BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Pagan 'Voodoo your ex' Good fun or bad idea?

I was listening to a piece about this on the radio yesterday and thinking "It sounds like a bit of fun, but how will people feel if something actually happens to the person they 'cursed'?". Even if it is just a non-magickal event it's still going to be a very nasty shock to the person who believes that they caused something to happen, and may have some very strong emotional consequences. Especially as anything negative happening to either party involved will usually get blamed on the doll.
On the magickal side of things this year Valentines Day falls on Friday, the day sacred to Aphrodite, who turned one of Her priestesses into a Gorgon for a love-related incident. Combine those energies with an emotionally charged spell, and the results can be dramatic.
Even poppet (doll) spells 'done in fun' can be activated in this way. Last year I had to advise some people at an office I share on how to unwind a spell that they had [mostly] inadvertently cast on a supervisor using one of those squeezable stress dolls. They became really scared and sort of upset when what they had done to the doll happened to the person it represented.
So- what do you think?

I believe thoughts carry energy or power. Prayer is an example. Best to send out good vibes to all to erase away darkness - be a sun shining that scatters darkness.

Cursing someone implies that you have a grudge against them. A grudge is such a heavy burden to carry. Better to let it go before it ruins your own health, peace and happiness.

Absolutely what Lynne and Susan said!

Though I'll admit that I did laugh at a couple of those curses in the article: "zero Twitter followers" and especially "having your football team relegated."

I am 100% for revenge when someone has done you wrong but voodoo is not something I would try.

I, too, agree with Susan and Lynne. Although both viewpoints do require a balanced personality, something that many people suffering a romantic disappointment sadly lack. Psychologically as the Buddhists say "Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the object of your hatred to die". On the subject of scattering darkness my experience is best summed up in the quote of Carl Jung:

“There is no coming to consciousness without pain. People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own Soul. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”

Which is why in magickal groups such as Gardnerian Wicca, the symbol of someone going along the path of second initiation is that of the inverted pentagram. Symbolising this type of illumination of the 'Shadow' self.

The subject of Voodoo is an interesting one that I'm gathering material on for an article later this year.

Having it's roots in West Africa it has travelled over a significant amount of the world and, like the many styles of Buddhism, has combined with local faiths to produce regional variations. This is similar to the way the local spiritual practices have integrated with Hinduism in various countries around the Indian Ocean. You can read a little more about this in my Biography by clicking on my name in any of the main articles.

As much as sometimes revenge seems justified, I agree that letting go and not taking action is the best way to go for a peaceful soul.

Hello all,

There are several sound ideas attached to the word or concept of revenge...

- Revenge is a kind of wild justice.
- A man that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green.
- Revenge triumphs over death.

These three above are attributed to Francis Bacon. It's the one below that I know best...

Revenge is best served cold - if you can be bothered.

The bit about being bothered is mine. Perhaps it is because I am lucky enough in my life never to have been so incensed by something that the thought of revenge was the only way out. But I would say walk away and have done; the consequences are not worth it for anyone with any kind of conscience.

The spirit world is certainly impactful and serious for those who practise any form of it.

Ian, have we spoken about this before in some way? I have a sense of deja vu. Anyway.

Cheers

The walk away debate is a good one.

Me personally I do not forgive anyone who has done me wrong because I cannot and don't want to but I can understand how some people can do that (i do have a problem though with the people only having compassion for monsters and none for their victims and anyone else...thats another debate i think).

I do have a conscience but only for people who deserve it, I have zero problem lowering myself to someone'e level to give them what they deserve whether they have done it to me or someone else.