Teachings of the Santería Gods: The Spirit of the Odu

Teaching of the Santeria Gods by Ocha'ni Lele is a well of thoughts, inspiration, teachings of Odu. It is simple and not a full volume of Odu. It is a basic and a great introduction to Odu in the Diloggoun system. I absolutely enjoy reading Ochani Lele's book before I go to sleep and when I get up to go to work. I often re-read the chapter and each time I re-read the story, the story tells what I missed in the lesson learned and a different view in the interpetation or lesson. Yes I will have this book on my night stand and book bag for a long while before I place it on a shelf! As if I will ever tire of reading of Santeria Gods! Never! Ochani Lele I think I have to buy another book because I am already wearing out the book I purchased. Thank you Ocha'ni Lele ;). Maferefun Egun, Maferefun Orisha!

Ocha'ni Lele did a wonderful job of retelling many of the tales of the Odu during their lives on earth. So many followers of the Lucumi faith only focus on the main Orisha and I think often forget about the lesser deities and even the important Odu individually. The author was able to handcraft an assortment of various stories on each one, maintaining some of the tribal, primitive elements while modernizing the stories all at the same time - making for a wonderful preservation of the Yoruba patakí. I expect this book to be one handed down as a learning tool to each person who is to learn the ways of the religion in addition to learning the system of diloggun divination. The lively, easy to read stories, will capture newcomers and maybe even help exploit the Lucumi religion for the better. Thank you, Stuart, for your amazing contribution. I want an autographed copy ;)

I own several of Ocha'ni Lele's books and this has just become my favorite. By way of patakis, we gain knowledge and deeper understanding of the teachings of Santeria.The huge body of patakis have historically been passed from generation to generation verbally. As such, the risk of losing some is a real one. Thanks to Ocha'ni Lele, this risk has greatly been minimized. These stories allow the reader to comtemplate the odu's deeper meanings, and to clearly see the beauty and depth of this religion and its teachings. Each body of odu is analyzed; out of many, many patakis, Ocha'ni shares the most important for each odu. By doing so, a picture is painted in the reader's mind which allows for a deeper understanding. This is a vital addition to my personal library.Thank you, Ocha'ni!!

I am so happy this book was delivered to me. Initially there was a delay, and I got a notice from Amazon that my order had been lost so I requested a refund which I did recieve. Then a few hours later an email came that my book was on the way and the next day it was at my door step.I got this book because I wanted to learn the patakis of the orishas. It seemed like a great way to begin to comprehend the religion of my ancestors. I have only started reading this book and just completed the first pataki of Okana, and all I could think about was how much I relate to her story. So much so that my heart became heavy, and even now I am still trying not to let my tears fall. This story touched me.I recognize that it wouldn't be fair to get both the book and a refund, so I have ordered another which I will gift to my best friend. I expect this book is everything I have been looking for in my journey. My sincerest gratitude to the author.

I am brand new to the religion and have searched the web devouring all the information I can find. I now own 3 of Ochani Lele's books and they are absolutely awesome. I am in the process of selecting Godparents and have been blessed to find myself surrounded by knowledgeable, well respected members of the religion, and they all have copies of his books.Although this is a hands on religion and one should now attempt to "do it yourself", I have found that in taking the time to become more knowledgeable, I have become much more appreciative of how rich and beautiful Lucumi has remained throughout the years.I would definitely recommend the book to anyone interested in Lucumi, whether its academically or spiritually.

This book is clear, concise, and well written. I highly recommend.

Very entertaining and insightful stories about the orishas and odus!

There are so few reputable authors when it comes to Santeria. As an Aborisha I can personally attest that this author is not only an initiate of a verified Ile, but is also an Elder in the community. If you are interested in studying this beautiful religion, then I certainly recommend his books. However, if you feel the call to worship the Orishas, you must remember that this is NOT a solitary or pagan practice. You must find a competent godparent who will serve as your initiator.

Read it carefully, it has everything you would like to know.

I am delighted with "Teachings Of The Santeria Gods".. Although I've read many books on the Orisha, there are stories in this book which I'm seeing for the first time.The author is engaging while extremely knowledgeable and I look forward to seeing more of his work.