Oshe Fun

Also called Oshé Ofún

nº 241 of 256 · Edited by Ricco Ledesma

The pact between Ikú and Orunmila, where the Iddefá is born: death respects the one who wears his necklace and iddé. And the unity of men wins.

19 patakíes 11 eewó 8 ebbós and works 19 proverbs

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Oshe Fun is Odù number 241 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Oshe family. It is also written as Oshé Ofún. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 19 patakíes (3 in full in plain sight, with their teaching, ebbó and chants), its proverbs, 8 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 241 of 256
Composition: Oshe over Ofun
In the Diloggún: 5-10 · Oshé tonti Ofún
Orishas that speak: Orunmila · Obatalá · Shangó · Oshún · Ogún · Yemayá · Azojuano · Ozun

What Ifá says in this sign

Oshe Fun, also known as Oshé Ofún, is the sign of the pact between Ikú and Orunmila. Ifá tells that death was waiting for Orunmila to grow fat so it could take him, but it slipped at his door and was caught; from then on the Iddefá and the yellow and green necklace were born, along with the ruling of this odu: death respects whoever wears the mark of Orunmila. It is an impure and dangerous sign, where Ikú goes about looking for someone to take, and disobedience opens the way for it.

You lean toward disbelief and pride, and that is what puts you most at risk. Here it is taught that Obatalá covers the good and leaves the bad in plain sight: do not tell lies, for the first one you deceive is yourself, and do not complain about your luck. Not everyone is chosen in this sign, but the chosen one ends up fortunate if he learns Ifá or Osha, because Ifá knows how to solve any problem. Do not abandon the Santo for Mayombe thinking it is the quick way: that is where setbacks and illness come from. Together with others you overcome what you could not achieve alone.

«Ikú and Orunmila signed the pact of the Iddefá. Death respects the one who wears the mark of Orunmila.»The pulse of Oshe Fun

With money, you have many debts, but you are going to receive a sum and some good news; ask Orunmila what to do with that money so that it goes far. Do not stand as guarantor for anyone, because they will fail you. New enemies appear, as many as seven people, and they work witchcraft against you with pigeons and other birds; that is why no pigeons or hens are raised in your home, and animals that brood die on you. Rid yourself of the dead and of bad influences.

In love, a love triangle ends up being discovered and with it everything is lost; a woman's husband may catch her with another person. Avoid wars inside the home. If you are a woman, you may become pregnant soon. This sign speaks of incest: watch over the children and young people of the house, who are in danger of abuse, of illness and of accidents, and place them under the shelter of Orunmila and the Oshas.

In health, leukemia and amnesia were born here. Watch your blood, diabetes, your brain and your circulation; do not eat too many sweets or too much pork. Ailments of the throat and belly can end in an emergency operation, and the sign speaks of impotence, ailments of the genitals, scales on the skin and becoming crippled. Do not grow fat, do not sleep wearing necklaces or bracelets, and be prepared, because a very large epidemic is coming.

The sign in one line

Wear your iddé, unite in order to win, and get the dead off your back. In Oshé Fun the unfortunate one is only the one who is not yet wise.

The prayer of Oshe Fun · Yoruba

Shefun Shefun Baba Areru Orunmila Ni Ayashe Ria Ria Awo Igbin Koto Kilu Osala Kole Ika Koye Adafun Lode Ikoko Keye Wofin Awo Oni Kako Adifafun Onikako Pewo Oni Kako Orubo Igui Ni Asho Eru Eni Peyu Tompon Kolero.

Súyere
Bonoli Baba Lokua Oshefun, Minabli Baba Lokua Oshefun, Nawa Bonu Oshé Fun.

Ifá says — what Oshe Fun tells you

It announces a great epidemic that is approaching, with ailments such as diabetes, leukemia, conditions of the blood, the brain, the throat and the stomach, impotence, scales on the skin, ailments of the genital organs, amnesia and surgery.
Do not get fat: keep your hair cut short and stay shaved, take care of your appearance to avoid Ikú, who was waiting for Orunmila «to be stronger and fatter».
The person may end up crippled; the circulation of the blood is poor.
There is a dispute between the dead person and the Saint; one should free oneself from the dead and from bad influences, which make ailments of every kind enter the body.
It speaks of new enemies: up to 7 people.
Death looks for someone to take: do not disobey, because she is after you.
They do ogú to him with doves and feathered animals.
What the man must do is Ifá, not Osha, since he could be operated on urgently.
It refers to the children who die and to the difficulties, illnesses and accidents they face throughout life: they must be protected by the Oshas and by Orunmila.
If you are a woman, you will soon become pregnant; avoid your husband catching you with another.
The Odù refers to Ifá's ability to solve any problem: every difficulty has a solution. Ifá ni kaferefun Olokun.
The chain Iddefá speaks, the one proper to the owner of this Ifá, and Orunmila's necklace speaks too, yellow and green.
The eleguedé where Oshún kept her riches and jewels speaks.
The quail that wanders speaks: from wandering so much, the dog finds her; from knowing so much, she sleeps on the ground.
The okra speaks (quimbombó), by whose slime death slipped at Orunmila's threshold.
The scalded pig of Yemayá and the disobedient majá speak.
The ewé herbs of the Odù are the cordobán (a hemostatic, for hemorrhages) and the ponasí, which cures sores, smallpox and the skin diseases this Odù suffers.

Proverbs of Oshe Fun · Òwe

“Obatalá covers everything good, but uncovers what is bad.”
“They know God in the morning and always.”
“The quail wanders so much that the dog finds her.”
“The quail knows so much that she sleeps on the floor.”
“Do not tell lies, because you fool yourself.”
“For being disobedient, the same thing happens to you as to the boa.”
“If you are unlucky, then you are not wise enough.”
“There is always water in the sea and in the lagoon.”
“Arode: I grieve that children fall into the trap.”
“The lowliest pig saved its herd.”
“Orunmila changed the hour of death.”
“Asking saves a man from mistakes; whoever does not ask gets into trouble.”
“When the stomach does not turn right, the guts twist.”
“Glass in the garbage can looks like a diamond.”
“Whoever has the power to create has the power to destroy.”
“Whoever gives to the poor receives honor.”
“The goodness of Olodumare has no end, but he punishes in order to teach.”
“A donkey loaded with books is still a donkey.”
“Whoever corrects a fool with words alone will not be obeyed.”

16 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 many debts, but they receive money: if they ask Orunmila what to do with it, it yields well.
They receive good news.
United with other people, they win what apart they could not achieve.

Osogbo · what the sign warns

There is a risk of incest in the family: take care of the children and the young people in the house.
They suffer from leukemia and diabetes, diseases of the blood, the brain and the circulation, and also amnesia.
They have scales on the skin, impotence and ailments of the genital organs.

29 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 Oshe Fun · Ìbí

The agreement between Ikú and Orunmila, represented by the Iddefá, which is Orunmila's mark.
At Orunmila's door, death slipped on the slime of the okra (quimbombó); Eshu, Shangó and Ogún held her, and she promised not to take anyone who carries Orunmila's mark.
Orunmila's necklace, yellow and green.
Obatalá ordered the yellow seeds of Oshún and the green ones of Ogún to be joined: the two lands death did not enter.
That Obatalá hides everything good and brings everything bad to light.
That is how he made himself known before the Orishas gathered at the house of the wise man of Ara-Ifé.
Incest, amnesia and leukemia.
They are born in this Odù; leukemia and amnesia come from the road of the pilgrim and the disobedient man.
The sound women make when washing their private parts, and the scales on the skin.
Births of this Odù.
That Oshún gave up the quail.
The quail rambled on so much («it is big... it is small...») that the little dog took it by surprise, and Oshún sold it.
Obatalá's curse on the doves.
They worked witchcraft on him with doves: that is why doves and hens are not raised here, because they die.
Dipping your finger in epó and rubbing it on your tongue so you do not get burned.
From the road where Shangó, when he was not taken into account, set fire to things.
The Komó Oshé and Komó Owá, of little skill.
Sighing over their bad luck, they learned Ifá and were lucky in the end.
The children who die for not having waited for Orunmila.
The gatekeeper of the world kept sending them back; Orula paid 240 cowries for each one: that is the amount paid today to ransom a newborn.
The canastillero.
It speaks in this Odù, from the road of the yellow and green necklace.
Placing a mat or rug beside the bed to step down onto.
Ikú slipped: this is how you scare her off.

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

Do not get fat; keep your hair cut short and stay shaved.
Ikú watched Orunmila, waiting for him to become stronger and heavier, and she was looking for the hairy man with big sideburns.
Do not leave clothes twisted after washing them.
A rule of this Odù, from the road of Yemayá's pig.
Do not wear bracelets or necklaces while you sleep.
You can hang yourself.
Do not sleep under the Moon.
Rule of this Ifá.
Do not raise doves or hens, or keep animals that lie down.
They die: Obatalá cursed the doves.
Do not eat sweets in excess.
It is because of blood problems: whoever already suffers from them must not eat sweets.
Do not overeat pork.
It can upset your stomach and give you indigestion: take a purgative of palmacristi and coconut butter.
Do not vouch for anyone.
They will make you look bad.
Do not practice Mayombe while abandoning the Santo.
The Oyoyorun family spread Mayombe and to that land came backwardness and diseases of the blood, the throat and the stomach.
Do not curse the Creator or complain about your luck.
A person's bad luck shows that he lacks wisdom.
Do not tell lies.
You deceive yourself.

Ebbós of Oshe Fun · The sacrifices that open the road

Keeping death awayEbbó of the Iddefá (Ikú and the hairy man)🔒 The Notebook SpiritualEbbó for leaving the Santo behind🔒 The Notebook HealthEbbó of the guinea hen (Orula saves the village of Oshé Ni Fun)🔒 The Notebook HealthEbbó for leukemia and amnesia🔒 The Notebook MoneyThe sacrifice of the Komó Oshé, Komó Owá🔒 The Notebook SpiritualThe moruro walking stick🔒 The Notebook

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

Works of Oshe Fun · The workings of the sign

SpiritualEshu Agbadá🔒 The Notebook HealthPrayer for the erection🔒 The Notebook

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

Patakíes of Oshe Fun · The roads of the Odù

1The Iddefá, the mark of Orunmila

Death was watching Orunmila, waiting for him to grow fat and strong. One day she calculated that in three days she could carry him off.

Orunmila, however, had spread okra slime on the threshold of his house. When Death came for him, she slipped and fell. At that moment Eshu, Shangó and Ogún seized her and asked whether she did not know that Orunmila lived there. She answered that she did not know. From that encounter came an agreement: Death would not touch anyone who wore the mark of Orunmila, the Iddefá, unless Orunmila himself handed that person over or ordered it.

What it teaches

Whoever prepares and has good allies can stop death itself. The pact that came out of that stumble protects whoever wears the mark of Orunmila, as long as he does not decide otherwise.

Warning of this path

Do not grow fat.

2The green and yellow seeds that Obatalá joined

In the time when the Saints lived apart from one another, each one ruled his own land. Only the King and the Queen had the right to know more than the others, and nobody could see them. Death acted at night: she hid in the darkness and carried off the person she chose.

There was one region she never entered, that of Ogún and Oshún. This puzzled the other Orishas, who gathered to visit a wise man of Ara Ifé, who was Orunmila. In his house they saw that, to consult the oracle, he used seeds cut in half and joined to a chain. He also had two necklaces, one of green seeds and one of yellow seeds, and the visitors did not know what they were for. They noticed that these resembled the identity of Ogún and Oshún, and they knew that death used them to trap her victims. Nobody in the town dared to accuse him, because they feared the wise man was an ally of death.

One day Obatalá arrived, introduced himself and said he came on behalf of Olofin. He explained that, just as he covers what is good, he also uncovers what is bad. He pointed out that they were keeping quiet for fear that the wise man was a friend of Ikú, of Ogún and of Oshún, and that this was happening to them because, divided, they would get nowhere.

Olofin then came down from Heaven. He said that he held the sixteen rays of the Sun and that he was giving them his power so that they could uncover falsehoods. He declared that the old man was the keeper of the door and that he managed on Earth what death can and cannot do.

Obatalá cast the oracle and this odu came out. With its word he ordered the green seeds and the yellow seeds to be gathered into a single object. He made clear that yellow was Oshún, owner of half of the world of Gold, and that the green seeds, with the chain, were Ogún, the one who kills on commission from the God of Death. That is why death did not kill in the lands of the two.

Then he announced that they would now seek what Olofin wished: to be recognized every morning and forever. He placed the iddé on each of them and declared that this door remained open forever to all the children of Olofin.

What it teaches

What is kept silent out of fear stays hidden until someone with authority dares to name it. The divided Orishas achieved nothing; by uniting and looking clearly at the good and the bad, they understood what had seemed a threat. In this way the door that Olofin left for his children stays open.

Ebbó of the yellow and green necklace

For Orunmila, two black adié. For Oshún, one akukó and two adié. A kofiborí is made with orí, efún and obi, and white is worn for sixteen days.

3The Santo must not be abandoned

Among the people of Elupá there was always an internal war, and nobody understood where it came from.

The origin was a family of the place, the Oyoyorun, people who liked to have everything done fast. Since they knew the secrets of the Santo and the reason for its slowness, they spread belief in Mayombe through the town. The people became enthusiastic, gradually left the Santo, and took up the practice of Mayombe. Little by little things got worse: the land fell behind and ailments of the throat, the belly and the blood appeared.

Oyoyorun set out to find the cause. Orunmila looked at the sign and explained that it was all due to having left the Santo, and that to be saved an ebbó had to be made. Oyoyorun made it and then moved away from Elupá to live elsewhere.

Whoever gets this Ifá should walk only with the Santo; if he replaces it with another practice, he will be harmed.

What it teaches

Looking for shortcuts and abandoning the Santo for quicker practices leaves a people without foundation, and discord, backwardness and illness come. The cause is recognized and corrected with the ebbó. Whoever carries this Ifá must stay only with the Santo.

Ebbó of the path

A cot with its mat, two doves, a cedar doll, orí, efún for Egun and a hunchbacked staff, which is placed behind the door, next to Egun.

Notes on the ebbó

This ebbó comes with notes on Elegba's doll and the Obaguere path of Oraniyen; they are in the full treatise.

When this Ifá comes out

For whoever gets this Ifá, it is best to walk only with the Santo; if he swaps it for another practice, he will be harmed.

This path keeps 1 awó secret in the complete treatise.🔒 The Notebook

4Orunmila hides Oshún and gives her the iddé🔒 The Notebook 5Yemayá curses the eledé🔒 The Notebook 6The Iddefá was born (the hairy man with sideburns)🔒 The Notebook 7When Oshún gave up the quail🔒 The Notebook 8Orunmila saved the town of Oshé Ni Fun🔒 The Notebook 9Ogún disobeys Obatalá🔒 The Notebook 10Obatalá cursed the doves🔒 The Notebook 11Leukemia and amnesia are born🔒 The Notebook 12The Komó Oshé change their luck by learning Ifá🔒 The Notebook 13The babies who did not wait for Orunmila🔒 The Notebook 14Not knowing gets you into trouble🔒 The Notebook 15The straight santo and the mixed santo🔒 The Notebook 16The wise man and the rich man🔒 The Notebook 17The prince and the lion🔒 The Notebook 18The rescue of the young women🔒 The Notebook 19The child of the Earth and the Sky who cried from hunger🔒 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 Oshe Fun in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Oshe Fun

What does the Odù Oshe Fun mean in Ifá?

The pact between Ikú and Orunmila, where the Iddefá is born: death respects the one who wears his necklace and iddé. And the unity of men wins.

What number is Oshe Fun among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Oshe Fun is Odù number 241 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Oshe family.

Which orishas speak in Oshe Fun?

In the Odù Oshe Fun these orishas speak: Orunmila, Obatalá, Shangó, Oshún, Ogún, Yemayá, Azojuano, Ozun.

What is a proverb of the Odù Oshe Fun?

One of the proverbs of Oshe Fun says: «Obatalá covers everything good, but uncovers what is bad.».

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