Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Step1
Vodou is not a pagan sect. Haitian Vodou recognizes one omnipotent, omnipresent god, often referred to as "Bon Dieu" (the Good God).
Step2
Learn the difference between a lwa and a god. The lwa is more like the Catholic saint than the Greek god. In fact, Vodou lwa are also called "saints" or "spirits." Lwa are believed to be the spirits of individuals who showed great courage or character in life and earned supernatural powers in death.
Step3
Know the female figures. Ezili Dantor and Ezili Freda are the counterparts of the Virgin Mary. Ezili Dantor is known as the more fierce of the two incarnations, often portrayed as dark with two scratch marks on her cheek and holding a dark baby, similar to the Catholic Jesus. Freda is also portrayed like the Virgin Mary but with pale skin and generally wearing gold jewelry.
Step4
Find your guide to Ginen. Papa Legba is the lwa of all roads and the cemetery. He also serves as a spiritual path to the oldest lwa, the ancestor lwa, who live in a place called Ginen (think Guinea). Legba is also associated with Saint Lazarus of the Catholic faith.
Step5
Learn the significance of the rainbow. According to Vodou folklore, the rainbow is in fact the serpent goddess, Ayida, married to the god serpent, Dambala.
Step6
Understand the cultural importance. Vodou is not just a religion. There are many Haitians who are not initiates and do not serve any particular lwa, but there is widespread respect for the tradition because it has also influenced musical styles. Vodou ceremonies were also an important, unifying force at the start of the Haitian revolution in 1791, when sporadic slave revolts became a unified movement for independence. Vodou practitioners also serve as doctors to local village people who cannot afford or don't have access to medical attention. Vodou initiates receive valuable knowledge of the uses of various plants to cure or alleviate ills.
Novice 
