This proverb is well known in the Spanish-speaking world and isn't linked only to the Lucumí  religion in Cuba.  It probably has its roots in the Judeo-Christian tradition of medieval Spain, but it expresses an idea that is typical of the Lucumí worldview.  Irosun (4) talks about the inability to see what's in front of our eyes and the complex nature of human perception.  The way we interpret what we're seeing depends on what we're thinking and feeling at any given moment in time, on our life experience, our mindset, our belief system.   At a later date, especially with the benefit of hindsight, we might see the same thing in a different light and understand it in a new way.  Irosun reminds us that we can't see what lies beyond the horizon, or what has not come into being yet. We can only imagine it in our mind's eye, and we might be wrong, so we have to keep our eyes open and be prepared to rethink our vision of things if the need arises.  

Osa (9) speaks about change and transformation that comes into our life like a storm, clearing away all the things that once existed and creating a space for something new.  Most humans don't like sudden change, especially when it involves things totally out of our control.  When we're in the middle of a hurricane, we can't tell what's coming or going, what's up or down.  The force of change is overwhelming and often scary because it erases the familiar and substitutes it with the unknown.

Life goes in cycles and brings us both good and bad things.  We get hit with moments of loss, hardship, crisis, upheaval, and when we're in the middle of those things, it's hard to believe that anything good can come of it.  Of course it's overly simplistic to tell someone who's just lost his job that "something good will come of it."  For the person who's worried about how to pay the bills, or unsure when a new job might appear, or for the person who genuinely liked the old job and wanted to keep it, it's upsetting to experience this kind of loss.  Yet, very often a new job comes along that's better, or the person is prompted to change careers and do something more interesting or perhaps even move to a new location and meet new people, starting a whole new life elsewhere.  The end of something opens a space for the beginning of something else.  It's just a matter of shifting your perspective, to see the good when only the bad is staring you in the face.

Some hardships are especially difficult to bear, and they can linger much longer than we want them to.  The world is full of tragedy, sickness, loss, and death, and some of these events are devastating.  But, the people who live through them usually acquire great emotional, spiritual, even physical strength. They discover they're capable of bearing the pain, dealing with the difficult issues, surviving the loss, and they're still glad to be alive, despite the pain they suffered.  They go on to construct new lives.  They didn't want anything bad to happen, but they had to live through it because there was no other option. Coming out the other side allows people to shift their perspective, to find something new that inspires or uplifts them so they can anticipate a future that's brighter and gradually put the past behind them.

Lucumí tradition teaches us that good and bad are connected; if we weren't aware of the existence of one, we wouldn't be able to perceive the other. The contrast between the two is what gives both meaning.   The good isn't necessarily born from the bad, but passing through the bad first makes us appreciate and value the good that comes later.  Sometimes old words of wisdom are more than a cliché. They speak universal truths about the nature of human life.

(2-6)  La conversación que no produce la acción es como el silencio.  Talk that doesn't produce action is the same as silence.

The meaning of this proverb is clear at first glance: unless words are followed by action, they have no meaning.  In fact, it's the relationship between the word and the thing it represents or symbolizes that allows us to communicate through language.  If someone says they will take out the garbage, the words have meaning only if there's a connection between them and the bag of garbage ending up in the trash bin outside.  If the action isn't connected to the words, the words are empty of meaning.  When we give our word to someone, it's a promise to take action.  The failure to follow through causes the listener to feel disappointment and, eventually, lose belief in the speaker.  And the speaker feels a sense of guilt, perhaps even low self esteem, because his word has become meaningless to other people. 

Obara (6) always reminds us of the importance of our word and cautions us to use words wisely.  People under the influence of Obara are sometimes big talkers, full of plans, full of self-congratulations and self-praise for all the wonderful things they've done and plan to do, and they exude enthusiasm through their dramatic and colorful way of speaking. They have the gift of gab, and can easily convince other people that they're going to accomplish miracles.  However, their attention can be short lived and they sometimes have trouble following through on the tedious day to day planning and hard work it takes to carry out projects.  It's more fun to talk about what we're going to do instead of settling down to do it.   Over time, this tendency to leave everything up in the air and not follow through with promises causes others to dismiss our words as empty talk, and they no longer listen to us when we talk about what we're going to do next.  We may as well be silent for all the effect our words have.

The influence of Eyioko (2) suggests that this problem of empty talk might be particularly significant in terms of family relations.  When the compound Odu 2-6 comes up in a reading for a client, it suggests that that client is having conflicts with someone in the family, perhaps brothers and sisters, or with very close friends who are like family to him.  It can also extend in some cases to problems in a marriage, or between children and parents.  Someone in the family is doing a lot of talking, but not following through with the promised action.  This has contributed to a stressful situation in the household, and probably to a lack of respect.  Empty talk is frustrating to the listener(s) and detrimental to the self-esteem of the speaker. The client needs to identify who in the family is talking but not taking action; then, he needs to take steps to correct that situation.  If he's not taking the action that's expected of him, he needs to figure out why.  Why is he making promises or plans that he has no intention of doing?  Is he trying to impress other people, or fool himself into thinking he's more productive and creative than he really is?  Is he taking on too much and can't do what he talks about because he's overwhelmed and unfocused?  Maybe he needs to plant his feet more firmly on the ground and be more realistic about setting goals and making plans.  Or, maybe he needs to be quiet and focus on getting something accomplished before he talks about it.   If the client identifies another person in the family as the guilty party, he needs to figure out why he's letting that situation frustrate him so much, and how he feels about the person who's always talking hot air.  Perhaps a serious conversation is in order or, in the worst case scenario, if the situation can't be fixed, the client can think about breaking off the relationship.  Families are complex and tensions are inevitable between family members sometimes, but if individuals want respect, they have to make their word mean something.   If you're not willing to take action, don't talk about it as if you were. Silence is more honest. It doesn't lead to broken promises and disappointment.  

Want to know more about how proverbs work as part of a larger divination system?  Read the article here about patakis (sacred stories) and proverbs as systems of knowledge.