Hand of Ifa
Isefa, or Receiving One Hand of Ifa, is a ritual (ceremony) marked as a major milestone in the Ifa / Orisa journey, no matter the destination.
Isefa is long-known to help recipients develop spiritual intimacy with their Ifa (and Orunmila - the spirit of Destiny) and their Ori inu (inner head), as well as help them navigate through life with heightened, greater tranquility because of the transformative, manifesting effect it opens up.
Ceremony process,
and how to get started
Where do you start?
Receiving a Hand of Ifa is a milestone, but the process itself is simple and straight forward.
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A consultation or Ifa reading is the always the first step. It is an opportunity to connect and establish a relationship.
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The date and time of your ceremony is established during the consultation. You will receive instructions on anything needed beforehand.
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A copy of our book, Practical Foundations of Ifa, will be delivered to you with your Hand of Ifa. This book is the absolute handbook on how to take care of an Ifa shrine and get started in working with your Ifa.
Isefa (Hand of Ifa) is commonly and historically viewed as a step in the path toward initiation, but anyone can receive their Isefa (Hand of Ifa)
Isefa in the Lukumi or Afro-Cuban diasporal Ifa traditions is known as mano de Orula, Ikofa, Kofa, or Awofakan, but there is much distinction between the two lineages of ceremony.
The '“ingredients” of a complete Isefa (Hand of Ifa) ceremony can vary by lineage, region, state and even city, so it can be problematic to try to identify the “correct” method or parts.
That said, here is what you get with your Isefa (Hand of Ifa) from
Ile Aala Orisa Temple:
What do you get with a Hand of Ifa?
Opening / Intro Consult
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The introductory consult for the Isefa opens the road for the ceremony. It is a standard reading, but with extra time for discussing the Isefa ceremony and scheduling it.
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Approximately two hours.
Isefa (Hand of Ifa) Ceremony
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Isefa, or Receiving One Hand of Ifa, is a ritual (ceremony) marking a major milestone in the Ifa / Orisa journey. Isefa is long-known to help devotees develop spiritual intimacy with their Ifa and Ori inu (inner head), as well as help them navigate through life with heightened, greater tranquility.
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Between one and three days.
Your Isefa (guiding) Odu
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At the conclusion of the Isefa (Hand of Ifa) an odu is divined for you that will give you a detailed look into the energies and spirits at work in your life, and some clues as to your destiny. These clues bring clarity to many situations in our daily life, and make recommendations to improve your life as it is now. This odu gives valuable information and Ase (spiritual assistance/power). For those of us not born into west African culture, this is often the first check-in with the concepts of Destiny and Ori, and acts as a formal check-in for full initiation if that is desired.
The reception of this odu is not the same as the reception of your full Ifa initiation (Tefa or Itelodu), however it is an important step and highly useful even if full initiation into the priesthood is not something you wish to do.
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Approximately two hours, but can run longer.
Ikin, Container, Eleke & Ide
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You will receive a complete Ifa as part of an Isefa ceremony which includes 21 ikin, plus a container (sometimes called calabash) to hold the ikin, as well as the eleke (a brown and green beaded necklace) and ide (a brown and green beaded bracelet) of ifa.
Handbook of Ifa
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Our book, Practical Foundations of Ifa, provides detailed instructions on how to take care of your own Ifa at home, including the full process of propitiation (making offerings), verses of odu and prayers to use, and much much more. A copy of the handbook is included with your Isefa (Hand of Ifa).
Before receiving your Hand of Ifa, the foundation must be clear.
The ceremony is not just an event—it is part of a larger structure.
Without understanding how the system works, many people receive their Isefa but remain uncertain in how to work with it afterward.
This is why the foundation matters.
Begin with the Guided Study
What do you need to do?
$200 deposit gets you started. This deposit is fully applied to your initial reading, plus extra time for an info session on your specific Isefa (Hand of Ifa) ceremony. The Isefa (Hand of Ifa) is usually scheduled at the same time.
The full initiation cost is determined at during the initial reading and info session, as our Temple caters each person’s ceremony specifically to what Ifa says is needed for that person, rather than relying on a fixed process. Isefa (Hand of Ifa) ranges from $1250 - 1800 for everything, depending upon what Ifa says is needed for each person.
The ceremony can be performed in-person or long distance, as we’ve talked about before in our Isefa - What is a Hand of Ifa? article.
After receiving your Hand of Ifa, the work continues.
The next step is learning how to engage it properly.
Not everything begins with initiation.
Sometimes it begins with understanding.
We proceed step by step.
Aṣẹ.