Use your head, don't screw it up
This situation occurs on two levels. Most prevalent is a male or female who wants to become initiated as an Ifa priest. The second situation is when an individual, usually already initiated into either Ifa or Orisa feels that receiving a potent form of a particular orisa’s energy would benefit either their own matrix or the work that they may be doing.
The contentious issue regarding this was an offshoot of the Santeria methods of first initiating an individual into their Orisa, and then some months later initiating them into Ifa.
In order to understand the issue, you must understand the hierarchy of these energies. Within that hierarchy, the energy of Ifa would be of a considerably higher order than the orisa. Being as the specific difference between receiving and crowning an energy is that in crowning the actual energy of the specific orisa is integrated into the physical energy matrix of the individuals head, while “receiving” is just that. A living energy container, containing the specific orisa, is given to the individual for their altar and work...but not integrated physically into their head.
Additionally, were an individual to come for Ifa initiation after having crowned orisa in the near or distant past, that energy would be replaced in the persons head by the higher order of Ifa energy. By the way, that does not mean, for example, that if you are an Osun or Obatala etc., that crowning Ifa removes your relationship and connection with your primary orisa . In reality, it is that energy which will guide and determine how you practice Ifa. Orunmila will provide the information, and you will most efficiently actuate that knowledge through the matrix of your selected orisa. For example, Iya Vassa, a quintessential Ogun, expresses her solutions through work...a basic Ogun characteristic. I, as an Obatala, tend to use the information for logical/reasoned ebbos or client understanding.
So, what is the conflict? Well, IF you know you are going on to Ifa in a rather short period of time, why pay twice the amount (crowning vs. receiving) to place something in your head that will simple be “bumped” out is a few weeks or months. The Foundation has always attempted to bring honesty and efficiency to clients experiences, and take twice the money for a non-essential ceremony is simply not good character. Unfortunately, too many others have not felt that way...and have “invented” the concept of “Yemonja insists you be crowned first” etc. to stimulate their cash flow.
Finally, one orisa cannot displace another orisa once crowned. Many of the same people, in order to generate income will tell clients that a different orisa now wants to occupy their head. Again, more nonsense. YOU SELECT YOUR ORISA, the orisa does not select you. Worse, besides being bad character, cluttering the head of an individual with dual energies can produce severe psychological problems.
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