Trails and Landmarks (Ki Awa se Aye ni Rere)
By Chief FAMA

A verse of an Odu Ifa says in part:
Da Ifa fun aja
Aja nlọ si oko iwajẹ
Wọn ni ki aja o ru ẹbọ
Wọn ni ko ni ṣina (ati bee bee)..

Ifa was consulted for dog
When dog was about to embark on one of his hunting expeditions
Ebo was prescribed for dog
For precaution against going off course, etc.

Outside the literal living with which we are all familiar, little attention is placed on our subtle but remarkable footprints. From the moment our parents access our situations and conclude we can make it on our own—personal assessment that is different from the configured legal age that a not-yet-fully- matured teenager should be cast off—we start to channel our own course in live. While at the foot of this uphill task of life's endeavors, we are usually unaware of the embankment of the waves of life that we are riding, or the distance the life's current will take us. The certainty is that we would land somewhere, no matter what place. As we go about, following these individual trails, we leave landmarks. What is unique about our landmarks is that they do not ask us questions. They follow their own Odumare ordained instructions diligently. Moreover, they wait patiently for us on our return trails. And, if we do not personally use the landmarks, others following our trails would use the landmarks as guides in locating us or understanding us and our deeds and actions. With this in mind, the question is, "What kind of landmarks do we want to leave as guides for those who would like to follow our trails?"

In the partly quoted verse above, dog marked its trail with its own urine. The mark was so effective that other dogs on that trail knew right away that a member of their class had passed through. Secondly, the mark also helped dog when he had to follow the trail backward. As the most intelligent being in our sphere of the universe, we can continue, and should continue, to empower the future generations by imprinting fruitful marks on our trails. After all, it is these future generations who would benefit the most from such landmarks, taking into consideration that we are the journey makers, now. So, if you do your best, and I do my best, and we all do our best, not only we will leave impregnable landmarks for the future generations, we will be able to take advantage of the landmarks in our own life time, also.

Today being Ose Ife (Orun Ifa), please go before your Ifa with obi abata meji, orogbo meji, epo pupa lopo-lopo (epo pupa in abundance), oti lopo-lopo (oti in abundance), ataare (9 / 7), and iwure lopo-lopo (abundant prayers). For the Iyalorisa and Babalorisa, do the same, go before your respective Orisas and make the necessary offerings. Incorporate today's wishful thoughts for the world and the world of our future generations. We cannot take the attitude of "Once am gone, am gone." Because, who knows, many or most of us might come back (reincarnate) as part of that world. A ji ire ni oni o (we wake up with ire today—"Good Morning"). Ase.

Contributions, comments, or reactions to this post should be forwarded directly to the author of the post, Chief FAMA, at Ileorunmila@ aol.com or by subscription to Ifaseeyen@yahoogrou ps.com. Also, visit Ileorunmila. com, Orisa's cyber parlor (Gbagede Orisa), for further discussions on Ifa and the Orisas.
Aboru aboye.
Chief FAMA
Ileorunmila. com
1 909 886 6023.