The Mysteries of Odu Ifa

By Ifatunmise Abudifa Olaifa Awosanmi

EJIOGBE MEJI I I I I ORK EJIOGBE (Invocation for a Pleasant life) Oniyanriyanri, Awo Osan, kutukutu, Awo Owuro, nwon yinta werewere nigbo ologbin. The Priest of the Afternoon, the Priest of the Morning, both gourged themselves with alligator-pepper grains. Commentary: priests of the day represent the cycles of life. To gourge yourself with alligator pepper grains is to eat the offering that creates ofo ase meaning the power of the word or the ability to pray effectively, so ejiogbe places a person in alignment with destiny and that alignment give us the ability to pray effectively: Nwon mapo elefundere, nown fi deru igede kale. From the lump at the forest of Ologbin they loaded a bag of powerful incantations. this is a reference to a power spot in Obatalas sacred grove which also gives a person the ability to pray effectively. I I I I

Ejiogbe I originally translated to mean spirit of giving but on further consideration ogbe is more likely an elision of o egbe meaning spirit of the group or spirit of all consciousness that ever existed so because consciousness comes from the Creator I believe ogbe is another word for Olodumare. The

word eji means first so ejiogbe from the elision eji o egbe meaning the first spirit of collective consciousness which is another referecence to Olodumare. The inference is when ejiogbe appears in divination it means the person is in alignment with Olodumare meaning in alignment with destiny. Ifa says ayanmo ni iwa pele iwa pele ni ayanmo meaning destiny is good character good character is destiny. That is however a generic translation the elision is ayan mo ni iwa ope ile iwa ope ile ni ayan mo meaning the sacred tree of the ancestors is the way I greet the earth, the way I greet the earth is through the sacred tree of the ancestors. This is a poetic reference to our connection to all consciousness that has ever existed and that connection is called ogbe in Yoruba. ORK EJIOGBE (Invocation for a Pleasant life) Oniyanriyanri, Awo Osan, kutukutu, Awo Owuro, nwon yinta werewere nigbo ologbin. The Priest of the Afternoon, the Priest of the Morning, both gourged themselves with alligator-pepper grains. Commentary: priests of the day represent the cycles of life. To gourge yourself with alligator pepper grains is to eat the offering that creates ofo ase meaning the power of the word or the ability to pray effectively, so ejiogbe places a person in alignment with destiny and that alignment give us the ability to pray effectively. Nwon mapo elefundere, nown fi deru igede kale. From the lump at the forest of Ologbin they loaded a bag of powerful incantations. Commentary: this is a reference to a power spot in Obatalas sacred grove which also gives a person the ability to pray effectively. Nwon ni ki gbogbo ewe igbo wa gbe e. They asked the forest leaves to come and carry. Commentary: the first step in any Ifa Orisa ritual is to clean the sacred objects with leaves. Nwon fope entori nwon o le gbe e. The forest leaves fled helter-skelter because they could not carry the bag. Commentary: this is a reference to the idea that not all leaves are effective for ritual purposes. Odundun ni oun yio gbe e.

But Odundun leaf said he would carry it. Commentary: odundun from the elision Odun Odun the word Odun means year, in Yoruba when you repeat a word it means the eternal source of that thing so Odun Odun is a reference to the beginning of time or the transcendent element in any ritual. The transcendent element is the moment when human consciousness experiences connection with the Immortals. Nwon ni; Iwo odundun to farajin late gbe eru egede yi iwo ni yio dara ju gbogbo ewko lo. Then they said; Odundun leaf, you who agree to carry this load of incantations shall be the best of all the forest leaves. Commentary: this question is actually an invocation asking the Immortals to come to the ritual. Nigbati o kan gbogbo eku oko. When it was the turn of the forest rats. Commentary: this is a coded reference to the idea that forest rats are not offered to Ifa is the ebo for ejiogbe. Nwon sa ago nikan lo gba lati gbe e lojo naa. They fled and it was Ago and rat that agreed to carry the load. Commentary: this is a coded reference to the idea that Ago rats are used as offerings for ejiogbe. Ojo naa ni edumare dahun pe; Iwo, eku ago ni yio dara ju gbogbo eku inu igbo lo. It was on the day that the Creator said to the rat; Ago you shall be the best of all the forest rats. Commentary: this is further confirmation of the ebo. Bee naa ni gbogbo lodulodu, nwon sa, nwon ko je gbe e. In the same way all the Odu fled and refused to carry the load. Commentary: ever Odu involves the choice between ire and ibi. Ejiogbe lo gbe elojo naa.

It was the Supporter who carried it on that day. Commentary: this is saying that alignment with Olodumare and the development of iwa pele is the way to transform ibi into ire. Carrying the load is a poetic reference to the challenge of transformation. Lati ojo naa lo lo ti di wipe Ejiogbe ni Oba lori gbogbo Odu. From that day the Supporter became Chief of all the Odu. Commentary: ejiogbe is the Chief of all Odu because it represents perfect alignment with destiny and alignment with destiny is the point of all divination. Lagbaja dodundun loni. Ko tu fun un, ko ba fun un. And so it is like the odundun leaf today. Let his life be comfortable. Commentary: alignment with destiny brings a blessing of abundance, good health and children or family. Kaiye re dara. Kogede aasan atepe me se lagbaja nibi o. Ase. Let his life be pleasant. We praise the Supporter. May it be so. Commentary: alignment with destiny is the purpose of life so when we are in alignment with destiny we receive a blessing of peace.