Voodoo Rituals: A User's Guide

Rating:
Summary: worth it for the 'Vodou Pentacle' illustration
Review: Entertaining. Not accurate, but has nice illustrations. I purchased this for the 'Vodou Pentacle' ( Web ) pic. I have a friend with a tattoo of the 'Vodou Pentacle' and I respect the concept, as explained to me, by an Initiate.

However, the book, itself.... well, it is mis-titled. This book is a slap-dash, thrown-together collection of "stuff." If you are looking for a book about "Voodoo Rituals," this isn't what you are looking for. Yet, it is entertaining and has some useful tidbits about various (not voodoo or Vodou) magickal entities and whatnot. I would not recommend buying this book because of the title--which is misleading. Some of the stuff in this book, I would consider "Hoodoo" and, maybe "Voodoo," but not "Vodou."

I agree with the person who said this appears to be a "Personal Journal." I just do not understand why so many Magickal systems are lumped-together under the title of the book.

Rating:
Summary: Null & Void
Review: I am an African American dedicated to African magical traditions as a scholar, author, freelance writer and an artist. I keep trying to find more information about the author because I want to know WHO could have written such an empty book and got a publishing deal to boot. This book gets one star because the author must have used some "voodoo" on someone to get away with dispensing such misinformation.

As several of the other reviewers, mention there is a very unsuccessful blend of different forms, not just traditions derived from Africa but also Europe and the Americas. European fairies and Vodou--am I missing something?

The biggest warning and red flag is within the title itself, "voodoo" is a misnomer constructed by commercial interests like Hollywood--the proper name is Vodou or Vodoun. Come on Heiwu Okusu get a clue! If you know anything at all, you should realize that the ancestors loath disrespect! This book is reprehensible.

Rating:
Summary: Seems More Like A Private Journal Than Anything
Review: I give this book 3 stars and that's probably more than it really deserves. I picked it up at B&N and figured it was okay to buy. Well yes and no. It is a hodge-podge mish-mash all right. My friend Louis Martinae did say that "Vodou is inclusive not exclusive" so finding other systems mixed in does not surprise me. Most of these so-called Voudou purists are members and dedicants of more than one tradition and many of them are hidden members of many and varied Yahoo lists ranging from Wicca to Zoroastrianism.

The point is that Heike did a horrible job explaining how a wand would be used in a ritual that summoned the loa. He also mentions that the Dead are "thoughtforms"? Excuse me? Hardly! The dead are the dead and they are your ancestors as well as those who have been gone and forgotten. While there are true thoughtform entities one can create and program for all sorts of practical applications, I find it highly distasteful to claim the Ancestors are mere made up entites!

There is nothing wrong with borrowing symbolism and techniques from one tradition and bringin those into another provided you understand what you are doing, why you are doing it and how you can integrate them successfully. For instance we know that in Africa, the loa were not called using veves at all. They were called using fetishes. Whereas in Haiti, it is believed by scholars that the Taino indian culture taught their sand art to the new African immigrants which later became known as Veves to the Haitians and their Voudou rituals.

What I do like about the book are a few things Heike mentions and the fact it has an index. The chapter on Spirit Servants and the section called "Road Magic" I found to be interesting.

If you simply must have it for your collection, then I advise you to order a used copy and save yourself some money.

Rating:
Summary: a marvelous magickal book
Review: I was stunned by the one star reviews of this book. This book is one of the most awesome I have ever read. This is a true voodoo book. It has everything from loas to spells of all kinds, evocation of spirits, how to develop will power, spiritual vision,etc. Its true that this book does not give instructions for calling the loa into a person but gives instructions for calling them into a magick mirror. Kraig in Modern Magick calls voodoo low magick. But magick it is. This means it deals with evocations, spells etc. for common things. Magick is Magick. This book is not a mixture of traditions, but treats magick from a voodoo perspective. The book is just great. It is far and away better than most books on magick from any tradition which are for the most part watered down. You have to read and study these books carefully to get to any occult secrets but Owusu's book comes right out and tells you. My guess is that this book is a well kept secret with occultists who may be amazed that the deeper secrets have found their way into this book. I have studied the occult for many years and this book is among the top five. Occultists should be skeptical of things because things are not always what they appear to be. I say this because this book is not a poor book, but a very illuminating one. Fantastic!

Rating:
Summary: What an uncomfortable mix!
Review: If you want to get confused, do not hesitate to buy this book !! You will find in it tattwas and rune practices, siberian chamanism, pranayama, buddhists mantras, the evocation of yidams, etc... This is a perfect, but rather unhelpful "pot pourri" of various religious and magickal traditions. The book is therefor rather useless and rather expensive regarding his (poor) content.

Rating:
Summary: A REALLY BIG MESS!!
Review: The book reads like a really bad Hollywood 'Voodoo' Movie. First of all, this Heiki person speaks of Voodoo with the negative concepts that a person who has no proper knowledge would use. Never is a Houngan, or Mambo mentioned. Also all the information that this person knows of Voudou does not come from personal knowledge. It comes from Jambalaya: The Natural Woman's Book of Personal Charms and Practical Rituals, by Luisah Teish. Everything from illustrations to rituals where copied from this book. Also the ritual calls used for the Lwa, are not Voodoo or Haitian for that matter. They are Lukumi, a completely different system. Also what does the Runes, Tantras, and all that other stuff have to do with traditional African Voudon. I will spell it for you. N O T H I N G!!
I could not believe how much this person got away with stripping other peoples materials, and then title the book Voodoo Rituals, a users guide. When it has nothing to do with true Vodoun. Dont waist your money on this. If you have minimal knowledge in what you call, 'Voodoo' I recommend the book I mentioned above by Luisah Teish, a book this Keiki person used without giving proper knowledge. Just compare the two, the rituals and illustrations will speak for themselves.

Rating:
Summary: A REALLY BIG MESS!!
Review: The book reads like a really bad Hollywood �Voodoo� Movie. First of all, this Heiki person speaks of Voodoo with the negative concepts that a person who has no proper knowledge would use. Never is a Houngan, or Mambo mentioned. Also all the information that this person knows of Voudou does not come from personal knowledge. It comes from Jambalaya: The Natural Woman's Book of Personal Charms and Practical Rituals, by Luisah Teish. Everything from illustrations to rituals where copied from this book. Also the ritual calls used for the Lwa, are not Voodoo or Haitian for that matter. They are Lukumi, a completely different system. Also what does the Runes, Tantras, and all that other stuff have to do with traditional African Voudon. I will spell it for you. N O T H I N G!!
I could not believe how much this person got away with stripping other peoples materials, and then title the book Voodoo Rituals, a users guide. When it has nothing to do with true Vodoun. Dont waist your money on this. If you have minimal knowledge in what you call, �Voodoo� I recommend the book I mentioned above by Luisah Teish, a book this Keiki person used without giving proper knowledge. Just compare the two, the rituals and illustrations will speak for themselves.

Rating:
Summary: An utter waste of paper!
Review: This book has NOTHING to do with the Vodou religion as practiced ANYWHERE on this earth! The author blends (unsuccessfully) Wicca, Lucumi, Santeria, Vodou, and Shamanism in an incomprehesible and unforgivable way! This book is full of misinformation regarding the African Diasporic Religions! The only positive thing I have to say regarding this piece of work is that the publishers obviously packaged it right! (The cover is pretty and inviting!) If you are looking for content, this is NOT the book for you! If you are researching/studying the ATR's and Vodou.....keep searching....because this is not the book for you! If you are interested in throwing away perfectly good money ..., then be my guest and by all means make this purchase! ...

Rating:
Summary: Not even worth 1 star
Review: This book is the biggest wast of time, money and paper I have ever seen. First off the title might well be called THE WICCAN VERSION OF VOODOO. This book is filled with nonesence. The author presents no bibliography but clearly takes many passages from Jambalaya by Luisah teish along with the very same drawuings she has in her book. Please Please Please dont waste your money on this awfull book.