#oyeku

[the-torch-bearer]

16 Major Odu - Advice

Eji Ogbe: Seek wisdom beyond sacrifices, sit down with spiritual teachers. Oyeku Meji: Kindness must not be done with evil intentions. Do not engage in any wickedness against others; do not retaliate against those who are against you. Iwori Meji: Speak their truth, even against evil doers, but beware of their retribution. Do not wrestle for advancement; do not seek to attain through competition. Idi Meji: Too much kindness is repaid with wickedness; do not be foolishly kind. Do not leave this earth with no one to reap your heritage. Do not be involved with gossip, even if it involves you. Irosun Meji: Be patient; do not be in a hurry to achieve; step by step is the best way. Respect and honor the ancestors; preserve the memories of their achievements and become a part of their conciousness. Oworin Meji: Do not let scarcity affect your wisdom, do not let scarcity make you unwise. To improve your life, improve your character and behavior. Obara Meji: Cease to complain about life and cease to be stunnorn for such brings misfortune and loss. Okanran Meji: Do not go to places where you are not invited. Cease to be argumentative; cease to incite debate. Ogunda Meji: Strive to complete all endeavors which you have begun. Learn to channel your aggressive tendencies positively. Osa Meji: Guard against over-stressing yourself; guard against anxiety and frustration. Strive continually to achieve the impossible. Resist those who attemp to disrupot your well-being. Ika Meji: Appreciate yourself more fully; appreciate your divine. Address the major problems in your life; cease to attend only the minor ones. People will attemp to harm you; do not let them do so. Oturupon Meji: Learn to act more and react less; reacting based on the ways of others leads to misfortune. Guard against spitefulness, do not harbor ill feelings against others. Exercise firmness, especially when things are bad. Otura Meji: Do not abandon the heavenly law which decrees the supremacy of elders. Study your speech so that the modifications of the mind may be reached. Irete Meji: Remember one falsehhod destroys a thousand truths. Listen to advice; you are wise only if you listen to advice. Do not exhaust yourself attempting to satisfy the emptiness of others. Ose Meji: Every act whether mental, physical, or emotional, has an enormous impact on our lives. Do not be so easily distracted; do not let your attention be so easily taken. Refrain from anything That involves the showing odd of strengths. Ofun Meji: Take care of what you eat: do not eat in a hurry; sit down and relax while eating. Guard against those who make you anxious. Be not moved by anger, lust or greed. Ase! ase O!, ase! source

[the-torch-bearer]

Blackness in Spirituality - Oyeku Meji

Blackness/Darkness in spirituality isn’t evil. Blackness is the primordial progenitor force. It’s the mystery of insurmountable power, and knowledge; and it’s the feminine (yin) energy which embodies the primordial force of contraction.

In Ifa, the second Olodu (major Odu) is Oyeku Meji. Oyeku Meji is the Odu of Oduduwa (Odu+dudu+Iwa= Womb/Mystery+Black+Character) the progenitor feminine Orisa that birthed existence, and the first humans from her own vast darkness that she is. She’s encompasses all the mysteries of creation. Historically speaking, Oduduwa is thought to be the founder of Yoruba civilization that hailed from Egypt. The reason that Oduduwa’s Olodu is second and not first, is because it’s believed in Yoruba thought that when twins are born, the youngest is born first to let the oldest know its safe to be born. In Ifa it’s also believed that Oduduwa is the feminine form of Obatala. Oduduwa as the older twin of Obatala is therefore considered the second Olodu.

In the Diaspora Oduduwa’s role is occupied by other orisa’s or spirits. In Santeria/Lucumi it tends to be Yembo, while in Candomble it seems to be Nana Baruku who’s a spirit with the same exact role in the Ewe religion of east Benin.

Black exemplifies the power we latently carry within us. As the yin/feminine principle of contraction it is passive and therefore is the power that has to be embraced rather than simply receptive too. Blackness is vast and without limits other than that which we place with out mind. This is a pivotal aspect of spiritual development and progression.