Taboos (Eewo) in the Ifá Tradition: What Every Seeker Needs to Know

Taboos in Ifá, known as eewo, are sacred restrictions that protect your path and keep your life in balance. In this post, you will learn what taboos truly mean in the Ifá tradition, how they are revealed, and why every seeker should understand them. This guide is designed to give Ifá beginners and experienced devotees alike a clear, grounded foundation for navigating eewo with respect.

Updated on January 21, 2026

What Are Taboos in the Ifá Tradition?

In the Ifá tradition, taboos, known as eewo, are specific actions, behaviors, foods, or environments a person must avoid to stay in balance with their destiny. These restrictions protect the individual, strengthen their alignment with their Ori, and prevent unnecessary challenges. Taboos are structured forms of protection established through divine instruction and revealed through Ifá divination.

Taboos fall into four main categories:

Universal Taboos

These apply to everyone. They include actions or behaviors that disrupt order, integrity, or iwa pele (gentle character). Universal taboos guide the community toward responsible conduct.

Communal Taboos

Communal taboos apply to an entire community, town, region, or cultural group. They often come from long-standing agreements between the people and the forces that govern the land. These taboos maintain social harmony and reinforce respect for collective identity.

Family Taboos

Family or ancestral taboos apply to a person’s bloodline. They originate from decisions made by ancestors or from agreements established in earlier generations. These taboos protect the lineage from repeating patterns of conflict, loss, or imbalance.

Individual Taboos

Individual taboos apply only to one person. They can be revealed through Ifá divination when receiving:

• The Hand of Ifá
• Full Ifá Initiation

They can also naturally come up during regular Ifá readings. However, a full or permanent list of taboos can’t be revealed in this context. 

These taboos reflect your natural strengths and vulnerabilities. They serve as a personalized guide for staying aligned, stable, and protected throughout life.

Why Do Taboos Exist in Ifá?

Taboos exist in the Ifá tradition to protect a person’s destiny, reinforce order, and prevent avoidable hardships. Each taboo serves a functional purpose, keeping the individual and the community aligned with the principles of good character, discipline, and balance. These restrictions reflect agreements made before birth.

For example, a person may receive a taboo that prohibits swimming in deep or open water because they are more vulnerable to drowning incidents. Another person may be told to avoid eating fish because their destiny includes sensitivities or allergies that could lead to severe reactions. These instructions reflect real risks and offer protection against potential harm.

Taboos help prevent a person from entering environments, engaging in behaviors, or making decisions that weaken their energy or expose them to negative interferences. They also ensure that communities maintain respect for the forces governing their land and heritage.

By following taboos, seekers avoid patterns that lead to conflict, instability, or loss. In this way, taboos operate as protective boundaries that support both personal and collective well-being.

How Are Taboos Revealed to a Person?

Taboos are revealed through structured, lineage-based processes in the Ifá tradition. They do not come from intuition, guesswork, or random online information. A person learns their taboos through Ifá divination, where a Babalawo communicates with Orunmila to identify the restrictions that protect that person’s destiny.

Some taboos are temporary, meaning they apply only to a specific situation or season in a person’s life. These often come through regular Ifá divination when a seeker faces a particular challenge or needs guidance for a short-term issue. Temporary taboos help the person avoid immediate conflict or loss.

Other taboos are permanent and revealed during major rites, such as the full Ifá initiation. These lifetime taboos outline long-term protective boundaries tied directly to a person’s destiny. They remain in place from the moment they are received.

Taboos cannot be invented by individuals or assumed based on trends. Only Babalawos from recognized Ifá lineages have the authority to identify them correctly. This ensures that the guidance a person receives is accurate, grounded, and aligned with the forces governing their path.

What Happens When Someone Breaks a Taboo?

When a person breaks a taboo, the consequences can be immediate or gradual. They can also occur whether the violation was accidental or intentional. 

Taboos are protective boundaries tied directly to a person’s destiny. Once those boundaries are crossed, the individual becomes more vulnerable to hardship, interference, or instability. Many people face ongoing difficulties without realizing they are living outside the restrictions set for their path.

Breaking a taboo can lead to financial setbacks, relationship conflicts, recurring obstacles, health concerns, or a pattern of misfortune. These outcomes appear because the person has stepped away from the conditions that safeguard their progress.

The difference between accidental and intentional violations is not the seriousness of the outcome but the awareness the person had at the time. Willful violations may signal resistance or disregard for instruction. Accidental violations usually indicate that the person never received the guidance they needed about their taboos. 

In both cases, the proper response is to consult an Ifá priest who can identify the root issue. Then, they can reveal relevant taboos and prescribe corrective measures to realign the individual.

How Taboos Appear in Daily Life

Taboos in the Ifá tradition can show up in many forms. They may involve foods, behaviors, environments, rituals, or elements that conflict with a person’s destiny. 

The examples below help seekers understand how eewo functions in daily life. These are general illustrations because actual taboos must be revealed through Ifá divination.

Dietary Taboos

Some people are instructed to avoid certain foods because those foods can pose risks or deplete their energy. This may include avoiding meats that conflict with their genetic makeup or alcohol because it heightens vulnerability.

Behavioral Taboos

These taboos protect a person from patterns that lead to conflict or repeated misfortune. Examples include avoiding gossip or deception, reckless handling of money, or confrontational environments that attract instability.

Environmental Taboos

Certain environments pose specific danger to a person’s path. A seeker may be instructed to avoid deep water due to a heightened risk of drowning, nightlife spaces that attract negative energy, or high-risk areas where accidents are more likely.

Ritual Taboos

These taboos maintain order within the tradition. Examples include not touching consecrated tools without permission, performing ritual acts reserved for initiated individuals, or avoiding unconsecrated divination tools.

Color or Element Taboos

Some taboos involve avoiding colors, metals, or natural elements that conflict with the person’s destiny. A person may be instructed to avoid a specific color, such as red, that attracts opposing forces.

These examples demonstrate the practical nature of taboos and how they shape daily experience. A qualified Ifá priest must always identify actual taboos, since they are personalized and tied to each person’s destiny.

Myths and Misconceptions About Taboos

Many seekers begin their journey with ideas about taboos that do not reflect the structure and practice of the Ifá tradition. These myths can lead to confusion, fear, or reliance on incomplete information. 

The points below address some of the most common misconceptions so seekers can approach eewo with a grounded understanding.

Myth 1: All taboos apply to everyone

Not all taboos are universal rules. They are individualized through destiny, family history, and ancestral agreements. Each person receives the taboos that are meant for their path.

Myth 2: You can ignore taboos if they feel inconvenient

Taboos exist to prevent avoidable hardships. When a person ignores them, the protective boundaries tied to their destiny dissipate. This often results in setbacks or repeated challenges.

Myth 3: You can learn your taboos through a tarot or psychic reading

Taboos must be revealed through Ifá divination. Other methods, such as tarot readings or psychic divination, cannot identify destiny-based restrictions, and relying on them can lead to confusion, missed guidance, or incorrect guidance.

Applying Ifá Wisdom in Everyday Life

Understanding taboos is part of learning how Ifá guidance works in daily practice. The steps below help seekers approach the tradition with respect, discipline, and awareness.

• Explore the Path of Ifá: Learn how Ifá priests identify taboos through Ifá divination. Pay attention to how taboos function in the tradition so you can recognize them as protective instructions, not general rules.
• Discern the Path of Ifá: Reflect on the areas where you experience repeated setbacks or conflict. Discernment helps you recognize when a taboo may be influencing your life and when you may need guidance.
• Align with the Path of Ifá: Build relationships with Ifá priests who can accurately reveal your taboos. Alignment comes from honoring the restrictions given to you rather than following assumptions or online advice.
• Walk the Path of Ifá: Apply the taboos you receive and adjust your behavior accordingly. When you are ready for guidance rooted in tradition and accuracy, connect with our team at Asanee 44 to receive destiny-aligned support.

Honoring Your Taboos For Balanced Living

Taboos guide seekers toward choices that support their destiny and keep their lives in balance. They outline the boundaries that allow a person to avoid unnecessary conflict and stay aligned with the agreements that shape their path. 

When a person understands the purpose behind these sacred restrictions, they can follow Ifá with more confidence and respect for the forces that govern their journey. If you feel called to understand your own taboos or receive deeper guidance, you can connect with our team at Asanee 44 for Ifá divination and support grounded in lineage and tradition.

Common Questions About Taboos in Ifá

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