My Ifa Stories.

‘We are moving away from our dependence on the central guiding authority that traditional have sustained our culture and I came to realise that our society is hidden spiritual message from us, it is concealing the spirituality that forms part of our heritage and by doing so we are giving the future generation especially our children nothing or very little to believe in.’ anonymous

‘The most potent and effective men and women…are those with religious underpinnings to their life…. To not have some kind of spiritual practice in one’s life …is a serious mistake.’ Steve Biddulph, an Australia’s best-selling author.

            The messages of Olodumare for mankind are documented in odu Ifa and embedded in various ifa verses which are passed down orally from generation to generation. Under each odu Ifa are numerous verses which can be applied in various ways. The verses can be used for Iwure (prayer), incantation for charm and medicine, chanting Iyere Ifa, rituals and sermon for people seeking spiritual help and education.

             This is not about just been creative; the stories in this book are historical accounts of events on how the Orisa and people who have existed before us have lived their lives. The accounts of events were taking out of various Odu Ifa collected over years from my father, mother, brothers and elders in the Yoruba traditional religion.      

            While a young Olorisa, each day with my dad is a learning process. I have listened to my dad over time as he lectures us and his students with Ifa stories on our weekly gathering. The stories have lived with me since then.

         There are two hundred and fifty six odu Ifa, much has been documented but not enough can be written. Odu Ifa and its verses are more than messages for clients seeking spiritual help.The meanings are more profound and are vehicle to travel into the ancient time. It is a means by which spiritual teachers and student can conduit into the realm of their ancestors.

           A lot of people want to know what Ifa position on various issues is. As an Olorisa, born and raise a traditionalist, I took it upon myself to look for verses of Ifa that touches on everyday issues that we can related to in today's world, in order to get a look into the past from the present and take the lessons back with us. 
          In this book you will find answers to why we give Iyanle and offering to Egbe orun. Why Babalawo keep the sacrifical items leftover, Why Orunmila is the one everyone goes to to solve their problems, why it is not a good idea to test an Awo. An omo awo who steal from his master, snatch his wife and went rogue. And so many significant Ifa stories.

           My interest in Ifa stories goes beyond self-interest but also to be able to inform and educate people about the relevance of Ifa in our daily lives.

This is my way of contributing to the future of African Yoruba Traditional religion. Ifa stories are Yoruba traditional people time travel machine into the past. It is a compass into the world that exists before us. I hope this book will help people to see how Ifa stories of the past remain relevant till today. The oral art of Africans are rich and they remain living traditions that continue to evolve and flourish today.

My Ifa Stories is available on amazon.com 

www.amazon.com/shops/Brainfolk-AfricanImage

Ifayemisi Elebuibonwww.iyalajemarket.com

Ase ; the efficacy of spiritual work.

                              Ela boru Ela boye Ela bo sise

Some weeks ago I wrote about spiritual shopper and how "The negativity surrounding a healer can block the efficacy of work been done for you. In essence, not all hands are blessed to be place upon your Ori." Today I will like to shed more light on the statement.
Lets take a look at what Ase means in other to understand the scope in which it's been used here. Ase signifies the power to command, or make things happen. It can mean authority,power, coming to pass, effect or command.

       Is it all spiritual healer that have the Ase for efficacy of ebo and other spiritual work?

The answer is yes and no.
              Yes in the terms of having the proper knowledge on know how to perform sacrifice, understanding the sequence and pattern that doing spiritual work follows and leaving it to Olodumare to sanction it. Which gives them the qualification to perform a sacrifice or any other spiritual work.

              And no in the sense that we are all gifted and unique in our own different ways. Hence why not all spiritual healer are gifted with the same potency of  Ase, the power for efficacy for their spiritual work. Hence why Spiritual healer like Babalawo will always pray to Olodumare to allow their hands to work well with the client and allow whatever work they do for the client become acceptable.

Ajegun
 Ajegun is the medicine that the awo gives to the client to enhance the efficacy of the spiritual work to be done or that has been done.  This is seldom done to speed up the efficacy of spiritual work or for some people who I will refer to as omo langidi. Omo langidi is a wooden effigy which is rigid and as well have no feeling or respond to anything whatsoever. So doing spiritual medicine for someone who is omo langidi dont usually work well or won't work at all

So how do you know if a healer got the real juice (lol) or not?
             

The first thing is testimony and then the second is feedback. Testimonies from people whom the healer have worked with both in present and the past. 
       Feedback in terms of patients letting the healer knows their progress, which was why I wrote in my previous blog that most people that visits a Babalawo do not at all time give feedbacks as they progress. Feedback is necessary as it will help the healer know if the problem is him/her, the medicine combination or perhaps the medicine might not be the right choice for the clients.
         Hence why it is essential for a Babalawo to always asked from Ifa which medicine to make for particular client because we are made differently, so what works for a particular person may not work for another. 

to be continue.......................