Most people know that Patipemba's are the spiritual signatures that are used to call upon the the spirits in Palo Mayombe; this includes the Mpungos and different spirits that the Palero/Nganga (medicine man) works with.
However Patipemba's are also a complete spiritual language in of themselves that describes the energies of life, death, the ocean, malongo (nature), the trees, the stones, the winds, the heavens above and the hell below.
Patipembas are a deep language that describes these energies within the signature; and there are many different Patipemba's in Palo Mayombe that will serve the purpose of the working that the Ngangulero is bringing about to manifest.
Every step in Palo Mayombe has a purpose, and before you even get to the step of drawing the Patipemba for the working; there are specific prayers that need to be said that the Tata/Yaya knows to call upon the energies and have license to go ahead with the working.
There are also specific mambo's (prayers) for drawing the Patipembas which are drawn with Mpembue/Npembe (cascarilla chalk/eggshell powder).
These prayers open the portal to the work that you are performing.
Always remember, the Patipemba's are a deep language that express a certain set of energies; and this spiritual language is inside that specific Patipemba that contain those energies.
There are many, many different Patipemba's in Mayombe; and all of these Patipemba's are different which means they are manifesting and giving direction to a different and specific set of energies that the Tata/Yaya is working.
Another very important point is to remember that the Patipemba's are unique to Palo Mayombe; and cannot be mixed with other spiritual signatures from different traditions as some mistaken people do.
For example; any priest who mixes Veve's from Vodou, Palo Mayombe Patipemba's, Abukua Patipemba's and Palo Monte Patipemba's is asking for trouble.
That practise is completely wrong because there are spirits from different traditions that are being crossed and these energies are not meant to be worked together as they have nothing to do with eachother.
Mixing a Vodou Veve with a Palo Mayombe patipemba's is crossing two energies that have nothing to do with eachother. This can result in the spirits consuming the person and having negative effects on that persons life. This is a result of incorrect practise; so it is important to never cross different traditions with eachother and to keep them seperate if you are initiated/a working priest in the separate traditions.
It is beautiful and fine if you are initiated in different traditions. This is a good thing. However, the mature and healthy understanding is that the spirits of these traditions are not crossed and mixed up as this is not only incorrect; but also dangerous for the person doing this and for all of the people that this person may be attempting to help.
Palo Mayombe is Palo Mayombe, and it should not be crossed with different spiritual traditions.
Remember, every step in Palo Mayombe has a purpose, everything that the Tata/Yaya does is for a reason.
The Patipemba's are a complex spiritual language that speaks about specific energies in a particular expression that the Tata/Yaya puts to work in a working to bring about the desired results.
Palo Mayombe works with Malongo (nature); and it is the these energies that are expressed in the Patipemba's.
Another very important topic is the Mambos (sacred songs) in Palo Mayombe themselves; as these are also very important as the Mambo's are what the Tata/Yaya uses to call upon the energies of the old ways and the Mpungos to come down to the working and manifest their energies to the objective of the Tata/Yaya. Real Mambos of Palo Mayombe come in the format of a story that calls upon these energies and manipulates them to come down and bless the people/take possession of people and achieve the desires of the Tata/the Nzo (house).
We will go into the Mambo's of Palo Mayombe in another post.
We hope this post was informative for everyone researching into Palo Mayombe to shed truth on this beautiful and powerful tradition and the practises within it.
Make sure to be ready for more blog posts we will write on Mayombe, and always keep learning and studying and approaching the tradition with a pure heart which will be sure to bless your life.
Nsala Malecum, Malecum Nsala
Thank you for always willing to share and educate. Love and light.