There are some people who love their misery. It’s not that they intentionally stay miserable, but they unconsciously perpetuate their misery by resisting what must be done to get out of it. They thrive on complaining and not really doing anything about their situations. The universe always has solutions to problems. One of Ifa’s specialties is problem solving. Our Divination system is not set up so much to tell the future, although it can. More-so, it is designed to help people live their best life by bring balance and identifying solutions to problems. This is the real purpose of Ifa and Orisa Divination,
Those solutions often involve some level of sacrifice. We call it Ebo (eh-bow). Ebo can be in the form of food. Or it can be an animal. Many people in the West get stuck on the animal part. What they may not understand is often the Ebo operates on the law of relationship. What is asked for to solve the situation is related to the solution. It can be a complementary metaphor for inner change in the person or others involved. So , sacrifice doesn’t necessarily mean you have to sacrifice a goat or that is all that is needed. Sometimes that goat is your own stubbornness and resistance to change. If you sacrifice hard headedness, often things will change. And it may be that the Chicken that was asked for is your own fears or angers that must be sacrificed. Maybe that dove is asking you to cultivate a peaceful disposition. And the great Ram that must be sacrificed might be a giant ego and need to push when you need to chill. Perhaps the fish is helping you to navigate emotional waters.
The greatest sacrifices begin with your own mindset and perceptions. We always acknowledge Esu first in our offerings, the spirit of the crossroads and messenger between the material and spiritual realms. A crossroad is a spiritual junction where we must make choices towards the next steps in our lives. In our bodies, Esu lives at the crossroads between our head and heart. That means between our thoughts and emotions. Or, the crossroads between your beliefs/ assumptions and the facts /truth . What you perceive, whether right or wrong, determines whether you are able to have success or encounter obstacles. Your perceptions determine your ability to understand your situation properly and accurately. That also determines your potential solutions and likely outcomes.
What you assume is the truth may not be. What you believe about yourself, another person, or your situation may not be true or accurate. Beliefs are really just opinions. Not necessarily facts. But we often act on them as if they are facts we know for sure. But then when we encounter the real facts or truth we have a choose to either accept or go into denial about it. It’s not unusual for people to just deny it. That is what creates more problems for them. This is how Esu can open or close the way to moving forward. Sometimes we have to rethink, replan, our situations. Open our minds and look at it from another point of view. When we can’t do that, we experience confusion and misunderstandings. So you have to determine what is true in order to know what solution must be done.
Many times the solutions require that you do what you have been resistant to doing. Or, that you refrain from doing what you have been doing. Sometimes it requires a change in attitude or approach. Other times, it requires actions. All are forms of sacrifice. When we can do that, magic can happen. It’s probably the greatest issue I see with people who have repeated problems and issues. Refusal to follow advice and change their attitudes.
If you have a current problem… Something that has been really bothering you for some time… or comes up over and over again, be willing to look at ALL your options and see if there are some things you are willing to approach differently in order to have some peace of mind or a solution. And remember that the solution you think it should be may not be the best solution after all. Often, the universe has better solutions if you are willing to change your expectations.
