What is Ifa?

What is Ifa?

Ifa is a West African technology of communication between worlds – worlds of humans, ancestors, gods, and personal destinies.



In addition, Ifa refers to all the work associated with Ifa divination – the initiating of youth and adults, the making of medicines or talismans, making offerings to orisha (orisa), ancestors (egungun) or other entities, continuing education by diviners (babalawo) after initiation, and so on.



Recognizing its sophistication, UNESCO named Ifa one of the world’s Intangible Heritages of Humanity in 2005 making it a world cultural treasure.



Ifa accepts everyone – regardless of biology, nationality, or religious identification – by virtue of being eniyan (human being), the ones selected by the creator (Olorun) to improve the world and leave it better than when we came into it.



When communicating with people, Ifa speaks through eloquent stories, proverbs, songs, and poetry. Through these, the wisdom from other worlds enters this world in order to correct and right what has become imbalanced or sick. By hearing the voice of Ifa, humans are provided with the opportunity to heal and deepen the meaning of their lives by shifting life’s circumstances away from the ones that have brought trouble.



The person who comes to Ifa achieves healing through offerings and actions directed through Ifa’s advice. The wisdom of ancestral pasts enter the living present so that the living may heal themselves and so heal the wounds of the ancestors.