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This is of course one of the most important topics that one can tackle in their spiritual quest: who is my mentor and how do I pick them? It is also one of the least talked about in the Orisha tradition.
If you ask someone the role of a spirtual guide/mentor/Oluwo you'll probably get slightly different answers from each person you ask. While an extremely important decision, if you were not raised in the Orisha tradition or in a particular house (and even then), it can be very difficult to understand what your responsibilities are, as well as those of your prospective priest.
When people have asked me this question in the past, one of the most important things I say is, remember that there is no need to rush, all things in their due time. Choosing a spiritual guide should be as important a decision as whether or not you ask someone to marry you. In fact, spiritually speaking in a way, they will play almost as important a role in your life, one that may outlast a marriage and one that is important for you in sickness as well as health. The person who assumes this role will be there to interpret what the Orishas have to say to you, which is no small task, and potentially can mean literally putting your life into their hands.
That said, priests are, at the end of the day, just people, not perfect and can make mistakes. But, it is up to you to demand that they are held to a higher standard, as they themselves should also do. Becoming a priest is a big responsibility, and having a congregation/"godchildren" whatever you call it, is equally a large responsibility.
Practically speaking, when choosing a priest to become your guide, it's important to understand a few key things:
1. Are they truly initiated? seems like an obvious question, but one often not asked. While some folks may be offended, they shouldn't be, you don't know them, they don't know you. You can ask what their lineage is, who initiated them etc. We often do more research when purchasing a TV or microwave, so why then, with something so important as our spirituality, do we often ask little to no questions about our prospective Orisha priest??? Ask for references (though this might get you a few stares) or ask who their godparents were, make sure you're dealing with someone who can be verified. We all have several priests in our initiations specifically so we can be verified.
2. What Orisha tradition do they practice? There are many such as: Ifa (traditional African and Lucumi), santeria/lucumi/regla de Ocha, Traditional African Orisha worship, Egungun, Ogboni, Egbe, Candomble Nago/Ketu/Angola, Palo Monte/Mayombe, Vodun, Obeah . . . and the list goes on. You need to ask what your godparent practices, often people are initiated into multiple traditions and especially in the diaspora, people practice religions that are totally separate. Is this what you want to do? Do you feel comfortable with someone who is practicing more then one? What are the practicalities? What if they want you to initiate into something other then the tradition you originally came to see them about? These are very important questions that people simply don't ask themselves.
3. What is their standing in the community? Do they have many godchildren? Just like looking for a job, we might ask what the company is like to work for, or if it's legitimate, why don't we do the same for something so important as our spiritual leader? You should feel free to ask around the community and see what kind of standing the person has. Talk to other people who follow this orisha priest and see what their experience is like. Are they overbearing or rude? do they demand alot of time from their followers? do they teach their followers or do they simply expect them to be quiet and watch and learn? Are they lax? Are they learned/scholarly? Do they have a big ego?
Of course be careful, politics and power struggles can sometimes taint what you hear about someone, but if you ask around enough, you're likely to be able to figure out which opinions are tainted, and which are true. Remember, just because someone is initiated as a priest/ess it DOES NOT mean that they are therefore a good person. More importantly, it doesn't mean they're a good teacher. If you truly are interested in learning about the tradition, you need to find out if the person you pick will actually train you. Some priests are great people, great diviners, but can't teach to save their lives. Think about what you want your relationship to be like and ask these questions, it'll help save you tons of grief and switching in and out of different houses constantly. And be careful of priests who "collect" godchildren. In other words, they have a lot of godchildren, but don't really spend any quality time with any of them.
These are of course sensitive topics, but important ones nonetheless.
4. Priest factories. Not everyone who practices this religion is destined to be a priest. Even if you have the Odu, it's always important to DIRECTLY ask the question of the Orisha or Ifa through a reading (ie, do you XXX Orisha want me to initiate as a priest). This avoids any misunderstanding and allows the person to go forward with a confidence beyond someone just telling you so. It's your right to ask, and don't let any priest tell you otherwise (but also be prepared if the Orisha says yes!).
Being a layperson, you are not aware of what the caracoles/dinlogun or Ikin are actually saying, nor what the Odu is. It is of course a matter of trust, but when in doubt ask. Even if you want as badly as anything to become a priest/ess, ask anyways, the Orisha can see more then we can, and them saying no is not the end of the world, and it may help you avoid a cataclysmic decision. Personally, I would be wary of a priest that has initiated inordinant amounts of priests, while there is no specific ratio, every follower they have being a priest is a sign that something is amiss. Also, see if the other priests in their Ile (house) are trained and knowledgeable, or are simply laypeople who have gone through initiations.
Remember, anyone can buy an initiation, few people become true priests/theologians.
5. Money machines. Everything costs, we sacrifice all the time. Reading this article is a sacrifice of your time and an Ebo of sorts. Priests are sometimes "full-time" and this is their only source of income, they are sometimes part timers like me with regular jobs. Whichever they are, while it's important to compensate for their valuable time/expertise, it's also important to know when you're being taken to the cleaners.
You shouldn't need to do pricey ebos every month, you shouldn't be hit up for expensive initiations constantly, you shouldn't pay for a reading that lasts 10 minutes, barely hear them talk, then be told you need to pay XXX exorbitant amount for this ebo that you have to do. What's right to charge? what's right to do? Well of course that's hard, but talk to others in your tradition, ask questions. You are, after all, a consumer, act as such. While you can't put a price on religion/time/sacrifice, you can understand when someone's taking advantage of you.
This of course also leads to the question of what should things cost? Well, this is a tough one. What might cost $3,000 in Cuba costs $8,000 in NY and $10,000 in San Francisco. It is of course not typically correct protocol for someone to ask why the price is what it is, and often you get a nasty stare, or a "because I say it is" or a "my Ashe is invaluable" answer, but if the person has nothing to hide, they will tell you where your money is going. Nothing should cost $35,000, that is outrageous (yes I've heard people being asked that much money for initiations). If the person says the Orisha told them that amount in divination, perhaps they did, and perhaps they did so that you would know NOT to go to this person.
These things are expensive, I've seen it, don't underestimate the immensity of it, but do not let your socks be taken out from under your shoes. If more people ask for an accounting, this process will become more decent and there will be more checks and balances. A competent priest should be able to at least give you ball park figures of what things cost.
This isn't to say you should start "shopping around", that's simply the wrong attitude and will get you nowhere fast (except left by your godparent), but do be responsible and understand where you hard earned money is going. You can't put a price on initiation, but the Orisha didn't create you to be a fool either.
Now this all leads to the duties section . . .
As a godchild I think your duties to your godparent/priest/mentor mimic those of one decent human being to another.
Be humble
Be honest
Be helpful
Be kind
Be available to help with ceremonies, this is your responsibility and will sometimes entail hard work (but do not be a slave)
Helping your godparent/priest/mentor with personal issues is up to your discretion but not "required"
Helping your godparent/priest/mentor with personal finance issues is NOT "required" nor is it really considered appropriate
Accept direction, accept advice, accept that you may not be allowed to know everything, but do expect to be treated as a human
Priests are not Orisha, do not treat them as such, nor should you let them act as such
Do not allow yourself to be belittled, trampled on, or mistreated
Do not allow yourself to taken advantage of or manipulated
Do not ever be lead to believe that a sexual act is a part of ANY religious ceremonies
Do not forget you have rights
Most important . . . Be aware
As a priest, we have duties mandated by Odu. There are many Odu that talk of this, but one broad one on the conduct of an Awo Ifa is told 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
Remember that we, as priests should be held to a higher standard.
We should demand it of ourselves, you should demand it of us.
But also remember that we, as priests, are still only humans, and help us when we are weak, or have lost our way, as we should help you.
O gbo ato isuri ti Iwori Wofun!
May you have long life with the blessing of the holy odu Iwori Wofun!
Ase O!!!!!
Marcos Ifalola Sanchez
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Differences between Traditional Orisha worship and the Lucumi denomination
Recently the question was posed, how should view the differences between Tradtional African Orisha worship and the Lucumi? To which I answer:
Having been a practitioner in both traditions, and now an Ifa priest, the first thing to note for those that seek to understand the Lucumi is that catholicism is not as "mixed"/syncretized as some people (including santeria priests) would lead you to believe. In reality, there's nothing catholic in the actual "ceremonies" and though people speak spanish, the ceremonies are conducted using prayers, songs and call/response in a mixed dialect of Yoruba. You will never hear anything catholic in the initiation of a priest other then a side comment occasionally which doesn't have to do with the actual ceremony. Mostly this occurs when an Olorisha (santero/a) may make reference to an Orisha in a personal conversation using a catholics saint's name.
The catholic "veneer" washes away very quickly once you become initiated. In fact one of the biggest fallacies espoused by many is that there is a real syncretism, when in reality it's only surface level. I participated in at least 12 initiations of priests in a traditional Lucumi house before passing to Ifa, and not once did I ever hear anything catholic (the same goes for the dozens of other ceremonies I participated in, like Olokun, ibeji, "guerreros" etc). One exception is that an Oriate in the Ita of the Iyawo (newly initiated priest) will sometimes when interpreting Odu, make reference to catholic things that are "born" in a certain odu. As odd as this sounds, in a deeper analysis, it's not exactly incorrect or out line with Yoruba thinking.
The Lucumi system of Dillogun (caracoles) divination varies from the traditional method. As I've spoken about before, the traditional method would be to throw the cowrie shells only once, and chant the odu that appears, with only 17 possibilities (though there are many Ese odu). The Lucumi, whether for survival or political reasons, adapted this to the system of Ifa, creating 256 different possible combination (by throwing 16 cowries twice) mimicking the 256 Odu Ifa. This is important because by definition, within Odu Ifa is housed all the knowledge of the world past, present and future, and so it's not necessarily strange to believe that events from other traditions/religions would have a place within Odu Ifa.
Another exception to note, is the "misa" which occurs before the Kariosha (priest initiation), however it's important to note that this is NOT an Orisha practice. The misa is considered an "espiritismo" practice, which is essentially a replacement for Egun rites. Espiritismo is a whole different tradition and does in fact syncretize Catholicism, Kardecian mediumship (Alan Kardec), and Yoruba culture (by virtue of spirits that are Yoruba and often practitioners of Orisha traditions) and may be where the confusion lies. This one practice often leads people to think that the Lucumi as a whole more deeply syncretize Catholicism then they in fact do.
In order to place the Lucumi and Traditional Orisha worshippers within a wider context and understand how they relate, we have to look at a definition of the religion. I believe that Orisha worship as a whole, is a belief system of the Yoruba people (and tribes they conquered) originating in western Africa (note I am not going to get into whether it has Egyptian roots as some espouse as for our purposes that is not necessary). There is one "God", Olodumare, who created all that we know and don't know. Olodumare also created the Irunmole amongst which were the Orisha, divine beings who inhabit the universe.
Humans interact with the divine, in order to understand their purpose in life and affect the world around them. To do this, they created priesthoods in order to supplicate various Orisha. Amongst these priesthoods, several Orisha became prominent for one reason or another, and amongst these was Ifa, Orisha of knowledge and divination.
During the trans-atlantic passage of slaves to the carribean, priests, as well as regular people were sold by African Kings to Europeans. As the slaves were brought over they established their religion, mostly in secret. But as a child grows up unique to their parents once they are out of the house, the religion which is now commonly referred to as Santeria or Lucumi changed an morphed, for both survival (obi kola nut becoming obi the coconut) as well as political reasons (the invention of the "pinaldo" or knife ceremony, the reception of 6 Orishas simulatneously). Thus becoming a sect or denomination of the Orisha tradition (as did Candomble Nago and Ketu in Brazil, and Culto de Shango in Trinidad, etc). I specifically use this language not to downplay or denegrate the Lucumi/Santeria tradition, but to point out that it's roots/origin are with the Yoruba of western Nigeria, and it is a younger and newer interpretation of Orisha worship.
So the lucumi denomination due to geographic, cultural and historical differences has re-interpreted the traditional African system. Within both the Traditional African and the lucumi denominations, there is a group of Ifa worshippers/priests, who also re-interpreted (though to a significantly lesser extent) the african system of Ifa (there are many more similarities then in other Orisha priesthoods).
In many ways you can think of it as the difference between Orthodox Judaism and Reform Judaism or Catholic and Protestant. Their doctrines, liturgies, rituals etc have differences and are interpreted differently, even though they both base it on the same principles/ideas/concepts.
Odabo,
Ifalola
Having been a practitioner in both traditions, and now an Ifa priest, the first thing to note for those that seek to understand the Lucumi is that catholicism is not as "mixed"/syncretized as some people (including santeria priests) would lead you to believe. In reality, there's nothing catholic in the actual "ceremonies" and though people speak spanish, the ceremonies are conducted using prayers, songs and call/response in a mixed dialect of Yoruba. You will never hear anything catholic in the initiation of a priest other then a side comment occasionally which doesn't have to do with the actual ceremony. Mostly this occurs when an Olorisha (santero/a) may make reference to an Orisha in a personal conversation using a catholics saint's name.
The catholic "veneer" washes away very quickly once you become initiated. In fact one of the biggest fallacies espoused by many is that there is a real syncretism, when in reality it's only surface level. I participated in at least 12 initiations of priests in a traditional Lucumi house before passing to Ifa, and not once did I ever hear anything catholic (the same goes for the dozens of other ceremonies I participated in, like Olokun, ibeji, "guerreros" etc). One exception is that an Oriate in the Ita of the Iyawo (newly initiated priest) will sometimes when interpreting Odu, make reference to catholic things that are "born" in a certain odu. As odd as this sounds, in a deeper analysis, it's not exactly incorrect or out line with Yoruba thinking.
The Lucumi system of Dillogun (caracoles) divination varies from the traditional method. As I've spoken about before, the traditional method would be to throw the cowrie shells only once, and chant the odu that appears, with only 17 possibilities (though there are many Ese odu). The Lucumi, whether for survival or political reasons, adapted this to the system of Ifa, creating 256 different possible combination (by throwing 16 cowries twice) mimicking the 256 Odu Ifa. This is important because by definition, within Odu Ifa is housed all the knowledge of the world past, present and future, and so it's not necessarily strange to believe that events from other traditions/religions would have a place within Odu Ifa.
Another exception to note, is the "misa" which occurs before the Kariosha (priest initiation), however it's important to note that this is NOT an Orisha practice. The misa is considered an "espiritismo" practice, which is essentially a replacement for Egun rites. Espiritismo is a whole different tradition and does in fact syncretize Catholicism, Kardecian mediumship (Alan Kardec), and Yoruba culture (by virtue of spirits that are Yoruba and often practitioners of Orisha traditions) and may be where the confusion lies. This one practice often leads people to think that the Lucumi as a whole more deeply syncretize Catholicism then they in fact do.
In order to place the Lucumi and Traditional Orisha worshippers within a wider context and understand how they relate, we have to look at a definition of the religion. I believe that Orisha worship as a whole, is a belief system of the Yoruba people (and tribes they conquered) originating in western Africa (note I am not going to get into whether it has Egyptian roots as some espouse as for our purposes that is not necessary). There is one "God", Olodumare, who created all that we know and don't know. Olodumare also created the Irunmole amongst which were the Orisha, divine beings who inhabit the universe.
Humans interact with the divine, in order to understand their purpose in life and affect the world around them. To do this, they created priesthoods in order to supplicate various Orisha. Amongst these priesthoods, several Orisha became prominent for one reason or another, and amongst these was Ifa, Orisha of knowledge and divination.
During the trans-atlantic passage of slaves to the carribean, priests, as well as regular people were sold by African Kings to Europeans. As the slaves were brought over they established their religion, mostly in secret. But as a child grows up unique to their parents once they are out of the house, the religion which is now commonly referred to as Santeria or Lucumi changed an morphed, for both survival (obi kola nut becoming obi the coconut) as well as political reasons (the invention of the "pinaldo" or knife ceremony, the reception of 6 Orishas simulatneously). Thus becoming a sect or denomination of the Orisha tradition (as did Candomble Nago and Ketu in Brazil, and Culto de Shango in Trinidad, etc). I specifically use this language not to downplay or denegrate the Lucumi/Santeria tradition, but to point out that it's roots/origin are with the Yoruba of western Nigeria, and it is a younger and newer interpretation of Orisha worship.
So the lucumi denomination due to geographic, cultural and historical differences has re-interpreted the traditional African system. Within both the Traditional African and the lucumi denominations, there is a group of Ifa worshippers/priests, who also re-interpreted (though to a significantly lesser extent) the african system of Ifa (there are many more similarities then in other Orisha priesthoods).
In many ways you can think of it as the difference between Orthodox Judaism and Reform Judaism or Catholic and Protestant. Their doctrines, liturgies, rituals etc have differences and are interpreted differently, even though they both base it on the same principles/ideas/concepts.
Odabo,
Ifalola
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Ifa in the diaspora, why the rejection?
I have heard the cries to reject Ifa asking, what need do we have for Ifa?
I have seen priest and practitioner turn their backs to Ifa claiming Babalawos are trying to usurp or their power or replace them.
I have felt the contempt from those who are ignorant of Ifa's role.
I have tasted the fear that comes from those in power, afraid of losing that power.
I have smelled the stench of distrust sowing it's weeds amongst the children of Orisha.
I have a role to play.
To pass Ifa to the new generations and to not let it fall to the wayside.
I do not claim that Ifa is better or more powerful then other Orisha, but I ask those in the diaspora, where did the currently system of Dillogun divination come from? It is Ifa. In africa, cowrie shell divination of the Orisha was and is still done with one throw. The double throw was a creation of the trans-atlantic passage, perhaps to maintain Ifa until there were more trained Babalawos present to work it. Perhaps it was a political change created to change the power balance. Either way, without Ifa, the current system would not exist.
In Ogunda Ose, Ifa tells us:
E baa lo loo lo bi olo
E baa re ree re bi ere
Ibi ti e ti lo naa
Le o pada si
Dia fun Ojola
Omo Ere L'apa
E ma ma paa o
Eran ab'ohun ni o
e ye e ma p'Ojola
Omo Ere L'apa
Ifa ni Isheshe lo amm leke
Isheshe lo maa gbeniyan
No matter how far you wander like the grindstone
No matter how far you wind like the boa constrictor
It is your starting point
to which you shall all return
These were the declarations of Ifa to the royal python
the offspring of the boa constrictor of Apa town
Pray, do not slay it
Do not slay the royal python
The offspring of the boa constrictor of Apa town
Ifa says Isheshe (our ancestors that represent traditionalism) will prevail
Isheshe will allow mankind to prevail.
-----------
So how then, could we even suggest that Ifa is trying to take over something that it created to begin with? If nothing else, it seems to me that quite the opposite is happening, that in the Diaspora an adaption of the system of Ifa occured (though most practitioners don't realize this), and now Orisha priests claim to be its owner. Is this not in fact a hegemony of practitioners in the Diaspora over Ifa and not the reverse that many claim? I've heard Oriate, Italeros, diviners (male and female) tell priests training to divine to study Ifa, and in the same breath say Babalawos are trying to take over the faith and assert power over them. Is that right?
If anything, this has upset the balance. Ifa's role is divination, Ifa's role as Eleri Ipin is to help clarify our paths. Ifa can not directly affect things like the other Orisha, but needs to work in conjunction with other Orisha to affect the future to the benefit of the Orisha devotee.
Ifa can, should, and will work with all Orisha devotees to maintain the balance. We must stop the bickering and politics and understand how to regain the balance in order to retain the harmony that will lead us all down our true path.
I have seen priest and practitioner turn their backs to Ifa claiming Babalawos are trying to usurp or their power or replace them.
I have felt the contempt from those who are ignorant of Ifa's role.
I have tasted the fear that comes from those in power, afraid of losing that power.
I have smelled the stench of distrust sowing it's weeds amongst the children of Orisha.
I have a role to play.
To pass Ifa to the new generations and to not let it fall to the wayside.
I do not claim that Ifa is better or more powerful then other Orisha, but I ask those in the diaspora, where did the currently system of Dillogun divination come from? It is Ifa. In africa, cowrie shell divination of the Orisha was and is still done with one throw. The double throw was a creation of the trans-atlantic passage, perhaps to maintain Ifa until there were more trained Babalawos present to work it. Perhaps it was a political change created to change the power balance. Either way, without Ifa, the current system would not exist.
In Ogunda Ose, Ifa tells us:
E baa lo loo lo bi olo
E baa re ree re bi ere
Ibi ti e ti lo naa
Le o pada si
Dia fun Ojola
Omo Ere L'apa
E ma ma paa o
Eran ab'ohun ni o
e ye e ma p'Ojola
Omo Ere L'apa
Ifa ni Isheshe lo amm leke
Isheshe lo maa gbeniyan
No matter how far you wander like the grindstone
No matter how far you wind like the boa constrictor
It is your starting point
to which you shall all return
These were the declarations of Ifa to the royal python
the offspring of the boa constrictor of Apa town
Pray, do not slay it
Do not slay the royal python
The offspring of the boa constrictor of Apa town
Ifa says Isheshe (our ancestors that represent traditionalism) will prevail
Isheshe will allow mankind to prevail.
-----------
So how then, could we even suggest that Ifa is trying to take over something that it created to begin with? If nothing else, it seems to me that quite the opposite is happening, that in the Diaspora an adaption of the system of Ifa occured (though most practitioners don't realize this), and now Orisha priests claim to be its owner. Is this not in fact a hegemony of practitioners in the Diaspora over Ifa and not the reverse that many claim? I've heard Oriate, Italeros, diviners (male and female) tell priests training to divine to study Ifa, and in the same breath say Babalawos are trying to take over the faith and assert power over them. Is that right?
If anything, this has upset the balance. Ifa's role is divination, Ifa's role as Eleri Ipin is to help clarify our paths. Ifa can not directly affect things like the other Orisha, but needs to work in conjunction with other Orisha to affect the future to the benefit of the Orisha devotee.
Ifa can, should, and will work with all Orisha devotees to maintain the balance. We must stop the bickering and politics and understand how to regain the balance in order to retain the harmony that will lead us all down our true path.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Ruling or "guardian" Orisha, how is it determined?
Aboru aboye aboshishe,
Clearly this is a difficult question. Let me first note that there is a difference in how initiations work (in Trad Yoruba, you receive you guardian or ruling Orisa and Esu only, in lucumi, you receive 6 or more all at once, simply an adaptation for survival that occured after the middle passage). This has been a long running issue in the Orisha community in the diaspora. In the absence of a patrilineal or familial link, how can one determine which Orisha rules their Ori?
The answer is, as often is the case in traditional african practice, that there is more then one way. In general, it is accepted that when a child does their Esentaye through Ifa, this will be determined and the child will know their path in life. In the absence of Esentaye, as many either come to the practice later in life, are not Yoruba, or do not come from a family which practices Orisha worship, one can consult a Babalawo or as called in the Lucumi system have a "Plante" with 3 Babalawos.
The Logic here is that as Eleri Ipin (witness to creation), Orunmila is present as our Ori chooses it's path/destiny at the foot of Olodumare. As the only Orisha with direct access to Odu (in which is housed all knowledge of the world past, present and future), Orunmila can fully determine what the path an individual chose, as well as what important steps they need to take to achieve that path (which might include Adosu / Kariosha). While Orunmila does not have the direct power to control Lightening, like Shango, or the Wind like Oya, or the Ocean like Yemoja, Orunmila can consult Ifa/Odu to determine what someone must do in order to affect their future. That is Ifa/Orunmila's role.
We can see that Orunmila throughout Ese, Oriki, Iyere, Pataki, acts as the neutral arbiter in many of the arguments that Orisha have amongst themselves. He also acts as their counselor and as such displays his unique role in maintaining the balance in nature and life.
That all said, after conversations with Babalawos and Olorishas in Nigeria, there are other ways in the Traditional practice in which an Orisha can claim someone's head. The most significant of course is possession. When a lay person becomes mounted by an Orisha, there is no clearer sign that the person is not only claimed by that Orisha, but will need to be initiated to the secrets and priesthood of that Orisha. This is also true of the lucumi.
Lastly, it should be noted that while Ifa is considered to be the optimal way to determine a person's ruling Orisha, this can also be done in Traditional and lucumi practice by a competent priest/diviner (Olorisha) of the cowrie shell method. As a rule of thumb though, the first two methods described here are considered to be the optimal ones in determining a person's ruling Orisha.
This of course has ignited a bit of controversy in the diaspora as Olorishas and Babalawos tend to clash and view the process more as a power struggle over who's right, and who has the right, then what's best for the devotee. As a Babalawo, while I am of the opinion that all three methods are legitimate, the first two are the methods I would consider most reliable. As argued earlier, I come to this conclusion because:
a. Orunmila is the diviner who's sole job it is to interpret the Oracle of Ifa and help guide people on their paths to attaining their destiny. Let us be clear, Orunmila is NOT all powerful, and does not himself determine peoples destinies, he can only tell people what is in store, and determine Ebos that a person can do. He does have the secrets and knowledge to get Esu, the Orisha, Iyaami, etc to help him with things, but he himself does not do these things directly.
b. Ifa/Odu contains all the knowledge of the world, past present and future, and as such supercedes other methods of divination. This isn't arrogance, it's simply an acknowledgement that by definition, if you accept Ifa/Orunmila, you accept it is the highest method of divination.
c. Orunmila is the arbiter. He often is consulted to maintain order amongst the Irunmole/Orisha and as such can play a neutral role in decisions.
d. Trance possesion or "mounting" is when the Orisha has decided to manifest directly on earth in the body of a person. That choice by the Orisha means that they have chosen you as their medium and that you belong to their priesthood.
One last note. Unlike the diasporal lucumi practices, in traditional African practice, being mounted by one's Orisha does not preclude them from the Ifa priesthood. I've had extensive discussions with my Oluwo in Nigeria and others, and if Ifa calls you to his priesthood, you must go. There exists in the Lucumi system ceremonies that can be done for someone who has mounted Egun to pass to Ifa, and ensure they aren't mounted again. Once initiated into Ifa, through the rites/rituals that occur, one will no longer be mounted by their Orisha afterwards. I once heard it described as Babalawos are in a constant state of possesion by Orunmila/Ifa which effectively keeps any other possession from occuring.
Also, of interesting note, while in the diaspora, being initiated to one's teutelary Orisha after passing to Ifa can not be done, that is not the case in Nigeria, and one can be initiated to their guardian Orisha after passing through Itefa (initiation as a Babalawo).
Clearly this is a difficult question. Let me first note that there is a difference in how initiations work (in Trad Yoruba, you receive you guardian or ruling Orisa and Esu only, in lucumi, you receive 6 or more all at once, simply an adaptation for survival that occured after the middle passage). This has been a long running issue in the Orisha community in the diaspora. In the absence of a patrilineal or familial link, how can one determine which Orisha rules their Ori?
The answer is, as often is the case in traditional african practice, that there is more then one way. In general, it is accepted that when a child does their Esentaye through Ifa, this will be determined and the child will know their path in life. In the absence of Esentaye, as many either come to the practice later in life, are not Yoruba, or do not come from a family which practices Orisha worship, one can consult a Babalawo or as called in the Lucumi system have a "Plante" with 3 Babalawos.
The Logic here is that as Eleri Ipin (witness to creation), Orunmila is present as our Ori chooses it's path/destiny at the foot of Olodumare. As the only Orisha with direct access to Odu (in which is housed all knowledge of the world past, present and future), Orunmila can fully determine what the path an individual chose, as well as what important steps they need to take to achieve that path (which might include Adosu / Kariosha). While Orunmila does not have the direct power to control Lightening, like Shango, or the Wind like Oya, or the Ocean like Yemoja, Orunmila can consult Ifa/Odu to determine what someone must do in order to affect their future. That is Ifa/Orunmila's role.
We can see that Orunmila throughout Ese, Oriki, Iyere, Pataki, acts as the neutral arbiter in many of the arguments that Orisha have amongst themselves. He also acts as their counselor and as such displays his unique role in maintaining the balance in nature and life.
That all said, after conversations with Babalawos and Olorishas in Nigeria, there are other ways in the Traditional practice in which an Orisha can claim someone's head. The most significant of course is possession. When a lay person becomes mounted by an Orisha, there is no clearer sign that the person is not only claimed by that Orisha, but will need to be initiated to the secrets and priesthood of that Orisha. This is also true of the lucumi.
Lastly, it should be noted that while Ifa is considered to be the optimal way to determine a person's ruling Orisha, this can also be done in Traditional and lucumi practice by a competent priest/diviner (Olorisha) of the cowrie shell method. As a rule of thumb though, the first two methods described here are considered to be the optimal ones in determining a person's ruling Orisha.
This of course has ignited a bit of controversy in the diaspora as Olorishas and Babalawos tend to clash and view the process more as a power struggle over who's right, and who has the right, then what's best for the devotee. As a Babalawo, while I am of the opinion that all three methods are legitimate, the first two are the methods I would consider most reliable. As argued earlier, I come to this conclusion because:
a. Orunmila is the diviner who's sole job it is to interpret the Oracle of Ifa and help guide people on their paths to attaining their destiny. Let us be clear, Orunmila is NOT all powerful, and does not himself determine peoples destinies, he can only tell people what is in store, and determine Ebos that a person can do. He does have the secrets and knowledge to get Esu, the Orisha, Iyaami, etc to help him with things, but he himself does not do these things directly.
b. Ifa/Odu contains all the knowledge of the world, past present and future, and as such supercedes other methods of divination. This isn't arrogance, it's simply an acknowledgement that by definition, if you accept Ifa/Orunmila, you accept it is the highest method of divination.
c. Orunmila is the arbiter. He often is consulted to maintain order amongst the Irunmole/Orisha and as such can play a neutral role in decisions.
d. Trance possesion or "mounting" is when the Orisha has decided to manifest directly on earth in the body of a person. That choice by the Orisha means that they have chosen you as their medium and that you belong to their priesthood.
One last note. Unlike the diasporal lucumi practices, in traditional African practice, being mounted by one's Orisha does not preclude them from the Ifa priesthood. I've had extensive discussions with my Oluwo in Nigeria and others, and if Ifa calls you to his priesthood, you must go. There exists in the Lucumi system ceremonies that can be done for someone who has mounted Egun to pass to Ifa, and ensure they aren't mounted again. Once initiated into Ifa, through the rites/rituals that occur, one will no longer be mounted by their Orisha afterwards. I once heard it described as Babalawos are in a constant state of possesion by Orunmila/Ifa which effectively keeps any other possession from occuring.
Also, of interesting note, while in the diaspora, being initiated to one's teutelary Orisha after passing to Ifa can not be done, that is not the case in Nigeria, and one can be initiated to their guardian Orisha after passing through Itefa (initiation as a Babalawo).
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
The essence of Odu
When the concept of Odu was first explained to me, I was lead to understand that within Odu lies all the knowledge of the world, past, present and future. Ifa shows us the way to unlock that knowledge and see how it affects our lives. This truth is clearly seen when we go to Ifa for divination. Ifa shows us our past, explains our present, and reveals our future and how we can affect a future outcome. This last portion is why we say Aboru, Aboye, Aboshishe. Translating roughly to, May our ebo arrive in heaven, may our ebo be accepted, may that which we asked for when making ebo come to pass.
As we seek the deeper meaning of Odu, we look to understand the who, why, when and how. We know for instance, that Odu is the female energy within Ifa. It is Odu which joins with the Ikin Ifa to birth its pattern creating one of the 256 combination of Odu. We see this each time a Babalawo invokes Ifa and marks the Odu on the Opon Ifa (or throws the Opele). At that moment, a particular Odu is being born to the Ori of the client that is being consulted. In that moment, that particular Odu has manifest its energy into the life of the client, and rules the client for a given period of time.
If we take this one step further, and examine what is encapsulated within Odu, we might see any given Odu is essentially a story, within which we find a problem and resolution (be it good or bad). Within that story, it is the responsibility of the Babalawo (and the client) to not only interpret the story, but do so in a way that is meaningful to the client. This is done through divine inspiration (during itefa, there are metaphysical changes within the Babalawo in order to allow him to see/interpret Odu and Ifa in ways beyond that of a normal person) and also through the knowledge and wisdom of the studious Awo.
This is truly important to understand because any given story can have multiple interpretations, and any given reading can emphasize different parts of a given story. It is the job of the true Awo Ifa to find the deeper meaning within the meaning. Odu is like an onion with layers of meanings and some on the surface and other deep within.
In this way Odu is timeless, an amorphous mass of knowledge that is interpreted and re-interpreted. On the one hand, it holds all the knowledge of the past present and future, on the other, we realize it does this because past, present and future are one. For Odu, all things exist at all time simultaneously, past, present and future collapse into a body of knowledge that is constantly birthing and constantly dying. Odu is in fact the singularity from which our universe is born.
As we seek the deeper meaning of Odu, we look to understand the who, why, when and how. We know for instance, that Odu is the female energy within Ifa. It is Odu which joins with the Ikin Ifa to birth its pattern creating one of the 256 combination of Odu. We see this each time a Babalawo invokes Ifa and marks the Odu on the Opon Ifa (or throws the Opele). At that moment, a particular Odu is being born to the Ori of the client that is being consulted. In that moment, that particular Odu has manifest its energy into the life of the client, and rules the client for a given period of time.
If we take this one step further, and examine what is encapsulated within Odu, we might see any given Odu is essentially a story, within which we find a problem and resolution (be it good or bad). Within that story, it is the responsibility of the Babalawo (and the client) to not only interpret the story, but do so in a way that is meaningful to the client. This is done through divine inspiration (during itefa, there are metaphysical changes within the Babalawo in order to allow him to see/interpret Odu and Ifa in ways beyond that of a normal person) and also through the knowledge and wisdom of the studious Awo.
This is truly important to understand because any given story can have multiple interpretations, and any given reading can emphasize different parts of a given story. It is the job of the true Awo Ifa to find the deeper meaning within the meaning. Odu is like an onion with layers of meanings and some on the surface and other deep within.
In this way Odu is timeless, an amorphous mass of knowledge that is interpreted and re-interpreted. On the one hand, it holds all the knowledge of the past present and future, on the other, we realize it does this because past, present and future are one. For Odu, all things exist at all time simultaneously, past, present and future collapse into a body of knowledge that is constantly birthing and constantly dying. Odu is in fact the singularity from which our universe is born.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Old post an analysis of Obi
Aboru Aboye Aboshishe,
I'm in the midst of learning a new way of throwing Obi (the kola nut) but I recently had an exchange on another board which I now no longer post to, where a priestess actually unprovoked, wished "Okana" on me because she didn't agree with my views. She did so, because I suggested it was ironic that in a previous post, she started with "alaafia" which means peace, before writing a very negative post. Since she didn't understand yoruba, she figured the opposite of alaafia was Okana instead of saying Ibi or (osogbo for the lucumi) or some such thing.
I'm thankful to her, because it got me thinking about what Okana meant and where it came from. I used to think simply that it came from the yoruba word Okan, meaning one, for the one white side showing, but as I started to study Ifa, realized that was not the total picture. Okana, is actually a modification of the Ifa odu Okanran. In the diloggun system, Okana is 1. Now the reason I believe this comes from Ifa is that in Ifa, even though Babalawos never read only one leg of a "letra" like the santeros/olorishas, they read two legs, the way you mark Okanran as an odu is:
II
II
II
I
as in three pieces brown and one white. (of course to be fair, if it's marked the opposite direction, it's obara) What's more interesting is you'll often see this also called Okanasode, which all Babalawos will recognize as the Odu Okanrans'ode or the alias for the Odu Okanrana - ogbe. Now, okanran ogbe is actually marked thus:
I II
I II
I II
I I
and has it's own stories associated with it, which aren't all bad. Though in the lucumi system, there is a story of Okanran obge which talks about a child with large ears and long story short, the motion made by the Babalawo is to cover ones ears, which some of the older Olorishas will say is something you do when this is cast in Obi.
I have always had thoughts on the other names as well:
Alaafia = peace (in Yoruba) matching the peacefullness and coolness of all white side of Obi upwards. The corresponding odu in Ifa would be Ogbe.
Etawa = I've always pronouned it with an e (dot underneath) where Eta means three in yoruba (3 white sides are up), and wa with the accent down on the a means "to exist" so, three exist. Ita, with an I, is third day, which in Fama's dictionary she also notes is third day divination as in Ita Ifa or Ita Osha.
Ejiife = this is a harder one, it corresponds to no odu but can be broken down eji-two and ife can mean love or the holy city of Ife. It's possible it could mean the love created by two, signifying the balance of light and dark, or the literal love created by two, signifying man and woman, as the Yoruba are very centered around the family and marriage with man and woman, the two opposites, creating a whole.
Oyekun - Odu Oyekun meji, which if you look at only one leg of how it's marked in Ifa is:
II
II
II
II
or equivalent to all faced down, which is fairly self explanatory in the sense that you can physically see the resemblance. As an odu, Oyekun Meji is not all negative, but it is the Odu in which Iku was introduced to the world, and as such I can see the negative interpretation.
O dabo
Ifalola
I'm in the midst of learning a new way of throwing Obi (the kola nut) but I recently had an exchange on another board which I now no longer post to, where a priestess actually unprovoked, wished "Okana" on me because she didn't agree with my views. She did so, because I suggested it was ironic that in a previous post, she started with "alaafia" which means peace, before writing a very negative post. Since she didn't understand yoruba, she figured the opposite of alaafia was Okana instead of saying Ibi or (osogbo for the lucumi) or some such thing.
I'm thankful to her, because it got me thinking about what Okana meant and where it came from. I used to think simply that it came from the yoruba word Okan, meaning one, for the one white side showing, but as I started to study Ifa, realized that was not the total picture. Okana, is actually a modification of the Ifa odu Okanran. In the diloggun system, Okana is 1. Now the reason I believe this comes from Ifa is that in Ifa, even though Babalawos never read only one leg of a "letra" like the santeros/olorishas, they read two legs, the way you mark Okanran as an odu is:
II
II
II
I
as in three pieces brown and one white. (of course to be fair, if it's marked the opposite direction, it's obara) What's more interesting is you'll often see this also called Okanasode, which all Babalawos will recognize as the Odu Okanrans'ode or the alias for the Odu Okanrana - ogbe. Now, okanran ogbe is actually marked thus:
I II
I II
I II
I I
and has it's own stories associated with it, which aren't all bad. Though in the lucumi system, there is a story of Okanran obge which talks about a child with large ears and long story short, the motion made by the Babalawo is to cover ones ears, which some of the older Olorishas will say is something you do when this is cast in Obi.
I have always had thoughts on the other names as well:
Alaafia = peace (in Yoruba) matching the peacefullness and coolness of all white side of Obi upwards. The corresponding odu in Ifa would be Ogbe.
Etawa = I've always pronouned it with an e (dot underneath) where Eta means three in yoruba (3 white sides are up), and wa with the accent down on the a means "to exist" so, three exist. Ita, with an I, is third day, which in Fama's dictionary she also notes is third day divination as in Ita Ifa or Ita Osha.
Ejiife = this is a harder one, it corresponds to no odu but can be broken down eji-two and ife can mean love or the holy city of Ife. It's possible it could mean the love created by two, signifying the balance of light and dark, or the literal love created by two, signifying man and woman, as the Yoruba are very centered around the family and marriage with man and woman, the two opposites, creating a whole.
Oyekun - Odu Oyekun meji, which if you look at only one leg of how it's marked in Ifa is:
II
II
II
II
or equivalent to all faced down, which is fairly self explanatory in the sense that you can physically see the resemblance. As an odu, Oyekun Meji is not all negative, but it is the Odu in which Iku was introduced to the world, and as such I can see the negative interpretation.
O dabo
Ifalola
Friday, January 12, 2007
What is the role of Charity?
After having spent over 20 years in the Orisha community and just under half of that as a priest, I've come to wonder, what is the role of charity?
It seems like a simple question, but I racked my brain looking for examples. The most I could come up with were those where a particular person known to the community was in need (usually for an initiation, or burial) and a call was made. There was also the occasional time when in a reading someone is told to donate to the poor. In very rare instances, and mostly within the Traditional African community, there were calls for money and clothes for Nigerian temples (and once for some help with Katrina victims). Other then these instances (which seem very few and far between) I haven't seen much in the form of charity.
It's always struck me the lack of interest in organizing charitable functions within the Orisa traditions is an extension of the loss of community and move toward individualism (my practice/my ile syndrome as I call it) . The exception being particular cases of particular people (ie funding an Osha or a funeral). Much beyond that, I've heard of little in the community. It seems to me that although this is a prominently latino community, capitalistic/individualism has permeated the mind and people don't think of charitable practices as a part of their religious life. I think this also stems from the explosive growth of priests being initiated, and as an extension their generally poor theological education. To some extent, the US practices have become a bit of a cult of personality, with a godparent/s who rule over their temples, and though they may be morally responsible for their "house" (not all are), they also inadvertently end up in a situation where their financial well being in part springs from this relationship. Therefore there seems to be a lack of motivation to look beyond themselves to their obligations to the community as a whole. Add to that the constant need of adherents priest/practitioner alike, to undergo costly initiations and cleansings and you further weaken the impetus for helping out others.
These might not seem like words of inspiration, but I think it's important to look at the factors for why the problem exists before you can create a solution.
Where does that leave us? It is of course difficult to get people to see beyond their own problems, in any religion, especially one in which people can do tangible things (make ebo) in order to have tangible results. It creates a bit of a quandry as it leaves people wondering what being charitable will do for them. I pay my money, i get initiated. I do my ebo, I am free from witchcraft. I do my love spell, I get my mate.
In this case I believe that the best way to change this is to use the nomenclature of the religion in order to have people understand what they need to do. Feeding the poor is ebo so that we may not see poverty. Helping the sick is ebo so that we may not see sickness. Volunteering is a responsibility of the priest/practitioner alike.
But what's important is that the example begins from the top. In this hierarchical religion, where we often see in larger or lesser ways, cults of personality (read strong godparent), the godparent has to set the example. As in life, the mother/father in theory should set an example for their children, so to it's the responsibility of the godparent to set the example for their godchildren. Be it in learning/teaching the theology, or helping the community at large.
This is a difficult task, and one which probably will take a mindshift in many of the "elders", but a few well positioned elders taking the lead and leading by example could inspire a system that often gets mired down by greed, politics, and power. We are human, and I'm not trying to point a finger, but we all also have to look at ourselves and those around us.
If you could get 1 or 2 elders to step forward and ask their godchildren to commit to communally volunteering once every 3 months, things would begin to change.
This bring to mind 2 of the 16 laws of Ifa from Ika Ofun:
won ni ki won ma gba opa l'owo afoju
They (Babalawo) advised them not to take a walking cane from the blind
Won ni ki won ma gba opa l'owo ogbo
They (Babalawo) advised them not to take a walking cane from an old person
Ika Ofun tells us, that we must help the disabled and help the elderly, for it is never known when we might become disabled, and we all hope to live long lives. One way or the other, someday it will be us.
I leave this conversation with a saying from the Odu Oturupon Oworin:
Ifa ni ti a ba ji ni kutukutu
Ogbon ni ki a ma a ko ara wa . . .
Ifa says when we wake early mornings
We should teach each other wisdom . . .
Odabo,
Babalawo Ifalola omo Iwori Aweda - marcos
It seems like a simple question, but I racked my brain looking for examples. The most I could come up with were those where a particular person known to the community was in need (usually for an initiation, or burial) and a call was made. There was also the occasional time when in a reading someone is told to donate to the poor. In very rare instances, and mostly within the Traditional African community, there were calls for money and clothes for Nigerian temples (and once for some help with Katrina victims). Other then these instances (which seem very few and far between) I haven't seen much in the form of charity.
It's always struck me the lack of interest in organizing charitable functions within the Orisa traditions is an extension of the loss of community and move toward individualism (my practice/my ile syndrome as I call it) . The exception being particular cases of particular people (ie funding an Osha or a funeral). Much beyond that, I've heard of little in the community. It seems to me that although this is a prominently latino community, capitalistic/individualism has permeated the mind and people don't think of charitable practices as a part of their religious life. I think this also stems from the explosive growth of priests being initiated, and as an extension their generally poor theological education. To some extent, the US practices have become a bit of a cult of personality, with a godparent/s who rule over their temples, and though they may be morally responsible for their "house" (not all are), they also inadvertently end up in a situation where their financial well being in part springs from this relationship. Therefore there seems to be a lack of motivation to look beyond themselves to their obligations to the community as a whole. Add to that the constant need of adherents priest/practitioner alike, to undergo costly initiations and cleansings and you further weaken the impetus for helping out others.
These might not seem like words of inspiration, but I think it's important to look at the factors for why the problem exists before you can create a solution.
Where does that leave us? It is of course difficult to get people to see beyond their own problems, in any religion, especially one in which people can do tangible things (make ebo) in order to have tangible results. It creates a bit of a quandry as it leaves people wondering what being charitable will do for them. I pay my money, i get initiated. I do my ebo, I am free from witchcraft. I do my love spell, I get my mate.
In this case I believe that the best way to change this is to use the nomenclature of the religion in order to have people understand what they need to do. Feeding the poor is ebo so that we may not see poverty. Helping the sick is ebo so that we may not see sickness. Volunteering is a responsibility of the priest/practitioner alike.
But what's important is that the example begins from the top. In this hierarchical religion, where we often see in larger or lesser ways, cults of personality (read strong godparent), the godparent has to set the example. As in life, the mother/father in theory should set an example for their children, so to it's the responsibility of the godparent to set the example for their godchildren. Be it in learning/teaching the theology, or helping the community at large.
This is a difficult task, and one which probably will take a mindshift in many of the "elders", but a few well positioned elders taking the lead and leading by example could inspire a system that often gets mired down by greed, politics, and power. We are human, and I'm not trying to point a finger, but we all also have to look at ourselves and those around us.
If you could get 1 or 2 elders to step forward and ask their godchildren to commit to communally volunteering once every 3 months, things would begin to change.
This bring to mind 2 of the 16 laws of Ifa from Ika Ofun:
won ni ki won ma gba opa l'owo afoju
They (Babalawo) advised them not to take a walking cane from the blind
Won ni ki won ma gba opa l'owo ogbo
They (Babalawo) advised them not to take a walking cane from an old person
Ika Ofun tells us, that we must help the disabled and help the elderly, for it is never known when we might become disabled, and we all hope to live long lives. One way or the other, someday it will be us.
I leave this conversation with a saying from the Odu Oturupon Oworin:
Ifa ni ti a ba ji ni kutukutu
Ogbon ni ki a ma a ko ara wa . . .
Ifa says when we wake early mornings
We should teach each other wisdom . . .
Odabo,
Babalawo Ifalola omo Iwori Aweda - marcos
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