ODÙ-IFÁ , most complex reasonings in the practice of Yoruba traditional religion , the mathematics of wisdom. The Odù-Ifá in the real sense of it , contains the physical, symbolic and spiritual meanings of life . It is the mathematical diagrams of human existence, a total sum of 256 complex explanations of wisdom, the A to Z of the living and non living characters
In the Yoruba traditional religion , the physicians , or rather the mathematicians , are the Bábaláwo, the initiates , the ones having the spiritual wisdom , the wise ones , translators of Baami Agbomiregun, the colleagues of Bàbá Akere finu se Ogbon, abo’Olodumare se lo’gbogba.
The mathematical formulas and calculations of existence are in sixteen diagrams , the sixteen answers to nature , the Odus , the book of life . It is the Odù Ifá mathematics , the literary corpus , all results in a total of 256 odus . These Odus are the spiritual , scientific and social solutions to all situations, circumstances, actions and consequences in life. They form the basis of spiritual knowledge, it is the Yoruba divination mathematics
Odus, the scientific mathematics of the ancestors , the formulas used in the Yoruba religion , interpreted also in merindilogun . The word Odu itself, originated from the Yoruba language and it means destiny. Each person has his or her own destiny , it could be similar to others but always with some particularity and spiritual identity.
A lot of divination methods are used in the study of Ifa , such as Merindinlogun, Opele -ifá, Ikin and many more The Ifá cult is customarily done by men, called Babalawo . When someone wants to take care of their Orisha , they look for a Bàbálórìsà or Iyalorisa, but when it is to deal with their balance as a Being, they look for a Babalawo who will do it in the ways of Odu, the mathematics of life . The consultation through the Odus can be interpreted by the Oracle of Ifá, with the Odu Meji (double destinies or repeated twice) numbering 16 and known as Original or Main Odu.
In the Ifá Oracular system, which is the Yoruba divination system, the 16 odus are the paths of life. Each person is having paths revealed by Ifá through Odu. The geomantic system uses 16 shells, or grains, or coconuts, depending on the region. The way to launch the cowrie shells allows 256 combinations or figures, and for each one of them , there are verses that are decorated by the Mathematicians , the Babalawos are the mathematicians . The system, at time hereditary, requires long learning and tests.
The learning is essential , it is all about knowing IFA , the Odus are consequences of understandings of the voices of Olodumare, the Orisa Orunmila is also called Ifá and abomiregum (Agbonmiregun; “He who is more effective than any medicine”). In case of doubt, the Ifá is consulted by people who need decisions , people who want to put their lives in order. The mathematics behind these mysteries involves the functions of Physicians , they are the Babalawos , the mathematicians , they represent the voices of their ancestors
In the Yoruba divinity , and for the Yoruba people of West Africa , the priest , or the mathematician is the babalawo , and among the Fons and Jejes , the mathematician is called Bokonon . However, the system of divination is the same. The , Bokonon or the babalawo (father of the secret) receives the indications for the answers through the Formula , the signs called ( Odu ) of Ifá . There is no exact table for making it: there is no list of things for Odus to be revealed, it all depends on the person. Each person has his or her own destiny, just like the Etutu (ebó) that is defined in the divination .
However, in Merindilogun , derived from Erindinlogun, the divinatory system used by the Yoruba people. It is one of the many divinatory methods used by Bàbálórìsàs and Iyalorisas that has 16 cowries. In it occurs the interpretation of Odus . Each odu indicates different passages according to Yoruba mythology.
The mathematicians , In the merindilogun , are not just the Babalawos , they are also Bàbálórìsàs , Iyalorisas . The Orisas are the intermediaries between Olodumarê and human beings. The drops are given according to the number of open and closed whelks resulting from each shot. The answer for each number of open and closed whelks corresponds to an Odu , and must be convincingly interpreted, conveying to the person involved , both the meaning of the Odus and what must be done to solve the problem . The physician in this case , is the Bàbálórìsà , Iyanifa etc .
Odus are similar to some mathematical formulas , the Physicians are the Babalawos , Iyanifa and the Bàbálórìsàs , they are bound to intérprete what proceeds from the divination. In most cases , examples are taken both from the ancient Yoruba tradition and the present daily activities . The Odus represents level of understandings , The Bàbálórìsàs / Babalawos are the brains behind the interpretation.
The 256 Odu Ifa
- Ejiogbe
- Oyeku meji
- Iwori meji
- Odi meji
- Irosun meji
- Owonrin meji
- Obara meji
- Okanran meji
- Ogunda meji
- Osa meji
- Ika meji
- Otuurupon meji
- Otura meji
- Irete meji
- Ose meji
- Ofun meji
- Ogbe oyeku
- Ogbe iwori
- Ogbe odi
- Ogbe irosun
21.Ogbe owonrin - Ogbe obara
- Ogbe okanran
- Ogbe ogunda
- Ogbe osa
- Ogbe Ika
- Ogbe otuurupon
- Ogbe otura
- Ogbe irete
- Ogbe ose
- Ogbe ofun.
- Oyeku ogbe
- Oyeku iwori
- Oyeku odi
- Oyeku irosun
- Oyeku owonrin
- Oyeku obara
- Oyeku okanran
- Oyeku ogunda
- Oyeku osa
- Oyeku ika
- Oyeku otuurupon
- Oyeku otura
- Oyeku irete
- Oyeku ose
- Oyeku ofun
- Iwori ogbe
- Iwori oyeku
- Iwori odi
- Iwori irosun
- Iwori owonrin
- Iwori obara
- Iwori okanran
- Iwori ogunda
- Iwori osa
- Iwori ika
- Iwori otuurupon
- Iwori otura
- Iwori irete
- Iwori ose
- Iwori ofun
- Odi ogbe
- Odi oyeku
- Odi iwori
- Odi irosun
- Odi owonrin
- Odi obara
- Odi okanran
- Odi ogunda
- Odi osa
- Odi ika
- Odi otuurupon
- Odi otura
- Odi irete
- Odi ose
- Odi ofun
- Irosun ogbe
- Irosun oyeku
- Irosun iwori
- Irosun odi
- Irosun owonrin
- Irosun obara
- Irosun okanran
- Irosun ogunda
- Irosun osa
- Irosun ika
- Irosun otuurupon
- Irosun otura
- Irosun irete
- Irosun ose
- Irosun ofun
- Owonrin ogbe
- Owonrin oyeku
- Owonrin iwori
- Owonrin odi
- Owonrin irosun
- Owonrin obara
- Owonrin okanran
- Owonrin ogunda
- Owonrin osa
- Owonrin ika
- Owonrin otuurupon
- Owonrin otura
- Owonrin irete
- Owonrin ose
- Owonrin ofun
- Obara ogbe
- Obara oyeku
- Obara iwori
- Obara odi
- Obara irosun
- Obara owonrin
- Obara okanran
- Obara ogunda
- Obara osa
- Obara ika
- Obara otuurupon
- Obara otura
- Obara irete
- Obara ose
- Obara ofun
- Okanran ogbe
- Okanran oyeku
- Okanran iwori
- Okanran odi
- Okanran irosun
- Okanran owonrin
- Okanran obara
- Okanran ogunda
- Okanran osa
- Okanran ika
- Okanran otuurupon
- Okanran otura
- Okanran irete
- Okanran ose
- Okanran ofun
- Ogunda ogbe
- Ogunda oyeku
- Ogunda iwori
- Ogunda odi
- Ogunda irosun
- Ogunda owonrin
- Ogunda obara
- Ogunda okanran
- Ogunda osa
- Ogunda ika
- Ogunda otuurupon
- Ogunda otura
- Ogunda irete
- Ogunda ose
- Ogunda ofun
- Osa ogbe
- Osa oyeku
- Osa iwori
- Osa odi
- Osa irosun
- Osa owonrin
- Osa obara
- Osa okanran
- Osa ogunda
- Osa ika
- Osa otuurupon
- Osa otura
- Osa irete
- Osa ose
- Osa ofun
- Ika ogbe
- Ika oyeku
- Ika iwori
- Ika odi
- Ika irosun
- Ika owonrin
- Ika obara
- Ika okanran
- Ika ogunda
- Ika osa
- Ika otuurupon
- Ika otura
- Ika irete
- Ika ose
- Ika ofun
- Otuurupon ogbe
- Otuurupon oyeku
- Otuurupon iwori
- Otuurupon odi
- Otuurupon irosun
- Otuurupon owonrin
- Otuurupon obara
- Otuurupon okanran
- Otuurupon ogunda
- Otuurupon osa
- Otuurupon ika
- Otuurupon otura
- Otuurupon irete
- Otuurupon ose
- Otuurupon ofun
- Otura ogbe
- Otura oyeku
- Otura iwori
- Otura odi
- Otura irosun
- Otura owonrin
- Otura obara
- Otura okanran
- Otura ogunda
- Otura osa
- Otura ika
- Otura otuurupon
- Otura irete
- Otura ose
- Otura ofun.
- Irete ogbe
- Irete oyeku
- Irete iwori
- Irete odi
- Irete irosun
- Irete owonrin
- Irete obara
- Irete okanran
- Irete ogunda
- Irete osa
- Irete ika
- Irete otuurupon
- Irete otura
- Irete ose
- Irete ofun
- Ose ogbe
- Ose oyeku
- Ose iwori
- Ose odi
- Ose irosun
- Ose owonrin
- Ose obara
- Ose okanran
- Ose ogunda
- Ose osa
- Ose ika
- Ose otuurupon
- Ose otura
- Ose irete
- Ose ofun
- Ofun ogbe
- Ofun oyeku
- Ofun iwori
- Ofun odi
- Ofun irosun
- Ofun owonrin
- Ofun obara
- Ofun okanran
- Ofun ogunda
- Ofun osa
- Ofun ika
- Ofun otuurupon
- Ofun otura
- Ofun irete
- Ofun ose.
It is important to know that every Odu functions as omens. By itself, the word means path and is associated with the idea of destiny. Therefore, it is something that will govern a certain person from the world of his birth until the end of his life. Because of this, each one has his or her own Odu of origin. It is with this Odu of Origin that the mathematician solves the mathematics
