Ìwà Pẹ̀lẹ́ Tarot: Idà Méjì

Ìwà Pẹ̀lẹ́ Tarot by Native Authority Tarot

© Excerpt from Ìwà Pẹ̀lẹ́ Tarot Handbook by Native Authority Tarot

Ògún onídà méjì; ó fì kan ṣán oko, ó fì kan yènà ẹ̀. 
- Ògun, the dual wielding swordsman; he uses one to clear the undergrowth, he uses the other to clear the way/path to victory 

In the midst of a forest, a lone figure stands wielding two machetes. With lightning-fast swings, he cuts through the dense foliage, his movements fluid and graceful as he navigates the thick undergrowth. The tunnel vision takes over as he makes his way deeper into the forest, guided only by the light of the crescent moon. The grass beneath his feet rustles with each step, but the sound is drowned out by the rhythm of the machetes. Each swing of the blade is precise and calculated, as though he had done this a thousand times before. 

The task at hand is all-consuming, and the outside world fades away into the background. He works tirelessly through the night with unwavering determination and unbreakable focus. He knows that the path ahead may not be easy, but he remains steadfast, wilfully cutting through all obstacles in his way. As he forges ahead, the once impenetrable forest gives way, trees thin out and the path finally becomes clearer.

Idà méjì is about deliberate, concerted effort and determination, and it draws strongly from Ògún’s focus and tenacity. In Yorùbá spirituality, the irúnmolè Ògún was sent to the earthly plane/realm to clear a path for the other irunmole with the objective of making the earth more habitable. Ògun is a maverick, a loner, a way-maker  with unparalleled work ethic. No external stimuli or motivation is needed, as he is fully self sufficient, preferring to work alone. Unlike other irunmole, Ògún does not require light to operate, darkness does not faze him because he can see in the dark. ​

Closely associated with Ògún is a sorcerer and tracker òrìṣà indigenous to the Ògùn state area of Nigeria called Òṣóòsi. The appellation Òṣóòsi is an elision of oṣó which means sorcerer or sorcery, and òsì, which means left or  left hand side. The Oṣó are men who through certain rites and rituals have been granted permission to possess the Ìyàmi Àjẹ́ (Ìbà àwọn tó layé) spirit which then grants them the ability to astral travel, a feature inherent only to women, especially those who have become abiyamọ (mothers). The astral realm is considered to be the exclusive domain of the Ìyàmi Àjẹ́ (Ìbà àwọn tó layé) and men who seek to enter it must do so disguised as a female bird, which is why when male awo seek to enter the Igbódù they must wear a palm frond skirt and beads around their knees. Igbódù is an elision of igbó meaning bush and Odu, which is the embodiment of all sacred wisdom. In effect Igbódù means 'bush of sacred wisdom’ and acts as physical portal to gain access to the astral realm.

A key part of Òṣóòsì’s tracker abilities is his mastery at astral travel and projection, which allow him to experience out of body experiences, and deploy monocular and binocular cues. Monocular means with or in one eye, while binocular means adapted for or relating to the use of both eyes. With monocular cues, Òṣóòsì achieves linear perception with his right eye and aerial perception with his left. In Ifá, the divination tray, known as ọpọ́n Ifá has both a left side and a right side. The right side represents the present and passing in the physical realm, that which can be seen with the naked eye, while the left side represents the present and imminent in the spiritual realm, that which can be perceived with the ojó inú (inner eye or third eye).

The images received from both eyes are then combined into a single image or other visual elements such as a map or outline. This ability to view and understand a situation or landscape from two distinct perspectives is invaluable especially when operating in unfamiliar terrain or situations with reduced visibility.

In circumstances where visibility is compromised, the first thing people normally do is to adjust and reduce speed in order to improve reaction time. Idà méjì teaches us that what we see with the physical eye is just one perspective, it is one dimensional and rarely ever the full picture. Visibility or lack thereof should not be the only deciding factor of velocity or rate of acceleration. With visualisation and deep meditation, we can receive the gift of astral projection, enabling us to use monocular cues to accurately judge depth, height and distance between ourselves and other beings or objects around us, thereby ensuring a precise outcome.

Idà méjì is not just about clarity of thought or perhaps being unclear about available options, it is about being able to source and hold two thoughts, perspectives or images which represent the linear and aerial views. It is also about the ability to combine both thoughts, perspectives or images into a roadmap. Idà méjì does not require external validation to know the way.

The determination and strength of Idà méjì inspires us to persevere through challenges and obstacles, and the blades serve as a symbol of our ability to cut through distractions and maintain our focus. Though the darkness around may seem intimidating, we must learn to view it as an opportunity to recalibrate the outer and inner eyes to be able to see in the dark, thereby enabling ease of navigation when the light fades or falters. Idà méjì assures us that ultimately with focus, tenacity, and the right tools, we can overcome any obstacle and achieve success.

In Ire:
access, anticipation, astral projection,  blind faith, concentration, detachment-from-distraction, dogged-determination, drive, dynamism, eye-opening, enigma, facing-fears, focus, fortitude, higher-calling, higher-purpose, imagination, insight, maverick, mental meandering, meditation, mindfulness, overcoming-fears, practicality, probity, purposefulness, resolve, seriousness, silence, tenacity, travel, unbeaten-path, visualization, volition

In Ibi:
agitated-mind, alienation, astigmatism, bewilderment, blind-faith, blindness, challenge, closed-mind, containment, denial, detachment, easily-carried-away-by-one’s-own-thoughts-and-imagination, going-against-the-grain, hearsay, hypocrisy, incommunicado, inflexibility, lack-of-communication, mechanical, muteness, off-track, refraction, robotic, separation, startled, suspicion, unalterable, wilful-ignorance