Internal Ifa Should Be Our Focus (Ifá Inun)

Karma = Our actions.

Òṣùnwò̩n = a scale that measures or weighs our actions (good or bad)

Ebo = In this document, I am defining as a blood sacrifice.

Ifá Inun = Inner Ifá.

Ifánihun = Ifá has a lot of wisdom in its womb.

In 2011, in the lecture ‘Sacred Marriage Between the Spirits of Lightning and Wind’, I stated we are practicing Ifá externally, versus applying the wisdom internally. Moreover, I conveyed you cannot ebo your way to good character or ebo karma away. In fact, ebo can potentially create more karma. Every time we do rituals externally using blood, there are potential consequences karmically. This is so, because during ebo you are taking energy that is not yours! In addition, if you do not change your thought pattern, self-destructive behavior will continue.

As is stated in the Odu Ogunda Turupon, “All events are related to one’s destiny, one’s God.” This is saying whatever your current situation, it is your Orí who wrote your script. Internal Ifa helps burn karma and external Ifa without internal focus helps create it. Internal Ifa promotes inner spiritual development of the Self and external Ifa, if not careful, can lead to mundane things and promote you to look outside of yourself. The tree outside should be changed toward the tree within (you). This is emphasized in the Odu Oyeku Meji where it says, "Now, in all my problems and travails, I will always consult with my inner self. My inner self, you are the only reliable consultant".

Our traditions have become externally focused. There is medicine on the continent (Africa), if ingested, can cause you to lose a year of your life every time you use it.

Are we practicing our traditions in ways that are causing us to have karma that is difficult for us to repay? The law of causation says, “Every Cause has its Effect; every Effect has its Cause; everything happens according to Law.” Thus, every action has its equal and opposite reaction.

Is it possible, the way we practiced our spiritual system caused our demise? Did it cause our karma on the continent and the diaspora? There are consequences and repercussions for everything. We must understand, you reap what you sow. And what we reap, culturally, good or bad, might have been sowed through our collective character many many years (even hundreds and hundreds of years) prior. There's a Yoruba proverb that says, "Osunwon re la o fise idajo re", through your actions judgment finds you. This is illustrated in the Odu Owonrin Etun (Owonrin Ogunda) where it says, "The wicked will always meet his karma and the vultures shall feed from their remains. Only good character will set you free."

I’m not saying our traditions are bad, quite the contrary. However, if our ritualistic practices have been slanted more toward external magic over internal development, this will cause serious issues over time. The lack of balance of any ritualistic practice will cause communal instability and disharmony. As my Oluwo, Dr. Afolabi Epega used to say, “instead of killing a chicken, one should learn to kill the chicken within himself.”

Ebo can assist in manipulating energy in the physical realm and help change many situations, such as health, finances, life and death. Many times, ebo is done for what we consider good reasons. On the other hand ebo will not burn away karma nor will it develop you spiritually. As our ancestors stated long ago in ancient Kemet (Egypt), ‘Man know thyself, and thou shall know the gods (neteru, orisas, kachinas, vodun, angels, and etc.). Eckart Tolle said it best, “When your consciousness is directed outward, mind, and world arise. When it is directed inward, it realizes its own Source and returns home into the unmanifested.” Hence Beloved, go within and bring heaven to earth and earth to heaven – Iwori Wo’di (Ifa Corpus) and behave accordingly and elevate. Eventually you’ll reach the good position and be able to take refuge in Orun (heaven) in peace. – Irosun Wori

Oloye Akasanmon Alatunse Ṣàngódaré Fágbèmí Odừtólá Epega (Christopher W. Brown)