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Sacred Orisha Gardens of Ola Olu

You now have the opportunity of exploring, connecting with, healing or empowering yourself, through what Professor Robin Poyner calls "the only complete Sacred Gardens outside of Africa!'  Come and experience the power! More than two dozen consecrated Sacred Orisha Gardens await you. This is the Garden of Ela, the energy of ultimate balance. Contact Iya Vassa for more information."

About Us:

When we began our journey, almost 40 years ago, we were motivated - probably much like you are - from a combination of need, curiosity, and dissatisfaction with what Western spirituality seemed to offer. When we first encountered the Orisha, there was virtually no Ifa in America - only Santeria/Lucumi. So, Santeria/Lucumi was the initial path that we took.  It soon became clear that we had simply traded the fear and dependency created by Western religions for an Afro/Cuban world view that mirrored those traits. When we asked questions, we were told that we were either not ready, being insolent, or that it was a “secret”.  When we objected to the racial, sexual, and gender discriminations that surfaced, we were told that the Orisha would punish us. Despite this, we resonated to the power and beauty of the Orisha, leading us to begin a journey to find its roots and its relevancy to our lives.

That journey resulted in re-discovering Ifa in the original African Tradition, and the founding of the Ifa Foundation of North America. Our books "The Way of the Orisa" (HarperCollins Publishing), and "The Sacred Ifa Oracle" (HarperCollins Publishing), introduced African Ifa to both mainstreamand academic America. We initiated the first female Iyanifa, the first openly gay Babalawo, re-established the concept of Ori, and returned to Ifa's inclusive world view. We also created the largest Sacred Orisha Gardens in the Western Hemisphere where all could experience the beauty and power of Ifa.

We have accomplished all of this by uniting our male and female energy to work together, by learning (and subsequently teaching) the imperative of Empowerment rather than dependence, of Confidence rather than fear, of self-reliance rather than paternalism, and of logic rather than blind faith. We invite you to join us on this journey.