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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Where's the beef ? Leaves you searching for more., June 21, 1998
This review is from: The Way of Orisa: Empowering Your Life Through the Ancient African Religion of Ifa (Paperback)
This is a book that I would only recommend to a novice or newcomer in the Yoruba studies and culture. For a practitioner or an avid student or person with knowledge on the subject matter is leaves you saying "Where's the beef". It is written in a rather sophmoric manner that may only be satisfying to a very very new beginner in the Yoruba religion, or Santeria or a newly initiated person. For practitioners of Ifa, or accomplished practitioners of Santeria or Yoruba's religion, it will leave you longing for more...... much much more. I hope that this accomplished author will find it in his heart to write more with more substance in the future as I am sure that he is well capable of doing. This is a book that I would only recommend to a non-Yoruba religion practicing person who is interested in learning BASIC concepts of the religion and it's practices.
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30 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
New Age Ifa!! A bit Inaccurate and Confusing, September 26, 2002
This review is from: The Way of Orisa: Empowering Your Life Through the Ancient African Religion of Ifa (Paperback)
This book is okay, and I really do not like to write bad reviews, I hate being a critic to others works. But since I own this book I felt the need to state my opinion. Okay this book is a bit confusing and misleading. It misleads you on the whole Egun section. As I was reading it, I kept thinking of that old Batman TV commercials. "Same Bat channel, Same Bat station!" These part makes no sense, and it seams kind of foolish First of all time is a concept created buy Mankind, "the Living!" And it really seams sort of ridiculous thinking your Ancestors run such a tight Time Schedule, that you have to call them at the same time, and if you do not, then you have to start al over. Where this information came from I do not know. Sadly many people, who have little knowledge of Orisha Worship or Espiritismo, believe this as fact. Then there is the section of Yemaya and Olokun and how the author says that Santeria and the Lucumis have seperated and Orisha and created two. Meaning that Yemaya and Olokun are one and the same. This is an interesting point, but lets face it, in Africa Olokun is the deity that rules the Ocean depths, while Yemaya is the deity that rules motherhood and water in general. Also Olokun originated in Benin while Yemaya originated more in Oyo. This book is another book claiming to be more Yoruba, or more Ifa, and of course knocking down Lucumi in the process, but then again if you look at the section on the Boveda, it would be interesting to note that this is a Boveda as constructed in the Lucumi tradition, and not the Yoruba tradition. This book is okay for those interested in "New Age American Ifa." ( "You know the kind that recieve Eleggua and Intiations through the Mail.") But for those who are serious and respectful in the traditions of the Orishas, this book is not completely accurate.
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29 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Misleading for those that don't know better!, October 31, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: The Way of Orisa: Empowering Your Life Through the Ancient African Religion of Ifa (Paperback)
This book, highly praised by some, yet not taken seriously by many highly respected initiates in the Ifa'Orisa community is, on one hand, an "interesting" introduction to a very "western" version of the Ifa tradition (that has little to do with the way the religion is practices in Nigeria. "Interesting" is not necessarily a good thing. For exaple, the author's absolutely false joining of Yemoja & Olokun reflect a lack of knowledge regarding the religion & ignorance regarding the background of each of these Orisa. It is this lack of knowledge, when circulated, that creates false practices in the United States, Cuba & elsewhere. If one reads this book, take it with a grain of sand. The truths in this book sound strangely familar to things written in more reliable texts. The rest... is not only untrue, but founded on nothing more than intellectual understanding of a religion that can be only be known spiritually. Beware!
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