26 Jul Monday Message: Come Together, Choose Peace, Find the Light Within

Alaaaafiaaaa Ase Ire Family! It was another blessed Monday Morning with you on ClubHouse–thanks to all who joined! And thanks especially to those who came up on the stage and shared their testimonies and prayers for the Family.

This week’s Orisa Prayer and Meditation message centered Obatala and his ability to find peace and joy, even when things aren’t quite going his way. I noted that Obatala is not peaceful because nothing bad ever happens to him but because he actively chooses to be peaceful even in stressful situations. A Family member channeled the mantra for us: Peace is a Tool and I Choose It!

As another of our Family members noted in the comments, in order to be a pacifist, one must be capable of great violence. Obatala knows what he’s capable of and that, if he allows his peace to be disturbed, he could potentially destroy the whole earth, and it is much harder to build and repair than it is to destroy. Choosing peace is a practice, and it’s not easy. But when we choose peace, we preserve our own energy and also show faith in our warriors to stand up to fight for us and protect us. When we choose peace, they say, “yeah, that’s right, you chill and let me do it.”

Underscoring this idea of allowing ourselves to be cared for by our warriors and other divinities, our card for this week from the Chalks of Kikongo oracle deck is Community, which reminds us that the rain never falls on only one person’s house. Although the western mindset emphasizes individuality and competition, we as African descendants and Ifa-Orisa practitioners understand that one hand cannot clap, one leg cannot run far fast, one buttock cheek cannot sit well on the mat. We need each other. And, importantly, we need to understand how cultivating our own ori and every aspect of ourselves contributes to and helps ensure a strong community. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and we pray to never be that weak link.

Along with this, our intuitively chosen crystal for this week is labradorite, which helps us to find the light in dark places. When we first look at labradorite from a distance, it looks dark and perhaps not very interesting. But on a closer look, we see that it glimmers and seems to shine from within. This is a great metaphor for ourselves. We’re not always able to see our gifts and blessings, especially if we’re in a seemingly dark place. But labradorite reminds us that there is always a little light shining if only we’d shift our perspective.

I send you immense love and light today, tomorrow, and always! Check out my IG stories today for a little dedication to you. Know that no matter what, you can always choose peace. You can always choose joy. You can always find the light. Ase!

See you around the temple this week and at Communiversity starting August 3.

~Iya Funlayo

PS: Get your books, swag, my new collection, and more in the shop! Akeko Circle members save 10% every day!