To experience, ‘see’ and know Ifá depends completely on one having sincerity and faith [genuine spiritual affinity, divine attraction and confidence]. If one has sincerity and faith, one will be transformed [positively and qualitatively changed]. If one has sincerity towards Ifá and faith in Ifá then one will be able to perceive the appearance of Ifá in one’s life. This sincerity and faith are a product of the development of one’s own peculiar spirituality [natural spiritual affinity]. This peculiar and personal sincerity and faith are also enlarged, strengthened, augmented, nurtured, protected and empowered by the virtuous divine activity of Ifá.
Ifá cannot be seen by the physical eyes. Ifá can only be known, experienced and enjoyed by and through the heart [the awakened, receptive and responsive mind/spirit]. If you are sincere and your power of intuitive-connectivity [spiritual sensitivity, inner-feeling and responsiveness] is awake [active] then you will know [directly experience] Ifá, and this knowing will remove all doubts, worries, fears and anxieties from your mind and life. Ifá will heal your inner-world and correct [harmonize] your outer world. Ifá will fill, surround and inundate your life with peace, certainty, meaning and optimism.
If one is insincere, indifferent to spiritual realities and one lacks the willingness to trust in something that is greater than oneself then one will not be able to ‘see’, directly experience and understand Ifá. Ifá is everywhere. Ifá fills everything. Ifá sees, understands and knows everything. Ifá has thousands upon thousands of feet. Ifá has thousands upon thousands of eyes. Ifá has thousands upon thousands of hands. Ifá is closer to us than the air we breathe. Ifá is like a great, luminous and radiant sun which is always emanating light, heat, life and warm. Ifá is a divine sun which never goes down and which never sets but if we close our ‘eyes’ [due to ignorance, pride, arrogance, conceit and heedlessness] and we refuse to look then all will appear to us to be darkness, gloom and suffering. We have to want to see. We have to at least must be willing to see or be willing to be helped to see. We must want to be helped by Ifá to experience and know Ifá. Ifá is everywhere, Ifá is in all places. Ifá is not coming and going. Ifá is always present just like the air we breathe.
Ifá is like a compassionate and kind mother who always cares for her children. Ifá is the one who becomes troubled when we are troubled! Ifá is kindness, compassion, integrity, courage and strength. Ifá is powerful, sympathetic, understanding, generous and kind. Ifá is always ready to manifest and assist the sincere and straightforward person who genuinely wants to improve and correct themselves. But those who ask Ifá-muwagun for help, relief and favors but refuse to abandon dishonest, unwholesome, destructive and immoral activities will obtain nothing. Ifá is the character of Olodumare. Ifá is the truth. Ifá is harmonious and honest living. Ifá is honor, courage and integrity. Those who ask Ifá-muwagun for help, relief and assistance while simultaneously persevering in the cultivation of a responsible and healthy life of continual improvement, correction and moral-spiritual growth will be helped unfailingly by Ifá.
The seed of Ifá already exists and is deeply planted within our mind. As we walk in affinity, sincerity and trust with Ifá this seed will grow and will begin to manifest the divine virtues, powers and blessings of Ifá in our lives. This seed will grow into a great, powerful and sacred tree which will bestow the fruits of peace, health, confidence, true spiritual power and deep understanding. Ifá will teach us the secret of self-control. This is what true power and mastery is. How can you control and regulate others if you are powerless in regard to your own self and you are yet incapable of exerting mastery over your own self?! If you cannot control and regulate yourself then how can you help others to control and regulate themselves. If you are an ill tempered, impatient, zig-zagging, inconsistent, negative and wavering person, then this means that you are a spiritually powerless person. If your morality, values and standards are always going up and down and changing like the chameleon changes it’s color to suit its environment, then this means that you have no stability, strength and rootedness; this means that you are a spiritually powerless person because you are unreliable, impulsive, inconsistent and lacking in firm determination. If you are a person who is controlled completely by circumstances and surrounding situations then this means that you are a spiritually powerless person. Do not despair. Ifá can and will help you remedy this if you come to Ifá-muwagun with sincerity, good-faith, sheer honesty, transparency and with the genuine desire to want to change your life condition and to improve your inner-quality of life.
Ifá is wonderful, beautiful and efficacious. Ifá is like a compassionate and kind mother. Come to mother Ifá with your problems, concerns and challenges. Approach Ifá with respect, earnestness and realism and Ifá will manifest to you and transform [improve, correct and elevate] your life. Ifá cares about you and loves you. Approach Ifá with just the simple willingness and desire to give yourself an opportunity to experience the great wonder, benefit conferring power and blessing that is Ifá. Ifá will open your eyes and heal your heart. Ifá will bring solutions to your life and give you the power and motive to apply [actualize] the solutions. Ifá will help you do what you should be doing. Ifá will help you accomplish what is beyond your honest ability. Ifá will complement your efforts and establish you on the path of success, fulfillment, satisfaction and peace. Ifá will perfectly defend, shield and protect you. Ifá will bestow upon you and reveal to you his sacred jewel, mystic power and treasure. The heart knowledge of Ifá is the greatest, most perfect and virtuous ‘talisman’.
Ela-Òrúnmìlà moyin aboru.
Ela-Òrúnmìlà moyin aboye.
Ela-Òrúnmìlà moyin abosise.
~ Awo Òrúnmìlà Mark Casillas
