Voodoo

The Word Voodoo (“heavenly intuition, vitality”), originated from the language of the African tribes, and actually has a positive connotation. Over the years the religion of Voodoo, has been depicted as dark or negative magick. The essence of Voodoo is essentially an understanding that everything in the Universe is undeniably linked, spiritually.

A Voodoo black magick practitioner is referred to as a “bokor,” a boker has heightened spiritual powers and is a learned student of toxicology. A bokor has the ability to use poisons to harm others, if inclined.

Black magick in some countries was considered a criminal offense until 1953, and there were bokors who did not honour the positive religious energy of Voodoo. Instead they chose to connect with, and channel demon energies, which allowed them to practice their dark art. The price the bokor pays for his dark deeds, is to serve the demon in his world after his death.

Voodoo came to America in the 18th century, the government deemed it illegal to practice and made gatherings for Voodoo ceremonies almost impossible. Restrictions began to be lifted in the early 19th century.

In the old ceremonies the king and queen took their place while bonfires blazed around them and drums were beaten. A snake sacrifice then took place, the queen lifted a python from a box and allowed it to lick her cheek, thus imbuing her with inner vision and power, becoming an oracle. With a chain of handclapping the power was passed to the king and other chosen ones. The snake container was adorned with small bells and when the king shook it a hypnotic state was induced among those present. A male dancer represented the god, the Zombi. A boiling cauldron boiling over a fire in the center of a clearing, was given offerings during these ceremonies, chickens, cats, worms, birds and always a snake, would be thrown into the cauldron. The queen would then begin to chant;

L’Appe’ vini le Grand Zombi (He is coming the Great Zombi) L’Appe’ vini pou fe gris-gris (He is coming to make gris-gris. A male dancer, clad only in a loin cloth, then leapt into the center of the clearing, carrying a coffin the size of a small baby. He was welcomed with cries of “Li Grand Zomi, Li Grand Zombi, he then dropped the coffin at the feet of the queen and began a wild, whirling dance, spinning around and around. The dancer would collapse from exhaustion, others then began to dance stopping intermittently to drink from the cauldron. Live pigeons and chickens were used in these rites, which were frenzied and frightening to witness as people fell to the ground possessed. It was as though the entire gathering of people were as one frenzied whole.

Any new members had to step inside a circle drawn on the ground with a piece of charcoal, by the king. The initiate was then handed a wax effigy of a man, a piece of human bone and a horse’s hair. While striking the initiate about the head with a wooden paddle, the king would chant in African dialect, his words repeated by those present. As he was absorbing the power, the initiate began to spasm and jerk, if he became fearful and stepped outside the circle, the Voodoos turned their back on him. This was an evil omen. If the initiate stayed and gained enough power, the shaking changed into whirling dance movements, encompassing leaps into the air and elation as he accepted the consciousness of Zombi. He continued his wild dancing until he faints and falls to the ground. The king awakened him by hitting him with the wooden paddle, he is then given the oath of the Voodoos.

The origins of Voodoo are supernatural and geographical, and the word Voodoo originates from vo (introspection) and du (into the unknown). So you can think of Voodoo as an introspective journey into the unknown. With this perspective, the world of Voodoo seems more intriguing and fascinating, than fear inducing. There is a melding of the Voodoo gods, and the souls of the adepts and servants of the gods. The energy of the Sun and the Moon is invoked during all Voodoo ceremonies, with the belief that the natural energies of the Universe are the most potent of all. The Sun’s energy is the energy that supports the structure, peristyle of the oum’phor, the (Voodoo temple). The wooden center post is the integral part of all Voodoo temples, it is the “solar support.” In all Voodoo rituals and ceremonies the center post is referred to. The axis, the center post, is a representation of the Voodoo god Legba, while the wood of the post denotes Mercury, and Mercury is also Legba.

The center post is decorated with the serpent gods Danbahlah and Aida We’do, and all the colours of the rainbow, the colours are painted in a spiral band. The Voodoo goddess Erzulie, the symbol of the Moon, is kept near the center post. The lunar symbol, a model boat, is suspended from the ceiling, completing the planetary significance. The oum’phor is the temple of Voodoo, it has religious connotations and is said to resemble the design used by Moses to build the Ark.

The temple altar is called the pe’, it is a rectangular or square platform, the height of a man’s chest. Objects related to Voodoo are kept on top of the altar. Bells, ritual rattles, thunderstones imbued with supernatural powers, chaplets, ritual necklaces, magic arms, books on occultism, drums, copious jars and pots and flags. Within the jars and pots is contained the spirits of those who worship at the oum’phor. The govis jars are the jars the gods descend into when called upon for consultation.

The Peristyle is the roofed courtyard next the oum’phor, it is partly enclosed and the place where mass ceremonies and Voodoo rituals are practiced. The Peristyle is also a place of healing and people can bring their sick relatives and friends to be healed by Voodoo magick. There is a low wall bordering the Peristyle and the floor is of beaten earth. Those not properly attired for the ceremonies, or are spectators, are permitted to stand behind the wall to view the proceedings. Members of the oum’phor sit on benches inside the Peristyle. There is always a picture of the president of the country placed on the wall of the Peristyle, during large ceremonies flags are also hung from the crossbeams of the temple. There is a perpetual fire burning in the oum’phor yard. An iron bar which is said to have fallen from the sky, is a cosmic symbol of sexual desire, this is planted in the center of the fire. There is deep significance attached to the bonfire which is called the, “forge of the Ogous.”

The Voodoo gods (loas) come from all parts of Africa. Voodoo rites derived from Africa, spread to Haiti, Cuba, Brazil and the United States. Voodoo is practiced in Florida, Charleston, Galveston and New Orleans. Voodoo began very quietly in America and the Voodoo priests were able to practice for a time without interference, but over time they began to attract attention and the authorities intervened. Extreme punishments were imposed upon those involved in Voodoo activities. Restrictions on the practice of Voodoo continued for centuries.

There are two forms of Voodoo, with one form of Voodoo small events are created to then become a reality in the material world. Hence the Voodoo doll, the idea of which strikes fear into the hearts of many. In the other form the gods are invoked so their energies may be aligned to magickal practices. Deities are summoned as a part of powerful and elaborate ceremonies, within these ceremonies participants are whipped into a frenzy, with rituals combining movement and chanting. These rituals are usually conducted at night, by firelight.

Supernatural being in the Voodoo realm, are known as Loa, the two groups are: Rada-Loa and Petro-Loa. The Rada-Loa serves creation, the enhancement of life, elevation of the collective unconscious. The Petro-Loa are demons, invoked for the sole purpose of negative and harmful magick. The initiator of this type of magick put their body and soul in jeopardy.

When invoking the Petro-Loa, a blood sacrifice is required, commonly used is a black chicken or a black goat. As the consent of the animal is required before the sacrifice, the animal is offered food, if the animal eats the food, it is considered to have given its consent to be sacrificed. If the animal refuses the food, it is replaced with another animal. The Petro-Loa are called upon as protectors from black magick.

There is an honoured hierarchy afforded to the entities called upon in these rituals, and although in some cultures these entities are considered negative, or even malevolent. Within the Voodoo belief system they are revered.

The most dangerous of all curses in magickal practices is the Voodoo curse, those who practice Voodoo fear this magick above all others. Even Voodoo practitioners fear being “hoodooed.”