Tag Archives: obatala
WE ARE PERFECTLY IMPERFECT
The true meanings, esoteric truths and sublime teachings that we derive from the pastime of Obàtálá when Obàtálá unintentionally got drunk and began creating mis-shaped humans.
The reason we love and cherish Oba Òrìsà Obàtálá [Eèpàà Òrìsà, Òrìsà Eèpàà] is because he is a model of true and realistic perfection. The perfection of Obàtálá [Eèpàà Òrìsà, Òrìsà Eèpàà] is not a fantasy or fairy tale perfection where no-one ever makes any errors or mistakes. The perfection and excellence of Obàtálá is of a different order and quality. Obàtálá made some mistakes, errors and incorrect decisions in his life. This is a fact but he accepted his mistakes. Obàtálá took responsibility for them and he did not seek to excuse or justify his error. He displayed humility, true strength of character and dignity. He did not give up on himself. He did not subject himself to self-pity, complaining, blaming others and a life of indolence because he made a mistake. He learned from it, he got up and pressed forward. He took ownership of his erroneous decision and he corrected himself. He also formulated teachings and injunctions for his children and followers based on his many experiences so that we would learn from his experiences and not repeat what was not wise. Obàtálá also vowed to become the special guardian and protector of all people born with limitations and/or disabilities.
Obàtálá made some mistakes but he also made many good, wise and extraordinary decisions. Through it all Obàtálá was humble, guileless and pure. So he made a mistake. So what? If Obàtálá ibikeji Olódùmarè displayed humility, willingness to accept correction and purity of heart, then how much more so should we ordinary human beings do so. This is the meaning, value and lesson that we derive from the life and teachings of Obàtálá. These events in the lives of the irunmole-orisa must be understood and interpreted with true insight and an elevated understanding. Even the errors of the irunmole-orisa are not like our own. There is a lesson, purpose and meaning intended in all of their activities and pastimes.
Ifá teaches us that we should not dwell on the honest errors or mistakes of others. We should dwell on the positive, uplifting and sterling qualities of others. When we focus on the negative aspects of others we are pulling that person down, making them more negative, hurting them and we are staining our own heart. When we focus and zoom in on the positive qualities in others we strengthen them and we strengthen ourselves. When we focus and zoom in on the positive qualities of others we strengthen them and give life to them as well as strengthen ourselves with vital energy.
A person who only looks for the flaws and shortcomings in others is really demonstrating and reflecting only what he or she thinks and feels about himself or herself. A person who only sees the negative aspect in others while ignoring the sterling and good qualities that also are in others is only expressing how he or she sees themselves. No flaw or shortcoming is permanent. All flaws and shortcomings are temporary by nature.
Olódùmarè created us with strengths and weaknesses side-by-side so that we can exercise our wills to rise above our temporary flaws and sublimate them. Olódùmarè created us with strengths and weaknesses side-by-side so that we might learn patience, sympathetic-understanding and forgiveness. Olódùmarè created us with strengths and weaknesses side-by-side so that a space can appear within us where love, consideration and compassion can dwell.
I hope that this short consideration helps to shed some light on matters that are not as simple as they appear. I hope it helps to give one-and-all a new perspective or angle on things. My dear readers and friends let me ask you: Are your father, mother, relatives and friends perfect or flawless? Are you perfect or flawless? Do you love your parents, family and friends any less because they are not perfect or flawless? Should your parents, family and friends love you less because you are not perfect? Just because your parents are not perfect or flawless does that mean that you do not have to listen to them, respect them and consider them?
We understand and account a person to be perfect not when they no longer make mistakes but when they are mature in love, in kindness, in respect, in consideration and good-faith notwithstanding their human flaws and limitations. Our weaknesses and strengths exists so that we learn humility, gratitude and cooperation. Strength and weakness exist in us so that we can see that we have no reason to be full of ego, pride, arrogance and conceit. We cannot perfect ourselves all by ourselves. Where you are strong you help others. Where you are weak you receive the help of others. And in this way we develop, mature and grow into perfection in association and service towards one another. These are some of the divine lessons, spiritual mysteries and esoteric secrets that we learn from Obàtálá.
Eèpàà Òrìsà! Òrìsà Eèpàà!
Treat yourself and others with kindness, forgiveness, tenderness, sympathetic-understanding and compassion. Have faith in your potential and power [ability] to change and improve yourself. Have faith in the potential of others and in their power [ability] to change and improve themselves. Never give up on yourself and never lose hope for others. Never forget that you as well as others are perfectly imperfect.
~ Awo Òrúnmìlà Mark Casillas
ITADOGUN READING (27-MAY-2018)
OTURAGASA
The odu Ifa casted for today’s Itadogun Ose Ifa is OTURA GASA with blessing of wealth, ifa ask us to make sacrifice so that the evil plan of our enemy will turn to be blessing for us. Ifa ask us to appease Obatala.
Ifa said and I quote:
Egbe Roro
Awo Ojugbe difa fun ojugbe
Nijo to n lo re da oko eba ona
won ni o kara nle ebo ni kose
adifa fun alabarun ajapa nijo to n lo re pa abuke osin,
Nje mo pa abuke osin mo fi rera,
emi pa abuke osin, orisa jinmi,
mo pa abuke osin mo fi rera
ENGLISH VERSION
Egbe roro
The Priest of Ojugbe cast divination for Ojugbe
When he was going to do farming on roadside,
He was ask to make sacrifice,
As well as the tortoise that was going to kill the hunchback man, the servant ofobatala,
Thus, I kill the hunchback man (Orisa Slave),
Obatala bless me
COMMENTARY
Ojugbe is a roadside farmer that love to send gifts to Obatala through the his slav e, “the man with hunchback“, so obatala got carried away one day and decide to bless this generous man called Ojugbe that have been sending him gift for long. He therefore insert blessings at the hunch of his slave and ask his slave to take it to Ojugbe, On this occasion Ojugbe become rich and wealthy and tortoise that happen to be neighbour to Ojugbe knew how ojugbe became rich when he scratch the hunchback of obatala slave, tortoise also trace obatala slave one day and tied him up and took his hoes and cutlass to open the hunchback eventually when he was doing this, the slave died, tortoise now decided to implicate his friend/neighbour Ojugbe by going to call him to come with his gun to the farm, that there is antelope eating his crop, not knowing that it was Obatala slave that tortoise has killed that is been covered with skin of antelope, Ojugbe eventually shot the Object and tortoise raised alarm that Ojugbe has killed the hunchback slave of obatala, this became a court case, but obatala knew it was a setup because he knew how much Ojugbe live him and trusted him that he can’t do such, obatala decide to put up an examination, he turned Ojugbe to a King, and put him on horse and make him more richer, the ovation was loud as people were singing and praising Ojugbe with the song that says “I killed orisa slave, I become dignity, after killing orisa slave, Orisa blessed me, I killed Orisa slave and became famous”.
This song shocked tortoise and he started wondering that Ojugbe was been blessed from the offence he never committed and he therefore decided to speak the truth and eventually the tortoise was arrested and paid for his evil act.
May ifa olodumare escape us all from evil deed. (Ase)
Supplication to Obatala
I will not ever succumb to suffering, dejection or affliction. Obatala, Lord of purity, calm, pleasantness and clear sightedness, bless me that I never become impure and that nothing stains my heart, mind and the spiritual garments of my spirit. May no impurity, falsity, error and evil ever enter my heart. May I be continuously cleansed and purified from all defilement, immorality and impurity so that my heart remains alive in purity. Obatala you are the lord and master of the spirits and energies of purity, goodness, prosperity, fortune, blessing, support, protection, joy and cleanliness. May I always be protected, upheld and surrounded by these divine spirits of blessing, prosperity, insight and pure goodness. Everything that we are and that we can become emanates from the root of our being. Oh Obatala, may my being be always rooted in you! Bless me that I may be always pure and that I may live in harmony with my original fundamental goodness, dignity, radiance and brightness.
Grant me power to overcome life’s difficulties and power to live in harmony with nature. Give me divine intelligence so that I can see and avoid the deception, trickery and bad intentions of others. Give me divine power and gracefulness so that I can strip and disarm others of their fears, doubts, impurities and afflictions. Sweep away the impurities, doubts and confusions from my being and purify my spirit; grant me protection; grant me happiness; bring health to my soul and grant me wisdom to be a blessing to others. May I never be mediocre in anything I do or undertake. May I not be an imitator of others. May I walk in the strength and power of my own original spirit, personality and character.
READ ALSO: IFÁ MEANS FAMILY, IFÁ MEANS LOVING COMMUNITY, IFÁ MEANS YOU ARE NEVER ALONE!
THE HEART OF IFÁ
May the blessings of Ifá-Olodumare be with you. Express gratitude and love to Olodumare for all you have. Count your blessings and remember the One who confers upon you life, health, clothing, family, medicine and all of your wonderful senses. The awo who devotes himself to Olodumare will in turn be served, prospered and protected by all Irunmole. Honor, love, respect and devotion is the way to receive all the mysteries, powers and blessings from Olodumare. Be strong and follow Ifá-Olodumare and you will triumph and gain great attainments.
Olodumare is always giving us so many wonderful things. Olodumare gives freely out of His kindness. He never sends you a bill for the light and heat you receive from the sun. Olodumare never sends you a bill for the water that falls from the sky or the air you breath. Olodumare has given you life, intelligence, feelings and senses. He has not sent you a bill for any of these things. He has not charged you for any of it. He has given abundantly without expectation simply out of His kind and loving nature. He has provided you with mother, father, friends and family to make your life sweet, meaningful and satisfying. He has given you His guidance to direct your path and to show you how to live with dignity, honor and satisfaction. He has blessed you with a health constitution and a good mind. Even when you are not mindful of Olodumare and are not thinking of Him, Olodumare is always mindful of you and He always has you in His thoughts. Olodumare has cared for you and has loved you through the care, concern, guidance and protection of your father, mother, elders, teachers and community. Olodumare has assigned special divine guardians, the Irunmole-Orisa to look over you, to assist you, to encourage you and guide your steps. All of these things are the voice and expressions of Olodumare’s fondness, respect, care and consideration towards you. Not only has Olodumare already given but, He still ceaselessly giving to you and supplying your day to day needs. Olodumare lives to bring delight, goodness and satisfaction to your life. He delights in the success of your efforts and disciplined actions. All of these things and much more is Olodumare engaged in doing for you. At some point we have to reflect and think, “What am I doing for Olodumare?”, “I am always taking and talking but what do I offer to Olodumare in gratitude and appreciation that He will truly receive and accept?”, “Do I live for Olodumare or do I live for myself?”, “Do I cultivate a genuine friendship and devotion towards Olodumare or do I remember Him only in my time of need, struggles or problems?”, “When I do attempt to do something for Olodumare do I do it from a heart of thankfulness or love or do I do it because I feel indebted and I just want to “pay” Him back so I don’t feel in debt to Him anymore?” “What am I doing with the health, resources, intelligence, life and time that Olodumare has allotted to me which demonstrates my deep gratitude, continual commitment and unswerving devotion to Olodumare?”, “When will I begin to inquire about Olodumare and to follow wholeheartedly His divine path like Obatala, Òrúnmìlà and Ela?”
Life is a gift from Olodumare. If you have the basic needs to sustain and uphold your life and if beyond this you have more then consider yourself rich and blessed with abundance. This is the definition of richness and abundance according to Ifá and not the ogberi who is never satisfied and content with what he has, neither is he appreciative of what he has been given beyond the essentials. So you must think: “What can I do for my Eleda?”, “What will I do for my Oluwo Olodumare to honor Him and bring Him continual pleasure and delight?” “What can I do to bring something fresh and original from the divine treasury of Olodumare that will add to goodness, blessing, safety, beauty and happiness of the world?”
We ask and ask Ifá-Olodumare for so many things. But are we truly appreciate for what we already have, for what He has already given us? Are we cognizant of the fact that we are constantly receiving benefit upon benefit from Olodumare? Do we value and treasure the gifts and blessings we have, or do we simply take Olodumare and His benefits for granted? We ask and ask from Ifá-Olodumare, but are we asking for the purpose of bringing blessing, benefit, relief and succor to others or are we asking selfishly only for ourselves? Reflect upon these things in your heart. Make it your aim to know Olodumare and to revere, honor and obey His principles wholeheartedly. Make it your aim to assimilate the divine nature and character of Olodumare more and more into your life, through personal and daily iwure, Ifá reflection, unselfish works and association with noble, sincere and godly people. Fellowship and worship in a reputable Ijo brings delight and joy to Olodumare and immeasurable benefits to our lives, family and community. Think about these things and be moved by the light and power of Ifá-Olodumare to do what is pleasing and acceptable to Ifá-Olodumare on your own initiative. Seek to please Ifá-Olodumare and not people and you will be a true winner and champion in life.
Ela ‘boru. Ela ‘boye. Ela ‘bosise.
THE DIVINE KNOWLEDGE OF OBATALA AND THE TRUE GLORY OF A MAN
READ ALSO: IFÁ: THE PATH OF INTEGRITY AND WISDOM