Walking With the Orishas - Part 5: Esu, The Opener of Roads & Building a Sacred Connection

At every crossroads both literal and spiritual there is a divine presence watching, guiding, testing, and clearing the way.

His name is Esu (also known as Elegua, Exu, or Legba in various diasporic traditions). He is the divine messenger, the trickster, the keeper of choices, and the bridge between humans and the Orishas. Without Esu, no prayer is heard. No offering reaches the divine. No path truly opens.

In this post, we’ll explore:

• Who Esu is in Yoruba and diasporic traditions

• Signs Esu may be working in your life

• How to begin honoring him respectfully

• A beginner’s way to build an altar with humility and clarity

Let’s begin with truth: Esu is not a devil. He is a divine gatekeeper of balance, justice, and movement. He plays no games unless your ego invites one.

🧿 Who Is Esu? Keeper of the Crossroads

In Yoruba cosmology, Esu is the first and last voice in every spiritual conversation. He controls the gates of Aṣẹ (divine energy) and is the only Orisha who can move between all realms human, divine, and ancestral.

In diasporic traditions, he’s known by many names:

• Esu in Yoruba land

• Eleguá in Lukumí / Santería (Cuba, Puerto Rico)

• Exu in Candomblé (Brazil)

• Papa Legba in Haitian Vodou (though not the same being, he plays a similar role)

Esu governs:

• The crossroads (choices and fate)

• Communication (divine messages, negotiation)

• Consequences (he brings what you’ve earned good or bad)

• Movement (from blockage to breakthrough)

He is often the first Orisha petitioned in any ritual, because without his blessing, nothing can proceed.

🔥 Signs Esu May Be Speaking or Moving in Your Life

Esu doesn’t always whisper he shakes things up. His lessons are clear, if not always comfortable.

Signs of Esu's Energy	What It Might Mean
Repeating number patterns (especially 3 or 21)	Esu’s sacred numbers are present
Dreams of crossroads, keys, small children	A message is coming—pay attention
Sudden redirections or delays	You’re being rerouted toward alignment
Messages coming through strangers or chance	Esu uses whoever he wants to speak truth
A desire to make offerings, clean your space, or speak to spirit	He may be calling you to open the path

If you're hitting blocks in life, Esu might be trying to help not hurt. Ask, “What am I not seeing?” and move with respect.

🗝️ Building a Beginner’s Altar to Esu

You do not need to be initiated to show respect to Esu. But you do need to move with humility and tradition no mixing pantheons, no made-up rituals.

🔹 Location:

• Near your front door (inside or out)

• On the floor or a low table (Esu sits close to the earth)

• Never in your bedroom or bathroom

🔹 Items for a Simple Esu Space:

Item	Meaning
A small bowl or dish	For offerings
3 pennies or 3 cowrie shells	Symbol of his sacred number
A key	Represents opened paths
A red and black cloth	His traditional colors (optional)
A candle (red, black, or white)	Light for the road
A glass of water	Clarity and communication

Speak to him plainly and respectfully. You might say:

“Esu, divine gatekeeper, opener of roads, messenger of the Orisha—I greet you. If I have your blessing, let my roads be clear. May I move in truth, and may all that comes to me be earned in alignment.”

🍬 Simple Offerings to Begin

Esu appreciates sincerity more than extravagance. These are safe, humble offerings:

• Candy or sweet breads (wrapped or unwrapped)

• Rum or coconut water

• Smoked fish or roasted corn

• Cooked black-eyed peas with palm oil

• 3 pennies, left at a crossroads (if culturally appropriate)

Always offer with prayer. Never beg or bargain. Speak clearly, then step back and observe how life moves.

🚫 A Quick Note on Safety & Spirit

⚠️ Never call on Esu as a “spirit guide” or invoke him without knowing what you’re doing. He is a powerful, ancient Orisha not a tool or aesthetic.

⚠️ Do not mix Esu with non-African deities or spiritual systems unless you are guided by elders who understand the full cosmology.

⚠️ If you suspect Esu is calling you in dreams, consult a diviner trained in Ifá or Lukumí to confirm before making deeper commitments.

Final Words: Esu Tests to Teach

Esu’s path is not for the faint of heart. He’ll challenge your ego, expose your blind spots, and then reward you tenfold when you walk with integrity.

But one thing is always true: Esu will never lead you wrong if you come with truth.