Ifa staffs usually have one bird and of course the inverted agogo bells. However, they are in effect the same thing. The sixteen birds surrounding the one bird is obviously a reference to the itan of when Orunmila entered the town of the aje (witches).

There is a strong connection between Osanyin and Orunmila and also to Ogun, for the Opa Osun is made out of iron. Ogun lives in the forest, hence his connection to Osanyin.

Osanyin's herbs have the power to neutralize the Ajogun (negative forces) but it was Orunmila with the help of Esu who actually confronted the Eleiye.

Both staffs represent the triumph of consciousness (Ori) over the forces of illness and destruction.

Osun is the male aspect of Oshun, the spirit of the river. The Osun is a staff that is traditionally only given to awo who have Odu pot. The staff represents "oso" - the ability to astral travel.

The bird on the Osun is not a chicken it is a vulture, representing the ase of Oshun. It is not given with warriors in traditional Ifa. Odu Ifa says that oso comes to women via their menstrual cycle as a birth right passed from mother to daughter.

Ifa says that men can develop the ability of oso as a consequence of receiving Ifa initiation. Men are presented to Odu during Tefa. Being presented to Odu during Tefa gives men the ability to be mediums for female Orisa (among other things).

Being possessed by a female Orisa gives a man the ability to astral travel. When a man is in the astral realm he is in the land of the Mothers and to go to the land of the Mothers is challenging as a man, so Ifa teaches that a male awo goes to the land of the Mothers disguised as a female bird.

That is the reason why when a male awo enters igbodu he wears a mariwo ede and beads dangling from his knee. This is the disguise of being a bird. After that, the Ifa iyawo places his left foot on the osun staff.

The left foot is our connection to our ancestors. This process guides the male into the land of the Mothers through the ase in the staff and has the function of maintaining the male awo's state of possession as a female.

This state of possession protects the Ori of the man who is experiencing the land of the Mothers. Experiencing possession by female ase balances the Ori of the male awo transforming that awo into a man of wisdom.

In addition, in order to effectively divine for others you have to experience empathy with your client. Awo do this for female clients by going into possession with female ase. This is an often overlooked symbiosis of Orunmila and Osanyin.

In Odu Irete Owonran (Irete Olota) is the itan (story) of Orunmila walking into the village of Iyaami (astral realm) protected because he also had a bird (on his staff).

The Iyaami are also known as owners of birds – eleiye. The symbolism of the bird is of the ability to astral travel, a power given to women by Olodumare.

Orunmila goes to look for the secret of Iyami in Ota (Iyami town). He makes ebo of a white canvas sack, a white pigeon and a calabash, which signify, “I have a bird too, don’t fight me.”

He arrives at the market on Ota. The mothers say, "Ha! the soup is here" – the one they want to eat has arrived. But Esu, who resides in light and dark and thus knows everything, has given up their secrets to Orunmila.

He tells them, Orunmila is more powerful than all of you combined; he has his bird, bring him yours (submit to his power). They bring their birds but they are very angry that Orunmila is about to reveal their secret.

Orunmila makes ebo of ekujebu, a large and very hard grain (which birds can’t eat) and a chicken “opipi,” which is a chicken that can’t fly. The Iyami wish to attack Orunmila but they can’t because of the ebo which is a secret message that says:

The brutal Aje cannot eat ekujebu

You can’t hunt me down

Disheveled chicken with clipped wings

Can’t fly up to the roof

You are unable to bring me death

Ase

This is how Orunmila obtained the secret of the Iyaami. The Osun staff is fortified in a couple of ways, one is with the elements of the ebo in the above verse.

Thank you for reading, leave a comment

How do you know all this stuffs?

Enypie:
How do you know all this stuffs?

Because I am a babalawo

Babalawos:



Because I am a babalawo

You studied Ifalogy? I guess that's what it's called.

I used to have a slight interest in Yoruba mythology. . . not that I'm interested in becoming a voodoo man but the person that presented it to me brought it forward as a philosophy rather than a religion. Though I don't believe in magic, I agree with some of the musings from this philosophy

is there anything in ifa that talks about inner chakras?

AnonyNymous:
I used to have a slight interest in Yoruba mythology. . . not that I'm interested in becoming a voodoo man but the person that presented it to me brought it forward as a philosophy rather than a religion. Though I don't believe in magic, I agree with some of the musings from this philosophy

holyhassan:
is there anything in ifa that talks about inner chakras?

not that i know of

Babalawos:



Because I am a babalawo

A good or bad one? Not every plant or mushroom has beneficial effects. Some are accompanied by devastating altered states.

Weah96:


A good or bad one? Not every plant or mushroom has beneficial effects. Some are accompanied by devastating altered states.

Positive and negative balance in Ifa is known as the right and left hand path of Ifa. The right hand omo otun meaning hand of good fortune and left hand omo osi meaning hand of protection

I am a good babalawo and I am using my knowledge to help humanity

Agba o ni tan nile yi o

Weah96:


A good or bad one? Not every plant or mushroom has beneficial effects. Some are accompanied by devastating altered states.

Bros. There wont be good without the bad ones.

Orunmila/Ifa let us know how to keep the forces in balance so that we wont fall into chaos

There is this question I will like to ask

If Odu is Eleye and wife of Orunmila, why do Babalawo see Eleye as a very bad force?

FOLYKAZE:
There is this question I will like to ask

If Odu is Eleye and wife of Orunmila, why do Babalawo see Eleye as a very bad force?

Because of it destructive power

Babalawos:




Because of it destructive power

Is Sango not destructive too?

FOLYKAZE:


Is Sango not destructive too?

All women are aje by nature because they have Odu inside of them and that is why women can not be initiated to become a Babalawo

Babalawo respect women alot because of this and also because of the potency of women menstrual blood which can render charms powerless and useless

All Orisa has their destructive and good side. Sango has his destructive and good side too just like Ogun. You can read my post about Ogun. When I have time, I write a post about Sango

babalawos old follow back. I'll probably send you a mail.

Owliver:
babalawos old follow back. I'll probably send you a mail.

I will be expecting your mail

Babalawos:



All women are aje by nature because they have Odu inside of them and that is why women can not be initiated to become a Babalawo

Babalawo respect women alot because of this and also because of the potency of women menstrual blood which can render charms powerless and useless

All Orisa has their destructive and good side. Sango has his destructive and good side too just like Ogun. You can read my post about Ogun. When I have time, I write a post about Sango

That is where I am going.

Do Babalawo needs to see only the negative sides of Eleye and not the good side?

All the Babalawo I have met always say bad things about Eleye. There should be something good they possess too

Babalawos:



Positive and negative balance in Ifa is known as the right and left hand path of Ifa. The right hand omo otun meaning hand of good fortune and left hand omo osi meaning hand of protection

I am a good babalawo and I am using my knowledge to help humanity

Thanks.

Weah96:


Thanks.

You are welcome

Enypie:


You studied Ifalogy? I guess that's what it's called.

I am an Ifa Priest

Babalawos:



I am an Ifa Priest

I'm sure you're in Ile Ife, coz I heard that's the root of Ifa. Please, reply the mail.

Enypie:


I'm sure you're in Ile Ife, coz I heard that's the root of Ifa. Please, reply the mail.

I am not at Ile Ife. My shrine is at Ovia Village close to Ovia River, Udo Road, Edo State, Nigeria

Babalawos:



I am not at Ile Ife. My shrine is at Ovia Village close to Ovia River, Udo Road, Edo State, Nigeria

Oh! That's far

Enypie:


Oh! That's far

If you are determined and serious, you will not look at the distance. My shrine is at the out skate of Benin City

NOTE: Most powerful shrines are always located at the forest

FOLYKAZE:


That is where I am going.

Do Babalawo needs to see only the negative sides of Eleye and not the good side?

All the Babalawo I have met always say bad things about Eleye. There should be something good they possess too

i don't believe eleyes have any good side in them(i might be wrong,it's just my opinion)

Babalawos:
Ifa staffs usually have one bird and of course the inverted agogo bells. However, they are in effect the same thing. The sixteen birds surrounding the one bird is obviously a reference to the itan of when Orunmila entered the town of the aje (witches).

There is a strong connection between Osanyin and Orunmila and also to Ogun, for the Opa Osun is made out of iron. Ogun lives in the forest, hence his connection to Osanyin.

Osanyin's herbs have the power to neutralize the Ajogun (negative forces) but it was Orunmila with the help of Esu who actually confronted the Eleiye.

Both staffs represent the triumph of consciousness (Ori) over the forces of illness and destruction.

Osun is the male aspect of Oshun, the spirit of the river. The Osun is a staff that is traditionally only given to awo who have Odu pot. The staff represents "oso" - the ability to astral travel.

The bird on the Osun is not a chicken it is a vulture, representing the ase of Oshun. It is not given with warriors in traditional Ifa. Odu Ifa says that oso comes to women via their menstrual cycle as a birth right passed from mother to daughter.

Ifa says that men can develop the ability of oso as a consequence of receiving Ifa initiation. Men are presented to Odu during Tefa. Being presented to Odu during Tefa gives men the ability to be mediums for female Orisa (among other things).

Being possessed by a female Orisa gives a man the ability to astral travel. When a man is in the astral realm he is in the land of the Mothers and to go to the land of the Mothers is challenging as a man, so Ifa teaches that a male awo goes to the land of the Mothers disguised as a female bird.

That is the reason why when a male awo enters igbodu he wears a mariwo ede and beads dangling from his knee. This is the disguise of being a bird. After that, the Ifa iyawo places his left foot on the osun staff.

The left foot is our connection to our ancestors. This process guides the male into the land of the Mothers through the ase in the staff and has the function of maintaining the male awo's state of possession as a female.

This state of possession protects the Ori of the man who is experiencing the land of the Mothers. Experiencing possession by female ase balances the Ori of the male awo transforming that awo into a man of wisdom.

In addition, in order to effectively divine for others you have to experience empathy with your client. Awo do this for female clients by going into possession with female ase. This is an often overlooked symbiosis of Orunmila and Osanyin.

In Odu Irete Owonran (Irete Olota) is the itan (story) of Orunmila walking into the village of Iyaami (astral realm) protected because he also had a bird (on his staff).

The Iyaami are also known as owners of birds – eleiye. The symbolism of the bird is of the ability to astral travel, a power given to women by Olodumare.

Orunmila goes to look for the secret of Iyami in Ota (Iyami town). He makes ebo of a white canvas sack, a white pigeon and a calabash, which signify, “I have a bird too, don’t fight me.”

He arrives at the market on Ota. The mothers say, "Ha! the soup is here" – the one they want to eat has arrived. But Esu, who resides in light and dark and thus knows everything, has given up their secrets to Orunmila.

He tells them, Orunmila is more powerful than all of you combined; he has his bird, bring him yours (submit to his power). They bring their birds but they are very angry that Orunmila is about to reveal their secret.

Orunmila makes ebo of ekujebu, a large and very hard grain (which birds can’t eat) and a chicken “opipi,” which is a chicken that can’t fly. The Iyami wish to attack Orunmila but they can’t because of the ebo which is a secret message that says:

The brutal Aje cannot eat ekujebu

You can’t hunt me down

Disheveled chicken with clipped wings

Can’t fly up to the roof

You are unable to bring me death

Ase

This is how Orunmila obtained the secret of the Iyaami. The Osun staff is fortified in a couple of ways, one is with the elements of the ebo in the above verse.
















Thank you for reading, leave a co
mment

Thanks. This is interesting. Please give us more and explain The Hierarchy in ORUN, Heaven, where Olodumare presides over all His Spirits including Orunmila and Osayin.