Medicine Bags

For centuries, people have worn small medicine bags around their necks to give protection, guidance, good luck, good health, abundance or love to it's wearer.

This bags are often filled with small trinkets that represent the thing that that individual would like to draw into their lives. It might contain talismans such as stones, herbs, animal fetishes or personal items to hold and transmit the needed energies for manifestation.

Some people hang these bags on the wall, or place them on an altar, but it is believed that they have more power to influence your life when worn on the body. When you get a medicine bag, you should collect items that represent the thing you would like to manifest.

Here are some items you might want to consider putting in your bag to bring about different intentions:

Other objects you might consider adding might be photographs, a slip of paper that affirms what you are creating, something that holds your energy, such as a snip of hair. You may want to decorate the bag in such a way that it speaks to you, and what you are choosing to create.

It is often considered a good idea to keep the bag to your self. it is best if others do not open it, or handle the items contained in the bag.. but this of course, is up to your judgment.

Consecrating the bag:
After getting the bag and acquiring some or all of the items to put inside of it, it is wise to consecrate the medicine bag for its use. To do so, you will need to begin by setting up sacred space. This can mean getting your bag, all its contents, and any ritua litems you might need together, and then go outside or into a room that is clean and energetically clear. Ideally, you should be somewhere that you will not be disturbed. Once you get alll settled, feel your connection to the Earth, and ground your energy. Feel your connection to the sky, pulling the energy of the heavens into your body. Welcome of elemental energies of the air, the fire, the water and the earth. Welcome the energies of the four directions. Welcome your animal allies and guides. Welcome the great spirit in whatever way feels appropriate to you in the tradition that you follow. Thank the spirits for attending, and give them an offering of corn meal, corn pollen, tobacco, or whatever you feel would be an appropriate offering. Tell Spirit what you want to bring about, setting your intention for this medicine bag. Consecrate the bag and the items to go in it with the four elements. Burn some smudge or incense, and run the objects through the smoke. Pass them through a flame (if you can do it without burning it.) Sprinkle them with water. Touch them to the Earth, or sprinkle them with salt. Place the items in the bag one at a time. Ask each item to help you to manifest your dream. Once the bag is full, Ask all the spirits present to bless your vision for your self. Then hold the medicine bag to your heart. Envision your wish as if it is already true. Place it in the present in the time line. Feel what it feels like to have the dream real in present time. Place the bag on your neck. Thank the spirits once again, and open the way so that they may return from whence they came. When ever you wear the bag, spend a little time holding it to your heart, envisioning your dream as real in the present moment.

If wearing a medicine bag is not for you, perhaps you might like to use a dream box as way of magically bringing your dreams to fruition. You can use it very much the same way as the medicine pouch, only instead of wearing it, you put the little box of magical items next to your bed. Before you sleep at night, and when you wake in the morning, hold the box, and affirm your vision as reality, bringing the vision from the dream world into physical reality. Legend says if this is done faithfully, your dream will come true.

Do as you will and harm none.

blessings,

Sylvia Brallier
Director of
The Tantric Shamanism, Institute