LITANY OF THE LOA
StarWood 1998


StarWood / New Orleans Series of Talks / Write

**************************************************************

OUTLINE

5  Min      Wait and OFFERING TO JOSHUA FRANK AND OSWAN CHIMANI

15 Min       NEW ORLEANS VOODOO

45 Min    Opening & All 12 calls

5 Min      All the calls together

10 Min     Questions/Also I stay

***************************************************************

What is Voodoo?
>From the husband of a direct descendent of Marie Laveau.
Veux - Old  Dieu - Dieu

What are the loa?
-vast continuums of consciousness with a focus.
-Become loa, part of this continuum as a vertebra in a snake

 
NEW ORLEANS VOODOO              ***Quote Louisa Teish***
                      loa/begin ceremony/ Thursdays
                 1.)  Different forms of Voodoo
                      None better/look at personality, stress universal
                      tradition
                 2.)  New Orleans Voodoo is mixture, sea port, 1920's
                      European Folk Magick, feeds like snake
                        Soil...from all over the country
                 3.)  Singh/Miriam/Luis/Louis...no one color
                        Afro-centric
                 4.)  Snakes...High Priest from Wedo
                 5.)  Cities Gods M.L. &  D.J. & Annie Christmas & Congo
                        Square & rhythm Bamboula
                                           
             

TREE OF LIFE        For Organization, Hold entire tree with in the mind at
                    one time - as much as possible

INITIATION/OBSERVER    Can do this as an initiation (Beginning) or as an
                       observer
                                         - Intent is the difference.  
                                         - Best to try a proven way; then
                                           develop your own
                                         - do each until sense presence of
                                           the individual Loa
*****************************************************************
BASED UPON HANDOUT:


DRUM RHYTHM:   Legba Aguator                  


               New Orleans/Water...simple...concentrate on the
               images of the loa; old man
               walking with cane. Anchor yourself to the earth as
               you do this rhythm. EARTH IS ANCESTORS.


A  CALL: Ago Yea (Accept our Offering))This portion of the Call Rigaud
describes a an African Formula Ago (Attention) Ye' (To the Soul) p. 93,
SECRETS OF VOODOO)...(LOA Name)...Ko Ba Ni Jo(come dance with us) This
call from Womans festival in Nigeria.
                                                                                      



WHAT WE DO:

FIRST:  - Do Opening and Each Call Separately
              - Try to stabilize an image/sense of each loa
              - Hold as many in mind as possible (Tree of Life)
              - Use these images and then look toward more personal
                exchanges with the particular loa....use the Name,
                so get loa you want
SECOND:   - Do All Together

 ***Best if no questions till after all of the calls for the sake of
continuity*** 


OPENING:  Marassa(Twins)/Legba(GateOpener)/Mort(Ancestors)/Mysteries(loa)
                      Do before Litany / Lays the ground of the Ceremony /
                      Can do silently or out loud / A Process / Do
                      each separately 
                     - Marassa...create the Visible and Invisible Worlds
                        "Their veve"   (ritual drawing)
                     - Legba...opens the gate between them; communication
                        "Old Story Teller"
                     - Mort & Mysteries...Invisible World
                        "Vertebra of a Snake / The Earth".....for Morts
                        " Carnival".....all the fantastic
                          dress/masks...Farewell to flesh

LITANY:

10. Malkuth - Azaka, Cousin, carries a straw bag (macout), smokes a pipe
                          "poor hard working farmer," 

9.  YESOD -     Masa, Share water between the Mysteries, Blood of the
                      Earth, Lunar Kalas - Moon controls water
                          "Water meets thirst"

8.  HOD -         Dr. John, Mercury, healer, red & blue snakes, Bokor
                         Drummer, Smithsonian Institute & the Insect Loa
                          (teck)
                          "Drummer/Gris Gris Man/red and blue snakes on
                           face/sitting on a drum"

7.  NETZACH - Marie Laveau, Ruled City, Connection, not read or write,
                           Honor in St Louis Cathedral...using names of
                           children
                           "Dancer/Priestess/Snakes"

6.  TIPERATH - Blanc Dan-i/Obatala, calm, balance, Danny Boy
                            "White Snake"
                           
5.  GEVORATH - Annie Christmas, an ogu...strong woman
                              "women and dogs...laughter"

4.  Chesod   - Agwe', mercy, associate with the ARK
                       "Ship, sail (air)" (IMinMAoutMOUout...air blow
                        shelter)

3.  BINAH  -  Mort...Barons(known)/Guede(unknown)/Ancestors(how big)
                        "Coat tailed guide of St. Louis #1"

2.  CHOKMAH - Dambalah & Ayida Wedo
                            "snake vertebra/necklace/organization of the
                             Deads" 

1.  DA -  Movement, vibrating point. open mouth of the snake
               Tibetans enter through the mouth, enter the existent worlds
               through this mouth; As a Word.  
               Obverse, those of the Ains, are in intercourse with the
               existent world.
               "Snake Open Mouth (serpent mound)"

0.  THE AINS

AIN (Nothing)
AIN SOPH (Limitless)
AIN SOPH AUOR (Limitless Light)
Awakened Ones/Buddha Field
Indian Holy Man at Temple...inclusive...left when no cow dung (To Africa)

HEART SUTRA
Gone/ Gone/ Gone Beyond/ Gone Beyond Beyond/ Hail the Goer.
Gate, Gate, Para Gate, Para Sum Gate, Bodhi Shwa


DAATH - Knowledge - Gateway - Not this/ Beg to open the Gate
                  Crowley..."Not This" 
                  Quickly degenerate from an experience to a concept 
                  "Kind, old, Black story teller with a wicked sense of
                   humor"         


.

Calls to the sherif on the wreck next. I went into town and made a good number of calls to him and to the man on the motorcycle. Didn't want either to think we had skipped. Made about 4 calls but could not get through, just left messages. The entire summer has been characterized by legal involvements and now, even at StarWood, the trend continues. But along with this there is the work; that continues also. It is a matter of expectations. I didn't expect these daily legal involvements from the estate and now the wreck.

Bate Cabal Session on a Universal Tradition. Very good...Miriam made the interesting comment that the universal tradition is the tradition of the universe.
One woman said that she had puritan ancestors who she found it difficult to honor. I said that they may have been so fierce because they were fearful. Perhaps it would be beneficial for her to explore the possibility of their fear. This can be very difficult, fierce ancestors are much easier to live with than fearful ancestors. Patience and tolerance can also be learnt from such ancestors.

After the session I met a psychologist doing work with dying people. He wants to try using drum rhythms in his work. He is also quite a drummer himself. This adds impetus to Luis and I and other drummers recording the rhythms and placing them on the Internet.

All night drumming at the dome. The style of drumming has changed since last year. The emphasis now seems to me to be on the playing of calls rather than actual rhythms. Four or five drummers will stand facing one another in a small circle and play the calls. Continuity seems to be provided by visual contact. The individual rather than the community of drummers and dancers is emphasized. Interesting that this has gone to an extreme...the pendulum swings.

Session by Luis on Drumming. Excellent and much needed points contrasting liturgical and performance drumming. It is important to me that I learn the most through attending my friends sessions. Mishlen would rather I would not attend her sessions; she said she would tend to speak toward me...not branch out and Maggie's session is so early. Lyrus spoke on the Magickal Voice. Breath and the calls...so important. I would benefit from breathing exercises.

Session by Marty on possession. Interesting points about looking at acculturation through new words. Where did the Freda in Erzulie Freida Dahomey come from and what does its inclusion explain. The Barons...why the coupling of baron/deads and what did this explain in Haiti when the match was first made?

RITUAL - At Midnight. Ha!!! The last few StarWoods, Erzulie was the weakest loa in terms of presence. Its as if she could not penetrate the atmosphere. Miriam did Erzulie ge Rouge. Red outfit, whip, and whistle. A brilliant surprise and Oh so effective. With Luis here, it is so much like New Orleans. This may be the best ritual the Temple has done at StarWood. Smooth and effective.

All night drumming at Dome. Again more calls than rhythms.

David gave me a guede cross after the session. We had talked before other years but this time I feel as if we have meet. His drumming is an inspiration.

This is the last of Mishlen and my sessions. She spoke and led practice in Tibetan Buddhism; an important first for StarWood.

We both are celebrating.

Back to Bloomington on Saturday. This gives us a day of rest before the sheriffs and lawyers of Monday.