Alright, I will try to keep this brief and to the point. I have been a practicing occultist for around 10 years now, exploring most paths along the darker side of “western magick” as well as having some pretty extensive experience in chaos magick. I have, however, recently been drawn into the Vodoun / Voodoo current. This pull is almost like an energetic tidal wave that is drawing me in to the point of having literally no drive, or motivation to pursue my other, more comfortable forms of magick.
Being new to this path though, without any real background whatsoever, I have so many questions and am finding it hard to land at solid conclusions through the few books I have read and the internet research I have done. I’m hoping that someone here with some legitimate experience along this path may be able to step in and help a poor boy out! Thanks in advance
Are the Loa as truly powerful and “all consuming” as everyone makes them out to be, (all good if the answer actually is yes)
Do traditional forms of “western evocation” work with the Loa, or should an entirely different approach be taken?
When “evoking” the Loa do their appearances change depending on the practitioner working with them or are they a more “set-in-stone” sort of deal? I mainly ask this so that I can find out if I’m truly dealing with the Loa, some other entity, or a projection of my own creation.
Once Legba has opened the door for you (as in the door to the current, not to a specific Loa for ritual) are you pretty much in the current for good?
I have a million more questions, but if anyone could help me try to tackle these for now it would be much appreciated!
1.) The Lwa aren’t your run of the mill spirit. They are so much closer to this physical reality than other spirits such as Goetics for example. By being as close as they are, they may more easily cause effects and change on the physical.
2.) I’m sure everyone on the forum would answer this question with yes and you probably could, but it isn’t the proper way to call them. Watch EA’s video with Agwe and watch how he calls Agwe. Watch the state he gets himself into. You don’t always need flour or cornmeal veve’s or rum, but that state and a desire for communion is the key there.
3.) The Lwa very rarely physically manifest. I’ve had three physical manifestations in my almost three years of working with Vodun. The Lwa appear in the way they are said to but I wouldn’t doubt that they may appear at least somewhat differently to other people. Don’t go looking to always SEE the Lwa. You’ll feel them and hear them more than anything. But you will probably see them on occasion.
4.) Well once Legba initiates you into the current, you will choose and be chosen by Lwa who you wish to work with and who wish to work with you. Try starting with the Rada and other less aggressive Lwa. The Petwo Lwa are a family that stick around and have expectations regarding offerings. So, essentially yes. I have been contacted by the Lwa even when I was pathworking other systems but in my opinion this is a very good thing. Once you have a relationship with a Lwa or the Lwa as a whole, they will look out for you and protect you but also guide you. When you know them and they know you, your life is no longer your own as they will be guiding it with their invisible hands.
Thanks for the reply, super helpful!
I guess one of the biggest things that I’m trying to figure out is; in traditional forms of evocation (in my experience) my formula has always been: set up the ritual space, enter theta-gama sync, let vision of spirit manifest within my “astral sight” and then begin communication. I’m just wondering if that using this method with the Loa, once I get to that “let the vision of the spirit manifest on a astral level” stage, is that vision somewhat personal, set in stone, or none of the above? I mainly ask because I’m trying to adjust my method to best match these energies but I’m not sure if I need to push myself further into a trance state through traditional Vodoun drumming and dancing methods, or to loosen up and try not to go so deep in the first place because they’re already here.
Technical point - in the voodoo tradition it’s a “veve” and not a “sigil,” and the process of creating a veve can be a big part of a ritual to connect with a particular Lwa
I’d love to help out if you have any questions in the future as well. I grew up around Vodoun and am always willing to help people beginning new paths.
