Spirit Doll by GroggyFroggy @Flickr
Spirit dolls are one of the many magickal objects that have gotten a bad rap due to misinformation. This is unfortunate, because when it comes to pinpoint accuracy in focusing on a target, they are fantastic.
Here are two examples of spirit dolls:
Voodoo dolls
One of the best known and least understood of the spirit doll family is the Voodoo doll.
The ignorant have taught the masses that they are dolls used solely to bring pain, discomfort and even death to those whose image they bear. This is a complete fabrication. In reality, you can equally use Voodoo dolls to bring prosperity, healing and good fortune to a target. It’s all down to the intent of the doll’s creator.
Interestingly, if you take the time to talk to those who practice Voodoo, you will find that historically and now a vast majority of the dolls are ones created with positive intent.
Poppets
In Europe, the spirit dolls that carry the biggest stigma are poppets.
Unlike Voodoo dolls, you can make poppets from a great variety of materials. Two of the most historically favoured are wax and cloth.
As with voodoo dolls, various magickal practitioners have used them for a myriad of purposes, some to build and others to destroy.
What spirit dolls truly are
Spirit dolls, as I mentioned above, are magickal-focusing tools (or literally homes for spirits, depending on your intent when making them).
They’re uniqueness lies in their ability to take the intent of your unconscious mind and bring it to a laser-like focus on a specific aspect of your target. The reason they can do this so effectively is that you, or the one you purchase the doll from forms every part of them with the target and what you intend for her in mind.
If you’re interested in making your own spirit doll, the Soul Path Tribe will be making dolls as a craft project next month. We’d love to see your creative added there too!
I'm an eclectic wizard, ordained minister, and writer who loves to dabble, write, share and teach on all things magickal and spiritual. I'm a native of sunny California but now live in England.
I like the advice that Luisah Tesh (?) gave in her book “Jambalaya.” Tesh suggested that if you’re going to make a voudou doll, make her pretty. This makes sense, given the idea you are using the doll to attract something into your life.
i am in assumption that katinia dolls are another spirit doll.. although i may be SPELLING Katinia wrong (no pun inntended at first) they are used by the Navajo tribe and i believe other tribes as well.. they depict different “gods” and are to bring health, protection, wealth, rain, prosperity and other positive aspects into a home dwelling or i suppose to be person these dolls are presented to… they are hand made although some have been imitated to sell to tourist.. hey in this world everyone needs to make a buck… i have Shamanic, Wiccan, Buddist, beliefs and am constantly looking to strengthen myself by learning as i go.. we are all spirits on a human journey and we only become human to learn… so if any info i have said is incorrect, then forgive me… blessed be
Perfect example. In the magickal paths I’ve travelled, I’ve not yet spent much time in Native American lore and customs. I read just a smattering about these dolls years ago, but had no memory of them when writing this piece.
Now that you’ve brought them to mind, I’m going to take some time over the next week to research them a bit.
Thanks again for mentioning them=)
I agree….the way you dress the doll says so much about intention. I also think that formation is important as well. A healing doll, in my opinion, should be more elegant and healthy looking. A doll for hexing might be more disproportionate.
They’re spelled Kachina dolls, and they’re Hopi, not Navajo, just to clarify.
Liz
Author of The House at 844 1/2
Thanks for the clarifications=)
I have never made a spirit doll, but I have made a spirit house specifically for prosperity. I also have “houses” waiting to be decorated for career and creativity.
How fantastic! Do you have pictures? I’ve never thought of doing a house. What an excellent way to pay tribute to the spirit of the home as well as bring blessings in.
I’m glad you brought this up. Hollywood did us all a disservice with those Voodoo-dolls. I’ve researched poppet magic as far as I’ve been able to get, and I’ve got a fair bit of material on them. Some of course is for the negative purposes, but most are just for focus.
Hollywood… the bane of all things beautiful and worthwhile=(
It’s not easy to get quality information on either Voodoo dolls or poppets. I’ve searched libraries, leafed through bookshops in Glastonbury and surfed the net, and still I get this feeling I’ve only barely scraped the tip of the iceberg.
What suggestions do you have for me? I’d love to further my research.
I can send you what I’ve got. It isn’t much,b ut I hope it’s accurate. It’s on European use.
If it’s not too much trouble, I’d love that=)
Thanks so much
Send me an email at linda(AT)heksebua.com, and I’ll send it to you