Ifá: A Forest of Mystery

by Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold, Childerico (Illustrator), Ògúnṣínà Babatúndẹ́ Ọlàyínkà Adéwuyì (Preface)

Ifá: A Forest of Mystery by Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold is a major study on the cosmology, metaphysics, philosophy and divination system of Ifá, written by a tradition holder and member of the council of elders, known as the Ogboni society, of Abeokuta, Nigeria. Ifá – an alternative name for its prophet Òrúnmìlà – is a religion, a wisdom tradition and a system of divination encoding the rich and complex oral and material culture of the Yoruba people. The Yoruba culture is grounded in memory, an ancestral repository of wisdom, that generates good counsel, advises appropriate ebo (sacrifice) and opens the way to develop a good character on our journey through life and in our interactions with the visible and invisible worlds. The work is a presentation of the first sixteen odù of the Ifá corpus of divination verses explained in stories, allegories and proverbs reflecting the practical wisdom of Ifá. The work is both a presentation of Ifá for those with little knowledge of it, and a dynamic presentation of the wealth of its wisdom for those already familiar with Ifá. The deities and key concepts of Ifá metaphysics are discussed, Obàtálá, Ònilé, Sàngó, Ògún, Oya, Òsányìn, Yemoja, Èsù, àse (power), egúngún (ancestry), ìwà (character), and orí (head/consciousness/daimon). Notably, Dr Frisvold has created a work which celebrates the Yoruba wisdom tradition and makes a bridge with the Western world. It is of value for the light that it casts on the origins and mysteries of Èsù and òrìsà, and an important source for those practicing Quimbanda, Palo, Santeria, Vodou and the African Diaspora religions. Yet its lessons are universal, for it is the art of developing character, of attracting good fortune and accruing wisdom in life. As Nicholaj ‘…Ifá is a philosophy, a theogony, theology and cosmology rooted in a particular metaphysic that concerns itself with the real and the ideal, the world and its beginning...’

Genres: Magic, Nonfiction

472 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 28, 2016

Reviews

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is well-researched and very informative. However, as a complete beginner to Ifá, I found it very difficult to follow. The glossary does not contain all of the terms used by the author or a chart of the main Òrìṣàs, which would have been very helpful to keep them straight as they are referenced often throughout the book. This book often reads like a textbook and would likely be more accessible if supplemented by instruction, particularly for students of philosophy, as the author draws many parallels to Western philosophers. I was surprised that the author did not make any comparisons with the I Ching despite several similarities. However, the book is well-written and contains many truisms, as well as beautiful illustrations. It has certainly piqued my interest to learn more about Ifá.

[Ambrosio · Rating 5 out of 5]

a great book which aims to explain the complex oral tradition behind this religion. Nicholaj masterfully connects the figures from the Ifa oracle with the myths, gods and stories around them.
When you reach the ending you cannot avoid to be amazed at the depth of human knowledge it contains.

[Rebeca Sidhe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good and heavy reading that goes through the 16 Odus explaining their stories and forces as it contexts, for those interested in Ifá, is a must-have book.