Egun -Spirits of the Dead

8/9/2019 Egun -Spirits of the Dead

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Santeria

Egun, Spirits of the Dead

Reina Cemetery in Cienfuegos, Cuba

Roughly translated, egun (eggun) are spirits of the dead. They're our ancestors, but they can also

be the spirits of people who had no special connection to us in life. In Santería, we have

ancestors who were blood relations and ancestors in the religion. It's customary to begin any

prayer or ceremony by remembering the ancestors and speaking their names aloud. This iscalled the moyugba, which is a fundamental part of any Santería ritual. The Lucumí people sayikú lobi ocha: the dead give birth to the Orichás. This means that without the egun, we wouldn't

be able to interact with the Orichás. They're our intermediaries, and unless they give their

permission, the Orichás won't talk to us. The egun are the ones who have all of the knowledgeabout the religion, and they need to help living people understand it. This is why Santeros/as call

on the egun for guidance, and often conduct misas espirituales, or spiritual masses, to

communicate with the spirits of the dead. Respect for egun comes from an ancient African beliefsystem that honors the dead as spirits who guide the living.

Just as there are good and bad people among the living, there are good and bad egun. It's

traditionally thought that the character of a person doesn't change after death; if he was good inlife, he'll be a good guardian spirit, and if he was bad in life, as an egun, he'll cause

trouble. Especially dangerous are egun of people who in life were insane, who were criminals,

or who suffered a violent death. The traumas they had as living people keep them trapped onearth, where their spirits roam looking for some person they can latch on to. Hospitals,

graveyards, sites of accidents and other places where violent death occur should be avoided as

much as possible, because egun congregate in those places and can attach themselves to anyoneat random.


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The Bóveda Espiritual

Bóveda espiritual

Normally, when people live according to their destiny and die at the proper time, their spiritsdon't hang around on earth. The Lucumí believe that the living and dead are always connected,

but when everything is functioning properly, the dead stay in their realm and the living in

theirs. When egun remain in the realm of the living, it 's either to lend a helping hand to someoneor to cause grief. Sometimes egun will use human beings to act out their own dramas, causing

people to do things to fulfill the unsatisfied desires of the egun. For example, an egun who was

violent in life can cause people to feel aggitated and angry, to lose their temper easily, and get infights, even if it's not their natural character to do those things.

In Cuba, many people keep a bóveda espiritual , or a shrine to the ancestors, in the home. This

can be very simple, usually consisting several clear glasses of water placed on a table orshelf. The bóveda should be in a quiet part of the house, where there isn't a lot of traffic, but it

shouldn't be in the bedroom, because you don't want egun around you when you sleep. Some

people light candles or put a little offering on the shrine, like fruit, candy, cooked food, coffee, or

a cigar. It's appropriate to offer egun anything that we eat, and if we know there's some food ourancestors really enjoyed, we offer them that. Unlike the Mexican Day of the Dead, rituals in

front of the bóveda don't take place on a specific day of the year. Most people change the water

once a week, and put offerings or light candles whenever they want to. The idea is to let theegun know you remember them and honor them. If you need a special favor, you might add a

special offering as incentive. People also pray in front of the bóveda whenever they feel like it.

Espiritismo (Spiritism) influenced the development of Afro-Cuban Santería in the late 19thcentury, when the work of Allan Kardec introduced the idea of seances and mediums to readers

in Europe and the Americas. Among the practitioners of Santería, some of Kardec's ideas were

used to communicate with egun through a special ceremony called the misa espiritual (spiritual


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mass). People who are trained as mediums host the ceremony, and people attend to hear what

the egun have to say. Sometimes through divination with a Santero, egun speak through Eleguá's

cowrie shells and ask for a misa espiritual . The usual reason is that the egun's distressed forsome reason, and has more to say. Technically, the misa espiritual isn't a Santería ceremony, but

it's linked to the religion through the participation of egun.

Heaven and Earth

The marketplace

Egun work with the Orichás to oversee and guide the progress of human beings. Egun are

especially interested in society's norms and values, and they like to see tradition upheld. This isone reason why they're so interested in human beings; they want to be sure things are running

smoothly on a societal level. The Orichás are more likely to concern themselves with ourdestiny as individuals, but egun help us mesh with society at large. Lucumí traditional thoughtcompares Earth to the marketplace because it's the place where people come together and

interact, carry out business, and make a name for themselves in the public sphere. Heaven is like

our home. It's restful, but not meant to be a permanent refuge, because after a while, too much

rest is boring. Christian religions describe Heaven as a place where the dead can have eternalrest. Santeros/as, on the other hand, have no particular desire to live in Heaven, and don't see it

as a reward for living well on earth. If one has lived well, at death the energy contained in the

orí (head, the divine center of an individual) gets recycled back into the universe, and a kind of

reincarnation takes place. Often, it happens within the family structure, so grandchildren caninherit the energy of their dead grandparents, for example. Honoring the ancestors is a way to

keep their orí happy and healthy until it's recycled and reborn. Those who behaved so badly onearth that they can't be recycled are put in a kind of no man's land, orun bururu, like broken pottery that can't be repaired. In the Lucumí worldview, social isolation of this kind is

punishment enough. Hell isn't necessary.

The dead should be respected but not especially feared. Egun aren't like ghosts, vampires,zombies or other supernatural beings that we see in popular fiction and films. They're invisible

companions who live among us, and intercede on our behalf when we need help. In the case of

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an unruly or malevolent egun, through divination a Santero/a can determine what needs to be

done to pacify the egun or make it leave the client in peace. The client may be told to do a misa

espiritual , bathe with certain herbs, or wear a particular kind of amulet to keep egun at bay. InSantería ceremonies, the opening toque (drumming pattern) is dedicated to the egun, but living

people remain seated and don't dance to it. Black is a color that attracts egun, so most

Santeros/as avoid wearing it as a way to avoid problems with egun.

Trance Possession

Folkloric representation of a ceremony

Drumming and dancing ceremonies sometimes lead to trance possession by initiated priests and priestesses in the congregatation. Within the Santería community, possession is very important

because it allows for direct communication with the Orichás when they mount a human body

(called the caballo or horse). Academics, psychiatrists and medical doctors have carried out

convincing studies to disprove the legitimacy of trance possession, suggesting that it's inducedthrough hypnotism, mass hysteria, or that it's simply a kind of performance art. Nevertheless, for

millions of people around the world, trance possession is not only real, but also sacred. When

Santeros allow themselves to be possessed, it's not for their personal benefit, but for the good ofthe religious community. They willingly enter into a state of altered consciousness in order to let

the Orichás speak through them. Scholars who have made a serious study of trance possession in

Santería point out that when the members of a religious community recognize a phenomenon as

authentic and real, it gains legitimacy within that social and cultural framework, whetheroutsiders to the group believe it or not. Santeros/as are the first to admit that someone can "fake"

possession, but they also believe it's possible to tell when a possession is "real." Most active

practitioners of the religion have witnessed at one time or another an authentic possession, andmost believe that the Orichás visit us in human form when they take possession of someone's

body. It's a manifestion of the invisible in the visible world, a metaphysical concept shared by

many religions. The person who is possessed usually has no memory of the event, and can't enter

into conversation with the visiting Orichá. That's why possession takes place within a sacred and


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shared space, such as the drumming and dancing ceremonies, where the whole community can

witness and remember the visit.

Possession Is for the Benefit of the Whole Community

Ochún dances for her admirers

Generally, members of the community are atuned to what's happening during a ceremony and

recognize signs that one of them is entering into a state of possession. They crowd around the

individual, dancing and chanting, and sometimes calling out to the Orichá, encouraging him orher to "come down" into the body. Sometimes the possession can appear traumatic, even violent.

The one possessed may fall to the floor and begin to shake, or run around the room in a

disoriented state. Most often, the Orichá will inhabit the body of one of his sons or daughters

during the special toque or rhythm played in honor of that Orichá. For example, during the toque for Obatalá, one of Obatalá's sons or daughters may be possessed. During any given drum

ceremony, it's possible for several people to be possessed, each one by a different Orichá. Once

it's clear the Orichá is in possession of the human body, the caballo is taken out of the room byother Santeros/as and dressed in ceremonial garb representing the Orichá who has possessed him

or her. Orichás cross gender and can inhabit the body of a man or woman, regardless of the

gender of the Orichá. Women who are possessed by Ogún or Changó, for example, will take on

masculine traits, such as a virile swagger or a boastful way of talking. They will be dressed inthe male Orichá's clothing and interact with others as if they were male. The same is true of men

who are possessed by a female Orichá like Yemayá or Ochún. They will take on feminine

qualities, dance seductively, and show feminine grace when interacting with others. TheOrichás, once in possession of the human bodies, join the party. They wander among the guests,

dance, talk to people, eat, drink, and sometimes hold court, giving advice and greeting their

followers. Although this may appear to be nothing more than a party, it's important to remember

that it is, above all, a sacred experience. The attendees are deeply honored to have the Orichás present, and there's a certain excitement and electricity in the air, as at any event where there are

very distinguished guests.

The Body is the Host for the Orichás


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The body is a vessel for the Orichás

For people who think of the body only in biological terms, it's difficult to understand what prompts the possession trance. But, for practitioners of Santería, possession is the temporary

departure of the individual's soul to make room for the Orichá. It's a form of sacrifice, since it

means giving up individual consciousness for a time to benefit the community at large. The

Orichás comfort and heal people through their intervention. They share blessings withthem. Although outsiders who witness a trance possession may be seriously disturbed by what

they see, for members of the community, it is a positive and welcome experience. Santeros/as

report they feel joy, peace, and love when in the presence of the Orichás. Those who acted as the

"horse" for the Orichá return to consciousness at the end of the drumming ceremony, usuallyexhausted and totally spent. Members of the community generally form a protective ring around

the individual when the Orichá enters and leaves the body, to make sure the individual suffers no physical harm. At the end of the ceremony, once the Orichá has departed, the one who was

possessed is gently led to another room, dressed again in the clothes worn prior to possession,

and encouraged to rest.

Not all Santeros/as are meant to be caballos for the Orichás. Many are never possessed, either

because they're unwilling to surrender their bodies or because the Orichás don't choose them. If

someone who has not been initiated into Santería is present at a ceremony and feels trance

possession coming on, this person will be taken out of the house, away from the drums, and

encouraged to return to full consciousness. It's normally not a good idea for the uninitiated tofall into a trance possession state because the aché (spiritual force) of the Orichás is too strong

for the uninitiated.

In traditional ilés (religious houses) it's not permitted to take photographs or videos of someone

while in a trance possession, but the video below shows an approximation of what a trance

possession is like. Note that it's not taking place within the sacred space of the ilé, but at the seashore, in honor of Yemayá.


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Drumming and Dancing Rituals

The iya, the itotele, and the okonkolu

Drumming and dancing in Santería aren't just for entertainment. They're religious rituals

performed to honor the Orichás and to entice them to interact with humans through trance possession. During a tambor (drumming ceremony) the sacred batá drums are played. These are

three hourglass shaped drums, each with two heads. They rest across the player's lap in ahorizontal position, and and played with both hands. These drums have been ceremoniously

prepared and charged with the spirit of the drum, called Aña, and they're only used for religious

purposes. They're considered holy objects because they communicate with theOrichás. Drummers must undergo intensive training and special ceremonies in order to have the

right to play the drums. In traditional Santería communities, the drums are played only by

men. The largest drum is called the iya, or mother drum. It's the leader, and calls for changes in

rhythms and songs as the ceremony progresses. The middle sized drum is called the itotele, andit carries on a conversation with the iya drum, to create a complex rhythm. The smallest drum is

the okonkolu, and this maintains the underlying beat of the syncopated rhythms. For thoseunfamiliar with African style drumming, the complexity of the rhythms can be astounding. Theyreproduce the tonal language of the Yoruba people, speaking to the Orichás in their native

tongue. Generally, a singer known as the akpwon performs with the drummers. He or she acts as

master of ceremonies and leads the call and response singing of the assembled worshippers.

Communication with the Orichás Through Music


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The order of the songs and rhythms is firmly established, each one devoted to a particular

Orichás or the egun (spirits of the ancestors). The initial toque (beat) is the oro seco, which

consists only of drumming, with no singing or dancing. When the oro seco finishes, the rhythms

of the individual Orichás are played, always beginning with Eleguá, who opens the doors ofcommunication between the worshippers and the other Orichás. The Santeros/as, in order of

senority, salute the drums by doing the foribale, a formal gesture that requires them to prostratethemselves by lying on the floor in front of the drums for a few seconds. Then, they must saluteeach drum individually by touching their forehead to it (while the drum is playing): first the iya,

then the itotele, then the okonkolo. Senority is important during the dancing segments of the

ritual. Elders must always be closest to the drums. If the tambor is being held to honor the

birthday of a Santero/a, he or she also has the right to dance close to the drums.

As the cycle of songs and rhythms advances, Santeros/as will formally salute the children of that

particular Orichá, again following strict order of senority. For example, when Obatalá's rhythmis played, everyone will salute first the oldest child of Obatalá (the one with the most years in

santo), and descend to the youngest. When Changó's rhythm is played, everyone salutes the

oldest child of Changó in the room, and descends to the youngest. This obviously requiresfamiliarity with the members of the community and strict adherence to protocol. How

salutations take place can vary from one ilé (religious house) to another, so it's important to get

guidance from elders about what to do. Elders will quickly correct you if you're

wrong. Although the atmosphere of the tambor is festive and full of joy, in respectable ilés,elders maintain discipline and demand that tradition and protocol be followed.

In many traditional Santería communities, only fully initiated Santeros/as who have beenformally presented to the drums can dance directly in front of them. Aleyos (outsiders) and

aborichas (partially initiated people) can stand in another area, such as the patio, an adjoining

room or at the back of the room, and dance if they choose. Those who dance in front of the

drums must be properly dressed, which in most cases means that women wear long skirts andmodest blouses that cover the arms, and they cover their heads with a scarf. Men wear caps,

long pants and dress shirts. Most Santeros/as will wear white at these ceremonies or, in some

cases, dress in the colors of the Orichá who owns their head. They never wear black, because it

attracts negative energy. Many participants will wear their elekes (beaded necklaces), braceletsand other sacred jewelry. Usually refreshments are served during the break in ceremonies,

giving the drummers, singers and dancers a chance to rest briefly. The one hosting the tambor is


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expected to pay for everything, and the cost can be considerable, depending on the number of

invitees.

Musical Liturgies

A Batá Drummer

Singing, drumming and dancing are liturgies that follow a sacred formula for communication

with the Orichás. In Cuba, the Lucumí word Oro (or Oru) is used to describe these musical

liturgies. Oro means conversation or word, stressing the idea that music and dancing are ways to

speak to the Orichás. One type of oro is unaccompanied singing featuring African-style call andresponse; the akpwon (lead singer) calls out to a group, who answer in unison. These songs

function as prayers, asking for the blessings of the Orichás and for permission to carry out the

ceremony. The oro seco or oro del igbodú is unaccompanied batá drumming. Again, the purpose is to ask for the permission of the Orichás to carry out the ceremony, and to invite them

to participate in the ceremony that follows. These first two liturgies are private, held inside theigbodú (sacred space of the house), and not open to people who haven't been fully initiated intothe religion. The oro del eya aranla combines drumming, singing and dancing. It's generally

more open to a wider variety of people, including outsiders who can participate on the margins

of the sacred space. The oro del eya aranla can last for hours, and normally attracts a large

crowd, so most people hold it in the largest space inside the house that's available tothem. Participants can spill over into the streets and patio of the house, although the drummers,

singers and dancers remain indoors while performing for the Orichás. Once the formal order of

the songs has been completed, the drumming, dancing and singing can continue in a moreinformal way, repeating rhythms that the iya drum or akpwon calls out. The rhythms are usually

accompanied by a cow bell or the head of a metal hoe that's struck with a metal stick, and a large

gourd (achere) covered loosely with a network of beads (chekere). These instruments fill in theempty spaces between drum beats. Although the drumming ceremony is a festive occasion, itopens and closes on a solemn note out of respect for the Orichás and egun (spirits of the

dead.)

Formal and Informal Drumming Ceremonies


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Only the consecrated Batá drums (known as fundamento drums) can be played at a formal,

liturgical ceremony. Non-consecrated drums can be played at parties for entertainment or for

informal gatherings of the Santería community. Drumming ceremonies are called by the Lucumíword wemilere (or guenmilere) or the Spanish word tambor . In Cuba, an informal drumming

party is called a Bembé. The kind of dancing associated with bembés is traditional rumba

dancing, which maintains some relationship to the rhythms of sacred drumming. In addition tothe wemilere ceremony, Santeros/as might offer guiros (one conga drum, 3 chekeres, and a bell)and violines (salon music played by one or more violins).

Other types of ceremonies in Santería include divination readings, healing and spiritual

cleansing, events honoring godparents or the Orichás such as an Ocha birthday (anniversary ofinitiation), and funeral rites. The misa espiritual (spiritual mass conducted by a medium for

communication with the dead) is not technically a part of Santería, although some Santeros/as

practice it. The special drumming ceremony known as cajón para los muertos (drumming forthe dead) is also commonly practiced by some people in the Santería community, but it's not

formally part of the Lucumí liturgical music because it incorporates elements borrowed from

Spiritism and Palo Monte as well as Santería. It involves a special drum known as the cajón.

Patakis and Proverbs

Sacred stories are universal

The sacred stories of Santería are known as patakis (pronounced: pah-tah-KEES). They have

been passed down orally from generation to generation for thousands of years, sometimes

undergoing subtle transformations over time due to varying interpretative skills on the part of thestoryteller, and sometimes due to linguistic and cultural shifts caused by migration to new

lands. The patakis recited in Spanish today by members of a particular ilé (religious house) inCuba may differ from the way the stories are told in a neighboring ilé. They will certainly varyfrom the way the stories are told in Yoruba in a village in Africa, or the way they're related in

English for people born and raised in the United States. But the essential structure and message

of the patakis remains the same, and all are recognized as part of the sacred body of literature

that's the backbone of Santería.

Traditionally, specific patakis are attached to specific odu, which are the letters or signs that


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appear during divination with the dilogún (cowrie shells) or the Babalawo's epuele (divining

chain). When a client sees a Santero/a or Babalawo for a consulta (reading), the odu that appears

on the mat must be interpreted to help the client understand and resolve his problem. Becausethe information doesn't exist in a codified written form, such as a holy book. the diviners have to

memorize as much information as possible about each odu. Interpretive skill is required to coax

out the subtle and complex messages of each odu as it relates to the client's situation. The patakis attached to the odu help the diviner remember and understand more profoundly themessages of the odu because they function as parables, stories with symbolic and metaphorical

meaning much deeper than surface appearances. It's unclear how many patakis exist because

there's no single collection that holds them all, and no individual diviner can claim to know all

the patakis, no matter how much he or she has studied. The goal of a skilled diviner is to learnas many patakis as possible, to understand how they relate to the odu, and to be able to retell the

pataki in a meaningful way, so the client will understand how it applies to his or her life.

Patakis Teach Us the Principles of Santería as a Religion

Patakis tell stories about the Orichás

Patakis often tell stories about the Orichás, and help define characteristics and traits associatedwith each one. They speak about the Orichás' lives on earth, their interactions with each other

and with humans, their relationship to God (usually in the form of Olofi), and they explain some

fundamental principles of the religion, such as the association of particular elements of thenatural world (rivers, oceans, mountains, volcanoes, forests, thunder and lightening, etc.) with

particular Orichás. They explain the preference for certain kinds of foods that each Orichá has(pumpkins for Ochún, for example). They explain where particular customs come from, such asthe need to begin all ceremonies by addressing Eleguá first. Some patakis talk about the creation

of the cosmos, and explain decisions made by Olodumare about the nature of human life, such as

the reason sickness and death exist. The odu (signs, letters used in divination) are also

personified in some of the patakis, making it clear why certain odu are associated with certain phenomenon, such as slander, gossip, adultery, or domestic violence. They also explain, through

example, what kind of ebó (tribute, offering) might be appropriate to solve the problem. In sum,

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patakis teach the religion to people through stories and examples in short episodes that lend

themselves to deeper reflection and thought. Because the patakis speak through symbols and

metaphors, they require a bit of work to interpret correctly, keeping in mind always thehistorical, social and cultural context of the Yoruba/ Lucumí people.

Patakis as Folklore

Written texts don't replace the oral tradition

Recently, some people have started to write patakis down and publish them as collections of

stories. These collections are good for people who are interested in learning about the patakis in

a general way, and they help preserve an oral tradition that has become somewhat dispersed due

to migration/ immigration in the modern world. However, they don't take the place of thetraditional oral method of transmission. It is always better, whenever possible to work directly

with elder Santeros/as and Babalawos who teach the patakis to their godchildren as they were

developed in that particular rama (branch of the religion). In theory, individual patakis can stand

alone as folk narratives, stories to be repeated at random for enjoyment or general moraleducation. But, it's important to remember that they are above all sacred texts, because they

contain the wisdom and teachings of God.

Patakis are not, technically speaking, secret knowledge. Anyone can learn patakis and retell the

stories. However, in order to grasp the full meaning of the story and all of its implications, the

storyteller needs to be well trained in interpreting odu, which is a skill not available to the

general public. Only fully initiated priests and priestesses can read the dilogún, and onlyBabalawos can work with the epuele chain. Dilogún interpretation requires years of study, and

not all Santeros/as have the aché (energy) for that kind of work. Therefore, the ones who are

most skilled at using patakis are people who have spent many years studying odu, and whounderstand the connection between the odu and the patakis. In Cuba, most Babalawos are

expected to learn as many patakis as possible, since they are considered specialists in

divination. The knowledge of patakis among Santeros/as is optional in most communities. Most


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practitioners of Santería will know some familiar stories, but may not know the relationship

between the pataki and the odu.

Illumination to Egun (Part 1)

Egun Devotion a Cornerstone of many ATRs

This is the first of a multi part series on dealing with Egun or reverence to ancestors. I decided to

name this article illumination to Egun, because what I would like to discuss how to activate your

spiritual quadrants with prayers.

In the Catholic Church there is a group of people known as charismatic. According to

Wikkipedia Charismatic catholic is define as this: The Catholic Charismatic Renewal is amovement within the church characterized by vibrant masses, it features ‘speaking in tongues,’

as well prophesy and healing. This movement is based on the belief that certain charismata (a

Greek word for gifts), bestowed by the Holy Spirit such as other language communication and

healing.

In this first part of the series, I will post the list of articles you need to do the ritual and in the

other parts we will go through the steps of it. I hope you find it as useful as I have for my own practice with the Egun.

Materials: a) Frankincense

b) White plate

c) Olive Oil

d) Cottone) Holy Water – From the church not botanica brought.

f) White Cloth

g) Two Bouquet of mix color flowers **the reason for two one to represent the eggun from yourmother side, the other to represent egguns from your father side.

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h) Four Quartz crystal

i) Cascarilla also known as efun.

j) Rumk) Cigar

l) Florida Water

m) If you can get a bottle of river water.n) Basil Leaves also known as Albahaca (Ocimum basilicum)o) Prodigiosa also known as Siempre Viva (Bryophyllum pinnatum)

p) Mint Leaves or Spearmint (Menta spicata)

Eggún communication and reverence is cornerstone to my spiritual practices. Peace.

Ginea Jacmel


Lamp for the egun

Ritual execution of Illumination to Egun.

To execute this ritual properly, it would be good to be as familiar as possible with the prayers,

this way they will flow naturally and you will have the force of your emotions behind it.

Direction to orchestrate the illumination:

1) Cover the altar with a white cloth; make sure your seven or nine glasses contain fresh water.

Pour some holy water, Florida water, and sprinkle some cascarilla in the nine glasses.

2) In a white bowl pour some river water, holy water, Florida water, cascarilla, some basil

leaves, mint leaves, Prodigiosa, and some rum. Crush everything together, you can add anythingin here as you see fit. Such as other herbs and/or fragrances to your liking.

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3) Take this white bowl with the concoction and sprinkle it around the altar room, and sprinkle it

around the house, especially at the entrance of your place. Thank light the incense and fumigatethe house at the same place. It is important I might add when incensing your place, to especially

let the incense fumigate the four corners of the room, in the closet and in the bathroom. Because

negative energy love to hibernate in corners and in dark places. The bathroom is the mostnegative place in the house because this is where we remove all negative energy.

4) You take a white plate and pour olive oil on it, and make nine wicks from the cotton. Takenine pieces of basil leaves and place on the plate. You will put the nine cotton wicks on top of

the nine basil leaves.

5) Then put the crystals outside of the plate one on the east side of the plate, another one at thewest side of the plate, another one at the north side of the plate, and another one at the south side

of the plate.

6) You will light each cotton wick after reciting three prayers to Saint Michael.

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel, illustrious leader of the heavenly army, defend us in the battle against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of darkness and the spirit of wickedness

in high places. Come to the rescue of mankind, whom God has made in His own image and

likeness, and purchased from Satan’s tyranny at so great a price. Holy Church vener ates you as

her patron and guardian. The Lord has entrusted to you the task of leading the souls of theredeemed to heavenly blessedness. Entreat the Lord of peace to cast Satan down under our feet,

so as to keep him from further holding man captive and doing harm to the Church. Carry our

prayers up to God’s throne, that the mercy of the Lord may quickly come and lay hold of the beast, the serpent of old, Satan and his demons, casting him in chains into the abyss, so that he

can no longer seduce the nations.

Amen.

The Prayers Begin the prayer with a Litany to Saints:

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.Lord, have mercy.

Christ, hear us.

God, the Father in heaven.

Have mercy on us.The Son of God, Redeemer of the world.

Have mercy on us.

God, the Holy Ghost.Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God.


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Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us,*

* After each invocation say “Pray for us.”

Holy Mother of Jesus,Holy Virgin of virgins,

St. Michael,

St. Gabriel,St. Raphael,

All holy angels and archangels,

All holy orders of blessed spirits,

St. John the Baptist,

St. Joseph,All holy patriarchs and prophets,

St. Peter,St. Paul,

St. Andrew,St. James,

St. John,

St. Thomas,St. James,

St. Philip,

St. Bartholomew,

St. Matthew,

St. Simon,St. Thaddeus,St. Matthias,

St. Barnabas,

St. Luke,

St. Mark,All holy apostles and evangelists,

All holy disciples of the Lord,

All holy Innocents,

St. Stephen,St. Lawrence,

St. Vincent,

SS. Fabian and Sebastian,

SS. John and Paul,SS. Cosmas and Damian,

SS. Gervase and Protase,

All holy martyrs,


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St. Sylvester,

St. Gregory,

St. Ambrose,St. Augustine,

St. Jerome,

St. Martin,St. Nicholas,All holy bishops and confessors,

All holy doctors,

St. Anthony,

St. Benedict,

St. Bernard,St. Dominic,

St. Francis,

All holy priests and Levites,All holy monks and hermits,

St. Mary Magdalene,

St. Agatha,

St. Lucy,St. Agnes,

St. Cecilia,

St. Catherine,

St. Anastasia,

All holy virgins and widows,

All holy saints of God,

Intercede for us.

Be merciful,

Spare us, 0h Lord.Be merciful,

Graciously hear us, 0h Lord.

From all evil, deliver us, 0h Lord.*

* After each invocation: “Deliver us, 0h Lord.”

From all sin,

From your wrath,

From sudden and unprovided death,

From the snares of the devil,From anger, hatred, and all ill will,

From all lewdness,


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From lightning and tempest,

From the scourge of earthquakes,

From plague, famine, and war,From everlasting death,

By the mystery of your holy incarnation,

By your coming,By your birth,By your baptism and holy fasting,

By your cross and passion,

By your death and burial,

By your holy resurrection,By your wondrous ascension,

By the coming of the Holy Ghost, the Advocate,

On the day of judgment,

We sinners, We beg you to hear us.*

* After each invocation: “We beg you to hear us.”

That you spare us,

That you pardon us,

That you bring us to true penance,That you govern and preserve your holy Church,

That you preserve our Holy Father and all ranks in the Church in holy religion,

That you humble the enemies of holy Church,

That you give peace and true concord to all Christian rulers.That you give peace and unity to the whole Christian world,

That you restore to the unity of the Church all who have strayed from the truth, and lead allunbelievers to the light of the Gospel,That you confirm and preserve us in your holy service,

That you lift up our minds to heavenly desires,

That you grant everlasting blessings to all our benefactors,

That you deliver our souls and the souls of our brethren, relatives, and benefactors fromeverlasting damnation,

That you give and preserve the fruits of the earth,

That you grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed,That you graciously hear us,

Son of God.

At the end of the litany he (the priest) adds the following:

Do not keep in mind, 0h Lord, our offenses or those of our parents, nor take vengeance on our

sins.

Our Father…

And lead us not into temptation.

But deliver us from evil.


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*****Sprinkle holy water around the room reciting Our Father and fumigate the room with

incense again.****

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen

In the third part I will continue with the Ritual of Excorcism, untill then, Peace.


St. Michael, Glastonbury Abbey

This is the third part of a series of steps meant to illuminate and energize the egun. It has been of

benefit on my spiritual practices and I hope it also benefits yours.

Exorcism In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, by the intercession of Mary, spotless Virgin and

http://blog.themysticcup.com/spiritism/illumination-egun-part-3http://blog.themysticcup.com/spiritism/illumination-egun-part-3http://blog.themysticcup.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Glastonbury-St-Michael2.jpghttp://blog.themysticcup.com/spiritism/illumination-egun-part-3


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Mother of Jesus, of St. Michael the Archangel, of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and of all

the saints, and by the authority residing in our holy ministry, we steadfastly proceed to combat

the onslaught of the wily enemy.

Psalm 67(8)

God arises; His enemies are scattered, * and those who hate Him flee before Him.

As smoke is driven away, so are they driven; * as wax melts before the fire, so the wicked perish

before God.See the cross of the Lord; begone, you hostile powers!

The stem of David, the lion of Juda’s tribe has conquered.

May your mercy, Lord, remain with us always.

For we put our whole trust in you.

We cast you out, every unclean spirit, every satanic power, every onslaught of the infernaladversary, every legion, every diabolical group and sect, in the name and by the power of our

Lord Jesus Christ. We command you, begone and fly far from the Church of God, from the soulsmade by God in His image and redeemed by the precious blood of the divine Lamb. No longer

dare, cunning serpent, to deceive the human race, to persecute God’s Church, to strike God’select and to sift them as wheat. For the Most High God commands you, He to whom you once

proudly presumed yourself equal; He who wills all men to be saved and come to the knowledge

of truth. God the Father commands you. The Son of God commands you. God the Holy Ghostcommands you. Christ, the eternal Word of God made flesh, commands you, who humbled

Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, to save our race from the perdition wrought by

your envy; who founded His Church upon a firm rock, declaring that the gates of hell should

never prevail against her, and that He would remain with her all days, even to the end of theworld. The sacred mystery of the cross commands you, along with the power of all mysteries of

Christian faith. The exalted Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, commands you, who in her lowlinesscrushed your proud head from the first moment of her Immaculate Conception. The faith of theholy apostles Peter and Paul and the other apostles commands you. The blood of martyrs and the

devout prayers of all holy men and women command you.

Therefore, accursed dragon and every diabolical legion, we adjure you by the living God, by thetrue God, by the holy God, by God, who so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son,

that whoever believes in Him might not perish but have everlasting life; to cease deluding human

creatures and filling them with the poison of everlasting damnation; to desist from harming theChurch and hampering her freedom. Begone, Satan, father and master of lies, enemy of man’s

welfare. Give place to Christ, in whom you found none of your works. Give way to the one,

holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, which Christ Himself purchased with His blood. Bow down before God’s mighty hand, tremble and flee as we call on the holy and awesome name of Jesus,

before whom the denizens of hell cower, to whom the heavenly Virtues and Powers and

Dominations are subject, whom the Cherubim and Seraphim praise with unending cries as they

sing: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth.

Lord, heed my prayer.

And let my cry be heard by you.


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The Lord be with you.

May He also be with you.

Let us pray.

God of heaven and earth, God of the angels and archangels, God of the patriarchs and prophets,

God of the apostles and martyrs, God of the confessors and virgins, God who have power to bestow life after death and rest after toil; for there is no other God than you, nor can there be

another true God beside you, the Creator of all things visible and invisible, whose kingdom is

without end; we humbly entreat your glorious majesty to deliver us by your might from everyinfluence of the accursed spirits, from their every evil snare and deception, and to keep us from

all harm; through Christ our Lord.

Amen.From the snares of the devil.

Lord, deliver us.

That you help your Church to serve you in security and freedom.

We beg you to hear us.That you humble the enemies of holy Church.

We beg you to hear us.

The surroundings are sprinkled with holy water.

Chaplet of St. Michael

****This is were you will light the cotton wicks one after another, after reciting the prayer to St.

Michael.***

O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, etc.

(Say one Our Father and three Hail Marys after each of the following nine salutations in honor of

the nine Choirs of Angels)

1. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Seraphim may the Lord make us

worthy to burn with the fire of perfect charity. Amen.

2. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Cherubim may the Lord grant usthe grace to leave the ways of sin and run in the paths of Christian perfection. Amen.

3.By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Thrones may the Lord infuse into

our hearts a true and sincere spirit of humility. Amen.4. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Dominions may the Lord give us

grace to govern our senses and overcome any unruly passions. Amen.

5. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Powers may the Lord protect our

souls against the snares and temptations of the devil. Amen.6. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Virtues may the Lord preserve us

from evil and falling into temptation. Amen.

7. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Principalities may God fill oursouls with a true spirit of obedience. Amen.

8. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Archangels may the Lord give us


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perseverance in faith and in all good works in order that we may attain the glory of Heaven.

Amen.

9. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Angels may the Lord grant us to be protected by them in this mortal life and conducted in the life to come to Heaven. Amen.

Say one Our Father in honor of each of the following leading Angels: St. Michael, St. Gabriel,

St. Raphael and our Guardian Angel.Concluding prayersO glorious prince St. Michael, chief and commander of the heavenly hosts, guardian of souls,

vanquisher of rebel spirits, servant in the house of the Divine King and our admirable conductor,

you who shine with excellence and superhuman virtue deliver us from all evil, who turn to you

with confidence and enable us by your gracious protection to serve God more and morefaithfully every day.

Pray for us, O glorious St. Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ, that we may be made

worthy of His promises.Almighty and Everlasting God, Who, by a prodigy of goodness and a merciful desire for the

salvation of all men, has appointed the most glorious Archangel St. Michael Prince of Your

Church, make us worthy, we ask You, to be delivered from all our enemies, that none of themmay harass us at the hour of death, but that we may be conducted by him into Your Presence.

This we ask through the merits of Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

After lighting all nine wick’s you can recite Psalms 3, 10, 12, 23, 27, 30,53, 67,69, 91, 117.

Egun -Spirits of the Dead

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