I often explain to my clients and initiates that what may appear to be miracles resulting from Divination and sacrifice, are simply the natural result of a benevolent Universe restoring our balance and providing us with what we need to achieve our destinies.

Here are several examples from recent occurrences:

A man we had initiated originally as an Obatala Priest, and several years later as an Ifa Priest, works for a huge national company. He was always quite successful within the company, but suddenly a new Supervisor appeared and began to make denigrating remarks about his religious beliefs and practices. If that were not bad enough, he was suddenly passed over for a promotion in which he was clearly the better, more experienced, candidate. Instead, his superior selected a less qualified, but Roman Catholic Irishman from the Supervisors neighborhood! The nasty remarks about Ifa continued, and so the young man asked in his reading if he should file a discrimination and harassment lawsuit against his company.

On the surface, one individual suing a major multi-national corporation would not seem a good idea. But, being a Babalawo, and knowing that the readings are always correct ( if performed correctly ), he went forward.

Time and time again in the ensuing months he would call me to go over his readings, ask questions, acquire more wisdom and knowledge. Like many newly initiated Priests, he was hesitant to simply let it work out...he wanted to fine tune it. And, like most who get into the “yes” or “no” ing their way through life, began to get contradictory answers.

Finally, I said : “Tom, stop it! Orunmila said you should sue. The Universe would not have given you that instruction if it were not going to work out for you!”

While it was hard, he finally did just that. And, some months later, when the first serious hearing before a Federal Judge was to take place, he found the answer to his fears. You see, he always was afraid that he, with his one little lawyer going up against a billion dollar company with office’s full of attorney’s, could prevail. It seemed a long shot. Yet, when he called me on the phone he sounded more like a client than a Babalawo.

“ Phil”, he said, “ you won't believe this. They assigned the judge to the case...and it’s a woman...and she’s from Nigeria!”

Well, you might have a long hard look through our federal Legal system to find a judge that would not only be sympathetic and understanding to a person’s practice, respect and privacy of their African religious practices...but if you would have been able to write a script, to pretend what possible sequence of events could occur to support your position, you probably would not have come up with as perfect a scenario as this.

Here you have a woman ( and as such inherently sensitive to gender discrimination ), she is Black ( inherently sensitive to racial issues ) , she is African ( open to and aware of the legitimacy and power of ancient religious beliefs) and finally, she is from Nigeria, the home of Ifa!

As I said, you couldn't have imagined it...BUT THE UNIVERSE DID!

Stay tuned for the conclusion...

More interesting to me is the following set of miracles :-)

A young, happily married young man receives an offer to relocate from the quiet small town setting he and his wife are enjoying, and relocate to a major Northern City for big bucks in a new job. Both common sense and readings suggest this is not the wisest step for the individual, but he, like so many others in our society still believed that more money would make him happier.

So, he sold his house, his wife gave up her job ( she would no longer need it with his salary more than doubled ) and they moved to the big city. She was going to get pregnant and be a mother...but somehow, although they were both young and healthy, it didn't happen.

Time passed. Almost a year an a half went by during which time the communication I had with the young man didn't sound to me as if he were happier in his new life.

Then the Universe, as it always has, and always will, began to create a series of events that were designed to change the course of his life. First, the company he worked for was sold to a large Foreign buyer. Within weeks he knew they would not retain him as they already had their own people in place for this work. To make matters worse, his once apparently idyllic marriage hit the shoals of real life, and on top of the job loss, the loss of his marriage was overwhelming him.

Most people who come in such a situation want things “fixed.” Job back, wife happy etc...but if they come to me, or those who have properly understood their training here, they will hear something different.

What I told him, through his reading, was that the Universe was giving him an opportunity, not a punishment. It had taken away the false security of a six plus figure job, and the apparent security of his relationship, to wake him up...to force him to re-examine his life. And, unlike many others, because he was young, bright, talented, had no family or huge responsibilities, he could evaluate EVERY option to see where and how he wanted to live his life.

This time he listened. He and his wife took some time off and flew to Florida to enjoy the sun and water. Their relationship rekindled, they re-examined what they BOTH really wanted, and where they wanted it. They fell in love with a smaller Florida Coastal city and decided to move and start a new life.

From that moment on, as they re-entered the proper stream for their Destinies, everything miraculously became positive!

Returning to their Northern home he informed his former Boss that he appreciated the offer to work in another area, but simply had realized he wasn't happy in that field. Instead of being angry, the man offered to provide transitional income until he found what he did want...and added that, if that something needed investors, he was available.

He decided to place an ad for his Lakeside condo for an open house the following weekend. He bought a sign to place in front of the building on Thursday night before the Open House was scheduled. Within 10 minutes the bell rang...a man passing by wanted to see the Condo. To make a long story short, that very night, the man gave the young man $5,000 to cancel the Open House and signed a cash contract for $1,000 less than the original offering price!

The young man and his wife returned to Florida, and in one day found the perfect house for themselves...they made an offer and it was accepted!

Then, they discovered that his wife was pregnant! After two years of trying, it took one day in the right energy field to make it happen!

Again, stay tuned for more on their lives.

Blessings

Philip Neimark
Ifa Foundation