Here's My Truth: On Ethics and Ifa/TYR/TAR...a beginning

An ongoing journal which will be edited, revised and augmented over time:

Here's my truth:

A lot of abuse has been perpetrated against believers in TYR (Traditional Yoruba Religion) by fakes, frauds and bullies. These fakes, frauds and bullies might be your god-parents, your brethren and sisters in your Ile, shop-owners of botanicas and other spiritual supply stores, , 'readers, ' and self-styled 'seers.' This seems to be especially true of, but not limited to, some persons in Regla da Ocha (Santeria), Lucumi and even in Spiritual Baptism, though all TYR religions, including indigenous traditional Ifa, are subject. I recently heard someone say that people who do not have ethical problems with their godparents are a MINORITY. This is a shame., This is criminal.

I am a follower of the indigenous TYR, Ifa. Even in Ifa, ethical problems are an issue. Wherever there is money to be made, and, by all accounts, there is plenty of money to be made in Yoruba-derived religions, there will be frauds.

That being accepted, here's my truth:

Don't tell yourself that people in Ifa are saints because of the emphasis put on ethics. Stop dreaming. There are crooks everywhere.

Ifa is not and should never be about control by others, mind-games, manipulation, usury, extortion, or other forms of bullying,(including assault!) robbery and deceit. If you are being bullied, manipulated, robbed, or being told to do things that are far out of your ethical comfort zone; if you question what you are told, because it *feels* wrong, or you feel you are being used, you probably are validated in having your concerns.

You have the right to question. You have the right to have your concerns about ethics and morals answered by ethical and moral people performing rites of divination. Never believe stuff that feels 'made up' - it probably is. Go sit with a trusted diviner. Ask people you trust for direction as to who to see. The tiniest inkling of doubt should be enough to hold you back from exposing yourself. Ask only those in whom you have no doubts. Don't believe those whom you do not trust. They probably don't have your interests at heart. Make your mindset one of observation and inquiry. Know your traditions. Good priests don't always wear traditional clothes or identifying beads. Bad priests don't always look like the snakes they are. Some un-ordained folks are excellent diviners, so don't rush in with quick judgements. But, if someone openly identifies themselves as an ordained priest of Ifa, does not wear ide ifa, does not use a spiritual name and more importantly does not respond appropriately when formally greeted, move on; I have. Your heart knows who the snakes are. You don't need divination for that.

Here's my truth: Ifa should set your spirit free, not bind it up. If you are feeling enslaved, something is wrong. If you feel hate, judgement, and especially fear, something is wrong. Ifa/Orisa should give you wings, not be a burden. If you are burdened, ask yourself, "why?" If it is about not doing what you are told by Ifa, do what you are told. If it is about getting contradictory messages, or messages designed to make you feel fear, from people around you, change the people around you. :-)  If you are living cleanly and authentically and people around you do not support your authentic self, there is something wrong. Don't listen to sh*t out of the mouths of men. Listen to Ifa. While Spirit possession is possible through Orisa, folks that claim to get messages from the spirit world are most likely fakers or crazies - and you will know for sure if they use this novel approach to lean on you for money 'to protect you.'. What they do is not Ifa. Ifa is the word of the Creator given to all Humanity, and it is told through the Oracle of Ifa divination, period. 

Here's my truth: There is no evil so great that it cannot be overcome through sincere faith. Your good is bigger than anyone's bad: you just need to BELIEVE that and remember it when you are up against the bad, REALLY remember it. :-) Remember this in relation to all of the above!

Some Oyingbo (white people)  like me have special challenges, walking this road. Some people think animal sacrifice is a violation of their ethics. NEWSFLASH! One can actually negotiate with Ifa over things like this, but in the end it's something you will have to accept happens, even if you negotiate your way out of participating, yourself in your private ebo. My truth?  I think that so long as one eats and shares of what one sacrifices, I'm okay with it. I think if we as Westerners had a more intimate relationship with the meat we eat we would value it more and eat it less.