12 Sep Stop the Monkey Business and Bask in Your Glory!

Alaafia Fam! Have you ever elevated someone to a position they hadn’t earned in your life? This week’s Orisa Prayer and Meditation message came from the odu Ifa osa odi and tells of a time when Obatala and Yemoja were married and lamenting the fact that their children were spread all over the world and so they had no one at home to care for.

Obatala went out and found the monkey, who he counted as one of his children and who was being mistreated in the world, and brought it home for him and Yemoja to care for. At first, the monkey ran wild and wouldn’t keep on the clothes they dressed it in nor do the things they wanted it to do. But after a while, with Obatala and Yemoja’s training, it wore its little sokoto (pants), buba (shirt), and fila (hat) without taking them off, it ate nicely at the table and could even carry on great conversations. People came from all over the town to visit them and enjoy the monkey’s company and compliment its progress.

One night at dinner, Obatala asked the monkey for the bread and the monkey said, “Kings shouldn’t be disturbed while eating, you should get it yourself.” Obatala was shocked at the disrespect! The monkey had decided that it was a king because of the position it reached with Obatala and Yemoja’s guidance and forgot that they had, in fact, guided it and taught it all the things the people admired about it.

The monkey ultimately disrespected Yemoja as well, and that was the last straw. They went to consult with Orunmila about what to do and Ornmila said simply, “However you dress it, a monkey is still a monkey.” Orunmila told them to take their power back from the monkey up and stop treating it like a person. The listened and regained control of their home and their lives.

Lots of lessons here, some of which we unpacked during Monday Motivation. The main one being the primary adage of this odu, “once a monkey always a monkey!” Obatala and Yemoja had cleaned the monkey up, dressed it, taught it things, but that did not make it human. That did not make it respectful. That did not make it loyal. It was still a monkey and it acted like it. Often, we see potential in others and treat them according to that unrealized vision rather than the reality of who they are. Acting in accordance with how things are rather than how we want them to be is an important step toward not playing ourselves with monkey business.

As well, Obatala and Yemoja went and got the monkey because they were feeling a sense of loneliness and lack. They felt like something was missing and were trying to plug a hole. Any time we approach things from this standpoint, we run the risk of getting hurt because we’re giving our power away. You came to the world whole and complete, empowered, ready to manifest and channel — act like you know!  get into our statement for the week:

I will stop the monkey business!

As always, spirit is on point and the Sybil or Queen of Pentacles comes through with a reminder for us to understand who we are and stand in our glory! You’ve planted, you’ve tended your garden, and now its harvest time. Take a moment to appreciate yourself and bask in the glow of whatever you have accomplished recently, no matter how big or small.

Citrine, our crystal ally, boosts our energy and taps us into the power of joy! Don’t be so focused on “healing” and “fixing” yourself and everything around you that you’re unable to see what’s going well and enjoy it. Feel confident and remember you are more than enough!

May these messages and lessons resonate with you whenever you connect with them! Ase!

~Iya Funlayo

PS: Tarot Level 2 will run October 23 – November 13, open at anyone who has taken Level 1. Stay tuned for registration!

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