Monday, October 20, 2008

A little claws-and-teeth work - on a shoestring

A year ago, I bought the three big, thick volumes of Hoodoo – Conjuration – Witchcraft – Rootwork by Harry Middleton Hyatt.

The arrangement of this book is actually fairly confusing. It seems to be mostly arranged according to the materials used in each spell [or "rite," as Hyatt prefers to call them]. When you're looking for a particular kind of spell – enemy work, love work, etc. – it helps to know what each kind of material is most commonly used for.

Lately, for reasons of my own, I've been looking for good old-timey spells to – how shall I put this? – shut certain enterprises down. Herewith, a few choice methods:

  • Take a photograph or symbol of said enterprise and lay it face down on top of a glass of water. Surround it with a circle of nine black candles – they don't have to be very large – and stick the candles with pins. Light all the candles; do this every day for nine days.

  • If you have no black candles to spare (as I do not, at the moment), take some cotton twine or thread and tie a knot in it. Put some turpentine on it and read the 22nd Psalm over it (the first 8 verses should suffice!). Repeat every morning until nine days have elapsed; you will have a nine-knotted string, each knot dressed with turpentine. Go to your target's house, office, or place of business, and place the string behind the door. His efforts will come to nothing.

  • A simple trick that can be used for good or ill: take seven matches – wooden kitchen matches would be easier to work with – and cross them. You will probably end up with a vaguely teepee-shaped pile. Pour niter on them – also known as saltpeter, sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate – make a wish, and set the whole thing afire. Repeat every morning until seven days have elapsed.

I don't usually do this kind of work, but these are desperate times.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

My first and last comment on the 2008 presidential campaigns

I've been following the campaigns obsessively for the past few weeks. Before that, I was cowering under the bed, as I usually do when I have to face other people's bad news.

Yes, I have a lifelong allergy to bad news. It's gotten so I rarely read the papers and insist my husband wears headphones when he watches the news.

But I gotta say: my husband had the headphones off a few nights ago when Obama was explaining why we need some kind of economic rescue bill ASAP; in calm, measured tones, and in detail. And I realized I was able to relax when Obama was talking about our troubles.

  • When McCain talks, I hear an old white man demanding my vote.
  • When Obama talks, I hear a wise man explaining how everything's going to be all right.
I'm just sayin'.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

A palindrome for your heart

It starts out grim, but be brave for a minute or so and you will be rewarded.

(Thanks to Brian Smith at the Beautiful Heresy blog.)

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Cleaning the mess out of your house

I'm talking about spiritual cleaning, not about actually shifting dust bunnies and spiderwebs. To do that, you simply sweep/mop your house from back to front with some good strong herbs, such as you find in Lucky Mojo's Van Van for instance. Unfortunately, my husband is allergic to the main ingredient, so I used Henry's Grass Oil, which is very similar to Chinese Wash, another fine old cleansing formula. I also added their lovely Crucible of Courage Oil, and a little of my own "CSI."

Well, it was the most thorough job I've ever done – it's amazing what a bigger, better-arranged living space can do for you! And I have a feeling that this property, or even just this house, is a luckier place than my old one was, because the difference was incredible! Last night, you see, I was having a lovely poverty tantrum. Today, ever since I did that job, I know I've got money strictures and health problems – and yet I haven't a care in the world.

Just so you know. Lots of great classic spiritual cleansing formulae at Lucky Mojo – and check out New Orleans Mistic, too – go and try some!

Monday, July 28, 2008

The Merry Old Land of ... Willits

... not "Oz."

Well, we have arrived, and spent the past weekend unpacking things. I almost miss having a produce store and drugstore across the street, but it's more than balanced by friendly neighbors, attentive (in a good way) landlords, and an actual piece of forest on the property. We have a view of farmland from our bedroom window. We have space to put a dining room table – something we haven't had for years!

When we landed in Willits on Friday night, our son and daughter-in-law hosted us to a magnificent dinner: we pulled our propane grill out of the moving van and they adorned it with a buffalo tri-tip, of all things – so by guess and by gee, we cooked it just right, somehow. We got to crash at their place, after spending a few hours cleaning up after the previous owner of our new place. We smudged the house repeatedly.

The previous owner left a lot of nice things behind, so we left messages on her cel phone to make sure whether or not she was coming back to get them. No reply, until I asked my daughter, the only tobacco-smoker in our family, to do a little old hoodoo trick: write her name on the next cigarette she smoked.

We got hold of the lady within half an hour.

So, yeah, I'm gloating today, and will be for a long time to come.

I'll be able to take calls tomorrow, or maybe even this evening. The phone number is here; scroll down to "Miss Michaele." I'll be keeping the 510 phone number for a while so as not to confuse everybody; the listing went up just before I moved. The Hoodoo Foundry Phone is a VoIP line, so I can have any area code I want and use that line no matter where I'm living, as long as I have Internet access.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Moving Day

Well, we found a little mobile home in Tie Dye Town Willits, CA, where my son and his family live. They've been nudging us for years to move up there where they could help us with connections and labor and things. This month, we finally got the chance. The money has changed hands, the papers have been signed, and we'll be planning our garden and shopping for seeds and tie dye next week. And waiting to sweeten your luck, of course.

This is the place.
Here's the official Willits website.

Monday, June 16, 2008

A simple "go away happy" spell

Not traditional, but it ought to work:

Say you're in a relationship that really ought to be winding down. It's time to move on, but you don't want storm and drama. Not because you're selfish, but just because you don't want her (or him) to be unhappy.

Make a name paper which includes her/his full name, your full name, and a petition such as "go away happy," "go in peace," or something similar. Inside it, place a pinch of sugar and some Blessing or Peaceful Home Incense Powders, and fold it away from you. Burn the paper with the incense in it. The Peaceful Home incense makes it clear that pain is not your intent.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Big doings at the little coffeehouse

I only got to do one reading at Café Sorriso today -- the new manager! Pentacles came up -- one reversed, one upright -- so we got into a conversation about market research!

It was extremely quiet after that -- I myself was about one third of the "Sunday lunch rush." But when I went up to the counter to get my sandwich, the new owner, Tracy, was excited about new plans: "Next week," she told me, "we're going to put up a sign, 'Under New Management,' and we're going to have Vietnamese chicken noodle soup, noodle dishes, eggrolls, Thai iced tea, and bubble tea! And we're going to make everything fresh!"

Now, this little place has changed hands about four times in the past dozen years, and this is the first time I've heard about anybody paying serious attention to the quality of the food -- and I really think that is the one thing that will make this place take off!

The weekend Tarot readings will continue, of course. I'm shifting my schedule again, hopefully for the last time: noon to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

More free readings

Well, I had a good time at Cafe Sorriso this weekend (see previous entry for location, hours etc). Saturday afternoon, I read for the owner, his mother, and a young lady who worked there. I spoke to the owner about some basic guerilla marketing and to the young lady about being in charge of her own spirituality.

The next day I read for the young lady again -- I'd left a couple of questions unanswered -- and for another lady who turned out to be the new owner of Cafe Sorriso.

But the place was quiet -- too quiet. So if you're in San Leandro next weekend, drop by. I'll be there Saturday and Sunday mornings, from 10 am to about noon.

Friday, June 6, 2008

Want a free reading? Read on

Well, today I dressed myself with my favorite fragrances – Attraction, Money Drawing and Steady Work – just before I dropped by the Cafe Sorriso in my hometown this afternoon, and asked to speak to the owner or manager.

A man pointed me toward the nice Korean lady behind the counter, so I asked her: "How do you feel about offering free Tarot readings to your customers?" Well, her English is kind of seldom, so she called the man over. He vaguely knew what Tarot was, but not "up close," so to speak. First he wanted to know, "What's in it for you?" Then he wanted to know what a Tarot reading was, exactly, so I gave him a four-card spread. (His first card was the Three of Pentacles, reversed – and when I asked, he said business was "not great.") So we had a nice long talk about spiritual things in general, hoodoo and what it is, and a little about what it ain't, and especially about openmindedness. "I'm really interested in all of this," he said.

So, yeah, I'm offering free Tarot readings at Cafe Sorriso on Saturdays, starting tomorrow from 2 pm to about 4:30. It is, as the reviews at the link state, quiet and friendly. By all means, drop by if you're in town.

Try the green tea latte, too; it's fantastic.

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Oh my Lord: or, Slater, Please!

All right, I got my hands on the Slater Formulary, the online version that doesn't actually give you the proportions for everything. But that doesn't matter, and I'll show you why. Here are a couple random formulas:
Zawba Powder
Brown [That's the color you are supposed to add]
Vanilla powder
Thyme
Wintergreen
Almond
A special blend which is used to create dissension between lovers and very close friends. Sprinkle on those individuals you wish to cast a spell upon. This is a black magick blend.
The hell! Vanilla has long been used for love; thyme to keep money in your house and bring peace of mind; almond - well, I was taught to use the oil as the base for magical oils because of its mild fragrance and long shelf life. It stands for God's vigilance and swift response, according to Wikipedia. Wintergreen's magical attributes add zap to your love, money and sexual life. Yeah, I can see the dissension now:
"Dammit, I love you more than you love me." "No, I love you more!"

"B*tch! What part of 'buy municipal bonds' don't you understand?"
Yeah, that's gonna work really well.

Let's try one more:
Shoe String Root Powder
Vetivert
Patchouli
Sprinkle around the home to protect the inhabitants against death. Also brings extreme good luck to those who play cards as it invokes lucky spiritual forces.
Well, the latter might be true: Some people use vetiver for love; patchouli works for love, money and protection. But how the hell can he call it "Shoe String Powder" and not include any Devil's Shoe String? That's one of the best protective herbs I know.

Slater's either yankin' your chain or talking through his hat. I'm just sayin.'

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Another kind of two-color candle


Well, that nice Road Opener candle I burned a couple weeks ago wasn't a perfect burn, after all; the glass was a little gray when I looked at it closer.

So, rather than buy another vigil light - I don't like the way they burn the first couple days; they need constant attention because the quality of the wax has gone so far downhill in the past few years.

Rather than buy another of those, I say, I bought a nice freestanding orange taper - one of those two-inch-thick pillar candles, melted some green beeswax and sprinkled some herbs on it, then rolled the candle in it. Et voila!

I didn't invent this method; Miss Cat Yronwode teaches it to her students. Though I haven't seen her demonstrate it, she describes it well enough for me to produce the results you see here.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Mommy, what does "vibration" mean?

When magic workers or New Thought folk talk about "vibrations," it can be confusing to the materialist who visualizes a sound wave on an oscilliscope. How can "a higher vibration" change one's life? What a confusing way to put it.

Here is a little illustration. Note that the higher the pitch, the more complex the "landscape" on the metal (?) sheet laid over the speaker.

(BTW, TURN DOWN YOUR SPEAKERS; this demo gets extremely shrill.)



This kind of complexity can mean two things, depending on how optimistic you are:
  • More variety of opportunity, or
  • More rules to learn and negotiate.
Even "more rules" is not necessarily a bad thing, once you remember that knowledge is power.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Well, my family and I have big plans these days, and what better way to start than with a Road Opener candle from Lucky Mojo? I dressed this candle under the guidance of Dara Anzlowar during the Lucky Mojo Hoodoo Rootwork Workshop last week. And I must say, it's been burning sluggishly and reluctantly until yesterday. I've had to tweak it every couple of hours, poking deep holes in the candle with a chopstick to allow the flood of melted wax to run off, so the wick had some room to burn. There was a big old wall of wax on one side, too, like a big old Thou-Shalt-Not.


That is, until yesterday.


Since yesterday afternoon, that candle is burning as prettily as you could wish. Nice robust flame, glass absolutely clear.

Also, my husband's doctor called us about a couple hundred dollars' worth of insurance snafu that we just discovered; they are going to straighten it out.

And – here's the weird part – I'm still struggling with some of my oldest fears. But now my effective "pacifiers" have dwindled down to two. I can't eat about it any more and feel better; reading science fiction doesn't soothe like it used to. No, I have only two pacifiers left:

  1. Plan your work.
  2. Work your plan.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Master Class




Well, I spent the most incredible weekend with my wonderful Lucky Mojo classmates and teachers!

Saturday, May 3, was the annual Hoodoo Party and Birthday Bash (for our teacher, miss cat yronwode), where people you only know by their e-mail address and literary style :-) got to talk shop for as long as 12 hours!

For nearly all of my life, I have been a shy person, especially in crowds. I carved out a pretty comfortable niche being the wallflower at parties. But not that day. I drifted from small group to small group, from conversation to conversation, sharing all the brain candy that was going (Matthew 13:52, more or less :-)). You know, just like a normal person. I guess it is, in a way, an emotional or spiritual or maybe even a magical growth spurt.

Sunday, May 4, I attended the Hoodoo and Rootwork Workshop at the Home of Truth in Alameda, California. This workshop was a set of master classes in magical technique. The teachers were experienced and gifted rootworkers: cat yronwode, of course, Dr. Kioni, Dara Anzlowar, and Tanisia Greer. I was eager to attend the sessions on Astrology for Rootworkers and on Spiritual Footwashing, both new to me. The other workshops were devoted to general principles of candle magic and the making and blessing of mojo bags -- and here, too, though I have several years' experience in these two areas, I learned a number of important things.

So, I'm still flyin', but not in a psychedelic hippy-dippy way; my course is straight and true and the travel is easier than it has ever been. I spent an hour or so this evening doing some of the best altar work I have done in months. The candle I burned on the road opening honey jar left a little bit of wax in the shape of a horn of plenty; the mojo bag I charged and blessed tonight was dancing with excitement over the candle flame.

And I'm about to get a separate phone line for Hoodoo Foundry, thanks to Vonage.com and Amazon.com.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Some candle signs


I'm working a "hire me" spell with this honey jar. After three nights of absolutely clean burns, the candle on my latest honey jar left the amorphous pile you see on the left. I was disappointed about it – and the fact that the person I'm trying to influence hasn't called me since the (really fabulous) job interview – until I remembered that the same thing happened to the last such jar I worked on somebody – which is working to this day.

Well, this afternoon, I was sitting in the center of the couch when I happened to look at that “failed” honey jar. From that angle (see right-hand photo), the wax looks like a seated dragon crouched on the edge of the lid!

Like many diviners, I use the usual system of tasseomancy symbols to read odd candle-wax signs like this. The Complete Book of Fortune-Telling has this to say:
Dragon.–A sudden, unreasonable terror will come upon you. Let sanity counsel your actions – this monster is born of your imagination only.
You know, the same stuff everybody has been trying to tell me all along.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

A suggestion for prosperity work


This just occurred to me while I was tweaking my own situation just a bit. It's not traditional, but it might be worth a try.

When you're doing a "steady work" job, you want to convince the prospective employer that you are the best person for the job. But another way to describe yourself is "the missing piece of the puzzle," the one element needed to make your new workplace purr like a finely tuned engine. So next time you want the cosmos to send you steady work, get yourself an old jigsaw puzzle, and include a piece in your spiritual work – the name paper in your shoe, the mojo bag, or the honey jar.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

"Now we can do Big Things for love"

Preach it, Brother Geek!



... with thanks to Rev. Jack at the Pirates of the Unitarians blog.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

I believe...

Well, I gave my friend Lakisha a copy of Get Right Church for Christmas. She told me she was going to take it home and listen to it during a nice hot bath, where she could relax enough to concentrate on the message. Now, Rev. Cleveland knows how to raise the roof, so I was surprised she wanted to listen to jumpin' happy music at such a time.

Anyway, we got on to the subject of the message. "I can't stand to hear anybody sing about 'before it's too late,'" I said. "I can't believe that you don't go on learning after you die, so you could still grow enough to repent."

"Well," said Lakisha thoughtfully, "it depends on what we come back as. If you're gonna come back as a ladybug, you're not gonna learn nothin'."

I had an answer for that, and it was interesting and possibly even wise, but also totally irrelevant to my sermon story tonight.

"Be exactly what you are," said Rev. Franklin, "and let God work it out."

Or, as an unnamed gentleman told me at a Friends of Negro Spirituals event I went to, "We each have to interpret these things in our own way."

Maybe Lakisha doesn't believe in reincarnation, but she was willing to entertain the idea. No, it was she, not I, who brought it up. I guess it was the handiest way for her to make sense of my idea, of learning after death.

But, you know, I was a Christian once, and I sure wouldn't have stepped outside my belief system to carry on a conversation like this.

Mad props to Lakisha! And more Happy New Year!

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

A great dream for the new year!


This morning I dreamed of a mysterious plant with a blue, trumpet-shaped flower and a stem like a jade plant; I cut it preparatory to placing it in some kind of rooting medium to start a new plant.

Wikipedia says that the jade plant is also called “friendship tree” and “money tree,” and is very easy to propagate; a great dream symbol for someone who needs to catch up on their networking. Looks like my task this year is to be a true friend to the folks who know what I need to know.