The Divine Value of Self (Ori) in Yoruba Religion

 

Ori: The Divine Value of Self in Yoruba Cosmology

Ori: The Divine Value of Self in Yoruba Cosmology
Article Credits to:  Fagbemijo Amosun Fakayode
In Yorùbá, Orí literally translates to mean “head”, however the spiritual significance of the word is far deeper. Orí is human consciousness. It is our direct connection to Olódùmarè, the Supreme Force.
Conceptually, Orí is closely related to destiny or fate. Each and every person who is born on Earth, Aye, went through the process of choosing their Orí and their Destiny before journeying from Heaven to Earth, Orun to Aye. Each human being has the personal task of selecting their very own Orí, their own particular human consciousness.
Obatala is the Oriṣa responsible for molding the human heads, and thus human consciousness. He molds them by hand from clay. Not all Orí are created equally. Some of the Orí’s turn out to be more “perfect” than others ones do, as Obatala makes each one by hand.
One who chooses a good Orí and destiny will have an easy time obtaining the good things in life. They will find it easier than not to have a peaceful home, a job they truly enjoy, a good relationship with their spouse, and good children, along with the wealth and health needed to enjoy it all. Good things will come easily to them.
On the other hand, one who chooses an imperfect Orí will experience many hardships in life. They will find that the good things in life are hard to achieve and that tough-times are common. It will take great change to better things for them. Potentially they can change through the implementation of ritual and sacrifice, vehicles for change and transformation, to repair their Orí’s and their realign destinies, thereby turning their lives around for the better.
Orunmila is the one who repairs such imperfect Orí. The following is anexcerpt from an ancient Oriki, prayer poem, for Orunmila:
Odudu ti ndu Orí emere
Atun Orí ti ko suhan se
A mo iku
Translation:
The one who saves those who are destined to die young
The one whorepairs a bad Orí (Head)
Through your knowledge we avertdeath
I will end with this brief note: When praying to Orí it is best to bein a comfortable position, to hold your head in both hands, as it isour heads we are praising. Hold your head and say “Orími gbe mi o!” meaning “My Orí supports me!”
Orí Wuuu!

ORIKI ORISHA IBEJI (PRAISES AND PRAYER TO gods OF TWIN CHILDREN)

ORIKI ORISHA IBEJI (PRAISES AND PRAYER TO gods OF TWIN CHILDREN)

Ejire ara isokun
edunjobi
Omo edun ti sere Lori igi
Okan ni  n ba bi, eji lo wole tomi
Olowo ko ri bi
Bu MI ki n ba o rele,
Kimi ki n pada leyin re
elepo ni kolo
Ode ki Ile kun
Oro Po Jojo wolu
Obe kese o be kisi
O bo sile alakisa
O so alakisa di onigba aso
Ari gbidin leso
Ejire ki ya inu osonu
Oninu ire lo bi edun Lomo
Ejire ki je eye ega
Omokehinde ko gbodo je eran edun
Edun duro loko oyagbado
Agbado gbo Agbado o gbo
Oju oloko lo ti n ya Agbado tie
Lojo Ejire ti daye ko jale ri
Oju olohun lo ti mohun
Akobi oyo
Abikehin ooni
Tente edun Lori igi igbagbo
Tiemi Lori igi iyeye
O gborigi Jaye bi oloba
edun jobi
Aromo se
Odele oba terin terin
Wini Wini loju orogun
Ejiworo loju iya e.
Atete ji onile gba Ile
Edun a ma gba origi igi refe
Awodi a ma gba Oju Orun kanran kanran
Erelu igbo
Oloju lako labo
Oju ni poki
Ire ni golo
Fa MI ni iru mi o fi Oju sere
MO tori Ejire MO ja loja
Mo fo igba epo
Kaka ki elepo o na MI
o fori jimi tori elejire mi
Odele oba terin terin
Ode le ijoye tayo tayo
Atike atige ni a n fi se ike Ejire
Ati owo ati ige lejire fi se ike Eni
MO lepo Nile
MO ni ewa lodede
Oyelakin ma bo lodo mi
Afinju ti gba idobale baba
MO ji ri yin loni
MO ji ri owo
MO ji ri ola
Translation
Ejire the native of Isokun town
The relative of Monkey
That usually jump and hope for tree to tree
I pray for one baby but twins come my way
Even weather people are Childless and don't have a twins
Abuse me and I will follow you home
Praise me and I will leave you alone
One who have a lot of Palm oil in his cann
Ones who comes and make household become full
One who enter the town with a lot of wealth
One who hoping and jumping from tree to tree
He enter the house of a wretched parents and turn them to rich person
One who is full of beuty and jewellery
Twins never find their way to the womb of wicked woman
It is a nice woman that gives birth to twins twin doesn't eat ega birds
Like the don't eat monkey
Monkey stand up in the farm and eat maize
Whether maize is ripe for harvest or not
The monkey harvest his own in the presence of the farmers
Ejire will never steal
He do take what he want in the presence of the owner
You are the first born on Oyo and last born of ooni
The monkey stand at the apex of igbagbo tree
And jump gleefully on iyeye tree
One who enjoy himself on tree like king
 I was gifted with children one who come to king Palace with smile
To your step mother you are ugly in sight but to your mother you are king and Queen
When people wake up early they clean and sweep their surroundings
But the monkey will clear they trees top
And awodi birds will clean the sky
Spirit of the forest
One with beautiful male and female face beautiful face
Long tail
You can drag my tail but I don't joke with my face
I fought because of twin in the market
I broke a keg of Palm oil, instead of the Palm oil seller to get angry he forgive me because of you elejire (twins) one
One who come to king Palace with laughter
And to cheif mansion with smile
If we take good care of twins with honour
The take cure of one's back with wealth and money.
I have paml oil at home
I have beans in the kitchen
Oyelakin (twin please come to me
A rear set of children that that gain honour and respect of their parents

The Misconceptions about the gods (Orisas) of Yoruba Culture.

  

The Orisa

It is the view of Ifa that all things on earth, and in our entire universe, are conscious and alive. Everything possesses its own awareness and energy. These infinite, natural energies that comprise the universe are called Orisa. Each has its own specific function and its own myriad aspects, as well as its own unique name. Modern people have likened Orisa to Gods, or anthropomorphic forces with human-like characteristics; however, we understand that Orisa consciousness is Divinity revealed through Nature. It is the energy of the forest (Ogun), of the ocean (Yemonja), of the wind (Oya); of opportunity (Esu), of love (Osun), of peace (Obatala) and of war (Sango); of everything found under, and beyond, the Sun.
All human beings are in continuous contact with the Orisa. Our bodies and senses are constantly conversing with energy, whether we realize it or not. Much can be learned from honoring this connection and paying attention to the way Orisa work in the universe. Each energy serves its own unique part while still maintaining perfect balance with the whole. Through observing and communicating with Orisa, we come to realize that human beings do play this same active and significant role in the universe. Orisa shows us exactly how the energy of our actions and our thoughts affect not only our own lives, but the lives of everyone and everything around us.
There are an infinite number of Orisa operating in the universe, yet we can break them down into seven basic complexes; Esu, Obatala, Yemonja/Olokun, Ogun, Oya, Sango, and Osun

The Misconceptions about The Traditional Religion of the Yoruba Culture

Ifa is an indigenous, earth centered African spiritual tradition which was conceptualized by the Yoruba people of Nigeria, West Africa. According to oral literature, the practice of Ifa originated as far back as eight thousand years ago. Therefore, Ifa may indeed be the oldest monotheistic religion in the world.
Ifa is balanced on three legs; Olodumare (Creator), Orisa (Nature Spirits), and the Ancestors.
The Supreme Being, Olodumare, is without gender and is not an active participant in the affairs of living humans. Olodumare is benevolent and has provided a Universe with all that is needed for humans to be fulfilled and happy.
Ifa is characterized by a deep sense of the interdependence of all life. “Every life form and element of Nature has an inner soul force – including rivers, rocks, clouds, metals, flowers, thunder, and the wind. These natural energies that comprise the Universe are called Orisa (“oh – ree – sha”). Each Orisa has its own specific function. Humans are in constant communication with Orisa energy, whether we’re aware of it or not.
Through Ifa, we recognize that our Ancestor spirits are always with us and must be honored, acknowledged and consulted. All people are born good and with a destiny meant to develop their character (Iwa-pele). Divination was given to us so that we could periodically check in to make sure we are staying in balance and following the path of our destiny. The mysteries and teachings of Ifa revealed in divination are contained in a body of scriptures called Odu.

Myths About Abiku in Yoruba Mythology

 
AbIKu  In Yoruba mythology, Abiku is a term that refers to the spirits of children who die before reaching puberty   EtYmOlOgY  abiku is from abi (that which possesses) and iku (death) and means predestined to death. A child who dies before twelve years of age is called an Abiku as well as the spirit, or spirits, who caused his death   Beliefs. When an Abiku has entered a child he takes for his own use, and for the use of his companions, the greater part of the food that the child eats, who in consequence begins to pine away and become emaciated. If an Abiku who had entered a child were not bound to supply the wants of other Abikus who had not succeeded in obtaining human tenements, no great harm would ensue, since the sustenance taken could be made sufficient both for the child and his tenant. It is the incessant demands that are made by the hungry Abikus outside, and which the indwelling Abiku has to satisfy, that destroy the child, for the whole of his food is insufficient for their requirements. When a child is peevish and fretful it is believed that the outside Abikus are hurting him in order to make the indwelling Abiku give them more to eat; for everything done to the child is felt by his Abiku. The indwelling Abiku is thus, to a great extent, identified with the child himself, and it is possible that the whole superstition may be a corruption of the Gold Coast belief in the sisa. A mother who sees her child gradually wasting away without apparent cause, concludes that an Abiku has entered it, or, as the natives frequently express it, that she has given birth to an Abiku, and that it is being starved because the Abiku is stealing all its nourishment. To get rid of the indwelling Abiku, and its companions outside, the anxious mother offers a sacrifice of food; and while the Abikus are supposed to be devouring the spiritual part of the food, and to have their attention diverted, she attaches iron rings and small bells to the ankles of the child, and hangs iron chains round his neck. The jingling of the iron and the tinkling of the bells is supposed to keep the Abikus at a distance, hence the number of children that are to be seen with their feet weighed down with iron ornaments. Sometimes the child recovers its health, and it is then believed that this procedure has been effective, and that the Abikus have been driven away. If, however, no improvement takes place, or the child grows worse, the mother endeavours to drive out the Abiku by making small incisions in the body of the child, and putting therein green peppers or spices, believing that she will thereby cause pain to the Abiku and make him depart. The poor child screams with pain, but the mother hardens her heart in the belief that the Abiku is suffering equally. Should the child die it is, if buried at all, buried without any funeral ceremony, beyond the precincts of the town or village, in the bush; most other interments being made in the floors of the dwelling houses. Often the corpse is simply thrown into the bush, to punish the Abiku, say the natives. Sometimes a mother, to deter the Abiku which has destroyed her child from entering the body of any other infant she may bear in the future, will beat, pound, and mutilate the little corpse, while threatening and invoking every evil upon the Abiku which has caused the calamity. The indwelling, Abiku is believed to feel the blows and wounds inflicted on the body, and to hear and be terrified by the threats and curses

The Elements used in Yoruba Medicine

• Shango Orisha represents the fire element and is hot and dry in nature. It is considered to be the Protector/Warrior, and possesses the ability to transform base substance into that which is pure and valuable. It is associated with the color red. It's season is summer.
• Elegba Orisha represents the earth element and is dry and cold in nature. It is the Messenger of the Orisha, Holder of Ashe among the Orisha, and is associated with the colors red, black, and white,
• Yemoja Orisha represents the water element and it is cold and wet in nature. It is the Mother of Waters, and is associated with the color blue and crystal. It's season is winter.
• Oya Orisha represents the wind, or air element and is hot and wet in nature. It is responsible for the winds of change, and is associated with the color reddish-brown. It's season is spring.

The Integration of Yoruba medicine into Planetary Herbology

The Integration of Yoruba medicine into Planetary Herbology
I have tried in this essay to accomplish the first part of a pleasant assignment which I rashly laid upon myself about two years ago: to integrate African medicine into the scheme of Planetary Herbology. It is no exaggeration to say that this work would not have been possible without the pioneering work of Dr. Michael Tierra. My goal was to add to the tremendous work Dr. Tierra laid out in integrating Eastern and Western philosophies and the principles of Chinese, Japanese, Ayurvedic, and North American Indian herbal medicine.
After close study of the herbal principles applied in African medicine, I noticed the fundamental unity and similarities within and between other herbal systems. Namely, Ayurvedic, North American Indian herbology, Western, and Chinese herbology. This was due pertly because of the historical, and cultural links of each of these systems. Yet, it is well to remember that the meeting of cultures have also triggered tremendous creative explosions in medicine and philosophy. East Indian medicine was born in a meeting of the Black Dalilia (the Black Untouchables) and Indo-Europeans. Chinese herbology adopted some of its principles with the meeting of Egypt. Japanese medicine was born in a meeting with Chinese culture, and Western herbology sprang from a meeting of the ancient Greek and Egyptian priests. These are only a few illustrations; much of what I find exciting and interesting.
Let us look at the correspondance between Western herbology and the Egyptian system. The Hypocritic humoural theory was taken from Egyptian Magical Principles (see diagram 1). The basis of this theory was the belief that the human body was made up of the four elements of which the whole material world was composed: fire, air, earth and water. It was also believed that each element possessed certain qualities: hot, dry, wet, and cold. These elements could be mixed in more ways than one, and the various mixtures gave rise to different temperaments and "humours". The proper balance of elements preserved the health of the body, and a lack of balance led to illness which called for the doctor's healing magic. The Yoruba priests adopted this same system with sleight modifications. In the Yorubic system, the four elements became: Shango (the fire element), Oya (the air element), Yemoja (the water element), and Elegba (the Ashe, or earth element).