In the last blog post, we examined in general the practice of making food offerings to spirits and discussed making an ancestor feast, which is the cornerstone ritual of New Orleans Voodoo. In this post, I would like to expand upon this topic and share a few specific offerings that are traditional to various lwa or saints. The following list of saints and spirits are not specific to any one spiritual pantheon but are rather an eclectic…
Continue Reading
In many spiritual traditions around the world as seemingly disparate as Chinese Folk Religion, Haitian Vodou, Brazilian Candomblé, European Faerie Magic and various forms of Native-American Shamanism and Hinduism you will notice one common trend: The Feeding of Ancestors and Spirits. In all of these traditions and many others, elaborate feasts are prepared for different categories or pantheons of spirits depending of the time of year or celebration being observed or the spiritual assistance one is attempting…
Continue Reading
It is a common belief in Voodoo that when we die we remain close to Earth, close to loved ones and it is the responsibility of those still living to care for the dead and elevate them closer to the light, to Heaven…toward God. We elevate our ancestors through prayer, having masses said, lighting candles and leaving glasses of water, flowers and perfume as offerings. We believe that the more we help the dead, the faster they…
Continue Reading
First of all, let me make clear that I am not a hougan, a priest of Haitian Vodou. I have not undergone the kanzo initiation and I do not pretend to be an expert on that tradition or have any knowledge beyond the basics. I am however a life long practitioner of Louisiana Voodoo and am highly knowledgeable in its traditions, am a ceremonial expert and highly skilled in the preparation of gris gris and spells. I…
Continue Reading
Autumn is a wonderful time of year during which the earth gives us the fruits it has been growing since spring and the veil between our world and the spirit world is at its thinnest. It’s even been called “The Season of the Witch.” Throughout time and in numerous cultures, there have been and continue to be holidays and festivals that recognize the many blessings of this time of year. One such holiday comes from China and…
Continue Reading
