Karma and justice in the ATRs

Rampant in facebook groups is people casting all kinds of witchcraft on other people who don't believe that anything bad will happen to them as a result of their actions.

Firstly lets have an accurate definition as I understand it in the EAST: karma is a result in your life based on your actions and whether you are following your dharma: your duty and spiritual path. If you are off your spiritual path and destiny, karma can result good or bad things can happen to pull you back to your orientation. Its not as pat as do bad things bad things will happen, but it can sum it up in general. Some people need something nice to happen or they become more hardened and cruel only knowing suffering and never hope or kindness. Other people need a foot up their ass.

Even if we do not have karma, x3 etc in African traditions does not mean there is not cause and effect, some people call that karma: punishments or negativity in your life that can happen based on your own energy and actions. I think people do not like the idea of centralized power of a vengeful Judaic God, so they reject the notion of consequences for your actions.

I am not talking morally grey area, like if one does a spell which disadvantages others, nor to those who believe in moral ambiguity who are lost. Lets see what happens when someone comes for you or your family or someone you care about. I'm also talking about harming someone innocent for pettiness or completely selfish reasons. I'm talking about harming people's children for example.

Negative actions can be considered just without consequence, "right" to do for protection, when people oppress you, however other solutions must be explored, and sometimes cleansing and continuing to be in the grace of God is the best choice to keep it moving. Keep in purity is protection kind of like a teflon aura. A dirty hand cannot make another hand clean. One hand washes the other is a proverb often cited in the ATRs for cooperation and in keeping spiritually clean. You can cleanse yourself but still have to answer in your heart, you can cleanse yourself, but it doesn't rinse out a bad mind or head. There needs to be some self reflection.

Your protective spirits got you. It warns against unclean spirits in the New Testament.This choice will reward you with other gifts and spiritual boons as you are owed a debt. Jesus said "has thou received recompense"....what reward do you choose?

In terms of spiritual protection it is generally believed in these traditions that the innocent party will likely come out on top in a witch war even as a slightly weaker practitioner, and especially if they did not throw witchcraft first. That is all the justification a normally chill practitioner would need to hex you back. Even reversals are tricky if the other person can pick up on what you did. People ask how to hide their work and the answer is there are tricks but nothing is 100 percent fail proof. A skilled diviner can still find you or reverse back your witchcraft and a taste of your own bad medicine.
People can hire other people also to defend them who cannot defend themself, more than you bargained for.

Maybe they just keep cleansing and breaking your work, and in your paranoia or lack or results keep obsessively spending more time and money. Many people underestimate their opponent.
Now you are engaged in a co$tly in time and effort, and in losses, drawn out back and forth or stalemate if you didn't get your ass handed to you at once. Time you could have and money spent on getting ahead and enjoyment.
Strong practitioners can come out on top who are unjustified, but will suffer directly or in other areas indirectly, eventually.

In Ifa lineages of Nigeria and Ocha in Cuba/Santeria, there is the concept of Iwa Pele that some translate as good character but actually some say is gentle character from wisdom. This is being in alignment with the power of ancestors and the Orisha beneficial spirits. These good spirits protect you. 

There are bad spirits known as osogbo who are the bad things in life the opposite of blessings. They hang out together: witchcraft/evil magic, war, gossip, false imprisonment, disease, poverty, untimely death etc and are invited into your life.
Ellegua also opens and closes the gates to the osogbo spirits of misfortune. People abusing these traditions meet an ugly end. What holds back these osogbo in the folk stories is humility and charity (love for fellow man or sympathy towards these spirits as appeasement). However charity to this end, with hate in your heart, is only a temporary stopgap measure. Negative spirits give bad thoughts, cloud the mind, provoke and thrive in unhappiness anger and fear, create evil suggestions and inspiration.

You go against your good/ancestors and moral spirits you got to answer to them. Ashe or personal power comes to us by being in accordance with the spirits. You would have to be spiritually deaf or willfully ignorant to never hear your spirits advise against something, never ask for counsel, or ignore these advices at times. You know that voice in your conscious thats often times your main spirit guide to do the right thing. This connection weakens and they step back when we distance ourself and disrespect our ancestors living in disgrace.

Spirits of justice such as the Iyami are said to be "witch mothers" of which a path of Oshun is a part of, they mete out justice and punishments to those who abuse their power. A bunch of avenging pissed off mommy bears but they are bird women. Like the siren, the harpy, the vulture and owl figures prominently as primordial forces.

People approach spirits like St Michael who is known for God's justice and against evil. Spirits of Justice like Ogun do things in their own time they are concerned with, not just because a human asks to enact justice. People think they can then go to these beings for their own motivations with no consequence?
The fiery aggressive Vodou Petro Lwa reason of coming into existance was to combat slavery and oppression in the name of freedom. For Example the Lwa Dantor protects children and doesn't like a bully. We are the children as the result of our ancestors. "the slave master dies at the hands of the slaves" "live by the sword die by the sword" clarifying proverbs.....

When we appeal to spirits to help us they are using their divine powers. They help us out of mercy, love, charity and not just reciprocity as they cannot be bought. As many songs in the traditions of Es piritismo and Vodou in spanish ask for the mercy "misericordia" from the Lwa or elevated spirits to alleviate our suffering. The balance is to provide them with gratitude and energy to fulfill their mission, but also to do charity for others, often in their name or at their request. This is part of the relationship held with saints etc, but also in the traditions religiousity, as many forget its not strictly witchcraft. These traditions are also concerned with self improvement towards our own spiritual progress as a decent person. Charachter is seen as wise and noble rarely stooping to a lower gutter level or to dirty ourself and our crowns shine. This is seen in Ocha and Vodou that we crown and baptise our spirits on our head, and the ceremony is much like a coronation of royalty.

In Vodou and Quimbanda spirits such as certain Exu and the Ghede are tasked with recruiting unclaimed radical dead, often malevolent people, into service to work until they have paid their debt towards spiritual progress. In this regard they are like the priests of the dead. They would otherwise not have veneration to empower them. The slavery or servitude can exist between us and the spiritual realm and has consequences for how the contracts or spiritual vows and initiations are upheld following our death. Not much can be said about it, but an example is between the Nfumbe spirit of the dead and the Palero/a in Mayombe, Congo derived Cuban tradition. How the Palero/a chooses to use the spirit dependant on them, they have to answer for in my understanding.

This spiritual progress is also seen in spiritualism and their philosophy into working with the dead in Caribbean spiritism and all over the world with mediumistic seance traditions. Our destination after death and ancestral status depends on our life lived. We do not regress but we can suffer as a result of re- incarnations and as a spirit. There is a whole group of suffering tormented dead the anima solas and intranquil spirits. These mechanisms give a system of justice and mercy even if there is no "hell" the closest we can say is trapped, ceasing to exist and purgatory as the closest. Besides hell on earth being a physical human reincarnating over and over in this realm in a spiritual quarantine and short sightedness.

It is considered the imbalance which must swing of scales and certain spiritual laws. The archetype of lady justice, Venus, Libra, goddesses such as the Greek Themis and the laws of the egyptian Ma'at and Anubis of truth order and justice against chaos. The pendulum must swing the other way, or "chickens come back to roost". The imbalance is what leads to the tree of death or evil, the qlipoth in western systems away from truth, light, blessings, mercy and life into the obscurity of shadows.

This is not judgment necessarily but exposing truth against illusions as in the tarot. Linked with judgement card as it relates to the dead, and temperance as it comes to personal qualities of prudence and ascension. Those sagittareus arrows upwards of truth and justice, alchemy, light and fire. There are many spirit guides and hunters like of Indios with their arrows of truth and justice, spirits such as Ochosi or Watariamba and deities like Artemis.

Look at the tarot cards of the 2's of cups: love/union of swords mental balance of coins change, wands of worldview and plan of action.

Often these people espose free will for themself, and equality, but these are related.

Imbalances create spiritual blockages and illness. First there would be a need to have enough awareness when bad stuff happens that you could have messed up via magic or spiritually. Without any awareness you fail, there is no perfection and continue to have a messed up life with no responsibility. In ignorance these people often are playing around with volatile forces that can burn them. In a lack of spiritual hygiene and ego they often mess themself up.

If you believe you are guilty it is somewhat correct that is why punishment is attracted to your life ( a self fulfiiling prophecy or manifestation/command/program), but not the only consideration. This is a European western view from chaos and ceremonial magic being applied onto African traditions. That "Everything is mind and controlled in an individuals mind" becomes the antithesis to tribal community religion and the good of society vs sociopaths. This false sense of control lends no accountability in working with real spirits who are not thoughtforms or just archetypes.

People who believe there is no spiritual authority or nothing greater than themselves are under delusion. Firstly these are monotheistic practices, and God's law is justice, truth and love or they "God" are a liar. not a good God This power is even more concretely evident when these same people use biblical versus and prayers in hoodoo. Yes largely symbolic but others placing themself under and calling deities authority to command spirits who enact certain principles People who believe that they themself are the ultimate God, because they have no faith, an inherent component in these traditions. They have humongous ego and lack humility which blinds them spiritually. This lack of clarity muddies visions, discernment of spirits who flatter them, intelligence and spiritual gifts or insights. Spiritual guides begin to distance themself as we do not listen to good advices and good spirits.

This hubris is now the cause of the "karma" effect. Because there is the belief in lack of accountability, there is no need to enact protections (as the self as ultimate power) nor do cleansing. People wallow in all kinds of spiritual stench, and this negativity begins to physically manifest into bad situations, bad health, blockages etc.  
Never doing the math, never having spiritual faith as it lacks convenience.

People conveniently forget the hermetic laws despite using it as karmic excuse. Correspondences, resonances, like attraction, similarity, vibration. Alot of people keep negative work in their house and invite negative beings around themself and feel negative. Some desperate for anything to happen not taking things seriously.
These negative beings can be vampiric.
What is sad is that innocent bystanders can get hit such as relatives, children, and pets.

People cast spells on people who have spiritual protection and guardian spirits and strong ancestors who will come back and teach you a lesson. People who don't know what they are doing, in their ignorance get their hands slapped.

Fail safes

In the end people will continue to blunder around, but there is a fail safe called godparents, mentors and keepers of sacred spiritual technology. Don't teach people things that can really damage someone else if they are shitheads or if they are at fault. Thankfully secrets still exist, as I see what people are posting about to harm others, it is of no concern for the most part. Mostly negative emotional energy being used. They will slow on their spiritual progress not knowing how to reverse or resolve these conditions.

The other fail safe is they are likely to torpedo their own life in general ignorance. Creating and practicing things with little insight, can be dangerous. Unintentionally hexing themself. And NO intention is not everything. You spread hotfoot mixed with goofer dust all over your house against an enemy by accident on your enemy candle spell that can backfire.
People using their own blood and ancestors to do evil end up shooting themself in the foot as it ties themself and bloodline to the negativity and work!
They mess with the dead, demonic spirits and entities who are not having it and turn around and attack them instead.
Working with just one type of energy also can throw a person into imbalances. ie left versus right hand and not the middle path or pillar as a strong internal balanced tree or universe. Each planet, emotion or energy has a resonance with organs in our body. I have seen people who consider themself experienced witches only work with dark goddesses, lunar and earth energy have all kinds of health problems, as they ignore the male life force giving solar energies.

And finally that they can't control themself, are reactive, impulsive and are easily swayed and tossed around as a lightweight opponent with no stability or strategy. Their mind and emotions are unable to come into alignment. which is part of the Orisha known as Ori their head linked with destiny and Iwa pele. To control themself is to mature in honesty, to have moderation, work on themself as a human being and on their personality. Discipline focus and control and knowing the self, the self awareness which has not been mastered, the self they raise above all.

Is there no consequence: No, is there karma: not exactly what you might call it......
This article will never convince evil people but to inform more about the views in these traditions as I understand them, and to console and stregthen your resolve of those undergoing trials.

Sancista 7 Crossroads

Notes about cleansings and spiritual baths

Spiritual cleansing is very important in our traditions, and underplayed in the rest of the occult world.
It also can be overemphasized as a cleansing may not solve all problems or issues.
It is the best way to be proactive in keeping negative energy and entities off you.

A reading may be required to look at the origin of the problem. A uncrossing, a road opening or larger work may be required. A regular cleansing regimen keeps the day to day negative and lower witchcraft away such as evil eye. It helps things not stick to you as easily.

To remove negativity in a spiritual bath, usually something bitter, acidic or sour is used such as bitter herbs like rue and sage, vinegar, lemons, lemongrass are used. Then after doing that a sweet bath to attract the good in is done with items like honey, oranges, mint. Condition baths also are not necessarily cleansing like a bath for money.

Like anointing a candle, baths are done by pouring neck or head down to decrease, and can be sponged up to increase. Originally this was done standing in a basin, although its called a bath, it can be done in a shower. There are certain items we do not place on the head such as abre camino (road opener), and espante muerte (false daisy or chasing the dead herb). Or even salt unless very haunted. This is because these chase away our good dead, or can open up our head where the spirits are placed, or have associated with our consciousness.

Part of preparation for house exorcism with 7 bitter herb wash

Always use fresh herbs if you can help it.

I already posted a white bath to connect with your spirits to the dead: ancestors and guides and to your head spirit or guardian angel that can be done 3, 7 or 9 days.
Removal baths should be done first for a number of days.

A good removal bath is done with 3 7 9 or 21 items and done for 1, 3, 7 or 9 days
You can use rue, hyssop and holy water or
Florida water, laundry bluing and a bitter herb such as garden sage, rue, dandelion leaf, mugwort or wormwood
A 7 or 21 bitter herb bath is also wonderful, you tear the leafs into the warm water, never boil your herbs.
Another common one is sage, basil and rue.

You are going to want to pray over the bath and put your intention and energy into it with your hands.
You are going to take a regular bath and shower and cleanse yourself in the normal way mundanely before doing the spiritual cleansing.

There are many ways to cleanse yourself besides a bath such as doing handpasses into water or fire

There are many other items you can use to cleanse yourself like egg limpia, bread or flowers in the river passed or sweeped off the body and then discarded. We use alot of water as a spiritualist tradition, and as important to african and native american cultures.
Egg Limpia:

After you cleanse you are going to want to do a sweet bath to attract love or good finances or peace for a number of days such as 3, 5 or 7

When you should cleanse yourself:

At least once a week, as a routine

During high energy times of the year, times of working with with spirit celebratory dates to cleanse and heal you.

Before and after most rituals especially when working with the dead or seances to also keep you balanced by all these incoming forces

Before and after performing healing on someone else

When you feel something negative is around you or in your life

Before or at least also after if unaware you are going into or wandering into a cemetery, haunted areas, negative ritual areas such as groups you are not 100% comfortable or familiar with, the hospital, areas where there are high crime or violence, ex jails.

After a magical attack

After or during purging negativity or disease or imbalances from your body

Before and after any black magick, if you throw mud don't be surprised if you get dirty

Before something new such as job interview or spells to increase positivity by decreasing any negativity and get you in the mindframe

Periodically cleanse your divination tools

Cleanse your home at least once a month, including door stop with incense such as copal or frankinsense and myrhh, and do your floor wash, especially before and after rituals, and your bath and shower area.

Follow me also on facebook: Sancista7crossroads, as Sancista Siete Encruzhiladas

Exorcism and controlling unwanted spirit influence

It is believed in the Catholic church, which informs many beliefs in Kardecian spiritism, that an individual may not fall under possession unless they consent to it. Of course the church believes that we are all pitiful sinners, and lays on the guilt trip that we are culpable for all our sufferings, so that these bad spirits are just the agents of our choices. To remind the reader we do not use the word possession for when we are in physical mediumship of the good spirits, of which the Catholic church believes there is no such thing, unsanctified (unapproved), of these abilities without evil influence.

One day we went into our local Catholic store. It is conveniently located, beside a dollar store, liquor store, and coffee shop. We get incense, charcoal tabs, saint cards for Lwa and other supplies here as well as small local mexican botanicas. I also got a really cool glass bottle to put my holy water in.

Anyways, one day we went in, and a young man we had not seen before, or since, was working there. He had some kind of ability and reacted to a man I was with. He knew right away there were spirits there with us who fought bad spirits. He gave us a book free, called: Freedom from deliverance. although I am unsure of the author presently, about exorcism, and said that he recommended it to many people such as Buddhists who deal with the same thing.

I read this book and it was very eye opening about what the practices were, and some were similar. Of course they state a lay person can only do certain prayers etc, and matters better left of to the church.

From watching ghost paranormal shows, it is evident of the number of failed Catholic exorcisms, and how long the process must take to get help from their system. Of course there is a psychological and mental health component as well, if it is just psychopathy arising undealt with from the subconcious. It can be a lengthy process of even years in their teachings.

(The powah of christ compels you)....from the movie: The rite


Removing spirits, how to stop physical possession must be taught for safety, as we practice physical mediumship and traffick with the dead. As priests we are protected from this as we have a spirit seated on our head of our main guide as spiritualists, and our misterio Lwa as Sancistas. They are protective of this head space and will likely kick the bad spirit out or stop them. The same is true in other african traditions, with their spirits, connected to their head in initiation ritual. Since we provide and invite a environment where spirits come in misa, we have to protect the attendees, beyond properly setting up the session. And they may come with a spirit already attached.

It would be foolish to teach exorcism outside of temple environment. However I can give a few tips, because spirits will visit anyone, regardless of being called, paid attention to or not, they will try to use mediums.

Safety & Prevention is key and number 1
Keeping clean with your behavior and up to date with your spiritual baths, clean environment and having a good working relationship with your spirit guides and clear frame. They are called to protect us.We get to know our spirits and when they are coming on, and know how to identify them and good spirits. Do not try possession untrained and unassisted. Do not work with random dead or spirits or higher spirits you think you have like Lwa, but is never confirmed. Your spirit frame links must be solid. Your priest knows your centinela: the main spirit guide name to call and help you if incapacitated. Keep your altars clean and water cups refreshed. Do not be under the influence of substances, without adequate cultural usage and protection. This opens you up to influence and lowers our control. Getting drunk at misa or ritual is a bad idea, but we do use rum and cigars as a drink, or spiritually.
2
Consent can be implied or by silence.
having a strong will, and strong force of the word NO
ask them to provide their message another way and what their issue is, why have they come
they will try to make you consent, may try to provoke fear, disarm your guard, or make pain or discomfort to submit.

There are many warning signs of impending possession such as any psychic ability or mediumship is a spirit edging closer. Clearer examples would be: physical sensations of being touched, pressure, or pulled, dizziness, cloudiness or fuzziness, temperature changes, loss of physical function and control, strange thoughts and urges or fascination.

Coming to certain rituals like a voudou Lwa service implies consent, specifically called, and they are powerful good higher spirits, who can likely do as they please. We view possession as different than being mounted by our spirits.

One espiritista I talked to believes people can be possesed without their consent. It is true one might be weak or very unaware person. But on some level of passivity, self destructiveness, or negative personal traits, this is also how consent can be given. Some will even want to hold on to these spirits, and be conflicted about letting them off.

We do not believe in my house that people can be possesed without their consent. As humans we are very powerful in unrealized potential. We have physical bodies as an advantage point in the physical world over spirits. Children, the ill, and elderly are at greater risk because they do not have as much strength, or will. Personality development is more limited as an infant to know themself, have boundaries, and can be easily manipulated. Teenagers put off sexual energy and angst, emotional energy that can be used as spiritual fluids for spirits to manifest, which is why poltergeist activity is more common.
3
body positioning: cross arms,  cross legs, remove feet from floor if on chair, sit with back against the wall on the floor in this crossed position will stop the flow of energy from being as strong. This is why we ask people do not cross their limbs at misa to get spiritual energy flowing, but also can be inhibited.
If laying in bed position yourself in a cross, praying. Turn the light on. In Vodou we will cross and uncross the person to attempt and loosening off a spirit.
Lay also the best way to breath, if you are female lay on left side, male right side will decrease activity and dreams but also nightmares.
4 prayer raise vibrations, and assistance of higher beings, strong faith in your spirits and god
If you are alone putting on the light, playing music, ringing the bell, laughter can help to break up negative stagnant energy. Although the dead can bother you during the day, it is easier during the night, at 6am or pm, 12 am or pm and 12 pm to and at 3 am to 4am. These are crossroad times and hours of manifestation during darkness. A bubble of light alone is not enough to protect you. Close down the ritual or divination session if you must. Prayer is a powerful tool, such as kardecs prayer to the obsessed, the revocation of st michael, .......our father and hail mary if thats all you can do at the moment and/or spontaneous and heartfelt. However prayer alone is not enough always, which is all kardecian spiritists can do, besides calling the guides......and all the catholic church recommends the laiety to do. As folk espiritistas we have other tools in our toolbox.
5 physical agents of cleansing or exorcism: perfumes, holy water, crucifix, herbs such as espante muerte wash, also called chasing the dead or false daisy.
cascarilla chalk applied to the body, to the feet, back of the neck, head, around white cloth around waist etc This is also why we cleanse and wear white head wraps in misa and dealing with the unknown dead as a spiritual layer of protection.
6 physically restraining them, binding and dominating them. This I recommend only a group of trained priests or espiritistas attempt. We do not do this alone if it can be helped, it is foolhardy. It is easier to dominate and fool one espiritista than the combined force of a group of us with different strengths and weaknesses.

Of course again, there is much more that I cannot say here that training would provide.

Another thing I would like to add is that banishing the dead does not work. Meaning ceremonial magick of banishing pentagrams and a magickal circle alone. This is because that is a mental astral construct. The dead can go to the dream realm, and astral lunar world, but are not of there. There are backdoors into our world and from the moon realm to what can be understood as the underworld. Yes the astral also contains a mixture of emotional energy as well as mental, but the dead are much more physical, retaining a perispirit matrix body of personality of energetic matter, even if the soul has moved on. The banishing ritual also called the LBRP or lesser banshing ritual of the pentagram,in which the pentagram of earth is usually used, are designed against astral spirits such as the goetia, thoughtforms, rogue elementals etc and to balance energy for a neutral space, depending. These astral entities, which the common sorceror tends to overintellectualize and abuse or misuse, thus needs continual protection every 24 hours, and the worse if using yaweh godnames faithlessly (or faithfully in my opinion as the demiurge). To be trained how to have command of angels it need not be a judaic operation. It would be more so effective if calling in gods as a pagan that one actually has personal relations with, and not the elements. However when malevolent dead (who won't play by the rules) are present, a multipronged plan of attack needs to happen.

The sun and cross, in the lunar watery cup astral, fire and water is air, steam, alchemy.

The LBRP proper also contains the exercise of the qaballistic cross which is formalaic of the prayer Our Father but more energetic and internal, and is of use for balancing the energy in ones bodies. (In heaven....thy kingdom come, apon earth)( as vertical pole axis). (Give us this day our daily bread (right hand), forgive us ..who trespass against us (justice left hand)(the horizontal axis of the cross). An imbalance makes one more prone to polarized entities, but there are powerful negative spirits and adepts which can exist at the solar level and higher. There are many methods to do energy balance.

Your light will shine brighter, and is synonymous with the lighthouse of Sanse.

The cross (position of mercy) and central energy pillar is of use in balance, and connecting to deity, but I will leave this here, because as it is publicly or popularly known is of little use. The pillar or trunk of the world tree and palo mitan or majeur of the peristyle and temple or home is the microcosm of our world tree universe, as well as our body or as humans.

The daosits this is the dao or balance between the yin and yang polarity. They have the taiji pole of the navigational or celestial north star, running through the body into the earth through the 3 dan tien to anchor, as the in qigong, taichi and other practices.

Spirits will rely on getting an emotional reaction, such as fear or sadness/depression, which can throw you off kilter. Anger is largely viewed as a negative emotion, if blinding. But anger can also be protective of self/ego/personality, and be motivational, if calculated. Energy vampires can feed off of neutral energy, frenetic energy, positive energy, or excitement such as at a sports stadium or concert, often ritualized, or at a church as the congregation is unaware where their raised energy is going.

The underlying energetic truths of christianity and tarot is of ceremonial magic preserved/of the Jews, gypsys and egyptians from much older cultures. Christianity encorporated or overlayed many indigenous cultures beliefs and sites. Since christianity made its way into most new world african traditions, it is empowering to understand. Of course many espiritistas, hoodoo workers and christians do not understand. I am just adding my 2cents for the varied backgrounds of the reader.

A man makes a pentagram of earth or a cross, and also the proportions of a hexagram, another solar symbol. Spirit in matter of the 4 elements. There are 3 crosses and centers: one of earth, of the sun, and one of the pole star, linked to the head and destiny.

Well, I seem to be getting tangental, until next time,
S7X