There are basically two ritual paths, and you will find one or the other in any faith. An exoteric path and an esoteric. An ecstatic path or a contemplative, same thing. Though one is seen as holy and is approved, and the other tends to get demonized. There is even a story from the Bible of that schism.
King David danced naked when inspired during his coronation. The rabbinical caste frowned and shook there venerable heads. They saw his behaviour as unholy, unworthy of the Christ or christened one, the king of the nation of Israel, but he was dancing as a way of praise. He was moved by the holy spirit of ashe and it was an expression of joy, but the contemplatives (in the Eurasian movement the grey faces) see it as forbidden. Passion limits or eliminates the possibility of control. King David was very far from tyrannical.
Now one of his antecessors who ruled in the time of Christ, Herod, had the approval of the teachers. The idea that a king would be born of the line of David, and take the throne not through the power of the nation but through his own power. Oh god, that was an evil prophecy to them.
So Voodoo is an ecstatic tradition, thus they engage in ritual dance and the use of intoxicants to loose control because they see the Loa as being the rightful source of guidance. They are the naturally healthy with a strong balance. Their culture was so vigorous, both in their native land and in America, that to date their path didn’t disappear. Quite to the contrary it was absorbed. In Catholicism most obviously of course as was the Celtic shamanism, the druidic concepts and imagery. It is what the concept of the divine right of kings arose from in the west. They just replaced Lugh and the Pantheon with Christ.
Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.
Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~