Awakening the Blood: Calling, Contacting and Communicating with Our Ancestors

by Susan Diamond

Susan Diamond is the owner/ operator of Serpent’s Kiss Magic Shop and Crossroads Community Space in Santa Cruz, Ca. (serpents-kiss.com) She Creates many of the items found at her shop. She is a practicing Witch, Initiated Palera, Shamanic Practitioner, Astrologer, Spiritual Consultant/Coach, Reader & Rootworker. Susan teaches classes and is co-owner of Conjure Craft (conjurecraft.us) along with Orion Foxwood and a founding member  of Conjure Crossroads (folkmagicfestival.com) along with Starr Casas, Sindy Todo, Shimmering Wolf, & Orion Foxwood (conjurecon.com) You can connect with her on FB or listen to Conjure Crossroads on Blog Talk Radio (blogtalkradio.com/conjurecrossroads)

Ancestor work is the most important, potent, and immediately (as well as long term) gratifying work as anything you could ever do. Open that door and the future and its opportunities are limitless. Our Ancestors blood is within us. We are the living flesh that is proof of their existence and we hold their salvation, as well as our own, and that of our descendants in our hands. Contained in our very own DNA are their desires, their fears, their loves, their hates, their successes and their failures. They are a part of us and their memories, passed on to us through our blood, influence us for better and for worse.  They have a vested interest in our growth and well being and in helping us move forward, beyond the bonds of their/our fears, hurts, hates, and failures. We redeem them, and ourselves, through embracing love, desire, success, and happiness in our own lives. So how do we do this? How can they help us? Where do we find them? How do we get to know them in a culture that does not support remembering and engaging those whose shoulders we stand on? As is often the case, how do we get past generations of family shame that has obscured their lives and their cultures from our conscious awareness? How do we call them back and replace shame with reverence and honor?

It is simpler than you think. And living in our current age we have resources, both scientific as well as spiritual, to bridge the gaps forged by the past to enable a future of harmony, awareness, and engagement with those spirits who love us.

As a witchcraft/conjure shop owner of over 15 years, and a psychic/spiritual counselor for over 25 years, I am often challenged by clients/customers who say they cannot or will not work with their ancestors. Many of the "cannot's" say they are adopted or have no family history. Many of the "will nots" have suffered abuses by their most recent ancestors but know nothing of those beyond a generation or two.

Lets start with the will nots. You have many many many unknown ancestors. Reach beyond those who have wounded you. In fact, it is your very own ancestors that can help you heal the wounds inflicted by their descendants.

Now on to the cannots. Whether you have been adopted or not, many of us in our modern American culture have little knowledge of our ancestry beyond a generation or two. What a blessing to have the option of DNA testing at our disposal! Through DNA testing you can map the journey of your ancestors and start to piece together the story of that journey culminating in the creation of you! Knowing their names is not necessary in order to work with them. Yet, many of the reputable ancestry sites offer "sharing" options where you may connect with relatives who can actually connect you to names of those ancestors who were lost to you.

My personal journey with DNA testing has led me to an understanding of many of my chosen paths in life, that previously made little sense to myself or others. I was able to get quite a few names and stories through the process. I did not expect this to happen but am so grateful that I finally did the test.

Let me start by saying, I am physically externally quite white with reddish blonde hair. What I have been told of my ancestry from my family is that we are Irish, Scottish, English, German, Italian, Welsh, and Danish. Although this made some sense and I never questioned it, this is not the full picture of my heritage and not what my DNA test results said. In fact, my western European ancestry experience is in a lesser degree than some of the other ancestral journeys as expressed in my DNA. I have many stories of personal expression of previously unknown cultural tendencies. But, for now, I will share two.

About 15 years ago I took a belly dance class. My very first dance class ever. I was excited and looking forward to it as I have always loved to dance. My instructor, who was from Egypt got VERY frustrated at my inability to follow directions. To my extreme humiliation, she told the class to stop. She dimmed the lights, asked her husband to drum, and told me to just go ahead and dance free form to his drumming since I wasn't listening to her anyway. Although embarrassed, I did it. At one point she flicked on the lights and said "Ahhhhh!!! Now I get it!! Obviously you have been trained in the Turkish dance. Very different." I'd never been trained in any dance, and yet my recent DNA discoveries indicate a fair amount of Turkish blood that I'd never been aware of. You may not be aware of the history of your blood but that doesn't stop it from running through you and influencing your life.

I'd also like to address a subject that is sensitive to many folks. In the 15 years that I've had a shop, one of the most beautiful, in my opinion, experiences is the cross cultural call of the spirits. I have seen African women called by the Celtic Goddess Bridget, white women waking from dreams where a beautiful Goddess called Oshun wants them to walk with her. I have seen Asian men called by Pan and Christian men visited by Buddha. I believe there is more going on here than just DNA but in some cases, where appropriation is implied, it is simply our blood and not our skin that calls us home to our familiar spirits.

I have always been drawn to the African spirits. They have called to me from dreams and on at least 2 occasions saved my life. Conjure, known to some as "slave magic" is as natural to me as waking up and breathing air. It has confused me a bit for many years but I learned a very long time ago to trust my spirit over my rational mind and certainly over the minds of others. My DNA tests indicated African blood. Through family tree development and thorough research of documents, I discovered my 6th generation great grandfather was a slave owner in St. Croix (Dutch West Indies in the Caribbean) and my 6th great-grandmother was his house slave, who he freed and with whom he fathered 5 children. Upon his death, she went to court to petition for his property and won. There are court documents, house deeds, etc. All verifiable.

These stories and others help clarify my life's choices.

Now lets move on to the task of communicating with our ancestors both known and unknown.

The most important thing to note in any kind or human - spirit contact or communication is that the human body/intellect and the spirit realm communicate differently. The language of spirit is simultaneously more subtle and yet in some ways more direct. It speaks to our creative, unconscious nature engaging our senses but not necessarily our intellect. Communication therefore takes place through our senses and through our emotions rather than our minds. Our biggest challenge than is to learn to receive with out the filters created by our logical minds that enable us to exist harmoniously in a 3d reality.

So our first step in contacting and communicating with ancestors is to learn how to listen to the spirit world. We can accomplish this with the help of our non human allies by spending at least one whole day in nature and not once uttering a word. Our goal is to receive only. Do not speak, do not interpret. Listen. Listen to the breeze. Listen to the trees. Listen to the insects. Smell the air. Smell the dirt. Smell the dusty pollen on the wings of the bees. Take it all in. Pick up a stone. Hold it. Let yourself drift. Let yourself dream and ride the wave of your spirit as it merges with the stone. Later, much later, make a list of what you recall. List your thoughts, your feelings, your stirrings, your inspirations, emotions, etc. What messages did you receive from the nature spirits? Continue this exercise as needed.  Once you have learned to receive, you will want to find spirit allies that can facilitate communication with your ancestors.

In the plant kingdom, your greatest allies for this work lies with the trees. In many cultures, trees act as conduits between all realms, connecting upper, lower, and middle realms. Regardless of where your ancestors spirits currently reside, they can ride the spirit of the trees. If you use oils in your ancestor communications, be sure they include tree essences acquired with respect for the trees. I recommend Cypress and/or Cedarwood. Other plant allies that can facilitate the work are those that enhance memory, such as vanilla or rosemary. Flowers can also be used on altars prepared for your ancestors. My preference is white lilies (no pesticides!).

Stones, bones, and fossils may also be engaged as allies to facilitate your work, particularly those that come from the lands of your ancestors. Fossils and petrified wood, like the dead, have changed form and can facilitate the work. My preference is ammonites. Grounding stones, particularly those with iron (the blood contains iron) such as lodestone/iron ore/hematite or hematite in quartz (my favorite) make great facilitators. Actual ancestor remains (ashes) and/or graveyard dirt from particular ancestors plots can also contribute to your working.

Below you will find a simple ritual working that you can do for Ancestral Contact. Feel free to add your own personal touches when doing your own working.

Ritual:

Start with a meditation to get you into a place of receiving. One way I like to do this is by actually listening to the blood itself. You will need a stethoscope for this meditation. Another is to sit with the trees before beginning your work. But any method that helps you be still and listen will work.

What you will need:

• A black bowl or a bowl with a small obsidian scrying mirror at its center

• "Live" fresh water (spring or river is best, "live" water is flowing water)

• A White Candle or a prepared ancestor candle (One that is made by a reputable conjure worker)

• An ancestor oil (for anointing yourself prior to your working. To be used ONLY when calling kin)

• A cauldron for burning herbs or incense

• Herbs or Incense to be used as offerings

• A single hair from your head

• A lighter

Anoint yourself with Ancestor oil. A drop to your third eye, a drop to your heart, a drop to each hands palm, and a drop to each foot (between and just slightly below, the balls of your feet.)

Add a small amount of water to your bowl. Place your candle in the center.

Place your single piece of your hair in the bowl (some people may chose to use a single drop of their blood instead. It you choose this method, please be very careful and only use a sterile instrument specifically designed for this task, such as a lancet used to test blood sugars. Also note that you should never use your blood as an offering or engage any other spirits than your ancestors to commune with you in that way, lest you become food for the spirit world!).

Light your candle and call forth those from whom you received your blood, your ancestors, through the waters.

Make your offering of herbs and/or incense.

Introduce yourself and allow yourself to receive. Do not force it. Be still and wait. Ask a question. It can be anything. Who is here with me? Do you have advice for me?  Would you like additional offerings? How can I help you?, etc. If you are unable to be still or to receive, it doesn't mean that they are not there. Recognize that they are there, and ask them for help in making the connection. Perhaps your messages/questions will be answered in your dream time or will show up in some other way like a stranger's comment or a book you are drawn to or perhaps through a conjure worker you engage for a reading. Our ancestors work through whatever means are available to them, and once called, will try and solidify the connection. They won't give up on you, don't give up on them.

If need be, repeat the working until you feel you have made a connection with one or more of your ancestors. Once established, contact and communication are easy. They are with you and have never left you. You may call to them through a simple inner conversation. You can see them in your mirror's reflection. Once contact is made, you may chose to limit your ritual working to a simple candle lighting or special place or altar space. I like to prepare a space to share meals with my ancestors and talk around the dinner table as families do. I talk about my day and ask them, as elders, for their advice. If you feel uncomfortable in asking for their help remember this: How many parents would LOVE that their children ask for their advice? They are your elders. You are their child.   Whether you hear them or not, they will ALWAYS answer. They are ALWAYS there. They care. It is through their love, commitment, hardships & fortitude, that you were created. Honor them by remembering them, by engaging them, by healing them, and by being healed by them.

Home Work with St. Joseph

By Sindy Todo.Born and raised on the Texas-Louisiana gulf coast and a true Southern Rootworker, her Cajun/Louisiana ancestral gumbo is fully reflected in my conjure and is representative of the blend of cultures found there She is a conjurer, spiritual coach, energy worker, healer, intuitive, and card & bone reader.  Sindy also serves as a spiritual bridge between realms.  Her gifts are ancestral and passed down to me from her Cajun and Lebanese grandmothers. Sindy  resides in Seattle Washington with her beloved husband of 28 years and two beautiful Shih Tzu’s who are her constant companions that energetically watch over and guard all her work!

When I began practicing rootwork or conjure, one of the first divinities that clearly spoke to me regarding prosperity work was Saint Joseph. He has been my patron Saint, my spiritual benefactor and my support.  Many have experienced his miraculous assistance.  

My maternal grandfather was named Joseph (he was also a seventh son), my father was named Joseph, and the first school I attended was St. Joseph’s. For over 30 years I have participated in celebrating the feast day of this saint by first learning how to work on preparing an altar in the Sicilian and New Orleans tradition and then building and creating my own. This is an annual pledge and fund raising event to feed those less fortunate that I promise to St. Joseph for all his help and assistance I receive for my clients, my family and myself.

The home is where we feel most rooted and grounded, it makes sense for us to do our work around bringing into it positive energy, great abundance, and strong protection for the structure itself and all those who live in it.

St. Joseph walks the rooms of my home because he is invited and prayed to on a daily basis. He is the saint to invoke for buying, selling, remodeling, protecting and drawing prosperity to the house.  A simple carpenter, yet a powerfully strong father figure and intuitive, Joseph connects to each of us… if we simply ask.

Conjure work to me, is a study in spirit-guided creativity. When working for prosperity drawing I make mini money houses and personalized prosperity railroad spikes and teach people how to use these tools to do their work.  Often I use jewelry from a client when commissioned to make these pieces, I use real money, real keys, gold blessed mojo beans from my feast day altars, lodestones, and other prosperity drawing stones, minerals roots and herbs.

Another example of my work is a house for realtors to work with as they get listings to sell and attract buyers.  St Joseph is guardian over these little houses and always stands outside the front door of the house, standing upright (never upside down), watching for the right buyer to come in. Cinnamon for a fence and trees, shredded money for bushes around the house, high John root in the yard, coins and pyrite for a sidewalk,  $2.00 bills on the roof, horseshoes, broom and a house key at the door along with other personalized items just are a few embellishments of this particular realtor’s “ranch house”.

Success is accomplished when more thoughtful focus and creativity are applied to the setup of these magical work-houses. Petitions are written; names of buyers are put in the house and candles burned on the chimney.

I love to do home work and always encourage my clients to look at their environment when they are trying to shift their flow of abundance. Is your house clean? Have you moved the energy in it by moving the items, clutter and furniture? Remember the old saying, “Home is where the Heart is”. Take care to keep all the plasma pumping and arteries open.  And, talk to St. Joseph.  My favorite prayer said each morning (while you brush your teeth is perfect) is below. Just ask for what you want. He’s listening!

Houses filled to the roof with blessings,

Auntie Sindy Todo

Todomojo.com

Prayer to St Joseph

Oh, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interest and desires.  (state them here)

Oh, St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

Oh, St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press him in my name and kiss his fine head for me and ask him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Parton of departing souls – Pray for me.

Entering a rapture: Trance in American Root-Doctoring and Conjure Practices

By Orion Foxwood
Foxwood is a witch, conjure-man and faery seer; and, the author of “The  Faery Teachings” (RJ Stewart Books), “The Tree of Enchantment” and “The  Candle and the Crossroads” and "The Flame in the Cauldron" (Weiser Books).. Orion is the founder, and primary teacher, of the House of Brigh Faery Seership Institute, a multi-year teaching program in the "Tree of Enchantment" Seerhship lore, practices, traditions and skills; and a co-founder of Conjure Crossroads (CC), which is a collaboration between five (5)  seasoned root-workers and witches focused on preserving and promoting the healing and helping benefits of southern root-work, witchcraft and other folk traditions. CC hosts the annual Folk Magic Festival in New Orleans, Conjure-Craft in Santa Cruz, CA and an ongoing blog show. He is the Founding Elder of Foxwood Temple, a coven dedicated to passing on the traditional witchcraft of his elders . He holds a Master’s Degree in Human Services. His website is orionfoxwood.com.

The use of the word “trance” was something I never heard of until I moved northward to “the big city” of the Washington D.C. and Baltimore metropolitan areas.  The people I grew up with were not always that formally educated to use, as my mother would say, “highfalutin” words such as this. They saw what we think of as trance as something that happens when we offer our spirit up to God (or the Great Spirit, maker or source), to be used as a tool for works greater than the constraints of daily life and the human flaws that may lay within us. Yet, there is no doubt that what we call trance, or altered states” was without doubt a core practice among root-doctors, spirit-workers and conjure people as well as in many of the “back-woods” churches I attended where the parishioners and the laity entered into a state of awareness where they were in the presence of the source or “God”.  Without doubt, these people and their experiences gave me access to trance and its blessings.

Often, the steps to this state where called “approaching the throne”. These steps may involve singing, clapping, rocking, spinning, praying, reciting biblical phrases, and a host of other practices until the “shift” was made into the state desired.  The state, which we may call trance, reached was called by my folks “a rapture”. Once in a rapture-state, a person may speak the spirit-tongue (the voice of God), prophesied (pray true, see true and speak true), do healing (restoration of well-being), perform miracles (make change beyond the explainable), speak and work with the spirits (bear forth the power of the unseen world), access wisdom or do conjuration (draw forth power). The “rapture-state” (or trance) was the very means by which the worker could be the vessel of spirit, a force far beyond the everyday limits of the human life. A force that was divine made manifest the realms of humanity!

My Background

I was born and raised outside of Winchester Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley in the early 60s in a culture that was a mix of southern Appalachian and southern elements influenced by African culture from the slave trade of the 1800s in Virginia.  I moved from Virginia to Maryland in the 1980s to continue my study of witchcraft (which I had started there) and to “find myself”. I had no idea of the value of the folk wisdom I learned and lived with my mother and other teachers in my home culture. The folks who most utilized the rapture-state where folks who were doctors of the root (or spirit) such as preachers, faith-healers and the other folks who were gifted and trained to doctor the spirit which were called “root-doctors” (for they doctored the spirit, which is the root of life), spirit-doctors and occasionally conjure-workers.

Now, a very important part of understanding my life with the rapture-state is to be aware that I was born with what my culture calls “the veil”, known in other cultures as “the caul”. My mother and sister had it. This veil as a certain way the placental sheath falls over the eyes of the newborn and it indicates the ability to see into and access the unseen world of the spirits.  In my view, as one living with the veil now for nearly 50 years, is that the attributes of this gift is the ability to swiftly, effortlessly and even un-willfully enter into “trance” and access information that is seemingly not accessible to the “normal” person. I did not understand the full implications of this so-called “blessing” or “gift” until much later in my life as I came into harmony with it. It really was not until I formally entered my training as a witch and Faery seer that I really understood the veil, the rapture, and the knowledge and power that comes with it.     

A part of my witchcraft studies was learning how, as my witch teachers called it “to enter into the place between the worlds” or “fly beyond the hedge” of the seen into the unseen realms of the spirit. It was not until far into my training as a witch that I realized this was the same state of consciousness that my southern elders called rapture”. I experienced this state in sessions of faith-healing, root-doctoring and conjure work and it has specific feelings or sensations associated, which include the following:

• A light-headed sensation similar to intoxication

• Shifted-ness wherein a feeling of not being oneself is present

• A feeling of “otherness” entering into the mind

• The knees feeling weak

• Awake sleepiness

• Part of the body moving in an uncontrollable way where you feel like a puppet on strings   

• A feeling of being outside oneself looking at oneself

• A feeling of expansion and “hollowing-out”

• A feeling  that there is a flow of something greater than oneself moving into you and pouring out in words, actions and/or expressions

• A sense that you will be forever changed somehow after the experience.

So, here are some insights into the presence and use of the trance-state in American southern magical and spiritual traditions and how witchcraft and its uses of this state actually lead me back to the teachings of my childhood. In conclusion, I wish access to the rapture as a gift to all who earnestly seek to access the healing and helping benefits of the spirit world.

PINS AND NEEDLES

by Dorothy Morrison. Well known author of books as the author of Lucinda's Web, Everyday Magic, The Craft, Utterly Wicked and many other books. A native Texan, she is  a Third Degree Wiccan High Priestess of the Georgian Tradition, founded the Coven of the Crystal Garden in 1986, and spent many years teaching the Craft to students in eight states and in Australia. Dorothy currently ensconced in studies of the RavenMyst Circle Tradition, and enjoys membership in the Coven of the Raven.

Poppets have a made a magical comeback in the last few years, and there’s plenty of related information to be found in both books and on the internet today.  What you won’t find, though, is information on the correct pin and needle insertion points to cause the desired effect.  Of course, if the intent is to cause illness, locating the proper insertion point is just a matter of common sense.  However, other key insertion points are often overlooked.  And it's to that end that a brief list follows below for your convenience.

[Used by permission and excerpted from Utterly Wicked by Dorothy Morrison; published 2007 by WillowTree Press, St. Louis, MO]

Olive Oil in Conjure

By Caterina O’Sullivan

Caterina is owner of La Buona vita.  She is an Ama Deus and Reiki Master as well as a skilled Rootworker. Taking into consideration the day of the week, the time of day, and the phase of the moon, Caterinas products are hand crafted for the specific needs of clients. La Buona Vitas aim is to Craft the very best and most powerful product to help everyone “Live the Good Life”.  For more information about Caterina, please visit her website http://labuonavitausa.com/

A family tradition

From soaps to sauces, and cures of many ailments, Olive oil is well known all over the world. I grew up with no other oil in the house; it was sacred to my mother’s family. I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of my youth in Italy and I can attest for its many wonderful properties and its high regard in that country.

Spring tonic in my household was more of an olive oil flush. (Trust me, when your La Nonna, (The Grandmother,) makes you guzzle it straight from the bottle you’re getting flushed.) It was used on your hair, on your skin, in your food, and of course on your altar.

Using A lumini Ad Olio in Alters

So let me start with altars. Everyone on my mother’s side of the family, and the majority of our friends, had at least two altars in their homes. One would be for the ancestors and one to either Jesus or Mary. In some cases certain ancestors had an altar to themselves. All of these altars had a glass or jar filled about ¾ with water and ¼ with olive oil.  A lumini Ad Olio, which translates to Oil Candles, floats on top. It's a thin piece of lightweight metal that looks like a donut with three arms and it is suspended by three tiny square pieces of cork. In the center of this float is a small wick pulled halfway through a small round piece of cardboard inserted into the center of the donut. These burn during veneration and prayer.

Ancestor altar with Lumini al Olio

If there is a need for some help, if someone is sick, traveling, in need of finances, etc.; candles dressed with olive oil are added to the alter. These candles of course are scrutinized for any signs or messages at the end of their burning. Now it's starting to sound familiar, right? Burning the midnight oil takes on a whole new meaning when you're praying at one of these altars with your family for someone’s recovery from a serious ailment.

For me now, I still burn the Lumini al Olio, but plain white candles can't compare to the amazing candles made by Coventry Creations. They are the only candles I carry and their effectiveness outweighs any candles I have ever used. If I have a corresponding oil to use to dress the candle I will use that and add a few drops of olive oil to strengthen it.

Olive oil also comes in very handy diagnosing and curing Malocchio, or the Evil Eye.

First get a bowl of fresh water and a small dish of olive oil. Then wave your hand over the chest area of the person who is suspected to have the evil eye a few times. Dip your fingertips of that hand into the olive oil and hold your hand loosely over the bowl of water and let the olive oil drip from your fingertips.

If the oil comes together into one puddle or “eye,” then the person has some other ailment and has not been hexed by the Evil Eye. Should they remain separated, then you have a hexing on your hands.

water bowl with drips of olive oil separated.

There are many different ways to remove the Malocchio, but the simplest way is to continue waving your hand dressed with a bit of olive oil over the affected persons chest and repeat dipping your fingertips into the olive oil and letting it drip into the water until the separated become one.

Special Note: should you have to cover most of the surface area of the water bowl with drips of oil before it becomes one circle of oil, get a bowl of fresh water and repeat. This time I would light an uncrossing candle of your choice, dressed of course, and continue.

Bonus Tip from Caterina

I have one last little sneaky trick with olive oil for you. Take a few drops of olive oil in your hands and rub it gently into the pillow of your partner without them knowing. You will have the best sex you ever had ;-)

Caterina with her mom in Italy

Mama Izzy’s Hoodoo

by Nicki Mcdermott (Izzy McDermott)

As far back as I can remember the faith that is so deeply entwined with Conjure work has always been a part of my family and my life. When I was young I would be at my grandmother’s house and it was busy. Lot’s of people, lot’s of noise. My Grandma Bowers would be cooking in her cast iron skillet, Great Granny Wilson would be at the kitchen table singing bible hymns and gramps and Uncle Izzy, my great uncle, would be sitting around having a Budweiser talking about this or that. It was crazy and chaotic, but it was my family. Things were always done the “old way”. My Granny Wilson lived in a tiny house next to my grandma’s and she would hold Sunday school for us. It was always a lesson taken right out of the bible and you had better be there!

As I grew up and granny Wilson passed there were not any more Sunday lessons, but I remained close with gramps and uncle Izzy. They had great stories about the bar and about how crazy this person was and how you never go to a bank, you bury your money in the yard and how you didn’t need a doctor, you could get fixed at home. Those are fond memories to me and now I understand just how much they have played a part in the path I have chosen for my life’s work.

After the birth of my daughter I began to work a lot with plants, herbs and spices. I would smell them and feel them and choose different ones and put them into oils. They weren’t medicine so to speak but they were to provide help for different situations. I would give them to my friends and family and they loved them. Soon after that I would work with candles. Rolling them in the oils and then in the herbs for different situations.  I would help people and I would help myself.  After six years of being a stay at home mom I got a job at a new age store and it was perfect for me. I got to help people and work with them and learn the business!

Five years into my job I had a lady come into the store and she was talking with me about the casino. I excused myself and went to the back. I made her an oil, drew a dollar sign on paper, taped it on the bottle, wrote down the recipe and gave her the oil. I didn’t know it but at that moment Mama Izzy’s Hoodoo was born! She came back a few days later, handed me some cash and explained that the oil, my oil, had worked! From that moment on that was all I wanted to do. I expanded the Mama Izzy’s Hoodoo line and word began to spread. I added products and began fixing candles specifically for people’s situations. It was becoming a full time job along with managing the store I was at.

Then one day I received a call from Dorothy Morrison and she was encouraging me to attend The Folk Magic Festival in New Orleans. It was the first one and Miss Dorothy was going and so was Jacki Smith. Dorothy said that it would be a good idea for me since I was really the only one at that time in the Midwest doing any hoodoo. I went and it was one of the best decisions I had ever made. That is where I met Momma Starr! I felt a connection with her and have been lucky enough to be her student and family ever since. She has been such an instrumental part of my conjure work in helping me to make the connection of my roots to my work.

Since then I have worked very hard and many blessings. The Mama Izzy’s Hoodoo line is a trademarked brand, I have a large client base, and the best part, I now own my own shop! The Conjure Shop in Omaha Nebraska, the only one of it’s kind. It’s great to realize what your purpose is and be able to make it your life’s work! I am lucky! To Jacki Smith, Dorothy Morrison and Momma Starr, I love you and I thank you. You are a huge part of my success!

The Syncretic Worlds of Kabbalah and Conjure

By Storm Cestavani

Storm Cestavani is a kabbalist, astrologer, and practices transformational magic.  He is the co-host of the popular metaphysical podcast “Keep It Magic” with Jacki Smith and the creator of “Your Daily Dose™” a daily astrology column.  You can follow his work on Facebook or Twitter.

Have you ever seen the movie “Practical Magic”?

It’s a lovely film about witches starring Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, and Stockard Channing.  The film centers around two sisters that are born into a mysterious witch family, in which one of the ancestors was heartbroken and cast a spell where she would never fall in love again.  According to the prologue of the movie, the spell turned into a

curse and any man who fell in love with a witch woman born into this family, would die.  Of course, like any movie, the two sisters must learn to eradicate the curse in order for the female members of their family to experience lasting love once again.  The sisters, along with their aunts, use many herbs, spices, oils, and practical based elements to cast their spells – including margaritas and whip cream.

This is the essence of folk magic – using what you have and the power of mind over matter to achieve a desired effect.  Within your own home, there are tons of magical components that can be used in order to cast the spells you need, from baby food jars (I love baby food magic) to basil leaves to cat litter.  These items are used for magical

spells, communing with spirit guides, and of course developing relationships with your ancestors.  For example, tobacco, alcohol, and coffee are very aromatic scents that attract spirits.  They love the smells and are more apt to do your bidding if you offer these items to them.   

Folk magic goes back thousands of years.  A historic book (turned into a movie) which shows its usage is the “Red Tent”, which is based upon Dinah, who appears in the Holy Bible as the daughter of Jacob.  Not much is written about Dinah in the Old Testament, but what is revealed by the historically researched novel is the secret life of women who lived deep within the enigmatic red tent that used practical magic, prayer, healing, and the use of herbs and oils in order to help their families survive.  Kabbalists have long believed that women were on a higher spiritual vibration than men (see God Wears Lipstick), and perhaps the roots of modern day kabbalah lay within these tents -- where the biblical matriarch’s weaved their magic spells.  

Hoodoo and Voodoo are two traditions of folk magic where the evocation of YHVH is alive and well.  In fact, Zora Hurston (author of Mules and Men and Moses: Man of the Mountain) believed that “hoodoo” started before everything and that God conjured the physical world through the use of mighty words.  This is not much different than the kabbalistic belief that the universe was created and crafted by the Hebraicalphabet and even the first word of the holy torah – Bereshit – is strategically placed so that the bible becomes a “blessed” talisman.  

Kabbalah has many other similarities to folk magic.  One of the most famous is the use of incense in order to attract the attention of God in order to seek his favor.  This combination of herbs was known as ketoret (bring closer).  It was burned twice daily in the tabernacle and the temple in order to increase the likelihood that good would hear our prayers – which is a fancy word for petition.

Although we no longer have a temple, we can still use these powerful herbs (biblical verse on ketoret is found in Exodus 30: 34-36) which have their own unique powers that can be used to have a magical effect to help us control and navigate the physical world.  

The Holy Zohar states the following about ketoret:

“If only people knew how great it is before HaShem when they say the section of Pitum HaKetoret, they would take each and every word of the section and place it on their heads like a golden crown.” Essentially, the herbs of the ketoret are the ones most blessed by God and the use of them brings us spiritual favor.   Below, I have compiled a list of these herbs and how they can be used in magic spells. Ketoret can be used in incense, herb, or oil forms.

Cinnamon – Cinnamon heats things up and is commonly used in love and money spells – mainly for relationships that already exist or to increase money you already have through investments of general business improvement. Cinnamon can also be used for HOT SEX and is used in sexual based spells.

Sandalwood – If you want your petition to be heard use a bit of sandalwood because its earthy scent attracts favor.  Sandalwood is also a great dispeller and is frequently used to eliminate negative thoughts and energies.

Costus – Are you stressed out?  If so, costus can reduce mental anxiety and fears.  It is used in tranquility or happy home based spells and can calm the most intense emotions or arguments.  

Saffron – Experiencing tension in relationships?  If so, saffron can be used to bring about happiness or bring back that magic spark.   It’s best used when relationships have been influenced by outside circumstances such as career problems, financial concerns, or infidelity.  Also, saffron can be used to control the weather and other natural disasters.

Spikenard – This herb is used to promote good luck.  It wards off negative influence and puts a blessing upon anything you newly begin.  This is great for new businesses or new relationships.  According to the kabbalistic sages, spikenard can also prevent disease.

Cassia – Do you need to win?  Well, if you do, then Cassia can assist you.  Cassia is great to seal that job interview, to make your voice heard, to succeed at things that seem insurmountable.  You can use it for legal spells, career spells, or to influence others in your favor.

Myrrh – Myrrh is no stranger to magical practitioners.  It’s a great herb to use for power boosting a spell and is often used with other herbs and oils.  Myrrh is also used in protection and purification spells.    

Frankincense – Probably one of the most popular herbs on the market for ritualistic based work and is often used for consecration.  It can be used on any spiritual tool that you are using for the first time and is often used to protect practitioners from evil influences.  Frankincense is also used in meditative and visionary based spells and is often burnt or used for anointing during psychic based work.

Galbanum – Need to get rid of something?  Galbanum is used in banishing spells and used to prevent negative people from having influence over you.  You can also use Galbanum for debt spells, legal problems, or to prevent or get rid of viruses.

Clove – Clove is the gossip stop herb.  If people are speaking ill of you, then clove will help burn their tongues and they will be on their way.  In Kabbalah, gossip is equivalent to murder because it essentially is character assassination.  Clove shuts the person up and drives them away from your life.  If you have a gossip problem, then clove can also be used to defeat this self-defeating behavior.

Balsam – Balsam is an amazing herb.  It’s great to use when you need to attract things to you.  So, if you are looking for a new job or a new love then Balsam will attract the things you truly want to you.  This herb is especially good for manifesting anything – including money.  Need some fast cash?  Rub some balsam on your checkbook with the intention of receiving money and watch the ledge balance increase.

In her novel, Moses: Man of the Mountain, Zora Hurston refers to her biblical hero as “the finest hoodoo man in the world” and two likely syncretic systems (hoodoo and kabbalah) do not appears so different after all.  They both are concerned with the plight of the oppressed and both seek the favor of the creator.  They are invested in the pursuit of joy and happiness which brings the Owens sisters in their country kitchen together with Dinah and the biblical matriarch’s in their red tent. It’s clear that when intentions are based on love, we can respect separateness and acknowledge similarities.   The only illusion is our differences.  Don’t let your eyes deceive you.

COFFIN NAILS

by Dorothy Morrison. Well known author of books as the author of Lucinda's Web, Everyday Magic, The Craft, Utterly Wicked and many other books. A native Texan, she is  a Third Degree Wiccan High Priestess of the Georgian Tradition, founded the Coven of the Crystal Garden in 1986, and spent many years teaching the Craft to students in eight states and in Australia. Dorothy currently ensconced in studies of the RavenMyst Circle Tradition, and enjoys membership in the Coven of the Raven.

While coffin nails used to be plentiful and easy to come by, such is not the case anymore.  Of course, there are still many occult supply stores that offer them for sale, but the problem with obtaining those is clear:  There’s no way to know whether the nails you’ve bought are truly the real thing, or just regular nails that can be purchased at half the cost from any local hardware store.  This problem can be avoided, however, if you simply make your own.  And all it takes is a package of nails, some graveyard dirt, a zippered plastic bag, and the instructions below.

• Count out the number of nails you’ll need for the spell in question and charge them with your desire.

• Place the nails in the plastic bag and sprinkle them well with graveyard dirt appropriate to your desire.  [A few tablespoons will do it.]

• If the spell calls for rusty nails, sprinkle well with water.

• Seal the bag, allow the nails to rest in the dirt overnight, and they’ll be ready for use the next day.  [NOTE:  Do not wipe the nails clean before use.]

* * *

While we’re on the subject of nails, you should probably know that those gathered them from particular sites can definitely add power to your magic.  For your convenience, a few collection sites along with their uses follow below:

• Court House: To bring justice or to cause the target to lose his or her legal battle

• Hospital:  To cause illness

• Jail:  To bring jail or prison time

• Mental Institution:  To cause insanity

• Police Station:  To bring about an arrest

• Workplace:  To cause trouble for a co-worker or employer

[Used by permission and excerpted from Utterly Wicked by Dorothy Morrison; published 2007 by WillowTree Press, St. Louis, MO]

Mother Mary

By Momma Starr Casas

For over 35 years, veteran Rootworker and Traditional Conjure Woman, Starr Casas, has been helping folks through her ancestral heritage of Old Style Conjure. She is the best-selling author of THE CONJURE WORKBOOK VOL. 1: WORKING THE ROOT published through Pendraig Publishing. She is also the author of many bestselling self-published titles on Old Style Conjure such as WORKING WITH BLACKHAWK & THE HOODOO MONEY CONJURE WORKBOOK. For more information, you can visit her site http://www.oldstyleconjure.com/

As a child I was taught how important Mary was because she was Jesus’s mama. The Virgin Mary is also known as the Heavenly Queen. She is wonderful to petition for anything dealings with males or the family. Any mother that is worth a grain of salt is going to protect her children. Mother Mary is very good when it comes to protection.

You can petition her for protection in any situation you may find yourself in. I have found that when working with her she likes plain ole olive oil when you are dressing her vigils and work. From experience it seems to me that she works faster if the petition is for a male child; a son or Grandson. I burn white candles for her. She doesn’t need a bunch of Hocus Pocus to get her to help you; just petition her.

She can also be petitioned for healing. If you find yourself in need of some healing work then; take a white undressed candle. Call on the Trinity then on Mother Mary. Petition her to aid in the healing of your body. She works really fast when it comes to opened wounds and pain. Take the candle and rub it over the affected area. The pain will ease in no time. Let the candle burn out and repeat as needed. She really helps with a woman’s monthly suffering.

I want to share one small work that can be done with her;

Protection Medicine Bottle

·         Isaiah 43 torn from the Bible and burned to ash

·         A photo of the family burned to ash

·         {Add these to the medicine bottle}

·         Frankincense

·         Devils Bit Devils Shoestring

·         A Pinch of dirt from a church yard

·         Pour in some Olive oil

While you are making the bottle pray and petition Mother Mary for protection. Once you have the bottle ready. Set it on top of a photo of the Holy Family in front of a statue of the Mother Mary. Set four tea lights around the bottle in the sign of the cross.

Light them and pray your petition. Once the bottle is finished give it to her for safe keeping go at least once a week and renew your petition.

BIRTH OF MARY Feast - September 8

This feast day was introduced by Pope Sergius I in 701. There are other accounts of Mary's birth, such as the gospel of pseudo-Matthew. Place a red cloth on the table, to this you can add an open Bible; give her an offering of red wine and some white roses. Say three Hail Mary’s in honor of her birth.

Louisiana Conjure: Faith, Remedies and Roots

by Denise Alvarado

Denise Alvarado  is a New Orleans-born, native Creole raised in the rich culture of New Orleans, Louisiana. She has studied indigenous healing traditions from a personal, professional and academic perspective for over four decades. She is the author of numerous books about southern conjure, including the The Conjurer's Guide to St. Expedite, The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook, the Hoodoo Almanacs, Workin' in da Boneyard, Hoodoo and Conjure New Orleans, Crossroads Mamas 2015 Spiritual Baths for Every Occasion, the Voodoo Doll Spellbook, Voodoo Dolls in Magick and Ritual and more. Her provocative artwork has been featured on several
television shows including National Geographic's Taboo, The Originals, and Blue Bloods, as well as in several books by other authors. She is a rootworker in the Louisiana Hoodoo tradition, a spiritual artist, and teacher of southern conjure at Crossroads University,www.crossroadsuniversity.com. Visit her websites:http://www.creolemoon.com andwww.voodoomuse.org for a little sweet tea and conjure.

In the olden days, it was commonplace for women to have a variety of animal, mineral and botanical elements within reach so as to be able to tend to any number of conditions presented. Women were the primary healers in the family; as the kitchen was their domain, so was the doctoring. Of course, there were also men who worked roots, but learning about the healing properties of herbs and roots were just part of women’s work in the home.

The materia medica of the typical household would have consisted of animal substances such as fat, milk, bones, bugs and excrement (I know, yuck, but such was the case). Mineral and chemical substances included vinegar, bluestone, sulphur, Vaseline, camphor, turpentine, Epsom salts, baking soda, gasoline, ammonia, snuff, coal oil and kerosene. Most had gardens or knew the local flora and fauna well enough to have a variety of natural medicines on hand for rootdoctoring. All of these things were used to make ointments, compresses, poultices, decoctions, teas, baths, infusions, tonics, liniments and conjury. You wouldn’t hear Mama say she was conjuring anything; usually, she was just “fixin’” something.

While many families had someone who was knowledgeable of folk remedies and cures and even conjure – that being the realm of the supernatural – there are actually three categories of healers in Louisiana: the reméde man or woman, the traiteur, and the rootworker (also known as rootdoctor, hoodoo or gris gris man or woman). The reméde man treats natural physical ailments with plants, medicine from the drugstore and domestic remedies. The traiteur heals natural and spiritual conditions with prayer, laying of hands and charms. They claim to have God-given powers that allow them to heal through faith. The rootworker or hoodoo cures and creates unnatural diseases and conditions through spells, gris gris, and a variety of charms and tricks.             

True to the very essence of hoodoo and rootwork, if an ingredient was needed that wasn’t on hand, a substitution was made in all of the above cases. Many family recipes served multiple purposes and for the most part the goal was the alleviation of symptoms as opposed to a cure; although, a cure at any time is always a welcomed event.

Often there is prayer involved in serious cases. Faith combined with the spirit of the medicine served and continues to serve to heal many people who could not afford a conventional doctor.

Curin’ takes on several forms, including poultices, compresses, tinctures and infusions. Most commonly a poultice is used to apply an external herbal cure. In general, a homemade poultice is made by mashing herbs and other ingredients with warm water or natural oils to make a paste. The paste is then applied directly to the skin and covered with a piece of clean cloth. A compress is made similarly except the raw, prepared materials are applied to a cloth which is then applied to the affected area. Tinctures and infusions were often applied as compresses. Poultices and compresses are reapplied every 3 to 4 hours or when the material had dried out.

To make a slippery elm and thyme poultice for the treatment of boils, for example, grind up fresh thyme leaves using a mortar and pestle, then cover with boiling water. Pour off the excess liquid and add powdered slippery elm bark. It should be the consistency of a paste. Apply directly to the boil and cover with gauze. Keep it covered for several hours.

Another common form of medicine is the liniment. They are simple to make, keep well and offer instant relief for pain, inflamed muscles, circulation problems, arthritis, bruises and sprains. They can also be used as antiseptics depending on the botanicals used. They can be created to provide warming or cooling. Herbs and spices like cayenne pepper, black pepper and ginger can be added to stimulate blood circulation and assist with arthritis, pain, stiffness, and conditions aggravated by exertion or cold weather. Cooling ingredients such as peppermint or menthol crystals are ideal for inflammation and swelling, and areas that are “hot” due to sprains, bruises, and other injuries.

Liniments are made in a base of alcohol, witch hazel, or oil. The base functions as a carrier for the other herbal ingredients to effectively penetrate into the affected area and provide relief.

For example, an old folk liniment to treat a chest cold consists of a concoction of turpentine, oil of cedar, camphor, and Vaseline which is then smeared on the chest area. To treat rheumatism, a preparation can be made from Pokeberry root (Phytolacca americana) mixed with sweet almond oil, mineral oil or lard.

Here are some more examples of old time remedies for a number of conditions.

COLDS

Internal Remedies

• A tea of magnolia, sassafras and citronella.

• An infusion of elderberry flowers.

• The bark of a peach tree boiled down and turned to the East.

• A syrup made of honey, soda, olive oil and the crushed grains of coral tree.

• A tonic called Whiskey Camfré, which consists of whiskey poured over crushed camphor and bottled to be taken a spoonful at a time.

External Remedies

• An ointment made from sheep’s tallow, turpentine and olive oil.

• A rubdown with Whiskey Camfré.

MINOR CUTS, SORES AND ABRASIONS

• A poultice of hot milk.

• A poultice of brown sugar and soap.

• A poultice of sugar and corn husks.

• A poultice of snuff and honey (also good for bee stings).

• A poultice of bread and milk.

INSECT BITES AND BEE STINGS

• Chew a plantain leaf and don’t swallow it. Spit it out and put on the insect bite and cover with gauze or a Band-Aid.

• Clean mud applied directly to a bite. Does not have to be covered.

• A sliced raw onion held directly on a bite or sting is said to bring quick relief.

SORE THROAT

• Gargle with a decoction made from the roots of the blackberry bush.

• Gargle with a decoction made from persimmon tree blossoms.

• Rub the neck with Whiskey Camfré.

• Drink an infusion of boiled flies or chicken gizzards.

BLEEDING

• A handful of spider webs placed on the affected area will stop bleeding. Check out this article for an interesting read about this: A Mess of Cobwebs Makes a Believer out of Doc Miller.

• Wear a key on a string around the neck to stop nosebleeds.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

• A tea made from yellow root (goldenseal).

• Eat 2 cloves of garlic daily.

• A tea made from 2-3 bay leaves (also relieves migraines).

In addition to the use of household items and plants in curing, there are superstitions and old wives tales associated with certain practices. Magic formulas, protective amulets, faith healing, and prayer are used in Louisiana folk medicine, as well as conjure, and often the lines between the two are blurred. For example:

• Wearing a strand of amber beads will stop a toothache.

• Making the sign of the cross with a black cat’s tail over a sty will make the sty disappear.

• Two matches crossed on a person’s head will make a headache go away.

• A red string tied around the little finger will stop a nosebleed.

• A toad placed on the head will transfer a headache to the toad. When the toad dies, the headache will disappear.

• Lie on a bed of cool willow leaves to get rid of a fever. Once the leaves are warm, it is said the fever has been transferred into the leaves and they must be discarded.

• To cure a burn, pass your hand over the burn and say nine times, “When Jacquot was crossing the sea someone told him: it kills fire, it kills frost, in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost.”

In the past, as in the present, protective amulets are numerous and consist of plants and animals. Some of the items used as amulets include:

• Alligator teeth

• Rattlesnake rattles

• Pecan nuts

• Coins

• Hog teeth

• A red flannel bag containing sulfur or Asafoetida

FORMULA FOR PINE PITCH OINTMENT

Pine pitch is a very effective folk remedy with numerous uses. It helps to dislodge splinters and bring boils to a head. It is good for rheumatism due to its anti-inflammatory properties. It can be used as an external treatment for burns and sores. It can be used as a glue, sealant and as fuel. The uses for pine pitch are endless, really.

To make pine pitch ointment, gather some pine sap. Fill up a mason jar about 1/3 full. The softest sap goes on the bottom and break up the harder pieces to the smallest size possible. Don’t use your mortar and pestle for this unless you have one you use only for pine resin as it is incredibly sticky.

Fill the jar with olive oil and give the jar a little shake to mix it up. Set the jar in a pan of water or a double boiler and heat on low heat until the pitch is dissolved. Carefully stir the pine oil.

Next add the beeswax and stir. The ratio for making the ointment is one part pitch to 2 parts oil and beeswax. When all is melted, pour into smaller containers and allow it to harden. Voila! You should have enough pine pitch salve to last a very long time.

Here are some folk remedies using pine pitch:

• To prevent infection of wounds, get tallow (preferably mutton tallow), mix it with pine pitch, and apply. The pitch has antiseptic powers.

• For colds, inhale several times a day the smoke from a shovel of red hot coals, covered by one layer of lightwood splinters from pitchy pine stumps, one layer of rags to hold in flames and keep the fire smoldering, a light sprinkling of tar and of turpentine distilled from pinewood of first two layers.

• Pine pitch and bear’s fat applied to running sores (Cherokee remedy).

References

-Clark, Joseph D. "North Carolina Popular Beliefs and Superstitions." North Carolina Folklore, 18 (1970), 1-66.

Mellinger, Marie B. "Medicine of the Cherokees." Foxfire. 1, no. 3 (1967), 13-20; 65-72.

-Sexton, R. (1992). Cajun and Creole Treaters: Magico-Religious Folk Healing in French Louisiana, Western Folklore Vol. 51, No. 3/4 (Jul. - Oct., 1992), pp. 237-248

-Swett, J. (2009) French Louisiana Traiteurs. Retrieved from http://www.louisianafolklife.org/LT/Articles_Essays/LFMtraiteurs.html

To learn more about Southern folk culture on a formal basis, please visit crossroadsuniversity.com.

  Copyright 2015 Denise Alvarado, All rights reserved worldwide.

A Conjure with No Name

By Bryon Ballard

H. Byron Ballard, BA, MFA, is a ritualist, teacher, speaker  and writer. She has served as a featured speaker and teacher at Sacred Space Conference, Pagan Unity Festival, Pagan Spirit Gathering, Southeast Wise Women’s Herbal Conference, Glastonbury Goddess Conference, FaerieFest and other gatherings. She serves as elder priestess at Mother Grove Goddess Temple, a church devoted to the many faces of the Divine Feminine, where she teaches religious education and leads rituals.

Her essays are featured in several anthologies, and She blogs as “Asheville’s Village Witch” (myvillagewitch.wordpress.com) and as The Village Witch for Witches andPagans Magazine (witchesandpagans.com/The-Village-Witch), where she is also a regular columnist.

Her pamphlet “Back to the Garden: a Handbook for New Pagans“ has been widely distributed and her first book “Staubs and Ditchwater: an Introduction to Hillfolks Hoodoo” (Silver Rings Press)  debuted in June 2012.  Byron is currently at work on the companion volume “Asfidity and Mad-Stones” and “Earth Works: Eight Ceremonies for a Changing Planet”. Contact her atwww.myvillagewitch.com, [email protected]

A conjure with no name

Words are important. Language is important.  How we use it, how it morphs depending on the situation and the company, how it can be used as both balm and bomb—this is endlessly fascinating to those of us who are self-described word nerds.

In modern Western Pagan communities, we relentlessly parse our language in an attempt to be clear and to make our definitions stick. There are words that evolve over time—like the word “gay”—and there are other words that are deliberately and consciously re-defined in an act of reclamation, like the word “witch”.

This dedication is undergirded by a harsh reality: many experiences simply can’t be described in words. They needs smells, and touches. They require an experiential understanding that can only be kenned by the doing of a thing.

When it comes to what I do, the sort of practical magic I both teach and perform, it doesn’t have a name, not really. At some point, I will have enough time to research who tacked “Appalachian Granny Magic” onto this old weird cultural practice but until then I call it “Hillfolks’ Hoodoo”

when I’m teaching.  It morphs into “Appalachian folk magic and healing modalities” when my audience is academic.

It comes from three major sources—British, German and Cherokee—and is a living tradition that is changing all the time.  The people who brought it into my little corner of the world were staunchly Protestant Christian, and still are.  They don’t call it “magic” at all and are offended when anyone suggests that it is anything but the shaped power of God. It is standard operating procedure to always disavow any personal ability but to insist that the healer is an agent of the Divine, a channel through whom the Will and Love of Jesus is made manifest in some of the poorest of God’s children in the southern Appalachians.

The practitioners have often been older, experienced women and they have been called “granny women” and herb or yarb doctors. One of the earliest mentions I’ve found is from The Southern Highlander and His Homeland by John C. Campbell. Campbell was one of the flock of “song catchers” that arrived in the southern highlands at the beginning of the last century and there is a wonderful school named after him, where you can learn all sorts of beautiful and needful skills. (https://www.folkschool.org/)

Here’s what Campbell had to say:

There is something magnificent in many of the older women with their stern

theology -- part mysticism, part fatalism -- and their deep understanding

of life. ..."Granny" -- and one may be a grandmother young in the

mountains -- if she has survived the labor and tribulation of her younger

days, has gained a freedom and a place of irresponsible authority in the

home hardly rivaled by the men of the family. ...Though superstitious she

has a fund of common sense, and she is a shrewd judge of character. In

sickness she is the first to be consulted, for she is generally something

of an herb doctor, and her advice is sought by the young people of half

the countryside in all things from a love affair to putting a new web in

the loom. (John C. Campbell, The Southern Highlander and his Homeland,

Russell Sage foundation, 1921, pg. 140.

https://archive.org/details/southernhighland00camp)

It is a stern theology, to be sure.  They are joyous at funerals because the beloved one has gone home to Jesus.  They take trauma and tragedy in stride. They are tickled by the simplest things and count their blessings when they may.

But they didn’t call what they did magic, and they still don’t. Their religion precludes that. They did and do sometimes call the people who have these gifts “witches” but even that is getting rarer as the religions get more strict.

Though I share much of the cultural trappings of the southern highlands, I certainly don’t share the religious sensibilities.  I was raised unchurched, from Methodist stock, and formally became a practicing Pagan in the 70s.  I do call it magic and call myself a witch because the

restrictions of that Protestant dogma don’t apply to my tree-hugging dirt worship.

And this thing I do, it doesn’t really have a name.  Back in the day, the neighbors in a cove would know who to go to for doctoring, for water-finding, for midwifery.  They were practicing old techniques that didn’t require the sick person to get to a doctor, even if one was nearby. What I continue to learn, even as I practice it, is rural peasant healing, social engineering and justice work.

Appalachian folk magic—like all folk magic systems—is based on using available materials to achieve the desired end result. In this formerly-isolated culture, there is a general suspicion of outsiders, of the Law.  From catching babies, to distributing justice, to burying the dead these old systems serve poor people, people without recourse to urban centers of either healing or the law.

I call it hillfolks’ hoodoo because that suits me. I may sometimes call it conjure or rootwork when I am talking to other practitioners. The folks that still practice it in the remote fastnesses of these old mountains, though, don’t call it anything at all.

GATHERING GRAVEYARD DIRT

by Dorothy Morrison. Well known author of books as the author of Lucinda's Web, Everyday Magic, The Craft, Utterly Wicked and many other books. A native Texan, she is  a Third Degree Wiccan High Priestess of the Georgian Tradition, founded the Coven of the Crystal Garden in 1986, and spent many years teaching the Craft to students in eight states and in Australia. Dorothy currently ensconced in studies of the RavenMyst Circle Tradition, and enjoys membership in the Coven of the Raven.

There are probably as many theories on how to gather graveyard dirt as there are graves on the planet.  And the truth of the matter is that the exact procedure just depends upon who you ask.  For that reason, you’ll only find my personal protocol listed in the guidelines below.

Timing:  It’s said that for good works, graveyard dirt should be taken within the hour before midnight, and for evil, within the hour after midnight.  That’s all well and fine, but it can really pose a problem in today’s world.  The reason is that most cemeteries are locked up tighter than a drum at dusk.  And unless you want to open yourself up to a trespassing charge – and Gods know what else – you’d best be gathering your dirt during normal “business hours.”

That said, I usually don’t worry about what time of day I’m handling my collection.  Instead, I simply tell the spirit precisely why I want the dirt and wait for permission.  Yes, sometimes, permission is denied, but that’s okay, too.  When that happens, I just finish my conversation, thank the spirit for chatting with me, and strike up a conversation with another of the resident dead.

The only exception is when I need to work at cross-purposes with someone else.  And for that, I begin my digging at times when the hands of the clock are in direct opposition to each other, and in a position to cross-quarter its face if there were four hands instead of two.  The exact times are 9:15, 12:30, 2:45, and 6:00.

Protection:  Because spirits are not always the peaceable, gentle creatures we assume they are, you’ll occasionally run across one who decides to wreak havoc with your work.  For this reason I always wear a necklace that I’ve charged for protection when I enter a cemetery - any sort of amulet or talisman will do if it’s charged properly – and then ask Oya for Her blessing.  This keeps any ornery spirits at bay, since not even the most mischievous would dare to mess with Her!

Payment:  Never enter a cemetery without at least nine dimes in your pocket.  There are several reasons for this.  For one thing, it’s polite to give something back in payment for the dirt you’re taking, and nine dimes is the acceptable payment.  There’s also a theory that dimes cut the connection with harmful spirits, and if the dirt’s paid for in that medium, they won’t attach themselves to you or your property.  In any case, I always bury the dimes where I’ve taken the dirt and I’ve never had the slightest bit of trouble.

One more thing about the dimes:  Some folks insist that only Mercury dimes be used for payment, as His likeness appears on the coins and entices Him to aid in communications.  While I certainly see the sense in this, these particular dimes are not easy to come by anymore.  So, if you want Mercury’s help, a better solution might be to just come right out and ask Him for it.

Tools:  While the most acceptable form of gathering dirt is to dig it with your hands, there’s little I abhor more than getting dirt under my nails – and there’s no way to dig by hand and keep that from happening.  As a result, I’ve taken to using an old soup spoon.  It’s handy, it fits right in my purse, and is easily cleaned between diggings with a baby wipe.

Some practitioners also like to use a knife for digging, as they say it cuts any connection to unsavory spirits that may be hanging around.

Storing:  Some folks say it’s unlucky to bring graveyard dirt into your home, but I’ve never found that to be true.  However, I do keep it sealed in zippered plastic bags, labeled with my intention, the name of its donor, and the related birth and death dates.

Why even worry about the age of the donor?  Because depending on the work at hand, age may actually have a bearing on the results – especially if you intend for the related spirit to aid you in your efforts.  The dirt from a child’s grave, for example, might work well for cementing a loving friendship, but wouldn’t do much good if a scorching melt-you-into-a-puddle romance was at stake.  The rule of thumb here is to never use dirt from a donor that could not possibly have experienced your desired result.  And proper labeling is one way of avoiding that pitfall.

One more thing.  Please remember to check for earthworms before you bag the dirt, and release any that you find.  I can’t say for sure that dead earthworms are unlucky, but there’s certainly no point in finding out!

[Used by permission and excerpted from Utterly Wicked by Dorothy Morrison; published 2007 by WillowTree Press, St. Louis, MO]

How to use Ganesha to overcome obstacles

Ganesha is a candle from our World Magic Line. We represent Ganesha with an essential oil blend of date, tangerine and bergamot in a dark pink candle. He is the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is also worshipped as the god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth.He is one of the main deities in Hinduism.

Ganesha's head symbolizes the Atman or the soul, which is the ultimate supreme reality of human existence, and his human body signifies Maya or the earthly existence of human beings. The elephant head denotes wisdom and its trunk represents Om, the sound symbol of cosmic reality. In his upper right hand Ganesha holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way. The noose in Ganesha's left hand is a gentle implement to capture all difficulties.

Ganesha also represents things like sacrifice, pursuit of knowledge, energy, spiritual pursuit and humility. This is some powerful energy to tap into in pursuit of conquering our own dreams and goals.   For the candle, we tap into these representations as what is needed to be worked on. Overcoming difficult and often impossible seeming obstacles.  Like many things in life, simply asking for the energy flow in the right direction is only the start of your journey, it can also lead to many other challenged to solve.  With attributes of Ganesha such as humility and sacrifice lazy or fearful sabotaged can be conquered.

The Ganesha candle is 10% off in April.  Enter coupon code WORLD10OFF at checkout.

April’s series of blogs called “Why? Discovering your personal motivation” has been inspired by excerpts from Coventry Magic by Jacki Smith.   

Just to recap: For 2015, we are dedicating ourselves to unleashing your personal power. Since this is no overnight task, we have broken it down month by month. April, we talk about discovering what is your personal motivation.   It may seem obvious, but being honest about what and why you want the things you do can be a tricky and sometimes painful. Last week we talked about ways to break down those excuses and look for real solutions. This week it is all about becoming prepared for when the changes you wanted to make actually start to happen.   Each Saturday  there will be a new blog about motivation and what drives you.  These blogs are really just a summary of the real exercises found in Coventry Magic by Jacki Smith, for more detailed explanation, I recommend checking out the entire book.

Responding to Sparkly Magical Events

So you did it!  You did one of the most complicated things in life.  You made a real and lasting change to reach a goal or fix an issue.  Oh crap!  Success can be really scary.  From successful business folks to the guy who landed his first interview, most people feel like they have somehow tricked people to get where they are.  They feel unworthy of the opportunity. One day someone is going to march right in and expose them for the frauds that they are!  This is a typical response to when good things actually happen to you after the result of hard work and sacrifice. You have confronted your fears, moved past your blocks and things are moving, they are happening and it doesn’t quite feel right.  

This is just a tremor attack from your old fears and issues. Realizing your focus or what is motivating you is wonderful but incredibly scary.  Our lives are built upon the journey, if we know the path, it can’t really be true.  Old habits die hard and these feelings of being an imposter are those old fears refusing to die.  Our fears are like an addiction, they will never truly be gone and they will always be in the back of your head like ghost reminding you that you have put yourself out there and you can get hurt.  Surrounding yourself with a community of people who support your changes and letting go of those who want to keep you afraid can be key.

There is always something new to learn or conquer, the good news is that we will never quite have it completely figured out.  When you feel the fear that your life will be boring or you don’t deserve it, keep in mind that whatever you do, it is just a step.  Keep people in your life that support your changes and keep checking in with yourself to make sure you are still on the right path for what you want.

What are some ways to use sage?

Sacred White Sage Pillar is 10% off in April.  Use coupon WORLD10OFF at checkout.

Smudging with sprays is a well known tradition. You can Google any number of combinations with sage and cleansing and smudging and receive many wonderful resources on how to use it for cleansing.  The most traditional way seems to be the smudge stick and there are many resources available on how to clear your home using this process. The Sacred White Sage candle is the less smokey alternative to use sage for cleansing.

Through out the years, I have heard both Jacki and Patty talk about different reasons to cleanse the space.  Here are some that our customers have found useful over the years. (especially those just digging into this world)

1. Let’s get started-You woke up one morning and decided you are missing a spiritual connection to something.  Maybe it was just one yoga class too many or you read a book that made a thousand metaphysical light bulbs light up inside of you.  For many folks new to all this, it can be a scary thing.  Years of negative gunk and other peoples gunk clouding your spiritual path.  It could also be that your friends and loved ones may not be exactly accepting of your new focus.  They may be mocking or downright critical. Starting with Sage to clear all that out will put you in a much better place to get started.

2. Spiritual housecleaning-It is good to clean out your spiritual self along with your regular house cleansing every once in a while.  This could be especially important after a trauma or conflict that can leave you feeling emotionally and spiritually stifled. Cleanse it out and strengthen your connection.  

3. Spiritual Independence-Deciding to break away from family traditions or even to start down your own path opening yourself up to new ideas and beliefs will not always be an easy one.  Thankfully now, more than ever, there are communities to find and feel love and support.  Evan so, dealing with the those who will try to energetically block you from your breakthroughs and successes can make it a rough go.  A nice spiritual cleanse to keep yourself in a safe protected space and your eyes on your goals will help you feel the love and support from your higher power.

4. Clearing out toxic romances-Get them out physically and get them out spiritually.  A toxic person will try to out all kinds of hooks in you.  They do not often go without a fight.

5. Clearing out toxic friends-See above.  Whether it be unhealthy boundaries, jealousy or any number of bad habits a former friend might possess.  If you decided that they need to be cleared out of your life, clear them in all aspects.

6. Clear out the office of toxic employees- Again see above. Same problem different title.

7. Clearing out negative patterns in the office- Sometimes an attitude or negative thoughts can drain the productivity or creativeness of an office. Clear out the negative energy of that to bring back a productive workspace.

8. Clearing an object that you have absorbing negative energies-Get that gunk out of that object so it is ready to protect you from more negative energies that may come.

Sacred White Sage Pillar is 10% off in April.  Use coupon WORLD10OFF at checkout.

April’s series of blogs called “Why? Discovering your personal motivation” has been inspired by excerpts from Coventry Magic by Jacki Smith.   

Just to recap: For 2015, we are dedicating ourselves to unleashing your personal power. Since this is no overnight task, we have broken it down month by month. April, we talk about discovering what is your personal motivation.   It may seem obvious, but being honest about what and why you want the things you do can be a tricky and sometimes painful. Last week was all about confronting those excuses that keep you from moving forward. This week we talk about ways to break down those excuses and look for real solutions.   Each Saturday  there will be a new blog about motivation and what drives you.  These blogs are really just a summary of the real exercises found in Coventry Magic by Jacki Smith, for more detailed explanation, I recommend checking out the entire book.

Don’t Just Put a Band Aid On It

This month we have been talking about getting underneath the surface to discover your personal motivations. We have talked about discovering your blocks, admitting to them and now healing them. Taking on something that is rooted deep inside your fears and even beliefs you were raised with has got to be one of the most unnatural things we try to do.  We are by nature efficient machines and our mind and habits will often follow well worn path.  Why start a new one?  To even be at the step, you need to be somewhat self aware and self reflective. I don’t have to tell you that most of us are not. This is to say, if you are at this point where you have acknowledged what you blocks you and have confronted what that means, you are already half way there. You have already shown bravery and a strong sense of character to be here right now.

If you have followed the “why” factor question to discover the core of what is blocking you from progress you may have already picked up on that most of your “resolutions” of change of have been band aids more than solutions. In Coventry Magic, Jacki has a step by step process of getting you to where you really need to look to solve. The book goes into greater details about which tools you can use as a result of this mind exercise to help yourself heal, but here are the step she suggests you use to get there:

1. Write down your challenge, issue or wish

2. Ask yourself, why do you need this in your life?  You do not have to justify it, just give honest answers. (because really you will only be fooling yourself if you don’t)

3. Keep following the layers down by asking why.  Once you get down a few steps, truths start to reveal themselves. Find the underlying reason.

4. Ask yourself, where did that come from?  When you understand why and what you can change it.

5. Looking at what you wrote, look at the words and phrases and underline the ones that really stand out to you. Now you are at a point where you can start to build up your words for manifesting this reality.

“Now you can start to empower your magic.” Jacki Smith-Coventry Magic

April’s series of blogs called “Why? Discovering your personal motivation” has been inspired by excerpts from Coventry Magic by Jacki Smith.   

Just to recap: For 2015, we are dedicating ourselves to unleashing your personal power. Since this is no overnight task, we have broken it down month by month. April, we talk about discovering what is your personal motivation.   It may seem obvious, but being honest about what and why you want the things you do can be a tricky and sometimes painful.  Last week we talked about things that block you. This week, it is all about confronting those excuses that keep you from moving forward.   Each Saturday  there will be a new blog about motivation and what drives you.  These blogs are really just a summary of the real exercises found in Coventry Magic by Jacki Smith, for more detailed explanation, I recommend checking out the entire book.

Looking at the Crap you Hide From Yourself

Nothing is ever as it seems to be. A trope yes, a popular line in a movie and song yes, but also true. You are always broke, on the surface, there may be a million and one reasons for this.  Rent it too high, your do not get paid enough, you don’t get enough hours, children are expensive, healthcare is expensive.  These are all true and sometimes crippling, but these are the symptoms of something bigger happening.

There are many things people will do to to combat the symptoms. Th scratch off lottery tickets, they go gambling, get rich schemes, prosperity spells and my favorite, just complaining a lot. They are easy to do because they require the smallest amount of effort, but they don’t really get to the core of it do they?  In Coventry magic, Jacki talks about why many times prosperity spells fail: “These spells (money) never dig a bit deeper into why you keep having prosperity issues.” Just with anything that makes a true difference, you need to dig deeper, you need to put in effort and you can’t expect it to just come to you.

Last week, I talked about using the “why” factor to get to the core of what is blocking you.  Now let’s take those blocks and really confront them.  Be honest about what they are any why you haven’t wanted to deal with them. For me, what I have been wanting to change for over 2 years now is my inactivity.  I was once a runner who lifted weights took pride in my health.  Lately, I have been struggling with this.  I look for excuses everyday to not do something that I used to love.  What changed?  This is a struggle for me to even confront. My go to are really just excuses so I follow the statement with a why.

I never run anymore   

    Why is that?

I am so out of shape that it will hurt too much

    Why is that?

Because I am not patient enough to start all over again

    Why is that?

I would rather watch TV or sleep in.

    Why is that?

because I have become tired all the time

    Why is that?

I eat a high in sugar diet which is causing me to be lethargic and have sleepless nights.

    Why is your diet sugary

I am too lazy to cook

I could keep going with this, why do I feel that I am lazy, but we could be here all night on that one.   Being lazy is my block.  Confronting that and really understanding that will be a long journey but I have identified it and admitted it. Next week we will talk about trying to work on your problems in a real way instead of just trying to fix the symptoms. 

April’s series of blogs called “Why? Discovering your personal motivation” has been inspired by excerpts from Coventry Magic by Jacki Smith.   

Just to recap: For 2015, we are dedicating ourselves to unleashing your personal power. Since this is no overnight task, we have broken it down month by month. April, we talk about discovering what is your personal motivation.   It may seem obvious, but being honest about what and why you want the things you do can be a tricky and sometimes painful.  This week, we talk about aspects that may block you from discovering your motivation.  Each Saturday  there will be a new blog about motivation and what drives you.  These blogs are really just a summary of the real exercises found in Coventry Magic by Jacki Smith, for more detailed explanation, I recommend checking out the entire book.

What is Your Block?

We all have flaws. (this is hard for me to admit as one of my flaws is that I do not like to back down or to admit that I was wrong) It doesn’t us bad people, but it can create self sabotage and negative consequences.   With a bit of self reflection and humility, most of our flaws are forgivable to the ones who love us and want to love us. The problem is that fatal flaw.  We all know someone with a fatal flaw, especially in the world of dating.  You will meet this attractive, charismatic, seemly well put together individual who can’t seem to make relationships work.  Sometimes the flaw is clear to you: they are obsessive, they are cruel to those who would care about them.  Sometimes it is something you can’t quite put your finger on, but it is there none the less, and the person afflicted with this fatal flaw turns the blame outward instead of looking at negative patterns or blocks. We all have that friend or that ex who can’t seem leave victim land long enough to realize it is them leaving bodies in their wake.

Jacki writes in Coventry Magic, that some of these “flaws” are actually blocks we have put up for ourselves.  Where I am sure they were originally created as some form of protection, the file has become corrupted and it may no longer be doing its proper job, or even working at all. Jacki says “your magic always works; you may not be able to see it in your current condition. When you need to work some magic in your life, it is because something is truly lacking.” Before you can see that fruits of a change you are trying to make, you need to confront the roadblocks you have set up for yourself.

So what are your blocks anyway? In previous blogs, I have talked about what Jacki calls the Why Factor.  This is an exercise which follows a question line to get at a core of an issue. Following statements that represent your blocks with the questions “why is that?”  With every answer, keep digging, asking “why is that” until you discover the original stopping point or fear.

Once you have identified the blocks that you would like to overcome, the next step is to take a hard look at where they come from and how you can get around them or destroy them all together.  Next week, we will talk about confronting these fears and excuses in order to move past them.

March’s series of blogs called “Clearing Negative Patterns” has been inspired by  excerpts from Coventry Magic by Jacki Smith.   

Just to recap: For 2015, we are dedicating ourselves to unleashing your personal power. Since this is no overnight task, we have broken it down month by month. March, we talk about what it takes to break negative patterns that keep you stuck.  We start with the acknowledgement that habits are very challenging to actually break and how to even start that process. Each Thursday, there will be a new instalment about breaking these habits and clearing negative energy.  These blogs are really just a summary of the real exercises found in Coventry Magic by Jacki Smith, for more detailed explanation, I recommend checking out the entire book.

Habits Can Be a Bitch to Break

There are habits that are not great for you.  Biting your nails, twirling your hair or even popping your pimples.  Then there are habits that are really, truly and I mean seriously unhealthy for you. These habits are addictions, they stunt you and keep you unhappy or from growing, yet they comfortable and familiar and so hard to let go.

Our brains are wonderful and efficient machines, but man it can be so zombie like. For many people, including myself, I am amazed how disconnected my worker bee brain from my conscious thoughtful brain.  Since our computer brain is efficient, it likes to hard wire pathways into the brain that make certain actions or thoughts easier to go to.  Think of it like the path of least resistance.  Your brain in some ways is so good at what it does, it can gid pathways to deeply in your mind that it seems almost impossible go a different way.

This is what you are dealing with with are dealing with a habit.  To really change something about your bad habits it is going to take a lot of effort.  I am talking about daily work.  It will take planning, introspective thinking, identifying the root of your habits and working daily on rewiring those pathways in your zombie brain.  It will require becoming more conscious in your everyday steps.  Think about things before you do that, ask yourself why you do it.  Why do I drive this way to work?  What is the first thing I do when I get home? How do I spend my time with my children?  Why do I ask the questions I do?  Just keep in mind even doing this is going against those already established paths that you have in your mind.  This will be tiring, frustrating and your instincts will tell you to just give up. HOWEVER,  if you can keep doing it, day after day. You brain will slowly start to rewire, slowly dig new paths and every day it will seem more and more natural and if you keep to it, you may even find that you have started to actually change in a bad habit or two in the process.

Personal note from Monica: If you would like me and are curious to know more about how habits work in the the brain, I just started a book called The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg. I am really excited to read and learn more about that brain of mine and to  help me understand and build bridges between my thinky side and my zombie side.

This series of blogs called “getting comfortable in your skin” has been inspired by Coventry Magic by Jacki Smith.   

Just to recap: For 2015, we are dedicating ourselves to unleashing your personal power. Since this is no overnight task, we have broken it down month by month. January, we talk about getting comfortable in your own skin.  Before you can become your most empowered self; our thought process is first you have to figure out who the hell are you before anything?  Last Wednesday, I wrote about looking down deep to discover what is really important to you. If you would like to read it, it is called: Getting into your body here and now.

Forgiving Yourself

I call them memory ninja attacks.  You are just about the drift off to sleep and then BAM a super embarrassing memory pops into your head leaving you wide awake and blushing.  We over focus and question everything we do.  Re analyze our actions, things we may have said, mistakes that we made.  The thing is, it is really just us that remembers them.  We all live in our own clouds replaying our own events to really focus on others. With this in mind, the only person really holding onto the existence of this event is you, so let memory go and give yourself a high five for being mature enough to know the only judging you is you.

The problem with not letting things go, to not allow forgiveness, is the scars that form around our personalities to avoid any more hurt.  We become less willing to take chances, less confident in our choices. How can you discover your true self when it is covered in the fog of memories you cannot let go?

The more honest we can be about what really motivates us, the more we can focus on the little things that will either help us to come to terms with our fears or help us feel more fulfilled in life. It is also much easier to give ourselves a break for not always being successful.

To start your own journey,  pick up a copy of Coventry Magic we can do it together! I would love to hear any updates on your progress and findings