I already wrote about this when I wrote about cascarilla (ground eggshell or chalk), the color white, and cleansings, but I thought I would just do a short entry. A version of this I also wrote about for guardian angel work. It is based on the Yoruban rogacion de cabeza or kobori eleda(feeding the head, Ori) but through espiritismo criollo.
You will need to pray over the mixture for your guides and ancestors. To the following add "good water" from your water cup on the boveda which is full of bubbles and you have the feeling of peace and purity. Cocoa butter, cascarilla, coconut water (traditionally fresh but I use coconut milk), holy water or rain water, a bit of honey, white flower petals from your boveda. A small splash of white rum or florida water can also be added. Flower petals from your boveda if you have them. This is done on the head after lighting a white candle and a normal shower and not rinsed or towelled too much off. This can be done for an odd number of days sometimes after an odd number of days of doing a bitter herb wash neck down to remove negative energies. You will then dress in white with headwrap overnight and can use white bedding with cascarilla or a white clean towel, sleeping alone and avoiding violent movies, sexual activity, violent video games, spiritual work, arguments or spicy food anything to heat you up for 24 hours. The bath will give you peace or energy and done in the evening you will not go out after dark. The purpose of this is to clear your connection to your guides and through contamination of the spiritual fluids on your boveda to your head or conciousness The white items are added also as clearing. If you cannot afford it or are desperate then just use the glass of water alone. Pour this over your head after showering, then towel off gently not too much, no need to rinse. Do this for a minimum of once a week for at least 3 weeks and replace the water glass right away, but you can do it 3 times a week or days in a row.
This is an important feast date for healing and protection, as well as honoring these Lwa. Beli Belcan is the Lwa who uses the saint image of St Michael. September 29 is Michaelmas. He chains up bad spirits and is a warrior. He has a sword and has the power of fiery lightening and of God.
Tindjo Alawe is the head of the Indio division of Lwa, and has domain of cleansing, healing and the water of rivers. We use the image of St Raphael who has a sometimes has a gourd staff and rod with fishes. He wears robes of green of the indian spirits, sometimes blue of the river, and pink as the colors other lineages use together.
If you do not know if you have these Lwa or have not received them, you can still work with the angels, in particular St Michael as revocations can be done to remove negativity and bad spirits from us, and for justice. Resguardos, like mojo bags can be prepared under him for protection, and prayers can be given with a novena saint candle, or a red candle. Do your prayers to God and St Michael over the bag each day. The recipe from my godfather for St Michael resguardo: enough red candles for 9 days or enought novenas, set one red candle beside a clear water glass and st michael image or prayer card if not using novena small red bag, tie with green or red string or ribbon when assembled cleanse items with rum, florida water and tobacco smoke cross charm or sword of cross 4 clove garlic st michael medallion seed of quita maledicion or stop evil piece of paper with persons name optional from others variations: anoint with st michael or protection oil thunderstone (pied de rayo) and stones of protection 3 peony seed against evil eye dried bay laurel leaf, angelica root or vencedor leaf (lilac) for success and higher spirits. Also from the book Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic comes this old-time conjuration of Saint Michael Archangel for protection from evil: Home Protection Packets: sew small cloth packets filled with grains of paradise seeds and glue or crochet a holy card of Michael the Archangel to them. Sold in pairs, one to be placed at the front door and one at the back door, for the protection of the home.
San Miguel Vencio! San Miguel Vencio! San Miguel Vencio su enemigo con el poder de Dios!
(St Michael vanquishes with the power of God) For the uninitiated you will not know your met tet until it is confirmed in your baptism and crowning or possibly at kanzo. You may have an idea who this is but it cannot be confirmed until then. However you can begin to strengthen this connection by using the image of the 4 archangels, but many also will use the image of the guardian angel to represent them as is in our lineage. September 29 is the day of all the archangels. The words guardian angel describes our met tet, the Lwa who rules our head, and is not a spirit guide. This is not the holy guardian angel or hga, the higher self.
You can either find a candle with this image, or print it off in color and tape it to a white novena, glass chimney candle you can find at the dollar store. Blow cigar smoke over it or frankincense and myrrh, and anoint it with olive oil, or some kind of protection oil bottom up. You can also get a guardian angel saint card, and use white candles. It is said that everyone has a tutelary met tet, a Lwa or Orisha at birth. I do not know if this is true, however one can step forwards for you and claim you. Following the directions below to perform a novena with or without the headwashing can help you on your spiritual journey into these traditions, along with starting ancestral veneration as the foundation. It is fortuitous that September 29 2016 is on a Thursday, the day of the Rada Lwa, however Saturdays are also used for most Lwa. In the Catholic dates they use October 2. If you missed September 29th to start, this can be done whenever you wish, and the headwash is usually done once a month to every two months, called a rogacion. The rogacion you will perform is not the same as receiving it from a priest or priestess of Lucumi, whose energy or ashe is in direct attunement. The recipe is similar to what I posted on ancestral connection bath. Do your prayers everyday until the candle has burn out, but if you can use several candles for 7 days. As 7 is the celestial number and of the number of chiefs and families of Lwa in Sanse. There are also 7 archangels, 1 for each day. Although a novena is traditionally done for 9 days. Speak from the heart, of prayers of protection, and what you need guidance with. Feel free to substitute the word God with the name of God of your understanding such as in Vodou as Papa Bonnye (Bon-yay), Bondye (Bon-dye), Or Papa Bon Dios, as we are a monotheist spirituality. Or use Odudumare (Oh-du-du, mar-eh) if you feel your path is more of the Orisha faiths such as Ifa or Lucumi. Or you can use the phrase Great Spirit. Here are some sample prayers for you to use, which you can find from several Catholic sites online: You may also want to use psalm 91. 1 Angel of God, my guardian dear,To whom God's lovecommits me here,Ever this day,be at my side,To light and guard,Rule and guide.
Amen.
2
Guardian Angel from heaven so bright, Watching beside me to lead me aright, Fold thy wings round me, and guard me with love, Softly sing songs to me of heaven above.
3
O angel of God, appointed by divine mercy to be my guardian, enlighten and protect, direct and govern me this day. Amen
4
GOOD NIGHT, my Guardian Angel,
The day has sped away; Well spent or ill, its story Is written down for aye. And now, of God's kind Providence, Thou image pure and bright, Watch o'er me while I'm sleeping----- My Angel dear, good night!
5
Novena Prayer
O most faithful companion, appointed by God to be my guardian, and who never leaves my side, how shall I thank you for your faithfulness and love and for the benefits which you have obtained for me!
You watch over me when I sleep; you comfort me when I am sad; you avert the dangers that threaten me and warn me of those to come; you withdraw me from sin and inspire me to good; you exhort me to penance when I fall and reconcile me to God.
I beg you not to leave me. Comfort me in adversity, restrain me in prosperity, defend me in danger, and assist me in temptations, lest at any time I fall beneath them.
Offer up in the sight of the Divine Majesty my prayers and petitions, and all my works of piety, and help me to persevere in grace until I come to everlasting life.
Amen.
Novena to Guardian Angel
O holy angels, whom God, by the effect of His goodness and His tender regard for my welfare, has charged with the care of my conduct, and who assists me in all my wants and comforts me in all my afflictions, who supports me when I am discouraged and continually obtains for me new favors, I return thee profound thanks, and I earnestly beseech thee, O most amiable protector, to continue thy charitable care and defense of me against the malignant attacks of all my enemies. Keep me away from all occasions of sin. Obtain for me the grace of listening attentively to thy holy inspirations and of faithfully putting them into practice. In particular, I implore thee to obtain for me the favor which I ask for by this novena.
[Here mention your need(s).]
Protect me in all the temptations and trials of this life, but more especially at the hour of my death, and do not leave me until thou hast conducted me into the presence of my Creator in the mansions of everlasting happiness.
Amen.
The head wash recipe is as follows. Break open a coconut and use the water into a white basin, you cannot use coconut milk or water from a carton. You can mark the coconut white all over with cascarilla first on the outside if you desire. You can also take a second coconut marked in this way and roll it around on top of your head and behind your neck. This one should be kicked down the street or put in a grocery bag and disposed away from the home, off the property line. You will also need into the white basin: cool tap water or fresh river water Add cascarilla chalk or crushed white eggshells small amount shaved cocoa butter These items are traditionally put on a white plate and placed on the head first along with the whole coconut. Mix and mash these items with your hands, putting your energy and intentions into it as you repeat your prayers and call with your thoughts, as well as speak from the heart aloud to your guardian angel. Pray over this mixture the first night of the novena and perform this. Take the mixture into the bathroom into the shower area, and bend forwards, pouring the mixture over your head. Do not rinse. This can also be done with a clear or white cup over the basin in front of your altar. After you will need to wrap your head in white, wear white clean clothing and sleep like this. With the remains of the mixture, you can place your novena candle into the center of the bowl before your altar, or at your bedside if you have not constructed one yet. After your head is wrapped you can also mark your body with cascarilla for extra protection in x's or +'s on the back of the neck, belly, top of feet and on wrists. This can all be rinsed off with a regular shower in the morning. For 24 hours no sex, drugs, alcohol, swearing or bad behavior to get you in proper alignment and for clarity to strengthen the mind. It will help your faculties, and focus on goals, destiny, spiritual progress and path, as well as guidance, cooling, for peace, and calming the head. It is cleansing, away from bad influences, thoughts, illness and misfortune. It feeds your internal knowing, called Ori by the Yorubans.
Ritual Clothes We dress in white at ceremony, or at least a white shirt and avoid brown or black. Sometimes the godparents will indicate a different color combination is acceptable, depending on spirits worked with at the voudou services. Bring your own white head wrap. head wraps are your responsibility: a cut pillow case, sheet or tshirt is not that hard to acquire which should cover your head completely. Do not share hats or head wraps because with the magical principle of contamination or sympathetic magic upon your luck and conciousness. Some people even bring their own hair combs to the hairdresser. This seat of conciousness, or the concept of the head is the whole person and conciousness known to the Yorubans as Ori: the seat of luck and guidance. The head wrap filters energies and discourages but does not prevent possession, more so tying the waist with a white wrap which may be marked with white cascarilla chalk, and from other people's who are present energy.
Wear
white: no excuses as a godchild, initiate, or after you have attended a
few misas it will be seen as disrespectful if you do not. Some people
will refuse you entrance regardless. Brown and black are denser,
earthen, heavy colors of vibrations, so lower unevolved spirits and
earthbound entities match this as well as rogue elementals. Associated
more with malevolent and violent
spirits, and criminal elements as well as black magick. Black is not
evil per se, but a color of restriction, blockages and resistance as per
the planetary vibrations of saturn, or binah and the heavy metal of lead. Black
is an absorbing and attracting color that can trap energy and
attachments, whereas white is a reflective higher vibration of light,
purity and spirit source, as well as the color of good ancestors. Think of wearing black on a hot day, versus being blinded by snow. Like
attracts like, and gothic images, skulls etc, can attract darker,
random, or more vampiric entities. Take a shower at minimum before you
come, it is a good idea to do your own spiritual bath before and save half for after
as do the espiritistas and sancistas hosting the misa. Be responsible for the energies
you bring. Neophytes, or witchy newcomers may think that black makes them feel oh so magickal and spooky, when really it is the color of the beginner from ceremonial magic which created wicca. It is the robe color of tau/tav theta T as the robe looks like a looped ankh or a T cross as was the original cross, which is of the darkest earth and lower astral of the lowest initiatory degree of the earth grade in term of planetary ascendance. Depending on degree or function. if organized and in these black lodges, they will were red, white or other colored robes. The druids highest order wore white, as does the "hidden ascended masters" of Mathers. This is only to explain to the western audience. This symbolized darkness and ignorance, as well as the physical body. The sign of Osirus slain, sun set. It is also associated with the tarot card the world which leads to the lunar sphere of the 32nd path on the tree of life which we travel in magic, dreams and death as we are loosened from our physical container.
the judaic symbol of earth malkuth of which the black section leads to the dark roots of madness the qlippoth, evil tree of death. The other three sections lead to the higher planetary realms of our universe 3 rays of light to the white sphere of limitless godhead keter.
To
help the spirits influence, do not wear tight clothing, or belts. Shoes
are often taken off so the soles of the feet are upon the ground, or
loosened, as rubber soles have an insulating effect.
Photo taken from national geographic in Haiti
Brazilian Candomble practioners, photo taken from brasse travel It is traditional for women to wear long white skirts during initiation and as practitioners. You must wear white pants or leggings underneath. The dress code is modesty: no cleavage, belly or butts hanging out. White shirts are long sleeve or covering the shoulders completely. They can be simple white tshirts. I have found it comfortable especially during the week of initiation to wear white sports bras underneath. We wear white for a week during the Sanse initiation, but this time frame may take longer as when they pass the first espiritista ceremonies. It is also recommended to buy a white towel, and if possible white sheets and pillow case. Some of these clothes are ruined during the week of Sanse initiation so it is recommended that you save your nicer ruffled skirts for later. I recommend that women wear white skirts and men white pants during initation. But I do not mind personally if women wear white cotton pants or men want to wear skirts at most services, even if it is not traditional. Some sects of Ocha make the new initiate wear white for an entire year. Our espiritista ceremonies take a minimum of 3 to 4 days depending on the candidate, may take longer if there are other issues present. You will want enough clothing to keep clean and comfortable for that time. The coconut
The inside of a coconut is white and represents purity and the head, as it falls from the top of the tree. Coconut water or milk refreshes the head for better or purer contact with good spirits, as does the concept of head sweetening and certain spiritual baths. This area is also one of the parts of the body protected if one goes into the cemetary. Some people when they drive by will even do a prayer and put their hand flat on the top of the head as a hat or closed door: keep out! Coconuts are often used in cleansings or a spiritual barrier at entrances to the home, or as an energy filter in ritual, then kicked down the street or back door. The coconut is used to represent Obi, an Orisha in Lucumi faiths. Obatala is also associated with the head and the color white.
Cascarilla spiritual chalk
White is the color also associated with the ancestral dead, the dead such as bones, the spirit, spiritual light, clarity, peace and purity. The ghede will chalk or ash their face, supposedly in part as protection from the sun.
Warding agents such as camphor or cascarilla eggshell chalk also called efun or pemba may be present. Efun was originally a white clay layer in the earth of Africa. The chalk is made now of white flour binding agent and ground white eggshells and water, but may have other additives if homemade, or commercially by botanicas such as with florida water. Some make it with ground snail shell in the spiral cylinders. This chalk can be used as powder. White generally is viewed as having positive use, although cascarilla is a spiritual layer against both positive and negative energies, such as intense contact. The chalk is used as a protective barrier at times as well by chalking the face in spiritual battle, or marking crosses on wrists, bottom of the feet, forehead etc on energy centers, where energy tends to accumulate and spirits pull or enter. The chalk is also for marking positive barriers and sigils or rarely veves for the Lwa. Although ground corn meal, white flour and other substances are usually the powder traditionally used to draw veve. I will use it more in espiritismo for making crosses, marking coconuts and barriers in terms of symbol making.
A congo symbol taken from blog amoretmortem, although these invoking symbols can be used for good or bad Cascarilla is a positive agent only, as some tools can be two handed, meaning can call or work both positive and negative in magic or spirit. For example florida or kanaga water or lotion cologne, coffee, charcoal and brick dust is said to be two handed. White ash on a cigar is a clean positive sign in reading cigars, whereas black burning and chunks falling off is negative energy. Likewise we will usually use white rum. But I prefer dark spiced or flavored rum to drink mix :) Baby powder, flour and cascarilla is generally seen as positive and white in color. For that reason cascarilla is made with only white egg shells. It is nice to keep a dish of ground white egg shells or cascarilla on the altar. As well it can be added along with choice of perfume such as hyssop to spiritual baths or to the bluing water bowl on the floor in front of the white table, or used to cleanse misa attendees and/or yourself at your boveda. Comment or contact me through facebook, S7X
