Lineages of Sanse

There are many lineages of Vodou such as "Haitian": Asogwe lineage
and other lineages in Haiti and the Dominican Republic such as 21 Divisiones and family groups.
There is also New Orleans or Louisiana Voodoo and West African Vodoun from which the lineages in the new world originate and arrived from via the slavery diaspora.

Little known is Sanse a Vodou lineage through Puerto Rico which is more spiritualist and deals more with the dead in its approach. Within the other listed traditions there are also differences in how things are performed and this is not because there is no unity of thought rather that the way that things are done have some similarity and an underlying reason for choices that went into the way these lineages were perserved. For example I have learned from some people in "Dominican" Vodou 21 divisiones that their practice is baptismal and more saint based in their approach than others in the same umbrella tradition. Those familiar with these traditions know some things never change and others can be done correctly in different ways that make sense. Most of these traditions are family based, while others are a mixture of family and temple in organization. There are Lwa that are more concerned with individuals and others with community and family groups so that there are going to be differences in spirits served from one region or locale to another, which also influences focus and way the group operates.

When it comes to Sanse we also see ourself as organized by lineages of spirit groups. Our house has pantheon 7 chiefs, whereas others have 21 divisions of families of Lwa or chiefs that oversee a group of Loases. Within the 7 chief lineage the 7 chiefs served can again vary from one house to the next for example.

Ours is Candelo, Tindjo Alawe, Ghede Limbo, Metresili, Ogun Balendjo, Beli Belcan and Legba.
They all have spirits under them. Wheras other houses may have different Ghede jefe chief or Lwa Anaisa or Marta the Dominator instead of Metresili to head the female spirits in general. Gran Solier is generally viewed as head of them all the chief of chiefs.

The candidate entering Sanse would receive these 7 by lineage and also any Lwa insistent within their spiritual frame. Other Lwa can be received at a future date. Some choose to only baptise if they do not intend to or serve as a horse for the spirits to come in preliminary ceremonies to connect them with their own court of spirits. This is partly where the idea of the 7 african powers came from, mistakenly taken to mean the Orishas
example from Sancista Brujo Luis

21 jefe:

Sanse includes the spiritualist tradition of Espiritismo, some are cruzado with african elements and some indigenous elements, whereas others are more classic, minimalistic or european spiritist in their tradition. Usually within Sanse there is the coronation of the or crowning of the dead. Some such as our house and the influence and houses of Ocha/Santeria it is a joining of the consciousness with a main spirit guide with a baptism ceremony, somewhat like the Lwa when Vodou spirit points are received after a lave tet headwashing. Others see it as recognizing your spiritual frame and having a spiritual party.

As described many houses of family Vodou and lineages are baptismal in their entrance rites only. And that also lends to the perceptions about Sanse being a family baptismal tradition, with some minimalist in their spiritualism. This can lead to misunderstandings about others practices and more ritualistic traditions. Where mixes of people came together, the type of influences recieved in the mix varied a bit, as some retained a more Vodou current from the island of Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic) in working with and serving the Lwa... whereas other focus these spirits as soley representatives, the dead emissaroes or messanger dead of the Loases and Orishas. We certainly work the Lwa but recognize the influence of messangers and primarily are spiritualist in our group in dealing alot with the dead and due to our shared congo influences.

New Years 2018 luck: flowers bath, florecimiento & more!

Hi everyone, I have been working on alot of things and with clients, so I haven't been able to blog or vlog as much as I would like. On my facebook page I try to stream Sundays at 6pm PST, 7pm MST.

Last year I described how to make traditional Christmas and New Years baths that you can do again this year if you like. I have seen some synthetic New Years kits go for $40 and up plus shipping, but I would like to tell you how to do your own at home. Many people do buy them prepared from a spiritual worker or performed by them, instead of a commercial source because they have more power.

                                             taken from autenticohechizosdebrujeria.blogspot.com

I thought to release how to do a different lucky bath for the new years. You should do a cleansing before you start these attraction baths.

It is a common afro-hispanic bath to use sweet herbs like mint, after a series of bitter herbs if you also want to check out that blog entry to do that, or use the sweet herb list to make a floorwash after you have swept the floor back to front. Important to note again is we do not usually add fruit or flower to leaves together.

Some people buy a new broom for the next year after they have swept out the bad, and smudged out your place with some palo santo, copal, or sage with other herbs. The house is cleansed, and the car, because that is how the next year is going to be.

Flower baths are a common sweet bath to bring the good in life, and for the new year. It is because flower or flora sounds like flourish, to grow and bloom the new opportunities. This bath is known as florecimiento. It is common to use 3 different colors of roses or flower such as yellow for money, red or pink for love, and white for general blessings. We almost always use fresh items because they have more energy, but you could use dried  flowers or a tea bag of chammomile,. This is a customary bath in many afro-hispanic countries and in south America. One mixed bouquet would be more economical, and the extra flowers can be given to your spirits. One color flower based on intent is also fine. To this can be added a sweet perfume like florida water or pompeya or water such as rose water if you cannot afford roses, orange water, or milks. Rice milk or water runoff is great, as rice is associated with purity, prosperity and the New Year. Honey, orange juice, holy water, champagne, cinnamon are other ideas to add. You can also added mushed up sweet fruits. Some make a version with boiled apples or a bit of applesauce. You can add water from your rose of Jericho bloom that can also be added to floorwashes.

Remember we always add odd number of things to a bath. I would do this for 3,5 or 7 days, sat in or sponged up the body to the head after a normal shower. (Always check with your godparents as some items are taboo for those who have crowned spirits). You will shred and mush the items with your hands, and put your intention into the mix, whether you want love or money or what you wish for the New Year. You will pray over it by laying on your hands, singing, or reciting psalms it is up to you. Cover it with an appropriate color cloth and keep it beside your spirits.

To recap a basic idea would be:
flowers, honey, oils/waters/perfumes, cinnamon and/or sweet spices.

I recommend you also use a sweet incense in the house such as coconut, vanilla, rose, cinnamon etc. Use a bayberry, bakery smelling, cinnamon or rose: sweet candle, or a white candle anointed with a sweet fruity or floral essential oil like orange etc, every day that you do your baths. You can also keep a prosperity, luck or love lamp.

Prepare a sweet drawing or refreshing floorwash, from the front of your house to the back, reverse to what you would do in cleansing. I would either use basil, parlsey, mint, lemongrass/Van Van/Chinese wash or just abre camino herb (bitter but opens the roads new opportunites in life) with a splash of holy water. It is a good idea to rearrange furniture and decor to get the energy moving, and throw out old and broken items and clothes. Some people wear new clothes and underwear on New Years. In Puerto Rico they wear new white undies, in other countries yellow, or based on what they desire. In Mexico red underwear for luck or others for strength power and protection. They also bathe in the ocean before the clock strikes midnight dunking themself 7 times. Others drop backwards into the wave at midnight to drive away evil spirits.

Many cultures all over the world have New Years rituals and customs. Many eat special foods such as black eyed peas for health and wealth or rice pudding. A gold ring in champagne for prosperity and love, or the festive coquito drank in Puerto Rico. 12 grapes for good luck are eaten under the table in the last 12 seconds to midnight for a good 12 months came to the new world from Spain. In Latin America a suitcase for business or for travel is placed by the front door with coins in it after running around the outside of the block with it. Clean out and fix your wallet or purse with dry beans or money drawing oil for prosperity. Some also fix their shoes, or put a coin in their shoe to walk into the new.

Some throw a bucket of water out of the window of the house to cleanse it at midnight or clang and bang pots and pans while opening the door and walking outside to rid the place of bad energy and spirits.

                                            Prosperity Lamp

                                         My Tata also has a spell using flat leaf parsley in a vase kept by the front door on a plate around which is arranged cut oranges and honey drizzled ontop the whole thing..

What will you be doing?

                                         Feliz Ano Nuevo! Wishing you health, wealth and blessings,
                                        Sancista 7 Crossroads