{"id":5588,"date":"2011-08-01T01:10:33","date_gmt":"2011-08-01T06:10:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/content\/?p=5744"},"modified":"2011-07-27T19:02:28","modified_gmt":"2011-07-28T00:02:28","slug":"wicked-wonderful-witchery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2011\/08\/01\/wicked-wonderful-witchery\/","title":{"rendered":"Wicked Wonderful Witchery"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Little Bag of Happy<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

No matter how positive we try to be, it\u2019s only human to have \u201coff\u201d days where we are lethargic, depressed or angry.\u00a0 Contrarily we all have times where we feel so good, we wish we could hang on to that uncomplicated happiness forever. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0On those nasty dark days, wouldn\u2019t it be convenient if we could have saved a little piece of this brightness \u2013 peace, joy, relaxation, humour, and love \u2013 to draw on later on when we really needed it?\u00a0 I believe we can, by making a crafty, simple charm that I like to call \u201cA Little Bag of Happy\u201d.\u00a0 It\u2019s sort of like keeping some sunshine in a jar in case of a thunder storm, only it\u2019s your own positive energy you are conserving in case you get hit by a cloud of the doldrums.<\/p>\n

This charm is a version of what is most commonly called a Mojo Bag, only with a bit of a twist.\u00a0 A Mojo Bag is a charm or focusing tool frequently used by practitioners of voodoo.\u00a0 It is a bag of roots, herbs, oils and other objects which are blessed and carried close to one\u2019s body to attract luck, money, love and health.\u00a0 The Little Bag of Happy is based on this concept with your own personal witchy touch.\u00a0 This personal touch of yours is the most important ingredient of all, because this amulet is just for you, yourself.\u00a0 No one can tell you what objects to put into your charm bag, just as no one can dictate what makes you feel peaceful and content.\u00a0 You do not need to purchase any rare herbs, gems or items unless you want to.\u00a0 You can make this with no money out of materials you have on hand and things you will find along the way.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This charm can take one day to make, or you can spread it out over as many days, weeks or months as you wish to gather the special ingredients to put into it.\u00a0 Remember you are powerful, your energy is strong and focused, and the most important ingredient in all your magickal endeavours is you.<\/p>\n

First, consider what material you\u2019d like the bag itself to be made from.\u00a0 There are endless choices other than it being visually pleasing, although that\u2019s just as good of a reason as any. \u00a0You could use a piece of an outgrown garment you just can\u2019t let go of … you know, those old retro clothes from your good ol\u2019 days that you can\u2019t squeeze into anymore, that are hilariously out of style, but you still can\u2019t part with them?\u00a0 (We all have at least some, admit it!)\u00a0 Well, think about it: these old jeans, band T-shirts or what-have-you are so hard to get rid of because they have good memories attached to them… which makes them perfect for this project!\u00a0 Another example is you could use a cloth napkin from a meal you served where everyone was content and satisfied.\u00a0 I used a piece of cloth cut from a onesie that my daughter had outgrown, feeling that it had absorbed much love and care along with her.\u00a0 No one will see your charm unless you show them, so don\u2019t worry if you\u2019re not much good with a sewing needle.\u00a0 You can just cut a circle out of the cloth, place your collected items in the center, gather up the edges and tie it securely with ribbon, string or thread.\u00a0 Usually a smaller bag is easiest because you can carry it with you.<\/p>\n

Now comes the fun part: choosing what to put inside.<\/p>\n

In all you do for the next little while, pay attention to how you feel.\u00a0 Say you go for a walk with a friend and you have a really good laugh over something.\u00a0 Pick up a stone from the ground during that walk and add it to your bag.\u00a0 It will have the laughter in it.\u00a0 Perhaps you are crossing a parking lot and notice a clean white feather lying on the pavement.\u00a0 This is a gift, surprising you with its misplaced beauty.\u00a0 Add it to the mix; noticing a small common pleasure is an uplifting energy.\u00a0 You see kids playing in a pile of leaves, all laughter, abandonment and innocence; pick up a fallen leaf to add some vitality.\u00a0 Get creative.\u00a0 A piece of your favourite candy, the ticket stub from a show that absolutely blew your mind, a pretty button from your grandmother\u2019s button box, even a shed whisker from your pet or familiar who you love so much.\u00a0 Anything that is associated with good feelings is appropriate.\u00a0 Anything that makes you feel positive is perfect.\u00a0 Little random things can trigger rosy feelings, like seeing dandelion fluff and being reminded of how you used to blow on it and make wishes as a kid.\u00a0 Add some in.<\/p>\n

Proud, peaceful, pleased, amazed, loved, loving, creative, beautiful…\u00a0 all of these are options for the charm.\u00a0 Pick an object associated with that feeling \u2013 doesn\u2019t matter what it is — and add it in to create one big energy-stew of positivity.<\/p>\n

What shouldn\u2019t<\/em> you add to your Little Bag of Happy?\u00a0 Anything with negativity attached to it.\u00a0 If you have to hmm and haw over whether or not it is appropriate, don\u2019t add it.\u00a0 For example, say you have a gorgeous gold earring without a mate that you want to put in because it represents beauty to you, but every time you look at it you are also reminded of the person who gave it to you, who treated you poorly in a relationship. \u00a0This earring ultimately makes you think of the bad relationship, so don\u2019t put it in. \u00a0Stick to pure, spontaneous simple thoughts without a lot of back up story, especially the kind with a bad ending.<\/p>\n

So now that you have collected all your trinkets and treasures and tied them securely into a bag, here\u2019s what to do with it.<\/p>\n

Any time you\u2019re having a bad day, feeling low on energy, having self-defeating thoughts or are emotionally drained you can use The Little Bag of Happy to help you recharge.\u00a0 Light a yellow candle and sit or lie quietly, holding the bad in your hands.\u00a0 I find that holding it over the solar plexus is helpful, as this is an emotional energy center of the body.\u00a0 Take some deep cleansing breaths, and let the contents of the bag speak to you.\u00a0 Feel the energies that you yourself experienced and kept: the joy, the peaceful feeling you got on holiday, the hope behind the dandelion fluff wishes, the laughter, and the softness of happy moments.\u00a0 Let the energy spread throughout your body by visualizing yellow or pinkish light growing and expanding into your limbs, fingertips and toes.\u00a0 Pay special attention to the head.\u00a0 Let the good vibes in.\u00a0 This should be effortless.\u00a0 Don\u2019t try to hang on to the anger and resentment that wants to linger, let it go and just feel the simple, content, calm pure feelings that your chosen objects have absorbed.\u00a0 Do it for as long as you wish, or have the time for, and then put the bag away for next time.<\/p>\n

If you are carrying your bag with you and are using it in a situation where you can\u2019t light a candle, such as on a bus, in public or at work or school, that\u2019s fine too.\u00a0 Just hold the charm and absorb its power.\u00a0 Likewise, you can add more ritual if you prefer, such as casting a circle or invoking the aid of your chosen deities.<\/p>\n

Enjoy your treasure hunting, and may you find happiness in every little nook and cranny!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Little Bag of Happy No matter how positive we try to be, it\u2019s only human to have \u201coff\u201d days where we are lethargic, depressed or angry.\u00a0 Contrarily we all have times where we feel so good, we wish we could hang on to that uncomplicated happiness forever. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0On those nasty dark days, wouldn\u2019t it be convenient if we could have saved a little piece of this brightness \u2013 peace, joy, relaxation, humour, and love \u2013 to draw on later on when we really needed it?\u00a0 I believe we can, by making a crafty, simple charm that I like to call \u201cA Little Bag of Happy\u201d.\u00a0 It\u2019s sort of like keeping some sunshine in a jar in case of a thunder storm, only it\u2019s your own positive energy you are conserving in case you get hit by a cloud of the doldrums. This charm is a version of what is most commonly called a Mojo Bag, only with a bit of a twist.\u00a0 A Mojo Bag is a charm or focusing tool frequently used by practitioners of voodoo.\u00a0 It is a bag of roots, herbs, oils and other objects which are blessed and carried close to one\u2019s body to attract luck, money, love and health.\u00a0 The Little Bag of Happy is based on this concept with your own personal witchy touch.\u00a0 This personal touch of yours is the most important ingredient of all, because this amulet is just for you, yourself.\u00a0 No one can tell you what objects to put into your charm bag, just as no one can dictate what makes you feel peaceful and content.\u00a0 You do not need to purchase any rare herbs, gems or items unless you want to.\u00a0 You can make this with no money out of materials you have on hand and things you will find along the way.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This charm can take one day to make, or you can spread it out over as many days, weeks or months as you wish to gather the special ingredients to put into it.\u00a0 Remember you are powerful, your energy is strong and focused, and the most important ingredient in all your magickal endeavours is you. First, consider what material you\u2019d like the bag itself to be made from.\u00a0 There are endless choices other than it being visually pleasing, although that\u2019s just as good of a reason as any. \u00a0You could use a piece of an outgrown garment you just can\u2019t let go of … you know, those old retro clothes from your good ol\u2019 days that you can\u2019t squeeze into anymore, that are hilariously out of style, but you still can\u2019t part with them?\u00a0 (We all have at least some, admit it!)\u00a0 Well, think about it: these old jeans, band T-shirts or what-have-you are so hard to get rid of because they have good memories attached to them… which makes them perfect for this project!\u00a0 Another example is you could use a cloth napkin from a meal you served where everyone was content and satisfied.\u00a0 I used a piece of cloth cut from a onesie that my daughter had outgrown, feeling that it had absorbed much love and care along with her.\u00a0 No one will see your charm unless you show them, so don\u2019t worry if you\u2019re not much good with a sewing needle.\u00a0 You can just cut a circle out of the cloth, place your collected items in the center, gather up the edges and tie it securely with ribbon, string or thread.\u00a0 Usually a smaller bag is easiest because you can carry it with you. Now comes the fun part: choosing what to put inside. In all you do for the next little while, pay attention to how you feel.\u00a0 Say you go for a walk with a friend and you have a really good laugh over something.\u00a0 Pick up a stone from the ground during that walk and add it to your bag.\u00a0 It will have the laughter in it.\u00a0 Perhaps you are crossing a parking lot and notice a clean white feather lying on the pavement.\u00a0 This is a gift, surprising you with its misplaced beauty.\u00a0 Add it to the mix; noticing a small common pleasure is an uplifting energy.\u00a0 You see kids playing in a pile of leaves, all laughter, abandonment and innocence; pick up a fallen leaf to add some vitality.\u00a0 Get creative.\u00a0 A piece of your favourite candy, the ticket stub from a show that absolutely blew your mind, a pretty button from your grandmother\u2019s button box, even a shed whisker from your pet or familiar who you love so much.\u00a0 Anything that is associated with good feelings is appropriate.\u00a0 Anything that makes you feel positive is perfect.\u00a0 Little random things can trigger rosy feelings, like seeing dandelion fluff and being reminded of how you used to blow on it and make wishes as a kid.\u00a0 Add some in. Proud, peaceful, pleased, amazed, loved, loving, creative, beautiful…\u00a0 all of these are options for the charm.\u00a0 Pick an object associated with that feeling \u2013 doesn\u2019t matter what it is — and add it in to create one big energy-stew of positivity. What shouldn\u2019t you add to your Little Bag of Happy?\u00a0 Anything with negativity attached to it.\u00a0 If you have to hmm and haw over whether or not it is appropriate, don\u2019t add it.\u00a0 For example, say you have a gorgeous gold earring without a mate that you want to put in because it represents beauty to you, but every time you look at it you are also reminded of the person who gave it to you, who treated you poorly in a relationship. \u00a0This earring ultimately makes you think of the bad relationship, so don\u2019t put it in. \u00a0Stick to pure, spontaneous simple thoughts without a lot of back up story, especially the kind with a bad ending. So now that you have collected all your trinkets and treasures and tied them securely into a bag, here\u2019s what to do with it. Any time you\u2019re having a bad day, feeling low on energy, having self-defeating thoughts or are emotionally drained you can use The Little Bag of Happy to help you recharge.\u00a0 Light a yellow candle and sit or lie quietly, holding the bad in your hands.\u00a0 I find that holding it over the solar plexus is helpful, as this is an emotional energy center of the body.\u00a0 Take some deep cleansing breaths, and let the contents of the bag speak to you.\u00a0 Feel the energies that you yourself experienced and kept: the joy, the peaceful feeling you got on holiday, the hope behind the dandelion fluff wishes, the laughter, and the softness of happy moments.\u00a0 Let the energy spread throughout your body by visualizing yellow or pinkish light growing and expanding into your limbs, fingertips and toes.\u00a0 Pay special attention to the head.\u00a0 Let the good vibes in.\u00a0 This should be effortless.\u00a0 Don\u2019t try to hang on to the anger and resentment that wants to linger, let it go and just feel the simple, content, calm pure feelings that your chosen objects have absorbed.\u00a0 Do it for as long as you wish, or have the time for, and then put the bag away for next time. If you are carrying your bag with you and are using it in a situation where you can\u2019t light a candle, such as on a bus, in public or at work or school, that\u2019s fine too.\u00a0 Just hold the charm and absorb its power.\u00a0 Likewise, you can add more ritual if you prefer, such as casting a circle or invoking the aid of your chosen deities. Enjoy your treasure hunting, and may you find happiness in every little nook and cranny!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":152,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":1,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5588","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5588","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/152"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5588"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5588\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5459,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5588\/revisions\/5459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5588"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5588"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5588"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}