The Starry Cave

Ifá calls our world aiye akamara – a world of mystery. Mystery is understood to be both something hidden that moves creation but also it contains the idea of being puzzled by what we meet in the world.  The world is mystery on so many planes, both for good and bad. All these mysteries are lodged down in Ifá proverbs or its oral teachings. Often they overlap. One of these mysteries that keep on puzzling me, no matter how much I understand them are confined in the proverb: Má sé wó tòbì àràkúnrín ré It mans simply:  “Do not wear another man’s apron” This proverb takes on a multiplicity of forms. In its most direct it is a reference to the priesthood of Sángó where it is customary to wear aprons around their waist, in the manner of woman. This is done in honour of the female powers that are the potency of bestowing and removing the crown of kingship. The priests of Sàngó wears the apron of women as a constant reminder of the need for rec...

Dentro do corpo de ensinamentos da Arte Tradicional, encontramos os temas, estações e princípios que ocorrem em ciclos não lineares de Fortuna, que exaltam e refinam as qualidades necessárias para que o peregrino alcance o poder do Verbo, de completa conexão com a fonte. Estes processos são tanto internos quanto externos, singulares ou combinados, e se aplicam em cada passo dado pelo peregrino em seu dia a dia. Minha intenção com este ensaio é o de trazer uma síntese deste corpo de ensinamentos, ainda que de forma reinterpretada, muito reduzida e simplificada visando à compreensão dos peregrinos que iniciam agora sua jornada, o que não impede que estes temas possam ser debatidos em profundidade em outros artigos. Este conhecimento foi legado a mim pelos meus ancestrais na Arte, e está relacionado às estruturas da terra, dos oráculos geomânticos, e aos oito casais pertinentes às direções da paisagem, partindo do Leste. Junto a cada raio, selecionei citações cujo propósito é exemplific...

F. Goya - El Aquilarre Para ler este texto em Português, clique aqui The role of the Devil in Witchcraft can be a confusing mystery for some. After all the image of the Devil is veiled in evil and misanthropy and many Christian denominations and churches have made themselves depending on him to support their gospel. You turn to God because you need to hate evil, translated into the Devil. Evil, like sin, is to miss the point, and hence all good intentions directed by a mind lacking alignment with heart can be a brooding evil insofar as it evokes negative vibrations to the life of others and your own. The Devil is known by his horns and cloven hoofs, his pointed tail and trident. He is known by many names and as the architect of details. We find him in crossroads and caves, at the tavern and the racetrack, in the dance and in every choice of life. He is someone we can’t escape because he will appear in any crossroad as the one who challenges you to ...

Para ler este texto em Português, clique aqui Ifá is a faith that values Love over all things, because Love is that cosmic glue that appeals to the soul in such way that it desires to discover its station and destiny. The modern ideals are often Love defying, because to love is a sign of weakness in the face of ambition. Ifá teaches us that the immortal ones descended to Ile Ifé – literally ‘House of Love’ and from here kingships were established. Love is understood as a power that contracts upon the cosmic benevolence and give release to peace, tranquillity and joy – what we understand to be iwa rere, a happy or good character which final prise is abundance, the fullness of all good things. Character/iwa is a complex concept. Ifá teaches us that iwá was born restless and curious; she had a tendency of being drawn towards the world of matter and intrigue by her passionate nature. If we look t the concept of iwa from the perspective of Plato’s Symposium and Timaeus it would appear tha...

To read this text in English, click here I fá é uma fé que valoriza o Amor sobre todas as coisas, porque o Amor é a cola cósmica que apela para a alma de tal maneira que ela deseja descobrir sua estação e seu destino.   Os ideais modernos são geralmente desafiadores do Amor, porque amar é sinal de fraqueza em face à ambição. Ifá nos ensina que os imortais descenderam para Ile Ifé – que significa literalmente, "Casa do Amor” e foi a partir daqui que os reinos foram estabelecidos. O Amor é entendido como um poder se contrai na benevolência cósmica e nos liberta para a tranqüilidade, paz e alegria – e o que entendemos ser iwa rere , um caráter feliz ou bom, cujo prêmio final é a abundância, a plenitude de todas as coisas boas. Caráter/ iwa é um conceito   complexo .   Ifá   nos ensina   que   iwa   nasceu   inquieta   e curiosa, pois ela  era atraída ao mundo da matéria, intrigada pela sua natureza apaixonada.   Se   olharmos ...

: reposted here by kind permission of Azoth Kalafou Obeah is one of the more unknown and obscure African traditions of Sorcery. While Santeria, Umbanda, Candomblè are getting a broader and broader reputation Obeah is still veiled in a great deal of secrecy.  This is understandable when you view the complexity in this earth-religion. The word Obeah or Obi is it self a word shrouded and obscured in secrecy. The most understandable meaning of the word can be translated into ”occult power” meaning a powerful engine used to empower spells for witchcraft as well as other forms for  practical magic and communication with the gods. It is assumed that the Ashanti and the Dahomeyans is the carrier of the wisdom of Obeah. That it was slaves from west and-north-Africa that brought this current of power to Jamaica and Trinidad-Tobago. The tradition of Obeah captures several lines of occult transmission. The Obeah it self is best seen as an multi-differe...

Pathos, Prospect & Pilgrimage   Lilium Umbrae Cuveen is sworn to allegiance by blood and troth to the Maid and Magister of The Clan of Tubal Cain. We have taken the shadow and the lily to speak for us. A mystery from within, but still aside, that rides upon the scales of Hydra as she is mirrored from Draco. Here we find the raven that drinks the chalice of first blood. The mystery repeats in an enigmatic variation upon timeless truths. As above so below – as the poles support each other and gives stability in its fluid flow of light such are mother clan and all daughters. From the starry pyre at the circles heart the blood flew and flows in truth and troth to the ideals of honour and beauty! This shall be our pilgrimage, upon the scales of the serpent to be as one in blessed diversity that always manifests the hunger of union. The Dragon's Road The Dragon is father of wis...

Micha Brusilovsky (2000) - Garden of Eden/night Paganism, neo-paganism and witchcraft are all labels that seem to be difficult to define and keep separate. In many ways, I do like things to be fluid and flowing in as tides and moon moves – but it can also be confusing to understand where the waters crosses the boundaries if we don’t really mange to separate the duck from the swan. Robert Cochrane who defined himself as a witch, or more correctly a pellar defied the label pagan given upon him. He not only commented upon the fluidity of the Craft itself but also defined it as a faith. He said: “The Faith is a belief concerned with the inner nature of devotion, and finally with the nature of mysticism and mystical experience” (The Roebuck in the Thicket, 2001: 56). In addition we should also remark his very pragmatic attitude towards rite and ceremony. This inner dimension of devotion is a classical trait in many religions who places importance on i...