The language of the fan: abebe & el abanico

There are records of fans from egypt, and likely used even before, made of plant, "fan" leaves or feathers, and were in Greece then Rome. Hand fans first arrived into Europe in the 15th century from Asia and became popular in the 16th century, especially in Spain and France into the Victorian era into the 1920's.

It was used as a shade against the aggressive hot sun. In Asia they were used to denote different rank, class, and around coronation and marriage. It was also used in the military as a way of sending signals on the field of battle, as well as a defensive weapon and stage or dance performances. They later came to the Americas, as could be seen in church in the south, or in stuffy theaters and opera houses. Several fan styles were common and many different and precious materials were used to create them. They may be painted with meaning such as symbols, scenery, folklore, mythology or words.

 Hand fans serve as a tool for cooling, for communication, art, social status and fashion. It is an instrument of privacy, modesty or choice revealing, grace, mystery, flirtation, and secrecy.

Known as an abebe from african ethiopian for the fan or kings insignia, or the spanish abanico, the female Orisha are often given fans, which they may ask for, that usually features feathers or made out of their respective wood or metal. The are usually flat fixed open, as the older type, and not the folding type. I have also seen fans made to Obatala as he is sometimes pictured as the saint our lady of mercy, and is associated with calm, clouds, coolness, and stories link him to the breath of life and air. Fans are also common to Oshun and Yemaya. Oshun, her metal mirror can also be translated as a metal fan, but is also partial to peacock fans, depending. Again these fans can be used by those who serve them, and the dead as sheilds and ways to cleanse a person. Some such as a gypsy may tie ribbons to their instruments.

Yemaya, fans ocean waves, and winds that fill the boats sails

fan made to Obatala by marthapatriciavazquez on ebay

The fan represents beauty, adornment, status as royalty who are fanned, luxury and riches, femininity of ruffles and lace. They may be used to cool or please a spirit, or when one gets spiritually hot, or to fan away negativity. They were also used to keep insects or bad smells away, which could be associated with illness and bad spirits.The fanning movement is waves, and transmits energy of their spectrum much like a whirled or waved colored bandana, fula or panuelo can be used as a ceremonial or ritual object. The word fan comes from latin vannus related to ventilate or ventus, ventos the winds, related to the sky which brings messages or increases energy current, as in fanning the flames. Feathers are a likely symbol to fan or open ones wings, and the connotation of bird to spirit.

                                          hand fan veils

The gypsy and hispaniola spirits in Sanse love their hand fans, and these as well will be made in their specific or personal colors. The female Lwa can be given them as gifts, or may ask for a fan that should be given in their color. The gypsies as well like them to be perfumed, with their scent offering.

Indio spirits may like a smudge fan or feather for cleansing with samhuerio such as tobacco, sweetgrass braids, sage or can be used with incense.

The fan can be used to talk in code, as there are 5 sets of 5 letters, it could be tapped the first time to alert you to the set, and then the taps the second time could be counted to get the letter in the sets position. Example the letter D would be one tap for the first set, then four taps for the letter position.

The spirits may not necessarily follow this old code, but if you pay attention some meanings may still be apparent, especially in Sanse since the spirits of the dead will be the ones present more often, who may retain this cultural knowledge, and since communication is largely nonverbal even among the incarnated in body language.
The main gestures and their respective meanings that together configured what it was known as “the language of the hand fan” that may still be relevant:

Generally left is no, right is yes, and then the body part used is tapped when necessary.


To hold it to the left ear.
I want you to leave me alone. do not want to hear, do not tell
 To let slide it on the forehead or open and close it
You have changed. change of the mind

To throw the fan or hold it closed in front.
hate or dislike, no affection

To let slide it on the eyes or left.
Go away, please. do not want to see you
right eye
I want to see you
To touch the edge of the hand fan with the fingers.
I want to talk to you.
To hold it on the right cheek.
Yes.
To hold it on the left cheek.
No.
To leave it hanging.
continue relationship
To fan slowly open in front.
I am married.
To fan quickly open in front.
I am engaged.
To hold it opened, covering the mouth.
I am single.
To semiclose it in the right and on the left.
I cant.
open 3/4 
maybe interested
To open it slowly.
Wait for me.
To open the hand fan with the left hand.
Come and talk to me.
Tap right hand closed
write me


The list can get quite extensive, but gives you an idea

Sancista 7 crossroads
(fan or follow me here or on facebook)

http://www.elabanico.com/language.php/language/en
http://www.ladanza.com/language.htm
http://education.asianart.org/explore-resources/artwork/military-leaders-fan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_hand_fans_in_the_18th_century
http://www.angelpig.net/victorian/fanlanguage.html
https://mumptystyle.com/2015/04/29/the-secret-language-of-fans/

How to read the water glasses and white pillar novena candles on the boveda Part 5

Reading the water glass and candles, Boveda Part 5

Observe the water glass for bubbles which indicates spirit presence and may indicate the request of the spirits. A glass that is clear and full of fine bubbles is what is used in a spiritual bath which cleanses a person spiritually, to better communicate with your spirits, and is full of blessings or is made and prayed over for a specific purpose. This generally prevents negative energetic attachments which can cause many problems such as bad luck, bad health and problems with employment or a relationship. If the bubbles are present after you cleansed yourself over the glass, it could be negative, and that water is disposed of anyways and never used again.

If the glass is used to call a spirit not worked with previously or to remove negative energies, or after you cleanse your home, the presence of a lot of bubbles may indicate negative presences. We go by our feelings and having an established practice, dedicating the glass to our ancestors. 

Large grape like clusters of bubbles may indicate lower level spirits present. This can be one way if you put glasses in the corner of your house to detect negative entities.

A glass of water with bubbles at the top may be requesting prayers,  communication, tobacco or incense. In the middle they may be requesting to come through a medium or the misa environment. In the bottom or middle they may be requiring elevation, white flowers usually kept on the altar before spoiling or food. Sometimes other people's spirits or spirits will be attracted here or to you because they know you can communicate with them or for them, or know that they can get help. This is why lighthouses are sometimes haunted, by spirits of those lost at sea, people that lived there or as a beacon of light. People that do not know they are dead may even go to hospitals even if they never died there.

Some Lwa do not like water whereas other spirits such as the native americans or indios of the river love to have water nearby. In general we keep water glasses next to our ancestors and spirit guides. Burning incense can also help the dead or certain astral  spirits to manifest as well as provide a clearer area. Frankincense and myrrh, copal, and rose are favorites, as well as citrus, sandalwood and vanilla. Some people also like to use palo santo, but we have taboo against burning cedar seen as an emblem of the tree of life.

No bubbles or cloudiness and contaminants in the water may indicate listening to an upset state of mind of the practitioner, spirits cleansing themself, filtering negativity from you, or failure on the part of the practitioner to keep it fresh and communicate, as well as attend to promised duties. However I live in a part of the country where there is a lot of white limescale to the water, which is hard to clean even with citrus agents, but you never want to use filtered water, as the particles help the field of communication. Therefore I usually use one water glass except when doing the water glass arrangements for specific directions to the court. Because I share my white table currently with my spouse there is a lack of room.

It is very common in households to have one altar for the family, especially with several generations in one household, where the house would be passed down in the family and jointly responsible for its condition and use. I do not suggest this if you are unmarried or not “family”, or if one person cannot maintain your separate sections as husband and wife.

Reading Candles

Candles also can be observed for forms the wax makes if it is not a sanctuary or novena type. However this guide is more for the glass novena pillar type, that should be straight at the top.

Scrying the flame as it melts can be done in a relaxed open state, do not try to concentrate. Glance also at the figures such as saint statues or guide statues mouths

 The bottom inside when it is done for patterns and whole of a glass novena glanced at. Figures, initials, numbers are often divined.

Candles should burn clear, If a little black at the top, and the candle has a straight glass chimney such as a 7 day glass pillar novena, it may have caught something negative. If all black, or mostly down the candle glass, there is a lot of negativity present. Cleansing, and more work needs to be done and divined. The same if the candle actually broke and it was not because the wick was close to glass wall. Your spirits caught something negative and protected you. Make sure you trim your wick before lighting. Another candle is burned to see if the situation is cleared. Many people take private photos of their work to document spirit presences and reflections, some of which can only be seen later. Fire safety is important to place them safely and avoid having them burn unattended. Glass candles can crack or break, as a manufacturer flaw or catching a negative vibration. Wax can spill and continue to provide fuel for flame to burn. 

Observe the flame quality, bobbing and waving back and forth can indicate talking so quiet yourself and try to listen. A high flame or crackling indicates strong effort and aggressive spirits or presence, low indicates a hard time achieving the efforts or weak presence. I have read articles on how to read candles some I agree with some of it I don’t. 

Twin flames or more can indicate a quarrel or more than one person or spirit in the situation. Ghosting or a white film on the candle glass can indicate good spirit presence. Excessive wax buildup can indicate trouble or efforts to resolve a situation did not work. Wax lines or ghosting lines on the glass can indicate issues or items the spirit has worked on for you. These can be compared to where you might have written on the glass with a sharpie. You may want to include the date, your birth date and initials when writing on novenas for prayer or special requests. It is not really candle spells, as these are not kept on the white table.

@--^--  S7X