TAROT CARD of the WEEK: 6 of Cups

Date: November 22, 2020

Day: Sunday

Tarot Card: 6 Cups

Experiencing good will!

Acting kindly or charitably

Doing a good turn for another

Sharing what you have

Having a noble impulse

Receiving a gift

Feeling blessed

Being well-intentioned

Enjoying innocence!

Feeling simple contentment

Surrounding yourself with goodness

Being blissfully unaware

Having a clear conscience

Shunning corruption

Being acquitted

Appreciating simple joys

Focusing on childhood!

Being with a child or young person

Feeling carefree

Being taken care of

Feeling nostalgic

Indulging in play

Enjoying youthful activities

Having a baby

The spirit of the 6 Cups is that of sweet, even innocent, joy. It is good will and the caring of others, not just self. It is a card of simple goodness. It encourages you to be kind, generous, and forgiving.

The 6 Cups also represents innocence - a word with many shades of meaning: innocent in the strictly legal sense of lack of guilt; innocent of the truth - unaware of some secret; lacking in deceit or corruption - innocent of ulterior motive; as well as being virtuous or chaste.

Often this card represents a baby or young child. In a larger sense, it embraces all of childhood and the feelings we associate with youth (ideally!) - being carefree, playful, secure and loved. Children are our treasure, and the sweetness of the 6 Cups is a quality to be treasured as well.

There is always enough, never running out.

Lessons about sharing, giving and receiving to be learned. Carefully analyze your emotions. Have a firm will in matters of the heart.

Check your hunches.

Personal magnetism attracts.

Utilize your creative imagination. A fertility of ideas.

A beneficial partnership.

Resourcefulness brings harmony to the self, home, or work.

Nostalgic romanticizing over something.

Keywords:

Acquitted, Acting kindly or charitably, Acts of kindness, Appreciating simple joys, Attainment, Being taken care of, Being with a child or young person, Being well-intentioned, Blissfully unaware, Carefree, Charity, Chaste, Children, Clear conscious, Contentment, Devoid of deceit or corruption, Doing a good turn, Enjoying innocence, Enjoying youthful activities, Experiencing good will, Feeling blessed, Feeling carefree, Feeling nostalgic, Feeling simple contentment, Focusing on childhood, Forgiving, Generous, Gifts received, Giving, Harmony, Having a baby, Having a noble impulse, Indulging in play, Innocence, Kindness, Loved, Noble impulses, Nostalgic, Playful, Receiving a gift, Resourcefulness, Satisfaction, Secure, Sharing what you have, Shunning corruption, Simple joys, Surrounded with goodness, Virtuous, Well-intentioned, Youthful activities

Opposing Dignities:

XV Devil - negativity, corruption, coveting

9 Wands - lack of innocence, believing the worst

5 Swords - cynical, hostile, selfish

7 Swords - deceiving, manipulating

9 Swords - guilty

Reinforcing Dignities:

XVII Star - good will, sharing

10 Cups - feeling blessed, happy, joyful

Chicken Foot Amulet/Smudge Wand

Chicken Foot Amulet/Smudge Wand

One of my favorite pastimes lately is making Chicken Foot Amulets/Smudge Wands. Each has a different charge to it: protection, healing, smudging/cleansing, etc., whatever it is the foot portrays to me.

           

All of the chicken feet and chicken feathers are from our own chickens. We don't kill them; they either die of old age or some other creature may get them.

Each is unique and one of a kind in both their feather designs and how the foot dried.

I have feathered or naked feet, black or white skin, painted or not, large or small. Each is placed on the altar, then blessed & charged to intent.

They range in price from $25 ~ $75, depending on size and amount of work (crafting & ritual). I will eventually put on the Hoodoo Hill Etsy Shoppe, but right now, I'm just presenting them here and on the Hoodoo Hill Facebook page.

If you're interested in having one designed & consecrated for you, email me at granny-tackett@hoodoohill.com,

Tarot Card Pull

 Tarot Card Pull

So, I decided to pull a Tarot card today - considering the turmoil going on all over the place. I thought that maybe there would be a new message of hope or something.

Meet the Tarot card of the day...

All I could do was laugh. :D

Maybe tomorrow will be better! I'm planning on it, anyway.

Have a blessed day!

Can 2020 Just Please END Already?!

Can 2020 Just Please END Already?!

I don't know about you, but I have HAD IT with 2020!

This year has brought devastation to the country through thugs destroying businesses, lives, and even whole cities. Disgusting. There was ZERO reason for it. Protest to your heart's content, but DO NOT destroy businesses or be the cause of someone's death over your petulant, childish, overly exaggerated reaction to a situation that has absolutely nothing to do with you personally. Fight the right way.

This year I almost lost my husband - twice.

This year my oldest son went through a divorce - his second, after waiting over 10 years after the first divorce to finally find someone.

This year my sister had a return of breast cancer - her second, having lost one breast ten years ago.

This year I lost my two special elderly furbabies within minutes of each other.

This year is an election year and with the candidates in play on all levels (state & national), we are in a fight for our great Constitution as the Founding Fathers designed it or Socialism/Communism as the liberals have been working for over a century to turn this country into. Do people not study comparative government any longer? The latest travesty of wealth to poverty is Venezuela. Do the research. That form of government has never worked to the betterment and uplifting of any peoples in any time in history. Ever.

We have 58 days left in this year. I can only pray nothing more happens. But 58 days can be a very long time!

We need to each take time each day to begin to heal ourselves - from within. By working with ourselves first, then it will begin to ripple out to those around us, which in turn ripples out further and further.

Take the time to light a candle each day/evening/night, whichever time works for you, to send healing to yourself and ultimately out to others.

With all the negative going on it is having a devastating affect on humanity as a whole. Let's do just one minor little thing for ourselves each day with full intention of nothing more than love. Share love. Send it out. Watch that candle flame and send in love to yourself, and out love to anything and anyone within your sphere of existence.

Take a ritual bath to wash away the negative. I always recite, as the water is draining out:

Scrub, cleanse, rinse & shine
Negative aspects divide in twine.
Down the drain, wash away,
Begin anew on this day.

Make up your own - it's fun!

Ring a bell to send it's clear, true vibrations out to blast away any negative energies.

Smudging is great for sooo many things, so smudge away!

There is so much you can do to clear the vibrations around you! Let's do so and then begin anew each day, and when 2020 finally comes to a close, maybe it won't be with such a sigh of relief, but instead one of thankfulness for the lessons experienced and learned.

Double Dose of Heartache

Double Dose of Heartache

Today, we lost two of our five dogs. Hoodoo, my Hoodoo Man, for which I named my online presence for, and his life-partner and best friend, Gris-Gris (gree-gree). They passed together within minutes of each other.

Our house is incredibly empty and my half of the bed will be very spacious. I'd trade all that space for them to be with us again right now, if I could.

My babies have crossed the Rainbow Bridge. I lit a candle for them. I would appreciate if you would, if you feel compelled to, do the same.

Gris-Gris & Hoodoo

Gris-Gris 1/2007 ~ Hoodoo 7/2009

Dia de los Muertos ~ How will YOU celebrate YOUR ancestors?

Dia de los Muertos ~ How will YOU celebrate YOUR ancestors?

Today, November 2, is Dia de los Muertos. 

It is a time when families gather to honor and remember deceased loved ones. It is believed that the souls of the dead return to visit the living families in homes, businesses and cemeteries. 

Anything can be placed on the altar for the visiting souls, including traditional food, fresh flowers, pan de muerto (or bread for the dead), candles,  copal incense (aromatic tree resin), fruits, cloths, photographs, favorite drinks of the deceased, sugar folk toys, religious images and clothing. 

Decorations also include tombstones, skulls and skeletons made of clay and other materials, sugar skulls, and papel picado. Calaveras are ubiquitous during Day of the Dead. A Calavera, or sugar skull, is a decorative skulls made (usually by hand) from either sugar (called Alfeñiques) or clay which are used in the Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead. The skulls are often drawn with a smile as to laugh at death itself and the name of each departed is written on a sugar skull. 

The names of the living are also written on these treats to introduce children to the idea of death in an atmosphere of joyful celebration. These sugar skulls are eaten and the living come to associate pleasant sensations with the sadness of death. 

Calaveras take many forms, such as sugar candies, clay decorations, and most memorable: face painting. Sugar skulls are decorated and placed on ofrendas of loved ones. 

Most importantly, a photograph of the departed soul is placed on the altar. Pan de muerto, bread for the dead, is sweet and baked in shapes of skulls and human figures. 

Traditional loaves are round with a central raised knob of dough, representing the skull, with crossed bone-shaped decorations radiating from the central knob. 

Día de los Muertos also includes traditional dishes, such as chicken in red or black mole sprinkled with sesame seeds; tortillas, tamales made from ground corn; soft drinks or aguardiente (“white-lightning” liquor),tequila and always a glass of water. It is believed that the returning souls are thirsty after a long journey. Water is also believed to be a main support of life. 

The flower of the dead is called Cempasúchil (Náhuatl, or Aztec, name for marigold) or “Flor de Muerto” (Spanish for Flower of Dead) and symbolizes the beauty and fragility of life. Cempasúchil was the symbolic flower of death for the Aztecs, because once it is cut, it dies very quickly. 

Marigolds are believed to be the pathways that guide the spirits to their ofrendas. The flower’s vibrant colors and scent attract the departed souls, as they return to feast on their favorite foods. While orange and yellow marigolds are the main flowers, magenta terciopelo (ruby coxcombs) and nube (baby’s breath) are also traditionally displayed. 

Copal (tree resin) is used as incense and is a symbolic transformation of the physical to the supernatural, associated with the death of the soul returning to the ofrenda. 

Candles and fresh marigold flowers are placed on the altar to light and guide the way of the souls to the altar. Paths are marked with flower petals showing the departed souls the way to the altar. Day of the Dead toys are also placed on the altar. Painted clay skeleton figures portray the dead resuming their normal activities such as playing. Pull toys, coffins and crank boxes are displayed for the dead to play with. Living with death in this way means that we can learn learn to accept death as part of life. 

(Sources: Day of the Dead Festival & Day of the Dead Holiday) 

How will YOU celebrate YOUR ancestors?

TAROT CARD of the WEEK: QUEEN of SWORDS

 TAROT CARD of the WEEK: QUEEN of SWORDS

Joan of Arc by Charles Lenoir (1860~1926)

Honest!

Faces the truth, even if unpleasant

Is up front with everyone

Likes everything on the table

Plays by the rules

Avoids lies and deception 

Astute!

Sizes up a situation quickly

Understands hidden motives and desires

Is difficult to fool, trick or con

Figures out the unspoken rules and agendas

Is quick on the uptake 

Forthright!

Is direct and open in all dealings

Gets to the heart of the matter

Acts without pretense or guile

Is straightforward and no-nonsense

Can be candid when necessary 

Witty!

Has a delightful sense of humor

Diffuses awkward situations with a funny remark

Never takes anything too seriously

Laughs at everything, including him or herself 

Experienced!

Has seen and done it all

Has strength due to life's hard knocks

Is free of self-righteous judgments

Has realistic expectations 

The personality of the Queen of Swords combines the positive air energy of the Swords suit with the inward focus of a Queen. You can always count on her to tell you exactly how it is. Above all else she admires honesty, and she lives by her commitment to being truthful. Lies, tricks and games are of no interest to her, but she's not easy to fool. She is experienced in the ways of the world, good and bad. The Queen of Swords can size up a situation quickly. She understands human folly, but doesn't condemn it. She knows when cow manure is being thrown around and simply finds clever ways around it. She prefers being straightforward and direct. Her observations are candid, but never hurtful. In fact, this Queen has a delightful sense of humor. She likes a good laugh and always has a witty comeback ready-at-hand. She knows that life isn't meant to be taken too seriously. The Queen of Swords is refreshing in her candor and lack of pretense. 

In readings, the Queen of Swords asks you be completely honest - with yourself and others. Be direct and get straight to the point of the matter.

If someone is trying to pull a fast one; stay sharp, ready to straighten them out! Don't allow yourself to be fooled.

Can you see or find humor in a situation? 

This Queen can also represent a person who is like her, or an atmosphere of honest, direct communication. Let yourself be inspired by this Queen in whatever form she appears in your life. 

Vibrant activity and intelligence. 

Power leads one to truthful self-analysis and faith in the evolution of the soul towards its creator. 

A determined woman/person of power, but there is a barrier between her and others. 

One who is honest, sharp witted, can be harsh, and a good organizer. 

A woman of Virgo temperament.

Keywords:

Acts without pretense or guile, Astute, Avoids lies and deception, Can be candid when necessary, Candid, Clever, Committed, Communicator, Determined, Diffuses awkward situations with a funny remark, Direct, Experienced, Faces the truth / even if unpleasant, Figures out the unspoken rules & agendas, Forthright, Gets to the heart of the matter, Harsh, Has a delightful sense of humor, Has realistic expectations, Has seen & done it all, Has strength due to life's hard knocks, Honest, Intelligent, Is difficult to fool / trick or con, Is direct & open in all dealings, Is free of self-righteous judgments, Is quick on the uptake, Is straightforward & no-nonsense, Is up front with everyone, Lack of pretense, Laughs at everything / including themselves, Likes everything on the table, Never takes anything too seriously, No non-sense, Open, Organized, Personal strength, Plays by the rules, Power, Realistic expectations, Reason, "Right to the point", Sense of humor, Sharp wit, Sizes up a situation quickly, Straight forward, Truthful, Understands hidden motives and desires, Vibrant, Witty, Witty comebacks, Woman of power 

The epitome of this archetype is, to me, Joan of Arc!

Year-and-a-Day Project

 
Year-and-a-Day Project

I am going to begin a project that I will do the best I can to follow through with, but as we all know, life does tend to get in the way! Yesterday was Samhain ~ the Witch's New Year. So, beginning today, All Saint's Day, I am going to begin a Year-and-a-Day commitment of sharing/posting something each day. My plan is to post here and on the Hoodoo Hill Facebook page, which I apologize, have been rather sparsely shared to over the last few years. (Buying a newspaper business and then expanding it into graphic design tends to take some time and LOTS of effort! :) <3 ) 

DAY 1: Year-and-a-Day
November is a month that has become synonymous with Thankfulness. 

Today, I am thankful for all of the wonderful things that I have in my life and know I will have through the rest of it.
 
Today is All Saints' Day, it does not have any particular saints attributed to it, but instead is known as the Solemnity of All Saints.

All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, Hallowmas, the Feast of All Saints, or Solemnity of All Saints, is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honor of all the saints, known and unknown.

Its intent is to celebrate all the saints, including those who do not, or are no longer, celebrated individually, either because the number of saints has become so great or because they were celebrated in groups, after suffering martyrdom collectively.

The feast may have started in the Christian community in Antioch. Gregory III (731-741) consecrated a chapel in the Basilica of St. Peter to all the saints and fixed the anniversary for November 1. Gregory IV (827-844) extended the celebration on November 1 to include the entire Church.
 
One tradition of All Saints’ Day involves making and hanging prayer flags. Each of these brightly-colored pieces of paper or fabric is inscribed with the name of a dead loved one, a prayer, a wish, thought or dream, then strung up around your altar, home, wherever you want. (The photo is not mine, but something like what I will be doing today.)
 
For those Witches who do not revere the saints, of course you don't have to! Just tweak the idea to suit your own Path. :)
 
So, blessings to everyone, send me strength to keep my Year-and-a-Day Project Promise! <3

(photo source: https://artfromtheword.files.wordpress.com/2014/09img_0510.jpg/) 

Folk Magic with Scentsy

Folk Magic with Scentsy

Weird concept, huh?! :D

Well, hear me out before judging me too harshly!

Folk magic (i.e. hoodoo, rootwork, conjure, kitchen witchery, green witch, etc.) is all about using what you have and creating from what you know. It's using the mundane for the magical.

So, how do you go about using Scentsy in folk magic? OH, MAN, if you like thinking outside the box, then this is for you!

Scentsy has a gazillion (ok, maybe closer to 100) various scents (but mix & match and you may get a gazillion!). These are small wax blocks to be placed in a warmer - and there are lots of warmer styles. So, when doing a working you pick the corresponding aroma you would like, light it up, and enjoy the scent while the fire element (electricity or tea lite, depending on warmer type) sends those energies out to the Universe for manifestation.

Another great one is using the cleaning supplies either, as is; empowered with specific energies; or with herbs and/or crystals added. Their "Squeeze the Day" Collection has a bright, clean, sharp lemon scent that makes the home/office/altar space smell wonderful!

The laundry supplies can be empowered to cleanse not only the mundane dirt, but the etheric dirt as well. Infuse it with protective powers to keep you shielded all day.

The hundreds of diffuser and warmer styles can also be custom-fit to your works. For example:

   Angel Wings Warmer for spiritual works

   Bee Happy Mini Warmer for a working to bring yourself or someone else out of a depression

   Cinderella Carriage warmer for many types of works: moving, finding your Prince Charming, leaving a bad situation for a good one, etc.

   Whoot Warmer when you need wisdom or advice from someone who can help

   Service & Sacrifice Warmer for protection works for you soldier or other front-lines worker

   Rustic Ranch Warmer is perfect for a binding work

I could go on and on and on, but I'm sure you get the idea!

It has taken me some time to figure this out...and I'm the Queen of Mundane to Magical! If I don't have it on hand, then I find something to substitute. The lightbulb went on regarding Scentsy and I just had to share!

So, stop by my Scentsy website to take a look around. If you place a $25 or more order be sure to let me know you're my Hoodoo Hill customer and I will include (sent separately) an order of Red Brick Dust from our almost 90-year old church building on our property.

Angel Wings Warmer


Bee Happy Mini Warmer

Cinderella Carriage

Ways to Ease the Coronavirus Fears

Ways to Ease the Coronavirus Fears

These last few weeks have gone from intimidating at finding out about COVID-19 to fear & panic over the stay-at-home lock-downs being implemented across the country. We, here in Kansas, have just received our lock-down orders from the Governor this morning.

So, with that said, how can we alleviate some of the fears we're all experiencing? Well, #1 - don't let fear govern you! #2 - be pro-active in fighting that Fear-Demon sitting on your shoulder. #3 - don't panic, that only adds to the fear factor and serves absolutely no purpose!

From the mundane arena we have just plain STFU and stop fretting over everything. Follow the rules set by the government, WHO, and CDC, use common sense, and for the love of All There Is DO NOT HOARD. No, it is not 'easier said than done', just fucking DO IT! It's common sense mind over matter. Period.

From the magical arena, ooooh, have we got sooo many great ideas! Here are just a few. A simple search on Facebook and other social media sites will bring up lots more!

I like to begin with readings, and I've seen on more than a few social media sites and blogs that I'm not the only one; and, you know what?! All the readings are basically coming out the same! (Surprise! Not!)

Overall, basically, the readings say it is a bad situation, but will pass, and as a result, good changes will come about. I pulled four cards for this post to demonstrate, and true to all the others, the message is the same. :)

This Patheos post is really good. You can follow the instructions and build their Sigil for Managing Panic or you can use the instructions to build your own, making your sigil tailored to you.

This video by Ginny Metheral (love her accent!) has good advice and a simple protection spell.




Magic Ritual to Fight Coronavirus posted by Nick Farrell on March 23, 2020 is very good also. It's Golden Dawn in format, so it's High Magick and very ritualistic, but it is well worth the effort! Golden Dawn is very powerful magic!

The books A Witch's Craft, Vol's I & II are also invaluable, also available on Etsy in pdf format. One chapter in Vol II, A Witch's Book of Correspondences has tables with all you need to put together for any type of work. In this situation, the tables for Healing and Protection would be the most useful.

Of course, there are the items & services offered in my own shoppe (here and on Etsy) that I would be happy to provide for you as well.

I could keep adding more sources of magical assistance, but you're capable of doing some research yourself. Why not, what better way to spend your lock-down time?!

Stay well, stay safe, be blessed!