Iwori Meyi

nº 3 of 256 · Meyi · also Iwori Meji

The eye that puts things together: analysis, kept secrets, and the hidden beast you have to tame.

28 patakíes 7 eewó 15 ebbós and works 19 proverbs

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Iwori Meyi is Odù number 3 of the 256 in Ifá, one of the 16 Meyi and the head of the Iwori family. It is also written as Iwori Meji. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 28 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 15 ebbós and works and the signs it shows in the consultation — with the full eewó in plain sight; the detail of iré and osogbo and the full recipes open with The Notebook, in English.

The sign at a glance

Order in Ifá: Odù 3 of 256 · Meyi
Composition: Iwori over Iwori
Orishas that speak: Orunmila · Shangó · Osain · Egungun · Eshu / Elegba · Oggún · Yemayá · Obbatalá · Oshún

What Ifá says in this sign

Iwori Meyi is the eye that puts things together: the sign of analysis, of the person who learns big things from small details. Its people were born to lead and to see what others cannot see — but the one who sees everything must learn to keep quiet about what he knows.

Here the danger sleeps under your own roof: the bear lived in Orunmila's house, ate from his hand and stole his young. The enemy of Iwori is inside the house — that is why this Ifá tells you to look closely at the people you trust, without announcing what you find. Tying loose ends makes a rope; but you only show the rope at the end.

«Tying loose ends makes a rope — but you never show the last card.»The pulse of Iwori Meyi

Discretion is the law here: never offer the last card, do not tell your secrets, do not go digging into other people's business and do not do divination after six in the evening. The wise Olara Awó ruled his land with the secret of Osain — and he lost it the day a seduction pulled it out of him. What protects you is yours only while it stays secret.

There is big money luck in this odu, but there is a debt in the middle: Oshún is waiting for her payment, and until she is paid, money comes in through one hand and goes out through the other. With the ebbó done, the sign promises victory in disputes and the return of what was lost: like the three women of Iwori, the good luck that walked away comes back when the music of Olofin plays.

And one warning that points inward: sometimes we want to see far away and we are not able to see inside ourselves. The hidden beast of Iwori — the temper, the mistrust, the tongue — is tamed at home, because the lion shows its teeth in the jungle and in the city.

The sign in one line

Look closely at the people in your own house, keep the secret that protects you and pay your debt to Oshún — for the Iwori who stays quiet and makes ebbó, even what was lost comes back.

The prayer of Iwori Meyi · Yoruba

Baba Iwori Meyi Eshinshe Kolora Alosin Koni Yegun Aronipin Inagardi Ibanu Adie Oun Babalawó Adifáfun Arere Onilorun Ubeyarebe Aronipin Neya Lenu Gbogbo Kola Lenshe Ninu Abata Shenshe Okuta Guere Lode.

Súyere
Aronipin Ori Kamu Aya Aralelo · Aronipin Otoshu Koni Yegan · Aronipin.

Ifá says — what Iwori Meyi tells you

The ashé of this sign: A great gift for analysis and logic: he learns big things from small details. · It is the Odù isalaye of Yemayá. · He has a lot of luck with money. · He is protected by his Osain (Lundote), which catches the witch and guards him on his trips, and guards his family. · Sharp, a researcher and strong in character: he was born to lead. · With ebbó he beats the enemies around him and gets back what he lost.

Proverbs of Iwori Meyi · Òwe

“Tying loose ends makes a rope.”
“To guard the head, four eyes.”
“The lion shows its teeth and uses them in the jungle and in the city.”
“Never offer the last card.”
“Sometimes we want to see far away and we are not able to see inside ourselves.”
“Coral is the symbol of my honor.”
“In the country where there is always hunger, the hyena finds something to eat every day.”
“The hyena only screams when something scares it.”
“The whole goat and the hyena are friends.”
“A lame man is not fast at running.”
“The one who has only one coin cannot make it jingle.”
“I know the world because I have lived in it.”
“One orange planted, one orange pulled up.”
“The air makes the vulture.”
“The hoe has a head, but it has no brain.”
“Anyone standing on the road can get splashed.”
“Head in the air and feet on the ground produces nothing.”
“Energy makes action; doing nothing makes apathy.”
“Morals are not preached, they are practiced.”

16 proverb interpretations in this Odù, locked.Every proverb explained: which road it comes from and how it applies.Unlock →

Iré and Osogbo

6 iré and osogbo readings in this Odù, locked.The iré and osogbo of the sign, sorted by subject — health, money, love, death, loss…Unlock →

What is born in Iwori Meyi · Ìbí

The analysis of facts, and logic.
The sign finds out big things from small details: «tying loose ends makes a rope».
The rest of divination after six in the evening.
Here the babalawos got upset with Orunmila; after that hour there are no readings and no aleyos are received.
A woman's menstruation.
From the road where Shangó prepared the afoshe that made it natural, by order of Olofin.
The antigens and the white blood cells (parts of the blood).
The sign rules the blood and its defenses.
The eyebrows, the eyelashes and the eyelids.
They were created here to guard the eyes.
Everything that rots, and rust on iron.
Olofin cursed the earth and that is why it rotted.
Fierce meat-eating animals, and the heat of animals.
It stands for the male four-legged animals that came before human beings.
Gratitude.
Because the child of this sign tends to be ungrateful and has to learn to give thanks.
That Orunmila withdrew and left the adele.
To help himself with them when his children wanted to know more than he did.
Being the Odù isalaye of Yemayá.
This sign came down to earth with Yemayá.

What is forbidden · Eewó

The full eewó of this Odù, open to everyone — with the road each ban came out of.

Do not eat rooster, corn flour, coconut, or guanábana (soursop).
These are the food taboos of this odu.
Do not do readings or receive visits from aleyos after six in the evening.
Here the rest of Ifá divination after that hour was born.
Do not throw water into the street during the day.
A mark of this odu.
Do not gather with three people at once.
Because of the intrigues this odu marks among those around you.
Do not go to the cemetery.
Because the Eggún attach themselves to you.
Do not investigate or meddle in what is not yours.
The child of this odu is distrustful and prying, and that brings them trouble.
Never tell your secrets or offer the last card.
What you keep inside protects you; revealing it harms you.

Ebbós of Iwori Meyi · The sacrifices that open the road

MoneyEbbó for a stroke of money luck🔒 The Notebook MoneyEbbó to hold on to money (the debt with Oshún)🔒 The Notebook LoveEbbó to get your partner and your luck back🔒 The Notebook LoveEbbó to Oshún for the union of the couple🔒 The Notebook Keeping death awayEbbó to push away what is bad🔒 The Notebook Keeping death awayEbbó to guard the door of the house🔒 The Notebook LossEbbó to make your job safe🔒 The Notebook LossEbbó misí to lift the delay🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesWork for the prisoner (to win in court)🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesSecret of the Odù at the foot of Oggún🔒 The Notebook

10 ebbós in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes.Unlock →

Works of Iwori Meyi · The workings of the sign

MoneyWork for money to come in (the debt with Oshún)🔒 The Notebook LoveWork for the woman who cannot hold on to a man🔒 The Notebook Keeping death awayCleansing work against the Eggún🔒 The Notebook LossSiguaraya baths at noon🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesOsain Lundote, the guardian🔒 The Notebook

5 works in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes.Unlock →

Patakíes of Iwori Meyi · The roads of the Odù

1The cry of the hyena

Accused of eating her brothers' young, the hyena made ebbó and, with cunning, got Olofin to let her live and eat in the bush. That is where her cry comes from: «Iwori Meyi spoke for me».

A woman had four different children: the chicken, the goat, the ram and the hyena. As an adult, the hyena did not like eating grass the way her brothers did, and she started eating the young of the others. When she was accused, she denied it, and the goat and the ram went to Olofin, who called a meeting in three days to kill her.

The hyena went to see Orunmila, who saw Iwori Meyi for her and marked an ebbó: to go to the bush, raise three mounds of sand, plant a yam in each one and give them a chicken; out of the three, only two would sprout, and then she was to accuse the goat and the ram of digging up her yam. She did it; Olofin sent people to check and, since one yam was missing, he ruled in favor of the hyena.

Olofin allowed her to eat the young of the goat and the ram if she found them, but from then on she would live in the bush. In triumph, the hyena cried out: «Iwori Meyi ko de mo numi» —«Iwori Meyi spoke for me»—, and that is her cry to this day.

2The bear, the enemy inside the house

The bear lived with Orunmila and ran his errands, but out of laziness and disloyalty he ruined his work. Sent to drop off an ebbó, he disobeyed, crossed a rotten bridge and drowned.

The bear lived in Orunmila's house: he took the ebbó away, swept and helped, but he was still his enemy. Out of laziness or for fun he did the errands badly —he listened at the door, spilled water on the visitors, took the ebbó to the bush instead of the river— and the clients began to complain that their things were not working out.

Orunmila did an osode for himself, saw this Ifá —which warned him not to keep anyone living in his house— and, suspicious, sent the bear to drop an ebbó at the river bank, without crossing to the other side. The little bridge was rotten and would not hold his weight.

Going against what Orunmila said, the bear crossed the bridge; when he reached the middle it gave way, and the bear fell into the river and drowned. That is how Orunmila got rid of his enemy and the ebbó reached its destination. The enemy was inside his own house and was taking advantage of his friendship.

3The three wives of Orunmila

Iwori Meyi had three wives who one day agreed among themselves and left him. Olofin put his ashé inside four musicians and, when the music played, his three strokes of luck came back.

Iwori Meyi handled a lot of money and spent it without measure; he came to keep three women. One day they agreed among themselves, left the house and left him alone.

He then looked for Olofin, who told him: "bring four musicians, three female goats and plenty of yam, and let us see if this gets fixed." Olofin made ebbó, put his ashé into the musicians and sent them back to him. As soon as the music sounded under that roof, the three women showed up again: Irede came first, then Aye —joy— and last Oyo, the dance.

That way, and by Olofin's favor, Iwori Meyi had his three blessings again. The sign warns of three protections that move away from whoever neglects them; each one does its own job and only together do they make the whole.

4The great secret of Osain (olara Awó)🔒 The Notebook 5Where a woman's menstruation was born🔒 The Notebook 6The goat and the hyena🔒 The Notebook 7When Elegba had to make Ifá🔒 The Notebook 8Koriko, the son of the hyena🔒 The Notebook 9The children of Orunmila (the adele)🔒 The Notebook 10The cat marks Iwori Meyi (Orunmila with no strength in his hands)🔒 The Notebook 11The private part on the forehead🔒 The Notebook 12The bear secretary who stole the young🔒 The Notebook 13When they accused Olokun (every river ends in the sea)🔒 The Notebook 14The complaint against the coconut🔒 The Notebook 15When Orunmila was going to Ara Onú🔒 The Notebook 16When Orunmila spoke with the hole (the country and the city)🔒 The Notebook 17When Yemayá ruled the world🔒 The Notebook 18Where Shangó was crowned and crowned his son🔒 The Notebook 19When they gave Orunmila a job (the town's diviner)🔒 The Notebook 20The illness of Opakere🔒 The Notebook 21The wedding of Iwori Meyi and the daughter of Olofin🔒 The Notebook 22When Ode killed the jutía🔒 The Notebook 23The wealth that does not last🔒 The Notebook 24The king of the jungle🔒 The Notebook 25When the obo had nowhere to stay🔒 The Notebook 26The dog and the rich family🔒 The Notebook 27Why the ceremonies of Ifá begin and end with Olokun🔒 The Notebook 28Kokorioko, the son of the king🔒 The Notebook

25 more patakíes in this Odù, locked.Read every road in full with The Notebook.Unlock →

The full treatise is in English. With The Notebook, the whole sign opens on this page in English: the full text of every patakí, the recipes for the ebbós and works, and the iré and osogbo readings. · This page is also available in Spanish: See Iwori Meyi in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Iwori Meyi

What does the Odù Iwori Meyi mean in Ifá?

The eye that puts things together: analysis, kept secrets, and the hidden beast you have to tame.

What number is Iwori Meyi among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Iwori Meyi is Odù number 3 of the 256 in Ifá, one of the 16 Meyi and the head of the Iwori family.

Which orishas speak in Iwori Meyi?

In the Odù Iwori Meyi these orishas speak: Orunmila, Shangó, Osain, Egungun, Eshu / Elegba, Oggún, Yemayá, Obbatalá, Oshún.

What is a proverb of the Odù Iwori Meyi?

One of the proverbs of Iwori Meyi says: «Tying loose ends makes a rope.».

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