Many spiritual traditions embrace the belief in angels and spirit guides, and Voodoo is no different with the Divine Voodoo Spirits known as the Lwa. Each tradition offers many different ways to connect with these entities. Often, people use prayer, meditation, or other spiritual practices to communicate with angels or spirit guides, while others may seek out the guidance of a spiritual advisor or healer.
Learn more about the mystical world of Angels, Spirit Guides and Divine Voodoo Spirits with this brief overview as part of Erzulie’s “Spiritual Summary Series™” for those curious about various Voodoo, Occult and Spiritual topics.
Vodou Lwa, Voodoo Spirits and Catholic Saint Counterparts
The Vodou Lwa, Voodoo Spirits and their Catholic Saint counterparts. Who were the Vodou Lwa most closely syncretized to when they came to the new world in the New Orleans Voodoo tradition and in the Haitian Vodou religion?
This section serves as a basic primer of the Voodoo Spirits, the Vodou Lwa and their Catholic counterparts. These are the most common Catholic Saints traditionally associated with the Vodou spirits as found within the Haitian Vodou religion, New Orleans Voodoo traditions and other spiritual paths of the African traditional religions as represented at Erzulie’s Voodoo in New Orleans.
The Syncretism of Vodou Spirits in the New World
The following overview of the Voodoo spirits and their Catholic counterparts are not intended to replace the vast history or the culturally rich, and complex theology. Instead, this is to provide general foundational concepts as to which Catholic Saints the Vodou Lwa are most closely associated with due to the African diaspora (slave trade) and acquaint you with the power and beauty of the mysteries of Vodou. Continue reading “Vodou Lwa, Voodoo Spirits and Catholic Saint Counterparts”→
♥ What Are Vodou Altars, Voodoo Shrines & How To CREATE SACRED SPACES
Creating Vodou altars, Voodoo shrines, and sacred spaces is not limited to initiated clergy. Anyone with a connection to the Voodoo spirits can create their own altar for private rituals or public ceremonies. This guide, prepared by Hougan Aboudja and the initiated practitioners at Erzulie’s Voodoo in New Orleans, offers foundational insights into building your sacred space with sincerity and respect.
♥Vodou Altars, Voodoo Shrines and Sacred Spaces:
Voodoo Altars can be created for private or public use. The most important element to creating a sacred space for any spirit is your sincerity and respect. “Vodou is the most tolerant religion because it doesn’t exclude anything,” said Edouard Duval-Carrie, a famous Haitian painter. “Vodou brings together the views of African slaves.” Our goal at Erzulie’s Voodoo was to create a material representation of Vodou beliefs and a comprehensive display of Haitian Vodou Altars, Sacred Spaces, and art styles from paintings to beaded flags (drapos).
♥ Essential Items for Your Voodoo Altar or Shrine:
For those not initiated into the Vodou, and who have no access to elders, you can create an altar to Spirit on a shelf or tabletop, in a cupboard or other niche. Here are some helpful tips as to setting up your sacred space in the Voodoo religion:
Place beautiful objects, Vodou dolls, talisman, statues, flowers, stones, or roots on the altar; choose those things, which hold a special meaning, or inspiration for you.
Voodoo Altar, Voodoo Shrine and Sacred Space to Erzulie-Freda, the Voodoo Spirit of Love, Romance and Passion, and perfect for Love Spells and Love Rituals. She is also the namesake of Erzulie’s Voodoo in New Orleans.
Make sure that you also place water on this altar for clarity and coolness in your life. Change it frequently.
Create the altar in honor of people, whether living or dead, who have inspired you in your life; certainly, their pictures may be placed there also.
The altar may be simple or complex and should be as beautiful as you like. Offer prayers to the Almighty.
Meditate before this altar daily concentrating on those things, those positive changes, you wish for in your life that might benefit you, your family, or your community.
Voodoo Altar, Voodoo Shrine and Sacred Space for Papa Legba. Papa Legba is the guardian of the crossroads, the road opener, divine messenger and opportunity maker in the Vodou religion, and a very honored Voodoo Lwa at Erzulie’s Voodoo in New Orleans.
Typically, individual devotees, even priests, maintain a small altar for the Lwa (or for a specific Lwa) in their homes as a focal point for prayer and meditation; here they make private devotionals, frequent services to their personal mysteries. Properly, these home altars are called ogantwa. On or in these ogantwa sit many of the same items found in the badji of the hounfò, including lithographs (or other representations of the Lwa), thunderstones, satin scarves of various colors, dolls, ceramic govi (lidded jars housing the Lwa), paket, and so on. There will likely also be a perpetual lamp of some kind.
♥ The Ogantwa: Home Altars in Haitian Vodou &The Basics of a Vodou Altar:
A basic ogantwa can be made on a table or shelf, inside a cabinet, or even within a set of divided niche, each one for a specific Lwa. Cover the ogantwa with a white cloth ―cotton, satin, or other spotless fabric. Behind it, place at least the image of St. Claire (the lwa Klèmezin Klermey), a spirit who brings clarity and illumination.
Other images include the Holy Virgin, Sacred Heart, Lazarus, (Papa Legba), St. Patrick (Danbala), Mater Dolorosa (Ezili Freda), St. Isidore (Azaka), St James or St. George (Papa Ogou), and so on. Also, on the ogantwa there should be a standing crucifix or santisima, and this sits before the image of St. Claire (Conversely, a crucifix can hang on the wall over this image).
Voodoo Altar, Sacred Space and Voodoo Shrine the Warrior Spirit Ogoun. Ogoun is the protective warrior spirit in the Vodou religion, and one of the many Ogoun Voodoo Altars at Erzulie’s Voodoo in New Orleans.
To one side is placed a white candle, and on the other, a red or multicolored candle. Holy water taken from a Catholic Church, the perfumes Pompeii and Florida Water or Rev d’Or, frankincense, as well as fresh flowers completes the setup of a simple ogantwa.
There should always be a glass or bowl of fresh water on the ogantwa, and most devotees will place a kwakwa rattle or a bell here (or an ason, if they are priests) to use for calling their spirits. Other items that may be necessary include, a small brazier for burning incense or other items, a glass bowl for making lamps, a supply of white taper candles, cotton wicks, and olive oil.
♥ How to Baptize and Activate Your Vodou Altar
Voodoo Altar, Voodoo Shrine and Sacred Space for the Divine Water Spirit LaSiren. Papa Legba. Mambo LaSiren is the Voodoo Lwa of Spiritual Cleansing, Healing, Peace & Balance in Vodou religion, and a very honored Voodoo Lwa at Erzulie’s Voodoo in New Orleans.
The ogantwa must be baptized to its purpose before it is ready for use. Burn frankincense, recite three (3) Our Father’s, seven (7) Hail Mary’s, and if desired, other appropriate prayers. Next, sprinkle holy water from a Catholic church, baptizing the ogantwa in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The ogantwa is now ready to serve as a focal point for prayer and meditation.
Note: For those who are newly initiated, consult your elders. They should instruct you on the proper building of an ogantwa to your spirits in accord with your understanding and level of initiation. If necessary, they may even oversee the proper installation of an altar to the Lwa in your home. Follow their advice please. That is why they are there, and you did choose them after all… or did you?
Voodoo Altar and Voodoo Shrine to the Ghede and Baron Samedi, ruler of the Dead and Ancestral Spiritual at Erzulie’s Voodoo in New Orleans.
♥ Final Thoughts from Erzulie’s Voodoo New Orleans
We hope this guide empowers you to create a sacred space that honors your spirits, your ancestors, and your personal path. Whether you are a novice or an initiated practitioner, your sincerity, respect, and devotion are what give your altar its power.
We invite you to learn more this mystical and fascinating Voodoo religion, Roots of Vodou, Voodoo practitioner spiritual sessions and Haitian Vodou rituals by browsing our vast collection of Voodoo articles written by expert and initiated practitioners from all over the world!
We sincerely hope this overview on Vodou Altars, Voodoo Shrines and Sacred Spaces in the Voodoo assists anyone looking to create their personal Voodoo Altar or Shrine for both, the novice to the initiated Vodou practitioner.
Alafia from all of us at Erzulie’s Voodoo in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
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.
