Ebbos in Santeria – Sacrifices and Offerings

[icymist]

Ebbos (or Ebos) are a central part of Santeria practice. Humans and orishas both need an energy force known as ashe in order to succeed; orishas, in fact, need it in order to survive. So if one would like to be favored by the orishas, or even just pay respect to these beings that are intimately involved with forces in the physical world, one must offer ashe. All things have some quantity of ashe, but nothing is more potent than blood. Sacrifice is a method of delivering that ashe to the orishas so they, in turn, can use ashe for the petitioner's benefit.

http://altreligion.about.com/od/ritualsandpractices/p/Ebbos.htm

[flamingdem]

1. That's a pretty good explanation

but I think ashe, also ache has a broader meaning and vegetarians do participate in Santeria without the use of blood.

Rituals can be done with herbs, rum, smoke, many things that don't involve sacrifice. Of course sacrifice
involves an animal and can be costly. I'm not sure if the practice is being reduced but in Cuba people have
to make due and not spend much.

Ashe refers to a persons spiritual energy and is especially associated with their head. The term is so
popular it's used to end a letter as in Ashe, Roberto. Mucho ashe is another saying like have a good day!

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http://kabiosile.org/santeria

Ashe is the divine or spiritual energy that is the foundation of the universe. Every thing, animal, and person has ashe. Through the power of their ashe, humans have the potential to change themselves and their environment. Song, dance, and ritual increase the level of ashe at the community level, sometimes to the point that the Orishas mount their priests to join the celebration or ceremony (see "Possession" below). Ashe is also "blessing." It is the blessing Santeros ask of every thing--water, herbs, animals, other people, the drums, the Orishas--in everything they do.