Iroso Meji

In many ways, Irosun is the beginning of active divination. While the first 4 Odu (Ogbe, Oyeku, Iwori and Idi/Odi) plus we include “Ofunmeji” constitute the outlines and not the specifics of everyday divination. I will discuss more of this later on.    

We have all lost the basic attributes of Irosun. In the "old days" it spoke of popularity with many friends.  It was "balanced" with the fear of "foggy" brain…with general worries regarding your head.  There was always the necessity preventative care by propitiating your Ori on a regular (or as needed).  It was not that this was wrong, it simply became outdated. Like many examples of this, the original readings DO contain the germ of where the 2015 readings came into play. 

As our world expanded… both literally and figuratively, the key purpose for Irosun became the use of our genuine ability to detect the “Real from the False”!  This is not a huge stretch from our dependence on our mind of the earlier years...but, what sufficed then, will not work now. The choices have become multitude, and the repercussions too painful to consider. 

You see, our society has confused us...made a fun house mirror out of opportunities, people, relationships and responsibility. With a our quick look today… most generally focus on the "shiny" rather than the “real”...but the proper use of Irosun is to separate that "shiny" from those things which could bring us the happiness, success and healthier relationships with others and the planet we live on.  

By the way, in case you think the choice is easy it is not. But, it seems totally clear to me that Irosun is the key to navigating this hump in our development. 

Love and Blessings, 

Philip Neimark

Idi Meji

 Idi Meji and also known as Odi Meji

It is interesting to note the transitions that Idi has gone through...and the danger of freeze framing the meaning.

Beginning 50 or so years ago, and extending into many current Ifa Priests curriculum, the accepted "meaning" for this Odu was: all about secret enemies trying to cast spells over you...usually in the context of your sleep where, it was unstated, but implied, was the "easiest" way to accomplish the nefarious activity.

Early on, it became clear to me, that this could not be what was originally intended. Indeed, it reeked of fear, of playing with people's emotions, and perhaps profiting from it. It was time to make an initial adjustment to the meaning of the Odu.

So, it became more of a dual meaning Odu. In Ire (good fortune) it described Movement, Exploration and Curiosity, while in Ibi  or Osorbo which indicated negative fortune - in some practices.  And the other meaning was related to an individual who was feeling pressure he or she did not know how to relieve. They had been reduced to hoping it would not get worse.  It was the perfect example of someone simply not wanting the "other shoe" to drop!

This served a host of devotees quite well until a year or so ago when we began to organize the “Sacred Odu" in terms of their new applications. It is these meanings…these adjustments for changes in our environment… our politics… our new inventions… that will take us to the next level.

Please keep following what has been done so you will better acclimate to what is still left to do. 

Love and Blessings 

Philip John Neimark

Iwori Meji - Measure Twice, Cut Once

IworiMeji is a very subtle Odu! It focuses on the Diviners ability to identify REAL possibilities...and therein, lies the rub. For understanding the genuine opportunities requires a totally different mind-set for both Diviner and Client.

The problem takes into account my original statement on “subtlety”!  But keep in mind the initial purveyors of Ifa's wisdom took into account that Diviners would initially understand only what worked then and that it would grow and increase with life experiences.  As the years rolled by and as our knowledge increased with our understanding of how the world works, we would expand our ability to understand and use the information.

The problem was that it never occurred to the original owners that we would get stuck in the morass of the “frozen truth”, of believing what had once worked... would continue to do so, even as the benefits and results became smaller and smaller. Heck, it was working for Catholicism wasn’t it?

We have identified IworiMeji into one short definition...Measure twice...cut once. The old standby for the Tailor or Seamstress. Basically it means BE SURE!  But “Sure of what"?

So, let’s take IworiMeji more seriously. When it states, in old texts, "that the child of IworiMeji will be a dreamer…and that a man or woman that is born under this sign will see things that do not exist in ways not normally seen...but that he will learn to interpret these into information that will be valuable".  In other words... look not simply for truth as you know it...but look for it in ways you have not yet imagined!

Don’t be afraid of failure...be afraid of being stuck!  Drop the fear altogether to realize that using the same old conclusions will actually be limiting your life... That just because something is “right” once IS really missing the point...that there are new “RIGHTS” waiting for the questioning mind to find them. It is then that Iwori remains relevant…

Love and blessings

Philip Neimark

Oyeku Meji - Darkness for Light

When discussing Oyeku... it is necessary to give yourself time to clear your head to see the enumerable positive aspects of Oyeku Meji.  And they refer, one way or another, to our ancestors. In this area they are incredibly important!

While we can never be totally sure what role the Ancestors play as a part in our transport system or that there is something much broader.  What we can be sure about is there is an access route for contacting our Ancestors. And we also know… that if we allow a whole bunch of mistrust to build fear...will definitely muddle our thinking.

The first thing that needs to go right into the trash bin is the “understanding” that Oyeku is somehow always disappointing, always foreboding, and associated with death (plus a host of similar fears). Just to let you know, this is in DIRECT contradiction to most of what is contained in parts of the Sacred Ifa Oracle… (so you see that knowledge is growth and one must never assume you have somehow reached the end point of understanding the Odu!)

Another item for the trash pile of your memory bank is to unwind Oya from being linked to Oyeku. It was clear, even in the historical references, that Oya was NOT the keeper of the cemetery. She was the “Gate“keeper!

In the verbal method of attempting to understand, remember and convey our knowledge to the next generation, we began to make our often fatal mistake. Let me simply say that Oya’s connection with Oyeku is just one of a number (although the most tangible) ways of SUDDEN CHANGE. After all, what is more absolute than one second being alive and the next second entering a totally different world.

It is a NATURAL occurrence, happening every night.  While the Yoruba people still inhabit the encompassing darkness, they were given the information that the inhabitants are SIMPLY different...not strange or foreboding. After all, the creatures of the night (thousands of years before man routinely did the same) include the Owls, Snow Leopards, Red Fox, Skunks, Night Parrots and Nightingales who are among the THOUSANDS that wake in the night and go back to sleep in the daytime.IT WAS A REMINDER TO BE AWARE OF THE POPULATION AND ALL IT INCLUDED...NOT AFRAID. Yet you can see what happened. 

So today's lesson is #1. Fear should not be part of Ifa and #2. TRUTH must be taken within the context it was intended...not as a repeated mantra.

Until next time

Love and blessings

Philip Neimark 

Ejiogbe!

O.K. Let’s get to work!

Let’s stretch our mind...

Let’s Save the World…

One person at a time!

It doesn’t matter to me if you think of it as Ejiogbe, or Ogbe Meji, or refer to this Odu by any other name.

 

We are finally dispensing with memorization and with our dependence on examining any of the Odu as “frozen in time or written in stone”! 

Instead, we are concentrating on the magical, never-ending, stream of opportunities... those that have happening for thousands of years!  And for those of you about to enter into the stream of greater wisdom and knowledge... and for those of you that need our help in personal birthing…

We are taking off the blinders as we can perceive this energy as the living entity it deserves.  

So how do you look at Ejiogbe?

By lifting the veils... a whole new world “suddenly” appears. In reality it is simply our world that has always existed, but can now be seen in the brilliant technicolor that was held back by the secrecy, the desire to to keep power, the sexism, and the consistent attempt to model Ifa after the frozen state of western religions.

So, when analyzing any Ejiogbe information, the sky's the limit BUT with certain caveats.  

The first, but often missed by individuals, is the simplest but most powerful:  

The universe contains a full array of all possibilities... both good and bad. Unlike so many who would swear the Orisha are protecting them, I would add: if you select the RIGHT possibility it may be true... if you do not, I promise you “IT” will not. In other words, this Odu carries with it BOTH good and bad results... and in our society the appeal for activities with what I call a “Shinier” exterior are destined for failure along with all the quick fix artists.  For the most part they never consider anything but themselves, and when their significant other, their family, their community, even the planet we live on, are not taken into consideration... not only do these “opportunities” always fail after a short time, but they will unfortunately reflect the majorities Western worldview.

The good opportunities will ALWAYS offer the same opportunities for your significant other, your children, your community and the planet we live upon. They may seem much less “glittering”…  as well as require longer term hard work, but they are designed to guarantee your success.

Love and Blessings

Philip Neimark