Five Essential Forms of Human Relations

The King of Lu asked the Balanced One: How does one properly manage public affairs? The Balanced One replied: Taking good care of public affairs depends on the proper person. Such a person must cultivate the Fundamental Path. Impartial Love is the most important virtue in handling public affairs. This virtue is developed from two important bases: first, one should take care of his parents and extend this same kind of service to all people. Second, one should respect the virtuous and wise, for they are indeed the nations true leaders and the only ones who actually know the Heavenly Way. There are five essential forms of Human relations 1) the relationship of leader and follower 2) the relationship of parents and children 3) the relationship of husband and wife 4) the relationship of siblings 5) the relationship of friends There are three virtues to cultivate in order to fulfill these five relationships. They are understanding, love, and the courage to recognize ones inadequacies. These three virtues can be simplified into one word: sincerity. With it, all relationships can be fulfilled and maintained. Taken from the Book of Changes and The Unchanging Truth by Grandmaster Hua Ching Ni page 187

The Celestial World of Talismans

The art of talismans and their workings are not foreign to many cultures of the world.

It is said that as one cultivates through methods which refine and sublimate their inherent resources, they are given rewards or gateway connections into the divine worlds via light communication or as we know them talismans and other spiritual objects

Talismans could be considered interstellar world passports.

Only they are of a divine origin and most who are given these understand their precious nature and subsequent usage. For as one is able to gather and obtain these passports they can also be authenticated, transformed and or revoked.

As I travelled through Malaysia and Thailand I noticed many of these divine passports from a period of time not to distant past or future where grand civilizations seemingly began overnight and disappeared in the same fashion with precision and without trace. Except for their massive monuments left behind, as a witness.

The talisman or object of power is viewed as a connection with a particular being, realm, group of beings or force usually to provide assistance in our lives.

There are many

Talismans

Some are made of cloth
Animal skin
Paper
Rocks
Natural substances
You name it.

The more connected a practitioner is to the source bestowing the information the more effective it will be.

It is clear no matter who you are or what you do. The statement of old remains, how one treats and trains oneself determines your level of development. Especially when it comes to obtaining and creating divine objects or power.

It should be noted that not all talismans cannot be considered divine or let me say some have the power to harm.

More on this next time.

Spiritual Applications for Development within Seasonal Variations

Seasonal Periods or changes are very important for spiritual development. They represent high energy days. It is known that highly evolved beings become much more active during these days. The equinoxes of March 20, 21 and September 20, 0r 21, The Solstices of Summer June 20, 21 and Winter December 20, 21 with four other dates preceeding are very effective days for purifications such as private confessions in the spiritual realm of nature, requesting forgiveness for mistakes known and unknown, prayers for blessings, and with the implementation of spiritual fasting. Of course during fasting one should refrain from alcohol, sex, red meat, chemical additives, and tobacco, remain quiet and avoid meeting people and/or participating in needless activities.

The General Eight Days of the year for Spiritual Development

Spring Begins Feb 4, 5th
Spring Equinox March 20,21
Summer Begins May 5,6
Summer Solstice June 20, 21
Autumn Begins August 7,8
Autumnal Equinox Sept 23, 24
Winter Begins Nov 7, 8
Winter Solstice Dec. 21,21

2011 Forecast: Year of the Rabbit

By Dr. Maoshing Ni
Jan 28, 2011
http://health.yahoo.net/experts/drmao/2011-forecast-year-rabbit


Welcome to the year of the Rabbit! For almost 20 years I have given yearly forecasts based on the ancient Tao system of the Five Elements energetic phases, which predicts the global trends that affect us on a personal level. How do you benefit from this forecast? By taking note of the predictions for health, relationships, and finances, you can make some positive changes to dodge any potential negative effects.

This ancient system has its roots in the I-Ching, known here as the Book of Changes, system of predictive probabilities based on nature’s cyclical rhythms; the Taoist sages of China observed and practiced, and eventually gave the modern world the binary language of 0’s and 1’s—the basis for computer language. In other words we don’t need to look any further than the universe to predict our future. So what’s in store for 2011?

Get Ready for the Rabbit

The Year of the Rabbit officially begins on February 3rd, 2011 and the elemental energies are again metal and wood, similar to the Tiger year we’re leaving behind. Therefore, some of the unpredictability and conflicts of the Tiger year will carry over to the New Year; however, Rabbit years are usually calm, creative, and positive -- a much-desired change from the volatile Tiger! Rabbit is a peace-seeking symbol, and we can expect that there will most likely be more effort at diplomacy politically. But don’t expect everything to go smoothly, because any accord is always underscored by discord.

The focus of this year will orient towards reviving the arts and culture, getting our financial house in order, cultivating intimate relationships, and building family and community. As a result, industries that will likely benefit include entertainment, finance, energy, especially alternative energy, commodities like metals and agricultural products, mining, shipping, transportation, and hotels. Industries that will continue to lag include forestry, textiles, media, newspapers, and magazines. Due to the still-weak economic conditions of the West, environmental protection may unfortunately take a backseat to economic priorities. Because of the inward focus on the Rabbit, domestic agendas at home will trump those outside of the border and the appetite for playing Big Brother internationally will assuredly wane.

Prediction for your health

Chinese calendar year 2011, like last year, is represented by the elements metal and wood. The metal element corresponds to the respiratory and immune systems, while the wood element correlates to the digestive and nervous systems. These organs and systems will be vulnerable for breakdown so be on the lookout for frequent colds and flu that turn into bronchitis and pneumonia, digestive disorders including acid reflux, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, diverticulitis, liver and gall bladder diseases, and injury and pain related to the neck and spine.

Here are some tips to keep you in tip-top shape!

1. Stay Healthy with Healing Foods and Herbs

Chinese medicine is based on the concept that you can prevent illness from occurring in the first place by eating foods and taking herbs that possess healing properties.

• Defend against assaults on your immune and respiratory systems by eating plenty of antioxidant-rich vegetables of all colors every day, and eat grains like amaranth, quinoa, and brown rice.

• Keep your digestion flowing with herbs that settle the stomach. Drink a digestive tea an hour after meals: mint, gentian, ginger, chamomile, and licorice are excellent choices.

• To prevent diseases and counteract imbalances in the above organ systems, I suggest staying away from smoking and pollution, avoid consuming alcohol, caffeine, sugar, dairy products, deep fried, fatty foods, overly spicy foods, and gluten grains like wheat, barley, rye and oats, and processed, refined foods.

• Traditional Chinese herbal formulas like Breathe Ease, Immunity, Acid Stomach, Colon Clear, Internal Cleanse, and Calmfort may be helpful as part of a health supportive program.

2. Exercise tips for Year of the Rabbit

Be sure to exercise regularly to increase lung capacity, strengthen the immune function, and reinforce the core abdominal and back muscles to protect your spine.

• I especially recommend learning and practicing mind-body exercises like tai chi or qigong. These gentle, but powerful exercises engage deep breathing to increase your lung capacity, lower your stress hormones, and help strengthen your core muscles. To learn Tai Chi and Qigong, you can work with a teacher or use instructional DVDs.

• Practice meditation and other calming body-mind exercises to reduce tension on the nervous system. Start small if need be: For five minutes every day, close your eyes and take deep, slow breaths.

3. Focus on Art, Family, and Finances

Now is a good time to start your art and spend time exploring cultural opportunities. Because it is also a good time to focus on relationships and family, consider bringing your special someone(s) along to an art show, on a historic walk, or perhaps try a culturally themed meal together. Strengthen your personal financial foundation by laying your finances all out on paper as they are now. Make a realistic saving goal and a reasonable paying off debt goal; then keep weekly track of your evolving financial picture.

In summary, the year of the Rabbit will be considerably calmer from the volatility and conflicts of the past Tiger year. You will still need to be on guard, like the rabbit, for sudden, unexpected changes that may throw you off balance. The good news is that peace, love, and family are the natural traits of Rabbits. Defend against assaults on your immune and respiratory systems and take care to keep your nervous system calm and your digestion flowing. Finally, work on your inner self spiritually so that no matter what challenges occur, you shall be connected to your unshakable faith in the positive, constructive, and creative energies of the divine universe as expressed through you and manifest in your life.

Tai Chi Helps Fibromyalgia Patients

By Thomas Boldt, L.Ac.

According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in August, Fibromyalgia patients have a new hope: Tai Chi.

In the clinical study performed at Tufts University in Boston, MA, researchers randomly divided a group of 66 patients into two even groups of 33. The control group received 60 minutes of stretching and wellness information, while the other was taught Tai Chi. Researchers gave both groups a questionnaire that gathered information on physical pain, mental strain and overall quality of life. Additionally, patients were assessed by physicians. After 12 weeks, the same questionnaire was given, and they found the Tai Chi group experienced significantly better results over the control group. At 24 weeks, they again gave the questionnaire and found that the positive results of the Tai Chi group had been maintained. Furthermore, one third of that group stopped using their medications compared with one-sixth in the control group.

Fibromyalgia is a complex disorder marked by pain throughout the body, fatigue, insomnia and depression. Though it is not well understood, it is very real. It affects about 10 million people in the United States alone— most of them women. Tai Chi is a multifaceted practice, incorporating physical movement with mindfulness in a social environment. It is generally practiced as a form of Chi Gong—more for its healing and strengthening properties than its fighting application.

As such, it makes up one of Chinese medicine’s five branches. When combined with the other four: acupuncture, Chinese herbs, massage and nutrition, it can be very effective in healing many chronic conditions.

Understanding Emotions in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Learn how emotions are related to body systems and symptoms

By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide

In traditional Chinese medicine, emotions and physical health are intimately connected. Sadness, nervous tension and anger, worry, fear, and overwork are each associated with a particular organ in the body. For example, irritability and inappropriate anger can affect the liver and result in menstrual pain, headache, redness of the face and eyes, dizziness and dry mouth.

A diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine is highly individualized. Once an organ system is identified, the unique symptoms of the patient determine the practitioner's treatment approach.

Using the liver again as an example, breast distension, menstrual pain, and irritability during menses are treated with certain herbs and acupuncture points, and migraines headaches, dizziness, and inappropriate anger with redness of the face point to a different type of liver pattern and is treated in a different way.

What does the liver have to do with migraines? Organ systems in the traditional Asian sense may include the Western medical-physiological function, but are also part of a holistic body system. The liver, for example, ensures that energy and blood flow smoothly throughout the body. It also regulates bile secretion, stores blood, and is connected with the tendons, nails, and eyes.

By understanding these connections, we can see how an eye disorder such as conjunctivitis might be due to an imbalance in the liver, or excess menstrual flow may be due to dysfunction in the liver's blood-storing ability. Besides emotions, other factors such as dietary, environmental, lifestyle, and hereditary factors also contribute to the development of imbalances.
Spleen

* Emotions - worry, dwelling or focusing too much on a particular topic, excessive mental work
* Spleen Function - Food digestion and nutrient absorption. Helps in the formation of blood and energy. Keeps blood in the blood vessels. Connected with muscles, mouth, and lips. Involved in thinking, studying, and memory.
* Symptoms of Spleen Imbalance - Tired, loss of appetite, mucus discharge, poor digestion, abdominal distension, loose stools or diarrhea. Weak muscles, pale lips. Bruising, excess menstrual blood flow, and other bleeding disorders.

Lung

* Emotions - grief, sadness, detached.
* Lung Function - Respiration. Forms energy from air, and helps to distribute it throughout the body. Works with the kidney to regulate water metabolism. Important in the immune system and resistance to viruses and bacteria. Regulates sweat glands and body hair, and provides moisture to the skin.
* Symptoms of Lung Imbalance - Shortness of breath and shallow breathing, sweating, fatigue, cough, frequent cold and flu, allergies, asthma, and other lung conditions. Dry skin. Depression and crying.

Liver

* Emotions - anger, resentment, frustration, irritability, bitterness, "flying off the handle".
* Liver Function - Involved in the smooth flow of energy and blood throughout the body. Regulates bile secretion, stores blood, and is connected with the tendons, nails, and eyes.
* Symptoms of Liver Imbalance - breast distension, menstrual pain, headache, irritability, inappropriate anger, dizziness, dry, red eyes and other eye conditions, tendonitis.

Heart

* Emotions - lack of enthusiasm and vitality, mental restlessness, depression, insomnia, despair.
* Heart Function - Regulates the heart and blood vessels. Responsible for even and regular pulse. Influences vitality and spirit. Connected with the tongue, complexion, and arteries.
* Symptoms of Heart Imbalance - Insomnia, heart palpitations and irregular heart beat, excessive dreaming, poor long-term memory, psychological disorders.

Kidney

* Emotions - fearful, weak willpower, insecure, aloof, isolated.
* Kidney Function - Key organ for sustaining life. Responsible for reproduction, growth and development, and maturation. Involved with lungs in water metabolism and respiration. Connected with bones, teeth, ears, and head hair.
* Symptoms of Kidney Imbalance - Frequent urination, urinary incontinence, night sweats, dry mouth, poor short-term memory, low back pain, ringing in the ears, hearing loss, and other ear conditions. Premature grey hair, hair loss, and osteoporosis.

Sources

Kaptchuk TJ. The Web That Has No Weaver. Chicago: Congdon and Weed, Inc., 1983.

Tierra M, Tierra L. Chinese Traditional Herbal Medicine Volume 1: Diagnosis and Treatment. Twin Lakes: Lotus Press, 1998.

The Ancestors

Found at http://www.ifafoundation.org/en/classroom/the-ancestors.html

Written By Phillip Neimark

The importance of Ancestor Worship lies in the knowledge it provides us that our current existence is not "all there is."

Ifa's worldview can be thought of as the spiritual representation of Einstein's theory of relativity. our belief in, and practices of, ancestor worship bridges the time gap that Einstein believed must exist between the past, present, and future. In Ifa, we understand that the invisible world of our deceased ancestors combines with the visible world of nature and human culture to form a single organic truth. Through ritual we bridge the relationship between the past and the present and in the process improve the future. The ritual process of ancestor worship can provide us with profound, quantifiable changes in our everyday lives. But the concept often meets with resistance.

For example, several years ago I saw a client who was in her early forties and had received her Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Chicago. She was both academically and personally interested in nontraditional forms of divination. Her personal "project" was a book on astrology from an academician's viewpoint. She was immediately attracted to the beauty and power of Ifa and within just a few short months had received her warriors (Esu, Ososi, Ogun, and Osun) and had undergone several other small initiation rites. Time and again she marveled at the connection she felt that she told me she wished to become a priestess of Yemonja/Olukun, her guardian Orisa.

During this period she came for divination frequently. With a single exception she followed all the prescribed sacrifices and offerings. The one exception was that she would not offer prayers and food to the spirit of her dead father. The first time she was called upon to do it she made no mention of her inner conflicts. But Ifa simply won't let you slide, so the necessity of ancestor worship - and of dealing with her departed father in particular - began to appear in every reading.

Finally, she exploded: "Phil, he was a no-good so-and-so; he berated me my whole life. Most of my problems have been a direct result of his unfeeling and uncaring behavior. I'll be damned if I'll offer him my love now!" I wasn't particularly shocked. Many of us have had trouble with relatives now deceased, but I did want her to understand the imperative of following the readings.

"First," I replied, "there is no point in fighting with the dead. Second, no matter what kind of an SOB your father was when he was alive, there are two facts you have to understand: first, you wouldn't be here without him, and second, whatever he was he isn't anymore! That trip is over, those experiences simply a small addition to the experiences of previous lifetimes. now, instead of carrying all the negative energy, which impedes your growth and progress, instead of continuing to deny the love you were never allowed to express, you can make up and go forward with your live. And the way to do that is to finally tell him how much love you had for him and how much love you needed. I know it will be difficult, probably cathartic, but Ifa is saying that unless you disperse the negative energy you'll remain blocked and unfulfilled. The only way to get through that pain is by expressing the love that caused it. If you hadn't cared, hadn't loved your father, hadn't needed to be loved in return, you wouldn't feel all this rage and pain. When he died, you probably thought it was over. It isn't! You probably felt it was too late for anything to be done. It isn't! It's time to do it and get on with your life. It's time to be loved by him in return."

Three days later, on a Sunday morning, she called to tell me that she was opting out. I explained that you couldn't opt out of life, you could only choose to live it fully or not. But the choice was hers. Regardless of her decision, she had our love and compassion. Her experience, while extreme, is not atypical of the difficulty many of us have in coming to grips with our ancestors.

My good friend and teacher Afolabi Epega, like the woman above, also has his Ph.D. His is in chemistry. Afolabi is also a fifth-generation babalawo whose grandfather was perhaps the most famous babalawo in written history. The first time we discussed ancestor worship, Afolabi simply told me the following story.

I was in the midst of preparing a paper on some of the histories that comprise the sacred Odu, when I suddenly could not remember one particular story. The paper was due in just three days. In your country you might pick up the phone and call someone to find the information, but in truth, these facts were known only by my father, who lived in Lagos, and my deceased grandfather. At the time Nigeria still did not have phones in many individual homes, so contacting my father prior to presentation of my paper would be impossible. Unless I restructured my entire lecture I would have to find the missing history. So, I "called" my grandfather in our way. I used our ritual of ancestor worship to convey to him that I needed his help. The next night I awakened from a sound sleep to see my grandfather sitting on the edge of my bed. "What is the problem Falo?" he asked. I explained my situation, and he instructed me to get a pencil and paper that I keep near my nightstand. he proceeded to give the information I had forgotten. When he was finished I expressed my love and gratitude to him, and he expressed his to me. I fell back into a deep sleep. The next morning I awoke with vague memories of the night before, but they seemed more dreamlike than real until I glanced at my nightstand and saw the writing there. Then I remembered my grandfather's visit. I was able to quickly complete my paper and give a thorough presentation to the class.

For almost 96 percent of the world's population, ritual offerings and prayers to deceased blood relatives are an integral part of everyday life. People of Eastern cultures such as the Chinese, Koreans, Indians, Japanese, and Tibetans, along with great segments of the populations of South America, Mexico, Cuba, Bali, Indonesia, Polynesia, Mongolia, the Eastern Baltics, Iceland, and New Guinea offer respect to and seek guidance from their ancestors. yet because most of us in the Western world were raised in the Jewish and Christian traditions, which proscribe ancestor worship, Western newcomers to Ifa tend to be skeptical of it. Ancestor worship fits perfectly into the Ifa devotee's integrated view of the physical and spiritual worlds.

You would imagine that everyone would be thrilled to have "proof," or a way to authenticate knowledge, of an afterlife. If you were to ask one hundred "average" Americans if they believe in life after death, one of two might say yes. Five or ten will say absolutely not. But about ninety percent will tell you, "well, I'd like to, but I really don't know." Yet when Ifa offers them a way to "know," they still resist.

Let me explain what I mean by knowledge. Knowledge is what you really know in your heart or in your gut. It's not always logical, but it is totally real and true. A mother, for example, "knows" that she loves her child. if someone or something start to hurt that child, she will instantly, automatically, and without "thinking" do anything in her power to protect it. Even if the child misbehaves, or grows up and ignores her, that love will not waver. Knowledge come from feeling and experience. It is not quantifiable. you know when you love another person; you know when you are moved by a book, music, or a sunset; you know when you feel peaceful - not because someone has listed all the good characteristics of the person you love or explained the sentence structure in the book, the mathematical precision of the music, or the light waves of the sunset, but because you experience it, you feel it. Logic has nothing to do with it. In fact, the truth of knowing something is much more powerful, accurate, and trustworthy than linear processes of "learning" or "understanding."

Ancestor worship will provide you with the knowledge that life is a continuum by enabling you to actually communicate with the energy of your departed family members and feel the profound feelings that that engenders. This may not happen in a familiar form - you may not find your grandfather sitting on the edge of your bed - but it will nonetheless be real and true. Not a product of wish fulfillment or hysteria, it will come through as irrefutable knowledge of the nonlinear side of reality.

Why are we so afraid of this knowledge? The answer, I believe, is that when we actually experience this access to other worlds, we are forced to question the very foundations and premises upon which we have built our lives - questions that invite change. And humans are naturally resistant to change.

Try to imagine the kinds of decisions your would make if you knew you would have future lives. Think about the number of short-term choices you make now. After all, if you believe that this is your only time around, then it makes sense to cram it with gratification and sensation. Growth and development would seem less important than acquisition and indulgence. The national deft, environmental destruction, pollution, the elimination of plant and animal species, fast cars and fast food - all are products of our culture's fixation on the now. But if you knew this wasn't your only time around, you would be far less likely to cut down the rain forest, use nonrenewable resources, or poison the rivers and oceans with lethal waste. Laws won't stop you from tossing a junk food bag out of your car window, but understanding that you need a healthy Earth for your own long-term survival not only might stop you from tossing the bag but would probably stop you from abusing your body with fast food in the first place.

Through ancestor worship, Ifa allows you to experience life as a continuum. And once you have, nothing will ever be the same again. The same kind of attitude changes and life changes that have affected nearly every individual who has gone through what we call a neardeath experience, who has experienced the other dimension and then been brought back, testifies to the effect of this knowledge. One does not have to die and be brought back to experience it; ancestor worship is our connection to the past and our road map to a better future.
How It Is Done

The actual ritual of ancestor worship is extremely simple. For the basic ritual all you need is a clear glass, natural water, a white candle, and the discipline to set aside thirteen minutes a day for seven consecutive days. For seven consecutive days, at the exact same time each day, you will light the candle and offer prayers to your blood ancestors. you will call each name three times, and, after offering your love and your thanks, after offering the water for coolness and refreshment and the candle for light and energy, you may bring your problems to them. This doesn't mean asking them for a new pair of shoes or for your lover to call that night. We only ask our ancestors to intervene in serious life situation. The lost of a job, illness, the breakup of a relationship - these are the kinds of issues for which it is proper to ask their help. if no serious problems exists, then simply ask them for guidance in your life, health for you and those you love, and prosperity for your home. For example, my prayers go something like this:

Ajuba (Blessings) to all my departed ancestors. Particular blessings and thankfulness to my father, Mortimer Neimark, my father, Mortimer Neimark, my father, Mortimer Neimark. Also to my mother, Hortense Neimark, Hortense Neimark, Hortense Neimark; to my son Adam Neimark, Adam Neimark, Adam Neimark, and to all my children who did not reach term; to my grandparents John and Lillian Peters, John and Lillian Peters, John and Lillian Peters; Charles and Etta Neimark, Charles and Etta Neimark, Charles and Etta Neimark; to my great uncles Stanley Neimark, Stanley Neimark, Stanley Neimark; Arthur Peters, Arthur Peters, Arthur Peters; Norman Peters, Norman Peters, Norman Peters; to my great aunts Genevieve Neimark, Genevieve Neimark, Genevieve Neimark; and Lucy Ribback Peters, Lucy Ribback Peters, Lucy Ribback Peters; to my great-grandmother Nancy Peters, Nancy Peters, Nancy Peters, as well as all those whose names I do not know but whose blood runs through my veins. Please accept the coolness of this water so that you may be cool and comfortable. Please accept the light and energy so that you may have brightness and strength. I love and miss you presence here on Earth but gather strength and wisdom from your continued energy and guidance. May that guidance continue to open my paths and roads and the paths and roads of those I love. May you wisdom bring love and prosperity into my home.

This is simply an outline, and I think you'll find that if a lot is going on in your life, your prayers will be more complex. Also, the setting can be much more elaborate. Most priest I now put a table in one corner of a room and place as many photographs of their ancestors on it as possible. A quick word of caution: the pictures should contain ONLY deceased relatives; it is acceptable for you to appear in the pictures but not any other living being lest he or she join the deceased. You might place some of your ancestors' favorite items on the table, too. For example, cards for all those who played bridge and other games, coffee for them all, along with an occasional cigar, fruit, candy, honey, or anything else I feel they might appreciate.

Be aware that when you take a specific problem to your ancestors, the solution may come in many forms. It is possible one of your ancestors will appear in your dreams and offer a suggestion or solution. Perhaps the problem will simply cease to exist for no apparent reason. So when you are asking your ancestors for help, it is important to be open and aware and to keep a pencil and paper by your bed so that when you awaken from dream, you can jot it down before it fades into the morning.

A few answers to the questions I know you will have:

* Do I let the candle burn?
You can, but it is not necessary. You can put the candle out after the thirteen minutes and relight it the next day.
* Do I keep giving new water?
No. The fresh natural water (bottled spring water, for example) should be placed on the shrine and allowed to slowly evaporate over the seven days. This symbolizes your ancestors' drinking.
* Do I have to do it at night?
No. You may do it any time of the day or night. But, if you start at 6:00AM, you must do it exactly 6:00AM each of the seven days. if you "blow it, " you start over.
* Can I do it for a lesser or greater number of days?
Within our belief system there are occasions for performing worship for three days, fourteen days, seventeen days, and twenty-one days. Theses are specific and highly esoteric reasons. Ninety-nine percent of the time, seven days is the correct number.
* Do I have to have Pictures?
No. You don't even have to have a formal shrine. All you need is the water, candle, and your prayers.
* What happens if I'm traveling?
If you leave during the course of the seven days, simply continue the sequence wherever you are staying. Be sure to adjust the time to when you were doing it at home. For example, if you were praying each night at 11:14PM in Chicago, you pray at 12:14AM in New York, or 9:14PM in Los Angeles. Remember, you can do it anywhere - at your friend's home, at Howard Johnson's, or at your summer cottage.
* Can I keep a candle going all the time?
yes. you may work with your shrine in any way you like. You can replenish the fruits and drinks and presents daily or weekly, as do most people around the world. The formal worship, however, takes place on seven consecutive days within each month. The only exception to that would be if you had a reading from a Babalawo indicating that some other approach was necessary in order to solve a specific problem.
* I had a friend who was as close or closer to me than my relatives. I called her "aunt". Can she be included in my worship?
No! Only blood relatives can be worshipped this way.

Ancestor worship is one-third of the power of Ifa. It requires no initiation, no conversion, no expense. It is something that everyone can do. It is a powerful tool for making positive and discernible changes in our lives. It is equally effective in providing us with the awareness that life is not a single, accidental event but a continuing process that offers endless possibilities and pleasures.