What do the Tarot have to say about about Voodoo, Hoodoo, and Santería.
It's time to pull back the curtain on these often-maligned, deeply misunderstood, and frankly, kind of badass spiritual traditions. Because, let's be real, while your neighbor is manifesting a parking space with positive affirmations, these folks have been actively making things happen for centuries.
The Grand Spiritual Fails of Perception
First, let's address the ridiculous notions that swirl around these practices like a cheap fog machine in a haunted house.
1. Vodou (Haitian Vodou / Louisiana Voodoo): The Zombie Apocalypse That Never Was
What You Think It Is: Zombies! Pins in dolls! Evil priests in swamps sacrificing goats and cackling menacingly! Basically, every horror movie ever made involving New Orleans.
What It Actually Is: A vibrant, legitimate religion with deep African roots, primarily practiced in Haiti and parts of the diaspora. It's a profound connection to ancestors and spirits (the Lwa). It's about healing, community, justice, and survival against oppressive forces. Those "Voodoo dolls" you see in tourist shops are as authentic as a "Kiss Me I'm Irish" hat on St. Patrick's Day. Real Vodouisants have better things to do than re-animate corpses; they're busy building communities and seeking spiritual guidance.
Tarot Takes a Trip to the Bayou: If you're looking for a Tarot card that embodies the depth and structure of Vodou, think of The Hierophant. It represents sacred traditions, spiritual leadership, and connection to a higher institution.
For the profound mystical connection to the Lwa and ancestral wisdom, The High Priestess also fits perfectly – guardian of hidden knowledge and the unseen realm.
2. Hoodoo (Rootwork / Conjure): The Bible-Thumping "Black Magic"
What You Think It Is: Pure evil! Curses to make your ex's hair fall out! Secret societies plotting revenge with chicken feet and graveyard dirt!
What It Actually Is: African-American folk magic, rooted (pun intended, you're welcome) in practicality and passed down through generations. It's DIY magic, focused on everyday concerns: luck, love, money, protection, healing, and yes, sometimes making someone's life a little less convenient if they truly earned it. And for the pearl-clutchers, Hoodoo heavily integrates Christian scripture, especially the Psalms. It's hard to call someone a Satanist when they're quoting the Old Testament while burying a jar in the backyard. It’s about using natural elements, personal items, and intent to get practical results. Not exactly ritualistic devil worship, more like spiritual problem-solving with dirt and prayers.
Tarot's Conjuring Connection: For Hoodoo's practical, results-oriented magic, The Magician is your go-to card. It's all about skill, resourcefulness, and using tools (herbs, oils, candles) to manifest your will. And for that earthy, grounded, and resourceful nature, working with what's at hand, look to The Queen of Pentacles.
3. Santería (Lucumí / Regla de Ocha): The Animal Sacrifice Scandal
What You Think It Is: Blood rituals! Secret societies meeting in dark basements! Sacrificing animals to terrifying, unknown gods! This is usually accompanied by dramatic drum music in movies.
What It Actually Is: A vibrant Afro-Caribbean religion where West African Yoruba traditions merged with Catholicism during the brutal era of slavery. It honors the Orishas (deities, like Obatala, Changó, Yemayá) who manifest through nature and guide human destiny. The "animal sacrifices" you hear about are sacred offerings for serious spiritual work, always performed humanely and then often consumed. It's about building deep, reciprocal relationships with the divine for guidance, balance, and alignment with one's destiny, not just a Saturday night BBQ with the devil. The syncretism is a testament to incredible resilience – masking Orishas as Catholic Saints (e.g., Changó as St. Barbara) was a brilliant survival tactic.
That's about it! Don't make a deal out of the Tarot either, it's not as bad as Hollywood makes it seem.