We are all usually excited when we are close to the birthday of our tutelary Saint, because we remember that that day we began a new life at Osha.
Our faith and gratitude inspires us to offer within our possibilities, the best party, the best Addimú or the best throne.
The Orishas receive all the offers as long as they are given with faith and love, but they will not receive it if the desire is to demonstrate to others the power or greatness through them, we must always act with humility.
The world is increasingly in constant development, and the Yoruba religion is not far behind, that is, its practices and cults vary every day. The Rule of Osha (Santeria) It has been taking many aspects depending on the religious and the place where it is carried out.
What should never vary in our religion is humility, the love between religious, and the faith that we profess to our deities.
Offerings of humility and faith
Our Saints long ago lived in gourds and clay tureens, traditions that still endure in African countries and in some houses of the saint in Cuba that preserve the deities in this way.
With this I want to make it clear that not having a porcelain tureen, beautiful and decorated, should not make you feel bad, because the saint knows what you want and thanks you for every detail, as long as it is from the heart.
Regarding the offers that we can make to the Orishas, many are those who wonder How do I make a throne on my birthday?
Prepare thrones for the Saints How to make them?
Making a throne is not very difficult and more when you do it with love and magic and spirituality emanate from your hands and from your heart.
Depending on the deity that we want to honor and venerate, the preferred color of the Orisha will be chosen, as a starting point to mount the throne this will be the tone that governs the fabrics or cloths.
We must bear in mind that for the elaboration of a throne there are many versions, and ways of doing it. For example, some religious tend only to bring up their bedside Orisha, others only the regulars, while, at the devotee's decision, all the deities can go to mat.
My simple Throne for my Father Obatalá and my mother Oshún
In this case I describe how I mount the throne for my mother Oshún, but it can be applied to her Guardian Angel.
As for me, I offer it with simplicity as I usually do everything related to my saints, I take them all to the mat, that is, to the throne, because for me they are all important and essential, and it has always been my way to place them, guided by my experience and intuition.
The choice of place:
First you must choose a suitable, clean place where there is a little space so that people who wish to greet the saint can do so.
This depends on the space in your house and the availability you have, there are no rules about the location of the throne, you can put it against the wall or in a corner, always keeping in mind that the place provides firmness so that the throne does not fall.
There are even people who do not move their saints from the basket and it is still correct.
Assemble the throne:
Then you have to make steps, in my case I have configured it as a kind of shelf or furniture, to mount the throne, because it is better for me to remove it every year and then put it away.
But at the beginning when I didn't have the possibility of this piece of furniture, I did it with tables, drawers, and I was improvising with the elements that I had. You must take into account that what you do is firm and safe, so that it does not fall.
Orishas location:
Regarding the position and location of the orishas, I always put Baba Obbatala owner of heads and thoughts, above my head, that is, taller than my height.
I first cover everything in white, the color that represents it, and I make it a sky, or a ceiling, as they say. Obbatalá, the owner of all whiteness par excellence, does not like to be in the light, where the light shines, that's why I make his cover.
Placed so that Baba Obatalá is under that sky, next to him I always place Ok, the great Orisha of the heights and the firmness of the earth.
Then I begin to place my titular Orisha a little lower, who is the beautiful Oshun in this case, and as my adored Yemaya It must be in the same position, I place both of them at the same height, I decorate each one according to their preference, attributes, colors and depending on their path.
Then I place all the other Orishas and already on the mat I place The Warriors, Elegguá the owner of the roads, Ogún the iron king, Oshosi the vigilante and Ozun the lookout.
In my case, no Orisha is left outside my throne, I include them all.
Also on a mat I place the fruits, flowers, candles, sweets and all the offerings that I have prepared for my saints.
Everything you offer, let it be from the heart:
Here I have given you my version, now, each one makes his throne in his own way and with his own inspiration, because what is born from the heart is always correct and received with love.
Although it seems strange, whenever the day of celebration arrives, I am a little afraid to start doing it, but later I receive an immense energy and spirituality, which tells me what to add or add to it, a magical connection that comes through Faith.
I have been Osha for many years and each time another year arrives, I feel that you accumulate experience through the tests that the Orishas put us on the path.
I have had years that I have only been able to offer 2 candles and meadow flowers, but that is not why I have stopped venerating them and having faith in them, because they have always offered me signs of affection and love, in the end they have never given me a bad letter, they have protected above all things.
Is that love, arbures, is given every day, thanking, talking with them, asking for their blessing, every day giving thanks for much or for little, for what they take away from you or put in your way, that is faith and that We must not lose faith and trust.
The love for our orishas is not based on the beauty of a throne, perhaps a simple light and a gourd with water, it is better received than a throne without faith.