Tag Archive: espiritualismo

Working with Ancestors in Espiritismo

Our bóveda at the Santeria Church of the Orishas where we work with our Ancestors through Espiritismo Cruzado.

Our bóveda at the Santeria Church of the Orishas where we work with our Ancestors through Espiritismo Cruzado.

There are several ways of working with your ancestors within Santería Lucumí. In a previous article we discussed how to work with Ancestors (Egun) through the Traditional Lucumí Ancestral Shrine (opá ikú). In this article we’ll present another common way of working with your Ancestors – through the practices of Espiritismo. Espiritismo is a separate spiritual and religious practice that has was incorporated into Santería in the mid 1900’s. The type of Espiritismo practiced in Santería Lucumí is called Espiritismo Cruzado (Blended Spiritism) because it has been blended or hybridized with African elements from the Congo people.

Espiritismo’s Concept of Ancestors

Espiritismo Cruzado focuses its spiritual practices on working with the dead. The dead include both Ancestors of blood and initiation, as well as spirit guides, guardian spirits and elevated masters. Within a Lucumí cosmology, blood and initiatory Ancestors would be called Egun, while the rest would be called Ará Orún, or “citizens of heaven”. While traditional Lucumí ancestral work is pretty limited to working with Egun, Espiritismo Cruzado has a system in place to work with Ará Orún and other non-related spirits.

One of the primary goals of Espiritismo Cruzado is spiritual evolution. This includes working toward your own personal spiritual evolution and enlightenment as well as assisting other spirits with their evolution and enlightenment. Espiritistas often work to help spirits that are trapped, addicted, obsessed or dark in vibration to evolve, release their attachments to the physical world and move on to the next stage of their spiritual growth. This work is done by offering prayers, light and service to the spirits. To be clear, ANYONE can work with Espiritismo Cruzado regardless of initiatory status.

When working with your Ancestors within Espiritismo Cruzado, you focus on offering prayers, exercising your mediumship skills and communicating with them to tend to their needs, heed their guidance and offer them spiritual energy, that they may return it to you in the form of spiritual assistance, support, enlightenment, spiritual advancement and personal empowerment. You can also pray for your spirits to support you in spiritual work you accomplish like cleansings, blessings, healings, laying on of hands, etc. Your spirits will work through you to facilitate your spiritual goals.

Each person has a Spiritual Court  – a group of spirits who surround him and work to assist him in life. Some of the spirits are of blood ancestry, but some are not. Some have opted to work with that person, guiding and protecting them through live. Others work with that person specifically on a particular issue and nothing else. Some spirits work through that person for the benefit of others. Every person has a Spirit Guardian that protects their spiritual well being and guards their back. This is why anyone can work through Espiritismo.

The Bóveda – the Altar of Espiritismo

The central altar and focus of Espiritismo’s practice is called the bóveda (BO-vay-dah – accent on the first syllable). The bóveda is typically a table, shelf or top of a dresser that has been covered with a white sheet or cloth, upon which have been placed 7 stemmed glasses of water. Some lineages use 9 glasses of water, but we utilize 7 in the Santeria Church of the Orishas. One of those seven glasses is larger and taller than the rest and represents the person’s spiritual consciousness as well as the connection to his Spirit Guardian. Some people assign individual glasses specifically to a spirit in their spiritual court. The bóveda typically has a crucifix on it, or inside the central large glass. It is also common to have images of saints, statues, candles, flowers or even doll representing a person’s spirits on it. Anyone can set up a bóveda and begin working with their spirits regardless of initiatory status. You do not have to be a priest to set one up. A person’s work with their spirits is personal and does not require the intervention of a priest or priestess.

Working With Your Ancestors at the Bóveda

Statues depicting Indian and Congo spirits grace this simple bóveda along with a glass of water, crystal ball and a white candle.

Statues depicting Indian and Congo spirits, along with fans for Gypsy spirits grace this simple bóveda along with a glass of water, crystal ball and a white candle.

A common way of working with your Ancestors at the bóveda is to begin by approaching the altar and lighting a white candle for them. Then put a few dashes of a perfume of your choice, in your hands. Typically Espiritistas will use Florida Water, Colonia 1800, Siete Machos or Colonia Pompeia. Rub your hands together and pass them over their body to pick up any negativity or errant energy, then flick the energy at your bóveda so that your spirits can cleanse you and take it away. The perfumes work not only as an offering of fragrance to your spirits, but the alcohol in them works to feed and nourish your dead spirits so that they can better manifest their energies around you.

Once you’ve cleansed your aura begin by praying. There is a heavy Catholic element to Espiritismo Cruzado. The most common prayers are the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father), Hail Mary and Glory Be. Some Espiritistas like to pray from Allan Kardec’s Book of Selected Prayers. It is also nice to burn some incense for your spirits, like Frankincense and Myrrh or Three Kings. Knock on your bóveda three times to greet the spirits. Then take a moment and talk to your spirits. Discuss things that are troubling you or things with which you seek guidance. Then sit in silence and allow your mediumship skills to perceive whatever information your spirits give you.

Many Espiritistas report receiving messages in the form of ideas that pop in your head, or imagery that comes to your mind. Others have feelings in their body, or perceives scents. Allow the information to come to you in whatever way it will. You can ask your spirits for clarification. For example if they offer you an image of a car, you can say “I perceive an image of a car. How does this relate to my situation?” and see what your spirits give you. Take as much time as you can, and feel free to repeat any prayers especially after they’ve given you some guidance. Offering a prayer in response to their guidance is akin to offering them spiritual light in compensation for their help.

When you are done with your prayers and work, close with another praying of The Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary and the Glory Be. Knock on the bóveda three times and your work is complete. While some people do offer drinks at the bóveda, strictly speaking this is not proper. Work at the bóveda should be kept spiritual in nature, not physical. Focus on offerings of prayers, candles, light and fragrance. The most physical offering you can do is to blow some cigar smoke on your bóveda, but I personally do not do this. It is always appropriate to offer flowers to the spirits at your bóveda.

Coupling your work at the bóveda with your work at the Traditional Lucumí Ancestral Shrine will give you a well-rounded practice for working with your ancestors, keeping your relationship with them strong, and maintaining their support and assistance at all times.

The Seven African Powers

A syncretized depiction of the Seven African Powers as seven of the chief Orishas of the Lucumi faith

The Seven African Powers are a common spiritual force that people petition within Santeria but there is a common misconception around who they are and how they function. If you visit any botanica (spiritual shop) you’ll find candles with something akin to the image on the right claiming to be 7 African Powers Candles. You’ll also find spiritual supplies like baths, oils and powders that claim to work for the Seven African Powers. Who are these powers in reality?

The image to the right shows a collection of seven different saints: Our Lady of Mercy, The Virgin of Regla, Our Lady of Charity of Cobre, Saint Barbara, Saint Joseph of Arimathea, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Martin of Porres (reader-submitted correction: Saint Benito of Palermo), and Jesus on the Cross in the center. Under each saint image is the name of one of the Orishas. The name Olofi is under the image of Jesus. The vignettes of saint images are linked together with a metal chain with 7 of Ogun’s tools hanging from the bottom. Because of the image to the right, most people mistakenly think that the Seven African Powers are the orishas: Elegua, Ogun, Orula, Chango, Oshun, Yemaya and Obatala. But how did this syncretization come about? Who are the Seven African Powers if they aren’t the Orishas? Can anyone work with the Seven African Powers or is it limited to initiates of Santeria only?

The Influence of Syncretization and Santerismo

A Yoruba descendant initiated to Obatala

The syncretization of the Orishas with the individual Catholic saints isn’t that unusual but the grouping of these particular Orishas together is what makes it unique. In order to understand how this portrayal of the Seven African Powers came about, we need to explore another spiritualist tradition called Santerismo. Santerismo developed out of Puerto Rican Espiritismo (Spiritualism) blended with Orisha worship outside of a Lucumí ritual framework. In Santerismo it is common for spiritualist mediums to become possessed by Catholic saints referring to themselves by the names of the Orishas. Santerismo really began to take root in the Puerto Rican community in New York City in the 1950’s shortly after Celina Gonzalez’s song “¡Que Viva Changó!” came out in 1948. The song’s lyrics really display a close syncretization between Saint Barbara and Chango, and the spiritualist community ran with it. Santerismo is NOT Santeria (Lucumí/Lukumi). Santerismo is a spiritualist tradition open to personal revelation while Santeria is an initiatory religion with strict rules. The term “Seven African Powers” is something that exists in Santeria, but they are not the Orishas, they are spirits of the dead – guides – that we’ll discuss a bit later. But the spiritualists in Santerismo didn’t understand the difference and they assumed they were the Orishas themselves.

It is also interesting to note that the image of the seven Catholic saints put together in that manner, along with the proliferation of magical supplies dedicated to the Seven African Powers didn’t really come about until the 1970’s and 80’s corresponding with an influx of Latinos into the United States especially from Puerto Rico after a referendum in 1951 officially made Puerto Rico a commonwealth of the U.S. The second generation of Puerto Rican kids was born in the 70’s and 80’s and many of them were born and raised in New York amid the Espiritismo tradition’s influences.

The Seven African Powers Are Spirit Guides Not Orishas

A historical drawing of an Abakuá Ñáñigo

The Seven African Powers are actually spirits of the dead from the seven different African tribes that were brought to Cuba and forced into slavery. Within a Santeria (Lucumi/Lukumi) cosmological understanding, the Seven African Powers are araorún (citizens of heaven – dead spirits) – they are not usually Egun (ancestors of blood or initiatory lineage). When a person speaks of the Seven African Powers they refer to a group of 7 different spirits, one from each of the following tribes: Yoruba, Congo, Takua, Kissi, Calabari, Arará, and Mandika. A person who has a connection with the Seven African Powers will have one spirit guide from each of these tribes unique to him, and one of the seven will dominate the group and orchestrate their efforts. This is an interesting cultural reflection of the history of Cuba where these seven formerly hostile tribes were forced to live and work together to survive.

Within the diloggun oracle’s corpus of information, the Seven African Powers are heavily referenced in the odu Edigbere (7-8). Interestingly, this odu also speaks about the importance of the drum as a tool to call down the Orishas and it also speaks about the power of Congolese magic within the religion of Palo Monte. If a person were to receive the odu 7-8 in a diloggun reading it would indicate that they have the Seven African Powers in their court of spirit guides and it would be up to them to use Spiritualism (Espiritismo) to determine who they are, what their names are and who is the primary one that heads the seven. A strong relationship with that one leading spirit guide allows that person to call upon the support of all seven spirits in any endeavor. The Seven African Powers are called upon for help with spiritual evolution, overcoming obstacles, and cultivation of personal power. Anyone can petition the Seven African Powers as they are spirit guides and everyone, initiated or not, have access to spirits of the dead for their guidance. Typically they are petitioned by lighting vigil candles that are of 7 colors, or using 7 different candles of different colors. It is also traditional to tie strips of cloth or handkerchiefs of seven different colors in a bundle. By whirling this bundle of loose multicolored cloth in the air over your head, as you call the Seven African Powers and petition them for help, you’ll be calling upon the ancestral spirits of these seven tribes to work.