I always thought subSaharan Africans were strictly oral and never wrote anything down. Then I learned this is just another one of the many myths about our people. There is a body of text called the Ifa (Ife?) Corpus and I'd sure like to get a copy of it.

Amazon has boods about the Corpus but not the Corpus itself. I don't want to read abot it. I want to read it. But where do I find it?

I always thought subSaharan Africans were strictly oral and never wrote anything down. Then I learned this is just another one of the many myths about our people. There is a body of text called the Ifa (Ife?) Corpus and I'd sure like to get a copy of it.

Amazon has boods about the Corpus but not the Corpus itself. I don't want to read abot it. I want to read it. But where do I find it?
http://www.ifainc.org/ifa-speaks/book.html

Traditionally Ifa was a practice that was strictly oral. There was one person who's only job was to memorize the teachings and to pass it down but with anything modern things change. As you can see yourself the author that knowledge seed posted was born over here in the United STates. There is also another book you can look for called Fundamentals of the Yoruba Religion Orisa Worship by Chief FAMA

wow! Much thanks to both of you.

This is a good start.

I always thought subSaharan Africans were strictly oral and never wrote anything down. Then I learned this is just another one of the many myths about our people. There is a body of text called the Ifa (Ife?) Corpus and I'd sure like to get a copy of it.

Amazon has boods about the Corpus but not the Corpus itself. I don't want to read abot it. I want to read it. But where do I find it?

Greetings beloved sister

As stated in the link provided by knowledge seed the corpus of Ifa is a collection of 4096 ese or verses

There is no book in the classical western sense of the word

The corpus of Ifa is actually a synonym for what is called odu ifa, the 16 major odu or olodu are disciples and incarnations of the prophet Orunmila.

Think of the odu as cosmic forces that contain the sum total experience of the human, animal and mineral kingdoms. The odu are a repository for everything in the past present and future

Greetings beloved sister

As stated in the link provided by knowledge seed the corpus of Ifa is a collection of 4096 ese or verses

There is no book in the classical western sense of the word

The corpus of Ifa is actually a synonym for what is called odu ifa, the 16 major odu or olodu are disciples and incarnations of the prophet Orunmila.

Think of the odu as cosmic forces that contain the sum total experience of the human, animal and mineral kingdoms. The odu are a repository for everything in the past present and future
Precious brotha Sek,

Now I am intrigued. Olodu? Then the Odu have some connection to Olodumare? How are the Odu different from or connected to the Orise?

Precious brotha Sek,

Now I am intrigued. Olodu? Then the Odu have some connection to Olodumare? How are the Odu different from or connected to the Orise?
I know your questions were directed at Bro. Sekhemu, but I'll answer them to the best of my ability.

Odu are the "words" of Olodumare. Odu Ifa is like the Bible's African counterpart, so to speak.

Each Odu is "attached" to an Orisha.

I know your questions were directed at Bro. Sekhemu, but I'll answer them to the best of my ability.

Odu are the "words" of Olodumare. Odu Ifa is like the Bible's African counterpart, so to speak.

Each Odu is "attached" to an Orisha.

Thanks brotha knowledge

I am soaking this upl Brotha Sek started a thread about the odu. I must read it more thoroughly.

What you are telling me makes me wonder about the language. If African names are derived from the language itself and odu means word then what does mare mean and what does ol mean?

OL(?) ODU (word) MARE (?)

I suspect that filling in these question marks will increase my understanding.

Precious brotha Sek,

Now I am intrigued. Olodu? Then the Odu have some connection to Olodumare? How are the Odu different from or connected to the Orise?

Yes sister, the Odu have an intimate and comprehensive connection to Olodumare and the Orisa, as knowledge seed alluded to

The name Olodu as you might well know means the 16 major Odu, the name Olodumare means the holder of the container of existence that moves without ceasing.

When studying Odu we are examining the say metamorphasis occurs. Central to this understanding of transformation is the Divinity Obatala. Obatala as king of the white cloth is the spirit of light, and is an expanding and contracting force in nature all at once. In physics, Light is manifest as a wave (male) and particle (female) thus expressing the dual nature of light, Obatala.

So what is the connection between Obatala and Odu? As mentioned before, Odu is the source or womb of all manifestations of light on the physical plane. Odu also exist in Orun, and here we find Obatala's male aspect (light) as the first Odu called Eji Ogbe, and his female personification (dark) as the 16th Odu, Ofun Meji.

All Odu are in fact multi-dimensional gateways for incarnating Egun who have reincarnated in Aiye (earth). As such women are heralds of Odu in Aiye and Orun and women have historically provided their ashe for would be kings in the motherland.

Before a priest can receive Odu, he must first receive Ifa ( the spiritual license to consult Orunmila). Women are not ritually intiated into Odu because by virtue of them being born with a womb/odu, they already have it. Indeed when a person comes to an Awo for dafa (divination) the Awo must determine if the querant is "seen with Ifa." During the process of dafa the Odu "comes down" and the Awo interprets it and reveals to the querent the name of the Odu that accompanies them. What challenges they currently face and how to achieve balance that will bring them back to alignment.

let me know beloved if you have additional questions

Yes sister, the Odu have an intimate and comprehensive connection to Olodumare and the Orisa, as knowledge seed alluded to

The name Olodu as you might well know means the 16 major Odu, the name Olodumare means the holder of the container of existence that moves without ceasing.

When studying Odu we are examining the say metamorphasis occurs. Central to this understanding of transformation is the Divinity Obatala. Obatala as king of the white cloth is the spirit of light, and is an expanding and contracting force in nature all at once. In physics, Light is manifest as a wave (male) and particle (female) thus expressing the dual nature of light, Obatala.

So what is the connection between Obatala and Odu? As mentioned before, Odu is the source or womb of all manifestations of light on the physical plane. Odu also exist in Orun, and here we find Obatala's male aspect (light) as the first Odu called Eji Ogbe, and his female personification (dark) as the 16th Odu, Ofun Meji.

All Odu are in fact multi-dimensional gateways for incarnating Egun who have reincarnated in Aiye (earth). As such women are heralds of Odu in Aiye and Orun and women have historically provided their ashe for would be kings in the motherland.

Before a priest can receive Odu, he must first receive Ifa ( the spiritual license to consult Orunmila). Women are not ritually intiated into Odu because by virtue of them being born with a womb/odu, they already have it. Indeed when a person comes to an Awo for dafa (divination) the Awo must determine if the querant is "seen with Ifa." During the process of dafa the Odu "comes down" and the Awo interprets it and reveals to the querent the name of the Odu that accompanies them. What challenges they currently face and how to achieve balance that will bring them back to alignment.

let me know beloved if you have additional questions

Hmmm when I put what you are saying here together with what brotha knowledge told me it appears that words are the containers of existence. That is a universal truth present in all belief systems. And God said let there be, and there was. The Metu (Word) Neter, etc.

Since I have an Orisa (Osun) do I also have an Odu?

Since I have an Orisa (Osun) do I also have an Odu
Before I answer your question, could you explain what you by "....I have an Orisa"?

Hmmm when I put what you are saying here together with what brotha knowledge told me it appears that words are the containers of existence. That is a universal truth present in all belief systems. And God said let there be, and there was. The Metu (Word) Neter, etc.

Since I have an Orisa (Osun) do I also have an Odu?

Very good observation beloved

To answer your question, yes, you do have an Odu. In the course of your spiritual evolution you'll have more than one. For example

Say you come to an Awo for the first time, and you wanna know why your life is the way it is. The Awo divine's for you and interpret the Odu that comes down from Orunmila. This Odu is a chart of the circumstances surrounding you on the conscious and subcionsciousl plane, and is a reflection of your physical and spiritual ecomony at that specific time continuum. This is why an Awo must ask permission from your Ori (conscious divinity) before he consults with Orunmila.

Another example would when I received what is called Awo Fakan, my initiator (Awo) divined for me and the Odu came down telling me what I needed to do at that given time. Once again, a map of based on the conscious and subconcious.

During the process of making priesthood (Olorisa) the Odu was different from before. Different stages of development, different Odus.

Very good observation beloved

To answer your question, yes, you do have an Odu. In the course of your spiritual evolution you'll have more than one. For example

Say you come to an Awo for the first time, and you wanna know why your life is the way it is. The Awo divine's for you and interpret the Odu that comes down from Orunmila. This Odu is a chart of the circumstances surrounding you on the conscious and subcionsciousl plane, and is a reflection of your physical and spiritual ecomony at that specific time continuum. This is why an Awo must ask permission from your Ori (conscious divinity) before he consults with Orunmila.

Another example would when I received what is called Awo Fakan, my initiator (Awo) divined for me and the Odu came down telling me what I needed to do at that given time. Once again, a map of based on the conscious and subconcious.

During the process of making priesthood (Olorisa) the Odu was different from before. Different stages of development, different Odus.
Olorisa
Olodumare

"ol" appears to be some sort of prefix. Am I correct?

Before I answer your question, could you explain what you by "....I have an Orisa"?
I mean that orisa especially speaks to some aspect of my life that I feel needs to be spoken to.

I mean that orisa especially speaks to some aspect of my life that I feel needs to be spoken to.
Oh ok...........As Elder Sekhemu said, yes you have an Odu.