Calendula Meaning, Healing, and Magical Uses

Many images portray Oshun as a beautiful mermaid. She is traditionally attractive and desirable, but also tends to be vain, indulgent, and somewhat superficial. It is said, she cannot help but admire herself when passing a surface of a freshwater pool. She is fascinated with pretty, shiny things and loves anything that is luxurious. Legends say she is a major fan of sensual fragrances, such as amber, patchouli, and frankincense. She also enjoys sweet foods of all kinds, especially honey.

The Virgin Mary, venerated in Christian theology, is the mother of Jesus and is extolled as “the first believer”. As the "first Christian", she is the one in whom the humanity of the church was representatively embodied. Mary represents social justice, where the poor are exalted and the powerful overthrown. She is a patron saint of all human beings, especially mothers and young children. Mary symbolizes purity, faithfulness, devotion, and humility.

Xochiquetzal is the Aztec Goddess of Love, Beauty, Sexuality, Art, and Crafts. She was the wife of the rain god, Tlaloc. Her name translates as xochi meaning "flower" and quetzal meaning "feather." In specific, the bluish-green feathers of the quetzal bird.

She is often depicted as a young woman with the quetzal bird and an abundance of flowers. She is portrayed in folklore as a woman who enjoyed luxury, sensual and sexual pleasure, music, and dancing. In her role as the Goddess of Love and Fertility, she had the power to cast love spells. She could absolve people of misdeeds, particularly those of a sexual nature.

As the Goddess of arts of crafts, she inspired artisans to create objects of beauty and originality that also served a practical purpose in their culture. These products could be used for textiles, metalwork, and pottery.

Santa Muerte is the goddess of death in folk Catholicism and Mexican Neopaganism. Also known as "Our Lady of the Holy Death," she is depicted in traditional Mexican female attire along with a skull mask and the flags of the dead draped across her shoulders.(Flags are often placed over the corpses prepared for cremation.) She is the goddess of the dead and children, and is also the patron goddess of the Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos.

Santa Muerte is not only the goddess of Death, but the personification of Death itself.  She is associated with healing, protection, financial wellbeing, and assurance of a path to the afterlife. Devotees pray to Santa Muerte for healing, success, and love, as well as for revenge against one's enemies.

A traditional Santa Muerte altar consists of offerings of food, cigars, candles, and other small items. Owl figurines are often placed at Santa Muerte's feet to symbolize wisdom and feminine power. Candles are often left on her altar in the symbolic color of what the devotee wishes to pray for (such as a green candle for success or a red candle for love).