THE VOCABULARY OF THE SANCISTA, ESPIRITISTA. AND EL BRUJO.

THE VOCABULARY OF THE SANCISTA, ESPIRITISTA. AND EL BRUJO.A

Many people from Latin America seam to find great pleasure in making fun of how Puerto Rican people speak the Castillian Spanish language. Our Rs are pronounced with a deep throat "ccrr" instead of the romantic well pronounced Spanish twisting of the tongue and many words such as 'Bicho' (un pene), a male genital part is actually a bug. Or a 'Guagua" (autobus) which we call a bus is a long orange and black worm. We also break down words such as sentado, to be seated we say sentao. Or callado we say callao a sucker is a mamao, Mama is mai or mami, and papa is pai or papi. While the rest of Latin America says frijoles for beans, we say abichuelas, or we say "una china" for both the orange fruit and the color, while the rest say naranja or naranjado.

In Puerto Rico, curse words are unique to the island and the Caribbean, words such as Coño, Carajo, and Puñeta, which I am not even going to translate here. The word Eh Ah Rayo, or Acho Meng are very Puerto Rican meaning damn or damn it. To place a whole vocabulary of Puerto Rican words one would need a.dictionary on the Boriqua dialect

What people from the rest of Latin America fail to understand is that the Puerto Rican dialect is not just Castillian, it is a mixture of four languages, Spanish, African, Taino and recently English, thus creating a Creole Spanish dialect. The span-glish word "Rufo" is a cealing of the home, while the.rest of Latin America says un techo. One must understand once and for all that the common Puerto Rican person speaks, Jibarao, borinqueño or creollo, with the exception of San Juan the capitol which speaks a more proper Spanish than those who live in rural areas. In general most boriquas have not spoken the kings, queens, or who ever was ruling Spain and the islands at the time, since the late 1400 and early 1500 hundreds, when the Spanish Conquistadors raped the Taino and African women and spawned the first meztiso and mulatto offsprings.

I love my brothers and sisters from Latin America, many of my clients, are from these beautiful countries. And although I'm usually a mild mannered individual, those who know me well, know I have the typical Puerto Rican jenio, which is quick to turn "Like Jesus Christ at the Temple Market," when offended. (Como Jesucristo en la marketa del templo) One of my abuelas proverbs." But this is not what this blog is about. Although one must understand, my first and greatest spiritual teachers where my mother, aunts and Grandmother, and we Puerto Ricans teach and learn through our experiences. So with this said, and removed from my system, on to the reason of this blog.

The Spiritual language used in Puerto Rico is as unique as the language of the island it comes from. The words we often use in Puerto Rican spirituality, and the Spanish speaking Caribbean island in general can be used to mean a different thing in other spanish speaking countries. Following is an index of spiritual words used in Brujeria, Espiritismo, and Sanse, on the island and in the mainland where Puerto Rican migrated to, as well as other spanish speaking Caribbean island. Note, that not all words or phrases could be added, it would make this list a bit to big. The reason I am including this list on my blog, is because many times I will use these words in my blogs Enjoy.

ahijada: Apprentices, god children.

Aprendiz: apprentice, someone learning the trade from his or her elders.

Asi Sea: So be it.

Ataque: An attack or convolution, when a person has a strong panic attack caused by stress or malignant forces. Usually people surround the person suffering el ataque and ground them and comfort them by praying and placing their hands on the shoulders, arms or hands.

Bajar - Bajando: A term used when the spirits or saints come down and join a seance or misa.

Bajon - un Bajon: A spiritual heaviness a feeling of weakness, a bajon usually is a sign of a comming depression caused by malignant forces.

Bendicion: A formal greeting of benediction to one's elders, parents, aunts, uncles, spiritual teacher, godparents, asking for their blessings. A 'bendicion' is always followed by the elder blessing a person by saying. "Que Papa Dios, la Virgen y tus Santos te ampare y gien."

Bochinches: Malicious gossip a person who talks bochinches is known as a Bochinchero or Bochinchera, or Bochinchoso. Gossip with the intent to harm another.

Cadena Espiritual: A spiritual link, or chain, created by espiritistas holding hands in a Session. Also a spirit or saint of a hierarchy that has a blood line connection with a person, a descendant.



Cascarilla: A ritual chalk made of ground white egg shells, sold in botanicas, used to draw protective crosses, circles, and firmas.

Casilla: A Vessel, What a spirit often calles the body it has possessed or taken over, also known as El Caballo, or a Banco.

Causas: A spiritual discomfort, ailment or disease caused by witchcraft or sorcery

Centinella: Principal Guide or Messenger

Centro Espiritual: Spiritual Center ususlly an old store, basement, chapel or a garage where Spiritists and the congregation gather.

Charlatan: A charlatan is a person who takes advantages of others.

Choque - Un Choque: A crash, to be physically pushed or jerked around by malignant forces.

Circulo de Oracion o plageria: A prayer circle

Cojer Muertos: Grabbing the dead in a trance. Or grabbing the attention of ghosts or spirits.

Collares: A beaded necklaces infused with the powers of saints and the dead for spiritual protection, in Santeria they are known as Elekes.

Consulta: Spiritual consultation usually a divination session involving, Spanish playing cards, tarot, cigar smoke, coconut, or an egg.

Corrientes: Vibes viewed as an electrical current, and representing the spiritual world., Spiritual Forces. Currents. The feeling one gets when a spirit is touching them or behind their shoulder. The raising of the hairs behind ones neck or arms.

Crusado: A Hex, a crossed condition, can refer to love spells, or a crossed condition.

Cuadro Espiritual: The Spiritual Frame a group of spirits who aids a person in life. See 21 Commisiones.

Darle Luz: To give light to a spirit.

Demońos: Souls of Spirits that have never lived a incarnate existence, usually but not always malicious and malignant. Demons.

Desenredar: Disentangle, meaning breaking a chain a curse or a love spell.

Despojo: A spiritual cleansing, done through a bath, the smoke of a cigar, incense, eggs, or shrubs of healing plants, or flowers.

El Don: Spiritual Abilities. See also Facultades.


Enbajada;  Term used when Spirits come down.

Embasador: The Medium who conducts the Seanse, or Misas.

Enbrujado: To be under a spell, enchanted.

Enhechizado: To be under powerful black magic, or sorcery.

Escalera Espiritual: The spiritual latter a spirit must take before becoming an enlightened Soul.

Ensalao / Salar: To curse. Or to be cursed, to be under spiritual attack.

Espiritista: A follower of Espiritismo, also called an Espirita.

Espiritismo: The spiritual belief that humans can communicate with the dimension of the Spirit.

Espiritu Burlon: A mischievous entity the plays mind games and causes confusion.

Espiritu Intranquilo. Intranquil Spirits.

Evidencias: Evidence divined during spirit possession, revealing the type of sorcery or black magic used against a person.

Facultades: Spiritual Faculties, abilities, and talents to communicate with the spirit world. Spiritual Gifts, knowledge and wisdom.

Fiesta Espiritual: Spiritual Feast. A Fiesta Espiritual is a feast with music and dancing, where the Seres and Misterios are invoked and take over Mediums and Brujos bodies when they are in a trance.

Fluidos: Spiritual fluids, the electric feeling or the standing of the hair when one feels the vibrations of a spiritual force. Also the water that is placed in goblets on altars to give Spirits clarity into the material world.

Fuente, La Funente: Large clear glass bowl filled with holy water to cleanse, purify, and place negative vibrations of a person with a causa.

Fuente Espiritual: A large clear glass bowl of water used to give the spirits clarity and vision in the material plain of existence.

Frontera, La Frontera: the spirit frontier, the realm of Ghosts and Earth bound spirits

Guias, Guias Espirituales: Spiritual Guides, see 21 Commisiones

Guia Princial: Principal Guide or Messenger, Centinella.

Hechizero / a: A powerful sorcerer or sorceress who uses necromancy to cause malignant spiritual forces or demons to cause harm to others.

La Mesa Blanca: A Puerto Rican altar to ones ancestors or their dead relatives. It is also the name for Puerto Rican Spiritism. The Mesa Blanca is covered by a white table cloth, with one large Fuente Espirituales in the center, flowers, and images of the dead. The Mesa Blanca is also known as La Boveda but the boveda also includes images of Seres, and Guias, And decorated with 9 fuente goblets, and 9 different colored paños. 9 being the number of the dead.

Las Commisiones: A group of spirits, see 21 Courts of Puerto Rican Espiritismo

Las Novenas: A prayer session performed one day after a persons burial, to give light to the spirit of the recently departed to aid the spirit so that it may elevate into the light.

La Obra: Spiritual work, folk magic, herbalism, ancestral veneration, divination, spiritual cleansing, ect.

La Sesion: Seance, a gathering around a table where prayers are said in order to communicate with the Spirit world.

Los Siete JEFES. Similar to the Seven African Powers. See Los Siete Jefes.

Levantar Causas: To remove a curse, to lift a bewitchment.

Los Antepasados: The ancestors, spirits of ones bloodline.

Los Misterios: The mysteries of higher spirits that can never be completely comprehended by the living.

Los Muertos: The Dead, usually in reference to the recently departed.

Los Seres: lower ranking souls in the spiritual hierarchy.

Magia Negra: Black Magic

Mal de Ojo: The Evil Eye. A spiritual illness caused by jealousy or a spiteful glance. A material object canvalso receive el mal de ojo such as belongings or properties.



Media Unidad;  Half Unit, meaning being in a state of half possesion when doing spiritual work.

Mediamidad de Mano Derecha: Usually a female who sits on the right hand of a Presidente de Mesa and is the first to transmit information from the spirits, through tranc.
Misa Espiritual: Spiritual Mass where anyone can attend to receive messages from the Spirits and have a "causa' lifted.


Misterios;  The Spirits, the Orisha, or Loases

Montar: To be mounted, or possessed by a spirit during a Seance or a fiesta espiritual. Usually Saints and higher spirits mount a person.

Muertero: literary a Mortician or undertaker, but also associated with a Necromancer. One who practices necromancy. They are often grave robbers who use the bones of the dead to conjure earth bound spirits to perform magia negra.

Nicho: An altar made into a wall. Or a frame shelf that houses a Spirit or a Saint


Obra Espiritual;  Spiritual Work

Padrino / Madrina: A godfather, godmother a spiritual teacher, someone who baptised you, and helps you in growing spiritually.
Mission.

Pa Fuera: To remove, to get rid of.

Pases: healing with the hands, using the energy of the universe.

Paquetera / o: A person who is two faced with the intent to cause harm

Peticion: wish, plea, desire, petitions.

Picao: to be in a trance like state, in a spiritual euphoric state. Also Comfused or dazzed, also in a drug induced state caused by black magic.

Plageria: a prayer or a plea asking for the help of God, the Virgin, saints and other spirits in times of great distress.

Presidente De Mes: President of the White Table. Elder Spiritist. The one who leads the Centro Espiritista.

Protecciones: Spirits that create a protective shield around a person

Pruebas: Trials by God and Spirits, testing an individuals forbearance while in the process of developing their faculties as an espiritista or brujo.

Salar: To curse. Or Ensalao to be cursed

Sanse: Puerto Rican spiritual movement, similar to Brazilian Umbanda.

Santerismo Boriqua: Is Puerto Rican Santeria. A hybrid religion mixing Puerto Rican Brujeria, Espiritismo and Cuban Santeria. In many ways a simplified version of Cuban Santería with less-complex rituals and an absence of priestly hierarchy, making it a more accessible religious form. In Santerismo their are no priestly ritual ceremonies. One receives various Bautismo ceremonies and the Collares, but the soperas, stones, and other Santeria paraphernalia are not a part of Santerismo. Usually the Saints and Muertos are received within prepared statues of that particular saint.

Santiguar: faith healing, folk healing, bone settler, To heal with prayer, holy water, and a crucifix.

Santiaguero /a: A faith healer who uses the powers of spoken prayers, holy water, crucifixes, and other religious items to heal others. Some also call on Saints and Spirits to help heal.

Sentao / Sentado en la mesa: A term used to mean to do spiritual work. One often hears a spirit say. Te quiero Sentao or sentado, meaning they wish you to be a medium, a brujo and work spiritually for the community.


Seres;  Los Seres, the beings the Spirits

Susto: Soul loss or fright caused by a traumatic experience during youth, a strong curse, or being bothered or tortured by evil spirits or demons.

Tableau Espiritual: Spiritual Altar with status, figurines, and fotos of various Saints, and spirits.

Transmicion Espiritual: Spiritual divination within a Session or velada in which the Spirits foretell the future or divine through the casilla, An Espiritista or Brujo in a trance fortelling future events

Toque, Un Toque: to knock on the entrance of an altar room 3 times as a sign of respect to the spirits. Asking permission of the spirits before entering sacred space. Also to be touched by a spirit. A toque also is a form spirits communicate with the living by raping on walls or other wooden materials.

Velacion / Velada: Candle Mass where the public is invited. A table is set for the Mediums. The head medium speaks to everyone pressent about a Causa or problem in their lives.

Velon / Velones: A 7 day candle used in spells or on altars. Velas are the names for candles in general or Candela.

Veinte y Uno Commisiones: Read blog post on the 21 Courts of Spirits.

Yerbao, En yerbao: To be poisoned by an herbal infusion. To be under a spell, in which herbs where used.

Yerbatero / Yerbero: Herbalist.

Hermano Brujo Luis