Another Flavor in the Magical Mix

[North Star]

Hey Kassandra!

Great info! I look forward to learning more about hoodoo myself, I have been intrigued to learn more for some time now. Also I hope this may educate others since I think many believe there must be evil or negativity involved to practice it...which I admit, I thought at one time as well. I have discovered lots of ways I can relate to hoodoo traditions and negative and harmful magick has never been one of them.

When I started to read on my own in the late 80s I never came across the term hoodoo, I think the first time I discovered it was in the 90s in a Ravenwolf book, and even then never paid much attention. It was a member here who I have a lot of respect for who mentioned hoodoo a couple times and I began looking into it over the last year. One of the first spells I came across was very similar to one I have been doing for years (a potted plant spell).

I am not big on ceremonial magick at all. My altar has never resembled a typical wiccan altar (I don't have a chalice, an athame, a wand or a cauldron...no black candles to 'absord negativity' and no pentacle) I do honor the elements and my Goddess(es), but my altar has always been a bit different than I thought was 'the correct way' that many witchcraft books show. I have lots of candles, stones and incense and other objects I adore, as well as my working spells and honey jars etc., depending on what I may have going on. I like simplicity... 'no circles required' kind of magick. I also enjoy love magick, which is not frowned upon in Hoodoo as it seems to be in other paths.

Although I haven't studied much on it, I have seen many reasons why I am drawn to this tradition. It's just another flavor in the mix for me.

I look forward to learning lots more!

[Kassandra]

One of the first spells I came across was very similar to one I have been doing for years (a potted plant spell)...as well as my working spells and honey jars etc., depending on what I may have going on...I also enjoy love magick, which is not frowned upon in Hoodoo as it seems to be in other paths.

Ooo, do share!

Potted plant spell, honey jars, love magic...sounds like you got your mojo workin,' lady.


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[-Dark-Moon-]

I practice in a similar way, North Star, with regards to not being confined by the traditional ways of anything. However, i do think delving deeply into at least one system is advantageous. Perhaps you are an Unconscious Chaos Magician at heart (take what works and leave the rest). Who needs labels anyway though, right?

I've never understood why people get so cagey about love magic really. Nice to hear someone throwing caution to the wind. Some hoodoo practitioners only do love magic, or specialise in it. I'm sure they would get some interesting clients

One I remember saying he worked with the client right through until *they* wanted to stop, which I find interesting. I've never done break up workings but that's mainly because I wouldn't want anyone to do this to me!

What kind of love magic do you do? Has it been effective? Any backfires?

[North Star]

Dark Moon is the member I was speaking about who got me to look at hoodoo. I had just finished
writing my post for this section the other day when I saw her back on the forum after all this time!

I remember what it was that she said, something along the lines of 'this hoodoo stuff really works'.

LOVE...

Love, it makes the world go 'round! I always loved a good attraction spell. Usually in general,
sometimes on an intended, who I would already be involved with though. Never been into spells that
hope to make others fall for you when they do not seem to be interested... more to enhance or aid an
existing relationship. Sweetening spells, lust magick before a special night, spells to bring someone
closer...stuff like that.

Since I was young I have been drawn to love correspondences, love goddesses, love spells. I
can totally rock a love spell but suck at some other things, like I have to research prosperity or luck
correspondences and work harder to put spells together, where love matters just flow much more easily.

I have written some personal spells over the years for my best friend that have been very succesful.
I met the person I believe is my twin flame during an attraction spell, actually kind of had someone
else in mind that I was seeing at the time. It does not exactly always work according to (my) plan. But
it still seems to work out in the way I need. I can't say I have any regrets.


POTTED PLANT SPELLS...

Basically it involves a hollowed apple, honey, a name paper or petition paper. A 'sweetening' type of
spell. I have used it to promote peace and happiness in the home as one example.

I have also used it for my twin flame relationship. That one worked well for a long time. I would
almost be alerted to upcoming stress in that relationship or realize afterwards, (it was a finicky purple praying clover leaf plant) sometimes it would come close to dying on me, others it would flourish like crazy.

Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook by Denise Alvarado is a book I want to get my hands on. I found her
information on potted plant spells through a google search... yes that was the moment I said 'wow I
have been practicing some hoodoo for years and never knew' and kind of felt like an idiot for thinking
it was something bad all this time. LOL

She mentions that these spells can be used for sweetening spells (the most popular) also for fertility,
protection, stop gossiping, road opener and hot foot spells.

DREAMS...?

Another topic I have come across as having some importance in hoodoo is dreams and working with
them (dream magick, I call it) and that is very intriguing to me. I have mentioned before I love
working with dreams but dont even know if its 'a thing' because there is so little mention of dreams in
most books I have read on wicca/witchcraft. I never understood why dreaming is not covered much,
it is a big part of my magickal life.

MOJO BAGS

Mojo bags, charm bags, love bundles, moon sachets, altar pouches, spell bags, dream pillows... I have called them all these things and more. If I can contain a spell I am a very happy woman. Bags and bottles and boxes and jars (or plants), I love container/bag spells.

So those are a few of my favorite things

[loona wynd]

Well North Star you should post in the Mojo bag thread that has been started. Its awesome to see so many others enthusiastic about learing about Hoodoo and possibly employing that in their practices as well. This is where I am in my own practice. I've been doing the typical modern style of witchcraft for years but have longed for something more in folkmagic and the like. So now I am looking into Hoodoo.