From those more learned than me. (That would be you guys )
So you might have read about my story in the initiation thread. Things are ticking along, the Houngan who did my leson sent the introduction to the House, and he has been in regular contact with me. I have been invited to visit the house in January but I cant make it then, (it is in a different country) so the next good opportunity is May as they will be in Haiti until then.
If you are reading this, then I am assuming you have an open mind and are keen on developing your own Spiritual assent and regularly rely on your own intelligence and relationship with the Entities to guide you. So how in the hell do you reconcile that with the formality and strict codes with Vodoun? The rebel in me is STRUGGLING.
I have been to my ancestors and spirit companion and asked on more than one occasion if this is really the right path and unequivocally the answer is yes. And I really do want to learn and grow with the Lwa that walk with me ā¦ so how come I am finding it so hard to accept the ātraditionā part?
E.Aās words on the subject of guruās echo in my head (as well as other like-minded magicians and spiritual workers) and I wonder how, once you hear the truth, do you accept all the hierarchical dogma? I mean if the fāing Jehovahs Witness brainwashing (yep, raised with those morons, left that in a blaze of glory. It was one of my finest moments too.) didnt crack the questioning and independence out of me, can I overcome my own headstrong personality to eat humble pie, sit down and shut up the way Vodoun requires me too?
How did you guys do it? Or did you decide not to do it? If so, what were the consequences of that (did the Lwa get offended?) Any thoughts, opinions and advice would be very welcome.
I relate to the dynamic contrast you mention- not sure easy response, but two thoughts come to mind:
Something about two types of knowledge (XYZ is true per 123... proof-evidence/logic etc.) vs ("A" is pronounced 'aaay', and "B" is pronounced 'bee')..
in other words, if you question the later type (in the same way that a certain color is called blue, why use that word? tradition? or "culture"... the definition of Culture as a program = a paradigm structure)
Secondly, in Art (say music) one can either 1) play one of the Classical pieces, ie a known-ritual, recognized in Trad, or 2) make up something ānewā (hard not to just be recombining)ā¦ but there third, sort of combine the first&second:
3) Improvisingā¦ you can only āriffā around a melody if you have a melody and then vary it. (like in one of the martial-arts traditions, one can āmove in a way like ___ systemā vs in a way that system doesnāt moveā¦ so can freeform, or Stretch-the-envelope to see what more is possibleā¦ Which is only poss, by having the ālines to color insideā
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combine to that the resonance of a Current (rather than it just being a tradition-culture learned/followed, if there is a feeling of following a certain-way with is like receiving a Boost from that Current- than you can learn to feel when you are āin the zoneā (attuned to a particular) vs when you are out of Contact.
This would depend upon the Power being-on (vs it being flat).
I find that much of the impact upon Con (and deeper Else) is not what it first appears (thus much of the shallowness of many of the concepts-written about, lacking in the Contact to the Depths a Tradition 'May" provide)ā¦ The big trick is not being Ltd within, and still not having a greater Contact (the Limitation as a Cost, that should provide a Benefitā¦ but how to Really-Know if that Way is worth it?)
Sammiejam, thanks for your response, and great to hear it was triggering for you (I felt more driven-in that response, as I wrote it, the thoughts Iād worked out previously, but in the writing it made me reponder; as did reading your response. -it is almost a ākoanā (not an actual, but a paradox-type comtemplation, that issue for me also).
The martial arts parallel (not just the movements, but the energetic/Neigung/Chigung aspects also) is one Iāve actually Worked with for a while; of what is different enough, but not so different it is no longer āthe sameā VS being within the scope of that system (those Trad-currents have a feeling of doing a movement and feeling <sort of like Presence in Evocation, but a bit different> of in Contact, but then a bit ātoo differentā and lose that senseā¦
I was taught to have in essence two different āparts of practiceā (doing a particular Trad- as close as you ācanā [adjusting to not do what doesnāt feel right- and perhaps ānegotiating with Entitiesāā¦ or just avoiding certain aspects], so that what is done is as close as poss, to feel that Resonance, which builds over time- with the Idea that with more Practice-time= a better Contact= more leeway) and a second āpartā being more freeform. Idea being to keep them different (so it is clear to you when you are adapting, let alone āinspired byā vs doing actualā¦ so many other groups/writers seem to be adapting something, and then phrase it as if it officially doing it as-is (vs an adaptation)ā¦ they could be equally valid, but arenāt the same thingā¦
as a good example- the three voices (self-internal, āancestorsā and Entities (Lwa)ā¦ as Allies) as you wrote in: >> I know I can count on my ancestors to support me and guide me when I start to get pissed off over the diametrically opposed conversations that are going to running in my head. (And hope like hell that the Lwa understand<<
perhaps āother entitiesā not yet allied with (wandering, new Contacts, etc.) what may seem āoneās higher selfā (another voice where is that 'influence coming-from")ā¦ etc.
I think often people could encounter this issue and think ācatastrophicallyā ie either A or B- either follow trad blindly, or else totally do whatever you wantā¦ but I think it is more alive than that. (I think of it in terms of the Entities, as well as the Energetic_structures, a process of Discovery.
-like if you Work with people, apply for a Job, join a project-team, whatever, there is a discovery of how everyone Operatesā¦ some are easy about nearly-everything except donāt ___, another might not have specific, but if they are in a mood, etc. [not just in terms of Anthropomorphising, but the Energetic structures, ie oneās Body and even Mind- connecting to the Social-memes, or Enviro-fieldsā¦ link up in circuitsā¦ certain ways work, others dontā¦] thx for bringing this up (and luck on your path in this).
In an age of universal contempt for tradition, adherence to tradition is rebellion. I do mean proper tradition though, not mere institutionalised modern invention like the Jehovahās Witnesses.
...the way Vodoun requires me too?
Itās a religion. If you want to follow it, follow it. And if you join its priesthood, its only your duty to follow it to the letter. But the Loa are older than Vodou. And bigger.
How did you guys do it? Or did you decide not to do it? If so, what were the consequences of that (did the Lwa get offended?) Any thoughts, opinions and advice would be very welcome.
Iām not interested in priesthood and particularly in that of a foreign people. Even if I were, as much as I could serve the Loa, it would be presumptuous of me as a European to think that I could serve an African community in such a capacity. WHich is what a priest is supposed to do. However, I have a retinue of Loa with me. That is simply a fact, irrespective of my āreligionā. And I will serve these beautiful spirits who have been gracious enough to walk with me as they wish to be served. Generally that means following the essential aspects of the methods already laid down by Vodou.
)
(And hope like hell that the Lwa understand<<