Charm Bags

Charm bags, amulets, mojo bags, Witches Bottles.  Big rings with secret compartments, what ever way you chose to carry your herbs, the results are the same.  The idea is to empower the herbs with your intent, and carry them with you.  These can be used for all kinds of Magickal purposes, protection, to attract a love, to repel negativity.

This is an easy lesson, I will cover a basic charm bag, you provide the imagination and creativity for how you will assemble your own amulets and charm bags.

Chose a material.  I have made these out of flannel I had in my scrap bag, and I have gone and purchased velvet (at $12 a yard!-Thank goodness they let me buy a quarter yard).  Chose your color for your intent.  Double your material over so you get two pieces exactly the same and cut your bag leaving room for a seam allowance.  Right sides together (the side you will want to be on the outside when done), sew your bag together leaving the top open.  I am one of those heat seal tape people.  You can get this in any notions department and it turns someone with 11 thumbs like me into instant seamstress!  At the top of the bag, turn over enough material to leave room for the drawstring if you wish one.  Sew this "tube".  Turn your bag right side out.  Run the drawstring through the tube.  Stuff with your herbs and tie shut(or stitch closed).  Concecrate and carry.

You can purchase Charm bottles from hundreds, even thousands of places on the net.  You can get amulets with secret compartments.  But I think the strongest Magick comes from making your own.  Chanting while cutting and sewing aids in power.  Embroidering or sewing stones or crystal chips on your bag gathers energy towards your intent.  Feathers of chosen colors and bead work.  What you put into your Magick is what you get out of your Magick.

These will last a good long time working for you.  It doesn't hurt to re-empower them now and then, whenever you feel they need refreshing.  And changing the herbs occasionally is a good idea, once or twice a year should be good.  Any time you decide to take a charm out of usage, remember to release the charm and the herbs, and return at least the herbs to the elements.  Purists would say the whole bag, this is up to how you see it.  I don't think many people would take a $30 herb ring and bury it in the yard after one usage.  A good cleansing ritual would work here.

reprint from Circle of Stars/Magickal Herbal Usages Class/Mystic Dragon Rider-teacher