Bestiary

Every pantheon has a deity of love, one who brings the joy of sensuality, romance, marriage, and beauty to their devotees. The Greeks have Aphrodite, the Aztecs had Xochiquetzal, and the Classical Egyptians had Hathor. None of them, however, stand above Oshun.

The embodiment of love, happiness, pregnancy, emotion, gentleness, and refinement, Oshun has many manifestations and aspects and is known also as Oxúm, Ochún, Iabá-Omi, and Nkisi Ndandalunda, the Lady of Fertility and Moon. Always, she is beautiful and charming beyond compare. When Oshun appears at a party, the mood lifts and people laugh. Everyone gets up out of their seats to dance while love flits freely in the air. Dazzled by the aphrodisiac of her presence, people and gods alike lose themselves and enjoy the moment.

In addition to her abèbè — a mirrored, circular fan made of bronze or gold — Oshun carries a honey pot around her waist, imbued with enchanting magic. Oshun uses that honey pot as part of her dance of seduction.

The polar opposite of her husband Shango, Oshun per­ sonifies the ultimate feminine principle. Much like Ares and Aphrodite, they represent the binary divides between love and hate, peace and war, hurting and healing. A loyal wife, she remains passionate, supportive, and entirely devoted to him despite his many misadventures. When Oshun doesn’t get all of his attention, however, she can turn moody, petty, and awesomely vindictive.

According to Ifa legend, Oshun was the first (and, for a while, only) female primordial spirit at the beginning of the world. The other primordial spirits, all male, ignored her; along­ side mortal men, they denigrated womanhood and dismissed Oshun and her mortal sisters as unimportant in the great work of creation. In response, she formed the Iyami Aje, a sisterhood imbued with immense mystic power that only women could truly comprehend or wield. Named for the generative potential of women and the essence of creation they command, the Iyami Aje revealed the unbalanced and ultimately ineffective power of masculinity. Shamed by their failures, the men and male spirits agreed that women, too, were essential for the work of men and gods. They know anything they attempt without the help of women will fail.

Though she loves to be the center of attention, Oshun aids those (especially women) who find themselves alone. Thus, when someone finds themselves repulsive, unattractive, rejected by a lover, they call upon Oshun. Nothing makes the Lady happier than seeing people in love, for when people are in love that’s when they’re most beautiful. Oshun values the power of seduc­ tion, too, and knows that one way to get ahead in life involves getting people to like you, putting them under your influence, and charming your way into a better situation.

Seduction may be Oshun’s most famous calling card. A vodou devotee who invites Oshun’s presence into herself can employ this Loa’s Seductive Aura Charm… or perhaps, it’s the Loa who employs the Charm through her. That said, Oshun’s not careless, and she expects her devotees to be careful, too. If a person calls upon Oshun in order to harness the power of seduc­ tion, that person is held entirely responsible for what happens as a result. Sexuality can be a powerful drug, both for the person using it and for the person it’s used against; thus, it should be used only by those strong enough to wield it. Oshun tries to

guide her devotees when they employ such powerful magic, but what they do with it is eventually on their heads, not her own.

Sometimes called “the Lady of Gold,” Oshun prizes luxury and enjoys receiving gifts. Like a noblewoman who never lets her hands touch anything rotten or dirty, she loves beautiful, expensive things. The color gold, and things associated with it (honey, sunflowers, lemons, yams, squash, pumpkins, cinnamon, and precious liquor), are her hallmarks, though she also favors jewels like amber, topaz, and citrine. To truly win her attention, though, a person should pursue love, passion, and the sheer joy of being alive.

Inevitably draped in precious jewelry and gold clothing, Oshun is the essence of seductive beauty. Her warm brown skin glows as her hips sway in a dance — her arms outstretched, her eyes lifted to the heavens, and her mouth speaking a spell as soft as a secret. Love is the greatest treasure imaginable, and she is the beating heart of love.