Light Green Candle
New beginnings, hope, and the gentle healing of the leaves of Ossaim (Osanyin) and Oxóssi (Oshosi)
Light Green Candle
7-day candle · stays lit for 7 days7 dias
Those who search for what the light green candle is for are usually in a moment of transition: they left a job, closed a phase, went through illness or discouragement, and want to start over without haste. The light green candle is the candle of this beginning. It appears on the Umbanda congá, in the room of those who work with plants, and on the table of those who just want to breathe better after a heavy year.
The foundation comes from the leaf. Ossaim is the orixá (orisha) owner of the herbs, and without leaf, there is no ritual bath, amaci, or axé. Its color is green, often light green next to white, and the most cited day is Thursday. In Umbanda, green also belongs to Oxóssi, the hunter of the forests, who shares the same day and the same territory with Ossaim. Houses vary in tone: some give light green to Ossaim and leaf green to Oxóssi, others use a single green for both.
Inside the house, it is a tranquil candle. It is not for cutting a demanda or for heavy spiritual cleansing (descarrego), which stay with the dark green and with the candles of the left. What it does well is to renew: to clear the head, to give breath to a new project, and to accompany with faith a health treatment that is already in the hands of the doctor.
What is it for
What the Light Green Candle Is For
Light green is the color of the leaf that has just sprouted. In the terreiro it stays with Ossaim, owner of the herbs, and with Oxóssi in Umbanda, and the candle is lit to start over, relieve fatigue, ask for hope, and accompany those who care for health.
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Starting over after a bad phase
End of a job, a relationship, or a period of mourning. Lit on a Thursday morning, the candle marks the day you decide to start again, without carrying the weight of the phase that passed.
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Relieve mental fatigue
For those who are exhausted from work, study, or worry. The light green flame asks for lightness and creates a moment of pause, which is already part of the rest.
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Accompany a health treatment
Lit along with the treatment the doctor indicated, it strengthens the faith of those who are recovering. It is a prayer of support, not a medicine, and thus it should be done.
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Establishing your work with herbs and plants
For those who prepare a ritual bath, cultivate a garden, or work with natural therapy. The candle asks permission from Ossaim and thanks the leaves before harvesting or preparing.
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Hope when everything seems stuck
In periods when nothing moves, the light green candle reminds us that the new leaf sprouts even on the dry branch. Ask for courage and patience to wait for the right time for things.
Who rules this candle
Orixás and spirits of the Light Green Candle
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Ossaim
Owner of the leaves and the secret of healing
Ossaim guards the axé of each herb and wears green along with white. Thursday is his in most houses, and the light green of the new leaf combines with the requests for gentle healing and renewal that pass through his axé.
Know Ossaim -
Oxóssi
Hunter of the forests and of abundance
In Umbanda, green is the color of Oxóssi, who shares Thursday and the forest with Ossaim. Many terreiros light the light green candle for him and for his Caboclos when the request is for a new path and sustenance.
Know Oxóssi
Also settled for
- Caboclos de Oxóssi
- Caboclos curadores
- Spiritual doctors
- Line of the forests
Prayer to light
Prayer of the light green candle to Ossaim and Oxóssi
“Pai Ossaim, lord of the leaves, I ask permission from your forest to light this green light. You who know the herb that calms and the herb that lifts, let a little of that secret reach me. Wash away my tiredness as the rain washes the leaf, and make the courage to start again sprout in me. Pai Oxóssi, hunter of a single arrow, point out the path I do not yet see and bring sustenance to my house. May my body find rest, may my head find clarity, and may hope find its place here again. I receive with gratitude the time of each thing. Ewé ó! Okê Arô!”Light the candle and pray
Step by step
How to consecrate the Light Green Candle
- 1
Take a ritual bath of leaves before
A warm ritual bath of mint or lemon balm, from the neck down, prepares the body. For Ossaim, the leaf comes before the fire, and that is how the request begins.
- 2
Arrange the candle near a window
Choose a corner with morning light and circulating air, away from curtains. Place the saucer, the glass of water, and the green branch beside it, as if setting up a small forest.
- 3
Hold the candle and think about the new beginning
With the candle in your hands, think about what you want to leave behind and what you want to see sprout. Speak softly, in your own words, what you will ask for.
- 4
Light and say the prayer
Light it with a match, say that the candle is for Ossaim or for Oxóssi, and say the prayer. Stay for a moment looking at the flame before returning to your routine.
- 5
Finish without blowing
Let the candle burn until the end and, if you need to leave, smother the flame with a spoon. The branch and the water go into the soil of a pot or a garden, and the wax goes into the trash.
Precautions before lighting
- Always light it on a ceramic saucer, away from curtains, dry plants, and paper. Do not leave the flame within reach of children or animals.
- Anyone who is sick should continue seeing a doctor. The candle is a prayer of support for recovery and does not replace a consultation, exam, or medicine.
- Leaf of fundamento, amaci, and consecrated foundation (assentamento) of Ossaim are matters for the zelador of your terreiro. The candle at home is devotion, not obrigação.
- Before gathering leaf in the woods or in the garden, ask for permission and take only what you will use. It is the most basic respect to the owner of the herbs.
Ceromancy
What the flame of the Light Green Candle shows
Traditional terreiro reading. Before interpreting, check if there is no wind, crooked wick, or poor quality candle.
- Good sign
Calm and bright flame
Many houses read this as a well received prayer request and a light environment. It is the expected behavior of a renewal candle lit in a peaceful place.
- Good sign
Flame that grows little by little
It is usually read as a sign that the new beginning is gaining strength. Continue taking care of the prayer request in practice, with the steps that depend on you.
- Attention
Low and weak flame
It may indicate tiredness of the person who lit it or a heavy environment. Rest, take a ritual bath of leaves and light another light green candle on another day.
- Attention
A lot of wax tears running down
Some houses read this as accumulated sadness that is leaving. If the feeling of weight continues, it is worth talking to a trusted terreiro.
- Observe
Candle that goes out before the end
First check the wind, wick, and quality of the candle. If everything is correct, light it again without haste and redo the prayer calmly.
Ritual bath and smoke cleansing (defumação)
Herbs that combine with the Light Green Candle
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Mint
Mentha spp.
Fresh leaf with a clean scent. The mint ritual bath before lighting helps to clear the head and combines with the prayer request for lightness.
See the herb -
lemon balm / Capim-Cidreira
Melissa officinalis
Calming herb, good for the ritual bath of someone who is anxious. A sprig next to the saucer goes well with the prayer for rest.
See the herb -
Rosemary
Rosmarinus officinalis
Herb of joy and spirit. A small sprig next to the light green candle reinforces the prayer request for a new beginning and hope.
See the herb
Virtual Candle
Light the Light Green 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 Light Green Candle
What is the best day to light the light green candle?
Thursday, which is the day of Ossaim and Oxóssi in most houses. Some traditions change the day of Ossaim, and those who attend a terreiro must follow their house. For a prayer request for a new beginning at home, Thursday morning is the most common choice.
What is the difference between the light green candle and the dark green candle?
The light green is for light renewal: new beginnings, rest, and hope. The dark green is from the dense forest and of the Caboclos, used when the prayer request asks for more firmness and protection. In an obrigação, one does not replace the other, but at home, the choice follows the size of the request.
Is the light green candle for Ossaim or for Oxóssi?
Both ways, depending on the house. In Candomblé, green with white is for Ossaim, and in Umbanda, green is usually for Oxóssi. Many terreiros give the light tone to Ossaim and the leaf green to Oxóssi. When lighting it, say for whom the candle is.
Can I light the light green candle at home?
You can. It is a candle of quiet devotion, suitable for the bedroom, the living room, or a small corner with a plant. Use a ceramic saucer, keep it away from fabric, and light it at a time when you can accompany the burning.
Can I blow out the light green candle and light it again?
You can, as long as you do not blow. Smother the flame with a spoon or a saucer when you need to leave and relight it when you return, repeating in thought for whom the candle was offered. The ideal remains letting it burn until the end.
What to do with the branch, the water, and the leftover wax?
The leaf branch and the water from the cup return to nature, in the soil of a pot or a garden. The leftover wax goes into the common trash wrapped in paper. Do not reuse the water or the branch for another candle.
