Yemanja, goddess of the sea...

[Sister Alvear]

Yesterday was her special day here...
A little information and a few pictures...



A Brazilian Sea Goddess. Found mostly around the fishing and sailing areas of Brazil. The Goddess Iemanja is a powerful entity. Iemanja is the Queen of the Sea, protector of sailors and fishermen. All who die at sea go to her luxurious underwater palace, so the sailors prefer that to dying in bed. But she never drowns anyone herself. She is a kind, magnificently beautiful goddess, occasionally rising from the sea to greet the sailors. They sing songs in her honor at night, when the trail of moonlight shines on the water. The storytellers say this is Iemanja's hair, floating on the waves. Obviously, Iemanja is a manifestation of the Great Goddess in one of her many forms.

[Sister Alvear]

All along the coast you find them worshipping and dancing...

[Sister Alvear]

[Sister Alvear]

[Sister Alvear]

[Sister Alvear]

they chat this prayer and other prayers:

O Mother of Waters!Great is your power, your strength, and your light...Let your greatness be the greatest wealth you dispense to me...surrounded by sweet melodies springing from your own self...

[Sister Alvear]

Being a Goddess of the Sea, Yemaya is often depicted as a beautiful mermaid, or wearingseven skirts of blue and white. The cowrie shell is sacred to her and her places of worship arethe seashores, or large rivers that flow into the sea. In Brazil, where she is referred to as “OurLady of the Immaculate Conception”, crowds still gather today on the beach of Bahia tocelebrate Candalaria, a ceremony in which offerings of soap, perfume, and jewellery arethrown into the sea in honour of Yemaya. Letters of requests to the Goddess are thrown also.The people wait to see if their offerings are accepted by the Goddess, or returned to themupon the waves. It is believed that the Goddess would wash away the troubles of herfollowers with her waters, the waters of the womb of creation and dreams.Colours attributed to Yemaya are blue, silver and white. Symbols are the six-pointed star, anopen shell, the Moon, and bodies of water. Stones are turquoise (and other light bluecrystals), pearl, mother-of-pearl and coral. The trout lily and sea lavender are her flowers,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(copied)

[Sister Alvear]

[Sister Alvear]

[Sister Alvear]

All in the name of worship to a goddess that can never save...Yet they dance and whatever for hours and hours...