Intro: trying to recover my family's spiritual traditions

[snowmountain]

Hi, I was directed here by a friend. I am trying to figure out what kind of spiritual practice my older relatives followed. They passed some time ago, but I remember many things from when I was a child. But my mother converted to a strict type of Christianity and won't provide answers except to say older family members were superstitious and foolish.

I remember a lot of animal lore, looking for signs in nature, hunting and using herbs and plants from the forest, a reverence for snakes, and some types of prophecy, from using the Bible (like turning to a random page), to some scrying in a crystal, interpreting dreams, when and where you see a certain animal and so on.

However, they also considered themselves Christian of course. Some of these things they did I still do now, but I'd like to know more of the origin.

Snowmountain

[MissMichaele]

Hi, I was directed here by a friend. I am trying to figure out what kind of spiritual practice my older relatives followed. They passed some time ago, but I remember many things from when I was a child. But my mother converted to a strict type of Christianity and won't provide answers except to say older family members were superstitious and foolish.

I remember a lot of animal lore, looking for signs in nature, hunting and using herbs and plants from the forest, a reverence for snakes, and some types of prophecy, from using the Bible (like turning to a random page), to some scrying in a crystal, interpreting dreams, when and where you see a certain animal and so on.

However, they also considered themselves Christian of course. Some of these things they did I still do now, but I'd like to know more of the origin.

Snowmountain

Welcome, Snowmountain! The folk-magic traditions of America have long been associated with Christianity and practiced by devout believers, so that doesn't surprise me at all.

I'm a bibliomancer myself -- took to it like a duck to water.

I'm looking forward to your questions and contributions in the forum -- but first, here's a basket-o-links to help you find your way around.

Read these web pages from catherine yronwode's book "Hoodoo in Theory and Practice" for more preliminary information:

Hoodoo History:
http://luckymojo.com/hoodoohistory.html

Oils:
http://luckymojo.com/oils.html

Baths:
http://luckymojo.com/baths.html

Powders:
http://luckymojo.com/powders.html

Incense:
http://luckymojo.com/incense.html

Candles:
http://luckymojo.com/candlemagic.html

Herbs:
http://herb-magic.com

Conditions and how we can address them:
http://luckymojo.com/hoodooataglance.html

Now that you are here in our forum, please take a moment to notice that the board is divided into four parts:

1) News and Announcements about the Lucky Mojo Curio Company and this site.

2) Lucky Mojo Spiritual Supplies and how to use them, listed in threads by product type and product title.

3) Life Conditions and Situations, with recommended Lucky Mojo products, spells, and advice.

4) The Online Hoodoo Community, including sites, events, and outreach sponsored by Lucky Mojo.

When you post, it helps your moderators, who are recompensed volunteers, if you post in the area of the board that is best suited to the archival of your question or comment. That way moderators will not have to move your post or merge it into ongoing threads.

If you can't find a post you made, it may have been moved or merged. Go to your profile by clicking on your name and "search recent posts" -- you will find it.

Within each board section there are STICKY threads -- ones that always stay "stuck" to the top. These are popular discussion-threads that you can read and add to if your questions or comments fall into one of these oft-broached topics. If you don't see a "sticky" that relates to your question, feel free to start a new thread in the relevant section.

We do have a few "thou shalt not" rules here, and they can be found in the Forum Rules link at the top of each page. Most important for newbies are these four common errors to avoid:

1) Please do not come here asking for our formulas for conjure oils or for instructions on how to use spiritual supplies that you bought at a grocery store or at a competitor of ours; this is the Lucky Mojo Forum and is financially supported by the Lucky Mojo Curio Co.

2) Please do not spam the moderators by sending multiple duplicated private messages asking for personal help outside the board; many of our moderators do perform readings and rootwork spell-casting for clients, but they are professionals and you should approach them as you would any other professional.

3) Please do not post illegal copies of material from other web sites or from books.

4) Please do not post put-downs of any group of people based on their religion, race, or national origin, including derogatory comments about religions to which you may have previously been an adherent or comments in which you seek to falsely conflate any religion with the practice of evil sorcery.

===========

Best of luck,

Miss Michaele

[MoonBreath]

Hi Snowmountain and welcome aboard! I too wish I could find out what my older relatives did ... but a generation of "science" oriented men have left me in the dark too. How I wish I could ask my Grandmother questions about her "Old Wives' Tales"! It is fun here on this forum ... you will learn a lot. Best of luck!

[Miss Phoenix]

Hi Snowmountain, My father's family came here from Norway and every time I ask about the traditions and customs that they did back "in the homeland", I get a list of answers on the American customs that they adjusted to once they got to the North. Although I love learning about this customs, I wish I could get more information on the folk practices that are my roots. So I totally understand where you are coming from.

However, the exploring and learning is a lot of fun!

Welcome to the forums!

[MissMichaele]

Miss Phoenix, as frustrating as it is to have so little access to the old-country ways, your family's adaptation to American culture is a study in itself. That would tickle my brain, for sure.

Good luck,

Miss Michaele