the diviner must now proceed in a set pattern for extracting the rest of the odu's orientations; the

type of ire must be determined so that the client will not miss his blessings. There are a variety of origins for the goodness predicted in odu, and each of these must be named until the oracle marks one as the source. The following list is generally accepted as the origin of most ire, although many experienced diviners will personalize it with their own questioning. Begin with the question "Ire Ariku?" and proceed to the end of the list. If none of these can be marked, we say that the source of ire is unknown and not firm; an eb6 (offering) must be marked and the reading will continue as if it fell in mild osogbo. Blessings will come only through the client's own works and good behavior. ire ariku: When this type of ire is predicted, it brings vitality, health, and immortality of the soul; many consider it to be one of the best types of ire that the orishas may give. The word ariku has many translations, the most common being "to not face an untimely death." ire elese eleda: "Goodness at the feet of one's ori." In this orientation, the odu is saying that the luck and evolution will come through the client's own ori, his higher self and guardian angel. ire otonowa: "Goodness from heaven." In this marking of ire, the client will find his blessings falling from the hands of Ol6dumare and all the Spirits of heaven. ire elese ocha: "Goodness at the feet of the orisha." When this type of ire falls, it shows that the evolution and blessings predicted in the odu will come about through one of the orishas speaking in this sign.The diviner must now deviate from normal process. Using the efun and ota, he begins to question the oracle as to which orisha brings the blessings. Starting with the first orisha that speaks in the letter, and continuing in order until the oracle points out which spirit is bringing ire, the diviner should ask, "Ire elese [the name of the orisha]?" Unless the ire in this sign is firm and manifest in this life, this is the spirit that will demand eb6 as larishe (a remedy to overcome osogbo and bring ire). ire elese egun: "Goodness at the feet of the ancestral spirits." This orientation, when marked, says that the ire of odu will manifest through one of the many egun that work on behalf of the client.These can be eith er the blood or spiritual ancestors. In some houses of ocha, diviners insist on marking which egun accompanies the client to bring ire; however, this is excessive and unnecessary. Egun work together on behalf of a single person; and although one may work with many spirit guides or Congolese spirits to further evolution, those are not egun.They are just spirits. When ire elese egun is marked, the diviner lets the client know that his blessings are coming about through the work of ancestral spirits, and if eboses are called for (eboses is the plural of ebo), they are directed toward egun and not the spirits of another tradition. ire elese ara omi:"Goodness at the feet of the spirits of heaven." This type of ire, ara onu, is often confused and marked with ire elese egun; however, there is a distinction between egun (spiritual/ physical ancestral spirits) and ara onu (the denizens of heaven). First, egun are more tied in with the client's spiritual

and physical makeup. Egun are a part of one's soul and a part of one's genetic makeup. Egun follow an individual his whole life. They are a collective energy that work continually for his or her evolution if they are given love and spiritual care. Ara omi are different. These are spirits unrelated to the client physically and spiritually; they are foreign souls that for whatever reason have taken an interest in this person. They can come from any cultural or spiritual background, for heaven does not discriminate on the basis of religion, and in the end, we all worship one creative force: God or Goddess. Offerings made to ara onu may be done with egun; however, the client should be told the distinction between these two types of spirits. ire aye: "Goodness through increase of fortune." This type of blessing explains itself: Financial blessings are predicted in odu if the orisha's advice is followed. ire elese elenu: "Goodness from the speaker's tongue." When this type of ire is marked, we say that it will manifest through the client's words; however, because Eleggua owns the tongue and the alphabet, our own house will say that Eshu (another name for Eleggua), as well as the tongue, brings the blessings predicted. ire low6: This orientation of ire points out that the client is in control of his own ire; the translation is "evolution through works, the client's own hands." The client is advised to work hard, for through his own good works will his salvation out of difficulty be found. ire dedewan t'Olokun: This blessing comes from Olokun; usually, it points out that ire will be found by or through the depths of the ocean. Olokun may also be needed by the client (since having her brings the mysteries of the sea into the client's home), or offerings given to her if the ire is not firm. This is an especially powerful origin of blessing and goodness if it comes about in Olokun's sign, Irosun. ire ashegunota: This orientation of ire points out that the good fortune predicted will be brought by one of the otanes, or sacred stones, of the orishas; different houses, however, will have different ideas as to what this means. In our own house, we first mark which orisha will bring the blessing following the order of orishas that speak in each odu (for this we ask, "Ire elese [name of orisha]?"). Once this has been marked, depending on whether or not the ire is firm, a variety of eboses will be prescribed to that Spirit. Often, the client who comes in an ire ashegunota that is not firm will have to receive that orisha. The client will seek out the stones for this Spirit. ire elese araoko: "Goodness at the feet of the fertile land" is a good translation for this phrase. A person for whom this letter falls needs to travel away from the city, spend time away from the city and civilization, or move deep into the country to find his evolution and ire. ire elese abure: When marked, this type of ire will bring blessings from a brother or sister by blood or ocha. The client must strengthen family/spiritual ties under the influence of this orientation.

ire elese obini: Here, the blessings will come from women. ire elese okuni: Here, the blessings will come from men. ire elese omo: This type of ire will come from one of the client's children. If the client has no children, it will still come from a child. When this type of ire opens in some odu, it marks the arrival or birth of an unexpected child. Additionally, when ire elese omo opens, we prohibit the consultant from having an abortion or a termination of pregnancy. Likewise, the client is prohibited from recommending abortion as an alternative to childbirth. This would forever destroy the ire of this sign, and no eboses can reclaim it. ire elese arubo: "Blessings and goodness at the feet of the elders." This blessing will come through the hands of an elderly person. No matter the letter or advice given by the letter, Obatala figures in this orientation, and the client must spend more time with the elderly; he must give them his total respect. Note that those with gray hair, even if young, must be given respect, because good advice might come from these people . ire ibujoko: "The goodness and blessings of change." When this type of ire is marked, it forebodes many changes for the client, and it is by accepting these changes that the ire will come (almost always, these are catastrophic). The odu that opens on the mat will give hints as to what types of change are being predicted, and the diviner must carefully relay this information. ire alafia: This type of ire brings peace to the client's life. ire elese babatobi: This marking shows that the blessings of the sign will originate with one's own godfather. In our own house we have noticed that this type of ire usually falls in Iroso Umbo (Irosun Elleunle, 4-8 in the diloggun), or else it comes for those who are in dire need of the religion, yet are too poor to afford the ceremonies of the orishas. When this falls, the diviner needs to keep the client's financial state in mind. Additionally, it marks the need for the client to become closer to his own godparent. ire elese iyatobi: This blessing, like the former (ire elese babatobi) comes from one's godmother. The same considerations for ire elese babatobi apply in this orientation. ire banda loguro: From the depths of the earth will this blessing come; it is one of the more mysterious, and it usually requires the reception of the darker orishas (especially orisha Oko). ire elese ewe: When this type of ire is marked, it shows that the evolution predicted would come from mild gambling. Unless the ire is firm and manifest in this life, however, more money could be lost than won. ire elese ori yoko: This blessing will come only if the client is initiated. If the ire is not firm, eboses must be marked to the guardian orisha; and, if this is not known, the head must be marked before this session can come to a close. ire iyeku: This ire marks many tragedies before it will manifest; almost always, it comes through death and inheritance. It can

also mark lawsuits and personal injury claims. In ire iyeku, the diviner should explore options for eb6 so that the ire comes without the tragedy. Once the type of ire has been marked, the diviner writes the odu that was used to open the hand under the opening odu on the piece of paper and writes the type of ire predicted beside this. Remember: If none of these types of ire can be marked, then the ire is not firm; the diviner cannot and must not ask for firmness, or firmness to manifest in this life (the next two questions).The proper procedure in this case is to go to the section in this chapter titled "Marking the Eboses, or Remedies for Odu." There, the diviner will search for an eb6 that will make the ire manifest firmly in this sign. If a type of ire can be marked, the priest/ ess must then determine if the ire predicted is firm. Two questions must be asked: "Ire yale?" ("Is the blessing firm?") and "Ire yale timbelaye?" ("Will the firm blessing manifest in this life?"). If the question to the first is yes, the second must be presented to the oracle; it has answered that the ire is firm. If the answer to the second question is yes, the oracle has answered that not only is the ire predicted firm, but it also will manifest in this life. The oracle has then closed itself and the diviner must relay the information to the client. If the answer to "Ire yale?" is no, then it is known that the ire predicted is kotoyale1 or incomplete. The diviner must mark eb6. If the answer to "Ire yale timbelaye?" is no, then the ire is complete yet not stable (tesitesi) 1 and eb6 must still be marked. A negative answer for either question does not close the oracle, and the diviner will still need to follow the procedures for closing it at the end of this chapter