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March 07, 2007
mmmmm, sacrelicious!
i may take pictures of the prayer candles later, but here are some descriptions:
- (*) la santasima muerte ("most holy death" or "spirit death" -- feminine, btw) -- this appears to be a mash-up of catholicism and previous pagan/aztec/indian beliefs. the spirit is drawn similar to the grim reaper (skull head, skelton hands and feet, in a robe). it might be holding a scythe, but usually is holding the world in one hand and a set of scales in the other. (the one on these candles is holding a human skull in one hand and i don't know what in the other.) this "saint" (more accurately, spirit) is the one referenced as the "death cult" that a lot of criminals in mexico have been getting into -- praying for protection from others, or putting curses on others. she is also prayed to for protection of your house, for jobs/money, and by women to keep the man of their life from straying (the idea being only death should separate you). or any number of other things. colors are actually important when giving offerings or burning candles, and usually people have an altar and burn candles regularly. unfortunately, my only choices were white wax with black silkscreening (i bought 3) and red wax with white silkscreening (i bought 2). i've seen black wax with white silkscreening online, but they didn't have any at either store. one site had an awesome 7-color one (these are seven day candles)...i'd love to get my hands on that one.
- (*) la anima sola ("the lonely soul") -- this is a redish wax candle with silkscreening of a painting of a woman in the flames of purgatory, with shackles on her wrists with broken chains, one arm raised looking up into the sky. apparently, since it tends to imply being released from purgatory, it's generally used for prayer for releasing loved ones or yourself from purgatory or a feeling of purgatory. conversely, it can evidently be used negatively to pray suffering or purgatory on someone.
- (*) adam and eve love candle -- pink/red wax candle silkscreened with "attraction, man and woman, love of G-d, happy marriage, love of children, long lasting love". it also has what appears to be a drawing of a greek statue of venus (with the word "venus" above it), and the prayer on it is: "love goddess, with the power of the idealistic love of adam and eve, make me desirable, attractive, and strong so that i may partake in your acts of love and sweetness and your joyful power of love forever. my beloved:" and here it has a place to write in your beloved's name and your desire. it then suggests you pray daily and read the 23rd psalm. how's that for some interesting religious mash-up?
- (*) this one is a top half blue wax and bottom half white wax candle (note the colours) with a silk-screened picture of a cop writing a ticket and someone looking out of a window behind them and yelling or in shock or something. the caption in big letters above the scene says "law! stay away".
- (*) (alleged) controlling candle -- this is an orange wax candle with a silkscreened image of a human puppet with strings going up to a human hand on the controls.
- (*) steady work -- this is a green wax silkscreened candle with a number of jobs listed (like mechanic, dressmaker, politician, mason, minister, etc.) and a couple of pictures (one of two graduates in their cap and gowns, one of a guy doing masonry and/or carpentry). in the center of the jobs list is a six-point "star of david" inside a circle with a lot of other stuff going on that is not detailed enough to figure out, and the word "talizman" below it.
the last two i took to work and put on my desk. i figure the implication that these candles are providing me steady work and the ability to control others will help me keep my job rather handily. how can one fight the spiritual realm when it's so obviously on my side?
there were a few i didn't pick up, but considered. there was one for court cases -- to get the judge to be fair and just, or at least for you to get what you want. if only i had known about these candles when i was going through my divorce! maybe the evil that was perpetrated on me would have had to retreat to the sulfurous hell-hole from whence it came. i wouldn't be surprised to find out most of the people involved smelt of sulfur. but i digress....
with these 10 new candles, my number of 7-day prayer candles now goes up to 16. the other 6 i already had were much more catholic in nature. although the "justo juez" ("just judge") picture tends to get used as the centerpiece of the "seven african powers" stuff, which is generally considered religious mash-up. especially when instead of 7 saints they put the names (or even pictures) from other religious origins.
Posted by TeRRY at March 7, 2007 06:32 PM