The iyaworaje in the Yoruba religion, what does it mean and what does it represent?

In Yoruba religion the iyaworaje is a period in which the newly initiated religious in the Osha purged for a year and seven days, it is a moment of faith where hard tests are passed, but not impossible to overcome as long as faith is maintained.

The iyawó must comply with a number of rules and ceremonies during the course of this time, which will guarantee their responsibility, respect and discipline within the religion.

In the Yoruba religion, iyaworaje is a period of learning and faith

Iyaworaje is a time to learn, for the religious to know their origins, their spirits and their Orishas, read his itá notebook and little by little comply with everything that was marked on the mat, this year and seven days is decisive for the initiate in Santeria to understand the importance of respect and preserving the secrets of Osha-Ifá.

What are the rules for the iyawó in the Osha Rule?

The iyawó will dress in white throughout the iyaworaje, the first three months will be decisive for the initiate in Santeria, he will keep his head covered, he will wear long sleeves, long stockings in the case of women and pants in the case of men, the woman will wear a shawl and both will wear their necklaces in full and will cover themselves with their umbrella.

During the first three months:

The iyawó will eat on his mat using only his cutlery and crockery, utensils that he will keep and use throughout the iyaworaje.

In this period the iyawó:

He will not eat at the table,
will not look in the mirror,
no pictures will be taken
He will not leave his ile after six in the afternoon,
will not consume alcoholic beverages,
he will stay away from vices and will not touch money.

No one should wear the clothes of the iyawó so it will be strictly prohibited from lending it.

The iyawó not allowed to attend sites where large numbers of people gather, you should not argue with anyone or get involved in fights.

During this period the iyawó works should not be done, because for a year and seven days he will be under the mantle of the guardian angel of his elders, he should not attend the house of any santero or participate in religious activities without the presence of his godmother or yugbona.

The iyawó will not use perfume, makeup or ostentatious garments, it must always remain indoors when it is twelve o'clock at night, the moment in which the Blessed Sacrament makes its journey on earth.

The initiate also It is forbidden to get wet with rainwater, walking through places that are in danger of collapsing and cannot allow anyone other than their elders to touch their heads.

The iyawó does not make offerings to his saints before performing ebbó, a ceremony that should be completed if possible after completing the three months and before completing the iyaworaje. The initiate in the Yoruba religion cannot curse anyone, cannot be disrespectful to their parents or religious elders, must follow organized schedules for meals and rest.

The good behavior of the initiate is vital in this period

Every day when getting up, the iyawó ask for the angel's blessing of his guardian, of their spirits and orishas, then of their parents and their elders, even if they are not in front of them.

The iyawó you should cross your arms to all the santeros and ask them for their blessing and in the presence of their elders throw themselves at their guardian angel.

At the iyawó's house the spiritual vault must remain attended so that the eggunes obtain development and spiritual strength. The iyawo can not meddle in gossip nor raise false testimonies to anyone. Between the iyawó and his elders there must be good communication and respect so that the relationship that was created in the Osha is not destroyed under any circumstances. during the iyaworaje cemeteries are not visited, funeral homes, police stations, prisons or hospitals, except in exceptional cases.

The iyawó cannot lend money, does not attend nightclubs, does not tell lies or act arrogantly. It does not interfere in improper or immoral acts to avoid suffering from embarrassment.

What happens after 3 months?

After three months and after having performed ebbó through ceremonies, the iyawó:

He is exempt from the turban or scarf, shawl, long stockings, long sleeves and pants,
the use of all saints' necklaces is not strict,
You can eat at the table
He is presented to the drum and has the cover of staying outside his house until midnight, but if possible he should continue to prevent this from happening, since nightlife is not for the iyawó.

During the iyaworaje, secret ceremonies are performed that only concern the religious and his elders, this period of time constitutes a new opportunity to redeem the mistakes of the past and be better human being, always following the advice that the Orishas dictated during the itá.