Incantation, Intention & a Body; African Spirituality Riddles, Proverbs & Truths within Lovecraft Country Season 1 Finale

Lovecraft Country has completed its first season and black folks everywhere are wondering what they should do now…

Uh duh! Use your magic, fools!

It is just tickling my spirit how the awakening is happening. Never in a million years did I think the divine would use film and television as a formidable tool to shake folks woke from the blissful niggerdom unconsciousness. But look at us now all glorious and shit! We breaking out! It’s beautiful, right?!

Black Panther was the first installment in a continuance of conscious light, ancestral wisdom and practical applications of African spiritual prowess disguised as entertainment.

And though I deeply appreciate all the jewels dropped within LoveCraft Country, it’s the practical application of African spiritual prowess for me.

Let’s us unpack. But first let us go back….

Years before there was a Black Panther there was Once Upon A Time on ABC and American Horror Story: The Coven on FX. Though not focused in a black life context, these two programs hold countless lessons and also offer the viewer an experience into the use of “magic”.

Magic, defined as the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces.

Since the point of this particular piece is to further school black folks on how to practically apply their magic, let’s get into it.

I remember sitting countless folks down to watch both, Once Upon A Time and American Horror Story: The Coven, and to point out the similarities of thought, principle, concept and/or understanding when compared to the Orisa-Vodoun tradition; a tradition that I have been a priestess of for the past 8 years.

For example in S1 E13 of Once Upon A Time is a lesson that all priests and practitioners of African Traditional Spiritual Systems come to understand about the profound spiritual properties of water. When standing near the water-well, August says “Water is a very powerful thing. Cultures as old as time have worshiped it. It flows throughout all lands, connecting the entire world. If anything had mystical properties, if anything had magic… well, I’d say it’d be water.”

We Yoruba know this statement to be fact! We understand that water is a divine tool for us to utilize during prayer to bring forth the power or Ase to whatever we are praying to/for. Offered in the form of libation coupled with prayer or incantation to open most rituals and ceremonies, cool water is used to wake up ones shrines or deities. It is said that he who offers cool water offers the most precious thing in life. As the great Fela sings, Omi o l’ota o, (Water, him no get enemy).

You get?!

Oka good! Because since we are talking about magic we have to talk about water. It’s a necessary component. Unbeknownst to me — Christina ass ain’t NEVER mention water, not one time, as a necessary tool for invoking supernatural forces.

But I’m your fairy godmother-big sister-& auntie so I got you boo!

I’ll mention that those adept to this world of African “magic” sometimes interchange their water with gin or rum depending on the ceremonial occasion. Just know there’s levels to this.

During Lovecraft Country’s first season we hear Christina mentioning three different components or magic making including incantation, intention and a body.

Now, pay close attention

Incantation — a series of words said as a magic spell or charm.

I have an old friend who’s grandpa was known for bringing back the dead. In the grandpa’s lifetime he would be summoned in the event of premature death to say the necessary incantations so that life would come back to the body. My friend shared with me that sometimes the spirit would come back and plead to go, saying it’s their time to leave. His family is from Osun State, Nigeria.

In 2016, I sat with a high priest of Ifa who could decipher the secrets within my destiny. During this divination the elder shared with me that in his memory he held the incantations to guarantee the gender or my children. I got pregnant with the knowing that I would be able to choose to have a male child. I performed the ritual and the priests recited said incantation while I was 6 months pregnant. Three months later I gave birth to a very very very pretty male child. Most strangers think he’s a girl; that’s how pretty he is. And I giggle about it because the said incantation effects “gender” not appearance thereof.

Above you have the definition and real life examples of how incantation is used practically. Because I practice what my ancestors practiced my reference is African. If you are black in America follow suit.

Incantation is real. Incantation is ancient. Incantation is not made up. This has to be secured from a primary source. The primary source from my ancestors was the Holy Odu Corpus and it’s the same for me.

Intention — the resolve or determination to do something

Do you want it bad enough? Is the power within you to will it into existence?

Answering yes to the aboveis acknowledging the intention. Not so great at this? Not to fret.

Just like anything that is weak, you can make it stronger. Some folks find it easier than other to pull intention or resolve into a need, want or desire from their ancestors or heaven.

Personally, living an Orisa lifestyle , a dedicated spiritual discipline (not religion), has elevated my own ability to pull unyielding determination, especially in the face of diversity. I’ve paid witness to my ancestors and Orisa throwing real-life ally oops and the universe yielding to my own command and divinity time and time again.

In Lovecraft Country, the ally oop from Orisa — that black multi-eyed beast with all the teeth that Montrose and Tic cooked up in their protection spell.

I identified it as an Orisa Esu-inspired like beast. Why? Well, first we believe Esu to have many eyes and second when necessary as the head of the pantheon of warrior Orisa deities, Esu serves to be one of the most lethal in any and every way conceivable to human thought and imagination when serving in the protection of his station.

This Orisa lifestyle provides practitioners with a life roadmap that lends to a new consciousness. Bit by bit, a well used proverb in the tradition, refers to how wisdom, patience wealth and all the good things in life are uncovered along one’s destiny. Here we understand a few truths and hold sure to see our conscious intentions manifest into our realities

1. We believe ourselves to be agents of heaven sent to Earth to bring about the good condition here on earth.
2. Everyone’s destiny is different.
3. When paths cross the destinies are interconnected
4. There are no coincidences; all is exactly as it should be.
5. The divine speaks thru anyone, anything at any time; pay attention to the signs
6. We use regular divination as a guide for minor and major life decisions
7. No such thing as good or bad; duality exists in all things
8. To thy own self be true
9. You are your ancestors’ faith (intention) turned to flesh

There are more but these are a start. It’s important to know because it’s these truths that allow ones intention to stand strongly and unwavering when wanting to produce “magic”.

Body — the physical structure of a person or an animal, including the bones, flesh, and organs.

Hear ye! Hear ye! All black folks,

Your ancestors were not savages! Your ancestors were not barbaric!

Human sacrifice, at least in Yoruba and related cultures, was banned long before the times of engagement with their eventual oppressors.

Christina’s character was barbaric and simple.

In real life, our ancestors long ago replaced humans sacrifice with animal sacrifice that can be eaten by the community after ceremony and ritual. A body, as you see by definition above is a human or animal. Different animals for different odu, shrines, deities, outcomes and results.

So yes, in some specific cases you need a “body”. The tradition you ceremony in tells you what, how, where, when regarding the animal, if called for.

Again, there’s levels to this

Many priests that I speak to about animal sacrifice acknowledge it as the last resort if given a choice. They would first begin with smaller items to satisfy the shrine or deity including cool water, prayer, liquor, fruits, cakes, food offerings, money, cloth or even beautiful things.

Ultimately the lesson here is that something is required as a sacrifice. Now you’ve learned your options go beyond Christina’s simple “body” go-to!

Congratulations! If you’ve read this far one this is for certain; you’re ready to activate your ancestral spiritual prowess and magical inheritance!

What’s next?!

The power is in your blood

And no don’t go cutting yourself all dramatic like while speaking in the language of Adam. Here’s another news flash; you don’t have to spill your own blood to use it’s power.

One can simply tap into the power in their own blood by first identifying and writing down the names of up to seven generations of ancestors. Make sure to list the ancestors who had positive lives. Avoid including pedophiles, rapists or suicide ancestors. By doing this you call on the energy and power that your own DNA chemical makeup naturally holds. This will get you started. Get the names and commit them to memory. And if you really want to get to work, the Ancestor Veneration pamphlet, sold here within my community, is a good place to start.

As always, I wish you love, light and sacrifice.