Santería and Lukumí: Initiation-Only Practices

BY NICOLE LAU

You see beautiful altars to Orishas online. You're drawn to the energy, the colors, the power of Santería. You want to work with the Orishas, set up an altar, practice the religion. But here's what you need to know: Santería (also called Lukumí or Regla de Ocha) is a closed religion requiring initiation. You cannot practice it without being initiated. You cannot work with Orishas without proper training and ceremonies. And attempting to do so is not just disrespectful—it's spiritually dangerous.

This article explains what Santería/Lukumí actually is, why it's closed, what initiation requires, the spiritual and cultural reasons for these boundaries, and what non-initiates should do instead. Because this is a living religion with priesthood, lineages, and sacred protocols—not a spiritual practice you can learn from books or the internet.

What Santería/Lukumí Actually Is

The Religion

Santería/Lukumí is:

• An Afro-Cuban religion with Yoruba roots
• A complete religious system with theology, priesthood, and rituals
• Centered on relationship with Orishas (deities/divine forces)
• Requiring initiation to practice
• Passed down through lineages from godparent to godchild

Key Characteristics

1. It's a religion, not a practice

• Complete cosmology and theology
• Pantheon of Orishas
• Religious ceremonies and rituals
• Moral and spiritual framework
• Not just "working with Orishas"

2. Requires initiation

• Cannot practice without being initiated
• Multiple levels of initiation
• Each initiation creates spiritual bonds and responsibilities
• Years of training and study required

3. Has priesthood

• Santeros (priests) and Santeras (priestesses)
• Babalawos (Ifá priests, male only)
• Hierarchical structure
• Lineages and houses (ilés)

4. Lineage-based

• Must be initiated by authorized priest/priestess
• Godparent-godchild relationship
• Lineage traced back through generations
• Cannot self-initiate

5. Community-based

• Practiced within religious community (ilé)
• Collective ceremonies (tambores, bembes)
• Support and guidance from elders
• Not solitary practice

The Orishas

Who They Are

Orishas are:

• Divine forces or deities in Yoruba/Lukumí religion
• Each with specific domains, personalities, and preferences
• Require proper protocols and offerings
• Not archetypes or symbols—actual spiritual beings
• Demanding respect and proper relationship

Major Orishas include:

• Elegua: Opener of ways, trickster, guardian of crossroads
• Obatala: Father of Orishas, peace, purity
• Yemaya: Mother of waters, motherhood, nurturing
• Oshun: Love, beauty, rivers, prosperity
• Chango: Thunder, fire, dance, masculinity
• Oya: Wind, storms, cemeteries, transformation
• And many others

Important: You cannot work with Orishas without initiation. They require proper protocols, and approaching them incorrectly can be spiritually dangerous.

Why Santería/Lukumí Is Closed

The Reasons

1. It's a complete religion

• Not a spiritual practice to sample
• Requires commitment and understanding
• Cannot be practiced casually
• Initiation creates lifelong spiritual bonds

2. Spiritual safety

• Working with Orishas without proper training is dangerous
• Requires knowledge of protocols and taboos
• Improper practice can cause spiritual harm
• Initiation provides protection and guidance

3. Lineage and transmission

• Knowledge must be passed through proper lineages
• Godparent teaches and guides godchild
• Cannot be learned from books alone
• Oral tradition and direct transmission essential

4. Community and accountability

• Practice requires community support
• Elders provide guidance and correction
• Accountability to lineage and ilé
• Not meant for solitary practice

5. Historical protection

• Religion developed under slavery and oppression
• Practices were hidden and protected
• Community protecting what was nearly destroyed
• Preventing exploitation and appropriation

The Initiation Process

What's Required

Levels of initiation:

1. Elekes (necklaces/beads)

• First step, receiving sacred beads
• Creates connection to specific Orishas
• Ceremony performed by initiated priest/priestess
• Not just buying beads—requires ritual

2. Warriors (Guerreros)

• Receiving Elegua, Ogun, Ochosi, and Osun
• Protection and foundation
• Requires ceremony and instruction

3. Kariocha (making saint/crowning)

• Full initiation as priest/priestess
• Intensive week-long ceremony
• Expensive (thousands of dollars for ceremonies, animals, items)
• Life-changing commitment
• Requires preparation and readiness

4. Ifá (for men) or Iyanifa (for women, in some lineages)

• Highest level of priesthood
• Divination specialists
• Additional training and initiation

What initiation involves:

• Finding a godparent (padrino/madrina)
• Building relationship with them and their ilé
• Learning protocols and prayers (in Yoruba)
• Divination to determine which Orisha "owns your head"
• Intensive ceremonies with specific protocols
• Ongoing responsibilities and taboos
• Lifelong commitment to the religion

What Non-Initiates Cannot Do

Off-Limits Practices

You CANNOT:

• Set up altars to Orishas
• Make offerings to Orishas
• Perform ceremonies or rituals
• Claim to work with Orishas
• Wear elekes (sacred beads) without initiation
• Use Orisha imagery casually
• Practice divination systems (diloggun, Ifá) without training
• Claim to be santero/santera without initiation
• Lead or participate in ceremonies without authorization

Why not:

• Spiritually dangerous—Orishas are powerful and demand respect
• Disrespectful to the religion and community
• Violates sacred protocols
• Can cause spiritual harm to yourself and others

The Harm of Appropriation

Real Consequences

1. Spiritual danger

• Orishas are not archetypes or symbols
• They are powerful spiritual beings
• Approaching them incorrectly can cause harm
• Requires proper protection and protocols

2. Disrespects living religion

• Santería/Lukumí is practiced by real communities
• Appropriation violates their sacred practices
• Causes pain to practitioners

3. Perpetuates stereotypes

• Afro-Cuban religions already face discrimination
• Appropriation reinforces "exotic" or "dark magic" stereotypes
• Harms practitioners who face prejudice

4. Economic exploitation

• Non-initiates selling "Orisha work" or items
• Profiting from religion they don't practice
• While actual practitioners struggle

What to Do If You're Drawn to Santería/Lukumí

The Proper Path

If genuinely called:

1. Learn about it respectfully
   • Read books by initiated practitioners
   • Understand it's a serious commitment
   • Research the history and theology
2. Find a legitimate godparent
   • Seek out initiated priest/priestess
   • Build relationship over time
   • Be patient—this takes years
   • Be prepared for financial and time commitment
3. Get divination
   • Consult with babalawo or santero/santera
   • Divination will reveal if this path is for you
   • Listen to what the Orishas say
4. Begin proper initiation process
   • If divination confirms, start with elekes
   • Follow your godparent's guidance
   • Learn protocols and prayers
   • Progress through initiations as appropriate
5. Commit fully
   • This is lifelong commitment
   • Requires ongoing practice and learning
   • Responsibilities and taboos
   • Not casual spiritual exploration

If not ready for initiation:

• Respect the boundary
• Don't practice without initiation
• Learn about it without appropriating
• Support initiated practitioners

Other Afro-Cuban Practices

Also Closed

Related traditions requiring initiation:

• Palo Mayombe: Afro-Cuban practice working with spirits of the dead, strictly closed
• Abakuá: Secret society, male-only, initiation required
• Arará: Afro-Cuban tradition with Dahomean roots, initiation-based

All of these are closed practices. Respect the boundaries.

Crystals and Santería/Lukumí

A Note on Stones

In Santería/Lukumí:

• Specific stones (otanes) are used for Orishas
• These are consecrated through ceremony
• Cannot be used without initiation
• Not the same as general crystal work

For non-initiates:

• You can work with crystals generally
• But don't claim to use them for Orisha work
• Don't appropriate Santería practices

Crystals for Respecting Boundaries

• Obsidian: Truth-seeing, recognizing what's closed
• Black tourmaline: Strong boundaries, protection
• Clear quartz: Clarity about what's appropriate
• Amethyst: Spiritual humility, respecting sacred

Common Misconceptions

Addressing Confusion

"But I saw Orisha candles at the botanica..."

• Botanicas sell items for initiated practitioners
• Buying items doesn't mean you can practice
• Candles alone don't make you a practitioner

"But I read a book about Orishas..."

• Books can teach about the religion
• But cannot replace initiation
• Reading ≠ practicing

"But I feel called by [Orisha]..."

• Feeling called is the beginning, not the end
• Proper response is to seek initiation
• Not to practice without authorization

Integration: Respect the Religion

Santería/Lukumí is a closed religion requiring initiation. You cannot practice it without being initiated. You cannot work with Orishas without proper training and ceremonies. This isn't gatekeeping—it's respecting a living religion with its own protocols and priesthood.

If you're genuinely called, seek proper initiation. If not, respect the boundary. Learn about it without appropriating. Support initiated practitioners. Don't practice what's not yours to practice.

The Orishas are real, powerful, and demand respect. Honor them by honoring the religion that serves them.

End of Specific Traditions篇

Next in this series: The Harm of Appropriation: Why It's Not Just "Appreciation"