Ifa goes on to describe the time when Yoruba people began to depart from the original teachings and practices of their ancestors:
Labirinkiti pi Labirinkiti pi So does Labirinkiti pi Cast divination for uncountable number of Muslim faithfuls On the day they renounced their faith in Ifá A group of uncountable Muslims had renounced their faith in Ifá ‘You all said you would not worship me again’, Ifá said ‘That is all right’ ‘You do touch your head with the ground only once for me’ ‘But you will now touch it with the ground uncountable number of times’ ‘And also your buttocks’ ‘We are worshiping the same God’ ‘No one can prove he knows the secrets of God more than the other’ Ifá says he is not angry Labirinkiti pi Labirinkiti pi Labirinkiti pi Cast divination for uncountable Muslim faithfuls On the day they renounced their faith in Ifá It is Ifá you would be worshiping ‘Both with your head and buttocks, you will worship me’, Ifá said We are worshiping you Labirinkiti pi Labirinkiti pi Labirinkiti pi Uncountable Muslim faithfuls Didn’t you say you will not worship Ifá again? - Holy Odù OkanranOturupon One of my favorite Brazilian songs says, "Sadness has no end; but happiness sure does." It's kind of morbid, I know. But at the same time, it reminds me to really appreciate those moments of happiness. According to the writings of EPEGA, the Holy Odu IworiMeji is closely associated with temporary happiness. In fact, however, many verses of Ifa speak of temporary happiness. One of my favorites tells us about the hunter, who was forced by drought to wander further and further away from home in search of food. Eventually, he stumbled upon a crocodile but before he could kill it, the crocodile spoke, promising the hunter abundance if he would spare the crocodile's life.
The hunter accepted and the crocodile complied. The hunter was magically transported to the land of women, where he was the only man. He married the queen and gained access to everything he wanted for as far as the eye could see. The only limitation was a single door in the palace. The queen advised him to never open that door under any circumstances. For one whole year, the hunter lived a charmed life. Then, he decided to exercise his regal powers by opening the mysterious door. Instantly, the hunter was returned to the river bank, where the crocodile slid into the river. The only thing hunter could do was gather his tattered hunting clothes, and his hunter's bag and return to the hunt. How do you respond to happiness? Think of a time in your life when you were like the hunter. What prompted you to open that fateful door? What have you learned about yourself as a result? How has the experience influenced your relationship to happiness? The OrisaLifestyle Member site is an online resource that is designed to help you break the cycle of temporary happiness. When you become a member, you gain unlimited access to a growing catalog of videos, activities and lessons based upon the teachings of Ifa. Find out more. ![]() When Orunmila was surrounded by enemies, Ifa told him to carry his sacrifice to Esu singing and dancing! "Death, sickness, loss, trouble, ajogun, let me dance to your admiration!" Today, let us all dance with joy as we overcome adversity and ascend the throne of our destiny. Ase! Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.ObafemiO.com Irosu tutu (cool Irosun)
Cast divination for Water Irosu tutu renren (chilly Irosun) Cast divination for Rain Who will produce hail She was asked to offer to have many people They said Rain's life will never be hot, ever Rain does not fall singly I was born in multitude I will never be lonely - Holy Odu IrosunOturupon They say misery loves company and it's lonely at the top. It is precisely these attitudes that help to limit our ability to build healthy and supportive communities. Instead of problem-solving, we tend to complain. Instead of collaborating with like-minded people and groups, we tend to isolate ourselves. Fortunately, Ifa's teachings help to align us with the original perspectives and intentions of the Irunmole. In the verse above, for example, Orunmila affirms our ability to claim good company in multitudes. This teaching, like many others, defies the narrative of loneliness and isolation. But don't take my word for it. Take the 30 Day Never Lonely Challenge. Every morning, first thing, recite this prayer: "Rain does not fall singly. I was born in multitude. I will never be lonely. Ifa, surround me with good people. Ori, as I become more successful, reach out to other successful people. My feet, please carry me to the place where there are good people. ASE!"
![]() Ikadi Did not allow the cat to have wealth Including those in the farm Elegbara said: House cats, do not be excessive On the day we put meat down If you steal it When we cook a nice stew If you swipe it You are overdoing things Being excessive does not allow the cat's wealth To become more than the farmer's Overdoing things - Holy Odu IkaOdi Ifa consistently advises us to do things in moderation. The wisdom of Orisa Lifestyle encourages balance, not extremism. In the Holy Odu OturaIrete, for example, Ifa teaches this way: You have been initiated now go back and re-initiate yourself. How does one re-initiate himself? Through moderation. Speak, but not too much. Eat but, do not over eat. Drink, but do not get drunk. Go into business but don't incur debt. Consequently, Orisa Lifestyle does not lend itself to fanaticism or zealotry. The elders will sometimes say "Do what I do is the beginning of a fight." The tradition quickly recognizes personal autonomy and seeks to protect it at every turn. In this regard, the longer you practice, the more you will realize how important it is to not get carried away. Sometimes, the message of moderation contradicts the American tradition of conspicuous consumption. After all, we are only 5% of the world's population but we consume more than 50% of the resources and generate more than 50% of the world's waste. This makes Orisa Lifestyle a faith that enables transformation for many American devotees. It requires us to reexamine our assumptions and gradually adjust our values. Eventually, in teaching moderation in all things, Orisa Lifestyle helps us to make a more meaningful contribution to our very own futures. ![]() The Yoruba , like other Africans , have always had their own traditional (indigenous) religion which is monotheistic; a belief in Olódùmarè the most Supreme Being and the creator of all there is, who has other divinities as His aides. Religion is the keynote of the Yoruba’s existence; forming the foundation and all governing principles of their lives. Oral literature for instance, enshrines the theology and cosmology of the people, and reflects their ethos and moral values. This is why early Yoruba writers in their works, bear a carry-over of this traditional function in their literary creativities. Being this religious, it is not surprising that the Yoruba received foreign religions like Christianity, Islam and other ones, from the West, East and other places respectively. The fact remains however, that the foreign religions have not been received and adopted hook, line and sinker, to completely replace the traditional religion of the people. In the spirit of Yoruba religio-cultural nationalism, there had been signs of rebellion against the modes, content and practice of the ‘alien’ and ‘threatening’ religions. Their (the religions) appearances of being ‘fashionable’ and that of the ‘enlightened’, and having enlarged the people’s visions, liberated their minds from un-necessary fears and superstitious inhibitions, thereby giving them a progressive outlook and sense of personal values, has led to a kind of syncretism of Christianity and Yoruba tradition. Example of this is the birth of African Indigenous Churches.* The emergence of the African Indigenous Churches, as well as temples, such as Ijo Orunmila Adulawo has its parallel in the Yoruba diaspora, including the Shango Baptists of Trinidad, the Spiritual Baptists of St. Vincent, the Oku and Mami Wata traditions of Guyana, as well as the Baptist traditions of the American South, all of which effectively Africanized the Protestant religion to varying degrees. Today, there is a growing movement to make use of these traditions to complete the Africanization of American spiritual traditions. It signals a tremendous opportunity to continue to build cultural, economic and spiritual bridges between Africa, the Caribbean and North America. Join us for community WORSHIP every Sunday in Oakland, CA. We welcome the Good Spirit. *Language Use in Ìdààmú Páàdì Mínkáílù: A Yoruba Religio-Satiric Play THE FUNDAMENTALS OF ORISA LIFESTYLE 1A SYLLABUS: The class is pretty straightforward in format and content. There are 16 weeks and 16 subjects.
1. ARA: the body 2. OKAN: the intuition 3. EMI: the spirit/breath 4. ORI: the mind 5. EGUNGUN: the ancestors 6. ORI IYA: the maternal soul 7. ORI BABA: the paternal soul 8. ORI ISESE, the ancestral memory/sponsoring ancestor 9. EGBE the spiritual community 10. OWO: the trade/mentor 11. OJA: the marketplace 12. ORI INU character/natural gifts and talents 13. OLODUMARE. the supreme being 14. ORISA: principles of life 15. IFA: witness of fate 16. ORI APERE: the highest self/perfected state of being Each week, we cover the verses, proverbs, rules of engagement for each element there are reading materials each week, as well as some activities at the start and end of class, each student takes an inventory measuring their awareness of each of the 16 elements. Enrollment will be open for a limited time. So, get ready!!! Find out more at http://www.orisalifestyle.com/classes.html The king of Portugal cannot give me that which already mine! This is one of the most pithy lines from the movie Quilombo, which is a Brazilian maroon colony. In this particular scene, we witness a clash of generations, through which Ganga Zumba - the elder - wishes to negotiate with the Portuguese colonists so that Palmares might enjoy peace and grow. On the other hand, Zumbi - the younger - is not at all interested in negotiating. As far as he is concerned, the king of Portugal has nothing to offer.
Today, we find ourselves in a very similar situation, in the sense that the system has offered us everything it can. We have Africanized Christianity, the Ivory Tower and the corporate world as much as we could. Now it is time to accept the limitations of mainstream America. What we seek is not where the White world would have us to believe. That is, everything in entertainment, education, religion, religion, business and politics seems to point to assimilation as the solution. But the truth is, mainstream problems are not the same as ours. Of course, the human condition is filled with universal experiences. But there are also multitudes of problems that are particular to Africans born in America. These problems cannot be solved by assimilating. They require solutions that are consistent with our history and culture. There is no hope in further integration. Our only salvation is in self reliance, what the Yoruba call alatiise. It means solve your own problem! It is a praise as well as a push. Right now, I using it as a call to action: Alatiise! It is not a question of conflict or confrontation with the White man and his world. It is really a question of self acceptance and organization according to the imperatives of reality for Black people in this country and around the world. There is no more value in fighting, demanding and resisting. Instead, let us pull back, regroup and get organized around solving our own problems: Alatiise! Let the Orisa Lifestyle Academy show you how to do well at the same time that you do good. Live the medicine. Register now. www.OrisaLifestyle.com/membership ![]() Important events are about to commence; worthy of shouting from the rooftops; accompanied by ancient rhythms played on sacred drums. Prepare your ears to hear the voice of divine authority. Orisa Lifestyle places a super high value on carefully crafted speech. The spoken word is a vehicle of spiritual power. Anyone familiar with the West African tradition will quickly recognize the invocation that says: The Ase of Orisa is in my mouth The Ase of Orisa is in my mouth Whatever I say is what the deities will support The Ase of Orisa is in my mouth It continuously reminds us of the importance of speaking reality into existence. So, as we face injustice and exploitation by the powers that be, it is necessary for we, the ritual specialists to speak the will of our ancestors into existence all day, every day. Let us rise above cowardice and convenience and call upon our collective spirit to place our community beyond the reach of danger. Ase! But the key here is this: You have to say the words. Define what you wish to see and experience. Ask for exactly the support you know the community needs. Be specific about dates, names, times and amounts. Speaks with precision on ending our oppression. Ase! Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.ObafemiO.com Praises of Ifa do not let us know Ifa Praises of Opele do not let us understand Opele - Holy Odu OkanranOyeku
There is a difference between appreciation and apprehension. Likewise, there is a difference between opinion and expertise. Leadership is mostly associated with measurable outcomes, which have little to do with appreciation and opinion. When it comes to your own spiritual development, it is so important to separate yourself from the urge to obsess over the superficial concerns that seem so popular today. Religion is a language; you can either speak it or you cannot. You can either communicate with the ancestors or you cannot. You are either versed in the vocabulary of the deities or you are not. It is not a question of opinion. It has nothing to do with how people feel about your personality, your lineage or where you were initiated. Ultimately matters is your ability to live the medicine that will heal your life and heal the lives of the people you are destined to serve. 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
|