Iwori Obere

nº 52 of 256

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.

19 patakíes 4 eewó 8 ebbós and works 11 proverbs

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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 — 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 52 of 256
Composition
Iwori over Obara
Orishas that speak
Orunmila · Osain · Eshú · Shangó · Oshún (Iyalode) · Yewá · Eja-Bo (the red snapper)

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

8 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 Obere · Ìbí

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

Ebbós of Iwori Obere · The sacrifices that open the road

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

Works of Iwori Obere · The workings of the sign

4 works in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes.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 had a name as an Awó with many resources. When the destiny of humans decided to pass into the world in the shape of an Orisha, it came to the house of Iwori Obere. He saw in it more than enough ability to untangle the affairs of the world, but he set two conditions: ebbó and a disguise, so that its enemies would not harm it. The place it was given was the land of Abaata, a swamp, and it had to cross on stilts to get down there without the filth dirtying it. That is why the Guardian Angel, when it comes down on someone, climbs on top of them like a person walking on stilts. Here spiritual radiance is born: the spirit stays suspended above the human being and its guide sits 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.

16 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 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 (the red snapper).

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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