Ifá-Orisa: Not all problems, setbacks and life difficulties are due to witchcraft, bad spirits or divine decrees. Most problems are self-created and avoidable. There is no spiritual-curse, bad-spirit and negative-witchcraft worse than being a stingy, indifferent and unappreciative person:
Aboru Aboye. Ogbo ato asure iworiwofun. Àse.
One of the things that one unfortunately and often witnesses in today’s spiritual arena is that when someone approaches a spiritual practitioner to receive answers, solutions and guidance, the spiritual practitioner will tell the person 90% of the time if not more that his or her problems are due to ‘witchcraft’ or the influence of ‘negative spiritual influences’. Lucky for the inquiring person that for a nominal fee of ‘x’ amount of dollars the ‘spiritual practitioner’ always has the solution, rite and/or ritual to undo the ‘witchcraft’ and/or has the means to vanquish the unwanted spiritual energy, or has the wisdom and power to repair/fix the problem, no matter what it is! The problem can be spiritual, emotional, psychological and/or medical but don’t worry because these ‘spiritual practitioners’ always have the solution to your problems!!! The truth of the matter is that a great many ‘spiritual practitioners’ are nothing more than fraudsters and charlatans who are living in a very dangerous fantasy land of their own making!!! These charlatan ‘spiritualists, priests and priestesses’ are in the business of selling imaginary solutions to other people’s very real spiritual, emotional, psychological and medical problems! These charlatan ‘spiritualists, priests and priestesses’ are often delusional people, psychologically unwell people, and emotionally unstable people who believe in their own lies and who also believe in their own make-believe, deceptive and fantasy solutions and remedies. These crafty charlatan ‘spiritual practitioners’ are there only to make money by hook or crook. These shameless and deluded charlatan ‘spiritual practitioners’ are there to make money at the expense of your spiritual, emotional, psychological and medical health!! The default and go to answer of these fraudsters and charlatans is to ALWAYS tell their unfortunate clients that their problems are caused in part or entirely by ‘witchcraft’, ‘bad spirits’ or other similar causes! Ignorance combined with undeserved trust and a willingness to believe in such backward and deceptive people will spell disaster, grief and suffering to all parties concerned and involved, including the charlatan ‘spiritual practitioner’.
While there is no doubt that at times the lives of people can be temporarily obstructed, hindered and adversely affected by the influence of negative energies and/or by the malicious/envious/sabotaging intent or ‘witchcraft’ of others, in most cases the cause of people’s problems lies elsewhere. There is no ‘negative-witchcraft’ and/or ‘negative-spirit’ worse than one’s own STINGINESS, INDIFFERENCE and INGRATITUDE! Yet there are some people who like to be told that the cause of their problems and failures is ‘witchcraft’ or ‘bad spirits’ because as long as the cause of their problems or failures is ‘witchcraft’ or ‘bad spirits’ then they no longer have to honestly look at themselves and the wrong way in which they have been living their lives. As long as the convenient cause is ‘witchcraft’ or ‘bad spirits’, that gives them an ‘excuse’ to not take charge of their own lives and do the work of correcting, improving and reforming themselves. Such people will gladly pay a charlatan and fraudster to tell them [convince them] that the problem is not them, but that the problem and failure in their lives is due to ‘witchcraft’, ‘curses’, the ‘evil-eye’ or ‘bad-spirits’. Superstitious thinking or a superstitious mentality is a curse unto itself!!! A superstitious person is the author of his or her own fears, worries and anxieties and is easily taken advantage of, controlled and manipulated by human spiritual predators [the charlatan spiritual practitioner, priest or priestess].
Let us learn some Ifá today. Let us learn something from Ogunda Meji. This lesson is for those of us who are spiritually mature and/or for those who want to spiritually mature and grow through the power of truth, honesty, actuality and reality.
In Ogunda Meji we will learn how King Olofin was the architect of his problems through GREEDINESS, STINGINESS and acts of UNGRATEFULNESS.
Holy Odu-Ifá Ogunda Meji:
“Oju o kan won laaro
Lale, lale loju n kan won
A difa fun, Òrúnmìlà, Ifá n ro omo
Agbonniregun,
Ifá o lowo ti o fi te omo re nifa.”
“They are never in a hurry in the morning. But they are hurrying up at night. Ifá consultation was performed for Òrúnmìlà. Ifá complains about Agbonnireguns son. Òrúnmìlà has no money with which to initiate his own offspring”.
At one time prince Olofin really needed and wanted the help, guidance and assistance of Òrúnmìlà. Long-story-short Òrúnmìlà helped prince Olofin and made it possible for prince Olofin to become the king of Ootu-Ife. Now because of the help that Òrúnmìlà gave to prince Olofin he was now a King living in affluence, luxury and abundance. When Olofin became king, Òrúnmìlà needed the help of King Olofin. Òrúnmìlà speedily approached the king because Òrúnmìlà needed to BORROW some money from King Olofin to heal his sons illness which would be remedied thru initiation. On the advice of Elegbara, Òrúnmìlà went to see king Olofin to ask him for some assistance. You would think that after all Òrúnmìlà did for him that the King would just give Òrúnmìlà what he was asking for since it was not a large sum. The King spent daily and in useless, unnecessary and unpractical things much much more than what Òrúnmìlà was seeking to borrow from him. You will not believe this but King Olofin told Òrúnmìlà that he would LEND him the requested amount, only if Òrúnmìlà could provide a guarantor as collateral! Elegbara [Esu Odara] brought one of his sons called Atapatase to serve as colateral and guarantor, and to serve the king as a servant until the time that Òrúnmìlà would pay back the borrowed money! After all Òrúnmìlà did for him he asked for collateral and a guarantor before granting the loan!!!
One day Elegbara visited Atapatase and gave him a hoe which he instructed Atapatase to be using hereafter. [***The hidden meaning of this action by Atapatase of using the hoe on the Kings land meant that the King was digging a hole for himself for his disrespectful, indifferent and inconsiderate actions towards Òrúnmìlà, Òrúnmìlà’s son, Esu Odara and Esu Odara’s son***] As soon as Atapatase began using the hoe to work the land of King Olofin immediately several catastrophes began to befall the entire household of King Olofin. One of the catastrophes was that one of King Olofin’s sons, who was called Abolowopowo, fell seriously ill. [***Because the King did not have sympathy for the illness of Òrúnmìlà’s son, his own son was also experiencing the same illness***]. The more Atapatase worked the field the more ill did Abolowopowo become. King Olofin sent for the royal babalawo and the babalawo revealed the Odu Ogunda Meji. Ogunda Meji revealed that one of the king’s servants was responsible for the bad happenings and that this servant needed to be stopped immediately. The son of Elegbara, Atapatase was identified as the apparent ‘cause’ and was told to stop working, but Atapatase, son of Elegbara refused to stop working and said:
“Oju o kan won laaro
Lalaale loju n kan won
Hin…n
A difa fun, Òrúnmìlà
Ifá n romo Agbonniregun
Hin…n
Ifá o lowo to o fi te omo re nifa
Hin…n
Abolowopowo n lomo Olofin o
Hin…n
Atapatase lomo Esu Odara o
Hin…n
A ki i ma maa yani lofa ka ma sinni o
A ki i ma maa yani lofa ka ma sinni
Ee
A ki i ma maa yani lofa ka ma sinni.”
Translation:
“They never hurried in the morning. It was in the night that they were hurrying up. Yes. Ifá oracle was consulted for Òrúnmìlà. Ifá complained about Agbonirregun’s son. Yes. Òrúnmìlà has no money to initiate his son [and thereby heal him]. Yes. Abolowopowo is the son of Olofin. Yes. It is not possible for a servant to not serve his master. Yes.”
Meaning:
[***This verse of Ifá means and refers to the heart condition of some people that when they are in need of help and assistance they are quick to come to see you expecting you to help them. And without fail and with genuine sympathy for their situation you lovingly and repeatedly help them and assist them to the best of your means and ability to resolve their problems, but on the one rare occasion when you need them or are counting on their help they refuse to help, or they give you many excuses for not helping you. Or if they do help they do it with reluctance, they make you feel like a nuisance. When they needed you, you did not belittle them or make them feel that they were a nuisance. As a good friend, devotee and priest you made their many problems your priority, but they on the other hand gave no priority or importance to your singular problem or situation. They were quick to ask you for help but after you helped them their sense of gratitude and indebtedness was short lived. On the other hand when you needed them, they avoided you and left you and your situation for ‘later’ that is IF they were able to rustle up some time at all!! When they need you they will call you many times or they will show up at your home or wherever you may happen to be. But when you need them they are nowhere to be found.***]
Let us continue with the Ifá story and lesson.
After King Olofin identified Atapatase as the apparent cause of his household problems he ordered Atapatase to stop working. Atapatase refused to stop working until both Òrúnmìlà and Elegbara were invited. It was then that King Olofin realized his great mistake, ingratitude and indifference towards Òrúnmìlà and his sick son, as well as his lack of consideration towards Atapatase, the son of Esu Odara. He then and there begged them for their forgiveness, made rectification and reparations. Now the King understood that he alone was the sole and true cause of all the mishap, calamity, illnesses and setbacks which were manifesting in the palace among his family. Fortunately for King Olofin, Òrúnmìlà forgave and pardoned him. King Olofin then gifted to Òrúnmìlà two-hundred she-goats, two-hundred dried fishes, two-hundred bush rats and two-thousand cowries.
What does this lesson teach us. This lesson teaches us that there is no worse ‘witchcraft’, ‘bad spirit’ and/or ‘spiritual curse’ that one’s own stinginess, indifference and lack of gratitude. An unappreciative attitude will ruin your home and relationships and make everything dear to you ‘sick’ and ‘ill’. Our own ungrateful and thoughtless actions will surely catch up to us, bringing sorrow, shame and affliction to ourselves and our household. It is better to be appreciative, grateful and generous. It is better to remember the kindness of others and compensate them [help them] when they are in need, especially when we are in a position to help and give relief. May we in a timely manner wake-up, open our eyes and correct [rectify] ourselves. There is no ‘witchcraft’, ‘bad spirit’, ‘evil eye’ or ‘spiritual curse’ worse than being a stingy, indifferent and unappreciative person.
May Òrúnmìlà Ajana Ekun be pleased with us. Àse.
May Òrúnmìlà Ajana Ekun protect, defend and illumine us. Àse.
May Òrúnmìlà Ajana Ekun grant us forgiveness and pardon, as he did to the people of the land of serenity [tranquility]. Àse.
May Òrúnmìlà Ajana Ekun envelop us in his love, sympathy and strength. Àse.
Aboru Aboye. Ogbo ato asure iworiwofun. Àse.
~ Awo Òrúnmìlà Mark Casillas
