The Divine Feminine from the Coasts of Africa

 

Orisha's, Goddesses and Voodoo Queens

By: Lilith Dorsey

From Lilith Dorsey comes a tour de force that gives someone new to African-Carribean Religions an overview of the female deities within the Afro Carribean Religions. There are many. Depending on the religion you are working with you will call the deities of Voodoo either Orishas or Loa's. Afro Carribean Religions such as Voodoo (New Orleans), Voudou (Haitian), Candolombe, Santeria or Hoodoo developed under the boot of a harsh slavery. Based on African traditions back home, the slaves did their best to keep the practices alive. But it was difficult  as the slave masters tried to suppress this practice and force them into Christianity. Plus slaves from different parts of Africa were thrust together. No common language and no common religion makes it hard to mount a rebellion. Often times the religion and spirituality of the slaves combined with that of the master's Christianity, native American practices and with that of other slaves.

The way voodoo is structured is that Bondeye is the main creator god and under this god were the Loa, Orisha or spirits who ran the affairs of the universe. The Loa is what one works with or prays to if they want to do magic or do rituals. Hoodoo is voodoo with a catholic lay over it. If a human being is spiritualy advanced enough they can beome a Loa in their lifetime, as what happened with Marie Lavaugh. the religion was the slaves way of combatting an unjust system they were forced into. being suppressed has forced it to develop in diferent ways than it could have if left out in the open. Voodoo houses can be real secreteive as well and not too open to outsiders.  The author stresses and rightly so that if you want to get serious about Voodoo you need to get initiated along with proper training.

The book is primarily about female Orisha's. Now not only has the African religions been mligned and a certain space must be reclaimed but also the sacred feminine has been maligned and must be restored. These Orisha's can be role models for women to stand up to the patriarchy, Covered in this book are thirteen female Loa. They are Oshun, Yemaya, Oya, Nana Baruku, Mami Wata, Erzulie, Aida Wedo, La Sirene, Annie Christmans and Maman Briggitte along with Pomba gira, Marie Lavaugh and Santa Muerte. The coverage of these deities is as follows. First there is a description of the deity and an explanation of the lore behind them. Next comes mention of how some artists have honored them. Finally there are recipes and rituals to connect with these deities.

An excellent book fo beginners to Voodoo or someone who wants an overview of the dieties and Afro Carribean Religions.

Libraries of the Subconscious

 

Lost Wisdom 

By Heather Lynn PHD

Libraries those great repositories of knowledge. There is one is every city, in fact several in every city and they have been with us since ancient times. Looking back to ancient times we come across two great libraries. One is in Egypt and the other in Mesopotamia. Both libraries are no longer in existence. It is somewhat of an open question as to who built the library in Alexandria. It may have been rebuilt a coupe of times. Certain sources say Julius Ceasar burned it down when he attacked ships in the Egytptian harbor. Others say Christians burned it down while others would have you believe that Muslims burned it down. Speculation continues did it really burn down and did it exist.

Asshrbanipal was supposed to be trained as a priest hence he had all thsi philosophical knoledge and scientific knowledge. He collected all this stuff in one big library. After the fall of Assyria the libray fell to disuse and was buried under stone. Many were still left as raw clay. Once fired up we had a treasure trove of knowledge. Other clay tablets were so baly smashed up that many years later we ar still trying to piece them together.

The Library in Epheus is just a fascade left standing. Epheseus is known for it's temple to Artemis. It was founded by a Greek ruler who was told in a divination that he should build a cirty marked by a boar and a fish.It while cooking that the fish jumped out of the frying pan and then a boar fled from the fire of the camp. Hence Epheseus was found. Another library or it's ruins wefe found in the city of Cologn Germany. It was built by the Romans and housed a substancial amount of scrolls.

Dr. Heather Lynn believes that information is not just passed down through books. Rather like the cloud all livin things are connected to the universal or collective consiousness. Not sure if I one hundered percent buy into it but is it not weird that two people all the way across the world with no contact with each other come up with the same idea at the same time. Civilizations do it as well. The book is short and concise but I wish it could have been longer and more fleshed out. She has many good insights.

Alternate Djinn Reality

 

A Master Of Djinn

by P.Djeli Clark

In an alternate reality the scenery of World War I looks a lot differnt then it does here. It is a world filled with Djinn from an opening torn into the Kaf or Djinn world. Marids, Ifrits and ghouls walk the streets with human beings. The technology is a little bit different as well. Robots or automatons serve an warm up coffee. Mechanical dogs guard the doorways to ministries checking out those who enter.  An important backdrop is back in the 1800's Al Jahiz a sufi mystics opened the gateway to the world of the Jinn.

Much like in our world there are secret brotherhoods sudying the mystica arts, kind of reminiscent of Aleister Crowley and his studies of magic in Egypt. Shrine and temples are built for the gods of old. The brotherhood is attacked by a man in a gold mask. He kills everyone in the brotherhood. He can duplicate his baody and he can command the Djinn. Some say he is Al Jahiz. Despatched to the case are fatma an her partner Hadia.They are part of the ministry that investigates paranormal activity. Together with other members and Fatma's girlfriend Sitti , who is a follower of bastet, go forward battling Djinn as tehy solve the case. After killing the brotherhood the masked man creates a disturbance in the city promising to reveal all. He also robs a ministry of angels where he steal the sword of Al Jahiz an Solomon's Ring.

Who is the masked man? What is his motive? In the end we find out who it is and they is a nice battle that ensues with some reconciliation between Djinn and man. there is more in the series.