Oshún is also known as Ochun is the youngest of all the Orishás who rule the rivers. According to the legend, after her creation, she was gifted with love and sweetness so she became the orisha of love and beauty. Oshun is known for her seductive and sensual power.

In Vodoun, Oshun is known as Erzulie. Erzulie’s colours are shades of pink. While Erzulie and Oshun are very much alike, Erzulie has a vengeful, ruthless nature when angered. Her aspect Erzulie Dantor is a fierce protector of women and children, an avenger of domestic violence, and a patron loa of lesbians.

Ochún is a sensual and seductive goddess who inspires sexual love and promotes fertility. She gives beautiful babies to those who call upon her. Once the babies are conceived, she loses interest and hands over the child rearing to Yamaya who protects the child till birth.

Oshun loves to laugh, and dance and has great taste in everything. She likes gold and when she gives a person a child, the child is often very fair and beautiful. She is a witch that is very good at throwing love spells. With her pot of honey tied around her waist she easily seduces whosoever she desires.

Although known to be a lively goddess, Oshun can be moody, jealous and petty, especially whenever she gets disappointed by the one she loves. She is also a materialistic goddess who hates being poor.

The Drama:

  • Originally the waters belonged to Yamaya but one day while being chased by Ogun, Oshun had fallen into the rivers and Yamaya took her in and protected her from the fierceness of Ogun. She gave her the rivers to rule and that was how she became the river goddess.
  • She fell in love with Chango and they became lovers. But Chango had a favourite concubine, Oya who he paid more attention to. This made her jealous and she tried separating the couple. When she couldn’t get all of Chango’s love and attention, she became heartbroken.
  • She is married to Changó, god of fire, thunder, and power, and is his favourite wife because of her excellent cooking skills.
  • Her son is Elegba

Who is Oshun

In Yoruban mythology, Oshun is an Orisha (spirit goddess) of love, intimacy, beauty, wealth and diplomacy. According to the Yoruba elders, Oshun is the “unseen mother present at every gathering”, because she represents the cosmological forces of water, moisture, and attraction. Therefore, she is omnipresent and omnipotent.

Oshun is the force of harmony – harmony seen as beauty, felt as love, and experienced as ecstasy. According to the ancients, she was the only female Irunmole amongst the 401 sent from the spirit realm to create the world. As such, she is revered as “YeYe” – the sweet mother of us all. When the male Irunmole attempted to subjugate Oshun due to her femaleness, she removed her divine energy (aché) from the project of creation and all subsequent efforts were in vain. Only after the male Irunmole begged Oshun for forgiveness could the creation of the world continue. However, creation would not commence until Oshun had given birth to a son. This son became Elegba, the great conduit of aché in the Universe and also the eternal and infernal trickster.

Oshun is known as Yalode- the mother of things outside the home, due to her business expertise.

She is also known as Laketi, “She Who has Ears”, because of how quickly and effectively she answers prayers.

When she possesses her followers she dances, flirts and then weeps- because no one can love her enough and the world is not as beautiful as she knows it could be. Oshun is beneficent and generous, and very kind. However, she does have a terrible temper, though it is difficult to anger her.

Oshun rules the ‘sweet’ waters- rivers, brooks, and streams.

General Characteristics of Goddess Oshun

Symbols: Gold, yellow butterflies, diamonds, yellow roses, peacock, vultures, etc.

Tarot: Page (Princess in Thoth Deck) of Cups, Ace and 2 of cups

Chakra: Solar plexus, heart chakra

Astrology: Venus, Taurus and Virgo

Associated Number: 5

Day: Saturday

Traditional Colors: Yellow, gold and amber

Offerings: Pumpkins, cinnamon, sweet potatoes, lemons, coconut, honey, yams, chicken, etc. Her preferred offerings are honey, copper jewellery, or coins in multiples of five.

Favorite Plants: Sunflowers, lemons, pumpkins, cinnamon, butternut squash, etc.

Animals: Yellow butterflies, bees, otters, skunks, peacock, vulture, etc.

Gemstones: Amber, diamonds, imperial topaz, yellow fluorite, rutilated quartz, citrine, golden beryl, etc.

Feast Day: September 8th

Syncretized Catholic Saint: Our Lady of Charity of Cobre. She is most often associated with St. Cecilia, and in Lukumi, she is Our Lady of La Caridad del Cobre, the protectress of Cuba.

Appearance: She is often dressed in long yellow satin dresses cinched tightly at the waist exposing her contours.

Locations:

Natural bodies of water, jewellery stores, beauty shops, cosmetology schools, boutiques and in love gardens.

Altar Preparation:

When preparing an altar to Oshun, the space should be cleaned and perfumed. Your altar must look pretty and you can decorate it with her favorite items. She loves yellow, gold, amber and brass. She loves to be praised and called a goddess.

On the altar, place your sweet offerings such as; honey, pumpkin, cinnamon, sweet potatoes, lemons, coconut, yams, etc. You can offer her cowries and jewelries. When consulting her for blessings, do not make promises that you can’t keep because she hates that.

Areas of Influence:

Oshun protects against illnesses in the lower stomach and intestines. She handles infertility issues and heals disorders of the reproductive system. Being a goddess of love, you can call her whenever you are experiencing love and relationship issues.

Attracting and Maintaining the Blessings of Oshun

If you wish to attract the blessings of Oshun then you should worship and portray her attributes. Oshun is very generous to people so you should be in the hands of Oshun in humanity by spreading joy and love wherever you can. Your top priority should be to make the world a more beautiful place.

Take good care of your appearance, love your skin and do everything to stay healthy. Wear beautiful clothes, especially yellow dresses and do not fail to adorn yourself with gold accessories. “You may not own the finest clothes, but what you have should be clean and beautiful.” Great advice to all of us to maintain our self confidence.

Make Your Own Oshun Oil

Oshun loves sweet-smelling incense, but you must make sure it is of the highest quality that you can afford.  You can prepare incense for her using some of the natural herbs that she loves so much.

Below is a basic devotional incense recipe adapted from the western kitchen.

Oshun Incense Recipe

Items Required:

  • a handful of Louisa
  • 5 spoonful sandalwood powder (African camwood )
  • 5 eucalyptus leaves
  • a pinch of cinnamon or cloves for Eshu
  • 10 spoonful fenugreek
  • a spoonful of yellow mustard seeds
  • 5 gold leaves or a dash of gold dust
  • a small handful of myrrh or copal
  • a small handful of dragon’s blood chunks

Method

After you have gathered all your materials then crush all together to form a powder. Consecrate and keep in a cool dry place.

Oshun Oil Recipe #1

Items needed:

  • A 1 inch cinnamon stick,
  • 3 guinea peppers,
  • 3 English peppers (allspice),
  • 3 coffee beans
  • a vanilla bean cut into 3 pieces,
  • or 3 cloves for Eshu
  • 1 liter of sunflower oil
  • 1 ml vitamin E oil
  • 1/4 cup fenugreek
  • 1 handful of louisa or dried orange peels
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 5 freshwater pearls or cowrie shells
  • (optional) 1 tablespoon of honey
  • (optional) 5 gold leaves

Method

After you have gathered all the ingredients keep them to dry then pour into a large jar or bottle. Add sunflower oil to the mixture then cover the jar with a lid. Keep it in a cool dark place for 5 months.  Click here to order for a well prepared Oshun oil.

Oshun Oil Recipe #2

Use Oshun Oil to honour the river goddess and draw love and prosperity to you. Use the following essential oils to create this holy oil:

  • Sweet orange
  • Rose scent, which can be one or more of these:
  • Essential Oil of Roses (Rose Otto)
  • Essential Oil of Rose Geranium
  • Rose Fragrance (synthetic)
  • Cinnamon
  • Magnolia

Blend in a base of grapeseed oil to honour the love goddess Oshun.

TIP – To the above formula, add rose petals for enhancing love, and patchouli leaves for enhancing passion.

Other Tips for Oshun Rituals

Oshun loves to be worshipped with sweet honey. Another technique to use during an Oshun worship ritual is to simply gather 5 sunflowers, place them in a vase with fresh water and add a touch of honey. Place the vase in the center of your room and burn Oshun incense along.

You can perform this during a spiritual bath. Burn some at your front door to draw in her energy. At the end of the ritual do not fail to appreciate her with offerings.

Oshun Candle for Praise

You can call on Orisha Oshun by following these simple steps:

  • Get a tray and fill it with water and honey.
  • Place five yellow flowers into the tray.
  • On the brown piece of paper bag, write down your petition.
  • Fold it towards you and put it into the center of the tray.
  • Get a yellow 7 day glass encased candle.
  • Place the candle on top of your petition.
  • Then light your incense and say a prayer.

You are expected to burn the candle for 5 days only while asking for help from the River goddess. At the end of the daily ritual, remember to appreciate her and when the ritual is complete, take the flowers, petition and some fresh honey to a running river or stream and “feed” it to Oshun.

 

Image Sources:

  •  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R_M5F0Rz5w
  • http://soul-service.tumblr.com/post/23819140060/oshun-oshun-or-ochun-in-the-yoruba-religion-is