Maitre Carrefour

Although the astronomical solstice technically has already passed, it is traditionally celebrated tonight, on the eve of the feast day of St. John (the Baptist). This is one of the major Voodoo holidays, and I hope anybody else observing it is having a great night .

If Pat Robertson has anything to say about it, and I'm sure he will, It will be my fault. In the past he has blamed natural disasters on both homosexuality and Voodoo, so I am 2 for 2. I voted for Nature. I think the weather acts according to its own rules (which may be able to be explained by math and science). I believe divine powers can influence the weather, but without being influenced it will do as it wishes. I guess one could blame deities for not intervening, but I feel they would be guilty of negiligence rather than hostile intent. Of course there may be reasons for it we don't understand, but I feel this is frequently used as a cop out. My mother believes that Jesus takes the time to find her the best parking spot at Walmart when she goes grocery shopping. When anything good happens, she always gives Jesus the credit. If anything bad happens, it is either the Devil or we just don't understand God's ways. In my own belief system, the Voodoo loa are more like Nature, they are not necessarily evil, but they are unpredictible and can be dangerous. Also they are not considered to be omniscient or omnipotent, so I will cut them some slack. The Voodoo version of the Supreme Being, Grand Maitre / Gran Met, is already known to be far away and disinterested for the most part, that is why Voodooists concern themselves with the loa instead.

That's essentially it. God or the supreme being is called Grand Maitre / Gran Met (Great Master) or Bon Dieu / Bondye (Good Good), but he is considered far removed and generally unconcerned. (Some Voodoists think he is a force and not a person.) The loa are the gods/spirits who get directly involved and answer prayers or requests. The loa have different specialties, some are associated with the ocean, some with war, some with love, etc. The loa I work with most is associated with sorcery and magic, Maitre Carrefour / Met Kalfu (Master of the Crossroads). He is often classified with the Barons and called Baron Carrefour / Kalfu. He is generally equated with the Devil at the Crossroads from folklore. So in many ways he is a lot like the demon king Crowley from Supernatural, but he has great power like an archangel would. Maybe like a mixture of Lucifer and Crowley . But he is not considered truly evil, more of a trickster.

In Haitian Voodoo the loa are indeed worshipped or "served," but being a sorcerer (bokor) instead of a priest (houngan), I do not worship the loa. I work with them. The loa are sometimes called the Voodoo "gods", but they are also like ancestor spirits. Some Voodooists become loa themselves after death. (That's what I'm working on, I would love to be one of the Barons , spirits associated with sorcery and death, but also with life and fertility.)

Hello, I have had mystical experiences with the Voodoo loa. I know many Voodooists become fully possessed by a particular loa (god/spirit). The loa I work with does not fully possess me, but I can feel him in the back of my mind and hear him whispering to me. (No, I do not mean auditory hallucinations or any other symptoms of psychosis. It is a matter of spirituality, not mental health) I can also feel his presence, like the chill in the air during a thunderstorm just before a lightning strike. Although many fear him, equating the Lord of the Crossroads with the Devil, I find him benevolent and supportive .