Sagacious Femininity

Sesa Woruban: Question 1: In your opinion, what is spirituality?

Sagacious Femininity: Spirituality, in my opinion, is having the ability to connect to that which is the origin of your spirit. The practice of getting back at ONE.


Sesa Woruban: Question 2: What does it mean to be on a path?

Sagacious Femininity: Being on a path to me, means moving in a particular direction to get to a specific goal. Spiritually speaking, "The Path" is what we walk upon for spiritual evolution. It is where we experience our bumps and bruises and growing pains.

"The Path" is just like a road that has many different twists and turns. The condition of our spiritual path, just like paths in the physical realm, is sometimes, concrete, grassy, rough, smooth, littered with garbage, sometimes, clear and clean.

These conditions rely heavily on our ability to do what we have to do, to keep our path clear as possible. We do that by being consistant with those things/rituals that help us to grow spiritually.

How we walk the path is also important.

Something I wrote dealing with Esu comes to mind when discussing the path. This excerpt may bring light to this question:

(...It is my hope and prayer for everyone to realize that, while we move towards understanding our connection to the BIGGER PICTURE, via the path we have chosen, or for some of us, the path that has chosen us, (inclusive of all African Traditional Religions), that we don't get so caught by the "trappings" of the path, that we lose sight of what the path is ultimately leading us/you to.

Sometimes, the path grows weeds and we stop to pluck them believing within ourselves that we are making the road clear. All we have really done is slowed our progress, thereby missing "The Wow," for that second, for that minute, for that hour, for that day.

The path, in and of itself, is tricky. Sometimes, we're following it so diligently, that we keep our eyes squarely on the road. We don't look up at the stars as a guide or compass, we don't look behind us, or around us for so long, that when we do, we find that we haven't moved at all, but instead, simply gotten stuck at the crossroad...*giggle*... but..if we don't follow it...our eyes paying attention to every detail, making sure we don't trip, we will get lost on a path that we may have chosen.

All of this as Baba Esu laughs at you from his belly, while holding you on his lap like a protective father.)

To me, the phrase "being on a path" is literal and metaphoric as things that happen metaphorically on the path, can "literally" have anor around us for so long, that when we do, we find that we haven't moved at all, but instead, simply gotten stuck at the crossroad...*giggle*... but..if we don't follow it...our eyes paying attention to every detail, making sure we don't trip, we will get lost on a path that we may have chosen.

All of this as Baba Esu laughs at you from his belly, while holding you on his lap like a protective father.)

To me, the phrase "being on a path" is literal and metaphoric as things that happen metaphorically on the path, can "literally" have an affect on your life. When we elect to move closer to the self, we are embarking upon a journey. All journeys begin with one step.


Sesa Woruban: Question 3: What advice would you have for someone who is seeking a spiritual system to practice?

Sagacious Femininity: Be True To Your God-Self and first. Go within, before you go with-out. *smile* My advice would be for the individual to be true to her/himself and feel what resonates as truth with him/her on a deeper level.


Sesa Woruban: Question 4: Can you name some of the common threads that run through Afrikan spiritual practices?

Sagacious Femininity: Ancestral Veneration. Acknowledgement and respect of the masculine and feminine energy. A deeper understanding of how one fits into the universe.Belief in "mysterious" things.Respect for nature. Respect for the family, both living and deceased. Comprehension that "God" is not outside of ones self. Ebo (Sacrifice).


Sesa Woruban: Question 5: How do the common threads of Afrikan spirituality differ from those religions derrived from it?

Sagacious Femininity: Well, from my observation, the religions that have been derived from Afrikan spirituality lack some very basic foundations. Most of the religions force their practioners to look outside of themselves to find truth and deliverance. Most of these religions also do not instruct their practioners to trust themselves.

In regard to the world view, these religions are not tolerant (even though they claim to be) are not tolertant of other believe systems and world views. There was a Yoruba scholar who once shared that, it was un-heard of to ask a person to give up his religion and take on another, for a persons religion is tied into his culture. These religions do not take these things into consideration when they demand the blind loyalty of the practioner.


Sesa Woruban: Question 6: Please give us a brief overview of the Yoruba culture. ( what does it mean to be Yoruba? what distingishes someone who is Yoruba from someone who is Akan? please include what the word Yoruba means if that makes sense).

Sagacious Femininity: Yoruba is a culture. Yoruba is a language. The Yoruba are people from Nigeria.The religion of the Yoruba is actually Orisa Worship. We learn from Orunmila through Odu Ifa.

Everyone who is called to be a priest or priestess of Orisa, does not automatically go to Ifa.

What does it mean to be a practioner of Orisa Worship? To me, it means Everything.

I don't know what distinguishes me from a person who is a practioner of Akan, other than the names of the dieties and the geographic destination of the origin of Akan as an Afrikan Traditional System of Belief. The foundation is basically the same as "the dieties" of Akan, are also representations of nature.


Sesa Woruban: Question 7: Will you tell us your favorite Yoruba "parable" (we can change this to the proper name) and let the reader try to derrive the "moral."


Sagacious Femininity: The parables, if you will or moral stories are called, "pataki". Pataki are defined as "sacred" stories told orally about the Orisa and are passed down from generation to generation. The interesting thing about patakis are that they bring the Orisa to life by involving them in very human situations and having to learn very human lessons.

I have so many favorites, I don't know where to start. I do, have one that touches my heart everytime I read it.

Oshún's Flight: How She Came To Be Messenger of Olodumare (God)

In the early days of the world, and of Ile Ife the orishas became tired of serving Olodumare. They began to resist the Lord of Heaven's edicts and even plotted to overthro Olodumare's kingdom in heaven and earth. They felt they didn't need Olodumare and that as the Lord of Heaven was so distant anyway, they could merely divide the ache or powers among themselves and that things would go much better that way.

When Olodumare caught wind of their attitude and plots, the Lord of Heaven acted simply and decisively: Olodumare simply withheld the rain from the earth. Soon the world was encompassed by a staggering draught, the ground became parched and cracked, the plants withered and died without water. And it wasn't long before all on earth, orishas and their chidren alike began to starve.

After a short time, growling bellies and sallow faces began to speak louder than their pride and rebelliousness. They nanimously decided to go to Olodumare and beg for forgiveness in hopes that this would bring rain back to the world. But they had a problem: none of them could reach the distant home of Olodumare. They sent all the birds one by one to attempt the journey but each and every one of them failed, tiring long before reaching the palace of the Lord of Heaven. It began to appear that all hope was lost.

Then one day, the peacock, who was in reality Oshun herself, came to offer her services to save the world from this draught. Once again there was general upheaval and laughter as the orishas contemplated the idea of this vain and pampered bird undertaking such a journey. "You might break a nail", said one. But the little peacock persisted and as they had nothing to lose, they agreed to let her try.

So the little peacock flew off towards the sun and the palace of Olodumare. She soon tired of the journey, but she kept flying ever higher, determined to reach the Lord of Heaven and to save the world. Going yet higher, her feathers began to become scraggly and black from the withering heat of the sun, and all the feathers were burned from her head, but she kept flying. Finally, through sheer will and determination she arrived at the gates of Olodumare's palace.

When Olodumare came upon her she was a pathetic sight, she had lost much of her feathers and the ones that remained were black and scraggly. Her once beautiful form was hunchbacked and her head was bald and covered with burns from flying so close to the sun. The Lord of Heaven took pity on her and brought her to the Palace where she was fed and given water, and her wounds were treated.

He asked her why she had made such a perilous journey. She explained the state on earth and went on to tell Olodumare that she had come at risk of her own life so that her children (humanity) might live. When Olodumare looked to the world and to Oshun's plaintive look, it was obvious that everything she had said was true. The Lord of Heaven then turned to the peacock who was now what we call a vulture, saying that her children would be spared from this draught and ordered the rain to begin again.

Then Olodumare looked deeply into Oshun's eyes and into her heart, then announced that for all eternity she would be the Messenger of the House of Olodumare and that all would have to respect her as such. From that day forward in this path she became known as Ibú Ikolé , the messenger of the House of Olodumare. Ikolé also is the name for the vulture in Lukumi­. And from that day the path of Oshun known as Ibú Ikolé was revered and became associated with her bird, the vulture.

The vulture then returned to earth, bringing with her the rain, where she met with great rejoicing. As befits a queen or Iyalode, she graciously refrained from reminding them of their jibes and abuses as she could see the shame on their faces. This is why, whenever a person is to become initiated as a priest in our religion, no matter which orisha they are having seated in their heads, they must first go to the river and give an account of what they are to do as Oshun is the Messenger of Olodumare.


Sesa Woruban: Question 8: Please explain why Yoruba is not simply a "spiritual practice" or religion.

Sagacious Femininity: Because it encompases your life. Every single part of it. Delegating Ifa to a particular part of your life is like trying to assign the ocean to a particular place in the world.


Sesa Woruban: Question 9: Please give a 5 or 10 words in Yoruba we can use in our conversations with one another and our children.

Sagacious Femininity:
Ase - And so it is.
Be ni - Yes
Oti - No
E kaabo ... Welcome!
Abi na wetin - what is it?
Se Alaafia ni -- I greet you with peace and prosperity
E kaaro - GreetingOdaaaa - Good bye (Actually Odaabo, but we just say, O daaaaa)
Bawo ni? How are you?
Oyinbo - White person
Da da ni - Good (in response to Bawo ni)


Sesa Woruban: Question 10: Can you recommend 3 books that a person might read to expand their knowledge of Yoruba?

Sagacious Femininity: I know you asked for three, but spirit moved me to give you five.

Fundamentals of Yoruba Religion (Orisa Worship)
by Chief FAMA (Chief Farounbi Aina Mosunmola Adewale-Somadhi)<-a woman. Black Gods: Orisa Studies in the New World by John Mason and Gary Edwards Finding Soul on the Path of Orisa: A West African Spiritual Tradition. by Tobe Melora Correal. Yoruba Beliefs and Sacraficial Rites by J. Omosade Awolalu and while it is truly not about Yoruba religion, but will help a person in understanding the transition from westernized religions to those of our ancestors, I would highly recommend Of Water and the Spirit: Ritual, Magic and the Initiation in the life of an African Shaman by Malidoma Patrice Some'

Sesa Woruban: Thank you Sagacious Femininity!

Sagacious Femininity: Thank you very much Sesa Woruban for asking!!!!