The Magickal Recordof Louis Martinie': October 1996

Tuesday 1

MoonWeb is going well. Awaiting the contract with the provider to sign. Linda Falario and Fred Fowler have Anandazone, a web site that expresses what they are about in a beautiful manner. An inspiration to continue the work on MoonWeb.

Wednesday 2

Mishlen's return with me brings new experiences. We went to the grocery store and ended up going to art galleries on Magazine Street...something I would not have done if alone. She spent a good part of the two days she has been back cleaning the Temple...making it spotless; a form of banishment.

Thursday 3

Fasting for the welfare of the Panchen Lama. Probably one of the youngest political prisoners in the world...8 years old? Received mantra for Amataba Buddha as part of the fast. A good way to receive this mantra. To Voodoo Spiritual Temple for drums. Got there and was told of a meeting with Louisa Teish about unity in the New Orleans community. Miriam and I got there and saw there was 11 people present. People representing Priestess Ava Kay, The Voodoo Museum, a m ember of a Haitian Bizango secret society in New Orleans Island of Salvation, and Miriam and I for the Voodoo Spiritual Temple. Louisa Teish did a comtemplation on the all pervading influence of the ancestors in our lives. We each made an offering to the ancestors. I offered to Bonifellio Martinie, who walked the streets of New Orleans when Marie Laveau danced and Dr. John drummed on Congo Square, and for the Panchen Lama for whom I was fasting. Oh, shit....representatives from all the spiritual houses were there and All Saints Day is coming up. Who I would drum with for the ritual on All Saints became a topic, a bit heated. This is something I had tried to avoid...one of my many fears. So...wh at is my will...Voodoo Spiritual Temple and Temple Blanc Dan-i...I'll miss the money and the pride in paying for so many Houses...that's a bit harsh...I do like Brandy of the Voodoo Museum and Priestess Ava Kay a lot. I feel as if I am letting them down. But then last year when I was playing for the Houses I would get so tired.

Friday 4

Became very angry at work when the way I organized my schedule was questioned by administration. I surprised my self at the depth of the anger. I had thought that I had more control than this. The anger did absolutely no good for me or anyone else. I have so far to go. A good lesson, a good antidote to any pride on my part.

Saturday 5

Art for Arts Sake (a mass opening for galleries attended by thousands of people) with Mishlen and T and C. Some of the art were works of the Spirit. Why? The obvious ones used occult symbolism and form. Ritual cups, one vase was covered with sigils f rom Solomon and Marassa I suppose I would call any art spiritual if it pulled my perception beyond its usual limits. I fact,the art causes change in accordance with the will. Mr. Crowley's definition of magick. Magickal art rather than spiritual art may be a better description. - Conversation with T and C about the OAL (Order of Alsaise Loraine) and the year 1530.

Sunday 6

VOODOO SPIRITUAL TEMPLE MEETING...The Temple has three weddings around and on All Hollows; Wednesday,Thursday,and Friday. This is very interesting given that during the last meeting we had decided to prepare two flags to flank the La Place during the entry portion of ceremonies. The flags are to be of Manman Brigitte and Osagaue (Legba's Grandad). These two are the first man and the first woman thus the first of the deads. They are Adam and Eve; the first couple joined together. These flags will firs t be used in the weddings surrounding Halloween.

Monday 7

RITUAL: Expedition for Osaggau at Temple Blanc Dan-i
WILL: To gather images and information for the construction of flags for the Voodoo Spiritual Temple
LOVE: Using large mirror to travel/rum as offerings to the Manman and Osaggau/mirror next to alter to Manman Brigitte
SUCCESS: The crocked cane of Legba becomes the staff of Moses. The staff becomes the Porteau Mitan. Iron comes in. The map (veve) shows that the mound at the bottom of Osaggou veve is the same mound at the bottom of Manman Brigitte's veve.
COMMENT: Why was iron discovered in the expedition? Is the old african Legba related to Ogu as an african ironworker. Is there an association of iron and Legba in African liturgical history?

Tuesday 8

Edit introductory text for MR section of MoonWeb. Once again, I believe that the MR section is extremely important. Not so much for what is written by me and the other magicians, but simply that we are writing it....we are communicating what we do on an immediate day to day basis with one another.

Wednesday 9

Conversation with Mishlen......Priest or Magician. Through out history the Priest and the Magician have been at odds. The power of the Priest is from a codified heirachy and the power of the Magician is self generated in the moment, dependent on no o ne. The Priest upholds the order of the spiritual community while the magician, by operating outside of that very order , threatens the integrity of that order and provides a means for change. This is not an abstract speculation. I am a Priest of the Vood oo Spiritual Temple and a Magician or Bocour. This takes a lot of balancing. Sometimes I do not think it is possible to hold both roles. I don't know. - Movie...Island Of Dr. Mereau....an experience rather than a story... much like being on a rolly coaster Visual excitement and the transcendent beauty of Brando.

Thursday 10

RITUAL: To DA(mballah) at the Voodoo Spiritual Temple
WILL: Feed the Great Snake in its travel into the earth.
LOVE: Drum Ritual in courtyard by the trees About 8 drummers and Miriam.
SUCCESS: Powerful current flowing to (and from) Dambalah.
COMMENT: Two important realizations. DA actually does go below the ground particularly in regions that experience a harsh winter. A temperate climate needs strong seasonal rituals to mark the dramatic changing of the seasons...Voodoo Wheel of the Year; th e goings and comings of DA.

- Communication: sent message Tibetan to Buddhist center in South Africa to be given to one of its members who is a Buddhist and a Voodooist.

Friday 11

RITUAL: To Blanc Dan-i at Temple Blanc Dan-i
WILL: To provide grace to Blanc Dan-i in the great snakes journey (with all the DA) below the earth
LOVE: Sacrifice of three white mice. Brought them into union with Blanc Dan-i; gave them messages to take from me to the nancion of the snakes, assumed form of Blanc Dan-i and released them in the Temple.
SUCCESS:Strong, obvious current.
COMMENT: Due to suggestion by Mishlen. This is a powerful means of sacrifice. The word sacrifice means to make sacred. The animals are now sacred to Blanc Dan-i. Loud noise from alter of Manman Brigitte upon entering Temple. It was not yet the time of the mice to die.
- Conversation: Spirits told Mishlen that the Marassa veve is the conjunction of Infinity and Eternity. Very interesting.

Saturday 12

SEA.....Greetings to the Spirits of the Waters. Veve to Manman Brigitte with snake of Osaggou in sand.

Sunday 13

SEA....Shells, a mumified crab, and many dead birds brought back with us to be used in Mishlen's art. This reminds me of the cat we brought back from Bloomington. It had been dead for about 3 weeks. Mishlen wanted the bones for a sculpture. The van w as rented and the order left may be permanent.

Monday 14

Mishlen and I both experienced a loss of purpose today. Not good. We can usually manage to remind each other of Will and the need to keep to one's Word during the proverbial and all to frequent "dark nights of the soul." Mishlen and I have both been feeling the need for a working group based upon thelemic magicks. Given our weak moods at the present(and our even weaker response to them), now may be an excellent time to place the idea into motion.

Tuesday 15

T and C are putting up a series of plaster masks at Kaldi's coffee house. Mishlen and I stopped by to see them and discussed the formation of such a group with them and Michelle. I had met Michelle in early September and felt the trust, friendship, an d respect for her needed. Mishlen and her connected while talking about their teachers.

Wednesday 16

Movie Festival for the last few days. To "lose oneself in a good film" is a good introduction to trance and possession. An experience many have had and few are frightened of. The trick is to consciously choose to "lose oneself."

Tursday 17

RITUAL: Christening at the Voodoo Spiritual Temple
WILL: To welcome an ancester back to the land of the living. To greet a soul in its journey.
LOVE: Order of Service with special attention to the Marassa (Obiji) child twin spirits. The ceremony ended with the child being paraded around the courtyard in a very ornate white christening gown. The mother is Jamacian.
SUCCESS: Measured in the beauty of the ancestors in their return. 11 was shown as a number of the Marassa.
COMMENT: A friend had sent the record of his diagnosis of HIV positive to me. I brought it to the ritual and built a small alter of red bricks to Manman Brigitte behind me. I placed the diagnosis and some earth (our ancestors) upon the alter. The christe ning began and I was thrown into a ritualized set of questions and answers. The Manman was in me and I answered through her (she is an excellent lawyer). The judge said, "For new to be born into the World, the old must leave. Room is needed." I replied, " A new child has been born, the Work of my friend makes the world larger, a better place for this child. The child's world would be smaller with out his work. My friend should be allowed to continue." The judgment was for my friend to continue. Acorns fro m a tree in the courtyard fell as the rituals progressed.

Friday 18

Two wiccans checked in at the house. Nice crosscurrents.

Saturday 19

Art and Flea Market in the Quarter. Mishlen was asked to show some of her pieces at an opening coming up in Positive Spaces gallery.

Sunday 20

Meditation at Voodoo Spiritual Temple:
Beautiful to end the week in silence and contemplation. Rest on the day of the sun. No mind is about as restful as you can possibly get.

Monday 21

Ossageau; the name begins with "os" the latin for bone. Legba eats bones. The veve of Ossague is distinguished by a large snake to the right side. Snake as rod of Moses. Progression: bone>stick>snake. Snake as "DA (movement)." Animation of stick by Mo ses through means of the introduction of DA. So stick becomes a snake in its movement. - Ti Kala sick, to vet.....$40 for an exam,thats more than I pay myself. I should ask about the availability of health care insurance for family members of other species.

Tuesday 22

Sick, both Mishlen and I. I notice that Ti Kala(snake) is also sick.

Wednesday 23

Dinner with Mishlen at the Voodoo Spiritual Temple.

Thursday 24

Drum Ritual at the Voodoo Spiritual Temple. Christopher drew the veve for Legba and carried the asson. Good, strong but there is a sense in me that the land of New Orleans has chosen women to lead in the Temples and rituals and will lend its power mor e easily to them. I am ambilivent about this.

Friday 25

Rest for coming week which promises to be very busy.

Saturday 26

Session with the Voodoo Museum in preparation for Thursday ritual. Poupie and I were the two drummers there. He is a great drummer. I have learned much from him.

Sunday 27

RITUAL: Damballah and Erzulie at Voodoo Spiritual Temple
WILL: Grace to great Damballah in his journey beneath the earth and asking the blessings of Erzulie on a union.
LOVE: Litany of the Loa. Ancient Legba of the Waters to the young Eleggua. Oguns to Balindio, Ferrie....to Annie Christmas. Erzulie Freda Dahomie. Damballah Wedo.
SUCCESS: Erzulie present, Damballah especially strong
COMMENT: The blending of the drum rhythms to the Oguns Ferrie and to Annie Christmas was a surprise and very strong. Luis and I are developing an order to the drumming that combines the old and the new.

Monday 28

Discussing series of rites which would pair the Dakinis (female Tantric spirits) with the Thelemic currents. Especially 93 and 31.

Tuesday 29

Session with Voodoo Museum. Laid out the flags for Manman Brigitte and Ossague. I'm using Mardi Gras beads to construct the flags. They provide a sense of place that pays honor to the loa of the land.

Wednesday 30

Session with Voodoo Museum. I have been doing these rituals with the Museum for so many years that the participants feel like family. Finished work on the ritual flags and decorated the poles. Put flags to sleep and sent them to Guinee on banana leaves in Temple Blanc Dan-i.

Thursday 31

RITUAL: All Hollows with the Voodoo Museum at Louie Armstrong WILL: Honor to the Ancestors, Spirits of the Dead, and to the Dead.
LOVE: Priestess Ava Kay officiated. The 31st is her birthday. She paid special attention to Oya, the Master of her Head. Marie Laveau was duely honored.
SUCCESS: Medium to Strong Current
COMMENT: Immense ritual. Someone gave me a piece of a wedding dress. Good! ManMan Brigitte is sending her best to me.

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