The Secrets of Afro-Cuban Divination: How to Cast the Diloggún, the Oracle of the Orishas

* Provides step-by-step instructions never before published, detailing requirements and procedure for casting the Diloggun.

* Includes a detailed "mojuba" or prayer used to awaken the Orishas (spirit entities) for divination.

* Devotes an entire chapter to each of the twelve basic Odu (random patterns in which the sixteen shells fall), providing ritual mechanics and oracular meanings for all possible castings.

The Afro-Cuban faith, known to outsiders as Santeria and to adherents as Las Reglas de Ocha de Los Lucumi, is not a static religion but a living conduit of energy for connecting the spirit world to our own. It came to the New World with the slave trade where it has evolved in response to the surrounding culture. For adherents of Lucumi, the Diloggun is the most important focus of worship: the sacred shells reveal the forces at play in an adherent's life. These forces are redefined and placated by the Orisha priest, who makes direct contact with the spirit world in an effort to help the adherent evolve.

While many books have been published about Santeria, The Secrets of Afro-Cuban Divination is the first to provide complete information on how to cast the Diloggun, including opening, reading, and closing the oracle, and how to give a comprehensive reading. With a detailed discussion about why each prayer is offered and insight into the metaphysical core of the religion, this book will bring those seeking the wisdom of the Diloggun closer to the living Orishas than they have ever been.


DESCRIPTION:

Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 299.64
EAN: 9780892818105
ISBN: 0892818107
Label: Destiny Books
Manufacturer: Destiny Books
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 424
Publication Date: 2000-09-14
Publisher: Destiny Books
Release Date: 2000-09-01
Studio: Destiny Books


SIMILAR ITEMS:

• Obi: Oracle of Cuban Santeria
• The Diloggun: The Orishas, Proverbs, Sacrifices, and Prohibitions of Cuban Santeria
• Sixteen Cowries
• The Osha: Secrets of the Yoruba-Lucumi-Santeria Religion in the United States and the Americas : Initiation, Rituals, Ceremonies, Orishas, Divination, Plants, s
• The Handbook of Yoruba Religious Concepts


CUSTOMER REVIEWS:

Customer Rating:
Summary: A Keeper
Comment: I am always dismayed at people that seem to criticize any attempt at writing about this spiritual system. Then they go and praise the efforts of academics that do this work purely for tenure at universities. This is not a book to be read and used by anyone. It is for Orisa Priests. Period. No one else can do anything else with this book, except cross reference something a priest told you during a divination reading and even still you have to understand that one book could not and never will provide all the possible scenerios. Only seeking out another Priest can you ever reliably "check" the work of another. Anyway... it is good. It is not "fake" (and it odd that someone calling them the "shells" would utter such a word) but limited. As are all books on spirituality. We have to encourage and promote writing so that eventually we "bogart" out all the truly fake books (I am not Lucumi, but I bought it!), or the ones written by academics and wiccans and neo-pagans that dont represent African Culture properly or even have a RIGHT to discuss our traditions! And we can support this author with confidence. Also, some of his other books address some of the weaknesses discussed in other reviews here. You don't buy this book as a standalone. You go get taught by an elder and you buy this book for perspective. Nothing is or ever will be wrong with that.
Customer Rating:
Summary: This book is too basic.
Comment: Because this book, Ochani Lele's freshman attempt, was the only book available in 2000 that gave an awesome overview of the diloggun, I give this book 5 stars. However, unless you are a total novice to the system, this book is too simple. Ochani has written a better book, his junior publication, with "The Diloggun." If you already have a basic grasp of this subject, do not buy this book; but "The Diloggun" and go from there. If you have no idea how to divine, begin with this book.

I would not buy this book if you have any skills as a diviner. But his Obi book in conjunction with "The Diloggun."
Customer Rating:
Summary: fake
Comment: Ochanilele, aka Bart Stuart Myers, seems to have translated a whole lot of Cuban books on dilogun, but he failed to weed out the many many mistakes. What he is left with is a hodgepodge that is full of innaccurate information AND completely misses the point of divining with the shells. The people here who have praised this book obviously have a very limited understanding of the shells. [...]
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Secrets of Afro-Cuban Divination.
Comment: I am going to say Ashe for the author for taking his/her time for sharing the knowledge. This is not a book after reading it, that you will be able to cast the shells automatically. But, it give's a solid definition on the odu's. What it is lacking are the pataki's on the combination of the odu's. For each combination there is a pataki that go along with it. I am not against the production of this book for many reasons. For one, I have seen too many people get ocha and the God parent or parent's does not teach a darn thing. I have met iyalocha and babalocha who have six years ocha who can not even throw obi, never mind shells. I was fortunate enough to come from a teaching ocha house. But, alot of Ocha houses are not, and I repeat are not teaching houses. And will not take the time to show you what the odu's mean never mind, throwing them. So, for those who are in that position it is a very good start to know what the odu's mean. May I add this comment further to say the exploitation of the religion does not start with books like this. But, with the elder's who do not take the time to nurture their godchildren, and leave them like shrimps in the ocean. So please people stop blaming the authors, and let's look at the people who have the ocha houses...Thank You Sincerely Child of Oshun from New York City
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good Book, but a bit misleading
Comment: Okay I have to give my props to Ocha'ni Lele, he has written an excellent book, and all though not as good as Awo William Bascom's masterpiece "16 Cowries", it still is a good read. But it is very Good Book, but a bit misleading to all those who think that just buy reading this book, and playing with cowrie shells that they will instantly become an Italero or an Oriate. To fully write a book on the mysteries of reading los caracoles, volumes upon volumes would be required. And trust me, all that is reading the Dilloggun has not been written in this book, or any book for that matter. Dilloggun is not the tarot, we do not have the "Lets learn The Dilloggun for Begginners" As due all these dime a dozen Wiccan books, that make it look cheesy and cheap. In order to learn these ancient mysteries one must dedicate their life to the Orishas, ones godparents and ones Ile. Our Knowledge comes passed down as a parent passes down moral lessons to ones children.

So although this is a neat little into book to understanding the Basic Concepts of interpreting the Dilloggun, understand that there is so much information that can not be learned buy just reading, every good book needs a good professor behind it. Although I give my respects for Ocha'ni Lele's efforts, he is a good writer. Understand that these books can only give you limited information. It is books like these that can be dangerous to an ancient beautiful Spirituality. soon we will have the uniitiated Santero, or the solitary Wiccan initiated Santero running a 1-900 dilloggun Psychic Hotline.

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