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oshun goddess myth

by Eleanore Gulgowski Published 4 years ago Updated 3 years ago

  • In other mythological accounts, she is the wife of Shango, the god of thunder.
  • Oshun can give life and take life. One of her statues in her sacred grove in Osun state has babies around her. ...
  • Oshun is still worshipped today, even by people who are not Africans.

In yet another Yoruba story, Oshun is depicted as the goddess who not only gives life but also takes it. When angered, Oshun may flood Earth or destroy crops by withholding her waters, thereby causing massive droughts. In one myth, Oshun is incensed by her devotees and sends down rain, nearly flooding the world.

Full Answer

How to invoke the energy of yorube goddess Oshun?

What is offered to Oshún to help us in love?

  • We choose a quiet place, be it on the river, the sea, or a space in our home.
  • We light a yellow, gold or white candle in her name to invoke her.
  • We can offer you what we want, for example, 5 sunflowers and we put a little honey on top to sweeten the good ways of love.

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How to begin to work with the orisha Oshun?

  • This work will be left for 5 days or 7 days, it depends on the duration of the flowers.
  • Your offering will be deposited at the mouth of a river and the sea.
  • When depositing the offering, he must cross himself with 7 cents that will be left in the river part and with 5 cents for the sea part.

What does Oshun like?

Oshun, an orisha (deity) of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. 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

Who is the goddess of Love and beauty?

  • Hathor was known as the mother and consort of Horus and the daughter, sister, and consort of Ra.
  • Throughout ancient Egypt, Hathor was considered symbolic of the ideal feminine and motherhood.
  • Hathor held the esteemed role of the Eye of Ra, protecting Ra and doing his bidding against his enemies.

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What is the story of Oshun?

Oshun (pronounced O-shan, also given as Osun) is a supernatural entity recognized as both a spirit and a goddess in the Yoruba religion of West Africa. She presides over fertility, love, and freshwater, is the patroness of the Osun River in Nigeria, and is honored annually at the Osun-Osogbo Festival.

Was Oshun a real person?

She is one of the most popular and venerated Orishas. Oshun is an important river deity among the Yorùbá people. She is the goddess of divinity, femininity, fertility, beauty and love....Oshun.Ọ̀ṣun OshunEthnic groupYoruba people, Fon peoplePersonal informationSpouseChangó, Erinle6 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.

Who is Oshun in Greek mythology?

Oshun is principally the goddess of love but is also sometimes known as the goddess of sweet waters and protector of the River Oshun in Nigeria. Near to the edge of the River Oshun is a sacred grove dedicated to Oshun goddess of love and sweet waters.

How do you know if your child is 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.

What are Oshun's powers?

When angered, Oshun may flood Earth or destroy crops by withholding her waters, thereby causing massive droughts. In one myth, Oshun is incensed by her devotees and sends down rain, nearly flooding the world. Yet once she has been appeased, Oshun saves Earth from destruction by calling back the waters.

What is Oshun's number?

associated with the number five. Oshun often carries a mirror so that she can admire her beauty. She loves honey, sunflowers, oranges, cinnamon, and pumpkin, and her favorite birds are peacocks and vultures.

What day is Oshun day of the week?

FridayOn the 5th day of each week (Friday), OSHUN & their temple gives offerings to the orisa, Osun, on behalf of members in the community who are looking to connect with the Great Mother.

Who is Oshun married to?

Oshun Ibu D'Oko -- Oshun, the wife of Orisha Oko. This Oshun is pictured as a furrow to be plowed and a giant vulva, while her husband Orisha Oko is a farmer and pictured as a giant phallus. This is one of Oshun's most obviously procreative manifestations.

Why did Osun become a river?

In Yoruba cosmology, Osun was said to have metamorphosed into a river as a result of a misunderstanding between her and “Oba”, a co-wife of Sango. The Osun River takes its source from Igede-Ekiti, flows through Ilesha to Osogbo town and empties itself in the Atlantic Ocean.

What is the symbol for Oshun?

“Oshun's themes are divination and love. Her symbols are flowing water, seashells and amber beads. Oshun is a beautiful, oracular Goddess of love.

Is Oshun associated with bees?

Well known are some traditional associations of bees and their products with various Orishas. Obvious candidates would be Oshun and Osanyin, but I would suggest that if you think about it, there are many ways in which the process of beekeeping could open a relationship with Eshu, Ogun, or any of the other Orishas.

Overview

Ọṣun, is an Orisha, a spirit, a deity, or a goddess that reflects one of the manifestations of the Yorùbá Supreme Being in the Ifá oral tradition and Yoruba-based religions of West Africa. She is one of the most popular and venerated Orishas. Oshun is an important river deity among the Yorùbá people. She is the goddess of divinity, femininity, fertility, beauty and love. She is connected to de…

Primordial Osun

According to the Ifa Literary Corpus, Ọṣun was the only female Irunmole (primordial spirit) sent to assist Shango to create the world by Olodumare. The other spirits that were sent began the work and ignored Ọṣun. Ọṣun went to her partner Shango for guidance. Two versions of this story exist. One claims that female spirits were tempted to take matters into their own hands, but all of their creative attempts failed because they acted without male spiritual leadership. Another vers…

Mortal 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. Since that day, Shango has been married to Oba, Oya, and Osun, though the last mentioned is said to be his favourite. Other stanzas in the Ifa Literary Corpus say that she was also married to Orunmila, who later became the Orisha of Wisdom and Divination.
It is also said that Osun was the first woman to be referred to as an Iyalode.

Ceremonies and Ritual Colors

Osun is the orisha of the river. Her devotees leave her offerings and perform ceremonies at bodies of fresh water such as rivers, streams and canals. She is associated with the colors white, yellow, gold, and sometimes coral.

Abẹ̀bẹ̀

The Abẹ̀bẹ̀ is the ritual object most associated with Ọṣun. The Abẹ̀bẹ̀ is a fan in circular form.

Brazil

Ọṣun is a female orishá adopted and worshiped in all Afro-Brazilian religions. She is the orishá of the fresh water of rivers and waterfalls; of wealth and prosperity; of love; and of beauty. Followers seek help for romantic problems from Osun; the orisha is also responsible for marriage and other relationships. As the orishá of financial life, she is also called the "Lady of Gold". This referred to copper at one time for being the most valuable metal of the time. Osun is worshiped at rivers an…

Santeria

Ozun is another major Orisha that is distinct from Osun, the latter whom is also called "Oshun" and "Ochún" in the Santería religion of the Caribbean (Cuba, Puerto Rico and Trinidad) brought over by Yoruba people during the transatlantic slave trade. While Ozun is a masculine Orisha associated with John the Baptist, Ochún is syncretized with Our Lady of Charity.

Further reading

• Ajiabde, G. Olusola. Negotiating Performance: Osun in the Verbal and Visual Metaphors, Bayreuth, Working Papers, 2005.
• Afolabi, Kayode. Osun Osogbo - Sacred People and Sacred Places, Charleston 2006.
• Badejo, Diedre, Oshun Seegesi: The Elegant Deity of Wealth, Power, and Femininity, Asmara 1996.

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