The ever expanding corpus of wisdom we call Ifa

The ever expanding corpus of wisdom we call Ifa.

We should start this conversation with a well known mantra I've repeated many times: Within Ifa is housed all the wisdom and knowledge of the world past, present, and future. Acknowledging this statement as a truth, we eventually have to ask the question, does the corpus of Ifa Ese/Iyere/Oriki/Ofo expand, and how does that happen?

As a conversation starter I'd like to remind us of the old adage, "there's nothing new under the sun", which I believe holds true for peoples interactions with each other. While certainly there are new inventions, and we find out new things everyday, if we look at the interactions between people; love, hate, war, jealousy, passion, peace, these all seem to have been themes amongst all people from time immemorial as we see in the painting of the pyramids, the bible, the writings of Plato, and most importantly for those reading this, Odu Ifa.

If we can, but for a moment, raise ourselves above our given situation, we are apt to see one of these themes projecting itself on us. So in that way, Odu Ifa, when interpreted by ourselves or a priest, can show us the outcome, warn us of the pitfalls and provide us with a solution to our quandary. And so this leads in to our first question, does the Ifa as a corpus expand?

I believe that like all things in life, yes. it does. Though the larger themes remain, once we get into the details of interpretation of these issues, there is fluidity as can most aptly be seen in the examples of infanticide of twins, slavery and human sacrifice. We have clear evidence that infanticide was practiced based on the idea that twins were considered to be an abomination of nature. Not until the reign of Sango (Shango) was the practiced banned, and the view on twins reversed. Human sacrifice was documented (as with every culture at some point in time) and not halted until some say as late as the late 1800s in some remote areas. Slavery was also a very common practice among the Yoruba until the late 19th, early 20th century's. Ifa has to grow and morph in order to stay consistent and relevant to its followers. Clearly, morality can change, and that change is reflected in Odu Ifa.

Ifa, as all religions, is not an immutable force. There are larger issues which goes beyond the growth and development of Odu Ifa, such as the meaning and interpretation of ese Ifa, how that affects ritual and liturgy, and when has something gone "too far" or is no longer culturally relevant. These are critical issues when thinking about not only the advancement, but propagation and long term survival prospects for the Orisa traditions. Without any central authority and an increasing gap in practices from "ile to ile" one has to wonder how long the bonds of cohesion can continue without a significant break. I would argue that already, whether acknowledged or not, there are changes that have occurred, marking distinction between the cuban lucumi and US lucumi worship and between US traditional Yoruba and Nigerian traditional Yoruba worship. That assessment is based on my conversations with several elders of Cuban decent (ie, having lived in cuba for a large part of their lives before moving here), conversations with my Oluwo in Ibadan, and my observations of US practices (people like Philip Niemark of American Ifa).

William Bascom touches on the idea of cultural relativism when says "Each listing (of Odu Ifa) reflects deities of importance locally, suggesting considerable regional cariation in the Ifa verses because of their adaptation to local belief systems" (p.45 Ifa divination). After which he goes on to cite verses that are similar, but with different deities based on where they come from.

So if we agree that while the themes of Ifa (love, hate, etc) may be finite, the ways in which they manifest in our lives are unlimited and with great variation. It now becomes important to ask the question, how do Patakin/Ese Ifa develop? Again we note William Bascom in "Ifa Divination" where he says:

"A Meko (area in Nigeria) diviner explained that new verses are learned when one dreams the he is divining; when on awakes in the morning, he repeats what he did in his dreams. This is confirmed by Epega, who says that new verses may be derived from dreams, and also that some individuals are born with Ifa verses "inside them," so that as soon as they are taught the figures and a few verses of Ifa, they introduce new verses. Thus while no new figures can ever be added, there is no end to the knowledge of Ifa (Epega, n.d.: XVI, 6). If new verses can be introduced from dreams or through individual creativity, it is clear that all cerses need not be derived fromt he corpus of African Folklore." --Ifa divination, William Bascom P.137

While I believe this practice to be true of traditional Yoruba Babalawo, I don't believe lucumi Awo Ifa would agree, though, arguably something happened as evidenced by certain lucumi verses that either do not conform to traditional verse or use items/people/situations that would be completely foreign to Yoruba culture (espiritismo, palo, homosexuality, modern inventions). This idea of dream teaching is supported In Chief Elebuibon's (a well known Babalawo) book "Iyere Ifa: Tonal poerty, the voice of Ifa" in which he mentions this under the section talking about memorizing Ifa:

"It is a belief that the acolyte or priest memorizes these verses, his capacity to memorize is increased every day. Ajagunmole (he-who-teaches-the priest-through-dreams) is the great Ifa priest in heaven. He holds the responsibility for guiding the righteous and the upright by giving them retentive memory. It is believed that those who lose their memory or are unable to recite the Odu very well might have offended Ajagunmole." (Chapter 8, p101)

In supporting the idea of dream learning, and possible creation of new Ese Ifa, he takes it one step further in creating a divine link between heaven and earth though which Ifa verse is transmitted from Orun to Aiye.

Further, Bascom in the end of his work "Ifa Divination" recites several "Ese Ifa" that specifically talk about whites (europeans) and modern inventions such as trains and flashlights. These are classic examples of new additions. What is interesting though, is that he added it under a section labeled "parodies" (clearly not giving it the same weight) and not under the corresponding Odu, perhaps his own particular judgment on the merit of these particular verses. If, however, one were to conform to the style of other Odu more strictly, and not use "modern" terms/objects, it would be difficult to detect and thus enter the Odu Corpus without objection.

From a philosophical perspective, if we combine the fact that humans can only memorize so much, and Odu encompasses all knowledge past, present and future, it should be no surprise that the Corpus gets updated (as evidenced by many lucumi patakin) and added to. It seems to me that being an oral tradition alone makes the process highly susceptible to purposeful or inadvertent change, whether people want to acknowledge it or not (play a game of telephone to illustrate this). Clearly, if you've sat in a lucumi Ita (and I've sat in at least 20 or so, with 5 different Oriates including esteemed Cuban elders with 55+ years of Osha and relative newcomers with only 18 years as a priest) you can see that things have been added to the Odu corpus (not Ifa in this case). You will hear about jesus, doing "misas", getting rayado in palo, the Abakua, etc, and in Traditional Yoruba Ifa you may hear about Muslims or Christians. This is clearly interpretation or the addition of cultural relevance to the process.

Whether we like it or not, we are subjects of doublespeak when talking about the purity of our practice on the one hand, then complaining about invented Orisa, or accepting certain things which are clearly european/judeo christian influences on the other. Further, we see that this is an evolutionary and changing practice simply by looking at the process of becoming Orisa. I say this because at least as I was taught in the lucumi tradition, Orisa were not an expanding rank. However, when I read some Yoruba theology and eventually had a conversation with my Oluwo, I came to understand that actually, Orisa are not so stagnant, and in theory at least, there can be additions to the Orisa we worship. A person dies, eventually they might be worshiped as Egun, after many many years that egun might eventually become Orisa. This of course is perfectly supported by all Orisa practitioners (lucumi and traditional Yourba) acceptance of the Orisa Sango, who we all know and acknowledge was a deified King.


Both the traditional Yoruba and lucumi practices are equally prone to these issues. The real question is how will the clergy control this evolution and what practices are accepted, and which are not, in such a way that doesn't jeopardize the integrity of the Ifa.

Aboru aboye aboshishe,
Ifalola

Sacred Odu Ifa texts and rituals, what is our responsibility?

Aboru aboye aboshishe,

In a recent dialog, I was confronted with non-Ifa priests (though priests of other Orisa) who condoned the reading of sacred Ifa Awo (secrets). I realized that perhaps there needs to be a clarification, at least of my interpretation on Odu Ifa and ritual. The issue here is not the public knowledge of the stories/religious texts of Odu Ifa (ie the ese Ifa / patakin / Iyere etc.), on that I am clear. As texts, stand alone, they are important works that in their own way should be preserved by all, for all. In fact, as was correctly pointed out by another Orisa priest, when one goes to an Ita, or has an Ifa divination performed, even the uninitiated will hear the Ese/patakin. This is part of the basis comes for people being able to learn ese Ifa before initiation in the traditional Yoruba context (the other is training as the start of religious life, instead of initiation). Additionally, whether this priest realized it or not, he pointed out there is a tacit acceptance of this policy by lucumi Awo Ifa, since an aleyo, can in fact, potentially memorize or at least paraphrase an Ese ifa chanted/spoken in a divination session.

These religious texts, or as i think of them, the word of Ifa, are divinely inspired texts that explain human nature to humankind. These are in fact the domain of all people. In that we agree. They should be shared and analyzed and studied for their meaning both physical and spiritual. From this point on though my opinion on public availability stops.

Beyond the word of Ifa lies the inner realm, a realm whose study is the sole purpose of the Ifa priesthood. Within this realm lies both the inner esoteric meanings of the word of Ifa and the rituals which have been created by the priesthood in order to amplify, contain or diminish the energies which the Odu summon. These divine and sacred rituals have been created through divine inspiration, interpretation of Odu Ifa and observation of heavenly and earthly signs. This art and science contains powerful rituals and observations that are not meant for the uninitiated because they have not been trained in their use, and in how to counter their potentially damaging effects. In theory, Ifa priests should be ethical practitioners, and are bound to heed the word of Ifa and Ifa's code of ethics as prescribed in many Odu, which is another safe guard in their use. We see this oath in the holy 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

Here, my view is clear, Non-awo Ifa are not bound in the same way to these code of ethics (we take an oath to Odu and Ifa, which has horrible consequences when broken), they are also not trained to deal with these rituals and their consequences, and most important, may make grave errors for lack of training and initiation, resulting in horrible problems for them, and their clients should they be acting on their behalf. For these reasons, these rituals and inner meanings are not meant for Ifa laypeople (ie., any person who is not an Ifa priest, including priests of other Orisa). These same arguments could also be made for the secret rituals, inner meanings of other Orisa priests, but for this moment I only speak of Ifa.

Respect for this sacred and holy knowledge should be upheld for without respect, we have nothing and will surely end up worse then when we started. I would call upon people to lead by example, if not, your example will only end up creating confusion and shows little respect for those whose shoulder you yourself are standing on.

Respectfully,
Ifalola

Discourse on meaning and symbology in the Ifa Divination System

I would like to start this discourse with a few simple questions:

If one practices Ifa, does one have to believe in the creation stories and stories of Odu Ifa?

My answers is quite simply, yes . . . but more often as metaphor then as literal. In order to clarify that statement, I'll include here the Merriam-Webster definition of a metaphor:

met·a·phor
Pronunciation: \ˈme-tə-ˌfor also -fər\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English methaphor, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French metaphore, from Latin metaphora, from Greek, from metapherein to transfer, from meta- + pherein to bear — more at bear
Date: 15th century

1: a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them (as in drowning in money); broadly : figurative language — compare simile2: an object, activity, or idea treated as a metaphor : symbol 2
http://m-w.com/dictionary/metaphor

Assuming this definition, I propose that priest and layperson alike must learn to decipher each and every story and determine their literal and metaphorical meanings. As priests we are burdened with the job of helping to guide this process through our knowledge and connection to Ifa and the Divine. Once those meanings are determined, the most important job is left, sorting out what is meant literally and what metaphorically. This is where the real difficulty begins, and where rifts and divergence occur, especially without the central authority as seen in many other organized religions. Though, arguably, the Araba of Ile Ife is meant to play this role, he has not attained what I see as a critical mass in recognition, that would allow him to make decisions.

This all said, I personally believe these stories were created, and subsequently modified, as contextually and culturally relevant modes of explaining complex ideas and understandings of creation, and human existence. Like the bible and other Divinely inspired human treatises, Odu Ifa are the codification of an accumulated wisdom gathered through the ages. These Itan, Ese, Iyere are then interpreted based on accepted cultural norms (cultural relativism), and presented to the adherent during divination based on the Odu revealed by Ifa. Do I believe that a rooster was lowered to the watery planet we call earth, and by scratching at the patch of dirt that was placed with him he created the mountains and land? Well, in a metaphorical sense, yes. Literally, I don't see it, but isn't it strange that before any scientific evidence (which now exists) the Yoruba first understood that the earth was a watery place? They understood that water was a requirement for existence. I also find it interesting that the chicken scratching at the earth and spreading land as a metaphor is not so dissimilar from our understanding of volcanoes spewing molten lava in violent eruptions, which became the landmasses we know today. Interesting metaphor within which lies a complex scientific comparison.

Extracted from each ese Ifa, Itan, Iyere is a kernel of knowledge, a truth, a problem laid bare and the solution to overcoming that barrier or understand that problem. Sometimes it’s done literally, sometimes in metaphor.

If we further examine the ideas of "creating and modifying" and "contextual and cultural modes" of Odu Ifa, we see Ifa, as with all religions, is not an immutable force. We are presented with a larger issue beyond development of Odu Ifa (ese, iyere, itan), which is, what does it mean to interpret ese, ritual and liturgy, and when has something gone "too far"? These are critical issues when thinking about not only the advancement, but propagation and long-term survival prospects for the Orisa traditions. Without central authority (though I alluded to one earlier) and with an increasing gap in practices from "ile to ile" one has to wonder how long the bonds of cohesion can continue without some break. It does appear that whether acknowledged or not, there are already changes that have occurred, marking a distinction between the cuban style and US style of orisa worship and perhaps even the US and Nigerian style of Orisa worship. That assessment is based on my conversations with elders of Cuban decent (ie, having lived in cuba for a large part of their lives before moving here), Oluwos in Nigeria, and my observations of US-based practitioners.

I think bascom touches on the idea of cultural relativism in his statement on ese Ifa saying "Each listing reflects deities of importance locally, suggesting considerable regional variation in the Ifa verses because of their adaptation to local belief systems" (p.45 Ifa divination). After which he goes on to cite verses that are similar, but with different deities based on where they come from . . .

As to the creation and modification of Odu Ifa, there are two noted authors that speak to it. William Bascom in "Ifa Divination" says it does happen periodically and while I believe this to be true of traditional practice, I'm not sure whether lucumi Awo Ifa would agree. Though, arguably something must have happened to allow additions of certain lucumi verse that either do not conform to traditional verse or use items/people/situations that would be completely foreign to Yoruba culture. Bascome says:

"A Meko (area in Nigeria) diviner explained that new verses are learned when one dreams he is divining; when one awakes in the morning, he repeats what he did in his dreams. This is confirmed by Epega, who says that new verses may be derived from dreams, and also that some individuals are born with Ifa verses "inside them," so that as soon as they are taught the figures and a few verses of Ifa, they introduce new verses. Thus while no new figures can ever be added, there is no end to the knowledge of Ifa (Epega, n.d.: XVI, 6). If new verses can be introduced from dreams or through individual creativity, it is clear that all verses need not be derived from the corpus of African Folklore."
--Ifa divination, William Bascom P.137

In Chief Elebuibon's (a well known Nigerian Babalawo) book "Iyere Ifa: Tonal poerty, the voice of Ifa" he mentions this in the section talking about memorizing Ifa:

"It is a belief that the acolyte or priest memorizes these verses, his capacity to memorize is increased every day. Ajagunmole (he-who-teaches-the priest-through-dreams) is the great Ifa priest in heaven. He holds the responsibility for guiding the righteous and the upright by giving them retentive memory. It is believed that those who lose their memory or are unable to recite the Odu very well might have offended Ajagunmole." (Chapter 8, p101)

This confirms the idea of dream teaching that was told to both Bascom and Epega. And falls into the idea that there is a link between heaven and earth though which Ifa verse is transmitted. It also confirms that, whether actively talked about or not, the corpus of Odu Ifa is an ever expanding one, which may in fact house ese/iyere/etc that represent cultural norms of a time long ago, and are meant to be re-interpreted.

Before I go further, I would like to reiterate that history is precisely that, His Story, and as such, reflects the attitudes and opinions of those who have transmitted it. As we advance as a society it is necessary at times to reconstruct the logic and reasoning behind some of our most sacred acts. This can prove difficult since we have no books to guide us, and direct access through divination, to the Divine and the Awos who have gone before us can be tedious and insufficient. It is also necessary to update our views and understanding as technology and science reveals more to us. Just as we might send someone to a medical doctor now instead of an herbalist, we will also re-evaluate our system to reflect new knowledge or insights. It is in this vain that I move to my next topic in this discussion.

With the basis for the corpus of knowledge laid, we can turn to the question of the technicalities of Ifa and its markings. Ifa is in its essence a binary system. In fact one of the oldest and original binary systems, which happens to also be the basis for how modern day computers work. In a binary system, Two digits, 0 and 1 for computers, or in Ifa I and II, can be used to stand for the two states of ON and OFF, or in Ifa's case existence and non-existence. While Ifa itself is quite complex, and able to handle all the intricacies involved in shades of grey, its basis lies in the simple fact of two possible states of being. I exist or I do not exist, yes or no, positive or negative, known or unknown, these are the most basic states of existence, and are reflected in the markings of Ifa.

So we ask, why 8 markings? To first understand this, we should look at one of the most basic symbols in Orisa worship, the circle and crossed lines



This figure appears in a variety of places, from the Opon Ifa (traditionally circular, though there are modern square and rectangular versions) with the crossed lines marked in Iyerosun, to the “firmas” used within a variety of religious ceremonies. The symbology of this is a critical part of Yoruba cosmogony. We begin with the shape of the circle, which represents a variety of important concepts. First and foremost, by drawing a circle you perform the act of acknowledging and drawing, a representation of the eternal and infinite. Once drawn, a circle has no discernable beginning, middle or end, it simply appears to go on and on without stop. Not only does this represent the concept of never ending flow of time, it is crucial to the Yoruba concept of reincarnation. This is clearly evidenced when talking about the theology of Orun and the way in which we come to earth. It’s also evident in Yoruba names such as Yetunde or Babatunde (mother returns or father returns respectively), which are given to children born shortly after the death of a grandparent, viewed to be their reincarnation as marked by the ceremony of Esentaye done on the third day after a child’s birth.

The circle is also important in that it is a representation of the calabash (igba), and extremely important part of Yoruba culture. In the picture below, we see one beautiful example of a calabash carved with Yoruba motifs throughout. In Yoruba culture, the calabash is consider a container for items, both sacred and profane, but importantly is a symbol used when explaining the universe, which is considered to be a calabash (again, science concurs that the universe as we understand it is in essence an expanding sphere). In that role, the universe is cut in half with the upper half representing Orun (heaven) and the lower half representing earth or the “known” universe (aiye). This plays directly into our diagram of circle with two intersecting lines, the horizontal representing the differentiation between heaven and earth and subsequently life and death. While as a whole, our personal trajectories are on the outer circle, the intersecting vertical line, in Ifa, is a representation of our breaking of the boundary between heaven and earth in order to commune/communicate with heaven and seek counsel of the Divine. The center point of two intersecting lines representing the present moment in which the divination occurs where the two worlds are for an instant brought together.

To add another level of complexity to the discussion, the intersecting lines are also a representation of the crossroads and a manifestation of the Orisa Esu (owner of the crossroads) who traditionally is depicted at the top of an Opon Ifa as seen below.

The intersecting lines are a representation of the crossroads at which the devotee stands, and is the reason they are consulting Ifa for guidance. They stand at the center of the intersection, looking out onto each of their options in four directions seeking counsel on the correct path. Esu oversees this process and is given his due (ebo) to ensure he does not block and removes any obstacles from our way. In that way, the intersection represents the devotee’s present, each line a possible path to the present (their past), originating from the infinite circle, and each line also a potential future path extending out to the infinite circle. And so, as the Babalawo casts Ikin, he draws the ikin 8 times, 4 representing each potential path that lead to the present, and 4 more times representing each potential path that leads to the future. In the circle, as in Odu Ifa, all possibilities of past, present and future are contained.

This notion is further acknowledged by the role the calabash plays as the container of all knowledge, otherwise known as igba Odu, or calabash of Odu. We know that within Odu, is housed, all the knowledge of the world, past, present and future, and that based on our dynamic understanding of the Opon Ifa as crossroads, as Babalawo, we manipulate the symbols through ritual, prayer and the use of sacred objects to access that knowledge and present the devotee with a clear path to success and the overcoming of obstacles.

I believe that for now, this is a first attempt at creating an understanding of the symbology of Ifa which I hope will lead to more conversations, and a deeper understanding of the rites and rituals which we use to communicate and commune with the Divine Ifa.

Ase oo
Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

Odu Ifa and cultural relativism

I decided to write on the topic of Odu and cultural relativism because I think it is an interesting and important concept and because it leads to the idea that 1. If Odu is in fact the codification of all things past, present and future, there certainly can be reference to anything within the realm of possibility within Odu and 2. Odu must be a living and breathing thing, and as such, will continue to evolve.

In both Lucumi and Traditional Ifa practice, we see references to other religions like Christianity and Islam. I can only imagine that 300 years ago, there was likely no reference to catholicism or going to church as you see in the Lucumi Odu Ifa, and perhaps 500 years ago, there were no references to Muslims, as you sometimes see in Traditional Yoruba Odu Ifa. This is clearly an addition, and likely post trans-atlantic passage. What I can imagine is that there may have been Ese Ifa that referred to perhaps someone giving veneration to their ancestors, or someone specifically going to an Orisa's particular shrine to give praise. At some point this was contextualized to the surroundings of an day Awo Ifa or Olorisa, and they interpreted it to mean, go venerate your ancestors, however the client, or the area they were in had multiple religions such as Catholicism or Islam, or you in the cuban diaspora, you couldn't just go to a shrine because you might get caught and be persecuted, so you went to the church to venerate Shango in front of "Saint Barbara", etc. In this way, outside religions interjected their presence.

In my mind, what makes Odu Ifa, Odu Ifa is the transcendence of the themes of humanity, evoking interpretations that are appropriate to the cultural norms of the time. We see that time and time again, no matter how we evolve, history repeats itself, and the same issues that plagued us 500 years ago, plague us today but with variations. Shakespeare's plays highlighted common themes which resonate even in todays world, as does Ifa. Love, hate, jealousy, need to shelter, need for food, revenge, power struggles, etc. all remain in our vocabulary. What is important for us as Awo Ifa is to be able to extract the keys of knowledge that are locked within Ese Ifa for our clients.

There are truths which remain with us, Odu Ifa provides the wisdom and insight in order to unlock the doors so that we can avoid the problems which can come from the misunderstanding and lack of knowledge. In the famous words,

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" -George Santayana (The Life of Reason: Reason in Common Sense. Scribner’s, 1905: 284)

odabo
Ifalola

Who receives Ebo? What happens?

In response to the question once posed, Who receives Ebo? What happens? I pose this interpretation.

To whom does one offer ebo? When consulting Ifa, there are two parts to the process. The first being divination, for which the Babalawo acts as interpreter of the Ifa Oracle. Through the Babalawo, Ifa merges with the female energy of Odu, causing the metaphysical birth of a specific Odu which reveals your present and potential future. In the second part the Babalawo, interpreting Ifa, suggests an Ebo, whereby you offer items/actions in hopes that a given divinity will intercede on your behalf to either ensure your favorable future, or resolve your problems/remove your obstacles. Who are these divinities? Ebo can be offered to your Ori, a specific Orisa, Egun, Isheshe (the inhabitants of heaven), Ajogun, Iyaami, nature spirits, or all those heavenly beings including Olodumare. So what is Babalawo's role?

The Babalawo's (Orunmila's emissary) role is threefold. To play the male counterpart to Odu's female energy, whereby the Odu Ifa specific to a certain person at a certain time is "birthed". Also, to act as a guide, along with Esu, in ensuring that the offering made by the adherent reaches it's intended location/recipient. Of special note in this process, regardless of whether Esu is the intended recipient of Ebo, he receives part of the ebo as payment for guiding (and not interfering with) the Ebo (as mandated in Ose 'Tura). Like a casino, Esu always takes a cut. And lastly in certain situations, where Orunmila is the intended recipient of Ebo, Orunmila may act as advocate for the client, interceding on their behalf with other Orisa/Divinities in order to ensure a positive future.

So, is Ifa neutral?

Orunmila, the Orisa/prophet ( as opposed to Ifa) like all Orisa, is not exactly neutral. There are many Ese Ifa where Orunmila is talked about, and in some he takes sides, or has a preference, or decrees what he thinks is best. That said, like any judge, when manipulating Ikin and performing 'dafa, he is said to interpret Ifa in a manner that will best help the person (which isn't exactly what I'd call neutral, but more along the philosophy of king solomon, doing what is "right"). So Orunmila is not perfectly neutral. Ifa, however, is meant to reveal one's chosen path, and help one to align themselves with it. Though Ifa is meant to have a net positive effect, it's neutral in the sense that it only "reveals" and you are required to take actions in order to achieve the positive effect.

What makes Ifa neutral then?

Odu

Although Orunmila, the Orisa/prophet may intercede on behalf of any given person/divinity, Ifa through Odu will always reveal the truth, ensuring that there is always a check and balance in the system. That's not to say that Orunmila would act negatively against a person, but no matter what any Orisa may/may not do, Ifa through Odu will always reveal the truth of a matter.

On revelation I'll leave you with an Ese Ifa from Irosun Meji
Ita ruku, l'awo ita ruku
Ita ruku, l'awo ita ruku
Ita ruku, l'awo ita tataata
a d'ifa fun 'gba, igba nsh'awo lo s'ode oyo
Igba a rula
Igba a rukan
A ii w'aye eni ai nigba

Dusty road, diviner for dusty road
Dusty space, diviner for dusty space *
Open dusty place diviner for open space
Divined for time, time was on a spiritual journey to Oyo town
The time to harvest Okra
Is different from the time to harvest Ikan (okra family)
As individuals, we all have our destined times (no matter what happens, we all have remarkable times in life)

*(note, the words are different because of accents not shown)

I will note that one of the most important phrases for a Babalawo is:
Aboru
Aboye
Aboshishe

Which translates in Yoruba roughly to:
May ebo reach heaven
May ebo be accepted
May ebo allow that which I ask for to come to pass

Once Ebo is accepted, we can only supplicate ourselves to the Orisa and humble pray: Aboru Aboye Aboshishe.

Ase o
Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

who's on first, what's on second . . . Which Orisa is most important?

Aboru aboye aboshishe,

Someone had posted a piece citing how they believed that Orunmila was above other Orisa, and so I thought I would clarify what I believe the relationship is. Many times, we want to "rank" the Orisa, however I think this is a human construct, and not something that necessarily achieves anything constructive. We very often as humans resort to wanting to place something "first" or "last" or one above another, but I don't believe in the case of Orisa (with the exception of Olodumare) that it accomplishes anything, nor fully understands the symbiotic relationship that occurs even within the realm of Orisa.

For instance, how can we say Orunmila is "first" or "above" the irunmole when without Esu playing his role in the process, none of what Orunmila/Ifa says/does can come to pass? Does that not then make Esu "above" Orunmila in a sense? To me no, they both have their role to play. Also, how can one place Orunmila say above Oduduwa or Obatala? If those Orisa didn't exist, who would have moulded man's head? Without the human race, the role of Ifa in this context is meaningless as what role can any religion play without worshippers to follow it? We of course also have stories in Ose Otura about Oshun and her role in mankind, if she were to get mad and make women infertile, we would die as a race, and what use would religion be then? Certainly I know consulting Ifa would help us avoid this, but what if our Ori didn't make appropriate ebo, Oshun could cause the death of us, and so is that not a power stronger then simply knowledge of how to stop that when not used and indeed more powerful then even Ori?

I'm not saying these things will happen, but am trying to illustrate a point. That point is, it's not about who's first or second when we look beyond Olodumare and Ori, it's about the symbiotic relationship that exists amongst all Orisa that allow us to find our "path" and lead a long and healthy life. Orumila without Esu, Oshun, Obatala, Yemoja etc etc, is an unbalanced world, just as Esu, Obatala, Oshun etc etc without Orunmila is also a world without balance. Ranking the Orisa, as comforting as it may make us feel to be worshiping the "highest", is simply divisive and does not reflect the complex interconnectedness of Yoruba Theology and Cosmogony.

All our Orisa are important, and all have a vital and important role to play. Perhaps at times, one may be more important to us, but there will always be that one time when the key to survival is held, even by the smallest, seemingly most insignificant of Orisa, and at that precise moment, that Orisa means more to us and our survival then any other.

Odabo
Ifalola

Power and the priesthood

Power and the priesthood:

Ogbe sa:

Ogbe sa re le
Ogbe sa r'oko
Dia fun Eni0Aye kan
Dia fun Eni Aye Nfe
A bu fun S(h)eere
S(h)eere o, S(h)eere o
Eni Aye kan
E s(h)'aye ire
Bo je emi laye kan
Ko s(h)aye iro o
bo je emi laye kan
Ma s(h)aye ire
S(h)eere o, S(h)eere o
Eni Aye Kan
E s(h)aye ire

Ogbe ran home
Osa ran to the farm
They were the ones who cast Ifa for "He whose turn it is to rule the world"
They also cast Ifa for "He who the masses love and want"
Do it well, pray, do it well
Those whose turn it is to rule the world
Please rule the world well
If it is my turn to rule the world
I will rule the world well
Do it well, pray, do it well
If it is your turn to rule the world
Please rule well ...

I've often considered the process of becoming a priest, and the training (or sometimes lack thereof) that comes as a result of initiation, however we often overlook one of the most important and difficult topics, Power. Whether we acknowledge it or not, on some levels, great or small, we are drawn to the priesthood because of the power that it can afford us. For some, it is the draw to the esoteric knowledge that will allow us to affect our lives in ways beyond the known (admittedly, I fall into this category). For others, it is the draw to the power one has over another, and yet for others, it is simply the power they gain over the self. Whatever the reason, joining the priesthood does give us access to a power that is beyond the normal. For the purpose of this article though, i want to look at the most mundane, but also the most dangerous, the power over others.

I've seen the glint in someone's eye as another person lies foribale in front of them, or they ask what your "age" is, full well knowing you are younger relishing the moment you will dobale to them. Or the joking talk about the "multa" (fine) that they might impose on you if you do something wrong. Seemingly benign acts, these often belie a deeper and sometimes more sinister emotion. Of all the things that occur before someone joins the priesthood, the least spoken about is how one should act when wielding their new position (and the power that comes with it). It is very likely that one of the most important pieces of training one should have is how to act responsibly when asserting the power you have over another.

Some people have a natural ability to lead, and in such often have a great understanding (whether conscious or not) of how, and when, to use their power. This is something which they learned over the years through their own experiences, or observing how others use and wield their power. Rarely is this completely innate, and a mentor or role model often provides the lessons needed to formulate the vocabulary necessary to speak the language of power responsibly. The lessons learned are invaluable, however, more often then not, in this world where training/teutalage in the priesthood is virtually non-existent and there has been an explosive growth in the priesthood, with "babies having babies", we are creating what is the beginning of a crisis of ineptitude.

While certainly one of the problems with the priesthood today is too few spend the necessary hours of training and study to learn the theology, we are failing our children and future generations by not creating the leaders of tomorrow. No denomination is exempt from this crisis. While there are often the obvious stories of inept priests, who hold on with a death grip to their "godchildren"/adherents through what is tantamount to terror tactics. There is also a more subtle and insidious politic of power whereby priests are demanding unyielding loyalty, outrageous time requests and guilting godchildren into doing ceremonies (to name a few things), but giving very little in return. Then, the "eldership" or "duty" response is immediately invoked, nullifying any possible response a godchild might have.

I could go on with examples, but this is sufficient enough for most to see the point. What's more important is that we look at ways in which we can, as priests, more responsibly train the priesthood in the correct/moral use of power. To be honest, one of the biggest deterrents to responsible use of power in the diaspora is the move from Eldership which in traditional Yoruba culture was based on years of life, to Eldership based only on years of priesthood (thereby allowing young people with little life experience to achieve "elder" status before they have the wisdom of what it means to achieve that). That said, that is how some traditions choose to treat eldership, so it becomes even more important to train priests in what it means to "be an elder" and wield power when time is unable to teach them those lessons.

My personal opinion is that all priests from all denomination should be required to train as a priest for a minimum number of years (7 at least) before they are allowed to initiation other priests. This isn't unreasonable, and doesn't go against any "rules" of any of the denominations (except perhaps the American "my rights" attitude). Additionally, priests should be required to have many conversations with their new initiates about the roles/responsibilities they now have, and about what it means to have power over someone. This is of course a difficult thing to enforce, and unfortunately there are already a fair number of priests who have their own cadre of priests, all of whom do not understand the dynamic or responsibilities of power. In my eyes, it's in the hands of the true Elders to begin enforcing these rules and leading by example instead of being caught up in the petty politics of power and greed.

I will never forget the look in the eyes of an older woman when she learned I was a Babalawo and training as such. There was a reverence and respect that I'm not sure I deserved or was worthy of, simply because I had a title and had undergone an initiation. I hope to live up to her expectation. That is a look that can humble you, or can ignite a dangerous pride which results in abuse and greed. I am only thankful that I have been put in enough positions of leadership in my work and personal life to know the responsibility it entails, and the consequences if you fail to live up to that responsibility.

May there be further conversations ...

Odabo
Marcos Ifalola Sanchez