The
White Moon Gallery Presents
Oshun
www.hranajanto.com/goddessgallery
By Hrana Janto
Created by Arteal
© All original
material in this site is under copyright protection and is the intellectual
property
of the author
Oshun is brass and parrot
feathers in a velvet skin.
Oshun is white cowrie
shells on black buttocks.
Her eyes sparkle in the forest,
like sun on the river.
She is the wisdom of the forest
She is the wisdom of the river.
Where doctors fail,
she cures with fresh water.
Where medicine fails,
she cures with fresh water.
She feeds the barren woman
with honey, and her dry body
swells up like a juicy coconut.
Oh, how sweet, how sweet
is the touch of a child’s hand.
-Yoruban chant to Oshun
Oshun
When
people first meet Oshun they see her as Goddess of sensuality,
but many people
never get past this first impression. Oshun is the Goddess of Love and the
Rivers. She radiates beauty and teaches us how to love and
please our bodies.
Everything beautiful belongs to her: jewels, amber, cowrie shells, brass,
gold, river rocks, perfume, mirrors, shades of yellow, copper
arm bands, copper
bracelet’s, dancing and honey. Oshun belonged to no man and believed
all was fair in games of love.
Oshun
was interested in the orisha Chango, but he was mated with Oba. Oshun went
to Oba and told her Chango loved her cooking. Oba wanted to know Oshun’s
secret. Oshun said she cut off pieces of her ear and placed the ear in her
food. Oba mistook the mushrooms floating in the soup as pieces of Oshun’s
ear. Oba made soup for Chango cutting off her whole ear and placing it in
the soup. Chango was disgusted by the foul tasting soup and even more disgusted
when he saw his deformed mate. The two Goddesses clashed and turned into
rivers.
Where their rivers cross is the most turbulent.
Erzulie
Oshun
is the Goddess of Divination. When you seek guidance through the art of divination
call on Oshun.
|
Obatala
was the only one who knew the art of divination.Oshun
asked many times to be taught this art, but Obatala always refused.One
day Obatala went to the river to bathe.He
removed his white robe and entered the water.Elegba
passed by and seeing Obatala’s robe snatched it and ran home.Oshun
was picking flowers by the river bank when she heard Obatala scream.
When she came upon Obatala he said, “What is the King of the White
Cloth without His clothing? Oshun, I am in disgrace!” Oshun replied,
“If I get your white clothes for you, will you teach me the art
of divining?” Obatala promised he would teach her.
Oshun
sprayed her body with honey until it glistened and tied five yellow
scarves around her waist. She followed Elegba’s footprints to his
home. Oshun demanded he return Obatala’s clothes as she stood in
his doorway with her hands on her hips. Elegba was enchanted with her
beauty and would only talk of sleeping with Oshun. After making several
attempts to demand Obatala’s clothes back they agreed to compromise.
Oshun
returned to the river to give Obatala his clothes and he taught Oshun
how to read the sacred shells. When she mastered the art of reading
the sacred shells she called all the orishas together and taught them
the art of divining.
|
|
|
|
Our Lady of
La Caridad del Cobre
Oshun came
from the Yoruba tradition of Africa. She is one of the seven primary
orishas of this tradition. When her people were stolen from their
land and sold into slavery they brought her with them and disguised
her in the religions of their new homes, but they never forgot Oshun.
She became Ochun, Yalorde, Erzulie, Oxum and Our Lady of La Caridad
del Cobre. When you see and hear these names never forget Oshun lives
in each of them. Oshun has not only survived, but thrived in her new
homes.
At one time the sky
and Earth fought and the sky decided to teach the Earth a lesson. The sky
created floods which caused all the treasures of the Earth to be destroyed.
Earth realized its mistake and asked the birds to take a message to the supreme
god, Olodumare. The message Earth wanted to send was to ask for forgiveness
and that Earth would always listen to the sky.
The
birds tried, but none could get to Olodumare with Earth’s message. Vulture heard of the
birds failed attempts and volunteered to take the message to Olodumare, but
the birds laughed saying such an ugly dirty bird would never be allowed in
Olodumare’s beautiful kingdom.
|
The
birds were unaware that in one of her many transformations, caminos,
Oshun takes
on the form of the vulture. As vulture Oshun took Earth’s message
to Olodumare. Oshun became the messenger to Olodumare and saved the
Earth.
Yalorde
I
will show you one last face of Oshun. As you have read Oshun has
much depth.
She is much more
then the Goddess of Sensuality and Love. She is Goddess of Women’s
Rights also.
The male orishas came
to Earth and held a secret meeting. When Oshun heard of this meeting she attempted
to attend, but they refused her entrance. Oshun became so angry she made all
women barren and turned the affairs of the world into chaos. The orishas became
frightened and turned to Olodumare, for only he knew why the world was in
disorder.
Olodumare called all
the male orishas together and asked if they invited Oshun to their meeting.
They answered no and Olodumare became enraged. He told them to have another
meeting and invite Oshun. Olodumare explained that without women and children
the world could not function and without Oshun the world would be in a state
of confusion.
The orishas returned
and held another meeting, but Oshun was so angry she refused to attend. They
went to her home with gifts of gold and copper to change her mind. But it
was not until the orishas brought her an offering of honey that Oshun decided
to forgive them. Oshun made women fertile again and brought order back to
the world. Oshun teaches us the world will be in disorder as long as women
and children are disrespected, neglected and abused.
Oshun
Sacred Source
Oshun Altar
Clean
a surface, preferably in a bedroom. Begin with a gold altar cloth.
Place 5 peacock
feathers in a crystal vase. It is also recommended to have a bowl of
rive water on the altar. Arrange five cowrie shells on the surface along
with a few pieces of amber. A single yellow candle can be placed towards
the back. I also recommend creating the Oshun jar Luisah Teish describes
to place on your Oshun altar. The jar contains honey, five cinnamon sticks,
whole cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and a handful
of pumpkin
seeds. Any prayers you wish Oshun to answer should be repeated for
5 nights. By, Arteal
The Lover & The
Healer
This is a
meditation ritual to seek guidance or healing from Oshun. This ritual
is best done on
Thursday (Oshun’s day) during the waxing moon, preferably between the
half and full moons. Have your intent in mind. Set up your altar using things
Oshun loves. At a minimum use yellow candles and spring water; honey is always
preferred.
Cast your circle and
invite Oshun. Sit comfortably in front of your altar. Breathe deeply and close
your eyes. You are standing before golden gates. Think about the reason you
came seeking Oshun. Relax and enter through the gates. What landscape do you
see? What smells fill the air? Take in your surroundings. When you are ready,
find the path and begin to follow it.
You come upon a river.
Disrobe and enter the water. Feel the fresh water wash away all stresses and
worries. You begin to feel lighter. It is time to leave the water. On the
riverbank you find yellow garments and jewelry. Put on the clothing and jewelry.
You begin to hear music. Allow the music to move you. Continue dancing, feeling
your body move as smoothly as the river.
You begin
to see a figure move toward you in the distance. As it draws closer you
recognize her as Oshun.
Greet her by saying, “Ori Ye Ye O.” She dances with you. After
some time passes she asks you why you sought her. It is time to tell Oshun
your
worry or your question. Oshun talks to you for some time, then hands you
a gift. You accept this gift. What is it Oshun gave to you? It is time to
give
Oshun an offering. Thank her for her guidance. She tells you to return whenever
you are in need or would like to dance. Say goodbye. It is time to return
the way you came. Come back to your room. You are sitting at your altar again.
Spend as much time as you need at your altar. When you are ready, open your
circle.
Oshun, I bow to you!
You are very rich,
digging in the sand
To hide money there.
Oshun, I bow to you!
You are very beautiful,
with your coral hair combs
and your cast-copper jewelry.
Oshun, I bow to you!
You are very powerful.
You have seized the crown.
Look at you, dancing with it!
-African chant to Oshun
I offer
this page to Oshun in gratitude for all that she has done for me.Thank
you most beautiful and generous Oshun for all that you have given me.
References
Monaghan, Patricia. The Goddess Companion: Daily Meditations on the Feminine Spirit.
Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, 1999.
Monaghan, Patricia. The
Goddess Path: Myths, Invocations & Rituals. Llewellyn Publications,
St. Paul, 2000.
Monaghan,
Patricia. The
New Book of Goddesses & Heroines. Llewellyn Publications,
St. Paul, 2000.
Teish, Luisah. Jambalaya:
The Natural Woman’s Book of Personal Charms and Practical
Rituals. Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 1988.
Telesco,
Patricia. 365 Goddess: A Daily Guide to the Magic and Inspiration of the Goddess.
Harper San Francisco, 1998.
Vega, Martha
Moreno. The Altar of My Soul: The Living Traditions of Santeria. One World
The Ballantine Publishing Group, New York, 2000.
http://www.wiccan-grove.com/oshun.htm
http://www.lunaea.com/goddess/creativity/oshun.html
http://greenworld.spiritualitea.net/oshun.html
http://www.yemoja.com/oshun.htm
http://www.goddess.com.au/goddess/oshun.htm (no longer active)
http://www.seanet.com/Users/efunmoyiwa/welcome.html
http://www.jpc-artworks.com/gallery/queens/oshun.html
)0(
Created 2/9/03 )0(
Back
to Gallery
Join a School
Moonlit
River
