My name is Barrington Bowen II. In the Ifa tradition, I am Ifakorede — a name that means "Ifa does not disappoint," given to mark the arrival of blessings after hardship. My name was assigned to me when I received my Hand of Ifa through Iroko Village, under my elders Chief Ewe and Baba Bakunmi. I've been told that names in this tradition are not decorative. They are new realities inscribed upon the soul of a person.

Five years ago, a personal crisis opened a door. I walked through it into the African spiritual traditions — into Ifa, into study under Chief Montanna within the ARC community, into a practice that has healed something deep in me and connected me to my ancestors in ways I could not have imagined. This path did not ask me to be comfortable. It asked me to be present. To show up. To move when directed, even when afraid.

I have done that. And now I am being directed again.

Three initiations stand before me — each one a death and a rebirth, each one a door that, once opened, cannot be closed. Together they represent the next chapter of my spiritual development and the unlocking of a purpose I have been building toward since childhood: a sequential art story that is my magnum opus — a story given to me, not just created by me. Each initiation I have completed has opened new doorways in my mind and spirit that have deepened my understanding of this work and how to approach it. This purpose sits at the foundation of everything for me; it is what drives my every move, and it is why I go as hard as I can with what is assigned to me within tradition. Every step unlocks the road, further down the path of my dreams. These next three will do the same. They are not optional. They are where the path currently sits.

The Three Initiations

The Ifa Priesthood Initiation — Nigeria, January–February 2027

The initiation through which I will graduate to Awo, a Babalawo in training — the next major threshold of my development within the Ifa traditional system. The ceremony cost is a minimum of $10,000, and likely more once all fees and requirements are known, plus airfare and incidentals while I am there. I need a $5,000 deposit by May 25, 2026 — four weeks from now — to secure my place. This is my most immediate financial deadline.

Iboga Initiation — Gabon, Africa (Late Summer 2026)

An ancient warrior rite and deep cleansing ceremony involving the sacred Iboga plant. One of the most profound rites of passage available to a man on this path. A confrontation with self. A death. A warrior's rebirth. A necessary step to purify my road before priesthood.

Elementals Initiation — New York (Before August 21, 2026)

An 8-day Kali initiation through the ARC community, guiding a person through deep communion with the elements of nature. Elemental alignment and embodied transformation towards unlocking channels that, within, that must be opened.

Where the Money Goes

Ifa Priesthood — Nigeria (Jan–Feb 2027) — $10,000 minimum ceremony + airfare & incidentals (deposit of $5,000 due May 25)

Iboga Initiation — Gabon (late summer 2026) — $3,500 ceremony + ~$2,500 airfare & supplies

Elementals Initiation — New York (before Aug 21) — $2,500 ceremony +

supplies

Tax debt (currently owed) — $4,000

Total fundraising goal: $25,000

The Ifa Priesthood ceremony cost is listed at its minimum estimate — the full cost may be much higher once all requirements are finalized. I am committed to full transparency: if costs exceed projections, I will post updates on this page so contributors are never in the dark.

I am including the taxes because this campaign is built on being vulnerable before my community. The material and the spiritual are not separate. I am requesting help with some of this financial weight that I've been struggling to carry for years. The relief of this financial weight is part of what allows me to move freely toward what is calling me.

A Note on Why I'm Asking

I was given a divination that directed me to make this communal request. I will be honest: it is not natural for me to ask. I don't want to do this, and I have a litany of thoughts surrounding having to. I would rather quietly carry whatever weight I need to carry. But clearly, this strategy does not work. I have learned on this path that isolation is not strength. That receiving is its own kind of practice and developmental path. That community — real community — holds its members when the path demands it.

Honestly, I have no clue why anyone viewing this would help me. I am asking because I was told to by my ancestors, because I am trying my best to trust their directives, and because something in me believes — even through the discomfort and all the thoughts I have about doing this — that there is something I need to see on the other side of this moment.

Whatever you give — $5, $50, $500 — I receive it as an offering given from your heart, and I am beyond appreciative. I will honor it by continuing to walk this path with everything I have.

Thank you.