Cantos para misa espirituale, songs for spirit guides, the dead and misa part 3 continued: gypsy

Of course I sing these songs in spanish, but they are translated for the purpose of knowing what you sing, and for those to learn spanish. I thank Valeria Di Giammarino who translated and transcribed this song through a friend Dave Raven. The one part in brackets ( vine hasta) is my own addition which may be incorrect:

Gitana Mia: My Gypsy by Oba Ire

CHORUS:CORO
Gitana gitana, Gitana mía Gitana (x3) bella Gitana (x3) mía, Esperanza, hoy yo te vengo a saludar
........ Saludo en ti las fuerzas de las estrellas, Saludo en ti las riquezas e lo profundo del mar En su música está la gracia de la danza de una luna llena Tu sonrisa brilla más que el sol en primavera (Chorus) Gitana mía Ayúdanos a merecer esta felicidad Gitana mía ilumína mis caminos para yo poder llegar Gitana mía esta oración no tiene fin Cuando una gitana reza, Dios se pone a cantar (Chorus) Es la gitana que llega para bendecir al pueblo Es la gitana que llega abriendo nuestros caminos Es la gitana que llega para defender nuestra libertad Esperanza, hoy yo te vengo a saludar (Chorus) Gitana mía gitana bella Yo te vengo a saludar Mi mente está libre para soñar Yo te vengo a saludar Hoy (vine hasta) está plegaria Yo te vengo a saludar Te lo pido yo del alma Yo te vengo a saludar Hoy te llamo a trabajar Yo te vengo a saludar Esperanza hoy yo te vengo a saludar

Gypsy Gypsy Gypsy of mine, gypsy gypsy beautiful gypsy, gypsy gypsy gypsy of mine, confidence/hope, today i'm coming to greet you. I greet you with the strength of the stars, i greet you with the wealth and the depth of the sea, in your music there is the grace of the dance of a full moon, your smile shines more than the sun in spring (Chorus) My gypsy, help us to deserve/ be worthy of this happiness, my gypsy light up my roads to make me arrive, my gypsy this prayer doesn't have an end, when a gypsy prays God starts to sing (Chorus)
It's the Gypsy coming to bless the people, it's the gypsy coming to open our roads, it's the gypsy coming to protect/ defend our liberty/ freedom, confidence today I'm coming to great you (Chorus)
my gypsy, beautiful gypsy, i'm coming to greet you, my mind is free to dream, i'm coming to greet you, today (I came to pray), i'm coming to greet you, I'm asking you from the depth of my soul, i'm coming to greet you, today i call you to work, i'm coming to greet you, confidence today i'm coming to greet you

Some very gypsy songs I love are by Blackmore's night, although not traditional misa songs:

Fire's at midnight:

Also under a violet moon, shadow of the moon, sister gypsy, ocean gypsy, wish you were here, ghost of a rose, locked within a crystal ball etc also certain violin and spanish guitar music.

Sancista 7 Crossroads

Just judge & the 7 african powers

 Alot of people think the 7 african powers are the Orisha but they are not. The confusion came from the saint image of Jesus crucified with an array of saints around him. It did not come from the yoruba faiths that work with the Orisha neither, it came from puertorican espiritismo. People saw these products in the botanica and decided to use them without cultural context, and bad information was spread. You will also see the statues used as 7 madamas or 7 congos as a group of guides, sort of like a package of spirits. The original image likely came from someone in espiritismo to honor their own 7 african guides.

The Orisha religions do not have this concept of the 7 african powers of being "the most important" or prevalent Orisha at all out of a pantheon of hundreds, of some who will be more personally concerned with you than others. The Orisha are all received in ritual and pots anyways, or are in your court and not to be used as a group or pick and choose either. The beginning rituals in Ocha, usually is to receive the 4 guerreros or warriors for your own personal growth and care: Elegguá, Ogún, Ochossi and Osun. This does not make you an initiate until you make kariocha with your personal Orisha.

The 7 african powers are spirit guides, dead elevated humans, just like the madamas, or la madama, not everyone has one of these commissions in their spiritual court or cuadro that makes up your spiritual frame.
Therefore there is no reason to be petitioning them or honoring them without this knowledge, as it will weaken your spiritual connection with the guides you actually do have. Despite people making products and writing books that are not in these traditions since the 1980's.

They represent different african tribes, of dead, that one may have, and one will usually take the lead and come through a reading in Ocha or a misa (seance) in espiritismo. No one person will have the same guide that comes through this category. Dr E, a spiritualist, santero and hoodoo doctor identified them as coming from Yoruba, Congo, Takua, Kissi, Calabari, Arara, and Mandika tribes. Within the diloggun oracle’s corpus of information, the Seven African Powers are heavily referenced in the odu Edigbere (7-8). Interestingly, this odu also speaks about the importance of the drum as a tool to call down the Orishas and it also speaks about the power of Congolese magic within the religion of Palo. (however beyond that one cannot comment on Palo or ones spirits within that religion unless being a priest of Palo, but the dead are the dead). It speaks of working with the dead in context of being around the person, which santerismo, palo and espiritismo would be a path open to them being associated with strong dead.
If a person were to receive the odu 7-8, it would indicate that they have the Seven African Powers in their court of spirit guides and it would be up to them to seek an Espiritista to determine who they are, what their names are. 
Copied from http://santeriachurch.org/the-seven-african-powers/

I do disagree when he says anyone can approach them because we all have dead. Yes we all have dead, but it is appropriate within these traditions and for safety to go to misa, and work with your dead you actually have first. Its not to say you will have these at all, so its pointless. Can you call forth a dead from each tribe? I suppose, at your own risk with varying results. Would this then be guides as used in the originating culture, or the 7 african powers, no. It would just be working with the dead. And they are usually not ancestors, and guides are mostly contracted and present since birth. The best thing would be to enquire before a misa, or get a investigation or reading.

Elekes or Orisha necklaces hanging in a botanica, for the priests of Ocha to sacrifice and prepare over with specific leaves. Note on the second left: 7 potencias or powers. Many in Ocha also practice espiritismo and if they do both may call it Santerismo, especially in New York. In Sanse we do not do animal sacrifice, but may rarely participate in the need to have it. Our necklaces are prepared differently. In the Maria Lionza sect in Venezuela, they use 3 different races in figures of the Indio, African and Eurasian to represent the hereditary and ancestral cultures and of mankind as the 3 powers or potencias, a spiritist tradition, also of the dead. In Sanse you may also see this used, even though they are specific spirits, to represent the 3 groups.

The 7 african tribes are usually worked with a 7 color candle, and a 7 different color striped or patched cloth. For us in Sanse and puertorican espiritismo, 7 is the number of the higher spirits such as Lwa, enlightenment, the auric field light spectrum, and the celestial energies of planets. In my tradition we do not use the 7 bead pattern of 7 colors necklace. We do use a multicolored necklace from the more congo lineage, as we have palo pracitioners in our house. The multicolor also represent all your personal dead including ancestors, necessary spirits of the dead and guides, not just if you have these 7 african powers in our house. This would be called the egun and the egungun associated with the multicolor dress outfit in the yoruban faiths. This is why Oya the Orisha of the cemetary gate is associated with the multicolor skirt, the colors of the wind and dead, besides her brown-red-purple burgundy and the multicolor stripe skirt of the Palera. 9 is moreso associated with the dead and her number. And we use 9 color bandanas on our white table to the dead, 7 on the divisional table to the Lwa. I have seen one lineage use the 7 color 7 bead necklace sequence for the misterios or Jefe Lwa that a emmisario or messanger dead of the Lwa, but we personally do not do this, and have our own way of making a bead necklace for a misterio, but this is not traditional, nor receiving an eleke as they do with Orisha. In Haiti some hounfort do have necklaces which belong to the temple with a specific number of beads to represent all the misterio for the Mambo or Houngan, or made for a Hounsi if it is known the misterio they are under.

                                                       Oya –by Susan Matthews

Egun dancing masks, Benin, by Susan Carlslund

The just judge image is used for folk magic such as hoodoo in justice or court case work, usually in a multiple odd number of novena candles. The just judge is Jesus in the protestant tradition, or Yaweh as they are not polytheist as the judge of mankind, or at least the judaic followers. But it is also a mystic glyph of the sun who is the roman glyph of sol invictus, invincible (winning), and of the bay laurel crown (corona from the sun) of success and victory. Jesus's death signified victory over death as soul everlasting, as well as the justice of a new deal over old testament and Mosiac law. As lady justice has been blinded, many turn to court case work to get a fair trial, for forgiveness, against enemies (as the old guard god of vengence), protection from enemies, or a positive legal outcome. Psalm 94 is sometimes used.

This image and story contains many secrets held within the magical qaballah and hermeticism, and of the numbers, 7, 8 and the dead and solar mysteries.

Of course there are many different Jesus images, as there are fewer than the assorted Mary's used to represent the higher misterios of the Lwa and Orisha. The crucified Jesus may be use to represent Ogun of war and blacksmith god of making the nails and sacrifice, justice and progress,or Olofi incarnated god, the thorn crowned as power of god as mars, the one of good hope or esperanza as Torolisa the bull Lwa, and the sacred heart as Gran Solier sun Lwa.

The 7 saints usually picture around this is:

• Saint John the Baptist.
• Virgin of Regla.
• Saint John the Baptist.
• Saint Martin of Porres.
• Saint Joseph of Arimathea
• Jesus Christ on the Cross.
• Lady of Mercy.
• Saint Barbara.
• Lady of Charity of Cobre
•  The saints are not the Orisha, Lwa, nor the dead guides in question, and saints are used as such in a religious or catholic folk witchcraft, or modern hoodoo sense. As the saints were also not originally in hoodoo, added in since the 1970's. Just Judge, Jesus was used in the protestant sect.

There are many prayers you can use for the just judge. This prayer is from the book:
 New Revised Helping Yourself With Selected Prayers:

Oh Just and Holy Judge, Blessed Son of the Virgin Mary, let my body be calm and my blood be washed so that wherever I may go, the hands of my Lord Jesus Christ be in front of me. That of St. Andrew before and after me. St. Peter's in the back and the middle. Those of the Virgin Mary, that my enemies may come and go with eyes but without seeing me, with arms but without hurting me, and that justice may not apprehend me. That my body be covered with the cloth that covered Jesus Christ's body, that I may not be hurt, or dead, or incarcerated. Oh Virgin Mary, this prayer I say for good or evil that my enemies hold against me. If any sentence be in this day against me, let it be revoked by the blessings of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen

During spiritualist misas, just judge prayers and chantry or mass for the souls of the dead are done to the just judge and especially around the day of the dead, after funerals for their benefit, and souls in purgatory.

 I hope that this clears up the issue and should not discourage you, but encourage you to find out who your spirit guides are, inform your practice, and further your learning. Use this information to evaluate correct resources and teachers, who should actually be in the tradition you are learning about.

Sancista +++++++

The boveda, mesa blanca & The tableau espirituale: Part 2 How to set up the white table

What you will see at a misa, which translates from spanish to mean mass, in a folk seance, is:
 a simple clean white tablecloth on a small table covering the legs that touches the floor. On this table is usually placed a water glass (tap water only) with a metal crucifix inserted, white flowers and white candles along with Allan Kardec's book of selected prayers.

A very simple boveda ancestral altar at home, is like the misa table, which likely also contains pictures and items belonging to loved passed family members. In Sanse they can be a bit more elaborate as we add ours spirit guides, non bloodline dead and more correctly call it a tableau espirituale: a spiritual table.

While one cannot be instructed to hold a misa as a solitary or  untrained community, basic steps can be taken at a home practice.

The white table must be kept uncluttered and as absolutely clean as possible, the water refreshed at least once a week, and when they get cloudy or dirty, whenever flowers begin to wilt they are removed. The table cloth should be laundered at least once to twice a month, or when it begins to get dirty with wax and ash. Monday is the usual day to attend your altar, but as long as you remember once a week. It is not for people who cannot maintain this responsibility. It is a "golden door to the abyss" as I have read, and guidance is recommended, but if you can follow these guidelines you should be OK. Please read part 1 if you have not already.

It usually is kept in a front or a back room, avoid the bedroom as you want restful sleep, or place a screen in front of it as no business, loud conversations, or eating is done in front of it, nudity or sex. You can also cover it with a white sheet.

A closet is not ideal as it is unsafe to have clothing close to candles burning. It is good if you can have sunlight upon it and not in a dark forgotten place.

Before the table is set your spirits should be lifted by a misa, paying for a Catholic mass for the dead (about $15 at a church, or by raising them up with prayers of elevation for 9 days).
You start by using bricks or books from the floor raising the waterglass in height each day, or from the floor to a chair to a dining table to the kitchen counter to the top of fridge etc to higher ground in your house, symbolizing them rising in power, and purifying in light). The last glass needs to be placed higher than your head. Then a glass for the ancestors or a specific ancestor that you are transitioning who passed, if longer than 1 year, can be placed on the table.

The table should not be used, it should be new or from a family member only. The table is cleansed mundanely, both sides and leg with soapy water, and then spiritually with a cologne or rum and smudge such as I use a cigar and florida water on the surface and under the table. A prayer of cleansing and consecration ie dedication is done over the table before the cloth is placed. You can make this up or use the prayer provided. You can bless the table with a gently water cleansed basil leaf bunch by dragging a cross upon the table. You can also mark the 4 corners in this manner if desired.

I wrote this prayer formula, but you can use one from another source which meets the criteria of cleansing and dedication of the altar to specified spirits:

I dedicate this altar to *(the most high god, el santismo), my good helping ancestors and my spiritual guides responsible for my spiritual elevation and progress to be a meeting place of power and peace. I call your names *( ….. or known and unknown) (ancestors who are a positive influence in my life, who guide yet support my choices, and guides known and unknown) to bless and guard this table and myself. I purify this table with (holy smoke of the messenger tobaku, and floral essence, the power of basil etc). I ask for your blessings. I honor, listen, and give thanks for your assistance, light and wisdom. Speak and guide me, I call you always.

*(can say great spirit, papa Bonnye as in my branch of voudou or Bon Dye, the congo: Nsambi, Papa Bon Dios, Toponderosa, father sky and mother earth, whoever you see as the ultimate divine source God and is your spiritual path)

*(list all known keep a book and ask your family members for history and research, you can call them when you do your ancestral prayer. You can keep a list of names or just surnames on the altar if you wish).

Originally the african ancestral altar as far as is remembered to be taught is a stick of the dead, called a palo de muerto, or baston de muerto in Sanse, egun (of the dead proper) stick or bakulu stick depending on african religion. You can get one prepared by an initiate, as they are usually sacrificed over in Palo or Santeria/Ocha/Lucumi. In Lucumi they also have a terracotta or clay roof tile that can be recieved as part of the egun. Sometimes a pile of rocks or a smooth ovoid river rock was used with or without the stick upon an earthen floor or outside where water or libations could be poured upon the ground and a boundary marked with cascarilla chalk.  This would be tapped 9 times on the earth to waken or notify the dead to get their attention. I know in Haiti they sometimes use a stone altar called a Pe along with a water glass. Since people started living in cities they would keep the staff in bathrooms, along with marigolds. The pipes were believed to lead into the earth, and so as well clogged pipes is to be avoided or cleansed as possibly malignant or stagnant energies of the dead. Some will dispose of the altar water outside upon the ground, but down the drain is personally acceptable to me as well.

Symbols of items, and other items which can be placed

The one water glass with cold tap water below the brim: All, spirit, god, the great spirit. Your ancestors will have to share this cup, until your spirit court and guides be investigated in a misa. You could use 3 cups one for maternal one for paternal ancestors and one for God and other spirits. Then you will dedicate the other number of cups to classes, commissions or specific cultural lines of dead that you have, including ancestors of past lives. You need to lift this cup up and dedicate it to "God", and all your good, helping ancestors, willing to support your life choices, and be a positive, healthy influence in your life. The cup must be dedicated, because it is a portal, a vessel like a body for them, and not for random spirits. The number of cups used besides the main one which is the largest usually, will depend on your tradition. We use 9 small and one big, as I was taught to count the glasses around the big one. The number may indicate a particular misterio such as an Orisha you or the group is under if practiced the Cuban way. You will use these other glasses for communication and when you know your spirit court.

The other cups can be placed in different patterns to indicate to the spirits your spiritual needs such as defense or elevation. The one cup or rest position is of peace and a normal defense. Water represents life, juxtaposed with the realm or sea of the dead, and the bubbles within as presence as spiritual gasses or fluids. The water purifies, cools them, and quenches their thirst. You may see the water drastically evaporate even not in the summer months as they drink. I will do a blog post on how to read the water glass and candles in an upcoming post. In this glass a sprig of basil, ceiba, mint, or rosemary or choice of fresh herb can be placed, but the water will likely need cleansing more frequently. The glass should be clear, round, with or without a stem, with no markings or etchings on it.

When the METAL crucifix is within it is the active or ON position when you are working or just need their added presence. You may otherwise place this beside or balanced on the top of the glass. It represents light, life, protection, the intersection of matter and spirit, the world tree and as the poto mitan, axis mundi or palo majeur as the dead come up the roots, the 4 directions or winds, an as an antennae for frequency.

The flowers are fresh and give life. Blessings are conveyed within the petals, if used before wilting in a spiritual bath. Yellow flowers may be acceptable, but preferably white. You can use these for cleansing, or cross them over your body before setting them down. If you cleanse yourself with the flowers or watercup, you should not use it for a spiritual bath later.

White candle: energy like the food which is given. Heat, warmth, elevation in terms of spiritual expansion and progress and light to help them see in darkness and guide their way to the table. It should be placed near the main water glass, and you may place more than one.

The food should also be dedicated to your ancestors welcome to the table or a specific dead. So no hungry random ghosts to eat at your table. Do not give them too much alcohol or food, once a week is enough. In the beginning you may feel candles or food are needed more frequently to help them elevate and progress to a steady place and relationship with you. People usually place this on the floor in front of the altar or on a chair beside. Food can be made the sign of the cross over your body before setting it down, or hold it up to your head or lips, heart then abdomen first.

You can give them tobacco if they smoked, make sure there is a lighter or matches, and you can light cigars, and blow it over food offerings or items to cleanse. Many keep a clean ashtray. You may give them money as a form of energetic currency they can use, which exponentially is worth more on the other side. You can spray the table with perfume, especially healing balms or as a calming influence such as with rose or violet. Florida water is used but you should be aware it can be two handed and manifest both good and bad thoughts ass well as being highly flammable. Pompeya lotion is a more positive and feminine cologne, but I prefer the smell of florida water. Holy water is often kept, but I have a secret procurement. This should not be bought, but can be obtained via donation at a catholic church font.

A bell with help to alert them and raise and break up stagnant energies, this is rung in a cross to open the table or just to notify and balance the energies with a participant under spiritual influence. I will address how to open and work the table next post.

A bowl of blue water is often kept on the floor in a white or clear bowl. This is tap water with laundry bluing such as liquid mrs stewarts brand, bluette, reckitts squares or hoodoo blueballs. Added to this is what suits your psychic fancy at the time, usually a cologne. You can also add white flower petals, cascarilla, holy water, essential oils. Cascarilla represents the white clay layer in Africa representing ancestors, also called efun or pemba. This clean good smelling bowl repels negative dead spirits which rise from the floor. Sometimes a candle is placed therein, as it is protected and designated for good spirits.This bowl of water is often prepared before misa for cleansing participants, or for spiritually cleansing yourself, which you should do in some manner at least once a week on approach.

Do not approach the altar when in a bad mood or swear in front of it as they are a mirror for us, and will attract like spirits and color their manifestations. You can of course confide in them your difficulties and speak as they were there as in life, ask for help, clarity and guidance.

A divinatory item which is cleansed frequently can be used here. This is not used as a crutch but as an addition to mediumship, felt often in the body or other "psychic" senses.

Jewelry you intend to wear, to have their influence upon it as a charged protection such as a cross necklace, evil eye or hamsa, azabache etc

Sharing the altar is only recommended in a family situation or when a couple is good as or married. There must be kept flowers to divide the two sides , along with other items such as the tools in the middle and both responsible for maintaining their side as well as refreshing the table or it will provoke fights in the house. The feeling on the table should be one of peace.

Things NOT to put on it:
Dark colors: black and brown are associated with the more earthbound malevolent dead. Some people also have taboo against red due to the hot or aggressive nature it implies. Keep mostly everything white. Some gold preferably or silver is also acceptable. Try to dress in loose white clothing with shoes off or at least a white shirt when approaching.
Dead or dried flowers
Do not leave food more than 24 hours, drinks can stay a bit longer
Do not give rotten food or anything you would not personally eat, unless it is a type of food preference a specific family member ate in life that you just do not like.
Salt: personal opinion is that it repels dead, or keeps their vibrations lower "trap" unless used for infestation in a house, do not worry about occurring  sodium in products but do not add more to food.
Do not place spellwork here, or anything of negative witchcraft or sorcery as it will impede their and your spiritual progress, being linked. The ancestors are not used for this. You can write petitions or on a novena candle for blessings.
Anyone living lest they join the dead early
Anyone dead known to cause you problems in life, who was/is troubled, including victims of violence and suicides, as well as quasi intentional drug overdoses. These cases should be handled with guidance and investigated by someone who is trained to navigate the situation.
Anyone who has not been dead longer than a year. Usually the guideline is to give them their spiritual sendoff and elevation, then give a period of rest.
Cages: I know this sounds funny but I saw someone untrained do it because they thought the closed birdcage looked pretty. This goes against liberation and progress principles as a symbol.
Anything that does not serve a specific function or need to be there, purer, cleaner, simpler the better
NO gods, no loases/Lwa Orisha, no Ghede, no saints or too many religious items. The religious items used have a metaphoric or dual purpose, and not all your ancestors or dead were christian going back to the beginning of the human race. IF saints are used we only use very specific ones as a principle of light or for very specific reasons such as St Claire or saints coded as a representation of the centinela, the main spirit guide. A rosary, a bible usually placed face down is OK, as they can be dedicated to a specific family member, or such as I have a spirit guided who is a nun who takes these, and are used in ceremony or as a symbol of prayer. Prayer books are OK.
Clutter: simple and clean as possible will promote clarity.
Advanced:
An initiated Sancista will also place around their spirit guides and paraphernalia with the other water glasses, although one who is only an espiritista will generally keep the dolls or statues separate as in the Cuban way. The Cuban way also keeps separate any dead who is not of your immediate bloodline, but in Sanse we allow passed friends, or other personal venerated dead such as passed spiritual teachers to be placed in a specific organizational method.

We will often pin 9 different colored panuelos, bandanas or cloths to the front edge, as the number and spectrum of classes of the dead spirit guides we acknowledge.

You may also see a monstrance, which can be of several designs, representing the sun or light, catholic transmutation of spiritual alchemy or enlightened flesh. Mine has a cup, the bread wafer Eucharist light/earth/body descending into it, and a solar halo around it, and is golden in color. The monstrance is not necessary. Some do not add a cross but critics say there will be a lack of light.

If there are any questions or if I have left anything out please comment or send me a message.

Next blog posts Part 3: How to approach or open and basic guide to work the altar
Part 4 How to read the water glass and novena candle
Part 5 How to do a basic ancestor bath to connect to them and spiritual cleansing

The spirit guides & commissions

Spirit guides are discovered usually in person through seance sessions or folk spiritist misa or misa investigation with several experienced mediums. One can at times see a guide standing next to a person, or be able to communicate with them using cards to start to look into your spirit court, called a cuadro in spanish or your spiritual frame energetic makeup. This can take some time to shape up, but the main ones should come across first or as directed by your main spirit guide, called the centinela or guardian. This spirit is the gatekeeper and boss of the rest of your court. This is not the guardian angel that is the title we use for a person's head spirit higher misterio such as a Lwa. We can have negative or positive links to spirits called cadenas or chains. Spirit guides are contracted to help us for their own elevation and are elevated spirits free from the need to incarnate. We may have past lives links to them, but they are most not likely ancestors, but may have ancestral connections. Spirit lines and court are not by your current race, but this may also be reflected in some of your spirits.

The spirit guides are not angels. They are not folk saints, or anyone who died that you knew in life.
 You may have some idea of who they are, but the way to work this tradition is to be open minded about how you are read, or you can be wrong about the spirits who are your main guides. Not everyone will have a certain class of spirits or commission, and the spirits can be in more than one class but will settle or identify where they want to be identified or placed, such as if they are mixed occupations or races. For example you may think you have a madama spirit, but maybe she really is a conga. Do not be overly attached to the spirits you think or want to have, because it will make you strongest to work your spiritual frame which can be weakened by not working on this relationship. They are all individual dead humans and people will not have the same one. We say that there are 21 commissions of spirits as it is an important number, along with 3,7 and 9 in the diaspora. But really there are infinite types and courts of spirits, but these are the most common in puerto rican espiritismo.

1) Shamans, brujos/witches, herb workers/curanderos/conjurerers, spirit and spiritual workers
A broad category which can encompass many cultures, usually denotes an indigenous knowledge such as the indian or indios from several tribes, but not always. The spiritualists. Responsible for mediumship, herbal knowledge and healing, visions, dreams, omens, magic.

2) Gypsy commission: Romani people, gyspy jews, spanish gypsy, eastern european. Gypsies travel around a lot and may be any number of nationality therefore. Known for assisting card readers, divination such as skrying or palm reading, dance, music, flirtation and glamour. Have their own systems of folk magic. May have interest in horse training as they had caravans.

3) Madamas: known incorrectly as one being La madama, these were the house caretakers and mammies who took care of the children, and were house servants or slaves. They could be cooks, or have indigenous knowledge of herbs for healing when the family was sick. They may still practice their african religion in the forest at night. They range from a mixed creole to very black color, but technically a caucasian spirit can still be a madama. A male madamo can be a butler, stable keeper, garden or groundskeeper etc. This is a very popular commission and I will do a separate entry about them at another time. Again not everyone has one and they do not belong to Santeria or Hoodoo. Can have public or partial names such as Negra Thomasa or Negro Jose.

Taken from the occult consultancy blog


4) Pirates and Mariners, Sailors, Vikings, Fisherman, Buccaneers. Pirates and Vikings are very aggressive for the most part and may include criminal behavior. I have heard of one wild west outlaw identify as a land pirate. May identify with or served under famous names. Can be like robin hood figures or freedom fighters. Associated with the mysteries of the seas, lost souls and abundance.

5) Indians, Native Americans, Caribbean indigenous, South American Indigenous, First Nations Tribes, Aboriginal. Chiefs and Chieftess
Puerto Rican Taino Tribe and Arawak speaking peoples are very important here. Local spirits of the land where you are born or live. Usually referring to pre-columbian people in the new world. Patience, peace, warfare, justice, knowledge of their ways, tracking or searching. Work with animals, plants such as tobacco.

6) Orientals and Asians
Chinese, Japanese, etc Samurai, Buddhists, Shinto, Daoists, Tibetans, Traditional Chinese Medicine, herbal tea and energy workers, meditation, i-ching divination, Mathematics, Astrology, Martial arts. Generally happy and peace loving good for luck, money and business, love. Love citrus oranges type fruits.

7) Arabians
Work with Djinn, Astrology, Mathematics, elementals, ceremonial magic, Muslims, Persians, Middle eastern philosophy. They work oil lamps.

8) Medicas, Doctors, Leaf doctors, curanderos, Healers, Nurses, Paramedics, surgeons, Herbal teas, cures. May include faith healers, nuns, knights hospitalliers, midwives

9) Congos, Palero/as, Myomberos, Angolan Sorcerors or witches, royal Lisa heritage and/or slaves. Went to many areas in the new world such as Hispanola or Brazil. Pa Jose, Pa and Ma Francisco and Francisca, but they may also fit in africana commision. Francisca does not like to work without her husband kept by her side. A Madama may be a congo, but not every congo is a madama. They work necromancy, black magick and breaking negative conditions, protections, healing. They love to work and can be very loud and firey, thus easy to hear like the madamas.

10) Saints, Santos
More common if you are Catholic and this can be named in confirmation, or practice modern Hoodoo, but not necessarily. The are canonized elevated dead. Some see saints on the level of Lwa, and keep them on the divisional table instead. They may also be folk saints, which depending on their tradition, energy makeup (example the dead San Simon or Santisma Muerte) and request may be kept on the ground or on a separate place on their own. They belong to another culture other than Sanse or Puerto Rico but can come through spiritism. (Example Venezuelan Jose Gregorio Hernandez The Doctor is more of a Medica). The saints can be contacted by anybody but the relationship differs to you as a personal spirit. They may be associated with a birth date or occupation.

11) Hindu
Vedic, may practice Hinduism and be polytheist and have their own religion and these gods.

12) Angels
Same relationship as saint. Many are confused as angels and saints can be used as the face or cover for other spirits. And people may think they have or work with these other indigenous spirits but using the saint or angel image are actually just working with the saint or angel, or a random dead who takes the function or deceives. Catholic voudouisants will honor the guardian angels on their feast dates.

13) Slaves, Esclavos
Negro Felipe, Negro Jose can possibly fit in this category.
They identify more with their capture or abuse and struggle and can be freedom fighters and liberators or chain evil. They represent courage, patience, and the ability to overcome obstacles and sacrifice.They can come across aggressive, at least at first. They can be any race.

14) Children or infants
May have died at a young age. May have adult intelligence. They may like parent figures and can be mischievous but also protective. Work with higher misteries like nino de atocha, Legba, Marassa, nino divino, the promised sun child. When people have children spirits they seem to have more than one or can attract other playmates.

15) Anima Solas
Lonely earthbound or purgatorial souls, can be good, neutral or evil. Need to be assisted and elevated. Useful or necessary. Juan minero, trapped miners, tommy knockers. Desperate and willing to do anything. Usually given nothing more than water and candles to help them with light and quench their suffering and thirst, while purifying and cleansing. They may have to be dealt with separately than your white table in the beginning. They can be cooled with glasses of ice, and holy water.

16) Liberators and Freedom fighters
Military, Militia, Academics, people who took a stand. Founding fathers, justice, fight for rights and against false imprisonment such as good judges, pro bono lawyers or liberate from disease.

17) Vagabonds and Bohemians
Writers,scribes, musicians, artists, librarians, teachers, poets, free spirits, hippies. Can help with inspiration.

18) Heroes and Leaders
Cultural heroes, folk lore legendary myths and heroes. Military figures, may be famous or historical figures or tied to past events. Aid in battle, courage, justice, liberation. Lead movements or spiritual groups.

19) Africanas
West africans, voudouisants, houngans, mambos, papa boko and mama mambos. Yorubans who work with Orisha and Ifa or lucumi, santero/as and babalwo. A general category which does not include congo for the most part. They may show characteristic or use the same colors of their misterios they worked with still as in life.

20) Elementals
We view them as earth and land spirits, indigenous, under Baron Samedi, ceremonial magic, the fae, can be either gender, genderless or have different vast forms. They are associated with the 4 winds, 4 directions or corners or coasts of a place or a map and the cross.

21) Juans and Marias, a varied commision. Tobacco workers such as Juan del Tobacco, and can work for court cases. A very general list as slaves were given christian names. Juan Indio, Juan Negro cross many commissions. They are teachers who kept secret their lineages and cultural ways. I have not had much contact with them but some may be creole part spaniards and like crossroads spirits.

Another common commission are the priests, monks and nuns monejas
They help with mystic christianity, revelation, prophecy, prayer, protection, cleansing and working with the bible. They are usually though not always more european based or spanish.They are stern, spartan, watchful, and do not work "pagan ways", but can be more open minded than you would think.They may be difficult to placate or try to block your other spirits, and usually must give them rosaries and/or a bible, holy water.

Spanish spirits such as the Hispanola line are seen sometimes as flamenco dancers. Many confuse these with gypsies.

Each commission and individual has their own color combination such as the candle or bandana used, or may wear the color of a higher spirit they serve as emmisaries or messangers and priest/esses.
Each commission has general offerings they like in common, but as they are individual dead humans they will direct you to the items they want that they like or need to work for you.

A water glass on the boveda is dedicated to them, or one is placed nearby for them. Some may sit on the white table, other on either side, usually the congos to the left, and indios to the right are kept seperate. Some such as the madamas and africanas may desire a wicker or branch chair to sit on beside the table. Food is usually placed on the floor or on these chairs. As discussed in setting up the ancestral altar, the Cubans keep a seperate tableau espiritual for the guides than the ancestors.

We do not venerate to pray to the guides. There are prayers and songs but these are used for evocation and for asking for protection and guidance. They are respected and given honor but not worshipped. We can ask them to pray for us and pray to higher spirits or god for their elevation and assistance. Other people can give thanks to your spirits such as in your household but not on a continued basis as they have their own guides to pay attention to that will better benefit them.

Their dolls or statues are prepared as the spirit desires. For example La madama may want a cloth doll or a particular ceramic statue prepared. An indian may want a ceramic statue or carved from wood. They are packed with secret recipe mysteries or small pot beside them. Their desires are made known through spiritualism and sessions. A connection is forged by in the relationship working with them and in the crowning ceremony in espiritismo.

Most of this information comes from my godparents teachings and personal experiences. However the public list of commission builds on the list from Sancista Brujo Luis blog, even though our Sance has slighty different rama which you will find house to house.