Odù 154 of 256 · Osa family

Osa Woriwo

The fortune that comes in through spiritual work: doing favors can cost you your life, and the tiger could not eat the goat — cunning over strength.

Osa Woriwo is Odù number 154 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Osa family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 20 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 11 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 154 of 256
Composition: Osa over Iwori
Orishas that speak: Orishaoko · Ode (Oshosi) · Oduduwa · Eshu · Obatalá · Shangó · Olokun · Egun

What Ifá says in this sign

Osa Woriwo is the Odù of exceptional good fortune: material success arrives through spiritual work — great luck is coming to you. But its coin has a reverse: here, doing favors can even cost you your life — and whoever arrives frightened at the mat after helping someone already knows why.

Its strategy was taught by the goat: the tiger could not eat him because he saw him chewing corn while saying «I eat stones» — cunning is worth more than strength. Take the gesture for yourself: chew grains of corn now and then, and when they ask what you are eating, answer like the goat. With two-faced enemies, be two-faced back — and not a single deal with the three people marked out.

«The tiger could not manage the goat who said he ate stones — the cunning of Osa Woriwo is worth more than strength.»The pulse of Osa Woriwo

A favor here is major surgery: you have terrible luck doing them — you get paid back badly —, two friends are your worst enemies (one wants to kill you), and your house belongs to everyone but you: do not take anyone in, because the guest in this odu pushes out the owner. But there is a blessed favor coming: do it — and make ebbó before the reward, so you are alive when it arrives.

Its births are great ones: Ayalua, Shangó's mother; Jakuta, the thunder that fights with stones; and the chain of life. And a cosmic humility: everyone wanted to be the Sky and nobody the Earth — Orishaoko took it on: receive him, because whoever accepts the work nobody wants inherits its power.

Look after your teeth, your circulation and the leg where a lame dead one sets his foot — attend to that spirit — and honor the gift Obatalá Oshalufon gave you at birth: speech. The debt you were going to pay will be settled by fate, and with Oshún and Shangó looked after: the great luck of Woriwo arrives — and arrives to stay

The sign in one line

Measure out your favors, chew your corn with a name for eating stones and receive Orishaoko — the exceptional fortune of Woriwo comes in through spiritual work.

The prayer of Osa Woriwo · Yoruba

Osa Iwori abiti eleyela nimiwa adifafun etu tinshomo olu bebe abo akuko lebo.

Súyere
Osa Wo iguro wo Awo aleyo atena soku.

Ifá says — what Osa Woriwo tells you

An Ifá of exceptional good fortune: material success through spiritual work — great luck is coming to you. An Ifá of dangerous favors: doing favors can cost you your life — you arrive frightened at the Awó's house, afraid of losing everything you have after doing favors. An Ifá of cunning over strength: like the goat who beat the tiger by chewing corn and saying he ate stones. The Ifá of the consecrated vulture: its sacred place was settled — «if we do not see the son, we cannot eat the vulture, because the son is in heaven». The Ifá of speech: Obatalá Oshalufon gives human beings the gift of speech from birth, and they develop it through the memory of their parents and of those around them.
This Odù has to be looked into carefully, and a great deal of ebbó made to get clear of death (Ikú).
In osobo: this person is walking steadily down the road of death — ebbó is made with three pieces of beef with four nails in each, taken to three different posts.
You cannot give anyone shelter in your house: they will make your life impossible and you can even lose it if you do not move in time — like the goat with the tiger.
Umbatileyó speaks: the prenda from the country.
Here the woman joins her enemies and they all pay her back badly: to be well she has to live deceiving the people she calls friends.
There is a one-legged spirit following you: that dead one is what gives trouble in one of your legs.
The illnesses of this Odù: trouble with the teeth, the circulatory system, the eyes, pain in the lower limbs and rheumatism.
The herbs of this Odù are: agracejo, almond and marjoram (belladonna).
Your house belongs to everyone but you.
Be loyal: cunning is worth more than strength.
You like doing people harm — not to cause their death, but to play tricks on them.
You are very lucky, and that is the reason you have so many enemies.
You have rather terrible luck doing favors: as a rule you get paid back badly.
You have two friends who are your worst enemies — and one of them wants to kill you.
Your wife is thinking of running off with another man who is your friend: make ebbó so your enemies do not beat you.
Treat your enemies with the same two-facedness they treat you with.
Chew grains of corn now and then, and when they ask what you are eating, answer: «I eat stones».
You are working for other people, and you are in partnership with someone who is rather idle.
You are the owner of your house, and the woman you have suits you.
You will do a favor you will be thanked for, but before you receive the reward, make ebbó — so you are not dead when it comes. You are a Babalawo, and the one you do the favor for is one too or will be, and is a child of Ode.
You borrowed money to pay back when you could: when you go to settle the account you will find out that person has died, and because of that you will have more money.
Look after Oshún and Shangó so the great luck comes to you.
You are due to be in a quarrel over something, and you will have a deal with three people: do not accept anything, or what happened to the goat with the tiger may happen to you.
Look after your sight and your teeth, and be careful of a fall.
You have to receive Ifá.

Proverbs of Osa Woriwo · Òwe

“A favor can cost you your life.”
“What is written in ink is hard work to rub out.”
“An Awó's knife will cut the throat of Orunmila's goat.”
“The vulture was consecrated by Olodumare.”
“If we do not see the message, we cannot eat the vulture.”
“Your house belongs to everyone but you.”
“Write on the mind and time will rub it out; write on the heart and it stays forever.”
“Better to be patient than to be brave.”
“A house with no voice in charge is a house with no owner.”
“A favor that puts your friend in danger is a favor from hell.”
“God gives everyone what they deserve.”
“There is no pain time does not comfort.”
“Better to master yourself than to conquer mountains.”
“Better to go pale once than red a hundred times.”
“A clever tiger cannot be devoured by a stupid one.”
“Everything that rises with pleasure falls with pain.”
“No castle in the air bears more fruit than a root in the ground.”

17 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 Woriwo · Ìbí

Ayalua, Shangó's mother.
Thunder.
It was represented by the sun divinity Jakuta — the one who throws or fights with stones —, guardian of public morals, who threw stones of fire whenever someone acted against Olordumare's wishes: before Shangó was born, there was already thunder and lightning.
The chain of life.
Plants live off the earth, animals off the plants and off each other, men off the animals and the plants — and in the end they all give themselves up to the Earth, which is the origin of them all and holds them up with their struggles and their troubles.
Why the Iyawó is struck with switches when Elegbara is made for them.
The Iyaloshas drove Elegba off with rascabarriga switches, since he would not let Osha be made for his wife the Iyalorisha.
Oduduwa Ore Oko: the hunchback.
That Obatalá Oshalufon gave human beings the gift of speech.
From birth: but the child develops it with the memory of its parents, not with Obatalá — children steal his memory.
That the vulture's sacred place in Ifá was settled.
It sacrificed kola nuts, a ram and 86,000 cowries, and Olodumare himself consumed its kola: nobody on Earth eats the vulture.
That the tiger could not eat the goat.
Cunning is worth more than strength: the goat chewed corn saying he ate stones.
That Olofin gave Orishaoko the moruro staff.
With the gourd of ashé on the handle, 8 colored ribbons and 8 colored shells: «with this you will reign on the Earth, because you are a child of Marikoto».

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 Osa Woriwo · The sacrifices that open the road

Pushing death awayThe ebbó of the three posts🔒 Babalawo

Beating enemiesThe ebbó of the apron🔒 Babalawo

MoneyThe ebbó of the ceiba and the hill🔒 Babalawo

Beating enemiesThe ebbó of the cat's claws🔒 Babalawo

SpiritualThe ebbó of the oath in Ode🔒 Babalawo

SpiritualThe ebbó of the rascabarriga switches🔒 Babalawo

MoneyThe ebbó of the thunder🔒 Babalawo

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

Works of Osa Woriwo · The workings of the sign

Pushing death awayThe ram dressed in white🔒 Babalawo

SpiritualThe special paraldo of the one-legged egun🔒 Babalawo

HealthThe omiero of memory🔒 Babalawo

SpiritualThe secret of Orishaoko's staff🔒 Babalawo

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

Patakíes of Osa Woriwo · The roads of the Odù

1The road where the tiger could not eat the goat

The tiger asked the goat for shelter, and the goat let him sleep on the porch: the next day he moved into the front room, then tried to take over the house, and looked at the goat with bad eyes. The goat, suspicious, went to Orunmila's house: an ebbó with an apron with two pockets — stones in one, toasted corn in the other —, chewing the corn and saying he ate stones. When the tiger invited him out for a walk so as to devour him, the goat began chewing: «I am eating stones», and offered him some. The tiger thought that if he ate stones he could eat him too: «wait for me here, I will be right back» — and he stayed in the bush and never came back. Cunning is worth more than strength.

The tiger went to the goat to be let sleep at his house, and the goat told him he could stay on the porch. But the next day the tiger moved into the front room, and finally he tried to take over the whole house, and spent all day looking at the goat with bad eyes. The goat noticed and began to be suspicious of the tiger, thinking he might be meaning to do him some harm, and given his suspicions he went straight to Orunmila's house.

Orunmila made osode for him, saw this Odù, and told him to make ebbó with an apron with two pockets, one on each side, so he could put stones in one pocket and toasted corn in the other; and to go about with the apron on, and now and then to set about chewing that corn, and if anyone asked what he was eating, to say stones — and to offer some at the same time.

It happened that one day the tiger had the bad idea of inviting the goat out for a walk, meaning to devour him. The goat accepted the invitation, and as they went along the road he set about chewing the corn. The tiger, seeing him chewing, asked what he was eating, and the goat answered him: «I am eating stones», and offered him some. Hearing this, the tiger — who thought he ate stones — thought that if the goat ate stones, he could eat him too, and told him: «Please do not go; wait for me here a moment, I will be right back». And he left the goat there and never came back, staying in the bush and being unable to eat the goat.

2The road where everyone wanted to be the Sky

Everyone wanted to be the Sky and nobody the Earth, since the Earth gets spat on and trodden on. Only one accepted Aiyé, Olofin's daughter where the great spirit Inle Oguere Afokoyeri would live: «Babá, I accept being the owner of the Earth, and on it I will hold up every plant, every animal and every man». That was Orishaoko. Olofin, grateful, gave him the moruro staff with the gourd of ashé, the 8 ribbons and the 8 shells: «your children will be my children, you will be blessed and you will reign forever». He cleaned him with pulses, grains and fruit that he threw into a hole for Inle Oguere, while Olofin and Osa Moriwo (Orunmila), his secretary, sang. Orishaoko was set odara and began to live on the Earth.

This is where everyone wanted to be the Sky and nobody the Earth, since the Earth gets spat on and trodden on. Faced with that unhappiness, there was only one who, seeing that his brothers were turning down Aiyé (the Earth) — who was Olofin's daughter, where the great spirit Inle Oguere Afokoyeri would live —, said to Olofin, who stood for Oloddumare: «Babá, I accept being the owner of the Earth, and on it I will hold up every plant, every animal and every man». That was Orishaoko. Olofin, grateful, told him: «From now on your children will be my children, and you will be blessed and you will reign forever, and your secrets will never leave the Earth».

Olofin took a moruro staff with a curve in the handle, put a gourd on the grip with 8 ribbons and 8 colored igbin (shells), and told him: «With this you will reign on the Earth, because you are a child of Marikoto, and everyone will always honor you; and when they make you offerings, they will have to paint your staff with dots of osun (red) and efún (white)».

Then Olofin cleaned Orishaoko with a great deal of pulses, grains and fruit, plenty of palm oil, jutía and smoked fish and toasted corn, and gave them to Inle Oguere by throwing them into a hole. Then he cleaned him with a young rooster and a pigeon and gave them to Inle Oguere Afokoyeri, and Olofin and Osa Moriwo (Orunmila), who was his secretary, sang: «Orishaoko Ikú afefe aro ogodo gailotitigbaro agba ma agba ave Osha ara gege sarayeye…».

That was when Orishaoko was set odara and could begin to live on the Earth. And so this secret lives with Osa Moriwo, going with Orishaoko in all the struggles that arose on the Earth out of envy, betrayal and cursing.

Note: this is the secret that has to be set up for the children of Orishaoko, and the work that has to be done for the staff and for the child of Orishaoko. This staff, once consecrated, lives beside Orishaoko.

3Why Osa Moriwo has to take the oath in Ode

Ode and his 7 sons were cold, because the owner of fire (iná) was Ekun, Shangó's favorite tiger, who would not give it to anyone. Ode sent his sons one by one — «erubami, I am afraid», said the eldest — and Ekun ate them all. Orunmila saw Osa Woriwo for him: «you have to have a secret to beat Ekun, and it is obe, the knife». Awo Ifá Yeku and Ogún gave him the oath in obe. Ode went singing to Ekun's house, did not go in when he was invited, waited outside, and in the fight opened his belly with the knife: his 7 sons came out, took the fire and left — but they came out mute, and he covered them with Ekun's abere and set them to guard the secret of fire. So Ode ruled that land, and ever since there have been mute men in the world.

Ode and his 7 sons were cold, because the owner of the iná (the fire) was Ekun, who was Shangó's favorite and would not give it to anyone. So Ode sent the eldest of his sons to Ekun's house, but he told him: «Erubami, I am afraid». Ode sent him anyway, and when he got there, Ekun told him to come in and ate him. It went the same way with the other sons, until Ode said: «I am going to see Orunmila». He saw Osa Woriwo for him and told him: «You have to have a secret so you can beat Ekun, and it is obe» — the knife.

Awo Ifá Yeku, along with Ogún, gave him the oath in obe, and Ode set out for Ekun's house singing: «Ode tani Awo Ifayoku teremina, orun niguaye teremina, wa iyaye Osaworiwo oñiña teremina, wa iyaye teremina obe loguede teremina».

When he arrived, the door was shut. Ode knocked, and Ekun told him: «Come in». But Ode did not go in: he waited outside, and Ekun came out to eat him. Ode began fighting him, remembered that he had obe, and with it he opened Ekun's belly: his 7 sons came out, took the iná and left. But his sons came out mute, and he covered them with Ekun's abere and set them to guard the secret of the iná.

So Ode ruled that land. Ever since, there have been mute men in the world.

Note: a chain with 7 akofá with tiger hide is hung on Ode.

4Where Osa Woriwo receives Oduduwa and takes the oath in Orun🔒 Babalawo

5The road of the children🔒 Babalawo

6Where the children stole Obatalá's memory🔒 Babalawo

7Ifá was read for the vulture🔒 Babalawo

8The birth of striking the Iyawó with switches🔒 Babalawo

9The birth of thunder🔒 Babalawo

10The owner of the heads🔒 Babalawo

11The chain of life🔒 Babalawo

12When Olofin shared out everything of his🔒 Babalawo

13Why women cannot give to Eshu🔒 Babalawo

14The goat, the dog and the crocodile🔒 Babalawo

15The pimp🔒 Babalawo

16The reign of Osa Wo🔒 Babalawo

17The sorcerer's power of Otala Mobani🔒 Babalawo

18The unbelieving man🔒 Babalawo

19The limit of pleasure🔒 Babalawo

20The firefly and the sparrow🔒 Babalawo

17 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 Woriwo in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Osa Woriwo

What does the Odù Osa Woriwo mean in Ifá?

The fortune that comes in through spiritual work: doing favors can cost you your life, and the tiger could not eat the goat — cunning over strength.

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

Osa Woriwo is Odù number 154 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Osa family.

Which orishas speak in Osa Woriwo?

In the Odù Osa Woriwo these orishas speak: Orishaoko, Ode (Oshosi), Oduduwa, Eshu, Obatalá, Shangó, Olokun, Egun.

What is a proverb of the Odù Osa Woriwo?

One of the proverbs of Osa Woriwo says: «A favor can cost you your life.».

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