“Most people are born blind and few ever learn to see,” says Nigerian writer, Ben Okri, in his book, The Famished Road.
But what if you expanded your vision and learned to see with new eyes? Not only might you make better decisions, you might be able to live a more fulfilling life right now.
Ikin Ifa
The ancient art of divination is designed to do just that – help you avoid pitfalls while navigating through life with greater clarity and wisdom. Divination can also identify your life’s purpose and provide guidance in both your personal and business relationships.
But a word to the wise – divination isn’t about coming to a reading hoping to hear what you want to hear. It’s about personal growth and being able to deal with the truth even when it hurts.
At times divination might reveal that you need to change your behavior, your diet, or even a job or a relationship.
Among the Yorubas of Southwest Nigeria, the Ifa oracle is considered be the most accurate form of divination. Divination is both an art and a science and takes years of study to master. Before the advent of Christianity and colonialism, both men and women studied and practiced Ifa in Yorubaland.
“This was like going to school for us in the past. From about the age of four or five, every child studied Ifa for about five to seven years before doing anything else,” says Yoruba scholar, Wande Abimbola, in the book, Ifa Will Mend Our Broken World.
Ifa is more than a divination system, however, it’s a fascinating oral tradition that incorporates herbal medicine, ethics, history, dance, poetry, spirituality, mathematics, science and literature.
“The literature of Ifa contains references to all the Orishas, as well as ideas and values which the Yoruba people cherish,” Abimbola says.
Unlike some Eastern spiritual traditions that emphasize being fully present in each moment, an Ifa divination reading might speak of events in your past, your present and your future.
And not only does Ifa provide insight into your future, it enables you to change it.
“When you know what your future holds in store for you, you will know what sacrifices to make in order to change any elements which may not be good. If there is an impending illness, or some negativity, Ifa will prescribe sacrifices that will alter that negativity into something positive,” says Wande Abimbola.
“In today’s rapidly changing world of uncertainty, we cannot ignore the need for knowledge that can be gained through divination,” says the late Dr. Afolabi Epega, in the book, Obi Divination. “Divination reveals the best course of action to be taken in every event in life, but it also gives you the the spiritual advantage.”
Tips for getting the most out of a divination session? Have an open mind. Ifa will often challenge the way you think and offer alternatives that you might not have considered.
And be patient. Since Ifa often speaks of the future, some things that are revealed in a reading might not make sense to you until days, weeks, months or even years later.
Finally, trust the process and the message. Ifa is the ancient wisdom that has guided our ancestors for thousands of years. The Ifa oracle can successfully guide you too.
For more information about Ifa, check out the upcoming documentary, Across The River at www.acrossthekingsriver.com