Ifa gives greater access to all the Orisha; Santeria links a follower predominantly with one. Santeria is rife with Catholic influences; Ifa makes no such concessions. Many view Ifa as the deepest form of divination in Santeria, and the highest form of expression within Orisha worship.
What does Ifa believe in?
Like Christianity, Judaism and Islam, Ifa is monotheistic, but its supreme creative figure, Olodumare, shares power with dozens of subsidiary deities. Each represents particular elements of life or nature – fire, rebirth, agriculture, the arts – and serves as an intercessor between humans and the creator.
Is Yoruba and Santeria the same?
Santeria (Way of the Saints) is an Afro-Caribbean religion based on Yoruba beliefs and traditions, with some Roman Catholic elements added. The religion is also known as La Regla Lucumi and the Rule of Osha. Santeria is a syncretic religion that grew out of the slave trade in Cuba.
Is Ifa a god?
Ifa (Orunmila), god of divination, fate, and wisdom, informs mortals of the wishes of Olorun, the sky god, the god of destiny; he was appointed by the supreme god to protect and rule the people.
Who is god in Ifa religion?
Ifa has many gods called Orishas. Scott has two gods that he prays to: Oshun and Eleggua. In the religion, your god chooses you. “When you first become Ifa, you have to do a reading, and that's when your god chooses you based on your mindset,” Scott said.
38 related questions foundHow do you become Ifa?
How do you become an IFA? In order to become an IFA, you first need to complete a Level 4 Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA). This qualification is made up of two units, with the first being based on financial services regulation ethics and the second focusing on advanced financial advice.
What is the purpose of Ifa?
Ifa, considered the most important and most reliable system of divination, enables supplicants to understand the will of the Supreme Being Olodumare (also known as Olorun or Creator God). Olodumare empowered Orunmila, the god of divination, to speak for the numerous Yoruba deities (orisha) through the diving ritual.
What is an EBO?
Ebo, or sacrifice, is a broad concept including all types of sacrifices and offerings to the Orisha. These can include candles, fruit, candy, and various items or actions that may be appreciated by the Orisha. Ritual sacrifice is an important part of the beliefs and practices of Orisha worshipers.
What is Ifa priest?
Yoruba priests of ifa are known as babalawo (fathers of secrets). Trained from their youth in the rituals of divination, they are masters of a vast corpus of oral literature known as ese ifa often referred to as containing the wisdom of ifa.
What can a babalawo do?
Through Ifa, the role of the diviner (known as a babalawo) is to help an individual or community to see what is in store for them in their day-to-day lives.
Is Santería part of the Catholic Church?
The Vatican does not recognize Santeria as a religion and Francis has no events scheduled with practitioners. “The Catholic Church has no role in Santeria,” said Dionisio Garcia, the archbishop of Santiago de Cuba and president of the Cuban bishops' conference.
Does Santería believe in the afterlife?
They are drawn to Santeria, sometimes called Lukumi, for a host of reasons. The religion emphasizes the here and now rather than the afterlife, and it focuses on natural forces. Each deity represents an aspect of nature, like thunder, and a human characteristic, like power.
What does the green and yellow bracelet mean in Santería?
It should be the first ceremony anyone receives in the Santaria religion. At the end of this you can wear the green and yellow bracelet that signifies you know who your Orisha is and have taken the ceremony. The only way to really know your true Orisha and sign is to take the ceremony. It is not for the faint hearted.
How does Ifa divination work?
The Ifa divination system is applied whenever an important individual or collective decision has to be made. The Ifa literary corpus, called odu, consists of 256 parts subdivided into verses called ese, whose exact number is unknown as they are constantly increasing (there are around 800 ese per odu).
What is a female Babalawo called?
An Apetibi is considered a wife of Orunmila or a Babalawo. An apetibi is not initiated into the mysteries of Ifa and has not received Itefa or itelodu levels of initiation. Iyanifa have titles and ranks in Ile Ife, Nigeria.
Why is Ebo important?
The study provides better understanding of efficacy of Ebo as a therapeutic mechanism for the treatment and curing of illnesses such as infertility, impotence, headache, mental illness, spiritual attacks, etc. Ebo is thus very crucial to Ifá divination as a healing technique.
What animals are sacrificed in Santeria?
Santería religion uses animal sacrifice
They cut the throats of chickens, goats, sheep, or turtles, which are often eaten later as part of religious ceremonies involving weddings, births, and deaths.
What is Orisha worship?
Worship is directed at the orisha that dwells within the natural phenomenon, often at the site where the natural phenomenon manifests itself. These specific forces of nature are part of the orisha because the cult of the orishas directs itself toward them.
How do you greet a Babalawo?
Whenever you greet a Babalawo or Iyanifa, the proper greeting is Aboru (Ah Boo Ru) Aboye (Ah Boy Yea) Abosise (Ah Bo She Shay) . It's a lot to learn at first but becomes easier over time.
What is the meaning of Babalawo?
Babaaláwo or Babalawo in West Africa or Babalao in Caribbean and South American Spanish and Babalaô in Brazilian Portuguese literally means 'father of the mysteries' in the Yoruba language. It is a spiritual title that denotes a high priest of the Ifá oracle.
What is Ifa in English?
British Dictionary definitions for IFA
IFA. abbreviation for. independent financial adviser.
What day is elegua?
The beginning of the week, Monday is Eleguá's day. Followers often put a shrine to him behind the front door to protect the house.
What are Ogun colors?
Characteristics
- Consecrated day: Wednesday.
- Metal: iron.
- Element: earth.
- Color: red, black, green (Rio de Janeiro), blue (Bahia), marine blue.
- Food: feijoada, xinxim, yams.
- Archetype: impetuous, authoritarian, cautious, hardworking, suspicious and a bit selfish.
- Symbols: sword, broadsword, iron chain.
What is a Santeria priest called?
Santeria has a priesthood that includes both men and women. Priesthood involves training and initiation. The priest may be a babalorisha (Father in the Spirit) or iyalorisha (Mother or Wife in the Spirit). The Spanish words for these priests are santero or santera.
