Odù 52 of 256 · Iwori family

Iwori Obere

Where 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.

Iwori Obere is Odù number 52 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Iwori family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 19 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 8 ebbós and works and the signs it shows in the consultation; the detail of iré and osogbo, the eewó and the full recipes open with the Babalawo plan — that locked part is still written in Spanish.

The sign at a glance

Order in Ifá
Odù 52 of 256
Composition
Iwori over Obara
Orishas that speak
Orunmila · Osain · Eshú · Shangó · Oshún (Iyalode) · Yewá · Eja-Bo (el Pargo)

What Ifá says in this sign

Iwori Obere is the Ifá where having a good heart makes you lose: other people — even family — take advantage of whoever gives everything. Its remedy is not to harden your soul, but your hand: put some firmness on and put each person in their place, or your life will be somebody else's mess.

The virtue of the pica-pica was born here: the herb that hides the Awó from his enemies — his Eshú carries it so they cannot find him. The enemies of this odu are inside the house or at work, and they do not deserve your pity: with someone who is bad, a firm hand.

«A good heart makes you lose — firmness is what turns the kindness of Iwori Obere into a virtue.»The pulse of Iwori Obere

The danger is in the chest: whoever lets themselves get upset loses their life — and in this odu the blows keep loosening the heart until the great illness. Do not chase work so hard, live more calmly, and guard against a set-up shaming you: there is a friend loved like a brother who may steal and leave you paying for it. Do not go about with thieves and liars, however fond of them you are.

The attentions of this sign are exact: the stone at the door of the house eats — feed it, since it blocks the road —, the Egun bothering you is sent off with a sarayeye of fresh fish, and the office of Oluwo Osanyin was born here: the bush is calling you.

And the reward, if you put things in order: long life and renown — this year everything you take on will come out well, and there is a matter waiting for you so good that you will not want to come back. You were the first to pray your head: make that yours — a good heart, with firmness on top of it, stops being a loss and becomes a glory.

The sign in one line

Put some firmness on, do not let yourself get upset and feed the stone at your door — renown is waiting for Iwori Obere, once the kindness stops coming free.

The prayer of Iwori Obere · Yoruba

Iwori Obere ilu berera oun bereyo oun tirola oun tirolo iye timode aye oun bere loko uju adifafun Iyalode eyei bemekun Yewa yoko Yewa eure lebo.

Súyere
Ofun yere yere Orunmila koide.

Ifá says — what Iwori Obere tells you

Proverbs of Iwori Obere · Òwe

11 proverb interpretations in this Odù, locked.Every proverb explained: which road it comes from and how it applies. Written in Spanish for now.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… Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

What is born in Iwori Obere · Ìbí

What is forbidden · Eewó

4 eewó (taboos) in this Odù, locked.What the child of this sign must not eat, do or wear. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Ebbós of Iwori Obere · The sacrifices that open the road

Beating enemiesEbbó of the pica-pica🔒 Babalawo
A good heartEbbó of the good-hearted king🔒 Babalawo
OshúnEbbó of the five eggs🔒 Babalawo
PrayingPraying of the head with red snapper🔒 Babalawo
4 ebbós in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Works of Iwori Obere · The workings of the sign

OsainPower of Oluwo Osanyin🔒 Babalawo
Beating difficultiesWork with Oggún🔒 Babalawo
ShangóThe cornmeal with okra🔒 Babalawo
YewáThe bracelets of Yewá🔒 Babalawo
4 works in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Patakíes of Iwori Obere · The roads of the Odù

1The virtue of the pica-pica

An aleyo accused Orunmila of stealing his money, but Eshú, after eating the goat of the ebbó, covered the house with pica-pica; neither the man, nor the governor, nor the soldiers could find it, and they arrested the liar.

Orunmila was called for from a nearby town, but first he made osode, saw this Ifá and had to make ebbó quickly because of a trap on the road. While he was on his way to do it, a desperate man knocked at his door begging to be seen; Orunmila saw him. Eshú, who was watching it all, set a large stone in the doorway, and the aleyo, going out without noticing, went to the governor to tell him that a diviner had stolen his money.

The governor came with the man and the soldiers. Orunmila, knowing nothing of the threat, had already made the ebbó and given the goat and the rooster to Eshú at the door, along with the stone. As they came near, the man did not recognize the place: «no diviner lives around here, there is only a lot of pica-pica». The governor called him a liar and had him arrested. Eshú, after eating the goat and the rooster, had covered the house with the virtue of the pica-pica, and no one could find it.

2Spiritual radiance

Enigan, a capable Awó, had to come down to the swampy land of Abaata on stilts so as not to be stained. That is why, when the Guardian Angel comes down, they mount the person as if on stilts: spiritual radiance was born.

Enigan was a very capable Awó. When the destiny of human beings decided to come to earth in the form of an Orisha, he went to the house of Iwori Obere, who told him he was very capable of solving the earth's problems, but that he should make ebbó and disguise himself so his enemies would not harm him. The town where he was to come down was the land of Abaata, a swampy one, and he had to use stilts to come down without being stained by the filth. That is why, when a person's Guardian Angel comes down, they mount them as if they were on stilts; here spiritual radiance is born, where the spirit floats above the human being and their guide mounts astride them.

3Through having a good heart, he loses

A king so kind he never punished anyone let theft and vice take over. Shamed by the other monarchs, Orunmila gave him a fish that, at a feast, left the criminals dazed; Eshú and Osun arrested them, and he learned to show no pity to the wicked.

In the land of Obe Meku there ruled a very kind king; he never punished anyone, and so theft, corruption and vice took over, since everyone took advantage of his good heart. At a meeting of rulers, the other monarchs threw his weakness in his face. Sad and shamed, he asked for advice, and the oldest of his ministers sent him to Awó Orunmila.

Orunmila saw this Ifá for him and told him that, because of his good heart, they took advantage of him, and marked him an ebbó. He gave the rooster to Eshú and Osun, presented the large fish to Obatalá with a prayer, and handed it to the king to be seasoned and shared out at a great feast. At the feast, all the criminals were left dazed and drunk; Eshú and Osun arrested them. When they came round, they begged pardon and promised to mend their ways, but since Orunmila had told him to show no pity to the wicked, the king did not listen to their pleading. From then on, the land of Obe Meku and its king were respected.

4Why the head is prayed with red snapper🔒 Babalawo
5The trader and the family🔒 Babalawo
6The embarrassment of Shangó🔒 Babalawo
7The daughter of Yemayá🔒 Babalawo
8When they arrested Iwori🔒 Babalawo
9Long life🔒 Babalawo
10The embezzler🔒 Babalawo
11From farmer to trader🔒 Babalawo
12The spell of the pig's face🔒 Babalawo
13The ghosts of the hut🔒 Babalawo
14The hard hand and the soft hand🔒 Babalawo
15Whoever imitates fails🔒 Babalawo
16Criticizing is easy, doing is hard🔒 Babalawo
17The deaf shrimp🔒 Babalawo
18The border between Orun and Aiye🔒 Babalawo
19The pact between Ifá and Ashé🔒 Babalawo
16 more patakíes in this Odù, locked.Read every road in full with the Babalawo plan. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →
Before you subscribe: everything you read on this page is in English, but the locked part of the treatise — the full text of the other patakíes, the recipes for the ebbós and works, the iré and osogbo readings and the eewó — is still written in Spanish. We are translating it. · This page is also available in Spanish: See Iwori Obere in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Iwori Obere

What does the Odù Iwori Obere mean in Ifá?

Where 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.

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

Iwori Obere is Odù number 52 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Iwori family.

Which orishas speak in Iwori Obere?

In the Odù Iwori Obere these orishas speak: Orunmila, Osain, Eshú, Shangó, Oshún (Iyalode), Yewá, Eja-Bo (el Pargo).

What is a proverb of the Odù Iwori Obere?

One of the proverbs of Iwori Obere says: «Having a good heart makes you lose.».

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