How to Make a Mojo Bag (Gris Gris Bag): What to Put Inside, Which Color to Choose, and How to Feed It

Somewhere close to the body, a small cloth bag is quietly working. It might be tucked in a pocket, pinned inside a bra, or hanging from a cord under a shirt where no one can see it.

For generations, people across the American South have trusted these little bundles to guard them, draw luck and love, and keep their roads open. This is the mojo bag, also called a gris gris bag, a conjure hand, or simply a hand. In Hoodoo, it is often described as a prayer you can carry.

It is not a decoration or a trinket. A mojo bag is treated as something alive, something that must be made with care, fed, and respected.

Making your own is one of the oldest and most personal works in rootwork. Below, you will learn where the tradition comes from, what goes inside, which color to choose, and how to build one from start to finish. You will also learn how to feed your bag, refresh it, and let it go when its work is done.

What Is a Mojo Bag? The Hoodoo Roots of the Gris Gris Bag

A mojo bag is a small cloth pouch filled with roots, herbs, stones, curios, and personal items chosen for one purpose. Once it is prayed over and tied closed, it is believed to hold a working spirit. That spirit serves its owner for as long as the bag is cared for.

Where the Mojo Bag Comes From

Hoodoo, also called rootwork or conjure, grew among enslaved Africans and their descendants in the American South. It carried West and Central African spiritual knowledge forward and blended it with Native American plant wisdom and the Bible. The roots of Hoodoo rootwork are worth knowing before you make your first bag.

The mojo bag's closest ancestor is the Kongo nkisi, a bundle or vessel packed with medicines that was believed to house a spirit. In West Africa, protective charms called gris-gris were sewn into small leather pouches and worn on the body. Both traditions crossed the Atlantic and took root in places like the Mississippi Delta, Memphis, and New Orleans.

What Does "Mojo" Mean?

The origin of the word is still debated. Many connect it to the Kongo word mooyo, meaning the inner spirit or life force, which fits a bag believed to be alive. Others hear the Yoruba phrase mo júbà, "I pay homage," spoken at the opening of prayer.
Either way, the meaning is the same. A mojo is spirit, power, and prayer gathered into one small place.

Other Names for a Mojo Bag

The same tradition goes by many names, depending on the region and the family who taught it.

• Gris gris bag: the name most often heard in Louisiana and New Orleans Voodoo
• Mojo hand or hand: a common name in the Mississippi Delta and in old blues songs
• Conjure bag: a general Hoodoo term for any bag made with conjure
• Toby: an older Southern name still heard in some families
• Nation sack: a Memphis term for a woman's mojo, traditionally worn hidden and never touched by a man
• Charm bag or spell bag: modern terms often used outside of Hoodoo

Mojo Bag Color Meanings: Choosing the Right Bag

The traditional Hoodoo mojo bag is made of red flannel. Red was seen as a color of life, blood, and power, strong enough to serve almost any purpose. Many old workers used nothing else.

Today, many people match the bag's color to their goal, the same way they would choose a candle color. Here is a simple guide.

• Red: all-purpose power, love, passion, courage, and protection
• Green: money, luck, gambling, steady work, and growth
• White: cleansing, uncrossing, healing, peace, and blessing
• Black: strong protection, banishing, and turning back harm
• Blue: peace in the home, calm, healing, and legal matters
• Pink: romance, friendship, and self-love
• Purple: personal power, mastery, and spiritual strength
• Yellow or gold: success, attraction, confidence, and prosperity

Remember that color supports the work, but it does not carry it alone. What you put inside the bag and the prayer you put into it matter far more.

What to Put in a Mojo Bag: Herbs, Roots, Stones, and Curios

Every mojo bag is built from a few kinds of ingredients. Each one has a job, and together they form a single voice asking for one thing.

Roots and Herbs

Roots are the backbone of Hoodoo. They are believed to hold the strongest spirit of the plant, which is why rootwork carries the name it does. Herbs add their own qualities, like cleansing, drawing, or sweetening.

A few classics show up again and again. High John the Conqueror root brings strength and mastery. Five Finger Grass (Cinquefoil) Herb is said to grab hold of anything the five fingers of a hand can do, from luck and money to protection. Angelica root protects, while basil and cinnamon draw money and sweetness.

Stones, Metals, and Curios

Curios are the small objects that give a mojo bag its character. The most famous is the lodestone, a naturally magnetic stone believed to pull toward you whatever you ask for. Magnetic Lodestones are usually "fed" with magnetic sand to keep their pull strong.

Other curios include a lucky coin, a seal or medal of a saint, a rabbit's foot, a crystal, or a small charm. Each one should clearly speak to your goal.

A Personal Concern

A personal concern is something that carries your own essence. It might be a few strands of hair, a nail clipping, a drop of perfume you wear daily, or a scrap of clothing. This links the bag to you and you alone.

If the bag is meant to influence a situation with another person, some workers add a concern from that person too. Always weigh that choice carefully and with a clean heart.

A Petition Paper

Most mojo bags include a small written prayer, called a petition. It names who the bag works for and what it is asked to do. You will learn how to write and fold one in the steps below.

How Many Ingredients Should You Use?

Hoodoo tradition favors odd numbers. Three, five, seven, or nine items are common, and many workers never go past thirteen.

More is not always better. A bag with five carefully chosen items, each with a clear purpose, will do more than a bag stuffed with everything on the shelf.

How to Make a Mojo Bag, Step by Step

Every worker has their own way of making a mojo bag, but certain steps are shared across the tradition. This method works for any purpose. Once you know it, you can build a bag for protection, luck, love, or anything else by changing only the ingredients.
Gather the following ingredients before beginning.

• a Mojo Bag (Gris-Gris / Charm Bag) in the color that fits your goal
• three to nine roots, herbs, stones, or curios chosen for your purpose
• a small square of Parchment Paper, or a brown paper bag torn by hand
• a pencil or pen
• a personal concern, such as a strand of your hair
• African Mojo Oil, or an oil matched to your purpose
• a white candle and a candle holder
• a stick of incense and matches

1. Choose your timing

Work during the waxing moon, when the moon is growing, for anything you want to draw in, like money, love, or luck. Work during the waning moon for anything you want to remove, like bad luck, a jinx, or an enemy's influence.

2. Cleanse yourself and your space

Wash your hands and clear your table or altar. Light the incense and pass each ingredient, and the empty bag, through the smoke. This clears away any energy the items picked up before they came to you.

3. Light your working candle

Light the white candle to open the work and invite your spirits and ancestors to stand with you. Some workers first carve their goal into the candle and press in nine pins, speaking their desire with each one. Stay with the candle for the whole working.

4. Write your petition

Write your full name three times on the paper, one line under the other. Turn the paper a quarter turn and write your goal three times across your name, so the words cross. Keep the goal short, such as "steady money" or "protection."

Fold the paper toward you if you are drawing something in. Fold it away from you if you are sending something away. Keep folding until it is small enough to fit in the bag.

5. Load the bag, one item at a time

Pick up each ingredient and tell it out loud what you need it to do. For example: "Five finger grass, grab hold of every blessing meant for me." Then drop it into the bag.

Add your folded petition and your personal concern last. This seals your name and your essence inside the work.

6. Breathe life into it

Hold the open bag close to your mouth. Think of your goal as clearly as you can, then breathe into the bag slowly, three times. In many traditions, breath is the gift of spirit, and this is the moment the bag is believed to wake up.

7. Tie it closed

Pull the drawstring tight and tie two knots. As you tie, say:

With these knots, I bind you to this purpose.

8. Feed it for the first time

Put a few drops of oil on your fingers and rub it into the outside of the bag. As you do, say:

With this oil, I give you strength to do your work.

This first feeding is like a first meal, welcoming the spirit of the bag into its new home.

9. Give it a name (optional)

Some workers give their mojo a private name and speak to it by that name when they need help. If a name comes to you while you hold the bag, keep it to yourself.

10. Close the work

Thank your spirits and ancestors for their help. Snuff the candle rather than blowing it out, and never leave it burning unattended. Keep the bag on your body or under your pillow for the first seven days so it learns who you are.

A Complete Example: How to Make an Uncrossing Mojo Bag

Some seasons feel crossed. Doors close for no reason, money slips away, and small troubles pile up until it feels like something is working against you. In Hoodoo, this is called a crossed condition, and an uncrossing mojo bag is made to break it and keep it from coming back.

This bag works with cleansing herbs, a protective root, and one of the oldest prayers for purification. It pairs well with a full hex removal and uncrossing cleanse when the trouble runs deep. As you prepare, collect these sacred items.

• a white mojo bag
• a pinch of Hyssop Herb
• a small piece of Angelica Root
• a pinch of five finger grass
• a pinch of salt
• a small square of Parchment Paper and a pencil
• Uncrossing (Desenvolvimiento) Oil
• a white candle
• a Bible, or Psalm 51 written on a card

Begin during the waning moon, after a cleansing bath if you can, and light the white candle as your breathing slows. Write your full name three times on the paper, then cross it three times with the words "clear and free." Fold the paper away from you, again and again, sending the crossed condition out of your life with each fold.

Pick up the salt first and drop it in the bag, saying that it clears away every trace of harm. Add the angelica root to stand guard over you, and the five finger grass to undo whatever another hand has done. Hold the hyssop last, the herb of purification named in Scripture, and read Psalm 51 aloud before you add it.

When you reach the seventh verse, speak it slowly and with your whole heart:

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Place the hyssop and your folded petition in the bag. Breathe into it three times, tie it closed with two knots, and rub a few drops of uncrossing oil into the cloth.

Thank God, your spirits, and your ancestors for lifting what was weighing on you. Snuff the candle and keep the bag on your body for the next seven days, feeding it a drop of oil each morning. When the week is done, keep carrying it as a shield so the same trouble cannot find its way back.

Mojo Bags by Intention: Protection, Luck, Love, Money, and More

Once you know the basic method, you can build a mojo bag for almost any need. Here are the most common, each with a full guide of its own.

Protection Mojo Bag

A protection mojo bag shields you from negative energy, envy, the evil eye, and people who wish you harm. It is usually made in black or red, with protective roots and herbs like angelica and rue, a piece of black tourmaline, and a protective seal or amulet. Follow the full ritual for how to make a mojo bag for protection.

Luck and Gambling Mojo Bag

A luck bag is a favorite of gamblers, job seekers, and anyone who needs a break. It is often made in green with lucky hand root, five finger grass, and a lucky coin. Here is how to make a mojo bag for luck.

Love Mojo Bag

A love bag draws new romance or sweetens a relationship you already have. Red or pink bags hold rose petals, lavender, and a matched pair of lodestones to pull two hearts together. See the full steps on how to make a mojo bag to attract love.

Money Mojo Bag with Lodestones

Money bags are made in green or gold to draw steady income, prosperity, and opportunity. The lodestone is the heart of this work, fed with magnetic sand so its pull never weakens. Learn how to make a lodestone mojo bag for luck and money.

High John the Conqueror Mojo Bag

High John the Conqueror root is one of the most powerful roots in Hoodoo, carried for personal strength, mastery, and victory. It is also the traditional root for court cases and legal battles. You can learn how to make High John the Conqueror root mojo bags for both strength and winning in court.

Healing Mojo Bag

A healing bag is made in white to support recovery and send comfort to the body and spirit. It often holds eucalyptus leaves, a piece of clear quartz, and a Saint Lazarus medal, since Saint Lazarus is the patron of the sick. A healing mojo is a spiritual companion to care, never a replacement for a doctor.

Confidence Mojo Bag

Sometimes the thing standing in your way is the voice inside your own head. A confidence mojo bag is made to quiet self-doubt and help you walk into a job interview, a hard conversation, or a new chapter with your head held high. Yellow or gold bags work well here, with ingredients for courage, victory, and personal power, like bay leaves and golden tiger eye.

Watch how a confidence-boosting mojo bag comes together, step by step.

How to Feed, Carry, and Care for Your Mojo Bag

A mojo bag is not something you make once and forget. Because it is believed to be alive, it needs attention, food, and respect to keep working.

How to Feed a Mojo Bag

Feeding keeps the spirit of the bag strong and focused on its purpose. The most common way is to rub a few drops of oil into the cloth while you remind the bag of its job. Many old workers also fed their bags with a splash of whiskey or rum, or by passing them through incense smoke.

Whatever you use, speak to the bag as you feed it. Tell it what it has done well and what you still need from it.

How Often to Feed It

• The first week: feed it every day, ideally at the same hour you made it
• The first month: feed it once a week, on the same day of the week you made it
• After that: feed it once a month, often at the new moon, or whenever it feels weak

Where to Carry Your Mojo Bag

Keep your mojo bag on your body and out of sight. Many people pin it inside their clothing, carry it in a pocket, or wear it on a cord under a shirt. In many families, it is kept below the waist during the day and placed under the pillow at night.

A money bag can also live in your wallet, purse, or cash drawer. A protection bag for the home can be hidden near the front door.

Keep It to Yourself

A mojo bag is for your eyes and hands only. Tradition holds that if someone else touches it, its power can be spoiled, and it will need to be cleansed and fed again. Most workers never show their bag to anyone or even talk about what is inside.

When and How to Refresh It

Over time, herbs dry out, and a bag may start to feel quiet. Many workers refresh their bags once a year, often around the fall equinox, while others wait until the bag feels weak.

To refresh it, open the bag gently and set aside the lasting items, like stones, coins, and medals. Replace the old herbs and roots with fresh ones, write a new petition if your goal has changed, then breathe into it, tie it, and feed it as if you were making it for the first time.

How to Respectfully Retire a Mojo Bag

When a bag's work is done, or if it has been badly spoiled, let it go with care. Pass it through incense smoke and thank it out loud for everything it carried for you.

Open the bag and return the herbs and roots to the earth by burying them, ideally under a tree. Cleanse the stones and metals so they can be used again. Bury the cloth, or burn it safely in a fireproof dish and bury the ashes, letting its spirit return to where it came from.

Mojo Bag FAQs

What do you put in a mojo bag?
A mojo bag usually holds three to nine items chosen for one goal: roots, herbs, a stone or curio, a personal concern like a strand of hair, and a folded petition paper. Odd numbers are traditional.

What is the difference between a mojo bag and a gris gris bag?
They are two names for the same kind of charm. "Mojo bag" is the common Hoodoo name across the South, while "gris gris bag" is the name most often used in Louisiana and New Orleans Voodoo, carried from West Africa.

What color mojo bag is best for protection?
Black and red are the traditional colors for a protection mojo bag. Black absorbs and turns back harm, while red flannel is the classic all-purpose Hoodoo color known for its strength.

Can someone else touch my mojo bag?
Tradition says no. If someone else touches your mojo bag, its power can be weakened, so cleanse it with incense smoke and feed it again right away.

How often should I feed my mojo bag?
Feed it daily for the first week, weekly for the first month, and monthly after that. Many people feed their bag at the new moon or any time it starts to feel weak.

Can I buy a mojo bag that is already made?
Yes. Blessed mojo bags, prepared and prayed over by a spiritual worker, are a good choice if you are not ready to make your own. Still, many practitioners believe a bag you make yourself carries a stronger bond.

What was the mojo bag in the movie Sinners?
In the 2025 film Sinners, the conjure woman Annie makes mojo bags for protection, including one worn by Smoke for years. When he brings it back to her, she dresses it with whiskey to refresh its power, a real Hoodoo practice.

What do I do with an old mojo bag?
Thank it, take it apart, and return the herbs and roots to the earth. Cleanse any stones or metals to reuse, then bury the cloth or burn it safely and bury the ashes.

Mojo Bags: A Prayer You Can Carry

The people who first made mojo bags had little they could call their own, yet they gathered roots from the woods and scraps of red cloth, and they made something that could not be taken from them: a prayer they could carry close to the heart. When you tie your own bag closed and breathe your hope into it, you join a long line of people who refused to walk through this world unprotected. Feed it, keep it close, and trust that what you asked for is already on its way to you.