Well? What do you think?

Tags: women-playing, ilu-bata-drums

Disclosure: What follows is my own highly opinionated, intensely felt, not necessarily correct, and perhaps at times alienating view of Odu, and what they mean.

The Osi-Opon is found in the western quadrant of the Opon-Ifa. This represents the world, as it exist outside your immediate surroundings – friends, extended family, neighbors, associates, business colleagues, etc. The Osi-Opon is the “Not-I” in the aforementioned “I/Not-I” equation. Being the opposite of Otun-Opon, the Osi-Opon represents death, completion, and the place of transformations.

The water element and the setting of the sun represent this quadrant, heralding the closure of the physical and cosmic day. Emotions are also found within this section of the Opon. Kinetic energy returns to its source to be transformed into potential energy once again. It is through the gateway of Osi-Opon that this return takes place. Physicality gives way to death. The final transition is made. The area from the sternum to the pelvis region falls under the auspices of the Osi-Opon.

This quadrant deals with the invisible world and governs those things that are obscured from view. The Osi-Opon is represented by the sacred Odu Oyeku. Read the rest of this entry

From the beginning of times, mankind has known that destiny is controlled by cosmic entities. Esu is the first Orisha that is received and worshipped by any believer of the yoruba/santeria/lukumi religion.

Read the rest of this entry

Ifa Cosmology

According to Ifa cosmology, the Source of Creation is Olorun. The word Olorun translates as “Owner of Heaven.” Owner is used here in the metaphysical sense of owning a secret or being the Source of a Mystery. Heaven in Ifa cosmology is that invisible real that guides evolution. Olorun is the Mystery of Source which is considered to be beyond human comprehension. When Ifa describes Forces in Nature, it refers to those invisible manifestations of Creation that are believed to flow from Olorun. All of the spirits that are recognizeds by Ifa are considered to be knowable aspects of Olorun, while the essense of Olorun remains a Mystery.

When the universe came into Being at the moment of Creation, it was Olodumare, who was given the task of sustaining all that is. Olodumare comes from the root Olo Odu, meaning “Owner of Odu” or “Owner of First Principle.” Mare is a contraction of Osumare who is the Spirit of the Rainbow. In Nature, the rainbow is one of the purest manifestation of light. Olodumare could be translated to mean “The Source of those Forces in Nature that generate the spectrum of light.” As the Owner of Odu, Olodumare can be described as the Mystical Cauldron that contains all the potential forms that manifest from Creation. Read the rest of this entry

Disclosure: What follows is my own highly opinionated, intensely felt, not necessarily correct, and perhaps at times alienating view of Odu, and what they mean.

The northern quadrant, the Ori-Opon, represents the Heavens – the home of the Ancestors and Orisa. This is the spirit world and is represented by the air element. It is from the Ori Opon that the blessings of the gods stream forth. This quadrant marks the spiritual genesis of any physical or spiritual manifestation. This is the realm of potential energy waiting to spring into action. It is the world of infinite possibility. In terms of the human anatomy the Ori-Opon represents the head and the faculties of the mind. The sacred Odu Iwori represents the Ori-Opon.

As I suggested in the article about Ese-Opon Odus, we each have certain Odus with which we are particularly attuned. Anyone who denies that this is the case is not being honest. If we were all in such perfect balance that we related equally well to every quadrant grouping of Odus in the Opon, we would have no reason to be on Earth. We are here because we have work to do, and the work, as suggested by Ifa as well as most other esoteric systems, is to get ourselves into balance. Of the quadrant grouping of Odus which I am particularly attuned, the Ori-Opon Odu comes second, which may seem downright perverse. The Ori-Opon Odu are very difficult Odus. This is a not a quadrant of the Opon where people have a good time. However; we learn some of our most valuable lessons through our pain; comfort carries a tendency towards inertia. Most of us committed to personal growth are in sympathy with these Odus even if we don’t like it very much. Read the rest of this entry

Exploring the Opon Ifa

The Opon Ifa is the great divining tray used in Ifa divination and is also used in the preparation of sacred medicines. Opons vary in size and decoration, but are generally carved from wood and are decorated with the sacred symbols of the Ifa cosmology. A characteristic symbol of the Opon is the Head of Esu that decorates the top quadrant of the tray. Some trays have one, two or even four Esu faces carved around their rim. The border of the tray is usually carved with anthropomorphic figures, each with a special purpose and meaning. The Babalawo makes use of the Opon Ifa when performing divination with the I kin. Read the rest of this entry

Second Witness Ogunda Meji	First Witness Ogbe T’omopon	Primary Odu Ogbe Sotito

Read the rest of this entry

When the master-priest is satisfied with the trainee’s ability in the different branches of Ifá, he allows the trainee to present himself for initiation. Of the numerous stages in the initiation ceremony the four principal ones are described below.

as sísí öpëlë já

The first stage is the ceremony marking what is known as as as sísí öpëlë já (ceremony marking the mastery of the Odù by using the divining chain). This is a very important ceremony involving the offering of sacrifice to Òrúnmìlà and the giving of a feast for all Ifá priests in the community concerned. Read the rest of this entry