New Worlds of Body, Mind & Spirit Since 1901
| The tradition of clooties dates back to well dressing, an old Irish/Scottish/English custom. Wells and springs, regarded as sacred for their life-giving properties, were "dressed" with colored stones, gems, flowers, and small structures.
A clootie is a cloth strip that was dipped in the water and tied to a tree near the well. As the clootie was tied, prayer was made to the nature spirits or deities known to favor the area. Clooties could also represent ailments; as the clootie disintegrated, it carried sickness away with it. You can work your own clootie magic. Identify a tree in your own yard, ideally one near water. Cut long strips of natural fiber cloth (natural fibers biodegrade safely). Write wishes or petitions on the strips or just envision your wishes as you tie the clooties to the tree. Leave the clooties in place until they disintegrate naturally, at which time your wish should be realized. |
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