Mambo's Musings

I stood in front of my so-called closet and sighed. It’s a heap. A jumble. A mess in plain English. Shoes tossed here and there, some things hung up, others tossed to the shelves. I really have to take charge and do something about this mess. Lucky for me, my Papa agreed.

We held our fet for Papa Legba this past Saturday. As always, he did a reading for the year that was a mix of both dread and delight. For this month, he pulled Ogoun Feray, the warrior who is invincible with metals. Ogoun is a restless, energetic energy and his children share this trait. they are the Energizer Bunnies of a temple — cleaning, cooking, washing, setting tables and supporting the mambo everywhere she goes. They positively explode with ideas, interests, desires and motivations. The challenge for Ogouns is to get all this stuff under control and focused. They are the Warriors of the world, wanting to be in charge, wanting to contribute and to be seen as a positive force for change. The challenge is getting the rest of the world to see this. All Ogouns seek acceptance, desiring to serve but be noticed for serving. But remember, that Ogoun is a team player. Ogoun takes his expression of warrior from the military. Soldiers operate as part of a unit (like a platoon or a company), though they stand as individuals within those categories. If you have Ogoun in your escort, or you are an Ogoun, then you would benefit from this strategy by becoming role model or a player/participant within a greater whole. Some examples are paths such as acting, a civil servant, a career counselor, a nurse or a teacher would allow that Ogoun energy to come forth is a in positive manner.

Ogoun can also be morose, brooding, angry or defensive when he’s not seen as a role model for good. There are stories of Ogoun hiding in the woods because he wasn’t appreciated for his gifts of magic and protection. People who carry Ogoun energy can find that same thing happening to them when things don’t go well. It’s okay to feel sorry for yourself on occasion — just so long as you recognize where it came from. But when the pity party goes on too long, then Ogoun’s negative energy is seeping in and you gotta shake it off and get back out into the world.

Feray’s energy this month will lend us all the needed and necessary push to get going. The winter is a tough month – it’s cold, we feel like hibernating. Not with Ogoun Feray you don’t! This is the time to do the internal projects, when its too cold to get outside. Clean out closets, take inventory, do your taxes, set up filing systems, get organized, get streamlined and get busy! You’ll feel better if you get the house in order this month. Pour water for Ogoun and sing. Scrub those floors, wipe down the counters and partake of his great ashe. You’ll feel better and your house will show it too.

We manifest on the outside of ourselves, what we carry on the inside of ourselves. Go take a close look at your bedroom closet and see if a little Ogoun energy won’t go a long way in your life!

Mambo Vye Zo pouring water to welcome the Lwa

So we’re serving Azaka this weekend, and of course, we have water issues. Not little ones either — no, big ones like the sewer main flooding the basement. A call to the township got the streets people to come check the main (clear), so now I have spend money on a plumber to clear the line to the street. Great. What’s with all this water when the Lwa are coming? I was really hoping we had physically moved past this, but alas it seems we have not. Perhaps, it is a sign of things to come — like a storm wave of spirits about to descend on the houmfort.

Water is the fluid of the psyche, the medium by which we receive and give offerings in service. Water is the first offering of life — we are basically little fish swimming in our mother’s belly’s then swoosh — a tsunami bring us into the world. It’s no wonder to me that we spend time at the beach staring out over the waves — their rhythmic susuruss helping to soothe our work shattered nerves. It is the fluid of life that flows around us and in us, bring our own messages of life to the world around us. But really, I could do with a had written note, if its that important and less with the implied flood that now threatens my pristine temple — that I just clean, washed, repainted and set for service on Saturday!

But I want to think about this tidal push that happens when ever we serve the Lwa. And always when we are confronted with multiple tasks, multiple arrivals and a multitude of visitors coming. It’s not due to space (there are four bathrooms, with a fifth planned to handle overflow). Perhaps, it is the volume of spirits that come, who all must have a space on the tides that flow through here. And like any overloaded boat, the displacement creates a physical presence in the temple. Wow — what a concept. Boat loads of spirits who are approaching like an incoming surge. We have our own levies to worry about now.

In Vodou service, we open by pouring water in the four directions, creating a virtual channel by which the spirits can come to our temple and be with us in service. Am I to surmise that the river flowing through my basement is about to bring a luxury liner of Lwa to the fet on Saturday? Hmmm.. best revisit my shopping lists again — guess I am going to need more food — corporeal or otherwise.

We’re exiting the liminal times. I see more and more people doing new things that think outside the box. New gardens being planned around new ideas, like recycling and re-using. New lives being lived through jobs and relationships. It’s exciting and engaging. The news from Egypt is very heartening. We are not alone in our quest for peace, solidarity and unity. Let the old guard die, its time for change. Big changes, like the Mayan calendar seems to predict. I don’t think the calendar will end in 2012. The planet was here for a billion years before we arrived. I am sure it will be here for another billion after we’re gone. But perhaps, the way we live will change. In fact, I am quite sure of that piece of the puzzle. I have been seeing it already happen.

The houngan works in corporate America (surely the most godless place on earth…). And yet, it has been a remarkably fluid place for the past ten years. As he has traveled along the corporate road, I’ve seen it go from a daily commute down the Blue Route into his office, to a daily walk up the stairs into our library. One in town, four at home. He’s happier, the boss is happier. It’s a win-win. I also see this as a trend for many types of businesses. If gas is really going to hit five bills a gallon in ’12, we’re going to have to think outside the box for work. We are solidly middle class, with good jobs. What does the BeniHouliDay worker do, when filling the gas tank requires two weeks salary? How does that strata of the public make do? I feel we should double our effort to help those less fortunate than ourselves. It is my job as a manbo to help those in my sosyete — in fact, I am obligated to do so and gladly comply. But I want to reach out into the world around me as well. And there is the Marasa’s touch again. We asked the membership to bring food for a local soup kitchen that runs a kids after-school program. Everyone complied and then some. It just goes to show that even a small group of determined people can make a difference. I lit Legba’s candles this morning and said thank you Papa for bring me such wonderful friends and companions. Their generosity is overwhelming.

We opened the weekend with a deep discussion of the sacred Twins and their work. Envisioned as the Catholic saints Cosmos and Damian, we talked about the Marasa in the world today. Someone brought up Egypt and how the people there linked hands to protect the museum. I saw that as act of the Marasa, a doubling of the people’s efforts to protect what was their heritage from the onslaught of the non-thinkers int he group. A very moving example of unity — one of the Twins great gifts.

We held a Vodou boot camp on tokay and salutes. Then, we served the Marasa with love and prayers. Double the energy, double the fun. The night was thick with songs, the drums and dances fast, the Spirits ready and willing to engage with us. As the Lwa descended and we ascended, the message that came through over and over was one of unity, solidarity and companionship. We scattered corneal across the floor with our dancing feet, we sang lustily into the night and when the last Gede departed, we sat in awe of our efforts. The energy of the night was a mirror of the news and the world around us. Again and again, I saw servitors run for comrades felled by the hand of the Lwa. Hounsi great and small fetched cold towels, bottles of water and plates of food. And when all was done, many hands made light work of the night’s efforts. Again, the Marasa motivating all to pitch in. I found a pristine temple this morning. I give thanks.

I think the Marasa are moving among us these days, giving their great magical blessings to all of our work. Double means just that — twice the work, twice the efforts, twice the reward. I look forward to reaping my harvest in the coming months. It will make all that we do now feel worth the effort.