
what is the ifa & Orisa tradition ?
Isese L'Abga is an ancestral spiritual tradition which comes from the Yoruba people of Nigeria, West Africa. We as Oni'se (people of tradition) are earth-centered practitioners focused on bringing forth "The Good Condition", making this plane of existence a better place one day at a time. Our tradition has been practiced for thousands of years and has been passed down orally throughout those years. To bring this idea closer we will hear what Odu IFA (Holy Corpus of IFA) says about the matter of tradition and destiny.
Isese L'Agba
Òsá Olóyàán (Òsá Ìretè)
The flood has no hoe
It uses its mouth to dig the ground until it reaches the red soil
This was the Ifa cast for Isese, Traditionalism
Who was the highest form of worship
One’ mother is one’s Isese
One‘s father is one‘s Ìsese
One‘s Ori is one‘s Ìsese
Olòdùmarè is one‘s Ìsese
Isese is first propitiated in Ife before receiving all blessings
Let us propitiate Isese, the father of all propitiations
IFA says in the sacred Odu - Osa Irete - that Tradition is what's needed to have alignment in our lives. Tradition gives us order, Tradition teaches us to respect and honor our Parents and Elders, our Destiny, as well as Olodumare and Orisa. If we are looking for alignment it is Isese we should search for.
Irosun Iwori
Let us do things with joy.
Those who want to go, let them go.
Those who want to stay, let them stay.
Surely, humans have been chosen to bring good into the world.
The all-knowing one, priest of Òrunmìlà,
Cast Ifá for Òrunmìlà.
He said the people of the world would come to ask him a certain question.
He said that Òrunmìlà should sacrifice.
Òrunmìlà heard and complied.
One day, all kinds of people; good people and those who do not allow good
in other people’s lives gathered together.
They then went to Òrunmìlà.
They said coming back and forth to earth tires us, Òrunmìlà.
Therefore, please allow us to rest in heaven.
Òrunmìlà said you cannot avoid going back and forth to earth
Until you bring about the good condition that Olódùmarè has ordained
for every human being.
After then, you may rest in heaven.
Ifa says in this holy Odu that all Humans are here to accomplish one goal and that is to bring Orun (Heaven) to Aye (Earth), until we have changed the world from ayewo to ire, from negativity to positivity, we will continue our journey as humans on earth. As Oni'se, practitioners of Ifa, we know that Heaven is Home but Earth is just a Marketplace. We are here to accomplish a mission that we have chosen in heaven. It is Ifa who knows this mission and it is tradition that gives us the protocols to stay alignment with our destiny. All of our deeds will be accounted for in the end.
what is ifa
Ifa is a database of knowledge. It is a system of the compilation of the secret of existence on Earth and in Hereafter (Orun). Ifa teaches, admonishes, adjudicates, advises, prescribes, proves, encourages, entertains, exposes, sign-posts, instructs and sparingly gives orders. It is the sacred words of Olodumare which explain the beginning, the end and the basis for the existence of all things – past and present. It is the database into which all the knowledge of life is encoded for humans to make use of in order to live a fulfilled life. In fact, Ifa is the treasure base for knowledge and wisdom. Its hydra-headed pyramid of knowledge is worth thorough studying and understanding. It has 256 chapters called Odu Ifa and is divided into two segments: Major with 16 chapters and Mixed Odu with 240 chapters. Let us go to Odu IFA for more…
Quietly did I move
And gently did I walk
The flood is it that rushes into the stream
Ifa’s messages for Olomo
Also known as Ifa
When coming from heaven to earth
He was coming to change bad destiny to good
He was advised to offer ebo
He complied
Olomo please mend our destiny
Please mend our destiny
Please improve the quality of our destiny now
Olomo please mend our world
Afedefeyo mend the world this time
For the world not to spoil
Olomo mend our homes
Afedefeyo mend our home this time
For the home not to go into ruins
Here in this Odu, Ifa teaches us that it is the mender of our destiny. Through sacrifice and a change of character our paths can be changed from negative too positive. It is the Ebo (Sacrifice) made after divination that ushers in energies that alter our life. Slowly but surely we will see our surroundings change. Who we once was before is not who we are now. It is Ifa who will support us because it is the voice of Olodumare (The Supreme Being). In the Odu Oyeku-Ogbe IFA says...
What we are doing in privacy
Which Olodumare is not aware of
This was the declarations of IFA to Jenmi
The child of Osun
What we are doing in privacy
Which Olodumare is not aware of
This was IFA's declaration to Emi-Laa-yin
The child of Obatala
Jenmi, you are the child of Osun
Emi-laa-yin, you are truly the offspring of Obatala
All hidden matters
Ifa will reveal them and bring them to the fore.