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Comparison between religion and Ifa

Religion vs. Tradition: What’s The Difference?

Yesterday, I wrote a WhatsApp status that attracted many comments and questions. But I found one question in particular very important.

But first, here is what the status read:

Image Source: Obara Meji’s Whatsapp

The question later asked of me was this:

“Greetings Obara, this is a different definition to Ifa, I observe. I understand Ifa is not a religion, but what would you call the ritual aspects of Ifa… Isn’t that the religious aspect of Ifa?”

I was very happy to see this question because, as you all know, I love questions. And so, here is what I replied:

“The word religion comes out of the Latin word, Religio, which (in olden times) meant ritual, more specifically sacrifices. Present day organized religions are worships.

Ifa is not based on worship. Ifa is a literal way of life. What this means is that Ifa defines how a group of people perceive and interpret life, and therefore try to live in balance with it THROUGH propitiation and the guidance of Eternal Wisdom (Ifa). Propitiation is the act of creating balance. To put positive where there is negative. Or in some people’s cases (those who choose the bad road), to put negative where there is positive.

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When the human is out of alignment with the natural forces of the Universe, the idea of “appeasement” is not a worship of deity, but the act of balancing what has become off-balanced. To appease is to pacify a particular energy which will result in a particular outcome when it manifests into the humans “physical” life.

Religion, in the modern sense, is NOT based on balance but the total and everlasting battle between so-called “good and evil” forces, rather than a balancing of the human with his environment. If the human is unaware of his imbalance with the ground, he may find opportunities difficult to achieve. Wisdom (Ifa) will guide the human to where he must appease (balance) so as to life as One with the Earth again.

Now, to translate this appeasement, a sacrifice in form of palm oil, for example, to Eshu (the deity associated with roads) might be proscribed. The palm oil is a spiritual message of calmness to a hot energy. When the Earth is cooled, so, too, is the life of the person for whom the appeasement was done for. Worship in religion is an undying devotion to an external force.

IFA is the appeasement forces for the spiritual growth of one’s self. When these forces are balanced, one’s road becomes clearer and one’s perception and understanding of life shifts to a new height. It is not a religion in the present day definition.”

People often misinterpret what Ifa really is.

Ifa is a religion” “Ifa is “fetish” (i.e. a form of evil spellwork)” or for those who are followers of the tradition probably interpret Ifa this way:

Ifa is the spirit of wisdom and oracle.” or “Ifa is an orisha (deity) that guides human beings in life.” These two interpretations are not wrong, but they might be missing some very important details.

Firstly, Ifa is the oracle and the energy associated with oracles is wisdom. Therefore, wisdom has become personified (i.e. given identity) called Orunmila. Babalawos (Ifa’s priests) are representatives of this entity. Since they are representatives, they must embody all that the entity is, and live a particular life in order to maintain the purity that is natural to the entity they represent.

In other words, they are literally human manifestations of wisdom, and must act therein. Why must they act this way? Because this is how they now become wisdom itself. Those who are “misrepresentatives” are those who have not released human desires and material attachments (for this keeps them further away from spiritual ascension). This is why Ifa priests must sit on the ground, remove their caps and shoes when divining. This act is a show of humility, a virtue that walks with wisdom.

But why is Ifa not a religion, if, it, too, has Holy Priests?

Before modern religions, every community had a priest. This way of life was what defined normal life in ancient times. It was not differentiated as “spiritual life”, a separate lifestyle from the physical. It was One Life. The tradition of Ifa maintains this mentality. When modern religions were born, their new lifestyles were built off of what was already familiar… tradition. This is what makes the similarities between ancient practices and modern religions.

However, divisions are created to maintain power in certain places, and maintain powerlessness in others.

Ifa Is A Tradition Of Alignment Between Man and Natural Forces

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“Natural Forces” are forces that are inescapable. They exist all around us as much as we do, and we encounter them everyday. One of the main differences between Religion and traditional practices (all traditional practices, including Ifa) is that Religion is an everlasting battle of good vs. evil, a never-ending cycle of evil forces disturbing the peace of Holy Religious people.

In traditional practices, the concept of “good and evil” does not exist. Everything simply is. Man must learn his place among them to get from one phase to another phase on his journey to elevation. The more Man aligns with these Natural Forces, the more One he becomes with them, rather than a battle between he and these forces. So where he walks, the Forces of Earth protect him (obstruction = blocked roads, blocked opportunities, confusion | alignment = opened roads etc). Where there is iron, his roads are cleared for him not obstructed by this force (obstruction = police, guns, knives, prison, etc | alignment = smoother road to success/opportunities). Where there is water, his life is sweet, fulfilling, prosperous (as water naturally multiplies and spreads). But if the water becomes murky (this is the obstruction), it manifests as illness, floods, barrenness, lovelessness, etc.

All Forces has two sides to them and both opposition forces always walk together. The Negative is the elder of the Positive and will always walk before the Positive. This is where Ifa and sacrifice is imperative in creating balance.

Let me give you a quick example:

A woman, let’s call her Sally, offends another woman, let’s call her Maya, one day. It is an ordinary argument to the naked eye. But Maya, unbeknownst to herself and Sally, has a spirit that belongs to the energy of sweet water. When Sally offends Maya, driving the woman to tears, Sally skips off with victory.

But 6 months later… Sally finds she has a leaking roof. Nothing out of the ordinary, she fixes it as soon as possible. 5 years later, Sally finds she has a stomach infection.

What is happening here is not that Sally is cursed, or that she is being punished for her offense to a child of the water, but it can be explained this way for easier understanding. If Sally were to visit a Babalawo, the Ifa oracle might tell her make a sacrifice to Osun, the deity of sweet waters and she will be cured.

What happened to Sally is that the energy of sweet waters began working in the opposite way in her life, rather than positively. Swirling around in the Earth Realm is the energy of sweet water, something Sally can not avoid. So when she comes into contact with it, it will have a negative effect in her life. When sacrifice is prescribed to the energy, effects of the energy is changed to a positive one, aligning Sally, once again, with this energy.

If Sally visited a Babalawo before the offense occurred, she might have been told that an argument is on its way, and she must avoid it, and a sacrifice to Oshun may still be prescribed. The reason this sacrifice may still be prescribed is to let’s say appease the energy to prevent offending it. Now, spirit, or energy, does not have emotions but Maya is the embodiment of this energy, so when Sally offends Maya, it is the energy that has been offended because the energy is manifested in Maya.

One of the main differences between Ifa and Religion is this:

Religion in the modern definition of the word implies an organized cult-like group of followers of a particular figure.

Traditional practices uses codes to interpret the world around them. With this knowledge, the human will live his term on Earth in accordance to his understanding of the Earth. This means that Ifa also interprets religions.

In one coded interpretation (an Odu called “Ose Otura”), the Christian religion can be found. I spoke to a Babalawo who recounted Jesus’ birth in the strangest, yet most interesting story:

Yes! Of course Ifa talks about the Christians in Ose Otura,” he said. “The Jesus is called Jewesu (Jesu – Je.We.Su), it means to “eat irosu leaf” in Yoruba. When Maria wanted to have a baby, she went to a Babalawo. The Babalawo gave her the irosu leaf to eat, and told her how and where she must do it to become pregnant.”

The Babalawo laughed merrily at the story.

Many people would have thought the Babalawo to be crazy for a widely unheard of recount of the Jesus tale.

But here is what is really happening here…

Ifa exists in the Bible, as much as the Christians (and Muslims) exist in Ifa. Remember, Ifa is literally the oracle, and Orunmila is the wisdom of the oracle. This means that anywhere on Earth where there exists an oracle, there exists Ifa. For where ever there exists an oracle, there must exist wisdom. And where there exists oracles, there exists diviners or interpreters, in other words, priests (or Babalawos). So in Ifa’s recount of the Biblical myth, the oracle tells us the same Truth through the perception of natural forces, i.e. the leaf that brought forth Jesus.

Since Jesus, or Jesu, was named after the leaf, the tale is meant to tell us that the life force of the leaf became an entity.

Here, you might be looking for a) historical accuracy or b) even if it is myth, it should be the correct myth, or c) even if neither historically accurate, or myth, it should at least make sense, and there is no leaf suggestion in the Bible.

But the Christian Bible tells of Jesus’ birth to be of immaculate conception, meaning that the Supreme God was the one who impregnated her, and this, too, is not wrong. Jesus is implied to be self-created, just as the Sun in Egyptian texts is self-created, being the only divinity without an assigned “parent” (“familial” relationships in divinities are explained by the “coming of” one thing into another, such as the sky “holding” the sun, and so the sky takes on a feminine, motherly role). Since Jesus is self-created, the Ifa tale explains that it was no human who impregnated Mary, but spirit.

In the interpretation of the energy called Otura Meji, this is known as the “Muslim Odu”. In fact, when the Odu “falls” (in other words, during divination, when this energy enters the space in non-physical form, its insignia is marked onto the divination tray) the Babalawos must salute this energy in Muslim salutations.

There are Truths in all doctrines and dogmas. This is how a cult-following is developed. Words bound together by leather making it a book tells stories of ancient times and mysterious things. However, Ifa is an oral tradition, too vast to be placed into any book.

Where Religion makes its mistake is in the idea of limiting and chaining all existence into a few pages of a book. This is impossible because life and all therein continues eternally. How can knowledge, that never ends, have a closing chapter?

This is why ancient traditions remain oral. Teachings are not for the purpose of remembering and reciting. They are meant to be lived. When you live it, it is real and this reality defines where you are and where, how and when you will elevate.

There should be no need to value one thing and de-value another, because everyone is consciously where they currently ought to be.

If a person can only view life from a lesser level, his perception is not a wrong one, it is merely how he sees right now, but he must learn that perceptions evolve and advance. The more he advances, the less “material” life appears to him, and the less affected by it he is. Unbeknownst to many people, life does not get harder, it is meant to get easier. Difficulties are only real to those who have not yet advanced their perception.

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I, too, have evolved. When I first became awake, I was so staunchly against Christianity and its restrictions, historical inaccuracies, hypocrisy, politics, control, and repression. But one day I heard a voice tell me “Do not argue with them anymore. Everyone is where they ought to be.” It was one thing to know that, but it is now another to live it.

We exist so that we may evolve.

Evolution has no expiration. So there continues the story…

Obara Meji

Featured Comment:

“Iron Sharpeneth Iron and the countenance of one brightens the other” Proverbs 27:17

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Chris2Rich
Blogger
Chris2Rich
2 years ago

This is beautiful! Thanks for so eloquently explaining this subject that I have for so long g been trying to find the words to explain! Thank you for this! This hit all the right spots!!

Dee
Blogger
Dee
2 years ago

Thank you

TCZ
Blogger
TCZ
3 years ago

Wow!!! This post is so deep! I am quite sure that I will be meditating upon the wisdom offered within for a very long time…

Thank you again for the gift that you so freely offer to your students Obara! I am truly honored to be able to partake of your many profound thoughts, insights, and esoteric wisdom.

bbeey
Blogger
3 years ago

” Everyone is where they ought to be we exist so that may evolve” this true wisdom thank you obara meji. My question is what are the likes and dislikes of people from sweet waters?
* If sally goes and apologised to maya for hurting her with words and maya accepts the apology wouldnt that pacify the energy she has offend?
*What are the characteristics of someone who is an embodiment of the energy FIRE?

beeby
Blogger
3 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

Thank you very much!

Raypower76
3 years ago

Good morning Ma,

I honour you!

Each time you post an article, personally, you are taking me to a higher realm to show me all the answers to my questions I’ve been asking myself for so many years…

Thank you sooooo much for what you are doing. You are doing abundantly well for mankind. I sincerely appreciate your generous and humanitarian service. You don’t have to do this but you chose to do it to awake myself and so many others. I’m grateful…

The Spirits will continue to guide and lead you…

More blessings upon you!

Benjamin Franklyn Jr.
3 years ago

Good morning ma’am, great post. Even though am well acquainted with what you wrote, this post reminds me of something very important. As someone who has done a lot of appeasement, the palm oil sacrifice resonate with me. Sometimes an addition of biscuits, cake, kola nut, egg and so on. Sometimes you begin with pouring of water in the road (crossroad), depending on the appeasement… The palm oil is poured all over the items during which you will be making your intention or speak as told by the babalawo and immediately when you are done, you walk away from the… Read more »

Lola
Blogger
Lola
3 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

Deep, wisdom dropped here. Goodness
Appreciating you Obara, I’ve just received further teaching n learning from your response.

Last edited 3 years ago by Lola
Benjamin Franklyn Jr.
3 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

Thank you ma’am for the reply, I think I made a mistake with the way I structured my comment that’s why you misinterpreted everything. You always misinterpret my comments or replies. Even from the first day you replied my mail (No disrespect). I think perhaps, most times I don’t get my message across the right way or the way you will easily understand what am trying to say. That’s why I prefer speaking instead of writing (I told you that last year). Firstly, anyone reading this should know that my comment wasn’t about the post. All I did was use… Read more »

Benjamin Franklyn Jr.
3 years ago

Below is not a parable but a saying. I made a mistake in my comment above. Is supposed to be “you misinterpreted my SAYING as well”.
“But I know In life, there are levels. All fingers are not same likewise the head.
We have one VISIBLE HEAD but some people have SEVEN like some seven head spirits.
WE WERE NOT BORN EQUAL”

Benjamin Franklyn Jr.
3 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

By the way, I did as instructed by you ma’am, I took my time to read it over and over again before I replied. Sacrifices works, that am certain about. I have done a lot that changed different situation. I have been on the road for long, I have seen what seem impossible turn possible just with the help of sacrifice. My question is not me insinuating that sacrifices doesn’t work, I used the word “SOMETIMES”

Benjamin Franklyn Jr.
3 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

I didn’t disappoint you when I wrote ” I’m very well acquainted with all you said in your reply to my comment. To be precise, all you said, I already knew long time ago” That’s because it is true. The TRUTH IS CONSTANT. If I don’t know I will tell you, thank you for educating me. The truth won’t change to fit a situation. Most of what I said ‘I’m very well acquainted with”, i learned them from ES. Perhaps you have forgotten your blog is a source of vast spiritual knowledge. People’s comments and replies that are educative are… Read more »

Sim
Sim
3 years ago

Hello Obara! Again, what a beautiful post ❤️ Would it be correct to say that, the stories in various religions are all truths – but are interpreted and retold in different ways (some with an agenda)? Religion goes wrong with complete worship and devotion & often limits the acceptance of duality that exists in the universe. This is what I gather from this post.. Also, I know that you often speak of “good/evil” things happening as apart of our journey in this realm. In the instance of Sally, if she went to the Babalawo before the argument – and he… Read more »

Lola
Blogger
Lola
3 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

Gems dropped. Appreciating Obara, much love and respect

Sim
Sim
3 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

Thank you, learning so much

OLUWASEUN
2 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

Thanks to you ma you really said alot in this post that made me understand some certain things that I felt ignorant about. moreover I stop reading Bible lately since I decided to follow my part as African Spirituality and everytime I always find answer to so many unquestionable act in the bible that made me believe the Bible is one of the conspiracy theories. I’m happy to find your blog may Olodumare keep guiding you great Obara Meji. Ase!!!

Last edited 2 years ago by OLUWASEUN
Elizabeth
3 years ago

Thank you for taking your time to write an important topic as this. I love your examples and how you break everything down. Thank you for making this clear once again Obara Meji. Reading this topic is evolving. I love the end of this post is so deep.
“We exist so that we may evolve.

Evolution has no expiration. So there continues the story…”
Obara Meji
Thank you for sharing .

Lincoln
3 years ago

WOW Sis I have one perfect for you and your readers! Its Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell a Professor who studied various religions and he analyze the difference between religion and Tradition just as you are explaining here- It is very old 1980s but you can find the videos here and there but it is 6 Parts in full if I can remember- Explain alot of stuff you always talking about with religions and the stories (myth they use)EXTREMELY insightful. Some of the things he talks about are exactly what I hear you talk about in terms of how… Read more »

Lincoln
3 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

I am going to check out his other stuff-
Thanks Sis!

Lola
Blogger
Lola
3 years ago

Greetings Obara, appreciating the☝insightful infoteaching. I guess this will arouse a deep sense of personal reflection and Introspection of the path we choose to adopt for self realisation (by exercising freewill) among us readers affiliated with this blog. I once listened to a brief dialogue on tools of goal achievement by a Hindu Monk – he mentioned that alot of people randoming choose individually or collectively from an array of personal development buffet table(affirmations, manifestion, prayer, gratitude, journaling etc). He mentioned something profound which is synonymous with what you mentioned above on attaining ALIGNMENT. He mentioned that goal achievement success… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by Lola
Lovet
Blogger
Lovet
3 years ago

Great article.

Diaana
Blogger
Diaana
3 years ago

So those that mean I can have Christianity as my religion and still practice ifa?

Lola
Blogger
Lola
3 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

Thanks for this clarification Obara. Make sense to choose a road.

Lola
Blogger
Lola
3 years ago
Reply to  Lola

I remember during my transition away from Christendom(it’s served its purpose in my life, time to move on) I became interested in Buddhism due to a cordial relationship I maintained with a very good friend but certain connections never resonated i.e. language. Her paternal make up is from China, therefore that path will definitely resonate with her. I know my roots is from Motherland, motherland is calling me to come back home and plug into source. Fam, find the path that resonates with you. I believe I’m vibing with Ifa, afterall Obara Meji is an Ifa/Orisa Practitioner – all makes… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by Lola
WisdomandWater
Blogger
WisdomandWater
3 years ago

This post is an absolute masterpiece. I am blown away. I have never EVER heard of or seen Ifa explained like this. It is perhaps the CLEAREST most brilliant explanation. You are one of a kind. You have a wonderful gift of explaining the seemingly unexplainable. Removing the blinders from our eyes and helping us to release fear of the unknown. I am positive if the world knew what you do, so many people would be fearless and hopeful, and the world could be a much more advanced place.

Bravo.

Omo
Blogger
Omo
3 years ago

Thank u for always enlightening us

Kay
Kay
3 years ago

Once again another beautiful and rich post Ma’am. I’m not surprised though, but each time you teach, there is always some new revelation to see. My questions are; *You said if man can look at life from lesser place. By lesser place do you mean without worry of what will come tomorrow or when will it come or just looking at life without material attachments? *What is happening to Sally is not that she’s being punished for offending a child of water but her misalignment with that energy due to her fight. Does this mean that Maya is in alignment… Read more »

Kay
Kay
3 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

Thanks for clearing my head with your answers. Lol @so she doesn’t go and drown in her bathtub…

You’re a gem, a uniquely rare one i must say.

Kay
Kay
3 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

As i always do, i came back to read this post again. For the umpteenth time and also read comments from others because there are things to learn from the answers you give to. I must say the comments i see from other bloggers gives me so much joy on this topic. Whoever doesn’t get this cannot understand Ifa until the day their Ori forcefully opens their inner eyes lol. Even people following Ifa presently do not understand it this way Ma’am… Please blush all you want you deserve it. Like you always say “all religions are valid, so long… Read more »

Kay
Kay
3 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

As i always do, i came back to read this post again. For the umpteenth time and also read comments from others because there are things to learn from the answers you give to. I must say the comments i see from other bloggers gives me so much joy on this topic. Whoever doesn’t get this cannot understand Ifa until the day their Ori forcefully opens their inner eyes lol. Even people following Ifa presently do not understand it this way Ma’am… Please blush all you want you deserve it. Like you always say “all religions are valid, so long… Read more »

ibi
Blogger
ibi
3 years ago

i am blessed to be a Yoruba woman. Nothing like it!

thanks for this!

Cancan
3 years ago

Everyone evolve at there own pace. I remember questioning everything about Christianity and I was deemed as strange or going against God words when I questioned things. I felt bad becuz of how ppl looked at me and deemed me to be the bad guy. I struggled for along time trying to find the right place to fit in. I was wise enough to look at all religion and not condemn them but still seek what I was looking for… This one of the reason I thank u Ms. Obara becuz u have been that one person whose blog made… Read more »

Kay
Kay
3 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

They’re afraid of losing tithes and offerings

Lola
Blogger
Lola
3 years ago
Reply to  Kay

I believe so, or membership too. Smh

Cancan
3 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

I certainly don’t know.. if I am in a religion and it’s a problem to asked question or to seek clarification on things that makes no sense. Something is wrong and off

Intellectual Bhutu
3 years ago

Oore Yeye OOOO, Osun OOOOO! Obara Meji, I salute you! Your willingness to teach is illuminating my path – thank you. On this journey, especially in this time, the greater access we have to information enables us to live a “balanced” life. In this post, you explained the IFA tradition beautifully and the “reasoning” provided me with the confirmation I needed in a remarkable way. There is great relief in not feeling the need to “defend” my affiliation with IFA. There is no need too argue or force another to convert – Tradition is all inclusive, it is limitless. Why… Read more »

Intellectual Bhutu
3 years ago
Reply to  Obara Meji

Thank you for responding.

I can relate to that in several ways 🙂
I find it helpful to avoid viewing occurrences in the typical sense of “positive” or “negative” and it definitely helps.

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