Santa Clara: A Beacon of Clarity — Feast Day Reflections
Today, August 11, we honor the Feast Day of Santa Clara — also known as Saint Clare of Assisi. Her very name means light, and for centuries she has been called upon to illuminate the mind, open the way, and bring spiritual clarity where there is confusion.
In the Catholic tradition, Saint Clare founded the Order of Poor Ladies (later called the Poor Clares) and lived a life of humility, contemplation, and devotion. In folk and syncretic traditions across the Caribbean and Latin America, Santa Clara is a spiritual ally who helps lift the fog from our thoughts, guiding us to make wise and spirit-led decisions.
Working with Santa Clara for Clarity
Santa Clara does not ask for much. A simple altar is enough to open the way for her blessings:
- An image or statue of her
- A white candle
- A clear glass of cold water
- White flowers (her favorite)
- A white rosary
On her feast day or whenever clarity is needed, you might pray:
Santa Clara, clear my mind and my path. Illuminate my heart so that I may see the truth. Let confusion fall away like fog before the rising sun.
Keep her altar fresh, clean, and uncluttered — she is a saint of light and purity, and the space you prepare for her should reflect that.
Santa Clara in Syncretic Traditions
In some lineages, Santa Clara is syncretized with Orisha Yewa in the Yoruba tradition. Yewa is the Orisha of the sacred earth and the inner tomb, a protector of moral order and keeper of deep mysteries. She is a serious and private spirit who values truth, integrity, and respect. Like Santa Clara, she is a guardian of purity and an illuminator of the unseen.
In other traditions — especially in Vodou and Sanse — Santa Clara aligns with Metrès Klemezin Klemey (also known as Metresa Clarabel). Metrès Klemezin is a Rada lwa associated with water, purification, and spiritual order. She is sometimes depicted with a broom, symbolizing her ability to sweep away spiritual debris. She is credited in some houses with creating the first kolye (initiation necklace) and oversees its making and ceremony. Her presence, like Santa Clara’s, brings cleanliness to the mind, the body, and the spiritual frame.
Honoring Her Today
Whether you know her as Saint Clare, Santa Clara, Yewa, or Metrès Klemezin Klemey, today is a day to honor the light she brings. You can:
- Light a white candle and offer a prayer for clarity.
- Place fresh white flowers and a glass of cold water on her altar.
- Gift her a white rosary as a sign of devotion.
- Spend a few quiet moments in meditation, letting her light illuminate your inner vision.
In honoring Santa Clara, we are reminded that clarity is not just a gift — it is a discipline. It is the choice to clear our space, our spirit, and our mind so that Spirit’s guidance can shine through without obstruction.
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Written with love and devotion,
Mambo Jae Ashé | www.thehouseofashe.com