Oyekun Bara

nº 37 of 256

The binding and the unbinding: the horse was tamed with cleverness, not with strength — what force cannot get, intelligence reaches.

11 patakíes 4 eewó 8 ebbós and works 12 proverbs

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Oyekun Bara is Odù number 37 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Oyekun family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 11 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 8 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 37 of 256
Composition: Oyekun over Obara
In the Diloggún: 2-6 · Eyioko tonti Obara
Orishas that speak: Oshún (Yalorde) · Shangó · Ozain · Obatalá · Eshú (Mako) · Yemayá · Eggun
Eweses of the sign: Ewe Jon Joyo · Bejuco Garañón · Bejuco Congo

What Ifá says in this sign

Oyekun Bara is the Ifá of binding and unbinding: here the horse was made a slave — not by force, but by bit and saddle. Its bedrock lesson holds for everything: what brute force cannot get, intelligence reaches.

The horse lost his freedom through pride: do not repeat his story. In this sign freedom is lost by being tied to another person — sometimes without meaning to — and there is binding work done on you: spells in the private parts that get in the way even of love. The unbinding lives here too: ebbó, an Ozain for defense, and the knot comes undone.

«The horse was not mastered by strength, but by intelligence — that is how Oyekun Bara works.»The pulse of Oyekun Bara

Keep your secrets like gold: not with your partner, not with your friends — your wife is curious and talkative, and if you trust her with your secrets, you come to grief. Put some firmness into your love: you love your wife dearly, and without firmness things will keep going badly because of her. And see to the children you have with another woman: this odu is asking for them.

Your heart is your risk: through a good heart, this person loses — Obatalá gave them three pieces of luck and they practically gave them away; that is why they go through hardship. More are coming: this time, keep them. Sleep with a lamp at the head of the bed to watch over your spirit's journey during sleep, and do not chase work so hard: energy leaks out in hurried sweat.

The last key is a matter of the head: seat your guardian angel (Yoko Osha) to be happy and get what you want. Pay your debts to Yemayá and Shangó, look after your mouth and your teeth, and remember the ox and the horse: only their master understands them — be the master of your own strength.

The sign in one line

Use your cleverness, keep your secrets and do not give your luck away — Obatalá has more luck for Oyekun Bara: this time, hold on to it with santo.

The prayer of Oyekun Bara · Yoruba

Oyekun Bara Lordafun Oshún lo Ozain oni Shangó shabe shintilu osushe muti Eshin niloko shishé Ifá shemí Oshún lonche mamú Olufina opolopo oti ogu were, were ninshe omo Olofin lordafun Ozain kaferefun Agbaña oni Shangó.

Ifá says — what Oyekun Bara tells you

An Ifá of binding, of drawing someone near, and of unbinding.
There is a spell blocking intimacy with the obini, through an Eggun sent to work on the sexual parts.
Debts with Yemayá and Shangó.
Domination and binding by an obini, and sorcery worked on your private parts; there is always difficulty in the marriage bed.
This Odù brings the spirit of a dead Awó out of the darkness.
Speed and binding; the horse and the ox, whom only their master understands.
You have children with another woman: see to them.
Your wife is curious and talkative: do not trust her with your secrets.
The person you care for comes back to your side.
Decayed teeth, and pain in the eyelids.
Your mother gave you away, and through a good heart you keep losing.
You dream of your partner, and there is a curse on you.
What you want cannot be got by brute force, only by intelligence.
Seat your guardian angel so you can be happy and get what you want.
Put a lamp at the head of your bed when you lie down, to watch over your spirit's journey during sleep.
Three pieces of luck Obatalá gave you and you practically gave away, which is why you go through hardship; but more are coming.
Accidents and a broken leg for someone in the house, and an attempt you have made on your own life.
You love your wife dearly, and if you do not show some firmness, things will keep going badly because of her.

Proverbs of Oyekun Bara · Òwe

“What is not got by force is reached by intelligence.”
“Whoever is blinded by revenge loses their freedom.”
“A secret told to a woman is a secret lost.”
“Through a good heart, you lose.”
“If two stones strike each other, the weaker one breaks.”
“The horse listens only to his master, the bit.”
“Talk that produces no action is the same as silence.”
“The beginning is not the beginning until it begins.”
“Whoever does not sleep easy is afraid of something.”
“Do not go after the malicious one; Eshu knows how to deal with them.”
“Jail is for those who break the law.”
“Do not refuse good to whoever deserves it, but beware the ungrateful.”

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

Iré and Osogbo

7 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 Oyekun Bara · Ìbí

Putting the bit and saddle on the horse to make use of him, and all the gear used to tie.
From the road where the horse lost his freedom through pride and was made a slave by the rider.

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

You cannot keep a cane or umbrella hung up.
Stand them upright on the floor.
You cannot tell your secrets to anyone, not to your spouse nor to your friends.
Do not raise your hand against your wife.
Do not try to obtain what you want by force; use intelligence.

Ebbós of Oyekun Bara · The sacrifices that open the road

BindingEbbó to bind🔒 The Notebook UnbindingEbbó of the horse (bit and spur)🔒 The Notebook A difficult wifeEbbó for a difficult wife🔒 The Notebook ProsperityEbbó of the straw horse (Esbinkoko)🔒 The Notebook

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

Works of Oyekun Bara · The workings of the sign

ProtectionEshú Mako, the Eshú of the sign🔒 The Notebook Sexual weaknessWork at the foot of ewe Ayebe (Moruro abey)🔒 The Notebook ProsperityThe Abaña of Shangó🔒 The Notebook Iré OwóInshé for luck with money🔒 The Notebook

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

Patakíes of Oyekun Bara · The roads of the Odù

1Here the horse was made a slave

The horse, fed up with the wild boar, wanted revenge despite Orunmila's warning that he would lose his freedom. He accepted a hunter's bit and saddle — the hunter was Eshú — in order to kill the boar, and was left a slave forever.

A horse was being pestered by a wild boar, which even dirtied his water. Worn out, he went to Orunmila, who saw this Ifá for him and told him that, much as he wanted revenge, he should not take it, because he could lose his freedom. The horse left unsatisfied, still thirsty for revenge, and met a hunter who offered to help him in exchange for letting himself be given the bit and the saddle, and be ridden.

Blinded by anger, the horse agreed; they chased the boar and killed him. Satisfied, the horse asked for his freedom, but the rider — who was Eshú — saw how useful he was for hunting, would not give way, shut him in a stable and tied him up. From that day on, man rides the horse.

2He must not let go of his wife or his son (the obsession)

Oyekun Bara, a fortunate Awó, became obsessed with witchcraft and the dead, threw out his wife and son — children of Obatalá — and fell into misery. Eshú Mako and Ozain cleansed him; he asked their pardon and got his luck back.

Oyekun Bara was an Awó with great luck for winning women and living well. He lived with his first wife, Abeyawo, and a son, but he had no affection for them. In the land of Inlé Taná, land of Ikupá, he liked ogú better than Ifá; he took to keeping things belonging to Ikú, and death began to walk about his house. His wife, who had power in her sight, saw Ikupá coming and going, and his son cried out at night. Oyekun Bara threw them out, and both were children of Obatalá, who for that very reason had always given him luck; offended, Obatalá cursed him, and everything began to go wrong: he went hungry and his lerí was disturbed.

One day Eshú Mako passed by, took fright at seeing that land full of dark Eggun, and went for Ozain; the two came with an osadie, singing and doing sarayeye until they had cleansed Oyekun Bara, who was foaming at the mouth. They prayed his lerí with eyele meyi funfun and told him to make ebbó with everything he had of Ikú's and to ask his wife's pardon. He made osode, saw his Ifá, made ebbó and went to the land of Obatalá; on the road he met his wife and his son, asked their pardon and gave them owó. Obatalá forgave him, but told him he would always have spells of poverty and of wealth, that he would have to lean on him and on Shangó, defend himself with Ozain and live with Eshú Mako guarding his door. He became the powerful Awó he had been before, remembering not to let go of his wife and his son.

Prayer of the road

Adifafun Ifa Iku itá yoye adifafun itá lubaorlefana sofa nikua mameta lodo shede lade shoka ludo Ekun, adié dundun, isheri meta, ewefá, owo lo que oma aye rere oma, aye rere oma aye ikupa keké ikupa rere ikupa maki ashebo pasha elevo, kaferefun Ozain, Lodafun Obatalá.

Súyere

Eggun Laboguede Labera Unlo Ozain Laboguede Iku Unlo / Eggun Burukú Unlo

Eggun Baloku Lole Eggun Baloku Lole / Unlo, Unlo, Eggun Burukú Abeye Ni Iku / Ozain Lele Iku Olokun Eggun Burukui Unlo

3The calming of Shangó

Oshún, in love with the womanizer Olufina (Shangó), «the runaway rider», prepared him a cup of otí Ogu with Ozain and Ifá She Mi; on drinking it, Shangó grew heavy, felt peace and stayed for good in her land.

In the land of Osushe lived Oshún, hopelessly in love with Olufina Akakamaisa, a man famous as a womanizer and a diviner, and for his lack of courtesy toward the obini. Oshún wanted to bind him, but he always rode off to other lands on his spirited white horse, which is why he was known as Shebe Shintilu. She went to the diviner Ifá She Mi, who saw Oyekun Bara for her and told her there was only one thing able to quiet the «runaway rider». She made the ebbó and, with Ozain and Ifá She Mi, the secret of the land of Oyekun Bara was prepared.

When Olufina came galloping and singing, Oshún invited him to get down and, before being with him, offered him in the cup of Abaña opolopo otí Ogu, singing the suyere of the secret. On drinking, Shangó felt heavy, with an inner peace that made him feel at home in that land, and he was calmed, and stayed forever. That is why there is a risk of being tied for life to a daughter of Oshún, whose selfishness is a bad thing.

Prayer of the road

Oyekun Bara Lodafun ashin lo Ozain oni Shangó shebe shintilu eshushe muti Eshin niloko shishé ifa shemí Oshún lonshe mamu Olufina opolopo oti ogu were, were ninshe omo Olofin Lodafun Ozain kaferefun Abaña oni Shangó.

Súyere

Eshin kike ero Asarele Oni Shangó were were Nitesun

Kawo, kawo Moforibale Kenñi Alado Titi La Eye Akualode Oshún Ti La Eye.

4It marks sexual weakness with his obini🔒 The Notebook 5Elegba's trap🔒 The Notebook 6The swindle avenged🔒 The Notebook 7The ashé of the orishas' aguardiente🔒 The Notebook 8The king's horse and the servant named Truth🔒 The Notebook 9The dog's hatred of the hutia🔒 The Notebook 10The great secret will never be written down🔒 The Notebook 11The virtues and the faults🔒 The Notebook

8 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 Oyekun Bara in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Oyekun Bara

What does the Odù Oyekun Bara mean in Ifá?

The binding and the unbinding: the horse was tamed with cleverness, not with strength — what force cannot get, intelligence reaches.

What number is Oyekun Bara among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Oyekun Bara is Odù number 37 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Oyekun family.

Which orishas speak in Oyekun Bara?

In the Odù Oyekun Bara these orishas speak: Oshún (Yalorde), Shangó, Ozain, Obatalá, Eshú (Mako), Yemayá, Eggun.

What is a proverb of the Odù Oyekun Bara?

One of the proverbs of Oyekun Bara says: «What is not got by force is reached by intelligence.».

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