SCAPOLARI: a practice

It’s a practice of making and a practice of devotion. Because making is both creation, and a way to let go of so much we no longer need or which no longer serves.

Making is magic, ritual, creation. Making is devoting ourselves to working with our hands, which brings us into our bodies, and also allows us to hold counsel with our communities.

In my traditions, making was how people came together to: shift, connect, tend, share counsel, pray, and integrate any new teachings, information, wisdom into the body.

SCAPOLARI

Devotional, protection scapulars are what we called little “bags” but they were actually circular, square or rectangular, that people wore during times of need. Elders would come together in the church basement and make them for people who were: about to give birth, after a baby was born (for the baby to wear for a year), before rites of passage, during difficult times, sickness, and over-all protection. They were Catholic-in-look — but this practice is old.

Remember, these ladies, these healers and witches were oftentimes devout Catholics. What I saw and learned as a kid was a mix of using the herbs, salts, oils, blessed fabric, maybe a saint to invoke, some free hand embroidery, which can be both simple OR elaborate, blessings, prayers infused in them, and then they were passed around. So this is very much a community folk practice. This is an amulet making practice.

I really believe in keeping it alive and carrying it on.

I love this practice and I love making these for people. I have taught this a few times, but never created a longer space to really take the time to go fancy.

We will:

Practice making scapulars and, if we are feeling up to it, making them elaborate. We will be led by tradition but by our own inner artists, creatives, and taking it to that level of creative expression we need — this makes the scapular even more potent and powerful.

You don’t have to know how to sew or consider yourself an artist. Anyone can make these. And you can get creative with materials.

This is a beautiful practice. If you like to make, or want to make, and want to practice making as magic and community tending to, please consider coming along with us.

**The more we practice together, the more we become our practice of being together.**

When

Gathering 1: February 13, 2024 @ 6-7pm Eastern time

Gathering 2: February 24, 2024 @ 10am-12pm Eastern time

EACH GATHERING WILL BE RECORDED.

The recording will be posted and available as soon as we are done. You'll be notified by email when it's ready. Recordings will only be available until March 1.

Where

You can access the live call and recording in our online classroom. You'll receive an email reminder before each call.

What

This practice will include two calls:

The first is coming together, opening our practice circle, ritualize it a little bit, and then I will share with you all the materials and fun things you might want to gather together and we can talk about all the potent, magical ingredients you may want and how to connect with those before we begin.
The second is our making circle. We will make the scapulars together, holding space for each other, supporting each other, and infusing our prayers of protection, to who, for who, collectively. We can hold counsel, chat, learn, explore, make our magic, while using our hands.

Exchange

This is donation based.

I want my offerings to be accessible, I want to bring people together, and I want that to not cost a ton of money.

If you are economically privileged, please donate what you believe multiple hours of my time is worth to you, including technology that makes this all happen.

If you are not economically privileged, please give only what you can give that will not negatively affect your life, your rent, your food, your bills.

I have had plenty of $1 donations, and they are so appreciated. I have also had plenty of $100 donations. Every donation is perfect, as long as we are being honest. I do not look to see who donates what. That isn’t my concern. My attention is on bringing people together, our practice together, making together, and taking good care of each other.