Thursday 7 November 2013

Letting the mysteries speak for themselves

One of the things that upsets me as a practitioner of a vodou based tradition is the way in which we tend to treat each other.

Google any well known initiate or go on any vodou based forum and I grantee you'll fine one of the following: X doesn't know shit about X, Y hasn't got a 'real' kanzo, he/she is white/gay/etc and therefore can't have any black spirits or initiate in X, my tradition's spirits are better then yours, etc, etc ad nausea.

Outside of forums or in private messages it can get equally bad with people trying to steal initiates or convince others that they haven't been taught properly or that they are somehow less real or less powerful then X.

You know what its boring, its inane and its kinda pathetic. We should have trust in the spirits and God to weed out the wheat from the chaff or have enough confidence not to have to put others down to feel better about themselves. Do we really think that the spirits care more about skin colour, sexuality and ancestry then about what is inside a practitioner and the qualities they have? Do we as vodou practitioners not have enough prejudice and hatred from the outside world without having to worry about what our brothers and sisters are saying or doing behind our backs?

Yes there will be people out there who do things in the wrong way or who spread misinformation or who are just willfully ignorant as to what they should be doing on their path. But it should be up to us as initiates or priest to lead by example not by trying to spread muck and we should have enough trust in our own mysteries to speak for themselves.

Tuesday 15 October 2013

A padrino's love

When I was just starting out in sanse I would frequently turn to my padrino with all sorts of questions, what does this dream mean? What does this spirit want? How do I serve so and so? But with patience and understanding my papa would help me again and again. He would explain what a dream meant, help me to unravel my own court, teach me baths, trabajos and songs and with each explaination and step forward I began to grow.

The mid part of my training was the most difficult, the lwa were beginning to take off the training wheels as it were and I began to deal with spirits and parts of myself that were quite painful and difficult. Still my papa was there; training, teaching, offering help and advice and with his help still I grew.

Now that I have been practicing for going on 6 years I find myself reflecting on the journey I have taken, I'm more able now and have more independence. I can interpret my dreams better for myself, I can do readings, deal with the more difficult parts of my cuadro better and know more and less what to offer my spirits. But still there are times when I need to turn once again to my padrino, with certainty that as my spiritual father he will be there for me with the same love and patience he has always had for me.

It it will be many years until I will be fully independent, but until that day I walk forward knowing that my papa will be behind me ready to help catch me if I stumble upon the path of God and the spirits.

Luz to my papa, Houngan Hector.

http://hounganhector.com/

Monday 23 September 2013

One of my experiences with the black division

In the summer of 2011 my step dad was diagnosed with a terminal illness, he passed away a month later. I remember the shock at the time, followed by a feeling of numbness. Then with friends that night it hit me, like the ground had collapsed beneath me and I was falling down and I would never stop falling.

I remember the day after the funeral, I had been practicing sanse for two years by then and if it wasn't my first crisis of faith it had been one of the most serious. I remember lying in bed and thinking why should I get up, what was the point? Fuck God I thought and fuck the spirits, there wasn't any point anymore to anything.

I got a text then from one of my friends who was a practitioner, I hadn't text her or told her how I was feeling but there it was. She works with Baron and he had told her to send me a simple message. God and the spirits love you and they haven't abandoned you, even if you think they have. My mum came then and got me up, told me she was going to an interfaith rally to protest against racism and she wanted me to come. At first I wanted to just stay in bed but I got up and went instead and in that crowd of people, each with a candle lit in the night, I knew that God and the spirits hadn't abandoned me or my step dad. That some mysteries, like love, remain even in the face of death.

I've been helped many times since then by the black division, whether by Santa Marta, Baron Samedi, Papa Ghede or Baron Del Cementerio but even though I've had much more impressive things happen, that was their biggest miracle and the best gift from God. Reminding me that love exists even in the darkness of the night.

Sunday 28 July 2013

This is a traditional espiritismo prayer to Lord Buddha and the orientales commission, who can be prayed to for money, luck, peace, success and spiritual elevation:

Oh mysterious spirit that directs all our lives, come down to my humble residence. Illuminate the way to succeed through the secrets of the lottery, the prize that will give me fortunate, and with it, the happiness and well being of my family.

Oh great source of power and wisdom, please show me the way to see to all my needs, and do not allow my enemies to harm me.

God of the oriental, illuminate my path with the same intensity that you illuminate the path of the true believers, and remove from my path all obstacles that have been placed there by my enemies. Amen.
 You as basic offerings you can give them Sandlewood water, incense and candles. This commission can make up various Buddhas and oriental spirits from many parts of Asia. 

Sunday 2 June 2013

Sansista Estrella

I choose the name Sansista Estrella a while ago now and when I did I got quite a few puzzled reactions from various other spiritual workers. After all Estrella is the female name for a star, so most practitioners quite understandable presumed that I must be female which in fact isn't the case.

However, there is a reason I chose this name. You see for me the star as a symbol has many contations: the power of hope, the renewing energy of faith, the element of water and for me a personal connection to the mystery that is La Sirena.

As the star of the sea, to me La Sirena manages to unite many of those qualities in herself. She reflects God's glory and reminds me to turn my eyes up towards Him. She acts as a guiding light when I am feeling lost and as a mother gives me shelter when I am in need of it.

It is for these reasons and more that I name myself Sansista Estrella, not for myself but in honour of her and all that she does for me.

Monday 8 April 2013

Bottles

 As an artist and a Sanse practisioner I often paint bottles based on art inspired by my spirits as well as Puerto Rican and Hatian practises. Here is some of my work, if you are interested in ordering any please send me a message.





Thursday 28 March 2013

Holy week

The week before easter sunday is an important time of year in our societies calendar, it is a time for us and our spirits to commune with the mystery that is God. For in Sanse it is God that gives all good spirits their power and allows for them to intercede for us on His behalf.

Our spirits do much for practitioners, they protect us, strengthen us and work not only on our behalf but also that of our clients and by giving them this time it allows us to acknowledge their need to rest.

Therefore during this week we allow our spirits to relax and concentrate on papa dios, most pray the rosary and attend mass. I turn to the Koran and the poetry of Rumi because this is how I connect to God. For I find that like finding a light in the darkness, in the silence that follows me taking a step back from the spirits, my mind naturally turns to God.

I do this because it is God who allows me to become more elevated, he protects me and guides me and ultimately gives me and all my spirits his light.

Have a good holy week everyone, luz y progresso.

Wednesday 20 March 2013

Marinero, marinero

"Sailors in great storms invoke your name as the Lady of Regla, thereby freeing themselves of fear. Before embarking, they give you offerings in your church in Regla, thus assuring themselves of safe travel." - Excerpt from a prayer to Our Lady of Regla

Sailors, innovators, navigators and guides, the spirits of the Marinero commission are all these things and more. I first came to work with these spirits at a time of my life when I was in real need of direction. I had recently been let go from a job and my confidence and sense of purpose was at an all time low. By working with these spirits I was reminded of my degree and love of nature and turned to environmental volunteering as a way to both build my confidence and get my foot in the door of this career path.

This ability to offer direction and guidance for those lost at sea (figuratively or literally) is something that these seres are well known for and so they are often turned to for these matters. However they are also spirits associated with innovation and as such can help you to find new ways of doing and thinking about difficulties that may get in your way. I also have a strong association with them and travel as for me they are spirits that take you somewhere new. Therefore I might also ask them for protection or help when travelling to a new or familiar destination (especially when it comes to travelling over seas).

As is often the case I have found there to be a profound connection between La Sirena and the marinero spirits that have approached me. For my la Sirena and my guide have directed me towards these seres and the marinero act at this mysterio behest.

When working with the marinero it can be best to offer them a candle along with water, white wine or perhaps even a little rum.

Thursday 21 February 2013

A Sanse of your very own

I'm not Puerto Rican or of Latin American descent, not even a little bit. I'm a Welshman from Cardiff (Wales as a country is that little sticky outy bit attached to one side of Britain in case your wondering). So some people reading this blog might be wondering what (if any) insights I might have into the practise of Sanse.

Well as one of my spiritual brothers once advised me, you need to make a Sanse of my very own. Now, when I first began practising Sanse this was a bit of a daunting task. My initiator lives in America and while I am always able to contact him via email or telephone, there was still alot to learn.

So I started slowly which as it turns out was the best thing I could do, I built a strong connection with a few mysterio at first. This allowed me to develop my foundations, over time new mysterio appeared to me and my cuadro began to develop. My first initiation was a step into a wider world, I was told who my guide was and how to work with him as well as which mysterio would be particularly important to my spiritual development.

This was a difficult step with me as I had grown used to working with the loa and i didn't get the same immediate sense of connection to my guide as he felt quite different. However as time went by I began to build more of a repoire with him and slowly we formed a close relationship.

It was also at this time that I began to attract more diverse spirits to my court, this was helped by the fact I planned to travel to India. By doing so I opened the way to me working with both buddhist and hindu deities. This gave helped give my cuadro more peace and stability when it came to working to elevate some of the more difficult elements within my spiritual court. It also helped me open up to working with the catholic saints more and helped me understand their importance in Sanse.

Not all of the experiences I've had in Sanse have been pleasant, sometimes I've had to interact with some of the more unpleasant elements of my cuadro. After travelling I had a prolonged period of time where I had to look at some more lonely, bitter and painful parts of myself. It was a grueling process both spiritually and mentally but by doing so I was able to come to terms with some parts of my life and maybe if I couldn't fix them I could at least find serenity in them.

I took my cemetary puntos most recently and have discovered much about my seres in the process, it gave me a greater understanding of myself, my ancestry and my connection to my mysterio and because of the time I had taken to get to this point I better able to appreciate all the elements of my spiritual court.

If I've learned one thing it that patience and time are the greatest teachers and if you take your time to learn don't feel ashamed by what you do or don't know. We are all learning and its better to take in the view on this road then to rush and stumble. After all we're all still putting together a Sanse of my very own.

Luz y progresso.

Saturday 26 January 2013

La Sirena

As the The Diosa del la Mar, La Sirena is both the sea's merciful queen and its tempestuous siren and as such hold's sway over all the ocean's depths, treasures and mysteries. She is also a Sanse Mysterio that I am extremely fond of. In hindsight its not really surprising that I would become so drawn to her, all throughout my life the sea has called to me and has continued to inspire me as I grow older. As a child not only would we take numerous trips to the sea but I would sit and draw mer-people of all persuasion. My family had a history of sailors and people with a draw to the sea (and as I found out possible Marinero as well).  This love of the sea followed me all the way to university, where I ended up studied Marine Biology.

As befitting a queen of such a rich domain, La Sirena is said to rule over money, luck and love and the people she walks with are said to be naturally lucky. As a mermaid her song has a seductive allure and as such she is often said to be the patron of many a singer (and from what I have found a muse for many an artist and writer as well). This same allure has been said to enchanted many a man and her children may share this mysterious glamour and call many a lover to their side. She loves to be given mirrors and combs to either look into or brush through her hair and as such is often said to rule over vanity as well. Her dominion does not end with the sea, however as she is also believed to rule over the moon as well.

Like the sea La Sirena can be as dangerous as she is lovely and it is said she may drown people as a punishment (or even if she likes a person too much, so they can be with her forever underneath the waves). There are also many stories about La Sirena abducting people under the waters from 7 days to up to 7 years, when they are returned to the mortal realm they are said to have been taught a great number of magical secrets by her. However, she is a very loving spirit and if worked with properly is a tireless, forgiving and hard working mysterio for her servitors.

This mystery and beautiful spirit is found in Sanse, The 21 Divisions and Hatian Vodou and can be served with melon covered in honey, flowers, sweet refresco, jewellery and perfumns.