A mojo bag is a powerful tool in the magic of Hoodoo. One of the most potent and simple methods for connecting with our magical guides is to carry a well-prepared mojo bag. It is widely believed that mojo bags are the man-made manifestation of a spiritual being and that they contain life-like properties.

The primary amulet of the Hoodoo religion, a mojo bag is essentially a flannel bag containing magical items of significance to the owner of the bag. The word mojo is thought by some to be related to the West African word "mojuba," meaning a prayer of admiration and protection, as it is a "prayer in a bag" - a hex you can carry with you. Another possibility is that the name derives from the Kongo word "mooyoo," the ashes and ground-up bones of an ancestor that are hidden in the front of the statue of nkisi ndoki. It is quite common for mojo bags to contain the bones of humans or animals.

While a mojo bag is a staple talisman in the Hoodoo tradition, it appears in other magickal traditions as well. It is characterized as a flannel bag, usually red in color, containing one or more magickal items. Although most mojo bags are made of red flannel, some magickal practitioners prefer the color symbolism associated with candle magick and will match the color of the mojo bag to their goal. Other names for these charms include gris gris, nation sack, mojo hand, toby, and conjure bag. The practice is most commonly attributed to Hoodoo and Rootwork but has also gained much popularity in modern Shamanic and New Age groups.

Crafting Your Mojo Bag

Each practitioner has his or her own method of preparing and fixing a mojo bag. There are certain steps in the process that are considered universal. The ritual for preparing and fixing a mojo bag is usually performed on an altar or other sacred place and will often be accompanied by the burning of candles and incense.

The first step in creating your mojo bag is to select a cloth bag whose color resonates with your intention. Here is a list to help you choose the most appropriate color for your mojo bag.

Red. passion, protection, martial energy, courage, working with Mars
Orange. vitality, success, endurance, swiftness, working with Mercury
Yellow. creativity, self-expression, joy, charisma, working with the Sun
Green. prosperity, wealth, "luck," employment, working with Venus
Blue. philosophy, wisdom, intellect, eloquence, working with Jupiter
Purple. spirituality, karmic healing, divination
Pink. emotional healing, love, friendship, beauty, art, romance
White. soothing, psychological healing, angelic guidance, peace
Grey. mystery, secrets, becoming "invisible," illusion, neutrality
Black. banishing negativity, protection, discipline, working with Saturn
Silver. meditation, yin/goddess energy, receptivity, working with the Moon
Gold. prosperity, yang/god energy, working with the Sun

Once you have selected the proper bag, you must empower it. Begin by marking a candle with your goal. Impale the candle with nine pins, asserting your desire with the insertion of each pin. The ninth and final pin should be inserted directly through the candle's wick. Light some incense and then light your candle.

What To Put Inside Your Mojo Bag

What you put in your mojo bag is as, if not more, important than the color of the bag. Fill the bag with the corresponding herbs, stones, and symbols of your intention. For example...

For protection, fill your bag with lodestone, black tourmaline, morning glory, and basil. Place a circle of protection amulet in the bag.
For good luck, fill your bag with lucky hand root, a pinch of five-finger grass, some John the Conqueror root, and a sprinkling of Fast Luck oil. For added luck, place a rabbit foot in the bag.
For wealth and prosperity, fill your bag with a lodestone, a seal of antiquelis medal, a pinch of sugar, and a John the Conqueror root. Dress the bag with prosperity oil.
For love, fill your bag with a matched pair of lodestones covered with magnetic sand. Add a piece of rose quartz and some rose hips to the bag. Dress the bag with seduction oil.
To remove a jinx, stop crossed conditions, or drive away evil, fill your bag with a pinch of five-finger grass, uncrossing salt, and poke root. Spray the bag with jinx-removing spray and sprinkle with uncrossing oil.

Once you have added all of the pertinent items to your mojo bag, pull the drawstring closed tightly and tie the strings into a knot, holding the bag shut. Tie the two ends into a second knot, tucking the ends underneath themselves. As you tie the bag, repeat the words “With these knots, I bind you to this purpose.” After you have secured your bag, you must "feed' it by anointing it with a corresponding magick oil. As you sprinkle or rub the oil on the bag, say “With this oil, I give you strength to accomplish your purpose.”

If you prefer, you can buy a blessed mojo bag from Original Products Botanica, that has already been prepared, energized, and blessed by our resident Santero/Houngan Jorge Obba.

How To Use Your Mojo Bag

Your mojo bag should be carried with you for the first week and you should sleep with it near you at night. It should also be fed each day for a total of seven days, at the same time it was originally fixed, if possible. After the first week, you may carry it on you during the day, or you may put it away in a private place.

From that point forward, feed the mojo once a week for four weeks on the same day of the week that it was made. Feeding your bag means either bathing it in incense smoke or applying oils to the outside and inside of the bag. After that month, it should then be fed once a month when the moon is new. Once properly assembled and empowered, you should carry your mojo bag on you below the waist and sleep with it under your pillow.

Over time, your mojo bag may need to be refreshed. This is often done in late September, near the fall equinox. This process entails taking the mojo bag apart, saving hard items, and removing and replacing leafy/dried herbs. The contents are then reassembled into a new mojo bag, which is prayed over and fed. Some people believe that a mojo’s power generally last for a year, and should be buried after that time. Others feel that if your mojo bag is still working for you do not make any changes.

Your mojo bag is only for your eyes and hands. No one else can touch or see it. Your mojo has its own name that you can use to speak to it and ask for its direct assistance at any time. This potent manifestation tool will empower you in a myriad of ways to easily and effortlessly obtain your desires.