Tag: vodou

  • New video with Mambo Sam.

     Hello!

    Many clients ask us what happens during the spell casting process. What happens before, during and after? Well, we can not show *everything* but there are some things we can share! In this video by Mambo Sam, Mambo explains about the end of the casting process – what is involved, where it takes place, what offerings are made, what some of the closing prayers are. It may seem strange to begin at the end, BUT endings really are not endings, are they? Especially where spellwork is concerned!

    Hope you enjoy!

    Love

    Sister Bridget

     

  • See Mambo Sam working on Spellmaker’s Valentine’s Ritual to Erzulie Freda!

     

    Hello!

    Every year, Spellmaker puts on a free ritual for all who wish to participate to the Lwa of Love, Erzulie Freda. This year, we had the benefit of taping some parts of the ritual (the parts we can share with the public) and have made the video available to view. I was lucky enough to be the one recording Mambo Sam (you will hear my voice as I join her with the Hail Mary).  Be sure to watch it till the end, as Mambo Sam includes a special blessing for all of you. Mambo Sam, Parran Matt and myself feel very privledged to have each of you in our lives, and hope that you enjoy seeing this look into some of the things we do here at Spellmaker!

    Love

    Sister Bridget

     

  • New Moon, New Year! Super Moon, Super Year!

    New Moon, New Year! Super Moon, Super Year!

    The night of New Year’s 2014 is also the night of the first Super Moon (when the moon orbits slightly closer to Earth than usual and looks bigger in the sky) of the year, AND it is a New Moon as well. What does that mean for us? Many say that the New Moon is a time for setting intentions. The new moon is seen as the beginning or birth of the moon’s various phases. The night of the new moon is is the perfect time for birthing and planting your intentions. The dark side of the moon, with its mysterious unseen forces, offers a nurturing environment where our intentions can establish roots before their manifestations begin to sprout and reach out to the light. A New Moon on the New Year seems a really great time to set forth some positive intentions for 2014! Forget resolutions, and all that is associated with them. Take a few minutes this special night to focus your intent on what you wish 2014 holds for you. What a wonderful energy to begin this new year on 🙂

    I wish each of you a Super New Year 🙂

    Love

    Sister Bridget

     

  • Poem for today.

    …is by Elizabeth Barrett Browning 🙂

    Hope you enjoy!

    Love

    Sister Bridget

     

     

    The Sweetest Lives

    The sweetest lives are those to duty wed,

    Whose deeds, both great and small,

    Are close-knit strands of unbroken thread

    Where love ennobles all.

    The world may sound no trumpets, ring no bells;

    The book of life the shining record tells.

    The love shall chant its own beatitudes

    After its own life working.

    A child’s kiss

    Set on thy sighing lips shall make thee glad;

    A sick man helped by thee shall make thee strong;

    Thou shalt be served thyself by every sense

    Of service which thous renderest.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Take a Break

    We are always so serious when we petition Papa Legba. We ask him to 'open the path', 'help me communicate with…', etc.  Why not take just one session with Papa and ask him to bring you some roll-around-on-the-floor, knee-slapping, laugh-until-you-can't-breathe FUN?  What a great stress reliever that is!

    Love and Light – and Fun,

    Khouzhan Echo

  • Coconut Sweet Potatoes.

    Hey there!

    Every once in a while I come across a recipe that just screams PAPA LEGBA to me 😉 And since we are coming into the season where sweet potatoes are everywhere,  I have a feeling this might be something that he would enjoy. Actually, I think just about anyone would enjoy this, it is just yummy! I made a batch using uncanned sweet potatoes, and it was quite delicious.  I just baked it a little bit longer than what is listed below. Warm, southern style comfort food. If you try it, post a comment here on my blog and let us know what you think 😉

    Light and Love

    Sister Bridget

    Coconut Sweet Potatoes.

    • 3 (16-ounce) cans sweet potatoes, drained
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1/4 cup milk
    • 2 Tablespoons butter
    • 2 eggs
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
    • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
    • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
    • 3 Tablespoons flour
    • 3 Tablespoons melted butter

    TO PREPARE:

    Combine the sweet potatoes, sugar, milk, 2 Tablespoons butter, eggs and vanilla in a bowl.  Mash until blended. Spoon into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Combine the coconut, pecans, brown sugar and flour in a bowl and mix well.  Stir in 3 Tablespoons melted butter. Spread over the sweet potatoes. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until light brown and bubbly.

     

    Images4

  • If Ogoun had a parrot….

     

    If Ogoun had a parrot, I think it would sing something like this 🙂

    Love,

    Sister Bridget

  • How do you deal with Frustration?

    Good Morning!!!

    Hope you all are doing well and are enjoying this lovely summer! 

    As some of you know, I have been working at times to settle some matters dealing with my father's estate. Estate stuff, at least in this situation, tends not to be very simple. I often have an idea or thought or plan of how things will go with a certain issue, and then, well, God Laughs! 

    Driving home yesterday, I certainly was feeling rather frustrated. I got to thinking alot about this feeling, and I really don not like it! It sucks, basically. And I think I would really rather not feel it so much anymore. I did a little surfing when I got home, to see if there are some tips on dealing with frustration. I would like to share with you what I have learned….

    First, just to help clarify – Frustration is a feeling that arises when something occurs which keeps us from reaching a goal or expectation. There are other feelings which can occur as well, such as disappointment. BUT mix a little anger with your disappointment, and you have frustration.

    "Expectation is the mother of all frustration"

                    …… Antonio Banderas 

    Second, we can experience different levels of frustration in different parts of our lives. Some folks are more easily frustrated in the work enviornment, some with family, some in more social settings. It seems to be the more intense a situation, the more important the goal is to us, the more easily we can become frustrated.

    Anyone out there working on a love situation? How important is it to you that it resolve successfully? 

    Third, how we handle our frustration can definitely directly influence how much frustration we could be feeling in the future! Huh, you say? I said that the first time I read this as well. But look at it this way….if we learn to handle our frustration productively, and that leads to a positive resolution to our situation, then there will be nothing to get frustrated about in the future! 

    Of course, frustration is not always a bad thing. It can be quite motivating and can help us figure out steps so that we can reach our goals. But it is how we choose to express our frustration may cause more stress in our life and the lives of others.

    So, how do we handle our frustration? What are some good tips to practice or skills to develop? 

    I found this wonderful article by Judith Orloff about Frustration, and ways to handle it. Dr Orloff has 4 tips for handiing frustration with people. Here is an exerpt: 

    Tip #1. Focus on a specific issue—don't escalate or mount a personal attack.
    For instance, "I feel frustrated when you promise to do something but there is no follow-through." No resorting to threats or insults. In an even, non-blaming tone, lead with how the behavior makes you feel rather than how you think the other person is wrong.

    Tip #2. Listen non-defensively without reacting or interrupting.
    It's a sign of respect to hear a person's point of view, even if you disagree. Avoid an aggressive tone or body language. Try not to squirm with discomfort or to judge.

    Tip #3. Intuit the feelings behind the words.
    When you can appreciate someone's motivation, it's easier to be patient. Try to sense if this person is frightened, insecure, up against a negative part of themselves they've never confronted. If so, realize this can be painful. See what change they're open to.

    Tip #4. Respond with clarity and compassion.
    This attitude takes others off the defensive so they're more comfortable admitting their part in causing frustration. Describe everything in terms of remedies to a specific task, rather then generalizing. State your needs. For instance, "I'd really appreciate you not shouting at me even if I disappoint you." If the person is willing to try, show how pleased you are. Validate their efforts: "Thanks for not yelling at me. I really value your understanding" See if the behavior improves. 

    (end exerpt) 

    I will be trying some of these techniques with the various realtors, inspectors, lawyers, etc associated with my dad's Estate and let you know which ones I have found helpful. If you try any of these tips out, I would love to hear how they worked for you :-) 

    Love

    Sister Bridget

     

     

     

     

     

  • Sad to See it End!

    Happy Monday, everyone!  I cannot believe that Papa Legba Month is coming to end here at www.spellmaker.com! Of course, we honor, serve, and call upon Papa throughout the year, but his month is always so special to us all. 🙂

    But luckily, it isn't over yet!  There is still plenty of time to participate. 🙂

    We are still accepting petitions for our two last events:

    1.  Our online Papa Legba ritual will take place on June 27, 9 pm Eastern time (that is 8 pm Central time, 7 pm Mountain time, and 6 pm Pacific time).  To join in or to send in a petition, please see the informational page at www.spellmaker.com/prayer.htm

    2.  Our last in-house ritual to Papa will take place on St. Peter's Feast Day, June 29.  This is a ritual that we do in house and you are welcome to send in a petition.  For information, please see the page at www.spellmaker.com/legba.htm

    Remember,  Papa is the great communicator, the translator of all languages, the opening of door, and the clearer of paths!  He is so much more, but those are the main things for which we know him.

    He is also known as one of the kindest, most understanding lwa – he wants to help you with your problems! 

    So, please, feel free to join us as we wind up this great month!

     

    Love,

    Mambo Samantha Corfield, www.spellmaker.com 

     

    Papalegba

    Related articles
    Coffee with Papa Legba
    Papa Alegba Month is Almost Here!
    Papa Legba & Saint Lazarus
    Thank you, Papa Legba and Saint Anthony!

  • On FB and in a relationship – this is a MUST READ!

    Happy Friday!

    Do you want this….

     

    or this?

    I came across this artlcle last night just before bed, and I had to restrain myself from getting up right then and there and posting the link!  Over the past few years, I have seen this exact thing happen over and over — some of you who I have read with will remember me telling you to get off of FB and stop looking at certain people's profiles — For The Good of your Case! I am so glad that there are people looking into this issue of the impact of FB and the whole new level of knowledge or exposure we have about other people in our lives. Being able to look into someone's life this closely was not heard of 10 or 15 years ago – and of course, people were not sharing this much information then either. Balance is everything!

    I do hope this article is helpful to some! And have a great weekend everyone!

    Love

    Sister Bridget

    Excessive Facebook use can damage relationships, study finds

    Facebook and other social networking web sites have revolutionized the way people create and
    maintain relationships.  However, new research shows that Facebook use could actually be damaging
    to users' romantic relationships. Russell Clayton, a doctoral student in the University of Missouri
    School of Journalism, found that individuals who use Facebook excessively are far more likely to
    experience Facebook–related conflict with their romantic partners, which then may cause negative
    relationship outcomes including emotional and physical cheating, breakup and divorce.
    In their study, Clayton, along with Alexander Nagurney, an instructor at the University of Hawaii at Hilo,
    and Jessica R. Smith, a doctoral student at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, surveyed Facebook users ages 18 to 82 years old. Participants were asked to describe how often they used Facebook and how much, if any, conflict arose between their current or former partners as a result of Facebook use. The researchers found that high levels of Facebook use among couples significantly predicted Facebook-related conflict, which then significantly predicted negative relationship outcomes such as cheating, breakup, and divorce. "Previous research has shown that the more a person in a romantic relationship uses Facebook, the more likely they are to monitor their partner's Facebook activity more stringently, which can lead to feelings of jealousy," Clayton said. "Facebook-induced jealousy may lead to arguments concerning past partners. Also, our study found that excessive Facebook users are more likely to connect or reconnect with other Facebook users, including previous partners, which may lead to emotional and physical cheating."
    Clayton says this trend was particularly apparent in newer relationships.
    "These findings held only for couples who had been in relationships of three years or less," Clayton said.
    "This suggests that Facebook may be a threat to relationships that are not fully matured. On the other hand, participants who have been in relationships for longer than three years may not use Facebook as often, or may have more matured relationships, and therefore Facebook use may not be a threat or concern."
    In order to prevent such conflict from arising, Clayton recommends couples, especially those who have not been together for very long, to limit their own personal Facebook use.
    "Although Facebook is a great way to learn about someone, excessive Facebook use may be damaging to
    newer romantic relationships," Clayton said. "Cutting back to moderate, healthy levels of Facebook usage could help reduce conflict, particularly for newer couples who are still learning about each other."
    This study is forthcoming in the Journal of Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking.

    

    ships. However, new
    research shows that Facebook use could actually be damaging to users'
    romantic relationships. Russell Clayton, a doctoral student in the
    University of Missouri School of Journalism, found that individuals who
    use Facebook excessively are far more likely to experience
    Facebook–related conflict with their romantic partners, which th

    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-excessive-facebook-relationships.html#jCp

    ships. However, new
    research shows that Facebook use could actually be damaging to users'
    romantic relationships. Russell Clayton, a doctoral student in the
    University of Missouri School of Journalism, found that individuals who
    use Facebook excessively are far more likely to experience
    Facebook–related conflict with their romantic partners, which th

    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-excessive-facebook-relationships.html#jCp

    ships. However, new
    research shows that Facebook use could actually be damaging to users'
    romantic relationships. Russell Clayton, a doctoral student in the
    University of Missouri School of Journalism, found that individuals who
    use Facebook excessively are far more likely to experience
    Facebook–related conflict with their romantic partners, which th

    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-excessive-facebook-relationships.html#jCp

    ships. However, new
    research shows that Facebook use could actually be damaging to users'
    romantic relationships. Russell Clayton, a doctoral student in the
    University of Missouri School of Journalism, found that individuals who
    use Facebook excessively are far more likely to experience
    Facebook–related conflict with their romantic partners, which th

    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-excessive-facebook-relationships.html#jCp

    ships. However, new
    research shows that Facebook use could actually be damaging to users'
    romantic relationships. Russell Clayton, a doctoral student in the
    University of Missouri School of Journalism, found that individuals who
    use Facebook excessively are far more likely to experience
    Facebook–related conflict with their romantic partners, which th

    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-excessive-facebook-relationships.html#jCp

    ships. However, new
    research shows that Facebook use could actually be damaging to users'
    romantic relationships. Russell Clayton, a doctoral student in the
    University of Missouri School of Journalism, found that individuals who
    use Facebook excessively are far more likely to experience
    Facebook–related conflict with their romantic partners, which th

    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-excessive-facebook-relationships.html#jCp

    ships. However, new
    research shows that Facebook use could actually be damaging to users'
    romantic relationships. Russell Clayton, a doctoral student in the
    University of Missouri School of Journalism, found that individuals who
    use Facebook excessively are far more likely to experience
    Facebook–related conflict with their romantic partners, which th

    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-excessive-facebook-relationships.html#jCp

    ships. However, new
    research shows that Facebook use could actually be damaging to users'
    romantic relationships. Russell Clayton, a doctoral student in the
    University of Missouri School of Journalism, found that individuals who
    use Facebook excessively are far more likely to experience
    Facebook–related conflict with their romantic partners, which th

    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-excessive-facebook-relationships.html#jCp

    Facebook and other
    social networking web sites have revolutionized the way people create
    and maintain relationships. However, new research shows that Facebook
    use could actually be damaging to users' romantic relationships. Russell
    Clayton, a doctoral student in the University of Missouri School of
    Journalism, found that individuals who use Facebook excessively are far
    more likely to experience Facebook–related conflict with their romantic
    partners, which then may cause negative relationship outcomes including
    emotional and physical cheating, breakup and divorce.

    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-excessive-facebook-relationships.html#jCp

    Facebook and other
    social networking web sites have revolutionized the way people create
    and maintain relationships. However, new research shows that Facebook
    use could actually be damaging to users' romantic relationships. Russell
    Clayton, a doctoral student in the University of Missouri School of
    Journalism, found that individuals who use Facebook excessively are far
    more likely to experience Facebook–related conflict with their romantic
    partners, which then may cause negative relationship outcomes including
    emotional and physical cheating, breakup and divorce.

    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-excessive-facebook-relationships.html#jCp

    Facebook and other
    social networking web sites have revolutionized the way people create
    and maintain relationships. However, new research shows that Facebook
    use could actually be damaging to users' romantic relationships. Russell
    Clayton, a doctoral student in the University of Missouri School of
    Journalism, found that individuals who use Facebook excessively are far
    more likely to experience Facebook–related conflict with their romantic
    partners, which then may cause negative relationship outcomes including
    emotional and physical cheating, breakup and divorce.

    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-excessive-facebook-relationships.html#jCp