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Voodoo FAQS
How are
Voodoo dolls used?
Once you
own a Voodoo Doll, you can ask the doll to call upon
powerful forces such as Loa, biological or archetypal
ancestors, Saints, Angels, or Archangels - all of which are
capable of exerting their influence over matters at hand.
See
How to use a Voodoo doll
and
Voodoo Spells
for more information.
Why is
"Voodoo" spelled different ways?
What's in a word? Well, the
spelling of Voodoo typically indicates the region of
reference. Voodoo is common to the United States, while
Vodou and Vodoun are the French spellings used in the
Caribbean and Haiti. In all cases, Voodoo is a religion of
magico-religious origin.
Where did New Orleans Voodoo come
from?
The history of voodoo in New
Orleans dates back two centuries, to a time when West
African slaves arrived in New Orleans, bringing with them
the ancient religion Voodoo that originated some 7,000 years
ago. Click
here
to read more...
What is New
Orleans Voodoo?
New Orleans Voodoo is a
conglomeration of cultural and spiritual belief systems
strongly influenced by the ancient Voodoo religion of
Africa, the Vodou religion of Haiti, the healing arts of
Native American people, the folk magic of Europe, and
Catholicism.
More...
What does
the word "Voodoo" actually mean?
The word voodoo means "spirit
of God." Voodoo believers accept the existence of one god,
below which are the powerful spirits often referred to as
Loa. These powerful spirits are responsible for the daily
matters in life in the areas of family, love, money,
happiness, wealth, and revenge.
What is
the difference between Hoodoo and Voodoo?
Hoodoo and
Voodoo are both practiced in Louisiana and have many things
in common. However, there are differences between the two.
Voodoo is a religion and Hoodoo is an African American
system of folk magickal practice that has typically been
handed down from generation to generation. Many Hoodoo
practitioners in Louisiana are Roman Catholic and also
practice some form Spiritualism or Spiritism. They do not
typically invoke the loas (African deities) as in Voodoo,
and instead use Catholic Saints that represent the loas.
This Catholic shroud is the result of a historical
atmosphere wherein the only legal religion permitted in the
state of Louisiana from the 1600s to 1812 was Roman
Catholicism.
There is no conflict between those who practice Voodoo and
those who practice Hoodoo in Louisiana and they are
perfectly complementary.
Hoodoo practitioners work with both hands - for good and
evil. The "root doctors", as they are called in Louisiana,
and the "bokors" as they are called in Haiti, are also
healers. Some characteristics of Hoodoo magic include candle
burning, the use of incense, the use of Psalms from the
Bible, and seals and talismans from the 6th and 7th book of
Moses.
What is
a lucky ju ju?
A JuJu is
a blessed object that is said to keep evil and negativity at
bay. Ju Ju also
refers to the supernatural power ascribed to such an object.
A lucky Ju-Ju object can be used to protect the home, car,
office, or anywhere you want to keep evil and negativity
away.
Juju (joo'joo)
noun:
1. An object used as a fetish, charm or amulet
2. The supernatural power ascribed to such an object
How do I
know if I have a haunted or cursed Voodoo doll?
There is a
difference between haunted and cursed. Haunted refers to the
object having some spiritual energy that is manifesting in
the physical world. in other words, things are happening
that you can see. For example, do you find the doll in a
different location than when you left it? Does it move? Is
it surrounded in a light, or is there light energy happening
around it? Are you hearing sounds? The activity involved
with a haunted Voodoo doll is usually harmless, albeit a bit
unnerving.
Cursed objects can
manifest in similar ways but there will be some strong
negative energy associated with it. Cursed objects are the
manifestation of some power with the intent to do harm. You
may run across a streak of bad luck, get in fights,
quarrels, or just feel a sense of dread around the object. A
curse is the result of a spell or prayer to a spirit force
asking it to bring harm to someone.
What do I do if I think
someone has done work against me?
Before going to bed, cleanse a
white household candle with Florida water and/or holy water.
Anoint the candle with psychic or dream oil, light the
candle, place a glass of water next to the candle and pray
to your spirits for clarity and understanding of whatever is
causing you distress. Do this for three nights in a row
beginning on a Monday night. If you receive no clear answer
by the end of the week, contact a root worker or tarot
reader to see if he or she can determine why these issues
have arisen in your life.
How do I properly dispose of
cursed Voodoo dolls?
If you feel that you are in
possession of a negative Voodoo doll, the best thing to do
is to put it in a white cloth and sprinkle it generously
with sea salt. You can then take it to a river or stream or
deep in the woods with an offering of fruit and some coins
and ask the spirits of the water or the trees to take this
energy and transform it through the power of the earth. Walk
away without looking back and when you arrive home light a
7-day protection candle and take a bath with cleansing
herbs, including sea salt.
Alternately, you can:
On a
Saturday, place the doll (or object) in a clean white cloth,
dig a hole in the earth, far away from your home (on
Hallowed ground if possible), place the cloth wrapped dolls
in the hole and burn them. Then, cover the ashes which
remain with Holy Water or May Water and cover the hole over
with the dirt. The earth will recycle that negative energy
very quickly and turn it into positively and Blessings. When
you return home afterwards, bathe very well, adding some
Holy Water or May Water to your bath.
What is a
poppet?
A poppet is a doll made
to represent a person for casting healing, fertility, or
binding
spells
on that person. Known as "image
magic", the concept is that whatever actions are
performed upon the poppet will be transferred to the person.
Poppets are believed to be infused with life by their
makers. The doll is a "little life", symbolic of the inner
person.
What can I
use to make my own Voodoo doll?
Basically, anything goes. You
are limited only by your imagination. Check out
How to Make a Voodoo Doll
and
How to Make a Businessman Voodoo
Poppet for more information.
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