How Do Offerings Work in Umbanda? All about offerings

In Afro-Brazilian religions we use offerings a lot, but How do offerings work in Umbanda?

Offerings are made for various purposes that will depend on the need of the consultant or the child who is making it.

Consequently, no one goes around making an offering without knowing what it is for and for whom it is, every delivery needs to have foundation and guidance.

Therefore, if you intend to make an offering, first consult a spiritual entity in Umbanda or Candomblé to find out exactly what should be done.

How offerings work in Umbanda

Umbanda works with the forces of nature. Our Orixás represent the strength points of our planet, land, water, forests, waterfalls, rivers, quarries, sea, in addition to the strength points of the cemetery.

Therefore, offerings in general are made with fruits, flowers, candles, ribbons and drinks with or without alcohol. They are always delivered to points of strength of that entity and according to the consultant’s needs.

But we will find in Umbanda and Candomblé many types of offerings and for several senses, all with spiritual guidance from the Father of the house or the entity that runs the House.

offerings to ask

When a consultant needs something, such as work, a cure for an illness, peace and balance in his life and the search for an Umbanda terreiro, guides try to resolve situations within their own home, because sometimes it’s just a matter of energy.

However, in some cases the problem may be more serious and need to do some kind of work! and there it is request the elements for the offering to the consultant, which will depend on the Guide and the person or situation of this person.

There are offerings that are made only with candles and dispatched at crossroads, or dirt roads, others need a little more.

offerings to thank

These are usually made at the request of the consultant who got what he needed, and wants to thank you with an offering.

In this case, the spiritual guide will ask for the elements to be delivered.flowers, fruits, drinks, cigarettes, or if you go to the left padê and drip.

In addition to indicating the place for delivery, which can be in streets, woods, cemeteries, on the beach, or sometimes it stays inside the yard itself until it is dispatched (thrown away) by the children or father of the house.

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Offerings that are obligations of children

Every son of Santo depending on the house he attends, he will have his obligation to the Saint, that is, to make an offering to his Head Parents.

These offerings are made inside the terreiro. And any food that is to be cooked will be done by the Mãe de Santo or by someone who “Has Kitchen Hands”. (In some houses there is a specific person who makes all the food that is for the saint).

After the meal is done, the son can lie down for the Saint or not, it will also depend on the doctrine of the house, in general he lies down.

That is, the santo de santo lies down on a straw mat and on top of his head is the offering that will be delivered, in some homes the child lies on the mat for a few days, in others just a few hours.

There is this difference between one house and another because Umbanda is not codified like Candomblé, so we can find many differences in the same religion.

Who can make an offering?

Let it be clear that what you do here is not the preparation, but the delivery of the offering.

That said, anyone! This as long as it is guided by a spiritual entity. To the offerings and deliveries are not made for the sake of making, everything needs to be substantiated and carried out according to some rules.

For example, before starting to make a simple or complex offering, those involved need to take their herbal baths. They can be energizing, defensive or attractive.

Besides, of course, saying a prayer to start the preparation and lighting a candle next to a glass of water. The candle and water here serve to create the portal with spirituality, which will be present throughout the process.

Although everyone is allowed to make an offering, not everyone can participate in the preparation. In some health cases, for example where it is necessary to pass some element on to the consultant, he may stay until everything is ready.

In the example I gave about health, sometimes the work and offering are done directly at the point of strength. In this case, in the cemetery, what we use to channel energy is popcorn, and the one who works for healing in this case is Pai Obaluayê or Pai Omulu.

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How soon will I have the result of the offering I made?

This is a very difficult question to answer. This, because it depends on many things, mainly from the moment of the person. Sometimes the offering is not to solve that problem itself, but to make way for the problem to be solved.

So it doesn’t matter if the offering was a candle or several candles and fruits. What determines the time for the result is what time the consultant is.

However, despite not immediately receiving what he asked for, the consultant will always have peace and balance restored, as the energies were moved in his favor.

Therefore, the result will always be according to the merits of each one, even knowing that spirituality works with additional mercy and helps us whenever we need it.

At Umbanda we use the strength of nature’s elements to strengthen our forces, we pave the way for work, for health using simple elements such as flowers, fruits, candles, in short.

Therefore, what matters in any offering or delivery that you are going to make is not the quantity of elements that you are delivering, but your intention to do so.

So, do you already know how offerings work in the world of Umbanda? I truly hope I have clarified all your doubts.

I’ve heard the phrase a lot:For those who have Faith, just light a matchstick and it will work”, and this is true, the offerings are nothing more than the channeling and materialization of our Faith or our desire.

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