Oxum (Oshun) candle
Devotion to Mother Oxum: love that cares, fertility, abundance, and healing of the heart
Oxum candle
7-day candle · stays lit for 7 days7 dias
The Oxum candle is not just a yellow candle. It brings the image of the orixá (orisha) on the label and is born with a destiny: whoever lights it is speaking directly with the lady of the fresh waters, and not with a color. It is the choice of those who have devotion for Oxum, of those who are her son or daughter, and of those who have reached a moment where they need a lap to rest, courage to love again, or a door of abundance to open.
In the terreiro, Oxum is the Iyalodê, the lady who has a voice among the greats. An itan tells that, when all the orixás gave up, it was she who rose to the sky and convinced Oxalá (Obatala) to return, and for this reason she is remembered as the one who reconciles. Saturday is her day in most houses, gold-yellow is her color, and the abebé, the golden mirror, is her symbol. The festival dates change from region to region, and each terreiro follows its own.
At home, this candle asks for care more than quantity. A beautiful plate, fresh water, and flowers are enough. It is not for binding anyone nor for solving things in place of real work: the axé of Oxum cares for those who care for themselves, and her abundance arrives slowly, like river water.
What is it for
What is the Oxum Candle for
The Oxum candle bears the label of the orixá and is lit for her, by name. Golden-yellow like the river waters in the sun, she receives prayer requests for love that she cares for, for children, for abundance and for comfort, and also the gratitude of those who have already been served.
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Comfort for the wounded heart
Mourning of a love, betrayal, or a longing that does not pass. Light it asking that Oxum wash away the bitterness, and let the flame burn while you cry what needs to be cried.
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I want to get pregnant and have a good pregnancy
Oxum is the mother who cares for the womb and small children. The candle enters as a prayer from someone who desires a child, always walking alongside prenatal care and the doctor.
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A love that cares, and does not hurt
For those who want to live a relationship with affection and respect. The prayer request is for a good love, not for a specific person: Oxum brings people closer, but does not force anyone.
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Looking at yourself in the mirror again
The abebé of Oxum is a mirror. After a time of feeling ugly or worthless, lighting her candle is a way to ask for your own radiance and healthy vanity back.
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Abundance that does not slip through your hands
Oxum is called the mother of the rich. In a time of hardship, the candle asks that sustenance arrives and that you know how to save, without impulsively spending what came in.
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Making peace in the family
Remembered as the orixá who reconciles, Oxum receives the candle from those who want to bring back a mother and daughter, estranged siblings, or a couple who stopped talking.
Who rules this candle
Orixás and spirits of the Oxum Candle
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Oxum
Iyalodê, queen of the river and the golden abebé
The candle bears her name and image. Oxum is the mistress of fresh waters, gold, fertility, and love, wears golden yellow, and is greeted on Saturday. Each prayer request made before this flame goes directly to her axé.
Know Oxum
Also settled for
- Caboclas of the waterfalls
- People of the Waters
- Erês
- Baianas
Prayer to light
Prayer of the Oxum candle to the lady of fresh waters
“Ora Yeyê, my mother. I come with open hands before your golden mirror and light this candle with your name. You who ascended to heaven when everyone had given up, look upon me as well. Wash with your water what was hurt in my chest and do not let me harden. If I must cry, let it be in your river, where sadness flows and does not stay still. Teach me to love without losing myself and to be loved without fear. Put abundance on my table and wisdom in my hands to care for it. Cover this house with sweetness and the children who live in it or who will still arrive. Receive this light as my affection for you. Ora Yeyê Ô!”Light the candle and pray
Step by step
How to consecrate the Oxum Candle
- 1
Cover Oxum's little corner
Spread the yellow cloth on a clean table or shelf, away from the kitchen and the bathroom. Oxum is vain: everything there must be beautiful, whole, and in its place.
- 2
Wash your face and hands calmly
Before touching the candle, wash your face and hands with fresh water, like someone arriving at the riverbank. Whoever has cologne or chamomile can take a ritual bath of scent from the neck down.
- 3
Set up the plate with water and flowers
The candle stays in the center of the plate, the water bowl in front, and the flowers around. The mirror stands upright, facing the flame, so that its light multiplies.
- 4
Call Oxum by her name
Light it with a match and greet her with Ora Yeyê Ô. Talk to her as you would talk to a mother: say what hurts, what you desire, and what you are willing to do for it.
- 5
Return to the candle during the week
The votive burns for days. Change the water when it becomes cloudy, remove the flower that wilts, and perform the prayer again in the morning. Constancy is also an offering.
- 6
End with gratitude, without blowing
When the flame ends, give thanks. The water goes into a vase or into the earth, the flowers to the garden, and the clean glass can be recycled. Never blow out the candle.
Precautions before lighting
- The votive candle burns for several days: keep the glass on a firm plate, away from the cloth covering the table, curtains, children, and animals.
- In some Candomblé houses, honey is a quizila of Oxum, or of certain qualities of hers. If you are from a terreiro, ask the leader of your house before using honey in the offering.
- Oxum approaches, but does not bind. Do not light her candle to dominate another person's will; forced love is not the axé of this orixá.
- In a request for pregnancy or health, the candle is a prayer that accompanies the treatment and never replaces prenatal care or medical guidance.
- Children of Oxum with their obrigação completed follow what the house determined. Assentamentos and the food offerings to the orixás are matters for the zelador, not for the home candle.
Ceromancy
What the flame of Oxum's Candle shows
Traditional terreiro reading. Before interpreting, check if there is no wind, crooked wick, or poor quality candle.
- Good sign
Golden flame that dances slowly
Many houses read this gentle sway, without wind, as Oxum present and content with the offering. It is a good moment to give thanks out loud.
- Good sign
Brightness that grows when you speak
When the flame rises at the time of the request, the religious community usually understands that the orixá heard. Follow the week with the same affection with which you started.
- Observe
Glass that fogs up or gets droplets
It may just be humidity from the environment. In Oxum's candle, some read it as tears of relief, emotion being washed away. Dry the glass on the outside and continue the prayer.
- Attention
Weak flame, almost disappearing
It asks you to look at your own exhaustion. Check the wick, rest and, if the flame does not steady, light another Oxum candle on the following Saturday.
- Attention
Black soot rising through the glass
It might just be a long wick. Some read it as emotional weight or a fight in the house: check the wick, take a herbal bath of sweet herbs and, if the sign repeats, seek a terreiro.
Ritual bath and smoke cleansing (defumação)
Herbs that combine with the Oxum Candle
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Colônia
Alpinia zerumbet
The scented leaf most linked to Oxum. The colônia (shell ginger) bath before lighting perfumes the body and prepares you to speak of love and self-esteem.
See the herb -
Calendula
Calendula officinalis
Orange flower of gentle healing. Some petals in the water of the bowl or in the ritual bath accompany the candle in requests for comfort and new beginnings.
See the herb -
lemon balm / Capim-Cidreira
Melissa officinalis
Calming and sweet, great for those who light the Oxum candle while crying. A tea before the prayer helps to speak with the orixá without despair.
See the herb -
Anise / Fennel
Pimpinella anisum
Sweetens the environment and the word. A handful on the plate, around the candle, accompanies requests for reconciliation and peace among relatives.
See the herb
Virtual Candle
Light the Oxum 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 Oxum Candle
What is the difference between the Oxum candle and the yellow candle?
The Oxum candle is already dedicated: it bears the orixá label and is lit for her, by name. Yellow is the color, which can go to Oxum or, in part of Umbanda, to Iansã (Oya). For direct devotion to Oxum, the votive candle makes the destination clear from the start.
What is the best day to light the Oxum candle?
Saturday, Oxum's day in most houses, preferably in the morning. The festivals vary: there are terreiros that celebrate on December 8, others on October 12, in September or on specific dates. Aside from that, it can be lit whenever the heart asks.
Is the Oxum candle for love?
It serves, but for a love that cares. Oxum helps to open the heart, to recover self-esteem and to sweeten the relationship. She does not bind or force anyone to return. Ask for a good love for your life, not control over someone's will.
Can I light the Oxum candle at home if I am not her daughter?
You can. Oxum is the mother of all who arrive with respect, and the home candle is open devotion. Just a clean and safe place and a clear intention. Those who are already from a terreiro should talk to the zelador about what their home allows.
Can I blow out the Oxum candle and light it again?
You can, without blowing. If you need to leave, smother the flame with a spoon or a saucer and relight it upon returning, repeating the greeting Ora Yeyê Ô. The ideal is to let the votive burn until the end, but the safety of the house comes first.
What to do with the water, the flowers and the glass at the end?
The water goes into a plant pot or into the earth, and if there is a river nearby it can go back to it. The flowers go to the garden or organic waste. The glass, cleaned of wax, can be recycled or kept for another devotion.
Can I offer honey along with the Oxum candle?
It depends on the house. In Umbanda, honey is usually well accepted, but in some Candomblé houses, it is quizila of Oxum or of certain qualities of hers. Without guidance from a zelador, prefer yellow flowers, fresh water, and sweet fruits.
