I'm Quite Young and If My Parents Found Out...

Dear Voodoo Mama,
I need your help to know how to make a vodo doll and use spells on it I'm quite young and if my parents found out I would get in trouble I'm 12 and I've been wanting to do this for a while I would like and email back if possible
Sent from my iPod=

I have a couple of issues with this request. First, I don't believe for a second this is from a 12 year old. What 12 year old do you know describes themselves as "quite young"?

Let this be a warning to those who work in the spiritual professions, especially of a metaphysical nature and ESPECIALLY Voodoo/Vodou/Hoodoo/Witchcraft/Conjure. There are people who pose as underage people and try to solicit responses form folks like this. Some people do it because they are legitimately concerned for young people who may be asking for help from anyone on the internet and certainly there are many so-called Voodoo workers who stop at nothing to take advantage of people for a buck. If you are in this field legitimately, be sure to carefully read your emails and always be sure to adhere to your ethics. If you don't have any ethical boundaries regarding yourg folks, it's time to create them.

I have worked with young people but always with the permission of the child's parents. I have had parents approach me and ask me for consultations. I recently had a young person want to learn some things who approached me on Facebook. It wasn't until I spoke to the person's mother and got her permission that I answered some questions posed. I gave mom my phone number so she could call me any time with questions. I have received phone calls and everything has been fine.

In fact, no young person I have worked with has ever presented any problems at all. The only issues I have ever had was with some meddlin' people (adults with an agenda) on Facebook who can't seem to keep their noses out of my business and thrive in making a public spectacle out of their delusional ideas about me and others they don't like. One of these people has no boundaries whatsoever and doesn't think twice about dragging children through the mud in order to satisfy her penchant for revenge.

So the first issue is one of believability. Is it really a 12 year old? Second, how to respond. IF you think it is really a youngster looking for guidance, be sure to tell them you need parental consent. Most of the time you won't get a response back. If you do, be prepared to be sure the "parent" is actually the parent and not another friend posing as the parent.

Since I do not believe this person is a real young person with a concern, I won't be answering the email. I get about 100 emails every day and I simply don't have time to answer them all and I certainly don't have time to respond to a probable spy like this one. NEXT...

Where to Start with the Voodoo?

Question for today: Where does one begin with the Voodoo? Spells? Oils? Candles?

This is a very good question. So many people think of Voodoo as simply a system of magick, which is truly tragic. It is so much more than magic. As I have said before, it is a way of life for those who believe.

The preconception of Voodoo as simply a system of magic is understandable given the manner in which it is protrayed in popular media as well as on many websites. The focus is typically on what "it" can do for you and how quickly and effectively "it:" can do it. Alternately, the focus is on what a person can do with "it" to change people, places, and things.

Sure, there is a lot that can be done with "it". But first, it is a good idea to know what "it" is, dontcha think?

For those of you who already know, bear with me. This post addresses those who are not in the know.

When I speak of Voodoo, I speak from the tradition in which I am familiar, and that is New Orleans Voodoo. This is the tradition into which I was born, and all of my responses to questions are couched within this context.

Voodoo is a religion first; though, the religion does include a magickal tradition. Voodoo is a way of interacting with the world; it is a tradition based on healing and walking in harmony with the forces of nature - earth, wind, fire, and water. It is a tradition in which we acknowledge the interrelatedness of all things, and we acknowledge the world of the Visible as well as the Invisible. We acknowledge our relationships with self, family and community, and with our ancestors past, and our ancestors yet to come.

So where is the magick?

Well, I never recommend starting with the magick, because the magick is irrelevant if there is no relationship with our ancestors. If you are just starting out, forget the candles, the oils, and the spells. I recommend a person starts with the ancestors.

The ancestors are not just my ancestors...those with whom I am related by virtue of blood. The ancestors include all of those who have gone on before us - universal, archetypal, yours, mine, and ours.

Answer to today's question: You start with your ancestors. Make an ancestral altar and develop a relationship with them. The rest will be shown to you.

To learn how to create an ancestral altar and the basics of ancestor reverence, join Planet Voodoo's Conjure Corner where you can find all of that information and much, much more.

How can a Voodoo Doll be an Heirloom Doll?

What a great question this is! It goes against all of the stereotypes of Hollywood and popular culture to think of a Voodoo doll as an heirloom. But, indeed they have been passed down as heirlooms among the oldest of family lineages in New Orleans.

Heirloom dolls are designed for a specific purpose and serve to keep certain traditions alive within the family. Dolls handed down in this way tend to accumulate generational energy and are often quite powerful. These dolls were decorated with charms and baubles of sentimental value for good luck and protection. Subsequent generations continued to add their own personal items so the dolls end up with quite the ancestral history.

It is also not uncommon for fertility Voodoo dolls to be given to women in the family who are hoping to conceive,or given to couples trying to have a second child. These dolls were made of cloth and cut like conjoined twins, sort of like paper dolls joined at the hands or hips. The twin dolls were given to the first child with the hopes of drawing a brother or sister into the family. Then there were the handcrafted Devil baby dolls passed down from generation to generation to keep the Devil baby spirit away.

Another type of heirloom doll is the Voodoo doll that represents a
long-standing hostility between two particular families. These dolls are kept in a secure place by members of subsequent generations, and with each generation, additional protective talismans are added to ensure peace and protection from the rival family.

Read more in Voodoo Dolls in Magick and Ritual.

Is there anything a Voodoo Doll Can't do?

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 the divine, then I would say that their limitations pretty much reflect our limitations. If you can imagine it, you can make a voodoo doll to help manifest it.