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tradition - ancestral pride_temple

THE SECRET WORTH KNOWING

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As human beings we are one. We might call ourselves followers of Isese, Ifa, Orisa, Ogboni, Egungun, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Candomble, Vodun etc. but all of these are superficial designations because our constitutional position in relation to Olodumare is identical. Our essential nature is identical, irrespective of our own venerable and peculiar beliefs and religious practices. We all spring from the One Singular Supreme Source. If we understood this all kinds of conflicts, contentions and misunderstandings would cease to be. Ultimately we are all seeking for one thing only: fullness of happiness. There is a right way to seek happiness and there is a wrong way to seek happiness. Be aware that happiness and pleasure are not always the same thing. True happiness is pleasurable. All things pleasurable do not lead to happiness. True happiness uplifts, strengthens and fortifies our lives, intelligence and health. We are all seeking to honestly express ourselves and to realize our humanity.




The path of truth is founded on simplicity, honesty, respect for others and oneself and personal integrity in ones duties. Good character, good behavior, honest living  and love are not ‘christian’, ‘muslim’, ‘hindu’, ‘traditionalist’, ‘indigenous’, etc. etc. These are essential and permanent qualities of our being no matter what we call ourselves, but our essential nature remains the same. Just like the air and water we take in is universal and common to all. There is no Muslim air, Christian air or Traditionalist air. Air is air no matter what you call yourself or what you profess. If you breathe it in you live. If you don’t you die, irrespective on your professed religious convictions. True religion and divine spirituality is universal and common to all. With determination and practice we can know and understand what is unknown to the majority. We do not need external ostentation to please Edumare. The Divine Secret is not in the pocket of others for us to be running after people trying to foolishly get from them what is already hidden within ourselves. The secret, treasure, sacred power, mystic knowledge and mystery you seek is buried beneath your feet in your own home! No need to go searching and excavating elsewhere! There is no need to complicate ourselves or others. The divine way is direct, simple and unencumbered by difficulties. To the courageous, sincere and honest the true path for oneself is not difficult to find.  We can worship Olodumare directly through any of his manifestations that are agreeable to our need, affinity, spiritual taste, capacity and sensitivity. When we worship our chosen Orisa we are worshiping Olodumare. Olodumare manifests in diversity to meet our needs, affinity, temperament, inclinations, capacticies, longings and inner predilection. The One Olodumare is the one who manifests in limitless beauty, variety, forms and glorious personalities/characters. Olodumare is limitless and his potencies are inconceivable. It is only reasonable and logical that he would manifest himself in countless ways to reach us and to inspire confidence and love in us. No matter if we worship the Supreme as Obatala, or Òrúnmìlà, or Oshun, Osoosi, Orisa Oko or Ela, or Ogun etc. etc. What is important is that this particular manifestation inspires us, comforts us, empower us and brings out the best in us. What is important is that this manifestation is meeting our need and is fulfilling our legitimate aspirations! What is important is that this manifestation is making us better people and more peaceful, assured and happy.




There is no reason or need for us to be alike or identical. We are different as human beings from one another, so should it surprise us that we our different in how we comprehend, perceive, experience and respond to the divine? What Olodumare is hungry for is the feeling of devotion, love, reverence and gratitude in your soul! So to inspire you and bring this out he manifests as Obatala, Ogun, Onile Ogboduora, Oshun, Òrúnmìlà, Elegbara, Ela etc. etc. He speaks to you in the unique language of your heart, level, need, mind, capacity, affinity and peculiar need. According to what Olodumare knows you are receptive and responsive to, in like manner he appears and manifests to you in friendship, love, power and wonder! According to your devotional need, temperament, affinity, personality and spiritual tastes so does he reveal and manifest to you so as draw you closer to himself, to nuture and develop you; and to reveal your inner splendor. Respect his manifestation to others but follow, love and serve your own! Olodumare only desires the flowering of your heart. By worshiping Olodumare in the beautiful, inspiring and peculiar form that is appealing and attractive to YOU, you will awaken the divinity within yourself and experience true happiness, peace and satisfaction. Do not compare your unique faith to that of another. Do not imitate the faith of others. Follow what really inspires you, empowers you and is truly meaningful to you. The other persons way is not better than yours, neither is your way better than another’s. Your unique faith is simply right, adequate and perfect for you. That is all! This is how we must see and understand things. Empowered, motivated and enthused by your worship, peculiar spiritual interests, spiritual practices and devotion, you will be in an ideal state to work for the greater good of all. Allow your inner realizations, grace, knowledge and power to manifest in your behavior, demeanor and conduct. If you talk to much, arrogantly or needlessly about your inner experiences and knowledge then, your built up and accumulated powers will become dissipated and lost, but if we express them through the quality and manner of our lives it will grow and grow, bringing blessing to all and transforming the lives of others. It is only by contact with this divine energy in our unique and personal way that we develop supernatural character, supernatural intelligence and supernatural powers. Never express anything without a specific purpose and thereby conserve your spiritual powers and energies. Always meet with your Divine Friend and worship according to your sincere, noble and honest natural affinity, taste, vision and inclination, and you will grow and develop smoothly yet at an astounding rate. Don’t imitate others. Follow your own authentic and original path. If you follow the above instructions you will never have to receive another instruction in your life. By practicing the above words of guidance everything you really need and want will gravitate to you and find you, or you will gravitate to it and find it.




Read, meditate upon and apply these thoughts often because they are coming to you from the Source Supreme and this is why you feel great peace, energy, power, joy, assurance, security and serenity when you read them. These teachings and the divine energy which revealed them will purify, empower and uplift your life.
Ela ‘boru. Ela ‘boye. Ela ‘bosise.
Your friend and well-wisher Awo Òrúnmìlà Mark Casillas.
Olodumare = ancestral pride

THE KNOWER OF OLODUMARE

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Ogbo ato asure iworiwofun.

Just like Obatala sleeps in white (purity), awakens in white (honesty) and conducts all of his affairs in white (truthfulness) the great Oluwo of all Irunmole-Orisa is eternally established in great glory, sanctity and purity. It is from Olodumare that Obatala, Ela, Òrúnmìlà and all Irunmole-Orisa derive their attractive, endearing and peculiar outstanding qualities. Olodumare is the source of all virtue, lofty personality and graceful character. In knowing Olodumare we fulfill our divine humanity and we realize that we are godlings, that we are divine Orisa in an embryonic phase -spiritually speaking- of course.

What are the symptoms and signs of a knower and devotee of Olodumare Oba Agotun? Beyond appearances what are the true traits and characteristics of a devotee of Ifá-Olodumare?




The person who has been enlightened by the grace of Olodumare experiences and sees all things in life differently from the unawakened person. The person who has been illuminated and empowered by Olodumare understands and interprets the events, experiences and occurrences of his life from a lofty, superior and life-strengthening point of view. The devotee and knower of Olodumare gains benefit, growth and blessing from all he experiences in life especially and including painful, injurious and unjust happenings, because he has learned the secret of converting apparent poison into medicine. Just like the snail who is always consuming sand, dirt and dust which would be harmful to a human being, yet the snail is not injured or made ill by all the soil, dirt and filth that enters its mouth, because the snail is able to extract benefit, nutrients, health and strength from what otherwise would be something unhealthy and even poisonous, and then the snail miraculously keeps what is good and beneficial and ejects from its system all that is unwholesome, unhealthy, toxic and poisonous. In the same manner is the devotee and knower of Olodumare made strong by all he experiences, beholds and is subjected to. The knower and devotee of Olodumare cannot be shaken, neither can he be broken by people, the vicisitudes of life or the unfortunate and undesirable things that sometimes happen in life that cannot be entirely avoided. Just like the sacred leaf called ela which never loses it’s verdor, vitality, freshness, potency and coolness even when it is subjected to the intense heat of the sun and the extremes of adverse climate, in like manner the devotee and knower of Olodumare is resilient and is able to endure and resist the intense ‘heat’ and ‘dryness, of adversity, conflict, blind passions and unwholesome elements. Just like the ela leaf does not wither though it is exposed to a climate and temperature that would wreak havoc on other living organisms, in like manner the devotee and knower of Olodumare has been fitted to endure, persevere and prevail in the most difficult and intense moments of life. The enlightened and matured devotee of Ifá-Olodumare remains uncontaminated from the filth of dishonesty, ungodliness, hypocrisy, envy, lust, greed, double-dealing and strife. Just like the fish that lives in water, is surrounded by water, is filled with water, moves in water and is nourished by the water, so is the devotee and knower of Ifá-Olodumare sustained, permeated by, protected and nourished by Olodumare. Love and devotion to Olodumare is the ‘food, water, air, medicine, unassailable security and rest’ of the knower and devotee of Olodumare. The man of Ifá-Olodumare remains free from and never pursues unwholesome thoughts, words or actions. Dishonest, aggressive, misleading and dirty language are not part of the ways, practice and discipline of a bonafide knower -ologbon-, sage and knower of Olodumare.




The one who loves Olodumare and whose life is filled with the love of Olodumare Oba Anu treats everyone the same, with impartiality and equal consideration. The man of Olodumare extends a measure of trust, confidence and good-faith in everyone. The man of Olodumare only changes his view and perception of others only when others give him reason to, but initially the man of Olodumare attributes goodness, honesty and good-faith to all. The man of Olodumare does not discriminate. A rich person and a poor person are the same to him. A king or a pauper are the same to him. The devotee of and knower -ologbon- of Olodumare is not attracted to names, titles and high sounding nomenclatures. The quality, bearing, demeanor, actions and attitude of a person is what makes them high or low, worthy or unworthy, trustworthy or not trustworthy. Your rank, level and worthiness before Ifá-Olodumare and Irunmole-Orisa are determined by the quality of your being, your attitude, your actions, your associations and your manner of life. This is the confirmed reality affirmed by Ifá-Olodumare. The devotee and knower of Olodumare is not affected by either the praises or abuses of others. He knows the secret of remaining in peace, happiness, contentment and joy because he has found the limitless joy, perfection and satisfaction of Olodumare who is dwelling in his heart, mind and life. Just like fire cannot be made impure, yet fire itself removes the dross and impurities in the most obdurate metals, in like manner the noble sage, devotee and knower of Ifá-Olodumare cannot be contaminated, tainted or impurified by another, yet such an ologbon has a presence, truth, secret and power from Olodumare which reveals and burns up the impurities and dross of defilements in others. You can pour sand, dirt and all kinds of things in water yet none of them can hold onto the water. In the same way dirty, impure and dishonest people or impure spiritual energies cannot take hold of a devotee and ologbon of Ifá-Olodumare, no matter how close they may be, no matter how much close contact they have. Oil and water can be placed in the same container and no matter how long they are there together they will never mix. Even if you shake the bottle it might appear to the undiscerning intellect that the oil and water have mixed and blended together, but in a moment by the inherent opposing and incompatible qualities and properties of the oil and water they will soon separate from each other. Godliness and ungodliness cannot mix. Truth and deception cannot mix. Generosity and hypocrisy cannot mix. A knower and devotee of Ifá-Olodumare has no enemies and he is not the enemy of anyone. The knower of Olodumare is everyone’s friend because he does all that he can to benefit and uplift others. The knower of Olodumare does not hate people but he does hate the impure qualities of deception, abuse, falsity and injustice wherever they are found. There is no pride, conceit or pretentiousness in a knower and devotee of Ifá-Olodumare, and this is why such a devotee cannot be controlled, intimidated or manipulated by others because he has no need for or desire for anything that belongs to others.



The devotee and knower of Olodumare is fearless and brimming with courage because Ifá-Olodumare and Truth are on his side. The knower and devotee of Olodumare is not gullible, servile, naive or ignorant. The knower -ologbon- and devotee -awo- of Olodumare cannot be defeated by anything or anyone. Only if someone can defeat, bribe, trick, deceive, control, intimidate and manipulate Olodumare can such a person defeat, bribe, trick, deceive, control, intimidate and manipulate a knower and devotee of Olodumare! It is impossible to defeat, trick, defeat, bribe, deceive, control, intimidate and manipulate Olodumare and it is equally impossible to do the same to a devotee and knower of Olodumare. Nothing good can ever come from disrespecting Ifá-Olodumare in this way. Nothing good can ever come disrespecting a devotee and knower of Ifá-Olodumare. Only a insane, crazy, mindless and foolish person would ever think about treating Olodumare or one of his devotees in such a dishonoring way. The knower -ologbon- and devotee -awo- of Olodumare depends on none but Olodumare and this is why the devotee of Ifá-Olodumare will never perish and is always prosperous, peaceful, content and full of joy. The knower and devotee of Ifá-Olodumare is always safeguarded by, permeated with and surrounded by Ifá-Olodumare and he is always being granted the blessings, full support, approval and protection of all Irunmole-Orisa.

Ela ‘boru. Ela ‘boye. Ela ‘bosise.