Homage To The One Who Sends and to those who are sent! Homage to Orisa and Egun!
The Ifa Corpus would not be as extensive as it is if life was easy. Life is like a minefield full of hidden dangers. The Ajogun are belligerent enemies of Human Beings. They work against our interest by trying to prevent the timely achievement of our destiny. The most important of the Ajogun are:
Iku – Death: Is responsible for putting an end to Man’s life.
Arun – Sickness and Disease: Is responsible for afflicting Man with illness.
Egba – Infirmity: Brings paralysis and other such debilitating conditions.
Ofo – Loss: Destroys or carries away Man’s property.
The Ajogun also include obstacles, unforeseen evils, and being overwhelmed. They are Man’s enemies for they work against our interests all the time. However, the Ajogun can be appeased with Ebo (sacrifices). (Note: When I refer to Man, with a capital ‘M’ I am referring to both males and females, this is, all Human Beings.)
We must also deal with those Entities and Energies referred to as the Eniyan (Witches). The Eniyan are also known as Eleye (birds) because they are believed to be capable of assuming the form of birds whenever they want to work against Man’s interest. However, this does not mean that all birds should be considered veiled witches. The Eniyan have no other purpose in life than the destruction of Man and his property. They are the Arch-Enemies of Human Beings, and Ebo cannot appease them. A Man’s surest protection against the Eniyan is to avoid and evade them by following the guidance of his/her Ori.
We strive to escape these life experiences knowing that they are present in this world at all times. Or, we can make life choices that invite these experiences into our lives or call to them prematurely. (Aye L’oja, Orun N’ile! The world is the marketplace, the Spirit World is Home!) When we acknowledge our Egun we celebrate the fact that they have escaped the trials of the Ajogun with these words.
Ko si Iku - Death is no more Ko si Arun - Sickness is no more Ko si Eyo - Tragedy is no more Ko si Ofo - Loss is no more Ko si Idina - Obstacles are no more Ko si Akoba - Unforeseen evils are no more Ko si Fitibo – Being overwhelmed is no more
When we pray for ourselves and make our daily choices in life, these are also the very things that we are striving to avoid. When you chose to come into the world you prepared yourself by choosing your Ori, your Orisa, and consulting with your Egun. The last thing your Egun say to you before you began your journey into this physical reality is “most of what we have told you, you may forget when you take on human form again. Pray so that you can remember why you chose to take this journey and so that you may avoid its pitfalls.”
Setting aside time to pray during the early morning and before you retire is a good practice. But the practice of prayer (Adura) is more than that. Adura is a state of mind that manifests when you recognize that you are not in the world alone; that there are unseen (and sometimes seen) forces that are engaged in this experience right along with you. Here are some of the Things We Pray For when reaching out (and in) to Olodumare, Ori, Orisa, and Egun.
Jowo fi-fun mi ni (wa) Abo yin! Please bestow upon me (us) your Protection!
We recognize that L’oja is a potentially dangerous place, inhabited by negative forces, some of which are determined to see you fail. Reaching out for spiritual protection should be one of your first lines of defense.
Jowo fi-fun mi ni (wa) Iranlowo yin! Please bestow upon me (us) your Assistance!
Only foolish and false pride would make one think that they can navigate the L’oja on their own. It is more than an act of humility to reach out for assistance. It is an act of wisdom. The multiple layers of reality intersect with such dynamic consequences that it is wise to seek assistance from sources that have more power than you.
Jowo fi-fun mi ni (wa) Itona yin! Please bestow upon me (us) your Guidance!
Life is like a maze filled with twists and turns that can take you so far off your Path that you can lose your way for years before you remember why you chose to come. Keeping your physical Ori open for guidance from your Spiritual Ori in each moment of your consciousness enables you to better navigate life’s obstacles, pitfalls, traps, temptations, and dead-ends.
Jowo fi-fun mi ni (wa) Imoye yin! Please bestow upon me (us) your Wisdom!
Your challenge in life is to choose! That’s it! Choose! Choose who and how you will be in the L’oja! Choose how you will live this life. In each moment choose the next sentence in your story, the next step in your personal journey. Pray that you might remember and choose with wisdom.
Jowo fi-fun mi ni (wa) Ase yin! Please bestow upon me (us) your Spiritual Power!
You chose your Orisa as intimate sources of spiritual power to travel with you on your journey into the world. You can choose to live your life mindful of the presence of Orisa in each and every moment of your consciousness. They are always there, connected to you. They are always ready to use their powers in your service at the request of your Ori.
Jowo fi-fun mi ni (wa) Opo Ire yin! Please bestow upon me (us) your Abundant Blessings!
Blessings can take many forms. Call the blessings of Orun down upon yourself and your loved ones during your journey in the world. Sometimes you need to ask for specific things because of the conditions of your life. But you should also asks that the blessings of Orun be around you each and every moment of your day in all of its wondrous forms. And in each moment you should offer prayers of gratitude based on your certainty that your prayers of appeal are being heard and answered.
Jowo fi-fun mi ni (wa) Ife yin! Please bestow upon me (us) your Love!
Knowing that there are those who love you is a powerful protection against the conditions of the L’oja. Even if or when the people in your life seem to turn against you, you are still embraced by the love of your Egun and the protection of the Orisa who crown you.
Jowo fi-fun mi ni (wa) Iwa-pele yin! Please bestow upon me (us) Good Character!
Good Character is the only vessel that can contain and hold sacred all else that you pray for!
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Ki Olodumare, Orisa, ati Egun fifun e ni Itona, Imoye, ati Opo Ire!
My Olodumare, Orisa, and Ancestors bestow on you Guidance, Wisdom, and Abundant Blessings!
