A Guide to Serving the Seven African Powers (Planet Voodoo's Applied Magick) [Paperback]

Denise Alvarado (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 29, 2009 | Series: Planet Voodoo's Applied Magick

Creole Voodoo, a unique blend of African, Haitian, Native American, Catholic, spiritualist, and European folk magic traditions, welcomes the uninitiated. Inside are complete instructions for creating altars for each of the Seven African Powers, including how to petition the orishas, as well as some practical spells. This guide is written for people who are not initiated into any specific Voodoo tradition, but would like to benefit from knowing and practicing age-old authentic Voodoo rituals. The author, born and raised in the Voodoo rich culture of New Orleans, has written this book from the perspective of Creole Voodoo, for which there are no formal initiation rites. This is the revised edition, and contains twice the information as the first edition. Plus, there is an extra chapter on Working Magick with the Seven African Powers and an additional 12 spells and rituals. This book is richly illustrated by the author, who is well-known for her unique conjure art style, and whose art has been celebrated in several books and on National Geographic's Taboo.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Denise Alvarado was born and raised in the Voodoo and hoodoo rich culture of New Orleans. She has studied mysticism and practiced Creole Voodoo and indigenous healing traditions for over three decades. She is a cultural psychologist, anthropologist, author, artist, spiritual adviser, and cultural consultant.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace; Revised edition (May 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1442119276
• ISBN-13: 978-1442119277
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #184,728 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Denise Alvarado (1960) is a New Orleans born, native Creole raised in the Voodoo and hoodoo rich culture of New Orleans, Louisiana. She has studied indigenous healing traditions from a personal, professional and academic perspective for over four decades. Her self-published "The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook" has done so well that she recently joined the largest publisher of occult books, Weiser and Conari Press, for a revision and expansion of that work to be released in November 2011. Her provocative artwork has been featured on National Geographic's Taboo, as well as in several books by other authors. In addition, her seminars and coaching on cultural fluency and the magickal arts have helped thousands of people around the globe market their businesses successfully and improve their lives exponentially. She is a rootworker in the New Orleans Voodoo hoodoo tradition, a medicine woman in the Native American tradition, a cultural psychologist, ritual artist, spiritual adviser, and consultant. To see her online gallery of spiritual and ritual art, please visit, www.mysticvoodoo.com. To purchase her line of authentic hoodoo ritual products, Voodoo Mama's Hoodoo Oils, Potions and Gris Gris, or to inquire about other services, please visit www.planetvoodoo.com. To view her cutting edge research on Native American psychology and quality of life please visit www.nativeamericanwellness.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars who is writing these other reviews for this author???, January 16, 2012

By 

Kalfu (Savannah, Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Guide to Serving the Seven African Powers (Planet Voodoo's Applied Magick) (Paperback)

This is the second book a friend has recommended to me - after showing complete contempt for another one of the author's books, a friend though I might like this little compendium. Reading through the book and looking at the reviews, I fail to see "decades of practical experience in age-old authentic Voodoo rituals" as the reviewer below states. However, it certainly shows that what ever this author writes - be it this book or another - is clearly HER take on it. I seriously wonder who is writing these other reviews for this author?!

Years ago everybody wanted to be a root-worker. Then people realised that you can't collect an initiation title in Hoodoo and Rootwork and everybody wanted to initiate in Haitian Vodou. But after people discovered that it is expensive, everybody wanted to be part of New Orleans Vodou - because its free and you can do what ever you want - or so people think!

Looking at the books Denise Alvarado has published, it appears she has taken a very similar journey - she mixes Hoodoo, Rootwork, Haitian Vodou and New Orleans Vodou as she pleases, presenting none of these traditions as they are! Hoodoo is a real tradition, New Orleans Vodou is a real tradition. What both of these traditions have in common is an understanding of underlying principles rather then set formulas. Sadly, Denise Alvarado knows nothing about any of these things! She shows zero understanding of the underlying principles and no knowledge of authentic formulas. Its yet again a sad attempt to mislead less knowledgeable readers! This book appears quickly thrown together to quickly publish to quickly make a couple of bucks. It looks as if Denise Alvarado only publishes to promote her various product-selling websites. Having now read and reviewed two of the author's books, I will definitely not waste money on a third, neither would I want to buy any of her products - they could be just as badly made and as low quality as her writing! Very poor!

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NECESSARY resource for Creole Voodoo, May 6, 2011

By 

Dr. A. Nyland "Author of THE DASHWOOD HAUNTING" (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Guide to Serving the Seven African Powers (Planet Voodoo's Applied Magick) (Paperback)

Cultural anthropologist and academic researcher Denise Alvarado writes about Creole Voodoo, which is a unique blend of African, Haitian, Native American, Catholic, spiritualist, and European folk magic traditions. There are no formal initiation rites for Creole Voodoo. Alvarado herself was raised in New Orleans. She has studied mysticism and practiced Creole Voodoo and indigenous healing traditions for over three decades. She is a cultural psychologist, writer, artist, spiritual adviser, and consultant.
I like the fact that Denise Alvarado not only has decades of practical experience in age-old authentic Voodoo rituals, but is also a well known and trained researcher - we can be sure we are getting the facts.
The Guide to Serving the 7 African Powers explains that traditions in New Orleans are blended traditions, and that Black Hawk, the guede, St. Anthony, Exu and the sacred serpent all appear alongside the 7 African powers.
The Guide to Serving the 7 African Powers contains explicit and detailed instructions for creating altars for each of the 7 African Powers. It also includes complete instructions on how petition the orishas.
This book explains that there are no formal initiation rites in Creole Voodoo.
I also highly recommend the Hoodoo & Conjure Quarterly: A Journal of the Magickal Arts with a Special Focus on New Orleans Voodoo, Hoodoo, Folk Magic and Folklore (Volume 1), whose blurb explains it all: "a Journal of the Magickal Arts with a Special Focus on New Orleans Voodoo, Hoodoo, Folk Magic and Folklore. It explores historical and contemporary information about the conjure arts, including magico-religious practices, spiritual traditions, indigenous healing and herbalism, and religions with their roots in the African Diaspora."

5 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!, February 7, 2010

By 

Barbara A. Mcdermott - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Guide to Serving the Seven African Powers (Planet Voodoo's Applied Magick) (Paperback)

This is a wonderfull book for people genuinely interested in New Orleans Voodoo. It's short, sweet, and to the point. I also liked the authors writing style in that she does not overwhelm you, and shows you simpler ways to worship, for Xample, alot of people make it seem like you MUST, possess all these dolls and curios in order to fully connect with the lwa's (spirits/deities). This book however illustrates that those things can be used IF you can, or want to obtain them. Basically all that is needed is prayer, offerings, and faith, which I personally agree with. I would definitely recommend more booX by Denise Alvarado.