Origins and culture
We widely recognise Aphrodite as the Greek goddess of love. According to the famous Greek myth, Aphrodite was born in Cyprus, emerging from the sea foam created by Uranus’ castrated genitals. Still, she descends from older Near Eastern goddesses, the Sumerian Inanna, Mesopotamian Ishtar, and Phoenician Astarte. Like Ishtar-Inanna and Astarte, Aphrodite embodied more than just sexuality and procreation; she was also associated with the celestial realm and possessed warrior-like qualities.
In Rome, Aphrodite assumed new attributes as she became identified with Venus, the goddess of agricultural fertility and the arrival of spring. Due to her association as the mother of Aeneas, a hero revered by both Troy and Rome, Venus was portrayed as a militaristic figure and considered the mother of the Roman nation and a symbol of its imperial power. The gens Julia, the family of Julius Caesar, claimed to be descended from the goddess, and Caesar built the Temple of Venus Genetrix in her honour.
Despite her historical war-like aspects and the epithets that associate her with marriage, birth, the harbour, victory, and even death, the most common narrative is that of Aphrodite as the Greek Olympian goddess of love, beauty, passion, and desire.
Oshun is the Yoruban orisha of love and rivers. Stories tell us she was a mortal queen posthumously deified and admitted into the Yoruban pantheon as a primordial manifestation of Olodumare, the Supreme Being. As a primordial spirit, she was one of several–and the only female spirit– sent by Olodumare to create the world. The male spirits ignored her, and their attempts to create the world failed and did not succeed until they included her. The scholar Rowland Abiodun explains:
“…the Creator-God has placed all good things on earth in Oṣun’s charge, making her ‘the vital source’, as her name suggests. Without Oṣun’s sanction, no healing can take place, no rain can fall, no plants can bear fruit, and no children can come into the world.”
Through her work and sacrifice, Olodumare granted Oshun the powers of an orisha. In Yorubaland, Oshun is complex and associated not only with love and beauty but also destiny, divination, industry and wealth, motherhood, witchcraft, and the hidden powers of women.
While Aphrodite and Oshun have different origin stories, one experience they share is patriarchal diminishing. Writers and painters of old have treated Aphrodite as a whiny, superficial, petty bimbo, the unattainable stony beauty of their dreams, or an adulterous whore deserving of humiliation. Oshun’s complexity is also lost in the in the Americas. The most appropriated orisha, she is commonly reduced to the “African Venus”, the “hot constitution’d Lady”, the Caribbean Jezebel, and other tropes that many don’t realise are rooted in the historical, racist sexualisation of Black women’s bodies.
Similarities and differences between Aphrodite and Oshun, goddesses of love
Aphrodite and Oshun have different cultural origins, mythologies, religious practices, and symbols. Aphrodite is associated with the dove, sparrows, swans, dolphins, shells, roses, and myrtle flowers. Oshun’s symbols include parrots, peacocks, vultures, sunflowers, and honey.
They share a connection to water; Aphrodite is connected to the ocean, and Oshun with the river, but seas and rivers have played different roles in the development of civilisation. While both are essential to sustaining civilisations, fresh water provides drinking water and aids with livestock care, irrigation, and vegetation. The first civilisations arose near rivers, which is why Oshun is associated with industry and wealth. The seas also allow for the growth and sustenance of civilisation by facilitating trade and commerce, and the maritime people of the Mediterranean honoured Aphrodite at their harbours as a patron of navigation.
The most substantial connection between Aphrodite and Oshun is that to love, beauty, and sexuality, and both goddesses inspire artistic expression and creativity. Aphrodite is often depicted as a muse to poets, musicians, and artists, while Oshun is known for her influence on music and dance. They both fulfil a similar role, a familiar one that many Mother Goddesses do: they animate the world.
Enlivening inner and outer worlds
I dedicate April to Aphrodite and May to Oshun. These and other goddesses are with me all year, but I dedicate a month to studying them more deeply. Last year, there was a clean break between the two months; there’s been more of a flow this year.
Last year, my month with Aphrodite was challenging. I thought it would be about self-indulgence– baths, massages, chocolates and pink bubbly, but it turned out to be about self-care and self-love, which involves dealing with inner demons. This is why I call Aphrodite my goddess of love and shadows. Artists have typically depicted Aphrodite nude and bathing or reclining. Of course, it speaks to her beauty and divine duties, but also her vulnerability, relaxation, self-love, and confidence. These are Aphrodite’s most fundamental lessons.
This year was easier than the last. Self-care was still a priority, with Aphrodite demanding that I rest more. I have rested more and found that to be surprisingly challenging. I’m more caught up in the Cult of Busyiness than I realised. I have projects and interests I like to explore, and I can become hyper-focused on a task. I struggle with Aphrodite’s lounge-around energy.
That faded as Oshun’s energy grew stronger this month. She’s a mover and a shaker. In contrast to Aphrodite, Oshun is always dressed and on the move like the river. At her best, she wears a fine dress and jewellery, her hair is plaited masterfully, she cools herself with an exquisite fan, and she’s ready for the dance. Last year, Oshun’s lessons were about self-worth and self-efficacy, and I’m still working on those lessons. This year, she’s also guided me to evaluate my resources, declutter, return to my minimalist ways, and focus on what brings me joy and pleasure.
These experiences highlight two important ways Aphrodite and Oshun differ, as seen in their stories. Aphrodite is serene, deeply about the self, and her power transforms from inside out. Oshun is a creatrix concerned with resources, and her power manifests and transforms from the outside in.
