At Bedtime
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The Iyawo must go to bed dressed this way: socks, underwear, undershirt cap and pyjama if a man and short stockings, bloomers, bodice, quilla (kind of turban) and nightgown if a woman.
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Neither the Iyawo nor the Olosha should ever again sleep naked or with the chest/breast uncovered.
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The Iyawo must know that he/she should sleep on clean white sheets and the personal towel must be white as the rest of the clothes and fabrics he/she wears or uses.
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At bedtime the Iyawo must take off all religious attributes (necklaces and wristlets) except for the Orula Idde and the Obatala metal bracelet because these two symbols are the only protections the Iyawo has while he/she is sleeping.
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Whether a man or a woman, the Iyawo must keep a pair of sandals or the like near the bed because an Iyawo should never walk barefooted.
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The Iyawo must never wear the sleeping clothes to stand by the front door of the house or to go out of the premise.
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While sleeping, the Iyawo must keep a night lamp lit in the bedroom and there should be some dim lights around the house because an Iyawo should never be in complete dark places.
Visiting Other Ile Osha (Temple-Houses)
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The Iyawo must be accompanied by the Oyugbona when visiting other Ile Osha for the first time. If the Oyugbona is not available, then the godfather/godmother or any of the Yoko Osha witness priests/priestesses must take the Oyugbona’s place. After the first visit, the Iyawo can visit that Ile Osha alone.
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The Oyugbona has to take the Iyawo to the Ile Osha of his/her Yoko Osha witness priests/priestesses where the Iyawo could receive a dish, two candles, two dry coconuts and ten (10) pesos as presents along with any other articles he/she may choose during the visit.
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The godfather/godmother is the one to take the Iyawo to his/her Awofakan ni Orunmila or Ikofafun ni Orunmila godfather so this Ifa priest can talk to the Iyawo through the signs and/or letters that appear on the Osha Ita Notebook. Such conversation must be written down on the notebook.
Developing religious Eating Habits
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The Iyawo must eat his/her food on the wicker mat during the first three months after Yoko Osha. The rest of the year and sixteen days the Iyawó must use the spoon, the dish and the mug/jug (nickel, steel or aluminium made) he/she used during the Initiation and that were consecrated in the Igbodun. The newly initiated priest/priestess should not use a table knife or a fork. If the Iyawo is to eat out, then he/she should carry these utensils to be used at any eating place. The Iyawo should never stand to eat on the street. In case the Iyawo should eat in an Ile Osha different from his/hers then he/she must sit on the wicker mat to eat. The same happens if the Iyawo eats in a friend’s house or elsewhere. The left overs should be offered to Eshu or to an Egun. These remains are gathered and wrapped on a piece of paper and the left on the sidewalk in front of the house. Only if the Iyawo eats at work or if his/her profession and position at work demands a different attitude, the Iyawo is exempted from these rules. However, the Oba should ask about it on the Day of Ita.
Note: The Iyawo must keep the spoon, the dish and the hug consecrated during Yoko Osha in a safe place because if he/she gets ill, these are the utensils to be used for a rapid cure.
Going out from the Ile Osha
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The Iyawo must avoid going out before six (6) in the morning and must be back home any time before 6 pm. After the first three months, the Iyawo must go back home before midnight (12). All those who have to stay out late because of their jobs, must ask about it during Yoko Osha Ita section. In emergencies, the head must be covered with a white cloth or with both hands if there is not any white cloth at hand.
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At 12 mid day or midnight, the Iyawo must be under a ceiling (it could be a house, a porch or any other kind of construction). The Iyawo should not walk on dark roads. He/she should also avoid walking under the sun. All those who have to be in or walk on dark places/roads because of their profession, must ask about it during Yoko Osha Ita section. In emergencies, the head must be covered with a white cloth or with both hands if there is not any white cloth at hand. When the sun rays are perpendicular to the Iyawo’s position on earth, he/she must keep the head covered with, at least, a white cloth.
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The Iyawo must look for a companion when going out from home. However, he/she ought to stay home most of the time. Going out from home must be a first degree necessity and only too solve some priorities he/she should always use a white umbrella and should walk in the shade. The Iyawo must take a sunbath from 8 am to 10 am and from 4 pm to 5:30 pm (if he/she lives in the tropical region). The Iyawo must always avoid the 12 o’clock sun rays. However, he/she should take a sunbath a day.
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The Iyawo should avoid going out under circumstances of extreme atmospheric phenomena or any other kind of natural events including hurricanes, flood, earthquake etc. the Iyawo should never stand by the door or by any windows during such events. In case of emergencies, he/she must cover his/her head with a white cloth and should always follow all safety instructions given by the authorities in charge.
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The Iyawo should not sit in public parks, neither should he/she stand on a corner and he/she must not go to bars/pubs, night clubs, cabarets, market places nor must he/she visit or go to ruined constructions, jails, cemeteries, funeral parlours, hospitals, burials. The Iyawo should never visit seriously injured or ill people. Those Iyawo who have seriously ill close relatives are exempted from these rules if the Iyawo behave prudently and under his/her godfather’s permit. The godfather must take all necessary measures to allow the Iyawo to do it. In the case of the Iyawo whose professions deal with sickness, illnesses; death, etc. namely doctors; nurses, undertakers, etc. the Oba should ask about it on the Yoko Osha Day of Ita.
Taking part in Public and Social Activities
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The Iyawo should not go to public parties, dancing balls, carnivals, fancy dress balls, (masked balls) or masquerades and should also avoid crowded areas or places. All those Iyawo whose professions deal with these social and public activities must ask about their participation. The best moment to ask is during Yoko Osha Day of Ita.
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The Iyawo should not travel by plane or by boat unless his/her Guiding Osha permits him/her to do so. This is so because the Iyawo should always keep the feet on earth and should avoid to and fro movements.
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The Iyawo should avoid dark places like movies (cinemas) and the like. All Iyawo whose professions deal with dark places must ask about it during Yoko Osha Day of Ita.
About Sex Intercourse
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The Iyawo should try to avoid sexual relations until sixteen days after his/her Initiation. The Iyawo must prevent himself/herself from engaging in promiscuous sexual relations with several persons at the same time. This is permanently forbidden.
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Godchildren of the same godfather and Oyugbona are religious brothers and sisters so they cannot have any sexual relations. This is permanently forbidden.
Other rules to be observed
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The female Iyawo or Olosha should know that she must not touch her Osha or Orisha while she is menstruating. She must also decline to take part in initiations; consecrations; ceremonies of any kind, rites or consultations when she has her menstrual period.
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During the first three months, the Iyawo’s Osha and Orisha should remain on a wicker mat on the floor receiving the irradiation (energy) from the Iyawo’s house which now is an Ile Osha (temple house). After the third month, the Iyawo gives the Osha and Orisha coconut and all Osha and Orisha are raised from the floor and placed onto a given position according to the Guiding Osha the Iyawo has.
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The Iyawo must take a bath twice a day. The first one should be in the morning and the second one before bedtime. In both cases the Iyawo should use lukewarm water.
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The Iyawo must know that the godfather, the Oyugbona or any other elders are entitled to demand fulfilment of the Ita advice and life guidance; the Osha Ifa Rules and all religious engagements he/she has made with the elders. However, no one can force the Iyawo to live a life different from the one he/she has chosen. It is his/her option. Olodumare will judge at the end.
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The Iyawo must put some cocoa butter on his/her head every day.
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The Iyawo cannot cast the Dilogun shells nor must he/she take part in any ceremonies, rites, evil action against someone. The Iyawo cannot enter a temple house where a ceremony or some ceremonies are being held. Entering spiritualist centers is also forbidden for an Iyawo.
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The Iyawo must receive the Igbodun (Osha room) after he/she has made the Oshumeta Ebbo and after he/she has completed the Yoko Osha one year and sixteen day period.
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The Iyawo must not enter the Igbodun until he/she receives it properly.
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The Iyawo must know that he/she should ask the godfather/godmother all questions he/she has about religion and the Ita.
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The Iyawo must know that the animals sacrificed during the Ebbo are divided among these priests in this order: Oba (the first to choose), the Oyugbona (the second) and finally the Afeisita.
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The Iyawo must tell his/her elders about any damaging and serious events that may happen in his/her life.
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The Iyawo must not break the Osha Ifa Rules for Santeros. He/she already has a sacred status. During the Yoko Osha one year and sixteen days period, the Iyawo purifies his/her soul and mind. The Iyawo also gets rid of those bad habits he/she had before the Initiation. This a time of changes in which the Iyawo may undergo dramatic situations which may intensify or become more serious with the non fulfilment of the Ita or with the breakage of these rules.
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In the case that the Iyawo cannot do the Ebbo in his/her own house (which now is an Ile Osha) he/she should give entrance to the Osha giving the corresponding offering to Elegua.
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The Iyawo, the Olosha, Babalosha and the Iyalosha should never walk over holes in the ground; sewers; culvert, etc. they all must be very careful when entering caves; tunnels; rubbish dumps, bushes or forests. None of them should ever cross a hose (although they may step on it). All Iyawo whose professions deal with the situations and conditions mentioned above are exempted from these rules. However, the Oba should always ask about it during the Yoko Osha Ita section.
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The Iyawo should never swim in the sea, at the beach, in the river; in a swimming pool, get into a pit (well), lakes, lagoons, dams, etc. All Iyawo whose professions deal with water of any kind are exempted from this rule. However, the Oba should ask about it during the Yoko Osha Ita section.
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During the Yoko Osha one year and sixteen day period, the Iyawo should not give parties in his/her house where he/she has the Osha and Orisha.
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The Iyawo must not hand in anything straight from his/her hands nor must he/she receive anything straight from the hands of others. Everything must be placed on the wicker mat or on the floor then the Iyawo either picks it up or leaves it for someone.
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The Iyawo must not ask for fire to light cigarettes or cigars nor for any other purposes. He/she must not give fire to anyone. The Iyawo should avoid smoking during the Yoko Osha first year and sixteen day period. The Iyawo cannot smoke from anybody else’s cigarette, cigar or pipe.
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The Iyawo should not dance, revolve; spin round nor should he/she run after any object or vehicle in movement. An Iyawo should not climb ladders, scaffolds or roofs, trees; neither should he/she walk onto the upper section of a wall etc. the Iyawo should not jump around or skip and should never walk in the rain. All those Iyawo whose professions deal with the situations mentioned above are exempted from these rules (dancers, construction workers, firemen, etc). However, the Oba should ask about it during the Yoko Osha Ita section.
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The Iyawo must be very careful when riding motorcycles, bicycles, carriages, skates, roller skates (liners), wagons, etc. If the Iyawo must drive a car, truck or bus, he/she should be extremely careful. He/she can look through the mirror to watch the car coming from behind. An Iyawo should never hang on the door or any other part of a vehicle in movement.