The Orisha are the Messengers of Oludumare, the God/Goddess of the Yoruba Traditional Spiritual Tradition known as Ifa. The Yoruba Spiritual Tradition is centered in West Africa in what is now called Nigeria. During the time of the enslavement of Africans in the New World, known as Maafa (Kiswahilli for Great Disaster), Ifa reached the Americas and the Caribbean. Anyone caught practicing the religion was sentenced to death.

Since Christianity was the only religion allowed to enslaved Africans, the Orisha of Ifa hid behind Catholic saints wherever similarities between the two were seen. For example, Shango, Orisha of Thunder and Transformation, bearer of the two-headed axe, was served through Santa Bárbara since she was also portrayed with the two-headed axe. This ensured that the Orisha would survive the transatlantic passage and live.

Centuries later, the Orisha are still worshiped behind the masks of saints…and openly by their original African names and images. People of all colors, genders, and nationalities now celebrate the Orisha in the privacy of their own homes and together with their spiritual families, commonly called Houses or Islands.

Here are five suggestions to help you connect with the beauty and harmony of the Orisha.

1. Attend lectures on traditional West African spiritual practice. Check with your local universities for information on lectures in the Departments of Comparative Religions, Anthropology, and African Studies.

2. Subscribe to reputable lists about Orisha and Traditional African Spirituality on the Internet. You can find a list of Orisha-focused discussions by doing a search on Yahoogroups.com and Google.com. Be prepared to express your intentions and show respect for the guidelines on the list.

3. Attend lectures and see exhibitions of West African art at your local museums. Give them a call and ask to be added to their mailing lists for upcoming events.

4. Check your local holistic newspaper for workshops, seminars, and conferences in your area given by initiates in the Ifa tradition or one of its New World adaptations, such as Santeria, Candomblé, Shango Baptist, or Lucumi.

5. Attend conferences and workshops that focus on Orisha practice. Check with your local metaphysical and botanical bookstores for a list of upcoming events.

Supplementing your Ifa reading with direct contact with people who are involved in the Ifa tradition will give you a different perspective and will enhance your experience with the Orisha immensely.