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Ancient inhabitants of Puerto Rico were known as Taíno Indians. They left behind a lot of their stories in the form of symbols. The Taíno society did not believe in private property. Whatever was grown or killed was for the whole. They did not believe the land, food or the resources was ever "thiers". In fact they celebrations nightly to give thank to the spirits for allowing them another day to live, breath and eat. They honored all beings that lived and those that passed. #botanicataino 
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 I get asked about my beads all the time. People are naturally drawn to them from spirit and curiosity. Receiving Elekes When you receive sacred beads it is the formal induction into Orisha worship. The beads represent the energy of the various Orisha. The beads are a vehicle to connect you to the Orisha on a daily basis. It’s like a mini shrine being placed on your person. The ceremony of receiving your sacred beads is like your baptism or first communion. It makes the statement that you belong to a family of worshipers in a particular line or spiritual lineage. The persons that perform the ceremony for you are your spiritual teacher guides or known in the New World as “Godparent.” This relationship is rooted in the traditions that go back thousand of years. The Godparents responsibility is to guide, advise, and support the Godchild/student, whenever he or she requires it spiritually, emotionally, physically and at times financially. The responsibility of the Godchild or student to the Godparent is to establish and deepen the already established relationship. The student is expected to learn the traditional protocol and follow them with regard to the Godparent. Respect publicly and privately is expected as well as a reciprocal caring relationship. Keeping an open communication with your Godparent is an important aspect of your life. On the Orisha birthday of the Godparent the godchild’s presence is required and offering brought to the shrine. Interested In Purchasing some? Click Here to see the line of elekes we carry.
 The benefits of lavender have been at the forefront of my mind lately… maybe it has something do with our home office being surrounded by the beautiful buds. It’s one of my favorite scents — my mind is soothed and I feel like I’m up in clouds every time it touches my senses.
Lavender can help cure a lot of things and is an essential to have in everyone’s household. Lavender essential oil can go a long way. Here are some magical tricks you can do with it. Beat Insomnia – Place a few drops on your pillow before bed, or make your own lavender sleep pillow with muslin fabric and dried lavender buds. Sooth Headaches – Massage the oil onto your temples, back of neck, and forehead to relieve any tension headaches. Heal Wounds – Dilute lavender oil with olive or jojoba oil, mixing 1 part lavender to 10 parts of another oil and apply to wounds. Cure Digestive Problems – Have a go at making some lavender tea at home to help sooth digestive problems and to relieve gas problems.
Ease Anxiety and Depression – Having lavender around the house can help soothe your mind. Place lavender stems with their buds in little vases – I usually place a big bunch in my bathroom and let the scent linger. Herbal Dream pillows have been used for centuries. By using a blend of specific herbs and flowers one is said to be able to experience vivid and meaningful dreams as well as receive relief from nightmares. Today we acknowledge the research that proves the smell of herbs, flowers and essential oils can have a positive effect on our ability to relax, mental health, and our dreams. The practice of placing herbs under one’s pillow dates back centuries, and was originally done to protect against evil, calm bad dreams, foresee the future, bring good dreams, or conjure a lover into one’s life. Babies were often given small pillows filled with herbs to help calm them or to ease crying during the bedtime hours. They have also been called sleep or comfort pillows, and they were filled with relaxing herbs. No matter the reason, herbal pillows are beneficial for adults, children, and pets. The scent of the herbs in these dream pillows will not be as strong as a potpourri, it will definitely be more subtle. The hope is that they will promote a more restful sleep and ward off bad dreams. If you, or someone you know, has trouble sleeping when traveling, bring a dream pillow with you to as a sleep aid. To Prepare an Herbal Pillow:
For a sewing-free option, use cotton muslin bags or scraps of fabric tied tight with twine or yarn. * If using a mesh insert, you could sew really small buttons onto the dream pillow to close the bag or use Velcro. To use: Sleep and dream pillows can be tucked inside, under, or next to pillows where they will emit their fragrance throughout the night. Herbal pillows are great for all ages and for those who have a difficult time falling asleep. For a blend that encourages deep sleep, blend any of the following herbs:
Catnip: Relaxing, helps bring deep sleep. Chamomile: Calming, relaxing, and said to keep bad dreams away. * People prone to allergies may want to test this out first before mixing it wth other herbs to see if there is a reaction. Hops: Relaxing and brings peacefulness. Lavender: Soothing, relaxing and eases headaches. Lemon Balm: Relieves stress, anxious and nervous feelings, insomnia, stress, and headaches. Rose petals: Brings warmth and love. Rosemary: Traditionally used to bring deep sleep and keep away bad dreams. Sweet Marjoram: Calms restlessness and nervousness. Passionflower: Used as a mild sedative in herbal medicines, passionflower adds a quieting effect to the dream pillow. Flowers and leaves are both used, but flowers are preferred. Calendula: Used to induce restful sleep. Lilac: Use lilac for sweet, safe, and peaceful dream mixes, in small amounts. It's also good in mixes for the sickroom, and for travelers' blends. In larger amounts, lilac adds sensuality. Herbal pillows are for those who want to enhance their dreaming or wish to remember their dreams. To create a blend that encourages dreaming, blend any of the following organic herbs: Catnip: Relaxing, helps bring deep sleep. Chamomile: Calming, relaxing, and said to keep bad dreams away. Cloves: Brings warmth and an exotic feeling to dreams, add only 2-4 per pillow. Hops: Relaxing and brings peacefulness. Lavender: Soothing, relaxing and eases headaches. Lemon Verbena: Uplifting, used to add “lightness” to dream blends. Mugwort: Greatly enhances lucid dreaming and helps with remembering of dreams. Peppermint or Spearmint: Enhances clarity and vividness in dreams. Rose petals: Brings warmth and love, may be used to evoke romantic dreams. Rosemary: Traditionally used to bring deep sleep and keep away bad dreams. Mint: Just a small amount of mint works like a tuning knob on a television. It adds clarity, vividness, and color to dreams. A mojo bag is a powerful tool in the magic of Hoodoo. One of the most potent and simple methods for connecting with our magical guides is to carry a well-prepared mojo bag. It is widely believed that mojo bags are the man-made manifestation of a spiritual being and that they contain life-like properties.
The primary amulet of the Hoodoo religion, a mojo bag is essentially a flannel bag containing magical items of significance to the bags owner. The word mojo is thought by some to be related to the West African word "mojuba," meaning a prayer of admiration and protection, as it is a "prayer in a bag" - a hex you can carry with you. While a mojo bag is the staple talisman in the Hoodoo tradition, it appears in other magickal traditions as well. It is characterized as a flannel bag, usually red in color, containing one or more magickal items. Although most mojo bags are made of red flannel, some magickal practitioners prefer the color symbolism associated with candle magick and will match the color of the mojo bag to their goal. Other names for these charms include gris gris, nation sack, mojo hand, toby and conjure bag. The practice is most commonly attributed to Hoodoo and Rootwork, but has also gained much popularity in modern Shamanic and New Age groups. Crafting a Mojo Bag Each practitioner has his or her own method of preparing and fixing a mojo bag. There are certain steps in the process that are considered universal. The ritual for preparing and fixing a mojo bag is usually performed on an altar or other sacred place and will often be accompanied by the burning of candles and incense. The first step in creating your mojo bag is to select a cloth bag whose color resonates with your intention. Here is a list to help you choose the most appropriate color for your mojo bag.
Once you have selected the proper bag, you must empower it. Begin by marking a candle with your goal. Impale the candle with nine pins, asserting your desire with the insertion of each pin. The ninth and final pin should be inserted directly through the candles wick. Light some incense and then light your candle. Contents of a Mojo Bag What you put in your mojo bag is as, if not more, important than the color of the bag. Fill the bag with the corresponding herbs, stones and symbols of your intention. For example...
If you prefer, you can buy a blessed mojo bag from Botanica Taino, that has already been prepared, energized and blessed by our resident Shaman Buddhist. Using Your Mojo Bag Your mojo bag should be carried with you for the first week and you should sleep with it near you at night. It should also be fed each day for a total of seven days, at the same time it was originally fixed, if possible. After the first week, you may carry it on you during the day, or you may put it away in a private place. From that point forward, feed the mojo once a week for four weeks on the same day of the week that it was made. After that month, it should then be fed once a month when the moon is new. Once properly assembled and empowered, you should carry your mojo bag on you below the waist and sleep with it under your pillow. Over time, your mojo bag may need to be refreshed. This process entails taking the mojo bag apart, saving hard items and removing and replacing leafy/dried herbs. The contents are then reassembled into a new mojo bag, which is prayed over and fed. Some people believe that a mojo’s power generally last for a year, and should be buried after that time. Others feel that if your mojo bag is still working for you do not make any changes. Your mojo bag is only for your eyes and hands. No one else can touch or see it. Your mojo has its own name that you can use to speak to it and ask for its direct assistance at any time. This potent manifestation tool will empower you in a myriad of ways to easily and effortlessly obtain your desires. |
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June 2019
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