Part I
We need to recognize and understand differences between religions and spiritual practices
Ajiaco is a delicious stew but not a good recipe for religious practices
On social media, a lot of people in religious forums have a tendency to mix up the Lucumi religion (Regla de Ocha, Santería) with other practices, traditions, and religions that are not strictly connected to Orisha worship. While our religion does allow people to practice different kinds of spirituality and even embrace two or more different religions at the same time, there is usually an implicit understanding that our various paths are parallel to each other, not mixed up and turned into an ajiaco stew. Ajiaco is a metaphor for a hodge-podge of different ingredients combined in a somewhat random way, whatever is on hand. whatever sounds good, whatever is available. While ajiaco is a delicious dish, it’s not a good approach to Orisha worship. Before you start combining elements in a haphazard way, you need to understand each element independently and evaluate whether it really belongs in your life or not. Orisha worship is a complete system of beliefs in its own right. You don’t *need* to add anything to it to make it work. If you do decide to add to it, think carefully about how and why you might do that. Whatever you end up with needs to be authentic not only to you as an individual, but to the ancestors who went before you, and to the larger community of Orisha worshippers who inherited these practices from their elders.
What’s the difference between religion and spirituality?
Learning how to talk about the religion is a good first step. I’ve defined some terms below so we have a common vocabulary to work with. You may have your own definition of these terms, and that’s fine. But in order to make myself clear to readers, it’s only fair that I explain how I’m using these words. I believe words matter, because the way we describe ourselves shapes our identity.
Cults are characterized by devotion to a particular figure or unorthodox dogma.
Cult: Originally the word was used to refer to the formal veneration of a particular figure, such as the Cult of St. James of Compostela (for medieval pilgrims who walked El Camino de Santiago as an act of religious devotion) or the Cult of Apollo (in ancient Greek culture, those who were devoted to that particular God). In the 20th century, the word took on negative connotations as a way to refer to excessive or irrational devotion to a charismatic leader like Charles Manson or Jim Jones, those who attempt to control or manipulate their followers through questionable or dangerous dogma. Cult is also used with negative meaning to refer to an unorthodox or sinister group of people whose spiritual or religious practices are perceived as threatening to the well- being of society, such as a devil-worshipping cult or a suicide cult. Because the word carries such negative connotations, most Orisha worshippers do not want to be considered members of a cult, nor do we want our religion to be described as a cult.
There are many words to describe religion. Which ones do you use?
Religion: This word refers to an organized and systematic form of worship built around belief in the divine. Beliefs and practices are shared by a body of people who have the same worldview or understanding of humankind’s relationship to God. Although the conceptualization of God can vary across cultures, each religion has devotional practices and rituals that govern and shape the experience of their practitioners on earth, as well as their understanding of the afterlife. Religions have communal norms, such as guidelines for moral and ethical behavior and protocols to be followed during worship. Orisha worship doesn’t have written scripture or a sacred text like the Bible, but it does have a vast body of oral literature (represented by our stories, prayers, proverbs, and the teachings of our elders). We are organized into groups (usually called an ilé, or temple-house) and we are led by priests (usually our godparent). This gives a communal nature to our religion, and despite small variations from place to place, there is a standard understanding of the main tenets of our religion.
Individuals define spirituality in terms of their own beliefs and practices
Spirituality: This word refers to a concern with matters of the human spirit as opposed to the material and physical world. Spiritual practices can be shaped by adherence to a particular tradition, or they can be unique to the individual. Spirituality may or may not be concerned with the divine. The focus is generally on the meaning and purpose of human existence. A person who is spiritual may also be religious, but in modern usage, the word is often used to describe people who feel organized religion is too constraining, who prefer an individual and freer approach to spiritual matters. Spiritual people may feel especially drawn to or in tune with supernatural beings and phenomena, or drawn to the world of spirits. Spirits can take many forms, and are not necessarily divine entities. As a spiritual person, can you feel love and devotion for the Orishas? Yes, of course. If you’re a spiritual person, must you be initiated into Regla de Ocha? No, not everyone’s destiny is to be initiated. As a spiritual person, can you perform Orisha ceremonies? No, if you’re not initiated into an Orisha tradition, you cannot take on the work of the Orisha priesthood. Although many people have an innate sense of spirituality, they do not have automatic or instant access to Orisha worship without initiation.
Tradition: When used to refer to a religious or spiritual practice (or set of beliefs and practices), tradition is often used to distinguish between one variant and another. For example, Lucumi is one Orisha tradition, and Candomblé is another. They are both formally recognized as traditions within the religion, which is Orisha worship. The word tradition also includes customs and cultural components of the religion or spiritual practice that may be unique to a particular place. For example, the custom of not doing Ocha ceremonies during Holy Week is not part of Yoruba theology, but it is traditional in many Lucumi communities. The tradition comes from ancestors, and from community expectations and norms. Although it is not explicitly mentioned in scripture of any kind, it has been transmitted via oral history and has become accepted practice in the community. Most olorishas have great respect for tradition.
Some Orisha worshippers dislike the use of the word religion to describe their practices. They say it’s a way of life. It is, but in the USA there’s a great deal of value in being recognized as a religion (not just a cult or a spiritual path or a cultural phenomenon). In a landmark case argued before the US Supreme Court, Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye, Inc. v. Hialeah, 508 U.S. 520 (1993), the Lucumi faith was legally recognized as a religion, which means our religious rights as Orisha worshippers are protected under the US constitution. This status gives us the right to practice our religion freely and makes it illegal for others to discriminate against us because of our religious beliefs. Cults, spiritual paths, and cultural customs are not protected under the constitution, but religion is.
Lucumi has been recognized by the Supreme Court as a religion, and the Constitution gives us the right to religious freedom
Keep reading...
Part II deals with Creole religions with West African roots, along with other spiritual practices that often intersect with Lucumi. It looks at how and why some people combine different paths to enhance their spiritual life.
Part II deals with Creole religions with West African roots, along with other spiritual practices that often intersect with Lucumi. It looks at how and why some people combine different paths to enhance their spiritual life.
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