Ossain Candle
The green and white flame of Ossaim (Osanyin), owner of the leaves, to consecrate a ritual bath and ask for healing
Ossain Candle
7-day candle · stays lit for 7 days7 dias
The Ossain candle, which many houses spell Ossaim or Ossanha, is the votive candle of the orixá (orisha) of the leaves: green body on top, white on the bottom, and his image on the label. Whoever looks for it is almost always dealing with herbs. They are going to prepare a ritual bath, start caring for a garden of axé, or someone at home needs spirit to heal. It is at this point in life that it enters.
The people of faith say that without leaf there is no orixá, and whoever knows the word that awakens each leaf is Ossaim. This is how ketu calls him; in jeje he is approached by Agué and, in angola, by Katendê, the lord of the insabas. He wears green and white and receives Thursday in most houses. The syncretism changes with tradition: Umbanda links him to Saint Benedict, with a festival on October 5, Prandi registers Saint Onofre in ketu and the batuque speaks of Saint Roch. Wherever there is a difference, the calendar of your house prevails.
At home, the Ossaim candle does not do the work of the zelador nor reveal the secret of the leaf. What it does is ask for permission and blessing: that the herb you will use arrives with strength, that the harvested plant is respected and that the body in recovery finds rest. It is a candle of reverence to nature, more of listening than of a hurried request.
What is it for
What the Ossaim Candle is for
The Ossain candle carries the green of the leaf over the white of peace and the label of the orixá who guards the secret of the herbs. It is lit to consecrate a ritual bath and smoke cleansing, to ask permission from the forest, to accompany a recovery, and to thank the herb that worked.
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Consecrate the herbal bath
Light it while crushing the leaves in the water. The flame asks Ossaim to awaken the strength of the herb, and the ritual bath stops being just water with a plant to become an act of faith.
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Ask permission before harvesting
Whoever plants rue, guinea hen weed, or rosemary in the backyard can set the candle near the pots. It is the way to tell the forest that the leaf will be taken with respect and only as necessary.
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Strength for those who are healing
During a slow recovery, the candle stays in the bedroom or in the family's altar. It does not heal alone: it accompanies the medicine, the rest, and the prayer of those who are nearby.
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Start a garden of axé
Before planting the first seedlings of terreiro herbs, many people light the Ossaim candle and offer the earth to him. They ask that the plants thrive and grow with vigor.
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Study the leaves with humility
For the medium who begins to learn about herbs in the house of the orixás (casa de santo). The candle asks for patience and memory, reminding that the secret of the leaves is learned with time and from the elders.
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Thank the herb that worked
If a ritual bath brought relief or a tea helped you sleep better, return with the candle and give thanks. The owner of the leaves also likes to be remembered after the prayer request has passed.
Who rules this candle
Orixás and spirits of the Ossaim Candle
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Ossaim
Lord of the secret of the leaves
Ossaim guards the ofó, the word that awakens the hidden strength in the plant. He wears green and white, has Thursday as the most cited day, and rules over every herb used in worship. The candle with his label is the most direct way to greet him.
Know Ossaim -
Oxóssi (Oshosi)
Hunter, owner of the forest where the leaf is born
Ossaim cares for the leaf and Oxóssi cares for the forest, and the two walk together. In Umbanda they share the green and Thursday, therefore the Ossaim candle is usually lit near the Oxóssi one when the prayer request involves herbs and health.
Know Oxóssi
Also settled for
- Caboclos curadores
- Caboclos mateiros
- Pretos Velhos rezadores
- Spiritual doctors
Prayer to light
Prayer of the Ossain candle to the owner of the leaves
“Pai Ossaim, lord of every leaf that grows in the woods and in my backyard, I light this candle asking for permission. I do not come to take your secret, I come to ask for your blessing. May the herb that I gather today arrive whole in the water of my ritual bath, with the strength that you put in it. May the plant that heals me be treated with respect, and may I never pull a leaf with haste or contempt. Look over those who are recovering in this house, give rest to the tired body and patience to those who care. Teach me to listen to the forest before speaking. Ewé ó, my Pai Ossaim!”Light the candle and pray
Step by step
How to consecrate the Ossain Candle
- 1
Wash the leaves and the plate
Start with the cleaning. The leaves go through running water and the plate is cleared of dust. For the owner of the herbs, a dirty or withered leaf is a sign of little care for them.
- 2
Set up a green circle
Distribute the leaves around the plate, without touching the wick. If you have an herb pot at home, the candle can stay next to it, on a firm surface and away from fabric.
- 3
Ask for permission in a low voice
Before the match, greet with Ewé ó and tell Ossaim why you are lighting it: a ritual bath, a garden, someone's health. Speaking the reason is what gives the candle its address.
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Light it and prepare the ritual bath
With the candle lit, crush the leaves in the basin with your hands, without rushing. Pray the prayer while the water turns green. The ritual bath is taken from the neck down, unless otherwise instructed by your house.
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Return what remains to the earth
Do not blow out the flame; if you need to leave, smother it with a saucer. When the candle finishes, the used leaves go to a garden bed or the foot of a tree, and the rest of the wax is wrapped for the trash.
Precautions before lighting
- The 7-day candle stays on a firm plate, away from curtains and out of reach of children and pets. The leaves around it cannot touch the flame.
- Abô, amaci, and the preparation of an assentamento are secrets of Ossaim and of your terreiro. This is done only with the guidance of the terreiro leader.
- Regarding health, the candle and the ritual bath accompany the treatment and do not replace the doctor. Do not swap prescribed medicine for herbs without guidance.
- Harvest with moderation and never pull the plant out by the root. Taking only what is necessary is part of the respect for the owner of the leaves.
Ceromancy
What the flame of the Ossain Candle shows
Traditional terreiro reading. Before interpreting, check if there is no wind, crooked wick, or poor quality candle.
- Good sign
High and serene flame
A common reading that the permission was granted and the request proceeded calmly. It is what is expected from a lit candle in a still corner, near the leaves.
- Good sign
Wax melting evenly to the bottom
Many houses read the uniform burning of the 7-day cup as a sign of constancy, a good omen for a long treatment or a garden that will take hold.
- Attention
Flame that crackles or releases sparks
It may just be moisture in the wick, but some read it as agitation around the prayer request. Check the nearby leaves, move away what is wet, and pray again calmly.
- Attention
Dark soot on the glass
It usually indicates energy being burned in the environment. Once it is not a concern; if it repeats in several candles, it is worth asking for guidance from a trusted terreiro.
- Observe
Candle that goes out before the end
First look at the wind, the drowned wick, and the quality of the candle. If everything is correct, light it again, repeat the request for permission, and let it burn until the end.
Ritual bath and smoke cleansing (defumação)
Herbs that combine with the Ossain Candle
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Basil
Ocimum basilicum
Soft and fragrant leaf, good for the first consecrated ritual bath. Macerate with the lit candle and use from the neck down.
See the herb -
Sage
Salvia officinalis
One of the herbs that tradition places under Ossaim. Some dried leaves burned in the brazier, with the lit candle, clean the room before the ritual bath or the prayer.
See the herb -
Gervão
Stachytarpheta cayennensis
Bitter herb linked to Ossaim and Obaluaê. A branch next to the candle accompanies those seeking clarity and relief from sorrow; pregnant women should avoid use.
See the herb -
Tobacco leaf
Nicotiana tabacum
Tobacco appears in the offerings recorded for Ossaim. A dried leaf at the foot of the candle is a simple greeting at home; a foundation offering stays with your house.
See the herb
Virtual Candle
Light the Ossain 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 Ossain Candle
What is the Ossaim Candle for?
It serves mainly to consecrate ritual baths and fumigations, to ask for permission before harvesting herbs, and to accompany those who are recovering. Since Ossaim is the owner of the leaves, the candle is used whenever the herb is at the center of the prayer request, and, when the subject is health, it walks alongside medical care.
What is the best day to light the Ossaim candle?
Thursday is the most cited day, and many Umbanda houses also light it on October 5, the date of Saint Benedict, with whom Ossaim is associated. There are terreiros that use Tuesday, Saturday, or Monday, and Batuque cites August 16; if you attend a house, follow its calendar.
What is the difference between the Ossaim candle and the Oxóssi candle?
The Ossaim candle is for the leaf and what it heals; the Oxóssi candle is for the forest, the hunt, and abundance. Both orixás walk together and share the green in Umbanda, but the request for ritual bath, herb, and health goes to Ossaim, and the request for sustenance and path goes to Oxóssi.
Can I light the Ossaim candle at home without being initiated?
You can. Lighting a candle of license and blessing for the leaves does not require initiation. What remains for the terreiro is the sacred foundation: abô, amaci, assentamento, and the ofó of the leaves. At home, pray with respect and use herbs that you already know.
Can I blow out the Ossain candle and light it again?
You can, as long as you do not blow it out. Smother the flame with a saucer or a spoon if you need to leave, and light it again upon returning while repeating the request. However, the most recommended way is to let the 7-day candle burn until the end in a safe place.
What to do with the leaves and the wax that remain?
The used leaves return to the earth: a garden bed, a large pot, or the foot of a tree. Do not throw them in the trash with plastic. The remaining wax can go into the common trash wrapped in paper, and the plate is washed before returning to use.
