Voodoo Ritual

Voodoo Ritual

I will attempt to simplify the ritual structure of Voodoo, it is important to note that this will be the ritual for a individual practioner and not a whole assembly;

The Mambo or High Priestess
The Houngan or High Priest
The Confiance or mambo caille the apprentice
The Hounguenicon caille the superintendent of the oumphor
The Hounguenicon peristyle or the chorus leader
The Houngeunicon quartier maitre the person in charge of separating and distributing the portion of the sacrifical food not reserved for the gods
La place the master of ceremonies
Hounsih the initiated members
Hounsih bossales those who are not yet innitiated

So since we do not have this many people for our ritual we will be doing a simplified ritual for the individual.

1st we need to sweep the area clean in a clockwise motion

After tracing the desired Veve's on the floor of your oumphor or spirit temple remembering that we need Papa Legba to open the gates and we need to offer him tobacco for his effort and draw his veve on the floor. As well as the desired veve and offering for the loa we are petitioning.

When the Veve's are done take the rest of your flour or corn meal and blow a bit in the 4 cardnal directions. Then remembering that the gods travel through the astral fluids we will take up our water and sprinkle a little in the 4 directions.

Then we will say

Atibon Legba, open the gate for me
Papa Legba, open the gate for me
Open the gate that I can enter
When I return I will thank the Loa
Abobo!

As we are saying this we will be again taking up our water and drawing a X over the ritual space these are the cross roads, the road that the Loa will travel to come to you.

At this point the ritual foods should be brought out and a little prayer or chant honoring the Loa should be said or a musical instrument such as a rattle or a drum should be played. Give a portion of the food to the Loa and take a portion for yourself. Eat with the Loa and meditate on the situation or request.

At the end of the ritual give thanks to every Loa that attended by saying

The ensemble of the loas
Peace be with you!
Withdraw into the Light!

Take the portion for the loa and discard it back to the earth.