How to attend Eleguá and my Warriors after receiving them?

Some of the frequently asked questions that many are asked is How do I treat my warriors after receiving them?

I do not understand how some religious of our Osha-Ifá or Santeria Rule leave the new initiates helpless.

They give them their warriors as an ornament and leave them without transmitting the main thing, which is teaching and showing them the due responsibilities they must have towards the Orishas received.

And you, as it is who receives it, must also be interested, it is not receiving things and now, we must learn every day, even a little, it is our duty as religious.

You should not fear anything or anyone, you ask and document yourself before receiving or doing religious ceremonies. Then problems arise, delays and osogbos when receiving them and not attending them properly.

What Yoruba deities represent the Warriors in the Osha?

I offer some recommendations on how to serve the Warrior Orishas that comprise it:

Eleggua who opens and closes roads and watches over our destiny,
Oggun the brave warrior owner of iron who with his machete opens the way,
oshosi the great hunter, soothsayer, fisherman who does justice with the bow and arrow,
Osun who represents life and death, caretaker of men's heads and messenger of Obbatalá and Olofin.

How to serve Elegguá the owner of our way?

A Eleggua He is served on Mondays, but you can attend him any day of the week as long as it is with faith and love.

You may wonder why Mondays? And it is that this day begins the week and Eleguá is the first to be greeted at Osha.

When it is served, you should spread it with corojo butter, blow tobacco smoke and brandy, top it with smoked jutía, smoked fish and roasted corn.

A white candle or a small piece of it is lit for him and a gourd with water is also usually left.

The gourd (Igba) it is a sacred "tableware" in the Yoruba religion. Used in many religious ceremonies to drink water or brandy. We obtain it from the güira tree and cut it in half to fulfill its function as a vessel.

How do you ask the orisha who holds the key to our destiny, Eleguá?

You ask him for his blessing and you talk to him out loud, you always ask him to guide you in every step, to keep you healthy, to keep your paths open.

But something that I recommend is that you do not promise anything to Elegguá that you can later forget, it is better that you write it down because everything we mentioned the orisha does not forget, nor should you promise anything that you cannot fulfill.

Elegguá is not asked or treated on the knee, it must be done crouching or on blades, some greet him with three touches on the ground and others with open palms striking the floor.

The little boy is given candies and on Mondays when you attend him you can clean yourself with them and leave them in four corners, in the mountains, in the garbage, in order to clean yourself of the osogbos and that the paths open up.

Why should we cleanse ourselves with the Eleguá offerings?

To get rid of the bad and open paths, those candies, fruits or sweets have already absorbed the energy of the small and giant Elegguá, they have their Ashé and power, therefore they help us to purify ourselves of everything bad.

You can also put Eleguá in the sun for a while, take him out for a walk, he likes coffee, coconut, cornbreads, toys, all fruits, but especially guava, his favorite.

What you should keep in mind when serving it ...

You must bear in mind that Elegguá does not like to be whistled in his presence, or discussions, or obscene words. We must show respect to him.

It is important to know which path your Elegguá takes because not all are the same, perhaps mine likes to travel and yours prefers to stay at home, for this reason it is essential to know their path.

Who should we ask questions about our Eleguá?

Whoever gives it to you, you can ask all your concerns, that is, the Babalawo or Oriaté.

In case it is not possible and you cannot find out the path of your Eleguá, you attend to him like everyone else, ignorance is allowed, says my godfather.

Because it is not your fault that they have not told you and the one who knows does not pay the same as the one who doesn't know.

How to serve Oggún the owner of the iron?

Cauldron of the Warriors next to Osun

Oggún is usually attended on Mondays with Elegguá, but his days are Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

First all his tools are smeared with corojo butter and the same is done to his cauldron.
While you attend to him, you are talking with Oggún and asking for his blessing.
Then you put the tools in the cauldron, you blow tobacco smoke and brandy.
You light a candle, but if you serve it together with Eleguá, the same candle can be used and you put a gourd with water on it.

Offerings that the Guerrero del Monte likes:

Oggún likes fruits, especially watermelon, pineapple, sugar cane, and as food, roasted sweet potato, yam and many more.

Iron lord Oggún is asked with determination and without anger, don't ask for money either, better ask for a job, stability and development, strength to move forward and to free you from all enemies with his machete.

Never ask to hurt, you are given the complaints of those who hurt you. He will take care of doing justice, do not hesitate.

How to treat Oshosi the vigilante?

It is usually attended on the same Monday when Elegguá and Oggún are attended.

Corojo butter is spread on Oshosi, aniseed liquor or brandy and tobacco smoke are blown.

There are religious who usually attend him on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which are his days as Oggún.

How to attend Osun the lookout of our head?

Osun is delicate and rarely cared for, you can add cocoa butter from time to time and cascarilla.

Many offer him a bunch of grapes.

Some religious place Osun on a pedestal higher than our head and others on the floor.

Now, if Osun falls, I must recommend that you look for two white doves and go to your godfather's house and consult Orunmila to see what happens, because his fall is a warning of an evil that is walking towards us.

Osun is asked a lot of health and stability so that you continue firmly on earth.

In the attention to the Warriors you should know that:

You should always keep in mind that if the woman is going through a menstrual period, she cannot attend to it, and that they are always treated cleanly and properly dressed.

The Warrior Orishas are not washed with water and if it is water, it must be coconut, delicately and little by little, not under the tap.

They are also washed with Omiero (spiritual water prepared with herbs of the orishas) using their corresponding herbs.

You already know how to attend to your Warrior Orishas in the usual way, now you must put a lot of faith, love and above all humility.

What are Warriors received for?

Warriors are received for good, so that they open paths and give you development, for health, they will not give you trips or you will suddenly be a millionaire as many think.

The blessings are on your way, in your destiny, and in his powerful hands is to provide you with what you need, do not forget that.

If you got that blessing, congratulations!, but it is NOT what we are looking for precisely in the Osha rule, but spiritual growth, protection, a guide in our life that protects us every moment.

I only advise you not to go looking for the Orishas with those ideas of material enrichment in your head because if not, you are lost.

Always wish the good, be patient, good character, Osha is not a market of give and take, we offer gratitude every day and little by little, when they decide so in the perfect plan that the orishas have prepared for us, they will offer us so many blessings.

If you received the warriors, the beautiful protectors of the Osha, then serve them with a lot of faith and a lot of love.

«Faith does not make things simple, it makes them possible». Ashé for you.