In a special double episode of the podcast, Dr. Cyndi discusses the significance of the Libra Full Moon (April 12-13, 2025), with a meditative attunement to the essence of this harmony-seeking sign. Areas of focus for rituals during the Libra Full Moon include commitment and seeking balance.
In the spirit of the navigation of dualities so evoked by Libra, the second part of the episode explores the fascinating world of magickal poppets, effigies that are enchanted with energies aligning them to a purpose. Historically, poppets were associated with baneful magic, such as using them to control the actions of another person. In our discussion, we focus on how to craft and work with poppets for healing and releasing the past. Very on theme with Libra since this sign is the psychologist of the zodiac.
Listen to the full episode:
Find this episode wherever you listen to podcasts, and on the Keeping Her Keys website. Add-free, as always.
Our conversation about poppet witchery focuses on the Kalos Thanatos Poppet of The Past, which is designed to help release all that no longer serves. The project is part of The Gate of Rebirth in Covina. Join now for immediate access to the recordings and lessons to learn how.
Poppets are a wonderful form of sympathetic magick that we can work with in so many ways, here’s an excerpt from my book on botanical witchery discussing these enchanted effigies.
Poppets From Entering Hekate’s Garden
“Poppets are best used for when you want to have control over a distinct other, whether human or spirit. There should be a clear focus for the control. Cursing someone to have all the harm they inflicted on others is one example. If creating a healing poppet, include symbols and taglocks of the focus. A drop of blood smeared onto the “heart” of the effigy that comes from the target with a healing incantation to ease someone suffering from cardiac distress. Of course, that same drop of blood can be used to inflict cardiac troubles. Magick is magick. Intentions are what tells the magick what to do.
A spirited crow poppet for protection and connection to the mysteries.
Intention
With poppets, you need to list the aspects of the target that you are going to control. These can be additive – pushing the target into new thoughts, feelings and actions – or subtractive – stopping specific ones. Consider how these controls will complement the existing nature of the person or spirit. For example, when creating a curse poppet, the intention can be that the person no longer engages in harmful behaviors (subtractive) and bears the weight of the harm they’ve previously caused (additive). A complementary aspect would be to include that their anger (already existing) becomes directed at themselves.
A spirit poppet that is to fully contain an entity should clearly include wording in the intention that does so, otherwise remnants of it will still wander free. This approach is particularly useful for harmful spirits, such as shades and malevolent ghosts. “To the spirit who haunts me, I cast you into this poppet, no more are you free to roam. Into the poppet you go, and I control you from now on.” The poppet is a spirit trap. To harness the energy of a spirit while letting it retain its own free will requires ensouling part of it while leaving it whole. The intention should be worded to reflect this: “I cast into this poppet, the spirit of mugwort, binding it to my magick.” Using a poppet to harness the powers of a spirit or deity so that they are always within your control is another intention suitable for a poppet. “I bind the powers of Medea’s poison magick into this poppet, claiming them as my own.”
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