Chat January 16, 2007

[schweety] Waves to everyone
[simonegreenewpp] Waves back!
[echo868] Hi
[heavenbls5] Hi
[the3rdwish13] Hi
[schweety] *Does a little dance while we wait*
[Mambo Sam] Hello everyone, I am having a little bit of trouble... for
some reason, the chatroom on my screen is huge!! Like I am only seeing 1/4
of the chat room! So I am going to log out and log back in and see if that
helps. Be right back!
User Mambo Sam has logged out.
User Mambo Sam has entered this room.
[Mambo Sam] Okay, back to normal. That was really strange!
[Mambo Sam] Well, good evening every one, it is good to see you all here!
Tonight I wanted to pick up with our teaching on the Simbi Lwa,
particularly Simbi Andezo. If you remember, we talked about doing a ritual
to wrap up the petitions that you have sent in for the holiday ritual that
myself and the rest of the Voodoo family has been doing on your behalf.
[Mambo Sam] Or is that behalves? Hmmm... Anyway...
[simonegreenewpp] Beehives
[Candelaria] Halves make a whole. :-)
[ouanga_bottle] Behave
[Mambo Sam] Silly... Anyway....
[Mambo Sam] So we will be working with three of the family of Simbis:
Simbi Andezo, Simbi Dlo and Simbi Makaya.
[Mambo Sam] So tonight we will be talking about Simbi Andezo.

[Mambo Sam] Before we get completely started into that, first let’s talk
just a moment about the fact that these are Petro Lwa. I know we have
touched a bit in the past about the different between the Petro Lwa, the
Rada Lwa, and the Ghede Lwa being three distinctly different groups of
Lwa. For those of you who are not familiar with these groups, we will
discuss it very briefly tonight and you can look back on the transcripts
to see a more detailed discussion, plus we will discuss it in even more
detail as we progress along.

[Mambo Sam] Oh, let me digress a moment... about the transcripts. I am
currently making an index for the transcripts and will set them up on a
web page so that you can more easily access information. I think I might
have mentioned this before. So once that is all done, I will send out an
e-mail to all the chat participants so that you can access the transcripts
in a bit of a more organized fashion.
[Mambo Sam] Okay, so back to the subject at hand, anyway...

[Mambo Sam] I wanted to touch a bit on the Petro and Rada because it is
such a common myth that the Petro Lwa are the “darker, more malevolent
type of Lwa.” But that is not exactly true. Mostly the split between these
two groups comes from where they originated. They originated in two
totally different places — the Rada from Dahomey and the Petro from the
Kongo — now there are some exceptions to that and we can discuss that more
in depth at a later date. The point here is that you are basically dealing
with two different groups of people (when they were people) — with
different backgrounds, different cultures, etc.
[Mambo Sam] The easiest way to describe the difference between them is
that the Rada Lwa are cooler and the Petro Lwa are hotter. Additionally,
in some cases, the Petro Lwa are often seen as more taking “offensive”
action while the Rada Lwa are often seen as taking more “defensive”
action. It is a subject definitely for some study later on! But the Petro
Lwa are extremely wonderful to work with. They are fun, easy to excite,
and actually pretty easy to please as long as you know what it is they
want.

[Mambo Sam] Questions thus far, though I don’t want to get into too much
discussion about Petro/Rada, but we can talk about it briefly if you have
questions.
[ouanga_bottle] Question
[Mambo Sam] Yes, go ahead, please.
[ouanga_bottle] Can you please clarify what you mean by offensive vs
defensive in the context of asking for their help?
[Mambo Sam] I will go into it briefly. And offensive/defensive may not be
the best way of looking at it. However, the Petro Lwa have a tendency to
rush headlong into things.
[ouanga_bottle] I understand the role they played in the Haitian
revolution, and I have done the Makayan service asking for justice...
[Mambo Sam] Rada Lwa are more strategic, stopping to plan, and tend to be
maybe more organized. Rada is when cooler heads prevail. To me, they
complement each other. Sort of the ying and the yang of the world of
Voodoo. If that makes sense — sorry computer lag there...
[Destiny] ??
[ouanga_bottle] Sorta like the united nations style compared to preemptive
strike? ;-)
[Mambo Sam] Yeah, something like that! ;-)
[ouanga_bottle] Not that preemptive strike is a good example...
[Mambo Sam] Well, I know what you mean.... It is hard to describe the
difference sometimes, especially because it has been so romanticized. But
I think you get the idea.
[ouanga_bottle] Yes! Thank you!

[Mambo Sam] Destiny, go ahead please.
[Destiny] Is it true that an honest mistake will not anger a Rada Lwa, but
an honest mistake is not that easily forgiven by a Petro Lwa?
[Mambo Sam] Not necessarily. Honestly I feel all the Lwa have some degree
of understanding of a person making an honest mistake. And that can depend
upon whom you are working with. If you chose to work with a Lwa who is
TRULY known for a violent, angry temper (Bossou, for instance), then you
should know what you are doing. However, for most of the Lwa, I do find
that mistakes are either easily forgiven, or easily appeased. BUT, when
you have been a practitioner for awhile and you are doing service and have
been learning, then you will be expected to know more and do things more
properly.
[Destiny] oh I see, thank you!
[Mambo Sam] You are welcome!
[Mambo Sam] Anyone else?

[Mambo Sam] Okay, so as I had mentioned, I will be giving you all a ritual
to do that hopefully we will do together online or you can do it on your
own.
[Mambo Sam] So let’s talk for a minute about Simbi Andezo and what we will
need for working with him. The needs of the Simbi Lwa can be quite simple,
Andezo and Dlo especially, Makaya asks a bit more. But for Andezo you will
want to have a glass of fresh water (out of the tap is fine, but if you
want to get spring water, even better) and a glass of salted water (you
can salt it yourself or if you are lucky enough to be near the ocean, get
ocean water). Blue, white, and silver candles are lovely for Andezo.

[Mambo Sam] And speaking of annoying the Lwa... I have seen written many
times that Simbi Andezo is “made” when Simbi Dlo and Simbi Makaya join.
[Mambo Sam] Uh, what?
[Mambo Sam] Honestly, nothing could be further from the truth, don’t
believe it! Because Simbi Andezo is a completely different individual and
is honored as such.
[Mambo Sam] I think part of the problem comes from some interpretation of
Haitian Kreyol. The Kreyol word for water is “dlo.” So you see in songs
for Simbi Andezo the words “Simbi dlo.” But those are not songs for Simbi
Dlo. It means Simbi of the water or Simbi in two waters in some of the
songs. But people just see the word “dlo” and don’t know any Kreyol and
have a knee jerk reaction to thinking that those are songs for Simbi Dlo.
So most songs are listed for Simbi Andezo as such, when you see them.
However, people start to get confused when they see the dlo in there. I
will show you an example in a minute.
[Mambo Sam] Because the next important thing you want to know is that
Simbi Andezo is a very good friend of Ogoun Feraille’s. Simbi Andezo is
considered the patron and guardian of the coast. When Ogoun’s army needs
to march near the water or go to battle near the water, he will consult
with Simbi Andezo for the best way to do it. So you are going to see Ogoun
in the ritual that we will be doing as he is happy to bring his strength
and power to anything that Simbi Andezo is working with. Interestingly, I
have never seen any evidence or writings of Ogoun being close to any other
Simbi.

[Mambo Sam] So here is a song for Simbi Andezo

Simbi nan dlo, Simbi nan dlo, Simbi nan kay moin (x2)
Papa Ogoun sot nan Simbi nan dlo Simbi nan dlo, kay li.

Simbi (of the water), Simbi (of the water) stays in his house
Papa Ogoun went to visit with Simbi (of the water) Simbi (of the water),
stays in house.

[Mambo Sam] Sorry, I couldn’t get it to format correctly in the chat
window. However, you can see that it refers to “Simbi nan dlo” — that is
where some confusion definitely comes in. And so I put that in parentheses
just for illustrative purposes. It is not a song for Simbi Dlo and yet
anywhere other than Haiti I have heard this song dedicated to Simbi Dlo!
Of course, since it is their language, that doesn’t happen in Haiti.
[Mambo Sam] This song, of course, is showing the relationship between
Ogoun and Simbi where Ogoun is going to ask Simbi some advice; Ogoun goes
to battle, Simbi stays in the house! :-D
[Mambo Sam] So we will put that song in the transcript, of course, and use
it in the ritual. I know it is hard to do these songs with no tune.
However, if you just turn them into chants, or do something with a beat,
or even make up a tune, that is fine! It is really the words that count
and we sing to honor and call the Lwa. I don’t think they care that much
about the tune or even if you can sing on key!

[Mambo Sam] So we know we need two glasses of water, some candles, now we
know a song. :-) Right there you actually have enough to call on Simbi
Andezo.
[Mambo Sam] But there is another offering that I really like to give,
though I don’t actually know if it qualifies as an offering! :-D — it sort
of an environmental offering. I like to build a little habitat for Simbi
Andezo.
[Mambo Sam] A nice glass bowl or even a plastic one is fine. I put in
rocks, dirt, water, and some green plant if I can, or at least green
leaves. More water than the other stuff, but a nice bottom of dirt and
rocks and then some green plant stuff.
[Mambo Sam] I like for this to be clear so that I can see on all sides
because this can also work as a divining tool. Looking into the water,
around the sides, etc. I can tell you from experience that he really,
really likes this so feel free to use it anytime and when we list out the
ritual I will put that in there as a possible part of your altar that you
can use.
[simonegreenewpp] Like a fishbowl / aquarium?
[Mambo Sam] Sure, it could be a fishbowl, that would be great or an
aquarium. I have a big glass bowl that I use, but I think a fishbowl would
be great especially if you want to leave it dedicated to him and keep it
“active.”

[Mambo Sam] Okay, other questions about everything thus far?
[eveningstarmystic] ?
[Mambo Sam] Yes, Eveningstarmystic, go ahead, please.
[eveningstarmystic] Can we actually add fish to it? I used to keep fire
belly toads in just the same kind of set up
[Mambo Sam] I suppose you could..... hmmmm.... I don’t know, he might eat
them. Really. You might be better off using toads than fish.
[simonegreenewpp] ??
[eveningstarmystic] okay
[Mambo Sam] He would probably think the fish were an offering!
[ouanga_bottle] snort
[Mambo Sam] Unlike Agwe, Simbi Andezo will eat fish and it is an offering
that he likes.
[Candelaria] Mmmmmmm, fish...

[Mambo Sam] Yes, Simone. Go ahead, please.
[simonegreenewpp] I remember some kind of plants, ivy or something...
[Mambo Sam] Yep, they will grow in the water — ivy definitely will.
[simonegreenewpp] I’ve seen them in glass bowls with a few marbles to keep
them in place, mostly water and not much dirt.
[creaturefever] ?
[simonegreenewpp] That would work?
[Mambo Sam] For sure!
[Mambo Sam] That will work and you can keep it as a permanent offering.
[the3rdwish13] ?
[simonegreenewpp] Ok, thanks!

[Mambo Sam] You are welcome. Creaturefever and then 3rdwish.
[creaturefever] How about the water bamboo that is so popular these days
[Mambo Sam] I think that would work very nicely! Makes a nice dedication
to Simbi and no one is the wiser, like the ivy plants!
[the3rdwish13] I had the same question as Creaturefever
[Mambo Sam] I guess that water bamboo IS popular!
[Mambo Sam] So any other questions about what we have discussed thus far?
[simonegreenewpp] the stealth altar...
[Mambo Sam] LOL, right! So many people need the stealth altar!
[ouanga_bottle] Just like my big model ship for Agwe!
[Mambo Sam] Yep, people just don’t know the difference.

[Mambo Sam] Okay, so a few other offerings for Simbi Andezo are quite
simple things: Fish, rice, bananas or plantains. Simbi Andezo’s needs are
pretty basic. The most important thing is the water. Or waters, I should
say.

[Mambo Sam] Okay, so as you know, we have all been working on the
petitions that you have sent in.
[the3rdwish13] ?
[Mambo Sam] Yes, 3rdwish? Go ahead, please.
[the3rdwish13] I didn’t send a petition.... And have no idea what you are
talking about... sorry!
[Mambo Sam] Oh I am sorry, you should have gotten a couple of e-mails
about it! Perhaps they got caught in your spam filter.
[the3rdwish13] :-(
[nubianprincess32] question
[Mambo Sam] Anyway, you can actually still send them in if you like.
[the3rdwish13] Ok.... Thank you! How?
[Mambo Sam] Send them to holidayprayers@spellmaker.com
[creaturefever] :-( Me too
[Mambo Sam] We have been working on them since December and will wrap up with the ritual we are  planning now. So go ahead and get them in.

[Mambo Sam] Nubianprincess, go ahead, please.
[nubianprincess32] I was unable to get mine in...
[heavenbls5] ?
[Mambo Sam] Just go ahead and send them in to the address above.
[the3rdwish13] ?
[Mambo Sam] Heavenbls5 and then 3rdwish. Go ahead when you are ready
Heavenbls5.
[heavenbls5] This is my first time on here and I want to know am I to late
for any of it.
[Mambo Sam] No, not at all!
[heavenbls5] Thanks

[Mambo Sam] Since some of you are new, let me go ahead and recap a little
bit and then we will take questions starting up with 3rdwish again.
[Mambo Sam] If you are new, we started working on holiday prayers since it
tends to be a time of year when people are down and feeling emotional. So
we asked that everyone send in their petitions for their case, their life,
their family, friends, each other, whatever you want.
[Mambo Sam] Since that time myself, Parran Matt, and Sister Bridget and
Sister Candelaria (our New Orleans Voodoo family) have been working
rituals with these petitions. Now we are bringing you all into the ritual
which will end around the day of Mardi Gras (probably actually the day
after because that will be a Wednesday). There are religious and spiritual
reasons for why it was done that way and that is explained in another
transcript which I will post shortly and send everyone an e-mail with the
new way to access past transcripts.
[Mambo Sam] Whew! Did that make sense? :-)
[Candelaria] Yep
[the3rdwish13] you answered my question.... THANK YOU
[Mambo Sam] Yay!
[heavenbls5] Yes, thanks
[Mambo Sam] Ah, good!
[nubianprincess32] Yes it did. Thanks!
[Mambo Sam] Okay, so any other questions about anything we have discussed
thus far before I move on? Okay, great. And, people who are new, don’t be
afraid to ask questions! No one here is going to think you are stupid.
This is a place to learn in a safe environment. :-)

[Mambo Sam] So, about those rituals and petitions!
[Mambo Sam] When I started working the petitions, if you have had spell
work or were having spell work at the same time, I figured that into your
petitions, even if you didn’t petition for it particularly. Some of you
were very kind and simply asked that the group as a whole have their
dreams come true. :-) I thought that was very sweet.
[Mambo Sam] And some of you didn’t ask for anything for yourself, but
asked for others — friends, chat friends, family members, etc. However, if
I know you, I added those things in for you. Because I am your Mambo and
that is what I do. To answer the question of “why?” :-D
[Candelaria] I was deeply touched by that and so proud of all of you! :-)
[ouanga_bottle] Aww you so sweet!
[Mambo Sam] Awwww....
[Mambo Sam] So that is what I started out doing. I worked on them for
awhile, and then brought Parran Matt into the ritual. Then the two lovely
and talented sisters — Sister B and Sister C. ;-) And they are currently
doing their part for you.
[Candelaria] Ah, shucks, Ma’am!
[Mambo Sam] ;-)
[Mambo Sam] So a lot of effort is going into this and hopefully it will
bring some awesome results when we are all said and done!!! :-)
[Sunshine] Bushels of hugs to all you !!!!
[Mambo Sam] Oh thank you!
[Mambo Sam] So now..... We get to bring all of you into the ritual, if you
wish to participate! So you see how that builds on itself? That is a lot
of energy going into those petitions! So even those people who are just
now getting their petitions in are going to benefit because there is still
a lot of work to go into this! So get those petitions in if you haven’t
already!

[PATRICKinCALI] ??
[Mambo Sam] Go ahead, Patrick.
[PATRICKinCALI] Might the object of our petitions react like they do
during spell work?
[Mambo Sam] Not in this work. This is more layered and has a more “subtle”
quality to it.
[PATRICKinCALI] More like healing type work?
[Mambo Sam] Sort of. Yep.
[PATRICKinCALI] OK, thanks
[Mambo Sam] You are welcome.

[Mambo Sam] Okay, any more questions?
[ouanga_bottle] comment
[Mambo Sam] Yes, Ouanga, go ahead, please.
[ouanga_bottle] I just want to say heartfelt thanks to all four of you for
everything you’re doing — and putting so much effort into this. Thank
you!!!!!!!
[PATRICKinCALI] ditto
[simonegreenewpp] Me three!
[nubianprincess32] same here
[heavenbls5] me too
[Destiny] same here, love you!
[Sunshine] ditto, ditto
[Mambo Sam] Thank you, it is definitely our pleasure!
[Candelaria] You’re all very welcome. It is our pleasure to be of service.
[Sunshine] comment
[Mambo Sam] Yes, Sunshine, go ahead, please.
[Sunshine] No where else would we get this — only here at Spellmaker....
[Mambo Sam] Aw, thank you, honey!
[PATRICKinCALI] ??
[ouanga_bottle] exactly!!! (((((love))))))
[Sunshine] You are so very welcome. We love you all.
[Mambo Sam] We are like the little engine that could! I mean, at the heart
of it, we are really such a small company. But we try hard!
[Mambo Sam] But thank you, Sunshine, thank you so much!
[ouanga_bottle] And you’ve done wonderful things, so much progress this year!
[Mambo Sam] Thanks, Ouanga!

[Mambo Sam] Yes, Patrick, go ahead.
[PATRICKinCALI] Does SM sell silver and blue candles?
[Mambo Sam] Well, blue for sure. Silver usually is pretty easy to find at
wedding shops and craft places.
[PATRICKinCALI] And do we dress them in any fashion?
[eveningstarmystic] ?
[Mambo Sam] We will get to that, Patrick! There you go, trying to move to
the head of the class!
[PATRICKinCALI] Sorry sorry!!
[Mambo Sam] Oh, no apologies, Patrick!

[Mambo Sam] Eveningstarmystic, go ahead, please.
[eveningstarmystic] Any particular shade of blue to use
[Mambo Sam] Not necessarily — almost any blue will do.
[eveningstarmystic] okay
[Mambo Sam] Did I miss anyone? If so, go ahead, please.

[Mambo Sam] Okay. So you have some basics down for what we will need for
Simbi Andezo.
[Mambo Sam] The way the ritual will be done is we will split it into three
parts.
[Mambo Sam] So start thinking about your petitions or even what you might
want to add to your own petitions.
[Mambo Sam] For Simbi Andezo you want to be thinking in terms of what is
the way what you to happen can happen... what is the “strategy” of what
you want. Word your petitions for Simbi Andezo in that way — tell him how
you think those things might happen.

[Mambo Sam] Does that make sense? Anyone not getting what I am saying?
[schweety] Raises her hand LOLO
[nubianprincess32] No not really
[Mambo Sam] Go ahead Schweety.
[eveningstarmystic] ?
[Destiny] ?
[Mambo Sam] Schweety and then Eveningstartmystic and Destiny.
[schweety] Whew I thought I was the only one...... Sooo to clarify, I tell
him how I think things should go?
[Mambo Sam] The actual “how” it might happen — a scenario, some possible
solutions.
[schweety] ok gotcha

[eveningstarmystic] Can we write it out on paper. Like goals with an
outline? Or do we just think it?
[Mambo Sam] Think in the terms of your petition as a “problem” and then
offer solutions to the problem. Give him some options. He is a strategist.
You can write it out on paper and read it. At some point you will need to
say some things aloud.
[simonegreenewpp] Analytical?
[Mambo Sam] Very.

[Mambo Sam] Destiny?
[Destiny] With Simbi Andezo, we can write some scenarios of how we want
our petition to evolve? And he can possibly have it happen the way we want
it to happen?
[creaturefever] ?
[Mambo Sam] The whole ritual is meant to help you have happen what you
want to happen. You are going to have to talk to him. All of you, I mean.
[Destiny] oh, ok, thank you.

[Mambo Sam] Creaturefever?
[creaturefever] Would we approach it in a more businesslike way then an
emotional appeal
[Mambo Sam] That is a very good point!!!!! And yes. Simbi is sort of like
Agwe in the sense that he tends to think things through and approach the
problem by looking at it from different angles. Planning things out. So,
yes, looking at everything from a more businesslike approach with him is
good. Thank you, that is great!

[Mambo Sam] So, we will go over this more when we talk about the other two
Simbis and then things will make more sense because we will split things
into the three parts. So I think it will all make more sense then.
[Mambo Sam] So, let’s see, I think Mardi Gras is around February 5, this
year.... So if we do the ritual day after, that would be a Wednesday
night. Can someone look that up and see if that is correct. It would be
Ash Wednesday, so that is a good day to end this ritual.
[simonegreenewpp] Yes, the 6th is Ash Wednesday.
[eveningstarmystic] Feb. 6 is a Wednesday.
[Mambo Sam] Perfect, in fact, since the “group” part of it started on
January 6.
[creaturefever] comment
[Mambo Sam] Okay, so that doesn’t give us a ton of time. We will go
through both of the other Simbis next week, get your questions, and then I
will give you all the total ritual.

[Mambo Sam] Yes, Creaturefever?
[creaturefever] Yikes how did I miss it... I have tried to log onto chat
for several weeks!
[schweety] Feb. 6 is my birthday. Oops just had to throw that in
[Mambo Sam] Oh, fun!
[Mambo Sam] I don’t know. We were on a break — I sent out an e-mail that
we would be on a break, and then we started up again in January.
[creaturefever] Can I find transcripts to catch up ?
[Mambo Sam] Yes, Creaturefever, I am going to be organizing the
transcripts a bit better than I have them now and will send out an e-mail.
You might want to check your profile where you signed up for the chat and
make sure that your correct e-mail address is in there. A few e-mails
bounce back to me when I send out e-mails for the group, so be sure your
e-mail address is correct in there.
[the3rdwish13] ?
[Mambo Sam] And that goes for all of you, make sure we have an e-mail
address in the chat profile that actually works!

[Mambo Sam] 3rdwish, go ahead, please.
[the3rdwish13] Chat profile? Sorry where is that?
[Mambo Sam] Where you signed up for the chat.
[the3rdwish13] I’ll look for it...
[Mambo Sam] You can change your user name, password, etc.
[the3rdwish13] Ok! Thank you
[Mambo Sam] If you can’t find it, e-mail office@spellmaker.com and get
some help!

[Mambo Sam] Okay, that is all I have for tonight. We will be getting a lot
of information next week, then the ritual, then before you know it, we
will be doing the ritual! And it is okay if you cannot do it online with
us. This will be a ritual you can keep and do for yourself any time. It
isn’t just a one time thing.

[Mambo Sam] So any question before we wrap it up?
[Destiny] oh, cool!
[Mambo Sam] Okay, it has been wonderful! I will see all of you next week.
More Simbis!
[the3rdwish13] Good Night
[Mambo Sam] Everyone have a safe and peaceful week.
[simonegreenewpp] Thank you!
[schweety] bye night
[nubianprincess32] Good night
[heavenbls5] Good night all
[Mambo Sam] Good night! You are welcome!
[creaturefever] nighty
[Mambo Sam] Much Love.
[Candelaria] Night everyone and welcome to all of our new folks!
[Rowan586] Good Night and Sweet Dreams all
[Sunshine] Goodnight ALL — until next week —
[Mambo Sam] XOXO
[ouanga_bottle] good night!!!
[sexychicaferrari] Thank You Mambo Sam — good nite everyone
[lavender] Good Night
[Mambo Sam] Yes, welcome to all of you who are joining us for the first time.
[Mambo Sam] Good night.
[PATRICKinCALI] Good night and thank you!
[Destiny] good night everybody!

[Candelaria] OK Simone my love. Sister Candi is still at work and
desperately need to go home. Let me know when you’re done.
[simonegreenewpp] I’m at work, too! Looks like everyone is finished.
[Candelaria] OK, cool. Well, everyone. I have to shut down the chat room
now. Have a great night and thank you so much for being a part of our
night together!