blessed

i'm finding that ifa requires a great deal of discipline. it's not so much the unfamiliarity with the language and culture, but the preeminence it takes in one's life.

but even though this is the most time-consuming spiritual practice i've experienced up to this point, it brings innumerable blessings and intimacy with spirit. i am reconnecting with myself and enjoying a whole other level of being.

ifa helps me to remember who i was as a child--when i accepted my gifts and didn't think about nasty things like limitations and labels. i'm getting to know ancestors i could never have known otherwise. building bridges with the orisha. plus, i know i'm being groomed for the work i will be doing for the rest of my life, the work i will raise my children to continue.

sometimes i wonder if people shy away from traditional paths because of all the rituals, offerings, orikis, etc. but when you consider all the things we ask god for, all the things we have that we take for granted--even when we're in a place of gratitude--the beauty and generosity of the planet we live on, the gift of life...it's really a small thing to do a few ebos every now and then. and, truthfully, once you've established and learned how to maintain a relationship with your egun/orisha/spirit guides, they don't ask for much. when they do, it's a sure sign they're working on some blessing for you.

it's definitely worth it.