“I find it quite appropriate that Osun energy seems to be so intertwined with this site…is it not amazing that Osun energy is using this Ogun (technology) vehicle to get her message across?” ~Searchingforsoul

I wanted to write about Osun because, as sister Searchingforsoul pointed out so beautifully, Osun’s presence can be felt quite strongly on ymib, a place where women come together and share their stories, wisdom, and creative inspiration. I also wanted to write about Osun because she has been a healing, loving force within my own life, and the lives of so many other sisters. Osun is the Orisa of fresh water, a life source (her name means “source”), and “indispensable in the process of divination.”

Recently, a Yoruba priest told me that Osun doesn’t just appear in the lives of people who are full of love and harmony. She touches those who are lacking love, who need her warm spirit the most. That statement reminded me of a particular Pataki (sacred story) that I would like to share, as told by Baba Raul Canizares:

“During the shameful days of the slave trade, Oshun saw thousands upon thousands of her devotees being taken away from their homes in Africa to faraway lands. Frustrated, the Orisha of rivers was somehow unable to keep this horrible deed from occurring. As she often did when troubled, Oshun sought solace in the maternal arms of her big sister, Queen Yemaya, who told her that there were some mysteries not even the Orisha could decipher.

“Yemaya, whose oceans touch every land, where are all our children being taken to?” “They are being taken to many places, see those ships there in the harbor? The stately queen pointed to two large vessels. “They are going to end up in Cuba, in fact, many of our people will end up in Cuba.” Without thinking twice, Oshun said, “I want to go with them! I want to be there to help my children in their hour of need!” Osun is present to show us love even when we feel hopeless or full of despair.

Osun is also an orisa of creativity. My dance teacher always reminds us that Osun is fond of creating “something from nothing”, that is, making something beautiful out of simple things we already have. Look around: there’s a little bit of Osun in those brass bangles you bought from a thrift shop, or the straw fan that hangs on your wall. The cowry shells in your earrings, the hand mirror you keep on the bedside table. Osun’s altars are wonderfully diverse, and vary depending on the individual and the occasion. Most are adorned with Osun’s signature colors, shades of yellow and gold, usually tempered with white. Her number is 5, and her altars may be fed with brass bangles, combs, mirrors, shells, pictures of rivers and mermaids, and peacock feathers. I love the creativity that goes into putting together an altar. Included in the other pictures here is one of my own (the one with the mermaid picture against the purple background), created when I needed to get through a very tough time. That outpouring of prayerful creativity really helped me.

Osun has been a comfort to her children all over the world, and many African American women feel they have a special relationship to her, eloquently illustrated in Rachel Elizabeth Harding’s essay, What Part of the River You’re In: African American Women in Devotion to Osun. Harding interviewed six of Osun’s devotees about their experiences and what Osun means to them. Iyaloshi Osuntoki Mojisola, a priestess of Osun who is also a filmmaker and physical education instructor based in New York, had this to say:

“[She is] the one who gives you anything you want. Especially when you know what you need in life—when you are focused and aware of what you need—to keep you healthy, to keep you at peace with your spirit. She is the giver. The mother of peace.”

Osun is a powerful ally when doing the work of manifestation. After all, she was the only female Orisa to be present when the world was created, and the process could not move forward without her, as illustrated in this excerpt from a Yoruban verse:

“It was divined for the sixteen Odu, who were coming from heaven to earth, [that] a woman was the seventeenth of them. When they got to earth, they cleared the grove for Oro, Oro had his own space. They cleared the grove for Opa, Opa’s abode was secure. They prepared a grove for Eegun, Eegun had a home. But they made no provision for Osun. So, she decided to wait and see [h]ow they would carry out their mission successfully…All women are aje, and because they left her out, nothing they did was successful. [The male Orisas] then headed for heaven, and made straight for Olodumare, who asked why they came. They said it was about their mission on earth…nothing was successful. Olodumare asked, “How many of you are here?” They answered, “sixteen.” He also asked, “When you were leaving heaven, how many were you?” They answered, “seventeen”…And Olodumare said…. “That one you left behind, if you do not bring her here, there will be no solution to your problem.”

They then returned to Osun, and addressed her, “Mother, the preeminent hair-plaiter with the coral-beaded comb. We have been to the Creator, and it was there we discovered that all Odu were derived from you [Osun], and our suffering would continue if we fail to obey you [Osun].” This verse speaks not only to Osun’s power, but the power of women, and importance of the feminine aspect for manifesting positive things. For centuries this energy has been overlooked and suppressed, but when a woman taps into her sacred and divine power, anything is possible.

,b>Recommended Reading: Oshun: Santeria and Orisha of Love and Sensuality by Baba Raul Canizares and Osun Across the Waters : A Yoruba Goddess by Joseph M. Murphy and Mei-Mei Sanford.

The traditions of Yoruba, Santeria, Candomble, and the many spiritual paths of Orisa devotion have been passed down orally for centuries. Because of slavery and oppression, songs, dances, and stories had to be fiercely guarded secrets for the protection of the followers. Our ancestors were strong, and risked their lives to keep their traditions and spirit alive. We are blessed to live in an age where our traditions are revered and being documented. There is no replacement for our elders and the amazing oral history that has been passed down, but the tradition is being made even richer by the work of dedicated scholars like Rachel Elizabeth Harding, Arturo Lindsay, Mei Mei Sanford, and so many others who are recording this history for future generations. And there is so much beautiful art created in devotion to Osun and all the Orisas, and thanks to this age of communication, we are able to share and witness it. Osun is with us, and her sweetness and light remind us to count our ever-present blessings.

About The Author: Fellow Circle Sister Marissa Arterberry aka Girl Blue is a talented artist and writer currently living in California. Be sure to check out our interview with her here and be sure to stop by her blog for some artistic inspiration!

Feature photo by: Cathy Delanssay