New Orleans Voodoo Handbook

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This episode in the history of the early Church shows how easily a religion, especially a relatively secretive one, can be misunderstood and misrepresented. A similar case can perhaps be seen in the religion known as Voodoo (also known as Vodou or Voudon). Our view is dominated by physical, touchable reality. In Haiti the spirits are as real as your wife or your dog," Corbett said. Christian crosses became symbols for the crossroads, which represents life-altering choices and steps in the spiritual path for followers of Voodoo.

Instead of associating this religion with zombies and Voodoo dolls, we should perhaps take the time to better understand Voodoo, and view it as a way of life or a set of guiding principles held by its believers. American Museum of Natural History: Sacred Arts of Haitian Vodou http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/vodou/ BBC. "The Reality of Voodoo in Benin." Nov. 18 2011 (April 29, 2022) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-15792001 Bartholet, Jeffrey. "Tibet's National Spirit Advisor." Pulitzer Center. July 16, 2013 (April 29, 2022) https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/tibets-national-spirit-advisor

What are the Beliefs of Voodoo?

Historical Museum of South Florida. "Orishia Worship in Miami." http://www.hmsf.org/exhibits/orisha/english/orisha-e-4.htm

One common saying is that Haitians are 70 percent Catholic, 30 percent Protestant, and 100 percent voodoo," said Lynne Warberg, a photographer who has documented Haitian voodoo for over a decade. In April 2003 an executive decree by then president Jean-Bertrand Aristide sanctioned voodoo as an officially recognized religion.

But the slaves continued to practice in secret while attending masses. What emerged was a religion that the colonialists thought was Catholicism—but they were outfoxed. Hybrid Rituals A Roman Catholic priest collaborating with a voodoo priestess?" asked one of the tourists, mopping his brow with a handkerchief. So you can rest assured that the information presented in this book comes from a relevant and highly informed source. Things that are discussed in Haitian Vodou include:

Wall, Kim and Clerici, Caterina. "Vodou is elusive and endangered, but it remains the soul of the Haitian people." The Guardian. Nov. 7, 2015 (April 29, 2022) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/07/vodou-haiti-endangered-faith-soul-of-haitian-people During ceremonies and observances, followers of Voodoo ask the spirits for advice, protection or assistance. The process is reciprocal; followers must look after the loa by performing rituals, which sometimes come in the form of animal sacrifice. Other rituals allow followers to thank the spirits for protection, blessings or good fortune. To maintain a good relationship with the loa, followers must also conduct themselves properly according to the customs of both the community and the religion. In this way, the practice of Voodoo can influence a person's day-to-day decisions and activities. Visit Haiti. "Haitian Vodou Revealed" (April 29, 2022) https://visithaiti.com/haiti-up-close/haitian-vodou-revealed/ By the 70s, Lee’s friends worried about her drinking and her emotional volatility, while everyone worried about her struggles with writing. When she discussed her work, she sounded like some self-mortifying mystic, valorising suffering and solitude: “To be a serious writer requires discipline that is iron fisted,” she once said. “It’s sitting down and doing it whether you think you have it in you or not. Every day. Alone. Without interruption. Contrary to what most people think, there is no glamour in writing. In fact, it’s heartbreak most of the time.”I had a great time reading this book and it cleared many misconceptions that I had about voodoo in the past. These practices have been used for centuries, and the book was written by Denise Alvarado who grew up in a family of voodoo practitioners in New Orleans.

St. Anthony is known as the protector of childless women and finder of lost things," explained Falkner. "This area has had many functions over the years. It was a place for gatherings, markets, meals---even a dueling ground. Père Antoine, one of the cathedral's popular pastors, used the space as a kitchen garden to feed his monks. He also worked with voodoo priestess Marie Laveau to assist the large slave population, especially women and children." If you're ready to learn the ways of Voodoo and finally take control of your own destiny, then this book is for you! These spells can be used for good or bad. For example, inflicting harm on your enemies or healing your friends, making people fall in love with you or bringing other people together. Here is another voodoo classic from Denise Alvarado. Knowing full well that most people who are interested in voodoo have come to that conclusion by observing doll spells in movies and other forms of entertainment, she wrote an entire book explaining them in detail.The Haitian people have a view of the world that is unimaginably different from ours," Corbett said. The Loa are believed to determine our lives to an astonishing degree, he explains, and they are always present in great numbers: There might be two people in a room, but there are also 20 Loa. An item called a pwen is filled with objects to attract a loa and gain some kind of influence over a person. A pwen can come in many forms, one of which happens to be a doll [source: Learn Religions]. It is said that the Loa sometimes communicate prophecies, advice, or warnings while the believer is possessed. Other messages are sent through the priest or priestess, or sometimes come later in dreams. Okanla, Karim. "Benin Marks Voodoo Day." BBC. 11/1/2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1756057.stm