Orisha Oshun: The Goddess of Love and Beauty
- Associated Number
- Traditional Colors: Offerings: Pumpkins, cinnamon, sweet potatoes, lemons, coconut, honey, yams, chicken, etc. Favorite Plants: Sunflowers, lemons, pumpkins, cinnamon, butternut squash, etc.
- Syncretized Catholic Saint: Appearance: She is often dressed in long yellow satin dresses cinched tightly at the waist exposing her contours.
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.
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.
Is Oshun a voodoo god?
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 destiny and divination....Oshun.Ọ̀ṣun OshunRegionNigeria, Benin, Latin America, Haiti, CubaEthnic groupYoruba people, Fon peoplePersonal informationSpouseChangó, Erinle5 more rows
What is the spirit of Oshun?
Oshun is the Spirit of the river in the West African religious tradition called Ifá. The word Oshun is the name given to describe a complex convergence of Spiritual Forces that are key elements in the Ifá concept of fertility and the erotic.
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 is Oshun important?
Oshun is a central figure in the mythology of the creation of the earth and human beings. Oshun is the goddess of love, sensuality, water, and the protective deity of the river Oshun. She is also associated with fertility, lushness, greenness and life.
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.
How do you know if you are 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.
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.
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 daughter?
Oshun is a Nigerian Yoruba Orisha, a spirit or deity that reflects one of the manifestations of God in the Ifá and Yoruba religions. She is one of the most popular Orisha's and the only female irunmole (primordial) sent to set up the world by Olodumare.
What are Oshun favorite things?
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. Today the Orisha traditions are practiced in Cuba, Brazil, and parts of Central America and the United States.
Who was 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.
What is Oshun known for?
With the impact of the transatlantic slave trade and dispersion of Yoruba culture, Oshun is also an important figure outside Africa, where she is known by other names, such as Oxum in Brazil and Ochún in Cuba. Bayyinah S. Jeffries The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica.
What is Oshun's significance?
In most Yoruba stories, Oshun is generally depicted as the protector, saviour, or nurturer of humanity.
Why do Yoruba go to the Oshun River?
Every year Oshun devotees and other people of the Yoruba religious tradition go to the Oshun River to pay homage, make sacrifice, and ask for a variety of things such as wealth, children, and better health. Although other orishas are honoured during the festival, the climax of the festival is centred on Oshun.
Why is Oshun the favorite of all Orishas?
She is commonly described as the favourite of all orishas by Olodumare, because of her beauty and sensuality. In yet another Yoruba story, Oshun is depicted as the goddess who not only gives life but also takes it.
How does Oshun save the Earth?
Yet once she has been appeased, Oshun saves Earth from destruction by calling back the waters. Tradition holds that the first interaction between Oshun and human beings took place in Osogbo ( Oshogbo ), Nigeria. That city is considered sacred, and it is believed to be fiercely protected by the water goddess.
Why is Oshun important?
Oshun is especially important to women in West African cultures. Those who want children and who may suffer from infertility usually call on Oshun for assistance, and she is associated with the concepts of femininity and the power of women. More widely, she is sought after in times of drought or severe poverty.
What is the meaning of Osun?
See Article History. Alternative Title: Osun. Oshun, also spelled Osun, 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 ...
What is the role of Oshun?
One of the most important roles that Oshun plays is that of the goddess of the sweet waters and the protective deity of the River Oshun in Nigeria. Alongside this river is a sacred grove, probably the last in Yoruba Culture , dedicated to Oshun. The Celtic Goddess Epona that Rode Swiftly Across the Ancient Roman Empire.
Where is Oshun today?
Today, Oshun is still honored in Nigeria in the annual ceremony called Ibo-Osun, as well as the 12 day Osun-Osogbo festival in August.
Why did Oshun advise the settlers to move to the upper part of the river?
They were successful in their undertaking and Oshun advised the settlers to move to the upper part of the river, for humans and spirits could not live together. The villagers complied with Oshun’s command and the former settlement became the Osun-Osongbo Sacred Grove.
How many gods are there in Yoruba?
Practitioners of traditional Yoruba religion believe in a pantheon of 401 gods (known as Orisha) who govern various aspects of the world and human life. Although Oshun (also spelt Osun) is regarded principally as a goddess of love, there are other aspects to this Orisha as well. One of the most important roles that Oshun plays is that ...
What is Oshun's art style?
In art, Oshun is depicted like many of her counterparts from other cultures. Oshun is commonly shown as a beautiful, charming, sensual, and coquettish young woman. In addition to her natural beauty, Oshun is also adorned with such ornaments as gold jewelry, brass bracelets, beads, mirrors and elaborate fans .
What is the name of the goddess of love?
Oshun: African Goddess of Love and Sweet Waters. Across many ancient civilizations throughout the world, love was placed under the domain of a certain deity, usually, but not in all cases, a goddess. In the Classical world, for instance, there were Venus and Aphrodite, love goddesses of the Roman and Greek pantheons respectively.
What is the Celtic goddess that rode swiftly across the Roman Empire?
The Celtic Goddess Epona that Rode Swiftly Across the Ancient Roman Empire. A Cycle of Life and Death: Slavic Goddesses Morana and Vesna. Navigating the Realm of an Aztec Water Goddess and One of the Five Suns. Osun river at the Sacred Grove Of Oshun. (Yeniajayiii/ CC BY SA 4.0 )
Where is the shrine of Oshun?
Shrine to Oshun in the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove. Abèbè, the ritual fan of Ọṣun. 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.
What is the significance of the Queen of Osun?
She is connected to destiny and divination. During the life of the mortal Osun, she served as queen consort to King Shango of Oyo. Following her posthumous deification, she was admitted to the Yoruba pantheon as an aspect of a primordial divinity of the same name.
What is the goddess of gold?
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 and waterfalls, and more rarely, near mineral water sources. She is a symbol of sensitivity and is identified by weeping.
What is the plant that grows with Osun?
Plants associated with Osun in Brazil are aromatic, sweet, and often yellow, reflecting the qualities of the Orisha. They include mints ( Lamiacaea ). Osun is associated with the folha-de-dez-réis ( Hydrocotyle cybelleta ), a plant of the pennywort family.
What is the Brazilian orisha?
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.
What is the Osun state?
For the state in Nigeria, see Osun State. 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.
What is the iron chalice of Osun?
Iron chalice of Osun, one of Los Guerreros (the warriors) --) in Santería religion. 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 slaves during the transatlantic slave trade.
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.
Who is Oshun's father?
It is said that Oshun’s father Obatala the first of the among the Gods (similar to the Amen of New Testament Book of Revelations Chapter 1 verse 18. He bequeathed unto Her the secret of divination and mysticsm just live Kemitic Father Ra (s) bequeathed unto daughter Isis the secret of divination and mysticm.
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.
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.
Where is Oshun worshipped?
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. Her most popular depiction is in the music video lemonade by Beyonce.
What is the meaning of Oshun in Yoruba?
Oshun, the river goddess is one of the most important characters in Yoruba mythology. a statue signifying the maternity nature of iya osun at the sacred grove of oshun {culture trip}.
Why did Oshun go back to heaven?
In the absence of Oshun, the other gods faced difficulties. They could not populate and revive the earth. They went back to heaven to apologize and beg Oshun. When she came back to the earth, she revived it with water.
Why did Oshun wear gold?
Oshun was one of the 17 gods sent by Olodumare to create the world. When she came down to earth, she wore a gold dress and jewellery. This is the reason why her worshippers also wear gold and yellow attires in festivals honouring her.
What is the meaning of Oshun?
Orisha. Oshun, Spirit of Sweet Water, is the embodiment of love and romance, wealth, beauty, abundance, and magical knowledge. Oshun has dominion over things that flow: water, honey, love, money, mother’s milk, and so forth. Her power extends over various parts of the human anatomy, particularly the reproductive organs.
Who is Oshun married to?
Do not bring them close together unless you wish to see sparks fly. Oshun has been married to Orunmila, Shango, and Erinle and has had love affairs with Ochossi, Ogun, and Elegba. Oshun is the youngest, sweetest, and smallest orisha, but she may be the toughest:
How long is the Oshun festival?
Pilgrims travel from around the world to visit, especially during the annual Oshun festival held in August, typically lasting nine days. Sacrifices and requests are made, particularly regarding fertility.
What is Oshun's manifest?
She most commonly manifests as a breathtakingly beautiful woman, usually dressed in yellow or gold. She may manifest as a mermaid. She wears five brass bracelets and may carry or wear a mirror at her belt, the better to be able to stop and admire herself whenever she wishes. Oshun is manifest in honey and in cinnamon.
Why do women go to the Oshun shrine?
Women are welcome at the shrine throughout the year to immerse themselves for a fertility boost.
What is Oshun's favorite offering?
Her very favorite offering is honey. You must taste any honey that you offer Oshun, each and every time you offer it, not just upon opening the jar. An attempt was once made to poison her through an offering of honey. All offerings of untasted honey will be rejected, and you may be looked upon with suspicion.
Do Oya and Oshun get along?
They are extremely compatible and are venerated together. Oshun and Oya do not get along. Although one devotee may venerate both of these powerful, beautiful, warrior orishas, keep some space, time, and distance between them. Do not bring them close together unless you wish to see sparks fly.
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.
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.
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.
What is the significance of the goddess Oshun?
The Goddess Oshún is one of the Orishas considered 7 African powers, and one of the most adored in the Yoruba and Santeria pantheon, hence its importance is immense, both for its powers and its history. Oshún has different names, it can be recognized by its variations such as Ósun, Oxum / Ochun.
What does Oshun mean?
Oshún has different names, it can be recognized by its variations such as Ósun, Oxum / Ochun. She is held as the patroness of the world's sweet water currents, including lakes, waterfalls, rivers, and springs. It symbolizes love, the depth of emotions, eroticism, sensuality and femininity in all senses, which is why it is seen as a protector ...
How to pray to Oshun?
The 6 powerful prayers to Oshún that we will show are the following, additionally at the end of the article we recommend some of the offerings that you can make to invoke the goddess: 1 Prayer to Oshún for Beauty 2 I pray to Oshún for Love 3 Prayer to Oshún for Money and Prosperity 4 Prayer to Oshún for fertility 5 Powerful Prayer to Oshún to ask for a special favor 6 A miraculous prayer to Oshún for health
What is the prayer to ask Mother Oshun for good health?
Oshún can also help us on issues associated with curing illnesses and health. She will cleanse the evil that afflicts us with her waters and will carry it away. This is the prayer to ask Mother Oshún for good health, the most important thing we have in this life.
What does the cult of Oshun symbolize?
They symbolize the ability to give birth and affection towards people.
Who is Mother Oshun?
Mother Oshún, goddess of the fresh waters that purify the universe. Deity of love, your currents hold in them the emotions that provide the heart with tranquility, calm and redemption. Beautiful among women, miraculous goddess, patron of gold, I ask you with devotion, open the paths and take care of me from the dark.
Who is the protector of women?
Oshún is the protector of women and can provide them with fertility, seen as the ability to have children. In addition, the goddess of fresh waters protects the pregnancy and the unborn children. So we pray to Oshún with this beautiful prayer to ask for fertility and a healthy pregnancy. My goddess, patroness of fresh waters, ...
Overview
Primordial Osun
Mortal Osun
- Oshun is the orisha of sweet waters: lakes, streams, brooks and rivers; she is also the protector of gestational waters. She is the enthusiastic goddess of love, beauty, sex and fertility, prosperity and luxury, and she is also the ruler of Order. In fact, one writer wrote: “Her manifestations of love include being the source of all freshwaters, al...
Ceremonies and Ritual Colors
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…
Abẹ̀bẹ̀
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…
Brazil
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.
Santeria
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.
Further reading
The Abẹ̀bẹ̀ is the ritual object most associated with Ọṣun. The Abẹ̀bẹ̀ is a fan in circular form.