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Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Contemplation on the Odu Oyekun Meji

Liquid notes drip across my consciousness
as words pour from lips like velvet silks
caressing the deepest places of your soul
Peaks and valleys ending in wells of purest water
that refresh my senses and nourish me
Time spent alone
with you
feeds the space in between
drawing me closer
into the heat of your breath
and perfumed notes of sweat
that roll down your sides
until that time when
the world is no longer
and we lose ourselves
in the timeless moment
we call
love

Friday, December 19, 2014

Contemplation on the Odu Obara Ofun

Beware
the beauty of the snake
it is unable to escape its nature
intoxicated by it undulating movements
one might be lured into a false sense of security
but do not be fooled
whether driven by 
threat
hunger
or surprise
real or perceived
a snake will
be a snake
There are some
who like the snake
can not escape their nature
beware them
but do not become them
and always rise above the
faults of your nature
to become more than

the sum of your parts

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Contemplation on the Odu Ofun Ogunda

"There is a time and a place"
was the name of the one who arrived in a foreign land
where people walked backwards
and kept their faces covered
and their bodies bare
in the hot desert sun
What is this place
he thought to himself
how unenlightened these people are
do they not know that their genitals lay bare
for the world to see
and their faces remain covered
emotions hidden beneath muslin of blue
What a strange place indeed!
As the day passed
he continued to observe the customs of the local people
only to understand that
while seemingly strange
for these people the customs worked
and they managed to live
as they had
for many years before him
and likely
for many years after him
While sitting for tea
he realized
left bare to the world
there was no shame in their bodies
man and woman
without worry 
looked past functionality
and into the minds of each other
what a revolutionary thought
disguised by my own prejudice
After some time spent wandering
“There is a time and a place” was approached by a tribe elder
and asked
Does it not feel funny
to walk with your toes first
and not see where you come from?
To which he responded
I had never thought about it that way
certainly I always want to understand where I came from
but I find it quite useful to see where I will go
In thoughtful repose, the elder contemplated his response
and said
It is from this moment on, that I declare my people will try walking sometimes seeing what lies ahead 
and sometimes seeing where they have come from
In response “there is a time and a place” declared
From this moment forth
I will walk sometimes looking ahead
and sometimes looking behind
and I will sometimes leave my body bare, and head covered
that I may look into another’s soul
and not just at their body
So it was that each learned
and felt the truth in a new way of being
“There is a time and a place”
was the name of the one who lived in a foreign land

that was no longer foreign

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

More Contemplations on the Odu Obara Meji

My thoughts become words
carefully written
mind to muscle
muscle to pen
pen to page
taking shape
and meaning
a marriage of form and substance
to be seen by all who have interest
My thoughts become words
softly spoken
mind to muscle
muscle to movement
movement to breath
set free
for all to hear
let loose upon the world
that minds may ponder their meaning
My thoughts become words
traveling like a virus
carrying messages of love
so that you too might infect others
and make the world a peaceful place

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Contemplation on the Odu Oyekun Irosun

Work and play
do not generally mix
and it is best to not mistake
colleagues
for friends
Extracting emotions
from the equation
simplifies the interaction
in a world where people
are quick to react
and are easily offended
making a cold
but safe
place
-- Marcos Sanchez --

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Contemplation on the Odu Irete Iwori

When pursuing one’s agenda
do not over estimate one’s worth
by underestimating the opponent who
may appear to be easily overthrown
because they have allowed themselves to be distracted.
Revealing one’s plans too early
or attracting their attention through aggressive actions
may only serve to redirect their focus
which invariably turns the hunter
into the hunted
Better to prove one’s worth
and become a trusted part of the hunting party
with a place at the dinner table
while avoiding a central place on the dinner table
-- Marcos Sanchez

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Contemplation on the Odu Oworin Odi

Not priest nor prophet,
Not shaman nor saint
can verify the Other.
So why is it that we listen
to so many that
pedal their wares of fear
and ignore those
who sell nothing
but only speak of love?
Is fear so great a motivator
that love can not conquer
its grip on our minds?
Faith
was once fallible
meant to be questioned
and only through careful investigation
could one truly maintain
faith
But fear has changed its definition
from something for the intelligent
to something that is followed
without question
blindly
ignorantly,
Isn’t faith really about
the confidence and trust
we place in something that
we have fully investigated
and continue to investigate?
and in that investigation
continually find the
truth
beauty
love
compassion
growth
and meaning
in what we believe?
Life is hard
do we need to make it harder
by putting our faith
in fear?
Love may not instantly solve our woes
but it will help set us on the right path.

-- Marcos Sanchez -- (Inspired listening to Yo Yo Ma playing the Bach Cello Suites https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZn_VBgkPNY )

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Contemplation on the Odu Iwori Ogunda (iwori aweda)

I wasn't inspired to write

not being sure if my words would have meaning

but I could not help myself

streams of thoughts pouring from my fingertips

waves crashing down

pounding words into sand

writing of the inequity of life

angrily recounting the war of

wants versus needs

why can they not reconcile their differences?

days, sometimes years pass

in a precarious detente of wills

yet so often skirmishes flare

unable to agree

it is the story of man

tribal warfare

of the soul

the battle raging within each of us

just underneath the surface

riptides threatening to pull us under

we can only hope

that someday we might find peace

with our circumstance

or the ability to change it.


Friday, March 14, 2014

Contemplation on the Odu Irosun Iwori

I was born free
until life built walls
that surrounded me
I was born unencumbered
until the world burdened me
with the weight of its’ mistakes
I was born unchained
until religions tied me down 
with righteousness
I was born enlightened
until words tied my tongue
and language obscured the truth
I was born alive
until society handed me a clock
with which to countdown my days
I was born
into a society
that boxed me in
from the moment
I was born
until 
I realized I could
cut a window
build a door
and 
live in
or out

of my box

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Contemplation on the Odu Osa Odi ( Osa Idi )

A love bought
is not love
just as the
sound of a
songbird can not
be called a
thing of beauty
by a man
with no hearing
Only time can
prove a love
that is true
and though love
can be simple
it's often painted
in a thousand
shades of grey
Sometimes easy, sometimes
hard, only one
truth remains unspoken
Love is work

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Contemplation on the Odu Ogbe Ofun

Who am I
but a reflection of my past
today
seemingly free
I am merely a slave to yesterday
and tomorrow
masters unseen
dictating my path
puppeteer
of life
God is
not a being
not a thing
not anything
but everything
God is
that which happens
in between the notes

Friday, January 10, 2014

Contemplation on the Odu Ogbe Ika

I tripped on a bucket today
walking past your house
I stopped to put it back
but couldn’t avoid the puddle of water
created by my carelessness
I’d made a mess of things
and didn’t know how to clean up
so I gingerly stepped around it
to put the bucket back
only to see looking up at me
my reflection
rippling in the wind
I’d caused this
I didn’t mean to
but I had
I left a note
to say I’m sorry
and turned away
hoping that I’d put things back
as best I could
The sun shone down
evaporating the water
until all that was left
was a salty film
on the sidewalk
the lone memory
of my mistake
the dried tears
of yesterdays folly
and an apology
that next time
I’ll be more careful

-- Marcos Sanchez --  Listening to Nils Frahm Tristane https://soundcloud.com/sonic-pieces/nils-frahm-tristana  I felt compelled to write this contemplation: