The Mythology
In Africa, Oya (pronounced oh-yah) is the Yoruban Goddess of weather, especially tornadoes, lightning, destructive rainstorms, fire, female leadership, persuasice charm, and transformation. She is also one of the mos powerful of Brazilian Macumba deities. When women find themselves in hard-to-resolve conflicts, she is the one to call on for protection. Wearing wine, her favorite color, and exhibiting nine whirlwinds (nine being her sacred number), she is depicted here witha turban twisted to appear like buffalo horns, for it is said she assumed the shape of a buffalo when wedded to Ogun.
The Lessons of this Goddess
Oya storms into your life to tell you that change is calling, beckoning,
and camping out on your doorstep. The way to wholeness
for you lies in embracing change. Have you been too busy, too
stressed, to attend to the changes needed in your life to nurture
yourself? Is change so fearful a concept that you push it aside, play
hide-and seek with it, or just ignore it? Have you arranged your
life so perfectly that there is no room left for potential? Time for
change. Time to sweep out, sweep up, and be swept away.
Perhaps you are in the midst of the Change (menopause) and are
having trouble accepting it. Resistance to change brings more
persistent change. Choosing to dance with change means you
will flow with it. Let yourself be unsettled, prepare yourself for
growth. Enter deeply into change's chaotic dance and you'll be
richly blessed with abundant possiblity. It is time for something
completely different. The Goddess says that the earth must be dug up
before anything can be planted and that change always brings
you what you need on your path to wholeness.