It takes approximately a year for the Earth Mama to revolve around Father Sun. Similarly, it takes about a year to deepen your Hoodoo practice using my newest book, 365 Days of Hoodoo. This concept of sticking with a book for a year may seem daunting, but it can also be magickally empowering. Here are 10 tips for how to do 365 days of Hoodoo.

1. Preview: Give yourself enough time before the month begins to at least read the introduction. This will prepare you for the upcoming work at hand. Better yet, read the first week or so before beginning the work. This preview will give you an understanding of what is to come and why it is important to your Hoodoo repertoire. You'll also have time for the next tip: preparation.
   
   
2. Preparation: Once you have previewed the month, and have an understanding of what will be happening in the upcoming week, get prepared. Preparation should include clearing your head. Do some meditation or walking so you get in a good mental space. Then think about the work you must do. What materials do you need that you don't have? What will you need to do differently than normal. Get yourself a journal and jot down some notes.
   
   
3. The Hoodoo Journal: Journals can be as fun or as functional as you desire. You can get a plain-covered, unlined or lined hardback book of whatever size you desire. Decorate the cover with a collage with meaning. Symbols important to Hoodoo are very appropriate. Your collage can also just be glued-on inspirational words, magickal words, plants or images. It can be your Dream Board of sorts. Check out www.pinterest.com for collage ideas. Be creative and have fun!
   
   
4. Timing: Different types of Hoodoo jobs are done at different times of the day and night. On a calendar, jot down which times of the day you'll want and need to have free. Cross-check that with your work schedule and make room for your Hoodoo work.
   
   
5. Sourcing Materials: I go into different ways of sourcing your materials in the book, but knowing ahead of time is also useful. Firstly, you'll want to make or collect whatever materials you can, by yourself. This adds a personal power to whatever you are doing. Next, you'll try to go local. Look for what you'll need in your community. After that, you can see what is available on the Internet. Personally, I like to support magickal and creative concerns that are independent and small, so I like to use www.Etsy.com.
   
   
6. Clean Jars and Containers: A good Hoodoo is going to have various potions and brews steeping most of the time. Collect jars with various neck opening sizes and good tops. Bottles are also necessary. Run these through the dishwasher or hand-scrub them with very hot water and soap. Let them dry naturally. Then put them away until needed.
   
   
7. Coins: You'll need a good number of pennies (some Indian Head Pennies, too) and dimes, particularly those minted between 1920 and 1964 (also called Silver Dimes). You can find these online or at a coin dealer. I found just the types I needed on Etsy.com, through various dealers.
   
   
8. Prepping The Altar: Now, this tip is not only fun, it is deeply meaningful. Consider where you will put your altar. What direction do you favor for it? Where is there the privacy you desire in your home? Spend some time on this, because in 365 Days of Hoodoo you will be creating various altars. For your altar, you'll need powerful and inspirational candleholders, fireproof plates, and censers. Taking a trip to a neighborhood thrift store. Not only will it be helpful in finding your holders, plates, and censers, but you can also save money, and help various causes in the process.
   
   
9. Tilling the Soil: Over the course of your year of Hoodoo work, you'll have plenty of opportunities for loading your Hoodoo Garden with magickal plants. Hoodoo Gardening is a special feature of 365 Days of Hoodoo. You can grow some of the needed plants indoors. Be sure to have some good soil on hand, such as potting soil and planting soil, gloves, a variety of gardening tools, pots (recycled egg cartons are great for seed-starting), and a watering pitcher.
   
   
10. Mind on the Matter: Some say, "mind over matter," but with Hoodoo you need a certain mindset working with the matter. You've been presented with some of the more physical and material aspects of preparation for your 365 days of Hoodoo, but having the mental space and right mindset will do wonders.
    • Be light on your feet.
    • Be observant.
    • Be diligent.
    • Most of all, be patient.
    Getting relaxed, tranquil, charged-up, or stepping into your giant-self are some of the various mindsets that will be helpful working through 365 Days of Hoodoo. Your giant-self is that powerful super hero that exists within all of us that allows us to accomplish the unimaginable.

If you truly want a successful year of Hoodooing, keep this article on hand. It will help you in your journey, deep into the heart of Hoodoo. Study and practice are smoothly facilitated by thorough planning and preparation. During your year, you will undoubtedly have ups and downs, take time off, start, restart, and perhaps redo some of your spells, tricks, jobs, or rites until they work just right for you. This is all to be expected. Take your time working through the year of Hoodoo, your way. 365 days, whenever you start on the path (or begin to deepen your existing practice) can be broken up however it works for you. Much will be revealed to you, in the process. 365 Days of Hoodoo is there to meet you where you are. Be confident, honest, spiritual, and thorough in your investigations.