Love & Happiness

One of my favorite Brazilian songs says, "Sadness has no end; but happiness sure does." It's kind of morbid, I know. But at the same time, it reminds me to really appreciate those moments of happiness. According to the writings of EPEGA, the Holy Odu IworiMeji is closely associated with temporary happiness. In fact, however, many verses of Ifa speak of temporary happiness. One of my favorites tells us about the hunter, who was forced by drought to wander further and further away from home in search of food. Eventually, he stumbled upon a crocodile but before he could kill it, the crocodile spoke, promising the hunter abundance if he would spare the crocodile's life.

The hunter accepted and the crocodile complied. The hunter was magically transported to the land of women, where he was the only man. He married the queen and gained access to everything he wanted for as far as the eye could see. The only limitation was a single door in the palace. The queen advised him to never open that door under any circumstances. For one whole year, the hunter lived a charmed life. Then, he decided to exercise his regal powers by opening the mysterious door. Instantly, the hunter was returned to the river bank, where the crocodile slid into the river. The only thing  hunter could do was gather his tattered hunting clothes, and his hunter's bag and return to the hunt. 

How do you respond to happiness? Think of a time in your life when you were like the hunter. What prompted you to open that fateful door? What have you learned about yourself as a result? How has the experience influenced your relationship to happiness?

The OrisaLifestyle Member site is an online resource that is designed to help you break the cycle of temporary happiness. When you become a member, you gain unlimited access to a growing catalog of videos, activities and lessons based upon the teachings of Ifa. Find out more.