Osa Yeku

nº 153 of 256 · Edited by Ricco Ledesma

The tribute to the Earth that lengthens life: Eshu was given its rule, and the ebbó is never without the ivory that gets lost luck back.

21 patakíes 5 eewó 11 ebbós and works 15 proverbs

First time with an Odù? Learn how to read one →

Osa Yeku is Odù number 153 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Osa family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 21 patakíes (3 in full in plain sight, with their teaching, ebbó and chants), its proverbs, 11 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 153 of 256
Composition: Osa over Oyekun
In the Diloggún: 9-2 · Osá tonti Eyioko
Orishas that speak: Orishaoko · The Ibeyis · Shangó · Azojuano · Oshún · Yemayá · Osain · Eshu · Egun · Obatalá

What Ifá says in this sign

Osa Yeku is the sign where Olofin, once creation was finished, divided his kingdom among the saints and gave Eshu dominion over the Earth. Here Osain ate a speckled rooster and found the strength he was seeking, and here was born the custom of paying tribute to Orishaoko, owner of the Earth. Its ruling is one of land and command: you are awaited to be given the rule of a land, and the wealth it holds is yours if you pay it what you owe. It is good for you to live in the countryside, far from the city.

But today you are falling behind, and everything you undertake collapses because you do not consult the saints first. You have lost three blessings and your business is going badly, though a great blessing is already on its way. To recover it, your ebbó always carries a piece of ivory. Do not cross rivers, for that is where your blessings slip away. You owe the Ibeyis, Shangó and the souls, and a promise made for a child remains unpaid, perhaps to Azojuano: fulfill it and receive that saint. Beware of a sorcerer's charm, which brings war and losses. If your parents and siblings have already died, consecration changes your destiny. This sign says it plainly: without sacrifice, death is certain.

«Eshu asked for dominion over the Earth, and Osa Yeku pays him tribute so that life may be long.»The pulse of Osa Yeku

In your home there is an Egun keeping everyone in conflict, and your enemies live with you: you see them in dreams. Beware of a tragedy. Near you lives someone with sore feet who has saved you more than once: do not turn your back on that person. Stubbornness, pride and falseness are your worst enemy.

In love there is displeasure and threats between the spouses, and one of them flees the other for fear of being struck with a piece of iron: take it seriously. The woman may lose her husband, who is seeing another woman, and if he leaves, later he is not allowed back. The man who neglects his children will hear their reproaches when they grow up.

In health, your blood and your brain are weak: eat well, because you could lose your reason or fall ill with leprosy. Do not lie down right after eating or get angry on a full stomach, for that brings a stroke. You suffer from poor circulation in the legs, anemia, insomnia, waist pain and dry intestines. The necklaces you threw away took health and money from you. Pay your tribute to the Earth and you will have a long life.

The sign in one line

Pay your old promise, look for your ivory and go to the countryside that awaits you. The Earth of Osa Yeku gives back with authority what is offered to it as tribute.

The prayer of Osa Yeku · Yoruba

Osa Yeku lerekun lerekun kaferefun Orishaoko yereku kuyereku kaferefun Efun.

Súyere
Osa Yeku baiyoka biyoka Ikú lona.

Ifá says — what Osa Yeku tells you

If this Odù comes out osobo, the person must eat well, take vitamins and even receive injections, because the blood and the brain are very weak and the person may lose their reason or contract leprosy.
There are ailments in the legs caused by an egun and in the brain from disorders of the blood: poor circulation, insomnia, anemia and waist pain.
Do not lie down to sleep right after eating or get upset on a full stomach: here a person suffers from stroke.
The intestines must be lubricated to prevent dryness and blockages; there is constipation. Take cundiamor and bathe with herbs of Azojuano.
The person is stubborn, unbelieving, conceited and false.
In this Odù the Saints are not well looked after: every undertaking of the person goes badly, since they do not consult them first, and hence their delay.
The person had necklaces that they discarded, and for that reason they are doing badly in health and in money.
It refers to a person whose siblings have all died, as well as their parents: so that they do not die too, they must be initiated into the Saint (Yoko Osha), perhaps of Orishaoko.
Three cards on the table: love conflict, a dispute with your spouse or with someone close. It points to displeasure between the spouses, with threats coming from both sides; one of them is running away from the other.
For the woman: look after your husband well, since he has relations with other women and you could lose him; do ebbó. If he leaves and later wants to return, the parents or the owner of the house will refuse him entry.
For the man: he has not looked after his children as he should and they, once grown, will reproach him for having abandoned them.
Near you lives someone with sores on the feet, and that person has given you much support: never leave them.
The herbs of this Odù are purple basil and vinagrillo.
That you are trying to heal another person, you sleep badly at night and your waist hurts.
That you have a debt to the Souls; attend to your obligations to Shangó and to the Ibeyis.
That you have many enemies, who appear to you in dreams: be watchful that a tragedy does not occur.
That near where you live there is a ditch or a hole that you cross: you have let three pieces of luck slip away, but a great one is on its way to you.
That you are fighting with your husband, who wants to hit you with an iron bar, and you are running away from him.
That you have three children and a relative who is a twin.
That for a long time your business has been going badly and you lose everything you undertake: you are a child of Orishaoko and you do not do what falls to you, and for that reason you live in poverty and delay.
That you own a piece of ivory; if you do not have it, you will have to obtain it to do the ebbó with it, and so rise and recover your earlier situation.
That you worry too much: do not be distressed, since you will recover your former state and feel well.
That a deceased person is causing problems in your house: take care of it so that the war ends.
That you must feed the Earth.

Proverbs of Osa Yeku · Òwe

“Three cards on the table.”
“If you do not sacrifice, death is certain.”
“My request was granted.”
“The great wealth of the earth is waiting for me.”
“The cat has four legs: health, money, love and children.”
“What is not born does not grow.”
“Work gives you an appetite, and hunger makes us go back to work.”
“Malice is the fire that burns up the wicked.”
“The gossip causes bad blood even between brothers.”
“Iku never comes back with an empty belly.”
“The same force that moves you stops you.”
“The face speaks before the words do.”
“The head sees the light before the eyes do.”
“There is no wiser crown than gray hair.”
“A single drop of vinegar ruins a whole jar of milk.”

12 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

The power to govern a land awaits them, so it suits them to live far from the city, in the countryside.
If they do the ebbó in time, their life is lengthened, they stop suffering and it becomes more pleasant.
Their request is accepted and the great wealth that exists in the earth awaits them.

Osogbo · what the sign warns

Stubbornness, pride and falseness can cost them their life when they reject the advice of Ifá.
If they put off their debts to Obatalá and Oshún until they feel well, the illness advances and they may die.
The blood and the brain are very weak; if they do not eat well, they may lose their reason or fall ill with leprosy.

36 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 Yeku · Ìbí

Giving a frizzled rooster to Osain.
It was the only thing he had never eaten, and with it he gained the power he lacked.
That Olodumare divided his kingdom among the Saints.
When the Earth was created, Olofin decided to distribute everything he possessed, giving all the Osha and Orisha a share of his virtues.
The authority of Eshu over the Earth.
The next to last day arrived and he asked Olofin for command of the Earth; Olofin agreed.
That the ebbó of this Odù can never be without a piece of ivory.
Here is the key of this Ifá for having the lost luck again.
That tribute be paid to the Earth (Orishaoko).
In order to prolong life and enjoy a little health.
Taking food to an egun up to the hill.

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

Do not cross rivers.
So that you do not lose three strokes of luck, and you must pay tribute to Oshún.
Do not use cracked things in the house.
Do not sleep right after eating, and do not get upset on a full stomach.
You suffer from stroke.
Do not be willful or conceited.
The stubborn man who did not pay his debts to Obatalá and Oshún died.
Do not throw away your collares.
You had collares and threw them away, and that is why you are bad in health and in money.

Ebbós of Osa Yeku · The sacrifices that open the road

LoveThe ebbó of the river🔒 The Notebook HealthThe ebbó of the hill🔒 The Notebook MoneyThe ebbó of the ivory and the little ladder🔒 The Notebook Overcoming enemiesThe ebbó of the spirit of the waters🔒 The Notebook HealthThe ebbó-paraldo of the land of illness🔒 The Notebook SpiritualThe ebbó of the twin child🔒 The Notebook Keeping death awayThe sacrifice for long life🔒 The Notebook

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

Works of Osa Yeku · The workings of the sign

SpiritualThe work for the Egun of the hill🔒 The Notebook MoneyThe work for iré umbo🔒 The Notebook LoveThe work Oshún marked for Osa Yeku🔒 The Notebook HealthThe fruit of the Ibeyis🔒 The Notebook

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

Patakíes of Osa Yeku · The roads of the Odù

1The power Osain was missing

Osain wanted a power he did not have and set out to look for it all over the world without finding it. Worn out, he went to the house of Orunmila, a very close friend, who did an osode reading for him. This odu came out. Orunmila announced that he would only reach that power if he tried a food he had never touched: the gallo grifo.

Osain was frightened by the idea and confessed that he did not dare. Orunmila explained the procedure: first the left eye had to be taken out of the bird, and then it had to be sacrificed on the ground, through the mouth. Osain obeyed, ate the akukó shashará, which is the gallo grifo, and so he obtained the power.

What it teaches

Sometimes what is lacking requires an unknown step that causes fear. Trusting the advice of a wise friend opens a way out that a person alone could not see.

Osain's work

The left eye is removed from a gallo grifo (akukó shashará) and it is sacrificed on the ground, through the mouth. Osain ate its flesh and gained the power he was missing.

2Where Olofin gave away all that was his

When the work on the Earth was complete, Olofin wanted to share out his belongings among the Oshas and the Orishas, and he handed each one the gift that was theirs.

When only one day was left, Eshu came forward and asked to command the Earth. Olofin agreed, and that is the reason for the power Eshu holds over it.

What it teaches

A person who knows what is needed and asks for it with resolve can receive something great, even when arriving almost at the end of the sharing. What is wanted but not asked for often stays undelivered.

3The rain returns after the ebbó to Olokun and Yemayá

A certain land had gone a very long time without seeing a drop of water, and its rivers were starting to dry up. Noticing this, the chief of the tribe proposed consulting Orunmila.

Orunmila performed the osode and this odu came out. His advice was that, to be saved from the disaster, they should offer a sacrifice to Olokun and Yemayá.

The chief and the people of his tribe complied: they made the ebbó and sacrificed for the two orishas. A few days later, the rain came back to that land.

What it teaches

When drought arrives, the remedy is to return to the offerings to Olokun and Yemayá, the orishas of water. Making the ebbó in time brings back the rain and stops the disaster.

Sacrifice to Olokun and Yemayá

If the rain fails and the rivers dry up, the odu calls for a sacrifice to Olokun and Yemayá. The chief of the tribe and his people made it, and the rain returned.

4The capricious, conceited and stubborn one🔒 The Notebook 5The drought sent by Ada Shurpe🔒 The Notebook 6The help🔒 The Notebook 7The farmer's dream🔒 The Notebook 8The land of sickness🔒 The Notebook 9The road of the large clay jar🔒 The Notebook 10When Obatalá was sick🔒 The Notebook 11The twin and the unpaid promise to Azojuano🔒 The Notebook 12The awó who denied tribute to Oshún🔒 The Notebook 13Onatooro and Onagboro lengthen their lives with a sacrifice🔒 The Notebook 14The branch that did not make ebbó against the tornado🔒 The Notebook 15Good treatment🔒 The Notebook 16The famine of Osain🔒 The Notebook 17The two hundred ounces and the two seats🔒 The Notebook 18The horns and the tooth🔒 The Notebook 19The fox and the wolf🔒 The Notebook 20The crazy world🔒 The Notebook 21The treasure found🔒 The Notebook

18 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 Yeku in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Osa Yeku

What does the Odù Osa Yeku mean in Ifá?

The tribute to the Earth that lengthens life: Eshu was given its rule, and the ebbó is never without the ivory that gets lost luck back.

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

Osa Yeku is Odù number 153 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Osa family.

Which orishas speak in Osa Yeku?

In the Odù Osa Yeku these orishas speak: Orishaoko, The Ibeyis, Shangó, Azojuano, Oshún, Yemayá, Osain, Eshu, Egun, Obatalá.

What is a proverb of the Odù Osa Yeku?

One of the proverbs of Osa Yeku says: «Three cards on the table.».

Unlock the 256 Odù See all the Odù See something to correct? Write to us with your source

← Osa Ogbe Index Osa Wori →