Brujo Heal Thyself

We spiritual people like to help others but sometimes we need help ourselves. Don't be too stubborn to ask for help when you need it. Sometimes we need a vacation from helping others in order to re-charge ourselves. Don't be afraid to do this. Because of my empathic gift sometimes I get caught up worrying about others or getting too emotionally involved in their problems. It is good just to take a step back sometimes and take a ciesta to revitalize your energy and well being. Just some food for thought :)

Goddess of Love

On this New Moon, I ask the Universe for Love in its many beautiful forms, family love, friendship, romantic love and self-love.

"Come to me once more, and abate my torment;
Take the bitter care from my mind, and give me
All I long for; Lady, in all my battles
Fight as my comrade."
-Sappho: Hymn to Aphrodite

Let the Sun Shine...

After many rainy days in NYC, it looks like the sun is peeking out of the clouds. Just in time for Summer Solstice. It is also Father's Day, which I think is good, the sun in many cultures represents the paternal, masculine force. I'm wishing a Happy Father's Day to my own dad, even though we are not always close, he is still my father and I love him. Also to my older brother who became a dad for the first time this year to a lovely Oshun girl. I give thanks and honor to my grandfathers and forefathers on this day.
Tomorrow is a special New Moon. The moon will be closest in its orbit to the earth. This is a powerful day. Interesting how it falls right after the day of the Summer Solstice. The Solstice this year is on a Sunday (the sun's day) and Father's Day. The New Moon is on a Monday (moon's day). It is like the masculine and feminine Divine Forces are balanced in the Heavens. We need help from Big Daddy and Big Mama in this world.
This Solstice I'm feeling an Egyptian vibe. The Egyptians were big on sun worship. I think this Solstice/New Moon thing is very Horus and Hathor so I put their pictures above. Let the Sun and the Moon shine and bless us all!!

El Mar

Yesterday was Juneteenth, the day that commemorates when Union Soldiers in Galveston proclaimed that the Civil War had ended and slavery was abolished. For many African-Americans this day is a celebration of their African heritage and a day to honor the Ancestors and those who died in the Middle Passage.
The orisha Yemoja gained prominence in the Diaspora because of the Middle Passage. Many slaves jumped overboard and died rather than face a life of servitude, wanting to return to Guinen (Africa). The ones that survived gave thanks to Yemoja for getting them safe across the ocean. Now Yemoja back in Africa was a maternal goddess of the Ogun river and the lagoon just outside the ocean. Olokun was considered the god of the sea. In the New World because Yemoja was credited with helping those survive the horrible passage to the Americas, she was given greater prominence and honor. Yemoja then became the orisha of the the ocean and the Mother of all Life. In Brazil, Yemoja became a nation deity and there is a huge statue to her on the beaches of Sao Paolo.
The name Ye-mo-ja means Mothers whose children are fish. In Cuba and the Carribean she is Yemaya and in Brazil she is Iemanja, but she is the same wonderful Mother.
There are many aspects to Yemoja and she often gets stuck in this conception of a nurturing mother. She is very nurturing, however sometimes she is a warrior mother who will fight with a machete to defend the lives of her children. Sometimes she is a worker of magic, dwelling in the swamps and wharfs, rats delivering her messages and a snake wrapped around her. Sometimes she manifests as a sensual mermaid, looking at her beauty in her polished mirror of silver.
Slavery was a dark time in the history not only of the U.S. but throughout the Americas. The effects of this brutality still have echoing effects today. I think the 16th century in which the slave trade began and flourished was an oppressive time in general. In Europe, the Spanish Inquisition tortured Jews and Muslims, the Roman Inquisition did the same with heretics, In Protestant Northern Europe there was the same with the burning of witches and Jews. This is the mentality and activity the Europeans brought to the New World, with the slaughter of the Native Americans, the enslavement of Africans, and the rape of natural resources in the Americas. Native Americans and Africans had respect for the land and its spirits, the Europeans hungering for Gold, God, and Glory did not.
I think I want to make that previous paragraph part of a larger essay so I will get back to Yemaya. The daughters of Yemaya surround me in my life, I have many friends initiated to Yemaya in Lucumi and my godsiblings in my ile, the majority have Yemaya as their head orisha or their secondary.My goddaughter one day will be crowned Iemanja. My mom was read by my Pai as a child of Yemaya Ogunte, the warrior aspect of Yemaya and wielder of magic. That sounds like my mom :) Even before the reading I called her "The Filipino Yemaya"
So today I give thanks to the Mother of All Life, Yemaya, Iemanja, Yemoja, Queen of the Sea, protector of women and the family. She has blessed my life by putting so many of her beautiful children in to my life
Odoia Iemanja!! Omio Yemaya!!!

Forgiveness

When you withhold forgiveness from others, the Universe withholds from you. I've been focusing on forgiving others rather than reacting from anger. I've been meditating on Green Tara, the female boddhisatva of compassion. I've been asking her to help me to feel compassion even for those that are negative or just plain nuisances, lol. It was a meditation I learned from a tape about the Dark Goddess. The author China Galland had a devotion to Tara and the Black Madonna. Asking Tara to bless those with light, wisdom, and purification to those whom I may not like but have to deal with on a daily basis has had its rewards :)

OM TARE TU TARE TURE SVAHA

Freedom for Iran

I've been trying to follow the election results and its aftermath in Iran. Many are protesting that the election results have been tampered with.
The above image is of Anahita, an ancient Persian Goddess of water and fertility. She reminds me of the most ancient depictions of Artemis, "The Mistress of the Animals".
I pray that She blesses Iran and its people with peace and freedom.

Puerto Rican Day Festival

I went to the Puerto Rican day festival in Spanish Harlem (116th and 3rd Av) today.
Even the rain could not stop us from dancing to reggaeton, salsa and bachata. I saw four people with boa constrictors. Not a big fan of snakes but I was actually not bothered by them. I took a picture of the mosaic by Manuel Vega, a Puerto Rican artist and Candomble priest of Oxossi. He did another one of Yemaya in the same location. These two mosaics are located in the 110th street subway station on the 6 line. It is absolutely beautiful. Kao Kabiosille Shango!!!

Memorial for Stephen Tyrone Jones

My prayers and condolences for the family of Security Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns. May his soul rest in the peace, in the light of the Divine. He was murdered by an evil white racist, anti-semetic bastard at the Holocaust Museum yesterday.

It's horrible when an evil man snuffs out the light of someone's father/brother, son. I am sickened and saddened by the evil in this world

Chillin in El Barrio

I went to get a haircut today and go food/botanica shopping in Spanish Harlem. The neighborhood has changed over the years. Many of the big botanicas have closed leaving only four remaining in El Barrio. This neighborhood was once the center of Puerto Rican art, music, and culture. In many ways it still is. However due to gentrification, things are changing. The negative effects of gentrification are businesses and people are forced out of their stores or residences due to increasing rents. Also the new people moving in begin to look down on the original residence. This is the type of arrogance I can neither fathom nor stand for.
My motto of the day and my battle cry is There is nothing gentrified about gentrification!!!

The picture above is a photo I took of a mural located on 106th and Lexington Avenue. It is a mural of Pedro Pietri by artist James De La Vega.

Full Moon: June 2009

The Full Moon is in Sagittarius today opening life up to a realm of new possibilities.

For the month of June, I put this pic up of Hera/Juno-Goddess of Marriage (June weddings) women, the heavens, storms, and of course wife of Zeus/Jupiter.
Orphic Hymn to Juno

O Royal Juno [Hera] of majestic mien, aerial-form'd, divine, Jove's [Zeus'] blessed queen,
Thron'd in the bosom of cærulean air, the race of mortals is thy constant care.
The cooling gales thy pow'r alone inspires, which nourish life, which ev'ry life desires.
Mother of clouds and winds, from thee alone producing all things, mortal life is known:
All natures share thy temp'rament divine, and universal sway alone is thine.
With founding blasts of wind, the swelling sea and rolling rivers roar, when shook by thee.
Come, blessed Goddess, fam'd almighty queen, with aspect kind, rejoicing and serene.

Right Wing Politicians at it again

Gingrich and Huckabee claim America is surrounded by Paganism

Well Mr. Gingrich and Mr. Huckabee, America may not be a "Pagan" country but it sure isn't a fundamentalist Christian one. These two men make true Christians look bad.

Osun song from Trinidad by Ella Andall

Osun by Ella Andall
from the Album Osun Bamise-copyright 2008

Lyrics
OLA N GA LA FILA FI OSUN
OLA N GA LA FILA FUN YEYE
OLA N GA LA FERE KAYERE
OSUN GA LA FILA FUN YEYE
The one who commands wealth like a crown is Osun
Wealth is commanded like a crown for my Mother
She commands wealth like our Mother's crown
TALADE OSUN, TALADE OLOMI (OSUN TALADE)
TALADE YEYE, TALADE OLODO
TALADE, TALADE, OLORI
OSE REMI KUMERE YEYE
Osun is the owner of the crown
The crown is benefiting the ruler of water
(Oshun owns the crown)
My Mother owns the crown,
the crown is benefiting the owner of the rivers
The one who owns the crown is the queen
We give thanks to my friend,
My Mother who makes good of blessings.
OSUN ME GBA IBEJI LO
IBEJI LO YEYE OSUN
OSUN ME GBA IBEJI LO
Osun take me so that I may have twins
Let twins come, Mother Osun
Osun take me so that I may have twins
OSUN ME BA IBEJI LO
IBEJI LO GUL OSUN
OSUN ME BA IBEJI LO
Osun helps me to have twins
May twins come Osun
Oshun helps me have twins.

Oshun and Shango Playlist

Oshun and Shango playlist from various artists

Oshun and Shango playlist

Opening the Gates to the Kingdom

Exu Laroie!!
I chose the orixa Exu's image to open up this new blog. He is the god of the crossroads and the messenger of Olorun (God) and the orixas.

I am using this blog to convey my various insights and musings in this wondrous and sometimes crazy world we live in
.
Feel free to comment.
~Dominick de Logunede

“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
~Paulo Coelho