Copper / Bronze Candle
Unblock what has stopped and get the money moving, in the metal of Oxum (Oshun), Iansã (Oya) and Oxumarê
Copper / Bronze Candle
7-day candle · stays lit for 7 days7 dias
The copper candle, which many shops sell as bronze, does not have the cheerful yellow or the festive gold. It is the color of worked metal, half earth, half fire. Those who come to it generally feel that something has stalled: a payment that does not fall, a stopped construction, a sale that cools down every time it seems to close. The question behind the search is simple: how to make this move again?
In the foundations of the tradition, copper is not the color of just one orixá (orisha), it is a metal. Pierre Verger recorded copper as the most valuable asset of the ancient Yoruba country, and for this reason, many houses link it to Oxum, mistress of wealth. Iansã carries a copper sword and an eruexim (horsetail whisk) with a handle of the same metal. Oxumarê, the serpent that never stops moving, appears with iron or bronze snakes. Each terreiro gives each one the weight that its own foundation commands, and it is worth asking yours.
Lit at home, the copper candle works slowly and by persistence, like water flowing around a stone. It does not create a client out of nothing, it does not force a contract, and it does not replace a conversation with the bank. What it does is accompany a phase of effort, remind that stagnant money spoils, and ask that the path opens for those who are already moving.
What is it for
What is the purpose of the Copper / Bronze Candle
Copper is a metal of passage: it carries heat and current from one point to another. The copper or bronze candle asks for movement for what has stagnated, for money to circulate again, and for courage to change, under the axé of Oxum, Iansã, and Oxumarê.
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Unblocking a stalled matter
A process that does not move, a construction project that never ends, a document stuck at a counter. The candle accompanies the week in which you return to demand, call, and insist, requesting that the right doors yield.
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Make money start circulating again
For the cash that enters and does not leave the place, or the reserve that only decreases. The request is for circulation: to receive, to pay what is owed, and to see a little left over to start again.
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Closing a partnership and contract
Before a negotiation, before signing with a partner, or before sending a proposal to a large client. The flame asks for clarity in the terms and honest people on the other side of the table.
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Courage to change phases
Iansã is the wind that moves things from their place. When there is a lack of spirit to change jobs, cities, or fields, the copper candle accompanies the decision, without deciding for you.
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Grounding (firmeza) at the workplace
Lit in a safe place in the workshop, in the salon, or at the stall, it establishes the space where your livelihood happens and asks that the movement of customers does not cool down.
Who rules this candle
Orixás and spirits of the Copper / Bronze Candle
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Oxum
Iyalodê, mistress of copper and gold
Before Brazilian gold, copper was the wealth of Oxum among the Yorubas, as Verger noted. The candle of this color requests the prosperity that flows like a river, and Saturday is the most used day for it.
Know Oxum -
Iansã
Lady of the winds, of the copper sword
Iansã wields a copper sword and the eruexim with a handle of the same metal, and many houses remember the bronze in her clothes. Receive the candle when the prayer request is movement, change, and courage, especially on Wednesday.
Know Iansã -
Oxumarê
The serpent of the rainbow and of the cycles
His tools are iron or bronze snakes, and his domain is the wealth that goes and comes. When financial life seems stuck in a bad cycle, his Tuesday is the choice of several houses.
Know Oxumarê
Also settled for
- Romani people
- Caboclas of Oxum and of Iansã
Prayer to light
Copper candle prayer to Oxum, Iansã and Oxumarê
“Mother Oxum, who guarded copper before guarding gold, look at my work and at the little I have in my hands. Teach this little to circulate without getting lost. Mother Iansã, blow your wind over what is stuck in my life, remove the dust from the doors and give me courage to cross when they open. Father Oxumarê, serpent that bites its own tail, close the cycle of lack and start with me the cycle of honest abundance. I do not ask for what belongs to anyone. I ask for movement, discernment and strength to do my part. May this copper flame carry my prayer request and bring me back the right answer. Ora Yeye Ô! Eparrei, Oyá! Arroboboi!”Light the candle and pray
Step by step
How to set the Copper / Bronze Candle
- 1
Choose the spot for sustenance
The candle stays where the money happens: near the cash register, the workbench, or the computer. It needs to be a firm surface, away from loose paper and curtains.
- 2
Arrange the coins in a circle
Arrange the coins in a circle on the plate, leaving the center free. The circle reminds us of the movement of Oxumarê: what goes out comes back. The cinnamon goes along with it, leaning against one of the coins.
- 3
Write the prayer request clearly
On the paper, state what you need to unlock with a name and a realistic deadline. A vague request gives a vague result. Fold the paper toward you and place it under the plate.
- 4
Light it and say to whom it is offered
Light it with a match in the center of the circle and say if the candle is for Oxum, Iansã, or Oxumarê, or for all three. Then perform the prayer calmly, without bargaining.
- 5
Close and place the coins to roll
Do not blow: if needed, cover with a saucer. When the candle finishes, spend the coins in local shops, burn or bury the paper, and throw the leftover wax in the trash wrapped up.
Precautions before lighting
- The 7-day candle stays lit for many hours without anyone watching. Use a wide ceramic plate, away from curtains, paper, children, and animals, and never inside a closet.
- Prosperity requested at the expense of another person is not the foundation of Oxum or Iansã. Do not use the candle to take away a client, business, or money from anyone.
- Obrigação, assentamento, and ebó for the orixás are the matter of your terreiro's zelador. The candle at home is devotion and does not take the place of that care.
- Serious debt requires a plan and a conversation with someone who understands finances. The candle accompanies your effort, but it does not solve a growing bill on its own.
Ceromancy
What the Copper / Bronze Candle flame shows
Traditional terreiro reading. Before interpreting, check if there is no wind, crooked wick, or poor quality candle.
- Good sign
Living flame, that dances and rises
Many houses read the moving flame without going out as a movement arriving. It matches the request of this candle: the matter has started to move.
- Good sign
Wax that flows toward the coins
It is read by several zeladoras as a sign that the request touched upon the issue of money. Collect the wax carefully and keep the coins to spend later.
- Attention
Low and almost still flame
It usually indicates that the blockage is more stubborn than it seemed. Repeat the candle the following week and review if there is any practical measure waiting for you.
- Attention
Cracks and sparks followed
Some houses read as dispute or interference in the path. Without fear: check the wick and, if it always repeats, talk to the zelador of a serious terreiro.
- Observe
Candle that goes out before its time
First look at the wind, the fan, and the quality of the candle. If everything is correct, light it again on the same plate, redo the prayer, and follow the week normally.
Ritual bath and smoke cleansing (defumação)
Herbs that combine with the Copper / Bronze Candle
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cinnamon
Cinnamomum verum
Hot herb linked to Oxum, of prosperity. A cinnamon stick on the plate, along with the coins, reinforces the request for money that circulates.
See the herb -
bay leaf
Laurus nobilis
Leaf of victory and of good business. Place a dried bay leaf inside the wallet during the week the candle is lit.
See the herb -
Folha-de-Cobra
Dracontium asperum
Oxumarê herb for cycle change. It has oxalate: use only in a ritual bath from the neck down, well strained, away from the eyes, on the eve of lighting.
See the herb -
Iansã's Sword / Saint Barbara
Sansevieria trifasciata var. laurentii
Iansã plant for firmeza and cutting of stagnation. A pot of it near the entrance of the business accompanies the copper candle well.
See the herb
Virtual Candle
Light the Copper / Bronze Candle now
Choose the type, write your request, and pay by PIX. The flame stays on the altar and you follow along through the link.
Place on the altarFrequently asked questions
Questions about the Copper / Bronze Candle
Are copper candles and bronze candles the same thing?
In practice, yes. Factories use both names for the same coppery tone, between dark orange and metallic brown. What matters is the intention when lighting it: the metal that conducts, the idea of making what was stuck move.
Which orixá receives the copper candle?
It depends on the house. Copper is a metal linked to Oxum, as a precious good of the Yoruba, and to Iansã, who has a sword and copper eruexim. Oxumarê is also remembered by the bronze snakes. When lighting it, say who the candle is for, and if in doubt, ask your terreiro.
What is the best day to light the copper candle?
Saturday, if the prayer request is for Oxum and prosperity. Wednesday, if it is for Iansã and the courage to change. Tuesday, if it is for Oxumarê and the end of a bad cycle. For business, many people prefer to start at the beginning of the work week.
What is the difference between the copper candle and the golden candle?
The golden one asks for abundance and celebrates what has arrived. The copper one works before that: it serves for the moment when money or the matter is stuck and needs to start circulating again. Anyone can light the copper one during the difficult phase and thank later with the golden one.
Can I blow out the copper candle and light it again?
You can, as long as you do not blow on it. Smother the flame with a saucer or a spoon and relight it on the same plate when you return. Ideally, with a 7-day candle, you should let it burn in a safe place without needing to interrupt it.
What to do with the coins after the candle ends?
Spend them. The idea of the firmeza is to make the money move, so the coins go to a neighborhood shop, a donation, or a small purchase. Keeping the coins stuck in a drawer goes against the purpose of the candle.
Can I light the copper candle inside the shop?
You can, if there is a safe place and someone nearby during business hours. Outside of hours, snuff it out and relight it the next day, or leave the candle at home, on a wide plate and away from anything that can catch fire.
