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81-939: Geomancy was one of the most popular forms of divination throughout Africa and Europe in premodern times, but was considered a forbidden practice in Renaissance Europe. In other regions and cultures, geomancy practices include Sikidy and Ifá (found in Africa), I Ching and Feng shui (found in China), Kumalak (found in parts of Central Asia ), Vastu shastra (in India), Kahuna kuhikuhipu'uone (in Ancient Hawai'i ). The word geomancy , from Late Greek * γεωμαντεία * geōmanteía , translates literally to ' earth divination ' . In Latin it becomes geomantia . Earlier Greek renditions of this word borrowed

162-530: A dù . In Fon, the sacred palm nuts are called fádékwín . A "divining chain" is referred to in Yoruba as a òpèlè and in Fon as an akplɛ . It may comprise eight halves of a nut, tied together. The way in which it falls then reveals one of 256 possible signs. To perform the divination, the babalawo will often be seated on a mat. Before casting the divining chain the diviner may sing to call forth Fá. In Fon,

243-409: A "religious tradition", rather than an "architectural methodology" as taught in historic texts. He says that these consultants include "quacks, priests and astrologers" fuelled by greed and with little knowledge of what the historic Vastu-sastra texts teach. They are said to market false advice and superstition in the name of Vastu Vidya tradition, sometimes under the rubric of "Vedic sciences". Of

324-411: A body of ancient concepts and knowledge to many modern architects, a guideline but not a rigid code. The square-grid mandala is viewed as a model of organisation, not as a ground plan. The ancient Vāstu Śastra texts describe functional relations and adaptable alternate layouts for various rooms or buildings and utilities, but do not mandate a set compulsory architecture. Sachdev and Tillotson state that

405-761: A desire to boost tourism; priests of Santería, Ifá, and Palo all took part in government-sponsored tours for foreigners desiring initiation into such traditions. Cuban migrants took Ifá to the United States. There, during the 1960s, a small group of babalawos dominated the Santería scene in New York. Their dominance was challenged by new Cuban migrants who arrived between 1965 and 1973 and who, although initiated santeros and santeras , were not babalawos . The ethnomusicologist María Teresa Vélez noted that "two types of ocha house arose: those that still relied on

486-479: A metal staff, four to five feet tall, that is capped at the top with a metal disk and sometimes a metal rooster. When a fásɛn is created, it is washed in specific leaves and the blood of 16 giant snails; this task is performed by women, secluded from the view of men. Any chickens sacrificed to the fásɛn are only eaten by women. There are sixteen major books in the Odu Ifá literary corpus. When combined, there are

567-588: A new city of Jaipur in early 1700s based on Vāstu Śastra texts, well before any colonial era public projects, was one of many proofs. Other examples include modern public projects designed by Charles Correa such as Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, and Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad. Vastu Shastra remedies have also been applied by Khushdeep Bansal in 1997 to the Parliament complex of India, when he contented that

648-470: A paradigm for cosmic planning, but they did not represent architecture nor a developed practice. The Arthashastra dated to 2nd century BCE and 3rd century CE, dedicates chapters to domestic architecture, forts and town planning. Vastu sastras are stated by some to have roots in pre-1st-century CE literature, but these views suffer from being a matter of interpretation. For example, the mathematical rules and steps for constructing Vedic yajna square for

729-412: A series of binary trigrams (as opposed to tetragrams used in geomancy) that are generated at random, the resulting figures of which are taken in combination. However, the figures are not added or reorganized as in geomancy, but are instead taken to form a single hexagram. While there are 2, or eight, trigrams, there are 2, or 64, hexagrams. This yields a smaller set of resulting charts than geomancy. In

810-691: A symbol of their initiation and they will be ritually bathed and wrapped in white cloth. A celebration follows, in which a goat may be sacrificed to Fá and the participants eat its meat. The initiate may receive a small bundle, the kpɔli , containing secret ingredients corresponding to their personal du . They may also receive a small vessel to house their palm nuts and a small stone, the ken , to protect them from witchcraft. The 16-principle system has its earliest history in West Africa . Each Niger–Congo -speaking ethnic group that practices it has its own myths of origin; Yoruba religion suggests that it

891-474: A temple) with chapters on town building. Manasara shilpa and Mayamata , texts of South Indian origin, estimated to be in circulation by 5th to 7th century AD, is a guidebook on South Indian Vastu design and construction. Isanasivagurudeva paddhati is another Sanskrit text from the 9th century describing the art of building in India in south and central India. In north India, Brihat-samhita by Varāhamihira

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972-615: A total of 256 Odu (a collection of sixteen, each of which has sixteen alternatives ⇔ 16 , or 4 ) that are believed to reference all situations, circumstances, actions and consequences in life based on the uncountable ese (or "poetic tutorials") relative to the 256 Odu coding. These form the basis of traditional Yoruba spiritual knowledge and are the foundation of all Yoruba divination systems. Ifá proverbs, stories, and poetry are not written down. Rather, they are passed down orally from one babalawo to another. Yoruba people consult Ifá for divine intervention and spiritual guidance. In addition to

1053-407: A week, whereas initiations into the cults of other vodún may take several weeks or months. A distinction is made between an initiation that called yǐ Fá ("to receive Fá"), which is often seen as a "first initiation" into Fá's veneration, which offers his protection, and the priestly initiation, at which a person is said to Fázùnyí ("receive Fá's forest"). Among the Fon, the sacred forest of Fá

1134-525: Is vas "to dwell, live, stay, reside". The term shastra may loosely be translated as " doctrine , teaching". Vāstu-Śastras (literally, science of dwelling) are ancient Sanskrit manuals of architecture. These contain Vastu-Vidya (literally, knowledge of dwelling). Vastu, crafts and architecture are traditionally attributed to the divine Vishwakarma in the Hindu pantheon. Theories tracing links of

1215-578: Is a divination system originating from Yorubaland in West Africa. It originates within the traditional religion of the Yoruba people although is also practised by followers of West African Vodun and in African diasporic religions like Cuban Santería . According to Ifá teaching, the divinatory system is overseen by an orisha spirit, Orunmila , who is believed to have given it to humanity. Ifá

1296-477: Is a pseudoscience, states Narendra Nayak – the head of Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations . In contemporary India, Vastu consultants "promote superstition in the name of science". Astronomer Jayant Narlikar states that Vastu Shastra has rules about integrating architecture with its ambience but that the dictates of Vastu and alleged harm or benefits being marketed have "no logical connection to environment". He gives examples of Vastu consultants claiming

1377-432: Is a traditional Hindu system of architecture based on ancient texts that describe principles of design, layout, measurements, ground preparation, space arrangement, and spatial geometry . The designs aim to integrate architecture with nature, the relative functions of various parts of the structure, and ancient beliefs utilising geometric patterns ( yantra ), symmetry, and directional alignments. Vastu Shastra are

1458-458: Is a type of geomancy practiced in Kazakhstan , Tuva , and other parts of Central Asia . Kumalak makes use of a three by three grid, wherein a shaman will ritually place up to 41 beads. These shamans use kumalak more to connect with their ancestors and spiritual guides than to obtain information through divination. Further, shamans who use kumalak must be initiated and taught how to perform

1539-469: Is an amplified Prithvimandala in which, according to some texts, the central space is occupied by earth. The Sthandila mandala is used in a concentric manner. A site of any shape can be divided using the Pada Vinyasa. Sites are known by the number of squares. They range from 1x1 to 32x32 (1024) square sites. Examples of mandalas with the corresponding names of sites include: Vāstu Śastra represents

1620-589: Is another Vāstu Śastra. Silpa Prakasa describes the geometric principles in every aspect of the temple and symbolism such as 16 emotions of human beings carved as 16 types of female figures. These styles were perfected in Hindu temples prevalent in the eastern states of India. Other ancient texts found expand these architectural principles, suggesting that different parts of India developed, invented and added their own interpretations. For example, in Saurastra tradition of temple building found in western states of India,

1701-432: Is called fázùn ; this is differentiated from ordinary forest by shredded palm fronds, known in Fon as asàn and in Yoruba as màrìwò . It will be here that new initiates are led; they will be accompanied with animals for sacrifice, by existing initiates singing praise songs, and by a person leading the way carrying a fásɛn . A figurine of the spirit Lɛgbá may be brought along for the ritual, invoking this deity to guard

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1782-459: Is initiated as a babalawo they are given a pot containing various items, including palm nuts, which is believed to be the literal embodiment of Orula. Babalawos provide offerings to Orula, including animal sacrifices and gifts of money. In Cuba, Ifá typically involves the casting of consecrated palm nuts to answer a question. The babalawo then interprets the message of the nuts depending on how they have fallen; there are 256 possible configurations in

1863-550: Is organised as an initiatory tradition, with an initiate called a babaláwo or bokɔnɔ . Traditionally, these are all-male, although women have been initiated in Cuba and Mexico. Its oracular literary body is made up of 256 volumes (signs) that are divided into two categories, the first called Ojú Odù or main Odù that consists of 16 chapters. The second category is composed of 240 chapters called Amúlù Odù (omoluos), these are composed through

1944-493: Is the most complex and prestigious divinatory system used in the religion. The two are closely linked, sharing the same mythology and conception of the universe, with Orula or Ọ̀rúnmila having a prominent place within Santería. In Cuba, Ifá nevertheless also retains a separate existence from Santería. Many Cuban babalawos are also santeros , or male initiates of Santería, although it is not uncommon for babalawos to perceive themselves as being superior to santeros . Although

2025-464: Is the widely cited ancient Sanskrit text from 6th century describing the design and construction of Nagara style of Hindu temples. These Vāstu Śastras , often discuss and describe the principles of Hindu temple design, but do not limit themselves to the design of a Hindu temple. They describe the temple as a holistic part of its community, and lay out various principles and a diversity of alternate designs for home, village and city layout along with

2106-433: Is titled "On architecture", and there and elsewhere it discusses elements of vastu sastra such as "planning cities and buildings" and "house structures, orientation, storeys, building balconies" along with other topics. According to Michael Meister, a scholar of Indian architecture, we must acknowledge that Varahamihira does mention his own sources on vastu as older texts and sages. However, these may be mythology and reflect

2187-412: Is unclear, states Barnett, as to whether these temple and town planning texts were theoretical studies and if or when they were properly implemented in practice, these texts suggest that town planning and Hindu temples were conceived as ideals of art and integral part of Hindu social and spiritual life. Six of the most studied, complete and referred to Indian texts on Vastu Vidya that have survived into

2268-472: The medieval era , and survives to this day in various Arabic countries. Like Arabic geomancy, Sikidy and other forms of African divination follow techniques that have remained virtually unchanged. As an example, Sikidy is the most important method of divination for the Malagasy peoples of Madagascar . The process involves a mathematical grid of disk-shaped seeds in sixteen figures arranged in rows which

2349-485: The " Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity ". Around 2002, the 256 signs of Ifá inspired American mathematician Frank "Tony" Dodd Smith Jr. to name the voudons , or the 256-dimensional hypercomplex numbers , after Vodun. Vastu shastra Traditional Originating in ancient India, Vastu Shastra ( Sanskrit : वास्तु शास्त्र , vāstu śāstra – literally "science of architecture" )

2430-614: The 1980s, the Chicago -based Philip and Vassa Newmarket established their Ifa Foundation of North and Latin America. Departing from established tradition, they offered "bloodless" initiations that welcomed those who were unwilling to engage in animal sacrifice. Although surviving in Cuban Santería, Ifá did not remain part of a Brazilian religion that owed much to Yoruba traditions, Candomblé . In Candomblé, dilogun instead forms

2511-517: The 19th century, Christian missionaries in China translated feng shui as "geomancy" due to their observations of local shamans and priests manipulating the flow and direction of energy based on aesthetics, location, and position of objects and buildings. Although it stems from a distinct tradition, the term geomancy now commonly includes feng shui. Similarly, the introduction of a similar Indian system of aesthetics and positioning to harmonize

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2592-542: The Alado of Ato and conferred on him the right to initiate others. The Alado, in turn, initiated the priests of Oyo and that was how Ifá came to be in the Oyo empire. Ifá originated among the Yoruba peoples. The linguist Wande Abimbola argued that Ifá probably derived from a simpler divinatory system, diloggun ; this contrasts with the belief of some babalawos that diloggun was based on Ifá. Between circa 1727 and 1823,

2673-453: The Arabic word raml ( ' sand ' ) directly, rendering it as rhamplion or rabolion . Other Arabic names for geomancy include khatt al-raml , darb al-raml , and 'ilm al-raml , (literally ' the science of the sand ' ). The origins of geomancy are Arabic and the original geomantic figures were created by "making lines of random numbers of dots in the sand". Geomancy

2754-407: The Fon, one tradition maintains that women do not need to be initiated into the traditions of the female spirit Gbădu—who is Fá's wife—because they already have the power of creation within them. According to Fon diviners, keeping women and Gbădu apart ensures a conceptual state of coolness. This extends to a taboo on women eating any of the meat from animals sacrificed to Gbădu. Once an individual

2835-507: The Ifá system, which the babalawo is expected to have memorised. Individuals approach the babalawo seeking guidance, often on financial matters, at which the diviner will consult Orula through the established divinatory method. In turn, those visiting the babalawos pay them for their services. Initiation as a babalawo requires a payment to the initiator and is typically regarded as highly expensive. In Benin, Fá initiation usually takes less than

2916-751: The Indian tradition to credit mythical sages and deities. There exist many Vāstu-Śastras on the art of building houses, temples, towns and cities. Among early known example is the Arthashastra dated to 2nd century BCE and 3rd century CE, with chapters dedicated to domestic architecture, forts and town planning. By 6th century AD, Sanskrit texts for constructing palatial temples were in circulation in India. Vāstu-Śastras include chapters on home construction, town planning, and how efficient villages, towns and kingdoms integrated temples, water bodies and gardens within them to achieve harmony with nature. While it

2997-506: The Morning Star. An initiate of Ifá is called a babaláwo in Yoruba and a bokɔnɔ in Fon. Traditionally only heterosexual men are allowed to become babalawos , with women and homosexual males being excluded. In both Cuba and the United States, however, babalawos have initiated their openly gay sons. Moreover, despite the traditional prohibition on women taking on this role, the scholar of religion Mary Ann Clark noted that by

3078-737: The United States. There are regional differences in the system. In West Africa there are both Yoruba and Fon versions of the practice, the latter commonly called Fá. The Yoruba system of Ifá is deemed more time consuming, and requires more sacrifices, than the Fá system among the Fon. In the Fon-dominated Ouidah , therefore, some people think of Yoruba Ifá as being more potent than their own local system. Some people who have been initiated into Fon-style Fá thus later go through additional ceremonies to be initiated into Yoruba-style Ifá. In Yorubaland , divination gives priests unreserved access to

3159-472: The Vastu vidya architectures. The use of Vastu shastra and Vastu consultants in modern home and public projects is controversial. Some architects, particularly during India's colonial era, considered it arcane and superstitious. Other architects state that critics have not read the texts and that most of the text is about flexible design guidelines for space, sunlight, flow and function. Vastu Shastra

3240-773: The Yoruba Bible." It was also set up in Porto-Novo (Benin) the same year. According to Erwan Dianteill , the Church of Ifá is still active in 2024, in Nigeria and Benin, with around 2000 followers in Lagos, Porto-Novo and Cotonou. Of the foreigners coming to West Africa for initiation into Vodún, the largest group sought initiation into Fá. In Cuba, Ifá came to be used in the Afro-Cuban religion of Santería . There, it

3321-713: The Yoruba Culture Research and Study Centre, founded in 1977 by Fernandes Portugal, and which brought in Nigerian teachers to run a course teaching Ifá. The closing ceremony took place in January 1978, attended by 14 students who were granted the status of omo (son of) Ifá. One of these pupils, a Candomblé initiate named José Nilton Vianna Reis (Torodê de Ogun), later went on to become a babalawo nine years later, before setting out his own Ifá teaching course in 1984. In 2008, UNESCO added Ifá to its list of

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3402-494: The ancient Vastu sastra were viewed with prejudice as superstitious and rigid about a square grid or traditional materials of construction. Sachdev and Tillotson state that these prejudices were flawed, as a scholarly and complete reading of the Vāstu Śastra literature amply suggests the architect is free to adapt the ideas to new materials of construction, local layout constraints and into a non-square space. The design and completion of

3483-516: The babalaos and did not question any of their prerogatives, and those that became independent of the babalaos for most of their ritual activities," with these latter houses often being run by women. In 1978, Ifá ceremonies took place in Miami , Florida , overseen by the Nigerian babalawo Ifayẹmi Elébùìbọn Awise of Osogbo . He was assisted in this by two Cuban babalawos , Luis Fernández-Pelón and José-Miguel Gómez, both of whom were Abakuá members. In

3564-660: The colonial rule period of India, town planning officials of the British Raj did not consider Vastu Vidya, but largely grafted Islamic Mughal era motifs and designs such as domes and arches onto Victorian-era style buildings without overall relationship layout. This movement, known as Indo-Saracenic architecture , is found in chaotically laid out, but externally grand structures in the form of currently used major railway stations, harbours, tax collection buildings, and other colonial offices in South Asia . Vāstu Śastra Vidya

3645-413: The combination of the main Odù. They use either the divining chain known as Ọ̀pẹ̀lẹ̀ , or the sacred palm ( Elaeis guineensis ) or kola nuts called Ikin , on the wooden divination tray called Ọpọ́n Ifá to mathematically calculate which Odu to use for what problem. Ifá is first recorded among the Yoruba people of West Africa. The expansion of Yoruba influence over neighbouring peoples resulted in

3726-410: The divining tray is called a fátɛ . In West Africa, the quality of the fátɛ may indicate the babalawo's financial success; some who have a small client base may use only a plastic or cardboard tray, while those with access to greater funds may pay for an elaborate, purpose built wooden fátɛ . Another ritual object is known to the Yoruba as Ǫpá Ǫșun and to the Fon as a fásɛn . This consists of

3807-569: The early 21st century, female practitioners were "becoming institutionalized in some religious communities" in the United States, where they were known as either iyalawo (mother of secrets) or iyanifá (mother of Ifá). Female practitioners have also been reported in Mexico. The restriction on female initiation is explained through the story that the òrìṣà Orula was furious that Yemayá, his wife, had used his tabla divining board and subsequently decided to ban women from ever touching it again. Among

3888-688: The feminine form, expressions and emotions are depicted in 32 types of Nataka-stri compared to 16 types described in Silpa Prakasa . Silpa Prakasa provides brief introduction to 12 types of Hindu temples. Other texts, such as Pancaratra Prasada Prasadhana compiled by Daniel Smith and Silpa Ratnakara compiled by Narmada Sankara provide a more extensive list of Hindu temple types. Sanskrit texts for temple construction discovered in Rajasthan, in northwestern region of India, include Sutradhara Mandana's Prasadamandana (literally, planning and building

3969-463: The initiates' passage into the forest. Offerings will be given to him, and divination employed to check that he accepts them. In the forest, the new initiate will be given a kola nut to eat, to bring him in communion with Fá. All present may then place their hands together on the fásɛn , to which a rooster may then be sacrificed. The newcomer's eyes will be washed in a herbal mixture called Gbădùsin. The neophyte will then be blindfolded and then into

4050-586: The kingdom of Dahomey was a vassal state of the Yoruba-dominated Oyo Empire to the east, thus resulting in much religious interchange. In this period, the Fon people of Dahomey adopted Ifá as well as the Oró and Egungun cults from the Yoruba. Ifá was present in Dahomey by the reign of its fifth ruler, Tegbesú , who ruled from c.1732 to 1774, and was well established at the royal palace by

4131-456: The library being built next to the building is responsible for political instability in the country. German architect Klaus-Peter Gast states that the principles of Vāstu Śastras is witnessing a major revival and wide usage in the planning and design of individual homes, residential complexes, commercial and industrial campuses, and major public projects in India, along with the use of ancient iconography and mythological art work incorporated into

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4212-511: The local energies, vastu shastra , has come under the name "geomancy". Vastu shastra is a traditional Indian system of architecture which literally translates to "science of architecture." These are texts found on the Indian subcontinent that describe principles of design, layout, measurements, ground preparation, space arrangement, and spatial geometry. Vastu Shastras incorporate traditional Hindu and in some cases Buddhist beliefs. The designs are intended to integrate architecture with nature,

4293-442: The mandala is a guideline, and employing the mandala concept of Vāstu Śastra does not mean every room or building has to be square. The basic theme is around core elements of central space, peripheral zones, direction with respect to sunlight, and relative functions of the spaces. The pink city Jaipur in Rajasthan was master planned by architect Vidyadhar Bhattacharya (1693–1751) who was approached by Rajput king Jai Singh and

4374-777: The modern age, states Tillotson, are – the Mayamata , the Manasara , the Samarangana Sutradhara , the Rajavallabha , the Vishvakarmaprakasha and the Aparajitaprccha . Numerous other important texts contain sections or chapters on aspects of architecture and design. The Silpa Prakasa of Odisha, authored by Ramachandra Bhattaraka Kaulachara sometime in ninth or tenth century CE,

4455-489: The name of Vastu-sastras. They have little knowledge of what the historic Vastu-sastra texts actually teach, and they frame it in terms of a "religious tradition", rather than ground it in any "architectural theory" therein. The Sanskrit word vāstu means a dwelling or house with a corresponding plot of land. The vrddhi , vāstu , takes the meaning of "the site or foundation of a house, site, ground, building or dwelling-place, habitation, homestead, house". The underlying root

4536-452: The need to align the house to magnetic axis for "overall growth, peace and happiness, or that "parallelogram-shaped sites can lead to quarrels in the family", states Narlikar. He says this is pseudoscience. Vibhuti Chakrabarti, a scholar of Architecture and Sanskrit literature has critically translated historic Vastu literature, and states that in contemporary India, some are offering their services as Vastu consultants where they project it as

4617-551: The ninth century by the Buddhist monk Toson ( Doseon ), who studied and adapted the ideas and practices of the different Chinese Daoist schools of Feng-shui to the Korean landscape situation and cultural traditions. In Korea, geomancy takes the form of interpreting the topography of the land to determine future events and or the strength of a dynasty or particular family. Therefore, not only were location and land forms important, but

4698-474: The organisation Ifá Yesterday, Ifá Today, Ifá Tomorrow, the first Cuban institution to represent the priesthood of an Afro-Cuban religion. Following the Soviet Union 's collapse in the 1990s, Cuba's government declared that the island was entering a " Special Period " in which new economic measures would be necessary. As part of this, it selectively supported Afro-Cuban and Santería traditions, partly out of

4779-418: The organization of space and form within a building or collection of buildings, based on their functions in relation to each other, their usage and to the overall fabric of the Vastu. Ancient Vastu Shastra principles include those for the design of Mandir ( Hindu temples ), and the principles for the design and layout of houses, towns, cities, gardens, roads, water works, shops and other public areas. Kumalak

4860-547: The overall fabric of the Vastu. Ancient Vastu Shastra principles include those for the design of Mandir ( Hindu temples ) and the principles for the design and layout of houses, towns, cities, gardens, roads, water works, shops, and other public areas. The Pandit or Architects of Vastu Shastra are Sthapati , Sūtragrāhin(Sutradhar) , Vardhaki , and Takṣhaka . In contemporary India, states Chakrabarti, consultants that include "quacks, priests and astrologers" fueled by greed are marketing pseudoscience and superstition in

4941-550: The presence of babalawos is not required for Santería ceremonies, they often attend in their capacity as diviners. Other Cuban babalawos have been initiates of the Abakuá society. At the time of the Cuban Revolution in 1959, there were an estimated 200 babalawos active on Cuba; by the 1990s, Cuban babalawos were claiming that they numbered tens of thousands on the island. In the 1980s, Cuban babalawos created

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5022-655: The primary method of divination employed by its initiates. One of the earliest practitioners of Ifá in Brazil was the French ethnographer Pierre Verger , who had become a babalawo in West Africa and who was also involved in Candomblé. As a result of growing links between Brazil and Nigeria, in the 1970s various educational efforts to promote understandings of Yoruba culture were established in Brazilian cities. This included

5103-719: The principles of composition in Vastu Shastra and the Indus Valley civilization have been made, but scholar Kapila Vatsyayan considers this speculation since the Indus Valley script remains undeciphered. According to Chakrabarti, Vastu Vidya is as old as the Vedic period and linked to the ritual architecture. According to Michael W. Meister , the Atharvaveda contains verses with mystic cosmogony which provide

5184-403: The process is shortened to using only two figures. In China , the diviner may enter a trance and make markings on the ground that are interpreted by an associate (often a young or illiterate boy). Similar forms of geomancy include scrying involving the patterns seen in rocks or soil. The Chinese divination practice of the I Ching has several striking similarities to geomancy. It includes

5265-516: The reign of Gezò , which lasted from 1818 to 1858. According to William Bascom , "an indication of the importance of Ifá to the [Yoruba] religious system as a whole is the fact that the most striking religious syncretisms resulting from European contact are to be found in a church established in Lagos in 1934, the Ijọ Ọ̀rúnmila Adulawọ, which was founded on the premise that the teachings of Ifa constitute

5346-498: The relative functions of various parts of the structure, and ancient beliefs utilizing geometric patterns ( yantra ), symmetry, and directional alignments. Vastu Shastra are the textual part of Vastu Vidya , the latter being the broader knowledge about architecture and design theories from ancient India. Vastu Vidya knowledge is a collection of ideas and concepts, with or without the support of layout diagrams. These ideas and concepts do not follow rigid rules but rather are models for

5427-503: The rituals of kumalak correctly. According to them, kumalak is an ancient system of knowledge reaching back to the roots of their civilization. P'ungsu (which like feng shui literally means ' wind water ' ), is the Korean word for geomancy. As a method of divination it seeks to locate favorable sites for cities, residences and burial. This tradition was popularized in Korea in

5508-454: The sacred grove of the fázùn , where the secret teachings of Fá are revealed to them. Divination will be used to determine under which of the 256 signs their priesthood will be born. The selected sign indicates which spirits they should pay particular attention to and which taboos they must observe: this may involve avoiding certain foods, the wearing of certain colours, or engaging in specific actions. The initiate's head will then be shaved as

5589-530: The sacrificial fire are in the Sulba-sutras dated to 4th-century BCE. However, these are ritual artifacts and they are not buildings or temples or broader objects of a lasting architecture. Varahamihira 's Brihat Samhita dated to about the sixth century CE is among the earliest known Indian texts with dedicated chapters with principles of architecture. For example, Chapter 53 of the Brihat Samhita

5670-451: The sixteen fundamental signs, Ifá divination includes a major sign, which is the combination of Ọse and Otura, from right to left (Ọse-Tura). That sign must be written each time a ritual is performed: Ọse-Tura is the messenger and the carrier of the sacrifice. It is closely associated with the god Èṣù in the system of Ifá. That Messenger sign was known in Arab and Latin medieval geomancy as

5751-417: The sorcerer uses to divine the future. One traditional form of geomancy In Africa consists of throwing handfuls of dirt in the air and observing how the dirt falls. It can also involve a mouse as the agent of the earth spirit. Ifá , one of the oldest forms of geomancy, originated in West Africa, and uses the same sixteen geomantic figures as in Arabic and Western geomancy with different meanings and names;

5832-584: The spiritual realm and the intent of one's destiny . Among the Fon, it is the female spirit Gbădu who is regarded as the source of Fá's power. She is deemed to be the wife of Fá. Her presence is required for new initiations. She is believed to offer significant protection for people but her veneration is thought dangerous unless a person is initiated. It is for instance believed that women must be kept apart from her presence, for if they get near her they may be struck barren or die. Ifá consists of 256 binary signs. The Yoruba term odù instead appears in Fon as

5913-602: The spread of Ifá, for instance to Fon people practising West African Vodun . As a result of the Atlantic slave trade , enslaved initiates of Ifá were transported to the Americas. There, Ifá survived in Cuba, where it developed an overlap with Afro-Cuban religious traditions such as Santería and Abakuá . Growing transnational links between Africa and the Americas during the 1970s also saw attempts by West African babalawos to train and initiate people in countries like Brazil and

5994-405: The teachings of Ọ̀rúnmìlà. Among the Fon, Ọ̀rúnmìlà is known as Fá. Eshu is the one said to lend ashe to the oracle during provision of direction and/or clarification of counsel. Eshu is also the one that holds the keys to one's ire (fortune or blessing) and thus acts as Oluwinni (one's Creditor): he can grant ire or remove it. Ifá divination rites provide an avenue of communication to

6075-762: The temple, gardens, water bodies and nature. The central area in all mandala is the Brahmasthana . Mandala "circle-circumference" or "completion", is a concentric diagram having spiritual and ritual significance in both Hinduism and Buddhism. The space occupied by it varies in different mandala – in Pitha (9) and Upapitha (25). it occupies one square module, in Mahaapitha (16), Ugrapitha (36) and Manduka (64), four square modules and in Sthandila (49) and Paramasaayika (81), nine square modules. The Pitha

6156-433: The textual part of Vastu Vidya – the broader knowledge about architecture and design theories from ancient India. Vastu Vidya is a collection of ideas and concepts, with or without the support of layout diagrams, that are not rigid. Rather, these ideas and concepts are models for the organisation of space and form within a building or collection of buildings, based on their functions in relation to each other, their usage and

6237-398: The topography could shift causing disfavor and the need to relocate. The idea is still accepted in many South East Asian societies today, although with reduced force. In some fantasy literature, especially that which deals with the four classic Greek elements (air, water, fire, earth), geomancy refers to magic that controls earth (and sometimes metal and crystals). If%C3%A1 Ifá

6318-630: Was built by 1727 CE, in part around Vastu Shilpa Sastra principles. Similarly, modern-era projects such as the architect Charles Correa 's designed Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya in Ahmedabad , Vidhan Bhavan in Bhopal , and Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur adapt and apply concepts from the Vastu Shastra Vidya. In the design of Chandigarh city, Le Corbusier incorporated modern architecture theories with those of Vastu Shastra. During

6399-655: Was founded by Orunmila in Ilé-Ifẹ̀ when he initiated himself and then he initiated his students, Akoda and Aseda . According to the book The History of the Yorubas from the Earliest of Times to the British Protectorate (1921) by Nigerian historian Samuel Johnson and Obadiah Johnson , it was Arugba, the mother of Onibogi, the 8th Alaafin of Oyo , who introduced Oyo to Ifá in the late 1400s. She initiated

6480-422: Was ignored, during colonial era construction, for several reasons. These texts were viewed by 19th and early 20th century architects as archaic, the literature was inaccessible being in an ancient language not spoken or read by the architects, and the ancient texts assumed space to be readily available. In contrast, public projects in the colonial era were forced into crowded spaces and local layout constraints, and

6561-681: Was one of the most popular forms of divination throughout Africa and Europe, particularly during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance , and was practiced by people from all social classes . However in Renaissance magic was classified as one of the seven " forbidden arts ", along with black magic , hydromancy , aeromancy , pyromancy , chiromancy (palmistry) , and scapulimancy . The Arabic tradition consists of sketching sixteen random lines of dots in sand . This same process survived virtually unchanged through its introduction to Europe in

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