From a very young age, Ojuani was “marked” with the gift, destined to become a Santero and a medium spiritualist.
“I grew up in a spiritualist home – my mother, grandmother, and aunt were all initiated into Santeria, so I was born into this,” says Ojuani, who split his time growing up in Puerto Rico and the Bronx. “I knew there was something different about me when I was younger. I had more imaginary friends and the ability to sense things. I remember being at a funeral and seeing the deceased standing next to her son. I didn’t like to go to the cemetery because I could see the spirits not at peace flying around.”
Oujani’s family recognized him as being spiritually gifted and took him under their wing for training; however, he says “for years I ran away – I wanted it all to stop.”
Then one fateful day Ojuani walked into Original Products and met Lady Rhea. “She looked at me and said: ‘you are a psychic kid, aren’t you?’ She then had me read for a client that day, which started his career as a professional reader.
Lady Rhea and the late Herman Slater from Magickal Childe took Ojuani under their wing to encourage his spirituality.
Ojuani eventually became fully initiated into Santeria and now initiates others. He has his own house and guides others in the religion of the Orishas. However, his primary practice is that of a medium and spiritualist.
“The Santero has the same role of a modern shaman in Latin culture,” he says “The Botanica is first and foremost a place of healing. The Santero heals spiritual problems, as well as physical problems. That is why in most botanicas, a Santero will conduct divination as well as give herbs to a client.”
Ojuani offers cowrie shell readings, as well as mediumship and tarot readings, depending on the needs of the client. A cowrie shell reading can only be done by an initiate and involves throwing the shells and getting an answer through the way the shells fall. “It is mathematical. It is a not an intuitive divination system – the answers are clear,” he says.
In the cosmology of Orisha worship, a part of the spirit of every person remains in heaven. Most illness is the result of a lack of spiritual connection.
“When I do a reading, I would first find out what it is they need. A shell reading can be very in-depth and point out where the problems is, as well as what you need to do to get that spiritual connection back,” he says.
Ojuani says that he does mediumship; however, it is not done in the “Hollywood way,” most people think. He says his own readings are a mix of traditional Kardecian spiritism and the prophecy of Edgar Cayce.
Ojuani calls upon the spirits as well as Orishas to provide spiritual guidance to a client.
“My role is to get a person spiritually aligned to bring healing,” he says. “But don’t ask me something like bring back a girlfriend – it is demeaning to the spirits who show up to help.”
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