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The Five Blessings of Ifa


Gabrielle Felder’s The Five Blessings of Ifa is a profound exploration of Ifa, a 10,000-year-old spiritual tradition practiced in modern-day Nigeria and Benin. Felder chronicles her lifelong exploration of various spiritual traditions, including her departure from her family’s traditional Christian heritage. Leveraging her natural science background, Felder embarks on a deeply personal quest into spirituality as an apprentice to an Ifa elder. She offers her evolving understanding of the complex divination system and wisdom tradition.

Approaching the book as a non-Black reader, I was drawn to its exploration of nature-centric spiritual paths. As a Filipino American on a decolonial journey, I’ve been particularly curious about how other people of color from different diasporic generations engage with their lineages, especially when living away from their ancestral lands. I am grateful for Felder’s earnest sharing of her journey through various African traditional and diasporic religions, as she sought to make meaning of her own experiences as a Black queer person in the United States. 

In The Five Blessings of Ifa, Felder expertly weaves a “uniquely Black, uniquely diasporan” spiritual understanding with her steadfast orientation toward justice movements, powerfully demonstrating how spirituality can intersect with and inspire social change. The author masterfully illuminates the intricate interplay of history, legacy, and ancestral wisdom, offering vital solace and guidance for a new generation navigating identity, community, and purpose.

Editor's Note: This review was originally published in Portland Book Review.

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