Tag: mambo sam

  • Moment of Remembrance

    Hello dear readers,

    In 1996, a humanitarian organization based in Washington, D.C., known as 'No Greater Love' conducted a survey on children and asked them why do they think there is a holiday on Memorial Day….what did they think it was all about?

    Mostly their answers revolved around barbecues and extended weekend parties and celebration.  They hadn't the vaguest idea about the sacrifices of the military personnel in whose honor it is celebrated. One of the children was even quoted as saying that this was the day when swimming pools open!

    Thus, the organization came up with the idea of 'National Moment of Remembrance' to remind and especially, let the future generations know about the real meaning of the holiday. The idea clicked with the President and Congress and since 1997, it became a standard American tradition. National Moment of Remembrance requires everybody to keep silent for a minute, exactly at 3.00 pm (local time) when 'Taps' is played and reflect on the glory of those who have shed blood for us.

    If you can, please join in at 3:00 p.m. for a moment of silence, prayer, or blessing for those sacrificed in the name of our Freedoms.

    Love to all and thanks to all those who serve,
    Mambo Samantha Corfield
    www.spellmaker.com

    Wreath
     

  • Songs for Papa!

    Hey there!

    With June quickly approaching, and the triple Papa Legba ritual coming up, I am working on a list of songs in honor of Papa! if you have a favorite song you like to play or sing for dear Papa, please let me know and I will add it to my list. A few of you have already sent suggestions, and I thank you. I am still collecting songs for the Papa Playlist, tho. Feel free to post them here or email the name of the song to bridget@spellmaker.com  There could be prizes involved 🙂

    Love

    Sister Bridget

    1%20legba

     

  • The Five Minute Service

    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), 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! 

    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 you are honoring) to pass over."

    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

    Burning-candle 

     

  • Sobo photos posted!

    Hi there-

    New photo album has been posted here.

    Hope you are all having a great week!

    Light and Love

    Sister Bridget

    Sobochariot 

  • Check out the Moon tonight….It is SuperSized!

    Tonight, the moon will be closest to the Earth than it has been in the last twenty years! If you get a chance tonight, go out and  take a look 😉 If it is warm enough where you are, sit a few minutes and contemplate the meaning of life! It should be a really awesome sight!

    And tomorrow, of course, HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING!!!!

    Light and Love

    Sister Bridget

    Moon

  • Songs for Sobo! What is your favorite?

    With our Spellmaker Family's Annual Sobo Prosperity Ritual approaching, naturally our favorite little Sobo song pops in our heads 🙂 What other songs might we play during this ritual? Remember, Sobo is considered one of the lwa of the sky and is said to control lightning, thunder, and rain. Bade is considered to control the wind. Together, they have control of the elements of nature. Due to their elemental powers, they are often called upon to help us feel secure! Think of terms such as "raining money," "pennies from heaven," etc.

    Here are a few to start us off…..

    Money for Nothing- Dire Straights

    Pay Me My Money Down- Springsteen

    Then, one of my all time favorites, the Money Song by Monty Python 🙂

    Do you have a favorite song about money? Post yours here and you may win a prize!

    Light and Love

    Sister Bridget

    The Money Song by Monty Python

    I've got ninety thousand pounds in my pyjamas.
    I've got forty thousand French francs in my fridge.
    I've got lots of lovely lire.
    Now the Deutschmark's getting dearer,
    And my dollar bills would buy the Brooklyn Bridge.

    There is nothing quite as wonderful as money.
    There is nothing quite as beautiful as cash.
    Some people say it's folly,
    But I'd rather have the lolly.
    With money you can make a splash.

    There is nothing like a newly minted pound.

    Money, money, money, money.

    Everyone must hanker
    For the butchness of a banker.
    It's accountancy that makes the world go 'round.

    You can keep your Marxist ways,
    For it's only just a phase,
    For it's money, money, money makes the world go 'round.

    …Money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, moneeeeey!

    ImagesCAHMM1D0 

     

     

  • Great New Offering! Power Couple Voodoo Lamps featuring Ogoun and Erzulie Freda!

    Just in time for our February month long Family ritual to Erzulie Freda!

    Customized Voodoo Lamps to the Power Couple Ogoun and Erzulie Freda! Harness the power of this couple's love in a customized lamp ritual performed for your specific request.

    Introductory Special for the month of February, the Power Couple Lamp is priced the same as the Voodoo Lamp to Ogoun 🙂 After ordering, just put "Power Couple Lamp" on your form, along with your special request. It's that simple! If you have any questions about this special offering, please email me at bridget@spellmaker.com

    This is going to be a wonderful month! I can feel it already 🙂

    In Service,

    Sister Bridget

    ImagesCAGE44GO 

  • Resurrection of Faith

    Hello everyone!  In reading my dear Khouzhan Delilah's post about "I'm Losing Faith" I felt it was a good time to repost this that I has posted a few years ago at Easter.  It isn't Easter yet, obviously, but faith has no season.

    Faith is not an easy task!  Most of all I believe you should have faith in yourself before anything else!  :-)   After that, the rest of what you have faith in is up to you!

    Love, Mambo

    ———————

    REPRINTED FROM 2008:   Greetings friends!  Of course, as many of us celebrate the Easter holiday today, I cannot help but have my thoughts turn to Spring, renewal, and another chance to grow something wonderful.  Every year at this time, I feel refreshed and renewed of spirit – just by the very fact that the plants are starting to bud, my mother-in-law in preparing her garden for the Victory feast that she grows every year, and I do my annual Easter egg hunt for my grandchildren.

    Resurrection is also an integral part of the thoughts of Easter and spring.  The story of the resurrection of Christ reminds me that faith is a powerful tool in our lives.  If one is a true believer in the Christian faith, then you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ arose from the dead and ascended into Heaven!  That is a powerful faith!

    One of the challenges we often have with faith is it is one of those things that no one can truly explain successfully.  As St. Thomas Aquinas said, “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”

    I have spoken many times about how easy it is to have any kind of faith when things are going well, but when things are not going well our faith seems to lag.  We wonder if there is anyone anywhere actually out there listening to our pleas!  Is there where you are right now?  Is you faith flagging?  Questioned? Lost altogether? Can your faith be resurrected?  Or will it just lie dormant until things get good for you again and THEN you can believe that there is "something" out there helping us in our day-to-day lives?  And when things do get good again, will you just figure it is about time something good happened, or will you believe that a power stronger than your own human fraility reached out and helped you?

    Personally I always believe that Les Lois, God, the Saints, and our Ancestors are ALWAYS listening.  I also believe that we may not always get what we want.  I would never deign to try to explain why that is; my belief is that when I don't get what I want, there is a reason for it.  Sometimes I find out the reason later, sometimes I may never know.   

    Sometimes I can feel my faith waivering:  Where are they?  Why can't I have what I want right now?  Where is my candy?  I know that happens to you, too!  But it's okay, that petulant six-year-old child lives in all of us.  I think the important thing to remember to do is even in your darkest moment allow yourself some faith.  Even if it is just the tiniest shred of faith, it is still a powerful thing.   Have no doubt: I have had many crises of faith; some really terrible things have happened in my life.  But that candle of faith has always shined in my heart even though it's little flame has been pretty small sometimes.  Don't let anything blow out the candle in your heart!   

    So on this day when a large portion of the world is celebrating the Resurrection, think about whether or not your faith needs resurrecting.  What can you do to help that along?  The answer is different for everyone.  Sometimes counting what blessings you HAVE received in life can be helpful, but that is not always the answer for everyone.  Sometimes those blessings seem too few and far between!  So there is no easy answer to renewing and resurrecting your faith.  However, I do encourage you to try, sometimes just the very act of trying has profound effects. 

    I wish you all peace, love, harmony, health, and most of all, faith:  Faith in yourself, faith in your abilities, and faith in being part of the great Cosmic Consciousness of humankind.

    Love, light, and peace, Mambo Sam

    www.spellmaker.com

    “When you have come to the edge Of all light that you know And are about to drop off into the darkness Of the unknown, Faith is knowing One of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or You will be taught to fly”

    Patrick OvertonBlue_hills   

  • Valentine’s Ritual Countdown! 🙂

    Hello everyone! Well, it seems like Christmas just passed and we are talking about our annual Valentine's Day Ritual to Erzulie Freda!   As the years have passed in doing this ritual, I find that I look forward to it more and more. 

    First off, there is the shopping for it!  As many of you know, we are pretty firm believers in Dollar Store Voodoo, with all the shiny trinkets and doo-dads that can be used to make a great altar.  Of course, we have many luxurious and special items for Erzulie Freda that we have collected over the years, but it is really a lot of fun to put together the Valentine's altar with, well, Valentine's goodies!

    Second, I have noticed over the years how the petitions that people send in have evolved.  In the beginning, the petitions seemed very cut-and-dried: " I love Fred (or Frederica), please let him/her love me."  Those petitions have evolved into asking for love for everyone and all kinds of love – the love that peace would bring, love for children, charitable love, brotherly love, etc.  Many have sent in petitions for those they knew were in different kinds of need.  So petitions for healing love, financial love, and job love have abounded, too!

    I certainly do not see anything wrong with that at all!  Just the very word "love" encompasses such a rich variety of meanings from loving ice cream to loving our husbands, wives, children, parents, and everything beyond and in between!  Looking at Valentine's Day as an opportunity to experience and share love of all kinds paints a beautiful broad spectrum of love that goes beyond paper hearts and yummy chocolates! 

    As we prepare for this coming Valentine's Ritual, I propose that we all see how creative we can get in our petitioning this year!  What forms of love can you radiate, choose to spread, and make a wish about?  Don't worry about sending in petitions that don't seem like the "norm!" There is NO norm when it comes to love – it is supposed to be open, crazy, fabulous, and it is supposed to mean whatever you personally want it to mean!  So don't be stopped by what you think someone else thinks you should be petitioning!  Send all your open-armed, open-minded, open-spirited petitions right on in!  (See the link above!).

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

    Valentine 

     

  • Is a “New Year New You” Necessary?

    Good morning, everyone!  As we all head back to work in the shiny new year, many thoughts turn to makeovers, resolutions, changing one’s self.  The beginning of a new year is always a great time to make those resolutions to change things that we were not so happy with last year!

    I have noticed with myself that I often tend to go overboard on resolutions, like so many people do!  Unfortunately, that is a great way to set yourself up for failure.  But, I do believe that there is a great deal of validity in bringing in the new year with a new version of yourself.  Sometimes it might just be  a matter of firmly deciding to leave last year in the past where it belongs.  If you had a particularly bad year in 2010, now is a great time to decide to try to let go of whatever negativity, pain, or trauma that you had.  You CAN take it with you, but why?  Even if problems of the past are still unresolved, you can leave the last months of negativity behind – cleanse yourself of them, and decide that this is a NEW beginning to solving old problems.  Sure, we sell products for cleansing  – Lady Samantha’s Hex Removal Kit, white candles, Milk of Damballah white bath, etc. and those are great to use. However, sometimes just making a very resolute promise to yourself to start over, even if it is with old challenges, can be very effective!

    Sometimes we cannot see how to change or, with some folks, why!  I get tons of letters from people who can tell me exactly how they want their intended partner to change, but very little of how they could or should change.  Making a resolution to be more self-aware, take responsibility for some of what is going on in your life, could be just the thing to help some people.  I am not talking about blaming yourself for everything that happens – that is just as unhealthy as being totally unaware of what role you play in your own life.  Look for the balance in your life – drop the “poor pitiful me” victim attitude OR the “everything is my fault” martyr attitude. Instead realize that you cannot control everything, but you can control your own actions, attitudes, and self-awareness.    Now that is a resolution!

    So keep those resolutions realistic but be willing to accept, create, or believe in a miracle! 


    Love, light, and peace,

    Mambo Samantha Corfield

    www.spellmaker.com