(Spanish) – Open Road
Abre Camino is a type of ritual practiced in both Palo and Santeria. Its purpose is to remove the obstacles from a client’s life so that they can achieve their goals in relationships, business, etc.
The spiritual energy of the crossroads is an intelligent energy of communication, luck and opportunity. When it’s on [...]
Abre Camino
April 4, 2009 Leave a Comment
Ashe
December 17, 2008 Leave a Comment
(Yoruba) – spiritual energy or power
In yoruba belief ashe is the sacred force which animates the universe, bringing life and movement to all things.
Someone with good ashe will enjoy good health, steady income, and the favor of the opposite sex; his or her spells will also work quickly and effectively.
Baño (Magical Baths for Protection & Success)
December 26, 2008 Leave a Comment
(Spanish) – bath.
A lot of problems in life can be solved just by taking a bath. For example, if you are having nightmares or troubled sleep, pour a bottle of agua florida (an old school aftershave available at most drug stores) , crushed up cascarilla (eggshell chalk) and 21 white flower blossoms into a bathtub. [...]
Bakanfulo
December 17, 2008 Leave a Comment
(Kongo) – a nganguelero’s assistant, a sort of “right hand man”.
A bakanfulo knows the major palo rituals and assists the head priest with initiations, keeping an eye on ritual participants (especially those who have gone intro trance states) to make sure they don’t hurt themselves.
If the head priest becomes possessed, it is the bakanfula’s job [...]
Caballo
December 27, 2008 Leave a Comment
(Spanish) – horse
In Palo, a “horse” is not a farm animal, but a trance medium who gets montado (mounted) by the spirits in a ritual.
Camino
December 27, 2008 Leave a Comment
(spanish) – path
In the same way that a single Hindu god can appear in a many different forms or guises, each with its own distinct appearance, personality and functions, the gods of Santeria and spirits of Palo Mayombe have many different “caminos,” or roads.
The spirit Lucero (for example) is an astral messenger who rules over [...]
Cemeterio
December 27, 2008 Leave a Comment
(Spanish) – cemetery
Like other Kongo-derived religions (Kimbanda in Brazil, or Hoodoo in the Southern US), Palo Mayombe holds certain strong beliefs about the powers of the unseen world, especially the power of ghosts.
In the Kongo view, the dead exist all around us in both friendly and hostile form, able to influence events in world of [...]
Derecho
December 27, 2008 Leave a Comment
(Spanish) – tax
Palo mayombe rituals take a lot of time, energy, and training to do right, so clients pay a “derecho” when attending services or seeking consultations.
In the same way, paleros pay derechos to the spirits for their assistance too – coins left in the woods, at the crossroads, by the sea or by the [...]
Malafo
December 26, 2008 Leave a Comment
(Kongo) – alcohol or liquor
Rum is used as an offering to the dead or for cleaning people’s auras when sprayed into the air.
It is also the main ingredient of chamba, a specially “spiced” liquor used to reward or command the spirits of the nganga.
Mambo
December 17, 2008 Leave a Comment
(Spanish) – a palo religious song or chant, used to call the spirits and raise the energy levels in the room at a ritual. The lyrics to palo mambos are typically a mix of Spanish and Kongo knows as croillo (creole).
The following is an example of mambo sung to summon or greet the palo spirit [...]
