- Sunday 1
- TC arrives. I grow stronger in his presence, there is
the shared understanding of brothers.
- Monday 2
- Work on Xavier Drum Grant and sessions/rituals for
WiccanFest. In the sense of Malkuth, music and drumming
are so momentary, so ephemeral. If the Xavier grant goes
through, I can record much of what is being played at
the Spiritual Vodoo Temple. I want t o have a tape of
Don DuFrane playing the Yenvelou. My calls to him are
unanswered. Perhaps he has passed, I don't know.....the
bittersweet flow and ebb of the World. I would like a
tape of him playing the Yenvelou; Don has the feel of
that rhythm deep ins ide.
- Tuesday 3
- TC throws the Bones. The assurance of the magician in
his manner. I have a hand written copy from him of the
mss to go with this Way of divination. This manner of
divination is T's major outer Work at this time.
WICCANFEST by Toronto and Hamilton, Canada
- Wednesday 4
- WiccanFest
To the fest with Luis, whom I've drummed with at the
Voodoo Spiritual Temple for three years. He will be
teaching about Santeria, its rhythms and what has
evolved in our playing together at the New Orleans
Voodoo Spiritual Temple.
Arrived and had a strong sense I should go to Hamilton
with Steven. I wanted to see Raymond and their new
Botanica and Temple in construction and pay my respect
to the new Temple. With Steven and Raymongd to Rainbow
Waters Shop and the attached Temple in construction.
Paid respect, kissed floor of Temple. Now there is that
direct link. Later I leaned from Michael that a portion
of Hamilton was known as "Little Africa" Hamilton was
one of the destinations of the underground railway. It
is difficult to convey the importance of this
information to both Luis and I. As Luis pointed out, the
underground railway began in New Orleans, the point of
debarkment for many of the enslaved Africans. Now we are
at the end of a major strand of the railway doing
drumming and rituals brought by the Africans who have
made the dangerous juorney to a land of freedom. That
Hamilton has a Temple where the loa are served is of
great importance. The Ancestors smile.
All of the Statues Mishlen sent up were broken on the
plane. They are living Spirit Houses. I was so sad. I
got materials to fix the icons from Raymond, with a set
of tempora paints and glue I could repair the majority
of them. Luis said I looked like an archaeologist.
Present of bones and rust from Steven and Raymond.
- Thursday 5
- Little Bear, of Inuit? ancestors, was one of the first
people I saw. I remembered her spiritual dancing from
last year. I enjoy being in her presence and the
language differences are interesting. I have a profound
suspician she believes that New Orleans is in
Austrailia. I grow larger in her presence. She is a very
spiritual person. Her dancing is steady and self
contained; a sacrament between her and her Spirits.
I met a man named John who got the New Orleans Voodoo
Tarot from the Book of the Month club without requesting
it. The book has had a strong impact on his
spirituality. He works regularly and primarily with the
deck and book. When his children ask what he is doing ,
he tells them he is telling "stories to the ancestors."
How beautiful. He is close to Shongo and Ayida Wedo.
Quite a combination. I have never met a devotee of Ayida
Wedo.
Corvis, a geologist, pointed out that the soil of New
Orleans was brought here by the Mississippi. The soil is
the ancestors. The soil from all over the continent was
brought here and deposited in the delta. New Orleans
Voodoo is such a rich combination of traditions. The loa
derive strength from the soil. No, more that
strength...their very form and function. The rich and
varied combination of soils informs New Orleans Voodoo.
Luis mentioned at one of his sessions that Obatala was
the first owner of the drums. This is new to me. Very
interesting that Blanc Dan-i is the master of my head.
Blanc Dan-i is a very old loa who is much like
Obatala.This seems to point to a time when Blanc Dan-i
owned the drums. In fact, I remember a story in which
the drum head is made from the missing ears of a snake
(Dan-Balla). I have very little fire within me. This is
best shown by my astrological chart. The chart is very
unusual in its lack of fire. The astrologer doing the
chart said she had never seen a chart with so little
fire. Shongo ownes the drums and he is fire. On a
personal level, it has always interested me that I am so
drawn to the drums yet I have so little fire.
Obatala/Blanc Dan-i/ Drums is a link I have been
seeking. I have been told that when I am drumming,
something (fire?) comes out the is visible in no other
activity in my life.
Conversation with Steve and Corvis both centered on them
dancing not drumming. Very unusual and informative.
Perhaps it would be good if I were to dance more.
Did "Thursday Night at the Voodoo Spiritual Temple."
Luis pointed out an important connection to the rite
being done in New Orleans. The enslaved Africans were
brought to New Orleans and if they could escape tried to
make their way to Canada...many to Hamilton. The rituals
in New Orleans and at WiccanFest were taking place at
both ends of this strand of the Underground Railway. An
African mask has found its way into the Rainbow Waters
Botanica. This mask is definitely not happy being in the
New World. It sat in a place of honor during the
Thursday night service. Michael was taken by the Spirit
of the mask at one point and his dancing was extremely
monkey like. I see the mask as having a connection to
the Ibiji and the monkeys. Late Night Fire Drumming and
Dancing...Two possessions. Micheal and a woman new to
Voodoo. The loa took the woman toward the end of the
ceremony. The people dancing around the fire were very
unsure of what to do. I think that the physical
discomfort that so often accompanies possession shocked
some of the dancers and drummers. Michael was ridden by
a loa that came and departed spontaneously. People
looked but were not as shocked.
- Friday 6
-
The women came by after her first possession and wanted
to learn about what happened to her. She saw monkeys (my
impression of the mask) and said she felt
grounded...like with feet a foot into the earth. I tried
to convey the honor attached to being taken by Spirit
and told her this was a natural event in the Voodoo
ceremonies. Nothing odd or unusual had happened to her.
-Pre "Blessing of the Drums Ritual" session...people
were asking about a correspondence course. Such a course
is needed.
-Blessing of the Drums.
Drummers clothed and fed their drums with drink and
food. -Did ancester ritual and dedicated "to those whose
names have been lost" to the Africans who followed the
underground railway to Hamilton. -Strong Blessing of the
Drums. I was not playing. I don't know, this may be
something to develop. Used earth from Congo Square, The
Voodoo Spiritual Temple, and Temple Blanc Dan-i. I
emphasized the attitude as being of primary importance.
The drum is to be fed and blessed as a person; loved as
a friend; as a Spirit. Luis refreshed his drum as his
drum stood in the place of all of the drums at the
Blessing. Drumming after Blessing ritual...The mask was
danced by Michael. Viril Legba figure...African
Legba...(connection to the child Eleggua to the Ibeji to
the monkeys). I saw that the Spirit of the mask
belonged in the woods, wanted to go back to Africa. A
woman elder also danced the mask. It is always an honor
when an elder dances. She had a brightness and a
simplicity about her that is often found in people who
have long led spiritual lives.
Late Night Fire (we have been coming down to the fire
right around Midnight and staying till first light). We
ended with Ogun and Michael had a strong possession.
Tried to fashion a sword out of bark and had a hard cry
while he kept trying to bury some stones. Later he said
it was his solders he was burying. Luis gave the Ogun a
metal wrench from his drums.
It occured to me that Flordia water works on the most
primary of the senses, smell. The olfactory is open to
influence in even the strongest of possessions. I
inadvertently stood on Michael's foot when I worked to
calm the Ogun. This was to good effect. Something to
remember.
- Saturday 7
- Luis session on Santeria drumming was very well
attended. There is some concern about the possessions.
So all to the good. Without friction, I believe that
contact between differert Traditions is at best
superficial. The Marassa must meet. And in that meeting
there is recognition of difference before there is the
acceptance of that same difference.
Main Ritual - I was holding hands with the children in
the circle dance. I found that the child whose hand i
held was special to Michael; someone who he shared walks
and talks with. The woman leading the Material Wealth(?)
Circle was dressed in green and wearing a Moonmask. This
was the same green and type of fabric worn by a statue
of Mishlen's I had just sold. The Moon Mask the woman
was wearing was exactly the same mask we have on our
front door in New Orleans. The loa are so present, so
imperative in their signs. The woman is also an
herbalist, I want to ask her about herbs to strengthen
the lungs for T and I.
Drumming at Night Fire... Man and women helped each
other keep from being taken by Spirit though the man was
ridden toward the end of the night.
With the drumming there was the presene of a very strong
resonence. I and the other drummers would periodically
look around for the drummer playing the melodic low
sound. I thought it was someone sliding her thumb
across a conga. There was, of course, no physical
drummer producing that sound.
Stopped at one point and took a walk along the night
road by the fire with a poet. What a place of power. The
Spirits in the woods greeted us with light. Quiet; Oh so
quiet.. .
- Sunday 8
- We did a closing rite on Toad Island. Papa LaBat,
Ellegua, and Bamboula. Joined the earth of New Orleans
and that of the Festival Site using water; the blood of
the earth. Earth, the earth...Ancestors of New Orleans
and of near by Hamilton. The beginning and the end of a
strand of the Underground Railway.
Drumming till 45 min before we were to leave for air
port. On the plane home. Sitting in comfortable seats,
being served food, and flying at 13,000 feet. Thought of
the foot by foot progress of the Underground
Railway........The Ancestors have given so much that I
can do so little.
- Monday 9
- Back to MoonWeb.Build up of e-mail while I was at the
Festival. Some of the questions concerning Voodoo and
Magick I am answering seem so trivial. I wonder if they
are serious. It is respect that leads me to answer those
questions to the best of my abil ity. Respect affords
the benefit of the doubt...to answer frivilous questions
on MoonWeb is a minor waste but to disrespect an honest
inquiry would be a trajedy. Who am I to judge what is
necessary to a person for their awakening.
- Tuesday 10
- Voodoo Spiritual Temple Meeting....Miriam is back from
New York and Luis and I are back from Toronto. Much to
say of what we have learned. Two things related by
Miriam stick in my mind. Miriam was sitting in the
Temple on Sunday and a man came in and wa nted a precise
set of answers as to how to be with the Voodoo. He kept
on asking untill Miriam told him that "vague" answers
often bring one closer to Spirit. He looked at her and
left. He may have been a loa in physical form testing
her. "Vague" answers leave room for the loa to add their
own imput in their own time; they leave room for
discovery and inspiration. Secondly Miriam was talking
about how we reward a child for action, for outward
enthuism but calmness or internal looking is ignored or
even t hought to be a sign of sickness.
- Wednesday 11
- Work on the Old School in the back of our house. I'll
stop in the middle of carrying or sweeping as if frozen
by the silence of the place. I think that a good half of
the time I spend working on the place I am
immobile...listening to the silence and the odd, small
sounds.
- Thursday 12
- Smoke to Ellegua and kisses to Mary for protecting the
House and those in it during my trip to WicanFest.
RITUAL: New Orleans Voodoo Spiritual Temple; To the
Marassa.
WILL: Honor and Respect to two sets of statues;
both of a man and woman, a Congo Set and a New World
set.
LOVE: Order of Service. Ellegua particularly
strong.
SUCCESS: Priestess Miriam and Madame Coco
repeatedly taken by the loa. Julia's dance brought honor
to the yenvelou. Marassa Statues well served.
COMMENT:Sense of a reunion. Julia, Singh, Priestess Miriam.
Ah...so good to be calling the loa together again. This
is the first time in two or three weeks we have all been
together for ritual.
- Friday 13
- Spoke with Owen. A thousand copies of his book have
arrived in Cincinnati; ready for distribution through
Black Moon. His Work grows. He may attend StarWood
Festival....Oh, what a time that would be.
- Saturday 14
- Work on MR. Over a 100 degrees out...a two Snow Ball
day.
- Sunday 15
- Reading that Sovereignty is a Celtic Goddess. The Knig
marries Sovereignty and in so doing marries the Land.
Interesting, to marry the Land is to marry the
Ancesters. To take them all as close relations. To claim
them as ones own...and in so doing to bec ome their own.
To become one with the Land.
- Monday 16
- Rhythms of Summer are beginning to establish themselves.
I am working to a summer rhythm. No set time to sleep or
wake.Marvelous yet easily abused, all (most) disipline
is internal now.
- Tuesday 17
- Long conversation with my Father and my Fathers. In the
Temple and in my Heart thanked Dad for all that he has
done for me. So much to re-member...so much forgotten.
- Wednesday 18
- To Ocean...The Land belongs to the Barons. The Water to
Manman Birigitte, Blood of the Earth. The vastness of
the ocean, we carry her in our blood. Tasted Mishlen's
blood through her skin...My Mother of Waters...My Mother
of the Stars...Flow through me.
- Thursday 19
- RITUAL: At the Ocean; Full Moon with MIshlen
WILL: Honor and Respect to this Great Water....To See
the Spirits of Dark Water and Night.
LOVE: Ancestor Offering, Quiet with Mishlen softly singing Siren Song.
SUCCESS: A Man was on the beach with us. On odd thing at
night. He walked and stared out to sea, then walked
again and stared. I looked out to the water in front of
him and there was a grouping of people in the water. The
water was very cold and there wa s a near impossible
undertow. Very unlikely that these were people possessed
of physical bodies. I watched for a short while.
COMMENT: So solemnly beautiful. The dark waters, the
moon, and the waves.
- Mishlen and I spoke of correlating aspects and
attributes of Possession in Tibetian Buddhism and New
Orleans Voodoo. Many, many similarities. This could be
an excellent addition to the TIBETAN section on MoonWeb.
- Friday 20
- Ocean. The sound of the Ocean washes my mind as it's
waters wash my body. Olokun...how awe-full. No one knows
what lies in the depths.
- Saturday 21
- Rain and Quiet and Mishlen.
- Sunday 22
- Quarter...sights and sounds of the Market.
- Monday 23
- RITUAL: St. John's Eve on Congo Square
WILL: Beginning of Summer; The Great Snake leaves the
earth and travels into the skies.
LOVE: Large rite very well attended. Order of Service concluding with all
holding hands and dancing.
SUCCESS: Very Strong. The people moved like vertebra in the back of a snake.
COMMENT: This is the first St Johns Ritual I have played
at in about 6 years. Usually I am in Bloomington. What
an honor to play on Congo Square at this sacred time.
After the ritual Singh commented on how the people
actually moved like a snake when they were holding hands
and dancing. The Wiccans often hold hands and dance in a
line. I wonder if this has a relationship to the group
snake dance.
- Tuesday 24
- DANCING LIGHT ON CONGO SQUARE mss...have Lizabeth meet
the loa and seek their advice. Reading Tibetan
text....it spoke of reguarding all beings as enlightened
but oneself. Nice flavor there.
- Wednesday 25
- MoonWeb work on Voodoo Links...Mr. Wulf has found a
great number. A real community out there.
- Thursday 26
- RITUAL: New Orleans Voodoo Spiritual Temple
WILL: Feast for Ogun
LOVE: Liainy to the Spirits during the Bamboula. A
diverse group of poeple, voodoosants and people on tours
but all were up and dancing. During Ellegua/Legba
Aguator the trees in the Courtyard began making an odd
sound. The only way I can describe it is as if the
leaves were metal and they were humming. Rhythm to Ogun
began in the traditional maner and then changed very
quickly. During this new Ogun rhythm a woman went up to
one of the trees, pressed against it, and slid down the
trees side. She came do wn on all fours and began moving
around the Courtyard as a beast. Ah!...the trees had
called her.
SUCCESS: The food was so
good...blessed...Miriam (and I) could have eaten abd
eaten.
COMMENT: What form of loa was it that took the
woman? The loa here are not the loa of any other city.
- Friday 27
- I have very few photos of rituals. If I take some shots
I usually end up giving a lot of them to the people in
the photographs. Most of the Voodoo photos on the web
seem to be from about 40 years ago....It would be good
to offer some more recent photos on MoonWeb so got out
the light table and looked through 100s of negs I just
sort of keep all together. Found negs for a big rite on
Congo Square about 3 years ago, ritual at the Voodoo
Spitritual temple about 4 years ago, and I believe some
photos at my
home temple...Temple Blanc Dan-i. Going to get these
developed and useable on MoonWeb.
- Saturday 28
- RITUAL: Expedition; Temple Blanc Dan-i
WILL: Explore effect of serpent on the visions.
LOVE: Large mirror. Serpent in various positions.
SUCCESS: Coiled around neck yeiled the strongest
results...increased depth and clarity of vision.
COMMENT: Continue...I don't know what I am looking for
and that is a very good thing.
- Sunday 29
- Completed OSWAN PASS mss and uploaded the text. Ah! As
usual Oswan had a say in things. The line, "The Good He
Has Done Travels With Him" was copied from ther body of
the text and appeared at the end. Thank you Oswan for
your wisdom (and playful manner in communicating it).
- Monday 30
- Work on DANCING LIGHT ON CONGO SQUARE mss. Pages, etc.
have gotten confused in the year I stoped working on the
mss to concentrate on the internet.