![]() Years ago, I worked as a trainer for a consulting firm in San francisco. The training team would work closely with the creative team. Once the trainers developed a curriculum, the creative team was in charge of making educational materials, like handouts, powerpoint templates and posters. This including writing, images, color schemes and layouts. But there was always a noticeable tension between our team and theirs. We - members the training team - were the ones who wrote the curriculum and would ultimately deliver the instruction. And so, we felt a sense of ownership over the materials and never really understood why Creative was always taking so many liberties with our stuff. All we wanted them to do was "make it pretty." One day, after a heated discussion between the head of our department and theirs, I went back to Creative in search of answers. I wanted to understand why they didn't seem to get it, no matter how many times we explained it to them. I couldn't accept that, just because they were artists, they were totally incapable of practical thought. So, I walked in, sat next to one of the members of Creative and just asked her one question; "Could you explain the thinking behind why you changed the text that I wrote for this particular learning tool?" She didn't even have to think about it. "You're going to use this in the training session, right?" I confirmed. "Yep." And so she continued. "But then, you're going to leave it with them to share with other people, right?" Again, I confirmed. "Yes, that's right." Then she brought it home. "You're going to be there to teach them what it means and how to use it. But you can't be sure they're going to do as good a job as you are. They might not explain it at all. They might just put a stack of these on the breakroom table. So, if somebody picks it up and they get no explanation at all, I want it to tell them all the important things that YOU would have told them in person..." And then she showed me the original and she was so right. "You're brilliant! Thank you." What did I learn that day? I learned the importance of a name. As long as we thought of them as "CREATIVE," we were going to set our expectations accordingly. But that day, I started to call them the Theme Team. I learned to respect the fact that they were going to make sure every aspect of the message was congruent and consistent with the lessons we were going to teach.
In your own life - personally, professionally, spiritually - people will identify you by commonly accepted names; you're a secretary, you're a mistress, you're a physician, you're an account manager or an emergency medical technician. But the reality of your role and function might be radically different from what your title suggests to most people. Consequently, there can be constant tension between yourself and those you serve because there is a discrepancy between what you ACTUALLY do and what they THINK you do. What's the solution? Stop using your title to define your work. Instead, tell people the OUTCOMES of your work; I provide hope for the hopeless. I help upwardly mobile African Americans discover their ancestral promise. I guide African American professionals from spiritual materialism to the optimization of their natural gifts and talents. When you focus on the outcomes, you become a storyteller. Let's use one of my examples above to illustrate further. When I say, "I help upwardly mobile African Americans discover their ancestral promise,' that is a story. It suggests a journey and that journey evokes feelings. When I tell people that is what I do, they want to know more. If I merely said, "I am a counselor," the listener would be more likely to draw her own conclusions, based upon her personal experience with counselors, which may or may not align with what I actually do. So, in conclusion, it is important to be strategic and precise about how you define yourself and your contribution. Ideally, the description of your work should invite people to become a part of your visionary goal, to help bring about the Good Condition. People say children have short attention spans. But that's not quite right. I have watched them play the same imaginary game for hours a day. When I directed Camp Iwalewa, every day we dedicated several hours to unstructured play time. The children would build cities from sticks and rocks, create races of invisible peoples and tell elaborate stories that borrowed characters from tv shows and comic books. Children have incredible attenten spans. They just get bored with the adult world. Now that I think of it, most adults get pretty bored with the adult world, too! We just have more practice keeping our butts in chairs. But given the chance, wouldn't you love the opportunity to put in a couple of hours of daily play? I mean, if you could get paid and not get into trouble, wouldn't you enjoy hanging out with your peers, playing games in your favorite places??? I would! So why don't you make it your business to play more? I mean, is there anything that makes it absolutley impossible for you to incorporate a playful approach to your life, your work abd your spiritual development? Orunmila himself is known for being playful and wise, as expressed in the song that says, "Erere o! Erere o! Ere ni baba wa se. Ko ma ja!" It means Play, play, play! Play is what our father engages in. He does not fight!" Living the medicine includes bluring the line between work and play. ![]() What comes easily and effortlessly is probably most comfortable, too. For example, if you're a good conversationalist, then you are probably comfortable talking to just about anybody. But have you ever met someone who just talked too much? Likewise, if you're a natural introvert, then you're more comfortable as a quiet observer, which is not necessarily a problem. But have you ever been in a situation that required someone to speak up but they chose to simply smile and nod? If so, then you know that staying in your comfort zone can sometimes get you into a rut. If you're not careful, your life can end up stagnant and boring. So, the question is "How do you create create self-awareness?" Self awareness starts with admitting to yourself that there is more to learn, more to become, more to do and more to have. There is a prayer embedded in an Odu Ifa that say, "If there is a place better than where I am today, may my ori please behold it; may my feet carry me there." Within each of us, there is an underlying desire to experience a richer, more soulful life. This is the journey of humanity, which started with Obatala, the orisa of creativity. It was, after all, Obatala who set out from the heavenly realm to create the earthly realm as we know it today. As Olodmare's master sculptor, Obatala shaped and moulded the earth and all of humanity as well. This is why, when we meet an expectant mother, we pray "May Obatala sculpt a masterpiece. Ase!" In this sense, humanity is synonymous with the creative energies associated with the journey of continuous improvement. The key to continuous improvement is optimization. So, for the extroverted conversationalist and the introverted observer alike, the challenge is to known when to talk, what to say, when to listen and what to listen for. When you're able to chose your words wisely and strategically, they will be more likely to achieve the desired effect. This is not only true of your speech, but every area of activity, from making love to spending money to participating in spiritual works. Ifa teaches in the Holy Odu OturaIrete: "You have been initiated, now you must reinitiate yourself. Once you have been born, try to become reborn. One who knows moderation will never fall into disgrace. I say, who knows moderation? Orunmila says, he who is working. I say, who knows moderation? Orunmila says, he who does not squander his money. I say, who knows moderation? Orunmila says, he who does not steal. I say, who knows moderation? Orunmila says, ho who owes no debts. I say, who knows moderation? Orunmila says, he who never drinks alcohol. I say, who knows moderation? Orunmila says, he who never breaks an oath with a friend. OturaIrete, one who wakes up at dawn and meditates upon his own activities... - Holy Odu OturaIrete Consequently, it is through disciplined self evaluation that you learn to optimize your natural gifts and talents. By painstakingly reviewing your conduct you discover the dark corners of your mind, the hidden motivations and striking inconsistencies. It is not a journey for the weak. But for those willing to learn the truth about themselves, the reward is a life without disgrace. This is the essence of what it means to live the medicine that will heal your life and the lives of those you were born to serve. Learn more at the Orisa Lifestyle & Mental Health Retreat.
![]() Religion is the vision of spirituality. Lifestyle is a activation of spirituality. Even when you perform divination, sacrifices, rituals and ceremonies, you're still only coming into contact with spiritual principles. In the Holy Odu OdiOgbe, Orunmila posed a riddle to a conclave of Babalawo. As they were all assembled, he said, "The divinity who would make life better has truly arrived. Who can name that divinity?" First they thought that it was Ogun. Orunmila reminded the awo that Ogun is given to decapitating people. "That's not an improvement." Next, the awo proclaimed that it must be Olodumare. Now, Orunmila reminded them that Olodumare had left humanity at the mercy of Esu, the ajogun and omo araiye. "That's not improvement." Again, Orunmila insisted that the one who would improve people's lives had truly arrived and again he urged the all the awo present to identify that entity. Now, the awo replied that it must be Orunmila himself! At this, he just laughed and reminded them that when people come to Ifa with pressing questions, Orunmila will speak in the cryptic language of aphorisms, proverbs and axioms. He illustrated the point by saying that if there is a snake in one's backyard, Ifa will only advise that person not to go into the yard because there is danger. If, in defiance, the individual decides to go into the yard anyway and runs into the snake, it is only then that he will remember that Orunmila had told him not to do it. Finally, the awo conceded. "We do not know the identity of the one who will make life better. Baba, please reveal it to us." It was at that point that Orunmila declared that it is ORI alone who will improve one's life! It is only ori who leads the soul from heaven to earth and back without ever departing. This sentiment is fully expressed in the Holy Odu OgundaMeji: Ifa said it is Ori It is Ori alone, who can follow his devotee to a distant journey over the seas without turning back. If I have children on earth, it is Ori whom I will praise. My Ori it is you. All the good things that I have on earth. It is my Ori to whom I will give praise. My Ori, it is you. Ori I hail you, You who always remembers your devotees, You who gives blessings to your devotees more quickly than other gods. No god blesses a man without the consent of his Ori. Ori I hail you, You who allows children to be born alive, A person whose sacrifice is received by his own Ori, Should rejoice exceedingly - Holy Odu OgundaMeji Please join us at the Orisa Lifestyle & Mental Health Retreat and learn more about activating your spiritual values. Register today. ![]() If one sleeps alone sleeps badly Only Olorun can wake him This was Ifa's message to a stranger, Who was going to a field to stay for good So that he might get someone to help him Lift the load to his head (to carry) He was asked to sacrifice a hen, thirty two hundred cowries and Ifa leaves He heard and sacrificed The stranger got to the field And prepared his load He looked right He looked left He looked forward He looked backward He saw no one He said, This is now the load of Olorun Then, Efulele, help me carry this load to my head, Efulele You do not know that those who have No people will put their trust in Olorun? - OsaIrete Lonliness is a silent killer. When you feel isolated and alone, your problems seem insurmountable and your blessings only seem to offer short term enjoyment. We need other people to help guide us into deeper levels of humanity. This is why they say People are people because of other people. Yet and still, you have to resist to temptation to externalize your experience. That is, in the same way that you chose your destiny alone, in the presence of Olodumare, there are many other decisions that you must make alone. This is the only way to truly reinforce your original choice. Ultimately, you can only lead others where you're willing to go yourself. If we are to believe in your vision, you have to demonstrate your conviction by making choices that support that vision, sometimes in spite of popular opinion. Live the medicine." Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.ObafemiO.com "Birth is a trauma and a gift at the same time. In fact, every rite of passage and initiation can be characterized as a traumatic experience that activates the spirit in some way or another. Even when we have no access to formal ritual and ceremony, the path of destiny guides us into precisely those experiences that will enable spiritual awakening. This is why I insist that all of life is initiation. Living the medicine means recognizing this truism and deliberately selecting those experiences that will heal your life and heal the lives if the people you were born to serve. The Orisa Lifestyle & Mental Health Retreat will offer carefully crafted experiences that are designed to raise awareness, facilitate personal ritual and support meaningful change. Register now! Bring three people and the fourth attends for free! www.ObafemiO.com/ola16-retreat." Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.ObafemiO.com ![]() "Authority is synonymous with recognition. And as such, there are some specific criteria that you must meet before you are acknowledged as an authority. Being a parent does not guarantee you parental authority. Being initiated does not mean you automatically have priestly authority. Having a degree (i.e., a title) does not confer subject matter authority upon you. In every instance, you must demonstrate your ability to perform at an acceptable level of excellence in order to be recognized as a true authority. I'm not talking about the one trick pony here. Instead, I want to draw your attention to those individuals whose contribution has been so exemplary that their peers, subordinates and superiors all recognize as being dignified and trust worthy. Orisa Lifestyle is based upon real authority, that has been filtered through direct experience and proven ability. Knowledge is called imo, for example. By definition, imo is what you have seen or experienced yourself. Otherwise, it is called igbagbo, which is belief. So everything Westerners call knowledge only amounts to mere belief, according to Orisa Lifestyle. When someone says 'the spirits told me this' the elders will say 'Prove it.' And so, if you are initiated in the West African tradition, you must be fully possessed by the deity in order for it to be recognized as truth, for example. Spiritual authority is not child's play! And so, the elders will tell us that the head of the elephant is too large for the child to carry. Still, even children are respected as authorities within their own rights. Thus, Ifa teaches us that, while the arms of the child are too short to reach the altar, the hands of the adult are too large to reach into the medicine gourd. So, what the elders ask the children to do, let them do it. Likewise, what the children ask of the adults let them comply, because there are things that fathers must do for their children. Authority is integral to our lifestyle and the wise ones know how to recognize it in all its manifestations. The Orisa Lifestyle & Mental Health Retreat is for those who wish to cultivate their personal authority, from the inside out. Register before July 31 and save $100. Bring three people and the fourth attends for free." Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.ObafemiO.com ![]() “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.* You will be tempted to confront adverse situations and personalities. In fact, we have placed a high value on being able to do so. Courage, valor and strength have become synonymous with confrontation. At the same time, however, if the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. So, if you approach your own spiritual development as a battle then you will spend the rest of your life at war with yourself. How can you win such a battle and be healed at the same time? So, when it comes to your own learning and spiritual development - which are fundamental to ALL forms of change and healing- you cannot fight your existing reality. Instead, you must make it obsolete. Your anger, temper tantrums, laziness, procrastination, self doubt, insecurities and contradictions must all be made irrelevant. But let's be very clear; I am not suggesting that you ignore your weaknesses and flaws. That would be foolish. I am affirming, however, the fact that your goal is to outgrow your weaknesses and flaws. You must expand your awareness - as well as your habits - in ways that reveal how certain traits may have been useful in the past but serve no real purpose in your future. For example, once upon a time, you did not know the alphabet. You thought that ELEMENO was the letter before P, right? It would have done you absolutely no good to fight against that reality. Instead, you merely needed to learn the letter correctly. Once that happened, your prior thinking was made obsolete. And so it is that learning one lesson is fundamentally no different from another. They all require a change of perception and practice. Please join us at the Orisa Lifestyle & Mental Health Retreat, where like minded devotees, priests and human development professionals will come together to live the medicine that will heal each of our lives and the lives of the people we are destined to serve. BRING THREE AND THE FOURTH PERSON ATTENDS FOR FREE! And if you register before July 31, you will receive a $100 discount. http://www.obafemio.com/ola16-retreat.html#.U8pknoBdVgs” Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.ObafemiO.com ![]() Sometimes, practitioners of Orisa Lifestyle merely imitate one another in the name of tradition. Because we lack a truly comprehensive understanding of the history, the breadth and the psychology of Orisa Lifestyle, we are tempted to copy what others APPEAR to be doing. This is true of everything, from style of dress to the kinds of pictures we share online to the definition of our spiritual goals and aspirations. Here, it is important to emphasize the irrefutable fact that there are things that you simply cannot copy. Ifa teaches us that "People are my clothes," which indicates the importance of having very close supporters, who will protect you and make you look good at the same time. In this regard, no matter how diligently you try to imitate other devotees, you cannot copy the people, the culture and the heritage that surrounds them. You cannot duplicate their assets and capabilities, as those have been developed as a result of confronting a particular set of historical and environmental realities. Ultimately, the ability to differentiate yourself from others is really what Olodumare intended. The elders will sometimes say that "We are all unique and different. Let the fingers on your hand be a reminder." That is, just as every finger is a different size and plays a unique role in your ability to do things, so is every individual unique and for good reason. And while there are numerous ways to distinguish yourself within the framework of Orisa Lifestyle, I want to highlight just a couple: Quality: The BEST way to stand out is to consistently deliver high quality performance, relative to your natural gifts and talents. Once you have become consistent, the people you serve will trust you. Then, your name alone will be enough to win confidence and you won't have to worry about trying to fit in by following cookie cutter appearances. Innovation: Being innovative is one of the most universal human values. It was Buckminster Fuller who said that the best way to overcome adversity is not by fighting against it. Instead, the BEST thing to do is to make it obsolete. In other words, be a creative problem solver. Help people to get good results in a better way without compromising the integrity of your tradition and your practice. Serve: We don't talk about it openly enough, perhaps, but loyalty is extremely important in Orisa Lifestyle. The BEST way to win loyalty is not through control, however. If you want people to remain loyal to you and your spiritual community, you have to demonstrate real concern for the people you serve. Tricks and stunts will hold people's attention for a little while. But if you can communicate your philosophy of service to the people you serve, your people will feel that you care for them. Think about it: It is a lot easier to like someone who likes you. Ecosystems Approach: I am amazed at how few priests and practitioners have taken on local issues. I mean, just through a casual survey of my clients over the years, the social trends are pretty obvious. Youth development, ancestral societies, environmental sustainability, economic empowerment and family management are just a few of the recurring themes that crop up year after year. When you integrate these concerns into your practice, it provides a way for you to connect to the substantial group of others in your community who care about the same issues - are might be doing something about it. What you also need to know is that these are the characteristics that will strengthen your position and make you stand out in the crowd. Stated differently, when you demonstrate your values, it becomes increasingly difficult for others to copy with a trip abroad and a few pictures on Facebook. Practicing your spiritual values has the most powerful influence on your relationships to the people who matter most. More than initiations and more than titles, it is through your contribution that you will earn credibility and reveal your higher purpose. At the Orisa Lifestyle & Mental Health Retreat, we will offer you proven knowledge, coaching and social technology that will help you live the medicine that will heal your life and the lives of the people you were born to serve. Register before July 31 and save $100. Also, for every three people in your group, the fourth person attends FREE!!! |
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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