Again, the proper name is Voudoun, not Voodoo. As working Priestess, I don't practice Magic...Magic is often the word used to describe the miraculous changes and balance that is brought to bear on the problem.
A better way to understand our religion is, "Spiritual Science".

Just so you know, there are millions of us all around you everyday -in every walk of life. Even the coach who won the world series is a High Priest of our religion. Ethical priests don't use the religion to make money, we have jobs and other means of income. There are charlatans in every walk of life---religious or not. Don't believe anything you see on TV or read in 500 words of less articles....they don't know, trust me.

The red strings, from what I saw on TV, were used to hold up the bud laden plants. The bows were probably decoration.

Alafia,
Iyalosa Oba Anya, Oni-Oni

I wonder if you might tell me what a "working priestess" does precisely? What is other means of income? What are miraculous changes, and balance brought to bear?
I don't want to put you into the same category as the ones pictured on old TV shows (you know, snakes, bones, dancing furatively, poisons, potions, zombies, etc.,) but if you don't describe in detail one of your functions including your dancing and motions and potions, then I have no other choice, do I?
I do hope you won't leave a doll with pins in it on my porch!
It seems whatever one of these "religions" is accused of, they say it is not them, but the other branches who are bad.
I know I sound harsh, but I am interested to see if you are real or just one of those people who pretend to be generals, veterans, preachers, great lovers, etc.

just wondering, who is pretending to be the veteran, general or preacher?

No one in mind. However there are many, many such people. A kid about 16 used to come into my business occasionally wearing a uniform and four general's stars, hat and all. He said he got another star and another medal from his organization every time he paid his dues. His preacher took the rest.

Alafia Dollaradayandfound:

Some Priests are Priests in name only. These Priests may have come into the religion for very personal reasons and have no interest in assisting others. Those of us who are "working Priests" do work for the betterment of our communities by attending to their spiritual needs.

I am self employed, in the field of Grief Recovery, I am a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist. An example of a mirraculous change would be a situation where medical science has given up on someone and told them to go home and make preparations for their death. This person, through the grace of God (who we call Olodumare), ends up on the Mat of a working Priest. The working Priest, along with others in their religious family, does what we are spiritually instructed to do for the "dying" person, who then goes on to live a long and healthy life.

In the Lukumi faith, we don't use either bones or snakes, etc. We have no association with Zombies either. HOWEVER, we do not cast aspersions on those who do. We don't down others' religion. We do not go about prosyletizing and neither do we use dolls with pins.

As I stated before, there are bad eggs in every bunch--this is human nature--unfortunately.

You truly need to educate yourself sir, or madam.

I leave you, as I found you, in Alafia

Iyalosa Oba Anya, Oni-Oni

Well, thank you for some kind of answer. Did you end up here from NO? Never heard of one around here. (of any type you mention).
Also, never heard of a paid certified grief recovery specialist.
Just let my doctor give me the morphine, please. What you do may be cheaper, however.
What are you normally "spiritually instructed" to do for a dying person on a mat?
You hardly left me as you found me! You don't mind snakes, etc.