You've Come to the Mat. Now what?

I was driving and mulling this thought over. You come to the mat, but what comes next? What are you doing afterwards?

Part of what happens is definitely lineage specific. There may be other things that need to happen depending on whether you received Isefa or Itefa. Another part may depend on what you did prior to coming to the mat.

Here are some suggestions I have for what to do before you receive Isefa or Itefa:

• Cultivate a spiritual lifestyle that mirrors an active practitioner in Isese

• Learn what Ori is and how to honor your Ori

• Learn the protocols of the tradition (greetings, etc.)

• Learn as much about yourself as possible. Make learning yourself an active part of your lifestyle.

  • Study available esoteric tools for understanding who you are

  • Study various psychological tools for understanding who you are

  • Learn how to do illumination work (commonly known as Shadow Work)

• Don't simply focus on deconstruction, what reconstruction work are you doing?

• Vet yourself as a student of Ifa

  • What is your learning style

  • How much hand holding do you require?

  • Are you overzealous?

  • How devoted to your learning are you?

  • How do you feel about the Elder - Student dynamic?

• Vet your Elder(s)

  • How much interaction do you need? Can they meet that?

  • Do you need formal classes? Do they offer that?

  • Are they a good teacher for YOU?

  • What do they specialize in?

  • How do they feel about you expanding your learning with other Elders/Mentors?

• Determine if you are prepared to invest in your growth and development. What's your budget and who meets that?

• Learn. Study. Learn some more. Apply it. Learn. Study. Apply it.

So you've done all that and received Isefa or Itefa. Things that are consistent across the board regardless of lineage?

• You receive an Odu

• You get some information about that Odu including dos and donts

Anything else can vary from person to person and lineage.

So what is your responsibility after Isefa or Itefa beyond the spiritual aspects?

• Continued learning about Isese and Ifa- There is so much more to learn. Invest in yourself.

• Study your Odu Ifa that you received.

  • Study what you received at the mat. How can you integrate that information?

  • Do research on the Odu and see what more you can learn

  • Check in with your Elder (if possible) or another, around what information you've received

  • Integrate what you learn

• Plan for your annual celebration the following year.

Let's talk integration of the new awareness of the self. Notice in the beginning I mentioned you should learn more about yourself. By the time you get to the mat, this should be common practice for you. However, it is not simply learning. It is integration. It's applying the information to your life so that it goes from entertainment to data to knowledge to Wisdom.

• Start with one thing and learn it well

• Journal about how you see it already showing up

• Take inventory of yourself, are you living that thing fully?

• If yes, what can you do to enhance it?

• If not, what is holding you back? How can you address whatever is holding it back?

• Pick practical behaviors to integrate into lifestyle.

• Celebrate success

• Give grace for presumed misses

• Then move on to something else

For those concerned about time, you are time. You can, however, group similar traits together if that is feasible.

The key is to enjoy the development and growth.

Personal growth and development doesn't have to be traumatic to be successful. It's not about beating yourself up.

Personal growth is a journey. Sometimes it is messy. Sometimes it is beautiful. At all times you are doing it for you and never alone.

We are not solo practioners in this walk. We have personal relationships with the divine, and community to help us learn and grow.

May we all learn how to walk in the light of our chosen path. Ase!