Head Outdoors for this Summer Activity

Medicine Bag for a Writer

About Medicine Bags
A Medicine Bag is a small pouch filled with talismans - stones, herbs, etc. to bring protection and good luck to its owner. Traditonally each person has their own individual medicine bag that contains power objects. Bags can be of various sizes and contain a few or many objects. Herbs, stones, tobacco, animal bones, claws, feathers, cornmeal and fetishes are the most common. Also, a snip of your hair, a special jewelry piece or anything that is of significance to you can be put in your bag. If the bag is a gift, the owner has to add something of their own to it. The most common herbs used are sage, sweetgrass, cedar and tobacco. Others that are often used are lavender, pinion and thyme. Bags are usually worn around the neck but can be put on belts, in pockets or purses. These are the individual’s sacred bag and objects and cannot be opened by any one else. The person can take items out of the bag to show to people if so desired. Stones can be taken out and other stones put in as wanted due to the needs of the owner. The other items need to always remain in the bag. Larger items such as feathers can be wrapped in a larger bundle. Roots and rattles could also be put into this. Each item in the bag is essentially a talisman and is representative of sacred power. The most important thing to remember is that this bag is to increase the spirituality and sacred power of the owner. It is never to be used for evil or the bad of others. It is strictly to be used for the good of all

A Medicine Bag for a Writer
Just as the traditional medicine bag contains power objects for the individual the writer needs to think about what special objects need to be included in their bag to promote writing. Over the years I have often had my writing groups make special 'writing' bags.

Needless to say my special 'medicine bag' has a small journal and a selection of silken pens. I always carry a small bottle of water that I gathered from the Castalian Spring at Delphi. I know that a small drop of this water will induce creativity. I also have some runes and a pack of Tarot cards tucked away in my bag. I sometimes enjoy meditating upon these before writing.

Remember that you do not have to use a traditional pouch or bag. You can be inventive and make something from any sort of bag that has some compartments. The medicine bag, once completed, is transportable so if you find yourself sitting waiting you will have everything you need to write.

Make a 'Medicine Bag' and head outdoors for a writing session.

Image courtesy of Turtle Bear Trading Company

Medicine Bags
Traditional things to store in Medicine Bag
Consecrating the bag

Make a Dream Box for a Writer

"Our heads are like boxes that contain both our dreams and experiences of the world around us."

Her romantic mind was like the tiny boxes, one within the other, that come from the puzzling East, however many you discover there is always one more. - J.M.Barrie, The Adventures of Peter Pan

Dreamboxes
The Art of Making a Paper Mache Box