Contemplation on the Odu Otura Ofun

Drifting snowflakes flutter

across the sky

an effervescent show of

glittering light 

dancing all around

If there is such a thing

as magic

this is surely

what it looks like

trees tipped in merengues

left by god’s frozen sneeze

silence wraps my ears

and cold envelopes my nose

as my breath creates

plumes of steam

that break the stillness

floating away

like my thoughts

I am ever amazed

that in this world of chaos and hatred

there still exists such

wondrous beauty

If only we could all

for a moment

stop

and feel it

perhaps we would make

better

choices

so that someday

our children might

look upon these same miracles

and enjoy the beauty

the universe

has given

us

contemplation on the Odu Otura Odi

Belief in

the devil

is a waste

of precious time

An invention

of the human mind

serving only as

a reminder

that sometimes

demons of our own creation

can take up residence

in our hearts

turning us into predators

seeking out prey

inflicting pain

on ourselves 

on others

and sometimes

replicating like a nasty

virus

for which there is

only one cure

Human

Heal thyself

and thine

neighbor

with

love

Contemplation on the Odu Ogbe Irosun

I woke up today
asking myself
what is truth?
Having talked much
about the search for it
I figured that I better
have some good ideas
about what it was
or even
what it wasn't
However
after only a few moments
I realized that
Even that which appears
to be set in stone
will eventually crumble to dust
Truth is as
fluid
as the sea
and highly dependent
on one's perspective
What is truth today
may not be truth for a lifetime
especially when that lifetime
belongs to a star
millions of years old
The butterfly born
as the warm summer wanes
lives and dies
before it has a
chance to see
the autumn leaves
explode with color
never knowing the
many patterns of a
snowflake
Mankind has existed
no more than a second
in the life of the universe
so
Before you hold your truth
as right
as universal
as perfect
remember
you
are
just
a
butterfly

Contemplation on the Odu Irete Meji

If you only had

5 minutes left

what would you

say?

Would you

recount

those walks

we took

alone

the laughter 

we shared

in our most intimate

moments

the joy 

when we brought

another light

into this world

No

I think

you would sit

in silence

love

has already

spoken for you

thank you

for letting 

me

love 

you

Contemplation on the odu Otura Ogbe

we don’t always

have the opportunity

to say thank you

or good bye

sometimes life

gets in the way

so if you get the chance

take a moment to

whisper those words

into the air

and let them

be swept up

by the passing wind

that they might find their way

home 

Contemplation on the Odu Oyekun Odi

I have now seen more winters

then I am likely to ever see again

though far from twilight

I stand at the midpoint of a

horizon that is both

expanding

and

contracting

I know my journey is far from over

but I sit in stillness

introspective

pondering how I got here

and where I will go

the air

heavy and wet

filled with the moisture of

storms past

and those yet to come

I will persevere

as the sun, wind and rains

leave traces of their

harsh existence

on my skin

Will you look

deep within

and tell me

what it is that

you see?

Imperfect

as I may be

I am still strong

and while I will likely be forgotten

in a thousand years

I will still try

despite the inevitable

failures

to always be a

better version

of me

Will you?

Contemplation on my own Odu as a Babalawo, Iwori Aweda

I suppose
it’s destiny...
Every time I come
to your aide
you are struck
with amnesia
moments later
I take strange comfort
in the fact that
it seems to happen regularly
and not just with you
maybe someone else noticed
maybe not
so I’ll just relish the
thought that
my contributions
are like hidden treasures
waiting to someday
be discovered


Contemplation on my own Odu as a Babalawo, Iwori Aweda, that is destiny that plays itself out

Contemplation on the Odu Irosun Osa

The problem with

faith

is that it's predicated on

someone else’s version

of truth

which may one day

prove to be  

less than

truthful

Therefore it is up to us 

each and every one

to find the truth

for ourselves

by continually questioning

our beliefs

so as to determine

what “our"

truth

is

only then

can we have

faith

Contemplation on the Odu Ogunda Iwori

I hope that the words that
Spill on to the page
From the chalice of my thoughts
Might cause you to slip
And stumble upon God
Perhaps then you will realize that
Religion is
Meaningless
And that all the preachers that
quote scripture
Like trained parrots
Have not comprehended that
There are no words
That could ever explain
The infinite
Except perhaps
Love

inspired while listening to Nils Frahm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLNeZogTsK8

Contemplation on the Odu Ogbe Odi

Try not to forget
The old days
For which you pine
Were once new
And the source of resentment
For the generation
That came before you
The stagnant pool of water
Festers and breeds disease
The river flows freely
Replacing old water with fresh
Feeding the cycle of life
Swim freely and
enjoy the changing landscape
As you return to the ancestral ocean
Your family welcomes you with
Open arms

Contemplation on the Odu Ogbe Iwori (Ogbe wene)

I took the road that was
in front of me
it seemed as good as any other
a bit feral
and out of use
but it would get me from
point A to
somewhere
I wasn’t really sure where
but I figured I’d eventually find myself
someplace new
someplace different
I didn’t know it at the time
but it was an unusual choice
and
it turned out to be circuitous
at the best of times
dangerous
at worst
which really didn’t matter much since
I didn’t exactly know where I was going
I still don’t
but
I have learned that
whatever road I chose
will be an adventure


— Marcos Caracol Sanchez — inspired by Robert Frost

contemplation on the odu Irete Ofun

I have made mistakes
correction
I still make mistakes
That's better
I'm sure it's no surprise to you
but it's good to say
out loud
sometimes
to remind myself
and
let's be honest
to remind
everyone else
It seems lame to
blame it on my humanity
or
my inability to fully come to terms
with events in my life
but as with anything
Perfection is easier to imagine
than achieve
So I'll keep trying to get it right
and in the meantime
I'll preemptively apologize
for whatever stupid thing
I might do
Please remember
Deep inside
I'm not malicious
just full of flaws
whose cracks I try to fill
with love

--  inspired by Piazzolla's Oblivion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkQvfIsLQmY

Contemplation on the Odu Ogbe Osa

There is no past

There is no future

There is only now

The rest

is just peanut butter on a dog's tongue

Contemplation on the Odu Otura Ogbe ( Otura Niko )

I don't mind that chip
You left on my shoulder
It made me who I am
Every time you said something cruel
Or looked at me like I didn't belong
Or pushed me to the ground
I got back up to spite you
Brushed the dirt from my clothes
And Held my head high
Even when the pain in my bones
made me wince
Over the years I learned that
Getting back up was a skill
As important as any other
And one that could be elevated to an art
I also learned that bones heal
Becoming stronger than before
Able to withstand the bumps and bruises called life
But most important
After many years
I learned the soul too can heal
If we let it
Made of a most resilient material
Needing only care and love
To nourish it back to health
Wiser than before
Better able to withstand the weather
Funny thing
You prepared me
for an extraordinary life
I hope that you too were prepared
Or if not
that you found love
In everything a lesson learned
Thank you

Contemplation on the odu Ofun Ogunda

I am
who I am
I am not
who I was
nor am I yet
who I will become
that is all to say
I exist
today
in this
moment
since I am no longer who I was
I will strive not to dwell too much on the past
but instead  learn as much as I can
from it
and
since I am not yet who I will become
I will strive not to dwell too much on the future
but instead take what I have learned
from the past
and
apply it to who I am today
that I might always be the best person I can
be

-- Ofun Ogunda is never chanted aloud without first offering ebo/atonement --

Contemplation on the Odu Ogbe Oyekun - inspired by Hafez​

I write about
The mundane
And find God
Has left me clues
About who we are
Like crumbs
Spilled from a child's
Afternoon snack
Left for me to
Sweep up into
The receptacle I call
My thoughts
Swirling tea leaves
Whose patterns
slowly emerge
hardship
wealth
sorrow
joy
hate
love
Speaking volumes
Without uttering
a single
word
I give voice
To the mundane
Hoping to reveal
Its hidden language
And unlock within our hearts
The ability to see
Truth
To transcend pettiness
And build a world of
Limitless love
Only then will we shed
Our need for religion
Because we will see that
There is nothing
that exists
That is not
God

Contemplation on the Odu Ogunda Irete

Faith and destiny
are masters best served
by a questioning mind

Contemplation on the Odu Ogunda Meji

In the dark
Time bends and blurs
With eyes closed
Reality loses boundaries
As our mind collapses in
On itself
A black hole of ideas
Imploding under the weight
Of freedom
We create the unexpected
Every time our eyes close
And we enter the alternate reality
We call sleep

Contemplation on the Odu Oturupon Irosun

In a world of chaos
It is important to stop
And hold yourself against the current
So you can hear the water
As it rushes by
Even if you know that
Eventually you can hold on no longer
And you will
with absolute certainty
Be swept up in the rush of humanity
But for one sweet moment
As you steady yourself against the tide
You will live in the moment
Of the moment
And experience the synchronicity
We call life

-- Marcos Caracol Sanchez -- Contemplation on the Odu Oturupon Irosun, written while listening to a violinist play Vivaldi's Four Seasons solo.

Contemplation on the Odu Iwori Ogbe

Religion

by definition

should be immutable

in its flexibility, thus allowing it

to stay meaningful through the ages.

Once it has lost its elasticity, it

no longer serves any

worthy purpose

and

like a branch

unable to bend, it will

invariably break under the weight

of dogma, righteousness and certainty

breeding fear and contempt while

becoming the very

thing that it

hates

Confronted

with an immovable

barrier, the stream continues its

journey to the sea by embracing its true nature

moving fluidly to adapt to its new

environment fulfilling 

its destiny

Contemplation on the Odu Owonrin Oshe

I have told you stories
Of magical days
And wondrous nights
Of mythical flights of fancy
And impossible feats
Of gods
And demons
Of falls into the depths of dispair
And triumphant returns
But why
have I told you these stories?
You might ask
That seem so
fantastically untrue
As to border on the absurd
It is
So that those of you
Who are lost
Might capture
A glimpse
Of the truths
That lie beneath
Blur your sight
To the recognizable
Forget
What you thought you saw
And find with your heart
The wisdom you seek

Contemplation on the Odu Okanran Ogunda (Ocana Ogunda)

I am a collection of stories greater than my own
I carry the history of the universe in my bones
It has made me who I am
For better
Or for worse
All I can do
Is add my chapter
To the book of life
Marking my existence
With a footnote
That says
I
was
here
I hope that after I have returned
To the stardust from whence I came
These words
My words
Will carry whatever wisdom I found
To future travelers
That are amidst writing their chapter
And provide them with
Nourishing morsels of thought
And so I leave you with this
Tiny crumb
Time is only a word
That will never fully capture
Our impermanent state of being
Nor will it ever explain
Where our thoughts go
After our bodies have outlived
Their usefulness
In the infinite universe
Where there is no beginning
Or end
Time is an illusion that serves no purpose
So I say
Live
Love
Laugh
Forget that it will end
Because every ending
Is just a beginning in disguise
And learn from the stars
That are
Until they are not

Contemplation on the Odu Okanran Oturupon (Okana Otrupon)

I am a man

I am not a dog

I have two legs

not four

and though I can only

walk in one direction

my mind is free

to pursue many pursuits

to have many thoughts

to follow many paths

some of which 

are dead ends

some of which 

lead to success

all of which

teach me of life

how to succeed

how to avoid obstacles

and how to overcome adversity

so that my eyes

might see the path in front of me

and my mind 

can see the paths that surround me

Contemplation on the Odu Odi Ogbe

They call me ishmael

and I am on a quest to find the sea

This is my story

A story of the ages

upon which dynasties will rise and fall

Yet my only wish

is that the knowledge of my quest

be left for those who are also

seekers of truth

As with many stories

this one begins humbly

filled with questions and hope

As with all stories

this one ends silently

filled with more questions than answers

It is the tale of my quest

to find an oasis

in a world beset by drought

and filled with desert

in every direction

There is however, no need to tell every tale

I have none that has not already been told

What I will leave you with is this

It is out there

and eventually

everyone finds themselves

on the ocean of eternity

sailing through the universe

The journey through the desert

is just the beginning of a tale

that never ends

I am the breeze that whispers in your ear

I am the collective unconscious

I am you

I am

alive

They call me ishmael

I am on a quest to find the sea

This is my story

Contemplation on the Odu Ogunda Irosun

Pick yourself up off the floor
or end up soiled and grey
drowning in the puddles of emotion
that are squeezed from your body
as passers by step all over you
Pick yourself up I said
because, while it's nice to think
someone will come and offer a ladder
chances are
they won't
and even if they do
it's still up to you
to climb the ladder
one by one
or
two by two
Pick
your
self
up
because opportunity is best viewed
when soaring like a hawk
and impossible to see
in the one dimensional world
you now find yourself in

Contemplation on the Odu Obara Oshe (obara ose)

The truth is simple
words are the illusion

Contemplation on the odu Ogbe Odi ( Ogbe'di )

I’m up here

come on up

the air is clear 

and we can feel free

to be ourselves

Up here

where shifting boundaries

bend and blur

and life has infinite permutations

So much to see

so much to learn

There is no receiving

without giving

nor giving 

without receiving

until after a moment of discomfort

black and white impose themselves

and I watch you fall back into normalcy

trying to drag me with you

making me realize

perhaps it was a mistake to invite you

into my world

I see now why people on the fringes

create boundaries

or at least

choose to view life from afar

Contemplation on the Odu Ogbe Iwori

To walk into the past
while standing in the present
can cause old emotions
to bubble to the surface
of the murky lake you drowned them in
Concrete blocks
tied to insecurities
from a time when
kindness was rarely shown
by those around you
Chains loosened
fears float to the top
popping around you
air stagnant with the smell of adolescence
as you struggle to breathe
that putrid sense of not being
good enough filling your nostrils
until
eyes closed
you remember
who you are
how far you traveled
the worlds you’ve seen
the demons you’ve slain
then
silently
you walk away
releasing the past
only to think of your next adventure

----- written while listening to Bobby Scott's rendition of "nature boy" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoTzR-Pp3VA 

Contemplation on the Odu Iwori Meji

When traveling with hyenas
Don't get too comfortable
Watching as the pack
Tears apart its prey
In a frenzy of blind emotions
Without any true loyalty
You may find that tomorrow you
Are the object of their attentions

Contemplation on the Odu Ofun Meji

Before you open your mouth

before the thought enters your mind

before your eyes sit in judgement

before you put pen to paper

stop

and with eyes closed

imagine

a walk across the tens of billions

of solar systems that we call neighbors

and tell me

without a hint of arrogance

that you have found truth

that your way is the right way

that redemption lies only in your belief

that you have found the one.

Please

stop

and with eyes open

see

the vanity in your words

What does truth mean

to a man sitting on the sun?

What will salvation look like

to a ray of light?

What can I say to you

so you can see the foolishness 

of your words?

Live your life

this one time

with meaning

and love

and stop thinking

you are more

than a grain of sand

at the base of a sand castle

about to be washed away

by the ebb and flow 

of eternity

(created while listening to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIwwjy4slI8 - Nils Frahm "says")

Inspired by the new hubble photograph https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udAL48P5NJU#t=11