In the world of magic and symbolism,
small items from nature can be combined to create a personal totem or lucky piece. From delicate feathers to smooth pebbles, a found object that is imbued with intention can become a focus point in meditation or spell-crafting.
Called a Sewaju by my old friend, Jessica Macbeth, the one you see here was crafted years ago. Mine consists of a pinecone, bougainvillea flowers, and a sprig of green, all sitting atop a piece of bark. And all were found on a walk within a block of my house.
Now if you’re not familiar with Jessica, she taught healing both here in San Diego and in Scotland for years. She’s now semi-retired at age 80+, but still crafting wondrous fantasy books based on her years-and-years of creating a magical world within Second Life. You can find her on Facebook and within the pages of the Faeries’ Oracle deck by Brian Froud.
If you’d like to make your own - either as a personal totem or a focused intention, here’s how.
This is the fun
part for me. Take a walk. You don’t have to venture into a forest, the beach, or the mountains. Just set off out your front door. As you walk, have an intention of what you want to manifest with your sewaju. For example, if you want to have stronger boundaries, select a small stone. Or, more resilience, a blade of grass.
Seek out the elements that resonate with your spirit and your intention. Let your intuition guide you as you explore your neighborhood. You may collect feathers, stones, twigs, shells, blossoms, or any other natural objects that speak to your heart. And yes, I do ask permission of each object before I take it. Sometimes the answer is ‘no.’ Honor that.
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