Tag: spellmaker

  • Papa Alegba Month is Almost Here!

    Happy Day-Before-Friday, everyone!

    I cannot believe that it is almost Papa Alegba Month here at Spellmaker! Every year we dedicate June to Papa Alegba since he has THREE feast days in June (13, 21, and 29)! 

    This is the month where we do three free rituals here in the Spellmaker office and you can send in your petitions to be included in all three of the rituals.  If you care to do some work on your own, we also have great products for Papa Alegba on his page on the Spellmaker website!

    On that same page is lots of information about Papa, how to serve him, what his offerings are, etc.

    One thing I wanted to talk about is why keys are so important to Papa!  No self-respecting Vodouisant would ever throw away old keys! Nope, those go right on Papa's altar!  Remember, he is the gatekeeper, the mediary between our world and the world of the lwa – no work gets done without his permission!  We must always ask his permission to travel to and from (and to allow the lwa to travel to and from) our different worlds.

    A little trick that I use, and I know have talked about this before, but I feel like it is worth repeating – is to designate certain old keys for certain things.  For instance, I have three keys that I use with money work.  I have 7 old keys that I use for luck work – I think you get the idea!  When I start any of that type of work for myself and Parran Matt, those keys go on whatever altar I am working from. Those particular keys have been dedicated to Papa, by me, for those specific purposes. In this way, I feel like I get a little extra "oomph" from my work by having particular keys for him for the things for which I am asking!

    If nothing else, just throw all your old keys in a bowl and just keep them around.  (Warning:  People will start to think you collect keys and you will find keys showing up everywhere!  LOL)  Dedicate them to Papa Legba and put that bowl of keys on whatever altar you are using for work.  Believe me, he will love them and it will help unlock many doors for you!  😉

    Love, light, and peace, Mambo Samantha Corfield

    www.spellmaker.com

     
    Assorted-Skeleton-Keys_KD

  • 15 things to make you happier!

    Hello!

    This is a link to an article I just saw on FB. I don’t often repost
    things I see there, because I figure, If I saw it, than so has everyone
    else. BUT today I am making an exception. This article is well worth
    reading. The 15 things are by some standards no small things, but even
    if this article just gives us a little awareness of the time and space a
    few of these things may be taking up in our lives, it is so worth it.

    Hope you all have a grand day!

    Love

    Sister Bridget

    ABQ102010 124

     

  • Didn’t Mean to Call You That…

    Hello my dear readers!  I find myself in, yet again, the position of feeling like I need to re-re-post this blog post of mine.  This time, though, I would like to also call some attention to the idea of teen dating abuse!  I have seen some billboards up in my town with numbers to call if a teenager feels like they are in an abusive dating situation.

    I do hope that if you have a teenager, you will have some opportunities to talk with them about this!  What a sad situation… I can remember feeling a little bit bullied (a LONG time ago) by a boyfriend.  Nothing was ever physical about it, but I do remember how it made me feel to try to please him just to have him get angry with me.  Not a great feeling.  Apparently, though, there is a lot more going on these days than some mild bullying.  My heart goes out to parents of teenagers these days – there just seem to be so much to contend with!

    Although this post focused mainly on verbal abuse, abuse of any kind should never, ever be stood for!  Please get help if you or someone you love is in an abusive situation.

    Anyway, here's the post yet again.

    ——————————

     I feel compelled to revisit a subject that I blogged about awhile back – so I am reposting the blog here.  I just want you to think about your self worth and while I use female clients here as an example, it doesn't mean that it doesn't happen to men, too!  Self worth knows no gender boundaries!

    There is a popular song by "Lit" with these lyrics:
    Can we forget about the things I said when I was drunk
    I didn't mean to call you that
    I can't remember what was said or what you threw at me
    Please tell me
    Please tell me why
    My car is in the front yard
    And I'm sleeping with my clothes on
    I came in through the window last night
    And you're gone

    Okay, so it's a funny song, I actually even like the song!  But it is not really funny when you think about it in the context of possible emotional abuse. I am sorry to say that I see a trend of female clients who are being abused but they don't seem to know it. Not every form of abuse leaves you with a black eye or a broken bone. Some of the more insidious forms of abuse include how your partner speaks to you.

    I am seeing more and more Heart's Desire letters that go something like this, "I want Fred to stop calling me a b*tch, a c*nt, a worthless, useless,piece of sh*t." This is in HD letters for Leave My Man Alone™ where the person is trying to get their HD to stop this kind of behavior towards them.

    I am sorry, but I have to ask myself, why are you putting up with that in the first place? Has that person convinced you that you are worth so little that they have totally destroyed your self esteem and you think you can't do better? Well, let me tell you, YOU CAN DO BETTER than some low life who doesn't have one good thing to say about you.

    Look, I am not saying that people don't have a bad day, or, as the song says, do and say things when intoxicated. But if you are with a person who says horrible things to you on a regular basis, YOU ARE BEING EMOTIONALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY ABUSED, and you shouldn't be doing the love trio, you should be doing The Ultimate Revenge Kit™, a Milk of Damballah™ white bath, and then an Attract Love to Me™ spell kit!

    I beg you, if you are in an abusive relationship, please get help. A lot of crisis intervention revolves around physical abuse, but emotional abuse can be just as much, or maybe even more damaging in the long run. You may think you have to take emotional abuse for one reason or another, but trust me, you do not. I did a search on the Internet and there are tons of books and articles written on this subject and how to get out of these relationships. Please don't allow yourself to be treated like this.

    Granted, sometimes the only person who can truly help you is YOU… like the song says above, "And you're GONE."

    Love, light, and peace,
    Mambo Samantha Corfield
    www.spellmaker.com

    Learn to get help: http://www.healthyplace.com/abuse/emotional-psychological-abuse/emotional-abuse-help-support-and-recovery/

    Emotionalabuse

  • Who put the work in spell work?

    “Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

    — Thomas Edison

    Greetings, everyone!  Hope you are all ready fo a great weekend!  I know we have talked about this before – the work of spellwork!  However, I do think the subject can be revisited over and over again and still be of value!

    All too often I hear people say that they think things like our spell kits are "just too much work." It is always a sigh-inducing, eye-rolling moment for me because that statement generally comes from someone who just told me they would do ANYTHING to get Jack (or Jill) back into their lives.  Of course we offer solo castings with most of our spells (where I do the work for you), and that is a fine choice for those who are truly too busy (lots of folks working two jobs these days!)  or do not have the privacy to do spell work.

     However, I fear that sometimes people choose the solo casting just because they think doing their own spell work is just too much work!  That is troubling because in the category of "doing anything" to get Jack or Jill back in  your life could involve some work!

    It could involve spell work!  It could involve working on yourself.  It could involve working on your relationship, but if you aren't invested enough in the relationship to do some work on it, why do you want that relationship in the first place?  I dont' have the answer to that – but I do think it is something worth thinking about!

    And let's not get confused about you good folks who occasionally need a break from spell work or adjunct work!   There are those who just don't want to do another doll session or light another candle… they are just sick of spell work at the moment. 

    Now that is something different!  Sometimes a little break from spell work is a good thing.  It gives you time to refresh your spirit,look at the spellwork with fresh eyes, and regain your energy.  The best way to take a break from spell work is during the break to assess the break itself; are you feeling good about the break?  Are you feeling that this is a time for you to renew yourself and your purpose? The biggest danger in taking a break sometimes comes in the form of not knowing when the break should be over.

    I always tell the folks to whom I recommend a break to be on the look out for signs that their break is over.  If you are longing for your voodoo doll, or you start to miss the comfort and ritual of your candle magick, or you feel an incredible pull back into the work - those kinds of things are clear signs that your break is over!

    Lately I have been literally bombarded with stories of clients and the success of their spellwork!  :-)  Needless to say, that is always amazingly awesome to hear!  As I have mentioned before, I do notice a very common thread in these success stories – these are very often folks who were dedicated to that work, had a real heart for it, and stuck to their guns even in the face of adversity.  Their success is inspiring!

    So if the spellwork is seeming too much like work, then yes, take a small break, but never take your eye off the prize! 😉  If it is worth having, it is worth working for!

    Love,light, and peace,
    Mambo Samantha Corfield
    www.spellmaker.com


    Motivation

  • The Universal Prayer

    Good morning, everyone!  I wanted to share one of my favorite poems/prayers with you today!  If you aren't familiar with the works of Alexander Pope, it might take a bit of re-reading to get some of his meanings! You know how it with these things written in the 1800's since we just don't talk that way anymore.

    I love his interpretations of God! My favorite stanza is the one that starts with "What blessings thy free bounty gives."  The idea that God is "paid" when we enjoy the bounties we are given really resonates with me.  I also enjoy the references to free will, the idea that we are not alone in the universe, and especially the thought that it is not our job to go around chastising those who have ideas about God that differ from our own. 😉

    There is also a sense to me that Mr. Pope saw God beyond the usual Christian beliefs; he interprets him more as a universal energy that sometimes extends beyond our scope. That is also somewhat of our Vodou/Voodoo way of seeing God – not so much the guy sitting in the clouds metting out justice and favors, but rather an overwhelming sense of Beingness with whom we are allowed to forge our own relationship.

    I would love to hear your thoughts on this prayer – I love that it is so rich in spirituality without being preachy about religion.  Also, it isn't a bad way to start the day!

    Love, light, and peace,

    Mambo Samantha Corfield, www.spellmaker.com 

    The Universal Prayer

    BY ALEXANDER POPE

    Father of all! in every age,
        In every clime adored,
    By saint, by savage, and by sage,
        Jehovah, Jove, or Lord!

    Thou Great First Cause, least understood:
        Who all my sense confined
    To know but this—that thou art good,
        And that myself am blind:

    Yet gave me, in this dark estate,
        To see the good from ill;
    And binding Nature fast in fate,
        Left free the human will.

    What conscience dictates to be done,
        Or warns me not to do,
    This, teach me more than Hell to shun,
        That, more than Heaven pursue.

    What blessings thy free bounty gives,
        Let me not cast away;
    For God is paid when man receives,
        To enjoy is to obey.

    Yet not to earth’s contracted span,
        Thy goodness let me bound,
    Or think thee Lord alone of man,
        When thousand worlds are round:

    Let not this weak, unknowing hand
        Presume thy bolts to throw,
    And deal damnation round the land,
        On each I judge thy foe.

    If I am right, thy grace impart,
        Still in the right to stay;
    If I am wrong, oh teach my heart
        To find a better way.

    Save me alike from foolish pride,
        Or impious discontent,
    At aught thy wisdom has denied,
        Or aught thy goodness lent.

    Teach me to feel another’s woe,
        To hide the fault I see;
    That mercy I to others show,
        That mercy show to me.

    Mean though I am, not wholly so
        Since quickened by thy breath;
    Oh lead me wheresoe’er I go,
        Through this day’s life or death.

    This day, be bread and peace my lot:
        All else beneath the sun,
    Thou know’st if best bestowed or not,
        And let thy will be done.

    To thee, whose temple is all space,
        Whose altar, earth, sea, skies!
    One chorus let all being raise!
        All Nature’s incense rise!
    Hands

  • Doing a Quick Service.

    Hello everyone!  Happy Friday!  Some of you may remember awhile back in another blog post I answered a question about what to do about service the lwa (Vodou
    Spirits) when you just don’t have a lot of time (or money, or energy, etc.).
     While in a perfect world we would all have lots of time to devote to our
    spiritual lives, realistically this just may not be true!

    I developed this quick service and have found it to be very well received by
    the lwa.  Since I posted this a couple of years back (I think!), quite a few
    people have given me feedback that this service has helped them tremendously and
    they, too, felt it was very well received!

    Many Vodouisants have problems with keeping up with service to their ancestors, the lwa, etc. Most of this stems from the idea that every service has to be a big deal with lots of food, tons of candles, music, and lots of time spent.  This just isn't true.

     Smaller, more frequent services are going to be much more well received than that once a year "guilt service" that many tend to do – that is when they go all out and put on a big spread for their ancestors and the lwa.  Now, that is great – and that will be well received.  However, if you want to really build a relationship with someone, is taking them out for a big dinner and night on the town once a year or every six months really going to do that?  Nope!  The same is true spiritually – a little bit of time spent frequently will move your spiritual progress along much faster than waiting until you have a ton of time to do what you think is a "proper service."  ALL service done with a good heart is proper service! 🙂

    Here is a repost of that particular blog:

    Hello everyone!

    People tell me all the time  they would do more service/ritual to the Lwa
    (Vodou Spirits) but they “just don’t have the time.”  Now I realize that we
    could go back at them saying that they should or could “make the time.” 
    However, in today’s world, that sometimes is not as easy as it sounds!   But
    almost anyone can find five minutes in a day to do my quickie service
    below. 

    The service does assume that you have a few things on hand and have some
    basic knowledge of ritual:  Candles (keeping a few white candles on hand is
    great because you can use them for any lwa or your ancestors), a glass of water or other beverage,
    and a small food offering that would be appropriate for almost any lwa
    (something simple such as a cookie or even a piece of bread).

    You can do this quick service almost anywhere!  (Please note this can be configured for the lwa and/or your ancestors.)

    1.  Put your candle with a glass of water or other beverage on a counter or
    table.

    2.  As you light the candle, ask Papa Legba to “please open the gate for me
    and allow ___________ (which ever lwa or ancestor you are honoring) to pass over.” (You can also, alternatively, ask Papa to just open the gate and not ask for anyone in particular. If you are doing it that way, then you are making a general offering to the lwa and/or your ancestors.)

    3.  “Present” the glass of water by holding it out to the East, West, North,
    and South.  Say, “For you __________________ (which ever lwa you are
    honoring).”

    4.  Place the water back down near the candle.

    5.   “Present” the food offering as per #3 above.  Place it down next to the
    water and candle.

    6.  Take one or two minutes to talk with the lwa you have asked to come over
    to you.  You might have a request or perhaps you are just wanting to honor that
    particular lwa.

    7.   Thank the lwa and Papa Legba for their time and help.

    8.  If you can, leave the candle burning (safely) for a little while longer
    while you do other things.  This is a great little service to do while you are
    getting ready for the day.   You can start it up, get showered and dressed, and
    then end the service.  If you need to close out the service more quickly, then
    just proceed to Step #9.

    9.  Extinguish your candle and ask Papa Legba to “close the gate when it
    pleases you.”  You can leave the food and water  for disposal until later or
    even the next day.  If you need to get rid of it more quickly it is great if you
    can pour the water outside and leave the cookie/food outside somewhere.  If you
    cannot, then just dispose of the water down the sink and wrap the cookie/food up
    in brown paper (such as just a brown paper bag) and throw it away.

    There you did a little service in five minutes!  And yes, it counts.  Yes, it
    can help.  Yes, it is pleasing to the lwa.  Folks have a tendency to think that
    the lwa will only respond to big, elaborate  
    service.  That just isn’t
    true.  Every service that is well intended is well received!

    Please continue to have a great and safe weekend!

    Love,
    Mambo Sam
    www.spellmaker.com

    Legba
    Painting by Saundra Elise Ziyatdinov

  • Belleau Wood.

     

    Happy New Year!

    I may be a bit early with my wishes where you are – and a little late where some other are. But wherever you are, I hope you are with loved ones, and enjoying the last of this holiday season.

    I recently came across this song by Garth Brooks again, after kind of having it slip my mind. It really is lovely, and tho it is about something that happened at Christmas time during WWI, the message fits New Year's as well. The lyrics of this song are really poetic – but my favorite are really the last 2 lines.

    Enjoy, and I wish for next year to be the best ever for all!

    Love

    Sister Bridget

     

  • Get Ready for a Walk through the Chakras.

    Hello All!

    I hope you all have been enjoying your Autumn. I just returned home last week from a visit with Mambo Sam and Parran Matt for Fet Ghede and more 🙂 It was a really wonderful ten days, and even though it was a whole ten days, boy it went by fast! I have alot to report, and alot of photos to share, including a really awesome trip to a local New Mexico cemetary which included a big sign from my dearly departed Dad. Lots of new posts to come!

    As I get back into the swing of things here, I would like to start off with some information about the Chakras, and how they influence our life and our well being – both physically and emotionally. I have a series of articles ready, which will walk us through each chakra, it's associations, and also the life issues which may be manifesting if we have a chakra that is a little "out of whack." This will be something that we can discuss over a few weeks, and I really do welcome questions and comments. Please feel free to post a comment here on typepad, or on facebook, or even email me directly at bridget@spellmaker.com

    Chakras are energy centers within the body that affect our physical,
    emotional, mental and physical well-being. Chakras come from the
    Sanskrit word meaning "wheels of light." Chakras are like a blueprint of
    energy for individuality. These energy centers hold a vibration and
    color, like a human rainbow.

    There are many ways that can help balance your chakras (and we will get to this!) 
    But first, do you know if you're out of balance?

    When you work on
    the chakras that are closed or weak, you'll be directly influencing that
    particular area of your life, for example, finances, sex life,
    self-esteem, compassion, expression, intuition and spirituality.

    Are
    your finances in trouble? Are you feeling insecure? Do you need to
    perform better at work and get that raise or promotion? Strengthen your
    Root or 1st Chakra.

    Do you want to spice up your sex life or feel more passionate and creative? Unblock your Sacral or 2nd Chakra.

    Want to feel more self-confident and powerful in achieving your goals? Strengthen your Solar Plexus or 3rd Chakra.

    Want
    to feel more love, be able to forgive past grievances, and connect
    better with your spouse, kids, friends and co-workers? Work on your 4th
    or Heart Chakra.

    Afraid of public speaking? Want to be able to express your truth and be understood? Balance your 5th or Throat Chakra.

    Want
    more inspiration on which path you should take in life? Want to
    increase your intuition and psychic abilities? Open your 6th or Third
    Eye Chakra.

    Want to feel at one with all there is? Have more peace, harmony and connection to spirit? Work on your 7th or Crown Chakra.

    If
    you want to get balanced, get centered, get energized, get relaxed, get
    inspired, get clear, get connected, get going… chakra healing can be
    your answer. When your chakras are balanced, your life will also feel
    balanced.

    When we learn to balance our chakras, we learn to craft
    our lives the way we want them to be, rather than living in constant
    reaction to forces outside of us.

    These spirals of energy are
    wheels that heal, feeding the body good energy and relieving it of that
    we do not want. Chakras cannot be held, stroked or bottled up like a
    genie, yet our physical bodies soak them up thirstily and they
    profoundly affect our metabolism, emotions, sensations and behaviors. In
    addition to their roles in the physical realm, chakras work on a higher
    plane, waking us to the realization that our body, mind and spirit are
    forever and inextricably linked.

    Ok, that is enough for one day! Please look for more new posts to come, and even some new products in the works as well!

    Hope you all have a wonderful day!

    Love

    Sister Bridget

    www.spellmaker.com/bridget.htm

    bridget@spellmaker.com

  • Voodoo and Rock & Roll.

    Hello!

    I hope you all are doing well, and are enjoying the last few weeks of summer! I spent a truly perfect, late summer evening recently at a Bruce Springsteen concert. The weather was perfect, the show was awesome! Really, truly a night to remember.

    During the show, Bruce spent a few minutes remembering band members who were no longer with him, but were very present in Spirit. During the introduction to “My City of Ruin” he explained how he wrote this song with Ghosts in mind. Bruce talked about how, when we are young, we are made to be afraid of ghosts. That ghosts are about unknown and frightening things. Things we feared in the dark, and wished would go away. Now, as we are older, we find the ghosts that walk with us to be comforting, familiar, and a rememberance of good times, love, and how precious every moment of life is. How we welcome the ghosts of our past, and welcome them to walk along side us.

    I hope you enjoy this video of Bruce singing City of Ruins.

    Love

    Sister Bridget

     

     

     

    Lyrics – My City of Ruins

    There’s a blood red circle

    on the cold dark ground

    and the rain is falling down

    The church doors blown open

    I can hear the organ’s song

    But the congregation’s gone

    My city of ruins

    My city of ruins

    Now the sweet veils of mercy

    drift through the evening trees

    Young men on the corner

    like scattered leaves

    The boarded up windows

    The hustlers and thieves

    While my brother’s down on his knees

    My city of ruins

    My city of ruins

    Come on rise up!

    Come on rise up!

    Now there’s tears on the pillow

    darling where we slept

    and you took my heart when you left

    without your sweet kiss

    my soul is lost, my friend

    Now tell me how do I begin again?

    My city’s in ruins

    My city’s in ruins

    Now with these hands

    I pray Lord

    with these hands

    for the strength Lord

    with these hands

    for the faith Lord

    with these hands

    I pray Lord

    with these hands

    for the strength Lord

    with these hands

    for the faith Lord

    with these hands

    Come on rise up!

    Come on rise up!

    Rise up

  • Coconut Fun!

    LampsJune12 014

    Hi There!

    With all of the Spellmaker Family  Papa Legba Festivities going on this month, I have been looking for some new and different Coconut items that Papa might enjoy. On my last trip out, I came across these three.

    Trader Joe's Toasted Coconut Cookie Thins — these cookies smell divine! They look incredibly scruptious!

    Coconut Water with Pulp — I found this at the local health food store for less than $1! It has real pieces of coconut in the bottle. I always seem a bit clumsy when I try and cut open a fresh coconut myself, so I think this is a neater option for me 🙂

    Voorman's Coconut Cookies — found these at the dollar store! It is a rather large bag, and these cookies are chock full of coconut and also smell heavenly.

    These are just some examples of new coconut items I thought Papa might like. He also like Mounds bars, rum, coffee, all of the usual suspects! We have a bit more information about Papa here, in our Information Board. Remember, anything offered with a grateful heart is fanstastic 🙂

    For more information about the monthlong rituals to Papa Legba, please see www.spellmaker.com/legba.htm 

    Also, our Spiritual Power Magick Prayer Group is focusing on Papa as well this month! Please join us on June 27th!

    Enjoy!

    Love

    Sister Bridget