Meet the Deity Team

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 Omnisim / Pluralism: A Multi-Versed Approach to Practitioning…

The Oxford dictionary defines an omnist as "a person who believes in all faiths or creeds; a person who believes in a single transcendent purpose or cause uniting all things or people, or the members of a particular group of people."Omnism is the belief in all religions with their gods. Many historical Native American religious movements have incorporated Christian European influence, like the Native American Church, that teaches a combination of traditional Native American beliefs and Christianity, with sacramental use of the entheogen peyote. The idea that all religions are true is often called “religious pluralism,” and even though it has struggled to root itself in rationality, the idea has taken root in many people's apathy toward religious truth and their empathy toward others. Pluralism is a situation in which people of different social classes, religions, races, etc., are together in a society but continue to have their different traditions and interests. Pluralism assumes that diversity is beneficial to society and that autonomy should be enjoyed by disparate functional or cultural groups within a society, including religious groups, trade unions, professional organizations, and ethnic minorities. Pluralist positions, in contrast, argue that more than one set of beliefs or practices can be, at least partially and perhaps wholly, true or correct simultaneously – or, that all beliefs intended to be understood in a realist fashion are false.

My Spiritual Allies:

1. Saint Lucy. Representative of purity, resiliency, eye health.

Lucy - in Slovak “Lucia” (13th December), in contradiction with the Christian tradition, was presented in folk tales as the greatest of witches. People believed that they could see witches on this day. Foretelling of the future and various love wishes were also popular. She is the patron saint of the city of Syracuse (Sicily) and of virgins. Because of various traditions associating her name with light, she came to be thought of as the patron of sight, and was depicted by medieval artists carrying a dish containing her eyes. Saint Lucy is the most beloved saint in folk magic and is among the saints closely associated with witchcraft and magick spells. It's believed that different female spirits operate under her name, such as Lucina, Freya, Juno and Hulda. She is the patron saint of the blind and people with eye problems. She averts the evil eye; bestows clairvoyance, and she's often petitioned for physical healing. In Mexico, they petition St Lucy to protect their home from house fires. Petition her to help see the way in a certain situation, to see things clearly, to see the truth. Patron to: the blind and those with eye problems, those born on the 13th of the month, those who don't need eyes to see (clairvoyants). Symbols: She's often depicted carrying a set of eyes on a plate (or in her palms) with a palm reed in her arms, or with a knife in her throat, with lamp, sword, or palm reed. Colors: white, yellow, green. Offerings: cakes, cookies, eye shaped milagros, white candles, divination tools, food cooked with saffron, arnica. Day: Tuesday. Feast Day: December 13th.

2. Saint Martin of the Poor, Patron of Social Justice. Representative of protection, health, miracles.

St. Martín de Porres, (born 1579, Lima, Viceroyalty of Peru [now in Peru]—died November 3, 1639, Lima; canonized 1962; feast day November 3rd), Peruvian friar noted for his kindness, his nursing of the sick, his obedience, and his charity. He is the patron saint of social justice, racial harmony, and mixed-race people. Martin became a Christian and resigned from the army. He later became Bishop of Tours in France. Martin is the patron saint of soldiers, beggars and France. However, it is St. Martin's charity that made him the patron saint of social justice. Martin fed, sheltered and doctored hundreds of families. He also provided the requisite dowry of 4,000 pesos to enable at least 27 poor young women to marry.

3. Oya, Orisha of winds and lightning storms. Representative of protection, transformation, overcoming obstacles.

Oya – storms, winds, last breaths, rebirth, change, and the gatekeeper of the cemetery – robed in dark purple/red. Ọya (Yorùbá: Ọya, also known as Oyá or Oiá; Yàńsàn-án or Yansã; and Iansá or Iansã in Latin America) is an Orisha of winds, lightning, and violent storms. As a river deity she is also regarded as a deity of children, able to provide children to her devotees, or those who come to her banks at the Niger river. The Celtic equivalent of Oya is Brigitte, popular as St. Brigid. Another character closely related to Oya in attributes is the goddess Kali from Hindu mythology. Kali is also associated with transformation and destruction, and is often depicted as a fierce and powerful warrior.

4. Metresili, our lady of sorrows, Mater Dolorosa. Representative of romantic love, purty, abundance. 

Metres Ezili is a spirit of romantic love, marriage, healing, purity, wealth, luck, self love, writers, unconditional love, and mental health. She is the most beautiful Metresa. In Haitian Vodou, her full name is Metres Mambo Ezili Freda Daome. She is syncretized with Mater Dolorosa. She is also called Metresili in Sanse (Puerto Rican Vodou) and 21 Divisions. Some consider her the patroness lwa of gay men. Metres Ezili is a spirit to approach for assistance with luxury, beauty, love, abundance, prosperity, clairvoyance, and writing. It is best to serve her on Thursday (her sacred day) and on her feast day of September 15th. She enjoys luxurious offerings of pink roses, perfumes, chocolates, jewelry, soaps, mirrors, and hand towels. She is partial to Chanel No. 5, gold rings, Lotion Pompeia, and the colors light pink, white, and light blue. She also accepts offerings of orange juice, milk, pink champagne, Royal Bain de Caron perfume, grenadine, basil, and fruit.

5. Eleggua, guardian of the crossroads and destiny. Representative of protection, guidance, road opening.

It's often said that, when making offerings to the orisha Eleguá, one should take caution; as Eleguá is demanding, greedy, and hungry. He is a trickster spirit, who will play jokes and set pranks, the sort of entity who laughs at videos of children falling over on a playground. The Different Roads and Personalities of Elegua… Elegua is believed to have different "roads" or paths, each with its own personality and preferences. These roads are also known as "caminos" in Spanish. Elegua Alagguana: One of the most common roads of Elegua is known as Elegua Alagguana. This road is associated with youthfulness, playfulness, and joy. It is believed that Elegua Alagguana likes toys, candy, and other fun things. Followers of this road often make offerings of toys or candy to Elegua. Elegua Bara: Another road of Elegua is Elegua Bara. This road is known for being stern and serious. It is believed that Elegua Bara likes to be respected and requires strict adherence to certain rituals and rules. Followers of this road often make offerings of tobacco or other items associated with respect and seriousness. Elegua Eshu Alawana: Elegua also has a road known as Elegua Eshu Alawana. This road is associated with mischievousness and trickery. It is believed that Elegua Eshu Alawana enjoys playing pranks on people and causing minor chaos. Followers of this road often make offerings of items associated with trickery and deception, such as mirrors or small toys that make noise. Overall, the different roads and personalities of Elegua illustrate the complexity and multifaceted nature of this important Orisha. Each road offers a unique way to connect with and honor Elegua. Elegua is a Loyal and Protective Orisha. Elegua is a powerful Orisha who holds great importance in the Yoruba religion and its diaspora. He is known for his mischievous nature, but he can also be a loyal and protective guide for those who worship him. Elegua's significance lies in his ability to open and close pathways, representing the choices and opportunities in our lives. By honoring Elegua, followers hope to receive his blessings and guidance on their spiritual journey. Elegua (also known as Eleggua, Eshu, or Exu) is one of the most important Orishas within the Santeria and Yoruba religions. Within Haitian Voodou and other Afro-Carribbean traditions, Elegua is known as Papa Legba. His importance among the Orishas is due primarily to him being the first of them to be created. Elegua existed before creation and was witness to it after being created by Olodumare. Elegua is known as the ruler of all crossroads, roads, and doorways. He is the personification of destiny and fate among all of mankind, which means that he is the one who controls what happens to us and where we go in life. People believe that Elegua is present everywhere at all times and that all prayers and religious practices have to go through him before they can reach the other Orishas. He has the power to allow roads and doors to open from the spiritual world to the material world, which helps to provide people with their destinies. Elegua also has the ability to test a person's word and integrity to see if they are honest. If someone passes Elegua's test, it means that they are a trustworthy person. His partner is named Echu, who governs over all misfortune. As touched upon previously, Elegua is the personification of destiny and fate among all of mankind. As he is the ruler of all crossroads, roads, and doorways, it is said that he is present in all places at all times. All prayers are allowed to reach the other Orishas by Elegua. It is up to him whether the prayers or any religious practices reach the rest of the Orishas at all. Elegua has a wide variety of different roads at his disposal, each signifying a different and unique personality of his. In fact, it is said that Elegua has 101 roads in all, each of them found in different places of nature. He allows roads and doors to open from the spiritual world to the material world as a means of providing mankind with their destinies, allowing a person's fate to change at his will. He also has the ability to test a person's word and integrity in order to find out if that person is honest. In addition to his relationships with the other Orishas, Elegua is also often paired with another Orisha named Echu. Echu is known for his mischievous and unpredictable nature and is often associated with misfortune and chaos. However, Echu's role is not to cause harm, but rather to help balance the forces of the universe. In partnership with Elegua, Echu helps to govern misfortune and ensure that the world remains in balance. Echu's ability to navigate the chaos and bring order is highly valued, and he is often called upon in times of crisis. Together, Elegua and Echu represent the dynamic interplay of forces that shape the world and keep it in motion. Despite their association with misfortune and chaos, Elegua and Echu are highly respected in the religion of Santeria. They are seen as powerful Orishas who have the ability to bring balance to the universe and protect their followers from harm. Elegua, being the first among the Orishas, has a special relationship with all the other Orishas in the Yoruba religion. He serves as the mediator and messenger between the other Orishas and humanity. Elegua's relationship with other Orishas is different from Orisha to Orisha.

6. Gypsy Gitana. The spirit of luck and divination, abundance, fortune telling, gambling.

7. Saint Anne, Santa Anna, patron of mothers and minors. Representative of peace at home, family bonding, child bearing.

Saint Anne is the grandmother of Jesus. Her feast day is shared with her husband Joachim on July 26th. As grandmother of Christ and mother of Mary, Saint Anne soon became the patron of married women, and for childless couples a special aid in obtaining children. She is considered the patron of housewives, grandmothers, mothers, educators, women in labor, as well as unmarried women, and those suffering from infertility. In some traditions, St. Anne is also the patron of miners, sailors, and a protector from storms. Saint Anne is patroness of unmarried women, housewives, women in labor or who want to be pregnant, grandmothers, mothers and educators. She is also a patroness of horseback riders, cabinet-makers and miners.

8. Saint Cipriano, San Cyprian, the saint of witches. Representative of  breaking curses, reversals, protection.

Cipriano was a professional magician or mago in Antioch, Pisidia, who orginally was a native of Carthage. Cipriano mastered the art of magic and became known as a great sorcerer. It was said he could produce rain and thunder and call forth spirits from their graves. He sold many love-philtres and other potions, charms, and incantations. He practiced a strict diet of plain food, including acorns, and no bread. In his travels, Cipriano had acquired several esoteric manuscripts and had compiled spells and esoteric knowledge from diverse sources. He also composed his own book(s) so that others might also study these things. Awed by the strength of the faith of Santa Giustina (Saint Justina) and inspired by the power of her God, Cipriano was converted to Christianity and baptised by Anthimus, the Bishop of Antioch. He burned his magic books. San Cipriano became a priest and became Santa Giustina's brother in Christ. Eventually, San Cipriano became the Bishop of Antioch. Santa Giustina (Saint Justina) consecrated her virginity to God, and became the leader of a convent of nuns. San Cipriano di Antiochia was martyred on September 26th in 304 in Nicomedia, during the time of the Roman emperor Diocletian. His relics are in the Vatican Basilica and Saint John Lateran, in Rome, Italy. San Cipriano di Antiochia's feast day is September 26th. Santa Giustina (Saint Justina) was martyred on the same date. After being tortured, both saints were beheaded on the bank of the river Gallus. Christian sailors secretly collected their bodies and transported them to Rome, where the remains were orginally entombed on the estate of a noble lady named Rufina. Much later, San Cipriano di Antiochia's relics were moved to their present locations. However, an unorthodox legend claims that not all of San Cipriano's books were destroyed. He had taught portions of his art to some students and copies of the book(s) are still circulating today. There are apparently several different copies of the "Ciprianillo" or "Cyprianus" written in Portuguese, Spanish, and Scandinavian--and apparently in Italian, too--all claiming to be the genuine Book of St. Cyprian of Antioch. Even the founder of Thesophy, Madame Helena Blavatsky wrote about "St. Cyprian Of Antioch." There is another unorthodox legend which stated that while St. Cipriano did genuinely embrace Christianity, and the worship of the most powerful God, he never entirely renounced sorcery, which he secretly continued to practice alongside of his Christian faith for the benefit and protection of other Christians. According to Christian tradition, St. Cyprian of Antioch was allegedly the author of some of the exorcism prayers contained in the Priest's Prayer Book. San Cipriano di Antiochia (St. Cyprian of Antioch) is unofficially known as the patron saint for those who have practiced the magic arts or have been victimized by the magic arts. Thus, he has achieved the unique position as the patron saint of apostates, magicians, curanderos, magos, root doctors, sorcerers, spirit-workers, mystics, spiritualists, and occultists. (Note : While the Catholic church does officially recognize St. Cyprian of Antioch as a saint and a repentant magician, it does NOT recognize him as providing patronage to any of the above practioners.) Those who wish to petition San Cipriano di Antiochia's help can burn a purple candle on a Saturday to request protection from womanizers, liars, and cheaters. He helps homeless people, too. Occult shops and botanicas sell "San Cipriano Oil" for anointing candles. Some practitioners blend their own "San Cipriano Oil" mixing cinnamon powder (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), galangal root powder (Alpinia galanga), orris root powder (Iris germanica), with a few drops of cedar oil, cypress oil, and myrrh oil into a base oil, such as castor oil or olive oil. "San Cipriano Oil" is also sometimes used to reconcile someone with her or his fiancee by rubbing the oil on a Happy Couple Candle, depicting the pair dressed in wedding clothes. Occult shops and botanicas also sell "San Cipriano Bath Crystals" for spiritual cleansings to wash away negative influences and negative attitudes and purify body and soul. Anyone desiring the protection or patronage of San Cipriano di Antiochia (St. Cyprian of Antioch), and who is a "servo" or "serva" of the God Onnipotente, ought to acquire a prayer card with the saint's image and set it on a purple cloth with a glass of fresh water, white candle, and a crucifix. For nine evenings in a row, the petitioner will light the candle and recite his or her daily prayers, including nine Our Fathers, and a prayer to San Cipriano--adding: "San Cipriano di Antiochia, grant me yor protection and liberate me from any danger. I ask in the name of Gesù Cristo [Jesus Christ] that you bless this water which I place before you. Empower it with wisdom and knowledge, provide for sleep, and my memory. Amen." The petitioner extinguishes candle when he or she retires each of the nine nights, and re-lights the candle again in the evening. In the morning, the petitioner takes three sips from the glass of water in honor of the Trinity, and pours out the rest of the water. He or she refills the glass with fresh water each night. To secure support from friendly spirits and empower prayer rituals, devotees petition San Cipriano di Antiochia by anointing a red candle with his oil and reciting an appropriate prayer. Some botanicas and candle shops sell nine inch San Cipriano figure candles which are formed into the saint's image. Others sell novena candles with red or purple wax which have San Cipriano's likeness pictured on the glass jar. To conquer fortune and bring liberation from evils, a devotee of San Cipriano di Antiochia should gather together a whole head of garlic, erba buona [spearmint], parsely, rock salt, and grains of incense. He should place all items inside a white cloth bag. He then must travel to seven different churches and dip the white bag and its contents in seven different fonts of holy water--each time saying, "Liberami dai miei nemici, che mi vogliono male." This white bag ought to be kept with the saint's prayer card, ideally on a home altar. There are those who say San Cipriano di Antiochia is best petitioned on a Saturday. San Cipriano di Antiochia (St. Cyprian of Antioch) as a former sorcerer was be believed especially effective in routing evil spirits. 

9. Oshun, goddess of love, attraction, passion, romance. 

Oshun is commonly called the river orisha, or goddess, in the Yoruba religion and is typically associated with water, purity, fertility, love, and sensuality. She is considered one of the most powerful of all orishas, and, like other gods, she possesses human attributes such as vanity, jealousy, and spite. Oshun is an important river deity among the Yorùbá people. She is the goddess of divinity, femininity, fertility, beauty, and love. Oshun is particularly revered in the Yoruba pantheon and is known as the goddess of sweet waters, representing the flowing and life-giving qualities of rivers. She embodies feminine power and is considered the patroness of love and relationships, marriage, and the arts.

10. Vishnu Lakshmi Narayan Brahma

Vishnu is the god of Preservation, the great maintainer who often appears in various incarnations (avatara) to provide salvation for humanity. Some of his best-known avatars, who are tremendously popular and beloved throughout Hindu India, are the gods Krishna and Rama. Lakshmi, Hindu goddess of wealth and good fortune. The wife of Vishnu, she is said to have taken different forms in order to be with him in each of his incarnations. Lord Narayana is more commonly known as the Hindu god Vishnu. Vishnu, along with Brahma and Shiva, is one of the three most important deities in Hinduism. Vishnu is the god of preservation and thus preserves order in the world. In some texts, Narayana is not only the protector of the universe but the universe itself. Brahma (Sanskrit: ब्रह्मा, IAST: Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva. He is associated with creation, knowledge, and the Vedas. Brahma is prominently mentioned in creation legends.

11. Lord Krishna Murti

‘Om Sri Krishnah sharanam namah’: This chant is a call to the beloved Lord Krishna, where you pray to him to take you under his shelter, surrendering yourself to him with utmost devotion. This mantra is said to take away all the grief and miseries from your life and mind, giving you peace. Krishna is the Hindu god of compassion, protection, and love. Also called the Dark One, Krishna is an important character in many Hindu sacred texts, including the Bhagavad Gita. He is portrayed in various ways in Indian mythology and art, from child-god to divine lover, prankster to hero.

12. Gayatri Mata 

She is known to be the Goddess of Vedic hymns. Goddess Gayatri is also known as Ved Mata. She has three heads that's why she is also called as Goddess of Trimurti. She is the embodiment of Goddess Saraswati, Goddess Parvati and Goddess Laxmi. Goddess Gayatri is typically portrayed with five faces. She is mounted on the lotus flower. The five faces of Goddess Gayatri symbolize five Pranas i.e. Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana and Samana. They also symbolize five elements of the universe i.e. the earth, the water, the fire, the air and the sky. Gayatri is a Goddess who represents a divine attitude: the incessant and relentless pursuit of wisdom. In Vedic literature, she is known as the female expression of the light of the Sun, the Light of Wisdom. She is revealed in the form of a mantra, called the Gayatri Mantra.

13. Saraswati Maa

Maa (Mother) Saraswati is a Hindu goddess who represents education, creativity, and music. The name Saraswati stems from the Sanskrit root "saras," which means "that which is fluid." Maa Saraswati is known to bring order out of chaos and has a calming and centering personality. Saraswati (Sanskrit: सरस्वती, IAST: Sarasvatī), also spelled as Sarasvati, is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, flowing water, abundance and wealth, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. She is one of the Tridevi, along with the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati. She is the goddess of knowledge, music, and the arts. She is believed to bless people with the power of speech, wisdom, and learning. Saraswati has four hands that correlate to the for aspects of human personality in learning: intellect, alertness, mind, and ego.

14. Filomena Lubana 

Filomena Lubana has many names, including Santa Marta La Dominadora, Metresa Lubana, Metresa Marta Pye, La Colora, and La Morena. Santa Marta La Dominadora lives in the cemetery and comes in the form of a snake. She cleanses spaces of negativity and circles around men to cleanse their auras, making them more attractive to women. Many petition her to dominate men, situations, and enemies. She can also help bring out the truth. In Sanse (Puerto Rican Vodou), each spirit syncs with a Catholic saint. Filomena Lubana syncs with Saint Martha, sister of Mary Magdalene and Lazarus. When we serve Filomena Lubana, we offer her coffee grounds with cinnamon, cloves, and star anise smothered in honey with an egg on top, dark flowers, orchids, black beans and rice, grape soda, black coffee, menthol cigarettes, cigars, anchovies, herring, and dry red wine. Her colors are green, purple, black, and red, though she likes all dark colors. She is served on the floor because she is a snake. Her images often depict her holding a small boy. Based on African folklore, she came across an orphan boy in the grips of a snake in a cemetery. She rescued the child by charming the snakes and raised him as her own.

15. Kali Ma

Kali Ma: the divine mother, she appears fearsome. Kali Ma goddess, the Divine Mother, the Dark Mother, the Terrible Mother. She is the Hindu goddess of time, creation, preservation, and destruction. As fearsome as she may appear, she is the most compassionate goddess of them all. Alongside being the Goddess of darkness, destruction, and death, Kali is also a symbol of Mother Nature because she is believed to be timeless and formless, representing the creation of life, and the universe as well. The Indian goddess Kali embodies the power of creation and destruction in one entity. She transcends good and evil. Kali is Mother Nature, primordial, nurturing, creating, and devouring all at once, always protecting her children from harm. As the goddess, Kali Ma, Kali, goddess of death, is terrifying and amazing.

16. Durga

Durga (Sanskrit: दुर्गा, IAST: Durgā) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. The Goddess Durga is seen as a sign of power and protection, which is why she has garnered so many followers through the years. She was originally incarnated to fight a demon that only a woman could defeat. Now, she is seen as a fierce warrior goddess. Durga Maa is depicted as riding on a lion or a tiger. A tiger symbolizes unlimited power. Durga riding a tiger indicates that She possesses unlimited power and uses it to protect virtue and destroy evil. The Power of Goddess Durga is the power to destroy evil, and to bring goodness into our lives. While we don't see any males helping Durga, she is sometimes shown to be able to use their powers.

17. San Simon

In the Mayan world, petitions are done individually or in smoky, spooky ceremonies. The saints are offered money and small gifts, such as carbonated beverages, or even chickens. Incense is burned and candles are lit before their effigies. The color of the candles has meaning as well. Now, as a mix between seemingly incompatible cultures—Native American and Catholic—strange manifestations and interpretations often occur. For example, you can find Santa Muerte in Tepito, Mexico City´s toughest neighborhood, as well as in towns in Northern Mexico hard hit by the drug prohibition war. Santa Muerte is the saint to pray to if you are a drug dealer, criminal, or just an average person who seeks revenge. This brings us to San Simon, or Maximon—the same guy with two names. San Simon is the unrecognized Spanish saint, and Maximon is the Mayan shaman. He is the primary saint in Guatemala and you can see effigies to him everywhere, some in special shrines which change houses every year, and some in less likely places like bars or worse. He always looks somewhat the same—with a mustache, cowboy hat, cigarette hanging from his mouth, and surrounded by any number of colorful and odd decorations. Story 1: San Simon was a Spanish priest who lived in Zunil around 200 or 300 years ago. Despite being a womanizer and heavy drinker and smoker, he was beloved by the community, one reason being that he let anyone sleep in the church when they needed to. The Catholic Church excommunicated him for his bad behavior and he built his own church in the town. It became more popular than the other church, as was evident by the overflowing gifts of candles and flowers made to him every day. The Catholic Church destroyed San Simon´s church and left him homeless. He spent the rest of his days in Zunil staying with citizens of the town, continuing his bad-boy ways, forever forgiven and even loved for them. He ceaselessly traveled Guatemala, drinking, smoking, womanizing, but otherwise doing good for everyone he met. Perhaps that is why in each community his effigy is moved from house to house every year. People come and leave him gifts of alcohol and cigarettes and burn candles before him. Playboys are left for him because he liked women so much. He sits with a basket full of coins on his lap, a cigarette in his mouth, a bottle of booze and a shotgun at his side. The money collected is saved for the yearly parties each community has for him, when they parade his effigy around town. His simple chair is surrounded by flowers and white flickering neon lights. The other version of his story: San Simon is just the Spanish name for Maximon, a Mayan shaman who lived 500 years ago and was never involved in the Catholic Church. He traveled all over Guatemala, and yes he drank but only because he worked so hard helping the people. His preferred drink was/is cusha, a corn-moonshine. It was strong but smooth, a little yellow and a little like mescal, and it cannot be bought in bottles. Cusha is drunk when a Guatemalan comes to ask his girlfriend´s father if he can marry his daughter. The more of it they drink, the more approving Dad is of his future son-in-law.
That Mexicans have their Virgin of Guadalupe, other Latin countries have other special saints, but Guatemala has a moonshine-drinking, cigarette-smoking badass to visit and pray to. As mystical as it all is, I guess his vagabond ways add a nice touch of everyday life to a culture of petitioning God for help and favors through what are either deeply spiritual, important ceremonies or simple afternoon drinking sessions. Worship varies greatly by location. In Santiago Atitlán, Maximón's effigy resides in a different household every year. His image is normally only taken out of this house during Holy Week, whereafter it will change households, but is on display year-round due to the popularity of pilgrimages. The effigy has special attendants that stay by the altar year-round, drinking and smoking alongside it. They deliver offerings from the public to the image. Popular offerings include money, tobacco, and moonshine. In the town of San Andrés Itzapa, there is a large temple to Maximón. Here, offerings such as corn, flowers, and candles are burned in public by shamans for the deity. Pilgrims travel to this temple from all across Latin America. As many Guatemalans have migrated to areas such as Mexico, the United States, and Canada, the veneration of Maximón has traveled beyond the borders of Guatemala, where he is more commonly known as San Simón. There are temples dedicated to him in New York, California, and Florida. Maximón, also known as San Simón, represents light and dark. He is considered a trickster—both a womanizer and protector of virtuous couples. According to legend, the village fishermen traveled frequently for trade and enlisted Maximón to protect the virtue of the wives they left behind. It backfired. Instead, Maximón is said to have disguised himself as a loved one so he could have sex indiscriminately.
Those seeking miracles, good health, and love make offerings at his shrine in exchange for his favor—moonshine, hand-rolled cigarettes, and money are his vices of choice.

18. Santa Muerte 

Our Lady of Holy Death, often shortened to Santa Muerte, is a new religious movement, female deity, and folk saint in Mexican folk Catholicism and Neopaganism.  A personification of death, she is associated with healing, protection, and safe delivery to the afterlife by her devotees. Despite condemnation by the Catholic Church, and more recently Evangelical pastors, her cult has become increasingly prominent since the turn of the 21st century.  Santa Muerte almost always appears as a female skeletal figure, clad in a long robe and holding one or more objects, usually a scythe and a globe. Her robe can be of any color, as more specific images of the figure vary widely from devotee to devotee and according to the ritual being performed or the petition being made. Her present day following was first reported in Mexico by American anthropologists in the 1940s and was an occult practice until the early 2000s. Most prayers and other rituals have been traditionally performed privately at home. Since the beginning of the 21st century, worship has become more public, starting in Mexico City after a believer named Enriqueta Romero founded her famous Mexico City shrine in 2001. The number of believers in Santa Muerte has grown over the past two decades, to an estimated 12 million followers who are concentrated in Mexico, Central America, and the United States, and with smaller numbers of followers across the Americas and Europe. Santa Muerte has two similar male counterparts in Latin America, the skeletal folk saints San La Muerte of Argentina and Paraguay and Rey Pascual of Guatemala and Chiapas, Mexico. Santa Muerte is at the center of the single fastest-growing new religious movement in the world. Santa Muerte is a personification of death. Unlike other saints who originated in Mexican folk Catholicism, Santa Muerte is not, herself, seen as a dead human being. She is associated with healing, protection, financial wellbeing, and assurance of a path to the afterlife.

19. Ganesh 

Ganesha is known as the remover of obstacles and the offspring of Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction, and his consort the goddess Parvathi. Several myths detail his birth and acquisition of the elephant head. Ganesha the Hindu elephant god symbolizes protection and the removal of obstacles from one's path. He is one of the most popular deities in all of Hinduism. His elephant tusk symbolizes intellectual strength, adaptability, and efficiency. Ganesha is one of the most distinctive Hindu deities with his large elephant head and pot-bellied human body. He plays a dual role of a supreme being powerful enough to remove obstacles and ensure success or create obstructions for those whose ambition has become destructive.

 20. Yemaya, queen of the sea. 

She first emerged in Yorubaland (now in modern Nigeria). A primordial deity, considered the mother of all, some perceive her to be at the root of numerous ancient goddesses, including Isis. Yemaya is perhaps the most nurturing of all the Orishas, and it’s believed that all of life comes from her deep nourishing waters. Her strong and protective energy can be found virtually everywhere, but especially near oceans and lakes. She’s associated with the numbers seven and ten, the colors blue and white, pearls, silver, conch shells, and doves. Offerings for her include molasses, coconut cakes, white flowers, and watermelon. For practicing witches, Yemaya has a fierce, nurturing, gentle energy often associated with the moon and sorcery. As the "Mother of All," she is said to help in matters of self-love, fertility, emotional wounds, trauma, and healing work. But if you cross her, disrespect her terrain, or hurt one of her children, she has a serious anger streak. Wielding a broad blade, she’s known to “bathe in the blood of her enemies,” or manifest in the form of a tidal wave.

21. Saint Michael 

He is an archangel, a spiritual warrior in the battle of good versus evil. He is considered a champion of justice, a healer of the sick, and the guardian of the Church. In art Saint Michael is depicted with a sword, a banner, or scales, and is often shown vanquishing Satan in the form of a dragon. St. Michael the Archangel, defends us in battle, is our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. He is a protector of people and the Church. He escorts people in the afterlife. He leads the Army of God.

22. Uriel

He is the angel of wisdom, Uriel is the patron saint of the arts and sciences. As a representation of the fire of God's truth, Uriel is also a patron for those making Confirmation. Uriel's feast day is July 28th. He is commonly portrayed with a scroll, a flaming sword or a flame on his open hand. There may also be an image of a flame or sun in an open hand that represents the truth of God. Red, yellow, and gold are also associated with this archangel. In Catholicism and Christianity, Uriel is considered the patron saint of the Sacrament of Confirmation, and the arts and sciences respectively. In some Episcopal churches, Uriel is also regarded as the keeper of beauty and light, and regent of the sun and constellations; in iconography he is shown holding in his right hand a Greek Ionic column which symbolizes perfection in aesthetics and man-made beauty, in his left hand a staff topped with the sun. The name Uriel means “Light of God”, or “Fire of God”. He is one of the most powerful and influential archangels, and is also considered an angel of presence. It is within his might to portray an unbelievable world, and he is associated with lightning and thunder.

23. HEKATE (Hecate) 

She was the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy. She was the only child of the Titanes Perses and Asteria from whom she received her power over heaven, earth, and sea. Hekate assisted Demeter in her search for Persephone, guiding her through the night with flaming torches. Hecate. Goddess of boundaries, transitions, crossroads, magic, the New Moon, necromancy, and ghosts. She embodies Witchcraft, The Three Roads, and is Protecter of Newborns.

24. Lakshmi

She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with Maya ("Illusion"). Along with Parvati and Saraswati, she forms the Tridevi of Hindu goddesses. Lakshmi. Mother Goddess. Goddess of Prosperity, Fortune, Wealth, Power, Abundance, Beauty and Maya. Lakshmi, Hindu goddess of wealth and good fortune. The wife of Vishnu, she is said to have taken different forms in order to be with him in each of his incarnations. Lakshmi has the power to grant success in all endeavors. She can grant wealth, perseverance, knowledge, and awakening to her devotees. She can help with crops and farm animals and even give people children. In Hinduism, goddesses are the active element of their spouse.

25. Anubis

Anubis, also known as Inpu, Inpw, Jnpw, or Anpu in Ancient Egyptian, is the god of funerary rites, protector of graves, and guide to the underworld, in ancient Egyptian religion, usually depicted as a canine or a man with a canine head. In world mythology, gods of death are often associated with evil. However, this wasn't the case for Anubis. The Egyptian people viewed him as a good, protective deity. Anubis was portrayed with the color black, symbolizing regeneration and the Nile river's fertile soil. An ancient Egyptian god of funerary practices and care of the dead, represented by a jackal or the figure of a man with the head of a jackal. In the Early Dynastic period and the Old Kingdom, he enjoyed a preeminent (though not exclusive) position as lord of the dead, but he was later overshadowed by Osiris. Known most for: Protector of the dead and tombs. Inventor of embalming and mummification. Escorting the deceased to the afterlife. Ensuring the weighing of the heart and of the soul against the feather of truth.

26. Aphrodite

Aphrodite is the ancient Greek goddess of sexual love and beauty, identified with Venus by the Romans. She was known primarily as a goddess of love and fertility and occasionally presided over marriage. She was the Olympian goddess of love, beauty, pleasure and procreation. She was depicted as a beautiful woman often accompanied by the winged godling Eros (Love). Her attributes included a dove, apple, scallop shell and mirror. In classical sculpture and fresco she was usually depicted nude. Aphrodite's greatest weaknesses were her vanity, jealousy, and hate of anyone considered more beautiful than herself. While she is often associated with love and desire, her actions and relationships in mythology can be controversial and polarizing. Some stories depict her as vain, jealous, and manipulative, leading to conflicts and negative outcomes for those around her.