Ganesha: Opener of the Way

The Hindu God Ganesha is one of a number of deities whose devotion and worship has crossed cultural barriers. He has been venerated by both devout Hindus, Buddhist and he has even entered into the practice of Hoodoo----by those who mainly identify as Christians. It is only fitting that he is known in various traditions for removing obstacles and opening the way. 

In Hindu mythology, he is the son of Lord Shiva and the Goddess Parvati. He is often depicted with the head of an elephant owning to a legend that his father once destroyed his original head in anger and quickly replaced it with that of an elephant. Ganesha is believed to have been the scribe for the Mahabharata and thus is associated with teachers, students, and writers.

Common symbols associated with Ganesha include his vehicle the rat, who can sometimes be seen stealing offerings of sweets left for the God, swastikas, his large rotund belly, books, and the elephant goad (noose).

Ganesha is associated with spirits who are known for removing obstacles and opening-the-way as well as for success in worldly endeavors. For this reason he is often petitions for success at the outset of any venture or undertaking. 

Working With Ganesha 

                                           New Moon Ritual to Open the Way

The new moon is traditionally observed as a time of fresh starts and new beginnings. Many spiritual practitioners often begin works of drawing love, prosperity, success, health, etc...towards themselves or their clients during the period between the New Moon and the Full Moon so that their blessings grow with the moon.  Therefore, it is wise to petition Ganesha to open the way for you before you begin your work so as to remove all obstacles to your success.

Begin by cleaning a yellow offertory candle with ammonia or holy water and then inscribing the words "open the way" in large bold letters on the candle. As you fix the candle, focus your thoughts completely on those objectives that you wish to accomplish in the coming month. Bring a vision into your mind's eye of your goal successfully manifesting.

When you are done, place the candle in a holder and anoint it with Road Opener Oil. Place the candle before an icon of Ganesha. Make an offering of sweet cakes or candy to Ganesha saying:

"Accept these humble offerings, oh Lord, in recognition of and thanksgiving for my many blessing. Pray guide me along my path so that I may not encounter those obstacles that would hinder my success! Amen."

Light the candle and say the following prayer a total of nine times.

Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.
O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
Shew me thy way, O LORD; teach me thy path.
Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

When you are done, allow the candle to burn down. When it is spent, inspect any remains for signs or messages from Ganesha.

Notes

• This prayer comes from the book of Psalm 25:1-5.
• The "Lord" here refers to Lord Ganesha for the purpose of this working as does the enemy refer to anyone or anything that would prevent you from achieving your goals.
• The prayer also asks that the seeker be not ashamed which to me means not being ashamed of you what it is that you truly want and desire. To achieve one's goal you must not hesitate out of a sense of shame or fear of failure to take advantage of opportunities when they appear before you. 

Happy Hoodoo-ing 

To Draw an Unknown Male Lover

To perform this spell you will need:

• Red Penis Candle
• Attraction Oil
• Pen and Paper

Begin by writing a brief description of the type of lover that you are interested in attracting. When you are satisfied with what you have written, turn the paper a quarter turn to the right and then write your own name 9 times crossing and covering the description as you go. When you are done, set the petition aside.

Carve the words "Unknown Lover" on the red penis-candle and anoint it with attraction oil as well. Set your candle on an overturned saucer with your petition underneath. Light the candle and fervently pray the scripture below nine times:

"Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits." ----Song of Solomon 4:16

As you pray the scripture, think about the lover you want to attract and the activities that you wish to perform. Allow the candle to burn out on its own and then inspect any left over wax for signs.

Note: If you don't have a penis-candle you can use any phallic-shaped red candle.To make the spell even more powerful, you can dress the candle with your own sexual fluids.

Spiritual Waters

Water--itself vital to human life--has always played an important role in religious and magickal rituals. Water is commonly used in religious rites to cleanse people, places, or things. In the Baptist Church in which I grew up, people were ritually immersed in a natural body of water by the preacher to symbolize their “rebirth in Christ”--an outward sign of their inward spiritual transformation. 

In the Catholic Church, holy-water (water blessed by a Priest) is often sprinkled on people, objects, or in dwellings such as houses to bless and cleanse them of any negative energy. In the Hoodoo Tradition, many different baths are often prescribed for various conditions. These baths often contain an herb(s), mineral, or chemical in addition to the water depending on the need of the individual. 

Many spiritual-waters began as herbal perfumes or colognes and thus often have an alcohol base despite being identified as water. Over time spiritual practitioners began using these perfumes or colognes in accordance with the magickal correspondences associated with the herbs they contained. For this reason, spiritual waters are often added to baths, floor-washes, or rubbed onto the body. Some may be used to feed mojo bags, wash talismans, roots, or clean candles before their use in spells. Finally, some spiritual waters may be used as offerings to spirits or the ancestors in some cases. 

Selected Spiritual Waters 

• Holy Water may be made by putting three pinches of salt into a vial of water and fervently praying the 23rd Psalm over it. 

• Peace-Water is used to bring peace to an environment as well as to prevent negative people and/or entities from entering the household. It may be sprinkled in the four corners of a room, or the four corners of a property. To make peace-water brew a tea of fresh basil leaves, add a splash of bay rum and a few drops of liquid bluing. 

• War-Water is used to bring about disruption in a household by forcing its inhabitants to fuss and fight with one another. To make effective war water, place three iron nails in a glass jar of water add some magnetic sand and Spanish Moss. Traditionally, to use war-water you would break the glass jar on the doorstep of your enemy where he or she would step in the mess and be "poisoned through the feet". 

• Bay-Rum is an astringent perfume that has famously been used by men as an aftershave. It can be placed in baths for personal cleansing, used as an offering to spirits, or placed on the tip of a broom which is used to sweep a carpet to cleanse it of evil messes. To make bay rum add bay-leaves and allspice berries to a bottle of rum. 

• Florida-Water is a floral scented water that was originally used as a perfume cologne by both men and women in the 19th century. It has many and varied uses in the Hoodoo Tradition such as an offering for spirits, protection of the home (by putting it in a spray bottle and misting it in the air), protection, and cleansing objects in a similar manner as Holy-Water. 

Carolina Dean 

The Hag that Rides You

The Boo-Hag, the Hag that Rides You, or simply Hags are terrifying entities found in cultures all over the world and by many other names. They are described as both ugly, older women as well as young, beautiful ones. In either case, they may or may not be witches but who are always possessed of strong spiritual powers.

Hags are believed to remove their skin at night and sneak into their victim's home to drink their blood, steal their voice, or give them nightmares. A common behavior of the hag is to 'ride' the victim in his or her sleep depriving them of needed rest. Over long periods, individuals have died of exhaustion. People who claim to have been "hag-ridden" report waking up in the night with a sensation of something heavy on their chest and being unable to move. (See sleep-paralysis). These victims often report being tired and exhausted the following day after having not gotten a good night's sleep.

Methods of combating the Hag include laying a loaded shotgun across the head of the bed, since Hags detest the smell of gunpowder (sulfur). Forks have also been placed under the pillow to prevent being ridden. Other tools used to ward off Hags include placing a straw-broom or a colander under the bed in the belief that the Hag would have to count every straw or every hole distracting her until the sun would come up.

If a hag was caught in the daylight without her skin, it was believed that she would die. Some folktales tell of people finding the Hag's skin hanging in her closet and filling it with salt which is said to burn and severely injure her when the Hag puts her skin back on.

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Photo "Sad Bag Lady" courtesy of http://morguefile.com/archive/display/23485------In another time, this woman living on the fringes of society would have been a prime target of suspicion for being a Hag. 

Blessing An Altar Image

As spiritual practitioners we often maintain at least one altar in our home on which our tools, candles, and other symbols of our faith can be found. Images of our spiritual allies and/or deities are often a focal point for our sacred spaces as well.

Making a habit of cleansing one’s tools and materials is a very important practice to maintain. You may think that you are safe with a new deity image, however the materials use to make it probably has been handled, the machines used to manufacture them are maintained by people whose energy can be transferred to the image through the manufacturing process, and the final product is probably handled by at least one person for quality control.

If you purchased your deity image from an online store, you don’t know the environment they it has been stored it, how it has been handled, or how many people have handled the statue. If you purchased deity image from a brick-and-mortar store you then have to take into account all the employees who may have handled it but also the number of customers who picked up the item and considered buying it before you came along and purchased your deity image.

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In these cases I often bless my altar images with a spiritual bath by bathing the doll in the same manner that you would an in-the-flesh client. To begin, I will prepare a bath using cleanings herbs and curios such as Hyssop, Lemon Balm, Rue, Rosemary, etc…In the case of this Jesus statue, I will be using Rosemary, Rue, and Kosher Salt.

Typically I arrange my bathing area in my kitchen sink. The area is cleaned thoroughly before hand and, in order to transform the area into a ritual space, I remove the mundane items which can usually be found on or around the typical kitchen sink such as the dish drain, hand-soap, dish-rag, etc… In addition, I will place two candles off to the side of the sink for the image to pass through after the completion of the bath and a clean white-cloth for it to rest upon while it dries.

When you are ready to begin, the candles are lit and then the image is placed inside the bath-basin. The herbal-bath is poured over its head and allowed to run down its body washing away any and all negativity and previous psychic vibrations. As the water runs down pray that the image be cleansed so that it is just as pure as the deity or spirit that it represents.

Your prayer may be extemporaneous as the spirit moves you, it can be based on a bible verse, or even a prayer that is associated with your spiritual tradition. Whatever avenue you choose, I suggest that you direct your petition to the deity that the image is supposed to represent. Let me pause here to point out that unlike working with a Spirit Doll, you are not asking the deity or spirit to take up residence inside the deity image but rather petitioning deity to cleanse the image that has been cast it is own likeness.

In the case of blessing my Jesus statue I couldn’t help but be reminded of the story found in Luke 7:36-50. Within the context of the story a woman who is described as having led a sinful life hears that Jesus is in a nearby house having dinner. She travels to the house with a jar of perfume and there she washes his feet with her tears and dries them with her own hair. When she is done she pours perfume upon his feet and kisses them. In return for this simple, but powerful, act of love Jesus forgives the woman’s sins.

When you are done washing the deity-image, pass it between the candles and let it rest on the white cloth where it will drip dry. If there is any danger of the image “spotting” you may wish to wipe it down with the dry cloth rather than allowing it to drip dry.

Now that you have cleansed the image, it is time to bless it with a ritual smudging of incense. To smudge the image, light some incense and pass the image through the smoke several time praying for it to be blessed in the name of the deity that it represents. Again, your prayer may be extemporaneous or a traditional one such as Psalm 23 (The Lord is my Shepard…) To seal the blessing, anoint the image with Holy Oil.  I typically anoint the forehead, heart, hands, and feet. Finally, place the deity image on your altar.

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In Conclusion 

As you can see it is important to remember that the objects we place on our altar are often man-made and, as such, are susceptible to absorbing the psychic energy from its environment as well as the people in that environment. Ritually cleansing our deity images ensures that they are not only physically clean but also spiritually clean. In addition, the act of cleansing one’s deity image can be a exercise in devotion and thanksgiving for your many blessings. 

 Happy Hoodooing!

Review: On the Right Path

Walking Through God to Get to the Goddess

• Paperback: 366 pages
• Publisher: Eighty-Eight Publishing
• Language: English
• ISBN-13: 978-0615606699

Review: On the Right Path is the somewhat-true story of one woman’s spiritual journey from Christianity to Paganism or in her own words “from hallelujahs to spells, and crosses to cauldrons.”  Only names and places have been changed to protect the innocent---the author herself. The story begins with Tara as a precocious young girl growing up in a home where she was encouraged to question authority rather than blindly follow the brand of organized religion to which her family belonged.

Left with very few friends due to her “outsider” status Tara decides to commit herself to Christianity wholeheartedly. Earnestly believing that if she just followed the rules as set forth by her Church all the answer she had been seeking would be revealed to her. However, the more she interacts with Christians the less dedicated she becomes to this path. Along the way, her inquisitive nature leads her to seek answers outside of Christianity where she discovers the religion of Witchcraft.

The author’s writing style is quite intimate and you get the feeling that you are reading a stranger’s diary---complete with grammatical as well as editorial errors---though it is not written in diary-form. In fact, except for a few details I felt like I was reading my own childhood diary. No journey is complete without a few mishaps and I feel that the grammatical and editorial mistakes lend a sense of realism to the author’s story.

However, if the reader can look past these few mistakes they will find themselves asking the same questions as Tara learn with her along the way. Not only that, but the author’s inquiring nature encourages the reader to not only examine what they believe, but also why. It is clear that the author is committed to finding her own truth and On the Right Path promises to be the first of many stops along the way. I look forward to the next installment. 

Links

• On the Right Path (Book) 
• On the Right Path (Kindle Edition) 
• Good Reads 

How to Write Your Own Spells in the Hoodoo Tradition

Spells. Workings. Jobs. These are terms used in Hoodoo to describe acts of magic which are performed to achieve one's goals. Spells are performed for virtually any conceivable purpose including, but not limited to, the following:

• Prosperity
• Health
• Protection 
• Love
• Controlling
• Sexual Desire
• Justice 
• Banishing Evil
• Cursing 
• Success
• Domination 
• Blessing 
• Death 
• Confusion

Chances are, if you require a spell, one already exists. However, if you cannot find a spell or working which fits your specific needs then you can write your own and here is how to do it! As you begin to write your own spells, you may want to record your progress in a special book or journal.

Step One : Identify the Problem 

The first thing to consider before casting a spell is the reason you want to cast a spell in the first place. Magick should never be done simply for the sake of magick. There must be a real need or a powerful drive behind a spell, or it may fail. While considering your reasons you may wish to eliminate all distractions and sit quietly with a pen and paper in order to write down your thoughts. If you desire, you may also light a candle and ask for wisdom and inspiration.

Step Two: Determine a Course of Amelioration  

Once the problem or situation has been defined, you must then consider how you wish to address the issue. What is it that you really want? However, keep in mind the tale of The Monkey’s Paw, wherein the farmer wished for a large sum of money only to have his wish come true by collecting on his only son’s life insurance policy after the son dies in a horrible accident. It is important that you consider the consequences of your actions. 

To help you decide the best course of action to ameliorate your problem, or bring about your chosen goal, a divination should be performed. The divination could be performed by yourself or another. The most popular tools used to perform divination include:

1. The Bible
2. The Pendulum
3. The Tarot 
4. Dreaming True

If you cannot perform a divination for yourself, or have another individual do it for you, it is wise to wait and "pray on it". Prayer is your direct line to God, your Ancestors, and/or Guides. If you pray to them, they will answer you in dreams, with signs, and with omens. 

Step Three: Identify a Higher Power to Petition

The spiritual world is inhabited by a plethora of spirits, deities, and various powers such as:

• God
• Gods and Goddesses
• Demi-Gods
• Spirits of the Dead (Ancestors, Saints)
• Familiar Spirits 
• Plant/Animal Spirits 
• Anthropomorphic Spirits  

Some of these spirits are known for assisting humans in their endeavors and some will only help you if you pay their price. Different spirits require different types of payment, or offerings, in return for their help such as food, water, candy, coins, cigars, etc...Some spirits are known for assisting you in certain areas of your life or for certain needs, while others are of the catch-all variety. For example, Ganesha is known for helping one to remove obstacles and open the way while the Intranquil Spirit will help you return a lost love.

Most workers usually have an established relationship with their spirits, but if you are just starting out you are going to have to foster a relationship with your spirits and guides. Practitioners of Hoodoo who are Catholic may direct their prayers and petitions to God, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, Angels, or even Saints. In those areas, such as New Orleans, where Catholicism was absorbed into the beliefs and practices of Voodoo a Catholic practitioner of Hoodoo may also petition those deities associated with the religion of Voodoo.

Spiritual workers who were raised in any of the Protestant denominations usually direct their prayers and petitions to “The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” or simply “in Jesus’ name.”  In some instances where the biblical figure of Satan merged with the trickster-deity of the crossroads, these practitioners may direct certain types of prayers or petitions to the devil. However it should be noted that, in these instances, the devil and Satan are thought to be two completely different entities.  In other cases, they may direct their petitions and build altars to spirits of the dead or even to spirits and/or deities outside their religion.

Step Four: Write a Petition 

A written petition is a physical representation of your intention and is the first step in clearly framing your goal. In the Hoodoo tradition, one is typically advised to write one's petition on brown paper torn, usually from a grocery type sack, on all four sides by hand. This is thought to make the paper pure. However, there are instances where the practitioner is allowed to cut the paper with a pair of scissors. The use of scissors is seen as symbolic of using weapons such as swords, knives, and daggers against one's enemies. Some situations in which you would cut your petition paper with scissors can include when driving two people apart, or working enemy tricks.

In my personal practices, I prefer the paper to form a perfect square. However, I've never seen any reference where this was a traditional rule sacred to the practice of Hoodoo. Ideally I like to use brown paper bags and lead pencils or regular ink pens whose colors match my goal (red for love, green for money, etc…) and usually paired with black for contrast.

A written petition can take several forms, such as:

• A brief paragraph clearly stating your goal. 
• Your own name written several times in a row.
• Another person's name written several times in a row.
• A name crossing and covering another name. 
• A name crossing and covering a description of your goal. 
• Any combination of the above. 

For example, a prosperity petition would have my name nine times in black ink and crossed nine time with 'prosperity' in green ink. If I am writing a petition that will have an effect on two people, such as bringing them together or driving them apart; I will cross one name with the other and write what I want to happen in a circle around the names. If I am writing a petition that is meant to command or compel another person, I will write their name in all lower case letters and cross and cover their name with my command in all caps (usually with a sharpie). Again, my specific command will be written around the names in a circle.

Petitions are incorporated into spells in several ways, including being placed under a prepared-candle, tucked inside a mojo-bag, or sewn into a doll to name a few.

Step Five: Research and Gather Your Signatures 

Once you have prepared your petition, the next step is to research the signatures that relate to your goal. Signatures are those things that vibrate at the same, or similar, frequency as your goal. The are based on a concept known as the Doctrine of Signatures which states that God marked all things with a sign, or signature which indicates its use or purpose. Signatures are grouped into three classes. They are:

• Astrological- Astrological signatures refers to the energies of the Moon Phases, Days of the Week, Hours of the Day, and the position of the Moon in the Zodiac, etc... as they pertain to the timing of casting your spells.
  

• Natural- Refers to those things occurring in nature which relate to our goals in a direct manner. These correspondences include color, shape, sound, numbers, herbs, incense, gems, elements, animal energies, deity energy, the energy of the cardinal points, the winds, oils, incenses, etc….
  

• Personal- Those signatures which resonate with us on a deeply personal level, and which empowers us more than any other correspondence.

For example, the New Moon is a time for goals pertaining to drawing in, or increasing, certain influences and conditions; the colors green and gold are associated with wealth and riches. Therefore a basic spell to increase one's wealth would entail writing your wish on a piece of paper and placing it under a green or gold candle when the moon is New. The candle would be lit with your sincere prayer to a higher power for increase wealth and prosperity as the moon grows.

Step Six: Determine Your Medium 

The next step in crafting your spell is to decide how you will use the correspondences that you have chosen. There are several flavors, or types, of magical applications available to you. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Candle-Magick
• Herb Magick
• Doll-Babies
• Sex-Magick
• Mojo-Bags 
• The Magic of Incense
• Magickal Waters 
• Spiritual Baths 
• Foot-Track Magick

These types of magic can be used alone or in conjunction with others. For example, herbs are often included in mojo bags, or you may burn a candle while soaking in a prepared-bath. To use these various modes of magic, you will have to learn for yourself how each application works.

There are several ways to determine the correct medium for your situation. They include divination with a pendulum, the Holy-Bible, or even the Tarot. I know one worker who has suggested that the suits in a tarot spread can determine the correct medium for you to use. According to her Wands (fire) represent candle-magick; Cups (water) represent the magic of charged waters or spiritual baths; Swords (air) represent incense; and Pentacles (earth) represent the magic of dirts, talismans, and/or mojo bags. 

In addition inspiration for various spells may come from certain cards or combinations of cards. For example, the Three of Swords next to the Lovers may indicate that a lover may be drawn back by constructing a doll-baby of him or her and piercing the heart with three pins. 

If these options do not yield any results for you, you may pray for guidance. When this occurs, pay attention to what is going on around you because the answer may lie in a dream, a sign, or an omen. In other instances you may mentally hear instructions or you may simply know what it is that you must do. You will often know that you are doing the right thing because it will feel right for you. 

Step Seven: Determine Your Timing 

In the book of Ecclesiastes 3:1 it states that "to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." In rural communities, farmers were known to plan different activities such as planting, castrating bulls, harvesting, etc... by signs. In like fashion, some workers have interpreted this scripture to mean that certain times are efficacious for spiritual workings as well.

This belief works on the principle that certain energies of the Sun, Moon, and Planets are in sympathy with one’s goal.  Considerations include

• Moon Phase
• Moon's Sign
• Day of the Week
• Time of Day

For example, the New Moon is for fresh starts and new beginnings and Friday is associated with Venus, the planet of love; therefore, a spell to draw a new unknown lover to yourself would best be performed on a New Moon on a Friday.

Step Eight: Perform Your Working

The final step, of course, is to perform your spell and record it in your magickal journal. This will be a record of what you did, when you did it, and what you used. You may also include any other information that you feel is pertinent to the situation. Your journal will become a valuable resource in the recording of information that you will often refer back to in your studies. Be sure to leave room in your journal to record the results, if any, of your spell or working.

In Conclusion 

When people think about magick, they often assume that its all about burning candles before strange altars, sticking pins in dolls, or chanting gibberish in order to instantaneously bring about their wishes. They often believe that magick will make their life easier, when in fact it is very hard work! The truth is that it takes a long time to learn how to successfully practice magick. In fact, magick is a science and an art that in all likelihood you will never master—which is why witches, magicians, and sorcerers are said to practice magick. 

However, much like many other aspects of life, magick itself is subject to certain rules (for lack of a better word) which the earnest student can use as a guide to creating his or her own spells and thus moving one step closer to bringing their dreams into reality.

Curse of the Mirrored Box (Hoodoo)

The curse of the mirrored-box is a very old type of reversing spell used in folk magic traditions to send evil back to its source. The source is usually another individual who is attempting to work evil upon a victim. Interestingly enough I first heard of this type of spell on an episode of Baywatch Nights.

There are several methods of constructing a mirror box. The most traditional method I know consists of purchasing, or otherwise obtaining, a new mirror. It is very important that you do not allow this mirror to capture your own reflection because you don't want to get any part of yourself mixed up in the spell. However, it can be very difficult (almost impossible) not to allow this to happen....unless you are invisible. The mirror is usually covered with a cloth and broken with a hammer or rock.  Finally, the individual pieces are glued inside a box. The box can be made of anything such as a cheap chipboard box like those found in craft stores, a shoebox, a small jewelry box, etc....I have even known crafty practitioners who make their own boxes to resemble tiny coffins in which they place dolls.

Other methods of creating a mirror box include, but are not limited to, gluing one small mirror to the inside bottom and inside lid of a an altoids can, constructing a box from 6 mirror tiles (four walls, a ceiling, and floor) with the mirrored side pointing inwards. Alternately, if you are in a hurry you can simply press a person's photo, hair, name-paper, or other small personal concerns between two mirror tiles. The tiles can then be bound with cord, twine, or even tape (yes duct tape has its uses in the magickal world too.) 

From there, The curse usually consist of ritually placing a prepared-doll, photograph, or other representation of the individual inside a mirror-box. The ritual can also include the burning of reversing candles and should be accompanied by one's sincere prayer that any evil the perpetrator is sending against you be directed back at him or her. In my own personal practices, I burn a prepared reversing candle on top of the box itself saying something along the lines of "[N], may all the evil you send to me now and forever return to you!" The candle is then allowed to burn down over the box, sealing the person inside, and setting the curse. 

Some practitioners choose to only keep the person inside the box until they feel that the danger is passed or until the individual learns his or her lesson. In these cases, the doll is removed from the box and the box is destroyed. Other practitioners go a step further and take the mirror-box to a graveyard where they petition a spirit to guard over the box and keep the individual "down". Once a spirit has agreed to these terms, the box is buried at their grave along with payment. 

As is the case with many curses, in the Hoodoo Tradition, it is very important that you consult with your divination tool, spirit guides, etc... to determine if this method is justified in your situation before you decide to invoke the Curse of the Mirrored Box. 

Now, I can't share the Curse of the Mirrored Box with you, without also explaining the Reverse-Mirror Box Spell. The Reverse-Mirror Box Spell is similar to the Curse of the Mirror-Box in that it is a box which has been decorated with mirrors on the outside, rather than the inside.  Some individuals create such a box by taking 6 mirror tiles and gluing them together to create a box with the mirrored-side facing out. Inside the box the individual would place a prepared doll, photograph, name paper, or written petition representing them self rather than another person. 

The purpose of such a mirror box is to protect the individual from any and all negativity that may be directed at him or her regardless of where it originates. However, some folks say that this type of box will also prevent you from receiving the blessings as well. It is up to the individual to decide if this type of protection spell is appropriate for their situation.

Happy Hoodooing!

From the Mailbag: Am I Cursed?

Today’s question comes from Barnabas Collins (not his real name) who writes:

Do you know any spread to know if someone is cursed?

Merry Meet Barnabas, or should I say Good Evening?

Thank you for your question. Any tarot spread has the potential to reveal that a person is under a curse, especially one which is designed to answer specific questions such as the Celtic Cross or a yes/no type of spread. In my own practices I often lay down the cards and then examine the spread as a whole. I mentally calculate how many cards relate to each element (fire, earth, air, or water) and determine how the elements are balanced in the spread. 

Let's look at a few examples:

Here we have an abundance of fire and a lack of air, with water and earth being in balance. This alone could be an indication that the subject of the reading is surrounded by or has a greater amount of energy than is normal for him or her. The balance of water and earth gives them the ability to use this energy in creative ways (think of mixing water and dirt to make clay and creating a beautiful piece of art, or laying a foundation with cement). However, a lack of air, or intelligence, would indicate that the person is having difficulty expressing their vision into logical terms. 

Based on the elements in this spread alone, I would not say that this person is not cursed, nor are they being targeted. 

Let's look at another four-card spread. 

Here we have a spread in which there is a balance between air and earth. They are fairly evenly matched, but let's take a closer look. Notice how the swords are pointed up as if ready to attack or defend? And the pentacles seem to be acting as shields for the individuals? To me, this would be a definite sign that there is conflict, which could be of a magickal nature or even a mundane one. Since both elements seem to be fairly matched I would say that the querent (the person asking the question) is holding their own.

After looking at the elements, I would read each card individually, examine their relationships with one another, and then again as a whole taking in everything that I have seen or sensed up to that point. 

For an example of relationships, let's look at that last spread again. 

These two cards are particularly interesting to me. If we put these two cards side by side and regard them as one single picture, notice how there are two figures in the background between the two larger figures in the foreground. One figure is weeping, while the second is walking away towards the ocean. The sky on the right is calm whereas the sky on the left is cloudy (deception) and even the clouds themselves seem to be attacking the sky with their pointy edges. In addition, the ocean on the left side shows rolling waves, while the waters on the right seem calm, the tiny lines suggest subtle, hidden movements. 

The person on the left seems to be dancing on one foot while they juggle two pentacles before them. The figure 8 suggest constant movement and the rolling waves in the background shows they have had their ups and down. However, the approaching ships bring good news (they are on TOP of the wave and not being overtaken by them) and reinforcements. 

Now you take all this together and a pattern of behavior emerges. It seems that the person on the right has a history of attacking others, either directly or through agents in the form of human beings, spiritual allies or magickal spells. While on the surface they may seem calm, cool, and collected they are actually very adept at deceiving others and getting them to do all the work for them while they stand back and enjoy the show. 

While the person on the left, however, has been kept "on their toes" he or she has held their own. Whereas the person on the right has lost allies, the person on the right can expect the arrival of people or information which will help him or her overcome.

As you describe the situation to your client, the situation or identities of those involved should become clear to him or her.

As you can see, the interpretation of Tarot cards in s highly individualized skill. However, many readers have their own set of cards or card-combinations which signal that a person is the target of a curse. These are cards which if they appear close to one another in a reading could indicate that a person is either cursed, or the target of one. 

Again, these combinations alone do not indicate a person is cursed, hexed, or jinxed. As the reader you have to regard them as just one of several elements in a reading which must be taken into account as you interpret the cards before you.

Links:

• Identifying and Countering Psychic Attack
• The Egg Roll 
• Reversing Candle
• Candle Wax Divination
• Rituals of Divination

A Witch's Coven Code of Conduct

1. Harm None

An it harm none, do what you will. This is the basic tenet of Wicca and should be included in any discussion on ethics in the Wiccan Tradition. What it means is that you can do anything that you desire, so long as you harm no one, including yourself.

2. Honor yourself in thought, word, and deed.

• Thoughts are things and what we think we become. When we focus our thoughts on negative things we manifest those things and do dishonor to ourselves.
• Words are very powerful. Our words are often directed by our thoughts and given them added power. As witches, our word is our bond.
• It is said that actions speak louder than words and this is certainly true. Part of being a witch is keeping your word and following it up with proper actions.

3. Honor Your Craft

• As witches we recognize the importance of knowledge, therefore it is in our best interest to learn as much as we can about our chosen religion in order that we may grow and evolve as beings of spirit.
• History has taught us that there will always be those who will hate and/or fear us because of our beliefs. There will be many times in which we will have to defend the choices that we have made, including our chosen religion. Therefore we should be knowledgeable enough about our craft in order to defend our position.
• Because of the nature of our religion many individuals have chosen not to reveal themselves as a Wiccan/Witch/Pagan. Therefore if you are a public witch, it is important that you are not only knowledgeable about your craft but that you also adhere to what you profess to believe in order to set a good example for the whole.

4. Honor Spirit in All its Forms

• As Wiccans/Witches/Pagans we recognize that all gods are one god. Therefore we are resolved to honor Spirit in all its forms and by its many names.
• All sentient beings carry a spark of the divine within their being. Therefore we honor all life and all people regardless of race, creed, religion, sexual orientation, or philosophy.

5. Honor the Path to Wholeness

• As a Wiccan/Witch/Pagan you have chosen a spiritual path that will require a great deal of work both within yourself and without that will facilitate your spiritual growth and evolvement. Therefore it is your responsibility to honor the path that you have chosen by adhering to the spiritual beliefs and practices of Wicca to the best of your ability.
• As Wiccans/Witches/Pagans we recognize that there are many paths to what has been called “God”. As such we respect the beliefs of others and do not seek to convert others to our chosen religion.