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Underground > Temple >

"Place the contents of your pockets in the plastic tray."

12:19 / 21.07.04

I know that there are some of us in the Temple who work with herbs and natural incense, and at least a few who carry mojo bags or charm pouches or other magical/religious items. And sometimes these items, like mojo bags, have prohibitions about being seen or touched by other people (it'll kill a mojo dead).

What I'm wondering ('cos I sit up late nights thinking about this sort of thing) is if any of you have ever run into trouble with police or customs or Homeland Security, etc. over magical or religious objects (particularly herbals) that you carry on your person? If you know in advance that you'll be entering a courthouse, it's a simple matter to leave the packet of rue in the glovebox of your car, but with new airport security measures, even something packed at the bottom of your suitcase has a decent chance of being fiddled with.

Anyone had any experiences of this type? How did you handle it?

Idly curious,

~L

12:56 / 21.07.04

Yeah, it crosses my mind occasionally. Obviously try not to be carrying when you're going somewhere you are likely to be searched. If you are unlucky enough to get searched somewhere randomly and have your gear taken off you, treat it as a pretty big sign that The Powers aint happy with you for some reason and are teaching you a small lesson.

If someone invades your mojo bag and takes stuff out of it without your permission, and it isn't sanctioned by The Powers, then they will probably come out of it quite badly, particularly if there's Spirits in the bag. You can always construct new bags. A hassle, but not as much hassle as having a homeless angry duppy on your back, and not being in a position to know what it is or what to do with it. If you get searched and stripped of you bags though, it's generally a pretty bad sign and suggests that there's a problem with your connections.

For occasions where you want to carry stuff on your person more unobtrusively, go for the sewn up pocket option.

21:53 / 21.07.04

This happened to me when I was arrested for disorderly conduct. (Can you imagine? Moi?!) I have a little silver cauldron charm, that actually opens. I had fortunately hermetically sealed the contents so that the lid came off, but the inside of the container was solid and did not look like it could hold anything, due to the seal.

If however, he was persistant, he could have figured it out. I guess the binding I did to it discouraged him even further.

Damn Establishment!

21:57 / 21.07.04

You can always construct new bags. A hassle, but not as much hassle as having a homeless angry duppy on your back, and not being in a position to know what it is or what to do with it.

Gypsy, how many times are you going to make me quote you, huh?

That is fabulous imagery....homeless, angry duppies

teeheehee

21:26 / 23.07.04

In '99, I had a safe travel mojo bag fingered by airport security on the way to Cape Town -- and even though it was an international flight, he didn't go through it. It's in a black velvet bag about the size of half my palm, with a big silver pentagram on it, and I just gave him the eye. (Oh the days when you could travel with safety pins.)

I accidentally came to San Francisco with a bag -- a ziplog baggie - of salvia. Like, a little bit of green leafy matter at the bottom of a ziploc. No one noticed.

(For me, if I don't know I am doing something that would alert the authorities, or forget, I do so much better.)

Avoid your shoes. :P And honestly, if they do open something, do whatever visualization/energy work you need to contain your mojo and just recalibrate later, as needed. There's only one mojo bag I have that is irreplaceable, and that's never come with me on flights. (Though I am suppose I am lucky to have never been pulled over when driving back from Pagan gatherings... I never thought about it.)