Live on Coast to Coast with George Noory

I will be on Coast to Coast tonight on the witching hour with George Noory to promote my new book with Weiser, The Voodoo Doll Spellbook. Please tune in, I do believe we will be taking questions and talking all about New Orleans Voudou and the use of dolls in magick and ritual throughout history and across cultures.

Spiritual Warfare/ Creole Voodoo
Date: 07-29-14
Host: George Noory
Guests: Robert Bennett, Denise Alvarado

First Half: Dedicated to studying how various cultures view Christianity and various forms of spirituality, Dr. Robert Bennett, will discuss his work with demon possession and spiritual warfare including the latest on his work with exorcism, paranormal phenomena, Slenderman, and zombies.

2nd Half: Born and raised in the Voodoo rich culture of New Orleans, author and spiritual advisor Denise Alvarado talks about mysticism and the practice of Creole Voodoo and indigenous healing traditions.

Website(s):

creolemoon.com

Book(s):

I Am Not Afraid: Demon Possession and Spiritual Warfare
The Voodoo Doll Spellbook
Hoodoo and Conjure: New Orleans
Voodoo Dolls In Magick And Ritual
The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook
Magickal Conjure Doll Clay Formulas

Denise Alvarado on Coast to Coast

This is am radio, so to listen to a live stream, visit the following link (click on your state on the map and local stations will come up, then, when you choose one -click on its link- find the 'listen live' link on their page) http://www.coasttocoastam.com/stations Thank you to Eva Maria for the information. Also  satellite listeners can tune in to SIRIUS XM Satellite RadioIndie Channel 104, 1am-6am ET / 10pm-3am PT.

Hope you join in, there will some surprises in store!

Is there anything a Voodoo Doll Can’t Do?

This is a question I originally posted on my other blog Ask Voodoo Mama about 6 years ago. At the request of my publisher, I decided to revisit some of those questions having to do with Voodoo Dolls and expound upon them here using examples from the Voodoo Doll Spellbook to illustrate. There will also be others posted on the Red Wheel Weiser blog in the near future.


Question: I have seen many other sites dealing with voodoo dolls and their uses my question is this is there anything a voodoo doll can't do aside from bringing a loved one back from the dead?


Answer: Well, if we look at Voodoo dolls for what they are supposed to do, which is to function as focusing tools in ritual and meditation, and to act as conduits for connecting with divine and supernatural energies, then I would say that their limitations pretty much reflect our limitations. If you can imagine it, then you can make a voodoo doll to help make it manifest.


Let me explain.


Using dolls and effigies in a ritual context is as old as humankind. More often than not, ritual dolls and effigies were used for healing, fertility, and empowerment. In some cultures such as ancient Greece, they were used to bind enemies. European poppets were widely used in folk magic and witchcraft to curse an enemy. Other types of dolls were used in harvest customs and burial rites, made as talismans, or used as teaching aids for children.


In order to understand how Voodoo dolls work, or how people work Voodoo dolls, it is necessary to understand the basic principles of image magick. Magick itself is a conceptual system that emphasizes the human ability to manipulate and predict the natural world (including events, objects, people, and physical phenomena) through mystical, paranormal or supernatural means. Magick is employed in a variety of ways, such as the use of ritual symbols, magic words, wands, herbs, dance, dolls and trance, among other things. One goal of these activities is to evoke or invoke spirits to assist with the matter at hand.


There are many more principles of magick, but it is a type of magick referred to as image magick that is most applicable to the use of dolls in magick and ritual. Image magick is a type of magick based on two major principles: 1) the Law of Similarity or like attracts like and 2) the Law of Contagion.


In the first scenario, the Law of Similarity is when a doll is created in the likeness of a person and according to this law, whatever is done to the doll will affect the person for whom it resembles. So, if you would want a person to heal from a stomach ache, you could create a doll in the image of the person and fill the doll with healing herbs known to alleviate nausea such as peppermint, and other healing herbs of a spiritual nature such as hyssop and Balm of Gilead. If you are the pin sticking sort of doll worker, you could stick a pin on the stomach region as a means of targeting the specific area to be healed. You could also use a pin to attach a written petition or photo of the individual, for example.


According to the Law of Contagion, once things are in contact with each other, they will continue to have an effect on each other long after they are separated. Believers contend that when a personal effect, such as a fingernail, hair, or a piece of clothing, is attached to a doll, the personal effect acts as a link from the spiritual world to the physical world. Thus, the contact made between doll and personal effect allows whatever is done to the doll to happen to the person by virtue of contagion. Here is an excellent, and quite clever, example of a spell from the Voodoo Doll Spellbook that illustrates the Law of Contagion:

Disease Doll to Make a Person Sick

This doll baby spell comes from the New Orleans hoodoo tradition. It was reported in Harry Middleton Hyatt’s Hoodoo-Conjure-Witchcraft-Rootwork as a means of transferring disease from one person to another. It is seemingly very easy to create and deploy. First, you will have to make a doll baby that you intentionally adorn with bright colors and lots of ribbons. Then, take one of the ribbons and tie a knot in it for each time you have had a particular illness or disease you want to get rid of. Next, take that pretty doll baby and drop it where someone will see it and likely pick it up (I am assuming this is why the doll baby is to be made so pretty). It is said that whoever picks up that doll baby will “catch” the disease or illness, by virtue of the principle of contagious magic, thereby leaving you well.


Original transcription (comment in brackets is Hyatt’s):

I make a little doll baby, purty it with all kids of ribbons, you know, and I can—if I got any kind of disease, just how many times I had it—and I make a knot in there so many times. If I had it three or four times, I makes [three or] four knots in that piece of ribbon and I tie that doll baby and I go drop it. e one that picks it up is the one that gets that—it be off of me, I won’t have it no more.

_______________________________________________________

Author website: www.creolemoon.com

Blog: http://conjureart.blogspot.com

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/AuthorDeniseAlvarado

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Denise-Alvarado/e/B003BG0M5S
Buy the Voodoo Doll Spellbook 

St. Francis of Assisi’s Protection Doll for Pets and Blessing for Animals

Welcome to the new blog for the new edition of the Voodoo Doll Spellbook!

As I was sitting here contemplating what spell to share with you from the book, I decided upon the St. Francis of Assisi protection doll for pets. Just a few days ago when gardening, my son uncovered a statue of St. Francis that had been buried in the front yard; unusual, since it is typically St. Joseph that is buried when the owner of a home wishes to sell or rent. In any event, that is what prompted me to share this spell with you. That, and because my most popular doll sold for years now has been my Black Cat Charm Doll.

St. Francis of Assissi Protection Doll for Pets

The relationship between humans and their pets is like no other because communication is at its most basic. The unconditional love and undying loyalty are virtues few people can achieve; yet, they are second nature to many animals.

In the Roman Catholic tradition, people will take their pets to church with them for a special blessing. At Franciscan churches, a friar with brown robe and white cord often welcomes each animal with a special prayer. There may be occasions when you want to bless your animal companions or provide them with extra protection. When this is the case, make the following animal poppet and perform the St. Francis of Assisi blessing to keep them safe and blessed.

Make a poppet in the likeness of your pet. For example, if you have a dog, make a dog poppet, if you have a cat, make a cat poppet, if you have a bird, make a bird poppet, and so on. Stuff the poppet with a blend of the following herbs: mugwort, sage, cedar, Dragon’s Blood, and lavender. Add some of your pet’s hair, feathers, nails, scales, etc. and a piece of paper bearing their name to the doll and stitch it closed. Place the poppet on your altar and say the following prayer in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures. 

Franciscan Blessing for All Animals

Blessed are you, Lord God,
maker of all living creatures.
On the fifth and sixth days of creation,
you called forth fish in the sea,
birds in the air and animals on the land.
You inspired St. Francis to call all animals
his brothers and sisters.
We ask you to bless this animal.
By the power of your love,
enable it to live according to your plan.
May we always praise you
for all your beauty in creation.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen.

Franciscan Blessing for a Sick Animal

Heavenly Father,
you created all things for your glory
and made us stewards of this creature.
If it is your will, restore it to health and strength.
Blessed are you, Lord God,
and holy is your name for ever and ever. Amen.

As the prayer is offered, the poppet is gently sprinkled with holy water. When you are done, keep the doll in a safe place in your home.

Find more spells in the Voodoo Doll Spellbook.