Chapter 1: The Introduction

My first steps onto the Vodoun grid were taken on a hot summer night while vacationing in Puerto Rico. I sat pondering the words spoken to me 3 days prior - that the spirits of this ancient religion had been surrounding me since birth and had been awaiting my germination into the spiritual arts, this time had come. I had two choices: Accept my spiritual birthright, or deny it and have those gates close to me forever. Endless are the prices for true power. Will and fear are the only initiators, and a true initiation never ends. Plenty of (purported) historical facts and theories about Vodoun have surfaced in our present age. Most of this is useless to the truly awakened. All serious students of the spirits know of the unspoken agreements that permeate creation. Application is the only law, power and authority. And it is this spiritual authority that will be awakened in those willing to step onto the grid of power. As with all things, mundane and mystical, eventually humans begin to criticize and categorize. The Aristotelian, black and white mentality of the Western culture and philosophy has led to a great divide. Consequently, the spiritual arts have come under such scrutiny, and after much argument and oftentimes magickal combat, has been split into two warring factions of dualistic ideology: The left hand path and the right hand path. I encourage you to avoid such labels and dualities, especially ones so broad and biased. Application is the goal, to what end is up to the individual. The Loa and rituals that are presented in this work will be left uncensored and free of unnecessary dogma. They will all be taxing and require the greatest oaths and sacrifices, as the student will be forced to explore the self and move into areas that are completely uncomfortable and/or paradigm-shattering. As these words are read, and these works performed, you will have become a veritable Black God in your own right.

Chapter 2: The Grid

Your first steps into the spirit world are perhaps the most crucial. Great respect and humility is to be maintained when working with Loa, anything less will result in negative backlashes... sometimes literally. These spirits are ancient and harsh, any attempt at understanding their logic and reasoning at this stage is futile. The only way to reap any benefit of working with the Loa is to become a coconspirator in their master plan. An altar must be either constructed or bought. Pretty much anything wood or stone that in your mind represents a suitable altar will do just fine. The aesthetics aren't what's important, that it symbolize your union with the spirits is all that is necessary. You don't need to burden yourself with trinkets and oddities to place on this altar, as the spirits will provide you with all that is needed. It has been recommended that this altar be set up in a room other than the bedroom. It is left up to the discretion of the reader to decide whether to accept such warnings (or anything at all) as objective reality or truth. ***The altar should face south, as it is the more negative (or negative aspects) of the Loa which will be worked with herein. A red, black or purple cloth should cover the altar. The altar will hold nothing on its top, except for 4 black candles and 4 white candles, in a star arrangement in the altar's center, for 9 days. Each night at 10:00pm the candles will be lit and left to burn for the whole 10th hour, extinguished at the beginning of the 11th hour. After the 9th day, at midnight, of this seemingly obscure and simple candle-lighting ritual, Legba is to be called. No veve will be used at this point, only a personally created esoteric prayer asking Legba to open up the altar as the crossroads. After the rapture of this gate-opening has subsided, feed the altar and spirits with 2 bowls of water (to be left on either side of the altar) and the sprinkling of whiskey. The spirits are then thanked.***

The Loa have now made that power spot their home, and your home their temple. It is advised that the practitioner quickly become acquainted with the idea that they are no longer in charge of many aspects of their life. Many obstacles and questions can be overcome by simply letting go. The consequences of disobeying and disrespecting the spirits are crass and explicit, the student will learn horrors beyond the fear of their own mortality in those moments. The idea(s) of what an initiation is and what an initiation is supposed to entail has been perverted beyond comprehension. The truth is much deeper than any outsider could ever understand, and much less grand (materialistically speaking). The powers (Loa, elementals, shades, etc.) will always recognize power a dark light only radiated by those chosen few who are called to walk the merciless path. Is it then safe to assume that true initiation only comes at the hand of the Loas' meat puppets (priests and priestesses)? Absolutely not. Admittedly, the relationship of master and student is an indescribably grand luxury, but such physical luxuries only serve as temporary affirmations of the essence of the truth. ***This working is best performed on a Saturday at 11:00, leading into midnight: [-Materials: A small wooden box, a wooden cane, candy, a photograph of yourself, small toys and rum-] Sit in a chair placed in the middle of the room, facing the south wall. Using their esoteric prayer the practitioner will petition Legba to come blanket the Homfort with his presence and energies. Legba is then pleaded with to open the gateway to the realm of shades, to contact Baron Samedi. This initial contact will be very unpleasant and frightening but should be continued through until its completion.