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Aboru Aboye Abosise and Greetings

This is an open letter to those looking from the outside in and to those antagonists, adversaries, nemeses, and fabricators.

Olodumare (God) have never said that one person was greater than the other. Over time,  humans’ ego have taken control of the Ori (head).  In the sacred odu, EjiOgbe, Ifa teaches us that every human being had a fair start in Orun (heaven) but upon coming to earth, the ego, id and super ego stepped in. As a result, we as human beings have become, competitive irrational, illogical, and war like.  It is the ego that causes one to stray from the agreement made in Orun at the foot of Olodumare. In the mean time, some of us in Ifa neglect our own destinies by trying to control other people’s destinies. If the antagonists, adversaries, nemeses, and fabricators really knew Ifa, they would not be what they are. Instead they would be learning Ifa and working on their own individual destiny. They would be doing all they could to promote the love of Ifa. Ifa teaches us that when we have serious problems, we should take it to Ifa so that we can live comfortable, with love, long life, a good mate, children and material wealth. By following Ifa, we acquire all of those mentioned above. We do not take it upon ourselves to destroy the destiny of another person.

It says so in Ofun Meji-Orangun meji:

Ifa says, Powerful Ifa must be used to resolve serious issues (life issues)
A powerful medicine must be used to counter another powerful medicine;
A fortune must be used to resolve Sere’s issue.
What If we have no money,
How will we resolve it (the problem)?
Cast Ifa for OLOKUN when all of the bodies of waters became her enemies.

Olokun’s plight is the very scenario that has befallen us, (Ayaba OchaBi Ifabuluje-Ifaseye Ika Meji, Ayaba-Oloye Erelu-Abiye Unisi-Tassinon (Ika Ofun) and the idea of American Ifa-Fa-Afa.  Our message is in regards to the lesson in Ofun Meji and other Sacred ODUS mentioned here.

The tree that Olorun has planted, nobody can rip from its roots (Ogbe Ate). Here is no winner(s), because ALL priests of Orunmila should not conspire against one another; all priests should think carefully about his/her life and behave well (Irete meji).

As our antagonists, adversaries, nemeses, and the fabricators continue their path to destroy us, we thank Odi Meji for revealing what was hidden.

A din di odi, A din di Odi – what and who that hides the messages of heaven, Ifa will reveal it on earth; no matter what you say about us, it will be shown to the world (Odi Meji).

1. “WHEN YOU SPIT IN THE SKY, IT FALLS IN YOUR FACE”

Life is a journey. Love is the main attribute of Olodumare. As a famous mythologist once said, “Mythology is the womb of mankind’s initiation to life and death” (Joseph Campbell, 1990).  We all are born to die like the seasons, e.g. Fall, Winter and so-on. Nothing will stay the same…not me and not you.

We (Ayaba and Ayaba) started a spiritual journey, together. We worked and prayed hard, while making small slips and falls along the way. We raised our children and paid our way through school. We even paid for each of our initiations and made it through difficult lessons as we continued to develop with our ancestors, orisa, ifa and God. When people believe that, they are mighty and taller than anyone else, they have spit at God and will have return into their own faces. When our antagonists, adversaries, nemeses, and fabricators took out what seems like 100 fraud pages on Facebook to destroy us, they were splitting in the sky; they are spitting in the face of God. They forgot millions of other people on facebook were reading. As they hid their identities and we blocked them, our friends and family on Facebook are still reading all their nasty comments and being affected by it. While everyone else read the nasty remarks of the antagonists, adversaries, nemeses, and fabricators and their blatant abuse, WE, continued to take the injustices to Ifa and Ifa advice is that we continue along our paths as we are on the right path and that is spreading the awareness of the goodness of Ifa in all of its variations. It is because of Ifa that we have continued living and walking our destinies today despite, the curses, threats and the many attempts to belittle us.

We speak to you all with love and concern and we pray that you too have love and are concerned for us since we are all children of God. It could have been you and if it were you what would you do?  So we ask, why are these things still manifesting? Is it because we are continuously working Ifa?

2. “DO FOR DO, AIN’T NO OBEAH”

This means, do unto others as they would do unto you, literally.

Osa otura says, what is truth?
We say what is truth?
Orunmila says, truth is the laws of heaven, guiding the earth;
the wisdom of Olodumare is using great wisdom.
Truth is the word that cannot fall;
Ifa is truth, truth is the character of Olodumare,
Truth is the word that cannot spoil
Mighty, power, surpassing all,
Everlasting blessing
This was divined for the earth,
They said the people of the earth should be truthful.

Up until now, none of our antagonists, adversaries, nemeses, and fabricators has been truthful about their activities as sons and daughters of Orunmila should be. They have spread propaganda while acting as if they are protecting people as a charity and their motive to destroy us. Are we not people too? When did God tell them to be destroyers of other people when all ODUS are remedies to HELP man along. The ODUS do not tell us to take matters into our own hands, or there would be no need for Ifa, period.

3. “TRY TO BE WISE AND YOU END UP OTHERWISE”

As it have been clearly stated from time to time, Lucumi is Lùkù mi, or Olùkù mi, meaning “My friend” in Ife dialect. There has not been any spiritually friendly and loving development by our antagonists, adversaries, nemeses, and fabricators who says that they are Lucumi and/or respect the teachings of Lucumi.

A well known professor stated that; as African peoples and their Diaspora peoples living within and outside the continent, we will explore 100 Theses, one by one, for the need to orchestrate the Full and Unmitigated Reformation of Ifa and Other Orisa Based Agencies of African Divination, Worship, Belief Systems, Philosophies, Theology, Ancestral Adoration and Religions. Slavery, the most central tool used for the subjugation, confusion and control of peoples of Africa and its Diasporas has remained neglected, ignored, silenced and subordinated by cultural custodians, including Obas, Ijoyes, Babalawos, Iyanifas, Babalorisas, Iyalorisas, Oniseguns, Adahunses, and other indigenous spiritual leaders of Africa and its Diasporas–although these cultural custodians know fully well, or they are abjectly ignorant that without a full recognition, discussion and treatment of this historical cancer, it is impossible for peoples who look up to them to understand or fully benefit from indigenous systems of divinity (Moyo Okediji, Ifa University).

In other words, no one person have the monopoly on Ifa and another person destiny within the propagation of Ifa and orisa.

4. “WHAT SHOE YOU BUY, YOU WEAR, EVEN IF IT HURT YOUR TOE”

Odu Iwori Bosa says this is where you’ll find the wars in the world; Obatala (Ayaguna) the creator of wars; and
where one is not to be allowed to sit at your table with dirty hands. Meaning, if you don’t respect me, how do you want me to respect you; if you want me to give you something, what are you giving me. It is all about trust and not trickery.

“THIS ODU CLEARLY SPEAKS OF THE NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIVITIES”

It’s heartbreaking, that in our present times, there are those who point to their own interpretations of the ifa and governmental laws, who break the very rules they want to enforce. As the world continue to spin and conflicts escalate, pathology besets the orias/ifa communities and their families, more and more. What would Orunmila say about this? We have been falsely accused as frauds by once distinguished priests of this tradition whom by their actions against us removed their own distinctions. We find this particularly disturbing and hard to understand because Ifa is Ifa, we are ifa and they are ifa. We are not electing people to govern their destinies but they want govern ours.

5.  “NO MATTER HOW FAST THE MOONLIGHT RUN, DAY LIGHT CATCHES UP”

Every one of us sat down before Olodumare (God) prior to coming through to earth. We all made and accepted out destiny contract. Some chose to be president of the United States while others chose to be simple people in the world. Regardless, every one of us made an agreement with God. Traveling on the road to fulfilling that contract has been a challenge, from raising children to just living in the world but we are fulfilling our destinies to complete our contracts with Olodumare.  Out of love for Ifa, we pray that our antagonists, adversaries, nemeses, and fabricators will come to the conclusion that their activities are incorrect behavior for Ifa priests. That Ifa-Fa-Afa will forgive them and elevate their ori and spirit.

We can not say often enough, if we had a million of your tongues supporting us that it would still not be enough to able to thank Ifa for the love, the guidance and the strength gained from doing good by Ifa

Ase ire o
Ayaba Ochabi Ifabuluje-Faseye IkaMeji

Ayaba-Oloye Erelu-Abiye Unisi-Tassinon (Ika Ofun)

This article is a response to a question posed by writers who have various viewpoints and perceptions about AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA

TAKING THE BIAS, LIES AND THE ILLUSIONS OUT OF THE ODUS OF IFA WITHOUT CHANGING OR LOSING THE FOUNDATION OF THE ODUS OF IFA

By Iyalemole Oloye IyaNifa Dr. Queenchiku Ngozi and Oloye Erelu Abiye Unsi Tassinon Iyanifa (Melba Farrell)

AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA is based on unification within our diversity and still be rooted to the foundation of IFA-FA-AFA.

AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA stands on the two legs of Odu Otura Meji which states as Ifa says, “a road leads from here, a road leads from there, when two roads merge, they taper down cast Ifa for Erinmodo tree who was made king over the trees in the forest“.

HYBRIDIZATION:

When a plant or animal is bred with a plant or animal from different stock, the process is known as hybridization. There are numerous reasons to create hybrids, including increasing genetic diversity and breeding for specific traits. It is frequently practiced in agriculture, to make stronger, healthier plants with desirable characteristics.

Hybridization in essence, describes the genetic diversity of the people living in the diaspora who are devoted to or practicing African Spirituality under the name of AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA. The devotees and/or practitioners are like the plants that undergo hybridization for the purpose of making them STRONGER, HEALTHIER and more DESIRABLE.

AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA does not see to change or rewrite the context of the Odus of Ifa as some may imply but instead, we seek to celebrate the diversity of those Odus that are expressed by diverse groups people who live in various places around the world.

STATEMENT 1:

O’Fae O’Fae posted in the Facebook group, Ifa-Orisa-Egun Talks, an African Babalawo’s perception on the Odu(s) of Ifa. Keep in mind that this is a comment made by a Yoruba born Traditional Babalawo. I think it fits this discussion as it brings to mind the stories written about the Odus and his reasons why change is being implied. The author’s name is at the end:

“Many stories we hear today about most of our Orisa are mere fabrications. The fabrications started from non-practitioners. Most of them intentionally fabricated stories to gain popularity or to denigrate our faith, while some of them (especially the historians and anthropologists) gathered the fallacious stories from people who either were not conversant with our religion or who had aversion for this faith. When we critically examine the story at times, it is difficult to filter out the intentional or unintentional fabrications added to distort the story/history and “downgrade” our Orisa to mere mortals like Ogun was born in Saki, Orunmila was a blind man from Nupe, Sango was the fourth king of Oyo who hanged himself (Oba to pokun so), Obatala was an albino from Ifan, Osun was a woman from Ekiti, Yemoja was the wife of a king of Saki, Oduduwa escaped death from Mecca, Ela was born by Moremi and so on. It needs divine reasoning to decipher the truth from the fallacy.

The attempt to deride Esu started in 1844 when Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowder started using Yoruba language to preach Christianity. It was then they started equating Esu with Satan/Devil. The blasphemous war against Sango started in 1921, when a man called Hethersett, who was then a head of a school in Lagos, Nigeria wrote the history of Sango. The man, who was a Christian wrote a story that Sango hanged himself and made people believe that that is why Sango is called Obakoso (the king did not hang) to protect his reputation. We are not sure whether the writer fabricated the story by himself or he gathered it from some sources. We know that a king once reigned in Oyo, whose Orisa was Sango. He reigned as the fourth king of Oyo. It might be that Hethersett was confused and was unable to decipher the king who was a devotee from the Orisa that the King followed. However, it is clear that Hethersett did that to destroy traditional religion in order to propagate Christianity especially when we think over the fact that Hethersett did not consult the previous works by people like Ellis (1894) and Denneth (1910) before he wrote the story. This is what Professor Akinwumi Isola noticed in the year 2000.

The irony of it which saddens one most is the fact that even, many of the followers of Ifa/Orisa faith believe in those stories. Many of the devotees talk bad about Esu and some are even shy of bearing names like Esuyemi, Esugbemi and so on because, they believe that Esu is the devil. Likewise, many devotees of Sango today believe in that story written first by Hethersett. They erroneously believe Sango to be the fourth Alaafin of Oyo who hanged himself. Alas! The fallacious stories have gained ground throughout the world.

It is high time we wiped out the fallacies that have overthrown the real history of the Oduduwa tribe. Let us do away with stories that are not firmly rooted in Ifa, the scripture of our religion. Let us not depend on the history of Oduduwa land or that of any Orisa which was/is written by christian fanatics or muslim jihadists who call themselves historians or anthropologists.

What is sure is that the destiny of our religion is in our hands. It is high time we started rewriting the stories of our Orisa for the coming generation to have documents to lay hands on. Let us encourage ourselves to write books of our religions by ourselves. Let no muslim or Christian write the stories of our Orisa for us. Let those who have useful information about each Orisa document such information for the posterity. Ase.”

BY Fayemi Fatunde Fakayode

COMMENT:

In 400 years, the Yoruba (African roots) spiritual ways of life have become a hybrid in America and the diaspora proper. America is the land of diversity that assimilates into one movement with individual arms. For example, People of Colour have looked to the Brazilians, Cubans, and the hill tops of the Caribbean for spiritual evolution and connection to their African roots. A good analogy of how this is being done can be taken from the example of what he Jewish did with their holy book, he TORAH. The Jews didn’t change the foundation of the Torah; they only adapted MODERN WAYS OF LIVING AND INCORPORATING THE STANDARDS OF THE TORAH. Even though there are your extremists in all forms, time does bring on a change that lessons the extremes but does not take away from the core essence of a thing.

CORE SYSTEM:

When we say IFA-FA-AFA, we are talking about the CORE OF THE ODUS. The system that works throughout any branch of African Spirituality is DIVINATION. The Odus are revealed by Divination and is the Core System by which is revealed the DESTINY of each individual person’s life. The Odus also contains the Sacred Patakis (Stories) of IFA-FA-AFA or whatever other names used to describe this CORE SYSTEM that serves as guidance for the individual on his or her life’s journey.

Then the BODY OF THE SYSTEM becomes the people who in their expressions of life, live the embodiments of the Odus. For example, a person, in the way they live, expresses the will of the Odus in their work with the Orisa(s) or any deity that is spoken about in the pataki(s) of the Odus. The Odu is gotten by various divination methods. (Ikin, Opele,, Cowrie Shells, Sand, Obi, Coins, and so-on) according to the types of methods used in the places where who are devoted to or practice Ifa-Fa-Afa live. Keep in mind that all Orisa (orishas) speaks through ODUS as well as our DIVERSED ancestors (not only of African origins but from other places in the world) and other entities. So over time, the application of the Odus became a separation and atomic division between levels of minds due to the process of outside religious interference such as Christianity, Islam, and so-on.

STATEMENT 2:

Questioned asked by an African-AMERICAN initiated in Traditional African rites but living in America.

1. Are we just practicing Ifa in America, or will we be able to add the struggles and victories of our experiences to the narrative?
2. Will we write Odu reflecting the sacrifices made of our ancestors to bring the taste of freedom to our lips?
3. Is this not our chance to tell the true story of how the practice of Ifa survived the African American experience?
4. Is this a part of American IFA-FA-AFA ?

By Iyanifa Fajemirola Ifetayo Fakayode

COMMENT:

Any time you take plants or humans from any other country and relocate them to another country, they have to adapt and incorporate to their environment to survive and grow. Removing the elements that cause stagnation and combining or fusing the structures that strengthen the foundation to continue to developing and produce. In 2015 there is a new developing spiritual bond with other spiritual sub-levels which establishes hybridization called AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA.

BONDING:

For instance, a bonding and incorporating process would look like this for example:

Yoruba (2Y), Lucumi (2Ly), Candomble (2Cy) and People of Colour (2PCyz) = YLCPCyz^4 = HYBRIDIZATION.

It doesn’t take away the 400 years of struggles from the People of Colour; it is incorporated, adopted and assimilated into the pores of the Americans and other peoples of the Diasporas who live according to Odu Ifa/orisa (Orisha and) ancestral practices and rituals. The Odus are the roots and foundation of this way of life. In America, People of Colour who embrace this form of living can move easily into spiritual elevation by adapting and incorporating the availability of what were presented within the 400 years on this side of the world. Basically, we need to look at the various ways which one Odus are being interpreted. Then, analyze how the concept of hybridization fit our modern environment and socialization to the world.

For instance,
1) There is no need to re-write odu or invent new ones, because the original odu are the foundation in which this way of life was created and pored from.

2) Take and remove illogical and irrational jargon while keeping it realistic and unbiased.

3) Remove the mystical assumption that it is abusive and discriminatory remarks. It is the fundamentals of Odu and directions for African Americans and or People of Colour who are adopting to this way of life under the conceptual framework of American Ifa-Fa-Afa.

FULL MOON COMING !!! August 29th, 2015 – The super moon

The full moon brings victory:

Odu Irete ‘Yeku….
A te yeku o yi won berepe
Igba abere ko toko
Igba irawo o to su
Adifa fun igba irawo ti nba Osupa sota
Kile o fosu se
Pataki ni tosu ninu ojo
Eyin o mope igba irawo ko ni le mole to Osupa lailai
A te mole oyi won berepe

AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA: UNIFICATION AND DIVERSITY FIT

By Iyalemole Oloye IyaNifa Dr. Queenchiku Ngozi and Oloye Erelu Abiye Unsi Tassinon Iyanifa (Melba Farrell)

August 4, 2015

HOW DID THE CONCEPT OF AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA COME TO BE?

AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA came to be by watching the people of the diaspora over a period of countless years becoming closer to their spiritual roots in Africa through the yearning to connect with their ancestors. However, despite the yearning there was and is still a barrier. One barrier is distance. During the growth spurt of connecting to our African Roots, a large percentage of the growing numbers of IFA and Orisa devotees and practitioners were and still are financially unable to make the journey home to Africa. We then asked ourselves, “does that mean that we are not African or that we can’t devote ourselves to, or practice our African faiths? Even those numerous of people who were able to go back home, could not do so for an extended period of time, which is needed to become fully involved in Traditional African culture in the way it is done at home.

The question then became, how can we practice our African Roots in the places we live and still maintain the common tenants of our faith to the best of our ability? In essence, we recognized that we can be devoted to and practice our African roots in a foreign land just as our ancestors did which resulted in the survival of our African Faiths in a foreign land, the land in which we live, called America. In so doing, we found that we can express our commonality in the ways we express our spirituality in the places in which we live.

WHY PROUDLY AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA?

According to the United States 1860 Census, there were 3,953,761 African slaves that represented 12.6% of the total American population. The statue of Liberty and the Statue of Freedom were both created from an African slave woman model which recognized the African presence in The United States of America. The slaves brought their dance, music, stories and faith to a foreign land and after more than 400 years of struggle were finally recognized as AFRICAN-AMERICAN. This recognition came with the rights and privileges afforded to ALL people of the land called America.

WHY AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA stands for UNIFICATION AND DIVERSITY?

America/Diaspora is truly the land of diversity where ancestors, orisa, and Ifa are widely practiced by the descendants of African slaves. In the America/Diaspora, the Cubans have Lucumi and Santeria; Brazilians have Candomble, Haitians have voodoo, Jamaicans have Obeah and Gullah have Ogeechee and so on. These offsprings of African culture not only blended their cultures in order to survive but they made it comfortable to FIT the environment in which they lived. All of these offsprings have two things in common which are their roots; ANCESTORS and FAITH in the African deities. At the end of the day, everyone wants to live comfortably before going to Orun (heaven) and everyone wants to practice orisa and Ifa life from their ancestral roots of Africa. However, everyone cannot and will not go back home to Africa in order to follow their roots; many are doing it in the places in which they live and afford. Emerson Biakolo in the ‘Nigerian Guardian’ of 28th November 1992 asked: “Do men believe just because they want to or because the object of their faith is credible?” According to Edmund Burke (1790), “People will never look forward to posterity, who never looks backwards to their ancestors. The concept of diversity creates assimilation for American/Diaspora cultures and beliefs which brings a special type of unity, ideas for harmony, a unique mechanical design for spiritual growth and plasmatic substance for long life and the spread of Ifa.

HOW DOES AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA LOOK BACK TO THEIR AFRICAN ANCESTORS?

Today, the most widely practiced of African faiths in the diaspora are Orisa, Ifa, vodou, obeah, and so on. The most prevalent one is IFA and is called by many other names, since IFA is the system that sets the guidelines for our way of life in so many ways. Ifa is the binary numerical system of odus (proverbs) of which determines our individual destinies. Ifa is the oracle of wisdom, knowledge and messages from Olodumare for an individual’s destiny in life which is governed by the Orisa Orunmila. Ifa have many names that have assimilated into many cultures as follows:

“Ifá among the Edos of Nigeria, Fá among the Fon of Republic of Benin. Eva by Nupes, Ifa in Cuba, USA, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Surinarm and Haiti, Afá by the Ewe of Togo Ephod by Jews, Geomancy by Europeans and Malagasy as well as Ramal or Hati by Arabs. Ifá is widespread in Africa… it is practiced among the Igbos of Eastern Nigeria, the Kamuku and Gwari of Northern Nigeria, the Igbirra in South Central Nigeria, the Jukun of Eastern Nigeria, and all the tribes in the region around the Cross Rivers. Among the Siwah people in the Sahara, Ifá is known as “Derb el raml” or “Derb el fu” It is also widely practiced in Ivory Coast, Ghana, Sierra Leone as well as in Liberia” (Professor Idowu Odeyemi, 2007?). In other words, Vince (2010) stated that the “United States is unique and NOT only is it a country, but it’s also an idea [where] people around the world don’t just dream of coming to America, they dream of becoming Americans.

WHY IS AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA NOT A CORPORATION OR A BUSINESS?

AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA is like YEYE Osun/Oshun and fashioned after the nurturing energy of the women who represent the leadership of the Ifa/Orisa way of life in the diaspora. Just like the original Statue of Liberty, we are here as a symbol of the FREEDOM that our ancestors died for in order for us to live. We are also here to claim that FREEDOM in the place we live in order to honor our ancestors’ memories. As we live devoted to and practicing our African culture in the faces of our adversaries, we make ourselves comfortable. Most importantly, AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA devotees and practitioners are claiming their rights and privileges under the U.S. Constitution that affords all Americans FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND BELIEF under the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States which is considered a fundamental human right.

Conclusively, your passport says American; not African American, Cuban American, and White American, etc. It says “American” for ethnicity. Regardless, where you got initiated and you live and practice in the Americas/Diaspora…wouldn’t it be nice if we had a recognized tradition in America and our West African roots are the base? Basically, if you are initiated to orisa and Ifa-Fa-Afa and you live in America and you practice in America, then you are practicing American Ifa-Fa-Afa. It doesn’t take away from where you got your initiation – if you are initiated. Many people have been initiated in more than one system (Lucumi, Congo, and traditional Ifa) and they don’t throw one system away for the next, because those slaves’ DNA…47% Benin/Togo, 25% Congo, 20% Native American and so on is their ISESE (oworin gunda) in America. This is why AMERICAN IFA-FA-AFA exists.

Odu Ifa Otura meji says:

?na kan ti n ihin wa, ?na kan ti ohun wa. Ipade ?na meji a bi ?nu ?on?o a dia fun Erinm?do eyi ti o mu j?ba igi loko. Ifa lo wa ferinm?do j?ba

[A road leads from here, a road leads from there. When two roads merge, they taper down, cast Ifa for the Erinm?do tree who who was made king over the trees in the forest. Ifa declared Erinm?do king.]

May your head lead you to follow your ancestral path and express it in the places in which you live.

ASE IRE O

How can we all do our part in helping to mend our broken world? Many of us will approach this question differently; due to our experiences, age, influences, and destiny within the world. All the approach would be correct. I hope many will ask this question, leaving their ranks and titles on the shelf for a minute.

My opinion would be to change the way we look at the world and how we fit within it, as spiritual Ifa-Fa-Afa /orisa practitioners and human beings. In other words, we need to check our destiny list twice and stay on that path, knowing that there are bumps and sharp corners to deal with, keeping our eyes on the prize. It is not easy to fix something that no one realizes it is broken.

Nevertheless, don’t be among the ones who say, “somebody else will do it”, because it will never get done. Don’t be the person who rather take the blue pill (the lie) because they don’t want people to hate them because they stand for truth. At the end of the day, NO one wants to take the trash out, only benefit from the profits. So, be responsible for your part. Respect the ones who help you along the way. If you have differences with them one day; still respect what they gave you yesterday and learn the lessons that they offered you. Ancestors always told me “A lesson learned is a lesson I don’t repeat.” The disease doesn’t continue to cut holes in the fabric.

This reminded of an odu Irete Meji about MY THOUGHTS:

Odu Irete Meji

“Slender as a needle, dirty and shabby
as a cloth line, glittering as a fool’s gold,
full purse clangs on the ground, the filled net sinks,
tightening the noose; two young roosters: challenge
and fight; two old roosters: shabbily they trod on,
bony buttocks fall whith a dry thud” was the one
who cast for “My Thoughyts”, he-goat, buffalo,
were blocking the stream of the river that Yemoja
worshipped in Ido, on the day that he used the tears
in his eyes to hunt down all the good things in life.
Could he prosper when all things seemed to evade him?
They told him to bring a lobster, eight pigeons,
and 16,000 cowries. “My thoughts” listened
and made the sacrifice. They cooked the lobster for him
with “leaves of riches”, then cast Irete Meji, and mixed
the powder of the Odu with the food, saying: “Drink, eat”.
He began to get rich; soon his compound was
full of wives and children, and whilst he began
to build houses for all of them, he praised the Awo’s
who had said: “Slender as a needle, glistening as mica,
purse clangs down on the earth, young roosters
play and fight, old rooosters listen quietly,
bony buttocks fall with a thud” cast for
“My Thoughts”, heavy as a he-goat, buffalo,
blocking the river flow; I worship Yemoja,
who owns enormous riches. Him with the tears
of his eyes was looking for the evasive fortune.
Wat is with the riches I’m looking for?
It was lobster who ordered all good things
to come to me. And the children I desired?
They swarm into the net, get it in, hoist it,
the lobster said. My slender body filled
to the brim? It was lobster who let the flood in.
And how about the land? I wanted to build for so long.
It was lobster who plugged the holes in the strainer.
I put my hope in the falling tide, and then
all good things in life flowed towards me.
This is Irete Meji to which you have listened.

We greet the sacrifice …. only what you put in, you can get out. It is the same about being responsible for yourself; your actions, and CARING for others. So the practice of this culture will carry on without blockage and negative forces eating away at its existence. Bottom line, Ifa and orisa lives in all of us; we are too busy being SELFLESS, HATEFUL and ENVIOUS to reap the true benefits of IFA.

My suggestion is to listen to the ase of Ifa that exist inside you, your ori and the ancestors around you. Be a good listener and not a great talker. Ifa says, at time we should ask if some things don’t go too easy, if it’s not slightly more complicated than they seem. Work from within before out-in.
O meji mi o

Inspired from Odu Ogbe Yonu: TEMPERING OF THE HEAD

Is it fair for a person who is looking for guidance?

How do we temper our head?

There are foods and products which we tend to enjoy, such as eggs, chocolates, soufflés, gasoline, metals, etc. Tempering is when a person adds substance to mold, shape, and harden the product to function well, e.g. ori. For instance, we go to school to get an education, training or skills. If you didn’t learn anything, you have gained no substance. An ori without tempering is an ori without substance; therefore, it is broken or dysfunctional. Some would say it is damaged goods. The concept of “iwa rere – good character/iwa pele – gentle character”.

TEMPERING:

In the earlier days, elders would temper the ori for initiation. They would develop the ori to move from one stage to the next. Testing and challenging the ori, e.g. sticking a fork in it to see if it was done (hardening the head to receive the ashe (fire or initiation)). The hardening is needed to carry the weight of the orisa. Meaning, there were years of training and spiritual development before initiation. It wasn’t a cash-carry or drive thru window process, e.g. McDonald drive-thru.

WHERE DOES THE DEVELOPMENT BEGIN?

The elders and initiators remind me of the story of “Ajala” who was the avatar of Obatala, the head maker – Odu Ogbe Yonu. This is story is taken from “Ajala and choice of ori” by Wande Abimbola, 1975; UNESCO files: “The Ori is chosen in Orun (heaven) and the consequences of this irrevocable choice are on every individual.” Firstly, I have three children, and I am amazed how each one has their own character and innovation toward solving problems, even though they are raised by the same standard – moral and values. The story is about three friends – Oriseeku (son of Ogun), Orileemere (son of Ija) and Afuwape (son of Orunmila) that heading to the abode of Olodumare to choose an ori. They were on their way to Ajala’s home. Oriseeku and Orileemere went straight to Ajala house and Afuwape went to his father’s house to divine on his journey to Ajala’s house. Meanwhile, the two friends reached Ajala’s house to only meet a lot of problems. Meanwhile, Afuwape was instructed to do ebo…three small bags of salt, three times nine thousand cowries. At the end of the story, Ajala knew which ori was good and which one was bad. Afuwape received a good ori and his friends picked their own ori.

80.Afuwape said that he was going to the earth,

And he must first go to Ajala to choose Ori.

Orunmila then took his divination instruments,

And with them he touched Afuwape head.

When he cast the instruments on the ground……

85. Ogbeyonu (otherwise known as Ogbegunda) appeared.

When the Orunmila household studied it carefully,

They said, “You, Orunmila,

Your son is going on a journey to certain place.

So that he may choose a good lot there……..

My point here is the importance of tempering the enter head – ori (higher consciousness). It is my opinion that an elder that is dysfunctional – the heads which they make will be dysfunctional. Elders in some lineages don’t mold, shape, and harden the head and/or prepare it for the ase of the orisa(s) OR Ifa. We can see this and experience the ori that is not tempered when they leave nasty remarks on this page. I guess, it’s like putting untreated glass in the stove or an egg in the microwave…if it makes it through the fire, it is all good… if not…it is still good. Tempering of the head is adding substance (you have to have substance to give substance, Odu Ika Fun- you can’t give what you don’t have) that will prepare the person to receive the necessary firing by hardening the head to carry the power (or ase); and for the ase to be seated well or properly on the head…good characteristics. It is a perfect head. When the ase isn’t seated well, the ego takes control and they are dysfunctional; they become destructive to themselves and others around them. Basically, spiritual cultural unconditional love is essential for tempering the ori, so, over time people won’t have problems. I will stop here……….

Odu IdinRete

Ori mi gbe

Ori mi la mi

Tete gbe mi atete niran

Atete gbeni ku forisa

Ori pele o onomo atakara sola

Ori ko da mi re

Orisa ma ma je nsowo ase danu

Ori ko da mi re

My orie save me

Rescue me,

You are swift to save

You save quicker than orisa

Ori pele – greeting ori

Ori cast me right

Don’t let me trade at a loss

WHY DO WE NEED TEMPLES – REALITY OR LIES?

 Many centuries, various cultures have found alternative ways to practice orisa and Ifa which influenced many of us to practice today. But, living in modern time why is it necessary for us to continue living in hiding under or behind bullshit stigmas? Why is it necessary for us to go outside our homes to build churches and call them temples of Ifa? What is happening to the freedom of religion? What is happening to touching the sources in nature – orisa in their own elements? Why are people so much in the need to belong to a brick-mortar? At the end of the day, they still can’t get but 1% and no life insurance plan? Beside the word, TEMPLE basically refer to an institutionalized and organized religion process and procedure to honor a supreme statue of some-source and not the god within, which is patrolled by the governmental body or some type of figure head that will enforce dogmatic gender separatism and push man-made doctrine and agenda (irosun meji). The first time the word “TEMPLE” appeared was in the Old Testament which was Hebrew (hay-kawl) and in the New Testament by Greek (hee-er-on and nah-os). The word “TEMPLE” was where the original temple of god in Jerusalem that was patterned after “The Tabernacle in the Wilderness”, which was completed by King Solomon about 950 B.C.. It survived over 360 years before it was destroyed by the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C.. In other words, don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s Temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s Temple, God will destroy him; for God’s Temple is sacred, and you are that Temple.” (from the bible – 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NIV)? Why are we accepting this practice of IFA in this form – brick-mortar church/temple? Have it come to be a continuation of mentality manipulation and brainwashing that people are solidly embracing that they need a man image of god to guide them? What is happening to SPIRITUALISM?