Yemaya: Orisha, Goddess, and Queen of the Sea

by Raven Morgaine

A celebration and practical guide to the renowned and beloved goddess and orisha.

Yemaya, queen of the sea, first emerged in Yorubaland (now in modern Nigeria). A primordial deity, considered the mother of all, some perceive her to be at the root of numerous ancient goddesses, including Isis. During the Middle Passage, Yemaya accompanied her enslaved devotees to the Western Hemisphere, where her veneration took root and flourished. She is among the most beloved and prominent spirits of Candomblé, Santeria, and other African diaspora traditions.

Through her associations with the Virgin Mary, devotion to Yemaya spread throughout Latin America. Cuban immigrants brought Yemaya with them to the US, where her veneration expanded exponentially. No longer a local water spirit, she became an internationally beloved goddess whose devotees derive from numerous traditions and who worship her in her many fluid forms. Yemaya currently ranks among the most beloved goddesses worldwide.

Raven Morgaine, a priest of Yemaya for over three decades, shares his expertise and knowledge in Orisha, Goddess, and Queen of the Sea , the first full-length English language book accessible to general readers. Morgaine explores Yemaya’s history and her many forms, including her roles as mother, lover, witch, warrior, and mermaid. He describes her many paths, aspects, and incarnations. Simultaneously a celebration of Yemaya and a practical, hands-on guide to working with her, Yemaya explores her mythology in depth, as well as her special role in the LGBQT community.

The book

Genres: Religion, History, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Mythology, Audiobook, Magic

208 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2021

Reviews

[Rebecca Elson]

This review originally appeared on The Magical Buffet website on 01/20/2022.

If you know me, or follow The Magical Buffet on social media, you know I am a lady, who loves worshipping ladies. Aka, I worship the divine feminine in a multitude of her aspects. Knowing this, you’d know why I was thrilled to get a review copy of “Yemaya: Orisha, Goddess, and Queen of the Sea” by Raven Morgaine.

At the core of an outsiders understanding, Yemaya is a goddess of the ocean in Caribbean and African spiritualities. However, anyone familiar with deities know that there is always more to them than what you see at first glance, and Morgaine does an excellent job weaving research and personal experience to flesh out a deity still unknown to many. Depending on her aspect, Yemaya can be a kind giver of life, maternal, a magician, a diviner, or vengeance. Morgaine carefully explains all of this, along with sharing myths and legends of the deity. The author concludes with the ways to include Yemaya in your spiritual practices. Throughout the text you’ll see beautiful artwork done by the author.

Raven Morgaine should write every book about individual deities from here on out. His attention to the nuances of Yemaya is a testament to his skills as a writer, but also his relationship with Yemaya as a devotee. Would he be able to pull this off examining a different deity? I wouldn’t mind finding out. This is a must read for anyone interested in goddesses.

[Molly]

Enjoyed this very much—a good resource with lots of detail and depth of perspective. You can tell the author is a serious devotee of Yemaya and not just someone who dabbles.

[Tikidoll]

Very interesting book. I listened to the audible. It’s starts out with the mythology and stories. Those were very fun to listen to. Then the book progresses through recipes and spells. It was a very inspiring book. I feel like I have a much greater understanding now.

[Hannah]

Morgaine has written a heartfelt and informative guide to the orisha Yemaya. It’s all here: her origins, characteristics, history in Africa and the New World, what to offer her, prayers, stories that give you a look into who she is, and more. You won’t regret picking this one up.

[Kathie Peterson]

we are presented with an introduction which explains that author is not sharing with the audience their personal belief system "because it is non of your business." Although I agree that you don;t need to share that information I did find that to be off putting.

I liked the evolution of her development as she traveled around the world. I think for me I would have loved to have read more history and folklore of this beautiful goddess,

[Victor Navarro]

It was a good book. Initially, I was attracted to the writer's focus on his connection to Yemaya moreso than a discussion on religious practices. The later chapters where a bit redundant in regards to plans, sacrifices, and "prayers" that he recommended the readers to use as guides, toward their own connection to Yemaya. I would say the information was relevant, and it was refreshing to learn others have the same love for the Orisha powers as I do.

[Juley]

LOVE THIS LOVE THIS LOVE THIS. It is so hard to fond reliable information on Ocean Mother and this book is worth it's weight in GOLD AND SILVER AND LEAD.

[Nicole]

3.5 Stars

[Samara]

Wonderful overview of a most interesting goddess.

[Fiona]

Dnf

[Sierra Lawson]

I had not done any research on the author prior to purchasing this book. However, after a few chapters it became clear that this was not written by a person of African Descent. Disappointing…