Tag: mambo sam

  • Gossip Girl

    Okay, okay… I confess, I have never seen the show “Gossip Girl” but I love the name of it! Or maybe I hate the name of it. I am not sure! LOL.


    On a more serious note, I have talked about this before on our forum (which is soon to be resurrected, by the way!), and even in person at conferences and lave tets: There is an unfortunate side effect to having friends that you made through Spellmaker – either you met them online or in person, doesn’t matter. What ends up happening is that you talk too much about your spell casting work!


    But, Mambo, you ask me, what’s wrong with that? Well, plenty. You know how in the spell casting instructions it pretty clearly states that you should tell no one of your spell work? There is a good reason for that. Unfortunately, talking about it too much, even to those you think support you, can often have an adverse effect.


    The first thing is that discussing it too much makes you tend to dissect it: What did you do, Susie Spellmaker Friend? Oh, I didn’t do that, I did this. Maybe I should have done what you did, SSF. Or maybe you should have done what I did, SSF. Oh, SSF, my HD called me. SSF says: Oh big deal, that doesn’t mean anything. You say: But I thought it was a good sign. SSF says: You put too much into it. Don’t let him take advantage of you, calling whenever he wants. You say: Is this spell work really working? SSF says: Maybe. Maybe not.


    My point is that very often SSF actually is jealous of your progress, or doesn’t interpret the spell work the way you do, or just plain old isn’t actually a “friend.” We have such a loose interpretation of what a friend is these days. Someone we meet on the internet and have a little something in common with is suddenly the definition of “friendship.”


    I find this especially true, unfortunately, of my female clients. They want to compare spellcasting notes with their SSF’s, pour over what is happening to them, lament the state of their case, cry on each other’s shoulders, etc., etc., etc. Frankly, I think it is detrimental to your spell work. I have tried to tell some people this and am met with a fairly chilly reception and THEN am told I am wrong. Well, guess what, I can’t be wrong because I crafted your spellwork. I created the very place where you met SSF.


    Look, I am not trying to say you shouldn’t talk to your personal SSF, but what I am saying is that you should try to keep the talk down that dissects your personal spell work and its results. You are truly doing yourself a disservice in that you might be wrecking your own work by putting doubt into it or worrying about the fact that SSF got some kind of result that YOU were hoping for and you are still waiting. Or SSF seems to be in one disaster after another and is dragging you in with her. Yes, keep your SSF! But think about the discussions you are having – are they truly helping you? Are those discussions truly supportive? Do you come away from talking to SSF feeling BETTER or WORSE?


    The main thing that prompted me to write this post is that I have received some pretty emotional letters from some of you regarding your SSF and a relationship with her that has gone terribly wrong or is counterproductive. One thing I do recommend is that if you have an SSF and you feel like the relationship isn’t doing either one of you any good, you should talk to her! Tell her how you feel. If she is truly your friend, then she will work with you to salvage the relationship and keep it healthy. If she is not your friend, you will know it right away and should just cut your losses.


    Sorry for shooting straight from the hip on this one, but I just thought you should all think about it!


    Love, light, and peace,

    Mambo Sam

  • “with alacrity”

    Greetings everyone!

    Although I am not a huge sports fan (my favorite players for all sports are my grandsons!), my husband Matt and I do enjoy watching the Superbowl with family. Generally we root for whomever my son and grandsons are rooting for! (Sigh – Arizona.)


    During the Superbowl, one of the announcers said that a player consistently did something “with alacrity.” One of my grandsons asked me what that meant. So I told him: Cheerfully, quickly, with enthusiasm. “We wish you would get ready for bed with alacrity.” 😉


    After we talked about it a bit it made me think about how often a client will tell me that they did their spell work because they “thought they had to.” I will then hear how they resented having to do spell work on their target in the first place. Then later on I might hear how I made spells too hard, and why do they have to do all that work to get what they want?


    Granted, no one is going to be 100% enthusiastic about doing their spell work; it is after all “work.” But, we have to think about what kind of result we are looking for with spell work. What do you want in return? Do you want resentment? No? Then don’t put resentment into the work. So many people are always asking me, “Why am I the one who has to do all this work? Well, you are the one who wants what you want. That’s why. If you resent working for what you want, are you going to resent it when you get it?? If so, you are already dooming yourself and what you want to eventual failure. Remember, if you are doing spellwork to bring a particular someone special into your life, that someone special did not ask you to do spell work. That was your choice! 🙂


    So sometimes things are not so easy. Sometimes they take a lot of time. Sometimes they seem like they will NEVER pay off. 😉 But if you approach your work “with alacrity” you will always reap a reward: reaching your goal, strengthening your spirit, learning something new, etc. All of these are the result of approaching a goal with all you have in you!


    How do you do your spellwork and adjunct work? How do you keep your spirits up and your eye fixed firmly on the prize? Do you have some tips and tricks? Just reply into the comment link below!


    Love,

    Mambo Sam

  • Quote for today!

    Nothing is predestined:

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

    ~~~Ralph Blum

    Lovebrids

     

  • Toxic Friendships

    Greetings everyone!

    I wanted to talk to you all a little bit about the friendships in your lives.  The work that I do for everyone puts me in a unique position to study relationship dynamics from many different points of view. I get to see people at their best and also at their worst.


    As the years have gone by I have noticed more and more that many of my clients have fallen prey to someone in their lives who was supposed to be a friend. Sadly, those who pose as friends and make us believe in them are the ones that we are most likely to allow to hurt us.


    Now don’t get me wrong! I am not proposing that every person who tries to be your friend has some ulterior motive and will in the end screw you over! That is not it at all. However, there are some categories of “friends” for which you should be on the look out.


    We all might have some of the characteristics outlined below. But if you have a friend that falls heavily into one of these categories, you should take steps to figure out if they are truly a friend, or are they someone who you really don’t need in your life. Most of the time we don’t realize until it is too late that we have involved ourselves with a Toxic Friend.

    Since women fall most prey to this type of friend, I will address it from a female point of view. Of course, these guys exist, too!


    • Connie Controller: This is the friend who cannot get out of a conversation without telling you, “You know what you ought to do….” and then proceeds to tell you how to run your life. Generally speaking, The Controller’s life is probably in a shambles and since she can’t control it, she will try to control yours. This is also the friend who has to say where the two of you will have lunch, what the dress code will be for going out, etc. Most of the time if this person is your friend, you have gotten used to her telling you what to do and you go along with her program without even noticing it.
    • My Idea Minnie: This friend cannot leave your idea or suggestion alone. If you say you want the two of you to bake chocolate chip cookies, she will want to bake chocolate chip MINT cookies. If you suggest something to her, she will generally negate it. A week, or month, or year later (when she figures you forgot about what you said), she will do the thing you suggested and claim that she came up with the idea or doesn’t know where she heard it. Maddening!
    • Polly Passive: But she is really aggressive. Most of us have experienced passive-aggressive behavior and at one time or another we have probably all fallen into doing it ourselves. However, if you have that friend who constantly manipulates you with passive-aggressive behavior prepare yourself for friendship misery. Polly Passive is often a do-gooder friend who will want to do all kinds of favors for you, seems to put herself last and everyone else first, UNTIL the day she wants to call in those favors. “Well, you know that I did work those extra hours at the office so you could go see your sick grandma, but that’s okay, I understand if you can’t lend me $10,000.00 to start my business.” Her other trick is to make you feel guilty and sorry for her. “Oh I don’t want to burden you with my problems.” Then of course, you fall into the trap of saying, “It’s okay, what’s going on?” You know the rest of that story.
    • Betty Blamer: This one always wants to know your opinion, wants to do what you want to do, always wants you to make the decisions. Of course, later on, when/if something goes wrong, she skillfully finds a way to remind you that it was YOUR decision that was wrong. You will never get her to make a decision because she likes to be blame free.
    • Cookie the Coveter: She always compliments you and tells you how lucky your are to have your car, job, husband, family,whatever. She oozes admiration and acts like your biggest fan. BUT she will always remind you how “lucky” you are, assuming that everything you have was handed to you on a silver platter. She is busy trying to figure out a way to get what YOU have vs. working towards getting something on her own. While the other toxic people may only be an annoyance, she will be much, much more if you don’t watch out for her.

    Just because someone may have some of these qualities doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy of your friendship. However, if you feel they are too toxic, find a way to start to spend less time with them.


    Of course, there are many, many more types of toxic friends. Which ones have you come across? How did you deal with it? Just answer in the comments section! I would love to hear from you about this subject and any tips you might have for how to deal with toxic friends in your life.


    Love, light, and peace,

    Mambo Sam

  • 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

  • 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

  • Photo Album Updated

    Hey there!

    Just wanted to let you all know I have updated a my album of altar spaces 😉 incase you wanted to take a peek!

    Stay tuned for some new and exciting changes to my readings and other new and wonderful things coming in early 2009!

    Light and Love

    Sister Bridget

    IMG_0364