Often poppet magic is done to protect one’s self or to protect others. Often it’s considered “offensive” or a “Grey magic” (as opposed to all happiness and light “white”). When I use a poppet, it’s to help me protect myself and to help me remember my boundaries. Remember what I’ve written before about intentions? Poppets are a way to set intentions and to show you, the Witch, a prop.

Dolls or poppets can also be used as a representation of a person who needs your help, or whom you need help from. Poppet magic is very old; and very easy. It is often confused with the Vudu doll or dolls used in Santeria. This is not the same thing, here at the QueerCoven, we don’t practice Santeria, but your HeadWitch is familiar with some of the rituals.

Poppet Spells are Intentional Props

When using a pre-made doll rather than a poppet, place the herbs and any personal items in a small bag (you can use a jewellery baggy) and pin that to the doll. You can also place the doll in a dish on top of the herbs (I usually do this) or place the items in front of the doll like an offering.

You can also make paper dolls. Just cut the person shape from paper, colour in their clothing, paste or draw in their face, whatever decorating it feels right.

Clear your mind and set your intention.

Take a “ritual bath”:

Using the mindfulness you’ve cultivated, concentrate on feeling your hair and skin as you wash up. Feel the soap and water. As the soap rinses off, imagine negativity to also be rinsing down the drain.

When you decide to go forward and you feel like your intentions are set, gather your items. Also make a cup of mint tea and a snack. I recommend drinking the mint tea while Working. It will help calm and centre you.

If you choose to make a poppet, follow the directions below. If you’re using a paper doll (which you totally can!) or pre-made dolly, skip to step 7.

After placing the pins, put the dolly in the dish, and on a shelf (if using a poppet, just on the shelf). Do not disturb it for at least a month. When you pass by that space take a moment and give it a little more energy, to tell it your Intention, and why. Always remember the why. You can send energy to do a thing, any time you want to… but remembering why you want it done is more important, and tends to make things work better.

Finally, but probably firstly: Be willing to accept any consequences that will/might arise. Good, or bad. Positive or negative. Even making a dolly to help someone could bring negativity to you through your changed feelings about that person, or their changed feelings toward you. The negativity can also be changes in the way you feel when you enforce your boundaries, versus letting people trample all over them—but even that “negativity” has a good outcome. Accepting consequences and knowing that you’ll deal with whatever comes tends to negate most of the negative ones.

How to make a poppet:

1. Settle on the person you are making the poppet for/of; is this a positive or negative reason?

Positive:

Supporting them, giving them good energies, etc

Sending love and care, sending wards to protect

Negative

Settling energy (giving them back their issues, and taking back your own power)

Enforcing your boundaries in a way that they don’t agree with?

2. You’ll need the following ingredients:

cotton cloth, about 1 square foot

cotton stuffing

herbs that match the energy you’re creating, positive or negative (mint, lavender and lemon can act in both ways; as can tea leaves. Just dig into your herb book and see what speaks to you, don’t worry if its “correspondence” is “correct” or not)

cotton thread

items belonging to the person, clothing, hair, etc, or a photo, (including printed digital ones)

3. Cut out a “poppet”, use your hand as a guide if you need to. Make sure you give the poppet a head, two arms and two legs. Turn it inside out, and sew the edges closed, leaving about 1 inch gap along the side.

4. Turn it right-side out and begin stuffing it with the cotton batting and herb. Put your hair &ct in with the cotton, and your herbs. When you’ve got it nice and full, tuck the ends in and sew it closed.

5. While creating your poppet, concentrate on the person. Concentrate on why. The Why, the Intention, is important. Don’t lose your why. Remember that you’re making a visible object to remind you of your Intention. Remember that your boundaries are valid, or that your energy belongs to you. Or, if you’re making this to help, think of all the wonderful things about your friend. Their awesome and amazing traits, the great things they do, imagine those happy thoughts are sparkling and colourful lights that you’re pouring into that poppet on their behalf.

6. When you’ve finished stuffing the poppet, you can decorate their face with markers, or paint, or even glue the photo face on. Let it dry overnight if you use glue and/or paint.

7. Take up your poppet, concentrate on what you need/desire. Concentrate on the why. Set your intentions.

8. Tell the poppet what you need the person do to (see below for ideas)

Money: Poppet, So-and-So will give me back the money they owe.

Warding: Poppet, So-and-So will be prevented from coming to me, their energy will be repelled

Hang on to your intentions. Do not use your emotions. Emotion will cloud your intention.