Response To A Response To A Review Of Vodou Money Magic

In remedy to my Regal 31 blog rudeness, AdeLokun wrote to Tristatevodou:

"I haven't posted on this forum in innumerable being, but this filament hits on an lawsuit that I be marked with been struggling with these exterior few months. I find this filament very disconcerting. I am not a vodou practioner but an Santero, but as a sister tradition we in addition make ebo price tag in the hopes of having health, determination and evaluate in our lives. And I be marked with seen Orisha, and vodu and nkisi, model miracles over and over. Even, if we are point with ourselves and others we know that prayers are not consistently answered. For some illnesses hand over is no key bar death. Everyday be marked with disparate destinies and the spirits bring overwhelming wealth to some, equally I be marked with recognizable innumerable influential initiates who be marked with lived simple lives within very simple system. It is hardly most important to aspect that Vodou is not a cure and that, as AdeLokun perspicaciously points out, prayers are not consistently answered. Any practitioner who claims a 100% smack due in money magic (or any other kind!) is deceit to you. We in addition essential give a lift to that the spirits in sum present a hand up a touch than a handbill. Any magical stuff we do or purchased essential be accompanied by concrete hard work to insistence our station.

AdeLokun's letter about influential initiates leading simple lives points to yet uncommon influential truth: smack is about contents, not about some wholesale set of statistics. You are not a smack if you are making 1 million a see, but utilization 1.5 million in a proud energy to roll upward some void in your life. You are not a dud if you are paying your bills and living enjoyably on a inadequate income earned function something you love. The lwa courage help you to take the weight off your feet your obligations and possibly even help you with a few luxuries. But sevis lwa does not guarantee one a McMansion and a Mercedes.

The most important acquire in function money magic is influential how much money one genuine requires. Lwa desire Ezili Danto and Ogou can help you in making a resolute evaluation of what you require, and in prioritizing what you have a desire for. They can help you to subjugated counterproductive performance. In this purify, you may well discoloration a acceptable, pleasing contrast with that spirit. I've recognizable innumerable nearest and dearest who came to the lwa in search of love spells or money spells. Their work proved very pleasing and spiritually productive whether their desired pledge futile to figure.

"I be marked with a godson now who is struggling money-wise and we be marked with ended normal offerinsg baths etc to help but at some level this may claim be a trial he has to go with at this time. And my own life as an bring into being has not been a bed of roses. I am emptily grateful but I central theme an services of challenges of all kinds every day. I mean to say that if working the spirit--vodu, orisha or nkisi understood that you could magically get at all you have a desire for none of our anscestrors in these traditions would be marked with been dragged to the Americas in the most important place. So hand over must be something deeper to our expect and tradition than simly reciprical relatives someplace everybody gets what they have a desire for. I consistently weight that African traditions be marked with a clear-cut know-how of life's entrenched blow. Which I find absent from this report. I mean this as give up and not as an rebuke."Grant by far can be something much deeper than a simple "you present me X and I present you Y in return." But I in addition take hand over is and has consistently been a place in the tradition for those who merely have a desire for to contact on the spirits for magical aid. This may lead to a faster contrast with the lwa or the orishas, or it may not. This is not a path for everyone: someone who receives aid from our spirits may well carry out a thank-you concession and then go elsewhere to continue their deeper spiritual requirements.

I essential in addition add that hand over is a score of chance with this manner. Raven uses the time of year "authorized excavation" to describe those who, by fire up or with their actions, can be claimed by a spirit. If you be leaving to the lwa or orishas with your ills, they may series you require to become one of their clergy. And they are not unpretentious to be too engrossed with accomplishment your knowledge to this powerful and ballpark process! I've heard plenty of stories from African Diaspora traditions about nearest and dearest whose lives were turned upside down until they did what the spirits demanded of them.From the Kenaz Filan Blog http://kenazfilan.blogspot.com

Safe Alert Fraudulent Diloggun Readings Cold Readings

Santeros Versus Liar and Utilize (Respectable) is an action committee of the Santeria Church of the Orishas

As part of the Santeria Church of the Orisha's plan ahead to prepare the imperial about traditional Santeria (Lucumi/Lukumi) practice, we are issuing a Respectable Ask approaching damage diloggun readings and non-traditional Santeria practices in the excellent Want very much Beach, California area.

Precisely, members of Respectable (Santeros Versus Liar and Utilize) visited an occult store located available our church in the excellent Want very much Beach, California area. Upon visiting this store we were told that they existing Santeria classes as well as cowrie top readings (diloggun readings) and initiations. We order not reveal the name of the store at this time, but we order discourse what is loot place at this store and the natural world of their "Santeria" practice that is not in line with traditional practices as safe by the culture bearers of Santeria (Lucumi/Lukumi).

RED Garland

In the role of act at the store we were officially recognized to see their orisha room. The orisha room consisted of a series of shelves each containing a statue of a modern image of each orisha and some charms. Offer were no pots act with the items required for a tombstone to be a suitable orisha tombstone. (otas, diloggun and tools were missing.)

Their dweller Babalawo (who does all the readings and teaches the classes) spoke to me for a bit and told me some information about Santeria. Virtually 60% of the information was within walking distance, the other 40% of it was utterly twisted and was either from inadequately researched books or twisted web sites. He very so explained that his edge does not restrain in animal victim and that the religion has evolved considering that.

Plus he claimed that their classes work in such a way that some time ago 12 weeks in their class you'll right the elekes initiation and be a Padrino or Madrina (a heading emphatically conferred upon a groove such as they accommodate initiated Just starting out groove - i.e. following they are an olorisha and accommodate godchildren). His class grit ready it positively approaching a wiccan class with three degrees of initiation, emphatically occupation them "padrino, santero and babalawo". He clarified that women were not certified to be babalawos, but they do lead into gay men as babalawos - everything Prominently non-traditional and not actual in Santeria Lucumi. This babalawo claimed to be one of a undersized handful of gay babalawos in the Hang out States.

THE Snooty Scrutinize

This is the kind of statue in the store's orisha room. This is NOT Osh'un as time-honored in Santeria.

The reading was conducted by their dweller babalawo who superficially is the emphatically groove officially recognized to divine with the cowries in their store. This is not in alignment with traditional Lucumi practice (although they championship to be Lucumi). Babalawos do not read with cowrie bombs - Olorishas do. Babalawos read either with a diviner's drape called an okuele, or with palm beside yourself and the table of If'a (ikin and the op'on If'a). Dressed in the reading this babalawo never asked for my name, nor did he pray the recompense required for the reading (as is traditional in Lucum'i diloggun divination). He did not line a traditional moyuba prayer where a person's spiritual edge is called out to do magic tricks their ache in waste for the reading. These are required traditional steps for divination with either diloggun or okuele. Significantly the babalawo proceeded to glance his cowries to his own table mimicking a Cabbalistic Steer from Conventional Allure, transposing out of place words in African for the traditional Hebrew words. This is utterly dishonest practice and is not premeditated frank in any form of Santeria, or other form of Orisha fondness.

The reading was conducted on a table internal with a fat beige rug. Diloggun readings and If'a readings are usually conducted on a grass mat called an at'e, or estera in Santeria. This is due to the fact that the at'e calls down the specter of the orishas to speak. A beige rug does not do this nor is it any part of traditional Lucumi fondness.

Plus, this was ostensible to be a reading to caution a person's tutelary orisha (everything they were very jovial to entrap). Offer are two and emphatically two suitable ways to divine a person's tutelary orisha in traditional Santeria Lucumi/Lukumi practice.

* A negligible of three babalawos assume to be act and use the palm beside yourself (ikin) and the op'on If'a (table of If'a) to caution a person's tutelary orisha by consulting Orunmila himself as onlooker of chance.

* An olorisha, faster an Ob'a Oriat'e (although an oriat'e is not required), sufficiently enlightened in odu can divine this using either Eleggu'a's cowrie bombs (dilogg'un) or the dilogg'un of the person's godparent's tutelary orisha. This is done on a cane grass mat wrapped in a white create.

This is Osh'un's pot as time-honored in Santeria. The orishas are ready of stones, bombs and tools - not statues.

In also instances the divination is done on the perplex for instance the earth is a sacred and holy place and the most appropriate divinations are done seated on the mat. The reading performed by this babalawo was done with cowrie bombs (not recycled by Babalawos), on a table (not done for readings to amount a person's tutelary orisha), on a beige rug (not recycled in Santeria for readings), with no ibos (no token items approaching a stone, efun, aye, goat astragalus bone) which are required for the client's or'i (high-class self) to be subject in the reading and lend its roughly. It is very not on the whole premeditated a good thing to know your tutelary orisha until you are prior to making preparations and frugal money for your kariocha initiation.

The babalawo threw the bombs on the mat emphatically following (two casts are required in Santeria Lucum'i practice), he never counted odu, and more accurately began to perform a glacial reading (a luxury recycled by damage readers and "spiritualists" that uses very extensive statements and watches a person's acceptance until everything clicks) having an important effect me extensive, random and absolutely inapplicable statements about my considering lives (a fabrication that is not a part of Santeria's cosmology).

Normal dilogg'un divination is a geometric method where the dignitary of cowries that are chops up are counted to caution an odu (from 1 to 16 - let's use and typical of 5), the bombs are tossed a flash time to get other dignitary (over, 1 to 16 - let's say the flash mix was 7) and these two put off become the development odu. In this typical our development odu is 5-7, and contains a countless of information, patakis, eb'os, taboos, strengths and weaknesses. Just the once the development odu is secure, the psychic necessitate hand the spender two ibo (undersized items approaching a stone and a break off of cascarilla/efun) and tells the spender to run about like a headless chicken the two and specific them with one item in each hand. One represents yes, the other no. The psychic order hutch the cowries and reason the spender which hand to reveal. This indicates if the reading comes with blessings or misfortunes (Ir'e or osogbo). This very allows the client's or'i (high-class self) to partake in the reading and stock its punish. To show again, this babalawo recycled NO IBO in his reading at any time and emphatically threw the bombs following.

The dilogg'un of Eleggua with the four ibo depicted. This is a right set of diloggun.

Just the once he was done charitable me a glacial reading the babalawo so stated who my tutelary orisha was. (The huge reading was done without ever having me hutch any kind of ibo) He very acknowledged the misdemeanor orisha as my tutelary orisha. Had he hard-working a burst to ask me about my considering or about my participation in Santeria he faculty accommodate found out that I am an initiated olorisha of ten soul, crowned with Shang'o more accurately of with the orisha he was claiming.

Gullible OR HARMFUL?

To the same degree mistreated me the most about this allow is that the staff at the store and the babalawo were very unguarded civilization. They were delightful to hint me what they had and honestly accommodate love for the orishas, but their practice was utterly twisted according to the traditions of Santeria. This leads me to restrain two ability scenarios. In the best protect design we are looking at civilization with real love for the religion living led by someone who was never educated nor initiated admiringly. At crucial protect we accommodate a clause where someone is misinforming others who honestly desire to learn about Santeria and charitable them damage initiations for money.

In the role of we cannot caution what their intentions may be, it is happy that they are bearing to dead heat this benefit as the emphatically suitable practice of Santeria in Southern California. To the same degree we seeming is that the partners of this babalawo hard to be civilization who come from neo-pagan backgrounds, are primarily anglo in their line up and are not go bust with the cultural elements of Santeria and don't know what castigate signs to test out for, but accommodate absolute middle and desire to learn. He is display them an "allow" of the orishas with none of the uncomfortable supplies their pagan tenets won't accept: approaching blood victim or the dedication required of a time in white as an iyawo, etc.

The spiritual practices of this edge (il'e) are not traditional according to folks who shot the cultural thinking of Santeria, nor is it in alignment with the root concepts of Santer'ia Lucumi/Lukum'i. Yet, these introduce somebody to an area who accommodate profitable for classes and been initiated behave toward themselves Santeria initiates and order never be actual by the imperial for what they practice. Inferior, they'll go within the imperial touting their "records" and be quickly embarrassed following they tell they are not practicing African-based spirituality, nor do they accommodate a true priesthood in Santeria.

Enlargement TO Piece Operation

At the Santeria Church of the Orishas, we search to prepare the imperial about what right practices test approaching in Santeria so that you accommodate the tools vital to caution what is suitable practice and what is on your own, revolutionary, dishonest practice. We belief with this Respectable Ask that you'll accommodate a exceptional understanding of what a real Santeria dilogg'un reading looks approaching critical of this damage practice living conducted at this store in our area.

Buoy up in glance with our Respectable Alerts and read all about our Santeros Versus Liar and Utilize church action committee by clicking on the "Respectable Alerts" significance on the set right hand navigation.

**FOLLOW UP**

We not long revisited the shop and revealed that they no longer end Santeria classes nor do they accommodate a Babalawo reading at their shop.

Credit: 33witches.blogspot.com

What Is The Difference Between Voodoo Hoodoo And Santeria

Veves, like this one for Papa Legba, are used in Vodou. Veves are NOT used in Santeria.

All too often, Santeria is mistakenly confused with other African-derived magical or religious systems. It is very common for people to refer to the practices of Santer'ia Lucumi (Lukumi) as "voodoo" by the media, in television and cinema. Movies and television are notorious for lumping all African Diasporic Traditions into one boat, calling them all voodoo and then mocking them or creating sensationalism that is rooted in cultural misinformation. Tack on to this cross-confusion between Voodoo and Hoodoo and you get a whole other layer of misunderstanding about what Santeria really is. We hope this article will help clarify some confusions, and help set the record straight once and for all.

SANTERIA AND VOODOO ARE OFTEN CONFUSED FOR ONE ANOTHER

Both Santeria and Voodoo are religions but they are not the same thing. Let's begin with an explanation of Voodoo. First, Voodoo is more properly spelled Vodou or Vodoun. There are two main branches to Vodou, Haitian Vodou and Louisiana (or New Orleans) Vodoun.

Haitian Vodou is an African Diasporic Religion that came together from the traditional African religious practices of several tribes, some of whom were rivals forced to survive and depend on one another under the conditions of slavery. These tribes included the Fon, Yoruba, Congo and even elements of the native Taino population that survived in Haiti. These people united their practices in an effort to survive, and created a "regleman" (ritual order) to honor and give each tribe's spirits their moment of worship. These practices were also influenced through syncretism with French Catholicism. Evidence of this can be seen in the use of Catholic saint images to represent the Lwa (spirits) honored in Vodou. The Lwa (spirits) of Vodou are composed of the Rada Lwa (the vudu and orishas of the Fon and Yoruba people), the Petwo Lwa (the fiery spirits of the Congo, the Taino and modern-Haitian people) and the Gede Lwa (the spirits of the dead). Veves, ornate cornmeal drawings laid out on the ground or on tables, are used to call the Lwa in Vodou, but not in Santeria. Haitian Vodou does have an initiated priesthood, but initiation is not a requirement for participation in the religion and the vast majority of vodouisants are non-initiates. Magical wanga and gris-gris are often used in Haitian Vodou's magic. Haitian Vodou's primary liturgical language is Kreyol, the local dialect of Haitian French.

A typical Haitian Vodou altar. Compare this to the photo below of a Santeria altar and note the differences. Photo by Jeremy Burgins.

Louisiana Vodoun is markedly different from Haitian Vodou. It is more of an amalgamation of religious and magical practices found in the southern United States. This includes some of the Lwa found in Haitian Vodou, a strong presence of the Catholic Saints, and elements of southern folk magic like gris-gris, wanga and mojo bags. There is not a "regleman" in the same manner as Haitian Vodou and there is more of an emphasis on self-made Vodou Queens like the famous Marie Laveau. Louisiana Vodoun has a strong connection with Spiritualism and shares many magical techniques with Hoodoo (southern folk magic) - but should not be confused with Hoodoo. You will see the use of veves (ornate painted symbols) in Louisiana Vodoun, much as in Haitian Vodou. Louisiana Vodoun's primary liturgical language is English with a bit of French Creole.

Santeria is a religion that evolved in Cuba. It is rooted in the African religious traditions of the Yoruba people (found in modern-day Nigeria). The followers of Santeria worship the orishas, the demi-gods of the Yoruba people. While there is a veneer of Spanish Catholicism for the outsider, that element quickly drops away once a person has undergone initiation. The primary involvement of Catholic elements in Santeria are found in Espiritismo, a separate religious practice that has been deeply interwoven into Santeria as of the mid-1900s. Santeria is highly initiatory, secretive and operates under strict religious rules. Participation in the religion is very limited to those who are not initiated and the great majority of participants are initiates. Santeria does NOT use veves or ornate drawn symbols to call the orishas as are done in Vodou (bullseye-style paintings called osun are used in certain rituals but bear no resemblance to veves). Santeria's primary liturgical language is Lukum'i, a late 1800s dialect of the Yoruban language interspersed with elements of Cuban Spanish.

A Santeria altar (throne) to Chango. Each container has a different orisha's mysteries within it, and is covered with decorative cloths, crowns and beaded mazos. Compare this with the Haitian Vodou altar above.

The religious proceedings and magical workings of these religious traditions may have similarities but they are certainly not the same thing. A person initiated in Santer'ia will not have the religious rights or permission to participate in Vodou ceremonies like a Vodou initiate would. A person initiated in Vodou would not have permission and rights to operate in a Santeria ceremony. Each of these religions is different from one another, and each uses different languages, prayers, songs and rituals from the others. The only commonality between them is the use of animal sacrifice, and the employment of magical spell work as an integral part of their religious practice, but this is common with any religious practice from sub-saharan Africa.

WHAT IS HOODOO? IS IT VOODOO?

Often people mistake Hoodoo and Vodou. The differenced between them is simple. Vodou is a religion. Hoodoo is nothing more than Southern Folk Magic. Hoodoo uses the magical techniques of the Congo people of Africa without any of the religion. There is no presence of the nkisi, orishas, or lwa of Africa. In fact, most people who practice Hoodoo are Protestant Christians. You'll see hoodoo workers also being called rootworkers or conjurers. They make magical charms called mojo bags, or jack balls. They'll use magical powders, herbal cleansing baths, candles or lamps for spell work. All of this magical work is done while praying Psalms, praying to Jesus and God the Father, and reading from the Bible. While the vast majority of Hoodoo practitioners are Protestant Christians, there are some some Catholic practitioners who will petition Catholic saints. It's important to note that they are petitioning the Saints themselves, not as a syncretized image for an African deity or spirit. So Hoodoo is not Voodoo.

STEREOTYPICAL AND RACIST DEPICTIONS OF SANTERIA AND OTHER ATRS

A typical hoodoo altar with several spells being worked for love, reconciliation and wisdom. A hoodoo practitioner will pray Psalms and Christian prayers when they cast spells.

For centuries, the African Traditional Religions (ATRs) have been the victim of racism and colonial stereotypes. This was an institutionalized way of dehumanizing the African people by labeling their religious practices as barbaric or demonic. This changing society's perception of black people into animals or subhuman, in order to justify the slave trade and the brutal treatment of African people by invading muslim and christian missionaries.

Racist depictions of Santeria and other ATR practices include depicting the religions as satanic. It is common to portray these religions as nothing more than harmful spell casters focusing on zombifying people, using voodoo dolls to harm people, or engaging in cannibalism or pacts with the devil. (It is important to note that the use of dolls in magic comes from European witchcraft traditions.) Satan does not exist in Santeria. Satan is not worshipped in the ATRs. Cannibalism does not exist in Santeria, nor do we shrink heads or any such thing.

Remember when you see depictions like this in movies or television programs, they are racist depictions serving to scare those of European descent by portraying African religions as barbaric. Even the term "black magic" is a racist term. It originates from the labeling of African people as black and the characterization of their religions as purely evil. Therefore "black magic" meant black religious practice was evil. At the Santeria Church of the Orishas we detest the term "black magic" and prefer that people call things what they actually are. When referring to harmful magic call it harmful magic, not "black magic" out of respect for the black people of Africa and their peace-filled beautiful religious practices.

SANTERIA IS NOT EVIL

Santeria is often mistakenly depicted as an evil religion that worships demons, engages in blood-thirsty rituals and seeks to do evil on others. This is further racist, colonial depiction of the beautiful and complex African religious tradition of Santeria. Santeria's chief tenet is to always strive to stay in a place of ir'e (blessings) by following the advice of our egun, orishas and elders. There is a strong ethic of helping others and working cooperatively to lift people out of poverty and sickness toward blessings, health, prosperity and longevity. We pray for "ir'e om'o, ir'e ow'o, ir'e arik'u babawa" which means "blessings of children, blessings of prosperity and blessings of long life." We strive to cultivate a good character, live peaceful lives and respect nature and others around us. There is the use of magic for one's defense, but in many ways this is no different than praying to God for defense against your enemies or petitioning saints to stop those who seek to harm you. The same thing can be said for other ATRs like Vodou, Candombl'e, Arar'a, etc.

The problem is lack of understanding and lack of knowledge. As long as people accept racist stereotypes and don't educate themselves about the African Traditional Religions, they will continue to fear Santeria. The Santeria Church of the Orishas actively works toward demystifying Santeria Lucum'i through educational efforts, so that people will know and understand what we actually believe and what we actually do.