Carnival of the Spirit
Luisah Teish described Oshun as the beautiful Goddess of love and sexuality. Santeria is very Catholic, and it comes up under Christianity. Luisah's first exposure to Spirituality was in New Orleans where she grew up. New Orleans was more a sister to the Caribbean than the United States with a rich cultural mix. African religion mostly existed under ground without disturbance. Connection to nature is at the very core of the African religion. The forces of nature are seen and felt alive with personality and power. While the black codes dictated that people be immediately converted to Christianity, the Catholic Church was absorbed by the deities of paganism. As a result, the similarities between Catholicism and the African Religion became closer and closer. Everyone practices the African religion one way or the other; some practice it for practicing purposes and others do it out of fear. A mother holding a baby is a phenomenal nature in the African religion. In the African religion, when people live closer to nature, the thought of good and evil has no validity. In the African spirituality, there is reference and worship. Reference means to respect irrespective of the behavior, for example, ocean, fir
Voodoo is the way of life and the pattern of thinking and the expected behavior. The crossroads is believed to be where heaven and hell meet. The skull is not about the bones but it is mainly about what it symbolizes. Objects represent consciences and senses of the normal human beings. Piercing inanimate objects is a way to tap in some powers. The real power of voodoo is the power of the human mind. In order for Voodoo to do one good, one has to believe in it. The high priest and/or priestess of the faith (often called Papa or Maman) are the vehicles for the expression of the serpent's power. The supreme deity is Bon Dieu. There are hundreds of spirits called Loa who control nature, health, wealth and happiness of mortals. The Loa form a pantheon of deities that include Damballah, Ezili, Ogu, Agwe, Legba, and others. During Voodoo ceremonies these Loa can possess the bodies of the ceremony participants. Loa appear by "possessing" the faithful, who in turn become the Loa, relaying advice, warnings, and desires. Voodoo is an animist faith. That is, objects and natural phenomena are believed to possess holy significance, to possess a soul. Thus, the Loa Agwe is the divine presence behind the hurricane. Voodoo is a practical religion, playing an important role in the family and the community. One's ancestors, for instance, are believed to be a part of the world of the spirits, of the Loas, a
Some common words found in the essay are:
African Religion, Priestess Oshun, Shango People, Loas Voodoo, Leave Oyo, Legba Voodoo, Caribbean United, Timi Gbonka, Gbonka Timi's, Luisah Teish, african religion, voodoo ceremonies, shango bear, forces nature, priest priestess, luisah teish,
Approximate Word count = 954
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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