Prayers (Orikis) To The Orisha of The Crossroads, Eshu-Elegba (Eleggua)
We begin by honoring the Ancestors, paying tribute to those who came before us and laid the foundation for our existence. Following the Ancestors are the Orishas, the divine guardians who govern the forces of nature and guide our lives. Above all stands the Creator, God Almighty, the source of all creation, who brought the universe and everything within it into being. The Orishas remain as protectors, sustaining us through nature as we navigate life, grow in wisdom, share love, and strive for spiritual elevation.
Before seeking favor, homage is first paid to Eshu-Elegba, the Orisha of the crossroads. He is the keeper of all paths, doors, and roads—both in the physical and spiritual realms. As the divine messenger, Eshu-Elegba serves as the intermediary between humanity, the Orishas, and ultimately, God Almighty. While other spiritual traditions and religions may have their own equivalents to this powerful Orisha, their roles remain fundamentally the same. I hold to a guiding principle rooted in nature-based spiritual paths: *“All paths lead to the same destination.”*
Here are a few of the prayers (Orikis) dedicated to Eshu-Elegba (or Eleggua in the Afro-Cuban tradition), the Orisha of the crossroads:
**Prayer (Oriki) 1:**
Eshu, protect my family.
Guard the initiates of the Temple, and watch over me as well.
Let no harm come to me from others,
Nor let others be moved to act against me.
Grant me a long and fruitful life.
Grant me peace.
Grant me the elevation of my consciousness.
Grant me the ability to provide for myself.
Eshu, I honor and salute you.
**Prayer (Oriki) 2:**
Elder of the crossroads, my father,
Remove all evil from our path so we may walk in peace.
Let there be no more loss, no more tragedy,
No more sickness, no more death,
No more unforeseen evil in this household.
In the name of all who dwell here, I thank you, my father Elegba.
**Prayer (Oriki) 3:**
Eshu transforms wrong into right, and right into wrong.
When angered, he strikes a stone until it bleeds.
When angered, he sits upon the skin of an ant.
When angered, his tears flow as blood.
Eshu tried to sleep in the house, but the house was too small.
He tried to sleep on the verandah, but the verandah could not contain him.
At last, he found rest within a nut, where he could finally stretch freely.
Eshu walked through the groundnut farm,
Only the tuft of his hair visible above the crops.
Were it not for his immense size, he might have gone unseen.
Lying down, his head touches the roof.
Standing tall, he cannot peer into the cooking pot.
He throws a stone today, yet it strikes a bird from yesterday.
Blessings,
Obsidian333