SunsetKay
I do what I term simply as work. I've looked everywhere trying to put a name to the system, but I can't find a system that matches completely. I suppose the closest might be hoodoo, because of certain shared principles like justification, the concept of working, and even some major ingredients. But it isn't quite the same. Prayer is not involved. Prayer is kept separate; it's a part of religious life. This is natural. Deities and spirits can be petitioned as a last resort, but not the God of my Christian faith. And oddly enough, never without a dog that has been bonded with to protect from them. The primary belief is that it is the will that powers the work.
Another dissimilarity is in working the elements. This is not something that I find in hoodoo. In my system, each work incorporates aspects of the element that controls it. I have not seen hoodoo work that requires that it be performed in a large body of moving water, for example.
Or requires growing a tree. Lol.
Other aspects that I have not found a match for are the bloodline requirements. I was taught that what we do is only for the women of our family, and can ONLY be taught by someone with the same inclination. For example, my mother was strong in working earth. I was too, so she was able to teach me that and ONLY that. I am good with working blood, playing cards, and animals (blood and animals are not considered the same as earth which is maybe another difference, as I've seen some writings which see them as subdivisions, it also isn't considered water. Blood is blood.), as was my great-grandmother, so she taught me those things. As I have no daughter, I am not allowed to teach my sons. Also daughters with no inclination are not taught, nor is working discussed in the presence of those that cannot be taught.
The morality seems to have no match. I was taught that you may do what you wish as long as it can be justified, but unlike hoodoo, my system always requires a price. Hoodoo seems to have none. I was also taught that the price you pay is commensurate with the size of the change you wish to effect.
So, you can see why I feel that it seems to fit nothing. Any ideas? I have a feeling that it may be hard to place because of the nature of the way it's taught; not to "outsiders". But since I'm the last of my line, I really would love to identify it in order to meet others and possibly learn more.
Another dissimilarity is in working the elements. This is not something that I find in hoodoo. In my system, each work incorporates aspects of the element that controls it. I have not seen hoodoo work that requires that it be performed in a large body of moving water, for example.
Or requires growing a tree. Lol.
Other aspects that I have not found a match for are the bloodline requirements. I was taught that what we do is only for the women of our family, and can ONLY be taught by someone with the same inclination. For example, my mother was strong in working earth. I was too, so she was able to teach me that and ONLY that. I am good with working blood, playing cards, and animals (blood and animals are not considered the same as earth which is maybe another difference, as I've seen some writings which see them as subdivisions, it also isn't considered water. Blood is blood.), as was my great-grandmother, so she taught me those things. As I have no daughter, I am not allowed to teach my sons. Also daughters with no inclination are not taught, nor is working discussed in the presence of those that cannot be taught.
The morality seems to have no match. I was taught that you may do what you wish as long as it can be justified, but unlike hoodoo, my system always requires a price. Hoodoo seems to have none. I was also taught that the price you pay is commensurate with the size of the change you wish to effect.
So, you can see why I feel that it seems to fit nothing. Any ideas? I have a feeling that it may be hard to place because of the nature of the way it's taught; not to "outsiders". But since I'm the last of my line, I really would love to identify it in order to meet others and possibly learn more.
I have no assistance to offer sadly. But it sounds very much like some of the culturally based animistic belief systems in the country that I grew up in where they often go hand in hand with major institutionalised religions around them.