Oshé Lezo

nº 231 of 256

The lifting of pain: whoever clears the obstacles clears the poverty — the wild fire with Olofin's command, and the women save him.

20 patakíes 8 eewó 10 ebbós and works 15 proverbs

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Oshé Lezo is Odù number 231 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Oshe family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 20 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 10 ebbós and works and the signs it shows in the consultation — with the full eewó in plain sight; the detail of iré and osogbo and the full recipes open with The Notebook, in English.

The sign at a glance

Order in Ifá: Odù 231 of 256
Composition: Oshe over Iroso
In the Diloggún: 5-4 · Oshé tonti Iroso
Orishas that speak: Oshún · Ogún · Eshu · Egun · Shangó · Olofin

What Ifá says in this sign

Oshé Lezo — also called Oshé Róso — is the wild fire itself, the rich man's and the poor man's, with Olofin's command as long as he does not turn proud: the King of this odu loses his crown through a hard head. Its medicine is one of tearing down: if Oshé Lezo clears the obstacles in front of him, he clears the poverty — the pain is lifted by moving what is in the way.

Its gratitude has a daily recipient: every day you have to say Kaferefun Obiní — the women save you. The greatest proof came from Oshún: Ogún Arere, the abuser shut away in the bush, was drawn out by Oshún's honey — when the world abuses you and you want to shut yourself away like Ogún, remember that this odu is rescued by sweetness, not by force.

«Oshé Lezo is the wild fire with Olofin's command — and one single thing undoes him: turning proud.»The pulse of Oshé Lezo

Its cradle is a secret: you are raised by someone who is not your father — you are a King's child — and this is an Ifá of inheritance: the faithful helper was named King. But the throne is watched: a faithful friend will lay a scheme to take your position from you, and dreams are attended to — the King dreamed he was dethroned, and it was true.

Its rules of purity: the freshwater fish died in salt water — you cannot be curious or practice two religions; a mean person does not prosper: refuse nothing and keep your balance; and the man who likes to take a woman by force is avoided by women — raping a woman would be his destruction. Do not wish harm on the three people you have in mind: you will be the one who loses.

His children want watching with affection — the child of this Odù lives in his head, and pride makes him turn his back on his father — and the woman is not degraded by a rough man. There is war coming and a sorcerer's pot at work: Olofin's dove, who stained her feet with blood, was left as his messenger with her food assured: serve as she does — because whoever carries Olofin's messages lacks nothing.

The sign in one line

Clear the obstacles and you will clear the poverty, say Kaferefun Obiní every day and attend to your dreams — the King of Oshé Lezo is dethroned by his own hard head.

The prayer of Oshé Lezo · Yoruba

Oshe Lezo Adifafun Orunmila Oba Lorile Shefo Iyogba Fun Ibaro Imo Pupo Ni Orile Kaferefun Yalode, Eshu Ati Ogun.

Súyere
Ogunde Arere Ire Bombo Lokua, Ogun Wanile, Ogun Gualona Ire Bombo Lokua E. Súyere de la palangana: Oshún Eniwa Eniwa — Eniwa Eniwa — Oshún Eniwa.

Ifá says — what Oshé Lezo tells you

The Ifá of the wild fire: Oshé Lezo is the fire itself, the rich man's and the poor man's, with command as long as he does not turn proud. An Ifá of inheritance: goods or money are taken by inheritance; the faithful helper was named King. The Ifá of Kaferefun Obiní: it has to be said every day; the women save you. An Ifá that withdraws when it comes up in a reading, through a dirty aura and mistakes made. The Ifá where the Apetebí brings the person to the Babalawo almost dragging them.
It speaks of illness in the sexual organs, trouble with the stomach, the blood, the nerves, the eyes and the circulation.
You are mean and a little grasping: you should refuse nothing and keep your balance, so you prosper and do not go mad.
You are raised by someone who is not your father: you are a King's child.
The son turns his back on the father: he is proud.
A faithful friend will lay a scheme to take your position from you: it speaks of a friend's betrayal.
You have to attend to dreams: the King dreamed he was dethroned.
The sons can turn effeminate; they have to be looked after. The child of this Odù is a person who lives in his head.
The woman is degraded by a rough, clumsy, abusive man.
You, worn out by the abuse they work on you, shut yourself away from the world, like Ogún in the bush.
They spread bad word about you and accuse you on purpose, as they did Olofin.
It speaks of the war that is coming and of dangerous enemies; there is witchcraft with a sorcerer's pot.
Whoever is being read, in spite of a good position, is not content: if it is a man, he does not like the woman he has, and if it is a woman, the same happens to her.
The man likes to abuse women and to take them by force, which is why they avoid him; raping a woman would be his destruction.
You want to do harm to three different people: do not do it, because you will lose. Your brothers in Ifá want to do you harm.
The wild fire speaks, which takes the rich man and the poor man, and the birds of prey: hawk, kestrel, buzzard, caraira, owl and eagle.
Olofin's dove speaks, who stained her feet with blood and was left as his messenger with her food assured.
The bird and the little hen-bird speak: the love that breaks the cage and the omiero that brings them back to it; and the tomeguina, who fell ill of love until they set her free.
The freshwater fish speaks who died in salt water: you cannot be curious or practice two religions.
Ogún Arere speaks, the abuser of the bush, beaten by Oshún's honey.
The eweses of this Odù are: abrojo, Iroko, cuaba, ginger, bramble, guacalote (quitamaldición) and French purslane.

Proverbs of Oshé Lezo · Òwe

“A King who loses his crown.”
“The one who holds the cow's leg is as guilty as the one who kills it.”
“Do not go too far: in life everything has a limit.”
“The battle is hard.”
“If no water falls, no corn grows.”
“The freshwater fish does not live in salt water.”
“Whoever beats his own chest with a closed fist shows his anger.”
“Whoever has a hole in his pocket does not know where his money goes.”
“Whoever calls on death finds her.”
“By complaining we settle nothing and lose everything.”
“Do not chew more than you can swallow.”
“By the leave-taking we know when we go, but we never know when the welcome will be.”
“Whoever trusts only his own ideas is a fool.”
“Whoever helps a poor working man prospers; whoever helps an idler goes down with him.”
“So long in the country and you do not know the grass of your own land.”

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

Iré and Osogbo

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

What is born in Oshé Lezo · Ìbí

Oshún Awayemi, owner of the nostrils.
A road of Oshún in this Odù, with her two long bracelets.
That Oshé Lezo is the wild fire itself.
The orphan cried out his name before the fire and the fire drew back: Olofin gave him the command as long as he does not turn proud.
The suyere of the basin: «Oshún Eniwa, Eniwa».
It is sung at the tables for the day of Itá and for the Iyoyé of Ifá, and also at the Kuanaldo table.
That the King loses his crown through a hard head.
King Lorile would not go to the wise man's house or make the rogation, and Balogun dethroned him.
That Ogún was drawn out of the bush.
Oshún rubbed oñí on her body and Ogún came out after her.
That every day you have to say Kaferefun Obiní.
The King who did not greet the women won his peace thanks to them.
That they accuse Olofin of murder.
The birds of prey spread bad word about him, until they ate of the ebbó and begged his pardon.
That the freshwater fish cannot go into salt water.
The curious fish wanted to know what Ifá was and died on passing from fresh water into salt.

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

You cannot be curious.
The curious fish wanted to know Ifá and died when it passed into salt water; curiosity can be your ruin.
You cannot practice two religions.
The freshwater fish does not live in salt water.
Do not tell your secrets to anyone.
The faithful friend is the one who plots the scheme.
Do not refuse anything to anyone.
If someone asks you for something and it is within your reach, give it, so that Eshu does not get you into tangles and you do not go mad.
Do not get involved in matters of Mayombe.
There is witchcraft with a witch doctor's cauldron.
Do not carry bladed weapons.
Stay away from the law.
Do not be greedy or stingy.
The King who did not want to give the rooster to Elegbá had to pay with all his wealth.
Take care of your stomach and eat in moderation.
The illnesses of this Odù begin in the stomach.

Ebbós of Oshé Lezo · The sacrifices that open the road

SpiritualGeneral ebbó of this Odù🔒 The Notebook HealthTo clear witchcraft out of the stomach🔒 The Notebook HealthKoborí for madness🔒 The Notebook HealthWork for the eyes🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesFish in tomato to Oshún🔒 The Notebook HealthFor illness🔒 The Notebook

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

Works of Oshé Lezo · The workings of the sign

Beating enemiesSecret against the enemies (Olofin's basin)🔒 The Notebook SpiritualInshé Ozain🔒 The Notebook LossEwé ayó: quitamaldición🔒 The Notebook LoveAdié to Oshún🔒 The Notebook

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

Patakíes of Oshé Lezo · The roads of the Odù

1Oshé Lezo, the wild fire itself

The old King's despised son grew up a slave alongside Eshu; Orula gave him the secret name of Oshé Lezo, and when the fire was eating the town he cried it out before the flames and the fire drew back: Olofin made him the wild fire of the town, with command as long as he does not turn proud.

There was a King already old with one wish still pending: a son who would multiply his fortune, since in that time Kings with offspring saw their wealth grow. Luck was not with him: because of some disorder, his wife could not conceive.

Then the King took a liking to one of his maids, and she got pregnant. At first he was glad, thinking his fortune would finally grow; but since the child did not come from the Queen, none of that happened, and as soon as he understood it he pushed the child away with contempt.

At 45 days the boy's mother fell ill. A servant, who knew all the King's business, took charge of him and brought him along to the castle; among the servants they sewed his clothes and fed him.

Five years later the King died, and his wife soon after. The one who took the throne turned out worse: he passed a law that banned any boy from being in the castle. Eshu lived there, and he decided to leave with the boy for the far end of the city, the poor people's neighborhood. In that place the boy grew up and worked as a slave.

The years had already made Eshu very old, and the boy, who noticed it, did not stop working at any hour. While working he met a slave woman who felt sorry for his situation and sent him to Orula. Orula marked him ebbó with a fish and warned him that, at daybreak, his name would be Oshé Lezo; nobody should know it until he saw a fire that passed over him.

Pride went to the boy's head and there were days when he did not even greet his father. Eshu noticed and went to be read by Orula, who answered that the boy had already been there; even so, that he should take omiero of Obatalá and pour it at the entrance of the town. Eshu did it.

Three days later a war broke out on the rich side of the town, and it was so big that houses and castles burned with nothing putting the fire out. The fire moved on without stopping toward the poor neighborhood, and people kept pulling back farther and farther.

When he saw it, Oshé Lezo remembered Orula's warning and ran toward the fire, which was already reaching the gate of the town, right where Eshu had poured the omiero. He stood there and shouted, looking like he had lost his mind: "I am Oshé Lezo!" As he moved forward, the fire moved back. With the fire out in the town, he was left half broken.

Olofin sent for him and spoke to him this way: "From today you will be the fierce fire of this town, of the good and the bad, of the rich and the poor. You will have command as long as you do not turn proud. Do not deny anything to anyone, and do not go crazy." To Iban Eshu.

2The King who loses his crown

King Lorile dreamed he was dethroned, but out of pride he did not make the rogation and sent his helper with the food to the river; the wise man performed the ceremony over the helper, Balogun dethroned the King, and the helper was named King: an inheritance is received.

In Ará Keké, Lorile ruled, a man with beliefs of his own who took for granted that being King meant he needed nothing. Among his chiefs was Balogun, whom he held to be a loyal friend and who, even so, was secretly preparing a change of power. A very close assistant tried to warn him: "If you do not believe me, let us go to the house of a wise man." The wise man was none other than Orunmila. The Obá's answer was dry: "You are crazy. How can I, with my rank, go to a beggar's house? Get out of my sight." That night, already in bed, the King dreamed that they wanted to take his throne. He woke up sure that no faithful friend betrays another, and even so he decided to visit the wise man.

The wise man examined him and this Ifá appeared in the reading. The advice was to give food to the river, to pray his head with fresh fish and to offer a rooster to Eshu and to Ogún, because in less than five days of the week they could take the throne from him: he was living among his own enemies without noticing it. Back at the palace he told his assistant everything, but he would not lift a finger, afraid that someone from the town would see him. So he sent the assistant with the food, and the fish was missing.

The wise man, when he received him, made him see that it was no good that way. Since the assistant was afraid to go back carrying everything, he kept begging him, and the wise man agreed: "Let us go, but you will be the one to receive the ceremony, not your Obá." Once the ceremony was done, he added: "Give the food to Oshún yourself." The assistant came with the offering carried on his head. The fish, fresh and hungry, noticed the shadow as soon as he threw the food into the water; one jumped to beat the others and landed in his hand. The wise man told him: "Do not let it go! It is good for you to pray your head. Ifá nire nipa iwo ati shefo ni de Obá."

Once the prayer was done, the assistant went back to the palace and, before arriving, he sensed the uprising: Balogun had attacked the King, who had to leave the palace and head for the wise man's house. There he heard the sentence: "It is too late now. You lost your crown for being hard headed. Eshu, Ogún and Oshún have taken charge of your matter."

Balogun, now owner of the palace, understood nothing about running things. Seeing there the old King's assistant, who had not run away, he named him King of the palace, and the man accepted.

Note: an inheritance is received. Ebbó: fish; food to the river; a rooster for Ogún and a rooster for Eshu.

3The bird who carried off the little hen-bird

A bird in love broke the cage and carried the little hen-bird off; the family went to Orula, who marked them ebbó so she would come back, and so it happened.

The story goes that a bird came to love a little female bird very much, so much that one day he broke the cage to get her out of there. The cage was left empty and he took her to live with his family.

What had happened became known when the cage turned up broken and with nobody inside. The female bird's family went to Orula, who saw this Ifá for them and marked ebbó so she would come back. And she came back.

4The bird falls into the cage for love🔒 The Notebook 5The love of the tomeguina🔒 The Notebook 6The story of the fruit🔒 The Notebook 7Olofin's dove🔒 The Notebook 8The King and the women🔒 The Notebook 9Ogún Arere and the abuse of women🔒 The Notebook 10Here Ogún was drawn out of the bush🔒 The Notebook 11The King owed Elegbá a rooster🔒 The Notebook 12The curious fish🔒 The Notebook 13The battle is hard🔒 The Notebook 14The chicks that pay their way🔒 The Notebook 15The Osain by Oduduwa🔒 The Notebook 16The young woman and the rose🔒 The Notebook 17The pig and the knife🔒 The Notebook 18The loss of the crown🔒 The Notebook 19The fisherman and the bear🔒 The Notebook 20Prudence saves🔒 The Notebook

17 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 Oshé Lezo in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Oshé Lezo

What does the Odù Oshé Lezo mean in Ifá?

The lifting of pain: whoever clears the obstacles clears the poverty — the wild fire with Olofin's command, and the women save him.

What number is Oshé Lezo among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Oshé Lezo is Odù number 231 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Oshe family.

Which orishas speak in Oshé Lezo?

In the Odù Oshé Lezo these orishas speak: Oshún, Ogún, Eshu, Egun, Shangó, Olofin.

What is a proverb of the Odù Oshé Lezo?

One of the proverbs of Oshé Lezo says: «A King who loses his crown.».

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