In this groundbreaking book, Chief Olayinka Babatunde Ogunsina Adewuyi discusses the important aspects of the traditional African worship of Orisanla. The information in this book will be of great interest to any Orisa devotee. The book includes discussions about Obatala and the divinity’s relationship to humanity and to the sacred world; myths; Odu Ifa with translations in English relating to Orisaala; detailed descriptions of rituals, sacrifice, initiations, and other aspects of worship; history; a description of an Obatala temple; prayers; and a wide variety of other important topics, many of which will surprise and delight.

Obatala means "King of the White Cloth." This title refers to a particularly soft and beautiful white fabric associated with Yoruba Kings. This fabric's myriad threads are so masterfully interwoven that at first sight one cannot distinguish them. "To call an orisha the chief of white cloth is to make a symbolic reference to that substance which makes consciousness possible... It is a reference to the fabric which binds the universe together.

What is the secret of African joy? From Bahia to New Orleans to London, Black people are the very embodiment of happiness! Our songs, our dances and our vibrant cultures light up the African diaspora with joy. The Yoruba say, mbari-mbayo! It means, "You see me and rejoice!" According to Yoruba tradition, Obatala is the Orisa closely associated with happiness. He is praised as "the father of laughter." Through his example, we discover happiness as a path of inner peace. In Obatala: Four Paths to Equanimity, you will learn four ways that Obatala shows the way to inner peace. The book includes a series of sacred text, self-exploration exercises, and activities designed to increase your personal connection to the magnificent energy of Obatala, the Great Orisa.

This text aims to be a practical instruction manual on: psychic-preparation; casting a circle; creating an altar; choosing, blessing and consecrating ritual objects; crystal empowerment; and methods of divination using cowrie bells, playing cards, or a pendulum.

From the ancient stories of the West African Yoruba people comes the colorful children's picture book "Obatala's Daughter Discovers True Friends." Obatala encourages his daughter Kemi to look for friends with good character. She has an exciting journey in which she learns that being superficial can bring trouble. However, with clarity and courage Kemi finds joy at last. The plot, the images and even some Yoruba vocabulary will dazzle young and older readers alike! This is the second book in the internationally renowned 'Yoruba Orisa Children's Series'. The first book is "Shango's Son."

The story of Konga continues. There is unrest and suspiscion in the Kingdom of Ile - Ife. Other fallen elder gods seek to finish the work Eshu started by destroying Ife using the Staff of Obatala lost by Priestess Yetunde. Konga is conscripted by Olorun to find the Staff and save Ife from the dark forces intent on destroying it

Obatala is the Spirit of the Chief of the White Cloth in the West African religious tradition called Ifá. The power of Obatala is described by Ifá as one of many Spiritual Forces in Nature which are called Orisha. There are a large number of Orisha, and each Orisha has its own awo (Mysteries of Nature). The word Obatala is the name given to describe a complex convergence of Spiritual Forces that are key elements in the Ifá concept of consciousness. Those Spiritual Forces that form the foundation of Obatala's role in the Spirit Realm relate to the movement between dynamics and form as it exists throughout the universe. According to Ifá, dynamics and form represent the polarity between the Forces of expansion and contraction. Together these Forces create light and darkness, and it is Obatala who brings this into being.

In this “captivating” (Harper’s Bazaar) and lyrical debut novel—perfect for fans of The Water Dancer and the Legacy of Orïsha series—the Yoruba deity of the sea, Yemaya, is brought to vivid life as she discovers the power of Black resilience, love, and feminine strength in antebellum America. Shallow Waters imagines Yemaya, an Orïsha—a deity in the religion of Africa’s Yoruba people—cast into mid-1800s America. We meet Yemaya as a young woman, still in the care of her mother and not yet fully aware of the spectacular power she possesses to protect herself and those she holds dear. The journey laid out in Shallow Waters sees Yemaya confront the greatest evils of this era; transcend time and place in search of Obatala, a man who sacrifices his own freedom for the chance at hers; and grow into the powerful woman she was destined to become. We travel alongside Yemaya from her native Africa and on to the “New World,” with vivid pictures of life for those left on the outskirts of power in the nascent Americas. Yemaya realizes the fighter within, travels the Underground Railroad in search of the mysterious stranger Obatala, and crosses paths with icons of our history on the road to freedom. Shallow Waters is a “riveting and heartbreaking” (Publishers Weekly) work of ritual storytelling from promising debut author Anita Kopacz.

When the Yoruba of West Africa were brought to Cuba as slaves, they preserved their religious heritage by disguising their gods as Catholic saints and worshiping them in secret. The resulting religion is Santería, a blend of primitive magic and Catholicism now practiced by an estimated five million Hispanic Americans. Blending informed study with her personal experience, González-Wippler describes Santería¿s pantheon of gods ("orishas "); the priests ("santeros" ); the divining shells used to consult the gods (the "Diloggún" ) and the herbal potions prepared as medicinal cures and for magic ("Ewe ) "as well as controversial ceremonies-including animal sacrifice. She has obtained remarkable photographs and interviews with Santería leaders that highlight aspects of the religion rarely revealed to nonbelievers. This book satisfies the need for knowledge of this expanding religious force that links its devotees in America to a spiritual wisdom seemingly lost in modern society.