The Santeria Religion

[Summer]

I am a member of the Santeria religion. Some people consider it to be a version of Vou Dou. There is a huge stigmatism about the religion, because any form of Vou Dou is rather secretive, and the power of it can be scary for the average person. Also, the offerings to the Orisha's are such that most people wouldn't understand the reasoning behind them.

But let me tell you something. My Godparents in the religion can give the most scarily accurate readings that I have ever found on this earth. And the magick that they do when the Orisha's advise them to is the most powerful I have ever found.

I once sent a girlfriend to my Godparents because she had been having such horrible luck for many years in a row. They did a reading for her, which advised a ritual be done in order to improve her luck. Within 3 days after the ritual was done she had a new car, a new job, and a new boyfriend. It was absolutely amazing to witness! I have never seen any magick work so quickly for any one before! So I would advise anyone who wants to change their life as quickly as possible to find a Priest or Priestess in the Santeria religion to check them out with a reading, and get whatever ritual done that they advise. It will change your life in a good way!

[Thorn]

I've been completely fascinated by Voudon, Santeria and the other afro-carribean religions lately. I know next to nothing about them, though. I'd love to learn more. Living in the Southwest, there's a lot of Santeria around, but like you said - secretive.

I did, however, have an opportunity to spend some time with a perfectly charming gentleman who is a practitioner of Palo Mayombe - which has an even scarier reputation than voudon. That was an interesting couple of hours.

[Summer]

I have been a member of the Santaria religion for 8 years so far, and my own Godmother is a member of the Palo version of the religion. It is possible to be both, I just didn't qualify to be both myself. You are right, that part of the religion is very scary, not just to me, but to a lot of people. It is soooo secretive that even my own Godmother/Madrina in the religion doesn't discuss it with any of her Godchildren unless they are initiated in it, so I can't go any further about the Palo than what I have just said.

All I can really tell you is that I have never seen any magick work faster than the Santaria/Voudon/Palo. It is absolutely amazing. I may be able to answer some questions that you have about the Santaria, but I am not yet a Priestess in the religion, so I am very careful what I say.

[Thorn]

I guess the most obvious question would be - do the rituals and magick rely as heavily on animal sacrifice as outsiders are led to believe? Or is it, as I suspect, mostly sensationalism?

I do apologize in advance if the question is insulting. Not being judgemental - I can accept blood magick when absolutely necessary (but I do prefer my animals alive. Or at least on the dinner table...)

The Palo that I talked to was lecturing an herbal class I was in, so he really mostly focused on the use of herbalism in his practice. And he was, not surprisingly, vague. He did readings for us where we threw runes of a sort, and several of my classmates were freaked when he mentioned that the brown spots on the runes were blood. I wasn't particularly freaked. I got some really good vibes from him, even though I didn't exactly approve of some of the things that he described. I also had the feeling that there was a lot more there that he wasn't sharing...

[Summer]

It is truth that sometimes the Orisha's ( the parts of God that we worship) will ask for blood sacrifices to be made in order to grant favors for the person that is being helped. That is only usually done in extreme circumstances, and for extreme reasons. Most of the time the Priest or Priestesses in the religion use a lot of herbs and flowers and believe it or not, special bath mixtures. But since my family and I were in such dire peril when we went to the religion for help, 3 of us needed blood magick done to cleanse us. Of course, I was raised by Satanists, and I was trying to escape any and all of their "influences", so it was desperate measures that were needed in our cases.

[Thorn]

debbie said:

It is truth that sometimes the Orisha's ( the parts of God that we worship) will ask for blood sacrifices to be made in order to grant favors for the person that is being helped. That is only usually done in extreme circumstances, and for extreme reasons.

This goes along with my ideas exactly. If you need something really important, then you have to be willing to give up something really valuable. I've never needed anything that bad, myself.

Raised by Satanists? From your description, I'm assuming not the philosophical or merely hedonistic sort. That can't have been good.

[Summer]

It was a horrible experience Thorn. It is no wonder that I have been a student of the Occult for over 20 years trying to "escape" any of the influences that my adopted parents had on me. I mean, wouldn't any body want to escape that?

I haven't seen my adopted parents or any of my many brothers and sisters for over 17 years since I remembered the horrifying experiences that I lived through as a child. It was sooo horrible for me that I forgot what I went through until my mind thought it was a safe time for me to remember. Then I just left my family, and am not ever planning on going back at this point, for obvious reasons.

[Thorn]

It's good you were able to get out! *big hugs*

[Summer]

Yes, I thank God and all of the Powers that Be that the Santaria religion was sent to my part of the world, and I was able to find the help that we needed. In my opinion, it is the anti-thesis of real Satanism. Something this world really needs!

[michael]

i was under the impression that Santaria isn't a religion.
rather, it's a conglomeration of different oral traditions and ideas that mutated from the Black Madonna cults.
Santaria is just christianity, in the same way that old 15th century witchcraft was steeped in christianity as well.
But... i could be wrong, it's been years since i studied santaria, maybe my memory is foggy.

[Summer]

Actually, the Santaria religions roots can be traced back to an African ( I believe Yoruban, to be specific) tribal religion. When the slaves were brought to Cuba, they hid their spiritual/occult practises behind Christianity, and the Santaria religion was born. So Santaria is actually a combination of Catholicism and African Tribal rituals/ways. I practise more of the African part, than I do the Catholicism.

[michael]

ok, a religion usually has a god, or goddess, or a divine hierarchy-
what does the santeria pantheon consist of?
is there a priesthood?
also, generally a religion will have a Holy Book which defines it's doctrines.
does santaria use books?
or is it oral tradition, like the native americans?
is santaria accepted as a religion?
if you buy a book on world religion, will you find santaria included?

[Summer]

The Santaria religion worships Deities called Orisha's. Yes there are Priests and Priestesses, but as far as I know of the traditions aren't written down, but are passed down orally. If you looked in a book of religion, yes, you would find the Santaria religion. The closest religion that you may have heard of that is similar to the Santaria religion is Vou Dou. The beginning of the African religious traditions, from which the Santaria religion comes from, are estimated to be around 3,000 years old. It is a tribal form of religion, hidden behind Christianity, and it's rituals are well guarded. I am not a Priestess yet, I would be what you would consider to be a neophyte in the religion. So I am far from an expert. Rather, I am still learning. I can't really answer many of your questions, because I am not a Priestess yet, and haven't learned what one can share and not share with the general public. I am hoping that we will get some Santaria or Voudon Priests and Priestesses here someday. They could answer questions a lot better than I can. But if you really want to know more about the religion than what I can tell you, all you have to do is click on the link above that says Orishanet. That is a website run by my Godfather in the religion. He is a very educated man.

[pablo]

Hi Debbie,

Please say "Hi" to your Padrino for me his website was very helpfull to me when I first started out in this religion.

Santeria is definately a religion and has a massive body of Knowledge. Allof it is oral but is recognised across the religion. The rituals have a strong basis in the divinatory verses that are used in ritual. A similar theme is seen in the GD where rituals were constructed using elements of tarot lore. Or even the call of the hexagram used in Thelema" Virgo! Isis! mighty mother! Scorpio!..." Etc.

There is a very strong priesthood and also a series of divnations that define which orisha claims the individual.

I hope this helps.

Pablo

PS personally I prefer to use the word "Lukumi" as opposed to Santeria as the former shows a dropping of the slight catholic imagery or re-africanising of the religion, depending on how you look at it.

[Summer]

I am sooooo glad that another Lukumi person has joined the board! Welcome Pablo! I can see why you would prefer to call it Lukumi. Feel free to start new threads on anything you would like to talk about, K? ;D

PS: I will be sure to say hello to my Godfather for you.