Commentary: In the structure of Ifa scripture the name of the diviner is the solution to the question being asked. Sometimes the solution is cryptic or indirect and is suggested by inference. Here the statement that the upright are far less in number than the wicked suggests being upright is the solution to the problem. There is a Yoruba proverb that says Ayanmo ni iwa pele, iwa pele ni ayanmo, meaning destiny is good character and good character is destiny. If we break this proverb into it’s elision we get ayan mo ni iwa ope ile, iwa ope ile ni ayan mo with the literal translation my ancestral tree is who I greet on earth and who I greet on earth is my ancestral tree.
Because the word iwa pele connotes good character in the Yoruba language, the idea of being a good person implies linking our ancestral heritage to the task of greeting the earth. In traditional Yoruba culture a junior greets an elder and the elder is who we seek for guidance. The indication here is that the earth herself (Onile) is our teacher and that we come to earth in order to learn how to live in harmony with the Earth.
There is the additional element suggested here of ancestral obligation. There is a Yoruba proverb that says if your life gets better my life gets better. In the spiritual discipline of Ifa our first obligation is to elevate our entire lineage. This is done by drawing a line in the sand and identifying which expressions of family dysfunction we will not pass on to the next generation. This means being a upright person has a personal component in terms of how to carry ourselves in the world and it includes a collective component in terms of how to take responsibility for unresolved conflicts passed to us by our ancestors.
Cast divination for Òurúnmìlà on the day he would be saddened by all compelling incidents.
Commentary: The name of the client (in this case Orunmila) is the problem addressed by the verse. When Orunmila is the client in a verse the implication is that the question involves the struggle to develop iwa pele. The word Orunmila from the elision Orun mi ala means the invisible realm of the ancestors is my light or salvation. In this verse we have the issue of developing good character which is blocked by sadness, or in modern terms depression, caused by compelling incidents.
This begs the question what are the compelling incidents that cause sadness. One of the fundamental requirements for developing iwa pele is the ability to empathize with others. Without empathy it is impossible to behave in an appropriate manner with others. When sadness is generated by empathy it means the actions of others are creating problems and these problems are often the result of the failure to embrace the discipline of developing iwa pele. In simple terms this means Orunmila is saddened by the wickedness he sees in the world.
Ifá enjoins us to be honest. The Deities would not allow us to compromise the Truth.
Commentary: In the Holy Odu Osa Tura Ifa scripture defines truth as the will of Olodumare. In human terms the will of Olodumare becomes manifest in the world as human destiny and human destiny is rooted in the development of good character. The Odu Osa Tura goes on to say that only Olodumare knows the Will of Olodumare so as humans we have the obligation to state the facts as we know them. This creates a polarity between the Truth of Olodumare and our truth as human beings. This polarity is constantly pushing those who are on the spiritual path of developing iwa pele to let go of old ideas and to embrace increasingly more universal concepts of self and world. That is in fact the point of every single verse of Ifa scripture. Each verse is designed to push us beyond our current perceptions of self and world into a more universal and transcendent view of Creation. Letting go of the old limited concepts brings us a lesson and according to the Prophet Orunmila every lesson involving the expansion of consciousness or Ori brings a blessing of either, children, abundance or long life.
They were asked to always offer sacrifice so that there would be many upright men in the world.
Commentary: This sentence at first glance seems self-evident. Make an offering to transform the negativity in the world into goodness. Statements in Ifa scripture carry a cultural and spiritual context. Often this context is in contradiction to the norms of Western culture, so in order to fully grasp the meaning of this sentence we need to put it in context. According to the Holy Odu Obara Meji the good fortune that comes to us as a result of expanding our consciousness leads to the development of humility.
Ifa defines humility as the willingness to consider someone else’s point of view. Humility is the foundation of empathy. Obara Meji in ibi, or its negative manifestation says that evil is created in the world by the desire to control others. The Yoruba word for evil is ori buruku from the elision ori buru iku meaning consciousness that brings death. The word death here has a literal connotation, but also suggests the death or destruction of our essential nature.
Ifa teaches we bring goodness to the world not by manipulating others but by setting an example. In traditional Yoruba culture one who sets the example of iwa pele is said to have suuru or inner peace. The idea of suuru is the idea of being in constant alignment with our Iponri or higher self. This state of constant alignment literally can be translated to mean being in a state of constant alignment with our Orisa, suggesting living our lives in a state of possession by Spirit. Possession as understood in traditional Yoruba culture does not occur from the outside it, it occurs from the inside out, meaning Orisa is a component of who we are. Are goal as devotees of Ifa is to be in a state of possession all the time. In eji ogbe we have the possibility of creating this alignment.
They offered the sacrifice. Thereafter, honest men started to be in the world.
Commentary: the word sacrifice is often misunderstood to mean offering. The offering we make to spirit is actually the promise we make to Spirit to commit to making the sacrifice. The sacrifice itself is the letting go of old behavior and letting go of a finite perception of self and world. In this verse the sacrifice is letting go of our wicked ways. In doing so we become a role model for others and being a role model for iwa pele generates iwa pele in the world. In others words the manifestation of good character is contagious.
Life then became well arranged. They said that the Upright that are on earth number less than twenty. The wicked ones therein they are so many, they number many more than forty thousand.
Commentary: we have here a repeat of the name of the diviner with a slight variation. In this expression of the name of the diviner we have the idea that living an upright life will make life well arranged. The inference here is that it will make life better both for the individual and for the community.
Cast divination for Òrúnmìlà on the day he would be saddened by all compelling incidents.
Commentary: Again we have the idea of the client or Orunmila being saddened or depressed by the wickedness in the world. Here the verse goes on to specifically identify the cause of sadness.
If it is the fortune of wealth that saddens us, let it sadden our destiny such that we could get to make good wealth. Whatever one feels sad about should be one’s sore point of persistent reference.
Commentary: This sentence is, I believe, at the foundation of Ifa spiritual discipline. The point here is that we feel sadness because something is missing in our lives. Ifa teaches us that we choose a destiny in Orun before coming to earth and experience atunwa (reincarnation). The point is that when Olodumare created ori or consciousness, ori was associated with egbe or emotions and those emotions are designed to guide us towards our higher self. Ifa does not believe in martyrs or victims. If you are sad because something is missing from your life, focusing on creating that thing becomes the fuel that drives your movement towards fulfilling your destiny.
The good fortune of wives that saddens us, let it sadden our destiny such that we could get a good wife to marry. Whatever one feels sad about is one’s sore point of persistent reference. If it is the fortune of children that saddens us, let it sadden our destiny such that we could get good children to bear. Whatever one feels sad about is one’s sore point of persistent reference. If it is the good fortune of houses that saddens us let it sadden our destiny, such that we could get a good house to build. Whatever one feels sad about is one’s sore point of persistent reference. All the good fortunes that sadden us in this world let it sadden our destiny such that we obtain good tidings. All the things one feels sad about is one’s sore point of persistent reference.
Commentary: It has become common in the Diaspora to interpret Eji Ogbe as an Odu reflecting arrogance and the possibility that a student will take over the family of their teacher. I would disagree with this interpretation. Eji Ogbe is saying that the person is in alignment with their destiny and if they follow the guidance of ori inu or the inner self they will manifest their fullest potential.
As a topographical metaphor Eji Ogbe is extremely important in that it establishes the foundation for all spiritual growth. The marks of Odu are a two dimensional representation of a three dimensional reality. This means the marks of Odu are a coded reference to the structure of energy patterns in nature. These marks are the foundation for what is commonly called sacred geometry.
Science calls the patterns suggested by the marks of Odu torsion fields. A torsion field is a spherical energy patterns which according to modern string theory transfers energy from hidden dimensions of the universe into the physical dimensions that falls within the spectrum of light visible by the human eye.
The energy pattern as it is described in sacred geometry is a sphere with two three sided pyramids. The base of one pyramid is located 30 degrees below the equator with the apex touching the north pole. The second three sided pyramid is located with the base located 30 degrees above the equator and the apex touching the south pole. In every structure from atoms to stars these two pyramids usually rotate in opposite directions. This counter-rotation creates longitudinal waves which support gravity.
The Egyptians called this invisible structure a Merkaba. The importance of the Merkaba is that it functions as an inter-dimensional portal. A three side pyramid touches the sphere in four places. Each point of contact between the pyramid and the sphere is an inter-dimensional portal. In the marks of Odu when a portal is open there is a single mark, when the portal is closed there is a double mark. The two pyramids generate guadrgrams (a set of four elements) that map the number of portals in the sphere that are either open or closed. The upper pyramid is symbolized by the quadragram on the right side of the marks of Odu and the lower pyramid is symbolized by the quadragram on the left side of the marks of Odu.
According to African spiritual traditions the Structure of the Merkaba is an invisible structure that supports all of Creation. The structure of the Merkaba has 256 variations and each of these variations reoccurs throughout Creation. This is the basis for the Hermetic idea; as above so below.
In 255 of these patterns the top pyramid and the bottom pyramid counter rotate. In Eji Ogbe all eight portals are open. When all eight portals are opened an odd thing happens, the two pyramids spin in the same direction. When this occurs on an atomic level it creates what science calls mono atomic spin which in turn creates a Messer field. The term Messer field is used in science to describe any force field which is not affected by gravity.
As humans when our consciousness or ori is under the influence of a Messer field, or under the influence of Eji Ogbe our ori is not earth bound and can make the journey to the Land of the Immortals (Orun) it is this journey that infuses our ori with the mystic visions that guide us towards fulfilling our destiny.
Ire,
Awo Falokun Fatunmbi
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