Oxóssi (Oshosi) candle
Sustenance, work, study, and sharp focus with the hunter Oxóssi, king of Ketu
Oxóssi candle
7-day candle · stays lit for 7 days7 dias
The Oxóssi candle is not just a green candle: it carries the image of the orixá (orisha) with his bow on the glass, and this changes the intention. Whoever lights it is calling the hunter by name, and not just the force of the forest. It appears on the Umbanda congá, in the home of those who are children of Oxóssi, and on the shelf of those looking for work, studying for an exam, or trying to keep the pantry full.
In the terreiro, Oxóssi is the provider. The most told itã remembers that he brought down with a single arrow the bird that threatened the people, and for this, he became king of Ketu. Thursday is his day, Okê Arô is his greeting, and the axoxô, cooked corn with coconut slices, is the food that pleases him most. In the Southeast, he is syncretized with Saint Sebastian, celebrated on January 20; in Bahia, some houses link him to Saint George. In Candomblé ketu, many houses dress Oxóssi in turquoise blue, while Umbanda prefers green.
Inside the home, this candle works in favor of those who are already moving. Oxóssi does not bring the hunt to those who stay still at the forest door: he sharpens the aim, calms the haste, and shows the trail. Therefore, the prayer request yields more when it comes along with the sent resume, the open notebook, and the carefully calculated account.
What is it for
What is the purpose of the Oxóssi Candle
The Oxóssi candle is the green candle with the label of the hunter of a single arrow. It is lit to ask for sustenance, employment, focus on studies, and the aim of someone who needs to make a decision, always with their feet on the ground and their own effort.
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Finding work and sustenance
For those who are unemployed or living on odd jobs. Light it on the day you start sending resumes and ask Oxóssi for the instinct to find the right position and steadiness in the interview.
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Concentration on studies and exams
Oxóssi is the orixá of knowledge and patient observation. During the week of a competition, entrance exam, or thesis, the candle next to the study table asks for memory and a clear head.
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Full pantry and a rich table
The hunter returns from the forest with the village food. When the month gets tight, light the Oxóssi candle in the kitchen with a handful of corn next to it and ask that the basics do not run out.
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Making a difficult decision
For choices where making a mistake is costly: changing jobs, opening a business, signing a contract. Oxóssi's single arrow reminds us that aiming well is worth more than shooting a lot.
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To set the head orixá
Children of Oxóssi light his candle on Thursday to reconnect with the father who rules their head, especially during phases of exhaustion, loneliness, or lack of direction.
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To thank for an achievement
Did you get the job, pass the test, or close the sale? Return with a candle of Oxóssi and a fruit to give thanks. The hunter likes to be remembered after a good hunt.
Who rules this candle
Orixás and spirits of the Oxóssi Candle
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Oxóssi
Hunter of a single arrow, king of Ketu
The candle carries his label and the color that Umbanda gave him. Oxóssi rules the hunt, abundance, and the knowledge that comes from observation; he has Thursday as his day and receives requests for sustenance and focus.
Know Oxóssi
Also settled for
- Caboclos de Oxóssi
- Caboclos de Pena
- Caboclas of the forest
- Jurema Line
Prayer to light
Prayer of the Oxóssi candle for sustenance and focus
“Pai Oxóssi, king of Ketu, owner of the bow and the path of the forest, I light this candle on your day and arrive with respect. You who wait in silence until the right time, teach me to have patience without losing courage. Sharpen my aim so I can see the opportunity in front of me and not let it pass. Give firmeza to my hand at work and clarity to my head in my studies. May there be no lack of food on the table of this house, neither for me nor for those who depend on me. What I conquer, let it be with my sweat and without taking from anyone. And when the hunt comes, let me remember to return to thank you. Okê Arô, Oxóssi!”Light the candle and pray
Step by step
How to consecrate the Oxóssi Candle
- 1
Arrange the forest plate
Line the plate with the leaves and scatter the corn around the candle's place. Corn and leaf speak the language of Oxóssi and make it clear to whom the offering is made.
- 2
Keep the honey out
In Candomblé ketu, bee honey is usually euó, a prohibition of Oxóssi, and several Umbanda houses follow this. If you want to sweeten the offering, use cane molasses, as in axoxô. If in doubt, stick with only corn and fruit.
- 3
Speak the prayer request with a clear objective
Hold the candle and say what you are hunting: the job, the approval, the client. A vague prayer request disperses the aim. Oxóssi better attends to those who know exactly where they are pointing.
- 4
Light it and salute the hunter
Light with a match, place the glass of water beside it and say Okê Arô three times before the prayer. Stay in silence for a few minutes, like one who waits in the forest.
- 5
Return the offering to nature
Do not blow out the flame. When the candle finishes, the leaves, corn, and fruit go under a tree or into a pot. The water returns to the earth and the leftover wax goes wrapped in the trash.
Precautions before lighting
- Dry leaf and corn husk catch fire quickly. Keep everything away from the wick, use a ceramic plate and never leave the candle alone near curtains, children or animals.
- Oxóssi does not hunt at anyone's will. Do not use this candle to take someone else's spot, harm a competitor or trap someone; that is not part of his tradition.
- Assentamento, obrigação and major offerings for Oxóssi are done with the head of your terreiro (zelador). The candle at home is devotion; it does not replace what is done for the head (initiation).
- The candle accompanies your effort and does not do it for you. Sending a resume, studying and managing money continue to be your part of the hunt.
- If you light the candle for health, remember that it accompanies the treatment and never replaces it. Consultation, exams and medicine follow your doctor's guidance.
Ceromancy
What the flame of the Oxóssi Candle shows
Traditional terreiro reading. Before interpreting, check if there is no wind, crooked wick, or poor quality candle.
- Good sign
Straight and firm flame like an arrow
Many houses read the stretched and still flame as a well-aimed and accepted request. It is time to follow through with the plan you presented, without deviating.
- Good sign
Wick that opens into two points
It is usually read as more than one opportunity arising. Stay attentive to the proposals that arrive in the coming weeks and choose calmly.
- Attention
Flame dancing to the sides
Common sign of scattered thoughts. Before asking again, organize what you truly want and remake the candle the following Thursday with a single objective.
- Attention
Melted wax covering the wick
Some houses read this as a path muffled by excess worry. Remove the wax carefully, relight it and, if it repeats always, seek guidance in a terreiro.
- Observe
Glass with a dark stain at the top
Most of the time it is a long wick or wind. Trim the wick on the next candle and change the location before drawing any spiritual conclusions.
Ritual bath and smoke cleansing (defumação)
Herbs that combine with the Candle of Oxóssi
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Alfavaca
Ocimum gratissimum
Wide and fragrant leaf that many houses give to Oxóssi. An alfavaca ritual bath from the neck down before lighting, to arrive lightly to the prayer request.
See the herb -
Fern
Nephrolepis exaltata
Moist forest plant linked to Oxóssi. A fern pot near the candle, or leaves lining the plate, recalls the forest where the hunter lives.
See the herb -
Abre-Caminho / Lacre
Justicia gendarussa
Herb that Oxóssi shares with Ogum and Exu. Smoke the house with it on the day of sending resumes or for an interview, with the candle already lit.
See the herb -
Jurema
Mimosa tenuiflora
Sacred tree of the Caboclos of the Oxóssi line. A branch next to the candle is used when the prayer request also goes to the Caboclos who work in the forest.
See the herb
Virtual Candle
Light the Candle of Oxóssi 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 Candle of Oxóssi
What is the best day to light the candle of Oxóssi?
Thursday, the day of Oxóssi in most houses, preferably in the morning. On January 20, the day of Saint Sebastian, many terreiros in the Southeast hold a festival for him, and it is a strong date to light it. If the prayer request is urgent, do not wait: light it when you need to.
Does an Oxóssi candle help in getting a job?
It is one of the most common candles for this, but it does not perform miracles alone. Oxóssi is the hunter who gives tracking and aim: the candle accompanies your search, asking for clarity to see the opportunity and calmness during the interview. The submitted resume remains your part.
Can I offer honey along with the Oxóssi candle?
It depends on the house, and if in doubt, it is better to leave it out. In Ketu Candomblé, bee honey is usually considered euó, a prohibition of Oxóssi, and therefore the axoxô takes molasses. Some Umbanda houses offer honey to the caboclo da mata without any problem. Corn, coconut, fruits, and green leaves serve in any tradition.
What is the difference between an Oxóssi candle and a green candle?
The Oxóssi candle brings the orixá label and is dedicated only to him, for sustenance, study, and focus. The common green candle serves Oxóssi, Ossaim (Osanyin), and the Caboclos, and is usually lit more for health and renewal. When the prayer request is for the hunter, the votive candle makes the intention clearer.
Can I blow out the Oxóssi candle and light it later?
You can smother it, but do not blow it out. If you need to leave, smother the flame with a saucer over the mouth of the glass and light it again when you return. The ideal is to let the 7-day candle burn until the end, in a safe place and away from the wind.
Is Oxóssi's color green or blue?
Both, depending on the house. In Umbanda, the green of the forest is the most used color for Oxóssi. In Candomblé ketu, many houses dress the orixá in turquoise blue or light blue. The green candle with his label is well received in both traditions when lit at home.
Can someone who is not a child of Oxóssi light his candle?
It is possible. Oxóssi attends those who arrive with respect, whether they are his children or not. The candle at home is prayer and request. What is exclusive to those who are initiated, such as assentamento and obrigação, stays inside the terreiro, under the guidance of the zelador.
