Discovering the Significance of Ose IFA in Yoruba Spirituality
What Is Ose IFA?
Ose Ifa is the name for one of the essential special prayer days for all Babalawo/ Iyanifa, IFA Priests, IFA devotees, adults, and children. All people worldwide, mainly the descendants of the West African region/the motherland, honor Olodumare, Ori, IFA, Orisa, Iyami (Ancestral mothers), and Egungun Ancestors. In addition, this day is significant for chanting the holy Odu IFA Oriki verses, cleaning IFA/Orisa shrines, and making positive prayers, offerings/donations, and personal ebos.
How often should I do Ose IFA Prayer?
Every 5 days in accordance to the West African Yoruba IFA traditional annual calendar.
Ose Ifa days are powerful 5-day cycles where all Babalawo, Iyanifa, IFA/ Orisa Priests, IFA traditionalists, practioners of Isese , Ifa devotees , clients ,worldwide make the time to connect and pray, to make offerings with Olodumare Orunmila , and personal destiny and the Orishas. Many unite and come together as an Egbe group at their IFA Orisa temples/meeting locations or in the comfort of their private homes to acknowledge the cultural traditions of IFA, Orisa, and Egungun (Spirit of our ancestors). IFA/Orisha Priests, on these designated days, recite specific holy odu from IFA verses, make prayers from the mind + heart, and make offerings + personal ebos, prayers (sacrifices)., eat together .Attending to this routine ensures your alignment with your destiny and builds a stronger connection with Ifa, Orunmila Olodumare Orisa, Ori, and Egungun/Ancestors.
According to our elders, the holy Ifa Odu Owonrin Ika teaches us:
Erin pelege omo inu igbo
Ekusu omo odan
Ojose omo agboniregun
Awo ile ojose lodi fafun ojose
Ekun ire nisun
Ebo woni ose
Orubo
Nje ire ile Ojose ela gba fawo wa
Translation:
Elephant child forest
Fox child of lawn
Ojose child of agboniregun
Priest of ojose cast divination for Ojose
He was advised to do ebo
He’s complied
All goodness in ojose house
Ifa brings it for priest that do ose
It’s goodness priests embrace after ose
Furthermore, this explains that if all Babalawo/Iyanifa IFA Priests and IFA practioners , devotees (Omo Orunmila/Children of Orunmila) make Ose Ifa on collectively specified days, Orunmila: the Orisa of Fate Destiny, will answer prayers and manifest them throughout our life. By making Ose Ifa, including chanting of Odu (Ifa verses), singing Orisa Oriki, cleaning shrines, and taking care of the Orisa, by any means, we will witness and experience the extreme changes.
Can I privately pray with Orisa in my home?
You have the choice to pray in a manner you feel most comfortable. Some people may be private and prefer to do personal Iwure (prayers) with Ifa/Orisa/Egungun. Personal Iwure is alright, as long as you are well-guided and comfortable. There are various ways you can learn to pray and show devotion to Orisa; however, if you receive IFA Divination, IFA may reveal that you have to pray with others. Genuine commitment to Ifa, the Orisa, and your Egungun/Ancestors elevates the ebo and brings more blessings to your path. For instance, your ancestors may want you to pray with family relatives, relating to Egungun (Ancestral) veneration, where as much blood family come together during the Egungun traditional festival.
There are many festivals throughout the traditional IFA Yoruba Calendar year. The Yoruba people of West Africa have strongly influenced the world by being very communal, talented, artistic, trade, business marketers, and much more. Yoruba people are widely well-known for celebrating and bringing happy times. Celebration and community bring prosperity, economic wealth, Orisa Aje wealth, abundance, victory, and unity among the motherland and her descendants. The more we make Olodumare, Ori, IFA, Orisa, Egungun, Iyami (Ancestral Mothers), elders, and children in our community happy, the more blessings the Orisa brings us, Ase O.
What Is Ebo?
Ebo is an advanced, powerful prayer that includes potent prayers, specified materials, prayers, chants from IFA verses, and various sacred items. Ebo can only be executed by competent, trained Babalawos & Iyanifas/ Olorisha Priests licensed by Orunmila and the community elders. Ebo prayer can be performed on behalf of the person who has come to IFA to elevate and change their destiny, shift their problems (from bad fortune to good fortune), and experience the blessings of life.
What Is Itadogun?
Itadogun is similar to Ose Ifa, but significant differences set them apart. Itadogun is a special day where all the IFA/Orisa communities, Egbe groups/temples, Babalawos, and Iyanifas, make divination and do ebos to collectively show appreciation to Olodumare/IFA, Orisa, Egungun and make appeasements based on the community messages. Itadogun is honored every 17 days on the 17th day. These 17-day intervals are where IFA gives the communities important messages and guidance for us as a collective to succeed. IFA devotees also conduct their readings every 17 days during this time to ensure they align with their destiny and for blessings to come their way.
Why should donations be given during this time?
Donations are essential to supporting successful results for the community. Babalawos, Iyanifas, and Olorisa Priests need to gather materials to make the necessary ebos at specific times. The labor it takes to do the work, via directives from the voice of Olodumare: Supreme God of the Universe, through Orunmila and the system of IFA to relay the messages to the community. Donations are part of the ebo ritual, and everyone who donates feels the effects and positive changes of the ebo prayer ritual.
Ifa shows us that this is part of Good IWA (Behaviour) to help show appreciation to Orisa. We display gratitude and recognize them for what they do for us in our lives. Engaging in elaborate festivals for Orisa, Egungun Ancestors, Egbe, Ifa, etc., demonstrates how proud we are of our culture and traditions. The energy of Orisa Aje's wealth turns towards us more when we share among each other and donate to our community, especially by taking care of our IFA Babalawo & Iyanifa Orisa Egungun Priests worldwide.
Showing monetary support with gifts or any appreciation will restore blessings in the home and community.
Babalawo/Iyanifa IFA and Olorisa Priests are our world's real heroes and herons that place themselves on the front lines to save people from challenging, life-threatening situations. We must take good care of and value all good, trained, competent Babalawo/Iyanifa/Olorisa/Egungun Priests, as they are an essential part of Olodumare's ( Supreme God of the Universe) plan and unique to Orisa and Egungun.
IFA, Olorisa, Egbe, and Egungun Priests of the IFA tradition, are vital guardians to the world because they work hard on behalf of the community. The Priests of the tradition and culture of IFA are the mediums between the Gods and humans. They are treated with the highest respect and should be taken good care of by all people of humankind. Ase.
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Show your support and appreciation by donating. Ase.
IFA Global's worldwide team of IFA Babalawo/Iyanifa, Olorisha, Egungun, and Egbe Priests sacrifice their time & lives to serve Olodumare (God of the universe and Orisa) by saving all human life and helping solve our problems.
By donating today, you can BE PART of helping IFA Global IFA Babalawos & Iyanifa, Olorisha, and Egungun Ancestral Priests worldwide. Ase, Ase, Ase O!
May Olodumare IFA Orisa Egungun continue to guide us towards the right path in life Ase.
