Praying Positions in Ifá and Orisa Tradition

What should be your position during prayer in front of Ifá or each Orisa.

Each Orisa has a favourite position but it's instructive to note that it is not compulsory that
a devotee observe any of the positions required before you can pray in front of your Ifá and
any Orisa. What usually dictates whether you will observe the position required for praying
in front of your Ifá or any Orisa?

Whether the Orisa symbol or statue in question is present. Note that you can pray to any
Orisa whether or not their symbol is present. Your prayer will still be effective and will be
answered, because Orisa are not symbols but energies. The requisite praying position is not
compulsory to observe when the Orisa statue is not physically present or if you don't have
one and you still want to pray in the name of that Orisa.

But if the Orisa symbol in question is present at the place of your prayer, the presence of
the Orisa symbol will determine your praying Position.

The neatness and cleanliness of the environment where you want to pray will determine
whether you will observe the position required in front of each Orisa. For example, it is not
advisable or mandatory to observe praying positions such as kneeling if the area is
unkempt, for whatever reason.

Health or medical conditions can determine whether you will observe the praying positions
in front of any Orisa. A very sick person, for example does not have to observe the required
praying positions like standing, kneeling, crouching, etc. He or she can pray in any position
that suits his or her health. This also applies to heavily pregnant women. The purpose of
prayer may also determine whether you observe some prayer position or go beyond. For
example a person in extreme need or help can pray naked in front of his or her Orisa
energy. Some can humble themselves and roll on the ground in appreciation or in request
for other things.

Now let’s examine the positions required for praying in front of Orisa energies. The positions
are:

Ori Iduro (standing position)

Ori ibere(Crouching position),

Ori Ikunle; kneeling position)  

 Ori Ijoko (sitting position).

It is not mandatory to observe any of these positions when praying, and non-observance of
them does not in any way make your prayers or sacrifice less effective or impotent. The
leading Ifá scriptural authority on this can be found in odu Ifá Ose otura where Ifá makes it
expressly clear that human beings can adopt the praying positions of their choice and that
their prayer will be answered. Ifá make it clear even if you pray in sleeping position your
prayers will be answered; even when you are lying down if you pray your prayers shall be
accepted, if you pray while walking your prayer will be answered. The Ifá verse goes thus :

Ti a ba fe da Ifá
Ka pe Eni ire ko bani dafa
Ki Ifá ko ba le fin tototo
Ti a ba fe to eruu
Ka pe awon ato eru ki won bani to eru ohun
Ki eru ohun o ba le da ladaju...........
..................................................................
Bi mo duro bi mo wure
Ire mi ko saigba, aya fi ti ki ba se olusole lo bi oka
Bi mo bere bi bere bi mo wure
Ire mi ko saigba, aya fi ti ki ba Se Olusole lo bi ere
Bi mo Kunle bi mo were
Ire mi ko saigba, aya fi ti ki ba se olusole lo bi opolo elewu bobo
Bi mo joko bi mo wure
Ire mi ko saigba
Koda bi mo dubule bi mo wure
Ire ko saigba

Translation
If we want Ifá divination reading
Let call good person to do Ifá divination reading for one
So that our divination can be accepted
If we want to arrange item for sacrifice
Let allow the expert in that in it to arrange it for us
So that our sacrifice will be effective
If I pray in standing position
My prayers shall be accepted unless it is not olusole that gives birth to oka
If I pray crouching position
My prayers shall be accepted, unless it is not Olusole that beget Ere
If pray when I am on my kneel
My prayers shall be accepted, unless If it is not Olusole that beget Opolo Elewu bobo
If I pray sitting position
My prayers shall be accepted
Even if  I pray when I am lying down
My prayers shall be accepted.

So you can see that any position of praying is acceptable in Ifá and Orisa spirituality. You
can pray anywhere at any time and your prayers will be answered. But this does not
however mean that each Orisa does not have their favorite praying position. Let me quickly
examine the praying positions of each Orisa. Let’s examine each of the praying positions in
turn and list some of the Orisa known to adopt and accept them as praying positions from
their devotee.

1. Iwure lori iduro (standing praying position)

This is when you maintain your standing position when invoking any Orisa energy or praying
to them. Some of the Orisa that accept this kind of standing praying position are :

Esu - deity of the crossroads

Osun
Orisa Osoosi
Orisa Ona - god of the footpath or road
Ogun - god of iron
Ija
Aase
Asewele
Kori.

2. Iwure lori iloso tabi ibere (Crouching or squatting praying position)

This is when you bend your knees and lower yourself so that you are close to the ground
and leaning forward slightly when praying or invoking Orisa energy. Some of the popular
know Orisa energy that accepts this method of praying are:
 Sango (god of thunder)
Oro
Obatala.

3. Iwure lori ikunle (kneeling praying position)

This is when you are in a position where one or both of your kneel on the ground during
invocation or prayer. Some of the Orisa and irumonle that accept this type of praying
positions are:

Ifá (Orunmila)
Olokun
Odu
Aje (Orisa of wealth)
Oke(mountain)
Osun (osun accept both standing and kneeling praying position)
Oya
Edan
Egungun.

4. Iwure lori ijoko (sitting praying positions)

This is when you are in position in which the lower part of your body is resting on a seat or
other types of support, with other part of your body vertical when you are praying or do
invocation. The only Orisa that accepts this praying Positions is ORI. Because ORI is
believed to be above any Orisa.

It is instructive to note that non observance of these prayer position thus not in any way
render prayer or invocation less effective. It all depends on your circumstances, state if
mind, and purity. OLODUMARE will always answer your prayers ase.