Orunmila
Orunmila is known as “Eleri ipin Ibikeji Oludumare – Witness to all choice of destiny second only to The Supreme Being”. Although not the oldest of the Orisa, Orunmila was there when we decided our destinies and will know when we leave Aye, if we’ve realized those destinies or not.
Orunmila governs the concept of all knowing which is called omniscience. In the name Orunmila we have Orun. Orun is one of the words for heaven or the underworld. The underworld was one of the original terms used for heaven. You also have one of the names of Olodumare which is Olorun. Olorun is the owner of heaven. It is the energy of ascendency or ascended transformation. In the same instance, Olorun is defined as the owner of the skies as well or the Sky God.
Orunmila is said to be the Diviner of heaven. You may often hear Priests “call it down”. They are using terms that ask for that particular energy to descend upon you. This energy governs our ability and gives us the thoughts and words of power in order to connect our consciousness with our higher consciousness. That energy governs that process.
Many people say Orunmila is Ifa. Orunmila is not Ifa, he brings forth Ifa. Ifa means to scratch. Some people say that means to mark a particular Odu. You may have seen Priests mark certain etchings in iyerosun, and scry into it. By scrying into it, it speaks to the Priest and they start to see things. So it is more than just a mark. Ifa and the Odu are mutable energies. They are transforming, growing, and evolving just as we are. So, a Priest can speak about different Odu and they can tell you what they mean, but more significantly you are also the potentiality to become Orunmila. So, if you are the potentiality to take on the energy of Orunmila, then you can have your own interpretation of the Odu. The Odu are subject to your interpretation. When you are reading someone’s book or a story related to the Odu, that is someone’s interpretation. Because many of us have been cast into the swamp of religious dogma, we’re used to getting all of our information from one book. That is a very dangerous thing.
Orunmila is one who brings the cosmic laws of Orun to Earth. Examples of similar energies would be Tehuti, John Henrik Clarke, Moses, and Chuck D. They are all law bringers. The role of the law bringer is to maintain the balance of life.