Some proverbs are more obscure and not well known outside the Lucumi faith. For example, a proverb associated with Ocana (1) says, "Con una atarraya no se puede pescar un hipopótamo (You can't capture a hippopotamus using a fishing net).  Obviously, the hippopotamus is native to Africa, not Cuba, but anyone who has seen a photo or drawing of one knows it's a very large animal weighing well over a ton. In 19th century Cuba, it would have represented an exotic, rare animal, an impossible prey for an average man with limited resources. The listener would understand that the hippopotamus is a metaphor, representing a big and difficult task, or perhaps an unrealistic goal. Although the hippopotamus lives in the river, it's not the same as a fish, and it wouldn't be effective to use a fishing net to catch one. If you don't have the right tools or preparation, you aren't going to succeed. This is a timeless message that extends well into our century, even when most of us no longer fish for our food. In Ocana, people can be very hard headed and refuse to listen to good advice. They're not realistic about their goals, and they don't know when to quit. They need to learn to assess their own abilities better, and to determine if they've got a realistic chance of succeeding before they launch into a new venture. They may need to work in a team or ask for help, which they're usually reluctant to do. The diviner will recite the proverb as a way to start the conversation, and ask the client how it applies to his life.

Most proverbs have been translated into English so that practitioners who don't speak Spanish can use them in divination. But, some of them are very culturally specific to the tropics. They require more than a literal translation. For example, in Eyiunle Odí (8-7), the proverb says "Por mucho que vuele el aura el pitirí la alcanza" (No matter how high the aura flies, the pitirí catches up to it). The proverb makes no sense unless you know something about the two birds referenced here. The aura is a kind of vulture that typically flies high above the ground looking for food. The pitirí (or pitirre) is a much smaller bird that typically lives in shrubs lower to the ground. But it will aggressively defend its territory from larger birds when necessary. The message as it related to the odu is that people in Eyiunle tend to be arrogant and think others are beneath them. The proverb reminds them that they shouldn't underestimate people who appear smaller, weaker or less important They might be surprised when the smaller person catches up with them and overtakes them. The diviner needs to understand the cultural references in order to interpret the proverb correctly. Sadly, some people no longer learn proverbs because they consider them old fashioned and don't see the value in them. I believe they contain wisdom that never goes out of date, and they engage us in critical thinking skills that help us gain more self-awareness and a better understanding of the world around us.

I have a section of my website devoted to proverbs, and I'll be adding more to it in the coming weeks. I invite you to take a look at the proverbs and think about what they suggest to you. 

One of the ways we pass along knowledge of the Lucumi religion is by telling stories or recounting myths that are part of an oral heritage. These stories are called patakís. We don't recognize any particular person as the author or creator of a patakí because we don't know the exact origin of the stories, how or when they came into being. But we do know that they are old stories, having roots in west Africa and brought to Cuba via the slave trade in the 19th century. Unlike the Bible or other written religious texts, there is no single authoritative version of the patakís. Lucumí practitioners learn patakís from their elders. Over time, generations of storytellers have modified and embellished details, creating folk tales that reflect the imagination and creativity of the people who tell the stories.  Because patakis existed primarily in oral form, the act of learning and reciting them depended on the memory and skill of the person speaking. For this reason, people today may know different versions of the same patakí.  Despite small differences in the telling, however, the overall message or "moral" of the story remains the same. A patakí, in its most basic form, isn't a work of literature or fiction. It's a religious text, and it exists to teach us a lesson about our world.

Diviners use patakís, along with proverbs or refranes, to deliver a message to the person who has come for a reading.  For example, if the odu Obara appears when the shells are thrown, the diviner knows that the client has a problem related to speech, the way he uses his tongue. Either he talks too much, or people are talking about him. Or, his words are misunderstood. There is also a problem with lying. People may act one way to his face and speak badly about him behind his back.  While the diviner could deliver the message in just this way, a more traditional approach is to begin by reciting a proverb or telling a story (a patakí). The diviner has to study in order to know which proverbs and patakís belong to each odu, and how to apply them to the client's situation.  To begin the reading with a story draws the client into the conversation and requires him to do some critical thinking, not just  absorb the information passively. He listens to the patakí and then the diviner asks him to reflect on how this story might apply to his situation. If the client can understand the patakí and its importance in his life at that moment in time, the client will understand on a more profound level the nature of his problem.

Here is an example of how a patakí from Obara might sound when delivered by a diviner:

When Obatalá put Changó in charge off governing people, Changó was very young. No one respected him or took him seriously, so of course they never obeyed him. Every day somebody from the village went to Obatalá to complain about Changó as a way to make Changó look bad. Obatalá called Changó and spoke very bluntly to him, because Obatalá has never been one to beat around the bush. There were so many bits of gossip and malicious stories about Changó that one day Changó went to Obatalá and asked him: "Papá, why do people tell so many stories about me? Every day they say something different, and none of it is true!"  But Obatalá knew that Changó was very hardworking and smart, and that he took his responsibilities seriously. He told him: "My son, I want you to prepare a dinner for me and all of my children. I want you to make the most delicious food you can imagine." So, Changó prepared a feast for Obatalá and all his children, just as Obatalá had requested.  He served them beef tongue as the main dish. Obatalá asked him: "Changó, is tongue the best food in the world?" Changó answered: "Yes, papá, it is full of ashé, the best in the world." After some time went by, Obatalá asked Changó to prepare another feast for him and all his children.  But this time, he instructed him to serve the worst food in the world. Changó once again prepared beef tongue, and Obatalá asked him: "Changó, son, if the last time you prepared the same thing and you said it was the best food in the world, why are you now serving tongue and telling me is the worst thing in the world?"  Changó replied: "Naturally, papá, a good tongue can save a village and a bad tongue can destroy it." Obatalá said to him: "You're right, Changó. That's where you were born, in Obara Melli, and that's why you find everyone is always talking about you all the time. It doesn't matter what they say, good or bad, because whatever they say about you will make you great. Only on the day they stop talking about you will you cease to be Changó."
 

Once the information has been delivered in the form of a patakí, the diviner will probably ask the client to reflect on how it relates to his own life. Depending on the circumstances of the client, he may identify with Changó, Obatalá, or even with the villagers who are gossiping about Changó. The mention of the tongue is obviously meant as a metaphor, as a warning about the way human beings like to gossip. They can use their words to build someone up, or to tear someone down. How we react to the gossip is also important. If we're worried about what others say, we can become paralyzed and unsure of ourselves. But if we understand that sometimes people talk about us because they're envious of us, or they realize we're born leaders and resent that they aren't the same, then we can let their words roll off of us and not hurt us. What political leader hasn't had critics? Changó can be a hothead and react with anger to any imagined slight, but Obatalá, who is older and wiser, always advises a more intelligent approach. When he tells Changó to prepare a meal, he encourages critical thought in Changó. He wants the younger man to reflect on the dual nature of words and communication. It's important that Changó have a chance to figure out the problem for himself, in a calm and measured way.  If he's going to be a leader, he has to rise above his enemies. He can't slander them and start a war with them. In the long run, Changó's greatness depends on his ability to distance himself from the talk about him, and use his position in the public eye to achieve greatness. As long as people are talking about him, it means he's doing his job, showing his leadership skills. A leader can't hope to please everyone.

The patakí also helps people understand the nature of the orishas and their relationship to each other. Through the telling of patakís, Lucumí practitioners learn the life stories of the orishas, when they walked the earth in human form and experienced many of the same situations that humans face today. 

There are multiple patakís associated with each odu, and it's the job of the diviner to know which one is most applicable in the case of the person who's come for a reading. A godparent might also tell patakís to godchildren as a way to advise them about their behavior and conduct, or simply as a way to pass on knowledge about the religion.

Today, with the breakdown of traditional communities, there are many Lucumí practitioners who don't know patakís. To address this problem, some writers have started to collect and publish patakís on the internet and in book form. Remember, if you find these in your research, they are just one version of how the patakís might be told. In order to understand them on a deeper level and know how to apply them to situations in life, it's still very important to talk with your elders about them, and ask them to share their thoughts with you. The oral tradition creates bonds between people, and storytelling is an important part of Lucumí culture, even in the 21st century.

Recently the co-hosts of a radio show in the UK, "The Enemy Within," asked me to do an interview to explain in more depth some of the concepts associated with the religion. The end result was an hour-long podcast. Pass it on to anyone who is interested in knowing more about Santería. This is a good introduction for people who ask you, "why are you interested in that religion?"

http://www.spreaker.com/user/enemywithinradio/enemy-within-radio-live-125

The Orisha World Peace and Healing Initiative was organized to coordinate the events that will take place in December 2014 during World Peace and Healing week. These events will take place in many cities throughout the United States, as well as in Mexico and Venezuela. We strongly encourage other Orisha communities to become a part of this initiative by sponsoring events in their home towns.

In addition, we are encouraging olorishas, regardless of the system that they follow, to show their support for world peace by wearing white during World Peace and Healing week, which begins on December 10, 2014, lasting until December 21, 2014.

Why is this important?
Despite our differences, practitioners of Regla de Ocha and other religions should come together to work toward the common good. We need to put aside personal agendas and egos, and use our faith to bring about positive change. 

December is an important month in our religion. As the calendar year draws to an end, the negative influences we've experienced all year long need to be cleared away through prayer and communion with our ancestors. We need to cleanse ourselves and our environment through purifying actions.

Although all of the orishas play a very important role in our lives, we have chosen to focus on two in particular this month to help us create an atmosphere of peace and healing.

The feast day of Babalú Ayé is traditionally celebrated on December 17. He rules over infectious disease, and has the power over life and death through his healing energy. He is the patron of those infected with HIV/AIDS, smallpox, leprosy, hepatitis, cholera, tuberculosis, and ebola. In Cuba, thousands of pilgrims visit his shrine in El Rincón (Santiago de las Vegas, Havana) on his feast day to ask him to intercede on their behalf, or on behalf of their loved ones.

Obatalá is the orisha associated with peace, harmony, stability. He is the great father of all humanity, the ancient wise one, the peacemaker who settles conflict and brings harmony into our lives.

What can you do?
If you are an oloricha or a member of a Lucumi religious community, contact someone in your area to see how you can get involved.  Even if you aren't a practitioner of the religion, you can still help out. People across the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America are planning ceremonies that you can participate in.  They are also asking for small donations of money or food needed for the ceremonies.  If you are in a position to help, please do.

We are suggesting that every city plan, host and participate in the five proposed activities:

1. Agban for Babalu Aye

2. Nangaré ó—ritual communion with Olodumare and the ancestors

3. Wemilere (Añá, Ayán, drumming) for Obatalá

4. Wearing white for ten days (Dec 10 – 21, 2014)

5. Closing prayers- optional

Please join us as we pray for the health and well-being of our communities!

Make a statement on behalf of a common cause.

EMAIL ADDRESSES / DIRECCIONES ELECTRÓNICAS:

MIAMI: oloshasunited@gmail.com

Contacts: Rita Guerra, Barbara Valdez, & Ileana Lopez

NEW YORK: OloshasUnitedNY@gmail.com

CHICAGO: MWoloshasunited@gmail.com

Contacts: Asabi Thomas & Leo Leo Negrón Rodríguez

TEXAS (Houston): oloshasunitedTX@gmail.com

Contacts: Trini Orisha Gyal

LOS ANGELES: oloshasunitedLA@gmail.com

Contact: Gloria Olegario, Joe Pagán

ATLANTA: oloshasunitedatlanta@gmail.com

Contact: Kemba Mchawi

OHIO: northernohiooloshasunited@gmail.com

Contact: Sue Kucklick Arencibia

VENEZUELA: OlorishasunidosVen@gmail.com

Contacto: Alberto Quintero

This week, two things happened that made me think about writing this blog on the death of a santero/a.  A well known and well loved member of our religious community died very suddenly of a heart attack, and immediately his godfather, godsisters and godbrothers went into action, planning for his Itutu ceremony.  In addition to the visitation for family and friends in a funeral home, the memorial service in his home, the burial that will take place next week, there is a religious ceremony that needs to take place to determine what to do with his Orichas now that his body has left the earth and he is no longer here to look after them.  How we conduct the Itutu ceremony is not public knowledge, meaning the details should only be known by initiated priests and priestesses in the religion. It's not open to the general public, and it's not something the deceased's blood family or friends can do for him. It must be done by his religious elder, if at all possible his godfather or godmother and other members of his ile, or religious "home."  It marks the end of his physical life in the religious community that he's been part of, and it's important to make sure his Orichas are cared for in the proper way, to bring an end to his relationship with them on earth.

The benefit of belonging to a religious community and having close ties to your religious elders became apparent when I got a message this week from a woman whose father had recently died. She knew nothing about her father's religion, she didn't know his godfather, she didn't know what to do with his Orichas, and she had no one to ask.  She knew he had Orichas and she didn't know what to do with them, so she wrote to me, after finding my website on the internet.  

She told me that her father had been initiated in Africa. Although she didn't give me a lot of details, I assume her father had not stayed in close touch with his godfather, and he had not formed a religious community of his own in the States.  Whether he knew about the need for Itutu or not, I'm not sure, but he didn't communicate it to his family.  Sadly, the daughter wasn't sure what to do, and I couldn't really help her.  Without initiated priests and priestesses to carry out the ceremony, Itutu can't be performed.  The daughter, as an aleyo (outsider) can't do it for her father, even if she could find instructions in a book or on the internet. The ceremony is meaningless unless it's performed by priests and priestesses, because there has to be communication with the Orichas, and outsiders can't use the divination tools that permit that kind of communication.  There's no way for the daughter to know what the Orichas want, so she can't follow instructions and deal with them in the "proper" way. She can only treat them with respect as sacred objects, do what she thinks best with them, and hope the Orichas understand. Whether she chooses to keep them for herself, give them away, drop them into the sea, bury them in a forest, or put them in her father's casket, she can never be sure that's what the Orichas wanted. She has to guess, and do the best she can under the circumstances. Naturally, this makes her feel bad, not knowing what to do and being powerless to help, but it's not her fault. I told her the Orichas are forgiving in these circumstances.  They understand human error and don't blame us if we make mistakes in good faith.

My purpose here is not to tell you how to perform the Itutu ceremony. If you're an initiated priest or priestess, you will learn this from your religious elders and participate in Itutu events when they happen. If you have godchildren, you will find an Oba or Oriaté who can do it, if you don't know how. When you "make" godchildren, you are taking on a lifelong commitment to them, and performing Itutu is part of that.

My reason for writing this blog is to tell you that if you're a Santero/a and have Orichas in your home, you need to tell your friends and family that Itutu should be done for you. Give them the name of your godparent or yugbona, give them the telephone number or contact information so they can reach that person, if they don't know him or her. If possible, have money set aside for the Itutu ceremony. It may involve travel if the godparent lives far away. Don't expect your godparents and godsiblings to pay for it.  There are always costs associated with any elaborate Ocha ceremony, and just like you have to pay the funeral home to prepare your body for burial, there are costs involved in the Itutu ceremony to prepare your soul for departure from the earth.

If you know a family member has received Orichas, even if you don't share his or her religious beliefs, ask about what should be done.  If your family member is an initiated priest or priestess, he should be aware of the need for an Itutu ceremony, and he be able to tell you about it in general terms.  If your friend or relatives have elekes (necklaces) and the warriors only, Itutu is not necessary. These should be returned to the godparent, if possible, and if not, disposed of in a respectful way.

In the Yoruba/ Lucumí belief system, burial in the earth is important because it symbolizes the physical body's nurturing of the earth. We feed the earth, just as it fed us when we were alive.  Although the preference of many modern people is cremation, initiated priests and priestesses are not supposed to be cremated, because ashes of a body don't nurture the soil the same way the decomposition of the flesh does.  No one likes to contemplate what happens to our bodies when we die, but we believe the energy we call "aché," the life force of an individual, never dies. It's recycled into the universe. The spirits of our ancestors are always with us, they become our "egun," who guide us and help us through life. We communicate with egun at a boveda we set up in the house, and we honor them by giving them small gifts, like flowers, candles, or glasses of fresh water.  The body becomes meaningless once the individual's "aché" leaves it.  Many people believe that our "orí" or individual destiny can be redirected and sent back to earth in another form, often incorporating itself into a family member who is born after we've departed from earth.  In this way, our ancestors never really die; their energy is recycled.  The concept of Hell doesn't exist in our religion. There is a kind of Heaven, but human beings always prefer to be on earth if they can be. It's their realm. That's why egun and the recycled "orí" of our ancestors are part of the experience of living people on earth. They connect us to the divine. The goal of most Yoruba/Lucumí people is not to spend eternity in Heaven, but to live a good life on earth.

The energy of the Orichas is contained in the "otanes" (stones) and other "tools" or instruments inside the soperas. These are symbols of the Orichas, not the Orichas themselves. But, still they need to be treated as sacred objects and dealt with in a respectful way.  Itutu allows the Orichas to speak and say what should be done with their symbols.  If for some reason Itutu cannot be done, the important thing is to treat these symbols as sacred, and dispose of them in some way that feels respectful to you.  If they can be returned somehow to nature, that is the best that an uninitiated person can manage.  But if Itutu can be performed, that is always better.

When we pronounce the name of a person who has departed this world, we say: Igbae bayen torum as a way to honor and remember them. All of our prayers begin with a recitation of the names of our departed elders, so they are never lost to the family or community. 

Igbae bayen torum Ekun Dayo, que descanses en paz.

Every year, between Jan. 31 and Jan. 1 babalawos get together in communities all around the world and "pull out" the letter of the year.  This is not fortune telling but, rather, a spiritual guide provided by Orúnmila through divination to guide people belonging to that community during the coming year. The babalawos provide some interpretation of the odu they draw but suggest people reflect on how it applies to them personally.  I'll post other letters of the year as they come in. The one done by the Miguel Febles Padrón commission is one of the oldest ones in Cuba and it generally circulates around the globe for all people who don't have their own Ocha-Ifa community or a letter of the year drawn specifically for them by their own Ocha-Ifa houses.


Folkcuba.com
SIGN OF THE YEAR 2014
The Miguel Febles Padrón Organizing Commision for the Sign of the Year -- For Cuba and the World

The Miguel Febles Padrón Commission’s Predictions of the Year 2014: For the Priests of Ifá, our brothers the Oriaté, to the Babaloshas, Iyaloshas, Iworos, and to the General Religious Public. Following a twenty seven-year tradition, the Organizing Commision gathered on December 31, 2013 in the House-Temple located at Avenue 10th of October, #1509, between Josefina and Gertrudis, in Víbora, Municipality 10th of October, City of Havana, Cuba, in order to take out the Sign of the Year. 

Reigning Sign: BABA EYIOGBE

First Witness: Erdibre (Odi Ogbe)

Second Witness: Oshe Omolu (Oshe Ogunda)

Prophetic Orientation: Iré buyoko alayé (Iré, firm in the ayé [well-seated in the world])

Eggun onire: a white rooster and an ajiaco stew

Onishe ara: paraldo

Onishe ile: sarayeye with plants.

Ebbo: a rooster, a 50 cent coin, water, river sand, clay dish, osha paint colors, and the rest of the ingredients. 

Reigning Deity: Olokun

Accompanying Deity: Yemayá

Flag of the Year: Half red and half blue

We recommend that people consult their Godfathers [on the particulars of this sign]

Illnesses with which to take extreme care

1.- Illnesses in the respiratory system.
2.- Cardiovascular illnesses.
3.- Illnesses of the skeletal system.
4.- Possible skin outbreaks.

Events of Social Concern

1.- Interpersonal conflicts. 
2.- Conflicts between nations that can escalate to war.
3.- Marks losses of religious and political leaders and elders in general.
4.- Serious disorders in family harmony.
5.- Ecological imbalance and possible inundation by the sea.
6.- An opening for treaties between fundamentally involving maritime transport.
7.- Intergenerational conflict and its fatal consequences.

Recommendations:

1.- Dialogue and respect for the criteria of others is the only way of avoiding conflict. 
2.- Special attention is recommended to the ethics and morals of sons and daughters.
3.-Ifa recommends an organization for the social, political, and economic benefit of diverse peoples.
4.- Radically increase the methods of hygiene and sanitation in order to avoid the spreading of epidemics. 
5.- Prohibit the maritime movement of ships in bad condition.
6.- Adequate remuneration in salaries for the pursuit of all the various activities.
7.-Provide adequately for the elderly.
8.- A call for unity, respecting diversity.

NOTE: Take as a reference the positive and negative examples (advances) from the readings of the years 1959, 1989, 1995, 1998, 2004, and 2001 where this same odu reigned.

The Odu’s Proverbs of Conduct

1. The wise idea is the force that moves the earth.
2. The head carries the body and only one king governs a people.
3. I have everything; I lack everything.
4. The greatest error is not to learn from errors already committed.
5. Wherever there is life, there is hope.
6. Two inseparable friends are separated.
7. Debts hang from our necks like heavy stones.
8. Divide and conquer.

Our Commission is grateful to the great machines of communication that make possible that these Ifá predictions make it to all of the corners of the world.

The Miguel Febles Padrón Organizing Commission for the Sign of the Year wishes all of you a happy and prosperous 2014 year

NOTE: © COPYRIGHT English translation by David H. Brown, Eguín Koladé. Please respond with any translation corrections or semantic suggestions by posting on Folkcuba.com’s Facebook page.

By far, one of the most common kinds of posts I see on message boards and in my own e-mail is something along the lines of "Do you know any Santeros in... [name the place]?"  People want to consult, or they want to find out more about how to get involved in the religion, or they are eager to establish some kind of godparent-godchild relationship and belong to a community. To an aleyo, or outsider, Regla de Ocha appears to be a closed and secretive society.  There's no directory of services, no yellow pages, no search engine that can churn out the names of the Santero nearest you.  There is no visible place of worship, like a church, where services are held on a particular day of the week at a particular time, where a stranger can wander in and get to know people.  If you are looking for a Santero, it's hard to know where to begin.

People living in the modern western world are used to getting what they want when they want it.  We expect the world to be organized into categories and information available and easy to access.  If you need to find a doctor, you look here. If you need a carpenter, you look there. If you want to find a church, you type the name of your town and do a google search, and the list appears.  More and more practitioners of Santería have created web pages advertising their services and making consultations available by telephone and skype for consumers who live around the globe.  This is something our ancestors never imagined, and it stretches our traditions in uncomfortable ways.  While there are no longer serious reasons why a Santero/a needs to hide his or her religious affiliations, it is still not the norm for practitioners to advertise for clients and promote themselves on the web.  Yes, they are doing a service for people who are looking for spiritual guidance, but it doesn't replace the close personal relationships and ties to community that have characterized our religion for many hundreds of years.

My ilé, or religious home, is in Palmira, Cuba.  Palmira is a small town in el campo, the countryside, where everyone knows everyone and most people seem to be related to each other in one way or another.  The town was founded by descendents of African slaves and the majority of people there practice Regla de Ocha/ Ifa, if not as initiated priests, then as members of a community who drop by the home of a babalawo or santero/a for a consulta whenever they need it and, on special occasions, to enjoy the drumming and dancing that accompanies some ceremonies.  Everyone knows where to go for a consulta, and they have their allegiances to one ilé or another- there are several important ones in the town.  Children grow up in this setting and absorb the religion into their skin. There is nothing mysterious or secretive about it. Naturally, there are certain ceremonies that are not well known to the uninitiated members of society, but the religion itself is not scary, it is not forbidden and secret.  People know who to go to when they have a problem, and the ilé functions as an informal community center, where people drop in without appointments and patiently wait for the babalawo or santero/a to have a free moment to do a consulta.

Since I don't live in Palmira, I can only participate in that community when I go there for visits.  The physical distance presents an obstacle to my involvement in community gatherings for religious celebrations, but my elders prepared me for living abroad by teaching me that the physical distance doesn't matter. I am linked to them by tradition and by our lineage, their ancestors are my ancestors now, I carry them with me in my heart, and I will always be part of that community, no matter where I go. 

In parts of the U.S.A. where there is a large Hispanic-Caribbean population, like New York/ New Jersey and South Florida, people have reproduced the kind of close-knit religious community that exists in Cuba.  They know each other, work together, and have active ilés that turn out new godchildren, hold misas espirituales, tambores, and conduct other ceremonies frequently.  I imagine that someone who lives in Union City, NJ, or in Hialeah/ Miami can find a santero around the corner, just by looking for the person dressed in white, wearing the beads, and listening for the chanting and drumming coming out of someone's basement or back room.  But, what if you live in Iowa or Oregon or Kentucky, or a small town in Wales or in northern Sweden? What do you do?  Chances are you don't know anyone who practices the religion, and all you can do is reach out in the dark, asking stranger online to help you find your path.

There's nothing wrong with that approach, but it's "iffy" at best.  Someone who posts online that they are "looking for a godparent" is asking for trouble, because only the unscrupulous will take on a godchild he or she has never met.   Many traditional practitioners of the religion question whether it is possible or ethical to do consultas over the phone or in any other form that is not direct person to person contact.  If you find a botánica and walk in hoping to find a santero/a behind the counter, you could be in for a big disappointment. Botánicas are stores, and the owners may or may not be initiated priests and priestesses of the religion. They may or may not be honest and ethical. They may or may not want to talk to strangers.

This isn't the answer you want to hear, but it's the truth as I know it:  if you are called to be in the religion, one way or the other, the Orichas will guide you where you need to go. You will unexpectedly meet people who will help you, you will come across unexpected opportunities, you will find yourself in situations where the religion becomes visible and accessible to you. You may have to travel, you will definitely need to keep your eyes open, you will need to pay attention to the possibilities that arise.  There are santeros/as and babalawos almost everywhere in the world today. Some are visible and some are not. The professional person in the suit could be a santero/a, maybe it is the truck driver who delivers your new washing machine.  Once you start to open your eyes, and especially when you start to venture out into the world, getting to know new people and moving in different circles, you will be surprised at what you see.  The most important thing is to have faith and know it will happen when it's supposed to happen,  if it's supposed to happen, and not let the urgency of your desire or your need drive you into unwise choices. Don't put yourself in the hands of someone whose credentials you don't know, don't hand over your money, your mind or your future to someone you don't trust.  There are charlatans in every religion, and ours is no exception.  It is better to be patient and wait for the right time, right place and right people, than to leap into a situation where you have a strong likelihood of becoming the victim or fraud or abuse.

Most people, myself included, will tell you that you can't learn this religion from reading books. It requires hands-on, person-to-person learning. Today there are many authors who publish books that reveal information that has traditionally been secret, shared only among the initiated. Looking online at bookstores and checking the internet will reveal so many possible sources of information that it can make your head spin.  Instead of clarifying ideas or educating people about the religion, too often these books and articles confuse people. Do you really need to know how to read the dilogún shells if you don't even know what an Oricha is?  Do you need to be embroiled in bitter debates about the character of Eleguá and Eshú, when you aren't even sure who they are? How helpful is it for you to read about the initiation process when you have never been inside an ilé before and don't know anyone who practices the religion?  Experienced elders always warn people new to the religion to keep their distance from books, because what you need to know, you learn from your elders, you learn from doing and experiencing, not from reading words on a page.
For the non-initiate, especially for people who are not from a culture where this religion is commonplace, it's hard to digest the information in books and know what to do with it.  I'm not against reading - clearly, I have a website designed for that purpose! - but I think reading is just the tip of the iceberg. It's a place to begin when you don't know where to go or how to find out information.  But it always needs to be followed up with practice. 

Finding those connections to people who practice the religion is hard, as many of you know. If you live in a place where the religion isn't commonly practiced or not entirely visible to the community at large, you don't know where to look.  But, if you're meant to be in the religion, destiny will lead you to it.  A book that captures this experience and puts it terms that we can all appreciate and understand is Irete Lazo's lovely novel, The Accidental Santera.  Lazo is a practitioner of the religion and she knows what she's talking about.  She speaks with the knowledge and perspective of an insider, but rather than construct a "how to" book for people who want to practice the religion, she creates a highly readable fictionalized account of a woman who discovers the religion "by accident," gets drawn into it, and eventually becomes initiated.  The story of Gabrielle Segovia illustrates how destiny indeed leads us where we're supposed to go. While attending an academic conference in New Orleans, she decides on the spur of the moment to step inside a tourist shop that promises consultas (readings) by a Santero.  Although part of Gabrielle's well-trained academic mind tells her Santería has no place in her modern scientific world, another part of her mind awakens to the connections her ancestors had to the religion, and she finds herself drawn to it without completely understanding why.  The transformation she experiences in the novel is powerful and real. For readers who wonder what it feels like to enter the religion, the novel presents a window into someone else's personal experience, giving us a first-hand look at what it means to become a practitioner of Santería. Lazo doesn't focus on the details of the ceremonies, she doesn't reveal what happens in the Ocha room, and she doesn't go off on tangents talking about the philosophy that informs the religion.   Instead, she focuses on the conflicts that arise when someone suddenly decides to switch religions, or adopt a religion unfamiliar to their friends and family. She brings out the racial, cultural and ethnic prejudices that exist in our society against people who practice African-based religions. Most importantly, she does a good job of capturing the inner-conflicts of people who are torn between the image of who they thought they were versus who they want to become. She shows that Santería's not always an easy road to take, but for people who are meant to be on it,  it's the only one that leads us to where we need to be.

The Accidental Santera is a good read, and a good starting place to find out what it feels like to be in this religion.  It's a "woman's story" in the sense it focuses on personal issues like marriage, motherhood, and relationship to family, but I think both male and female readers will enjoy the novel.  It feels authentic and real, and it's written with a lot of honesty. It's a pleasant read, something you can enjoy both for the light it sheds on the religion and for the personal story it tells.

Many people like to start the new year looking at horoscopes or other predictions of what the coming year will bring, but few people outside of the Ocha/ Ifa community are aware of the tradition of drawing out the "letter of the year" (la letra del año) in the hours between the evening of December 31 and the morning of January 1.  This is one of the most important and sacred ceremonies for practitioners of the religion, because the Letter of the Year is based on a reading of Odu, the sacred teachings of Orula, the master diviner, who knows the destiny of all mankind, and it is carried out by the most skilled Babalawos in the community who can correctly interpret the meaning of the Odu.  Unlike "fortune telling," which usually depends on the individual psychic ability of a reader, the Letter of the Year comes through direct communication with Orula, and requires many years of study on the part of the Babalawos to learn the meanings of the Odu, the proverbs, the offerings, and the ceremonies associated with each sign.

At the end of the 19th century in Cuba, the tradition of drawing out the Letter of the Year became firmly established as a way to provide guidance to practitioners of Ocha/ Ifa during the coming year.  Generally, most scholars agree that Remigio Herrera (Adesina) (Obara Meji), a famous Babalawo of African origin living in Havana, was the first to formalize and centralize the ceremony with the assistance of five of his godsons who, in turn, went on to become important Babalawos in their own right:  Bernardo Rojas (Irete Untendi), Tata Gaitán (Eulogio Rodríguez, Ogundafun), José Carmen Batista (Ogbeweñe), Marcos García (Ifalola Baba Ejiogbe), and Salvador Montalvo (Okanran Meji).  Upon the death of Adesina, Tata Gaitán and Bernardo Rojas took over the ceremony of the Letter of the Year, and Gaitán became especially influential due to his many godsons.  In provincial cities such as Palmira in Cienfuegos, established Babalawos like Facundo Sevilla of La Sociedad El Cristo began to draw out the letter of the year for his community, with the assistance of other experienced Babalawos and godsons.  The Letter of the Year coming out of El Cristo, although not well known outside of Cuba, has been drawn out without interruption since 1906 and has established the Sevilla branch of Ifa as one of the most respected ones on the island.

In the first half of the 20th century, various branches of Ifa practitioners in Havana competed to be recognized as the "official" heirs of Adesina.  Jealousy and conflict between powerful Babalawos contributed to instability in drawing out one centralized Letter of the Year for Cuba, and it became commonplace for several Babalawos to draw out Letters of the Year, each one competing for more followers.  In 1959, after the Triumph of the Cuban Revolution, the government took a hostile view of any religious activity, including the open practice of Ocha/ Ifa, and this drove many Santeros/as and Babalawos underground.  The religion remained alive in Cuba, but it was largely invisible to the public eye until the late 1980s, when the government began to loosen its restrictions on religious practices.  During these decades, Cubans leaving the island settled in the United States (especially Southern Florida and the NYC/ New Jersey area), Mexico, Spain, Puerto Rico and other places, creating a Cuban diaspora that introduced Santería and Ifa practices to new communities.  As these new religious communities sprang up, Babalawos outside of Cuba began to draw out the Letter of the Year for their own followers.   Today, it's common to find Letters of the Year done by Ifa priests in Florida, California, Mexico, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and many other places where Cubans have settled.  Because Santería is now an international religion, the Letters of the Year have also become international.

In Havana in 1986, a large group of independent Babalawos joined forces to draw out the Letter of the Year in a centralized way again; they became known as the Miguel Febles Padrón Commission (CMFP).  Since then, they have met each year to draw out the letter, bringing together 800 or more Babalawos some years to take part in the ceremony.  Although not officially recognized by the Cuban government, the Letter of the Year done by the CMFP is one of the most famous ones both inside and outside of Cuba.  Typically it's translated into English and other languages and circulates all over the world via internet.  In the United States, the CMFP Letter of the Year is often the preferred one for chiefly political reasons.  Since the CMFP is not associated with the current Cuban government, it has no "communist" connotations.  By contrast, the Letter of the Year done by the ACY (Yoruba Cultural Association) is supported by the Cuban government and given "official" status in Cuba.  It appears in the newspaper and is broadcast on radio and it circulates widely on the island.  Both groups are based in Havana,  but the tension between them means that Babalawos from one group don't associate with those of the other groups. In Cuba, both have adherents, but outside of Cuba, especially in South Florida and among the Cuban-American population, the Letter of the Year by the ACY is often rejected as "phony" because people believe it props up the ideology of the Cuban government.

So, what kind of information is in a typical Letter of the Year?  You can find some on the Internet and study them to get a better idea of what they look like, but generally they are difficult to interpret unless one has some knowledge of Lucumí traditions, words, and ceremonies.  The Odu and the proverbs linked to Odu are hermetic and vague, unless one has formally studied Odu and can tease out the correct meaning.  For this reason, most people consult with their Godparent to go over the Letter of the Year, to be sure that they understand it properly.

First, there will be a governing Odu for the year, which sets the tone and establishes the main themes to be addressed that year.  It can come with iré (blessings) or osobo (misfortune), and in the case of osorbo, there's an indication of what kind to expect (sickness, death, war, loss, etc.) and where it will come from.   There will be one Oricha who governs, and another Oricha who accompanies the first one. During the year, the energy of these two Orichas will be very important, and people will need to address petitions to them to resolve their problems and enjoy more blessings.  The Letter of the Year outlines some of the major ebo (offerings) for the year, offers proverbs that illustrate aspects of the Odu, and makes specific recommendations about what to do or what to avoid to have good health, prosperity, good relationships, and avoid problems.  Some of these address worldwide problems, such as food shortages, epidemics, atmospheric or climatic changes, and war.  Others address individual problems such as health issues, family problems, or problems in a relationship.  The Letter of the Year uses language that is somewhat vague and open to interpretation; you'll never find specific mention of people or places by name, so any one who claims that the Letter of the Year predicts the death of a certain individual or the fall of a certain government reflects the personal opinion of the speaker, not the actual Letter of the Year.  The Letter of the Year is always open to interpretation, and sometimes it requires deep knowledge of Odu to understand all the ramifications.

While everyone hopes the new year will come with iré (blessings), it's important to remember as we await the new Letter of the Year, that osorbo (misfortune) gives us an opportunity to change, grow, develop, build strength and courage, and deal with adversity through our own good character.  Ocha/ Ifa teaches us that we can modify bad luck and misfortune through our own good work, good thoughts, and good behavior.

One common misconception about Santería is that it involves fortune telling, which gives rise to a lot of criticism and scorn from outsiders.  For example, people who don't believe in the supernatural, the divine, or anything outside of empirical fact reject fortune telling as superstitious nonsense.  They say fortune tellers are charlatans and crooks who prey on gullible people. Many Christians say that fortune telling is a sin because it challenges the notion that anyone or anything other than God knows what the future holds.  They teach their children that fortune tellers are instruments of the devil.  While everyone has a right to their own opinions, let's start with an important piece of information:   Santeros/as and Babalawos aren't fortune tellers. They're priests.   And divination, when done properly by people with the proper credentials and training, is a religious service through which God and God's messengers, the Orichas and the Egun (spirits of the dead) speak directly to the client through consecrated spiritual tools -- the dilogún (cowrie shells), the epule (babalawo's divining chain), the obi (pieces of coconut), or kola nuts. 

Divination isn't a parlor game, and not just anyone can do it.  For example, only Santeros/as who are fully initiated and who have trained to read the dilogún are able to cast the shells and do readings for clients.  Many Santeros/as don't do dilogún readings (which are called consultas or registros) because dilogún reading requires extensive study and years of practice to master, similar to the way a rabbi might study the Torah.  Some Santeros/as simply don't have the time, patience or interest to learn it, and some don't have that particular kind of aché (the gift, the talent or skill given by God).  Babalawos, who are the priests of Orula, are among the most skilled diviners because Orula, among the Orichas, is the master diviner.  Babalawos spend many years studying the odu (patterns) that can fall when they throw the epuele chain.  They work under the guidance of elders and memorize vast numbers of patakis (sacred stories) and refranes (proverbs) that relate to each odu.  The dilogún and the epuele chain have to be consecrated in special ceremonies, otherwise they don't have the aché to communicate with the Orichás.  So, it's not just a question of going to the store, buying some shells, throwing them, and consulting a book to see what it all means.  In many Lucumí communities, diviners carefully guard their knowledge of the odu because it's powerful and sacred information that shouldn't be shared with outsiders. Today, there are books on how to read the odu, but that's like giving a cookbook to someone who doesn't know how to cook, doesn't have the right tools, and doesn't know how to turn on the stove.  It's only going to go so far. 

So, what is divination good for then?  First, it's important to understand that in the Lucumí tradition, all humans are born with a destiny that is known only to God and his messenger Orula.   We choose our own destiny by choosing the head that will be attached to our bodies when we come to earth.  This is one reason the crown of the head is considered a powerful spiritual force in its own right, and the head needs to be protected. Santeros/as often cover their head with a white scarf or white cap; they don't like rain, the midday sun, the light of the moon to touch their heads; and they don't let other people touch their heads, either.  Our head contains our destiny, and our head is vulnerable to outside influences.    When we're born, we forget what destiny we've chosen for ourselves, and throughout our lives, we have to try to figure out what our destiny is and live in harmony with it.  Consultas, or divination sessions, are one way to do that.  Through the odu that falls on the mat, the Orichas speak and let the client know if all is going well (he has iré, blessings) or if there are problems (osorbo, obstacles).  As a person works through and removes the obstacles, he comes more into harmony with his true destiny, and thus lives the life that God meant for him to have.  Destiny exists as a concept in the Lucumí worldview but it is a destiny that allows free will.  The individual chooses his own head (picking a good one or a bad one); in life, the individual can follow the advice given by the Orichas during consultas, or he can ignore them.  At every turn, the individual chooses how he's going to live.  He might make ebo (pay tribute to the Orichas, give them offerings) or he might refuse to make ebo.  He can modify his behavior according to the advice given by the Orichas, or he can refuse to change.  Questions like how long will a person live, will he be healthy and happy, will he be prosperous depend on the destiny that was chosen by that person before he came into the world, and the choices he makes during his lifetime.  This is why it's not accurate to think of Lucumí divination as fortune-telling.  It is more accurate to think of it as a mirror held up to show the individual what his life looks like, and what he can do to fix it, if there are problems.