Fitting the Ide

An Ide, a consecrated bracelet in Santeria and Ifa, represents a tremendous outpouring of spiritual energy. Many practitioners get elaborate beaded Ides, or have their fed Ide beads set in 14-karat gold or sterling silver. These Ides can cost hundreds of dollars, but they are the same as any other string of consecrated beds: if they break, the power of the Orisha has saved you from misfortune, and a new one must be presented.

Many people fit their Ides like a bracelet, and that is too loose! The Ide is likely to snag and break!

If you are investing in a custom Ide, it should fit comfortably on the narrowest part of the wrist. A pencil should slide between the Ide and the skin, but not fall out if the arm is held upright.

When you are having a custom Ide made, they should measure your wrist to ensure a proper fit.

Also, keep in mind that chunkier beaded Ides need to be longer than plain Ides. The beader will ensure that you get the correct length.

There is no need to say anymore about this. Just know that many Ide breaks can be prevented by simply making sure that the Ide fits properly to begin with.

Stand for Something or Step Aside

I live, work, and bead at the beautiful Four Quarters Interfaith Sanctuary of Earth Religion in South Western Pennsylvania. I am a monk there, I live and serve under a vow of poverty. My work, and the work of my fellow monks supports this amazing 250 acres of Land and the Stone Circle being raised upon it.

You can read more about Four Quarters at www.4qf.org.

I am very serious about my commitment to Four Quarters. Four Quarters is the creative and spiritual battery that feeds my fire. Four Quarters is my Muse, my inspiration, my source. Not every artist has a Stone Circle, a Labyrinth, and a suspension bridge as sources of inspiration. But I do, and I'm humble in the face of it.

But I want you to understand that these bead businesses benefit Four Quarters. They do not benefit me personally. These beads are being sold to raise money for the Seventh Generation, the children whose grandparents who have yet to be born.

I try to show, in my beadwork, that there is a sense of history, that the pieces carry the weight of tradition with them. Even though I use the most modern materials and techniques, beadwork remains a primal art, and I try to never lose that sense of the primal in my work. Four Quarters helps keep my work grounded in the blood and guts reality of primal beading.

It is a delicate balance. Four Quarters has been buffeted by the winds of Covid and hard change. But we persist. And the faithful few pilgrims come and camp, and pockets of conversation and laughter, light as birdsong ring again through the woods.

We are home to five monks, a Santera, a Christian, a Stoic, a Heathen, and a Babal'awo. During the Season, our Hare Krishna will rejoin us-he doesn't do well in the cold, and migrates for the Winter. Together, we share the many tasks of running and maintaining this Sanctuary.

We run a camp and retreat center, a machine shop, a meadery, and, now, a beadery. All of this is necessary to keep the wolf from the door. We work seven day weeks year round. This seems to be what it takes to build a Stone Circle on Land owned by a non-profit corporation.

Over the years, Four Quarters has been assailed by those that did not understand it. Four Quarters is still here, those people are long gone. I still stand by Four Quarters. I still support Four Quarters. My work supports Four Quarters. By supporting my work, you are supporting Four Quarters, the Stone Circle, and the Seventh Generation. Just so we are clear, me and you.

Selecting Elekes for Your Godchildren

Elekes are the sacred necklaces of Santeria. The colors and patterns of the beads are the rhythms and protections of the Orishas themselves. The ceremony of the elekes is where a Godchild is truly born into the House of his Madrina or Padrino. All of this is very beautiful, and proper.

In our beautiful religion, the eleke business is big business. You can buy elekes at botanicas, candle shops, new age shops, and, of course, the internet. And most of the elekes for sale are of fair to good quality, but you want the best quality, and here's how to get it.

The beads should be glass, not plastic. This seems like the most obvious thing in the world, but many elekes have the occasional larger faceted beads for sparkle. These larger beads are often plastic, not the more expensive crystals. (otherwise expect to pay a bit more!) To determine if a bead is glass or plastic, knock it gently on your teeth. If it is glass it will make a bright 'click,' if it is plastic it will make a dull thud.'

Now look closely at the beads. They should be uniform in size and they should all be a pleasant flattened round shape with no visible rough edges. The beads should be smooth and shiny. Cheap beads look dull and 'greasy' not smooth and glossy.

Now take the elekes, strand by strand, and pull them gently through your hand. They should move and flow like water. Beware if they bunch up or gap. That means they are strung too tightly or too loosely and they will tangle or break easily. (Yes, poorly made elekes can tangle! email me, I can *usually* untangle them)

Finally, take each eleke and gently bend it to see what kind of thread it is strung on. It should NOT be strung on clear nylon fishing line; it does not absorb Omiero, and it snaps with very little wear, it is not made to withstand holding beads.

An eleke for an adult should be 21 inches long. If someone is very tall you might get theirs as 23 inches long. An eleke for a child should be 15 inches long, and some of the very petite Latinas prefer child's elekes.

Many elekes have a 'tail' of beading thread about an inch long to absorb the omiero. Some houses insist on this, some do not. Whether this is necessary or not is House tradition. Obviously, Honor your Tradition.,

This should help you select high quality elekes for your Godchildren. I do not think I will make traditional elekes any time in the near future. This is due to the fact that the beads to make elekes are very costly, and I live under a vow of poverty.

I hope you find this little article helpful, and that your House prospers in Orisha. Ase.