Contemplation on the Odu Osa Otura

Solitude comes to those that seek it
a blanket of snow descending on the mind
as thoughts crunch through virgin fields
leaving tracks on the landscape of our life
there are moments we choose the well worn path
it's ease giving us temporary relief
and yet, for some the path of least resistance is not a path at all
treading through fresh powder with a will to find
the view, the moment, the experience
that gives the mind it's reprieve when the body is tired
the bird that lands on the snow laden branch
taking in the landscape in its search for food
gone in an instant without leaving a trace
you will eventually find your way
somewhere
though not always where you think
-- Marcos Ifalola Sanchez --

Heretical treatise on divination using dinlogun vs. Ikin

In a recent conversation, I was asked about the difference between a Dinlogun (caracoles) reading and an Ikin reading.  The question was actually a far mor nuanced, and politically laden one than it appears at first blush.   What they were really interested in was why, if one has kariosha and Ita, in which "odu" are drawn is there a need to go to Ifa, and what are the differences? This of course is a bit of a minefield of a question, and to some extent depends on your "acceptance" of Ifa as a part of the Orisa arcana and Orunmila as the Orisa of knowledge and divination.

Approaching this from the most literal sense first requires us to understand the type and style of divination performed.  Irrespective of whether Dinlogun is a subset of Ifa, is the issue of whether the diviner is actually pulling Odu or not.  Dinlogun, contrary to popular belief, is actually not accessing, nor pulling Odu. We know this for three simple reasons.  First, while some of the names for the patterns in Dinlogun match to Ifa Odu, not all of them do. The implication here is that there may be a link, but the two are definitely not the same (Ejioko, ejila shebora).  Further, the names for 13 and up (metanla etc) are just the yoruba names for numbers. Second, the double throw is something that is a newer system, part of the lucumi system, and in Nigeria single throws the norm for dinlogun. It's only recently that Oriate began referring to Odu in the same way Awo Ifa do, in both books by early Oriate such as "manual de oriate" by angarica, the combination throws would be for example referred to as "oche tonti oche" not Oshe Meji etc. Clearly, with more access to Ifa texts Oriate have moved to usurp power away from Babalawos, whether right or wrong, that's not the question here.

Lastly, and most importantly, the reason dinlogun is not pulling Odu is that the dinlogun does not go through the process of being birthed from Odu (the wife of Orunmila) and its priests have not undergone the initiation of seeing Odu. This is not, in truth, meant to belittle dinlogun reading, but to clearly differentiate it from Ifa.

Approaching this from a more philosophical and theological perspective, dinlogun are the mouthpieces of the Orisa and as such are meant to be a way for Orisa priests to access the knowledge of the Orisa for which they were consecrated. In other words, Sango's dinlogun, when consecrated to Sango, are meant to be a way for his devotees to access his wisdom and knowledge in particular. As is the same for Esu, Yemaya/Yemoja, Oshun, etc etc etc. This is EXTREMELY important to understand as when you are getting Ita, you are becoming a priest of a particular Orisa, and in doing so, need to get the advice of that particular Orisa.

This is in sharp contrast to the Ikin Ifa on several different levels.  First, Ikin Ifa are not consecrated to Orunmila, but are consecrated to Ifa. While Orunmila is an Orisa, he is an Orisa of a different sort, as even Orunmila is a priest of Ifa, albeit the Orisa that created the system that made it possible for us as humans to access the wisdom of Ifa. Where even bigger differences occur that separate Ikin from Dinlogun are in the process of accessing Ifa.

It's first important to understand what Ifa is, and as I understand it, Ifa is the codification of the wisdom/knowledge of the world, past, present and future, as handed down by Olodumare. Based on that premise, Ikin is not accessing Orumila (meaning it is not the mouthpiece of the Orisha, as is the case of Dinlogun), but petitioning Orunmila (and importantly Esu) to help in the process of accessing Ifa. This is done through Odu, Orunmila's wife. Odu the wife, gives birth to the Odu that appears on the Opon Ifa as marked by the Babalawo. This process, requires an esoteric and metaphysical union of male and female energies to give birth to Odu Ifa. It is then the job of the Babalawo, who has undergone training, in addition to initiations in which the secrets of Odu are revealed to him, to interpret this for the person who is seeking advice.

As an aside, the Ori of the seekers is consulted during the D'afa (divination) process through the Ibo. An extremely important process because Ifa could be seen as the infinite number of conversations happening simultaneously, and it's only through the Ibo and presence of Ori that the Odu that is appropriate for the seeker of advice is "tuned in" to.

Understanding the full process of Odu (of which I've only gone through a small portion) is what gives light to the understanding that Odu Ifa accessed through Ikin are indeed quite different from Dinlogun. A. Caracoles are the mouthpieces of the Orisa and Ikin access the wisdom of Ifa.  B. Odu the wife of Orunmila gives birth to Odu on the Opon Ifa, which does not happen with the caracoles. C. Non-Ifa priests do not go through Itelodu, and therefore have not been initiated to the mysteries of Odu, and only Ikin are born from Odu. D. All Orisa, from Oshun to Sango to Orunmila himself consult Ifa when they are looking to find clarity in their path.  Ifa is not meant to supplant Dinlogun, but complement it. There are moments when as an Olorisa you need to consult the Orisa to which you were initiated, then there are moment when you need to clarify the larger picture, where just like all the Orisa, you go to Ifa for advice.

-- marcos Ifalola sanchez

Contemplation on the Odu Ogunda Meji

We are not born alone
We can not stand alone
We will not survive alone
and yet we stand in solitude
unwilling to give up
the very thing that destroys us
because of the belief that it is a means of salvation
We do not own the gun
the gun owns us
keeping us in a state of fear
desperately trying to control
the inevitable moment of our death
when in reality
it comes to us all
the unenlightened mind
will always cling to the belief
that there is something to control
we are born in tribes
we stand together
we survive shoulder to shoulder
a community united
without guns
will last an eternity

Contemplations on the Odu Odi Iwori

Close your eyes
open your heart
melt into the sound
as your ears drift
on a sea of notes
that speak
of a thousand journeys
filled with adventure
heartbreak
sorrow
love
redemption
and joy
a symphony of emotion
dancing on the vibrations of strings
that fill the air
with the music of your life

Contemplation on the Odu Ogunda Ogbe (Ogunda bede)

When approaching the seed of a sunflower
one is left to ponder the burning question
what is the best way to consume such thing?
If done with fingers
it's not such an easy task
each shelling
without correct pressure applied
may crack both shell and morsel of goodness
and leave a mess
If approached only by using the mouth
a tangle of tongue and teeth can sometimes
coax the seed from its shell
but leaves one with a slimy mess
a combination of mouth, hands and teeth
can also work
loosening the diamond from its crater
but is a tedious and slow process
Each way
with its own merits
and drawbacks
can solve a problem
leaving us to contemplate the next quandry
Ifa is life
life is a bowl of sunflower seeds
waiting to be consumed

Contemplation on the Odu Okanran Irosun (okana rosu, okana irosu)

We are the accumulation
of millions of tiny decisions
whose cumulative affect
makes us who we are
like sand castles on a beach
built with a cup full of sand each day
Wind and water forever eroding
the creation that is our self
slowly building
some with moats to defend
others open for all to see
each one unique
sometimes finished
sometimes incomplete
we inevitably meet the end
brought by a rogue wave
crashing down
returning us whence we came
our sand to be used again
to build other castles
-- Marcos Ifalola Sanchez --

Contemplation on the Odu Ofun Ogbe

To move in stillness
allows the mind to exist
without expectation
adapting
like water in a pitcher
that takes on form without resistance
changing seamlessly when poured into a glass
the still mind wraps itself around eternity

contemplation on the Odu Otura Meji

Though a raindrop becomes one with the pond it lands in
it's impact creates a ripple
felt even at its edges
As human beings we often forget
Even the smallest of gestures
can sometimes ripple across the world
stirring something deep within our humanity
We are all one
and yet
we can each make a difference
in the world that is around us.

Contemplation on the Odu Ika Meji

A society built on the backs of many
for the benefit of a few
is not sustainable
beyond even questions of moral duty
One can only surround themselves
with so many walls
until one day
they realize
they are alone
and as the powerless and poor grow in numbers
there will be no walls that can withstand
the tidal wave of pressure
as nature recalibrates itself
finding balance
as the ants devour the elephants carcass
the only sustainable path
is the middle way

Contemplation on the Odu Ogunda Ofun

The nature of a thing
is sometimes such that
we want to change it
and yet in the end we have found
that it changes us
and only in our changing
does it become something different.
The rock does not move
but is over time
worn to dust
and we are left with only the remembrance of it
the only truth is change

contemplation on the Odu Irete Otura

To focus on beads
Is to miss the true nature of Orisa
To focus on beautiful containers
Is to miss the true nature of Orisa
To focus on kings and queens
Is to miss the true nature of Orisa
To focus on shells and seeds
Is to miss the true nature of Orisa
It is only by focusing on nature
That we find the true nature of Orisa
To focus on the past
Is to miss the true nature of Ifa
To focus on the future
Is to miss the true nature of Ifa
To focus on the present
Is to miss the true nature of Ifa
To focus on Ifa
Is to miss the true nature of Ifa
It is only by focusing on the nature of things
That we find the true nature of Ifa

Contemplation on the odu Otura Oturupon

Ifa is the sum of our collective unconscious
manifesting each day as a framework for hope in an amoral world
bringing the wisdom of a million years so that we might navigate life
and avoid capture in the web of chaos spun by our world
each moment requires us to adjust as it unfolds before us
the same and yet different
we listen for the cue that suggests possibilities
hoping to respond so that we might live another day
Ifa offers only a foundation of understanding
but gives no guidance on how you will manifest your home
It is up to you
to interpret the world
and give your life meaning

Contemplation on the Odu Oyeku Odi

We often live life as if in a race with death
and yet death is but our shadow always a half step behind
no matter how we bob and weave we are unable lose it
until we realize that
sitting in stillness
with the sun overhead
we can become one with our shadow
listening to the world around us
having forgotten about the race
death is no longer our fierce competitor
but simply a part of us

Contemplation on the Odu Iwori Osa

Do not believe in Ifa
I do not believe in Ifa
Ifa is a theological study on the human condition
a study of our existence in this world
It is not meant as a belief system
but an ever growing corpus of knowledge
passed from one generation to the next
to be pondered
questioned
understood
Ifa is a thinking person's religion
It is not for sheep, though it guides us like a shepherd
It is not the answer, though it tells us to question
I am Ifa
You, are also Ifa
We are Ifa
Ifa is the journey with no end
Limitless
it is just one way
of many ways
each with their own history
each with their own justification
each, an attempt to explain the human condition
Ifa says there is more than one way to any destination
and in the end, we will all reach our home
I am Ifa
Ifa is me

Contemplation on the Odu Ofun Irete

There is no present, it does not, and can not exist. As soon as we acknowledge it as such, it has already become the past, and the future has taken it's place. We are forever in a game of chess with time, attempting to see 3, 7, 13 steps ahead, yet unable to know what move time will make. Live the board you have been given, but think ahead, with the flexibility of a stream that finds a way around the rocks left after an earthquake. And though you can not win, play so the next generation can enjoy a longer and more fruitful game than you. -- Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplation on the Odu Oworin Ogbe

Sadness is standing alone in a beautiful garden surrounded by six foot walls, unbeknownst to a world filled with five foot people.  -- Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplations on the Odu Okanran Ogbe (okana sode)

In life, there is very little more dangerous than a true believer
Irrational acts are justified in the name of faith
Blinders allow only a limited view into the nature of things
Heavily tinted glasses change the colors of life
A one dimensional world with no interplay between light and shadow
They live in a painting of a small room, stuck for centuries without change, the same table, the same chair, the same window, the same view
Atheist or theist alike, without fluidity and openness in their views
They paint their canvas with one broad brush stroke, in one color, on one side
Insisting that there is no other possible way to see the world
Gleefully destroying buildings, people, ideas, all while insisting theirs is the only true world view
There is a god
There is no god
I am right
You are wrong
There are only two things we know to be fully true,
We are born
We die
and even those we take on faith
Perhaps we are all just energy
never living or dying,
but simply taking form momentarily
inhabiting a receptacle for the briefest of moments
then discarding that receptacle
and in the moments in between
we are subject to the limitation of the receptacle
unable to fully grasp the enormity of it all
Perhaps
we are just synchronicity
-- Marcos GhostBaba Sanchez

Faith, enlightenment, Ifa and Eji Ogbe

Ifa can only help those seeking enlightenment
If you seek to gain anything but wisdom
You will be like the man who seeks to capture the sun by grasping at it's reflection in the water
For a moment, you may feel as if you succeeded, but when the water becomes still, the sun will re-emerge, leaving you with nothing but a wet hand
If Ifa is all possibility
then it is also possible that it doesn't exist
Faith is not enough, it's a crutch that creates weakness
Enlightenment is the only thing we must seek, even if it leads us to conclusions we are not comfortable with
-- Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplation on the Odu Oshe Meji (ose meji)

I am at a loss for words
you have me speechless
how can I describe the feelings I have
but to say, seeing you is the dawning of a new day, bright and full of life
your absence brings the darkness of night, where only my dreams bring news of you
You are me, and I am you
forever connected
father
son
I know you will understand my choices... someday
No matter where I am, know that you can always reach inside your heart and I will be there
My blood is your blood
My soul is your soul
We will always be one
Stand on my shoulders and let me lift you above the clouds
So you might soar to places I only dreamed of
I will always love you
as only a father can
forever connected
you are me
and I am you
-- Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplation on the Odu Iwori Oshe (Iwori wowo)

Money is a courtesan who can not be wooed
No matter the depth of one's love of her, she will not love back
She knows no boundaries and owes allegiance to no one
and yet
when she looks at us, her gaze lulls us into submission
when she speaks, people everywhere stop and listen
when she moves, our bodies and minds fill with thoughts of lust
Her attentions can take a man from obscurity to prominence
but stand in her disfavor and even the most powerful of men crumble
Fickle, no one knows how many her paramours number, and yet, no one cares
She is a poppy, whose sweet nectar can turn a free man to a slave, chasing after an illusion
Be warned, she does not like being second, and her love is fleeting
Once the dance is done, you will find yourself alone on the ballroom floor, grey and withered, only to see her unaged, in the next room surrounded by a pack men all vying for her favor
Money is a courtesan who will not be wooed
-- Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplation on the Odu Iwori Aweda (Iwori Ogunda)

I was trained to dance, and I danced.
I was trained to play music, and I played.
I was trained to sing, and I sang.
But none of these were my gift, they were merely tricks I learned to perform.  Gifts given to others, though sometimes I'd secretly wished they were mine.
In time my gift appeared to me, a stranger long a part of my life, but never recognized
My gift was the intricate dance of fingers, pen and paper
My gift was the creation of a symphony of ideas
My gift was the voice that changed thoughts into sounds
Sometimes we wish for a gift that was given to another
but in time
with an open heart and mind
we might see the gift that was given to us.
If we are smart enough to recognize that gift
we must fulfill our destiny and give that gift to the world
- Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplation on the Odu Odi Meji

The moment when you
Lose respect for someone you
Cared about is one of the saddest
Whether falling from a pedestal or
Becoming something unrecognizable
There's a hole in your being through which
A cold wind passes
Chilling you
Like walking coatless on an
Overcast winter day
Only by taking shelter and wrapping yourself in the
Warmth of friends and family
Can you once again
See the spring and
Plant the seedling of hope
In the field of your
Soul

Contemplation on the Odu Oturupon Meji ( Ologbon Meji)

There will be moments when you will feel like a stick puppet who measures a foot tall, but whose shadow projected on a wall creates the semblance of a giant. Larger than life, your movements will captivate, even though you wonder how long the illusion can last. Fearing the moment when the light fades and people see the truth, you stop and prepare yourself. I am both shadow and light, what stands before you is both illusion and reality, we are simply, us...  - Marcos Ifalola Sanchez -

Contemplations on the Odu Ofun Otura

People who claim to have no regrets in life are a bit like horses who's blinders give them only a narrow view of the world. While I'm sure there are saints and prophets, who possibly lived lives with no regret, to say one has never had regret is narcissistic folly. To lack regret is to say one has lived a life without fault, without sorrow, without remorse. We are imperfect, we will make mistakes, and while regret can be a dangerous place to live in, without it, we are unable to acknowledge our humanity. The key is to make our visits to the world of regret as few and far between as possible. -- Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplation on the Odu Irete Ogunda (Irete kutan)

When caught between a rock and a hard place, the trick is to look objectively at the matter and not lose yourself in an emotional response. In doing so, you might realize that today's rock is tomorrow's weapon, or that a hard place can still be a resting spot, albeit not the most comfortable.

Contemplation on the Odu Oturupon Otura

Even as my body stills, I can not quell the undulating seas upon which my mind finds itself. Thoughts fill my head like rain drops, drumming the rhythm of a life well lived, but not yet completed, nor fully understood.  It's only after the day is done when I close my eyes that the night brings a momentary void from which I am reborn.  To face another day, another song, another segment of the unchartered waters that are my life. -- Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplation on the Odu Oyeku Meji

Neither atheism, nor theism as absolutes are possible, since the acknowledgment of these stances requires one to acknowledge their opposite. An atheist, believing in science, will one day run up against the concept of infinity. In order to acknowledge the existence of such an important concept, they would have to acknowledge that anything is, in fact, possible, which means God, is possible. A theist, in acknowledging the existence of a supreme being that created everything, would have to acknowledge that that being has powers beyond our comprehension, which would include the ability to no longer exist, leaving a vacuum, or a world without a god. Another acknowledgement, in a way, of infinity (or that which we can not comprehend). It is in this way that we come to realize that both stances are in fact impossible to legitimately hold, as they require acknowledgement of possibility. Once realizing this and acknowledging it as reality, both extremes will inevitably (if rational) move to being more compassionate of the other's viewpoint, since both, are equally possible, and merely our own feeble attempts to place order in a world beyond our comprehension. --Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplation on the Odu Irosun Ogunda

Enlightenment brings the understanding of when not to think, when not to speak, when not to act, and in that absence, allow the world to reveal itself. A void is not really empty, it's simply unfulfilled potential.  This brings us to the conclusion that the empty mind is the mind that observes, and in observing fulfills its potential, after which it can draw clearer conclusions not muddied by unnecessarily sloshing around in the puddle of our thoughts. -- Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplation on the Odu Ogunda Oshe

When smashing the pedestals of icons, whose words and actions move people, it's best to remember that the message may transcend the shape, form, or history of the messenger.  Ultimately, it's important to realize the medium of a message takes on many forms, some confounding or without apparent merit to the destroyer, but they are nonetheless valid.  A pedestal, however, is still a pedestal, whose integrity to hold weight must always be challenged.  -- Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplation on the Odu Irete Meji

Life is filled with infinite possibility and our only limitation is what our mind and body can comprehend.  What was perceived as miraculous yesterday, tomorrow becomes mundane, and so the process of evolution expands our horizons ever further out.  There are truly two worlds in which we live, one which we understand today, and the other we will understand tomorrow. What mystifies us, is that tomorrow's world exists now, and yet we can not see it. -- Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplation on the Odu Okanran Obara

Timing is a fickle lover who sometimes appears out of nowhere
wooing you with her winsome smile
only to vanish when you glance away
distracted by an out of place noise
Other times
she sits on a crowded bus only a few feet away
waiting to be noticed but just out of sight
Then, there are times in our darkest hour where she
grabs our hand from behind
spinning us into a heated embrace
lips melting together in a
warm kiss that feels like the
sun on our skin

Contemplation on the Odu Oyekun Ika

There are many roads to enlightenment. Some will have magnificent views and smooth pavement, while others are riddled with pot holes and incessant traffic, which you choose is up to you.  Caveat emptor, when leaving one state to enter another, road conditions can vary, and the difficult environment dealt with early on, can make even a crappy road seem less... well... crappy.  -- marcos ifalola

Contemplation on the Odu Oyekun Ogunda

Beware wolves dressed in priest's clothing... -- Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplation on the Odu Ogbe Obara

One who needs to fall back on gaining respect by calling another to observe protocol has respect in name only --Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplation on the Odu Oshe Odi

Sometimes we idealize the past, other times we recognize it for its true beauty ... the problem is, the line between the two is often grey. Better to remember the past, but live in the present, and look forward to the future... -- Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplations on the Odu Osa Ika

Sit closely and I will share my heart. A soliloquy of stories told and untold will pass from my lips to your ears unfolding imperfectly for you to see. A book of unknown length, unfinished, waiting for an ending that will be told by another. Let me sit closely, and listen too, to your heart. -- Marcos Ifalola --

Contemplation on the Odu Ogbe Odi

A checklist can insure you buy the right ingredients to make a sumptuous feast. But life isn't always about checklists, sometimes, you need to just follow your heart wherever it may lead, and listen to what it needs, not what you wrote on a piece of paper. -- marcos ifalola

Contemplations on the Odu Oyekun Otura

Fragments of a past that is no longer haunt my drive on this rainy day. The door that once welcomed me now looks back at me, a stranger contemplating its own destiny, devoid of recognition as I pass it. Once in, I find a museum filled with a world that was mine and is no longer. Looking at different pieces bring back fleeting memories intermingled with curiosity at new pieces added to the installation curated by another. You can never go back. Once the bell is rung, it can't be unheard, and so one can only hope to ring other bells, whose sound might ring sweet in the mind of another.  -- marcos ifalola

Contemplation on the Odu Oturupon Oworin

A mirror's reflection shows only the surface of a three dimensional object, unable to pierce the guarded shell we create. Gaze into your heart, and you'll find those scratches and bumps form a life patina that holds its own beauty. Find that beauty and you will surely love again.  -- Marcos Ifalola --

Contemplations on the Odu Ika Ofun

A barking dog charging towards a stranger
May seem a dangerous threat
Even when their only goal is to eventually unleash a

Torrent of gentle face licking
Playful banter can often be misconstrued for malice
When one reflexively reacts without
Deeper understanding and clarity of intent
A dogs language is not our own and
If misunderstood leads us to the
Wrong conclusion

Contemplations of the Odu Ofun Odi

We are not all created equal, but what makes us human is our ability to treat each other as equals.  If for no other reason, then in acknowledgement that change is the only constant and today's hegemony is tomorrow's history.   -- Marcos Ifalola

Contemplations on the Odu Iwori Oshe (iwori ose, iwori wowo)

We are all just one breath away from ruin, whether because of unexpected illness, financial or natural disaster or random acts of violence. Anyone who says their fame or fortune comes solely from hard work and does not factor in luck and happenstance is filled with a fool's hubris and delusions of grandeur and control. The only way we, as individuals and as a species, can survive, is to hedge our bets by nurturing community, and strengthening and extending our tribes.  If we help each other, we help us all.  -- Marcos Ifalola

Contemplations on the Odu Otura Ogbe (Otura Niko)

Templars, shaolin, sohei, almoravids, Sengueï Ngaro, it's no coincidence that throughout history some of the greatest warriors were monks.  The question is not what you can do in the name of religion, but what you can do to make the world a better and more balanced place. Religious ferver will always give way to excess and extreme and must be tempered with restraint and contemplation lest it devolve into a world of the powerful and powerless.  -- marcos ifalola

Contemplations on the Odu Otura Oyekun

From madness, we descend into chaos, as we have done for hundreds of centuries. A pendulum swings to each extreme until it eventually rests in a peaceful state in the middle. This does not last long as it is usually disturbed by a passing wind, or pushed by a hand moved by its belief that one extreme or another is in fact the true middle. -- Marcos Ifalola 

Contemplations on the Odu Oshe Ika

Endings are just beginnings in disguise.
The finality of an end is merely an illusion created by our minds
to deal with the fear of the unknown path beyond.
We do this in preparation for the inevitable ending of consciousness as we know it,
beyond which lies
the incomprehensible existence of life after death.
Once one realizes this,
we can see that life is simply a journey
which has no beginning or ending.
This is when we begin to glimpse
the limitless nature of truth.
-- Marcos Ifalola

Contemplations on the Odu Ogunda Obara

Suffering
is the state
in which we
find
our character
The unchallenged man shows
little strength when
battling a summer's breeze
while walking
to the house of their
beloved
Character
is built battling the
demons
that appear in our
lives and minds,
only to return from
the darkest hour
victorious
It is said that we must
fall
in order to
learn how to
get up
but true strength comes
when we are pushed down
repeatedly
yet regain our footing
each time
with head held high
A life worth living
is always worth
fighting for

Contemplations on the Odu Iwori Irosun

Sometimes, we have to look back in order to move ahead, because without the benefit of hindsight the turns that lie ahead are difficult to navigate. The trick is to not keep looking back while you're walking forward, you might stumble... Marcos Ifalola

Contemplations on the Odu Oshe Meji

I've lived, I've loved, I've left the bread crumb trail of my existence littered across the world in the hearts and minds of those I've connected with. Someday I'll look back and reflect on the winding path I've taken, but for now, I hope to find my own way. I am unabashedly hopeful, even in the face of the fog that obscures my path. -- Marcos Ifalola

Contemplation on the Odu Ogunda Ofun

There are times when you add two things together and they come up with nothing. Then, there are moments when you add two things together and the possibilities are endless. -- marcos ifalola

Contemplations on the Odu Okanran Meji

That which is seen by the eyes, is not always as it appears, but when viewed with an open heart, form takes shape . When we try and see the world for what it is, we often look but do not see. All actions and all people serve a purpose, even if it is not easily seen. -- marcos ifalola