Sunday, May 31, 2009

Preaching to the Soloist: Get in the tub!

Friends, I'm here, again, to testify to the power and value of spiritual baths. It's something that I keep putting off, because it does require some "trouble."
  • You need to get up early so as to leave some of the bathwater at the crossroads around oh-dark-thirty, or anyway right before sunrise (especially true for cleansing baths, not so much for other kinds).
  • You have to air-dry, which means you can't use a towel, so as not to wash off the blessing or dilute the cleansing.
  • You have to put on clean clothes, not yesterday's, so you have to plan ahead.
Friends, do it anyway, and do it right.

See, a couple of days ago, probably because of some enemy/justice work I was doing, I had one of the worst poverty tantrums I've had in years. Even an invitation to apply for AIRR membership didn't turn me loose. Friends, I was sure that not only would I starve, but I would never do any effective altar work again, and never had. It was bad.

So I resolved to bathe in ... I was out of hyssop, so I settled for a little Cast Off Evil oil in warm water ... and took it to the funny-shaped crossroads a few minutes' walk away from my house, along with the remains of the enemy candle I burned.

Peace returned as soon as I stepped out of the tub.

By the end of the following day - yesterday - optimism returned in full flood. I returned to my altar work with zest and eagerness. I'm building a new justice altar, as a glance at my tweetstream will show you.

So, I'm telling myself as much as I'm telling you: never, ever hesitate to take a spiritual bath. Do it right, or as close to right as you can. Attention to detail is the better way, of course, but sloppy is probably better than not at all.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Here's something I've been meaning to do for a long, long time

Today I fulfilled a promise I made long ago: I placed an apple spell in the bottom of a planter.

This is a traditional conjure spell; it serves the same purpose as a honey jar. It is based around the name papers and candle wax from a spell I did for President Obama during the presidential debates last year. I also added patchouli, yarrow, borage, thyme and other herbs for protection, courage, attraction and wisdom.

While I was praying over it, I remembered an old English rhyme, which I improvised on:

Remember, remember, the fourth of November,
the end of treason and plot.
I see no reason why return to reason
should ever be forgot.
Here is the loaded apple at the bottom of the planter,













and here is the basil resting comfortably on top.

"Evil can't be where basil has been," so I have been taught. I will plant a little sage and yarrow in there later.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Taking negative cards seriously

I'm learning to take negative cards seriously in love readings. Just turned down a case on the basis of the following:

Now, this wasn't the whole spread – I pulled about a dozen cards – but every layout contained at least one nasty card like this. She begged me to bring him to her, but that would have been like voting for Bush. Twice.

Yes, I believe this stuff. I trust these cards.

Ever since the day when a card fell out of the deck while I was shuffling, indicating my next client had some kind of love problem. "Why, no," he said, but twenty minutes later he told me how he'd been having trouble dreaming lucky numbers ever since his ex-girlfriend replanted everything in his yard. (Underneath a plant is one of the best places to hide spellwork.)

I just finished a case like the first one I described here. And again, in every spread, I got at least one card indicating the man was a no-account trifler, one who could only be kept at home by main force. A classic, time-tested spell to bring him back to her brought nothing but a couple of phone calls from him.

Reconciliation work is hard, often – but not always – because people start too late. And often – perhaps more often – because people are trying to keep someone who isn't good enough for them.