--Reflections

                                              Communal Courage

Okanran Ogunda
Eni owo nya fun ire ni Ogun igbee ojo ija
Eniyan ti ko le ja, ti ko le soro
ko nii le gbe ninu aye pe
Ija nsola; ija nse iyi
A difa Ogungbemi
Won ni bi ko tile nii finran
nigbakigba ti ija ba de sii
Ki o ma maa sa o
Alagbara ni o ni aye
Kosi eniti t'o je buyin fun ole
Akin li o ni aye
won kii bu ola fun ojo
won niki o wa rubo
Ki iye inu ma ra ati ara lile
One who stands ready to act for the good
is supported by Ogun on the day of battle,
A person who cannot fight or talk does not live long on earth
Struggle brings respect; struggle brings honor,
This was the teaching of Ifa for Ogungbemi,
They said that even if he does not provoke it,
Whenever the fight comes to him,
He should not run away from it.
It is the powerful who have control of the world
No one respects the passive person.
It is the courageous who lay claim to the world,
People do not give consideration to the coward
He was asked to sacrifice.
So that his internal strength would not perish
and his body would remain sound.
Okanran Sa
Ma ja, ma sa ni aimo akin
Akin ti o moo ja
Ti ko moo sa
A ba akin iboiran lo
A daa funn Akinsuyi
Won niki o rubo
Ki o baa le maa mo igbati yera ati
aiyera fun ija
Ki o ba le maa n iyi lojo gbogbo
Not knowing when to fight and when
to withdraw is to be ignorant
of the requirements of courage
A courageous person knows how to fight,
But does not know how to withdraw
Will be soundly defeated by another person of courage
in one place or another
This was the teaching of Ifa for Akinsuyi
They said he should sacrifice
So that he might know when to avoid and when not to avoid a battle
And so that he might be respected always

Okanran Sa
Ma ja, ma sa ni aimo akin
Akin ti o moo ja
Ti ko moo sa
A ba akin ibomiran lo
A daa fun Akinsuyi
Won niki o rubo,
Ki o baa le maa mo igbati yera ati
aiyera fun ija
Ki o ba le maa ni iyi lojo gbogbo
Not knowing when to fight and when
to withdraw is to be ignorant
of the requirement of courage
A courageous person who know how to fight
But does not know how to withdraw
Will be soundly defeated by another person
of courage in one place or another.
This was the teaching of Ifa for Akinsuyi
They said he should sacrifce
So that he might know when to avoid and
when not to avoid a battle,
And so that he might be respected always
********************************
Osa Okanran
The teachings of Ifa were interpreted for
Agbonrin, the antelope
They said that he should sacrifice
So, that incidents of insult might not reach him;
So that he might not die at the hands of his enemies;
And so that he might be able to save himself from harm,
He heard but did not sacrifice
He said his horn were adequate to ward off suffering.
They said that from far away places,
his enemies would send trouble that would affect him.
He said his own horns would be enough to protect him.
But in the end, his horns were not enough.

Part of our responsibility towards humanity is to learn how to be, "human" and spiritually become a servant not only to Olodumare but to also be servants of humanity. As I started the process of taking spiritual inventory; I found one component that helps the developmental and growth process in the world, is the acquisiton and learning of the act of courage. In the Ifa corpus we are discovering that "courage" is a neccesary act that needs to be encouraged and cultivated in our daily regiment of living.

The lack of courage also teaches us that, it is a lack of energy and adherance to divinity that we have been blessed with in becoming Ifa devotees. This lack of courage or cowardice is but a slap in the face of humanity and certainly Olodumare.

Orunmila and many of the Orisa have shown us constant examples of this attribute called courage. Letting us see it demonstrated by them in many aspect thus allowing us to have a paranormal view of the divinity of the metaphysical principles that lay the groundwork for humanity's extensive and ultimate destiny and goal.

To become human takes courage, to be servants of Ifa, takes courage, to serve Olodumare effectively takes courage. To be anything less is not worthy nor is it the design of our Ori-Isese.
Our horns are not enough to protect us; for we lack courage to be obedient to Olodumare's mandates through Ifa.

We have been insulted and riddiculed in the world, as a religion and way of life; for we have lack the courage to speak definitively out against the wrongs done to our families, mothers and children in our communities. Whether it is the prejudices against this African traditional religion-Ifa Orisa, that come within our own families structures concerning our religion or in the world within institional and societal structures or even systemic racism, or religious intolerance; if we do not have the courage to fight for what we believe then we are not respected.

We at this point of our cultural and spiritual development in the world as a religion should also know that having courage in the face of adversity is an act of ebo(sacrifice). The act of giving up the mundance and ordinary behavior for that which is extrordinary and selfless. We must seek Esu's definition of actions of ebo, that the ajogun do for those who are courage enough to sacrifice to the Deities versus those who cannot or will not let go of the ego in order to move forward to help their lives become better.

In thinking of the Orisa Esu, the taker of ebo and the Ajogun, army of metaphysical beings, who have the power directed by Esu as **overseer to either attack those who have refused sacrificed or defend them or guide them to success, if the offering is done and on time**(Ifa Complete Divination Ayo Salami). Having courage is an act of ebo.

We assume, as a collective communal groups of temples, iles, study groups; if we do not speak or act on any violation of our laws of Ifa and Orisa; the problems infecting our communities and the individual harm commited by individual and collectives, these problem will go away.

Whether these problems that happen to one person or many persons of like problems; there is still a rape, a slander, a mystical killing, a lie told, a harm done, and it is the Orisa Ori-isese who is allowing these issues to continously be brought to the forefront of our minds. Why, because they were only shallowly buried by cowardice act of do nothingness.

Now, the rains of life have come and that which has been hidden by acts of ebo done to make them go away from sight, because our people do not want to address the harm done by not making" whole " the person(s) who are afflicted

Living in ignorance of when to fight and when to withdraw is a graduated effort and skill which must be learn and also taught by our elders in the Ifa community. No one respects passivity. People nor does Ifa give consideration to the coward. Our elders must be courageous as well.

When I sat down to first think about this subject then begin to write about it; I want to have a particular image and experience to relate it to those who are reading this will know this experience as one they too, have experienced and then take this post to heart.

Not as a study in reflective esoteric rhetoric but infused in solid actuality. I wanted those reading this to feel this and see this in real time because it is you. Not a potentiality, something that may have happened but actuality in force that has happen and one that can be related to this scenario of finding courage in a time of fear.

The lessons that are revealed in these Odu Ifa is for us to challenge ourselves at each and every turn of what true courage in Ifa means to us as devotees and eniyans. We are on the move towards a destiny that is so awesome and wonderful that if we only look within for the strength of character and reserve that is given to us as children of Oduduwa if we just stand...

There was a woman in the community who came every Sunday with her ware and goods to sale after the religious programs. She was very industrious, always looking for ways to make a living to care for her family. Everyweek after the morning worship services; she would find her way to the front of the temple outside, to sell her items that she hauled on the bus for she did not have a car. She had beautiful cloth for lapas, geles, agbadas, jewlry and many things that were for those who came to buy.

One week she decided to go for divination with the local Awo and the Odu of Okanran Ogunda came and Ifa told her that a time was coming that she would have to have the courage not to walk way from the life she knew in the light of great disrespect and dishonor but when she did show courage, Ifa would after her sacrifice make life glorius and whole. She was told those who showed the true minds and hands of evil discord would be revealed but in the end they would have to in the name of Ifa praise her being in the world. She should not run away but walk proudly in Ifa.

She was told that she could only count on Orunmila to guide her and even though she would want to run away, she should stand up. Avoiding confrontation was not the answer. Ifa said, that if she did ebo that Ogun would also show her to the truth and guide her to her where she would be appreciated. She did the ebo as required but was left perplexed by the puzzle Ifa left for her but faithful that Ifa would reveal to her the solution to the problem.

Well, on this Sunday, a man, her estranged husband, came to her table where she was selling her items and snatched the cloth and then pushed her in front of the whole community who were leaving the worship services.

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2006 Iyanifa Fayomi Falade Aworeni