oriki ifa

The Iwa Pele Training School is a combination of written material coupled with in class demonstrations. I also schedule the classes at time when I am doing work in a particular area so the student has the opportunity to actually the see the work being done and to demonstrate their ability to do the work. I have posted the first lesson in the process as an example of the way I present material.
Egbe Iwa Pele
Training Manuel

• Aladura – the Ifa Concept of Prayer Cycles
• Basic Vocabulary
Ifa is a communal spiritual practice and the community is bound together by an elaborate web of interconnected prayer cycles that create a fundamental link between Orun (the invisible realm) and Aye (the Earth). Traditional Yoruba culture is organized based on the Afro centric four day week. The four day week is the foundation of a prayer cycle that links the individual to the family, the family to the spiritual family and the spiritual family to the entire community and as this process links to the elders of Ile Ife the cycle becomes a global phenomena.
• Daily Prayer Cycle
The first component of the cycle is the daily prayer. This prayer is spoken by everyone in the community. It is a prayer based on greeting whatever spiritual forces are present in a person’s particular shrine. Virtally everyone in traditional Yoruba culture acknowledges a connection with the ancestors and their own person Ori or individual consciousness. In addition it is traditional every morning to thank the Creator for the manifestation of a new day. Beyond this Ifa spiritual discipline teaches that we greet each spiritual entity that we have received through initiation on a daily basis. This is done by use of what I call oriki short form. The word oriki from the elision ori kiki means praising consciousness. Ifa teaches that everything in Creation has consciousness and that praising a particular manifestation of consciousness is the foundation for invoking a spiritual connection with a particular manifestation of spirit. The oriki short form used as a daily prayer is essentially the use of the first sentence in the longer oriki strong together is a particular order. The oriki form for the daily prayer is as follows:
• Thank the Creator for manifesting a new day.
• Invoke the six directions, the four cardinal directions plus Heaven and Earth.
• Invoke the ancestors.
• Invoke consciousness.
• Invoke the guardians.
• Invoke the Spirits received in initiation.
The following is an example of a daily prayer. Each person needs to select from the example those spiritual forces that are present in the shrine at their home.
ÌBÀ’SE MERÌNDINLOGUN
(Opening invocation for Cowrie Divination)
Opé ni fún Olórun.
Gratitude to the Ower of the Realm of the Ancestors.
Ìbà Olódùmarè, Oba àjíkí. Mó jí lòní. Mo wo’gun mérin ayé.
I respect the Creator, the King who we praise first. I awake today. I behold the four corners of the World.
Ìbà ilà Oòrùn.
I respect the power of the East.
Ìbà iwò Oòrun,
I respect the powers of the West.
Ìbà Aríwá.
I respect the powers of the North.
Ìbà Gúúsù.
I respect the power of the South.
Ìbà Oba Ìgbalye.
I respect the King of the Seasons of the Earth.
Ìbà Òrun Òkè.
I respect the Invisible Realm of the Mountains.
Ìbà Atíwò Òrun.
I respect all things that live in the Invisible Realm.
Ìbà Olókun à – sòrò – dayò.
I respect the Spirit of the Ocean, the one who makes things prosper.
Ìbà aféfélégélégé awo ìsálú – ayé.
I respect the power of the wind, the Mystery of the Mysterious World.
Ìbà Ògègè, Oba.
I respect the Mother Earth who sustains the Universal alignment of all things in Nature.
Ìbà (List Ancestors)
I respect (List Ancestors)
Ìbà Orí,
I respect the Spirit of Consciousness.
Ìbà Orí inú.
I respect the Spirit of the Inner Self.
Ìbà Ìponrí ti ò wa’l'Òrun.
I respect the Spirit of the higer Self who lives in the Invisible Realm of the Ancestors.
Ìbà Èsú (Name of Road) Òkunrin orí ità, árà Òké Ìtase, ào fi idà re lálè.
I respect the Divine Messenger of (Name of Road), the Man of the Crossroads, from the Hill of Creation; we will use your sword to touch the Earth.
Ìbà Òsóòsì ode mátá.
I respect the Spirit of the Tracker, Onwer of the Mystery of Spotted Medicine.
Ìbà Ògún awo, Oníle kángu – kángu Òrun.
I respect the Mystery of the Spirit of Iron, the owner of innumerable homes in the Realm of the Ancestors.
Ìbà Obàtálà, Òrìsà Òséré Igbó. Oni kùtúkùtú awo òwúrò, Ikù iké, Oba pàtà -pàtà tí won gb’odé ìranjè.
I respect the Spirit of the King of White Cloth who is praised at the Sacred Grove. Owner of the Ancient Mystery of the White Cloth, the Spirit Who is praised on the sacred day of the Forest, Guardian of those with physical disabilities. King of all future generations.
Ìbà Yemoja Olúgbé – rere.
I respect the Mother of Fishes, the Giver of Good Things.
Ìbà Osun oloriya igún aréwa obirin.
I respect the Spirit of the River, owner of the hair comb
Ìbà Òlukósó aira, bàmbí omo arigbà según.
I respect the King who does not die, the Child of the Thunder Stone.
Ìbà Àjáláiyé Àjàlórun Oya Olúwèkù.
I respect the Winds of Earth, the Winds of the Invisible Realm of the Ancestors, the Spirit of the Wind is the one who guides the mediums of the Ancestors.
Ìbà Ìbejì orò.
I respect the Transforming power of the Spirit of the Twins.
Òrúnmìlà elérìn-ìpin, Aje ju ogún, Ibi keji Olodumare.
Spirit of Destiny, Witness to Creation, provider of strong medicine.
Kikan mase, (List elders)
I ask for the support of (List elders)
Ìbà Ojubo ònòméfà. Ase.
I respect to the shrine of the six directions.
• Four Day Prayer Cycle
The previous prayer in its personal variations is spoken for three days in a row. On the fourth day when the portion of the oriki that addresses the main Orisa of the person saying the prayer is spoken the entire oriki long form is used. This is the oriki that was used to initiate the person who is sayining the oriki and it is used to re connect the person with the altered state of consciousness that occurred during initiation. If the person saying the prayer is a parent then the fourth day cycle should include casting divination for the entire family for the period covering the up coming four days. In this situation on the fourth day the person would continue to cast their daily divination and add a second cast to cover the family for the upcoming four days. This is starting to lay the foundation for connection to both self and world by given indications of the issues and concerns that move beyond the personal to the inter personal or at this level family dynamics. The fourth day cycle could include one of the following long form examples:
ORÍKÌ ÈSÙ ÒDÀRÀ
(Praising the Divine Messenger of Transformation)
Èsù, Èsù Òdàrà, Èsù, lanlu ogirioko. Okunrin orí ita, a jo langa langa lalu.
Divine Messenger, Divine Messenger of Transformation, Divine Messenger speaks with power. Man of the crossroads, dance to the drum.
A rin lanja lanja lalu. Ode ibi ija de mole. Ija ni otaru ba d’ele ife.
Tickle the toe of the Drum. Move beyond strife. Strife is contrary to the Spirits of the Invisible Realm.
To fi de omo won. Oro Èsù, to to to akoni. Ao fi ida re lale.
Unite the unsteady feet of weaning children. The word of the Divine Messenger is always respected. We shall use your sword to touch the earth.
Èsù, ma se mi o. Èsù, ma se mi o. Èsù, ma se mi o.
Divine Messenger do not confuse me. Divine Messenger do not confuse me. Divine Messenger do not confuse me.
Omo elomiran ni ko lo se. Pa ado asubi da. No ado asure si wa. Ase.
Let someone else be confused. Turn my suffering around. Give me the blessing of the calabash. May it be so.
ORÍKÌ ÒSÓÒSÌ OKUNRIN
(Praising the Male Spirit of the Tracker)
Olog arare, agbani nijo to buru, Òrìsà ipapo adun, koko ma panige,
Master of himself, Wise one who gives blessings, Spirit of sweat togetherness. Divination guides the hunter,
Ode olorore, Obalogara bata ma ro. Ase.
Hunter of abundance, the chief tracker always overcomes fear. May it be so.
ORÍKÌ ÒGÚN
(Praising the Spirit of Iron)
Ògún Awo, Onile kangun kangun Òrun. O lomi nil feje we olaso nle fi.
The Mystery of the Spirit of Iron, The Spirit of Iron has many homes in the Realm of the Ancestors. The water of the Realm of the Ancestors surrounds us, it is our abundance.
Imo kimo’bora, ègbé lehin a nle a benbe olobe. Ase.
Wisdom of the Warrior Spirit, come guide my Spiritual
ORÍKÌ OBÀTÁLÁ
(Praising the King of the White Cloth)
Obanla o rin n’erù ojikùtù s’èrù.
King of the White Cloth never fears the coming of Death.
Oba n’ile Ifón alábalàse oba patapata n’ile ìrànjé.
Father of Heaven forever rule for all generations.
O yó kelekele o ta mi l’ore. O gbà á gìrí l’owo osikà.
Gently disolve the burden of my friends. Give me the power to manifest abundance.
O fi l’emi asoto l’owo. Oba ìgbò oluwaiye rè é o kéè bi òwu là.
Expose the Mystery of Abundance. Father of the sacred grove, owner of all blessings increase my wisdom.
O yi ‘àála. Osùn l’àála o fi koko àála rumo. Oba ìgbò. Ase.
So that I become like the White Cloth. Protector of White Cloth I salute you. Father of the sacred grove. May it be so.
ORÍKÌ OLOKUN
(Praising the Spirit of the Ocean)
Iba Olókun fe mi lo’re. Iba Olókun omo re wa se fun oyi o.
I praise the Spirit of the vast Ocean. I praise the Spirit of the Ocean who is beyond understanding.
Olókun nu ni o si o ki e lu re ye toray. B’omí ta ‘afi. B’emi ta’afi.
Spirit of the Ocean, I will worship you as long as there is water in the Sea. Let there be peace in the ocean. Let there be peace in my soul.
Olókun ni´ka le, mo juba. Ase.
The Spirit of the Ocean, the ageless one, I give respect. May it be so.
ORÍKÌ YEMOJA
(Praising the Spirit of the Mother of Fishes)
Agbe ni igbe’re ki Yemoja Ibikeji odo. Aluko ni igbe’re k’lose, ibikeji odo.
It is the bird that takes good fortune to the Spirit of the Mother of Fishes, the Goddess of the Sea. It is the bird Aluko the takes good fortune to the Spirit of the Lagoon, the assistant to the Goddess of the Sea.
Ogbo odidere i igbe’re k’oniwo. Omo at’Orun gbe’gba aje ka’ri w’aiye.
It is the parrot that takes good fortune to the chief of Iwo. It is children who bring good fortune from Heaven to Earth.
Olugbe-rere ko, Olugbe-rere ko, Olugbe-rere ko. Gbe rere ko ni olu-gbe-rere. Ase.
The Great One who gives good things, the Great One who gives good things, the Great One who gives good things. Give me good things from the Great One who gives good things. May it be so.
ORÍKÌ OYA
(Praising the Spirit of the Wind)
Oya aroju ba oko gu o palemo bara – bara. Afefe iku. Abesan wo ebiti kosunwon efufu lele ti nbe igi ilekun ile anan.
Spirit of the Wind died courageously with her husband, She puts matters in order suddenly. The wind of death. Mother of nine shatters the evil mound of earth, strong wind demolishes the tree by the family door.
Okiki a gbo oke so edun, igan obinrin ti nko ida, Oya iji ti se tit bajo – bajo.
Rumor in the clouds, hurls down a stone ax, courageous woman armed forever with a sword, Spirit of the Wind, tornado, sets the leaves of the trees in motion.
A pa kete, bo kete. Ase.
She kills suddenly, she enters suddenly. May it be so.
ORÍKÌ SANGO
(Praising the Spirit of Lightning)
Kawo Kabiyesile, etala mo júbà, gadagba a júbà. Oluoyo, Etala mo júbà, gadagba a júbà. Oba ko so, etala mo júbà, gadagba a júbà. Ase.
Hail to the Chief, It is thirteen times that I salute you. Chief of Oyo, It is thirteen times that I salute you. The Chief who has not died, it is thirteen times that salute you. May it be so.
ORÍKÌ OSUN
(Praising the Spirit of the River)
Iba Osun sekese, Làtojúku awede we mo. Iba Osun Olodi, Làtojúku awede w e mo. Iba Osun ibu kole, Làtojúku awede we mo.
Praise to the Spirit of Mystery, Spirit who cleans me inside out. Praise to the Spirit of the River, Spirit who cleans me inside out. Praise to the Spirit of Seduction, Spirit who cleans me inside out.
Yeye kari, Yeye’jo, Yeye opo, O san réré o. Mbè mbè ma
yeye, mbè mbè l’oro. Ase.
Mother of the mirror, Mother of dance, Mother of abundance, we sing your praises. Exist, exist always mother, exist always in our tradition. May it be so.
ire
baba