I have started my studies in the Ifa spirituality of Yoruba Land. This area consists of Southern Nigeria, Togo, and Benin. There are several different spiritualities, but the one I work in is Ifa.
In Ifa, there are Orishas. These are gods or spirits that are revered by the people of Ifa. There are infinite amount of Orisha, from spirit of leaves and roots, of trees and agriculture. Orishas of transformation and divine femineity, of hurricanes, and of rushing sweet rivers. And there are two that I am going to touch on, briefly today, as I am still learning, and will better be able to fill in the gaps later when my knowledge has deepened. Okay, here we go!
Oya, the Orisha of wind, storms, lightning, hurricanes, and such. The name Oya translates into “She Tore” and it makes sense, as she is seen with wil, beautiful hair, carrying a machete and a whish. She is, therefore, an Orisha of transformation, and transition. She clears the path in front of you, whether good or bad, until your true destiny is shown. Her devotees wear red and purple. She loves flowers, red wine, eggplant, and some other stuff. She is also related to the cemetery gate, and as such is the Orisha who can see through the veil, she straddles the land of the ancestors, and fosters the newly dead to their next place. She is also related to the market place, making here an Orisha of commerce, as well. Her number is 9, and the day of week she is associated with is Wednesday. She is a river Orisha and is associated with the Niger river, which is called Odo Oya, and the 9 tributaries that flow into the river. She was the favorite wife of Sango (Shango, Shongo) That is a simplified (very simplified) version of Oya
The next Orisha I want to, briefly, touch upon, is Osun or Oshun. She is the Orisha of divine femineity, of beauty, of a certain type of sensuality. Attributes include helping to create human beings, and is a nurturer. She is known for keeping spiritual balance, and she is generous, compassionate - but, is also known for her vanity and jealousy. Osun’s day is Friday (today), and her number is 5. She is associated with rushing, sweet rivers, honey, mirrors, and the color yellow. Below, if it allows (they may be up top) are representations of both Oya and Osun
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