I have contemplated the path of transcendence since I was a child. Don’t ask me how I knew.. I just knew there was something more beyond just what I see.. Something more beyond the body I had… Deep inside, I always knew I.. and everyone else.. were somehow immortal.. and that our path on Earth was one of a school.. where we learn how to use our immortal power wisely. And, when we have mastered that.. through personal development and spiritual cultivation, that we would no longer need to incarnate on Earth University and would be able move on to a higher level of consciousness. As a teen I called it becoming a Christ.. that is.. a being of light. In the Pre-vedic, it would be called a Dakini or Yogini, ascended master… In Buddhism it was called Buddhahood. In the Ifa tradition, it would seem that would be called becoming an Orisha… a selected head… Orisha were often elevated ancestors who had achieved a certain level of evolution in their development.
What seemed evident was that one’s Ori- that is.. ones spiritual consciousness was the most important aspect of one’s development. This is what determines your destiny as well as contains the blueprint for your life and personal development. Focusing on getting into alignment with the Ori is paramount attaining a well balanced life and wholeness. This is where the cultivation of character begins. This is the path to the perfect state and or Higher consciousness.
A verse in the sacred odu Irete Ofun explains:
Atefun-tefun
Dia fun Okanlenirino Irunmole
Won nlo sode Apere
Atefun-tefun eyin oni
Awo Ori lo dia fun Ori
Ori nlo sode Apere
Won ni ki won sakaale ebo ni sise
Ori nikan0nikan ni nbe leyin ti nsebo
Ebo Ori waa da ladaju
Nje Ori gbona j’Orisa
Ori ma gbona j’Orisa
Ori nikan-nikan lo ko won l’Apeere
Ko si Orisa to to nii gbe
Leyin Ori eni
Ori gbona j’Orisa
He who prints the chalk on the back of crocodile
He was the Awo who cast Ifa for the 401 Irunmole
When going to Apere (a state of perfection)
He who prints the chalk on the back of crocodile
The Awo of Ori who cast Ifa for Ori
When Ori was going to Apere (Destiny)
They were all advised to offer sacrifice
Only Ori responded by offering the sacrifice
The sacrifice of Ori had been abundantly rewarded
Ori is higher then all Orisa (deities)
It is only Ori which reaches Apere, the perfect state
No other Orisa (deity) can give support
Outside of one’s Ori
Ori is higher then all Orisa (deities)
Adding to that is another verse that seems to speak to the path of transcendence in Ifa. It is in Irosun Iwori and speaks about what has to happen in order for a person to not have to continue the cycle of reincarnation. Its speaks of cultivating your inner power, character, and wisdom. It speaks of doing good for the poor as a form of sacrifice, and helping people in need. As for cultivating good character, some of those qualities include humility ( as in shedding the ego or sense of self importance) , patience, and even forgiveness when someone has transgressed against you.
Irosun Iwori on Transcendance
Let’s do things with joy. Those who wish to go may go. Those who wish to return may return. Definitely, human beings have been chosen to bring good fortune to the world.
Omniscience, the diviner of Orunmila, divined Ifa for Orunmila, who was told that human beings would come and ask him a particular question. He was advised to offer a sacrifice of fishes and two hundred grains of cornmeal (agidi). Orunmila heeded the advice and performed the sacrifice. One day, all kinds of people, including robbers and other evildoers, gathered themselves together and went to Orunmila‘ to complain that they were “tired of going back and forth to earth, Orunmila! Please allow us to take refuge in heaven.” Orunmila said they could not avoid going to and coming back from the earth until they had attained the good position that Odu‘ dui had ordained for every individual; only then could they reside in heaven. They asked, “What is the good position?”
Orunmila asked them to confess their ignorance. They said, “We are ignorant and would like to be given knowledge by Olodumare (olu wa).”
Orunmila said: The good position is the world. A world in which there will be full knowledge of all things, joy every-where, life without anxiety or fear of enemies, attack from snakes or other dangerous animals, without fear of death, disease, litigation, losses, danger of accidents from water and fire, without the fear of misery or poverty, because of your inner power, good character, and wisdom. When you refrain from stealing because of the hardship the owner suffers and the disgrace with which this behavior is treated in the presence of Odudua and other good spirits in heaven, who are always friendly and often wish us well. These forces can turn their backs on you and allow you to return to the darkness of the world. Bear in mind that you will not receive any favors, and whatever is stolen will be repaid. All evil acts have their repercussions. Individually, what will be needed to attain the good position is: wisdom that can adequately govern the world as a whole; sacrifice or cultivating the habit of doing good to the poor or those who need your help; desire to increase the world’s prosperity rather than destroy it. People will continue to go to heaven and return to earth after death until everyone attains the good position. There are a lot of good things in heaven that are still not available on earth and will be obtained in due course. When all the children of Odudua are gathered together, those selected to trans-fer the good things to the world are called eniyan, or human beings.
Oyeku Batutu on Forgiveness
Orunmila will forgive me,
The forgiver forgives
If water kills a person ,
it shall be forgiven,
if a king kills a person,
He will be forgiven,
Orunmila let me be forgiven in this case.
In all cases, the rain ( seji )
is forgiven by the community.
2 cocks
1200 cowrie should be offered as a sacrifice.
Ifa Medicine ,
grinding leaves and tude
This mixing with Iyerosun Ifa
put the mixture of 2 cowrie ,
cover them with cotton string (thread)
and use it as a necklace for protection.
