Osa Ogunda

Also called Osa Kuleya, Osa Oggúnda

nº 160 of 256 · Edited by Ricco Ledesma

Where Oyá handed her ram to Shangó to save her children: the moyugbar and the Throne of Ifá were born here, the seat of wisdom.

31 patakíes 9 eewó 14 ebbós and works 18 proverbs

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Osa Ogunda is Odù number 160 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Osa family. It is also written as Osa Kuleya or Osa Oggúnda. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 31 patakíes (3 in full in plain sight, with their teaching, ebbó and chants), its proverbs, 14 ebbós and works and the signs it shows in the consultation — with the full eewó in plain sight; the rest of the iré and osogbo and the full recipes open with The Notebook, in English.

The sign at a glance

Order in Ifá: Odù 160 of 256
Composition: Osa over Ogunda
In the Diloggún: 9-3 · Osá tonti Ogundá
Orishas that speak: Oyá · Shangó · Ogún · Yemayá Ashabá · Orunmila · Eshu · Egun

What Ifá says in this sign

Osa Ogunda, also known as Osa Kuleya, is the sign where the Throne of Ifá, the seat of wisdom, and the libraries of Ifá were born. Here wisdom, knowledge and understanding came down to Earth, where they are called Elá, and here Oyá received the name Yanzán and gave up eating ram to save her children. Its ruling is one of rising: if you take care of yourself and fulfill the sacrifice, fortune goes with you and you rise in life.

Much work and money are coming to you, and in these days the justice you were waiting for arrives at your home. A spirit who was a doctor in life speaks to you and guides you, and you inherit sacred objects from your ancestors or from the saints. Like the toad that the snake swallowed and that, with its ebbó done, defeated it from inside, you beat an enemy much bigger than you if you show humility. But there is an Egun who can destroy the whole family if it is not attended as it should be.

«Oyá stopped eating ram to save her children: the great sacrifices of Osa Kuleya are a mother's.»The pulse of Osa Ogunda

Your head runs hot and your temper is bad: avoid every fight, because here Ogún carried the world and only fresh water calmed him. This is an Ifá of slavery, and you may be tied to your partner, your job, your enemies or a vice. A fat man who cannot stand the sight of you wants to destroy you. Do not sign a paper without reading it, because it hides a trap; beware of a stabbing and of a theft. Do not be anyone's guarantor, do not visit prisoners, do not go hunting and move from where you live. Whoever thinks he is wise and does not recognize others ends up humiliated.

In love there is deceit, and a woman uses witchcraft on her husband to bring him down. To the woman, who weeps for a man, it warns that a son of Shangó may deceive her and not keep his word, and that if she is pregnant she must take care not to lose the baby. There is a danger that she will be drugged and abused: be very careful about whom you go out with. Look after your young children too, because there is a risk of abuse; if the youngest falls ill, only Orunmila saves the child, and another child may get lost or end up in prison.

In health, this sign can take away your voice, through a strong fright, a cold in the bronchial tubes or a serious illness. You suffer from vertigo, you should not climb to high places and you could die alone, sitting at the table. Receive Orunmila and tie down your life as Yemayá Ashabá ties her boat with the anchor, so the storm does not carry it away.

The sign in one line

Study what you keep, name your master and buy your freedom with deeds, for the Throne of Ifá belongs to the one who does moyugba and learns.

The prayer of Osa Ogunda · Yoruba

Osa Kuleya wara wara aye wara wara orun adifafun Oshumare akuko lebo, ahun ajapa tiroko afetu afolopo adifafun umbo oun batinlo loko ode gbogbo tenuyen lebo bobayo Oluwo laki Oyubona labere adifafun aretin shomo bani Orunmila oma kure lebo.

Súyere
Olomide tire eguado lerí ayapa Osa Kuleya.

Ifá says — what Osa Ogunda tells you

The person suffers from vertigo and cannot climb to high places; he will die alone, at the table.
It indicates loss of voice: temporary from a fright or a chill in the bronchial tubes, or irreversible from a malignant disease.
The person may be tied up by spells, and is also reckless; he needs to settle down, like the ship of Ashabá, which needed chain and anchor.
For the Awó: the rogación of the head is not done for anyone with a fish that has a small tongue; one with a large tongue must be used.
A jicotea must be offered at the door of the house.
It is necessary to move house; this sign forbids going to the countryside and going deep into the woods, and do not let a heavy downpour catch you, lest you return ill.
The enemy is fat; he detests you to the point of not wanting to see you, and wants to destroy you.
The person has a fiery temperament and a bad character, and wants to impose himself by force; he must receive Ifá.
If the one being read is a woman: she should beware of a son of Shangó, in case he deceives her and then does not keep his word to her. If pregnant, she must make ebbó so that the baby is not lost. She should look carefully at whom she goes out with: they may leave her unconscious, abuse her and make her pregnant. She goes around crying over a husband. And if she has a younger child, she should protect him from getting sick: give him an Awofakan, because only Orunmila can save him.
When it comes out in Atefá: a dove is offered to the rainbow; for the osobo it is painted with purple, orange, green, yellow, blue, red and white, and the rainbow is greeted.
That you should avoid any kind of dispute; when going to the countryside, you must not go too deep into the woods or let a downpour catch you.
That you must receive Orunmila and your head is hot.
That in these days a person who has never been to your house will arrive: it is justice.
That Ogún is asking you for something, and you dreamed of Ogún and Shangó: they want something.
That you should give thanks to the aleyo, to Shangó and to Obatalá, and to three women who talk about you.
That you should tell your brother that, to come out well in his affairs, he must do an ebbó and respect you.
That you should be careful of a theft: someone inside your house is watching you in order to rob you when you go out; the Awó of this sign does not go about alone.
That you should be careful with a loss: of health, of employment or of business.
That you should not visit prisoners in these days.
That you are fond of birds: if you are invited to hunt or to fish, do not accept, because something bad could happen to you.
That you should be careful, in these days, of a stab wound.
That you should be careful with a document you are going to sign: there is a trap.
That you should not stand as guarantor for anyone, because a problem will come to you from that; some money will come to you, but do not give anything on credit.
That a son of yours will be lost to you or will be arrested.
That you and your family had been given up for lost, and you are called to settle Santo.
That you are somewhat cowardly and should not despair over anything.
That they are defending you in a matter and will make you look bad.

Proverbs of Osa Ogunda · Òwe

“War with the living is bad; with the dead it is worse.”
“If you have a great fish, you should feed the stream.”
“Tie up the boat, so it does not go down on you.”
“When I make sacrifice, I have good fortune.”
“If I do not put my life in order, I will end up like the crow.”
“Wisdom, intelligence and understanding stand for Elá.”
“The great sacrifices are made by mothers for their children.”
“The turtle likes dancing, but she has no waist.”
“The air is our salvation; the air is our death.”
“Whoever shouts a great deal weeps a great deal.”
“The ram, when he charges, lowers his head, shuts his eyes and spills his own blood.”
“What you get by blackmail you lose by blackmail.”
“There is no magic at all in a bribe.”
“The drunk has only one price: alcohol.”
“Discord destroys the home.”
“Whoever gives in to a whim loses.”
“Cruelty breeds cruelty.”
“Whoever lives a slave to desire dies by desire.”

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

Iré and Osogbo

Three iré and three osogbo of this sign, open to everyone.

Iré · what the sign brings

They have good fortune if they take care of themselves and make the necessary sacrifices: when they sacrifice, things go well for them.
The person will rise in life, and much work and money come to them.
They will get what they want, and in these days justice arrives at their house.

Osogbo · what the sign warns

They must avoid every fight and argument, because they go about with a hot head and a bad temper.
There is a person they must not trust.
An Egun will destroy the whole family if it is not attended to as it should be.

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

What is born in Osa Ogunda · Ìbí

Oyá's other name: Iyanzá or Yanzán.
The whirlwind came to be when she gave up the ram to save her children.
That before beginning any ceremony or work of Ifá it is obligatory to moyugbar.
Before Olofin the gourd bowl with fresh water is placed first. It comes from the oath of Ogún: water toward the right, toward the left, toward the head and toward the earth, which must always be greeted first.
The rite of going to bring Ogún out of the countryside when one of his sons is crowned.
Only the Babalawo directs it: the child of Obatalá carries the stone, the daughter of Oyá places it in the bush and hands over the machete, Oshún pours honey at the exit and Yemayá gives the water to drink.
The gift of Oyá, although she lost her strength.
Shangó, with the ebbó and the song, deprived her of it in the bush, ofikale trupon, and took away her two horns (ogué) and the red and white necklace.
The mystery of the plants with which Ogún is washed.
Agbón, Imo and Oye (wisdom, knowledge and understanding), which became Hoo ró (Oro); on earth it is called Elá.
Olodumare created them, swallowed them for lack of a dwelling, and when he released them they came down with the sound "Hoo" amid lightning and thunder: Oro fell to the earth like an egg and broke, and in his new state he is identified with Elá.
The Throne of Ifá: the seat of wisdom.
In Benin, Shangó defended the throne and the crown against the usurpers, on behalf of the sons of Orunmila.
The libraries of Ifá.
The mysteries of the jicotea and of the fish.
From the path of Awó Ejá and Awó Aún: Shangó took away their voice. The fish only snores, and the voice of the jicotea turtle is kept by Osain in a gourd, to call Egun.
The revelation of the mystery of the cao, and that Otrupon Ogbe was entrusted with the secret to finish building the Ilú Batá.
It was Osa Kuleya who revealed to him the secret of the cao and of the ewe.

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

The Babalawo does not walk alone.
They want to rob him.
A fish with a small tongue must not be used for the rogación of the head.
It must be with a fish with a big tongue, because of the curse of Awó Aún on Awó Ejá.
Do not go to the countryside or into the bush, and do not let a downpour fall on you.
You can come back sick.
Do not be anyone's guarantor, and do not give credit.
A problem comes to you there.
Do not visit prisoners in these days.
Do not go hunting or fishing, even if you are invited.
Something bad may happen to you, like the king's son who hunted the dove and fell into the river.
Do not look down on anyone who comes to your house.
Do not be disobedient.
To avoid finding yourself in great danger and, in order to be saved, ending up as the slave of a greedy person, like the son of the king with the jicotea.
Do not mock.
By mocking, you will lose, like Shangó challenging the ram.

Ebbós of Osa Ogunda · The sacrifices that open the road

LoveThe pregnant woman's ebbó🔒 The Notebook Overcoming enemiesThe ebbó of the drum and the machete🔒 The Notebook JusticeShangó's jicotea turtle🔒 The Notebook SpiritualThe four ebbós of the Throne of Ifá🔒 The Notebook SpiritualThe ebbó of Ogún holding up the world🔒 The Notebook SpiritualThe ebbó of Eyá and Aún🔒 The Notebook MoneyThe ebbó of the drum boy🔒 The Notebook MoneyThe ebbó of the luck that left🔒 The Notebook Overcoming enemiesThe ebbó of the big jicotea turtle🔒 The Notebook

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

Works of Osa Ogunda · The workings of the sign

Overcoming enemiesThe lamp of Oyá🔒 The Notebook LoveThe nine breads of glory🔒 The Notebook HealthThe inshé Osain of the jicotea turtle🔒 The Notebook LoveOyá's hen with Shangó🔒 The Notebook SpiritualThe omiero of Ogún🔒 The Notebook

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

Patakíes of Osa Ogunda · The roads of the Odù

1The toad and the majá snake

The toad came before Orunmila worried: the majá, which is a snake, was going around saying that it would eat him when it saw him. Orunmila prescribed an ebbó of a rooster and two doves, besides other ingredients, to free him from death (Ikú). He also asked him to act with humility, because his victory lay in that.

Some time later the two crossed paths and the majá swallowed him. However, the toad had already made the ebbó. Inside the snake's body he kept hurting its belly until the snake had to give him back. The snake died.

What it teaches

Someone small can defeat a much larger enemy if he performs his ebbó and behaves with humility. What protects is not size or strength, but preparation done in time.

The toad's ebbó

Two doves, a rooster and the other ingredients, in order to keep Ikú away from the person who performs it.

Orunmila's advice

Act with humility, because victory is there.

2The hunter prince hidden in the tortoise's drum

Orunmila informed the king that he had a son and advised him to keep the boy from going hunting. The young man was fascinated by hunting, so the king set several servants to watch him without rest. One day the young man made a sling in secret. While the watchers chatted, he spotted a dove, loaded a stone and fired with such aim that he brought it down. The bird spun in the air and fell into a nearby river. When the current began to carry it away, the young man tried to get it back, lost his balance and fell into the water too.

With no hope left, he saw a tortoise appear that offered to pull him out on condition that he become her slave. He accepted. The tortoise rescued him and hid him in a drum of hers. Every so often the young man sang from inside, and the tortoise went about boasting that she owned a drum that sounded by itself.

The king suffered over his son's fate and called Orunmila. Orunmila did a reading and gave him the solution: to organize a great feast with all the musicians of the city, because the young man would appear there. So it was done. One by one, the musicians played before the king and Orunmila. When it was the tortoise's turn, she appeared with her drum, and the young man sang from inside it. Everyone heard him.

Orunmila asked the king to dismiss the musicians and make them leave their instruments, summoning them the next day to give them their payment. When they had gone, they took the young man out of the drum and, in his place, put a cao.

What it teaches

Ignoring the warning of the elders puts a son in danger and costs him his freedom for a time. Turning to Orunmila with good sense and gathering everyone makes it possible to recover him and bring the truth to light.

3Shangó avenges Orunmila and takes Oyá's secret

Oyá, known in this path as Aguadai Iyá, kept a great secret, a gift from Olofin; because of it everyone respected her and her land, Iwade Inle, lived well. Obatalá used to visit her to advise her. On one of those visits he gave her a necklace in red and white, and explained that this necklace, together with two horns and a stone, would be her great defense and would make her respected. Oyá was very glad, paid homage to Obatalá with moforibale and began to sing. He blessed her, charged her to guard the secret carefully and gave her a warning: if anyone was holding a ceremony with a ram, she must keep away.

Oyá thought herself very wise, and in Iwade Inle everyone feared her. One day Orunmila came to that land and felt that she treated him with contempt, so he left uneasy. As he passed through the land of Obá Ishe, he met Shangó, who greeted him with moforibale and asked about his worry. Orunmila explained his problem with Oyá. Shangó was carrying a chain and also a coconut painted white; on the coconut he had drawn the odu Osa Kuleya with osun. He assured him that he would settle the matter right away and went up to Ilé Oke to speak with Olofin, whom he called with a song. Olofin came out and asked what he wanted. Shangó told him everything Oyá had done against Orunmila and said that he was going to take revenge. Olofin answered: “You have never lied to me, but I do not believe this about Oyá.” Shangó became angry and said he would prove it to him.

Then Shangó presented himself before Orunmila and asked him for an ebbó made with what he had brought with him, assuring him that he would soon see the result. While it was being prepared, Obatalá, who was there, told Shangó that Oyá was his daughter, young and a maiden, and that he must respect her. Shangó said nothing. He set out for Iwade Inle and, in the middle of the bush, dug a hole and left the ebbó at the bottom. Holding a coconut, he stroked the ewe and sang a song to call Oyá.

Oyá heard that beautiful song, wondered who was calling her and went into the bush to find out. She found Shangó, who let the ewe go. Oyá held it, stroked it and brought it to him. Shangó placed the coconut in the hole and told her to clean her head well with the ewe. She obeyed and then gave the animal to the earth, putting it in the same hole. As she did so she lost consciousness, and Shangó took advantage of it to unite with her, and she became pregnant. He also took the two horns and put them in a safe place, with the red and white necklace. Then he cleaned her with the hens of the ebbó, two in all, passing them over her, and gave them to the earth. Oyá woke up and went away suspecting nothing.

Three months later she felt ill and went to Obatalá to tell him what had happened. He said to her: “You disrespected me. Now you will have to wait until you give birth and your son turns seven. Then you will take him before Orunmila to have Ifá made for him; if you do not, you will not recover your luck.” Oyá went everywhere asking about Shangó, but nobody knew of him. The boy was born and, when he was seven, she took him to Orunmila, who consulted Ifá and saw the odu Osa Kuleya. He said to her: “To recover all your strength and your luck, you must make Ifá for your son.”

A week later Shangó appeared, because Orunmila had sent for him. He did not want to go, but Olofin ordered him to. At the Igbodu, Orunmila gave him a male tortoise, which they call ayapa tiroko, and Shangó devoured it. Then he turned to Oyá: “You are forgiven for the fault you had with Orunmila. Here is the secret that defends you.”

What it teaches

Boasting of wisdom and treating with contempt someone who deserves respect has consequences, and the protection one received can be lost by disrespecting elders. Repairing the fault with humility is what makes it possible to recover strength and luck.

Ebbó of the path

A ram, a young rooster and a hen; beef, toasted corn, smoked fish, hutía and ekó; earth from the sea and earth from the hill; 2 horns (ogué) and 1 coconut with the odu Osa Kuleya painted on it with cascarilla. Yemayá, Olofin and Oyá are called, and a lot of money is added.

Work with Oyá and Shangó

This path has a work with Oyá and Shangó that is done before the ebbó; its procedure is in the complete treatise.

When this odu comes out

If the mother of the person receiving Ifá is alive, the guinea fowl is for Ogún; if she has died, it is for the mother's egun. The person is told to take a bath with rainwater or with water from Yemayá's tureen.

Secret of the awó

Someone who is going to receive Ifá and has this odu in his Awofakan must perform a special act for Shangó; that procedure belongs to the awó and is in the complete treatise.

Prayer of Osa Kuleya that opens the passage

osa kuleya omó oní babalawo mayure umbati fobati omó ení babalawo osa bebeito omó awada ifá fekun eteneri Oshanlá omó agbaishe oní Shangó iwa ide inle otá iyire babalawo osara beifa ifá maferefun olófin omó wanire olófin.

What Oyá sang when she received Obatalá's necklace

baba ashe bo ashe iña ashe bo ashe.

What Shangó sang at Ilé Oke to call Olofin

Baba olófin omó siwayú, olófin moyára ifá omoyáre.

What Shangó sang in the wilds to call Oyá

Oyá siweire omó laoyo umbo oyá siweire omó anya Shangó.

This path keeps 2 awó secrets in the complete treatise.🔒 The Notebook

4Ashabá ties up his boat with the anchor🔒 The Notebook 5Where Oyá gave up eating ram🔒 The Notebook 6The boy and the drum🔒 The Notebook 7When the luck left🔒 The Notebook 8The goat skin for the king's drum🔒 The Notebook 9The fisherman who became a tortoise🔒 The Notebook 10Shangó and the ram🔒 The Notebook 11When Ogún held up the world🔒 The Notebook 12Where they tried to kill Orunmila🔒 The Notebook 13The Throne of Ifá🔒 The Notebook 14Ejá and Aún, the fish and the tortoise that lost their voice🔒 The Notebook 15The thief whom the awó brought out of the bush to make Ifá🔒 The Notebook 16Olodumare releases Ogbón, Imo and Oye🔒 The Notebook 17What goes away comes back🔒 The Notebook 18Ogún and the war🔒 The Notebook 19Oyá raises the dead and defeats Shangó🔒 The Notebook 20The birds' feast🔒 The Notebook 21Osa Kuleya uncovered the deceit🔒 The Notebook 22The woman does a working on the man🔒 The Notebook 23Olibara did not make the ebbó and war came🔒 The Notebook 24The herb and the farmer who will not die🔒 The Notebook 25The hunter who would grow old rich🔒 The Notebook 26The green medicine🔒 The Notebook 27From strutting to death🔒 The Notebook 28The tortoise that meditated among the birds🔒 The Notebook 29The antelope woman🔒 The Notebook 30The white elephant and the envious tortoise🔒 The Notebook 31The donkey and the flute🔒 The Notebook

28 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 Osa Ogunda in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Osa Ogunda

What does the Odù Osa Ogunda mean in Ifá?

Where Oyá handed her ram to Shangó to save her children: the moyugbar and the Throne of Ifá were born here, the seat of wisdom.

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

Osa Ogunda is Odù number 160 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Osa family.

Which orishas speak in Osa Ogunda?

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

What is a proverb of the Odù Osa Ogunda?

One of the proverbs of Osa Ogunda says: «War with the living is bad; with the dead it is worse.».

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