Who’s this Goddess? *Yemaya: The Great Mother Goddess of the Sea

 

 

Yemaya (Yemoja, Iemanja, Yemana) is known as Mother of the Sea. She is the lady of Rain, the Creator Mother. She is one of the Seven African Powers, the well-respected Gods of the Yoruban pantheon. Her name (Yey Omo Eja) means “Mother whose Children are the Fish”. This blatantly expresses her direct association with the sea. She is often depicted as a mermaid or a black woman at the seaside. Wearing a blue-green and white dress, Yemaya is associated with the ocean, saltwater, rain. Also with healing fertility, the Moon, the subconscious, creativity and female mysteries such as menstruation, conception, pregnancy, childbirth and menopause. Yemaya governs the household and she grants protection, safety, love and healing to all those who ask her aid. Yemaya is a merciful, compassionate spirit who traditionally was invoked by fishermen to bless their nets and provide food to their family. In addition, the fishermen’s wives often prayed to Yemaya. The wives pleaded for protection and return their husbands safely back home. Finally, Yemaya is the patroness of all Witches and two of her sacred names are Queen of Witches and Mama Watta (Mother of the Waters) which explain why many of her followers built their altars next to the Ocean.

 

In the Yoruban pantheon, Yemaya was embraced by Christianity and was often called the Star of the Sea which was a name for Virgin Mary. According to legends, Yemaya is highly associated with the Goddess Isis and it is said that she originated from Egypt. After the end of slavery, many of the ex-slaves who returned to different parts of Africa after escaping Egypt brought Isis with them under the new name of Yemaya. This may be one of the reasons that Yemaya is associated with the element of Water, Magic, Healing and Motherhood. According to the legend, when her uterine broke, the water caused a great flood in the Earth that created the Ocean. Ath the same time, the first Man and Woman were her children.   

 

Yemaya is a deity that chooses her followers. She often comes to them in a vision, dream or concept. This clarifies the Union between the Goddess and the Student. Yemaya’s feast days are traditionally the 7th of September and the 2nd of February. These dates are also associated with her daughter Oya. Saturday is her sacred day of the week. Offerings to Yemaya often were pidgeons, seashells, mother of pearl, fruits and flowers. The offerings were released next to the Ocean, the Home of Yemaya. Please be aware that the offerings to Yemaya can never be fish, as they are her children. However, her followers are allowed to eat fish as the Mother nourishes her children and she embraces balance in Nature. Now, if the followers choose not to eat fish out of respect that is another story as it has to do with the bond formed between each follower and the Goddess.

 

Followers of Yemaya wear ornaments of seashells, moonstones, pearls and mother of pearl. Yemaya’s sacred colours are blue and green. These signify the Sea and White as it signifies the Moon and the Foam of the Sea. Followers of Yemaya often cast their rituals and spells near the Sea. This is where the Goddess resides.

 

• Healing Spells. For she is the Great Healer.

• Protection Spells. For she is the Merciful Mother of All.

• Travelling Spells. Especially travels over the sea.

• Dream Magic. For she is highly associated with the collective unconscious and prophetic dreams

• Shapeshifting. For she is the Constantly Changing Woman.

• Female Rituals. Recited To grant fertility, to bless the newborn, to assist in labour, to facilitate the changing process of menopause

• Learning the art of Magic.  For she is the Queen of Witches she can teach you the Mysteries and the art of Witchcraft

• Creativity. If you feel blocked, let Yemaya help you overcome the obstacles since she loves all artists and forms of expression

• Bringing Rain. Yemaya was traditionally invoked to bring rain and nourish the earth.

• Balance. Yemaya teaches her followers to find balance among others between the conscious and the subconscious

• Finding your Orientation, both spiritual and physical.  She casts away the shadows and she is the Star of the Sea

 

the easy Witch, (in all possible ways!) 🙂

 

Discover, Play, Love!