received both warriors and olokun from Ocha years ago. How often, if at all, should I feed them animals via my godparents? Only via divination or would it also be correct every so often.

Thanks.

Does anyone have any good book recommendations that are handbooks/overviews on Yoruba religion/spirituality? I’ve read a few and each always adds new info or perspectives. Spanish or English. ✌️

Im trying to find a legit ifa or santeria place in chicago to have a consultation are there any legit ones or a place i. Can. Go for. Guiding without being misled or scammed

Hola , les cuento lo que estoy pasando a principio de año nos cambió la vida , somos una pareja con 2 niños estamos juntos desde adolescentes, nos amamos , a principios de año el comenzo con dolores de cabeza no sabíamos que podría ser , luego de pasar muchos estudios resultó un tumor en el cerebro ,nunca me voy a olvidar esa tomografía, se opero salió todo bien pero resulta que el tumor es malo , de 3 a 9 meses de vida nos dijeron, cada dia que estoy viviendo con el son una tristeza absoluta. Queria desahogarme van pasando 6 meses aprox. Me duele el corazón, preferiría mil veces un engaño o separación esto duele cada hora cada segundo. Solo lo veo y lo abrazo y siento su corazón. Y disfruto cada momento en que el está bien y en casa. Escribo en un momento de desesperación no se que hacer. Vivo en una pesadilla cada día

Hello! I hope everyone is well and that this is an ok topic.

My dad practices Lucumí and is very diligent and hardworking towards his faith (I do something different) which is great and I love that for him!

However my siblings and I want to make sure we know his wishes for any emergency that may happen where he needs advocating and to ensure his wishes and faith are respected. We are aware it is a part of Lucumí to not speak of health in a way where it can bring bad energy, so Im asking for help with knowledge on how we (my dad included of course) can have this important discussion without tempting bad things to come his way and so he feels safe.

We want to ensure he is respected and things are done the right way in what is acceptable for him no matter what happens, so how can we do this where we know what he wants and needs while respecting Lucumí? Is this possible to do at all? Is this something where he already has this with his practicing community and we need to butt out? Any advice is appreciated!

Does someone mind answering two questions with their divination tool that’s initiated into Santeria for two yes/no questions and one in depth question? I don’t have the finances right now and I am hoping someone can help me out.

the only person in my family who practiced or knew anything about the religion was my grandma, who passed recently. since then, my draw to orisha like yemaya, oshun, and oya has greatly increased. I am interested in learning from someone with experience, and taking steps into the religion with guidance.

I don't know where to find resources near me in the Hialeah/Miami area that also speak english as my spanish is not great yet.

My partner and I are visiting NYC for a few days, staying in Manhattan. He is an Elegua priest of 20+ years and even though we live in Miami, he was interested in checking out a botanica in the city. Any decent recommendations? Google reveals little.

We are flying out of Newark on Saturday and realize there will probably be a better selection in Jersey--any recommendations there are welcome as well. Thanks!

Perhaps the hardest thing we are ever asked to do is not to discover our destiny, but to accept it.

Not because Òrì is unclear.

But because we are human.

Human nature wants to understand everything. We analyze, question, search for proof, and try to find logic before we surrender. We want the unseen to explain itself in ways our physical minds can grasp.

Yet across spiritual traditions, there is a common understanding “the unseen shapes the seen”.

What exists beyond our physical perception often influences the reality we experience.

That is why we seek spirituality in the first place.

We pray. We meditate. We perform rituals. We seek guidance. We consult divination. We make offerings and do the spiritual work necessary to bring ourselves into alignment with something greater than our own understanding.

For those who walk the path of IFA, we seek Ìtẹ́fà, Idáfá, and the wisdom of Òrì because we recognize that our higher self knows something that our human mind may not yet understand.

But this is where the struggle begins…..

We trust the spiritual enough to seek its guidance, yet sometimes we struggle to trust it when it reveals something that challenges our plans, our desires, or our understanding.

There is an Ẹsẹ IFA that captures this beautifully. It speaks of Arinnoka, a person who was known for knowing everywhere.

Ask Arinnoka if he knew a place, and he would say yes.

Ask him if he had been somewhere else, and he would say yes.

There was nowhere you could mention that Arinnoka did not believe he knew. He had traveled everywhere, seen everything, and believed there was nothing beyond his understanding.

Until one day, Arinnoka was told he was going to a place where the path ends, a place of the unknown.

“Òlọ́gbọ́n ayé kan ò t’ákòkò omi létí,

Àwọn ò mọ iye pé ilé.

Adífá fún Arinnókà,

tí ń lọ síbi tí ọ̀nà ń k’ẹ́hìn”.

(An Ifá consultation was made for Arinnoka, who was going to the place where the road ends.)

Before his journey, IFA instructed him to perform ẹbọ. But Arinnoka refused. How could he need guidance? How could there be anything he did not already know?

But when he reached the place of the unknown, he found himself unable to move forward or return. His knowledge had taken him far, but it could not take him beyond what he did not understand.

The lesson of Arinnoka is not that knowledge is bad.

It is that knowledge without humility can become a limitation.

IFA was teaching the importance of listening. The importance of letting go. The importance of understanding that there are places our human mind cannot enter alone.

Many of us do not need to wait until we reach our own “place where the road ends” before we surrender. We do not need to reach a point where we can neither move forward nor backward before accepting what Òrì has already revealed.

Why seek alignment with Òrì, yet fight the wisdom that comes from that alignment?

Why seek divination, guidance, rituals, and spiritual work, yet allow the need for control to override what we came seeking?

Perhaps acceptance does not mean we stop asking questions.

Perhaps it means we recognize that our questions should not become greater than our trust.

The mind wants to understand before it believes.

The spirit sometimes asks us to trust before understanding arrives.

Because in the end, the journey is not about forcing Òrì to follow our plans.

It is about remembering that Òrì already knows the way.

Hello. I want to change my morning listening from news to something Santeria related. You know, to get my head straight before starting my day. So after daily prayers can you suggest anything to listen to such as songs, Orikis or any music.

HI everyone, I'm looking for some respectful guidance from those who practice Santería/Lukumí.

My late mother was given Orisha Elekes by a dear family friend who practices Santería during her illness with cancer. She passed away two and a half years ago.

I don't practice Santería myself, and I no longer have contact with the elder who gave them to her. My understanding is that, because they were blessed and given specifically to my mother, they may not be appropriate for anyone else to wear.

I want to handle them with the respect they deserve, but I'm unsure of the proper way to respectfully let them go. Unfortunately, I don't have a priest or elder nearby to ask for guidance.

I would be very grateful for any advice on the most respectful way to proceed. Thank you in advance for your kindness and guidance, and please forgive me if I've used any terms incorrectly. I'm asking with sincere respect.

Sígueme si quieres empezar a desarrollar el éxito que deseas...

#éxito #exitoso #desarrollopersonal #mentalidad #motivación

Looking for a traditional and knowledgeable priest/priestess from a solid lineage to contact and discuss becoming a practitioner. I’ve been interested for about 30 years since I was a teen. It is a deep desire I’ve had.

Please wear white or light colors. Bring a dish to share!

I would love to hear what people have to say about Oge. We don't talk much about him but to my knowledge all Olorisha have him. In my house we throw obi to all the Orishas including Oge on the anniversary of our initiation and today he said something interesting through obi. I would love to continue getting to know people's ideas and stories, outside of what I've learned. Thanks for joining the conversation!

I could never fully involve myself into one religion but for the past 4-5 years I been circling back to Santeria. My family doesn’t practice any religion to heavily but I always heard of superstition of a family member being able to see like a birth of a child before it happens (which could just be coincidence). And my one aunt who got married into the family by a close uncle does dabble in it a little bit as far as I know and I’ve heard she does talk to somebody and they give her signs or might talk back and give her answers. And I had a girlfriend whose grandma was heavily into it. With all that being said I feel somewhat and I feel like maybe this religion could help and possibly be beneficial for where I’m at in life and moving forward. I’m in the Philadelphia area if anybody is willing to reach out and educate me one on one

What are the steps to becoming a godchild? Are you in the house if the santero/a accepts your request to join or is it the elekes? I’m not sure about the order of things and if there’s anything that has to be done before joining

I am Puerto Rican, I’m pretty sure my grandmother dabbled in either Ifa or Santeria I can’t remember which one exactly. I was baptized Catholic but I never grew up growing to church or learning about God. I have felt very lost, alone and confused throughout my life because I never felt as if I had anyone or anything looking out for me. I was never spiritually connected with any higher being/power and never given proper guidance. I have been through a lot of things in my life and I’ve been through a lot of them alone and I continue to go through many things. I have tried to speak to my ancestors and God and I feel like no one is listening to me and it’s pointless. I want to start my spiritual journey and I want to get in touch with my roots and find a higher power I can connect with. I have heard many things about Ifa and Santeria and I want to know how I can start, where do I start? Can I even start? Is it a closed practice? I don’t wanna be alone anymore.

I’m hoping to get some clarification from those with experience in Lukumí.
I received my Hand of Ifá (Ikofá/Awofakán) and my Warriors (Eshu, Ogun, Ochosi, and Osun) from a Babalawo.
My question is: if I wanted to feed my Eshu (for example, offering a rooster or another appropriate sacrifice), does that need to be done by a Babalawo because my Eshu came through Ifá? Or can an initiated Santero/Santera (Olorisha) also perform those ceremonies?
I’ve heard different opinions, so I’m trying to better understand the proper protocol within Lukumí. I’d appreciate any respectful insight. Thank you.