Ika Meji
II II
I I
II II
II II
The esoteric representation of Ika Meji is Ojo the primordial serpent
who symbolizes the reptiles of the forest.
Ika is an image of the use of fire for protection.
Sudden things coming right at you
Forest floor --- Be constantly on guard
Physical body element = muscles and shoulders
Extremities --- Toes and Fingers
Insures sequence --- A clean slate
Things slip through your fingers -- You just miss opportunities
Children would be disposed to be shipwrights, theatre managers or musicians.
Pride
You win the war but loose the battle.
Permits a person to come out of a vicious circle.
Violent character but is short
Incline to the health and to the zing the illness can only be accidental.
The hot winds that bring disease
Everything can accounted be
Crawlers and creepers keep away from me
Wicked fingers!
The one who cut two ears of corn to deify his head was to be called Ikameji. The one to whom this Odu was divined will be fruitful in the world.
Omipensen-akodun-koro divined for Ogun when he was going to attack his enemy. He was advised to make sacrifice:- A keg of palm wine, roasted yam and palm-oil. Ogun refused. Then he was told that he would be poisoned before he returned. In the long run he fought and won the battle but one of his men offered him a piece of roasted yam which he ate but the yam got stuck to his throat with the result that he could not speak again and had to made gestures to indicate anything he wanted to say.
Story of hunters who were unable to capture elephant. Turtle said he will bring
elephant to village. Turtle took food that the elephant liked to eat and told elephant to
follow him for more in abundance. The elephant followed the turtul back to village were he
had him sit on map to eat. Under the mat was a huge pit which elephnat fell into.
Odu suggests that faith, wisdom and intelligence when combined have greater power then
physical strengh alone. Be aware of possible danger in all undertakings.
"Pouncing," the diviner of Cat, was the one who cast Ifa for Cat when he was trading every day, but having his profits slip from his grasp. They said he should make sacrifice. He made the sacrifice. From that time on, Cat has never again had things slip from his grasp .
Ifa says there is someone who is having everything slip from his grasp; he should sacrifice so that things will never slip from his grasp again. It is understood that the needles became Cat's claws, with which he keeps things from escaping from his grasp. This verse thus explains how cats came to have claws, and why they can hold things tightly.
Ase O!
Note: These verses are only a fraction of the entirety of Ika-Meji