Magickal Goody of the Day

Conjure Protection Packet

Here is a recipe for a “Packet” that will protect you from being Conjured.
Saltpeter — 1 pinch
Angelica — 1 pinch
Master of the Woods — 3 pinches
Salt — 1 pinch
Sugar — 1 pinch
The heads of 3 wooden matches
1. As you add a pinch of each say “In the name of God the Father, Name of God the Son, Name of God the Holy Ghost”

*Any Deity or Divine Being you prefer can be substituted*

Africa, you say… I thought Voodoo came from N’awlins?

The roots of Voodoo has spread as far as from West Africa to Louisiana. As mentioned, Voodoo practices and beliefs tend to differ in various geographical areas, but the three main types of Voodoo are:

African Voodoo

Haitian Voodoo

New Orleans, Louisiana

Voodoo It was slavery that brought Voodoo to the Americas and caused it to spread around the world. In 1804, Voodooist slaves were brought by Cuban plantation owners to Louisiana.

During its period of colonization between the 16th – 17th centuries, slaves were brought from Africa to the Hispaniola (Haiti). Forced by the colonists to baptize themselves in the Christian faith, the slaves struggled to practice their Voodoo faith. As a result, the slaves ended up reconciling the different religious beliefs so that they may practice a bit of their faith even if not openly. Whichever parts of the world Voodooists ended up in, whether they were ostracized or hunted down or coerced to conversion, they clung to their faith steadfastly while embracing change as necessary. This is why you look at the Voodoo religion today, you will see the influences of various major religions.

For instance, “Voodoo Saints” were made and called upon. What is Saint Peter to the Catholics is Papa Legba to Voodooists. In both religions, both are keepers of the gate. To Voodooists, Papa Legba is a loa(Iwa) or a spirit who watches over the doors of the spirit world.

Another example is how some Voodoo holidays correspond with Catholic holidays. On the days when Catholics remember the spirits of those who had passed on (All Saints Day and All Souls Day), Voodooists who had been forced to convert to Catholicism took these opportunities to honor loa known as the Ghede. These loa are family of spirits which personify their ancestors who now exist in the realm of the dead.
The Christian cross had also come to mean something to followers of the Voodoo faith. They use it to symbolize crossroads or life-changing decisions or events.

A Catholic might even recognize some similarities in the Voodoo hymns and the ones sang at his church.
Nevertheless, Haitian and Louisiana Voodoo still retain much of the original African influence. Like any other religion, Voodoo has priests and priestesses. The former are referred to as houngans while the latter are called mambos. Their main duties are to conduct religious ceremonies. In Africa, ceremonies are conducted in temples called honfours. In some places, the priests and priestesses practice folk medicine. Their other roles include providing individual members with guidance and settling disputes within the community. Marie Laveau, born 1794, was a powerful figure in New Orleans. She served as a Voodoo priestess and did many selfless works including aiding the homeless. Even today, people leave sacrifices on her grave.

Anyone can be a houngan or a mambo after entering and passing an apprenticeship with a leader. In the same way as Catholic priests and nums enter monasteries, aspiring houngans and mambos may enter religious centers. In some Voodoo communities, the aspiring priest or priestess has to lock himself/herself up from the rest of the world for three days and nights. This ritual symbolizes dying and on the third day, they come out, resurrected.

As mentioned, Voodooists believe in helpful spirits. Similar to Greek gods and goddesses, each deity is link with specific objects, colors, and places. They even possess different personalities and require different sacrifices from their followers or anyone who seeks their aid.

In pretty much the same way as one looks up to a public figure and seeks the advice of a mentor, it is possible for you to develop a relationship with a Voodoo spirit. If you wish to embrace the principles that a loa represents, then you can invoke the spirit so that his/her power will aid you in your current circumstances.
 

Source

Voodoo: Beginner’s Guide – Discover Its Top Secret Spells and Rituals (Voodoo Spells, Voodoo Religion, Voodoo Handbook, Voodoo Book, Voodoo Magic, Voodoo … The Voodoo Doll Spellbook, Voodoo Dreams)
Ema Phillips

The Bible & Conjuring

I know a lot of folks have issues with Christians and the church. The thing is that the church is man-made. Man rules the churches. Most of the folks that go to church worry about what they are going to wear or what Dick and Jane are doing; than what Gods word is saying. I’ve never had a bad experience with Christians or the church and I’m shocked to hear that so many have, but the thing is humans run these churches and to err is human. The thing is you can’t throw the baby out with the bath water if you want to be a Conjurer. The Bible is the meat of Conjure; it is the power behind the work. Some would argue this point and that is their right to do so.

The Bible is a book of power, if you want to learn Traditional Conjure then you must work with the Bible. Actually I was taught to work with the Old Testament and that is what I work with, although there are something’s in the New Testament that I have learned to work with. You don’t have to be a Christian, you can be anything you want to be but if you are going to claim to be a Conjure worker you need to know how to do the work. Why would you want to waste your time doing some watered down mess when you can do the real deal?

That book we call a Bible is a Tome of power, and when you pray the chapters and verses over your work you are creating a powerful force, one that will get the job done. You don’t ever have to set foot in a church if you choose not to, just work with the Bible. God has many names and I personally don’t care what name you call him or her as long as you do Conjure the way the work is supposed to be done. If you have to change it to suit you then you need to find something else that works for you! Plain and simple! Prayer builds power and power leads to success! I know some folks don’t know how to pray, so if you are one of those folks then just start out by talking. Say what is in your heart, don’t worry about if you are doing it right or not. Just DO IT! You have to start somewhere. Conjure is not a religion but it is built around the Bible, the Trinity and prayer.

I can’t speak for the folks in Africa because I have never been there although I did have a lady come all the way from Africa to learn from me; she stayed the whole weekend with me. I ask her about this type of work over there and she told me that if you got caught doing this work where she is from you could be stoned by the people and even run out of town. If it is a lie she is the one that told it. One thing I do know is that he Bible is part of Conjure maybe not in what folks are calling New Orleans Hoodoo but it is in Southern Conjure.

I don’t dispute the fact that when the ancestors were stolen from Africa they were not Christian. I’m sure they weren’t; but I know my history of the South. I was raised on it. This was a whole new world to them. Different language, different food, different clothes, different houses, DIFFERENT ROOTS AND HERBS, everything in this new world of horror was different. The only thing that couldn’t be taken from them was their KNOWLEDGE! It is obvious that they held on to some of their knowledge because we still practice Conjure today; but let’s be honest just for a minute. Let’s go back in time and take a look at the real horror these great Ancestors who endured a brutality not many could survive.

When they were captured they were chained in the bottom of the ship, they were allowed to wash when the body odor became so bad the sailors couldn’t stand the smell any longer. My dogs are kept better than these Ancestors were. Then once they reached the Carolina’s that wasn’t much better. They were stood up on platforms and inspected the way you would cattle. They checked their teeth, privates and God only knows what else was done to them. Then they were sold. They became the property of another human and “I question that”. So woo hoo we be home! If you believe that then you better go read your history books.

They had no homes, they lived in shacks. They were abused and treated less than animals; so do you REALLY believe they were allowed to keep their religion. They would have been looked at as devils or witches; if they would have lived after those Christians “I use the term lightly” got done with them. Unless you have lived in the South you really can’t comprehend how it really is. I’m talking about Georgia on up to the Carolina’s; even today in 2012 it’s a whole different world than the rest of the U.S. I will never believe that they were allowed to have their religious ceremonies amongst their Christian owners. They were smarter than their owners gave them credit and brought Christianity into the work or hid the work inside of Christianity. Conjure is a lot more than what some see as spell work. There are remedies and such that go along with the work; it is a way of life. It is not only about the work. If you try to remove the Bible out of Hoodoo/ Conjure then you are NOT doing Southern Conjure work. You can’t separate the two because our Ancestors hid the work in Christianity. I can’t speak for New Orleans Voodoo/ Hoodoo which folks see as the same thing or that they interchange but I stand firm about Southern Hoodoo/ Conjure.

I don’t claim to know it all nor do I claim to have a bunch of PHD’s next to my name; I have something that money can’t buy; the knowledge that has been handed down through my family and my elders. I believe that the Bible is part of the work and always has been. This is what I have seen growing up in a Southern family.

Source

The Conjure Workbook Volume 1: Working the Root
Starr Casas

What is Voodoo?

As mentioned previously in the introduction, Voodoo is an ancient religion. It was birthed in the kingdoms of Africa six thousand years ago. The Fon Kingdom, now seen in the map as Southern Benin, is considered as the cradle of Voodoo. Even today, millions of people in Benin, Ghana, and Togo still practice Voodoo.

The name is derived from the Fon word Voudon which translates to “the Power” or “the Creator”. Indeed, like most religions, followers of the Voodoo faith believe that the world was made and is governed by an all-powerful Supreme Being. That said, Voodooists believe that as mere mortals, we are neither capable nor worthy of communicating directly with the Supreme Being. The Creator, though invincible, all-loving and always watching, must not be bothered with our daily concerns. It is for this reason why we need the aid of other lesser spiritual beings, including one’s ancestors. Note that these spirits are not considered as gods. Despite their presence, Voodoo remains monotheistic in nature.

However, unlike major religions, Voodoo does not have a holy scripture which the followers base their faith upon. Instead, Voodoo concentrates more on individual experience. Because it does not constrain one’s actions by rules set in stone, you are free to act and exist as stated by your conscience. No set of ancient rules exist to dictate your actions for you. No words written centuries ago will predetermine your choice. No one will threaten you into obedience with punishments or everlasting damnation. Instead, it is up to you to do the right thing, to determine by yourself the path of righteousness, and to make the conscious choice to walk on that path. This is one of the most beautiful things about being a Voodooist. The Voodoo faith supports empowerment and encourages responsibility.
 

Source

Voodoo: Beginner’s Guide – Discover Its Top Secret Spells and Rituals (Voodoo Spells, Voodoo Religion, Voodoo Handbook, Voodoo Book, Voodoo Magic, Voodoo … The Voodoo Doll Spellbook, Voodoo Dreams)
Ema Phillips

A Little Voodoo Magick for Your Day

Graveyard Dirt for Luck

Ingredients:
Graveyard Dirt
Sea Salt
Charcoal

Grind the ingredients together into a powdered form. Sprinkle it around your house and property to attract luck and success.

Source

Gray’s Pocket Book of Hoodoo Spells for Luck and Success: (Gray’s Pocket Book Series Book 4)
Deran Gray

Getting to Know the Essence of Voodoo

Voodoo is the modern-day version of a Haitian religion called Vodou, which was developed under the mantle of French slavery by African-Caribbean slaves working on island plantations. However, it must not be overlooked that whether during its time in “Hispaniola” or after it entered America, it also picked up some Native-American practices and systems of belief within its folds. At its verby heart, that’s a fact of tremendous relevance—relevance— that Voodoo originated from a space where adopting Christianity as their religion was the only way to survive for tribes from Central and Western Africa who may have had diverse practices and rituals, but which originated from the same neighborhood of bodies of religious thought. When such people met other mystic spirituals, such as the Native Americans, growing communication within common spaces of living also led to the syncretic assimilation of their beliefs since many Native-American spiritual systems resonated with African spirituality.

Therefore, as Vodou developed into its current form, it encompassed the root essence of African spirituality and some measures of Native American belief systems as well as that of Roman Catholicism, since they needed to publicly espouse Christianity while inserting their own practices into Christian ways, which would allow their traditional beliefs to survive. However, although the root of Catholicism’s spiritual seed lay in indoctrination and the force of religious text over the lives of its followers, the same in African spirituality lay in the perception and devotion to the order of the universe, the healing of energies by overbalancing positive forces, and the nature of the spirit or soul which led to spirit possession.

Although Voodoo is a deeply personalized religion, given its esoteric and mystical origins spanning millennia, if one is to try and figure out the most important of its teachings to its practitioners, it’s this— there is a definite order through which the world functions, and knowing one’s place and respecting it within that order will bring immense positivity and wholesomeness, not only to the practitioner but to the system itself. Now, this shouldn’t be misunderstood as becoming a mindless zombie to the ssytem–system— another myth attributed to Vodouisant Bokors, or the closest thing the religion can have to chaotic or negative sorcerers at the very fringes of Voodoo society. Instead, perceiving and respecting the system is similar to having respect for the forces above you in the order of things, even if you may not see eye to eye and communicate as such.

Within daily life and practice as an example, Voodoo is in itself a complete way of life instead of just a practical religion, allowing elders to speak before your render your opinion on a topic on which they may have greater experience in life is a reflection of the essence of the religion. Again, don’t equate this to the simple “respect your elders” adage, but rather a deep binding sense of order within the way social interactions are constructed and viewed through Voodoo— the “elders” of “tribes”, even in modern day life, must speak before the younger ones on any matters under discussion because they’ve spent more time on this planet, and so have facets of knowledge or perspectives that youngsters lack. The same goes for the priestly order, with initiated higher ups having the first say than their lower counterparts. If the juniors disagree with their seniors they will get their chance to respectfully assert said opinion once the seniors have finished speaking. Therefore, understanding and respecting this order is part of Voodoo, whether it is your personal or professional life.
 

Source

VOODOO: A Beginner’s Guide to Voodoo ~ An Introduction to Voodoo Religion, Rituals, and Spells
Issendai Bechau

Deity of the Day

Papa Legba

Legba is the gatekeeper to the spirit world, known as Vilokan. Rituals begin with a prayer to Legba to open those gates so that participants can gain access to the other lwas. The veves of these other lwas are often drawn intersecting the branches of Legba’s veve to represent this.

Legba is also strongly associated with the sun and is seen as a life-giver, transferring the power of Bondye to the material world and all that lives within it.

This further strengthens his role as the bridge between realms.

His association with creation, generation and life makes him a common lwa to approach with matters of sex, and his position as a conduit of Bondye’s will makes him a lwa of order and destiny.

Finally, Legba is a lwa of the crossroads, and offerings are often made there for him. His symbol is the cross, which also symbolizes the intersection of material and spiritual worlds.

Other names:Legba is often affectionately referred to as Papa Legba.
Lwa Family: Rada
Gender: Male
Associated Catholic Saint: St. Peter, who holds the keys to the gate of heaven
Holiday: November 1, All Saints Day
Offerings:Roosters
Appearance:An old man who walks with a cane. He carries a sack on a strap across one shoulder from which he dispenses dentiny.

Alternate Personality: Legba’s Petro form is Met Kafou Legba. He represents destruction rather than creation and is a trickster who introduces chaos and disruption. He is associated with the moon and night.

Reference:

By Catherine Beyer

Alternative Religions Expert

Article published on & owned by About.com

Three Time-Tested and Proven Defense Tactics to Combat the Evil Eye

1. Daily prayer at sunrise and sunset, or upon waking and before bed.

2. A new and personally chosen amulet purchased from a healer and charged with the energy of a sacred place, which is worn as needed or daily until death; by British custom only to be burried by a loyal friend, family member, or coven member.

3. Eyeball symbols and protective charms hidden in seams and sewn into clothing, drapes, and bedding and drawn on windows, doors, and beds to protect the mind, body, and spirit.

Esthamarelda McNevin
Llewellyn’s 2016 Witches’ Companion: An Almanac for Contemporary Living (Llewellyns Witches Companion)

Six Ways the Evil Eye Is Cast

1. Gifting cursed or hexed nazar beads or luck charms.

2. Spitting over the palm or between fingers in the direction of an enemy or directly upon their shadow, evoking a dark cloud over them.

3. A prolonged glance or moment of forced eye contact in which a look of deep hate or harmful intent is expressed.

4. Windows of one’s car or home being vandalized.

5. Judgments, faults, or failures whispered beneath the breath while the victim is present (this affects the unconscious mind).

6. Crossing out the eyes of an enemy from all images or photos encountered.

Esthamarelda McNevin
Llewellyn’s 2016 Witches’ Companion: An Almanac for Contemporary Living (Llewellyns Witches Companion)

Six Signs You Might Be Under the Gaze of the Evil Eye

1. A sudden and unexplainable fear of activities that once gave you great joy.

2. Nausea, lightheadedness, or weakened endurance when engaged in magic.

3. An overwhelming sense of anger or doom without reason or origin.

4. Hairs frequently standing on end (a sort of astral defense).

5. Feeling drawn into passive-aggressive or subtextual modes of communication.

6. Observing protracted looks or forced eye contact from overly responsive acquaintances.
 

Esthamarelda McNevin
Llewellyn’s 2016 Witches’ Companion: An Almanac for Contemporary Living (Llewellyns Witches Companion)

Amulets That Will Rid You of the Evil Eye

Ruby jewelry, blue and green nazar beads, hand of Fatima charms, hemsa (or hamsa) charms, hand of Miriam charms, jutti shoe charms, Brigid’s cross charms, pentacle charms, blue jewelry, braided sweetgrass jewelry, Uli nana pono beads, Cabalistic Cross charms, Christian Cross charms, Seven African Powers charms, needle or sword charms.

Esthamarelda McNevin
Llewellyn’s 2016 Witches’ Companion: An Almanac for Contemporary Living (Llewellyns Witches Companion)

Recognizing and Combating the Evil Eye: Putting It On and Poking It Out

Have you ever unknowingly had an enemy who intended to do you actual personal harm? Do you know someone who is bitter and magickal enough to twist the tides of fate into a tsunami of circumstances set abruptly against you? Has your self-esteem ever been obliterated under an unrelenting downpour of public scrutiny, while all those little hairs on the back of your neck stood witness like so many Druids on a beach? Perhaps you, too, have come under the deadly gaze of the evil eye.

This curse is employed when someone aspires to erode another person’s confidence or sense of worth intentionally, by projecting emotions such as jealousy, envy, and greed. This hex gives our own fear and paranoia the opportunity to dig in deep and take hold of our psyche through passive-aggressive manipulation and sympathetic magic. If left helpless against the evil eye, we begin to believe in our worst fate, unintentionally empowering and manifesting the curse with our own judgments.

Dispel from your mind that image of an embittered Sicilian Mafioso launching a spittle of condemnation from beneath a floral taffeta halo of hate. After all, it’s the ones we trust implicitly who most favor curses like the evil eye. These are people we often don’t suspect, or those we think are incapable of subversive betrayal. Those who cast the evil eye are not the ones we see coming, but the people who get close, learn our weaknesses, and use this knowledge to exploit us for their personal gain.

Such use of this “covetous gaze” indicates that the hexer not only wants what you have— be it physical wealth, emotional happiness, or esoteric gifts— but also wants you not to have it. If you have been victim to this phenomenon, which numerous cultures recognize and combat, take comfort in knowing that you are not alone. Predatory sympathetic magic like the evil eye is one of the oldest and most primal curses on the books. The Greek Magical Papyri is evidence enough of how favored this hex truly was in the ancient world. Our surviving recipes from the Greek Hellenistic period document a primordial penchant for sacrificial spells and rare animal talismans, evocative proof of Paganism’s deep-rooted models of mystical survivalism, which drove countless devotees to extreme Gnostic acts for the sake of self-protection.

Long before the Wiccan Rede gave us the “An it harm none…” mandate, our ancient Pagan ancestors were prone to hexing the piss ’n’ vinegar out of each other, because they saw magic as just another aspect of daily social survival. In fact, the evil eye has such a long history of use that it’s credited with inspiring protective artwork, amulets, tonics, ethereal cures, and alchemical remedies, a great many of which have survived since antiquity. Counter and reverse techniques have crossed cultures and continents under the guise of liberal folk bohemia or simply as gypsy luck, and are still very much in use today. If nothing else, the antidotes for the evil eye act as a form of psychological relief. While problem-solving such a magical battle of wills, the victim often chooses to withdraw into solitary meditation or pursue the hexer’s own weak surrender, as a countermeasure against the curse. The evil eye exists, and it is viewed across the world as a vehicle of prejudice and hate. Many esoteric traditions believe that we must guard ourselves daily against attack or we risk falling prey to the energies afoot.

Primal sympathetic magic makes sense in a lot of biological ways, especially when we consider that mating and professional competition among our social groups often expose our instinctually reactive emotions. The sociological studies of academics like Carl Jung relate these emotional outbursts to our deeply rooted psychological struggle between acceptance and intolerance as social mammals. Our darker, more primal and survivalistic emotions constantly challenge our rational civic goodness, tempting our impulse to respond to situations of public distress with fight-or-flight instincts of survivalism. Like all curses, the evil eye is a social and psychological weapon employed by an aggressor to trigger a fear response in the target.

When acquaintances plot our failure, a deep loss of hope and an increase in personal shame are constant stepping stones on the descending path of spiritual deprivation. This is because curses like the evil eye will sustain the hexer’s subtle predatory advantage as they sabotage happiness, innocence, and good luck from the lives of others. Those who have cast the curse find the results addictive, and those who have endured this type of hex know all too well that atrracting the primal disdain of another human is no laughable superstition. Eyeballs involved or not, we are a territorial and superstitious species of instinctively driven emotional beings, sometimes willing to trust or hate others irrationally and to our own disadvantage.

Too many people suffer the emotional effects of common antisocial behaviors like bullying, taunting, and public displays of rejection. Let’s face it: the evil eye is everywhere, and we all instinctively know how to use it. One does not have to sit down and cast a spell in order to cast the evil eye. Moreover, we are all sitting ducks; as social mammals, we really just want to be liked and accepted for who we are. As a global society, public opinion matters more to us now than it ever has, which is why getting “the evils” from someone can be so off-putting.

Why is this primordial hex so powerful? Whether we like it or not, our feeling of social acceptance is a determinate factor in the vast majority of our lifestyle decisions; this is especially the case with choices concerning appearance, marriage, and career, as well as drug or alcohol use. We may feel socially valued and praised when we look and act like our colleagues, friends, or families. We may feel a sense of comfort in following long-held models of human social conformity. This means that when we are truly hexed with dark, antisocial magic like the evil eye, it is often accompanied by unethical slander, hidden jokes at our expense, or various other forms of social humiliation. This type of black magic is a pressing social issue in our modern communities because, like so many of us, the evil eye has gone digital.

No app, trash bin, or delete button can erase harsh social judgments once we have received them; it’s up to us to problem-solve, take an objective perspective, and process social disagreements. We must defend ourselves mentally and spiritually against negative action directed at us, especially when it becomes clear that no resolution is feasible. Even blocking the individual from our contact information may not stop truly malicious social behaviors. The people who use negative psychological magic rely on the emotional responses we experience when we feel targeted, embarrassed, or shamed by others in public: this is what the original evil-eye hex accomplishes best.

Esthamarelda McNevin
Llewellyn’s 2016 Witches’ Companion: An Almanac for Contemporary Living (Llewellyns Witches Companion)