What is my Orisha? Head orixá, assistant, ancestor, odus and more!

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What is my Orisha?”, know that the answer is not that simple. Of course, there is a way to know which Orisha is guiding you, but you need to analyze some important points first.

It’s not enough just one point or another to recognize your Orisha (or rather, your three Orixás), you first need to understand who each one is. Next, you must understand which one is the head, his deputy and the ancestor.

Of course, to know who’s who, you’ll need to have some support for that. However, in general terms, you can find similarities between your behavior and your Orisha.

In this way, it is essential to know the characteristics of each Orisha and its children, associating the most striking points. Find out how to do this and get to know the most popular Orixás more deeply, who knows if one of them isn’t yours?

Before starting to know the characteristics of each one, you need to have a better idea of the base, that is, what is an Orisha and which are the best known. Just to give you an idea, in West Africa there are more than 200, but here between 12 and 16 are studied, depending on the tradition.

Remember that there are differences between Umbanda and Candomblé regarding the classification of some of them. This happens because of the origin, interpretation and how each religion was established in Brazil. Therefore, here are more general traits of each Orisha for you to check out.

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Orixás are the archetypal representations of the African pantheon, representing elements or forces of nature. They are described, as well as the Greek gods, in an anthropomorphic way, that is, similar to human beings, with traits, clothing and worldly attitudes.

Thus, everyone has a story – told through various legends – flaws and qualities. They also have an area of activity, that is, each one has its domain, which was given by Olorum (God). They are related to an element, having well-marked personalities.

To understand better, you can make an association with other religions, such as Greek, Minoan, shamanic or Nordic. There is a ‘father’ God (Olorum, Zeus, Odin) or ‘mother’ (Great Minoan Goddess or Mother Goddess of Shamanism), with his subordinate Gods and Goddesses, who have contact with humans. There is also a way to relate to the Saints of Catholicism, since there is already this syncretism between religions.

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The Orixás are fathers and mothers of human beings, in the sense of spiritual guides and not in parenting. They are forces that help during each one’s journey, inspiring and influencing their decisions.

Normally, there are three main orishas that can accompany a person: the front or head; the adjunct Orisha and the ancestor. Of course, the energy of others will also always be available, being able to act at specific times.

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To find out who your Orisha is, you need, in addition to knowing their characteristics, to also know yourself, that is, you will have to think about your qualities, defects, behaviors and the like.

This helps with personal growth and also shows directions towards improving your relationships. Also, knowing your Orisha also helps you connect with him and find the best paths.

When talking about regency – that is, who is in charge, in charge – of the Orixás, it is important to know that it is not just one, but fundamentally three that guide each person.

They are the Orisha from the front, also called the Orisha from the head; the adjunct Orisha and the ancestor. They are always in opposite pairs, that is, if the head is a male Orisha, the deputy will be a female.

The ancestor is normally formed by a pair as well, male and female, as a balance between two forces. There are also traditions that claim to be only one ancestor. Understand what each one is and the relationships with aspects of your life.

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The head Orixás are the best known, and are also the main ones. That’s because it’s your Orisha from the front who determines your rationality. In other words, it deals with the rational part and its influence on behavior.

In addition, it can also act on physical expressions and the way in which the person will be perceived by others. You know that first impression you have of someone? It is related to the Orisha from the front and that is why there is the expression “my saint hit” (or not), with such a person.

It may be that your Orixás do not really fight each other, for example, one being the son of Ogun and the other of Xangô. So never just get the first impression, get to know better before deciding whether or not you like someone.

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The adjunct or juntó Orisha is related to emotions, the way a person acts and reacts emotionally in situations of stress, joy, love and others. He helps balance the front, always looking for a balance between the two forces.

When the Orisha goes too far, it is the deputy who manifests himself to find a greater balance. In other words, it may be that during a stressful or dangerous situation, the front one gives way to the joint, so that it can react more appropriately.

A good example is that party person, playful and who doesn’t mince the tongue – Oxossi’s daughter, who in the moment of extreme stress and need, acts calmly, rationally and coldly, contrasting with her more visible behavior, probably a Nanã juntó.

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The ancestral Orisha is the most complex and difficult to identify, as it is related to the essence, the origin of the person. It is assigned in the first incarnation and accompanies all others until the moment of enlightenment.

He is the one who represents someone’s true characteristics, underneath all the social masks used. It is what reflects the person in his heart, for example, someone who has Obaluayê in front of him may seem more serious and shy, but among his, he shows his happy and fun essence, governed by the ancestor Exu.

It is important to know that the ancestor is not paired with the joint or the front. In reality, it has its own pair, being a dominant, which has greater influence on the crown, and a recessive, which rules the base chakra. They are also always a female and a male.

To discover your Orisha head-on, it is important to pay attention and get to know each one of them. That way, it’s easier to recognize the signs and feel this relationship closer.

There are some additional ways to do this. Of course, little by little, your Orisha comes forward, but you can count on the support of specialists and some other factors to be sure. See what they are.

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There are two most common ways to ask for help to find your Orisha head-on: spiritual consultations and cowrie shells. In the case of consultations with mediums, they are held in Umbanda terreiros and the buzios, in Candomblé.

In both cases, it is essential to know well the work carried out and trust who will assist you. In general terms, this is the safest way to be sure of your Orisha from the front, but there are other ways to get tips about him.

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Each day of the week corresponds to some orishas, so it is easy to associate the day of your birth with the most likely orishas. Remembering that these are just signs and to be sure, you need to get to know each other and make an appointment.

See which are the Orixás and guides, according to Umbanda, corresponding to each day of the week:

Monday: Exu, Pombo Gira, Obaluayê and Omulu, Pretos Velhos and Afflicted Souls;

Tuesday: Ogun, Oxumaré, Irokô, Boiadeiros and Baianos;

Wednesday: Xangô, Obá and Iansã;

Thursday: Oxossi, Ossaim, Logunedé, Caboclos and Caboclas;

Friday: Oxalá, Santas Almas and Linha do Oriente conducted by Xangô;

Saturday: Iemanjá, Oxum, Ondines, Mermaids, Iaras and Sailors;

Sunday: Nanã, Iori, Children and Ibejadas.

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The Odus are like the signs of the zodiac, related to the day of your birth, but in a somewhat different way. After all, it is not related to the position of the stars at your birth, but the vibration of the numerology of the day you were born.

There are a total of 16 Ifá Odus and to find yours, just add the days of your birth, if you give 17 onwards, add it again to have a number between 1 and 16. For example, January 1, 2020 would be 0+1 +0+1+2+0+2+0=6, which is Odu Obará, governed by Xangô and Oxossi.

Make your account and see the corresponding Odu:

1: Okanran — ruled by Exu, he never gives up on his goals and especially his ideals. He has a certain aggressiveness in his actions, especially when he believes he is right, and may make some enemies along the way;

2: Eji – Okô – Ruled by Ibejí and Obá, his personality is marked by tranquility and decisiveness, at least from the outside. Inside, you know how chaotic and insecure your mind can be, afraid to expose yourself and get hurt;

3: Etá – Ogundá – Ruled by Ogun, it is clear that courage and determination are its most striking characteristics, but creativity is also its strong point. On the other hand, you can lose your temper very easily and cannot stay in one place for a long time;

4: Irosun – Ruled by Yemanja and Eguns, those who have this odu are usually able to deal with complicated situations much more easily than others. Calmly, he uses his ability to grow in life and conquer his dreams;

5: Oxé – Ruled by Oxum, you can spend your whole life dedicating yourself to those who are part of your closest circle, but demand the same love in return. Sometimes you need a little solitude to put your ideas in place and recharge your energies;

6: Obará – Ruled by Xangô and Oxossi, he is very used to conquering what he wants through persistence and dedication. However, it’s important to remember that when it comes to an affective relationship, the other may not act as expected – and that’s okay;

7: Odi – Ruled by Obaluayê, he has very simple tastes and doesn’t need much to be happy. However, that doesn’t stop you from fighting for what you think is right and achieving your goals;

8: Eji – Onile – Ruled by Oxaguiã, mind and body are extremely agile and it seems difficult to sit still. With a certain ambition and desire to be very successful in your area, you may find it difficult to find the limit and stop for a while just to rest;

9: Ossá – Ruled by Yemanja, he is always looking to get to know himself better and understand the pains of the world. He focuses a lot on other people’s problems and tries to solve them, sometimes forgetting his own…

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