Family Spirit: The Ifá Concept of Egún

This is a book on the theology of Ifá, the traditional religion of Yorùbá culture. In other book called Inner Peace described the Ifá concept of Orí (consciousness). According to Ifá oral tradition Orí is the seat of consciousness and the receptacle of spiritual influences emanating from the Ancestral Realm (Òrun). Orí functions in polarity with the physical heart called Okàn in Yorùbá. The Okàn is the seat of all emotions collectively called Ègbè. Ifá teaches that spiritual growth is the integration of thoughts and emotions; an ongoing process of stabilizing tension between the head and the heart. When Orí and Ègbè are in alignment the individual experiences Ire meaning good fortune. When Orí and Ègbè are in conflict the individual experiences Ibi meaning misfortune. Ifá is the preservation of the ancestral wisdom that gives guidance on how to maintain balance between the head and the heart as we move through the developmental stages of life. Ifá is not a doctrine of belief; it is a way of looking at the world based on the experience of connection to Spirit.