Ìmàle & Òrìsà: Primordial & Ancestral Divinities

Olódùmarè is the supreme creative force under pinning all aspects of creation. According to our Ancestors, every aspect of creation, every creature including inanimate objects has some form of consciousness which can be awoken and harnessed for various aims. Olódùmarè is not beyond reach; its divine presences permeates through all forms of creation. The various facets of nature are all reflections of Olódùmarè. It is through these forms of nature; the wind, the ocean, the forests, the rivers, and the earth where different aspects of Olódùmarè can be accessed by human beings. 

It is the Ìmàle and Òrìṣà which are the primordial and ancestral forces governing different aspects of the Universe. The Ìmàle are intelligent divine forces presiding over different forms of creation. If from our limited human understanding we conceptualize our spiritual ecosystem as a parliamentary system where ministers are assigned to key areas; this concept is not too far removed from the spiritual understanding of how our universe is structured. Ifá identifies various aspects of Olódùmarè that can be honoured, acknowledged, invoked and appeased to achieve a desired aim and bring humans closer to a holistic state of balance. Ìmàle and Òrìṣà are divine aspects of Olódùmarè, while Ìmàle are the primordial and universal aspects of the Creative Principle, the Òrìṣà are defied ancestors of a particular locality and region. Both Ìmàle and Òrìṣà can be accessed through nature directly or specific natural substances can be brought together esoterically to act as a portals and receptacles for those Spirits to communicate and receive information. 

There are a large number of Ìmàle and Òrìṣà and certain communities, families, and individuals may have a particular relationship with a group of Divinities dependent upon their spiritual constitution and their family lineage. Traditionally, an individual may come from a household where they would have grown up and have been trained how to care for that particular Òrìṣà. They may also be at some point be initiated into that Òrìṣà as a way of solidifying and enhancing their connection to that particular Spirit for their own personal growth and development. 

Aboru Aboye.

~Ifawuyi Opeifa