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BÀBALÁWO -Grand Masters Of Mathematics, The Analysis Of 256 Formulas Of

Our Ancestors

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BÀBALÁWO - Grand Masters Of Mathematics, The Analysis
Of 256 Formulas Of Our Ancestors

By Adeyinka Olaiya / Brazil

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
Bábaláwos, 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.

Yoruba Artist and Writer , Adeyinka Olaiya and Bàbálórìsà Thiago during a lecture on
Yoruba Arts and Orisa in Brazil

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.

Divination tray ( Carved ) African Cultural Center , Brazil

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.
Divination tray ( African Cultural Center ) Brazil

The 256 Odu Ifa

1. Ejiogbe
2. Oyeku meji
3. Iwori meji
4. Odi meji
5. Irosun meji
6. Owonrin meji
7. Obara meji
8. Okanran meji
9. Ogunda meji
10. Osa meji
11. Ika meji
12. Otuurupon meji
13. Otura meji
14. Irete meji
15. Ose meji
16. Ofun meji
17. Ogbe oyeku
18. Ogbe iwori
19. Ogbe odi
20. Ogbe irosun
21.Ogbe owonrin
22. Ogbe obara
23. Ogbe okanran
24. Ogbe ogunda
25. Ogbe osa
26. Ogbe Ika
27. Ogbe otuurupon
28. Ogbe otura
29. Ogbe irete
30. Ogbe ose
31. Ogbe ofun.
32. Oyeku ogbe
33. Oyeku iwori
34. Oyeku odi
35. Oyeku irosun
36. Oyeku owonrin
37. Oyeku obara
38. Oyeku okanran
39. Oyeku ogunda
40. Oyeku osa
41. Oyeku ika
42. Oyeku otuurupon
43. Oyeku otura
44. Oyeku irete
45. Oyeku ose
46. Oyeku ofun
47. Iwori ogbe
48. Iwori oyeku
49. Iwori odi
50. Iwori irosun
51. Iwori owonrin
52. Iwori obara
53. Iwori okanran
54. Iwori ogunda
55. Iwori osa
56. Iwori ika
57. Iwori otuurupon
58. Iwori otura
59. Iwori irete
60. Iwori ose
61. Iwori ofun
62. Odi ogbe
63. Odi oyeku
64. Odi iwori
65. Odi irosun
66. Odi owonrin
67. Odi obara
68. Odi okanran
69. Odi ogunda
70. Odi osa
71. Odi ika
72. Odi otuurupon
73. Odi otura
74. Odi irete
75. Odi ose
76. Odi ofun
77. Irosun ogbe
78. Irosun oyeku
79. Irosun iwori
80. Irosun odi
81. Irosun owonrin
82. Irosun obara
83. Irosun okanran
84. Irosun ogunda
85. Irosun osa
86. Irosun ika
87. Irosun otuurupon
88. Irosun otura
89. Irosun irete
90. Irosun ose
91. Irosun ofun
92. Owonrin ogbe
93. Owonrin oyeku
94. Owonrin iwori
95. Owonrin odi
96. Owonrin irosun
97. Owonrin obara
98. Owonrin okanran
99. Owonrin ogunda
100. Owonrin osa
101. Owonrin ika
102. Owonrin otuurupon
103. Owonrin otura
104. Owonrin irete
105. Owonrin ose
106. Owonrin ofun
107. Obara ogbe
108. Obara oyeku
109. Obara iwori
110. Obara odi
111. Obara irosun
112. Obara owonrin
113. Obara okanran
114. Obara ogunda
115. Obara osa
116. Obara ika
117. Obara otuurupon
118. Obara otura
119. Obara irete
120. Obara ose
121. Obara ofun
122. Okanran ogbe
123. Okanran oyeku
124. Okanran iwori
125. Okanran odi
126. Okanran irosun
127. Okanran owonrin
128. Okanran obara
129. Okanran ogunda
130. Okanran osa
131. Okanran ika
132. Okanran otuurupon
133. Okanran otura
134. Okanran irete
135. Okanran ose
136. Okanran ofun
137. Ogunda ogbe
138. Ogunda oyeku
139. Ogunda iwori
140. Ogunda odi
141. Ogunda irosun
142. Ogunda owonrin
143. Ogunda obara
144. Ogunda okanran
145. Ogunda osa
146. Ogunda ika
147. Ogunda otuurupon
148. Ogunda otura
149. Ogunda irete
150. Ogunda ose
151. Ogunda ofun
152. Osa ogbe
153. Osa oyeku
154. Osa iwori
155. Osa odi
156. Osa irosun
157. Osa owonrin
158. Osa obara
159. Osa okanran
160. Osa ogunda
161. Osa ika
162. Osa otuurupon
163. Osa otura
164. Osa irete
165. Osa ose
166. Osa ofun
167. Ika ogbe
168. Ika oyeku
169. Ika iwori
170. Ika odi
171. Ika irosun
172. Ika owonrin
173. Ika obara
174. Ika okanran
175. Ika ogunda
176. Ika osa
177. Ika otuurupon
178. Ika otura
179. Ika irete
180. Ika ose
181. Ika ofun
182. Otuurupon ogbe
183. Otuurupon oyeku
184. Otuurupon iwori
185. Otuurupon odi
186. Otuurupon irosun
187. Otuurupon owonrin
188. Otuurupon obara
189. Otuurupon okanran
190. Otuurupon ogunda
191. Otuurupon osa
192. Otuurupon ika
193. Otuurupon otura
194. Otuurupon irete
195. Otuurupon ose
196. Otuurupon ofun
197. Otura ogbe
198. Otura oyeku
199. Otura iwori
200. Otura odi
201. Otura irosun
202. Otura owonrin
203. Otura obara
204. Otura okanran
205. Otura ogunda
206. Otura osa
207. Otura ika
208. Otura otuurupon
209. Otura irete
210. Otura ose
211. Otura ofun.
212. Irete ogbe
213. Irete oyeku
214. Irete iwori
215. Irete odi
216. Irete irosun
217. Irete owonrin
218. Irete obara
219. Irete okanran
220. Irete ogunda
221. Irete osa
222. Irete ika
223. Irete otuurupon
224. Irete otura
225. Irete ose
226. Irete ofun
227. Ose ogbe
228. Ose oyeku
229. Ose iwori
230. Ose odi
231. Ose irosun
232. Ose owonrin
233. Ose obara
234. Ose okanran
235. Ose ogunda
236. Ose osa
237. Ose ika
238. Ose otuurupon
239. Ose otura
240. Ose irete
241. Ose ofun
242. Ofun ogbe
243. Ofun oyeku
244. Ofun iwori
245. Ofun odi
246. Ofun irosun
247. Ofun owonrin
248. Ofun obara
249. Ofun okanran
250. Ofun ogunda
251. Ofun osa
252. Ofun ika
253. Ofun otuurupon
254. Ofun otura
255. Ofun irete
256. 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

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