Mambo Samantha Corfield

Chat Class Resumes Wednesday, April 23!

Greetings everyone!  Happy Sunday to you.  I hope you are enjoying a peaceful and relaxing day.

I am thrilled to announce that we will be resuming our online chat classes on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time!  If you are not registered for chat may I ask, WHY NOT?  ;-)   If you are a Spellmaker client, past or present, you are entitled to attend these teaching sessions absolutely free.  Please write to us at [email protected] for information on how to register for class if you are not already signed up!

April 23 will mark a very special class for us.  This is the traditional day for the feast of St. George.  St. George is often syncretized with one of our favorite lwa - Ogoun!  To that end, we will be starting back to class with a bang by doing a special ritual for Ogoun and St. George to call upon them for strength, power, health, "slaying of dragons," and much, much more.  If there is something/someone that you need to power over to help your spell casting case along, then you don't want to miss doing this ritual.

We have put together a  special Ogoun/St. George ritual pack  that you can use in conjunction with the online ritual.  You can join in the ritual without using this pack, but obviously it certainly will be greatly enhanced if you can use it. 

I look forward to seeing you all in chat class again!

Love, Mambo Sam

Moving Forward vs. Moving On

Happy Saturday everyone.  I hope it is Spring weather where you are and you are enjoying some sunshine and warm breezes! 

I wanted to discuss a little bit with you about hearing that dreaded statement, "It's time to move on."  You often hear these words in reference to a lost relationship, loss of someone or something important in your life, job loss, etc.  Some well-meaning friend, relative, or counselor may tell you that it is time to "move on."

The trouble with that statement in general is that no one wants to hear it!  It sounds trite, cliche', and meaningless!  Move on???  I don't want to "move on."  I have an unresolved, unrequited situation.  I have no way to move on!  And that is exactly the problem with being told to move on:  The person telling you that really does have your best interest at heart; they are tired of seeing you unhappy.  Unfortunately, telling you to move on isn't helping because it seems that no one can tell you exactly where it is you are moving on to!

Without resolution of the situation, you cannot move on from it.  For most of us the translation of "move on" is "give up."  Admit failure.  You have been defeated.  You cannot win.  Everything about those two little words screams of a negative impact on your life.  Leave behind what you love.  None of us wants to do that and as human beings most of us will fight and struggle against moving on.  That's because most of the time we should not be moving on, we should be moving forward.

Moving forward is a positive action.  It does not mean that we are giving up, admitting defeat, or accepting failure.  What it does mean is that we are not going to let the situation that we have not yet conquered stop us from moving forward to new and exciting challenges! 

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that moving forward is easy.  But it is easier than "moving on" because it doesn't mean leaving anything behind! Just because you have not achieved the results you want in a situation doesn't mean that you have to move on and leave that situation behind!  However, I do encourage you to always move forward.  Accept new challenges, new people, and new projects into your life.  Don't allow a not-yet-conquered situation to rule your life in such a way that you miss out on the new and wonderful things that can happen to you.  Sometimes we need to compartmentalize our lives in such a way to remember that we still have a particular goal that is long term, but we also want to enjoy the success we can achieve in other goals, too!

If you just wallow in your seeming defeat or if you try to put those unresolved things behind you without resolution, you will find yourself stuck in the same old unhappiness day after day.  As human beings we should always be moving forward.  This does not mean to leave our old hopes and dreams behind.  Take them along for the ride!!  You may even find that you discover new ways to conquer even the most difficult of situations! 

Love, light, and peace,

Mambo Samantha Corfield

www.spellmaker.com

Quick Communication Spell

Hello everyone!  Many times throughout the course of spell work we are not in communication with the person we are working on.  This might be temporary due to circumstances or it might be due to the fact that you have lost all communication with the person.  It is so difficult sometimes NOT to be in contact with that special person.  I completely understand that and am offering you this "Quick Communication Spell" that you can use to try to help foster a contact with your intended!

Now please understand, there are some periods of time in spell work when it may actually be better NOT to be in communication with the object of your desire.  For instance, sometimes things are too rocky between you and the communication will degenerate into an argument or harsh words.   As you all know, that is not good for your spell work.  :-) But no worries with the little "quick spell" outlined below:  If you are not supposed to be in communication with your HD, it simply won't work for you. 

Here's what you need:

• Two gender-specific figure candles (one to represent you, one to represent the person you want to contact you).  You can use ones from candle magick kits from us - white, pink, or red will work fine and you can even do this spell with candles you are using right now as long as it is for the same person.
• Some kind of picture that represents the form of communication you want to use (a picture of a phone, computer, etc.).

Here's what you do:

• One candle represents you and one candle represents the person you want to communicate with you.  (If using our candle magick kits, you still will do all the "regular" instructions of the candle kit.)
• Face the candles towards each other, so that they are "looking" at each other, about six inches apart.
• On the picture of the communication form write:  "Johnny (insert the name of your HD), I want to hear from you.  Please call (or email, or whatever you have chosen) me.  I promise this will be a good communication for both of us."    (And you have to really mean that - don't use this spell if you are angry and are going to be upset or petulant when the person calls! You will be defeating your own purpose.)
• Place the picture on the table (or other surface you are using) with the writing facing upwards.
• Do the normal ritual for the candle magick kits (if that is what you are using), this time meditating only on communicating with this person, how well the conversation will go, what nice things you will talk about, etc. (If you are using these candles for another purpose, you can return to that purpose next session.)
• When you are finished with the ritual and have extinguished the candles, pour a little bit of the candle wax from both candles (at the same time) on the paper.  Concentrate on you and the person "melding" together in conversation.  It just takes a small amount. Be careful not to burn yourself!
• When the candle wax is cooled and hardened, fold the paper in on itself (over the candle wax). If the paper doesn't stay together, you can tie it with string or ribbon so that it makes a nice, neat little package.
• Keep the paper somewhere safe until you hear from the person you are wanting to contact you OR seven days has passed.  (If you are doing spell work, you can keep the paper on your altar.  If you working with a love doll you can keep the paper with the doll.  You can keep the paper with any of our magickal work that you might be doing.)  Once you have heard from them OR seven days have passed, you can just throw the paper away - that spell is done. It either works within seven days or it doesn't work (for whatever reason).  If it didn't work in seven days, try it again!  :-)  It really does work quite often.  However, as I said, sometimes there is a REASON you are not in communication with a person. On the other hand, it doesn't hurt to try and this is relatively easy to do.  :-) 

General Info:  This spell would be categorized as a "one time" spell - it doesn't mean the person will keep communicating with you necessarily.  So you may need to do it again.   For some people with whom communication is sparse or difficult, it might be a good idea to keep a set of candles around to work with just for this spell.

Have fun!

Love,  Mambo Sam

Article: Developing the Master Relationship Plan

Greetings everyone!  Okay, so most of you who are already involved with www.spellmaker.com, have someone in mind that you want a relationship with.  That is okay; you can actually "retrofit" this plan and see whether you think that person would have fit into it!  Now be honest if you choose to do this, don't try to squeeze your intended into the right category that fits.  Pretend like s/he doesn't exist for a minute and do some of these exercises with an open mind!  Does your intended actually fit into who you would choose for yourself?  ;-)   There is nothing wrong with it if they don't, it is just an interesting exercise.

Additionally, I like the way this brings strategy and concrete form to the idea of finding someone to share your life with.  Like Dr. Dreyfus says, it doesn't leave romance out of the equation, it is just a way to have a good plan for finding that romance!

Enjoy it!  Love, Mambo Sam

DEVELOPING THE MASTER RELATIONSHIP PLAN

Edward A. Dreyfus. Ph.D.

Developing a plan increases your likelihood of success. We develop plans and strategies for everything in life we succeed at, careers, a dinner party or wedding, performing surgery, buying a new or used car, planning our estate, designing a house, decorating an apartment, or going on a vacation. You name it. If we are successful, we have made a plan. Yet, in spite of this knowledge, when it comes to romance we prefer to rely on chance. Then we wonder why the divorce rate is so high. If our businesses or dinner parties had as high a failure rate, we surely would begin to analyze why and try to do something about it. Well, the same is true for romance.

Step One: What are you looking for?

Most of the time when I ask people what they are looking for in a mate they say something like, "Someone attractive, intelligent, and sensitive with a good sense of humor." They try to give the impression that they are not asking for much. However, on closer investigation I usually find that the list is much more extensive. So, in this step make a complete list of what you are looking for in a mate. Include those characteristics that are important for everyday living on a long-term basis.

We must distinguish between several categories of mate: roommate, playmate, friend, and permanent mate. Each of these has its own set of characteristics with some degree of overlap. Many people have not distinguished between the categories. Therefore they may be stating they want a permanent mate when, in reality, they are seeking a playmate. A permanent mate is some combination of roommate, friend, and playmate. Therefore, it might be wise for you to make up three lists of characteristics, one for each of these three types of mate. Once you have developed these lists, merge them. Some characteristics may be eliminated. Intelligence may, for example, be more important in a mate than a playmate; neatness is more important in a roommate than in a friend.

Step Two: Take a personal inventory.

Honesty is very important in this step. List all the characteristics that describe yourself. Pretend that you are describing yourself to someone else, what would you say? Once you have developed this list, ask three of your closest friends to develop a list describing you. Tell them to be brutally honest. Compare their list with your own. Then ask them to look at your list and tell you whether they agree with your self-assessment. (Now, if you chicken out at this point, how do you think you'll ever be honest enough to find someone truly matched to you?) If there is a discrepancy between how you see yourself and how your friends see you, then you have some work to do. Somehow you have to reconcile your self-perception with the perception of others.

Step Three: Separate fantasy from reality.

Most of us have images of ourselves that often are at odds with reality. We have an idea of who we would like to be and present the image to the world, rather than the reality. Sometimes we tell the story so often we tend to believe it ourselves.

When it comes to relationships, we cannot present the person we would like to be as if it were the person we actually are. This would never fly in business; it is called false advertising. Truth in advertising is very important in developing a relationship. That's why the above exercise with friends is so important. If you can't be honest with your friends, or don't think anyone knows you enough to answer your questions, look around more carefully. Pick people who will not intentionally hurt you, and ask them to make up a list.

We often deceive ourselves, as well as others. In this step you must assess what you say you want with the reality of who you are. Some people say they want an independent thinking, self-directed partner, who is successful at their own career. In reality they want a someone who will take care of them and be the Mom they never had. It is similar to the guy who goes to the horse riding stable and tells the person who rents horses he wants a frisky thoroughbred because he thinks of himself as a jockey. After he falls off a few times and has to walk back to the stable, he realizes he should have been with a gentle mare.

Step Four: Increase your opportunities.

Make a list of the type of activities you enjoy: biking, dancing, cooking, spiritual, self-help, yoga, art, horseback riding, etc. Begin to participate in those activities in an arena where both single men and women can be found. If you are interested in cooking, for example, find a cooking class that is likely to be attended by both men and women. By attending activities interest you, you are able to insure that you will have a good time, even if you do not meet someone who is of interest to you. Do not participate in activities where the end result determines whether you enjoy yourself. Do not waste your time going to places where the odds are stacked against you: meat (meet) markets, bars, dance clubs, large gatherings, etc., are not places to meet potential mates. Maximize your use of time.

Step Five: It pays to advertise.

Let all of your friends and relatives know you are seeking a mate. Make use of business associates. Everyone is a potential agent. Most people love the idea of helping someone find a mate. Tell them about yourself and specifically what you are looking for, so they can better represent you. Don't be bashful; be honest. Think of these people as you would a real estate agent. Tell them exactly what you are looking for so you can increase your likelihood of success. The more information they have, the better.

Make use of dating services, but check them out first. Make sure they are reputable. Get references. Do the types of people you are looking for participate? If you have a flair for writing, use the personal ads,  but again do some homework. Check the credibility of the magazine and quality of the ads. Do the types of people you are looking for advertise in the column?

If you think only losers use dating services or write personal ads--you're wrong. Lots of successful people who don't have time for "luck" use these services. Just make sure you pick high-quality services, and use your common sense about meeting someone who doesn't "feel" right. Talk to them anonymously over the phone for a while before agreeing to meet. Ask about their history--education, work/career, friendships, family, previous relationships, health, interests, etc. If any red flags come up, ask more questions. Listen carefully and see how they answer. If you don't get the right answers, tell them you'd like to think about them a bit more and will call back if you decide it might be right. Then, think about it. Give yourself some time. If they pressure you during any of this, cross them off the list. If you aren't entitled to this information before meeting, why meet?

Early Imprinting

The first relationship we observe is that of our parents. This forms a template deep in our unconscious that affects our choice in a mate. Our parents form a model of what relationships are like and what adult males and females are about. As such, these early imprints have a profound effect on our choices of mates and our expectations with respect to a relationship. If this early imprinting was positive, we are likely to have satisfying interpersonal relationships and a positive image of others.

However, if it was negative, it may well have the opposite effect. Sometimes the effect was so negative, even though we may not be aware of it, it can severely interfere with our interpersonal satisfaction. Repeated destructive relationships, co-dependence, and generally unhealthy relationships may ensue. In these cases, professional intervention may be necessary before you can proceed with some of the steps indicated above. If in doubt, seek the help of a qualified professional trained in relationship skills. Help is available--ask for what you need.

Article: "Co-Dependency or Kindness"

Hello everyone!  I really enjoyed this article on co-dependency.  I have to admit, I am not a fan of the term "co-dependency" when it is presented in a negative light.  I think ALL human beings are "co-dependent" in some way and that we are meant to be!!  It is the glue that holds us together.  However, sometimes this is an issue that can cause great distress in our lives.  That is when we know that we have taken our co-dependency too far and now it is detrimental to us.  I think Dr. Maheu give us some good pointers and a real grasp on how to handle certain situations.

There is also some good sound advice for having successful relationships - whether there is a shred of co-dependency or not!  Enjoy!

Love, Mambo Sam

CO-DEPENDENCY OR KINDNESS?

by Marlene M. Maheu, Ph.D.

"I just want to show people I love that I care, but I end up feeling resentful when they don't do the same for me in return. If only people were as considerate toward me as I am toward them, I'd be a lot happier, and feel more secure. Something just isn't right."

Being of help to those you love can be very healthy and rewarding. Many books have addressed the issue of co-dependency, but it is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between co-dependency and kindness. While co-dependency is not an official psychological term, it has come to describe a type of relationship where an individual gives of themselves, even when they don't want to, or shouldn't, for their own welfare.

Here are some ways to tell the difference:

Look for balance.

If you aren't sure about whether you are being "too kind," take a few minutes to complete this simple exercise. Take out a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle of the page. At the top, put the name of someone close to you. In the left column, write down all the things you did last month for this person, whether they requested it or not. At the end of the item, put a large "P" for pleasure, or "R" for resentment to distinguish which emotion you really felt, in your heart of hearts, about this activity. In the right column, list all the things they did for you, either actively or passively, whether you requested or not. Show your list to an impartial friend. If your list is weighted much more heavily on the "giving" side, then you might be selling yourself out to gain acceptance from others. Now that you've read the exercise, take out a piece of paper and try it. It'll be worth the trouble....) If you cons tly treat others better than you treat yourself, and are frequently resentful about how loved ones are treating you, consider the possibility that you are out of balance, or "co-dependent."

Listen to your inner voice about "fairness."

Given the age of the person in question, decide if you have been giving freely to this person, or out of some unspoken obligation that leaves you resentful. Worst yet, decide if you have been giving because you fear retribution (anger, pouting, threats, whining, guilt). Remember, children are entitled to get much more than they give, that's the contract you signed when you decided to have the child. However, as they grow older, they need to learn that the world will not indulge their every whim. They must learn to expect that others have needs and wants, and relationships require negotiation. It is your job as a parent to teach these lessons.

Stop your usual behavior.

If you decide you are giving when you don't want; are feeling resentment when you give, then find a way to stop. Being resentful is a sure sign that you don't want to give; even if you think the only reason you are resentful is based on the other person's reaction. If you are displeased with the other person' s reaction, then you are giving "with strings attached." This is unfair to you as well as to the other person. If you can give freely, consider not giving at all.

If you decide to change, give people warning.

Change is difficult for people to accept, as well as to implement. It is only fair to every one involved that you let them know ahead of time that you are changing your ways. Be prepared for a negative response. It's just part of the change process. People who get their way with you will probably have difficulty hearing you say, "no."

Practice saying "no" to little things at home, or with other family and friends.

A good place to start is to say "no" to little things that you might have previously done because "it's no big deal," or "it just isn't worth the trouble." Go slowly, but take a stand on some things you know you can do. For example, if you feel resentment about doing your teenager's laundry, teach them to do their own. To avoid having them cost you more money, set a monthly "allotment" for clothing, and they get no more, no matter what.

Brace yourself to hear about how "mean you are" and how much you "don't care."

This is the price you must pay for setting yourself free. Within a few months, they'll learn to separate their clothes correctly, and make sure they don't throw shrinkable clothes into the dryer. Often, people do things they really don't want to do, because "it's just not worth the trouble of saying no." If you really don't want to see a particular movie, if you secretly don't want to eat at a certain restaurant, stay up later than usual, drive someone somewhere, run an errand because you're too tired -- don't. (Be careful to practice this with safe people more than at work until you get better at it.)

Learn to stand up for yourself in the face of anger.

If people get angry with you, and give you pressure through anger or guilt, hold your ground. Many people use anger, or the threat of anger, to control or manipulate their way through the world. See the ploy, and don't give in, if you are being reasonable. (Most of us know when we are being unreasonable, or "mean," if we listen to ourselves. Calmly and firmly hold your ground. The less you say, beyond what you are willing to do, the better for you and the relationship. For example, "Ok, you're right, I blew it. I'm sorry. How can I fix the situation now?" or "Let's agree to disagree. I am not willing to pay for something you decided to buy without consulting me. Next time, please ask me first."

Use the broken record technique.

If the other person is being unreasonable, use the broken record technique, "Next time, please ask me first...Next time, please ask me first...Next time, please ask me first." This avoids setting yourself up for "the inquisition," because you aren't giving the other person any ammunition against you. They'll get over it, sooner or later, and you will stop being manipulated into things you don't really want to do.

Get input from others.

Talk to your happier friends about how they balance giving and receiving. Join a therapy or support group to get suggestions and encouragement from others. Go to CODA groups and listen to others talk about how they are "finding their own voice" in relationships. CODA meetings are free and available throughout most cities in the United States. Pick up some books on the topic.

Trust in yourself.

Whatever you do, know that things are changing, and you don't have to live a life of quiet resentment. If you decide you are giving because it truly is in your heart to give at that moment, without fear of any kind motivating you, enjoy yourself. Giving to others can be a gift to yourself, if done for the right reasons!

And speaking of faith....

Hello everyone!  On Easter Sunday I posted about Faith.  I was wracking my brain to remember this really cool quote that I had read years ago that reminded me of faith and Les Lois and all this wonderful magick that we do together.  I couldn't remember who wrote it or exactly what it said, but God Bless the Internet because with just a few key words I found it!!!  I wanted to share it with you, it is by D.H. Lawrence.  Oh those gods, those strange gods!  ;-)  In re-reading this, I thought that every Vodouisant should have a copy of this quote and keep it close to their heart.

Love, Mambo Sam

This is what I believe:
That I am I.
That my soul is a dark forest.
That my known self will never be more than a little clearing in the forest.
That gods, strange gods, come forth from the forest into the clearing of my known self, and then go back.
That I must have the courage to let them come and go.
That I will never let mankind put anything over me, but that I will try always to recognize and submit to the gods in me and the gods in other men and women.
There is my creed. - D.H. Lawrence

Albuquerque Voodoo Convention 2008!

Hello everyone!!  As most of you already know, I am sure, we are indeed planning the 2008 Albuquerque Voodoo Convention!  2007 was a great success and it was such an uplifting experience to get to meet clients, teach in person, and bestow blessings and protection in person.

For those of you who have attended our events in the past, you are aware that meeting with me on a one-on-one basis is always a part of those events.  Usually we do a reading/spiritual consultation as part of that one-on-one meeting.  Because this year's convention may prove to be larger than last year's, it is possible that I may have to limit the amount of people I meet with unless people are willing to stay an extra day after the convention.  Right now, I know I can accomodate seeing 25 people on an individual basis for the convention.  I will try my absolute BEST to accomodate more if I can. 

10 people are already registered for the 2008 convention!  :-)  The only fair way I could figure to do the one-on-one counseling sessions is on a first paid in full/first served basis.  Out of those 10 people, 6 are paid in full.  I tell you this just to give you a heads up on when you might want to go ahead and start register!  LOL.  Like I said, it might be a moot point because I am going to try my darndest to get with everyone on an individual basis at the convention, but if there is a high volume of people... well, you get it.

I will also be changing up the way those personal consultations are done with me.  Most of the time we end up talking about and getting guidance on your case.  Nothing wrong with that!  However, I realize more and more that is something we can do by phone or email.  What we cannot do by phone or email is a ritual together to help whatever you are working on or want to work on.  So, this year, each person with whom I get to meet, you and I will do an actual ritual together to further your case.  :-)  I think this is an outstanding opportunity to do this and I feel very guided by Les Lois to do this with you.   We will provide all the materials for this ritual and you will also receive a sacred object blessed during the ritual to take home with you to work with.

I  also wanted to share with you some of the other things that are planned for the convention:  We will definitely be holding the Ancient Secrets class again with more information that I will never, ever teach on line.  These teachings are those that I just do not feel comfortable in putting out for general purposes.  I feel that I need to be face-to-face with you to teach these secrets.  Last year's Ancient Secrets class was awesome and I can definitely guarantee that to be a feature of all future conventions.

Additionally, we will be doing a Fet Ghede ritual and doing lots of teaching about Fet Ghede, how to serve best during that time, and how to make it work for you with petitioning for things that you want to come into your life and things you want out of your life!  Fet Ghede rituals are about achieving balance:  Out with the negative, in with the positive.

We will be learning at least part of the Priye Guinea (the long Vodou prayer), Vodou songs, and again we will do a class to make a sacred object (this year it will be a personal voodoo doll). 

Naturally, there will be partying, dinner, cocktails, guest speakers, blessings, and lots of other classes to be announced.  :-) 

I do hope to see you there!!!!

Click Here for More Info About the Albuquerque Voodoo Convention!

Love to you all!

Mambo Sam

Voodoo Convention 2007 - Blessings by Parran Matt and the Sisters

New Spellmaker Support Options

Hello everyone!  I wanted to let you all know that we now have some new support options at www.spellmaker.com.  You will notice on the website that we have a new chat window.  We have, of course, had chat abilities on the website for quite some time.  However, this is a new system in that it allows you to not only speak with a representative when someone is online, but it also has a function for you to leave a message for someone to get back to you or even request that we give you a call.  We are in hopes that this will help even more with keeping in communication with you all.

Love, Mambo Sam

Open for Comments!

Hello everyone!   A very lovely client mentioned to me that she just noticed that my posts were open for "comments."  She pointed out that it is very subtle (the link underneath that says Comments) and she missed it for several days.  At her suggestion, I am doing a post to say that, yes, my blog, and I believe everyone else's, is open for comments!

You have to register to comment, but it is free to do so and confidential.   And we do moderate comments so they do have to be approved.  Mainly I am doing this because it has become really popular for people to surf the net looking for female bloggers and then putting sexually explicit comments on their blogs.  What the heck???????????   I do have to often wonder, don't people have anything better to do than that?? 

Anyway, yes, of course, we all want to hear your comments and feedback on the subjects about which we blog.

Love to all, Mambo

New Orleans is Still in Need

Hello everyone!

As my previous post states, today is the traditional St. Joseph's Day.  One important tradition of this day is helping the poor and less fortunate.  While there are obviously poor and less fortunate everywhere, New Orleans is still in dire need.   One of my favorites is listed below - this organization has done so much to help rebuild New Orleans - they use their donations in many diverse ways.

Renew New Orleans Foundation

To give a more traditional food offering on this day, please give to

Second Harvest Food Bank of New Orleans

This food bank was established in the 1980's and has been feeding the hungry of New Orleans since then.  Obviously, they have been strained since Hurricane Katrina!

Thank you!  Love, Mambo Sam

St. Joseph and Papa Loko

  Greetings, everyone!  Right on the heels of St. Patrick's Day is a day that doesn't receive quite as much recognition in most circles!  It is St. Joseph's Day and it is always celebrated on March 19. 

In Vodou/Voodoo, St. Joseph is syncretized with the powerful and wise lwa Papa Loko.  Papa Loko is the giver of the asson (sacred rattle used by Mambos and Houngans) in the ritual of initiation.   Papa Loko is considered the father of all Vodou houses and is known to be the first Houngan.

Papa Loko is also a healer and often gives herbal cures and medicinal root work knowledge to Houngans and Mambos.  This knowledge, especially in Haiti is used to help the Mambo or Houngan to offer medical help to members of the house.  Of course this practice isn't as widespread in the United States, but in Haiti, the head of a Vodou house often turns to Papa Loko to cure both serious and simple illnesses.

Of all the Saint syncretizations, I think that the altars built to St. Joseph most closely resemble Vodou!  As you can see from this picture, the altars are extremely elaborate!  And as Vodouisants, I am sure you are going, "wow, that is some Voodoo altar!!"

Building these altars has a rich tradition, especially in New Orleans history.  St. Joseph altars begin to be built several days ahead of time and are just beautiful.  Almost all of the food is given to the poor after the altar is torn down.

The tradition of these altars originated in Sicily where St. Joseph was petitioned during a drought and famine.  The drought and famine broke and the people rejoiced and promised to always help feed the less fortunate.   As Vodouisants, we also take the opportunity of this day to do something for those less fortunate and dedicate it to both St. Joseph and Papa Loko!!

Here is a link to a great article to read more about St. Joseph Day and how it is traditionally celebrated.  If you are not familiar with it, it is a fascinating read! (The author even mentions the Vodou connection!)

Louisiana Project - St. Joseph's Day Altars

This is a really cool link!  It is a virtual St. Joseph's Altar.  They even have a place for you to make a virtual offering to the altar!! (The altar might be closed today because the Vatican actually moved the feast day this year because of the way Holy Week fell on the Christian calendear, but normally this would be the feast day and, in my opinion, still is!)    ;-)

Virtual St. Joseph Altar

Honoring Papa Loko:  Obviously, for Vodouisants, St. Joseph Day is also an honor to Papa Loko.  Papa Loko is most often honored by Houngans and Mambos and there are even some schools of thought that if you are not a priest or priestess, you might not want to serve him as he reserves most of his guidance for them.  However, I do not feel there is any reason for non-initiates NOT to honor Papa Loko!  He may guide you towards initiation or have other important guidance for you. 

His colors are yellow, white, and green.  You may serve him with almost any herb or leafy plant (think about serving him a green salad) and fresh water.  I have also found him to be fond of those green herbal drinks and green tea!

It is a tradition in New Orleans Voodoo that if you want to know someone's secrets you take a small cloth bag, put some leaves in it that you are offering to Papa Loko (especially if you have built him a small altar and are doing service to him - take some of the leaves that you offered on the altar and put them in the small cloth bag).  Now write the person's name on a piece of paper nine times.  Fold it up and put it in the bag.   Take the bag and hang it in a tree where it is least likely to be disturbed for 99 days.  During those 99 days, that person's secrets are said to be all revealed to you.  The bag should continue to hang in the tree until it is destroyed by nature or disintegrates from age. :-)

Love, Mambo Sam

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Greetings, everyone!  As most Vodouisants already know, the great snake Lwa, Damballah, is syncretized with St. Patrick.  It is common to serve Damballah on this day.  It always makes me smile that Damballah is represented by St. Patrick as St. Patrick was credited for "driving the snakes out of Ireland."  Somehow it seems that Damballah got the last word on that!!

Of course, the syncretization came due to the fact that pictures of St. Patrick often contain pictures of snakes.  It is important to remember that most syncretizations of lwa with Catholic Saints were originated as a way to hide the practitioner's true intention to serve a particular lwa.  So while we also honor the Saint for his or her long time shielding of the lwa, it is truly the lwa we are serving with the usage of the Saint's image.

The great and powerful Damballah is simple to serve:  A white egg served on a small mound of white flour is the perfect offering for him.  White cormeal is also used, as are white liquor (especially anisette), rice, milk, etc. Always remember to include an offering of fresh water served in a clear glass. You can draw the veve above and put it on your altar or under your offering to Damballah.

Damballah is considered to be the father of the Universe, the father of creation and all knowledge, and the keeper of the skies.  His knowledge comes to his devotees as thoughts and whispers as he does not speak his knowledge aloud.

When you serve Damballah, ask him for power and knowledge to come to you.  Petition him to help bring peace and harmony into your life.  If you are feeling weak and negative, ask him for strength, cleansing, and removal of all negativity.  Of course, our Milk of Damballah White Bath is made according to the Haitian Vodou formula of the bath for Damballah and is consecrated on his point.  If your love life is in a shambles, ask Damballah to bring the strong peace and love that he shares with Ayida Ouedo (his partner) to your relationship.

A song for Damballah is often sung in Haiti:

Ki mele mwen, Dambala, ki mele mwen.

Ki mele mwen, Dambala, ki mele mwen.

Pa gen manman, pa gen papa.

Ki mele mwen, Dambala ki mele mwen.

This song is interpreted as, "I don't care (or "what care I"), Dambala, I don't care.  I have no mama.  I have no papa, I don't care."  This is often taken to mean that a person has no parents, but they have Damballah and so they don't care.  However, it's deeper meaning is to show that Damballah is the lwa of creation therefore having no "mama and papa" because he was always there to start with.   

Even if you don't know the tune of the song, you can still sing it for him when you do your offerings.  It is a good way to honor him and call him into your service.

So as you celebrate St. Paddy's day today, remember to leave a little offering for Damballah!  Have a great day and if you are going out today, please be safe.

Love, light, and peace,

Mambo Sam

New Customer Service Options Coming!

Hello everyone!  Happy Sunday! 

As you know, we try to offer the best possible customer service that we can.  We are challenged sometimes by the fact that we are a small group of people trying to take care of all of our clients the best we can! 

In order to serve you better, we are currently working on installing a new and improved live chat feature on the website.  Additionally, we are installing the ability to "request a call" from us on the website and also will be offering you the ability to "submit a ticket" for asking tech support and other questions.  All of these features will help us get you the assistance you need much faster and, hopefully, in a more organized fashion.

Of course, as with the installation of all new systems I suspect that we will experience some growing pains, but once the details are ironed out I believe this will be an improved way to communicate your needs to us.

In service, Mambo Sam

Raja Yoga

Greetings everyone!   I did hear from several of you that you tried The Pink Bubble meditation!   I am so glad that you did.  It is easy to use and something you can use in conjunction with your love spell work or any other spell work. 

Now I wanted to share some things with you about Raja Yoga meditation.  This is a little more complex but it can still be so very useful to you if you give it some time and try it.  Many times during our spell work, we have a tendency to get frustrated, negative, and just start to feel like nothing is going our way.  Well, as you know, just feeling that way has a tendency to bring a negative spin to your spell work and can cause ill effects!  So then we are in this vicious cycle of not feeling good because things aren't happening for us and things aren't happening for us because we are not feeling good about them! 

On our forum and in our blogs we discuss many different ways to cope with these feelings.  Meditation is another coping mechanism that can help you clear out the negativity and make a peaceful path to getting your goals!

In a recent post on Sister Bridget's Blog there was a discussion about "relinquishing control."  Meditation is also a great way to achieve that goal.  When we truly  meditate and set ourselves free, even if it is just for a few minutes, we set the stage for positive energy flow and stop trying to control every little thing in our lives. 

Peace and Joy!  Mambo Sam

Raja Yoga Meditation

Daily mental exercises. The act of Raja Yoga meditation for at least 15 minutes in the early morning will have a positive effect during the entire day.

Upon waking have the thought; I am a peaceful soul, my aim today is to radiate peace to every person that I come into contact with.

These meditations have been taken from the knowledge as taught by the Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga meditation organization. The organization is unique because the main administrators are women. Dadi Prakashmani, Dadi Janki and Dadi Gulzar are the spiritual leaders whom create an atmosphere of spiritual love and humility. They are the embodiment of what they teach, shinning lights of love and peace.

Raja Yoga meditation

Try to experience the stillness of mind of being a peaceful soul as other thoughts emerge in the mind do not judge or focus on them but repeat ............ I am a peaceful soul ............. I am a peaceful soul ............ My mind is filled with peace .............. I radiate peace to the world ............... I feel the gentle waves of peace flowing across my mind ........... As these peaceful thoughts emerge in my mind I feel the stillness and silence envelopes my mind ................. I am the peaceful soul ...... I am a peaceful loving soul ............ My mind feels light and free from worries ........... I realize my real nature is peace .......... Peaceful thoughts flow through the mind and I feel the self becoming light ...................... I am a being of light shining like a star ....................... I radiate peace and light to the world ...................... The light and peace envelopes me and the waves of peace and light shine like a lighthouse............................................. This is the wonderful journey of self discovery.

Raja Yoga Meditation philosophy

The basis for attaining an experience in raja yoga meditation in to understand the self and the mind. The human mind is the most creative, powerful and wonderful "instrument" we possess. Using this energy called mind we have been able to search the deepest oceans, send humans to the moon and scan the molecular fabric of the building blocks of nature. But have we found our true self? We have become the most educated and civilized society in our history, but are we civil towards each other?

The soul has three main faculties; the mind or consciousness, the intellect and the subconscious.

Thoughts flow from the sub conscious mind to the conscious mind. Feelings and emotions form in accordance with the montage of thoughts flowing in the mind. Therefore our state of mind at any given moment is determined by the thoughts in our consciousness, and also with the feelings that we associate with those thoughts. Since our sub consciousness contains all our previous thoughts and experiences, it is necessary to selectively control the flow of thoughts that emerges from the sub conscious mind.

The intellect is the controller which is used to discriminate so that only positive and benevolent thoughts flow into our mind. With meditation or deep contemplation, the individual is able to strengthen and sharpen the intellect. The end result is a constant state of well being. If we are able to understand the self as the source of energy that creates our feelings, then the following will become our aims.

Become aware of our state of mind and of the thoughts that flows into the mind from our subconscious.
Strengthen the intellect so that the individual can discriminate and thereby only allow positive and peaceful thoughts to flow into the mind.
Through this process of self development the individual develops more control over the mind.

Dadi Prakashmani, Dadi Janki and Dadi Gulzar are the spiritual leaders of the Raja Yoga meditation organization. They are the embodiment of soul consciousness, filled with love, light and happiness.

These meditations have been taken from the knowledge as taught by the Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga meditation organization. Raja Yoga meditation organization

More on Raja Yoga

Erzulie Freda Packages

Good morning, everyone.  A number of you have asked about the Valentine's Packages that were done on the point of Erzulie Freda.  Because of so many requests, we have decided to continue offering these packages on a regular basis.  For now, you can still purchase them on the Erzulie Freda Page.  We will be reworking this page so that it doesn't just reflect Valentine's Day!  It will contain the products dedicated to Erzulie Freda as well as more information on service to our favorite Love Goddess!

If you haven't looked at my post on The Pink Bubble Meditation, please have a look.  It is a great meditation to use when working with Erzulie Freda. 

Love, Mambo Sam

The Pink Bubble Meditation

Hello everyone!  Have you attempted meditation?  Meditation has been around for centuries and is used for many different manifestations of life:  health, love, anger management, relaxation, etc.  There are literally thousands of ways to meditate and assist in the manifestation of your goals. 

In spell work we are often trying to attain a particular goal:  It may be love, money, a job, etc.  Whatever our reason for doing the spell work, adding in some creative meditations can certainly be a way of assisting your situation.

Over the upcoming weeks, I would like to share with you some of my favorite meditation techniques. I hope you enjoy them!  The meditation technique below, the "Pink Bubble Meditation", is a wonderful meditation to use if you are working with our favorite love lwa, Erzulie Freda or working with pink candle magick or any other love magick.  :-)

Love, Mambo Sam

Pink Bubble Meditation Technique

This meditation is simple and wonderfully effective.
Exercise:

• Sit or lie down comfortably, close your eyes and breathe deeply, slowly, and naturally. Gradually relax and feel this meditation taking you deeper and deeper.
• Imagine something that you would like to manifest. Imagine that is already happened.
• Picture it as clearly as possibly in your mind. Now in your mind’s eye surround your fantasy with a pink bubble; put your goal inside the bubble. Pink is the color associated with the heart, and if this color vibrations surrounds whatever you visualize, it bring to you only that which is in perfect affinity with your being.
• The third step is to let go of your bubble and imagine it floating off into the universe, still containing your vision. This symbolizes that you are emotionally ‘letting go” of it.
• Now it’s free to float around the universe, attracting and gathering energy for it’s manifestation.

Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain 1978

Online Teaching to Resume Soon

Good morning everyone!  I wanted to let you all know that we will resume the online teaching classes soon!  I have worked up a new format that I think will be much more effective in getting the information to you all AND allowing for both some social time and discussion time.  :-)

There seemed to be a general idea that when I suspended classes that I was angry because of the way class was going.  That isn't quite true.  More than anything I was frustrated with the format that I was using that didn't allow me to get as much information to you as I hoped.  I felt that I was turning into a "sit down and shut up" teacher and that is not what I want for you all!!   You aren't in kindergarten and no one is going to have to clean erasers after class! 

However, I did start to feel the frustrations of some of the students and myself.  Therefore, I have set about to build a better mousetrap.  Just a bit more tweaking and I will introduce the new format, probably in about two weeks.

I miss the classes!!  I miss the interaction with all of you.  We will be back at it soon.  (And if you aren't registered for class, why not????  LOL.  Email Berkeley at [email protected] and get instructions for signing up.)

Love, Mambo Sam

2008 Voodoo Convention Planning and Faith!

Greetings, everyone!   I am really excited to be getting into high gear planning the 2008 Voodoo Convention here in Albuquerque. 

For the 2008 Convention we will be studying a lot more about Haitian and African Vodou.  During the 2007 we spent more time with our New Orleans Voodoo heritage.  We will, of course, be studying more about New Orleans Voodoo, but our primary focus will be on Vodou.

Planning the classes is really getting to be fun and I cannot wait to teach you all!  We will be learning Vodou songs, part of the Priye Guinea (the long African prayer that is recited before most Vodou rituals, deep service to the lwa, and much more. 

In thinking about the convention, I cannot help but remember my own visits to and Vodou initiation in Haiti.  It is definitely a place to remember.  The people in Jacmel, Haiti are colorful, bright, smart, friendly, and serve the lwa with both dignity and passion.  There are many lessons to be learned from these people because they continue to serve the lwa with faith and confidence even in the most trying of circumstances.  Frankly, most of us would fold up under the conditions in which these people live.

Yet, they serve the lwa daily.  They continue to dedicate their lives to the practice of Vodou regardless of outcome of their hopes and dreams and petitions to the lwa.  They do not waver in their service nor in their dedication.  They are not practitioners of fairweather faith; in fact, the worse the weather, the stronger their faith.  Taking a page from their book would do us all a world of good.

Most of us are petitioning for a better job, a partner to come into our lives, or an enemy to go away.  Most of us are not wondering where our next meal is coming from or if we will have money to send our children to school (no public schools in Haiti) or if we have the basic necessities of life.  However, time and time again I hear that we are "losing faith" in our spell work!  We don't "see results" right away and are ready to throw away our spell work, our faith, and our dedication to the lwa at the drop of a hat!  Indeed, looking to our Haitian brothers and sisters for a shining example of faith can do us all a world of good.

Probably the most uplifting thing is the JOY that these people derive from their service to the lwa.  The picture below is one I took in Jacmel during a Vodou celebration.  Feel the joy!

Love, Mambo Sam