The Big Book of Practical Spells: Everyday Magic That Works - Judika Illes 2016
New Orleans Money Magic
Money Magic
Spells
New Orleans and its surrounding environs are the capital of American magic. The Crescent City was the crucible where African enchantment met the magic practices of Native America and Europe.
Creole Antipoverty Spell
1 cup white sugar
1 cup salt
1 cup white rice
1 safety pin
Combine the first three ingredients together in an open bowl. Stick an open safety pin in the center and keep the bowl on a counter in full view.
New Orleans Better Business Formula
1 pint water
½ cup fresh basil leaves
Basil is particularly associated with prosperity and increase. It's also used in fertility rituals and love spells but most especially to attract greater business and profits. Prostitutes in Spain and Mexico rub their bodies with the fragrance when they need extra customers. In New Orleans, merchants and shopkeepers use it as a floor wash.
1. Infuse the basil in the water for 3 days.
2. On the 4th day, strain the herb out, retaining the water.
3. Sprinkle at the entrances of your place of business, in the corners and near the cash registers, basically in any spot you perceive as vulnerable. This formula should attract customers and prevent theft.
Quick Fix Better Business Formula
1 pint of water
12 drops essential oil of basil
Quick Fix is not quite as powerful as regular Better Business Formula; it lacks the visual component (the soaking basil leaves resemble cash), so you'll have to concentrate your focus a little harder. But it does have the advantage of being a very fast spell: you can perform it in minutes if needed. Just add the oil to the water and either sprinkle or add to a plant mister and spray throughout the room.
Basil Prosperity Bath
Water
Bunch fresh basil
1. Boil sufficient water to cover the basil.
2. Roughly chop most of the basil, but leave a handful of leaves whole.
3. Place the chopped basil in a bowl and cover with boiling water.
4. Let it sit for roughly 15 minutes, then strain and add the liquid to your bathtub filled with water.
5. Basil's visual imagery is powerfully inspirational: float the remaining whole basil leaves in the bath.
(If you need some extra inspiration to figure out where your cash will come from, throw in a few whole bay leaves as well.)
HIGH JOHN MONEY MAGIC
The king of American root magic goes by the name High John the Conqueror. Named for a legendary African-American slave hero, this root provides good fortune of all kinds. It is potent left whole, whether carried alone or added as a prize ingredient to a charm bag. The powdered root brings fortune and removes a curse. (Buy a whole one so that you can see what you're getting; powder it yourself.) High John is a member of the morning glory family. An elusive plant, it answers to a series of Latin names: Ipomoea jalapa, Ipomoea purga and Convolvulus jalapa. Reserve High John for purposes of enchantment only. It should never be eaten as it is an extremely powerful laxative and purgative.
High John's Finest Fruits
This charm attracts all Earth's finest fruits: health, wealth, love and success.
1 whole High John root or a piece
Essential oil of bergamot
Essential oil of vetiver
1. Anoint the root with the essential oils. Allow your nose to tell you how much oil to add: adjust the fragrance so that you find it pleasing.
2. Carry the root in a charm bag or in your pocket. You can also place it within a charm box.
3. Enhance with extra oil whenever you feel the root needs reinforcing.
High John's Money Roll
Essential oil of basil
1 cash bill*
1 High John the Conqueror root
Red or green thread
1. Rub a cash bill with basil oil and roll it tightly around the High John root.
2. It's important that when you wrap the root, you roll the money toward you, not away from you.
3. Bind the little money roll with red or green thread. Carry it with you as a charm or place it discreetly near the entrance to your business. (Inside the cash register is good, too!) If things slow down, reinforce the root with extra basil oil as needed.
Money Spell Box
A box
Cinquefoil
Dried patchouli or the essential oil
Powdered basil leaves
Dried vetiver or the essential oil
Fenugreek seeds
High John the Conqueror root
Any other financially lucky roots you are able to collect: Beth Root (Low John) or Lucky Hand
1 lodestone and/or citrine
Lucky charms: small silver horseshoe, silver shamrock, miniature rabbit,* rat or mouse
A spell box is a work in progress: start with whatever you have accumulated and continue to build. If you should find a four-leaf clover, it is a powerful addition. Place one bill from any windfall inside to grow.
1. Line the box with the botanicals. (If you're using essential oils, rather than dried vetiver and patchouli, use them to anoint the roots and crystals.)
2. Add the roots, crystals and charms.
3. Keep the box closed except during rituals, visualizations and spells.
4. Periodically, anoint crystals and roots with essential oils or another money-drawing oil formula.
5. Keep the box in a safe spot so that no one can play with your finances.
6. When your goal is accomplished, either save this box for future use or bury it in Earth, but mark the spot so that you can dig it up again if you need it.
Lucky Seven Charm Box
High John the Conqueror root
Low John root (also known as Beth root) or Lucky Hand root
Adam and Eve root
1 tonka bean, to make your wishes come true
1 whole nutmeg, plus some ground nutmeg
Essential oils of patchouli and vetiver
1. Anoint the roots and beans with the oils. Place in a charm box with a lid.
2. Sprinkle with the ground nutmeg.
3. Open the box and inhale when you need financial inspiration or extra cash.
4. Carry individual pieces with you when you need some gambling luck or when you perceive that you need extra psychic protection.
TRADITIONAL NEW ORLEANS STYLE FAST LUCK OIL
Magic entered the marketing age with nineteenth and twentieth century Hoodoo formulas. Previously, spells were made at home or obtained from a local practitioner. Hoodoo practitioners, doctors of enchantment, created various formulas and potions marketed under specific names. Spells were now for sale via mail order or prepackaged in the pharmacy. Many of these formulas remain popular today, still sold under their original names through mail order and in occult supply stores and botanicas. Unfortunately, many contain nothing but colored water and artificial substances. Find an honest practitioner who still mixes up the real thing (investigate locally or check the appendix of this book for recommendations) or make them yourself. Oils are used for anointing charms, candles and roots. Some have lovely smells, but if you wish to anoint yourself, make sure they're created from real essential oils.
This formula, favored by gamblers, brings both love and money quickly, but don't expect it to last. This is an oil for when you need a quick shot, an emergency fix. Traditional New Orleans gambling lore recommends this formula for those who play slot machines, rather than slower card games.
Essential oil of cinnamon leaf
Vanilla absolute or fragrance oil
Essential oil of wintergreen
Combine equal parts of these oils. Rub on your hands, on the cash that you play with or on a High John root.
Lucky Cat Candle
1 green or black cat candle
More Money Oil (or other money drawing fragrance)
1. Dress the candle as you prefer and then anoint it with the oil.
2. Concentrate on your desire and light the candle.
3. This candle does not have to burn in one sitting; you may extinguish it, however the spell will not take full effect until the candle has been fully burned. Concentrate on your goal each time you relight.
More Money Oil
Essential oil of chamomile
Essential oil of Texas cedarwood
Essential oil of vetiver
Combine equal parts of the essential oils to anoint money candles or charms.
New Orleans Gambler's Lucky Hand
1 Lucky Hand root
1 High John the Conqueror root
Pinch of cinquefoil
Miniature pair of dice
Essential oil of basil or any money-drawing oil formula
Anoint the roots, cinquefoil and dice with the oil, place in a medicine bag and carry with you as needed.
Algiers Powder
Another New Orleans favorite for increased money, gambling success and love.
Cinnamon sticks
Dried patchouli leaves
Vanilla beans
Grind all the ingredients together in a mortar and pestle. Carry in a lucky pouch and sprinkle wherever and whenever you need a touch of magic.
* Native American tree, decimated by white settlers. Very endangered, find out how it is obtained before using.
* Any kind of cash can be used, however, a two-dollar bill is considered most especially effective because it's rare and because the number 2 embodies the concept of doubling. Alternatively, any foreign currency lying around that you don't know what to do with is perfect for this charm.
* This spell calls for a representation of a rabbit: no real rabbit's feet, please! You want the rabbit powers to feel benevolent towards you. Tiny silver charms work very well as do carved Zuni stone fetishes or Japanese netsuke carvings.