West Africas Orisha and Astrology

BY SOYINKA I.OGUNBUSOLA

Our ast uni erse is ho!e to a host of celestial "odies. #ercury$ %enus$ #ars$ &u'iter$ Saturn (luto and Uranus) *ere *orshi'ed "y all indigenous cultures around the glo"e under nu!erous na!es. +hey ha e influenced the actions of !an since ti!e i!!e!orial. +he !a,ority of religious !ythology *as influenced "y astrology) *as it any *onder !an sought out guidance fro! the hea ens. Bet*een -.$... and /$... B0 the Africans of the Nile alley and great la1es region de ised the stellar calendar. In 2$... B0 the solar calendar *ould !ar1 the era of a ne* age) a dynastic 'eriod e3tended its greatness through an entire !illenniu!. +he 'yra!id "uilders and !onu!ent architects erected !onolithic structures that till this day continue to !ar el !odern architecture. +he foundation of a cultures s'iritual syste! influenced "y the celestial "odies and their !o e!ent in the hea ens ins'ired the! to erect !onu!ents that !ar1ed the solstices and the e4uino3es as *ell as the transits of the 'lanets. +he eneration of the ancestors *as also deter!ined "y the celestial !o e!ents) as translated in 5+he "oo1 of the dead5 and 5+he "oo1 of co!ing forth "y day6$ 5+he coffin te3t$ and (yra!id te3t. +hese religious te3t or 'a'yrus scrolls are cry'tic descri'tions of allegorical stories of the deities that resided in the hea ens that ha e considera"ly influenced their daily li es to such a high degree that !agnificent te!'les *ere erected in their honor that are still in e3istence today. +he descendants of this culture *ho !igrated fro! the Nile alley and great la1es region o er 'eriod of generations "eca!e 1no*n as the Yari" a deri ati e of Yoru"a of South*estern Nigeria in West Africa *hose cultural 'ractices *ere and still are dee'ly su"!erged in ancestral eneration. 7es'ite the e!ergence of 0hristian !issionaries and Isla!ic &ihads there still resides *ithin this cultural conte3t the traditional Yoru"a8s "elief syste! is 1no*n as Ifa ac1no*ledging the creator$ Oludu!are through the essence of nature. Oludu!are9 the creator force "irthed the hea ens into e3istence$ thus "ringing into e3istence the e3tensions of the creator) "etter 1no*n as Orisha a 'ractice consisting of the ac1no*ledg!ent of the creator through the forces of nature. Within the ele!ents of earth *ind *ater and fire there e3ist an entire 'antheon of West African deities 1no*n as Orisha$ the ind*elling s'irit of consciousness that 'lays a significant role fro! the hea ens in the daily li es of the 'ractioners of the s'iritual traditions of Ifa) +he Yoru"a "elie e that it is Orisha *ho guides the consciousness of an indi idual. It is said that there e3ist 2.. Orisha) facets of nature *hich are earthly re'resentations of the cos!os) hea enly energies$ and therefore nothing e3ist or ha''ens in the s1y that does not ha e its influence or i"ration on earth *ithin natures ele!ents and also in hu!an "eha ior. In other *ords as a"o e so "elo*. +he traditional Yoru"a "elie e that e erything *ithin nature on earth 'ossesses a consciousness) 'lant ani!al !ineral and !an. +he Orisha8s characters are "ased on the characteristic nature of the 'lanets) their !o e!ents$ such as o''ositions$ transits$ trines$ se3tiles and con,unctions in astrology and astrono!y. +hese celestial e ents are inter'reted fro! the Yoru"a8s o*n cultural 'ers'ecti e. +he sco'e of this article is not intended to discuss the Ifa religious syste! in its entirety) only the !a,or Orisha as their corres'ondence to the natal "irth chart$ the houses$ inner and outer 'lanets and transits. If you could i!agine the "eginning and end of a circle you *ould co!e to understand the ne er ending cycle of creation$ reincarnation transition and that all things created ha e a destiny that is influenced "y the hea ens. In traditional Ifa the Orisha or god of destiny is Oru!ila) also 1no*n

as the oracle Orisha. Within the di ination syste! of the Yoru"a the O'an Ifa) di ining "oard used in Ifa di ination is si!ilar to that of the astrological "irth or natal chart that is di ided into t*el e houses e4ualing thirty degrees$ the distance it ta1es the sun to tra el in a day. +he t*el e houses of the natal chart are areas of life go erned "y a 'articular 'lanet$ in regards to the traditional Yoru"a8s cultural 'erce'tion of ones e3istence these houses *ould "e ruled "y a 'articular essence in nature or Orisha for instance: The first house the self or out*ard a''earance and surface 'ersonality is Aries the ra! ruled "y #ars$ *ithin the Yoru"a tradition the Orisha of iron and steel$ Ogun the *arrior god 'ossessing asserti e and aggressi e characteristics rules the first house. It is Ogun *ho is the 'atron of soldiers$ 'olice Officers$ surgeons$ railroad *or1ers$ *elders$ "ody "uilders$ or anyone e!'loyed to *or1 *ith iron and steel. The second house the house of !aterial 'ossessions and !oney is +aurus ruled "y %enus the goddess of lo e) *ithin the Yoru"a 'antheon Orisha of the ri ers la1es and all "odies of fresh *ater. Oshun the !other of a"undance do!inates this area of life) !otherhood$ *ealth$ and lo e. The third house the house of duality$ "alance$ co!!unication$ high energy is Ge!ini ruled "y #ercury. +he cos!ic t*ins of the Yoru"a 'antheon the I"e,i) do!inate in this area of life they are the ying and yang$ e3'ansion$ and contraction$ 'ositi e and negati e energies e3isting *ithin all life. The fourth house 'ertains to issues surrounding the ho!e. #aternal$ 'rotecti e$ nurturing and instincti e) 4ualities do!inate in 0ancer ruled "y the !oon. +hese are the attri"utes of the Orisha Ye!o,a$ Orisha of the ocean$ *hose e"" and flo* of the tides are a result of the !oon *hich is an attri"ute of her as *ell. The fifth house Leo ruled "y the sun) a house of en,oy!ent ro!ance$ children$ and !ost of all creati ity in all as'ects of e3istence. ;ere the illu!ination of the sun is reflectant of the *isdo! of Oru!ila the Orisha of destiny *ho sits "y the side of Oludu!are the creator god of the Yoru"a. It is *ithin this as'ect of e3istence *here !an chooses his or her destiny and it is recorded "y Oru!ila in the 'resence of Oludu!are at *hich ti!e the "reath of life is gi en to !an u'on his or her e!ergence on earth) hence the creation$ and destiny of !an. The six house %irgo a house of *or1$ health$ and ser ice ruled "y #ercury. Out of the Yoru"a 'antheon of Orisha it is <su Orisha of the crossroads *ho is res'onsi"le for co!!unication in e ery as'ect of e3istence "et*een the Orisha$ the ancestors$ !an$ and Oludu!are. ;is real! of e3istence lies "et*een the s'irit *orld and the !aterial *orld. ;is do!ain is *ithin the crossroads) *hen the sun !oon or 'lanet crosses o er into a arious =odiac signs to assert a 'articular influence. +his is an as'ect of <su$ *or1ing to ensure that the other Orisha are a"le to ser e their 'ur'oses. ;e is also 1no*n as the di ine !essenger the !ost i!'ortant Orisha *ithin the 'antheon. ;is influence !ay also "e found in the third house as *ell. The seventh house of 'artnershi's is a house of "alance and har!ony) a trait of Li"ra *ho is ruled "y %enus. ;ere is another do!ain of Oshun that falls *ithin the real! of lo e$ ro!ance and !arriage. Oshun relishes in elegance$ "eauty$ grace$ artistry$ char! charis!a and refine!ent. She is the Yoru"a goddess of lo e. The eighth house of Scor'io ruled "y (luto this is a house of a"solute 'o*er. Scor'io is one of the !ost 'o*erful signs of the =odiac is it any *onder that the *arrior Orisha Oya$ also the stor! goddess of the Yoru"a do!inates this eighth house of transfor!ation$ regeneration$ death$ se3 reincarnation$ and other 'eo'les !oney) inheritances and financing. She is the hurricanes that

for! on the West coast of Africa tra eling across the Atlantic *ith *inds that generating any*here fro! se enty to t*o hundred !iles an hour$ she is the tornados and t*isters that u'roots trees and houses. She is the only force *ithin nature that has the a"ility to change the face of the earth fro! her destructi e *inds. +his 'o*erful Orisha is also res'onsi"le for carrying the s'irits of the ne*ly de'arted to the s'irit *orld. In Nigeria it is Oya *ho do!inates the !ar1et 'lace. In so!e 'arts of Nigeria she is Oya of the Niger >i er) a force *ithin nature to "e res'ected$ and a !ost for!ida"le *arrior attri"ute *hen in o1ed to fight for *o!en8s rights. The ninth house the do!ain of Sagittarius) a 'lace of higher education$ religion$ 'hiloso'hy$ and di ine la*) ruled "y &u'iter the 'lanet of e3'ansion$ gro*th$ and good fortune is the largest "ody in our solar syste! "esides the sun. +his *ould "e the Yoru"a8s 'lanetary counter'art of O"atala the father of the Orisha) o*ner of the *hite cloth$ he is the 'urity and illu!ination at its =enith$ the Orisha of *isdo! and intelligence$ ruling the 'hysical "ody his do!ain is all *hite fluids of the "ody$ the s1eletal structure$ and the "rain. The tenth house of career status and re'utation do!inated "y 0a'ricorn is ruled "y Saturn. +he Yoru"a 'antheon of Orisha associates Ba"alu?Aiye *ith the 'lanet Saturn$ *hich is the tas1!aster. Saturn is associated *ith 'atients$ disci'line$ li!itation$ and structure. Ba"alu?Aiye is considered the Orisha of the earth. ;e can "ring forth either 'ros'erity or sic1ness and disease$ for is also 1no*n as the deity of s!all 'o3$ in 0atholicis! he is referred to as St. La=arus. The eleventh house is the house of A4uarius do!inated "y u'hea al$ re"ellion$ and sudden une3'ected e ents. >uled "y Uranus these characteristics of re"ellion$ u'raises$ sudden changes$ and u'hea al are traits of the *arrior Orisha Sango the Orisha of thunder lightning and fire. 7uring the course of history *hen Uranus *as transiting (luto this *as a ti!e of great change through acts of *ar$ sla e u'risings$ and re"ellions$ es'ecially in the 0ari""ean islands. +he ci il rights era *as iolent and tur"ulent as *ell "ringing a"out great change. +hese historical e ents throughout history as iolent as they *ere *ould "e associated *ith the *arrior as'ects of not only Sango "ut the Orisha Ogun$ and Oya. +his fiery energy of the hea ens denotes aggressi e and asserti e influences of the hea enly "odies. Within the Yoru"a 'antheon such Orisha *ould "e called u'on for 'rotection fro! ones ene!ies. The twelfth house of (ieces ruled "y Ne'tune is dee'ly su"!erged in secrecy 'rone to illusionary facets of reality. +his house is centered on seclusion and s'irituality. +his house of the su"conscious is do!inated "y Olo1un the Orisha of the ocean floor. 7ee' and !ysterious his real! is) the old Yoru"a 'ro er" says that no"ody 1no*s *hat lies on the ocean floor. ;is as'ects are reflectant in the drea! ti!e$ the su"conscious$ and the altered state of consciousness *hen one enters s'irit 'ossession$ ritual and arious le els of initiations and nu!erous rites of 'assage. Olo1un is considered to "e the star of Africa) he *ould "e considered the o*ner of the great !ystery syste!s of Africa) 1no*n "y !any na!es. ;e s'ar1s *ithin us the genius *ithin our "eing acti ating our su'er su"conscious. +he interchangea"le role 'layed "y the Orisha$ and nu!erous celestial "odies and their influence on one another can "e so!e*hat o er*hel!ing. As the study of astrology and astrono!y "eco!es !ore ad anced our co!'rehension of the Orisha and their 'lanetary characteristics and si!ilarities continue to re!ain a !ystery to the initiated and uninitiated.

Plagued by savage dreams drawing blood Ife` Kenyatta is driven to West Africa, traveling through bewitched lands she must over come the terrifying mirage-like barriers that protect a village shrouded in mystery to under go a deadly rites of passage that will empower her with the ability to command the elements, invoke the spirits of the dead, and reside between worlds that of the living and that of the dead to prepare for the ultimate confrontation! In the middle passage deep beneath the ocean"s surface a four hundred year old abomination rises every full moon tormenting the coast of #igeria terrori$ing its citi$ens to the edge of madness! While returning from a routine investigation %aptain &atima 'atari and her crew accidentally stumble across the wreckage of a what they perceive as a horrible shipping accident, until further investigation reveals the unspeakable the unbelievable a horror unimaginable! A(AI)A*)+ A, A-A./# 0 /#)I#+ *//K 1,/2+1