Obi Divination with Four Shells or Coconuts

AIRR Readers & Rootworkers

Obi divination is a quick and easy form of fortune-telling comprising a cast or thrown
reading determined by four coconut pieces, four cowrie shells that have had their
tops cut off, or four coins. Obi readings entered hoodoo through contact between
American spiritual practitioners of conjure and initiates of African Diasporic religions
such as Santeria (also known as Lukumi, or La Regla de Ocha).
Obi will only reply to questions that can be answered "Yes or No. To tell your
fortune, the psychic reader will hold the set of four items in his or her hand, pray
over your question, then gently toss the items down onto the ground or onto a mat,
and look to see how they fell. Cowries can fall "mouth" side up (open) or "mouth"
side down (closed). Coconut pieces can fall white meat side up or dark skin side up.
Coins can fall heads up or or tails up. Mathematically, the toss will generate one of
sixteen possible combinations, which are grouped into five possible answers:

Four cowrie shells used to perform an Obi reading

Alafia: 4 mouth-up cowries; 4 white coconuts; 4 heads.
Blessings! A Yes to whatever you asked about and you may get even more
than you requested or it will come sooner than you hoped. Alafia means "peace."
It represents all of the light that is available and able to assist you. It is "Yes" with
a blessing of peace.
Etawa: 3 mouth-up and 1 mouth-down cowries; 3 white and 1 dark
coconut; 3 heads and 1 tails.
A "Maybe" answer. Etawa is an unstable response, and requires a second
throwing of the Obi to ascertain whether the answer is yes or no. If the second
toss is Alafia, Etawa or Ejife, the answer is yes. If the second toss is Okanran or
Oyekun then the answer is no.
Ejife: 2 mouth-up and 2 mouth-down; 2 white and 2 dark coconuts; 2
heads and 2 tails.
This is an absolute Yes -- but you are cautioned not to ask any further questions
on this subject, or the Orisha Spirit of Divination may get mad. Ejife is positive
because it represents perfect balance. It indicates blessings of knowledge with
experience, and, as such, it may require more effort than Alafia.
Okana Sode or Okanran: 1 mouth-up and 3 mouth-down; 1 white and 3
dark coconuts; 1 heads and 3 tails.
No. What you asked wont happen. Okanran is a firm no. The level of
contraction or opposition indicates much work needed before the blessings in
question could come to fruition.
Oyekun: 4 mouth-down cowries; 4 dark coconuts; 4 tails.
This is a very strong No, and it furthermore indicates that you may need serious
spiritual cleansing in order to clear away the negative conditions that surround
this issue in your life. Oyekun represents total darkness and the spirits of the
dead can speak through this answer. There is an elusive element to the situation,
or the spirits may be asking for something. Obi readers will proceed with a series
of questions to ascertain the nature of the darkness, or if the spirits desire
something. Once the obstacle is determined, the remedy is applied and the
reading addressing the original issue can resume.