*MONTHLY NEWSLETTER LESSONS OF IFA AND ORISA*
ILE IWOSAN ORUNMILA MIMO TEMPLE'S MONTHLY NEWSLETTER-LESSONS IN IFA
MOTHER'S WHERE ART THOU? THE RESPONSIBILITY OF WOMEN IN IFA DEVOTEE'S AND PRIESTESSES.
-- by Iyanifa Fayomi Falade Aworeni
Newsletter
Orin Ifa
December 2007
My Mother's Where Art Thou?
With the closing of this year of 2007, though we are still another 6 months to the official closing of the Yoruba year; we must still because of our Western aculturation look and reflect our journey up to this ending year. Thoughtful reflections, on how we have come to this place, or what turns in our experiences have brought us to where we now sit. Are we richer or poorer, happier and content with life or has our lives brought newer meaning to someone else or have we cause others great suffering with zealous glee and misbehavior?
As we come to this years ends, part of the general theme from the last three years has been when we have seen the messages of Olodumare through Ifa to Its people, Iwori Meji-2005, Ose Biile-2006, and now Oturupon Ika-2007 speaking of our behavior towards each other, the earth itself, and our way of worshiping has come under scrutiny by those Holy Elders who will look and examine our spiritual resolve or our spiritual turpitude and depravity.
Our Trust in Ifa has been called into question, our Respect of our Women, our Individual mental or thought process has been called to come to order. And yet have we listened, thought about it, or changed our approach to the life that Olodumare gave to us and Its gift of an opportunity to live another day in order to change.
This year powerful African Born In America Elders have left this place. Do we even remember the lessons that they gave to us. Our Sisters(pregnant women being killed in ritual murders in Chicago) and children(abiku) are dying under the attack of those who have evil agendas and racial profiling is alive and well in America. Have we notice? What have we personally done to bring these culprits or to stop the harm towards our community. Have learned Communal Courage?
These are some of the things we should consider thinking about as we come to the close of this year. This issue is given a special attention to the veneration of Our Great Mother's who if anyone has notice have been prevalent in this years Odu Ifa of Oturupon Ika. Their(Awom Iya Mi) underneath the radar work is witness by those of us who have eyes to "see". Wherever there has been treachery, betrayal, dishonesty, destruction to the innocent cause by those who are seekers of power and not empowerment; their plans have been unearthed. Even though, they, the evil ones have called upon those Women's force to help them in their maddness to maim and hurt people; have only called upon their own demise and destruction.
However, as women of Ifa, we have a special task because we are the womb, the veritable force of co-creation which is more profound and earth moving. We must in the silence of the night and break of the dawn assist the change of the world's mind of self destruction.
Our awesome task is to seek the unknown sources or force and utilized them in productive ways to bring this world back to order. Our families back to order, our temples back to order.
We cannot run with big hounds and then sit on the porch with the small dogs. We must learn spiritual consistancy. We must have definition, become definitive in our approach to our problems and actively do the work to change, teach, learn from our Mother's. We must not nor can not, be afraid of our own power. We were gifted this power by Olodumare Its self, we are the Omo Oduduwa.
Yet, if we use it descriminately, with malice and using the gift that was given seemingly serendipitously; the things done by our viciousness will be returned in full force by those who gave us the gift of power in the first place. Have you ever seen with your eyes the Yewajobi? I have...
This messive comes with a warning: We need to' check' ourselves closely now. Learn the wonders of Odu Loogbo oje and Iyami Osoronga-Yewajobi and incorporate their wisdom into your network of information and actions.
Do not wait upon 'others' to assist your training and worship. Be a self-starter and ask for guidance from those spirits you have available to you-Ancestors. They know. Dig ever so deep and scratch very hard for the understanding of that which others say is evil because it belongs to a woman. Prayer has power- use it, collective prayer has collective power, use your understanding, knowledge and wisdom in developing this approach.
Remember, that the term 'dudu'(black) in a spiritual intrepretation is profound depth of spirit. Look within the Ifa spiritual text for the hidden encoded messages for your life. See with spiritual eyes rather than than the eyes of the world.
Ask for revelation from Ifa and the Mother's forces, to see with your naked eyes the power of change in your life and that of your family. Protect your families first, they are your first line of defense they are your gift:
One from Orifin, one from Odo Oba
They do on outings to bring sunrise and sunset
Where do you meet her?
You meet her at the crossraods
You meet her at the crossroads of sixteen roads
Eight go to the earth
Eight go to the Heaven
What does she hold
She holds sixteen long livers(Aje in Yorubaland-Oriki Aje)
Iyami Abeni
My mysterious Mother Abeni
Mo leye nile
I have a bird in the house
Mo leye nita
I have a bird outside
Mo rinde oru
I walk in the night
Mo rinde osan
I walk in the afternoon
Ti mo ba lo sode
When I go on outing
Efow mi womi o
Give me my proper respect
Osa Meji Speaks:
This is the teaching of Ifa for Odu, Obarisa, and Ogun
When they were coming from heaven to earth,
Odu asked: "O Olodumare, Lord of Heaven, this earth where we are going,
What will happen when we arrive there/"
Olodumare said that they were going to make the world.
So that the world will be good
He also said that everything that they were going to do there
He would give them the ase, power, and authority to accompish it,
So that it would be done well.
Odu said, "O Olodumare this earth where we are going
Ogun has the power to wage war,
Obarisa has the ase to do anything he wishes to do,
What is my power?
Olodumare said: "you will be 'their' mother forever.
And you will sustain the world."
Olodumare, then gave her the power.
And when he gave her power, he gave her the 'spirit power of the bird'.
It was then that he ave women the power and the authority so that anything men wished to do,
They Could Not Do without women.
Odu said that everything that people would want to do,
If they do not include women
It will not be possible
Obarisa said that people should always respect women greatly,
For if they always respect women greatly, the world will be in right order.
Pay hommage; give respect to women,
Indeed, it is woman who brought us into being
Before we became recognized as human beings,
The wisdom of the world belongs to women,
Give respect to women then,
Indeed, it was a woman who brought us into being,
Before we became recognized as human beings...
Ah an elder who commits excess will be thoroughly disgraced.
This was the teaching of Ifa for Odu
When Odu arrived on earth
Ah, they said, "O you Odu they said you must be careful,
You must be patient,
And you must not be shamelessly disrespectful. "
Odu asked why?
They said it is because of the power
Which Olodumare has given you"
Our responsibility is greatly accentuated and awesome, for we women as mother's are held to the highest standard. However, we must not be foolishness enough to think that we are exempt from the laws of Ifa. When we break the laws of Olodumare we will pay a price that one would not think of paying, yes? When we are in the position of responsibility given to us by Olodumare through the lessons of Ifa and we believe that we are not held accountable for our acts of violence, treachery, lechery,adultry (both men and women), lies and deceit no matter how small; we are passing this behavior off to those who come in earnest to understand what is Ifa. We are held for payment by Ifa. Not in a life time past or in the great beyond but now! It may not come to you but to those you love or to those you are responsible for. Yes, it may seem like gloom and doom, so say the sooth sayer and griot of the people but it is design for caution against upholding those behaviors that will
bring disgrace to you and your family in the end. Some may think this is funny and laugh about a person being self righteous but have your seen the spirits you pray too with your own eyes. You may want to ask somebody!
This is the call from our Mother's.
How do we fill our People;s Spirit Holes?
What happened?
This Stately woman sat before in friendship's conversation,
Locks twisted long and peppered with graceful grey streaks,
She spoke of her history and our African born in American's Experience,
A tale of a people born in places as Livingston(my daddy's home town), or Decatur or Huntsville, Alabama,
And our familiar relationship or,
But really it was in Heaven were we met,
This woman spoke to me of a time,
When respect was honorable,
When faith in God was a worthy pursuit,
When children said," yes mam or sir",
And guns were for hunting or practice shoots,
We have in our mist spiritual holes,
Vertiable problems of horrific dimension,
Our Children are born 'a dyin' in the world of the dead,
Holes so deep inbred in their very souls,
Standing in the very need of prayer,
Prayers made for answers generations past,
prayers manifesting now,
Prayers said by us so very long ago,
Prayers said in heaven before we came to this place,
A time when people made spirit trees in their yards,
bottle os different hues blowing in the air,
In remembrance of a time gone by,
A time when Ile Ife was remember with forlorn love,
This comes in a time when our memories are needed,
To protect us from the dawn,
She sat speaking to me of our children's death,
In the land of the living dead,
Speaking of the jobs not done well,
By the parents who sit in the jails,
Jails of doubt and fear,
Jails that have no visible walls,
Jails that kill far better than the concrete jungle,
Jails that captured us all,
Spirit holes with gaping blackness,
Blackness of fear and greed,
spritual destinies twisted and ripped,
With the legacy that we our people created indeed,
Our vision is clouded,
If by foolishness we think,
That we have come this far so well,
When all we have to do is to look,
At the children of William Tell,
Is it by the acquistion of money that we really think?
Is this the true measure of our success?
Or is it the children we teach our ways,
Who emulate our thoughts and deeds?
What we should have done was see our mistake,
And looked to Olodumare for forgiveness and reprieve,
We complain so about the deeds of our young,
Never looking at home or within,
When the bullets ring our we let out a moan,
Wonderment of the sin that brought this calalmitious end,
We, the parent stand at the gravesite,
Wondering what did we do?
When our job was not to buy Nike's
But to give lessons of good character and truth,
Now, we should change ourselve and bane
Change now before the real rain,
To escape the retribution of this living hell,
Oh Well!
If only we could hear the brass ago-ago,
How is it that we know the problem and the cause?
That we can stand here and ask at gravesite bay,
Can we get some help with with our babies from,
"massa boss sir," you say,
And it was he, who put the poison in his own house,
Breath from breath
Ashes to Ashes,
Dust to life,
When will we learn?
Learn to endure the strife,
All we have is our faith,
And yet we still judge,
Olodumare's forgiveness is to stay,
Living on the re-incarnation wheel,
Fill these spirit holes,
'Cause this law named Truth is sealed...
Ile Iwosan Orunmila Mimo Temple
HOW DO WE FILL OUR PEOPLE'S SPIRIT HOLE'S
WHAT HAPPENED?
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2004 Iyanifa Fayomi Falade
Communal Courage
Okanran Ogunda
Eni owo nya fun ire ni Ogun igbee ojo ija
Eniyan ti ko le ja, ti ko le soro
ko nii le gbe ninu aye pe
Ija nsola; ija nse iyi
A difa Ogungbemi
Won ni bi ko tile nii finran
nigbakigba ti ija ba de sii
Ki o ma maa sa o
Alagbara ni o ni aye
Kosi eniti t'o je buyin fun ole
Akin li o ni aye
won kii bu ola fun ojo
won niki o wa rubo
Ki iye inu ma ra ati ara lile
One who stands ready to act for the good
is supported by Ogun on the day of battle,
A person who cannot fight or talk does not live long on earth
Struggle brings respect; struggle brings honor,
This was the teaching of Ifa for Ogungbemi,
They said that even if he does not provoke it,
Whenever the fight comes to him,
He should not run away from it.
It is the powerful who have control of the world
No one respects the passive person.
It is the courageous who lay claim to the world,
People do not give consideration to the coward
He was asked to sacrifice.
So that his internal strength would not perish
and his body would remain sound.
Okanran Sa
Ma ja, ma sa ni aimo akin
Akin ti o moo ja
Ti ko moo sa
A ba akin iboiran lo
A daa funn Akinsuyi
Won niki o rubo
Ki o baa le maa mo igbati yera ati
aiyera fun ija
Ki o ba le maa n iyi lojo gbogbo
Not knowing when to fight and when
to withdraw is to be ignorant
of the requirements of courage
A courageous person knows how to fight,
But does not know how to withdraw
Will be soundly defeated by another person of courage
in one place or another
This was the teaching of Ifa for Akinsuyi
They said he should sacrifice
So that he might know when to avoid and when not to avoid a battle
And so that he might be respected always
Okanran Sa
Ma ja, ma sa ni aimo akin
Akin ti o moo ja
Ti ko moo sa
A ba akin ibomiran lo
A daa fun Akinsuyi
Won niki o rubo,
Ki o baa le maa mo igbati yera ati
aiyera fun ija
Ki o ba le maa ni iyi lojo gbogbo
Not knowing when to fight and when
to withdraw is to be ignorant
of the requirement of courage
A courageous person who know how to fight
But does not know how to withdraw
Will be soundly defeated by another person
of courage in one place or another.
This was the teaching of Ifa for Akinsuyi
They said he should sacrifce
So that he might know when to avoid and
when not to avoid a battle,
And so that he might be respected always
********************************
Osa Okanran
The teachings of Ifa were interpreted for
Agbonrin, the antelope
They said that he should sacrifice
So, that incidents of insult might not reach him;
So that he might not die at the hands of his enemies;
And so that he might be able to save himself from harm,
He heard but did not sacrifice
He said his horn were adequate to ward off suffering.
They said that from far away places,
his enemies would send trouble that would affect him.
He said his own horns would be enough to protect him.
But in the end, his horns were not enough.
Part of our responsibility towards humanity is to learn how to be, "human" and spiritually become a servant not only to Olodumare but to also be servants of humanity. As I started the process of taking spiritual inventory; I found one component that helps the developmental and growth process in the world, is the acquisiton and learning of the act of courage. In the Ifa corpus we are discovering that "courage" is a neccesary act that needs to be encouraged and cultivated in our daily regiment of living.
The lack of courage also teaches us that, it is a lack of energy and adherance to divinity that we have been blessed with in becoming Ifa devotees. This lack of courage or cowardice is but a slap in the face of humanity and certainly Olodumare.
Orunmila and many of the Orisa have shown us constant examples of this attribute called courage. Letting us see it demonstrated by them in many aspect thus allowing us to have a paranormal view of the divinity of the metaphysical principles that lay the groundwork for humanity's extensive and ultimate destiny and goal.
To become human takes courage, to be servants of Ifa, takes courage, to serve Olodumare effectively takes courage. To be anything less is not worthy nor is it the design of our Ori-Isese.
Our horns are not enough to protect us; for we lack courage to be obedient to Olodumare's mandates through Ifa.
We have been insulted and riddiculed in the world, as a religion and way of life; for we have lack the courage to speak definitively out against the wrongs done to our families, mothers and children in our communities. Whether it is the prejudices against this African traditional religion-Ifa Orisa, that come within our own families structures concerning our religion or in the world within institional and societal structures or even systemic racism, or religious intolerance; if we do not have the courage to fight for what we believe then we are not respected.
We at this point of our cultural and spiritual development in the world as a religion should also know that having courage in the face of adversity is an act of ebo(sacrifice). The act of giving up the mundance and ordinary behavior for that which is extrordinary and selfless. We must seek Esu's definition of actions of ebo, that the ajogun do for those who are courage enough to sacrifice to the Deities versus those who cannot or will not let go of the ego in order to move forward to help their lives become better.
In thinking of the Orisa Esu, the taker of ebo and the Ajogun, army of metaphysical beings, who have the power directed by Esu as **overseer to either attack those who have refused sacrificed or defend them or guide them to success, if the offering is done and on time**(Ifa Complete Divination Ayo Salami). Having courage is an act of ebo.
We assume, as a collective communal groups of temples, iles, study groups; if we do not speak or act on any violation of our laws of Ifa and Orisa; the problems infecting our communities and the individual harm commited by individual and collectives, these problem will go away.
Whether these problems that happen to one person or many persons of like problems; there is still a rape, a slander, a mystical killing, a lie told, a harm done, and it is the Orisa Ori-isese who is allowing these issues to continously be brought to the forefront of our minds. Why, because they were only shallowly buried by cowardice act of do nothingness.
Now, the rains of life have come and that which has been hidden by acts of ebo done to make them go away from sight, because our people do not want to address the harm done by not making" whole " the person(s) who are afflicted
Living in ignorance of when to fight and when to withdraw is a graduated effort and skill which must be learn and also taught by our elders in the Ifa community. No one respects passivity. People nor does Ifa give consideration to the coward. Our elders must be courageous as well.
When I sat down to first think about this subject then begin to write about it; I want to have a particular image and experience to relate it to those who are reading this will know this experience as one they too, have experienced and then take this post to heart.
Not as a study in reflective esoteric rhetoric but infused in solid actuality. I wanted those reading this to feel this and see this in real time because it is you. Not a potentiality, something that may have happened but actuality in force that has happen and one that can be related to this scenario of finding courage in a time of fear.
The lessons that are revealed in these Odu Ifa is for us to challenge ourselves at each and every turn of what true courage in Ifa means to us as devotees and eniyans. We are on the move towards a destiny that is so awesome and wonderful that if we only look within for the strength of character and reserve that is given to us as children of Oduduwa if we just stand...
There was a woman in the community who came every Sunday with her ware and goods to sale after the religious programs. She was very industrious, always looking for ways to make a living to care for her family. Everyweek after the morning worship services; she would find her way to the front of the temple outside, to sell her items that she hauled on the bus for she did not have a car. She had beautiful cloth for lapas, geles, agbadas, jewlry and many things that were for those who came to buy.
One week she decided to go for divination with the local Awo and the Odu of Okanran Ogunda came and Ifa told her that a time was coming that she would have to have the courage not to walk way from the life she knew in the light of great disrespect and dishonor but when she did show courage, Ifa would after her sacrifice make life glorius and whole. She was told those who showed the true minds and hands of evil discord would be revealed but in the end they would have to in the name of Ifa praise her being in the world. She should not run away but walk proudly in Ifa.
She was told that she could only count on Orunmila to guide her and even though she would want to run away, she should stand up. Avoiding confrontation was not the answer. Ifa said, that if she did ebo that Ogun would also show her to the truth and guide her to her where she would be appreciated. She did the ebo as required but was left perplexed by the puzzle Ifa left for her but faithful that Ifa would reveal to her the solution to the problem.
Well, on this Sunday, a man, her estranged husband, came to her table where she was selling her items and snatched the cloth and then pushed her in front of the whole community who were leaving the worship services.
She and her husband had been going through discord because of limited understanding and lack of communication. He did not like the exposure that her selling in the market gave and he listened to the foolishness of those who were jealous of not only his wife's accomplishments but his as well.
Unfortunately, his fear and the negative feeding of his ego by those who meant him nor his family any good sent him to a place of anger that was dangerous and unhealthy.
The devotees gathering around her table were usually the ones, who after worship services, every Sunday to fellowship with each other and buy the goods outside then leave for home.
Her husband came upon her as she was speaking with one of the devotee's who was preparing to buy one of her geles, started to screamed at her; " who do you think you are selling anything?" "who did she think she was" he said over and over again? "Did she think she was better than he was, he screamed?" " You are not making that much money from the goods?" "Did she think, he could not provide for them?"
The woman looked at him with tears and hurt, for she thought she was helping to make a way for the entire family, so that life would be better for them all. "Will you stop now!, she said. How can you come here and disrespect us and hurt me like this, when I am trying to help us, our family? Will you please stop now! He looked at her crying and packing up her goods, then threw the garment back on to the table and stalked away.
She then started remember what the Ifa oracle said. As she remembered, she decided to stay put, clean the table, straightening the goods, placing them in order again.
She began to look around and see the people who saying to each other that the actions of her husband was wrong, whispering in hushed gossip but did not come to help her. They gave looks of either disdain or held their heads bowed avoiding her eye contact.
Now, the same people heard her crying and screaming for this man to stop yelling at her and hurting her. "Why was he doing this to her", some of them thought, but no one move forward to stop him. Not one man or women stepped forward to tell this man to stop degrading his wife and physically bring harm to her or even speak up and say that he was degrading himself.
As she continued to put her things right and toweling away her tears , she was determined to stay and not run from this situation.
Above all in this attack on her character, was her humiliation that not only did her husband disrespect her but her community of leaders, friends and associations, did not care enough for her to come and speak up for her.
The woman stood there watching those people thinking deeply about the lesson that was being revealed to her spiritually. She looked at this man who she loved and knew that in his heart he loved and cared for her but she also looked at the community of those people who for the lack of courage did not rescue her from her tormentor and said in her secret spiritual mind, " Until you all make me whole, you will not prosper." You must do right by me."
Everyone was afraid to come to her stall and with this observation she wiped her tears and spat into the ground, sealing the ase that was gathered in the earth itself, Yewajobi hear my call; gathered her belongings and left.
She left finally, watching her husband walking away and the community of worshipers who did not have the courage to speak to this man there with a feeling of forboding entering into their thoughts with that of guilt of their actions.
As he walked away, the activation of ase to the Orisa Aiye(Yewajobi)by the woman begin to take affect; in this moment, he began to think of why would he do such a public display of bad character. It worried his mind and spirit for this was not him and certainly not towards a woman who he knew cared for him and his family.
Several weeks went by but the woman never came back to the temple to sell her goods of beautiful cloth and jewelry. There was a feeling of absence, a feeling of cold that now sat in rows of the congreation of the temple. Someone was missing. The people now hurried away after the services having no reason to stand around after the services to enjoy each others company before leaving back to the world. Or of the things to buy, not food, nor cloth, bangles of jewelry or ohh ahhs of this is pretty or my husband needs new clothing. Or this will look good on my baby girl.
The insigficant woman who no one stood up for was gone as well as her light. She with the monies she saved found an opportunity to open a store in a nearby area.
The husband began to be tortured by the thoughts of his actions. He could not sleep. His anger was replaced by sorrow.
He did not want to in the beginning take responsibility for his actions, blaming others for his behavior. Hiding behind the shirt-tails of his friends that encouraged him with gossip and slander against his wife and his believing them over his own sight.
He who disrespected her with her dishonorable behavior, started to see his actions in another light for those who brought the gossip and slander to his door were now seen for who they truly were.
He was so compelled that he came to his wife one day and said, "I have acted against the woman who has help my life." "I have dishonored our house and our family by allowing myself to hear the voice of foolishness and act in a way that was dishonorable to Ifa" "Can you forgive me, how can I make this up to you." In this moment she began to see the verse that was cast by her Babalawo for her in action.
The community that stood in the wake of this trouble and did not act with the courage that Ifa had spoken to them through the above Odu Ifa began to feel the vast difficulties that were rain upon them as well.
The congregation tapered off. Some of them who decided not to come back for fear of their being discovered as cowards and some because there was a light missing.
A few weeks after this problem occurred; a friend of the woman came to her one day and told her, " I was there that day and I did not have to courage to speak up for you and I apologize". "You have always been there for my family and myself, no matter the challenge it brought to you, you cared enough to help." Please forgive me, the woman said." "I have an associate who can give you a good rental price on a store and it is in a good location." "I will help you put out the word on your store and even help to babysit, cause I truly do need to make ammends for not being there for you." The woman when in her mind to praise Ifa for she was beginning to see what the
Babalawo had said,
"One who stands ready to act for the good is supported by Ogun on the day of battle,"
A person who cannot fight or talk does not live long on earth,
Struggle brings respect; struggle brings honor,
This was the teaching of Ifa for Ogungbemi
They said even if he did not provoke it,
Whenever the fight comes to him,
He should not run away from it,It is the powerful who have control of the world,
No one respects the passive person,
It is the courageous who lay claim to the world,
People do not give consideration to the coward,
He was asked to sacrifice
So that his internal strenght would not perish and his body would remain sound.
The woman learned to forgive as her act of courage.......
Fayomi Falade Aworeni Obafemi, Iyanifa
Apetibi Ifakolade Obafemi
Ile Iwosan Orunmila Mimo Temple
4311 North 80th Lane
Phoenix Arizona 85033
WHAT IS ILE-YIYO-DA-PERFIDY?
Aboru, Aboye, Abosise
IN THE ETHICAL PURSUIT OF IFA, one of the corner stones of Ifa lore and doctrine is truth. Therefore, its opposition is the subversion or sabotage of the truth. In the work of 'Yoruba Ethics and Metaphysics by Baba Akinbowale Akintola', this perversion of truth is described: "while the truth is a virtue, its betrayal or subversion woud be nothing else but unethical, reprehensible and vicious."
" Perfidy is less of a concept of the mind than it is a connotation of a cause of action." "For example, a person, who having declared and professed openly and in concert with others, to bring a public or social cause to fruition, but who later proceeds clandestinely to sabotage that same cause, may be appropriately described as having undertaken a perfidious action."
" To pledge one thing in public then to act or do the exact opposite in private is one other illustration of perfidy." "By the same strong force o verbal expression, with which Truth is established as an ethical prescription, so equaly strong is Orunmila's condemnation and dis-reccomendation of perfidy, as a reprehensible social behavior."
There is the truth that is described through Western world view terms as: Truth suggest conformity with the facts or with reality either as an idealized abstraction/"What is truth? said Pilate/ or in actual application to statements, ideas, act, ect./there is no truth in that statement;/veracity as applied to persons or to their utterances connotes habitual adherance to the truth/ I cannot doubt your veracity or in more complete and functional adherances; Facts or agreement with a standard or rule.
Perfidy in opposition to truth is: to decieve through faith, the deliberate breaking of faith; betrayal of trust treachery. Thourghout Odu Ifa, we have infinitesimal documentation on the pursuit of Truth, as one of the highest objectives and goals of those of Ifa.
As people of Ifa and Orisa are attempting to understand spiritually on how to bring these lofty ideals into their lives; the pardigm may be different because of how cultural moree's of a people play constantly in the minds of those who are trying to emulate the behavior of those in position of leadership or elders but not looking at what is within the Odu Ifa scriptures first to see what it is that Ifa speaks on this behavior.
Okanran Sogbe speaks on the reprehnsible behavior of Perfidy as: Conception of evil starts off from the mind Before its corresponding evil consequences Fall upon the perpetrator's own head Wickedness cleaves to the wicked As the foul odour of effluvium Will ever closely cover up him Who exudes effluvium With himself covered up, feet, head, nose, mouth This ws the analogy Drawn by Okaran Sogbe To illustrate that perfidy too, Must yield bad and unpleasant consequences for the perfidious Like it happen to Oniwaro Orunmila's own acolyte who turned perfidious unto his master. This happened abut the beginning of earthly existence. This story about Orunmila and Oniwaro Revealed that the acolyte commited perfidy Thereby sabotaged the whole of Orunmila's efforts and sacrifice-offering,
Also that for this perfidy Oniwaro was eventually disgracefully exposed; And that again, as punishment for perfidy Oniwaro lost his identity as Oniwaro And thereforth became know as Aja, the dismembered body... This illustration of the act of perfidy is drawn by the relationship between Orunmila and Oniwaro at the beginning of terrestrial history and existence. Orunmila's assistant Oniwaro was indisposable to Orunmila.
As his master's disciple, Oniwaro was understanbly his master's confidant who had to accompany the master whenever he was to undertake sacrifical rituals for the clearance, cure, or improvement of his clients and patients fortune. In defilement of this established relations, however, there came a time when Oniwaro began to sabotage Orunmila's acts and propitiatory and oracular sacrificial offerings.
As soon as Orunmila placed prepared sacrifical offerings at the usual road junction in order to effect the granting of his clients prayers by the gods, then Oniwaro would go to the pilfer, and by so doing, defiling the potency of the component materials and ingredients of the sacrifice. Orunmila's sacrifices, now being desecrated by Oniwaro perfidy, then were rendered ineffective. Consequently, things started to go wrong and dreary for mankind.
Orunmila's clients and dependants without amelioration. So Orunmila in bewilderment, sought divine guidance and the Almight Supreme Being, revealed to him that perfidy from among his own people was the cause of his prevailing bewilderment and dissappointing results from all his past endeavors. Olodumare further advised him to warn his people to eschew all unbecoming behavior. After Orumila did as advised, he again offered his next sacrifice; and Oniwaro, too, went as usual to steal the sacrifice away.
This time however, he met his Nemesis; for the prowling lion was around that same road junction by which Orunila had place the sacrifice Oniwaro now intended to steal. As that lion was prowling for its prey, and was yet unsuccessfull in catching anything, he saw Oniwaro disguised as a dog, where that one was trying to get away with Orunmila's sacrifice. The hungry lion instantly pounced upon Oniwaro, tore his body into pieces---head, apart, legs apart, and hands apart... Oniwaro wife called Kili, who accompanied her husband in his perfious acts and engagements, shouted in terrible fright for help.
All people in the town heard her frantic cry and ran to the scene. Although, here people here, the peole found Oniwaro;s body already dis-membered carnivorously into parts, and it was clearly exposed to then that Oniwaro's fate was for nothing else, but for his perfidy against Orunmila, his master. Without any deserved sympathy, people chorused their surprise that a servant could be so perfidous unto his master; and went further too to descrive the spectavle with deirsion as the retributive lot befalling,"the dismembered body".
Since then, Oniwaro lost his identity and name as people stared to refer to him as the dismembered Aja-which means that which cuts into pieces. Perfidy is one who breaks faith with one's fellows.***Baba Akibowale Akintola**** pages 150-153. Other ese Ifa on this subject of perfidy are found in Ogbe Wori which relates consanguinty compels loyalty and the keeping of faith with one another and Obara Meji relates that dutifulness is a virtue and as a maxim of character.
This Odu Ifa states the nature of any given situation, our conscious will always tellus where the place of duty is. Doing one's duty guarantees one's success in life. WE are duty bound to be truthful; to be truthful to Olodumare, to self, to out spouse, to our neighbors, to our family, to our friends, to our government, to life itself and to all humanity. In doing so duty is determined again the background of our individuals station in life, our circumstance and the sum-total of our social inter-relationships.
Our duty is doing all that, is true and good in all given situations in which we may find ourselves.***Baba Akinbowale Akintola*** In relaying these ese Ifa's it is encumbent for us all to see the importance of our behaviors towards each other and more. The ase' and energy that we carry as devotees of Ifa works not only to help us but also to protect us from each other, when we are acting out in behaviors of jealousy, ingratitude, hatred, victimization, disrespect and any other fear inspired illness and dis-ease that we incoporate in our lives by not looking at Ifa as our guide. It is possible for anyone of us to become Aja-Oniwaro in our life if we practice deceit of self and our inability to become introspective and unafraid to look within our selves. To touch the place of pain and embrace our bad behaviors and then change them.
Ire
Iyanifa Fayomi Falade Aworeni
Ile Iwosan Orunmila Mimo Temple Phoenix AZ 85033
