Òrúnmìlà Consulted Ifá for Success But What He Learned About His Wife and Peers Will Amaze You: Six Decisions That Promote Spiritual Freedom

Before leaving Heaven for Earth, Orunmila was advised that his success would attract jealousy, even from his wife and friends. He sacrificed to have the favor of Olodumare and several Orisa. But he had to go back to appease Esu as well. It was Esu who explained the details of his ultimate success.

​He must join in on the meetings of his colleagues and be part of the community. Upon arrival, he was a great priest. As predicted, his peers began to use occult powers to obstruct him. He made sacrifice with a goat and organized a feast for his peers. Esu appeared again and demanded another goat in order to reveal who were the enemies. Orunmila complied.

​Esu revealed that it was the handmaid of Obatala, the handmaid of Osun, the handmaid of Olokun, the handmaid of Death, as well as Orunmila's own wife who were working against him. Then, Esu entered the meeting and broke a gourd of palm wine, which is the taboo of those Orisa. They ran away from the meeting, at which point Orunmila was inducted into the club and told that the meetings would be held at his house every 8 days. Thereafter, he was blessed abundantly and lived to a very old age.

DECISION #1: SHARE THE LOVE
Conspiracy is driven by the feeling that there is safety in numbers, combined with the perception of scarcity. But make no mistake about it; love only grows by sharing. You can only have more for yourself by giving it away to others. This is the essence of sacrifice. More importantly, as you truly submit to the process of divination, sacrifice and keeping observances (i.e., taboos) you will become more attuned to the spirit of abundance that resides within you. 

DECISION #2: TRUST THE PROCESS
Divination, sacrifice and keeping observances is designed to help you develop a variety of subtle qualities that defy simple definitions and individual traits. Rituals intensify emotions. In particular, one feature of Ifa is the sacred text, which contextualizes your emotional experience. Consequently, if you remain aware of the over arching stories that guide your reality, as your emotions intensify, so will your analytical abilities.

DECISION #3: LET THE BABALAWO & APETEBII LEAD
Here, it is important to emphasize the role of the babalawo and apetebii, who will continuously guide you through different segments of the story and the ritual as a journey. In the process, they will remind you of ways in which to engage with the various principles and characters in the story. As a result, though you will become more introspective, you will also experience increased social skills and robust interpersonal relationships; and while you will enjoy clearer judgement, you will also remain receptive to change and new ideas.

DECISION #4: SHOW UP & SERVE WITH ENTHUSIASM
As with so many spiritual disciplines, people who practice Orisa Lifestyle are much more than the sum of their parts, and it is the way you learn to use these strengths that ultimately defines who you are. As a rule, however, Orisa devotees are true altruists, who meet kindness with kindness-in-excess. When you give yourself completely to the process, you discover the unique ways in which you are called to show up with enthusiasm and generosity for people you're destined to serve.

DECISION #5: STAND UP FOR YOUR DESTINY & CAUSE
The challenge for many who practice Orisa Lifestyle is ensuring that what you do is noticed. Think about the extent to which you tend to underplay your contributions and accomplishments. Have you noticed that, while your kindness is often respected, more cynical, loud and selfish people are likely to take advantage of your dedication and humbleness? They might even go as far as pushing work onto you and then taking the credit. I have even had people try to take credit for work that I did BEFORE WE EVEN MET!!! In the same way that Orunmila made himself the central organizer of the meeting where his adversaries used to mistreat him, at some point, you need to know when to stand up for yourself if you're to maintain your confidence and enthusiasm.

DECISION #6: TELL YOUR STORY OVER & AGAIN
Sometimes, a side effect of protecting your feelings is that you end up hiding incredibly strong feelings, which are just beneath the surface of your service and devotion. And as strongly as you might feel these emotions, let me assure you that they not always obvious to others. Even though people may know you well and love you dearly,  don't make it their responsibility to read your mind. If you do, and your emotions end up being taken lightly or for granted, then you have to accept that you created that reality for yourself. So, tell your story! Let your people know where you're coming from, where you're going and why you choose to serve them in the process. That way, the people you serve have greater opportunities to measure everything you do - romantically, professionally, spiritually or socially - according to your story. 

Are you ready get started? Call Baba ObafemiO at 510.485.2336 or set an appointment today.