Roles & Practice
noun1 min readAdífá
/ah-dee-FAH/
Definition
The act of consulting Ifá, or the client who comes for a divination session (from a-dí-fá, 'one who casts Ifá').
Consultation
When a person faces a crux, illness, or important life decision, they become an Adífá—one seeking the wisdom of the oracle. The process requires paying a spiritual fee and directing their whispered concerns into the divining instruments.
The Narrative Bridge
Many traditional Ẹsẹ Ifá (verses) begin by listing the names of ancient Babaláwos who 'cast Ifá for' (A dí fá fún) a specific mythological or historical figure, reinforcing the timeless pattern of seeking divine counsel.
Topics
Related Terms
Babaláwo
Roles & Practice
A priest of Ifá; literally 'father of secrets.' A Babaláwo is a trained diviner who has undergone years of initiation and study to master the 256 Odù and the art of Ifá divination.
→Ifá
Core Concepts
A divination system and literary corpus that forms the intellectual and spiritual backbone of Yorùbá civilization. Ifá encompasses a vast oral canon of sacred poetry, historical narratives, proverbs, and ethical teachings transmitted through trained diviners called Babaláwo.
→Yorùbá Version Available
Adífá
Ìbéèrè dídáfá lọ sí awo tàbí ẹní tó bá ifá nitori àyẹ́wo ìpín ibùdó kábá.