Month: November 2017

The Essence of Faith

A THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION FOR TODAY:

Simply by memorising the words and teachings of Ifa and transmitting them to other people like you were a tape recorder or a parrot you will never illuminate others. Unless the person who preaches embodies in himself broad life experience and true understanding and the people who come in context with are naturally influenced and enlightened (awakened), his teaching cannot be true teaching.

The full power of Ifa will not manifest in and through a person until such person makes of Ifa principles and practice the center and anchor of his life. The spirit and manner of Ifa has to be his all and everything. This divine spirit has to be assimilated by a spirit of personal and spontaneous self-initiative. The spirit, presence and power of Ifa will come and manifest in our lives without solicitation when we determine to establish ourselves in a mind that is pure and innocent and when our pursuit of truth, honesty and goodness is dauntless and heroic. Even we were to wholeheartedly devote ourselves to cultivating Ifa consciousness (Ifayelele) in our lives, thoughts, conduct and behaviour we would know the fullness of the ase and truth of Olodumare. Know that because we are the literal children of Edumare we can all experience and abide in the spirit of serenity, innocence, joy and peace. While entrusting ourselves to Ifa-Olodumare we must as the same time be resourceful and push forward by virtue of our determined efforts, otherwise we will not truly advance, grow and mature.

When we have no faith we tend to depend solely on our efforts and strength and when our faith is shallow we are liable to rely on relief, aid and salvation from without. We cannot expect to attain perfect faith from the beginning. IT is only by undergoing, confronting and experiencing many mental-emotional trials can be acquire an unassailable faith. Never lose hope. If we simply have the determined and fervent aspiration to approach Olodumare and receive His light. Olodumare will naturally protect us, guide us and lead us in the right direction. Do not forget that being thankful or appreciative is the first and most important step in approaching Olodumare and the Irunmole/Orisa. Being grateful and joyful at all times is the essence of faith. We must look upon everything brightly, as Olodumare’s benevolence.

We must be deeply grateful for all things in the universe. If we come to understand this from the depths of our hearts, then we will be unable to injure anything or anyone. We will learn to make the best use of everything. Still, being human, we are apt to have our attention caught by selfish interests and end up forgetting to show gratitude and appreciation for all the things in the universe. When ones spirit resides in the divine realm of Ile Ase (House or Realm of command, authority and power), everything around us appears benevolent. As long as one thinks ill of people, curses and despises others then no matter how great ones talents, strength, authority or fame may be, on no account can ones spirit dwell in the divine condition of Ifayelele.

God bless you all,
Olayinka Babatunde Ogunsina Adewuyi

When We Encounter Difficulties

From one of our members from North America

When we encounter difficulties and failure and we are overwhelmed by frustration and despair, they are all telling us:

“Return to Ifa-Olodumare.”

When our trust has been betrayed or our love fulfilled, they are telling us;

“Return to Ifa-Olodumare.”

When we begin to feel that life is meaningless, empty or pointless these feelings are telling us:

“Return to Ifa-Olodumare. There can be no genuine satisfaction, peace and purpose in life without the loving presence and guiding influence of Ifa-Olodumare.”

When we see that we are losing our bearings and moral compass in life this awareness is communicating to us:

“Return to Father Ifa-Olodumare and Mother Isese. Return home where you are loved and at peace. Return home where you are safe and protected. Return to Ifa-Olodumare.”

Alafia, Olayinka Babatunde Ogunsina Adewuyi

Why Do We Need Sacrifice – PART 2

Ebo or what we call sacrifices are fundamental tools to induce heavenly or spiritual action and benefits to our lives. The second reason we offer Ebo  is to send messages to the unknown and we call Ebo a great messenger of word and action. Sacrifice carries a lot of messages from the doer to the spiritual point of manifestation and bring back a message of victory, success, happiness and harmony back to us.

Sacrifice go beyond physical realm to meet with the spiritual host of heaven and bring back the messages of light. Love and wisdom to the doer. We read from ifa verses where most divinities sent. Message to heaven to induce total freedom from sickness, death and negative  vibrations of all forms. Orunmila use sacrificial step to wrestle the life of his son from the hand of Iku, one of the agent of ajogun orun (that is death , the agents of the punitive knight of heavenly doom).
According to ifa verse under ode iwori

Ese ifa labe ose iwori 

Ose papa bi oko
Iwori jowolo bii radun
A difa fun orunmila
Yoo raan akirinbiti Ebo lo si Ajule orun nitori omo re
Ebo mo gbogbe o jiyin
Akirinbiti
Mo mo gbagbe o jiyin
Akirinbiti
Boo ba dorun too ba ti jiyin aje

Ka raje rere Ni

Akirinbiti
Mo mo gbagbe o jiyin
Translation 
Ose papa bi oko
Iwori jowolo bii radun
Cast divination for orunmila
He would send a breakthrough sacrifice to heaven for the sake of his child
My sacrifice do not forget to deliver my message
Akirinbiti
Do not forget to deliver my message
Akirinbiti
When you reach Heaven deliver my message of wealth
Let us have good wealth to pocket
Akirinbiti
Do not forget to deliver my message of victory
Akirinbiti
It should be noted and realised that a particular Ebo is an arrangement and presentation of many articles as specified by the particular verse or verses of ifa as chanted by babalawo or ifa priest to the client or devotee in question. It is the natural force of this article that ifa priest would combine based on the instruction of ifa verse for the spiritual message to be delivered to Heaven. The content of the sacrifice must be the favourite foods or articles of the deities or divinities whose blessing or favour are or is being sought. At time taboo may be suggested by ifa oracle to trigger quick action of such deities if divinities. The taboo wake deities up to their full responsibility, but it must done under discipline and experience ifa priest so as not to backfire .
Hence Ebos are messengers .
Alafia

Why Do We Need Sacrifice and Etutu – part 1

Ebo riru and Etutu are two fundamental structures by which the principles of Ifa and the doctrine of Olodumare through Isese are established.

Ebo riru or simply  “Ebo ” can not be explained or given  a concrete  translation into English language. It is more than sacrifices or rituals. It is the fundamental steps by which  the etheric or spiritual or heavenly bodies are appeased to, by giving or offering them what they would absorb or eat in order to carry out certain fundamental function or spiritual duties at the superior or higher level of existence. Since veil or blockage have been established to deter ordinary or physical movement to spiritual level or etheric  realm, certain objects are needed to take our desires and yearns to the level of accomplishment. Which is spiritual realm.  Nothing is achieved at ordinary level without spiritual assistance, that is, the reason we say life is a spirit and spirit is life, without spiritual aids or assistance  life has no meaning. To correct the error associated with life and to improve or aid life to reach its maximum potential call for Ebo riru  or Etutu sise.

Ebo becomes every attempt to forfeit, forgo. ive up certain habit or thought or action during the cause of worship , devotion or adoration or admiration in exchange for better or best circumstances of life. Ebo or what we ordinary called sacrifice  function at all level of life which include physical, emotional, mental  spiritual and divine level.
At physical level, ifa uses words and other material things to change evil situation or misfortune of punitive knight of heavenly doom called Ajogun or Alajogun into blessed and positive vibration.
Hence, ifa advises using of prayer at a perpetual level to change all misfortunes in our life to fortune. When a man is asked to  offer prayer daily  or everyday.  It means he needs to sacrifice his time to do  the chanting or repeating spiritual words and the host  of heaven  hear and things will change for the best.
At the mental level, entail the power to have control of ones  mind when the temptation of life arrest and chock  our mind like animal trapped in the hole or cage. Ifa then suggests the reciting of ifa verse and prayer to replace evil mental thought
at emotional level.  Ifa advises  on perpetual walking on the Mother Earth, that is Ile ogeere  and pray “that just as Mother Earth support every plant and animal in the jungle of life, the Mother Earth should support you and change the unpleasant situation into positive.”  The act of walking and praying on the Mother Earth is not just a physical activities but emotional and spiritua mode l am using the most greatest invisible power in the cosmos to change every evil emotions and feelings into better and positive energy base.
At the spiritual ifa calls for articles and materials to be used for sacrifices. The materials are called  IRARI  AKAPO meaning “buy back for the destiny or ori of the person in question”. The materials are foods used to appease specific divinities to perform certain job on our behalf at the  higher level  of life so that positive step can be made here and here-after.
Hence, we must be sincere with our sacrifice, ensure tha all materials are used to perform the right sacrifices to maintain balance at the point of unseen or point of unknown. Do you realise that the souls that failed to sacrifice become an object of sacrifice themselves and their generation pay the higher price or evil consequences. You remember obi, the woman that sought ifa advise and divination for the fruit of womb and failed to sacrifice believing that the priest would steal her sacrifice or there was no need to offer  such elaborate sacrifice. So also under Ogunda otura.  How the generation of the birds, rats, fish and animal and most stubborn human failed to offer sacrifice and they become the object of sacrifice themselves.  Always try to offer sacrifice, your generation would not only benefit from such sacrifice but your life would attune to greater forces and energies from ether and your steps shall see the light and guidance of divinities.
At the divine level it involve the using of the power of Ela  Omo Osin  Asiwaju  build  or rest on the power of fasting. Prayer   positive thought, vigil and the third eye call oju inu or the inner eyes.
Try to use all or one of the steps when doing your Ebo or etutu or your babalawo is carrying the necessary Ebo to aid your steps for spiritual or divine blessing
ASE
Olayinka Babatunde Ogunsina Adewuyi