Month: July 2015

Astrology of Today – July 23, 2015

 

 

 

 

 

Astrology of Today – July 23, 2015


Summary:

The Sun entered Leo last night, and Mercury enters the sign this morning. Both bodies inevitably meet this afternoon very early in the sign of Leo and offer us a nice little window of opportunity to clearly see our goals in the areas of romance, creativity, and self-expression. This is a time when clarity comes to a particular area of life.
•The Moon is in Libra until 10:06 PM.
•The Moon is void from 2:11 PM to 10:06 PM.
•The Moon is in Scorpio from 10:06 PM forward (until the Moon enters Sagittarius on Sunday, July 26th, at 8:24 AM).
•The Moon is waxing and in its Waxing Crescent phase.
•A New Moon occurred on the 15th, and a first quarter Moon will occur early into the day tomorrow.
•Venus is direct and is in its pre-retrograde shadow (Venus will retrograde from July 25-September 6).
•Mercury enters Leo this morning (Mercury transits Leo from July 23-August 7).
•The Sun spends its first full day in Leo (the Sun transits Leo from July 22-August 23).
•The Sun and Mercury form a superior conjunction today.

Your Weekly LightBlast: Forcing Change

Weekly LightBlast: Forcing Change

Jamye Pricea message from Jamye Price
 To view more of Jayme’s insight, please visit her website, Crystalline Soul Healing

To Allow is a passive force, for it builds in the unseen. Yet it requires your active choice. You are learning your innate power, your creative abilities, your place in this Earthly world and the dimensions beyond physical reality. Your innate power and creative abilities are within your unique perception and experience. Your choice brings your innate power to form.

Active force is visible in the physical realm. It is a necessary aspect of life and you do this each time you move your body to take a step forward. The physical realm is the experience that your senses have created from frequency; perceiving a wave as a smell, a color, a temperature, a density. It is benevolent, valuable, and as you embrace it, you open to your mastery with it. The power of active force is in the physical realm.

Passive force is invisible in the physical world. Its power is within the subtle, invisible realm. Passive force compels, magnetizes and draws the components of creation together to form anew. The bonding, the connection, is the alchemy that happens within you as you open your heart to connect with your life and life around you.

Your awareness is the beginning of the physical realm; therefore, the passive and active force shifts with your awareness. As you Allow life to touch your heart; you have choice within you. In that moment of allowing connection, will you become active, maintaining the power of your force and transform the information? Or will you remain passive, allowing what you have drawn to you to merely consume you?

Your choice is a vehicle of movement, it is the catalyst. It creates a change in direction. Even if you choose inaction, you are choosing a direction. As you utilize your innate power, your creative abilities within your awareness, you are beginning the transformation of data into a new creation.

Working within the subtle realm begins to form a new creation. Working in the physical realm moves a formed creation. Both are valuable based on the needs of the experience. Observe your life. Decide if it is time to form a new creation or to move a formed creation along a path. This will help you determine if it is time for visible action, the active force; or invisible action, the passive force. They intertwine, so it will never be just either/or. These forces meet within you, you are ‘and,’ the connection point of the active and passive, that creates new form.

Change is inevitable and change is always good. Love is the binding force of all life. It is a passive force that compels Life to new form. At its core, though you may not see it visibly yet, Love is bonding new form. It is the kernel of change that will eventually seed new growth visibly.

What force are you using to change? Are you utilizing the powerful invisible engine that builds worlds atom by invisible atom? Is it a moment best served by your patience to focus and await new form? Is it a moment of moving a formed creation in a new direction? These forces intertwine within you, so Allow Love to flow more fully and you will feel more comfortable with your full force of creation.

As we sit to Blast Forcing Change, we are well with the pace of creation for we are eternally creating. We are discerning the moment for the subtle details of force that best serve a moment of change. We are calm in the midst of chaos, reaching a new coherence of strength that is unshakable in the deconstruction of the old forms. We are freeing the mind from action and allowing the heart to lead with the power of magnetic Love. We are bringing the new world into creation; the creation is our reaction of Love transforming Life. Blast on!

Your Current Moon Phase for July 23rd is Waxing Crescent

July 23
Waxing Crescent
Illumination: 44%

The Moon today is in a Waxing Crescent Phase. A Waxing Crescent is the first Phase after the New Moon and is a great time to see the features of the moon’s surface. During this phase the Moon can be seen in the wester sky after the sun dips below the horizon at sunset. The moon is close to the sun in the sky and mostly dark except for the right edge of the moon which becomes brighter as the days get closer to the next phase which is a First Quarter with a 50% illumination.

Phase Details for – Thursday, July 23, 2015

Phase: Waxing Crescent
Illumination: 44%
Moon Age: 6.79 days
Moon Angle: 0.49
Moon Distance: 403,038.78 km
Sun Angle: 0.52
Sun Distance: 151,976,794.89 km

Lady A’s Spell of the Day – Warding off the Evil Eye/Blocking Black Magic

wiccan

Warding off the Evil Eye/Blocking Black Magic

Items You Will Need:

rosemary

lavender

black pepper

cinnamon

ginger root

6 white candles

one black candle.

 

Directions

This spell should be cast during a new moon phase

 

First cast a magical circle (hail to the guardians). Next face the north and sit and meditate. Get up and light your candles clockwise all except for the black. Then when you have lighted your white candles, use a white candle to light the black candle. Then light the mixture of herbs and spices.

Say:

“Whatever evil comes to me here

I cast you back, I have no fear

With the speed of wind and the dark of night

May all of your harboring take flight

With the swiftness of the sea

And all the power found in me

As I will so mote it be.”

Then in a loud voice say ”I cast you out” and blow out the black candle as hard as you can. Let the mixture burn, then draw an eye on the candle and wrap it in a white cloth and bury it in your back yard.

 

WOTC Extra – Magic Tools Make Spells More Effective

wicca

Magic Tools Make Spells More Effective

 

True magic is all based on energy, so technically it can be done without any tools at all. But it is really only very skilled and experienced witches who can perform magic without any tools. Tools are very useful, especially for beginners, because they make it much easier to focus your energy and visualize parts of the spell.

There are some basic tools that every witch should have. You don’t need to buy all of these at once. Look in thrift shops, garage sales, and other out of the way places and buy tools that speak to you. Or, make your own. It’s better to wait and find the perfect tools than it is to buy something off the shelf. The tools that you should have to perform spells include:

Cauldron – this is usually a small iron pot that you can use to mix herbs or place burning items.

Wand – Wands are used for summoning the spirits of the Air and focusing energy. Natural wands made from tree branches are the best.

Incense burner – Incense is a very important part of spellcasting. Even a cheap basic incense burner will do the job but you might want to invest in a nice brass or pottery incense burner down the line.

Chalice- Your chalice can be glass, ceramic, or metallic. Most people use a glass chalice. You can even just use a special piece of glassware. Some people prefer to use ornate carved chalices that are available in Wiccan supply stores.

Altar Cloth – An altar cloth can be any piece of cloth, although most witches prefer pure cotton or silk material. Natural materials are the best to use. An altar cloth is a special cloth only used for spellwork. It can transform any flat surface into a magical surface. You may want to personalize your cloth with embroidery or embellishments.

When you are not using your magical tools they can sit on your altar or you can wrap them in your altar cloth and store them out of sight. This is a good option if you live with other people who don’t know about your Wiccan practices.

 

 

Wicca: Wicca Mastery: 38 Essential Wiccan Laws and Principles To Live By, The Definitive Guide!
Desmond Blair

 

Let’s Talk Witch – Spells Create Change That You Can’t Always See

wicca

Spells Create Change That You Can’t Always See

 

When you think about witches casting spell you probably see an image in your mind of black clad women stirring a steaming large black pot over a fire. Or maybe you think of a witch waving a wand and turning a prince into a frog, or vice versa. But that’s Disney magic. Real magic is often very subtle and hard to detect. So you have to be on the lookout for small changes after you cast a spell.

When you cast a spell you are directing energy that will create change like the ripples in a pond. The changes that are created often won’t be obvious or dramatic. But the spells that you cast will result in events unfolding to give you the opportunity to make huge changes in your life. You have to be paying attention and you have to seize the opportunities.

Often people who are new to Wicca will think that a spell they cast didn’t work because they won’t be looking for the signs that it did work. For example if you cast a spell to get a new job you probably will not get a call out of the blue from the company you have been dying to work for. But, you might find yourself talking to a stranger at a party or on the train who works at that company and can recommend you for a job to HR department. Or if you want to move up at your current company a job might open up that would be perfect for you.

If you cast a spell for more money a stack of money won’t just appear, and the winning lottery numbers probably won’t either. But you might find a unique opportunity for a part time income like teaching something that you love. Be ready for all the opportunities that spells will create for you.

 

 

Wicca: Wicca Mastery: 38 Essential Wiccan Laws and Principles To Live By, The Definitive Guide!

Desmond Blair

 

Celebrating Other Spirituality 365 Days A Year – Neptunalia

mystica

July 23

Neptunalia

 

The Neptunalia venerates the divine God of the Sea, Neptune. Originally a freshwater God, Neptune acquired his maritime status when we was identified with the Greek Poseidon At Rome, there was a temple dedicated to Neptune in the circus cus Flaminius within the Campus Martius where his festivals were held on July 23 and December 1.

Neptune was one of only three Gods to whom a bull might be sacrificed (the others were Mars and Apollo). According to legend, he had a wife whose name was Salacia, Goddess of the salty sea and inland guardian of springs. It is believed that the Goddess Sulis, who is still worshiped at the sacred hot springs at Bath, may have been an aspect of Salacia.

Mighty Neptune, may it please,

Thee, the Rector of the Seas.

That my Barque may safely runne,

Through thy watrie-region;

And A Tunnie-fish shall be,

Offer’d up, with thanks to thee

—Robert Herrick, “To Neptune, Hesperides” (1648)

 

Seasons of the Witch – Legends and Lore, Ancient Holidays And Some Not So Ancient!

celtic cross

 

Seasons of the Witch – Legends and Lore, Ancient Holidays And Some Not So Ancient!

 

 

Today Is …

Salacia (Greek Amphitrite) was the Roman Goddess of Salt Water and wife of Neptune. The celebration was linked with the need for fresh water in the summer.

Swedish Feast of St. Brigit. Kindle a fire or light a candle in Her honor.

The Festival of Neptunalia was celebrated annually on this date in ancient Rome to honor Neptune, the lord of the sea. In Italy, many modern Witches honor Neptune on this day by lighting a blue candle, inscribed with his trident symbol and anointed with seawater, and placing it on an altar along with various objects from the sea (such as seashells, pieces of driftwood, and so forth).

Mayan Sun Festival. This celebration honors the Sun God Ahau Kin. Devotions of food, song, prayer are offered, and devotees make a ritual procession that symbolically travels to the four quarters of the universe.

Thunder God -On the 24th day of the 6th lunar month, the Chinese celebrate the Thunder-god (Leigong) or God of War by setting off fireworks. This is also the Birthday of the Lotus. Blackburn, Bonnie & Leofranc Holford-Strevens, The Oxford Companion to the Year, Oxford University Press 1999

Ice Cream Day – As far as I know, this holiday doesn’t have any ancient roots, but it seems like a particularly summer festival and a good excuse for going and getting some ice cream.

Neptunalia – In ancient Rome, this holiday was usually celebrated with alfresco revelries. However Horace (Odes 3.28) preferred to stay home with a girlfriend and superior wine. Blackburn, Bonnie & Leofranc Holford-Strevens, The Oxford Companion to the Year, Oxford University Press 1999

Remember The Ancient Ways and Keep Them Holy!

• • • •.

Courtesy of GrannyMoonsMorningFeast

 

The WItches Correspondences for Thursday, July 23

Enjoy Nature

The WItches Correspondences for Thursday, July 23

Thursday (Thor’s day)

 

 

Planet: Jupiter

Colors: Purple, Deep Blue

Crystals: Amethyst, Lepidolite, Sugilite, Tin

Aroma: Melissa, Clove, Oakmoss, Jupiter Oil, Cinnamon, Musk, Nutmeg, and Sage

Herb: Cinquefoil

Ruled by the planet Jupiter and dedicated to Thor, god of thunder and agricultural work. His parallels in various European Traditions include Zeus, Taranis, Perun, and Perkunas.

Magical aspects: controlled optimism, energetic growth, physical well-being, material succss, expansion, money/wealth, prosperity, leadership, and generosity.

Thursday is the day of Jupiter, the largest of the planets and said to be the most powerful. Spellcasters would be wise to use this day for attempting wealth, success and prosperity spells.

Thursday is also associated (in Greek mythology) to Thor – Thor’s day – and some even say that Jupiter and Thor are one in the same. Both are strong and powerful, yet wise and just. Try a small prayer to

Jupiter before commencing any ritual on Thursday as a sign of respect.

This is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving luck, happiness, health, legal matters, male fertility, treasure, wealth, honour, riches, clothing, money, desires, business, group pursuits, joy, laughter, and expansion

 

Correspondences for the Moon In Scorpio

Lady Annabella

Correspondences for the Moon In Scorpio

 

General: Loyalty, ownership (but watch out for suspicion and anger), matters requiring insight, increasing your libido or to attract passionate love (be careful though as relationships with a Scorpio influence are likely to be transformational and not always predictable!), healing of the mind and emotions, scrying, concentration, single mindedness, rebirth, transformation, wisdom, karma and instinct.

Watch out for secrets, lies, jealousy and suspicion, lack of forgiveness, grudges and hate.

New Moon: Power, transformation, karma, instincts, clarity, wisdom, stop gossip, emotions, endings, death, rebirth and past life work.

Full Moon: energy, resources and transformation

Element: Water

Color: Deep red

Incense: Basil, sage, catnip, coriander, sandalwood, thyme, nettle

Scorpio Incense Blend: Equal parts of sandalwood, thyme and safe with a few drops of coriander essential oil.

 

 

Moon Magic – Pagan Portals

Rachel Patterson

 

The Witches Almanac for Thursday, July 23

Moonlight Flight

The Witches Almanac for Thursday, July 23

Thursday (Jupiter): Expansion, money, prosperity, and generosity.

Mysteries of Santa Cristina (Italian)

 

Waxing Moon

The Waxing Moon is the ideal time for magick to draw things toward you.

Moon phase: First Quarter

Moon Sign: Libra

Libra: Favors cooperation, social activities, beautification of surroundings, balance, and partnership.

Moon enters Scorpio 10: 07 pm

Scorpio: Increases awareness of psychic power. Precipitates psychic crises and ends connections thoroughly. People tend to brood and become secretive.

Incense: Mulberry

Color: Crimson

 

Thursday’s Witchery

Love Spell

 

Thursday’s Witchery

 

Today is the day for prosperity work of all kinds. It can also be used for healing work, whether that is a physical healing of an illness or an emotional healing. Also remember that you have to follow up your healing work and prosperity magick and physical action.

I can’t tell you the number of times I have met new witches who complain to me that their prosperity spell or “I need a better job” spell did not work as they expected. They’ll ramble on and on about how much time and money they spent working their magick….but, alas, they had no glorious manifestion of wealth or fabulous job that suddenly dropped out of the sky and landed in their laps.

Then, when I gently ask them, “Did you enchant your resume or application when you filled it out? Did you do a little confidence-boosting spellwork when you went to apply for the job or went to the interview?” typically they give me a blank, confused stare.

Nine times out of ten, their response is, “You mean I have to go out and actually look for the job too?” Um, yes, my dear, you certainly do. Magick follows the path of least resistance, which means it’s going to manifest along the simplest, quickest route. Get out there and hit the pavement. See what you can find. Times are tough and competition for good jobs is fierce, so you need whatever edge you can get. For folks like us, we’re going to get the edge by using our magick and our spellcraft.

Thursdays have such a rich source of magick for us to draw upon that, honestly, the sky is the limit. This is the day associated with the gods of the sky and heavens, after all. Get to know these deities and add their wisdom and magick into your days

 

 

Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week

Ellen Dugan

 

Thursday

Blessed Be in Autumn

 

Thursday

Jupiter’s (Thor’s) day

 

The name is derived from Old English Þūnresdæg and Middle English Thuresday (with loss of -n-, first in northern dialects, from influence of Old Norse Þorsdagr) meaning “Thor’s Day”. Thunor, Donar (German, Donnerstag) and Thor are derived from the name of the Germanic god of thunder, Thunraz, equivalent to Jupiter in the interpretatio romana.

In most Romance languages, the day is named after the Roman god Jupiter, who was the god of sky and thunder. In Latin, the day was known as Iovis Dies, “Jupiter’s Day”. In Latin, the genitive or possessive case of Jupiter was Iovis/Jovis and thus in most Romance languages it became the word for Thursday: Italian giovedì, Spanish jueves, French jeudi, Sardinian jòvia, Catalan dijous, and Romanian joi. This is also reflected in the p-Celtic Welsh dydd Iau.

The astrological and astronomical sign of the planet Jupiter is sometimes used to represent Thursday.

Since the Roman god Jupiter was identified with Thunor (Norse Thor in northern Europe), most Germanic languages name the day after this god: Torsdag in Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish, Hósdagur/Tórsdagur in Faroese, Donnerstag in German or Donderdag in Dutch. Finnish and Northern Sami, both non-Germanic (Uralic) languages, uses the borrowing “Torstai” and “Duorastat”. In the extinct Polabian Slavic language, it was perundan, Perun being the Slavic equivalent of Thor.

There are a number of modern names imitating the naming of Thursday after an equivalent of “Jupiter” in local tradition. In most of the languages of India, the word for Thursday is Guruvar- var meaning day and guru being the style for Bṛhaspati, guru to the gods and regent of the planet Jupiter. In Thai, the word is Wan Pharuehatsabodi – referring to the Hindu deity Bṛhaspati, also associated with Jupiter. En was an old Illyrian deity and in his honor in the Albanian language Thursday is called “Enjte”. In the Nahuatl language, Thursday is Tezcatlipotōnal meaning “day of Tezcatlipoca”.

Tasha’s Day by Day Planner for July 2015

Celtic Fire

Tasha’s Day by Day Planner for July 2015

 

 

Thu. 7/23 Arbitrating Libra Moon brings out fair mindedness. Mercury enters Leo enhancing romantic communication. Sun/Mercury speeds our words.

Fri. 7/24 Passionate Scorpio Moon heightens feelings today.

Sat. 7/25 Intense Scorpio Moon suggests a tight rein on feelings especially with Venus turning retrograde and a strong Mars/Uranus aspect. Watch out!

Sun. 7/26 Adventuresome Sagittarius Moon is enhanced by Uranus turning retrograde. Almost anything could happen.

Mon. 7/27 Philosophical Sagittarius Moon helps us cope.

 

 

Contact tashahal@gmail.com

Courtesy of GrannyMoonsMorningFeast

 

Lunabar Moon Almanack for Thursday, 23 July, 2015

fc58b-wish-upon-a-harvest-moon

Lunabar Moon Almanack for Thursday, 23 July, 2015

 

 

First Quarter Moon, at 11h. 59m. evening.

Moon in Via Combusta.

Moon in 0th degree of the Sign Scorpio, the Scorpion;

also in 37th deg. of the Constellation Virgo, the Virgin.

Moonset: 12:00 morn. Moonrise: 1:01 eve. Souths: 6:48 eve.

Waxing Moon

Time: From New Moon To Full (Approx. 14 Days)

Goddess Aspect: Maiden

Associated Goddesses: Artemis, Branwen, Eriu, Nymph, Epona

Magickal Attributes: Invoking Beginnings, New Projects, Ideas, Inspiriation, Energy, Vitality, Freedom. Workings On This Day Are For “Constructive” Magick (Love, Wealth,

Success, Courage, Friendship, Luck Or Health.)

Perform magic on waxing moons to attract a new quality or behavior, to increase the light within, to attain personal and spiritual growth and greater awareness. The quarter moon suggests a period of overcoming obstacles and continuing on the path to growth.

Spells and rituals involving the Air Element should be performed when the Moon is in the Air sign: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius.

Aspects of Scorpio ~ Yin, Feminine, Lunar, Negative, Nocturnal, Watery, Fixed, Fruitful, Horary Northern, Autumnal, Austral, Obeying, Moist, Dumb, Mute, Cold.

• • • •

Moon Moon, Mother Moon

Lunar Lore

The Moon in conjunction with Jupiter,

is found to be a good day in all humane affairs.

– Bethem’s “Centiloquium”

)0(

The Moon in opposition to Mars,

you are advised to begin nothing of weight that day.

~ Bethem’s “Centiloquium”.

• • • •

It’s the first day of a new astrological month as the Sun enters the midsummer sign of Leo the Lion. The Sun is most at home in Leo, where it represents the open heart experiencing pure love. One problem associated with Leo is being so full of our own energy that we lose sight of others. We can feel like a beautiful garden flower in full bloom, but we crave appreciation. We need to be seen.

• • • •

Courtesy of GrannyMoonsMorningFeast

 

Lunabar Sun Almanack for Thursday, 23 July, 2015

Sun+Wallpapers

Lunabar Sun Almanack for Thursday, 23 July, 2015

 

 

Sunrise: 6:01 morn. Sunset: 8:27 eve.

Length of Day: 14h. 26m.

Dawn: 5:30 morn. Dusk: 8:58 eve.

Length of Twilight: 0h. 30m.

Sun in 0th degree of the Sign Leo, the Lion;

also in 3rd degree of the Constellation Crabba, the Crab;

 

 

Solar Lore

Sun set in a clear,

Easterly wind’s near;

Sun set in a bank,

Westerly will not lack.

~ St. Andrews, Scotland

 

 

Aspects of Yang, Masculine, Solar, Positive, Diurnal, Fiery, Fixed, Barren, Horary Eastern, Summery, Boreal, Commanding, Feral, Bestial, Animal, Four-footed, Dry, Bitter, Hot

• • • •

Courtesy of GrannyMoonsMorningFeast

 

A Very Glorious & Blessed Thursday Is Our Wish For All Of Our Dear Brothers & Sisters Of The Craft!

celtic doves

Blessed lady

Loving and wise

Help us to let go of hatred

And open our heart to compassion instead.

 

 

Let us be patient

With the shortcomings of others

And let us have tolerance

For those who are different.

 

 

Help us to remember

That we are all your children

More alike than not

And equally loved in your eyes.

 

 

Banish the darkness

And negativity from our thoughts

Wash away prejudice

With the purity of your waters.

 

 

Let us love others

Let us love ourselves

As all are loved

By your encompassing spirit.

So mote it be.

 

Poppet Construction – How to Make Your Own Magical Doll

Poppet Construction – How to Make Your Own Magical Doll

 

A poppet can be as simple or as elaborate as you like — it all depends on how much time and effort you want to put into it. You can construct one out of just about any material — cloth, clay, wood, wax. Use your imagination! In some magical traditions, it’s believed that the more work you put into it, and the more complex it is, the stronger your link will be to your goal. Because a poppet is a device for sympathetic magic, all of its components will be symbols of what it is you hope to achieve.

You can do your poppet-making as part of the working itself, or it can be made ahead of time so you can use the poppet later on. Which method you choose is really up to you.

Remember, your poppet represents a person, so figure out before you begin who it symbolizes. Is it you? A friend who’s asked you for help? An un-named lover you want to bring into your life? A gossip you want to shut up? The possibilities are endless, but just like in any spell working, you’ll need to set a goal before you begin. It keeps you from having to deal with “do-overs” later. These instructions are for a basic poppet construction, using fabric. Feel free to modify your design as you need to.

Selecting Your Fabric

There are no real rules when it comes to choosing your material, but it’s not a bad idea to select fabric based on your goal. If you’re doing a money spell, use a piece of green or gold cloth. If you’re looking at healing, perhaps something in a soft blue or silver would be best. Check out fabric stores around the holidays, and you can find all kinds of neat patterns.

Valentine’s Day designs are perfect for matters of the heart, and there are plenty of prints with dollar signs, coins, stars and moons, and other fun designs.

Another option is to use fabric that links the poppet to the person it represents. Doing a healing spell for a friend? Ask the person for an old t-shirt. If you’re trying to draw love into your life, consider using a scrap from that sexy lingerie you wore last night. If you just can’t find the right material, use a plain muslin or white felt. Here are a few ideas for designs and colors for poppet magic.

  • Animals: Brown or green fabrics, patterns with cats or dogs, anything pet-related
  • Banishing: Black fabric, designs such as swords or wands, dragons or fire
  • Creativity: Orange or yellow fabric, prints of suns or other fire symbols
  • Healing: Silver, white or blue, with designs of clouds or other air symbols
  • Love: Pink or red material, designs like hearts, roses or other flowers, Cupids
  • Money: Silver, gold or green fabric, or designs of dollar bills or coins, cups or earthy symbols
  • Protection: Red or white material, with patterns of shields, keys or locks, fences, mistletoe

When it comes to types of fabric, use what’s easiest for you to work with. Cotton prints are easy to sew, but if you’ve never used a needle and thread before, you might want to try something stiffer like felt — it comes in every color you can imagine, and will hold its shape as you sew. If you’re an experienced sewer, use anything you like.

A poppet represents a person, so ideally it should look (sort of) like a person. Give it a head, two arms, two legs, a torso. You can make your own outline or you can use the ultimate poppet pattern — a gingerbread man. If you’re doing a spell for an animal — such as a healing spell for a sick pet — make the poppet shape accordingly. Your poppet doesn’t have to be huge, but it should be big enough that you can stuff it with your ingredients later.

Take two pieces of your fabric, and place them right side together on a flat surface. Place the pattern on top, pin it in place, and cut it out. Leave a little room around the edges for a seam allowance — usually a 3/8″ margin is good. Remove the pattern, and there are your two poppet shapes. Time to start sewing!

If you’ve never sewn anything by hand before, don’t panic. It’s not hard, but it does require some patience. You could always use a sewing machine if you’re pressed for time, but most experienced poppet-makers agree that it’s worth the effort to do it by hand. Pin the two pieces of material with the right sides together, and stitch around the edges. Leave an opening somewhere, wide enough to stick a couple of fingers in. Turn the poppet inside out, and begin stuffing.

Personalize Your Poppet

Fill your poppet with something soft, like polyfill or cotton balls. Old pantyhose work nicely too. Work the stuffing all the way into the nooks and crannies of the arms and legs, and then fill the torso and head.

This is where you’ll place your spell components — herbs, stones, whatever. In some magical traditions, something from the person represented goes inside the poppet. This is alternately referred to as a taglock or a magical link — it can be bits of hair, nail clippings, body fluids, a business card, or even a photograph. Once everything is inside, sew the poppet completely shut.

The more you can customize your poppet, the better. Even if you’ve placed a magical link, or taglock, inside, you’ll want to decorate the outside too. Draw or paint or sew a face onto your doll. Add yard or string for hair. Dress your poppet in something that looks like the person’s clothing. Copy any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing features onto the poppet as well. Add magical or astrological symbols if you like. While you’re doing this, tell the poppet who it represents. You can say something along the lines of, “I have made you, and you are Jane Jones.”

Your poppet can be used for any number of things — love, money, protection, healing, to get a job. Anything you can imagine, you can make a poppet to bring it about. Simply figure out your goal and the means to achieve it. The only limits on poppet construction are your own creativity and imagination.

Source:

 Article found on & owned by About.com

Poppet History – Global Poppet Magic

Poppet History – Global Poppet Magic

Ramses and the Poppets:

When most people think of a poppet, they automatically think of the Voodoo doll, thanks to this item’s negative portrayal in movies and on television. However, the use of dolls in sympathetic magic goes back several millennia. Back in the days of ancient Egypt, the enemies of Ramses III (who were numerous, and included some of his harem women and at least one high-ranking official) used wax images of the Pharaoh, to bring about his death.

Greek Kolossi:

It wasn’t uncommon for the Greeks to use sympathetic magic in workings related to love or war. Christopher Faraone, Professor of Classical Languages and Literatures at the University of Chicago, is one of the foremost authorities on Greek magic today, and says that Greek poppets called Kolossoi were sometimes used to restrain a ghost or even a dangerous deity, or to bind two lovers together. In Idyll 2, The Witch (Pharmakeutria), written about 200 b.c.e., the tragedian Theocritus refers to melting and burning wax dolls. He relates the tale of Simaetha, rejected by Delphis, attempts to get her lover back with magic.

The Princess Who Played with Dolls:

Wax dolls certainly weren’t limited to the ancient classical world. The one-time Princess of Wales, Caroline of Brunswick, was married to the man who later became King George IV, and evidently couldn’t stand him. She spent many hours forming wax dolls of her husband and jabbing them with pins. Although there’s no concrete evidence as to what this may have done to George, when Caroline ran off to Italy with her young lover, George didn’t object.

The royal couple remained married but lived separately until Caroline’s death in 1821, according to Witchcraft and Evidence in Early Modern England by Malcolm Gaskill.

West African Fetish Magic:

West African slaves brought with them a doll called a fetish when they were forced to leave their homes and come to the American colonies. In this case, the doll is not so much representative of an individual, but is in fact possessed by spirits connected to the doll’s owner. A fetish contains significant power and is typically worn or carried by its owner as a talisman. During America’s Colonial period, slave owners were allowed to kill any slave found with a fetish in his possession.

American Hoodoo and Folk Magic:

In American Hoodoo and folk magic, the use of poppets as a magical tool became popular following the Civil War. There is some dispute as to whether the dolls are used at all in Haiti, which is the home of Vodoun religion, and a few sources disagree on whether the use of poppets is truly a Vodoun practice or not. However, the Voodoo Museum of New Orleans does stock a variety of dolls in their gift shop.

Regardless of how you make your poppet — out of cloth, a chunk of meat, or a glob of wax, remember that poppets have a long tradition behind them, and that tradition is influences by the magical practices of a wide range of cultures. Treat your poppets well, and they will do the same for you.

 

Source:

Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert
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