CHALLENGING TIMES

Challenging times are actually the period of reflection, of prayer double strength, of rigorous discipline on the mental, moral, spiritual, physical, emotional and divine state of your being.

Everyone must be tested before enough victory can be established. Challenging times are period of calling our attention to something we are lacking in our lives. It is a period of profound catalysts for victory and the foundation of greater things to come. Remember that character is an essential determinant for success, victory and happiness, in any circumstance.

During trials and challenges, never lose your mental state and your character.  Remember when times grow tough and things are not moving forward the way you want it, then, think, pray, adjust your habit, character and doubt that are causing you to move back, and in a sincere measure, you shall overcome your challenging time.

Never develop a small mentality, or lack faith, or lower believe or belittle yourself, pray for higher break through that will propel you to highest level of success. At times you weigh all odds before you, you believe your situation will never improve, the sickness of my mother or father will never get better, the doctor has confirmed that, there will be an end, and at times, your neighbour and family are yelling at you because of your decision to take up a new believe or new faith, a new business, or a new partner.

I can assure you of one thing, the vibration that brings you as a woman or man to the world, the power that creates the unseen air you breathe in and breathe out everyday, the energy that organised the entire universe and give life to everything therein in the world, has never changed.

He alone can power and support you to victory, if you have faith and strong belief with dedication, discipline to become the true disciple of GOD. Belief that you are not going to survive but thriving in the land you live right now, and everything will turn around for you good. Those who are doing better than you, are not spiritually, mentally or emotionally better than you.

They develop the capacities and the power of GOD in them knowingly or unknowingly, or they are enjoying the benefits and the fruits of their parents or grand parent, or products of passed life of planted life, or their generational blessings. Remember to plant now with your character and faith to reap and leave a better plantation of success for the generation coming after you.

Forgive than before, criticise no, condemn never and do not give in to complain, and be useful as much as possible to your family, friends, group, and your country. Everyone that is useful is planting the fruits of success at his or her back yard.

You are not just a slave but a victor in the universal plain of existence. Never believe that your present state is your determinant and measure of your life success. Look beyond the present state and move on with your life in the spirit of OLODUMARE that created you to have it big in life.

Life is an ocean of challenges, difficulties and problems but, learn to paddle your canoe and sail your ship in the tempest ocean of life. Some seasons like the one you are passing through may be tumultuous, and more challenging, not every time you experience great harvest, just as OLODUMARE created an arable fertile land and the desert.  But he put us on both to turn things around for the best through the wisdom, dedication to work, character, faith and belief in ourselves, in the divinities and his energy.

Remember that today starts the day of your victory, the day of success, and the day of your enormous wealth, sound health and miracle that will surprise you and your neighbours .

You are going to conquer your situation with the power of OLODUMARE and you shall become a conqueror and a victor of circumstances.  Give GOD your trust and your confidence today, he will do the healing and the miracle that lacks in your life; but this will not come to manifestation without your effort.  You are a co-creator with the GOD and do your part of the bargain to make all things work in your favour.

GOD will open supernatural ways to attract blessing to your natural life. Remember that your life or spirit in you or your soul is shrouded in secrecy.  No one can measure the density of your soul, spirit and enormous vibration in your bod , hence, your success , wealth and measure cannot be disturbed by any man or any contrary spirit because you are member of the mystery school of Ifa.

You possess the knowledge of ODU, the mysteries of life are based on wisdom embedded in this astonished vibration of ODUS, and you have chosen the right path to knowledge, and things will turn around for your good.  No worry, fear never, move on with the heart of victory and success shall be yours. GOD is the source of everything, just as your life is from one source of energy emanated in GOD and where you are now has its source from GOD, and whatever you are experiencing is from GOD.  Then this is the time you should move to GOD in prayer to source out every material that will lift you to victory. Never delay.

Empower your words through prayer. It will trigger the biggest vibration, which attracts the stronger and the greatest victory in your life.

Learn the language of GOD, which is prayer.  Prayer strengthens the contact between the infinite energy in the universe and you. It broadens your faith and reinforces your discipline to become a true disciple. If we could accomplish all our dreams, visions and overcome our challenges all by ourselves, we would not need GOD's help. Hence, there is a need to depend on HIM for all things, just as a child needs his father for survival; we need our spiritual father to win the race of life and to overcome all challenges. A useful child does what is expected of him to attract the attention of his father for support. We should do what a faithful and disciplined disciple does to attract the attraction of GOD. Remember to do your part, and GOD will not withdrawn abundant miracles in your life and he shall endowed you with vibration that attracts or calls for success, victory and sound health in your life.

Alafia

DREAMS (ALA)

Dreams in Yoruba conception is called ALA, from word ALA which is boundary or border, the boundary of the physical state and the spiritual state of existence. Only the fool says that dream or ALA is not an extraordinary message from OLODUMARE, the infinite power regulating what is in the cosmos using the two invisible strongest and potent vibrations that exist to man of wisdom, and man of discipline that has actually become the true disciple of OLODUMARE.

This two vibrations range exists in ODUS and in all Irunmole, the divinities. Not all men will need to learn the system of divination to know the mind of OLODUMARE through his numerous divinities energy called odus, then men are given the power of ALA or dream to predict the future, to know the present things and to be able to recollect the past to handle very well the present and the future.

ALA or dreams comes to people in a sleep state, that is a little different from IRAN that

is vision , which  appears to man of higher spiritual power in awaken state of life. Dreams can be extraordinary, because it speaks of mystery that explains certain phenomena in the cosmos. It also speaks of higher spiritual current in the life of all being, which are well verse in the spiritual orientation.

Dreams are predictions and serve as divination, because of its accuracy and potency that form adequate and sound divine message from the father of light OLODUMARE AND HIS NUMEROUS DIVINITIES. Dreams are sent to us by OLODUMARE MANIFESTING IN THE SPIRITUAL STATE OF MEN, AND ONLY MEN WITH SOUND DISCIPLINE RECOLLECTS HIS DREAM ON AWAKEN STATE. TO HAVE GOOD DREAMS, MAN MUST BE EXTREMELY DISCIPLINE, AND FREE FROM ALCOHOL, SMOKING, IMMORAL (SEX IMMORAL), DOUBT, FEAR AND WORRY.

He must ensure to have faith, belief and conviction that life is a spirit and the spirit in all life manifests in the current and linkages with higher energy.  Immorality, alcohol, lack of faith, gluttony and other factors affect the way divinities communicate to us. How can you explain a phenomenon when a drunkard or glutton sleeps?  By the law of natural principles, he has altered his mental state, that connects his spiritual soul terrain and  the physical body that housed both the mental terrain and the spiritual state of his existence.

Men loss the power of communication through a pure act of indiscipline and lack of self and mouth control. Indiscipline leads to loss of spiritual power and sound divine communication.  Food or gluttony is another way by which dream power is taken away from us.  When man think of food and food, he will definitely loss his spiritual appetite which form his foundation, then the power of spiritual communication can be taken away also from those who uses food as a therapy or way to get over worry and other  negative habit. Think less of food , develop your spiritual power and you will see the rate at which the messages of spiritual vibration will be communicated to you.  Immoralities or sexual promiscuity is another way that disturbs the flow of spiritual mental and divine energies. Limit your intensity of sexual life only to your partner, and never allow immoralities.

Take way the power of OLODUMARE in you , Be wary of the fact that your whole existence is a spiritual form that recognises no sexual classification , to preserve that spiritual state of your being , be discipline about sex and let the power of OLODUMARE abound in you, and the spirit of Irunmole be your lot. Who does not know, that when

we die we joint the committee of ancestral soul that send a lot of message and vibration to  families in the physical state of existence. To receive this vibration on the Earth plain we need a discipline and rightful bodily structure devoid of immoralities, and other factors which are very important also disturbed the dream state.

We must learn to depend on OLODUMARE through the wisdom acquired from IFA to seek harmonious relationship between the mental, physical and the emotional state of our being. Hence we should learn to avoid worry, avoid hate, avoid hurry, and haste.

A worried minded fellow will never sleep and if at all he sleeps, he has really impair or broken the communication link between him and his numerous Irunmole working  at the higher frequency to send spiritual currents in form of dreams  or peace state of mind .

Hence learn to become peaceful and commit your way to OLODUMARE, through ADURA, IWURE AND SOME POSITIVE INCANTATION AND SACRIFICES. WHEN A MAN IS FILLED WITH PRAYER IN HIS HEART AND DO HIS PART OF BARGAIN, AS A HUMAN, GOD THROUGH HIS DIVINITIES WILL SURE MANIFEST IN HIS DREAMS OR IN HIS WAYS. 

Dream and death are siblings. We sleep to awake to physical life, it is called a dream state which is pure illusion, and we sleep to go to another realm of existence what is called a death state.  As Awo, you do not need to fear the two, because they are natural phenomenons that transmit certain spiritual frequencies back to physical life of existence. Both ways are extraordinary mechanism to control the physical state and to show us that certain higher vibrations are working to preserve the entity and the natural energy in the cosmos. The manifestation of these two extreme cases, are the products of divine knowledge and wisdom in our path to understanding of spiritual power in the cosmos.

Dreams are really extensive spiritual link between a man of wisdom called Awo and GOD through his numerous divinities. Be cautious when you do not remember your dreams, seek the help of a good Babalawo to help you retrace your step back to light, ITU NLA NI ILE AWO. The dream state and death are the home of a wise man. A wise man depend on his dreams to know what is going to happen to him tomorrow in the future, and that kind of power is spiritual and essential to spiritual growth and divine consciousness.   When you dream seeing certain energy forcing down and disturb you not to wake up means you need to initiate your body and your soul to move away from the hand of Ajogun, the punitive Knight of heavenly doom.

EJI OGBE , USING SNAIL TO OFFER SPECIAL SACRIFICE TO ORI AND OBATALA

“Eji Ogbe , lati fi lo Igbin bori , ati lati lo Igbin Bo Orisaala”

Mark this odu on iyereosun before chant this incantation and prayer for Ori , using snail as a special offering to Obatala and ORI. Then break the bottom of the snail and pour the  fluid of the snail to your head and rub it with left hand, and do not shower for that day. Alafia

Ifa je bo naa o fin

ifa let the sacrifice be accepted

ela jebo naa o rode orun gbure gbure

Ela , let the rituals go up to the heaven above

Sigidimogbari  loruko a a poru

Sigidimogbari ( the secret name of the darkness) is the name we called dark night

okunkun  se-bo lojo kanle

darkness covers the night till dawn

Mo- gba- reu loruko a a pona

Mo- Gba- Reu is the name we called you the path

Emi o ni rin na ko ku

I will not walk up to death

beeni , mi o ni rin na ko mole

I will not walk  to meet the evil divinities

aja ti bi mimi sunkun

the dog cries and weeps in a mysterious  manner

Onile eti odo nii gbo ranran adan

those who dwell and put up the tents near the river will hear the cry of the bat

a difa fun orisanla oseremonigbo-

this divine ifa oracle for Orisaala, the ancient of days

to  bimo meji to loun o gbode ale

that have two children and says he will take charge of the night

a ki jegbin jekarawun

no one eat the snails and eat the snail's shell

igbin bayi ounje irunmole ni

the snail is the food of the divinities

igbin ko le je , igbin ko legun

snail neither  have blood nor bones

ero pese ni tigbin

calmness, peace  and patience  form the greatest characteristics of the snail

ero pese ni ti obaorisa

calmness , patiences and peace  are  the basic characteristics of the king of all divinities

ori la fi oba-orisa nje lawujo gbogbo irunmole

Obatala is the head of all divinities

emi (call your full name)  mo domo OBatala obatasa obatako tako ni ilu iranje

I (call your full name) have become the precious child of Obatala , the greatest , the ancient of days , the king of Iranje

mo ti figbin bori  , ko ri mi o gbe keke bi ti obarisa

I have used Igbin to offer sacrifice to ori , let my head or my destiny be a fulfilled one like the king of all divinities

Ero pese ni tigbin , ori mi ero pese , aye mi ero pese , aye ebi mi ero pese, aye awon ojulumo ero pese

Patience , peace and calmness belong to the snail , hence , peace , patient , calmness  should be my lot , the lot of my family , and the lot of those I know and and I associate with here and hereafter

emi ni mo mbo lona , gbogbo eburu e ya lona

I am coming and tread a path , quit my path oh yee the evil spirits and evil vibration

aja ki nsawo  ko to gbe ni losi iju lo ko ni ifa

the spirit of whirlwind will never pay before taking  the right man away to the jungle to teach him the way of wisdom

bi iku ni ba mbe lona  e ya fun mi  , bi aarun ba be lona , eya fun mi , ajogun ni be lona , e yaa go

Death on my path should give way , sickness on my path should give way , punitive knight of heavenly doom on the way should give way

mo ti di omo ifa , mo ti di omo orunmila , mo ti alajogun , mo ti file ti Obatala oseremonigbo , ko ri temi o le gbo kaakaa lotun ife

I have become the devotee of Wisdom , the child of Orunmila, the conqueror of the punitive knight of heaven , i have put up my tent with the shrine of Obatala the ancient of days , let my destiny be fulfilled in the land of IFE , that is in the physical state of existence

gbogbo ohun buburu  ti mbe ni ile aye , e jomo olowo o lo , gbogbo eburu ti be lona, o je omo orunmila o rin ko re, ori mi a pejo , ori temi a peyo , ori a pesin , bi ti irunmole

All the evil on the path  , give way ,let the chosen one has his way to prosperity and wisdom , all the evil vibration on the path , let the son of orunmila walk without evil attraction , My Ori or destiny is the type that attract joy , happiness and victory , my own destiny is a fulfilled one like divinities

ohunkohun ki pade esu lona ni bi se ise tire

Nothing disturb ESU on his way to deliver his own spiritual duties

osa pon ganrin ganrin , aajin jin dun dun

The day light shows its brightness , and the  night shows his  darkness

ifa ni e jomo olowo o lo, ki ori o pere owo , ire omo , ire alafia, ire aiku bale oro , ire aseyori , ire aseyege

ifa says , let the chosen one goes without hindrance, let ORI attract to me riches , wealth , children , peace , longevity , sound health , victory , and success  in the land of the living and the hereafter

ojo ti igbin ba fe ka iyo , lojo iku re o pe, aje ki gboju titi , ki o jedo idi ara re , ogun aye , amoni se , ke dawo ibi duro , nitori olubori loruko ti ape obatala , apesin bayi loruko ti a pe ori , mo ti bori iku , aisan loni , ori mi ti di apesin

The days snails eat the salts shall end his physical existence , never heard of strong witch that eat up her clitoris and survive , all the evil one must stop evil , all the evil doers must stop evil , because  Overcomer is the name we called  you -Obatala- , Adoration is the name we call you ORI, i have overcome evil  of death , sickness, failure  and my destiny shall be worshipped  and adored by many

Ase

OLUBOBOTIRIBO BABA EBO IS THE NAME WE CALL ENU “THE MOUTH “

THE MYSTICAL NAME OF THE MOUTH IS "OLOBOBOTIRIBO BABA EBO” OR “OLUBOBOTIRIBO BABA EBO”. THE MAIN REASON IS THAT WE OFFER DAILY SACRIFICE TO THE MOUTH THROUGH FEEDING THE BODY, THE SOUL AND THE SPIRIT FROM THE MOUTH.  THAT IS, GIVING THE BODY FOOD ON REGULAR BASIS, AND WE PRAY WITH THE MOUTH EVERY TIME.

MORE SO, PEOPLE DESTROY OTHERS WITH THE WORD OF MOUTH, AND THEY PRAISE OR ELEVATE OTHERS WITH THE SAME WORDS OF MOUTH.
MOUTH HERE ACCORDING TO IFA, HAS TREMENDOUS CAPACITY OR INFLUENCE TO EFFECT BOTH MIRACLE AND DESTRUCTION DEPENDING ON THE STATE IN WHICH WE PUT IT INTO USE.

THE POWER OF THE MOUTH TO DO OTHER WONDERFUL THINGS CAN BE LIKENED TO THE POWER OF DIVINITIES AND ODU ALIKE. MOUTH PERFORMS ENORMOUS WONDER, THAT PEOPLE MUST BE ORIENTATED AND THOUGHT HOW TO USE IT FOR GOOD. MOUTH TAKES A PREEMINENCE ROLE IN RELIGIOUS EXERCISE AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT POSITION IN THE LIFE OF DEVOTEES OF IFA AND OTHER IRUNMOLES, THE DIETIES.

AS THE MIND IS THE SEAT OF THE POWER, MOUTH IS THE SEAT OF VISIBLE VIBRATIONS OF DYNAMIC AND IMMENSE POTENTIALITIES. IT IS THE ARENA OF WORD FORMATION AND THE CENTRE OF THE TEACHING OF MESSAGE OF IFA AND THE MESSAGE OF OLODUMARE .

HENCE EVERY DEVOTEE OR DISCIPLE OF IFA SHOULD DISCIPLINE HIS WORD, SO AS NOT TO RECEIVE THE WRATH OF OLODUMARE THROUGH HIS IRUNMOLES, OR TO ATTRACT THE NEGATIVE VIBRATION OF ODU. MOUTH AND WORD CAN BE USED TO REDUCE PAIN, TO CAUSE A LOT OF HAVOC, TO HEAL, TO TEACH AND TO IMPROVE LIFE.

REMEMBER THAT LESS THAN 200 YEARS AGO, THE MESSAGE OF IFA WAS THOUGHT THROUGH THE WORD OF MOUTH, SINCE YORUBA DID NOT DEVELOP THE SYSTEM OF WRITING. YOU MUST COMMIT ALL WHAT YOU HEARD THEN FROM IFA PRIEST TO THE MIND. THE WORD OF IFA PRIEST SERVES AS AN AUTHORITY AND THIER MOUTHS ARE USED TO DISCHARGE THE MESSAGE OF OLODUMARE THROUGH IFA OLOKUN ASORO DAYO.

BOTH THE SPIRITUAL MESSAGES AND OTHER IMPORTANT MESSAGES ARE COMMUNICATED TO US THROUGH THE  MOUTH. HENCE CHERISH YOUR WORD AND USE IT TO PRAISE BOTH DIVINITIES AND THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU. THE WORD ONIBOBOTIRIBO BABA EBO, CAN BE USED TO PUT IN CHECK THE RUMMOUR-MONGERS, THE GOSSIPERS, THE EVIL COMMINUCATORS TO REFRAIN FROM THEIR EVIL HABIT, EVIL UTTERANCE AND EVIL WAY OF SPEAKING, BECAUSE THE LAW OF NATURE WILL CATCH UP WITH THEM AND WHATEVER THEY SAY WILL SOON MANIFEST AND ESTABLISH.

HENCE THEY SHOULD LEARN TO KEEP THE WORD OF THEIR MOUTH POSITIVE AND GOOD TO THEMSELVES AND TO OTHERS. LET IT BE ESTABLISHED. THE WAY YOU SPEAK SHOWS THE LEVEL OF WISDOM YOU ACQUIRE IN YOUR EARTHLY JOURNEY, THEREFORE LEARN TO USE YOUR MOUTH IN A POSITIVE WAY!

MOUTH ACCORDING TO IFA, MUST BE USED AS SOURCE OF HAPPINESS AND DISCHARGE OF WISDOM AND A FORM OF COMPASSION IN THE PHYSICAL STATE OF EXISTENCE.

THE SONG GOES:

FENU RE WURE, OGUNSINA, FENURE WURE,

MEANING.

USE YOUR MOUTH TO PRAY, USE IT TO SPEAK SOMETHING POSITIVE!

WHAT ENDS EVERY POSITIVE SPIRITUAL WORD IS ASE, THAT COMES OUT FROM THE MOUTH OF THE CHOSEN ONES, AWO.

WHEN YOU ALTER A WORD, IT IS PICKED UP BY THE INVISIBLE NATURAL VIBRATION OF THE ETHER WORKING IN THE UNIVERSAL ORDER OF THINGS AND SOONER OR LATER IT SHALL BE GIVEN BACK TO YOU, EITHER TO ELEVATE YOU AND TO TEAR AWAY OR TEAR DOWN THE GOODNESS TO HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE.

WATCH YOUR MOUTH, IT IS A GOOD ASSET, AND IT IS A DEITY WHEN USED IN PROPER DIRECTION AND PROPER WAY. IT IS AN EVIL ASSET WHEN USED TO ALTER EVIL WORDS. IT IS A MEDIUM TO EXPRESS THE MESSAGE FROM OUR HEART - IFA AYA, AND THE MESSAGE OF DIVINITIES THROUGH DIVINATION AND OTHER FORMS OF SPIRITUAL MESSAGE.

REMEMBER TO USE THE ASSETS WELL!
ALL IS WELL
ALAFIA

OLOKUN AND EGUNGUN

ABORU ABOYE

INDEED ALL DIVINITIES AND DEITIES IN THE PHYSICAL STATE OF EXISTENCE ARE PRODUCTS OF HEAVENLY BEINGS. NOTHING HAPPENS IN THE PHYSICAL STATE WITHOUT A CORRESPONDING AND EQUAL MANIFESTION OF IT IN THE SPIRITUAL STATE OF EXISTENCE.

OLOKUN AS A LORD OR QUEEN OF THE OCEAN IS THE VIVID REPRESENTATION OF EARTHLY WEALTH AND PROSPERITY THAT RESIDES IN THE OCEAN OF LIFE.  AND ALL HEAVENLY BODIES ARE CALLED EGUNGUN, THE SPIRIT OF ANCESTORS LIVING IN THE HERE-AFTER OR ORUN.

REMEMBER THE WORD OF IFA:
AKI LEGBE LAYE, KI AMA NI TORUN, TI EGBE ENI BA DANI IRE LAYE, AWON EGBE TORUN RE A BA GBA, ALAGBEDE ORUN NDANA OWUN LAYE, BENI ALAGBEDE ORUN DA TI RE LORUN.

MEANING:

EVERY LIVING BEING HAS HIS EQUIVALENT BEING IN THE HEAVEN. WHENEVER WE START THE LIGHT OF BLESSING ON THE EARTH PLAIN, THE HEAVENLY PARTNER OR BEING PICKS THE RADIATION OR THE VIBRATION.

WHEN A BLACKSMITH STARTS THE FIRE TO REDUCE THE MENTAL INTO LIQUID ON EARTH, THE SAME PROPORTION OF FIRE RADIATION IS ESTABLISHED IN THE HEAVENLY REALM TO REDUCE THE MENTAL INTO LIQUID FORM.

WHAT THE ABOVE EXPLANATION IS TELLING US, IS THAT, ALL PHYSICAL AND VISIBLE THINGS IN THE PHYSICAL REALM, HAVE EQUAL HEAVENLY BEING, INCLUDING THE DIVINITIES THAT CAME TO AYE AKAMARA, THE WORLD OF MYSTERIES.

HOWEVER, WHILE EGUNGUN SPEAKS OF THE SOUL OF THE DEPARTED FAMILY MEMBERS TO ORUN AND IT IS AN EMBODIMENT OF THOSE SOULS THAT HAVE DEPARTED TO THE LAND OF THE ANCESTORS, WHICH CAN BE MALE OR FEMALE, OLOKUN IS THE SPIRIT OR DEITY OF THE EXPANSIVE OCEAN THAT DEALS IN THE BLESSING OF WEALTH, RICHES AND PROSPERITY. IT ALSO DEALS WITH MONEY AND GLAMOROUS ISSUES OR ORNAMENTAL OR DECORATIVE FEATURES OF THE WORLDLY THINGS.

IN REALITY, OLOKUN HAS LITTLE OR NOTHING TO DO WITH EGUNGUN, BUT OLOKUN IS THE REINCARNATION OF ONE VIVID DEITY FROM THE HEAVEN TO THE WORLD, WHILE EGUNGUN DEALS WITH TRANSITION OF HUMAN SOUL FROM THE PHYSICAL STATE OF EXISTENCE TO THE SPIRITUAL STATE OF DWELLING.

REMEMBER THAT EVERY BEING MUST ALWAYS OFFER SACRIFICE TO THE SOUL OF THE BELOVED ONES, AT LEAST THREE TIMES A YEAR AS WAY TO BRING THEM INTO ACTUALITY, AND MAKE THEIR SOULS FILL WITH JOY,

THAT THERE IS SOMEONE WHO CARES FOR THEM DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY ARE NOT PRESENT PHYSICALLY.

IT SHOWS, HOW THE LIVING CAN APPRECIATE THE DEPARTED SOULS AND ALSO SHOWS THE LEVEL OF LOVE AND HARMONY THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THE LIVING AND THE DEPARTED.

ALAFIA

Olokun - The goddess of Ocean and Prosperity

The male and the female nature of  this great entity called OLOKUN has created a lot of controversy among the devotees  of OLOKUN and IFA pratictioners world wide, but what may be said on OLOKUN , must be taken from ODU.  the energy and the vibration that create all things therein , in the universe, and this same energy has continued to create a lot of things , which are yet to be seen  in both the physical state of existence and in the spiritual state of being.  In fact,  the male and female characteristics of IRUNMOLES or divinities should not be a subject of debate , it must be seen that Sex  classifications are only peculiar to human beings in the lower caste of life , while in the spiritual realm , nothing of such nature has any significance . Divinities assume both the male and female attributes depending on the level you want to use them . It is  once averred that ODU herself was from the womb of OLODUMARE,  and it is the word of GOD to reshape and to create  life and non living objects  in the cosmos. ODU comes from OLODUMARE , just as man comes from his mother with the help of his father . The coming together of two  living  generates another living obejcts , according to  EJI  IDI .

ifa jeko ebo naa o fin

ela je ko ebo naa o rode orun Gbure - gbure

njo nla ta di sasa

a difa fun won ni di kunrin

a bu fun won ni di obirin

nijo ti won nmekun oju rahun omo

idi ni a apa asa

igba idi ba di meji

ni la di olomo

 IFA orunmila ma ma jeki a yagan bayi

Ase

Translation

IFA , let our sacrifices go to the heaven above

Ela accepts our rituals

success depends on perseverance ,

see how rain drops  in time

wear out the stone

this declare IFA oracle to the husband

and also declare IFA oracle to the wife

when they are weeping all days for not having children

commence your effort

from bottom upwards

for when two male and female meet

A life is born in the physical state of existence

IFA Orunmila  deter barrenness from our life

Ase

Since , the vegetative body can only been born in this way , that is the coming together of man and woman to create life through the powerful  hand of GOD , while Divinities does not assume sex  or sex categories from the source of energy -OLODUMARE , on reaching  the physical life , to avoid confusion , sex was attributed to them . We have seen many times where most  or all divinities  have been classified as male and female respectively. Just like Oduduwa ,  Erinle , and the topic of the day OLOKUN  have been attributed  to female and male attributes.

Olokun as the name implies, is from the word OKUN , according to  Yoruba  cosmology means the ocean. Whenever  Yoruba used the word OLO, as in case of OLODUMARE , it means , the owner , the controller , the authority in charge and the absolute power in control or in charge of something . While OLODUMARE is in charge of all that is created and to be created  and exist in the cosmos,  HE , the infinite being in the Yoruba conception  of this authority as designated his authority to many levels of consciousness and unconsciousness , so to feel his presence.  In case of OCEAN and it inhabitant , OLODUMARE  manifests HIMSELF  through OLOKUN and empower this IRUNMOLE, vested in him or her the absolute authority to be in charge and in control and relate to him all the time concerning matters about ocean .   The reincarnation of the  OLODUMARE energy in the ocean form is called OLOKUN -- meaning the owner and the power behind the ocean and its habitant .  However the word OLOKUN has a symbolic and spiritual connection with IFA ADIMULA , that is while most babalawo says , ''ifa olokun a soro dayo '', that  is “ifa olokun that speaks of happiness and fortune”.  In fact, Odu was called from the beginning of creation as ODU OLOKUN , in the place of ODU OLOFIN which is revealled in a verse under OYEKU OTURA .

According to the Odu

ifa jeko bo naa o fin

ela je bo naa o rode orun gbure gbure

baba ba komo eni

omo eni o moo gbon sara sara

a difa fun aje tii somo olokun

baa si komo eni

omo eni a go

a go ju isu lo

a difa fun obawinni

nijo ti nsukun oun o lobirin

aje omo olokun n sunkun alai loko

Translation

if we train our child

one child would be sharp

they are the one cast divination for Aje the child of Olokun

if we refuse to train our child

one 'child would  be foolish

his stupidity can be compared to a dead yam

they are the one that cast divination for Obawinni

on the day he was crying of having no wife

Aje the child of OLokun was crying as well because  she had no husband(1)

STORY

The two personalities had gone to meet their respective IFA priest for divination , about the their lack of mates . They were advised to take their sacrifice  to different places. As fate would make a reality , the duo met and married. Although the stories of people meeting under circumstances which can only be said  to be divine appear in many verses of IFA , the peculiar nature of how this one occurred makes it worth examining .  OBAWINNI  is another name or one of the various names of ORUNMILA BARA AGBONIREGUN . After the meeting with AJE ( the goddess of riches and wealth ) they started living together as husband and wife . They had one child without Orunmila asking for the hand of the woman in marriage , not to talk about paying her dowry .  On a particular day , they both decided to take a trip to see the parents of his wife, so that the marriage  could be formalized and also  show them the new child.

Aje knowing the set up of her parent's house , warned her man about some rules in the realm  they were visiting and how to cope with them . My parents are discreet , exclusive  and divine . They are  not the kind of person anyone can see just anyhow. They have formations along the way to warn  any visitors  of the danger . When  you get to the first station , you will see a person  holding on enormous  crown  in his palms . His name is IRIN, he does not wear it , he must not drop it , and neither would he sit down . He is an enormous figure , his stature tower above many giants and his dressing surpass that of hundreds of earthly kings  put together. But you must not prostrate to greet him , as he is a slave of my parents. Aje said  and warned Orunmila, Obawinni .

 After we may have walked for a long distance again , you will meet  another being  holding a staff  in his hands. The staff is so tall that nobody can see the end . The person holding it is adorned with expensive ornaments , but he is equally a slave of my parents. You must not prostate to greet him . All these warnings are to prepare you for the sacredness of the place  you are going, and to give you an idea of what the real person we are visiting may look like , AJE warned.

Orunmila in great awe , decided to consult IFA according to his habit to know about the trip. ''What do I do about these intricate observations along the way to see the parents of my wife  ?'' In the verse  of the same Oyeku Otura above , we have these

oro lana

enikan kii ri ana fin

a difa fun orunmila

nijo ti nba Aje aya re lo sile Olokun Seniade

Translation

in laws are comparable to sacred rites

no one disparages his in law

cast diviantion for Orunmila

on the day he was visiting with Aje his wife in the house of OLOKUN Seniade

One important materials of sacrifice which IFA asked Orunmila to offer was a puppy . After sprinkling the puppy with the powder of IFA, that is iyereosun , the babalawo returned the dog to him and instructed him to raise her as a pet . Some weeks  after the sacrifice , he called AJE , so that they could begin their trip to the realm of OLOKUN . Orunmila did not forget his dog. He carried it while his wife strapped the child to her back upon their arrival at the netry of the enormous home. Orunmila saw the first person , IRIN , exactly as described by AJE . The sight was awe inspiring and he quite forgot the warning of his wife. He has almost prostrated in greeting, mistaking him for OLOKUN.  Aje stopped and bursts into the song of IJASI to bring him back to his sense.

Obawinni , mo dobale ki o

Obawinni , mo dobale ki

irin to gbade lowo

eru obi mi ni

Obawinni mo dobale ki

Translation

Obawinni do not prostrate to greet him

I warn you not to prostrate

Irin whom you see carrying the beaded crown

is actually the slave of my parents

Obawinni do not prostrate  to greet him

The same things almost happened  when they got to the second one carrying the staff. Again, Aje  reminded  Orunmila not to prostrate to greet him.  Finally they arrived at the close quarter of OLOKUN, who spoked from afar. The voice of the person speaking sounded like a thousand  canons blasting at the same time. However, Aje had warned her husband  to close his eyes before entering  into the close quarters, which he did. With the eyes closed, she introduced  him and the new child which they have . "Aje, you are back". The voice has said , if not all for all the messages you have , been sending back home, I would have been apprehensive  but I am happy  that you are back ''. For a long time , the voice continued to speak , greeting his i-law, his wife  and the child , praying that they would not lack again in life .

Orunmila was unsettled.  Being the inquisitive person, he had always been , he bent his head to one side  and stealthily opened one of his eyelids to have a glimpse of OLOKUN , despite having been warned by Aje. According to the details given by the verse , what he saw was startling . He could  not help heaving deep breaths to contain his amasement in the presence of his wife and of OLOKUN. He ultimately opened his two eyes wide in bewilderment at the creature in front of whom they stood. OLOKUN did not rebuke him neither did she stop taking to the couple and their child.

After a time , she allowed them to leave so that the  woman could go into the inner rooms to greet the entire household.  As soon as they left the place , Orunmila's eyes became swollen and reddish . Aje did not say anything neither did she sympathized even as he scratched his itchy eyelids. He had willfully broken the taboo and was the reason for the eye troubles. When they got to the quarters where OLOKUN told them to lodge, she left the child with her husband  and proceeded to greet her people. With the eyes troubling him , the child in his hand , the dog on the ground , he became highly uncomfortable but did not complain . Orunmila  decided to lie on the mat so that he could at least be sure that he would not collapse when walking with his eyes almost blinded. It was while he was lying down that the new baby defecated on his face, compounding his troubles . The mother was not around and Orunmila did not know how to get anything to clean the mess. It was then the dog which he offered the last time  came to his rescue. It started licking  the feces off his face . He licked all of it and did not stop until he licked the gum on the eyes. Abruptly , the eyes opened and orunmila could see again.

Olokun herself realized that her in-law had eye problems as a result of the breaking of the taboo. She called Orunmila and had an accord with him by giving him and his male children the opportunity of seeing her in a veilded form. Also given to Orunmila was the neutralizer which would soften the effect  of seeing the odu with naked eye (2).

 Odu in conjuction with initiations may be said to be a way through which one may have spiritual  rebirth. Odu may also be said to invoke a kind  of spiritual affinity on the new initiate so that he can tap from the vast esoteric energy of the universe flowing freely in space . By this , he may be said  to have empowerment  for astral travelling . This  apart from its bringing one spiritually closer to OLODUMARE 's spiritual  pedestal, gives the human the ability to become Babalawo .  All these are however possible if the human is spiritually docile and vulnerably presents himself before he can become fully encapsulated in his spiritual realm . What is seen  and the extent of spiritual contentment is not describable in the pages of a book as there are diverse spiritual satisfaction . This experience is better left for anyone willing to go through the Igbodu.

It was since then that sighting of the odu has been the final rites of a full initiation into the cult of ifa . This was one of the promised of OLOKUN  to Orunmila . Also by being exposed to the ODU , one becomes empowered and insulated from attacks of force which may usually have negative impact on the life of  the man.

The odu is usually covered in a wooden bowl and is not exposed unless there is the need to offer sacrifice to her or when someone wants to experience her. She is venerated and sacrifice offered to her regularly . The design of the bowl takes different  forms and these days , some  people  are improvising by using leathers bags as containers(3).

SOURCE---

(1) "YORUBA THEOLOGY AND TRADITION,THE WORSHIP"  AYO SALAMI. PUB NIDD 2008. PAGE 559

(2) "YORUBA THEOLOGY AND TRADITION,THE WORSHIP"  AYO SALAMI. PUB NIDD 2008. PAGE 561

(3) "YORUBA THEOLOGY AND TRADITION,THE WORSHIP"  AYO SALAMI. PUB NIDD 2008. PAGE 564

  

Olokun as ocean divinity is frequently coupled in IFA verses as an embodiment of aquatic vibration radiating the entire cosmos with power to enrich men and women's destiny and improve their lives in a greater proportion. One of the various verses of IFA pointing to the expanse power and greatness of Olokun is shown below under ejiogbe

Gbogbo ola omi ti nbe laye

ko le to ti Olokun

Gbogbo iyi odo ti o se ni isale

iyi won ko le to ti osa

olokun mo pe ooo

olosa mo pe ooo

to ba too sanni , sisan nii san ni

to ba to yeni , yiye ni i yeni

ewo ni keni sowo sowo

keni ma rona koo dele

a difa fun orunmila

ifa nsawo lo apa okun elakeji osa

ni wan ran ola nibi ojumo ti mo wa

Yoo gba gun okun

Yoo gba gun ide

yoo gba gun olginniginni aso irada

orunmila yoo kokun oro wa nwu -ile

Translations of eji ogbe

the greatness and the importance of the world can not rival the quantity of the water in the oceans

the greatness of the streams cannot rival the importance and the greatness of the sea

 the divinity of Ocean , I give my obeisance

the deity of the sea , I  give my obeisance

there should be time enough

there should be time

time to succeed , time to prosper

hard would it be , forver to bear

a life of struggle without success

a life of commerce without profit

thus declare IFA oracle for Orunmila

when he intended going to the city accross the ocean

to practise  ifa divination  in that prosperous land full of opportunity

the land full of prosperity , and wealth of higher proportion

ifa will receive in that land the reward of beads , gold and other ornaments of higher value

presents of various cloth in high quality

orunmila will return with riches and wealth of higher proportion back home

ifa let all our steps attract the spiritual and physical gifts and presents of higher proportion

Ase 

Olokun here is seen as the energy responsible for blessing of wealth, riches and prosperity of higher proportion .  However some tradition refer to Olokun as a male energy in the universe according to IFA verse

 “olokun nii gbogbo awon obirin re lo yagan  ni won a loyun , un , lo da fa pe awon obirin wonyi le bimo fun oun “

Translation

“there was this client olokun with a problem , his wives were infertile , so OLOKUN consulted the diviner asking , would his wives become fruitful and bear him children !!! (4)

Olokun as a male energy is a symbolic representation of IFA , as a surbodinate and  coadjudant  of Orunmila to enrich his devotees in a miraculous manner . The energy of wealth , riches and prosperity embedded in the deepest part of ocean manifesting in the surplus enrichment of the people in the universe. Olokun enjoys the surbordinate role of IFA in the universe. He is divinity of wealth , symbol of large  and abundance surplus of riches in the cosmos

Moreso her  female role as one of the greatest, favourite, and closest  wife of Oduduwa  could be seen in the most of Ifa verses, according to the story . Olokun was the wealthiest woman of her time.  She started the trade of making beads and other precious ornaments of greater value. Till the present date , there is a grove attributed to OLOKUN as IGBO OLOKUN , where traditions believed that she strived to initiate the habit of making beads which consequently enrich her in the world.

 (4) ifa festival - abosede emanuel pg 192