If we have a occupation that keep us in a sedentary cycle we are literally slowly killing ourselves. Lack of frequent exercise and physical activity increases our chances of cancer an!d contributes to obesity with all of its injurious and potential deadly consequences. Continual and prolonged physical inactivity contributes to anxiety and depression. To be engaged in any type of continual and prolonged sedentary profession is dangerous because lack of exercise and continual physical activity and movements is a factor leading to cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease. We can also develop diabetes due to a sedentary lifestyle. Physical inactivity is the 4th leading risk factor for global mortality. Less siting and more moving combined with healthy diet and adequate sleep is ideal. A sedentary lifestyle also contributes to have sleeping problems. If we don’t get enough deep sleep our brain and bodies cannot diffuse stress and cannot heal itself properly. Inactivity also contribute to loss of bone mass and is linked with high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels which can lead to stroke, diabetes and other debilitating illnesses. It would be a great error and potentially fatal blunder for any babalawo to think that it is okay to not get enough daily physical exercise. To neglect this is to needlessly put oneself in peril.
The ancient awo were not so sedentary. Even Òrúnmìlà was not sitting around all day and just working upon the Opon Ifá. He alternated his Ifá ministry with adequate physical activity like walking and traversing distances while performing his duties from one town to the other. (OGBE – IKA) Òrúnmìlà did not just practice Ifá, he was also a master farmer, gardener, herbalist and exercised himself in agricultural activities. So he definitely maintained his health through regular exercise and short periods of rigorous but healthy activity.
It was nothing complicated. Many holy men and woman that like to live in monasteries, hermitages and in isolated places often suffer from the things I mentioned previously because of lack of adequate and consistent exercise and nutritious diet. Sometimes they have an unfounded zeal thinking that Olodumare is going to change, overturn or disregard the laws of nature just because they are serving him. That is a wrong and dangerous attitude to have because Olodumare has never taught us to disregard our duty and responsibility to take care of ourselves. Yes Olodumare does add life and longevity to His devoted awo, there is no doubt about it but we also have to do our willing and able part to contribute to our own health and well-being
Serving Ifá does not absolve us of our responsibility and duty to take care of ourselves to the best of our ability and means.Just like in ages where the only means of transportation is bicycle and the awo of then will travel for almost 7 days on the road or more to neighbour village either on their bicycles (which is a good example of work out tools) or with their legs, this really helps them to stylishly engage in exercise but this days all priest wants to end up riding an exotic car and their routine became from temple to the car to meeting/flexing and back home to the bed, those exotic car can’t be taking to the forest in search of roots and leafs, thus all this affect us physically as an awo orunmila.
It is a know fact that orunmila was a good athlete’s, is a good gamer because he played game with death in many verses and won.( OGUNDAKETE). We implore us to engage in a good physical exercise and this will help us a lot because health is wealth.
Aboru aboye bosise!!!
Ogbo ato asure iwori wofun
