​I often get messages from people who are new to the religion or just finding their way inside, and they write to say how frustrated they are by the process. In many places, there's no visible Ocha community, and no easy way to find someone honest and knowledgeable who can work with them.  People sometimes go to a botánica and hope the people working there are involved in the religion. That's not always the case. A botánica is just a store that sells religious supplies, and anyone can own one. You can buy beaded necklaces there in the colors of the Orichas, but until they're consecrated properly through a ceremony, they're nothing but beaded necklaces.  Some botánica owners are Lucumi practitioners and others are not. Some are honest and helpful, some are not. It's not a foolproof method.  We don't have churches per se, and we don't have regular services held on a certain day of the week in a particular place. We don't have pastors or ministers who keep regular hours in a church office, who list their names in the phone book. How do you find an olorisha or babalawo when you need one? Very often, it's a hit and miss process. Through friends, online communities, through university classes dealing with Afro-Caribbean cultures, through community centers where African style drumming or dancing takes place, sometimes you can meet someone who will invite you to an Ocha event of some kind. But, in many cases, it's a matter of luck. If you're meant to be in the religion, and if you're patient and persistent, sooner or later you'll find your way inside.

 There are socio-cultural and historical reasons why the Lucumi religion isn't more visible in the modern sense of the word. Most of us live in a world where we expect to be able to find information within minutes. We look on the internet to find an address with a map. We search directories for names and phone numbers. When we have questions, we expect to find an answer. The Lucumi religion doesn't fit into that paradigm very well. Ours is a community-based religion, formed around lineages and ancestors.  In Cuba, even today, the majority of Olorishas and Babalawos grew up in families where the religion was practiced by other family members or neighbors. Almost everyone knew where to go to get a consulta (reading), where there were drumming events, where Olorishas and Babalawos lived. People who needed something could drop in to a neighbor's house, or go on the referral of a friend or family members, and deal with someone who was well known in the community. There was no need to advertise services. At various times in Cuba's past, people who practiced the religion were persecuted, or at least discouraged from practicing openly. This created a certain amount of secrecy, which helped the religion survive in times of oppression.  But, in many cases, it was an open secret, meaning that people in a community knew who practiced the religion, even though they didn't talk about it to strangers.
 
Also contributing to the insider vs. outsider mentality is the fact that the Lucumi religion is one that functions in large part via initiations. Aleyos, or "outsiders," don't have access to the "secrets" of the religion, because there's no reason for them to know. What would they do with the information if they had it? Without the aché that comes from initiation, the information is useless. To know just for the sake of curiosity is pointless. Olorishas are careful to not give too much information to strangers, because the folk wisdom of our proverbs continually warn us not to give away too freely what we know. We can never be sure how other people will use the knowledge they get from us and, if they have bad intentions, we can do harm by sharing what we know with them.  There's a sense that the religion is meant to be shared by those who have "made Ocha," or who have been crowned in the religion.  Aleyos can participate in certain kinds of activities, and can also establish a relationship with a godparent, going for consultas or looking for remedies to specific problems. But to participate in a kariocha ceremony (full initiation), only those who have been through the ceremony themselves can take part. If you haven't experienced it, you aren't allowed to know what happens or how the ceremony is done. These customs create another layer of secrecy around around the religion for those who want to know more, but can't find any doors open to them.

​As the religion moved out of local communities and spread throughout the diaspora, it became harder to identify people who practiced the religion. In areas with a large Cuban-American population like New York and Miami, it's slightly easier to find someone who knows someone in the religion, simply because there are more Olorishas in those places. But for people who live in other areas of the country, Olorishas may work in isolation from each other and not even know that other Olorishas live in their town.  Now that travel is easier and we have more technology at our fingertips, some Lucumi practitioners stay in touch with their religious "home" (ilé) and godparents via internet and phone, and make yearly visits to see them. People belonging to a particular Lucumi community may not always live in the same place.
 
Adding to the confusion, there are various ways of worshipping the Orichas, and practitioners from different traditions don't always agree on how things are done. Whether the person made Ocha in Cuba or Ifa in Africa, whether they identify as traditional African or as a New World variation, there will be differences in their ways of thinking. Brazil, Haiti, Jamaica and other Caribbean-basin countries also have their practices, which sometimes resemble and sometimes differ radically from the way Lucumi practitioners do things. Some people incorporate Spiritism into their practices, others don't. Even among those who identify as Lucumí, there will be disagreements and differences about how things are done in one rama (lineage) versus another. There's common ground, but also a lot of gray areas that confuse people who want to understand what the religion is all about. Most people will ultimately fall back on the line, "This is what I learned from my godparent, so this is how I do things." And, when you ask a question, many will tell you: "Ask your godparent." If you don't have a godparent, you don't know where to begin.

​This is the reality of the situation today, and there's not much we can do to change it. Any attempt to create a directory or catalogue of services is full of problems. Who can check to be sure that the Olorisha or Babalawo is really who he says he is? How do we know he was really initiated? How do we know he's honest? If we don't know the person, how can we vouch for him? Some Olorishas refuse to make recommendations to people they don't know, worried that if things go wrong, they'll be blamed. The element of trust is lacking, and we know that there are charlatans out there. We don't want to hand people over to someone who'll abuse them. At the same time, if we don't know the person who is asking for help, we have no way of knowing if the person is sincere or not. The person may be mentally ill or dangerous, and if we send him to see someone we know, we might cause problems for our religious brethren.
 
The best advice for newcomers is to be patient. Keep your eyes and ears open. Send your intentions out into the universe. Talk to people you meet about your interest in the religion. When you least expect it, you might find someone who can help you. Use care if you're going online to search for a spiritual guide. You might meet helpful and kind people on line, or you might meet a hustler. If you live in a place with a lot of cultural events, attend those that have to do with African and Afro-Caribbean music and art. If you can take a class on African or Afro-Caribbean culture, again, you might meet someone. The point is you never know where you'll find the person who can help you. It might take years, and you have to be patient.  If you're able to go to Cuba, you can speed up the process because it's easy to find people there in the religion. However, unless you know the culture well, speak Spanish, and have connections to people you trust, you can also open yourself up to fraud.  There's no easy path if you don't know where the first step is, but you need to keep looking without letting yourself become frustrated in the process.

​I'm prompted to write about this topic because of news stories that crop up from time to time, exposing "santeria priests" who sexually abuse women coming to them for help.  Sadly, this kind of thing happens in every religion, but because ours in not well known or well understood in mainstream culture, there's a lot of room for misunderstanding and abuse to take place.
 
First, let's be clear:  Anyone who has been initiated in this religion has a moral imperative not to engage in sexual relations with someone who comes looking for spiritual guidance or help.  Those who offer readings, spiritual cleansings, or religious ceremonies to people can't look at those people as potential sex partners. Whether you dress it up in romance and say it's "love," or call it a sexual urge that's too strong to ignore, it's wrong.  The babalawo or olorisha (santero) addressing the person's problem needs to behave in a professional way, which means you do something to keep an objective distance, you focus on the person's problems, and you don't do anything that will make them feel vulnerable and exposed.  People who are in despair and desperate for solutions will often act against their better judgment. If they feel trapped in a situation that's unbearable, they'll accept any solution to get out of it. The priest who claims that performing sexual acts will rid the woman of her problems is not only lying, he's abusing his power over the woman in that situation to put her under duress. She may feel she can't say "no" because he's made her believe that her future good luck and well being depend on doing what he says. Religious leaders in any religion can be unscrupulous and manipulative people, but Santería is enveloped in mystery in the popular imagination, giving Santeros and Babalawos even more power over people by confusing what they do with the supernatural. Will he do witchcraft against you if you don't obey? Will he put a spell on you? Spiritual advisors can make people feel fearful of the unknown and, thus, manipulate them into giving them money or doing sexual favors. This is just plain wrong in any religion, including ours.

Some priests take a more subtle approach and cultivate godchildren with the intent of having a sexual relationship with them. Initially, the relationship may seem to be legitimate, based on spirituality and a true interest in the religion. But, over time, the flirting turns into seduction, and the seduction leads to sex.  Often, the woman who falls in love with her godfather will say that it was meant to be, it's love, they couldn't resist the temptation. However, too often, it's just part of a pattern that's repeated again and again. The godfather goes from woman to woman, using each one and discarding her later, as a way to show sexual prowess or, in many cases, make money from the women, who agree to undergo different religious ceremonies that are expensive and perhaps not even necessary.  
 
It's forbidden in our religion for godparents and godchildren to have sexual relations. Period. Does it happen anyway? Absolutely. But, that doesn't make it right. There are several very good reasons for this taboo to be in place. First, there's a power imbalance between godparent and godchild. The godparent is the one who has authority, knowledge, aché, the ability to make things happen for the godchild. He should be completely focused on the godchild's well being and spiritual evolution. Sex complicates that process because the dynamic between people changes when they are lovers.  Through consultas, the godparent gains tremendous insight into the person's character and situation. He becomes aware of weaknesses and vulnerabilities that he could use, if he so chooses, to manipulate the person into making decisions that could be counter-productive for the godchild's progress.  Or, these insights can create problems in the personal relationship that, in turn, create conflict in the religious relationship. There are odu that speak about lying and cheating, for example. What if this information comes out in an odu during a reading taking place beween a godparent and godchild who also happen to be lovers? Common sense dictates that someone who is romantically and sexually involved with a person not do readings for that person. Objectivity is missing, and the insights that come from the reading can be used to manipulate the relationship in unhealthy ways.

When someone makes Ocha (is fully initiated in the religion), they're literally reborn in the process and the godparent "gives birth" to them as future olorishas. The godparent becomes the ocha family of that person, and his ancestors become part of your religious family. You have ocha brothers and sisters, those who have the same godparent as you.  As in most religions, there's a taboo against incest. Having sex with someone who is your "parent" is wrong.  The Lucumi religion operates much as a clan society does. We form lineages. We have close ties to those who belong to the same lineage. We work together as a group, as a family. This is a relationship for life. We can't have people hooking up in sexual relationships and then breaking up, and then hooking up with someone else in the same group. That leads to disharmony and conflict.  Many ocha houses have been ripped apart by romantic and sexual relationships that didn't work out. People leave the godparent's house and end up with no one to guide them spiritually. They become orphans. Many problems can be avoided if people use a little common sense and avoid complications that will bring trouble into the house. Keep the relationship one of family, parents and children, brothers and sisters. Look for sexual partners elsewhere.

What happens if there is sexual tension between people? We're human, and it will happen from time to time. Ethically, when a diviner feels a strong sexual attraction to the person he's divining for, he should excuse himself, withdraw, and find another diviner to help that person. If he removes himself from the equation early on, and no spiritual connection exists between him and the one seeking the consulta, he's free to act on his feelings as an ordinary person would. Flirt, make a date, go out, but do it as an ordinary man, not as a priest. Don't use your religious connection to impress or control the one you're dating.  As soon as the diviner becomes aware of sexual tension, decide how to handle it. If you want to pursue it, withdraw as the person's spiritual advisor. If you want to continue as their spiritual advisor, get a handle on the situation and put a definite end to any flirtations, make it abundantly clear that nothing will happen, even if the one seeking advice makes sexual overtures toward you. Keep it professional.

That's one reason why I usually advise people to take time to get to know someone well before entering into the godparent relationship. If there's going to be a romance, it should happen before the godparent-godchild relationship develops, when there's still time to find a different godparent. If you're going to fall in love with your spiritual advisor, he can't be your spiritual advisor anymore. You need someone who can be more objective with you.  Once you have entered into the godparent-godchild relationship, it's the moral imperative of both parties to keep the relationship free of sex. Look for sex outside that relationship, and do all you can to control urges to act on sexual feelings toward each other.  People who see psychotherapists often develop powerful "crushes" on the one who is helping them, and the same thing is true in religion.  For the same reason you shouldn't have sex with your therapist, you shouldn't have sex with your spiritual advisor or godparent. 

The Lucumi religion has nothing against sex in general, and doesn't consider it a sin to have sex. People are free to express their sexuality in any way they like, just not with their ocha family members and especially not with the godparent.  A healthy sex life is part of a person's general well-being. But, because sexual and romantic relationships are complex and fraught with potential conflict, they don't belong inside the ocha family.

If you go to someone for a consulta and he asks you to have sex as part of a religious ceremony, know that this is absolutely not ok. It's not a legitimate practice. Walk away. Report him to the authorities as a sexual predator. If you are shopping around for a godparent, steer away from anyone who's flirting with you, trying to seduce you, or who has a reputation for having sex with godchildren.  It's not in your best interest to be around that person. If you have a godfather who is pressuring you in any way to have sex with him, speak to some of the elders in your community and ask for their advice. Don't give in to demands because you feel afraid or intimidated. Look for someone to support you, and confront the godparent to discuss the problem.

​There's a lot of confusion about "the letter of the year" because different versions circulate on the internet these days. For people who aren't in the religion and don't understand the practice, the logical question is: which one applies to me? People also wonder: what importance, if any, does it have for me, and where does this custom come from? What am I supposed to do with the information?

First, it's important to understand that the letter of the year is not like fortune telling or a horoscope prediction for the year. To "take out" the letter of the year is a religious ceremony done by a group of babalawos (Ifa priests) who consult Orula to determine what Odu (letra, letter or sign) will influence the energy that comes to us during the year. It's traditionally done on the evening of December 31. This is generally a community event where babalawos, olorishas ("santeros" or Orisha priests and priestesses), aleyos (people who are not initiated but interested in the religion) and family members come together to await the news. After the primary Odu is determined, the babalawos gather other information such as who the ruling Orishas are for the year, what kind of ebo (offering or sacrifice) needs to be done, and what other Odus are "witnesses" or will have some influence during the year. Based on their knowledge of Odu, its orientation and its meaning, they then interpret the "letra del año" for the general community and offer advice. The proverbs complement that advice and are used in Odu interpretation to explain the general nature of each Odu.
 
The first part of any letra del año will offer information that is primarily used by initiated priests and priestesses to take care of their religious obligations for the year, such as the herbs to be used in spiritual baths or cleansing ceremonies and the offerings to be made to different Orishas. Most of the language used here is in Lucumí ceremonial language (a variation on Yoruba) so it will not make sense to people who aren't familiar with it. For the most part, the general public doesn't need to be concerned about it.

​For most people, the most important aspects of the letra del año are the pieces of advice and the proverbs. These apply to everyone. They tell you what to focus on, what to avoid, what to reflect on, and offer general guidance about how to handle situations that present themselves during the year. These are meant for analysis and reflection. People are encouraged to talk about the information and consider how it can be used in their own lives. If you have a godparent in the religion, you would have conversations with your godparent about the letra del año and you would clarify any doubts you have about it. If you don't have a godparent, you can still reflect on the advice and apply it as you see fit. Most of it is common sense and not hard to understand.
 
So, which letra del año applies to you? If you belong to a religious house and have a godparent, you'll follow the letra del año that your godparent indicates is best for you. Some people are attached to a particular letra del año by geographical location - if you live in Miami, you go by the Miami letra - and some people are attached to a letra by their religious affiliation with a particular lineage - I made Ocha in Palmira, Cuba, so that's the letra I go by, regardless of where I live. There is really no "right" or "wrong" way to apply the letra del año. Some people look at several of them and try to find common threads. Others prefer to stick to one and ignore the others.

​In Cuba, the letra del año is traditionally done by Babalawos, via Ifa divination with Orula. There are communities around the world, however, where olorishas take out the letter of the year for their community. Whether it can only be done by babalawos, or also by olorishas, is a point that's hotly debated. My advice, if you are in doubt, is to follow the instructions of your godparent if you have one, and if you don't, you can safely choose any letra del año that's done by a long-established community of babalawos, such as the one from Palmira or the one from Havana. In Palmira, for example, babalawos have pulled the letter of the year without interruption each December 31, since the year 1927. Although it's not widely published and circulated outside of Cuba (due to the lack of technology on the island), it is a highly respected tradition, stemming back to the days when Tatá Gaitán and Cundo Sevilla, along with other famous babalawos, took out the letter together.
 
How does it apply to you? The letra del año isn't directed at any one individual so it's not a personalized reading. It describes the energy and the situation that an entire group of people may face during the year. You may be part of the group, or you may be an exception to it. Others may experience problems with health, but your health will be fine. Again, the letra del año is not fortune telling. It's not predicting that you, specifically, will get sick. But it says that there will be a likelihood of a specific kind of sickness or health problem in your community or in the world, for example, many bad cases of flu or an outbreak of an infectious disease. You should be aware of the possibility and take precautions - get a flu shot or see your doctor, wash your hands often- and you may not be exposed to anything, so you will be fine. But others around you will be sick. If you are forewarned that there is a tendency toward a certain kind of problem, you can take steps to avoid that problem in many cases.

​Some people get an individual reading for the year (a "consulta"), done by a babalawo or olorisha who is trained as a diviner. These will be much more specific to you, of course, and you can then dovetail what you learn from your individual reading with what the general letra del año says, to get a more explicit idea of what you might experience during the coming year.
 
In divination, all Odu will come with "osorbo" (obstacles, problems) or "iré" (blessings). This year, the letra del año from Palmira comes with osorbo. That's not to say the year will be terrible for everyone. The diviners offer remedies and advice for how to avoid problems, and if you make ebó and follow the advice, you may well be spared. Just because arguments and unrest are predicted for the general community, you don't have to be a part of that. If you maintain a cool head and act in a respectful way toward people, you can help yourself, your family, and your community overcome or avoid that problem. A year that comes with osorbo generally means we'll have to work harder and try harder to accomplish our goals, maintain good health, and find prosperity. It's not impossible, but it's not going to fall out of the sky and land in our lap. Many babalawos will tell you that when an Odu comes in iré (with blessings) people are overconfident that all is well and they let down their guard, they stop trying so hard, and they don't make their best effort. Iré can disappear in the blink of an eye. But when a sign comes in osorbo, people are more conscious of the need to do their part to overcome obstacles, they build stronger character and learn resistance, which can help them in the long run to have a better life.
 
Over the course of the next few weeks, I'm going to talk about some of the proverbs and patakis associated with this sign and how they might apply to our lives in the coming year. Check back!
 

​SOCIEDAD EL CRISTO
LETTER OF THE YEAR 2016
PALMIRA, CIENFUEGOS. CUBA
 
As we leave behind 2015, a year full of problems and conflicts that up until now have had no definitive solution, and in the midst of a worldwide economic crisis that seems to never end, the Sociedad El Cristo, with the participation of its members, family and godchildren of those awos who have passed away, and with the help of Ifá, our Orishas, and the Oluos and Santeros who were present, we received the following forecast (letter of the year 2016).
 
ODUN TOYALE :OFUN SHE
FIRST WITNESS:OTURA YEKU
SECOND WITNESS:OGUNDA ROSO
OSORBO EYO LOWO ARAYE ORULA ONIRE.
ONICHE ORULA SI,ALADIMU .ICHO.ÑAME.
OTAN.
 
GOVERNING ORISHA: Shango. Obi omi tuto,itana melli.
ACCOMPANIED BY Yemaya.7 palanquetas (peanut brittle)
Asia:(flag): rectangular flag, red and blue with white borders
EBBO for SANTEROS and ALEYOS: Osadie insu de leri ,ekueya,aguardo,bobo ashe.
EBBO MISI for SANTEROS and ALEYOS: Purslane.
COBORI ELEDA for SANTEROS and ALEYOS: Acara fun with raw milk
EBBO for OLUOS: Akuko, a length the height of the body, a length the height of the door of the house, opolopo owo
EBBO MISI for OLUOS: poplar
COBORI ELEDA for OLUOS: Eran Malu
EBBO MISI for the ILE: milk and cascarilla
GENERAL REMEDY FOR HEALTH :Sarayeye with etu at the foot of Shangó.
 
ADVICE
1-Be patient and remain calm as you wait for results from the work you've done.
2-Take care of natural resources, especially those having to do with water.
3-Religious people should wear a parrot feather to ward off embarrassing situations and the loss of memory.
4- Any advice we give or actions we take should only be done with the intention to help and not out of passion born from pride and vanity.
5-Take care with our appearance and practice good personal hygiene, especially in the cases of nursing mothers so they will not give stomach ailments to their babies when they are nursing.
6-Avoid acts of social and religious disobedience in children and godchildren to avoid fatal and tragic consequences. Disobedience costs people their lives.
7-Make sure doors and entrances to the house and business place are well secured to avoid theft and loss.
8-Be tolerant and don't act out of pride, don't take simple problems so seriously because unnecessary upset can cause problems in the nervous system, heart and intestines.
9-Use a crucifix as a relic.
10-Avoid vices and people who can lead us toward corruption.
11-Pay homage to San Lázaro frequently.
12-Plan to have repeated conversations with children and godchildren about sexuality and other life issues so you can give them advice and build trust with them.
13-Cut down on machista behavior.
14-Avoid domestic violence.
15-Be careful not to take the blame for things you didn't do.
16-Recognize the virtues in the people we are close to, and soften sharp behavior toward them.
17-Respect older people.
18-Dress correctly according to the places you go and activities you do.
19-Pay attention constantly to our children and godchildren, giving them advice and supporting them all in their decisions.
20-Avoid alcoholic beverages and other toxic substances in public places because they can lead to antisocial conduct.
21-Be careful with leftover food that has been left too long.
22-Be careful with people who are not initiated in the religion but they pass themselves off as religious people and act as false prophets (frauds)
23-Be careful of blackmail and some indecent proposal
24-Have your eyesight checked periodically.
25-Avoid doing excessive works (trabajos) with religious items
26-Only comprehension and listening will create unity between godchildren and godparents.
 
PROVERBS:
*Disobedience can cost you your life.
*He who gives bread to someone else's dog loses the bread and loses the dog.
*Don't expect results from things you never did.
*Living side by side with humble people refreshes the mind.
*The devil knows more because he's old, not because he's the devil.
*The ox that doesn't have a tail, only God can remove the flies from him.
*Tricks are paid back with more tricks.
*The one who goes around with a cat scratching his body all the time is just asking to be scratched.
 
THE SOCIEDAD EL CRISTO WISHES YOU EVERY HAPPINESS IN THE YEAR 2016, HERE'S HOPING THAT PROSPERITY, ENLIGHTENMENT AND HAPPINESS WILL REIGN IN OUR HOMES. THANK YOU.