Ifá & Òrúnmìlà: Omniscience & Omnipresence

Ifá

Ifá is the sacred and intangible repository of knowledge encompassing everything in existence. Ifá as an oral body of knowledge has been transmitted between consecutive generations for thousands of years. Ifá is in essence the wisdom of nature and a reflection of divine intelligence; as a universal principle, Ifá has consistently been accessed by ancient cultures throughout the world. Within Ifá is the awareness of how to use practical wisdom to live in alignment with our divine nature and embody a life of spiritual growth and material abundance. Ifá teaches us that everything in nature is a conglomeration of various patterns and that these patterns when understood can allow us to manipulate our circumstances and usher in more enhanced states of awareness and alignment between self and divinity. 

Ifá is accessed through a complex system of divination to provide humans with the insight they need to take action and achieve their desired outcomes. The more one learns Ifá, the more one becomes aware of the universal laws of nature and the wisdom and power inherent in the application of their principles.    Our Ancestors throughout the world have accessed Ifá in some form using the wisdom of nature to harness the law of attraction and bring harmony and balance to their lives. Ifá can be defined as repository of infinite knowledge, a reflection of divine intelligence, a divination system, and the very foundation of Ìṣẹ̀ṣe spiritual traditions. The practice of Ifá as a way of life can be distilled into three main aims: achieving a state of balance and harmony within self; successfully aligning oneself with the creative and intelligent forces of the universe; and adopting the path of least resistance through honouring your spiritual nature and personal life journey.

Ifá gives us insight into our lived experiences while simultaneously providing us with guidance in how we can align ourselves with the universe to achieve our greatest potential. Ifá as a spiritual discipline emphasizes self-inquiry, restoring balance with nature, and creating harmonious relationships to our environment. Within the realm of West African indigenous spirituality, Ifá as a tradition is practiced by millions of devotees around the world - touching countless lives with real world applications of spiritual principles.  

Òrúnmìlà

Ọ̀rúnmìlà is a universal and primordial Spirit present throughout existence. Ọ̀rúnmìlà is a special aspect of Olódùmarè embodying the essences of divine knowledge, intelligence, wisdom and compassion. Ọ̀rúnmìlà was present when all of creation was brought into existence.

Ifá as the infinite and intangible repository of knowledge contains the messages of the Creator. Ọ̀rúnmìlà functions as an intermediary to accessing this storehouse of wisdom in a similar way a librarian would function as an authority of knowledge within a library. Ọ̀rúnmìlà is understood to be be the harbinger of the message of Olódùmarè because it was Ọ̀rúnmìlà that was present when all was brought into existence. It is Ọ̀rúnmìlà who is charged with the ability to convey and share this information with those who are trained to interpret his ancient method of consulting with Ifá. Olódùmarè sent Ọ̀rúnmìlà from Ọ̀run to Ayé to help organize the world because of his vast knowledge and wisdom. Ọ̀rúnmìlà was the first Babaláwo or Ifá priest on earth and sought to use wisdom and knowledge to support humanity to grow spiritually by organizing and enhancing their relationship to nature and their innate divinity. Ọ̀rúnmìlà taught other Babaláwo how to access and interpret the messages of Ifá by transmitting the knowledge contained in Odù Ifá.

All Babaláwo the world over will consult with Ọ̀rúnmìlà to access the knowledge of Ifá to convey wisdom and remedy appropriate solutions for and on behalf of their clients. There is a thin line that separates Ọ̀rúnmìlà from Ifá. The Babaláwo is not Ifá; the Babaláwo is only the medium from which the messages of Ifá are spoken and conveyed. Ọ̀rúnmìlà is unlike any other Babaláwo because he is known as the Elèri Ìpín; the only primordial being that witnessed the destiny of all of creation. Ọ̀rúnmìlà is unique among divine forces because of his ability to communicate the direct knowledge of Olódùmarè to all who consult with Ifá through his intermediaries. 

Aboru Aboye.

Ifawuyi Opeifa