I’m going to be straight with you right from the start: if you’re standing at a crossroads in your life and you’re wondering how to actually call on the Orisha, that’s not weakness. That’s wisdom. That’s knowing there’s something bigger than your own two hands, and you’re ready to ask for help. I’ve been walking this path for a long time, and I can tell you that the Orisha are waiting to hear from people like you.
But here’s the thing—calling on them isn’t like making a phone call to customer service and expecting immediate answers. It’s not even like ordering something online and hoping it arrives by Friday. It’s something more real than that, more alive. And I want to show you how.
Why We Call on the Orisha at All
When you look at Yoruba spirituality, you see people who never treated the divine as distant or angry or impossible to reach. The Orisha weren’t locked behind temple doors, waiting for priests to give you permission to speak. They were woven into everyday life—in the kitchen, in the marketplace, in the moment you needed courage to face something hard.
Understanding That the Orisha Want to Help
Here’s what many people don’t realize: the Orisha want to hear from you. They’re not too busy. They’re not tired of listening. They’re not standing there with their arms crossed, waiting for you to prove you’re worthy. These are forces of nature, guides who’ve been helping human beings for generations. Yemaya moves in every ocean. Shango’s power is in every storm. Oshun flows through every moment of creativity and healing and attraction.
When you call on them, you’re not bothering them. You’re entering into a conversation that’s been happening for centuries.
I remember a woman who came to me years ago, completely broken down. She thought the Orisha wouldn’t even listen to her because she felt she’d made so many mistakes in her life. She was convinced she was on some kind of spiritual blacklist. But that’s not how this works. The Orisha see what you’re carrying, and they hear what’s real in your heart. They respond to truth and to genuine need.
Recognizing Your Right to Ask for Support
You belong here. Your needs matter. This is something I need you to hear clearly.
Too many people have been taught—through religion, through culture, through family patterns—that asking for help is shameful. That you should suffer quietly and figure everything out alone. That reaching out to the divine somehow means you’re weak or lazy or lacking faith. That’s backwards.
The Orisha work with people who are willing to be honest about what they need. If you’re standing at a crossroads with a relationship falling apart, with money running dry, with health breaking down, with your purpose unclear—these are the exact moments when calling on the Orisha makes sense. These are your Odu’s lessons, and the Orisha are your guides through them.
The Difference Between Demanding and Requesting with Grace
There’s a spiritual attitude that matters here, and I’ve seen it make or break whether people get results.
Demanding energy comes from desperation, from assuming the universe owes you something, from trying to force your will onto the spiritual world. It’s the energy of someone who’s angry at life and punching the wall. The Orisha respond to that energy, but not in the way you want.
Requesting with grace is different. It’s saying, “I need help, and I’m willing to work with you. I trust that you see something I don’t, and I’m open to your guidance.” It’s the energy of someone standing at a door and knocking, not kicking it down. The Orisha meet you there because you’re meeting them with respect.
Think of it this way: Would you rather help someone who’s yelling demands at you, or someone who respectfully asked for your support? You’d probably help the second person, right? The Orisha feel the same way.
Getting Clear About What You Actually Need
One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is coming to the Orisha with a vague cloud of need instead of a clear request. They’re hoping the divine will figure it out. But the spiritual world doesn’t work on guessing games.
Being Specific Versus Being Desperate
There’s a huge difference, and it matters.
When you’re desperate, you throw everything at the wall and hope something sticks. “Please help me. Please fix my life. Please make everything better.” There’s panic in it. There’s thrashing around without direction. The Orisha can feel that energy, and while they have compassion for desperation, they can’t work as effectively when you’re scattered all over the place.
When you’re specific, you’ve already done some of your own thinking. You’ve narrowed it down. “I’m calling on Shango because I need clarity about whether to stay in this job or start fresh. I’m calling on Oshun because I need to heal my relationship with myself before I can have a healthy partnership.” “I’m asking Orunmila for guidance about the next step in my purpose.”
See the difference? One is desperate noise. The other is a clear signal the Orisha can actually work with.
I’m not saying you have to have everything perfectly figured out. You don’t. But you need to know what room you’re walking into, if that makes sense.
Checking Your Intentions Honestly
This is where people often trip themselves up without realizing it.
Let’s say you want to call on the Orisha about a relationship. Before you do, ask yourself: Am I asking for help healing this relationship because I genuinely love this person and want growth together? Or am I asking because I’m terrified of being alone? Am I trying to control this person’s feelings or get them to do what I want? Or am I asking for wisdom to know if this relationship is even right for me?
The Orisha see the difference. They feel it in the energy of your prayer. And they’re not going to work with you to force, manipulate, or control another person. They will work with you to grow, to heal, to become wiser, to align with what’s actually meant for you.
This doesn’t mean your intentions have to be pure as snow. You’re human. You’re scared sometimes. You want things. But there’s a difference between “I want this, and I’m willing to grow through getting it” and “I want this no matter who gets hurt in the process.”
Why Vagueness Blocks the Work
Vagueness is like trying to text someone directions without telling them where you’re going. It doesn’t work.
When you come to the Orisha with a muddled request, you’re actually blocking your own blessing. You’re creating a fog between yourself and the divine. The Orisha can’t steer you in a clear direction if you don’t know what direction you’re trying to go.
I had a man come to me who said he wanted “success.” That’s it. Just success. But success in what? A career? A business? A relationship? Money? Respect? Influence? You see the problem. The Orisha were ready to help, but they needed him to get clear first.
Preparing Your Spirit Before You Call
You wouldn’t walk into someone’s home covered in mud and expect them to sit down for a deep conversation with you, right? Well, calling on the Orisha requires some preparation too. Not because they’re mean or picky, but because you’re preparing yourself to actually receive what they’re offering.
Cleansing Yourself (Not Just Physically, But Spiritually)
This is one of the most misunderstood parts of spiritual practice.
People think cleansing means taking a shower. That helps, sure. But real cleansing is about shifting your whole energy. It’s about washing away the heaviness you’ve been carrying—the doubt, the anger, the old patterns, the weight of other people’s expectations.
How do you do that? There are lots of ways, and they don’t have to be complicated. A ritual bath with salt and essential oils can work if that feels right to you. Standing in the sun for a few minutes with the intention of clearing negative energy works. Washing your hands while speaking your intention out loud works. Burning sage or incense while you ask the Orisha to clear away what doesn’t serve you works.
The key is intention. You’re saying, “I’m clearing away everything that’s blocking me from being open to receive.” You’re not pretending you’ve never made mistakes or never had doubts. You’re just creating space for something fresh to come in.
Settling Your Mind and Your Emotions
This matters more than people realize.
If you come to the Orisha with your mind jumping all over the place, checking your phone every five seconds, thinking about what you need to buy at the grocery store, your energy is scattered. The Orisha can feel that. It’s harder for them to reach you when you’re not really present.
So before you call on them, take some time to settle down. Even ten minutes makes a difference. Sit quietly. Breathe. Let your thoughts settle like dust particles in water. You don’t have to clear your mind completely—that’s almost impossible for most of us. Just slow it down.
And your emotions? If you’re coming to the Orisha in a rage, that’s okay, but be honest about it. Don’t pretend you’re calm and grateful if you’re actually furious. The Orisha respect honesty more than they respect pretty words. Come to them as you are, but come to them aware of what you’re carrying. That awareness itself is part of the settling.
Creating Sacred Space in Your Home
You don’t need to build an elaborate altar if that’s not your style. You just need a space where you can talk to the Orisha without interruption or distraction.
It might be a corner of your bedroom. It might be a chair by the window. It might be a small table with a candle, some flowers, and a glass of water. The point is to create a container, a boundary that says, “This time and this space are sacred. This is where I connect with the divine.”
Light a candle if you can. Open a window if it’s possible. Put your phone in another room if you’re able. These are simple things, but they tell your mind—and the spiritual realm—that you’re serious about this.
The Heart of Prayer: Speaking to Your Orisha
This is where the real work happens. Not in ritual or ceremony or the perfect words. It’s in the conversation itself.
How to Actually Talk to Them (Plain Language, Real Voice)
I want you to forget everything you think you know about how to pray.
Forget the “thee” and “thou” language. Forget trying to sound spiritual or holy or impressive. Forget reciting words you learned somewhere else. The Orisha don’t want a performance. They want you.
Sit down—or stand, or kneel, or however feels right to you. Look at your candle, or your altar space, or just close your eyes. And then talk to the Orisha like you’re talking to someone you trust. Someone who’s in your corner.
“Yemaya, I’m asking for help. My family is falling apart, and I don’t know how to hold it together. I’m scared. I need your strength, your wisdom, your protection.”
That’s real prayer. That’s what reaches them.
Or: “Shango, I’m standing at a crossroads about my career, and I’m confused. I need clarity. I need courage to make the right choice. I’m ready to do the work, but I need your support.”
Do you see the difference between that and “Oh mighty Shango, grant me your infinite wisdom and divine guidance”? One is a human talking to another consciousness. The other sounds like a greeting card.
Using Your Own Words Instead of Fancy or Formal Speech
Your voice matters. Your specific words matter. Not because the Orisha are judging your grammar or style, but because your words carry your truth.
When you use words that feel natural to you, the emotion behind them comes through more clearly. The Orisha sense that. They respond to the realness of what you’re saying, not to how impressive it sounds.
I’ve heard people pray in formal, beautiful language while feeling completely disconnected from what they’re saying. And I’ve heard people pray in broken English, speaking from raw need, and the whole room shifted with the power of it. Guess which one the Orisha respond to? The real one.
Don’t worry about sounding smart. Worry about sounding like you.
Speaking from Your Truth, Not from What You Think You Should Say
This is the place where many people stumble without realizing it.
You come to the Orisha, and part of you thinks you should sound grateful. So you layer on gratitude for things you haven’t even received yet. You’re trying to manifest with your words. But underneath, you’re actually angry or terrified or doubtful. The Orisha feel both. They hear the words, and they feel the energy behind them. And when there’s a gap between what you’re saying and what you’re feeling, it creates interference.
So be honest. If you’re angry, say it. “I’m angry, and I’m asking for help anyway.” If you’re terrified, own it. “I’m scared, but I’m choosing to trust you.” If you’re doubtful, name it. “Part of me wonders if this will even work, but I’m here asking anyway.”
This honesty is what creates real connection. This is what makes the Orisha lean in and listen.
Offerings: Showing You Mean Business
An offering is your way of saying, “I’m serious about this. I’m not just hoping for magic. I’m willing to give something of myself.”
What Offerings Really Are (Energy Exchange, Not Bribery)
This is important, so listen carefully: offerings are not bribes. You’re not trying to buy the Orisha’s favor with a nice gift. That’s not what this is.
An offering is an exchange of energy. You’re saying, “I’m willing to invest something in this request. I’m willing to give something, not just take something.” It’s the difference between someone asking for help while sitting on their couch doing nothing, and someone asking for help while also rolling up their sleeves.
The Orisha respect that energy. They feel it. When you make an offering—whether it’s time, money, flowers, food, or something else—you’re showing that you value the connection. You’re showing that you’re serious.
And here’s something else: the act of giving the offering is part of the work. It’s not just about what you’re giving. It’s about the intention and the love you put into it. When you light a candle and say, “This is for Oshun, because I honor her and I’m asking for her help,” that moment matters. That’s the exchange happening.
Common Offerings and How to Give Them Properly
Different Orisha have different preferences, and that’s part of knowing them and respecting them.
For Yemaya, water is sacred. You might pour the ocean or a river, or water from your home that you’ve blessed. Flowers, especially white ones, mean something to her. A dish of honey can be an offering.
For Shango, red candles matter. He loves fire and power. Nuts, especially coconut, are offerings he appreciates. A glass of rum, if that resonates with you.
For Oshun, honey is essential. She loves beauty, so flowers matter. Gold or yellow candles. Anything that feels luxurious or beautiful to you.
For Orunmila, palm nuts or kola nuts. Coconut. Clarity and wisdom are what he values, so a meal cooked with intention, or time spent thinking about your situation.
The way you give an offering matters too. You’re not just leaving it somewhere and walking away. You’re offering it to them. You might say, “This candle is for you, Yemaya. I light it with gratitude and with my request.” Then you light it. You sit with it for a moment. You feel the energy shift.
If you’re making an offering of food, you might eat some of it yourself after offering it, or you might leave it on your altar for a night before disposing of it respectfully. There are different ways to do this, depending on your tradition.
Matching Your Offering to Your Orisha’s Nature and Preferences
Getting to know which Orisha work with what is part of building real relationship.
You wouldn’t give your mother flowers if she hates flowers, right? You’d give her something that says, “I know you. I understand you.” The same applies to the Orisha. When you take time to learn what each one resonates with, you’re showing respect and love.
This is also how you deepen your understanding of each Orisha. When you learn that Oshun loves honey because she’s sweet and flowing and sensual, you’re learning who she is. When you learn that Shango appreciates fire and power and directness, you’re understanding his nature.
The Work of Waiting and Listening
After you’ve made your request and given your offering, something happens that a lot of people don’t expect: the Orisha go to work. And you have to wait.
Why Patience Is Part of the Spiritual Deal
Patience isn’t punishment. It’s not the Orisha testing you or making you suffer. It’s just how real work happens.
Think about planting a seed. You put the seed in the ground. You water it. You give it sunlight. And then you wait. You don’t dig it up every day to see if it’s growing. You don’t panic because you don’t see a sprout yet. You trust the process.
Calling on the Orisha is the same. You’ve done your part—the prayer, the offering, the intention. Now they’re doing theirs. And it takes time.
Sometimes it takes days. Sometimes weeks. Sometimes the answer comes in a way you didn’t expect, and it takes you a while to realize it’s actually the answer you asked for.
This patience is where your faith gets tested, not because the Orisha are mean, but because your own doubt and fear come up. You start wondering if it’s really working. You start thinking maybe you should try something else. This is normal. Just keep showing up.
Recognizing Signs That Your Orisha Is Working
While you’re waiting, the Orisha usually give you signs. You need to know what to look for.
A sign might be something unexpected happening. A person calling you out of the blue with information you need. A job posting that appears right when you need income. A song coming on the radio with a message you needed to hear. These aren’t coincidences. These are your Orisha working behind the scenes.
A sign might be an internal shift. You stop feeling as panicked about your situation. A solution occurs to you that you hadn’t thought of before. You feel more grounded, more confident. These internal shifts are real signs that work is happening.
A sign might be something repeating—a number you keep seeing, an animal that shows up in your life multiple times, a dream that visits you more than once. The Orisha speak in signs, and if you’re paying attention, you’ll start to see their messages.
Sometimes a sign is also an invitation to action. Something opens up, and you know it’s time to move. That’s not a coincidence either. That’s the Orisha creating an opening for you to step through.
Hearing the Answer When It Arrives
The answer might not come the way you expected it to, and that’s important to know.
You asked for help with your career, and the answer isn’t a new job offer. The answer is a conversation with a friend that makes you realize what you really want to do. You asked for healing in a relationship, and the answer is clarity that the relationship needs to end. You asked for financial help, and the answer is an unexpected expense that teaches you something you needed to learn.
Sometimes the Orisha answer your question directly. Sometimes they answer a different question—a deeper one that you didn’t know you were asking.
When the answer comes, you’ll usually feel a sense of rightness about it. Even if it’s not what you wanted, there’s a sense of “Oh, that makes sense. That’s exactly what I needed to hear.” That recognition is how you know it’s the answer.
Taking Action on Your Side
Here’s something I want to be really clear about: the Orisha don’t do all the work while you sit passively and wait for your life to change.
The Orisha Meet You Halfway in the Work
This is a partnership. You’re not hiring them to fix your life. You’re inviting them to guide you while you do the work of changing.
Let’s say you’re asking Shango for clarity about a career change. Shango might open doors, bring people into your life, give you signs of which direction to go. But you have to actually look at those doors. You have to have conversations with those people. You have to study what it would take to make the change. You have to apply for the job, or take the classes, or do whatever action your new path requires.
The Orisha are like guides on a trail. They can point out the way, they can warn you about hazards, they can encourage you when you’re tired. But you have to walk the trail. You have to put one foot in front of the other.
When you understand this, it changes everything. It means you’re not waiting passively for rescue. You’re actively partnering with the divine to create the change you want.
What It Means to Move Your Own Feet
“Moving your feet” is a phrase we use in this tradition, and it means taking action in the physical world.
If you’re asking for help finding love, moving your feet means putting yourself in situations where you might meet people. It means working on yourself so that when love shows up, you’re ready for it. It means being open and available, not sitting home hoping someone will find you.
If you’re asking for financial help, moving your feet means looking for income, updating your resume, learning new skills, saying yes to opportunities. It means not just praying and then refusing work when it’s offered.
If you’re asking for healing in your life, moving your feet means showing up to therapy if that’s what you need. It means changing the habits that are hurting you. It means surrounding yourself with people who support your growth.
The Orisha respect this kind of action. They see you taking responsibility for your own life, and they lean in harder to help. When you’re just hoping for magic, there’s less they can do. When you’re actively working toward your goal and asking for their help, that’s when real things happen.
Why Action and Prayer Go Together
I’ve seen people pray for healing while continuing to drink themselves into silence. I’ve seen people pray for better relationships while refusing to look at their own behavior. I’ve seen people pray for financial abundance while treating money carelessly.
The Orisha see that disconnect. They see the gap between what you’re asking for and what you’re actually willing to do.
Real spiritual work is action and prayer together. It’s saying, “I’m doing everything I can on my end, and I’m also asking for the divine support and guidance I need.” That combination is powerful. That combination actually works.
Building a Real Relationship (Not Just Asking for Favors)
One of the saddest things I see is people who only call on the Orisha when they’re desperate. They ignore them for months, maybe years, and then show up with a big request. That’s not a relationship. That’s using someone.
Why Consistency in Your Practice Matters Deeply
Real spiritual power comes from consistency. Not from dramatic, one-time requests, but from showing up regularly and building real connection.
If you could commit to something small—lighting a candle for an Orisha once a week, or pouring libation on certain days, or spending five minutes in silence just acknowledging the Orisha in your life—that consistency would transform your spiritual practice.
When the Orisha know they can count on you, when they see that you’re not just showing up when you want something, they show up for you differently. It’s like the difference between a friend you talk to every day and someone you only call when you need a favor. One of those relationships is solid. The other one feels transactional.
I had a woman who started coming to my work years ago, and she made a commitment to honor Oshun on specific days every month. Not because she needed anything urgent. Just because she wanted to build relationship. Years later, when a real crisis came up, she called on Oshun with absolute confidence, knowing that Oshun had been walking with her all that time. The power of that was incredible.
Honoring Your Orisha Even When Things Are Going Well
This is the real test of whether you have a genuine relationship or not.
When life is hard and you’re scared, you call out. That’s natural. But what happens when life is good? Do you forget about the Orisha? Do you assume you did it all yourself and don’t need them anymore?
That’s when real practitioners keep showing up. When things are good, you give thanks. You make offerings not because you need something, but because you’re grateful. You acknowledge the Orisha’s hand in your blessings.
This keeps the door open. This keeps the channel flowing. This says to the Orisha, “You matter to me. You’re not just my emergency contact. You’re part of my life.”
When the next challenge comes—and life always brings challenges—your Orisha is ready to work with you because you never stopped honoring them. The relationship is already built. The door is already open.
The Difference Between Staying Connected Versus Always Asking for Something
Connected practitioners have a certain quality about them. They move through the world with a different energy. They’re not anxious about whether the Orisha will help because they know the relationship is solid. They’re not desperate because they trust the process.
Needy practitioners, on the other hand, are always asking, always worried, always trying to make deals with the divine. It’s exhausting for them, and it actually creates interference in the spiritual work.
The Orisha want to help you build a life. They want you to become strong, wise, grounded, capable. They’re working toward your independence and your spiritual maturity, not your dependence on them. When you understand that, you stop needing them to fix everything and start letting them guide you toward fixing things yourself.
That’s when the real power shows up.
When the Answer Isn’t What You Wanted
Some of the most important spiritual work happens here, in the place where the Orisha’s answer contradicts what you were asking for.
Accepting What Might Look Like Refusal but Is Actually Redirection
Let me tell you something: the Orisha don’t say no very often. But sometimes they say “not that way” or “not right now” or “not with that person” or “not for those reasons.”
When that happens, it can feel like rejection. It can feel like the Orisha didn’t help after all. But usually, they’re protecting you from something you couldn’t see.
I’ve had people come to me heartbroken because the person they were trying to win back didn’t come back. They felt the Orisha had failed them. But years later, they understood: if that relationship had worked out, it would have destroyed them. The Orisha were protecting them from a future of pain.
I’ve had people pray for a business that didn’t succeed, only to realize later that the business would have failed anyway, and the real opportunity was in something else entirely. The Orisha were redirecting them toward their actual purpose.
Redirection doesn’t feel good in the moment. But over time, you see the wisdom in it.
Trusting the Orisha’s Vision Even When It Contradicts Yours
This requires humility. It requires being willing to say, “Maybe I don’t see the whole picture. Maybe the Orisha see something I can’t.”
Your job isn’t to understand why the answer came the way it did. Your job is to trust that it’s what you needed, and to move with it rather than against it.
I know that’s hard. I’m not saying it’s easy. But the people who get the most from their relationship with the Orisha are the ones who can let go of needing to understand everything. They trust the process. They trust that they’re being guided, even when they can’t see where they’re being guided to.
Growing Through the Work Even When It Doesn’t Go Your Way
Some of your deepest growth comes from not getting what you asked for.
When you ask and receive exactly what you want, you learn something. But when you ask and receive something different, something that challenges you, something that forces you to grow—that’s when real transformation happens.
The Orisha are working on your character, your wisdom, your spiritual development. Sometimes that means giving you what you want. Sometimes it means refusing you what you want so you can become someone who deserves something better.
Pay attention to both. Both are the Orisha loving you.
Common Mistakes That Block Your Prayers
Before we wrap up, I want to touch on some of the most common things I see that actually interfere with people’s spiritual work. Being aware of these can save you a lot of frustration.
How Internal Doubt Sabotages Your Spiritual Work
Doubt is like white noise in your signal. You’re sending a prayer out to the Orisha, but underneath it, you’re thinking, “This probably won’t work anyway. I’ve tried this before and nothing happened. I’m probably not doing this right. Why would the Orisha listen to me?”
The Orisha feel that. They sense the lack of faith underneath your words. And it’s harder for them to work with you when part of you doesn’t believe they can or will.
So be honest about your doubt if you have it. You don’t have to pretend to have faith you don’t have. But you can say, “I’m doubting, but I’m choosing to ask anyway. Help me believe.” That’s enough. The Orisha can work with that.
Why Trying to Control the Outcome Blocks the Blessing
Control is a form of fear. When you’re trying to control exactly how the Orisha should help you, you’re saying, “I don’t actually trust you. I think I know better.” And you’re also blocking yourself from receiving something better than what you thought you wanted.
The Orisha sometimes give you what you ask for in a completely different package than you expected. If you’re rigid about how it should look, you might miss it entirely.
Let go of needing to know how it will happen. Just trust that if you’re asking for something that’s aligned with your purpose, the Orisha will make a way.
The Power of Thanksgiving in Keeping Your Connection Strong
Gratitude is like watering a plant. It keeps the connection alive and growing.
When you make an offering and then forget about it, the channel starts to close. When you ask for help and then never acknowledge that you received it, you’re breaking the cycle. But when you regularly give thanks—for what you asked for, for what you received, for the Orisha’s presence in your life—you’re keeping that channel wide open.
Say thank you. Out loud if you can. In your heart if you can’t. Make a small offering of gratitude even when nothing’s urgent. This is what keeps your relationship strong and your blessings flowing.
Bringing It All Together
Calling on the Orisha is one of the most practical, real, down-to-earth spiritual practices you can do. It’s not mystical or mysterious. It’s just you, asking for help from forces that are willing to work with you.
You’ve got everything you need already. The ability to pray, to be honest, to take action, to build relationship, to trust even when you don’t understand. These are the things that matter.
Start small if you need to. Light a candle for an Orisha that resonates with your situation. Say a prayer in your own words. Make a simple offering. And then move your feet in the world, taking action toward what you’re asking for.
The Orisha are listening. They’ve always been listening. The question is whether you’re ready to listen back—to the signs they send, to the guidance they offer, to the ways they’re constantly redirecting you toward your highest good.
You belong in conversation with the divine. You belong in partnership with the Orisha. And they’re waiting for you to show up, as yourself, asking for what you truly need.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long should I wait for an answer after I call on the Orisha?
There’s no set timeline. Sometimes the answer comes within days. Sometimes it takes weeks or months. The important thing is to keep showing up—stay consistent with your practice, keep moving your own feet, and pay attention to the signs. If you feel drawn to ask again after some time has passed, that’s fine. But avoid the trap of asking repeatedly out of desperation; that creates anxious energy that actually blocks the work.
2. What if I make a mistake in how I’m calling on the Orisha? Will they be offended?
The Orisha aren’t easily offended by honest mistakes. They respond to your intention and your truth, not to perfect form. If you light a candle wrong, or use the wrong water, or say the wrong words, that’s not going to shut the door on you. What matters is that you’re showing up with respect and genuine need. If you’re uncertain about something, just ask for guidance, and pay attention to what comes up.
3. Can I call on more than one Orisha at the same time?
Yes, absolutely. Different Orisha work together in different situations. You might call on both Yemaya and Oshun if you’re working on healing your feminine power, or both Orunmila and Shango if you need wisdom and clarity about taking bold action. Just be thoughtful about it so you’re not scattered. Focus on the ones that really resonate with what you’re working on.
4. What should I do if I feel like the Orisha aren’t listening?
First, check yourself. Are you being consistent, or just showing up when you’re desperate? Are you moving your own feet, or just hoping for magic? Are you paying attention to the signs, or expecting them to show up in a specific way? Often when people feel unheard, it’s because they’re not actually listening. Second, consider whether what you’re asking for is aligned with your highest good. The Orisha might be protecting you by redirecting you. Finally, strengthen your relationship. Make offerings and give thanks even when you’re not asking for anything. That foundation makes everything else work better.
5. How do I know if I’m actually connecting with the Orisha versus just imagining it?
Real connection has certain qualities: things actually shift in your life, you feel a sense of peace or clarity that comes from outside yourself, patterns change, unexpected help appears. When you’re just imagining it, nothing actually shifts in the real world. That said, you don’t need dramatic signs to know it’s working. Sometimes the work is quiet. Sometimes it’s subtle. Trust your intuition, and pay attention to what actually changes in your life. That’s your proof.
About the Author
Chief Awodele Ifayemi is a Babalawo (Ifá priest) with over four decades of experience in traditional Yoruba spirituality. Through Ileifa.org, he serves as a spiritual teacher and guide, helping newly initiated practitioners understand their Odu and integrate their sacred destiny into daily life. His approach bridges ancient wisdom with practical modern application.
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