During the Witch on Fire-side chat video of April 7th, 2020, we shared a Full Moon Esbat as the Full moon peaked in Libra, with the sun in Aries. For that more ritualized working, the awakening of the altar salt bowl was demonstrated. Then I constructed a magickal poppet to bring motivation and balanced thinking to emotions while we shelter in place. I charged it with a reading of The Charge of the Goddess. Also included, blessing of the chalice and sharing the simple feast, otherwise known as the Great Rite in Token. Click the image below to watch the video.
In advance of the video, I prepared the materials of my poppet, using a cardboard template in the shape of a person. I cut it out from Red felt to represent the fiery Aries energies of the Sun, and from yellow felt to represent the airy Libra energies of the moon at that moment. The black embroidery thread was chosen to bind and encircle them, for protection and grounding. The candles were inscribed with sigils of elemental fire/aries and air/libra, and later in the video anointed and dressed with corresponding magickal oil and herb blends.
Poppet Spell
The materials I chose for my poppet were purposefully sourced from what I had in my kitchen cabinets and growing in my backyard, as a means to demonstrate that no matter where you live, you don’t necessarily need to make a trip to the metaphysical store to find plant and stone allies to begin a practice of witchcraft.
Begin by sewing most of the way around the figure, leaving the inner legs open. This makes a person-shaped bag ready for loading.
I chose 9 materials to reinforce the healing needs of this moment to my poppet, and I added them symbolically to corresponding areas of the body. 3×3=9 which is a magickal number of the moon. Awaken each as you add them. I blow over them, tap three times and ask them specifically for what qualities to bring to the working.
Materials:
- Head: Dandelion Flower – Libra Balance of Mental body, cheer and happiness.
- Throat: Basil – Libra Balance to thoughts, attitudes, speach.
- Arms: Rosemary branch in each arm -Fiery, protective embrace of the current pandemic realities.
- Belly/Solar Plexis: Hematite Anchor charm – Aries fires to bring motivation and courage as anchor in the emotional storm.
- Lungs: Eucalyptus leaf -balance of emotional waters, and healing powers against respiratory illness.
- Heart: Rose petals – bringing love and peace of Venus to emotional body.
- Spine: Blue Kyanite blade – bringing clearance and balance to the entire energy body.
- Root Chakra, Bottom: Oak tree Acorn – bringing earthy rootedness at home, and to plant a seed of potential which can grow to something great with the action and inspiration of the astrological moment, like the completion of my book project!
- Legs: Tulip Poplar Branch from my shrine’s guardian tree in the back yard – the bones of my plant realm priest who aids my growth, and roots me to my home.
Every poppet needs a Taglock with the DNA or essence of the person with whom it will be in spiritual sympathy. I added a lock of my own hair, tagging this poppet with my own DNA up-link to human collective consciousness.
Sew up the legs.
On the face of the yellow side, with a black sharpie marker, I repeated the sigils of Libra and elemental air. On the solar plexis of the red side, I repeated the sigils of Aries and elemental fire. In the palms of each hand, I added the alchemical sigils of water and earth, so that what I produce and handle during this time be in rooted, emotional balance within the security of my home’s structures. On her chest, I added my own magickal signature bindrune, naming her as myself. You can decorate a poppet in anyway that makes it resemble yourself as the figure you mean to become.
After blowing my breath of resuscitation, and imprinting my energy to awaken and inspirit the poppet, I charged her with a reading of The Charge of the Goddess. This also reminds me of my sacred mission as a Witch. Then I fed her with a previously prepared peace water with a drop on each chakra, palms and feet. I will continue to feed her in this manner while she charges on my altar paten every day for the two week of waning moon until dark moon. On dark moon, I will open and release her and the ingredients from that work, and bury them on my property in a place I wouldn’t mind an oak tree growing.
As she rested on my altar paten (earth) I crossed over her chest my athame (fire) and wand (air). I added my large hematite (mars/fire/iron) to further charge her with courage and protection of Aries/Ares. I let the candles burn the rest of the evening while the moon peaked, and shifted into waning. When the time comes, I will bury the candle remains with the poppet materials.
Caveats:
This is just one witch’s example of how poppet magick may be personalized. As I said in the video, I’m very particular about NOT making poppets for anyone but myself, or perhaps with someone else’s explicit consent and participation in the working. Whatever you do to a magickal poppet, you do to the individual in sympathy with that form. That is a grave responsibility not to be taken lightly.
I personally swore to live by the Wiccan Rede, and so I work for the highest good of all involved, harming none. Violation of consent, free-will and personal sovereignty is an aberration of nature’s order of Divine Love, and therefore an “evil” act in my books. I wouldn’t recommend violating that divine order; karmic spankings are a bitch, but only if you’re one first. Just sayin’.
Thanks for tuning in!
~Heron
Witch on Fire-side chats will be held throughout the month of April 2020, on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday nights at 9:00 pm EST. This effort is in support of my shop, The Sojourner Whole Earth Provisions, while we are closed in accordance to the Covid-19 shelter-in-place mandates by the state. Donations are accepted via PayPal at orders@thesojo.com and go to cover our payroll and basic expenses while we await SBA disaster relief loans to come through.
Find the previously recorded videos, and tune in to participate live on my Facebook Business Page: https://www.facebook.com/WitchonFire. I welcome you to like and follow that page, and to share and promote the videos through your own social media sites.