- Yemayá, mother of all and owner of the sea. Yemaya She is the Yoruba deity of the salty waters and the orisha of motherhood. ...
- Oshún, owner of the river and fresh waters. Oshun She is the Yoruba goddess of Love and represents the intensity of feelings and spirituality, human sensuality and femininity.
- Oyá, reckless warrior and owner of the spark. Hey She is the accompanying goddess of the ruling orisha Obbatalá and represents pure air. ...
Full Answer
Who are the Orisha goddesses Yemaya and Oshun?
September 7 and September 8 mark the annual Feast Days of the Orisha Goddesses Yemaya and Oshun, respectively. These Yoruban Goddesses are honored throughout the world by Orisha devotees as the Sacred Keepers of the Waters. Yemaya is the imposing Mother of Oceans, Orisha, Goddess, All Mother from the Yoruban and Afro-Caribbean traditions.
Who is Oshún's sister Yemaya?
Oshún is left with only one dress, which turns yellow from so much washing. Only her sister Yemayá could save her from misfortune. Mother of the world Yemaya She loves Oshún very much and professes a great sisterly love for him. One day Oshún lamented so much difficulty and Yemayá decides to forget his grudges and goes to his aid.
What is Oshun the goddess of?
In some tales She is said to be a mermaid, with a fish’s tail, in other more urban legends some claim She is the equivalent of Mami-water. With Oshun there are no sensual repressions and inhibitions. She is a leader in Her father’s house. She is an independent woman, a matri-focal and androgynous matriarch.
When is Oshun Yemaya 2019?
On Thursday, September 8 at 9:15pm eastern, there is a special event and meditation to Oshun. Yemaya is being celebrated on September 16 for the Full Moon! When you register for the free Full Moon Group, information will be available on how to attend the live event and access the archives.
Are Oshun and Yemaya the same?
In her version of the story, Yemayá and Ochún are sisters who trade physical attributes to help each other. Here is how she phrased the tale: Ochún era una mulata muy linda, tenía un cuerpo muy ele- gante, muy bonita. Pero, no tenía pelo.
Is Oshun the daughter of Yemaya?
Oshun is the youngest of the Orishas & is either the daughter of Yemaya or her younger sister according to different versions of her story.
What is Yemaya the goddess of?
Often depicted as a queenly mermaid, Yemaya is considered the Ocean Mother Goddess in Santería, an Afro-Caribbean religion practiced around the world. With anchored roots in the Yoruba religion, Yemaya was brought over to the New World by enslaved Africans as early as the 16th century.
What is Oshun the goddess of?
Oshun is commonly called the river orisha, or goddess, in the Yoruba religion and is typically associated with water, purity, fertility, love, and sensuality. She is considered one of the most powerful of all orishas, and, like other gods, she possesses human attributes such as vanity, jealousy, and spite.
How do I know if I'm a child of Oshun?
She is one of the most popular and venerated orishas. If you see the number 5 a lot (my two most recent apartments were on the 5th floor), are attracted to the color yellow or gold and enjoy sweets, specifically honey, then you too may be a child of Oshun.
Who was Yemaya married to?
AganjuIn Yorùbá mythology, Yemoja is a mother goddess; patron deity of women, especially pregnant women; and the Ogun river. Her parents are Oduduwa and Obatala. There are many stories as to how she became the mother of all saints. She was married to Aganju and had one son, Orungan, and fifteen Orishas came forth from her.
Is Yemaya black?
Originating in the Yoruba religion, Yemaya or Yemoja is a West African water spirit known as the goddess of the ocean, who's associated with positive qualities to help regulate social and spiritual practices.
How can I meet Yemaya?
Yemaya is often depicted as a mermaid or as a woman standing among the waves crashing on the shore. You can connect with her by holding a seashell up to your ear and hearing her echo. Visit the ocean and walk through the waves. and allow yourself to be cleansed and comforted by her embrace and her gift to all life.
What is Yemaya symbol?
YemọjaVenerated inYoruba religion, Umbanda, Candomblé, Santeria, Haitian VodouSymbolriver stones, cowrie shells, fans, cutlass, fish, multi-stranded crystal clear water-like beaded necklace, white cloth, indigo cloth, wood carvings of a stately nursing mother carried on the heads of devotees, mermaids9 more rows
What does it mean when Oshun comes to you?
We can connect with the goddess Oshun to give love with ease, and to help us move on if our love is not being reciprocated. She reminds us that the only love we need is the love for ourselves. We can then act from a place of abundance, from which we can attract and sustain healthy relationships.
Why do people pray to Oshun?
Oshun can give life and take life. One of her statues in her sacred grove in Osun state has babies around her. Every year expectant mothers go to her shrine to pray to get pregnant and give birth. Oshun is still worshipped today, even by people who are not Africans.
Who was Oshun in love with?
ShangoMortal Osun While still a mortal, Osun is said to have gone to a drum festival one day and to have fallen in love with Shango.
What does Oshun mean?
Her name means “source” – She is the source of the river, of the people, of children, of life, of the very blood of life itself. As the youngest Orisha, Oshun quickly demonstrated that She was intrinsically linked with all life. If Oshun withdraws from our world, life is over – Her elemental power as the source of Sweet Waters on Earth ...
When is Yemaya?
Yemaya is being celebrated on September 16 for the Full Moon! When you register for the free Full Moon Group, information will be available on how to attend the live event and access the archives.
What happens if Oshun withdraws from the world?
If Oshun withdraws from our world, life is over – Her elemental power as the source of Sweet Waters on Earth (the fresh waters) makes life possible and preserves life for creation. We are honoring both Goddesses in the Goddess Full Moon Group this month. On Thursday, September 8 at 9:15pm eastern, there is a special event and meditation to Oshun.
When is the feast day of Yemaya?
artist unknown. September 7 and September 8 mark the annual Feast Days of the Orisha Goddesses Yemaya and Oshun, respectively. These Yoruban Goddesses are honored throughout the world by Orisha devotees as the Sacred Keepers of the Waters.
Who painted the Yemaya painting?
Yemaya Water Color Painting by Tara Reynolds. Jambalaya by Luisah Teish (this is not only wonderful information on Orishas but also women’s spirituality and a GREAT place to start) Yemoja: Gender, Sexuality, and Creativity in the Latina/o and Afro-Atlantic Diasporas edited by Solimar Otero, Toyin Falola.
What is the meaning of the name Yemaya?
Yemaya is the imposing Mother of Oceans, Orisha, Goddess, All Mother from the Yoruban and Afro-Caribbean traditions. September 7 is Her Feast Day and throughout the world, devotees will be making pilgrimage to Her shores to pay respect, celebrate, and pray. We turn to Yemaya for nourishment, healing, cleansing, and protection.
Who is Yemaya Oshun's sister?
Yemaya is maternal, dignified and nurturing, the spiritual mother of all. She is also an orisha of mystery, reflected in the depths of her waters. She is also often understood to be the older sister of Oshun, who oversees the rivers. She is also associated with tuberculosis and intestinal disorders. Cite this Article.
What is the meaning of Oshun?
Oshun is associated with Our Lady of Charity, an aspect of the Virgin Mary focused on hope and survival, particularly in relation to the sea. Our Lady of Charity is also the patron saint of Cuba, where Santeria originates.
Why did Oshun turn into a peacock?
To save the parched world Oshun transformed into a peacock and ascended to Olodumare's realm to beg his forgiveness. Olodumare relented and returned the water to the world, and the peacock transformed into a vulture.
What are the orishas?
Updated January 23, 2018. The orishas are the gods of Santeria, the beings that believers interact with on a regular basis. The number of orishas varies among believers. In the original African belief system from which Santeria originates, there are hundreds of orishas.
What is the purpose of Orunla?
Orunla was present at the creation of humanity and the forging of souls. Thus Orunla has the knowledge of the ultimate destiny of each soul, which is an important facet of Santeria practice. Working toward one's destiny is to promote harmony.
Who is Osain in the Bible?
Osain is a nature orisha, ruling over forests and other wild areas as well as herbalism and healing. He is the patron of hunters even though Osain himself has given up the hunt. He also looks out for the home. Contrary to many mythologies showing nature gods and wild and untamed, Osain is a distinctly rational figure.
Does Orunla have a path?
While other orishas have different "paths," or aspects to them, Orunla has only one. He is also the only orisha to not manifest through possession in the New World (although it does sometimes happen in Africa). Instead, he is consulted through various divination methods.
Oshún, Orisha of love and of the rivers
Oshún, goddess of love, is the owner of the river and sister of Yemayá, goddess of the seas. Together the waters of the world reign, sweet and salty. Oshún is the gold, the resplendent yellow, Yemayá is the blue of the sea, its transparency and tranquility.
Yemayá, goddess of the seas
It is the divinity of the salty waters. Yemayá is an old woman like Obatalá and as powerful as him.
Children of the two waters
All sons of Oshún and Yemayá They must balance their lives in the same way that rivers flow into seas where both waters communicate.
Who was the mother of the Orishas?
Dragged by the whirlwind of the current, she reached the mouth where she ran into the powerful Yemayá, mother of all the orishas and lady of the Sea. Sympathetic, Yemayá took her under his protection, and gave her the river and fresh waters so that she could live.
What animals are in the Yoruba house?
animals like pigeons, fruits like pumpkins and many others. They are also a good gesture, the bouquets of sunflowers that we leave on the banks to decorate the house of the Yoruba Goddess of Love. It is said that the children of Ochún and Yemayá are united by destiny, like the river and the sea.
Why did Olokun ask Olorun to reign?
Olorun wanted to reign everywhere and Olokun, to demonstrate his power, provoked the sea level. So it was necessary to ask Olokun for the Earth to exist again.
What does the Yoruba patak tell us about the beginning of the world?
Patakí on water and the beginning of the world. A Yoruba patakí tells that at the beginning in the world there were only fire and burning rocks. Then Olofi, the Almighty, turned the vapor from the flames into clouds. The water came down from the clouds and put out the fire. And in the huge gaps between the rocks Olokun was formed, ...
Why is the Osha Olokun always dry?
In the Osha Olokun it should never be dry in the jar where it lives, because its immense powers come from the water as a natural force, there resides its Ashe.
Why is Olokun so dangerous?
Because of his power over the oceans and the hidden depths, he is one of the most dangerous deities of the Osha-Ifá religion, feared and respected by all. It is said that only he knows the true mysteries of the seabed and what is hidden in them. Olokun is androgynous, and can be a very moody man or a beautiful maiden.
What is the Yoruba religion?
Yoruba religion attaches great importance to water, as a divine and purifying element. For this reason, various deities of the Yoruba pantheon represent the forces of the world's waters.
Why is the Yoruba woman called Mother of the Fish?
Her name comes from the Yoruba "Yemòjá" (Yeyé: mother - Omo: son - Eyá: Fish) which translates as "Mother of the fish", for this reason she is mother par excellence, represents fertility and motherhood, as a source of lifetime. In nature it is represented by the sea.
What is the goddess of the river?
It represents love, fertility, spirituality and human sensuality. In Santeria it is related to femininity, wealth, jewelry and ornaments.
How many Yoruba queens are there?
The Three Yoruba Queens. Each of the Orishas of the Yoruba Pantheon They are defined by a particular personality, therefore, their children also have certain peculiarities that identify them.
What is a lover of luxury?
They tend to be spiteful and very sensitive to offenses, although they forgive they never forget and for that reason they like to put friendship to the test . They are good parents, overprotective, they are based on respect, morals and love to educate their children.
Myths and Stories of Yemayá
Yemayá was born to Oludumare, the Supreme Being in the Yoruba religion. Oludumare tasked Yemayá with assisting the Orisha Obatala with the creation of humans. Leaving the dwelling place of Oludumare, Yemayá slid down a rope with sixteen other Orisha and engaged in the creation of mankind.
Yemayá: Characteristics
Yemayá serves as the patron of the Ogun river (in Nigeria), although she is not limited to that particular body of water. Her followers may worship Yemayá at any feature of running water. She is depicted as a mermaid, capable of venturing into any body of water freely.
Yemayá and Olokun
Yemayá has another deity associated with her. Olokun is another Orisha associated with water and androgyny. While Yemayá has dominion over the surface of the ocean and the life thereupon, Olokun is the Orisha of the depths. They complement one another. While Yemayá is the goddess of life, none may return from Olokun’s depths alive.
Worship of Yemayá
After slavers brought slaves to the New World via the Middle Passage, Yemayá’s presence increased in the Americas and the Caribbean. Again, Yemayá was originally known as Yemọja, with Yemayá being one of her names she came to be known by in the New World.
Why is Osun named after Oya?
In fact a certain confluence of two rivers at a rapid in one of the wetern state of Nigeria is named after Osun and Oya due to the intimidating turbulence that marks the point of intersetion.
Who is Oshun the Diviner?
Oshun the Diviner, Sophia Wisdom. Oshun Ololodi — Oshun, the diviner. Oshun is a particularly sensous goddess and has been associated with many lover and husbands. In her form of the diviner She is the wife or lover of Orunmila, the first prophet of Ifa divination.
What did Oshun teach?
Like Queen Isis of the Ancient Egyptian Kemitic Pantheon, Oshun was taught the art of divination with the cowrie shells, cards, tarots, visions, possessions, songs, chants and meditations by her father Obatala, the first of the created gods. Like Isis, She brought the teaching of divinations, mysticism, agriculture and culture to humans.
What is the goddess of love?
Like Egyptian Isis and later Greek Diana, Osun is the goddess of love and is widely beloved. She is known for healing the sick, cheering the sad, bringing music, song and dance, as well as bringing fertility and prosperity.
What are the offerings of Osun?
Food offerings could include sweet things such as fresh water, honey, mead, white wine, oranges, sweets, or pumpkins, as well as essential oils and incense. THE MANY DIMENSIONS AND MOODS OF OSUN. In the high Yoruba mystical teachings, Oshun has many roads, or dimensions and some of these include:
What are Oshun's offerings?
Offerings to Oshun could be in form of songs, chantings, meditating on her name, devotion to her love, and/or adherence with her compassionate laws. Her manifestations of love include being the source of all fresh waters, all warmth, all knowledge, all culture, all society, all motherhood, prosperity, fertility of the land and the water.
What is the mother of the fishes of the seas?
She is known as the mother of the fishes of the seas and the birds of the forest. Isis used to be represented as the mother of the fishes and the Queen of the seas. Oshun is the essence of love, sweetness and good cheer, beauty and flowing joy. Among the Yorubas of West Africa, She is also known as Yalode- the mother of things outside ...
What is Yemaya Okoto's crown?
Yemaya Okoto, the Pirate Queen, causes shipwrecks and drags ships and treasure down to the ocean floor. Her name means “the one who lives amongst the seashells.”. Her crown is a shark’s jawbone. She clenches a dagger between her teeth.
How beautiful is Yemaya?
Whether manifesting as woman or mermaid, Yemaya is always spectacularly beautiful. She can be sexually provocative with a rolling, hip-swaying walk that evokes the sea. Her traditional costume includes seven skirts. Her hair, clothes, and body may be ornamented with crystals, pearls, coral, or tiny bells.
What is the name of the Red Sea Queen?
The Red Sea is her official hideout, but she sails where she chooses. (To complicate matters further, Yemaya and her daughter, love goddess Oshun, may be alter-egos of Lady Asherah, another Red Sea Queen and her daughter, love goddess Astarte.) She is also known as Yemaya Ibu Okoto.
What color is Yemaya's path?
Yemaya’s different paths are symbolized by different shades of blue (and sometimes by unique attributes). The particular hue represents each path’s specific natureand home. Thus the aspects of Yemaya who live closest to land or the water’s surface are represented by paler shades than those dwelling in the depths.
How to decorate Yemaya's shrine?
Yemaya’s shrine should evoke the sea. Decorate it with nets, seashells, sea stars, and sea horses. Add salted water to a crystal glass containing small seashells.
What does Yemaya eat?
Yemaya’s favorite food offerings include wet seedy fruits like pomegranates and watermelon plus fish, duck, and lamb dishes. She likes to snack on pork cracklings, plantain or banana chips and pound or coconut cake.
How to communicate with Yemaya?
Communicate with her constantly when in the water or beside it. Remind her that you are human and must live on land.
What does Yemaya do to Oshun?
One day Oshún lamented so much difficulty and Yemayá decides to forget his grudges and goes to his aid. She forgives her sister and gives her the river and the power of its sweet waters so that she can reign in it, she gives her jewels and riches, she also gives her hair and she is made queen.
Who did Oshun love?
Oshún lived in love with Shango But he spent his time at parties and sharing his time with his other women, he did not take care of her at all as he should and he saw little of him. The orisha Oshún was completely neglected and at that time she meets with Oduduwá and betrays Shango .
What is the meaning of Inle in Oshun?
The legends narrate that Inle was his first love, but she lets him down with a lie and one day that relationship breaks down. Inle or Erinlé is a beautiful Orisha representing fishing and floriculture. It is said that when Oshún saw Inle he fell madly in love with him.
What happened to Oshun?
Oshún also lost everything in love: Everyone fell in love with Oshún and many were not reciprocated with their love, so she is threatened and leaves the palace, abandoning all her wealth. In total poverty, she is even forced to sell her body in order to survive.
What does Oya ask for in her kidnapping?
One day Oyá runs away from home and wanders a lot and they kidnap her. In her kidnapping they ask for a lot of money, money that Oshún did not have to offer. Then he proposes to the boss that he can give him his most precious tribute, which was his virginity, and gives himself to him to get his sister back.
What is the day Oshun sacrifices himself for humanity?
The day Oshún sacrifices himself for humanity: There comes a day when life on earth had to be saved and nobody could do anything and that is how Oshún becomes a vulture and arrives in front of the creator Olofin to ask him to save humanity.
What happened when Oshun saw Inle?
It is said that when Oshún saw Inle he fell madly in love with him. But Inle only had eyes for the forest nymphs, so Oshún disguises herself as one of them to captivate her love. She seduces Inle and lives with him but one day Inle discovers her and abandons her.