PUERTO RICAN SANCE SANSE

Puerto Rican Espiritista Templo

Templo Espiritsta y Sancista en el pueblo de Guynabo.  Templo de la mama de Mi vecina, Mama Chabela. Templo Fe Esperanza y Caridad, Espiritista Puerto Riquena, Templo Sanse y Espiritista. Fundado y Rejistrado en la Isla de Puerto Rico 1938

My neighboors, Mama Chabela's mothers Espiritista and Sanse Temple in Guaynabo Puerto Rico, Templo Fe Esperanza y Caridad, Founded 1938.

MIRRORING THE COSMIC TREE

MIRRORING THE COSMIC TREE

The Axis Mundi is the central pole of the universe,  it is where the energies of the Astral plane manifests itself into the realm of the material.   It connects the realm of the dead, with the realm of the living and into the realm of the Highly Elevated Spirits.  It connects Heaven, Earth and Hell, It connects all as would a spiders web.  The roots of the Tree or the Axis Mundi are life a magic mirror that reflects and mimicks its branches above and represents the many ancestral roads that lead you to whom you are today,  the trunk represents you now in the realm of the material, while the branches that reach out in every direction symbolize the many roads that your soul will take in this life and in the next, it also symbolizes your future descendants.  

Every culture make use of the Axis Mundi, and it is known as the cosmic axis, world axis, world pillar, columna cerului, center of the world, world tree, May pole, Palo Mallo, Palo de Muerto, Palo Mita, Poto Mitan, Totem Pole and so forth.   It is the World Tree, or the Tree of Life that symbolizes one's D.N.A and ones connection to everything and all, because all is of Bondye's, and all is connected in a cosmic dance, that swirls around the Cosmic Tree like a whirlwind which is represented by the Orisha, Oya and symbolize, life, death and rebirth.  Each root, each branch and the trunk symbolize the roads, and is governed by Legba, the leaves that sprout out or down are ruled by Dambala, and the tree in itself is Papa Loquo, "alive" Papa Boquo "dead" or one of his many children, Iroko, or the Great Penis that springs from the earth and resides wirhin the woods Gran Bwa Ile.   Within the roots one finds the Ancestors, the Dead, the Ghede, within each branch one finds the Lwa, the Orisha, the Misterios, while the trunk represents you and your connection to your past and to your future, to your dead and to your Angels   If you are part of a Haitian Voudou Sosyete than you will always honor infront of the Poto Mitan, and if you are a part of Palo Monte or Sanse you will have your Palo de Muerto, and if you are European Pagan, I am sure you have danced the May Pole in May.  The many colored ribbons we place on it represent the cosmic sperm of the Simbi, the waters "cosmic sperm" which trinkle from the heavens and into the womb of the Earth, which bring forth the magic of life, then death,  and into rebirth or reincarnation.   The bells placed at its roots or near the ground is a reminder to those earth bound or intranquilos Spirits, that it is sacred and the natural order and balance of the universe is under the control and watchful eye of Bondye Sambi or one of his many escorts, the Mysteries "Lwa". 

If you are a part of a Vodou Branch you will honor always before the central pole, you will honor your dead and the arrival of the Lwa.  If you are Native American you will dance infront of the Totem Pole, and if you are Athiest I am sure you have gone to the Town Square, or City Hall where a central Plaza sits with a Fountain of Water, a Pilar or a Statue of a great leader is placed, these are modern representations of the belief in the Axis Mundi.  If you live near a tree, honey, water, and palm oil is always poured at its roots, so that it will bring fortification, strength and ground you and strengthen your connection to your Spirits, and if you are Spiritual, you will never willingly poison or cut down a tree, as this will be like cutting the life force, the Ache, which brings abundance to your life. 

You will see people of all cultures tie ribbons, in yellow, blue or gold to symbolize a safe return or to celebrate a feast such as the Fourth of July.  If you are a part of a Palo Branch or Sanse you will soon recieve if you have not yet your Palo Mallo, (palo de muerto) and if you have not you can decorate a tree with multi colored ribbons and in Easter place colored eggs on its branches and white ribbons to bring forth the cosmic dance of the Simbi which will reflect like an image in a mirror, and bring forth abundance, health, and stability; not just for yourself, but for the earth, your ancestors and your Saints.

SANCISTA BRUJO LUIS

Servicio YEMAYA

Every year on September 7th and 8th we celebrate La Sirena, Yemaya and all her courts of the Oceans and Seas. Olokun, Agwe Tawollo,  We where lucky that on Saturday we got to do services to this 

beautiful Misterio Orisha on Saturday, following by a quiet Sunday for Cachita Tumbo who is the equivalent of Ochun,.  Here is the ceremony documented by photos, of what we could take.

Maria Tormenta and Sancista Brujo Luis blessing and cleansing the children. 

Sancista Brujo Luis 

MARIA TORMENTA y SANCISTA BRUJO LUIS

LA SONRISA DE LOS NIÑOS

MEDIA UNIDAD!!

Velando de la Materia.

SANCISTA BRUJO LUIS

SANSE PUERTO RICAN VODOU

Los Ghedes

El Mani de los Misterios

ESPIRITISMO 

LA MESA, LA BOVEDA

El Mani

y, Los Servicios y la Firma

Papa Lwa

TONY SANCISTA

Papa LWA

Sancista Manuel

Fluidos en los Fuentes

LOS FUENTES

Papa Lwa

SANCISTA BRUJO LUIS

SANCISTA BRUJO LUIS

y sus Ahijados en Sanse

La Sociedad

MANI, BOVEDA Y FIRMA

Los Misterios

de las 7 Diviciones del Panteon Sancista

CANDELINA LA MORENITA

CANDELINA LA MORENITA

CANDELINA SEDIFE

Candelina La Morenita is the wife of Papa Candelo, and the legends tell the tale that Candelina was pregnant and to have a child with no husband.  This during s time when it was taboo and punishable by death for an unwed woman to give birth to a child.

Candelina concealed her pregnancy for as long as she could, but soon her stomach grew, and her pregnancy was discovered.  Thus her punishment was set and she was to be burned alive at the stake with her unborn child. 

On the cold early February morning she was tied to the stake and wood were placed before her feet and the torch was brought.  Candelina looked up towards the arising morning sun and asked Gran Solier in the name of Bondye to save her and her unborn child from this unjust punishment, for she at the time was a virgin and had conceived through Divine intervention.  As the fire was set Candelo Sedife came upon the event, and was horrified at the sight.  He being the Loa master of fire, soften the heat beneath her feet and burned the ropes that bonded her hands.  Candelina jumped down and when the men who were to burn her began to call her an evil witch for using her sorcery to set herself free, where about to grab her, Candelo Sedife in a blaze of fire materialized before them, and shielded her.  This of course frightened the men, who ran for their lives.

Candelina being thankful embraced Papa Candelo, who at the time had never known the warmth of the embrace of a mortal woman as great as Candelina's, that he quickly feel deeply in love with her.

He took her to live in the cave of one of the eldest of the Candelos, Candelo Pelayo and they taught her the mysteries and magic of fire.  When the child was born she named him Candelito, and took on Candelo's name of Se Dife, "is of Fire" thus becoming knows as Candelina Se Dife, or in Spanish Candelina del Fuego. 

Candelina also known as Candelaria is a calm Metresa unlike her husband Candelo who is of raging fire that runs rampant upon the earth, her energy is calm as the flame of a candle, but one must take great care with her energy, because at any moment it can become as ferocious as Candelo's. 

She is synchronized with our Lady of Candlemas and her feast day is February, 2.  She enjoys everything in the color of red, such as red sweet wines, but also will drink beer, and as Candelo, she to enjoys tobacco, such as cigarettes and thin sweet cigars. Candelina is also known as a powerful witch, and she is the Loa that announces the coming spring,

CANDELARIA CANDELINA SEDIFE

NUESTRA SENORA DE LA CANDELARIA

PAPA CANDELO SEDIFE / CEDIFE

other articles by

 SANCISTA BRUJO LUIS

CACHITA TUMBO

BELIE BELCAN

PAPA LEGBA

ERSULI FREDA AND ERZULIE DANTOR

CENTINELA

BARON DEL CEMENTERIO

MARTA LA DOMINADORA

.

CENTINELA, EL GRAN SANSE / SANCE TRADITION

CENTINELA, EL GRAN SANSE

CENTINELA GUARDIAN OF

THE SANSE TRADITION

"Centinela Alerta?  Alerta Esta!"

When I began this blog a year and a half ago, one of the first articles I wrote about was on the importance of the Centinela as this Spirit and "Division" is viewed within the Sanse tradition.  A short while after I had come across a video on youtube about a person proclaiming, that their Madama, who in life was a Southern Baptist, was his alleged Centinela, and he proceded to say his Centinela's name for the world to know.  Now I never attack anyone, as this is not my nature, "unless in self defense" but I have to be responsible enough to fix the misinformation as would anyone who follows a tradition.

The video made me a bit confused because, one, a Madama / Madamas are not, nor were they ever in life Southern Baptist.   "Spain ruled the Latin Countries it colonized with an Iron fist and Catholicism was the dominant religion.  At the time when these woman lived, many where often Cuban woman of African descent who not only where followers of Catholicism in public, but also practiced their ancestral traditions in secrecy, these Madamas where Iyalocha "Santera" priestesses.  Any one caught practicing any religion out side Catholicism was deemed a heretic and was punished by death, this of course included any denomination of a Christian religion outside of the Roman Catholic doctrines, remember the Spanish Inquisition and its mindset came to the Americas with the Spaniards. It was not until the ending of the Spanish American war, and the independence of many of these Latin Countries from Spain, that other religious belief systems "often of African or Indigenous descent" as well as Spiritism and Brujeria and its folk branches came out from hiding and began to be practiced in the open.  Southern Baptist missionaries, Pentecostals and other Christian traditions where then introduced to these countries in the latter part of the 19th century and early years of the 20th century.  Often the people who began to follow these new religions were the Jibaro and Guajiro rural folk, as these traditions often shunned its nose from towns and cities of a more African population.

Know Madamas although some were Housemaids, most were respected midwives and healer woman who took care of the Spanish aristocratic white children, but the Afro Cuban Madamas were regarded in a similar fashion as the Voodoo Queens of New Orleans of old, who practiced Catholicism during the day and at night participated in outlawed rites and were highly respected within their African communities.  They were woman of authority, dignity, strength and pride, who as I have stated practiced Catholicism but also kept the African Religions of their ancestors alive.

I have noticed a trend in many American  practices where spirits that belong to La Morenas, Las Negras, and Las Congas are often being confused and grouped up as being one and the same, with las Madamas = plural or La Madama = singular.  "But those things are a part of Espiritismo Cruzado and Espiritismo Criolla, and another subject in itself.". As my Abuelita would say.  " en el mar hay peces de todos los colores." and "Cada cavesa es su mundo."
The Centinela as is viewed in Puerto Rican Sanse is the head Punto Spirit of our Cuadro Espiritual and very similar to the Haitian Vodou concept of the Spirit known as Gros Bon Ange "The Soul", while the Emisario "messenger" spirit that works under the Jefes of your Cuadro would fall under one of the Spirits of your Comisiones, such as a Madama, Gitana, an Indio, a Pirata, an Arabe, est, est, est, and this Guia which is also known as a Guia Prinicpal, represents the Consciousness or the voice of the Higher Self, which is also similar to the Ori in Lukumi Santeria.  The Centinela is like the voice of the Soul which is the human anamalistic drive and will.  Yes a Madama can be a Guia Principal of the cuadro espiritual, while a Sanse is the mouthpiece or messenger of the Misterio, and lastly the Centinela itself is the main punto and mouth piece of the whole.  "The collective higher consciousness."

Centinelas have their own Court or Comision as we call them in Sanse, Santerismo, Espiritismo Criollo, Folclorico or Espiritismo de La Caridad and other Espiritismo traditiones.  Now although some Comisiones can be found in all Espiritismo traditions, some have Comisiones or Courts that are not known or not as popular in another tradition, for example.  In Puerto Rican Sanse, and Espiritismo Criolla we have la Comision de los Sanse and La Comision de los Centinela.  These are not known in traditions such as Venezuela Espiritismo de Maria Lionza which has Corte de los Vikinga or Corte de los Malandra Calé, just as Cuban Espiritismo Cruzado or Espiritismo del Cordon has La Comision del Triangulo or Comisión de Santa Clara: which are not as popular or known in Puerto Rico or Venezuela.  Even in Puerto Rico itself, being a small island, Espiritismo traditions such as Evangélico Espiritista, and Trincadistas "which are similar to Trinidad and Tabago's Spiritual tradition known as Spiritual Baptists, has Guides that are not used in Sanse, Santerismo or Espiritismo Criollo / Folclorica.

Now back to my point, because I am jumping around.  One major important factor of ones Centinela is that one is taught by one's Padrino or Madrina, is that one never is to reveal ones Centinela's name to anyone or for that matter the identity of your Centinela in public, for this reason we often hide it or synchronize it with a Catholic Saint, such as Saint Sebastian, and use that name when we talk of our Centinela, to protect its true identity.  The Centinela is our private guardian and messenger, and his / her name is never revealed to anyone.  When we call Centinela by his/her true name, we do so in private, and use the term Centinela or the name San Sebastian or San Se for short in public.. Many Sancistas I know also call him, El Gran San Se, "the Great Ancestor".

FERIBUNDA

 

Everyone is born with a Centinela, and within Puerto Rican Sanse its name is revealed to an individual through a misa espiritual known as an Investigation de Cuadro.  Similar concepts of the Centinela can be found in Dominican 21 Division (often spelled Centinela or Sentinela) as well as Haitian Vodou, Gros Bon Ange and Ti Bon Ange.  Everything that is alive has a soul, and every thing that has a soul has Ache, and everything that has Ache has a Centinela, even Buen Dios has a Centinela, known as Simamayo Pie, Buen Centinela de Dios or Centinela de Bondye. which in Sanse is synchrenized with el Espiritu Santo or Saint Sebastian.  Under Buen Centinela de Dios resides Centinela Sangriñé, who has a Guede vuelta known as Guedé Sanguiñao or Ghede Sanguiñé and is synchronized with San Cipriano.  The Loa themselves have Centinelas, but these names "within Sanse" are not often revealed to an individual.  A well known Centinela who is also a Ghede is Feribunda who is the overseer of the Cemetery; he works closely with Ghede Cemitiel who is a Ghede that is viewed as the actual grounds of the Graveyards and Cemeteries, another vuelta for Feribunda is Guede Senche.  A darker fierce vuelta of Feribunda that is never worked in Sance is Baron Kriminel, who is a Ghuede with a mean temper.  Feribunda himself has four Centinela that guard the four corners of the Cemetery and work under El Baron del Cementerio, the Petro Division and the Ghuede.  Feribunda is always synchronized with a male Anima Sola.   Belie Belcan's  Centinela is known as Centinela Tribunal, some of the Ogun Loa work with Sentinela Tin Jan or Centinela Indio Juan, and the Gran Bwa have Sentinela Sabalo, other known Centinelas are Criminel, Sabalo, Zabalo, Kriminelo, Kriminel, Criminal, Tribunal, and the list goes on and on.  Although all that exists has a Centinela, the Centinela that are mostly widely known are those of the puntos of the Petro / Division Prieto / Negra.

While within Dominican, 21 Division Vudu "Vodoun" a Papa Boko and Mama Mambo can work with the Centinela of the 21 Division, in Sanse we do not.  We work with our own Centinela and respect those Centinela that work under the puntos of the Siete Jefes or the Siete Divisiones of our cuadro, even though most Sancistas are not revealed these Centinela's names.
The Centinela in themselves as are all Divisions, are a very complex group of Spirits.  In Sanse everyone is born with a set group of Misterio Spirits, and the Centinela make up one of these groups, and as one grows, more Misterios come into play.  This is the same with the Cuadro.
The Centinela are viewed differently in Dominican 21 Division as they would be viewed in Puerto Rican Sanse.  Sanse being a mixture of Vodou and Espiritismo Criollo work heavily on the Emisarios of the Misterios.  These Emisarios are the Messengers of the Loa and are the ones we generally work with and are the ones we call Los Sanse.  Many confuse Los Sanse with Los Antepasados "the blood ancestors" Los Muertos or Seres of the Comisiones or Cuadro Espiritual.  "Yes los Sanses are Muertos and Seres, and they are Ancestors but not necessarily of the blood line and yes in Sanse they have their own Comision but of a different level.  (A godfather's, godfather is your godfather, thus in death your ancestor.)  In life they where servitors of the Loa, and their wisdom and knowledge should be past on to you.

Now to make it a bit more complex the Centinela are Muertos and are a part of a Comision which in the Sanse tradition is a Division but not necessarily a Nation, (Nation as in an African Nation such as Fon, Ewe, Dahomey, Nago, Arara, Ibo Lele, Mayonbe, Wangol, Kongo, Makaya, Ghuede, Bantu, Togo,

Ogou, Angola, Ketu, est. ) and not all Centinela are Sanse as not all of them necessarily served a Loa in life, "many did, but not all".  Just as many Comisiones did not honor the Loa such as Los Arabes, Los Hindu, los Orientes and so forth.  Just as some Comisiones did such as las Madamas, los Congos and so forth. 

Unlike spirits from Comisiones which demonstrate many qualities of how they where in life, the Centinela as honored in Sanse do not come down as an Espiritu de materia.  They often manifest as spirits of radiant bright light, who seldom consume or partake of material offerings.  The Centinela are a bit above ones Muertos, but lower than the Nacion Ghuede but still of an equal vibration level,

"The Centinela and the Ghuede, the Yin and Yang", the natural dualities, female & male, dark & light, low & high, cold & hot, water & fire.", which makes them easily excesable to a Sancista.

The Centinela often are confused with the Sanse, which the latter "the Sanse" often come demonstrating traits and qualities of the Loa they represent, while ones Centinela does not.
A mane difference between Puerto Rican Sanse and Dominican Vodou, is that Puerto Rican Sanse also works with the Cuadro Espiritual, while Dominican 21 Division traditionally does not.  Thus in Sanse, ones Centinela becomes a messenger and guardian of one's Cuadro Espiritual as a whole, while in Dominican 21 Divisiones, that do not work with the Cuadro Espirituales,  the Centinela works for, and under the Loa, which in Sanse would be the task of of a Spirit from our Cuadro known as an Emisario that we call los Sanse.

Luke 23:42 – “Then he "Dismas the Good Thief" said, ‘Yeshua (Jesus), remember me when you come into your kingdom.’. Yeshua replied to him, ‘Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’”

In life Centinela where often thieves and sinners, who at the end of their life repented.  Buen Dios being a forgiving God, forgives their humanly sins and trespasses.  But unlike the Anima Sola, who must cleanse their humanly sins in Pergatory, the Centinelas did have the chance to repent at the last moment, and in order for these spirits to find elevation and forgiveness, must complete a spiritual mission, which is that of leading us into the right paths of spiritual evolution. Whether they complete the mission or not, at the end of our life, they often find elevation, into a higher form of being, or are assigned another mission that they must complete. They are our personal messengers, gate keepers, guardians, and work as tribunals, in the sense that they have the authority to speak for us in the celestial courts.  The Centinela are also our guardians against psychic and occult attacks, and can only protect us if we are willing enough to listen to their voices of reason and experience.  Who best to teach you not to follow the rocky path or be misguided by earthly desires and wants, then the very spirit who in life had the same experiences.

People have asked me, do people with mental disabilities, drug or alcohol addictions, murderers psychotic disorders and tendencies have a Centinela.  My answer is yes, although these individuals Cuadro Espiritual is weak, and often many Spirits do abandon the individual, for an individual who may need them more, or serve them better, leaving the individual accessible to lower and higher demons, it is these very people who need the help and support of their Centinela, Guardian Saint and Angel "Loa" the most, and it is those very spirits who never give up on the person, until their very last breath is exhaled.

READ PART ONE CLICK HERE
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CENTINELA PART 1

 

 

THE HANGED MAN

If one looks at the major arcana of the Tarot, one will see a close relationship or resemblance to the 21 major arcana with the 21 Divisiones, although there are 22 cards which number from 0 to 21. The four trumps or minor arcana as they are called can represent , Rada "Coins / Earth"  , Petro "Swords Fire", Agua Dulce "Cups / Water", and lastly probably Ghede or Legba "Clubs / Air", with a little minor abjustment on the suits.  But hey maybe that will be a future blog post that I will write about. Centinela as perceived in Sanse would be The Hanged Man from the Major arcana, card number XII "twelfth". The following description is from Aclectic Tarot, one if not the greatest resource on Tarot Cards ever compiled.

SANCISTA BRUJO LUIS

ACLECTIC TAROT

THE HANGED MAN

Basic Card Symbols

A man hanging by one foot from a bar or tree. His free leg is always bent to form an inverted "4," his face is always peaceful, never suffering. Sometimes his hands are bound, sometimes they dangle. Sometimes coins fall out of his pockets or hands.

The Fool settles beneath a tree, intent on finding his spiritual self. There he stays for nine days, without eating, barely moving. People pass by him, animals, clouds, the wind, the rain, the stars, sun and moon. On the ninth day, with no conscious thought of why, he climbs the tree and dangles from a branch upside down like a child. For a moment, he surrenders all that he is, wants, knows or cares about. Coins fall from his pockets and as he gazes down on them - seeing them not as money but only as round bits of metal.

It seems to him that his perspective of the world has completely changed, as if his inverted position has allowed him to dangle between the mundane world and the spiritual world, able to see both. It is a dazzling moment, dreamlike yet crystal clear.

Timeless as this moment of clarity seems, he realizes that it will not last. Very soon, he must right himself, but when he does, things will be different. He will have to act on what he's learned. For now, however, he just hangs, weightless as if underwater, observing, absorbing, seeing.

LA MADAMA IN MY COURT??

LA MADAMA, OR LA CONGA, IS NOT A CENTINELA, MANY PEOPLE WHO PRACTICE HOODOO AND HAVE NEVER PARTICIPATED IN ANYTHING HISPANIC OR ESPIRITISMO, OFTEN THINK EVERYTHING IS LA MADAMA.   OFTEN PLACING LA MADAMA NEXT TO STATUES OF MEXICAN SANTISIMA MUERTE, WHICH HAS REALLY NOTHING TO DO WITH, SANCE, SANTERISMO OR ESPIRITISMO CRIOLLO.