All About Olofin: Learn how to greet him, what secret he has and what to offer him to get something and how to ask him correctly.
In the Yoruba religion, there is a supreme God, who was responsible for the creation of all living beings and the entire universe. Only a select few can know him, and he will help us guide our lives.
In this belief, Olodumare is named as the supreme God, but Olofin becomes a representation of him, who visits the world only infrequently and plays a fundamental role.
Who is Olofin?
Through syncretism (in the Catholic religion), Olofín is known as Jesus Christ himself, due to his actions and characteristics, which resemble his, especially because he includes the creation of the world and human beings.
He is considered the greatest God in the Yoruba religion in one of its representations of the main Olodumare, being his firstborn son, through whom people can establish a connection with the supreme Olodumare.
In the Yoruba religion
For them, Olofin is a very important and greatest representation of Olodumare, so for them, this divinity would be an essential divinity who should be respected and worshipped as a supreme being:
- He is the “Owner of the Palace,” referring to the fact that heaven is his home and where all the orishas become an important part of his family.
- Not everyone can maintain direct contact with him, as only Ifá priests or Babalawos are allowed to do so. You can still speak to him, but you will not be able to know his secrets.
- He is considered the divine and absolute incarnation of the creation of the universe and is also responsible for governing the orishas in their missions and relationships with the human beings of the earth.
- Olofin was the one who allowed the Orisha Orula to approach the earth to profess with his followers and to protect them from close quarters from all evils and negative energies that could upset his followers.
- He is the only way you can communicate with Olodumare, as he belongs to his trinity and is responsible for receiving all the messages that human beings have for him.
- The babalawos, or Ifá priests, must stay away in order to properly guard Olofin’s secrets.
What is the prayer for him?
Prayers for Olofin are quite specific, as he is a special and infinite entity. These prayers and ceremonies are special acts to demonstrate the great devotion one has to him.
The only Yoruba prayer that exists, if you want to properly venerate the great Olofin, is through the following prayer, found in the Yoruba language:
“Olokun, Olofin, Olodumare”
This prayer should be repeated several times, as the goal is to gain their attention and summon them through these words, which should be accompanied by drumming, chanting, and any activity that promotes the emotion it evokes.
What is Olofin’s secret?
Olofin holds important spiritual themes, including the creation of the universe and the rule of the orishas on Earth.
For this reason, this entity is known for guarding secrets very well, keeping them protected and safe.
The only ones who may know some of these secrets Olofin keeps are the Ifá priests or babalawos, which is why they often live in remote places.
How to greet him?
For Olofin, there is no specific greeting you should use when communicating or addressing him, however, there are some ways this deity would be pleased with your actions:
- You must give thanks for everything you have every day or night.
- When you give thanks, let your emotions flow with everything around you.
- Express the emotions your soul and heart feel at that moment.
- Every time you speak to him, you should have a joyful and excited attitude.
How to care for him?
Olofin, like Olodumare, is not cared for. He has no altars, symbols, or figures with which he identifies, as he is a supreme being who should not be represented and who only maintains contact with humans and directly with the Ifá priests.
However, you can place and do some things to remember him and maintain a connection with this divinity:
- Place a circle of cinnamon and sugar in the back of your home.
- Place offerings or gifts inside the circle and thank him every day for everything you have and everything you have achieved.
- Express your emotions to him and be sincere with him.
- Say prayers in his name as a sign of gratitude and devotion from time to time.
How to Ask Him?
The way to invoke him is to say his respective prayer, so that through prayer you can connect with him, accompanying him with joy and demonstrating your great devotion to him. To ask him, you must do the following:
- Say a prayer dedicated to Olofín or spastically ask for what you wish to obtain.
- Say the words several times to attract and gain his attention.
- Accompany the prayers with chants, drums, music, or other elements that demonstrate emotion and joy.
Remember that your requests should always be made with good intentions so that you can obtain what you desire. It is best to maintain a calm and positive attitude toward him, where you do not show that you wish to harm anyone.
What are their offerings?
Remember that each Orisha or God has different tastes, which will determine the offerings they want or desire to receive from their believers. It’s important that you take the time to inform yourself, as they may end up displeasing you.
For Olofin, the ideal offerings are the following:
- Alcoholic beverages.
- Tobacco.
- A broken coconut divided into 9 pieces, which symbolizes the nonliving, that is, the spirits.
- Place coffee and pepper at the back of your house, but it’s important not to place it inside.
- You should make a figure and place their offerings or elements inside.
- If you are giving an animal sacrifice, place it inside a circle of coffee and pepper.
- Before placing the animal, you should place raw meat or any unsalted food in the space.
- Place a glass of water with rum and tobacco.
- Respect their colors which are white, yellow and red.
Who can receive Olofin?
The only ones who can respond directly to the call are the babalawos who receive it and obtain the necklace. They must perform various specific and secret works that only they know, in order to form a bond with the divinity.
These Ifá priests must repeat the prayer to the main Olofin several times, where they will feel and achieve a stronger connection with the veneration of the saint.
In the Yoruba religion, it is not a matter of which babalawo is the most popular; on the contrary, it is not an advantage. By receiving Olofin, they reach their highest spiritual rank and wisdom, and they must be respected.
What are Olofin’s children?
This deity has three sons: Achama and Achamaruma, the eldest, and Pila Eyokile, the youngest of the brothers. They form the Patakíes (a name given to the Yoruba language).
- Achama: Qualified as a palm pruner, for knowing how to cut palm trees.
- Achamaruma: Like his brother, he worked with his machete, cutting palm trees, and people thought Eyokile did nothing but sleep (out of envy).
- Eyokile: He didn’t have a machete to work with his brothers, but he managed to obtain an object that Olofin longed for, a parrot feather, which he had been unable to obtain.
Olofin felt sorry for Eyokile upon learning of his achievement in a completely unbiased manner, so he gave him his due and called his other sons jealous.