Haitian Vodou is a participatory faith that brings you the servitor into full frontal contact with the Spirits of Vodou. Descended from the Africans who were brought into the New World during the slave era, Haitian Vodou has survived and thrived on the island of Haiti. The Africans who survived the terrors of the Middle Passage crafted a remarkable faith for themselves and their families. Although they were from different nations and practiced different systems of belief, these survivors choose to find commonality with their fellow men. They designed a faith that gave respect to everyone, and included everyone. By doing so, their message to the future generations was simple. Honor those who have gone before you. And Respect those who walk with you in this life. These watch words are the foundational belief of Haitian Vodou, and are kept to this very day by every sosyete that teaches, practices and keeps the Vodou faith alive. Haitian Vodou achieves this remarkable longevity by keeping to its ancestral African theology of ancestor reverence, family oriented events and community driven rituals such as marriage, baptisms and kanzo (the ordination ritual of Vodou.) Each Vodou house is comprised of leaders called "mambo" and "papa", who are the parents of the congregation, with all the members being their 'children'. Sosyetes provide the basics to everyone - food, shelter, love and help. This generosity is further elucidated in service, when through the action of prayers and dance, the community can speak directly to the "angels" - the very spirits of the Vodou faith. This remarkable event is achieved through creation of what LaMenfo calls The Vibrational Crossroad of Vodou. Create this extraordinary location in your temple and you will experience the electric energy of which she speaks. Music, scent, sound and dance all combine to create a rarefied arena in which the Spirits can arrive and interact with you directly. With recipes for bathes, guidance on setting up your altar correctly, and step by step instruction on how to make actual contact with your Ancestors, LaMenfo has gifted the Vodou community with a pattern for success in ritual space. This book fills a void in magical training for Vodouisants. Follow this book to create your own authentic service and watch how the Lwa respond to your vibe. The Vibrational Crossroad is where you want to be standing, when you create ritual space!
About the Author: Mambo Vye Zo Komande LaMenfo (Patricia Scheu) studied art and design at the University of Connecticut and is an award winning multi-media producer. She has pursued her esoteric studies through ceremonial praxis via Servants of the Light in England, as well as participating in Vodou services in Boston, Haiti, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. Her scholarly interest in magic, religion and ritual brought her to Jacmel, Haiti where she was ordained as a "mother of the spirits" in 2003. LaMenfo came back to the USA, where she raised LaSosyete du Marche, Inc., a federally recognized 501(c)3 charity in Southeast Pennsylvania, ensuring a legacy of knowledge, experience and privacy. Today, she and her husband design ritual for the spirits, lecture at universities across the Delaware Valley, and teach about ritual and Vodou through their Four Circles Online Classes. You can find LaMenfo's artwork, story and classes at the sosyete's web site at www.sosyetedumarche.com.