the following article was originally posted on the Orunmila
Youngsters International List ~enjoy and lets talk about it later!

It was written by Iyanifa Fayomi Falade

---HOW IFA CAN SOOTHE THE PAINS---
As an Afrikan born in America, one may want to
describe the western world in terms as European origins as
seen through the cracked lens of the captivity of a
people. Yet, westerns civilizations has evolved and
expanded in its race for acquisitions of human cargo and
the properties that those people bring. And in this
course we now have from the America's and the Caribbean
a Diaspora that is now attempting to continue their
culture identities while in a place that does not allow
for those expressions without struggle or, as over
the year's history, have been death and
destruction.

The Spiritual and cultural identity called Ifa, as an
Yoruba and Nigeria religious system as well as a
lifestyle has underlining historical ramification in the
growth and development of many nations of people who now
reside in these places that have been colonized by those
of European origins.

And in the "captured" descendants of those stolen away from their
home by not just the Europeans but have issues with the brethren who
participated in their betrayal; we now must ask the system
that is not only a part of our spiritual belief base
but also was the one spiritual enity targeted because
of its strength and cohesiveness. It was those
Ancestors and for those who will understand it with
spiritual eyes, our choice to also participate in the very
thing that killed us in one generation and is again our
salvation in another.

This is what Ifa, the encoded tenets of Olodumare, does to heal the
historical land trapped virus of putting human beings in bondage and
reminding them of the choices of Ori. Ori, in Its
responsibility in asking permission from Olodumare to come back
into a world of illusions, sickness, death and
destruction in order to carry out a destiny that disallowed
the accomplishment of foolishness. In order to
accomplished the great destiny and effort of obtaining the
elements of good character to wash away the self-induced
nonsense of bad behaviors committed by each and every life
in existence.

The encoded messages containedin the Ifa oracle's body Odu give us
the medicine for healing our selves and the world. Whether it is
by ewe (leaf), adura (prayer), and the elements of
the earth and by our energies engaged in knowing,
understanding, and the applying wisdom that is derived from the
messages. It is the power from Orun heaven Itself that give
us sanction. Gives us the knowledge. Opens us to the
buried treasures within ourselves of understanding that
is encoded in our own Ori's and contained in Odu.
And finally to the profound wisdom and glimpse into
the Divine world of Orun by our alignment or cleaning
of our sight by simply abiding by the tenets that
Olodumare consistently and continuously.

The technological discoveries of the 20th and 21st centuries have
amaze and dazzled us Human Beings. Dazzled in ways that
have stumped and hindered our growth. We have learned
to separate ourselves from our (mind) Spirits,
bodies and our Divine Self. And by not partaking of the
fresh and clear water that in contained the cosmology
of Ifa.

While we are yet, plagued with new diseases and
maladies that ravage our societies, we grow in material
wealth. We forget to look within for answers to our
healing and to search those doctrine of our Ancestors
that gave them strength and the ability to endure and
persevere. It is my belief in the organization of Ifa in the
life of the many populace that occupy the lands in the
Western Hemisphere will provide a foundation that can
eradicate all the ills of mankind.

When one is in the process of understanding the characteristics of
Olodumare and the foundations of the tenets of Ifa brought
by the prophet Orunmila, one begins to seek change
within ones self. Going through each step is lengthy
boroughs and stretches of gauntlets of negative energies
designed to challenge, plague, and hindered you. One can
continues to move through the mental traps set by our own
egos engaging the hopeful dialogues with Orunmila and
those Spiritual beings who are directed by Olodumare
and assist you with your growth. It is Faith in Ifa
that prods us on toward Humility in knowing that
nothing is greater than Olodumare. It is Truth that
forges links that bind us to doing good always in the
name of Ifa. This Divine Being when incorporated in
everything that you do, allow you to see that we have and
must treat our Graciousness and great Good Character
well. And thus by doing this we move forward with
studied growth in Patience. As the Odu Eji Ogbe has said,
"We do not live in the same house."

We do not
promenade the same path.

Had we been walking the same
path

I would have walked with you

And accompany you
to your house

There were the declarations for Ifa
to Biala

Who is the offspring of Obatala?

When
planning to become the student of Iwin

Who is
Orunmila?

He was advised to offer the sacrifice of
Patience

The way our father Orunmila walks is like that of an
ant

Our father walks with the speed of an ant

Only
those who can keep the pace of an ant

Can keep the
pace of Ifa

The way our father walks is like that
of an ant

When we stop pushing our personal
agenda's instead of Olodumare's agenda to bring us back
into the fold of Orun. When we understand that we have
no right to judge anyone but to court the wisdom of
Olodumare through Ifa to witness and only through Olodumare
wisdom are we viewed.

It is the grandest of designed that through this
corpus of wisdom and information that we know that Ifa
can heal our wounds because It is the trials and
journeys of those who have gone before us. There is
nothing new in the Universe

The tenets of Ifa can
stop our children from dying unnecessary early abiku
deaths with the protections in these encoded messages by
directing it toward those children who are prone to
violence. And those parents who are prone to hurt and
misuse the innocent. It can teach the parents and the
educators how to utilize the peace and goodness that is
inherent in Ifa tenets to elevate our children and our
adults. It can stop hunger by teaching respect for life.
It can re-orient the minds of millions of being in
existence by utilizing those messages and living, thinking,
and being an Ifa devotee.

Ifa has the
historical data of every living thing in existence and can
eradicate and forewarn any abnormal tendency before birth.
Ifa can point out flaws in the birthing process or
the mismanagement of homes or business. Ifa can point
out good marriage partners or harmful bacteria before
it can do harm to any person. Ifa can arbitrate the
fair and reasonable distribution of products and land.
Ifa can absorb the negative and violent forces that
doom us into wars and famine.

Through Ifa our
salvation is encoded in our Odu's the living guide
containing all the knowledge of each of us human and other
beings. It tells our story through the eyes of Olodumare.
And It gave us a profound message:

IFA, IF
ONLY WE COULD SEE

If only we could see Love
through Olodumare's eyes,

The Universe would reveal
Itself in full,

If only we could see Eternity with
the laughter and mirth of Olorun,

Would not the
pain of life dissipate?

If only we knew the power
Of Divine Love that gave us Orisa claim,

Yes, we
too may become Orisa in the light of Iwa's
rain,

Don't we see the joy of the pattern, the plan, the
pace,

Can't we see the Joy of Understanding on our loved ones
face?

Just look within the sky in You,

And see the realm
of Olorun's joy in bloom,

My Ancestors are
rolling over in their graves for the time wasted in the
Ajogun's play,

The play time affair of things that
keeps you from the real deal,

Keep you lifting their
spirits high and sweet as cotton candy on the roller
coaster ride,

The time wasted in petty useless
pursuits of vain, deceitful, greedy, mindless acts made of
jade.

If only you could see the Natural wonder of
Olodumare,

Receiving an Egun back to the fold of Orun

Made it happen by their accomplishments beyond
the Aiye's of doom,

Sparks of electrical charges
beyond your imagination,

Dropping all the old Buruku
deeds off the spirit as jelly to the floor,

Pristine
fire charges their mind in the shape of Olorun's tears
for our kind,

Oh but if you could only see just
why my Ancestors are rolling over in their
graves,

They say, "Sun don't shine like that 'no
more",

Rain don't fall so sweet,

She used to dance between
the raindrops,

Without one drop to touch her
face,

If only you could see my Ancestor's face is me.


What is the voice that sounds through out the
universe? Does it cure the wounds and the sorrows of
mothers and fathers of the ages? Does this code of
conduct focus us to the worlds that beyond the reach of
the flesh? Does this body of understanding allow us
to see a realm that we were separated from in Ogba
Ase (the garden of command)? And become the children
returning to Elders who patiently
wait.

Odu excerpt found in Ifa: Key to Its Understanding by
Fasina Falade

*Poetry excerpt found in new works in
progress, "Counting the Leaves over the Mango Tree" by
the Author Fayomi Falade