there is no orisa that guides one without his/If I have money

it is my Ori I will praise

My Ori, it is you

If I have children on earth

it is my Ori to whom I will give praise

My Ori, it is you

All the Good things that I have on earth

It is Ori I will praise

My Ori, it is you
The head, or ori, to the Yoruba is believed to hold the seat of ASE, divine power or universal intelligence. Ase is the emanating power that determines our identity and existence, influencing our behavior and personal destiny. The head is seen as the Lord of the body and therefore must be acknowledged and propitiated with offerings to ensure a smooth life. Many personal shrines in Yorubaland in Nigeria contain a relic to the owner’s ori that is worshiped and fed. The physical head is viewed as nothing more than an enclosure for the inner spiritual head called ori inu, which localizes the Ase that empowers the physical self. Although Ase emanates from the Supreme Force or being of Olodumare, this Ase is mediated by Esu, the Divine Messenger.

Reasons to make offerings to our own ori can vary from small offerings to our own ori to bigger ebos dictated by another orisa through divination by a priest or priestess; offerings are useful during periods of spiritual stress, mental stress coming from problems in the personal life; a need to make an offering to our spiritual ori in the realm of heaven (this spiritual ori is our mirror self which knows the destiny we have chosen before birth). The Ifa priest or priestess can use the cowrie shells, opele or cast Ifa using the divine palm nuts to discover which orisa is calling for the need to bring harmony between the inner and outer ori.

First thing in the morning it is good to give thanks for everything positive you are receiving that day upon awakening. I like to pray first to God/Olodumare and give thanks for everything I have, for all. If you are more comfortable using another word for the heavenly creator, that is great, as long as we pray, we are opening ourselves to the divine and for divine alignment and harmony.

Yoruba tradition holds that we should rinse our mouths out, and also the arms and legs as a minimum before praying to God. I understand the desire to cleanse ourselves before the most Holy of Creators, but I also can’t help but think that some of this was adapted from Muslim ideology. Regardless, and this is my opinion and mine only, if you are in a state of mind of discomfort/depression, if your living situation does not easily allow for rising and taking a shower first thing, if you are simply not motivated to do so, then don’t. It is better to simply lay in bed first thing upon awakening and pray, than to start heaping more self hatred upon yourself for not being able or wanting to follow another “spiritual rule”. There are people who are severely depressed in the world, looking for help and answers, and if you are one them, please, open your eyes from sleep and I want you to bring your thoughts first thing to ALL OF THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE, whether you believe you are in permanent misery or not, I want you to try this for a week and you will find that hope is alive, there is a way out, let your ori lead you! If you slept well, give thanks for that. If you have the use of your arms, limbs, legs, hands, eyes, ears, give thanks for that. If you are one of the lucky ones with food for breakfast, give thanks for that. Start with what you have and praise God for that blessing. Say:“Olodumare/God/Heavenly Father…

It is I,__________(state your name)

the daughter/son of,_____(state your mother’s name).

As I take my place in your world today,

I ask that I be given the opportunity to send and to receive divine Ase (power backed by Divine wisdom).

I ask that I be worthy of doing your work,

protect me and my loved ones as we live our day today,

…etc….make your prayers for your life and your family etc, for particular petitions… and close with

Amen/Ase o”
Next put your hands on your head, palm on forehead and other palm securing the back of your head and call out:

“Ori! Ori! Ori!

You are the first and the foremost!

You are the King and the head!

There is no orisa more powerful than you, my Ori,

Without ones’ ori, no one can go anywhere,

The fish in the stream use their head to find their way,

The animals in the bush use their head to find their path,

My Ori, it is I ,_________(state your name)

the daughter/son of , _____________(state your mother’s name),

who received the odu of,_______(state your birth odu if you know it),

who is calling on you now,

Please come and hear my pleas,

Guide me to the people, places and things that will help me and further my life, (here you can ask for everything you need, explain that you desire to be open),

Help me my ori, guide me well this day,

Ase Ase Ase O/Amen Amen Amen!”
Make your prayers for the day and tell your ori what it is that you need and desire for immediate help, what has happened to you in your life. When times are tough we sometimes cannot count on others, but we can most certainly count on our own ORI, our divine inner self that God gave us to lead us to the good things we need in life to be happy. I always say, “If we are not for ourselves, than who will be? If we do not love ourselves, than who will love us? A house divided cannot stand.” So be good to your SELF, LOVE your SELF, take CARE of your SELF and start on the path to happiness.

Life success is not measured by having everything work out perfectly. That is impossible. There will always be positive and negative things that happen to us, but we can minimize or avoid completely many of the negative by using our ORI to lead us in the right direction and choices, by forming our character, our positive actions/reactions, by counting to 10 before speaking/acting in haste,and by using our POSITIVE ATTITUDE to minimize the harm any negative circumstance might do to us.

We guide our ori as much as it guides us. We don’t want the negative parts of our “destiny” we were born with to override our inner head which knows what is best for us, and we don’t want a hot head to ruin our destiny which might be very good, by making bad choices, speaking things which create conflict or close doors for us. Having a healthy ori, a good head, is very important, and most people who suffer, suffer because their ori is out of alignment. They are not behaving in a way which harmonizes the outer and inner destiny. A lot of people lack self control, and it can be hard to change ingrained patterns and habits. It takes prayer and will power to overcome a “bad ori”, but it can be done. Even with mental illness, there are ways to apply ewe oogun /Ifa medicine, and prayer, to bring about change, but the person must also participate and work consciously on themselves, make an effort.In the odu of Ofun Otua, there is a verse which relates the story of a simple man who was so poor that he had only one sheep. And each day he would walk with this sheep to his farm and tether the sheep to graze while he weeded his crops. The odu begins by speaking in the parable:

“If the eye did not see difficulties like one being bound by tight ropes;

It may not see things as shining as brass”

The parable continues that one day the sheep spoke up wearily that even she could no longer tolerate such wretched poverty. To make a long story short, the amazed farmer immediately went to the King to announce that his sheep had spoken. Of course the King did not believe this and said if he were to hear the sheep speak he would give the farmer half of his kingdom. Naturally the sheep did not speak upon command, even with the pleas of her simple owner, but just stared back at him stupidly. Several days went by like this til the King ordered the death of the farmer for making such a ruse and causing commotion. The henchmen began to torture the farmer and he pleaded for his life. At the last second the sheep spoke saying “Do not kill him!”. The farmer’s life was spared and the King was aghast that he had almost taken an innocent man’s life. The farmer asked the sheep why she had taken so long to speak, imperiling his life and she explained that the King would not have kept his promise and be moved to give half of his riches had she spoken immediately the first day. She had thus secured the King’s promise to share half his wealth with the poverty stricken farmer.
So we learn from Ofun Otua that even poverty has its lessons, that there are times in life when we can feel we are bound and tied, in absolute poverty and misery, but that our riches are coming and we must pass through these times with the faith that our good things are coming. Ifa speaks in parables, and Ifa speaks the truth, our good things are coming. We must keep our heads up, our mouths speaking truth, we must follow our good sense and ori to bring about our positive victory in life!

One of the hardest times in my life was when I was suffering after a terrible car accident. It had not been my fault. A man who was emotionally distraught and going through a divorce had tried to commit suicide (I believe) by running a red light while speeding through an intersection long after the light had already turned green to proceed. My car was T-boned and spun in a complete circle. I blacked out hitting my head on the window. My life changed for the worse for at least 4 years after that. Everything was difficult. I walked with a limp, I had no use in my left arm, I could not do even the simplest of things such as brush my hair or take care of the house, I could barely walk or carry a simple bag of groceries, and worse, my pelvis had been damaged inside so that I could not share in a normal happy marriage between husband and wife. But the worst was that I was being drug over the coals by the insurance company of the man who had hit me and who was at fault. I hired a lawyer to try to secure a settlement to pay for the mounting piles of bills not covered by my own insurance. We tried out of court settlements; I had audiences with judges, lawyers, it was terrible. Doctors failed me, judges failed me, the insurance companies failed me. I leaned upon my rock, Esu, and one day while manifested in me he passed a message which I clung to until I had my day in court and a unanimous 12 person jury victory in my favor. Esu said:“When you allow man’s decisions to touch you, you have given away your God-given power, You have to say: “I don’t recognize man as my maker or my keeper, therefore, I do not respond to him.” Have faith in God and you will be rewarded.”
ASE ASE ASE O ESU! It took me many more years to recover but with the help of capable hands of specialists in brasil and much effort on my part, today I do not walk with a limp and have recovered with very little pain and trouble. So please, take heart, and remember we all have our battles and struggles, but help is here for us if we open up and reach out in faith and prayer. With Ifa all things are possible, Ase o!Eewo-Taboos and Living Life Within the Tradition of Ifa
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The Yoruba tradition of Ifa is very clear about eewo-taboos-and every person initiated into Ifa, Itelodu, or who has a naming ceremony at birth, is given their taboos to guide them in life. These go beyond the Christian Ten Commandments of “Thou Shalt not…”. The taboos are very specific to your own special life path and destiny, and are put in place to assure that you achieve iwa pele, perfection, in all aspects of your life. While the Yoruba of old made it very clear that Olodumare is watching all we do, admonishing to not take what is not ours, and not betray or cause harm to others, it is our own personal taboos which we wittingly or unwittingly break that can cause our downfall in life.

The eewo can be about which profession you should enter, a type of area to live, events you attend, colors or type of cloth that you wear, food and drink to eat and what you should give as gifts or how you entertain in your home and many other variables.

Some taboo are ancestral and handed down, some come from being born into a certain village, some from following a certain profession and some come from being under a specific orisa such as Osun, Olokun etc. For instance, it is forbidden for devotees of Osun to eat guinea corn, Obatala devotees can never drink palm wine or get tipsy to the point of being drunk, or preferably not drink alcohol at all. Depending on your odu, these taboos all come to the forefront and must be followed in order to assure your happiness in life. Following taboos ensures that a village, community, home and your personal life be smooth and sweet. Once you have knowledge of your taboos and continue to go against them, you will be bringing down misery upon your head in various ways. You might remain in poverty, not produce children, have no peace in the home or in your self. The odu of the Ifa corpus are very clear on this point.

Many odu Ifa illustrate the plight of orisa when they broke their taboos and how they discovered just where they were breaking that taboo. Osun was tricked unknowingly into eating guinea corn when she was eating emo, a type of rat, not knowing that the area where the rats were caught was in fact a farm of guinea corn where they were feasting. She took the appropriate measures to come into alignment with her taboo. If the orisa themselves followed the restrictions than how much more so must we also strive to not break our own taboos?

The orisa or imale, strove to achieve greatness, we are all striving to achieve our balance of perfection in the spiritual and material world. By abiding by our taboos we are giving ourselves the best help we can. Breaking taboos is something that will erode one’s life slowly over the long run, or, might cause a quick blow as a reminder that one is breaking a taboo. We must remain vigilant and pay attention to what we are doing. If your taboo is chicken, then you must not eat chicken and be sure to check all packaging or meals that might possibly have chicken stock etc. inside. Same with eggs or corn. You must check labels to see that you are not unknowingly eating/using a substance that is taboo for you. We also have plant and animal taboos and as a priest or priestess, there are some items we cannot handle for use in Ifa medicine. We might be able to use that item in preparation for another, but not for ourselves. In the plant magic of Ifa we all have an “Oluwo”, a plant that is like our Godfather, and using that plant would be akin to harming our own blood relationship with our ancestors. You must ask your initiating elders or another Babalawo priest to make sure you have ALL of your taboos known to you.The orisa or imale, strove to achieve greatness, we are all striving to achieve our balance of perfection in the spiritual and material world. By abiding by our taboos we are giving ourselves the best help we can. Breaking taboos is something that will erode one’s life slowly over the long run, or, might cause a quick blow as a reminder that one is breaking a taboo. We must remain vigilant and pay attention to what we are doing. If your taboo is chicken, then you must not eat chicken and be sure to check all packaging or meals that might possibly have chicken stock etc. inside. Same with eggs or corn. You must check labels to see that you are not unknowingly eating/using a substance that is taboo for you. We also have plant and animal taboos and as a priest or priestess, there are some items we cannot handle for use in Ifa medicine. We might be able to use that item in preparation for another, but not for ourselves. In the plant magic of Ifa we all have an “Oluwo”, a plant that is like our Godfather, and using that plant would be akin to harming our own blood relationship with our ancestors. You must ask your initiating elders or another Babalawo priest to make sure you have ALL of your taboos known to you.

Usually what occurs is that some of the very things that are taboo for us are what gives us immense pleasure. Imagine a client’s dismay when he received the news that he should not eat shrimp, and this was his favorite food. His wife exclaimed that this was going to be heartbreaking as she was making his meals of shrimp a good 6 times a week. One of my taboos is to not eat head of anything. This is related to our own unique odu and our relationship with our own ori, our divine guiding self, so, to eat the ori/head of others would be akin to me robbing myself of my own stable ori and its innate guidance. Years ago I became suspicious of an item of food that I loved to eat-ikura-salmon roe caviar. This was my absolute favorite thing to eat and each time I felt I was indulging in some almost naughty too good to be true pleasure. Every time I ate the caviar I would become giddy with pleasure, popping the salty sweet eggs with my tongue on the palate and savoring the flavors as a distinct pleasurable sensation hit my brain. But each time I had a small taste of caviar, that evening I would invariably have a difficult night of sleep and wake with a foul temper, foul mood, a pounding headache and the day would not be a pleasant one. This happened often enough that I questioned my husband on the matter. He said it should not have any bearing on my taboo of not eating head as the eggs don’t have a true head, but my own ori was telling me that while not exactly possessing a head, the delicious eggs have within them the beginnings of a head. He cautioned I should pay attention though, and as I am linked strongly with Olokun/Yemoja, and due to my negative reaction, I stopped eating them. Our inner self, our ori, usually knows that what we are doing is not right. We need to be vigilant and watch ourselves for any signs that we are unknowingly breaking our own taboos.

Another area which is important is when we use Ifa soaps, black soaps, and a priest or priestess hands them to us for use in gaining favor, luck etc. It is very important to state what you know of your taboos before using such items, as you might have the opposite effect! When I pound soaps for people I make sure to ask for their taboos (if they know them), and I also divine to make sure that the soap or preparation is correct for them and will work perfectly. I learned this the hard way. I once received a soap to use for the Iyami from a family member. I did not ask what was inside and began to use it. About a week passed and I went from being cheery and happy on day one to becoming increasingly tearful and distraught, for no apparent reason. After a week and with tears coming each day I decided enough was enough and started divining and thinking as to what had changed. Another time I unwittingly broke my taboo of always eating off of white plates. I would cook my breakfast in an iron pan and then for about 5 days in a row I was not transferring the food to my white plate for eating. I would get interrupted with business before I could eat the food and it was getting cold so I resolved to leave it in the pan and eat from it directly. But the pan was black. Once again I became a nervous wreck with tears for no apparent reason until it hit me when I was sitting down to eat and stared into the black pan which was staring back up at me. A HA!

That is how eewo works. For whatever reason-others might call it simple superstition-breaking our taboos does have repercussions. My advice is to write out all of the taboos that you were given, review them periodically and ask yourself honestly if you are “fudging” on some of them, get back into compliance and see if your life does not improve!

I have a client who was unknowingly breaking about every taboo they had, not being given their taboos at the time of initiation by a diaspora priest, and little by little they cleaned up their habits and are now successful in every area of life and it seems the sky is the limit!

Taboos do matter, and Ifa put them here to guide us to our best achievements. While it may seem small, following our eewo is the single most important thing we can do to achieve happiness in this lifetime-even more than making sacrifice after sacrifice! Our taboos are extremely personal and shape our lives. We have this one life to accomplish all God put us here on earth to do-let’s go about it the smart way and shine!

Sun and Planets Spiritualities (AYINRIN)

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