Walking With the Orishas - Part 2: Ori, Destiny & How to Connect Respectfully

In Part 1, we explored the Orishas in the order of their creation divine forces of nature that guide, challenge, and support us. But there’s one divine force you were born with, before any other spirit made a connection with you. One Orisha that is yours and yours alone:

Your Ori.

In Yoruba cosmology, Ori is your higher self, your spiritual head, and your personal destiny. Before you came to Earth, you chose your life path and Ori was there, helping you shape that blueprint. Ori is so sacred that even the Orishas consult it.

Let’s dive into what Ori truly is, and how you can begin walking with the Orishas through your Ori respectfully and intentionally.

🌀 What Is Ori? Your Inner God

In Yoruba, “Ori” means head but not just your physical head. It represents your:

• Higher consciousness

• Destiny (Ayànmo)

• Inner compass

• Personal connection to Olodumare (the Supreme Creator)

Your Ori is considered your first Orisha because it came with you at birth and stays with you always. Even when you feel lost, your Ori remembers your divine contract. The more you align with it, the more peace, prosperity, and purpose you feel.

Ori is:

• The voice that whispers what feels right or wrong

• The presence that knows what path you came to walk

• The part of you that deserves to be honored and cared for

Before you approach any other Orisha, honor your Ori.

🔑 How to Begin a Relationship With the Orishas (Respectfully)

You don't have to be initiated to start walking in reverence. But you do need to walk with intention, humility, and a listening heart.

Here are some respectful ways to begin:

1. Start With Ori and Your Ancestors

Many elders teach: “Before you speak to the Orisha, speak to your head and your dead.”

🔹 Morning Ritual for Ori:

• Sit in a quiet space.

• Place your hands on your head.

• Say aloud: “Ori mi, guide me. Ori mi, align me with my highest destiny.”

• Pour a little cool water on your head and say words of peace and clarity.

This simple act builds alignment with your path.

2. Create a Basic Ancestral Altar

You can’t build a house without a foundation. Your ancestors bloodline and spiritual are your first foundation.

What you’ll need:

• A clean table or shelf

• A white cloth

• A glass of water

• A candle (white or 7-day)

• Photos or names of ancestors

Speak to them daily. Share your dreams. Give thanks. This opens the door for divine messages and protection.

3. Research One Orisha at a Time

Instead of rushing to work with multiple Orishas, choose one that’s been calling you or one who aligns with your life lessons.

You might:

• Feel pulled to rivers? Study Oshun.

• Have dreams about thunder or storms? Shango may be reaching out.

• Experience transformation and loss? Oya could be near.

Read their stories. Listen to songs. Learn from elders and lineages not just internet summaries.

4. Don’t “Call” an Orisha Without Knowing the Protocol

Orishas are divine beings, not aesthetic icons or mood boards. They are real, and they respond to respect.

Avoid:

• Making altars or offerings without proper understanding

• Mixing traditions (e.g., blending Yoruba and Kemetic or Hindu systems)

• Wearing beads or ritual items without receiving them through ceremony

Instead:

• Attend public ceremonies or events led by initiated priests/priestesses

• Ask questions with humility

• Listen more than you speak

🧭 Spiritual Discernment Is Your Best Friend

If something feels flashy, rushed, or rooted in ego it’s probably not Orisha.

If it feels deep, humbling, grounded in ritual, and full of mystery it might just be the beginning of a beautiful path.

Some days, connecting to Orisha feels like music. Other days, it’s silence. Trust both.

Final Thought: Honor the Orisha Within First

At the end of the day, the Orishas live in nature, yes but they also live in you. Obatala’s peace, Ogun’s courage, Oshun’s sweetness, Oya’s fire all of it can be accessed through your daily actions, not just rituals.

Start by living in alignment with your Ori.

That is the deepest offering you can make.