Why Ifa Priests Check the Left Hand Instead of the Right
If you have ever visited an Ifa priest (Babalawo) or witnessed a Yoruba divination session, you may have noticed that the priest often examines or checks the left hand of the client, not the right. This ancient practice isn’t random — it’s rooted in deep Yoruba cosmology, spiritual symbolism, and energetic balance.
Let’s explore why the left hand holds such sacred meaning in the Ifa divination system.
🕯️ 1. The Left Hand Represents the Inner and Spiritual Side
In Yoruba spirituality, the human body mirrors the universe’s dual nature: left/right, inner/outer, spiritual/material.
The left hand (ọwọ osi) symbolizes a person’s inner spirit, intuition, and destiny, while the right hand (ọwọ otun) represents action, power, and physical achievements.
When a Babalawo examines the left hand, he is reading your spiritual energy and connection to destiny, not just your actions in the physical world.
⚖️ 2. The Left Hand Carries Feminine and Ancestral Energy
Yoruba philosophy often associates energies with gender and polarity:
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The left side of the body carries feminine, ancestral, and receptive energy.
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The right side represents masculine, active, and present-life energy.
Ifa divination connects with the spirit world (Orun) and ancestral forces — energies that flow through the left side of the body. This is why the left hand is considered the channel for receiving messages from the unseen realm.
🔮 3. The Left Hand and Destiny (Ori)
In Ifa belief, your Ori — the spiritual head — determines your destiny and personal life path. Many Yoruba teachings suggest that your left palm or hand carries vibrations and markings that align with your divine contract or chosen destiny before birth.
Thus, when the Ifa priest checks your left hand, he is symbolically connecting with the part of you that holds your life’s spiritual blueprint.
🪶 4. Ritual and Energy Balance in Ifa Practice
Ifa rituals always honor balance between the seen and unseen worlds. For example:
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Offerings and ritual items are often presented with the right hand (the active, giving hand).
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Spiritual messages and blessings are received through the left hand (the receptive, spiritual hand).
By examining the left hand, the priest aligns the divination with the correct energetic flow — giving through the right and receiving through the left.
🧭 5. Symbolic Summary: Right and Left in Yoruba Spirituality
You can think of the symbolism this way:
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Right hand = What I do in the physical world.
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Left hand = What the spiritual world does through me.
Ifa focuses on helping you stay in harmony with your spiritual destiny (Ori), and the left hand is the sacred point of access to that inner world.
✨ Conclusion
When an Ifa priest checks your left hand, he is not simply observing your palm — he is connecting with your Ori, your ancestral energy, and your spiritual destiny.
The left hand is the gateway to understanding how your inner energy aligns with your path in life.
Through this sacred gesture, Ifa divination maintains the balance between the physical and spiritual realms — guiding you to live in harmony with the destiny you chose before birth.
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