Divination:
Asking the Big Questions,
Listening to the Lwa


Most Houngans and Mambos do divination, or "readings". In Haiti it's called a leson.

A Tarot reading performed by Mambo Racine Sans Bout

People have readings for all sorts of things - love matters, business, life decisions. In the USA where Vodou cremonies are not so easy to find as in Haiti and the average person might not have already undergone posession, one way Vodouisants find out their lwa met tet, the lwa who, after God, is the owner of their head, is by having a reading. It's a very good idea to learn your lwa met tet. It's empowering in many ways - once you know who your lwa met tet is, you can serve that lwa and reap great rewards.

Most Houngans and Mambos use ordinary playing cards, but some water-gaze, and some call a lwa, who then does the reading. Almost always a candle is lighted and libations poured, and the reading is done in private space. The atmosphere is pleasant, good smelling things like Florida Water are sprinkled, sometimes tobacco is burned, and the feeling is usually dreamlike and powerful.

When I do readings, I use Tarot cards. Most Haitian Houngans and Mambos don't use them, primarily because they haven't seen them, but those who have seen my cards always want a deck of their own, and I've given away quite a few! There are iconic parallels between specific Tarot cards and specific lwa or specific principles in Vodou. There is also a "New Orleans Voodoo Tarot" which a lot of people love, but I am not familiar with it in practice, so I just stick to my basic Tarot deck.

Mambo Racine Sans Bout, photographed at the Hotel Oloffson in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. I can do a reading for you to determine your lwa met tet; or for any other reason - love matters, business, life decisions, as I mentioned above. In order for me to do a reading for you, you must prepare and send to me a white candle.

Take an ordinary white candle and pass it over your body from head to toe, down the front of your body and then down the back. (You do not need to undress.) Then use your fingernail to mark the candle in any way you choose, to make it yours personally. While you do this, ask God and the lwa for the answer to your question.

Put the candle in a padded mailer so it doesn't break, and send it to me at this address:

Ms. Kathy Grey
P. O. Box 426
Easthampton, MA 01027

Enclose a money order for $101 US (do NOT send cash, personal checks, or Canadian dollar checks). Also enclose a note giving your name and your email address, so I know who is who. You can pay online through PayPal but I'd rather the money order and the candle come together, so I don't get mixed up. Of course if you would like to add any information pertaining to the reading, feel free!

Once I receive the candle I will do the reading and email you the results.

That's it! All readings are done and results emailed within three days of receipt of the candle.

I love doing readings. I keep people's confidentiality, I never talk, but I love doing them. If you would like more information, email me, Mambo Racine.

The lwa La Sirene, in possession of Mambo Racine Sans Bout, conducts divination for the particpants in the 2006 Kanzo of the Roots Without End Society.


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