• Happy Fet Ghede!

    Barontarot

    Hello everyone,

    As many have asked, here is some information about how to serve on Fet Ghede.

    To clear up some information – The Ghede (of which there are purported to be MILLIONS) are NOT the Baron and Maman Brigitte.  The Baron and Brigitte are considered the Mother and Father of the Ghede.  There is also a line of thought that the Baron and Brigitte are the "landowners" of the residence of the Ghede (the graveyard, of course).  :-)
     
    Traditionally, especially in New Orleans Voodoo, The Baron and Maman Brigitte are often served during Fet Ghede, too, but more as a show of respect. My point here, of course, is to make sure you know who you are serving!  If you are serving the Ghede, you are not necessarily serving The Baron and Brigitte and vice versa.
     
    As to service:  If at all possible, you should go to a cemetery on this day.  If you are not in a town where you have ancestors buried, then go to the cemetery anyway.  Bring a trash bag, gloves (if you want to not get your hands dirty),  flowers (purple ones are best if you can find some), and candy offerings, anything you like.  I like to find a grave that looks like it hasn't been attended to in years!  Clean up as best you can around the grave, pick up any trash or debris.  If you can, stay awhile – ask Papa Legba to open the gate to the Ghede and ask your ancestors to visit this spot, to talk to you, to guide you.  There is no real right or wrong way to do this — go to the graveyard and let yourself be led to what you should do and where you should go.
     
    I know people always get nervous about going to the graveyard — what if someone sees you?  What if someone asks you what you are doing?  As long as you aren't desecrating anyone's grave, it is okay for you to be there.  It is extremely rare for anyone to be questioned in a graveyard; I have probably spent more time there than any one of us, and I have never, ever been questioned or even paid attention to.  If you just look like you belong there and are doing something positive (flowers, cleaning) you are unlikely to draw much attention, especially this time of year!
     
    Even if you can't go to the graveyard, doing an altar to the Ghede is fun this time of year – you can get lots of cheap plastic skeletons and coffins and such.  Colors are purple, black, and white.  Offerings are rum, 21 peppers steeped in rum (be careful with this stuff — wear gloves to put the peppers in the rum bottle), unfiltered cigarettes, and roasted peanuts (raw peanuts, taken out of the shell, and stir fried in a skillet or roasted in the oven – NO SALT!! – remember – no salt in any offerings to the Ghede).  If you have ancestors you are serving at this time, put their favorite foods, their pictures, items to represent them on your altar.  St. Gerard, who is often used to represent the Baron, is also used to represent the Ghede in most Voodoo traditions.
     
    Once you are satisfied with your altar, light your candles and ask Papa Legba to open the gate to the Ghede and your ancestors.  This is a perfect time to ask your ancestors for their help, guidance, and favor.  If you have ancestors that you were particularly close to, ask them for their help with whatever situation you have that is troubling you.  Listen carefully, sometimes you might even hear them whisper to you!!  I always recommend that you do a bit of journaling in front of your altar:  Ask questions of the Ghede and your ancestors and write down the first thing that pops into your head – don't edit – write in stream of consciousness.  Don't re-read it right now.  Put it away at the end of the service and read it about a week later.   Sometimes you will be very surprised at what you see written there!
     
    Remember as well that Fet Ghede is celebrated as a sort of "New Year's" celebration – a new beginning where old problems and challenges are "buried" or solved!
     
    Have fun!
    Love,
    Mambo Samantha Corfield

  • Venus and the Sun

    So I wanted to talk a bit about a Venus and Sun conjunction we have recently experienced in the sign of Libra.

    First, what does all that astro mumbo jumbo mean? Well…the sun is the sign of the self, your identity. When someone asks you what your "sign" is the answer most people give is the sign that the Sun was astrologically transiting in the heavens on the day they were born. For example, if your birthday is today, October 27, you were born when the sun was in the sign of Scorpio. But the sun, as a rule astrological, translates to the self.

    Venus is the planet that rules love and romantic love especially. Also anything that gives us pleasure-lovely art, delicious food, music, beautiful poetry, falls under the gaze of Venus. And Libra, in the 12 houses of the zodiac, rules the 7th house, or the house of partnerships.

    So this sun and Venus conjunction in Libra on a very universal level, is giving humankind an opportunity to take stock of our personal relationships. What relationships nourish or deplete you? If you are single, what traits do you want to attract ( or avoid) in a potential partner? How do you approach relationships? Is there room for improvement in your own behavior? Do you and your current partner need to make some changes to improve your relationship? 

    These are all things that have been coming to and will continue to be, in the forefront as this conjunction finishes out in the heavens. And don't be afraid to put your intentions out there for the things you want in relationships right now! 

  • Happy National Black Cat Day!

    As a lifelong Halloween lover and cat lover, I am delighted to wish everyone a Happy Black Cat Day 🙂

    I have always, until recently, had a black cat in my brood. Black cats also show up in my life to bring me messages from my ancestors. I don't take this as anything sinister. As a matter if fact, I feel like it is a message for me expressed in a way that I will pay attention, which is pretty darned clever, in my humble opinion!

    Of course, all that black cat nonsense about their being signs of bad luck, etc…well that is just a bunch of nonsense! But legitimately, Black cats tend to be euthanized in animal shelters at a higher rate than felines of other colors. This fact has always been so heartbreaking ro me! 

    I have always found little black cats to be the most magically inclined and loyal! ( Though let's face it…kitties all seem to be rather otherworldly, don't they?)

    Many shelters in the U.S. hold adoptions on black cats during the month of October as an effort to keep them from being harmed. I have noticed recently that most of my friends that have gotten cats or kittens in the past few years have adopted a black cat. Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Thackery Binx from Hocus Pocus were, I think, good P.R. for black cats everywhere  🙂 And though I have never had one who speaks "human"- I have noticed they tend to be the chatty sort, as far as cats are concerned 😉

    So, in honor of this spooky season, I bid you all Happy Haunting, and may you all be lucky enough to be loved by a little black cat…or many!

     

  • Samhain Incense!

    Samhain-symbols-set-celtic-calendar-concept-samhain-symbols-set-celtic-calendar-concept-wiccan-witchcraft-elements-hand-175737826

    This recipe is for loose incense, but you can adapt it for stick or cone recipes if you like. As you mix and blend your incense, focus on the goal of your work. Do you wish to contact the spirit of a long-dead ancestor? Are you hoping to bring some visions your way in a dream? Or are you maybe looking to enhance your own meditative abilities? Focus your intent as you blend your ingredients.

    You’ll need:

    • 2 parts Cinnamon
    • 1 part ground cloves
    • 1 part Dragon's Blood resin
    • 1 part Hyssop
    • 1 part Patchouli
    • 2 parts Rosemary
    • 1 part Sage
    • A dash of sea salt

    Add your ingredients to your mixing bowl one at a time. Measure carefully, and if the leaves or other items need to be crushed, use your mortar and pestle to do so. As you blend the herbs together, state your intent. You may find it helpful to charge your incense with an incantation. For example, if you were going to use your incense during a seance, you could use this:

    The veil has thinned, the moon is bright
    and I blend this magic on Samhain night.
    Celebrating life and death and rebirth
    with these herbs I've harvested from the earth.
    I send my intent by smoke in the air
    and call on those whose blood I share.
    I ask my ancestors to guide and watch over me,
    As I will, so it shall be.

    Store your incense in a tightly sealed jar. Make sure you label it with its intent and name, as well as the date you created it. Use within three months, so that it remains charged and fresh.

  • Voodoo in TV culture

    So I recently had a conversation about the representation of Papa Legba in American Horror Story. In the opinion of any of the practicing voudousaints I know (myself included) seeing Papa steal babies and send souls to the underworld was just heartbreaking and so SO inaccurate!!!

    Papa Legba, our dear, wonderful, big and benevolent Alegba is loving, playful, helpful anVoodoo.

    I must say I loved the incomparable Angela Bassett as Marie Laveau in AHS! I don't think there is another actress alive who could have portrayed the famous Voodoo Queen of New Orleans as well as Angela! She was strong, regal, noble, fierce and compassionate-just as I imagine the real life Madame Laveau would have been! 

    So-the AHS depiction of Papa was unfair-but several other popular shows over the past decade or so have depicted hoodoo, voudou and santeria accurately. And in some cases, tv shows have shown that this practice is the deeply spiritual and healing practice we know and love!

    In Corazon, a Criminal Minds episode, we see a Santerian priest who helps Dr. Spencer Reid,banish his mysterious headaches. As Spencer works with a team that hunts down serial killers, the priest warns him that his work is causing the problem because of the violent nature of the victim's deaths.

    In an episode of Blue Bloods, Detective Danny Reagan visits a Voodoo service where he witnesses a young man being healed of a possession. The same young man is depicted as having dressed in a Baron Samedi costume for Halloween.

    In the show Bones, Dr. Temperance Brennan is shown in New Orleans helping identify bodies after the Hurricane Katrina tragedy. She visits a Voodoo shop in the famed French Quarter and encounters a very helpful voudousaint who works as an orderly in the morgue and educates her on voodoo.

    And of course I would be remiss if I didn't mention the many references to hoodoo, goopher dust, red brick powder, graveyard dirt, and even our fantastical Baron Samedi, in the Supernatural series. 

    If you are interested in seeing some Voodoo come to life on TV for your viewing pleasure I highly recommend any or all of these television episodes:)

  • In defense of diy Halloween

    Tis the season of grinning jack-o-lanterns glowing in the night, when we fell like a haunting haint or a bone chilling skeleton could creep up behind us at any moment.

    As Halloween has grown in popularity, so have the ready made decorations in every store. This was not always so! Years ago, those of us who are mad for this spooky holiday had to really rely on our own creativity to create a memorable display or costume for Halloween.

    I, for one, am really a purist when it comes to Halloween. What I mean is-I love the classics. Carved pumpkins, ghosts made from old white sheets or curtains, and all manner of witchy things, like black pointy hats, bubbling cauldrons, and flying brooms.

    I get that same sense of satisfaction whenever I work with my spell kits here at home. Our beloved and wonderful Mambo Sam has done much work on my behalf, and I am so thankful for that. But- there really is a feeling I can only get from working magic myself. Whether it is with one of my cosmic voodoo egg kits, a doll, or one of our wonderful 9 day spell kits, there is a gratification there that only true magic can give me.

    Just as I love dispersing garlands of leaves, orange and black candles, and spiderweb galore when creating a Halloween atmosphere all by my little self, I do so love to work my own bit of magic.

    If you have ever been in doubt that you can work with any of our beautiful kits, I can only give you my own experience…and I say, give it a try! You have so so much to gain. Ayibobo!!

     

  • Make an Ancestor Altar Cloth!

    Make an Ancestor Altar Cloth

    Ancestor Cloth
     

    An ancestor altar cloth is something you can make any time of the year, although it can come in particularly handy for Samhain/Fet Ghede, when many people choose to perform ancestor-focused rituals. This project can be as simple or as complex as you like, depending on your time constraints, creativity, and crafting skills.

    You’ll need:

    • A plain white or cream-colored tablecloth, or other piece of fabric
    • Fabric pencil
    • Embroidery floss and hoop, or fabric markers
    • A genealogy of your ancestors

    A few notes here, before you get started. There’s no hard and fast rule about how to do this — it’s a craft idea that is very personalized. Do what works best for you. If you’re handy with a needle and thread, you can embroider the cloth – it will definitely last longer that way. If you’re not confident about your stitching abilities, you can use fine-tipped fabric markers (keep in mind that this option may limit your ability to wash the altar cloth if it gets dirty or stained during ritual).

    As to your genealogy, you can keep it simple if you like, or if you’ve never done any genealogy research. You’ll need the names of your parents, of their parents, their grandparents, and so on. If you want to include your children, you can do that too.

    Start by putting yourself in the center, and writing your name carefully with a lightweight fabric pencil — these wash or brush off easily when you’re done. Branch out, including your parents’ names above you, one on each side. Using lines to connect everyone, gradually add the names of your ancestors. You can even include dates of birth and death, or place names if you have the room.

    It’s best to do all of this in pencil first — or better yet, use Post-It Notes, one for each ancestor’s name – to position people around the cloth. If you know the names of lots of ancestors on one side, but only a few on the other, it can start looking lopsided pretty quickly, unless you’re able to rearrange people (this is why sticky notes are great).

    Once you’ve figured out everyone’s placement, add the names in fabric pencil until you’ve included as many people as you like. If you’re going to embroider the names, work from one side to the other, just to keep things simple — you may even want to do different branches of the family, or different generations, in alternating colors. If you opt to use fabric markers for the final work, be careful! Stitches can always be picked out, but markers are permanent.

    Keep in mind that the very act of creation is a magical one, and you can utilize the crafting of this altar cloth as a ritual in and of itself. Particularly if you're stitching, there's a very meditative aspect to the creative process. After you’ve put everyone’s names on the fabric, use it as an altar cloth for rituals involving ancestor work.

  • Amazing Jet Jewelry for Spooky Days

    Hello there readers! I hope everyone is having a wonderful spooky season and a fabulous fall. I wanted to talk a little bit about a favorite stone of mine, known as Jet. 

     But I’d like to preface this post about how much of a blessing it is for me to write for you all on this blog. In the consideration of writing this article, as is often the case, I found that there were some messages that I needed to hear very much. I once heard that in order to keep healing oneself that you had to give healing away and in the past several days I have again been shown by the grace of my beloved ancestors, the lwa, and the grace of God that that is indeed true! 

     So-back to what this article’s star, Jet. This shiny and silvery stone  is associated with the root chakra, or the red chakra at the base of your spine, and with Capricorn energy. Jet is extremely grounding and can also be called lignite. It is not a mineral, but it's actually made from fossilized wood. Jet historically is a very popular stone for jewelry, and archaeologist have found jet jewelry dating back to pre-christian 

    Britain. Jet jewelry also surged in popularity during the Victorian era, as it was used in mourning jewelry. Mourning culture was, of course, quite popular since Queen Victoria of England went into mourning when she lost her dear husband, Prince Albert and retained the black garb of a widow for the remainder of her life. Popular culture if the day followed suit.  

    So why am I writing about jet? Aside from the fact that I have had a burning desire to begin wearing the stone , it goes along with the theme of Halloween and Samhain, not just because of its association with mourning death, but also because it is very good for cleansing and healing grief. What's more is that jet can take feelings of depression and unproductiveness and transform them into strength to move forward and onward. It can take the very things in life that have knocked us down and empower us to utilize our strength to funnel the emotional energy into energy that will fortify us in life’s journey. 

     One thing I really love about wearing jet jewelry is that the stone itself is extremely lightweight. I think that adds to its mystique as well, since when one is grieving, you often feel so very heavy. Lignite jet will actually burn if you set a flame to it, and is quite actually a type of coal. As a lifelong lover of cauldron Magic, and a native of the hard coal region of Pennsylvania, that really is a delightful quirk for me about this amazing gemstone.  

    So, if you are looking for a new gemstone to usher in the Halloween season and work magic in the vein that fire destroys and yet also  creates, jet may be just the very gemstone that your little heart has been seeking! 

     

  • Chief of the Guardian Angels!

    Barakial

    Barachiel is an archangel known as the angel of blessings and this angel is also the chief of all of the guardian angels. Barachiel (who is also often known as "Barakiel") means "God's blessings." Other spellings include Barchiel, Baraqiel, Barkiel, Barbiel, Barakel, Baraqel, Pachriel, and Varachiel.

    Barachiel intercedes in prayer before God for people in need, asking God to give them blessings in all areas of their lives, from their relationships with family and friends to their work. People ask for Barachiel's help in achieving success in their pursuits. Since Barachiel is also the chief of all guardian angels, people sometimes ask for Barachiel's help delivering a blessing through one of their personal guardian angels. 

    In art, Barachiel is usually depicted scattering rose petals that represent God's sweet blessings showering down on people, or holding a white rose (which also symbolizes blessings) to his chest. However, sometimes images of Barachiel show him holding either a basket that's overflowing with bread or a staff, both of which symbolize the blessings of producing children that God bestows on parents. 

    Barachiel sometimes appears in feminine form in paintings that emphasize Barachiel's nurturing work delivering blessings. Like all archangels, Barachiel doesn't have a specific gender and can manifest as either a male or a female, according to what works best in a given situation.

    Green is the angel color for Barachiel. It represents healing and prosperity and is also associated with Archangel Raphael.

    The Third Book of Enoch, an ancient Jewish text, describes archangel Barachiel as one of the angels who serve as great and honored angelic princes in heaven. The text mentions that Barachiel leads 496,000 other angels who work with him. Barachiel is part of the seraphim rank of angels who guard God's throne, as well as the leader of all the guardian angels who work with humans during their earthly lifetimes. 

    Barachiel is an official saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and he is also venerated as a saint by some members of the Roman Catholic Church. Catholic tradition says that Barachiel is the patron saint of marriage and family life. He may be shown carrying a book representing the Bible and Papal encyclicals that direct the faithful on how to conduct their marital and family life. He also traditionally has dominion over lightning and storms and also sees to the needs of converts.

    Barachiel is one of the few angels that made it into the Lutheran liturgical calendar.

    In astrology, Barachiel rules the planet Jupiter and is linked to the Pisces and Scorpio zodiacal signs. Barachiel is traditionally said to inspire a sense of humor in people who encounter God's blessings through him.

    Barachiel is mentioned in the Almadel of Solomon, a book dating from the Middle Ages on how to contact angels by means of a wax tablet. 

    Source:Learnreligions.com

  • Welcome October!!

    Hello there! I hope everyone is having a wonderful October!!

    The days are getting cooler and the nights are getting longer as we approach Samhain, Halloween and Fet Ghede.

    When the dark half if the year arrives, it truly does give me an appreciation for the ancient pagan practices of honoring the forces of nature that allowed humans to survive and thrive.

    The sunshine, the rainfall, the growth of crops and the lives of livestock were important because human life literally depended upon having those things!

    In the colder months, we nurture plans for the future and hope that growth will return, all will be renewed and that endings make way for rebirths.

    In any and every pantheon, from the loa in Haiti, to the Gods and Goddesses in ancient Britain, Egypt, Rome and Scandinavia, natural forces played a huge part in daily living.

    In our first world environment we can get so removed from realizing how important the health of the planet truly is. I feel like the preservation of that earth to human connection is a part of why we “witchy” people experience the calling to pursue these old paths to spirit!

    We are, all of us, healers in some capacity, striving to do our part to keep the bonds of nature and mankind strong and beautiful.