YEMAYA
Come with your cares
come with your woes
come when life is joyful
come when life weighs you down
come when you take on to much
come when you are spred to thin
come when you are danced out
come when you seek renewal
all I ask when you come
is that you surender to me
mother ocean
my watery womb waits to hold you
nurture you
birth you anew
when you let go and give over all to me
Yemaya (pronounced ee'mah-zha)is a Santeria Africian-Caribbean Goddess of the
sea who gave birth to fourteen orishas, or sprits.
Originally known as Ymoja, the west Africian Yoruban river mother,she also came
to Brazil where she is known as Lamanja.
At her celebration on the Summer Solitise, her worshippers arrive at her
shorelines dressed in white and lunch little boats loaded with flowers, candles,
and gifs. Sometimes she accepts the offerings and prayers and sometimes she
sends them back. It is said that those who come to Mother Yemaya and surender to
her find that their troubles dissolve in the waters of her embrace.
