I run this post every year at this time because it’s such a great month for doing a Venus ritual. To me the most important timer for a Venus ritual in particular is if your heart feels really ready to do it … not because of a clenched desire, but because you’re really in the mood to surrender to Venus.
Let this Taurus New Moon stimulate your senses and draw you into the magic of your ordinary world. Do you feel a quickening in your body? A desire to experience even more earthly delights? Ritual is a time-honored way to attract invisible assistance in manifesting your desires. And it’s a wonderful way to deepen play with the creative earth energy of Taurus. That’s why every Spring, on an auspicious Friday, during the Venus-ruled Taurus season, I perform the Santeria ritual for Oshun. As the Yoruba goddess of fresh waters, Oshun oversees the same delights that Venus does. I call “Venus” with Oshun’s ritual and neither goddess seems to mind the confusion.
The first time I did the ceremony as a lark. Venus rules pleasures, money and love—who wouldn’t be eager for more of that! To ensure a powerful result, I knew I needed to be as specific as possible. I meditated on my desires—they seemed faraway, perhaps impossible, but I knew exactly what I was dreaming of: I wanted a fabulous new home and a man to share it with. Given the magnitude of my request—wouldn’t it take time to bring such bounty!—I figured it wasn’t too soon to let Venus know.
I gathered the requisite ingredients: a dinner roll, a nickel, my desires written down on a piece of paper, some honey, and a candle. I prepared them as instructed. The ritual was supposed to conclude with tossing the combined ingredients into a body of fresh (not salty) running water. This was not easy to find in my suburban neighborhood. And I was not going to toss my dreams in the toilet—the common suburban substitute for ritual running water. Thankfully, a receptionist at the local water company told me of an unmarked spot three miles north of the main road. There, in an unnamed stream moving briskly through a forgotten oak grove, I surrendered my dreams to Venus. She could help me or not!
Just six weeks later I found myself in escrow on a home so beautiful, with waterfalls, French windows, breath-taking views, it was grander than my wildest dreams. And guess what—the man arrived too, bringing a loan for the down payment and a desire to move in with me!
I was stunned.
I’ve performed the Santeria Oshun ritual many times since. None of my subsequent rituals have surpassed the sheer drama of that first result. Yet my repeated petitions to Venus have brought something far more profound: Venus is now a living presence in my life. My exquisite dream house has since been sold, its profits funding a prosperity of ease and playfulness that was once only a dream of mine. The man who materialized after that first ritual has since moved on, allowing another man, even more passionate, to join my life. My days are more pleasure-filled than ever before. No longer is Venus just a figment of my imagination. She’s a real being whom I actively serve, by celebrating what she loves.
It’s not the desire to pile up Venusian goodies that prompts my annual rituals. The sparkle and rush of running streams in my neighborhood, the teasing bowers of new Spring growth—they stir me to it. One time, after preparing our rolls and burning our candles, my partner and I drove to a local creek. I could sense Venus dancing in the water and among the leaves. I could feel her within, a rising joy. “Oh let’s pick a good spot, so we can watch our rolls float awhile downstream!” I focused into the pleasure of the moment and flung my bread into the water. I watched as it swiftly sailed through the sun-lit current, until it went out of view.
Exhilarated, I turned to my partner. His face was glum. There was his bread, inches away from where he’d thrown it, pinned against a rock. Every moment in ritual is a telling one. If what shows up is contrary to our desires, it indicates what might be in our way, or what is unclear about our current state of mind. My partner had been feeling stuck in his life for awhile. He shrugged his shoulders and turned toward the car. “No! We must free it!” Was it Venus speaking in me? We tossed stones, laughed, nearly fell into the water, and then his roll sprung free and went on its way. At home that night, we honored Venus deliciously.
Gods and humans need each other. We love their magic. They love our acknowledgement. It is through us that they live! I hope you spend this Taurus Moon cycle living the joy of Venus. Use the Santeria ritual, or any other means!
Santeria Venus Ritual
One of the best ways I know to ask for Venus blessings is the Santeria Venus ritual (described by Casey in her Making the Gods Work for You. I make sure I perform this ritual every year during the Taurus cycle. I encourage you to do the same!
- It’s best to perform this ritual on a Friday—which is Venus’ day. You’ll need a round piece of bread, like a dinner roll. Make a hole in it and put a nickel or five pennies inside (the number five is sacred to Venus).
- On a small piece of paper, clearly state your desires. Fold this paper and put it into the bread, on top of your nickel. Then pour a little honey on top of that (as Casey always says, “for obvious symbolic reasons!”).
- Finally, place a small candle in the hole (bigger than a birthday candle, but smaller than a taper). Casey suggests a yellow candle, though I’ve found different colors fun to play with.
- Light the candle. As it is burning, honor Venus: take a luxurious bath, go shopping, make love. Do something that makes you feel juicy, beautiful, pampered, prosperous, and happy. Like attracts like—a delightful like-minded mood attracts Venus like nothing else!
- When the candle is completely burned down, so that only melted wax is on the bread, take it to sweet flowing water—a stream or a river, but nothing salty like the ocean. Toss this now ritually potent (and fully bio-degradable) roll into the water, reciting an invocation, poem, or prayer of your choice.
- The goddess will respond to your desires in the coming weeks. She might fulfill your dreams in miraculous ways. Or she might play the trickster—revealing a blind spot that still stands in the way of your desires.
Hi Dana,
Thank you so much for sharing this ritual!
My husband and I did it on Friday the 5th. We actually realized it was 5/5, and we synchronistically threw the buns in the river at exactly 5 pm!
The only thing that was worrying about the ritual was that we had a little altar on the kitchen table where we prepared the buns, with an Oracle card image of Oshun and a tealight that had been burning on my goddess altar and was brought over.. and the card fell on the tea light and got a bit burned, snuffing out the light!
My first reaction was negative, because a piece of my oracle deck was damaged, and I thought maybe it was a bad omen. But then I thought maybe Oshun herself was snuffing out the candle to let us know “it is done” (or maybe that’s wishful thinking, haha!).
My husband worried that it was “his fault”; that his intention was not in true alignment, especially after he pulled cards about it. He also had the thought that maybe the goddess was angry at his stinginess, because when he saw me smear on the honey, he had the thought that I was putting too much.
I noticed he was very serious before the ritual, gathering supplies. And I was too, somewhat. I mentioned it, and I made sure to come into more ease and softness before beginning.
I would like to hear if you have any thoughts on this?
Thank you! <3
Oh I’ve had Oshun events like these! Dealing with invisible powers it’s easy to feel like naughty children being reprimanded by angry parents. But that’s not the most inspired use of our symbolic equipment. I don’t know enough about you, your husband, or your wishes to offer a very meaningful interpretation … but at the least, it could have been a message to lighten up! Oshun is very playful. Once, when I had three candles going and two of them fell and were extinguished, this initiated an interesting meditation on the wishes associated with each. Looking at what happened afterward, those particular wishes didn’t seem to have a lot of vigor in them. Best frame–look at the event as if it were a message sent with love … what could it mean then?
Oh, what a delicious story. The extraordinary is always a clue that invisible forces are about. Thanks for sharing…
Hi Dana, I loved this post. I wanted to share with you what happened with My Oshun ritual. I now have a garden for the first time in years and I have created an altar made with stones (from all over the world) to focus moon ritual energy. Being a rule-breaking Aries, and having read your response to someone who didn’t have access to running water I created a ritual to Venus using what I had to hand: homemade bread, honey, a pound coin and a list of LOVES that I wanted Venus to work with me on…this is what happened. I put the coin, bread and honey into the ground in the circle of stones with the wish paper on top of the little bundle – all lightly buried. I held in mind that I wanted these wishes to manifest and pass into the world with the help of the Goddess of LOVE. I poured the water over the bundle focussing on the water carrying my wishes into the world. The paper unfolded and sprouted out of the earth as the water touched it, and became green…as I had written my desires in green pen. I inadvertently tried to push the paper back into the ground again, and again it just popped up like a sprouting green plant. I thought a lot about this, about intentionality and desire and help from the invisible realms. Yesterday, I was in my studio writing. It is a metre away from my altar and a squirrel came down and started eating my green wish list! then proceeded to dig up the bread and eat the soil laden with honey. The squirrel left the money! I will let you know how the communications unfold – it was an extraordinary moment…it reminded me that: oracles are everywhere…
I love Mooncircles…I love the intentionality and intensity of your enquiry, and your generous sharing of wisdom through your words. Love, Suzette
I’m going to do it these days,
I’m sorry I ask for details but I’m not much into rituals and I don’t know what to pay attention to and what not to. Nickel pennies … nickel and penny have different colors here. It’s silver or bronze color for better symbolism? What coins should we use?
Thank you,
Kalypso.
What’s good about your questions is that the ritual details are important to organize us, but they actually don’t matter to the deities. Venus won’t find one roll more powerful because it has nickels instead of dimes. Wondering which is the better symbol helps to focus you into the qualities of the energy you’re petitioning. So a nickel is good because it represent the number five, a Venus number. Pennies are good because they’re made of copper, a Venus metal. Choose which is more pleasing to you.
Belated answer: I did it, thank you. Copper having the number five on them this time.
Next time I do it I am going to experiment with the other choice.
Again thank you a lot.
I started the ritual shortly before the new moon and when the candle was extinguished (I managed to find only a birthday cake candle) I took my roll and went out. 50 ft from the gate there’s a bridge across a river flowing beside the garden of the condo where I live. About 300 ft ahead, the river flows into the sea.
The street lights allowed me to see only a small area underneath the bridge, and I could see the water flowing peacefully. Everything ahead was pitch black but for few speck of light at sea, fisher boats I guessed.
I tossed my roll in the river and said thanks for all the gifts that every day are showered on me. I watched my roll go. It seemed like it remained on the same spot a long time, then slowly moved on, on, on, and melted with the blackness of the night.
I could hear the waves rolling a short distance ahead, and I knew my roll was there somewhere in the dark, flowing toward the sea. I thought that it was not important to know the how and the when this would happen. It was fine not to know.
I asked Venus to imbibe my life with her gifts, thanked the universe and went back home.
The best time is always when your heart is sincere… clock time is a human convenience, not of divine importance. Combine a good astrology time with a harried mind or heart–that doesn’t make for much magic. A Friday when the Sun and Moon are in Venus-ruled signs are the best dates to shoot for and tomorrow satisfies that well. But we’re in both Mercury and Mars retrograde now, so if that doesn’t work, don’t stress it. I’d wait for the most auspicious Friday in your schedule.
Hello Dana.
Is it better to do it tomorrow, right in the New Moon, or could we also do it next week?
I am asking because tomorrow’s Taurus New Moon is at night here in my place.
I think I have no time to do everything tomorrow and I don’t want to keep on finishing on Saturn-day, I heard is not a good day for this.
If we can do it an other day, is there an ideal one concerning astrology (planets retrograde etc?)
Thank you,
Kalypso
Thanks for sharing! I love this ritual, even though Oshun has always scared me with her passion. I once was almost mounted by the Saint, but I ran away. I am going to through that fear away this New Moon in Taurus and take the Bull by the horns. Since Oshun is a sensual Goddess of sweet water as you say and of course Venus is a Air and Earth sign, and in Taurus, and because I live on an Island surrounded by Salt Water and all of our sweet water is pumped in through pipe, so I am going to honor Oshun through ritual and love but I am going to use an Apple with the coin, honey, and candle and count on the Earth and it’s physical manifestation to carry it to the heart on the “One” blessings.
Great creativity!
I tried this ritual twice more and it always burns my bun :/ when the flame gets to the bottom it always burns unfortunately no matter how big the hole I make. I blow it out before it burns it all. What type of candle do you recommend?
Thank you so much!
Hi Dana,
I just missed the Taurus cycle for the Santeria ritual for Oshun:( However, I want to try for June 12th when the Moon is in Taurus (not during the void-of-course). Is that a good idea?
I love your website! It’s awesome!
Hi! I did this in the morning and I didn’t think the candle would take this long to burn. I have to go to work now and I cannot leave this candle burning unattended. I was wondering if I put it out would this upset Venus and also if I were to try this again next Friday, maybe burning the candle on the Thursday and letting it down the stream on Friday morning what should I do/the proper way to dispose of with this bun that I prematurely put out? Thanks so much in advance for answering me 🙂
It’s easy for us to project onto the gods… but they are neither petty nor easily manipulated by the gestures of materialism. The ritual is just a vehicle for communication. It’s worth refining such vehicles, so do it again and again, if you wish. The point is, you’re building a relationship with an actual living archetype. How do you want her to be? Loving? Forgiving? Eager to celebrate your gestures with a successful wind? Or quick to anger and be bound by little rules? Put your focus on Venus. Don’t endanger your house. You will read in many candle “magick” books that putting out candles prematurely or relighting them is bad juju–but I say it’s better not to endanger your house. You learned something about the ritual this week. Consider it a wonderful practice run. Mercury is retrograde. Just the time for doing things again.
Thank you so much for your insight. I really appreciate it 🙂
Hi Dana,
I am just learning about astrology & all that goes with it and am interested in trying this ritual tomorrow, Friday 5/22/15, but have a few questions I hope you might be able to clear up.
First, since we’re currently in Mercury Retrograde, will that have any effect on the ritual? Should I wait?
Second, can this be preformed at any time of the day on a Friday? Does it matter if it’s dark out when I get to the stream to send my bun sailing?
Thank you!
Erin
Don’t worry overmuch about the details. It’s nice if you can have everything in place, but if you can’t, sincerity of heart is all you really need. Just pay attention to the messages around the ritual. I do this ritual every year and each year has different nuances. Some years are better than others. But it’s always worth doing.
Taking a luxurious bath while candle is burning means that we are home.
Then we have to go to the stream or river. Can we do it the next day or have to do it right when the ritual is done?
Often I’ve burned the candle on a Thursday and sailed it down the river on a Friday. The burning period is for us–to gather intention. The releasing is our contact with Venus–best to do that on a Friday.
Sadly this Friday will be the start of Gemini cycle.
Next year I can repeat it on time now I will choose an other day.
Hi Katerina,
I’m very new to this, can you elaborate on why tomorrow would be bad because of the start of Gemini Cycle?
Thank you!
Erin
I’ll step in as Katerina and I emailed about this. The Sun enters Gemini, but it was the Taurus New Moon that started this cycle. I like to do the ritual when both the Sun and Moon are in Venus-ruled signs, but it’s not the end of the world if you pick another time. Just dive in and see what happens.
I’m definitely going to try this! I’m a spiritual witch, but having transitioned from a Muslim background, I’ve been slow to get into the concept of pagan gods. Its been quite a few years since I’ve changed my spiritual path, and I’m starting to learn more about and become more curious about gods and goddesses. Oddly enough, when I think of pagan gods that I’m drawn to, Venus is always the first one to come to mind. If I didn’t know any “better” I’d say I’ve been feeling her energy around me lately… Maybe it’s time to take that big step and reach out to her!
Sounds like it is!
Thanks for writing this, Dana, and all the great comments; I’m so excited to do this on Friday! I’m wishing I had found your post before I left Texas, where my town had a “magic spring” (as I thought of it) and stream in the middle of a gorgeous historical park, which I visited every Beltane. Now, however, we’re in the desert! Not a lot of naturally occurring, freely flowing sweet water in my ‘hood. 😉 What we do have in spades are cement irrigation ditches that flow fast with lovely clear water every morning. So my plan is to drive several miles out of town and up the mountain to the places where the irrigation first comes out of the ground, and put my offering in there where I hope it’ll disintegrate or feed the birds before the system narrows down into those tiny hoses that go up into the fields. LOL!
Any thoughts about Venus and man-made water structures? Thanks so much!
Where birds sing, where water gathers and flows, and your heart sings… that sounds like a good place. If you could avoid the cement, that might feel more natural, but your plan sounds lovely. Good luck!
Thanks again, Dana! 🙂 Just about to do this ritual for the second year. The irrigation canal had much to teach me last year about perseverance and letting go, but lessons noted, lessons learned, and most of the insights panned out! I’ve used the same spot for a couple water rituals now and am about to go back to the same place later today.
Hi Dana,
I am planning to do this ritual on Friday 8/15, is there any spiritual meaning if my wish isn’t granted, has this ever happened to you?
Thank you so much,
Michelle
It’s better to think of this as a journey–rather than a wish being granted. We do have the Disney model of magic so firmly in our heads, it’s easy to think we’re waiting for a magical gift. What’s been truer in my experience is that you’re asking rather than wishing, and the goddess is answering, whatever the actual result. In other words, to engage this way with the archetypes means that you’re in relationship with them… you’ve begun a journey. Whatever happens, it is indeed a message. Sometimes having my wish denied brought even greater gifts.
I am curious about this and have a couple of questions. I have everything on hand to do this ritual – the bread, the nickel, the honey, the handwritten wishes and the fresh, sweet flowing water close by.
1) You mention this being an annual ritual for you, so does that indicate that you suggest only doing it during the months of April or May?
2) Next question regards performing this ritual on a Friday when possible. Do you mean to only do it when a Full Moon falls on a Friday?
3) And last question: Tomorrow is the June Friday the 13th Full Moon, which is apparently an extremely rare combination. Is this ritual recommended to perform on a Full Moon? I know that Full Moon energy usually is bidding farewell and recognizing completion of cycles. I appreciate any information you can offer in response to these questions!
– Dawn
I do the ritual annually as an offering to Venus, but I also do the ritual any time I feel a sincere need to petition her. I always make sure to do it on a Friday, but other than that, I have no rules. There are two different and very contradictory views about working with Full Moons–some say this is the best time to perform a ritual; others say it’s not. I always use my inner wisdom as a guide to know which Full Moon is good for ritual (some feel wonky and unstable). As long as your heart is sincere, I wouldn’t worry about the other details. As far as “rare” combinations–I think we give too much attention to this. Every moment is rare and wonderful. Just because our computers can tell us that a Friday 13 Full Moon won’t happen for another 35 years doesn’t mean that there’s something particularly special we should capitalize on for this date. But that’s just me… Again, approach Venus with a sincere heart; that’s all that’s really needed.
Thank you, Dana! I appreciate your common sense approach with this, particularly regarding the rare combination mindset. I am going to subscribe to your newsletter via email, now that I have found your site.
– Dawn
Quick follow up – I did do the ritual yesterday evening. As I drove to the creek not far from my home, I felt so upbeat, positive, happy and excited. I paid particular attention to all that inside-feeling stuff and promised myself if I felt anything of the heart sinking, stomach lurking nature, I wouldn’t finish the ritual. None of that happened. I felt excitement, anticipation and happiness. As I stood by the creek, that feeling increased, because it is a location that I spent time around during childhood, so many happy memories were tapped. I tossed my bread into the water and watched it zip away in the current and I smiled. I stood there for several long minutes watching the water, listening to the lovely sounds, and then when it felt right, I walked back to my car. Today, those feelings remain. Each time I check in with myself, I feel positive emotions and a sense of excitement and anticipation. That alone is worth the steps taken with the ritual, and I am excited to see how the energies released return to me in the near future. 🙂
– Dawn
Sounds just beautiful!
Dear Dana,
thank you for your ritual. I was so exited to perform it. Everything ready I went to the flooding stream close to my home and tossed it in. I said my blessing and watched id twirl in the stream for avfew seconds and then 3 or 4 seagulls saw this delicious bun floating and started to devour it immediately! They loved it, to hear from heir squeeking noise! So I was a bit dissappointed, because I didn not see that coming! They left me wonering what that could mean. Was I surrounde by forces that want what I have, or maybe was it telling me that I should share more? Do you have an idea about this? I live in Amsterdam, a crowded city. Maybevthere is also a relation with that. Hope to hear your creative thoughts about this! Thank you! Can I do the ritual once again? Regards, May.
Do read April’s Full Moon essay about ducks eating her bun! Sending the roll down the stream is an act of sending your desire into the world–the idea isn’t that your bun should keep flowing solo all the way to the sea. The idea is that it should join the world–that’s its job–it’s carrying your wishes into the world. I’d be delighted that the bun became food for one of Venus’ creatures–birds. But there’s another lesson–notice your own response. How quick were you to feel that this was some kind of negative omen or judgment… perhaps what’s needed is more joy and trust. That’s one of the deeper blessings of ritual–it’s all symbolic. Every bit of it can be a teaching. Meditate and see what you come up with.
I love everything about your writing. You are clear and bright and funny. Taurus that I am, I can still use more Venus energy. I can’t wait to try this! Thank you! Big hug!
Hi Lucy! What a sweetheart you are… thanks for your wonderful comments, and good luck with the ritual! I hope life is treating you well these days. Hugs.
What are other water sources, I do have the ocean ~ Gulf of Mexico right here. What else would work ? Could I toss it in the sound, my pool ??
Venus rules fresh water–and you want fresh moving water; otherwise, the bun is stuck! The first time I did the ceremony, I had to research my area to find fresh water sources. I called the local water department and was lucky enough to get someone who pointed me to a nearby stream. If you’re near the ocean, then you might also be near some water that flows into it, as the ocean is is the destination for many rivers and streams. Finding out about your local water supply is actually a good way to show Venus that you’re serious! These are her territories. If you’re too far away from fresh water, then this may not be the best ritual for you. Or, given that it’s the Taurus cycle, you could try burying the bun in the ground, then water the ground. I’d do that before tossing it in a pool.
Great thanks for the response ! I am off to search out some freshwater sources and see what I can find. Tossing in the pool was only a meant to be a funny, not realistic choice.
Thank you the Venus Santeria ritual. I am going to do it next Friday.
Hi Dana,
I have always wanted to perform a ritual, but one thing always stops me: I have a deep fear of matches and/or lighting candles. How does one perform a ritual without the component that seems to be important in each one. I also wonder if running water from a purifying system in a kitchen sink can be substituted for a stream or ……..
Thanks.
Most rituals want a balanced representation of all the elements, so this is fire. You want to include it somehow in the ritual. A replacement for the candle might be to add cayenne on the bun and/or to wrap your desires in a picture of flames. Be creative. Fire is hot, red, lively, and illuminating. Place something with those qualities on your roll.
Dana, I love this essay. I performed this ritual once, when I was preparing for my True Love. I misjudged the amount of time the candle would take to burn so left it while I went on an errand. I returned to burned bun. I was “burned” by the next interaction I had with a man, but I learned so much from that brief non-relationship. I also learned there’s no such thing as a failed spell. Even botched spells have magic in them! xo, Jessica
Hee! The goddess is witty.