![]() "Káa tó dé ibi tí à ńlọ, a lè kọ́kọ́ dé ibi tí a ò fẹ́" A person may have to get to where he'd rather not be before getting to his destination. This is a tough lesson! When things are not going well, you want relief. You want the pain to subside. You envision how much better life could be if you had another job, another place to live or another partner. If only it were so simple! If only you could change your reality with a touch of a single button. And while some people would lead you to believe that this is really possible, the truth is, these are only superficial, short term make-overs. Before long you'll be right back where you started. The reason is because, wherever you go, there you are. So, if you really want your life to get better, YOU have to get better. It's not about your job. It's not about where you live. It's not about your partner. You chose all of those elements precisely because - on some level - you knew that they would provide exactly the kinds of challenges that would reveal your weaknesses and internal contradictions. It's only through meeting those challenges and transcending them that you can live the medicine that will heal your life and heal the lives of the people you're destined to serve. Here's the reason why; spiritual development hides itself inside of personal problems. And so, as you learn to slow down and REALLY deal with yourself from the inside out, you're actually addressing everything from paying off ancestral debt to satisfying your personal destiny. Learn more through the 16 Essential Traits of Personal Priesthood. Email me at [email protected] for enrollment information today. Love is not made real until you share it with someone else. The irony is that the more you share it, the deeper you experience it. Eventually, you realize the fact that you are all conduit of love and letting it flow through you is how it expands your connection to the force of life itself. Of course, there are some connections that seem to generate more love than others. Those relationships somehow open the proverbial floodgates of love and create amazingly deep channels of emotional connection between you and the people who matter most to you. Here, it's important to understand the significance of your Personal Priesthood. One of the highest callings of humanity is to serve the spirit of love as it connects you to others. First among the Essential Traits of Personal Priesthood is unconditional devotion. If your loved one is doing what you like or seemingly doing everything possible to kill your relationship, you remain undaunted in your devotion to the spirit of love.
TIPS 1. Remember, love is everywhere. It flows through you and is not yours to own. 2. Love is a choice. You can be open to it or closed off from it, based on your decision. 3. Choose to love yourself and it will become more natural to love others, no matter how they behave. Want more? "Bí orí ṣe tó ló ṣe ńfọ́ olórí " As a head is in size, so it aches the owner. It means, there are problems at every level of development. While the novice struggles with the basics, the seasoned elder struggles to find a successor, for example. Similarly, the young couple is challenged by meddling friends and the mature couple is challenged by their changing personal interests. No matter where you are in the development cycle, there are important lessons to learn, in other words. These lessons tend to show up as problems. If you're not careful (ie, patient, wise and compassionate) you'll rush to get rid of the problem without learning the lesson.
Here are three ways to turn adversity into blessings by solving problems and internalizing a deeper understanding, too. 1. Listen more than you talk. Before you can manage a problem you have to understand it and the people involved. That only happens when you listen, not only with your ears but also with your heart. Many times, adversity has more to do with how people feel than what is taking place. 2. Ask open ended questions. This directly supports listening. The more information you can gather on a problem and the people involved the more options you will be able to explore. 3. Be optimistic. Never give up hope on the possibilities, the solutions and improvements. Whatever it takes to maintain a positive outlook, do it religiously. Always seek the high ground and believe in the potential for a better situation. Every problem is born with a solution. Many times, the solutions actually create even greater opportunities. Live the medicine. ![]() I'm happy with myself because I like who I am. That's the basis of cosmic optimism. You will be tempted to define your happiness according to external factors, like your relationships, your finances and your popularity in some circles. But all of those are subject to change. When they do, you cannot compromise your happiness by becoming sad and depressed. Instead, it's super important that you continuously increase your happiness by doing things that feel genuine gratification and personal fulfillment. That way, when people leave you, when your job feels like a dead end or you experience other kinds of identity crisis, your cosmic optimism will gently keep you afloat. Learn more in my upcoming course, 16 Essential Traits of Personal Priesthood. To get more information, email me at [email protected]. Enter 16 Essential Traits of Personal Priesthood in the subject line. Live the medicine. "Igi tí Ọlọ́run bá gbìn, kò sẹ́ni tó lè fàá tu" No man can uproot a tree planted by God. The will of Ọlọ́run is greatest of all. Try as they may, people cannot interrupt the divine order, as intended by the Almighty. You may find yourself immobilized and vulnerable, like the tree. When this happens, you must look to Olodumare for guidance and strength. Seek always to align yourself with divine providence and let the Silent Judge address those who would attempt to uproot the proverbial tree planted by Ọlọ́run. What matters most in circumstances such as this, however, is your ability to gain greater and greater access to the wisdom of Ọlọ́run. Through your personal priesthood, you become more attentive to the subtle truth of heaven. In my upcoming course, entitled 16 Essential Traits of Personal Priesthood, you will learn over 100 practices that support your spiritual development. To find out more, email me at [email protected]. Put 16 Essential Traits of Personal Priesthood in the subject line. The course begins in November 2015. Live the medicine.
"Tí èyàn bá ní sùúrù, ohun tí kò tó, ṣì ńbọ̀ wá ṣẹ́kù" If one is patient, what is insufficient will soon be excessive. This is what the elders will tell you in the early stages of any important endeavor. You may not recognize the signs right now, but in due time you will begin to see and experience the shift. But for now, your eyes will deceive you. Your emotions will betray you. Your thoughts will lead you astray. They will conspire against you and make you believe that it's time to do something that maybe reflects your fears, but definitely not your destiny. Be patient! What seems so scarce today will be abundant tomorrow. Remember, when fishermen can't go out to sea, they mend their nets and patch their boats. Live the medicine. Learn more at www.OrisaLifestyle.com/retreat.
Oya pele o
Je ogan legbe Iya mi Afefe nla ti ngbagi gbaju Efufu legelege ti gbara we - Oriki Oya Change is constant. Don't let that scare you anymore. As uncomfortable as that might feel in the face of so many unknowns, I want you to acknowledge and recognize the fact that change is not as chaotic as it seems. The universe is governed by laws, patterns an cycles. So, even though the winds of change certainly interrupt YOUR planned course of action, they always do so I'm adherence to a greater set of orders. Primarily, the wind clears the skies by removing obstructions. Once the skies are clear, you can see the big picture much better. So, relax and let the dust settle. Everything will reveal itself in due time. Live the medicine. "Ọgbọ́n kìí tán láyé ká wa lọ ọ̀run. " Wisdom can't be so exhausted in the world that one would go to heaven in search of it. In other words, sometimes what you're looking for is closer than you think. Are you willing to look for it wherever you are and accept it wherever you find it? Your spouse, your siblings and neighbors are everyday experts who enjoy unique insights into your local environment. Furthermore, they know you! Why don't you learn from them? Why don't you teach them? Familiarity, they say, breeds contempt. As a result, local genius and talent is literally pushed out of the circles where they should actually have greatest influence. Living the medicine means optimization of your local gifts and talents, which forms the basis of your economic revitalization. Learn more at the OrisaLifestyle Retreat www.OrisaLifestyle.com/retreat
Ants do not scatter without reassembling. Today, you feel scattered, like you're all over the place. But tomorrow you'll be more together. The dust will settle. Bit by bit, your life will start to make sense to you again. It's a learning process in the sense that you're discovering what you're made of, how things go together, what works for your environment and that sort of thing. Like any learning process, you have to be patient with yourself. You'll be aware of some of the lessons and it will be obvious that you've learned something concrete. But most of what you're learning is subtle. For example, learning to get your confidence back is a gradual experience. Similarly, learning to love again is also gradual. The wisest thing to do in this regard is to err on the side of safety when it comes to your lifestyle. Resist the urge to make significant changes in your world. Don't change your job or where you live. Don't start a romantic relationship or get initiated. Remember what the elders say, "In a muddy place you cannot run. " Live the medicine.
"Agara kì í dá oníṣẹ́ Ọlọ́run." God's messenger never grows weary. Sometimes, you must travel in the heat of the day. Other times, in the dark of night. There are portions of the journey that you must take with other people. Then, there are periods when you must travel alone. What matters is that you continue travelling in service to Olodumare. If you can do that faithfully, you will evolve and become more fulfilled as you satisfy the requirements of your destiny.
Remember, the enemy is after your spirit! The enemy is after your spouse's spirit! The enemy is after your children's spirits! Especially when you have committed your life to service, adversity will descend upon you in every imaginable way. You will be tested and tested again. But, by the grace of Olodumare, the silent judge, the infinite sanctuary and refuge, who never stops caring for his creation, you will be supported by loving kindness. Àse! Òrúnmìlà was beset by every imaginable challenge as he carried out the countless missions assigned to him by Olodumare. He was abandoned and betrayed and misunderstood by his disciples and peers alike. Those who knew him and benefitted from his support turned a blind eye to his suffering. Òrúnmìlà failed to sacrifice, broke taboos and lost his way. Like all of the òrìsà, who we celebrate with sincere devotion, Òrúnmìlà sometimes had a very difficult time along the journey of life. So, as you encounter difficulties in your personal journey, continue to open your heart to the tender, loving care of your ancestors and believe entirely in the sweetness of your destiny, because nobody licks honey and hisses with contempt. It is with sweetness that we speak of golden honey. Live the medicine. Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www. ObafemiO.com |
Live the MedicineObafemi Origunwa, MAThought leader, Ifa priest and author of four definitive books, Obafemi Origunwa inspires metamorphosis through living the medicine that will heal your life and heal the lives of the people you're destined to serve. ![]() Raise Awareness
![]() Internalize Principles
![]() Embody Truth
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