Óchani Lele - Teachings of the Santería Gods: The Spirit of the Odu

For my godparents, Banacek Matos and Angel Jimenez: They gave me ocha; and with that, they gave me the world. For that, and other reasons, I love them both more than I can ever say.

Teachings of the Santera Gods

No hay forma ms mgica para sentirse cerca de los orichas que a travs de patakies. Es ah donde uno se transporta a la imaginacin. La manera tan espiritual que tiene chani Lele para elevar mi imaginacin a travs de su escritura es un toque especial. Maferefun orichas! Lo que se ve no se pregunta. Este es un libro especial para aquellos que llevamos lo nuestro de corazn y sin maldad. chani Lele, te felicito, querido mo!

There is no more magical way to feel close to the orishas than through the pataks. It is there that one is transported to ones imagination. chani Lele has a very spiritual manner in elevating my imagination through his writing, which reveals a special touch. Maferefun orichas! What is seen is not questioned! This is a special book for those of us who go forth from the heart, without malice. chani Lele, my dear, I congratulate you!

IVY QUEEN, VOCALIST, MUSICIAN,
AND QUEEN OF REGGAETON

Acknowledgments

There are many people I need to thank for their help and support over my writing career. Ill get the professional acknowledgments out of the way first:

Susannah Noel, the editor for my first book, The Secrets of Afro-Cuban Divination. I learned so much by working with her on my first major project. Susannah, three books later, the comments and suggestions you made as you edited my first volume are still fresh in my mind, and I remember each and every one you made as I wrote this volume.

Doris Troy, the editor for my second book, Ob, Oracle of Cuban Santera. She did a wonderful job with that project, and she, too, made suggestions for my work that I still follow today. While editing the pataks for that volume, Doris wrote to me that I was an incredible storyteller, and it was her encouragement that made me believe... I could tell a story. This book is nothing but stories, and I thank her from the deepest, most secret places of my heart!

Nancy Ringer, the editor who ripped and shredded the volume that became The Diloggn. Well, perhaps ripped and shredded is too harsh a phrase, but she did help me acquire the critical eye needed for the books I write now. I was flabbergasted by the amount of rewrites I had to do on that volume, but in hindsight, I have to say this: Nancy, you are wonderful! I hope all the authors with whom you work appreciate your eye for detail.

Patty Capetola, the editor who helped shape this volume, Teachings of the Santera Gods. Patty, I appreciate your eye for detail; and I want you to know that the wonderful comments you made about my writing have encouraged me to work on yet another book of pataks! Thank you!

Laura Schlivek, my project editor throughout all my work with Inner Traditions. There are many reasons I need to thank you, but perhaps the most important reason is that you were able to encourage me and motivate me when I felt I wasnt good enough to complete a book. Youre a goddess, and I love you for it.

Jon Graham, my acquisitions manager at Inner Traditions. Im sure there are a thousand manuscripts that come across your desk more worthy of publication than mine, but somehow, you work your magic and come up with yet another contract. Olfin blessed me the day he sent my work to your desk. Youre a god, and I love you for it.

Inner Traditions: I offer my eternal gratitude to you. Every publisher wants books that will reap huge sales, and often, books that need to be published because their content is important are overlooked because there are other books that will draw in huge sales and reap vast financial rewards. You didnt have to publish any of my books. You could have spent your financial resources on other books that would have given you greater returns in a broader market. I understand that, and thank you, from my heart, for putting my work out there.

And, as always, I am grateful for the day Marjorie Stevens pulled me out of high school English to tell me, Stuart, this is fantastic stuff. Have you ever thought of being a writer? And I thank Olfin for the day that my college English professor, Ann Refoe, kicked me out of English class (yes, truly, she kicked me out!) and told me, You dont belong here. Just write whatever you want, and turn it in at the end of the semester for your grade. Of course, I amazed her when I walked in the last day of class with a book contract. If she hadnt thrown me out of class, none of this would have begun.

And for the record... I got a perfect 4.0!

And now, for the personal acknowledgments:

My godparents, Banacek Checo Yemay Matos and Angel Coqu Oshn Jimenez: Because of you both, there are few men in this world who are as blessed as I. Every day, people write to me about the nightmares they lived in their quest for ocha; and they tell me about the traumas they go through on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis with their own godparents. Too many santeros wander the world, lost and incomplete, because once ocha is given, they are abandoned, turned out into the world to fend for themselves spiritually and otherwise. Each year that passes, I feel closer to you both; I hope we stay like this forever.

My god sister, Jamie Vargas: You might be my baby sister in ocha, but it was your Oshn who lifted me, and Im thankful for that. And know this: You are young in ocha, but you are wise beyond your years, and Im so glad its you who cares for my New York godchildren when Im 1,500 miles away, in Florida. But know that I trust you with more than my godchildren; I trust you with my life. I hope Oshn keeps you on this earth forever.

Ivelisse Pesante, a.k.a. Ivy Queen. When I met you, I was about to give up: I was tired, exhausted, lonely, and sad; and our nightly conversations about love, life, and the religion inspired me to try one more time. You are a muse, and Im thankful you took so much of your personal time to inspire me.

I need to thank all of the serious godchildren in my life at this time: Ashara Yvonne Watkins, Katelan V. Foisy, Amanda R. Kaczmarek, Robert Young, Rebecca Payn, Vivienne DAvalon, and Sandy Short. Every time I put my pen to paper, or my fingers to my keyboard, you are the ones who inspire me to continue this work. After Im gone, each of you will still be around, and each of you will have your own godchildren. In my absence, my books will be here to instruct you, and my private notes will be in your hands to guide you. Seriously, I think about things like thiswhat will become of you when Im gone. For no other reason, thats why I keep writing, and putting absolutely everything I know, and everything I learn, on paper. The printed word, published and otherwise, will live after my death; and my spiritual descendants will have a part of me with them as they grow spiritually. This is but a small part of my legacy to each of youand it is for this reason, and no other, that I stay up all night writing.

The world should thank you for inspiring me.

And finally, I would like to thank Irma Miranda Baez (Olobatal): Irma, you spent hours translating obscure Cuban texts and manuscripts that flowed across my desk on a monthly basis. Many times, you thanked me for allowing you access to those rare texts. With the world as my witness, I want to thank you for helping me. Truly, Obatal blessed me when he put you in my path, and I love you for all that you have done. May you live a thousand years.