Bilongo

This is a very basic description of the making of a Bilongo.  There are steps and materials that I am not describing during this process, since I hold the tradition and principle that certain things are for those who have been initiated into the tradition only.  However the basic process is one that can be discussed and that already has been discussed elsewhere on the internet.  

A Caution:  It is not wise to attempt to duplicate this process without the knowledge of the process, because to try to duplicate what you see in these pictures is to lead you nowhere or to somewhere that you do not understand.

First Soils are gathered:

Yellow Clay 

White Clay (Mpembe)- The white clay representing the world of the Ancestors, very important!

Soil from a hollow in the base of a tree by the Edge of the River.

Special Soil from Ceremony

Special Soil from a Specific Camino

Soil from 21 Tombs

A firma is drawn on black cloth and placed on Cotton.  Red Clay from North Carolina is placed on the firma with certain ingredients which will not be detailed.

Another View

In the Pilon all the soils are mixed together.

And are paced on top of the red clay along with a carga of other ingredients.

Special Herbs are also included, as well as Ache.

The Bilongo is then wrapped around the tree trunk that is being used.  The tree trunk has a firma on the top and on the bottom.  Certain bones, shells, palos and mirrors are tied to the Bilongo.

The Bilongo is painted with Red Clay Dye made with special water.

There is a hole in the trunk which receives another carga and gets sealed.

It gets sealed with a special palo

Once the carga is sealed with the Palo the whole thing is sealed with Copper sheet.

The copper sheet gets a firma as well and the top is placed upon it and later on gets sealed on top of the copper sheet.

The figure (etc) that is a four faced figure is also painted with the Red Clay.  This is a Kulusu (4 Winds).

Here are the 4 Eshus who will accompany the Bilongo on the outside.

The vessel that will receive the Bilongo is first washed with plants.  A carga (whose exact ingredients will not be mentioned) is placed within the vessel on top of a firma, and they are sealed with beeswax.  And a large Black Eshu is also placed in the Vessel and sealed with Beeswax.  This Eshu has been in the Munanso a long time and has been through many processes.

I know that many people use candles to seal the Bilongos and Fundamentos, however I shifted to using beeswax in order to use a cleaner, healthier and more spiritually powerful material within the medicines.  Most candles that are purchased in botanicas and supermarkets are made from paraffin wax which releases harmful chemicals as it burns, and some candles (imported) even have lead wicks.  

A second layer of ingredients is again sealed with beeswax.

Soils are added to the vessel to just cover the Eshu.

The Bilongo fits easily into the Vessel.  This is actually up to this point three different Bilongos working as one.  One is in the Vessel, One is in the wrap around the log, and one is within the log that got sealed with the palo and copper.  Once this is complete there will be even more.

From this point on this gets buried as the moon is waning and is brought back out 21 days later on the full moon.  

It then begins another process and further development.

21 days later in the cycle of the Full Moon the Bilongo is removed from the Earth where it was entombed.

Yet another process of divination takes place to determine the energies that it is moving with now it has been through a 21 day cycle within the Earth.  Offerings and things to refreshen the Bilongo are made.

Additional aspects still need to be completed and once these are done, there begins a process of testing of the Bilongo to ensure that it is active and intelligent!

The Movements of the Mysterios

We spend a great amount of time looking at the different manifestations of the Mysterios that are "captured" through these photos.  We look for the various Spirits who show their faces and the vibration and movement of the energies of the Mysteries.  It is important for us to spend this time looking at this.  We have been able to enter a place in our lives with the Mysteries that we have the luxury to spend time understanding and "seeing" more and more.  We have moved on from bombarding these Mysteries with heavy cases and heavy loads to exploring more and more the Earthly and Cosmic Energies of the Mysteries, understanding the Essence of them more and more through the wisdom and knowledge that we have gained.

In the first set of photos here you can see Nsasi in front of his huge Thunderstone.  The Thunderstone is about 4 feet high, and is sunk about a foot deep into the ground.  As we have worked with this Stone it has brought a new dimension to the energy here.  It is very wonderful to be able to get this stone and to utilize it in this way.  We are very grateful that we have the space to be able to put it outside of Nsasi's Munanso and to be able to bring Nsasi out to it.

Note:  Click on photo to enlarge and then click again to further enlarge.  This enables you to see some things that you cannot see from afar.

More photos of Nsasi with his Thunderstone.

Here you can see the variety of plants that have been placed around the bejuco.  There are many bano plants among them, as well as other healing plants.  Most of them are sensitive to the cold and come indoors through the winter.  The photo reveals some of the energies of these plants and how much larger their energy fields are than their physical "bodies".

More photos of Nsasi with his Thunderstone from various angles and magnifications.  Again if you look closely you will see some interesting things.

Bakula (Ancestor) Bilongo

Los Muertos

Inside Nsasi's Munanso!

The way the photo came out is very revealing concerning the sheer number of different Muertos that accompany Nsasi within his Munanso.  You can see the multiple faces, and somewhat of the energy or movement of the Muertos.  This is usually invisible to (most) naked eyes!  If there is no Vittiti Kongo, there is usually no seeing this.  This also allows the young ones, the youngest Children of the Munanso to also get an understanding of what they are standing in front of when they are in front of the Nkisis and Fundamentos.  In our Munanso, my youngest Child and any Granchildren visiting run in and out of the Munanso and the whole space surrounding it, which we call "Kongo Land" freely most of the time.

SPIRITS of the RIVER!

"Chola Wengue" is within the manifestation of the River, as well as many other energies.  When we go to the River we go to ask Chola Wengue for her blessing, or perhaps to do an offering, or Ebo, or a trabajos of some kind, or sometimes to cool off from the heat of the summer.  

On this day the heat was intense but the water was very cool, immediately refreshing and uplifting.  We enjoyed the River's coolness and energy and spent some time taking some photos.  

What is clear from the photos is that there are many Spirits within what we term "Chola Wengue" and to consider the "River" singular is to dismiss the many Spirits within the River.  

Here a small cave is formed by the flow of the River under a large stone on the bank of the River.  You can see a Misterio right in the cave itself if you look closely.  Note here the current is very gentle.

Here you see a boulder angling out of the River in front of the Manigua and a much larger Stone.  In the ripples of the water many energies are visible.  In the other photo a tree had fallen in the water and the flow of the water has shaped the tree.  A Large Faced Spirit is looking right at us!

A tree stump on the River bank looks like an Ancient Creature.  A large Stone in the River looks like some kind of River Creature coming up for air. 

Here you see the Golden Waters of Chola Wengue, and if you look carefully you can see many more Misterios within her!

Here a stronger current is visible, yet the reflection of the golden bed of the River is still visible beneath the Current.  Within the many ripples many faces look out.

Under the water a large stone "dressed" with algae can be used for certain trabajos or to put in a bilongo (etc.) as appropriate.

The varying currents and energies of the River.  In some places the water is more quiet and becomes warmer, where the current is faster the water stays cooler, so as we move through the water different energies surround us.  

Definitely Mama Chola is not Singular in her many expressions and many companions.  When we go to do Ebo with her it is very important to be sensitive and aware of the many Spirits (Good or Bad, Rough or Gentle, Sweet or Sour!) who we are encountering!