The Iyaworaje It is a period of serenity in the life of the Santeria initiate, which requires respect for the Orishas and for the changes that he went to seek at the foot of the Osha.
Osha Rules for Iyawó:
In this year of life, the iyawó must respect rules that have been imposed by the elders of the Yoruba religion with the purpose of the physical and spiritual protection of the newborn.
During the first three months the iyawó should dress appropriately
When the iyawó leaves the saint's room, they must wear their full clothes, always be clean and not use a garment that is not white.
The man must wear a hat and cap, long pants and a T-shirt under his long-sleeved shirt.
The woman must always be seen with her turban and shawl, she must wear long dresses, under these she will wear pantyhose, short stockings, skirt, lycra and bodice in addition to her underwear.
Until he is three months old and one day the Iyawó must eat sitting on his mat
When it comes to eating food, the young santero must do so with his birth china, sitting on his mat. You can join the table after other ceremonies that allow this action are performed.
The iyawó is not photographed or looked at in mirrors
The initiate in the Osha is prohibited from taking photos and looking at himself in mirrors, since religion raises the existence of some paranormal phenomenon that may scare him and cause him harm.
He himself should not give away his photos as they can be the object of curses.
During the Iyaworaje no alcoholic beverages are ingested
This period is for purification, so the ingestion of alcoholic beverages or the consumption of any illicit substance is not recommended. The initiate must not be involved in fights or problems with the law.
The iyawó should not wear makeup, jewelry, or perfume
The use of jewelry is prohibited because the iyawó must always wear their regulation necklaces, this life cycle was conceived within the religion in order to keep the yabó away from ostentation.
The use of fragrances is not recommended as they attract spirits which could torment and cause harm to the initiate.
Women are asked to keep makeup free so that they appear pure and simple before the Orishas, in the same way they are asked not to paint their nails or dye their hair.
The iyawó must not allow his head to be touched
The initiate should not allow under any circumstances that they touch his head because it is his duty to protect his Osha, through this act the mental health of the inexperienced religious can be disturbed and his aura stained with negative energies.
Do not stay in the street after six in the afternoon or after the sun goes down
The iyawó is forbidden to be outside his home at this time since he should not receive serene, thus avoiding being exposed to dark beings.
In the same way, it is necessary that the initiate respect the hours of sleep and rest.
The young santero must not remain among large crowds of people
The newly started santero should not remain in crowds of people as he could absorb bad vibes and unnecessarily pick up osogbos that do not correspond to him.
During the Iyaworaje the person should not be exposed to rainwater
Receiving rainwater directly on the head would harm the initiate in the same way that it will make him prone to illnesses of any kind.
To attend any type of religious activity the Iyawó must be accompanied by his elders
Due to the lack of experience that the initiate has, he must be accompanied by his elders to any religious activity to which he is invited, they will provide protection and guidance in case of any doubt.
What is Toyale? Destiny marked through the Osha
What is an Iyawó? The Initiate who dresses his soul and body in white
