ORUNMILA IS AWESOME

Good day to you all. My last thought before going to bed last night was that I would get up this morning and repost one of my other posts which i had written several months ago. I was excited at the thought, because It was (I think so) a very good post and I closed my eyes with the happy thought of sharing it again.

So I got up this morning and did my usual morning preparation of cleansing, then I went to my shrines and greeted my Orishas. I then sat before them and meditated for a while, which I do every morning, after which I would say my Oriki’s  and my Iba’s (Orisha Prayers, and pay Homage), I would then play music and meditate upon my Orishas praising them, and honoring them for all that they do for me and my children and my husband. As I said my prayers this morning, I began to play music for Orinmila, owner of the sacred Ifa oracle and second in command to Olodumare, he is otherwise called Ifa at times, and is represented on earth by Babalawo’s.

Also about Iwa-pele  read here , in the post Iwa pele, I do not agree with the author when he writes this, Ifa teaches the idea that you cannot know who you are if you cannot call the name of your ancestors going back seven generations. I have asked several babalawos if this is so, and non have confirmed it to me.

I not only played music for Orunmila this morning, I played for all orishas, but when it came to Orunmila, and upon hearing the singer belting out the words of praise and the praise names which are unique to Orunmila, I felt humbled to be a part of such a wonderful, strong, wisdom filled tradition. I began to think of Ifa/Orunmila and what this deity stands for, what he represents and I silently sent a prayer out to my Head (my Ori Eleda-inner consciousness ) for allowing me to find the Yoruba tradition in this life time, being that I was born in Kingston Jamaica, thousands of miles from Africa and also indoctrinated into christianity, as a child I never imagined that I would ever set my feet upon African soil. I chose a good head! before I came to this earth plane, I chose a good head! Iba my Ori Eleda!

Orunmila is also known as the embodiment of wisdom, and he is. He, in his teachings tells us that we should strive for Iwa (E-wha) Pele (Peh-leh) which is good character, gentle character. One day I was talking on the phone to my children who are in America, I was speaking my Jamaican dialect (patois, of which I am extremely proud of), I had no idea that I was talking strongly, there was excitement in my voice, (I love talking to my kids) mi did ah pop story gi mi pickney dem, and having a good time on the phone.

A Babalawo, Who was around me at the time, waited until I was finished speaking on the phone, and came over to me, held my hands and said “Please, ah beg, in de name of Ifa, please when you speak be as calm as possible. Osun do not like it, Orunmila does not like it, speak calmly, I do not want your heart to race or for your nerves to be up, practice to speak in a calm tone”, lol…I was shocked, and slightly embarrassed. Was I speaking loudly? I am not usually, but I could understand, we were having fun on the phone. This I thought to myself. I smirked and thought again,   “This, from an African?” In other words, what I meant was, when THEY  (Africans) speak they sound as if they are quarreling or always upset at whom they are speaking to, but I have since come to realize it is just their language most of it being very tonal and really not them shouting as most of us may believe.

I said this much to him, and he looked shocked and surprise that I would think that he shouted all the while, (he does, at least ah suh it sounds to me, just kidding, lol). He began to tell me of Orunmila and his teachings, and that Orunmila wishes for us all to strive for what the Yorubas call Suru Suru which is patience or Farabale (Fara-balay) which means to calm down. He said Ifa wanted us to be gentle in our speech, and how we approach life. We should try to be humble at all times, and we should not make quarrel with anyone. We should try to settle all our disagreements, and to never neglect our sacrifices and adhere to our taboos so that we may walk this lifes journey with ease. Orunmila teaches forgiveness and that we should exercise patience at all times. He warns his babalawos to be always humble and not to run after earthly possessions, because they can lead them astray, he cautions them that they are his representatives here on earth and that as such they must use their lives helping others. I want you all to think, how can you use your life in the service of humanity? Do you believe it is important to do so? I do, and I am, as a practitioner of spirituality and tradition, I am in service to all human beings. Here is one of Orunmilas prayers

Orunmila! eleri Ipin

Ibikeji Olodumare;

A-je-ju-Oogun,

Obiriti, A-p’i jo- iku-da

Oluwa mi, A-to-i-ba-j’aye

Oro a-bi-ku-j’igbo

Oluwa mi, Ajiki,

Ogege a-gb’aye-gun;

Odudu ti ndu ori emere

A-tun-ori-ti-ko sunwon se,

A-mo-i-ku

Olowa  Aiyere

Agiri ile-Ilogbon

Oluwa mi: amoitan

A ko mo O tan ko se

A ba mo O tan iba se ke

ORUNMILA! Witness of fate

Second to Olodumare {God}

Thou art far more efficacious than medicine

Thou the immense Orbit that averts the day of Death.

My Lord, Almighty to save,

Mysterious spirit that fought death.

To thee salutations is first due in the morning

Thou Equilibrium that adjusts World Forces

Thou art the One whose exertion it is to reconstruct the

creature of bad lot;

Repairer of ill luck

He who knows thee becomes Immortal

Lord the undesposable King

Perfect in the house of Wisdom

Lord Infinite in Knowledge

For not knowing thee in full, we are futile

Oh, if we could but know thee in full

all would be well with us

Orunmila is second in command to Olodumare, he stands beside Obatala, both are close generals to the Supreme being called God. Orunmila is a very mysterious Orisha who advocates for righteousness and goodness always. Babalawos who are his earthly representatives are taught never to seek anything of the material world that would lead them astray from their path of Ifa and that which would sully them as representatives of Ifa. Should this happen, although it may take some time for the repercussions to be meted out, one who has strayed away from Orunmila’s doctrine would surely feel it, as all that he had procured would be stripped away and he be brought back to his proper position of Orunmilas student and therefore a servant of mankind.

I did not get up to make a post about Orunmila (Ifa), but hearing his music, saying his Orikis and paying homage , and thinking on him, the deity and the character of this wonderful Orisha and his teachings and his wisdom, made me feel humbled, knowing that I, a girl from Jamaica am now a part of this wonderful tradition and also my children have done their initiations and are now studying Ifa along with me.

Africans were brought up into this tradition it is a way of life for them, most of them have cast away their traditional or family practices and have turned nowadays to Christianity and Islam, religions not indigenous to Africa and Africans, yet many throughout the diaspora like myself, are finding tradition, going to Africa and becoming initiated. Many people are throwing away Christianity (no offense to Christians or others) and embracing tradition, Yoruba tradition, and for this I am glad.

Amọ̀nà èṣí kì í ṣe amọ̀nà ọdún yìí. /
A person who knew the way last year will not necessarily know the way this year….Yoruba Proverb! 

[Learn constantly; keep up to date.]

All religion are valid as long as it teaches peace and love…..Obara Meji!

There are no disappointments in life, only lessons learned…..Obara Meji