THEOLOGY OF IFA

DAILY PRAYER CYCLE

ORK OLODUMARE
Olodumare, mo ji loni. Mo wo'gun merin aye. Igun 'kini,
Creator, I greet the new day. I greet the four directions that create the world.

Igun'keji, igun'keta, igun'kerin Olojo oni.

The first corner, the second corner, the third corner, the fourth corner are the owners of the day.

Gbogbo ire gbaa tioba wa nile aye. Wa fun mi ni temi. T'aya -t 'omo t'egbe -t -ogba,
They brought us the good fortune that sustains us on earth. They bring me all things that sustain my spirit.

wa fi yiye wa. Ki of f'ona han wa. Wa fi eni -eleni se temi.

With you there is no failure, we praise the road you have created, nothing can block the power of Spirit.

Alaye o alaye o. Afuyegegege mesegbe. Alujonu eniyan ti nf'owo ko le.

We praise the Light of the Earth; it sustains the abundance of Creation.

A ni kosi igi meji ninu igbo bi obi. Eyiti o ba ya'ko a ya abidun - dun - dun -dun. Alaye
o, alaye o.
It brings us the food of the forest. It brings us the sweet things in life. We praise the Light of the Earth; we praise
the Light of the Earth.

Ase.

May it be so

ORK S DR

s, s dr, s, lanlu ogirioko. Okunrin or ita, a jo langa langa lalu.

Divine Messenger, Divine Messenger of Transformation, Divine Messenger speak with power. Man of the
crossroads, dance to the drum.

A rin lanja lanja lalu. Ode ibi ija de mole. Ija ni otaru ba d'ele ife.

Tickle the toe of the Drum. Move beyond strife. Strife is contrary to the Spirit of the Invisible Realm.

To fi de omo won. Oro s, to to to akoni. Ao fi ida re lale.

Unite the unsteady feet of weaning children. The word of the Divine Messenger is always respected. We shall use
your sword to touch the earth.

s, ma se mi o. s, mase mi o. s, mase mi o.

Divine Messenger do not confuse me. Divine Messenger do not confuse me. Divine Messenger do not confuse me.

Omo elomiran ni ko lo se. Pa ado asubi da. No ado asure si wa.

Let someone else be confused. Turn my suffering around. Give me the blessing of the calabash.

Ase.

May it be so.

ORK RNML
rnml, ajomisanra, Agbonniregun, ibi keji Olodumare,
Spirit of Destiny, eternal dew and foundation of life, the word and rebounding force, next to the Creator,

Elerin -ipin, Omo ope kan ti nsoro dogi dogi,

Witness to Creation, offspring of the eternal palm tree; which sparks force,

ara Ado, ara Ewi, ara Igbajo, ara Iresi, ara Ikole, ara Igeti, ara oke Itase,
native of Ado, native of Ewi, native of Igbado, native of Iresi, native of Ikole, native of Igeti, native of Itase hill,

ara iwonran ibi ojumo ti nmo waiye, akoko Olokun, oro ajo epo ma pon,
native of East, generator of the sea, stainless mystic,

olago lagi okunrin ti nmu ara ogidan le, o ba iku ja gba omo e si le,
most powerful who bestows youthful vitality, he who rescues children from the wrath of death,

Odudu ti ndu ori emere, o tun ori ti ko sunwon se,

The Great Savior who saves youth, he reclaims the lost ones,

rnml ajiki, rnml ajike, rnml aji fi oro rere lo.

Spirit of Destiny, worthy of morning supplications, Spirit of Destiny, worthy of morning praise, Spirit of Destiny,
worthy of prayers for the good things in life.

Ase.

May it be so.

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Oriki Dafa (Opele)

rnml elerin-ipin, Aje ju gun, Ibi keji Olodumare akoko Olokun,
Spirit of Destiny, Witness to Creation, provider of strong medicine, next to the jewel of the Ocean,

Ajao ikoto ara Adom ara Ewi, ara oke Itase, ara ojumo,

Salutations to the native of Ado, native of Ewi, native of the mountain, native of the dawn,

Ibiti ojo ti nmo, waiye ara oke lgeti okeje oje,

The place where the dawn arrives, the place where the native of Heaven come to Earth.

Erin fon olagilagi okunrin, ti nmu ara ogidan le, alakete pennepe,

The elephant protects us from the disease of man, understanding becomes strong, it forms a
calabash of white light,

Pari ipin, oloto kan to ku laiye, Oba iku ja gba omo re sile,

Small matters unfold, and honest man die any time, the Chief who will protect children from the jaw
of death,

Odudu ti ndu or emere, ma ba fo otun ori ti, ko sun won se.

Ase.

The power that protects the head from elemental spirits, never becomes less than the head itself,
because it is the source of power.
May it be so.

DARIJI
(INVOCATION FOR FORGIVENESS)

* ASKING THAT NO OFFERING BE REQUESTED WHEN THE DIVINER IS DOING PERSONAL DIVINATION.

rnml mo pe, rnml mo pe, rnml mo pe.

Spirit of Destiny I am greeting you, Spirit of Destiny I am greeting you, Spirit of Destiny I am
greeting you.

If mo pe, If mo pe, If mo pe.

Wisdom of Nature I am greeting you, Wisdom of Nature I am greeting you, Wisdom of Nature I am
greeting you.

Oduduwa mo pe, Oduduwa mo pe, Oduduwa mo pe.

Father of our People I am greeting you, Father of our People I am greeting you, Father of our People
I am greeting you.

Igi nla subu wonakankan d'etu. rnml ni o di adariji.

The light that proceeds appeasement. Spirit of Destiny relieve me of my obligation.

Mo ni o di adariji. O ni bi Oya ba pa ni tan.

I ask that you relieve me of my obligation. It is the Spirit of the Wind who lights the way.

A ki i, a sa a, a f'ake eran fun u. A dariji o ni bi Sango ba pa ni tan.

I pray that you do not demand an offering of meat. Please relieve my obligation so that the Spirit of
Lightning can light the way.

A ki i, a sa, a f'agbo fun u. A dariji, o ni bi gn ba pa ni tan.

I pray that the ring of dancers will bless me. Please relieve my obligation so that the Spirit of Iron
can light the light the way.

A ki i, a sa a, a f'aja fun u.

I pray that the dog will bless us.

A dariji, Oduduwa dariji wa bi a ti ndariji awon ti o se wa.

Ase.

Please relieve my obligation, please relieve my obligation.

May it be so.

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Four Day Prayer Cycle

Place the bowl of Ikin used for divination on the mat in your shrine room. Take the Ikin from the bowl one
at a time. As you take the Ikin from the bowl touch them to the top of your divining tray, then touch them
to the center of the divining tray then touch the Ikin to your lips. As you are making these movements say
Eji Ogbe mo ko ki o to, Oyeku Meji mo ko ki o to, and on through the sixteen meji. When you have removed
the seventeenth Ikin from the bowl say Ose tura mo ko ko o to and place the Ikin on the tray. Roll the Ikin
in your hands while doing the oriki to Ela.

Ope ni fun Olorun.

Gratitude to the Owner of the Realm of the Ancestors.

Iba Olodumare, Oba ajiki.

I respect the Creator, the King we praise first.

Mo ji loni, mo wo'gun merin aye.

I awake today and I see the four corners of the world.

Iba Elawori, agbegi lere, la'fin ewu l'ado, eniti Olodumare ko pa'jo eda Omo
Oluworiogbo.
I respect the Spirit of Purity, he who carves the cloth at Ado in the form of a sculpture, the one whose
date of death has not been changed by the child of the Chief Priest who made all the Heads that exist
in Creation.

Ela omo osin. Ela Omo Oyigiyigi ota omi.

Spirit of Manifestation, child of the Ruler. Spirit of Manifestation, child of the offspring of the Stone in
the Water.

Awa di oyigiyigi. A ki o ku wa.

We ourselves become manifestation. The stone that birthed the Spirit of Manifestation will never die.

Ela ro a ki o ku mo, okiribiti. Ela ro (Sokale) Orunko If.

The Spirit of Manifestation has descended to Earth, we die no more. This is the name we give to
Destiny.

Entiti ngba ni l'a. Nwon se ebo Ela fun mi.

He is the one who saved us. We have made sacrifice to the Spirit of Manifestation.

Ko t'ina, ko to ro.

He is of no substance. He is too small to be thought of.

Beni on (Ela) ni gba ni la n'Ife, Oba - a - mola.

Yet He delivered the Immortals from all trouble, the Chief for whom to know is to be saved.

Ela, Omo Osin mo wari o! Ela meji, mo wari o.

The Spirit of Manifestation, Son of the Ruler, I praise you. The Spirit of Manifestation, the Spirit of
Manifestation, I praise you.

Ela mo yin boru. Ela mo yin boye. Ela mo yin bosise.

Spirit of Manifestation praise the sacrifice that opens the way. Spirit of Manifestation praise the
sacrifice that brings life. Spirit of Manifestation praise the sacrifice that proceeds work.

Ela poke. Eni esi so wa soro odun. Odun ko wo wa sodun.

The Spirit of Manifestation has appeared. The friend has returned for this year's festival. The
celebration returns.

Iroko oko. Iroko oko. Iroko oko.

I come Iroko oko. I come Iroko oko. I come Iroko oko.

Odun oni si ko. Ela poke. Ela ro. Ela ro. Ela ro, ko wa gbu're.
The celebration has returned. The Spirit of Manifestation has appeared. Holy Spirit descend. Holy Spirit
descend. Holy Spirit descend, prayers to accept.

Ela takun wa o. Ela ro o. Eti ire re. Ela takun ko wa gbu're.

Holy Spirit with string descend. Holy Spirit descend. Be the ears of our prayers. Holy Spirit with string
descend to accept our prayers.

Enu ire re. Ela takun ko gbure. Oju ire re.

Hear the lips of our prayers. Holy Spirit with string descend to accept our prayers. Hear the eyes of our
prayers.

Ela takun ko wa gbu're. Ela ma dawo aje waro. Ela ma d'ese aje waro.

Holy Spirit with string descend to accept our prayers. Holy Spirit with lips of blessing embrace us.
Mighty Spirit with lips of blessing embrace us.

Atikan Sikun ki oni ikere yo ikere.

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From door to door remove the hinges.

Ipenpe'ju ni si'lekun fun ekun agada ni si'ekun fun eje.

He who removes the hinges opens the eyelids for tears.

Ogunda'sa, iwo ni o nsilekun fun Ejerindilogun Irunmole.

The Spirit of Iron, the Spirit of Wind, the Spirit who opens the door for the Immortals.

Ela panumo panumo. Ela panuba panuba.

Holy Spirit resounding. Holy Spirit rebounding.

Ayan ile ni awo egbe ile, ekolo rogodo ni awo ominile.

Near the crack in the wall where the elders meet, Peace ascended to Heaven and did not return.

Eriwo lo sorun ko do mo. O ni ki a ke si Odi awo Odi.

Upon blockade the Priest for blockade is called to Earth. He asked us to call upon the Priest of Peace.

O ni ki a ke si Ero awo Ero. O ni ki a ke si Egn osusu abaya babamba.

Upon the shrub thorns he asked us to call. Upon the blockade we call the Priest of the Blockade.

A ke si Ero awo Ero, ke si Egn o susu abaya babamba a ni eriwo lo si Orun ko de mo,
won ni ki Ela roibale.
Upon the thick shrubbery thorns we call, to Heaven calmly ascend. Holy Spirit descend.

Ela ni on ko ri ibi ti on yio ro si o ni iwaju on egun.

The Peace of the Holy Spirit said; "I have nowhere to descend."

Eyin on osusu agbedem 'nji on egun osusu, awo fa ma je ki'iwaju Ela gun mori on tolu.
I find the front filled with thorns, I find the rear and the middle filled with thorns.

rnml ma jeki eyin Ela gun mosi Olokarembe rnml ma jeki agbedemeje la gun
Osusu.
The humans appealed to the Spirit of Destiny to pray to the Great Spirit of Manifestation.

Ela ro. If ko je ki iwaju re se dundun more on tolu.

Holy Spirit descend. Remove the thorns from the front and rear.

Ela ro. If ko jeki eyin re se worowo.

Holy Spirit descend. Remove the thorns from the middle.

Ela ro. Ela ni'waju o di Odundun.

Holy Spirit descend. At the front place of Peace, the Holy Spirit becomes manifest.

Ela ni eyin o di Tete. Ela ni agbedemeji o di worowo. Ase.

At the rear place of Peace, the Holy Spirit becomes manifest. At the middle place of Peace, the Holy
Spirit becomes manifest. May it be so.

When the Awo has completed oriki Ela the as accessible through Ori can be shape shifted to express the as of any Odu or Orisa. At
the very least this is a time to pray for personal transformation an elevation and a time to pray for the good fortune of the extended
family and the entire community.
My recommendation based on my experience is that saying this oriki every day places the Ori in solid connection with the Spirit of
Ela. After a year of daily practice, the oriki can be done on the four day cycle without any diminished access to ase. It is also my
experience that when Ela is present, Spirit announces itself by singing the oriki which is why oriki are chanted. Singing an invocation
creates a opening for Spirit to emerge. It is also my experience that chanting oriki is most effective when the words are spoken slowly
and the vowels are exaggerated stressing the tonal qualities of the words. It is the as that comes from the Ori of Awo while chanting
oriki Ela that serves as the spiritual catalyst for transforming Ibi into Ire.

Awo Dele Ifayemi

September/2003

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