Does anybody read these?

Who do voodoo? You do!

I got a text message yesterday. It read: "I got your voodoo doll."

My friend Michelle went to New Orleans this week. (Well, she was "Down in Mississippi and Up to No Good" and then took a side trip.) I know this sounds odd, but every time someone goes to N'awlins, I ask them to bring back a voodoo doll for me. Until now, no one's gotten around to it.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the doll (although I currently have a short list of ideas), but it got me to thinking about voodoo.

Most specifically, about my voodoo candles.

Yes, I have voodoo candles, and I started using them again this week. It's not really voodoo, but we'll get to that in a minute.

A few years ago, my friend was having some major relationship issues and for kicks and giggles, she went to a psychic.

The psychic told her to get some voodoo candles to improve her relationship energy. Actually, they are any type of candle, but they have to be one red one for passion and the pink one I think is for love. But you burn them together for seven days. While you do that you just send good thoughts up to heaven and concentrate on what you want in a relationship. It's always worked for her. And the last time I did it, I ended up on an adventure with a boy. I have always gotten a job when I did the green and orange candles. Green is for money. Orange, I think is for opportunity.

OK, so about New Orleans voodoo. Yes, it has its roots in the voodoo from the West Indies and Africa that people brought with them. However, New Orleans voodoo also has strong roots in Catholicism. Marie LaVeau, the Queen of Voodoo, was a very strong Catholic. Perhaps that's why my "voodoo" is really just me lighting the color of candle that voodoo says to use and praying to specific saints. Really my "voodoo" reminds me to pray. And because I'm Catholic and believe that saints are powerful intercessors, I bring them into the mix.

I had a friend who was into a lot of spirtual/psychic stuff, and she told me that the candles weren't voodoo. I didn't know at the time, I just called them that because my friend who told me called them that. But it is. The way I found out was because after Hurricane Katrina, everyone burned green candles to make their FEMA checks come more quickly.

So, figuring that I have nothing to lose, I'm going to see if I can conjure up some good relationship energy. St. Anne is on the case.

God knows a few extra prayers never hurt anyone.

posted by Laura at 11:31 PM