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It has become fashionable, as well as "accepted" dogma, to refer to the
energy of the Orisa as either male or female. For example, you grow up hearing
about the Male Warriors. These are generally thought of as Esu, Sango, Ogun
and Ososi. Obatala is simple "male." The Female Warrior is generally limited
to Oya, while Female Energy is attributed to Osun and Yemonja.
The Truth is
that ALL Orisa contain what you would think of as both Male and Female
energy! The energy of the Orisa is a continuum ( a broad range extending
from one extreme to the other ) of energy. For example, look at human
sexuality in the male sense. On one end of the continuum you have the
rampant heterosexual, an energy that can be so extreme that it sometimes
resorts to rape, molestation etc. in its behavior. In the center you have
what we would consider "normal", a male with a strong desire for intimate
relations with women, but governed by character, morality and circumstances.
At the other extreme you have men who are virtually disinterested in sexual
relationships. Not because they are gay, or impaired, but simply because
their particular interests are focused in other areas. There are all kinds
of subsets within these extremes. They include men attracted to other
men, men attracted to men and women etc. The point is, you cannot have
"male sexual energy" without including all the possibilities and expressions.
You can't attempt to mold this to your sociological or religious viewpoint
if it is Truth you are seeking.
The same divergence
holds true for Women. On one end you will find women with an insatiable
sex drive.on the other end, women virtually disinterested in sex. In between,
you will find every other possibility of expression.
The energy of the Orisa is
similar.
While we may
find it convenient to think of Esu as the rampant male teenage energy,
the Truth is that the energy of Esu ( the energy of Opportunity ) will
be expressed in its' own continuum, and that will include what we feel
of as very masculine forms, to very sensitive (feminine ) forms. The same
holds true for all the Orisa energy. So, a sensitive Oya, or an angry
Obatala is perfectly normal within the totality of the energy.
By trying to
stuff the Orisa into pre-defined "acceptable" patterns of behavior we
lose the essence of Ifa's diversity as well as the totality and Truth
of what their energy represents.
Ifa is about the whole. Always.
Blessings
Philip Neimark
Oluwo
 The
Way of the Orisa", available from
The African Spiritual
Store.
Blessings!...
Philip Neimark
Oluwo
Ifa Foundation |
