Vodou (voodoo) is a religion. It's often confused with hoodoo. A lot of people claim to "practice" it. When in actuality they're usually referring to kitchen witchery. Either that or they, like so many online "Wiccans" claim to be practitioners of the religion, but haven't actually been initiated. Many religions require an initiation, including Vodou, Wicca, and even Islam. Just like you can't wake up one day and decide you're a Muslim, without taking the Shahada in front of at least three reputable witnesses, a Vodouist goes through an initiation where they get in touch with their Lwa.
The too long, didn't read version: If you haven't undergone a ceremony to become a Vodouist, it isn't a voodoo doll, it's a poppet.
Hello. for practice the Voodoo I made the voodoo. and it is someone living in Africa who sends me the objects for the practice. if you are serious we could talk in email.
have a nice day
I would be extremely cautious about someone offering to "send stuff to make Voodoo."
Voodoo is a closed initiatory practice. A person must be chosen for the practice, and undergoes a very involved initiation, in-person, by seasoned practitioners of the faith.
To simply answer your question, to make a doll you can use play dough or artist's clay.Just give it 2 arms, 2 legs, a torso and a head. However as already stated you may not make Vodou doll as that is a sacred technique in the religion.
It's perfectly fine to make a poppet or doll baby to represent one's self. Many practitioners do something like this, for various reasons. A very easy example of why, is that a person will make a representative of themselves to be the target for incoming negativity, psychic attacks, or what have you. When they believe the item has fulfilled its purpose, it can be destroyed. That way, the item receives the brunt of attacks in stead of the person who made it. This is one example of how one can be used in protective sympathetic magic.
Additionally, some people will use one as a reservoir for energy, to receive and hold incoming blessings, positivity, etc., just as the other concept did with negativity. In this way, the practitioner may return home and receive all which may have been missed.
Of course, a person can use sympathetic magic on their own behalf for many other reasons. In stead of casting a spell on themselves, they can cast it on the thing which represents them, as it may be psychologically easier. In stead of, "I will find my true love," it could be, "They (the poppet, slip of paper, image, whatever represents them) will find their true love." Or heal. Or use a pendulum to read the chakras for blockages. The limits are only in the mind of the practitioner. Sympathetic magic is an amazing thing.
Someone can be voodoo, Islamic, jewish, wiccan, etc by simply deciding truly to believing so. To say one has to be initiated is ridiculous to me and I can't believe someone else hasn't argued yet about it. Maybe it's just me, but I don't believe a person has to grant it onto you to make it official. Just follow the faith and beliefs.
The definition of Christianity at its core is believing in God and Jesus. If I chose to believe such then I'm Christian. Doesn't matter if I never yet stepped foot into a church or anything. The same goes for paganism, Wicca, and Islamic religions.
Re: Voodoo doll of myself? By: HearthWitch / Knowledgeable
Post # 10 Aug 16, 2019
Most of these religions are open to everyone and can be followed in this way but Voodoo and Vodou is a closed religion that requires initiation, without it, a person loses the meaning behind the religion as these things are taught between teacher and student during and after initiation.
It is also out of respect for a religion that is very closely guarded and should be appreciated for that. It takes real dedication to go through the often quite intensive initiation process. I understand people being self-dedicated into Wicca, or choosing to follow Christianity in their own way, but they then can't then call themselves an initiated British Wiccan (for example) as they aren't.
Vodou and other religions of the African Diaspora aren't the same as Abrahamic religions or Western Pagan religions, and it should be treated as such. Many people follow the Loa and work with the spirits of Vodou/Voodoo, but they are not of the Vodou faith unless they are initiated, out of respect for the culture and the spirits of the faith.
Louisiana Voodoo is often confused with Haitian Vodou and Deep Southern Hoodoo. While related to these forms of the religion, it is a belief system of its own. Vodou, Voodoo, and Hoodoo are three separate things.
New Orleans Voodoo differs from Haitian Vodou in its emphasis upon gris-gris, Voodoo queens, and use of Hoodoo paraphernalia. It was through Louisiana Voodoo that such terms as gris-gris" and "Voodoo dolls"' were introduced into the American lexicon.
Traditional Vodoun doesn't use the word "voodoo doll"...that is a Louisiana Voodoo specific term. :D
SO, if you are looking to make a "voodoo" doll of yourself, I would look into New Orleans style voodoo, since that is where the term comes from.
A friend of mine has made poppets of people out of action figures for the past 30+ years. I have one of myself. It is a very handy thing to have. I can set up a action figure sized circle and do workings through the medium of the poppet. I can have it in a circle of protection or whatever and then go to work and have a projected circle around me, for example.
