Category Archives: Hoodoo
Shed Snake Skin-Working with Snake energy
One of the most unique products available at Mystic Echoes is our collection of Shed Snake skin. These shed skin come from our two loved Baal Pythons. They shed their skins several times a year as part of the natural cycle of life. So no worries. These snakes are well loved and cared for.
Animal bodyparts have been used in magic historically. Shed snake skin is no different. The snake skin contains the essence of the snake spirit. It is a vessel for the spirit of the snake and the snakes spiritual energy. These skins allow us to contact and communicate directly with the spirit energy of snakes. These skins also provide an excellent physical charm to carry with you. These physical charms allow you to access the energy of the snake spirit at any time. Some traditions call those items fetishes.
The magic of the snake can be found across cultures. In some cultures snakes are symbols of evil and darkness for example in Christianity snakes and serpents are associated with the Devil and Hell.. In other cultures serpents are symbols of primal energy and are considered to be highly passionate creatures. Some cultures associate Snakes with transformation as well as growth and development. Every culture is different.
You may find over time that you develop your own associations with snakes and serpent energy. As with any magical practices and associations it is up to you to develop your own connections to the magic within the spirit. The more you work with the spirit the stronger your relationship will become and the more you will learn from them.
So how do you begin to work with the magic of snakes? First you have to think about the many associations with snake spirits and their energy. Secondly you have to think about your personal feelings on the snake spirit. What do snakes mean to you? What does your spirit say about working with that energy? Finally you have to think about your magical and spiritual objective. What do you want to get from the spell or ritual? How deep do you want this relationship to go? Once you have answered those questions you can begin to formulate your spell and ritual.
In order to help you start working with snake energy and the snake spirit we are going to fo through the process of developing a ritual and spell to start your relationship with serpent energy. We will be working with the first associations that my intuition developed when I first held onto snake skin.
So let’s start at the first step. The first step in the process is understanding several of the magical and spiritual properties associated with the curio. As shown above there are different properties and works from different cultures. This list is a collection of properties associated with just the snake skin.
Magical properties of Snake Skin
- Healing
- Renewal
- Protection
- Rebirth
- Sex and sexuality
- Hexing and or cursing
- Power
- Change and Transformation
- Removal
The next step in working with snake skin is deciding what snakes mean to you. What do you think of when you hold the snake skin? For myself the first thing that comes into my mind is shedding of old so renewal,rebirth,and removal. The next thing that comes into my mind is Change or transformation as well as healing.
The last step is what your personal goal is and how deep you want the relationship to go. Since you are going to be calling on the spirit of the snake it is important to be respectful and acknowledge the power and presence of the spirit. The magical goal is important, but its important to have the spiritual aspect understood first.
Here I am going to deal with healing depression. I want to feel connected to myself. I want to remove ill feelings and I want to feel refreshed and renewed. So the goals here are healing, renewal, and removal. Those are the magical goal. Since the healing is related to a mental health issue this is something that is going to be continual. So this is a relationship that you may want to develop for an extended period of time.
Let’s start with a ritual to get to know the snake spirit. From there we can then focus on the magical work. Its a two part process. First is the calling on and greeting the spirit. Second comes the magical work. For this you will want to have a few pieces of snake skin three for the spell and one for the ritual, or you can use one large one that you break into four smaller components.
Calling the Snake spirit
Materials:
Snake Skin
White Candle
Offering of Water
Ritual:
Set up your altar with a large white candle for your spirit and a glass of water for the snake spirit as an offering
State a prayer to your spirit Guides and ancestors asking to open and connect the way to the animal realms
Place the Snake Skin on the Altar
As you place the Snake Skin on the altar pray to the spirit:
“Serpent spirits hear my prayer
I call to you,
I ask that you hear my plea
Send your blessings to me
A friend to you I will be
In my heart you will stay
open the doors in my way”
Sit there and be in the moment. Hold the snake skin and see what comes into your mind. When you feel that your communication has ended snuff out the candle and leave the altar. Keep the snake skin there. Over the next month twice a week light the candle and repeat the prayer and meditation. This will keep the communication open to you and the spirits.
After the month of prayers and developing a relationship with the snake spirit you can start doing your first magical working with the snake. This is where we will call on the snake energy directly in the spell and ritual.
Healing with Snake Skin
Materials:
3 Pieces of Snake Skin
3 pieces of Paper
Matches
Black Thread
Blue Candle
Healing Oil
Working:
On the candle inscribe it with the words “healing, renewal,removal”
Take the healing oil and dress the candle from the top to the bottom (you are healing and removing things so top to bottom works)
Light the candle and state:
“Candle burning bright
Bring healing with this light”
Pick up the snake skin and call to the spirit of the snake. A prayer like this would work well:
“I call upon the ancient powers of the snake
May you help weave the web of fate”
On the first piece of paper Write out everything you wish to have removed from your life
As you write out the things you want to have removed see them gone, feel them behaviors and emotional issues removed from your life and you set clear
Once you have poured all that emotion into the paper place one of the snake skins on the paper
Fold the paper in half away from you. Turn the paper away from you and fold the paper again. Do this twice more and then tie it with the black thread.
When you have tied the knot state:
“I banish that which causes me ill
In their stead blessings fill”
Next write out on the last piece of paper how you want to be healed. Talk about what you will do when you are healed and feeling a sense of being a new person. Include things you want to do but haven’t been able to do for a while. Be as clear as you can. See yourself outside doing those activities.
Fold the paper in half away from you. Turn the paper away from you and fold the paper again. Do this twice more and then tie it with the black thread.
Tie the folded paper with the black thread. as you tie the knot state:
“Renewal and refreshed I am on this day
Cleansed and blessed will I stay”
On the last paper write that which you want to heal. Include as many details as you can. be as emotional as you can. As you write out these healing requests see yourself healed. See yourself feeling the way that you want to feel. Know that you will be healthy.
Once all of that emotion has been placed into the paper place the next piece of snake skin.
Fold the paper in half away from you. Turn the paper away from you and fold the paper again. Do this twice more and then tie it with the black thread.
When you have tied the knot state:
” Healing Come to Me
Better health I do see”
Next take the candle and the three packets and go outside. Place each of the packets in the candle flame. As they burn state:
“candle burning bright
Giving me your sacred light
Burn all obstacles in my way
Health and wellness stay”
Once the packets have burned and there are ashes sprinkle those ashes at the crossroads, into the wind, and into a stream. This will send your desire to be healed into all directions. If there is no stream you can bury the ashes on your property or blow them all into the wind.
The materials for the spells and rituals can be obtained here:
Shed Snake Skin
Health and Healing Oil
Spirituality Candle
Healing Candle
Devil’s Shoestring: Powerful Herb
Devil’s Shoestring:
Powerful Herb, Witches Friend
Devils Shoe String is a remarkable herb.This herbs is not as well known as many others in witchcraft. With all magical practices there are local and regional variances in practices, these differences include herbs worked with. This herbs is common in folk magic practice.
Devils Shoesting is one of the first herbs that we started working with from the world of Conjure. At the time our interest was in hex breaking and curse breaking roots out there. There are many herbs and roots used for hex breaking and protection work. What caught our interest was how not just how the herb was used in work, but that it protected and hexed at the same time. To us this became something to look at in working with the herbs.
There are many different herbs known as Devil’s Shoe string This is common with folk names. In order to know what plant you are getting you should always ask for the botanical name. Most plants have several different folk names along with regional names. Every plant has one botanical name.
These following plants (common names and botanical names) are known as Devil’s Shoe String:
Hobble Bush (Vibrunum alnifolium)
Cramp Bark (Viburnum Opulus),
Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium),
Witches Hobble (Viburnum trilobum).
Devil’s Thongs (Cracca Virginia),
Cat’s Gut (Cracca virginiana),
Goat’s Rue (Tephrosium Virginiana)
All of the above plants can be used as Devils Shoe String in workings. Most commonly it is Hobble Bush or Vibrunum alnifolium that is used in work. These plants are excellent allies to have and work with. Their messages to us are often subtle, but when these allies have something to tell us they will find a way.
When it comes to magic and witchcraft. It is important to remember that we do not use plants in the work we do. We work with them. They give something to us, we give something back to them. They are our partners and our allies. We give them attention, they give us protection etc. If we grow them we give them life and a home. They protect us in return. When we work with plants we are working with their spirits creating spiritual bonds and friendships.
Now that you know what the plant is, you may be wondering what the magical properties are. There are several. Many of the properties of the plant are hidden within the names of the plant. The first hint is in the name Hobble Bush.
The plant is called Hobble Bush. Why? The larger branches are very easy to trip over or be “hobbled” by. The plant Hobbles so it trips up your enemies. It protects you from them. The smaller more supple vine like branches bind and twist preventing things from getting close to you as well as from
The other secret to the use in hexes or hex breaking with this plant comes in the folk name itself. Devil’s Shoestring. There are two keys in the name of the plant. The biggest one here is the word Devil. Any plant or root with the name Devil can be used to protect from hexes, hex people, and break hexes. The Devil was historically associated with hexes and curses as well as binding and tricking people. So it is an apt name.
So far we have covered the most common associations of Devil’s Shoe string: Hexes, Hexbreaking, Binding, and protection. There are many other associations as well. Luck and money are other properties to this herb. Depending on how you are using the plant, you are protected from badluck and provided with good luck and customers. It can be used to drive troublesome customers away or to invite beneficial customers. There are even uses in gambling to enhance your luck.
So in total the associations we have here are: Hexing, Hex breaking, Binding, Protection, Luck, Money, and Success.
In order to get you started working with this herb here is a simple working you can do to protect yourself and bring luck your way.
Lucky String Packet
Materials:
1 Pieces of Devil’s Shoe String chopped into seven small pieces
Yellow Paper
Green Ribbon
Black Pen
Working:
On the paper write out your petition for luck and what areas you need to increase your luck.
Place the Devils Shoe string in the paper and folk it towards you as you fold it chant
Chant:
“Devil block things sent my way
Tangled in their knots they shall stay
Blocks busted on this day
Lucky blessings flow my way”
Turn the paper towards you and fold it in half towards you again as best you can. Repeat the chant. Turn the paper towards you once more and again fold the paper in half. Repeat the chant
Take the green ribbon and begin to tie the packet together. As you begin to wrap the paper with your ribbon visualize good luck coming your way. See yourself being successful and having your needs met. Continue to recite the chant while you wrap the ribbon around the packet. When the packet seems to be full your energy tie a knot and seal the package. Carry it with you until you feel your luck has returned.
When you have well established good luck (I’d say about a month of good things happening after a run of bad luck) burn the packet and spread the ashes at the crossroads near your home. This will continue to bring good luck your way from all four corners of the world.
You can Buy Devil’s Shoe string Here: Devil’s Shoestring
Come to me Love Spell
With tomorrow being Valentines Day a lot of people are looking for love spells and quick romances. While these spells can be effective, they can also end up in dangerous and destructive relationships. To prevent that it is best to work a spell that is about attracting love in general.
If you really desire a relationship than it is important to work towards attracting a specific type of person rather than an individual. So for example rather than addressing Jill from reception or Phil from across the street your spell would adress the type of person you are attracted to. You would include things like hobbies and interests (example enjoys role playing game or being out doors) as well as quality and personality traits (an example being likes being around children, strong heart, passionate about their interests etc). This allows you to be open to the universe rather than drilled into a specific person who may not be a good fit for you.
This spell here is geared towards attracting the right person to you. The items used in the spell not only attract love but also open and enhance sexual desires and friendship.
Come to Me Love Spell
Materials:
Red Candle
Red Pen
Paper
Witches Red Salt
Red Rose Petals (Love)
Catnip (happiness and Joy)
Lavender (Peace, love, romance)
Passion Flower (Friendship, Passion)
Cinnamon (sweeten the universe and that type of person to you)
Spice Up Desires Oil (aromatherapy oils or ritual oils work well here)
Censor
Sharp Object to ensrcribe the candle
Charcoal
Censor/incense burner
Red Ribbon, chord or string
Spell:
Take the pen and on the paper write out all the qualities of the type of person that you are attracted to. Be sure to include things like hobbies and interests you would like to share as well as personality traits (cares for others, emphatic, etc). These are the things that you are looking for in your partner for your relationship.
Take the knife or sharp object and inscribe love, relationship, passion, friendship, and joy
Light the charcoal
While the charcoal is starting take the Rose petals, Catnip, Lavender, Cinnamon, and Passion Flower.
Combine them in your mortar and pestle. Grind them into a fine powder.
As you grind the herbal mixture together visualize yourself surrounded by love. See yourself in a red and pink light. See that light extending out to the universe bringing love to yourself and others.
Sprinkle half of the herbal mixture of the censor (this is your incense) this will burn and send the love energy gathered into the universe
Next add a drop of the Spice up desires Oil to the burning incense.
Add three drops of the oil to the candle. Take the oil and run it on the candle from the bottom to the top. You want love to grow.
Next take a portion of the remaining herbs and add them to the candle. Again apply them from the bottom of the candle to the top of the candle.
Now light the Candle
Take the petition paper and sprinkle the Red salt over the petation papewr
Next fold the petition paper towards yourself. As you fold the petition paper towards you begin to chant:
“Love flowing like a fresh stream
Bring me a partner to be a team
Bring a lover that is new
One who to me will be true
A love that is alive
A love that will thrive”
Turn the paper 180 degrees towards you. Once again sprinkle the Red salt and recite the above chant. Continue to turn the paper packet and fold it. Before you fold the paper each time sprinkle the red salt and then fold the paper in half towards you.. Repeat the process until you can no longer fold the petition paper.
Grab the Green ribbon or chord. Start to wrap the chord around the folded pack towards you.
When you have wrapped the paper five times tie a knot. As you tie the knot state:
“I seal in love”
After you tie the knot turn the packet 180 degrees towards you and again wrap the chord. Repeat with the knot after five wraps. Continue this process five more times.
Once you have completed the process take packet over to the candle.
Pick up the candle and drip a little bit of wax over the packet.
Bring the packet over to the incense and pass it through the smoke.
When the candle and incense are done burning bury them on your property at the base of a tree. You can also bury them at a cross roads sending the energy out into the universe.
Carry the packet with you until love manifests in your life.
Once your love has manifested burn the packet outside and sprinkle the ashes into the wind and around the tree or at the cross roads where the candle and incense remains were buried. This will finish sealing in the magic.
If you are looking for the supplies to perform this spell you can find them:
Mystic Echoes Red Witches Salt
Red Love candle
Spice Up Desires Oil
herbs and curios for spells
Items used in the spell
Book Review: Hoodoo Bible Magic
This book is an interesting book. It covers a lot of different aspects of working with the bible within the folk magic tradition of Hoodoo. As a witch I am interested in learning more about Hoodoo and working with the bible in their spells and rituals. That is one of the reasons why I bought this book. The other reason was so I could start to add Bible magic to my spell work and my personal practices.
This book is a very short read but packed full of information. It is very concise but covers many topics from how the bible entered the practice of Hoodoo to if working magic is even compatible with reading the bible and understanding its work. There are also several different examples of practical magic and ways to work with the bible in day to day life.
The book starts with covering how the bible enters Hoodoo. The authors made it clear that the use of the Bible in Hoodoo is directly tied into some of the hardest times for the Slaves and the African American’s in the south. It is also made clear that now today these practices are inseparable from Hoodoo in any real sense of the work.
Next they cover if magic is compatible with the Bible. Here we are given examples of scripture and texts from within the Bible that illustrate magical practices and that you can work magic from the Bible. In this section the authors cover a selection of different “Heroes” within the Bible that worked magic in some way shape or form.
Finally in the section of begining to understand the Bible and Hoodoo the authors cover Root Doctors and Rootworkers as spiritual leaders and leaders of the church. Several examples are given for how these workers were community leaders not only in magical work but spiritual needs as well.
The section section of this book is probably the largest and most important section. This is the section that teaches working with the Bible in magical works. This section is titled “Forget Not it’s benefits”. This gives the idea of just how important the Bible is as a text to Hoodoo workings.
The first section is about how the Bible itself is a magical text. Here we are showm just how much power is within the Bible. We are taught about making prayer papers and how each verse of the Bible has its own power. The most important lesson here I found was that of the respect for the Bible.
Some spells and workings in Hoodoo call for tearing out passages from the Bible. Here the authors make it clear that by writing the passages down on paper and tearing that paper you have the connection to the verse without needing to deface a Bible. The power for them is in the verse itself so simply writing the verse has power.
Other topics include a folk story about how in battle a Bible stopped a bullet from reaching a Solider, the Jewish Mizpah and the Jewish Protective Mezuzah, and several other small biblical charms.
The next part of this section was on scriptural uses of magic. Here the author goes into discussions about how there are other verses and books of the Bible that can be worked with for magic as well as the Psalms. The author included a lists of various Bible verses and how they could potentially be used in magic. The author also included a list of verses that explain that God does in fact listen to people. This part of the Scripture ends with a description of “pleading the blood pf Jesus” with scriptures giving examples to the practice and how it is used.
The largest section of the “Forget not it’s benefits” is a section on working with the Psalms. Here the authors do include a list of uses for every Psalm in the Book of Psalms. The author includes a passage on the “secrets of the Psalms” as well as how to find the sacred names within the Psalms. The most useful section of this chapter is the two lists of uses for the Psalms. One is a quick list by type of working listing the Psalms in order by number and the other is listing each Psalm individually with the uses next to them.
The 23rd Psalm is one of the most well known Psalms out there. After providing us with a list of Pslams and their uses the authors provide us with several different uses for the 23rd Psalm. There are examples of blessings, protection spells, and a succsess spell as well. The 23rd Psalm is one of the most versitile Psalms in the book of Psalms which is why these suggestions are great for getting to know and work with that Psalm.
This section ends with a list of Pslams for fighting your enemies and sending back or reversing evil sent to you. Both of those sets used together could create powerful spells for protection. These lists give you some ideas on working with the Psalms so you can then start to create your own spells and rituals with the Psalms.
The next section was on using the Bible for Divination. In essence this practice involves flipping through the Bible with your eyes closed. When you stop flipping through pages you read the verse that you fingers land on and contemplate it’s meaning. The other topic covered is the use of dream interpretation and dreams in the Bible as a source of oracles and divination practices.
The final section covering the uses of the Bible in magical practice is a section on Devotional Prayer. The authors cover how we should Pray and what prayer is. The author covers types of prayer and how you can use prayer to preach. This section ends with a sermon that was essentially a prayed Curse regarding Hitler.
Bible Spells Old and New comes after reminding us of the uses of the Bible. Here the authors provided several different types of spells and workings that use the Bible. The authors start with steady work and succsess, which is followed by returning people and lost goods, Love is next (covering love, family, and reconciling with loved ones). After love we get into Helping and blessing, Harming and Cursing, and we end with protection and Jinx breaking. These spells cover basically every need that comes up in most day to day lives.
The Book ends with a selection of Frequently asked questions regarding Hoodoo, the Bible and the many practices associated. These questions include how to choose prayers for specific works, asking about psalms or scripture verses for quick financial windfalls, and even making a payment to Jesus. These are questions that are found on my Hoodoo and Conjure forums so having a list and answers is a great way to get answers for questions you have that may have already been asked.
This book gets 5/5 stars as it covers so many different ways to work with the Bible. The authors provide several resources, contextual examples, and workings that we can use right away to get started. They cover most magical and spiritual needs within the book so it is an excellent resource for beginners.
Witchdo Money Jar Spell
Materials:
Small Glass Jar
(Money draw powder)
Green Witches Salt
Coins/small loose change picked up over the course of day to day life
Money Bath and Soak
Fast Cash Oil
Optional:
Succsess Aromatherapy candle
Spell:
Wash the jar seeing it filled with money and succsess. Add 1 tbs of the Money Bath to the wash.
Walk around your home picking up any loose change. As you see the change if it is heads up state “Hi Hunting money you found me” and put it in your pocket. If it is tails flip the coin thrice stating “hunting money ,hunting money, you found me hunting money” Pick it up and kiss it before putting it in your pocket.
Once you have the money gathered put it in your jar.
Cover the jar with the lid
Shake the jar chanting:
“Prosperity flowing free Money and wealth come to me”
See yourself with all your financial needs met and having money to spare for entertainment etc. Shake until you feel it full of that energy.
Uncover the lid. Sprinkle the money powder and the salt over the cash. Add three drops of the Money oil.
Cover and repeat the shaking and chant.
Shake the jar two to three times daily with the chant as above.
At the end of each day put any and all spare/loose change in the jar. Repeat the edition of the oil and powders. Shake here again.
Important note:
Every time you pick up spare change use the “hunting money chant” and that will help bring you wealth and succsess in general.
When the jar is full take the money out and buy yourself something. You can use the same jar over and over again.
Optional:
If you decide to use the candle dress the candle with Fast money oil, Luck gain oil, and The Green salt as well as Money draw powder. Burn it near the jar but not on top of the jar unless you plan on burying the jar to create a permanent charm.
Book Review: Candle and the Crossroads by Orion Foxwood
The Candle and the Crossroads:
A book of Appalachian Conjure And Southern Rootwork
This is one of the most powerful books I have read in recent history on spirituality in general. While yes the book focuses on Rootwork and Conjure as the author knows them, the book is highly spiritually focused. For me even if I don’t put all of the information into practice, the components of the book that made me question spirituality and what it means were well worth the investment.
So to begin my review I have to say that even if you don’t follow any magical spiritual path as a guide for spirituality any one of any path can get something out of it. I would even recommend this book to Christians who are looking to deepen their personal spirituality and connection to their religion. Everyone on any path in life can get something out of this book. The connection to your own spirit that this book teaches us to develop is important for everyone and everything.
If you are looking for a book on spells you wont find them in this book. There are several workings discussed but actual spell work for money, wealth, love, etc are not really seen in this book. There are magical techniques for baths and creating mojos as well as connecting to spirits in this book. So there is magic with in the book but not necessarily spells for luck, love or mney drawing as most people are familiar with.
The focus on this book is the spiritual component of Hoodoo and Conjure rather than the spells. Too often people want to jump into the spells and workings of magic without the spirit component and thus they miss a huge part of the Southern Conjure traditions. This book provides that spiritual information. It is that focus which sets this book aside from others.
This is one book I am going to be referencing again and again. There are several exercises, meditations, and self questions that I am going to be looking at periodically. There are many things in this book that made me think and start to evaluate my personal path and practices. For this reason I am going to be using this as a reference and guide to develop my own connection to my spirituality and my own personal spirit.
The first chapter in the book is all about the foundation of this practice. Here we learn the authors experiences and his history with the practice as he knows it. This is where we see how his experiences and lessons in life and explains the reasons why he wrote this book. He mentions what the foundations of his personal magical practice are. By knowing this information you can better understand the worldview and practices presented in the rest of the book.
The second chapter is about the starting of finding your paths to the spirit that is you. The core teaching of this book is that humans are spirits as well. We are spirits having a physical existence as humans. In the teachings of this book and worldview if you start to realize this you will not only come into your own power but also start be be more whole yourself. This chapter starts a basic discussion on types of spirits that walk with us as well as types of spiritual paths. After talking about the paths there are also descriptions on how we are called to find our paths including symptoms of the different calls.
The third chapter is short but very important. Here is where we get into the history of the actual practices that formed Southern Conjure as the author knows it. The author mentions slavery and African traditions and their importance in the tradition. Here we see what Conjure really is about and how it survives over the years. There are warnings in this chapter about working with the spirits of Conjure and how powerful they are. There is a quote that illustrates the power and spirirt of Conjure work very well that I am going to share with you here.:
“If you are not willing to cry for, be angry for, pray for, and ask help of its spirits, then stay away from this work. These spirits went through hell when they first came to America in boats of flesh. No one can change this root, and why would we want to?
If you want to find the root that cannot be bound, then then root spirit of conjure is for you. If you want to grow your spirit from a place of truth and spirit power then conjure is for you. If you want to reach deep and pray high, then welcome to this deep well of spirit and spiritual nuturance.
But come through the door blessing and praying for the ancestors that suffered. This builds a bridge of grace to the spirit world and begins to establish the essence and flavor of the spirits that come when you conjure.”-Orion Foxwood Conjure and the Crossroads
The rest of the chapter focused on what the Root of conjure and the cultural mixtures that made up his conjure. The author mentions honoring his own Roots and how he works with them. After mentioning the spirits of African, Native American, and European folk practices who settled in that area he goes into the roles that Conjure played in that culture and still continues to play to this day.
The fourth chapter is about the Nature and Power of conjure. Here the author gets into the fact that Conjure does have ties to Christian spirituality and Christian religions. He addresses that many conjures use words like God and Creator and occasionally Maker. Here we see the power in conjure comes from the source of creation and the power to create which resides in our own personal spirit. The author gets into a few types of spirits that are connected to this power. One of them being the God of Christianity and divine beings. The author is specific in that for the reader and seeker that it doesn’t have to be the God of Christianity but it is the Source of all creation and all essence which is a spirit of sorts.
This is where we first start to actually get introduced into some of the techniques in this practice. The author goes into several different ways that conjure works with spirit. These include prayer, baths, blessings, healing, and cleansing. After starting the basics on techniques we are introduced to a few of the different types of spirits that are worked with in conjure.
Chapter five was probably my favorite chapter in the book. Its for me really the most important chapter in the book. This is the chapter that focuses on growing our spirit. The author had previously mentioned that working with ones own spirit and knowing ones own spirit was the most important thing in conjure. Here we finally learn to address the spirit and work with our spirit.
The best part of this chapter was the checklist on the attumement to our spirit. Not only does the author give a list of questions and symptoms of disconnect with our spirit but he provides remedies to help fix the situation. For me this was really the way for me to start to see how connected I am to my own spirit and what I can do to fix it. The author does mention that some of those ailments are actual symptoms of health issues (depression, anxiety and other mental health issues) and if you answered yes to many of them that you should seek professional help. For me that disclaimer and statement shows the connection between the mind, the body, and the spirit and how mental health can effect spiritual health.
This section provided me with the most enlightenment. It gave me tools to adjust and start working on my own personal spiritual path and development. One of the reasons I had started to explore Conjure and Rootwork was for a spiritual connection and a way to deepen and develop my spirituality beyond the basic 101 books. Here I have tools to find what I was missing and develop my path. The chapter ends with providing you with the steps to growing in your spirit which is what you need to do after you start the work of attuning to your own spirit.
Chapter six is about maintain spiritual health. The main focus on this chapter is spiritual cleansing and cleaning. The author explains how important is is to cleanse ourselves from the different forces in our lives that can cause spiritual clutter. He told a story of a client that his mother had to illustrate the issue. The author ends with a working for spiritual cleansing. This provides the start of our practical conjure spirit workings.
Chapter seven is about fixing or attracting good spirits to you. Here we learn how actions we take and the way we live our life sends signals to spirit. One of the first lessons in this chapter is that often we focus on our lack of something when we want something then more often than not we are going to be stuck with more of what we do not have. The author then begins to go into how we send images and messages to spirit so we can attract what we actually want.
The author then starts getting information on working on attracting the right spirits. The first real focus is on a prosperity spirit. The author provides a recipe or a ritual working outline to attract a prosperous spirit. One thing this working outlines is that in Conjure everything is spirit and everything has spirit. If you can accept that view and work with it then you are going to work conjure.
After the pot the author talks about maintain the spirit and provides steps and techniques to keep spirit alive. The first part of this practice is the establishment of an altar. The author continues with a ritual working for the altar set up and the consecration of the altar, yourself, and your home. While the workings are not exact they provide you an outline to make the conjure your own. In the end you must be the one to do the work.
Chapter eight was probably my second favorite chapter in the book. One thing I have personally been interested in for years has been working with graveyards and various forms of graveyard magic. This book is the first book I have seen that addresses this practice. Its considered Taboo in many modern magical traditions yet many acknowledge that there is strong power in the graveyard. Finding this chapter thrilled me to the core. It started to lift the veil on these workings.
There is so much in this chapter that covering the techniques and information would be a review in itself. I will say the author provides information on the power of the graveyard works and why we should work with graveyards. He provides information on working with graveyard spirits as well as how to gather graveyard dirt and work with graveyard dirt. The author spends the other half of the chapter talking about working with our ancestors and providing ways to honor them and work with them in our home and life.
Chapter nine is an interesting chapter. It covers ways to enter into the spirit world as well as working with a spirit unique to his tradition and practice. The technique discussed I found most interesting and will most likely try myself was the concept of tapping or knocking. Its essentially like you are knocking on the door to the spirit world like you would a regular door. After tapping and knocking he covers river magic as well as fire and candle access to the spirit world. Here there is a working for river magic specifically outlined.
The last part of the chapter includes a ritual and a poem I am likely to work into ritual work. Here is where the author teaches us about the Dark Ridder and gives us a way to introduce ourselves to him and work with him. The spirit known as the dark rider had been mentioned earlier in the book as a traditional spirit but not much was told about him until now. The author does make it clear that what he shows us is not the full formula for encountering this spirit. The working he provides is an introduction to the spirit and nothing more.
Chapter ten is the final chapter in the book. In some ways it works very much like a conclusion focusing on working the Root or working the spirit which is the force of Conjure and Root work. This is how the chapter starts anyway. It is here we see the final outline of the techniques and practices covered in the book to develop and connect with our spirit. The chapter ends with talking about a few specific plant spirits and with a formula for making a spirit bag.
This book provides several powerful tools for any spiritual tradition. In the end this book illustrates not only the power of Conjure and Southern Rootwork but also the power of working from your own spirit. The author provides an excellent introduction to the spiritual components of Rootwork and Conjure while also providing a few practical workings in the magical sense.
Magical Powder Recipe: Bring Me Love or Love Draw
This powder recipe here is one of the two powders that we made at Pagan Unity day in myIntroduction to working with Incenses and Powders. All of the ingredients will have links to where you can buy them in the amounts given.
Materials
Materials:
1/2 ounce Rose Petals
1 ounce Dragons Blood
Half ounce cinnamon
half ounce Catnip
One ounce Nutmeg
Mixing Bowl
Wand
How to
Step 1: Gather your materials in your work space
Step 2: Ask the herbs to bless your work and guide you in your work
Step 3: Take the Dragons blood and pour it into the mixing bowl
Step 4: Place your wand over the Dragons blood and ask them plant for its blessings of lust and desire as well as to protect your love and your passion that no harm may come to you and them in the relationship
Step 5: Add the Rose petals
Step 6: As before ask the Rose petals to grant you romantic love but also that the thorns harm any who would come between the two of you
Step 7: Take your wand and direct those emotions into the blend as you stir it with your wand.
Step 8: Add the Nutmeg to the blend
Step 9: As you blend the Nutmeg into the blend ask the spirits for a healthy relationship and to be in a relationship where fidelity is honored
Step 10: Finally add the Cinnamon
Step 11: As you mix the cinnamon into the mixture ask for there to be lust and desire in the relationship and that you have the power within to protect them and yourself if needed.
Step 12: Add the Catnip
Step 13: As you add the catnip ask the spirit for loyalty, friendship and love. Relationships need to have a strong base of friendship and love before romantic lust and desire can really be the focus
Step 14: With you hands mix the mixture longer focusing on blending the energetic forces of the plants. Repeat the need for protection,romance,strength,courage,power and lust over and over. Once you have felt the power build up and the chant is running rather fast force the energy raised through your hands into the mixture
Step 15: Hold the bowl to the heavens and thank the spirits of the plants. Place a small sprinkle of the mixture on the earth and thank the earth mother, and the green realms for helping you in the ritual.
Step 16: Place mixture in a storage container until ready to be used.
Uses
This is a powder. It can be used as a spell by itself, in spells, and as an incense. Let your magical imagination guide you on working with this powder.
Starting with Powdered Incense and Magical Powders
Starting to work with Magical Incense and Powders
An introduction to Powdered Incense and Magical Powders
Who I am and Why I do this
My name is Loona Wynds. I have been a practicing with for many years. I started as a teenager. At the time the only incense that was available to me for my spell work was the commercial large brands I could find at the local music store. Which for me at the time was great. Once and a while I was get a chance to go to a Hippy shop where I could buy Frankincense sticks, Myrrh, and my favorite Dragons Blood. These worked fine for a 13 year old who was just starting out on her journey in witchcraft but after working with them for 5 years things changed.
Most of the commercial incense (not Nag Champa) use synthetic scents. These are chemicals whose scents mimic natural scents from herbs and resins, and for some people these are fine. However my fiance can not breathe with those types of scents burning. Not wanting to stop my ritual work and my spell work I started to get supplies to craft and make my own powdered natural incense.
This was 10 years ago. I would only make some incense as I needed it now. I would store the rest for future use. This for me just meant more trips to the Leapin Lizards, the local metaphysical store for new herbs and resins for different blends. Making incense for me made me feel at my witchiest.
I was in control of all the energy in the blend. I was the one who was able to blend, mix, and shape the energetic forces of the incense to do as I willed. I got into a trance and I could really feel that the incense was in fact a spell in the making. The grinding of the resins and flowers or roots together put the physical energy of my desire into the work which lead to manifestation. This was how I started to understand the real essence of herbal magic.
I’m going to be honest right here and right now. I never once used a recipe for my incenses. I never once had a book top guide me in the steps. My only resources were the herbal packets themselves which had properties and uses on the back and Scott Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Herbs. I was purely using my intuition, my inner knowing as the old conjureers call it. So all of my blends were unique. They were never the same twice, and at the time I didn’t bother to record what I was doing as they were all experiments of the spiritual science of magical herbalism and spiritual aromatherapy.
3 years ago My fiance noticed that though I was trying really hard I was simply not able to find a job. I applied everywhere and I even had a few interviews. Nothing was working. One of my dreams has always been to have my own Metaphysical shop where I could sell supplies to people on their spiritual journeys and help them grow as a witch or pagan or what ever they identified as.
We had been told that because of me history I may be able to get a grant through the Small Business Development center. I talked to my worker helping me find work and we decided to try to go this route. After doing a test market of my tinctures, incenses, and some basic herbs I was able to prove that this was a dream that would work. And now with their help I have come to be able to make and sell the incenses and powders that I do.
Why work with powdered incense?
The most original form of incense is pure herbal incense. The witches, priests, shamans, and magic workers would dry plants and herbs and throw them on the fire for an effect during ritual. Over time they created different herbal combinations for different rituals and workings. From there they developed working with small batches for an individual working rather than a full community ritual. These small batches are how witches continue to work.
By working with the loose herbal and resin form of incense you can control the power of the essence more effectively. You are also able to communicate with the spirits of the plants. While they have been dried and harvested the dried plants are like the bone of a person. They still contain aspects of the plants spirit and essence. When we make powdered incenses for spell and ritual work it is this essence that we are tapping into. It is this part of the plants spirit we are working with.
While most incense stick may have some traces of essential oils in the blends you are not dealing with a pure plant essence. You are simply dealing with the chemical concoctions. To get a connection with the natural essence of the plant you want to work with dried plants that you either gather yourself (the best option) or buy from a reputable supplier. Otherwise you may not even be talking to or working with the plant spirit.
In essence witches work with the spirits of the plants they work with. Using powdered incense that you make yourself is one of the best ways that you can start working with the plant spirits. You can feel them, speak to them, and get a sense for their energetic properties. Over time the more you work with the plants the more they will teach you about them and working with them. I worked with marigold for years in spell work and incense before it revealed its uses in money,finance, and succsess work. Prior to that most of my work had been with the healing attributes and the psychic development attributes and its still one of my main go to for those works.
What are Magical Powders?
Magical powders are not as common in witchcraft as they are in Hoodoo and other folklore and folk magic tradition. Powders are a very effective way to work magic without being seen or known. Powders are effective because they work in silence and in the shadows without much fuss or muss. You are simply sprinkling a mixture around an area or on an object and letting the powder do the work.
In magical powders it really is the spirit of the plants that are doing the work. While incense send the words and prayers up to Gods and spirits other than the plant spirits, powders are direct to the earth. Its just the plants, your intent, and mother earth that makes things work. In magical powders you are really relying on the inner conjure power of the plants and of their spirits. They will work for you if you are respectful to them.
Not all magical powders are plant matter though. Several powders like Red brick dust, and grave yard dirt are not based on plant matter but on the organic matter of them. They are still full of power because of the spirits in them. The spirit of the place is an important aspect of gathering these powders.
Grave yard dirt is gathered at the cemetery and used in rituals depending on the grave it came from. This dirt can contain plant matter but in essence instead of the plants you are working with the spirit from the grave where you took the dirt from while. This is why it s important to do research on the grave you take the dirt from and give them an offering. It is also for this reason that most people will gather graveyard dirt from the cemeteries of their ancestors or beloved dead.
Powders like Hotfoot and black salt are often made with herbs as well as other items. In these powders it is still the plant spirits that are working for you, but it is also your intention in the work. Your desire and knowing that the work will be done that makes it work. The herbs are what boost the intent for the powder and it is sprinkling them onto the earth or object that makes it work.
Why you should make your own
Making your own incense and powders is one of the best things you can do in magic and witchcraft. I say this because it allows you to really control the power and the intent in the product. No one else but you really knows what type of healing you need done or what your money issues are. By making your own you can really be the magic and be the power behind the working.
It is important to remember that intent is everything in magic and witchcraft. When you start to make your own blends you get to put your emotional state and your intent into the product from the very beginning. You are asking the spirits of the plants to aid you in this work and lend their power to your working. By stating this while you blend and grind the power gets transferred and the energy mixes very well.
While you can use products that have been pre-charged and made by others you will not have as much control over the energy in the product. They will not have your emotional connection to the spell or working you are trying to do. The creator of the incense or powder can ask the spirits of the plants to charge the creation for a specific purpose and it will work, just not as effective. They will put their own emotional charge into the work as their blessing but without your own inner emotional force it is missing and aspect to be as effective as it can be.
You are the magic. It is your will that directs magic. This is why even when buying stuff from a store you will need to spend your own emotional energy as you do the work. You will have to make sure that all of your energy gets into the working so that the spirits know your desire and can work for your intent. This is why in the end I prefer to make all my own products. It has my partnership with the plant spirits starting from the moment I choose the herbs.
Tools of the Trade
There are several different tools involved in making incense and powders. You have the Mortar and Pestle, the scale, a mixing bowl, wand, yourself, bags and or containers, and of course the herbs,resins, and essential oils that you wish to work with. Each of these tools plays a central part in creating your own unique blends of incenses and powders.
The most important tool is the Mortar and Pestal. Right now I do not have any in stock but my friend does at his shop: Mortar and Pestle. The mortar and Pestle is how you actually grind and blend the herbs in the incense and powder making. You choose the herbs, weigh the amounts out and grind them. Some people grind them one at a time and then place everything in a mixing bowl for a final blending with hands or a wand. Other people will blend and grind them all within the Mortar and Pestle. My advice is to start with one herb at a time. Once you get a feel for the power it takes to grind the herbs in this fashion you can add more herbs to the blend at a time.
Mortar and Pestal Via Phoenix Rising Apothecary
The next tool you need are baggies or some sort of storage container. Once you have made your incense any that you do not burn in a spell or ritual (and a little of homemade magic goes along ways) you will want to be able to store it. This is the reason I keep most pickle, salsa, and jelly jars. I can us it for storage of incense, powders, and other blends. You never know when you will want to do a particular ritual again so it is important to know you can use the same blend again.
You also want to have some sort of paper to record what you did. This way you will know what you made and be able to make it again if it work perfectly. If something did not work well (and not every blend works out perfectly the first time) you want to look at what you did so you can try and tweak the recipe and make changes. This is also a good way to track any manifestations from the work.
A mixing bowl is great if you only have a small mortar and pestle and need more space to blend your herbal mixture. In this you can fold and mix and blend the herbs ground or not to your hearts content. I typically do a mixture of using a wand or using my hands. The wands are great at blasting a direct force of energy into the mixture while my hands do a subtle constant exchange through my personal touch.
One of the reasons I like to use my hands is that I get a direct personal connection with the herbs that I am working with. As I dig into the herbs I can feel them mix and I can feel the energy as they blend. I can feel the plants talking together about the purpose and mingling to the best of their abilities. It also lets me connect with the first witch, the earth mother as all plants are small representatives of the Earth mother.
Unless you are following a specific recipe you really dont need a scale or measuring devices. If you are following your intuition you can just work with what feels right. In Mystic Echoes because of the large amount of product I create in a single sitting I weigh the ingredients out by the ounce. For your own personal use if you want to keep accurate records tablespoons or teaspoons are all you are going to need.
Finally you need to have the herbs. Your herbs, resins, and essential oils are the most important part of the process. With out the herbs, essential oils, and resins you will not have any sort of incense and powder. These are what make your blend your own. There are hundreds of herbs out there many with similar properties. It is your personal choice of the herbs you work with and in what amounts that will make your incense blends really your own.
Choosing the Herbs and essences
The herbs are what make up your powder and your incense.So it is important to choose the right herbs for the right blend. In two follow up posts I am going to give recipes for a protect your love powder and a love incense. For now we will cover resources and how to choose the herb to work with for your unique products.
There are many uses for many different herbs on the market. One of my favorites Dragonsblood (which is a resin) can be used for protection, but also love, lust, money, exorcism, and power. Its also an offering specific to Dragon spirits. Another herb Angelica root has Angelic Work, Protection, Hex Removal,Exorcisms, Health, Meditation, and Divination as associations. Every herb on the market has properties that make them versatile in spell work and in ritual work.
So how do you choose? One of the things I do is I look up a few recipes in the various book resources I have. I then write down the recipies that appeal to me. After having 3 or 4 different recipes I see what is common in them and what is different. I write down all the herbs that are mentioned and go from there. This is where my intuition and working with the spirit comes into play. This is where I let the spirit of the plants guide me.
Once I have a few guides to look at I see what the herbs themselves have to tell me. More often than not the blend I end up with is different than the one that I had intended to use. I can see a lust recipe and start working with the herbs I thought might be good and half way through the creation I get a message from an herb “hey your supposed to use me” or a sensation that another plant would work better in the blend. So I put aside the herb I was going to use and grab the one that told me to work with it.
For those who are new to working with incenses and powders my advice is to actually follow a recipe unless something tells you very strongly to use something else. In this case many of the books that have recipes and associations with herbs and oils will have replacements or herbs that can be used interchangeably.
This is where many people can start to panic. They might not have the exotic herbs like Dragons Blood or Angelica root. But they have something like Basil and black pepper in their kitchen cabinet. Often times I get asked can I use the same herbs I use in cooking for magic? And my response is very much yes! Cinnamon is a good example here. Cinnamon has properties of money, luck, love, lust, protection, and prosperity. Black pepper has protection, removal, and magical offense properties. Your kitchen cabinet has many magical options for you.
This is my point here. Use what you have on hand. In the ancient times the witches and priests only had what they could gather locally in the woods or that they could grow in their gardens. If its something you have in your home I guarantee you can use it in incense or powders. By doing this you are also well on your way to learning about kitchen witchcraft as well. I will cover kitchen witchcraft herbs and kitchen witchcraft spells in another post but for now I’ll make the point clear again. Use what you have on hand.
Working with powders and Loose Herbal Incense
Working with loose herbal incense does require a few additional tools. You need to have charcoal discs and a censor to burn the charcoal disc in.
Censors and charcoal can be bought from me here:
Medium censors via Mystic Echoes & Charcoal discs via Mystic Echoes
Lighting the charcoal can be done with any lighter but I personally recommend these aim & flames: 
The reason I suggest you use those longer lighters is that the charcoal discs spark when they are being lit. It is these sparks across the disc that actually start it burning. Once it has been sparking you will see a red ring around the charcoal. Using tongs place it in the censor and sprinkle the incense on the disc as needed for the spell or ritual. Now your incense is being used in a spell or formal ritual work.
Powdered incense or loose herbal incense can be used in more than just formal rituals. You can use them as powders sprinkling them in packets, satchets, or around properties. They can also be used as incense by being burned for offerings to spirits and the Gods. In rituals they provide atmosphere and make the place feel and seem sacred.
The best way I have found to work with powdered and loose herbal incsnes is both as a powder and as an incense. When yuo burn the incense your intent is carried by the smoke to the spirits of the air and to the universe via your prayer and charge into the incense when you light it. Adding it to packets or rubbing the powder on candles will continue the effect and allow another way for the energy of the incense to work.
All of the powdered incenses found at Mystic Echoes:Loose herbal incense & magical Powders by Mystic Echoes can be used as a powder or as an incense. They are very versatile.
Powdered incense has one final beneficial use. There are some incense blends like the Happiness Blend and the Stress Relief blends which can be used as aromatherapy. By buring certain scents a person can heal and change their emotional state. This is one of the benefits of powdered and herbal incense. Variations of the Healing Incense would be burned during many healing ritual baths and they would be one of the best aspects of the bath-the soothing scent and caress of the spirits of the plants aiding me in my healing work.
Powders are best used in spells. You can use them to bless a work place by making a blessing powder. The only way they can really effectivly be used in rituals is when they are made in the rituals. For example at Maine Pagan Unity Day after making a love and protect my love incense and powder in my workshop I had some left that I went outside and sprinkled on the ground as a thank you. It was part of the ritual of friendship in the making of the blends and sprinkling it was a thank you and a spreading of the blessings.
You can use them in many different types of spells. In candle magic you roll a candle in the powder as part of dressing the candles. In packets you feed the packets with the powder to keep them going and you can also add them to the packets in the process of making the packet. You can sprinkle them around the house for protection or removal depending on the powder. There are some who even use them in freezing spells and jar spells. In essence you could use them in any spell work you can imagine. With all magic the only limit to their use is your imagination.
Resources
Today I am going to end this blog post with a few books and resources on herbal magic and associations. These are books that I go to every time for my workings.
Papa Jim’s Herbal Magic workbook by Papa Jim
Herb Magic for Beginners By Ellen Dugan
Mama D’s Herbal by Dru Ann Welch
Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham
Backwoods Shamanism by Ray Hess (small but valuable correspondences section)
Magical Herbalism by Scott Cuningham
Kitchen Witchery by Marilyn F. Daniel
Magical Aromatherapy By Scott Cunningham
The complete book of Incense Oils and Brews by Scott Cunningham
Hoodoo Herb & Root Magic by Catherine Yronwode
Product Review: Formula 4T3 by Doctor Hawks Cures and Conjure
Product Review:
Formula 4T3 by Doctor Hawks Cures and Conjure
Today I am going to be reviewing a phenomenal product by Doctor Hawk. I’ve already spoken about his Achilles Balm which for me works better than Neosporin on any of my wounds and has also helped my rashes and issues with ingrown toenails. This product is event better than that. THis is one that I wish more people knew about. This is one I am actually going to be keeping in stock on a regular basis.
I have a few chronic issues for my health that run in my family. Sinus pressure and pain (with out obvious congestion) is a big one and personally I have had issues with my ears in various forms since I was less than 3 months old. My ear problems have run from chronic ear infections to both excessive earwax and too little earwax. Though I would have to say my most annoying problem from my ears would be the constant ringing when there is silence.
I also tend to get any and all versions of the cold and flu that go around. As an asthmatic (its mild but colds and flus make it worse) I am open to these issues more than other people (at least that is how it seems to me). For myself because of the asthma I often get a large build up of phlegm and it can be difficult to deal with without the use of Mucinex or other over the counter medicines. Not so much any more.
This medicine the Formula 4T3 has created a major change in my life. I can appreciate the silence of the night. I can site outside and listen to the wind, water, and crickets without any issue. I can actually be at peace with the true music of the night. For once I can enjoy true natural silent meditation in nature and really get something out of it.
I no longer have a constant state of ringing in my ears. I can sleep every night easily. If I wake up and there is no music going I can fall asleep without dreading the return of ringing ears. I’ll put it this way. The ringing in my ears was so bad that if there was silence it would make itself louder and louder until it was almost deafening. Now the only time this seems to happen at all is if I missed a dose.
I do not have the phlem build up that I used to. I actually seem to hardly ever need to use either of my inhalers anymore. They seem to only be required once a day for the controller (instead of twice) and the as needed only when its unbearably humid or I have been much more physically active than my norm. I dont need to use it when I vacuum at work anymore. This is a good thing.
I was getting two sinus headaches a week with pain. Since I have started this treatment there are no sinus pressure headaches. The sinus pressure and pain were actually a new thing for me. They were bad. It was so painful that I only felt that sleeping and lying down could cure it. Again it seems that the only time I get these issues anymore is if I happen to miss a dose. This past weekend I was away and forgot to take it with me. Monday I had the onset of a sinus pressure headache. To fix that I took a dose of this and it went away almost instantly.
These are some of the main physical ailment ways that this product has helped me heal and be more aware of myself and my life. There are several mental health issues that I deal with on a daily basis as well. Some of these issues were the inspiration for several of my aromatherapy baths. However I have found that this has done the job very well.
Since taking this I am starting to remember my dreams more often and dream more vividly. My emotions are much stronger than they have been in a while. I feel my power as a witch flowing much freer than it has in a long time. I feel like I am returning to myself. Which may be one of the unknown spiritual effects of this product.
I can’t comment on the spiritual aspects of this product myself as I have not used it for that purpose yet. Doctor Hawk’s products all come with a practical aspect as well as a spiritual aspect to them. For him it is essential to treat the whole person. This is one of the reasons I recommend you talk to him and ask about his products yourself. He really is a true Root Doctor who treats the body and spirit as if they are one for they really are one.
To see more of his products and to order them for yourself contact him through his Facebook pages
Doctor Hawk’s cures and Conjure: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Doctor-Hawks-Cures-and-Conjure/1428801757335612
Or talk to the man himself on his personal page
Ray Hess: https://www.facebook.com/ray.hess.9066
Book Review: Backwoods Shamanism
This book is full of information. At first I wasn’t really sure what to think by the title of the book. The book is titled backwoods Shamanism, and for me most books on shamanism are vastly different from this book. Most books cover spirits of the land, trance work, and some rituals to honor those spirits. This book contains information on working with spirits and some rituals/ways to honor them but it is not your typical book on shamanism.
I’d put this as a mixture of shamanism and hoodoo myself which is what makes the book so unique. The author teaches about working with spirit and how we need to focus on the physical and the spiritual to heal and have holistic lives. Yet his approach to shamanism and shamanic work is not the familiar Native American style. Its more reminiscent of the African traditions which is due to the Hoodoo practices.
This book comes in three primary sections with five different appendix resources. Each section including the appendix actually deals with a specific and unique area of Hoodo/conjure work. This set up makes the book ideal as a reference for a beginner to the craft and spiritual practice that is Hoodoo.
The first section of the book is all about the history and basics of Hoodoo. One thing I like is how the author approached Hoodoo themselves. In many books you get the feeling that unless you were either raised in the south or are African American you can’t practice Hoodoo. He takes a slightly different approach to this view.
The author makes it clear this it is a specific culture or way of life that makes Hoodoo what it is. He makes it clear that if you can respect the origins and the culture that created Hoodoo you can practice it.
The author spends some time talking about the view of God in Hoodoo. He makes it clear that while Hoodoo is not a religion, a relationship with God and some spirits is essential. The view of God the author expresses is not a conventional view either which further shows that Hoodoo is not a religion but a holistic craft that deals with the spirit and the body together.
For those who are new to magic in general the author includes a basic idea about how magic works. He describes the process of working magic known as sympathetic magic or imitative magic.. This is also part of the authors explanation on how and why you will see things like hair, nails, shed skin and much more in Hoodoo workings.
The last bit of information in the foundation of the book is on ancestral veneration. Working with ancestral spirits is one of the key components that make Hoodoo what it is. The author includes the reasons for working with our ancestors as well as how we can work with them and instructions for setting up an ancestral altar.
The second section of the book is one I wish the author had spent more time with. This is the section on home remedies and folk medicine. A major component of Hoodoo is the medicinal work with herbs and treatments. It is here that the author gives information on the medicinal practices in Hoodoo.
Rootdoctors are one of the many names associated with hoodoo practitioners. This is because many rootworkers were also the neighborhood healers. They were the ones with the knowledge of what herbs could be used for healing what ailment. In the areas where Hoodoo was formed there was little to no money to go see a city doctor unless it was a major problem. So they relied on the local Root Doctors.
This section though is a bit too small. While there are instructions on the different medical terms for herbal mixtures and how they are used there are only a small handful of remedies available. The definitions of the types of remedies and the information on the doctrine of signatures is very useful.
The remedies offered include a cough syrup, flu relief, sleep aid, and a general salve. So while there are only a few remedies these are simple and are enough to start a newbie working on holistic medicine for themselves and their family. They are a starting point, and we all need someplace to start from.
Now we get to where the real meat of the work is. The third section in the book is all about the magical practice. The author titles this section Conjure. This section is full of spells, rituals, workings, and many other useful bits of information. This is why many people will buy the book.
The author starts off by going over the importance of performing divination before doing any sort of working. It is a part of the Hoodoo traditions. These readings not only tell you if work needs to be done but also what sort of work needs to be done to correct the situation you are in. The author covers bone reading and playing card reading and gives instructions on how to work with and use both of them.
The author covers mirror work, making a scrying mirror & scrying, container spells, a few bottle and jar spells, poppet, baths, and more. The author provides detailed instructions on how to perform each spell and how they will work.Something I had never heard of before were wish boxes. With the information provided by the author I may just make one myself.
The last section of the book before we get to the appendices and resources is a section on related traditions. Here the author provides what information he can on traditions that are related to Hoodoo or have similar practices. The author includes this information as he believe that there is something about Hoodoo that is attracting more and more people and that these related traditions may have connections to our own ancestral paths or have something that Hoodoo doesn’t and we need in our practice.
The book serves as an excellent primer on Hoodoo and provides a little bit of everything you need to get started in the practice of Hoodoo.
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