Mexican Gift

author unknown

This charm will bring the blessings of the sun into your life whatever the season.  Witchcraft and magical rites have been practiced in Mexico since ancient times, a tradition that continues today with a mixture of Spanish and Aztec rituals that touch everyday life.  Paper dolls, originally made from the bark of the amate (fig) tree, are used to represent the shadow or soul of a person, with the heart and stomach indicated by triangular cuts.

To represent concepts or deities, the dolls are joined in groups of four and placed in colorful layers of black, yellow, red or white.

Ingredients:

Incense Sticks

Yellow Paper

Reeds

A Few Flowers

Some Red Chili Peppers

Work in the open air on a sunny day at any time of the year.  Light an incense stick to work by and start to cut four joined figures from the yellow paper.  Palm leaves are traditionally used in this charm, but reeds are more available and will work just as well.  Take some of the reeds and form them into the shape of a star.  Decorate this star with flowers and the chili peppers shaped in the form of the cross.  Tie them in place with reeds.  Put the star in front of you on the earth and take the paper figures in your left hand and an incense stick in the right.  Follow the sun's path, circle your star seven times, wafting the incense over your offering and chanting the following words:

"Brightest orb that lights the heaven,

Warm my soul and give me strength."

Bury the offering and take the paper figures into your home to remind you of the blessing.

:)

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