IFÁ tradition
West african indigenous spirituality
The Ifá Tradition is a living tradition and a complete way of life practiced for thousands of years. As a system of transmitted indigenous knowledge it is a way of life that intertwines spiritual practices with applicable “real-world” wisdom. Ifá as a West African spiritual tradition is firmly rooted in the observation and contemplation of the laws of nature evident in the natural world around us. It is an ecological spiritual tradition founded upon respect and reverence for the life-giving and life-taking forces of nature.
The Ifá tradition is truly alive. Divinities or aspects of Olódùmarè (Creative Principle) reside in energetic places of power and can be awoken, acknowledged, appealed to and appeased to bring about divine unity. Ifá is not a religion based on prayers and petitions made by born sinners to a removed God asking for repentance and salvation. It is an empowered and interactive spiritual tradition where channels of direct communication between human beings and Spirit are a fundamental component. Equally important within the tradition are the relationships built and fortified with these Ancestral and Primordial Forces.
The indigenous peoples of West Africa, in particular the people now identified as the Yorúbà, are similar to other indigenous cultures throughout the world in that they too were also able to tap into the infinite repository of knowledge and utilize its power and wisdom to develop their belief systems, their societies, their family structures, and their medical and spiritual practices. It is from this area of West Africa, primarily Benin, Dahomey, Togo, Ghana and Nigeria, that the Ifá tradition as it is popularly known spread; it was later transported to the Western hemisphere through the transatlantic slave trade.
The West African indigenous worldview is that our universe is intrinsically benevolent. The Creative and Divine Forces of the universe inspire us toward inner peace, harmony, and equilibrium. Ifá as a wisdom tradition is practiced throughout West Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas in various forms. The tradition of Ifá spread from West Africa to the Diaspora as a result of the transatlantic slave trade. Ifá is an oral repository of ancient knowledge concerning all aspects of existence and non-existence; it is a complex system of divination; it is a sophisticated and esoteric healing system; it is a traditional religion and way of life. Ifá teaches us that everything in creation has consciousness that can be accessed to achieve 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. Ancient human beings throughout the world have been “tapping into” and accessing Ifá in some way shape or form to learn how to use the wisdom of nature to harness the law of attraction and manifest their desires.
Today the Ifá tradition remains the core source of a multitude of spiritual practices and religions, albeit with distinct similarities and differences: there is Vodou in Haiti, Lukumi and Santeria in Cuba, Candomblé and Umbanda in Brazil, and Orisha and Shango Baptist in Trinidad and Tobago, to name a few.
Ifá can be defined as an ancient spiritual tradition, a repository of infinite knowledge, and as a divination system. Ifá as a way of life can be distilled into three main aims: achieving a state of balance and harmony within self and within the greater context of the universe; aligning oneself successfully with the creative and intelligent forces of the universe; and honouring your life journey in its entirety by adopting the path of least resistance.