ELEGBARA

ELEGBARA is the ORISHA that offers choices. He is the ORISHA who sits at the threshold of every decision and offers the options that decide our future. ELEGBARA is the gatekeeper who owns various options or roads. For example, if we were to go to a triplex movie house, he would have a choice of three movies to see. He is that part of God which represents choices and which represents fateful decisions. ELEGBARA and ESHU are manes given to the same ORISHA, the distinction being that ESHU is the wild, uncontrollable aspect of this ORISHA. ELEGBA, is part of ESHU which has been calmed down by action of OBATALA. ELEGBARA was present at the creation of the universe and safeguards the principal of free will, providing, within a limited scope, a chance for a person to decide his own destiny. ELEGBARA is the guardian of the crossroads, the thresholds of houses, the marketplace, and the curve of roads. He offers possibility which lures man's emotions, and goads him into making the mistake which complicate life. ELEGBARA is the messenger between God, the ORISHA and man. He carries a magic wand which enables him to travel great distances in an instant. It is a magic wand of great power which allows him to travel the cosmic roads of God, delivering messages. He carries messages between God and the ORISHA, and elevates the prayers and offerings of man to the ORISHA. ELEGBARA is the keeper of ase (divine force), which is the essence of God. This means that ELEGBARA is entrusted by OLOFI to guard the very essence of existence that is shared by all things. Ase is ability. It is an aptitude in a particular skill; it is power.

ELEGBARA brings out the fool in man. His weapons are trickery and deceit. It is not irresponsible mischief, it is geared toward teaching one a good lesson. It must be remembered, however, that ELEBARA, even in his most mischievous of roles, only punishes those persons who don't do right things. Since ELEGBARA is the guardian of the crossroads, and of potentiality, he is prayed to , to open up the realms of possibility. It can be said that ELEGBARA scraped and lived in the streets because it is on the streets, or in the social context, that all man's lessons find their usefulness.. It is in the streets where life and death are amplified, that the different roads of man collide, forcing him to use his wits to maneuver in and out of different situations.

The rat is the sacred animal of ELEGBARA. ELEGBARA eats all foods. The rat has no permanent home and wonders from place to place. The rat is, therefore, a symbol of ELEGBARA because, like ELEGBARA, "he is a homeless wandering spirit who inhabits the marketplace, the crossroads, and the thresholds of houses". The rat lives anywhere and ELEGBARA does, too. ELEGBARA therefore, rules the feet which symbolizes his movement in the streets, begging and foraging,

ELEGBARA Prayer

Bara ma ni ko
Bara ma ya ko
Bara ma ya ka nda

Translation

ELEGBARA is the one who confronts,
ELEGBARA don't confront me,
ELEGBARA has pulled someone off.