Odù 155 of 256 · Osa family

Osa Di

The war between the hook and the fish, caught by the bait of deceit: be content with your own luck — peace of spirit is the greatest wealth.

Osa Di is Odù number 155 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Osa family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 16 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 9 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 155 of 256
Composition: Osa over Odi
In the Diloggún: 9-7 · Osá tonti Odí
Orishas that speak: Yemayá · Oyá · Ogún · Eshu · Shangó · Orunmila · Obatalá · Egun

What Ifá says in this sign

Osa Di is the sign of the war between the hook and the fish: for not making ebbó, the fish fell for the bait of deceit — and here men learned to gather into towns in order to survive. Its philosophy is one of balance: there are humble people who live like kings, and there is the one who has everything and lacks everything — because peace of spirit is the greatest wealth after health.

Live off your natural ability and be content with your own luck without envying anyone: each of us will live off what is ours — whoever looks at someone else's plate loses their own. And respect what is old: ancestral customs are not criticized inside the family — the young woman who cursed the custom of the river was swallowed by the whirlpool.

«The fish who made no ebbó took the bait — Osa Di learns to see the hook inside the deceit.»The pulse of Osa Di

Your battlefront is a domestic one: betrayals in the family — there is someone close who has even stolen from you —, a friend with bad ideas setting a trap for you (and you do him favors), and your marriage under siege: the shishirikú — dark eguns — keep the union away from you, and the friend who plays go-between wants to spoil it. The bellows for Eshu and kalalú for Shangó: betrayal is disarmed in the santo's kitchen.

Your character has only one key: do not be so headstrong and use your head — this odu says it itself. No cursing, no starting with force, no going into hidden places to take what is not yours (they will catch you inside). And look after your job: over a single day missed they can replace you — steadiness.

The concrete hopes: the son you want comes with ebbó, not with quarreling with your wife; the passage you cannot get is unstuck (a working was done on you: undo it); memory and stomach are seen to — and the curious promise: they are going to raise you to a place where good comes to you out of something bad. The fish that makes ebbó sees the hook — and eats without biting it

The sign in one line

Be content with what is yours, respect what is old and soften your head — the peace of spirit of Osa Di is worth more than everything you envy.

The prayer of Osa Di · Yoruba

Osa Di ishe isheri oshe koloja tobati ishe guolo iba lafimunu adifafun Baba Bokun bante poroki akuko, eyele lebo.

Ifá says — what Osa Di tells you

An Ifá of taking down the fences or the sieges so a relationship goes well. The Ifá of the war between the hook and the fish: whoever does not make ebbó is caught by the bait. An Ifá where you work for someone who does not deserve it, and where you are advised to keep away from everything bad. An Ifá of betrayals in the family: it speaks of trouble with a close relative who has even stolen from you. The Ifá of the shishirikú: dark eguns who keep marriage away from you. An Ifá where the woman and the man live together without being in love: lightning struck, the woman's cycle came, and having children came with it — the man was left in love with the woman, but she was not with him.
You suffer with your stomach, your legs and weakness of the brain: loss of memory — the head does not respond.
You lose your way through being headstrong and having no calm: you cannot curse. Osa Di says: «do not be so headstrong and use your head».
The woman has had two husbands, both now dead; there are dead elders in the family who have to be attended to, and elders who are ill who have to be treated with the Santo and with a doctor.
The woman likes another man and the man likes another woman.
It marks betrayal in the house: the bellows are put for Eshu and kalalú for Shangó to avoid it.
Ancestral customs cannot be criticized inside the family: the young woman who cursed the custom of the river was swallowed by the whirlpool.
Under this Odù the godfather can lose his luck.
The herbs of this Odù are: male fern and marjoram.
Do not be so headstrong and stubborn, keep calmer, do not curse and do not start with force.
You have a friend setting a trap for you to fall into: he has bad ideas about you, and you do him a great many favors.
You are due to have a great deal of trouble because of a relative: listen to advice and watch what you do.
You are very fond of women, there is a very jealous woman, and that friend wants to spoil your marriage.
You are going into a hidden place to take something that is not yours: be careful, because they are going to catch you inside the house.
You have to feed your head.
You want to have a son and you quarrel with your wife over it, because she does not bear you one: make ebbó if you want it.
At a job, over a single day you missed, they removed you and put someone else in your place who would do the same thing better and cheaper.
You often travel by sea and now you cannot: your friends have done a working on you so you cannot set sail.
Be careful you do not go from free to enslaved, or lose your mind.
Your work does not show: there are people who have cursed you.
You had a dream some days ago: give thanks to Obatalá and Oshún.
You have a friend who owes you money and likes his drink.
You have a hard mouth on you: they are going to raise you or place you somewhere where good comes to you out of something bad.
You are bad in one leg or one arm, in your stomach or your head, and you want your head at peace.
You want to leave your wife but you do not because of your children: there is always something unsettling you; if it is your wife who leaves and you never go back to her, another woman will turn up.
You cannot say «I know» anymore, because saying it costs you.
You have to receive Eshu so the upheaval in your house stops.
One way or another you are due to have another woman, because the one you have is not the one who fills you: yours is far away and you were chasing her a long time ago. You will have to go about alone always.

Proverbs of Osa Di · Òwe

“The jug goes to the fountain so often that in the end it breaks.”
“Whoever raises someone else's dog loses the bread and loses the dog.”
“Two big noses cannot kiss.”
“The egg the dog cannot swallow, the hen can peck.”
“A tiger that eats bone, satisfaction for its throat.”
“Do not be headstrong and use your head.”
“Ancestral customs are not criticized inside the family.”
“When the fences and the sieges come down, relationships go well.”
“The machete asked for so much edge that it ended up as filings.”
“Two opponents in a temper can hardly understand each other.”
“The intruder who gets in among family ends up shamed.”
“Good news is cause for joy.”
“Whoever throws away bread because they are full will beg for it when they are hungry.”
“For the ungrateful, neither give nor take away.”
“The anvil and the hammer do not strike each other because there is iron in between.”
“The chain turns a free man into a slave.”

16 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

5 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 Osa Di · Ìbí

The war between the hook and the fish.
The fish, for refusing to make ebbó, were caught by the hook, which deceived them with the bait.
Men gathering into societies or towns in order to survive.
The works done with nails (isherí).
Every time one of those works is done, this Odù should be prayed.
That each of us will live off our own natural ability.
You have to be content with your own luck and not envy other people: peace of spirit is, after health, the greatest wealth on Earth.
That through someone's selfishness or revenge you are separated from your parents at birth.
Like the king's son, stolen as a newborn, who became an Awó and was recognized by his two moles of hair.

What is forbidden · Eewó

5 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 Osa Di · The sacrifices that open the road

SpiritualThe ebbó of the king with no responsibility🔒 Babalawo

Beating enemiesThe monkey's ebbó🔒 Babalawo

MoneyThe sacrifice of the lamp — where Osa could not be opened🔒 Babalawo

MoneyThe sacrifice of the great revelation🔒 Babalawo

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

Works of Osa Di · The workings of the sign

Beating enemiesThe prayer of the 16 pigeons and the inshé of the gourd🔒 Babalawo

SpiritualThe obsessing egun of the platanillo🔒 Babalawo

HealthOgún's reinforcement🔒 Babalawo

SpiritualThe female goat and Oyá's Awan🔒 Babalawo

Beating enemiesThe bellows and the kalalú🔒 Babalawo

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

Patakíes of Osa Di · The roads of the Odù

1The king with no responsibility

Awo Ori Sese, the young king of Oni Efan, envied a life with no responsibility: he would go out in disguise to feasts and masked balls like any other man. At one of them he met a woman as beautiful as his wife, and they lived together a long time. When she became pregnant and told him she had dreamed he was a king with a wife and children, the king fled, never to return. Years later, the woman and her son, now a man, came to Oni Efan looking for work, and she went pale when she saw the king on the balcony: he came out to meet her — «I know we have a son; you will both live here in the palace; it was greater reasons that made me leave you». All she said to him was: «All I want is that you never forget your responsibilities». To Iban Eshu.

In the land of Oni Efan lived Awo Ori Sese, who was very young and had just inherited the kingdom of that land. That king liked and envied a life with no responsibility: he was sure that with his new responsibility he could not have the same freedom as before. That king was very fond of feasts and amusements.

The king put up with the quiet life for a long time, but power tied him down in such a way that it was impossible for him to live as he had before. So the years passed. One day the king felt like going out for a while, but not as a king, as any other man: he changed his clothes and all his royal trappings, went out that night, and found that nobody had noticed his presence in the town. So, again and again, he lived the life he wanted to lead; other times he went to feasts and masked balls, so as to be able to hide who he really was.

One day the king heard there was a masked ball in a nearby town and decided to go. On arriving he put on his disguise and went into the feast, and met a woman as beautiful as his wife. He asked her to let him keep her company and the woman accepted. That woman was more demanding than others he had known, and asked him to let her see his face: at first the king would not, but after some time he took off his disguise. Realizing that this was no danger to his secret, he went on with the feast until it ended that night. The king and the beautiful woman lived and were together a long time as husband and wife.

One day the beautiful woman became pregnant and told the king that she had dreamed he was a king and had a wife and children. The king, astonished, fled, never to return. And so the years passed.

One day that woman and her son, who was now a man, came to the land of Oni Efan looking for work so as to live. When they arrived there was a great feast in the king's honor, and at that moment Awo Ori Sese came out on the palace balcony, being the king of that land. The woman, seeing him, went pale, recognizing the man who had been the great love of her life. When she came to herself, she went up the stairs, and the king, seeing her, came out to meet her and told her: «Say nothing. I know you are right, I know we have a son; nothing will happen to him, or to you either. You will both live here in the palace. I always loved you, but it was greater reasons that made me leave you, which is the reality you see today. I want you to leave our son with me, to make him a good man; I will help you too».

The woman then told him: «All I want is that you never forget your responsibilities». To Iban Eshu.

2Whoever was born a monkey is a monkey and stays a monkey

Obatalá and Yemayá lived alone and sad, and Obatalá took pity on the monkey, his son, who was going about the world having a hard time: he took him home, they dressed him like a person and he even had a seat at their table. The monkey thought himself important — «those two are nobody without me» —: he refused Obatalá the bread, answered him back, and threw himself on Yemayá for ofikale trupon. She struck him with her chain and went to Orunmila (Awo Lamu Regun), who saw Osa Di for her: «whoever was born a monkey is a monkey and stays a monkey». He prepared the chain: they got him drunk, chained him and shut him behind bars — with no war, because although they would always beat him, if he bit them their blood would sicken. So the monkey lost his power for not knowing how to be grateful, and ever since he lives shut in when he lives with men.

Obatalá lived with Yemayá; they both lived alone, because their children were scattered about the world, and they were always sad. The monkey, who was Obatalá's son, was valued by nobody and went about the world having a hard time, and Obatalá took pity on him and took him home, giving him shelter.

Little by little the monkey won Obatalá and Yemayá's trust and affection: they bought him new clothes and dressed him so he looked like a person, and from then on he went about like a dandy. He was the one who received the visitors Obatalá and Yemayá had, and everyone who had not valued him before began to respect him. At mealtimes, the monkey had his seat at Obatalá and Yemayá's table. So it went, and the monkey began to think himself important and to think differently, and said to himself: «Those two are nobody without me».

One day they were sitting at the table and Obatalá asked the monkey to pass him the bread, and the monkey told him to get it himself, since when kings are eating they are not disturbed. Obatalá was taken aback by the monkey's answer and called him to account; the monkey answered him back. Obatalá left the table, and then the monkey threw himself on Yemayá so she would ofikale trupon with him. Yemayá — who had caught the monkey more than once spying on her when she was with Obatalá — took the chain she had and struck the monkey on the head with it.

Yemayá took the chance and went to Orunmila's house, who in that land was called Awo Lamu Regun. He made osode for her, saw Osa Di and told her: «Whoever was born a monkey is a monkey and stays a monkey». Then he told Yemayá: «Give me your chain» — and he prepared it for her, telling her: «Take this chance and bring this chain to Obatalá; sit down at the table to eat with the monkey again and give him plenty of aguardiente, and when he is falling over, put the chain on him and shut him in, because it does not suit you to be at war with him: even though you would always beat him, if he bites you your blood will sicken».

They followed Orunmila's advice, and when the monkey was drunk they put the chain around his neck and made him a slave; they shut him behind bars, and everyone who came laughed at seeing him shut in and chained that way. So the monkey lost his power and went back to being what he was — a monkey — for not knowing how to be grateful for the help Obatalá and Yemayá gave him. And ever since, the monkey lives shut in when he lives with men, who are the children of Obatalá and Yemayá on earth.

3Yemayá and the three little monkeys

Yemayá bought three charming little monkeys at the market to keep her company, since she lived alone: she bathed them, perfumed them and dressed them, and lived very happily with them. Yemayá had a love affair in secret with Orunmila, who visited her as if on religious business, in fine clothes and with his iñafá — when he arrived, everyone gave him moforibale. The monkeys, seeing Orunmila, were taken with him and went off with him, leaving Yemayá alone.

On this road, Yemayá went to the market and they were selling three charming little monkeys, and since she lived alone she bought them to keep her company. When she got home she bathed them, perfumed them and dressed them.

She spent her days with her three little monkeys at home, and everyone had something to do with them: she lived very happily.

Yemayá had a love affair with Orunmila in secret: he visited Yemayá as if on religious business and about work, and when they were alone, ofikale trupon. Orunmila visited Yemayá in fine clothes, with his iñafá and all his things, and when he arrived everyone gave him moforibale.

The monkeys, seeing Orunmila, were taken with him and went off with him, leaving Yemayá alone.

4The young woman's curse🔒 Babalawo

5The theft of the king's son🔒 Babalawo

6The disobedient bellows🔒 Babalawo

7The hawk🔒 Babalawo

8Where Osa could not be opened🔒 Babalawo

9The reading made for the great revelation🔒 Babalawo

10Orunmila's pact with Iku and Arun🔒 Babalawo

11Discord among friends🔒 Babalawo

12Every trade matters🔒 Babalawo

13Who could steal the moon🔒 Babalawo

14Asking is for fools🔒 Babalawo

15The stag and the lion🔒 Babalawo

16The ripe plantains🔒 Babalawo

13 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 Osa Di in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Osa Di

What does the Odù Osa Di mean in Ifá?

The war between the hook and the fish, caught by the bait of deceit: be content with your own luck — peace of spirit is the greatest wealth.

What number is Osa Di among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Osa Di is Odù number 155 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Osa family.

Which orishas speak in Osa Di?

In the Odù Osa Di these orishas speak: Yemayá, Oyá, Ogún, Eshu, Shangó, Orunmila, Obatalá, Egun.

What is a proverb of the Odù Osa Di?

One of the proverbs of Osa Di says: «The jug goes to the fountain so often that in the end it breaks.».

Unlock the 256 Odù See all the Odù

← Osa Woriwo Index Osa Roso →