Sowing Seeds of Spiritual Development

What is the meaning of AGBOLE?

In the simplest language, the Agbole is the extended family dwelling, where the young and old work and play together. Here, family songs and vocational traditions are passed from generation to generation. Agbole is also where the seeds of orisa lifestyle are sown. That is, the child who has learned to make an ancestral mask, or pounded yam has gained self-discipline and practical skills. The Agbole aspires to help practitioners of orisa lifestyle to cultivate the radical will necessary to change our world. Our approach represents the appropriate balance between "what" to practice and "how" to practice it. Balanced methodology is particularly important in the earliest stages of devotion, when the foundation for all further intellectual and social development is laid. However, whereas most contemporary temples tend to over-emphasize spiritual materialism, the Agbole methodology takes place in such a way that development continually affirms individual purpose in relationship to the greater community, taking into account her age, culture and maturity. For example, in the earliest stages of orisa devotion, when the learning curve is very steep, it is typical for people to clamor for the "data dump" of massive amounts of songs, chants and elaborate rituals. The Agbole approach is quite different. Instead of bombarding the devotee with abstract trivia, or over exposing him to sacramental rituals, we create a rich, familiar environment in which the individual can impose her creative will onto real life problems. Then, when the individual is introduced to any kind of specialized information, ritual or dream experience, it happens within the context of how she is responding to the real needs of her day-to-day life. Within this context, it is easier for each member of the Agbole to play a significant part in socializing younger members and motivating them to uphold certain standards of excellence. 


Obafemi Origunwa, MA | www.OrisaLifestyle.com