There are many people out there that would like to get started with Palo but are unsure how to do it. As an American getting started, I found it especially difficult. Despite all of the books that I read, I didn't know the right way to get started. If you find yourself in this position, please don't hesitate to contact me directly at (720) 257-8539.
Palo is a religion that truly can only be learned from our elders. As my Padrino (god-father) says, it is in the practice that we learn. This can be very difficult for us to understand, especially for Americans. We are used to doing a lot of self study, researching things online, and reading books to find the information that we need. With the internet, we live in a world of instant gratification. My first piece of advice for you is to slow down and be patient. With Palo, you must learn from your elders and wait for the right moment to learn.
There are things you can learn on your own. For example, you can read about the deities and learn their attributes. Just be cautious of what you are reading and where you are getting your information from. There has been a lot of false and misleading information published that may lead you to confusion or to be taken advantage of.
The true practices must be learned from your elders. This is for several reasons. First, there are levels of initiations that you must go through in order to access certain information. In order to perform certain rituals you must have received the power necessary to be able to do them. Second, each ceremony has very precise rituals involved, and doing something incorrectly can end up causing you problems. Finally, your padrinos need to know that you are responsible enough to learn how to do things and will be doing things with our religion to bring good to the world and not do harm to anyone.
So how can you get started?
There are several paths that you can go in:
Get a consultation from a trusted Palero:
A good Palero works with the dead and his Nganga, and these entities will give him insight into your past, present, and future. Through prayer he will be able to ask questions on your behalf and help you resolve your immediate challenges.
Choose your Padrinos
If you have been around the religion and know some Paleros, you can ask one of them to be your Padrino or Madrina. Once he or she accepts you as his or her ahijado, you can get started with your initiations.
Initiations
There are several layers of initiations. They don't always have to go in this order, but most people will take these steps:
1.) Rayamiento/Ngueyo: The first level of initiation is called a Rayamiento, which will directly connect you to the dead and your Godfather's Nganga. This is a complex 1 day ceremony that will forever change your course in this world. This is an incredibly powerful experience and because of its permanence, should not be taken likely. You should only consider this path if you have a good connection with your Godfather and have the confidence that they will be there for you forever.
2.) Tata/Yaya: In most Palo houses, this is a required 2nd step in order to truly start practicing Palo and helping during future ceremonies. However, in our house, new initiates are passed directly to this position.
3.) Prepare and receive a Nganga: In order to be able to start working Palo on your own, do consultations, and have clients and Godchildren, you will need a Nganga of your own. This is a huge undertaking and can sometimes take a year or longer to prepare. Everyone is different, but once you have your Nganga you then need to learn how to work with it, which only it can show you how to do. It can take months or even years to develop this talent.
3.) Tata Nganga: This is the highest position one can achieve in Palo, and gives you the ability to began making Ngangas for your Godchildren. Very few people ever achieve this level of initiation.
Regardless of your path, your experiences with the religion, or your attraction to the religion, be patient and educate yourself on the topic. Make sure that it is something that you want to do, make make sure that your reasons are from a purely spiritual side with the purpose of evolution and progress.
