Prosperity Lamp

Several years ago in a group I was in, we studied Hoodoo. Hoodoo is not a religion; rather, it is a magical practice, a way of life. It originally derived from African spiritual beliefs and throughout history was influenced and modified by Christianity, Pow Wow, Native American spirituality, Irish and Scots spirituality, and other practices and traditions. Rootworkers, as Hoodoo practitioners are often called, usually remain Christian in their faith and work by using bible verses for their incantations. Not only is Hoodoo interesting to study, but like many other traditions, its practices and spells can also be adapted to anyone’s spirituality; you don’t need to use the Christian version, but can make the work your own, using Hoodoo as your starting point.

In our studies, we talked about Hoodoo candle magick, and in my research, I found a Hoodoo spell for a prosperity lamp. The original was an oil lamp that was kept burning like an eternal flame. If the lamp were to ever go out, you would have to start over. Even though the concept interested me, keeping an oil lamp lit 24/7 made me uneasy, in case of an accidental fire. So instead, I adapted the concept to make it my own, so what I am going to share with you is my version of a prosperity lamp, which Hoodoo inspired.

There were only three supplies that I changed for my version: the lamp itself, something for good luck, and the final was something for wishes. What follows is a list of supplies you will need to make your own prosperity lamp, or else my list can serve as a starting point for your own version:

A salt lamp
1 coin of each denomination
A small pyrite stone
A small lodestone
A key
Something for luck
Something for wishes

Of course, you will need a lamp to use. Salt, not only being protective, was also at one time used as money, which makes a salt lamp a perfect prosperity lamp in its own right. Add one of each denomination of coins, for the obvious reason that if you want more money, you need to offer or sacrifice some. In this case, that would be $1.91 (a penny, a nickel, a dime, a quarter, a fifty-cent piece, and a one-dollar coin). The pyrite stone is also for protection and attraction, and the lodestone is for sheer attraction. In the oil-lamp version, the coins and stones would be placed in the oil reservoir. For this version, they are placed in the cavity where the small lightbulb goes.

In the original oil lamp, you would also have a key, a rabbit’s foot, and a wishbone. These items were hung on the outside of the lamp at the base, where the wick would be lit. For mine, I decided to cross-stitch a shooting star and a four-leaf clover. I made them into little pockets and placed a small piece of bamboo inside, both to increase their abilities. The key is to open up opportunities; the rabbit’s foot or four-leaf clover is for luck; and the wishbone or shooting star is for wishes. These are strung on a string that is tied around the salt lamp.

If you decide to do this, you will need to create your own words of power to activate your lamp. The original was a bible verse; however, I find it best simply to speak from your heart, to say exactly what you want and expect the lamp to do for you. Once it is set, you leave it lit all the time. Because this lamp is working 24/7 for you, you will need to feed it. What do I mean? You will need to decide an appropriate time to give the energy of the lamp an offering. This can be once a week, once a month, with the moon cycles, at the solar and earth festivals, or a combination of more than one of these. What works best for me as an offering is incense, and I do use money oil, as well, on special occasions. When the lightbulb does go out, besides replacing it promptly, I suggest giving it an offering at the same time. I personally have never had to start over when the lightbulb went out.

There are many different kinds of salt lamps you can buy and use as your prosperity lamp. Arch Priestess Rhianwen Bendigaid, for example, uses the Hamsa Salt Lamp shown on the bottom right below.