The Irunmole and Orisha with a short description of Ori

The Irunmole our known as the primordials. These were the first beings given specific tasks to complete by Olodumare and it's also important to know that the Irunmole are not human beings. They are pure spirit/energy. Each Irunmole was assigned a specfic duty by Olodumare and should not be considered gods. Remember, there is only one creator and the Irunmole are Its' assistants/manifestations of IT. Important Note: The Orisa were either Irunmole or Imole but because these spirits decided to manifest into physical form and they completed their destinies and left a legacy for others to follow here in the world, they were revered and elevated by other human beings as Orisa when they returned back to their spirit form. Some of the Irunmole/Imole kept their same name while here in the world as humans and others did not. So as to not cause too much confusion we will just name all these spirits Orisa for now but as one begins to study more as a priest, more clarity will be given on exactly what is an Irunmole and Imole.

The Orisa are our "Elevated ancestors, the crowned ones, those "human beings" who completed their destinies, were elevated by their community, and now serve as role models for all of us so that we may do the same. The Orisa just like the Irunmole are not gods! There is only one God and its' name is Olorun, Eledaa, Olodumare, Akamara, just to give a few names for the creator.

At the bottom we will list some of the character attributes of various Orisa. It is important to note, that the Orisa were not perfect and made many mistakes. Our job is to learn from both the good and bad choices they made, so that we may complete our destinies and be rewarded for our efforts and be sent to Ogba-Itero (The abode of complete peace and paradise).

Before going into the attributes of the Orisa, I feel it is very important to discuss "Ori" first, because "Ori" is our main support while here in Aye. Even the Irunmole and Orisa depended on their Ori to accomplish their tasks and assignments.

Ori is our main support and guide while here in Aye/the world and Ori is not an Orisa; Ori is its' own entity which is comprised of your own Destiny and Character/It's your spirit, your own head (physical and spiritual). It is that which allows us to make choices through our own free will. Ori is also connected/combined with our spiritual double known as "Enikeji". Our Enikeji is that part of us that remains in Iwonron to remind us of our chosen destiny and what we should and shoudn't be doing while here in Aye. It's that little voice in our head telling us what's best for us.

Ori should be worshipped first before any Irunmole and Orisa because all thoughts start within our own minds/heads and if are heads our focused, then so will our lives. The Irunmole and Orisa are there for the times our heads become detached (Modakeke). Basically, when we're not thinking correctly. Therefore, before seeking the assistance of any of the Irunmole or Orisa use your own head first to solve your problems (Use your Ori).

Important note: Traditionally there is no concept of having a guardian Orisa or being a child of this or that Orisa. As taught to me by my elders, Ori is ones' guardian in life and all the Irunmole/Orisa support us/support our Ori depending on what's happening in our lives at the time. In other words, we are supported by all the Irunmole/Orisa and not just one or two. I felt this was important to state because traditionally if you are born into a household/lineage that worships Ogun for example, it is expected that you will be initiated into Ogun as well. There is no such thing as doing a guardian Orisa reading first to see who owns your head because traditionally it is believed that you are the owner of your own head/Ori is you and you are it. The head controls the body. The body does not control the head. Traditionally you simply follow in the footsteps of your lineage and become a priest of whatever Orisa that your lineage worships.

Character Attributes: Orunmila represents and stresses people to use and seek Imo/knowledge, Oye/understanding, and Ogbon/wisdom in order to maintain a life of Iwa Pele/Balanced Character. Orunmila is the Orisa who brought Ifa, the laws of Olodumare, into this world. Orunmila is known as "Eleri ipin ibikeji Olodumare/witness to all choice of destiny second only to God", which means he is the head of all the Orisa. Although not the oldest of the Orisa, he was elected to be the leader because of his vast knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Orunmila was also there when we decided our destinies and will know when we leave Aye, if we've completed those destinies or not. Orunmila has many names for he has manifested itself throughout the world to various peoples to teach and spread the word of Olodumare. In nature Orunmila is resprented by the ikin or palm nuts. The rat is also another respresentation of Orunmila.

Character Attributes: Eshu represents and stresses making appropriate choices in ones' life, thinking before acting, being decisive but patient, being creative, being able to see the different sides of a situation, following through once a decision is made, learning from our choices, taking responsibity for our choices, etc... Eshu is involved in every aspect of our lives. Because of this, the list could go on and on over what Eshu stresses and represents. To go a little further however...

Eshu is the essence of cause and effect/choice and consequence. When we make choices with our Ori, Eshu gives us the consequences for those choices. Eshu is the owner of all Ase/Force. Eshu is the owner of all the Ajogun/Obstacles in life and through the Ajogun, we learn what we should and shouldn't be doing. Eshu is the best teacher anyone could have! In nature, Eshu is represented by all stones which in Yoruba are called Yangi.

Character Attributes: Ogun represents and stresses patience, hard work, discipline, dedication, perseverance, justice, level headedness, structure, and creativity. Ogun also respresents Mayhem and Chaos. Destruction and death are a result of not respecting and humbling oneself when working with Ogun's tools. Hence, Ogun also teaches respect and humility. Ogun is also the patron of Hunters and Warriors and is known as the Path Opener. Once a person makes a choice to do something, Ogun is the force that supports you in accomplishing that choice. In nature Ogun is represented by all things made of iron, steel, basically all metals. Mariwo/palm fronds and peregun/another type of plant are also representative of Ogun.

Character Attributes: Obatala represents and stresses morality, purity, clarity, patience, humility, respect for self and others especially elders, monogamy, and creativity. Obatala also reminds us that all of us have taboos/natural laws that we must follow in order to keep our lives as balanced as possible and so that we may complete the tasks assigned to us. In nature Obatala is represented by the mountains, the snail, and the elephant just to name a few. It should also be known that Obatala was assigned the task of bringing Morality into the world and shaping human beings amongst other important duties.

Character Attributes: Oshun represents and stresses compassion, joy, love, happiness, endurance/perseverance, procreation, and prosperity. Oshun also teaches us that we must not always act on feeling alone. Just because something feels good doesn't mean it's necessarily good for us. Oshun also represents Odu/life. In nature Oshun is represented most importantly by the river and the forest and all things sweet.

Character Attributes: Shango represents and stresses truth, righteousness, morality, justice, courage, strategy, versatility, flexibility, passion, and leadership. Shango also teaches us to always act and think with a cool head. Never make decisions while your emotions are running wild. Shango also warns against being arrogant. In nature Shango is represented by lightning and fire.

Character Attributes: Yemoja represents and stresses keeping up with ones' responbilities and duties, being caring and nurturing to all people especially the children, and being stearn and strict when need be. She also represents the process of regeneration and is the gate keeper to Aye. Yemoja also shows us that we all need to be teachers and role models to everyone. In nature Yemoja is known and related to all the fishes for which she is the mother.

Character Attributes: Oya represents and stresses compassion, sincerity, dedication, and loyalty. Oya also stresses remaining level headed and being a good leader. Oya is in charge of protecting the Egun/Ancestors. In nature Oya is represented by the wind, tornado, hurricane, whirl wind (all winds). Oya is also sometimes known as the Buffalo woman and is represented by the head of a buffalo. She was also Shango's wife.

Character Attributes:Obaluaye stresses Good Character just as the other Orisa do but has a very specific way of giving consequences for lack of good character/good choices. Being the Orisa that represents sickness, disease, pestilence (All forms of contagious disease), Obaluaye, while working always with Eshu, brings about these consequences to those who make unhealthy, unwise, and inappropriate choices in their lives.

One must stop to think about how many sicknesses and diseases exist in the world today because of not caring for and working in balance with our environment and each other. Eshu and Obaluaye are only bringing about the consequences for the actions and decisions we've made concerning our environment and each other but also think of all the sexually transmitted diseases that exist which is a result of being unfaithful, lying, cheating, being permiscuous, and not respecting each other as the family we are.

Important to note: The specific title name of "Shonponna" is a very respected name of Obaluaye and is seldom said outloud. The reason for this is to show repect for what this Orisa represents within the meaning of this name.

Note: As time passes we will add more Orisa to this list and expand on the attributes of each of them. It's good to notice that after studying the character attributes of the Orisa one begins to see many similarities between their character and what allowed them to complete their destinies.