Afro American Religion

BY: DICKERSON, A.J. ; Associated Press Writer
DATELINE: HILEAH, Fla. (AP) June 04, 1987

A priest of a religion that sacrifices animals and is practiced by much of Florida's Latin population claimed Thursday that city harassment was threatening plans to open the sect's first church in Florida.
"We're days away from losing the whole thing," Santeria priest Ernesto Pichardo said of $1.4 million in pending financing to buy a parcel of land for the Church of Lukumi Babalu-Aye.
"And people don't want to drive up here. They're afraid they'll be
harassed."
The sect had planned to hold its first service Thursday in the building it is leasing with an option to buy, but it lacks an occupancy permit.
Instead, about 75 people attended a Mass in the parking lot.
City Councilman Paulino Nunez said residents had called and written to protest the church opening, but he said Pichardo had not been harassed.
The main complaint of residents and City Council members in this city, which is 85 percent Cuban, involves sacrifices of animals such as goats and chickens as part of the Afro-Cuban religion Santeria.
Florida laws on animal slaughter allow religious sacrifices if the
animals are killed quickly, Pichardo said.
Experts say about 40 percent of south Florida's Latin community dabbles in Santeria, but, because there is no central headquarters, the extent of membership is unknown.
Santeria was created when African slaves brought to Cuba merged their native beliefs with the Catholicism of plantation owners. The religion requires offering fruit and animal gifts to appease their gods.
Donors have "backed off" on pledges because of controversy that erupted after he announced last month the church would open, Pichardo said.
Pichardo said lack of a permit forced Florida Power & Light to turn off the building's electricity Thursday morning. The sect applied for the permit, a process that usually takes a week.
But the permit has not been granted because of trouble with an
electrical inspection, the city attorney's office said. Pichardo said the building should have passed the inspection and accused the city of
stonewalling.
The 14-year-old, state-registered church has been worshipping in private homes.

accused the city of
stonewalling.
The 14-year-old,

Suggested reading (pdf e-books):

Aleister Crowley - Appeal To The American Republic 1899
Andrew Lang - Myth Ritual And Religion
John Alan Halloran - Sumerian Lexicon

Brigit Voodoo

In Vodou, Ma'man Brigit (Grann Brigitte, Manman, Manman Brigit, Manman Brijit) is the mother of cemetaries, the loa of money and death, and the wife of Baron Samedi. She may be related to the "triple" Celtic goddess of poetry, smithcraft, and healing, Brigid/St. Brigit, as her name is Irish in origin. She is usually depicted as a white woman. The first woman's grave in a cemetery in Haiti is dedicated to her. Her colors are black, purple and white, her number is nine, and her particular days of service include Monday and Saturday. Her sacrificial animal is a black chicken. She drinks rum laced with hot peppers - "gaz lakrimojen Ayisyen" (Haitian tear gas), and like her husband and the rest of the Guede Spirits, she is a "potty mouth" and uses profanity. Ma'man Brigit will protect gravestones if they are marked properly with a cross. Ma'man Brigit is known to rub her private parts with hot peppers, and those who appear to be faking possession by her in a Vodou ceremony may be subjected to this test, which they obviously would not pass if their possession is not genuine. She is a very sexual dancer, and her skill in the banda dance is legendary.

Ma'man Brigit is one of my best selling dolls. To make a Ma'man Brigit Voodoo art doll, I start with the basic two sticks and Spanish moss and then I wrap her in white vintage laces. I craft her face out of polymer clay and give her a white complexion and bright red lips, pointing to her Celtic roots. I try to make her very beautiful, as that is the way she comes to me. Her hair is made from fancy yarns and Spanish moss, and I drape more lace over her head and shoulders. She wears a necklace with a lamp-worked glass skull bead, signifying her relationship with the dead.

To learn how to make your own Voodoo doll, please visit The Mystic Voodoo.

Read more about Ma'man Brigit...

mystic voodoo

Suggested reading (pdf e-books):

Aleister Crowley - Rights Of Man
Irv Slauson - The Religion Of Odin

Buddhist Meditation

I'm always looking for ways to manage my stress and my mom often tells me to meditate on scripture. I know I should be doing this. The problem is that, I find it difficult to meditate. It's so difficult to "turn off" my mind, almost like trying to have quiet time to calm my mind only amplifies my inner chatter and the anxiety that goes with it. For me the greatest problem in meditation is thoughts preventing any connection.

I read an article before of how these powerful Quartz Crystal Singing Bowls provide people the opportunity to have a transformational experience. So when I came across these beautiful creations of nature called singing bowls, I was like, "What is a singing bowl?" I have heard that singing bowls are often found as a part of feng shui. Practitioners believe that the bowls clear a living area of bad energy. Well, the tones produced by crystal bowls are not just heard by the ear; you feel them in your body, with certain tones affecting your energy centers (chakras) for healing, balancing and meditation. It has been found that among the wave patterns of different singing bowls there is a measurable wave pattern which is equivalent to the alpha waves produced by the brain. These bowls instill a sense of deep relaxation and "inner space opening up". You can find complete details at Silver Sky Imports as they include individual sound samples, pictures and descriptions for each bowl. Many other related products such as Crystal Singing Bowl Accessories, Nepali Gongs, Malas Beads and Tibetan Singing Bowls also included. So go check it out!

Does anyone here own his or her singing bowl? If yes, I'm sure you have access to a magic land of great variety!

Suggested reading (pdf e-books):

Francesca De Grandis - Goddess Initiation
Aleister Crowley - Book 4 Part I Meditation
Alan Wallace - Lucid Dreaming And Meditation

Vodou Free Voodoo Love Spells

It's time to learn some FREE VOODOO LOVE SPELLS. Have you been struggling with the concept and desire to understand the fundamental logic and mystery behind the ancient discipline? Most people are aware that several voodoo spells involve the acquisition of a practice doll that will represent your target subject, what people don't realize is that this art form is not centered on malicious intent but there are several incantations that are extremely positive and useful if performed correctly by the practitioner.

If you really want to go all out there are life size voodoo dolls available and they will give you a lot more access to pinpoint certain areas on the body in which your intent is to affect. One of the most common uses is the relief of migraine headaches. A very popular doll has chi meridians and acupuncture points which may end up being extremely useful for someone that wants to use their talent for healing which is very possible. Oriental medicine is not so dissimilar in the sense that both fields use the application of needles except one is in a doll and the other is in a human being or living creature.

The doll is merely a representation of the subject and in that regard has just as much power because of its conscious connection to the target. Unfortunately voodoo is often used to cause pain and suffering and is many times referred to as a dark art.

The following are things that voodoo spells have often been used for:

1.) Physical harm or the induction of pain in an enemy.

2.) Bad luck often induced with something called a "Hex."

3.) To stir up emotions of love and attraction in a potential mate

VOODOO LOVE SPELLS have been around for ages and the craft has been derived from African magic and religion. The term Voodoo itself comes from Haiti and is also referred to as Voudoun. People in the United States refer to the magic as Hoodoo. This form of magic is extremely powerful and has an extreme focus on names. If you stop to think about how much your name has affected the opportunities you receive in life you may be amazed at the sheer and awesome power that your name holds.

Often times practitioners of this unfamiliar magical discipline decide to change their names to become more relatable to the source of their elemental powers. Some of the most famous masters in the craft include Dr. Snake and Dr. Crow. Much of the craft is centered on mind control and it plays an extremely vital role in the effectiveness of spells and incantations.

More important than anything else is to have the ability to believe in your conjure wholeheartedly without fail, breaking the confines of the conscious mind and implementing the unconscious powers that are lying dormant within us all.

Most masters have the ability to conjure without complex or elaborate techniques but for beginners it is best to master the art of trance induction in order to shed the confines of the conscious mind and enter a state of complete control, a trance if you will and the complete submergence in the power of the unconscious mind.

Dr. Snake's voodoo spellbook has an excellent method for inducing trance. This is a highly recommended book if you are serious about becoming a master in this craft. It is recommended that you seriously think about your decision to learn this discipline because it has the possibility of completely transforming your life and existence, opening a doorway to the spirit world is not for the weak of heart. Find the inner strength within yourself (or use phone psychics) and see if you are ready to play with forces that are unexplainable by conventional wisdom.

Suggested reading (pdf e-books):

Howard Phillips Lovecraft - The Tree On The Hill
Al Selden Leif - Pagan Spells Life Spells
Anonymous - Book Of Spells