Oke Itase: Ifa Does Not Support Evildoers

Eku Odun ooo! Happy New Year once again. In an effort to continue sharing the wisdom and advisories given at Oke Itase this year, here is another verse of the Holy Odu Idigbere as it was recited upon the mat by the resident babalawos. 

There is a heavy dose of intrigue in the cards for us this year. Good people seldom suspect betrayal and conspiracies. Because you are habitually inclined to work towards bringing about the Good Condition, you probably don't have much time to contemplate all the possible schemes and plots that fill the minds of many of your contemporaries. 

Other times, however, the writing is on the wall. You can see that some people have less than honorable intentions. It may be a loved one or a co-worker who you know has negative inclinations but, for some reason or another, you don't want to accept that reality. You rationalize, make excuses and even lie to yourself about what this person - or group of people - is going and how it affects you. There have been times in my own life wherein my respect for someone's knowledge and position would not allow me to accept the fact that this person is actually an evildoer! 

Ifa says practitioners of Orisa Lifestyle have many enemies. Fortunately, Olodumare is not in support of those enemies. Furthermore, at the time the divination was performed, sacrifice was performed on behalf of the world, and so Ifa has been appeased. Of this, Ifa says:

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Wall gecko hisses without tears from its eyes
The cat sobs without tears from its eyes
Cast Ifa for the kola-nut seller
The one with clean money
When the men are fighting against me
If Ifa does not support them
It is just a child-play
Ifa will never listen to the evil doers
When the women are fighting me
If Ifa does not support them
It is just a child-play
Ifa will never listen to evil doers
- Holy Odu Idigbere

Intellectually, it is easy to accept that there will always be opposition from people who operate on a lower frequency or have limited emotional flexibility. The challenge is to actually prepare yourself for such encounters. How do you get ready for a healthy exchange with an unhealthy individual? 

1. Define your objectives and goals in concrete terms. The more clearly you can focus on where you're going, the less likely it is that you'll get sidetracked by every distraction. 
2. Stay present. Anger is rooted in the past. Fear is related to the future. When you find yourself facing adversarial people, check in with yourself with some simple questions; Am I in danger right now? Is anyone else in danger right now? When you assess the threat it helps you separate adrenaline from fear, which will allow you to respond in a more clean and productive fashion. 
3. Listen between the lines. You have two eyes, two ears and one mouth. Use them accordingly. Pay close attention to EVERYTHING being said and try to understand the physical, emotional and mental state of your adversary. This will reduce your inclination to REACT - which is what they usually want. Instead, you can choose to respond appropriately, even if your response is total silence. 

Living the medicine means meeting every experience with open awareness and deliberate responsiveness. The greatest sacrifice is always the personal sacrifice, which means giving up some aspect of your ego consciousness in favor of a greater spiritual presence and eternal contribution to bringing about the Good Condition! Learn more at the Orisa Lifestyle & Mental Health Retreat.