Oshé Masá

nº 236 of 256

Making peace before quarreling: the adimú is born —Adí and Imú, the children Yemayá offered up for humankind— and cunning saves you from death.

24 patakíes 8 eewó 10 ebbós and works 20 proverbs

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Oshé Masá is Odù number 236 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Oshe family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 24 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 236 of 256
Composition: Oshe over Osa
In the Diloggún: 5-9 · Oshé tonti Osá
Orishas that speak: Yemayá · Oshún · Azojuano (San Lázaro) · Odduduwa · Shangó · Oyá · Ozain · Ekubijegan

What Ifá says in this sign

Oshé Masá — also called Oshé Sá — carries diplomacy as its banner: you make peace instead of facing off — the quarrel you are dragging along, often with the government or the authorities, is won by making peace. Here the greatest offering of all was born: the adimú — Yemayá offered up her children Adí and Imú to save humankind.

Its coin is sacred: the owó laka — the silver peso among the ikines that frees you from curses — the Awó of this odu always carries it on him. And its method is the turtle's: comadre of the fire, she asked to die in the water — and her cunning saved her: skill is worth more than strength — they give you the bad end in business: be cunning so you do not lose.

«Yemayá offered up Adí and Imú to save humankind — out of the costliest love the adimú of Oshé Masá was born.»The pulse of Oshé Masá

Its lesson about ebbó is given by the sea and the shore: the sea made ebbó and the shore did not — that is why the sea drags the rubbish toward the shores and leaves it there: do not be the shore where others unload. Your enemy is inside your own house, and the grudge — as with the slave made foreman — can harm you to the point of costing you your life: let that account go.

Your body speaks through the joints: arthritis, cramp, thrombosis, colds — the parrot looked sideways, cramp took her and her legs twisted —; the children of this odu are born delicate in the legs, like Azón, who became Azojuano: «medicine that heals» — here the fault you are born with turns into a power. And in the couple, a parrot's faithfulness: you are faithful until death, and you carry your widowhood for life.

Its high flights come with an escort: the Flying Witches this odu carried into the world swore not to destroy lives without cause — the fearful thing made a pact with you. You live in high posts — do not draw the law on yourself through your temper —, look after your appearance, which is your strong point, and remember your greatest privilege: this Ifá is able to see God Almighty — take Him inside yourself.

The sign in one line

Make peace instead of facing off, carry your silver peso and be as cunning as the turtle — Oshé Masá sees God when he lets go of his grudge.

The prayer of Oshé Masá · Yoruba

Oroshere Adifafun Ticoy Emapuo Miya Oba Toralo Ogun Awo Okuni Motu Cape Adifafun Ako, Akuko Lebo, Akofa, Baba Oko Moni Oko Kan Karita Mete Etu Oro Epola Pua Si Meyi Dudo, Leri Epu Chima.

Ifá says — what Oshé Masá tells you

An Ifá of making peace instead of facing off: you are in a quarrel, often with the government, and making peace is the order. The Ifá of the adimú: Yemayá offered up her children Adí and Imú to save humankind. The Ifá of the owó laka: you make atefá with a silver peso among the ikines, which frees you from curses; the Awó always carries it on him, and the Awó Oshé Sá needs forty silver pesos. The Ifá of the Flying Witches: Oshé Sá carried the mother of the witches into the world, and they swore on the Ground not to destroy human lives without cause. The Ifá of cunning: skill is worth more than strength; the cunning turtle was saved from the fire and from the water. An Ifá able to see God Almighty: you should take Him inside yourself.
It speaks of trouble in the joints of the arms or the legs: arthritis, cramp, thrombosis and twisting of the limbs; you suffer a great deal from colds.
It speaks of women who love women and of men who love men, from the road of Yemayá Okunté and Yemayá Ashabá.
The children's health needs care: they are often born weak or misshapen, like Azón; you have something wrong with your legs, or a child with twisted legs.
You live under close watch, like Oshún shut in by the sorcerer; the obinisis stir desire through their beauty and have marks on their faces.
In the couple you tend to be faithful until death: you carry your widowhood for life, like the parrot.
You are unable to make your own house, or you live in one left to you as an inheritance.
You live in high posts, but you bring trouble on yourself through your temper and the law comes down on you; you are sentenced and find yourself in court cases.
Through your grudge against other people you can harm yourself to the point of losing your life, like the slave made foreman.
They give you the bad end in business: be cunning so you do not lose.
When this Ifá is osobo (Ikú, Arun, Ofo), you have to move fast, because you are in danger.
If you have daughters, they can fall pregnant, even without lying with anyone, like the Yemayás of the island.
You have lost a gift you had when they spoke into your ear; you are somewhat unsettled and confused, but your luck is good.
Your enemy is inside your own house.
The cunning turtle speaks, comadre of the fire, who asked to die in the water: her cunning saves her.
The parrot speaks, who looked sideways because of the efún, was taken by cramp and had her legs twisted: arthritis; and her faithfulness, which carries her widowhood until death.
The Flying Witches speak, the Elders of the Night, keepers of God's bath before the rooster's crow.
The coconut speaks: dry and old it does not sprout, and with no water nobody wants it; contempt and disregard.
The sea speaks, which made ebbó, and the shore, which did not: that is why the sea drags the rubbish toward the shores and leaves it there.
The eweses of this Odù are: varita de San José (marshmallow), poinsettia and poplar — plants of beauty and ornament, that come round in their splendor, as you should look after your appearance, which is your strong point.

Proverbs of Oshé Masá · Òwe

“Skill is worth more than strength.”
“The good son has the blessing of God and of his mother.”
“Nobody can feel with you the way a mother does.”
“An ill with no cure.”
“His cunning saves him.”
“The brave man fights and dodges.”
“When we see the turtle, we need no club.”
“Money is cursed, but to be born and to die you need it.”
“A dry old coconut does not sprout, and with no water nobody wants it.”
“Destroying human lives without cause is punished.”
“Making peace is the order.”
“An ill with no remedy is best forgotten.”
“Only the Creator of life has the right to take it.”
“One hand washes the other and the two wash the face.”
“Cheating is the wicked man's fault and honesty the just man's virtue.”
“Blood weighs more than gold.”
“The wise man is prudent, the fool insolent.”
“Everyone who truly repents is truly forgiven.”
“The sincere man is to be trusted; the two-faced one always lies.”
“The wise man never gets tangled in quarrels with a fool.”

17 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 Masá · Ìbí

Adí and Imú, the omó of Yemayá: the adimú.
Yemayá offered her children's heads to Olofin in exchange for pardoning men: «Adimú will be the greatest thing that can be offered to me and to the other Orishas.»
The «do not put your hands on my shoulder».
The crafty man drew the other's business ideas out of him with a hand on his shoulder, and took advantage without sharing the profits.
The great parting of Odduduwa and Obatalá.
Odduduwa had to trade the tin for silver: that is why his pieces are of silver.
Yemayá's curse on money.
She cursed men and money for their greed and self-interest, but without it you cannot live: to be born and to die you need it.
Doing atefá with a silver peso (owó laka).
It gives no result in the sign, but its presence frees you from the curses that religious work might drag along.
That the slave is made foreman but goes looking for his own death.
The resentful slave killed those who looked down on him, and his master killed him.
That Ifá beat the sorcerer's prenda.
Orula broke the ologú's chain with the three arrows and the three nails, and freed Oshún.
That Ozain eats monkey.
The monkey, brazen and bold, kept getting at Ozain, and his godchildren offered him up.
That Azón becomes Azojuano.
The weak son of Odduduwa and Ekubijegan allied himself with Ikú, was sworn in as Koleyewe Kuté and came back giving health: «medicine that heals».
That the Elders of the Night (the witches) swore on the Ground.
The oath was taken against the destruction of human lives without cause: that is why the witches cannot destroy the true children of God or the devoted of Orunmila.
That Olofin crowned Oshún as Oshún Iyumú (the deaf one).
After Orula freed her from the sorcerer's confinement, she was Ayabá, Queen.

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

Do not run, and do not rush when you are running late.
You can fall and break a leg; leave in good time for where you are going and take care in transport, like Orula, who did not agree to ride the horse.
Do not attempt against your own life and do not wish for death anymore.
Express instruction of this Odù.
Do not drink alcohol.
Drink costs you your life.
Do not repeat what you see and hear; guard your tongue and do not anger anyone.
One is always needed: the turtle lived respected because her mouth did not anger people.
Do not be resentful.
Resentment leads you to killing, which in the end ruins your own life, like the slave made foreman.
Do not leave your house for seven days.
Instruction of the Ifá Says of this Odù.
Do not shout so much.
Be careful with your mouth: they can break it.
Do not press your partner with jealousy.
She draws a lot of attention: avoid jealousy.

Ebbós of Oshé Masá · The sacrifices that open the road

Beating enemiesTo neutralize enemies🔒 The Notebook LossEbbó so the house is not destroyed (against fire)🔒 The Notebook SpiritualConsecration of the owó laka (silver peso)🔒 The Notebook HealthWorks with Azojuano🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesThe Awó's salvadera stick🔒 The Notebook

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

Works of Oshé Masá · The workings of the sign

SpiritualEkubijegan («Antonia Gervasio»)🔒 The Notebook SpiritualInshé Ozain for the waist (against ashelú and gossip)🔒 The Notebook SpiritualInshé Ozain of monkey skin🔒 The Notebook SpiritualEshu Zinó🔒 The Notebook HealthTurtle to Shangó and adié to the mother's Egun🔒 The Notebook

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

Patakíes of Oshé Masá · The roads of the Odù

1Orula does not agree to ride the horse

On his way to a party, a friend on horseback invited Orula to ride with him so as not to arrive late; Orula politely declined, the horse threw the rider and hurt him, and Orula, on foot, reached the party.

On his way to a party, Orunmila ran into a friend on the road who was going to the same place, only on horseback. The friend offered to take him up on the saddle, since he was going to arrive a little late.

Very politely, Orula said no. A little later the animal threw the rider off and left him hurt. Orula went on walking and got to the party.

Note: when you are running late, do not rush; leave with time to spare and take your precautions with transport.

2The parrot

The parrot went to Odduduwa and they poured efún on her; seeing the white and red mark on her eyes she began looking sideways, cramp took her and her legs twisted: the joints and arthritis speak.

The parrot came before Oduduwa and there they threw efún on her. When she saw that white and red mark over her eyes, she began to look sideways, she got cramps and her legs twisted.

Note: here the joints and arthritis speak. The treatise adds that this bird is completely faithful to its mate: if one of the two dies or is lost, the one left behind carries the widowhood until its own death — just like the person of this Odù, faithful as long as they live.

3Oshé Sá carried the mother of the witches into the world

Nobody else agreed to bring the mother of the witches to Earth; Orisha Nlá made them swear on the Ground not to destroy human lives without cause: that is why the witches have no power against the true children of God or the devoted of Orunmila.

Against the power of witchcraft there is only one force able to beat it: the ground, the earth. So God proclaimed, setting the ground as the only power meant to destroy any force or divinity that broke one of the Natural Laws. The decree was issued when a powerful witch from Heaven, named Eye To Yu Oke To Ku Orun, was found to be involved in the destruction of the earthly divinities, because of her wicked conduct on Earth. The one who brought her into the world, she being the mother of the witches, was Oshé Sá (Osemolura), because no one else agreed to do it; and the oath that Orisha Nlá made the witches swear was the Ground.

That oath was sworn against the destruction of human lives without justification. That is where it comes from that the witches have no power to finish off the true children of God, and they have no power either against those who follow Orunmila with devotion.

As for the power of the Elders of the Night — the witches —, Almighty God gave it to them in that time when he lived free and in body among the divinities. It fell to them, and only to them, to stand guard while God bathed, right before the rooster crowed, because it was always forbidden to see him naked. Only the witch divinity was granted that privilege, and sometimes it was she who told the rooster that the bath was over.

Notes: through Oshé Sá it is known in what way God protects us from the powers of witchcraft. The witches destroy whoever deserves it: when men and witches treated each other as equals, the men allowed the witch's son to be eaten, and from then on the witches ruled to finish off the children of the earth.

4Oshún Iyumú bewitched by an ologú🔒 The Notebook 5Where Azojuano had another name (Azón and Koleyewe Kuté)🔒 The Notebook 6The cunning ayapa🔒 The Notebook 7Awó Ailín and the turtle🔒 The Notebook 8The trader and the turtle🔒 The Notebook 9The man in the bush and the ayapa🔒 The Notebook 10Ozain eats monkey🔒 The Notebook 11The consecration of the owó laka🔒 The Notebook 12The great parting of Odduduwa and Obatalá🔒 The Notebook 13Adí and Imú, the children of Yemayá (the birth of the adimú)🔒 The Notebook 14Yemayá Okunté and Yemayá Ashabá🔒 The Notebook 15The peacemaking of Elegbara🔒 The Notebook 16The coconut🔒 The Notebook 17The slave made foreman🔒 The Notebook 18The sea and the shore🔒 The Notebook 19Do not put your hand on my shoulder🔒 The Notebook 20The sincere parrot🔒 The Notebook 21The mother who saves🔒 The Notebook 22The plain woman and the mirrors🔒 The Notebook 23The shepherd and the lion🔒 The Notebook 24Hard work is courage🔒 The Notebook

21 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 Masá in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Oshé Masá

What does the Odù Oshé Masá mean in Ifá?

Making peace before quarreling: the adimú is born —Adí and Imú, the children Yemayá offered up for humankind— and cunning saves you from death.

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

Oshé Masá is Odù number 236 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Oshe family.

Which orishas speak in Oshé Masá?

In the Odù Oshé Masá these orishas speak: Yemayá, Oshún, Azojuano (San Lázaro), Odduduwa, Shangó, Oyá, Ozain, Ekubijegan.

What is a proverb of the Odù Oshé Masá?

One of the proverbs of Oshé Masá says: «Skill is worth more than strength.».

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