Dolls in folk magic, modern witchcraft, esoteric and spiritual practices

After reading and writing about the psychological benefits of having and engaging with dolls, I realized I need to know more about intentional use of dolls and poppets to bring change, alter reality and help in personal development. I'm a tiny bit ashamed it took me almost 7 years since starting my doll making journey to get interested in this. At the back of my head there was always that thought that dolls have been used throughout history in various cultures for purposes beyond mere play. They often embody cultural, spiritual, and magical significance, and we all know the infamous Voodoo doll, right? Magical dolls can be found under different names, but they all serve the purpose - to help. 

If you haven't done it yet, I invite you to read my previous article "Through the lens of psychology: How can a doll help?" - it will also help to understand how using dolls in magic can help and at least partly will explain the power of a doll in personal development. But this time I don't want to talk about psychology or therapy, but offer you a glimpse into traditional and esoteric uses of dolls (although psychology and therapy is a major part of those traditional, magical and modern spiritual uses of dolls).

Here are a few types of magical  dolls to get to know. If any of these grabs your attention, it will be easier to explore them further if you know at least a few keywords.

Spirit Dolls - dolls that are believed to carry protective or spiritual energies. Often used in indigenous cultures, these dolls serve as vessels for spirits or ancestral connections. In some Native American traditions, spirit dolls are created to honor and invite the presence of spirits. They can serve as talismans or as a way to channel energy for protection or guidance.

Medicine Dolls in Native American culture are typically used in healing rituals and are believed to carry medicinal powers or healing energies. They can represent a specific illness or embody healing spirits, serve to represent a person's health journey or connection to traditional healing practices. They may be infused with herbs and other natural materials believed to help in the healing process.

In Vodou practices (often known as Haitian Vodou - African diasporic religion practiced in parts of Caribbean and the southern US) dolls are used to focus on a person's energies, represent the spirit of a specific person for healing, protection, or to send good or bad intentions. Those are the infamous Voodoo Dolls we all have seen in dark movies. Here is a little misconception to clear out: in Vodou practices, sticking pins into a doll does not always correlate with malevolent intent; it can symbolize directing energy or intention toward a specific purpose, such as healing.

Intention Dolls are common across various cultures and spiritual practices (including modern witchcraft and art therapy). These are dolls created with specific intentions in mind, such as manifesting desires or bringing focus to personal goals. Intention dolls serve as physical representations of what an individual wishes to attract or accomplish. They often contain elements that resonate with the intended outcome.

Worry Dolls are part of the Mayan culture. They've originated in Guatemala and are used primarily by children, but not for a play. Worry dolls are small, handcrafted dolls that children tell their worries to before placing them under their pillows, believing the dolls will take their worries away while they sleep.

They are often colourful and symbolize the hope of alleviating anxiety or concerns.

Similar to spirit dolls, Protection Dolls are crafted to guard against negative energies or harmful spirits. Such dolls can be talismans or charms, just like a Kitchen Witch is such a charm for guarding and protecting a household and family.

Similar to intention dolls, Desire Dolls or Wish Dolls are created or dressed and customized specifically for manifesting desires or personal wishes and often carry symbolic items related to the wish.

Goddess Dolls are used in various spiritual practices as embodiments of feminine energy and are used in rituals to call upon specific goddess figures for support or guidance. Similar are Spirit Guides - dolls that serve to connect with spirit guides and can act as intermediaries between the physical and spiritual worlds. 

There are also Ancestral Dolls that are used to represent ancestors and are used to honor and communicate with the ancestors during rituals or celebrations. They can represent specific cultural identities, serve as embodiments of cultural narratives, legends, and teachings.

Element Dolls - those are dolls that  may correspond to various elements (e.g., earth, air, fire, water) or energies, linking them to specific spiritual or magical influences. 

Dolls used in witchcraft are mostly called poppets. Created for magical purposes, often used to represent a person  - the "target" for love, protection, or even for hexing. Practitioners may imbue the poppet with personal items, like hair or jewelry, to strengthen the connection. Poppets in witchcraft are also used for binding spells and release work, where a poppet is created to symbolize a person's negative influence or behavior, allowing the practitioner to "bind" or diminish that energy.

There are a few common themes and perspectives in esoteric, spiritual and magical uses of dolls: 

1) Dolls can serve as symbols of oneself or others. They may be used to represent personal aspects, desires, or relationships, allowing practitioners to focus their intentions into a clear direction. Dolls can embody qualities or attributes that a practitioner wishes to cultivate within themselves. Focusing on the doll, they may work to bring those qualities into their lives.

2) Dolls can serve as symbols and embodiment of specific deities, gods, goddesses, spirits and elements allowing the user of a doll to communicate with and connect to those entities easier.

3) The process of crafting or customizing a doll can be as significant as the doll itself. The act of infusing the doll with focused intention, spells, or energies during its creation, dressing it in essential oils, sewing with specific thread color,   filling with herbs and crystals is a common practice in esoteric traditions and modern witchcraft allowing the creator to imbue the doll with specific powers or characteristics.

4) In modern spirituality, dolls are used as focal points for manifesting desires. Practitioners may use dolls to represent specific goals or aspects of their lives, visualizing outcomes and directing energy toward those representations.  Such a doll can be a powerful self-suggestion tool and a potent talisman.

5) Dolls are often used in healing rituals, representing the individual in need of healing or protection. This practice might involve dressing the doll or using it in rituals to channel healing energy.

6) During rituals, dolls can serve as focus objects to channel energy, intentions, or spells, making the practice more potent by providing a tangible representation of the desired outcome.

7) Dolls can be used as protective charms. For example, practitioners may dress or adorn dolls with protective symbols, herbs, or crystals to safeguard against negative influences.

Dolls hold a significant place in many esoteric, modern spiritual, and witchcraft contexts. Their significance can range from healing and protection to intention-setting, manifestation and interactions with the spiritual realm. Whether viewed as symbolic representations, focuses for rituals, or vessels for energy, dolls play a versatile role in magical practices, enabling practitioners to engage with the spiritual and energetic dimensions of their lives.

While making the doll from scratch might not be for everyone... although, you should give it a try. Focus on intention and symbolism, not making a piece of art to proudly show around. Make it personal. It's the process that matters the most.

But if you are not into crafting, you can also customize a doll to become the representation, the symbol, the charm that you need.  How to do it? In any way that feels right to you.