Odu Ifa discussion

Otura Meji
Otura is the source of mystic vision. Mystic vision puts one's Ori in alignment with
source (Olodumare). Otura is the foundation of an individual's sense of destiny and
purpose in the world. Odu Otura Meji brings peace of mind and freedom from
anxiety. In its negative manifestation, it can it can be the source of an inflated sense
of self importance, or identifying with something other than source, such as greed,
nationalism, racism or moral superiority. Children of Otura Meji are of gentle
character. They are good at business, especially buying and selling. They must know
when to rest, for they can easily suffer physical or nervous collapse due to
overexertion. They should do make offerings to Esu frequently for protection.

ese OturaMeji
Okiti-ogan-af'idij'ago cast Ifa for Otu
He was told to offer two tortoises in order to become wealthy
Otu listened and did the ebo
The Awo warned Otu not to kill the tortoises, but to sell them
Through a casting of lots, he should decide were to sell them
when he arrived at the town he was offered
eighty bags of money for the tortoises
Esu advised Otu not to accept the price
Esu is always in favor of the one who does proper ebo
when the price was raised to several hundred bags
Esu advised him to accept the offer
this was how Otu became wealthy
Otu praised the awo, the awo praised Orunmila
and Orunmila praised Olodumare
the awo began to sing, and Esu put a song in their mouths:

Ijo ti Otu ra Awun meji

ki ama pee ni "Oturameji"

The day Otu bought two tortoises

should be called "Oturameji"

ase Awo Dino

ORI MI O!
SE RERE FUN MI!
MY ORI!
REJOICE WITH ME!

For us to figure out the importance and precedence of ORI between the other
ORISA, an Itan of ODU OTURA MEJI, telling the story of an ORI that got lost in
the path that was leading form the ORUN to the AIYE, states: "... OGUN came to
ORI and asked, "You don´t know that you are the older among the ORISA? That
you are the leader of the ORISA?'..." . We can say that, "ORI mi a ba bo ki a to bo
ORISA", that is, "My ORI, that has to be worshiped before worshipping the
ORISA" and we have an oriki dedicated to ORI that says " Ko si ORISA ti da nigbe
leyin ORI eni", meaning, "... There´s no ORISA that supports more the man than his
own ORI...".

When we meet someone that, despite facing in life a series of difficulties related to
negative actions or cruelties from other people, keeps finding inner resources,
extraordinary inner strength, that allows him to survive and, many times, keeping
proper results of fulfillment in life, we can say, "ENIYAN KO FE KI ERU FI ASO,
ORI ENI NI SO NI", that is, "people don´t want you to survive, but your ORI works
for you", bringing, this expression, an important statement that a strong and resistant
ORI is able to take care of man and ensure him social survival and other relations
with life, despite the dificulties he might have. That is the reason why BORI, a way
of praising and strengthening the ORI used in our religion, is done many times,
preceding or even substituting an EBO. It is made to the person find inner resources,
that inner strength that was stated, related to his or her adjusting to face situations,
or related to the strengthening of his or her energy resources and consequent
integration with his or her vitality fountain (Teixeira De Oliveira).

ASE Awo Dino

ese Oturameji 1
"Restless mouth, slippery mouth;
the evil brought about by mouth
is the worst kind of evil;
it is the mouth of Chatterbox
that eventually kills Chatterbox;
it is the mouths of those who idly chatter
that will kill those who idly chatter;
it is the restless mouth that kills
Chatterbox, Blabbermouth."
Those were the ones
who cast Ifa for Squirrel,
who built his home along the roadside.
They instructed Squirrel to be alert,
be very much alert about his incapability
to keep his tiny trap shut, about
his utter inability to keep a secret.
They told him not to tell anything,
whatever he knew, immediately to others.
Squirrel, of course, did not heed the advice.
A short time later Squirrel's wife
gave birth to twins, to ibeji,
which pleased Squirrel mightily.
He immediately announced:
"Now hear this, now hear this!
Squirrel has twins! His home
has become full of life. All those
that listen: come and see
Squirrel's twins."
When the people heard these words,
they stepped aside the path, opened
Squirrel's nest, and searched it.
While searching Squirrel's nest
they found his two children.
They took the young breed home,
put them on top of mashed yams,
and along with the soup Squirrel's children
slid down people's throats
to their stomachs. Yummie!
Ifa says that we should not shout
our good fortune from the rooftops,
nor should we tell any secrets, for silence
helps us to keep what is ours.
That is exactly what the Awo's said:
"Restles mouth, slippery mouth;
the evil brought about by mouth
is the worst kind of evil;
it is the mouth of Chatterbox
that eventually kills Chatterbox;
it is the mouths of those who idly chatter
that will kill those who idly chatter;
it is the restless mouth that kills
Chatterbox, Blabbermouth."
ase

ese 2

"Like water runs over the path,

so runs the path through the Eri-river"
cast for "Muslim with long gowns",
on the day that "Muslim with long gowns"
was endeavoring to follow the path
of the Immortals.
The instructed Muslim to make ebo.
Muslim listenen and made the ebo.
From that day on all went well and easy
for "Muslim with long gowns".
Ifa says this person should
lead a life of devotion, in order
to receive blessings.
ase

The ebo is: 4 pigeons, 2 sets of

Muslim prayer-beads, 1 pot palm oil,
1 white plate, and an amount of cowries
to be set by the Awo.
all to Obatala. Ase Awo Dino

The esoteric representation of Otura Meji is the Kasan, which is a blouse worn by
advisers to the Chief and soldiers that symbolizes the interaction between various
ethnic groups. It is a image of the power of the word.
This Odu relates to Ifa and deserters from his cause. It denotes victory over enemies
and prospect of many children.
Physical body element = Arms, hands, and lungs
Children would be disposed to be diplomats, fishmongers or lawyers.
The Market Place
Power of mental judgement
Patience brings great rewards
Sustain from marriage
Recognize Taboo
Peace that comes from an inner knowing
"Stabilize the family"
Suggests meditation and fasting
Confusion and doubt is followed by clarity and abundance.
Otura-Meji opened the way for wealth to come to the world!
Human speech is treacherous, a source of dissension and loss, and a possible cause
of death.
Folklore credits this Odu with the inspiration for their religious leaders of both
Christianity and Islam.
Orunmila never wrecked vengeance or punished 'them' even though he had the
power and ability to do so with impunity.
A single santified word outweighs a load of profane verbiage.
Sprout, big mouth, halve yourselves, lip-lobes, clam up, double tongue, utter.

Lying does not debar one from becoming rich,

Covenant-breading does not debar one from reaching old age;
But the day of sleeping, there awaits trouble!

The most important work done in heaven by Otura-Meji is the revelation of how the
white man attempted to learn from God how to produce a human being. The white
man had become so vast on earth in the field of inventions that he thought he should
crown his achievements by going to God to teach him how to manufacture a human
being. When he got to heaven, he approached an Awo called Ayegbe kooshe gbere
gede, "No mirror can be wide enough to see the length of a whole year". The white
man was advised to give a he-goat to Esu but he refused to do it because he did not
believe in making fetish sacrifices.
Without making the sacrifice he went to the palace of God and asked to be taught
how to produce a human being. Since God never refuses any request made to him,
he told the white man to fetch mud for the work,which he did. God has a large
mirror in his workshop which he looks at when molding any object. He examines
the reflection of the object from the mirror and he must pass it as perfect before
confirming it as being fit for existence.
With the mud fetched by the white man, He molded the image of a human being and
the white man watched him. After molding the human image, God left it to dry and
meanwhile moved to his inner chamber to attend to other callers.
As soon as God left, Esu come into the workshop in the shape of a heavenly police
and asked the white man whether he could not replicate the image prepared by God.
the visitor confirmed that he could. Esu then told him to leave for home with the
image, because it would speak after drying up.
With that piece of deceptive advice, the white man left with the human image. When
he however got home the image could not speak after drying up. that is why the
white man is unable to cast any speaking image to this day. It was on account of the
sacrifice which the white man refused to make.

To speak is to begin to sort out, to divide things. Odd or even?

The person you meet once, meet again, and meet later as an elder in a town, is called
an old man. That was the mane of the Awo Otura-Meji who made divination for the
head of the Imoles to enable them to inherit the prosperity of the earth with minimal
effort, from a sedentary position. He made the sacrifice.
When he got to the world, he struggled for a long time before he was able to realize
his destiny, but when he finally met Otura-Meji again on earth he made the same
sacrifice for him in the cave and told him that his flock was going to multiply but
that the reward of his sacrifice would be reaped by his descendants and followers.
He was told that money would always come to them with very little or no effort.
Those who wanted to know the truth about God would always come to him for the
message. ("Ase O! Baba")

Olusese awon ni Awo inu igbo, Elu-odan-af'idij'Odu, divined for Orunmila. He was
told to sacrifice:- Six mats, six ikoodes, ... so that he might be able to govern his
town. They told him that all the people would respect and honor him in this mat.
That is why the Babalawo sit on mat to read Ifa till today. Orunmila heeded the
advice and speedily made the sacrifice.

I threw a missile;
And it hit a trickster;
Who made a long dress;
To conceal his treachery.
Whoever hides to practice;
Wickedness against others;
Will have evil endangering him openly.
Truth and False hood were arguing between themselves. Truth argued that he was
more powerful that Falsehood. On the other hand Falsehood argued that he was
stronger that the Truth.
Otura-Meji told them that the power of falsehood is transient and ephemeral and
that Truth, although slow and weak, overcomes Falsehood in the end, He then sang:
No matter how powerful wickedness is;
Righteousness overcomes wickedness in the end!

Ase O! Awo Dino

ese Otura Meji:

Ifa warns the person for whom this Odu is revealed to have the fear of Olodumare at
the back of his/her mind all the time. He/she must recognize the fact that no matter
how powerful he/she may be, Olodumare is the source of all powers and He can
take away any power that is being abused or misused from the owner of such power.

Ifa says that if the person for whom this Odu is revealed is put in a position of
authority, he/she needs to exercise his/her authority with the fear of Olodumare at
heart. He/she must never maltreat others. He/she must not see such power as a
vehicle for vengeance or for showing his/her superiority over others.

Conversely, Ifa assures the person for whom this Odu is revealed that he/she will
have victory over a more powerful opponent who had been using his/her power,
position and/or influence to oppress, intimidate and/or inflict pain.

Ifa advises the person for whom this Odu is revealed to offer ebo(sacrifice) with one
matured he-goat and money. He/she is also expected to feed Esu Odara with one
roaster. After this, he/she needs to put his/her faith and fear in Olodumare in all
his/her thoughts, speeches and actions. On this, a stanza in Otura – Meji says:

Igbonwo mejeeji ni o see gbagbon s`aja

Dia fun Alukandi
Tii s`eru Olodumare Agotun
Oba ateni ola legelege f`ori s`apeji omi
Igba ti o ntorun bo wale aye
Ebo ni won ni ko waa se

Translation:

The two elbows cannot be used to place a

A basket onto the ceiling
This was Ifa`s message for Alukandi
The messenger of Olodumare
When coming from Orun(heaven) to Aye(earth)
He was advised to offer ebo(sacrifice)

Alukandi was one of the very many messengers of Olodumare. He was usually sent
by Him to deliver special messages to the human race at regular intervals. All these
messages he had delivered without any fault and also without questioning the
rationale behind them. The attitude of Alukandi had endeared him to many Irunmole
in Heaven. Whenever there was any message to be delivered, the Irunmole would
quickly suggest the name of Alukandi to Olodumare. He would then be sent, and the
message would be delivered as quickly as possible.

During the course of delivering Divine messages to human beings, Alukandi came
to realize that there was great love and affection for human beings who live on earth
by both Olodumare and the Irunmole. Alukandi could not understand why this
should be so; was it not the same human beings who kill, maim, hurt and destroy
each other at the slightest opportunity? Why should Olodumare be in love with
those who destroy the environment; polute the air and water; kill insects, rats, fish,
birds and beasts at will?; wage war on each other for no other justifiable reason than
to show supremacy over one another? Why should Olodumare be in love with those
who were not in love with Him; who disrespect Him and His Irunmole; and who
had not shown any remorse?

Initially, all these baffled Alukandi. They later turned to confusion for him. In his
confused state of mind, he was determined to punish them for all what he perceived
to be misbehaviour of the human race.

When the time came for Alukandi to come down to earth to deliver Olodumare`s
message, he saw this as the opportunity he needed to take advantage of to deal a
deadly blow on all the ungrateful human beings. When he was coming on his
assignment, he asked for special powers and his request was granted.

On his way, he decided that he would show no mercy to anyone; why should he
show compassion to those who destroy Mother Nature at will? He concluded within
himself that they did not deserve his pity.

The day he arrived on earth was a market day. As soon as he set his feet on earth, he
declared:

Igbonwo mejeeji ni o see gb`agbon s`aja

Dia fun emi Alukandi
Tii s`eru Olodumare Agotun
Oba ateni ola legelege f`ori s`apeji omi
Igbati ohun ntorun bo wale Aye
Emi Alukandi, Alukandi
Eyi to ba wu mi ni n o pa
Alukandi!

Translation:
The two elbows cannot be used to place a
Basket onto the ceiling
This was Ifa`s message for me Alukandi
The messenger of Olodumare Agotun
When coming from Orun to Aye
Behold, here comes Alukandi, Alukandi
Whoever I like will I kill
Alukandi!

Before anyone could realized what was happening, Alukandi released the special
power given to him in heaven and began to kill anybody and everybody in the
market. Pandemonium everywhere! Everyone ran for dear life! Nobody could really
explain what went wrong. The next day, people came to pick the corpses of their
loved ones for burial. Uncertainty enveloped the world. They all gathered in small
groups to make meaning of what had just taken place. They could not. At last, they
approached the Oba who in turn fixed a general meeting to take place in the market
on the next market day.

On the appointed day, the whole market place was filled to the brim. Those who lost
their loved ones were first given the opportunity to speak. While they were
expressing their ordeal and agony, Alukandi arrived and declared:

Emi Alukandi, Alukandi

Eyi to ba wumi ni n o pa
Alukandi!

Translation:

Behold, here I come Alukandi

Whoever I like will I kill
Alukandi!

The whole market scattered instantly. Everybody ran helter-skelter. Many were
killed by Alukandi himself, many more were trampled to death. In all, more than a
quarter of the population died.

From that time, it became a regular occurrence every market day. Nobody dared to
go to the market anymore. Chaos and anarchy took over completely. Nobody wished
to go out in the day time, talk less of night time. Anyone who wished to live long
needed to fear Alukandi.

One day, some elders gathered themselves together and went for Ifa consultation in
order to determine exactly what was going on and at the same time, find a
permanent solution to it.

The Awo told the elders that what was going on was misuse of power and
opportunity. They were told that Alukandi thought that he could fight for Olodumare
and the Irunmole. The Awo assured the elders that nobody could fight for them but
rather, Olodumare and Irunmole do their fightings when the time was right and
appropriate. He assured them further that Alukandi would surely fail because he was
not sent on the assignment he was carrying out. He advised the elders to offer ebo
with one matured he-goat and money. After this, he told them to feed Esu Odara
with one big roaster. The elders complied immediately.

As soon as the ebo was offered, Esu Odara petitioned heaven and complained that
Alukandi had been misusing the special powers given unto him. He said that he had
wrecked untold havoc on earth. He insisted that only the withdrawal of that power
would do. Olodumare sent other Irunmole to go and investigate what Esu Odara had
said. They confirmed all his reports and the special powers given to Alukandi were
withdrawn.

Unknown to Alukandi that he has lost his special powers, he was busy planning his
adventure on the next market day. Esu Odara was equally busy gathering people
together to confront Alukandi on the next market day. Esu odara assured the people
that their arch enemy had no more power to wreck any havoc on them. He told them
to stand firm.

On the market day, Alukandi came as expected. As soon as he came he declared:

Emi Alukandi, Alukandi

Eyi to ba wu mi ni n o pa
Alukandi!

Translation:

Here I come Alukandi

Whoever I like I will kill
Alukandi!

Instead of panic, Alukandi met resolute determination. Instead of fear, he met

courage. They all responded in unison, saying:

Iwo Alukandi, Alukandi

Iwo kii beeru Olorun
Alukandi!

Translation:

Behold, you Alukandi

You have no fear of God at heart
Alukandi!

Alukandi was shocked and surprised. He made to rush them but instead, he realized
that he had no power to do anything. The next thing he saw was the people tying his
hands and legs together. He was unceremoniously sent back to where he came from
– heaven. When he arrived, he was not allowed to return to earth again, ever.
Igbonwo mejeeji ni o see gb`agbon s`aja
Dia fun Alukandi
Tii seru Olodumare Agotun
Oba ateni ola legelege, f`ori s`apeji omi
Igba ti o ntorun bo wale aye
Ebo ni won ni ko waa se
O koti ogbonhin s`ebo
Emi Alukandi, Alukandi
Eyi to ba wu mi ni n o pa
Alukandi!
Iwo Alukandi, Alukandi
Iwo kii beeru Olorun
Alukandi!

Translation:

The elbows cannot be used to place a basket onto the ceiling

This was Ifa`s message for Alukandi
The messenger of Olodumare
When coming from heaven to earth
He was advised to offer ebo(sacrifice)
He refused to comply
Here comes Alukandi, Alukandi
Whoever I like will I kill
Alukandi!
Behold, you Alukandi
You have no fear of God at heart
Alukandi!

Ifa says that the person(s) for whom this Odu is revealed shall overcome his/her
enemy who appears to be stronger and more resourceful than him/her at the
moment.

Conversely, Ifa warns all those connected to this Odu and all followers, never to
think of revenging for or on behalf of Olodumare and/or Irunmole. They fight for
themselves when the time is ripe and appropriate.
ase Awo Dino

ese ÒTÙRÁ MÉJÌ

As - water - flows - over - the - path - the - path - flows - through -
the - Eri - river cast Ifá for the Muslim with long cloths on the day the
Muslim with long cloths was trying to follow the path of the Immortals.
Ifá advised the Muslim with long cloths to make ebo. The Muslim with
long cloths made ebo. From that day on things went smoothly for the
Muslim with long cloths.

Ifá says this person must lead a devotional life to receive blessings.
Etutu (offering): 4 eiyelé (pigeon), 4 adie (fowl), 2 sets of Muslim
prayer beads, 1 epo (bottle of palm oil), 1 white plate and money
determined by the diviner, offered to Obàtálá.

Otura meji is where we learn of the Yoruba belief that all paths are valid. In this Odu
are many verses that speak to this. Someone might come for divination and be told
they need to follow the path of Islam, or another religion. There is no feeling of
superiority, no prosletyzing.

ese ÒTÙRÁ MÉJÌ

It - is - the - egg - that - reject - the - spirit - of - the - child - it -

was - the - spern - that - rejected - the - spirit - of - the - child cast Ifá for
Earth and the destructive powers living on earth, on the day Earth
wanted to make sales at the market. Ifá advised Earth to make ebo so
Earth would not be damaged by the destructive powers living on earth.
Earth made ebo. From that day on all profit stayed with Earth.

Ifá says this person should make ebo so the destructive ancestors
in their family will not steal their abundance. Ifá say this person should
make an offer of kindness to their colleagues so they do not become
jealous and destructive.
Etutu (offering): 1 eiyelé (pigeon), 1 adie (fowl), 1 white plate, 1 epo
(bottle of palm oil) and 100 nira (money), offered to Obàtálá.
Éèwu (taboo): uncooked oil.

Not all our ancestors are Egun. Egun relates to the elevated ones. Here in the west,
since there is no ritual for collective elevation of one's ancestors, what is spoken to
in this verse is epidemic. If one's collective ancestors are not helped to elevate, one
will not be able to elevate themselves at death. Ase Awo Dino

Irete Meji
In the fixed order of Ifa, Irete Meji occupies the 14th position. Irete from ire te
meaning "to press" good fortune. Irete is the stubborn determination to create
abundance, to move towards self-transformation. In its negative manifestation (ibi)
it would be stubborness regarding needed change, or inappropriate goals. Irete
creates determination. In Irete Meji we find the idea that it pays to stoop to conquer
- humility leads to success. This Odu denotes dedication to Orunmila. Children of
Irete Meji must be devotees of Orunmila. This will lead to good fortune (Ire). Head
cleaning (bori) will be needed from time to time to help with stress as well as
humiliation from evil forces. Cildren of this Odu must learn how tro relax; they
become bored, impatient and are easily fatigued when under pressure. If this Odu
comes up and the client or a family member is sick, the solution is at hand - ebo to
Babaluaiye and the Mothers.

ese Irete Meji

Okan awo Oluigbo li difa f'Orunmila
nigbi Orunmila mi lo si Ife
Won ni iye eniti Orunmila ba te ko ni Iku
Ewe tete, eyele meji ati beebee ni ebo
O gbo o ru
Won gbo ewe tete sinu omi kio fi fo Ori

Okan awo Oluigbo cast Ifa for Orunmila

when he was going to Ife
He was told that anyone he initiated would not die young
Tete leaves and two pigeons as ebo
He listened and performed the prescribed ebo
The tete was crushed in water for washing his Ori
ase Awo Dino

ese Irete Meji

"Otewori, do not hang yourself,
for prosperity will come to you"
was the one who cast Ifa for Otewori, on the day
that he decided to take his own life.
Far back in those times of yore
Otewori had the saddest life on earth,
so he went to find a tall tree,
tied a rope around a branch
to hang himself.
The rope broke with an audible snap
and Otewori fell down, hit his head
against a hard root, became unconsious,
and dreamed a dream of the afterlife
that so clearly had refused to take him.
There was (we are still in his dream)
the gatekeeper to Heaven, who
shoved Otewori aside, bitterly saying
that this hasty client was far, far too early.
Waiting and waiting in line Otewori heard
other Dead, who had lived their lives on Earth
to the full end of their measured days,
say how later in life and not at the beginning
they had received great prosperity and abundance.
So Otewori decided to go back, and having arrived
again in the sunny land of the living,
consulted the Awo's who said:
"Otewori, do not hang yourself,
for prosperity will come to you."
Ifa says here is a very unhappy person
who is about to go look for Death
but shouldn't find this Grim Reaper yet,
for health and happiness are on their way. Ase Awo Dino

ese Irete Meji

Amukikutu cast Ifa for the people of Ipere Amuyo on the day they were going to use
gin to nurse their children. Ifa advised the people of Ipere Amuyo to make ebo. The
people made ebo. From that day on, the children of Ipere Amuyo developed good
character.
ase

Ifa says this person will have many children. Ifa says this person should make ebo
so that her/his children will have abundance and develop good character.
ase
1 fowl, 1 pigeon, 1 bottle of palm oil, 1 white plate, eko and money offered to
Oshun and Orunmila.

The esoteric representation of Irete Meji is a square within a circle, the circle
symbolizes that which is unknown and the square symbolizes that which is known.
It is an image of mutiny and rebellion which either brings long life or infectious
disease.
Irete denotes initiation into Ifa
The power of medicine
Where the Iyami's came to earth
A split second decision can affect the rest of your life!
Resistant to pain and adaptable to the roughest conditions
Whole and domineering character
Unlimited ambition
In Irete-Meji Orunmila learned the secret of prosperity.
"It pays to stoop to conquer"

Odan-ab'orepegunpegun cast Ifa for Akon (crab), they say that: he would never fit
well with the people in the market. If he wanted to adjust this fault in him, he should
make ebo:-Ata-epo (Pot of oil) and a shawl. Akon refused to make ebo. On the
market-day, Akon balanced his pot of palm-oil on his head and in an attempt to wrap
himself with his shawl, the pot fell from his head and his shawl was soiled with oil
and up till today the oil stain is still on the crab.
The boy began to sing thus:
My name is Kporoye
My mother's name is Kporoye
Daughter of Ajero kin osa
In the land of Ijero
Married to Ewi of Ado.
My mother Kporoye told me
The story of how the quest for a child
Brought her for divination to Udo
Where she met an Ifa priest ---
Who made divination and sacrifice for her.
As she went to deposit
The sacrifice near the pit
She heard a distant cry for help.
From within the pit
Behold, it was the Ifa priest
Who made the sacrifice for her
Who was inside the pit.
As she helped him
To get out of the pit
She fell to the ground
And her feminine glory was exposed.
The Ifa priest ---
Who could not resist
The urge of nature
Fell on her
And made love to her.
My mother Kporoye
Has not seen the Ifa priest since then.
But true to his prediction
That the fortuitous event would bring forth a male child.
I was born to Kporoye
In her old age
At a time when no one
Expected her to bring forth a child.
Although my mother's husband
The Oba of Ale Ugotun
Accepted me as his child
The blood of my real father
Runs through my veins.
And the fact that I went about
Singing songs and collecting leaves
Like my father was said
To be in the habit of doing
Made my play mates
To call me funny nick-names.
One day, I confronted my mother Kporoye
To tell me the true story of my birth.
She told me that my father
Comes from the land of Okemesi
And that at the entrance to his house
There is a money bearing tree.
The branches and foliage
Of the tree bear crowns.
The stem bears beads
And the roots bear corals.
At the entrance of the house
Is the dried corpse of a human body.
After hearing the story
I insisted on coming to see my father.
On our way to Okemesi
We were apprehended by three bandits
And sold separately into slavery.
I lamented that I would never
See my father again.
Even if I die as a slave
I can now rest assured
That I have come to at last
To the land and the house of my father.
The description given by my mother
Assures me that the house
To which I was finally sold into slavery
And where I now crack this palm kernel
Is indeed the abode of my father.
Ejielemere of Okemesi
If I die in six days time
It would no longer be in vain
Because I have come to die
On the bosom of my father!

Ase O! Ase Awo Dino

the Itan (story) above is one version of the story from Odu Irete meji regarding the
boy named Kopoye.
In another (original) version, the awo in the pit is Orunmila himself. The verse is
extensive so I will summarize:

Orunmila was out in hunting a deer for an ebo he needed to do. He caught the
deer but in the process he fell into a pit with it. No one would help him out of the
pit, saying "if you are so wise then find your own way out". Finally,
three women heard his pleas and helped him out. One of them was unsuccessfully
trying to have a child. So, as a gift for helping him, Orunmila made love to her
which produced a child for her. Before Orunmila left she asked how she could find
him. He gave her directions to his house and an exact description. In the meantime,
he had returned home to Oke Mesi and the woman returned home to her husband,
the Oba or king of Illa. The boy always displayed the charactericstics of Orunmila,
his father. When he was older, his mother told him the story of his birth and so he
went out in search of his real father. On his journey the boy, Kporoye, was captured
as a slave. He was in fact sold to Orunmila for use as a human sacrifice in Oke
Mesi. A few days before the sacrifice, Orunmila overheard the boy singing a song
describing the circumstances of his birth which included the exact words that
Orunmila had used to describe his home. He then realized that this was his own son.
Orunmila found a suitable replacement for the sacrifice of his son and that was a
goat. From then on human sacrifice was never practiced again in the religion.
 So in Irete Meji we find the prohibition against human sacrifice. To speak on this, I
turn to elder baba Eyiogbe

Lucumi babalawo's use their Odu as their name, so understand that Baba Eyiogbe is
coming from a Lucumi perspective, and this is just one perspective.

1.
I hope you won't mind if I quibble a little bit. If I were to put on
lawyerly, or even theological robes, one could argue that the specifics of
the case recounted in the verse do not apply to voluntary human sacrifice.
The boy was "captured as a slave", and "sold for use
as a human sacrifice". In other words, the practice that is implicitly
being condemned is the traffic in human beings as though they were animals,
for the purpose of ebo. I doubt that the victims of such sacrifice
ever volunteered, either before or after they got picked. What the verse
comments upon therefore does not provide precedent for sacrifice of the noble sort,
which at a minimum requires that the person offered as sacrifice be a volunteer. It
therefore is not a blanket prohibition, but a prohibition in a narrowly defined sub-
class.

I do not quibble because I would promote any practice of human sacrifice, human or
otherwise, but only because my interest is in the laws of spiritual
science, i.e. in Truth. I am therefore concerned with two ancillary questions. The
first is what is the "power", if any, derived from human sacrifice. The second is the
ethical question, namely what is the rightness or wrongness of the practice.

My inner voice tells me that the power of human sacrifice is immense,

and further, depends on whether it is voluntary or not. That wisdom
is clear when you consider: that at the core of Christianity is a
story of human sacrifice; that it was built on martyrdom; that many
parents sacrifice themselves for their children, literally and figuratively; the story of
the fellow whose god told him he required his son as a sacrifice,
and the fellow said, well then take me instead; etc. The point is that life is not the
absolute value that we tend to take it to be in a post-Christian world, and that som
times the purest expression of Love is to offer oneself as a sacrifice, and further that
the one who does that undeniably brings blessings both unto themselves (for they
survive as eternal spirit) and to those for whom they make the sacrifice. In this
context, there is a story circulating on the net somewhere. It is about a little girl who
has some disease and the doctor says that in order to save the girl, she needs to have
a blood transfusion, and the only suitable donor is the girl's little brother. The family
asks him if he is willing to give his blood to save his sister. So, he thinks about it a
little, and lips trembling, he finally says, okay, and a look of
serenity then descends on his face. Then as the operation proceeds, and
they are pumping his blood into his sister, after some time he asks "how much
longer before I die?". And then the realization dawns on the doctor and the boy's
family that he felt all along that by giving his blood, he was also being called upon
to give his life for his sister. How noble! I'm sure that that
boy gained a lot of karmic points for that one. And anyone who has had a parent that
has sacrificed, scrimped, saved and done without so that some offspring can become
a big shot somewhere understands implicitly the power
of human sacrifice. So let us be very clear. Human sacrifice is part of the grand
spiritual scheme of things, and there is a noble aspect to it, just as surely as there are
sorcerers who seek to draw some of that power in some of their evil practices.

The next question is the rightness of the practice, which I have already
answered. There is nothing wrong with human sacrifice per se. It all
depends. If it requires that you murder someone for the sacrifice to go
through, then it is clearly wrong. And if the victim hasn't volunteered, then it's
murder, pure and simple. That is a horrific practice, and the verse is a reminder that
a traffic in human beings for the purposes of involuntary human sacrifice can lead
precisely to the situation described in the verse, prompting anyone with a
conscience (or which Orunmila stands as metaphor) to examine afresh a practice
that might have become culturally ingrained at one time, and therefore removed
from much conscious reflection. It is that cultural practice that one could take as
having been "prohibited" by the wisdom metaphorically imparted in that verse.

There is an additional point. The illustrious babalawo from whom I once took
instruction told the class one time that the verses of odu never prohibit or
forbid anything, except perhaps by inference. There are no "commandments"
in the religion, no "thou shalts" and no "thou shalt nots". Our divine nature comes
necessarily with free will. What there are are consequences to action, and an in-built
moral compass to which we could look to seek guidance on what, and what not, to
do. When that moral compass is defective, or we are not sure what the reading is,
there are of course the odu and the verses
to help us to get it working again.

As you can see, there was human sacrifice up until the time of Baba Irete
Meji. But it was halted by Orunmila at that time and it also explains why
goats are often used as a 'replacement sacrifices' when someone's life is in
danger. This is the fundamental ese or verse for the Odu and is pre-colonial.

Now there is a historical point. Another quibble. In my understanding of

Irete Meji, the odu, it is timeless as a matter of principle and would have been
revealed at the same time that the entire system of Ifa divination was revealed.
Verses connected with this odu, as with all odu, would later have accumulated in the
way that cultural legends and myths do. If this was the first verse connected with
Irete Meji, then the the prohibition that it calls for in the traffic in human
beings for the purpose of making ebo, is a prohibition that goes back to pre
historic, let alone pre-colonial times. I would think. Correct me if I'm wrong. And
at the same time, we have on the evidence of J. Olumide Lucas, "The religion of the
Yorubas", that human sacrifice indeed continued to be performed in Yorubaland
even after the coming of the British. While he, and the British, condemned the
practice as "barbaric", the examples which he gave appeared to me to be of the
voluntary sort, of which I've written already somewhere in this thread.

Another thing you should understand, is that for us there are very few
'Absolutes'. Everyone has their own Odu they came to the world with and
therefore their own nature or Iwa. And that nature is correct for them.
Which is right? Well that depends... Recognizing that is one of the profundities of
Ifa.

I see your point, and I do not disagree. But to quibble yet again, my notion of
Absolute Truth is the world, all that's in it, and all the Divine Laws which govern it.
That is Absolute. What is True yesterday is True today, and tomorrow. That
Absolute is unchanging. But within that Absolute, there is all manner of shades of
gray. The best analogy that I can think of is a game. Football, say. The Absolute
consists in the game and its rules, which are unchanging (well, almost). But within
the game there is an infinity of possibilities, and no two games are ever the same,
although they are all alike. I raised the point because the question of human
sacrifice, its rightness or wrongness, when and under what conditions, would have
to belong to the rules of the game as it were, to the Unchanging. It couldn't have
been right up until Irete Meji, and thereafter wrong. It was either right before
(under certain conditions, obviously, as earlier discussed) and still right now
or never right. I am leery of "new dispensations" in religion.

>Again I hope this helps...

>
>Iboru, Iboya, Iboshishe,
>
>Baba Eyiogbe by Awo Dino

In order for our Ori to fulfill its destiny and rise above any pitfalls that may occur by
chance or design (through our choice of destiny), it is important to consult Ifa,
adhere to Ifa's advice and, when appropriate, offer the sacrifice (ebo). In other
words, we cannot simply walk through life and let things happen -- we have to take
an active role. We must act in order to advance ourselves and our Ori. Without
action, Ori is stagnant. Action can take many forms, literal and symbolic, from
observing ewoo (taboo), to performing certain acts, changing our behavior, and
leaving a food offering. Whatever the action, it is a source of energy for us and our
Ori. That's why in the Odu Irete Meji it's said:

Iwo ote
Emi Ote
D'ifa fun baba a lese ire
Ma a l'ori ire
Won ni ko ru'bo si ilaiku ara re
O ru'bo
Ko i pe
Koi jina
E wa ba wa laiku kangere
You are a presser (an initiate)
I am a presser
Divined for the Baba with good feet
but not with a good Ori (destiny)
he was advised to make ebo for good fortune
He made the ebo
Not too long
Soon after
Join us in everlasting lives
ase

Ifa let's us know that with a good foundation (feet) even if our Ori (destiny) is not
good we can make ebo (sacrifice) in order to lead a fruitful and fulfilling life. As I
mention in earlier articles, it's important to understand that ebo is sacrifice, and that
sacrifice is performed not only by "giving" something tangible, but sacrifice can
also be an action. Ase Awo Dino

ÌRETÈ MÉJÌ
The - bottom - bead - on - the - left - and - the - bottom - bead - on
- the - right - never - argued - among - themselves cast Ifa for Imò omi on
the day she was going to have children on earth. Ifá advised Imò omi to
make ebo. Imò omi made ebo. Imò omi received a blessing of children.
Imò omi sang and danced in praise of the Awo, while the Awo praised Ifá,
while Ifá praised Olodumare. When Imò omi started to sing, Èsú put a
song in her mouth. Imò omi sang;

Ko de si omo láte, omo wun mi ju ileke.

Ko de si omo láte, omo wun mi ju ileke.
There are no children for sale, I love children more than
beads.
There are no children for sale, I love children more than
beads.
ase

Ifá says if a woman wants children she should make ebo with her
jewelry and ask the ancestors for a blessing of children.
Etutu: 1 eiyelé (pigeon), 1 adie (fowl), beads, eko (corn meal
cakes), 1 epo (bottle of palm oil), 1 white plate and 45 nira (money),
offered to Osun and Ifá.
Éèwu (taboo): ****, spinach. Awo Dino

ese Irete Meji

Ada-ile-o-mukankan li o d'Ifa fun Iren
nlo te awon meji ninu omo Olofin
 won niki o rubo
awon ti o nlo te ko ni Iku
won ni: Ijo ti Iren te meji ti won ko ku
ki a ma pee ni: Ire-te-meji
ase

Ada-ile-o-mukankan cast Ifa for Iren

when he was going to initiate two sons of Olofin (ruler)
he was told to make ebo
he heeded the advice and made the ebo
he was assured that anyone he initiated wouls not die young
the day Iren initiated two people who did not die is to be called Ire-te-meji
ase

Children born of this Odu should be initiated into the Orunmila cult. This will
assure a long life. Initiates of Orunmila wear a beaded bracelet. In some parts of
Yorubaland the bracelet is of alternating green and maroon beads. Most nowadays
are of alternating green and brown beads. Lucumi usually use green and yellow. The
Afrikans that most seem to have dominated the religion in Cuba seem to be from the
area of Oyo, where it is common to use green and yellow beads, which originally,
according to odu, signified the ewe (plant) of Ifa, speaking to the symbiotic
relationship between Orunmila (diviner) and Osanyin (medicine man). Anyways,
this bracelet not only identifies a person, male or female, who is an initiate of Ifa,
but also is testament of the person being protected form death (iku), or should I say
premature death. Like the awo staff, it is testament to Orunmila's power over the
Eleiye (owners of birds). Awo Dino

1. Irete Meji

Aboru Aboye, Abosise

I did notice a very familiar sequence but thought I'd post those two since I missed
out in the beginning. Anyway your request was heard and gladly accepted. And I
hope that we can continue sharing insights and understandings within the tradition.

Oh yea, This thread should not die, as we have over 1000+ eses per 256 odu.

(Oh BTW Okunrin ni mi. )

Je ki awon egungun mu ire wa fun e...

(May the ancestors bring Ire for you...)

In staying with the order of the Oju Odu...

Irete Meji

Ajilosoo the road side priest

Casts divination for the ambivalent speakers, the mouth of man
The mouth they used in praising him
The same mouth would not be used to abuse him
But he should perform sacrifice
He heard about the sacrifice
And performed it
If you are wealthy
They will call you a rich man
If otherwise you are poor
They would say 'hello the poor man'
Ifa, one greeting is better,
It is better than the other
Hello, rich man is better
It is much better that hello, the poor man
Therefore, what is that thing that man has perfected?
Mockery
Mockery is that which man has perfected
Mockery Ase Awo Dino

ÒSÉ MÉJÌ
In the fixed order of Orunmila, ÒSÉ MÉJÌ occupies the fifteenth position.
ÒSÉ creates abundance through prayer. The esoteric representation of ÒSÉ MÉJÌ is
the crescent moon which symbolizes female fertility. It is an image of female
creativity. ÒSÉ is the source of abundance and fertility in the world. It is
symbolically associated with fresh water. The earliest human groups settled and
expanded around sources of fresh water. Ifa says that abundance and fertility are a
result of the proper use of ofo ase (power of the word) in prayer (aladura). It is a
time of changing conditions in business and relationships. It's a good time for
making money and finding love. In its negative manifestation (ibi), ÒSÉ would be
the drive to material wealth at the expense of spiritual growth. In Yorubaland,
children are the number one form of abundance. In ÒSÉ we find the allure of the
erotic as an expression of the desire to procreate.
This Odu denotes plenty of children, victory over enemies and plenty of good
fortune. Those born under this Odu are destined to be initiated, probably as Oshun
priesess or priest. The person is destined to take a position of honor and
responsibility within their chosen profession. Here, Orunmila learned about the
mysteries of abundance. Osun is considered keeper of the mysteries of abundance.
Osun enticed Obatala for this secret and gave it to her worshipers. Desiring spiritual
growth will lead to abundance. If the right ebo are made, children of ÒSÉ MÉJÌ will
live to a ripe old age, provided they take care of their health. It also calls for
strengthening spiritually, getting closer to Orunmila, and strengthening ones
professional capabilities in order to prosper in life. So, for Love, prosperity and a
happy marriage, ebo to Osun is needed. The client may have a problem with
enemies, and needs to make ebo to Sango and Orunmila in order to triumph.
Orunmila has the power to overcome enemies in the physical realm as well as the
spiritual realm. Only ebo can save human beings.
ase

ese 1

Orunmila prophesied, it came to pass;

It came to pass Bara, Agbonniregun,
They asked what was it that was coming to pass?
He answered that it was the blessing of wealth foretold.

The Olodus, that is, the sixteen main apostles of Orunmila, were in the habit of
going to the river to wash the signs of old age from their bodies. After each such
bath, they often came out looking several years younger than their ages. At one of
their weekly meetings, the sixteen Olodus agreed on the date they were to go to the
river for their annual cleansing session.
On getting home from the conference. ÒSÉ MÉJÌ invited one of his Awos called
Gere Gere Shalu Gere, to cast Ifa for him regarding the upcoming trip to the river.
He was advised to offer ebo to Esu because of the benefits awaiting him at the river.
He did the ebo without any delay.
On the appointed day, all sixteen Olodus assembled at the river and they began to
have their dives into the river in order of seniority. Each of them was required to
make three dives into the river. When it was the turn of ÒSÉ MÉJÌ to dive, being the
fifteenth Olodu, he dived the first time and came out of the river with a dried fish on
the left hand and a fresh fish on the right hand. He made a second dive and emerged
with a white cloth on his left hand and a black cloth on the right. In his third and
final dive, he came out with 200 cowries on his left hand and beads on the right
hand.
The other Olodus accused him of playing magic, but he declined saying that he did
not know how to cast Ifa, let alone do magic.
On getting home he assembled all his surrogate Awos and told them to interpret his
finds in the river. They told him that the fishes indicated that he would live long
enough to enjoy all the good things of life. The cloth meant that he would live in
peace and concord to the end of his life, which was going to be very long. The last
finds meant that he was going to live a life of prosperity and abundance. He actually
lived a full life and lived longer than any other Olodu on earth.
ase

ese 2

When our own handicraft suffices us reliance is never placed on theft. Theft can
never suffice us, except our own honorable labor: This declares the Oracle to
Agbonniregun (alias Orunmila) When he was set out from township to rural areas.
He was warned that he would do marvelous acts of kindness, But that he would be
repaid evil for good; But Olodumare would requite him manifold. And all the deities
would also repay him amply. He saw a lame man, and he restored his limbs; The
lame man failed to express any gratitude. Orunmila called him back and asked why
he failed to be grateful. He saw an albino, touched his skin, The albino's skin
became restored to normalcy. He saw a hunched back man, and touched his hunch;
The hunch of his back dropped to the ground. He called back the man and asked
why he was ungrateful. He found a woman laboring of child, He took care of her
and she was delivered safely. He met people where somebody died of an illness; The
deceased, borne in a coffin, was about to be buried, Orunmila stopped the concourse
of mourners and raised the dead to life. They all acclaimed Orunmila, saying "All
Hail to His Majesty ! " Orunmila got to another place, There Death (Iku) was
intimidating someone, Orunmila began to sing as a challenge:

If I see Death I would crush him in a fight."

Woroji, woroji! wowo! (what a frightful scene to behold !)
If I catch sight of plague, I would worst him in combat;
Woroj, woroji! wowo! what a frightful scene to behold!)
Death fled away, In fear of Orunmila;
Plague took to flight to avoid Orunmila.
ase

Quite apart from being a Deity who prophesied and worked miracles, ORUNMILA
was also a DOCTOR and HEALER In addltlon to his qualities of being (a) KING
(b) PRIEST (c) TEACHER and (d) DEITY. Also as teacher of mankind he was a
LINGUIST.

Ase O!

ese 3

Pòròmìsolè cast Ifá for Òtú on the day Òtú was making a journey
to Ijebu. Ifá advised Òtú to make ebo. Òtú made ebo. From that day on
Òtú was an important person. ase

Ifá says this person should make ebo so they will be regarded as
an important person. ase

Etutu (offering): 1 eiyelé (pigeon), 1 adie (fowl), bean cakes, 1 epo

(bottle of palm oil), eko (corn meal cakes) and 40 nira (money), offered to
Orí. ase

ese 4

When - night - comes - the - leaves - of - the - forest - become -

transformed - while - Gbòdògi - leaves - become - transformed - into - a -
person cast Ifá for Túwase Ihuloko on the day Túwase Ihuloko wanted
the goodness from the land of the Immortals to meet him on earth. Ifá
advised Túwase Ihuloko to make ebo. Túwase Ihuloko made ebo. From
that day on the goodness from the land of the Immortals made the
journey to earth.
ase

Ifá says the good fortune of this person is divided between the
realm of Spirit and the realm of humans. Ifá says this person must
make ebo to receive the blessings of Spirit on earth. ase

Etutu (offering): 4 eiyelé (pigeon), 4 adie (fowl), 1 epo ( bottle of

palm oil), 1 white plate and 30 nira (money), offered to Orí. Ase Awo Dino

In ÒSÉ MÉJÌ we have a strong admonition to those who are initiated as Ifa priests
and do dishonest things. Unfortunately, this situation is rampant. Many people get
an incomplete initiation, or never learn how to form ase through the spirit of Ela.
They don't know the metaphysical principles in Odu, they prescribe the same ebo at
the same price for every client, etc., etc., etc.,

On this IFA says in ÒSÉ MÉJÌ:

Inu u won ni o daa

Iwa a won ni o sunwon
IFA a won ni o sunwon
Ni o je ki won o pe won lo ile ree jeru wa
Dia fun Yerepe
Tii somo Onikaa merindinlogun
Yerepe o o seni
Yerepe o o seniyan
Igbati won fi o ledu oye
Lo so gbogbo ile dahoro
ase

Their minds are full of evil

Their characters are devilish
Their divination is malevolent
These were the reasons why they do not enjoy patronage
These are the messages of IFA to Yerepe
The one who was the offspring of the 16th king of Ika
Yerepe, you are a bad person
Yerepe, you are a wicked person
It was when you were installed
That you decimated the whole household
ase

As a Babalawo or Iyanifa, one needs to clean and empty his mind of any negative
and destructive thoughts and intentions in order to avoid the calamity that might be
the outcome of such an action.
Ase Awo Dino
ese ÒSÉ MÉJÌ

We will mark Ose Meji on the side of a wall with chalk and camwood. Grey-hairs-
make-their-home-on-the-heads-of-the-aged, dry-palm-leaves-cannot-carry-burdens-
on-their-shoulders, were the ones who cast Ifa for Kola, when they were coming
from Orun to Aye. They said that they should make ebo so that human beings would
not be able to kill them. Their little junior siblings were the ones who made ebo; the
elder siblings did not. The junior siblings are the small sections of the Kola nut that
we set aside. From that time on, people have been "killing" kola. We will chew kola
and blow it out after we have marked the figure on the wall, so that evil forces will
not be able to take this person. Three roosters and 9 dollars is the ebo.
ase

The marks of Odu Ose meji and Ofun meji are drawn for protection on the wall of
houses. chalk, camwood powder and kola nut are sacred in Ifa. Awo Dino

Akoda (the first student of Orunmila) the diviner of "Eli Erupe" (One-who-owns-
soil), and Odorogi (Too-long), diviner of O'da Oro (Causer-of-pain), were the ones
who cast Ifa for Orunmila on the day that all the evil spirits in the world wanted to
carry him away. He said that he too had a master (ancestral guardian soul - iponri)
as they did, and that his master would deliver him from their hands and not let them
carry him away.
Orunmila went to the white birds inside the termite hill, to the white spotted birds
on the left side, and to the white birds who flew to earth from inside the termite hill.
The white birds inside the termite hill said that he should bring obi ifin (white kola).
The white spotted birds on the left side said he should bring obi ipa (red kola). The
white birds who flew to earth from inside the termite hill said that Orunmila should
bring Atare (guinea pepper). They pounded these things in the mortar to make
"egiri" medicine for Orunmila. They said, " The head of the tortoise does not ache;
the liver of the snail does not hurt him; the stone at the bottom of the river does not
feel cold." They said that ibi (evil spirits) would not be able to carry him away. "We
will pour the iyerosun (divining powder) inot the stew and eat it."
ase

Egiri is a type of medicine that prevents death. The medicine, in form of a stew, is
made with tortoise and snail meat, white kola and red kola, the guinea pepper, salt
pepper and palm oil. The Odu is marked in the iyerosun on the diviner's board, and
then the iyersun is put in the stew. All the while reciting the ese Odu. This medicine,
which can also be made into a charm is called "aiku," - "not-die," or "ariku" - a ri
iku "not-see-death."

If a client is having problems and it is determined that they are being caused by ibi,
or ajoogun, then the soup is the answer and the ebo. Also, if it was determined that
the client's life was in danger. However, evil spirits can only affect a person who is
acting with bad character; that is out of alignment. So the medicine will be
ineffective if the person does not change their behavior. Ifa says the best medicine
against negative energies is iwa pele - good character.
ase
Osun Oshun Ochun Oxum Erzulie is born in Odu OSE Meji
Remember it is symbolically associated with water.

Since Oshun is the Goddess of all rivers her energy is meant to flow through you
like a river, it is not supposed to stagnate in a pond, and you should not try to hold
on to it, just let it pass through you, enjoy it fully while it lasts and be healthy and
grateful, make offerings of copper, honey, yellow things, feathers, mirrors and
perfume and jewellery once in a while, or dress up in beautiful clothes to honor her.
That is what she wants you do to.

Oshun is also very anti-intellectual, she is a feeling being, rather than a being who
seeks knowledge through books. Her body knows what to do when she dances, it
just moves to the rhythm. As if the Orishas are encouraging you to seek knowledge
in a different way, not through more intellectual information, but to connect with
your feelings again. Your body needs to be healthy and well-nourished to do that.

The Story of Osun

Mother of Abundance, Healer of African Women

In the beginning, before the lands when the world was a mass of water and sea,
Olodumare, the Great Creator, who sits up high in heaven and the sky, sent his
children, the Irunmole to create the earth. He sent Ogun. He sent Obatala. He sent
all of his children and last but hardly least, He sent Osun. They were all prepared to
do their work. Osun asked, What do you want me to do? They laughed. Now
everyone was wondering, What is Osun doing here? This is mens work. See how
small and young she is. Certainly, she cannot help us. What is she doing here? Osun
waited. So, the Orisa all proceeded to do their work. They commenced lifting,
building, hemming, hawing, huffing and puffing. They worked long into the night
and patted themselves on the back for their hard work. However, unbeknownst to
the other Irunmole, Osun, the wise mother that she is, proceeded to take her matter
directly to Olodumare.

Ki ni mo se? She implored to Olodumare. What have I done? I went to earth only to
help and they cast me aside. E jowo. Please help me? Olodumare replied. Ha! Do
not worry. You are a mother, the original mother. They can do nothing without you.
Does your womb not produce life? Beni

Osun responded. Well, then just wait. They will be begging for your help. With that
Osun strapped her child to her back and was on her way.
The next morning Osun and the 400 Irunmole arrived for another day of work.
Again, Osun asked to help. Again, the other Irunmole laughed. However, their
laughs of humor quickly turned to yells of incredulity.

YEEEEEEEEEEE! They cried. Everything was spoiled. The tools broken, their
work dashed. Everything was turned upside down. The mountains they had worked
so long and hard to make were now mud. The grass was so much fodder. Come, one
said. Let us go. This is just a one-day thing. Let us begin anew. We are Irunmole. We
are strong. Nothing can stop us. Again Osun asked to be included. Again, she was
refused. This scenario went on for several days. Each day became more
flabbergasting than the first. Finally, the Irunmole had had it. Enough was enough.
They appealed to the Owner of the Sky. We plant the crops, the crops fail, the
mountains turn to mud, and oh the bickering. Olorun was thoughtful. He said, Did
you ask Osun? Osun? Who was Osun? They had to pause for a minute. Finally, it
dawned on them who Olorun was referring to. Her! They exclaimed. How could she
help them? They were strong. They were powerful. She was a woman. Olodumare
simply replied, She is your mother. The Irunmole were humbled. With grace and
charm, Osun, appeared, tied her baby to her back and led the way back to Earth with
the powerful Irunmole in tow. Henceforth, whenever there was work to be done the
Irunmole always made sure to propitiate their mother and all was right with the
world. ase.

The moral of the story is: Man can do nothing without Woman!

Osun is an Aje, a powerful mother. She makes life worth living. She is one of the
original 401 Irunmole who came from heaven to earth. She is also the only female
Irunmole. As, such she holds tremendous power. She has her own Ase that comes
directly from Olodumare. She turns losses into gains. She overcomes negativity
with beauty. Osun is hard working. Among her titles are Osun Alade Okin (She who
wears the fanciful crown of peacock feathers) and Osun Seegesi (Osun the owner of
the beaded comb). Osun makes life worth living. Awo Dino

ese ÒSÉ MÉJÌ

"It-is-the-greedy-person-that-bites-off-large-pieces"
"My-eyes-are-infected-and-I-cannot-see"
and "Restless-Water-Lettuce"
were the ones who cast Ifa for
"Couldn't-see-couldn't-grab"
on the day he went to Ibadan.
Could he count on having peace?
"Sure, my friend," the Awo's said,
"as long as you make ebo righteously!"
"Ebo? Me? Forget it, friends!"
The results were quite predictable:
from all directions trouble came his way,
which was exactly what the Awo's said!
"It-is-the-greedy-person-that-bites-off-large-pieces"
"My-eyes-are-infected-and-I-cannot-see"
and "Restless-Water-Lettuce"
cast Ifa for "Disowned"
also widely known as
"Cannot-see-cannot-grab".
Now, if we want to have peace, we should rest
That's simple.
On that very same day it fell upon
the people of Ibadan, that teeming city,
that they cannot relax anymore.
How sad, too bad, next time better.
Greetings to the ebo, in order
for us to be able to relax.
Grant us that possibility!
ase Awo Dino

Ose Meji

Ose Meji

“The evil thought in their heart does not make us to assemble with them.

“Their wicked acts does not allow us to associate with them”

Cast divination for the Nettle

The close friend of the forest tree

“Would I extricate myself from the captive of man”?

They asked him to perform sacrifice

He was asked to offer many neddles.

The Nettles heard about the sacrifice

And performed it

No enemy can move near the Nettles

And no one can move near the tree which the Nettles hang

All the trees that the Nettles attach to

All of them would become saved

It is Ifa alone that will save us. Ase Awo Dino

Ofun Meji

In the fixed order of Orunmila, Ofun-Meji occupies the sixteenth position. It is the
last of the Odu Meji. Ofun means the Spirit of White. It is a reference to white light
as the Source of all material manifestation. Ofun creastes the answer to prayers
manifesting as "miracle." So in Ose Meji we found that Ose creates abundance
through prayer. In Ofun those prayers manifest. Everything we see in the physical
world is created by light (and sound). Ofun is the source of phenomena or
manifestation in the universe. in its negative manifestation, Ofun would be
manifestation through invocation that are contrary to harmony, balance and spiritual
growth. Ofun means things are flowing well. Patience and compromise are called
for. Understanding the dynamics of give and take. good monetary fortune. With hard
work and the right sacrifices, success is guaranteed. If this Odu comes up for a
young woman, there is a possibility of pregnancy. Children of Ofun Meji are
generous. They are rich in wisdom. They exhibit the traits of Obatala. They can be
asthmatic, and frail. For financial prosperity, ebo to Aje' and Olokun. They should
always be of kind character.

The esoteric representation of Ofun Meji is an egg marked with 12 paired points,
and four horizontal lines which together symbolizes the 16 Odu Meji. It is the image
of the birth of universal principles. Life in accordance with the dictates of Ifa is
"sweeter than honey." Whoever loves money beyond bounds will have his character
damaged. Wisdom it is that excels money. Ifa says that we should not break an oath
with a friend, least we meet death unexpectedly.

ese Ofun Meji

Ajitu gbaye Aringinniginni gbayi Ojini ku to ku to r'ohun oro sarigbon lo Orun They
cast divination oracle for Orunmila When coming From Ikole Orun (Heaven) to
Ikole Aye (earth) They also cast divination oracle for the human race Who were to
divide into three groups:

The acheivers
Those who follow the acheivers
The bystanders

They all were coming to do three things on earth They were coming to do good
They were coming to do evil They were coming to do neither good nor evil. Aa see
mogamoga kii ri ohun oro se arigbonlo Agbonmiregun's Sage (Another name of
Orunmila) Cast divination oracle for Agbonmiregun When going to Olodumare to
make enquiries on why Olodumare created three groups with three distinct
characters at the same time? Three groups exhibiting different traits cannot live
together without friction. With friction, someone is bound to be hurt. Olodumare
responded: It is a way of knowing human attitudes. ase
From the Ifa verse above, it shows clearly that on earth, there are three groups of
people: those who make things happen (good or bad); those who assist in making
things happen; and those who watch things happen. The first group is very rare, the
second group many, while those who fall into the third group are in abundance.
On the other hand, man cormes into the world to exhibit his various attitudes and
characters independently, Consequently individuals are responsible for-their actions
good or bad. Generally, all those attitudes that are socially acceptable, approved of
and backed up by rewards are categorised as good. Examples of these kinds of
attitudes are humility, godliness, honesty, hardwork, forgiveness, patriotism, respect
and so on. The types of rewards attached to these kinds of attitudes are praises,
encouragements, blessings, better life hereafter and so on.
Also, all those attitude that are socially unacceptabie, disapproved of and backed up
by negative sanctions are categorised as evil. Examples are lawlessness, stealing,
meanness snubbishness, pride and so on. Sanctions attached to these attitudes
include social frown, rebuke, jail, banishment, execution, to worse life hereafter.
The third category of attitudes and characters are those that do not constitute neither
good nor bad. For instance, sleeping or waking up at normal times is neither good
nor bad. But if one constitutes the habit of deliberately disturbing others while they
are asleep or awake either by occupying their space or deliberately matching on
them while awake, it becomes evil. Also, eating and drinking is neither evil nor
good, but if a person who has got the means of affordng his daily meal makes It
look as if those who have got no such means are either criminals or social
exrements, it becomes evil. Poverty or affluence is neither good nor evil. However,
the way a person exhibits his state of financial well-being may constitute evil or
good.

On the whole, certain things become clear from this Ifa verse Ofun-Meji: the most
important purpose of man on earth is to come and exhibit his characters and attitude.
These characters and attitudes are not part of man's destiny-- in other words man is
free to choose between good and evil. This freedom of choice makes man distinct
from any other being on earth. Nobody 'pushes' a man to do evil or good. Man's
purpose of being on earth is not religion. Religion is only a means to an end while
the end itself is the way man exhibits his attitudes and characters. Other beings on
earth such as plants and animals need to be studied in order to help man prolong his
stay on earth so as to exhibit his choice of attitudes and characters for a longer
period. Also, all forces of nature are to be studied and understood so as to be able to
adapt and abide by their rules in order to live longer Life on earth continues
indefinitely. Only living beings on earth at any particular point in time will cease to
exist while others will be born on rotational bases. In Ofun-Meji Ifa says:
The world continues indefinitely Esinsin o kate ileke wiri-wiri-wiri Cast divination
oracle for Orunmila When going to the world of infinitude.

Ase O! Awo Dino

ese Ofun Meji

Biabani-ki-a-bu-ile-a-mo-ilepa
Cast Ifa for EjiOgbe and the remaining fifteen principle Odus
They were asked to pay the debt
for the ebo owed by their mother
They refused to pay, thus refusing the ebo
That is why Awo have never been wealthy
They are rich in wisdom
ase

ese Ofun Meji

Ogbe-the-stranger cast Ifa for Orisanla (Obatala) on the day Orisanla was searching
for abundance. Ifa advised Orisanla to make ebo. Orisanla made ebo. From that day
on, Orisanla had all the blessings he needed (ire gbogbo).

kiki ire (prayer for good fortune)

Ogbe funfun kenewen o difa fun Orisanla won ni ko rubo,

pe gbogbo nkan to n'to ko ni wo, o rubo ojo ti gbogbo
nkan to n'to ko wo mo niyen
ase

Ogbe the stranger cast Ifa for Orisanla who was told to make ebo so that all he was
doing would be sanctioned. He made ebo, and that was the day he recieved all the
blessings that he needed. ase

Ifa says this person should worship Obatala. Ifa says that if this person is an Obatala
worshipper, they should make ebo to Obatala for abundance, Ifa says the ebo should
be made with a recitation of this odu.
ase Awo Dino

Ritual is devoid of meaning if one does not understand from whence it came and it's
underlying theological principles. It is to say, an open act of worship is meaningless
if the act is made only with intent, but no understanding of what the act means. If
intent were the sole basis for giving meaning to an act, then we can say as we please
caring only that we mean it in the name of worship. Ritual without understanding is
like a wind blowing a leaf this way and that, it certainly moves, but where it lands is
anyone's guess.

Ritual married to understanding is like a man in the desert who with compass and
map in hand, can reach a desert oasis. Ifa is my compass and Odu my map, that I
may find shade and water in the desert of humanity.

Ofun Meji

‘We-start-where-we-end’
Was the Awo who divined for ‘the small child who knows nothing’
When performing Esentaiye at the dawn of his life
He was told that if he sought wisdom
And did not lie, or be treacherous
Ifa would support him
He was told that in life, there are many roads,
But only the road of righteousness would lead to an end
Supported by Olodumare
And that in the end
He would return to the place he began
Next to the innumerable Irunmole in Orun

When nearing the end of his life

The Awo ‘We-start-where-we-end’
divined for ‘the small child who knows nothing’
who had become the wise elder who knew much
Ifa said he supported his Ori
And his Ori had supported him
In choosing the righteous path
And so he would return to the place he began
Next to the innumerable Irunmole in Orun
It is such that we repeat the cycle of life
Until we reach Apere (the perfect state)
Ofun Meji
Who was first
And became last
Showing that everything that begins, will end
Trading places with the end, that became a beginning
Eepa Odu Awo Dino

Ofun Meji
Ofun, in particular Ofun Meji, is also known as "the Giver". In this Odu the universe
gives us the blessings that result from our quest for transformation and
enlightenment. Every attempt towards spiritual growth can bring positive results,
even if it is only the dawning upon us what things NOT to do. In Ifa divination, the
appearance of Ofun Meji usually suggests sacrifice to the Elders of the Night, that is
the Aje or Iyami, Olokun, or Obatala. Be kind to strangers and relatives, especially
towards those who are poor. When the client wants to undertake a journey, due
sacrifice as prescribed by Ifa will ascertain that everything goes well. The main
instruction in this Odu is to take precautions against illness and weak health.
When Ofun Meji comes with Ire, some of the key words are: well-directed power,
defense, tenacity, freedom, shape and form, health, understanding.
When Ofun Meji comes with Ibi, some key words are: weakness, obsession,
misdirected power, domination by others, illness, inconsequence, ignorance.

"When one leg goes forth

the other must follow.
If the father leads,
the child follows behind.
If, however, the child walks in front,
then it will be honored as greater
than once was its father."
Ofun once was the first of all Odu,
but he arrived late in Ife-Ondaiye:
others came before him, because on his way
he had drank his fill, nicely and thirstily
drunk lots of palm wine.
Finally arriving on Earth, Ofun found
Ejiogbe having taken his place,
Ejiogbe was first among Odu,
Ofun was mad, and quite disappointed.
The others said: "You were our leader,
always in front, and we thought
when we arrived here to find you,
having like always gone before.
So we simply took the places
in rank we thought ours."
Then the people of Ife confirmed,
after having heard this in earnest:
"When one leg goes forth
the other must follow.
If the father leads,
the child follows behind.
If, however, the child walks in front,
then it will be honored as greater
than once was its father."
ase

In Ifa it is believed that all things in the physical world first are created in the
spiritual world. Or that everything in the physical world is a mirror image of its
reality in the invisible realm. A mirror image will appear in reverse. Like when you
try to cut your hair in the mirror, you realize it is a reverse image. So Odu, having
been created in Orun, in the physical world are flipped. Odu Ofun Meji, is the last
odu, but in Orun it was the first. Awo Dino

Ofun meji was the first born of all the figures and the first to come to
earth. He was the head of all the other figures and ruled them like a
king, but because things went badly under his rule, they sent to Ifa in
heaven to tell him how hard things were on earth. Then Ifa sent Ogbe
Meji down to earth to take Ofun Meji's place as the head of the other
figures. Ofun Meji fought [to retain his place] defeating all combinations
until he reached Owonrin Meji. These two fought and fought and
fought, until the others sent to Ifa in heaven. Ifa ruled that Ofun Meji
and Owinrin Meji should be equal in rank, taking turns in priority.
This is why Ofun Meji outranks Owonrin Meji when Ofun Meji is
thrown first; but when Owonrin Meji is thrown first, it outranks Ofun
Meji. Awo Dino

Fu' Meji

Ofun Meji

Afinkin is what kills slaves; broken oaths are what kill friends;

Curses are what kill thieves; and ancestors are what kill relatives”

And “If the market breaks up suddenly, foreigners are left scattered here and there,
traders remain, and those who have spread there wares for sale remain”

Were the ones who cast Ifa for the Four Hundred Deities when Olorun was sending
Death to call them forty times, when he was sending death to call them sixty times.

When Olorun sent Death to call all Four Hundred Deities, Orunmila called them
together. He cooked one pot of snails, one pot of fish, one pot of rats, and he bought
one basket of cornstarch porridge and drew one jar full of water for them. When
they had finished eating and drinking, Orunmila told them that when they went to
Orun this time, they should not go singly; they should go together and stand united;
they should not walk alone. He said because if they stayed together, Olorun would
not be able to stop anyone of them or be able to detain any one of them.

When they came to Olorun, all Four Hundred Deities told him that a black man who
was wearing ide beads around his neck (Orunmila) was the one who was upsetting
the world, and that therefore the Sky God should keep him in Orun and not let him
return to earth anymore.

When Olorun heard this, he called Esu and asked “You are the one I have set to
watch them. What do you know about this person of whom they speak?” Esu
answered saying they were telling lies against Orunmila. He said that whenever any
one was ill, the one they said these things about was the one who cured them, and if
he received rats of fish as a sacrifice, he only ate those that were meant for him. And
then Esu said that when there were coming to Olorun this time, “Orunmila cooked a
pot of rats, a pot of fish, and a pot of snails, and they ate and drank before they came
before you, oh Olodumare”.

When the King of Orun heard this, he took all the Four Hundred deities and tied
them down in the sky; and he said that Orunmila and Esu should go back to earth.
When these two arrived on earth, Orunmila was happy and he began to praise his
diviners and to sing:
“We live on earth, we eat rats, oh;
“We live on earth, we eat fish;
“We drinking calabashes of Odu, we eat snails.
“Whatever happens concerns the oath that we took together;
“You lived on earth, you broke your oath to me;
“Whatever happens concerns the oath that we took together;

Ifa says that we should not break an oath with a friend, lest we meet death
unexpectedly. We have discussed something with someone who wants to break an
oath with us, Irunmole/ Orisa will judge and punish him. The lesson of this Ifa verse
is that “You must not bear false witness against you companions”