September 2020 arrives with the need to shift the whirlwind of chaos into the calm after the storm. This month, it is the Orisha Goddess OYA who magickally protects and guides us.
Oya is the Orisha Goddess of the Wind, Storms, and Change. An orisha is a deity of the Yoruba people of Africa, specifically Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Liberia, and the Ivory Coast. The Yoruban religious beliefs and worship of the Orishas spread from Africa to the New World via the Atlantic slave trade, and formed the foundation of Santeria, Voudoun, and a host of other Afro-Caribbean, Creole, and Goddess spiritualities.
O-ya means “she tore” in the Yoruban language, and she is the personification of the Niger River in Africa, as well as the Amazon in Brazil. Her winds and the machete/sword she carries tear through old karma, trauma, and threats to her worshipers. She is the power of lightning, thunder, and whirlwinds who dances wildly in her power, her nine skirts flowing and twirling as she spins. Her temperament changes like the weather; she can be fierce and formidable, or gentle and nourishing. She is an elemental Goddess, made from the power of Earth, Air, Fire and Water, and has the ability to shapeshift.
Oya’s warrior nature comes into play with her vehement protection of women and children. She is the Savage Warrior and the Protective Mother, coming to the aid of those who call upon her. She wields her machete to defend her daughters against their enemies. Oya sweeps all injustice, deceit, and dishonesty from the practitioner’s path, whether these things be in the form of people, situations, or the practitioner's own negative self/thoughts.
As Keeper of the Cemetery, Oya guards the gate between the living and the dead. She stands at the gates, ensuring the boundaries between birth, death, and rebirth are respected, and that every soul is accounted for. She is also a powerful sorceress and witch, her power deriving from the dark mysteries within the storm as well as Her connection to the dead. It is at the gates of the cemetery that Oya receives offerings from those seeking Her assistance.
Oya does not live in the cemetery, but resides in the marketplace as Queen. in the marketplace. This makes her a Goddess of prosperity, commerce, and material abundance. She blesses the retail transactions and contracts of businesses and independent merchants, and has a special place in her heart for female business owners.
Oya can aid your journey through the lunar cycles this month by connecting to you intuitively and emotionally. Please review the Resources section below for links to prayers, rituals, and more information.
September 2nd 2020: Full Moon in Pisces
The Full Moon in Pisces is high in elemental water energy, making for an emotionally and psychically sensitive week. It can feel a bit unruly and overwhelming Use this lunar cycle to strengthen your throat and third eye chakras by exploring new, creative ways to live your life from a space of divine connection. Be careful to interact with loved ones based on what they actually say and do, instead of what you read or feel in their energy; they may not even be aware they are sending out those negative vibes. Keep your boundaries intact, but do so compassionately.
September 17th 2020: New Moon in Virgo
It’s time to get organized.
New Moon in Virgo brings a need to ground and center, to cleanse and bless, to create some harmony in place of disarray. Virgo will awaken your need for organization and planning, while the New Moon urges you to get rid of the things that no longer suit you. Use this lunar cycle to get your house in order – literally and figuratively. Contemplate where your life could use more stability and security, as well as giving your living space a thorough physical and spiritual cleaning. Acknowledge the growth and wisdom you’ve achieved this season by taking a conscious step away from self-judgment. You did the best you could with what you had, and now you can focus on active preparation for your future.
Oya Correspondences
Energy: justice, tradition, femininity, storms, thunder and lightning, warrior, protection, sexuality, transformation and change, ancestors, death, witchcraft, the marketplace, retail transactions, mothers and children
Colors: burgundy, red, purple, brown, grey, white of lightning
Sacred Places: Niger River, the marketplace, cemetery gates
Scents: lavender, anise, basil, tobacco, chocolate, aloe, ozone, vetiver, oak moss, yam, sweet potato
Crystals: garnet, amethyst, shaman stones, chariote, labradorite, bloodstone, river stones, fossils, hematite, selenite, purple fluorite, ametrine, apatite
Animals: buffalo, water buffalo, fireflies, birds
Resources:
OYA Guiding Goddess Oil (limited quantities, available only during September 2020)
The Goddess and Orisha OYA an article by Kimberly Moore
Keys to Feminine Empowerment article from the Yoruba West African Tradition
Oya I – Abbilona - traditional chant (Youtube)
Santeria Church of the Orishas – OYA - article
Transform: The Power of Oya – an online workshop with Priestess Brandi Auset
African Narratives of Orishas, Spirits, and Other Deities by Alex Cuoco
Creole Religions of the Caribbean by Margarite Fernandez Olmos
Jambalaya: The Natural Woman’s Book of Personal Charms and Practical Rituals by Luisah Teish
Oya: In Praise of an African Goddess by Judith Gleason
The Handbook of Yoruba Religious Concepts by Baba Ifa Karade
Voodoo and Afro-Caribbean Paganism by Lilith Dorsey