Heretical treatise on the creation of Odu Ifa

The question of the expansion of the corpus of Ese Ifa is one that often comes up, and with unusual extremism and indignation (at certain ideas, which I’ll talk about here).  I did write a piece on the fact that traditional Yoruba not only believe Ifa is constantly growing, but have a theology around it (read here). Let’s look at this problem from a few directions:

First, what is Ifa? Let’s agree that it is all knowledge of the world past, present and future, or thought of in another way, Ifa is the codification of the human condition.  If we think of Ifa in this way, there is certainly nothing in the world, no possible situation, that Ifa doesn’t talk about. And if that’s the case, then we can safely assume that on some levels, every piece of written material that talks about the human condition is a manifestation of Ifa.

Whether that’s the Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, with its themes about the hollowness of the upper class, violence in society, or honesty, or Native Son by Richard Wright, with its themes on the effects of racism in society and the hypocrisy of justice, they all are Ifa. I would go further to say that there are two levels of the stories of Ifa: First there are the culturally contextual stories that help us better relate to the themes like the above books, or like the way that Patakins have been modified by the Afro-carribeans to be more relevant/understandable (Palo certainly didn’t exist in Nigeria, so it’s clearly an addition to many stories).  Secondly, the more transcendent ese Ifa that speak of the big themes like love, hate, existence, etc, without necessarily placing them into cultural context.

In this second way, we could for instance say that the great Sufi poet Rumi must have been a true “father of the secrets” (babalawo), that created some of the worlds greatest ese Ifa. Rumi said:

“Indulging our pride, we run after every fleeting image.

How odd that being so unimportant we cultivate such grand illusions.”

If that is not Ifa, I don’t know what is!  In fact, it might be easily argued that the great poets like Neruda, Shakespeare, Whitman, etc were just manifesting Ifa when they wrote of the world. Further great religious scholars like Lao Tzu the taoist, Hafiz the Sufi and Augustine the Christian also sit in this camp.  Philosophers like Plato, Confuscious and Descartes clearly fit in to this camp as well. They were all people who manifested Ifa, and their works fit into Ifa’s deepest and most profound places.

So how can you modify something that is manifest everywhere and encompasses everything?  You can’t, because there is nothing to modify! Only to discover… The Lucumi are some of the most inflexible when it comes to this conversation of the expansion of Ifa, and yet, they have probably done the most modification of Ifa. This is not only because they translated it, which immediately changes the original meaning, if only slightly at times, but also with mentions of Palo, espiritismo, homosexuality, guns, drugs, etc.

So what does this all mean?  It means that Ifa is everywhere, and there is no human story that is not a part of it.

What does this mean for the expansion of Ifa?  Simply this, it is up to the Babalawo to interpret and make Ifa understandable to the person being consulted. Ese Ifa are there as a mnemonic device, meant to assist the Babalawo in remembering the key themes of a given Odu Ifa, and they have already transformed over time. They have not been added to, but have been adapted to help the Babalawo remember the key problems, issues and themes prevalent in a particular Odu.  If one were to take the Diccionario de Ifa already in print with the lucumi Odu Ifa and their Ese and Ebo, we would see this.  The lucumi call them the “refranes” or refrains. Instead of memorizing word for word, long stanzas of Ifa in Yoruba, which need to be translated, one can memorize the pithy maxim, restate it, and then go into interpretation for the devotee seeking Ifa’s advice.

Where this gets complicated, is you don’t want people running around just making things up. Creating Odu Ifa is not for the layity, in fact, it’s not even for most of the priesthood. Creating Odu Ifa lies in two places: with the priests who’s life and ashe are focused on the deep esoteric study and understanding of Ifa, and for those Babalawo who have the epiphanies, flashes or divine inspiration when on the mat, in understanding how they can explain what they’ve learned better.

You can’t expand the all encompassing, it’s like saying think of the highest number you can think of, then add one. But, you can think of a better way of getting your point across.

As Ogbe Ate tells us:

I had been initiated

I will re-initiate myself, by myself

 -- 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

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 essence of D'afa - Osa Irosun

One of the great secrets of Ifa is
D'afa is only a
Momentary snapshot of one outcome
In an endless string of
Possibilities
Ifa only shines light
On the path to take
It can't take that path for you
That is up to your
Ori

Contemplations on the Odu Iwori Ogunda ( Iwori Aweda ) part III

Tired of being shunned for

Speaking the truth

There is an inevitable retreat to the

Desolate mountains

Of the inner mind

Where truth

Settles like snow on tree branches

Only truly appreciated by the

Few willing to make the

Long journey into the heart of

Human existence

YTR Ifa does NOT believe in "reinitiations", thoughts on Oba accord of miami ...

Aboru aboye aboshishe,

First I will state, the people involved in the initiations that cause all this ruckus do NOT represent all of the YTR/Indigenous Orisa worshippers, and I can't understand why everyone thinks they do. I can only assume this event was used to further other people's political agendas, or in an act of retribution for hurt feelings.  Second, it may seem ironic, but I totally agree with the lucumi that it was uneccessary for anyone to "redo" anything.

Last and most important, I will cite the Odu Ogbe Ate in it's entirety in English and Yoruba to show why Ifa (at least) says "re-initiation" is wrong:

Ogbe Ate:

Ogbe, come and be initiated in order to be comfortable
To take a hand of Ifa and then be fully initiated is the pride one has in Ifa
These were the declarations of Ifa for Orunmila
When he planned to initiate his child
Orunmila was advised to offer sacrifice
He complied
When I received a hand of Ifa
My father then performed Itelodu for me
Lack of wisdom
Lack of deep thought
These are what compel people to be initiated repeatedly on three occasions
After being initiated
The issue of Esu Odara needs to be taken seriously
Why must Esu Odara be given extra considerations?
After being initiated
We must not use a worn out twisted rope to climb a palm tree
We must not jump in the river without knowing how to swim
We must not take undue risk which may cost life
We must not snatch the wife of Awo
We must not snatch the wife of medicine man
We must not have ilicit carnal knowledge of a ritualists wife
We must not plan evil against our friends with his wife
We must not lie to our Oluwo
Any matter that had been exhaustively addresses, we must not raise it again
Orunmila was the person who initiated Akoda
He also initiated Aseda
He equally initiated Araba
Only Orunmila Agboniregun
Was the person we do not know who initiated
Now, after I have been initiated
I will complement it with self initiation
All those things that are my taboos
I will surely avoid them
I have been initiated
I will re-initiate myself, by myself...

Yoruba
Ogbe waa te k'ara o ro wa
Mo gba mo te ni iregun Ifa
Dia fun Orunmila
Baba yoo te omo re n'ifa
on ni ko sakaake, ebo ni sise
O gbe'bo, O rubo
Nigbati mo gba
Baba a mi si te mi
Ailogbon ninu
Amiero nikun

Nii mu'nii wo igbdu leemeta
Bi a ba te Ifa tan
Eese ti oro Esu Odara fi ku, Ifa?
Bi a ba te Ifa tan

A kii fi ajaku igba a gu ope
A kii be ludo lai mo we
A kii ri iku nile ka tori boo
A kii fe obinrin Awo
A kii  gba aya isegun

A o gbodo mu obinrin abore wole kelekele loo fe
A o gbodo ba obinrin imule eni seke
Oluwo eni kii bi ni loro ka se
Koiko ti erin gberi mo

Orunmila lo te Akoda
O te Aseda
O te Araba
Orunmila Agbonniregun Olojo ibon
Oun nikan soso la o mo eni to tee

Nje bi a ba te mi tan
Maa tun'ra mi te
Eewo ti a ba ka fun mi
Maa gbo
Tite la te mi
Maa tun'ra mi teo
####

You notice a few things, one is this line


When I received a hand of Ifa
which affirms a version of Awofakan in YTR/Indigenous Yoruba practice

and second
Any matter that had been exhaustively addresses, we must not raise it again
Which is the Yoruba version of don't ask what you already know as the lucumi say. BUT, with the very important caveat that it must have first been "exhaustively addressed"

The rest is somewhat self explanatory... We too, do not believe in "re-initiation", For the record, so what is all this nonsense really about??

marcos ifalola

Is Pinaldo (cuchillo) necessary?? A question of lucumi theology...

Aboru Aboye Aboshishe,


I recently entered into a conversation about the much talked about and controversial "Pinaldo" or "Cuchillo" ceremony of the lucumi. Here are my thoughts on the subject, one which is both difficult and important.

Pinaldo does not have an equivalent in Nigeria, though there is a professor/babalawo, with a clear lucumi agenda that has a paper that tries to assert (with many five dollar words) that there is a link from the kuanaldo (Ifa "cuchillo" ) ceremony to one in nigeria since there are some similarities to ijeshon. His agenda is clear as he tries to promote the argument about "lost" ceremonies "kept" by cubans to assert some higher level of authenticity to Cuban Lucumi practice. The link does not seem clear to me in my reading of the paper.

The story I've heard is that there was a famous santera (see david brown's work, he has names dates etc) who had a break with the existing system of the time, in which Ologun (achogun) were the only ones with authority to sacrifice. This already varies from Yoruba practice since each Orisa has their own separate priesthood, and they don't require outside priests to offer their sacrifices. That said, the Achogun had such a chokehold on the system that she decided to break away and created the pinaldo ceremony to "authorize" others to do what they did with the "knife".

It seems a very likely/credible story. I've done pinaldo lucumi, and worked in a few. It's 85% the same as kariosha. With obvious differences... I won't go into detail in this public area... Publicly though, there's a fancy table where all the santeros sit who have pinaldo (even if you're a santero, if you don't have pinaldo, you can't sit at the table) and obviously Ogun speaks for the first time through his own caracoles.

All in all, not very exciting, but just as expensive as your kariosha. I've heard all sorts of justifications like "it gives you the right to use the knife for sacrifice" (ok fine). Or, my favorite, it's a "confirmation" of your Osha... What??? You have all the Odu you were born with, if everything was done correctly, why would you need to "confirm" your Odu?? You were only born with one Odu, so all the new Ita is giving you is a more current "snapshot" of your life, with the exception of Ogun, who if he's speaking for the "first" time with caracoles, is a new Ita, and his ewoo/advice stands for life (according to lucumi theology).

I'll additionally point out there have been lots of "elder" santeros I've met who didn't have Pinaldo (usually because of cost), they seemed to be doing just fine. However, I need to point out, the Lucumi are well within their rights to create ceremonies they deem theologically necessary. Was this? perhaps yes, perhaps no... It may have been strictly political, may not have. We'll never know for sure.

The real question is, do today's priests deem it to be a theological necessity? Do they agree with ceremony's existence? Like with ALL religions, it's up to the Lucumi priesthood to decide whether this ceremony lives or dies, whether it is a necessity, or something that's outlived its purpose. The difficulty of course lies in the fact that as a decentralized religion, there is no governing body. This means that if a tradition or ceremony dies, it dies a more organic/chaotic death, not one which was deemed so by a ruling body. This of course makes the process more complex and lengthy.

We can see an example of this if we look at the whole year in white. Slowly, as the newer generations come about, there has been a relaxing, or even forgetting of the "rules" to the point where I see people who are touching during their year, use any utensils/plates to eat, some who only wear white for 3 months. I'll note here that wearing white for a year is not a part of initiation in Nigeria (though it is often worn during the ceremonies), however it was pointed out that some priests are given a mandate during their Ita to wear white always, or for a year or X period of time. This is how I believe the year in white, and many other traditions/taboos (Sango and Oshun priest's not "touching" each others "crown") got started. ie one priest passes their ewoo to their godchildren, and it propagates as general rule, instead of being specific to one person).


Some food for thought...
Aboru aboye aboshishe
Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplations on Ifa ritual, Ofun Meji and Oriki to Yemonja

Aboru Aboye Aboshishe,

Sorry for the long pause, moving between continents can be time consuming... Enjoy...

Contemplation on Ifa ritual:

Ritual is devoid of meaning if one does not understand from whence it came and it's underlying theological principles. It is to say, an open act of worship is meaningless if the act is made only with intent, but no understanding of what the act means. If intent were the sole basis for giving meaning to an act, then we can say as we please caring only that we mean it in the name of worship. Ritual without understanding is like a wind blowing a leaf this way and that, it certainly moves, but where it lands is anyone's guess.

Ritual married to understanding is like a man in the desert who with compass and map in hand, can reach a desert oasis. Ifa is my compass and Odu my map, that I may find shade and water in the desert of humanity.

Ofun Meji

‘We-start-where-we-end’
Was the Awo who divined for ‘the small child who knows nothing’
When performing Esentaiye at the dawn of his life
He was told that if he sought wisdom
And did not lie, or be treacherous
Ifa would support him
He was told that in life, there are many roads,
But only the road of righteousness would lead to an end
Supported by Olodumare
And that in the end
He would return to the place he began
Next to the innumerable Irunmole in Orun

When nearing the end of his life
The Awo ‘We-start-where-we-end’
divined for ‘the small child who knows nothing’
who had become the wise elder who knew much
Ifa said he supported his Ori
And his Ori had supported him
In choosing the righteous path
And so he would return to the place he began
Next to the innumerable Irunmole in Orun
It is such that we repeat the cycle of life
Until we reach Apere (the perfect state)
Ofun Meji
Who was first
And became last
Showing that everything that begins, will end
Trading places with the end, that became a beginning
Eepa Odu


Oriki Yemoja


Ashe o Iya mi Yemoja!
Mother whose children are the fish
Who inhabit the primordial waters
Mother whose salt runs in our veins
Able to give life when ours has drained
Mother who lives in our tears
Revealing yourself in both our darkest and happiest moments
Ashe o Iya mi Yemoja!
Your curves wind like the rivers that sculpt their travels in stone
Even mountains can not stop you on your journey
There is no obstacle you can not circumvent,
Nothing that can block your way
Even the hardest and strongest
Will give way, or be overtaken
Ashe o Iya mi Yemoja!
Without you
We can not live
Without you
We can not thrive
Without you
We can not survive
Ashe o Iya mi Yemoja!
May you provide us with health
Ashe
May you provide us with wealth
Ashe
May you provide us with someone to share our lives
Ashe
May you provide us with children
Ashe
May you provide us with longevity
Ashe
May you provide us with wisdom
Ashe
May you provide us with peace
Ashe o!

Aboru Aboye Aboshishe
Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Heretical treatise on hierarchy within the Orisa priesthood

Aboru Aboye Aboshishe,

This week I was in Rome, and while sitting at a Papal audience, I began to contemplate what it means to be a priest, what it means to be “holy” and the role that initiations play in our status in our religious community and society at large.

I start this by saying that what I propose here might make sense to some, seem radical to others, and heretical to possibly a large portion of the Orisa community. That said, I feel it’s my responsibility to propose these thoughts, if nothing else, so that people might take a second to think about what it is they believe and perhaps decide for themselves whether to continue their path, or refine what it means to worship, and what roles different people play in the process of worshipping the Divine.

I should first begin by laying out my definition of Orisa priest (Olorisa or Babalawo). In my mind, after many years of study, and further 12 years now as a priest (4 as Awo Ifa), I believe the primary role of the priest is to act as an intermediary between the laity (believers who are non-priests) and the Orisa (who are ultimately our closest link to Olodumare). In that role as intermediary, it is our responsibility to open the portals of communication, be it through Oracle, trance possession or acts of nature. We must then accurately interpret those Divine messages, deliver them to those who need to receive them, and where necessary, prescribe the actions or offerings necessary to align followers with their path in life, in order to give them Ire (blessings).

We are only intermediaries, and through our initiations, our minds are opened and our abilities to act as intermediaries are awakened so that we may serve the Orisa. Initiation is, in effect, the act of submitting to the will of Olodumare.

And yet, in both traditional Yoruba Orisa worship, and Lucumi Orisa worship, priests and lay-people alike get mired in the technicalities of seniority and status, forgetting that as intermediaries it is our actions, our ethics, our knowledge and most importantly our character that truly determines our seniority and status within the religious hierarchy.

I have myself seen the pomp and circumstance given to a chief, priest or elder in Yorubaland, who would see nothing wrong in taking graft, charging the poor outrageous fees for their services, selling titles or not doing initiations properly because they know the “client” won’t return. Equally I have seen Lucumi adherents and priests quibble about who’s older, who should dobale to whom, give unnecessary expensive cleansings or initiations or argue about which priest should be praised first with a ceremony.

Who bows to whom, who is the first to speak, who one’s godparent is, who gets a “tambor” first, these are simply constructs of the ego, concerned more with the self, and self satisfaction than with acting as the intermediary between the profane and the Divine.

I go one step further in my definition to say that the idea that the priest acts as anything more than intermediary, or midwife during the process of Dosu/Kariosha is absurd. The “godparent” does not give birth, though it can be said that the Iyawo has been re-born. There is not a single moment in all of the lucumi Kariosha ceremony in which the priest spiritually or otherwise gives birth. They simply act as intermediary or midwife, by spiritually passing the Ase of the Otanes to another set of Otanes. And through ritual, prayer and sacrifice take the Iyawo through a rebirth of their own, in which their Eledaa/Ori is awakened, and the connection between Eledaa/Ori and Orisa is opened so they too may become intermediaries between non-priests and the Divine. Ifa even tells us that the idea that the godparent is essentially a “parent” is false. In a portion of the Odu Oworin Irete, where Abeshujiyan imparts three pieces of wisdom, for which he names his three hair patterns, the third he is:

“Guardianship does not equal parentage
Another person’s child cannot be like a child from one’s bowels”

“Agbabo o jo onbi
Omo olomo o lee jomo taa bi ninu eni”

Which is proven later in the Odu when Abeshujiyan is about to be sentenced to death, and his adopted child asks that his cloth be removed so that the blood from the execution he will watch does not stain it.

“Let us set him free
If this boy had been his son truly
And not an adopted child
Would he say his fathers blood should not be allowed to spill on his cloth?
Can’t we all see truly that a Guardian does not equte a parent
Another persons child can not be like a child from one’s bowels”

E mo jee ki awon o lese lorun
E je ki awon o file
Oba ni nje bob a je pe omoo re to bi nnu ni omo un
Ti kii she omo to gbawo
Se jo pee ki ejee Baba oun o mo ta si asho oun
Omo olomo o jomo eni looto

Through the wisdom of Odu, Ifa teaches us:

Initiation alone does not give one character.

Initiation alone does not give one knowledge.

Initiation alone does not give one seniority.

Initiation alone does not make one a true priest.

Ifa tells us in the Odu Iwori Meji:

Iwori teju mo ohun ti nse ni
Bi o ba te Ita tan
Ki o tun iye e re te
Iwori teju mo ohun ti nse ni
Awo, ma fi eja igba gun ope
Iwori teju mo ohun ti nse ni
Awo, ma fi aimowe wo odo
Iwori teju mo ohun ti nse ni
Awo, ma fi ibinu yo obe
Iwori teju mo ohun ti nse ni
Awo, ma ji kanjukanju jaye
Iwori teju mo ohun ti nse ni
Awo, ma fi warawara mkun ola
Iwori teju mo ohun ti nse ni
Awo, maseke, sodale
Iwori teju mo ohun ti nse ni
Awo, ma puro jaye
Iwori teju mo ohun ti nse ni
Awo, ma se igberaga si agba
Iwori teju mo ohun ti nse ni
Awo, ma so ireti nu
Iwori teju mo ohun ti nse ni
Awo, ma san bante Awo
Iwori teju mo ohun ti nse ni
Awo, bi o ba tefa tan
Ki o tun iye e re te o
Iwori teju mo ohun ti nse ni

English
Iwori take a critical look at what affects you
If you undergo Ifa initiation (Itelodu)
Endeavor to use your wisdom and intelligence
Iwori take a critical look at what affects you
Awo, do not use a broken rope to climb a palm-tree
Iwori take a critical look at what affects you
Awo, do no enter into the river without knowing how to swim
Iwori take a critical look at what affects you
Awo, do not draw a knife in anger
Iwori take a critical look at what affects you
Awo, do not be in haste to enjoy your life
Iwori take a critical look at what affects you
Awo, do not be in a hurry to acquire wealth
Iwori take a critical look at what affects you
Awo, do not lie, do not be treacherous
Iwori take a critical look at what affects you
Awo, do not deceive in order to enjoy your life
Iwori take a critical look at what affects you
Awo, do not be arrogant to elders
Iwori take a critical look at what affects you
Awo, do not lose hope
Iwori take a critical look at what affects you
Awo, do not make love to your colleague's spouse
Iwori take a critical look at what affects you
Awo, when you have been given Ifa initiation
Initiate yourself again by using your wisdom and intelligence
Iwori take a critical look at what affects you

In this, and many other Ese Ifa, we are reminded of that character, ethics, proper behavior, intelligence, and most importantly, not assuming initiation in and of itself makes the priest, are critical to understanding the role and responsibility of a priest.

By reminding us over and over throughout the Ese to “look at what affects [us]”, we are reminded of our responsibility to constantly reassess the world around us. Further, there is a reminder to those members of the priesthood who have been given special access to the wisdom of Ifa. It is our responsibility to use our wisdom and intelligence, i.e. don’t assume Ifa will provide the key simply through initiation.

Lastly, Iwori meji reminds of one of the most important yet one of the least stressed concepts for the Awo Ifa, “Initiate yourself again by using your wisdom and intelligence”, it is here where Ifa tells the Awo that initiation alone does not make you a true Awo. It’s only through reflection and contemplation of Ifa that one can achieve an understanding of the initiation one went through, and through analysis and study, self initiation (awareness of the truths of Ifa) can occur.

None of this is to say that we should not respect each other, or that certain priests are not worthy of respect and the rituals/rights that show that. But, initiation alone does not give a priest those rights, they must be earned. The attachment of the role of “parent” and the idea that the priest “gave birth” in the diaspora overemphasizes the mentor/guide role of the priest, creating cults of personality often, though not always, based on little more than performance of initiations and perhaps consultation in which they are interpreting and clarifying the advice of the Orisa for the adherent. These attachments to roles and status are ephemeral at best, and only serve to divert our attention away from the true meanings behind the role of a priest.

So what makes a priest worthy of respect and the actions associated with that respect? Length of initiation means absolutely nothing. In and of itself, how can we give seniority values to the act of initiation, when it is only an enabling act, giving one a title, and the potential to access the Divine. The Odu Eji Ogbe tells us:

We have initiated you into the secrets of Ifa
You should re-initiate yourself
This was how Eji Ogbe was initiated
But he plunged himself into the forest
We have initiated you into the secrets of Ifa
You should re-initiate yourself
If you get to the top of the palm tree
Do not let your hands loose.

Awa te o nifa o
K’o o tunra e te
Tite la t’Eji Ogbe
T’o fi m’ori wo’gbo
Awa te o nifa o
K’o o tunra e te
B’o o d’ori ope
Ma she jowo si

Eji Ogbe, the highest of Odu, went through self-initiation, even after being lead to the sacred grove (igbodu) for initiation (te’fa), he plunged himself back into the forest. This act shows that even an initiate must go back in to the grove in order to teach himself. And, even in this short stanza, Ifa reminds us that even if we reach the pinnacle of understanding and knowledge, our arrogance should take over, lest we let our hand lose and come tumbling down the palm tree.

This excerpt from the Odu Ogbe Ate also supports this idea :

…
Orunmila was the person who initiated Akoda
He also initiated Asheda
He equally initiated Araba
Only Orunmila Abonniregun
Was the person we do not know who initiated
Now, after I have been initiated
I will complement it with self-initiation
All those things that are my taboos
I will surely avoid them
I had been initiated
I will re-initiate myself, by myself...

Again Ifa reminds us not only of the need for self study and initiation only being the beginning of the road, but also another important truth, the understanding of truth, is a solitary act. While others can help guide us along the way, in the end we face truth on our own. The solitary act of insight into the true nature of life is why we must travel the final road to realization alone.

It is through the meticulous study of the rituals, methods of accessing the Divine, theology, philosophy, and Ethics and the appropriate application of those studies that one begins the long road of priesthood. Only after one can successfully access the Divine, and interpret those messages can one begin to earn the title of “Olorisa or Babalawo”.

The Odu Okanran Oturupon reminds us of our need to study in saying:

It is through constantly studying Ifa that we come to understand Ifa
It is through missing the way that we come to know the way
It is the road we have not traveled before that causes us to wander here and there

Ifa ki ko nii mu ni mo Ifa
Ona sisi nii mu ni mo ona
Ona ti a ko rin ri
Nii se ni sibasibo

How can one be considered a preist of Ifa if one does not understand Ifa? How can one understand Ifa simply by being initiated into Ifa? In order to be a priest one has to understand, and if understanding can only come through studying, how can someone who has simply undergone initiation be considered a priest? While ultimate understanding eludes us, we can only come to understand through study, and so without study, we are priests of nothing.

On Character/Ethics

There are a multitude of ese Ifa on character and ethics, but here are some that I believe stand out. In Ogbe Sooto (Ogbe Osa) Ifa says:

Ifa a Babalawo is in grave want
Let him like not
If an herbalist is in need
Let him not be dishonest
Let no one lie or display dishonesty
Because of accountability when he dies
This is the declaration of Ifa for Orunmila
When unknown people (pretenders) waged war against him
Orunmila was asked to offer sacrifice
He complied
Now all you protestors
You have all been exposed
I now know the python
Which resembles the cobra
I now recognize the rattle snake
Which looks like the boa constrictor
I can now see through Iwowo Ereke (impersonator)
Who pretends that he is Orunmila himself.

Bi oju ba npon Babalawo
Ki Babalawo ma puro
Bi oju ba npon Onishegun
Ki Onishegun ma shera
Keni ma sheke shera
Nitori ati sun awo
Difa fun Orunmila
Nijo ti eni Aimo wa nko ogun ja Baba
Won ni ki Baba rubo
Nje eni Aimo
Emi ma wa mo yin o
Emi ti mo monu-monu
To finu jo Oka
Mo ti mo Agbadu
To tinu jo Ere
Mo ti mo iwowo-Ereke
To finu jo Barapetu

Ifa here warns both layity and priests twofold . First that our ethics must be of the highest standard, and that we not lie in order to get our way as priests. It’s no matter whether that be to assert power, manipulate others for our own gain or to make money. In the end, we will be judged. But even more important, Ifa reminds us to not mistake one thing for another, and to not mistake the priest for Orunmila himself! Beware of priests who begin to mistake themselves as Orisa. In this Odu, Ifa makes it clear that the comparison may be subtle, both snakes but of different types, one may not say outright they think of themselves as Orisa, but their actions belie their true feelings. We priests are not Orisa incarnate on earth, we are humble servants, to think or act otherwise is nonsense.

What Ifa does teach us is to respect everyone regardless of status, without that respect, how can one claim the title of priest? In Osa Meji Ifa says:

The head of a person with a bad future does not swell up
No one can recognize the footprints of a madman on the road
And, no one can distinguish the head of an honorable person in an assembly of people
This was the theaching of Ifa for Mobowu
Who was the wife of Ogun
Surely, the head that will wear the crown tomorrow
No one can recognize it
Therefore, let husband and wife stop calling each other names
And stop talking foolishly to each other
For the head that will wear the crown tomorrow
No one can tell which one it will be

Ori buruku kii wu tuulu
A ki i da ese asiwere mo loju ona
A ki i m’ori oloye lawujo
A difa fun Mobowu
Ti i se obinrin Ogun
Ori ti o joba lola
Enikan o mo
Ki toko-taya o mo pe’ra
Won ni were mo
Ori ti o joba lola
Enikan o mo

Aside from reminding us that we never know when we will need help from someone, or who that will be, Ifa is clear that we also do not have foresight. The leaders, and likewise madmen, of tomorrow are not known today, so from a practical standpoint, we should treat all people respectfully.

The question of character and its affect on the priesthood is even more profoundly addressed in the Odu Ofun Otura where Ifa states:

The liar casts the Kola nut and it yields a bad omen
the commitment breaker casts the kola nut and it does not yield a good result
But the good hearted person casts the kola nut and the result is clearly promising

Eke pa bi, o di
Odale pa'bi, ko yan
Oninure pa bi, o ye peregede

Priests make a commitment to uphold and protect Orisa/Ifa and their principles, so priests who have broken this commitment when casting a tool of divination (this case kola nut, but again Ifa is metaphors, so to me, any form of divination, including Ikin Ifa or cowries) will not yield a good result. This means that the state/character of the diviner IS in fact important to the result, and affects the outcome of divination. If that is the case, how can one give seniority let alone respect to priest with no character.

Further, the prayers and action of the priest before divining are designed specifically to awaken the voice of the Orisa, if not done properly, the objects used to divine remain just that, inanimate objects and not conduits for the Divine word. It's important to remember the if consecration was the only thing that make Ikin or Dinlogun/Cowrie "speak" the priest wouldn't have to pray or do anything, simply cast and go.

These are just a few of the many ese Ifa that deal with character, pointed out to show that without character, the title of priest and respect that goes with it, are meaningless.

On Age/Wisdom

Whether the age is counted in years of initiation or years on earth, age alone does not make a priest. Though, we can certainly deduce that while age doesn’t guarantee wisdom, without age (years on earth) wisdom can’t be fully attained. This is why in Yoruba culture, years of initiation can never outweigh years on earth, so it would be absurd to see a 45 year old dobale/kunle to a 20 year old, regardless of their years as a priest. Also of note though, is that years on earth and “eldership” does not guarantee character (or wisdom for that matter. The Odu Ogbe Iwori says:

Bad conduct is what is attributed to youth
Bad character is what is attributed to elders

Ishekushe l’ewe le she
Iwa ihukuhu ni ti agbalagba

Ifa explains that in our youth, when we do something bad, the action comes from not knowing better. As an elder, life should teach us to know better, so when we do something bad, life should have already taught us so, and therefore it must come from bad character. Without character, eldership means nothing, regardless of how you measure that time.

Eldership further does not mean that one holds no responsibility to help those that are junior, which is yet another show of true character. Eldership is retained by remembering one’s status, and helping those at a different level, whether it’s age or mental ability. The Odu Oyekun Meji reminds of this by stating:

A child is not tall enough to stretch his hand and reach the high shelf
An adults hands can not enter the mouth of a gourd
The work an adult begs a child to do
Let him not refuse to do
We all have work to do for each others good
Ifa divination was performed for Orunmila
About whom his devotee
Would make complaint to Olodumare
Olodumare then sent for Orunmila
To explain the reason why
He did not support his devotee
When Orunmila got to the presence of Olodumare
He explained that he had done all in his power for his devotee
But that the destiny chosen by the devotee made his efforts fruitless
It was then that the matter
Became quite clear to Olodumare
And he was happy
That he did not pronounce his judgment on the evidence of only one of the two parties.

Owo ewe o to pepe
Ti agbalagba o wo akeregbe
Ishe ewe be agba
Ki o ma she ko mo
Gbogboo wa ni a nishe a jo mbe 'raa wa
A dia fun Orunmila
Eyi ti akapoo re
O pe lejo lodo Olodumare
Olodumaree waa rannshe si Orunmila
Pe ki o waa so idi naa
Ti ko fi gbe akapoo re
Nigba ti Orunmila de iwaju Olodumare
O ni oun sa gbogbo agbara oun fun akapo
O ni Ipin akapo ni o gbo
nigba naa ni oro naa
Too waa ye Olodumare yekeyeke
Inuu re si dun
Pe oun ko da ejo eekun kan

Additionally, this Odu reminds us that eldership is attained and kept by being just and wise. Olodumare seeing two juniors (Orunmila and his devotee) was wise in waiting to hear both sides of the story before pronouncing judgement. This allowed him to realize that not all was as one person might have it seem, and so rendered just judgement.

Ifa tells us in Orangun Meji (Ofun Meji) the eldest of Odu that became the junior of Odu upon descending to earth:

He who breaks a Kola nut (with 4 valves) will eat two valves
An avaricious elder is he who eats three valves
After eating three valves
He carries his load unaided and proceeds on this way
These were the declaration of Ifa to the person at the forefront (the senior/leader)
Who shall later become the person at the very rear (the junior/follower)
He was advised to offer sacrifice
He refused to comply
It is their lack of propriety in manners
It is their lack of diplomacy
The person at the forefront
Had turned into the person at the very rear
It is their lack of propriety and manners

Onpabi nii j’eji
Agba okanjuwa a j’eta
To ba j’eta tan
A gn’eru u re a yaa lo
Dia fun Eni iwaju
Ti yoo deni ikeyin
Ebo ni won ni ko waa she
O koti ogbonhin sebo
Nje aimowa a hu u won ni o
Ai mede e pe e won ni o
Ara iwaji o, lo deni ikeyin
Aimowaa hu u won ni o

Even an elder and leader can lose their status for lack of character, as told my Ifa in Orangun Meji.

On Mentorship

It is the role of the priest to act as mentor and advisor to the devotee, but these are not things which come easily, quickly, or instantly upon initiation. In Otura-Elejin (Otura Ogbe) Ifa tells us:

A child studies Ifa with labor and suffering
When he grows up
He will reap all the rewards
This was the declaration of Ifa to Otura
When he would dip his hand into the boat of success
I dip my hands into the boat
And I pull out all good things of life
When Otura dipped his hand into the boar
He became successful from his sojourn to his home
I dip my hands into the boat
And I pull out all the good things of life

Tishe tiya lomode kekere fi n ko’Fa
Bo ba dagba tan
Nii ri ere e ee je o
Diafun Otura
Ti yoo towo b’ili ni Ishaga
Mo towo b’oko
Mo fa’hun rere yo o
Igba Otura t’owo b’oko
Lo la wale
Mo t’owo b’oko
Mo fa’hun rere yo o

In the story of Orunmila’s creation of the system of Divining Ifa, we are told:

…
Ifa, you are the leader
I am the follower
The leader is he who teaches the follower wisdom
You are the one who teaches one
Just as one’s sibling…

Ifa, iwo lara iwaju
Emi ni ero eyin
Ara iwaju nii ko ero eyin logbon
Iwo loo ko’mo loran

It is as leaders that Ifa wants us to teach Ifa’s followers wisdom, and so without wisdom, character and scholarship how can we accomplish this? If we do not study, we do not show character, we do not show leadership how can we truly call ourselves priests, let alone demand respect and senior status?

I’ll end this with on the somber note created by a stanza from the Odu Eji Ogbe

A o t'okun dokun
ka too ri winni-winni agbe
A o tosa dosa
Ka too ri doodo orun Aluko
A baa t'okun dokun
Ki a tosa dosa
Ka too ri oloooto Awo
Odi Ile-Ifa Akelubeke
Dia fun Igbin
O n'sawo lo sode Ileyo
O wa mekun sekun igbe
O mohun seyere aro
O ni: Eniyan an won o
Eniyan an soro
Ka too ri olooto Awo
Ona a jin

Translation:
We shall travel from ocean to ocean
Before we can see the tiny specie of the Blue Touraco
We shall wind from river to river
Before we can see the specie of Maroon Touraco with goiter on their necks
Whether we travel from ocean to ocean
and from there wend river to river
Before we can find a truthful Babalawo
We shall reach Ile-Ife Akelubebe
That is the declaration of the oracle of Igbin (snail)
When going to Ileyo town to practice Ifa
He made his weeping a shouting lamentation
He made his song a dirge of lamentation
He said: Human beings (truthful ones) are scarce
Human beings are difficult
Before we can find a truthful Babalawo
We shall travel far

Aboru Aboye Aboshishe
Marcos Ifalola

Letra del Año / Odun Ifa what and why?

Aboru, Aboye, Aboshishe

It's the time of year when we see much of the Lucumi world alight with the question, "Do you know what the Letra of the year is?" and "is that the one from Cuba? or Puerto Rico? and which part of Cuba?". This ultimately leads people to ask me time and again, two very important questions:

Why is the letra del Año de Ifa Lucumi at a different time then the traditional Yoruba Odun Ifa?

Which "letra" is the one I should follow?

To answer the first question, fundamentally, the letra del Año de Ifa Lucumi and the traditional Yoruba Odun Ifa are essentially the same ceremonies, though there are some differences which have no significant bearing on the questions posed. They are meant to offer sacrifice to Ifa, and to seek Ifa's guidance over the coming new year. But why then are they at different times?

To start with, let's talk about Odun Ifa in traditional Yoruba Ifa. In my Ile, we do the Odun Ifa usually in August, though the day isn't exact, and can vary from year to year. Typically, although not exclusively, Odun Ifa coincides with the new yam festival (first harvest of the yam, an important staple in the Yoruba diet) and due to the nature of agriculture, is not on a fixed day. As with many cultures, the first yam is given to the Gods/Orisas as an offering, asking that the yield be plenty and that the coming year offer the community health, wealth, ample food, and other blessings. In this light, as followers of Ifa, we ask the same. Additionally, since there are poisonous tubers, some contend that the offerings are made to ensure that Ifa protect people from the consumption of such tubers.

The Odu Ogbe Ate (Ogbe Irete) tells us:

Correctness is the essence of true ritual
Those who, accepting this teaching
Offer libation first to Mother Earth
And then to lips
Sail though life over smooth calm waters
Was divined for Kufodo, he who serves liquor in pitchers

Ka ta a'le
Ka ta e enu
Otara-tara ni ishon odo
Dia fun Kufodo
Omo Oloti ape

From this Ifa tells us to always make offerings to mother earth, because she is the one who feeds us (entering through our lips). This is why the new Yam festival is so important, and why Ifa's guidance is always sought in the new year.

As to the Lucumi doing their Odun Ifa on the new year, no one will know for sure, but I suspect (since slavery was an enourmous factor), it was likely that it was impossible for the slaves to get away for even a moment during "harvest" time, as this is when they were probably worked the hardest. Further, as the slave owners celebrated the new year, and there was likely not much work done, it was probably a convenient time, and further, represented the "new year" of the culture which was forced upon them. I'm sure there are many theories, this being only one, but many of the sentiments are the same, celebration of a new year to come, and hopes of peace, health, prosperity etc.

With regards to the second question, "Who's 'letra' should I follow?" the spread out nature of worshippers in today's world complicates things a bit. Odun Ifa are traditionally done for the community, but not what we think of as "community", which has extended itself across the globe based on technological advances. It is the physical community in which one lives, works, grows old, etc. and this is an important distinction.

In an older post I spoke about "distance divination" and the importance of physical presence in Ifa divination, I belive this to hold true in the Odun Ifa. The prognostications of Ifa are meant for the people who are a part of the community that is performing the rite. This is a complication highlighted by globalization and the spreading of Ifa across the globe. But it's important to note that even in Nigeria, there is no "ONE" magic Odun Ifa (letra) for all of Nigeria. Odun Ifa is performed across Nigeria, and even at different times for different communities.

I believe that the desire to feel community and connection has caused many people to look to Cuba or Puerto Rico to provide their guidance, but I don't think that Ifa intended it that way, and Odu don't necessarily cross oceans or land masses. There are exceptions of course. For instance, I am aware of my Oluwo's Odun Ifa, and listen to the advice that comes from it, but that is because my Ifa was born from his, and I and my house are spiritually connected. That said, if some day my community becomes large enough, I will begin to perform my own Odun Ifa, and as soon as I do, the Odu/advice from my Odun Ifa will be the only one that is of consequence to me and my community.

So certainly if your initiations happened directly in a particular community, it makes spiritual sense to draw import from the advice of their Odun Ifa, even if you have large physical distances. However, if you don't, that advice is not meant for you. Just as you wouldn't take the advice given to someone else during their private d'afa as meant for you (unless you came up specifically by name in that person's reading).

I believe it is important that people create better communities, and begin the process of performing their own Odun Ifa (with the proper training in whichever tradition they follow), so that Ifa can accurately and appropriately guide his followers each new year.

In Osa Ogunda Ifa says:

The anthill is the place of deliberations of the eerun ants.
Asuwa, a grouping together in harmony, is the place of deliberations of human beings.
It was through the principle of grouping together, that the earth was created.
It was through the principle of grouping together, that heaven was created.
And it was in the form of collectivities that beings descended on earth.
All inclusive was the grouping together when beings were first created.
All embracing was the grouping together when beings were completed.
Formed into collectivities were beings, when they rained down on earth.
All goodness became a grouping together in harmony.
The grouping together of the strands of hair covered the head.
The grouping together of hairs on the chin became an object of attention.
The grouping together of trees became a forest.
The grouping together of the eruwa grasses became a savannah.
The grouping together of beehives hold up the roof of the house.
And the grouping together of the Ita ants led to their covering the earth.
Alasuwada, Great Being who creates all beings in groups, we ask you humbly,
That you grant us things gathered in groups
So that they bring together all things good for us.
Bees for swarms
Eeran plants grow together on the farm.
Brooms are formed from bundles of twigs.
Eeran grass grows in bunches on the plains.
And the elegiri birds form flocks

It is as a grouping together that we encounter the grassland
It is as swarms that the locusts consume the farm
It is in several colonies that we find termites in their mounds
It is in groves that we encounter the ekunkun trees on the water's edge
It is in clusters we find oore grass at the riverside
It is in schools that we find egbele fish in the ocean
It is in groups we encounter the dragon fly
And the adosusu leaf is never found alone

Dews pouring lightly, pouring lightly
Were used to create the world
And likewise was done to create the earth.
So that goodness of togetherness could come forth at once.
Indeed all goodness took the form of a gathering together in harmony.

Now, if one Ori encounters good,
It will spread out and touch two hundred
If my Ori is good
It will spread out and touch you
And if your Ori is good,
It will spread out and touch me
For if just one Ori experiences good
It will spread out and touch two hundred.

Asuwa ni toyin
Asuwa leeran nhu ninu oko
Asuwa ni to susu owo
Asuwa leeran nhu ninu aare
Asuwa ni ti elegiri

Asuwa laa bodan
Asuwa lesu nfiijoko
Asuwa opo suu laa ba ikan inu ogan
Asuwa laa ba ekunkun let omi
Asuwa oore lodo
Asuwa laa ba lanilani
Asuwa laa beja egbele lokun
Ewe adosusu kii duro loun nikan

Iri tu wili, tu wili
Lfi dale aye
la bu da ile
kire susu ko wa su piripiri
ire gbogbo d'asuma

Nje, bori kan ba sunwon
A ran igba
Ori mi to suwon
lo ran yin
Ori yin to sunwon
Lo ran mi
Bori kan ba sunwon
A ran igba

Certainly Ifa believes that all beings need to be in groups to survive, that was how they were created, a community. Which means, we are not only responsible to ourselves, but to the group that allows us to survive in the world. So we hold together our community and offer sacrifice during Odun ifa...

Aboru, aboye, aboshishe
Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Contemplation, meditation and the Ifa in our everyday lives...

Aboru aboye aboshishe,

I was recently approached by a reader and asked to speak about how Orisa/Ifa fit in our everyday lives, as opposed to being a milestone practitioner (next reading, next ileke, next initiation) or someone who only practices on the holidays (tambors, Orisa feast days, priest "birthdays").

Religion is often the place where we seek refuge from our worries and problems, seeking answers to questions or solutions to situations that confront us. Through divine intervention or inspiration, we hope to overcome these issues. But what happens when we are not in need? Most often, religion is forgotten, or it's role in our daily life downplayed as we are consumed with the trials of daily survival. This is where most people become milestone or holiday practitioners.

But is that what Ifa is? A solution to a problem to be placed on a shelf consulted only when we are in need?

No.

Ifa certainly is a solution, and can help us in our times of need, but even more then that, Ifa is a way of life. By studying Ifa we can gain wisdom and insight into all the inner workings of ourselves and the world around us. In the Odu Eji Ogbe, Ifa tells us:

At the beginning of a new dawn
One must not perpetrate yesterday's ignorance
Divined for Koimọ (I-do-not-know)
Who went to sleep thinking of the previous day's challenges
At the crack of the next day
Clarity came into Koimọ's visions.

Bi ojumọ ba mọ
A kii ya ogberi bi ọjọ ana
Difa fun Koimọ
Ti nro'nu bi oun ti ma ṣe ohun ti o ṣẹlẹ ni ana si
O ronu titi, ti o sun
Ni igbati oju mọ, ti oye la
Koimọ wa mọ eyi to oun o ṣe dandan

Ifa is a contemplative practice, it's only through thought and examination that we can consistently overcome our challenges. By studying the wisdom of Ifa, we can certainly overcome our daily challenges and lead an easier and more properous life. Ifa is a daily pursuit, not one saved for feast days and times of need. In the Odu Oturupon Owonrin Ifa says:

Ifa says that whenever we wake up
We must be teaching each other wisdom
We must not wake up at dawn and then lay the foundation of foolishness
Whatever the matter which we deliberated upon, but could not arrive at a satisfactory solution
Then we are to approach our Ikin
These were the declarations of Ifa to Paraka, the masquerade with brilliantly colored costume
When going to engage in a complex but marvelous dancing display at the seat of the Odan shade tree

Ifa ni ti a ba ji
Ogbon ni ka maa ko'raa wa
Ka ma jii ni kutukutu pile e were
Oro ti a ba ro ti ko ba gun
Ikin eni laa kee si
Dia fun Paraka, alawoo winniwinnin
Nijo to nlo ree jij alaranbara labe Odan...

Ifa reminds us not only that we should constantly be seeking the truth, and sharing that wisdom with others, but that Ifa is not meant to supplant our own minds/wills. If we have a question, we should first try and solve it ourselves, and only after our own careful evaluation, if we can not come to a solution, do we approach Ifa for answers. Ifa is a contemplative practice.

Going one step further, Ifa teaches us that we should strive daily to reach balance, and only through balance and meditation, can we achieve thoughtfulness and enlightenment. Ifa asks that we meditate on a daily basis, through contemplation and prayer, and in those moments, we become closer not only to Ifa and God, but also to our own truth and path. In the Odu Otura Irete Ifa says:

Reconstruct yourself
If we are given birth, we should bring ourselves into being again
The Balanced person. The moderate person.
One who knows moderation will not fall into disgrace
I ask, "who knows moderation?"
Orunmila says, "one who does not squander money"
I ask, "who knows moderation?"
Orunmila says, "one who dares not steal"
I ask, "who knows moderation?"
Orunmila says, "one who does not owe excessive debts"
I ask, "who knows moderation?"
Orunmila says, "one who does not drink liquor"
One who does not break commitments to a friend
One who wakes early in the morning, meditates, and thinks deeply about one's actions
From among the thorns and thistles, the palm leaf emerges pointing upward
A balanced person is an ameso, one who is truly thoughtful in conduct.

Tun ra re te
Bi a bi ni, aa tun ra eni bi
Amuwon Amuwon
Eni mo iwon kii te
Emi ni tani mo won?
Orunmila ni eniti nsise
Emi ni tani mo won?
Orunmila ni eniti kii nawo owo re tan
Emi ni tani mo won?
Orunmila ni eniti ko je jale
Emi ni tani mo won?
Orunmila ni eniti kii je gbese rekoja
Emi ni tani mo won?
Orunmila ni eniti kii mu oti
Eniti ko je dale ore
Ojikutukutu banu ara re siro nitori ise re
Ninu egun niny iso mariwo ope yo ri soke
Amuwon ni ameso

Meditation is a little explored idea in the diaspora Orisa traditions, however it is a long standing practice in Ifa. Iyere Ifa (Ifa poetry) is a form of meditation, where especially long stanzas are chanted and create altered state of calm. Furthermore, prayer is meant to be a form of meditation, allowing us to contemplate our life and the wisdom/lessons of Ifa (see my 2 articles on prayer #1 here and #2 here).

In parting, I'll leave you with an excerpt from the Odu Owonrin Ogunda where Ifa says:

I wake up
I behave as Ifa tells me
I am full of wisdom
It is the footsteps of my Ope that I am following
I bemoan my precarious condition
Yet I will not consult an idiot in his house
What Ifa tells me
Is what I would always do
Cast divination for the Truth
Their priest on earth
He was asked to perform sacrifice
Truth offered the sacrifice...
(Life pleases Truth)

Mo ji
TIfaa mi ni mon se
Mo moran moran
Topee mi ni mo n to leyin
Mo ko gbongan gbongan gbongan
N o nile Oniyeyee de
N tIfa ba wi fun mi
Ni n o moo se
A diafun Ooto
Awo Ile aye
Won ni ki won o rubo
Ooto ba rubo...

We practice Ifa everyday we spend time contemplating life.
Aboru aboye aboshishe
Odabo
Marcos Ifalola

Does d'afa (Ifa divination) lie?

Aboru Aboye Aboshishe,

I've been asked many times if Ifa "lies" or is incorrect. So many times, that I decided to post my thoughts on the subject. The first part of this answer lies in understand two concepts, one that Ifa is by nature transient, ie it is a constantly changing thing. And when you go for Ifa divination, the Odu Ifa that appears for you is not "permanent" (with the exception of "Ita" of Dosu/Kariosha and your Odu Ifa in itelodu). So while an energy of an Odu may cover you during a certain period of time, that period is finite, and can last as little as weeks, to as long as a few months. But, no matter what, it eventually changes.

The second concept to understand is the role that your "Ori" plays in this process. Just because Ifa tells you what to do, it doesn't mean your Ori will decide to do the right thing. We see clearly, Ori must choose to do sacrifice in order to attain good effects in the odu Irete Ofun:

Atefun-tefun
Dia fun Okanlenirino Irunmole
Won nlo sode Apere
Atefun-tefun eyin oni
Awo Ori lo dia fun Ori
Ori nlo sode Apere
Won ni ki won sakaale ebo ni sise
Ori nikan0nikan ni nbe leyin ti nsebo
Ebo Ori waa da ladaju
Nje Ori gbona j'Orisa
Ori ma gbona j'Orisa
Ori nikan-nikan lo ko won l'Apeere
Ko si Orisa to to nii gbe
Leyin Ori eni
Ori gbona j'Orisa

He who prints the chalk on the back of crocodile
He was the Awo who cast Ifa for the 401 Irunmole
When going to Apere (a state of perfection)
He who prints the chalk on the back of crocodile
The Awo of Ori who cast Ifa for Ori
When Ori was going to Apere
They were all advised to offer sacrifice
Only Ori responded by offering the sacrifice
The sacrifice of Ori had been abundantly rewarded
Ori is higher then all Orisa (deities)
It is only Ori which reaches Apere, the perfect state
No other Orisa (deity) can give support
Outside of one's Ori
Ori is higher then all Orisa (deities)

Without Ori acting in accordance to what Ifa asks, in this case making sacrifice, it can not be abundantly rewarded. In the case of D'afa (Ifa divination), the reward can be anything from avoidance of ills, to literal rewards, to simply having peace. The important thing is that your Ori (ie you) chooses to perform sacrifice. So, Ori has the ultimate decision in whether what Ifa says will come to pass, and can affect the outcome of even those things that Ifa seems to guarantee. Our Ori can be the greatest obstacle in the way to finding our own path.

The second part has to do with seeming contradictions in what Ifa says. It may seem at the time of divination that Ifa is saying something far fetched, or even completely contradictory, but over time with hindsight, we might realize that Ifa was actually correct. In a personal example, I asked Ifa if it would be ok to have someone housesit our house, Ifa said no. However there was a particular person who asked enthusiastically if they could watch our place, so I decided to ask Ifa and Ifa said yes to that person watching our place. It seemed like a contradiction to me at the time and I was confused, thinking perhaps it was dumb of me to ask the question. Having heard Ifa, I told the person yes. Well, low and behold, one week before we left, the person called me telling me they would be unable to watch our place afterall. The seeming contradiction had worked itself out to be truth. No one watched out place. Sometimes, it takes a bit of time to see things as clearly as Ifa does.

The third part of the answer comes from a more obscure and less talked about idea, that of the character and training of the priest (be in a Babalawo with Ifa or Olorisa with dinlogun). It is not spoken of, but an untrained priest can in fact incorrectly cast Odu, meaning just because it's cast, doesn't make it right. An improperly initiated priest can also have improperly consecrated/unconsecrated Ikin, meaning just because it's Ikin, doesn't mean it will automatically access Ifa. The Odu Ofun Otura says:

Eke pa bi, o di
Odale pa'bi, ko yan
Oninure pa bi, o ye peregede

The liar casts the Kola nut and it yields a bad omen
the commitment breaker casts the kola nut and it does not yield a good result
But the good hearted person casts the kola nut and the result is clearly promising


The layers of richness of this small Odu are many. First, Awos make a commitment when initiating Ifa to uphold and protect Ifa and the principles of Ifa, so Awos who have broken this commitment when casting of a tool of divination (this case kola nut, but again Ifa is metaphors, so to me, any form of divination, including Ikin Ifa) will not yield a good result. This Odu tells us that the the state/character of the diviner IS in fact important to the result, and affects the outcome of d'afa.

Secondly, it show us, that in the wrong hands, the tools of Divining can yield bad results. For even though they are not talking about Ikin, do we not use Kola Nut to give voice to Ifa? Yes! Further, the prayers and action of the Awo before casting Ikin are designed specifically to awaken the voice of Ifa through the Ikin, if not done properly, the ikin remain ikin, and not the voice of Ifa. It's important to remember the if consecration was the only thing that make Ikin or Dinlogun/Cowrie "speak" the priest wouldn't have to pray or do anything, simply cast and go...

Simple verse ... most profound truths ...

Aboru aboye aboshishe,
Odabo
Marcos Ifalola

The path of initiation in Ifa: Lucumi and Traditional Yoruba

Aboru aboye aboshishe,

After a few conversations including a longer one with my Oluwo in Nigeria, I thought that it would be quite useful to post my understanding of the processes of initiation into Ifa for both Lucumi/santeria Ifa practitioners and traditional Yoruba Ifa practitioners. I'm not doing this to say that one is right, and one is wrong. They are their own interpretations of Ifa, and while they agree on many things, this particular area of ritual/theology, they differ quite a bit.

For Lucumi practitioners, the process goes like this. One can be introduced to Ifa through their "madrina/padrino" if they have ilekes first, or they can go directly to a Babalawo, if they are not yet affiliated with a house. Having a divination session is something every Lucumi practitioner that works with Ifa eventual does, with varying degrees of frequency. Everyone, at some point, who is associated with lucumi Ifa can and should receive Ifa via Awofakan (ceremony for men) or Ikofa (ceremony for women). For women, Ikofa gives them their birth Odu, and can dictate only one more potential initiation, that of Apetebii (wife of Orunmila). Becoming an Apetebii is however, a requirement for any women who is the wife of a Babalawo.

For men, Awofakan (owo ifa kan-one hand of Ifa), gives them their birth Odu, unless it is determined they have an Odu which destines them for the priesthood of Ifa. If this is the case, and they observes the taboos of Ifa for his priests, he would do his Itefa (Ifa initiation) during which he receives his true birth Odu and Odu of priesthood (which he uses to identify himself). Of course having an Odu for the priesthood comes with responsibility, please see my article on this for further information: http://ifalola.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-having-right-odu-for-priesthood.html

I will also mention here that during Ikofa or Awofakan, it is perfectly acceptable to determine a person's "guardian Orisa", instead of having a separate "plante" to do this. In lucumi Ifa, homosexuals are forbidden from the Ifa priesthood, as are women. I don't say this to get into a debate about it, it's simply religious law, but it does not forbid either from going to Ifa for divination, help or Awofakan/Ikofa.

In traditional Yoruba Ifa practice, Ifa worship begin dramatically earlier. Everyone who comes from an Ifa worshipping family should first do their Ese'ntaye 7 days after birth, (like I just did for my son). Ese'ntaye [meaning "stepping on the earth"] acts as a guide for your early life, revealing personality, direction on what they will do, and Ewoo (taboo) for the child, as well as their Ifa name.

This is where traditional Yoruba Ifa varies from Lucumi Ifa. In traditional Yoruba Ifa, all men who can/have the resources, should Te'Fa, or Itefa (initiate Ifa, like the lucumi) either either in the Itelegan style (where the man does not see Odu the mythical wife of Ifa, not done in the Lucumi system) or Itelodu (where the man does see Odu, equivalent to Lucumi initiation into the Ifa priesthood). However, if they do not have the resources they should Ishefa (this is the traditional Yoruba equivalent to the Lucumi Awofakan-owo ifa kan). If they took the second route and only did their Ishefa, they may receive an Odu in Ishefa that says it's compulsory that they do their Itefa (similar to the cuban system) in which case they are required to do their Itefa anyways.

This is where things truly diverge because, in traditional Yoruba Ifa, once one has done their Itefa (either Itelegan style or Itelodu style), they are not considered a Babalawo, but only an initiated follower of Ifa. It is only through the Odu they receive during Itefa (their true birth odu) that it is determined whether they will be allowed to be an Ifa priest (and thus a Babalawo) and learn the deeper secrets/knowledge of Ifa. This is radically different from the lucumi interpretation which says once you Itefa you are a Babalawo. To clarify, in my own case, even though I had Odu for babalawo in my Awofakan (received via lucumi priests), since I did Itefa Traditional Yoruba, I didn't truly know whether I was going to be allowed to be a Babalawo until I received my birth Odu in Itefa (which I didn't understand at the time!). So it's my Odu of Ifa (birth Odu received in Itefa) that allows me to be a Babalawo. The logic is perfectly clear to me, it's only in receiving your birth Odu that you know your path. The unfortunate thing is that many go to Nigeria to Itefa thinking then they are a Babalawo (and perhaps are sometimes misled to believe so), but this is not the case, you are only a follower of Ifa unless being a Babalawo is your destiny. The commonality between Lucumi Ifa and traditional Yoruba Ifa is that being a Babalawo is a destiny, not a choice, the only difference is which Odu determines that, and what the timing and meaning of different ceremonies are. So even if you want to be a Babalawo and go to Nigeria to Itefa, it's your birth Odu that determines it. If you decide to be a Babalawo anyways without the Odu, you are simply going against your destiny, which is completely contrary to Ifa theology, and why would you do that?

I still maintain, before calling yourself a Babalawo, you must adhere to the commitments and Ewoo (taboo) of a Babalawo and if you are committing Ewoo (taboos) you should not act as a practicing priest nor call yourself a Babalawo without respecting those ewoo. In traditional Yoruba Ifa, treatment of homosexuals is varied, most typically they are viewed as acting contrary to Ifa and nature and are outright shunned. There are other who don't believe this and work with homosexuals, however all factions bar homosexuals from being Ifa priests. This comes in part from the requirements of Ifa priests (ie, having an apetebii (being married to a woman), having children, and from other things. There does seem to be a don't ask, don't tell or look the other way policy as of late, and some folks who were shunned by Lucumi practitioners have taken to going to Nigeria where they are not known. This does not mean that traditional Yoruba Ifa accepts gay babalawos, just that some people are working around the system.

Women follow this path, first receiving ese'ntaye, then Isodu (the Ide (bracelet) of Ifa and one ikin - an Ijebu practice, which is exactly like some Lucumi lineages) for those who are not a Babalawos wife. When receiving Isodu, the Babalawo casts his own ikin to determine the woman's Odu. In receiving this Odu, it can be determined she needs to Itefa and become an Iyanifa, a position not recognized by Lucumi Ifa. Iyanifa are female Ifa priestesses that can Te'Fa, but are NOT allowed to see Odu (the mythical wife of Orunmila). In some areas, she can cast Opele (divine), but not Ikin. In all areas an Iyanifa learns Ifa verses and other rituals of Ifa.

If the woman is married, the Babalawos Odu is the Odu of the house, but she receives an Odu during her Apetebii ceremonies which tells more about her specifically, including whether she should Te'fa and become Iyanifa. All Babalawo are required to have an Apetebii (ie, be married) and during said ceremony, the women are ritually married to both the man and Ifa.

Other important notes are that Ishefa (owo ifa kan) would be given to the child of a babalawo within a month of birth, but can be received 1 - 2 years, 3 at most later. Itefa is typically done around puberty (when he becomes a man) but can occur anytime after that.

In Ogbe Ate, Ifa says:

A kii ji ni kutukutu
Ka ma mo Odu to da nu s'aiye
D'ifa fun Olupo Alaelu
Eyi t f'eyin ti
To n fekun surahun ire gbogbo
Eyi ti ti ile aye ni lare kokooko bi ota
Won ni ko sakaale ebo ni sise
Ko si lo ree te ifa
O gbe'bo o rubo
Ko pe, ko jinna
Ire gbogbo wa ya de tuturu
Ifa de o, Alase
Ope abise warawara

Translation:

It is not advisable for one to wake up in the dawn of one's life
without knowing the Odu that gave birth to one
Divined for Olupo Alaelu
Who reclined and was weeping in lamenation of his inability to achieve all Ire in life
He whose life was as hard and tough as pebbles
He was advised to sacrifice
He complied
Before long, not to far
All IRE in life came to him in abundance.

I hope that this helps clarify some of the processes and differences in Lucumi and traditional Yoruba Ifa practices. It's been a learning process for me as I shed some of my own layers to learn how things are done in my particular path.

Odabo
Marcos Ifalola

Esu, guerreros and the nature of "caminos" of the Orisa

Aboru, Aboye Aboshishe,

I was recently asked a question regarding the differences between Esu and Elegba, why one might receive more then one Esu/Elegbara, and what is the difference between Ifa Guerreros and Olorisa Guerreros in the lucumi system. I take a moment to answer the question, but it leads us to a larger and more interesting question about the nature of “caminos” or “roads” of the Orisa.

From the Traditional Yoruba perspective, Elegbara – “Owner of Vital Force” in Yoruba (translation by John Mason), or Elegua in lucumi, is simply a praise name for Esu. They are one and the same. From a Lucumi perspective, Esu is the entity that is given by Babalawos, and is the primordial force that lives with Ifa and is the one who can block or aid in any offering/ebo/request. Elegba/Elegua/Elegbara is only given by Olorisa (santero/a) and is not, as far as I recall, known to have as much of the destructive tendencies as Esu. The Elegba of the Olorisa has fewer "roads" (I've heard 12 or 21) whereas the "roads" or avatars of the Esu of babalawo are at least 121.

The split in the way these are given may have been the result of politics or power struggles when the lucumi changed to a standardized and joint system of initiations (ie, any priest of any Orisa, can initiate virtually any other priest of any other Orisa as long as they have received the secrets of that Orisa and do not have ewoo (taboo) against initiating that Orisa). It's not that traditional Yoruba priests can't initiate into other Orisa mysteries, they can, and sometimes do, but when you joined a priesthood and were initiated to that Orisa, it was done by other priests whose teutelary Orisa were the same (so if Elegba was initiated, it was done only by Elegba priests, Yemoja by Yemoja priests, etc).

It seems that somewhere down the line, some felt it important to distinguish between Olorisa/Santero and Babalawo, which by extension gets into the whole question of the lucumi "guerreros". There is also controversy as to who is authorized to "give" these out, and depending on the Ile (house) you come from, it's either babalawos or olorisa (santeros). In truth, the only two Orisa in the “guerreros” that are given in traditional Yoruba Ifa practice are Esu and Osun, and further, Osun in Yorubaland is only given to Babalawos and no one else. This it not say other Orisa are not in Ese Ifa, but that typically they would not be given by a Babalawo who was only initiated to Ifa.

So where does this leave the question? Well, it's lucumi tradition that Esu is the province of the Babalawo, and Elegba the province of the Olorisa/santero. How this evolved, I don't think anyone will truly know.

With respect to “Caminos” or “roads”

Receiving multiple Esu or Elegba, is a practice that comes from the idea that there are multiple caminos/roads/avatars of the Orisa. This practice extends to many other Orisa other then Esu, such as Oshun, Yemoja and Obatala. What is important to clarify from the beginning is just because you may have multiple Orisa, or multiple roads, the Orisa is still only one thing in spiritual essence. What happens is that the sacred objects of an Orisa (which are the Orisa manifest on earth literally) manifest in different ways, drawing upon a particular energy. The Otan of Esu (or any Orisa for that matter) is in essence a focal point for calling on certain energies of the Orisa. Through a blend of specific ingredients, incantations and rituals, the Otan (rock) becomes a portal for the specific energy of the Orisa to come through. The name acts as an incantation that begins the process of calling down that specific energy (see my article on prayer) and the fact that you have a particular road of a particular Orisa is because the Orisa themselves (through divination) determined that that particular energy is what is most suitable for you/will be there to help you when needed. Typically, these roads can come from three sources: Oriki (praise names), Objects/places in nature (as in Oshun Ibu apuaro (Oshun river of quail), Olokun (owner of Ocean) or Esu Alaketu (Esu from Ketu)), or manifestations of deified people/royalty (as in Sango, Obatala Ajagunnla, or Ogun Onile (Ogun, king of Ile).

Therefore, you may want to have an Esu Laroye (Esu owner of titles of honor) is known to protect Obatala’s door, and therefor is good for protecting your door, or perhaps Esu Bi (Esu is born) is known to cause accidents, so he is called on because you are prone to accidents in hope of avoiding them, Esu Alaalubanshe (Esu owner of medicines that help me to be fulfilled) because you will require medical help or will be someone involved in the medical field, etc etc etc. Esu is prescribed to people based on Odu that come out in their Ita or a reading, those Odu indicating the predominance of a particular type of energy, and an Esu is prescribed for that Odu based on that energy, either to balance it out, or to combat it. A special note, Esu is the only Orisa that you might recive multiple times, this is because upon Esu there are no limits, and he does as he pleases and manifests everywhere at all times in multiple ways.

The same regarding roads can be said in the Ita of Dosu/Kariosha, the particular Odu that comes out for that Orisa may indicate to the Oriate a particular road/avatar that he might ask about when it comes time to divine and find out the Orisa’s camino. And likewise, the names of the roads indicate the energies of the Orisa via oriki, place or deified ancestor. For instance there is, Obatala Orisanla (owner of white cloth, highest of Orisa, an Oriki for Obatala), or Obatala Ajagunnla (ayaguna-lucumi) who was the son of Princess Adetinrin, the daughter of Oduduwa (a male in this story). She gave birth to a son, ajagunnla, who was known as a great fighter and used the “ada ogbo” or curved cutlass his Oriki is

Omo Alada koromodo
Ada aramanda
To fi nko omo re mona
Tifi o fi de le Ila Ajo
Nibi ti o ti njoba tori

Possessor of the curved cutlass that brings wealth
Strange and wonderful cutlass
The cutlass used to clear the way for his people
Until he reached Ajo
Where he sits in state
(see “Yoruba Sacred Kingship”-John Pemberton p. 31).

Though this is a Yoruba story, this aligns perfectly with the qualities/emblems of Obatala Ayaguna of the Lucumi.

I believe this is an often misunderstood and understudied studied area of Orisa theology. But if we see the caminos/roads/avatars as a particular energy of the Orisa, we can understand how to better work with them, and how to understand what they mean in a theological context.

The Odu Okanran Oturupon reminds us of our need to study in saying:

It is through constantly studying Ifa that we come to understand Ifa
It is through missing the way that we come to know the way
It is the road we have not traveled before that causes us to wander here and there

Ifa ki ko nii mu ni mo Ifa
Ona sisi nii mu ni mo ona
Ona ti a ko rin ri
Nii se ni sibasibo

Aboru, Aboye, Aboshishe
Marcos Ifalola