OSHUN THE AFRICAN GODDESS OF BEAUTY, LOVE, PROSPERTIY, ORDER, AND FERTILITY: A PRAISE TO OUR ORGINAL AFRICAN MATRIARCH – By: JIDE UWECHIA

It is said that “Oshun is beneficient and generous, and very kind. She does, have a malevolent and tempestuous temper, although it is difficult to anger her.”

It is said that “Oshun has excellent cooking skills.”

Oshun is the Mother of the African sweet or fresh waters. In her form as the mother of salt waters, she is known as Yemaya.

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.

She is the protector of the poor, the mother of all orphans, she is the one who brings them what they need in this life through periods of weakness or strenght.

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. She is known as the mother of the fishes of the seas and the birds of the forest. Isis used to be represented as the mother of the fishes and the Queen of the seas.

Oshun is the essence of love, sweetness and good cheer, beauty and flowing joy.

Among the Yorubas of West Africa, She is also known as Yalode- the mother of things outside the home or the mother of wealth, due to her business acumen.

She is also known as Laketi, “She who responds”, because of how quickly and effectively she answers prayers.

Possession of her devotees is one of her principal manifestation and in such states, devotees are filled with clarity, confidence, joy, love, bliss and laugher. Yet, they are filled at the same times with the terrible aspects of her power which activates to fight injustice against humanity and irreverence against the gods.

It has been said that “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 possibly be.”

The peacock and the vulture are sacred to Her. 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.

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:

Osun the Queen of Witches:

Oshun Ibu Ikole — Oshun the Vulture. This dimension of Oshun is (as was Isis of ancient Kemitic Egypt and the later Greek Diana) associated with Witches (Aje). Her symbols include the vulture, and the mortar and pestle (both of which are symbols of witchcraft).

Witchcraft in Africa is a high science practised by a few who are fortunate enough to have the time and resources to acquire that science of life. The science is so powerful that the adepts are reputed to have powers over life and death and the ability to deliver their will and affect reality as they wish.

It is said today that this power of witchraft is abused in today’s Africa. We cannot comment other than to ask those who make accusations to take a look at their inner most thoughts ensure that those thoughts are sincere.

The craft is a neutral science that can be deployed to serve what ever ends. But a disciplined and well educated practitioner of the craft is a great help to whatever community he or she lives in. For she carries on the beneficience of her chief goddess, Osun, quietly, loyally and annonymously waxing love and judicious judgement in line with the omni-potent and the omni-present will of the beloved lady, blessed Osun.

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.

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.

As such Oshun has the key and the secrets of Ifa, the fount of sacred wisdom. Oshun is then a synonym for Wisdom.

In the Old Testament Book of Proverbs Chapter 3 Verse 13 to 18, this beautiful praise of Oshun is embedded in the Bible under her Holy name Wisdom, or Sophia (the Greek goddess name used in the original Septuagint Greek New Testament Bible), which is of the same roots and essence as the Yoruba Ifa. It goes as follows:

13. Happy is the man that findeth [wisdom/sophia] Osun, and the man that getteth understanding [of her arts and science].

14. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

15. [She] Oshun is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

16. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.

17. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

18. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

See King James Version.

Osun the Beautiful and the Sensual

In the Yoruba/Cuban pantheon of gods and goddess, Oshun is represented as a beautiful, charming and coquettish young woman, often with long flowing dreadlocks. In some tales She is said to be a mermaid, with a fish’s tail, in other more urban legends some claim She is the equivalent of Mami-water.

With Oshun there are no sensual repressions and inhibitions. She is a leader in Her father’s house. She is an independent woman, a matri-focal and androgynous matriarch.

Unlike the Roman catholic neutered and denatured “Virgin Maria”, Osun our mother, the Empress is a passionate and hot-blooded woman. Lover of many accomplished princes and gods, Her symbolism recalls days of strong women principalites who were rich, powerful knowledge enough to have many men dangling by her strings. Oshun has had affairs with Erinle, Orunmila, Oshosi, Orisha Oko, and Aje-Shaluga. She is also the sexual partner of Shango, and Ogun.

She was at one time the wife of Shango, the storm god, as was Oya, the goddess of the winds and tempests. There are many interesting stories about the romantic, passionate inter rivalry that existed between Oshun and 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.

In the Yoruba/Cuban religious view Osun is associated with the color yellow, the important metals gold and copper, peacock feathers, mirrors, and anything of charm, lightness, beauty and sweet taste. Her best day of the week is Saturday and her favourite number is 5.

Jide Uwechia

October 17, 2009