Ifa Creation and Odu

Ifa The true Religion of Yorubas.Sixteen is the

number of cosmos.

Posted by The Reunion Black Family on May 22,

2011 at 10:30 AM
 In the Beginning,
Olodumare (God) gave the Orisa Orunmila a flawless method of communication between himself and
the Orisa called Ifa. Ifa is linked to destiny through the Ifa the true religion of Yorubas . Sixteen is the
number of cosmos; it represents the primal order that issued from the unity of Olodumare.
(Sixteen is also a significant number in the world of computers.) When the world was first created, it
spread out from an original palm tree that stood at the center of the world at Ile-Ife. The palm tree had
sixteen branches, which formed the four cardinal points and the sixteen original quarters of Ile-Ife. In
political terms, Odudua, the first oni of Ife, fathered sixteen sons who founded the sixteen original
kingdoms of the Yoruba. On a deeper level still, Orunmila taught the art of divination to his sixteen
sons; they, in turn, passed it down to the Babalawos who practice it today.
Through the linked concepts of order, creation, and destiny, the number sixteen represents the
variables of the human condition, the sixteen possible situations of human life. For the Yoruba, the
sixteen principle signs are called Odu or Olodu, from each of which are drawn sixteen subordinate
signs (omo-Odu, "children of the odu" or Odus).
 These represent the sixteen essential life situations with sixteen possible variations each. This means
256 possible combinations (Odu's) or two to the eighth power. Each Odu is a recital of a set of poems
called ese, that provide clues for the resolution of the problem during a divination session. There are at
least, and by far not the most, 16 different ese's for each of the 256 Odu. This adds up to at least 4096
different scenarios. The goal of the Babalawo is to arrive at the appropiate Odu for the situation of his
"querent".
Each of the 256 Odu reveals an archetypal situation that was resolved in the mythic past through
sacrifice to an Orisa. In the thousands of Ifa poems, the Orisa are organized into a community of spirits
whose ase (power) can can be brought to bear on the problems of individual men and women in need.
In this way, Ifa and the Babalawo priesthood are responsible for directing the adherents of all the
Orisa's by leading querents to them. Nearly all the sacrifice/ebo of Ifa/Yoruba religion are offered to the
Orisa's as a result of divination. Ifa structures Orisa worship; the randomness of the system ensures
that all the Orisa's are duly venerated. Through Ifa, the balance of the sacrificial relationship between
heaven and earth is maintained, for Ifa, through Odu (word of God), provides human beings with
information about their place in the world, their destiny, and what the God's require of them.
Ifa and the ceremonial life that it generates constitute the organizing principle of the traditional
Yoruba religious vision. It is a view that finds human destiny "rooted in the breath of God Almighty".
Nothing happens by chance. There is a reason for everything, and it is the duty of human beings to
recognize this mystery. Within the Odu lay the hidden messages of the unseen influences. These
messages are best interpreted by a well trained Babalawo during a divination session.
This high system of virtue held by hundreds of thousands of Yoruba men and women survived the
middle passage to the America's where they (we) were taken as slaves. The deep-rooted virtues,
expressed in each Odu, sustained the African through one of history's darkest hours. Continue this
cyber journey if you must, as we shed light on the virtues and power (Ase) of the Odu.
Odu...The Orisa
This is an insert from the holy Odu Irete-Ogbe. Let this page shed some light on the Orisa called Odu.
You trample upon the brush. I trample upon the brush.
We trample the brush down together.
Ifa was consulted for Odu by these Awos.
They said, Odu is going from heaven to earth.
Whenever she arrive on earth.
They said, thee Odu, this is your beginning.
Olodumare gave her a bird.
She took this bird with her to earth.
Aragamago is the named that Olodumare gave this bird.
Aragamago is the name that Odu's bird carried.
He said, "You Odu, any undertaking upon which you send this bird, it will do.
He said, "Any place that it pleases you to send this bird, it will go.
He said, "If it is to do bad or good."
He said, Anything that it pleases you to tell it to do, it will do.
Odu brought this bird to earth.
Odu has said that no other person will be able to look upon it.
She said that it must not be looked upon.
If any enemy of Odu looks upon it,
She will shatter his eyes,
With the power of this bird, she will blind the eyes.
If another of her enemies peers into the calabash of this bird.
This bird Aragamago, will shatter their eyes.
She used this bird thusly.
She used it even to get to the house of Orunmila.
Orunmila went to consult his Awos.
The Oracle said, "If we teach intelligence to someone, his intelligence will be intelligent.
If we teach stupidity to someone, his stupidity will be stupid."
The Babalawos of the house of Orunmila consulted Ifa in order to know the day that he would take Odu
as his wife.
In this manner Orunmila would take Odu for his wife.
The Awos of Orunmila said "Hee."
They said, Odu that you wish to take for your wife.
A power is in her hands.
They said, because of this power Orunmila must make an offering to the earth.
In the interest of all of his people.
They said, so that with this power, she will not kill and eat him.
Orunmila made the offering.
When Orunmila had made the offering, they consulted Ifa for him.
Orunmila carried the offering outside.
At the arrival of Odu, she found the offering in the street.
Hee! Who has made this offering to the earth?
Ha! Esu said, "Orunmila has made this offering to the earth."
Because he wishes to marry you Odu.
Odu said, not bad.
All the things that Odu carried behind her, these are the bad things.
She told them to eat.
Odu opened the calabash of Aragamago, her bird, to the ground.
She told it to eat.
Odu entered the house.
When she had entered the house, Odu called Orunmila.
She said, "Orunmila, she had arrived."
She said, her powers are numerous.
She said, but she did not wish that they should fight with him.
She said, she did not want to fight with Orunmila.
She said, even if someone asked her help, asked her help to fight him, she would not fight him.
Because if Odu did not wish that Orunmila suffers.
Otherwise, if they wished to make Orunmila suffer. Odu, with the power and with the power of the bird,
would fight the people.
When Odu finished speaking thusly.
Orunmila said, not bad.
The time came, Odu said, Thou Orunmila, You are going to learn my taboo.
She said, she wish to tell him her taboo.
She said, she did not want his other wives to see her face.
She said, that he should tell all of his other wives that they should not look at her face.
Whoever looked into her face, she would fight.
She said, she did not want anyone to look at her appearance.
Orunmila said, "Fine!"
He then called all of his wives.
He prevailed upon them.
The wives of Orunmila would not look at Odu's face.
Odu told Orunmila that.
She said, with him she would make his burdens good.
She said, she would heal all things.
She said, anything that he causes to go wrong, she would repair it.
She said, if he observed his taboo.
She said, all things that she completed would be good.
Anyone who would disturb them, she would in turn disturb them.
If Oso (sorcerer) wished to destroy.
She said, she would leave him nothing.
Then he himself would be destroyed.
All his children, who are Awo.
He will implore them that they should never dare to trifle with Odu.
Because Odu is the power of Awo.
He said, if the Awo possesses Ifa, he will also have Odu.
The power that Odu gives him says that.
No woman must look upon her form.
From this day no Babalawo is complete without possessing this Odu.
One who does not have Odu will not be able to consult Ifa.
The day that one comes into possession of Odu,
On that day will he become a person that Odu will not allow to suffer.
R lnu mi o
Acceptance of R blessings from my voice

R lnu mi
Acceptance of R blessings from my mouth

Gbogbo re t mo b mm s
All my positive affirmation and prayers

Ni IRNML o gb
Will be accepted by the IRNML

Yo gb
Absolutely accepted
. R lnu mi
Acceptance of R blessings from my mouth
Iba o, OLDMAR aba ajiki,
DMR oba a ji ge,
gg Oba tiin gbele aye gun,
gbgb nla Oba tolode-Orun.
Homage to OLODUMARE, God of inertial,
EDUMARE, The most respected with adulation,
The pivot of life equilibrium,
The grand commander of the cosmic zone.

b o:
Ati yo ojo,
Ati wo oorun,
Iba ktkt awo owuro,
Ganrn ganrn Awo osan gaangan,
Winrn winrn Awo oru,
Ati kk-s-w, Awo oganjo.
Homage to:
The rising of the sun,
The setting of the sun,
Kutukutu, Priest of the Dawn,
Ganrin ganrin, Priest of the Noon,
Winrin winrin, Priest of the Night, and
Okuku-su-wi, Priest of the mid-night.

b Elewu ide,
b Elewu ala,
b Irawo sasa n be lehin fsupa.
Homage to Elewu-ide, Orisa of the sun,
Homage to Elewu-Ala, Orisa of the Moon,
Homage to Irawo-sasa, Orisa of the cosmic stars.

Afefelegelege Awo isalu aye,

Efuufulegelege Awo isalu orun,
Afefelegelege, Priest of the earth,
Efuufulegelege, Priest of the universe

b jgnml oluwo ode Orun,

b rmgnyn onibode aye oun orun,
b wnmj babalawo tii n komo nIfa oju orun.
Homage to Ajagunmole, Priest of the great beyond,
Homage to Aromoganyin, Gateman of the great beyond,
Homage to Awonamaja, Ifa Priest that teaches Ifa in dreams.

b s ll-kiri-k, Kiri-go,
b Eyin ymi,
Afnj y tii n je loju oloko,
Afnj y tii n fy sapa tii n fiko sehin,
Afnj y tii n fy sapa tii n feekun sehin
Afnj y tii n fy sapa tii n fehin sehin,
Afnj y tii n fegungun sapa tii n fegungun sehin,
Afnj y tii n firin n sapa tii n firin sehin
Afnj y tii n fina sapa tii n fina sehin.
Homage to Esu Laalu okiri-oko, kiri-ogo, the police of the whole universe.
Homage to Eyin Iyami,
The skillful bird that feeds in the presence of the owner,
The skillful bird with feathers and beak,
The skillful bird with feathers and teeth,
The skillful bird with bones as feathers and bones as teeth,
The skillful bird with iron feathers and iron teeth,
The skillful bird with feathers of fire and teeth of fire

b IL,tt, langbua,
Aterere kari aye,
A gbohun maa fo, abiyamo tooto.
Homage to Ile, otete, langbua, the mother earth,
The special carpet of the universe,
The mute listener, Mother of all.

b IFA ohun OLDMAR,

b Orunmila, eleri ipin,
Atori eni tio sunwon se,
b aboru, Aboye, Abosise.
Homage to Ifa the voice of almighty God,
Homage to Orunmila, the witness of destiny,
The one that changes misfortune to fortune
Homage to Aboru, Aboye and Abosise.

b Ogun,yankan bi ogbe,
b Otarigidi-tii n se yeye Ogun,
b Omobowu oun Ewiri-maje,
b ja, b Osoosi,
b Oltasn tokoko bo Ogun,
b p ti a n tidi n be tii n tori gbe ni,
b p to fidi sekan to fori se pupo.
Homage to Ogun, the bleeding of the fleshs wound,
Homage to Otarigidi, Ogun's Godmother,
Homage to Omobowu and Ewiri-maje, Ogun's wives,
Homage to Osoosi,
Homage to Olutasin, the first to appease Ogun,
Homage to the Palm-tree that is appeased at the base, that bring forth benefiting fruits at the top,
Homage to the Palm-tree with one trunk but many branches.

b Egb oga-Ogo
b Ogba,
b Krkto-Orisa ewe.
Homage to Egbe, the cosmic companions,
Homage to Ogba, The astral friends,
Homage to Olunkori, The Orisa of children soul mates

b Sng, Oluorojo,bambi-arigba ota segun,

b Haawa, Iba Gambe-olu,
b sere legelege tii n se gbaju fun Sango,
b Oya Oriri,obinrin gbongbonran tii n yoko re loko ebu.
b oke ganga, oke ganga,
b Aganju, Iba Mojelewu, Iba Okeere,
b Yemoja, Iba odo gn,
b sr, b Trs,
b Iyalode lode r,
b Moremi lode f.
b Oba.
Homage to Sng, Oluorojo, Bambi- The Orisa of thunder with many thunderbolts,
Homage to Haawa, Gambe-olu, wives of Sango
Homage to Oya Oriri, the powerful woman that rescued her husband from ridicule,

Homage to Aganju, Homage to Mojelewu, Homage to Okeere,

Homage to Yemoja and her river- Ogun,
Homage to Osaara, Toorosi, Sango's God mothers,
Homage to Iyalode, the custodian of Oro (Oro=town)
Homage to Moremi, the custodian of Ofa (Ofa=town)
Homage to Ob, Sangos faithful and lovely committed wife.

b o, Obatala, Oba taasa,

Oba patapata lode Iranje,
b Iranjele Iba Iranje oko,
b Ifon-Osun,
b Igbin, Iba Igbin-Oosa,
b Algemo-trekang,
Je a gbo Je a to;
b Abamoda omo Oosa-Agbowujin,
Mo daba ire aje, ire aya/oko, ire omo, ire gbogbo,
Aba ti Alagemo bada lOosa-Oke n gba.
Homage to Obatala, Oba taasa,
King of Orisa, the custodian of Iranje (Irange=town)
Homage to Iranje-ile, Iranje-oko,
Homage to Ifon-osun (all towns)
Homage to Igbin, the Sail, Homage to Igbin Oosa, the Obatala drum,
Homage to Alagemo-teerekange, the Carmelion,
We 're wishing for longevity
Homage to Abamoda The child of Oosa-Agbowujin (plant bryophllum pinnatum)
We 're wishing for all fortunes,
It is the good wishes of Alagemon that Orisa accepts.

b Gunyan gunyan ile Ido,

b rokaroka obinrin Ibadan,
b Aje tii n somo Olu-Ibini,
b Okun tii n somo Ode-Irada,
b Or, rpt pmpm,
Tobi mo lwelwe ti kan kan o sofun,
b Osanyin mgbry, To gba opa lowo olknrn sanu.
Homage to Gunyan gunyan females of ile Ido (Ido=town),
Homage to Rokaroka, the females of Ibadan (Ibadan=town)
Homage to Aje the princess of Ibini (Ibini=town)
Homage to Okun the princess of Irada (Irada=town)
Homage to Oro, Oropoto pomupomu,
The Orisa with many surviving children,
Homage to Osanyin -mogboraye, the healer of the sick.

b Olokun Iba Olosa,

b Od loogbo-oje,
b Osun awura-Olu,
Oly-Iyun, Awede koto wemo,
b Iyami-Osoroniga lode-Ipokia,
Homage to Olokun, Orisa of ocean, Homage to Olosa, Orisa of the lagoon
Homage to Odu loogbo-oje,
Homage to Osun awura-olu
The owner of beaded comb,She cleansed her brass and later bath her children,
Homage to Iyami-Osoroniga, the skillful Orisa and custodian of Ipokia, (Ipokia=town)

b Or-eni,
b Ikin-eni,
b Baba,
b Yeye,
b Oluwo,
b Ojgbn,
b Iprp adso-mmr
b yin sr-run
b ar Il.
Homage to Ones destiny,
Homage to Ones Ikin (sacred palm kennels)
Homage to All ancestral male Orisa,
All ancestral female Orisa,
Homage to Oluwo (ones spiritual teacher),
Homage to Ojugbona (ones chief officiating priest),
Homage to Iparipa Adaso-mamuro (Insects community),
Homage to Isoro-sorun (Astral Ancestral Orisa),
Homage to Ile (Houses).

wa jb kee je kb wa se, SE!

We sincerely pay our homage,
Accept our homage with understanding,
Wisdom and kindness, ASE!
Sixteen is the number of cosmos
Opon-Ifa
These are the 256 Od If. The first are the 16 Meji, or Oju Od. The next 240 Od If are combinations
of the first 16.

The Od If are patterns of binary code, opened and closed nodules, which represent all of the
energies contained in Igba Iwa, The Calabash of Existence, or the Universe.

These are the universal energies that give birth to all given circumstances and situations, all the
blessings and misfortunes of the universe are contained within them. They hold the key to all the
blessings and all the misfortunes of life and death. The Od themselves are the oracles of the Yorb
divination systems of If, Obi, and Merindinlogun.
It is through the knowledge of these energies, called Od If, that Babalawo and Iyanifa are able to
work with individuals to achieve the greatest potential of their destiny. It is through these Od If that
priests and priestesses of Oria can help people to repair their Ors and better themselves.

The Od If are like blueprints to all the energies possible in the universe. Each has verses of esoteric
knowledge associated with it along with medicines, rituals, and sacrifices that accompany each of the
256 Od.

Included in this listing of the 256 chapters of Od If are the names and aliases of the Od as taught in
my lineage of If, which is from Oyo State, Nigeria. Please note that the names and fixed esoteric order
of the Od If may differ from lineage to lineage.