The Sexual Voodoo Diaries

Yoruba Prayers to the Orisha

Eshu- Elegba (Eleggua)

Eshu protect my family.
Protect the initiates of the Temple and me also.
Let me not be moved against the people.
Let not the people be moved against me.
Grant me long life.
Grant me peace.
Grant me elevation of my consciousness.
Grant me the ability to use my own hands.
Eshu I salute you.

Oshún

Oshún, who is full of understanding.
Most gracious mother, Oshún,
Most gracious Orisha.
One who has large robust breast,
One who appeases children
With brass ornaments.
Onikii who’s know the secrets of cults,
But does not disclose them.
One who has a cool fresh throne.
One who buries money in the sand.
The gracious mother, The Queen of the River
Water which moves sleeplessly.
One who give healing water free of charge.
One who give good effective treatment to children.
One who has neither bone nor blood.
Ayila save me!
One expects salvation from one’s deity.
I do not know how to save myself.
I give homage to Oshún, Ashe

Ogún

Ogún the powerful one,
Sufficiently great to stand before death.
One who makes human beings prosperous.
One who is not enriched by Ogún will.
Find it difficult to get sacrificial kola-nuts.
Ogún enrich me.
Ogún the powerful one,
The strong one of the earth,
The great one of the other world,
Te protector of those who are being injured.
Ogún support me.

Oyá

As powerful as the strong wind,
More fierce than the storm,
Oyá guard my soul against the many fingers of evil.
Help me to rest upon the earth free from strain and undue frustration.
Oyá, warrior of the wind, let not our land be overrun with destroyers.
Let us not die in pain and sorrow.
Extend your weapon to protect us from destruction.
Oyá, may we live and die to live again.
Oyá, may our lives be long and our death short.

Shango

Shango has come. Let every human being come and watch.
Shango, do not quarrel with me.
I am not one of them who is against you.
There are two solutions to a problem; Shango please resolve them.
Obakoso, the powerful king,
My lord, the owner of the big royal drums,
Protect us from misfortune,
Protect us from illness,
Let us experience the calm and gentle things of life.

Yemoja (Yemaya)

Yemoja, mother of the fishes,
Mother of the waters of the earth.
Nurture me, my mother
Protect and guide me.
Like the waves of the ocean,
Wash away the trials that I bear.
Grant me children.
Grant me peace.
Let not the witches devour me.
Let not evil people destroy me.
Yemoja, mother of all,
Nurture me my mother.

Obatala

Orisa’ala, the great one who owns the world,
And to whom the control of the world must be assigned.
Obatala, Obatarisha, the Orisha with authority
Who is as precious as pure honey.
The Orisha with inexhaustible strength,
The inheritor or reputation
Whose great fame does not detract from his authority.
Obatala save me!
One expect salvation from one’s orisha.
I do not know how to save myself.

Excerpt taken from “The Handbook of Yoruba Religious Concepts” by Baba Ifa Karade