Simbi
Bringer of Communication
And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.
—ROALD DAHL 1
EZILI FREDA IS FREQUENTLY ASSOCIATED with clean, fresh rivers, while La Sirene is intimately connected with the sea. Simbi, by contrast, is found in the places that are neither river nor ocean, in the brackish ponds and salty marshes that lie at the border of the inland and the coast. Because of this, he is considered a great communicator who is able to transmit messages between realms and people. And because the places in-between have always been areas of great magical power, Simbi is a powerful sorcerer. His guidance is sought by many bokors (independent magicians) and members of secret societies like the Sanpwel and Bizango.
As befits a mighty magician, Simbi’s origins are obscure and controversial. Some connect him to deities once worshipped by the Taino Indians. When Columbus arrived, between one hundred thousand and one million Taino lived on the mountainous island they called “High Ground,” or “Haiti.” Within fifty years disease and overwork had wiped out most of the enslaved Tainos. Today little is known of their culture; all that remains are a few archaeological sites and some stone fetishes and idols representing the gods and spirits they served, the Zemis.
Others trace Simbi’s roots to Africa. There was a large Kongo (southern and central African) presence among the slaves brought to Haiti. Many of them honored the high god Nzambi Mpungu, who made all things and who taught man the art of making magical fetishes.2 Even today, Paleros—practitioners of the Kongo-inspired Cuban path known as Las Reglas de Kongo or Palo Mayombe—associate this spirit with God the Father and say “Primero Nsambi” (God is first). Still others associate Simbi with the basimbi, Kongo spirits who have “died twice”—in other words, who are two steps beyond earthly existence. The basimbi dwell between the worlds of humans, who have only “died once,” and the realms of the undying deities. They are seen as very powerful but somewhat unpredictable because they have evolved beyond human concerns and feelings. Yet others remind us of the cymbees, magical but mischievous spirit-children who are found near streams, swamps, and ponds and who are prevalent in the folklore of the Gullahs, African American descendents of Kongolese slaves.
There are various names connected with Simbi. Simbi Dlo is often associated with fresh streams and freshwater turtles, while Simbi Andezo is connected with brackish water. Simbi Anpaka is seen as a master of herbs and poisons, while Simbi Makaya is a fierce and quick-tempered sorcerer. Some will tell you that all these Simbis are Simbi and that the differences stem from the way he is called and the office he is asked to fill. Others will say that they are different spirits and that Simbi, like “Smith” or “Jones,” is a family name.
In Vodou the lwa are divided into families, groupings that are loosely based on a spirit’s nature and geographic origins. The Rada lwa are saluted first during a ceremony. Most of the Rada can be traced to the Fon and Ewe people of modern-day Benin. They are generally considered benevolent and easy to handle. The Petwo lwa are “hotter” and more fierce, with roots in southern Africa and in the Kreyol culture that developed on St.-Domingue during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Many consider Simbi to be a Petwo spirit; others say he is a member of the Rada family. Most believe that Simbi walks “between the waters” and has connections to both the Rada and Petwo families.
All this may have you throwing up your hands in confusion. If you’re going to work with Simbi, you might as well get used to this. Even those who know him best find him reserved. But while Simbi might not be the most gregarious of lwa, those he chooses to work with find him a powerful ally and trustworthy friend. This is what’s important to most Vodouisants. We call the spirits the misté (mysteries) because we realize that, although we work with them and honor them, they are beyond our understanding. Ultimately their origins are less important to us than the relationships we establish with them and the magic we can perform with their assistance.
Working with Simbi
Simbi, like Damballah, is connected with snakes. But where Damballah is seen as a massive white python who stretches from the depths of the ocean to the stars, Simbi is more often associated with small, slender, fast-moving water snakes. Like a water snake he can seem timid; he would rather avoid attention and keep to himself in the shadows. Often he must be coaxed out of hiding by those who work with him. Like those snakes he can move with blinding speed, and once you get Simbi’s attention, you’ll find that he can work quickly and decisively for you.
But that last part can be tricky: it can take a while to establish a relationship with Simbi. He can be choosy about his friends and may take some time to warm up to you. If he does something on your behalf, he will expect you to follow through and carry your part of the burden. And if he is disturbed too often for trivial matters, he may go away altogether or give you a cautionary nip to remind you that annoying a snake (or a snapping turtle) is a bad idea. Patience and persistence may be necessary: you may spend a few weeks burning candles and calling on Simbi with nothing to show for it, only to get spectacular results when you least expect them.
Vodouisants use different colors to honor Simbi; generally, these depend on the Simbi being honored. Simbi Makaya is generally served with red and black, while green and blue are used for Simbi Dlo, and red and white for Simbi Andezo. An image of the Three Kings (as in the Christmas carol) is the one most commonly used for Simbi, although some houses use St. Charles Borromeo and others a picture of St. Andrew. Secret societies have special rites they perform on Simbi’s behalf and special images they use. Alas, these are, well, secret. (They also tend to involve large expensive parties and animal sacrifice, not to mention serious levels of commitment—things that go well beyond the scope of this book!)
What I have given you here should provide you with an introduction to this powerful spirit. Once you’ve found your way into Simbi’s favor, he will likely provide you with other means of contacting him and other offerings that he enjoys. As with all the lwa, the important thing is not to follow a grocery list, but rather to gain the trust and protection of your spirits—and the best way to do that is by listening to them, following their advice, and honoring their requests.
Simbi Andezo's Communication 101 Spell
When dealing with clients who have love issues, I often hear variants of “If only he (or she) understood how I really feel.” Often we are tongue-tied around our love interests. At other times we find that we have no problem with speaking . . . but, alas, we keep saying the wrong thing. Poets have a hard time finding words to express their love; how, then, can poor, average folk like us hope to convey what’s in our heart?
For times like this, you can petition Simbi for assistance. Simbi is invoked to send messages between our world and the spirit realm; he can also relay communications between people. According to Milo Rigaud, “Simbi is the voodoo Mercury who conducts the soul from the visible to the invisibles.”3 By calling on Simbi, you can make sure that your broadcast reaches the proper ears.
To perform Simbi Andezo’s Communication 101 Spell, you will need a seven-day candle, a glass of rum, and a cloth. The candle and cloth may be any combination of white and red. You will also need three bowls, one containing fresh water, one containing water to which a pinch of salt has been added, and a larger empty bowl. These bowls needn’t be fancy; cheap plastic bowls you purchased at your local dollar store will work just fine.
Finally, you should get a small bottle of white rum (a nip will be sufficient), which you will pour in a shot glass as payment for Simbi’s assistance. Draw Simbi’s vévé on a plain piece of paper and place it in the empty bowl. If you don’t do a perfect job, that’s fine; what’s important is that you create it yourself. For purposes of establishing contact with Simbi, a badly reproduced drawing will be more effective than an immaculate photocopy. Place the bowl on the cloth, along with the candle. (You may want to put the candle on a saucer or other fire-resistant surface: as the candle burns down, the bottom of the glass chimney can get quite hot.)
Get two pieces of brown paper (you can cut up a shopping bag for this). On one paper write your name; on the other write the name of the person with whom you would like to speak. Place the paper with your name in the bowl containing fresh water, and place the paper with your target’s name in the bowl containing salt water.
Sprinkle a few drops of rum on the floor. Ask Papa Legba to open the door so that Simbi might come through. Light the candle and offer Simbi his rum. Take the bowl containing fresh water and your name and pour it into the empty bowl. Explain that you need Simbi’s assistance to help you get a message through.
Take the bowl containing salt water. As you are holding it, talk to your target. Tell him or her exactly how you feel. Pour your heart out: say everything you have wanted to say. If you feel like crying, laughing, singing, dancing, or doing whatever else comes to mind, do it. Don’t worry about getting your words exactly right or saying the wrong thing. Simbi will make sure that your target understands the feelings you have in your heart.
When you feel like you have said everything you want to say, pour the salt water and your target’s name into the large bowl. Snuff out the candle. Take the large bowl and put it in a dark and secluded place, where Simbi can do his work without being disturbed. With Simbi on the case, you will soon get a chance to relay your feelings to your target—or you may suddenly find that he or she understands without you having to say anything at all.
This spell can be applied to nonromantic pursuits as well. If you think you deserve a promotion, but don’t have the nerve to tell your boss, have Simbi send a note. If you want to make amends to someone you’ve offended, but can’t bring yourself to face that person, ask Simbi to help you out. There are few situations that can’t be improved by some clear and honest communication.
You don’t have to worry about “giving the wrong signals”—Simbi will see that your message comes through loud and clear. But keep in mind that this is not a coercive spell. The idea here is to get a message across to your desired target, not to turn him or her into your love slave. He or she may or may not feel the same way you do; he or she may be completely taken off guard by learning of your feelings. There are no guarantees in love; all this spell does is help to ensure that you will be heard and that you will be clearly understood. The rest is up to your target and, ultimately, to you. You may not get what you hoped for if you let your target know how you feel . . . but if you make no effort, you are certain to get nothing at all.
Simbi Dlo's Internet Romance Spell
Once upon a time we had the town square. People came there to buy necessities, attend to business, and socialize with their neighbors. Today many of us live in suburbs bisected with highways; we travel in steel cocoons to our appointments, then return to our gated communities. Although the landscape has changed, our need for human interactions has not. Where once we would go a-courting on the village commons, now many of us do much of our socializing (romantic and otherwise) on the Internet.
Today online dating is big business. In June 2006, twenty-five million Americans visited a dating site. Others met partners through social networking sites like Friendster, tribe.net, or orkut.4 There are sites catering to Jewish singles (jdate.com); gay men (gaydate.com); lesbians (grrl2grrl.com); disabled people (lovebyrd.com); people interested in BDSM, swinging, or alternative sexuality (alt.com)—you name it.
Yet despite this plethora of Internet dating opportunities, many people have had no luck finding online love. Many place ads only to find their mailbox filled with images of male genitalia and advertisements for pornographic webcam feeds. Others discover their correspondents have been something less than honest in their descriptions. That blond twenty-something surfer is revealed, upon the first meeting, to be a balding forty-five-year-old accountant who used someone else’s picture. The beautiful poet and grad student neglects to mention her substance abuse issues or her untreated emotional disorders. For everyone who finds love on the Internet it seems there are several dozen who have found nothing but heartbreak and horror stories.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the online world, don’t despair. Many Houngans and Mambos believe that Simbi rules over the Internet. He can help discourage the solicitations you don’t want and make your search for love in cyberspace a more pleasant and productive one. For this spell you will need a turtle figurine. Ceramic and jade turtle figurines are inexpensive and can be found in many Asian gift stores. (According to many schools of feng shui, turtles draw longevity, wealth, and good fortune.) You will also need a clear bowl containing spring water in which a pinch of sugar has been dissolved, a blue or green seven-day candle, cloth and ribbon, and a drawing of Simbi’s vévé.
Sprinkle a few drops of the sweet water on the floor, and ask Papa Legba to open the way so Simbi can arrive. Now light the candle. Place the vévé atop the cloth, and place the bowl of water atop the vévé. Place the turtle in the bowl. Say a few quiet words to Simbi: ask him to watch over you as you traverse the pathless expanses of cyberspace. Imagine him flowing into the turtle that now lies in the bowl, filling it with his power.
Take the bowl and turtle to your computer. Sprinkle some of the sweet water around your desk, and ask Simbi to bless you and look after your hardware and software. Remove the turtle from the water, then tie the ribbon around its body. As you tighten the knot, feel Simbi’s energy being “tied” to the figurine. Don’t worry. You aren’t capturing or enslaving Simbi. Much as you tie your shoes so they won’t slip off your feet, you are tying the turtle to Simbi Dlo so he can use it as a point of contact between our world and the spiritual realm.
Put the turtle near your computer, preferably in a dark, quiet place where it won’t be disturbed. Behind your monitor is a good place; so is a drawer beneath your computer. You may want to put him in a bowl of fresh water so that he can move more quickly for you. While they may appear slow and clumsy on land, many turtles are speedy swimmers and hunters underwater. (Avoid sugar water for this purpose, since it will draw insects, and change the fresh water regularly lest it get stagnant!)
Greet Simbi when you first sit down at your computer and say goodbye when you leave. Talk to him during the day when you are working at your computer, and ask for his advice and assistance. You can bring him occasional treats—Red Hots or other cinnamon candies are particularly good, since they will “heat” Simbi (make him more active), but at the same time ensure his disposition stays “sweet.” A cup of coffee with sugar may also be appreciated, as will a little bit of white rum.
Not only should you talk to Simbi regularly, you should take the time to listen to him as well. Like a turtle peeking out from its shell, Simbi can provide you with sudden flashes of insight in the most difficult situations. It may take you some time to establish a relationship with him, but once you do you’ll find that he’s a powerful helper and friend—both online and off.
Simbi Makaya's Binding Love Spell
Many people consider coercive love spells unethical, but this view has never held sway in Haiti. Americans (and most people living in the “free world”) place a premium on “free will,” but Vodou developed in a culture where “freedom” is a luxury few can afford and where one’s life is largely determined by accidents of birth and uncontrollable outside forces. Average Haitians get little chance to exercise “free will”—and hence see little reason to hold it in high regard or see it as an important ideal in their magical practices.
Many Vodou love spells will seek to “bind” the individuals together. If pressed, many Houngans and Mambos would say that all love is binding done by the spirits: it is they, not we, who are in charge when it comes to matters of love and attraction. All we are doing is asking the lwa to work in our favor: make X love me instead of making him love Y. While this view may seem harsh to us, it has plenty of historical and contemporary precedent, from the ancient Greeks and the “arrows of Eros” to modern singers claiming “our love was meant to be.”
This spell works with Simbi Makaya, a “hotter” form of Simbi. While this spell uses the same vévé as the other spells, it (like Simbi Makaya) is considerably more forceful and aggressive. Caution is advised before using this one. You will need a small ovenproof dish: a bread pan or something similar will work nicely. You will also need two business card–sized pieces of brown paper—you can cut these from a grocery bag—a darning needle, a red seven-day candle, one spool each of red and black thread, white rum, and Florida Water. (This is available at many botanicas and drugstores. If you can’t find any, regular rubbing alcohol will do.) You will also need to draw Simbi’s vévé on an A4 or an 8½ x 11 inch sheet of plain white paper.
Sprinkle some rum on the floor and ask Papa Legba to open the gate for Simbi. Put a shot of rum next to the candle, and place Simbi’s vévé nearby. Place the dish on a fireproof surface, away from anything flammable. Sprinkle some Florida Water on a paper towel, then moisten the bottom of the pan. Place the darning needle in the pan. Call on Simbi to work his magic for you. Now ignite the Florida Water. As it burns, feel the hot energy of Simbi Makaya flowing into the darning needle and filling it with his power. Let the flames burn themselves out (this should only take a few seconds), and let the pan and the needle cool down. Don’t rush this—the needle is going to be HOT, and if you reach in too quickly you may get a blister for your troubles.
Write your name on one piece of brown paper, and write your target’s name on the other. Take equal lengths of the red thread and black thread, about three feet of each will be enough. Put the threads through the darning needle. Now place the two pieces of brown paper together with your names touching, and sew them together. As you are sewing, imagine Simbi dancing between the two of you, bringing you together with quick and irresistible force. The flames that burned through the darning needle are now burning through you and your target.
When you have stitched the paper together, fold the Simbi vévé around it. Now use the rest of the red and black thread to wrap the papers together. As you do, ask Simbi to bind your destinies and bring the two of you together in love, lust, or whatever you are seeking. Place the wrapped papers in a safe place where no one else will see them. Promise Simbi Makaya a reward (a bottle of rum, perhaps) when the magic is successful—and whatever you do, be sure that you live up to your promise! If you don’t, Simbi Makaya may take away everything he has brought you—then take a bit more just to remind you that the lwa hate oathbreakers.
When you feel like your target is drifting away or feel like you could use a bit more assistance from Simbi Makaya, you can “feed” the charm by sprinkling it with Florida Water or cayenne pepper. Light a red candle for Simbi Makaya and pour him a shot of rum, then hold the paper and state your desires clearly and loudly. As you continue to feed the charm, it will grow stronger—and so will your relationship with Simbi.
Should you do this spell, there is a very real chance that your target may become dangerously obsessed with you. Should that happen, or should you just discover that your target wasn’t all you hoped for, you will need to destroy the vévé and charm you have created. You will also need to give Simbi Makaya at least twice what you offered him in the first place to undo the wanga (magical spell) you had him cast for you. (Needless to say, you should take any other mundane steps required to protect yourself from unwanted attention, including calls to the police if necessary!)
Looking at all these warnings, you may wonder why I included this spell at all. I wanted to talk Vodou in all its aspects, not just the easy and comfortable parts. Coercive magic and binding spells are a regular part of Haitian folk magic—and most magical traditions. I would be remiss in teaching were I to ignore this. I would also be remiss were I to minimize the very real dangers associated with this type of magic. Ultimately, I am trusting my readers to exercise proper discretion and caution. It is they who will reap the rewards, and responsibilities, of this and any other spell they perform. Accordingly, I leave that choice up to them.