Words from Iya Meri

African Traditional Religion: Iya Meri Adeola Karade Tahset
“Traditional religions were practiced in Africa before colonialism and the arrival of Christian missionaries and Islamic invaders. Although the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade disrupted the practice of African Traditional Religions by the enslaved who many times were forced to practice Christianity or Islam, it was instrumental in spreading the religious beliefs of Africa around the world, leading to the practice in North and South America. African Traditional Religion transformed to new world adaptations such as Santeria, Lucumi, Haitian Vodoun, Candomble and New World Ifa just to name a few. Although the spiritual system transformed to adapt to the new land, the basic beliefs are still the foundation of the system. The basic beliefs are as follows: one Divine Force (God), Emissaries from the Divine Force for human guidance and support, Ancestor veneration, Divination and Sacrifice.”

“The main reason that Ifa is practiced by a devotee is to embody and to manifest different attributes of the Divine Force, Olodumare. This may or may not take a lifetime. It all depends on the person."

Ifa is not a system that you can join. It is a way of life. In the words of Iya Meri “Do you join meditation? No! You practice meditation. Ifa is the same you do not join you practice it.” The practice in itself helps people to live productive and balanced lives. The practice is open to all, but there are those exceptions, some people aren’t destined to become priests or priestesses, much like other faiths.

Divination is another core belief of Ifa and other African Traditional Religions. Divination is the practice of communicating with the Divine Forces and the Ancestors. There are many different divining tools that are used in the Ifa Tradition to open up the channels of communication with the Orisha and the Ancestors. Such tools are cowry shells called meridiloggun, coconut shells or kola nuts called Obi and the Opele Chain used only by Babalawos and Iyanifas. Babalawos and Iyanifas are high priests and priestesses of the Ifa Tradition. The practice of Divination holds the belief that all things can be seen with divination and can be changed with sacrifice. There are only two things in life that cannot be seen or changed; if someone is born with bad character and the day someone will die. Divination is not merely a reading. Divination is considered to be the direct connection to the spirits and is only done by initiated priests and priestesses.

The Diviner uses their connection to help guide clients to their chosen path. The Diviner’s connection is to the spiritual oracle called Odu. Odu is the Ifa Corpus (body of knowledge) that was handed down thru oral tradition.

Sacrifice is a very important part of all African Spiritual Wisdom Systems. Sacrifice comes in many forms from releasing bad habits to feeding the hungry to the over-sensationalized process of animal sacrifice. Like Iya Meri said, “All things in the Universe require reciprocity. All things require balance. One does not get something without giving anything in return. It is vitally important in the practice of African Traditional Spiritual Paths that one recognizes that to arrive with pleas and requests and to offer nothing in return is insulting to your own soul as well as to the Deities. You have been blessed to be in a world of abundance where you can receive all that you can ask for. How can you deny that and act as if you have nothing to give? Not even a song, a story, a poem, or a dance? You have been blessed with the beauty of your human body. How can you deny its beauty by refusing to use it in honor of your God?”

And I agree 100% . Ashe’O