Articles

Explore Erzulie’s Practitioner-Written Archive on Vodou, Voodoo & New Orleans Spiritual Traditions

Welcome to our curated archive of practitioner-authored articles on Haitian Vodou, New Orleans Voodoo, Marie Laveau, and Louisiana Voodoo sacred spiritual heritage. Every piece in Erzulie’s Voodoo archive is written by initiated Vodou practitioners—offering authentic insights into the beliefs, rituals, and spiritual practices of this powerful and often misunderstood religion.

🤍This Voodoo article section also includes expert references on many Voodoo, Vodou and New Orleans Voodoo spiritual topics: 

🤍 Some of our more popular topics include:

🤍 Additional Voodoo Resources: 

Don’t miss Erzulie’s exclusive Vodou Glossary, Vodou Veves, how to Build Vodou Altars and Shrines, History of Marie Laveau, New Orleans Voodoo History, Voodoo and Witchcraft Folklore in New Orleans & authentic Voodoo Magic ritual tips and tricks! This is the place to learn all about the Voodoo religion, spiritual beliefs, secrets of Voodoo, sacred Vodou words and more educational content.

We invite you to research our academic archives with expert articles on this vast and misunderstood religion, and to learn all about the handcrafted Vodou wares exclusively at Erzulie’s Authentic Voodoo in New Orleans.

We update this section frequently on fantastic info, articles and anything important to the Vodou, Voodoo & New Orleans Voodoo traditions so check back often!  Alafia from all of us at Erzulie’s Voodoo in the French Quarter of New Orleans!

How to Use Ritual Powders for Voodoo, Hoodoo & Witchcraft Magic Rituals

Introduction on How to Use Ritual Powders in Voodoo or Magical Rituals?

Since ancient times, people have been using hand-pressed powders made from herbs, roots resins, and plants for ritual and magical purposes.  All powerful Conjure, Voodoo, Hoodoo & Witchcraft Ritual Powders uses carefully selected herbs, plants, flowers, and resins known for their specific spiritual and magical properties.

A Primer for Spiritual Seekers

This article is a fun, spiritual primer for our friends who may be learning about Voodoo rituals and magic. Whether you’re new to the path or deepening your practice, ritual powders offer a tangible way to connect with sacred energies.

Part of Our Spiritual Summary Series™

This guide is part of our Spiritual Summary Series™ at Erzulie’s Voodoo New Orleans—where we share practitioner-led insights into authentic Voodoo, Hoodoo, and Witchcraft traditions.

Explore More in Our All About Voodoo Section

We offer numerous “how to” articles in our All About Voodoo section to support your spiritual journey. From spell kits to sacred tools, every offering is crafted with intention, legacy, and love.

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How to Use Conjure Oils and Magical Ritual Oils at Erzulie’s Voodoo

A primer on How to Use Conjure Oils and Ritual Oils at Erzulie’s Voodoo, New Orleans Voodoo Shop! Since ancient times, people have been using pure essential oils, herbs, roots, and plants for ritual and magical purposes.  All powerful Conjure & Voodoo Ritual Oils uses herbs, plants, flowers, and resins known for their spiritual properties.  Authentic, magical ritual and conjure oils must be hand blended with the correct ritual intentions and raw materials, under the correct ritual conditions, to enhance the powers within the ingredients for the most powerful and successful outcomes for your ritual work.

When working with the conjure oils and ritual oils at Erzulie’s Voodoo, it is always advised to pray over them, speak your wishes over the ritual oils and expressing your gratitude for their assistance in your rituals and magical spells. This creates a deeper, meaningful connection and relationship to the magical energies. Praying, communicating, and stating your magical or ritual intentions also personalizes your magical tools to and properly energizes them to better manifest your specific intentions and magical needs. Continue reading “How to Use Conjure Oils and Magical Ritual Oils at Erzulie’s Voodoo” →

Voodoo Beliefs, Spiritual Truths, Spiritual Awareness & Inspiration: Voodoo Concepts

This page on Voodoo beliefs, spiritual truths, spiritual awareness and inspiration was designed to offer an easier reference on the deep and complex belief systems within the African Traditional Religions and the Vodou itself.  We wanted to offer an introduction or quick reference for when you need a little encouragement, inspiration and learn some spiritual concepts from a Vodou perspective.

For those searching for spiritual truths, empowerment, spiritual concepts or trying to develop a strong spiritual life, we assembled our most popular and relevant social media memes which focus on those areas.  It is our hope that this page helps you strengthen your faith, learn more about the power of prayer, miracles and spiritual attunement for both your joyful times and to draw upon during your darkest hours.

If you are needing expert insight to better understand these spiritual beliefs or how we would approach, interpret or remedy any uncertain spiritual situation, our expert practitioners offer amazing spiritual counseling, readings and effective ritual solutions.

To learn more about this ancient and powerful tradition, we offer and extensive library of articles on the Vodou Religion, New Orleans Voodoo, Marie Laveau, History of Voodoo and other Magical traditions.  For a quick introduction on the Vodou belief systems, God, “the Mysteries” and “the Lwa,” the article here is a great primer.

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Spiritual Healing, Empowerment, Healing from Trauma and Spiritual Recovery: Voodoo Concepts

It may surprise you to know that Vodou is one of the most holistic and healing of spiritual traditions.  We turn to God the Divine Spirits for strength, insight, illumination, and clarity on any issues we are struggling with; all needed to begin the healing process for ourselves and those we serve on behalf of Spirit. We perceive all traumatic and painful experiences are indeed spiritual in nature and therefore, the solutions must include spiritual approaches and remedies.

Prayers, rituals and sacred space to commune with our spirits is a daily priority. This strengthens our connection, faith and attunement.  This also allows the Divine walk before us to help make any “crooked places” straight on our path.  Even during the darkest hours of our lives, and the most excruciatingly painful experiences, our faith comes before all to weather those storms.

Wounds often turn us toward spirit. We often say, “be grateful for those wounds that connect you to Spirit.”  We believe those life changing, heart wrenching and painful episodes of our lives are all by “design.”  They may have occurred to shine a spotlight in our life’s path, or teaching us lessons we must master, or to elevate and evolve our consciousness, or redirecting our path for something more aligned with our soul.  Whatever the overall reason is, we grow through these lessons as they are our greatest teachers, and simultaneously strengthen our connection to God and the Divine Spirits.

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Toxic Love, Abusive Relationships, Narcissistic Abuse, Emotional Abuse & Trauma: Voodoo Concepts

Toxic love, abusive relationships, shocking betrayals, deception, cruel mind-games and emotional manipulations; the favorite game played by dark, soulless and hollow predators, disguised in the human form.

In the Vodou, we very much believe there are dark, empty, sinister forces seeking to prey on whole, loving, empathetic souls.  They profess to offer “loving relationships,” “loving partnerships,” “marriages,” “soul mates,” or con you with every other romantic desire you may have.  While they are difficult to spot at first, these messages below help give you a solid guideline as to the red flags in their behavior, consistent with all these cruel and destructive energies.

These abusive entities do such an amazing job parading around as a “fine person” a “great catch” or so “vulnerable and safe.”  At first anyway; that is until their mask slips and you see they have no conscience.  Their only real skill is presenting themselves as exactly what you need, only to lure you into their web of abuse, deceit, manipulations and cruelty.  Once you are tangled up with these destructive energies, you are dragged down a rabbit hole of pain, despair, cognitive dissonance and shock, causing severe emotional and spiritual trauma.

Continue reading “Toxic Love, Abusive Relationships, Narcissistic Abuse, Emotional Abuse & Trauma: Voodoo Concepts” →

Dark Forces, Evil Spirits, Dark Energies & Spirits of the Dead: Voodoo Concepts

Dark Forces, Evil Spirits, Dark Energies & Spirits of the Dead: Voodoo Concepts

Explore the mysterious world of Dark Forces, Evil Spirits, Dark Energies and the Spirits of the Dead from the Voodoo perspective.  Erzulie’s Voodoo created this page to help provide a resource for those struggling to understand why certain people and their energies have such a devastating effect on their lives.  And hopefully confirm, everything you suspect about that person is true and no, you are not going mad.

Understanding Dark Forces in Vodou

In the Vodou, we very much believe that dark, evil forces walk amongst us.  There are evil, dangerous, low-vibrational entities that appear in the human form and, monsters are real.  These energies often consist of the Spirits of the Dead, Spirits of Sorrow, Spirits of Suffering.  These dark forces and evil spirits bring to our world all the negative and toxic aspects within their energetic realm: addiction, rage, hate, deception, cruelty, abuse, jealousy, narcissism, manipulation, exploitation, covetousness, betrayal and destruction.

The Nature of Evil Spirits and Dark Energies

Sadly, many that are drawn to higher vibrational, loving souls are disguised as those who are supposed to love and protect you the most.  A parent, a lover, a spouse, our closest friends and co-workers.  Nothing is sacred when these empty, soulless, consumptive vessels want what you have.

Spirits of the Dead, Sorrow, and Suffering

We deal with the devastating effects these creatures have in our clients’ lives when spiritually connected to these dark, destructive and inhumane energies every day at Erzulie’s Voodoo.  If you feel you have encountered such a situation or need help in understanding what they are and, breaking free from their grip, or healing from their carnage, our experts offer outstanding spiritual counseling and powerful rituals for banishing those toxic connections to start the recovery process.

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Erzulie’s Voodoo in the Media

🤍 Erzulie’s Voodoo in the Media & Cultural Preservation Projects

For over 25 years, Erzulie’s Voodoo New Orleans has been featured in national and international media, museum exhibitions, art festivals, and cultural symposiums. Our practitioner-led work honors the sacred traditions of Haitian Vodou and African Traditional Religions, while educating global audiences through curated installations, spiritual craftsmanship, and legacy-building.

We proudly support and sponsor sacred Vodou art installations, museum exhibitions, and cultural preservation efforts throughout the United States, Caribbean, and Europe. Below is a running list of our most notable media features, curatorial roles, and cultural collaborations.

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New Orleans Voodoo History and New Orleans Voodoo Information

New Orleans Voodoo History and Information

A Glimpse into the History of Voodoo in New Orleans

New Orleans Voodoo History Introduction

A brief history of New Orleans Voodoo by Priestess Kalila Smith, native New Orleans Voodoo practitioner. This provides us a glimpse into the history of Voodoo in New Orleans.  Priestess Kalila has published many books, papers and historical tours on this topic; we couldn’t have found a more renowned expert on New Orleans Voodoo, History of New Orleans Voodoo and accurate New Orleans Voodoo information and thrilled she is part of the Erzulie’s Voodoo family.

African Roots of Voodoo

The roots of Voodoo have been traced all the way back to Africa thousands of years ago. The Yoruba people of Southwestern and eastern Dahomey and Togo/Nigeria founded a great city called Ife. It is from the religious beliefs of Ife that Voodoo as we know it today has evolved.

Haitian Influence and Arrival in New Orleans

In 1799, a slave uprising in Haiti brought the Free People of Color and their Voodoo religion. These people had no reason to believe that they could not come to this city and worship freely.

The First Voodoo Queens

The first Voodoo Queen in New Orleans was Sanite’ DeDe, a young woman who bought her way to freedom, she would later be teacher and mentor to the most famous Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau! She would hold rituals in her courtyard on Dumaine (the same street the original Erzulie’s Voodoo Shop opened) and Chartres Streets, just blocks away from the Cathedral.

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Marie Laveau New Orleans Voodoo Queen

Marie Laveau: All About the New Orleans Voodoo Queen!

The Voodoo Queen of New Orleans: Marie Laveau!

In all times, in all places, no one has ever risen to the statue or fame in Voodoo as Marie Laveau. Famed in history, infamous in folklore and ever present, even today.  Marie Catherine Laveau was born in New Orleans on September 10, 1801. She was the natural daughter of two free persons of color, both mulattos. She was a free woman of color and a Creole. She was married to Jacques Paris in 1819 at the St. Louis Cathedral with the famed Père Antoine officiating.  Article courtesy of our dearly missed friend John, curator of the New Orleans Voodoo Museum! May he rest in peace.

Family, Plaçage, and Her Children

She had two children, both of whom appear to have died before reaching maturity. With a few years, her husband apparently also died she began calling herself the Widow Paris, a name that survived onto her tomb. Around the mid 1820’s she began a plaçage with Louis Christophe Dominick Duminy de Glapion with who she bore seven more children. (The plaçage system afforded interracial couples a marriage of conscience, if not legality).

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What You Should Know About Marie Laveau ~ Voodoo Queen of New Orleans

New Orleans Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau! Brief History of Marie Laveau – The New Orleans Voodoo Queen!

Introduction: The Legacy of Marie Laveau

What you should know about New Orleans Voodoo and New Orleans Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau!  Another Voodoo history segment from Priestess Kalila Smith‘s research and published chapters on Voodoo In New Orleans and our beloved Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau! The most noted Queen of Voodoo was Marie Laveau. She was born in 1783, to Marguerite Darcantel, a slave from Haiti and mistress of a wealthy plantation owner, a Frenchman, Charles Laveau. In the 1700 & 1800’s, French aristocratic men often took women of color as mistresses in a custom called placage.

Early Life and Family Background

In the placage arrangement, children of the union had right of heir ship and bore the father’s name. No doubt in this sort of arrangement, the children would also be reared in their fathers’ religion, Catholicism. Marie was raised in her father’s plantation. She was educated and studied to be a hairdresser. She was a devout Catholic, who went to mass everyday of her life. She was a dark skinned woman with long black hair that she frequently wore in a single braid making her look much like an Indian or a Gypsy, probably adding to her mystique.

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