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.
