The Lazy Way versus The Right Way

From time to time, people reach out to me with questions about how Quimbanda is really practiced. They want to fill the gaps they find in books or online spaces, to understand how Exu and Pomba Gira are truly approached. I’ve always been open to these conversations. I enjoy sharing — explaining how we work with the spirits for love, work, money, or protection. There’s value in learning through dialogue.

Yet, I’ve also noticed that what people assume to be “secrecy” in Quimbanda often depends on where they come from. In Brazil, our sense of secrecy is very different from how things are perceived in the United States. There, people often feel that closed doors hide knowledge. In Brazil, tradition is alive — shared through practice, experience, and trust. Many things are openly discussed. Differences between houses and lineages are not seen as threats but as natural variations.

One house may work a ritual slightly differently from another. For us, that’s not an issue. If it works, it’s good. If it doesn’t, we adjust. What matters is that the spirits respond, the balance is restored, and the person helped moves forward with strength. You won’t hear Brazilian practitioners arguing that “your godfather did this wrong” or “my house is more legitimate.” Our perspective is simple: Quimbanda is about what works, and about respect. Still, there are parts of our tradition that we simply don’t speak about outside our spiritual family. It’s not about hiding power; it’s about preserving sacred trust.

The preparation of an asentamento — the consecrated foundation for Exu or Pomba Gira — is one such mystery. Each house maintains its own formula, its own lineage’s secret. I’ve written before about how diverse these preparations can be, and why they must never be copied from a manual. The same goes for the making of uangas, our spiritual charms and protective amulets. These are not things to be shared casually. They belong to the sacred current of a house, grounded in oath, initiation, and spirit permission.

Among the questions I receive, one of the most sensitive is about animal sacrifice. Some people ask how it should be done: what animal, what chant, what offering. Sometimes they mention having read that Exu or Pomba Gira should receive a pigeon or a rooster.

I understand the curiosity and the desire to act properly. But the truth is stark: if you are not initiated or empowered by your elders to perform such an act, then the correct way to do it is not to do it at all. When I received my Exu and Pomba Gira in Brazil, my godfather placed in my hands a ritual knife and a bangle — a sacred symbol of that responsibility. He taught me how to proceed with respect toward the spirits and the animal, whose life is given for healing and balance. It is never casual, never done in haste or emotion. It is a spiritual language that must be spoken fluently, or not spoken at all.

Quimbanda — and Brazilian spiritual traditions more broadly — are, at their heart, religions of the kitchen. Our ancestors were enslaved people who did not have access to plentiful meat. They worked with what they had: palm oil, beans, corn, bread, rum, spices. The energy they raised came not from blood, but from intention, song, and the force of the sacred fire in the pot. That heritage teaches an important lesson today. Most of the problems people face can be addressed with cooked or dry food, with candles and spoken prayer. If you are in need, you can do so much within your means. There’s no need to shed blood. To take an animal’s life carelessly, hoping its sacrifice will solve everything, is to misunderstand our tradition, and to disrespect the spirits themselves.

If your difficulty feels too great to resolve alone, the correct step is to consult a priest. Whether in Umbanda, Quimbanda, or another Afro-Brazilian path, the priest will listen to the spirits and guide the process. If sacrifice is truly required, they will perform it correctly, in the right ritual space, and with respect. One of my elders often says, “Blood is the lazy way of working.” Those words have stayed with me. Our tradition is rich, creative, and full of powerful workings. There are countless ways to call, soothe, and empower the spirits without ever resorting to killing animals. Blood may be potent, but it should never replace effort, prayer, or devotion.

Between my books and writings, there are already hundreds of workings shared openly. In Spells of Fire and Ash, for example, you can find more than 200 authentic rituals to help address every kind of situation: love, business, protection, jealousy, and spiritual strength. Begin there. Work with your Exu and Pomba Gira through candles, perfumes, breads, drinks, and heartfelt communication. Listen to how they respond. Respect the rhythm of your relationship. Leave the chickens and pigeons in peace. Use food. Use your own fire, your voice, your dedication. That is where the true power of Quimbanda lives.