Ofún Bíle

nº 255 of 256

The soul that does not die and Orí Inú, the inner head: all the Orishas slept and only Orí got up — a life of plenty depends on him.

19 patakíes 8 eewó 9 ebbós and works 19 proverbs

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Ofún Bíle is Odù number 255 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Ofun family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 19 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 9 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 255 of 256
Composition: Ofun over Irete
Orishas that speak: Orí (Orí Aperé) · Olorun · San Lázaro (Azojuano / Oluopopó) · Obatalá · Oyá · Shangó · Oshún · Ozain · Omó Alá Yegún (Orun)

What Ifá says in this sign

Ofún Bíle — also called Ofún Birete — holds the deepest teaching of Ifá: here the spirit that lasts forever and the soul that does not die were born — the spirit is to the body what wings are to the bird — and Orí Inú, the inner head, the destiny: Orí is the maker of a person before the world began — a life of plenty depends on him. All the Orishas fell asleep and only Orí got up: that is why, on waking, honor is paid to Olorun.

His enemy has a name and a family line: Indiscretion — Aigborón, child of Ikú —: not being able to listen to advice. The rich people of this sign die young looking for more riches because they stop listening: listen to advice, but do not let anyone rule you — use your own head: that is the exact balance of this sign.

«All the Orishas slept and only Orí got up — the inner head of Ofún Bíle is the cause and the heart of what a person is.»The pulse of Ofún Bíle

His method is that of a full craftsman: find out first before you do things, and finish everything you start — what is left half done protects no one: the frog did not make ebbó, sure she was safe under her stone, and not even under a stone are you safe from Ikú.

His dead ask to be honored: for not worshipping bogbo Eggun, friendship is lost where he lives — like Awó Oloshé, who lived pushed aside — be sworn in Orun and visit your own; the dead person dressed in white you dreamed of — the one who raised you — is asking you for food; if your mother has died, she is given her jutía. And to make the family greater: give food to Heaven and to Earth — or the family is lost.

The fine points: the man who is kind to his wife does not fall behind; no jokes and no gossip in matters about women; the mother or the wife does not dress in big flowers. You are lucky, with many bad eyes on you — you have had three pieces of luck: you will get money and something great through Obatalá, a party for the Jimaguas and Ozain in the house. The sacrifices to Orí soften his hardness — the obí, the water, the cane and the toasted corn: feed your inner head, because the Orishas plotted against Orí and Orí won: your destiny is on your side.

The sign in one line

Listen to advice without letting anyone rule you, finish what you start and give food to your dead — because Orí, well fed, beats even death.

The prayer of Ofún Bíle · Yoruba

Ofún Birete Ofún Aguaté Kabú Adifafún Olosé Ladafún Anegún Inyá Obiní Tontó Ekoé Ayerdiyó Wo Orbó Agután Diyuwó Ayá Lordafún Ariegún Lolá Omó Abarín Kolomó Omó Obiní Ordé Alá Yegún Omó Alá Yegún Yeleshisín Ni Bi Maré.

Súyere
Orún Baterí Orí Obawaó Ofún Awaté Onibá Eggun Omó Yegún Orún.

Ifá says — what Ofún Bíle tells you

It is the Ifá of the spirit that lasts forever and the soul that does not die: the spirit is to the body in life what wings are to the bird in the sky. It is the Ifá of Orí: Orí is the maker of a person before the world began; my Orí Inú (my spirit head) gave me life and gave me the power to beat death. The Awó has to deal with other people so he becomes known and is not ignored, like Awó Oloshé, who lived pushed aside for not honoring the Eggun. It is the Ifá of Indiscretion (Aigborón, child of Ikú): not being able to listen to advice; rich people tend to die young in the search for more riches, since they stop listening to advice once they get rich. Find out first before doing things, and do everything completely: he must finish the things he starts. Even living under a stone you are not safe: ebbó must be made to get free of Ikú, which the frog did not do. This person has dead ones behind him; for not worshipping bogbo Eggun he loses friendship where he lives: he must be sworn in Orun and then visit everyone in his land. It is an Ifá where the place he has climbed to is envied and people try to destroy him, the way the Orishas plotted against Orí. To make the family greater, food has to be given to Heaven and to Earth, because otherwise the family is lost.
The okuní must be kind to his wife so he does not fall behind.
When you deal with matters about women, do not go around joking and gossiping, because among those listening they will say you are a show-off.
Listen to advice, but do not let anyone rule you: use your own head.
The mother or the wife must not dress in big flowers or loud colors.
In this Odù there is a smell that cannot be borne, like the epó and the fats of Miná Popó.
Money is received through this Odù; something great is gotten through Obatalá.
He will make a Santo or an Ifá for a person greater than his head; so as not to die because of it he has to orugbó. If he is an Awó and it falls to him to give a Santo to another Awó or to an Iyalosha, first he feeds obí to his lerí, then two etú or two eyelé, and it is asked whether Elegbará is given an obí or a whole raw ishú with epó, which is later thrown away in the square, split lengthwise.
If your mother has died, she is given a jutía.
You should throw a party for the Jimaguas and receive Ozain.
You end up in jail and they come looking for you for escaping, like the wild young man in bad company.
It is important to look after the stomach, because it gets into a poor state: drink liquid from the banana stalk for stomach ulcers.
You are very lucky, but you have many bad eyes on you; you have had three pieces of luck.
You dreamed of a dead person who appeared dressed in white and was the one who raised you: they are asking you for food.
The ewé of this Odù are canistel and filigrana.
Orí speaks, Orí Aperé (the Head, the Governor) and Orí Inú: Orí Aperé rules over all the Orí Inú, who in turn control the destinies of every being, the Orishas included. Orí Aperé is a sphere that can be of lead, wood, clay, ivory or stone, as Orunmila decides, and it must carry the person's own Odù.
The sacrifices to Orí speak, in their four kinds: the kola nut (obí) to send evil away; water, snails (igbín) and coconut as «softeners» that work on Orí, whose main problem is hardness; sugar cane (ireké) and ground toasted corn (aadún) to draw good fortune; and the rooster and the duck to win the favor of the community and calm those who were wronged.
The Eggun Pakunwá Lerí speaks, the one the people of the land of Ofún Awaté fell with when the great shadow of Orun rose.
The owl who swallowed the cricket speaks: flattery hides the trap.
The cosmic dust Oshún sends over the Earth speaks.
The whirlwind of water and fire speaks, in which Wealth lost everything.
The Orí of every creature speaks: the dog's Orí helps him cut through the brush; the thunder uses Orí to split the Iroko tree; with its Orí, the fish swims through the water with no trouble.

Proverbs of Ofún Bíle · Òwe

“The spirit is to the body in life what wings are to the bird in the sky.”
“What a blind man he is who explains the road to you.”
“Rich people tend to die young in the search for more riches.”
“Those who keep their heads in hard times are meant to enjoy the fresh air of a long life.”
“Indiscretion and wealth are always at odds.”
“Find out first and act afterward.”
“My Orí Inú (my spirit head) gave me life.”
“Orí is the maker of a person before the world began.”
“The dog's Orí helps him cut through the brush.”
“There is something worse than death: the fear of it, since that is what torments you.”
“The harm we do not know about we cannot get rid of.”
“Whoever takes care lives, whoever is careless dies.”
“Whoever lives to feed his appetites is their slave.”
“A lotus in disguise is still a lotus.”
“The dead man in front and the shouting behind.”
“Whoever thinks with his back to Heaven dies facing the ground.”
“Paper puts up with everything you put on it.”
“Whoever knows what others cannot see is surely a diviner.”
“Whoever listens to wicked advice sinks.”

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

Iré and Osogbo

9 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 Ofún Bíle · Ìbí

The spirit that lasts forever and the soul that does not die.
Orí beat death: «I will not die; let all good things belong to me, as the light belongs to Amakisí».
Orí Inú: the inner head, the destiny.
Every person and every Orisha, before coming to Earth, visits Ajalá, the maker of heads; the Orí Inú of each being sets what will happen to them next.
Sleeping epilepsy.
The daughter cried over her dead mother, fell asleep, and they very nearly buried her by mistake.
That everything has to be done completely.
The son of Obatalá only had his head prayed over and gave food to Oshún without making the whole ebbó, and he went through great hardship in Miná Popó.
That the frog dies for disobeying the word of Orunmila.
Trusting her stone, she did not make ebbó, and when she came out a man killed her with a thrown rock.
Indiscretion (Aigborón, child of Ikú): not being able to listen to advice.
Wealth wanted to buy endless long life from Ikú, and Indiscretion came like a whirlwind of fire: Wealth died going in to save her treasures from the burning house.
That a fee is charged for everything that is done, so it will come out well.
From the mother's curse on Afuké Awó: «Just as you have charged me, your own mother, nothing you do without charging for it will ever come out well for you».
That all the Orishas fell asleep and only Orí got up.
Ogbón (Wisdom) ordered that honor be paid to the Creator at the break of dawn: only Orí did it, and his sacrifice was accepted.
That on waking, honor is paid to Olorun.
From the victory of Orí: you have to get up early and ask God for power and authority.
Orí Odé (the outer head), the counterpart of Orí Inú.
The physical head comes out first at birth, as Orí Inú is the first thing created: that is why it is treated with respect and worshipped as Iborí.
Cosmic dust.
Oshún sends it over the Earth: whoever has an umbrella is saved; whoever does not, gets covered in it.

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

Do not argue with anyone, and do not get mixed up in gossip.
Rule of this Ifá.
Never look back.
Rule of this Ifá.
Do not drink alcohol.
Rule of this Ifá.
Do not dress the same as another person.
From the sleeping epilepsy: she was almost buried by mistake; you have a nickname, and you have to orugbó with the clothes you are wearing.
The mother or the wife cannot dress in big flower prints or loud colors.
Rule of this Ifá.
Do not leave things half done.
Everything must be done in full: the son of Obatalá went through hardship for not doing the whole ebbó.
Do not charge your mother, and do not deny her good because of money.
The curse of the mother of Afuké Awó reaches whoever does it.
Do not climb up to where flattery calls you.
The cricket climbed up because of the owl's praise, and she swallowed him in one bite.

Ebbós of Ofún Bíle · The sacrifices that open the road

SpiritualEbbó of Miná Popó🔒 The Notebook SpiritualEbbó of the pact with Omó Alá Yegún🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesEbbó of the owl and the cricket🔒 The Notebook HealthEbbó of the curse of Ofún Bíle🔒 The Notebook MoneyEbbó to make the family greater🔒 The Notebook

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

Works of Ofún Bíle · The workings of the sign

SpiritualThe agborán Omó Alá Yegún (pact for the Awó's growth)🔒 The Notebook MoneyWork to make the family greater🔒 The Notebook LoveTo bring back those who have fallen out🔒 The Notebook HealthWater for the illness🔒 The Notebook

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

Patakíes of Ofún Bíle · The roads of the Odù

1The frog dies for disobeying the word of Orunmila

Orunmila, walking through the world, told the frog to make ebbó to be saved; she answered that she was not afraid of her enemies, because under her stone she was safe. A little while later she came out from under the stone, and a man who saw her killed her with a thrown rock: she died for disobeying the word of Orunmila.

The frog had her house under a stone. Orunmila was going around the world and, passing through those lands, he saw her and told her, so she could save herself: "Make ebbó." The frog answered that her enemies did not scare her, because she lived her life under that stone and nothing reached her.

Orunmila went on his way and it was not long before the frog poked out from under the stone: a man spotted her, grabbed a stone and killed her with one blow.

For not listening to Orunmila's word, the frog lost her life.

2The wild young man on the run from the law

A young man, son of a woman of the streets and of a family with Santo things in it, was wild and kept bad company; he ended up in jail and escaped from the police. They were looking for him, but he went to see Orunmila, who marked him an ebbó so he would be saved.

This was about a boy whose mother was a prostitute; in the family there were people who had Santo things. Because of the way he was and the bad company he kept, he was half crazy.

One ordinary day he ended up in jail and he escaped from the police. They went looking for him; meanwhile, he went to see Orunmila, who marked ebbó for him to save him.

3Wealth tried to buy endless long life from Ikú

Wealth, so rich she had bought everything under the Sun, went up to Heaven to buy endless long life from Ikú; she was sent to Indiscretion (Aigborón, child of Ikú), who promised to visit her in 7 days. He came as a midday whirlwind that set her palace on fire; Wealth, ignoring everyone, went in to save her treasures and the fire took her: rich people do not listen to advice once they get rich.

Wealth came down from Heaven to the world and gathered so much that there was nothing under the Sun she could not pay for. With that she filled up with pride and airs, to the point of challenging Kings and Nobles alike.

On one of those occasions she went back to Heaven, set on buying from death (Ikú) an eternal and complete long life. When she had her in front of her up there, she was told that this request had to be presented to Indiscretion, Aigborón, the son of Ikú, whose full name means the inability to hear advice. Indiscretion received the request kindly and told Wealth that in 7 days he would go to see her on Earth, so she should be getting the welcome ready.

Back on Earth, Wealth sent out invitations to friends and relatives so they could join her in giving such a grand visitor a reception worthy of him, with food and drink in abundance. The people arrived in floods when the banquet was not even ready.

Indiscretion had not said at what time he was coming or in what way. He left Heaven turned into a midday tornado. With no warning, a whirlwind wrapped around Wealth's compound and everybody ran off with no order. The whirlwind picked up strength and set fire in front of the kitchen and on the roof of the house, and in the palace too, while Wealth complained that very important treasures of hers were left inside to be rescued from that blazing inferno.

They all advised her not to go into the burning house, and nobody managed to stop her. She went in without measuring herself, and the fire finished her off.

That is why rich people die before their time looking for more wealth: once rich, they no longer listen to advice. Whoever behaves with care at critical moments gets to enjoy the fresh air of a long life.

4Where Obatalá was sent to the land of Miná Popó to teach his religion🔒 The Notebook 5Orunmila orders the Awoses to visit each other🔒 The Notebook 6The owl swallowed the cricket🔒 The Notebook 7The curse of Ofún Bíle (Afuké Awó and his mother)🔒 The Notebook 8The dead mother (sleeping epilepsy)🔒 The Notebook 9The family is made greater🔒 The Notebook 10Orí, Orí Aperé (the Head, the Governor) and Orí Inú🔒 The Notebook 11Cosmic dust🔒 The Notebook 12The gold and the silver🔒 The Notebook 13Olofin's cycles of shrinking and spreading🔒 The Notebook 14The magic powder🔒 The Notebook 15The female monkey and the crab🔒 The Notebook 16The great grieving🔒 The Notebook 17Where Oshún saves her children🔒 The Notebook 18The straight one and the crooked one🔒 The Notebook 19The winter cabin🔒 The Notebook

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 Ofún Bíle in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Ofún Bíle

What does the Odù Ofún Bíle mean in Ifá?

The soul that does not die and Orí Inú, the inner head: all the Orishas slept and only Orí got up — a life of plenty depends on him.

What number is Ofún Bíle among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Ofún Bíle is Odù number 255 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Ofun family.

Which orishas speak in Ofún Bíle?

In the Odù Ofún Bíle these orishas speak: Orí (Orí Aperé), Olorun, San Lázaro (Azojuano / Oluopopó), Obatalá, Oyá, Shangó, Oshún, Ozain, Omó Alá Yegún (Orun).

What is a proverb of the Odù Ofún Bíle?

One of the proverbs of Ofún Bíle says: «The spirit is to the body in life what wings are to the bird in the sky.».

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