Know the best OFFERINGS TO YEMAYA to have his favors

Part of the rituals in the Yoruba belief are offerings, in this post we will teach you how to offer them to Yemaya, one of the Goddesses that is part of the upper temple of these Orishas; so that you can enjoy her favors and keep this Deity happy at all times.

Introduction

The Offerings to Yemaya are part of the rituals that are usually performed to this Orisha, which is considered one of the most important in the Yoruba Pantheon; since she is considered the first to be born, after the creator of the entire world called Olofi, stops the fire that consumed the entire earth.

This important goddess was a partner of Obatala, considered the father of the world and she consecrated herself as the mother of humanity, since it is considered that everything that is known was born from her, and therefore she is the one who has given life to all other orishas in the world.

He is a character from Yoruba mythology, who has great gifts of love, teaching these to the rest of humanity. She is a symbol of goodness and nobility, with which she has earned a high position within the temple that worships the Yoruba religion.

However, when he gets angry, he is usually unstoppable and implacable, especially with all those who have caused him this anger; and therefore applies punishments with the full weight of justice. Well, his word is sacred and as such must be respected by all his faithful followers. (We recommend that you also see Elegua)

Yemaya is a queen who is endowed with a lot of creativity and dominates nature with it, being the one who answers the requests of people who have problems during pregnancy. Well, she is a compassionate mother, with all of her children, being a representative of her in addition to femininity and with the characteristics of the Moon.

A goddess who sometimes manifests herself in a proud and arrogant way, but without ever ceasing to be fair. She is syncretized with the Virgin of Regla. This being a form adopted by slaves in colonial times, when they wanted to continue with their traditional cultures without their masters finding out.

Precisely this was the fact that led to the Yoruba deities being represented with images of Catholicism itself, all with the purpose of being able to worship their orishas, ​​without the intervention of their white masters. For this reason, they brought together Catholic images, their spiritual images of their orisha gods, and for this reason it is considered that the Virgin of Regla is, for them, the image that symbolizes the mother of all Yemaya humanity.

Olofi granted her the kingdom of all the seas, when she distributed the riches of humanity, giving her sister Oshun, who at the same time was raised by her, the dominion of all the fresh waters, and to little Oya, also her sister, the reign of all the cemeteries and the control of the dead, thereby appeasing their spirits.

It is said that Yemaya has the gift of exercising control over people’s bodies, for this reason it influences the uterus, liver, chest and buttocks. She is an Orisha and is considered the patron saint of all sailors, as she is the queen of the seas, which is why she is invoked by them when they are on the high seas.

The offerings to Yemaya are a manifestation of gratitude and devotion that his faithful followers offer him, which is why they usually include herbs such as vine, coriander, malanga, majugua, ubi, laisimón and aloe vera itself. All of this is pleasing to this goddess, especially when it is given from the heart.

To make their Offering, it is recommended that the rules of the Yoruba religion be always taken into account, which is why the Children of Yemaya pronounce their name by touching the ground and then kiss their fingertips, this is a symbol of respect. to contemplate before performing any ritual.

Those who wish to give Offerings to Yemaya must previously know everything related to their Orisha, this is logically part of the preparation in the rules of this cult, and learned during the teachings that the initiates receive, where they are made aware of elements such as the very symbology of this goddess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njq17VXjYD4

For which we have representations such as the sun, the full moon, life preservers, boats, oars, the anchor, all symbols of her marine kingdom; as well as a key, a star and seven silver handles.

Another element that must be kept in mind in the rituals of Offerings to Yemaya is the use of necklaces, which are made with a lot of faith and crystals plus blue beads; which we will learn more about during the development of our article.

The Orisha Yemaya usually welcomes foods such as okra, which is made by adding green banana balls, oranges, corojo butter, fish and many others. She also usually receives some sacrifices of doves, rams, roosters or chickens.

Having said all this, we are going to enter what is the point on which the development of this article focuses, such as the Offerings to Yemaya; which is why we have previously made known, in broad outline, what this Orisha of the Yoruba religion is.

What are the offerings to Yemaya?

One of the most important elements within the cult of the gods, which are followed within the Yoruba religion, are the offerings to their orishas, ​​many of which are based on sacrifice. These are manifestations given by their devotees in order to praise the deity, to which they have dedicated their lives and devotion.

I feel all this with the purpose, on the one hand, of keeping his saint happy or well served; and on the other, to invoke him in order to be able to solve some type of problem, either of them, or of any other person who had requested their services. (You can also see Prayer to Elegua)

The offering is a manifestation of the gratitude professed by the followers of the orishas, ​​with the purpose of entertaining their deities and keeping them happy and well cared for, in order to have their protection and favors for the benefit of each of their devotees.

The offerings can be made with many elements and be of different types, since each of the orishas is usually given the offerings that they like; which is why it is necessary to know their tastes and the symbols that are representative of them, such as their necklaces, colors or numbers.

One of the offerings that is commonly used is the one known as Adimú, which is composed in most cases of foods or animals, which are offered through sacrifice. Being one of the traditional Adimú, the yam flour known as Amala, also the cooked corn flour which is called Eko; These being some examples.

Why are offerings made?

When people who follow this type of cult need divination, according to the rules of the Yoruba religion, offerings must be made to the orishas, ​​in order to obtain the objectives desired by the santero, and avoid giving negative elements in consequence.

The making of the Offering should not delay, because in this case the positive may not manifest and consequently the negative consequences cannot be avoided. For this reason, it is necessary that the offerings be made in the process at which the invocation or request is made to their corresponding deity, because in this way, their response will also be. (we recommend you read the article about Shango)

Types of offerings to Yemaya

As indicated, Yemaya is an important goddess for the protection of everything related to the seas, oceans, justice and especially love. For this reason, when Offerings are made to Yemaya, they allow her devotees to obtain a series of benefits such as protection, love, fertility and a lot of prosperity.

Offerings are usually made to her so that she can intercede in the solution of problems related to issues such as love, money and everything related to the safety of sailors who are on the high seas. Because Yemaya is the goddess of the seas; Many of her offerings are usually given near waters, and in the same way her foods are related to the oceans.

In order to properly make the Offerings to Yemaya, it is very important to fully know this deity, of which there are many Patakki or stories, which tell of his life since he appeared on earth, and it is also necessary to know each of his paths.

For which we indicate that Yemaya begins with seven paths, which represent his first contacts with the orishas and after about five years these expand, becoming twenty-one paths, which after about ten years, become up to thirty-five.

The paths are the somewhat intangible representation with which the initiates decide to follow Yemaya, in order to obtain spiritual peace and make a projection of what their life will be like, to help human beings; These paths being something that only those initiated into the cult can obtain.

Yemaya’s devotees generally make offerings to him in front of the sea, which consist of foods such as sideburns, sweets with honey, avocados, basil, white flowers and a lot of liquor. They wear their representative necklaces to this ceremony, which they place on the boats that are going out to sea.

To this Orisha, tools related to marine elements can be offered, and objects made based on its colors, which are light blue and white; which are also used in the making of their altars, or in the saint’s clothing.

When the offerings are placed on the seashore and carried away by the water, it is considered a manifestation that Yemaya has received the offering with great pleasure. Although it should be considered that if the offerings are returned, this does not imply rejection, since many people usually eat these foods when they find them on the shores of the beach.

Before specifically considering how to make offerings to Yemaya, to solve a certain problem, we are going to leave you a prayer made to this deity in the Yoruba dialect. Being especially dedicated to her with great devotion, on her holiday such as February 2 or before invoking her, for a request from her.

“Yemaya Orisha Obunrin dudú,

Kuelú re meye abayá ni re oyú,

Ayaba awó gba okí me,

Iyá ogá ni gbogbo okuo,

Yeye Omó eya,

Lojunoyina ni re ta gbogbo,

Akun nini iwo ni re olowo,

Nitosi re Omó terriba,

“Adukue Iyá Mí”

This is a powerful prayer that is dedicated as an invocation to request the presence of the goddess Yemaya, whose translation into Spanish is as follows.

“Oh my holy black woman,

You who have seven stripes on your face,

My Queen Guess I greet you,

Mother who is the owner of all the seas,

Mother of the children of the fish,

You who have your throne in the distance,

You who live under all the seas,

And you have your riches in them,

What do you offer to your obedient children,

Thank you, my mother.”

It is important that the offerings made to this Orisha are accompanied by prayers and other rituals, so that they are well accepted by Yemaya, who can also be offered dances and…