Okay, so I’ve been getting into Diloggun divination lately. It’s this old Yoruba system, and it’s pretty wild. You use these cowrie shells – 16 of them – and the way they land tells you stuff. I’m still very much a beginner, so don’t expect any expert readings here, but I wanted to share my first real attempt.
Getting Started
First, I got myself a set of cowrie shells. These aren’t just any shells; they need to be prepared a certain way. I found a set online, and it had everything, from the shells, some tools, a mat etc, for the entire practice.
Next, I spent some time just holding the shells, you know, getting a feel for them. It sounds kinda woo-woo, I know, but it felt important. I wanted to connect with them in some way, so the connection is real!
The Throw
Then came the hard part – actually casting the shells.
I followed instructions I found in some articals, and gently tossed the shells onto a mat. I didn’t want to just throw them down, I wanted to put intention behind it. Then watch the shell fall.
Figuring Out the Odu
Now, here’s where it gets tricky. The way the shells land – how many are open mouth up versus closed mouth up – determines which Odu you get. There are 16 main ones, and then like a gazillion combinations (okay, 256) that give you more specific readings. Honestly, I’m still learning all of them, so I focused on the main Odu that showed up.
- I counted the open shells.
- I checked my little cheat sheet (no shame!) to see which Odu corresponded to that number.
- I read the basic meaning of that Odu.
My First Reading (Kinda)
Okay, so I am not going to lie, the first few times, I was totally lost. Shells everywhere, numbers not making sense, cheat sheet making my eyes cross. But I kept at it. I figured, even if I’m messing it up, the practice is important, right?
Finally, I got a reading that seemed to…resonate? It was one of the main Odus, and the general meaning felt connected to a question I had been pondering. I’m not saying it was a clear-cut answer, but it gave me something to think about, a new perspective.
Still Learning
I am definitely still a newbie at this. I have so much to learn about the different Odus, the associated stories, and how to really interpret the nuances of each reading. But this first try? It was cool. It felt like I was tapping into something ancient and powerful, and that’s pretty exciting, to be honest.
So, yeah, that’s my Diloggun journey so far. I’ll keep practicing and sharing as I go. Maybe one day I’ll actually be good at this!
