Terracotta Candle (Sacred Clay)
The color of Nanã (Nana Buruku)'s clay and Xangô (Shango)'s stone, for roots, home, and firm ground
Terracotta Candle (Sacred Clay)
7-day candle · stays lit for 7 days7 dias
Whoever looks for the terracotta candle is almost always thinking about ground: the house they will buy, the renovation that never ends, the family that needs to reunite. The tone is a reddish brown that recalls brick, the pot, and the moringa, things made of wet earth that fire hardened. It is not one of the classic colors of the guias (bead necklaces), and it is good to know that before lighting. Its foundation comes from the clay, and it is through this path that the povo de santo receives it.
Nanã is the oldest of the iabás and guards the primordial mud. The elders tell that it was from this mud that Oxalá (Obatala) modeled the first person, and that to her everything returns in the end. Therefore, the clay tone speaks of origin and ancestry. Xangô enters from the other side: the reddish brown is the color of the hot stone, the mortar, and the house that stands firm. Each terreiro gives more weight to one or the other, and both readings are accepted.
Inside the house, it is a slow candle. It does not open a path from one hour to another nor does it cut heavy demanda. What it does is settle things: give a base for those who are changing their lives, calm the house that is under construction, and remind, with every lit wick, where we came from and where we return.
What is it for
What is the Terracotta Candle (Sacred Clay) for?
The terracotta candle has the color of baked clay. In the terreiro it speaks with Nanã, mistress of the mud from which the human being was molded, and with Xangô, lord of the stone. It serves to ask for stability in the house, to honor ancestors, and to give ground to a project.
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Buying, building, or renovating the house
Lit when the work begins, when the deed gets stuck, or when the move is approaching. It is a request for a firm base, so that the new place is one of peace and permanence.
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Honoring grandparents and ancestors
On the date of a grandfather who passed away or when the desire to remember one's own history strikes. The clay candle calls upon the family memory and thanks those who came before you.
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Land, farm, and planting
For those who live from the land or are going to start planting. Many people light the terracotta candle next to a handful of soil from their own farm, asking that the ground be generous.
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Stability after a loose phase
When life is moving without a base, with a change of job, city, or house. The color of baked clay helps to pray asking for calm to settle and patience to wait.
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Wisdom to decide slowly
Nanã is the grandmother who is in no hurry. Before a big family or property decision, the candle helps to silence anxiety and listen to the advice of the elders.
Who rules this candle
Orixás and spirits of the Terracotta Candle (Sacred Clay)
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Nanã
Grandmother of the orixás (orishas), lady of the primordial mud
The clay is from Nanã: from it the human body emerged and to it the body returns. The terracotta repeats this color of wet earth and, therefore, carries requests of root, memory, and ancestry. Her bead necklace colors are others, such as lilac and white.
Know Nanã -
Xangô
King of Oyó, lord of stone and thunder
In Umbanda, brown belongs to Xangô, and the reddish tone of terracotta sits between his brown and red. Wednesday and the firm stone make it a candle of a built home and of just heritage.
Know Xangô
Also settled for
- Pretos Velhos
- Caboclos of the Earth
- Boiadeiros
- Family ancestors
Prayer to light
Terracotta candle prayer to Nanã and Xangô for the house
“Grandmother Nanã, lady of the clay from where I came, receive this flame of the color of your earth. Remember me as you remember all your grandchildren. Set my feet on the ground and do not let me forget who came before me. May my grandparents, wherever they are, find rest and teach me the patience I do not yet have. Pai Xangô, king of stone, sustain the walls of this house and the word of those who live in it. May nothing here rise upon a lie and may each brick be placed with justice. I ask for ground, I ask for root, I ask for time to grow slowly. Salubá, Nanã! Kaô Kabecilê!”Light the candle and pray
Step by step
How to consecrate the Terracotta Candle (Sacred Clay)
- 1
Prepare the saucer with earth
Spread a little clean earth at the bottom of the clay saucer. If the prayer request is for a property or land, the earth can come from that place. It is the base where the candle will rest.
- 2
Set the metal aside
Nanã has a taboo (quizila) with metal, a legacy of the old fight with Ogum (Ogun). Do not scrape or cut the candle with a knife or scissors. If the wick is long, press it down with your fingers. It is a simple care of respect for her foundation.
- 3
Hold the candle and tell the story
With the candle between your hands, say in your thoughts what you want to anchor and remember the names of your grandparents. Terracotta works with memory, so it is worth speaking of where you come from.
- 4
Light it near the floor
Place the saucer in a low and secure spot, away from the walkway, with the glass of water beside it. Light it with a match, say the prayer, and say to whom the candle is being offered.
- 5
Return the earth when finished
Let it burn without blowing; if necessary, smother it with another saucer. At the end, the earth goes back to a pot or to the garden, the water goes to the earth, and the leftover wax goes to the trash, wrapped.
Precautions before lighting
- A 7-day candle stays lit for a long time: leave it on porcelain or clay, away from curtains, rugs, and out of reach of children and animals.
- The earth in the saucer sets the candle, but it does not hold a flame that tips over. Check if it is straight before leaving home and do not let a dry leaf touch the wick.
- The candle accompanies your effort, but it does not replace a contract, a lawyer, or an honest conversation with the family when it is time to resolve assets.
- The assentamento of Nanã or Xangô, with fundamento and obrigação, is a matter for the zelador of your terreiro. At home, stay in prayer and in simple firmeza.
Ceromancy
What the flame of the Terracotta Candle (Sacred Clay) shows
Traditional terreiro reading. Before interpreting, check if there is no wind, crooked wick, or poor quality candle.
- Good sign
Low flame, constant and without haste
It is the typical burning of a base candle. Many houses read it as a sign that the request is being settled slowly, the way Nanã likes.
- Good sign
Wax that drips and forms a firm pile
The wax that accumulates in a block at the foot of the candle is usually read as ground being built: the request has gained body and is taking shape.
- Attention
Crackling flame that releases sparks
It may indicate resistance in the path, such as stuck paperwork or disagreement in the family. Pray with more calm and repeat the candle on a Saturday, without forcing the request.
- Attention
Candle that burns only on one side
Before anything else, see if there is wind or if the saucer is crooked. If it persists, some houses read it as a matter half-done, which asks for conversation before moving forward.
- Observe
Cloudy water in the glass at the end of the burning
The water receives what was being cleaned. Throw it on the ground, wash the glass, and follow your routine. If it happens every time, seek a trusted terreiro for guidance.
Ritual bath and smoke cleansing (defumação)
Herbs that pair with the Terracotta Candle (Sacred Clay)
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Folha-de-Araçá
Psidium cattleianum
Nanã leaf. A warm ritual bath of araçá before lighting calms and prepares the head for the prayer of whoever asks for patience and roots.
See the herb -
Barba-de-Velho
Tillandsia usneoides
Linked to Nanã and the elders. A dry bundle around the saucer recalls ancestry and accompanies the candle well on family dates.
See the herb -
Stonebreaker
Phyllanthus niruri
Xangô herb used in a ritual bath for untangling. Pairs with the terracotta candle when the house or the land is stuck by paperwork and delays.
See the herb
Virtual Candle
Light the Terracotta Candle (Sacred Clay) 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 Terracotta Candle (Sacred Clay)
Which orixá is the terracotta candle for?
It is linked to Nanã, by the color of the clay, and to Xangô, by the tone of stone and reddish brown. It is not a classic color for a bead necklace of either, so each house chooses the reading. In the house prayer, say for whom you are lighting it and the candle follows that destiny.
What is the difference between the terracotta candle and the brown candle?
The brown is darker and speaks of Xangô, justice, and decision. The terracotta leans toward the red of fired clay and works with roots, house, land, and ancestors. If the prayer request is a process, prefer the brown; if it is ground and family, the terracotta.
What is the best day to light the terracotta candle?
Saturday, if the prayer request is for Nanã, and Wednesday, if it is for Xangô. Some Candomblé houses give Monday to Nanã. When the subject is family, it is also valid to light it on the date of a grandfather's birthday or passing.
Can I light the terracotta candle inside the house?
You can, and it usually stays in a low spot, near the floor, on a clay or ceramic saucer. Choose a corner without a draft and away from fabric. Since the 7 day candle burns for several days, check the base every morning.
Can I blow out the terracotta candle and light it again?
The ideal is to let it burn until the end. If you need to leave, smother the flame with a saucer or a wooden spoon, without blowing and without using a knife or scissors. When you return, light it again and resume the prayer from where you left off.
What to do with the leftover earth, water, and wax?
The earth goes back to a pot or to the garden, because it came from the ground and belongs to the ground. The water from the cup also goes to the earth. The leftover wax can go into the common trash, wrapped in paper, and the saucer is washed.
