Why it's good to have an orixá statue in your home, what it means for Saravá and how not "doing it at all" was easy.
How we got the Orixas statues.
If you think that we simply contacted Brazilian suppliers of orixás statues, got a price from them, arranged for delivery and in a few weeks the statues were here, you don't know Brazilians and the South American way of doing business.
At first we wanted wood carved statues, but they just don't exist in the quality and quantity we wanted. So we discounted the material - Orixás are mostly made of plaster, so we focused on those. Suddenly the choice was great - but only at first glance, at the second glance there was a problem with producing the types and numbers we wanted. And once we had agreed and the manufacturer found out that the statues would be going to Europe, he gave us three times the price. Because we're gringos.
When we finally settled on reasonable prices, the administrative hell began regarding transport, customs clearance. Our statues were scanned several times, looked at in detail, because the customs officers wanted to see if we were hiding something prohibited, because we were not transporting them in a container with other goods. And finally, when they arrived, we found out that there was less than we paid for.
After a long time we finally have them here - statues representing the most important orixás.
At the same time, we know that we have undergone this whole martyrdom not only because there is the usual administrative orgy between South America and Europe, but also because it is no ordinary commodity.
We've had this extraordinary merchandise in storage since 2023, preparing the lyrics and web crawl, exploring what energy Orixás will bring to Sarava and to all of us. Because to open the door to this energy always involves responsibility and proper knowledge of what it is you are opening.
Orixás represent the specific energy that we have opened a portal to here. A spirituality that has only been marginally here so far and brings a different perception of nature, and of the whole doctrine of mediumship. We are very supportive of all those who practice Umbanda or come here to teach it, and that is also why we brought the statues - not only for ourselves, but for the rest of you, it is our mission.
Our name, SARAVÁ , is just one of the most sacred invocations in the spiritual lineage of Umbanda, signifying salutation and reverence for Orixás and the forces of nature. So today, as every day, we call up to all Orixás and the Great Spirit
!!! SARAVÁ !!!
The tradition of orixás statues in Brazil
You will find orixás statuettes not only on the altars of Brazilian households that practice the Afro-Brazilian religion of Umbanda, but also in families that do not participate in these rituals but believe in the power of orixás representing the elements of nature.
Orixás can be seen as individual gods and goddesses with their positive qualities and whims. They may represent for us archetypal behaviors that we would like to encourage in ourselves, qualities that we want to develop.
The Orixás also represent the forces of the various elements of nature, and in this they approach the shamanic perception of the world. It's up to you which point of view you identify with more. Quite often you will see both the Virgin Mary and the Iemanja statue (the most popular Brazilian orixá) on Brazilian home altars, as they have similar energies for Brazilians and are believed to help protect the family.
The Brazilian ability to connect different currents of opinion and spiritual directions inspired us to bring the Orixás statues to the Czech Republic. Not only because we at Saravá have been practicing and loving Umbanda for many years, but also because we believe that its teachings can enrich those of you who have not experienced it in Brazil, the country where it originated.
Umbanda is like the Brazilians - a mix of African Yoruba cults with a touch of spiritualism and a touch of Indian perception of nature.
How to work with orixás archetypes for your personal development
The characteristics of the individual orixas and the archetypes they represent easily lead to projections in meaning: This orixá will help me win love, another will give me courage. And to some extent, that's okay - orixás give us the strength and insights we need to deal with our life situations. However, it is the underlying perception that takes us to animism.
We offer you, as part of our work on ourselves, to approach the orixás as impulses that come into our lives and show us something significant. They teach us on a moral and spiritual level.
"When we imagine that we are walking the path of our lives, the orixá is like a horse that appears on the path and invites us to ride. When we consent, it adds another dimension to our life's journey."
(Angelo Donga)
Practical advice to get you started
If you feel that Umbanda is calling you, sparking your interest, and that her songs are working in you, then perhaps you too are a student at heart of this syncretic spiritual lineage. And if you're serious about studying Umbanda and orixás, it's a good idea to create your own little altar in that part of your home where you can be quiet and devote yourself each day.
Place on your altar a statue of an orixá with whom you either identify or whose qualities you would like to have, to promote in your life. Of course orixás are like us humans, they don't just have positive qualities, they have their shadows. When you are impressed by an Ogum who is courageous and can give you strength for a new path and project, you must also expect to go more into confrontations and learn to stand up for yourself. Nothing is free, we don't work with magic here.
Alongside the orixá statuette, keep a candle and ideally some flowers or other objects to decorate your altar. Always light a candle during your meditations and prayers. You can also buy white clothing, which is typical of Brazilian umbandistas. White symbolizes peace, purification and positive energy.
It is good to know that there are several Umbanda lines in Brazil, so it is possible that the information we bring you that we have encountered in central Brazil will be slightly different in other parts of Brazil. There are sometimes differences of opinion, for example, about the colour of the candles that are lit for each orixás - for example, the Ogum we have already mentioned is sometimes red, sometimes blue.
Therefore, we recommend that if you are going to use orixás statues for your rituals and energy work that you take inspiration from our knowledge, but ultimately it is you who develops your intuition and defines how you honor your orixás.
Lucie & Štěpán
Saravá !
