4- Cowry / Obi Divination

This article is for those that have begun to study 4-Cowry / Obi divination.

It's nice to have a variety of visual aids. Every one learns differently. When using Obi or Cowry for divination non-initiated should not be marking Odu. Your purpose is to get Yes/No answers from your Ancestors, not Deity. There are no exceptions to this guideline and you are not empowered to decide when it can change. Now once you receive the consecrated shrine of a Deity, from a priest, you may use this system to communicate with that Deity, but again, you are only seeking Yes/No answers.

However, there is no reason why you shouldn't know an Odu on the divination mat when you see one. This can help you understand what's going on when you are receiving divination from an Awo or Ol'Orisa. This comes in handy if you are meeting a priest for the first time and what to be sure they are being honest about what Odu manifested in your consultation. For this reason I have added the name of each 16 primary Odu that correlate with the system.

Answers come in Ejife (Yes), Etawa (Yes, with a struggle) and Okanran (No, with a struggle). Alafia (stong Yes) and Oyeku / Eji Oko (strong no) are all possible with 4-cowry/ obi divination.

4 COWRY/ OBI DIVINATION CHART AVAILABLE SOON

SCENARIOS

Question: I asked if I could get a job at this bank and now that I am here I am terribly unhappy. Did I misinterpret the answer I got?
Reply: Well, you asked if you could, not if you should, which may be the source of your dissatisfaction. Some ancestors will want you to begin to see the difference between the two and why its important to be willing to give up your desire to make way for your spiritual Destiny, which may not be your first emotional choice.

Question: I have been getting a lot of Oyeku during my divination sessions. What's wrong? Am I in trouble?
Reply: When you get Oyeku, you should stop that line of questioning and let a priest take it from there. There may be issues that can't be resolved through 4-cowry at this point. Some priests may encourage you to ask if Ancestors want something, like an offering or ritual at this juncture. You should follow your own lineage protocol.

Question: My readings are not accurate all of the time. What am I doing wrong?
Reply: Ask yourself a battery of questions: Am I sure I know how to accurately identify Yes, No, and Struggle and am I taking the time to be sure I am doing just that? Am I feeding my Ancestors on schedule like I promised them? Do I try to push certain issues until I get a Yes? Have I took my notes to someone and shown them the results of one of my readings? Do they agree to the interpretation? Do I ask one question but think another? Has a priest consecrated my Ancestor shrine yet?

Question: Why can't I throw 16 cowry or perform some other system of divination to my Ancestors or Deity just because I am not initiated as a priest?
Reply: Because you are interested in practicing Afrikan spirituality. Afrikans believe certain forms of divination require spiritual initiation and training. Even if you live in a city with no priests, you can not change the system, or it isn't Afrikan anymore, its based on your imagination. And it won't work.

Question: I got Alafia but I am still having some difficulties acting on a reading I got.
Reply: Alafia never means that you don't have to apply effort. It means you are alignment with your spiritual destiny. That is, the intended action is what you are supposed to be doing. Some people throw a second time after Alafia to check to make sure they don't have ego issues or have gotten to eager.

Question: Do the Ancestors ever trick us with the answers they give?
Reply: If you have to ask, then the answer is yes...for you. Sometimes we try to get around the ethics of an issue or the hard work of activity and we are hoping that our Ancestors will give us an easy way out. We may be avoiding the real questions or only asking questions that allow us to be comfortable with the work. Or we may be asking them if they help us out by aiding us in "getting over" on someone or something. If we come back and we find that things played out totally different than we expected, we can blame our self, not them. Sometimes I tell my son exactly what he wants to hear, so that next time he will know better.

Question: What are some examples of good questions to ask my Ancestors?
Reply:

1. Am I in alignment with my Destiny?
2. Am I in the right field of work?
3. Am I ready for a mate?
4. Is now a good time for having children?
5. Is there something I can do to prevent loss in an upcoming legal dispute?
6. Should I take a stand on this political issue?
7. Do the Ancestors approve of my political views?
8. Do the Ancestors approve of my lifestyle choices?
9. Would I learn something positive from making friends with so-and-so?
10. Can so-and-so be trusted with my secrets at this time? *
11. Can you help me identify spiritual exercises that will help me be more disciplined?
12. Am I in any immediate danger from others? *
13. Is this a good time to find a home I can afford and buy it?
14. Is this home that I have picked out free of unseen dangers?
15. Is so-and-so lieing to me? *
16. Am I prepared for my upcoming exams?
17. Should I share the results of this reading with anyone other than my spiritual advisor?

* Divination should provide security, confidence and insight. It should not be used to perpetuate (instigate or encourage) drama, intrigue, gossip and anger between folks. You should not be going to your Ancestors every day to look for justifications for your emotions concerning the people around you. Ask, act and move on. The questions marked with asteriks require maturity and restraint. Most of all, they require that we examine our own character and behavior.

This web page does not prepare you to begin using 4-cowry divination. The only good way to begin learning is with an elder.

Effectively Communicating with the Egun Part 1

Effectively Communicating with the Egun Part 2

While We Danced, Our Egun Sized Each Other Up!

This page was updated: 5/25/05