Magical concept: sweet & bitter, herbs and spiritual baths

You might want to read my basic blogpost of notes on spiritual baths first

Sweet or Dulce is attracting of the good things that are desired in life and generally blessing.

Bitter, Amarga or Amine is cleansing and removes the negative energy that can block new good things in our life such as a job, romance or healing, and thus a bitter bath, is usually done for a consecutive number of days usually 3 or 7, followed by the drawing in or sweet for the same number of odd days.

Also in cleansing baths is sour ingredients such as vinegar or acids such as coffee and limes or lemons. Bitter herbs are usually naturally high in sulfur and ammonia.

What is bitter is often called strong, "forte" or hot but not always. For example cinnamon is hot and sweet, perfect for love and money work. The heat adds force and quickness. What is sweet also can be cleansing by exceptions, but in general condition or drawing baths are not for cleansing. As you can see almost all flowers are sweet, so perfumes like Florida water while mildly cleansing or more accurately refreshing and used for the alcohol content, is also an attractant to spirits (2 handed) such as with the dead and ylang ylang or Kanaga water, as the sensitive part of the plant, so you must be clear with your intent on using it. Florida water and other alcohol based waters can be added to the bitter as an exception. I am talking about not mixing bitter and sweet leaf in general.

A bitter bath is no rival to cleansing. Usually 7 bitter leafs are used, the number of the forest and celestial, but for more important preparations sometimes 21 are used.
With sweet herbs an odd number like 3, 7 or 5 as the number of the sweet waters of the river. You could just as easily mash up sweet fruits and use this. My apprentice for a time would do dry candy cleanses, wrapped candy passed over the body and then thrown in the trash. We are working with our spirits either emissarios or misterios associated with those areas along with the power in the plant, and our own energy.

An odd number of ingredients and often of sacred significance is used. Ocean water and salt are considered bitter. There is a whole philosophy on bitter water such as of the transatlantic slave trade, diasporic removal from the african homeland and tears. The ocean is a life source as well as a watery grave. It still can be used for finance work, as in trade and ships coming in, and associations with spirits such as Agwe and the riches of the sea. Some consider material such as bluing or minerals of salt, sulphur, and dirt inert and neither bitter nor sweet in themself.

Because bitter is hot and removing, we for the most part do these baths neck down only to not heat up the head, and create hot tempered imbalances, nor embitter the area and disposition for spirits that are beneficial to us, more importantly if you have been crowned with your spirit guides and higher spirits, but also the claimed ancestors. Likewise I personally will avoid salt unless there is a big problem, because our good dead do not like it, as it leaches their energy to the earth until they are of enough elevation or progress spiritually.

There are many technical concepts when it comes to bath preparation. For example in general we do not mix sweet with bitter, flower or fruit with leaf. Root and leaf is generally ok.
There are exceptions to these rules but are general guidelines. Each plant has a sentient spirit that lives in it that can be prayed to and honored. Remember to give an offering and wild harvest responsibly the plants you take. We almost always use fresh herbs for the vibrancy and potency of energy, but the bath can have white rum or alcohol, bay rum, added to preserve a larger amount for a short time kept in the fridge or for hand passes like Florida water.

Alot of people do use dried bay, rue and hyssop though.

There is the disposal of the bitter leaf material away from the house with a payment say of 3 coins to the crossroad, each place having a significance to spirit, energy and number associated. The sweet bath remains usually are kept around the house, such as a floor wash. The bitter wash can also be used to clean the house and spiritual tools.

Certain leaves which are more tropical, in spanish are named to their function such as quita maledicion is bitter to stop evil, same as espante muerte: chasing the dead. leaves and sticks/palo with the name rompe means break negativity, lies and spells on you. We are taught not to put espante muerte on the head nor abre camino due to opening up of this area in which spirits have been placed.

We do not boil the fresh leafs but we mash it with our hands and sing and use prayer into the warm water and speak our intention. We may leave it next to certain shrines or altars with a novena candle inside.

The most important herbs in Sanse are probably
Tobacco: messanger Lwa and Taino cemi spirit
Major plant spirits hold leaves such as Loases Gran Bwa, the biggest tree of the forest and Ogu Osain.

Whereas some cultivated herbs would also fall under the agricultural Lwa Azaka, yet both also relate to the land and certain natural areas.
Rompe Saraguay (spell breaker and removes negative dead), bitter along with garden sage and rue
Basil can be cleansing but also blessing and very important, it is also a major exception and can be mixed with bitter such as rue and sage.
Ceiba tree, the silk cotton Mapou: our holy magic and world tree, bitter and blessing
Abre Camino to open paths, bitter
Copal as sacred to the Taino people and the dead, 
as well as Anamu bitter congo weed root a very useful medicine for many ailments such as arthritis and cancer. Anamu is taboo in some Ocha houses due to being poisonous to children of Obatala and toxic to children of Yemaya. It is one of the ingredients in our Taino Indio drink we infuse in alcohol.

Spirit-Blossom Ceiba Tree by Lisa Dunbar Solas

Below is a simple list that most people can find around that do not live in the tropics, which is much more extensive if you need to prepare certain objects and during initiations. Otherwise, there is not as much need to order from tropical botanicas, and you can use what is in your area following certain principles. There are certain plants that have to be used in those cases. Always follow your tradition and godparents guidelines. What is used in Palo is different than Lucumi. One list I saw had abre camino, avocado leaf, rosemary, altamisa and sage listed as sweet, I consider those all bitter personally. Another had mint as bitter and I consider that sweet. Of course there is alot to study about plants, medicinal use, safety and for magical use beyond these concepts.

SWEET LEAFS

Mints

Mejoram
Bee balm or Bergamot
Stevia
Parsley
Angelica
Lemon balm or verbena
Lettuce and watercress (but not dark leafy bitter greens)
Vervain
SWEET FRAGRANT FLOWERS OR ALL SWEET FRUIT
marigold, carnation, lily, lavender, chamomile, violet, rose, orange, jasmine perfumes etc attract 
mangos, oranges, apples, bananas, melon, tropical fruits: pineapple, papaya, guava

SWEET SPICES

Anise
Cinnamon

Sasparilla
Honey, molasses, cane sugar etc
Goat milk, coconut milk, almond milk, dairy milk, rice milk or water

BITTER

plantain (not the vegetable, the ground leaf next to drainage areas or grass in wetter northern climates)
white sauco elderflower/berry leaf
fennnel
purslane
black tea leaf

tobacco

fern

rue

dandelion leaf

epasote or epazote mexican cooking herb

sage: usually fresh garden or cooking sage

artemisa: wormwood, mugwort, motherwort etc

white morning glory leaf, datura leaves, but also purple bell flower leafs: morado

Laurel bay

nettle

corn leaf husk

eucalptus

spanish broom

horseradish leaf (not traditional but found it works)

vencedor: lilac tree leaf wins battles, triumphs

most tree leaf

thistles: milk thistle, blessed thistle

garlic bulb root, onion, tumeric root

BITTER FRUIT

limes, lemons, bitter melon gourd, coffee

I am going to write more on a major magic concept of hot and cool
But as I have been writing on spiritual baths of late, 
my next entry will be for the 2 Christmas and New Years Baths of Bain Noel and good luck Bon chance. This will be so those that want to make them can for Dec 24-26 or January 6th or 8th

I have a bunch of blog entries planned, such as for elevation after death, because I have alot of requests plus, it is that time of year for those to or who have travelled to the otherside of the veil. Contact me if you would like me to cover a topic you have not seen so far.

-Sancista 7 crossroads XXXXXXX

Mange Yam & Yuca: Vodou ceremony

Mange Yam or Fet de la Moisson, is a Harvest family and community festival that honors agricultural Lwa Azaka in Haiti, but also is important to Ogun, because its history is of the Yoruban Nago nation, the Igbo tribe, as well as the region of Ghana in Africa. It is also a new years type event historically, for good prosperity, strength, health, to feed Lwa, for the ancestors and represents the continuity of life.

It can take any place the new yams are harvested from October to November, but the several day event is usually on November 25th in Haiti. It is one of the major ritual dates of the year for Vodou and represents the continuity of life. It is a major time of mange Lwa, one of a twice yearly major feeding the Lwa is at the ceremonie Yam.

The word nyam actually means eat, and mange is the french and creole word for eat, and to feed the Lwa spirits. Yam is also called igname or malanga and is about 30% of Haiti's crops.

An action de grace or Jou Aksyon-n Gras, is a thanksgiving, to show respects, prayer and offerings to God and the Lwa for what they have given to us. It is a small feast to feed the spirits. There is also Catholic prayer and litany which opens Haitian service to communion with the spirits. Like saying grace before dinner.

The timing is right after American Thanksgiving, and we decided to honor also the indigenous spirits of the land, ancestry, as well as the people's spirits indigenous to Hispaniola, some of whom became Lwa. The Taino were the first people that Christobal Colon came in contact with, and where we get many new world words such as hurricane, iguana, canoe, barbeque, baseball, guava. For inspiration we performed elements of the Taino Caney Circle's rituals. This is like a medicine wheel, however its center was designed as the makeshift poiteau mitan, or pillar in the peristyle. The three main groups of spirits worked with in Sanse are the african, european and indian Lwa and ancestors.

The pulling of the yams from the earth symbolizes a death, much like the Taino Indio of Hispaniola with their yuca cassava plant. The yuca plant is associated with Yochahu, who has solar and sky father aspects reborn at the winter solstice back into the mother earth cemi spirit Atabey.

Blowing the conch cobo shell flute for the indios.
The milokan veve was drawn for all Lwa: thousands of camps of Lwa families.

The first night, the yams are put to sleep: kouche yam. Water is sprinkled over them and prayed over, blessed, then covered with a white sheet under the badgi divisional altar. An Ayizan, palm frond, offerings and chair is also setup for the land of Haiti. Used are a symbolic number of 4 or 8 yams, since the wider community is bringing yams the next day to a different locale.

The second night they are awakened, piled high in bounty on leaves and the Vodou service starts, the Lwa called and saluted. The leaves traditionally were banana leaves, which transport the yams and service attendees back to the Lwa and ancestors in Ginen. The Lwa are called and saluted, the divisional lamp lit. We dance the yams, done traditionally also with dried fish.

We did a yam divination, it is cut in half and thrown up in the sky, if it lands one up one side down, the upcoming year will be good financially for the community. I nominated a yam king to assist because the service is traditionally done by a male. His met tet is Ogun Fegai, although has not undergone the crowning ceremony yet. The king is traditionally at least the one to symbolically cut the first yam and have a procession to the kitchen to bouye yam: cook them.

Now to prepare the foods. However you must not taste the dishes before the honor and Lwa are served. Also Azaka will think you are stealing if you do and get mad and suspicious. The priest and/or king gets to taste the yams next. We made some traditional recipes such as Tchaka: a salted beef and squash stew, as well as cassava bread, yucca with garlic and Fufu: mashed yams with palm oil, served with mango and guava juice.

Tchaka is the favorite food of the Lwa Azaka, it gives you strength

More libations were poured, and dry offerings scattered around for prosperity and feeding the spirits.
Ogun was made a plate of red beans and rice, and gunpowder was lit on a cavalery sword and his veve for his salute and the Nago. We held the event at a local metaphysical shop that supports some of our events to the larger community. I threw a handful of coins up to the sky for enough rain for the crops, and to rain down good finances for us to the Lwa Sobo and Bade

While some of those are cooking, we tell stories of the Taino, and of the Tobaku spirit, giving offerings to the land, and to the spirits. Hopefully they will grant our wish as we work with the permission of God and Tobacco. We look at our cigars for messages, and passed around Mama Juana, a Taino indio drink in which many roots and herbs are steeped in alcohol.

Here is the story I told, taken from a facebook post by Brujo Luis:

In the beginning, Atabeira created the heavens, the Earth and other celestial bodies "The Cemi". Atabeira had always existed. Atabeira was the original mother. Atabeira was the powerful creator. But there was no life. There was no light. Everything existed as in a deep sleep, and so it was for a long time. Atabeira finally realized that something was missing, so she had two sons whom she crafted out of magical, invisible elements. The two sons were named Yucajú "the Light" and Guacar "the darkness".

Yucajú was preoccupied with the absence of light and life. Atabeira was content because Yucajú could now finish what she had started, and Yucajú created the sun and the moon to illuminate the earth. He took precious stones from the celestial gourds and placed them in the sky, these stones became the planets and helped the moon illuminate the night. The earth was fertile, and from it grew plants and trees. Yucajú then created animals and birds to live among the plants and trees. Then Yucajú decided to create something new, something different, a cross between an animal and a god. In this way, the first man and soul was created, and from the elements, earth, air, iron, fire and water, Yucajú created the eldest of men whom he named Papa Locuo.

Papa Locuo was happy on earth, with all the beauty that surrounded him, he gathered some herbs and placed it in a gourd and knelt before the holy Ceiba tree and offered it to Yucajú in thanks.

Now Guacar looked with envy at all his brother had created, he went away to a secluded place and did nothing for awhile. But his envy overcame him, and he began to taint the creations of his brother, so he to created a man with the strength of the Spirits and he named him, Juracán. (hurricane).

Juracán was powerful, and he carried the winds. Sometimes he carried them with such force that they destroyed what Yucajú had created. He uprooted trees and killed the animals, and Papa Locuo's happiness turned to fear.

He could no longer enjoy the beauty of nature, in addition to sending powerful winds, Juracán made the earth tremble, the ground quake and the skies rumble, ever foot shook the earth, and made Tierra tremble. This was one of his favorite games. During one of the most powerful quakes, the land divided into two then three and then four. This is how the continents came to be. But Papa Locuo continued living on earth, and Yucajú created other Cemi to help him. Papa Locuo learned to create images of these gods, which he called "Cemíes."

Yucajú presented Papa Locuo with fire and he learned to cook roots, herbs and meat and make his own food. He learned to make the sacred casava bread from yucca. But Papa Locuo lived alone on earth. One day, inspired by so much natural beauty, he pried open his belly button and gave way to two beings in his likeness: a man and a woman. The man was named Guaguyona and the woman Yaya. The descendants of these two people populated the islands of the Carribean and soon the world. But the descendants of Guaguyona and Yaya suffered immensely with the floods and strong winds that Juracán sent. And he sent Maboya "evil spirits" that caused problems in the lives of the people.

The spirits destroyed the canoes in the river, threw stones upon homes and hid the ball with which the people were playing. They also brought illness and strife to the people.

But Papa Loquo taught the eldest amongst man and woman how to speak with the Spirits and how to make offerings and appease the Spirits, these became the Behique and Bohitu the first Shamans, Priests and Priestess, so they could ward of illnesses and to help them understand natural disasters. All Shamans are children of Papa Loquo. "Loko." (Priests of Domincan 21 divisions Vudu are called Papa Lwa or Loko, as well Loko is the Lwa of Houngans in Haiti, such Ayizan is the Lwa of Mambo priestesses)

One by one those who wish address the divisional table to the african spirits, and thank the Lwa for what they have given them, as well as chat to them, and ask for help. One member was assisted this year from Azaka, who did not like the banks cheating their family out of property. The spirits are served, we recieved messages, and now we can eat.

Offerings were then deposited at the base of a tree beside their garden plot.
Moving into the new year our temple will be holding Palo rites, a misa espirituale seance and christmas fire Lwa service for luck and cleansings in December.

Thanks for stopping by, You can contact me through facebook, email or leave a comment
-Sancista Siete Encruzhiladas

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

Dream work part 3: Preparation, Spirits & Intent

Please read part 1 about the philosophy of dream body and part 2 about techniques first.

Because we are spiritist, we view a lot of spiritual phenomenon as being a result of a spirits acting.

Spirits can assist astral projection into lucidity in a dream. Astral projection actually is not lucidity, it is more from an awake to projected trance state, but some interlapping can happen. For example as the astral dream land is a layer above the etheric and earth, from there you can also project into or visit other higher realms. Ask them when you pray or talk to them to come into your dreams. Ask them to help you in your dreams, to teach you specific things.

For example I had two different experiences one was more like a dream "possession", where I merged into a deity. We were both riding horses, mine was black hers white. She was infront of me, but instead of colliding we merged. Before this her and another deity were around me holding hands half running in a circle. This was before I found my afro-spiritist path. From there we went to a completely different place. I was concious of the events and able to act, but felt different around myself.

The second example I was semi lucid dreaming. My father Lwa Papa Candelo was behind me and as he moved his arms over mine, my arms would move involuntarily. He was having me prepare a spiritual object. Then he started pulling me out of my dream and physical body. It was a failed attempt because the energy influx and movement was too great and fast that I got anxious and stopped the spiritual assistance by fighting it.

By working with our spirits when we are awake it builds relationship, then they will communicate with us on the dreamscape. We will have an increased sense of importance and receive teachings and knowledge. By working with and empowering our ancestors when awake, those from hundreds or thousands of years ago will make their prescence known, and a major way the spirits connect is in the dream time. I often find myself in a classroom or garden for this purpose.

There is a way to "dream true". We put a clear water glass beside the bed to filter incoming to our conciousness. This is replaced new each day of continued effort and not to be drank. Some practice by taking at least a shower before bed, or with a spiritual bath to refresh their head and purify for a clearer spiritual connection: Light, clear, clean. When we lay down we can picture ourselves standing on the earth and growing huge larger than a giant, our feet still on earth but we can see the planet below with a white light overhead we are rising to. See this white orb shoot a beam into your head, through your body into and through the earth into infinity at both ends. This helps to expand your awareness and astral body, as well as clear your channel. Some people also keep a glass of water under the bed or in the corner of the room with a small block of camphor in it to keep negativity away.

Which brings me to intent. We need to say I will remember my dreams on waking, which announces our will.

Secondly we have Allan Kardec's book of prayers, prayer for reunion upon sleep. This invites good spirits and guides to come meet with you there. It also asks them to protect you on your dream journey. How to protect yourself in the dream realm is another blogpost for another day however.

Nightly Prayer

My soul is about to meet for an instance with the other spirits. May the good ones come to help me with their counsel. Guardian Angel, may I upon awakening preserve from that event a healthy and lasting impression. Permit my spirit, oh God, to meet with my loved ones who have departed, and may I receive from them spiritual fortitude and good advice. Amen

               Sancista

Pray for Haiti, The Dominican Republic, Cuba, the islands, Florida and South Carolina

Let's turn the Hurricane back! Hurricane Matthew is currently a level 3 storm, with mass flooding, around 300 people have died so far, and the next 3 days are critical. In the past level 4 hurricanes have wiped out 100% of banana crops and almost all sugar production.

I have under advisement they will be sending UN troops into Haiti this weekend and I fear for Haiti's development and population given the history.

Please set lights, as in candles, and pray to protect the children and people. The cholera epidemics after have been known to wipe out 10% of certain island populations in the past.

One of my Lwa is Cachita Tumbo, who shares many similarities with Oshun, she is a river spirit, but also responsible for floods, and Juracan (hurricanes) are her messanger. If you are in the region stay safe, and help each other. Try to get some of the rain water and put it in the freezer, very powerful qualities to it.

She may be an amalgamation of older Taino indigenous spirits, cemi, and is a Chieftess.
Her saint image is the yellow Virgen caridad de cobre, Our Lady of Charity. I use a fountain.

I will be lighting her candles, and she likes pompeya perfume and fresh water. I pray that she will help, as she came through last week for the floods in Iowa.

Whatever work you can manage with your spirits please add your energy to the combin.
You may want to use psalm 46, as such was used with hurricane Sandy. And psalm 91 for protection for these regions. Speak from the heart. I plan to start tonight for at least 3 nights and until this blows over.

Here is another prayer

God of our life, whose presence sustains us in every circumstance,

in the unfolding aftermath of storm and distress, we welcome the restoring power of your love and compassion. We open our hearts in sorrow, gratitude, and hope: that those who have been spared nature’s fury as well as those whose lives are changed forever by ravages of wind and water may find solace, sustenance, and strength in days of recovery and reflection that come.

We are thankful for the generous grace of days of preparation that helped many to be prepared; for the wise counsel of experts and the generous collaboration of so many communities, that in the face of the storm kept many out of harm’s way, and lessened the effects of wind and water on others. 

At the same time, we open ourselves to the stories of those for whom Hurricane Matthew was not a near miss: communities deeply affected, whose livelihood, homes and stability have been destroyed.  We pray in grief, remembering the lives that have been lost in the Caribbean, and for communities damaged, especially those already rendered fragile by the earthquake in 2010 and Superstorm Sandy. We lift our voices in sorrow and compassion for families who have lost loved ones, homes, or livelihood. We ask for sustaining courage for those who are suffering; wisdom and diligence among agencies and individuals assessing damage and directing relief efforts; and for generosity to flow as powerfully as rivers and streams, as we, your people, respond to the deep human needs beginning to emerge in the wake of the storm.

In these days of relief, assessment and response, open our eyes, our hearts, and our hands to the needs of your children and the movements of your Spirit, who flows in us like the river whose streams makes glad the city of God, and the hearts of all who dwell in it, and in You. Amen.

taken from http://pda.pcusa.org/pda/resource/prayer-hurricane-matthew/

Many people are already working to turn this back, God willing.

Add your light, to be the lighthouse for those in the storm

Sancista Siete Encruzhiladas

Why your spirits are silent: Blocks to mediumship

When you are first opening yourself up to your spirituality, this is normal, as it takes time and practice to develop your abilities and strengthen your relationship with your spirits. It is also normal to have lulls in spirit activity, but there can also be reasons for a lack of response.

If you are not serious about your work, then good spirits do not want to work with you. A bad spirit will usually scare these people off, or they lose interest because development is slow, and they have no patience, nor dedication. It is a passing fad, something new for the flighty, and something wanted just to possess it, until they are on to the next thing. We cannot make people be spiritual. If you misuse your abilities and spirits, there will be repercussions to your abilities and spirit relationships in general.

A lack of humility or no confidence: be honest with yourself and examine your motives, and self doubt. This can be to shirk responsibility, fears, or feeling unworthy. Being full of ourselves can lead to error in lapses of judgment, as mediums we know we can be wrong at times, as no one is 100% all the time, as well as the future can change. Mediumship is a special gift, rather more for the improvement of the medium’s spiritual progress in Kardeican spiritism, and the tests that come with it. This is a warrior path not for the weak, and as much as an inner battle as one with external spirits. Spirits will use who they can, but leave and go to better mediums who work, persevere, have patience and sincerity. It is a relationship and not superiority over your spirits, bossing them around. As our abilities and confidence grow, so does our discernment. The only reason we have knowledge is it has been given by God, our elders and our spirits, and via our hard work, not intrinsic specialness.

Role & Path: we all have different abilities and community roles as part of a house and initiate. Other faculties can be developed in time, but usually a couple are strongest for you. Likewise your spirits have their own ways of communication. As a priest for the community, a wider variety of spirits will contact you to facilitate for others. As part of the temple, you may mostly have the contact of your own spirits.

Ingratitude: This gift is by grace of the will of God, and can be taken away as swiftly as it has been given.

Acknowledgement must be given to God and the helping spirits for their work and beneficence.

Charity: must give to receive.
Give to others and take care of your spirits, your duty, and what you have promised.

“enemies of spiritism”: Bad spirits: problems with inferior spirits: use prayer. Incarnated spirits: People seeking to undermine you, atheists or even the catholic church trying to say mediumship is evil or impossible. We use both our intuition, further research, and our logical mind. Institutional religion or mental disease: stigma on the medium leads to lack of confidence if you let that affect you. Lack of follow through and Dedication: Write down or follow advices given, reflect on information last given, and have a dream journal: did you follow the advice? Review last information given or session. Keep your obligations, keep practices current, and keep promises. Did you do what your godparents prescribed? Quote from my Tata's book, "when godchildren don't show dedication, then they will turn around and point the finger at the godparent for not teaching them". Dedication and tests are part of improving ourself and spiritism. Communication is key, but you may still feel their prescence in other ways than you are looking for specifically. This is part of our training and to see our dedication. Keep your spirit altars clean and uncluttered for clear communication. Spirits who are silent may be trying to get your attention after you ignore them by ignoring you and hoping that you self reflect. You need to listen. After you have spent time actively being open and listening, reflect. After you have reflected go before your spirits and tell them what you are committing to improve upon your person, and then ask for their assistance. Not following advices: being a bad person: gossiping, being mean to others, hurting others. Not being on your proper spiritual path, and not following proper protocols within the tradition. Going after or not respecting people in your temple or family, being antagonistic, stubborn and difficult, spirits will not take kindly to that. The same reasons your godparents may be ignoring you. Doing these things also can attract misfortunes, illness and bad spirits. You would be surprised what you get as a reward for not taking the low road. Timing: natural to have off days or ebbs and flows in ability, there are many variables and conditions. During the period of after Christmas to the first week of January, some let their spirits rest and cover their altar after removing water. This is the darkest time of year when the sunlight is the farthest from earth in the western hemisphere. During the holy week at Easter most voudouisants take it as a week of reflection on God. Likewise at other times of year, such as the saint feast dates, certain associated spirits will be more active. Try to have a regularly scheduled event such as misa date, or regular day of the week for contact. Spirits have their own spirit lives, they are not idle, waiting around. If you are lazy or disorganized you will attract lazy spirits.   When it comes to specific family members who have crossed over, for the first year they are given rest after the work that is done 9 days after their funeral. After that, you do not want them to always be present, because it is not natural, the risk is that they would be an earthbound spirit you are dealing with instead. Disinterest: for whatever reason they are ambivalent to what you are seeking help with, for example selecting your major at college. We have to live our lives and cannot do a divination for every single thing. This is a spiritual path. They are more interested in your moral and spiritual progression, but the ones closer to us and earth also know what it is like to have been human, and that we have physical needs such as food and shelter. Not every spirit you want to approach and work with wants to work with you, nor should you try to force them. Working with spirits not in your spiritual frame creating gaps in the links of your energy body and relationships with the spirits you should be working with that you actually have instead. This also can attract bad spirits and other problems in your life. You should only be working with spirits of your ancestors, and guides identified by your godparents as you are developing. Bad or dominating spirits. There may be also spirits in your frame that have to be dealt with blocking your abilities or other spirits. This requires spiritual work to placate them or extract them. Bad spirits or energy may require a cleansing, but also may need more work to be done to lift them off. This may be due to no fault of the afflicted, or may be due to the underdeveloped medium. We need to be current on our spiritual hygiene to remove that which can impede communication and cause other problems in our life. Sickness and lack energy, emotional issues, being unbalanced, can be not ready, not well rested. If you need healing and need to balance and be more grounded. To add fluids and magnetism you may need a healing medium to help if you are discharged. It is believed eventually the medium will discharge and need others to assist to heal you if you are continually healing others and do not have a way to replenish. Energy blockages can inhibit your transmissions. While this is more of a what not to do list, there are also ideas within what you should be doing. Be good, support, and love one another Sancista Siete Encruzhiladas

September 29th Date of the Archangels, Oct 2 for Guardian Angels known or unknown head spirit

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.

Be Blessed,
Sancista 7