APPENDIX
THE ODU BEYOND EJILA SHEBORA
Humans fear the unknown; it sends us all to the orishas for divination. Coming for help, there is only disappointment, perhaps vulnerability, when one of the four “forbidden” odu opens and the client is told the orishas have nothing to say through the diloggún. Many forget that the diviner must also have a diviner, just as the doctor has his own physician. In time, all must seek out Ifá, even the oriaté. Our own orishas have sought Orúnmila’s help when their own lives seemed futile. While those who have ocha know these things, while the italero knows these things, while the oriaté knows these things, the uninitiated does not. To be given back a derecho when one has come for help and told “Orisha sends you to Ifá; they cannot speak on your problems here” can be frustrating. Frightening. The odu beyond Ejila Shebora do not always signal disaster for the client, although some diviners will say otherwise. These signs do bring blessings. They do have iré. They have beauty, light, and abundance for us all. In the diloggún, however, they have no meaning beyond “Go to Orúnmila,” and no existence beyond a shadowing of odu Ifá. These letters have aché, aché that can be explored only by Orúnmila’s priests.
Having opened the orisha’s diloggún in one of these letters (Metanla, Merinla, Marunla, and Merindilogún), the diviner must now follow a specific pattern for ending the reading. Immediately, the session is considered closed; the orisha consulted has declared that this person’s evolution will come through Ifá. Orúnmila has issues to discuss, and only the Babalawo has the right to work with him. The shells are gathered together and put into the gourd of cool water to refresh them. Next, the youngest child, initiate, or a virgin (someone who is already in the diviner’s house) is called to take the gourd to the front door. There, the water is flung out as far into the street as possible while not allowing any of the shells to fly out. The shells are then brought back to the diviner, who blows on them and sets the diloggún back on the covered plate to dry. The Spirit has been dismissed. The derecho is then returned to the client; no work was done, so no charge can be incurred. Odu’s one piece of advice is delivered: “Orisha says you must go to Orúnmila; he has issues to discuss with you, and it is through Ifá that your current life situation must be assessed.” No fear, worry, or dismay should be encouraged. No osogbo or evil may be implied.
The only imminent danger that should be assumed when one of these signs falls is upon the diviner; until he checks himself with the diloggún of Elegguá, he should not read for any other client that day. Once he is alone, he should divine to make sure that the orishas have not delivered a warning for him. Many will not open the diloggún for this; instead, using the oracle obí, they will ask Elegguá if all is well. If not, ebó must be marked immediately, and performed as soon as possible to clear the sign from the diviner’s home. If Elegguá will not speak or mark ebó through obí, the italero has no choice but to open his diloggún for a session.
If the client has come to the oracle for a serious, life-threatening condition, or if the diviner’s aché tells him this person is in danger, there is ebó to relieve the assumed osogbo until Ifá is consulted. A rogación should be given at the feet of that person’s orisha. If the patron is not known, do the work at Obatalá’s shrine; his calming influence can bring coolness to all the odu. Within twenty-four hours, the client should come back to the diviner dressed in old black clothing; he must come with a derecho, wrapped in brown paper, on a white plate with two coconuts and two white candles. A complete change of white clothing should be brought as well: undershirt, underpants, shoes, long-sleeved shirt, pants, and a white cloth to cover the top of the head. The black clothing is to be cut off the client, not merely removed, after the initial rogación is given. All should be put into a brown bag that is then sealed. The client must dress in white and have fresh coconut, cocoa butter, and efun put back on the head, which is then wrapped first in cotton and then with the white cloth. The next morning, all these things on the head are added to the brown bag, and they are left to rot by a river at the soggiest ground that can be found.
For those who insist on knowing what things these odu can foreshadow, I have provided the following lists of meanings. They are not exhaustive; and although they will not provide enough material to provide a proficient reading, they will give the student of odu an idea of what these signs can bring.
Metanla—Thirteen Mouths on the Mat
This odu can, and often does, bring disaster to the client when it opens in Ifá; however, because the italero has not the right to read this sign, he has not the right to impress this information upon the client. Metanla is the first letter owned by Asohano; it is his odu. It refers to the hot, African winds that fly the entire globe bringing infectious disease and death to the very young, the very old, and the very weak. Sickness, however, has its own aché and the implication of destruction in this sign goes beyond the rotting of flesh. Anything weak or useless in the client’s life can be destroyed, leaving room for evolution and spiritual/material progress. This is the iré of the sign. Because Metanla can be read by the oriaté (who has been given Ogún’s knife and many years of intimate instruction with other oriatés and Babalawos) and because it is not only so volatile, but also close to Ejila Shebora (and giving birth to Owani), many novice italeros do attempt to continue a session in Metanla, pulling up a composite odu to finish the sign. But this is not wise; the odu must be closed using the ritual described in the beginning of this appendix, and the derecho must be returned to the client. It is very important that the rogación previously mentioned is done; however, there are a few alterations. It is to be done before Babaluaiye’s shrine, and the head should be wrapped in sackcloth before it is wrapped in white. To the bag must be added three items: jutía, red palm oil, and three eggs that have been rubbed with red palm oil and sprayed with rum and cigar smoke. The morning after the rogacíon, seventeen cents should be added, and the client should be cleansed with the contents of the bag.
There are many issues that can be addressed in this letter. First, those who are building homes will find that their construction is delayed; even if the entire edifice has been going on schedule, unforeseen delays will come. The client should now have a backup plan in case he is desperate to move. Those who are planning to move, but have not yet made commitments to move, should stop. Now is not a good time to be changing residences. Anyone involved in the construction industry should be careful; there is danger of accidents that would prevent this person’s ability to work. Hospital administrators should not begin construction on their buildings now, and those who work in areas under construction must be cautious at all times. There is danger of falling or being fallen on. Be careful of hot and cold drafts; avoid the wind. Stay away from others who are sick, if possible. Disease can be found in old buildings that are undergoing renovation; avoid these as well.
Those who are wealthy or in positions of power also must exercise caution now. The danger in this sign is that those who are subservient will rise; the master will fall. Trust no one with secrets, and do not gossip about coworkers. Watch the back at all times. Those who are lower on corporate ladders are jealous and vile, and they will stop at nothing to get ahead. Many will lie to the boss. Many will steal from the boss. Many will not do a good job. The boss must stay on top of this, for in the end it is he who will be held accountable.
Parents must watch over children carefully. If they become sick, take them to the doctor immediately. Do not follow home remedies, for these will not be effective. Do not give the children over-thecounter medicine. Take them to a physician who can treat their illnesses effectively before something small becomes something big. If the client has an even number of children, sacrifice should be made now so that half of them will not die before their time. A woman has or will suffer the same number of miscarriages, if not more, than she has living children. Her womb is not as strong as she believes it to be. An infertile woman can become pregnant under this odu; however, the child born must one day be initiated as a priest or he will die. Parents must live by making ebó for their children, praying for their safety and well-being lest they grow up to be servants and not masters. Those who are born under this odu will grow up to be brewers, chemists, mixers of elements, dyers; they will be great masters only if ebó is made. It is in this sign that Orúnmila learned all the secrets of prosperity, and the children of Metanla can do the same.
This sign flags travels, wanderings, and goals set with no plan on how to attain them. One day, this person might leave the country for a time, traveling to far-off places that others only dream of. Opening in this sign, the client could have a total of three spouses over the course of one lifetime. If the current marriage is strong, there will be two affairs, and the same goes for the spouse.
Merinla—Fourteen Mouths on the Mat
Within this letter, one learns the story of how the lamp received his own servant to watch over him and tend him for the rest of his life. Before the lamp was born, there was only a string of cotton and a vial of oil; the two of them were close, and went to the diviner (awó) to learn how they could prosper together all their days. Merinla was the sign that opened, and the awó told the two companions that the oracle declared they should live together as one for life. Immediately, a rooster and a he-goat were sacrificed to Elegguá. After eating his ebó, Elegguá put the cotton into the vial of oil and lit them both with the fire from his home. He sent the two who were now one to earth, naming them “lamp.” Soon, humans saw that the lamp was good: It gave them light, and it gave them fire to cook their meals. Lamp could not take care of himself, however, so soon humans were appointed in each household to tend the fire. Thus did the cotton and the thread live all their days together as one, and they acquired mortal servants to tend them eternally. Those who receive this sign can have the same blessings of the lamp—eternal love and gratitude, service and tending from others—if ebó is made and the client spends his time offering useful service to his peers.
Merinla also tells the story of the cat. Before she came to earth, she went for divination; cat wished to prosper in life, to become a wild and vicious hunter whose prey would never escape. In heaven, she was soft, fluffy, and weak. Being an animal who would have to survive on her own wits, she needed help. Ebó was marked for her: a pigeon to strengthen the head, and a knife, scissors, and rooster to Elegguá. Cat made her ebó and set off for earth. When she arrived, she discovered that she was cunning, and stealthy; her mind was brilliant and she was blessed with the gift of tracking game. From her paws grew long, sharp claws, and anything she trapped was helpless in their grip. Her eyes were razor sharp, able to see in darkness and reflective of even the faintest light so that any animal who gazed at her stare was hypnotized, unable to move. She prospered because she made ebó. Under the influence of this odu, even the weak can become strong, the dull razor sharp, and the unlucky lucky. All that is needed are goals, determination, and ebó. Success can be attained.
Sacrifice to Elegguá is one of the keys to success under this sign; with his goodwill, almost any obstacle can be overcome, and success in moderate degrees can be obtained even when the world seems to have turned against the client. Warn this person that he must strive to become the master and not the servant, yet he must become master by offering those beneath him the use of his time, skills, and talents. When Merinla comes out in a reading for a man, it foreshadows the arrival of a new romantic interest, a woman who will be loyal and devoted to him all the days of his life. When his health is bad, she will nurture him; when he is tired and weak, she will watch over him. The man will die before his wife, and she will serve him even unto death. This loyalty will not come without cost. The man must build his life around her; she is to be his light, his warmth, his best friend, and his only lover. To betray her even once would be to send her away forever. The same advice should be told to the woman; however, she must still be attentive to all her man’s needs lest he stray. To let him stray once would be to lose him forever.
Under this letter, the client must live his life by making ebó, placating and tending the orishas so all his affairs will come out well. Great problems will come, insurmountable odds that seem unreachable; yet ebó will make all things manageable. Life will be difficult; this person will live among powerful enemies who try to destroy him, but in the end their efforts will be for naught. He will rise above all adversity.
Marunla—Fifteen Mouths on the Mat
Under this odu, the client has many gifts; he also has many curses. There are wars and battles being fought, many he is not aware of. While strength is this person’s best asset, the sign warns that he should not use all his strength at once. Save “heavy artillery” for the final battles of conquest. Act as if in a war: Do not send the strongest soldiers into the first battles. Rather, defend oneself with the weaker weapons in the arsenal. Those who are trying to destroy this person will assume his weakness to be his strength. Spend time trying to strengthen the weakest parts of one’s character, nurturing unused or atrophied talents in the fight to achieve greatness. Once those are exhausted, go into battle with the heaviest artillery you have. Thus will success be attained in all things.
It is very important that this client go to the babalawos to sit with Ifá as soon as possible. Marunla promises great things for this person if he worships Orúnmila, making ebó to him through his priests. If mano de Orúnmila or kofá is not had, it would be wise to receive it. Orúnmila has great things in store for this person. Ask if the one at the mat is the third child in the family. If so, he is the reincarnation of the mother’s previous miscarriage, or of a child that died soon after birth. He is lucky to have lived this long, and he must make ebó soon so that his life continues. The children of this third child could be in danger as well, and readings must be done for each to mark ebó and ensure that they live full lives themselves. A woman who has just had a miscarriage will soon be pregnant again; the soul of that lost child wants to return. Before her womb dries up, she will have at least three children. She must make ebó to Orúnmila after the third child arrives.
Merindilogún—Sixteen Mouths on the Mat
Merindilogún (also known as Etura, Otura) is perhaps the most powerful of these four odu. The kasan is its symbol, a billowing shirt worn by the Yoruba’s most influential political advisers. Saved for only the highest-ranking officials, it denotes one who has no power of his own, no rule to hold sway, yet has the innate qualities to influence those who do have the power to change, to create. While there are many who would prefer to be king, sometimes it is better to be confidant to the king, to hold political clout rather than power. For while one cannot openly command the masses, there is satisfaction and safety behind another’s authority.
Although the kasan is this letter’s symbol, words are its power, spoken words enlivened by intelligent thought. Those under this sign’s influence carry a spark within them that can ignite history’s most potent flames; the course of world events can be changed. The extent of this sign’s influence depends on the individual’s position in life. Words have power, yes; but their power extends only as far as the speaker’s audience, and it creates change only when the words reach the ears of those capable of making change. This is Merindilogún’s iré: to have the vision, the ideals, and the intelligence to create change. This is also the letter’s osogbo: to lack an audience or listener who can create change. It is the most frustrating of signs.
The voice of this odu is responsible for the creation and dissolution of our world’s many religions: Christianity and Islam both have roots deep within this sign. Both are powerful faiths that have brought many changes to this world. They have done much good. They have created much evil. Both have frustrating pasts in which powerful orators struggled for an audience, and when those audiences were found, they were moved to go forth, conquer, convert, and crusade for their religious causes. Anyone influenced by this letter can do the same, but on varying levels. Children born to Merindilogún often grow up to become orators, teachers, politicians, lawyers, judges, and even presidents. Those who choose a profession not based on politics or teaching but go the route of other, more mundane professions easily rise the corporate ladder to command their own empire. It is the stuff that dreams are made of.
Opening on the mat in sixteen mouths, the orisha consulted has much to say to this client. First, to rise beyond life’s tragedies, this is one who must live his life by making ebó; the orishas must be consulted in all things if the client is to evolve. Social, political, and economic well-being all depend on this. Under Merindilogún, one can either rise to the heights of heaven or crash to the depths of earth. Following the advice of this odu ensures that others will always flock as subservient to this person. One’s family will grow large in this generation and beyond; someday, this client’s descendants can number in the thousands. Unfortunately, some of those born to this generation will have darkness within them. One will definitely be a “bad seed” and will bring much dismay to the family. He will be filled with greed, envy, and avarice. If the client is expecting a child now, this is the one marked for the osogbo. If the client is not currently expecting but is planning another child in the future, that will be the one. Ebó made will save him from this. This letter also flags danger to the client’s mother; if she is still alive, she may soon die from malnutrition and starvation. Much attention should be paid to her, and she must go immediately to the doctor if she falls ill. Sacrifice should be made to her head if she is alive, and if she is not in this religion, the sacrifice must be done to the client in her name.
Merindilogún is the home of unfulfilled dreams. The client has many of these; none will come to pass unless he works closely with Elegguá. For some reason, this orisha is upset in this letter. The diviner must speak frankly with the client to determine the reason for this, and he must then work the diloggún until a sacrifice pleasing to the orisha can be found. Once Elegguá’s anger is resolved, this person’s luck will change and slowly he will climb socially and economically. Things that were previously denied to him will become his. Finally, this letter may not close out unless the client resolves to receive Ifá. It is in this odu that Orúnmila brought much wealth to the world, and once he is brought into this person’s life, the client’s world will become prosperous.