DoW: hoodoo tarot

[stronglove]

i, too, will put all my draws with this deck in one thread

i got this deck last week and it completely blew me away. it opened up a whole new esoteric tradition that i somehow resonate deeply with.
i started asking the deck three questions:
1 which card best describes you? what is your deepest essence?
2 what can you do/help me with/reveal?
3 what is your limitation? what can’t you help me with?

this was my draw

Miss Ida is the high priestess. this is the essence of the deck
from the guidebook:
“Ida “Seven Sisters” Carter (ca1900-?) was a rootworker from Hogansville, Alabama. There isn’t much information about Miss Ida, but she told an interviewer that she was called to rootworking at just seven years old. Miss Ida recalled the process of her self-initiation, which consisted of burning seven candles all night while she prayed, starting on the first of May and continuing for six consecutive nights. Miss Ida repeated this process each May for seven years, until the Holy Spirit told her that she was ready to work for the community.”
this magically resonates with my own spiritual practice. shuffling my cards seven times seven is my sacred ritual. inspired by Miss Ida, and in honor of this deck i will add the burning of seven candles, starting on the first of May

the father of baskets is the king of cups. this is what the deck can help me with
from the guidebook:
“The Father of Baskets represents the archetype of the nurturing father and provider. (.....) kind, generous, diplomatic, tolerant, reliable, resourceful, honest and wise.”
so i will consult this deck whenever i feel i am in need of these energies

the big house is the tower. this is where the deck cannot help me
from the guidebook:
“ A woman, looking at a plantation home with a rose-colored lens, is unable to see the suffering of the people plummeting from the window. It’s like they don’t even exist.
There is no greater symbol of Southern gentility than a majestic plantation home surrounded by lush, Victorian gardens. Every year millions of people from all around the world flock to the South for plantation tours as their guides prattle on about lemonade, quaint customs, and corseted balls during what many call simpler times. What they don’t tell you is that most of those villages and fields were already there and thriving prior to the arrival of foreigners. In other words: indigenous people were literally forced to work on their own land! So, while this ‘simpler time’ was certainly the reality for hundreds of prosperous slave owners, it was not for thousands of enslaved people and indentured servants. For them, the house was far from beautiful and was instead an unpredictable house of horrors.”
so this deck will not take the scales from my eyes, it cannot prepare me for change, i will have to do that myself.

but as the father of baskets this deck can be a soft place to fall when my world comes crashing down.

a few days after this draw, i was in dear need of some nurturing and honest advice, so i drew three cards and asked the father of baskets for guidance

this was my draw

father of knives/ king of swords - four of baskets/cups - mother of baskets/ queen of cups

this was absolutely amazing. the archetypal dominant male, the archetypal compassionate mother, and between them a rather rebellious looking child.... what is she refusing/ rejecting? there is so much to draw from these cards..... the message that came through for me was: who do you want to be? it’s your choice! you have all these qualities/ aspects/ possibilities within you, both the ‘positive’ and the ‘negative’, it is time for you to decide which ones you want to rely on, which ones you need to further develop.

[Papageno]

i got this deck last week and it completely blew me away. it opened up a whole new esoteric tradition that i somehow resonate deeply with.

am I correct in seeing these cards as:

High Priestess - King of Cups - Tower

Have you ever use the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot?

[Rose Lalonde]

I've been seeing good comments about this deck from several long time readers, but I don't know much about it, so I look forward to seeing your work with it this week. Like Papageno, I wonder about which cards your draw matches up to.

[stronglove]

i got this deck last week and it completely blew me away. it opened up a whole new esoteric tradition that i somehow resonate deeply with.

am I correct in seeing these cards as:

High Priestess - King of Cups - Tower

Have you ever use the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot?

i have edited my first post and added more information about the cards and my readings

thanks for mentioning the voodoo tarot. i knew of it, but thought it would be hard to connect with because it is so strictly tied to the louisiana/ new orleans voodoo religion and practice. hoodoo feels more accessible to me since it is not a religion but based on/ a ‘branch’ of north american folk magic, with afro-american, native indian and christian aspects, more of a ‘blend’ so to speak. but i checked shamanic arawak priestess’ unboxing video on youtube anyway, and she confirmed my ideas. but hey, i also have the tarot of the orishas, why not go for the voodoo tarot as well? i really like the artwork and could use it as a source of information on voodoo religion and practices. so i put it on my bookdepository wishlist
the art of the voodoo tarot strongly reminds me of the enochian tarot, which is a totally different but equally fascinating system, based on 16th century western ceremonial magic, so i got that out on the table, and immediately got completely engrossed in the guidebook.

[stronglove]

I've been seeing good comments about this deck from several long time readers, but I don't know much about it, so I look forward to seeing your work with it this week. Like Papageno, I wonder about which cards your draw matches up to.

i have edited my first post and added more information about the cards and my readings

[stronglove]

week 11 reading sunday
i am using judith orloff’s ‘power of surrender cards’ to decide on a focus for the week
this is my card

very much needed focus, after two days of bingeing on sugar and carbohydrates..... need to get back to a more healthy way of eating before i can even begin connecting with my body...... let alone listen to it’s messages.

so i draw three cards from the hoodoo tarot for further guidance
1. what to do? 2. what not to do? 3. what will be the outcome if i follow this advice?

while shuffling, this card fell out

i am taking this as a warning, some overall extra advice i need to heed

here’s the result of my draw

ha... bit of a ‘sticky’ draw, lol! apparently a lot of activity is required.
1. what to do? six of sticks/ wands
“ Nat Love (1854-1921), one of the greatest cowboys of all time, is seen riding into town s the people cheer. According to Love’s autobiography, he was badly wounded when he was taken captive by Pima Indians, who eventually nursed him back to health using herbs. The Pimas adopted him as a member of their tribe.”(…)
so while this card depicts the traditional rws scene of victory, i am going for the message of overcoming hardship by healing/ natural remedies. this connects to my intention/ attempts to eat a more plant-based diet, this weekend i clearly fell off the wagon.....
2. what not to do? five of sticks/wands
“A teenager looks cross as four of her peers talk maliciously behind her back. She will cross (jinx) them later.”
this is so interesting.... first thing that came up is how i tend to cross/ jinx myself, surrender to self-sabotage (read: binge-eating) when self-doubt and depression creep in, so this card is spot on, no, i shouldn’t do that anymore.... i know.....i know....
3. the outcome - son of sticks/wands
“The Son of Sticks shows off his six-fingered left hand as he triumphantly holds up a stick with his right one. He is not ashamed of being polydactyl; in fact, he’s proud of it. Polydactylism, dark Mongolian spots, webbed fingers and toes, and being born with a caul over one’s face were the physical signs that indicated a natural talent for rootworking. The Son of Sticks’s ability to do highly effective crossing work (hexes) is evident by the fact that the extra digit is on his left hand. The left hand has long been associated with the deeper mysteries, the devil, or black magic, depending on who you ask. The salamander and red pigmy rattlesnake symbolize the Son’s power.”
wow..... here’s where i am totally blown away.... how is this possible? i have only three fingers on my left hand...... and according to this card that is a sign of my natural talent for rootworking? so instead of a disability/liability this is one of my assets? must find out more about crossing work and hexes, that’s for sure!
anyway, i am going to read this as: if i go back to nurturing/ healing myself with my plant based diet, thereby strengthening my connection to the earth/ nature, and if i stop self-sabotaging/ jinxing myself, i will be more and better able to embody my spiritual power.
i really like the sound of that. it also feels like the cards are challenging me to do this.

wow, this deck surely delivers.....

the Son of Sticks also reminds me of this photograph, taken when i was only 18 months old, before that power started to drain away.

now to the card that fell out
beware/ be aware of: 8 of baskets/ cups
“A man is seen walking away from a house. He is obviously an unwelcome visitor, as someone has placed hot foot powder on the porch to keep him away. There are many different recipes for hot foot powder, but the most common ones usually include pepper, salt, and sulfur.”
Traditionally this card is about leaving, moving on. From the past, from an unhealthy situation, from a harmful relationship. within this reading i see it as a warning not to go back to bingeing and unhealthy food. i probably should put a hex on my bingeing by placing the equivalent of hot foot powder all around it

[Joan Marie]

Wow.
And I can really see why the Son of Sticks triggered a memory of that photo of you as a little one.
Nice.

[stronglove]

week 11 reading monday, focus: surrender to the wisdom of your body

what do i need to do in order to accomplish this?

seven of baskets/ cups, father/king of coins, XXI the garden/ world
ehhm.... that first image really puzzled me, so i had to consult the guidebook
“ A woman with her head in a thick cloud has decided it’s time to get out. So she decides to take a spiritual bath using hyssop to bring back a state of clarity, calm and equilibrium”
ahhh.... i had to look real hard but i ‘saw’ it eventually
this sooooo interesting! this card literally tells me what to do: take a bath! an hour ago my new cleaner accidentally switched on my bubblebath, i’ve not used it for ages, keep planning/wanting/needing to take a bath but never make time for it and have a quick shower instead..... how many more obvious signs do i need
i remeber it’s a full moon tonight, with mercury direct, so a perfect time to make a shift and gain some clarity....
i decide to do a full moon reading with my crystal reading cards, and this is the card/crystal that i draw for mercury.

okay, i get it! tonight’s bath time!

father of coins says: focus on abundance, which i read as: enjoy the abundance you already have
card XXI says: mind your crops and water your garden. yes. will do.

now some info from the guidebook on the other 2 cards
father of coins
“The father of coins displays a genie lamp, an incense burner and a mason jar oil lamp with a mystical name of Allah inside to attract prosperity. Orientalism was very fashionable during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries among the general populace, and especially among occultists. While headscarves, tignons and turbans were certainly not new to the Black American population, some rootworkers began to wear more elaborate Karnak-style turbans to attract customers. It was also during this same time period thatmore Black Americans became interested in researching and studying their Islamic, Moorish, East Indian and Asiatic heritage.”

this is a tignon

couldn’t find a Karnak-style turban though....


the garden (the world)
“Prior to the Industrial Revolution, most Americans were farmers by trade. It was hard work, but people took great pride in knowing that the produce that fed and cured their families ws grown by their own hands. For people with more resources, gardening eventually became a relaxing leisure activity that allowed them to connect with nature or express themselves creatively. Either way, whether for utilitarian or recreational purposes, the rule for a successful harvest doesn’t change, which is this: mind your crops!”

[Rose Lalonde]

Love the info for some of these like Nat Love and hot foot powder on the porch. I would've had no idea about these historical bits. They give each card a backstory particular to the deck.

That great photo of you really resonates with the Son of Sticks. Thanks for sharing that.

[stronglove]

yes this deck is an historical treasure trove, hoodoo really comes alive from within those cards, i love it!

[stronglove]

week 11 reading - tuesday - focus: surrender to the wisdom of your body

VIII strength - six of baskets/cups - V bishop c.h. mason/ hierophant

the animal in the strength card is a puma/ cougar/ mountain lion, a cunning hunter with practically no natural enemies except humans. the message i take from this card is: don’t give up! you can do it! tap into that powerful inner strength/compassion/faith
the six of cups shows two children in a sugarcane field, the boy offers the girl a basket full of rice with bits of sugarcane on top. i am getting a strong feeling of love and compassion and tenderness, which i am connecting to that photograph of me when i was 18 months old. i would like to reach out to that child because she is so full of joy and energy, completely at home in her body. see if i can get back some of that youthful mojo.....
bishop c.h. mason is a bit of a puzzle. the photo refers to his spiritual baptism, when he was visited by the Holy Spirit and enveloped by light, and a flame touched his tongue, so he spoke in a new language. he was a Pentacostal Holiness denominational leader and the first senior bishop of the Church of God in Christ.
his message is all about being humble, surrendering to conventional institutionalized wisdom, following the leader/ moral laws/ conforming to rules, which is definitely not my thing... but though this feels totally out of my comfort zone, it might be worth trying to follow a regime, a tried and tested method, taking the beaten path instead of the road less traveled for once.... especially when it comes to getting in touch with my body. hmmm....will have to think some more about this.....

[stronglove]

week 11 - wednesday

five of knives/swords - seven of sticks/wands - I: Black Herman/ magician

wow, this makes a lot of sense to me.
have been thinking a lot about yesterday’s draw, particularly bishop mason’s message to get back in line and follow the beaten path for a while. considering the focus on surrendering to the wisdom of my body i suspect this has to do with my eating habits, because they’re all over the place. so before i drew the cards i asked them for guidance on this issue. and got exactly what i asked for.....

from the guidebook
five of knives
“A woman shows off a silver coin hidden beneath her tongue. This is called putting a bit in your mouth. It was believed by some rootworkers that if you had no choice but to lie in court, you would be free of responsibility for lying after swearing on the Bible.”
i see this as a warning to stop self-sabotaging by lying to myself, to face up to all the rationalizations i use as an excuse not to get back in line with my eating habits. i know exactly what i need to do but keep putting it off, telling myself it’s not such a big deal if i wait another week.
seven of sticks
“According to legend, Uncle Monday was a witchdoctor from Africa who was enslaved in South Carolina. He managed to escape and sought refuge among the Seminole. Uncle Monday promised himself that he would never let Whites capture him again, so he asked a Seminole medicine man to turn him into an alligator so as to always be able to defend himself. He is said to still roam the swamps, in either his alligator or human form, blessing or cursing anyone who crosses his path.”
This made me laugh out loud! i can see my rebellious self desperately withstanding the attack on my autonomy, not wanting to get in line, refusing to surrender to discipline (like eating a fixed number of meals on fixed times, which would be a lot healthier than forgetting to eat during the day and then binge-eating at night) because that is so f*cking predictable and booooooring.....
I: Black Herman
“Black Herman is dressed in a tux. He holds a stick to the sky that says POWER in one hand and is pointing to a Zulu drum peeking out from Virginia snakeroot bushes with the other hand. Benjamin Rucker (1892-1934), a.k.a. Black Herman, was the most famous Negro magician in the history of the United States.(…) Black Herman’s charismatic personality, illusions and ‘resurrections’ after being buried alive made him a national sensation. Herman also made a living selling tonics, mail-order occult courses, books, pamphlets, and talismans that were designed to protect its wearer from white supremacy. (…) Herman even claimed he was born in ‘the dark jungle of Africa’, and was an apprentice of Zulu witchdoctors, reflecting both his acceptance of Pan-Africanist ideology and a knack for clever marketing. But Black Herman ws actually a Virginia native who migrated north in search of greater opportunities and an escape from terrorism in the South.(…)”
The guidebook gives a couple of suggestions, questions and affirmations/ mantras for each of the major arcana cards. Two of them are uncannily appropriate
“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
“Stop playing and do what you have to do, even if it’s hard.”

I’m really starting to like this deck.....

[stronglove]

week 11 - thursday

ace of coins - son of sticks/wands - VI courting/ the lovers
hey, there he is again, the son of sticks!
let’s see what his message is now, wedged between the ace of coins and the lovers....

from the guidebook
ace of coins
“A woman holds up a slice of sweet potato pie on a serving knife to offer to her guest. The pie was baked with a lucky Indian Head penny, a tiny piece of ragged cloth, a matchstick, a pea and a ring inside. Inspired by the traditional Irish barmbrock bread, the coin symbolizes wealth, the cloth symbolizes poverty, the pea symbolizes not getting married, the matchstick symbolizes domestic discord, and the ring symbolizes getting married. The guest shown here is not only receiving the slice with the lucky penny, but she has also received a message in the tea leaves foretelling good fortune ahead.”
VI courting
“(…) The goal of courtship was not to have a companion for years, as is common nowadays; the goal was marriage. (…) courtship was taken very seriously and had to include the input of family members and close friends to determine the worth of such an investment.(…) most people didn’t marry just because they loved each other; they married for the purpose of social and/or economic upward mobility. It was often more of a business transaction than a testament to undying love. (…) merely loving the other was simply not enough if the family was to consistently improve from one generation to the next. To marry an unapproved beau anyway was therefore considered not love at all, but the epitome of selfishness.”

wow, that puts a whole new spin on the TdM’s amoureux....fascinating! i suddenly can see the cupid figure as the matchmaker, or mediator, deciding on the worth of each of the ‘candidates’....

now what can i take from the combination of these cards.... while still focusing on getting in touch with the wisdom of my body....?
the sweet potato pie in the ace of coins perfectly relates to my eating habits.... could it mean that i should offer myself the slice with the lucky penny? meaning that in order to prosper i should provide myself with healthy food? if i relate the other two cards to this same subject (which feels appropriate) then the lovers card would advise me to ‘court’ the food that nurtures me instead of yearning for the food i ‘love’ (which tends to be a lot less healthy) the son of sticks in the middle might mean that i should undertake this task with vigor and enthusiasm, and a willingness to learn.
nice!

here’s what an indian head lucky penny looks like

[stronglove]

week 11 friday

X aunt caroline/ wheel of fortune - father of coins/ king of pentacles - son of sticks/ page of wands

wow, that’s the third time for the son of sticks.... better heed his advice.... and what ‘hits’ me is that all three cards have people looking straight at me, an elderly woman, a father figure and a young boy. the gaze/stare of the father of coins in the middle seems urgent. somehow this draw seems to radiate some deep truths

from the guidebook:

“Aunt Caroline is standing in the doorway of her home in Newport, surrounded by reporters. Carolyne Dye (1843-1918) was born into slavery in South Carolina before being relocated, along with her parents, to Arkansas. After being freed in 1865, she married and began her work as a cartomancer. Playing cards were her speciality. Aunt Caroline had been aware of her psychic gifts as a child, and she quickly earned a reputation as an effective and reliable counselor. (…) When Aunt Caroline appears in a reading, it is an indication that fate is a factor regarding whatever you are enquiring about. Wrack your brain about what you or someone else could have done differently, if you like, but the truth is that everything turned out exactly how it was supposed to. This can be a very hard pill to swallow in an age when people want to believe their thoughts or choices always dictate outcomes. The existence of a greater plan is not a welcome concept today, because it implies vulnerability, which is automatically translated to weakness in the minds of many.”

omg this is unbelievable, so incredibly appropriate in connection to what’s happening with covid-19...... i’ve been watching tv a lot these past days, (which i normally avoid, especially the newsbulletins and talkshows) and the tv shows me countless talking heads explaining how they are trying to take control of what’s happening but they seem unable to do so. Aunt Caroline is telling them (and me) that it is beyond our control, that we should accept what’s happening and try to deal with it to the best of our abilities, ride the wave instead of trying to outrun or deflect it (and stop hoarding food and supplies as if we are preparing for a meltdown.... the shops over here are already half empty, despite the fact that there is and will be no shortage)
the other cards beautifully support Aunt Caroline’s message. the father of coins confirms that we should focus on our abundance instead of frantically acquiring more goods/food, the son of sticks in this position tells me we/i should approach this crisis with his creative, energetic, solution-based energy.

[stronglove]

week 11 - saturday

daughter of knives / knight of swords - 10 of baskets/cups - XVII the grandchildren/ the star

from the guidebook
daughter of knives
“The Daughter of Knives is a Spiritualist who has made contact with a plethora of spirits with her talking board. She is talented at what she does, so the messages come so fast that it’s almost overwhelming.”
10 of baskets
“A happy grill master and his family enjoy batbecue and moonshine infused with dandelion root. Dandelion root aids with digestion.”
the grandchildren
“A grandparent cups a child’s tiny hands as the child holds a star-shaped flower. In Black American families, the star would be analogous to one’s grandchildren, as the ultimate symbol of hope.(…) every elder prays that their progeny will not only survive, but will also finally be allowed to thrive.”
this draw’s messages are not immediately obvious to me, i’ll have to let it percolate a bit more i think. it feels like i need to drop the idea of connecting thus with the wisdom of my body and treat it as a more general reading.
the daughter of knives probably stands for me as a tarot reader and refers to my connection with Spirit. I like the imagery, with all the arms from beyond the veil reaching out to her with their messages.
the 10 of baskets reminds me of this picture of my extended family, taken 3 years ago when i rented a big holiday home and invited everyone to come and stay for a few days.

like the 10 of baskets, it shows a true celebration of family ties, and also of diversity, with friends who have african, asian and mediterranean roots.

the grandchildren card could refer to my adopted grandchild, who is now 6 years old and to the pledge my sweetheart and i made 6 years ago to help make her dreams come true.

so i can see myself reflected in all three cards, as the spiritualist, the grill master and the grandparent. so maybe this reading is telling me that, even though my spirituality is an essential part of my being, i should always remember that i am not alone, and that i am surrounded by people who love me. what a great way to finish my week with this deck. i find it intriguing, filled with fascinating information and i love how it reads, the messages it provides. i have become really interested in everything hoodoo and have found a couple of interesting websites and youtube channels that can help me get some deeper knowledge and practical advice. i have also put a lot of hoodoo books on my wishlist

[Joan Marie]

I just now had a real chance to read through this.

Just beautiful. Thank you so much.

What a wonderful deck. Thanks for sharing it and for including the historical backgrounds. So interesting and so powerful.