Samedi: Herbal-Wise

The herb known as Grains of Paradise is extremely versatile. Used in hoodoo, Voudon, and Wicca for everything from getting a job to protecting one's home, Grains of Paradise are also known as African or Guinea pepper grains.

Scott Cunningham says that Grains of Paradise can be used for the simplest kind of magick: wishing. Take a handful of the herb and hold it in both hands while you make a wish. Visualize your wish coming true; take your time here and really see the thing/change you desire. When you are certain your wish has been firmly grounded in future reality, send it off to the Universe by throwing a little bit of the herb to the four directions, starting in the North and ending in the West. This type of magick is a wonderful way to grow your powers of visualization. Start with something small and work your way up to more serious wishing.

In hoodoo, Grains of Paradise are mixed with frankincense and myrrh to encourage spiritual pursuits and protect a root worker during conjuration. The mixture is burned on charcoal and some workers add rue as well. It is said that this mixture added to Crown of Success Oil can make a powerful dressing for mojos intended to help one rise to the height of their profession and/or to draw fame. I would caution, however, that one be careful what one wishes for here.

For piece of mind and spiritual health, one Grain of Paradise should be disolved into a cup of hot water (tea or coffee will work just as well) and drunk daily. This mixture is also said to elevate the mood and make one capable of facing whatever life may bring.

In the early 20th century, Grains of Paradise were recommended for job-seekers. One was instructed to put nine of the grains in each shoe and then to hold another nine grains in the mouth while asking for a job. The grains were then spit onto the ground outside the employer's property as one left. This may not be the best way to approach this working today; try carrying the extra nine grains in a mojo bag and then - perhaps wrapped in a tissue - deposit this into a waste basket on the employer's premises.

New Orleans voodoo root workers would make a pair of protection packets filled with Grains of Paradise. Generally made of red or yellow flannel, a prayer card of Saint Michael was then sewn onto the outside of each mojo. These were secreted near the front and back doors of a house to keep both the structure and the inhabitants safe from all manner of ills. Bonne chance ~

Header: Harrods catalog cover - once a wish book to end all wish books - from the early 20th century via A Harlot's Progress

Jeudi: Curios

Technically, it is a stretch to call the eau de toilettes popular in hoodoo "curios", but they don't really fit into any other category I don't believe so here we are.

The three perfumes in question are Hoyt's cologne, which is commercially made, and Kananga and Florida Waters, both of which are sold commercially but also often made by the root worker. All three are delightfully floral, with Hoyt's cologne probably being the most "masculine" of the scents. Likewise, all three are used in workings, particularly for love and luck, baths and as offerings to the lwa and the ancestors.

Far and away the most popular is Florida Water, which is added to floor washes, laundry and hand and body washes to chase away jinxes and crossed conditions as well as usher in times of good fortune. Florida water is a key ingredient in the Lady Bath. A cleansing dedicated to Erzulie Freda, this bath is undertaken to renew the spirit and bring the good fortune that accompanies the smile of the lady Erzulie.

Though Florida Water is the most popular of the eau de toilettes mentioned, it is not the easiest to make at home. Kananga Water, which can be used similarly to Florida Water, is however. Here is one recipe from Fortunes in Formulas for the Home, Farm and Workshop published in 1937:

10 drop ylang ylang oil
5 drops neroli oil
5 drops rose oil
3 drops bergamot or lavender oil
10 ounces of alcohol

Mix gently and steep these ingredients together in a glass jar with a tight lid for about 24 hours. Add about 10 ounces of distilled water to make an eau de toilette. Make sure to store your end product in glass as well and keep it out of direct sunlight. Use in washes, baths or as a cologne to lift your spirit. Bonne chance ~

Header: Notre Dame de Grasse, France c 15th century via Deities and Demons (see sidebar)

Mardi: Herbal-Wise

Bayberry chips, which are rather like wood chips that one might find in a garden, are a wonderful little bit of magick to have around this time of year. Most of us spend too much at the Holidays - a tradition that, contrary to what many an anti-consumerism advocate would have us believe, has been firmly in place since Roman times when people went broke giving gifts at Saturnalia. I personally don't think this is a "bad" thing; when was making others happy labeled "bad"? But, we do need to pay the bills and refilling the coffers in January is not a bad thing to concentrate on, either.

So go get some bayberry chips (easily found at any herbalist) and try one - or all - of these old hoodoo tricks for getting back at least some of what you've paid out.

Keep a few bayberry chips in the place that you keep your paper money and coins. I've mentioned that I have an envelope that I stuff the stray dollar or five dollar bill into for safe keeping until the next time one of the kids "needs money" at six thirty in the morning. There are bayberry chips in the envelope and I occasionally add a little cinnamon for good measure. Though not full to bursting by any means, that envelope is never empty.

Dress a green candle with olive oil or, if you have it, Money Drawing Oil or Oil of Success. Put the candle in a sturdy holder and put bayberry chips in a circle around the holder. Visualize your need - a job, a raise, a good tax return or investment - and light the candle. Allow it to burn down and out with the confidence that fortune will come your way.

In a green flannel bag, place six bayberry chips, a cinnamon stick, a whole nutmeg, a sprinkling of thyme and a piece of pyrite (fool's gold) or a silver dime. Tie up the bag with yellow or gold thread and say the 23rd Psalm or recite out loud your need to good fortune/luck/prosperity. Feed the mojo frequently with whiskey or Money Drawing Oil and carry it with you.

As a final note, bayberry candles were originally made from wax from the plant - which is also known as the myrtle candleberry - and were burned to draw success and good fortune to the home. Modern bayberry candles by and large are only scented with synthetic fragrance and have, therefore, lost their innate power to draw luck. These candle should be dressed before burning when being used in magick, just like any other store-bought candle. Bonne chance ~

Header: Illustration by Coby Whitman via Mid-Century

Jeudi: Weather-Wise

The weather on New Year's Day has always been a portend of things to come. In more mild climates, it is usually agreed that whatever the weather brings on that day - wind, rain, sun - will be the predominant type of weather throughout the year. A simple prognostication perhaps but you'd be surprised how well it works, particularly on islands and in desert climes.

In areas that tend toward rougher weather, however, what happens on New Years may have more subtle indications.

A very old tradition not only in Europe but in the Far East as well is that making as much noise as possible at the exact turning point of a new year will bring good luck. The setting off of firecrackers, discharging of guns, ringing of bells and clanging of pots and pans was done just at the stroke of midnight to drive evil away and welcome in prosperity. In some European locals, particularly the far north of Scotland and many of the Scandinavian countries, the usually unwelcome thunder storm was a happy accident on New Year's Eve. The din caused by nature at that time was thought to bring particular good luck in the coming year.

In some parts of Britain, the idea that whatever one might be doing when the New Year's noise began - be it bells from the local church or just the family clanging away in the kitchen - would be the thing to take up most of one's time in the coming year. A superstition arose around this idea that if one had retired early and was in bed when the celebration commenced, they would spend the year ill - or worse. Thus it is quoted in A Dictionary of Superstitions edited by Iona Opie and Moira Tatem that "few people go to bed, for obvious reasons, and even the old and infirm prefer to sit up."

Opening up the house at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve was also highly recommended. Regardless of the weather, and in some places especially if it was inclement, all doors and windows should be flung open just at that time. This tradition was thought to "let the old year out and welcome the new year in" but may have had its origin in the idea that unlatching closed things allowed negative energy to escape.

Other non-weather traditions surrounding New Year's Day included clearing up debts so that the next year would bring no more... or at least fewer. Pepys mentions this in a diary entry. On the 30th of December, 1664 he writes of "looking over all my papers to ascertain what debts should be attended. After dinner, forth to several places to pay away money, to clear myself in all the world."

The idea of "first footing" is also a New Year tradition that survives to this day. Probably originating with a Celtic ritual, it is believed that a certain person - usually a "dark man" - should enter one's home with specific items in hand. The things in question vary depending on where the tradition is upheld, but usually a piece of coal, a loaf of bread, a bottle of wine or ale or any combination of these is spoken of. Sometimes the man must travel through the whole house and then exit through the back door. Sometimes he need only enter, step in with his right foot first, and place his offerings near the hearth. Whatever the program, if it is followed, good luck will follow as well.

Much like the dead who should not be grumbled about until they are buried, the old year should be treated with respect. "Say not ill of the year, till it is past," wrote Thomas Fuller in 1732.

And as to the bird above, keep an eye out for him or his brothers the crows, on New Year's Day. According to L'Estrange writing in his version of Aesop circa 1692 "If you see two ravens or crows on New Year's Day, you'll have good luck after it, but if you should chance to spy one single, tis a bad omen, and some ill will betide you."

Here's wishing you a late night, noisy weather, a dark man with a cask of ale and two ravens this New Year.

Header: Raven by John Mankes via Old Paint

Mardi: Herbal-Wise

I am so glad that it is finally election day here in the U.S. that I can't express my joy. This has been a miserable, divisive, contentious year of campaigning all the way around. And I'm tired of it. Sick and bloody tired.

In case you're wondering, I am personally an Independent who advocates for fiscal responsibility (do my kid's kid's kids really need to be paying off a debt currently rivaled on the world stage only by that of Greece?) and social reform (why is it that same-sex couples can't have a legally recognized partnership like marriage?). I don't believe anyone will take my guns away from me or deny my daughters the right to a safe, legal abortion. Regardless of who is elected President. Yet I am called names by both sides - racist, hater, and oh yeah, I'm going to Hell - because I can think for myself and will not follow a major party like a blind goat on a lead.

To put it mildly, I am fed up with being anxious, angry, confused and, well, the list goes on and on.

So I'm changing up today's post and introducing all of the HQ readers to the special magick of something that is not exactly an herb: honey.

Honey is used for sweetening work in hoodoo. Through the doctrine of like-makes-like, it is believed that honey will calm the home, stop gossip, reconcile you with a lover, make a judge smile on you in a court case and so forth. Here is a powerful piece of root work utilizing honey and candle magick that you can use for all that and more.

Take a small jar that has a wide enough top to set a candle holder on. Write your name on a small piece of brown paper and put it at the bottom of the jar along with a strand or two of your hair (clippings from a razor will work if you're bald). Now, fill the jar with any type of honey you have on hand. Cap the jar tightly - you may be using it for a while and you don't want it to attract pests.

Place the jar in a central area of your home where it is safe to burn candles on. I personally like either the fireplace mantel or somewhere in the kitchen for this one. Now, put a candle holder on top of the jar and choose a candle color that matches your need:

Blue: peace in the home (for this one, you may want to add a name paper/hair strand for each person living in your house - include pets if you like)
Yellow: stop malicious gossip or lies being told about you or a family member (here, you may wish to add name papers - at the very least and hair if possible - for the family member being victimized and the bully)
Pink: draw new love/friendship or to reconcile with a lover or friend (again, if you are looking to reconcile, add a name paper for the person you have been estranged from)
Red: encourage lust (do I even need to mention adding a name paper and strand of hair here?)
Purple: revive health (a name paper for the person you wish to heal - if it is not yourself - is a must)
Brown: for a favorable outcome in court (a name paper for the judge couldn't hurt...)
Green: to draw money and/or get approval for a loan (this one works wonders when trying to get a mortgage; try adding a "name" paper with your future home's address on it)

Dress your candle, as always, with olive oil and light it with intention. Keep your need or desire in the back of your mind while allowing the candle to burn down and out. Bury any remaining wax on your property or, in the case of court, health or money issues, carry it with you in a mojo or conjure bag to appointments, trials, etc.

You can increase the power of your name paper(s) by using ink the same color as your candle. Using other sticky, liquid sweeteners - such as cane syrup or molasses - will work just as well should you be unable to use honey. You can also reuse your honey for other influencing work if you don't mind fishing name papers and hair out of it when needed.

For particularly difficult issues - like clearing away all this negative political energy - burn new candles on three, six or even nine consecutive days. Watching the moon face can help you here, too. To carry something away, do this ritual during a waning or dark moon; to draw something to you, choose a waxing or full moon.

Stay calm and carry on and remember that sometimes accepting what we can't change while working graciously to change what we can is always a better solution than calling each other names. Bonne chance ~

Header: It's Up to You by Gil Elvgren via American Gallery

Jeudi: Curios

On Tuesday we talked about the uses of tobacco in various magickal systems. One of the herb's uses in hoodoo is as a substitute for the unpredictable curio now known as sulphur but frequently referred to in older texts as brimstone. Sulphur has been, and to some degree probably still is, used for jinxing and uncrossing alike. It is also an original component in the crossing formula known as Goofer Dust.

Sulphur is both toxic and combustible, so using it the way it was originally intended, magickally speaking, is not something I recommend. I'm not big on jinxing either so sulphur isn't in my hoodoo cabinet. Information, however, and historical usage is a different story. Use sulphur at your own risk.

When the intention was to lay a jinx on someone, a simple trick of making an X over their footprint with sulphur was frequently employed. Done with intention, this was believed to bring ill-fortune to the enemy. Some root workers claimed they could even kill a person this way. For the most part, this type of magick is more an issue of belief than supernatural power. The footprint chosen was invariably somewhere that the enemy would see it and, believing in the magick, the person would fall ill, bring trouble on themselves or  sometimes even pick up stakes and move.

The opposite could also be accomplished with a mixture of sulphur and salt. In this case, should a person find evidence of a jinx being put on them, they were to cover the trick with sulphur and salt to nullify the problem.

My favorite use of sulphur in hoodoo is a trick designed to make a friend out of an enemy. The hard part of this working is to obtain something sharp and nonflammable from your enemy. You do not necessarily have to harvest this item - which can be as simple as a tack and as fancy as a pair of scissors; you can ask an acquaintance to obtain it for you. Next, while concentrating on your future friendship with your former enemy, pass the point of the object through the flame of a white candle. Now dip the point in sulphur and then pass it through the flame again to ignite the sulphur. *Do this out of doors if you are indeed using sulphur. As noted, the fumes are toxic; you don't want them in your home.* Wipe the point clean and dress the object with holy water or whiskey. Return the object to the place from which it came exactly as it came to you (either with your own hand or through another). Your enemy will warm to you within the week.

There is a very old voodoo trick involving sulphur, black ink, and some other items that is said to achieve the death of an enemy. I've never tried that, and I'm surely not about to... Bonne chance ~

Header: The Harvest is Past, The Summer is Ended by J.F. Wetherbee via American Gallery

Mardi: Herbal-Wise

Today's is the 600th post here at HQ, an accomplishment I am personally quite proud of. So I thought, by way of celebration, I would write about the most popular herb in hoodoo and certainly a universally used magickal herb: five-finger grass.

Also known as cinquefoil, five-finger grass gets its name from its distinctive leaf pattern. The compound leaves form five segments, similar to fingers. Each is said to symbolize a seperate grace or blessing: love, money, power, luck and wisdom. This is true for all magickal disciplines that use the plant, which is not, by the way, a grass but a flowering herb.

Cinquefoil grows wild in moderate and cool climates and was often the focus of old wives' remedies in pre-and early-modern Europe. A small bag of the leaves was hung over the cottage door to protect the inhabitants. The same would be hung over the bed or from the bedstead to protect the sleeper and ward against nightmares. Young girls were told to pick a cinquefoil leaf with seven "fingers", should they have the good fortune to find one, and bring it home. This was then placed under the pillow, particularly on auspicious nights for divination such as Hallowe'en or Christmas Eve. The cinquefoil leaf was said to bring dreams of one's future husband. I can find nothing about whether or not the same mechanism worked for boys wishing to dream of a future wife.

Scott Cunningham recommends making a tea of cinquefoil leaves. This is then used to wash the forehead and hands on nine consecutive mornings in an effort to undo malicious magick and curses.

In hoodoo, a bag of five-finger grass leaves is hung above a home's mantel but hidden from view. Hang the bag behind a picture, statue, stack of books, etc. Used with intention and replaced each new year, this trick is said to make it impossible for anyone - even the bank - to drive you from your home. A tea of five-finger grass leaves is added to floor wash to protect a home, clear away any crossed conditions (such as after a fight, an illness, or an unlucky event like the loss of a job) and bring better fortune into the home. The same sort of tea can also be added to baths for uncrossing, lifting jinxes and improving mental health.

A famous money drawing mojo is made from a five-finger grass leaf, a stick of cinnamon, and three mojo (fava) beans. Carry these in a green flannel bag and dress it frequently with whiskey or Money-drawing Oil.

According to Silver RavenWolf, five-finger grass is a "catch-all for Pow-Wow."  The five blessings noted above make the plant useful as they encompass "all that the Pow-Wow desires to receive and to give."  That's a tall order for one little herb. As in other disciplines, Pow-Wows also employ five-finger grass for hex breaking.

Bonne chance and thank you so much, one and all, for continuing along this journey with me.

Header: The Three Graces by Edward Augustus Bell via American Gallery

Mardi: Herbal-Wise

Though probably not technically an "herb", that's how we are going to treat kelp and that odd form of seaweed know as agar today here at HQ. The stuff is certainly in demand for magickal workings both in Wicca and hoodoo regardless of any semantics issues.

Sea kelp, which can be found in fresh and dried form on just about any saltwater beach, is sometimes still called bladderwrack for its diuretic properties. In the past, the home nurse and/or local wise woman would keep the stuff handy to help out when frequent urination was called for as a form of purge.

In Wicca, kelp is often utilized as a way to connect with the spirits of the sea. Mermaids and other potentially helpful water sprites are thought to be drawn to the stuff. According to Scott Cunningham, one should stand in the water and toss kelp that has washed ashore back into the waves while calling to the sea spirits and asking them for their help. Be careful though; like fairy folk, sea spirits can do just as much harm as they can good.

Old wives told that carrying seaweed while one was at sea was a must for protection. This practice has expanded in our modern age and it is now considered protective to carry a piece of seaweed while traveling by plane as well as by ship. This particularly if the plane is crossing the water.

Another old wives tale - or perhaps it is an old sailor's tale - adds kelp to improve the efficacy of "whistling up the wind." The story goes that standing on the shore while waving an arm of kelp over ones head, in a clockwise motion, and whistling will stir up a good wind.

In hoodoo, kelp is boiled into a tea which is then strained and used as a floor wash to keep a steady stream of business coming in to any sort of establishment. In the home, a bit is bottled up in a jar to which whiskey is added. The jar is then sealed tight and placed near the stove or in a sunny kitchen window. It is said that this trick will ensure that the family is never caught penniless.

Agar, or agar-agar as it is sometimes called, is best known as that semi-gelatinous medium in which bacteria are grown in a lab. In hoodoo, the same stuff is used in a powder form which is often called sea spirit. It is said that carrying a bit in your pocket can make you recede from view in a crowd as long as you are careful and quiet. A pinch of the powder sprinkled in a glass of water that is then kept next to one's bed at night is thought to ward off bad dreams and malicious sendings.

Bingo players also wash their hands in a tea made with chamomile and sea spirit before going out to play their chosen game of chance. This is said to increase anyone's chances of winning at the game. Bonne chance ~

Header: Mermaid by Henry Clive via American Gallery

Mardi: Herbal-Wise

Lemons are probably my favorite citrus fruit. When I was young, I remember eating lemon wedges like you would orange or grapefruit with sea salt on them. It was a summer treat at my Gran's house; something to look forward to the way other kids anticipated lemonade.

Lemon juice has always been used to purify. Even very early people understood that the juice of these bright yellow fruits could help them avoid infection, even if it meant stinging the heck out of a cut or scrape. Lemons and their juice are used the same way in many magickal disciplines now just as then. Contradictorily, they are also thought to encourage friendships while undertaking to break up lovers.

In Wicca, hoodoo and Druid practice, lemon juice can be mixed with water to achieve a ritual cleanser easily as effective as holy water. As Scott Cunningham notes, any magickal jewelry should be cleansed with this mixture to ensure that negative energy has been gotten rid of. Occasionally repeating this ritual doesn't hurt either; we run into a lot of negative out there in the big World.

Lemon juice is added to baths to purify and turn away the Evil Eye. Floating some lemon slices on your bath water is a great way to help you focus on this goal. It's kind of fun too as it turns your bath into something like a big cocktail, visually speaking.

Foods flavored with lemon and served to those you care about are thought to help the relationship to blossom, succeed and continue. Giving the gift of a lemon tree you have grown from seed is said to ensure the recipient's friendship for life. Scott Cunningham also mentions a spell for luck requiring an unripe (green) lemon and pins with colored heads. Shove as many pins as you can (but don't use any with black heads) into the lemon while concentrating on good fortune. Hang this up in your home and watch this lemon and pin charm attract luck to you and yours.

In hoodoo, lemon juice is an acceptable substitute for any trick that calls for urine (good if you are squeamish about that sort of thing or you don't care to wash down your floors and walls with your own excretions). Lemons and/or their juice are often ingredients in workings to break up a couple. For instance, a root worker will begin a jinx by cutting a lemon in half. They will then write the individual names of the couple, one on each of two slips of paper. These name papers are then put together so that the names face outward; sometimes an herb like red pepper flakes - to ignite anger and encourage fighting - is put between the papers, too. These papers are then placed in the pulp of the lemon and the fruit is put back together and tied up with black thread or twine. The lemon is then either buried near the couples' doorstep or sealed up in a jar of vinegar. The couple will know nothing but strife until they finally separate.

An old spell to protect a home, which may have come from the Strega practice of witchcraft, is also popular in hoodoo. A lemon is pierced through with nine nails and red thread is wound around and through the protruding nails nine times. This charm is then hung over the front door to turn back the Evil Eye and keep negativity at bay. The charm should be renewed yearly, around the turn of the New Year. Bonne chance ~

Header: Signal by F. Scott Hess via American Gallery

Jeudi: Curios

The alligator is an amphibian both maligned and adored along the Gulf coast of the United States. Feared for their quiet ferocity, they are also appreciated as sources of magickal instruments. They just happen to taste great, too.

In old time hoodoo, animal curios were used quite literally all the time. Though the practice is discouraged more or less in our modern age, alligator curios continue to be popular. Bats, cats, frogs and toads have been set aside to a large degree but alligator parts can often be found, usually because they are raised commercially. The majority of the animal is sold for meat or hide - much like cattle - while feet and teeth are doled out to root workers. For a fee, of course.

Alligator teeth are popular amulets worn for protection in the South, particularly around the neck. This is no different than the practice in my current home state of Alaska, where bear and wolf teeth are worn to protect and impart the strength of the animal. The nice thing about gators is that they shed their teeth throughout their life. The truly lucky person will find a gator tooth along the bayou and then use it for the most common intention of this curio: good fortune in gambling.

Both the feet and teeth of alligators are considered extremely lucky as pocket pieces for those who frequent the gambling table. The tooth probably obtained this reputation for the reason just mentioned. Carrying the foot - usually of a small alligator - can reasonably be considered a form of like-makes-like magick. These amputated parts somewhat resemble an outstretched human hand, just waiting for money to be deposited in it.

Here are two old time recipes for gambling luck pocket pieces. One enlisting a gator's tooth, the other its foot.

Take an alligators tooth and, while visualizing yourself winning consistently at your chosen game of chance, dress it with whiskey, Van Van oil or Easy Life oil. Carry this in your pocket when you go out to gamble, and re-anoint it frequently.

On a piece of brown paper (a piece of paper bag works well), write down your wish for money in red ink. This may be specific to gambling or any other way of getting an income. Dress a gator foot with Van Van oil or whiskey and wrap the brown paper tightly around it. Wrap red thread or twine around this packet three times and tie this off with three knots. Carry this with you, in your pocket or purse, as you pursue your chosen source of money. As with the tooth, dress this mojo frequently with your chosen libation.

Some folks also attach an alligator foot to a key chain and use this daily to bring general luck and, as always, money. If you are really old school, attaching the foot to your watch fob harkens back to the very old days of New Orleans voodoo/hoodoo. Legend has it that Jean Laffite had a bejeweled gator foot that dangled from his watch fob. This was lost, depending on the story you hear, either at the Battle of New Orleans or in the great Galveston hurricane of 1818. Either way, his luck seemed to go with it.

And there's the lesson; hold on to your alligator foot, or tooth, for dear luck. Bonne chance ~

Header: Alligators by Tom Root via American Gallery

Mardi: Herbal-Wise

Galangal is a plant with large, tuberous roots and lacy flowers. It grows like a weed, which it technically is, in mild climates, and is a particularly popular herb in hoodoo. Known in that magickal discipline as Chewing John or Little John to Chew, it is one of the Three John Roots that are said to be particularly helpful for men.

In Wicca, galangal is often used for protection and jinx-breaking work. The root is carried on the person for protection and to draw good luck. Dried and powdered galangal root is burned as an incense to break jinxes and to discourage crossed conditions in the home. It is also sprinkled around the home or in the path of an unsuspecting love interest to encourage unbridled lust. Galangal is placed under one's pillow to encourage psychic dreaming and/or to speed recovery from an illness.

In hoodoo, Chewing John is particularly prized for its ability to favorably effect court cases. A small piece of the herb should be chewed as one enters the court room. Then the juice should be spit, as surreptitiously as possible one imagines, on the court room floor. This is said to turn any case in your favor. In our modern environment, discretely spitting into the palm of your hand and then touching a piece of the courtroom is said to also do the trick. It is certainly less likely to raise eyebrows.

Chewing and spitting Chewing John out of one's front door is said to drive away jinxes as well.

A mojo known as a Jack Ball, which is only created for and carried by men, can be made using the Three John Roots mentioned above. A small ball of wax should first be formed, then chips of Chewing John, Southern John (trillium) and High John the Conqueror roots should be stuffed into the wax. While focusing on the desired outcome, red thread or twine should be wrapped around the wax ball until none of the wax is showing. This should then be anointed with High John the Conqueror oil (made by soaking a few chips of the root in olive or almond oil) and carried in a red flannel bag. The bag should be dressed with High John the Conqueror oil occasionally with the result that the bearer will be protected from harm, obtain power and be a magnet for passion.

Scott Cunningham notes that if galangal is unavailable, ginger root is an excellent substitute. Bonne chance ~

Header: A book illustration by Harold Von Schmidt c 1942 via Wikipedia

Jeudi: Root Work

Negativity is, unfortunately, all around us. Our ancestors who practiced magickal arts knew it, and they knew how to wash it off - both physically and spiritually - on a regular basis. Particularly in hoodoo, a magickal discipline informed by those on the margins of society, baths to wash away negative and harmful vibrations are plentiful. Here is my favorite recipe for both a relaxing and affective bath to scrub you clean of psychic gunk.

In a muslin square, assemble equal parts of the following dried herbs, either from your garden, the farmer's market, or that big grocery store down the way:

Basil
Rue
Rosemary
Lemon zest
Sea or Kosher salt

Tie the bag up with white thread and let it steep in your very warm bath water for five to ten minutes.

Meanwhile, add a sprinkling of holy water (either from the Catholic/Orthodox Church or made by you) and/or a sprinkling of Florida Water (available at many of the shops noted on the sidebar including New Orleans Mistic and Erzulie's Voodoo).

Florida Water is an American version of a specific French eau de cologne that became popular, particularly in New Orleans and then New York, in the late 18th century. By the 19th century, Florida Water was the scent of choice for both lady and gentleman Creoles in Old New Orleans. The recipe was quickly picked up by root workers for use in a like-makes-like sort of way: if rich people wore the scent, it would surely convey their luck to the less fortunate.

This bath will work perfectly well without holy water and/or Florida Water so don't feel constrained by ingredients. In fact, never feel afraid to omit or substitute an ingredient in any hoodoo working. As noted before, root work is largely an art of the less fortunate, and that means we don't always have access to everything a spell/working calls for. As in love, you most beautiful magickal tool is your mind.

Soak in this bath for at least fifteen minutes, allowing the scent of the herbs to wash your mind clean of negativity as their presence in the water cleanses you body. When you step out, allow your skin to air dry if at all possible.

If you do not have a bathtub, you can brew the same mixture in four or five cups of warm water and pour it over you at the end of a shower. The spiritual results will be exactly the same. Bonne chance ~

Header: Lisbeth Prepares a Bath by Carl Larson c 1909 via Old Paint

Jeudi: Curios

Silver in all forms, as amulets, coins, beads, pieces of jewelry and even as table wear, is a powerful magickal substance in all disciplines around the world. It was one of the first precious metals worked by man because it comes from the Earth in its pure form. There is no need to add anything to silver before working with it. In the past it has been less expensive than gold, as well, making it a comfortable choice for the average person.

In Wicca, silver jewelry is worn to honor the Mother Goddess. This tradition probably goes back centuries and links silver to both Earth and sky. The metal is pulled from the Earth, but has the sparkling quality of the moon and stars. Crescent shaped objects, either to be worn or put on altars, have been made of silver since the dawn of civilization. Even after Christianity and Islam swept across much of the world, the silver crescent continued to hold a place of honor. As one of the attributes of the Virgin Mary, the crescent is still a symbol of the Divine Mother.

In many cultures, silver has always been considered an excellent choice for amulets of protection. As Scott Cunningham notes in his Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic, there's a valid historical reason for the literary notion that silver can destroy vampires and werewolves. Crosses of any kind may foil a vampire, but a silver cross trumps all. And what better way to dispatch a werewolf than with a silver bullet?

In hoodoo, as we've discussed before, silver dimes are prized for their money-drawing qualities. Minted in the U.S. until 1945, these dimes are added to mojo bags or carried as a pocket piece. They are also considered good for drawing love or inspiring lust.

Silver jewelry, set with any stone or none at all, can have a wide range of benefits. Cleansed and worn with intention, it can improve psychic ability and encourage psychic dreams. Silver is worn to attract love as well, and the metal's drawing power is increased if it is etched with the planetary symbol of Venus, according to Cunningham. The Celts believed that silver would calm anger and anxiety; just touching a person with something silver could relieve their mental torment. Silver is worn for this purpose today as it is thought to balance emotions and instill inner calm.

I'll end with an excellent, and elegantly simple, money-drawing spell provided by the master, Mr. Cunningham. This working in particular is for the attraction of unexpected cash - something most of us could certainly use - so plan on a little surprise if you use it. Acquire a pure silver coin, if possible; if not, any small piece of silver will do. Empower this and place it under a candle holder. Dress a green candle with olive or money-drawing oil while concentrating on your need for funds. Place the candle in the candle holder and light it with intention; visualize that unexpected money coming your way. It helps if you know the amount you need and can keep that in the back of your mind while the candle burns down and out. Bury what is left of the candle on your property or in a house plant and carry or wear the silver piece to encourage your bank account to grow. Bonne chance ~

Header: Assumption of the Virgin Mary by William Henry Machen via American Gallery

Mardi: Herbal-Wise

For regular readers of my ramblings here at HQ, it will come as no surprise that I have been engrossed in research on healing herbs recently.  Dear friends have been helpful, particularly our yoga instructor brother-from-another-mother Joe, as well as holistic healing pyrates of the New World Seika and Captain Swallow.  Magickal ends are also worth seeking out, though.  Radiation therapy, meditation and grape seed oil can all use a little push, right?

To my surprise, one of the most effective healing herbs across all manner of magickal disciplines turns out to be humble, garden variety rue.  Rue is a favorite in Mediterranean cooking, and rue tea has been prescribed to pregnant women for centuries by midwives hoping to even out those occasional mood swings.  The herb is also a bit of a jack-of-all-trades magickally speaking, bringing luck, love, courage, protection and healing.

Druids, Wiccans and Gnostics/Copts have used rue for centuries.  The Coptic word for rue is bashoush, which can be translated as lucky.  The Ancient Etruscans and Romans included rue in their food not only as a spice, but to protect their internal organs from disease caused by hexes or the Evil Eye.  To this day one of the most popular amulets in Italy is the Cimaruta.  Made exclusively from silver, the Cimaruta is worn around the neck to aid in healing, ward against future illness and the Evil Eye, and bring luck to the wearer.  This tradition is popular in the Strega practice of Wicca, and is thought to date back to the Etruscan culture.  You can find a lovely example of a Cimaruta here.

Druids and Wiccans also use bundles of rue as sprinklers to shake salt water around homes for cleansing rituals.  Rue is rubbed along clean floorboards to repel evil magick, according to Scott Cunningham, and hung over the doors to protect against same.  Cunningham also recommends placing fresh rue on the forehead while relaxing to cure tension headaches and taking in the scent of fresh rue to clear the mind and enhance mental acuity.  Love poppets are often stuffed with rue.

In hoodoo, rue tea is is sprinkled around the home for protection and added to baths to help healing and break jinxes.  Cleansing incense is made by mixing dried rue and hyssop with ground frankincense, camphor and sandalwood.  The mixture is burned on charcoal and used to smudge the home or people for purification.  A healing and protecting mojo should include rue, comfrey root, coriander and nine Devil's shoestings.  These should be placed in a red flannel bag and dressed regularly with a healing or protection oil or whiskey.  The bag should be carried close to the skin whenever possible.

Silver RavenWolf mentions the use of rue in Pow-Wow, which echoes the Wiccan use of the herb for clarity of thought.  She also notes the hex-breaking qualities of the herb and, perhaps curiously, advises that rue can be used to protect self and home from werewolves.  I'd call that an added bonus.  Bonne chance ~

Header: Coming Events Cast Their Shadows Before by Charles C. Ward via American Gallery

Mardi: Herbal-Wise

Today's herb is used widely both in hoodoo and in Wicca and Druid practice.  The uses are similar in all of these disciplines, but there is a bit of a different spin to the old root worker's way of using the plant known as Acorus calamus or calamus.

Scott Cunningham is very clear in his Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs that "several plants are sold under the name of Calamus and two of those are very dangerous to take internally, so we must recommend not using calamus internally."  This is an excellent and timely warning that must be followed and remembered.  In the larger sense, any herb not grown by the practitioner - in other words, purchased packaged - is suspect.  As our natural resources dwindle many unscrupulous "botanicas" will substitute one herb for another without much thought to the potential hazards to the user.  When working with herbs, then, the rule of thumb is to grow your supply yourself if at all possible.  If not, know your supplier and, as with anything, caveat emptor.

Old wives would string calamus seeds together to form a necklace.  This was then placed around the neck of anyone who became ill to encourage other remedies to speed healing.  The powdered root can also be used as a healing incense and in packets or sachets for the same purpose.

Scott Cunningham recommends placing little pieces of calamus root in the four corners of ones kitchen to ensure that no one in the household will ever know poverty or want.  Calamus is also considered a strengthening herb.  Added to other herbs, curios, etc. in spell work, it is said to improve the efficacy of the spell's intention.  Growing the plant in the garden is thought to draw good luck to the household.

Root workers say that dried calamus added to any love mojo will make your intended unable to resist you.  The dried root is also sprinkled around the house, or carried in a mojo bag, to turn away jinxes and calm unquiet spirits such as poltergeists. 

A very old conjure to remove sexual problems arising from jinxes advised boiling calamus root in whiskey and drinking a small amount of the strained decoction daily to restore sexual vigor.  As per Mr. Cunningham's recommendation, this one is probably a bad idea.  Maybe just a small dose of good whiskey would do the trick...  Bonne chance ~

Header: Do Not Lose Heart by Chrystal Chan via American Gallery

Mardi: Herbal-Wise

Purslane, which is basically a weed in mild to warm climates and – at least to me – has a very Medieval ring to its name, is used in hoodoo, Wicca and Pow-Wow.  We’ll call this dainty herb purslane for the purposes of this post because that sounds so much better than pigweed.

In Wicca, the flowers, stems and roots of purslane have broad uses.  The flowers are carried as pocket pieces to bring luck in love and keep evil away.  Dried purslane is sprinkled in the corners of homes and workplaces to keep things peaceful and running smoothly.  Old wives advised their daughters to lay  a sprig of purslane on a restless child’s pillow, as it was thought to ward off nightmares.  They also sent their sons into battle with a handful of purslane to guard them against harm.  I wonder, did Saint Jeanne’s mother press a sprig of purslane into her little girl’s hand before she went off to free Orleans?

Pow-Wow and hoodoo treat purslane similarly, which is a fair hint that this use of the herb came to both disciplines through American Natives.  Dried purslane is combined with patchouli leaves and anise seeds.  This herbal mix is steeped in oil and then the oil is used to anoint the forehead before engaging in divination.  A little dried purslane sprinkled in the box or bag in which you keep your fortune telling cards is thought to enhance their effectiveness as well.

Hoodoos also burn dried purslane for protection against evil spirits.  The effects are said to be enhanced when purslane is combined with a premixed warding or blessing incense.

Ingesting purslane is not recommended, particularly for pregnant women; frequent dosing can cause or exacerbate kidney stones.  In other words, use this stuff externally.  Bonne chance ~

Header: St. Jeanne d’Arc statue in New Orleans via NOLAFemmes

Mardi: Herbal-Wise

Rowan trees, also known as European mountain ash, are indigenous to Northern Asia and Europe and now grow all over the northern areas of North America.  Because the trees – which are really bushes and not relation to the North American ash or to the birch – cannot thrive where temperatures do not dip below freezing in winter, they are not a fixture in hoodoo practice.  They are used in Pow-Wow, according to Silver RavenWolf, but their use is most notable in modern Celtic, Druid and Wiccan disciplines.

The rowan is particularly prolific in the British Isles, where the influences of not only ancient Druid but also Gardenarian practices are strong.  This makes rowan, along with trees such as oak and holly, particularly fond in these areas.  As an example, the so called Celtic Tree Calendar’s month of Rowan begins on January 21 and ends on February 17.  This calendar, though sometimes purported to follow an ancient Celtic method of time keeping, is in fact a latter day invention probably developed by Robert Graves.  For more on this, see Mary Jones’ excellent discussion here.

In modern magick, rowan wood is used to make dowsing rods and wands.  Scott Cunningham advises carrying a piece of rowan wood to increase psychic powers.  Rowan wood or leaves may also be burned on their own or added to incense to achieve the same result.

For the purposes of protection, rowans should be planted as close to a home as possible.  Rowan walking sticks are helpful for protecting those who must venture forth at night, while a rowan branch kept in a house will protect it from lightening strikes.  Rowan was also carried aboard ships to see them safely through dirty weather.  A rowan grave marker is said to ensure that the spirit of the deceased will not wander forth and trouble the living.

Scott Cunningham also recommends the use of rowan berries, particularly in workings for healing, success, power and luck.  Please note, however, that all parts of a rowan bush are potential poisonous and should never be ingested.

In Scotland, Wales and Cornwall, old wives tied two rowan twigs tied together with red thread to form a powerful protective amulet.  Bonne chance ~

Header: A rowan tree on the British coast via Wikimedia Commons

Jeudi: Curios

Animal parts have long been used in various magickal disciplines as amulets and charms.  From individual teeth and bones to whole skulls, wings and claws, the animal in question was used virtually in its entirety for food, tools and to assist in shamanic working.

Badger teeth, usually carried individually, came into hoodoo through John George Hohman’s now famous book Pow Wows or the Long Lost Friend.  Hohman wrote in the book in the mid-19^th century and it has since been published in several additions by various publishers.  The work focuses on the folk magick of the German settlers of Pennsylvania, which was heavily influenced by Native American herbal and folk knowledge.  Hohman avers that a badger tooth is an all around good luck charm that should be carried whenever possible.

In American Folk Magick Silver RavenWolf touches on the use of animal charms in modern Pow-Wow but does not focus on specifics.

By the 1920s, hoodoo root workers were including a badger tooth in mojos for gambling luck, as well as those for general good fortune.  For gambling in particular, the tooth was often attached to a watch fob, necklace or keychain and worn in a pocket where it could be easily touched or rubbed for luck.  Dressing the tooth frequently, particularly with Van Van Oil, and saying the 23^rd Psalm while doing so was thought to increase its power.  Bonne chance ~

Header: The Gambler’s Wife via A1 Reproductions

Mardi: Herbal-Wise

Figs are a delightful and ancient fruit that have resonance in most civilizations and magickal practices.  The fruit offered to Adam by Eve is said by some to have been not an apple, but a fig; Cleopatra was rumored to lure her lovers with ripe figs.  Mentioned in texts from around the world, figs are thought to be protective, lucky and to encourage virility and fertility.  In hoodoo they are also said to draw people to the root worker.  Old wives used fig bark teas and fig sap for both life saving and beauty.

In the ancient Middle East, carvings made from fig wood were carried by women who wished to become pregnant.  More phallic designs were similarly worn or carried by men who hoped they would increase their strength and potency.  Eating fresh figs was said to encourage amorous feelings, and prolong the act of love.

Scott Cunningham mentions more modern uses for figs and fig trees.  Feed a fig to a man or woman you desire and they will be in your thrall, at least until they lose their taste for figs.  Having the fig’s relative, the popular house plant known as ficas benjamina, growing in your home is said to bring luck to those who live there.  Placing one of the ficas’ branches in front of your front door when you leave on a journey is thought to ensure your safe, happy return.

In hoodoo root work, a mojo for luck, protection and personal charm is made with three roots from one fig tree.  The roots should be small, and dug up from the north, south and east sides of the tree.  A root from the west side of the tree will cancel the mojo’s power by “dragging it down” like the setting of the sun.  Knot the three roots together three times.  Carry them with you and “feed” the mojo frequently with Florida Water.  Do not ever allow another person to see or touch this mojo, or you will have to make a new one all over again.

Old wives would send young people troubled by pimples out to cut green fig leaves from a live tree.  The white sap that oozed from the leaf stem was immediately applied to the pimple to speed healing.  Fig tree bark tea was also recommended as a restorative for the complexion, and as a cure for snake bite.  Bonne chance ~

Header: Anthony and Cleopatra by Lawrence Alma-Tadema

Mardi: Herbal-Wise

Last week we talked about the uses of anise in Wicca and hoodoo.  Today we’ll look at a completely different plant with a very similar name: star anise.

Star anise is in the same botanical family as magnolia, but its origins are Asian.  In Japan it is held sacred; star anise is often planted near tombs and temples in that country.  As Catherine Yronwode notes, most of the star anise available in the U.S. is in seed form.  The seeds are quite lovely with their eight-pointed star shape and are considered to have great mystical power.

In Wicca, the seeds are burned as incense to increase one’s psychic powers.  Scott Cunningham also notes that the seeds can be strung on cording and worn as a necklace for the same purpose.  Some Wiccans place an uneven number of star anise seeds on their altars to draw power to the area.  Five seeds are usually used, place at each of the four directions and then in the center to represent Spirit.

In hoodoo, star anise is considered very lucky.  The seeds are used in mojos to bring psychic dreams of lucky lotto numbers, winning horses’ names and cetera.  Star anise is also thought to be protective.  Seven seeds tied up in a mojo bag and carried on one’s person are said to ward off the Evil Eye and draw good health, prosperity and luck in love for twelve months.  This is a wonderfully easy working for the New Year to set things up for personal success as each year changes.  Bonne chance ~

Header: Past & Present No. 2 by A.L. Egg