Gate Opening July 3, 2012
For accountability and educational purposes, I take photos of the parts of the ceremonial work that I do, when it is permitted. These are the photos of some moments of this week’s gate opening.
Burning incense for Eshu and to consecrate the nkisi wrappers.
Preparing the wrapping cloths for the minkisi.
Consecrating the nkisi wrappers.
Directing energy to the wrappers after marking them.
Touching the coals to activate a certain power.
Marking the wrappers with the hot coal ashes.
Food offerings for Eshu.
Pouring rum for Eshu and the Ancestors.
Opening the gate with Eshu must be done at the beginning of any rootwork or spell.
Ceremony and Rootwork Policies
Oshun love ceremony
Before any ceremony or root work is done, I do readings to make sure that the Spirits will allow it, and that we have chosen the correct course. I mainly serve the Vodun, Obeah, and African diaspora faith communities. If you are not at least familiar with African faiths, please visit the Orisha Online Altar to learn more before contacting me. I do not have patience for non Africans disrespecting African faiths. I also do not have the time to teach the Orishas and Alusi to every person who emails me individually.
If you already know what you need, you may order a reading or ceremony on our Order a Ceremony or Rootwork page.
When you request rootwork or ceremonies from us, we attempt to give you the best service possible that is within your budget. We list the prices for the most requested and standard works, and how much they usually cost, but there is a scale for these things. You will not be denied any service at all because you can’t afford to pay the usual price. We will just try to find a way to get the job done within your budget. If you are in a really bad financial situation, or are skeptical about whether or not Obeah will work for you, browse our community ceremonies for specific works we do for the community throughout the year, or get added to my altar if you don’t want to wait until a holiday.
The cost of ceremonies and root work is determined by the supplies, transportation, timing, effort required by participants, and physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual risk. Some ceremonies also require rental of a space and security.
If you are actively practicing Vodun, Obeah, Santeria, Candomble, Jaadu, Baalat Teva (Afro Canaanite, Sumerian, and/or Phoenician Nature Spirituality), Nubian or Kemetic Spirituality, or another related African, Middle Eastern, or diaspora system to the point that you are doing daily observances, you have the option of “division of labor” pricing. I would do the ceremonial and crafting part, and you can do the required ebo. I strongly recommend this option for active practitioners because the Spirits hold you at a higher level of accountability than the average person or less active believer. It will make your working even stronger because you are taking an active role in it.
People practicing at a priestly level certainly have this option, but depending on the situation, may participate in a barter of services. Workings can be done for you in exchange for workings being done for me/my house. We can add fire to each others’ causes. Also, if you make things I like or can sell in the store, you can pay with those items. For example, if you grow cherry trees, cherry bark is something I use for love workings all the time, so you could pay in cherry bark, blossoms, or other things you make from them.
If you are in or visiting Israel, I encourage you to come to see me personally. It is not as risky as it may seem on the news, and everyone should visit at least once in their lives. You are welcome and encouraged to participate in ceremonies that you sponsor.
If you are not in Israel, or can’t be present, we take photos so that you can see that the work is being done. We can’t take pictures of every step as some things must be done privately, but the parts we are allowed to photograph, we do.
Most ceremonies and works take around a week to complete. For the ones in which offerings to a Spirit are required, we make a nkisi partly from the ashes or remnants and send this to you.
As with our store items, each nkisi, gri gri, bocchio, box altar, or other items related to the work is made to order. So some supplies may need to be ordered from elsewhere. In such a case, it may take two weeks or so to complete the construction of the physical items, but the Spirits begin to move as soon as the offerings are given and the ceremonial part is done.
All ceremonies and root work begin with asking Eshu (also known as Elegua or Exu) to open the gate. This is usually done on a Monday. If the work is for war or justice, then we do an additional offering to Eshu on that Friday. For other works, we approach the other appropriate Orishas and other Spirits on days of that week that are auspicious for them.
If you get extra things in your package, please pay special attention to them. They are there because the Spirits instructed us that you needed them.
Custom Spell Lessons
If you are on a tight budget or aren’t sure if you want to leave the matter in someone else’s hands, I offer video lessons for your specific needs, if you want to do a working for yourself, for a reasonable fee. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them here in the comments or in the contact form.
Results Based Pricing
Because of some unethical people, I no longer offer results based pricing. I have posted enough videos, enough photos, and even offer free addition to my altar so I can pray for you in my normal every day observances. I do not do special spell work or root work for free because it takes supplies, transportation, and time that I can not afford to give away. So if you only want to donate if you get results then feel free to request addition to my altar. This is as much as I can do at minimal cost.
Blessings and Ase!
Protection Ceremonies
Protection ceremonies require offerings to Eshu, and depending on the situation, the Warriors in general. If it is for general protection, it just requires an offering to Eshu on a Monday, and the making of three nkisi pendants from some the ashes and other items. If it is for someone in combat or martial arts or another dangerous occupation, then we must give an offering to Eshu, Shango, and all of the Warriors at the same time. This would be done on a Friday.
We price these according to what one can afford. The minimum needed for a ceremony that is just for you or your family is $200. This covers three chickens, black eyed peas, and other food offerings, and transportation for three participants. If you can afford more though, you are to give more.
If you can’t afford to pay the minimum $200 for the special ceremony, don’t feel left out though. Every year on the week of the 29th of June, we have a community ceremony on that Friday. If you are or you know a soldier in combat, or someone who works in a dangerous profession, just send us their name, and we will ask for their protection at the ceremony. If you want a protection pendant from this event, it is only $10 to cover the supplies and postage.
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