The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells - Judika Illes 2009

Healing Spells
The Spells

Even those who swear that they don’t believe in magic, don’t approve of magic, and would never participate in magic will make an exception for a healing spell. It’s amazing what illness or affliction, especially those that defy diagnosis or conventional treatment, will stimulate us to do.

Healing spells are not intended to be used instead of conventional, traditional, or other methods of healing. Instead they work best in conjunction with them, reinforcing other systems, enhancing their power and the likelihood of recovery. Many spells are intended to be cast after one has already exhausted other more conventional resources.

Magical healing spells may be particularly beneficial for those ailments that resist conventional identification because magic possesses a broader definition of the origins of illness:

Illness or disability may derive from purely neutral physical causes

Illness or disability may derive from spiritual and/or magical causes

Illness or disability may derive from a combination of physical/spiritual and/or magical causes

Straightforward physical illnesses are no more than what they appear: you got stuck in the rain; you caught a cold. You ate too much sugar and didn’t brush your teeth; now you have cavities. You smoked four packs a day; now you have emphysema. Although the cause of illness is physical, magic may still be used to enhance recovery. In general, however, cure matches source. Straightforward ailments demand straightforward treatment.

Spiritual and magical ailments are more complex. In order to determine the correct course of treatment, it must be determined whether an ailment’s ultimate source is human or spirit-derived.

Magical ailments of human derivation may be the result of a malevolent spell or the Evil Eye

Spirit-sent ailments are more complex: was illness caused intentionally? Illness may have been sent as punishment, as an attempt at communication, or simply inadvertently

There’s also another magical way to consider illness: health, the state of harmonious balance, is the natural state. Thus illness, by definition, indicates magical workings or spiritual imbalance, the intensity of the illness defining the intensity of the magical or spiritual situation. Sudden surprising severe illness (particularly when fatal) tends to be interpreted as either deriving from human sources (a hex) or from minor low-level spirits. Major diseases, especially smallpox, may be identified with specific well-known spirits. Ailments that are curious, hard to pin down, resist diagnosis, and are incurable (the person never gets better or worse but lingers in a malaise) are also often attributed to major spirits. In this situation, the reason behind the illness may be to stimulate the afflicted person to contact the spirit, not to kill that person. Once spiritual interaction occurs, the illness passes or is controlled.

Healer’s Spells

Although concern is focused on the patient, the healer is considered vulnerable during treatment, too.

Archangel Raphael Spell for Protection

The archangel Raphael sponsors and protects nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and healers of all kind. Request his assistance to accomplish your healing and also to protect you before, during, and after.

TIPS FOR MAGICAL HEALING SPELLS

Where illness derives from bewitchment, particularly where a hex was cast using some sort of tool like a wax figure, it may be necessary to find and remove the trick for healing to be accomplished. There are also usually specific magical antidotes and jinx-reversing spells. (These issues are dealt with amongst Hexes and their Antidotes, page 568.)

In general, one must cast one’s own spell. However, healing spells are unusual in that it’s very likely that someone else must cast the spell on behalf of the ailing person. The person who needs or desires the spell may be in no condition to perform the spell. Most, although not all, healing spells demand the presence and sometimes the participation of the patient, however

Given the opportunity to choose, many traditions assert that the full moon is the best time to initiate healing spells because as the moon diminishes, so should pain and illness

Dedicate a white candle to Raphael.

Hold the candle in your hands to charge it with your desire.

Place a small silver or iron fish charm near the candle.

When the candle has burned completely, carry or wear the fish charm. Reserve any auspicious looking remnants of wax in a mojo bag or magic box.

Distance Healing Spells

Candle Distance Spell

This candle spell, although intended to assist in another’s healing, may also be cast for oneself.

Carve a white candle (plain, human figure, cross or “praying hands” shape) to reflect the person for whom the healing spell is intended. (In other words, carve the other person’s name, identifying information, and so on.)

Soak hyssop in olive oil and then use the oil to dress the candle.

Burn the candle; this is traditionally accompanied by the recitation of psalms or other sacred verses.

Doll Distance Healing Spell

Because once upon a time Chinese women wouldn’t undress before a doctor (even today a visit to a traditional Chinese physician rarely involves undressing), beautiful, anatomically correct naked dolls were carved from ivory. These dolls served as a communications device between doctor and patient; pain, illness, affliction, and methods of healing could be demonstrated on the doll with minimum embarrassment. These dolls are still sometimes found in antique shops; reproductions are also available. Use this type of doll or craft or use a less realistic one to perform magical distance healing.

Hold the doll in your hands to charge it with your intentions and healing energy.

Murmur healing incantations and blessings over the doll.

Massage the doll with blended castor and olive oils, scented with essential oil of lavender.

Place the doll within a ring of burning healing candles.

Repeat as needed until the healing is complete.

Job’s Tears Distance Healing Spell

Bless and charge seven Job’s tears individually, one at a time. Place them in a white charm bag containing powdered everlasting and ivy. This bag is taken to the patient and placed under their pillow or mattress.

Peppermint Distance Healing Spell

Place peppermint leaves on top of a photograph of the patient.

Charge a blue candle with your desire.

Carve and dress the candle as desired.

Burn it beside the photograph.

When the candle has burned down, dispose of the peppermint leaves.

Repeat as needed, with fresh leaves each time.

Psalm Distance Healing Spell

Write out a petition of healing and/or blessings of improved health on a piece of parchment.

Place this in a dish containing Holy Water or Marie Laveau Water.

Murmur psalms over this dish.

When the spell feels complete, remove the parchment, and allow it to dry. It may be preserved, buried or given to the spell’s target as a protective talisman.

Talisman Distance Healing Spell

To promote distance healing, charge stones with healing energy, then give them to the spell’s target as a talisman. Choose any crystal that feels best to you; however, traditionally alexandrite, Herkimer diamonds, lodestones, moonstones, pearls, and quartz crystals are considered most effective.

Dr. Jose Gregorio Healing Spell

Born in 1864, the Venezuelan physician Dr. Jose Gregorio Hernandez was renowned in his lifetime for his generosity to the poor, often waiving his fees for treatment. He was struck by a car in 1919 and killed while bringing medicine to a patient. After death, his miracle healings began.

Jose Gregorio is perhaps the most prominent of the unofficial saints (and also perhaps the one most likely to become official, following in the footsteps of Padre Pio).

He is an unofficial saint everyone can agree on, and there is a strong movement to have Dr. Jose Gregorio declared an “official” saint; as of this writing, he is apparently well on his way to canonization. Many devotees assume that he has already been canonized. Numerous Venezuelan orphanages, clinics, and hospitals are named in his honor. Spiritual supply stores around the world sell his votive cards, images, and candles.

Dr. Jose Gregorio may be petitioned directly by those ailing. He also sponsors, protects, and inspires healers. Officially, Dr. Jose Gregorio is not petitioned directly. Instead, God is requested to send the good doctor to the petitioner’s aid. The following is the typical format for a request; adapt the words to fit your personal situation:

Dear God,

I am grateful for your healing blessings transmitted through your servant, Jose Gregorio, to whom you gave the power to heal the sick people of this world Lord by your Grace, please grant Jose Gregorio divine power to help me heal, body and soul, mind and spirit. Lord I pray that I may follow the example of Jose Gregorio in my life and be a channel for humility, healing charity, and loving kindness.

However, it must also be said, that, despite protestations, direct offerings to Dr. Jose Gregorio have been witnessed.

Burn a white candle near Dr. Jose Gregorio’s image, or burn a commercially manufactured Jose Gregorio Hernandez seven-day candle.

Place offerings in front of his votive image. Cigarettes are perhaps an inappropriate offering for a medical doctor; however, the standard offering of a glass of water or rum would probably not be refused.

Gemstone Shield Spells

Certain crystal gemstones create a protective shield so that the healer may accomplish his or her mission without fear.

Carry or wear bloodstone, clear quartz, and/or black tourmaline during healing spells and rituals.

Anoint with Protection Oil if desired.

Cleanse after each magical session.

This is particularly effective for spells or other attempts to heal using body-working therapies, such as massage.

Healer’s Spell Crystal Protection

Crystal gemstones can be extremely beneficial in healing; however they are also very appealing to fairies. Do your valued crystals keep disappearing? To prevent the fairies from filching precious crystals:

When not in use, keep the crystals safe in an iron box.

Fairies can be beneficial in healing too: to remain in their good graces, offer them a gift of glass marbles instead.

Rosemary Infusion of Power

Washing your hands with an infusion of rosemary magically empowers and enhances all healing.

Create an infusion by pouring boiling water over rosemary. Allow it to cool, then strain. This may be done immediately prior to healing or the liquid may be bottled and refrigerated for later use.

Rosemary Infusion of Power: Quick Fix

Add several drops of rosemary essential oil to water and cleanse your hands with it.

Diagnostic Spells

As we have seen, according to general metaphysical wisdom there are three sources of illness:

Those attributed to neutral, i.e., completely physical causes

Those caused by some sort of spiritual and/or magical force

A combination of the two

Sometimes in order to determine the correct approach to an illness, especially when other conventional methods have failed, a magical diagnosis may be in order.

Bear Diagnosis Spells

Bears are closely identified with herbal medical systems. A popular magical theory regarding how people acquired herbal knowledge is that bears taught it to us.

Appeal to Bear Spirits to help establish a diagnosis or determine treatment.

You will need a full-frontal image of a bear’s head, a sort of portrait, although a photograph of a real bear is more powerful than a drawing. Whether the rest of the bear is in the photo is irrelevant. The crucial element is that you can look directly into the bear’s eyes.

Just before turning out the lights to go to sleep, gaze into the image bear’s eyes. Take your time. Treat this as a meditation. In your mind, elucidate what information you require, while continuing to gaze into the bear’s eyes.

When you feel ready, place the image under your pillow; turn out the light and go to sleep.

Insights and inspiration sent by the bears, although you may not necessarily see the bears, should emerge in your dreams. Repeat as needed.

Action on behalf of bears’ welfare and habitat may enhance chances of success or serve as a reciprocal gesture.

Perhaps you’d like a more direct approach. Well, it’s not advisable to directly approach bears. Contact with humans typically ends in tragedy for person and bear alike. However, dreams permit access not possible in waking life.

Bear Dream Journey Spell

A traditional European fairy-tale image depicts a person, usually but not always a woman, riding on a bear’s back. Let a dream bear take you on a healing journey. This visualization is excellent when you know what ails you but don’t know how to treat it. Bears are repositories of traditional medical wisdom.

Take the image of a bear to bed with you. Three dimensional images are best, something like a Zuni stone fetish or even a toy bear, providing that it’s “bear-like” rather than too cute. The advantage of the 3-D bear is that you can hold it in your hands while you journey (or if it’s a big enough stuffed animal, even ride it) but if all you have is a photo image or similar, use what you have.

Prepare yourself for sleep. Turn out the light but begin your dream while you’re awake.

Visualize your bear—the dream bear doesn’t have to look like the image.

Visualize the scenario where you meet the bear, mount the bear and tell the bear what you need to find (a remedy). Then let the bear take over.

At some point you will probably fall asleep, although some people achieve waking visualizations. The journey should continue in your dreams. Repeat as needed until the information you require is received.

Make sure that at the end of the visualization the bear returns you to where you began. If this doesn’t happen in your dream, work with it while awake.

Egg Diagnostic Spell (1) Mexican

This diagnostic spell offers possibilities of divination, also.

Gently rub a whole, raw egg (the original spell suggests a freshly laid egg) all over the ailing person’s naked body.

Break the egg in a dish.

Whatever forms are assumed by the egg or the broken shell will reveal causes of illness, diagnosis, and/or advice on how to get rid of it or cure it.

Egg Diagnostic Spell (2) Poe-Wow

A Pow-Wow diagnosis is intended to determine whether an illness is caused or aggravated by malevolent influences. Pass a whole raw egg over the individual’s body.

Break it into a bowl: if there are traces of blood, this is evidence of psychic malfeasance.

Healing Party Spell

As long as you’re holding a vigil for someone who’s ailing, you may as well do something constructive. This ritual is intended to shed light on mysterious, serious illness so that a cure may be determined. Do not be fooled by the description of the offerings as “humble,” this is modesty in the face of the Spirits. In reality, each element is derived from the sacred.

This ritual is performed by seven people—no more, no less—on behalf of another who is ailing. (The person who is ailing does not count as one of the seven and is not expected to be present.) One person is designated the leader of the ritual, the official “curer,” the stand-in for what was once a shaman’s job. This person serves the others and addresses the Spirits.

Prepare a large dish of spicy tamale.

Burn copal to cleanse the space.

Illuminate the room with candles.

Each of the seven participants is given a glass of brandy, a cigarette, and a slice of tamale. Each places a little of what he or she has received in a clay pot, placed near an item of clothing belonging to the sick person.

The leader speaks, addressing the Spirits:

You, Masters of the Seven Airs* and the Earth, heal and help this child of God,

[Name] child of [Name].

Make him/her well. Remove illness from him/her.

In exchange, I bring this humble offering of brandy, tobacco, candles, copal, and tamale.

I bring you the fire so that you can bring illumination and show the exact spot where [he/she] met this illness.

This ritual blends pre-Columbian tradition with Roman Catholicism, and so is accompanied by fervent prayers and petitions to God and the saints, especially Mary Magdalene. Repetition of psalms would not be inappropriate. (Incorporate your own spiritual belief and petition.)

Hot Pepper Diagnostic Spell

If the Evil Eye has been cast, this diagnostic method from India detects and removes it.

Prepare a fire.

Pass a whole chili pepper over the ailing person, as if it were a smudge stick.

Throw the pepper into the fire.

If the resulting smoke smells of the chili, the illness is definitely not attributable to the Evil Eye. Continue to search for a diagnosis and remedy.

If the chili burns without creating a distinct aroma, the person was afflicted but the influence has now been broken.

Hot Stone Diagnostic Spell

A Scottish diagnostic method attempts to determine from which part of the body an illness derives.

Designate individual stones to represent parts of the body. Traditionally three are used, one for the head, one for the heart, and one for the body but you can designate any number or system that suits your situation, providing the stones are distinctive and identifiable.

Place them overnight to rest in the hot ashes of the hearth. (No hearth? Burn incense in cauldron and use that instead.)

In the morning, drop the stones one at a time into a basin of cold water.

The one making the loudest sound on contact with the water provides the diagnosis.

Popping Clove Diagnostic Spell

A Greek ritual determines whether an illness derives from magical or conventional sources. Before you begin, select a set number of cloves: twelve is customary, but choose what is most significant. Otherwise, this spell may be performed endlessly.

Insert a needle or pin through a dried clove.

Hold it over a candle flame.

Murmur psalms. If you fear the illness is caused by malevolent magic or the Evil Eye, verbally send it back and reverse the hex.

Once that first clove has burned down, repeat with another. Keep burning cloves one at a time, while petitioning and chanting until finally one clove snaps and makes noise. If the sound makes the petitioner jump, flinch, or start, the spell is considered broken. If no cloves snap, the illness is deemed organic. There is no magical influence. Other causes and treatments must be sought.

Snake Dream Diagnosis

It’s no accident that the caduceus, the staff entwined with double serpents, is the modern symbol of the medical profession. Snakes are the primary animals of healing and have been so since ancient days. Once maintained in the temples of healing that were the first hospitals, their venom both heals and harms. Their old skin fades and grows dull, only to be shed painlessly as the snake emerges vivid and youthful once again, revived and refreshed. Because they lack limbs, snakes are always in contact with Earth. They burrow in Earth’s crevices, live in the sea and in trees: they are privy to all Earth’s secrets. Snakes are the guardians and sometimes sharers of Earth’s wisdom, the guardians of her treasures, including secrets of healing.

This magical diagnostic technique is especially suited for conditions that defy conventional identification or treatment. An image of a snake is required. It may be a photograph, a stone fetish, or other artistic rendering; however, it must fit comfortably under your pillow and not disturb your sleep.

Bring the image to bed with you before going to sleep.

Gaze into the snake’s eyes and charge it with its mission: to reveal the mysteries of your ailment and its required treatment.

Place the image under your pillow, then go to sleep. The goal is to incubate the required dream.

Repeat this ritual until the dream has been received, clarified, and understood and no further dreams are required.

Warning Alarm Spells

Certain vigilant magic materials provide diagnoses and health warnings, so that action may be taken immediately, before a health problem becomes obvious.

Crystal Gemstone Warning Spells

Crystals and gemstones offer warning service in addition to their other gifts. However, in order to provide this information, they must actually be in contact with your skin. Check that the backs of jewelry allow for this.

Rubies allegedly fade or grow dull in the presence of anemia or blood-related disorders

Turquoise fades and/or cracks in the presence of ill-health

Coral grows paler and less vivid in the presence of illness

Unicorn Warning Spell

Allegedly the alicorn, the unicorn’s horn, has the magic power to cure any illness. If only one could buy genuine powdered alicorn at any pharmacist. Unicorn-shaped talismans, however, bestow other magic powers: they help detect poisons.

Wear or carry a unicorn charm. Should the charm suddenly call attention to itself, it is sounding a warning. Pay attention and take action as needed.

Spirit Healers and Disease Spirits

Although spirits may be approached to prevent or heal disease, they are not all the same type of spirit. There are extremely powerful, generally benevolent (everyone has a testy moment once in a while) spirits who may be appealed to for virtually anything. Isis is the classic example. Appeal to her in your hour of need, whether it’s illness, financial, or otherwise. Disease Spirits and demons of diseases are specifically affiliated with illness, although the most powerful disease spirits can transcend this role to become someone’s primary spiritual patron.

An important distinction between Spirit Healers and Disease Spirits is that Spirit Healers only cure diseases; they do not, as a rule, inflict them. Disease Spirits, on the other hand, go both ways. Transcending the concept of inflicting the illness, Disease Spirits are the illness. A visit from one of the Smallpox Spirits means being in the presence of the actual illness. However, whether one is actually infected and the magnitude of the infection depends upon the Disease Spirit. Because they are Geniuses of their particular disease, the Disease Spirit is also able to prevent and heal their illness. Disease Spirits, especially those of the more virulent diseases, are among the most feared and respected of all. A few are actually beloved by their human devotees, most especially Babalu-Ayé.

Low-level disease demons tend to remain anonymous and are similar in nature to mosquitoes: since they exist, they must serve some higher purpose but it’s difficult to determine what that might be. Disease Spirits, however, are stars. Each has an identity, a personality, specific physical manifestations, personal tastes, and predilections, just like any other spirit. Although they are addressed by specific names, these may not in fact be their real names. Similar to the distaste for calling the devil because he might answer, a Disease Spirit’s true names are rarely used, on the off chance that it will provoke an unwanted response. Euphemisms, typically loving and respectful, are substituted instead.

A crucial point: those spirits who cause disease know everything about that ailment. Frequently they are the disease; therefore no one is more qualified than they are to heal this particular disease. Although it is dangerous to approach them because contact with them is contact with the illness itself, in a metaphysical sense if not a literal one, in times of crisis, an appeal to the Disease Spirit may be perceived as necessary in order to prevent illness. To actually have the disease is akin to a kind of spirit possession. Eliminating the disease can be understood as an exorcism.

The Aires

In Mexican and Central American magic, the aires are literally the winds, but they’re more than just a weather phenomenon. The aires aren’t just any light breeze. Some winds contain spirits that others don’t. How will you know you’ve met such a wind spirit? Typically, you’ll get sick.

Although the aires are specific to Latin American magic, dangerous wind spirits exist worldwide. Even the wind spirit Oya, counted among the protective Seven African Powers, is noted as the orisha who controls the cemetery gates. Dating back at least to ancient Mesopotamia, wind spirits have spread disease, sometimes deliberately and maliciously, sometimes not. The aires—who are sometimes perceived as an abstract force, at other times personified, usually as dwarves—can’t help themselves. They are typically amoral and neutral in intent; however, their natural force is so strong it may be too much for people. Contact with them, as with radiation, may lead to disease. Although the disease manifests physically, because its root cause is metaphysical, it typically won’t dissipate without magical curing methods.

To heal illnesses caused by the aires, clay figures, usually black, are created. The healer determines what shapes are required; however, animal figures are typical, as are images of holy beings such as archangels. Abstract “towers” representing wind and water are also used. A group of figures may be needed for one healing. Creation of the figures is accompanied by the murmuring of incantations, chanting of sacred verses, prayer, appeal, and spiritual negotiation.

Take these figures, together with a food offering, to the area where the ailing person is believed to have contacted the aire.

Cleansing rituals, such as barrida sweeping (see page 208), are conducted there.

Food and figures are buried on the spot or hidden in the area, then patient and healer return home, by a circuitous route, if possible, without looking back.

Archangel Raphael Healing Spell (1)

The archangel Raphael is the angel in charge of healing. He is the special patron of physicians, nurses, pharmacists, the ailing, and the blind. He watches over travelers and supervises the guardian angels. Raphael is believed present, at least fleetingly, at every birth.

Raphael, whose name is given to mean “Healer of the Lord,” “the Lord’s remedy,” “the Lord heals,” or “the Lord has healed,” is the hero of the apocryphal Book of Tobit, accompanying travelers to safety, healing the blind and vanquishing demons. Visual images of Raphael tend to draw on elements from the Book of Tobit. Raphael’s emblem is the fish. He wears a flask of medicine tied around his waist. Allegedly he manifests on Earth disguised as a handsome, bright young man, in both senses of the word “bright,” offering healing advice and instructions.

Call Raphael for assistance with his invocation:

Archangel Raphael filled with mercy

Please hear my call

Vanquisher of demons

Protector of travelers

Endowed with healer’s grace

Help all who implore your assistance

Please help me with [fill in the blank].

Archangel Raphael Healing Spell (2)

Many visual depictions of Raphael exist, from votive imagery to masterpieces of art. Choose an image that resonates for you, and meditate upon this image or use it as a medium of communication with the archangel. For added enhancement, burn frankincense and red candles near the image.

Blame the Ancestors Spell

Yet another possible source of illness exists. According to traditional Chinese philosophy, some illnesses or other misfortunes (particularly those of a chronic nature) may be caused by Ancestral Spirits. Ancestors may be aggrieved because a grave is neglected, or perhaps illness and disaster result from a lack of sufficient sacrificial offerings to sustain beneficial energy. These ancestors aren’t necessarily malevolent; they just lack enough energy and power to keep harm from your door. What can be done?

First of all, feed them. And feed them well

Verify whether a grave needs tending. Make improvements if you can. If this is impossible, if a grave is situated in a location beyond reach, in parts unknown or does not, in fact, exist, then explain this to the Ancestors in detail, including what your plans are for compensation. Divination may be in order to receive their opinions on the matter, too

Build an ancestral altar or enhance one that already exists

Burn paper offerings. The traditional offering is Bank of Hell cash, but Bank of Hell checkbooks and credit cards are now available, too. (See Death Spells, page 264, for more information.)

It may be beneficial to obtain a shamanic diagnosis, particularly in the case of an illness that resists conventional diagnosis and/or does not respond to treatment.

Candle Spell

Offer any spirit, deity, or saint a candle as tall as the person for whom the healing is requested. This European custom of the Middle Ages remains viable and is still practiced. It is particularly effective when petitioning fiery spirits, like Brigid or Diana.

Disease Demon Banishing Spell (1)

According to Ainu and Japanese magical tradition, disease demons despise mugwort. Therefore hang bunches of mugwort throughout the home, concentrating on vulnerable areas, to disperse and repel these malevolent spirits.

Disease Demon Banishing Spell (2)

This method will also repel the Evil Eye.

Take seven glowing coals from the hearth.

Circle each one around the head of the afflicted person seven times. (There will thus be 49 circles.)

Toss each coal into a bowl of water following use.

Either a post-menopausal woman or a pre-menstrual girl must take the bowl to a crossroads and dump out the contents.

Don’t look at the water or return home by the same route.

Disease Demon Banishing: Bunch of Chives Spell

Hang bunches of chives around the home to repel disease demons—or any other kind for that matter.

Disease Demon Dispelling Incense

Burn Dittany of Crete to drive away illness-provoking spirits.

Djinn Healing Spells

In traditional North African magic, when an illness is mysterious and if it fails to respond to conventional treatment, focus turns on the djinn, for two reasons. First, because illness, whether physical, emotional, and/or spiritual may indicate foul play on the part of the djinn, stimulated perhaps by genuine anger or just by the impulse to do mischief. Illness may also be a manifestation of spiritual possession. If this is the case, ultimately healing must come through elimination (exorcism) or propitiation of the djinn.

The second reason is that although the djinn are implicated in causing many illnesses (and worse), they are also master healers. Djinn can heal illnesses other djinn have caused as well as diseases of all other derivation, including purely physical ones.

Basically when all else fails, it never hurts to approach the djinn for healing, although perhaps one might not wish to wait that long. Many spells and rituals exist, some to be performed by the afflicted person; others reserved for their caregivers.

Djinn Healing Spell (1)

Faced with a stubborn illness that won’t improve? Make an offering to the djinn.

Buy your own oil but borrow a cup of flour, without explaining why you need it, from a married woman who has only been married once and who has never been widowed or divorced.

Mix the oil and the flour together.

After dark, leave small portions of this mixture in various places—basically all the djinn’s favorite haunts: bathrooms, doorways, crossroads, ruined buildings, near springs.

Accompany offerings with an invocation to Simday, Sultan of the Djinn, requesting his assistance. He has control of a host of spirits. Surely one of them is causing the illness or has information.

Go home, but don’t discuss your mission. Go to sleep and prepare to receive answers in your dreams.

Djinn Healing Spell (2)

On the other hand, if you like, instead of going to find the djinn, you can lure them to you.

Spread sweet butter on sweet bread. (There can’t be any salt in either the bread or the butter; the djinn will refuse the offering.)

Talk to the bread, murmur over it, tell it all your troubles and physical concerns.

Place the bread on the roof of the house, announcing aloud: “God! I complain of my illness to this bread!”

Leave it exposed overnight so that the spirits can partake of its essence.

In the morning dispose of it by either holding a funeral for the bread; bury it in Earth, complete with funeral rites. Alternatively, give it to a dog to eat.

Djinn Healing Spell (3)

This method of requesting healing and protection was developed in North Africa specifically for the djinn, but the format could be used for any spirit.

Pass handfuls of cumin and coriander seeds around the patient’s head.

Holding the seeds in your hands, talk to the Spirits. (Although this may be accomplished for oneself, it is a descendant of shamanic rites and traditionally one person performs the ritual on another’s behalf. Also, it is understood that the person requiring this cure may be in really bad shape and in absolutely no condition to cast the spell.) Say something like:

“I place myself under your protection, under the protection of all the great ones and the small ones among you.

I place myself under the protection of [Begin invoking names—whose protection, patronage, and healing skills do you seek?]

If [name] child of [name] has wronged you, if she has offended you, if she has angered you, if she behaved badly, if she was angry, resentful, selfish, rude [keep going], please seek out the one who has done harm to her. Implore him to release her.” [You can also ask the Spirit to intercede with God.]

Try to get the patient to chew the seeds now. If she is unable or unwilling, you chew them and spit them out. Lick the patient’s hands immediately.

Djinn Healing Spell (4)

A variation of the above spell may be cast without the patient’s presence.

Chew coriander and cumin seeds while composing a letter to the Spirits. Use the same format in as the spoken chant above. Don’t stop chewing yet or if they’re all chewed out, keep the seeds in your mouth.

Place the letter in an envelope. Spit the seeds out and lick the envelope to seal it.

Burn the letter together with fresh coriander and cumin seeds.

Djinn Healing Spell (5)

This spell attempts to bribe or pay off an invading, disease-causing spirit.

Soak a coin of reasonably large denomination in spring water, Holy Water, Angel Water, Carmelite Water or similar.

Burn black and white colored benzoin.

Pass the coin through the incense smoke and place it under the patient’s pillow.

Should the patient begin to recovery, ask a spirit worker to divine who (which spirit), caused the illness. Donate the coin to a cause dear to that spirit’s heart. Feel free to supplement with additional cash.

In Morocco, where this spell originates, the coin would be given directly to the Gnawa shamans who traditionally would have officiated at a formal ceremony.

Djinn Healing Spell (6)

This incredibly complex, elaborate Moroccan spell is designed to remedy spirit caused illnesses. Symptoms might include any or all of the following: fever, hallucinations, lethargy, malaise, pains in the head, and/or knees. The patient may talk to him or herself, or to others invisible to everyone else.

The spell demands the participation of four women besides the person performing the ritual on behalf of the patient. (Unless specified otherwise, all steps of the spell are performed by this person acting on behalf of the patient.) One woman, who plays an extensive role, must be post-menopausal; the other three must be married women, who have each only been married once and who have never been widowed or divorced. If they have living, healthy children (and have never lost a child), this is even better.

Each of the married women must donate two handfuls of flour.

Blend all the flour together and place it in a white cotton handkerchief.

Fumigate this medicine bundle by burning white-colored benzoin.

Place it under the patient’s head (or pillow) overnight.

In the morning, the post-menopausal woman/crone opens this handkerchief, removes three handfuls of flour and makes a small loaf of bread with it, using no salt.

Use the other half of the flour to make a loaf with salt but no yeast. Put seven grains of barley on the loaf with no salt, and bake both.

Purchase five varieties of fish. The spell requires five pieces plus enough for the household to eat. (If using individual large fish, then use the fish entrails for the ritual and offering to the djinn. Eat the rest.)

Cook the five varieties of fish (one of each, for a total of five pieces of fish) in a brand new baking dish with butter, onions, and black peppercorns, but no salt.

Give a little piece of each fish and some of the resulting sauce or cooking liquid to the patient to eat. Rub a little sauce on the patient’s wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles. Put a little under the bed and in each corner of the patient’s room. (If you have a lot, you can do each corner of all rooms, but the patient’s room is most crucial.)

The crone now puts the salt-free loaf in a basket, plus a container with the remainder of the fish and sauce.

Decorate the container with four small flags: one black, one white, one red, and one yellow. (You can use cocktail flags, children’s toy flags, or make some up out of fabric or paper.)

Add three small dolls, representing a man, a woman, and their daughter. (The dynamics of your own family are irrelevant.)

Put a small silver coin into the container and say aloud: “Forgive us if we have forgotten anything you like. Here’s some money to buy whatever you want.”

The crone then places another silver coin into her mouth (she must keep it in her mouth until her return in Step 16), and takes the basket to an isolated place—the seashore is preferred, but any remote place, any place with the reputation of being “haunted” or where djinn might linger, is appropriate.

On the trip there and back, she must not speak to anyone or ever look behind her. Everything inside the basket should be left at the haunted place but the basket may be taken home if desired. Should dogs or other animals be attracted to the offering, don’t give it to them, but don’t stop them from eating either. This is actually an auspicious sign.

On her way back, the crone picks up seven stones from the road. She throws them down, one at a time, on the doorstep of the sick person’s house so that the people within (who have been holding a vigil) will let her in. She can’t talk yet nor can she knock at the door. She must keep the silver coin in her mouth until she has entered the house, then she must keep it, not give it away.

In the meantime, the remaining fish should have been prepared. Prepare them anyway you like but make sure you add salt. This fish and the loaf of bread with salt are now eaten by the household. If the patient is a child, then no one but immediate family members and other children may eat. However, if the patient is an adult, anyone may participate in the meal. If someone else isn’t feeling well, eating the salted meal should have a beneficial effect.

Elf Shot

Elves, like fairies, have been sanitized over the centuries. Once upon a time, great ambivalence existed toward them. The original elves were not miniature artisans laboring in Santa’s toy factories. Instead, true elves are beautiful woods dwellers, skilled at archery, well versed in forest-lore, and equally ambivalent toward people. Unlike Santa’s elves, they are not petite, but human-sized or even taller. They have a cool nature, with a dangerous edge. The elven-folk of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings are an excellent depiction of these true elves.

Like fairies, once upon a time, relations between people and elves may once have been more harmonious. However by the time Christianity was established in Anglo-Saxon England, elves were perceived as a root cause of illness. Elves shot victims with magical arrows or spears, inflicting wounds or disease with no other apparent cause; hence to be so afflicted was to be “elf-shot.”

Should you perceive yourself as being elf-shot, never fear, remedies exist.

Elf-Shot Basic Remedy

Gather betony, garlic shoots, fennel, rue, and wormwood.

Bind them together while murmuring sacred verses.

Wrap the herbs in white cloth and bind to the wound or site of affliction.

Elf-Shot Intensive Magic Remedy

Nine is the sacred number of Anglo-Saxon magic and spirituality. Should these specific herbs not be available, substitute others as required in order to maintain that magic number. Although the basic spell might be accomplished for oneself, this intensive spell requires another to perform the healing ritual.

Gather the following nine herbs:

Betony

Chervil

Dill

Fennel

Garlic shoots

Mugwort

Plantain

Rue

Wormwood

Bind them together while murmuring sacred verses.

Bless the herbs and the patient nine times.

Wave the herb bundle over the patient’s body or gently rub it on the body.

Burn the bundle, wafting the smoke over the patient as a fumigation.

Dispose of the ashes in living water, flowing away from you.

Exu Marabo Spell

Many consider calling on Exu Marabo to be like calling on Satan for help. Petition this dangerous, volatile (perhaps malevolent) spirit for miracle healings as a last resort, when all else has failed. There is no illness he cannot cure, although he has been known to kill as well. For what it’s worth the exus tend to deliver whatever expectation devotees have of them. The more fearful and ambivalent you are, the worse they tend to behave.

Exu Marabo has a tendency to make spontaneous appearances; he signals his presence through the scent of sulfur. He cures with wormwood. Here’s the catch: once invited, you cannot ask him to leave, whether he provides your miracle or not. When Exu Marabo arrives, he moves in permanently. You will feed him forever; your only option to keep him happy and pacified is with gifts and prayers.

Crush and grind wormwood twigs, leaves, and/or roots.

Sprinkle this wormwood on lit charcoal.

Carve Exu Marabo’s sigil into red and white candles before burning them. (Red devil candles may be used, if preferred.)

Have some really good cigars and fine rum waiting in case Exu Marabo accepts your invitation. You will know that he is present by the scent of sulfur (brimstone). Tell him what you need.

Hecate’s Living Altar Spell

Hecate is most famous today as a Dark Moon Spirit and Queen of Witches. Those are but two aspects of this multifaceted deity. Hecate was once the chief deity of the Carian nation, now in Western Turkey. She is matron of the city of Istanbul. She has dominion over life and death and who makes the journey in between, indicating her power as a healing deity. Hecate is matron of mid-wives and herbalists.

Her priestesses (the most famous was Medea) were trained herbalists. Those in need of healing or solace journeyed to the gardens attached to Hecate’s shrine in Colchis on the Black Sea, home of the Golden Fleece pilfered by the Argonauts.

Hecate’s assistance may be accessed by building a living altar in her honor:

Plant a garden outdoors or create a living altar inside with potted plants.

Add some or all of the following: dog roses, garlic, lavender, mandrake, Queen of the Night, roses, thorn apple, and tuberoses. Hecate’s trees include: black poplar, date palm, pomegranate, willow, and yew.

Place votive images of Hecate, together with her favorite creatures—dogs, dragons, and snakes—in the garden.

To petition Hecate directly or to receive spontaneous magical inspiration regarding your healing needs, sit in or beside your living altar in the dark.

Obatala Healing Spell

Obatala is Yoruba’s gentle healer. Obatala’s powers of healing are so miraculous he isn’t syncretized to any ordinary saint but to another miracle healer, Jesus Christ. Obatala’s color is white. He owns everything of that color (including bones) and heals through that color, hence the eggs and camphor in this spell.

Although Obatala may be invoked for any sort of healing, his specialty is cooling, in all senses of that word. Invoke Obatala to remedy any over-heated situation or condition, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. Known as Oxala in Brazil, Obatala’s days are Sundays or Thursdays, depending on tradition. He is traditionally offered white things: milk, coconut, rice, Cascarilla Powder, white shea and cocoa butter, and white candles.

Every person involved with this spell is assigned an egg, whether that person is ill or is serving in the capacity of healer. Maintain this spell as a vigil until healing occurs. When and if the eggs start to smell, dispose of them outside the home and replace.

Write the appropriate name on each egg, so that they may be distinguished from one another.

Fill a clear, sparkling clean, crystal bowl with spring water.

Dissolve a square of white camphor in the water.

Place the eggs within the bowl.

Change the water morning and evening, adding additional camphor.

Burn two white cross candles or plain white candles on either side of the egg-filled bowl. Enhance with dressing oils as you deem appropriate.

Accompany the spell with prayers and petitions as desired.

Obatala Two-In-One Healing/Cleansing Spell

This ritual petitions Obatala for healing. It simultaneously performs a spiritual cleansing.

Place Cascarilla Powder, a few pieces of coconut and a few chunks of cocoa butter into a white drawstring bag. Pass this bag over the body of the person in need of healing. This ritual is beneficial for enhancing mental stability and serenity as well as physical healing.

Spirits of Healing: Fairies

Fairies are botanical masters with detailed knowledge of magical herbs. They may be petitioned for miracle cures and to prevent illness.

Accompany your petition with small gifts of milk, berries, crystals, and similar.

The fairies express their power through their favorite botanicals. Gather seven different species at noontime, during a summer full moon. Fairy herbs include althea, eyebright, foxglove, ragweed, Saint John’s Wort, self-heal, speedwell, thyme, toadflax, and yarrow. Choose what suits you; obviously if you have allergies, ragweed isn’t for you.

This spell intends magical use of the herbs, not medicinal: arrange them in bunches and hang throughout the home to protect against illness and speed healing.

General Healing Spells

The following are spells to maintain good health, enhance immunity, provide general healing, and practice preventive magic.

Acorn Good Health Spell

Acorns are sacred signs of life. Carry an odd-numbered quantity of acorns in a green or red charm bag to maintain good health.

Agrimony Bath

This cleansing provides psychic and magical healing.

Make a strong infusion by pouring boiling water over agrimony.

Let it cool, then strain out the botanical material.

Dip a white cloth into the infusion and gently bathe the patient.

Amber Beads Disease Prevention

Amber beads are perceived as bolstering health; however, not just any amber beads will do. Amber beads carved into the shapes of genitals, whether very literally or just vaguely reminiscent, allegedly provide protection, especially regarding health. Wear or carry as needed.

Ancient Egyptian Fumigation For Expelling Disease Demons

Calamus/Sweet Flag

Coriander

Juniper

Myrrh

Blend all the ingredients and burn them together. Grind and powder the botanicals, if you are using small quantities in small space. However, during a mass emergency, burn large quantities. In such cases it’s not necessary to grind ingredients. (Juniper would be burned in French hospitals many, many centuries later as a disinfectant.)

Ancient Mesopotamian Healing and Renewal Spell

This Mesopotamian method provides spiritual cleansing and purification for a person suffering from illness. It may also be used as a preventive measure, performed on a regular schedule (once a week, once a month or as needed) to avoid and repel disease demons. There is a remarkable similarity to modern healing rituals associated with Afro-Caribbean healer and Disease Spirit, Babalu-Ayé.

Rub the body with oil, and then rub the body with bread or dough.

Anemone Healing Spell

According to legend, anemones (wind flowers) sprang from Aphrodite’s tears as she wept over the wounded Adonis. According to other legends, anemones spring from those wounds. The very first anemone of the year allegedly has amazing magical healing properties. Keep an eye out for it. Should you find this flower—and the first one of the season you see may be it—wrap it up in red cloth. Bind this cloth around an ailing person’s arm with prayers, blessings, and affirmations. An accompanying petition to Aphrodite may be beneficial as well.

Astrological Healing Waters

Each part of the body is under the dominion of an astrological signs, from the head (Aries) to the feet (Pisces). The sign influences that part of that anatomy. In days long gone by, medical physicians were expected to have strong working knowledge of astrology.

Create twelve bottles of lunar-charged healing water, corresponding to the astrological signs:

Each month, on the night of the Full Moon, expose a glass bottle filled with pure spring water to the moonbeams.

In the morning, label the bottle with the appropriate astrological sign (or place in smaller bottles, then label).

Apply these waters to the parts of the body ruled by that astrological sign for healing purposes. (See the Tables of Correspondences on page 1064.)

Banish Affliction Spell

Touch the relevant part of the body, wherever healing or relief is needed, with three fingers: the thumb, middle, and ring fingers. Stretch the other two out straight and chant:

Go away!

It doesn’t matter whether you originated today or earlier or anytime

This illness, this pain, this swelling, this tumor, this rash [fill in as appropriate]

I call it out, I lead it out, I speak it out,

I call it gone, I lead it gone, I speak it gone,

I call it vanished, I lead it vanished, I speak it vanished

Through this spell, from my limbs and bones, my flesh and blood

Vanish pain, vanish illness, vanish suffering!

Barrida

The barrida is a method of spiritual, magical cleansing, indigenous to Mexico, that may be used to heal and “sweep away” illnesses caused by enchantment.

Construct a small broom from branches. The exact botanical is chosen based upon availability and the nature of the healing; however, for illness caused by bewitchment rosemary is most common. Small pepper tree branches and red geraniums may be tied up together with the rosemary to form a broom.

Someone must cleanse (sweep) the patient; once upon a time (and still, in some places) this was a shamanic rite. The cleansing is accompanied by prayer, petition, incantation, and spiritual negotiation.

When the sweeping is complete, the broom must be taken apart and destroyed.

Bear Fetishes

Bears are acknowledged as the totemic animals of shamanic healers. When ill or when engaged in healing work, pay particular attention to dreams featuring bears. Bear figurines, particularly Zuni stone fetishes, may be used to stimulate magical healing.

Pick a fetish that “calls to you,” the one that stimulates a craving for possession. The fetish that chooses you will always work most powerfully for you, but white bears and bears carved from turquoise are considered especially powerful. In fairy tales, real bears become actual around-the-clock companions. Treat the fetish like that fairy-tale bear. Keep it with you all day, tucked into your pocket or carried safely in a charm bag. Sleep with it under your pillow or by your bedside. Feed it on schedule: although actual substances are offered, the bear eats the essence. A traditional Native American offering would be corn pollen but don’t do this by rote: think about what your bear needs to eat.

Most importantly, talk and listen to the bear: once activated, it will eventually offer healing advice and recommendations for maintaining health.

Bezoar Stones

Bezoar derives from the Persian “pad-zahr,” “poison expelling.” Bezoar stones are concretions found in the stomachs of animals, usually goats, credited with anti-doting poison and removing illness. The typical method of use is to bind the bezoar to the afflicted area.

Bloody Stick Transference Spell

According to magical theory, illness may be removed via methods of transference. The following ritual must be accomplished in complete and total silence.

Position yourself by a stream so that the water runs away from you.

Take a hazel or elder stick.

Carve your name into it.

Make three small slices into the stick.

Fill these slices with your blood, either menstrual blood or a few drops obtained by pricking your finger.

Throw the stick over your left shoulder or between your legs into water that must be flowing away from you, ideally rapidly.

Walk away without looking back.

Clothing Spell

Among various Dravidian traditions of India, the concept of the contagious aspect of illness extends to the magical. Thus the sick person’s clothes and bed linens become impregnated by the disease and are thus dangerous. This is a magical impregnation, beyond what laundering with antibacterial soap can cure.

To counteract, bring fabrics to a place with extreme baraka or benevolent sacred magic power, to regenerate, revitalize, and make them safe. Hang the clothes or linen on a sacred tree, in holy place, or in shrine. (This is also beneficial for new linens or ritual clothing. Beyond safety precautions and preventive measures, this creates highly charged talismanic fabrics.)

Once a year, during the month of May, masses of Romany people converge on the French town of Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, at the shrine of their matron saint, Sarah Kali. Sarah Kali’s identity is subject to interpretation. She may be the Egyptian servant who accompanied Mary Magdalene, Mary and Martha of Bethany and Mary Salome to France; she may be a Romany priestess of Ishtar who greeted them upon arrival in Provence; she may be the daughter of Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ; or she may be the Hindu deity Kali in disguise, having accompanied the Romany from India.

A beautiful statue of Sarah Kali is enshrined within an ancient grotto, believed to have once been a venue for celebrating the mysteries of Mithras. During her festival, the statue is carried in procession to the sea where it is immersed and bathed. Brought back to her shrine, she is then dressed in finery.

It is traditional to bring offerings to the statue in conjunction with petitions asked and received. However Sarah Kali also accepts offerings of clothing from those suffering from illness or in need of healing. The clothing is placed on her body and creates the connection between the deity and the petitioner. As the clothing absorbs the deity’s power, the healing is transmitted to the petitioner, who may have attended the festival or may be far away. This principle may also be applied to a personal shrine and a votive image close to your heart.

Color Therapy

Every color has the capacity to heal. Each color has specific magic powers best suited for certain ailments or physical conditions. Expose yourself to concentrated doses of the appropriate color(s) to avail yourself of their healing energy. Surround yourself with the needed color; wear it, gaze, and meditate upon it.

Access the healing magic of color through:

Crystals. Although each crystal gemstone possesses its own specific healing powers, generalities may be drawn based on color. Select crystals in the color range most beneficial for you: use them in massage, meditation, and other healing rituals

Color baths. Tint the water so that it coordinates with your healing needs. There are commercially available “color baths.” In addition, the nineteenth-century Bavarian cleric and healer, Father Sebastian Kneipp, pioneered a system of hydrotherapy. Although there seems to be no evidence connecting Father Kneipp’s theories to color healing, his baths, now commercially available, are vividly colored and may be the most accessible color bath, although this may not have been their original intent. However, you can also tint the water yourself with food coloring and various natural plant dyes. Just make sure whatever you use is safe and non-toxic

Candle magic. Coordinate candle colors with your particular ailment

BLACK: physical and mental exhaustion

BLUE: emotional imbalance, post-traumatic stress, throat disorders, speech disorders, headaches, toothaches, insomnia, susto

BROWN: vertigo. disorientation, psychic torpor

GREEN: physical healing, cancer, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart trouble

ORANGE: bowel and digestive disorders, arthritis, asthma, fevers, bronchitis and related bronchial ailments

RED: physical disabilities, blood disorders. HIV and AIDS, anemia, vitamin deficiency, impotence, infertility

YELLOW: stomach problems, skin disorders, depression due to heartache

Colored Water Spells

Fill clear glass or cut crystal bottles with spring water.

Tint the water the desired shade.

Place the bottle(s) in a sunny window.

Sit, relax and gaze at the color(s).

Color Spell: Maximum Intensity

Different methods of accessing the magic healing power of colors aren’t mutually exclusive but may be used in conjunction. The following combination of colors, candles, crystals, and chants allegedly helps prevent illness as well as overcome it.

Choose the appropriate color.

Burn candles in the corresponding color.

Surround them with color-coordinated crystal gemstones and color-water bottles.

This spell may be further empowered by chanting sacred verses, especially Habakkuk 3:3—5.

Color Spell Romany

Wear red clothing when ill because red is the color of life, health, and vitality. A vigorous, defiant color, it does fervent battle against illness on your behalf.

Convalescence Spells

Maintain the magic during convalescence to speed healing and protect a vulnerable aura.

Convalescence Spell: Coffee

Coffee allegedly invigorates and empowers magically. Brew good fresh strong coffee. Add an odd number of cups to the bath and bathe.

Convalescence Spell: Rue

Wear a sprig of fresh rue pinned to your clothing during convalescence for protection and to magically speed healing.

Coriander Spell

Coriander allegedly decreases the power and lessens the effects of disease demons.

Burn the seeds and waft the fragrant smoke over the ailing person.

Crossroads Healing Spell

One never knows exactly whom one will meet at the crossroads. Crossroads are perceived as a magic junction full of swirling energies, powers, and spirits. This spell presumes that at least some of those forces will be sympathetic to your plea.

Bring bread and a libation to a crossroads.

Pour out the libation and place the bread on the ground.

Turn in all applicable directions, each time making a request for healing and improved health.

Return home without looking back.

Doll Spell (1) Healing Doll Spell

Illness may be transferred by using dolls and figurines. This ancient Assyrian formula, intended to restore good health to someone who is ailing, requires the creation of a clay or wax figurine. It should look anonymous and not resemble either the person suffering from the ailment or anyone else.

Someone other than the ailing person is appointed to communicate with the Disease Spirit. The goal is to entice the illness to leave the human and enter the doll instead. Consider how this is to be accomplished before beginning the spell. Remember, low-level spirit entities, which include many of the lesser disease spirits, are not overly blessed with intelligence.

As soon as it’s apparent that the disease demon has taken the bait and entered the doll, immediately remove the doll from the premises and dispose of it far from home.

Return via a circuitous route.

Both the target of the spell (the patient) and the person who communicated with the Disease Spirit should undergo extensive cleansing and protective rituals.

Doll Spell (2) Demon Doll Spell

An alternative doll magic technique is to have the doll actually represent the illness itself in an abstract sense, or a specific disease demon, however you best understand the situation.

Make a figure from clay, dough, wax, or pitch. Any other material that seems appropriate may be used with the proviso that whatever is used can be completely and entirely destroyed. This is not the moment to pull out fancy arts and crafts materials that boast the ability to last forever.

Personalize the doll as needed.

When you’re ready, destroy it by either tossing it onto a fire or tossing it into running water, flowing away from you. The illness is expected to depart also. The demon feels uncomfortable and unwelcome and so goes elsewhere.

Doll Spell (3) Dream Doll

Stuff dolls with dried eucalyptus leaves to serve as healing dream pillows.

Earth-absorbing Healing Spell

In theory, this spell is dedicated to a deity, the “you” referred to in the chant. Leave it ambiguous or substitute the name of your choice. The spell may also be dedicated to the powers of Earth. The end result is that the illness or affliction magically departs from your body and is absorbed by Earth.

Chant the following nine times:

I think of you.

Heal my ___ [fill in the blank].

Let Earth retain the illness.

Let health remain with me.

Put your hands flat on Earth and spit.

Emergency Spell

This emergency healing spell works exclusively on the magical plane.

If you fear you’ve been exposed to illness, take whatever medical actions and precautions are needed. In addition, peel and bruise one clove of garlic.

Rub it on your naked body from head to foot. One clove should be sufficient but use more if necessary.

Throw the used garlic into living waters flowing away from your home.

Evil Eye Healing Spell

A method of healing illness caused by the Evil Eye: remove the influence by massaging the body with a whole raw egg, and then bathe the person with Holy Water.

Filipino Life Binding Spell

Encircle the wrists and ankles of a dangerously ill person with brass wire, to bind their soul to Earth.

Five Poisons Image

Imagine being stung by the five most venomous creatures on Earth. Now imagine that this venom didn’t kill or incapacitate you but inoculated you from danger instead. This is the magical theory underlying the image of the Chinese Five Poisonous Creatures.

Create or obtain an image of the Five Poisonous Creatures: centipede, lizard, scorpion, snake, and toad. Post it to provide magical protection against disease and the effects of poisoning.

Four-leaf Clover Healing Spell

Four-leaf clovers allegedly possess magical healing powers. If you can’t find one, create one. This spell is especially beneficial if one person does it for another.

Cut a four-leaf clover shape from paper or a sheet of copper or tin. Empower it with blessings of healing than hang it near the patient or within their line of sight to magically ease pain, bring joy, stimulate healing, and speed recovery.

Forest Blackmail Spell

This mean-spirited Russian spell is not dissimilar in tone and method to many from early Common Era Alexandria.

Write a letter on parchment paper to Musail, the Forest Tsar, Guardian of Nature, demanding to know why [Name], child of [Name], servant of the Lord, has become ill.

Attach this note to a rowan tree.

Announce your unhappiness.

Threaten the tree with dire action: you’ll cut down the tree if healing doesn’t occur quickly.

Fumigation Against Illness and Infection Spell

Grind small amounts of dried juniper and dried rosemary together. Sprinkle the resulting powder on lit charcoal.

For greater intensity, an outdoor ritual may be effected, to transmit the healing fumes into the greater atmosphere. Build a small fire with juniper wood, and feed it with rosemary branches.

Good Health Maintenance Spell

To maintain and preserve good health, place a crumb of bread and a grain of salt on top of a burned out piece of charcoal. Wrap everything up in a square of red fabric, tying knots to close it, focusing upon your wishes and desires.

Good Health Mojo Hand

Place an angelica root, an ankh charm, a piece of jade, and the botanicals betony and everlasting in red bag. Murmur sacred verses, incantations, and blessings over it.

Hathor’s Myrrh Healing Spells

Among the primeval spirit Hathor’s epithets Lady of Myrrh. Hathor’s sacred essence expressed through fragrant myrrh. Once upon a time Hathor’s temples also served as centers of healing, similar to those of Asklepios. Less information survives regarding Hathor’s holy hospitals; apparently some form of hydrotherapy was performed. The following magical therapeutically spells are enhanced by petitioning Hathor directly for healing. The two spells complement each other.

Hathor Myrrh Bath

Add essential oil of myrrh to the bath to invoked Hathor’s healing presence.

Hathor Myrrh Fumigation

Burn myrrh tears. Waft the resulting smoke over the person and/or the room.

Healing Candle

Arrange a circle of silver-dollar eucalyptus around a appropriately carved and dressed red candle. Burn the candle to speed healing.

Healing Herb Candle

This spell involves crafting your own candle.

Gather the herbs traditionally used to heal or treat your condition (whether you are going undergoing herbal therapy or not). Incorporate them into a candle.

Grind and powder the herbs.

Melt the wax and blend in the herbs.

Your relative skill and enthusiasm for candle making determines the type of candle crafted. Feel free to make it as elaborate as possible, incorporating shapes associated with healing or with your personal situation. (Don’t become attached to the candle however; it is crucial that is burned, not retained.) Otherwise, follow standard candle-making directions.

Burn the candle; visualize your ailment dissipating and disappearing along with the melting wax.

Healing Garden Spell

Because different botanicals radiate different magic powers, they may be arranged to provide a needed effect. The following botanicals are believed to create a protective aura that shields against disease spirits and illness in general. Spending time within their presence is also believed to transmit healing energy and vigor to the human body. The effect of these botanicals is magical; they may or may not have corresponding physical healing effects. This spell is particularly beneficial for convalescence or for chronic ailments.

Fill a garden with all or any of the following: anemone, angelica, balm of Gilead, basil, chamomile, coriander, fennel, garlic, heliotrope, henna, lavender, melissa (lemon balm), mint, mugwort, onion, peony, poppy, rose, rosemary, rue, Saint John’s Wort, thyme, tobacco, and wormwood.

Trees that radiate magic healing power include apple, bay laurel, birch, cedar, olive, and willow. Ideally trees should form a circle so that you may sit within their midst.

Sit and relax within your garden to access its healing power: it’s as simple as that. Sit on Earth if it’s comfortable or place a bench in a strategic spot. Arrange crystals, glass witch balls, and inspirational, uplifting images as desired.

Enhance the magical healing energy with crystals, witch balls, and votive imagery.

Horehound Spell

The botanical horehound derives its name from Horus, Isis’ son. Place it beside the patient’s bed to assist healing.

Illness Absorption Spell

This spell allegedly helps cleanse and remove the aura of illness.

Blend equal parts of Florida Water and Marie Laveau Water.

Add a pinch of sea salt.

Place under the bed to absorb the emanation of illness.

Replace once weekly, or in intense situations replace daily.

Iron Healing Spell (Forge Water)

Iron is believed to magically energize and empower everything with which it has contact, thus the water used for cooling either an anvil or iron is filled with magical potency and can be used for treating illness. Collect the water and allow it to cool to a safe temperature. Bathe the patient with this water.

Iron Healing Spell (Forge Coal)

Coal used for heating iron is also considered filled with healing energy. Let the coal cool to a comfortable warmth. Wrap the coals in red flannel, and tuck them in next to the patient.

Knot Healing Spells

Many healing spells utilize the principles of knot magic. Remember to focus your intent and desire as you pull the knot.

Knot Healing Spell (1)

This spell comes from Central Asia.

Spin or obtain a three-colored cord: blue, green, and red.

Tie one knot in the cord for seven consecutive days.

After the seventh day and the seventh knot, bury the cord in an inaccessible spot. The disease should disappear as the cord rots.

Knot Healing Spell (2)

Sometimes you have to tie, but sometimes you have to untie. Visualize the illness and suffering as you tie the initial knots. You’re not wishing the illness—quite the opposite. You’re essentially transferring the illness into the knot. Then visualize relief as the knots are untied; the illness’s terrible energy dispersing into the atmosphere.

Tie seven knots in a string.

Make it into a bracelet for the patient.

Untie one knot each day.

On the last day, unravel the thread and throw everything into running living water, flowing away from the patient’s location.

Originally this spell began with the spinning of the thread, accompanied by sincere prayer and the repetition of sacred texts.

Knot Spell: Heliotrope

Although today “heliotrope” indicates a specific flower indigenous to Peru, the ancient Greeks and Romans used the name to indicate any plant that followed the sun. Either may be used in this formula attributed to Pliny. Tie knots in a heliotrope stem, murmuring a prayer over each one. Petition that the patient will recover to untie the knots.

Knot Spell: Peony Roots

Peony, the healing plant of the ancient Greeks, is allegedly a plant of divine origin formed from moonbeams. It’s associated with the divine healer, Asklepios. According to legend, Asklepios was the child of Apollo and his priestess, a princess. While pregnant she fell in love with a mortal man and attempted to marry him. Apollo, jealous and infuriated, killed her but saved baby Asklepios from her funeral pyre. Or so goes the story. Bad things seem to happen to women who catch Apollo’s romantic interest, if we recall some other priestesses, such as Daphne and Cassandra.

In any case, Apollo nurtured his son and taught him secrets of healing. Asklepios became such a good doctor that he revived the dead. This upset the balance of nature and upset the gods; Hades in particular was livid, so Asklepios was immediately killed and deified.

Fashion a necklace from peony roots and have the patient wear it around his or her neck. This allegedly wards off illness and evil and is also beneficial for soothing, preventing, or minimizing seizure disorders.

Kyoto Powder Spell

The Hoodoo formulation, Kyoto Powder, is used to provide healing. Although, unlike so many other magical healing spells, this is accomplished through topical application, still all healing is done on the magical plane, not physical. Sprinkle Kyoto Powder on the patient, or on the sheets, or in a circle around the patient’s bed.

Magic Circle Spells

Allegedly, casting circles around afflicted areas magically contains an ailment. Circles may be visible or invisible as safe, appropriate or desired. Use magic wands, fans or knives to cast invisible circles, and cast visible circles with charcoal, magic chalk or henna paste.

Magic Circle using Magnetic Sand

Circle afflicted areas with olive oil or shea butter, and sprinkle with magnetic sand.

Magic Iron Circle Spell

Allegedly creating or placing iron rings around all manner of ulcers, sores, and skin disorders will magically prevent them from spreading. If this will cause no harm, this old magical remedy may be worth a shot. Charge the iron with your desire before initiating the spell.

Magic Wood Healing Spell

Although any wood, like any herb, contains some sort of power, certain woods are perceived as more magically charged than others, for instance oak, thorn or rowan.

Create a fire with magically powerful wood.

Concentrate on your desired goals while gazing into the fire.

When the fire has almost died out and the wood has been reduced to charred fragments, pick one piece up using metal tongs.

Drop the wood into an awaiting pot of cold water; simultaneously envision the illness breaking up, dispersing, and disappearing.

Repeat for seven consecutive nights.

Magic Wood: Oak Healing Spell

Oak is traditionally amongst the most powerfully magical of trees. Build a fire from oak wood on the hearth or within fireplace or cauldron. Toss rowan and/or stinging nettles into the fire to heal and eliminate illness within the home.

Magical Healing Aromas

Add essential oils of frankincense, lavender, and mastic to an aroma burner and disperse the fragrance through the area, to magically strengthen the body as well as inner resolve, while at the same time summoning benevolent spirits and putting others to flight.

Magical Immunity Enhancing Incense

This simple fumigation formula allegedly boosts immunity to illness. Grind chopped bay laurel leaves and frankincense resin together. Sprinkle on lit charcoals and direct the smoke as desired.

Magical Immunity Enhancing Incense: Maximum Strength

Chopped bay laurel leaves

Benzoin

Frankincense

Juniper berries and/or wood

Thyme

Grind these ingredients together into a powder. Sprinkle on lit charcoals and direct the smoke as needed.

Milagros

The milagro (Spanish for “miracle”) is a magical tool that may be used as a charm, amulet, votive offering, or spiritual communications device. Although milagros may be used in other types of spells, they are most frequently dedicated to healing.

They may also be formed from any material, from precious gems to wax, but most milagros are cut from inexpensive silver-colored metal. The shape of the milagro is chosen to correspond with an ailment or affliction. Milagros take the form of isolated body parts, the most common being hands, heads, feet, legs, arms, eyes, male and female genitals, breasts, eyes, ears, noses, and hearts. Uteruses are traditionally represented by images of toads or hedgehogs, reflecting medieval conceptions of the female reproductive system.

The purpose of the milagro is to either strengthen or heal the corresponding part of the body, to prevent, or to heal a disorder. Milagros may be used in ritual to help extract ills afflicting the corresponding part, but they are most commonly used as a spiritual communication device.

Milagro Spiritual Petition Spell

Determine to whom your petition is to be directed and thus to whom the milagro will be presented. Milagros may be presented at a shrine (many Latin American cathedrals have special areas reserved for such petitions) or upon a home altar. Determine what you will give in exchange, should the healing be effected.

Light candles and do whatever is necessary to draw attention toward your petition.

Hold the milagro in your hands to charge it with your desired goal.

Make your request and your vow.

Milagro Direct Application Spell

Representations of anatomical parts are believed to strengthen the corresponding part of the wearer’s body. Hold the milagro in your hands and charge it with your desired goal and pin it to your clothing, close to the applicable body part. Spiritually cleanse the milagro periodically, re-charging and re-consecrating it as needed.

Milagro Good Health Maintenance Spell

Because milagros strengthen corresponding parts, they may also be used to maintain a state of good health. Collect assorted milagros, corresponding to parts for which you may have concern. Pin them to a fabric-covered board. Maintain quartz crystals nearby to further empower the milagros, just in case the Direct Application Spell above should ever become necessary.

Mistletoe Ring

Carve a ring from mistletoe (and wear it!) to ward off illness.

Notre Dame Water

Asperge the patient, bed, and room with Notre Dame Water.

Pentacle Spell

The five-pointed star or pentacle may be understood to represent a human shape: feet apart, arms extended, and the head represented by the star’s point. This spell is cast by one person on behalf of another.

Visualize the pentacle’s shape while measuring a person using a single red thread.

First measure from each foot to the opposite hand, then from each foot to the head and finally across the arms to reproduce a pentacle.

Analyze the measurements: allegedly they contain clues as to treatment and final outcome.

Finally burn the thread, encouraging the patient to breathe the fumes.

Add the ashes to water (this may be the perfect moment for Seven Sisters Water) and give it to the patient to drink.

Pearls of Health

An expensive prescription for maintaining good health suggests you keep a bowl filled with real pearls in easy reach. Periodically run your fingers through them. This allegedly enhances the immune system, stimulates health, and encourages longevity.

Pliny the Roman’s Iron Knife Spell

In addition to its use as surgical tools, iron also bestows a sort of magical immune system enhancement, considered particularly beneficial for young children and the elderly. This formula comes from Pliny. It’s also used as ritual protection against poison.

Take a knife or dagger, the crucial point being that it is crafted from iron or steel.

Cast an imaginary circle three times around body of patient with the point always facing toward them.

Pomanders

Pomanders have devolved into an old-fashioned, somewhat archaic craft, typically reserved for Christmas decorations; however, their roots lie in magical healing. Clove-studded citrus fruits (the cloves and orrisroot used to craft the pomander preserve the fruit indefinitely) were used as amulets against illness and were especially popular during infectious epidemic.

Choose a beautiful, healthy orange or grapefruit.

Carefully pierce it with holes: ideally only the rind is pierced, not the underlying fruit.

Stick a clove into each hole.

The above are the mechanics: to actuate a spell, focus on your desired goals while piercing and adding the cloves. Murmur sacred verses, affirmations, and blessings.

Roll the pomander in orrisroot and ground cinnamon.

Tie it up with red ribbons and hang it to repel and remove illness.

Potato Health Presentation Spell

Potatoes possess an absorbing quality, similar to eggs or coconuts. Use this spell to maintain good health or to magically absorb and eliminate lingering minor ailments.

Carry a small potato, such as a fingerling, in your pocket or medicine bag, to ward off disease and other evils.

Carry the potato until it begins to smell, rot or somehow become distasteful. (If you don’t want to touch it, then it’s time to stop carrying it.) Essentially, it’s full like a vacuum bag.

Discard and replace.

Preventive Magic Spell: Pine

Arrange boughs of fresh pine over the bed to dispel illness and enhance healing.

Preventive Magic Spell: Violet

Pick violets in the springtime; dry and preserve them. Place them in a charm bag together with marjoram in the winter to guard against illness.

Radiant Health Oil

Grind and powder angelica root, calendula, eucalyptus, lavender, juniper, and rosemary.

Cover with two parts jojoba oil to one part castor oil.

Carve candles to suit your situation and dress with Radiant Health Oil to achieve and maintain a healthy condition.

Rose of Jericho Water Spell

The Rose of Jericho is also known as the “Resurrection Plant” because of its powers of revival. Let those powers be transferred to you. Rose of Jericho Water provides general vitality and allegedly prevents illness. Experiment and see what it can do.

Once the rose has blossomed, play with it and the water. Touch the rose very gently, let your fingers play in the water, in the meantime praying, petitioning, and visualizing good fortune and radiant health.

Add Rose of Jericho Water to your bath or use it in compresses to bathe the brow.

Russian Witches’ Midsummer’s Hue Haruest Spell (1)

The healing property of herbs is believed greatly empowered if they are gathered on Saint John’s Eve/Midsummer’s Eve or on the following morning. The belief that harvesting botanicals on Midsummer’s Eve increases their magical properties is common to many traditions. The sun is at the height of its power, near the summer solstice, and the plants radiate this increased potency.

Russian witchcraft suggests that following these directions will further empower herbs harvested on Saint John’s Eve. As you venture out to harvest, stop at the threshold of your front door and bow six times toward the sun. Bow an additional six times toward the sun when you’ve reached the plants, just before you gather them.

Russian Witches’ Midsummer’s Eve Harvest Spell (2)

According to Russian folklore, although any herbs are more powerful when picked on Midsummer’s Eve, the most powerful herbs are those gathered on Bald Mountain near Kiev during the witches’ annual revels celebrated there. Venture out to gather herbs, alone, naked, and without fear of any Spirits you may encounter. Ask Earth for her blessings before harvesting herbs.

Saint John’s Eve Healing Spell

Among mugwort’s many nicknames is Saint John’s girdle, causing frequent confusion with Saint John’s Wort. Allegedly John the Baptist wore a girdle (belt) woven from mugwort while in the wilderness. A similar magic belt allegedly provides you with good health.

In time for Saint John’s Eve, weave a magic belt from mugwort, knotting your hopes and intentions into the girdle. Wear it while dancing around the bonfire; at some point before the night ends and the bonfire burns out, toss the belt into the fames to receive a year of good health.

Send the Disease Out to Sea Spell

Every magical tradition on Earth has its personal quirks and predilections that distinguish it from others. Russian magic is characterized by incredibly poetic, evocative word-charm formulas. They are formulaic because the beginning of the chant is standardized, something like the “Once upon a time” or “Once there was and once there wasn’t” traditional beginnings for fairy tales. When you hear those openings, you know you’ve entered the realm of fairy tales. Similarly, these standardized word charms signal that you’ve entered the realm of enchantment. Inevitably the formula allows you an opening at the end to personalize the spell. Chant aloud:

On Earth there is an ocean

In the ocean there is a sea

In the sea there is water

In the water there is an island

On the island is land

On the land is a forest

In the forest there are woods

In the woods there are trees

In the trees there is one tree

On that tree is a bough

On that bough is a branch

On that branch is a creature

That creature is a [name it]

Illness! Go into that _____ [name the creature].

(If you want to diminish it even further, give the creature a parasite.)

Snake Bag

This is a magic evocation of the old-fashioned doctor’s black bag. Wrap the following up in a freely shed snake-skin: adders tongue (not the real thing, the herb), a piece of rattlesnake root, and a snake stone fetish or an image of Medusa’s head. Hang or carry to speed recovery and to maintain good health.

Star Stones

Quartz pebbles are known as “star stones” in ancient British folk tradition.

Search a running stream to find star stones.

Collect nine as well as some water from where they were found.

Boil the stones in the water.

Let the water cool and give some to the patient to drink for nine consecutive mornings.

When the patient recovers, return the star stones to the stream where you found them.

Stinging Nettles Spell

Keep fresh stinging nettles under the patient’s bed. Replace them daily, burning the old nettles.

Sweet Grass Health Protection Spell

Wear sweet grass roots as necklaces or sew them onto blankets and clothing. This Cheyenne charm also allegedly works as a disease preventative.

Three Angels’ Health Spell

Chant:

Three angels stand on the far side of Jordan

One binds, one resolves,

One cries out, Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh!

Continue with further chants and recitations of sacred texts. Tell the three angels what you need.

White Cow Healing Bath Spell

While they remain so in modern India, once upon a time, cows were sacred all around the world. The bull and the cow respectively represented the ideal state of male and female health and vitality. The cow’s healing power was transmitted through her milk. This healing bath is based on the ancient magic traditions of Celtic Ireland and Scotland.

Gently warm milk, ideally from a white cow or a white-faced one.

Pour this into a bowl over dried healing herbs and let them steep together.

Strain out the solids and add the milk to your bath.

Any herbs suitable for your health may be used. For general vitality, try a combination of chamomile, lavender, and rosemary.

White Sage Healing Spell

White sage, indigenous to North America, is considered one of the most potent cleansing and protective botanicals. Once common, it is now endangered; for maximum benefit and to preserve this botanical wonder, grow and use your own. Burn quantities of white sage to magically drive away illness.

Widdershins

“Widdershins” is the ancient word indicating a counter-clockwise motion, the opposite of deasil. When you circle deasil, whatever you are circling remains on your right side; when circling widdershins, what you are circling remains on the left, traditionally the female side. Deasil reflects the circling of the sun; widdershins was associated with the lunar path.

In militantly Christian Europe, widdershins, the left-hand path, became known as the “witch’s way.” Witches were believed to dance widdershins at their nightly revels; spells for contacting fairies involve circling widdershins. To be observed circling a building widdershins was sufficient evidence for charges of witchcraft. In light of the cruelty and terror of the witch craze, circling widdershins may be perceived as an act of defiance against the witch-hunters and an affirmation of the old ways.

Fascinatingly, although other such evidence of witchcraft (brooms, cauldrons, familiars, etc.) has since been embraced, modern Wicca has largely absorbed this Christian prejudice against the left-hand (sinister) motion, associating it with “black magic.” Many covens advise against ever circling widdershins; others recommend it only for banishing spells. In fact, the widdershins motion has traditionally been used to successfully banish and disperse illness.

Walk widdershins around the ailing person or the perceived perimeter of the illness with a torch or asperging material thirteen times.

Witch’s Food Remedy Spell

If you fear your illness is caused by a malevolent, deliberate spell, instead of reversing it and sending it back, in a kind of magical volleyball, use the power of the original spell-caster to remove this hex. (This is particularly effective when one suffers from a malaise or wasting illness that doesn’t respond to conventional cures.)

The magical remedy is to eat and drink some of the witch’s food in his or her own house. Now, this is not about breaking and entering and stealing food from the kitchen. Voluntary participation by both parties is crucial to effect the cure. Request that the person you suspect of casting the spell serve you a meal in their home. There’s no need to explain why, but you can always make up a surreptitious reason. Once upon a time, of course, the implications would have been understood. Traditionally the suspected spell-caster served a simple meal: bread, salt, and cheese. If the person’s health fails to improve, this indicates that the suspect is not the culprit.

Wonder of the World Root

All kinds of magical claims are made for ginseng root, so many that in Hoodoo parlance, it’s known as Wonder of the World root. Consuming this tonic herb reputedly enhances longevity, libido, and performance. Used as an amulet, it allegedly stimulates miracle cures. Wrap it in cloth and place it beneath a patient’s mattress to magically effect recovery.

Woodbine Spell

Create a garland of twining woodbine. Pass the patient through the garland nine times.

Yerba Santa Spells

Erictyon californicum, a California native, is most popularly known as yerba santa, literally “sacred herb.” Another name for this botanical is “bear weed,” indicating its use as a miracle healer.

Yerba Santa Prevention Spell

Wear the herb around your neck to prevent illness and injury.

Yerba Santa Healing Spell

Burn yerba santa in the sick room to disperse disease demons and to psychically empower the ailing person.

Specific Ailments

Asthma

Amber Asthma Spell

Wear amber around your throat to heal asthma and prevent attacks.

Asthma Cherry Spell

Place a lock of your hair within a cherry tree to cure and relieve.

Autism

Lapis Lazuli Charm

Lack of speech or speech disorders may be improved by placing or wearing lapis lazuli over the throat chakra.

Sugilite Charm

The crystal gemstone sugilite allegedly benefits those suffering from autism. Wear or carry as appropriate. If this is unrealistic, place sugilite near the person while he or she sleeps.

Back Problems

Feng Shui Spell

Place a bamboo flute lengthwise, underneath the body, between the box spring and the mattress.

Blood Disorders

This category includes any affliction association with blood including anemia, AIDS, hemophilia, high and low blood pressure, and leukemia.

Bloodstone Healing Spell

Bloodstone is not red but a green stone flecked with red. It gained its name because of its believed affinity for blood. The stone is sacred to Isis and draws its essence from her. It has been used to remedy blood disorders since the time of the ancient Egyptians.

Bloodstone allegedly benefits all disorders of the blood, including halting or minimizing bleeding, both external and internal. Wear or carry it, cleansing and empowering the stone frequently.

Buckle of Isis Spell

Although bloodstone is beneficial in any form, it is most powerful when carved into a Tet amulet, the so-called Buckle of Isis. The amulet represents the healing power of Isis’s sacred blood and may have magical benefits for blood even when not formed from bloodstone. For example, carve a tet amulet onto a red candle. Hold the candle in your hands and charge with your desire, then burn.

Iron Blood Invigoration Spell

Place a horseshoe or other piece of iron under your pillow while you sleep.

Ruby Blood Empowering Spell

Wear rubies to magically strengthen and empower the body’s blood system. Allegedly rubies fade and grow dull when blood is not at optimal health. Wear rubies against your skin to maintain a visual commentary on the state of your blood. (The gemstone itself must be in contact with your flesh; make sure that jewelry setting allow for this.)

Bronchial Complaints

Shave the patient’s hair. Hang this hair on trees and bushes so that the birds will carry it away and put it to good use feathering their nests. Allegedly the illness is transferred with the hair to the birds, which know how to process it in a positive manner.

This is a European spell. There is a school of African-derived magic that specifically warns against birds getting hold of your hair and using it for nests, because it will either give you headaches or make you crazy. Choose which system resonates for you.

Spells for Healing Burns

Out Fire, In Frost Pow-Wow Charm

Murmur the following charm over the burn:

You look east

You look west

You look south

You look north

Three angels appear

One brings fire, one brings frost

Blow out fire!

Blow in frost!

Christian Pow-Wows would conclude this charm with “In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.”

Out Fire, In Frost British Charm

Although the imagery is slightly different and a botanical component is retained, this British spell is recognizably the same as the preceding Pow-Wow charm.

Gather nine bramble leaves.

Place them in spring water.

Murmur over each leaf:

Three ladies came from the east.

One with fire, two with frost

Get out with you fire!

Come in with you frost!

Pass the leaves over the afflicted area. (It’s not necessary for actual physical contact. Passing over the aura is sufficient.)

Topaz Healing Spell

Gently place topaz over the burned or bandaged area. Let your open palmed hand (palm facing the injured area) rest several inches above the topaz and the burn, transmitting healing energy. This allegedly speeds healing.

Bubonic Plague Spells

See also Epidemic/Plague

Opal Safety

Wearing opals allegedly prevents one from succumbing to bubonic plague.

These spells specifically target bubonic plague, not any other kind of infectious disease. A genre of anti-bubonic plague spells, mainly from Eastern Europe and the Balkans, is dependent upon ritually ploughing furrows around the area requiring protection.

Twin Anti-Plague Spell

Identical twin brothers must carve the wooden parts of a plough from the wood of twin trees, preferably ash. These brothers must then plough around the perimeter of the area to be protected, driving identical twin black oxen.

Virginal Ploughing Spell

One dozen naked virgins of each sex must plough the perimeter of the area. Seven circumambulations must be made; no one may glance at anyone of the opposite sex for the duration of the spell or it won’t work.

Children’s Healing Spells

Although any safe, applicable spell may also be used to benefit children, because children are perceived as particularly vulnerable to all sorts of danger, including completely physically-derived illnesses as well as the Evil Eye, certain rituals have evolved specifically for their benefit.

(Spells for the general protection of infants are found in Pregnancy and Childbirth Spells, page 869.)

Bait and Switch

Children’s diseases that resist diagnosis and treatment are sometimes understood as having an underlying spiritual cause: malicious spirits seem unable to leave children alone. This African method of playing bait-and-switch with the spirits is meant to provide a cure.

Make an offering of fragrant food to the spirits. Serve whatever is perceived as appropriate: the key is it must smell tantalizing and alluring. Communication with the disease demons is conducted via aroma.

Quickly, while the spirits are feasting, preoccupied with the food, attach iron ankle bracelets and necklaces with bells to the child. (The feet and the back of the neck are the magical jugular spots.) This prevents re-entry of the spirits. (Any other persons in the home, adults included, should also take precautions so that the now homeless demons have no other venue to go to.)

Blacksmith’s Water Healing Spell

A remedy to cure an ill or debilitated child regardless of the derivation of the illness.

Fill a small vessel with pure water and bring it to a blacksmith, who dips a piece of red-hot iron into it. Give this water to the child to drink.

Briar Rose Healing Spell

According to British folk magic, a very specific type of plant has the power to heal and revitalize a child. The plant must be searched out by the child’s mother, and the child’s mother alone. The spell is only valid if she finds the plant (motherless children are out of luck with this one) and she must look for it and initially locate it completely on her own.

The goal is to find wild roses, briar roses that have bent to ground and become rooted, forming an arch. Once found, the child is then taken to the plant on nine consecutive mornings and passed through the arch each time, for a total of nine distinct passes.

Jade Health Protection Spell

Jade protects against childhood diseases. Place a jade charm on a red cord and have the child wear it around the neck. (If the jade’s cut into auspicious shapes, it’s even more powerful.)

The Licking Cure

Do you suspect that a child’s illness is really a manifestation of bewitchment? The following spell attempts to break the spell with the magical vitality transmitted through saliva.

Lick the child’s forehead upward, then across, then up again. Spit behind the child’s back. If you taste the distinct flavor of salt, this indicates that the diagnosis of enchantment is correct, however, further, stronger action may then be beneficial.

Magic Pin and Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is often teasingly referred to as “mother’s magic.” This Italian spell, however, creates a soup that serves as a spell remedy for a bewitched child, whose enchantment is characterized by a lingering illness that will not depart.

Reserve the liver but make soup from the rest of a chicken.

Stick the liver full of pins and put it in a casserole dish together with the sick child’s shirt, preferably an undershirt.

Simmer them in the chicken broth until you hear the ringing of steel, the chiming of bells or singing. If you hear any one of those sounds, the spell has been broken. Your ritual is complete.

If after three days none of these sounds has been heard, a spell was indeed set, but very professionally: it’s beyond home repair. Call in a professional.

Padlock Spell

An ailing or particularly vulnerable child may be held to Earth with an iron padlock charm worn on a red cord around the neck. Of course, every parent perceives their child as being particularly vulnerable, so what was once an emergency measure became stylish. Ornate tiny padlock charms, formed from gold or other precious metals, will perform a similar function; however, for utmost magic power the padlock should be formed from either iron or peach-wood.

Poisonous Five Healing Spell

A Chinese ritual specifically protects female children from illness.

Decorate red paper flowers with images of the Poisonous Five: snake, scorpion, lizard, toad, and centipede. (In addition to being venomous creatures, these animals are fertility emblems as well; creatures that can survive, thrive, and multiply under the worst circumstances.) Attach these to the child’s hair.

Soul Calling (1) Coma and Convulsions

This Chinese-derived ritual, now spread throughout Eastern Asia, is used for a child in a coma or child suffering convulsions. This is really a shamanic method and, in theory, those who could afford them would hire a professional soul-caller. However, this has also (if only out of necessity) been accomplished by families for themselves for centuries. The method is dependent upon the belief that the affliction ultimately derives from soul loss—loss of a piece of the soul, usually in response to sudden severe shock or fright—and thus cannot be really cured until that piece of soul is retrieved.

Call the child’s name. Then something to the effect of “wherever you’re having fun, come home now!” Or “wherever you’re scared and hiding, it’s safe to come out, come back now!”

Assure the child that they will not be in trouble, bribe them, whatever would be most effective for your child. This may be done at home but traditionally, especially for a child in a coma, soul-calling was performed by walking streets calling for the child.

If you’re walking the streets calling the child, a second person follows announcing that he or she has returned. (Whether there has been improvement or not: this can be understood as positive visualization and affirmation.) Some suggest bringing the child with them and/or the child’s favorite clothes: the clothes call the child.

Soul Calling (2) Failure to Thrive

In contemporary Taiwan, soul-loss is blamed for a child’s listlessness, fretfulness, or sickliness. The proverbial “failure to thrive” may actually be a sign of soul-loss. This is confirmed if you can identify a moment of intense fright that precipitated the decline.

If you suspect that the soul was driven out by fright:

Return the child to the scene of the initial fright.

Perform soul-calling rituals.

Bring favorite toys or clothes to lure the soul back.

Cholera Spells

The Romany Disease Spirit Bibi may also bring or heal tuberculosis and typhoid fever but cholera is her primary manifestation. Her euphemistic name literally means “Aunt.” In addition to her manifestation as the disease, Bibi also appear as a tall, thin woman dressed in red with long black hair and bare feet, sometimes accompanied by two small girls, her daughters, and two white lambs. Bibi may also manifest as a hen: each of her accompanying chicks represents a different disease.

Those who actively honor and venerate her believe themselves able to either avoid her diseases or to receive a cure, if afflicted. This active veneration is not only insurance against illness; Bibi allegedly draws prosperity to her devotees too.

The key towards propitiating Bibi comes from her notorious love of immaculately clean houses. There are two ways to approach this:

Keep your house really spotless so that she will be pleased and not harm you

Keep your house incredibly messy. Bibi will be so appalled she’ll move on and have nothing to do with you, sparing you the disease

Bibi Healing Spell

To exorcise Bibi (in other words, heal and eliminate the disease):

Take dirt from a stranger’s grave, an insect found within the crevice of a tombstone and a heap of small grains (wheat, millet, barley, or similar).

Mix these with water taken from three different wells at the midnight hour.

At sunrise, bathe the sick person with this mixture, reserving the water.

Blend this water with fresh clean water taken from a running stream, placing the blended waters in a bottle, jar, or other container.

Whoever is responsible for administering the cure takes this container outside, travels a distance from the patient via a circuitous route, then faces east, still holding the liquid, and utters an incantation giving Bibi back the disease she owns and has caused.

Throw the liquid on the ground.

Do not return via the same route.

Bibi’s Prevention Spell

Set a table with a white cloth.

Serve white cake.

Each participant is given a slice of cake in exchange for an offering to Bibi.

Don’t eat the cake but preserve it for an emergency as it has magical healing powers, especially beneficial for children, for whom cholera is an extremely dangerous disease.

Light candles and incense.

Place all Bibi’s offerings on an altar or underneath it.

Have a party in Bibi’s honor: eat, drink, toast her, and request her blessings.

Slavic Cholera Spell

This Slavic ritual is intended to stop an outbreak of cholera; however, it may also be effective against other plagues. This ritual is for women only. Although men will ultimately benefit from the ritual’s success, they are not allowed to participate or even witness the ritual, on pain of death.

At midnight, nine virgins and three widowed crones, who are at least temporarily celibate, go to the outskirts of town. (Other women are welcome and encouraged to join them.)

There the core group undresses down to their shifts, slips, and undergarments. The widows cover their hair with white shawls or turbans while the virgins wear their hair loose.

A plough is hitched to one crone and driven by another.

The nine virgins carry scythes.

The remaining crone carries animal bones and skulls.

The procession circumambulates the perimeter of town, ploughing a furrow to permit the Earth spirits to emerge and fight off disease. A noisy, raucous atmosphere is encouraged; the women should chant and sing and howl.

Common Cold

Amber Temperature Control Spell

Minimize and ward off chills by wearing tightly beaded amber necklaces. Amber is believed to absorb body heat and retain it, thus magically creating a balancing effect.

Ruby Water Spell

Astrologically aligned with the sun, rubies are believed to radiate hot red cosmic rays that cure illnesses caused and aggravated by cold. Steep a ruby in a clean vessel filled with pure, spring water. Remove the ruby and drink the water.

Ruby crystal gemstone elixir (Alaska Flower Remedies) may be substituted, although do not exceed the manufacturer’s recommended dosage. Wearing a ruby is also supposed to help.

Ruby Water is also recommended for anemia and other ailments associated with blood, including circulatory deficiencies, low (but not high, which it will aggravate) blood pressure, infertility, and (my favorite) stupidity.

Digestive Disorders

Gimme a Pig-foot Spell

Go to a butcher and buy a pig-foot. Take it home.

Boil the pig-foot until the meat is so tender, it falls from the bone.

Do with the meat whatever you will: eat it, give it to the cat, throw it away but strip it clean to the bone because that’s what you really want.

Wash the bone well, dry it, and then rub your abdomen with it in a clockwise motion.

Repeat as needed.

Moonwater Healing Potion

Place sacred objects in an iron cauldron or glass bowl.

Cover them with pure spring water.

Expose this water to moonlight overnight.

In the morning drink the water or use it to bathe with.

Although this spell is specifically recommended for digestive disorders, it may be beneficial for other health ailments as well.

Epidemics/Plagues

This category covers the entire gamut of infectious disease. These spells target any infectious disease capable of instilling fear in the collective heart of a population.

A large percentage of epidemic-oriented spells involve fumigation and the magical plant angelica. Fumigation (burning botanicals as incense on a grand scale) is one of the primary tools against epidemic. Its basic use is similar to private fumigations performed as personal cleansing ritual spells, but on a much grander scale. When plague and epidemic threatened a city, fumigations were frequently government-sponsored. Metaphysical wisdom suggests that an invisible aura of illness surrounds and emanates from the ailing person, like a malevolent, infectious force-field. To prevent infection and the spread of epidemic, this aura must be contained and eliminated. Fumigations, magic via the element of air, pervade the atmosphere and help contain this destructive aura.

During London’s Great Plague, massive fumigations were undertaken using sulfur and saltpeter, with ambergris added to improve what must have been an unbearable scent. (If you feel the need to reproduce this formula, substitute labdanum resin for ambergris; however, be aware it’s not advisable to inhale sulfur fumes. Consider Dr. Atkinson’s Formula first; see page 536.)

Many, if not most, anti-epidemic spells feature angelica, the botanical named in honor of the angel who first demonstrated its magical anti-epidemic properties.

Be warned—do not use wildcraft angelica. It resembles a species of hemlock and mistakes have been made. Harvest only from a home garden where its identity is secure, or purchase it from reputable vendors.

Angelica Spells

According to legend, in the midst of a terrible, lingering plague, an angel appeared to a monk in a dream and showed him a botanical remedy guaranteed to rout the plague and heal the ill. It worked and the root was named angelica or archangel root in the angel’s honor. General consensus says Michael, humanity’s defender, was responsible for this angelic intervention, although a few dissenting voices insist that it was Raphael, God’s healer.

Angelica is a frequent component of magical healing spells. Add angelica root to Four Thieves Vinegar, in addition to the four ingredients reserved for each thief, especially in times of genuine epidemic. Angelica root may also be carried as an amulet, to promote healing and preserve health.

Angelica was considered a primary weapon against periodic epidemics of infectious disease or plague, as this formula from Great Britain demonstrates:

Angelica Potion (1) The King’s Majesty’s Excellent Recipe for Plague

Angelica water

Treacle

Nutmeg

Simmer over heat and serve to plague victims twice daily. Modern experimenters may wish to substitute angelica hydrosol for angelica water, for increased potency.

Angelica Potion (2)

Many modern liqueurs and cordials originated as healing potions, many formulated by monks. Angelica is a frequent ingredient. It was a primary component of the banned liqueur absinthe, the inspiration for Baudelaire, Toulouse-Lautrec, and so many French painters and poets. (Angelica wasn’t the controversial component, which was wormwood, a herb with narcotic properties.) Angelica is also a flavoring agent in Benedictine, Chartreuse, and vermouth. A simple angelica liqueur, for healing purposes of course, is easily concocted, providing you have a little patience.

The ingredients are as follows:

Three green cardamoms

Five anise or fennel seeds

One teaspoon dried marjoram

One-sixteenth teaspoon dried allspice

One-sixteenth teaspoon ground cinnamon

One-sixteenth teaspoon ground coriander

One-sixteenth teaspoon ground star anise

An angelica root or dried ground angelica

A shot of vodka plus one cup of vodka

One half cup of sugar syrup

Optional: Green food coloring

Grind the cardamoms and anise or fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle.

Add the dried herbs and grind them all together. It’s not necessary for the powder to be overly fine.

Place the powder in a glass jar or bottle with tight fitting lid.

Add the shot of vodka, seal the bottle and let it sit in a dark, cool, quiet place for one week.

After a week, strain through cheesecloth and discard the solids.

Blend the reserved liquid with one cup of vodka and one-half cup of sugar syrup, stirring to dissolve the syrup.

Place this in a bottle or jar with a tight-fitting lid and let it rest undisturbed in a cool, quiet, dark place for two weeks.

Strain the liquid through cheesecloth once more.

Begin to add bits of angelica until the desired flavor is achieved.

Put this in a bottle or jar with a tight fitting lid and let it sit undisturbed in a cool, quiet, dark place for two months.

Taste it. Add more vodka, sugar syrup or extract of angelica if desired.

Tint with food coloring if desired.

Adjust the proportions of spices to suit personal taste.

Angelica Spell (3): Dr. Atkinson’s Formula

Dr. Atkinson’s Formula, a remedy used during the Great Plague of London, combines the principle of fumigation with angelica’s magic power.

Powder dried angelica roots. (You can purchase them already powdered, which will save time and effort; however, the advantage of powdering your own roots is the sure knowledge that you have the correct botanical and the ability to grind intent into spell.)

Steep the powdered angelica in white vinegar for three or four days.

Pour the liquid into a pan and heat gently.

Use it as an inhalation, and to fumigate auras, clothing, people, and rooms.

Amethyst Amulet

Wearing amethysts allegedly offers magical protection against plague. Spiritually cleanse the amethysts frequently.

Beeswax Epidemic Prevention Spell

Prevention is always the best medicine. The metaphysical wisdom of the Andaman Islanders suggests that the scent of beeswax offends those demons responsible for epidemics.

Burn beeswax candles

Maintain blocks of beeswax or beeswax candles in the home. The aroma is strong (and pleasing to most) even without burning

The Andaman prescription is to dip stakes into melted beeswax. Stick them into the ground around the home to serve as guards and sentries

Cornelius Agrippa’s Magical Recommendations Master magician Cornelius Agrippa, although not formally trained as a physician, served much of his life in that capacity. Agrippa won renown for remaining to treat patients during epidemics while other doctor’s fled. Luckily for his patients, Agrippa didn’t follow his own number one tip for staying healthy during an epidemic: if at all possible, get out of town until all danger has passed. For those, like him, who must stay in town, Agrippa had other magical recommendations.

Agrippa’s Bath Spell

If it is not possible to leave town until the epidemic has abated, bathe with combined vinegar and rosewater.

Agrippa’s Vapor Spell

Simmer rue in vinegar. Allow the vapors to permeate home and clothing.

Epidemic Hex

Wind spirits have been associated with danger from various sources, including disease, since at least the Mesopotamians, indicating at least some consciousness of conventional theories of contagion. This spell takes advantage of an infectious situation to send a hex.

Wait until the wind is blowing in the right direction, i.e., toward the one the curse is intended for. Pick up a handful of dust, dirt or snow and blow it into the wind, chanting:

“Wind! Wind! Blind [Name] child of [Name].” Describe explicitly what you want done. Typically someone is targeted with the effects of a current airborne epidemic.

Four Thieves Magic Bath

Add Four Thieves Vinegar to the tub in quantities proportionate to how threatened you feel by the epidemic. Repeat daily until the threat has passed.

Four Thieves Quick-Fix Bath

Soak a handkerchief in Four Thieves Vinegar and cleanse the body with it, with motions moving up and in (bringing the protection into the body) rather than down and out.

Gentian Epidemic Spell

Legend has it that a king of Hungary used belomancy (divination by arrows) to end a rampaging plague. He shot an arrow into the air with a prayer that it would lead him to a cure. The arrow was found in a gentian bush and indeed, the legend says, gentian cured the plague. Gentian is traditionally crafted into liqueurs, some of which may still bear a medicinal reputation, however easier magical methods exist. Dry gentian and hang it in the home to preserve against illness.

Hyssop Spell

Hyssop, sacred herb of the ancient Greeks and Hebrews, was used for ritual cleansings but also to forestall epidemics. It was once used as a strewing herb for this purpose; however, the practice of covering one’s floors with botanical material is a fashion not likely to be revived. Instead, keep hyssop above your head: place bunches of hyssop over doors, windows, and room thresholds to prevent entry of infectious disease. Carry small hyssop bouquets if you must venture out.

Iron Nail Spell

The Romans believed themselves to be descendants of a priestess of Mars and perhaps children of that divinity, too. Certainly they were under his protection. Thus in times of trouble, they turned to iron, the metal ruled by Mars, to prevent plagues and illness. Of course with so many vulnerable to disease, there wasn’t enough forge water to go round. The Romans discovered a protective measure, viable for all: at the first sign of illness, or whenever fear strikes, drive an iron nail into the wall.

This practice bears similarity to the Hoodoo technique of nailing Indian Head pennies to a wall to serve as “watchers.” Indian Head pennies serve as symbolic “Indian scouts,” alert for danger. However, it’s possible that the iron nails used to fix them may be what activates and empowers the coins.

Magical Anti-plague “Perfume”

This sixteenth-century European formula is built on a foundation of that luck-bringing fragrance Chypre. Remember that until recently, fragrances were frequently sold in the form of powders, rather than alcohol-based liquids. The word perfume itself literally means “through fire.” What the folks then understood as perfume would today be described as fragrant incense.

Begin with powdered Chypre and then add the following ingredients: aloes wood, ambrette seed, cloves, elder, frankincense, juniper, mace, mastic pearls, myrrh, nutmeg, rue, and wormwood.

Blend all ingredients well, using a mortar and pestle. The ingredients are a combination of dried botanicals and gum resins. Once blended, a sort of paste should form. Adjust proportions until the material holds together; if it’s too dry, add more of the resins.

Form the blend into little cakes.

Burn it to perfume, fumigate, and magically cleanse a room and its inhabitants.

Mugwort Anti-infection Spell

Hang mugwort over entry doors to ward off infectious disease and epidemics.

Papua New Guinea Semen/Coconut Remedy Spell

Grate some coconut into a dish. Mix it with a little semen and feed it to those wishing to receive magical safety from the epidemic. (Presumably whose semen is served affects the likelihood of the spell’s success.)

Scarlet Pimpernel

Scarlet pimpernel’s other name is “Cure All.” Make a chain of scarlet pimpernel and hang it to ward off epidemics and pestilential disease.

Thyme Anti-infection Spell

Thyme’s name derives from the Greek thumos, “to smoke” or “fumigate.” Burn thyme so that its aroma permeates an area to ward off infectious disease.

VSR Spell

Allegedly born in 1293, Saint Roche spent much of his lifetime nursing plague victims. After death, this saint developed a magical reputation for warding off epidemics and performing miracle cures. Place the letters “VSR,” for “Vive Saint Roche,” above doorways to guard against infectious disease in general, and cholera in particular.

Eye Disorders

Amazonite Healing Water Spell

Place an amazonite crystal gemstone in pure spring water overnight. Use the water to bathe sore, weak eyes.

Emerald Green Stone Spell

Green stones are allegedly beneficial for weakness of the eyes. Ancient craftsmen, the engravers whose work was so demanding on the eyes, kept green stones (preferably an emerald) on their workbenches so that they could periodically rest their eyes to refresh and protect them. This may be beneficial for those who labor long hours in front of a computer screen or in any other profession that threatens to render you blind.

Emerald-green Eyes

Steep an emerald in spring water overnight, exposed to moonlight ideally. Use the water as an eye-wash to heal and strengthen eyes.

Eye Pain Transference Spell

This Hungarian healing charm must be chanted while standing barefoot on bare Earth. It was originally intended to diminish eye pain and discomfort; however, the chant may be amended for any other part afflicted with pain. Adjust as necessary.

I have two eyes.

I have two feet.

Pain from my eyes, go into my feet!

Go from my feet,

Go into Earth!

Go from the Earth,

Go into death!

Iron Flower Water Spell

For weary eyes and to relieve eye strain:

Fill a cast iron pot with spring water and set it to boil.

Add nine grains of barley, nine elderflowers, and nine sprigs of rue.

Let these botanicals simmer for fifteen minutes, then allow the water to cool.

Dip a white cloth in the cooled liquid and make a compress to place over the eyes.

Then place the barley, elder, and rue on top of the compress and relax.

Midsummer’s Eve Eye Potion

Midsummer’s Eve dew allegedly possesses special powers and is believed especially beneficial for afflicted eyes. Collect dew from plants gathered on Midsummer’s Eve.

Use this dew as safe and appropriate for healing and soothing afflicitions of the eyes.

Midsummer’s Larkspur Spell

Look at Midsummer’s bonfires through larkspur flowers to strengthen eyesight.

Saint Lucy Eye Spell

Saint Lucy may be a Christian martyr. She may also be Juno Lucina hiding behind a respectable mask. She may be both. According to legend, Saint Lucy, determined to remain chaste and never to wed, tore out her eyes to discourage a suitor. Her plan worked: the horrified suitor high-tailed it out of there, she maintained her virginity, and God was so impressed at her determination that he not only restored her vision but also gave her the power to cure eye diseases, including those caused by the Evil Eye. Petition her for any assistance needed.

Dedicate white candles to Saint Lucy: one for an affliction in one eye, two for both eyes, and five candles arranged in the shape of a cross for the Evil Eye.

Hold something that represents eyes in your hands and charge it with your purpose. Use eye beads, glass marbles, an eye milagro, or an Eye of Horus charm. A photograph or a homemade drawing of an eye works, too.

Place this “eye” beside the candles.

Once the candles burn down, post or carry the eye as a healing, empowering charm.

Shabriri Spell

This Jewish formula can either be posted as an amulet, or recited. It benefits vision (and water-borne illnesses, among others), and in this instance it must be recited rather than written. A person in danger of losing vision says:

My mother told me to beware of

Willow Spell

Charge a sprig of willow and wear it in your hair to help stave off blindness.

“Female Problems” Magical Remedies

A historic euphemism for what could be called reproductive disorders except that this assumes desire to reproduce. Spells specifically targeting reproduction (pregnancy, enhanced fertility, healing infertility, and miscarriage) may be located in the sections on Fertility Spells and Pregnancy Spells. The following spells target health disorders in the reproductive region regardless of any desire for fertility or the lack thereof.

Bloodstone Menstrual Health Spell

Bloodstone, the gemstone identified with Isis, is recommended for menstrual problems by many healers including Hildegard of Bingen. Wear around the neck or, most powerfully, suspended around the hips.

Other red stones can also be very beneficial: string red stones or beads on red cord or a silver chain long enough to wear as belt. Cornelian, red coral, rubies, and garnets are all suitable. Just look for the color red.

Buckle of Isis Menstrual Spell

The Egyptian tet amulet is especially helpful when carved from bloodstone, a crystal under the dominion of Isis. Euphemistically known as the buckle of Isis, the tet represents the goddess’s menstrual pad, soaked with her talismanic blood. Wear one or carry it in a red bag.

The shape of the tet amulet holds its own magic powers, even without bloodstone.

Using henna paste, draw a tet amulet over the abdominal region or on the thighs.

Drowned Doll Spell

This Hungarian spell is intended for women’s reproductive area disorders, though it could be adjusted toward any other condition, if desired. The spell presupposes that you can name your ailment. If unable to do so, you can still do the spell; just adjust the incantation.

Take nine pieces of white cloth. Manipulate each by folding, knotting or tearing into a small doll, so that at the end you have nine small dolls.

Go to a river carrying the dolls under your skirt or tucked into your underwear near your groin

Slip each doll into the water, one by one, while chanting:

Dolls, swim away!

[Malady: identify it with a name] swim away!

[Malady] Don’t come back until I fish these dolls from the water.

Mermaid’s Healing Blood Spell

Coral is sometimes understood metaphysically as the ocean’s menstrual blood—or the collective menstrual blood of mermaids—with great potential for healing and protection.

Wear smooth coral beads or charms, ideally red, near the groin area to stabilize and regulate menstrual flow and ease discomfort or pain.

Mugwort Moon Spell

Mugwort flower essence remedy (FES) may be used to coordinate one’s own menstrual cycle with the moon. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for internal administration or add to massage oils and baths.

Nopales Ovarian Health Spell

Nopales are cactus paddles. Produce markets often sell them, with prickles removed to be pickled or added to salad. Use them to assist healing ovarian difficulties. Soak nopales in gently warmed olive oil and place these over the ovaries as compresses.

Oshun’s Women’s Healing Spell

Depending upon the legend, Oshun is either Yemaya’s daughter or sister. She specifically has dominion over the abdominal area, including all female reproductive organs. Petition her for healing. Offer Oshun a glass of pure spring water and a dish of honey, tasting the honey before giving to her. Light five golden candles and request her assistance.

Ovarian Shield Spells

According to metaphysical wisdom ovarian disorders are linked to intense criticism, whether from others or self-criticism. Every sharp criticism is an arrow aimed straight at the ovaries. Erect a psychic shield.

Dilute one drop of rose attar into sweet almond oil and massage it over the ovarian region, for protection and to promote self-love and acceptance

Make a magic girdle: string charms, amulets, and cowrie shells on red cord

Place red or quartz crystals over the area. Visualize a shield that lingers after the crystals are removed

Red Roses Menstrual Spell

This spell, intended to bring on a period or to stabilize the menstrual cycle, must be performed when roses are in bloom. Wash all over with rose water, then toss your used bathwater over a blooming rose bush. (Obviously, red roses are ideal.)

Serpentine Magic Belt

Snakes are the animals that represent healing in general, but they are specifically affiliated with women’s reproductive health.

Obtain a freely shed snakeskin. Because this spell essentially requests blessings from the Serpent Realm, it’s vital that the skin not be gained by force. People with pet snakes have ready access to the skin; animal shelters and zoos may provide them, too.

Wear this skin as a belt against naked skin, draped around the afflicted area, for healing and regeneration.

Triple Leaf-Triple Goddess Spell

A three-leaf clover represents the three stages of a woman’s life: maiden, mother, and crone. Carry a real one or a replica charm as a talisman for optimum health at all stages.

Uterine Creativity Unblocking Spell (1) Athena’s Healing Spell

Metaphysically, uterine problems are thought linked to suppressed or repressed creativity—creativity with no outlet for expression. In conjunction with whatever treatment is taken, consider what avenue of creativity may be blocked. Start a project. If you draw a blank and are sure you don’t have frustrated desires or don’t know how to begin, build an altar to Athena, Deity of Crafts and Creativity.

Decorate an altar with images of snakes, gorgon’s heads, spiders, looms, and olive leaves.

Offer Athena a glass of retsina and a dish of olive oil.

Burn white candles and make your appeal.

Uterine Creativity Unblocking Spell (2) Brigid’s Healing Spell

The prominent Celtic divinity Brigid is affiliated with water, fire, fertility, smithcraft, and human creativity. She is a sponsor of writing and poetry. Request that she unblock your creativity and simultaneously heal your health disorder.

Request her assistance for stalled projects or build her an altar to request inspiration.

Decorate her altar with burning candles and dishes of magically charged waters.

Display images of cows, pigs, bees, and bee-hives.

Offer Brigid a bowl of milk and blackberries.

Uterine Creativity Unblocking Spell (3) Nine Muses Spell

For further magical assistance with uterine disorders:

Build a shrine to the muses. Let this be a work in progress.

Each muse represents a different human art: give each one something applicable to her area of concern or, better yet, create it for her, mining and discovering your own talents.

Burn a candle for each muse and petition for your healing.

Yemaya’s Female Recovery Spell

The orisha Yemaya has dominion over all women’s issues, therefore she may be petitioned for renewed and rejuvenated health. Offer her a glass of water with sea salt and a slice of pound cake covered with dark molasses. Dedicate a blue seven-day candle to Yemaya and tell her what you need.

Fever

Today, the term “fever” very specifically refers to elevated body temperature. Once upon a time, medical terminology wasn’t necessarily as specific as it is today. Spells for fever target a whole host of ailments united only by a shared tendency towards elevated temperature. These spells are indicated for any ailment that even loosely falls under that category, including outbreaks of flu.

ABRACADABRA!

Perhaps the most famous spell in the world still retains its mysteries. What does the word mean? Various theories regarding its derivation are offered and hotly debated. Is it related to the Gnostic Spirit, Abraxas, recalled fondly by fans of Hermann Hesse’s novel, Steppenwolf? Is it from the Chaldean abbada ke dabra, “perish like the word?” Is it derived from Hebrew Abreq ad Habra, “hurl your thunderbolt even unto death,” or is it a corruption of the Hebrew words bracha (“blessing”) and dabar (“action, word”)? Maybe it’s none of the above but the name of a now-forgotten spirit.

Despite its modern usage as a joke magical word charm, something like hocus pocus or bippety-boppety-boo, Abracadabra is, in fact, a written charm intended to provide physical healing. It is the most famous of a series of diminishing word charms, most common to Semitic magic. Presumably, as the word diminishes, so does the fever, pain, or illness.

Instructions appear in the first written reference to the spell in the second century CE, from Quintus Serenus Sammonicus, the personal physician to the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus. For relief from fever:

Inscribe the word “abracadabra” on parchment or metal lamella.

Attach this word charm to a piece of flax long enough to be worn around the patient’s neck.

The charm must be worn around the neck for nine days then thrown away over the left shoulder into water flowing east.

Tips for writing “abracadabra:”

Write neatly and carefully, focusing on intention as you write. Don’t let your mind wander

The letters are not supposed to touch each other

Abracadabra is believed most effective when written with Hebrew letters because the word in Hebrew contains nine letters, nine being the supreme number of power

There are various methods of using the charm. The inverted triangle is recommended for fever:

An upward facing triangle is used to heal and relieve asthma:

Abracadabra may also be written as a parallelogram, consisting of two triangles, for enhanced healing and empowerment:

Abrakala Spell

This is another word fever charm. This one is written and worn around the sufferer’s neck like an amulet. The concept is to build heat to the breaking point and then gradually diminish it in a controlled, safe manner.

Ab Abr Abra Abrak Abraka

Abrakal Abrakala Abrakal

Abraka Abra Abra Ab Ab

And the people called unto Moses

And Moses prayed to God and the fire abated

May healing come from heaven for all kinds of fever and consumption, heat and pain

To [name] child of [name]

Amen Amen Amen

Selah Selah Selah

Berber Healing Spell

Blend and grind bay laurel leaves, pennyroyal, rosemary, and thyme.

Sprinkle on lit charcoals or burn on a brazier.

Fumigate the patient and his or her immediate environment. This allegedly breaks the fever and promotes healing.

(Note: this spell is NOT safe for pregnant women.)

Chelidonious Spell

Wrap a chelidonius gemstone in yellow linen. Wear it around the neck to soothe and heal fevers.

Chili Pepper Fever Spell

Break two chili peppers each in half.

Place them on an old cloth.

Sprinkle them with black mustard seeds and tamarind.

Wrap up the packet, knotting it shut.

Pass this over the afflicted person three times.

Have him or her spit on the bundle three times.

Throw the packet into a fire.

Coconut Cooling Spell

Coconut juice (not the milk squeezed from the flesh, but the actual coconut liquid) is believed to have cooling properties. These properties may be enhanced by chanting sacred verses.

Cut a small hole in a coconut.

This spell derives from Malaysia so Koranic verses are traditionally recited, especially Surah XXXVI. The crucial point is to imbue the liquid with blessings and protection. Choose verses or texts that best suit your purposes and philosophy. Murmur it over the liquid.

The patient then drinks the liquid, straight from the coconut if possible.

Cross of Caravaca Fever Relief

Allegedly, replicas of the miracle Cross of Caravaca will break a fever. Accompany with prayer, petition, and recitation of psalms. Have the afflicted party hold the cross in his right hand; if this is not possible, lay it on his chest.

Egg Fever Spell

Gently rub the feverish person’s entire naked body with a whole raw egg. When the massage is complete, bury the egg within cool living water (a stream or lake) or place it in the icebox, to cool off the body.

Fever Drainage Spell

Place a piece of amber in the patient’s hand. Amber allegedly drains a fever, breaking it.

Henna Fever Removal Spell

Henna is believed to crave heat. Traditionally, while the person whose hands have been decorated waits for the henna paste to dry, she will place her hands near a source of heat (a candle, a brazier filled with coals, a cup of tea) so that the henna can draw in the heat and become empowered. Because henna loves heat, it absorbs it and so serves the function of a cooling plant. This can be meant very literally. Henna is considered an excellent fever remedy because it will allegedly suck out the heat.

Mix it with water to create a paste and apply this to the forehead of the feverish person. (Any resulting reddish color is considered very auspicious and protective.)

Roll henna paste into a small ball, so that the feverish person, especially a child, may hold it in the hand for relief

Herod’s Daughter’s Fever Spells

In Russian magic, fever demons are personified as the daughters (sometimes the sisters) of Herod. The numbers vary: there may be forty sisters, seven sisters or seventy-seven daughters, although a dozen daughters is the most popular version. These magical sisters or daughters bear no relation to historical facts about King Herod’s family. For what it’s worth, they do, however, resemble the legendary demonic daughters of Lilith, who is sometimes identified with Herod’s wife, Herodias. (In other legends Lilith is unable to bear children at all.)

Herod’s Dozen Daughters Spell (1)

Each one of Herod’s twelve daughters manifests disease in a slightly different fashion. Once upon a time, spirit workers examined the patient, plying them with questions, in order to determine which daughter was responsible so that they could prescribe a cure. Allegedly the daughters as a group will cause no harm where they see their names posted, similar to a famous legend regarding Lilith. (See Childbirth Spells, page 854.)

To dispel and ward off fevers, find or create an image of a gorgon’s head with twelve snake tresses. Write the names of Herod’s daughters on or beside this image and post it prominently on the wall. The daughters are:

Neveia (identified with Salome)

Gladeia

Glukheia

Gneteia

Grynusha

Korkusha

Ledeia

Lomeia

Ogneia

Pukhneia

Triaseia

Zhelteia

Herod’s Dozen Daughters Spell (2)

Another method of appeasing Herod’s dozen daughters is to pay them off.

Bake twelve pies (you determine the size).

Wrap each pie individually in fabric.

Leave them at a crossroads saying, “Here you go, twelve daughters! This is for you. Now leave me alone.”

Depart without attracting the attention of anyone.

Repeat as the situation demands.

Herod’s Seventy-Seven Greedy Daughters Spell

This spell subscribes to the notion that there are seventy-seven daughters. Steps 1—4 must be accomplished before sunset. Unlike many illness spells, it’s assumed that the afflicted party will perform this spell for him or herself.

To heal a fever, collect and blend water from three distinct sources.

Place the water in an iron pot and hard boil an egg in it.

Cut this egg into seventy-seven pieces.

Tie these pieces up into a cloth.

At sunset, take the packet to a river or stream.

Throw it over your left shoulder, without looking, into the water flowing away from you.

Mutter how you wish the fever would leave you.

Go home without looking back, because if you catch the sisters in action not only will the spell not work, there could be further danger. Allegedly as soon as the packet hits the water, the sisters will each fight for their individual share of the egg. In the feeding frenzy, the victim is forgotten and the fever can disperse.

Isis Healing Spell

Isis, the Egyptian Mistress of Magic, is so all-powerful and all-knowing that she may be appealed to for any cause. Her myth contains specific references to healing. On two occasions, one to heal her own son Horus, Isis saves children from deadly scorpion stings. This healing invocation makes reference to that myth. It’s intended to minimize or eliminate fever.

Oh Isis, Great of Magic,

Free me, liberate me.

Release me from all evil red things, from the fever of the god and the fever of the goddess,

From death and death from pain and the pain that comes over me

As you freed, as you released your son Horus

Free me, liberate me

As I enter into the fire and go forth from the water.

Ochnotinos Spell

Another fever-diminishing word charm, like “abracadabra.” This one allegedly refers to a fever demon, with the theory being that one diminishes a fever by diminishing a fever demon’s name. However, unlike abracadabra, this spell is not a written charm but is said aloud, with the final sibilant hissed like a fierce, healing, protective snake:

Ochnotinus Candle Spell

The “ochnotinus” diminishing fever charm has been adapted to a candle spell.

Starting near the top, inscribe a red candle with the OCHNOTINUS fever charm.

Burn the candle. When it has burnt down past the final “s,” quench the candle with ice water for magic fever relief.

Onion Fever Relief

Place a cut onion beneath the bed to relieve fevers. Replace it daily until all threat has passed.

River Spirit Spell

This spell pays off the river spirits so that they’ll remove a fever. It may easily be combined with a doll spell, similar to that on page 516. Before sunrise, place a coin on the stream bank (or toss it in) with the water going away from you (or the ill person). Let the water carry away the disease.

Although this spell was originally intended to remove a fever, it may also be used to remove other illnesses, too.

Saint Martha the Dominator Fever Spell

Saint Martha the Dominator may be appealed to for assistance and protection from fevers.

Carve a green candle with your name, birthday, identifying information, and your desire.

Dress it with Martha the Dominator Oil.

Place a small dragon charm near the candle as it burns. (If you craft your own candles, metal dragon charms may also be hidden inside the candle.)

Burn the candle. Once it burns down, carry the dragon as a protective amulet.

Stinging Nettles Fever Relief Spell

This spell is traditionally cast by one person on another’s behalf:

Dispel fever by pulling up a stinging nettle by its roots using your hand rather than a gardening tool.

While holding the plant, chant or sing aloud the name of the feverish party, his or her parents and any other ancestors whose name you know. (Patient and parents are required; the others are extra enhancement.) Allegedly the fever should break.

Headache/Migraine

Amethyst Headache Remedy

Because of amethyst’s associations with Dionysus and alcohol (see Banishing Spells, page 127), presumably this magical cure is especially beneficial for those morning-after headaches.

Immerse an amethyst in moderately hot water for seven minutes.

Gently pat it dry.

Carefully rub the amethyst over affected areas plus the back of the neck.

Because rubies are believed to have a unarming effect on the body, it’s recommended that ruby jewelry be removed from those suffering fever.

Athena’s Olive Leaf Headache Spell

Athena was born not from a woman, but from her father Zeus’s head. His labor pains took the form of a pounding explosive headache. Summoned to perform a healing, Hephaistos, the divine smith, took his axe and split Zeus’ head open. Out popped Athena, fully grown and fully armed for battle.

An ancient Greek headache remedy is to scratch Athena’s name on an olive leaf. Attach the leaf to a ribbon or scarf and tie it onto your head, with the leaf placed over the throbbing spot to ease the headache.

Headache Removal by Hand Spell

Potatoes, coconuts, and eggs are all considered “absorbent” powers used to remove illness and spiritual debris. The human hand has similar properties. Test your powers of healing. See if you can magically remove someone else’s headache. Eggs, coconuts, and potatoes are thrown out following use; however, in this case, so as to avoid you being saddled with the headache, other methods of transference and disposal are used.

Lay your hand on the brow of the person suffering from headache.

Try to draw the headache into your palm but don’t allow it to travel past your palm, not up your arm or any farther. You don’t want to inherit the headache.

As soon as you feel it or the other person expresses relief, immediately drive a nail into the wall.

It’s not safe to use this technique for anything other than a minor ailment, without extensive magical preparation. If you fear inheriting the headache, use a lodestone as a tool instead of your palm. Alternately, use a flat hand charm, such as a hand of Fatima or a hamsa, ideally crafted from silver.

Hematite Magic Charm

Place a hematite crystal gemstone over the spot where your head throbs. Amazonite and jet may be used in a similar fashion.

Henna Heat Headache Spells

Henna’s magical affinity for heat may help soothe headaches specifically caused by a reaction to intense heat. Try one of these options:

Cover fresh henna blossoms with boiling water. Let the infusion cool, strain it and make a compress

Crush fresh blossoms and add them to white vinegar. Use this as a compress

Fresh blossoms are most effective, but if they are unavailable a drop of hina attar in water may substitute

Horseshoe Headache Spell

Horseshoes transmit the magic power of iron, the vigor of horses, and the protection of ancestral female spirits. To relieve headaches, hold a horseshoe against the painful area.

Visualize the pounding of your headache leaving you and being drawn into the horseshoe, just like nails.

If it’s too much for you, don’t strain your self visualizing. Just place the horseshoe on the spot and let it do its stuff. A horseshoe is the best tool; however, any piece of iron or steel, such as a knife, will transmit iron’s healing powers.

Magic Grass Spell

Pluck a few blades of grass.

Chant the following charm while making the sign of the horns behind you:

It isn’t this grass I take,

But its magic power

Go away, headache! Begone!

Wrap the grass against your brow with a white cloth.

Marcellus’ Knot Spell

This recommendation comes from Marcellus of Rome who suggested, in 380 CE, that to relieve migraine or “pain in the eye,” tie as many knots as you have letters in your name into a piece of flax at the first sign of pain, pronouncing each letter as you make the knot. Tie the flax around your neck.

Mugwort Midsummer’s Eve Headache Spell

Weave a garland of mugwort on the day of Midsummer’s Eve (Saint John’s Eve). Wear it the next day and throughout the holiday as a crown around your brow, or view the Midsummer’s bonfires through it, to prevent, heal, and minimize headaches and migraines until the following Midsummer’s Eve.

Oya’s Headache Remedy Spell

The orisha Oya cures headache. This spell is particularly beneficial for chronic migraine.

Oya wears a crown with nine charms. Collect them for her as a petition for ending your headaches: hoe, pick, gourd, lightning bolt, scythe, shovel, rake, axe, and mattock.

Burn a small purple candle each time you collect a charm.

When you have all Oya’s charms, burn a purple seven-day candle in her honor. Offer her a glass of red wine and the charms, and make your request.

Romany Headache Cure Spell

A Romany recommendation for healing chronic debilitating headache:

Obtain water from nine distinct sources and mix them together.

Add glowing charcoals.

If you have enough water, bathe the target’s entire body. If there’s not sufficient water, bathe the person’s head, neck, and feet.

Repeat daily for up to nine days.

To cement the cure, embroider symbolic designs on the patient’s clothing and bed linens. Traditional Romany designs would include roosters, roses, suns, cakes, knives, snakes, and acorns but choose whatever symbolizes health and vitality to you. You must embroider these motifs by hand, not purchase them ready-made. Like knotting, you are inserting intent and blessings into the design. If needlework is not your forte, hand painting the images would be the second-best choice.

Rose of Jericho Headache Relief Spell

Soak a white cloth in Rose of Jericho Water to create a compress. Place it onto your forehead or the back of the neck to provide relief.

Skull Necklace Headache Relief Spell

Certain fierce female spirits demonstrate their wild power by wearing necklaces of skulls around their neck, such as Anat, Baba Yaga, and Kali. These goddesses’ skull necklaces do more than just strike horror into the hearts of those that view them; they also have profound magical healing properties, especially for headache relief. Take that pain out of your head and get it under control! No need to collect real skulls. Skull beads will provide you with the same gift.

Collect skull-shaped beads and charms.

String them together onto red cord, knotting your desire after every bead.

When you feel headache approaching, wear your necklace as a prophylactic charm. Place the skulls against your brow for extra power.

When not in use, store your skull necklace in a magic box, ideally with a small crystal skull for empowerment and revitalization.

Stony Head Headache Spell

Pick herbs that are growing on the head of a stone statue. Tie them up with a red thread and place them on the spot where your head hurts. This allegedly removes the pain. Mugwort and/or peppermint are considered the most efficacious of the herbs.

If you suffer from frequent headaches, you may want to train your herbs to grow this way, even if you have to knock the statue’s head onto the ground. Both the preferred plants are hardy growers who like stony soil.

Walnut Leaf Magic Cure

Stick walnut leaves in your hat to prevent headaches.

Watery Crossroads Spell

For chronic headache take water from the spot where two streams or rivers merge, essentially the water’s crossroads. Sprinkle this water on the patient.

Heart Condition Healing Spell

Heart of Steel Spell

Go to a smith and get a piece of steel directly from the smith’s hands.

Take yarn and saffron and place them, together with the steel, in a pint (half a liter) of stale ale.

After they’ve soaked for a while, remove the yarn and wrap it around your wrist.

Drink the ale. (If there’s any possibility of choking, remove the steel first.)

Keep the yarn around your wrist. If, after three days, it’s lengthened this is an auspicious sign. You should recover.

Rose Quartz Heart Spell

Sew a rose quartz within a thin muslin sachet. Add healing herbs as desired. Wear this sachet next to your heart for healing and vitality.

Kidney Function

Jade Spell

Attach a piece of jade to a red silk cord. A kidney-shaped piece or one carved into an auspicious shape is most powerful. Wear this slung around your hips, under your clothes.

Spells to Relieve Mental Health

Crossroads Possibilities Spell

To relieve feelings of depression, helplessness, and hopelessness, journey to a crossroads and absorb the power. The crossroads is the juncture of powerful energies, where all possibilities meet. Don’t go to a traffic intersection—the most common modern crossroads. Excessive yang energy will only worsen the situation. What you need is a traditional witch’s crossroads, ideally the intersection of remote streets but at least roads with minimal traffic. You don’t have to do anything: just linger, keep your mind open and absorb the converging energies. (Make sure you don’t get in trouble for loitering!)

Depression

Eyebright Anti-depression Spell

Does everything appear dismal, dark, and hopeless? The botanical eyebright is used therapeutically for various eye ailments but also to help one see the sunny side of things, especially when it is extremely difficult to find. Create an infusion by pouring boiling water over eyebright. When it cools use the liquid as an eye wash.

Has No Hanna Spell

Allegedly bathing in Has No Hanna Oil or using it in full-body massage alleviates depression.

Has No Hanna Candle Spell

Designate a figure candle to represent you. Place the candle on a bed of crushed bay leaves and poppy seeds. Anoint it with Has No Hanna Oil and burn.

Has No Hanna Candle Spell Extra Strength

Carve a seven-day candle to represent you and your situation.

Dress it with Has No Hanna and Wall of Protection Oil.

Roll the candle in powdered bay leaves and poppy seeds.

Burn the candle in its entirety.

High John’s Spell

Add a pinch of powdered vervain to Van Van Oil and use this to dress a High John the Conqueror root. Carry this High John root to alleviate depression, confusion, and melancholy.

Stinging Nettles Spell

Allegedly stinging nettles disperse darkness. Consume them in order to be able to perceive light. This spell operates on a magical level. Stinging nettles may be cooked or brewed into tea. (Once cooked, they no longer sting; however, handle with gloves during preparation.)

Thyme Pillow

Stuff dream pillows with thyme to ward off melancholia.

Dr. John Montanet’s Spell for Jangled Nerves

Whether known as Bayou John or Dr. John, John Montanet’s life was an adventure. Born a prince in what is now Senegal, he was captured and enslaved as a boy. Transported to Cuba, he labored as a slave until he eventually earned his freedom. Signing on for a nautical life, he sailed around the world, until he finally settled in New Orleans where he became an extremely prominent Voodooist, a contemporary and compatriot of Marie Laveau. Dr. John was a pivotal, influential figure in the history of magic, uniting direct experience of West African magic, with early Santeria and New Orleans Voodoo. The following magic remedy for soothing frazzled, jangled nerves is attributed to him.

Add a teaspoon of ground cumin to Peace Water.

Shake it up so that the layers disperse.

Let it sit quietly for three days in a dark, cool, serene place, then strain the liquid.

Use the water as a cool compress on the forehead, or sprinkle it throughout the room, especially in corners and areas of tension and darkness.

Hypochondria Potion

This magic potion allegedly relieves the stress and anxieties of hypochondria. Steep lemon balm (melissa) in wine for several hours. One glass allegedly helps stabilize the condition.

Moonlight Water Spell

Collect rainwater during the full moon and use this water to bathe your head and wash your hair, to magically relieve stress and depression.

Peony Lunacy Spell

Peonies, classified as lunar flowers, are used to magically soothe mental agitation or “lunacy.” Gently cover the person with peony blossoms. Allegedly this creates a miraculous soothing effect. Peony flower essence remedy may have similar powers and will definitely be easier to administer.

Saint Dymphna’s Mental Relief Spell

Have you read too many of these cures? Are you obsessing about the Evil Eye or developing an unhealthy interest in Disease Demons? Maybe you work with the terminally ill and now you see illness everywhere, even where it doesn’t exist?

Petition Saint Dymphna, Matron Saint of Mental Disturbances for relief Saint Dymphna, believed to have been a seventh-century Celtic princess from either Britain (or Brittany), or Ireland, had tremendous personal familiarity with mental disturbance. Her father was obsessed with her, sexually molested her, and then pursued her tirelessly when she escaped from him, eventually locating her in Belgium, where she died, either directly at his hands or because he turned her into authorities to be killed as a Christian martyr.

Petition Saint Dymphna to heal debilitating obsessions. Her magic emblem is a downward-pointed sword. Carve this image into the wax of a blue candle, along with your name, birthday, and any other identifying information you perceive necessary. Hold the candle in your hands to charge it with your desires and light it. The best day to petition her is Monday.

Similar magic rituals and spiritual appeals may be made to Saint Dymphna on behalf of incest survivors or anyone suffering from a mental health crisis or their families.

Wodaabe Mental Health Spell

A Wodaabe recommendation to drive away evil spirits that induce madness in a person is to burn cassava seeds on a charcoal brazier. The patient inhales the smoke and the body is fumigated with it.

Pain Relief Spells

Chestnut Pain Relief Spell (1)

Horse chestnuts are reputed to absorb physical pain, and are especially effective for joint pain:

Place a bowl of horse chestnuts in the afflicted person’s room.

Wash the nuts daily in cool spring water to enhance their capacity to absorb pain, and then dry them well.

Should a nut crack, decay or appear damaged, discard it immediately and replace.

Enhance the power of the chestnuts by ringing the bowl with char quartz crystal.

Chestnut Pain Relief Spell (2)

Carry a buckeye or horse chestnut in your pocket, or in a conjure bag around your waist, to soothe and protect against arthritis.

Copper Garter Spell

Copper’s affinity for healing the aches and pains of arthritis go beyond the popular bracelet. For maximum effectiveness, attach copper charms to a red garter and wear it.

Lodestone Pain Withdrawal Spell

Lodestones, magnetic iron ore, are most frequently used to draw good fortune toward you; however, their magnetic properties may also be used to draw illness and physical pain out of the body. This is particularly beneficial for pain or illness that manifests in a specific spot on the body, rather than a general aura of illness.

Charge the lodestone with your purpose prior to beginning the healing session.

Visualize the illness or pain drawn out of your body and into the lodestone.

Two techniques may be used. Use either or both in conjunction as appropriate for you. Either place the lodestone on the area of illness or pain and leave it there for a while, or gently massage it over the afflicted area.

Shake the lodestone out periodically. It’s vital to cleanse and feed the lodestone after each extensive session. Repeat as needed.

Murder Weapon Pain Removal Spell

This is a simple spell provided you have easy access to a murder weapon. To heal someone afflicted with sharp pains or stitches that come on suddenly, particularly in the side or breast, lightly prick the person with the point of a dagger, sword, knife or similar tool, which was once used to kill someone.

Potato Spell

Place a potato in your pocket to draw out the pain and stiffness of rheumatism.

Raw Beef Anti-pain Spell

This magical transference method allegedly helps remove pain or illness concentrated in one isolated area. Place raw fresh beef on the afflicted part until the body starts to sweat. The sweat must be in contact with the meat; this is how the pain and illness is transmitted. Give this meat to a cat or dog to eat.

Stone Pain Removal Spell

Hold a rock in your hand and visualize it absorbing your pain.

Wrap barley straw around the stone, while maintaining this visualization.

Throw the stone into living water flowing away from you.

Scars

Intensive scarring is believed to have a detrimental, damaging effect on one’s aura, the invisible shield of protection surrounding one’s body. Various psychic repair spells may also be in order. (See Psychic Power Spells, page 939.)

Slender Rice Aura Bolstering Spell

Slender rice flower remedy (Australian Bush) specifically targets damage caused to the aura by scarring. This repairs and defends the invisible aura; it has no impact on the visible appearance of scars.

For initial use, add twenty drops of slender rice flower remedy to a bath before bedtime. This intensive dose will only be used this one time. Pay attention to your dreams afterwards.

Apply a few drops twice daily to the skin between thumb and forefinger or rubbed into the feet. In addition, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for internal administration if desired.

Seizure Disorders

From a metaphysical standpoint, there’s a tremendous historical ambivalence toward those afflicted with seizure disorders. On the one hand, the experience is perceived as being similar to involuntary ritual possession. Thus in some cultures, those possessing these disorders carry an aura of sanctity: predictions, visions, even isolated words uttered during a seizure are highly prized. On the other hand, not every culture thinks ritual possession is desirable, particularly those who assume that the only kind of possession that exists is possession by demons. In those situations, to possess a seizure disorder is to suffer on two counts: from the ailment and from discrimination and persecution.

Amber Seizure Charm

A medieval European recommendation was to wear amber over one’s heart to prevent and relieve epilepsy and other seizure disorders.

Anti-seizure Conjure Bag

Place a piece of coral, a jasper gemstone, and a nux vomica root onto a square of linen.

Wrap into a bundle, knotting your intentions into the packet.

Carry in your pocket or in a larger leather bag, magically cleansing the jasper periodically.

Note: Nux Vomica, the rat poison plant, is the source of strychnine, the deadly poison. Use only with extreme caution if one must use it at all.

Aries-Vervain Bag Spell

A medicine bag created especially to provide relief for seizure disorders: gather vervain when the sun and/or moon are in Aries. Carry the botanical in a bag with a kernel of corn or a piece of grain, plus a one-year-old penny or another coin of trivial value.

The Bachelors’ Anti-seizure Spell

This very old, once very popular English spell, intended to avert and avoid seizures, remains mysterious. What is the significance of the bachelors? Is it vestigial memories of an all-male healing cult? Or is it that because bachelors aren’t married, they’re understood to have little sexual contact with women? Or perhaps as bachelors, playing the field, they’re assumed to have more? Maybe “bachelor” is a euphemism for a man with no sexual interest in women, or for those young virginal boys so valued in divination?

Create a ring from five silver sixpences (or substitute five other real silver coins) collected from five bachelors, one coin each.

Have another bachelor, a sixth one, collect the coins and convey them to a smith to make the ring, who must also be a bachelor. None of the five persons from whom the coins are initially obtained can know purpose behind their collection.

The sixth bachelor will then convey the ring to the afflicted party, who should wear it.

Elderwood Spell

Break an elder twig into nine pieces. Thread them together and wear them to minimize and prevent seizures.

Golden Rooster Spell

Bury a golden rooster charm beneath the bed to relieve, minimize, and prevent seizures.

Mistletoe Anti-seizure Charms

Mistletoe is believed to possess a magical affinity for seizure disorders.

Carry a piece of mistletoe in your pocket or within a conjure bag

Jewelry and charms are carved from mistletoe wood: wear or carry

The most potent mistletoe seizure charm is a magic knife with an iron blade but a handle carved from mistletoe wood

Nail Anti-seizure Spell (1)

Obtain three coffin nails or three screws from a coffin dug up from the cemetery (they need to be used nails, in other words, not just extras picked up at the undertakers). Craft them into a ring to form a charm against convulsions and seizures.

Nail Anti-seizure Spell (2)

If the thought of digging around cemeteries is enough to induce a seizure, another type of nail is also believed to be beneficial towards seizure disorders.

Obtain a nail recovered from a shipwrecked vessel. (It is not necessary for the person with the ailment to perform the recovery personally.) Craft into a ring or carry in a charm bag worn around the neck.

San Donato

San Donato, an Italian saint particularly popular in Naples, is described as the Patron Saint of Epilepsy; however, his behavior may, in some instances, perhaps be likened to that of a Disease Spirit. To be afflicted with a seizure disorder may indicate San Donato’s wish for personal communication. Relief or at least a spiritual understanding of one’s situation will allegedly arrive following devotions to the saint.

San Donato also has many devotees who do not suffer from these ailments, just as most of Babalu-Ayé’s devotees have never had smallpox.

Dedicate an altar to San Donato.

Traditional offerings include candles, small containers filled with grain, and an iron key.

San Donato’s traditional image depicts him standing on a crescent moon. Decorate the altar space with images of moons and frogs. Although any of these may be empowered and charged as a healing charm, the key is most frequently used as such.

Appeal to San Donato as desired.

Shattered Plate Seizure Spelt

A spell from the Jews of Galicia, intended to drive the Demon of Convulsions far from a child, is simple to perform. Suddenly, without warning, break a clay pot or dish in front of the child.

Thyme Pillow

Dream pillows stuffed with powdered thyme allegedly relieve and prevent seizure disorders.

Skin Disorders and Afflictions

Babalu Bread Spell (1)

Babalu-Ayé, Father of Smallpox, will heal any skin disorder.

Place a glass of dry white wine on a raffia cloth, together with a bowl of milk in which you’ve soaked two slices of bread.

Place an additional piece of white bread on this altar.

Light a white candle and petition Babalu-Ayé to remove your affliction.

Leave everything overnight. The next morning, dispose of everything but that additional slice of bread.

Soak that bread in palm oil and use it to cleanse the afflicted skin, then dispose of the bread outside the home.

Babalu Bread Spell (2)

A simpler version of the above:

Dedicate a slice of bread to Babalu-Ayé. (Leave it on his altar for a minimum of seventeen minutes.)

Put palm or olive oil onto the soft bread.

Use this as a sponge to gently cleanse the affected area.

Oshun’s Healing Skin Spell

Although Babalu-Ayé is the orisha most associated with skin disorders, Oshun may also be petitioned for assistance, particularly for wet sores or any sort of “weepy” skin ailment. Oshun has beautiful skin; allow her to heal yours.

Make an offering to Oshun of a glass of spring water, yellow flowers, and a dish of honey, remembering to taste the honey before giving it to her.

Light a yellow candle and tell Oshun what you need.

Consecrate a plain brass bangle to her, leave it beside the candle until it burns out, and then wear it as an amulet.

Pebble Magic Bath Spell

Heat pebbles, especially auspiciously shaped ones, until they’re red hot.

Throw them into a basin of water.

This water, when cool, is considered magically charged to enhance healing of skin disorders or bruises.

Saint John’s Eve Meadow Dew Skin Spells

Water was believed charged with extra healing power on Saint John’s/Midsummer’s Eve. Choose either or both of the following to prevent ailments of the skin. (Even if you don’t have problem skin, allegedly these spells enhance youthful appearance and beauty for all.)

Roll naked in meadow dew on Saint John’s Eve

Bathe in the sea, dressed or otherwise, on Saint John’s Eve

These are old, old customs. St. Augustine himself denounced this pagan practice of his youth.

Saint John’s Eve Siberian Skin Enhancement Spell

The power generated on Saint John’s Eve is accessed by this Siberian spell. Unlike the preceding spells, which derive from the warm Mediterranean, no nakedness is required or even suggested.

Lay a white cloth on the grass during Saint John’s Eve or day. When it’s wet, place it on the face or other afflicted areas to heal skin disorders.

Sapphire Skin Charm

Allegedly, sapphires serve as a preventive/curative amulet for skin disorders.

Although a sapphire may be carried as a charm, for maximum magical effectiveness periodically lay the gem on the area that requires healing.

Place the sapphire in a glass of pure spring or Angel’s Water and expose to the light of the Full Moon. Remove the sapphire in the morning. Place on the afflicted area. Use the lunar/sapphire-charged water to bathe the area as well, if this is appropriate.

Smallpox

No other disease has such powerful associations with Disease Spirits. Smallpox Spirits roam Earth delivering the disease but also preventing and healing it.

Babalu-Ayé Spells

Few spirits are as beloved and simultaneously as feared as West Africa’s Obaluaiye or Babalu-Ayé, as he is popularly known. Babalu is a humble, simple, modest, unpretentious spirit. He has been ill himself, he understands suffering, and can be tremendously compassionate. On the other hand, when he is angered his methods of punishment are terrible. Babalu-Ayé has dominion over pestilential illness, most especially smallpox, although any epidemic falls under his domain. He has dominion over AIDS.

Call upon Babalu-Ayé for healing and prevention. He has modest tastes. Overly lavish offerings may offend him; keep it simple. Babalu-Ayé accepts offerings of dry white wine (never water, which irritates his sores), popcorn (because the individual popped kernels are perceived as resembling smallpox pustules), and/or a bowl of milk with bread soaking in it to feed his loyal companions, the dogs who lick his sores.

Babalu-Ayé Spell (1)

Create a simple shrine by laying down raffia cloth.

Make an offering to Babalu-Ayé.

Pour palm oil over a bowl of popcorn.

Place this on the cloth and allow it to stand for seventeen days. (The offering however may be removed as you deem appropriate. It’s usually not considered wise to maintain altars to Babalu-Ayé for longer than necessary. Although you want him to like you, you don’t necessarily want him to become so enamored that he moves in, if you get the drift.)

Use the shrine as the focal point for prayer and petition.

After seventeen days, take the popcorn outside, to a park, perhaps, and feed it to the birds. (If the popcorn disappears quickly, this is a very favorable sign.)

Babalu-Ayé Spell (2.) Saint Lazarus

Babalu-Ayé has been syncretized to Saint Lazarus, although not to the Lazarus you might expect—the Lazarus, brother of Martha and Mary of Bethany, the man resurrected by Jesus Christ. Although connections regarding illness could be drawn, the reason for this particular syncretism is based on a visual image. There is another Saint Lazarus, based on a parable, formalized in chromolithographs as a poor man who walks with crutches, accompanied by dogs. It is the dogs that provide the link between Lazarus and Babalu-Ayé. Dogs are the creatures that, in various worldwide spiritual traditions, most frequently guide souls to the Realm of the Dead. This identification of Saint Lazarus and Babalu is extremely powerful in Cuban traditions.

Purchase a special charm, usually small gold-plated crutches or something similar.

Light a white seven-day candle placed on raffia cloth together with a glass of good dry white wine.

Tell Saint Lazarus that the candle is payment for your good health. If your health remains strong, next year at this time, you will get him a solid gold charm instead. (Make sure that you do, if it does and you promise.)

When the candle is gone, lose the charm near a hospital.

Many present the solid gold charm at Saint Lazarus’s shrine in Cuba, although a private shrine may also be maintained.

The various Afro-Brazilian traditions refer to the Smallpox Spirit as Omolu, Babalu-Ayé’s Brazilian incarnation. Omolu accepts petitions and requests via special ritual popcorn, doboru. Not only don’t people like to utter the spirit’s name, many don’t even like to call his popcorn by name, preferring to refer to it as “the flowers of Omolu.” Omolu’s other flowers are, of course, the red smallpox blisters that decorate the body.

Omolu’s Disease Repelling Charm

Omolu’s Umbanda ritual greeting serves as a verbal magic charm to repel illness. Repeat as needed: “Atoto.”

Doboru: Omolu’s Flowers

Different traditions use different formulas for preparing Omolu’s doboru: either white or red popcorn may be used. Some sprinkle with garlic salt, others say no salt should be used—it irritates Omolu’s sores. Some dress the popcorn with dende (palm oil).

One formula is as follows:

Cover the bottom of an iron pot with beach sand.

Heat it over an open fire.

Add the corn and pop.

This spell is used as a petition for healing or prevention; however, it may also be used as a general cleansing spell.

Flowers of Omolu Spell (1)

Sit naked on new white cloth.

Let others cover you with popcorn.

Pray and petition Omolu.

When you feel ready, rise from the popcorn and dress in white.

Wrap the popcorn up in a cloth. Disperse it onto Earth for the birds to eat.

Either dispose of the cloth or reserve it for similar or sacred use.

Flowers of Omolu Spell (2) Popcorn Space Cleansing Spell

Prevention or healing is directed towards an entire area, including all those who approach and all those already within.

The cleansing ritual is technically simple: pop vast quantities of doboru. Cover whatever needs to be cleansed with Omolu’s flowers: fill a room, let it rest overnight, then dispose of the doboru on naked Earth.

For an entire building, cover the roof with doboru and let birds and Mother Nature take care of disposal.

Hungary Powder

Snake Oil or Hungary Powder? This very expensive magic powder allegedly relieves smallpox and measles. It was once prescribed by physicians, although only to the wealthy, no doubt.

Hungary Powder is composed from emeralds, rubies, sapphires, jacinth, pearls, red and white coral, Armenian bole, terra Lemnia, hartshorn, raspings of ivory, cinnamon, cloves, saffron, sorrel seeds, sandalwood, red sandalwood, lemon zest, and gold leaf. Powder all the ingredients and blend together. Once upon a time, the standard dosage was between twenty and thirty grains.

Mango Leaf Anti-welcome Spell

Allegedly fresh mango leaves will repel and relieve smallpox. Hang fresh mango leaves over and around the doorway and gates of the home. When the leaves begin to wither or droop, replace immediately with fresh ones.

Mariyamman Basic Smallpox Spell

India possesses two important smallpox spirits, albeit with very different natures. According to various legends, Mariyamman, like Babalu-Ayé, was once a victim of smallpox herself. Mariyamman literally battles smallpox; an epidemic indicates that Mariyamman herself is under siege, having been attacked by smallpox demons. The epidemic will not lift until and unless she is victorious. Offerings to Mariyamman thus simultaneously empower her and beseech her for mercy.

Hang neem leaves over entrance doors and windows to repel smallpox.

Mariyamman Intensive Mercy Spell

Place a brass pot filled with water and ornamented with neem leaves on an altar.

Burn yellow candles around it.

Offer Mariyamman pumpkins and request her protection and mercy.

Red Cloth Spell

Lay the person suffering from smallpox in red bed clothes (pajamas, linens and sheets).

Alternately, wrap the person up in red fabric to magically enhance healing.

Sunflower Smallpox Spell

Weave and knot dried sunflowers into necklaces and wear them to magically repel smallpox.

Sitala

Sitala, Northern India’s Mother of Smallpox, has a sardonic nickname: “The Cool One.” Sitala and her sisters preside over pustular diseases. Sitala’s specialty is smallpox: she both causes and prevents the disease. According to legend, she is the youngest of the sisters, born considerably later than her siblings. Human beings paid little attention to her. In order to force humans to create rituals in her honor, Sitala invented smallpox. The tactic worked. Her most famous manifestation is as smallpox. However, smallpox is only a manifestation of Sitala, as with Babalu-Ayé, not the sole, defining characteristic. Sitala also appears in female form, typically dressed in red. She roams the countryside, riding a donkey, searching out victims, but she also responds to pleas for prevention and healing of smallpox. If one has survived smallpox, then one may consider oneself under Sitala’s matronage and may request other favors and general protection from her.

Sitala Spell (1)

Create an offering table for Sitala.

Offer her flowers and cooling foods such as cold rice, coconuts, cucumbers, plantains, and yogurt.

Do not burn candles; instead maintain a “cool” aura in Sitala’s presence. In addition, during rituals for Sitala, “heating” foods are avoided—foods that possess a heating effect upon the body and also food that has been literally warmed up. Rice is eaten cold, for instance.

Make your petition, and maintain offerings, replenishing as needed, as long as the perceived threat remains.

Sitala Spell (2)

Attach a cowry shell, a small gold charm, a piece of turmeric root, and a lock of the patient’s hair to a cord. (They may be wrapped up in white fabric.) Tie this cord to the right wrist of the patient, blessing as knots are formed.

Sitala Spell (3)

Use pure cool spring water to bathe an image of Sitala. Give this water to the patient to drink.

Thousand Flower Anti-smallpox Charm Bag

Charge a lump of asafetida with your desires. Carry it within a red charm bag together with an iron nail.

T’ou Chen Niang Niang

T’ou Chen Niang Niang, Chinese Lady of Smallpox, is known as the “Lady of the Thousand Flowers.” She travels accompanied by two servants. Unlike Sitala and Babalu-Ayé, she is almost exclusively identified with smallpox and so is traditionally beseeched to travel elsewhere and stay far away. Should she arrive, however, magical steps are taken.

Burn incense, offer her cooling foods, and burn huge quantities of Spirit Money in T’ou Chen Niang Niang’s honor. Petition her very politely (she’s touchy and gets offended easily), to oversee the patient’s recovery.

Should the patient recover:

Place the Lady of the Thousand Flower’s image on a paper boat or chair.

Place these upon a paper phoenix.

Burn all on a pile of straw to give the Lady a polite goodbye and hopefully send her on her way.

Should the patient die, however, dispose of all offerings as you deem appropriate. T’ou Chen Niang Niang is traditionally cursed off the premises in these circumstances.

Successful Surgery Spells

Babalu-Ayé’s Milagro Spell

This spell combines petition to Babalu-Ayé with what is essentially a milagro.

Request that Babalu-Ayé watch over you before, during and after surgery so as to guarantee its outcome. It’s customary that should everything turn out fine an offering will be made to him of a solid gold replica of the piece of anatomy involved in the surgery: heart, lung, brain, whatever. The charm may be miniature if this is all you can afford, however wealthy people will offer a life-sized replica.

Ogun’s Iron Nail Spell

Ogun, the spirit of metal, is by extension patron of metal workers, including surgeons, and patients anticipating surgery. Make offerings before surgery with a promise of additional tribute should things proceed as desired. Ogun’s day is usually given as Wednesday, his numbers are three and seven, and his colors are red and black. He accepts the perhaps un-medicinal gifts of fine cigars and over-proof rum.

Soak seven iron nails in a dish filled with salt water. Burn a red and black double action candle next to the dish. Following surgery, bury the nails in Earth and spill the water on the ground.

Susto: Remedial Spells for Soul Loss

“Susto” is the name for what is perceived in Latin America as a specific ailment with a very specific cause: a moment or brief period of intense fright that leads to the loss of a piece of one’s soul. Sometimes the condition rights itself but typically the piece of soul must be retrieved as long-term soul loss can lead to dire circumstances. Young girls are perceived as being particularly prone to this condition. Anxiety, sleeplessness, and a continued state of fright or agitation following the initial shock are all indications of susto. Prolonged absence of the piece of the soul may produce disease, trance states, mental disturbance, eating disorders, and/or death. Serious cases need shamanic intervention, however there is a remedy that may be attempted at home.

Soul Loss Spell (1)

Pass an egg over the patient’s body, concentrating on drawing malignancies into the egg.

Break the egg into a bowl.

If blood is observed, this confirms a serious situation. Take stronger action.

If there’s nothing but a plain old egg, prepare a strong infusion of spearmint and chamomile.

Give the patient some of the infusion to sip.

Dip a clean cloth into the infusion, squeeze out any excess liquid and use it as a compress on the patient’s head.

Soul Loss Spell (2)

In Peru, an infusion of ajos sacha leaves is added to a child’s bath to relieve susto, or the extreme fright that may lead to susto. (The kids may not like this bath; it has a strong garlicky odor.)

Soul Loss Prevention Spell

Adults can suffer from sudden, overwhelming fear too. This spell must be done at the moment of fear or immediately afterwards in order for it to be effective. Name the Dactyls: Celmus, Damnameneus, and Acmon to regain courage and calm and to preserve vitality. For extra magical empowerment, clang cymbals.

Toothache/Dental Health

Abracadabra/Sator Full Strength Combination Dental Health Spell

To remedy toothache, chant the Abracadabra spell (instead of writing it) three times, followed by three repetitions of the SATOR square (see page 118).

Alligator Healthy Teeth Spell

No one has healthier teeth than an alligator: they naturally shed old teeth to grow new ones. (Thus the alligator does not need to be killed or harmed to obtain teeth.) Carry some in a mojo hand or string a necklace of alligator teeth. Many teeth have a natural hole near the top from which they may be hung, otherwise pierce gently.

Carnelian Dental Health Spell (1)

Arabic recommendation suggests that one wear or carry carnelian to prevent or improve loose teeth. That’s the basic spell. The following spell includes some unusual embellishments.

Carnelian Dental Health Spell (2)

Cut a tiny bit of bark off a young oak.

Cut a tiny bit of the sufferer’s hair.

Spin or braid these together with a hair from a dog and a hair from a lion. (No need to injure either; the spell requires no more than a single hair from each.)

Thread three carnelians onto this braid.

Wear it around the wrist for relief of tooth pain.

Coffin Nail Tooth Spell

Coffin nails allegedly ease toothache. Carry one in a conjure bag.

Double Hazelnut Tooth Relief

Find a double hazelnut and carry it within a red drawstring bag to relieve dental pain.

Iron Dental Health Spell

The following is a German recommendation to soothe a toothache. Heat a horseshoe or other piece of iron until extremely hot. Pour oil onto the heated iron. The rising fumes will allegedly ease the pain. If it is safe to do so (there’s no need to exchange toothache for a painful scald), bend over the fumes, exposing the tender spot.

Shark Healthy Teeth Spell

Shed shark teeth are often found amongst seashells. Tie onto red cord and wear around the neck or ankles.

Tumor Relief Spell

Crossroads Cake Spell

Ancient diagnoses weren’t as accurate as they are today. This spell is meant for any sort of “wasting” illness, by which many cancers may be understood but interpret as seems appropriate:

Borrow flour from nine houses.

Bring it home and blend it.

Bake a cake with this flour.

Bring the cake to a crossroads, say a prayer or petition and leave the cake there.

Obatala’s Tumor Relief Spell

To assist dissolving tumors:

Melt tallow gently over the stove.

Crush cotton seeds and add them to the tallow, mixing gently so that they are well distributed.

Apply this salve to the afflicted area.

This derives from a Santeria petition to Obatala. For maximum effect this should be combined with a petition to that orisha.

Water-derived Illness

Shabriri Spell

The safety of drinking water may be suspect, whether because of parasites or, as the ancients feared, because of water demons. When you really have doubts about the safety of water but have little alternative but to drink it, this incantation allegedly provides safety and wards off illness-causing water demons. This is excellent for travelers: campers fearing lurking parasites, as well as more serious water-born illness like cholera.

This Jewish formula is traditionally murmured over the water in question. Amulets depicting the protective triangular form may also be worn or posted.

My mother told me,

Beware of

I am thirsty for water in a white glass.

Tibetan Serpent Spell

Lu and Luma, male and female serpents respectively, are vigilant guardians of ecological balance, specifically that of Earth and water. Water pollution offends them incredibly. Even digging holes in Earth or moving rocks around displeases them, let alone any unethical harvesting of Earth’s precious gems and metals. Are they in a good mood lately? What do you think?

When certain other large snake-like creatures get angry, they allegedly thrash around causing earthquakes or breathe fire. Not Lu and Luma. When they get mad, they emerge as disease. Their broad spectrum of illness includes tuberculosis, leprosy, skin disorders including ulcers, itches, and acne. However, their illnesses are most frequently characterized by water imbalances, like swelling, bloating, edemas, or dehydration. A complete cure cannot be achieved until they are appeased. Traditionally shamanic healing is required; however, if this isn’t possible, steps may still be taken.

If you suspect you’ve offended them or they are the root cause of an illness, designate an altar area with which to communicate with these spirits.

Burn herbal incense and offer dishes of milk.

Burn white and/or gold snake-shaped candles; request inspiration so that you will know best how to compensate for past actions.

Gestures to repair ecological imbalance, in Tibet, the Himalayas, or elsewhere, may gain favor.

Whooping Cough Spells

Whooping Cough Dog Spell

This whooping cough remedy from Devon, England, perceives the disease as the result of a spell that needs breaking. Butter two slices of bread. Place one of the patient’s hairs between the slices as if in a sandwich and feed it to a dog. If the dog coughs, the spell is broken and the child will recover.

Whooping Cough Ferret Spell

This spell requires assistance from a cooperative ferret. Pour a bowl of milk and let the ferret lap up a little bit. Remove the ferret from the milk (without allowing it to scratch you), and give the remainder of the milk to the patient to drink.

Wound and Fracture Healing Spells

Adder’s Tongue Spell

This spell, for wounds and bruises that refuse to heal, attempts to transfer pain and injury into Earth, where it will dissipate.

Soak the botanical adder’s tongue in warm water.

Place it on bruised skin.

Cover it with a clean white handkerchief.

When the herb grows warm, remove it and bury the herbs and handkerchief in mud or a swamp. The wound or bruise will allegedly now heal.

Binding Spell (1) Odin’s Knot Binding Spell

An extremely ancient Scandinavian incantation refers to a long lost legend of Odin, the All Father, and his son, Baldur the Beautiful. It has several variations.

It’s particularly beneficial for injured fingers, limbs, and also for bone-deep wounds, where one fears infection. However, it may be used for any type of fracture and even minor cuts.

Apply healing salve or medication, as needed.

Then make seven knots in a black thread, while murmuring one or more of the following incantations. (Traditionally, these chants are meant to be mumbled and barely intelligible.)

Tie the thread around the fracture while chanting:

Baldur rade.

The foal slade [i.e. slipped].

He lighted and he righted.

Set joint to joint, bone to bone, sinew to sinew.

Heal in Odin’s name.

The above version survived in the Orkney Islands. However, the spell and its incantation traveled, evolved, and survived, as the next spell shows.

Binding Spell (2) Woden’s Knot Binding Spell

A tenth-century English alternative: Woden is Odin’s Anglo-Saxon alter-ego. Baldur has vanished from this version, perhaps because the specific legend had already disappeared, or perhaps Baldur’s remaining associations with death did not appeal. Maybe what caused the spell to survive is Woden’s reputation as a Master Healer and Magician.

Believed most effective if done on Wednesday, Woden’s Day, although, obviously, this is a ritual performed as need arises. Make seven knots in a black thread. Wrap it around the injury or close to it, muttering:

Then charmed Woden

As well he knew how

For bone sprain

For blood sprain

Bone to bone

Blood to blood

Limb to limb

As though they were glued

Binding Spell (3) Christian Knot Binding Spell

This incantation survived further adaptation to Christianity, where it now allegedly refers to an incident during Jesus’ triumphal ride into Jerusalem when his donkey slipped. Although the incantation varies, knotting the thread, which may be pulled right out of one’s clothing in an emergency, and wrapping it around the injury survives.

In later Christian versions sometimes only a single knot is used, rather than the magic seven.

The Lord rade.

The foal slade.

Set joint to joint, bone to bone, sinew to sinew

Heal in the Holy Ghost’s name

Binding Spell (4) Expanded Christian Knot Binding Spell

Our Lord rade

His foal’s foot slade

Down he lighted, his foal’s foot righted.

Bone to bone, sinew to sinew,

Blood to blood, flesh to flesh

Heal!

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Bloodstone Charm

Bloodstone is reputed to encourage wound healing, and also to prevent wounds.

Wear a bloodstone for prevention

Apply to the wound as appropriate (gently bind to bandages?)

Carry a bloodstone within a red charm bag

Bloodstone Magic Wound Enhancing Potion

Place a bloodstone in a glass of pure spring water overnight, exposed to the light of the Full Moon. Use this water to bathe wounds, as appropriate, for magically enhanced healing.

Iron Wound Healing Spell

Allegedly the magic power of iron encourages and enhances healing. If appropriate, periodically ring open wounds with iron to avail yourself of this power.

Queen of the Sea Wound Binding Spell

Russian magic is filled with beautiful, powerful word charms. The one below may be dedicated to the deity of you choice. This version cites the Queen of the Sea; devout Christians would dedicate the same charm to the Virgin Mary.

Chant:

On a rock, on an island, in the sea, in the ocean, the Queen of the Sea sits on her golden throne.

With her silver needle she threads scarlet silk thread,

She binds the bloody wound.

Wound, you do not hurt!

Blood, you do not flow!

Blood, you are staunched!

Wound, you heal clean!

Melissa Wound Healing Spell

If melissa (lemon balm) was bound to a sword and if that sword was touched to a wound caused by that very same sword, allegedly bleeding would be quickly staunched and healing would be miraculously enhanced.

Vervain Spell

Vervain allegedly enhances the healing of wounds. Wrap it in white cloth and place over the injury if possible.

Yarrow Spell

Carry yarrow stalks in a medicine bag for magical wound prevention.

Yaws

Mama Jo’s name is an English corruption of the French Maman de’leau, “Mother of the Water.” This beautiful mermaid spirit of the West Indies cures diseases, especially yaws, once a much-feared illness. Mama Jo travels. Her spell need not be cast in the Caribbean; it will require a trip to a beach, however. It may be cast by one person on behalf of another.

Dig out a flat altar space within the sand.

Place silver candles in the sand, one for every year of the ailing person’s age. (Silver birthday candles may be used.) Light the candles.

Place a small image of a black goat or black chicken near the shore, such as a child’s farm toy or similar. (Create your own from wax, wood or wool if desired.)

Step into the water, so that at least your feet are wet, and call Mama Jo. Tell her what you’ve brought and what you need. Leave whenever you’re ready. Whatever happens to the image is up to Mama Jo, whether waves pull it into the water or another person picks it up.

* Among many indigenous people of Mexico, the Aires are extremely powerful wind spirits. They can cause illness and damage, although they are usually not thought of as being deliberately malicious. They are simply so powerful that contact with them can be overpowering and profoundly debilitating to people.