History of Powwowing: Becoming a Powwower in the Modern World
In modern times, anyone can ‘become’ a Powwower, as in, regularly practice Powwow traditions and magic. However…This is a commitment. If it’s to be a hobby, it will be one of your few hobbies (simply for lack of time or energy). It is better as a career, or a constant spiritual practice. This is a LIFETIME of learning.
You can always use Powwow charms in your day-to-day practice. It’s not a closed belief system. But they won’t hold they same power as a practicing Powwowers’ would.
I can’t promise that this is how ‘everyone’ does it. But this was my families practice and beliefs. So without further ado…
Becoming a Powwower in the ‘Historical’ Sense
2. Do you believe in Jesus? Do you know your prayers and scripture?
3. Do you believe that the Holy Spirit gave to humanity the ability to cause direct change in the world, through ‘powers’ given to select people by the Holy Spirit?
4. Will you care for your neighbor, whether they are man, beast, or land?
If you answered yes to all of these….then you can Powwow. It’s that simple.
There’s an argument to be made that Powwow doctors could be other religions besides Christian, but I’m not going to go into that here, as that isn’t historically accurate. Remember, Powwowers protect and defend. After that, everything else is subject to the individual.
Learning to Powwow Traditionally
For the easiest start: have a strong background in secular Witchcraft. I don’t mean the ‘cursing people and wearing black kind’. Learn magical signs and plants, the terminology used. in various cultures Learn ritual and associations, moon magic and theories of magic. It will help you start to build an internal repertoire.
Read read read! Read online, read at the library. Read about traditional witchcraft, read about modern witchcraft. Read the myths of the world, read the origins of religions. Read! Learn! Learn all you can about various types of magic/magical practices and religions, or at least be familiar with them. This isn’t a week or twos worth of work: it’s DECADES. Read!
Now, if you already have a strong background in witchcraft/magical knowledge…
***I would suggest getting a GOOD copy of the King James bible, and two different copies of ‘Long Lost Friend’: the one by Daniel Harms (blue cover), and the one released by Forgotten Books. Consider these your starters.
1.) First: learn about the history of Powwow/the Braucherei. Listen to someone speak Deitsch: the rhythm and flow is exactly the rhythm and flow you want to have in your spells. There is a good history in the front of Daniel Harm’s Long Lost Friend: learn it well.
2.) Read the Bible critically. It is not an exact history, it is a collection of stories and biographies that come together to tell the tale of Christianity. Find the parts that you can use in your practice: the imagery that stands out, sentences that sound powerful. Read the Psalms; they’re beautiful. Notice that, when calling on God, you alternate praises and supplications. Notice that when calling on Jesus, you call to him like a friend. And when you call to the Holy Spirit, you do so with such reverence that the air goes still.
3.) Read both copies of “Long Lost Friend”. The one by Daniel Harms explains the history of Powwow, and how to do the spells. But it is very clinical: there’s no magic or ‘artes’ in it. The one released by Forgotten Books is very accurate to the original. The spells are not explained, but they feel magical.
4.) Get comfortable with the hand motions: the crosses, the brushes, the switching and the circling. Memorize the holy prayers in Christianity: The Apostles Creed, the Beatitudes, Our Father, Hail Mary (Powwow has some Catholic flavor in it), etc. Memorize the important psalms for magic workers: 23, 121, 51, whatever you feel connected to. Get used to the layout of the spells and talismans. Start making them, and practicing them on plants. Powwow can be done on all that lives.
5.) Get a basic knowledge of gardening/farming. Learn the cycles of the land: work on a farm if you can, or at least grow some things if not. Learn death, learn birth. Learn animals and plants: if you’re afraid of dogs, cat, hogs, or horses, or other such animals, then it’s time to get over it and deal with that fear. Powwow is HEAVY on companion-animal imagery: confront your fear with the help of a professional, and deal with it.
6.) Initiation. Some believe it’s necessary, others don’t. Personally, I do (unless you come from a family line, in which case, you should at the very least self initiate).
Does this sound a little vague? It’s supposed to. I can’t walk you through this step by step: Powwow is still, above all things, a mystery practice. There are mysteries you have to discover for yourself.
