Letra del Año 2018 Odu of the Year from Cuba 2018

LETRA DEL AÑO 2018 Consejo Cubano De Sacerdotes Mayores De Ifá Predicciones de Ifá para Cuba y el Mundo Las primeras horas de este 2018 se reunió la Sociedad Cultural Yoruba de Cuba y el Consejo Cubano De Sacerdotes Mayores De Ifá para determinar el Signo de Ifa que regirá Cuba durante todo el año…

When to Wear White?

The answer is ALWAYS! Guys and gals, I know you love black; I know it’s slimming, but it is a color that absorbs rather than reflects. Try and wean yourself off of black all the time – start with a light or white colored top; I promise you, you will look chic. Or, if you…

Olokun Tinaja Decorated with Seashells

Below you will see a video of an Olokun tinaja (tall lidded urn) I recently finished. It is covered in seashells, including cowries which are cemented in place. Some might think that this is for “Olokun de Ifa” as the Olokun that babalawos give is covered in cement with some shells. This tinaja is for…

Odu Odi-She (7-5 Odi Oshe)

7-5 Odi Oshe MAFEREFUN Oshún, Inle, Asojano, Oshosi, & Obatala HERBS EWE OF THE ODU: Curujey, zazafrán, hiedra, orquidea, and all parasitic plants PROVERBS OF THE ODU: The chickens don’t have any friends; if one draws near to another, it’s only to peck at her\ Many friendships that are not based on unconditional terms; people who…

ELEGUA GARABATOS

ELEGUA GARABATOS These are handmade and beaded garabatos or guava wood hooks that Elegua uses to remove obstacles from the person’s life. Eleggua also uses it to bring blessings or ire to the person. Both are made with all Czech glass beads, one has a little beaded gourd with red parrot feathers, and both have…

Ore Yeye O & Omi O Yemaya: Goodness and Water Shout Outs!

Each orisha has a series of praises that are exclaimed at important times in ceremonies and celebrations. For example, when you hear someone singing for Elegua, you may hear a cry of “Laroye!” It is a way of honouring the deities, and flattering them. Two of the most commonly heard praises are for Oshun and…

Oshun by Afolabi

This is an essay on Oshun by the late priest of Yemaya, Afolabi. Oshun by Afolabi I come from a House of Osha that is full of Oshun’s children. Nowhere is Oshun’s beauty more evident in all her glory, both sweet and sour, than in the forms in which she appears through her children. I am…

Shokunin: An Active Attitude to your Skill and Craft

I really like the Japanese idea of Shokunin, where you practice your craft with diligence and precision, striving for you to work your best for the betterment of the person and the process. “The Japanese word shokunin is defined by both Japanese and Japanese-English dictionaries as ‘craftsman’ or ‘artisan,’ but such a literal description does…

Oya’s Vainas

The vaina is Oya’s sacred musical instrument, used to call the presence of the deity of transformation to be present. It is the seed pod of the flamboyán tree (Delonix regia) which has beautiful flame-red flowers when in season. The pod acts like an ashere (rattle) unique to Oya. I really enjoy making these vainas…

Book Vlog: Botánicas by Joseph Murphy

This is a wonderful book on the healing and spiritual stores called botánicas dotted across the US but especially concentrated in cities such as New York, Miami, Chicago, and Los Angeles. They are a mix of Afro-Atlantic and Latin American religions, traditions, and aesthetics. Joseph Murphy is an exceptional and insightful scholar on Afro-Atlantic religions…