“What does ifa say about monogamy and polygamy?
In Òyèké Méjì, Ifa says:
Òkan soso poro l’obirin dun mo l’owo oko
To bá di meji
A di ijogbon
Tó bá di meta
A di eta-itule
To bá di merin
Won a di nigbátí o rín mi, mo rín o
Tó bá di marun-un
Won a di pami-nku
Tó bá di mefa
Won a ni, kini ikin oko awon tie fo’re aya se?
Tó bá di meje
Won a ni e sare tete
Ki e lo pe onlaja wa……..
Translation:
Only one wife is good for a man
When they become two
They turn to troublemakers
When they become three
They become home-breakers
When they become four
They create crises that “when you make jest of me, I’ll make jest of you back”
When they become five
They dare their husband to kill them if he can
When they become six
They retort that “why did their husband’s ifa say that it foresee the ire of another wife during consultation?”
When they become seven
People will go in search of peacemakers…….
It’s clear that ifa recognises both polygamy and monogamy but there is a big advice their that if a man wishes to live a trouble and problem free marital life. It is better to have only one wife.”
Aboru Aboye
~Owo

Based on the evidences about the importance of human beings emotional world and psycho biologic communication in the complex process of getting sick and healing, I asked Ifa for clarification about the general sense of the healing process. As the sacred Odu Okanran relates about the communication process that involves emotions and communication, I started from this precise point, supported by old observations. Okanran speaks about the importance of emotional communication as related to Conscious and Unconscious dynamics.

Osunsun-igbo-yi-kos’oje, Oburokos’eje
where the ones who divined Ifa
for the people at the city of Owa.
They were told to perform sacrifice so that
a stranger would be made the King.
Whatever the Babalawo wanted would be the sacrifice.
They heeded the advice and offered the sacrifice.
Osunsun-igbo-yi-kos’oje, Oburokos’eje where the ones who
divined Ifa for Sakoto when he was going to Owa town.
He was advised to sacrifice a pigeon, a sheep and three bean cakes.
He heeded the advise and sacrificed. The Babalawos further advised him to eat
the bean cakes and not give them to Esu.
As he was going on his journey he tooks the bean cakes with him.
He met the first Esu and said “if I give you this bean cake, you would cause the rain
to beat me until I got to Owa town!”. He then ate the bean cake himself and went on.
He came across the second Esu, stretched out his hand with one bean cake to Esu,
and repeated what he had said to the first. Then he ate the bean cake.
He did the same thing with the third Esu.

Enraged, the third Esu caused the rain to beat Sakoto until he arrived at Owa town.
The Babalawos had predicted that thenext person to be installed as King at Owa town
would arrive heavily drenched by rain.
The inhabitants of Owa town made this drenched stranger their king.

For three times the traveller must resist to the interference of Esu before reaching to the arrival point. Three is a sacred number in yoruba philosophy and metaphorically it seems to indicate that emotional stimula cannot easily be erased off from the interventions of our deep Ego. Our deep Ego (unconscious mind) is very interested in disturbing the flow of information to the Consciousness as Unconscious nourishes itself of emotions and tends to keep them inside without any sharing as Consciousness might criticize and erase the emotional impact. Instead, they tend to reach the brain and the conscious Mind as if they would not, they could remain into the deepness of our Unconscious Heart and give birth then to inner (psycho-somatic) conflicts.

Esu in this case might represent the interference from Bara onto a specific anatomic structure that is the so called Thalamus/Lymbic system. As even all the negative emotions are a message from spirit saying, “change your behaviour!” (from Awo Fa’lokun and Awo Fategbe) here is the importance they reach the awareness. I would say Okanran highlights the importance our emotions reaches the level of awareness without remaining confined in the deeper layer of our wide Unconscious mind, giving then birth to dangerous dreams. Thalamus is a point in the centre of the brain (cross point, orita meta) that works as gatekeeper allowing the flow of information to our superior cortical centres (Consciousness).

Then Okanran refers to the importance of the Heart as main effector of this kind of communication (Okan in Yoruba is the word for the physical heart)
McCraty explains in “The Energetic Heart”. “The heart generates the largest electromagnetic field in the body. The electrical field as measured in an electrocardiogram (ECG) is about 60 times greater in amplitude than the brain waves recorded in an electroencephalogram (EEG).” The heart electromagnetic field extends up to several feet away from the body in a 360-degree radius. These are the conclusion of a paper recently published on the Journal of Medical Hypothesis: “Although in physiology the heart is often referred to as a simple piston pump, there are in fact two additional features that are integral to cardiac physiology and function.

First, the heart as it contracts in systole, also rotates and produces torsion due to the structure of the myocardium. Second, the heart produces a significant electromagnetic field with each contraction due to the coordinated depolarization of myocytes producing a current flow. Unlike the electrocardiogram, the magnetic field is not limited to volume conduction and extends outside the body. The therapeutic potential for interaction of this cardioelectromagnetic field both within and outside the body is largely unexplored. It is our hypothesis that the heart functions as a generator of bioinformation that is central to normative functioning of body. The source of this bioinformation is based on: (1) vortex blood flow in the left ventricle; (2) a cardiac electromagnetic field and both; (3) heart sounds; and (4) pulse pressure which produce frequency and amplitude information.

Thus, there is a multidimensional role for the heart in physiology and biopsychosocial dynamics. Recognition of these cardiac properties may result in significant implications for new therapies for cardiovascular disease based on increasing cardiac energy efficiency (coherence) and bioinformation from the cardioelectromagnetic field. Research studies to test this hypothesis are suggested”.

One’s heart also communicates with one’s brain (via the nervous system, hormones, pulse waves, and electromagnetic fields) and with the brains of other individuals (via pulse waves and electromagnetic fields), according to McCraty, Tiller, & Atkinson (1996). The brain emits its own electromagnetic field and waves of energy (known as alpha, beta, delta, gamma, and theta waves, each of which results from different states in brain functioning). The heart’s electrical field, however, is almost 60 times greater in amplitude than that of the brain and is more than 5000 times greater in strength than the brain’s electrical field (McCraty, Tiller, & Atkinson, 1996). The heart also sends more information to the brain than the brain sends to the heart.

Research is proving that the heart and brain interact with each other which impacts consciousness, perceptions, and performance. Heart-brain synchronization can occur between two people in interaction (McCraty, Tiller, & Atkinson, 1996) when they are responding to each other with sincerity, appreciation, and love, in other words efficient communication (McCraty & Atkinson, 1999). Theories do exist that the heart contains a system of neurons-like cells that have short- and long-term memory and that their signals affect our emotional experiences when they are sent to the brain. Hypnosis experience teaches us that when people are in rapport several unconscious activities synchronize among which respiration, pupil dilatation, skin conductance AND cardiac rate.

As the heart is involved in generation and manipulation of emotions, one should first highlight all the emotions are varieties of two: fear and love: Fear-stress is contagious and causes contraction: inhibits creativity, brain activity, inhibits the immune system,selective perception and over extensive periods of time leads to breakdown. Love (positive beliefs and emotions) has high impact and causes expansion: creativity, physical and mental endurance, more productivity in shorter time because we take decisions quicker because we are receptive and highly perceptive.

The quality of the field one creates with his heart influences his experience and reality.
The idea is that the body’s emotional response to events do not always occur from “top-down” processing (i.e., the brain sends signals to the heart and other organs, and the body responds accordingly). Rather, it has now proven that often times our emotional state triggers our heart to send out its own signals to the brain and other organs, and the body then responds accordingly. For instance, while two-way communication between the cognitive and emotional systems is hard-wired into the brain, the actual number of neural connections going from the emotional centers to the cognitive centers is greater than the number going the other way.

In fact, researchers have determined that the physiology and nerve centers of the heart are so complex and active, that they constitute a “brain” all on their own, termed a “mini-brain.” We now know that the heart contains cells that produce and release norepinephrine and dopamine, neurotransmitters once thought to be produced only by the brain and ganglia outside the heart. Even more remarkable is the discovery that the heart produces oxytocin -the “love hormone” – in concentrations that are as high as those in the brain.

Now, new evidence arose that there is a complex duality in the relation between Conscious and Unconscious mind as different organs and systems are involved: brain, heart and intestine. In fact intestine too is equipped with an extensive neural web, that constitutes a real intestinal brain. So, when one refers to mind, should think about the complex relations that organize between brain, heart and intestine, with two or three way routes that depend on the prevalence of different systems. Even more complex is so the concept of Conscious and Unconscious mind and their frequent opposition of ideas (dystonia). It is from this opposition that generates an active force gradient that may be the effector to several changes, both organic, psychologic and spiritual. These changes, if persistent, may guide to disease.

In theological terms the personal Esu represents the personal Unconscious and lives in specific points of the brain, the heart and intestine. These point are what Yoruba call iwaju and corresponds to the so called chackra. Yoruba defined in the far past the arrangement of the psychoneural relation between heart, brain and intestine.

In the iwaju that corresponds to the Head there are at least three diferent subpoints in the pineal gland, thalamo and neck (spinal cord) that express the esuoic activity. This activity is the gatekeeper for the swithces of communication between Conscious and Unconscious minds. Ifa often refers to this as “traveling from Orun to Aiye”. The union of these points represents what in Ifa mythology is called Esu Onibode. Esu Onibode is so both a general and personal Spirit that controls the traffic of information between Orun and Aiye and between human Conscious and Unconscious.
The sense and the quality of this traffic is very important as it can favor disease or healing.
Through the sacred Odu Ogunda Meji Ifa says:
A fi ipa lowo won kii ka dun
A fi warawara lowo tii se ologun won, won kii d’ola
Bo pe titi n o lowo
O nbe laba ti nje esun isu
Ojo esan lo titi kii je oro o dun ni
Difa fun Adigunla
Ti yoo digun sese
Ko pe o ko jinna wo Ifa Awo ki bi ti nse
Ifa de o, Alase
Ope abise wara
Those who get rich by the use of force don’t last a year
Those who acquire instant wealth like warriors don’t last a day
The patient ones are still alive enjoying a life of bliss
The day of retribution is always at hand
These were the declarations of Ifa to Adigunla (he who became wealthy by force)
And who would also get injured violently
Not too long, not too far
Ifa’s declarations had come to pass
Here comes Ifa, the ultimate authority.
Ifa admonishes healing is a slow process. Every solution that is excessively rapid is the source of further disease. By this wise declaration Ifa reminds to us that in the so called modern Medicine the approach to treat symptoms is a rapid process, but unfortunately it will not be going to cure the disease in itself. Even surgery that sometimes may radically solve some problems, will not go to the inner essence of the problem, and will transform the person in a different patient with the same spiritual source of illness. So, the ultimate authority is Ifa, intended as real knowledge of the processes that bring to deterioration. Suuru is the basic attitude that may bring one to the route of healing.

Speaking about the possibility to go to the source of disease in order to readjust the primary cause of inhability to healing, Ifa says:
Alagbara ni nsokun Ade was the one who divined Ifa for Ogun
He was advised to sacrifice a cutlass, a cock, and a roasted yam. Ifa said the cutlass would be the key to Ogun’s prosperity. He must always walk around with it. He was asked to eat the roasted yam.

He ate it.
When he was thirsty, he went to drink water from the river. After drinking the water, he saw two people fighting over a fish they had caught.
Ogun advised them to be patient and said that they should go home and share the fish. They refused.
The first man said he came from the east and the second man said he came from the west.

After listening to their excuses, Ogun took the cutlass he had been advised to carry always and cut the fish in two for them. The first man thanked him and requested him to open a footh path from there to his hometown. The man promised to enrich Ogun’s life if he carried out his wish. The man also assured Ogun that he would receive valuable things that would boost his confidence.
The second man likewise thanked Ogun and made a similar request.
Ogun agreed to do as they requested.

Ogun has always be called Ogundameji since the day he divided a fish for two people who were fighting.
Ogun is the symbolic Warrior that fights against our internal enemies. This is the kind of war that will bring one to healing. The cut lass of Ogun can kill many of our inner derangements, realigning our Ori to our Destiny. This internal warrior has to be ready to fight and should be maintained active and alert as we fragile human beings are always exposed to the insult of many challenges that come from our inner mind. To be always ready and forceful our Warrior should be alimented both in terms of feminine and masculine energies in order to make him behave with discernment. In fact our mind is constantly divided in an eternal fight for the own Ori. Conscious and Unconscious consider themselves the owners and fight to prevail. They fight over the same Ori as they have different intentions and ideas, so they create the dystonia.

This dystonia is the initial cause of disease when directed to the wrong path. This ese reminds to us we have a bichambered mind. It is from this bilocation of ideas and feelings that evil or good may be created. In case of disease, bilocation comes to be distortion starting from a spiritual and then mental and then organic point of view. The fight between Conscious and Unconscious translates in the emergence of symbols that translate into symptoms. However, there is no solution but to maintain two separate spaces in order to transform dystonia in syntonia. Conscious mind must be appeased. And Unconscious mind must be appeased recurring to the logic explanation of the initial derangement that comes from unconscious analogic information. Both logic and analogic minds must be appeased. It is from appeasement of both of them that one can obtain healing. So, to be concrete, if to cure a disease one should use only a pragmatic approach like surgery, without solving the original inner issues, he-she will be destined to a recurrence of the disease in the original or correlated form and would also get injured violently.
The Ifa says:
The sea does not harm the baby fish
The swamp does not scare the crab
Crab lives in the ocean wih relish
Divined for the Mighty Crocodile
they threatend to drive him away from his father’s house
Mighty crocodile, you own the sea and its surroundings
Mighty crocodile no one will run you away from your habitat
No one will run you away from your habitat
No fish can take the river from the crocodile
Crocodile, you own the river and its surroundings
No one can take the river from the Crocodile.
Now Ifa is introducing a new concept. Differently from what one may think, human beings are connected to three minds, the neo cortex (logic), the paleo cortex (analogic) and the ARCHEO mind. Archeo mind is a definition of the most ancient mind, that served the environmental and survival exigences of the first humans. The archeomind never existed as separated form obviously, but undoubtedly it fulfilled important functions during the initial stages of human life, prevailing over the other parts. The archeo mind could be represented as reptilian, as it manages those mechanisms that are instinctively in action when we are facing a sudden threat. Those mechanism are three: flee, fight or freeze. And they are conserved in the behavior of modern humans even though their meaning has changed. We cannot neglect the influence of this archeomind over the paleo and the neo cortex (most recent minds mainly unconscious the first and mainly conscious the second).

There is no behavior or communication that does not come from the integration of these three minds, acting in coordinate sequence: the archeomind judges the threat of some changes in the external or internal environment (in this case environment is a nominalization, that is a generic name able to describe whatever is representing a change in the orderly sequence of events of the ordinary life), the paleo mind elaborates the consequent emotion and shape it to its profound exigences, presenting it to the logic mind that may eventually have only the function to criticize the new “idea” or to accept her from a logic point of view (process of rationalization and justification).

In terms of Ifa the archeo mind is able to work in very rapid binary terms, allowing to define in few msecs (40 to 120 msec) the ibi or the ire of a new situation. After realizing the terms of ibi or ire, the archeo mind provides an immediate reaction that may be, in case of ibi, flee, fight or freeze with the consequent activation of the ortosympathetic nervous system. In case of ire the archeo mind provides the reaction of parasympathetic activation with consequent relaxation. So we could say that in modern terms ibi and ire are related to the term “stress”. Ibi represents the “distress”, while ire represents the “eustress”. Distress and eustress are the paths to disease or health (or healing).

Furthermore, Ifa subtly introduce the concept of inheritance as one of the hidden causes of disease. Without going in depth, there is the implication of the necessity to deal with generational curses in order to heal.
Then Ifa explains the source of healing is in taking care of all the components of our spirit, and all the components of our mind that are three.

When we forge a hoe, we beat it out flat; when we forge a cutlass, we beat gbonrndan-gbonrandan (sound made when beating iron on an anvil), when we forge a brass gong, we turn it over and over and over; if we bring them together, they become only one alone was the one who cast Ifa for Orunmila when he was going to attack his enemies. They said he would defeat them. They said he should sacrifice three cocks, money and one bag made of etu cloth.
Ifa spaks about the existence of three minds, as stated before. Interestingly, describe archeomind as a brass gong, able to resonate its messages over and over. In fact the intervention of the archeomind tends to perpetuate the stress (either in terms of eu or distress) to create the ire or ibi of that particular moment.

Etu refers to a particular pattern used for indigo-dyed woven cloth among Ifa Orisha people of West Africa. Etu is also the Yoruba word for guinea fowl. Guineas are large birds, very fierce. They have beautiful feathers of white speckles on very dark brown or black. The weaving pattern of etu cloth mimics the speckled patterning of the guineas through the use of light and very dark indigo warp and weft. Interestingly, these birds are related to the energy of Osun. In Candomble Tradition, they are offered to Osun any time one is ins earch of abundance, inspiration, creativity, and radical transformation. In this Ese the subtle implication is for the needed radical change that is requested to heal.
Sequentially, Ifa selected a diferent version of a previous Ese.
If the eyes do not see things as taunting as being bounded by a rope
It cannot see things as beautiful as brass.
Cast Divination for Wobuwobu Oloko
Also cast Divination for Gbonbugbonbu Oloko
Wobuwobu saw an expansive lake
But he had not an Ogbun calabash
Gbonbugbonbu on his own
He had an Ogbun calabash
When they both arrived at the bank of Ijamo river
Wobuwobu had studied the lake
He noticed the lake with its current moving up and down
Wobuwobu exclaimed excited
There are so many fishes in this lake!
Gbonbugbonbu moved near him
He has a calabash handy
What are we going to do? They asked each other
“Let us drain it with this calabash” Gbonbugbonbu said
They then drained the lake
But on evacuating the water
They could only find a single fish to kill
As soon as they got out of the swamp
They exploded into a fight
Gbonbugbonbu said he owns the fish
Wobuwobu said he is the one to take away the fish
They continued to argue
Meanwhile Ogun had gone on hunting spree
He was returning home
He met the two of them exchanging fisticuffs
Prompted, they narrated their case to Ogun
Wobuwobu said it is he that saw the expanse of water
Although I have no calabash
Gbonbugbonbu said he was the one that has Ogbun
The Ogbun that gave them the advantage of scooping the river
“If we don’t have Ogbun”
“How would we have been able to drain the lake” Gbonbugbonbu said?
“But if I did not see the lake”
“Can we fish in the air”? Countered Wobuwobu
“Do not fight again” Ogun said, amused
“Close your eyes” he ordered
They obliged and closed their eyes
He asked one to hold tightly the head of the fish
And the other to hold the tail
Ogun brought out his sharp cutlass from its sheath
In a flash, he cut the fish in two equal halves
To him that held the head side
Another tail miracolously became attached to it
He that held the tail end also
A new head became attached to it
The fish became two
They said “Ogun da eja si meji”…
They were dancing and rejoicing
They were praising their Babalawos
Their Babalawos were praising Ifa
They said it was as their Babalawos said
If the eyes do not see things as taunting as being bounded by rope
It cannot see things as beautiful as brass
Cast Divination for he that has a deep lake but has no Ogbun
Also cast Divination for the man that has an Ogbun but could not locate a fish pond
On the day they were going to drain one specific river
Life became easier for us
Life actually became easier for us
It was when Ogun divided the fish into two
That life became easier for us.

This long version is actually more specific and direct to the practical solution on how to recover the initial spiritual trauma from the depth of the Unconscious (the deep lake).
First of all Ifa points to the limitation of Consciousness that generally is not able to discern the truth due to her limited ability in judgement. According to what we today now, Ifa consider Consciousness misleading and illusory. She can see that there is a problem as is attacked by symptoms, but cannot find out the way to solve the issue.

While unconscious cannot see there is a problem as He is the source of the problem, but has inside the instruments to solve the issue. So, the solution comes from the collaboration between Conscious and Unconscious mind in order to go in depth to search for the hidden origin of the illness. We human being are divided at least in two different reasoning part and whether they do not collaborate, there is no chance to recover the original trauma that gave birth to the disease process. In fact that original trauma is unconscious, as originates from layers of soul that are no more accessible from the awareness. Referring to Ogbun Calabash, Ifa highlights the importance for a deep reasearch into the spiritual life that translates into the world of emotion (lake waters).

Ogbun is The black mangrove (Avicennia germinans), is a species of flowering plant in the acanthus family, Acanthaceae. It grows in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and on the Atlantic coast of tropical Africa, where it thrives on the sandyand muddy shoresthat seawater reaches. It is common throughout coastal areas of Texas and Florida, and ranges as far north as southern Louisiana and coastal Georgia in the United States.

Like many other mangrovespecies, it reproduces by vivipary. Seeds are encased in a fruit, which reveals the germinate seedling when it falls into the water.
Unlike other mangrove species, it does not grow on prop roots, but possesses pneumatophores that allow its roots to breathe even when submerged. It is a hardy species and expels absorbed salt mainly from its leathery leaves.
The name “black mangrove” refers to the color of the trunk and heartwood. The leaves often appear whitish from the salt excreted at night and on cloudy days. It is often found in its native range with the red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) and the white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa). White mangroves grow inland from black mangroves which themselves grow inland from red mangroves. The three species work together to stabilize the shoreline, provide buffers from storm surges, trap debris and detritus brought in bytides, and provide feeding, breeding, and nursery grounds for a great variety of fish, shellfish, birds, and other wildlife.

So this plant is a living metaphor for going in the depth of the waters (emotional Unconscious) and extract their contents (salt|emotions).
Ifa says the original source of suffering is always spiritual, and this spiritual suffering translates in emotional derangement, that lastly translates in uncovert symptomatic expression. All these components must be addressed in order to healing, starting from spiritual. So, Ifa suggests three distinct phases of approach: the spiritual one, the emotional one, and the symptomatic one, in timely order.
There is no need to discuss on how the spiritual issues may be addressed as Ifa gives us all the “diagnostics and therapy” through Divination and Ebo.

To proceed toward the second phase (emotional exploration) Ifa suggests a specific tool, symbolically expressed by the statement “got out the swamp”. To go inside the emotional trauma and erase the emotional suffering it is needed to profoundly alter the consciousness and go deep to search for the culprit, then come out and present it to Consciousness. After that it is very predictable a conflicting phase were Consciousness will not accept what Unconscious presents. The solution to this conflict will be a spontaneous re arrangement of logic and analogic definitions of the problem, so that from the initial divided fish two new fishes will arise. This subtle explanation deals with the concept that sometimes Consciousness and Unconscious should remain well separated, each of them conserving its own definition of any fact, from the logic and emotional side.

Duty of our internal Warrior is to fight against the initial spiritual trauma, to reaccess the emotional derangement and to present it to Consciousness in order to erase it.
The tools Ifa advises are 1. Ifa Divination and Ebo, 2. hypnotic regression and restructuring.
From a physical point of view 3. recurring to medication and surgery.
Ifa then stresses the necessity to recur to Divination in order to prevent disease and any other kind of evil.
We know today
We know tomorrow
if the day after tomorrow will be good we do not know
Ifa’s declaration to Orunmila
Ifa provide a protective shield to his child
Ifa give me your protective shield, evil abounds out there
the leaf of oori plant provides a protective shiled over the land
Ifa protect me in a similar fashion, evil exists out there
when chicks of the hen hatches
the hen will provide a protective shield over them
Ifa protect me in a similar fashion, evil abounds out there
as the river gives a protective shield over the river bed
Ifa please protect me
evil abounds out there
protect me from enemies that pretend to be friends
protect me from the evil that exists within my house
protect me from the evil that exists from the moment I step out of my house
protect me from both known and unknown evil
give me your protective shield.
Going back to the rol and importance of the Heart, intended as focal organ of emotional communication, as revealed in past Divination, Ifa says:
The Owner of Ìtildeè
If-the-host-did-not-invite-anybody-to-his-party,
It-would-not-be-right-to-be-present;
When-a-man-does-a-shameful-thing,
He-shows-a-hard-and-shameless-face.
It was they who cast Ifá for Èjì Òkànràn,
Who was going to the city of Ìtildeè
Èjì Òkànràn was advised to do ebo
Because of a certain thing pertaining to his father,
Which they wanted to steal from him.
He did the ebo
After doing the prescribed ebo,
He triumphed over his enemies.
He said that it was exactly as they had divined
“If-the-host-did-not-invite-anybody-to-his-party,
It-would-not-be-right-to-be-present;
When-a-man-does-a-shameful-thing,
He-shows-a-hard-and-shameless-face.
It was they who cast Ifá for Èjì Òkànràn
Who was going to the city of Ìtildeè
Let him walk in peace,
Let him move freely and proudly.
Èjì Òkànràn, he became an owner.
Let him walk in peace.
Let him walk freely and proudly. ”
The role of the Heart is so to allow a free communication, intended as emotional discharge to consciousness. Nevertheless the presence and the role of Esu in this Okanran-mediated flow of information is also to interrupt definitely the journey, at least sometimes. This is very important in the sense of the control of compulsory response to emotional stimula. Sometimes human beings react to emotion in a reflex unconscious (talamic) way so that the somatic reaction is always the same (as in case of phobia for example).

In these cases the disrupting intervention of Esu may be curative. In this sense I recognize the value of therapeutic (Esuoic) communication in many forms of inspired Ofo ase among which one of the most modern is neuro linguistic programming. Nlp has this precise meaning: to intervene in the flow of information between heart/talamus/soma to interrupt the neuro automatic pathology circuits.
Furthermore, as the heart expresses his function with a definite magnetic field, that is more powerful than the brain field, one should reflect about the possibility that this magnetic field is influenced by different modalities of spiritual intervention that make it more or less powerful depending on the purpose of Ifa Divination results.
Ifa ko o jebo naa fin ko je ebo o da ,koje ebo naa orede orun burebure
Okanran kan nihin
Okanran kan lohun
Okanran mejeji pakun kale oju won kpon
Kanrin kanrin di fa fun LAALU
Tii somo kunrin ode
Oruko ti a i pe ESU
Make our sacrifice auspicious, Ifá
Let the ritual be accepted, and let my undertaking go up to the place of divine realm
If Okanran is cast on the right
And Okanran is cast on the left,
The configuration result in
Okanran meji,
Is fraught with grave consequences
Thus declare ifa oracle to LAALU mighty lord of the cross roads
Whom we call ESU

I  I
II  II
I I II
I  II

Ifa advised whoever this corpus is revealed for that he/she should offer sacrifice and heed warnings, so that he/she would not go astray.
Also, ifa warned him/her on any assistance that he/she may render so that he/she may not blame him/her self at last and he/she should not allow anybody to wear his/her clothes, unless the cloth is no more useful to him/her.
Ifa said there is a spiritual illness affecting this person in the stomach, blaming same on witches witches.

Hear what Odu Ifa Osa Meji says:
Idunkundun oyo
Ifokufo ogbigbi
Ijekuje adan nii fi ntenu nsu
It cast divination for the major 16 Odu Ifa corpus when they were coming from the heaven to the earth;
They were advised to offer sacrifice, (two kola nuts, their present wore cloth, he-goat, corncake, cake beans and ifa leaves);

They all complied, except the Osa Meji, who insisted that wont use his cloth to offer sacrifice;
So, on their way coming to the earth, Ejiogbe that was leading them saw the mother of all witches naked and shivering by the road side;
The mother of witches pleaded with Ejiogbe to carry her down to the earth, but Ejiogbe made her understand that he couldn’t carry her because he had used his clothes to offer sacrifice in the heaven and there is no cloth he will use to carry her;
So, Ejiogbe went away, along with all the other Odus corpus except Osa Meji, who was clothed;
When the mother of birds (witches) saw Osa Meji, she begged him seriously to carry her to the earth and Osa Meji agreed;
Osa Meji opened his mouth and she (mother of birds) got into it;
Upon getting to the earth, Osa Meji asked the mother of witchesto come out from his stomach, as they are at the requested estination;

But the mother of birds refused to come out, saying Osa Meji’s stomach is very warm and he should let her stay there forever;
Osa Meji was very shocked, given his supposed act of kindness, and he told the mother of birds that she will starve, as there is no food for her to eat in his stomach;
The mother of witches responded that, what of Osa Meji’s intestines? “That is what I will be eating.!”
And, truly she began to eat Osa Meji’s intestines, with the Odu in continous agony arising from stomach pains from then on;

Osa Meji consulted Ifa on what he could offer that will make this mother of birds come out of his stomach;
He was advised to offer all the intestines of a goat and palm oil as sacrifice, which he should place it at three junctions and he complied;

After placing the sacrificed as directed by Ifa, he started vomiting all his his stomach on the sacrifice;
That was how Osa Meji conquered the mother of wiches;
Osa Meji, feeling relieved, begand dancing and rejoicing, praising the Ifa priest, while the priest was praised Ifa, with Ifa praising God.

Watch the Mathematics of IFÁ part 2 by Tundé ADÉGBỌLÁ

Ori koo da mi ‘re – Ori bless me abundantly
Orisa ma jee nsowo asenu – Orisa do not let me labor in vain
Adifa fun okankan lenirunwo Irunmole – Divinated for 401 + 1 Orisa
Nigbati won ntode orun bo wa si ode aiye
When they were to descend from heaven into the world
Ori lo koko da Orunmila si Oke-Igeti -Ori first created Orunmila in Igeti-Hills
Ori koo da mi ‘re – Ori bless me abundantly
Orisa ma jee n sowo asenu -Orisa do not le me labor in vain
Ori lo da Osun sode igede – Ori created Osun in igede town
Ori koo da mi ‘re -Ori bless me abundantly
Orisa ma jee n sowo asenu -Orisa do not let me labor in vain
Ori lo da Obatala sode Ifon -Ori created Obatala in Ifon town
Ori koo da mi ‘re -Ori bless me abundantly
Orisa ma jee sowo asenu -Orisa do not let me labor in vain
Ori lo da awon Iyami Aje sode Ota -Ori created the Iyami Aje in Ota town
Ori koo da mi ‘re -Ori bless me abundantly
Orisa ma jee n sowo asenu – Orisa do not let me labor in vain
Ori lo da Sango sode Koso -Ori lo da Sango in Koso town
Ori koo da mi ‘re – Ori bless me abundantly
Orisa ma jee n sowo asenu -Orisa do not le me labor in vain
Ori lo da Oya si ile Ira -Ori create Oya in Ira town
Ori koo da mi ‘re – Ori bless me abundantly
Orisa ma jee n sowo asenu -Orisa do not let me labor in vain
Ori lo da Ogun si ilu Ire – Ori create Ogun in Ire town
Ori koo da mi ‘re – Ori bless me abundantly
Orisa ma jee n sowo asenu – Orisa do not let me labor in vain
Ori lo da Esu si Ketu – Ori create Esu in Ketu Town
Ori koo da mi ‘re – Ori bless me abundantly
Orisa ma jee n sowo asenu – Orisa do not let me labor in vain
Ori lo da Orisa Oko si Irawo-Agba – Ori created Orisa Oko in Irawo-Agba
Ori koo da mi ‘re – Ori bless me abundantly
Orisa ma jee n sowo asenu – Orisa do not let me labor in vain
Ori lo da Eegun si ile Oje – Ori created Eegun in Oje town
Ori koo da mi ‘re – Ori bless me abundantly
Orisa ma jee n sowo asenu – Orisa do not let me labor in vain
ASE !
Ire O

This video describes the binary mathematics behind the Ifá Divination system. The 256 Odùs of Ifá are displayed in Binary Form on the Opon tray. Also, a shell on the Opele chain is used as an analogy to describe how Qubits, or Quantum Binary Digits, operate in Quantum Computing.

© Adébóyè Adégbénró

Medium: Ballpoint pen on paper

Ekaaro eyin eniyan mi, aojiire bi, aku ise ana o, a si tun ku imura toni, gegebi a se mo wípé oni je ojó isegun, ogun buburu yio se ninu igbesi ayé wa loni o Àse.

E jeki a fi odù ifá mimo ogundarikulola yi se iwure ti aaro yi.
Ifá náà ki bayi wípé:
Adaku
Adaoku
Ada toko nbo o daku gbonrangandan bi oko a difa fun Aikulola eyiti nse wole wode orisa, Aikulola ni koni ominira lodo orisa Eledumare, se lo ba gba oko alawo lo latari nkan ti o maa se ti yio fi di ominira, won ni seni ko lo maa ni gbogbo nkan to je èèwò orisa Eledumare ki o lo ko fun orisa, Aikulola si se béè looto, nigbati o ko àwon nkan náà de odo orisa Eledumare inu bi orisa lopolopo nitori èèwò orisa Eledumare ni àwon nkan náà, bi Orisa Eledumare se sofun àwon iranse re pe ki won di Aikulola lowo ati lese ki won gbe seyinkule ile pelu gbogbo nkan wonyen, won si di Aikulola looto won gbe seyinkule, e wo ògún tinrin moko alagada ogun to nbo lati oja ejigbomekun nibiti o tilo jagun, bi ebi se npa ni oungbe ngbe, gbogbo ara ògún lákayé lo gbe, ògún lákayé lo ni ki oun ya nile orisa ki oun ki Orisa Eledumare ki oun to maa lo sile, nigbati ògún lákayé de eyinkule orisa se lo ba Aikulola ti won de ti won si ko àwon eroja etutu re ti sibe, inu ògún dun o si bere sini jehun o je gbogbo re yo tan , bi ògún se mu ada re niyen bi o se ja okun owo ati ese Aikulola niyen o, ògún lákayé wa wole sodo orisa Eledumare o wa sofun orisa wipe oun ti da Aikulola sile orisa si gbasi lenu, bi ògún lákayé se da Aikulola sile niyen o, oun ni won se npe odù ifá yi ni “ogundarikulola sile”

Aikulola wa njo o nyo o nyin babalawo àwon babalawo nyin ifá nyin Eledumare oni riru ebo a maa gbeni eru atukesu a maa da ladaju nje ko pe ko jina ifá wa bami larusegun arusegun ni a nbawo lese obarisa.

Eyin eniyan mi, mose ni iwure laaro yi wipe ògún lákayé yio tu gbogbo wa sile ninu ide omo araye, ako ni ri ibinu ògún lákayé loni ako si ni sun ninu agbara eje o aaase.
ÀBORÚ ÀBOYÈ OOO.

English Version
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Ekaaro eyin eniyan mi, aojiire bi? Mo lero wipe gbogbo wa la sun dokan daradara aku isimi opin ose, mosi fi asiko yi ki gbogbo àwon ore mi ti won je omo leyin kristi wípé eku odun eku iyedun emin yio se pupo re laye ninu ola ati idera o Àse.
Ifá yi gba wa niyanju, tabi eni to ba bi nigbodu/itenifa niyanju wipe ki o se etutu daradara ki won si se akose ifa yi fun ki o fi sin gbere sorun owo re mejeeji ki a si tun se akose elemun fun akápò yi ki o maa mu dani fun sise adura lararo nitori ki o ma baa maa se Ogun amubo ati aseti ki gbogbo nkan to ba ndawole baa le maa yori si rere.

Ifá yi gba okunrin ti odu yi ba jade si niyanju wipe ki o se etutu naa ki o ma baa maa se amubo iyawo , ki iyawo ba le ba gbele dojo ale, ti o ba si je obinrin naa lo jade si ki o se etutu naa daradara o ki o ma baa ni isoro Oko ki won ma baa maa gbe lagbeju sile ki o ba le lade lori dojo ale re.
Ifa naa ki bayi wipe:
Òkàn sá
Èjì sá babalawo àsá dífá fun àsá lojo ti o nroko iwaje, beeni asa nse Ogun amubo o nse Ogun aseti o wa goke ijeti ile Orunmila “won gbódo wálè àgbède òrun ro” won ni ko karale ebo ni ki o se ki o ma baa maa se amubo ati aseti mo ki o baa le maa ri eran obi meji……..sile meta owo ati igba ewe ayajo ifá, àsá kabomora o rubo won ni ko gbe lo sorita meta ajaloko àsá si se bee, nigbati o dorita meta o wa nse adura si etutu ni esu odara de, o wa beere lowo asa wipe kini isoro re? Asa ni Ogun amubo ati aseti lo nba oun finra pe kosi gbogbo nkan toun ba mu ti ki nbo lowo oun, esu ba mu ikan ninu emu ti asa fi rubo yen o fi ikan si lowo otun o fi ikan si lowo osi oni kosi nkan to bati mu ti yio bo lowo re mo inu asa ba dun to ba wati ri nkan to fe gbe àsá a so wipe;
Àpasà?
maa ni o han só,
Oni òkò àsá nko?
Mani ki nbale nsanwo, lati igba náà ni àsá ti segun Ogun amubo ati aseti o wa njo o nyo o nyin awo awon babalawo nyin ifá, ifá nyin Eledumare oni riru ebo a maa gbeni eru atukesu a maa da ladaju nje ko pe ko jina ifá wa bami larusegun arusegun ni a nbawo lese obarisa.
Eyin eniyan mi, mose ni iwure laaro yi wipe ire ayé wa koni bo danu lowo wa mo, ao maa ni aseyori lori gbogbo adawole wa, gbogbo obinrin ti won nse amubo Oko yio di asegun loni e o si lade lori dojo ale yin, gbogbo okunrin ti won nse amubo iyawo won yio di alaya ni odede, ako ni sanwo ire gbogbo mo laelae, laalaa wa koni jasi asan lase Eledumare aaase.
ÀBORÚ ÀBOYÈ OOO.

English Version:

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Holy Verse From Odu Ifá: Irete-Ose

“He is no coward who doesn’t run away at the noise of civil strife. Just as bees fly out of the hive but leave the hive protected. Just as ants guard their hill before, during and after their activities. In like manner should wise men lay stratagems and plans in advanced preparation for the attack of the antagonist long before the hidden attack of the enemy.”

Today we live in a world of conflict, strife, challenges and difficulties. We all strive to do our best to live meaningful, honest, peaceful, law abiding, caring and harmless lives. Even though we attempt, as far as it lies within our power, to live peaceable, useful and quiet lives there are human beings, as well as unwholesome spiritual forces that foolishly confuse or mistake our kindness, humility, goodwill and patience for weakness, powerlessness and lack of efficient ability to resist, combat and overcome them.

The fact of the matter is that there are human beings and unwholesome spiritual forces that do not care about how good, well-meaning, honest and diligent you are. They will attempt to obstruct you, frustrate you, resist you, harm you, manipulate you, undermine you and agitate you if you let them. They will plant seeds of disorder, chaos and confusion in your life if you through lack of clear-sighted awareness and forethought allow them to. Everyone is not kind, decent and good! Everyone is not who they seem or appear to be.

Everyone is not who you think them to be! Some can be mean, uncaring, conniving, deceptive, callous and indifferent. Some could care less about your wellbeing, the wellbeing of your family and the success of your noble plans! What to do with such kinds of people and unwholesome energies that are stubborn, that cannot be reasoned with and that cannot be appeased with anything because they do not want appeasement. No! They simply want to take delight in your downfall, affliction and suffering because of the malice, envy, emptiness and conceit which is consuming them.

Because they are failures they want you to fail. What to do? In this verse of Odu Ifá, Ifá wisely instructs us that these antagonists have to be confronted with strength, power, courage and iron-will but not directly…we confront them and defeat them by confronting them indirectly by always having a prepared defensive and offensive plan. Sometimes talking and reasoning with people will not work. Sometimes diplomacy falls short of the intended goal.

If one side wants peace but the other side insists on fighting, should the peaceful side for the sake ‘peace’ lie down on the ground and allow the antagonist to step, walk and jump on his chest?! No! Not ever! Sometimes the fight cannot be avoided and we have to be willing to arm ourselves with spiritual wisdom, sagacity, divine power, patience, careful planning and the combined counsel and activity of courageous, upright and determined men whose hearts are the hearts of wise warriors.

Just like the bee protects it queen and its hive by stinging and resisting its opponent by unrelenting attack’s until the antagonist withdrawals and gives up his foul plan, just like ants which seem to be small and powerless until you see them come together as one organized, powerful and efficient unit and army to defend their home, children and leader, in like manner we sometimes have to actively and decisively, individually and collectively take action against the enemies of peace, order, truth and wellbeing for the sake of our own lives, our family and our society.

We cannot be cowardly when all means have been exhausted to reconcile but the enemy doesn’t want peace…the enemy only seeks your harm. We have to fight! Ifá tells us that we should not be afraid to enter a just conflict or fight when there is no other option. Our fighting against the activity of unwholesome spiritual forces and mean-spirited corrupt people is authorized. The only thing that good people have to do for evil, malice and disorder to prevail is nothing! We have to take action through spiritual and temporal means to mitigate and dissolve the activities of those that are malicious, stubborn and recalcitrant.

Through our wise activity and resistance the Divine Olodumare will administer to such ones the right measure of discipline, punishment and correction that they are direly in need of. We cannot be complacent, passive and accepting of the harmful, malicious and callous doings of uncaring moral, spiritual and social criminals. We have to fight when fighting is called for without fear and with the confidence that truth and Olodumare is on our side! When we survey the life and activities of Òrúnmìlà we discern that Orunmila was not only a wise, kind and humble teacher and priest.

Òrúnmìlà was a also a courageous warrior of Olodumare. When all talks and efforts at peace making and the establishment of uprightness failed Òrúnmìlà sometimes had to wage spiritual and temporal war on certain people and communities that were ruining and destroying the stability, peace, health, order, progress and wellbeing of the community! Olodumare did not give the lion claws, strength and sharp powerful teeth to tickle those who would foolishly attempt to harm it! Olodumare did not give the rattle snake fangs, intelligence, agility, a rattle and venom so that it can allow others to step all over it, to kick it, jump on it and injure it! The rattle snake does not intend to hurt, harm or injure. This is why it sounds the warning alarm and it shakes it rattle so that the intelligent listener could withdraw immediately and avert a fatality.

But let there be no doubt that if a person oversteps the kindness of the rattlesnake in giving its rattled warning, the rattle snake will strike with deadly efficiency. Is the snake to be blamed? Just like the rattle snake, we should patiently, clearly and determinedly shake our rattle so that our antagonist can discern what will follow if he persists to overstep the boundaries, but once the boundary has been deliberately overstepped its time for single minded action. Sometimes the best defense is a good offensive action, when divine wisdom determines and approves this course.

Olodumare has fitted us with more spiritual, temporal abilities and powers than the bee, the ant, the lion and the rattle snake! When it is time to fight, when the fight cannot be averted or avoided, it is time then to utilize and masterfully apply our ‘weapons’ for the sake of the maintenance of peace, harmony, health and well-being of our society, our home and our own lives. Being humble, kind and godly does equate to being cowardly, unmanly and lacking in fighting-spirit and in fighting-ability. We can never accept a false ‘peace’ at the expense of truth, harmony, uprightness and the safety of our society, family, home and personal lives. Be fearless! Be determined to resist, overcome and defeat all unwholesome spiritual energies and all deliberately malicious, corrupt and callous human beings. The Irunmole-Orisa are not cowardly. They are divine, upright, courageous and warrior spirited personalities.

When it is time to fight it is time to fight! Don’t turn back on your heels. Don’t run away. Confront and defeat the enemy with courage, honor and determination. Let kindness, compassion and truth fill your heart but let strength, courage, dispassion, valor and iron-will fill your arms, hands, legs, feet and mind. With a dispassionate, courageous, warrior-like and impartial attitude rise up and courageously defeat and overcome all that stands in the way of progress, health, well-being, prosperity, justice, peace and order.

Your friend and well-wisher Awo Òrúnmìlà Mark Casillas

Ogbo ato asure iworiwofun!

The Yoruba people of South West Nigeria, are one of the largest ethnic group south of the Sahara Desert. In several ways they are one of the most interesting and important people of the continent of Africa. Their religion is called Orisa. The population of Yoruba people as of 1962 had reached 10-11 million people. Their traditions with in urban life give them a unique place among not only other African societies as well many other societies in the World. Yoruba society has been well known and advanced in the areas of Economics, Government, and in particular Art and Religion. They rank highly among other West African ethnic groups, representing the highest level of cultural achievement in Sub Saharan Africa.

Their religion called Orisa has been misinterpreted when missionaries came into their midsts. Orisa in Yoruba perspective, according to one Ese Ifa or Ifa stanza say, Orunmila said human beings became Orisa, I said, human beings became Orisa, Orunmila said, don’t you see Ogun, he is a human being, but when he demonstrated wisdom and power he was elevated and became Orisa. I said human beings became Orisa, he said don’t you see Obatala, he is human being, but when he demonstrated wisdom and power, he was elevated and became Orisa. The other Orisa where blessed as well from human being to Orisa. They worshiped a knowledgeable person it is human being that became Orisa.

Orisa is Yoruba cosmology. Those that selected their ori became more superior than others. Èniyàn tí Orí sà dá. If Jesus was born in Yoruba land he would have been pronounced an Orisa and like wise Muhammad.

Every town and village in Yoruba Land has its foundation in Ese Ifa or Ifa stanza. Each town was established and founded with Odu Ifa. They used this Odu Ifa to established the culture and tradition of each town. Just as an adage says, Bayi ni àáse nile wa èèwò ni bomiran

The odu ifa for each town as follows

Ede – Osa Oloyan
Ila Orangun – Ofun Meji
Osogbo – Idin Ileke
Iwo – Obara Otua
Ado ibini- odi meji
Ipapo – Otura Meji
Ido Ekiti – Ogunda Wori
Ido Osure – Obara meji
Awori Ota – Irete Owonrin
Oko – Ogunda Meji
Agbada Rigi – Ogbe Ogunda
Ilu Apa – Oyeku Meji
Oyo Alaafin – Ogbe Otura
Ilorin- Okanran Iwori

Some of our Monarch in Yoruba Land are saying that their cities were founded by the Islamic Nation. This assertion is false, Islam did not establish the Yoruba Nation. The Oba or King of each town have an important role, they are the custodian of the Yoruba traditions of its inhabitants. The Yoruba people hold their Oba or King in high esteem and regard him as the owner of all power for that city.

The power of the Oba or King is like that of the Orisa. If the Oba turns against the traditions of his home city it is the wrath of his progenitors the people will seek. No Oba of any Yoruba nation has the right to create a new name for his city. It’s not the right thing to do. Although two imported religions have firmly established themselves with us, a wise one will know how to use knowledge to not practice it.

The Treasures and Heritage of Yoruba Land need to be protected by not only individuals of Yoruba Land but also the Monarchs, the Monarchs need to lead the way and set a good example. The Jews are Jewish because they believe in their way of worship. The Christians are Christian because they believe in their way of Worship. It is freedom of worship that will salvage this nation from being ruined by modern Oba’s and civilization.

A child that does not respect culture will not care to destroy it.

By
Ifayemi Elebuibon The Araba of Osogbo Land

Ekaaro eyin eniyan mi, aojiire bi? Aku isinmi opin ose o, bi a se njade lo loni ako ni subu lase Eledumare Àse.
Laaro yi mofe fi kayefi kan to sele ni bi ojó mesan seyin ladugbo mi nilu ikorodu se idanileko laaro yi.
Gegebi mo se maa nso wípé Olorun Eledumare ni alagbara julo, iru agbara eyi o wu ka ni, boya oso niwa ni, ogbologbo aje, babalawo to gbofa to mo oyun igbin ninu ikarahun ni tabi ogbologbo aroni gbonra jigi deru oogun niwa ni, olorisa ni tabi ologboni, eyin eniyan mi ofutufete niwa niwaju Eledumare, Olorun Eledumare nikan ni oba alagbara julo, fun idi eyi gbogbo agbara ti a ba ni e jeki a maa rora lo kasi maa fi bowo fun Eledumare.

O pe ojó mesan loni nigbati kafeyi yi sele, bi mose de si adugbo ti mo ti nsise, mo jade ninu oko ayokele nigbati mo maa gbe ese seni mo nwo aso ogun ti won jo soju opopona sugbon aso náà ko jo tan, mo wa pe ikan ninu àwon omo adugbo wípé kini nkan to sele nibi laaro yi? Omokunrin yen wa sofun mi wípé seni won ri obinrin kan to wo aso ogun to nra nile wonu mosalasi nibi ti awon okunrin maa njoko si nse adura nidaji nigbati won fe lo kirun asuba, bi won se paruwo niyen, won wa lo pe arakunrin omo egbe oodua people congress kan, arakunrin naa si gbe ibon dani oni nigbati won nbeere oro lowo arabinrin náà ko le so nkankan won ni seni o nse bi eniti iye ti ra mo ninu, nigbati won wa gbe ibon ti won ni ko bo aso orun re o wa bo aso náà bi won se dana sun aso niyen, sugbon laarin iseju yen won wa omobinrin yi ti won ko ri mo, o ti “farasoko” pelu ihoho to wa, emi lo gba iyoku aso ti ko jotan naa sinu kota nitori ki awon eniyan ma baa te mole, lotito awon ara adugbo ko mo iru eni ti obinrin naa je sugbon emi mo wipe ninu awon ika aje ni to ta siagere sagbara Eledumare ti won si fi òrò enu Eledumare bawi.

Eyin eniyan mi, kosi alagbara kankan leyin Eledumare, afiti Olorun ko baiti setan lati jewo ara re fun onitohun, òrò enu Eledumare ntu bee lo si nde, fun idi eyi e jeka se jeje je o.
Òrúnmìlà naa koju iru awon isoro bayi nigbati awon eni ibi fe bayeje mo lowo, sugbon nipa oro enu Eledumare “ifa” o segun won o si raye se.
Mo maa fi ese ifá odu Osalogbe (osa elesu) se idanileko nipa iru isele to sele yi.
Ifá náà ki bayi wípé:
Omi réré
Omi rèré
A difa fun Òrúnmìlà lojo ti baba nlo sotu ife ti nlo bawon taye won se, seni iya olodogboniko ni ki Òrúnmìlà mu oun dani, Òrúnmìlà loun ko ni le mu dani nitori oun ko le jeki o doju ti oun lotu ife, iya odogboniko bere sini nbe Òrúnmìlà wipe oun koni dojuti, oni ki Òrúnmìlà jeki won bura sugbon Òrúnmìlà sofun wipe eewo oun ni ibura oni oun ko ki nbura, iya odogboniko ba bere sini soro wipe oun maa njeku, oun maa njeja, oun si maa njeran oni sugbon se Òrúnmìlà ri igi towa ninu iho okuta yen oni oun ki nje o, oni oun koni dojuti Òrúnmìlà, bi Òrúnmìlà se gba lati mulo sotu ife niyen, nigbati won de otu ife Òrúnmìlà bere sini nrubo o nsetutu lati fi tun awon nkan toti baje se, ko ti e pe rara seni iya odogboniko fo feere sode to bere sini nba otu ife je, bi okiki re se nkan sotun bee lo nkan sosi, otu ife daru o kan gogogo, gbogbo ara otu ife bere sini nparuwo le Òrúnmìlà lori wipe baba ti ba ilu won je, won ni oun lo mu alejo ajeji wolu won, won ni ko yaa lo wogbon dasi alejo re o ki o si bawon se ilu won to baje o, Òrúnmìlà ba ko oke ìpònrí re ru o so won ni seni ki Òrúnmìlà lo rubo ki o lo gbebo naa si “agbèrùn”(orita meta) Òrúnmìlà ba se bee, arubosobo ni won nse nigba kutu iwase, Òrúnmìlà lo foju pamo sibikan lati le mo nkan to maa sele, ko pe si nigbati iya odogboniko nbo lati ibi to ti lo “ró” se lo de agberun to nwo isu ati ago omi nibe, o bu serin oni Òrúnmìlà yi ma go o, oni ojo to fi eku papate oun gbeje, oni ojó to fi eja papate oun gbeje, oni ojó to fi eran papate oun gbeje oni se isu lasan lasan to wa fi rubo yi ni oun koni le je, bi o se mu isu niyen, o bu isu je wau nigba kinni o buje nigba keji, igba to maa buje nigba keta ko mo wipe egungun eran wa ninu isu ti oun buje bi o se ni ki oun gbemi seni egungun eran ha lona ofun ko wale gbe isu min mo, o bere sini nse hòò, bi esu se jade si niyen esu nise ko si omi ni Òrúnmìlà jade sita oni omi wa, won gbe ago omi ti won se ifá sinu re fun iya odogboniko, o gbe omi mun gigigi, seni iya bere sini npoyi to nbi gòòrògò, Òrúnmìlà fiyere ohun bonu wípé:
O ti nsu
O ti nbi
Odogboniko
Ko seni to mogba “to ma re o”(kú)
Odogboniko
Ki oko loyun
Ki oyà (iyawo) loyun
Omi rere kenge
Ao mo eniti to maa tete bí (bimo)
Omi rere kenge
Atetebi muku tina
Omi rere kenge
Oni ni òbò a paje
Oni ni òbò a paje o
Bi ìyá odogboniko se subu lule niyen toku, ojó naa ni otu ife bere sini dara, gbogbo àwon ara otu ife bere sini njo won nyo won nyin babalawo àwon babalawo nyin ifá, ifá nyin Eledumare won ni riru ebo a maa gbeni eru atukesu a maa da ladaju nje ko pe ko jina ifá wa bawa larusegun arusegun ni a nbawo lese obarisa.
AWO KOKO TO WA NINU ESE IFA YI NI:
1. Ifá yi ki nba eniyan bura tabi munle
2. Ifa yi ki nfe obinrin pupa
3. Ifá yi ki nje isu sisun nitori eyin dindun
4. Ifa yi ki nsi agbara tabi ipo ti eni bawa lo
5. Ifá yi ki ntapa si ona Eledumare ki eni naa ma baa subu ti koni gberi mo laye.

Ni igba kan ri ni odun 2013, mose iru etutu yi fun arabinrin kan ni Ayetoro Ayobo, o si gbe etutu naa siwaju ile re lorita, lale ojo náà ni eni to nbaja ladugbo naa gbe etutu yi lo sile to si je to mun omi ifá naa si, nigba to di ojo keji won gbe lo si celestial soosi kan sugbon àwon ara celestial sofun iyawo re wipe ki o maa gbelo si ilu re, nipa to pe ojo keta ni orun gbalejo re.
Eyin eniyan mi, mose ni iwure laaro yi wipe ako ni se si ofin Olorun Eledumare, ibinu Eledumare koni ke lori wa, ayé koni fi okunkun bo igbesi ayé wa mole, gbogbo awon eni ibi ti won ndawa laamu orun yio gba alejo won ni kiakia loni aaaase.
ÀBORÚ ÀBOYÈ OOO.

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Glory be to Olodumare for the successful completion of Ifa initiation of Falowo, Fasayo and Fabukunmi with Oloye Lanre Okemuyiwa and Iyanifa Oloye Oloye IdiAgba OlaIfa Stewart in Florida USA 3rd May 2018

By Araba Awodiran Agboola

Source: University of Ifa

Ekaaro eyin eniyan mi, aojiire bi? Aku ise ana o, a sin ku ose ifá toni, emin wa yio se pupo re laye ase.
Gegebi a se mo wípé oni ni ose ifá, e jeki a fi odù ifá mimo eji elemere yi se iwure ti aaro yi.
Ifa naa ki bayi wipe:
Emi ote
Iwo ote
Igbati ote di meji lo dododo a difa fun baba olorire malese ire igba iwase eleyi ti ori re nfojojumo ngbare sugbon ti ese mejeeji ko lo gba ire naa, won ni ko karale ebo ni ki o wa se nitori bi ori re ba tile gba ire ki ese re mejeeji naa baa le lo maa gba ire naa, obi meji…….. baba kabomora o rubo won se sise ifa fun nigbakugba ti ori baba bati wa gba ire ese re mejeeji yio wa lo gba ire naa, baba wa njo o nyo o nyin awo awon babalawo nyin ifa, ifa nyin eledumare oni nje riru ebo a maa gbeni eru arukesu a maa da ladaju nje ko pe ko jina ifa wa bami larusegun arusegun ni a nba awo lese obarisa.
Baba wa fiyere ohun bonu wipe:
Nje bi okan bayo ninu igbo a bona wa ire kasai wami wa o ire
Bi aba bu Omi sori a bese wa ire kasai wami wa o ire.
Eyin eniyan mi, mo gbaladura laaro yi wipe ire gbogbo yio maa sawari wa, ese wa mejeeji koni lodi sori wa, ao segun amubo, aseti, ijakule ati ki won ba eniyan da majemu ki won ma fise o aaaseee.
ABORU ABOYE OOO.

English Version
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Me-No

Unspecified-please make it clear

Before you purchase spiritual work from someone not referred to you by someone you know, from the internet, or from a stranger that approaches you…. Know before you jump!

Has this ever happened to you???  Have you ever been on social media, and someone friends  you out of nowhere?  You check out their page, and all seems to be cool  Then a few minutes later… this Babalawo from Nigeria presents himself to you, and after a few lines you begin receiving messages about what Ifa has told him about you, and how you need his spiritual help to forge ahead?  If this hasn’t happened to you… just wait… it will.   I’m writing this because not only does it happen to me, but what burns me is that unscrupulous people out there work to get folks new to our traditions who don’t know any better and then they conduct a racket from over-seas.  The fact remains that when you are new with your regular western, Canadian, American, or Latino name… and you see a name of Baba (insert long african name here)… it gives a sense of authority to them.  They begin with the regular talks about the Orisha… and then … you are hooked.  What happens next boils my blood because I’ve seen many folks lose hundreds to thousands of dollars on these ‘spiritual works’, and their lives do not improve and yet… the new person is out of funds. Orisha Wisdom wishes to provide tools to empower people into maneuvering our Orisha World, I hope that it will be helpful to you.

Myths

• African priests will not rip you off – Just because the person is from Africa it does not mean that they will not rip you off.  This is a people thing.  Just like people from (insert the name of your country here) will rip someone off…. someone from Nigeria or (insert other country name here) can also rip off another person.
• Only getting initiated in (insert name of country here – mostly Africa, & Cuba) is the correct way – Just because a person gets initiated in Africa or Cuba, it does not mean that the initiations will be good for you.  If you do get initiated, then how are you going to be trained?  To go back to the country to visit and learn?  How much learning do you think that you are going to get in that week per year?  There are wonderful priests all around the world that you can work with.
• A reading done on my behalf without my consent is okay because this priest knows what he/she is talking about – This is a HUGE myth.  In the Orisha traditions, this is how it works.  A person goes to a priest and the priest performs divination on the matter at hand, or a general reading.  Can a reading be done on your behalf while you are not around?  Sure… but only if you consent to it, and with a trusted priest.  If this is your godparent, or a trusted priest, and you ask for a reading and your godparent or that trusted priest lives in another state, or even moved to another country, this can be done.  Having someone that you do not know email you, message you, or send you a pigeon with a note stating that Ifa said XYZ… this is a huge red flag of someone who is unscrupulous.
• A priest emailed me and told me that Ifa/Orisha said that I need to get (insert name of spiritual work here) – This is a huge myth which is plaguing the internet right now as there are many people who are just finding out about our traditions and they just don’t know.  When a priest gets initiated they go through certain vows to be ethical in their practices.  Are all priests and pastors ethical? No, of course not.  In our traditions, if you need a medicine or work of some kind, you have to get that read, and explanations must be made on why this medicine is for you.  It’s like when you go to see a doctor.  A doctor from another country would not randomly contact you to tell you that he was checking out your chart and that now you need (insert name of medicine here).  Why would this be any different?  If someone contacts you with this… they do not have your best interest in mind.
• A priest contacted me and told me that if I don’t get this (insert name of spiritual work done here) I am going to die, get killed, my family will die, etc. – This one is especially infuriating because of the madness of this statement.  This preys on people who are in hard spots in life, and are …. basically easy prey for predators like this.  This preys on the ignorance of not knowing who to go to, where to go with a spiritual problem, especially when first finding out about these traditions and you are afraid of telling anyone -(I’ve also known initiated priests who have fallen prey to these unethical practices.)
• A priest told me that Ifa said that I must marry him. /  A Babalawo said that Ifa told him that I was meant to marry him as his apetebi – Does this happen?  Yes… and it’s mostly when a babalawo is already in a relationship with a woman that this is divined for.  (There are exceptions but not common ones)  If a person is meant to be with him/her… then these two will come together.  If anyone sends you or anyone you know a message that they must marry him in order to appease Ifa… Don’t.  No, you will not die.  No, your family will not die.  No, you will not be lacking happiness in your life.  If someone just from the internet contacts you with this… please take a snap shot of the communication, and report him to that platform, and to others in the community and block him.  This is an unethical behavior!
• A priest said that during divination it came out that we have to perform a Divine Sexual Energy Ebo  or (place here whatever line he uses to insinuate any sexual act) in order for me to have (insert positive outcome here) – Please my sisters, this is NOT done.  Please, please please block this individual fast but only after you have gathered proof that this is happening and report him to the platform and to the community.  I get sad and angry to see many of my sisters fall prey to this type of predator.  They will take their time to get to know you first, and know your spiritual and relationship woes and then attack.  If this happens… please know that this is unethical behavior.  I’ve known many priests and babalawos over the years and NONE of them have ever insinuated sex for anything.  This also falls to men — if anyone messages you or another brother of yours with this…. again… take the proof, report, and then block!
• A priest contacted me and told me that he can send me an orisha in the mail and that I’d be initiated into that orisha – Just because a person contacts you from (insert country name here, but mostly Africa), it does not mean that they are looking out for your best interest.  Unfortunately, folks in Africa, especially in Nigeria have been waking up to the outrageous prices of spiritual work here in the United States and that is a fortune in their currency, and many folks here are hungry for the traditions.

Okay, so I have to be aware… what do I do now?  You might asking yourself.

Here are some tools to help you in your journey.

• If something doesn’t feel right… listen to that gut feeling.  This is your Ori telling you that something is not right.
• Take the time to work and strengthen your Ori (your Higher Self).  This is your innate compass that can help to guide you to what you need in life and how to get there.
• If someone is pressuring you to work with them and it feels like pressure — it is your choice to not do so.
• If someone is online and sends you numerous messages about this that you need to do, and how much and is relentless – block them from your inbox, messages, etc.  All social media have this capability
• When you join a new group or social media site – do not openly state what your spiritual query or situation is.  Being reserved will help you here.  This will keep the sign of (I’m an easy target) away from you.  Yes, it will take a bit longer to get you what you need – but it is better to wait rather than to lose sleep, sanity, money and your peace of mind.
• If online, you like how a certain priest is behaving online – how he/she responds to others’ questions… observe and then contact him/her separately to see how you vibe him/her.  Set up a phone conversation (or several).  Establish a rapport to see how you feel about this person.  If so, then see if you can schedule a reading.  If you would like an in person reading, see if that person can refer you a priest that he/she personally knows.
• Remember that it is ethical practice to request a reading, then be present for this reading, and receive a prescribed ebo (spiritual work / sacrifice).
• Remember that you can have a spiritual relationship with many miles in between; however there are parameters, trust, access, and transparency.  This relationship cannot happen out of fear that something may happen to you, etc.
• Always keep in mind – there are good people and bad people in every arena – this is not an attack on any particular country – just on unethical practice of people … Just take care and remember that people are people.

Have you experienced anything like this?

Leave me a comment below or join on Facebook Orisha Wisdom Community and tell your story there!

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