When should one go to the Ifa priest?

When should one go to see the Ifa priest?

The Ifa priest is seen in authentic African community as the person who has best understanding of our world, I mean human life. So we go to him/her not only to know who we are spiritually but also in order to understand or have solutions to anything that seems to be beyond our explanation like failure in business (why despite my efforts, I never happen to reach the fixed goal) or why do I always have bad dreams like being raped or seeing snakes running after me, etc. Apart from the above mentioned situations, here are some cases often make people call for the Ifa priest.

1-Adôgo Fa (when a woman is pregnant)

The Ifa priest is called for when a woman is pregnant. This is known in Benin as “Adôgo Fa”. This type of reading is requested to every father-to-be for the security of the child to be born because spirituality is so high in Africa that witches and wizards are able to read out the destiny of the baby from her mother’s womb and can prevent the good from happening as well. Through the Adôgo Fa, you are prescribed measures to take so as to avoid all traps from the wicked. Sometimes, the mother bearing the baby is just prescribed a new lifestyle till she delivers, not necessarily because of any wicked plan but maybe because this will be of great help in achieving his/her destiny. If the baby is already attacked before you go to the Ifa priest, then a sacrifice is required for deities to break the evil plan.

2- Agbassa (to know more about a new-born child)

A divination is required when a new child has seen the light. This divination is part of an important ceremony which varies from one family to another. It can be considered similar to what is known in European system as baptism, which most people today call naming ceremony.  In Benin, especially in Vodun-Hwendo (West African spirituality) such ceremony does not take place before the new born child sees three (03) moonlights, that is three months. It is only after three months that we can admit that the baby has completed his/her trip to our world and we can then question his/her arrival. Some families may consider longer than three months but not less. When parents are abroad when they conceive the child, they can take it whenever they come back home. This divination aims at finding out which ancestors in the family or which deity has opened the door of the family to the new born, on which spiritual sign was the child born and what should be his/her lifestyle for a happy life. Measures are taken by the priest to avoid revealing everything to the crowd since among them we may have all type of people (wickedness). The mother observes the given lifestyle till the child grow to some age. For example, if okra soup is prohibited to the new-born during the Agbassa, her mother will no longer eat okra soup till the child stops sucking her mom’s breasts.

3- Mè j’ayi Fa (when a person is dead)

The Ifa priest is paid a visit for a divination when someone dies. The goal of this reading is to know if it is a natural death or it is related to something else. This reading is important because it can prevent other deaths in the family. For example someone may die because he was doing no good to the family. He holds some spiritual technology tools (fetishes) and does nothing than hurt people in the community and deities have got rid of him or he has been victim of one of his own traps. Maybe he had already activated the machine before passing away. The reading will help deactivate it. Sometimes, you will notice a series of deaths in some families within few months. Such things are avoided if Mè J’ayi Fa were carried out when the first person dies. This consultation is also important because when it is done help solve different problems within members of the family. For example if there were misunderstanding or dispute between or among some members, the dead may say that he can be buried only when understanding and forgiveness occur among the target members, and promise danger if his request is not followed as prescribed.

4- Xwé Fa (new year divination)
Every authentic practitioner of West African spirituality (Vodun-Hwɛndo) takes this exercise every year. This divination is generally done either in mid-december (between 15-25) or the second half of January (from 15 to beginning Feb.). The main question we ask Ifa in this reading is "How should I take this year for it to be successful with sound health?" Ifa on this occasion will reveal the challenges you are going to face in different domains during the year and tell you how to overcome them as well. If you were initiated to Ifa, the best way to do this reading is to bring your shrine to an Ifa priest or invite one in your house to feed the shrine and do the Xwé Fa with your Ifa shrine (the nuts). The priesthood of every main district takes this exercise for the well-being of their people and the kingdom palace calls for selected priests to do it for the well-being of the whole kingdom(country). When it is tot personal but concerns a whole community or a whole country, the reading is then called Tô Fa.

5- Fa Titè (for men) and Fa Sinsèn (for women): Initiation to Fa

When you are willing to know yourself more, to know who you are spiritually, what clan you spiritually belong to, what energy governs you, you call for the Fa priest, not for an ordinary divination but to get initiated to Ifa. This process consists in finding out which Odu ( spiritual sign/clan/house) you belong to and what deities go with your sign. A lifestyle is prescribed for life, I mean a lifestyle you have to follow till you pass away. You are put into direct contact with your Sè Kpoli (your god creator) and related deities. Everybody is allowed to get initiated to Ifa but it is not necessary for everyone to take that initiation. When some signs often come out when you take Fa reading, the initiation to Fa may become your only chance for rescue. In the other case, sacrifices after readings are enough to help as solutions.

Many are the other cases in which one can go to the Ifa priest. When you have a consistent project, a trip, self-employment issue, marrital life, health problems, etc. you can go to the Ifa priest. Anyway, considering Ifa priest as an important library or advisor does not make him/her a master of all mysteries of life. "The Babalawo has been doing great about life but has not yet mastered great about life", sang Gbèzé. It is on these words of the singer that I'm going to say " let's keep in touch!"

How to reconnect to the root

What African Spirituality is all About and How to Reconnect to the Root 

The confusion is high as far as reconnecting to the root is concerned. Most people, especially Africans of the diaspora confuse the connection to the root with initiation to some spirituality; which is not right.

Spirituality in Africa is not like western religions where everybody willing to integrate is required to follow a common philosophy, a given lifestyle, or take through a special ritual. We all are human being but we are not physically the same; nor are we spiritually the same. We have different missions on this trip of ours on earth. The plants, trees and flowers of the forest don't have the same virtues but they all are called flowers. We all are human being but our life purposes are not the same. There, lies the truth that true spirituality is African. I said so because one thing is to recognize that one mighty being rules the universe but it becomes a lie when we speak on the behalf of that mighty being and set some rules that are said to be the only one way to go to paradise, a place where no one of us has the exact knowledge of. African spirituality sees every person as single in their being, and regards to that particularity, an approximate lifestyle is prescribed to them via Ifa. All this is like the diabetic is not prescribed the same medicine like the hepatitis career. In Vodun-Hwendo, no deity is said to be the most powerful that can protect everyone and against everything. No lifestyle is known as the best and then prescribed as the standard for everyone like formulated in the other religions. Fire and water cannot be good friends. The way every country has a chairperson, the same way the whole universe has a mighty master; but that might master is not good at everything or cannot do everything alone and at the same time. Based on my experience in Vodun-Hwendo and the knowledge acquired, here is the definition I give to African spirituality: the universe is made up of four main ministries: air,earth,water, and fire. Each of these ministries has a chief. The minister of air is known as Dan, the minister of earth is known as Sakpata, the one of water is Toxosu, and the fourth is governed by Xebioso also called Chango. Connecting to African spirituality is like finding out which department you belong to and which level your mission on earth is located. This is known through divination and a spiritual lifestyle is prescribed accordingly. This process of divination to find out who and what you are spiritually is not yet an initiation to any Vodun or to Ifa but can be considered as connecting to African Spirituality if the sacrifice related to the divination is carried out.
So, when should we speak of initiation?

Difference between Practising Vodun and Initiation to Vodun

Not all people are required to get initiated to Vodun though everybody is Vodun practitioner in one way or another. In fact, here is what happens when you go to the Ifa priest for the divination about who you are:
1- The priest may tell you that some deities are responsible for your life, and you need to take a spiritual work before they cause the change in your life
2- It may be revealed that you are not linked to any deity but to your own Sè, your creator, the spirit that is responsible for your life and death, and then you just have to follow a lifestyle the the Sè will prescribe if you get the chance to meet one of those very rare priests able to have direct communication with Sè.

Ogu, the Path Controler

The Iron Deity, Ogu

Part of the principle of Fire, Ogu is the deity known as the guardian of roads and borders. It protects against road accidents and any accident related to sharp objects. When you have been encountering difficulties like blockage from promotion or finding solution to a problem, Ogu will easily open the gate of success if you go to complain to him about the situation. Ogu does not take alcohol; the required libation to Ogu is soft drink. Whenever you put local drink or any alcohol on Ogu, you have then called trouble on yourself.
But what sounds bizarre here is that the Ogu in this picture does take alcohol. It is the only Ogu nationwide here that takes Alcohol. You can see it only in the oldest temple of the Fon ethnic group of Ouidah.
For more info, just dial the:+229 96848037

Difference Between Vodun and Fetish

Vodounnon versus Hounnon

One of the biggest confusion one has to avoid when trying to reconnect to the root is to avoid taking a Hounnon for a Vodounnon. Everybody can become a Hounnon if they want to, but everybody cannot be Vodounon. A Hounnon deals with Vodun xixô; which can be referred to as a spiritual robotery that individual can own and use it to satisfy their personal needs. It can be used to do good as well as it can be used to do evil. It is like a gun. You can use a gun to kill or to protect yourself. Your robot cannot do more than the programmation you have put on it. Some Vodun xixô are powerful enough to serve more than one person but he is under the command of his priest. In this case, things are organized just like an imported religion or a sect. For one reason or another, you go to the priest to get initiated so as to benefit from the protection of the that Vodun/divinity. After your initiation, you are prescribed a new lifestyle related to the divinity. Trɔn followers for example do not eat pork, nor do they eat in black pan. As examples of most popular Vodun xixô in Benin today are:Trɔn, Gambada, and their derivations. While a truly well set-up Trɔn  is considered as a powerful divinity that terrifies witches and protect against all type of enemies, Gambada is considered a powerful technology that is used to control people in order to get some favor from them against their will. At that time, Mami technology, not Mami as Vodun Ayidjè, is seen as a spirit you can sign contract with to get all wealth you desire or some uncontrolable power on earth in exchange for short lifetime or your offsrping. There are other strong Vodun xixô whose clans are not easy of access and that are used for different purposes. Among the list, we can mention KINNINSI or KINNONSI which is known as Azévodun (a Vodun that take witches and wizard for food that He/She enjoys without mercy). 

A Vodounnon is not dealing with robotery. He is serving a Vodun which is commintted to serve the whole community. The Vodounon is not commanding a techonlogy. He is taking care of an angel that is serving the Mighty God by doing protecting the marvelous world God has created. Vodun Ayidjè are full part of our existence. We can't do without them. No matter you race, your culture, your religion, you are Vodunvi on one way or the other. Vodun are the living energies that rule Mother Nature. The evidence is that the main Vodun Ayidjè that we have are: Vodun Dan (the air), Toxosu (water), Xevioso and Gu (the fire), and Sakpata (the earth). In other words, Vodun spirituality is more about knowing yourself and staying in tight communion with Mother Nature. 

Path to the Root

Kɔku 

Kɛnnɛsi (Kinninsi)

Do fetishes really assume full protection?
Fetishes trully assume protection but are almost useless when you have skipped the basic steps. Let me first of all tell you that despite the praise about those fetishes as terrible fighters against witchcraft, skillful witches easily use them to attack the followers. This should not be surprising if you acknowlege that we are in technology, spiritual technology. Should I recall you that your robot will not do more than the programs you've put in it? Being owner of a very powerful fetish does not mean that you can control everything or everyone. It is like you use your gun to shoot on the anti-bullet of the ennemy. Sometimes the juju you want to put on someone via your fetish may turn back and totally destroy you when the target person has a stronger fetish or is under vibrations of the mighty Ancestors. Fetishes for our forefathers were additional stuffs in some specific cases (war within tribe or family, or for specific challenges). This means that before refering to fetishes, there are steps to take.

Why going to fetishes hapharsadly is so risky?
Let me start with this quotation of Sa-mèji (Ifa sign) which states that "Bo ɖé nɔ hu Vodun tɔn a". There is no spiritual technology above Vodun (deities, natural forces). Before you get into any fetish, you need a divination, or if possible, get initiated to Ifa in order to know better about your energy because when your energy does not go with the fetish you are taking, you can easily collapse within short time. You can sometimes drop dead few days after taking a fetish initiation. There are some énergies that are totally against the use of all juju. Another point is that you cannot be water and go to fire for protection. Getting connected to the root does not mean collecting strong juju from all around the world. The best way is to go to Ifa to find out which Vodun(energy) you go with.

What should we know about Vodun or Vodun priest then?

As far as Vodun priest is concerned, it is important to point out that a Vodun is not a tool that one can manipulate the way they want. Vodun is directly related to the universe we are living in, they are Angels at the Mighty God service. The universe is one like a country. But it has different departments like a country as well. The main departments of the universe are: Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. Each of these departments has a main leader, a minister. In that trend, Dan is in charge of the ministry of air, Xevioso (Sango) rules the fire (thunder), Sakpata governs the earth, and Dan will take other forms (Toxosu, Mami) to rule waters and ocean. These deities take different names according to the ethnic group. For example, Xevioso, god of thunder, is known in Yorubaland as Sango whereas it is known in Ewe (Togo and Ghana) as To-Hoonon. The same way they have lots of dérivations. Ogu for instance is part of Xevioso but he controles the iron and road or all accident with metalic objets. But what is amazing is that none of the different deities is said to be more powerful than others, and more amazing is that the complicity within them is so tight that we wonder how to truly make a clear cut distinction of them. For example, who can really explain us how come that Tɔxɔsu is the King of waters but Xɛvioso controles the falling rains. Despite the differences, the different elements come together to make the universe. The different vodun are angels leading the different elements that the universe is made up of. Getting into vodun means finding out which ministry you belong to and what is your mission on earth. That is what Vodun is all about if we are going to give It an approximative définition.

Who is the Vodun priest?

In African spirituality, especially in Vodun-Hwendo(Benin), the Vodun priest is chosen by Ifa, the only messenger of all Deities (all Vodun). A Vodun does not have the role to serve a specific individual but rather a whole community or a whole family. You can't wake up and decide to make your own vodun. The Vodun priest cannot order the Vodun he is in charge of to kill someone and the Vodun will obey. The priest has just the role to pray for individuals, for a family, for a community, to give libation to the Vodun on the behalf of the community, or to take care of people who have special concern and desire to talk to the Vodun.
Anyway, Vodun can do bad even kill. When someone in the community has powerful fetishes and is doing evil to the inhabitants, Vodun can cause his plans to return to him. Vodun Xêbioso acts very violently in that trend.
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The Sacred Basket

The Sacred Basket

Naturally, baskets are not used for saving water, but in African spirituality, this is a reality. Such a basket is used to purify individual and give them new positive vibrations. The message that is hidden in that practice is "your success will be like a miracle for everybody around your area".

Zangbeto, the Mystic Masquerade

Zangbéto the Mystic Masquerade

   Zangbeto, which means the gardian of the night is not a deity as many Africans of the diaspora may think. Zangbeto is not like Xêbioso, Ogu, Sakpata,Dan,etc. that are responsible for human destiny and life purpose. Zangbéto is just a mystic mask created by King Tè-Agbanlin, Funder of Hogbonou (present Porto-Novo) either to bear down invaders or to run over his enemies in the past. After Tè-Agbanlin had conquired the land previously occupied by the Gun, the Tofin and the Yoruba, and settled his kingdom which he named Ajatchè or Hogbonou, Zangbeto was used as the gardian of the night for the security of all inhabitants of the newly founded kingdom. Though colinization brought great changes to the social organization of Hogbonou and Benin in general, the practice is still going on in some areas, especially rural ones. Other people, with permission of the elders, can put the spirit in their farms so that whoever steal anything from the farm will be strongly disturbed by the spirit of Zangbeto. The most frequent question that visitors, even some native, ask is to know what is inside Zangbéto. Whenever I am asked the question, a smile naturally appears on my lips because I too used to ask the same question when I was still a little lay boy. Anyway the answer to that question remains unanswered. The hut is often opened by the priest-guides to let the watchers and especially doubters to touch the truth with eyes. The insider of the hut is everything you can see in this life except human beings. Sometimes it can be burnt in front of the crowd and will reappear short minutes later. If you desire to know more about Zangbeto or eyewitness the expression of its power, just contact me on the 00229 96 84 80 37

On the way to Vodun Festival international 2019. Ouidah/Benin

A Xêbioso adept at the V.F.I.

A Xêbioso at the V.F.I.

       
 A Xêbioso adept performing at the Vodun Festival International 2019; Ouidah Beach. A nice picture taken by my dear friend Dynast Amir. It was a great day as usual. If you are willing to eye witness such events or to learn more about Vodun-Hwendo (the world of African spirituality), just dial the 00229 96 84 80 37, which number is used for whatsapp as well.

The Respect for Pythons in African spirituality

The Sacred Pythons of Ouidah

          Pythons in Ouidah are not only sacred snakes but especially the oldest divinity of the Xweda, the very authentic inhabitants of the city. Like the French speak French and the English speak English, the Xweda speak Xweda, and their sacred python is called "Xweda-Dagbe", which literaly means the python of the Xweda. Difficuties related to right pronunciations and spelling caused the outsiders French to write Ouidah instead of Xweda, and the Portuguese to write Judah. Though the Xweda were dominant ethnic group, it is important to highlight that Ouidah was and remains culturally a very mixed city not only because it used to be a market of slave collections but due to its geographical location which brought Yoruba and other tribes who made it to here to buy salt by barter. Today Xweda is known as Ouidah and stands for the world headquarter of Vodun-Hwɛndo. So, before slave trade and colonization, the city known today as Ouidah had the frequent visits of different tribal people because of its location by both the atlantic ocean and the salty lagoon which they use to produce salt...

For further info, dial this number:

00229 96 84 80 37 (whatsapp as well)

Pythons in their hut at the python temple of Ouidah. 

The non-aggressive sacred python generally lives for 40 years. When It dies, a special ritual is completed for its burial. the door of their hut is periodically opened for them to show off all around the temple, especially at night. Mouses and small lizards are their favorite preys.

Divination via Fa

The different ways of consulting Ifa

       First of all, to consult Ifa means to do divination. And as I mentioned in the previous article, there is more than one way to do divination, I mean to question Ifa, the spirit that is considered knower of everything. The most known and most used way to consult Ifa is through “akplè” (a special chain conceived for that purpose). Before the chain was created or integrated, only nuts (special palm nuts) used to exist, but the use of nuts demands more effort and is time consuming. The chain is then an alternative to the nuts though these ones are still in use. The chain or the nuts are used to interpret signs’ combinations that could be considered as the language in which the universe is written, which justifies the reason why people see Ifa as a science. Though the learning process, to be effective, is very long and has points to enlighten further in this document, everyone can learn the interpretation of these 256 signs; which signs together embody thousands of stories and parables, proverbs and incantations. Another way of consulting Ifa is through water or through mirror. In this case, the reader (the priest) may not see the spirit called Fa in the mirror but just a sign that he will interpret. Other priests may see it though such priests are very rare regarding my experience. Another way of consulting Ifa is via another spirit. There are other spirits that are close messenger of Ifa that are easier to see with eyes or to hear than Ifa. So, a priest who has such a power can do reading through that. But you should be very careful with that practice because it is somehow man-made spirit which had been very efficient in the past but which seems non-existent today though many priests boost themselves as if they were true holders of such power.

Fa, the Access Key to African Spirituality

What You Should Know about Fa or Divination

Called Ifa in Yoruba (Nigeria) and Afa in Mina (Togo), Fa is commonly known as the oracle, or in more simple word as divination. Some people regard it as an esoteric science which consists in reading the past, the present and the future. Others will call It the messenger of God and of all deities because in African spirituality, Fa appears as the médium, the spokeman between humans and God or deities since face-to-face  communication with God has been impossible so far. None of these viewpoints is wrong but to go deeper, Ifa stands for a spirit that has the ability of divination. It is known in spirituality as the holder of all knowledge about the past, the present and the future.  You can't accede to African spiritualiy without taking by Fa (otherwise you have taken the wrong way).  Divination is the very first step, the key that opens the door to African spirituality. Ifa or the divination is what can tell you who you are, what energy governs you, what spiritual clan you belong to, and what should be your lifestyle for a peaceful and successful life. This spirit can be seen by people trained for that, but this is so complex and demanding, that a great deal of alternatives has been settled by our forefathers and we inherited them. So, there are many ways to do divination. In that trend, we have the divination by the Fádé (the nuts) or by Akplè (the chain), divination by cowries, divination by colanuts, divination by mirror, by water, and divination via talking fetishes like Aguè.
Despite the great varieties of ways to do divination that exist in african spirituality, the process of Akplè remains, if a book, the best-seller though that process itself embodies limits. For works that concern a whole tribe, a whole community, a family ritual or cérémonies, the only way people refer to is the reading by Akplè. 

Why do people prefer Akplè to the other ways of doing divination ?

Among all the different types of divination that exist people will prefer Akplè because everybody can see the signs that come out and the work (the sacrifie) is done with the expertise of different priests attending the divination if it is a tribe concern. When you take a reading and you are not satisfied with the interprétation by the priest, you can bring the sign to any other expert of Fa to learn more because the degree of acquisition of Fa varies from one priest to another. So, if people trust more Akplè, it is because the divination takes place in everyone's eyes and they can see what sign is out and refer to adequate sources when there is any room for doubt whereas for a mirror or water reader, only the priest knows what he sees in his prepared mirror or water, and common sens supports that he may make mistakes while interpreting. Anyway, the water or mirror reader are not useless. They rather fill some gaps that we face with Akplè. For instance, when something is lost in a house, in an institution or in a village, the Akplè priest will not be able to provide details about how, who and where to find it. Consulting Fa via Akplè can guide you in three different ways: 1- Fa can tell you that what is lost will not be found back, 2- Fa can tell you that it will be found but in bad state, 3- Fa can tell you that it will be found if some sacrifice is carried out. Those are the three points you can go to an Ifa priest to check in such a situation. It is at this specific point that the Tokanto (water or mirror reader) becomes more important. He will not only tell you who took the stuff, how it was stolen, what happened to it but also where it is at the moment you are taking the reading, because in this type of reading everything shows up in the water or mirror like on a TV screen. But, please, all mirror reader is not Tokanto. An ordinary Mami priest can own a mirror to do divination, he is rather seeing some Mami spirits talking to him and he interprets. Many other spirits, even manmade stuffs can be used via mirror for divination which often contain big errors. That is one of the reasons why most people content themselves with the Akplèkanto (the Akplè priest) though coming across a true and skillful Akplekanto today is very demanding as well.