How to Make Spirit Pouches

Dried herbs have different metaphysical properties; use them to empower your pouch.

Spirit pouches are used by shamans and healers to utilize a combination of charged crystals and herbs to attract money and luck, bring healing and protection, instill peace and calm and draw love. They are usually constructed from leather and worn around the neck. There are different ways you can decorate pouches to make them more attractive. You can also add adornments, in the form of natural beads, shells and feathers, to help enhance the effectiveness of the pouch.

Things You'll Need

• 1/2 yard leather or suede material
• Ruler
• Permanent marker
• Scissors
• Spool of leather cord
• Thick hand-needle
• Spool of sinew
• Small crystals
• Dried herbs
• Small beads

Instructions

1. Select the herbs and crystals that you want to place inside of the spirit pouch and put them in a pile together.

2. Turn the leather or suede material inside out and fold it in half.

3. Set the pile of herbs and crystals at the center of the material and draw your pattern around the pile with the permanent marker. Draw out an inch from the pile so the pouch will be large enough to hold its contents. Most patterns are shaped like the letter "U" with the top of the "U" left open. Cut the shape out on both sides of the fabric with the scissors so you have two"U" shaped pieces.

4. Set the pile of herbs and crystals aside. Thread the needle with the sinew and sew the "U" shaped pieces together, leaving the top side open.

5. Determine how low you want the pouch to sit when it is worn around the neck. Unroll the spool of leather cord and take out enough cord to go around the top of the pouch and sit at this point around your neck. Cut the cord with the scissors.

6. Fold the cord in half and place the fold point of the cord at the center point of the inside of the pouch along the top open edge. Open the cord so it goes around the top edge completely. Fold the material over the cord and sew it in place. Cut a slit in the center of the back of the pouch at the top edge and pull the cord through.

7. Push beads over the ends of the cord. Tie a knot to join the ends of the cord together. Set the pile of charged crystals and herbs inside the pouch and push down on the pouch to close it.

References

• Brenda Byer; Ojibway Crafter and Regalia Maker, Byer's Unique Creations; Phoenix, AZ