Most teachings are oral, because of the historical origins of the faith as a transported slave religion, and are passed on from devotee to devotee. The founding ideas are that humans have both a physical and spiritual body, spiritual entities are in constant contact with the mortal world, and that believers can contact the spiritual world through rituals and use the spirits for healing and for help and guidance ("Candomble," New Religious Movements, 2007) This stress upon ritual means that sacred space is very important to practitioners. The religion "invests relationships with a cosmic dimension, both in mythical times and in life as we know it" (Fernandes, 2007). One interesting aspect of the religion is its color symbolism, which reflects its African roots. Black has a strong positive significance. Other colors of importance are Oxum or gold, Oxossi or forest green, Yemanja or sea blue, Xango or red and white (Fernandes, 2007).

Religion

The practices of cult involve sacred music and dancing to drums (Stirling, 1997).Worship takes place...

The cult has many initiation ceremonies, and the manifestations of the particular Candomble House may vary (Fernandes, 2007). However, also reflecting the syncretism of the religion, most adherents have particular saints within the religion that they are devoted to on a personal level, and initiation requires "rigorous devotion to ritualistic chants and dancing" as well as "abstinence from certain food and sex" ("Candomble," New Religious Movements, 2007).
Works Cited

Candomble." Sociology 257 Webpage: New Religious Movements. University of Virginia Last modified Mar 1996. 19 Aug 2007. http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/macu.html/10/01Fernandes,

Fernandes, Ruben Cesar. "Candomble." Brazil. 2007. 19 Aug 2007. http://www.mre.gov.br/cdbrasil/itamaraty/web/ingles/artecult/religiao/candomb/

Stirling, Bruce. "Macumba." 6 Feb 1997. 19 Aug 2007. http://www.stirlinglaw.com/ea/macumba.htm