The 256 Odù of Ifá
Ifá speaks through 256 signs called Odù. There are 16 major signs, the Meyi, and 240 combined signs (omoluos) that are born from crossing them. Each Odù holds its own prayer, its patakíes (sacred stories), its ebbós, its iré and osogbo, and its eewó (taboos). This is the full index, in the Lukumí tradition.
All 256 signs have their page in English — essence, prayer, sacred stories and meaning. Search by name, number or the shells — or open its family. New to Ifá? Start here →
Before you subscribe: the paid part of the treatise — the full text of every patakí, the recipes for the ebbós and works and the iré and osogbo readings — is in English too, for all 256 Odù. The pages you see here are free, and so is the whole eewó of every sign.
The Ogbe family
Eyiogbe · no. 1 and its 15 combined signs
The father of all the signs: the light that opens the roads, the power of Orí and the double salvation.
- 1 EyiogbeThe father of all the signs: the light that opens the roads, the power of Orí and the double salvation.
- 17 Ogbe YekuRevenge and the loss of positions: the crown is reached willingly or by force, with a debt still owed to Oshún.
- 18 Ogbe WoriIfá of war and hidden enemies: disobedience brings the hardship, but with obedience and the saints behind you, everything is overcome.
- 19 Ogbe DiThe owner of the knowledge that wakes Orunmila: intelligence, business and camouflage, fenced in by arayé and by traps that grow out of his own good luck.
- 20 Ogbe RosoThe truth against the lie: his divination rests on the power of the Egun, and only perseverance defeats the enemy and keeps good luck.
- 21 Ogbe JuaniThe one who tricked death, a lamp in the street and darkness at home: without peace in the house, the crown does not hold.
- 22 Ogbe BaraBetrayal and hidden things, where Shangó is born and speaks: enemies dressed as friends, and the debt of never being ungrateful to the one who raised you.
- 23 Ogbe KanaThe Ifá of contempt: the miser was killed by his greed and the deformity was a blessing; to the despised one, this sign crowns him in another land.
- 24 Ogbe OgundaOgbe Suru, praise of patience: it freed the world from the power of Eshu. It is an Ifá of betrayal in which perseverance never fails.
- 25 Ogbe SaThe one who went to war to ask for peace, not to fight: an Ifá of betrayal by friends, where only what is done completely is won.
- 26 Ogbe KaThe ring of Shangó and Oshosi, which makes the straight man unbeatable and breaks if he takes what is not his: an Ifá of slander and false witness.
- 27 Ogbe TruponThe one who came to Ifá out of curiosity and prospers in a foreign land: the favor of Shangó and the pact with Aroní. He flourishes where he is treated well.
- 28 Ogbe TuraThe fortune that is on its way: dancing brought him enmity and he lost his father's title; his luck only arrives when he settles in his own home.
- 29 Ogbe ReteThe one who sees the crown but does not rule by his own hand: he healed the deity of prosperity, and his throne is the temple of Orunmila.
- 30 Ogbe SheOgbe Sanwo, the money man who shares out fortune: immeasurably rich if he serves Orunmila. Here is also born the prophecy that always comes true.
- 31 Ogbe FunThe lawful son of Obbatalá: food reaches his house wherever he is, he grew rich selling salt and he made the pact with death alongside Orunmila.
The Oyekun family
Oyekun Meyi · no. 2 and its 15 combined signs
The lord of the night: death and the ancestors, the Ituto and the birth of sacred writing.
- 2 Oyekun MeyiThe lord of the night: death and the ancestors, the Ituto and the birth of sacred writing.
- 32 Oyekun OgbeThe sharing out of light across the world, where the plea to Ozain is born: misery comes from not paying the tribute, and good luck comes through the Eggun.
- 33 Oyekun WoriThe Ifá of the ungrateful one, chased by Oshún: a single flare of temper can cost a life or a prison term, but on the 21st day the iré arrives.
- 34 Oyekun DiConspiracy, deceit and war: here Orunmila set the world right and no one thanked him, and that is why he does not come down into the head of any Awó.
- 35 Oyekun RosoJealousy, married women and justice: it is the path by which Ikú comes to take the person, and in it the Paraldo and the funeral rites originate.
- 36 Oyekun JuaniWhere Elegbara ate akukó for the first time: abandoning the saints loses you everything, but attending Elegba makes the Awó great.
- 37 Oyekun BaraBinding and unbinding: the horse was tamed with cunning, not with force. What force cannot achieve, intelligence reaches.
- 38 Oyekun KanaWhere the Spirit and reincarnation (Leri Ofe) are born: a sign of Olokun, where the dead takes solid form if it is not attended in time.
- 39 Oyekun OgundaThe enemy's own witchcraft is used to defeat him: the Awó carries ataré to undo any spell, and greed loses everything.
- 40 Oyekun SaRespect, and ingratitude punished: the proud and disrespectful one loses everything, and the curse he throws turns back on him.
- 41 Oyekun KaThe advocate of Ifá, the one who freed the 16 Kings from prison: envy and falseness, one brother kills the other, and the law of Karma is born.
- 42 Oyekun TruponThe sign where the pig rescued humanity from death, with ailments of the belly and a marriage that breaks apart because of jealousy and gossip.
- 43 Oyekun TuraThe Ánima Sola and the transfiguration: the turtle swapped the brains of the world, and through drink you lose health, morals and life.
- 44 Oyekun ReteThe Ifá of unbelief: here the illness (Arun) infiltrates the body and Ode, the hunter, is born. Whoever does not respect or believe is lost.
- 45 Oyekun SheThe dead and reincarnation: here one is incarnated in another, and for that reason enters the Ituto, a sign of Yemayá where Olokun is received.
- 46 Oyekun FunWhere Shangó handed the kingdom to Orunmila: a sign of Eshú Larufa and of lagoons, where drink destroys the owner of the Odù.
The Iwori family
Iwori Meyi · no. 3 and its 15 combined signs
The eye that puts things together: analysis, kept secrets, and the hidden beast you have to tame.
- 3 Iwori MeyiThe eye that puts things together: analysis, kept secrets, and the hidden beast you have to tame.
- 47 Iwori OgbeThe wind and the transformations of Olokun: what the wind carried off was lost through disobedience; whoever studies Ifá is freed from the torment.
- 48 Iwori YekuWhoever keeps his mouth shut is spared the flies: what is seen is not told; a sign of blackmail and betrayal by a woman, where the knowledge of Ifá does not die.
- 49 Iwori DiSkill beats strength: the weak overcome the strong with intelligence. A marine sign where Olokun decreed that someone will always drown.
- 50 Iwori RosoWhere San Lázaro was thrown out of the Yoruba land: a sign of the swamp and of division, where only one king can rule in one town.
- 51 Iwori JuaniThe guardian of the Kutun, the pit of the Egun: pride ruins a person, but the one who sings drives his troubles away. Attend to your ancestors.
- 52 Iwori BaraWhere a good heart makes you lose: the pica-pica that hides the Awó from his enemies is born, and renown awaits whoever puts some firmness on.
- 53 Iwori KanaUnder the dominion of Ogún: disobedience can cost a life, but the mother frees her child.
- 54 Iwori OgundaWar and punished ingratitude: Olodumare condemned Ogún for wanting to eliminate Orunmila, his benefactor, and here fright was born into the world.
- 55 Iwori SaStruggles and changes of the weak one who defends himself with cunning: Obatalá Ayaguna speaks, the revolutionary spirit. Without discord there is no progress.
- 56 Iwori KaStubbornness, adultery and dramas of passion: whoever kills by iron dies by iron, and the wife becomes infatuated with her husband's best friend.
- 57 Iwori TruponWhere the novena of Orunmila is born, and that the Awoses help one another: the priest who does not study loses his memory and his ashé.
- 58 Iwori TuraBeauty and glory: for the iré, surround yourself with beautiful things. Here the sling of David is born, and Olokun showed his riches to man.
- 59 Iwori ReteWhere the four seasons and the miracles of San Lázaro were born: the guardian of the Atepon Ifá, a sign of whims and shifting luck.
- 60 Iwori SheThe loss of the head: a single head does not rule two lands and ambition is ruinous. The money is in the sand of Oshún's river, not in gambling.
- 61 Iwori FunThe Godfather who baptizes and makes life be born again: one of the three greatest Odù in the consecration of Ifá. You must adapt so as not to perish.
The Odi family
Odi Meyi · no. 4 and its 15 combined signs
The womb of the world: motherhood, the sea, and the promise that what is lost will be found.
- 4 Odi MeyiThe womb of the world: motherhood, the sea, and the promise that what is lost will be found.
- 62 Odi OgbeThe voice that fills the house of Ifá: sound and memory, from which arise both the box of the Baatá drums and the command to write everything down.
- 63 Odi YekuMasks and two faces: trade is born here, but whoever gives up his own people dies despised by them, like the jackal.
- 64 Odi WoriThe water flower and sight: a curse left him blind and forgiveness gave him back the light; only honesty, the path of Ela, makes one great.
- 65 Odi RosoThe roar of the sea: here breathing is born (the nose keeps watch while the body sleeps) and the Awó becomes king with his own hands.
- 66 Odi JuaniThe blessing of the yam, where Orunmila ended up sitting on the money: whoever rises and then scorns the one who lifted him falls again.
- 67 Odi BaraWhere Shangó appeared and marriage was born: however many enemies you have, there will always be a herb or a seed that saves you.
- 68 Odi KanaEnvy and the ruin of the body: the earth holds the thief and rewards the grateful, and one cannot live in high places, like the spider.
- 69 Odi OgundaWhere the trap and the lie were born, and the ashé is in the mouth: speaker, singer, teacher; the voice of this sign is a drum of kings.
- 70 Odi SaResurrection and slavery: Orunmila raises the dead with the horsetails, and Yemayá lifts up the one their own house threw out.
- 71 Odi KaThe King of mysteries, the bat that flies only at night: here Oduduwa is born at the foot of the Ceiba; he goes far, but never alone.
- 72 Odi TruponOrun Belekun Orun, the tears of the spirit who saves souls: from the other world they watch this one, and whoever cuts himself off from his family dies.
- 73 Odi TuraWhere diabetes was born, when Olofin's honey was traded for sugar: the luck comes by someone else's hand, and Obatalá's sorcerer defends you.
- 74 Odi ReteThe bull that became an ox because of a favor: binding and favors that enslave, but Oshún chases him with luck, and crowns the hard worker.
- 75 Odi SheThis is where the ceremony of the Apeterbí is born: the person's rejection of their Guardian Angel is the root of all of their delay.
- 76 Odi FunThe one who throws away the ebbó, condemned to carry the sacrifice: betrayal even from one's own blood; Eshu sweeps away the false, and only humility saves.
The Iroso family
Iroso Meyi · no. 5 and its 15 combined signs
The deep water: the bottom of the sea, the sunset, and the eye of providence that uncovers every trap.
- 5 Iroso MeyiThe deep water: the bottom of the sea, the sunset, and the eye of providence that uncovers every trap.
- 77 Iroso OgbeWhere making Ifá for free was born: a sign of trials and false witness, but one whose wars Ogún swore to keep away.
- 78 Iroso YekuThe photographer, the coffin and the candle: here the change of heads is born, and Ikú, who ate only human flesh, ate animals for the first time.
- 79 Iroso WoriThe dockworkers and the load that can no longer be borne: Agayú carried the child who weighed as much as the world (it was Oduduwa) and won the river.
- 80 Iroso DiThe Ifá that lives in water, where love was born and women hold the rule: he slips away from his enemies like the fish no hand can catch.
- 81 Iroso JuaniWhere the electric light was born, when Shangó breathed fire from his mouth: an Ifá of the musician and of money, with valuables buried that you will find.
- 82 Iroso BaraThe four columns of Osun: the king who lives at feasts while his people go hungry loses the crown, and the sorcery is in the kitchen.
- 83 Iroso KanaWhere the Iyoyé is born, the taking of the Gan from the Awó: the masks of Olokun are born here too, and Olofin came down in person to test the boastful Awó.
- 84 Iroso OgundaWhere sudden death (afitibó) was born and the clocks stopped: here the dog was killed for gossiping, and the fortune comes to you on its knees.
- 85 Iroso SaWhere the grains were born and Shangó collects his debts with fire: Oshún, the sinner, was the only one who went back into the flames for Orunmila.
- 86 Iroso KaWhere Oshún brought money and came down unclothed with a white flag to end the war: the great deceiving of women is born, and Orunmila saves them from Ikú.
- 87 Iroso TruponThe gardener who gave his own sweat so the flowers would have scent, and was repaid with ingratitude: think before you act, so you do not become Iroso Bruto.
- 88 Iroso TuraWhere Ogún wanted to be an Awó and Obatalá took it away from him, since he was born to make war: pride punished, like the palm the lightning bent.
- 89 Iroso ReteWhere fire is born, which Orunmila obtained from a stick in order to triumph: faith put to the test, for the only crown that lasts is Orunmila's.
- 90 Iroso SheWhere cooking oil and lamp oil are born: at the hour of death the Angel comes for you by the feet, but Orunmila, the soul's go-between, saves you.
- 91 Iroso FunThe clash between Obatalá and Agayú to govern the heads, where Oluo Popo was crowned: the money for the works must not be haggled over, and the enemy eats at your table.
The Ojuani family
Ojuani Meyi · no. 6 and its 15 combined signs
The mask and ingratitude: the fruits of work are never seen, until the sacrifice ties the hands of the enemies.
- 6 Ojuani MeyiThe mask and ingratitude: the fruits of work are never seen, until the sacrifice ties the hands of the enemies.
- 92 Ojuani OgbeWhere crystal was first known (Oyá's glasses against Elegba): the earth was left half and half, and arrogance is the greatest osogbo.
- 93 Ojuani YekuThe place where for the first time a woman raised her hand against a man, and where female domination was born; whoever does not give a goat to Eshu loses everything.
- 94 Ojuani WoriThe union of the powers of Ifá to undo betrayals and sorcery: the overthrow of injustice, since nothing is handed out for free.
- 95 Ojuani DiThe Ifá of the pack of cards, where you play dead to watch your own funeral: generosity and honesty open the way to love and to success.
- 96 Ojuani RosoWhere the lighting of candles for the Egun is born, and the Oriaté: an Ifá ruled more by the dead than by the Oshas, with a beautiful child of doubtful fatherhood.
- 97 Ojuani Bara«In unity there is strength»: eviction is born here, and it is the only Ifá that authorizes the Awó to be scratched (rayarse) and to work with a prenda, a foré sign.
- 98 Ojuani KanaPokón: the stones that the river drags along. Do not let yourself be dragged by arrogance. Here the osobos are born, and the mother of death, Ikú Makuao.
- 99 Ojuani OgundaThe strongest Odù after the 16 Meyi: it can never be crushed, and it gives the Awó victory in every war he fights with Ifá.
- 100 Ojuani SaHere restlessness and nerves were born; here Oro descended, the enforcer who punishes injustice, whose strength dwells in the night, in the river and in the ceiba.
- 101 Ojuani KaThe Ifá of moderation: Orunmila's crown is the yam, and the sea is the king of the rivers because all of them flow into it; greed is what ruins everything.
- 102 Ojuani TruponThe Ifá that brought peace to earth and heaven: here the pact between Osain and Orunmila originates, and Oyá gave him the power of the wind.
- 103 Ojuani TuraWhere the Quimbisa and Eshu Alakentu were born, the first Saint crowned with peacock feathers: an Ifá of willfulness and of envy.
- 104 Ojuani ReteThe religious inheritance: the godchild inherits the godfather and carries the burdens that his ancestors did not fulfill. Here the first rooster was killed.
- 105 Ojuani SheWhere giving ikofá and awofakán to homosexuals was born, and Orunmila's oath for his two hands: Oshún sits this person on top of the money.
- 106 Ojuani FunThe funerary one: here deaths are born, along with the secret of iyefá, Orunmila's powder that drives out what is bad. Oshún says not to cry.
The Obara family
Obara Meyi · no. 7 and its 15 combined signs
Two kings, two crowns: the tongue that saves and the tongue that ruins, and the humble calabash that hides the wealth.
- 7 Obara MeyiTwo kings, two crowns: the tongue that saves and the tongue that ruins, and the humble calabash that hides the wealth.
- 107 Obara OgbeWhere Olofin sat the Awó down to paint the Odù of the consecration: the great drum of Ifá is born here, and one ebbó is made on top of another.
- 108 Obara YekuWhere smoking opium and marijuana was born: the jicotea turtle was cursed for disobeying; no matter how much one progresses, here one does not reach the top.
- 109 Obara WoriObara Wereko, the Ifá of experiments: to become great, one must go through poverty and tragedy, and here the sick person is saved.
- 110 Obara DiHere the ebbó of the year was born and the light of day came to the world: Eshu brought the genitals down from the forehead, and Shangó passed his crown on to Yemayá.
- 111 Obara RosoWhere the cashew was born, lost because of pride and talkativeness: the children of Azojuano wear a crown of tiger skin. Ifá of Abikú.
- 112 Obara JuaniWhere exile and the lightning rod were born: the person goes abroad and dies there, but the batá drum defeats the enemies.
- 113 Obara KanaA mother's love is blind: Oyá, for her dead son, struck down the guilty and the innocent alike. An Ifá of the post, where whim is ruin.
- 114 Obara OgundaThe guaicán fish that detects the fish traps and never falls into them: an Ifá of binding, where one does not love one's spouse but cannot leave. Make yourself indispensable.
- 115 Obara SaThe pact between Agayú, Shangó and the Egun of the whole world: it is the Ifá of stubbornness, and its secret consists of a pot with water in the yard for a lifetime.
- 116 Obara KaThe betrayal of godchildren and appearances that deceive: what it looks like is not what it is, and the slanderer is left looking ridiculous.
- 117 Obara TruponThe intelligence of Obatalá: you must be very cunning for this Ifá. Oyá dresses in nine colors, and the hot house is cooled with omiero.
- 118 Obara TuraThe bugle that calls the people to worship Ogún and to take up arms; in this sign respect is directed toward the home and toward the occupations of life.
- 119 Obara ReteHere the ceremony of the Irofá is born, the instrument that strikes the board to call upon Ifá. When the truth arrives, the lie feels ashamed and leaves.
- 120 Obara SheGood and evil in the same person, a magnet that draws both: the apprentice watches the master, and should not walk off with everything the master has.
- 121 Obara FunThe sign of the parrot, who by refusing the ebbó was left with the only two words of Ifá she knew: great financial success, if the tongue does not lose it.
The Okana family
Okana Meyi · no. 8 and its 15 combined signs
A world turned upside down: Eshu grants the opposite of what is requested, and the tongue that reveals secrets can cost a life.
- 8 Okana MeyiA world turned upside down: Eshu grants the opposite of what is requested, and the tongue that reveals secrets can cost a life.
- 122 Okana OgbeOkana Jun Jun, the police officer of Ifá: the enemy is defeated in order to rise. A promotion or a new post awaits the one who obeys.
- 123 Okana YekuOrunmila's secretary, the memory of Egun: sacrifice gives riches and refusing it destroys. The first three Oloshas were born here.
- 124 Okana WoriOlofin and Orunmila rule the world, one from the earth and the other from the sky. Eshu is their banker, and keeping silent about problems blocks the road.
- 125 Okana DiA relationship given up for lost is reborn. Here fright is born, the chick's scream drives Ikú away, and Yemayá Mayelewo, the one with the mask, speaks.
- 126 Okana RosoSincere repentance is forgiven (for the ignorant, not for the wicked): an Ifá of curse, and here Orunmila dressed as a monk, like Saint Francis.
- 127 Okana JuaniTrouble with the law, where crime is punished: here Olodumare created the earth through Orunmila's hand, and only Eshu saves, with his word of mouth.
- 128 Okana BaraTo avoid premature death and the lightning that destroys the house: if Obatalá abandons someone, only Orunmila can save him.
- 129 Okana OgundaThe creation of the earth: Orunmila spread it over the water and the world expanded in Ilé Ifé, and here the Rainbow was born.
- 130 Okana SaThe one who carries the sacrifices before Olofin: no ebbó is valid without him on the board. The Universal Flood happened here, and final triumph comes.
- 131 Okana KaWhere the earth, laid waste by Death, sacrificed and so never falls ill and never dies: here the Awó gave sight back to a whole town of the blind.
- 132 Okana TruponOkonron Tutu, the merchant: the Ifá of the destined wife whom the sacrifice brought together, and the dove is a messenger of prosperity.
- 133 Okana TuraWhere the mouth sacrificed and eats hot food without burning: only Olokun made the ebbó, and everyone's work makes the owner of the waters rich.
- 134 Okana ReteThe water that defeated its three enemies (clouds, rock, and roots) with Eshu: make a sacrifice against sudden death, as the cockroach did not.
- 135 Okana SheThe supreme sacrifice of love ("a man makes himself a slave for it"), like the salmon that goes from the sea to the river to spawn: it brings luck to do Ifá for free.
- 136 Okana FunThe one that closes the Okana family: fortune comes down from heaven looking for somewhere to settle, and arrives where feathers are scattered with pounded yam.
The Ogunda family
Ogunda Meyi · no. 9 and its 15 combined signs
The kingdom of iron: the knife that splits the difference, justice that cuts straight, and the weeping that turns into laughter.
- 9 Ogunda MeyiThe kingdom of iron: the knife that splits the difference, justice that cuts straight, and the weeping that turns into laughter.
- 137 Ogunda OgbeThe Odù of the children of Oduduwa that gets you out of any tight spot: inside the Igbodun room, it stands for the godfather.
- 138 Ogunda YekuIt is the image of Orunmila on earth: the rider had to bridle the horse in order to master it, and its osogbo is laziness.
- 139 Ogunda Wori«Ogún with his machete destroyed the sorcerer»: surgery was born here (they opened Ogún's belly) and the tree that is pruned sprouts again.
- 140 Ogunda DiLost illusions: what is achieved lasts a short time; and here Elegba, who opens the paths, could not find his own and went to cry to Orunmila.
- 141 Ogunda RosoThe Ifá of the pelican, who leaves the nest as soon as its feathers come in: you travel, but like the fish, you always have to come back to your own land.
- 142 Ogunda JuaniThe three great pieces of advice: do not trade the road for a footpath, do not meddle in the affairs of others and do not lash out at the first chance with violence; and the anvil that Ogún gave you.
- 143 Ogunda BaraHere the cockfight originated. It points to debts owed to Ogún and to a deceased person, and money comes from the countryside, from the hands of a woman.
- 144 Ogunda KanaNo power that the Awó receives surpasses Ifá; in this Odù arises the force that the prenda exerts over him, and Oyá decides the death of each person.
- 145 Ogunda SaThe «Oggunda crossed over»: the Babalawo above all others for calling the igbodun of Ifá; bring your family together, because peace is Olordumare's to give.
- 146 Ogunda KaThe Ifá of the razor: whoever wants to practice Ifá needs to have Olofin; in this sign the cemetery of the elephants is heard, and it is worth more to lose one's life than one's honor.
- 147 Ogunda TruponHere the ebbó of the children is done through the mother (nothing compares with her blessing): a war that cannot be won is held back with ebbó.
- 148 Ogunda TuraDisobedience punished: Iño, the coral, son of Obatalá, did not perform the ebbó and was turned to stone. Whoever does not heed advice does not live to old age.
- 149 Ogunda ReteThe Ifá of public shame, where the moral laws and the power of Orí speak: here the Fifeto ceremony is born, and your morals are your only armor.
- 150 Ogunda SheWhere Olofin made man head of the family and gave woman her monthly cycle: they shunned Ogún, and Oshún proved he was innocent.
- 151 Ogunda FunAn Odù of curse, in which it is advisable to do the head rogación at once: what the earth gives, returns to it. The siempreviva saved Obatalá.
The Osa family
Osa Meyi · no. 10 and its 15 combined signs
Air and the world of spirits: the wandering wind that negotiates even with witches, and outlives everyone.
- 10 Osa MeyiAir and the world of spirits: the wandering wind that negotiates even with witches, and outlives everyone.
- 152 Osa OgbeOlofin, the hairy one, and Abita, the bald one, seated at one table: one lives next to God and next to the Devil, and happiness comes in old age.
- 153 Osa YekuThe tribute to the Earth that lengthens life: Eshu was given its rule, and the ebbó is never without the ivory that gets lost luck back.
- 154 Osa WoriFortune that arrives through the spiritual path. Doing a favor can cost a life, and the tiger could not devour the goat: cunning beats strength.
- 155 Osa DiThe war of the hook and the fish, caught by the bait of deceit: be content with your lot, for spiritual peace is the greatest wealth.
- 156 Osa RosoHere it originated that Orunmila establishes the Guardian Angel: it makes no difference whether one lives in comfort or in tight quarters, and one must adapt in order to be happy.
- 157 Osa JuaniWhere electricity and the rainbow were born: an Ifá of slavery (you work too much and are paid too little) that tells you to run away from humiliation.
- 158 Osa BaraOsa Shepe, the Ifá of curses: the sick person is saved, intelligence rules over strength, and the bee, for not making ebbó, dies when it stings.
- 159 Osa KanaWhere looms and the automobile were born, and the great power of Oyá: faith is lost here, and the only defense of its children is to make or receive Ifá.
- 160 Osa OgundaWhere Oyá handed her ram to Shangó to save her children: the moyugbar and the Throne of Ifá were born here, the seat of wisdom.
- 161 Osa KaThe clown who laughs while his heart cries: here the natural acceptance of death originated, and the tired horse keeps working without anyone taking it into account.
- 162 Osa TruponThe legend of the mermaids, the songs of the daughters of Olokun: infertility that is overcome by giving to Ogún, and the godson saves the godfather.
- 163 Osa TuraGod favors the one who tells the truth: face what you avoid. Of three paths, the obedient one lives the path of happiness.
- 164 Osa ReteWhere the Flood washed the Earth clean and the healing powers of plants were born: no work gives a result until 72 hours have passed.
- 165 Osa SheWhere Mother Earth speaks, Inle Oguere: a mother blesses her children even after death, and Olokun, through her ebbó, was left owner of the sea.
- 166 Osa Fun«Obeying my prohibitions will be my victory»: in this sign Obatalá rewarded the worm with butterfly wings, and two ebbós are always made.
The Ika family
Ika Meyi · no. 11 and its 15 combined signs
The safe harbor: the word no one can contradict, and the proud ship that ends up paying tribute to the dock.
- 11 Ika MeyiThe safe harbor: the word no one can contradict, and the proud ship that ends up paying tribute to the dock.
- 167 Ika OgbeMirages: evil hides behind the image of good, and the jicotea that wanted to fly lost its shell. A merchant who becomes rich.
- 168 Ika YekuWhere the food for Egun was born: salvation is feeding the earth and holding on to Orunmila. You have enemies because you know what others do not.
- 169 Ika WoriThe sign of orientation, where bats got their radar: Ifá of impersonation, where the faults of others are carried. Open your eyes wide.
- 170 Ika Di«Belt that tightens», the live coal of the Odù: Olofin cursed the serpent of wisdom, and happiness is found, with Shangó.
- 171 Ika RosoWhere the load of Osun was born, the only one who divined before Olofin: men made themselves giants and, frightened by their own power, went back to the past.
- 172 Ika JuaniWhere the nails, the totem and the religious images were born: a war must end so that cordiality can reign. Beware of false affection.
- 173 Ika BaraWhere the wings of birds and the airplane are born: war between brothers and witchcraft, but the sun melts the wings of the enemy who crosses the sea.
- 174 Ika KanaWhere the eating of meat was born: the rich cat lost everything out of stubbornness. Luck arrives running, but it also leaves running.
- 175 Ika OgundaThe boat and maritime trade: Yemayá's favorite child. Osain made the trails and the streets: one cannot live in isolation.
- 176 Ika SaWhere one orisha is confused with another (it is wise to be extremely attentive when fixing the Guardian Angel): masonry is born, and nostalgia speaks.
- 177 Ika TruponWhere Orunmila, chased by the dogs, was saved in the yagruma tree (blessed by Olofin, it does not burn): you are your own slave.
- 178 Ika TuraThe restlessness of parents over their children: the king who did not make ebbó was discovered by his own dog. In unity there is strength.
- 179 Ika ReteThe fish dies by the mouth: Ifá of envy and of people with two faces. Never tell the secret that saves you, or the hidden enemy will defeat you.
- 180 Ika SheIka Fá, the blessed word of Orunmila: what is said comes true. Here cotton won before Olofin, and it dresses in white.
- 181 Ika FunWhere the mirror speaks: the women let their hair down for seven days and unmasked Ikú, the fleshless queen. Do not look at yourself in stained mirrors.
The Otrupon family
Otrupon Meyi · no. 12 and its 15 combined signs
Intelligence come into the world: no one is skilled enough to gather water in his clothes, or wise enough to number the grains of sand of the earth.
- 12 Otrupon MeyiIntelligence come into the world: no one is skilled enough to gather water in his clothes, or wise enough to number the grains of sand of the earth.
- 182 Otrupon Ogbe«A cat with gloves»: here the wheel is born, which brought trade and prosperity, and also the great lesson that good is repaid with evil.
- 183 Otrupon YekuHere began the custom of women putting makeup on their faces: it is the Ifá of the death that lurks and of the abikú who is bound; one must lean on Shangó.
- 184 Otrupon WoriHere the washing of the santos before Ifá originates; it is a sign of a short life, linked to Oyá: do not accept handkerchiefs, flowers or perfumes given as gifts.
- 185 Otrupon Di«What Orunmila says never touches the ground»: someone died so that you could live; greed can cost you your life, check your food.
- 186 Otrupon RosoWhere the ice was born and Yemayá Okuté, the queen of the snows: the tamarind became sour in order to survive. Change in order to live.
- 187 Otrupon JuaniThe materialization of the spirit: the egun came to the banquet as if alive and Orunmila discovered them. Serve your dead a mass and flowers.
- 188 Otrupon BaraWhere cement was born: do not do favors that cost your life (the male goat lost his head for one), and your luck is brought to you by your wife.
- 189 Otrupon KanaWhere smuggling was born and Orunmila ate fresh fish: they speak ill of the Awó and he finds out. A fortune comes by the sea; keep quiet about what is yours.
- 190 Otrupon OgundaWhere the ebbó is born from the inside (wonu): the enemy is subtle and sends witchcraft through another person. Do what Oshún commands, or you die.
- 191 Otrupon SaThe whale that rises to the surface gives itself away with its own spout, like the tongue that accuses itself: nothing stays hidden between heaven and earth.
- 192 Otrupon KaDo not give room to just anyone in your house: the majagua lent the branch and the axe brought down the forest. Only the obedient ceiba remained standing.
- 193 Otrupon TuraThe albino Odù, where the pains of childbirth are born: the ebbó decides the struggle between good and bad. In 24 hours one is rich, or poor.
- 194 Otrupon ReteThe shifting ground and the swamp: an Ifá of ruin, where only what Ifá props up stays standing. The way you go up is the way you come down.
- 195 Otrupon SheWhere saving and the piggy bank are born, which is placed at the foot of Orunmila: «do not waste yourself doing so many favors». Reread everything you sign.
- 196 Otrupon FunThe majesty of death and the circle: moforibale is paid to the knife, which tests everything. Fulfill your oath before the dead.
The Otura family
Otura Meyi · no. 13 and its 15 combined signs
The father of life: man became king of creation, and the truth, though slow and weak, always triumphs in the end.
- 13 Otura MeyiThe father of life: man became king of creation, and the truth, though slow and weak, always triumphs in the end.
- 197 Otura OgbeHe is the foreman of Egun and messenger of the dead; in this Odù the oparaldo is born, and its secret consists in feeding the spirit of the father.
- 198 Otura YekuHere the enormous diabolical power of Eshu originates, and here Satan tempted Olofin. Do not make pacts with the powerful: the key is to wear a crucifix around the neck.
- 199 Otura WoriWhere the fish did not make ebbó and has been caught ever since: do not accept the first offer. What is good is on its way, if you obey Orunmila.
- 200 Otura DiWhere Elegbara was born, the owner of the will, and the Ibeyis beat the Devil with their little drums: do not betray the secrets people trust you with.
- 201 Otura RosoHere good is done without regard to who receives it, and there are no animal sacrifices, only addimú: “the eye of God holds back the bad you do.”
- 202 Otura JuaniDeath understood as part of the order of the cosmos. In this Odù mourning and the vigil for the dead arise, and staying close to the elders is the path of luck.
- 203 Otura BaraHere Eshu Alaboni was born, son of Obatalá and Oshún. One must be initiated in the Saint so that the mind does not wear down the strength of the body.
- 204 Otura KanaThe sacrifice of the mother, who turned into a goat so that her son could receive the power: here the mother is called upon for everything. Ikú walks close behind.
- 205 Otura OgundaThe Ifá of the fox: the purge that takes out what is negative. Here men were grouped between good and bad, and Ogún held up the world on his shoulders.
- 206 Otura SaOtura Gasá, «Otura rises»: a cool body and a mind without fear. Olokun made a sacrifice to overcome fear, and his children do not sing about their conquests.
- 207 Otura KaScatter the enemies in order to prosper. Here one is born without a crown and must crown Santo; disobedience costs a life.
- 208 Otura TruponThe secret of Shangó's tobacco: he lit it loaded with gunpowder and made everyone respect him. The daughters of Yemayá are not mistreated.
- 209 Otura ReteWhere the nuns were born, and the woman devoted to the care of Ifá: here Olofin gave Orunmila the ashé of all the Oshas. Moderation.
- 210 Otura SheAlaigborán, the three beings who go along with each person (the Angel, the guide and the obsessor): in this sign truth and lies appeared in the world.
- 211 Otura FunIfá Orún, which announces good fortune close at hand provided the temptation of adultery is resisted; in this Odù the Abakuá and its plazas originated.
The Irete family
Irete Meyi · no. 14 and its 15 combined signs
Eyelemere, the one who laughs at death: he goes down to the world of the Egun and returns to the world of the living; he is love in person.
- 14 Irete MeyiEyelemere, the one who laughs at death: he goes down to the world of the Egun and returns to the world of the living; he is love in person.
- 212 Irete OgbeThe scarcity that Olofin fixed with his wisdom: a just Odù where the great power of Egun is born, and Elegba received his 21 cowries.
- 213 Irete YekuWhere the Santos, moved by envy, rose up against Orunmila; he showed Olofin that he does not kill, for he saves with the animals of the ebbó.
- 214 Irete WoriForeman of the Egun obiní, from whom Freemasonry and mathematics arise: swift as corn, everlasting as stone and indispensable as water.
- 215 Irete DiThe diviner by birth: the dispute between santeros and Awoses over predominance; in addition, power and ashé are lost because of a woman.
- 216 Irete RosoWhere Osun, the staff of Orunmila, witnesses the Itá in front of the board: the Odù is called edí, the one who does not see what he has in front of him.
- 217 Irete JuaniWhere the gardens of the world and the ashé of flowers were born: tribute is paid to the river, and the place of honor is held by sacrifice.
- 218 Irete BaraIfá commands you to move away in order to prosper and to make the offering with a daughter of Yemayá, for the poor woman of this sign came to be Queen.
- 219 Irete KanaWhere one comes to atone for faults and purify what was profaned: the okumambo is born, Shangó's defense; and Awó does not deceive Awó.
- 220 Irete OgundaThe pact of man with the earth, which lends and sooner or later collects: here was born Ikú lobí Osha. To be a Santo, you must first die.
- 221 Irete SaThe excess of joy that makes one sick and kills (the Frog lost the throne): there is only one Shangó, and it is the mother who blesses.
- 222 Irete KaThe struggle of the water and the sand, where Olokun with a rogation reached the shore: arm yourself with thorns, because a soft heart is what finishes you.
- 223 Irete TruponWhere the bone had flesh for the first time (Odudúwa gave the Egun and Osain the flesh): Ifá of Ayaguna, where everything is aggressive by nature.
- 224 Irete TuraWhere you go from free to enslaved, like the Princess who ended up serving her own maid: Olofin does not bless a King's head with a child's brain.
- 225 Irete SheThe one who lets death through and drives the cart of Egun: here the immortality of the soul arises, since the body dies but the self remains.
- 226 Irete FunWhere Shangó decreed that there is no complete happiness: the youngest son of Ikú, builder of the Añá drums, wins by being intelligent.
The Oshe family
Oshe Meyi · no. 15 and its 15 combined signs
The fighter who learned to fall: by losing, you win. And the money sought with greed serves for your own burial.
- 15 Oshe MeyiThe fighter who learned to fall: by losing, you win. And the money sought with greed serves for your own burial.
- 227 Oshe OgbeIfá of kings where Oshún ruled over Obatalá: the secret of Oshósi is born, and as long as his Angel accompanies him, no King can stop him.
- 228 Oshe Yeku"The Ifá of the flies," foreman of the Obá Egun: he commands 36 just spirits and confirms the Kings. One cannot consecrate oneself.
- 229 Oshe WoriWhere Orí is Olofin within each person and all the religions are born: Obá Lele Egun, King of the dead; and Oshún is the one who holds the owó.
- 230 Oshe DiEbbó to be born and ebbó to die: Shangó put on him a load of firewood that does not come off. Luck arrives after three adversities, by the hand of Oshún.
- 231 Oshe RosoThe removal of pain: whoever removes obstacles removes misery. The fierce fire with Olofin's command, and the women save him.
- 232 Oshe JuaniThe Odù that descended to Earth together with Osain: it is the Ifá of hypocrisies (people who show one face and are another) and of the three knives: the godfather, Ogún and the Awó.
- 233 Oshe BaraThe tongue, scourge of humanity (the most dangerous hole is the mouth): the Awó does not die as long as his things remain alive.
- 234 Oshe KanaThe need for a companion: the Mamuraye is born, which defeats Ikú. Do not underestimate anyone, because the most humble can get you out of trouble.
- 235 Oshe OgundaPoverty ends if you make a sacrifice: the knife cannot make its own handle. And the proud King traded his crown for yams.
- 236 Oshe SaConciliation before the lawsuit: the adimú is born (Adí and Imú, the children whom Yemayá offered for humanity) and cunning saves from death.
- 237 Oshe KaHe who was the King's slave and ended up reigning in another land: «I will be there, wherever my head leads me»; the harm done to him turns into good.
- 238 Oshe TruponWhere Babá Ashó taught man to dress: do not curse, because what is asked for happens. Do not mock another's misfortune, because yours comes right behind.
- 239 Oshe TuraThe Odù of the ashé, the messenger who carries the offerings to Heaven with Eshu Odara: no sacrifice is accepted unless he is called first.
- 240 Oshe ReteThe coconut oracle: the vain one whom Olofin cursed to roll on the ground serving before Elegba. Here the saying «God willing» is born.
- 241 Oshe FunThe pact between Ikú and Orunmila, where the Iddefá is born: death respects the one who wears his necklace and iddé. And the unity of men wins.
The Ofun family
Ofun Meyi · no. 16 and its 15 combined signs
The powerful one on earth: mother of the fourteen Odù, owner of the empty space, the one who speaks with life and with death as an equal.
- 16 Ofun MeyiThe powerful one on earth: mother of the fourteen Odù, owner of the empty space, the one who speaks with life and with death as an equal.
- 242 Ofun OgbeWhere the fluids of the body were born, whose King is semen: Obatalá is over all heads to save them. The mouth is their ruin.
- 243 Ofun YekuThe farewell of the Obá and the clearing of the plates: Ikú comes for one and takes another. The remedy is in Osain, the ruin is in excesses.
- 244 Ofun WoriThe one who saved the people of Gándo and proclaimed himself King: here hierarchy is born, and whoever tells how he reached the top loses everything.
- 245 Ofun DiUnbridled ambition and usury, where Olofin wept for the first time: it is not put on the board, and an Egun will give you the ashé that was cursed away from you.
- 246 Ofun RosoWhere confession and the relief of sorrows are born: what is kept inside can kill, and the ancestors communicate in dreams.
- 247 Ofun JuaniWhere Orunmila's iruke is born and the reason ebbó is done: here lives the Spiritual Double of Heaven. Where grace is born, luck is not found.
- 248 Ofun BaraHere the position of Oyugboná originates, both in Osha and in Ifá: Olofin restores strength to those worn out by age; the person is a chosen one and will obtain what is wanted.
- 249 Ofun KanaIt is where the jet that cuts the evil eye is born: between the rat and the mouse there is no dealing, and a man cannot live alone, because he needs his wife.
- 250 Ofun OgundaWhere Ifá was first learned: Olofin drew the 16 Odù on the white otá, and Ifá, cut in two, answered: «I am immortal.»
- 251 Ofun SaWhere the medicinal herbs, the seven virtues and the seven sins are born: Awó Oreré, the one of long sight. Everything of his is in the air.
- 252 Ofun KaThe one fenced in by spells, the house harassed by ogú: the money is cursed. Make a 180 degree turn and receive the greater powers.
- 253 Ofun TruponWhere languages are born (the Tower of Babel and the father of tongues) and the knife that is held up by its temper.
- 254 Ofun TuraWhere the contagion of leprosy was born and Babalú Ayé founded his first Arará town: only Shangó removes what is bad. And this Odù is not read without money.
- 255 Ofun ReteThe immortality of the soul and Orí Inú, the inner head: all the Orishas were asleep and only Orí got up. A prosperous life depends on him.
- 256 Ofun SheThe last Odù of Ifá, where the Okín is born, the heron of the Kings' crown: three fortunes have been lost, but another, greater one is coming.