Tag: Spellmaker.com

  • Faith.

    In my duties as Parran of our House, I get asked a lot about the question of "faith."  How to keep the faith? What to do prove what you have faith in, etc.  I am no expert on faith, but I do know that life is pretty bleak if you have faith in nothing.  My wife, Mambo Sam, once said to me that it was really easy to have faith when things were going great, it is when things are going terrible and we need faith that we seem to have it the least. I couldn't agree with her more.  Good days bring great faith, but who needs faith on good days?  It's those bad days where we need our faith.

    Mightier writers than me have written a lot about faith and I thought I would share with you some of the quotes I have found.  I hope you enjoy them and keep them for those days when your faith is in short supply.

    Faith is like radar that sees through the fog.  ~Corrie Ten Boom, Tramp for the Lord

    Reason is our soul's left hand, Faith her right.  ~John Donne

    Faith is reason grown courageous.  ~Sherwood Eddy

    Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother.  ~Kahlil Gibran

    Fear knocked at the door.  Faith answered.  And lo, no one was there.  ~Author Unknown

    If there was no faith there would be no living in this world.  We couldn't even eat hash with safety.  ~Josh Billings, His Complete Works, 1888

    Faith, to my mind, is a stiffening process, a sort of mental starch.  ~E.M. Forster

    Faith is spiritualized imagination.  ~Henry Ward Beecher

    Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.  ~J.R.R. Tolkien

    Faith is courage; it is creative while despair is always destructive.  ~David S. Muzzey

    Faith is a passionate intuition.  ~William Wordsworth

    To me faith means not worrying.  ~John Dewey

    Faith is putting all your eggs in God's basket, then counting your blessings before they hatch.  ~Ramona C. Carroll

    Every tomorrow has two handles.  We can take hold of it by the handle of anxiety, or by the handle of faith.  ~Author Unknown

    Faith is the bird that sings when the dawn is still dark.  ~Rabindranath Tagore

    He who has faith has… an inward reservoir of courage, hope, confidence, calmness, and assuring trust that all will come out well – even though to the world it may appear to come out most badly.  ~B.C. Forbes

    A faith of convenience is a hollow faith.  ~Father Mulcahy, M*A*S*H, "A Holy Mess," 1982

    Be like the bird that, passing on her flight awhile on boughs too slight, feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings, knowing that she hath wings.  ~Victor Hugo

    Faith makes things possible, not easy.  ~Author Unknown

    Faith is raising the sail of our little boat until it is caught up in the soft winds above and picks up speed, not from anything within itself, but from the vast resources of the universe around us.  ~W. Ralph Ward

    Faith… must be enforced by reason…. When faith becomes blind it dies.  ~Mahatma Gandhi

    Faith and doubt both are needed – not as antagonists, but working side by side to take us around the unknown curve.  ~Lillian Smith

    As your faith is strengthened you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit.  ~Emmanuel

    In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.  ~Blaise Pascal

    Faith enables persons to be persons because it lets God be God.  ~Carter Lindberg

    Weave in faith and God will find the thread.  ~Author Unknown

    A little faith will bring your soul to heaven, but a lot of faith will bring heaven to your soul.  ~Author Unknown

    Faith can move mountains, but don't be surprised if God hands you a shovel.  ~Author Unknown

    A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith does not prove anything.  ~Friedrich Nietzsche

    Faith, indeed, has up to the present not been able to move real mountains…. But it can put mountains where there are none.  ~Friedrich Nietzche, Human, All Too Human, 1879

    Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.  ~George Seaton

    Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.  ~Martin Luther King Jr.

    Faith makes the discords of the present the harmonies of the future.  ~Robert Collyer

    Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death.  ~Author Unknown

    Life without faith in something is too narrow a space to live.  ~George Lancaster Spalding

  • New Services Available ~~ Readings and Rituals by Sister Candelaria

    Hey All-

    I am so happy to be able to finally spread the news that my dear Sister Candelaria, Priestess of Agwe, is now officially offering Cowrie Shell readings and Oceanside Rituals. I KNOW that you will find BOTH the readings and the rituals very informative and helpful to your situations.

    To read about both, please see

     
    And Mambo Sam has written a bit about how shell readings and their ancient art on her blog here.
     
    Light and Love
    Sister Bridget
     
    Images
     
     
     
     

  • Quote for today 😉

    here is one more quote I couldn't  resist passing along……..


    Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.
    — Marie Curie


    Have a great Monday!
    Light and Love
    Sister Bridget

    Images 

  • Quote for today!

    Nothing is predestined:

     The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings.

    ~~~Ralph Blum

    Lovebrids

     

  • February is Erzulie Freda Month!

    Lovehands

      Hey There!

    Well, its nearly February again, and Marran Sam's New Orlean's Voodoo Family is gearing up for its annual month long ritual to the most beloved love lwa, Erzulie Freda. Past years  have been very rewarding and sucessful, and we very much look forward to this year's riitual!

    This is a totally free ritual – anyone can send in a request to erzulie@spellmaker.com No purchase is required to participate. This year, Mambo Sam has written up some instructions for people who would like to participate as well, but again, no purchase is necessary. There is a ritual kit available along the lines of the one crafted for the Sobo ritual done not so long ago, for people who are interested.

    Please see Erzulie's Page  for LOTS of information about Erzulie, products dedicated especially to her, the one time ritual pack, and also instructions for the ritual itself. 

    Wishing you all a very happy February!

    Light and Love

    Sister Bridget 

  • A Chest for Agwe!

    Agwechest 005 

    Hey, y'all!

    Check out the new pictures of the treasure chest I painted for Capitaine Agwe in my photo album!

    have a great day!

    Light and Love

    Sister Bridget

  • FREE RITUAL TO ERZULIE FOR VALENTINE’S DAY!

    Hello everyone!  Yes, we are doing it again!  :-)  As February nears, we cannot help but have our thoughts turn to one of the most beloved (and sometimes most dreaded) holidays of the year.

    For three years now, we have been doing a special free ritual at the Spellmaker office in honor of Vodou love goddess, Erzulie Freda. Many of you have called and written to see if we are going to do the ritual again this year and yes we are!

    As always, we will ask that you send us an email with your requests for the ritual.  There is no charge to be involved in the ritual.  We do have products dedicated to Erzulie available again and this year we have added a special one-day ritual kit that we are offering. 

    So many people enjoyed the Sobo Ritual Pack that we decided to create one for Erzulie Freda!  However, there is no need to purchase anything to be included in the ritual – the Erzulie Ritual Pack is a convenience for those who wish to use it.

    Check it all out at www.spellmaker.com/erzulie.htm

    Love, Mambo Sam

    Erzulieheart

  • Knock Knock – Guess Who is Here!

    That's Right! The Papa Legba Ritual Pack  is finished and ready to ship! From what I hear, Legba was VERY meticulous about what and how he wanted things to be – JUST PERFECT of course! 

    Because we so often call upon Papa Alegba to help us with our communication with other lwa, we might almost forget to call upon his own great abilities to help us. Have a path that seems blocked to you? Doors won't open for you? Having troubling making someone you love understand what you want? Stuck at your own crossroads of life and don't know which way to turn? Our dear Papa is there for that and so much more! Few other lwa can offer as much comfort and understanding as Papa. His shoulder is there for us to cry upon; his arms welcome those who need safe haven. Few things are as satisfying spiritually as spending an evening doing a great service to Papa Alegba!

     

    Mambo and Matt  have put together a wonderful Ritual and Service package dedicated to Papa. This package not only includes instructions for a full authentic ritual, but also includes candles, special oil and incense developed on the point of and under the direction of Papa Alegba through Mambo Sam, veve, picture, and a number of unique and wonderful sacred items that have been dedicated and consecrated to Papa. Once you have this, you can do the ritual to Papa over and over again! There will be no need to purchase this package again. The ritual will be yours to use and you need only replace the oil, incense, and candles as needed!

    Order yours today!

    Light and Love

    Sister Bridget

    1%20legba

  • New Beginnings……it’s never too late.

    20099639

    Happy 2009! With the Inauguration earlier this week, and so much talk on the tv and news and web about reinventing America, about banding together and helping each other, it really got me thinking about new beginnings and what that means to me.

    The more and more I thought about it, I dont believe its EVER too late for a new beginning, to begin reinventing oneself, to head for a path full of light rather than dark. Sometimes I have been stuck in quite a funk, or a rut, or what have you, just like many of the people that write me (Believe me when I tell you I HAVE been where you are, and I do know what you are going thru!). This time of year is especially bad, as it is when we often see New Years Resolutions go by the wayside, the days are short, and in many areas, the weather is bad. It can be a very low time for people. And the whole Resolution gig – who came up with that? Not anyone who lived in today's chaotic world!

    After surfing the net a bit, I came across the idea of something called a Personal Mission Statement. Some of you business-minded folks might know about Mission Statements as they relate to businesses and corporations. Well, a Personal Mission Statement isn't all that much different. It is a mission statement, or collection of affirmations about how you want to live your life. What values guide you? What long term goals do you desire? Think of a personal mission statement as a new years resolution that you have a lifetime to work towards – that if you stray from your path, the next day you get up and dust yourself off and turn your compass back towards your mission statement.

    Over the next few blogs, I will go over the steps to writing a personal mission statement, and if you have any questions, please do post them in the comments. You can even post your results after each step if you like 😉 I think that would be encouraging to others as well! I am really looking forward  to this process, and I hope you enjoy it.

    On a side note – those of you with the Winter doldrums have no fear — February is coming! I know, I know, I hear you, February is still Winter……. BUT it is also the month of the Spellmaker Family month long ritual to Erzulie Freda! And that ALWAYS warms things up where ever you may be! Keep your eyes pealed for an email from Mambo Sam about Erzulie Fest 2009!

    Light and Love
    Sister Bridget

  • Martin Luther King

    Hello everyone!  First of all, let me take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy New Year.  I am a bit late in doing so and have been reworking my ideas for this blog and can't wait to get back in touch with all of you!  🙂

    The main reason for my post today is, of course, to honor the great leader, Rev. Martin Luther King.  Like so many forward-thinking leaders, he was cut down before we could benefit from all of his wisdom.  Most of us know him most poignantly from his "I Have a Dream" speech.  He has become an icon for all of us who have a dream!  His words can inspire even the most reticent amongst us to realize that we can and should try to follow our dreams!

    Many of you may already know that the King family and our incoming president's, Barack Obama's, family have declared this day a day of service for all Americans.  I am thrilled to see this and hope that each and every one of you will consider this to be not just "one day" of service, but rather a day that you will think about what you can do for others.  A day of service is a wonderful thing, a lifetime of serving others in some capacity is a glorious thing that will reap you many rewards.

    Sadly, most of us get caught up in our lives, our own problems, our own desires and wants and fail to see how much more needy some people are in their lives.  Failing to give others a helping hand is failing to give yourself a helping hand.

    Over the years I have had so many clients tell me that they were alone, in a bad place, a depressed and dark place.  Most of the time when I suggest that doing something for someone else would help them greatly, I was met with resistence:  "I am too tired."  "I am too poor."  "I am turned off by poor people."  "Volunteer?  That's too boring."  "What will I get out of it?"  "I haven't found anything that I like to volunteer for."  "I don't have any special skills."  "I don't know how to volunteer."  "What could I possibly do to help others when I am so down."  Well, you get the idea. 

    The truth is, most of us don't know how good we have it.  Anyone and everyone can find a way to serve their fellow man and reap the rewards of doing so.  Those people that have listened to me have some amazing tales!  I won't repeat them all here, but one woman met her future husband while volunteering for Habitat for Humanity.  Another person was hired on at the Red Cross in a high paying job (after she did the Get a Job spell and was feeling like it didn't work for her – I told her to go volunteer somewhere for awhile – she was hired two weeks after volunteering there)!  Trust me when I say that nothing will make you appreciate your life more than getting out and seeing what you can do for someone else.

    You know, it doesn't have to be dramatic!  Maybe you can just talk to a friend that you know is down and offer to take her to lunch.  Maybe you can go to a church and ask if there is a family who needs some kind of help – it doesn't have to be monetary.  Your time can be turned into "money" for a family who needs someone to babysit, or help with yard work, or help their children with homework.  Everyone can do something that someone else needs! 

    Most of us have a tendency to sit around feeling sorry for ourselves when things aren't going our way; getting out and seeing who else has things that aren't going their way and teaming up with an effort of help, charity, and hands up is a great way to heal yourself and others!

    Martin Luther King had a dream, I have a dream, you have a dream, and so does someone else who could use your help.  Together, we CAN all make dreams come true.

    Love, light, and peace, Mambo Sam

    Martinlutherking