What Some Ifa Verses Say About ORI

Ise meta ni omori odo nse
Ka fi ori re gun iyan
ka fi idi re gun elu
ka fi agbede-meji re ti ilekun dain-dan-in dan in
Awon ni won difa fun
Oriseku omo Ogun
Won ki fun Ori liemere Omo Ija
Won difa fun Afuwape
Omo bibi Inu agbonmiregun
Nijo ti won nlo ile Ajala-mopin
Lo ree yan Ori
Won ni ki won rubo
Afuwape nikan lo mbe leyin to mebe
Ori Afuwape wa sun won ja
Won ni awon ko mo ibi olori gbe yan Ori o
Awon ko ba lo yan ti awon
Afuwape da won lohun wipe:
Ibikan naa la ti gbe yan Ori o
Kadara ko papo ni.

A pestle performs three functions:
It pounds yam
It pounds indigo
It is used as a bar lock behind the door.
Cast divination for Oriseku, Ori-ilemere, and
Afuwape
When they were going to choose their destinies
in Ajala Mopin’s domain.
They were asked to perform rituals.
Only Afuwape performed the rituals.
He therefore became very successful.
The others lamented that had they known
where Afuwape chose his own Ori, they
would have gone there for their own too.
Afuwape responded that even though their
Ori were chosen in the same place, their
destinies differed.

The point here is that only Afuwape displyed good character. By respecting his faith and performing his sacrifices and rituals, he brought the potential blessings of his destiny to fruition. His friends, Oriseku and Ori-ilemere, failed to display good character by refusing to perform their rituals, and their lives suffered accordingly.

If a person’s Akunleyan and Akunlegba are very bad, it can be detected on the third day after his or her birth through waht we callIkosedaya. This is a special ritual divination ceremony performed on a newborn infant by a babalawo in order to determine his or her Ori and what must be done to appease or enhance it. In the case of a bad destiny, there are only two possibilities for altering it: ritual/sacrifice and the presence of good character. Through good character individuals may be led to successful, knowledgable people who will be prepared to guide and help them. Ritual and sacrifice can provide the same results. using these two avenues may not make individuals with difficul destinies rich or successful, but it will certainly make their lives more comfortable.

In the sacred Odu Owonrin-Meji, Ifa says,

Agbon mi jia-jia ma jaa [name of an Ifa babalawo] cast a divination oracle for Bayewo when she was told to perform rituals. After the rituals, she was asked to use the chameleon to rub her entire body. She complied. Shortly after, she gave birth to a baby boy. A child born after rubbing the body with cameleon is named Oga-n-rara.

Oga-n-rara was coming from Heaven to Earth. He chose no single favorable destiny. When he was on Earth, life became unbearable difficult. Consequently, he approached ten different babalawos for divination. Oga-n-rara performed the rituals he was adviced to perform and was able to have his needs met from Oludumare.

If our situation is honestly bad, and it is not a matter of our character or behavior, then our Ori Apere must be appeased. Prescribed sacrifices or rituals must be performed to bring ourselves back into healthy alignment. These rituals are best performed at night, and once they have been performed one is advised to stay in the house until morning. If this is impossible, then the ritual or sacrifice must be performed precisely at dawn before any other acts of the day are embarked upon.

Before performing the ritual it is essential to be freshly bathed and dressed in clean clothing. White would be the preferable color, but if dressing all in white is not possible, use the lightest color available. Black is not acceptable. In the ritual to Ori Apere, you must wear a cap or covering for your head.

Having prepared yourself for the offering you chant three times:
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