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Kada se djevojka posvađa sa momkom, ona u nakani da se pomire, i da joj što brže dođe, baje mu na neki od mnogih načina koji su prisutni u bosanskoj ljubavnoj magiji.  Djevojka čeka da se spusti noć te držeći nož u ruci iziđe napolje i pogleda u vedro nebo, odabere pogledom tri zvijezde, i svakoj da po jedno ime: Budinka, Plamenka i Nesanka.  Onda gledajući u odabrane zvijezde ona uperi nož prema svakoj od njih i baje ovim riječima: Alaj, na nebu tri zvijezde;  jednoj ime Budinka,  drugoj ime Plamenka,  trećoj ime Nesanka. Tri zvijezdice - tri sestrice, po Bogu ste mi pomoćnice! Ti, Budinko, probudi mi moga N.N. Ti, Plamenka, zapali mi moga N.N. Ti, Nesanka, ne daj mome N.N. sanka do bijelog danka,  seho, veho, crko, puko,  dok meni ne doš'o i samnom  dvije, tri riječi progovorio.  Od Boga amin veledalin amin. Onda sa vanjske strane prozora pronađe neko zgodno mjesto pa u njega zabode nož i ostavi ga tu do sutradan. (Ljubavno bajanje iz Banja...

Hazrat Fatima, the daughter of the prophet Muhammad, besides her husband Ali Ibn Talib known among the Bosnian people as hazrat Alija, is a mystical figure and a cult character in shamanism, but also inseparable segment of folk medicine and tradition, where she is a spiritual mother and protector to all stravarke. We are lead to this conclusion by numerous examples from the practice, the most noticeable one is found in one of her names which is Fatima Ana or “Fatima Mother”, from the Turkish word anna or mother. Namely, every time a Turkish woman-shaman i.e. ocakli-kadin pours molten lead in a vessel with water she says: “This is not my hand, this is the hand of Fatima Ana!” alluding that she is only the medium or instrument through which the healing power of the prophets daughter will flow. Similar ritual practice exists in the tradition of Bosnian stravarke. At the very beginning, before the exorcist formulas and prayers are uttered above the vessel with water, with a quiet voice the...

It is known that individual symbols are universal and irreplaceable in the history of human spirituality and one of them is the hand that represents true power of creation and spiritual strength. Certain anthropologists believe that the origin of this amulet dates back to the oldest known cultures and should be sought in the raised hand of the Phoenician god of fertility Baal or in the depictions of certain Egyptian deities, where such a position demonstrates supernatural and royal affiliation. Divine motive of a raised hand was present among Assyrian where there was a common prayer “nish kati” – “raising of the hand”, while for example in the Egyptian text “Book of doors” on the alabaster sarcophagus of Seti I in the museum of Sir John Soane it is written “Large hand” it signifies supreme authority over the sky and earth. I probably won’t exaggerate if I state that the amulet known as Fatima’s hand is the most popular one in southern Africa where it is used as a universal symbol of pr...

Healing tradition where a dominant position is healed by the hearth is present in shamanism of the peoples of Central Asia and Turkey in rituals of healing with fire, lead or wax melting, as well as utilisation of the ashes from the hearth. It is interesting how the mysterious healer Lokman, known in Bosnian folk tales, specifically the one where he has the power to communicate with plants through snake ashes, is mentioned as a third cult figure in Islamic-Shamanistic cult of healing. It is claimed that he spread the cult of healing using his hands, and perhaps the most interesting fact is that the 31st chapter of the Qur'an carries his name (Arabic Luqman), which could be a coincidence, or not. In numerous Sufi circles that practice is visible and is presented as hereditary skill which stems from the Prophet himself. Namely, as it is believed in Sufism, at one point a mysterious voice from the fire spoke to Muhammad (s.a.v.s.) and gave him directions on how he can cure people usin...

According to definition fear is described as intense and unpleasant negative feeling which a man experiences once he sees or expects danger, whether the danger is real or imaginary. It's an inborn, genetically programmed reaction to threatening or painful stimuli. Fear is a primary emotion, just like happiness, sorrow, surprise, anger and disgust, which means that in different cultures it is expressed the same or in a similar manner, i.e. that the expression of fear is not learned. Fear is not non-functional, just like pain whose goal is to protect the body from further harm, fear with its intense discomfort and exclusion of all other things focuses the body on defence of the thing that causes fear, it places the system in a preparatory state and spurs careful monitoring of the thing which causes the danger. (Wikipedia) Studying ethnological build from the transition of the nineteenth into the twentieth century makes it easy to conclude that people lacking medical and scientific...

It was once believed that a person will fall ill if an animal jumps in front of him from a bush unexpectedly or if something else surprises him in a different manner. Repercussions of such a shock have an equally detrimental effect for both the psyche and body. Through some empirical, but also magical experiences, the Bosnian people have always believed that due to huge shock the human body literally shrinks, or better yet – contorts, which is also mentioned in other cultures where such unnatural deformities were cured with the help of massages whose main purpose was to relax the body and return it to its original form. But, the effect of shock have a much more complex effect on the human body and mind, which is according to folk wisdom best manifested by the claim that due to sudden fear certain organs in the body can move, such as the heart or the gizzard. Both organs are prone to movement during such a sudden bodily convulsion, when a person literally loses its breath, which then fu...

Fear i.e. fright can be caused by numerous factors such as a dog’s bark, lightning strike, fire, water, bad news and other factors. Often it is the culprit for numerous life difficulties and failures since it makes a person insecure and prone to withdrawal, underestimation of oneself. If for example a child gets scared during the first months of its life can often be the main reason why a child has difficulties making its first steps or walking in general. Fright can appear anywhere or at any time, but there are specific situations when we are directly exposed to it, as in case of some danger. If a person feels drowsy during the day and suffers from insomnia at night, is irritable, prone to depression and anxiety, then it is often believed that he is a victim of a suffered shock. There are some alarming signs that fear is excessively present in a human and those are nightmares. Stravarke reveal that if a person dreams of a horse or some other animal that attacks him, is a certain sign ...