Surviving Mercury Retrograde

This week, without a doubt, the conversation topic among my Facebook friends is the beginning of another Mercury retrograde process, that will start this week and will stay until the end of November. The Mercury-retrograde-is-the-cause-of-all-evil discussion has started, of course.

I won’t deny that, when Mercury misbehaves, it can bring a lot of trouble and mischief. In the past days, our water heater suddenly stopped working (fixed by now), and our car suddenly stopped working AND got flooded with rain from the storm up to the seats (fixed by now, insert laugh!). In past mercury retrogrades, we’ve had computer crashes, stupid accidents like an iron pestle falling on my bare foot, cats vomiting on the bed while you sleep, and all the possible ways that this crazy planet’s energy uses to teach you useful stuff.

Teach you useful stuff? Yes, that’s exactly what I said. This past week, Mercury has taught us that our car and our water heater needed repairs that we didn’t know of, and that the impermeable paint of our roof terrace needs a new coat for the winter. The computer crashes helped my brother, who’s a computer technician in training, learn new things and experience real repairs; the stupid accidents taught us not to put heavy stuff on high shelves; the cat vomit taught us we should place certain plants away from the reach of our cats, and replace them with more cat-friendly herbs (and which they were).

That is the real Mercury Retrograde experience – noticing which things in your life need your attention. As all trouble makers/tricksters, Mercury in his darker aspect is just as much of a teacher than when it is on direct action, promoting communication and good ideas. And that’s how you survive it – learning from it (of course, with a HIGH dose of sense of humour) instead of complaining about it; paying attention to what Mercury is telling you, instead of neglecting its signs; improving your ability both to face your own issues and to improvise, as Mercury often places us in situations where we have to make do and mend.

So, before you start ranting and bitching about what Mercury may bring, take a minute to evaluate what it is truly bringing to you. Evaluating the teachings around you could bring you the most powerful realization, the most powerful liberation, the most powerful experience you have ever had. Instead of judging in terms of good and bad things, judge in terms of learning – which is, very much, not judging at all, but looking at events in a complete different way, for a complete different result.

Try it. When Mercury goes direct, you may even miss it.

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Some Thoughts (And Advice) On Ouija

This morning, I was checking emails and such, as I do every morning, and on Facebook I found several posts warning people about the dangers of Ouija, and giving advice on making sessions properly. I did not comment on them because I have no interest at all in starting a discussion – but if you find one on your timeline, well, you can ignore it completely. It is NOT true that you need two people to make a seance; it is NOT true that it needs to be done at night, or that you need to create a “spooky” atmosphere;  it is NOT true that the best seance is made by a man and a woman; it is NOT true that Spirits can possess you after making a seance.

I have been making seances for more than 15 years, will all kinds of people, by day and by night, in public and private spaces, in “haunted” and non-haunted places, and I have NEVER, ever, had any negative experience – I mean, a negative experience directly caused by Spirits. Of course, if you are easy to scare, or have a weak personality, you should not do Ouija – but that’s not Ouija’s fault, that is your fault. Some Spirits are playful and disrespectful, and will have a good laugh at your expense if you let them – the solution, obviously, is not letting them play with you. As long as you remember YOU are in charge, Ouija is a completely harmless activity.

And yes, you can do it alone – and no, you won’t end up as the girl from The Exorcist. That’s nothing but the Catholic Church’s propaganda, that considers that you are not mature enough to deal with Spirits on your own, and that only them can be the middle man between you and the Spirits. Honestly, they scare me more than any Spirit I have ever had to deal with!

Actually, if you have never tried it, I would suggest you do it by day, with a couple of stable, non-hysterical friends, and in your own living room. No candle light, no cemeteries, no spooky stuff. My only suggestions would be: don’t believe everything they say, don’t treat them as if they were Gods, and don’t ask personal questions. Spirits DO LIE, A LOT, and the fact that someone is dead does not mean that they can see the future or have any kind of hidden knowledge. Someone who was an asshole while alive, will continue to be an asshole when dead. Spirits love to scare you and hook you with a good bones under the house/past life curses/I-will-kill-you-all story, so they can simply keep you going back to the Ouija again and again!

Something that most people don’t understand is that Ouija is a part of Spiritism, and Spiritism is a practise – it takes many, many seances to achieve a level of connection that holds any value, and finding Spirits you can trust is just as difficult as finding living people you can trust. So, don’t expect a roaring success on your first session – specially when only one or two people are doing the seance. It is very likely that the first seances are incredibly frustrating, but if you keep trying regularly, you mediumship abilities will grow and you will be connecting with the Spirits with more ease each time. Being a good medium, no matter the tools you use, takes time, effort and patience – it is a big mistake to think that the first (or the 100th) time you do a seance, you are going to contact your Spirit Guides. You are a mirror for the Spirits – whatever energy you emanate, it is the energy you will attract to the seance.

And don’t forget – the Dead are not the only entities that can use the Ouija to communicate. With enough practise, other types of entities can use the Ouija, and that, honestly, is usually more rewarding than “regular” Ouija, where the Spirits you speak to are usually completely random. What kind of entities? Well, that answer depends on what kind of entities you think that exist – and believe me, after being a Witch for almost a quarter of a century, I personally believe that almost anything can exist.

I always say that, while Ouija is completely harmless, the human mind is not – at all. All the problems allegedly caused by seances are actually caused by the mental+spiritual problems of the living, not of the dead. So, before you try making a seance, take a good look at yourself and think of what you want to get from it; if you believe what you have seen in the movies, maybe you should not try it.

But, if you want to try it, here’s a free Ouija design for you! Please click on the pic to open the full-size image.

This Ouija design was a free gift from the Enigmas magazine, a spanish publication about occultism, in the late eighties. I found this reproduction image on the book Iniciación Al Espiritismo (Introduction To Spiritism), published by Ediciones Quorum on 1987. My mother bought the magazine with the original board, but kept it away from my sister and I, since we were quite fascinated with it; I guess it was forgotten and most likely thrown away during a spring cleaning, so we never got to use it. Feel free to print it and enjoy it, but please remember that this image is for your personal use ONLY.

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About Spells

One of the questions I get asked more often is “How do you know a spell will work?” -  and my answer is always the same: I don’t.

In our tradition (I’m specifying this because it could be completely different for other faiths and other practitioners), a spell is a petition to the Spirits – be it Orishas, Saints, the Dead, or whatever form of Spirit we work with.

Our responsibility as practitioners is, first of all, to have a good relationship with the Spirits who work with us, by honouring and respecting them, by educating about them to other potential followers, and by giving example with our own work and life; and, of course, to learn what kind of offerings and elements they prefer when work is performed. On the other hand, our responsibility towards our customers is to perform the work petitioned by them in a timely and professional manner, always using the best materials and always searching for more and better options for the work.

Once the spell is performed, is it out of our hands and into the Spirits’ hands. As you can imagine, I cannot predict if your petition will be granted or not, because Spirits have the same free will we have. We are not Fairy Godmothers – we do not grant wishes, and we do not give orders to the Spirits. If you have faith in the Spirits and their work, usually you get what you have petitioned, even if you don’t work with the particular Spirit we have worked with; the Spirit’s payment for the work have always been included in the spell itself, keeping you from having to make offerings to said Spirit.

But sometimes, no matter how much we try, or how well the spell is made, petitions are not granted. Why is that? Some people use the argument that the customer’s anxiety about the petition can block the work, but I do not like blaming the customer because:

a) Spirits are not that weak that anxiety can block them;

b) if you were not anxious about something, you wouldn’t be ordering a spell in the first place.

Anxiety is implicit on every single spell. Certainly, anxiety IS a block for magic – the more you focus on something, the less you let the magic work by itself, because you’re influencing the outcome instead of letting it happen as it should – but, believe me, no matter how anxious you are, the power of your anxiety is never bigger than the power of the Spirit.

The second most common argument is the spellworker’s failure. Of course, we can fail, we are human and don’t know everything! But honestly, I believe that if you have a good, respectful relationship with a Spirit, that Spirit can grant a petition even if we have made a mistake choosing an ingredient or a offering – the very simple reason to believe this is that Spirits are not stupid! The Spirits we work with are kind, generous and loving – and we have had proof after proof of that.

To be honest, the most simple answer is the true one – that the thing the petitioner has asked was not good for him/her, for reasons that we cannot see, but the Spirits can. This is a very difficult truth to accept, both for the customer and the spellworker, specially when we can’t see why having the petition granted could be bad for the petitioner. On this situation, I always side with the petitioner, because I know well how it feels to need something desperately and have it denied time after time. Believe me, the Spirits have endured a few “why don’t you give this person a baby/a husband/ a job???” rants on our customers’ behalf!

I don’t think I have to remind this to you, my readers, because I am sure you are as authentic as can be – but there is a high chance of your petition not being granted if you just pretend to use the Spirits as a miracle vending machine and have no true faith in them. From time to time, someone who has no relationship with the Spirits, no faith at all and no knowledge of how spellwork works comes to us with their petition. Although we treat those petitions with the same care as we do with the rest, because we are not here to judge anybody, the success rate is much lower. We cannot force Spirits to do what they don’t want to do!

For the exact same reasons, customers who go the extra mile and make their own offerings or search for information about the Spirits we work with (even including them in their personal worship), get the highest result scores of all. That means your attitude matters, and can help the best outcome to happen – your LOVE for the Spirits, your faith and interest, can do more good than your anxiety can damage.

Likewise, being active and positive about your petition ( like, for example, submitting resumes and going to interviews if your petition is about finding a job ) matters too. There is a fable that speaks of a man whose carriage was stuck in a muddy road, and screamed for Hercules’ help. Hercules appeared before him and started helping the man pull the carriage  – the carriage started slowly moving out of the mud. When the man saw Hercules’ strength, he stopped pulling and let the God do the work alone. Hercules noticed, and said “If you want help, I will give it to you; if you want me to do your work for you, I won’t help you”, and disappeared, leaving the man’s carriage stuck in the mud.

That is, very much, my view of the petitioner’s influence on the outcome of spells. While not always it is possible to work directly towards the goal of the spell, because there are many different types of petition, there is always someone to whom you can do good to – you can volunteer, donate to charities, or simply speak of the Spirits to someone who may be in need of their help. Kind actions, kind thoughts and kind words are like good luck seeds – the more you plant, the more you will reap.

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Answering Our Reader’s Questions – What Maria Lionza’s Cult Is, And What Is Not

Since we posted the first pics of the new altar and the Three Venezuelan Powers, we have received a million questions about them, and about our future work. On this post, we will try to answer the most important ones:

1. Is Maria Lionza’s Cult part of Santeria, Hoodoo, Voodoo, or what?
No. Absolutely not. Maria Lionza’s cult is an entirely different religion. Although many practitioners are also Lukumi/Palero/Voodooisants, those paths are followed separately, and if someone calls herself/himself a daughter of the Three Venezuelan Powers, it is understood that they are placing those Spirits above all the others in their practise and faith.

2. Will you continue to work with the Orishas?
Of course, whenever it is necessary. Since we have never been Lukumi, we do not have to “abandon” a path to join other. We will continue to work with the Orishas, the Saints, the Angels, and any spiritual entity that helps us and our customers – but as son and daughter of Maria Lionza, the Powers will always come first to us.

3. Are the Three Venezuelan Powers Orishas?
No. Orisha is a Yoruban word, and we will not use it to name the Three Venezuelan Powers, because it would be completely inaccurate.

4. Are the Three Venezuelan Powers deities?
Not in a traditional way. Maria Lionza’s cult is basically a form of Spiritism, so all the Spirits in the religion were once living human beings. While we respect and worship Nature and its Spirits too, and while worshippers are free to believe in whatever deities they choose, this practise is quite different from, for example, worshipping Hera, or Odin.

5. Will you teach me how to work with Maria Lionza?
Sadly, my time for teaching is nonexistent right now. Also, I am really weary of our work becoming another Etsy Pagan Fad, so if I ever teach, I will choose the students myself.

6. Can you tell me a good book to learn about Maria Lionza?
I’m sorry, but there isn’t any. As a Spiritist cult, it is transmitted from teacher to student, and directly from the Spirits through trance. About Spiritism, on the other hand, there are plenty of books available, and I would suggest starting with The Book Of Mediums by Allan Kardec. His works have greatly influenced Maria Lionza’s cult way of working.

7. Can I work with Maria Lionza only?
No. Wherever she is, Negro Felipe and Cacique Guacaipuro are with her, as her assistants, and above her, The Creator. As I said above, this is a religion on its own. It would be very disrespectful to worship her only. You can have her alone in your altar if you cannot find a statue/card of the Three Powers, but when you pray to her, you must name God Creator first, and the Three Powers.

7. How do I pray to the Three Venezuelan Powers?
As you would pray to any other Spirit. You only need a candle, and faith. Of course, offerings are always appreciated, but faith and devotion are the most important things. Placing them above all Spirits is only required for those to identify as their sons and daughters like ourselves, so they can grant petitions and answer prayers to followers who do not identify as their sons and daughters. Of course, if you ask them for something and they grant it, you should consider becoming one of their sons and daughters, as it is very likely that you have been called by them.

8. Is there a Maria Lionza church, as the Catholic church is to Catholics?
No. This religion is called a “horizontal religion” because there is no hierarchy for practitioners or priests. There are bigger and smaller communities that worship her, and all of them have their own ways of working, their own taboos, and their own ritual procedures. While there’s a common ground to all Spiritists, there is also great space for personal interpretation from the Padrinos and Madrinas (godfathers and godmothers), and from the Spirits that work with them. Spirits, just like living humans, have their own opinions and ways of doing things, so they can teach different things.

9. Is Maria Lionza’s cult a Pagan cult?
Most Venezuelans are raised as Roman Catholics, and many of Maria Lionza’s followers and priests consider themselves catholics as well, as it often happens in the Vodun tradition, so I wouldn’t consider it a Pagan religion as, for example, Heathenism is. While we worship nature in all its forms, Pagan is a word that I wouldn’t apply to Maria Lionza’s cult, because Spiritism is not inherently Pagan, or Catholic.

10. Can we expect changes at House Of Eleggua’s site/Temple/services?
There will be some, but they will be slow, and they won’t affect our customers at all. We will continue to provide services, products and regular blogging as usual, without any change. It is very likely that we will have more Spiritism-oriented products at the shop; also, we intend to rename the Temple+website+shop to a more appropriate denomination for our work, but all those projects are right now at the planning stage, since at the moment we are focusing on our specialization as followers of this cult, the improving of our Temple Room, on top of the work we usually have. The best way to stay updated of any changes is following this blog – look for the “follow” tab on the sidebar, and you will recieve all posts in your email’s inbox.
If you have any further questions, leave them here on the comments section and I’ll make a second post with them!

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Of How I Met Guaicaipuro And Maria Lionza’s Cult

Part One – A Nineteen Year Old Spiritual Seeker

One of my best friends had the most beautiful altar room I had ever seen. He was deeply into Maria Lionza’s cult and Santería (which are often interconnected but are completely different things), something not uncommon in the Canary Islands since the emigration of Canarians and the immigration of South Americans has been going on for over 100 years forth and back, blending our cultures together. My own grandparents lived in Venezuela many years, and with them travelled many family members who stayed there forever.

At that time, I was 19, and deeply into the study of shamanism, but I loved spending hours in his altar room, asking him about every detail of the deities, the Spirits, and his work helping and healing others. He was very generous and open, and shared a treasure of information with me on every evening we spent together there, drinking coffee, smoking cigars and just absorbing the beauty and energy of the room.

A few days before my 20th birthday, he phoned me and asked me to go to his house to pick up my birthday present. When I asked why did he wanted me to go to his house, which was not near, instead of giving me the gift at my birthday party, he explained that he had to give it to me on his altar room.

A few months before, I had gone through surgery, and one of the surgery’s wounds had not healed properly and was bleeding and probably infected. I was in pain and very uncomfortable, so I had to get a cab to go to his house, which was in another town, because that day the bleeding had not stopped for a minute. When I got to his house, we sat on the altar room, facing the main altar as usual, and my friend started saying prayers, lighting candles and cigars for the Spirits, and once he had finished, he handed me a box that contained a statue of Guacaipuro, the Indian Spirit of the Three Venezuelan Powers.

“I went to the (Santería) shop the other day, and Guacaipuro asked me to get you one statue of him”, he said. I did not need any reasons – I was ecstatic. As a starving 19 year old student, I could not afford a statue of any spirit/deity, much less a Santería statue imported from Venezuela, since they were among the most expensive. I placed the statue on the main altar, right in front of his much bigger Guacaipuro statue; while I prayed silently, my friend went to the kitchen to prepare another pot of coffee.

Out of nowhere, I felt a really strong pain on the bleeding wound. It was like if something was burning it, cutting through it and tearing it apart at the same time. I also felt an unstoppable flow of blood coming out of the wound, wetting my clothes. When my friend came back from the kitchen, he found me covered in cold sweat, shaking and almost unable to speak.

“I think I’m having a haemorrhage”, I whispered. “Something is very, very wrong”.

“Let me see the bandage”, my friend said, lifting up my shirt with a frightened look in his eyes.

When he retired the bandage, there was nothing but a clean, healing scar. The wound was closed and completely dry, and the blood on the bandage was also dry and looking dark, as if it had been dry for days. I was completely sure that when I left my parent’s house it was not like that at all, because I had just placed a new, clean bandage over it before leaving.

We looked at each other, speechless. We had our cup of coffee in complete silence, and then my friend said “Guacaipuro has healed you with his knife. That’s why he asked me to get you a statue, because he wanted to heal you and protect you”.

Part Two – A Thirty Six Year Old Spirit Worker Married To A Medium

That was 16 years ago. Guacaipuro’s statue came home with me, and two years later the statue inexplicably fell from the table where his small altar was and broke into pieces. I took the pieces to the sea so Yemanya, the Yoruba Goddess of the waters, could take him, because throwing him in the trash bin seemed very disrespectful to me.

I didn’t see it as a bad omen, just as a sign of the Spirit leaving to guide and protect other worshippers in need. I continued searching, learning and working with Spirits, and eventually became a professional Spirit Worker, helping and healing others – paradoxically, my friend lost his faith, dismantled his altar and stopped helping and healing others forever, at least in the way a Spirit Worker does.

Several months ago, my Spiritual Guides advised a complete change in my work. I was asked to dismantle my own altar, and create some kind of blank page state for a while. I won’t deny that I was heartbroken, as I was quite attached to my altar and its pieces, but I was also quite aware of the wisdom and love my Guides have, so I obeyed and continued my work as usual, trusting that a solution would come up.

One of the most difficult questions I was faced with was that, according to my Guides, it was the time to define myself into one Spiritual Tradition. Being someone who has absolutely no appreciation for labels, and having called myself “just a Witch” for over two decades, it was a very painful process for me. At first, I did not understand why was I asked for it, and rebelled against it – but slowly, and always with the invaluable help of the Spirits, I started understanding that it was a matter of focusing my energy into more productive ways, and that I could heal and help much better if I work inside the frame of one path, instead of mixing and matching several paths into my own way of doing things.

Fernando is a wonderful medium, and one of the different ways we receive advice from our Guides is through him. Using a Spirit Board, a method that we have researched and experienced for more than ten years, he enters a deep meditative state and the Guides use him to communicate through the board. During one of the seances, Guacaipuro, with whom I had not communicated in a very long time, showed up with a tremendous power, almost taking Fernando into a complete trance.

Guacaipuro not only confirmed everything that our Guides had told me, but also asked me if they, the Three Venezuelan Powers, could be the path for me. Without pushing, or menacing, or demanding, he calmly explained the reasons why he thought the path of Maria Lionza’s cult was perfect for me, my way of working and my Spiritual needs – and word by word, it all made perfect sense.

I could not believe how I had not seen it.

Guacaipuro left, letting me know before leaving that I could think about it for as long as I wanted to, and that if I said no, nothing would happen. As Fernando slowly regained full conscience, I told him everything I could remember from Guacaipuro’s words. He had the same reaction I had – he could not believe that it was so simple.

A couple of weeks later, we were buying offerings for Ochum’s day and stopped at the florist shop to get some fancy candles for the celebration. The shop always has a few Catholic Saint statues, so we were looking at a Saint Michael statue when my husband noticed that, on the lowest shelf, there was a statue of the Three Venezuelan Powers, something not easy to find on our area. Unfortunately, it was too expensive and we did not have enough money to purchase it.

We asked the shop owner to reserve it for a week, and he agreed willingly. When we were about to leave, he suddenly remembered that the piece was discounted because it had been on the shop for a long while… its price being exactly the amount of money we had.

Needless to say, we took that as a sign and purchased it. That same night, we placed it on our blank altar and called Guacaipuro through the Spirit Board to let him know we wanted to accept his offering. As of that night, and from now on, we won’t call ourselves Witches any more, but son and daughter of the Three Venezuelan Powers. One circle, that started 16 years ago, has been closed, and another one starts – the future is full with exciting possibilities, a faith stronger than ever and an energy to heal and help stronger than we have ever felt. Like children, we step confidently and joyfully into this new era of our spiritual search, knowing that the blessing of María Lionza, Guacaipuro and Negro Felipe are with us.

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An Open Letter To My Readers

Every week, I get about a dozen emails asking me for book lists, information on Santeria, advice on worship, etc. Although I am really flattered and honoured to be considered a source of information, I have to say that I don’t consider myself the best source for such questions. Yes, I have over two decades of experience, and so far I’ve been able to answer most of the questions (and will continue to do so!), but there are a few things you should consider before sending me your inquiries:

First of all, I do not identify as a Santera, but as a Witch. I do not belong to any Santeria church, I never have and I never will. I don’t believe in organized/hierarchical religion and thus, I have never been initiated. My knowledge of Santeria comes mainly from two people with whom I had close personal relationships, and that taught me in a very informal way (informal, but not careless), and shared the few books that were published in Spanish at the time, around 15 years ago. Those books are a real treasure, and practising and interrogating my friends (smile) gave me an understanding of these religions in ways that, certainly, are not written in books. Of course, after that I have improved my knowledge reading more books on the subject, but those are very easy to find for you too.

I was a Witch for ten years before Santeria entered my life, and I already had a nature-centered way of working that simply evolved when Santeria was added to the mix. I did not change to become someone else: Santeria just felt a completely natural addition to my knowledge at the time, and melted with it. Besides Santeria, my interests range from Medieval magic, to Jung’s esoteric writings, to pre-Christian Mediterranean and North African religions – and of course, Fernando’s path is very important for me too. My personal theology is made of all that knowledge, which flows together. My way of working is mine, and does not follow the liturgy of any particular Religion. I do not consider it to be finished, because I don’t think the path of a Witch ever finishes growing, so you can expect changes on it as I grow and evolve myself. 23 years is nothing when it comes to Witchcraft.

I am not a scholar, a teacher or a writer; I am an artist. My life’s vocation is to create items that empower your connection to the Divine, and honestly, it takes all my time. That is my way of being a Witch, my true path. I see the Tarot and Spellwork services I offer as a part of that creation process, just as I see painting, doll making or crafting amulets. As much as I enjoy reading books about religion, and I give to it as much time as I can, my main studying focus lies on becoming the better artist I can be, mostly recuperating pre-industrial era techniques as handsewing, handcarving, etc. My magic does not come in words, but in colours, textures, scents; that is my true area of expertise.

Now, having said all this, you are most welcome to continue sending your questions, and I will do my best to answer them :).

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A Basic Orisha List – III – Yoruban Orishas

(To read the first part of this post, please click HERE; to read the second part, please click HERE)

Yemanya/Jemonja – the mother Orisha, queen of the sea and owner of all the riches of the world. Kind and generous, but very demanding to her sons and daughters, of whom she requires the utmost devotion.
Colours: transparent and blues. Offerings: fruits, flowers, anything exquisite and rare.

Olokum – another Orisha that is represented as a male and a female, Olokum is the depth of the ocean, in its most mysterious and terrible aspect. He/she always wears a mask, as humans cannot stand his/her vision.
Colours: black and blue. Offerings: chicken, corn cooked with garlic and onion, beans.

Brommu And Brossía – daughters of Olokum and Orishas of rain and dew. On other traditions, they are spirits of the cemetery and keep the bones of the dead.
Colours: blues, or red and black, depending on the tradition. Offerings: smoked fish, rabbit, chicken.

Oshum – Orisha of love and wealth that lives in the rivers and waterfalls, she protects relationship but is also the keeper of economic growth. A powerful priestess, she is often taken too lightly – those who do it know her wrath.
Colours: amber, yellow, orange. Offerings: pumpkin, honey, sweet corn.

Oya/Yansa – Orisha of Lightning, queen of the dead and owner of the market place, she is a fierce and loving Orisha. She is particularly fond of Shango’s sons and daughters, and protects business women.
Colours: browns and purples. Offerings: plums, wine, chocolate, beans.

Nana Buruku – called the grandmother Orisha, this mysterious and multifaceted deity is represented by a giant serpent. Full of wisdom, she can be as generous as she can be terrible. She lives on swamps, deltas and on the depth of the sea.
Colours: blues. Offerings: meat, beans, peas, milk.

Obba – the Orisha that protects women with troubled lives inhabits the rivers and lakes. Often works on love and family matters with Oshum and Yemanya, and is particularly fond of children. She represents faithfulness and sacrifice.
Colour: pink. Offerings: Yams, grapes, plums.

Yewa – Orisha of widowed and single women, she is considered a virgin. She works with Oya protecting the cemetery and the spirits of the dead. She is pure and shy, but greatly respected.
Colour: pink. Offerings: fish, peanuts, gofio.

Ayao - Oya’s most loving guardian, and her sister in some traditions.
Colours and Offerings: same as Oya.

Dada - a male or female Orisha depending on the tradition, he/she protects newborn children. In her female incarnation, she is believed to have raised Shango.
Colours and Offerings: Same as Shango.

The Ibejis – the twin children born of the love of Shango and Oshum, they are very powerful and rule over children and their destiny. They are much loved by Eleggua and they are feasted together very often.
Colours: blue and pink. Offerings: sweets, toys, candy.

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A Basic Orisha List – II – Yoruban Orishas

(To read the first post of this series, please click HERE)

Oggum – the Orisha of forge and iron, Oggum works for the benefit of all humanity. Protector and patron of soldiers and all caretakers, he is very passionate and protective of those who worship him. Oggum teaches self-sacrifice and restraint to those who need it.
Colours: green and black. Offerings: oggum loves grilled and smoked meat and fish. Alcohol should be offered n very small quantities.

Ochossi – the hunter Orisha, he is the provider of justice for those who are unfairly judged. As Oggum, he works for the benefit of all humanity, answering the prayers of those less fortunate. He often works with Shango and Oggum.
Colours: yellow and black. Offerings: any hunt animals, beer, milk, honey.

Ogbon/Ogboni And Oggan – guardians of the secrets of the priest, and protector warriors that keep Obatala safe.
Colours: white and gold. Offerings: as Obatala, any white food.

Aye/Aje – guardian of the treasures of the planet and of the sanctuaries of the Orishas. It is believed he has no arms, so he can’t steal anything.
Colours: white and gold. Offerings: a shell filled with coins.

Shango – the supreme judge of humanity, and provider of karma along with Eleggua. He represents honesty, justice and fatherhood, and is also patron of music and dance. He was the first priest of Santeria, and often divines along with his brother Orula. He is the owner of thunder.
Colours: red and white. Offerings: rum, all hot foods. He must be treated like a king when it comes to offerings.

Aggayu - the Orisha of volcanos. The unbridled power of the earth, owner of the secret of fire. Teacher and destructor, taught Shango the secrets of thunder.
Colours: red and amber. Offerings: all drinks, as he is always thirsty.

Oggue – the Orisha of horned animals, and the sorcerer of Shango, whom he protects devotedly.
Colours: red and white. Offerings: the meat of horned animals.

Oke - Orisha of the mountains and hills, works with Osain and Orishaoko as the manifestation of the element of earth.
Colours: brown and black. Offerings: honey, milk, spring water.

Oshumare – Orisha of the rainbow, Oshumare is genderless. It is depicted as a serpent and a rainbow, as he represents the unity of earth and sky. Oshumare also represents wealth and progress.
Colours: yellow and gold. Offerings: eggs, mice, anything that snakes eat.

Osun – the guardian Orisha. Works with Orula and Obatala by protecting the devotee from negativity and joining us with our ancestors. He is represented by a rooster.
Colours: white and transparent, also yellow. Offerings: doves, cocoa butter, cascarilla, blessed water.

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A Basic Orisha List – I – Yoruban Orishas

To be honest, writing a list of all the Orishas is almost impossible. Every country has different lists, depending on the area of Nigeria where the slaves where taken, and on the culture they blended with. So, please understand that this is very basic list, as some writers speak of over 400 Orishas! This post will be separated into several parts, to be published on the next weeks, so stay tuned!

Oloddumare/Olofi – the supreme Creator of the Universe. Oloddumare has no gender or age, and does not come to Earth for possession, as he/she is too big and too powerful for a human being to contain him/her.
Colour: All. Offerings: All

Obatala – the Orisha that rules over the Earth. As Oloddumare, Obatala can be a female and a male deity at the same time. Obatala represents purity, justice, higher knowledge and conscience, and healing. His/her sons and daughters are natural judges, healers and counsellors. Obatala lives in the top of the mountains, as he/she prefers solitude and freedom.
Colour: White. Offerings: White food – milk, eggs, sugar, flour, rice.

Oddúa - the king of the Dead. Along with Oloddumare, he created the world, as there cannot be life without death. Since nothing can live around him, he doesn’t contact humans through possession.
Colour: Black. Offerings: All, but he prefers incorporeal offerings like the smoke of cigars, gunpowder and incense.

Orula - the supreme diviner and Orisha of prophecy and destiny. Orula is the guide of priests and priestesses, and the owner of the cowrie shell oracle.
Colours: green and yellow. Offerings: yam, coconut, basil, fine sweets. Everything must be prepared very carefully for him, as he requires extreme cleanliness. Orula works often with Shango and Eleggua.

Eleggua – owner of the Ashe, of the crossroads and of the paths of man. Eleggua is the trickster Orisha, and teaches humility and thankfulness by testing humans. He loves children, as they are always innocent and sincere, and despises hipocrisy and power abuse.
Colours: Black And Red. Offerings: rum, coconut, chocolate, spicy foods. Eleggua must be always served before any other Orisha.

Legba – The older avatar of Eleggua. Wears a straw hat and smokes a cigar. He can be found in fields and in Nature.

Exu – the dark avatar of Eleggua. Blocks the path of those who behave unfairly or abuse others.

Inle – the Orisha of medicine and healing. He protects doctors, healers, and fishermen, as he lives where the sea meets the jungle. A kind Orisha that works with Yemanya, Babalu Aye and Ochosi to help human communities grow, specially those who live off the land and the sea.
Colours: Blue and green. Offerings: fried fish and all vegetables.

Babalu Aye/Asojano – the Orisha of pain and epidemy, healer and protector of the poor and rejected. He is always accompanied by his two dogs, lives wherever homeless people live, and on abandoned places.
Colours: yellow and purple/brown. Offerings: wine, popcorn, corn meal.

Osain – the Orisha of herbal knowledge, lives in the forests and jungles. He was born of the earth itself, and despite his peaceful nature, he is a fierce protector of his sons and daughters, to whom he inspires knowledge about the medicines of Nature.
Colours: green and brown. Offerings: vegetables, grilled meat and any traditional country food.

Orishaoko – the peasant Orisha, protects the crops and those who live off the earth. He teaches the patience and perseverance that every farmer needs.
Colours: brown, green and yellow. Offerings: all edible roots like yams, beets, potatoes, carrots, etc. He also enjoys wine and honey.

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Saint Sara Kali, Patron Of The Roma

Saint Sara’s most revered statue, on her sanctuary in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, France. Original image here.

Saint Sara Kali is the patron of the Roma people – it is believed to have been the gentle and merciful egyptian woman who welcomed the ship in which the Virgin Mary and/or Mary Magdalene and other saints use to leave their country after Jesus’ death. Kali means “black”, apparently describing her dark skin tone, though there are experts that suggest that the second name Kali was given by the Roma as an honour to Hindu goddess Kali. The Roma’s origin as an ethnic group is in India, so this theory has certain weight.

Saint Sara Kali is very important in Santeria, as she is one of the main spirits of the Gypsy Court. As I have mentioned before, in several Central American countries Santeria is divided in Courts, which represent ethnic, national or professional groups – there is an African Court (the Orishas), a Medical Court (spirits of doctors and healers), and Indian Court (each country’s indigenous inhabitants), and so on.

Worshipping Tips
Days: May 24 and 25
Petitions/Spells: Gypsy Magick in Santeria is mainly used to bring luck and wealth, but devotees ask her for all kinds of work, as she is extremely generous and kind.
Flowers: Roses, daisies, lilies any plants that grow near the sea.
Sacred Objects: head scarves, coins, fans, jewelry, tambourines, ships, shells, pearls.
Colours: blue, white, silver, purple, gold.
Other offerings: traditional egyptian and/or Roma food, floral perfumes, salt water and sand, champagne and fine liquors.

If you work with Yemanya, Mami Wata, Erzulie, Oshum or any love/mercy goddess, Saint Sara will connect with your energies instantly!

In honour of Saint Sara, and to thank all our customers for being so awesome :D , we have created this Holy Card for your devotion as this month’s promotion! Until supplies last, we will give away one with each order, except digital ones of course. This is the image I created in Photoshop – sorry for the watermark, of course your holy card won’t have it – we’ve had so many images stolen that we need to protect our copyright.

The Hoodoo Shop.

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