Haitian Vodou Beliefs
The most basic Tenets and basic beliefs of all Vodouisants are:
Believe in one God, often referred to as Gran Met (Great Master), BonDye (Good God).
Most Vodouisants (practitioners of Vodou) believe that God does not intercede in human affairs or is tooo busy to intercede in human affairs.
Thus God created the Lwa (High Level Spirits . . . more on them in a later lesson), the Ancestors and the Dead to aid and assist us (humans) in resolving problems and other issues.
By Sevis Ginen (serving the Lwa . . . the more common term used by those practicing Vodouisants), we are able to gain help in love problems, financial assistance, protection against evil/negative energy, magic or spirits, be healed, and prophesize.
Certain individuals are called/annointed/given the Mission, of working with/serving the Lwa to help others resolve their problems.
These individuals are often initiated, (another lesson later ; ) ) in one way or another, thus activating and aligning them with the Lwa, bestowing secrets, connecting them deeper with their mission and their Lwa.
Other individuals are called to serve the Lwa, maybe in other ways, or just for one’s self, etc and may be initiated or non initiated depending on the individual’s spiritual path/destiny/Lwa.
Most, if not all people, have at least one Lwa, if not more. That doesn’t mean, however, that the individual or their Lwa call them to serve as a Priest/Priestess or the Community. However, serving one’s Lwa is beneficial to most people.
Man has a Soul. This Soul is composed of Four Parts.
Good and Evil exist
Evil Witchcraft and sorcery exists and can be defeated/nullified by serving one’s Lwa.
A Lwa is like a person, in many ways, and has feelings, emotions, likes, dislikes, moods, etc.
Upset or angry Lwa or Ancestors can cause one to have problems in life and be unbalanced.
Vodouisants strive to reach a level of balance within themselves, their environment, and community. Vodou rituals and ceremonies thus are always directed at restoring balance (aka balanse in Kreyol)
