sherry
June 5th, 2001, 08:41 PM
Voodoo is a religion of the universe. The way that it works is through the energies and intelligence which are directed and manifested of ourselves and our universe.
I do not know why but I have always been drawn to New Orleans, as I have stated in the past.
I am very comfortable with my pagan beliefs and for a while read everything about Wicca I could get my hands on. Not all of what I have read is solid with me. Voodoo has interested me since high school when I did a lengthy report on Marie Laveau.
Webster's Dictionary describes Voodoo as the practice of WITCH CRAFT, chiefly practice by Negroes of Haiti, and characterized by propitiatory rites and communication by trance with animistic deities/ one who deals with spells and necromancy. (And if you think this sounds bad look up PAGAN!!)
Is this so different from others here on the site?? And being misunderstood is something we can all relate too. This morning when I went on line to look up voodooism for FACTS to put in this writing, I was not surprised to see the next word under it was paganism!
This is what I found in my search today: Voodoo is a religion of the universe. The way that it works is through energies and intelligence which are directed and manifested of ourselves and our universe. (as stated above to get your attention)
The word origin means power, that who is invisible, the creator of all things.
These practices originated from West Africa, and were brought to the New World in the minds, bodies and souls of enslaved Africans.
They have pantheon as with Wicca, they have Gods and Goddesses. Other similarities are that they use cards for readings (Tarot), Palm readings, African Bone readings (like Runes) Potions for personal usage (herbal), Oils and Baths, Mojo bags (magic bags). They have others that I personally have seen like their Exotic Snake Dance that I personally will never try at home! But was VERY intoxicating to watch. They do have special rituals for Weddings, Healing, Love, and they just add a few extras like mind control for self and others, and do not have a three fold rule or creed to follow.
There are various aspects of Voodoo:
Rada concentrates on the positive side of Voodoo only. (kinda fluffy bunny stuff)
Petro concentrates on the positive and the negative.
Sectra Rouge concentrates on the negative only ( here comes the Hollyweird stuff)
Zobop concentrates on the extreme negative. (these are the ones everyone thinks of
when the word voodoo comes along!!)
Voodoo devotees, as in all religions believe in a Omnipresent Creator and the Loa or Orisha. The Loa (Lou) act as intermediaries (like the catholic saints) between the creator and the human world. These Loa interact with people and things to help create and maintain spiritual balance.
Now the ZOMBIES everyone has heard of. As with our chosen paths, Hollywood, writers, anthropologists, scholars, and priest/ religious leaders have gotten ahold of them and twisted them out of truth in the public eye. Well now this is the truly frightening part of their religion. It is proven now by Medical Science in the past 10 years. They have used CAT scans and EEG's to prove the left side of the brain has no functioning areas on Zombies!!
This source used states that to make a zombie, a voodoo practitioner would make a potion that consists mostly of the poison from a pufferfish. This is one of the strongest natural nerve poisons known to man. This compares to the clinical drug Norcuron and is used during surgery. This quickly causes lethargy and the victim appears dead. Slowing the pulse and respirations to the point machines cannot detect them. They are then taken to a hospital, then buried alive!! APPEARING DEAD! Now through chants to the subconscious mind they again rise, through a voodoo practitioner, without the left side of the brain functioning. For those non medical folks the left side controls your speech, memory, and motor skills. They have no choice but to follow commands because they have no thought process of their own. In 1918 a voodoo priest TI Joseph was said to have owned many zombie all of which were then employed as sugar cane workers for the American Sugar Company in Haiti. Now here comes the part Hollywood failed to mention. The only way to break the spell and return to the grave permanently is through eating salt or through meat or meat products such as blood !! But that would not sell movie tickets. To this day if a death is unexplained in these areas they often pack the mouth of the dead with granules of salt, just to be sure they will never return. SO that kind of kills it for Night Of The Living Dead!!
now here is a brief description of the 7 Orishas (LOA)
Eleggua- Owner of the roads and opportunities. Messenger between the humans and the Orisha's, he is also a healer and master magician and can be extremely generous as well as cruel.
Obatala- Peace, harmony and purity. The creator of mankind, owner of everything white.
like bones, snow, the sky and the brain. Is often invoked for health, peace, and harmony.
Oloddumare- he is the concept of God.
Oshun- Goddess of sexuality, beauty, love, and diplomacy. Invoked for matters of Love and Money
Oya- Goddess of the wind, fire, and thunderbolt. As a female warrior she is invoked when there is a serious illness, or when transformation is necessary. She is the guardian of the gates of death, and a great witch, she is often named responsible for tornados, hurricanes.
Yemalia- The goddess of the sea and moon. She is the Mother and responsible for wealth.
Her nurturing energy soothes everyone. As the one who gives life and sustains the Earth, she is extremely giving and generous.
Shango- this one is legendary across Africa and is immortalized as the Thunder god. Shango's storms and lightning bring a purifying moral terror encapsulated by boldness and immediacy of his art and altars.
This is taken from info found in The New Orleans Spiritual Temple and areas on the web
http://www.gnofn.org./~voodoo/flyer.html http://archive.nandotimes.com/prof/caribe/Dictonary.html
http://w3.iac.net/~moonweb/NOSVT/VoodooFaq.html
http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/z/zombies.html
Sherry
I do not know why but I have always been drawn to New Orleans, as I have stated in the past.
I am very comfortable with my pagan beliefs and for a while read everything about Wicca I could get my hands on. Not all of what I have read is solid with me. Voodoo has interested me since high school when I did a lengthy report on Marie Laveau.
Webster's Dictionary describes Voodoo as the practice of WITCH CRAFT, chiefly practice by Negroes of Haiti, and characterized by propitiatory rites and communication by trance with animistic deities/ one who deals with spells and necromancy. (And if you think this sounds bad look up PAGAN!!)
Is this so different from others here on the site?? And being misunderstood is something we can all relate too. This morning when I went on line to look up voodooism for FACTS to put in this writing, I was not surprised to see the next word under it was paganism!
This is what I found in my search today: Voodoo is a religion of the universe. The way that it works is through energies and intelligence which are directed and manifested of ourselves and our universe. (as stated above to get your attention)
The word origin means power, that who is invisible, the creator of all things.
These practices originated from West Africa, and were brought to the New World in the minds, bodies and souls of enslaved Africans.
They have pantheon as with Wicca, they have Gods and Goddesses. Other similarities are that they use cards for readings (Tarot), Palm readings, African Bone readings (like Runes) Potions for personal usage (herbal), Oils and Baths, Mojo bags (magic bags). They have others that I personally have seen like their Exotic Snake Dance that I personally will never try at home! But was VERY intoxicating to watch. They do have special rituals for Weddings, Healing, Love, and they just add a few extras like mind control for self and others, and do not have a three fold rule or creed to follow.
There are various aspects of Voodoo:
Rada concentrates on the positive side of Voodoo only. (kinda fluffy bunny stuff)
Petro concentrates on the positive and the negative.
Sectra Rouge concentrates on the negative only ( here comes the Hollyweird stuff)
Zobop concentrates on the extreme negative. (these are the ones everyone thinks of
when the word voodoo comes along!!)
Voodoo devotees, as in all religions believe in a Omnipresent Creator and the Loa or Orisha. The Loa (Lou) act as intermediaries (like the catholic saints) between the creator and the human world. These Loa interact with people and things to help create and maintain spiritual balance.
Now the ZOMBIES everyone has heard of. As with our chosen paths, Hollywood, writers, anthropologists, scholars, and priest/ religious leaders have gotten ahold of them and twisted them out of truth in the public eye. Well now this is the truly frightening part of their religion. It is proven now by Medical Science in the past 10 years. They have used CAT scans and EEG's to prove the left side of the brain has no functioning areas on Zombies!!
This source used states that to make a zombie, a voodoo practitioner would make a potion that consists mostly of the poison from a pufferfish. This is one of the strongest natural nerve poisons known to man. This compares to the clinical drug Norcuron and is used during surgery. This quickly causes lethargy and the victim appears dead. Slowing the pulse and respirations to the point machines cannot detect them. They are then taken to a hospital, then buried alive!! APPEARING DEAD! Now through chants to the subconscious mind they again rise, through a voodoo practitioner, without the left side of the brain functioning. For those non medical folks the left side controls your speech, memory, and motor skills. They have no choice but to follow commands because they have no thought process of their own. In 1918 a voodoo priest TI Joseph was said to have owned many zombie all of which were then employed as sugar cane workers for the American Sugar Company in Haiti. Now here comes the part Hollywood failed to mention. The only way to break the spell and return to the grave permanently is through eating salt or through meat or meat products such as blood !! But that would not sell movie tickets. To this day if a death is unexplained in these areas they often pack the mouth of the dead with granules of salt, just to be sure they will never return. SO that kind of kills it for Night Of The Living Dead!!
now here is a brief description of the 7 Orishas (LOA)
Eleggua- Owner of the roads and opportunities. Messenger between the humans and the Orisha's, he is also a healer and master magician and can be extremely generous as well as cruel.
Obatala- Peace, harmony and purity. The creator of mankind, owner of everything white.
like bones, snow, the sky and the brain. Is often invoked for health, peace, and harmony.
Oloddumare- he is the concept of God.
Oshun- Goddess of sexuality, beauty, love, and diplomacy. Invoked for matters of Love and Money
Oya- Goddess of the wind, fire, and thunderbolt. As a female warrior she is invoked when there is a serious illness, or when transformation is necessary. She is the guardian of the gates of death, and a great witch, she is often named responsible for tornados, hurricanes.
Yemalia- The goddess of the sea and moon. She is the Mother and responsible for wealth.
Her nurturing energy soothes everyone. As the one who gives life and sustains the Earth, she is extremely giving and generous.
Shango- this one is legendary across Africa and is immortalized as the Thunder god. Shango's storms and lightning bring a purifying moral terror encapsulated by boldness and immediacy of his art and altars.
This is taken from info found in The New Orleans Spiritual Temple and areas on the web
http://www.gnofn.org./~voodoo/flyer.html http://archive.nandotimes.com/prof/caribe/Dictonary.html
http://w3.iac.net/~moonweb/NOSVT/VoodooFaq.html
http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/z/zombies.html
Sherry