Excuse me, this is not the right place to post your intro sir. Please follow the link DarkestKnight gave you and post your intro in that thread.
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I understand and did post it there. Thank you.
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I feel the same way. As a white man in Palo Mayombe Im the only one in My Munanso, In my Ifa house Iâm the only White guy. I respect the rules and traditions infact thats what I love about it so much. rules and codes you have to live by. That privledged attitude really rubs me the worng way too, Im glad to see Iâm not the only one that feels that way.
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Kiambote and Nsala Malekum Mpangui,
You know how it is, always the struggle. But the spirits test you and the community accepts you. Thankfully, that is based on your character in the end and nothing else.
Somos!
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C Kendall, I understand your position and the concept you put forth, but would offer a counterpoint. First, I find no issue being spiritual and religious. I used to only be spiritual, now that I am a priest I try to be religious. Of course, my paths are warrior paths so, turning the other cheek and unduly concerning myself with good vs bad/ pos vs Neg/ right hand vs left hand, which I am noticing gets alot of attention on here, is not in my mindset- you have to have both. You have to work with both- kindoki.
Let me drop a bomb on you. I have noticed in muliple areas you have questioned the originators, and who originated them? My practices come from ancient roots, well before any of the âWorld Religionsâ or concepts like God vs Devil. Thousands of years before man knew of a Lucifer or there were any Lucifereans in cool purple robes. So, noone can say for certain, but what I can say is that these rites snd iniatic practices were dictated to us by the spirits. In Orisha worship and specifically Lukumi, the Orisha were consulted by the leading priests of the land and asked what, how, with what and how long, etc. they wanted the ceremonies to be performed. Orisha were consulted using their consecrated oracles, confirmed, peer reviewed and communally adopted. Not made up by a bunch of dudes experimenting with inspiration. Everything we do is guided by spirit and confirmed through proper divinationâŚand that ainât Tarot cards.
Yes- all ATRâs, and most indigenous systems, are initiatic in nature. The mysteries are conferred and the secrets are orally transmitted. The ancestors, both familial and religious lineage-wise, are petitioned at the beginning of any processâŚhow you gonna ask for their ache and not honor the ways that they sacrificed to maintain? Counter-productive and nullifying.
Hope that helps to put some context around the possible differences between an ideation of a human construct and a legitimately birthed religious system of ordination.
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Maelcum Sala
Somos Yes I know how it is. Im lucky My Padrino in Palo is like my father. Same in Ifa. My whole Munanso My godbrothers are litterally my brothers, My Grandfather in Palo is one of my closest friends too.I know I can call them any where any time and theyll come through. Because thats the way My Grandfather taught us all. The Muerto tests me alot. But I always know when hes testing me. Im a good godson and I always put the religion first. The Muerto has come down and told me through other people That My Father Sarabanda is very proud of me because I always do what I have to do in the religion. The Muerto has always come through for me. I can just go in front of my pots and think about something I want and it happens. Thats what alot of people dont understand these spirits are litterally your parents they guide and protect you. give you the best life they can. Thats why a stranger that didnt go through any ceremonies isnt going to have that kind of access to them. Like for example you have to do ebbo or a trabajo with Chango and the odu says give Chango Bananas, Do you think Chango cant get Bananas if he wanted them? Its Chango, Its the energy he needs to make it happen for you. Its not like oh Chango wants bananas for the work. its not like working with Demons. its not at all. Unless your part of it for awhile thatâs something youâll never understand.
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Itâs terrible whatâs being done but at the same time, itâs 2020. There are too many real (and accessible) leaders from the community present on different platforms to NOT know something as basic as the fact that you canât just simply self-initiate in Palo, Ifa, Lucumi, etc.
I follow a few on IG and theyâre constantly warning people about this very thing.
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The truth is exclusivity is not the same as prejudice.
The lineage of the Palero hands down customs and tools of discernment, we donât let just anybody join our houses because when they join the house they become a part of its foundation that it is built upon, and a house built on weak soil will not endure seasons.
If a plague wiped out every Palero tomorrow, our tradition would remain as much a mystery as any dead tongue or tradition, for example like Sumerian and ancient priesthood of Zoroasterianism.
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You do not self-initiate into any of the African Traditional Religions. You have to be accepted by the spirits of those traditions. And you need a priest with the requisite authority to conduct the proper rituals and the rites that allow for a meeting between the person seeking initiation and the spirits of that traditions. The spirits have the say, not the people. I recognize that in your view this a matter of what came first the chicken or the egg. You wonât get that answer from us. You will have to accept that.
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I heard that if you can communicate directly with the spirits, then you donât need initiation. Initiation is meant as a safety barrier when dealing with hostile energies
First off, If you have never been presented / saluted a Nganga, are not a member of a munanso, and eventually, if needed, gone through rayamiento, then no matter what you are doing- it is not Palo.
Trust me, where Palo is concerned, you need all the safety barriers you can muster.
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There is a difference between and Devotee and an Initiate. Anyone can be a Devotee, as long as that particular entity/Being/diety/pantheon etc accepts them. However, Initiation is not just about protection. Itâs a formal introduction, acknowledgement, vouching for, acceptance and current attunement to the particular tradition. It gives the Initiate access to the secret teachings of that tradition. Initiation is a very particular form of spiritual change, and simply cannot be mimicked or duplicated.
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You are correct. Intitiation is an art form but I also feel deities can imitate you their selves
Listen this is very similar to saying you need to be a catholic priest to work ceremonial magic. That used to be the dogma then people ventured and guess what? It worked! Why? Simple these are forces of nature and by birth right we can work with them.
Letâs make it clear, palo, voodoo or voudon, Santeria, lukumi, osha and all atr are new synthesis. They are not close to the original nor are they super ancient. They are born of necessity in dire environment. The initiation in palo specifically only grants you protection from you godfather or mother, your tata or yayaâs nfumbe protection. If you examine the initiation ritual thatâs all its doing. And presenting you to the forces of mature by taking you to various places and making offerings and through chamalongos find out how that place accepts you. Now in osha the only ritual that really does something to you is the crowning of the saint. The main most important of ceremonies. Thatâs it.
If you donât believe it I dare you to give it a whirl and this is comming from a truly initiated tata. Here in Puerto Rico we have a few kindoki (name we have given to self made paleros) bueyes sueltos that spirits guided them to build their own nganga. And many of them have a very powerful nganga and luceros and a very close relationship with the kinpingulu. Why? A god father doesnât initiate the spirits does. So he can do all the ceremonies and if the spirits donât accept you it means nothing. Now initiation also grants you the ability to work in that house and in that tatas way. Palo more than any atr is highly shamanic and each house works in their own way. There is no standard or way.
I knw a guy,who was santero,Palero and a few more,and guess what? Left everything to became a shaman,in a private messages, he claim he have powerful customers and get results but he mix all.anither guy a Frances,he prove to me to be a higher masonic,plus, hight title in the vaticano,and prove he was a voodo priest in 3 voodoos and 1 African voodo,plus witchraft from lebanon.a simple white guy, 40 years on Magicka he say I take titles bcse people question background,to him no big deal
Wow C. Kendall, I love this write up so much and the best I have read on here so far. This is the real truth most people fail to see or understand, much much respect 
This isnât a platform for tradition, it is for the development of objective magicians that look at magick through common sense.
Itâs not your place to call it a scam because it disagrees with your tradition, which was created by humans not the gods
I was taught the Kalachakra teachings by Enki but if you go to the far East, the monks demand you get trained by someone that is initiated.
Itâs bs, the spirits can accept you all they want. But when you become the christos the gods start listening to you, not the other way around. Because these spirits live within, especially spirits like orishas, neters etc. even the Greek gods, they all add up to you, you are the universe inside out. You have the power of 50 gods within you. If youâre going to look through traditional eyes rather than objective ones, youâre not really in the pursuit of truth⌠but rather egoic comfort in your identity and the importance your beliefs have given to your persona, nothing more