When we think of voodoo usually a picture of a wax doll with pins in it comes into our minds. We also connect voodoo with black magic. However, real voodoo is actually an ancient religion. Voodoo was brought in the New World during the days of slave trading. Its basis comes from Africa, it was structured in Haiti and a lot of other ethnic groups contributed to the voodoo that we know today.
What is real voodoo?
The real voodoo should teach us that everything is connected in some way. Out whole universe is one. There are no accidents and everything happens for a reason. If you do something to another person, you are actually doing that to yourself. You are the same person. Voodoo comes from the original African word vodun which means spirit. The voodoo ceremonies include dancing, rituals and prayers. There may be animal sacrifices as well. Snake as a figure has a major part in voodoo rituals. The serpent’s power is usually embodied by the high priest. Nature, happiness and wealth spirits possess the people’s bodies at the ceremony. However, they have to strongly believe in it. The voodoo ceremony major elements are music and dancing. People connect to the spirit world through dancing.
Real voodoo advantages
Voodoo becomes an important part in the lives of people and family ties in a community where voodoo is practiced. A real voodoo priest usually has a significant influence on the community. He or she should be always ready to give spiritual advice to everyone that needs it. A priest or priestess should be a healer and knows how to use medicines and herbs. The knowledge is transferred through generations. Voodoo practitioners use spells as well. Have in mind that these spells are made to stimulate good things to happen, never to evoke harm. You may have heard about the love spells, spells that celebrate joy and the healing spells. The bad image of voodoo where it is represented as black magic is actually founded by people who distrust Africans and anything they do. Mainly Europeans have represented voodoo as something that can do you harm.
Real voodoo religion
As you already know, real voodoo is actually a religion. This religion is practiced in many countries. You can call it Candomble in Brazil, or Obeah in the Caribbean. In Haiti you can marry or be baptized within the voodoo religion. Millions of people in this country have faith in voodoo as a religion. There are many voodoo priests in Haiti, since voodoo is the dominant religion. They perform religious ceremonies to pacify or call the spirits. They should also perform initiations for new priests. They read dreams and tell the future. One of their functions is healing as well. They should create protections and cast spells. All kinds of spells require making potions. It doesn’t matter if they are love spells or death spells. In the concept of voodoo there is only one God and it is called Bondye.