Two Tongues, One Spirit...

There are mornings when Ori gently turns our attention away from chasing tomorrow and back toward those who carried us through yesterday. Our parents are not perfect people. They have laughed, cried, succeeded, failed, and made decisions that shaped our lives in ways they themselves may never fully understand. Yet before we learned to walk, someone carried us. Before we learned to speak, someone listened to our cries. Before we understood the weight of the world, someone carried a weight on our behalf. As we grow older, something remarkable happens. We begin to see our parents not only as "Mum" or "Dad," but as human beings. We notice the silent sacrifices, the dreams they postponed, the fears they hid, and the battles they fought so that we could have another opportunity. Today is not merely about remembering them. It is about appreciating them while our voices can still reach their ears. It is about forgiving where healing is needed, expressing gratitu...

Theme: Returning to Peace Opening Reflection Yesterday, during our fast, I discovered something unexpected. The hardest battle was not against food. It was not against my phone. It was not against the flesh. It was against guilt. The whisper that would not leave. I kept asking myself, "Did I do the right thing?" "Did I disappoint Olódùmarè?" The more I listened to that whisper, the less I listened to Grandpa. That was when I realized... Not every whisper deserves my attention. Christian Reflection The Scriptures distinguish between conviction that leads to repentance and condemnation that traps us in shame. "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 Condemnation says, "You have failed. Stay where you are." But conviction says, "You stumbled. Come back." David understood this after his own failures. Instead of hiding, he prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a s...

Yesterday, something happened... Omolaye and I agreed that during our fast, we would not talk on the phone. We would only chat, and our conversations would revolve around Olódùmarè. Later that day, she called. Nothing terrible happened. There was no argument. There was no sin. Yet something inside me became restless. I carried a guilt that stayed with me for hours. Not because she had done anything wrong. Not because I had intentionally broken the fast. But because my conscience kept asking, " Did I listen to the Spirit? " I couldn't stop thinking about it. Then something occurred to me. Sometimes guilt is useful. Sometimes it is not. There is a guilt that calls us back to truth. There is another guilt that traps us in condemnation. One leads us to repentance. The other keeps us from peace. The strange thing is that while I was worrying about whether I had disappointed Olódùmarè, I was no longer paying attention to Him. My eyes had left Grandpa. They had turne...

A conversation with Grandpa This morning we asked a simple question: What is fasting? The first answer was simple. «"Fast to me is consecration. Depriving yourself of things you love."» Then another thought came. «"Don't forget the reason for the fast and prayer. There was a reason for it. A fast for consecration... healing, renewal and freedom."» That made us stop. If fasting is depriving ourselves of something, why have we reduced it to only food and water? Yes, we were taught: Don't eat. Don't drink. Read. Pray. But then another question came. Does that alone actually deprive the flesh? The purpose of fasting is to connect spiritually. So we asked another question. Apart from food and water, what satisfies the human flesh? Then the list began to grow. Food and drinks. Sleep and comfort. Scrolling through social media. Movies, music and reels. Sexual desires. Entertainment. Cravings. Always wanting to be right. Anger. Unnecessary spending. ...

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Context These opening verses introduce the entire book. They explain why Proverbs exists: not merely to make people intelligent, but to make them wise. In the Hebrew understanding, wisdom is the skill of living well. It is about making choices that lead to a flourishing life. Reflection Notice that the foundation is not intelligence, wealth, education, or influence. It is "the fear of the LORD." Here, "fear" does not primarily mean terror. It means deep reverence, humility, and recognizing that the Creator's wisdom is greater than our own. A person who begins there is teachable. A fool, by contrast, rejects correction because they believe they already know enough. Life Application Every day we face decisions: Should I react in anger or with patience? Should I chase quick money or lasting integrity? Should I listen before speaking? Should I admit ...

Origin The exact origin of Ogboni is unknown because it was an oral and initiatory tradition.  According to Yoruba tradition, the society traces its roots to the earliest ancestors of the Yoruba and is closely connected with the worship of Ilẹ̀ (Mother Earth). Rather than being founded by a single person, it gradually developed as a council responsible for justice, truth, and maintaining harmony between people and the earth. Some Ifá verses associate the establishment of sacred institutions like Ogboni with Orúnmìlà and the early creation of society, although there is no single verse that says, "Orúnmìlà founded Ogboni." Meaning of "Ogboni" The name is often understood to come from the Yoruba word "ọgbọ́n", meaning wisdom. Ogboni can therefore be understood as "owners of wisdom" or "those who possess deep wisdom." Purpose of Ogboni. Traditionally, Ogboni served several important roles: Settling disputes fairly. Protecting th...

Who are Aboru, Aboye, and Abosise? They are remembered as three sacred feminine spiritual forces associated with compassion, acceptance, and the successful delivery of divine blessings.  They are revered because they stood with Òrúnmìlà when others rejected him and helped him gain audience with Olódùmarè. Rather than being known for warfare or punishment, they are remembered for intercession, nurturing, and opening spiritual doors. What did they do for Òrúnmìlà? According to one oral account in Ogunda Méjì, Òrúnmìlà sought access to Olódùmarè but could not approach directly. Aboru, Aboye, and Abosise received him, spoke on his behalf, and made his request acceptable before Olódùmarè. Because of their intervention, Òrúnmìlà's mission succeeded. As a sign of gratitude, Òrúnmìlà decreed that those approaching Ifá should first acknowledge these mothers by saying: Aboru! Aboye! Abosise! The Babaláwo replies: Ogbo Ato! This exchange symbolizes a prayer that the work, sacrific...

How Leaving Christianity Led Me Deeper into the Search for Olódùmarè. Table of Contents Introduction Why I Walked Away The Questions Christianity Could Not Silence Wrestling with Doubt and Curiosity Beyond the Church Walls Encountering Spirituality in New Forms The Wisdom of My Ancestors Discovering Ifá and African Spiritual Thought Meeting the Creator Without Labels My Search for Olódùmarè What I Lost and What I Found Lessons from the Journey Can Truth Wear More Than One Garment? Reflections on Religion and Spirituality Conclusion Why the Search Continues

Today, I opened the Bible again. Not because all my questions have been answered. Not because I have abandoned the knowledge I have gained over the years. Not because I suddenly wish to return to every belief I once held. I opened it because I am a seeker. There was a time when I read the Bible through the eyes of tradition. Later, I read it through the eyes of research, history, and criticism. Along the way, I discovered things that challenged my assumptions and forced me to ask difficult questions. Some answers brought clarity. Others led to even deeper questions. Yet the text remains. The pages are still there, waiting to be read. Today, I choose to return to the Bible, not as a defender, not as an opponent, but as a student. I want to listen before I conclude. I want to observe before I interpret. I want to hear what the text says before I hear what others say about it. Wisdom is not afraid of questions. Truth does not tremble before investigation. If something is true, it can with...

You've spent time studying Christianity, the history of the Bible, questions about authenticity, traditions, translations, and different viewpoints. In the process, some of the things you discovered made you question Christianity itself. But now you're feeling drawn to read the Bible again, not because you've abandoned what you've learned, but because you're a seeker of knowledge. You want to approach the text with fresh eyes and see what it says for itself. Many people read the Bible only through the lens of a church tradition. Others read it only through the lens of criticism. Both can become cages.  A seeker tries to sit with the text and ask: What is this passage actually saying? What would the original audience have understood? What does this reveal about humanity? What does this reveal about Olódùmarè? What wisdom can I take from this, even if I don't yet agree with every interpretation? Think of it like returning to an old forest.  The first time, a guide...

By Olamide Akinrinsola  Abstract:  This study is about the transformation of African spirituality as a result of colonialism, the transatlantic slave trade, and missionary expansion, which led to the extinction or degrading of African systems. Africa has existed as a diverse continent made up of different cultures under their own systems, with unique spirituality, language, and identity known to themselves. However, colonization introduced a different system: a new administration of classification, religious structure, and educational system of learning that affected the indigenous beliefs, structures, and cultures of African people, who already had their own unique ways and rules. This study explores the reinterpretation and replacement of African cultural ideology and identity through colonization, through colonial religion and educational systems that suppressed African indigenous systems. It also examines how languages were changed, and naming systems were altered in favor...

The Parable of the Seed, taught by Jesus in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, tells of a farmer scattering seed on four types of ground. Some fell by the roadside. Some on rocky soil. Some among thorns. Some on good soil. From an Ifá perspective, this story is about character and destiny. In Ifá, we say Ìwà l’ẹ̀wà   character is beauty . The seed represents destiny instruction. The soil represents inner character. The Roadside Heart This is the distracted mind.  Wisdom is heard but never rooted. Noise steals revelation before it settles. The Rocky Heart. This person responds quickly but lacks depth. Growth begins fast but cannot survive pressure. Destiny requires endurance. The Thorny Heart. Here, growth exists but is suffocated by distraction. Desire, fear, pride, and anxiety become thorns around purpose. The Good Soil. This heart has been cultivated through discipline, humility, and correction. The seed sinks deep. Harvest follows. Ifá teaches that destin...

Rage is often pain that never got language . When feelings are ignored for too long, they stop knocking and start breaking doors. A few gentle anchors that can help: 1. Separate who you are from what visits you Anger is a visitor, not your name. It shows up fast because it learned that speed was the only way to be heard. 2. Notice the spark, not the explosion There’s always a tiny click before the fire. Tight jaw. Fast breath. Heat in the chest. That click is power. If you catch it, you can pause the story before it runs you. 3. Give anger a safe language Anger that isn’t expressed cleanly will express itself messily. Writing. Walking hard. Cold water on the face. Speaking the truth without attacking. Think of it as letting steam out of a pot before it screams. 4. Be curious, not ashamed Instead of “Why am I like this?” Try: “What is this anger protecting?” Often it’s dignity, fear, old wounds, or boundaries that were crossed too many times. And one important thing: nice people often c...

After the smoke clears, there’s always a moment. Not loud. Not dramatic. Just a quiet awareness that says, “I’m still here.” I used to think change came with force. With anger at myself. With harsh rules and stronger promises. But I’m learning that shame only sharpens the habit. It never heals it. The real turning point isn’t the day I never relapse again. It’s the day I stop running from myself after I do. Today, instead of hiding, I paused. I asked what I was actually reaching for. Rest? Escape? Relief? Control? The smoke was only a messenger. It carried a deeper request I hadn’t learned how to answer yet. So I’m starting small. Not with perfection, but with presence. Not with “never again,” but with “what do I need right now?” If this is your fight too, hear this : stopping is not a straight line. It’s a return. Over and over. To honesty. To help. To yourself. This is not the end of the story. It’s the place where the story starts telling the truth .