Circles and Hoodoo

[Shutter]

If I were to make a poppet or any sort of satchet, etc where I'm also using words to enhance the spell, do I need to cast a circle before and after?

[SpiritTalker]

I don't practice Hoodoo, but I do know that Houdon and Wicca are different spiritual systems that both practice magic. I don’t associate circles with hoodoo. In Wiccan practice a circle is used to create a sacred space protected from outside interference. We cast a circle to work inside of. You ground the energy when you’re done which may be what you meant because we don’t cast a circle before and after working.

Creating sacred space to work within can be done many ways. Put all your needed supplies in the planned work space before casting, of course. A simple method is to broom sweep widdershins to break up stagnant energy and then project energy in a deosil direction to form a circle around our workspace. Then stay within the circle to do your poppet or any spell craft. The circle dissipates when walked through.

[YanaKhan]

Hello, Shutter, first of all, could you stop by the top section of the forum and introduce yourself? We would love to get to know you better.

To your question, like SpiritTalker said, I don't think there is a requirement in Hoodoo about circles. I don't use much Hoodoo magick myself, so I can't be certain of it, but I'm pretty sure circles are a Wiccan practice and if you are an eclectic witch and this is what you usually do (casting circles I mean), then by all means, do so. But if you are a Wiccan, I would try and look for a Wiccan alternative to Hoodoo dolls. I would also research as much about poppets as I could find, because I wouldn't want to use tools I'm not very familiar with.

By the way, what made you think of using dolls? Just curious

[Shutter]

Thanks, guys! Nay I am not a Wiccan, just your general city-dwelling, hide-your-taboos-in-your-pockets kind of Catholic, though I'm not quite sure there's anything out there anymore, which is perhaps why I also can't get any spells to work.

[Shutter]

Oh, also about dolls -

I read that you can carve words into candle skulls and fill a head with positive thoughts, which is something I need to do for myself because I am a long time sufferer of depression. And yes, I'm under treatment for it, but if therapy can't even help, plus meds, sometimes you wanna try magic too, you know?

[corvidus]

It's generally not a good idea to practice magick if you feel "out of balance" -- either emotionally or physically.

If therapy isn't helping, find a new therapist. If meds aren't helping, find a new doctor

[Siona]

Poppets and sachets are used in many kinds of magic, not just hoodoo, so you could make them in the "Wiccan" style, casting a circle, etc, if that's what you know and prefer to do. In hoodoo, there's not really a casting of circles like that.

Sometimes workings might be done in a five spot/quincunx, either a large one to hold the person and items for working, or a small one on a table to just hold the items, to bring in the power of the crossroads. It's not something that's always done in every practice, however, but you might look into it if you want to make your space a little more 'powerful' in a hoodoo working.