The World of Voodoo by the High Voodoo Master John Arkam, President of the Voodoo Council

The World of Voodoo

Dear reader,

In the World of Voodoo there is no lack, for the spells and formulas of Voodoo help the practitioner with every need and situation in life; there is no fear, for the legendary charms of Voodoo offer powerful protection against every danger and evil.

A secretive and misunderstood religion, with its well-deserved reputation for effectiveness, Voodoo inspires wonder, awe, but also unjustified fear due to deviant Voodoo operators operating negative Voodoo. It is our task and duty to promote and promulgate the ethical and positive practice of Voodoo Religion and Voodoo ritual in the world and the Voodoo Council is acting in this sense.

Voodoo has been a constant source of hope and comfort for the oppressed, giving power to the powerless, wealth to the poor, love to the lonely, and protection to the weak.

Voodoo is a practical religion that obtains for those who believe in it love, luck, success, health and protection. The Voodoo celebrates life and satisfies the needs of its followers in the here-and-now.

Voodoo, in essence, accomplishes in fact, many seemingly miraculous things which other faiths can only promise.

Voodoo a misunderstood religion

What is Voodoo? Before I answer the question, let me ask: What do you know about Voodoo? Where did you get that impression?

Voodoo probably isn't what you think it is. It might be easier to start with what Voodoo isn't:

- Voodoo isn't accurately portrayed in most movies, TV shows and books. Even some documentaries and non-fiction books are misleading.

- Voodoo isn't a cult, black magic or devil worship. People who practice Voodoo are not witchdoctors, sorcerers or occultists.

- Voodoo isn't a practice intended to hurt or control others. Most Voodooists have never seen a "Voodoo doll".

- Voodoo isn't morbid or violent. Voodoo isn't the same everywhere. Not everyone who practices Voodoo does it in exactly the same way or agrees on exactly the same things.

So, what is Voodoo?

Voodoo is a religion practiced around the world that originates in Africa. In the Americas and the Caribbean, it is a combination of various African, Catholic and Native American traditions. Voodoo embraces and encompasses the entirety of human experience.

What do Voodooists believe?

To understand the Voodooists believe, you have to first understand how a Voodooist sees the world. A Voodooists believe that there is a visible and an invisible world, and that these worlds are intertwined. Death is a transition to the invisible world, so our predecessors are still with us in spirit. They watch over and inspire us.

In addition to our ancestors and loved ones we knew in life, there are the Lwa, which can also be understood as archetypes of human personalities (such as Ogun the warrior) and others that embody more specific concerns or localities. Each Lwa is actually a family of similar types (i.e. there is more than one Ogun; more than one way to be a warrior).

A Voodooists develop relationships with the Lwa to seek their counsel and help with concerns in the visible world.

A Voodooist develops a relationship with particular Lwa, seeks to understand and embody the principles they represent, connects spiritually in order to affect personal transformation and manifest this energy in the visible world to help the living.

Voodoo has ordained clergy, Hougan (priests) and Manbo (priestesses) that make a commitment to a spiritual path and can offer guidance when needed. Voodooists especially places value on the strength of community for support and enrichment.

Voodoo and African spirituality

Voodoo is the most pervasive and the most ancient of all of African's spirituality. It has remained the roots of African philosophy since the days of ancient Egypt to the present day. Voodoo is an international philosophy having been spread from Africa to Asia to Europe, Australia, North America, and South America.

Not long ago Voodoo was a philosophy under pressure. Colonial inspired religious policies sought to undermine Voodoo. The spiritual philosophy faced a calculated campaign of denigration and subversion instigated by a colonial establishment which feared any expression of African cultural initiative.

Today, Voodoo is a state religion in countries such as Togo, Benin and Haiti, it is widely respected and very influential in Cuba and Brazil, and with increasing awareness of the need for an original cultural expression for African countries, it is foreseen that even more will turn to Voodoo in the nearest future.

Voodoo as a spiritual force

Voodoo is a positive force, bearing little resemblance to the Hollywood promoted image of people casting evil spells by sticking pins in dolls. Voodoo means the spiritual force that lies within all the expressions of nature.

Voodoo implies the circularity of nature. It explores the connectedness of the web of the activating force of Mother Nature, in all its different expressions, like the natural wilderness, the streams, the wind, the lightening. It is an ancient communion with the essence of the cosmic energy.

Voodoo provides a way to confirm by experiences the truths of this metaphysical reality. Voodoo acknowledges the different planes of existence and their linkages. It details a road map to experience all these realities in this life and beyond.

Dr. John Arkam

High Voodoo Master

President of the Voodoo Council

The Voodoo Council

The Voodoo Council is the premier organization for Voodooists and occultists worldwide.

The Voodoo Council is an elite society that welcomes best Voodoo Masters, Voodoo Priests and Occultists from around the world.

The last of the old-time mystic orders of the historic Voodoo religion, the Voodoo Council teaches the art and practice of Voodoo, as well as traditional witchcraft.

The Voodoo Council does not support in any way whatsoever the practice of the Voodoo Bokors, i.e. all sorcerers who serve Loa with "both hands", practicing for both good and evil, as well as any African Voodoo Juju.

The Voodoo Council is devoted to the traditional Vodun Spirits and traditional Vodun religion, practiced by the West African Ewe and Fon peoples.

 

	Voodoo Council : Promoting Voodoo Religion and Ethical Voodoo Practice in the World