marking the first stage of a new stage or level in life, working with energies of Orisa and/or Ifa.

There are many reasons for initiation. For example, after experiencing various hardships without an identifiable cause, initiation may be called for in order to reveal to us the taboos or life contracts that we made with spirit prior to birth on this Earth. They could be taboos or agreements that we may be unknowingly breaking, and therefore working against the fulfillment of the destiny we chose.

But that is just one avenue to initiation.

It is also common for many to come for initiation in order to acquire the spiritual assistance and re-enforcement to fulfill dreams, goals, and aspirations – personal, professional, socially, or otherwise. Reasons for initiation are very unique to the individual; this is because we all have our own individual destinies and spiritual blueprint. However the intended outcome remains the same: to have richer fulfillment and contentment of life through greater knowledge of self and the unseen world we live within. Determining the need for this important step begins and ends always with divination, to confirm if this is the right course for you to take, as well as to learn the needed pre-initiation steps to smoothly prepare you for this journey.

 “Initiation” means
to begin,

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Our Temple currently focuses on performing initiation to Ifa and/or Orisa and empowerments locally; however, Dr. Oba Ifagbemi has performed initiations globally, and leads trips to West Africa, depending upon interest and availability, for initiations, ceremonies, and study.

Some of the various Orisas one may initiate to include the following:

  •  Ifa (Babalawo / Iyanifa)

  • Esu

  • Obatala

  • Osun

  • Obaluaye

  • Egbe

  • Yemoja

  • Olokun

  • Ogun

  • Osoosi

  • Sango

  • Oya

  • Egungun

  • and various societies within the tradition

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There are many levels of participation within Ifa from Aborisa, to initiated devotee (Ifa/Orisa priesthood), to practicing priest. The most important part is to determine what your destiny has in store and balance that with the practice level in which you feel comfortable, and then growing from there.

Spirituality cannot be bought or sold. A spiritual path is a personal journey. The path of spirituality does not have a set price tag and route. Prayer and connection to the Creator (or God, or Olodumare) is freely available for all.

Built upon that is the fact that Ifa and Orisa traditions are an initiatory practice - meaning we cannot just self-initiate; we must be brought into the inner practice. What is so comforting about the Orisa and Ifa traditions is that it is inherently recognized that to properly collect the good things in life that your destiny has in store for you, you absolutely must have a few basic blessings to begin with - blessings like stable health, blessings like sustainable income, blessings like home and a network of support (or family, children, community, etc). Some other traditions call this the state of being a good Householder. This belief is built into the practice and are core focuses at any juncture. With a leveling up like initiation, we must also ensure the initiate is able to maintain, if not expand, their basic blessings. For this reason, initiation to Ifa or any Orisa, while available to any sincere seeker, should be considered on a one-on-one basis based on many factors.

If you have further interest in knowing more about initiation to Ifa or Orisa, we invite you to contact Kabiessi Ifagbemi and/or receive an Ifa divination reading to learn and ascertain more about the practice level that may be most appropriate for you.