There is much about life that seems outside of our understanding, comprehension, and control. When this reality about life forces its way into your path there are various ways to react. Some of the ways of handling life’s challenges are constructive, some not so constructive, and some absolutely destructive. Adura falls into the constructive category for the believer and the benefits are not just spiritual. When you pray your mind is focused, your respiration becomes more calm and regulated, and you are usually in a posture that is comfortable for you. When these three conditions are present (because of qigong, meditation, yoga, or a period of Adura) your body/mind/spirit goes through the relaxation response, stress fades, and your immune system is invigorated. The more you pray the more your body experiences a positive response.
When you pray you hear your own Adura! Adura is a true expression of your deepest needs and desires (requesting), your joys and pleasures (expressing gratitude), and your silent fears (pleading). As you pray the internal and external vibration and rhythm of your Adura sets up a wave of movement in the Ase that emanates from you. You tend to remember the Adura that you say frequently and are more likely to think about them during the course of your day. The more frequent and sincere the Adura the more powerful is the wave of movement it sets up in the Ase. You are very much a part of the fulfillment of your own prayers.
Every sincere Adura in a moment of crisis has its affect and effect. Maybe some of you heard the recent report of the young boy who drowned while on a trip to the beach with his parents and religious group. The boy was standing in knee-deep water when a riptide came in and pulled him out to sea. I did not get all of the details of the report but when he disappeared beneath the surface his helpless community fell to their knees and began to pray. After fifteen minutes underwater the young boy’s dead body was retrieved from the water. He nonetheless miraculously recovered!
If you know that the spoken word can change the Ase in a room (for better or worst) and that even an unspoken positive or negative attitude can alter the Ase Ami (Energy Signature) of a group (for better or worst), and that you can connect with other people, especially family members and close friends, in uncanny ways that go beyond simply scientific explanation, then why should you not know with certainty that Adura is a powerful thing.
In Ifa we believe that our Ori is our little piece of Olodumare’s Infinite Consciousness. Ori is our direct link to The Supreme God and Creator of all that exists. We believe that Olodumare has placed a share of consciousness in every living thing including earth, air, fire, water, wood, and metal. Your Ori is your share! A devotee once say to me as a question, we homage Orisa and Egun all of the time but where is Olodumare in our daily practices? It was a very good question and deserved the above explanation of the significance of your Ori. In Ifa we say, your Ori is your God! When you homage your Ori, you are calling on the God, and paying homage to your Ori should be the first and last things that you do each day.
Here is a simple Adura that I have shared with my spiritual godchildren and want to share with you.
An Evening Adura: Ori mi, mo pe e! My Ori, I call you! Ori mi, mo pe e! My Ori, I call you! Ori mi, mo pe e! My Ori, I call you! Iba Se Olodumare! Homage to Olodumare!
I (we) ask that you take my (our) soul(s) into your embrace as I (we) sleep; and nurture it (them) with your love and Ase; and return it (them) to me (us) in the morning.
Ase! Ase! Ase!
A Morning Adura:
Ori mi, mo pe e! My Ori, I call you! Ori mi, mo pe e! My Ori, I call you! Ori mi, mo pe e! My Ori, I call you! Modupe Olodumare! I thank you Olodumare!
I (we) thank you for answering my (our) Adura and blessing me (us) with another chance at life. I (we) go forward into the world seeking your signs and your blessings, overwhelmed by no obstacles, deterred by no resistance, and fearing no enemy, for you are sufficient to guide me (us) toward my (our) destiny (ies).
Ase! Ase! Ase!
Here is a traditional Adura to your Ori:
My head, we invite goodness.
We run to count children.
My master, I salute goodness.
The confused head is the head that points to the peaceful head.
You saved me Owner of Heaven.
You, till the end of time, support me.
You habitually support being alive.
You saved me, King, who works on my behalf.
Modupe! Modupe! Modupe!
Adura is confidential intercourse with the divine. It is a state of elevated consciousness and heightened awareness. It is a source of comfort in times of distress and the match that lights the candle of hope in times of despair. Adura is a source of both inspiration and motivation. It provides a vantage point from which we can more clearly see the world. It is a vessel of nurturing energy that can quench the thirst of those who are seeking spiritual hydration. Adura is the thread that ties the meaning of our inner reality to that of our outer reality and experiences. In times like we live in today, there is great power and benefits in Adura.
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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!
