Espiritismo (cruzado)
Espiritismo cruzado is a spiritual practice that arose on the Carribean island of Puerto Rica and is closely connected to Santeria. From Puerto Rico it travelled to Cuba and the US. It’s based on the indigenous Taino cultures of Puerto Rico and Cuba, Kardec spiritism from nineteenth century France, and African spiritual beliefs and practices which found their way to the Carribean as part of the Africa diaspora.
‘Espiritismo’ is a generic Spanish word for spiritism, the practice of contacting spirits, frequently those once alive who are now dead. We seek to obtain helpful messages, as well as reassurance that they alive and well in the other worlds. A better name is Espiritismo Cruzado. This translates as ‘blended’ spiritism, and refers to the blending of different spiritual traditions, making it distinct from European spiritism. The strength and uniqueness of espiritismo cruzado is its blend of diverse practices from three continents (Carribean America, Africa and Europe). It is a good idea though to be aware that espiritismo cruzado arose organically over many years and is grounded in history. It is far from an appropriation of different cultures or some kind of reconstructionism.
Epiritismo cruzado is often practiced side-by-side with Santeria and may function as a starting point to explore Santeria. Unlike Santeria it does not involve any kind of initiation. Espiritismo and Santeria are intertwined and may often reference each other.
The boveda
Essential to the practice of espiritismo is the boveda. The boveda refers to an ‘altar’ built in a set way, as well as the large round vessel or glass of water at its centre. The boveda is the starting point for growth and development in espiritismo cruzado and is esssential for our style of mediumship, cleansing, healing, ancestor communication and communication with spirit guides. It all starts with the boveda!
Misa espiritual
A Misa Espiritual or Mesa Blanca is a communal spiritual ceremony in the tradition of Cuban and Puerto Rican espiritismo. Together we sing and pray, use herbal and floral baths to cleanse, meditate to connect with ‘spirit’ and pass helpful and uplifting messages from our spiritual guides to others. The purpose of a misa espiritual is to (re)align with our spiritual destiny, to ‘progress’ spiritually (luz y progreso!), to commune with each other and the spirit world and to be cleansed of any negative energies we may have picked up or carry with us. Coming to misas on a regular basis will help you develop your spiritual sensitivity and mediumship powers so you can also help other people. We hold regular misa espirituals in Amsterdam. Check Agenda. You can also book a misa espiritual for your family/friends/at your home, or a misa workshop, or a ‘misa investigacion’, which is a misa directed solely at identifying your current spiritual court, i.e. the spiritual presences currently accompanying you in life.
Misa investigacion
A misa investigacion is a spiritual misa /mesa blanca held for an individual, by a group of espiritistas. The person whose spiritual court is being investigated is the sole focus of the group throughout the misa. The misa is largely conducted along the same lines as usual, but the person being investigated will sit in a central position and the group will aim to identify the spiritual presences around him/her.
This will include spirit guides and ancestral presences, and possibly Orishas or other ‘divine’ entities. The spirits concerned, their needs and their messages, are described in as much detail as possible. Spirits potentially harmful to the individual and/or that are in need of light, love, healing or special ceremonies may also be identified. Traditional healings may be carried out using branches, cigar smoke, rum, herbs or religious readings. Contact us for more information and to arrange a misa investigacion in Amsterdam.
Ancestor work
Ancestor work is a vital part of espiritismo, and for anyone wanting and needing to grow personally and spiritually. Without our ancestors we would not be here, in this life, as the people we are today. Acknowledgment of this simple fact is the first stepping stone to working with the ancestors. If you don’t learn how to work with your ancestors they can potentially sabotage all your good work. We may have inherited many good qualities from our ancestors, for instance their courage to fight and win battles, their accumulated wisdom, the sum total of their life experiences. But ancestors also often pass down their traumas, tendency towards addictions, and unhealthy life patterns, leading to inter-generational trauma or curses. Healing unhealthy or destructive patterns and behaviour passed down the family tree may positively impact not just ourselves and our (future, possible) children, but also reverberate through ancestral lineages.