The number 16, is one of the primary numbers in the Sacred Science of Ifa.
Central to the structure and practice of Ifa, is the Odu.
The Ifa literary corpus is called Odu, which consists of 256 parts subdivided into verses called “ese”.
The exact number of each “ese” is unknown, “as they are constantly increasing (there are around 800 ese per odu)” and “each ese has an equal and opposite meaning.”
In Ifa, the Odu consists of 16 principal signs, each symbolized by single or double lines. These lines, reminiscent of the binary digits 0 and 1, create a system with 256 possible combinations.
The Odu are an extensive corpus of texts, which also serve as mathematical formulas
“The Ifa divination system, which makes use of an extensive corpus of texts and mathematical formulas, is practiced among Yoruba communities and by the African diaspora in the Americas and the Caribbean.”
According to Yoruba mythology, Ọrunmila, the Orisha of Wisdom, knowledge, and Divination, is the creator of Ifá.
The word IFA, in the English Ordinal cipher equals 16:
In the Sacred Science of the Yoruba, Olorun who created the universe and decided the earth should be created, assigning the task to Obatala.
Obatalá who is the creator of the world and humanity, is also referred to the owner of all heads and the mind.
The word OBATALA, in the Full Reduction cipher equals 16:
Ogun is the sacred archetype of war and iron, and he is the guardian of barbers, blacksmiths, butchers, goldsmiths, hunters, all workers in iron and steel.
He stands for justice and is called on to witness covenants.
The word OGUN, in Septenary cipher equals 16:
Olokun is the owner of the rivers and seas, and controls the realm that human spirits must cross to be born or depart after passing away.
The word OLOKUN, in the Septenary cipher equals 16:
Ọrunmila of the Yoruba, in Latin America is known Ọrúnla or Orúla.
“Orula is associated with clarity, wisdom, and the ability to see and to know the entirety of existence; specifically, Orula can see into the future and is therefore primarily known as the Orisha of prophecy.”
The word ORULA, in the Septenary cipher equals 16:
When conducting an Ifa divination ritual, the Babalawo (priest) sprinkles wood powder over the smooth inner surface of a wooden tray.
The wooden tray in the Yoruba language, is Opon Ifa.
The Opon Ifa, along with the Odu are described in cosmological terms as functioning as a “womb”.
The linguistic construct of “Opon Ifa”, is encoded with another manifestation of the number 16.
The 16th prime number in mathematics, is 53.
The word WOMB, in the English Ordinal cipher equals 53:
The phrase THE IFA DIVINATION, in the Septenary cipher equals 66:
The phrase IFA SPIRITUALITY, in the Septenary cipher equals 66:
The role of the number 16 in the Sacred Science of Ifa, is seen in a multiplicity of ways: There are the 16 principal signs of the Odu, and there are 16 Rules or Laws of Ifa.
The 256 possible combinations of Odu, is another manifestation of 16, because 16^16= 256.
The number 16, in written form is SIXTEEN.
The phrase SIXTEEN LAWS OF IFA, in the Chaldean cipher equals 66:
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