In today’s growing interest in African Traditional Religions (ATR), especially among African-descended people worldwide, many seekers are drawn to Orisha worship as a pathway to healing, connection, and identity. But what happens when initiation is done without correct alignment, without proper questioning, or through a rigid tradition that does not account for the individual’s background? What happens when spiritual guidance becomes religious evangelism?
In this post, I unpack the spiritual warning hidden beneath the aesthetics of Sinners, a film that sparked viral fascination but left many viewers missing its deeper message. Beyond vampires and symbolism, Sinners is a meditation on the power of voice, the sacred use of rhythm, and the dangers of spiritual irresponsibility. I speak from experience—of trance, of possession, of watching people open doors they didn’t know how to close. Whether you’re in hoodoo, Ifá, Vodou, or the broader ATR community, this is a call to spiritual discernment, not spiritual cosplay. Because not every spirit that shows up is holy.
Spiritual paths aren’t paved in gold. They’re carved in bone, memory, blood, and breath. For those walking the ancient roads of Orisa, Vodun, and African traditional practice, the journey is rarely linear. It winds. It tests. It reveals.
Let’s get something straight right now: Not everybody is meant to be scratched. Not everybody is meant to have an Nganga. That’s not shade. That’s spiritual law. You can’t fast-track your way into mysteries you weren’t born to carry.