Denise/Orisha's/part one

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For Ellegua (other names are Esu, Elegbara and Mercury in Astrology):

Ellegua enjoys highly spiced foods. Chili peppers, peppercorns, and jalapeno's

are all suitable. A strong cigar, rum, gin or beer are also favored. Red palm

oil...a staple of all Orisha with the exception of Obatala...is often poured on

Esu or in front of his image. Many devotees begin each day by sprinkling cool

water on or in front of Esu/Ellegua as a way of 'cooling' his temper and asking

for pleasantness in their own day. This is one daily prayer that can be

offered:

"Ellegua..please open my paths and doors and roads

and the paths and doors and roads of those I love.

And please close the paths and doors and roads of those who would do me, or those I love, harm."

(as he is the road opener, the trickster, the messenger Orisha between humans

and the orisha's and/or God himself)

Ellegua's day is Saturday in Ifa, Yoruba or Santeria faiths.

Ogun...

Ogun is a warrior Orisha and also likes all things hot and spicy. Peppers in

any form, highly spiced foods, rum, gin and vodka, black or dark cigars, red

palm oil and once in awhile...honey. He is the Orisha of metal. He rules

surgery and in the event of surgery, buy six different kinds of beans, soak

them overnight and the next day fry them in palm oil with plenty of pepper,

cayenne and tabasco sauce. Include onions and garlic. Place this on a plate

and offer to Ogun for a successful outcome to the surgery. If you are buying a

new car, or attempting to sell one, purchase an inexpensive cut of meat at the

supermarket. Take the raw meat and rub it on all four tires of the automobile

and ask Ogun for his protection and blessings. Leave the meat by a railroad

track <GGG>. Ogun's day is Tuesday. Palm frond is also used to invoke Ogun

and the dog is his special friend and companion. He rules old age, longevity,

and hard work. He is the father of Iron and his 'children' are within three

classes...warriors, hunters and farmers. Knives, spears, arrows and hoes are

among the implements that represent Ogun. Ogun is concerned with ethics and

justice and his nature is both vital and violent. His creativity can also take

the form of teacher, mediator, inventor or counselor. He represents the process

of breaking down that new things can be created.

He represents hard work but on the downside for his 'children', their work is

never done. For the children of Ogun...there will be no retirement to sandy

beaches; instead there will always be something more to do. It is simply the

way it is for them. Children of Ogun tend to suppress their feelings, are

solitary by nature. Children of Ogun (knowing he is their spiritual paternal

Orisha) carry a single chain link in their pockets stating ' a single chain

link does not break '. Ogun is also in charge of all modes of transportation,

architecture and the arena of 'jobs' or work.

Obatala....

Obatala is the King of the Orisha's. He is the essence of purity, justice and

clear thinking. In one sense he is the most rational and most linear (blinders

on) of the Orisha. He also represents the pure and calm way to transcendence.

Each Orisha is known for their great strengths as well as their great

weaknesses. Though Obatala's clarity is essential to his accumulation of

wisdom and his dispensing of justice, the clouding or distortion of this

clarity can have disastrous results. Here is one such story:

Though only Oludumare (God) could give life to humans, it was Obatala's job to

mold from clay the human figures. After a suitable number were molded,

Oludumare would appear and breathe life into them. One day Obatala

overindulged in palm wine and while intoxicated proceeded to carelessly mold a

group of these humans. Some of the figures were missing arms, legs etc.

Because of his trust in Obatala's sense of duty, attention to detail and

personal integrity, Oludumare did not examine the figures when he breathed life

into them. From that moment in time, and from Obatala's transgression, come all

dwarves, hunchbacks, cripples and deformed people. And from that time on,

because of the incredible remorse Obatala felt, they became his omo Orisha, his

children and are sacred to him:o)

This is the Orisha of white energy....and all those who follow the Orisa's even

though the tales are told as parables...the qualities of the Orisha are NOT

allegorical to them. They are the specific instructions for tapping into and

using our nonlinear energy. So children of Obatala (such as myself) are

cautioned to not overindulge or get involved with substance abuse. Children of

Obatala have tremendous problems with drugs and alcohol because they are the

most 'linear' of the non linear orisha's. All the other orisha's can instantly

call on virtual unlimited emotional energy but Obatala's energy is derived from

clarity and peace. In today's world it is hard to achieve this sacred downtime

but children of Obatala are advised to FIND time to regenerate in such a way.

Large groups frazzle Obatala. Obatala rules the head and the children of

Obatala must be careful about their heads in both practical and spiritual

matters....when the head is safe, it will provide the strengths of reason,

planning, clarity, humility and ethical understanding. He is most comfortable

in the woods, mountains and around nature in general. In nature he is

characterized by the chameleon, the gorilla and the elephant. Obatala uses

reason and wisdom to accomplish his goals however if one is too intransigent or

refuses to 'see the light' then Ellegua, his companion and devotee, will step in

and punish for Obatala. Obatala is also the supreme 'judge' in this group.

Offerings for Obatala: cool water, coconuts, milk, honey, yams, bananas and all

mild fruits (not citrus), shea butter, rice, mild cigars, bread and cookies and

rice are all acceptable. NEVER give Obatala liquor of any kind. Palm oil is

never given either.

Since the children of Obatala run 'hot' due to the excesses of stress and

deadlines (overburdened or overloaded with responsibilities and deadlines),

here is one way to relieve this pressure. Purchase two coconuts. Offer them

both to Obatala overnight on your altar. Punch two holes in one of the

coconuts the next day and drain the liquid into a cup. Rub this liquid firmly

into your scalp with special emphasis on the crown of your head. Ask Obatala

to bring you peace and tranquillity while you do this. Leave the liquid on

your hair overnight or for several hours. Obatala's day is Sunday. His color

is White (such as in clothing). Children of Obatala should also sleep on white

sheets.

Despite his ruling and kingly nature, Obatala has a great sense of humor which

he shares with Ellegua who loves practical jokes. His is the humor of having

seen and done so much through the ages that laughter replaces anger and

tolerance replaces impetuosity of which he tries to teach Ellegua (the

hothead). Once in a great while one can offer a small chili as a special treat

to Obatala but not all the time.

And we ALL have guardian Orisha's but according to those who follow this, our

paths may not be that we are 'chosen' for the Orisha path in this life so they

stay in the background still guiding under whatever religious choices a person

makes in their life. To me that means one just picks a different 'face' of

God. Obatala is akin to Christ and Krishna and Osiris.

Sango/Chango

Lord of fire and lightening...child of Yemonja and lord of thunder. Chango

originally the Lord of thunder ONLY but when he married Oya...a most powerful

and beautiful 'witch' Orisha, she taught him the art of Lightening as well and

even though he is now married to Oshun, he is inextricably intertwined with

Oya.

Chango is quick-tempered and whose verbal rage translated into thunder. It was

Oya who provided him with the magic medicine for the secret of producing both

lightening and thunder and it was the mystical Oya who advised him on the plot

to manipulate his two most powerful generals into mutual conflict. However

these plans went astray and the conflict occurred but one of the generals

emerged victorious and used his power to topple Chango and drive him from the

kingdom. Oya followed him into exile. Chango, feeling remorse and disgrace,

hung himself from a tree. When his followers went to find him, his body was

not there. In his act of remorse and contrition, he had transcended the human

condition and become the Immortal Orisha Chango. His energy is intense and

powerful....he is the general and the born leader. He is known for the

doubleheaded ax and he is the strategist. He rules 'the gift of gab' and is

the kind of manipulation for good or for ill. Children of Chango are gifted

speakers. He also had tremendous powers of empathy and intuition and rules the

arena of 'dance'. Children of Chango shake a small gourd to 'call' him. The

Ram is symbolic of Chango and its horns are used for the altar. The snake is

his messenger and the crocodile is also associated with Chango. He is the male

force for procreation. When Chango took Osun/Oshun as his wife later, she gave

birth to twins. From that moment on he rules multiple births.

And in this faith they teach that not only is the Orisha energy attracted to

'like' energy...but often best balanced by the opposite energy. Therefore

Obatala and Chango often balanced and leaned on each other since by nature they

were opposites but yet best friends. (I am ruled by Obatala and my husband is

ruled by Chango). The color red is Chango's color. The children of Chango are

instructed to wear their hair in plaits (braids) to channel the energy of the

snakelike lightening they are noted for. All children of Chango are known as

the SONS of Chango rather then sons and daughters of Chango. The crisp ion

energy one 'smell's' after a thunderstorm is indicative of Chango's energy.

offerings...

Six red apples placed on a dish and set upon a shelf in one's hope. Red palm

oil is a stable along with of course spicy foods such as chili. Lighting a

candle while making the offering is standard but do not use a black candle.

During thunderstorms it is most effective to make these offerings. Chango's

day is Thursday. I see Chango as Mars in the chart. Obatala as Jupiter.

Yemonja/Olukun

Mother Earth...Oludumare (the sun) created the Earth and descended and took

Yemonja ...from this act...15 Orisa were born. Realize that each Orisha has a

male/female 'self' and then there are 21 subdivisions under each Orisha.

She is the personification of motherhood. She is the mother of Chango, Ogun,

Oya and Oshun. Although she personifies motherhood...she is not in charge of

the act of conception which is Oshun's department. In these tales, Oshun

(Venus) personified sexuality and conception and handed the children over to

Yemonja to raise. Sounds like a plan to me! <G> This was neither bad nor

good... ..it simply 'is' as these Orisha's represent energies alive in our

universe rather then 'people'.

Yemonja rules the oceans while Oshun rules the rivers and streams. The awesome

power of the tidal wave, hurricane and typhoon are under her domain.

Witchcraft is associated with this Orisha but even though she has that ability,

her daughters Oshun and Oya are the ones to implement the arts. By nature she

represents love, nurturing, kindness, compassion but also the awesome power

behind life itself. When pushed to her limits, all these good things will not

only disappear, but will explode into a wrath seldom equaled by the more

obvious volatile Orisha. Any threat to a child of Yemonja's security, home and

loved ones is enough to unleash this type of reaction (survival and protection).

 

Many children of Yemonja carry fans and wear necklaces of crystal clear beads.

Offerings are often made at the shore of the ocean such as cakes, fruit,

candies on small handpainted boats which are floated out to honor Yemonja.

Offerings...fruits particularly red or green grapes, melons, squash, beer, gin,

run, candy and cakes. Watermelon is a favorite of hers. Palm oil, kola nuts,

coral and flowers can all be offerings. Raw or cooked fish or chicken and palm

wine. Yemonja's day is Monday. Her colors are the blue/greens of the ocean and

the tawny colors of the Earth. Astrologically I think she is the Moon.

cont'd in next email...