TRADITIONAL YORUBA INITIATION IN IFA (BENIN)

FIRST INITIATION
(Narration of rituals by Baba Ifa xxxxxxx xxxxxxxx to Panther)
We first place a lot of emphasis on the preparation of the layperson, so to speak.

The Baba Ifa and his eventual Ojugbona begin to subject the individual to a deep phase of
philosophical checking, in which ethical moral principles contained in Ifa are instilled.
Baba Ifa will not perform any consecration for anyone until he confirms that they have reached
the relevant knowledge, for Ifa and Òrìsà are tremendously respected and feared, moreover
they have been part of the cultural heritage of the Yorubas for thousands of years.

Each lineage, each Baba Ifa has a different methodological process to train the individual.
usually the first thing that Baba Ifa seeks is to know all the characteristics of the individual,
his feelings, his abilities, his character and his weaknesses, then the mysteries of Ifa,
Orunmila, Amonsun, and Amorun, as well as the cosmogony of Ifa, Odun, its mythological origin, its
relationship with Irunmole and Orisa, as well as their different oracular forms, primarily Ifa,
Ikin.

No rituals are performed until the individual understands all this information.
The training ranges from the mythological, historical, getting to know every aspect of Ifa and therefore of
Wood.

After Ifa with Odun, its content, it begins with the philosophical matrix of the 16 Odun.
principles, and from there the Omoluwo, in this part of the training, the layman must learn a
minimum of 4 to 6 verses for each Odun, using the memorization technique. After
To understand each verse, we proceed to explain the origin of the Ebo in relation to the Odun.
studied and the verses, for this the individual is previously trained in the identification of the
elements that make up the verse, such as characters, animals and Ayewo that within the
the same are found. Then the origin of Ebo, the types of Ebo, Ipese, Akose and their different
types and applications, besides Ibori, which is the feeding of Ori.

Up to this point, no type of ritual is performed on the profane, depending on their ability to
understanding, Baba Ifa will use some Akose or enchantments to enhance the
student performance.
The Yorubas usually do not initiate anyone into Ifa without the prior and necessary preparation, for Ifa
It is such a powerful oracle that without proper manipulation it can even cause death.
of the individual and therefore of the people who turn to it for divination. Ifa is the oracle
messenger of all the gods of all the religions that exist and that will exist, this is one of
the best-kept mysteries of the Yorubas, the person who is going to use Ifa must be
completely prepared to interpret Odun.

We do not perform Ifa for anyone who has not undergone the Esentaye ritual... Without that, the
the person is not completely aligned with anything, neither with Egúngùn nor with Òrìsà nor with
Irunmole...

That's why many western Ifa priests outside the Yoruba tradition fail to
Speak Odun because they have neither intellectually nor spiritually prepared their Ori to know Odun.
When a child is born, the first thing that is done is Esentaye, and from there the Ifa oracle reveals whether the
a person is born with the ability to be a follower, prophet, or priest of Ifa, they can never be
to be three things at the same time, usually people in America are followers of Ifa
they lack both the wisdom and spiritual preparation to be priests or prophets of Ifa.
the only one who could live reaching the three facets was Orunmila, in the Yoruba tradition some
some followers, other prophets and other priests, a very small group of elders manages to
to become priests and prophets in the same case, for example, Wande Abimbola, Awoyemi
Aworemi, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ifabumbi Amori, Solagbade Popoola, Oloye Efuwape
Olatunji, Ifayemi Elebuibon among others.

Without the Esentaye ceremony, no person can be initiated into Ifa, therefore
It is the first step for those who come from foreign lands.

ESENTAYE
This ritual is performed with the oracle that the lineage used by the person who seeks it, it is false to assert
this ritual can be performed only with Ifa, as there are traditionally lineages that worship.
the Orisa is therefore used the Merindilogun, in the lineages where shell or Ifa is not used
uses the Obi Kola including the Obi Orogbo, for example the followers of Egbe Orun,
Irunmole who does not use in their priesthood either the oracle of Ifa or the Erindilogún. When the person
that will be initiated in the secrets of Ifa comes from abroad, Ifa is usually used, but it is not
limiting the use of other Yoruba oracle systems. Before the implementation of the Esentaye
a ritual called Igbebi is performed.

Igbebi: ritual where the child is bathed to purify him. It is done with specific herbs that are
revealed by Ifa and this ceremony is performed by women initiated or not initiated in Ifa and Órísá. With
spells and Akose purifies the child. Without this, there can be no Esentaye. The women of
Orisa and Ifa perform the Omiero and with it they purify the Omokenke, also called OmoTìntún.
The main reason for performing the Igbebi is to sever the connection between the mother and the infant.
ceremonies that according to lineage are sometimes performed including the placenta, this disconnection seeks
make it so that Irunmole or Orisa guides the child to the effective fulfillment of their chosen destiny
in the sky.

Esentaye: this means 'To Put the Feet on the Ground', it is where the Odun is obtained
birth of the infant, in which Orunmila explains what happened spiritually in the sky
regarding Akunleyan, Akunlegba and Ayanmo, Year in which it is known what will be the
profession or trade most suited to the child's life. There, the most recommended guidelines are prescribed.
effective to protect him from the calamities that life presents, for this reason Ebo is established,
Akose, Ipelaye, Etutu, Ibori and everything necessary for the rest of his life. This Odun marks
the Ayewo, Ajogun, and Eewo of your life. In this ritual, Imori is performed.

Imori: it is when one sees which divinity Órísá or Irunmole is related to the child's destiny.
It is usually done in three ways, the first is using the maternal or paternal lineage.
it is called Orísá Ibile, an Orísá inherited from one's parents or from the region where one was born, although
There are also very specific cases in which the diviner relies on the deities that govern.
the Odun, And then it is also knownÓrísá EnioÓrísá Idilethose that manifest in the Odun,
so they talk about or defend the child. For this, ebo, ibori, ipese, etutu or ebo eje is prescribed.
Iso mo lo ruko: ceremony after the Esentaye in which the child's name is given. If it is
A boy becomes 9 days old, if it's a girl at 7. The Eruko Esentaye is selected by the fortune teller in
based on lineage, the conditions and aspects related to the child's birth, that name
it is also shaped by the Odun that was obtained, before determining them it is done again
a purification of the child with specific herbs and Akose from the Odun. Then Ikomoyade is performed.

Iko Moyade: ceremony in which the child is shown to the citizens, to the people with his Odun
of birth, what is your identity Odun... In this ritual, the Awo and the major Olorisas and
minors and other Éniyàn provide contributions of the Odun and blessings, advice, and recommendations to
child
If this is not done to anyone. We clarify the following, in the Esentaye ceremony, 'No one is given Ifa.'
"Ikines gives none other deity to the person," it is a baptism, the person is not yet.
prepared and does not have the training to see Ikin or any other secret of Ifa.

When a Westerner or foreigner comes to Ile Yoruba, they perform these rituals before the ...
consecration of Ifa, in my case due to my lineage which is almost the general criterion of Benin and Ife, I
They respected the ceremony of Owonfakafun but still did everything I mentioned above.
I described you.

Preparation for the First Initiation of Ifá

The Yoruba Ifa can last from 7 to 21 days depending on the land where you have it done.
it depends on her lineages and also on your birth Odun or Esentaye. When a child is born
Only the doctor knows how many days the infant will need to be in the incubator, that is Osa Mejí. Sometimes
these rituals are based on the number of months the individual spent in the womb of the
mother, a seven-month-old baby will not receive the same number of consecration days as
a man who was born at 9 months. Although this, I repeat, varies from lineage to lineage.

The initiatory process of Ifa basically has 54 important steps or rituals regardless of the land.
or region, maybe some administer these rituals on different days, but usually it is like this.
Many foreigners are subjected to rituals in 7 days to have supposed harmony.
With the Afro-Cuban Ifá, for them, sometimes not in all cases, they cut and omit rituals.
complementary, which is also a bad practice of Ifa.

Our Ifa ceremony begins after the Esentaye.

When the person did not go through Esentaye, we do something called Isefa, which is like the
Owonfakafun of you, but more complex, as it is literally the ceremony of Esentaye.
with other rituals appropriate for the person's age. On social media, there is a lot of talk about that
In our traditional practice, we give Ikines to the initiate, and this is not entirely true, we do not give it to him.
we do not deliver any secrets to the person until we are sure they have received it
previous training and, therefore, will be initiated into the secrets of Ifa. In some lineages in the
during the Isefa ceremony, a hand of Ikines is given to the person, but this may vary.
of the lineage, most do not. The initiation of Ifa begins with a ceremony called Ikaro.
Ikaro: a ceremony in which several rituals are performed, it is where the missing hand is consecrated
he moves to the future with both hands of Ikines, there he is consecrated the Gan or parrot feather and he
and 16 snails because with those 16 snails you should replace them with the 16 elements
important elements that will be used in your consecration. Ikaro is certainly an oath in which
the Alawo or profane swears to substitute and bring before Baba Ifa the 16 mandatory elements to
carry out the consecration of his Ifa.
Apart from that, various ritual oaths are taken, one of which is to prepare the Gan with.
cotton, Akose Ifa and other elements, all of that is prepared with black and white thread.

In the ceremony called Ikaro, what is basically done is to consecrate a hand of Ifa.
Different preliminary rituals are performed that vary from lineage to lineage, in Benin they perform 16, it is taught.
a Méríndìlogún Imule that is a secret that Ifa has with the Snail... It also makes others
liturgical oaths.

Some rituals are performed with Mother Earth in hollows and some offerings to Amonsun.
Love. The animal indicated by Ifa is also offered to Ifa. In these previous rituals, respect is given.
to Orisa Oko, Oduduwa, Oggun, Esú and to both hands of Ifa.
When Icarus is already made, the individual when he has done everything that is done in this ritual and already
they have all the elements, it is taken to the sacred Forest or Igbodu which is an open-air place
in which the space is delimited with mariwo and sometimes with white fabric. Inside it, in a
the vertex is placed to Odùlogboye Madi Madi (secret name of Igba Iwa Odu) which is what
you call Olófin where only Baba Ifa enters who consecrates, the Amonsun, Ojugbon and there
Opa Osun is also placed. The Amosun is a priest of Ifa, he is a Babalawo Akin Yeru Osun.
guardian of Opa Osun, which is the staff of power that is only given to the Babalawo when he is able.
to function as a teacher and guide of his people and therefore of a lineage. Ojugbona is another Babalawo
Akin Yeru, connoisseur and philosopher of Odun, responsible for perfecting the knowledge that the
Baba Ifa has offered to the profane. Opa Osun is what you have as Osun of Extension.
however, the ritual that you possess of the divinity is very precarious, Opa Osun is only granted to you
delivery to the Babalawos after becoming an elder and attaining the relevant wisdom, in Benin
As in Nigeria, a Babalawo does not receive Opa Osun until he has turned 30.
years of consecrated.
At the door of the Igbodu, a ritual called Idion is performed, which involves taking the individual to the room.
with certain rituals, songs, and ceremonies where some mounds of earth are made
positioned on the right and left of the road where a ritual takes place in which the Profane
you must liturgically bury some secrets of Ifa that were given to you in Ikaro. They are done
Iyere means sung prayers.

A ritual called Opele Karagba is performed: through a ritual, before entering the Igbodun.
An Opele is given to the individual so they can use it to conduct their studies.
same, this Opele is for study.

Then a training ritual called Igbo Bigbael is performed, which consists of what one must know.
how to ask for hands, and the use of Iranian or Ibos.
Then another ritual called Opele Sisique is formally performed, which is where for the first time it is given to him.
Open the Opele to the Profane so that he can know how Ifa speaks through him.
An important Imule is made for him, in which his health is measured by the use of the Opele, that is, if he uses it.
unjustifiably will surely fall ill, although the layman knows Odun and verses, he should not
to recite them or obtain them fortuitously with the Opele Karagba.

• There they feed Ifa, ikines

• The individual's head is washed.
• They are enchanted.
Before knocking on the door, two important rituals are performed in the igbodu, one is called Odu Gbe.
the 16 Mejí are written on the ground and 16 holes are opened, each containing different secrets
inside.

The other ceremony that takes place inside is the making of Agbaye Itemoletandónde.
They are consecrated or two balls are made, so to speak, one is for Orunmila and the other is for the head.
of the individual. They stand in front of the 16 Odun and there several animals are sacrificed. They are made
specific songs of Ogbe Osa, Otura Ogunda, Iwori Ofun, Otura Ose, and Ose Otura.

A secret of Ikaro is placed on the head of the awo, certain recitations are performed when it goes.
enter the Igbodu. Only with clothing on the legs, the back is uncovered just like the head.

The Baba Ifa requests permission through the recitation of many iyere, the Ojugbona responds.
another series of iyere.

With Obi Kola, one greets the divinity that reigns at the entrance of the Igbodu, which is why Obi is offered there.
this Obi does not prevent the individual from entering or not since it is a greeting, depending on what
they are made of allegorical chants to Oggún or Amonsun.

Inside, Ikaro delivers and proceeds to what you call washing.

Awe Ibori is performed which is to purify the head with one of the first herbs that existed.
land, endemic grass from hot places. This is one of the many steps in which the
Orthodox Yorubas attack Afro-Cubans, you do not know what that herb is, and what it does.
The summit is that, if it occurs in America, Otura Ogunda says that without this herb Odun does not fit with
the Ori of the person.

Then they made We Faes bathe the body with certain herbs with which an omiero was made.

• Different omens...
• All the Ifa utensils are washed.
• Several animals are sacrificed at the head of the individual.
• The Ifa is fed, the Odun of the earth are given, and some secrets are placed in the holes.
• The Amonsun prepares the Efún and Osu paintings.

This is done with a ceremony that never arrived in Cuba.

The Gan is not yet called Gan, it is called Ikodide and is placed on Odùlogboye. In the place
sacred. The other awos never enter there.

The parrot's feather is fed, the animal that does not sing because its sound represents the
groan of Olodumare, Eiyele.

A ritual is performed in front of the two balls called Aberi Awo Tete Na Ni O.

The owl selects one of the two with its eyes closed.

A ritual called Fa De Gbo is performed with its ikines and the individual's body.

Then a mound of earth is made.

Then Ifa comes back and the individual eats a soup of melon seed and other things.

Offer to Eshu and then to Ogun.

Then a ritual is performed in which the individual must eat something called Ajeube.

There a dove comes before the head.

The next day, Odùlogboye is unveiled with a special meal, the individual's body is washed.
and there they make iyere and receive a special meal.

Opa Osun is greeted and offered 3 sacred animals.

The gaps from the previous day are filled.

An Akose is made for Ori and the mystery is covered.

The next day, another invocation to Odun is made, and the 16 Mejí are painted on the ground. An offering is made to him.
an animal.

The individual undergoes a head washing and eats a secret called Kala Bagbaque.
He/She is asked for his/her memory. There the igbodu is blessed with a special omiero.

The next day, Otete Amonsu is performed, which is to invoke the spirit of sleep. The eyes are washed.
the individual with egg white a lot of Efún and literally makes a paste to leave it with
the eyes covered.

While putting an Akose on the head. Then another Odun is marked on the ground which is secret and
it has to do with Odun Inu Igbodu.

The next day something is done with Egùngùn, it is done by an Oye who is a priest.
of Egúngùn and specifically makes invocations and propitiates Egungun outside of the igbodu.

The initiate's face is washed and there two important rituals are performed which, mind you, are sometimes not done in.
other lineages

• The first of them is to worship Erinwin, spirits of Olokun, through a ritual.

• The second one is called Ibaleleósea, which is to revere other minor spirits.

The individual is bathed and a mark is made on their chest with palm oil in honor of
Masquerade
The next day a ritual called Are To Gbodon is performed where the head of the individual is danced to.
One washes the head with omiero from a bitter herb similar to yantén. The hands are washed and
two doves are sacrificed there with Ifa inside.

This ceremony is for Òwò not to dirty the life of the Awo.

This ceremony is usually done by lineage in a different way. My baba Ifa did it with a
dove and two Adie.

The next day, an old man named Babalawo Akìn Yerù will visit you to explain Odun, stories and
indoctrination philosophy of Ifa and Orisha.

Then the individual is fed in el Ojuboa, the tutelary divinity of the person, this is done by an Olorisa.
inside the Igbodu Ifa, (it is not taboo for an Olorisa to see what is inside)...

If it has it like that divinity, otherwise Baba Ifa carries it with a procession from the house to the
forest followed by many women. One of them, who must be an iyanifa for sure, leads the
Comparison with Jesus over his head.
There they eat the divinity Eiyele

The next day, he takes the individual out of the igbodu and goes to the river.

It is measured with a large palm and on a white cloth sheet, 16 snails and 16 are prepared.
sticks, the head of a ahunpa or ayakua, eko, ibigiiri, epo, oti, saliva, and hair of the Okunrin.

He is bathed in omiero.

The Lérí is washed with forest ewefa and water with slugs; this bath is called Ewe Ibigiiri Ebo.
It is placed on the head, and they go to the river with Baba Ifa, Amonsun, Ojugbona, and other awo. In addition
of the iyanifa who heads the parade with Esù at the forefront.
Before leaving, an animal is given to Esù that he asks for.

Upon reaching the river, the individual is baptized with Amorun and Amonsun. This is done through various
goodbye.

A medicine called Ipelayey is made there, and it is given food.

In the river, an offering is made to Ifa again, eko, something similar to amala and epo.

El Baba Ifa authorizes the Ojugbona and there the command is handed over to teach the individual to
to seek the secret of the last mother who listened behind the white cloth the advice of Ifa. That
it's a river stone called Okuta Agba Maye Le Kun
He is given a guinea. He is presented with both one hundred and then Osè Otura and Otura Osè are sung.

Then a hole is opened and the Ipi Re We I Guise is buried, closing the hole and placing a
The soup is called Kururu and it is sung to the spirit of the river. Called Ibù Olosà

Back Ifa comes again in the igbodu, Inside the igbodu, the individual and the Ota kneel.
It is placed in Ifa. Obi kola is given and offered to Ori and Ifa.

The Odùlog boy is revealed, and there are ritual screams called Eri Woya Ka Maa Odu La.

My lineage makes these cries for about half an hour while the individual is kneeling on a
circle of Efún and Osu.
There Ibori is made, Awe Eri, the prisoner Riru and the head is washed. And the body.

It is given.
One does hairdressing or barbering.

He shaves his head.

They make 17 or 21 incisions in the head depending on the lineage. In oyó they make 16.
Sokoto hacen 8. En ibo hacen 10. En Kawara hacen 11. En Iranje hacen 33. En Osun hacen 20. En
Ketu turns 30. A female dove is given. The marks are called Gbere, without this the second.
the spirit of Ifa called Amorun does not enter the head of the Alawo.

Then Ori is fed with Akose, this part is done by Ojugbona.

Then Ebo Eje is offered to Ifa.

The head is cleaned and a soup is swallowed, 16 meals and 16 secrets. A dove is sacrificed to the
mouth for there lives an Irunmole.

Then painting is done. The whole head with white dots and white circles and red dots. It
It is the word of Ifa. This changes from lineage to lineage. For there is Ifa of Adosu and Ifa of Irari, they are lineages.
methods. I have Ifa Adosu.
An offering is made to Odùlogboye

The left wrist is pricked with 21 incisions and the ideOtutu OponIfa is placed while reciting almost 21.
Year. It starts with Okanran Ogbe and ends with Owonrin Mejí.

Then he puts Akose on the wounds of his left hand.

The Ojugbona brings the Gan and mounts it. All of this is done kneeling or sitting on the ground.

It is said, but not all the lineages put it there.

They paint the whole body because it is naked

The left testicle is red and the other is white.

One puts the tied Aso on the shoulder and it is already Awo Elegan.

This is as far as you go in afrocubanism.

You (it is not known why) messed up the entire ritual and on top of that added other things that neither
In the Odun they are born.

The Odùlogboye is covered. Ifa and Opele Karagba are delivered.

In the hand is given Ikin

• Opel
• Ibo
• Yesterday Ifá
• ́
Ifá divination
• Iroke
• Irukere.

At this point, the person is called Awo, which means Mystery, as they have been taught to know.
first its secrets and mysteries, therefore, it cannot make divination or work or participate
In Ifa rituals, one must dedicate themselves to studying with Baba Ifa as well as Ojugbona and other Babalawos.
They will be tested and questioned. An Awo usually studies with a number no less than 4.
Babalawos.
Awo is not a fortune teller nor does it deal with that; awo means that the initiate has known its mysteries. That's all.

Babalawo has many ranks.

MAIN TYPES OF BABALAWOS

Babalawo Ademaakies, assistant to Ifa, knows certain complementary rituals, but as his
the training is medium, cannot officiate any ritual, helps the Oluwo Ifa. Inside the igbodu is
who gets dirty in the slaughter of animals.

Babalawo Alatesedicated to medicine, healer, knows about ogu, Akose, agado, Ipelaye,
isogan, agado godo are different types of medicine. You can know ebo Riru, Ebo Eje.
consult, but he is a doctor of Ifa. He only starts with Osanyin, Oggùn, Obatala, Ajagunmole and that's it.

Babalawo Akìn Yerù is usually this and the previous position are elders, who already have more
with 30 years studying Ifa, this position is specialized in philosophy, in stories and myths of
Odun knows all the Orisha rituals of his people, as the babalawo do not receive initiation in
all the Orishas. This type of babalawo is a priest of Egungun and a political Iwarefa of Ifa, it is the one who
speaks deeply about Odun and is a specialist in

• Ebo
• Etutu
• Ipese
• Ibori

They usually hold important positions in politics and are also members of Oro and Ogboni.
They are the only ones who can see the secret of Odùdùwá if they have it.
The Babalawo in Isese Ifa are not initiated in more than 2 Orishas, a maximum of 3 Orishas.

After Awo Elegan comes Itelodunque, where the mystical secrets begin.
the great secret of IfaOdùlogboye

Then over time, I mean many years depending on the knowledge you acquire, it becomes
Ipanodunque is the ceremony to extinguish the fire of OdunOdùlogboye which is when the
godfather is officially titling you as Babalawo in the village, a ceremony that takes place approximately
when the awo has already been consecrated for more than 20 years, curiously this ceremony is the basis
liturgical for what you call Ifa Knife, which, if it exists, is not given out, just like
in Cuba and it is also not related to Ipanodun.

Greetings Panther, discretion with this information. Erase my name Mogba.