Wakanda is Real
Paleo -Science, The Mysteries of Creation, revealed by our African Ancestors as preserved in the oral scripture of traditional Yoruba culture called Odu Ifà
By Awo Falokun Fatunmbi
Chapter 3
Iwa pele and the Ancestral Wisdom of Ogbe Otura
The oral scripture of traditional Yoruba culture is based on sixteen fundamental principles of Creation. These principles are described as interactive, creating a system of two hundred and fifty-six principles called Odu. Each Odu could be considered a chapter in the Book Wisdom and each chapter contains between two and thirty-two verses. The Odu Ogbe Otura is from the second Chapter of Odu Ifà verse twenty.
Ogbe Otura describes the necessity for right brain, left brain integration. This integration is the foundation for the alignment between the self and the higher self called Ori and Èlà in liturgical Yoruba. This alignment is the basis for entering altered states of consciousness commonly called possession or ro in liturgical Yoruba. The spiritual discipline of Ifà teaches that altered states of consciousness can be used to access information coded directly in Nature.
Ifà teaches the idea frequencies of light carry information. Ifà teaches the idea there are 256 fundamental frequencies of light and each of these frequencies carries a piece of the holographic blueprint of creation. Ifà teaches the idea information coded into different frequencies of light can be accessed through the use of altered states of consciousness. Ifà teaches the foundation of altered states of consciousness is the ability to balance right brain, left brain windows of perception. Ifà teaches the right brain, left brain integration is a result of a balance between the head and the heart or the balance between thought and emotion. Ifà teaches this balance occurs when there is no internal conflict between the head and heart. Ifà teaches internal conflict occurs when we alienate ourselves from our essential nature. Ifà teaches our essential nature is rooted in Unconditional Love.
This verse of Odu Ifà was originally transcribed and translated into English by Chief Wande Abimbola as part of this doctoral thesis at Ile Ifé University. It describes the spiritual discipline needed to balance right brain and left brain components of consciousness.
Ogbe Otura
(The primal manifestation of consciousness leads to the spirit of mystic vision that provides guidance for spiritual discipline)
Ká mú rágbá tagbá, Ìwà. Ká mú rágbá tagbá, Ìwà.
Translation: If we take a wooden object made from ragba and strike it against the calabash, let us hail Iwa. If we take a wooden object made from ragba to strike the calabash, let us hail Iwa.
Commentary: The wooden stick made from ragba is used for invocation is being used to invoke good character suggesting good character is the foundation of spiritual discipline. The Ifà concept of good character is based on the idea of alignment between the head and heart. This alignment is described as ori wa Èlà meaning consciousness is linked to the origin of consciousness. Ifà spiritual practice teaches this alignment is a condition of all children at birth. In the Yoruba language the alignment of the head and the heart at birth is called iwa rere from the elision iwa ire ire meaning I am born from a state of essential goodness or good fortune.
This is radically different from the Christian idea of being born into a state of sin, meaning a state of being in contradiction to the basis Nature of Creation.
Ifà spiritual discipline teaches as a child ages their consciousness develops the ability to make choices. The concept of making choices is linked to the idea of expanding consciousness. In Ifa this is described as the idea of ori moving towards Èlà. When personal choices expand consciousness leading to the higher self these choices are described as ori’re meaning conscious of good fortune. If choices are made to resist the expansion of consciousness these choices are described as ori’bi meaning consciousness in resistance to growth. If choices are made repeatedly that lead to resistance the resistance creates a state of consciousness called ori buruku meaning consciousness that brings death. This is not necessarily a reference to physical death but is a reference to the death of our connection with our higher self. Ifà teaches when the connection to the higher self is broken it lays the foundation for physical, emotional, and spiritual illness.
Ká mú rágbá ká fi tàkuta, wà. Ló dífá fún Òrúnmìlà, Baba nlo gbéwà níyàwó. Nigbà tí Òrúnmìlà yóókó gbéyàwó,
Translation: If we take a wooden object made from ragba and strike a stone, let us hail Iwa. Ifà divination was performed for the Spirit of Destiny when the father was going to marry Iwa. The first time that the Spirit of Destiny married a wife.
Commentary: To say Òrúnmìlà is taking Iwa as a wife is to say Òrúnmìlà is integrating the masculine and feminine aspects of the ori, the psychological goal of all spiritual initiations.
The word Òrúnmìlà from the elision Orun mi ala means the invisible realm is my light. The invisible realm or Orun is the place in Creation that produces the fundamental, invisible, and transcendent structure of reality. Ala is a longitudinal beam of light carrying the blueprint of Creation into the visible world called Aye. As Ala comes into the visible world it morphs from a lateral beam of light to a light wave. This shift is the first manifestation of form in the world.
The word Òrúnmìlà is also the name of prophet who taught the wisdom of ancient paleo-science to the Yoruba speaking people of West Africa. This paleo-science is part of an oral scripture called Ifà. A close reading of the entire corpus of the oral preservation of the wisdom of Ifà suggests there were a number of prophetic, historical figures who became known as the prophet Òrúnmìlà.
In the verse of Ifà scripture called Ògúnda Osa the prophet Òrúnmìlà in all of his incarnations is described as a medium for the Spirit of Èlà. The word Èlà from the elision E Ala means I am the Spirit of Light. The reference to light is the light of a lateral beam holding the blueprint of Creation. In western science the idea light can carry the blueprint for Creation is known as the Holographic theory of Evolution. The ability to access the blueprint of Creation as a medium for the Spirit of Light is described by the praise name Òrúnmìlà elerin ipin meaning the invisible realm is my light, I witness Creation.
References in Ifà oral scripture to Òrúnmìlà prior to the emergence of human consciousness is a reference to what is known in Vedic scriptures as the Akashic Record. This is an imprint on Creation itself recording the changes in Creation occurring throughout the process of evolution.
The word ori is the Yoruba word for consciousness. Implicit in the word ori is the idea consciousness shapes reality. There is within Ifà metaphysics the idea of iwaju from the elision iwa oju meaning I come to face. The word iwaju is used to describe the centers of consciousness within the human body known in Vedic scriptures as chakras. The concept of coming to face the world is the Ifà paleo-science expression of the idea Creation is co-Creation. This means reality is shaped by the way our consciousness perceives reality.
A fundamental idea in quantum physics is the idea that a light wave becomes a light particle as a result of its perception by the human eye. This is affirmation of the idea Creation is co-Creation.
The idea of consciousness shaping reality is at the foundation of the Western Science of Quantum Physics. This theory in Western Science emerged in the twentieth century as a challenge to theories of particle physics that shaped Western Science from the Middle Ages. In Africa the principles of Quantum Physics have been at the foundation of both Ifà scripture and Ifà paleo-science for thousands of years. It has only been since the emergence of Quantum Physics in the Western world, that Western trained Ifà devotees have developed the language needed to understand the depth of wisdom coded into Ifà oral scripture by ancient Yoruba ancestors.
Ìwà ló gbé níyàwó. Ìwà sì rèé, Sùúrù ló bí i. Nígbà tí Òrúnmìlà féé gbé Ìwà níyàwó, Ìwà ní, kò burú.
Translation: Iwa was the one he married. Iwa was the daughter of Patience. When the Spirit of Destiny proposed to Iwa, she said it was all right.
Commentary: Iwa is the Yoruba word for character, and here character is rooted in the idea of patience meaning commitment to slow steady progress. The word iwa means I come. In the liturgical language of Ifà scripture, the word Iwa has multiple meanings depending on context. Used as a noun, the word means character. Used as a verb the word means I come. Used as a symbolic word it means I reincarnate by coming from Orun to Aye or by coming from the invisible to the visible realms of Creation.
The point of this verse of Ifà scripture is to define the concept of iwa pele. The word iwa pele is from the elision iwa ope ile meaning I come to greet the Earth.
Òun ófèé o, Sùgbón kiní kan ni o. Èniyàn kì í lé òun jáde o. Ènyin kì í òun nílò omi òjò Èniyàn kì í fìyàá je òun . . .
Translation: She said that she would marry him. There was one taboo to observe. Nobody should send her away from her matrimonial home. She must not be used carelessly as one uses rainwater. Nobody must punish her unnecessarily . . .
Commentary: This means there is no excuse for not developing good character, whatever happens, whatever our circumstance we need to stay committed to the idea of living a life based on the Ifà principles of good character.
Modern Western psychology promotes a theory of right brain left brain polarity.
The theory is that people are either left-brained or right-brained, meaning that one side of their brain is dominant. If you’re mostly analytical and methodical in your thinking, the theory says that you’re left-brained. If you tend to be more creative or artistic, you’re right brained.
Google dictionary
In the ancient paleo-science of Ifà this polarity is described as ori ati okan, the relationship between the head and the heart. In traditional Yoruba culture when an elder tells a student to think they point to their heart. Western science has discovered the heart contains brain cells allowing it to function independently from conscious intention. The heart has its own brain cells used to process information carried by the frequency of light. Western parapsychology calls this intuition. Ifà calls this ofo Òrìsà meaning the word of Spirit.
The late psychiatrist Carl Jung described this polarity by theorizing every conscious thought has an unconscious associated feeling. In simple terms this means the right brain and the left brain are always pro-active, inter-active and co-dependent. The therapeutic system developed by Jung was based on an examination of the unconscious elements of human experience and to determine if those elements matched the intentions of the conscious self. Jung believed when the unconscious feeling associated with a given thought did not match conscious intention this conflict could lead to psychological, physical, and spiritual illness. Ifà calls this internal conflict ibi.
In traditional Ifà Spiritual practice, the integration of the head and the heart is facilitated through a process called Abori. The word abori from the elision a ebo ori meaning the offering to the head. These offering are designed to clean away the perceptual confusion caused by a conflict between the head and the heart. Ifà teaches thoughts have physical form clinging to the human body and creating a lens through which the world is seen and understood. If those ideas are self-destructive, they are removed from the field of personal vision as a tool for spiritual growth.
This verse is saying the first step in embracing the spiritual discipline of Ifà is to accept the necessity of acknowledging and understanding the role of right brain, left brain perception in the process of expanding and unfolding the transcendent aspects of consciousness. It is an admonition not to suppress, ignore, denigrate, or diminish the value of the emotions associated with our conscious thoughts.
In liturgical Yoruba, the word for right brain, left brain integration is suuru. The word suuru means inner peace. It is a state of being that becomes manifest when emotional unconscious elements of human perception become conscious. Ifà describes the movement towards suuru as the movement of ibi towards ire.
The word ibi means placenta. The symbolic meaning of this word in liturgical Yoruba is resistance to right brain left brain integration. The basis for the symbolic use of this word is the idea the placenta gives life to a child in the womb but becomes toxic at the moment of birth. Symbolically it is the idea that the conflict between the head and the heart causes a person to hold on to ideas limiting the understanding of self and world. This limitation has the function of blocking access to suuru or inner peace. The prolonged resistance to suuru brings what Ifà calls Ori Buruku from the elision Ori buru iku meaning consciousness that brings death.
This portion of the verse of Ifà oral scripture says to avoid Oriki Buruku it is necessary to honor the taboo against dismissing or ignoring the content of the heart or the right brain.
Òrúnmìlà ní, 'Háà Olórun máà jé'. Òun á tójú e, Òun ó kèé o, Òun ó gè ó. Ló bá gbé Ìwà níyàwó.
Translation: The Spirit of Destiny said, "The Creator will not let me do such a thing." He said that he would take care of her. He said he would treat her with love, and he would treat her with kindness. He then married Iwa.”
Commentary: This is a poetic way of saying we are born good and blessed people and we have a spiritual obligation to maintain good character as an expression of our relationship with the Creator.
In conversation Yoruba the word Iwa means I come. In liturgical Yoruba the word Iwa is a reference to the journey from the invisible realm of the ancestors called Orun to the visible realm of the living called Aye. This journey is called atunwa from the elision a otun wa, literally meaning I come from the right. The liturgical meaning of the word is reincarnation.
The state of integration of consciousness occurring at the moment of birth is called iwa rere from the elision iwa ire ire meaning I come with eternal goodness. According to the teachings of the Ifà Prophet Òrúnmìlà there is no original sin. Humanity is born in goodness and ile Ifé or unconditional love. At birth, a baby is referred to as omo rere meaning child of eternal goodness. In English this state of being is called Grace.
As children grow and develop challenging and sometimes traumatic experiences can separate consciousness from its essential nature. In the Yoruba language this separation is described as the difference between ori rere and ori buruku or the polarity between consciousness of our essential nature verses consciousness that brings self-destruction.
Ifà spiritual discipline is based on the process of developing iwa pele. The process of developing Iwa pele is the process of fully integrating the right brain, left brain polarity leading to suuru.
Ìgbà tó gbé Ìwà níyàwó, Ìgbà tó p títíítí, ló bá sú u . . . Ló bá bèré síí da Ìwà láàmú. Bó gbé e.
Translation: After a very long time, he became unhappy with her . . . he started to worry Iwa. If she did one thing, he would complain she did it wrong.
Commentary: This suggests the commitment to developing good character is a challenge and we are often tempted to give up on the process because the discipline of developing good character is constantly confronted by jealously, dishonesty, impatience, denigration and ungrounded conflict and we still need to maintain our commitment to good character.
A ní kò gbe e 're. Bó sò, A ní kò sò ó re. Nígbà Ìwà rí i pé wàhálà náàá pàpòjù, ni Ìwà bá ní kò burú, Òun á lo sílée baba òun.
Translation: If she did another thing, he would also complain. When Iwa saw the trouble was too much for her, Iwa said that she would go to her father's house.
Commentary: The idea of going to our father’s house is the idea when the discipline of developing good character becomes too much we revert to childlike behavior. In other words, we regress to an earlier stage of development and pretend the issues confronting us in the present are not real. In psychological terms this is called avoidance.
Àkóbí Olódùmarè sì ni baba rè náà, Sùúrú, baba Ìwà. Ló bá kó jáde nílé, ló bá gbòde Orun lo.
Translation: Her father was the first born of the Creator. His name was Patience, the father of Iwa. She gathered her calabash of utensils and left her home to go live in Heaven.
Commentary: When Odu refers to a person returning to Heaven it is a reference to connecting with the higher self. We are always connected to the higher self through our connection with ori inu which psychologists call the unconscious self. Returning to Orun is a reference to the fact that the difficulty in developing good character is causing problems motivated from an unconscious or invisible source. Orun is the Yoruba word for invisible realms of Being.
Nígba tÒrúnmìlà yóó dèé, to se, 'E kú ilé, E kú ilé, E kú ilé. Ìwà kò yojú.
Translation: When the Spirit of Destiny returned, he said; "Greetings to the people of the house, greetings to the people of the house, greetings to the people of the house.” But Iwa did not respond.
Commentary: The reference to returning to the house is a reference to Òrúnmìlà examining himself, looking at his own conscious state of Being. When Ifà speaks of a house it is referring to ori meaning consciousness. There is an aspect of Ifà spiritual training based on the idea a teacher has no influence over a student until the student is ready to listen.
Baba wáá bèèrè pé Ìwà dà? Àwon ará ilé yòóku ni àwon kò rí Ìwà. 'Níbo ló lo? Ó lo ojà ni? Ó se kiní kan ni?'
Translation: The father asked for Iwa. The other members of the family said that they did not see her. "Where has she gone? Did she go to the market? Did she go somewhere?”
Commentary: The father or the conscious component of ori is asking the inner self what happened to good character, why is it not evident in the home meaning in the ori of Òrúnmìlà. According to the principles of traditional Ifà psychology the failure to place the head and heart in alignment through the practice of developing Iwa pele , meaning good character, causes internal conflict and stress.
Títítítí, ló bá f ééjì kún eéta, ló bá lo sílé aláwo. Wón wí fún un pé Ìwà ti sá lo ni. Kó máa wá a lo sílé Alárá. Nígbà tó délé Alárá, ó ní,
Translation: He asked these questions for a long time until he added two cowries to three and went to the house of a diviner. They told him that Iwa had run away. He was advised to find her in Alara's house.
Commentary: The reference to cowries is a reference to the first four principles of Odu Ifà meaning life, death, transformation, and rebirth. It is the movement through these four principles that maintains our connection to the spiritual discipline of maintaining good character. When we take this issue to the house of Alara we are asking for Divine intervention. Alara from the elision ala ra meaning the light of consciousness spreads. Alara is that internal place where ori searches for expanded consciousness.
Ká mú rágbá, 'Ká fi tagbá, Ìwà là n wá o, Ìwà.
Translation: When he arrived at Alara's house he said, “If we take a wooden object made of ragba wood, and strike it against the calabash, Iwa is the one we are seeking. Let us hail Iwa. If we take a wooden object made of ragba.”
Commentary: The process of reconnecting to the discipline of developing good character begins with the commitment to using the invocations and tools of Ifà sacred technology to invoke good character. Ifà ritual is based on the idea ritual programs the focus of our attention.
Ká fi tagbà, Ìwà là n wá o, Ìwà. Ká mú ràgbá, Ká fi tàkúta,
Translation: Strike it against the calabash, Iwa is the one we are seeking. Let us hail Iwa. If we take a wooden object made from ragba and strike it against stone,
Commentary: Striking a stick against a stone is a reference to asking Òrìsà to assist us in the process of maintaining spiritual discipline as it relates to the development of good character. This is a reference to the use of oriki to access information and guidance outside the realm of our direct experience.
Ìwà là n wá o, Ìwà. Alárá o rìwà fún mi? Ìwà là n wá o, Ìwà.
Translation: Iwa is the one we are seeking. Let us hail Iwa. Alara, if you see Iwa let me know. Iwa is the one we are seeking, Iwa.
Commentary: The Odu is asking Alara or Divine consciousness to shed light on the problem of reclaiming good character. In Ifà spiritual practice reclaiming alignment with good character is guided by the wisdom of the ancestors as is preserved in the oral scripture of Odu Ifà. These verses are based on what Joseph Campbell referred to as the “call to courage”. It is the call to do the right thing in spite of fear, confusion, lack of support and worry over the consequences of specific actions.
Alàrà lóun ò ríwà, Baba tún d´lè Orangún ile Ilá, Omo eye abiyé hèruhèru. Ó ní, njé ó rìwà fóun? Ó lóun ò ríwà.
Translation: Alara said that he did not see Iwa. The father then went to the house of Orangun, king of the city of Ila, offspring of one bird with plenty of feathers. He asked whether Orangun had seen Iwa. Orangun said he had not seen her.
Commentary: Alara or Divine consciousness is being asked to find Orangun from the elision O ran oogún meaning the Spirit of the application of medicine, another way of saying show me the ritual needed to fix this problem. Alara is looking for medicine in Ila from the elision I ala meaning the light of my consciousness. The verse is saying the medicine for fixing our loss of good character is within us.
Kò síbi tí bò dé. Nígbà tó pé títí, Ó tún bi òkè ipòríi rè léèrè. Pé òún wà Ìwà títí délé Alárá,
Translation: There was hardly any place he did not go, after a long time, he turned back and inquired from his divination set. He said that he looked for Iwa in the house of Alara.
Commentary: The personal quest for salvation was ineffective so Òrúnmìlà turns to divination or ancestral wisdom in search of a solution.
Òún wá a délé Àjé rò, Òún wá a délé Òràngún. Òún wá dódò Ògbérè, awo Olówu. Òún wá a dódò Àseegbá, awo Ègbá. Òún wá a dódò Àtàkúmòsà, awo òde Ijèsà.
Translation: He looked for her in the house of Àjé ro, he looked for her in the house of Orangun, he looked for her in the house of Ogbere, Ifà priest of the Creator.
Commentary: Through divination Òrúnmìlà sought guidance from Àjé ro from the elision àjé ro meaning the Spirit of the Mothers descends. This is a reference to the primordial Mothers who shape DNA. He sought guidance from Orangun meaning the spirit of medicine. He sought guidance from Ogbere from the elision ogbe rere meaning the good fortune that is manifest in the odu eji ogbe. This is the good fortune that comes into existence at the moment of Creation of the World and at the moment of inception of every newborn child. The word Ogbere is from the elision O egbe ire ire meaning the source of all goodness in Creation. In liturgical Yoruba, the source of goodness is also known as Ile Ifé meaning the House of Unconditional Love.
Òún wá a dódò Òsépurútù, awo òde Rémo. Wón ní Ìwà ti lo òde Orun . Ó ní òún féé loo mú un níbè. Wón ní kò burú, tó bá le se bo.
Translation: He looked for her in the house of Osepurutu, Ifà priest of Remo. They told him that Iwa had gone to Heaven. He said that he would like to go and take her from there. They said that was all right, provided he made an offering.
Commentary: Òrúnmìlà is seeking guidance from the Odu Ose’tura which is the Odu that gives birth to fertility and is the Odu that causes the expansion or ori in tefa (Ifà initiation) called Òrúnmìlà elerin ipin meaning witness to Creation. Here Òrúnmìlà is asking to be reinitiated so he can expand his consciousness and solve the problem.
The reference to re-initiation is not suggesting the performance of a second ritual initiation, it is suggesting the need to personally commit to the idea of expanding personal consciousness.
The word Osepurutu is a reference to the place where prayers are heard by the Immortals.
Wón ni kó rú awòn, kó foyin fún Èsú. Ló bá foyin rúbo fún lá, Esu. Nigbà tí Èsú to oyin lá, Èsú ni 'nín ló dùn tó báyìí?
Translation: They asked him to offer a net, and said to give honey to the Spirit of the Divine Messenger, He offered the honey and when the Divine Messenger tasted the honey he said; 'What is this that is so sweet?
Commentary: Giving Èsú honey is asking Èsú to sweeten our life meaning remove the pain caused by losing our connection to good character. It is a call to take courageous action.
Ni Òrúnmìlà bá di Egún, ló bá dòde Orun. Ló bá tún bèré síí korin. Inú èkú l'Òrúnmìlà wà. Látojú àwòon rè ló ti rí Ìwà. Ló bá so mó on . . . Àwon pabi bà sobi dire bá sí aso lójú.
Translation: The Spirit of Destiny put on the costume of the Ancestors and went to the Invisible Realm, he started to sing again. The Divine Messenger played a trick on him and went to find Iwa.
Commentary: Here Òrúnmìlà goes into possession with the ancestors in an effort to solve the problem. It is a request for guidance from the ancestors to assist in the resolution of a problem.
'Ìwà, o ha sese báun, O si fi'un sílè lóde ayé, olo'. Ìwà ní béè ni, ló jé kóun ósá lo,
Translation: A man has come to the home of the ancestors who is looking for you. Iwa left her hiding place.
Commentary: This means it is possible to find the nature of good character in the wisdom of the ancestors.
Kóun ó ní ìfokànbalè'Òrúnmìlàní kó dákun, kó se Sùúrù, kó kálo. Ìwà ò gbà,
Translation: She went to meet him where he was singing. Òrúnmìlà was dressed as an Ancestor, he embraced her . . . Those who change bad luck into good spoke through him.
Commentary: The fundamental medicine of Ifà is to change bad luck into good luck meaning to re-establish our connection to good character. In this instance the medicine for transformation comes through the wisdom of the ancestors speaking in a state of altered consciousness.
Sùgbón ó ní kò burú. Ohun tóun óse sì tún kú. Ó ní, 'Ìwò Òrúnmìlà, Kó o maa wáá pada lo sóde ayé o. Tó o bá padà débé.
Translation: The Spirit of Destiny asked; Iwa why did you behave the way you did? You left me on earth and went away. She said that was true. She said she left because of the way she was treated, that was why she had run away.
Commentary: When we ignore the taboos that make good character a habit, we lose the ability to easily access good character.
Gbogbo nnkan tóun ti kà ní èèwò fún o télèt élè, kó o ma se é o. Kó o máa se dáadáa. Kó ohùwà pèlépèlé. Kó o tójú aya,
Translation: She left so she could have peace of mind. The Spirit of Destiny begged her to have patience with him, and to follow him back to earth. She refused. She told him to go back to earth and to honor the taboos she had given him.
Commentary: This is an admonition from the ancestors to never waver from the effort to develop good character and act in a way that is consistent with the idea of Ile Ifé meaning unconditional love.
Kó o tójú omo. Látòní lo, o ò níí fojú rí Ìwà báyìí. Sùgbón òun ó maa báa yín gbé. Sùgbón bó o bá ti se òun sí, béé ni ayé re ó se máa tò sí. Ase.
Translation: She told him to behave with good character, to take care of his wife, to take care of his children, you will see me no more, but I will abide within you and whatever you do to me will determine how orderly your life will be. May it be so.
Commentary: This is a reference to the fundamental idea that the development of good character brings good fortune. It brings good fortune by pulling together all elements of personal consciousness. When these elements are pulled together it gives consciousness the ability to communicate directly with Forces in Nature. In liturgical Yoruba Forces in Nature are called Òrìsà from the elision ori sa select consciousness or specific consciousness.
The inference of this verse is that right brain, left brain balance sometimes referred to as the integration of head and heart is a consequence of the internalization of Iwa. The word Iwa means I come in conversation Yoruba. The word Iwa in liturgical Yoruba is frequently a reference to the idea of coming from Orun the Invisible Realm to Aye, the Visible Realm. The is the journey that occurs during the process of atunwa from the elision a otun iwa meaning I come from the right. In liturgical Yoruba coming from the right means I reincarnated to expand personal consciousness. In traditional Ifà spiritual discipline, the expansion of consciousness is guided by the ancestral wisdom preserved in the verses of Ifà oral scripture. These verses are designed to define the essential elements of human nature.
The verse of Ifà oral scripture called Ogbe Otura clearly suggests the idea that the development of human potential is founded on the ideas of patience, non-judgement, and the ability to not take anything personally. These character traits become an essential element of preparation for initiation. The process of initiation aligns the head and the heart in a way that opens the initiation to what in the West are called altered states of consciousness.
In the West altered states of consciousness are sometimes described as possession. The word for possession in liturgical Yoruba is ro meaning descend. The Odu Ogbe Otura teaches we develop our skill as a medium by integrating the head and the heart Ogbe Otura say this integration occurs as a result of developing Iwa pele or good character.
The elders of traditional Ifà in Ile Ifé and Ògún State teach the idea we invoke possession through the use of oriki. The use of oriki has the effect of opening chakras in the body called iwaju. In the Yoruba language the iwaju are portals for connection to various Òrìsà. The ase or spiritual power used for opening these portals comes through the earth into the feet and up the spine. Possession by Èlà comes from Orun through the top of the head and has the effect of opening all the iwaju at the same time. When this occurs an awo can use oriki to section off one of the iwaju and focus on information from a specific Òrìsà making the spirit of Èlà a shape shifter.
The spirit of the ancestors comes through the big toe on the left foot. This point of contact with the ancestors becomes important during funerals when the Égún gun dancer steps on the foot of the corpse in the grave and in essence channels the last will and testament. Égún gun from the elision e Ògún oogún meaning the medicine of the bones is a reference to ancestral mediums who wear cloth called aso to facilitate the ability to communicate with the collective spirit of a particular ancestral bloodline.
In traditional Yoruba culture trackers and hunters go into possession with animals known in the West as elementals the ability to go into possession with animals is associated with Oso which is the Yoruba word for astral travel. In Egbe Iyaami Osoranga the women go into possession with the spirit of bird. These birds have the function facilitating astral travel related to secret rites associated with the root chakra and menstrual blood. The word for menstrual blood in Yoruba is irosun so the references to irosun in Odu Ifà are frequently associated with this process. These various forms of possession are different from intuition, psychic ability, and visionary ability. Having a vision is called lailai in liturgical Yoruba and is associated with both Obàtálá and Olokun the visionary experience comes through meditation and isolation. The point of the various initiations is to put the iyawo (initiate) into possession.
The great gift from the elders of traditional Yoruba culture is the creation and preservation of effective invocations for generating altered states of consciousness. It is through these altered states that Nature Herself describes the World around us.
The reason human consciousness is able to communicate with Forces in Nature is because all communication is based on frequency and all frequencies emanate from a common source. The common source of frequency is the common source of consciousness.
Chapter 4
Possession by Ela, the Spirit of Light - Available to read on March 18th, 2024
