Ma yun oko,
Do not go to the farm Ma yun odo, Do not go to the river Ifa's message to Elesiye Owo Elesiye Owo was asked to use a ram to appease his father If a ram cannot be found, Elesiye Owo should use emo, brown rat But Elesiye Owo should not go to the farm or river for seven days The older sibling of Elesiye Owo was not patient in chasing the rat But Elesiye Owo managed to chase the rat patiently He soon fell into a pit where their father keeps his riches - Holy Odu OturaOgbe May you stumble upon ancestral treasures in your quest for personal greatness. Àse.
There was no compound in Ilé Ifè that was free of problems. Some were suffering from economic problems, while others were besieged by the deaths of their children. At this time, Òsun had been a tireless advocate for women's rights. She was working constantly on behalf of children and youth as well. Somehow, her efforts were considered offensive to several influential men and women of Ifè. Eventually, they decided to confront Òsun.
They accused her of being the cause for the troubles in the kingdom. They even took up the issue with Òrúnmìlà. When Òrúnmìlà suggested that they should be patient and conduct a proper investigation, the people concluded that he was part of the problem and determined that both he and his wife should be banished from the kingdom at once. Òrúnmìlà and Òsun decided to go consulta Ifa. The babalawo told them that they should offer sacrifice so that Òsun would be cleared of all charges and the true culprit would be exposed, shamed and dealt with. As soon as the sacrifice was made, Èsù went to work! He went to the head of the Iyami Osoroga and told her that he would like to join them in making life difficult for Òsun and Òrúnmìlà. She invited Èsù to the meeting of Iyami, where he claimed to hate Òsun because of her arrogance. He promised to support any efforts to destroy her. It was then that the Iyami began to rant about how much they detested Òsun. Whenever they tied anyone down she would untie them, especially children and youth. And because the Iyami prefer the blood of children, they felt Òsun had absolutely no right to deny them that delicacy. She must be punished! The following day, Èsù launched the next phase of his strategem. He returned to the head of the Iyami society and asked about how the spoils of war would be divided. That is, he wanted to know how are the blood and body parts shared. She explained to Èsù that, as the leader, she takes the victim's head and 1/10 of the blood. Èsù wanted to know who gets the internal organs. The head of the Iyami responded that her deputies take the organs for themselves. Èsù pretended to be outraged. "That is disrespect! The organs and intestines are the most valuable parts. Why should you be cheated this way??? You deserve better. You must confront this injustice and take your share as the leader. Call an emergency conference and tell your deputies that this must change. I'll support you 100%. The leader of Iyami went into a fit of rage. Anything and everything enraged her! Then, Èsù went to the deputies of Iyami. There, he emboldened them to rebuff any and all insults from their leader. He invoked the idea that she was too self-centered and abusive. He told them that any of them had the capacity to be the head, given the present leader's lack of administrative skills. Demand your respect without compromise. I'll support you 100%. The conference was called and the leader of the Iyami lunged into a verbal attack of her deputies. On their part, the members of the Iyami society returned harsh words and eventually pandemonium broke out. It was then that they began to expose one another. They shouted about whose crops they had destroyed, whose children they had killed, who they had afflicted with disease and whose fortunes they had destroyed. Meanwhile, Èsù quietly went and called the people of Ifè to listen to the all out battle taking place. As the people listened with amazement and pain, Èsù demanded, "Why are you keeping quiet?" The people rounded up the Iyami and dealt with them accordingly. Eyele pooyi ranyin lojude Apon Cast Ifa for Òrúnmìlà When Ìyàmi were fighting agsinst him And they were accusing Iyewa He was advised to offer sacrifice He complied Behold, Òsun Iyewa Otooro Efon Will never fight against anyone To the extent of harming his children - Holy Odù IreteMeji* Popoola, Solagbade. Ifa Dida v 1. Page 1004 Tako, tabo, ejiwapo is a proverb that tells us, 'Maleness and femaleness, together, in twoness." The efficacy of this combination is exemplified through the institutionalization of the unique relationship between babalawo and apetebii. That is, there is an interdependence between the Ifa priest and his wife, who is known as apetebii. Stated differently, the babalawo's function is only made whole by his relationship to his wife, the apetebii. In this instance, as she carries out her duties in service to her husband's Ifa, the apetebii protects him and brings numerous blessings into his family. Ifa is replete with examples wherein apetebii has saved Orunmila's live, helped him solve impossible dilemmas and restored balance to an otherwise destructive situation. Likewise, there are a variety of reasons why a woman's spiritual mission can only be completed through marriage to a babalawo. Sometimes, it is for her health. Other times, it is because of spiritual protection. Still other times, her ability to give birth can only be realized through her relationship with a babalawo. Ultimately, Orisa Lifestyle strongly reinforces the inescapable need for reciprocal energy, which is perfectly expressed in the saying, tako, tabo, ejiwapo.
![]() Adesina's legacy lives on. It was my esteemed honor to confer with the man affectionately known is Pancho OkanranOfun. He is an elder babalawo of the Pogolotti area in Havana. As some of you already know, this is an area rich in Yoruba tradition. Mariwo entrances, abamoda on porches and orisa altars dominating doorways all reveal the extent to which Yoruba heritage thrives amongst many Cuban families. One of the resident elders of the orisa community in Pogolotti is babalawo Pancho OkanranOfun. He is an easygoing man who is both accepting and confident. My fondest memory of our conversations centered around a particular charm I had in my possession. We had just performed a simple ritual, during which it was necessary for me to make use of the charm in question. In the spirit of sharing, I volunteered to tell him and the other awos present what it was and how I use it. I handed it to him and almost instantly he remembered having seen his father use this type of charm. "My father used to have this. Every morning, very early he would touch it to his head like you did. Then he would pray. He was the last person I ever saw with this." We shared a smile and chatted a bit more but with a sense of shared identity and understanding. As a fourth generation babalawo and direct descendant of Adesina's Ifa lineage, Pancho is steeped in "Ifa criollo" and knows its validity as a spiritual discipline. At the same time, our little exchange over a very simple charm also reaffirmed the close bonds between West African Ifa and its New World manifestations. Ours is a brotherhood that respects the unique contributions of every productive member. This is what enables us to live the medicine and empower others to do the same. As Ifa says, the right hand washes the left and together they wash the face. "Agara kì í dá oníṣẹ́ Ọlọ́run." God's messenger never grows weary. What we do for one another is ultimately in service to Olodumare. To heal the sick, tend to the unfortunate and sustain the natural world are all ways through which we help bring about the Good Condition.
![]() Orisa Lifestyle Seminar Brunch & Book Signing for People Who Want to Live the Medicine Saturday, August 22, 2015 Youth Uprising 8711 MacArthur, Oakland, CA 94605 Register: http://www.orisalifestyle.com/ola16seminar.html There is a path that the soul takes from one generation to the next. Likewise, each family lineage represents the embodiment of the soul's journey as it seeks to complete its sacred mission. In this journey, you have been called to make a meaningful contribution to the world, according to your family's unique mission. In this regard, the truth and beauty of your personal destiny is marked from the beginning and the critical events of your life - your cohort of friends, love interests, educational pursuits, legal battles, illnesses and losses - conspire to activate your natural gifts and talents and enable you to express something that only you can bring into the world. Each step you take upon the predestined pathway of the soul can bring healing and understanding to you and those were born to serve, no matter what mistakes you have made, no matter what limitations you have placed upon yourself or have been placed upon you by others. It is far too easy to feel lost, disillusioned and betrayed in a world of greed, prejudice and materialism. As institutionalized violence - even against those who are most compliant - increases every day, you probably feel overwhelmed from time to time. But always remember this, no matter how difficult it is to understand what is happening in the world around us, you are in the greatest danger when you lose connection to the pathway of our own soul. When you lose this true sense of self, which is grounded in the mysteries of your bloodlines, you forfeit the natural source of wisdom that gives birth to your purpose and ultimate happiness. As you learn to listen to the voice of your ancestral guardian soul, you find the inner speech that is most instructive, most compassionate and most true. You have not sent yourself into the world, after all. You were sent here to complete the errand started by your ancestors at the very dawn of time. Let us consider the continuation of the sacred text mentioned above, which teaches us this way: One day, all kinds of people; good people and those who do not allow good in other people’s lives gathered together. They then went to Òrunmìlà. They said “Coming back and forth to earth tires us, Òrunmìlà. Therefore, please allow us to rest in heaven.” Òrunmìlà said “You cannot avoid going back and forth to earth Until you bring about the Good Condition that Olódùmarè has ordained for every human being. After then, you may rest in heaven.” - Holy Odu IrosunIwori As we face the storms of change and tragedy that increasingly characterize contemporary life, we desperately need places of refuge. One of the first places to look for refuge is deep inside yourself. This is not a call to rugged individualism, however. You were not born alone. You do not live alone. You do not make the journey of life alone. Countless thousands of supporters have gone before you, accompany you in this very moment and will follow the path that you establish in your lifetime. As you learn to follow the subtle rope of life, that links you to your infinite resources, you move closer to the places of deep unity and harmony that are part of your inner nature and secretly part of the natural world as well. Amidst the chaos of a world gone terribly wrong you can still find the harmony and rhythm of the body, as well as the song within your soul that will help to bring about the Good Condition. In the depths of your soul a spark of vitality and creativity is waiting to be awakened. As you learn to increase your connection to this inner spark, you will be pleased to encounter the intermediaries of the soul, those unexpected guides and teachers, the faithful friends and healers, the animal totems and spiritual cohort who have been sent awaken you to a greater sense of your true identity. You are eniyan, the chosen ones, who have been specially selected by Olódùmarè, the Supreme Being, to bring about theGood Condition. Join us on this path of discovery as we live the medicine that will heal our lives and heal the lives of those we are destined to serve. Seminar Details: DATE: Saturday, August 22, 2015 TIME: 9.00 am - 11.30 am LOCATION: Youth Uprising. 8711 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland, CA 94605 Ose said: My own in Ifa is small but my Ase is potent
Bush baby travels continuously but has no one to dissuade him This is how he became a child of the bush If we walk far too long We will find someone that inspires us to return home Cast divination for Aare That wanders too long But saw no one to remind him of home Aare lost the path back home Aare wandered continuously from place to place - Holy OseOkanran 500 years of wandering is very long. Let us consider the way back home. Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.ObafemiO.com "Ọgbọ́n tí a fi ńkọ́lé ò tó èyí tí a fi ńgbée. " The wisdom required to acquire a house, is nothing to that required to live in it. Get beyond event-driven thinking, which concerns itself with details, and give more attention to relationship-driven thinking, which concerns itself with the quality of exchanges. Stated another way, a house is static and inanimate. But the people who live in the house are dynamic and subject to change. In order to ensure that the constant, personal changes don't create unnecessary division, you have to remain mentally and emotionally flexible. This is particularly true for Africans in America, who have been systematically conditioned to seek out reasons to disqualify one another as worthy partners in business, intimate and political relationships. The Agbole is dedicated to creating precisely those experiences that promote values associated with peaceful cooperation. Live the medicine. Find out more at www.agbole.Weebly.com
Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.ObafemiO. com "Ẹni tó ńlé nǹkan níwájú, ńfi àwọn nǹkan míràn sẹ́yìn. " Whoever is pursuing something ahead, is actually leaving some other things behind. The nature of change requires natural sacrifice. If you're a parent who wants to go back to school, you must sacrifice time at home with your family. If you want to start a garden or practice your art, you have to give up some leisure activity, like watching TV or shopping. If you want to attend the OLA16 Retreat, you have to sacrifice the time and money needed to make that happen. You can't have it both ways. Decide you want it more than you're inconvenienced by it. 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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