Origins of the Ẹ́rindínlógún Oracle of ÒÒŞÀ with 16 Cowrie Shells and Oracle IFÁ with the 16 ÌKÍN:

Origins of the Ẹ́rindínlógún Oracle of ÒÒŞÀ with 16 Cowrie Shells and Oracle IFÁ with the 16 ÌKÍN: By Awo Ifalenu, Based on the Spiritual Revelations and teachings of Baba Odùdúwà and the Spirit TATA G through the ẸLẸ̀GÚN (Medium). Since the beginnings of time, people had to take important decisions, many didn’t knew what to do, Should I go Left or Right? They took something that had two faces, choose the side that represented the answers and throw or cast that seed, cowrie shell to see what path to take. Different methods were used, with one Cowrie shell for Yes or No answers, 4 cowries, up to 16 Cowries were selected by Odùdúwà and his disciples. ỌYA was the first to use the 16 Cowries and cast a Sign of the Ẹ́rindínlógún. In the times of Baba Odùdúwà with his 16 Disciples, more than 20,000 years ago as Baba Odùdúwà revealed, the Oracle of the Ẹ́rindínlógún (16 Cowrie Shells) was used, but there was no ÒRÌŞÀ yet, so the consultation to the Oracle was addressed directly to The most essential part of the Divine GOD - OLÓDÙMARÈ, to the Universal Energy of the Superior Divinity, and then with time the Humans who were Divinely selected by their merits came to die or spiritually become liberated, those humans are the ones who became the 401 ÒRÌŞÀ, through the use of the Oracle of the 16 Cowries was channeled the spiritual communication of those specific ÒRÌŞÀ. This is how the use of the Cowrie shells as Oracle started, the number 16 due to the 16 Disciples of Odùdúwà and the 16 Universal Principle. They had basic meanings for 16 main signs and all the combinations. Stories and information were added and catalog under each of the 256 Basic Signs, plus OPIRA (16 Cowrie shells facing down) and its combinations. First the Oracle of the 16 Snails was used, then through Ọ̀rúnmìlà in ILE IFE he based his system on the Ẹ́rindínlógún and began to use the 16 ÌKÍN by his particular method of Divination, and then he started to initiate

people, the first was ÒGÚN, and then his disciples Initiates in IFÁ spread the system, they continue to add more stories, lore, herbs and catalog them under the 256 Odù of the Ifá Oracle. Ọ̀rúnmìlà was a special incarnation of a SOUL with the spiritual Essene of OLỌ́FIN Ẹ̀LÀ (the first Spiritual Son of OLỌ́FIN Ọ̀RUN – the Creator IRÚNMỌ̀LE NLÁ who created this Universe. Ọ̀rúnmìlà was a son of YEMOYALE (YEMOJA) who later became one of the 401 ÒRÌŞÀ, his name of birth was ÓDÚ (with this accentuation) he was a Spiritual Diviner and Seer from birth, he got later the title of Ọ̀rúnmìlà (that means only Heaven know who will be saved). Ọ̀rúnmìlà had 16 wives, but he choose later a special woman to marry, she was Ìyá ODÙ (different accentuation from ÓDÚ), she was a great Ìyáàmi Àjé (Mother Witch), she protected Ọ̀rúnmìlà with her spiritual power and knowledge. This was his only Incarnation on planet Earth of Ọ̀rúnmìlà. OLỌ́FIN Ẹ̀LÀ spreads the inclination to Purity and Wisdom among the Beings of the Creation. Ọ̀rúnmìlà lived up to 99 years old when he decided to pass away, he didn’t die, he knew a special method to pass away to go to the spiritual world, he reach son intense inner heat and energy that his body burn up and became ashes, and light was produced, so he ascend and liberated in that special way and became a special universal Guardian of people to guide them in their life journey. ŞÀNGÓ develop the Divination Chain or ÒPÈLÈ, and he gave this one to Òrúnmìlà, and the Divination chain became the most common method to cast the Odù Ifá (Ifá Oracle Sign) because it’s easy and fast to use to get the answer in one throw of the ÒPÈLÈ. During his life, Ọ̀rúnmìlà meet Baba Odùdúwà, and they exchange initiations, knowledge, secrets and empowerments. Odùdúwà was initiated into Ifá by Ọ̀rúnmìlà. Ọ̀rúnmìlà became the Diviner of Odùdúwà who was the first King of ỌYỌ, and first king of the Yorùbá people, so Ọ̀rúnmìlà was the first AWONI (Diviner of the King). Ọ̀rúnmìlà had a set of original verses for each of the 256 Odù, then other Babalawo added more with more information and the cases that they got, so they consulted s person called “Okan” who went for Divination and Baba Éjì Ogbè was cast, and the person became wealthy, all his roads and opportunities were open to him, and he became King (this is an example). This particular experience with this person was observed and the information pass to other Ifá initiates and served as part of the Knowledge on Ifá. Special Ifá Diviners received spiritual revelation about different Odù with certain verses and knowledge and this was added the information about the 256 Odù.