It’s finally hear! Imbolc! As well as its Christian equivalent, Candlemas or Candle Mass. The Mass of Candles. Just like Imbolc, Candlemas is the best time to bless things. Especially candles. Priests will bless candles with incense and holy water.
To impart special blessings upon the candles.
All Hail the Queen
I use both holidays not only for this, but to bless special charms in general. Currently I am getting ready to bless these.
When these egg shells gain their full power, I’m going to crush them into a powder. In Santeria these powders are called Cascarilla. The blessed egg shell powder is used for a variety of magics. And can even be used as an extra ingredient to empower a spell. Cascarilla is always used for positive purposes.
Like healing. I’ve never heard of them being used for curses.
This year’s Brídeog
I also made my Brídeogor little Brighid. My Imbolc idol for Brighid. As is custom, I walked around the house at sunset. On the day before the Sun entered 15 degrees in the sign of Aquarius (this year the day before was February first). In tradition, a person used a torch to walk around the outside of the home.
I used a lighter instead. It’s easier to hide what I’m doing. In the past I used candles or incense sticks as the torch. With this, I can click the lighter on and off when someone shows up. It still gets the job done.
Although when people see the doll, they freak out.
The bed on which Brighid will sleep tonight
I remember I was caught making a Brídeog a few years ago. Mine are basically poppets that I can make from what’s on the land. Sticks and vines sometimes. It didn’t have a head yet. But as soon as he saw it he turned pale as hell.
I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. Like I said in my last blog post, people assume magic dolls are always going to be for hurting a person. You never ask someone who has a Saint statue if it’s to hurt anyone. Or an image of a man being tortured to death on a cross in clear agony.
Noooooo but those scary ass corn dollies and poppets? It’s El Diablo!
This year I dressed the idol with specific elements. Part of the decorations represented are for Oya. The Orisha (Yoruba God) of storms and winds, the market place, and guide of the dead. She’s also a great warrior. And she brings great prosperity.
Oya’s favorite color is purple. But rainbow colors are also sacred to her. My candle for Oya and the Virgin of Candelaria
It’s said that windy storms, especially thunderstorms, are actually her dancing the skies. She lives in the market place because she loves human activity. So commerce naturally falls under her. However, she’s also the Orisha who can protect us from Iku, the Orisha of Death. And since then, she leads souls to the front gates of all tombs.
Oya’s feast day is the feast day of Candelaria (Candlemas). Which is February 2nd. During this time, Santeria visit cemeteries. And do special offerings to her at the front gates. They also do these things for the honor of the dead.
Asking Oya to bless them.
Then we work with another incarnation of the Virgin Mary. Oya and other Gods were often synchronized with the Virgin Mary. Or other Saints. So when the slaves came, new aspects of the Saints arose. Including a new aspect of the Virgin Mary appeared.
La Virgen de la Candelaria. Or English, The Virgin of the Mass of Candles. Candlemas.
La Virgen de la Candelaria
This African aspect of Mary, is said to be Oya in her Christian disguise. Even the colors seem to point to her. I only half way agree. I think this is the Virgin Mary. But because so many people combined her and Oya together, she took an African form.
Gods often do that when they get adopted into other cultures. And I do see Mary as a Christian Goddess. Not just a Saint. She’s even called “the queen of heaven”. Which is a Pagan title in many cultures for a Mother Goddess.
Mary has often taken different forms across cultures. Appearing as Native, Asian, or in some cases her traditional middle eastern form. So I do a lot of Hoodoo and Santeria during this time. With both her and Oya. Specifically I do a combination of African and Christian necromancy.
It’s a good time to talk to the ancestors. But I’m also talking to the Tuatha Dé Danann.
Brighid and her people, the Tuatha Dé Danann
I am watching shows with Brighid. I put her to sleep now.
The fire of Brighid, doesn’t it sort of look like the sacred heat from Catholicism? Covered Brighid in her own blanket. The Romani woman watches her sleep
And I’m about to recite our favorite poem. Candlemas by Alice Brown. And listen to some Irish poetry. I lit seven candles in honor of Brighid. Two of those candles were for Oya and the Virgin herself.
All in all, it’s been a good day.
Saw this the other day, normally I use regular candles. But this is perfect for OyaThe Tuatha Dé Danann, image from Art Station
Today I was looking at my Balcony Garden. Basking in the warmth of the sun, which is something I almost never do in Florida. Usually we hate the damn sun. It burns our skin. And not all of us go to the beach.
My idol of Queen Gaea, Mother of the Universe, Oldest of all the Gods
Some of us appreciate the beauty of the swamp and all its creatures.
If you look deep into Florida, there’s more than just beaches and cities. There’s the country. Which carries a beauty of it’s own. The beauty of the water and the earth interposed with one another. The Union of Land and Sea.
My garden was reminding me of all the creatures who live here. And I thought of my old friend Greene. This story happened a couple of years ago. The day was unusually chilly for South Florida. Like now.
I was taking my dog out one morning. I found him half frozen on the ground, Greene. Except Greene was brown. He could barely move. And he was breathing so hard I thought he was dying.
He was an Anole lizard, a cousin of the chameleon.
They’re usually light green, but he was brown and his feet were the color of Ash. I snapped a picture of him and sent it to my sister. She studied to be a vet. I was told by her that he wasn’t going to die. He was just cold.
And would thaw out. Just to leave him there. But everything inside me told me not to. Fuck it I thought. I guess I’ll be the idiot to carry a frozen lizard home.
Not Greene, but it certainly looks like him when I found him years ago. Image from here.
I put him on my terrace. At least there he would be safe there from other animals. Bugs come there if I turn the light on so he’d have food. And at least he wouldn’t be alone. I keep cardboard boxes of all sizes just for this occasion.
I raced home to get a small box. I fitted it with a small mat of sorts. Then I tried to put him inside. But he was so scared, he climbed out the other side of the box. The Adrenaline made him turn his usual color right then and there.
I just stayed there and spoke to him while my neighbors thought I was bat shit crazy.
“If you don’t come with me now you’ll die. I need you to trust me,”
(Yeah, I’m sure that made them think I was less crazy)
He looked at me as if saying Yeah right, you’re one of them. You can’t be trusted. It started raining cold water and I said,
“I’m not leaving without you, so you better get used to my pretty face,”
The God Agemo
The God Agemo the wise chameleon image from Reddit.
He stood there appraising me for 5 minutes. I wondered what could be going on in his mind. I remembered an old story from Yoruba culture. The God Orunmila was friends with the wise Chameleon, Agemo. Agemo helped Orunmila many times. So I prayed to Agemo to help me get this little guy in the box.
Then I suddenly thought, now is the time, get him in. I put him inside. He tried to run but this time he ran inside the box. I sealed the other side. Leaving the open portion for air.
This time he stopped resisting. I asked my animal guides to protect him. As I walked with him in the box, it seemed as if he were resting. I don’t know if he trusted me finally. Or was simply too exhausted, or both.
I positioned him in a corner with a bucket blocking the chilly wind. He opened his mouth and that large balloon thing some lizards have beneath their neck popped out. I half imagined him cursing me with his breath. I put more carpets all around him to keep him warm and offer more protection from the winds. And then I used some healing work for him.
But most importantly, I left it in the hands of the divine ones. I slept warily that night hoping he would be safe. I prayed for the Sun in Florida to pierce the gray skies. Something I never did. I just wanted him to be okay.
I kept remembering him heave air into himself so deeply. I had dreams of him fighting for his life. I couldn’t even get a decent night’s sleep. I hoped beyond hope for this little creature to live. The next day I was caught off guard by something.
I lost my job so I had time to sleep in. I actually wasn’t too upset about losing it. It was a shitty job with shitty pay. And now I got to relax and enjoy sleeping longer. I drank my Cuban coffee.
I decided to get an hour or two of extra sleep only to hear my phone’s ping that I received a text. My Mother snapped a picture and said.
“Look, he’s okay now,”
I don’t have the old picture of him anymore. But this is what he looked like.
The image was originally from the Orlando Sentinel, but the article doesn’t exist anymore. Instead I have the URL from the image.
I couldn’t believe it. I had to run to the terrace to make sure. And yes there he was. Not only did his color return, but he was mobile now.
I left him be. Didn’t want to scare him off before he was ready to go. The box was still out there for him. And the Sun was shinning through the gray though I continued to pray for the clouds to keep parting and the sun to shine to heat everything up. My prayers were answered.
He seemed to be okay physically. But the way he was sprawled out on the table he had climbed, something was wrong. At some point we had even gotten him dead crickets. Finally, a friend told me they were hunters. And preferred live food.
So I did a trick she taught me. I placed a single banana slice on the table when he wasn’t there. And let it rot to attract flies. When the flies came, he showed up and ate them. Then he ate the banana.
The next morning he began to get his bearings. He stayed for two days. Finally, he left for his true home. My family saw him leave.
I don’t know what Agemo did. But I know that Greene survived when I thought he would die. He’s a tough little guy. I know the spirits guided me.
And the Gods blessed me. And for those who say they didn’t, that it was just me working hard to save him. You didn’t see him that day. I have seen plenty of frozen lizards since then. Just a few years ago we had iguanas falling from the trees in Florida.
They were perfectly fine. When I saw Greene, I expected him to die. He looked like death. I have never seen any animal look like that. Except for animals in their last days.
I know the medicine of the spirits of Florida and the Yoruba people of Nigeria were with him. And with me. Thank you Divine Ones. I wonder every so often, what became of my little friend.
Praise be to OrulaThe Twin Thunders or Little Thunders. At least what I could get as a representation of them. They’re Deities I pray to for rain. They also make some badass holy waterImage from hereNot every Nation believes in Wakan Tanka (Great Mystery). Everyone has their own spirits, but I do. The Agemo Dance (Video)
The Tuatha Dé Danann (Irish Celtic Gods) Vs. the evil Fomorian Giants
I think you can tell by the title of this report, exactly what 2024 is going to be like. And it will not be good. Now anyone can say,
“Well of course! We got like two wars going on at once!”
Not really. We have always been at war. We are stuck in an endless war loop. War, sadly, is what drives the American economy. Not innovation.
Not scientific discovery. War. Guns. The death and blood of children. You think the government and businesses give a shit about kids in Gaza dying? They don’t even care when kids in school in America are dying.
Not as long as those semi automatics make them money.
Of course the Liberals are just as hypocritical. They claim they’re against violence. While they send huge packages of aid to an illegal coup regime in Ukraine. Or they send Israel money to butcher whole families. They don’t give a fuck.
But I digress.
There is a massive spiritual tremor on the other side. It seems as if the Earth is ready to open up wide to swallow us all. As if ready to take us to our graves earlier than expected. Let’s start with the Feng Shui report.
In this Chinese New Year, the world will enter the year of the Wood Dragon. And with it, a massive imbalance in our world. Too much earth, and not enough water. That’s the ruling theme for this year. The world is not being nurtured by water.
Too many dreams are being sacrificed in the name of what we think is practical (a perversion of the earth element). Or what we think is reasonable. And we’re not nurturing each other or ourselves like we used to. Grounding is great. Earth is great.
Earth lends power to all of us. It makes us invincible in any almost situation. Especially battles. The problem is, we have too many battles. Too many of us are stuck in defensive or offensive strikes.
Normally, I would say this isn’t bad at all. Because most of the time, people lead a sedentary life style. Too many are wasting their energy and time on social media. On pleasure. And on feel good stuff.
Especially this time of the year. So I was happy with the more aggressive magma energy of the underworld stirring our world up. More and more people becoming conscious and educated on things they weren’t before. And no longer standing for it. No longer being passive.
But if there’s no water, you’re grounding with desolate earth. And your soul becomes desolate as well. In resisting the cement of the establishment, we’ve all entered overdrive. Even after we broke our selves free (or free enough). I have felt it too.
I don’t think we should stop resisting evil. Far from it. But it’s time to change tactics. We have already used our raw power to break free from sedentary state. From the cement of apathy and ignorance.
Now it’s time to wash what’s left of the cement from our bodies. Gently. To flow with water. Bruce Lee actually talked about this many times.
Yin and Yan
Imbalances are cured through spiritual counter balance. What this means is, spend the first six months of the year meditating only with water. Then, on month 7, you can re-incorporate the Earth. This should balance you out. Ask your spirits how this is to be done.
Something wholesome and loving for the new year
You could also work with spirits of water. Or spirits who are associated with water. Learn to redirect your energies towards nurturing yourself. And your dreams. Just don’t totally lose yourself in the water either.
You don’t want to accidentally create a new imbalance.
The strength of water, is also it’s weakness. It opens up your mind to visions. Which is why Neptune Retrograde is good for spirit work. It even allows you to enter the spiritual world. However, that’s also its weakness.
Too much water, leaves you ungrounded. And then your mind floats the same way the air signs do. When the astrology is ungrounded. So if you notice that water energy leaves you ungrounded like that, don’t wait to re-incorporate the earth. Everyone reacts differently.
Lucky Colors & Their Meanings
According to the flying stars site, the lucky colors of this year are : blue & black (wealth), white, gold, & silver (intelligence), red (support and authority), green (recognition of your talents), and finally yellow (fostering of good allies). Wearing each of these colors is supposed to personally stabilize your energy for this coming year. Next we talk about who the ruling Chinese God of this year is.
The Tai Sui of 2024
General Li Cheng
Every year the Jade Emperor, the Supreme Chinese God, chooses someone from his court to rule that year. He has sixty divine generals. And one of those generals is anointed as the Grand Duke of the planet Jupiter. Jupiter you see, is seen as a planet of wealth and power across cultures. In Rome, Jupiter was the Supreme God.
So this is a very important planet in Astrology. Even astrologies from different cultures. Whatever God or spirit is in charge of this planet, is very important. And obviously very powerful. So it’s important to stay on the good side of whoever will be in charge.
For this year, the being in charge is General Li Cheng.
The sacred direction of the Tai Sui this year is going to be the South East direction of your house. That is the direction where the wood dragon spirit will be. So that direction should be kept quiet at all times. Don’t ever face that direction. Because doing that is a challenge to him.
You should burn incense or candles and leave fruit offerings to both the Tai Sui and the Dragon. Divine with your spirits or ask a specialist on the best way to do this. The sign of the dog directly conflicts with the Tai Sui. So anyone born under that sign will be afflicted. The sheep and ox are afflicted indirectly by the Tai Sui.
Taken directly from the website :
Now that sounds good and all. And it is don’t get me wrong. But there is a down side. One, if the Jade Emperor chose him to rule us this year, that means there is going to be a massive overhaul. Imagine having a forensic accountant audit you.
Making sure that all accounts are balanced. Now this is for our own good. We need balance. And we desperately need to redo how we are living our lives. So that’s a good thing.
And he will give us support.
But remember that a Mercury retrograde is kind of like that too. We have our lives in an upheaval to change something we wouldn’t change on our own. So there’s no telling what kind of upheaval there will be this year. We are being told that good leaders will emerge to rise up and help us. But over all I think you should learn to rely on yourself.
Because for some signs, leaders won’t help at all.
Ruling Orishas :Elegua and Oya Rule the Year (Letter of the Year in Cuba)
According to the Babalawos in Cuba, the ruling Orishas (Yoruba Gods) of this year are Elegua. And Oya as his companion. Which depending on how you look at it could be fruitful, or bad. Just like the ruling Tai Sui. He’s a good God.
But whether this year is good or bad depends entirely on us. Because it seems like all the Gods across the pantheons are looking at us under a microscope. The Gods are issuing decrees and judgements. And it isn’t enough to be a good person to get blessings. We need to work for it.
Wishing on a star isn’t going to make your life suddenly get better. They want us to get off of our ass and get to work. Now here are the Pros and the Cons as I see it.
Elegua is the God of the Crossroads.
A master of magic. And one of the wisest and strongest of all Orishas. He usually takes on the form of a young man or even a child. Don’t make the mistake of thinking he is powerless. Because he isn’t.
Elegua in his Child God form
Even the other Gods made that mistake once.
Because he rules the Crossroads, he has a direct effect on destiny itself. He can both open and close your roads. And redirect you onto another path altogether. Like Hermes basically. Depending on whether or not you’ve done what you’re supposed to do in life, you’ll either have a really good year.
Or a really fucked up year. Elegua is an Orisha who can grant you luck in everything. And open doors to everything. But he can just as easily close your doors. And make your life a roller coaster.
Now let’s look at his companion Orisha.
Oya in her incarnation as the Orisha of Storms
Oya is the Warrior Orisha of storms, economic prosperity, and she’s the gatekeeper of the dead. In Brazilian Quimbanda and Candomble she also rules destiny. She doesn’t live with the dead. That’s actually a common misconception. She escorts the dead to the front gates of cemeteries and tombs.
And then leaves them there. So that the Gods of the dead can send them to where they belong. She actually lives in the market place. All market places. Flea markets, malls etc..pretty much almost any place where there is commerce.
She won’t be in a bank or Wall Street though. She specifically likes market places. I think it’s the human to human interaction with vendors. She’s very sociable. But don’t piss her off.
She’s not some dainty princess. Far from it. She’s a warrior. And once even shape shifted into the form of a man to fight along side her husband Shango. This is why one of her epithets is “the woman who wears pants to make war.”
She can give you all the money and power in the world. Or she can take it all away. She can shield you like a mother protecting her child. Or she can slay you like the tyrants she has slain before. The fact that she magnifies Elegua’s influence means you need to tread carefully this year.
But like I said, some people really will reap the benefits of this year. If you have relatives who only speak Spanish, who would like to read the letter of the year in Spanish, it’s here. Otherwise let’s get to the translation.
– Obatala blessed the young Awós (Babalawos or high priests of Orula) for their Ashe (divine grace)
– Ignorance makes of a free man a slave
– Don’t ask of another what you cannot fulfill
– A mother is not just one who gives birth, but also raises
– The Eye of the Father protects the child
– Life does not move with the movement of death
– Luck and Fortune are suspended in the air
– The Awó transcends life because he knows the right path
Because one of the articles I am citing is already in English, I am just going to copy and paste the advice here :
Predictions
These are the predictions based on the sign. Including the story behind the sign.
” Ifa warns about the importance of caring for children, even within the home itself, to avoid negative and harmful situations that could put them at risk. They should not be left in the care of third parties.
In another sense, the letter of the year 2024 invites the general population and the authorities to be alert about a possible increase in crime rates and the consumption of alcoholic beverages and narcotic substances, especially by young people, which, could cause significant damage to society.
Crime prevention this year is essential. People who travel or move from one place to another are recommended to be careful with their belongings to avoid becoming victims of theft.
At a social level, Ifa invites all people, regardless of their beliefs, to promote respect for differences to avoid unnecessary conflicts that will only bring loss in general, “
On Religion
With respect to the practitioners of the Yoruba religion and its Afro-Caribbean variants, maintaining their customs has always been the fundamental pillar for the survival of this religion, therefore, Ifa indicates that the revelation of liturgical secrets should be avoided at all costs. . A call is made for discretion and protection of the religious legacy inherited from our ancestors, to guarantee the prevalence of our customs.
Furthermore, young Babalawos are urged to intensify their religious education so that they become increasingly capable and continue to improve themselves within this cult.
Among the most appropriate foundations to receive during this year are recommended:
Asojano and Oduduwa, to strengthen stability and firmness, both physically and spiritually.
On love
Ifa in Odu bawá 2024 on a sentimental level invites deep reflection on the part of individuals, both at the couple level and at the family level. Marriage breakups, abandonment of wives and children may increase. On the other hand, it is important to analyze the consequences of our actions, the management of our emotions and the importance of values such as: respect, loyalty, fidelity and, above all, love and family unity.
On Economics
The letter of the year 2024 on an economic level invites us to make decisions with maturity and intelligence on a financial level, so as not to end up being a victim or slave of our own decisions. It maintains that the correct use of all resources will be the best alternative to prosper. In that sense, it reiterates that, like the year 2023, this will be an opportune period for the development of agribusiness and the use of land.
On Health
Enjoying a good physical and mental state is decisive for human beings, therefore, keeping ourselves healthy and in optimal condition is one of the main concerns that Ifa has when it advises us, especially when determining a letter that will govern an entire year.
To keep our health strong during the year 2024 Ifa recommends taking care of the skin; Avoid activities that may cause damage to it or expose yourself to the sun indiscriminately.
It is also necessary to pay attention to any signs of neurological or cerebrovascular malfunction. Cases of suffering from conditions such as autism spectrum disorder or down syndrome may increase.
With respect to women, Ifa points out that they should pay attention to the functioning of the lower abdomen, perform preventive checkups and attend to any warning symptoms to avoid future complications.
What you should not forget in the year 2024
Avoid excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages or psychotropic substances.
Be careful with eating breaded or covered foods.
Respect must be a fundamental pillar of society (both from minors towards elders, and from elders towards minors).
History or Pataki of Irete Suka
The turtle and the dog lived together and bathed in the river every day. The turtle confessed to the dog that she took the longest baths.
When the turtle swam in the river, she returned to the house through a secret cave, ate the food, came back and said to the dog:
“Friend, you don’t know how to bathe, I do take long baths.”
When they arrived at the house, the turtle claimed that it was a thief who stole the food. The dog, tired of all this, went to see ORUNMILA (the Orisha of Divination and Magic), who made him Osode, seeing this Ifá and sent him EBO (a special ritual to change a person’s destiny, usually for protection). The dog did the EBO and told him to place the wax doll in the middle of the house and wait.
When the girl came in and saw the doll, she said:
-You came to steal and so did I. She gave him the first slap. As her little hand was caught, she told him:
– Let me go, you came to steal and so did I. He slapped her the second time and her other hand caught, “
Since he couldn’t let go, as soon as the dog returned from bathing in the river he discovered that the turtle was the thief and since then they have lived separately, “
Orixa Regentes (Ruling Orishas) according to Quimbanda and Candomble
In Quimbanda, Exú rules the year with Omulú
I’m going to say something that pisses the religious fundamentalists off. I don’t care. Exú and Omulú are the same as Elegua and Babalu Aye in Santeria. I am tired of hearing people being accused of being “soft polytheists” or whatever other hotshot for telling the truth. Both religions were created by the Yoruba people of Nigeria. They have the exact same pantheon.
Theres only two differences. One, Quimbanda seems to be more pure. They have or remember Orishas we don’t have and don’t remember. Somehow slaves in Brazil kept their traditions more in tact than those in Cuba could. And their Revolutions were second only to the Haitian Revolution.
The other difference is that they speak Portuguese and we speak Spanish. So instead of Eshu like we say it, they say Exú. And instead of Babalu Aye they say Omulú. Imagine you and another group of people worship Jesus right? But one group calls him Yeshua and you say Jesus. So now what? Are they both different people because his name is in two different languages? Silly right? Same here.
I am not saying they are 100% identical as a religion. We do have many things in common. And our Deities are one of those things. At least the main ones. Now, the divinations tend to yield different results.
But sometimes they mirror each other. Or have something in common. Strangely enough that does happen here. First, we see that in both cases, the main ruler of the year is the Crossroads God Elegua/Exú.
Exú/Elegua in adult form
Which also means he is magnifying the effects of whoever is with him. Which in this case is a spot of bad luck. Because it’s Omulú or Babalu Aye. The God of both disease and cures for disease. And that’s the second commonality. The Cuban letter of the year mentions Asojano.
That’s another name for Babalu Aye. And if you remember, they pointed to diseases on the rise this year. Especially abdominal diseases in women. And that we need blessings from the Gods Asojano and Odudawa. So the predictions they have seen are close enough to us.
Let me stop right there. Let me share the Brazilian letter of the year here for anyone who is Brazilian. Now onward with the predictions.
Predictions
The Spirit of Disease, This is not a Yoruba spirit. This spirit comes from the Suk of Mount Elgon in Western Kenya. But we are talking about disease here, so I found the image fitting, taken from
A translation from an Elder in Quimbanda and Candomble, her name is Mother Dai de Oxossi, from the Umbanda terreiro Egbè Ofá N’la,
“The year 2024 will be ruled by Eshu, and we will feel the influence of Omulu and Oxalá at certain times,”
(Oxala is Obatala in Santeria, the King of the Gods. It should be noted that besides Omulu aka Babalu Aye, he is the other God you call upon for health).
“The whole world context coincides with the lines of work, with the regencies of these Orishas,”
Why will 2024 be ruled by Eshu and Omulu?
Some traditions consider certain elements to point to the influences of the orishas over the years.
Day of the week
January 1 will fall on a Monday in 2024. And Monday is pointed out as the day of Eshu, the Orisha who initiates everything in Umbanda (he does this in all Yoruba religions).
Mondays are also pointed out as Omulu’s day, which can still be called Obaluaê.
The Answer in Numerology
The sum of the numbers two, zero, two, and four (2+0+2+4, depending on the year 2024). This gives us the number eight, a number that is related to Omulu in some situations. In Santeria it’s Obatala who rules that number as well as the number 24. It’s interesting to see how both of them have their numbers mentioned.
One of them, for example, is the eighth month, August. A month which the day of this Orisha (August 16) is celebrated. According to Astrology influencer Alef Poffo, who describes himself as a Numerologist and Umbandista, the year will be ruled by Saturn in Astrology. And this planet is associated with Omulu.
“Saturn, which will be ruling 2024, has many characteristics that are attributed to Omulu (…) the year will be ruled mainly by Omulu,” he says in a video posted on his TikTok profile on Tuesday (12).
That’s going to bring us some conflict and troubles this year.
What does it mean for 2024 to be ruled by Eshu and Omulu?
The Orishas are Divine entities of African religions that are represented by nature and divided as masculine and feminine forces. In some religions, they are also understood as beings who help humanity to live on the planet. Thus, Eshu is understood as the Orisha of Justice.
“Eshu is the movement, he is the orisha of justice, he is the executor of karmic justice. He who owes pays, he who deserves receives. We infer a difficult year, but one of choices, possibilities, important decisions, paths. Eshu is the lord of the crossroads,” says Oxóssi’s mother, Dai.
Omulu, on the other hand, is considered one of the most feared orishas because he is associated with healing, but also with disease.
“There will be illnesses, not only from Covid-19, which we have gone through and will probably still go through,”
Umbanda player Alef Poffo adds in his video:
” Omulu is the lord of life and death. Omulu is also very connected to the land, and the land is linked to the idea of harvesting. The harvest only takes place with the planting. What have you been planting? “
In other words, what you have reaped, you shall soon sow.
Trouble for Zodiac Signs
Please pay attention. If you were in the following. It comes from the China Highlights.com site.
“Recent/upcoming years of the Dragon are 2024, 2012, 2000, and 1988. If you were born in one of the years, then you are a Rabbit. You will experience your zodiac birth sign year (benmingnian) in 2024, which is considered bad luck,”
So expect the ride to be particularly bad for you. The sign of the Dragon, Goat, Dog, and Ox are also considered unlucky this year. Because they directly oppose the ruling Tai Sui. The luckiest zodiac animals are Monkeys, Roosters, and Pigs. Anyone falling under those signs should experience good luck.
The same article mentions important things you should do on specific dates. And other important tidbits and details you may need. Another important thing I wanted to bring up. There are days that are lucky or unlucky for cutting your hair. Most Westerners don’t know this, but there are days where it is bad to cut your hair.
Why? Because hair is on the crown of the head. And the soul lives in the mind. This is actually a common belief among the ancients. Even in Yoruba religion, we are cautious with who touches our heads. Even barbers, because evil sorcerers and spirits can attack the soul directly through the head.
It’s the chief center of power for the whole body. So evil spirits and certain types of bad or enemy witches, will attack that area first. That’s why you shouldn’t just allow anyone to touch your children. Or you. You don’t know with what intentions they are doing this.
Now, we aren’t going to delve into the intricacies of this. There’s too much information and cultures to cover. This specifically comes from a Buddhist text. Tibetan Buddhist. So every year there is an updated calendar done by Tibetan Buddhist Monks.
These calendars detail exactly when the spiritual essence of a person is weak. So you actually need the extra hair as a natural shield. Cutting it on the wrong day, opens your mind chakra to foreign influences. And bad spirits, who will see you leaking your energy through that chakra. And go after an easy meal.
The good news is, even after a hair cut, it only takes about a day or so for the mind to adapt. It can adapt the flow of its own energy to the new hair length. And as long as you aren’t being attacked that day by someone, you’re good. And the flip side is, cutting your hair on good days brings prosperity. That means you’re opening your soul and mind up to prosperous energies.
Which it will naturally feast upon. The calendar for these days is here.
Now, for positive stuff about your signs. And opportunities you can read this article instead. Now for a mix of good and bad info go there following. This is a Feng Shui Astrology Calendar which means it balances both concepts with the zodiac signs of each person. For some it will be bad.
For others, good. Speaking of good, the normal Feng Shui calendar for this month is extremely good. And this is a normal Buddhist calendar for important spiritual days in January. It tells you who is in charge of what day. And the special kinds of rituals you should do for success.
Astrology
First we start with the information of Astrologer Lynn Hayes.
On January 2nd, Mercury turns direct (thank the Gods). However, it always takes around two weeks for things to go forward again. You’ll feel it go direct for real on Jan 13th (Monday). January is the month for everyone in the sign of Capricorn. And the planets Venus, Mercury, and Mars are in Capricorn.
Aries and Aphrodite had a tumultuous relationship. But it was a passionate one. And it’s in the sign of Capricorn. The Sea Goat. Which is a sign of hard work.
Which probably means hard work in the field of communication between lovers. Aries rules the Earthly aspects of farming, animals, and nature. Not just war. Aphrodite rules over water as well as prosperity. The Sea Goat is half fish and half goat bringing water and earth into the mix.
Acting as an intermediary between the two. Hermes (Mercury) is a God of Communication. Aries (Mars) the God of War is the lover of Aphrodite (Venus). So this means that Hermes is somehow strengthening their connection this month. Because of Capricorn, this is a time for the creation of projects.
Jupiter has also gone direct since yesterday. And that will also take time to fully go direct. As in almost till the end of January. But once it does, it will rain prosperity for those who seize it and recognize it. Mars will be in Capricorn during the Capricorn New Moon.
Which brings combined blessings with Jupiter now direct.
The New Moon is on Jan 11th (Sunday). And it’s sort of like a retrograde. Not exactly a retrograde, but it is a sort of course correction. A change for your life. Because it’s connected to fate.
There’s a few more things to add, but it’s honestly a lot. I just focused on what I thought was the most important. To read the rest go here.
And again, we are seeing the same thing from the Letters of the year, pop up in Chinese Feng Shui.
Sound familiar? Doesn’t sound like this year is going to be all that good. We need water. Desperately this year. Click on the link up there to read the rest of the predictions. Next we have the The 24 Mountains Stars of 2024.
The Mountain Stars are powerful in Feng Shui. The very moment or even the days leading up to the Chinese New Year in February they start to effect us. Click the link above to see what you need to do to increase your luck. Finally, are leaving Period 8. The era of the number 8.
It should also be noted that in Western Numerology, the number 9 is slow, but long lasting prosperity. The Nine Periods each last for 20 years. So it’s time to take advantage of this number and gain our power. But it will also be a more tumultuous period. Possibly marked by Revolutions.
But it’s also a time of prosperity. So it depends on who and what will be effected.
General information
Okay, so this here is very important. It’s the list for all Retrograde planets in 2024. Lady Beltane provided that for all of us. And there’s a retrograde survival guide in there too. Be sure to use it.
The Farmer’s Almanac also has a list of Mercury Retrograde dates. This comes from the Peculiar Brunette and also is a good to know for the new year.
This one here is a really cool blog post made by Lady Beltane. It’s for people born in January. When you click on any of those dates, they link back to Wikipedia articles. So you can see what happened on certain dates. Or what holidays you are connected to.
The following article is one of the best. It’s about how they prepare for the coming of Toshigami. Also called Ōtoshi-no-kami(大年神). His name means “God of Harvests”. And because he was honored on the New Year, the word for harvest, became the word for year.
The Lord of the New Year
I’m doing my own version of the rituals at my home. Well, except for the part about ringing the bells 100+ times to symbolize the “sins of humanity“. Yeah…..I think I’ll ring my singing bell once for the dismal of all bad spirits. As well as the invitation of all good spirits. That should be enough.
All holiday decorations were removed on the 28th of December (the last day you’re allowed to have them by Toshigami). Because he gets offended at things from the old year. It’s like you invited him to your house only to insult him. Which means bad or unclean energy from the old year won’t be removed by him. He may even make it worse.
The house is being cleansed along with my idols. And I’m celebrating the last holidays of the last day of the year. Including the feast of Ossian, the Orisha of Nature and the Mountains. I’m also honoring his companion the God, Aroni. I am also celebrating the Sunday of the Holy Family, St. Sylvester, and St. Catherine Laboure.
And of course the Feast of lady Sekmet. The Goddess of War and Healing. She before whom all evil trembles. In her honor, I’m eating fish with my family. Later I am giving her some dulce de leche wafers since the Kemetan people were fond of sweets and deserts. But the Tuatha Dé Danann let me know they expect SPECIAL offerings given to them.
And they’re telling me they want all the other Gods I worship to receive them equally too. As usual, they humble me. And make me laugh with their bad temper. And good cheer (love you guys). So, I’m going to take my bag of food, and leave it on every shrine for a half an hour or so.
Tuatha Dé Danann
And let them accept the offerings. Infused with my prayers. But also, ask them to bless the offerings with their own particular energy. So they can share the offerings with the spirits when I leave them on the crossroads tonight. This is so that the Crossroads Gods and other Gatekeepers can open the doors at Midnight for us.
Especially Lord Ianus (Janus). The God of the Roman God of the double doors. He guards and protects all doorways. And opens the road for all peoples who serve him. He was also called upon for victory during war.
Since controlling and ruling the doorways also control destiny. I’m also preparing the offerings for all New Year’s Gods of all cultures. So look out for my New Year’s Report. It’s going to be a long article. Watch out for that.
It may take a day or two. Though sometimes I have it done by the very first day. The article on Ōmisoka is here. And here are some amazing Midwinter Meditations by the Druid Teacher, Nimue Brown. One of the two writers of the Druid Life blog.
And here we have the Folklore of New Year’s Eve. By blogger Raven Wood. Blessings to everyone on this new year. I hope it’s no where near as shitty as the past year. But I’m not holding my breath.
Contrary to popular belief, Samhain stopped being in October centuries ago. When the calendar changed. No one has a complete consensus on when Samhain is celebrated. Simply that November is the month for it. For many like myself, it’s sunset on November 6th.
Others say it’s November 11th. What I ended up doing, is I celebrate Samhain Week. My only little personal practice. I was inspired by the Native American holiday known as Nanomonestotse. It was created by a woman named Marion Young as a way to pass on her indigenous culture to her descendants
The preparation starts one week before the actual day. From the third Monday of October till Friday of that week. Nanomónestôtse (“peace” in Cherokee) also has strong ties to the ancestors as well as harvest. The Celts used Samhain as their harvest for winter. Not as a celebration for the ancestors.
But it’s an ancestor day in modern times. And traditions change. They evolve. In ancient times we had bonfires. And while some still do that, most of us just light candles. So on this night, and for all the nights until October the 11th, I honor my kin.
And all the dead. I just finished a thirteen day mourning ritual for my friend who passed away. I finished crossing her over. And I finished the first cleansing. And said the final prayers for my friend.
It’s only fitting that it finished the day before Samhain. I performed an uncrossing ritual. In Hoodoo, a Crossing is a binding. Now most of the time when people think of crossings, they assume it’s a curse cast by a witch. Not true.
Crossings happen in nature all of the time. When people get sick. Or have general bad luck. Or some other negative thing happens, sometimes those random negative energies will turn into a crossing. When that happens, it’s necessary to perform an uncrossing (unbinding) ritual.
To release yourself and all of your surroundings from that bad energy. There are several rituals and Cleansings to break a crossing. What I did was simple. For those who wish to use the power of this day to uncross themselves. Here is what I did.
I combined Hoodoo with some Hellenic magic. It’s not as weird as it sounds. There is a precedent for using Greek Gods and spirits in Hoodoo. I have even seen Hoodoo shops selling images of the Theoi (Greek Gods) on some occasions. It’s important to remember that Hoodoo or Rootwork is a magical system.
A form of sorcery. And as such it can change and be reshaped through the generations. The Hoodoo of today is not the same Hoodoo that was practiced hundreds of years ago. Although we still use a lot of those techniques and rituals. Most uncrossings use a black candle.
Black absorbs energy naturally. And black crystals and candles or stones are perfect for removing negativity. I didn’t take a picture of the candle this time. Because what it removed from my house was……well let’s just say I didn’t want to contaminate anyone with that image. The candle actually twisted into the form of a woman writhing in pain.
And it looked like a cancerous tumor from another angle. I think that because I was mourning Tamara, the candle had absorbed some of the pain of her death. Becoming a living embodiment of her final moments on Earth. It was both terrifying and heart breaking to see. I placed a black sea salt at the base of the fire proof container.
I took the candle and carved Zeus Meilichios’ name in Greek letters. And also drew some symbols associated with him. Specifically the serpent. You see, Zeus Meilichios is a household version of Zeus. But he is also the purifier.
Also he can appear as himself dressed in black or as a giant serpent.
He can remove any form of negativity and sin no matter how bad. Even murder. It was Zeus in this form, who cleansed his son Herakles of the blood of his family. When soldiers came back from war, they had to cleanse away the energy of death. So before they could re-enter their cities, they would pray before Zeus Meilichius.
When the last of the negativity was sapped from them, they could enter the city. So naturally this was the perfect God to help me cleanse and uncross. I poured a special holy water on the candle and said,
“From this day forward, you are now the idol of Zeus Meilichios. O kindly one, I ask you to inhabit this your vessel, and purify us all, Yammas,”
Yammas is sort of like “amen” for the ancient Greeks. It means cheers. Like Opa. But Yammas is usually more formal and it’s religious for the Hellenics. Then I did a sarayeye cleansing over myself with the candle.
In Yoruba religion, this is when you pass a magically or spiritually charged object over your body. The object absorbs the negativity and takes it away from you. I did this for everyone in my home and myself. And the idol of Zeus Meilichius doesn’t just absorb bad energy. It destroys it.
So keeping it around doesn’t reinfect the people around it.
Next, I lit the candle-idol and prayed to Zeus Meilichios to uncross me. To remove all negative energy from my mind, body, and soul. I would also confess my sins and negative thoughts and feelings. And then wait for him to take it away from me. And I asked that as I did this for myself, it would be done for my entire household.
I found a Wiccan affirmation for Uncrossing. It looked really good. I have seen Rootworkers use similar affirmations in their rituals before. And I figured it would work well with this anyway,
Then I would snuff out the candle. And restart the ritual the next day, for 13 days. The candle-idol of Zeus Meilichios would absorb the bad energy even when shut off. It would be a day long spell that would continue even after the candle was snuffed. Then I cleansed in the shower with Meilichios Water.
A type of holy water I made with him. I would bless the floor of the shower. And the shower head. And I would take some of the water and pass it down my neck. To relieve the bad energy still trapped inside of me.
When I got out I would take a Bible. And I prayed Psalm 37. A special prayer for uncrossing and protection from ones enemies. When I finished, I prayed to God for his light. And placed the Bible under my pillow to sleep.
Sleeping with a Bible under your pillow removes blockages and uncrosses. I felt cleaner. Better. I placed the remnants of the candle and black sea salt into a biodegradable bag. The candle was also biodegradable.
And I went over to a railroad and buried them. I tossed three rusty pennies to Papa Legba. I am now doing a second (light energy) cleansing and blessing in my home with rituals to the Apotropaei (Ἀποτρόπαιοι). The Greek Gods of warding off or averting evil. The thing is any God who does that is a member of the Apotropaei in the Greek point of view.
So I asked Gods of the household for my blessing of the home and myself. Today I started that blessing with a yellow candle. Take a look at what came out,
So there’s two things to unpack here. Let’s go with the obvious first.
The Ouroboros or Uroboros. The serpent who devours his own tail. This is an ancient Gnostic and Hermetic symbol. It’s also used in alchemy. As well as Hellenic magical traditions.
Notice how it even shows the head of the serpent. In detail similar to that picture. Now let’s look at this part. And now this,
This is Zeus as an Agathodaemon. A Guardian God. This is an Egyptian depiction. Basically, Zeus blessed this working. And also showed me that my friend had truly passed on and was well.
I lit a blessed candle on my necromantic shrine. And offered it to my ancestors and to the Fae of Winter. I prayed to Arawn Pen Annuvin and Gwyn ap Nudd. Lords of the dead and the fair folk. Lords of the Wild Hunt.
I also prayed to the ancestors of Tokhü Emong. This is a Lotha Naga festival in Nagaland, India. It’s also a harvest and autumn festival. The translation of the name is “eating, drinking, feasting at the appointed time”. It’s a 9 day festival.
Since Samhain is also a harvest festival I celebrate them both together. I already eat meals with my family. So that part of the festival is easy. And I honor the spirits of all the ancestors through the Nagas and Celts. Merry Samhain and Happy Tokhü Emong everyone,
Mercury retrograde is upon us once more. We approach that time of the month again. When our divine messenger becomes a psychopomp. And leads the dead away for the mysteries of the afterlife. Let’s begin.
Pretty straight forward. The usual stuff about not making concrete plans or important decisions during a retrograde. However there’s another side to it. A side that is way more positive. The way of silence.
The way of silence involves using dark energy. And dark beings also. For the healing of the mind, body, and soul. It isn’t the typical new age stuff. Not that I am against the New Age.
One of the people I admire the most was Edgar Cayce, the Father of the New Age. He was a Christian Mystic and Prophet. This man had powers that baffle even the more traditional mediums. My problem is with people who have taken the New Age and perverted. Making it into the trendy, feel good, Splenda flavored crap it has become today.
Simply, dark energy does not always mean evil. It actually doesn’t ever. All energy, such as light and dark are neutral. And can be used for evil or good accordingly. Let me show you an example of the darkness being used for good.
The Path of Silence
Sister’s of Perpetual Indulgence, Day of the Dead Shrine, at the Ceremony of Altars at SF’s Garfield Park in the Mission District on the evening of November 2. By Walker Dukes
This is what I call the path of silence. It’s a term I sort of self coined in my own meditations. For my own brand of shadow work. So in my shadow work, when a Retrograde comes, I try to sit still in the pain. Sit outside of my comfort zone.
Where most people don’t like to be. I think of the things I typically hold in. Like a closed fist. And I unclose that fist. I let the flood waters out.
I react in a variety of different ways. Including crying. I let myself shake even. Or sometimes I get so overwhelmed I sleep. And sleep is actually the best way to do this work.
There in the Darkness
Hermes is one of the Theoi Khthonioi the Gods of the Underworld
There in the darkness, I eventually quiet the voices down. Until I hear nothing. Just the empty void. As quiet as a tomb. I hear a single water drip down into a pool.
And when I open my eyes I’m in a cave. And there, walking towards me out of the infinite shadows that would drive all of us mad, is Lord Hermes. The Shadow Lord. No longer the young, clean shaven youth. But the older, darker, bearded man.
I am on the cold sandy floor crossed legged. He sits on a stone in front of me. He studies me for a long time. It makes me uncomfortable as hell. And he asks me what I wish to discuss.
And I begin my therapy with him.
Actually this is therapy and confession as well as cleansing. During this time I practice pure necromancy. I avoid anything related to the light as much as possible. And I gaze into the void we all carry within. And I try to learn more about myself.
I don’t hate myself at all. In fact it’s the opposite. I hold court with myself. Different versions of myself appear behind him. And each speak and tell me their problems.
I begin to strategize with Hermes and my guides. About what changes to make. One by one each version is purified in a ritual cleansing that is secret. Then I re-absorb them into myself. In this way I am regaining my personal power.
And doing away with negative things that only hinder me. I am also promising to myself in the name of a God, that I will at least try to be better. And to do better next time. This is a form of shadow work you can do during any retrograde. You just substitute Hermes for the whatever God of whatever planet is in Retrograde.
And of course the problems each retrograde brings out are different. Another thing to do, is perform a Necromantic Ritual. Either with your own ancestors or the God whose planet is about to enter retrograde. Asking them for a deliverance from the bad luck and other negative aspects of a retrograde.
The Shadows Grow……
but that’s not a bad thing
There’s a solar eclipse tonight. Which when combined with the New Moon and the Mercury Retrograde unleashes a lot of shadow power. When there is a solar eclipse, it’s the Sun Gods and Goddesses entering their death forms. This may sound like a contradiction right? How is it possible. How the fuck can a Sun God like Ra or Hawk Maiden or Apollon or Amaterasu be dead? Because everything dies.
Even our sun will one day die.
And then it all comes back in an endless cycle. A hoop that never breaks. The Sun Gods can and do die. In fact they appear in several funerary texts. Eternal life can also be the same as death.
In Christianity, you can only gain immortality through dying and entering Heaven. And then you become one with Jesus and therefore be eternal. So it’s not a contradiction. The Solar Deities entering their deathly aspects increase the powers of the Retrograde and the New Moon. Which is the natural time of the dead.
Now to make it even stronger, today is the feast of Baron Samedi. The Vodoun Loa (God) of the dead. And it’s also the feast of Saint Expedite.
This is what I am calling all the astrological forces I am seeing and sensing right now. Because I view them in my mind as stars. And they are lining up in Star form. Right now it’s a Hexagon. A six pointed Star.
The New Moon in Aries. This also means Aries the God of War is in his death aspect.
And therefore he adds his own power and wrath. Barron Samedi the Vodoun Loa (God) of the Dead and Saint Expedite. Tonight’s solar eclipse. And finally, the effects of the Mercury Retrograde. Tomorrow it drops to a trio : Mercury retrograde, and the New Moon with chthonic Aries.
Then a Pentagram with those two plus Saturn’s Day (Saturday). The day for the dead. And St. George’s Eve which is the time of the dead and phantoms. But also the dark spirits.
Demons roam the skies and land. And wicked things are everywhere. Black Witches practice their rites to Satan and Lilith on this night. Mercury Retrograde takes place on Friday. Any and all kinds of magic during this time will be powerful.
For good and bad.
Some legends say that you see Will-O’-the-wisps at night. And that these are souls of the dead that guard treasures they buried before they died. So that if you see these fiery spirits, you must mark on a map where you saw them. So that you can take the treasures. Yes this is a dark night indeed.
The veil will be at its lowest this week. So what does it actually do? I’ll make it easy. It can,
• Magnify all magic by means of lowering the Veil
• Create doorways to facilitate travel between the worlds
This goes both ways. Certain witches have been known to use times of the day or night of year to enter the spirit world. During the Wild Hunt, some witches used to astral project and join the Hunt. And this is such a time. The Stars of the Dead as I call them, will begin to fade Sunday morning.
Leaving only the New Moon in Aries and Mercury Retrograde. Then the New Moon will vanish with the first quarter moon. And it will be just Mercury Retrograde (for now). But this is just for now. I haven’t consulted my calendar in a while.
Olokun, one of the Orishas of the Ocean. His Sopon or vessel contains actual water blessed for him, my Godmother in Santeria once cleansed me with water she personally blessed in Olokun’s name.
Tonight is Hekate’s Deipnon, and I figured I would write this. I was also asked to write this by a client who needed her home and personal space cleared of negative energies. After I took a heavy curse off of her. The following is a ritual I came up with from various practices. But I made this ritual neutral so that it can be used by any religion and any God.
Idols come in both genders or can appear genderless
In Ancient Greece they used sacrificial animals, people, food, or even idols called Pharmakoi. The idea was that they were vessels that retained the bad energy. And that when you sacrificed them, you were killing the bad energy. So the first part of this is a Pharmakos cleansing. You’re trapping the bad energy into a vessel.
You have to map out where you are going to go. For instance you need to know every nook and cranny in your house. Every corner. If you have an attic, start there. And make sure you go to every spot in your property and home.
Ending in the basement as well as outside your prosperity. You have to pray, or chant, or do a spell. And you command all negative energy and bad spirits to be bound to the vessel. You do this while you are walking around. The vessel is a sacrifice that soaks up all of the bad energy around.
You also rub yourself, all members of the house (including pets) with the vessel. This is done so that any attachments or bad vibrations can be drained into the vessel. You’ll know it’s done because you will feel the property be instantly lighter. And you and those around you will feel lighter as well. If this was a bag of garbage, toss it into a public dumpster or community dumpster ASAP.
And say that no one will be harmed by this bag. That you consign the dark energy to its own dark world never to return. To be bound to chaos forever. Chaos meaning the primordial void. Then turn around and walk away without looking back.
If it was food, you need to go to a crossroads, railroad, or body of water, even a pond will do. And call upon the spirits of those places (in the name of your God/Goddess) to remove the bad spirits and energies. And that as the animals eat the food, they will not be in danger. That they will destroy the negativity. Again turn around and walk away.
Position your car so that you don’t have to turn around to face the spot when getting inside. You don’t want to look at the area even by accident. Make sure you can leave and leave fast without turning around. The reason for this is that all the negativity will go to you worse than before if you do. Or worse, you might see the spirits that are going to take away the bad energy.
Which can be dangerous by itself. Another possibility is you will see the bad spirits that you bound and they will be freed instantly to haunt you. Make sure you leave the proper offerings at the site for the spirits or God you called upon. Go home.
Part 2 : Casting Aspersions
An Asperger also known as an Aspersorium or Aspergillum, a device used to cast aspersions of holy water. This Aspersorium comes from Rowan Morrigan
The term “casting aspersions” comes from this. It’s a form of cleansing with holy water. You basically flick holy water on the walls. On the ground. On anything and on everyone even pets.
That’s what casting aspersions actually means. This is to bless everyone and everything the water touches. So with the water you blessed with your own prayers, bless the home. You will need an Aspersorium which is a fancy word for an object that you can use to flick the holy water with. The church uses fancy metal devices or even brushes or small buckets to do this.
But any object will do. You cast the aspersions from the outside in. From the front and back yard. Call on your God or Goddess and their spirits to protect and bless the property and dedicate it to them. Say,
“I dedicate this home to be your divine temple. This I holy ground and only that which you allow can enter,”
Bless the outside in. And enter the front door and bless the house from the basement all the way to every nook and cranny up into the attic. You should feel another wave of relief come upon you. Make sure you flick the water or asperse it everywhere.
Sometimes I even use the cap from the plastic bottle I keep my holy water to asperse everything. If all else fails just use your hand. You will feel the wave of relief hit and once that happens you will know the dedication ritual is done. Granted some people don’t choose to dedicate their houses to their Gods. Instead they just do normal blessings.
I’m just not one of those people. My house is a temple to the Gods. I want them to live there. Sure the upkeep is a little more stressful but ultimately it’s better.
Part 3 : Reclaim your Authority
Think of your Will as a personal forcefield. And as a reality altering force. Your enemies, including evil spirits, have no power over you.
With this part, walk around with a holy item that represents your faith after the cleansing.
Used Horse Shoes are powerful talismans and can represent many religions and folk practices, from El Tarot De Yemaya (the tarot of Yemaya occult store)
And command that any unwelcome or negative spirits need to go. Command them to leave in the name of your God/Goddess/Gods. And say that only the Gods and their divine spirits can be in your home. Do this to reinforce and reassert your control over the home and property. It restored the natural barriers that exist to keep bad spirits out.
And it also re-empowers them to keep things out you don’t want.
Part 4 : Warding
From the Sacred Signs Archive drawing sacred symbols or hanging up magical charms is a common method of protection
This part is a long term project and it’s not something you can do in one day or night. You go through the process of learning special prayers. Or getting or making amulets to ward off negative energy. Or talismans to bring protective energy. Also drawing symbols or writing special words or letters of power is important.
You have to research your own religion. Or your culture and heritage. And find out what is useful in keeping bad influences away. This will increase the power of the dedication and/or blessing.
Since writing about Otura Niko, I got curious and wanted to know more about it. I had never heard of this sign before. And I wanted to trace its origin. I think I found the possible origin. Translated from the original Spanish article here.
In the land of Yewe Inle, there was a time when there was a terrible drought. Everything was a great disaster. It was then when the main kings met with the Obá Ikú (king death), Elegua, and Iroko to deliberate in an assembly. The result of that assembly was that everyone should do Ebó. The last three, as they had no money for the Ebó, decided to ask Oba Ikú for twenty-four coins, he accepted.
But with the condition that they pay him back within three days. They formally promised to do so. When the three days passed. Obá Ikú went to Elegba’s house to collect. He found him sitting in the doorway of the house, he refused to pay.
Obá Ikú bashed him with his cane and killed him. And made a hill of crab land (Ilekan) and buried him there. Together with his hand of Ifá, he sacrificed a rooster for him, and said:
“From today onward, you will be the Orisha (God) Elegua,”
Obá Ikú continued to the house of Iroko. And found him in the heart of the mountain. He asked for his money back. But he refused. And so Obá Ikú took his cane and killed him.
Throwing two majá that Iroko had in his room, two white jars, and killing a white chicken, he sang to him:
“IROKO DILOYU, IROKO DILOYU, BABA IKU EGUN LAYE, IROKO DILOYU,”
(ROCO DILOYU, IROCO DILOYU, FATHER OF DEATH CURSED IN LIFE, IROCO DILOYU)
And he said to Iroko,
“You will become an Orisha, everyone will worship you,”
And at that moment a sacred tree rose, which is the Iroko. Obá Ikú sent an envoy to Orunmila. Who by now had made his daily divination and saw the Odu (text) Otura Niko. So he performed an Ebó, feeding his ancestors along with the land and his Ifá, and he prepared a large casserole of ajiaco.
Otura Niko becomes a child when Obá Ikú arrived
An Orula baby doll
Orunmila invited him to lunch, when they finished Obá Ikú thought:
“I killed Elegba and Iroko, I must now finish with Orunmila as well,”
Obá Ikú raised his scythe to land a blow to Orunmila. But he dodged the blow of Obá Ikú. Who then pursued him tenaciously. And while he was escaping, Orunmila performed sarayeye (cleansing by rubbing a sacred object on the body) using the stick known as Espanta Muerto (frighten the dead). A cleansing to keep him safe from death.
And he arrived at the river. Out of fear, Orunmila leaped into the River. But Obá Ikú absorbed the river to catch him. But Orunmila still escaped. Then Obá Iku, disheartened, walked away.
Leaving Orunmila the victor. The river continued its normal course. And Orunmila came out of the water singing:
“IRE IRE WANWAN LELE ASHE IFA”
(GOOD LUCK WANWAN LELE DIVINE GRACE OF IFA)
Then Orula transforms into a child, to avoid being recognized and starts crying. He stands at the foot of a laurel bush, which had a lot of curujey (West Indian tufted airplant) on top and continued to cry. At that moment he meets two women who were passing through. They prepared a jar and opened one of the jugs. And filled it and leaves, some plants and placed the child (Orunmila) inside and took him to the house of Olodumare. One of them suckled him from her breast.
When they arrived at Olofin’s (GOD’s) house, the child surprises everyone by speaking to Olofin and tells him that he wants Aiyé to take him home. She rejects this, but because it was a direct order from Olodumare, Aiyé accepted and took him. She prepared a mat next to hers. When night came Orunmila returns to her in his normal adult state and says:
“I am Otura Niko and now I am your husband. With these transformations I defeated Obá Ikú. Because I am the foreman of the Egun (dead). But never reveal this secret to anyone,”
Orula
The woman was engaged and they lived happily. Where the fame of Otura Niko began to spread throughout that land.
After some time,
Shango, Egun, and Oshumare come to visit Otura Niko. To receive them all worthily, he tells his wife, Aiyé, to cook great delicacies. She replies in front of Shango:
“I have no time,”
Then Otura Niko threatens her. And she mocks and insults him, saying:
“You are only great because you are the foreman of the Egun (dead) and capable of shape shifting,”
At the moment, Otura Niko took his Irofá and ran after her. She was on her way to Olofin. But before arriving, Otura Niko caught up with her and gave her a blow from his Irofá and killed her. Then he said,
“I killed you for violating your oath,”
(You see, his power was in that he had become the foreman of the dead. And apparently, no one knew that. Nor that he was such a mighty shape shifter. To know the secret was to share in the power. And I suspect that Orunmila also didn’t want Iku, the Orisha of death, to know the secret of his survival).
Shango and Orunmila
Immediately, he made a pact with Shango. Also giving him the secret and the ashé (power) of Otura Niko. He took Aiyé and buried her. Then he put his Ifá next to her tomb and gave 2 black chickens to the spirit of Aiyé. Along with his Ifá.
And put the chickens with Ekó to Egun. They lowered the vultures and ate them. Letting him know the power of Egun that he had.
Prayer of Otura Niko, Otura Ogbe
“Otura Niko adifafun iku alashona oumbo wa ni eshu ishonshon oba lele iroko oba lele orunmila ore lawa oba iku yen ore amaiyekun belele iya lele lokua ariku omi orunmila oun sede otura niko umbo atefa ni egun agboran iku agboran olofin yewe inle oba iku onika ododo sekun iroko segun gbogbo iya kalalu elebo owunko elebo moyeni iku orunmila akue ye akualosiña iya laye oba iku,”
(Otura Niko, the death of our child’s mother, is the God’s faith, the king, the king, the king, the king of death, the king of death, the eternal friend of the mother, the king of heaven, he is the king of heaven).
It’s unknown if Otura Niko was named after him. Since he ritually becomes the “foreman of the dead” after this. Or if the Odu (text) already existed prior to him taking on this title. But that doesn’t really matter at this point. As the Foreman of the dead, Orula is immune to death.
He’s also shown to be a masterful shapeshifter. So he could take on any variety of forms and escape Iku. And foreman is another term for supervisor. Perhaps it even means he could command the dead in this form. Or command Iku to leave him be.
I’m not sure yet. I have to ask my Babalawo about his knowledge concerning the text. And see from there what happens. Take care of everyone. And as usual, be safe.
– M
The Eggun or dead, looking at their own corpses on a battlefield
Yes this is a year ruled by Obatala and Oshun (or by Exu and Oxum if you practice Quimbanda). But the sign of the year is what seems to truly be reigning this year. Already, it seems that the Ajogún are on the move bringing with them misfortune and death. Yesterday, my friend got into a car accident. A little while later, I learned that my great uncle had died suddenly.
Between yesterday and today, some of my magical charms for protection against death, started to become overwhelmed. I had to call on the spirits to reverse whatever it was that was sending death this way. And I had to cleanse, re-bless, and recharge all of my charms. And right now as I am writing this, I found out that my neighbor whom I always talked with, died from a heart attack recently. Either just before or after New Years.
I didn’t want to ask the date because that’s disrespectful and insensitive to his poor wife. But it was recent. So either just before or just after New Years. This year is not a good year. It’s not a year that we should all be cheering for.
It is the year of Otura Niko, the Foreman of the Dead.
Friends, things are only going to get worse from here. Before in 2020, COVID was the force used by the Ajogún to spread terror and disharmony. But this year they are mixing the tactics up. Now it’s more like a mix of 2020 with 2019. In 2019 it was more personalized attacks sent to different people.
Personal problems. And 2020 was a massive problem that struck us all. This seems to be a hybrid of both those years. It has all the force if not more, of 2020. But disseminated in ways that will effect us directly.
A friend of mine who has mixed white and native ancestry told me something recently. Now his magic is strong. He works with indigenous spirits. And when my ass has been in danger, he’s protected me. But he has this thing.
And he had the feeling before I even knew it, that this year would be bad. And now here we are. But it gets worse. Last month a fellow blogger named Librarian of the Multiverse had also had a conversation with me. That she sensed that death would be coming this year as well.
In my head I was like, fuck because that’s really what we need now. Maybe it is. Because clearly humanity refuses to awaken from this walking coma we’re all in. I wonder if we have fallen so deeply asleep that the Ajogún have seen us as easy prey. That we’re being targeted now because they see us as dumb sheep that are easy to take out. But now I want to move on to something else.
The Divination (letter of the year) says to stay away from lakes and rivers and even rain water. A friend of mine who is a seer told me something that spooked me. You see, she had no idea what the letter of the year had said. I didn’t have the time to tell her. But she said that something is in the water.
That something is in the water that’s going to kill people this year. No, she’s not a nut job. No, she doesn’t normally say stuff like that. For the very first time in my life, I understood the true meaning of the term “my blood ran cold”. Because I felt ice in my veins hearing her say that.
I feel a rising death wave like in 2020. But this one is worse. Part of me feels like I’m on a roller coaster. I want off of and I am screaming my head off into the void. But no matter what no one is going to save me.
So with that said, I think I am going to give you all a simplified version of the Ebbos or karmic cleansings for this year. Along with some additional advice that may come in handy.
The Ebbos given for this year include animal sacrifices. Which I am against. But I also understand traditions and what not.
I am no one to judge my people and how they follow the ways of the ancestors. I just don’t like or agree with all the ways of our ancestors. I don’t always follow those ways. I actually considered saying nothing for fear of being rebuked by other Santeros saying I am “exploiting our religion”.
Or some other horseshit that the zealots in my faith come up with to silence dissent.
My spirits and my Orisha do not care about whether or not I kill an animal. They accept fruits and vegetable offerings. But they also accept cooked animals. In other words, instead of giving them an animal that is being sacrificed and discarded I give them food. If the Ebbo asks for a roaster, I go out and find a cooked roaster.
It’s not impossible to find. There are some animals that are sacrificed in Africa that don’t exist here. So with divination and research I find what they would accept and grant them that dinner. In places that are sacred to them. I also add the fruits and vegetables anyway as an added offering.
If blood is what they want that isn’t a problem either. There are butcher shops that are willing to grant the meat and the blood. As long as they get paid they don’t care. Again, this is how I do it because my Gods and spirits allow me to. Because my Orisha allows me to.
Do a divination, meditate, and find what works for you. And if any Santeros out there have an issue with how I approach our faith, I don’t care. It has served me well up until now. And until they (the Orishas) or my spirits tell me otherwise I will continue. I am accountable to them, not to you.
Now the offerings in IFA, you can skip because that’s for the order of IFA. The practitioners of IFA divination and magic under Orula. I am going to give you a simplified version of the regular Santero offering. A medium rooster and seven colored strips.
The seven colored strips symbolize the Seven African powers. The other ingredients are only for Santeros. So this simplified version is to ask the Seven African Powers for help. Tie them into different parts of the house. Such as door knobs and in windows to ward off death.
In fact consider making a bracelet of these seven strips for yourself. As an amulet. The cooked roaster is the sacrifice that will empower the charms. They will work against death. Which will be very important because there is an article I wrote which is about charms against death.
In addition to that :
– Honey for Oshun, Brandy for Eshu, Incense or anything holy for Obatala because he’s the King of Heaven. And because Santeria is mixed with Catholicism, Christian things like blessed white candles or incense for him will do.
– And you could get another roasted chicken for Orula, his wife Odu, and the spirits of IFA and ask for their blessings and protections. If you approach them with respect, they won’t care what faith you belong to.
Leave these offerings at a crossroads with three pennies for Elegua so that he will send the offerings to the Orishas. Also this is very important, to a point even more important than the offerings mentioned before.
You need to use any form of protection the dead can give you. Sacrifice to your ancestors. Light candles and incense to them, give them Hades Money, etc… don’t be stingy. And if you don’t already have an ancestor shrine to them, now is the time to make it happen. Because our primary protection comes from the dead.
And also our non human spiritual guides such as Angels, Nature Spirits, etc..we need all of their protections. So when you have a chance give offerings at a cemetery to Oya.
– Nine Purple Grapes
– 9 Red Roses
– Nine Pennies
– A Bottle of Red Wine
For her and for all the dead. You don’t have to enter the cemetery. Oya brings the dead to the front gates. Leave the offerings there and she will share it with the dead. Ask them and her for protection and blessing.
And for mass purification in all its forms. And dedicate that entire cemetery to her and the Gods of the Dead. You should feel different. As if something negative left your body when you pray to her. When you are done, leave a candy offering to Elegua in his Eshu form.
And ask him to send these offerings to Oya and the dead. And then leave without looking back.
Now it’s important to also work within your own religion. If you don’t believe in Santeria but want protection, research these Deities and find someone in your own religion who matches them. For instance, if you’re Christian, the Archangel Gabriel is the Messenger of God (Elegua is the Messenger of the Gods) and he’s one of the Angels of Death.
So he’s perfect for this. And instead of a crossroads or all these offerings, you make a massive donation to your church for him in Jesus name. And Jesus died and rose again. So any offering to him works. And he’s the intercessor between humanity and God which makes him a messenger as well.
Any offering you give to him, give with an open heart and perfect love. If you’re Hindu, do this with Ganesha. And look up who the God of the Dead is. One you are comfortable with and work with them instead. If you are Celtic, work with Morrigan.
She hangs out at the crossroads and she’s associated with the dead. There’s so many options out there. Protect yourself well. But most importantly of all is this.
– Personal offerings to your spirit guides
Whoever your guide is. A God. An Angel. A Faerie. A Ghost. As well as all of your ancestors.
Whoever it is, divine with them and ask what they want and keep giving it to them all year long. By feeding your spirit guide, you are keeping yourself safe. And sacrifice to your loved ones Spirit guides as well. Even do it for your pets. I am.
Finally, I leave you with this. These were special warding rituals I did when the pandemic hit. They kept me and my family safe at the height of the pandemic. We survived 2020 without getting the disease. Even though my Mom is a healthcare worker and she had to enter places that weren’t safe.
Meanwhile people around us were dropping dead. Even those who were supposed to be safe. This protected us. So please, read this old blog carefully. And adapt the rituals for what’s happening now.
Just like on that blog I will keep you updated on events with updates here. Do offerings to all those spirits and Gods. And make the same kinds of charms. Do the same things I did back then. Just adapt them to whatever fresh hell we are going to suffer this year.
Happy Late Christmas Sunday everyone! Originally this post was made yesterday. But WordPress is being an ass. And it posted my report as if it was an article from last year. So I had to duplicate it for today. My apologies!
That’s the first Sunday after Christmas. So New Year’s specifically finishes with a tone of ending things that need to be ended. Or endings as new beginnings. Which is the same thing we have experienced for the last few years. It seems the Gods and the spirit folk are tired of telling us to do things more than once.
Before going forward, if you haven’t read my New Years Rituals blog you should now. To get on the right path. To clear away all unwanted things. To bring good luck. And to be blessed for the new year.
So they’re going to keep pushing this until we get all our shit together. To emphasize this, our New Year’s Day is a Sunday. The last day of the last week of the old year. And it’s a Christmas Sunday. Now technically we are still in Yuletide.
There are several Christmas in January traditions. Even ranging to the Three Kings Parade we have here in Miami. Which celebrates the Pagan Magi who visited Jesus as a child. And no, they never converted to Christianity. They remained faithful Pagans to the end.
Although the Bible doesn’t say how many Pagan Magicians visited Jesus, there are three who are specifically called Kings. Many thought this meant they were actual Kings. But in reality they were great Mages so wise and so powerful that they were considered witch kings of a sort. Mages who were on another level of magic and thus royalty amongst their brethren.
But getting back to the point, Christmas Sunday isn’t normally a Christmas in January sort of thing. It normally happens while the old year is still in progress. This adds once again, to that tone that this is a year for ending things. And I keep thinking,
“How much more shit do we need to end? Gods, can’t you bring something else to fill the void from all of this loss and reaping of the old?”
And they keep responding the same way,
“We have, you just don’t see it yet,”
To make it stranger, I noticed that barely half an hour after midnight had passed. And everyone went to bed. I can usually tell if a year will be shitty or…..extra shitty based on how long the celebrations are. Everyone went to bed early. Just like in 2019’s New Year.
You remember that year right? It was fucked up and a prelude to 2020. Again I say, how much more shit needs to be “ended”. Unfortunately, I got my answer : People need to get off their asses to change things. That means
* Militant political action, not just voting for the same assholes in both parties who change nothing. Actually stand up and protest and demand fucking change. Until then, we’ll have more years like this.
* Stop dreaming so much and wishing and hoping and praying and go do something. Actually change your life.
* Step out of your comfort zone and grow
* Try new things
* Go on Adventures
* Organize, Unite, and share information and resources
* Reject the model of materialism and self enrichment, and focus on enriching the community and the people as a whole.
I know American Capitalism teaches people the BS about the “American Dream”. And how it’s supposed to be a utopia based on all of us making money and being rich. It’s pretty obvious by now that’s bullshit. If it was true, we’d all be rich by now.
Especially those of us who actually work. Wealth comes from stealing from others and stepping atop their corpses in this country. So we need to remove ourselves from that self destructive tendency. Here we have our current New Year’s Report with all the Gods and spirits I can find. I separated them based on culture and religions.
First, we explore the Chinese pantheon and astrology. We are entering the year of the Water Rabbit. Click on the article to find your Chinese zodiac animal and see the forecast for your year.
Now we explore the Tai Sui for the year 2023. A Tai Sui or Grand Duke of Jupiter is one of 60 Divine Generals under the Jade Emperor. Once a year, one of these Gods will become the Grand Duke in charge of the planet Jupiter. The Ruling planet. What this means is that, the chosen God is the ruler of that year.
In fact, the Grand Duke of Jupiter is so important that whatever direction in Feng Shui is sacred to him needs to be appeased. If you do anything to offend the Tai Sui, it can screw up your year. Even indirectly.
Quote from the article on General Pi Shi at wofs.com
Such as by having your Zodiac animal be in contradiction to him. Or accidentally making too much noise in the direction sacred to the Tai Sui. The Ruling Grand Duke of Jupiter for the year 2023 is General Pi Shi.
General Pi Shi
The year 2023 doesn’t really sound like it’s going to be a peach. But General Pi Shi was a skilled leader in life. Both militarily and politically. And he was able to find solutions to problems very easily. Because of this, the year 2023 will have the right leaders to aid with problems.
Just don’t expect those leaders to always be political. Search for the leader inside yourself. And keep your eyes open for other leaders to work with. In life, this General had military and political commendations since he was very young. He quelled both rebellions and invasions.
And was given key appointments by the Emperor. So appealing to him for improvement and advancements are very good. Especially in making yourself better.
In many cultures, number four has a negative aspect numerologicaly speaking. Even in Santeria we are told to never light four candles in a house. Because it symbolizes death and the dead. This is from the time before electricity was being used in Cuba. When funeral parlors were using candle sticks.
Two at the head of the casket and two at the foot of the casket. However, as in many things, four has positive aspects as well. In Chinese beliefs the number rules over relationships. Whether it’s romance or friendship. Or business partnerships.
The effects will really be felt on the 4th of February. That’s when the number 4 star becomes the dominant force for 2023. This brings both blessings but also curses for the year. Besides symbolizing death, the negative number four also symbolizes betrayal of a relationship. Married couples are in danger the most this year.
If you are in a relationship, you need to proactively resist temptation in all of it’s forms. Arguments. And all other things. This may also mean divisions and betrayals even in political and business alliances. The thing to remember about the negative of any number is look at the positive.
Use the positive force of that number to cancel out the negative. It can’t fight itself. But you can resist and shield yourself with the positive attributes of that number.
Focus on its energy
Focus on it’s powers and energies. And allow it to protect you. Call for it to immunize you against its own negative aspects. Call it’s good energy into every part of your being. You can burn a golden candle with a number 4 you etch into it.
Obatala, the King of the Yoruba Gods or Orishas. And his daughter Oshun. The Goddess of love, lust, prosperity, nature, rivers, and witchcraft among other things. The King of the Gods and the Goddess of love magnify and bless every single one of us. Normally I translate the entire letter of the year but I found out Ashe Pa mi Cuba does it themselves.
The letter of the year is the results of divination for the new year. It’s done by the Babalawos or high priests of Orula. The Orisha of Divination and Magic. They call upon him to see into the future of the year. Then they give all of their predictions on the coming year.
And prescribe rituals for it to get better. The Divination of the year can be found here. Now as beautiful as it is to have Obatala and Oshun rule this year, the predictions are not beautiful at all. Remember what I said about this year being used to finish more shit? Yeah it’s about that. The reigning text or sign of IFA used in this divination is Otura Niko (The Foreman of the Dead). There’s a whole story about how Orula defeated death himself.
And shape shifts into Otura Niko the Foreman of the Dead. In the next few days I will write about that story. But for now let’s get to the Ebbo.
The sacrifices asked for protection and blessing over the New Year
Curujey is a name for the twisted air plant. Usually found in Cuba. In addition to this, Oya in the early hours of midnight asked me for something. I performed a Spanish tradition of putting 12 grapes in my mouth to ask for good luck. I had both green and purple grapes.
I ate the green grapes. But there were 9 purple grapes left. Nine is Oya’s number. And darker colors like purple are usually for her as well. I had no idea this sign was going to come up.
I just did as she asked. I took the purple grapes to a shrine for the dead I have outside. And I found a half empty bottle of Merlot on the way. She likes red wine. So I gave her the grapes and the wine.
Then asked for her and the dead to intercede on my behalf against any dangers in the new year. And to bring many blessings. When I actually took the time to read what the sign was about it left me stunned. That actually speaks to another theme of this sign : listening to your spirit guides and also following instructions. You will find many blessings that way.
There is another Ebbo for protection during this sign that I found during the study of the Oddun. It’s as follows. Warning this is only for Santeros. Don’t try this one if you aren’t, or don’t have sufficient training yet. I added this portion for purely scholarly reasons.
Ebbo (Cleansing) of Otura Niko
So that good comes. (I’ll go Umbo)
Ingredients :
1) Three bottles of brandy
2) A white plate
3) Cascarilla or blessed eggshell powder
4) Otura Niko is tied and prayed
Instructions :
This Cascarilla is poured into one of the bottles of brandy, and given to the dead, the others without the powder, one for Orunmila and the other for Eshu (Elegba). And this is the cleansing offering to ensure protection. And then of course you despose of them in accordance to divination. I have shrines for the dead and the Orishas so I know what to do with them.
It has a mix of good and bad omens for us all. This one I had to translate into English for everyone here. Or rather translate the aspects of it. Not the word for word text.
This sign is the foreman of the Eggun (dead). For which it is written on the tile when sacrifice is going to be made. Wisdom is the most refined beauty of the Babalawo.
* The agitation of the sea
* Corn
* The nervous system in the body
* That death is frightened and respects the living.
* And the Oparaldó
* The disfigurement of the human being at death.
* Eggún’s communication with Olófin
* Good and evil threaten the awó
* Send to prepare things on time
* Speak: kutone
* The country or land of Eggun where Otura Niko is the foreman
* It is an extension ifá
What does this mean?
* Orunmila lived in the Iyesá land
* In Otura Niko you do not eat caimito, zapote, octopus, or squid
* No ants or insects are killed
* It speaks of the human races
* It is an ifá of weariness and loneliness
* The son cried in the mother’s womb
* It was where Orunmila’s jars were hit
It symbolizes
* Oshun hid the money under the caimito bush and Shango his treasure
* Shango stole a thing from Olofin and hid it
* It is forbidden to go to the river
* Elegbá is for good and for bad
* There is a tendency to vices
* The most important thing is the spirit of the father
(This last one is interesting because the Letter of the Year mentions that Godsons and Godfathers should be closer to each other this year)
* It was where the king threw the raffle and Otura Niko took it out
Recommendations of the sign Otura Niko:
The children of this Oddun must be generous, because in this way they will be enriched. They will have to comply with everything, so as not to be accused of being irresponsible. For three days, bring a bottle of brandy and money to your Godfather’s Ifá. The secret of this Oddun is to feed his father’s spirit or his spiritual guide. He is given a white rooster.
The pregnant woman must make sacrifices to ensure a healthy child. Place food with syrup in the corners of the house so that the ants come and with them luck. Bathe with canutillo and other times with French macaw, red fig, and Iworiyeyé.
(Remember these are the rituals of the Yoruba people. No one is actually telling you to do this. The prescribed rituals are the ones in the screen shots I took. This is all part of the Oddun).
Another interesting thing is we are told to not kill ants. Ants are the lucky animal this year. They must be treated well. I will give an offering to the ants where I live for good luck. Also, Ants are an animal associated with Elegua.
Which I found curious. But that curiosity was later answered when looking up the Orixa Regente of 2023.
Sayings of Otura Niko
The iron wanted to fight with the candle. The Sun rises for everyone but you. He who does good in droves, will receive it in droves. The broken jar will never be filled. The broken jar will never be called justice.
The father says: If you are not happy in your house, you better come with me. Good and evil threatened the Babalawo. In the land of the dead, I am foreman. He who wept in the womb is blessed.
Prohibitions of the sign of Ifa Otura Niko
It is forbidden to eat pork. For this is offered to Eggun. No ants or insects are killed. It is forbidden to go to the river.
Ifa Otura Niko says:
“You will do a favor that you will not appreciate. In her house there is a person who has a cast womb, there is also another who is pregnant, and the child who is going to give birth is a boy and will be called a Know-it-all, because that child is going to be a Babalawo. They will send you to find a place forever, take care of your child. Where they live they have had money and today they have nothing to eat. Thank you Shangó. Feed your father’s spirit so that luck comes. If you don’t feed him, he will go where he is,”
It has a bit of Mayombe, be careful, because that slows it down. Don’t put pins in your mouth. Be careful where you eat, don’t get sick. Don’t ask for so much money, as it can be used for your burial. He cannot be stubborn and beware of treason where he can be poisoned.
Be obedient to your elders so that you can live happily. You can’t bathe in the river. You have to beg for your head. In his house there was a brunette woman with a red blanket, if he returns, he immediately gives Shango a ram and two roosters, which will then come with three very large lots.
She left her house in search of money and was introduced by three lovers, clinging to her guardian angel. In order for him to get such money, he must have an apron and buy lottery tickets, which others despised. The day you feed the saints, don’t work. He doesn’t have a son because God is angry with his behavior. Thank you, Oshun and Orunmila You can not get wet in rainwater, let alone bathe in a downpour.
While all three batches don’t arrive, be satisfied with what you have, you have to cover the holes of the mice, for your ashe,”
Characteristics of the sign Otura Niko (Ogbe)
This sign speaks of the person’s lack of awareness because he or she has suffered loss. This is where corn came down into the world, it was born. In this Ifá was born the communication of the Eggún (dead) with Olófin (God) through Oniko, who is the messenger. So Otura Niko represents the messenger of the dead or the foreman of the Eggun. This Oddun marks, the power of evil in the people of lights.
It is an Ifá of evolution for the Awó. They speak:
“The journeys of dualities to ask Ifá for recourse. Evolution to spirits, and evil threatens the Awó. This Oddun says to prepare things with time, because it is an Ifá that does not allow delay. The children of this Oddun must be generous, because in this way they will be enriched, they will have to comply with everything, so as not to be accused of being irresponsible,”
The turmoil of the sea was born. Speak: Kutoné.
“The country of the land of the dead (Eggun). This is an Oddun of life and death. Here was born the Oparaldó, which means (kill behind the body),”
This ceremony called theOparaldó is used to cast out or remove a particular dead person from “behind a person”. It’s a ritual for removing an attachment by a spirit in other words. Especially a dark ghost (eggun buruku). This may also be a sign that we need to protect ourselves from darker energies more so than usual this year. As we may see more attachments than normal.
Diseases that afflict this Oddun (sign/text) but also remedies we may be seeing this in 2023
* Diseases of the throat (tonsdolopathy), spine, nervous system, blood pressure.
* It speaks of the human race. The person lives with the opposite race (racial unity as a cure). This Oddun must receive Odduduwa, for a health problem.
Odduduwa one of the Primordial Creator Gods, one of the sons of GOD.
“There is someone in the family who hanged himself, just as there is someone who was educated in a convent or boarding school for nuns.
Otura NIko is an Odu from Ifá who speaks of boredom. The person gets tired of living. This Oddun is where the child cried in the womb. Bring a gift from nature.
This Ifá sends to bathe with canutillo and other times with French macaw, red fig and Iworiyeyé. This is the Ifá of the schoolchildren, the person grew up together with other children or lived near a school.
Ifá says:
That wisdom is the most refined beauty that Babalawo has. This is where Orunmila’s jars were actually beaten,”
As you can see, the text speaks of a great many things. There’s a mishmash of good and bad things. It feels like it’s saying this year will be a conflict between the positive and the negative.
“This Oddun is where the child cried in the womb. Bring a gift from nature. This Ifá sends to bathe with canutillo and other times with French macaw, red fig and Iworiyeyé. This is the Ifá of the schoolchildren, the person grew up together with other children or lived near a school.
Ifá says:
That wisdom is the most refined beauty that Babalawo has. This is where Orunmila’s jars were actually beaten. Here he was born: He who sometimes dies (Iku) is frightened and respects the living. The Great Power of the Awó. Here death is transformed into bone and shadow that nobody knows, and that is why the human being is disfigured when he dies and transforms,”
So we see another dynamic here : Iku and possibly the Eggun fear the living under this sign. Which means we have some power in our corner after all.
Secrets of Otura Niko
“This was where Oshún hid her money under the caimito bush and Shango hid his treasure that was: ero, obbi, kolá and ozún naború, under the canutillo. That is why the Awó Otura Niko should not miss a caimito branch behind the door and put Shangó erú, obbi, kolá, ozún naború, and cover it with canutillo. Here Shango stole a thing from Olofin from (our) religion and hid it,”
It goes on to mention again that you need to give honor to your religious Masters. With emphasis to a male religious figure. And the importance of a connection between the Godson and Godfather. And giving offerings to The Godfather’s house. The text in relation to love is very bad.
It says that finding love is a pain in the ass under this sign. Because betrayal is right around every corner. You are not to go near rivers. Or get wet by rain. And dogs are seen as special protectors.
But they should also be protected.
Many offerings should be made to your spirit guides for protection. Especially your Guardian Deities and any Eggun you have like the ancestors (thanks for watching out for me Oya). The importance of Ebbos and other special offerings and rituals for protection and blessing.
There’s another missed up story about a farmer, who gave his guardian spirit an offering so that he could gain blessings. But at the end of the story, even though he got his blessings, a sack of money fell from the air on top of him and he died.
“There was a farmer almost ruined because of the great drought that hit the region in which he lived. The plants and their animals were dying. But his guardian angel offered him a chance and said:
‘Give me a goat, but do not work or get wet with rainwater that day,’
The day that the farmer, gave the guardian angel what he asked, soon it began to rain. And the farmer forgot the warning of his guardian angel and left happy to stir the earth, (that is, he worked) at that moment came the luck of Heaven, that is, sacks of money, which fell on him and killed him,”
I’m going to say something that isn’t in that text. Okay? Don’t crucify me now. It’s an observation. He challenged the Osogbos and his own arrogance felled him. An Osogbo isn’t just bad luck.
It’s bad energy. Specifically it’s an Ajogun or demonic spirit. So it’s believed when you are resisting bad luck, you’re literally resisting an evil spirit who embodies that bad luck. So when your patron or matron Deity (guardian angel) is giving you a specific instruction to follow, do not deviate from that instruction. All this man had to do was not work for one day and stay dry.
Easiest thing in the world to do. And by the next day his crops would have been full and his Osogbos gone. What was so hard about following these instructions? Again, obey your spirit guides and Gods. That’s why death comes from disobedience this year. So there’s three things to take from that story :
1) The importance of Apotropaic Magic
Protection from evil spirits. As well as well as properly following rituals and instructions. Don’t fuck around. Follow what you are told. And do not deviate from instructions.
2) The importance of giving offerings to your spiritual guides. Following their instructions to the letter.
3) Be wary of the Osogbos
Just because you are doing a ritual to protect yourself, doesn’t mean it can’t backfire on you. And that the negative forces out there can’t hurt you.
When Orunmila went to see Olordumare
On this road, Orunmila needed to see Olordumare to resolve the situation that existed on Earth. But he could not get to where he was. Because he did not know the way or the enchantment. Faced with this situation, Orunmila divined seeing this Oddun (text, the one for this year), which Ebbó (offering cleansing) marked him with:
A rooster, needles, colored threads, fabrics, a basket, colored ribbons, eggs, little balls of faces etc. and that after he did the Ebbó he went for a walk. Shortly after walking, he met Eshu, who was disguised in torn clothes, Orunmila gave him fabrics, needles and threads to sew his clothes. Then Eshu directed him to a place where they met an old woman, who was Orishanla (Obatala in his Goddess aspect).
Orunmila, seeing her, gave her ten chicken eggs and the old woman was very happy. Because the hens had not laid there for a long time. After this, Orishanla showed him the way that would lead him to Olordumare’s house. When Orunmila arrived at the door of Olordumare’s house, he found it closed and through the bars of a window, he saw some boys, called them and fed them the buns he was carrying. Then he said to the boys,
‘Open the door for me, so you can distribute all the little balls I have in this basket.’
The boys opened the door and Orunmila was able to enter Olordumare’s house and managed to see him and ask for advice to solve the problems on Earth,”
This aspect of the text shows us that by acting honestly and in good faith, no task is impossible. Because the Gods and ultimately fate itself will help us. It again highlights the importance of doing proper magical rituals and making sure we do things correctly.
Who are the Ruling Orixas of 2023?
Oxum and Exu
This information comes from Astro Center .com I just wrote the cliff notes version in English. Umbanda and Quimbanda are both religions based on Yoruba religion. Just like Santeria. They also have Orishas (Portuguese Orixa). But their divinations and some of their rituals are different.
Mostly because Santeria and Umbanda and Quimbanda where influenced by different European cultures. So what the Yoruba practitioners lost or gained during slavery in ritual and culture depended mostly on that. It’s fascinating to see how similar they both are and yet different. That’s why I always pay attention to what all these groups say. I usually find a common theme in both divinations.
According to Umbanda and Quimbanda the Orixa Regente (Ruling Orisha) of the year 2023 are : Exu (Elegua or Eshu). Exu or Eshu is the God of the Crossroads. A messenger of the Gods, and a master of business and negotiation. A bringer of good commerce. Very similar to Hermes in the Greek pantheon.
And the other Orixa in power is, you guessed it Oxum or Oshun. Who is also one of the rulers of the year according to Santeria. As a Goddess of Prosperity as well as love, fertility, and also of good commerce, she adds to this influence. However, here’s the rub : I doubt sincerely that means you and I are going to benefit from all this prosperity. I don’t mean to be so cynical.
I believe the Gods want what is best for us. But prosperity for them and prosperity for us could have totally different definitions. That’s one, two I also sense that most of the prosperity is going to be sucked up by businesses. Not the common person. That’s what I feel.
Not because I believe the Gods favor them more than us. But because blessings are easier to get when you are already blessed. I believe that for the rest of us, we are going to have to fight like hell for those blessings. It’s not impossible. We can do it.
But be prepared to work your ass off.
From a Yoruba Priestess in the Article,
“What you can do to align with the energy of Exu, the lord of the order, is to organize yourself. The organization, discipline and good character will be necessary for you to attract the energy of the movement”, says the expert.
“Now to connect to Oxum’s energy she explains that you need to be kind to people, connect with your emotions and the emotions others, have the patience to understand the life of other people as much as yours,”
The expert adds that
“this will make all the difference in the final result so that you can connect and have a better year”.
In other words, the same thing mentioned above. If you are honest and generous you will ultimately thrive this year. The priestess also adds special baths and magic to achieve this end.
“For Exu, if you want to connect and get closer, the tip is to take prosperity baths. Try plants like Road Opener, leaf of fortune, and pitanga“, says the expert. “If you want to attract defense, take a bath of aroeira to be able to get closer to Exu’s energy and let this movement manifest itself into your life.”
“For Oxum, if you wish to manifest her sweetness and bring kindness to yourself, make a bath of fresh basil. This is a bath in which you will macerate herbs, prepare them, and wash from head to toe with them whenever you want to connect to Oxum’s energy, preferably on Saturdays”, concludes Priestess Iyá Tolomi.
Now, every Greek Temple has their own way of doing things. Our religion is not centralized like Yoruba practice. But I thought I would share what my temple believes are the Ruling Gods and Hero of the year. The two ruling Gods are Hephaestus the Black Smith and builder of the Gods. And his wife Aphrodite, a Goddess of love, wealth, fertility, bringer of good fortunes and things.
You can see some of the similarities. A Goddess of love is the common factor in the Yoruba and Greek Divinations. And the presence of Obatala, Eshu, General Pi Shi, and now Hephaestus all speak to the need for hard work for prosperity to truly come. None of us are getting shit on a silver plate. I think that’s been fairly established by now.
And Herakles was the performer of the 12 Labors. And a master of solving problems using his intellect as well as his strength. Someone similar General Pi Shi. Ultimately those are the themes of this year. I hope this will aid you in going forward this year.
– M
PS : As of 6:30pm EST my friend got into a car accident. So far they don’t know what happened to the breaks. But he crashed with a stop sign and a wall. So………the Babalawos were right as usual
Adventures of A Mage In Miami 