Focusing on the Diloggun, the book delves into the intricacies of Santeria's most sacred divination system, presenting it as a living Bible for a rapidly expanding faith. It explores the lore and significance of each family of odu, illustrating how their influences shape individual spiritual growth. This comprehensive guide serves as an essential resource for understanding the profound mysteries of the orishas and their impact on practitioners.
Focusing on the Afro-Cuban faith of Santeria, this book explores its dynamic nature as a connection between the spirit world and adherents. It emphasizes the significance of the Diloggun oracle, which guides personal transformation through sacred shells and the intervention of orisha priests. Unlike other publications, it offers comprehensive instructions for casting the Diloggun, including readings and prayers, enriching readers' understanding of the metaphysical aspects of the religion. The author, Ocha'ni Lele, brings extensive personal experience in orisha worship to this work.
Understanding the Osogbo, spirits associated with misfortune, is key to overcoming life's challenges and restoring health and balance. The book explores the significance of these spirits and offers insights into navigating their influence, ultimately guiding readers toward a more harmonious existence.
At the heart of Santeria's sacred divination system, the diloggun, are the patakis—powerful narratives that connect the spiritual and the earthly. This book presents over 100 of these ancient African stories, exploring themes of creation, love, and the lives of orishas, enriching the understanding of Yoruba spirituality. Written by ocha'ni Lele, a seasoned practitioner, it bridges the gap between ethnography and religious studies, offering a unique insight into a faith that continues to grow globally.
• The first book to provide complete, specific instructions for casting the obi oracle of the Santería faith. • Uses the shell of a coconut, which embodies the spirit of Obí, as a divination tool. • Includes a detailed “mojuba” or prayer that awakens the orishas and invites them to speak. • Examines in depth the five basic patterns that appear when obí is cast and explains how to interpret the oracle's answer. • Explores the fifty additional patterns and meanings contributed by ten orishas closely associated with the orisha Obí One of the paths to the spirits within Santeria is through a divination technique known as obi, the coconut oracle, which gives the petitioner access to the orisha of the same name. The orisha Obí began as a mortal human who ascended to become an orisha as a reward for good deeds done on Earth, then fell from grace because of excessive pride. When he descended back to Earth, his spirit was embodied in the coconut palm. Though he no longer has a tongue, he can answer questions posed to him through the patterns made by four pieces of coconut shell cast as a divination tool. Obí: Oracle of Cuban Santería is the first book to fully explore the sacred body of lore surrounding Obí, as well as his particular rituals and customs, including opening considerations, casting and interpreting the oracle, and employing advanced methods of divination. Also explained are the previously unpublished secrets of closing the oracle properly so that any negative vibrations will be absorbed by the coconuts and permanently removed from the diviner's home.
