Put a Pin In It

From the Lukumi Tarot, the Nine of Swords; from the Diloggun Oracle, Ika (thirteen mouths):

          The Nine of Swords shows a chichereku, a magic doll used for spells. When we are intoxicated with fear, anger or some other emotion, most people have a tendency to look outside themselves for a solution. Some situation or person is often (we think) the cause of our misery. We want a doll full of pins to solve our problems. The ethic and proverb for Ika read:

Ifa: Ifa divination is to be performed so that the forces in one’s life be understood and controlled.

Proverb: Tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.

Divination is often a tool used to relieve the seeker of responsibility - "Tell me what to do," many querents request. But it works best (in my opinion) as a way to look inside of ourselves, to see what needs attention and requires change. It may seem like a miracle that by making small changes in ourselves, the rest of the world seems transformed as well.