Ifa: The Spiritual Tradition of Orisa and Ancestor Worship
Ancestor Worship, Part II
January 2018
Homage To The One Who Sends and to those who are sent! Homage to Orisa and Egun!
Ifokanbale Omo Orisa! Peace of Mind from Olodumare Children of Orisa!
Ire ati Ayo!
Good Tidings and Joyfulness!
I honor your gods, I drink from your wells, I bring an undefended heart to our meeting place. I have no cherished outcomes, I will not negotiate by withholding, and I am not subject to disappointment. I am here! And They are all here with me! Ase! Ase! Ase!
Lord of my Ancestors, I have no knowledge except that which is given to me through inspiration, that which is sent to me by way of an angel, and that which I am blessed to acquire by way of some discipline. I thank you for guiding my words, my thoughts, and my actions so that all that I say and do may serve to point the seekers in the right direction. Ase! Ase! Ase!
There is both a substantial (real and tangible) and an insubstantial (not solid or real, imaginary) aspect to this reality that we call life. It is both objective (not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts) and subjective (based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions. Dependent on the mind or on an individual’s perception for its existence.) It manifests both concrete (definite, clearly stated, unambiguous, certain) laws and metaphysical (based on abstract reasoning, transcending physical matter or the physical laws of nature) or spiritual (relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul) principles. It is and is not at the same time. Given the complexity of our existence it is reasonable to look for a system of understanding and guidance that can embrace both the physical and spiritual aspects of life. Such is the nature of the Spiritual Tradition of Orisa and Ancestor Worship. Ifa looks at the nature of the physical world, the physical universe, and then asks the question, “How can we act and interact with the essence of this reality in such way that we can live the best possible life?” “Can metaphysical and spiritual principles influence and affect the physical laws of the universe?” “Is the physical reality a collection of individual and separate pieces, or is it an integrated whole governed by a unifying principle?”
The cycle of life and death is one of those areas of human concern that extends into the substantial and the insubstantial realities, the physical and the spiritual. The physical aspect of death seems pretty clear. The heart stops beating, the brain stops sending out its bio-electromagnetic signals, the Ase (vital force of life) stops circulating through the body, rigor mortis sets in, and the body begins to decay. The laws of the substantial reality have been satisfied. What about the insubstantial reality?Is there something that persists after the death of the body?Is the body the entire entity or is there something more, something unseen but nonetheless real?What is the purpose of life, anyway?Is there something like what we call a soul?If so, does it die with the body or does it live on in some other reality or dimension of this reality?Does this soul entity have awareness?Or, is its very nature awareness, consciousness?Can we as living beings contact and interact with this the entities of consciousness that exists after the death of the body?Do these entities have an interest in the activities of the living?Are they able to initiate contact with us? I don’t think we are going to run out of questions about the insubstantial reality of life and death.
There are surely those who live in doubt about the existence of life, awareness, and consciousness in an insubstantial reality after death, but most spiritual traditions declare with faith and certainty that there is a ‘hereafter’. Different spiritual traditions have portrayed different images, notions, or conceptions of this hereafter existence but none deny it. Ifa declares emphatically that there is an existence after the death of the physical body and the recognition, acceptance, and acknowledgement of that truth is one of the fundamental tenets of the Ifa Tradition. Ifa declares certain truths to assist us in our life journey.
Our journey in the world does not begin or end with us but is part of a chain of lineage dating back to the very origins of human existence.
Those who have lived this journey before us are still aware, conscious, and caring.
Those who came before us support our success during our journey in this physical reality.
We have a responsibility to acknowledge and honor those who are the predecessors of our lineage, our Egun (Ancestors).
We can and should seek the assistance of our Ancestors in dealing with the circumstances and conditions of our lives.
Past, present, and future are not separate, individuated parts but rather an integrated matrix of divine energies that cannot be divided one from the other.
As I have stated in a previous Post, if we ask, “What IS the Will of God?” “What form does it take?” “How is it made manifest?” The only possible answer is that LIFE is the Will of God! And every aspect of it, substantial and insubstantial is indicative of a single, organic whole, The All, The One!
The importance of Ancestor Worship is certainly not unique to the Ifa Tradition. When I traveled in China, Southeast Asia, including Bali, Thailand, and Cambodia, it was not uncommon to see the people leaving offerings of food to their Ancestors at their tables and out in front of their homes and businesses. The Ifa Tradition offers the devotees and unaffiliated seekers the opportunity to ‘know’ from your own experience the answers to the questions I raised earlier in this Post. Knowing based in the evidence of the substantial reality is not always sufficient to answer questions about the insubstantial reality. Perhaps a personal experience will help explain.
When I was in college my best friend had taken a different path and ended up being drafted and shipped off to fight in the Viet Nam War. He had tried unsuccessfully to make contact with me while back home on a temporary leave. Unfortunately I allowed my school demands to keep me from meeting up with him. Unknown to me my friend was eventually sent back overseas into the war. One evening while I was working late in the experimental psychology lab at school I felt someone touch me on my shoulder. The touch felt quite substantial. Since no one was in the room with me I immediately looked around to see who had touched me. There was no one there! At least not that I could see! Just as quickly as my movement, my friend’s ‘Ase’ engulfed me and I ‘knew’ that it was his presence. A week or so later, I learned that he had been killed in Viet Nam around the same time as my experience. I KNOW that he made contact with me. I don’t need a witness, or agreement, or acceptance, or proof! I know from personal experience that there is a presence that exists after the death of the body and that that insubstantial energy can make itself felt in, and influence the events of the substantial reality.
I know that many of you have had similar experiences with friends or family members, and know exactly what I’m talking about. It is a most profound certainty that resides in the heart and leaves an indelible mark in the mind. When we invite our Ancestors to be present in our lives by acknowledging the reality of their continued existence, profound things can and will happen, life changing things. In fact, your whole perspective on life can shift when you finally know with certainty that this journey is neither a beginning nor an end but part of an ongoing process that is emanating from the very consciousness of Olodumare.
How do you participate in Ancestor Worship?
It can be as simple or elaborate as you wish to make it. Pour cool water in a crystal or wooden goblet on a regular basis and thank your Egun for their part in your life and for supporting the will of your Ori. Reserve that goblet exclusive for communion with your Ancestors. Allow the water to slowly evaporate which symbolizes your Egun receiving your offering. Light a white candle and offer prayers of gratitude to your Egun and also ask for their assistance in dealing with some serious area of concern or importance in your life. I like the glass incased 7-day candles because you have the option to lite the candle each of the seven days or to let it burn for all seven days. (Of course, always be careful where you place the candle.) Place a small plate at your dinner table and share your meals with your Ancestors by placing a small portion of food in their plate. Reserve that plate exclusively for connecting with your Egun. The food can be left on the table to dry out before discarding or you can place it outside where the birds, insects, and animals can eat the offering and symbolically take it to your Ancestors. Call the names of your Ancestors to include them on special occasions and during special ceremonies like wedding, graduation celebrations, and the birth of children. Pictures and an altar for your Egun can be powerful elements of Ancestor Worship but are not a necessary part.
The main idea is to be aware, conscious of the insubstantial reality, and to have faith and eventually, the certainty of knowledge that the insubstantial reality can influence and affect the substantial reality.
To be continued:
A Recommended Book: The Way of the Orisa: Empowering Your Life Through the Ancient African Religion of Ifa, by Philip Neimark, ISBN: 0-06-250557-2
Aajiirebi! May the Unblemished Cloth of Orunmila Continue to cloth us with the Wisdom Of the Here and the Hereafter!
Ase! Ase! Ase!
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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!
