Oriki Ela - Praising the Spirit of Purity

Introduction Part of the responsibility that follows initiation into Ifa is the development of the ability to align the ori with the Spirit of Ela. The historical prophet Orunmila was an incarnation of the Spirit of Ela and the align of ori with Ela is known as returning to the time when Orunmila walked the earth. This alignment occurs as a result of consistent attention to the Ifa discipline of chanting oriki. Ifa makes use of a four day calendar as the basis for an elaborate prayer cycle that generates a force field of good fortune for the awo, the awo's family and the larger community. The fundamental pattern in this cycle is the morning prayer the invocation of Ela every four days and collective prayer with the entire Egbe Ifa every eight days. Oriki Ela spoken into a glass of water and the water is used to first clean the head then is ingested. Ela is Elerin ipin the witness to Creation. It is the Spirit of Ela who gives an awo the ase to invoke Odu and all the Spirits who manifest through the oral scripture of Ifa. The invocation of Ela generally comes after extensive praise of Orunmila. The oriki in this volume are spoken in a slow resonant voice and as the student of Ifa becomes familiar with them they are sung. The singing aspect of chanting is usually motivated by Spirit and is an expression of the creativity of the awo. Alignment with the Spirit of Ela is the blessing of Ifa and chanting is the road to that blessing. Ire Awo Falokun Fatunmbi Egbe Ifa Ogunti Ode Remo

ORK ELA If l l'n, If l l'la, If l l'tounla pl . Ifa is master of today, Ifa is master of tomorrow, Ifa is master of the day after tomorrow. rnml lo nij mrrin s d'y. The Spirit of Destiny is the master of the four days created by the divinities. l mo yn bur, l mo yn boy, l mo yn bosise. Spirit of Purity I praise the offering that opens the way, that brings satisfaction and that works on my behalf. la r. la r. la r. Spirit of Purity descend, Spirit of Purity descend, Spirit of Purity descend. Mo jb o, mo jb o, mo jb o. I praise you, I praise you, I praise you. rnml mo p. rnml mo p. rnml mo p. Spirit of destiny I call you. Spirit of destiny I call you. Spirit of destiny I call you. If mo p. If mo p. If mo p.

Ifa I call you. Ifa I call you. Ifa I call you. If ji o rnml, b olo l'oko, ki o w l o, b olo l'odo, d o w l o. Ifa awake. Spirit of Destiny if you go the farm you should come home, If you go to the river you should come home. B o lo l'ode, k o w l o. Mo jb o. Mo jb o. Mo jb o. If you go the hunt, you should come home. Homage, homage, homage. Ase. May it be so