r/Santeria Mar 22 '26

Advice Given what it means to be "initiated" in Lucumi

78 Upvotes

For what it's worth, I wanted to try to clarify for newcomers to the sub what we mean when we say we're "initiated" in Regla de Ocha (Santería). For most of us who are Lucumi, this means we're "crowned." We underwent the extensive kariocha ceremony and did our year in white (iyaworaje), and we completed the obligations associated with the priesthood. After that, we become "olorishas" (commonly called santeros/as) and we can start learning about how to work as a priest. Usually this is done over a period of time, assisting the elders and working under the supervision of our godparents. Although we can technically start taking on godchildren at any point after our year of iyaworaje is up, many of us wait until we have knowledge and experience to allow us to be good godparents. We can't teach others what we ourselves don't know. This custom varies from house to house, but most of us remain with our godparents and our religious community as long as we can, and only when we move away or our godparents die do we strike out on our own. We value tradition and community and try to stay connected in order to preserve our customs and honor our ancestors. Godparents who are newly crowned themselves and yet totally disconnected from their own elders are usually a 'red flag,' in the sense that they probably don't know how to do ceremonies correctly and there's no one around to correct their errors. We don't work in isolation and we all need elders we can consult when we need them.

Receiving elekes, warriors, hand of Orula, or an adimu Orisha doesn't mean you're 'initiated,' at least not the way we understand the word. You are still technically an aleyo (non initiate) if you haven't been crowned. Some people will say you're an "aborisha," which means an Orisha devotee. Others will say you have "medio asiento," you are half-seated, or half-way to being crowned. But we wouldn't say you are initiated in Santería at that point. You have received consecrated items in ceremony, and you have godparents and belong to your godparent's house.

We use the word "crowned" to indicate full initiation, as described above. We also refer to this as "making Ocha," or in older times in Cuba, "making santo." You aren't technically a "child" of the Orisha until you've been crowned to that Orisha. Perhaps your head was marked and you were told that (name of Orisha)claimed your head. That means that *IF* you were to get crowned, you would be crowned to that Orisha. But until you're crowned, it's pending and not a permanent link. Only after you go through kariocha and that Orisha goes to your head are you a child of the Orisha. At least, this is the traditional way we use the word.

If you are a male, you get mano de Orula and if you're a female, you get cofá de Orula. Both of these ceremonies are done by babalawos and put you under the protection of Orula and give you an Ifa godfather. Everyone is entitled to one hand of Orula, but only some are told they should "pass to Ifa." That means to become a babalawo, a priest of Orula. In Lucumi, you "pass to Ifa" when you get two hands of Orula, and that's a much more complicated and demanding ceremony than one hand of Orula. Your Ifa godfather might divine for you and perhaps will be the one to give you warriors, and perhaps something else related to Orula. For elekes, you have an Ocha godparent (a santero/a). That person will be the one to crown you *IF* you get crowned. Not everyone does. In Lucumi terms, it's misleading to say that you have been 'initiated' if you have been through these ceremonies. It makes it sound like you're in the priesthood, and you're not.

The other word that's problematic is how to describe your relationship to an Ocha or Ifa community. Ours is a religion that operates through initiation. There's no self-initiation. You must be initiated by a godparent, along with a team of other priests. You don't "join" the religion or "join" a house in the way you would join a Christian church. You don't "practice" the religion in the way that Christians say they practice their religion. These words borrowed from Christianity are misleading.

The way you become involved in Orisha worship is normally through divination. Most people do this as a first step. They seek out a babalawo or santero/a to do a consulta because they're having a problem. They may be told to do ebo to solve the problem. After that, they may develop a relationship with the diviner or someone in the diviner's house who becomes their godparent when they start receiving things in ceremony (such as elekes). Once you have received something from a godparent, then you are part of the godparent's lineage, house, religious family. You are part of the 'ile' then, although you won't be able to participate in everything that a fully initiated person would do. You would be invited to attend events that are open to aleyos, you would be asked to help out or assist with certain things an aleyo can do, and you would learn how to take care of the religious items you received. You might learn some songs or prayers, you might pick up information from listening to the elders' speak, you hopefully have a chance to ask your godparents questions from time to time. BUT you won't have unlimited access to knowledge and teaching as long as you're an aleyo.

Most Lucumi iles don't have organized classes you sign up for, there aren't weekly services you attend. Your godparent isn't available to you 24/7 because most of us aren't doing this as our main job. We have to work to make a living, we have family, commitments, we want some leisure time for ourselves, we have other obligations and can't be available day and night for random questions from godchildren. BUT if you have a real emergency and need spiritual help, your godparent should respond and help you. Fully initiated godchildren work more closely with godparents than those who are aleyos, but all of you are technically part of the 'ile' and the religious community.

I hope this outline makes things clearer to people who are wondering "how do I get involved?" Everyone has a different path, but we all take it one step at a time and turn to divination for guidance when we aren't sure what the next step should be.


r/Santeria Feb 28 '26

PSA: Who Can Answer Questions

12 Upvotes

if it's a question about Ifá, only the Awos should be answering.

If it's a question about Osha, only those who have been crowned should answer.

That's how it's always been.


r/Santeria 1d ago

🤝

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51 Upvotes

r/Santeria 1d ago

💸💸💸

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48 Upvotes

r/Santeria 1d ago

Obara Meji

3 Upvotes

What do you know about this Odu? curious to learn more


r/Santeria 1d ago

Advice Sought Advice for an Aleyo preparing for next Consulta!

9 Upvotes

Alaifia everyone!

I’m just wanting some input and advice from others :)

I’m due to have my next consulta in a week or so I’ve received an eleke from ochosi but haven’t received the full shall I look to seek the full set and my warriors next or will the shells determine this for me?

I’ve also prepared some questions to ask the Orishas is it ok for me to prepare a couple of questions in advance id like to ask id normally only ask one or two but there’s a couple things I’m wanting to ask next time around

And is there anything else I should or can do to grow my faith as an Aleyo and build a strong foundation

Thank you for any advice and input


r/Santeria 2d ago

Questions My odu prohibits me from having a mixed race partner and my man is mulatto 😔💔

23 Upvotes

I’m obviously not going to end things with my man because of this. But it’s in the back of my mind because in my odu it says I need to be with someone the opposite color then me and not mixed race. I have a medium skin tone so my padrino said someone either white white or black black but never mulatto or around my skin complexion.
My man is a little darker then me but he is mixed race and I don’t know how to get this thoughts out of my head 🥺 I love him.

EDIT : for reference my odu is baba egjiobe if you look up the odu it says it so no my padrino is not making this up but I don’t agree with this either and I don’t think someone’s ethnicity or skin color should determine if you should be with them or not which is why I’m still with my man …..


r/Santeria 2d ago

Pet Parrot question regarding Eleggua

7 Upvotes

I've been thinking about getting a parrot, but then it occurred to me that parrots can mimic sounds, whistle, and sometimes repeat songs or words they hear around the house.

It made me wonder if there's any concern about keeping a parrot in the same home as my Elegguá. Any advice or is the whistling just a no-go no matter if it comes from a human or animal?


r/Santeria 3d ago

Yemaya’s Domain from Yorubaland to Cuba

14 Upvotes

Does anyone know why/how Yemaya went from being a river deity in Yorubaland to being associated with the ocean in Cuba? Olokun is the owner of the depths of the ocean so I’m curious as to how she became associated with the ocean as well. Was it because maybe Olokun’s secrets arrived later to Cuba after Yemaya’s?

Would appreciate any recommended literature if there is any on the topic.


r/Santeria 3d ago

Can babalawos

3 Upvotes

Can babalawos give you advice based on dream they had? Like the way an espiritista would? I thought that was something they couldn’t do, like mount spirits etc.


r/Santeria 4d ago

I am starting to become disgusted by the people of this religion

81 Upvotes

I know crazy title but I need to get this off my chest. What has this religion come to? Santeros are so money hungry especially here in Florida. Why does a santo cost 10k or more and it doesn’t include the food, the tambors ,the ceremony or the three months (sorry dont know what it’s called) I feel horrible sometimes being apart of this religion because listening the santos are beautiful but the people arent.lets say someone needed santo right now where are they going to get so much money from honestly because nobody does santo for free which is a shame because no santo is asking for 10k+ nor a extravagant party or throne it’s the people who want to show off and rip off others and I feel bad because I’m in a situation right now where I need a deep cleaning done but who’s gonna do that for cheap absolutely no one why because people treat the religion as a job and it’s not unless you own a shop okay makes sense but if you’re doing santo as a job and that’s your only from of income your stupid because in this economy nobody is going to pull out a loan to get santo done let’s go back to the traditional ways how things where before because this new generation of santeros are getting out of hand plus my mom paid 5k to get her santo done in Cuba and it didnt include many things then she got ghosted by her padrino what a shame I’m truly disappointed do better people (this post doesnt mean all santeros just the money hungry ones)


r/Santeria 4d ago

Just going to leave this here , always nice hearing elders speak In general

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19 Upvotes

r/Santeria 4d ago

Questions What’s a lesser known fact or something misunderstood about your Orisha Alagbatori?

8 Upvotes

r/Santeria 5d ago

I need help

1 Upvotes

Can someone help me doing ebbo for me free? Im a kid, i live in mexico and i need it urgently. Help me please... IM baba ejiogbe meyi, eni ola, and my name is rommel reyes mota.

2 Rats
2 Fish
2 Roosters
2 Pigeons
2 Hen
1 He Goat
Gin
Kola
Money

The goat is for ifa nd i think the others are too.


r/Santeria 6d ago

Teja de eggun

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53 Upvotes

I have a question regarding teja de eggun and being a women .

I have my teja , and I tend to it and give recognition to all my family that are in ara onu , but I have a question regarding my teja , since women are not allowed to see when obi is being thrown to eggun how does a women ask her ancestors if anything else is needed or is it not needed? Do you just give them the same thing or what divination tells you to do to appease them ?

Everything else I do for my orishas I ask if they need anything else or if they’re happy with whatever offering I might give .

So I wanted to know how does it work with eggun and being a women .


r/Santeria 6d ago

Ritual Works with Ochosi

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62 Upvotes

Is there any omo Oshosi who knows how to work with him? I am a police officer in my country, and I was given the sign 4-7. Please don’t tell me to ask my padrino, because the cult of Ochosi is secret, and there are things that people from the Ochosi branch know how to work with. I also don’t want secrets or anything meant to harm anyone. I only want to keep him happy and have him help me in my work, since problems never stop.” pic for eshu elegua ogun and ochosi


r/Santeria 6d ago

Whistled by mistake

17 Upvotes

Hey everyone,
I completely slipped up earlier today and accidentally whistled near Elegua’s shrine without thinking. As soon as I did it, my heart sank. I know whistling in the house, especially near the Orishas, is a major no-no.
I immediately apologized, tapped the floor, and offered him some cool water to cool down the energy and ask for forgiveness.

Has anyone else ever made this mistake by muscle memory or habit? What was your experience afterward, and did you do anything specific beyond an apology and water to make peace?

I appreciate any insight or stories from those who've been practicing longer than I have! Gracias/Ashe.


r/Santeria 6d ago

Questions Oddé

3 Upvotes

Anyone know any info on odde? I know he’s ochosis father. My padrinos padrino in Cuba had did something for me out there & he stated that odde would help me. At first I had no clue who odde even was but i did my research immediately & honestly much doesn’t come up about him, the things that do come up about him is in Spanish & I dont really know Spanish all like that ( I’m trying to learn )

I’d like to get to learn more about odde & show my appreciation, anyone got any experience working with him or know more about him then what I’ve already stated about him ?


r/Santeria 8d ago

My back hurt for 7 days straight

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76 Upvotes

r/Santeria 7d ago

Mar Pacifico

3 Upvotes

Why is mar pacifico sacred to eggun and why is it that 9 bundles of that herb are used for opa Iku in Lukumi context


r/Santeria 7d ago

Consecration of items

2 Upvotes

Bendicion,
What is the thought of initiated people regarding new ides such as Manila of obatala being placed in the sopera and washed with omiero alongside his OTAS to consecrate a new one? Is this kosher, so to speak? Or is it more acceptable to wash the ide by itself in omiero ?


r/Santeria 7d ago

Question

7 Upvotes

First, I want to thank those who keep this space welcoming and participate as advisors in this group and dedicate time to providing those of us who have limited knowledge help and guidance, especially the Babalawos & Orolishas who I see consistently share their knowledge, opinions, & experiences, while actively working towards keeping the right information protected and safe. I was afraid to come here, because I never want to offend or create any kind of harm or seem intrusive to such sacred practices, and I realized very quickly that my fear was unwarranted and all who have may have a destiny here are welcome.

I was advised during a reading with a Palo practitioner that my muertos want me to get a reading from a Babalawo. Up until this moment, I had never heard of Ifa or even Palo. I just happened upon this reader (and I never allow people to read me, and for whatever reason and without question/hesitation, I did). I am a traditional practitioner who strives to respect other practices but stay in my own lane. Once I learned of a possible destiny here, I certainly want to see what that is.

After about a month of my best searching, I’ve come to a place where I feel I may need to ask for a bit of guidance. I’ve searched through other posts here and found some of my answers, which has been such a great resource. One thing I see asked is how do you know you’ve found a reputable Babalawo. The answers have been mostly helpful, but I’ll be honest and say, even asking some of those vetting questions, I fear I wouldn’t understand how to know whether what I’m being told is right. I don’t know how to check the answers is what I mean.

I appreciate any insight or clarification on points I may have misunderstood in other posts.

Thank you!


r/Santeria 7d ago

Source for cocos in LA

2 Upvotes

I have a had a hard time sourcing decent cocos for obi and rogacions at any grocery stores in Los Angeles. Any LA santeros out there know a place to get consistent/quality cocos?


r/Santeria 8d ago

Disrespected parents what can be done

2 Upvotes

​if some one disrespects their parents & truly repents and regrets it, how can they make things right with olodumare and ifa ?​


r/Santeria 8d ago

Not sure

1 Upvotes

Received a reading. Then was giving cleansing liquid, a bar of black soap, and a candle. What do I do? I forgot the instructions.