Ana
was born in Northwest of Brazil in the state of the Maranhão by the border of
Piaui. Her father was a Boiadeiro, a
Brazilian cowboy, and her mother was a medium in the tradition of Umbanda,
Tambor de Mina.
Ana's
clairvoyant mediumship began as a child.
She had many visions of the enchanted beings in the forests and rivers
of the Maranhão. Her mother would
regularly receive the spiritual guides of Umbanda at their house. Ana would
watch her mother receiving these illuminated spirits into her body and would
many times be overcome by the energy herself.
At a very young age, Ana's mother took her to attend the spiritual works
of Umbanda.
At the
age of seven, Ana had a near death experience.
She fell unconscious at the time of the passage of her two year old
brother. Ana stopped breathing. She visited a realm of exquisite beauty
together with her younger brother. He remained in that paradise but she was
told that she came only to assist her brother on his journey and that is was
not time for her to stay. When she awoke
from this visionary experience her family was preparing both her brother and
her for burial.
After
this experience, Ana’s parents were worried that her gifts of mediumship were
too open and may be a danger to her.
Ana’s mother took her to the Father of Saint, the leader of the Umbanda
center, Tambor de Mina. The Father of
Saint closed her mediumship for her protection, to be reopened at a later date
when she would be more capable to handle the energies. Even after this process Ana would still have
episodes of uncontrollable spiritual energies that would take her over.
At
age fourteen, Ana moved to Rio de Janeiro to live with her Aunt and Uncle. Recognizing Ana’s open mediumship they took
her to the Kardecist center that they frequently attended. On a weekly basis she studied the spiritist
tradition and the five books of spiritism as received by Allan Kardec.
At
the age of 23, Ana began practicing Umbanda formally with her friend and
neighbor, Mother of Saint Baixinha. Under
Baixinhas direction together with Caboclo Tupinamba Ana developed her
mediumship first as a discharge medium, then as a medium of the terriero and
finally as a leader of spiritual works.
She is
now a part of the spiritual center Tenda Espirita Mirim. Tenda Mirim was
founded in 1922 in the north of Rio de Janeiro by one of the first
practitioners of Umbanda. It is one of the largest and most celebrated centers
of Umbanda in Brazil.
Ana
met Padrinho Sebastiao 22 years ago during when he met with Baixinha and
Caboclo Tupinamba. During this meeting
Baixinha and Padrinho Sebastiao founded the tradition known today as
Umbandaime. Shortly after his passing
Ana began having many visions with Padrinho Sebastiao. Finally after telling a friend about these visions
Ana was taken to meet with Madrinha Rita.
With great joy, Madrinha Rita confirmed the source of these visions was
in fact Padrinho Sebastiao. Padrinho
brought a hymn to Ana for Madrinha Rita.
The hymn is Seguindo este Caminho in her hinario of the offered
hymns. Soon after Ana received her star
from Madrinha Rita.
Twenty
years ago Ana had a vision with all of the Orixas. In this vision she gave her crown to the
Orixas Xango and Iansa. Ten years ago
she was able to establish that vision on earth in her initiation into the
tradition of Candomble. This past June,
Ana completed her obligations to her Orixas and is now an Ialorixa, a Mother of
Saint in the tradition of the Orixas.
Ana
has a mission together with her Chief Caboclo Caçador to establish the
tradition of Umbanda in the United States and to teach the path of spiritual
growth and mediumship development. Her
spiritual center is called Tenda Espirita Caminho do Sol, the Way of the Sun.
