How to Perform an Ifá Consultation

Idafa or Ifá dídá — informally called Ayewo, and known to the world as Ifá reading or divination — is the divine method through which a human being seeks the guidance of Ifá to proffer solutions to problems and understand who they are within the Yoruba spiritual system.

During consultation, Ifá proffers solution through ebo (sacrifice) and ibo (propitiation). In Ifá cosmology, divination began in Ikole Orun (heaven): every Irunmole who wished to descend to this world first made Ifá consultation — and Olodumare Himself seeks Ifá's counsel in heaven.

According to Ifá myth, consultation started in heaven when the Irunmole descended from Isalu Orun to Isalu Aye. Many stanzas open with: "O dífá fun … nigba to n ti Isalu Orun bo wale Aye" — "Ifá divined for … when he was coming from heaven to earth."

Oduduwa made Ifá consultation before his creation mission and succeeded; Obatala did not consult, and failed. Olodumare chose Ọ̀rúnmìlà as custodian of Ifá and intermediary between heaven and humanity — the first to establish the cult of Ifá on earth.

People seek Ifá consultation to ascertain the pros and cons of what they intend to do — in good times and in bad:

• To know one's life path — Ikosedaye
• Choosing a career or occupation
• Mate selection and marriage
• When an individual is sick
• Success in business and ventures
• Inquiries before traveling
• Guidance on important decisions and steps ahead

The seeker is the Onidafa. In the olden days the client went to the Awo's temple and initiated the interaction with a greeting:

Aboruboye nile Ifa oo
I greet you in this Ifá house; may your ebo be accepted, and may you live long.

The Awo responds:

Ogbo ato, Asure Iworiwofun, e kabo
May you live long; may the blessing of Iworiwofun be upon you; you are welcome.

The client then says: "mo fe ba Ifa ani gbolohun" — "I want to communicate with Ifá." Some Awo once travelled with the Apo Jerugbe (the Ifá bag) — though hawking is forbidden. In this information age, clients may book consultation by phone or internet, across borders and continents.

To maintain the prestige of the priesthood, the holy Odu Oturupon Otua forbids a Babalawo from hawking his trade home to home. The client must come to the Awo — never the reverse.

Exceptions to the Rule

• A whole town, city or organization — Atamu Ifa, where the Ikin is carried to the centre of the populace; the title-holder Odugbona (or the town's Oluawo) arranges it.
• Kings and high persons — Ifa Oloja: rulers, high chiefs and officials may call the Awo to them.
• Charity — consultation for the weak and sick who cannot move, offered without fees.

Not everything requires Ifá consultation. Some seekers only need advice, encouragement, or the application of reason. An astute Awo listens patiently and counsels accordingly — he cannot impose divination on a client who wants something else.

Amoran ni a n da, ki a to da Ifa
It is discussion and advice we first engage in, before we make Ifá consultation.

Before an acceptable Ifá consultation can be made, eight to nine steps must be observed chronologically:

1. Choosing or selection of the Ikin Ifá (or preparing the Opele)
2. Prayer request of the client on the Ikin or Opele
3. Ijuba — paying homage to Olodumare and the divinities
4. Idafa — casting the Ikin or throwing the Opele to reveal the Odu
5. Using Ibo to narrow the message to Ire or Ibi
6. Ascertaining the nature of the Ire or Ibi
7. Cross-examination between the Awo and the client
8. Selecting the ebo and propitiation required
9. The observance of ebo

Two instruments are most valid: Ikin (sacred palm nuts) and Opele (divination chain). A genuine Ikin is not an ordinary palm nut — it bears four to six eyes at its base:

• Osa — 3 eyes: not regarded as valid Ikin in most traditions
• Awinrin — 4 eyes: genuine, complete Ikin
• 5 eyes: very valid
• Oduso — 6 eyes: most available and most valid

Sixteen Ikin are selected to suit the size of the Awo's palm, following the ancient pattern 5‑5‑3‑2‑1:

Arun Ora — the five for Ora
Arun Osin — the five for Osin
Eta Eguntan — the three for Eguntan
Eji Irete — the two for Irete
Okan soso niti Olufidan — the one for Olufidan

This pattern emanates from the Odu Irosun Irete (Irosun Opinmi): the Babalawo Opinmi, despised by the Awo of Ife Ooyelagbo, threw his Ikin into a river in despair; divers recovered the sixteen in groups of 5‑5‑3‑2‑1. Vindicated before Olofin — whose problem only Opinmi could solve — he became blessed and rich.

The client touches head and chest with the Ikin or Opele (or the money) and offers their prayer. For distant consultation the Awo needs the client's name and mother's name — the father's name is not valid in Ifá.

The Awo then pays homage — Ijuba — removing cap and jewelry in humility:

Iwaju opon o gbo, eyin opon o gbo…
Ma fi ibi pe ire, ma fi ire pe ibi
Ma fi ololo fohun
Bo ba ti se ri ni ki o wi Ifa
Do not call evil good, nor good evil; do not speak with a deceitful voice; reveal the truth exactly as it is.

Where a gathering understands Ifá, they respond: "Àdàṣẹ" — "you will divine with accurate prediction."

The Awo pours the sixteen Ikin into his left palm and scoops with the right hand. What remains determines the mark imprinted on the Opon Ifá:

• Two remain → one mark: I — "ti Ifa ba wu meji, ma te okan"
• One remains → two marks: II — "ti Ifa ba wu okan, ma te eji"
• More than two → no mark is made
• Zero remain → repeat — "Epipule ki n ta isu" (empty ground cannot germinate yam)

The first column is for Ọ̀rúnmìlà, the second for Èṣù, until the marks complete and reveal one of the 256 Odu. With the Opele: closed/downward lobes = II, open lobes = I. The Awo announces the Odu loudly, so any learned person present may contribute.

Ibo narrows the Odu's message to yes/no, good/bad: tied cowries = beeni / ire (yes, good); a bone or tooth = beeko / ibi (no, bad); a stone (ota) = conflict; a broken shard (afoku Awo) = loss.

The Order of Ire (Good)

• Ire Aiku — long life (asked with ota, the river pebble that never dies nor sickens)
• Ire Aje — wealth (cowries)
• Ire Isegun Ota — victory over enemies
• Ire Aya — spouse
• Ire Omo — children (sesan, orange seeds)
• Ire Ibujoko — marital bliss / favourable establishment
• Ire gbogbo ayika iwa — blessings all round

The Order of Ibi (Evil)

• Iku — death: Iku Orun (natural), Iku Aaye (unnatural), Iku Afowowafa (personal negligence), Iku enu (misuse of the mouth)
• Arun — disease of body, of mind, or of the purse
• Ija — fight · Ofo — loss · Ejo — litigation · Oran — implication · Ise — suffering
• Ajogun ibi gbogbo — all malevolent forces

After the verses are chanted, the client explains their ordeal — "bi Awo ba ki fun, a kii fun awo ni": when the Babalawo has explained the verses, the client too must explain theirs. The Awo listens and counsels.

Ifá then prescribes ebo (sacrifice) or adimu (propitiation). The five great adimu are: Egungun (baba, iya, onisanyin, ori odo, olufe, odo, obinrin), Orisa, Ifá, Ṣàngó, Ọ̀ṣun — and finally Orun (heaven: the father's or mother's side, represented by the back of the head).