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Crystal Ambassador 09-09-2016 04:27 AM

Medicine Bags
 
Regarding medicine bags, I know that their contents are very personal and symbolic to the owner of the bag. It's commonplace to not share the contents with others, neither through taking them out and showing them nor saying what's inside. Since I've begun to carry my medicine bag with me, and specifically wearing it over the shirt (it's a small necklace one, a couple inches or so but decorated), I've had a decent number of people - both familiar and stranger - asking me what's inside. My typical response is to say "some crystals", to help preserve the privacy of the contents, but I notice it both doesn't seem to often be enough and that I don't feel good about doing it. One or twice I've simply said that the contents were spiritual things from nature. It got me thinking about what others might say, so I wanted to ask: Of those of you who have a medicine bag, what do you tell people when they ask what's inside of it?

Makoiyi 09-09-2016 05:59 AM

Personally I keep mine in my pocket so its very seldom anyone asks. On the very odd occasions Ive taken it outta my pocket and someone has seen it and asked I just explain that I'm NDN and its my personal medicine and its the equivalent to the cross they wear or rosary that they carry etc. Usually that keeps most people happy.

You could either keep it in your pocket or wear it under your shirt so people dont ask you to often.

Native spirit 11-09-2016 10:49 PM

I do have a medicine bag and if anyone happens to see it i just say its personal to me


Namaste

Crystal Ambassador 12-09-2016 04:42 PM

Thank you both for replying, it's given me some ideas of what to say. I do occasionally wear it under my shirt to bypass the questioning, though I prefer not to since it's ornate and - for better or worse - I like to have it out and about. It's also a little chunky to keep under the shirt. But, Makoiyi you gave an excellent likening to a rosary and I'll keep that in mind when someone asks.
Native Spirit, it's also a good suggestion to just say it's personal. Have you ever had someone press you further, or do you find that that's enough?

I'm not familiar with what NDN stands for, what does it mean?

Native spirit 12-09-2016 08:16 PM

NDN is an abreviation of indian, no people dont press me when i say its personal to myself


Namaste

Makoiyi 14-09-2016 11:19 AM

The only time I've had to really explain what it is and its content was in France at an Airport check. They were grand when I explained what it was and just scanned it after that they were fine.

Other than that what I previously posted stands and explaining it as similar to a Christian cross or the rosary helps and people then tend to respect it. I personally find wearing it around my neck also means more of a risk of me getting it caught on something so putting it in my pocket makes more sense.

Lucky 1 17-09-2016 01:47 AM

I know exactly what you're saying......I carry a gris gris bag (pronounced gree-gree) that was given to me by an old woman I consulted with in Haiti......similar concept to the NDN medicine bag......and it gets the same response from people when they see it......is just curiosity on there part....I just tell them its a little personal talisman that has some meaning for me....
They always drop it after that.....

Crystal Ambassador 17-09-2016 05:29 AM

I didn't know of gris gris bags, I'll look them up since they sound interesting. Also thank you for explaining NDN, I didn't hear it merged enough in my head to realize what it was; I was thinking something like Natural Descendant of Native or similar. Lately I've just been wearing it under my shirt to keep it from being inquired about, but when it's out I haven't been asked.

Thanks again for your replies.

Lucky 1 17-09-2016 02:41 PM

The gris gris bag is afro-carribean in origin and is used in several african and carribean belief systems.....notably voodoo.
It is filled with little bits of personal stuff... a clipping of say...your childs hair...soil from where you live....a dried leaf from some sacred place etc....that have meaning to the wearer and is meant to be worn as a talisman to protect against evil influences and as a good luck charm

keokutah 29-09-2016 07:27 AM

Oh, I'm more than happy to show people and explain things to them, to me it's nice when people are interested in stuff like that.
I've even let some people touch my sacred objects, and even my crystals don't mind and I just cleanse them afterwards.


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