Oral hygiene, the mouth, divination and working with the dead

Spiritual hygiene such as cleansings was given an introduction in a previous blogpost.
As well another blogpost covered how the dead can affect a living persons physical health.

Looking at the liver of a sacrificed or animal killed to divine a physical illness, often the entrails or gut and liver of the animal was looked at. This often would show negative energy removed from a person or divinatory information. Likewise the gut, liver and intestines of a person are often affected by negative energy.
Bowels have been related metaphorically to lower realms or "hell" where there is the stench of sulfur, feces/excrement and to lower energetic frequency.

The other area is the bones and teeth related to saturnine aspects of the dead, the material and death...a skeleton.
Omens such as dreaming of teeth falling out is said to portend a death in the family.

The mouth and teeth are related to digestion and our ability to nourish ourself for health and life to eat to take in energy. If we do not eat we do not live and will waste away as if something was feeding on our energy. As well as to express and defend ourself "tooth and nail". We may not be literally biting people but if we look at symbolism and how that plays out on energetic realms such as with totems and the use of animal parts in folk magic such as horn and fang in protection and warrior traditions, it also relates to being a human/animal in warfare or fight and flight.

With divination in the ATRS (african religions) many refresh their shells used for divination with coconut water and cleanse the instruments with cigar smoke. The devices are instructed that the mouths of the shells, or tarot cards used speak truthfully and accurately. This is done in some Yoruban faiths because misfortune causes the divination devices to be inaccurate unless they are cleansed. One Espiritismo Cruzado prayer of tobacco, asks that may the spirits that speak through the sacred smoke of this tobacco... and through the spiritual fluids communicate as such with purity.

In Palo, a communal drink of chamba is used for several reasons. One being practical to decrease illness by cleansing the mouth, sickness believed to be caused by bad spirits. The drink contains antimicrobial substances like alcohol/rum steeped with ingredients such as hot peppers, ginger and garlic. Some recipes contain bone powder and sticks from different species and is made or human consumption or for feeding items and spirits only. It is buried in the earth, a tomb to absorb the energies of the universe and the ground. Chamba again has many applications, but it is believed the dead can cause cavities and residue from their energy can rot inside holes in the teeth. Coconut products were also possibly used as daily routine in personal care, such as with oil pulling in the mouth which is spat out after swishing for minutes.

Despite not having modern dentistry many areas of the world with tropical climates did not have as many dental problems as we see in modern cities. Natural products like these were used in traditional medicines and preventative remedies....
Still, it is a good idea to be up on your regular care and appointments.

Chamba drink is swallowed and is also a form of internal cleansing against witchcraft affecting the body, or if injested in our food that someone laced with witchcraft. In days of slavery poisons, insects, dirts etc were often put in rivals and slavemasters food and drink. Popular today is a love spell where women put heir menstral blood in their mens food like spaghetti sauce to try to dominate them and ensure fidelity. So be careful about who you accept food and gifts from! This is why some will not accept or have prohibitions on leaving drinks around especially dark drinks that can mask what people have put in.

My post on Mama Juana describes a Caribbean native medicinal drink made to also cleanse the body of witchcraft as well as detox the gut, liver and gallbladder area, and can help many disease process. Detox of the body is a good idea in general to help elevate your energy, increase spiritual faculties and health.

You can also do this with coffee fixed how you like or dandelion root tea sweetened with honey, as it is bitters and a digestive tract cleanse. It is dark in color and therefore is good for "banishing" or cleansing. Speak and pray over it to intend to cleanse your digestive intestinal organs and body, to remove any negativity, sorcery, witchcraft and stagnation before drinking. To make a ritual of it light a white tea light candle along with your beverage.

Myself I spray rum with my mouth to clean areas and feed and connect with spirits and use my energy, there is a great supply of personal power of Ashe upon the saliva. Often times sweat/scent or unbrushed mouth has a persons energy connected to it so spirits can find you faster with Vodou, or with bad spirits, which is why we change our clothes, linens and do spiritual breakings and cleansings with worn dirty clothing.

But also make a point to brush my teeth before misa or when I know I will be speaking during spiritual readings so that I too may speak via spirit and work cleanly and speak accurately to remove obstacles to our work with higher entities.

The mouth is a gateway or portal. The holy spirit and gift of tongues are mentioned many times in the bible, and about the mouth of God, and even in genesis how the spoken word leads to creation or manifestation from the spiritual to the physical world. The mouth is an opening and energy center of the body, blood circulation under the tongue supplies ready energy to the breath, along with the lungs during speech to create a vibrational current, and in the use of breath in spiritual works to charge and awaken such as blowing Vodou powders to the 4 winds.



For what is the language of the birds? It is not literally understanding a bird chirping..hahaha The birds carry our prayers to the spirits in our ceremony, the feathers and wings are metaphors of airy spirit flight.
It is to speak and communicate with spirit(s). And there are much deeper secrets than these.

Mar 16:17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

Act 2:3  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

Act 2:4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

John 20:22  And when he had said this, he breathed on them,and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

I will also wash my hands if a bath for some reason was not performed with florida water.
There are certain Lwa who will not touch earth in their horses, nor interact with the community unless strict cleanliness has been observed.

Hope that these words have been illuminating for you,
until next time,
Sancista Siete Enruzhiladas

The Book of Mediums by Allan Kardec

The Spirits Book was the first published in the works compiled by Allan Kardec, dictated by the spirits of light in attending seances, and by observing and interviewing mediums. Table turning and these reunion sessions were en vogue during the Victorian era. The second in the series is the Mediums Book.

The philosophy of spiritism was thus codified, which set it apart from other spiritualism at the time during the mid 1800's- 1900. Classic or scientific spiritism follows this doctrine, in spanish espiritismo.

Thus defined:

"Spiritism has no priests and does not use or use in its meetings and practices altars, images, candles, processions, sacraments, indulgences, alcoholic or hallucinogenic beverages, incense, smoke, talismans, amulets, horoscopes, cartomancy, pyramids, crystals or any other objects, rituals or forms of worship.

Spiritism does not impose its principles. However other religions assist in Espiritismo aka Spiritism.

VS

Cruzado:

Espiritismo is a separate spiritual and religious practice that has incorporated into most houses of Santería. The type of Espiritismo practiced in Santería Lucumí is called Espiritismo Cruzado (Blended Spiritism) because it has been blended or hybridized with African elements from the Congo people." It is a nod to Kardec but contains syncretic elements in its spiritualism."

The Book of Mediums is essential to understanding Espiritismo Cruzado in our lineage and spiritual house, although it is beneficial to read other Kardec books. And of course our misa, folk seances are conducted with the Kardec Book of selected prayers.

The language is somewhat antiquated and dry. A hard copy of the book can be bought, but a free pdf is provided here. The Mediums Book  <<<<<click here

The difficulty also for some I have encountered is learning difficulties and problems with reading a digital pdf on a screen.

Therefore I have dictated a summary and parts of the chapters, and adding some information to the Mediums Book in a series on youtube, for learning in my temple, and to provide it to the public.

Book of Mediums youtube series <<<<<click here

"Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail, under the codename Allan Kardec; proposed the study of "the nature, origin, and destiny of spirits, and their relation with the corporeal world". It encompasses "A discussion of the means of communicating with the invisible world, the development of mediumship and the difficulties encountered in the practice of spiritualism" and more....

You can read a bit more about the philosophy here

                                                                              Luz y Progresso,

                                                                             Sancista 7 Crossroads

                                                                                     
                                                                

Azabache jet protection collares necklace

This is a prepared and charged necklace I made for a friend overseas in Europe, included in a folk spiritist care package with his prepared spirit guide doll, as it is hard to buy botanica items there. Sometimes this kind of jewelry is made for the new initiate for protection, and also worn in more fancy commercial versions as jewelry with gold and coral for protection instead of peony. New born babies in Puerto Rico are often adorned with it for protection and against the evil eye: mal de ojo. This is made of red and black peony seeds which look like a evil eye symbol as they are red with a black dot. 

When assembled a jet pendant is attached which comes in different symbols: hand of protection which is most common, heart, cross, or saint medals etc. The type of charm selected can reflect the person's main spirit guide. It is called and known as azabache in spanish and at botanicas. The evil eye is negative energy that people who are completely unaware of the occult can still put on a person with giving dirty looks, judgment, jealousy etc. The spiritual necklace is not worn in the bathroom or during sexual activity.

They can be charged with spirits and are washed in certain indgredients such as herbs, fruits, spiritual colognes, cascarilla eggshell or chalk or waters solution. This preparation can be any number of ingredients, but following certain principles, what spirits are used, spiritism, prayer, songs, and divination of the medium. They can be helpful in connecting to the protection of the main spirit guide: the centinela, while protecting against malevolent dead. The main ingredients I used for this time was japanese incense, a mandarin, spiritual help cologne, cascarilla, water, and holy water, smells amazing!

We do not use too many semi-precious crystals in the folk and african diasporic traditions, mostly regular stones like river rocks, or for prosperity or an add on. However Jet is really an ancient plant with mystical properties going back to europe. It is a type of fossilized coal from trees millions of years old which combined with water. Fossils such as ammonite are used for spirits of the dead and time passed as bone, so it is no wonder it is popular in folk spiritism.

They supposedly used jet during the inquisition to diagnose witchcraft. In the Victorian area it was used as funerary, mourning jewelry or rosaries. This was the time when spiritism became popular of the seances. Most jet comes from Britain and Turkey when sourced by the romans, and has been found as pre roman artifacts. A example of Roman-era jet jewelry on the British Isles was discovered in 1901 in the grave of a high-class mixed-race woman who lived in 4th century York.  This is the so-called “Ivory Bangle Lady” is named for the bracelet made of elephant ivory (probably North African) and Whitby jet (from the North of Yorkshire) found in her grave.  This woman embodies the mixing of cultures and traditions through empire and expansion that have taken place for centuries and millennia. Amber and Jet necklaces are worn by the high priest class in British traditional witchcraft.

Jet becomes magnetized with static when rubbed with silk like amber. It has many properties, the primary one being protection. it can absorb negative energies, and should be cleansed periodically with smudging and sunlight. Like all spiritual jewelry, if it breaks you should leave it where it falls if outside the home or outside. If it falls inside quickly scoop it into the garbage, dispose of this away from the home if possible after washing your hands. If you find african tradition seed bead necklaces such as some of the priests wear, chip crystal necklaces, evil eye, crosses, jewelry etc in a place, such as on a lawn, do not touch it, because it has broken some negative condition.

Protection, particularly against sickness and violence is an attribute of jet. It is also used for clairvoyance, and for the psychic, as it purifies the vibration of the information coming in. Jet is used to remove energetic attachments, particularly those from other people, and it sloughs away negative energies. This makes it a particularly good choice for assisting in clearing. Jet is a stone kind to people in difficulty and fear and has a very calming effect. Jet also eases anxiety and depression, calming anxious or fearful thinking.

Most jet is imitation, as it is becoming a rare stone. I was showed a trick from my Tata, that if you rub it on a piece of paper it should leave a black smudge if genuine.  This pendant is soft jet made with fresh water. Water is very important in the african traditions, and is of blessing of drinkable “sweet waters” such as of the river, slightly different than the hard jet with the removing bitterness of salt water.

Jet is related to saturn as it is black and related to earth, making this a grounding stone.

Peony is related to the moon, protects against magic, and spirits as well as positive aspects. It is an agent of exorcism, spiritual protection, stops misfortune, uncrosses and healing, and a success herb. The seed represents potential and has slightly different properties than flower or root.

These two planetary realms of the moon and saturn/earth are the closest to earth and what gives form and filters into manifestation, and therefore can protect against the earthbound, astral spirits and malevolent dead.

Stay safe and do your spiritual cleansings often!

Until next time,

Sancista Siete Encruzhiladas