Never Stop Learning

These three words are the most important for me in any discipline. I find that in today's time that learning is seen as more of a chore than a privilege. We should be thankful for all of the information we have access to instead of taken it for granted like we so often do. This is especially important in religion. If I were to stop completely and only continue with what I know I would be reaching no new points on the highest mountain. I would be stagnated like a swamp and fed to the mosquitoes that live there.

I don't think any of us will ever know all there is to know in this lifetime, but we can at least get a head start and if we partner that knowledge with spiritual evolution and practice we will find ourselves having much more growth and blessings. Even if your path is not Las 21 Divisiones you should still always attempt to learn all that you can about your own tradition, and the other traditions around the world. The same goes for academic disciplines like mathematics,geology, etc. We should always, always continue to grow in mind, body and soul.

If you take what I have said to heart and allow it to become a major part of your life you will advance far faster and better than others in your field of expertise. Seriously, this should be the number one rule for anything at all. If only we were all to do this, we would never repeat ourselves in mediocrity.

Benidiciones!

St. John the Baptist- Yan Petwo (Jean Petro)

For this post I have decided that I would talk about a misterio who belongs to the Petro divisione. His name is Yan Petwo (Jean Petro) and his day of service is on Tuesday. His colors are blue and red and he is close to Sili Danto and it is also he who freed Feribunda (another Petro spirit) from the abyssal waters and summoned her into a life of fire. His son is known as Ti-Yan Petwo and is another misterio of the Petro divisione that is highly respected and associated with St. John the Bapist but as a child.

In Las 21 Divisiones his image should be placed on the floor between the image of St. Helen and St. Raphael. On a Tuesday one should give a piece of black sugar cane and a dagger should always be present with him. He loves red beans, rice and beef in a stew and drinks Chamba (a spicy drink consisting of 21 peppers, cinnamon, ginger, and more).

The remainder of his services should be taken to the foot of a mountain or crossroads. Since he is of the Petro divisione he is also highly connected to the forest, which is wear the punto of that divisione is given to new initiates. One should take caution with the Petro misterios and always approach with great respect!

The Importance of God in La 21 Divisiones (La Magia Beneficia)

La Mano Poderosa

My previous posts have been mainly about the misterios of the tradition you should now be a little bit more familiar with- Dominican Vodou. Sure, they're wonderful, powerful, and wise but isn't something missing? If you answered no to that question, than I feel sorry for you. The truth is, many of us get lose in the mysteries of the spirits so much that we completely forget that they are mysteries of God. I realize this may sound surprising to you, but yes I do believe in God. My belief in God however is a completely animist one.

God in Dominican Vodou is such an important part of the tradition. So much in fact that forgetting about God can be hazardous to your relationships with the spirits. Just think about how you begin to understand something- your human mind must know where it originated from. Same goes for the spirits. If you don't understand that they came from God, and that God should be given thanks for his creations, then you will block your connection with them.

It doesn't matter if you call God just that, or if you call God Bondye. Either way you need to give thanks and devotion. I recommend doing this on a Sunday, because thats typically the day when spirit work comes to a hault. That should be when you focus on him/her. Praying the rosary is a good way of getting in contact and is very common in La 21 Divisiones. If you ever feel the need to setup a 21 Divisiones altar, you will need a Catholic bible and a crucifix anyway, so get used to the Catholicism now.

This doesn't have to be complicated either. If you can't pray the rosary (you should, but I understand) then you should at least 'freestyle' a prayer to God as the Almighty and stick with it. If you can, you could even visit a Catholic church on Sunday and join the ceremonies there.

Now I understand if the Catholic syncretism bothers you, but this is the traditional way of doing things and I will not advocate any other way. This is how I was taught and I will continue to follow the tradition like this. God is who you should be contemplating before spirit, and after spirit you should be contemplating yourself. Also keep close to you the three virtues: Faith, Hope, and Charity. This is a very important part of living, within and without of this tradition.

The Fire of God

This post will be talking about the misterio in Las 21 Divisiones known as Candelo Cedife. Many of us in the tradition view Candelo as the fire of God, for both creative and destructive purposes. He is primarily concerned with that which he represents, the flame and is also connected to hot emotions, and fiery states of being.

Candelo is represented by St. Charles Borromeo and is always placed next to his amigo Belie Belcan, who was spoken about in a previous post. Candelo is a lover of red whiskey and cigars and is very 'macho'. Candelo has a wife and a child, whom I will not speak of in this post because a whole other post could be dedicated to their mysteries alone. Candelo's color is red, always red and when in possession it is Candelo who handles fire and even eats burning coals. He is a wonderful misterio and very fun to watch.

But like fire itself he can also take the route of being a destructive flame as well. He does have a temper and if he feels you are not being absolutely serious he will burn you, and for good reason. He teaches us to build a good foundation because if we do not, he will burn it to the ground to teach us a lesson.

A Working with Candelo Cedife to Give One Inspiration

Things Needed:

A red candle
A picture of St. Charles Borromeo
A red cloth
A glass of whiskey
A cigar
A strong, manly cologne

The working is simple and should be done on a Thursday. You will set up a small table and place a red cloth over it. On top of the cloth you will stand a framed image of Candelo, or if you cannot get a framed image, simply pin up a printed image on the wall above the table. Place the red candle next to the Whiskey. Light the cigar in front of the table and place it horizontally on top of the glass.

You will now repeat the following prayer:

San Carlos Borromeo, les pido que velará por e inspirar confianza en mí porque tú eres el fuego del Todopoderoso, el Creador. Lo que puede dar y quitar. Concede a mí tus bendiciones. amén
Now you will go to Candelo-

Candelo, I ask that you light the spark of creative inspiration within me and give me the strength of a thousand fires so I may get past the obstacles ahead. Allow me to merge with my goals if only for a short period of time. 

Now pass the cologne above the candle flame, saying:

Arriba Candelo
Give thanks and depart. Now whenever you need inspiration, spray this cologne unto you and know that it is  the inspiring fire of Candelo attaching itself to you, as a personal muse. Have faith in this and do not doubt. When the bottle is empty, be sure to decorate it nicely and give it to Candelo as a bigger thank-you.

The Mystery of Bellie Belcan

temasespirituales.com

In the Rada Division there is a very beloved misterio known as Bellie Belcan. He is who protects you from the work of devils and infernal influences and is therefore attributed to St. Michael the Archangel. He is married to Anaisa Pye and is generally considered to be an older man with great bravery and strength. Since he is so masculine he enjoys strong cigars and drinks such as Whiskey and Rum.

Bellie is a wonderful misterio because it is he who guards you from the temptations of fire, which will burn you if you get too close. But just at the right distance, this fire can be a leading factor in your life and when protected by Bellie Belcan exactly what sets you in line. This is an inch of the long road that is the path of Bellie Belcan or San Miguel and is one of a leader.

If you would wish to contact Bellie Belcan for protection you could do so by lighting a white candle or a St. Michael candle in the highest point of your home and present to him a glass of water with a sword pointing towards the sky within it. Pray to Bellie for protection and if it so suits you also a novena for St. Michael. This is a simple, but powerful way to embrace his guardianship into your own life.

Vodou or Voodoo?

St. Michael the Archangel

My first post on this blog will be touching on the subject of one of the most confusing aspects of this Afro-Caribbean religion. The spelling of the word Vodou (Voodoo, Vodoun) is a big divider between the various traditions of the world.

First, if you've ever seen a horror movie with zombies, black men playing with dolls, or Satanism than you've most likely also heard that very thing called 'Voodoo'. Notice how I spelled that. The spelling 'Voodoo' typically denotes a false, stereotypical idea of the practice of Vodou which is entirely different from the general assumption of the religion.

However there is a tradition of Vodou in New Orleans that uses the former spelling. This tradition is a big melting pot of various practices, many of which are not even African in nature. With all due respect, the practitioners of that religion often incorporate white concepts such as Wicca, Solomonic magick, and other things among that. Now this is not to say that New Orleans Voodoo is false, but is instead just showing the differences.

Now, Vodou which is how it is generally referred to in Haiti and the Dominican Republic is a religion that blends *traditional* African beliefs with Catholicism. The reason for the Catholic blend is due to white invasion but still holds its place in the religions even today.

Vodou has its focus on the existence of an Almighty presence called Bondye, and views our world as consisting of three realms. The upper world, the marketplace, and the abyss. Followers of the religion place much emphasis on getting in contact with God through spirits which are called lwa in Haiti, and misterios in the Dominican Republic. Relationships are built through offerings to these spirits and are viewed as having an effect on the day-to-day life of an individual.

We also place a lot of emphasis on our ancestors. As a matter of fact, that is generally the first thing a person should start seeking out- a connection to their own ancestors. Lwa generally come second. But what's the difference between the Vodou in Haiti and the Vodou in the Dominican Republic?

In Santo Domingo, the spirits are seperated into 21 divisiones. There are however three major divisiones which according to tradition are Rada, Petro, and Ghede. Within these three are seven lines of spirits which of course make up the twenty one divisiones. For instance, in the Rada (the more benevolent, wise, and pure spirits) there is a division entirely for the Metresas or 'female' spirits. The spirits of this line have a lot in common with the patron of that line named Metresili Freda.  Therefore the amount of spirits within these divisiones is so vast that many would never know all of them within a lifetime.

It is also important to say that in Haiti much emphasis is placed on initiation and a relationship with your initiator in real life, while in the Dominican Republic small initiation ceremonies are made and then the initiate is taught by the spirits. There is usually one spirit in particular that will guide he/she as they progress in Vodou. This is much different in Haiti.

There are also many of the same spirits in the two religions and many different spirits as well. The way of serving the spirits is almost completely different as well. We also speak Spanish instead of Kreyol, which is without a doubt one of the biggest differences. I realize this was a short post but it should be informative to those who haven't been able to get this information.