My Vodou Meditation for Maundy Thursday

Mi di twa pater, twa ave Maria --

Today is Maundy Thursday. Maundy comes from the Latin mandatum and means to declare or state with purpose. It's the root of the word "mandate". Today is the Catholic observation of the Last Supper. At this dinner, the Christ is said to have commanded his Apostles to "Love One Another." As a Vodou adept, I find great meaning and depth is this statement.

We function in the sosyete as a family. As such, there is the usual squabbling and pouting. But there is also great love. I have heard members defend one another over things big and small. I have heard  laughter, confession, compassion and sympathy. But what I always hear is Love. Despite our differences, we have learned to find commonalities and risen above the rest.

When the Christ made this statement, he wasn't commanding a full on orgy. He was saying that through Love, you can find compassion, forgiveness, devotion, communion. Love is the great believer, the totally level playing field upon which we can scrabble and scamper, and still find one another through the dust and dirt we stir up.

Love is the what the great Lwa have for us. I am sure there are times when your Met Tet is just shaking their head and calling for a tall glass of rum on ice. But most of the time, I know They have great love.

If you've been reading this blog, then you know I am devoted to our small pack of loving dogs. Two large poodles and little shih tzu. They rough and tumble all over the house. I am not a dog owner who believes in separating my animals from my life. The dogs have full command of every room, surface and piece of furniture. And it delights me to no end, to watch their antics. I can spend hours just sitting with a cup of coffee and laughing as they chase one another around the dining room table, up the front staircase to the bedroom. There, I hear the bang-boom-crash of their feet as they run over the bed, down the hallway and then down the back staircase. Their sheer joy in life is worth every moment of calamity and every bit of dirt they leave behind.

I feel that's how the Lwa think of us. Like crazy-assed toddlers who whirl and twirl out of control, only to veer wildly back on track, before derailing somewhere down the line. And They do it because They love us. Unconditionally. Unequivocally. Without prejudice and with deep compassion and interest. Like me with my dogs, I can picture the Lwa sitting and watching the human condition, laughing at our choices, empathizing with others and delighting in all it's craziness.

We give the Lwa things we think They want - food stuffs, candles, incense. But the Lwa simply want us. They want Love, Empathy, Devotion -- just like us.

If we truly believe the adage of "As above, so below," then the Lwa are us, just a few steps further along the path. They do not own the world. They each own their own Truth as it were -- Ogoun owns bravery and strength.  Erzulie owns unrequitted Love.  Simbi owns wisdom and intelligence. Azaka owns food, harvest and hunger. And Legba owns the ability to see, hear, touch, feel and understand all these things. When we Love the Lwa and fully engage with Them, we get to share a bit of Their truth. Like a sip of nectar, it nourishes our soul.

The Lwas were commanded as well. When They came into existence, God commanded Them to Love us unconditionally. And so They do. They simply want us to return the favor in kind. Not much to ask, really.

On this Maundy Thursday, I said my prayers before the altars, and closed all the lights. I put out the candles, I covered the altars. I will resurrect them again on Easter Sunday. But for now, I accept and obey the command of Love. I love the Lwa enough to give them a break. And I look forward to working with Them again in the future.

Mi di twa Pater, two Ave Maria....

Four Circles On-Line Class in May

Long distance learning has its advantages. On one hand, you don't have to get dressed up to attend class. You can do it from the privacy of your bedroom or kitchen. And on the other hand, neither do I.

I've had a lot of folks asking me about long distance training. One poor fellow in the Ukraine has been following me for a year. I finally got all the video pieces completed, and they've been languishing on my computer now for months. I thought I am not going for a Pulizter Prize, I just want to get the good word out about Vodou! So I decided to launch my classes, the world be damned and see what happens.

If you go to this link (http://www.sosyetedumarche.com/html/fc_online.html), you will find a FAQ on the upcoming class. It's going live on May 15, 2013. There's 120 minutes of proprietary video. There's homework assignments (fun stuff, no papers or lengthy essays, I don't have time to read those!) And a vibrant Yahoo group (still secret, so there''ll just be students myself and my Teacher's Aide) to help make the group feel connected.

Each week, I'll answer questions via a new video I'll post to the secret server. And we'll be able to mark the conclusion of the event via a video conference (I am still working on the details of that one).

So do let me know what you all think of this, and we'll step into the new fangled world of LD learning for the religion of Vodou. As a Legba child, I guess it was gonna happen sooner or later, and through me!

My Vodou Meditation - Day 34 of Forty

I am late writing - I've been ill, and off my game a bit. But things have settled more or less, so I can begin my writing again. I still did my meditation and prayers, even while sick. Funny, it brought me great comfort each morning. It is such a good routine, that I feel compelled to continue this daily prayer cycle.

But there's been an even more interesting turn of events. For those who don't know, the leadi\er of a sosyete in Vodou is called the house Poto Mitan. That's because all the spirits served in a sosyete often dance in the head of the leader. As I am the defacto leader (along with a big heaping help from Papa Don), the spirits that dance in my head are the ones most often fetted here. And there's been an uptick shall we say, in the quality of service and spiritual zeitgeist at Sosyete du Marche.

The last fet for Loko was a good example. We had a small, tight crew. We sang lustily into the night, and we stayed focused, on point and on time. No need to drag the night along, we hit each spirit's with all the songs we had and moved on the to the next one. The few possession states that took place were given food, drink and allowed to stay - until the next spirit was sung for. No one was chased out, but we decided to keep the Lwa train on schedule. It was a tight, compact five hours of prayer, songs and dance. And when we finished, we realized something amazing had happened.

The group felt incredibly close. It was as if we fell in love with one another for the first time. There was no drama (there really never is, but this night felt especially clean and straight). There was support, love, devotion - in short, everyone present received a numinous experience out of the working. Later, as we sat with coffee and cake, everyone spoke about the connection they felt to spirit, to the house as a whole and to me as the mambo. I said, I think its due to my speaking with Spirit each day.

There are lots of places on the Internet that will talk about the power of prayer. But you do not often see it related to Vodou. Vodou is often (always) talked about as either a system of practice, thus reducing it to it's basic framework and making it sound like folk practices. Or as a beleaguered and outdated mode of animism, which is worse. But no one really know the the truth about Vodou.

Vodou's beauty and power lie within the ability of its adherents to speak directly to the Higher Self. Define that anyway you please - Met Tet, Guardian Angel, Contact, Spiritual Mentor. However you call it, it is the Egregore of Vodou that allows one to commune directly with the "Powers That Be." And in the communion, find sustenance, peace, love and deep connection. When those elements are then presented to the group as a unified whole, through the egress of the Mambo leading the worship, then the connection thrums like a tight cord, bringing Divine revelation and messages directly to the congregation present. Ayibobo - now that's magic in my book!

I have 6 more days to say my twa Pater, twa Ave Marias each morning. I may just keep doing them, once we get past Lent and Easter. I will be setting a big feast for the Lwas next Sunday morning. I invite you all to join me by placing food and drink before your Ancestors, and thanking them for their love, their lives and their on-going life lessons. And I thank my husband, my godkids and my family for their support, their love and their devotion. Without them, I couldn't do what I do either. Ayibobo. Ashe. Amen.

mi di twa Pater, twa Ave Maria....

My Vodou Meditation - Day 28 of Forty

I am deep in commissions this week. Apparently, former clients have passed along my artwork, and are now looking for more. Ayibobo. Thank you Legba for bringing them back this way!

So why do I always feel like I am not doing enough? I just read a blog by someone I follow. He's speaking at colleges, running an on-line class (52 classes, one each week - yikes!). And he's got not one but two blogs and a forum! When does he eat and sleep? I often wonder of this is what I should be doing, instead of painting spirit art and running after three energetic dogs all day. Another friend is running a botannica, directing a large community center for healing arts and still has time to host a vodou service every Saturday night. EVERY Saturday. She makes me feel like a slug...(and she's the same age as me..I feel even more like a slug.)

I do my best, but it seems its never quite enough. I write this blog, I record songs, I've written two books and I have two more in the works (so as to take advantage of my initiate's offer to edit while on sabbatical from her real job); and of course, the ever present nudging of spirit to paint, sculpt and create for them. I feel like I am behind the 8 ball all the time.

But then, this morning as I did my Lenten prayers, I had a small epiphany. This is what I am supposed to be doing. Some of us minister to the greater public with classes, lead large services and build strong centers where folks can find their place in the world. It seems that I fall in the other camp. I lead a small group, I minister to solo individuals, and I try to help folks one on one find themselves. Niether is better than the other. And both have their purpose in the world.

My mediation this morning was numinous. I felt Legba's presence in a solid, golden way. His energy was pulsating, brilliant and smooth. He gently laid his head upon mine and not so much spoke, as thought into my own mind. The response was personal and gave me great insight. I now know where I am to go and why. The clarity is comforting.

As I work through these forty days, I am amazed at the energy that has built. People said Saturday night, the Lwa's presence was strong and palatable. Partly because we've not gathered in several months. And partly due to me performing this daily exercise. After all, I am the Poto Mitan of this house. The spirits that move here, dance in my head. They reflect like diamonds onto the house membership, but they come through me and my filters. As I've worked through these days of prayer and silence, I feel deeply connected to the Lwa. And They fill me with energy and love.

The works calls to me and I must go to refill my containers of water and assemble my paint supplies. Today, I work on a special commission for a client. I will give my hands to spirit. Let them guide me in making art that speaks to their purposes and desires. It seems to be the more fulfilling way. And the art speaks for itself.

Mi di twa Pater, twa Ave Maria....

My Vodou Lenten Meditation - Day 26 of Forty

I am very excited - we are going to be attending the KOSANBA conference in October. It is a chance to be all Vodou all weekend. Rub elbows with folks I have written back and forth with, but have never met. And to reconnect with some very dear family members in the Boston area.

Kosanba (http://www.research.ucsb.edu/cbs/projects/haiti/kosanba/index.HTML) is headed up by two of my favorite Haitian scholars - Patrick Bellegarde-Smith and Claudine Michel. LeGrace Benson is also a member of the board. I am hoping she will have her book on Haitian art finished by then. Mambo Nicole from the Temple of Yehwe (Papa Max Beauvoir's sosyete) will also be attending. These are the current and living elders of my religious tradition. I will be very honored to meet them and spend some time in their ashe.

As I said my prayers today, I felt the energy around me rise and bring gooseflesh to my arms. It feels like something big is coming. I hope to play whatever small part in, that the spirits designate for me. Ayibobo!

We served Loko and Ayizan last weekend. Although Danbala is the heavy hitter for March, (syncretized with St. Patrick's Day on the 17th), it is also Loko's feast day this month (coinciding with St. Joseph's day on March 19th). But as that date falls during Holy Week, we celebrated it earlier in the month. The herbs are doing well, and the Lemon tree still smells delightful. Hopefully, I can get it out onto the porch by the end of the month.

No earth shattering revelations today - just a reminder of how wonderful life can be when you are following your bliss.

Think I'll take this moment of quiet to pour some rum and give thanks for all that I have.

Mi di twa Pater, twa Ave Maria....

My Vodou Meditation - Day 24 of Forty

Grieving is a process, one that cannot be rushed for any reason. I know this intimately - I had both parents and my in-laws follow one another into the light three years running. At times I felt like I was underwater, barely making choices. I would surface for a moment, then grief would weigh me back down like a sinking stone. There were highs and lows every day, sometimes every hour.  In time, I was able to let go of the lows, my grief and my folks, and found my way back to the surface of life. But it took time.

I also believe grieving requires a space to happen in, a safe place that allows you to be nutured and supported through the process. That's what belonging to a temple or house of worship should offer you. A sanctuary where you can allow your mind to find ease. That's the goal of our Temple here at Sosyete du Marche, Inc.

This weekend, we served Loko and Ayizan. There were bright flowers, scented herbs, bushy palm trees and a gloriously scented lemon tree in full bloom. We were a small crowd, practicing our singing, laughing and enjoying the day together. Early in the afternoon, one of my housi brought a friend who's husband had died just four days prior. I was assured the woman was in a good place, and that she was processing the death adequately. I agreed to her being here. I thought perhaps a sweet and easy fet would help her frame her grief in a better light.

But this is Legba's house, and one thing the Great Gatekeeper does very well, is open you up to clear out what is no longer required or needed. Legba makes you face yourself, so you can become the best 'You' possible. When that woman stepped over our threshold, Legba grabbed her by the back of the neck and thrust her face down into her anger and loss. She barely made it an hour, before she was overwhelmed by the pain and the grief of her husband dying. I saw her standing on the front lawn looking very brittle, quietly crying, Before I could move on it, she came back in, and with a sobbing apology, asked the housi to take her home.

As my housi gathered their things for the ride, I stepped out onto the sunroom to say good by. The woman reached for me, but I demured, and said, "No, don't touch me unless you want more of the same." I explained a little bit of what was happening - what the spirit that rides in my head can do to you, if you are not prepared. And that it wasn't time for her to be out and about. She nodded, crying hard and apologizing. She said she wanted to be in a spiritual place, but had no alternatives. I told her there was no need to apologize, and that she was welcome back in a year, after she had done her work. She said thank you, and then left.

We went on for the day. I placed her husband and her into Maman Brijit care. She will need sustenance as she goes forward. And good judgement. I pray for them both - that one go forward into the light where he can do Bon Dye's bidding. And that the one left behind find solace in the children and her work.

And I sang three Our Fathers and Three Hails Marys without a miss. Mesi anpil Papa Legba, mesi anpil.

My Vodou Lenten Meditation - Day 20 of Forty

I have been musing over a recent conversation. The individual in question said there is only one ticket to heaven and no one can come along for the journey. I believe they were speaking about themselves. And that any spirit who tries to come along is a hindrance, a 'poison' I believe is the word they used. This gave me pause - why would "poison" be the word for describing a beautiful Intelligence that has been in company with you from your inception as a enlighten soul?

I found myself deeply moved by this conversation - but I have been moving in a certain direction for some time now. I recently came through my second Saturn Return. Read Elizabeth Spring's excellent essay on the second Saturn Return here. Mine has been a firming up of my resolutions and thoughts on the sosyete, my role as a Mambo Asogwe and my part to play in the resurrection of Haiti. I am intrinsically tied to the island, so I must play the part that I was destined for.

My brother Joel recently wrote a post about the role Haiti has for Vodouisants. His thoughts were that being in the history of Haiti or at the very least, understanding Haiti's history can give you a real grounding in why Vodou is the religion of the island. It was a religion that helped the Ancestors survive. It gave the servitors hope, healing and health, when they were mired in despair.

But it is not the religion of slaves, as some people think. If you think that way, then you don't know Haitian history. Because it was Vodou that freed the Haitian people from their oppressors. This is a religion of freedom, power and self-knowledge. This religion speaks to the intrinsic value each human being carries within themselves. This faith speaks to the glories of God; the ability of mankind to touch upon that glory; and the promise of balance, health and healing that we are all deserving of. If we can only agree on one point, let us agree that this is the faith that birthed a nation of free people.

Today, I do not feel badly about the loss. People come and people go. It's the magical egregore of the group mind shedding what is no longer necessary. Dolores (my teacher) once had a fabulous visual she used to explain Egregores. She said that there is only so much room for the spirits to reside in your head. So they routinely clear out the old, the outdated and outmoded, to make room for new, fresh things. That includes ideas, practices and people.

And clearly, as one leaves, four more are coming in. Perhaps, this Legba's way of making room for new folks. So be it. It is His house after all. I am merely the Housekeeper. Today is day 20 of my 40 days of Lent. And so here is my gift - clarity on the role I play in this house and in my life. Ayibobo. Right now, the Housekeeper has chores to get ready for the weekend.

Mi di twa Pater, twa Ave Maria....