MOJO BAGS
What is a Mojo Bag?
A mojo is the principle talisman in the Hoodoo Tradition, but it appears in other magical traditions as well. Mojo bags are typically made of red flannel, but they can also be made from leather, or chamois and often contain one or more curios believed to attract or dispel certain influences and or conditions. Although most Southern Style mojos are made of red flannel, some magical practitioners favor the color symbolism employed in candle magic and will match the color of the mojo bag to their goal (i.e. red for love, green for money, etc…)
What goes into a mojo bag is determined by your goal, and what has been proven effective or traditional to use to achieve that goal. A mojo bag will always contain at least one item, however, I generally prefer to have at least three items in a mojo. Many people try to ensure that the total ingredients comes to an odd number---3,7,5, 9, or 13 and never more than 13---however, this is more of a suggestion that a rule. It is my belief that the this practice stems from the idea that odd number are active and dynamic, whereas even ones are passive.
Commercially, you will sometimes see mojo hands advertised as Double Strength or Triple Strength which means that these mojos contains curios that are rarer and harder to obtain than normal such as a human finger bone or a gator paw. Due to their relative rarity, these items are considered more powerful. Alternatively, some folks define double strength or triple strength mojo bags as simply having more items that average. For example, a regular strength mojo bag may contain three items; however a triple strength mojo may contain three times that many ingredients for a total of nine ingredients.
What goes into a mojo bag is determined by your goal, and what has been proven effective or traditional to use to achieve that goal. A mojo bag will always contain at least one item, however, I generally prefer to have at least three items in a mojo. Many people try to ensure that the total ingredients comes to an odd number---3,7,5, 9, or 13 and never more than 13---however, this is more of a suggestion that a rule. It is my belief that the this practice stems from the idea that odd number are active and dynamic, whereas even ones are passive.
Commercially, you will sometimes see mojo hands advertised as Double Strength or Triple Strength which means that these mojos contains curios that are rarer and harder to obtain than normal such as a human finger bone or a gator paw. Due to their relative rarity, these items are considered more powerful. Alternatively, some folks define double strength or triple strength mojo bags as simply having more items that average. For example, a regular strength mojo bag may contain three items; however a triple strength mojo may contain three times that many ingredients for a total of nine ingredients.
Fixing a Mojo Bag
Fixed & Tied Mojo-Bag
Each practitioner has his or her own methods of preparing and fixing mojo bags, however there are certain elements in the process that are considered universal. The ritual for preparing and fixing a mojo bag is usually performed in either a work-space or an altar and will often be accompanied by the burning of candles and incense.
To successfully make and empower a mojo bag, mark a candle with your goal and impale it with nine pins, reasserting your desire with the insertion of each pin. Remember, the ninth pin goes through the wick. Light some incense and then light your candle.
The mojo bag is filled with each ingredient (herbs, curio, seal, petition, personal concerns, etc...) accompanied by positive prayers and instructions for each ingredient. For example, if you are creating a mojo to draw a male lover to you and you are using dried Lavender, you may say something like: "Lavender which draws men, draw a compatible man to me. In Jesus' name. Amen."
When all the ingredients have been placed in the bag, hold the bag open before you, bring it up to your mouth and say: "As God blew the breath of life into Adam, so do I blow the breath of life into this mojo bag. In Jesus name. Amen." Slowly blow a deep breath into the bag and then pull the drawstring tight closing the mojo bag. Hold the bag in your hands saying: "And with this life, I give you purpose (state it's purpose).
Next, tie the loose drawstrings into a knot holding the bag shut. The two ends are then knotted together again as before, wrapped around the bag once and tucked underneath itself. As you tie the bag shut, say: "With these knots, I bind you to this purpose." Finally, "feed" your mojo bag some condition oil by dabbing a few drops on it and saying: "And with this oil, I give you strength to accomplish your purpose. In Jesus name. Amen."
The condition oil you feed your mojo will typically correspond to your goal. The mojo bag is then placed near your candle where it will remain until the candle burns itself out. In my personal practices I have a small wooden box that is just big enough to hold an average sized mojo bag. My mojo bags are placed inside this box and my candle burned on top of the box. In this way the bag is protected from any dripping wax as well as prying eyes as the candle burns down.
You may have read in books or heard folks tell of lighting a match and dropping it in your mojo bag. The reason for this is that the match represents the "spark" of life. Think of lightning animating the body of Frankenstein's monster. I personally am not comfortable with this practice and developed the idea of the magic box I see the flame of the candle as the spirit of the mojo bag that I am conjuring. The candle is the old "body" and the mojo bag is the new "body". The mojo bag is placed in the magic box and the candle is placed on top of the box. When the candle burns down and the flame "dies" it leaves the candle and goes into the mojo bag.
To successfully make and empower a mojo bag, mark a candle with your goal and impale it with nine pins, reasserting your desire with the insertion of each pin. Remember, the ninth pin goes through the wick. Light some incense and then light your candle.
The mojo bag is filled with each ingredient (herbs, curio, seal, petition, personal concerns, etc...) accompanied by positive prayers and instructions for each ingredient. For example, if you are creating a mojo to draw a male lover to you and you are using dried Lavender, you may say something like: "Lavender which draws men, draw a compatible man to me. In Jesus' name. Amen."
When all the ingredients have been placed in the bag, hold the bag open before you, bring it up to your mouth and say: "As God blew the breath of life into Adam, so do I blow the breath of life into this mojo bag. In Jesus name. Amen." Slowly blow a deep breath into the bag and then pull the drawstring tight closing the mojo bag. Hold the bag in your hands saying: "And with this life, I give you purpose (state it's purpose).
Next, tie the loose drawstrings into a knot holding the bag shut. The two ends are then knotted together again as before, wrapped around the bag once and tucked underneath itself. As you tie the bag shut, say: "With these knots, I bind you to this purpose." Finally, "feed" your mojo bag some condition oil by dabbing a few drops on it and saying: "And with this oil, I give you strength to accomplish your purpose. In Jesus name. Amen."
The condition oil you feed your mojo will typically correspond to your goal. The mojo bag is then placed near your candle where it will remain until the candle burns itself out. In my personal practices I have a small wooden box that is just big enough to hold an average sized mojo bag. My mojo bags are placed inside this box and my candle burned on top of the box. In this way the bag is protected from any dripping wax as well as prying eyes as the candle burns down.
You may have read in books or heard folks tell of lighting a match and dropping it in your mojo bag. The reason for this is that the match represents the "spark" of life. Think of lightning animating the body of Frankenstein's monster. I personally am not comfortable with this practice and developed the idea of the magic box I see the flame of the candle as the spirit of the mojo bag that I am conjuring. The candle is the old "body" and the mojo bag is the new "body". The mojo bag is placed in the magic box and the candle is placed on top of the box. When the candle burns down and the flame "dies" it leaves the candle and goes into the mojo bag.
Naming Your Mojo Bag
A mojo bag is not an inanimate talisman, but rather the physical body of a spiritual ally. In short, it is a living thing and as such it should have a name just like you were given a name when you were born. Psychologically speaking, assigning a name to your mojo helps one to facilitate the idea that it is a living thing with it's own personality, habits, needs, desires, etc.... That being said, there are several ways in which a name may be assigned to your mojo bag. They include, but are not limited to the following:
1. You can either name your mojo yourself, or it may communicate its name to you during the processes of making the mojo bag. For example, once after making a mojo bag I had a dream that I met a man named "Jake" the following day I encountered or heard the name Jake three times. I took this as a sign that the mojo wished to be called Jake and addressed him as such thereafter.
2. I have known workers who name the doll after themselves calling it Little So-and-So. For example, my name is Dean so my mojo would be called Little Dean, Dean Jr., or Dino, etc... The problem with this, however, is that if you have more than one mojo, you can't call them all Little So-and-So it could get quite confusing.
3. Conversely I have known workers who name their mojo bag after a person or figure who is known to be successful in whatever the endeavor the mojo was created for. For example, because Samuel L. Jackson is known for being a prolific actor who has starred in many, many films you might want to name a steady-work type mojo bag "Sammy" or "Jack"; or you might want to name a betwitching type mojo bag "Jolie" after Angelina Jolie, who is known for her beauty and sexual attractiveness. The idea here is that the mojo will take on some of the luck/success of the person that it is name after.
4. In my own practices, drawing on my Jewish roots I often chose a biblical name whose meaning spoke to my goal in a direct manner. For example a protection mojo may be called Samson after the biblical strong man; or a mojo for prosperity may be called "Jethro" which in Hebrew means "Abundance." If you go this route, you do not have to limit yourself to Hebrew names and can draw upon names from various cultures. It may be helpful to purchase a book of baby-names that also give the meaning of the name.
5. Finally, I have known workers who open the Bible at random and name their mojo after the book of the bible to which they opened the book (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, etc...).
Once you know the name of your mojo bag, use that name when addressing the bag communicating your needs or asking for its assistance.
1. You can either name your mojo yourself, or it may communicate its name to you during the processes of making the mojo bag. For example, once after making a mojo bag I had a dream that I met a man named "Jake" the following day I encountered or heard the name Jake three times. I took this as a sign that the mojo wished to be called Jake and addressed him as such thereafter.
2. I have known workers who name the doll after themselves calling it Little So-and-So. For example, my name is Dean so my mojo would be called Little Dean, Dean Jr., or Dino, etc... The problem with this, however, is that if you have more than one mojo, you can't call them all Little So-and-So it could get quite confusing.
3. Conversely I have known workers who name their mojo bag after a person or figure who is known to be successful in whatever the endeavor the mojo was created for. For example, because Samuel L. Jackson is known for being a prolific actor who has starred in many, many films you might want to name a steady-work type mojo bag "Sammy" or "Jack"; or you might want to name a betwitching type mojo bag "Jolie" after Angelina Jolie, who is known for her beauty and sexual attractiveness. The idea here is that the mojo will take on some of the luck/success of the person that it is name after.
4. In my own practices, drawing on my Jewish roots I often chose a biblical name whose meaning spoke to my goal in a direct manner. For example a protection mojo may be called Samson after the biblical strong man; or a mojo for prosperity may be called "Jethro" which in Hebrew means "Abundance." If you go this route, you do not have to limit yourself to Hebrew names and can draw upon names from various cultures. It may be helpful to purchase a book of baby-names that also give the meaning of the name.
5. Finally, I have known workers who open the Bible at random and name their mojo after the book of the bible to which they opened the book (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, etc...).
Once you know the name of your mojo bag, use that name when addressing the bag communicating your needs or asking for its assistance.
Care and Maintenance of Your Mojo Bag
Once your mojo is fixed, it should be carried on your person, below the waist, for the first week and you should sleep with it near you at night. After the first week, you can secure the mojo away in a safe place, if you choose or you may continue to carry it on your person. It should be fed once a week on the same day of the week that it was made. Feeding the bag keeps it healthy and strong so that it may continue to work for you. Failure to feed your mojo can result in it no longer working for you.
Never let another person see or touch your mojo or it may kill the hand, that is, it may be rendered powerless. If this occurs, you can try feeding your mojo a few drops of water from a Rose of Jericho (aka Resurrection Plant) and pray over it and then keep it for a little while to ensure that it is still working for you. If you determine that the hand has been killed, then it should be buried with honor.
Some people feel that a mojo’s power generally last for a year, and should be buried after that time while others feel that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If your mojo is still working for you don’t’ dispose of it, but if the cloth wears out sew it all up into a new cloth. Over time, a mojo bag can become worn and may need to become refreshed. This is traditionally done around the Fall Equinox and entails taking the mojo bag apart, saving hard curios, replacing leafy/dried herbs. The contents are then reassembled into a new mojo bag accompanied by prayer and followed by smoking and feeding the mojo
If your mojo stops working for you, empty its contents on a tabletop. Inspect any hard items such as dried roots, coins, shells, lodestones, etc for damage. Set the undamaged hard items aside and place the damaged item back in the mojo bag with the soft items. If a seal or petition is still working set it aside as well, but if it is worn, illegible, or needs replacing write a new one. The contents are then reassembled into a new mojo bag accompanied by prayer and followed by smoking and feeding the mojo.
Never let another person see or touch your mojo or it may kill the hand, that is, it may be rendered powerless. If this occurs, you can try feeding your mojo a few drops of water from a Rose of Jericho (aka Resurrection Plant) and pray over it and then keep it for a little while to ensure that it is still working for you. If you determine that the hand has been killed, then it should be buried with honor.
Some people feel that a mojo’s power generally last for a year, and should be buried after that time while others feel that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If your mojo is still working for you don’t’ dispose of it, but if the cloth wears out sew it all up into a new cloth. Over time, a mojo bag can become worn and may need to become refreshed. This is traditionally done around the Fall Equinox and entails taking the mojo bag apart, saving hard curios, replacing leafy/dried herbs. The contents are then reassembled into a new mojo bag accompanied by prayer and followed by smoking and feeding the mojo
If your mojo stops working for you, empty its contents on a tabletop. Inspect any hard items such as dried roots, coins, shells, lodestones, etc for damage. Set the undamaged hard items aside and place the damaged item back in the mojo bag with the soft items. If a seal or petition is still working set it aside as well, but if it is worn, illegible, or needs replacing write a new one. The contents are then reassembled into a new mojo bag accompanied by prayer and followed by smoking and feeding the mojo.
