I've been blessed to read the Bible, the Bagavad Gita, and several
translations of the Holy Qur'an and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad multiple
times. In the Islamic tradition The Way is to greet and eat only with
the right hand, for the left hand is used to address the more basic
needs of the animal that is human. In Ifa, The Way is different.
Chief Adelekan and I had just returned home. He'd had a busy morning
and was a little exhausted. But it was a moment that Orisa would not
let me pass up. Stroking Baba's arm gently to open his eyes I took him
by the arm. Come Baba! Come and sit in the Ile with me! He rose from
the couch, we ascended the stairs and stood at the door of the Ile.
I spoke. Where there are no eyes to see, no ears to hear, and no
voices to speak or comment, you find me here! Because I am a believer!
I knocked three times and entered the Ile, right foot first.
As I looked back to watch Baba enter I noticed him stepping at the
threshold of the Ile with his left foot. He pressed his foot to the
ground as if stepping forward and then drew back (as if rocking). After
the third time, he entered. I did not question in that moment. We knelt
before my Eshu (Alagbana) and I homaged Eshu in the Yoruba language
and feed him palm oil with my right hand. When my adura to Eshu was
completed I sat and Baba commented.
When you feed Orisa, feed them with your left hand. I asked
why. Because, he said and pointed, our heart is on our left side
and when we feed Orisa and Egun we want them to know that we are doing
it from the depths of our heart.
I spent the next hour and a half in the Ile with Olumesin Oduduwa homaging
Orisa and being taught. I understood now, why in Ifa, we enter the Ile
with our left foot and feed with our left hand.
