Further thoughts on prayers

When the subject of prayer came up, I was asked specifically about those moments when you want to simply "think" your prayers to yourself. We talked about it in the context of a group setting where one may not feel comfortable sharing in a public setting their private and inner-most thoughts. I agreed that in that environment you could privately think your prayers and Orisa would most certainly hear them.

However, I feel there is an important point to make. At some point, it is still important to physically speak your prayers, whether it be in a whisper inaudible to your neighbor, or in full voice in the privacy of your home or a secluded shrine. I believed this inherently, but wasn't able to fully crystallize my reason why. Then a week later it struck me in a clear way.

In all Orisa traditions, we work to make sure that our dreams and destiny manifest physically. We say Aboru Aboye Aboshishe specifically to request that that occurs. Speaking our prayers aloud (or in a whisper) are simply an extension of that idea. We take our thoughts and physically manifest them through speech in the same way we hope those thoughts will physically manifest in our lives. Ase!

Iwori n'soro lowo
Aweda n'soro kelekele
D'Ifa fun Enu lotalota bi ase
Wo ni o rubo
Won ba rubo
Orumila ko Enu lotalota bi ase n'ifa
Won wa n jo n yo
E je a pe e o
E je a pefa
Ki'fa o le baa je
Ni n hin awon Babalawo
Awon Babalawo n yin Ifa
Iwori n'soro lowo
Aweda n'soro kelekele

Iwori I am speaking
Aweda I am whispering
performed ifa divination for Mouth, the pepper grinder, gives birth to ashe
He was told to perform sacrifice
He performed sacrifice
Orunmila taught Enu lotalota bi ase Ifa
He began to dance and rejoice
Let us call him
Let us call Ifa
So that Ifa may answer
He praised his Babalawos
His Babalawos praised Ifa
Iwori I am speaking
Aweda I am whispering