I was involved with Santeria a few years ago, received my warriors and had my head marked by Chango. Well, a few things changed and I decided Santeria just isn't for me. Up until recently, Wicca has always felt a little silly to me...maybe I was reading the wrong books or something...I thought it was a lot of talking to fairies and frolicking under the full moon. I finally stumbled onto some Wiccan sources who actually sound like reasonable, sane people and suddenly it's starting to make sense.
I've been reading a lot and just sorta thinking about which deities I'd like to have as my Matron and Patron...not making any decisions, just studying mythology and learning. Chango still sticks out in my mind, though, as does Yemaya, and I started to wonder tonight if they could be my Matron and Patron. I feel really comfortable with Chango and Yemaya has always felt like a mother figure to me. I already know a lot of the things they like and could easily involve them in ritual...not sure what I'd do if one of them asked for a chicken, though, lol. There's just a few things I'm not sure of:
1. As far as I can remember, orishas aren't considered gods in Santeria, probably due to the syncretism (I don't know their status in Yorubaland, but are the orishas of Afrika really the same as those of Cuba?). Is that a problem?
2. Also, the orishas are called down and possess their devotees in Santeria...would they even bother to answer if they were simply invited into a circle?
If anyone has experience worshiping orishas in a non-ATR framework, I'd appreciate it. I just don't want to be disrespectful towards them.
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