We all live in a difficult, challenging and complicated world. The amount of things that affect us today are bewildering. With the advent of modern technology and social media the world has become smaller and in many ways more connected but at the same time the hearts and minds of people are more far apart than ever. Today humanity lives disconnected for nature, from one another and from its own wholesome essential nature. Humanity lives alienated from itself. Superficiality, shallowness, strife and vanity are reigning unchecked in the lives of countless people. Many ask, “Why are we here?”, “What are we living for?”, “Why the increase in emotional and mental health issues today?”, “Why the disparity between what we know is the right thing to do and the actual implementation of what is right?”
Individually and collectively, directly and indirectly we have complicated our own lives. Sometimes others have complicated our lives. We have fragmentized ourselves. Ifá has the realistic, practical and satisfying answers to our questions, problems and concerns but we must personally take the time to study, reflect and discover what Ifá has to say to us. Our present age of stress, anxiety and worry is ready for and direly in need of Ifá. Ifá means that which brings coolness, freshness [revitalization] and harmony to one’s life. Ifá is that which attracts and manifested the harmonizing powers of creation which bestow freshness, vigor, stability and healing to our lives.
Nature did not create us to live lives of anxiety, worry, fear and stress. Our current manner of living and thinking are at the root of the anxiety, worry, fear and stress that we see and experience today. We have moved away from the nourishing root which gives life, health and vitality. This root is Ifá. The àse that flows from the actions of Ifá and from the practical teachings which flow from Ifá have one main purpose in our lives. That purpose is to establish us in a life of true peace, wellbeing and happiness which is characterized by simplicity, naturalness, ease and wholesomeness.
Nature is inherently bright, harmonious, healthy, vibrant, joyful and peaceful. Ifá is the wisdom and power of nature. Ifá exists to bring us into harmony with nature’s law. This state of balance, harmony and equilibrium is our true and natural state. If we take a fish out of its natural habitat which is the ocean or river and place it on land it immediately experiences pangs of distress, anxiety and unhappiness because its equilibrium, harmony and balance has been disturbed. As soon as the fish is placed back in the waters it immediately recovers it peace, balance, health and happiness. In like manner Ifáyelele is the true and natural state of humanity. When we live disconnected from Ifá we also begin to feel the symptoms of disharmony. We also begin to experience pangs of distress, anxiety and unhappiness because our equilibrium, harmony and peace has been disturbed. Ifá exists to restore and maintain this harmony, health, wellbeing, equilibrium and happiness in our lives. Our true spiritual place of habitation is called Ifáyelele.
Ifá exists outside of us as well as within us. Nature’s law exists and operates within us, and nature’s law exists and operates outside of us. The guiding directives of nature, or the protective functions of nature are what we call orisa. Ifá is able to bring to us balance, stability, peace, success, happiness, health and progress by revealing and explaining to us what we need to think and do so that our lives are harmonized or brought into harmony with the guiding directives of nature, or the protective functions of nature, i.e. the orisa, and in harmony with our true selves. Ifá is able to impart àse [healing, harmonizing and rectifying power] directly to our lives and Ifá is also able to give us the means to receive the àse of the orisa into our lives, situation and circumstance. Ifá and the orisa are never out of sync with us. It is we who for various reasons can find ourselves to be out of sync with Ifá and the orisa.
When we are in harmony with Ifá [Ifáyelele] this means that we are in harmony with all the protective functions of nature and with our true selves, and therefore we enjoy, feel and experience the symptoms or fruits of that harmony. The fruits of being in harmony with Ifá are what we call authentic and naturally arising peace, happiness, contentment, health, peace, prosperity, rectitude, simplicity and empowered intelligence. When we are in harmony with Ifá we are in harmony with nature and with our true innate fundamental goodness. When we are in harmony with Ifá the negative conditions of shallowness, superficiality, anxiety, worry, melancholy, despair, disconnectedness and unhappiness flee from us. Ifá is able to repair and correct whatever it is obstructing the natural flow of our peace, happiness, fulfillment, wellbeing and prosperity.
It need not be hard or difficult to have and enjoy this harmony because this harmony is intrinsic to our being. This is why our hearts seek this harmony. When we are searching for happiness, peace and fulfillment what we are actually searching for is the peace, strength, knowledge, experience and power of our true selves i.e. Ifáyelele.
Ifá is about enjoying and celebrating life by being truly alive, radiant, bright and joyful. If we live artificial, fake, pretend and superficial lives then we will always find ourselves alienated from true peace, happiness, contentment and from ourselves. When we live disconnected from nature and nature’s law the result is a sense of hollowness, dissatisfaction, discontent, alienation, purposelessness, despair, melancholy and meaninglessness. There is no need or reason for us to live such an empty life. We are created to be vessels and embodiments of life, light, wellbeing, peace, clarity, enthusiasm, optimism and contentment. We are created to enjoy endless and ever-increasing divine delight, satisfaction, contentment and pleasure.
I want to invite you to reconsider your relationship to Ifá and your understanding of Ifá. I want to invite you to reconsider your relationship to the orisa and your understanding of the orisa. The orisa also dwell in Ifáyelele and it is to Ifáyelele that they invite us. Dive deep in your Ifá studies. Seek to acquire a direct, simple and profound spiritual comprehension of Ifá. Ifá is sweet. Ifá is beautiful. Ifá is the path of naturalness, ease, comfort and satisfaction.
In Ifáyelele we will know and discover that all the wholesome qualities and divine potencies are already ours. We need only to recognize this fact, and by recognizing this reality we will immediately experience its power, delightfulness, benefit and beauty. The natural result of such recognition is a life which expresses genuine simplicity, loving-kindness, rectitude, gratitude, inner-strength and humility. By recognizing and experiencing Ifáyelele we cease to be fragmented persons and we become whole, unified, balanced and clear-sighted.
By approaching Ifá and ordering our steps according to Ifá we refresh, increase and strengthen the àse in our lives which makes it possible for us to recognize, experience and express the essential truths of our being according to the sacred revelations and confidential teachings of Ifá.
When we are living in this joyous, supramundane, satisfying and wonderful condition we carry this state and condition of mind, attitude, spirit and living into our relationships, our friendships, our community, our homes and our places of employment thus contributing directly and indirectly to the establishment of Ifáyelele in others.
By the association of others with you and you with others Ifá will communicate to them his blessings, presence, graces, benefits and ability. When we are in harmony with Ifá, Ifá causes us to see, come in contact with and experience the seeds of goodness, beauty and truth within ourselves.
Life is hard and complicated enough as it is. Our spirituality [faith and practice] need not be hard or complicated. Remember and never forget that Ifá is the path of simplicity, naturalness and ease.
May you all be blessed, encouraged and inspired by this consideration. Àse.
