Grind or get left behind. There will always be problem people and situations. Unlike the way it was in school, however, you will NOT always have the solutions. If you're on the cutting edge, you will find it difficult to find others who can provide useful answers. Somehow, you must still make progress in spite of that reality.

To be very clear, I'm not talking about surviving the battle, maintaining your position or proving your point. I'm talking about measurable advancement, whereby you actually INCREASE your holdings.

One mark of greatness is the ability to excel in the face of adversity. In a chaotic circumstance, it is natural for people to seek stability. Here's the problem: When real stability cannot be achieved, most people will settle for hiding out in familiar places.

TEST yourself: When things get unpredictable, do you find yourself spending more and more time in your emotional, social and behavioral default zone? This can be a dangerous habit because it inhibits your ability to GRIND.

When I say grind or get left behind, I mean that you need to be proactive about pursuing your vision. If you have to get up early and stay up late in order to gain the competitive advantage, then that's what you do.

Stop complaining. Make no excuses. Find out what needs to be done and start doing it with what you have, where you are, right this moment. Others may stop when they get tired, when they get angry or when their feelings are hurt. If you intend to attain LEGENDARY STATUS, your exhaustion, anger and pain only add fuel to the fire!

Like Les Brown said, it's not over until I win! GRIND!!! GRIND!!! GRIND!!!

I am looking for leaders who are devoted to improving the world through positive influence. Is that you? If so, find out how Obafemi Origunwa and the Orisa Lifestyle Academy can take your life and your practice to the next level.

Learn more: ObafemiO.com

#LivetheMedicine

"A man can never hope to be more than he is if he is not first honest about what he isn’t." Such was the lesson learned the hard way by Egg, who insisted upon going into battle. He was advised to steer clear of the battle field but refused, on account of being a close friend of the warrior, Kanakana. It wasn't until he reached the field that Egg realized the fact that he was not prepared for the rage of war. But by then it was too late. Here, The Holy Odu EjiOgbe teaches us the importance of introspection and honest Assessment.

The power of accurate Assessment is what drives all forms of transformation. Ifarinu is a name that reminds us that Ifa sees our inner worlds. Thus the babalawo is uniquely qualified to Assess where every individual is on the journey of life. Oftentimes, this requires a good look at where an individual is NOT, in spite of what he or she would like to believe.

LEARN MORE

Authenticity can only be attained by remaining true to your source. In Yoruba, this is called ORISUN. As human beings, it is essential to remember what Ifa has taught: Earth is a marketplace. Heaven is our home. It means that our source is divine.

It was in the heavenly realm that we knelt down to choose our destinies. And so, while you are here on earth, the true measure of your success is determined by your devotion to your prenatal choice, which we call AKUNLEYAN.

MORNING RITUAL: Every single day, when you awaken in the morning, kneel down and invoke your ori.

Double down on your devotion to your prenatal choice!

Commit to it without hesitation or stipulation. Your prenatal choice is what brought you to where you are. Let it carry to all the way to the throne of destiny!

When the time is ripe, know that you will ascend that throne and sit in regal majesty. Let your source be your crown. Ase!

Live the Medicine!

Obafemi Origunwa, MA | ObafemiO.com
​

The inevitable awaits you, like the sunrise or the phases of the moon. When I first started to practice Ifa, I wanted to avoid the unpleasant and painful experiences of that chapter of my life. I prayed for my problems to disappear and never return. It never happened!

In my mind, I thought it was merely a question of due diligence. In an effort to do better, I made it a point to complete all my sacrifices THE DAY OF my readings.

I remember one year, when my annual festival happened, Ifa demanded a goat. But it was a holiday or something, which meant that I could not cross the bridge. So I ended up driving AROUND the San Francisco Bay twice to get the goat and then make the offering.

Of course, it was not enough to complete the ritual. I had to go all the way. So I skinned the goat, stretched the skin, cured it in salt, butchered the meat and prepared a stew for everybody to eat the next day.

I think I worked nonstop for at least 18 hours... All to escape THE INEVITABLE. Guess what happened... It didn't work! I mean, all the adversity that Ifa predicted truly manifested. Sometimes, I would just sit in bewilderment, trying to understand, What am I doing wrong?

I thought the sacrifice was supposed to remove all obstacles. Eventually, after years of practice, I figured out the fact that my expectations were the problem.

Certain things must be experienced in order for you to le transformed. If you skip them, you will not grow. You will not increase in wisdom. You will not fully know compassion. You will be shallow and unaware of what you're really made of.

Many people talk about destiny like it's a Utopia. They would have you believe that the realization of destiny is one step away from walking on water. They will add a healthy dose of Orisa talk to make you believe also have super powers, too! Just do this ritual, wear these beads and keep this pot. You will be above it all!!!

Foolishness! Sometimes, you can't go around, above or beneath the problem. Sometimes, the only option is to go through.

Don't be afraid to uncertainty. Do not run from discomfort. Remain focused on discovering your purpose and your mission. Call out to it on the journey, knowing that your destiny is seeking you as much as you are seeking it.

Ultimately, remember what Ifa says; Let us do all things with joy.

I pray that you will prosper in spiritual wealth today. Ase! May your internal richness translate to financial growth as well. Ase!
​
Obafemi Origunwa, MA | ObafemiO.com

No matter how far a river flows, it cannot forget its source. When I was seven or eight years old, I used to play at the river not far from my house. It was actually more of a stream.

Either way, it was irresistible, especially during the rain. I remember the smell of the trees and the soil, the sound of the water as it flowed over the rocks and the occasional sight of a snake or a salamander. Most of all, however, I remember the freedom.

The source of the river is freedom. When my first child was born, I buried his placenta not far from the riverbank where I used to play as a boy. I prayed that he would go far, but never forget his source.

Today, as I sit down by the river, I remind myself of who I am and where I'm from. It's not enough to have a purpose; you must remember it, you must act upon it and manifest it again and again.

Like a river, you will flow through many terrains and meet many people. Some will flow with you for a long time. Others will simply watch you pass by. No matter what happens, you must continue the journey... But never forget.

Live the medicine.
​
Obafemi Origunwa, MA | ObafemiO.com

Just because they understand doesn't mean they will start to support you. It doesn't mean they'll start to like you. It does not mean they'll respect you either.

Stop making it a requirement that everybody understands everything about you. Those who wish to go, let them go. Those who wish to stay, let them stay. Your first concern is making sure you're doing your very best work.

How do you do your very best work? How do you get your most impressive results? These are the kinds of questions you ask when you're committed to excellence.

Now... Are you committed to excellence or being accepted? Do you want to be great or do you just want people to like you?
​
I am looking for leaders who want to improve the world through positive change. Is that you? If so, find out how Obafemi Origunwa and the Orisa Lifestyle academy can take your life and your practice to the next level.
Learn more: ObafemiO.com

There is no substitute for authenticity. When you think, speak and behave in ways that are consistent with your prenatal choice, you enjoy a level of comfort and confidence that radiates authority and trust.

You cannot pretend to be fulfilling your destiny. You can't fake it until you make it! Either you accept your divine mission or you reject it. Too many people reject their true identities in favor of what they THINK they see other people doing. By comparing yourself to others you compromise the integrity of your prenatal choice and eliminate any chances of experiencing authentic happiness.

Today is the day!!! Quiet your mind. Still your restless heart. Open your arms and embrace the image of yourself, as you truly are. Accept yourself and give thanks for your natural gifts and talents. Know that you are exactly who you need to be in order to make a meaningful contribution to the people and causes that matter most.

I am looking for leaders who are devoted to improving the world through positive influence. Is that you? If so, find out how Obafemi Origunwa and the Orisa Lifestyle Academy can take your life and your practice to the next level. Learn more: ObafemiO.com. 
​
#LivetheMedicine

Sometimes, you have to remind people who you are and why they love you. Sounds like vanity, I know. But there is more to it than stroking your ego.

Fundamentally, leadership is service and vice versa. That is, when you optimize your natural gifts and talents, it requires that you help your people solve real problems. Ironically, that's when the trouble often begins.

The Yoruba say, it is when the patient is cured, that he will slap his doctor. It means that people are apt to become arrogant and disrespectful as soon as they get a little relief; as soon as they learn a little, as soon as the pain subsides, as soon as they get what they want, you become obsolete. Some of them will even claim that it was they who did you the favor.

This is totally consistent with the organizing principles of Yoruba spirituality. The Holy Odu OsaOyeku literally means, You run back to me to avert death. In this particular Ifa, Orunmila teaches us how the patient refused to recognize the value of the babalawo's service. Subsequently, it was not until she had one foot in the grave that she went running back to Ifa to be rescued.

Even the Orisa have been susceptible to forgetting their benefactor. The Holy Odu IrosunOse tells us how the divinities once proclaimed that they were responsible for the universe and did not need Olodumare. It was not until the Creator withdrew his ase and the entire universe came to a screeching halt that they came to their senses and realized that they are not the SOURCE of life; they merely MANAGE and SUSTAIN the forces that Olodumare has set into motion.

The key here is that you must properly estimate the value of your contribution. Part of your service includes knowing exactly what problem you solve and being able to articulate what happens when people fail to adhere. ​

To be absolutely clear, I am not talking about doomsday predictions, fear mongering or making claims of having absolute truth. I am talking about how important it is for you to articulate natural consequences. For example,

• If you're a dentist, you might say "This is what happens if you do not brush your teeth" 
• If you're a mechanic, you might say, "This is what happens if you do not put oil in your car" 
• If you're a marriage counselor, you might say, "This is what happens if you do not show respect to your husband" 

In the Orisa Lifestyle Academy, I teach my students and apprentices the importance of embracing their natural gifts and talents, largely because it is through those talents that the students have gained unique insights into natural consequences. They have intimate, firsthand experience with certain practices.

• The artist knows the detrimental effects of not being exposed to creative thinking.
• The advisor knows how the seeker will become distracted and get lost without direction. 
• The activist knows how the people's lives will be unfilled without a cause to which they are devoted. 

I am looking for leaders who are committed to improving the world through positive influence. If that is who you are, find out how Obafemi Origunwa and the Orisa Lifestyle Academy can help you take your practice and your life to the next level. 

Learn more: ObafemiO.com

Elevation is incomplete without opposition. At times, your adversaries will even intend for you to be completely removed from the scene. They will fight you directly. When they lose, they will recruit others to fight you. When that fails, they will conspire in an attempt to turn others against you.

But the elders teach us, "If you know the beginning well, the end will not be so frightening." Even better, when you have fierce and relentless advocates by your side who also know the beginning very well, they will not be moved by scare tactics. 

Ifá says that, in opposing you, your adversaries have committed a critical error. Not only that, the hole they have dug for you shall serve as their own graves. Consider the teachings of the Holy Odu OfunSa:

Ofun marked it with chalk
Ofun marked it with camwood
Ofun marked it with with palm leaves
This was Ifá's message for the land of Oba Igbimo
When planning to seize the land of Oba Akure
He was advised to offer sacrifice
He refused to comply
The kingdom of Oba Igbimo
Which intends to seize the land of Oba Akure
What I know is, that is how you kill yourself
​- Holy Odu OfunSa

The king of Igbimo had sought out to take over the king of Akure but he failed to sacrifice. Consequently, the king of Akure arose, victorious. Ifa says, you are destined to conquer. Look faithfully to ori, the seat of destiny. Ori says, you are destined to conquer! Orisegun! 

Ase!