Dear Umbanda

     I remember  very well   that distant  day on Governador Beach. I was about  thirteen  years old, but this day is very  alive  in my  memory. Adults  decided  to take  the  kids  to the beach. Arriving there, we are faced  with a ritual of  Umbanda.
     I was mesmerized  watching  a medium  in Iemanjá' s  trance. I became very admired in face of that person  out of  himself,  but not  ungoverned;  rather, dancing  and  gesticulating  moved by a force  that  seemed  beyond   her. I just  lay there  in a spell. Everything  magically  seductive. The music,  white  clothes,  the energy that hovered  over the mediuns in trance,  the drums's  rhythm . Quite true around me nobody  seemed  to notice  none of this. The ritual  was not  significant  to anyone  else. Adults were  penetrate  in distributing   bologna  sandwiches  and  prevent  the  kids make a mess.
     By late afternoon both  the ritual just as our tour ended. I went  back home  with  those images on the retina. Decades later  the sight of people dancing still  continue in my imagination. I  had  even look for the magic of  this old ritual in many  "Orishas houses",  but I had no success. I was still delighted  with  the Orishas and  knew  the sound of  drums  was  well  known  for   my  soul, but I did  nothing.  Today I realize  that I  did not trust  in my heart.
     The years passed and I had already  dropped out of the  Orishas when chance  brought me to the  "Cabana do  Pai  Miguel das Almas". This is a small and simple temple in western of  Rio de Janeiro. It is a place where  everyone is not perfect  in any way, but all seek  to do their best. After a long wait , finally  I  can participate in rituals  beautiful  and  profound. Words  seem  to  fail  when  it  comes  to   expressing  the  force  of  transcendent  experience. The drums call  the Orishas,  the songs  follow  one  another.  We can freely express what we are. Product of  three  races in  Brasil,  cosmic creatures  experiencing  on planet earth. In the peace of   our  temple  we  realize what  the Status  Quo denies  those  who  worship the Orishas: just be.
     In addition  to the Orishas, Pretos Velhos, Caboclos,  Exus Catiços, Ciganos. Friends who approach  here  this  dimension  to give us  love  and affection.
     We ask to the  Supreme Deith Father/Mother,  sacred  Orishas  and  entities  be with us  emanating  the best  vribations.
      Saravá  Umbanda!