The Spell In My Pocket. Untold Secrets to Making Powerful Mojo Bags, Packets and Vial Spells - Fuller Alan 2010

• PART ONE : BACKGROUND & DEFINITIONS

A Brief Overview Of Appalachian History

I stood on the hill overlooking the neighborhood. It was steep. So steep,

in fact, that I had to use every ounce of strength in my twelve-year-old ankles and calves to get back down without toppling forward. My great grandmother’s house sat less than a block away from the base of this monstrous slope. But, thankfully, I was anchored firmly atop the peak at the time.

I woke up early that morning on purpose. I had set the alarm to give myself enough time to trod the high asphalt hill to the top. Here, downtown Jackson lay empty at five-fifteen in the morning.

And then it came. The fiery ball of orange began to creep its way over the mountainside opposite me. It lit the treetops with streaming hues of bright yellows and glittering golds. I felt the sting of salty tears well up in my eyes as I noticed the mist begin to dissipate before me. And I smiled.

I remember this scene like it was yesterday for the simple fact that it was the first misty sunrise I recall experiencing in the mountains. I’m sure I’d seen others before then, but when you really experience it, rather than just “watch” it, you know the difference.

I was not born in the mountains of eastern Kentucky. I was born almost two hours away, in Lexington, and raised in Nicholasville (south of Lexington). But I spent a very large part of my childhood in Breathitt County, and would return many more times. Once you know that your roots are deep in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, it really doesn’t matter where your physical body was brought into this world. Because every time you go back, the Spirits in those mountains know you. You know you’re home, and they call to your soul. No, it’s deeper than that—they reach out for that special something in your blood. And you remember why you chose to walk the Starry Road.

Thinking about the mountains of my heritage and the people who were or are part of my bloodline always puts me in the mood for a short history lesson on the Appalachian regions.

The borders of Appalachia aren’t there because the government decided to put them in place. The boundaries weren’t deliberately laid out on a map

by human hands to divide a territory. Rather, the lines drawn are topographical—related to the mountain range itself.

More than that, there’s a cultural line that is not physical, but drawn, nonetheless.

Before the mountains of eastern Kentucky (and really all of Appalachia, but particularly the central portion), was settled by the newcomers, it was inhabited by indigenous Tribal cultures of North America. More than likely, if you’re from this area, you have more than a smidgeon of Cherokee blood running through your veins. Some have seen them as a nomadic group, but I often wonder if they were just a migratory group (there’s a difference). When you look at the history of the region, you notice how the Cherokee began to be colonized by the Spanish in Georgia, and Tennessee. Then they started traveling northward, and eastward into the mountains. It’s pure speculation on my part, but wouldn’t it be reasonable for a group of people to move northeast to escape the onslaught of settlers stealing their lands?

Cherokee (and other indigenous Tribes) were slaughtered by the millions, and driven from their homelands. They had no choice but to relocate, given the large numbers of white men who came only to take. But, the new arrivals didn’t all want to risk the mountainous terrain, so most settled just east of the Appalachian mountain range.

As a result, most of the first settlers of the central regions of the Appalachians were, contrary to popular belief, runaway slaves, and societal outcasts. Among them were the Cherokee, and other indigenous Tribal groups (who were taken during invasions as slaves), as well as a few Scots-Irish, and English outcasts (who were often the Indentured Servants of wealthier families). The two cultures intermingled as the settlements of the Appalachians began to develop their own ways of living with one another. And with the Cherokee being such an historically welcoming group, often amalgamating even the white folk into their ranks, it’s no wonder that so many in this region have Cherokee blood.

It was the Industrial Revolution that produced a greater influx of the pale-skinned newcomers. Of course that meant more English, and with them they brought more of their Indentured Servants. Many of them were Scots-Irish in ancestry, and more Cherokee, and some African and African-American slaves.

In the late 1800’s, in an effort to find work and a means of provision for their families, immigrants often ran directly from the boat into the Central

Appalachian region. They wouldn’t stop off east of the mountains this time because they’d heard of the available work in the coal-mining industry, now in heavy demand.

What is considered “traditional” in Appalachia is land-based. The people of the mountains are tied to the land, almost as if it’s in the blood when we come out of the womb. As I said in my beginning lines, the Spirits of the mountains reach out for that special something in your blood, calling to your soul, letting you know you’re really home.

Being resourceful—unrelentlessly so—and the handicrafts of the region are what have caused the Appalachian culture to thrive. But, because the mountain terrain was relatively untouched by outsiders until fairly late in American history, many corporate structures have utilized the seeming-backwardness of the people of the region to make us seem “uncivilized.” The Appalachian culture is, even today, one of the few groups that it is still socially acceptable to criticize, judge and even ridicule. Many call us “redneck” or “hillbilly.” Both terms, like the term Witch, has been used historically in a derogatory sense. But, also like the word Witch, some of us have reclaimed the words “redneck,” and, “hillbilly,” and take the word as a compliment. (Just don’t expect us to say, “Thanks,” anytime soon—we’re still working on that one.)

But it is precisely these hills that I call home. Even though I wasn’t raised right there in the mountains, I know where my roots run, and they run deep. I spent a great deal of my youth trying to downplay my accent and be “less country.” Call it the stupidity of youth. But as I’ve aged, I could not be more proud of the roots from which I sprang.

Coming from a hearty stock of Cherokee, English and Scots-Irish mix, raised around (but not necessarily directly in) Appalachian culture, you get a sense of things that outsiders couldn’t possibly understand. Or at least I did.

There were countless visits “back east,” to spend time with family, especially around holidays. Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas had special meaning. But even more apparent was Decoration (what outsiders call “Memorial Day”). During those visits, I picked up on some things that not everyone caught. Thing is: being a practicing Witch at the time (involved in some Wiccan Coven practices), I had learned that I had been around a lot of the lingo already. Not the usual “new age” stuff, like energy,

and chakras, and meditation, or circle casting. Nothing so blatant. But I did hear words like swain, and taglock, and trinket, and fixins.

Most people know of the word fixins to mean food—specifically, side dishes, like, “mashed taters,” and “hominy.” But what they didn’t realize was that, quite often, when my great grandmother referred to fixins, she wasn’t going on about food. Usually, she was talking about gathering up things to make a name paper or a petition. So, yes, she did this stuff. But she didn’t do it so everyone could see.

Absolute truth? I didn’t sit at my great grandmother’s knee while she rocked in her chair next to the hearth, and talked about spells. That never happened once. What did happen is that she did things in front of me that I picked up on, and either wrote down or remembered later. And a lot of it is in my written notes now. I like to think (and, of course, there’s no proof) that she was secretly training me.

My fixins have gotten a little fancier because they’re store-bought or I can order the special items off the internet. But they still work because the materials (though they are important to some degree) are not the focus— they don’t have to be exactly as it was then. You use what you have access to, and if you have access to something more modern that the elders didn’t, why not use it?

But don’t be fooled—it’s not solely intent that makes the difference, either. A lot of people would have you believe that “the only thing that matters is the intent you have when you do the spell,” but that’s nowhere near accurate. Material and intent both matter—both have to be focused on the same result. But what’s most important—what really, really smacks reality in the face and says “get the fuck out of my way,” and creates seemingly miraculous results—is Witchfire. (We’ll get to Witchfire—and the one belief that will make your magic soar high into the clouds—soon.)

But does that make me special? Do I have some special abilities? Does my family have special powers?

The answer is both yes and no. There are those of my family line that have what they would’ve called “spiritual gifts.” In no way would they have called themselves Witches and the primary reason for that is persecution and potential death. It’s like post-traumatic stress disorder—it’s a leftover from the paranoia of being ferreted out in colonial days. You can imagine that a culture that is often ridiculed (even today) for being “backwards”— even though we’re more normal and well-adjusted than most city-dwellers

—would not risk being caught out, and strung up, lynched or boiled in oil for using the word witch.. (Rumors have their way of screwing with your grey matter.)

So there were definitely people in my family with spiritual gifts.

One of my great aunts was born with a caul, which is a piece of the placenta covering at least the eyes, but in general the largest part of the face, at birth. It means one is born with “the sight,” which can range from having psychic visions of the future to being able to see actual spirit entities. The caul affects folks differently.

A great uncle of mine could remove warts. All he had to do was put his finger on your wart, say a charm or incantation and send you on your way. By the end of the week, if not by the end of the day, your wart would be gone. The same great uncle was also a water-witch—he could use a typical Y-shaped stick to find good places to dig wells.

Another great uncle inherited a special bone of a toad from his own father. Many people today are calling this practice Toadmanry—because it involves procuring the special bone of a toad—or Horesemanry—because that special bone gives one the ability to control animals, most notably horses. My own grandfather worked with horses for most of his young adult life, so I often wonder if he, too, hadn’t received a special toad-bone from his father—or managed to latch onto one himself. Pure speculation on my part. But it seems odd that someone would have such an ability—the ability to communicate with, and control animals—unless it were a spiritual gift from birth or the result of some occult practice.

My own grandmother dreamed true. What that means is that she often had dreams in the night that would later prove true. If they didn’t happen that very same day, they would happen that week. She used to look at women and tell them when they were pregnant, even before they knew it for sure themselves. Some would attribute this to “the glow” that pregnant women seem to have—but my grandmother knew with or without that glow. She was never once wrong that I ever heard about.

These folks definitely practiced what I would call witchcraft today. Sometimes I prefer to simply refer to it as folk magic.

How does any of this affect me?

I was born with a special mark. Today, we’d call this a birthmark. Mine happens to be on the left side of my forehead. Some have called it a “Devil’s Footprint,” because, when I was younger, it was definitely shaped

like a cloven hoof. Of course, it changed as I grew up and skin stretched and new cells were spawned. But it is still there, for sure, and you can almost see how it used to be hoof-shaped. I was never really poked fun at for the mark, outside of my cousin occasionally making a joking remark. And no one ever persecuted me for it, other than the usual cruelness of rude peers when I was a very young child. Some may find this a silly idea (’cause you’re “civilized” remember), but it’s not a far stretch of the imagination in Appalachian culture to find someone who is “marked.”

When I reached the ripe old age of thirteen, I began exploring Wicca. Mostly, this was because I was interested in Witchcraft, and the occult in general, but also because I knew there was magic in the world. I hadn’t had the wool pulled over my eyes to think that everything on Earth was based on psychology, or that we, as humans, didn’t have any power to change our lives for the better. I knew better almost instinctively. And that’s why I began exploring.

I was Initiated into Wicca in 1990. Yes, I was only a teenager. You might think that Wiccan groups of adults wouldn’t Initiate a teenager because of legal ramifications. And, for some traditional groups like Gardnerian Wicca, you’d likely be accurate. But I am not Gardnerian. My faith was built by my then-current High Priestess on two different Traditions—one was Wicca, the other was an American-born form of Witchcraft. She brought them together to form a rather unique Tradition which we are now calling “Feycraft,” which is what I teach the Coven that I High Priest at the time of this writing, and the Tradition that we continue to follow. Obviously, this doesn’t come from my family, and if most of them knew what I did, they’d freak out. But whatever. Life is short. Live it or die trying, right?

In addition, I am highly intuitive, and it affects me in two ways: I can sense and communicate with Spirits and have learned to “turn it off;” and I am (sometimes) able to sense the emotions of others to the point where I’m damn-near able to read their thoughts. There have been many times when I’ve had to ward or protect myself exceptionally well in order to just go to the grocery store. It’s a learned behavior (like the rest of the Craft).

But having a great intuition and sometimes hearing the thoughts of others or the whispers of Spirits isn’t all there is. And I don’t think any of those things are necessarily what make the Witch. I think you can be born with Witchblood, and I think you can be brought into the fold, and given the

Witchblood—either by another human Witch or by Dad Bucca, Himself. I don’t necessarily think that either way is better than the other.

I think that, whether born with Witchblood or not, you can be taught how to access Witchfire. And maybe that, in itself, is what adopts you into the family, and gives you the Witchblood. Who is to say for sure? But that’s why, when you perform the Rite of Awakening later, you’ll be working on activating, and accessing the Witchfire for yourself—because that’s part of what makes my mojos, packets and vials into kick-ass spells.

Our goal with this nifty little tome is to teach you—easy-peasy and step-by-step—how to make mojo bags, packets, and vial spells that really work for just about anyone.

Shall we?

Mojo Bags, Packets & Vials

The truth is, Appalachian folk magic is not comprised of a single cultural influence. As we’ve seen from the brief overview of the history, there are influences of indigenous Tribes of North America, Scots-Irish, English and African origins. In some regions of Appalachia, there are also influences of German and Dutch folk magic practices.

Before we move further, I’d like to address the actual elephant in the room—there is a big, big difference between Hoodoo, rootwork, and conjure. All too often (mostly in the online world), the three terms are equated, and made synonyms. But this is not the case. Hoodoo may have elements of conjure, and rootwork, but neither conjure nor rootwork are African or solely African-American. They, again, are practices used across multiple cultures.

If you’re going to assert that Hoodoo is an ongoing, continuous tradition of African-American folk magic, then treat it that way. The word Hoodoo is a proper noun—it is the name of a specific practice. The terms conjure and rootwork are not proper nouns—they are generic practices that span cultures, and times. Hoodoo is not the only practice in which conjure, and rootwork may be found.

The term conjure is defined as, “to call upon or command (a devil or spirit) by invocation or spell”^[1] The word’s origin is Middle English, derived from Latin. In its original sense, conjure meant “to swear.” This is the origin of the notion that “conjuring” meant one had taken an oath to, or made a pact with, a demon or devil. Conjure involves the act of summoning, communicating with, and making pacts or contracts with spirit entities.

Rootwork is a compound word made of the words root and work.. The term root is generally considered to be “any underground part of a plant.”[2] But for the intent of our usage here, it can be considered any part of a plant —it is plant matter, in general. The word work can be defined as, “productive or operative activity”[3]

So for all intents and purposes, rootwork can be defined as operative magic involving the use of plant matter. (Obviously, I made up this definition by combining the definitions of the two root-words. I couldn’t find a complete definition source for the compound term rootwork.)

Because both of these words (conjure and rootwork) are so generic, so to speak, they are not synonymous with a specific practice, such as Hoodoo. They may be techniques or tools used within Hoodoo, but they are also used within the magical frameworks hailing from other cultures. Most of us today call these magical paradigms “folk magic” or “low magic.”

Side note: I sort of have an issue with the phrase, “low magic.” It was a term from the middle ages that was used to differentiate ceremonial/ritualized magic from folk magic, and it was often used derogatorily towards the people who practiced it. “Low magic,” was used by the peasants, the “low” folk, as if they were lesser-than their ceremonial-or ritualized-magic-using counterparts. So mostly, if I’m talking to newcomers, I use the phrase, “folk magic.”

Throughout this book, if you see the words conjure or rootwork, know that I am not referring to their common usage as synonyms for the word Hoodoo. Instead, I am referring to these words in their actual definition as noted above. This is why I do not capitalize the words—they are generic practices spread the world over throughout various cultures, and paradigms of folk magic.

Mojo bags, packets, and vial spells are a type of magical working that we refer to as “container spells.” They’re container spells because the magical ingredients that are used to influence the circumstance, and obtain the sought-after result are placed inside of something—i.e., cloth (for a mojo), paper or cloth (for a packet) or tiny bottles (for a vial spell). In other words, the ingredients are inside of a container.

The dictionary defines mojo as, “an object, as an amulet or a charm, that is believed to carry a magic spell.”^[4]

For all intents and purposes, the mojo is usually a bag. It’s often also known as a mojo hand. It’s a small bag or bundle that can be carried in the pocket, pinned to the underwear or stashed in the bra. It contains special ingredients—a spell, as the definition says.

A packet is almost the same thing. The difference is that a packet can be made from cloth or paper. It’s also not usually in the shape of a bundle or a bag—it’s generally small cloth or paper squares that have been sewn together with needle and thread.

And what I call a vial spell is a tiny glass bottle with special ingredients, similar to both a packet, and a mojo—except it’s in a tiny bottle.

So technically, according to the definitions of conjure and rootwork, creating mojo bags, packets, and vial spells is a mash-up of the two. Using plant matter (among other ingredients and factors of influence), you’re creating something similar to what’s known as a “servitor.”

In Chaos Magick (which is where I first heard the term), a servitor is usually seen as a created entity. Using sigils, and (in the early days of Chaos Magick, in the 1980’s) masturbation, a “spirit” is created to do your bidding.

But that’s not how I see mojos, packets, and vials. We don’t create these spirits. Rather, we ask individual spirits to merge together to form a distinct entity for carrying out a purpose. (More on that later.)

I prefer the dictionary definition of “servitor.”

A servitor is defined as, “a person who is in or at the service of another.”[5] I prefer not to treat my spirits as slaves, but as friends. Because of that, I tend to refer to them more as familiar, which is the classic way a Witch refers to her invisible friends.

I make them all the same way and I make them all using the same Rite of Awakening, which you’ll learn later.

The One Essential Belief

The majority of the people of Appalachia, being descended from Indigenous Tribes of North America, often held (and many still do) beliefs that all things are alive, that all things have spirits. In modern terms, we call this “animism,” and, in effect, it’s the opposite of most modern psychological perspectives. Modern psychology-based methods of “magic” sometimes tell us that spirits are “aspects of the subconscious,” or, “psychological constructs.” But where I’m from, all things are actual, living spirit beings, with desires of their own. They are far from figments of the imagination.

So the plant White Snakeroot, for example, has a spirit. It soaks up sunlight, it likes to drink water and it consumes energy to grow and live. Likewise, a piece of Amethyst has a spirit—it is formed from the base elements sulphur and oxygen; oxygen is a gas that many living things breathe in order to stay alive. Thus, White Snakeroot and Amethyst are two examples of living beings. And since these are living beings, they must have spirits, and quirks, and personalities.

Those are just two examples of animism, but they help to show you what the definition means when it says, “the belief that natural objects have souls that exist apart from their material bodies.”[6]

Sigmund Freud, in his work Totem and Taboo, says of people who are animists that they “ ... populate the world with a multitude of spiritual beings which are benevolent or malevolent to them, and attribute the causation of natural processes to these spirits and demons; they also consider that not only animals and plants, but inanimate things as well are animated by them”[7]

Animism—the belief that mojos, packets and vials are actual spirits—is part of what will make your magic soar. What we do as rootworkers is bring several different spirits together and ask them to form one single spirit that will go about accomplishing the purpose to which we assign it, or ask it to perform.

We were all animists as children. It was fine to believe in fairies and talk to trees—until you hit a certain age. After that, you were politely (in some cases, not-so-politely) informed that your imaginary friends were just

that: imaginary, and not real. And you might’ve even come to believe that your traverses into the realm of the Fey were all just pretend.

You didn’t just “grow out of it.” This stuff was literally trained out of you, just as it was trained out of me. The major reason that we were told, in an indirect manner, to no longer be animists, is because our morality, not our feelings, took the spotlight on the center stage of world history. Before industrialization and the introduction of monotheism, humanity had belief systems, languages, and rituals that focused on the divinity of nature, and the human relationship with the land. After monotheism took over, morality became the goal—behavior was the primary focus, not feelings.

When we stop listening to the opinions or ideas of our “imaginary” friends, or we stop believing in fairies, we lose something important to our human make-up. We lose, not just our connection to our immediate environment, but also the innate sense of treating nature with the respect it deserves. Animism is a belief—or more of an ability to interact with the world—that provides us with ways of speaking, listening, acting, and being that are life-affirming, which leads to the ability to accept, and appreciate diversity. The loss of our animism as we age tends to develop in us a lack of feeling that nature needs to be cared for. Instead, we disrupt, and destroy the fragile ecosystems of life around us, and in doing so disrupt, and destroy the very system that supports our own survival.

We become animists again by internalizing the concept. To internalize the concept of animism, I recommend a very simple thirty-day exercise that I’ve had students use before. If you don’t spend a lot of time in nature, this exercise will change the way you view nature, as well as your habits towards it. If you do spend a lot of time in nature or already consider yourself an animist at heart, then this exercise may well enhance your current relationship with the land.

ACTION STEP: INTEGRATING ANIMISM

First, you’re going to pick an “inanimate” object. Honestly, the more “inanimate” the better. If you have a good-sized crystal or semi-precious stone that you like, use that. If you don’t have one, you can use a tree on your property or a houseplant. Trees and houseplants are often a bit easier for this because people still think of them as “living things” (although the idea that they are a living spirit is not quite as acceptable).

Do not—I repeat: do not—use a statue of a deity for this. If you use a statue of a deity, you will have successfully formed a working relationship with that deity at the end of the thirty days. Unless you are very, very sure about the idea that you want this particular deity in your life forever (or at least a very, very long time), don’t do it.

Also do not—I repeat: do not—use a random figurine for this. I mean things like a garden gnome, or a toad, or an owl. No figurines that look like grandma and grandpa gathering in apples. No animal figurines. Just don’t. If you do, you run the risk of attracting some random spirit to dwell in the object that you’re using. You don’t know this spirit and you don’t know if you want them in your life for a long, long time. You don’t know what kind of affect that spirit might have. So just don’t use a random figurine.

A crystal, semi-precious gemstone, a rock, a tree or a plant—these are acceptable to use, as they have their own spirits already and are quite willing to work with humans. Statuary of deities, on the other hand, already have specific personality quirks associated with that deity that you may not be aware of right now. And, as I said above, attracting random spirits is never a good idea unless you’re adept at communicating with them already.

Get a journal for this exercise. Ideally, you should write daily, but as long as you write two or three times a week, that should suffice. Keeping track of this will be invaluable at the end of the thirty days—you’ll be able to see the process as it unfolds.

(Incidentally, if you’d rather blog this experience, feel free to do so. And, don’t forget to ping me on it—I want to know how this experiment goes for you.)

Next, decide your start date and end date. Mark them on a calendar or set yourself some reminders on your smartphone. Also, mark the calendar or set reminders for when you’re going to journal/blog about this experience so you keep up with the task.

Once you’ve got your supplies and reminders ready, here’s what you’ll do. For a full thirty days, you’re going to talk to this object—the crystal or the tree or whatever you’ve decided to use. And you’re going to feed it something. Remember: don’t use a statue that is of a specific thing—no deities, no dogs, no cats, no toads. You don’t want to attract something too big to handle or anything so random you have no idea what it is. You can use this exercise to bring an actual familiar into your life later, if you’d like, but for now, you should be working with existing spirits so that you can get

a feel of how to communicate with them. You might also want to take on learning Tarot, reading playing cards, tea-leaf reading or Pendulum (a method of divination, in other words) so that you can utilize that as a communication tool with the newfound friend.

For an example, let’s say you’re using a nice-sized piece of raw Amethyst. Once a day, as you get out of bed, you’ll say, “Good morning,” to the Amethyst. You may put a piece of bagel in front of it when you have breakfast, or you may set a mug of coffee in front of it, and so on. (You could also pour a small bit of coffee over the Amethyst, so long as you make sure to clean, and dry it. You don’t want it to get too messy.) This is “feeding” the Amethyst. As you do that, you’re going to talk to it about your day. Tell it how you’d like to see your day go, or tell it how yesterday went. Just talk to it, like a friend. Tell it things you’d tell one of your best buds or best girlfriends when you’re hanging at a bar.

Alternatively, you can do this exercise in the evenings. Give the Amethyst some of your supper and talk to it about how your day went, and how you’d like it to be different tomorrow. Or about how great your day was, etc. Again, it doesn’t really matter what you use, so long as it is aesthetically pleasing to you (and not a statue of a deity or animal).

At the end of the thirty days, you will have built a relationship with the object you’re using for this exercise. This will not be a random spirit, but a re-awakened spirit native to the stone, crystal, tree, plant, etc. If you’ve found this relationship helpful, you can continue the same routine, and likely start doing more magical work with the object.

For more magical work, continuing our example, you might ask the Amethyst to help you increase your ability to sense/feel energies or spirits. Perhaps ask for guidance in the form of a dream to help you accomplish this. And then you can have the Amethyst next to your bed for a few nights until you’re able to recall a dream. And then, of course, the dream would likely need some interpretation.

If you do this exercise and have fun with it, but just don’t think you need to continue the relationship with this particular object for whatever reason at the end of the thirty days, there are ways to sever the relationship amicably and thank the item for its friendship. We need to give the relationship honor for what it was and obtain a semblance of closure on it, for both ourselves and the spirit with whom we’ve been communicating. One of those ways is found near the end of this book under A Rite of

Respectful Farewell. It’s primarily meant for your mojo, packet or vial, but can be easily adapted for use with the being you worked with during this exercise.

Interestingly enough, it isn’t necessary to wait the entire thirty days of this exercise before you start building your mojo bag, packet or vial spell. In fact, doing both (and completing the Rite of Awakening for your spell) may help further integrate animism into your consciousness.

But before the Rite of Awakening, we need to take some time out to explore just what building a great packet spell, vial or mojo bag entails for you.

• PART TWO : PLANNING POWER

Why Planning Is So Important

Not everyone likes to plan. I’ve been working on a novel for several months now and, to be honest, I stalled out at the outlining process early on. I had to step away for a bit and decide whether outlining was really important to me and my creative work, or if it impeded my passionate flow of words-to-paper. (Do I ever think I’ll publish the novel? Probably not— my fiction writing is not as engaging as my non-fiction writing.)

But, truth be told, outlining is what makes a creative project workable from the very beginning. Outlines aren’t static things—they’re just as dynamic as the person who wrote them and the story they illuminate; they change over time. Even this book—a nonfiction project—was built on an outline. Without that planning stage, I wouldn’t have known where certain steps and ideas needed to go in the text. And it would’ve been a jumbled mess that just confused you, the reader, about the whole idea of creating mojos, packets and vials.

Planning is where the real meat-and-potatoes of the magical working comes into being. Sure, you could do a one-off spell. You could oil up a green candle, roll it in some Patchouli and light that sucker ablaze. But some level of planning went into that. What’s the Patchouli for? Why is the candle green? Is it a taper or a votive? Is there anything carved into the candle? How does the magic know where to go if there’s no indication of a target?

Planning, or lack thereof, can very well make or break the success of your magical work.

Phases of Planning

I’ve broken down my entire process of creating mojo bags, packets and vial spells into five easy-peasy steps. Ready? Here they are:

• 1. Determine the purpose.

• 2. Decide whether to use a mojo, packet or vial.

• 3. Research and gather ingredients.

• 4. Determine when to perform the Rite of Awakening.

• 5. Perform the Rite of Awakening.

There are some tidbits sprinkled throughout the five-step process, of course, like the bit I mentioned about Witchfire and the various types of ingredients and their uses. These are things you’ll learn more about along the way. But these five main steps are the gist of the process.

Ready to get started?

Determine Your Purpose

The purpose of your spell is going to be as varied as you are as an individual. How you classify it depends upon you. But there are a few basic categories that are the most common reasons/purposes for making mojos, packets or vials. The most common purposes for your spell are:

• ★ Protection

• ★ Love

• ★ Money

• ★ Sex

• ★ Healing

• ★ Hexing

These can, of course, be broken down into a couple of other categories. These slightly more particular reasons are the reasons I’ve had people come to me for any variation of the portable container spell (which is what we’re talking about, after all):

• ★ Protection

o From Foul Spirits/Negative Magic

o From Backbiters/Rumors

o From The Law

o From Criminals

★ Love

o Attracting Love in General

o Attracting a Specific Person

o Attracting Friendship

o Sweetening Up Hateful Family Members

★ Money

o Getting a Job

o Getting a Raise at Work

o Drawing in Customers for a Business

o Success in Business in General

o Gambling Luck (no, I can’t make you win Lotto)

★ Sex

o Attracting Casual Sex Partners

o Keeping a Spouse Faithful

o Banishing/Getting Rid of the Obsessive/Possessive Lover

★ Health/Healing

o Relief from a Cold/Flu

o Easing Pain

o An Easy Birth

But, as I said, your variation on any of these spell purposes may be completely different.

(Oddly enough, the people who come to me asking to bring a specific person back into their lives, or who want a specific person to fall in love with them, are usually the people who come back to send the same person

away! I consider myself to be an ethical human being, but I live in a Capitalist society, and I like to buy my food, rather than kill it myself, so ... )

What about the “bad” stuff, like vengeance and cursing?

I personally prefer not to perform vengeance and cursing work. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not a believer in karma (either the eastern or western varieties) and I don’t subscribe to the “threefold law.” I don’t have any inkling of any kind of “divine retribution” that is going to smack me on the noggin if I perform a vengeance or cursing work. And even if there were, there are plenty of ways to avoid such consequences. (But ethically, I’d take my lumps, if I were to do such magic on a regular basis.)

But I don’t perform them as a matter of course. I will if there is absolute necessity and there appears to be no other way, but generally only for myself, or the very closest few of my personal circle. And for the most part, there is always another way. I much prefer justice work. It lets nature do the decision-making in regards to whom incurs what issue as a result of their own screwed-up behavior.

When I was a younger (i.e., more immature) Witch, I did whatever I wanted to when I wanted to do it. I’m sure most Witches have. But as I’ve grown in my own personhood both as a Witch and all-around better human being, I have to say that the trouble just isn’t worth it most of the time. Defense work (rather than offensive cursing) is less stressful for me and, if certain wards/protections are maintained, there’s no need for offensive work. Also, relationships with spirits, if strongly maintained, are usually great insulators from any negative magic that others may throw at you.

We’re channels of energy, like wires through which electricity runs. We don’t just pull down lightning from the skies and direct it to it’s target. That lightning has to run through us as conductors of power. So any vengeance or cursing work that we perform requires us to run the energies of vengeance or cursing through ourselves. Personally, it tires me out. So for myself, I work to obtain justice if there’s an issue where it needs to be done, unless vengeance or cursing is the only option available.

As far as performing vengeance or cursing work for others—the answer is the same. I would have to run that energy through myself, and, frankly, it’s just too tiresome. So I quit working curse spells for others long ago. When I was doing them, I was tired all the time, regardless of how much I “ground out” that energy, and it made me very angry. It takes much less

energy to let issues go and move on with your life than it does to exact vengeance or curse someone for trivial reasons.

So no—you won’t be learning that here. If you do your own research on it and come up with methods to do cursing/hexing work with mojos, packets and vials, more power to you. Just remember when it’s all said and done that I told you how it would affect you.

ACTION STEP: DETERMINE THE PURPOSE

Determine exactly what it is you need. Examine your situation. What was the reason you bought this book? Which of the broad categories does it fall under—Protection, Love, Money, Sex, Health/Healing? Is it for attracting something, or getting rid of something? What is that something? Answer these questions on a sheet of paper, because you’ll need them to continue the process.

Determine Your Spell Type

This next phase is to decide exactly how you want to tote the spell around. Remember, these are all three portable spell types. Mojo bags, packets and vial spells are small enough to fit in the pocket, pin to your undies, drop in your bra, keep in your purse or shoe, etc.

The type of spell you use will partially be determined by what types of ingredients you want to use.

If you want to include any body fluids as taglocks (such as a significant amount of your own blood or urine) you may want to stick to a tiny bottle. That is, unless you’re using just enough to anoint or smear a packet or mojo.

If you plan to use some type of powdered herb (as opposed to just “ground”) in your spell, you might want to stick with a vial, depending on the amount of powder you’re using. Powders can sometimes be finer than the threading of a piece of cloth and can “sift” through the holes. You don’t want to forget that you’ve put a cloth packet in your back pocket full of powder and then plop down on the bus seat. You’ll end up in a cloud of dust and the other passengers or the driver may become a bit paranoid about who you are what the fuck you intend to do on the bus.

Otherwise, most dry ingredients will work just fine in any of the three types.

Are particular purposes more suited to either mojo bag, vial or packet? Yes and no. Most any purpose can fit with a mojo bag. Traditionally, I’ve seen packets used for love and protection, and very occasionally money. Packets can be made to look like decorative sachets of yummy-smelling herbal combinations and given as gifts to achieve certain results. Vials are traditionally associated with protection, sex or vengeance. In the category of protection, if a tiny glass bottle gets broken, it’s an indicator that you may have been attacked.

ACTION STEP: DETERMINE YOUR TYPE

So read through that list of categories and subcategories again. Determine where your spell best fits, and then decide if you want to use a

vial, a mojo or a packet. Remember to write this info down on that sheet of paper for later use.

Fixins: Research & Gather Ingredients

So what, exactly, goes in a mojo bag, packet, or vial spell? There will always be variation amongst practitioners, but for myself, I stick to a combination of four main items. These are: plant materials; trinkets; taglocks; and papers. I may or may not use all of these in a single working. Usually, I leave out the papers, unless circumstance makes it very necessary. For any of these four categories, the specific ingredient is chosen for its coordinating purpose. I call all of these ingredients Fixins.

Plant Material

As we’ve already discussed, rootwork is the use of material taken from plants to perform operative magic, or folk magic. The parts of a plant used often vary based on purpose, or the magical abilities associated with the plant.

Common kitchen herbs and spices (like Basil, Cinnamon, Oregano, Thyme, etc.) are great choices because they’re readily available at most supermarkets. And these days, even some of the more “exotic” herbs and spices (like Curry or Charnuska) can be found. If they aren’t readily available, they can likely be ordered online.

Other plant material includes the roots, stems, leaves and petals of wildflowers (commonly called, “weeds”), or domestically-grown flowering plants (like Belladonna or Marigold). I keep plants of White Snakeroot and Naked Ladies (the flower, not real naked ladies, lest any of you get the wrong idea) on the fencerow of my backyard. I also have various small plots of Snowdrops that come up in the Spring, and my partner invariably insists on planting Morning Glories every year.

Trees are not averse to providing good plant material for use, either. Roots, bark, twigs, leaves, berries—all of these are available. I have a Holly Tree (leaves are useful for drawing helpful spirits) and a Musclewood Tree (useful for protection) on my property that I go to for help.

Obviously, there isn’t room in a single book for me to list every single herbal or plant-based ingredient I’ve ever used in my magic. That would get

extremely lengthy. In the formulas for mojos, packets and vials that I give at the end of the book, however, I will include the actual plant ingredients used and why. It’s important that you understand the reasons behind what you include, as you want all of the items to reflect a purpose. In this way, the spell you’re casting has some focus and, often, already a built-in method of accomplishment.

Any plant-based ingredients that I cannot source locally, I purchase from MountainRoseHerbs.com. Their merchandise is organic, and sustainable. If I can’t find something there, then I go to 13Moons.com.

Trinkets

A lot of people in the world of Hoodoo call these “curios,” but I grew up hearing them called, “trinkets.” So that’s what I tend to stick with when I speak of these items.

Trinkets are things like:

• • horseshoe magnets

• • iron nails, rusty or otherwise

• • wedding rings

• • gemstones

• • lodestones

• • rabbits feet

• • toadbones

• • dice

A trinket can be almost any object small enough to fit into a packet, vial or mojo bag. Small metal amulets—anything you can put on a necklace or a charm bracelet—fit the bill, if it fits your container and your purpose. Some trinkets are placed on the outside of the bag, packet or vial as an additional

charm for luck, while others are placed inside the container in order to focus the power.

Taglocks

Taglocks, on the other hand, are a specific kind of trinket. Taglocks are items taken from the body that are used to connect your packet, vial or mojo to the individual target. The target is called a “tag” and the “lock” is the item that permanently binds the spell to the individual—hence, “taglock.” Taglocks taken from the body are one of the following:

• • blood, menstrual or otherwise

• • skin flakes

• • hair from the head, root intact

• • tooth, with or without root

• • saliva

• • fingernails

• • pubic hair, root intact

• • sexual fluids

• • urine

• • stool (yes, poo)

• • toenails

So which of these taglocks is the strongest? It really depends on the purpose for your spell. If you’re making a mojo for the purpose of attracting customers to your business, fingernails would work well for the significance of money coming into your hands. If you were making a vial spell for protection from foul magic or spirits sent against you, saliva or

some facial hair may be the better option. Why? Because it’s closest in proximity to your breath, and breath is often considered life. For protection, blood would not be a bad option.

In the case of poo—I would not use this at all. First, it’s disgusting. Second, it sometimes reeks (depending on what the person ate recently). And third, poo is a good curse-maker, and you’re not trying to curse yourself. In a case where you may want to put a hex or jinx on someone else, do you really want to finagle a way to gather a bit of their stool? Yick! There are other ways to use your own stool in hexing and jinxing, but those aren’t specifically related to the container spells we’re discussing here, so we’re foregoing that talk for now.

The absolute strongest taglock you can get is blood. It covers everything from protection, to binding certain people or objects, to victoriously overcoming people who are sabotaging your career, to ... well, anything, really. There’s a quote from Dracula that goes: “The blood is the life!”^[8] And there's a good reason for that quote. As we discussed earlier, being born with Witchblood is a good thing, but even without Witchblood (which I’m convinced most people have anyhow), the use of blood is the strongest magic you can muster.

Side note: if you use blood in your magic, please do it safely. I understand that using a very sharp knife to slice open your finger seems more arcane and occult-like, but pricking the tip of the finger with a diabetic lancet is more safe and just as effective.

Remember that I said taglocks are taken from the body? That’s sort of a half-truth. There are some taglocks that can be used which are not bodily taglocks. I will use these in a pinch, but in general, they’re weaker than bodily taglocks. If you can get a bodily taglock, go that route. Non-bodily taglocks include such things as:

• • cursive sample of handwriting (strongest)

• • cursive signature

• • print sample of handwriting

• • print signature

• • photograph, with a negative that exists somewhere

• • business card

• • digital pic (weakest)

Why is a sample of cursive handwriting stronger than the cursive signature? First: cursive is stronger when it comes to writing because it is a unique imprint of the individual. A study of handwriting analysis reveals that the stylings of cursive handwriting are akin to a fingerprint. A sample of handwriting is stronger than a signature because a signature is what you want the world to see, whereas a handwriting sample connects more closely to the inner worlds of the individual’s mind and personality. Print, obviously, isn’t as strong because, even though everyone’s style might be different, it doesn’t contain the same depth of characteristics as cursive handwriting.

Side note: It’s unfortunate, but cursive is a dying artform in our modern world—schools have actually stopped teaching it, which is a giant shame. Not all of them, but many. Not only is it useful in magic, but cursive also leaves styling to evolve as an individual grows, ages and matures. As such, it develops as the person develops. More to the point, it is also therapeutic for many high-functioning individuals with mental retardation, and can lead to more creativity, insight and fluid forms of thinking, including the development or retention of intuitive faculties. The ending of the teaching of cursive handwriting is just one more way that we are being systematically separated from our intuitive faculties, creative abilities and imaginative insightfulness as human beings. End rant.

A photograph can be a decent connection to the person, but it should be an actual photograph that has an associated negative. The reason for this is that an actual, physical photograph with a negative is believed, in some cultures, to take a tiny bit of a person’s soul or energy into itself. This is the reason that many cultures even today don’t want their photos taken. In this day and age, you’d almost be hard-pressed to find an actual photograph of a person that would’ve used the technology of a negative to develop. Unless, that is, the person is an older family member and you have shoeboxes of photos from “back in the day.” Cameras are all digital these days and don’t require negatives to create the image of the individual.

This explains why a business card is stronger than a digital pic that you might find on social media. Since a digital pic has no negative and isn’t

physically in contact with the individual, it’s less strong. But a business card may (and is likely to) have been in the person’s pocket or purse or on his/her desk. Even if a business card hasn’t physically been touched by the individual in question, it has at least been somewhere in that person’s vicinity. Digital pics, though (like those social media profile pics you’re thinking of stealing right now), aren’t physically touched by the individual. To paraphrase a semi-popular game-show in the U.S. that aired for a couple of years in the early 2000’s: they are the weakest link.

Do I discourage you from using them at all? Hell no! If a digital picture lifted from social media is all you can get, feel free to go for it.

Papers

Papers include name papers, petitions, and seals and sigils. Any of these can be used to strengthen a weak link (such as a digital pic from social media or a business card). They can also be used as individual ingredients in a packet, mojo or vial spell.

In general, these special papers are made using squares torn from brown paper bags. This is traditional. But if you don’t mind veering away from tradition, it’s perfectly okay to use other papers. In fact, there are some spells that may be best to create using vellum (clean parchment paper made from sheepskin). Appalachian spellcraft is about using what you have on-hand or can easily obtain that matches up with your intuition.

As an example, let’s say you wanted to draw a new romantic partner into your life. It isn’t a specific person, but a general “let me attract a new lover” spell that you want to perform. Remember that gift bag you got last Valentine’s Day that is rotting away in your basement? Use paper torn from that. Or even go buy a special Valentine’s Day card and rip it in half—use the blank side of the front to write your petition, then fold it towards you in half and stitch up the sides with red thread (this will be tough, because cardstock is not easy to sew with a regular sewing needle—if you have an awl available, try poking holes with that first). Add in some love herbs, maybe a red construction paper heart shape and a bit of your hair (pluck it from your head, remember—don’t snip it, because you need the root). Throw in a drop or two of your saliva (you want to kiss the guy, after all, don’t you?) as you perform The Rite of Awakening. Then sleep with that

baby under your pillow until you meet the partner of your dreams (hopefully not just in your dreams).

Name Papers

Name papers are easy enough to make. They’re usually used for domination spells, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use them for something else. You can easily use a name paper to surround someone with blessings, as well. Remember that the color of ink you choose, and the number of times you write the names can play a role here, also. (You’ll learn more about colors and numbers later.) Obviously, with a name paper, you’re going to need the name of an individual, company, charitable organization or what-not.

First take your slip of paper and write the person’s name (or your name) in the center nine times, stacked. Like this:

When you’ve finished that process, you can write your desire in an unending circle surrounding the names. Try not to lift your pen as you write your desire. When you’re finished, you can go back to dot I’s and cross T’s and so on, but it’s best if the circle-statement is unbroken.

For example, if the name paper is to bring you blessings of some kind or to protect you, use only your name. Surround the name with a statement of blessing or protection. Likewise, if you’re using this method for positive ends for other persons. If the end result really has nothing to do with you (say, it’s not a relationship issue), then the name of the target is the only one you’ll use. Remember to consider the purpose of your spell to determine the target.

To use this method to strengthen a digital picture or a business card, write your name paper on the blank side of the print-out itself.

Petitions

Petitions aren’t at all difficult, either. For the most part, you’re just putting what you want to happen on paper. Petitions are generally used when you want a lot of detail in your desire.

As an example, instead of just making a name paper with a desire statement of, “John Doe falls in love with me,” you can write out a paragraph or two about how you want the relationship to be. You can write

about your first date, or about how s/he approaches you to ask you out. Or, if you have truly determined that you want this romantic partner to be longterm, you can write about how a future night on the town will look for the two of you after you’ve moved in together. Or write about how your day is going as you take a day-trip to some special, local spot.

When you write a petition, you don’t have to write it to any particular entity, deity or higher being. No, “Dear So-and-so,” here. Just write. Unless, of course, you already have a relationship with a particular deity or spirit and would like their influence over the situation. But be forewarned: not all deities and spirits, even if they like you, are going to be enthusiastic about certain desires. For example, you wouldn’t write a petition or prayer to Aphrodite to ask for vengeance on some ass who stole $100 from your wallet. Sure, she might be sympathetic, but Aphrodite is more likely to want to create love or sexual desire. I’d be more likely to enlist the aid of Mars (military might) or Jupiter (money) for that one.

(It’s a simplistic example, as I find that most deities have a penchant for way more than just the one or two boxed-in categories that we humans assign. But it’s not a bad idea to enlist the aid of a deity or spirit who already vibes with your goal, and if that means using tried-and-true previously-assigned categories, so be it.)

At the end of the petition, be sure to sign your name. The reason for signing your name, according to some old folk beliefs, is because you want the spirits to grant your wish to you, not to some random schmoe taking his dog for a walk down your neighborhood street. They need a way to identify you and your signature helps accomplish this.

But, when you use a petition, there are two considerations. If the petition is not going to be made into a paper packet itself, you’ll want to be able to fold it small enough to fit into your mojo, or roll it up into a tiny scroll small enough to fit into your vial without sticking up into the neck of the bottle.

The second consideration is: if you’re going to use oils or waters of any kind, it will likely dissolve the ink on the paper. So when using a petition paper, it’s best if it is to be used with only dry ingredients. This can be done in all three types of spells, but obviously, if you’re going to use oils in a good quantity (for more than just anointing the item), you’ll want to choose a vial spell.

Seals

What I mean by a “seal” is the seal of a particular spirit. The entity is already established and has its own graphical signature. These spirits are the entities listed in books like The Greater Key of Solomon and The Lesser Key of Solomon. Granted, these are European grimoires based in Judeo-Christian lore and used in a Ceremonial (or “High”) Magick capacity, but they have been used in various folk versions of conjure for quite a long time, likely since their first publication. I have included my versions of the seals of the planets that I regularly use with great success in the Appendix, along with a brief description of how each can be used.

It’s preferable to make the seal yourself. Draw it on paper, whether that's a piece of brown paper bag or fancier parchment. You may choose to use a paper of the appropriate color and then use black ink or white ink on that paper, whichever shows up best. Or, you may wish to use appropriately colored ink to make the seal on white paper or parchment. Experiment with various combinations here, as they can glean you different (sometimes stronger) net results. If you lack even the slightest artistic skill, however, feel free to print the seal out and use it.

You can use these seals of the planets and spirits in a number of ways.

For mojo bags, you’ll either attach the seal to the outside as a magical booster and spirit helper, or you’ll put it inside your mojo. If you put it inside your mojo, keep in mind that one of two things will happen: 1) the spirit to whom the seal belongs may attempt to become the master over the spirit you’ve brought together in your mojo, in which case, you’ll either condone it or need to let it know that this is inappropriate for your purposes; or 2) the spirit to whom the seal belongs may take over as the only spirit in your mojo. In the second case, you’ve basically set up a spirit house—a physical body—for the pre-established spirit to use as a home-base in our physical world.

You may also, for use with a mojo bag, write a petition paper or name paper on the back of the seal, if the reverse is blank. Be sure you can fold it tight enough to actually fit into your mojo.

For use as a packet, you may either leave the reverse blank (if it is already blank), or use it as a name paper or petition. If you use it this way, be sure to fold your writing in, while the seal is on the outside of the paper packet. You may also use the seal as a name paper or petition, or the seal by itself, by folding it and placing it into another packet. If you do this, it would probably be best to put the seal into a cloth packet. Stacks of paper

tend to get hard to sew, especially when there are two or three sheets that are placed together and then folded.

For use in a vial spell, you can do the same: petition paper, name paper or neither. Be sure to roll the seal into a scroll tight enough to get into your tiny bottle. Folding it small enough can be extra tough sometimes, which is why I go with scrolling it.

Sigils

Sigils come to us from a system called Chaos Magick. This system was essentially developed in England in the 1970’s. Sigil creation is not unique —people have made graphic symbols of everything they’ve wanted to communicate to someone else since humanity figured out it could make marks on things. We call this, “writing.”

What is unique to Chaos Magick is the fact that the sigil is created and then implanted into the subconscious mind. After that, one should be prepared to put the symbol away somewhere and forget about it—burn it, if need be. But this is based on a psychological model of magic, and this is not the system we’re using here. As an animist, I find it best to treat the resultant symbol as if it were the taglock of the spirit that is being brought into my mojo, packet or vial.

In that case, if I’m going to use a sigil, I will likely use it to name the spirit and container spell, rather than just calling it, “Little Friend,” or something generic that anyone could figure out. You’ve heard of the old belief that, if you have the name of a spirit, you have control over it, right? That’s the principal here. It also ensures that you aren’t just calling in a preexisting spirit that might or might not want to help, but instead, you’re relying on the spirit amalgamated from the spirits of the ingredients in your container spell.

The first thing to do when making a sigil is to come up with the phrase of intent. What is it you want? What are you doing the magic for? A good way to do that is to fill in the blank with a statement like, “My desire is to

.” And then your active phrase is really just everything that comes after to and that’s what you’ll use to create a sigil, name and perhaps a “barbaric” chant to use, as well.

Once you’ve found your phrase, you have a choice to make. Some folks like to remove all vowels, and then remove the duplicate consonants. Others will only remove the duplicate consonants. This is really your choice, as either way works. However, a word of advice: removing vowels now allows

you to add them back in wherever you want to in order to come up with a semi-pronounceable name.

After you have a string of letters that contains no duplicates, the remaining characters are used to create a graphic symbol. This graphic symbol becomes the key image or the signature of your mojo’s, packet’s or vial’s spirit. It’s an easy way to create an image that gives you a way to feed the spirit or contact it if you don’t have the actual physical relic with you.

It’s much easier to learn this process by illustration, as the description of the process can be confusing to some. So, let’s have an example, shall we?

Let’s say you wanted to draw more customers to your online mojomaking business. Your statement of desire might read something like this:

My desire is to have more customers to buy mojos from me.

So if we follow our own rules, we eliminate the “My desire is to,” and end up with the key phrase of: have more customers to buy mojos from me.

That’s a fairly specific statement. You want more customers, and you want them to buy something from you (not just browse, obviously). And you want that product to be your mojo bags. Some might say this isn’t specific enough—they might want you to put a date in there somewhere or decide where the customers are going to find you (like online or in a botanica, etc). We don’t really need to define it that specifically. I’m of the opinion that too much minute detail can impede the powers that be. You want to leave room for the spirits to decide some things—it gives them leeway to actually work and meet your goal. You don’t need a date with this one because you don’t want it to end—this is an ongoing goal, not a limited-time goal. And, you may not be in one place alone—like a physical store, and an online store—maybe you have both, and would like to have folks buy from you in more than one location.

So now we’ll take that phrase and (since I’m the kind of person who uses the remaining phrase for my spirit’s name) remove the vowels. That’s going to leave us with:

HVMRCSTMRTBYMJSFRMM

Our next step is to eliminate all of the duplicate letters, except the first in the sequence. So, for example, we’ll eliminate all of the M’s from the string of characters except the first one we see.

H V M R C S T M R T B Y M J S F R M M

Continuing that elimination process with all the letters in the string of characters will leave us with:

H V M R C S T B Y J F

Once the string of unique characters has been determined, the next phase is to decide whether you want to use this as a name for your mojo, packet or vial.

If you do decide to use it as a name, you can add in vowels anywhere you like to make the name pronounceable. They do not have to be the same vowels in the same places as the original phrase. You can even rearrange the string of consonants, if that gives you a better, more user-friendly name to put into place. You may also wish to make it a first and middle or first and last name.

For example, adding in the vowels I, A and O, I might come up with “Hovmarcsti Byjof.” Even dropping some of the letters would be appropriate, and we might even come up with, “Marcstiby,” or, “Jofmarc.” Or we may choose to use just, “Marcsti,” as the name. As long as you are able to identify your mojo, vial or packet with the name, it’s significance is only partially important. But it’s fun to try to come up with names for your container spell spirits with this method. The benefit of this method is that no one really knows the “true name” of your little friend, and, thus, cannot gain power over it (if they even know it exists, which they shouldn’t, but we’ll get to that later).

Whether you’re using a devised name or not, the next step is to start putting together an aesthetically pleasing graphic. This graphic is the actual sigil itself and is the key component to identifying, communicating with and activating your container spell (if you chose to use a sigil, that is).

Combining the letters, you may come up with something like one of these two sigils I just knocked off the top of my head:

These are by no means creative genius, nor are they to be considered finished works of art. They’re just sigils that came out of my brain as I was contemplating how to arrange the letters into a pleasing image.

There’s no need for you to copy my style—sigils are as individual as the people who create them. Your unique style is yours and is the aesthetic that will assist you best in your work. Having said that, feel free to use these as-is, or even spawn new versions of them yourself. I think the one on the left is the one that I would associate most with the name “Marcsti,” and it’s a name I think I like for now. So I might actually use that, if my goal were to get more paying customers for my mojo bags.

Things you can do with the resultant graphic-key vary greatly. It’s left up to your own imagination. You could write a petition or a name paper targeting yourself on the back of it and scroll it up into a tiny vial. Or, you could anoint it with a five-spot of Money Come oil and fold it towards you as tightly as possible, then place it in a mojo bag. Your imagination is really the only limit as to what you can do with this kind of magic.

ACTION STEP: CHOOSE YOUR INGREDIENTS

After doing some research on plants and what they can do magically, pick out your plant matter (herbs, spices, etc.), any trinkets you want to include, and taglocks, if you need them. Don’t forget to decide on name

papers, petitions and seals. And, if you’re using a sigil, create it. Figure out if it’s going to be a name and a graphic key, or just a graphic key.

Other Factors Of Influence

Colors

Traditionally, most people say that the mojo bag was made from red flannel. There is an historical reason for this—the idea is that African-

American slaves only had access to red flannel—and hence all mojos were traditionally made of this. I’m not sure I buy that. Historically, there were fabrics of unbleached white, brown or blue with an occasional red-and-yellow Gingham for women’s turbans. Most shirts and pants would also be wool or cotton because it was more readily available, although some flannel, perhaps in colder climes, was doled out by the slave masters.[9] So while it’s a nice theory, I’m absolutely certain that, regardless of the plentiful nature of red flannel, there were other fabrics just as plentiful.

At any rate, Appalachian witchery has it that you use whatever you’ve got. These days, though, you can find almost anything at a local craft or fabric store or order just about anything you want online, so there’s no reason to stick to such traditions. In some instances, it could be an impediment, because color has its own energetic influence.

While it is often that practitioners of the craft will relate colors of fabric to colors of candles and use them in that way, I prefer a planetary system. The planetary energies relate to the seven classical planets thought to be the inhabitants of our galaxy at the time of medieval ceremonial magicians, and two of them aren’t even planets (one of them, the Sun, is a star, and the other, the Moon, is a satellite).

The colors associated with the planets and their virtues follow:

Numbers

Back when I was just experimenting with making various mojos of my own, I was given a set of numbers to use. I really wasn’t aware of how important they were. But as time wore on and I kept playing with mojo bags, I realized fairly soon how numbers influence the mojo bag, packet or vial spell itself. In general, the numbers theory pertains to the number of ingredients you put in your spell.

Traditionally (and the numbers my great grandmother used) are: three, five, seven, nine and thirteen. Why these numbers? Because of their meanings in numerology, which was often used by folks in my heritage to determine personality characteristics of individuals when they were born. This table gives the basic run-down of the numbers’ meanings in numerology. Not all of these are traditional meanings, obviously, as I’ve added in a couple of my own that relate to the Tradition of Wicca taught to me.

13

imagination, expression, creativity; the Trinity; the triple goddess; three phases of the moon; talent, inspiration, optimism

adventure, freedom, adaptation; the number of humanity (head, two arms, two legs); pentacle; the five elements (air, fire, water, earth, spirit); material goods

spirituality, focus, introspection; the number of God; seven spirits of God; seven candlesticks; “perfect” number

death, endings, sentiment, emotional instability; nine Norns; nine worlds of the spiritual plane; tree of life; underworld; ancestors

no real area of influence; but it’s the number to use for extremely powerful and strong mojos/spells; at one time, it was thought to be the unluckiest of numbers, but it has always proved very positive for me

These days, I tend to use a different system. Having researched my heritage and discovered the older roots, I’ve come to use a system of numbers that feels much more familiar to me. You may use either one, of course, which is why I’ve included both of them here for your consideration.

But for myself, I much prefer the associations of numbers with the seven classical planets, which goes right in line with the colors. You’ll note here, though, that not all of the numbers are odd numbers. I use these amounts of ingredients anyhow, because it produces a greater association with the virtues and energies of the planets for me. The numbers of association with the planets and their meanings follow.

So, as an example, if I were to make a packet to protect me from foul spirits, I would use three ingredients. Three protective items to use would be Dragon’s Blood Resin, a thorn from any thorny bush or tree, and a protection name paper I made for myself. This would be in keeping with the planetary virtue of Saturn. I would also likely use a black mojo, or black paper or cloth for a packet. I might even mark my Spirit’s sigil on red paper (for Mars energy) with black ink (for Saturn), or vice versa.

ACTION STEP: DECIDE ON COLORS AND NUMBERS

Figure out if you’re going to make your bag or packet of a particular color of fabric or paper. If you’re making a vial, remember that color is less important, unless you’re going to use it for a paper to put in the vial. Also, decide on the number of ingredients you’re going to use. Base the number on either the traditional set of ideas, or go for the planetary concept.

The last factor to consider in the planning of your mojo, packet or vial spell is to think of the timing. When are you going to make this kick-ass container spell?

Timing Your Creation

Quite honestly, when you need to create the mojo, packet or vial, do it. In truth, when using folk magic, you really don’t want to wait around if there’s a pressing need for your spell. If you couldn’t find your wallet, would you wait around for a Thursday in the hour of the Moon to discover where you left it? I would make that packet as soon as I had the opportunity.

But when you do have the ability to wait for the most auspicious time, I would recommend it. The planetary powers have a way of adding their oomph to your spellwork that makes for great results.

The Babylonians named the days of the week after the planetary bodies that they knew about. Obviously, the Sun is a star and the Moon is a satellite, neither of which are planets. But they were considered planets long ago in our human history. The custom of naming the weekdays from the planets was adopted by the Romans, who added the seven-day week to the calendar around 321. Constantine designated Sunday and Monday as the first days of the week.

The names we have in English (besides Sunday and Monday) were derived from Teutonic mythology.

Tuesday came from Tiw, which came from Twr, a Norse god of war. The Romans associated him with Mars, who is the Roman god of war. Twr was a son of Odin, or Woden, the All-Father, after whom Wednesday was named. The Romans associated him with Mercury. Thursday originated from Thor, a god of thunder, whom the Romans associated with Jove, and Friday comes from Frigga, the wife of Odin, who is about beauty, passion and love, like the Roman goddess Venus.

So, fairly obviously from that previous couple of paragraphs—Sunday is the day of the Sun, Monday is the day of the Moon, Tuesday is the day of Mars, Wednesday is the day of Mercury, Thursday is the day of Jupiter and Friday is the day of Venus.

Sunrise on each respective day is the first hour of the day and belongs to the planet of the day. So Sunday at sunrise, there should be around 54 minutes that is designated as the hour of the Sun. The remainder of the hours respectively continue for the remainder of the day.

With some practice, and knowing the time of the sunrise on each respective day, it’s fairly easy to calculate the planetary hours for yourself. However, I personally use an app called “Planetary Times,” made by thereisonlywe. If you’d rather not use an app on your phone, or if this app isn’t available for your device, you can use a website called Lunarium.^[10]

When making your mojo, packet or vial, determine the primary purpose or category for your spell. Based on the planetary virtues, make the item during the hour of the appropriate planet on the appropriate day.

Something else to consider is the combination of planetary virtues. As an example, say you’re trying to stifle a backbiter at work. You might choose the planet Saturn for binding up the backbiter’s tongue, and the planet Mercury, who is in charge of communication. You can either make the mojo, packet or vial on a Wednesday (for Mercury) in the hour of Saturn (for binding), or the reverse—on a Saturday in the hour of Mercury.

ACTION STEP: DETERMINE YOUR CREATION DATE/TIME

Using the planetary virtues, determine when you want to create your mojo, packet or vial.

• PART THR EE: THE RITE OF
  
  AWAKENING

  I can sit here and write with full integrity the statement that the Rite of Awakening that I’m about to teach you is not at all “traditional.” I mean that in the sense that it is not garnered from the teachings of an elder who practiced Appalachian folk magic. I can’t even assure you that the rite is based in Appalachian folk magic itself, other than to tell you that parts of it are used in various forms of folk magic the world over to enliven other types of similar beings.

So while it may seem traditional in the sense that it uses some traditional concepts or methods, the process I use was really just happenstance on my part. No one taught this to me. So there is no reason for anyone reading this to run off and say I’m claiming this Rite of Awakening to be traditional Appalachian folk magic. I am stating here and now, unequivocally, that it is of my own creation.

That’s not to say, however, that it is ineffective. In fact, since “perfecting” this Rite of Awakening in late 2008, I haven’t used another ritual at all to enliven and quicken my mojos, packets and vials. The Rite of Awakening has never failed to do for me exactly what it was intended to do. So I’m including it here for you to try using as-is. If it doesn’t work for you, try using it as a jumping-off-point—amend it to suit your own tastes and see how it works. Just keep a good journal of the work so you can figure out what seems to work and what doesn’t.

Having said all of that: on with the show.

For myself, there are five main steps to the Rite of Awakening. These are:

• 1. Raising the Witchfire

• 2. Awakening the Ingredients

• 3. Sealing the Spell

• 4. Quickening and Naming

• 5. First Feeding

The Rite of Awakening

Before beginning the Rite, make sure you have all of your necessary ingredients and supplies to hand.

For mojos, be sure you have your fabric circle or square, all of your fixins, the string you’ll use to tie it together and the liquid you’ll use for first feeding, such as whiskey.

For packets, have the paper or fabric and needle and thread nearby. Again, all the fixins and the first-feeding material should be at hand, also.

And for vials, get the little bottle, all of the ingredients you’re putting inside, and a candle that drips for sealing. (Hint: you might want to choose a candle in the color that matches the planetary virtue, which matches the purpose of your spell.)

Raising the Witchfire

Methods of raising the Witchfire vary. For me, I can just call up this feeling when I want to, but it’s sometimes difficult for others to do that.

One way is to breathe the Witchfire. If you’ve meditated for very long or done a lot of energy work in your magical career, this might be the easiest method for you. Also, if you’re naturally intuitive or empathic, the breathing method could work well.

To try out the breathing method, I recommend sitting in a cross-legged position on the floor with your hands relaxed in your lap or on your knees. Clear your mind and breathe deeply for several minutes. Picture yourself where you’re sitting, and begin to imagine yourself surrounded by a red mist or flame. See it rising from the dirt of the earth, and coalescing around you. As you continue inhaling slowly and deeply, visualize that this energy is entering your pores and filling your body. Try to get a feel of the sensation that your body is having as this energy enters you and fills you up. When you feel that you’re full of this energy, mist or fire, you’re ready. This is the Witchfire.

Another method that I like to use a lot is called the “hiss technique.” Because the Witchfire is land-based (at least as far as my concept is concerned), I feel as though it comes from the land itself—or more appropriately, from the Master of those who dwell within the land. That

Master, to me, is the King of Elfhame, the consort of the Queen of Elfhame, who can sometimes appear as a great serpent traversing the land beneath.

For the Hiss Technique, I sit as I do when using the aforementioned breathing exercise—cross-legged on the floor in a relaxed state. I take very large, deep breaths in and then exhale across my teeth, making a hissing sound. I do this for a total of thirteen times. By the time I am finished with these thirteen hisses, I may feel slightly dizzy, in a physical sense. This usually fills me up with the same sense of the Witchfire as any other technique.

You can also use any variation on the host of consciousness-altering methods that are generally related in books on Witchcraft or Wicca. Techniques like drumming, spinning, dancing a Witch’s Mill, and so on are all good tools for raising the Witchfire, as is visualization. You may even adapt a known energy-running technique and use it to pull Witchfire up from the land through your chakras, if you do that type of energy work.^[11]

Awakening the Ingredients

This step is fairly simple. You should know that the ingredients—even dried herbs from the grocery store—are not dead. They all still have their own spirits intact, even if they may be lying dormant. This is why we awaken these spirits when creating a mojo, packet or vial spell.

At this stage, if you’re making a packet, it’s a good idea to go ahead and get the packet ready. Unless you’ve already done it ahead of time, sewing up a fabric or paper packet will be the process that takes the most time. While doing that, feel free to chant or sing to the packet of its intended purpose. You may even choose to use the phrase you used to make the sigil (if that’s the route you took) while cutting the fabric or paper and sewing three sides of it closed.

To awaken the ingredients, simply pick them up, one by one, and speak the following phrase to them. Or use something similar of your own choosing, but try to include words that mean something like “waking up,” or “coming alive,” and so on. My phrase is this one:

[Name of item], awaken to life and remember the fullness of your power.

It’s extremely simple, but it works. Also: blow on the item with your breath. I usually blow on the item three times.

Then I place the item in the bag, packet or vial.

Sealing the Spell

This particular step takes a slightly different form, depending on whether you’re making a mojo bag, a vial or a packet.

For a mojo bag, strike a match and drop it into the bag. Then grip the bag closed with your hand so as to snuff out the flame of the match. Then breathe three deep breaths into the bag.

To tie the bag, lay the string out on the ground in front of you. Place the mojo down on top of the string where you’d like the “neck” to be tied. Bring the piece of string at the right over so the end is on the left. Do the same with the string on the left so the end of it is on the right. Tie it as you would if you were tying your shoestrings, just don’t make the bow.

Then turn the bag over and do the same on the reverse. Finally, turn the bag over one more time and tie it again, only this time, tie it as if you were tying your shoe strings in a knot.

You can seal the knot with wax from a candle if you’d like, but it isn’t required.

For a packet, you can use the match technique if you want, but you’ll have to be sure that the match goes out before sewing up the packet. Breathe three breaths into the packet. Then, take your needle and thread and sew up the opening, preferably from left to right.

For a vial, you can use the lit-match technique if you like. I don’t usually use this for vials. Breathe three breaths into the bottle being careful not to blow out any powders or ground herbs you may have added. Put the lid on or cork the bottle and then drip wax over the lid and around where the lid meets the bottle to seal it.

Quickening & Naming

This step is kind of the meat—the “bread and butter,” if you prefer—of the Rite of Awakening.

Whether the portable spell you’re making is a mojo bag, a packet or a vial spell, take the liquid you’ll use for your first feeding and douse the

spell in it. I generally use whiskey for this. Very rarely, I may use Vodka or Tequila, depending on the purpose of the spell. Usually, if the spell is sexual, I’ll either use Tequila or Jim Beam Honey whiskey.

You can put some of it in the palm of your hand or in a small bowl and gently place the item into the whiskey if that makes it easier.

Then take the spell item out of the liquid, lay it on the left (yes, it should be the left) palm of your hand and blow on it three more times. Say something to the effect of, “I name you [name you’re giving it]. Awaken to life and remember your full power.”

If you’ve used a sigil, now is the time to trace the sigil over the item with your right middle finger. Yes, it should be your right middle finger, as this is traditionally the finger that is of the element of Spirit. Visualize the sigil ablaze in an appropriately-colored flame. Once you’ve drawn the sigil over the item, gently lower the palm of your right hand over the item (until you’ve covered your new little friend) while visualizing the sigil entering the spell container. And say something to the effect of, “This is your key— your calling card—and when I need you, I will visualize this sigil or draw your signature with my finger.”

First Feeding

You probably think you already did the first feeding when you put your new little friend in the liquid or doused it with the whiskey. But that’s only an enlivening technique.

Now, place the new little critter on your altar. Say something to the effect of, “Welcome to the world [name].” And then anoint it with more of the whisky or other feeding liquid.

Allow your new little friend to rest for a day or two and then start carrying them around. Talk to it on a daily basis. We’ll get into that more in the coming section.

ACTION STEP: PERFORM THE RITE OF AWAKENING

Gather all of your ingredients and supplies up into one spot—wherever you decide to perform the rite—at the auspicious time and date you’ve determined. Perform the Rite of Awakening as described. Remember the steps outlined above and use them in order.

• PART FOU R: AFTER THE RITE

In this section of the book, I just want to go over some tips and tricks that I’ve learned over the years for the care and use of your mojos, packets and vials. A lot of this is stuff I’ve figured out by trial and error as I’ve progressed on my magical path.

How Not To Kill Your Friends

First and foremost, don’t forget to feed your new little friend. The fact is, we all need to eat to survive. The same is true for your portable container spells. These are spirits that you have brought together to form one overarching, unique spirit that you employ to assist with your life. It is a living being, and living beings need to eat. Provide it with some sustenance. Use the liquid you first fed the container spell. It is sure to be it’s favorite. But, if you (like me) are able to communicate with spirits on a somewhat conscious level, listen to it—ask it to guide you to what it would like to have as a substitute if you can’t afford to buy expensive whiskey all the time. (Don’t feed it cheap shit. You wouldn’t give headache-inducing swill to your bestie, so don’t do that to your new companion.)

When you feed your spirit friend is up to you. In general, it should be on the same day of the week that you created it. So if you’ve made a vial spell for protection from foul spirits, you probably made it on a Saturday or a Sunday. Or, maybe you went the martial route and created it on a Tuesday. Either way, feed it on the same weekday you made it. Not only does it get your new little friend on a schedule so that it doesn’t expect too much more than that, it also gets you on a schedule so that you don’t forget to feed it often.

You really only need to anoint the item with a drop or two of your feeding liquid. If you want to give your friend a special treat every now and again, give it a little extra. Or, you can give it solid food, as well, as you might’ve done with the Integrating Animism exercise.

But be cautious with that. I’ve heard it said time and again, and it bears repeating here: a fat spirit is a lazy spirit. It might agree to do the work you’ve set in motion for it, but if you overfeed it, if you keep rewarding it for not doing anything, why should it bother?

Don’t overuse your friend, either. Give it an occasional rest period. A day or two should suffice. Or, if you’re not absent-minded (like I am sometimes), let it rest on your altar while you sleep. In this way, it gets the same amount of rest you do and it works the same schedule you do.

You take baths, right? Or showers, at least? Not a good idea for your little friend. At least, not the way you and I think of bathing. So don’t put your new little buddy through the wash. You know how you and I are when we stay underwater too long? I mean—you know—we tend to die when our

lungs fill up with water. The same goes for your portable container spell. Your mojo, packet or vial aren’t going to survive long in a washing machine. This would especially be true of a paper packet, as paper literally crumbles or falls apart in the laundry. But it holds true for all three—going through the wash will most likely drown your pal.

Try not to let other people see your mojo, packet or vial, either. I know it can be tough to keep it secret when you’re living with someone who is generally a very intimate part of your life (like sleeping in the same bed and such). But it’s really a good idea to not let them see it. Traditionally, if anyone even looks at a mojo that isn’t their own, it dies. In the case of packets and vials, this isn’t necessarily always true, depending on the purpose of your spell. But, better safe than sorry, if you ask me. Keep it secret as much as possible.

Above all, never, ever let anyone touch your mojo, packet or vial after it’s made. If you’ve made the portable container spell for someone else, it’s fine for you to touch it until you hand over the possession to its new owner. It won’t harm the container spell. But once it touches their hand, it’s theirs. You can’t ever touch it again. If it’s yours, obviously you can touch it, but no one else can touch it. It will instantly die and you’ll have to make it all over again. I’ve seen it happen more than once, so as I said above: best to keep it as secret as you possibly can.

I had someone ask me once, “I accidentally killed my mojo, but I want to still use it. Can I?” The answer is a sure and certain, “No.” And the answer goes for all three container spells: mojos, packets and vials, alike. Once the spell is dead, it’s dead. You can try to revive it if you’d like, but I’m no necromancer, so you’re on your own there.

If it goes through the wash, or you forget to feed it too many times, or someone sees or touches it who is not yourself, then it’s dead. There’s not really a question about it. It’s time to do a little ceremonial goodbye and let the spirit be on its way to a better place until it gets pulled together for a new (maybe similar) purpose.

What To Do When You No Longer Need Your Friend

Most people don’t even think about this, but there may come a time when you don’t need your spell anymore. What if the purpose of your spell has been fulfilled? Should you keep your mojo, vial or packet indefinitely?

Maybe, maybe not. It really depends on what you made it to accomplish.

If you created a mojo bag to, say, get you a new job, and you’ve gotten one that feels really satisfying right now, do you keep the mojo? I would venture to say no. It’s purpose has been accomplished. In fact, if it’s already accomplished it’s finite purpose, it may be en route to dying.

Likewise, if you made a packet for the purpose of attracting a lover and you now have that lover. Since the packet is made specifically for the purpose of drawing in a new lover, it would still be working for that purpose, not to maintain your now-current relationship. That would be a different packet. (In other words: don’t keep a container spell to attract new love, after you’ve attracted your new love. Because it will continue to attract new love, which could endanger your current relationship. Assuming you want to keep your current new love, and you’ve agreed to monogamy, that is.)

If, on the other hand, you’ve made a vial for protection from foul spirits or negative magic, then you may want to keep them around indefinitely.

Catch my drift? It depends primarily on whether your original purpose was to be indefinite or have an end to it. If it has a sure end, similar to one of the examples above, I would suggest saying goodbye and letting it return to the elements from whence it came for a good long rest.

So what do you do when you no longer need your little friend, or it accidentally passes into the big wide beyond? I personally perform a small separation and funerary rite. It was a living creature, after all, and a friend. I think it deserves a little respect for it’s time devoted to me here on this Earth.

In case you’re in need of one or haven’t had time to devise one for yourself, here’s the short funerary rite that I perform when my packets, vials and mojos end up in the hereafter. It’s very straightforward and simple, but

it gets the “closure” part done and helps you to move forward, as well as helps the Spirit of your container spell to move forward.

A Short Rite Of Respectful Farewell

You can take as much or as little time as you like with this rite. Often, when we really start to re-integrate animism into our consciousness, we tend to make really close friends with our magical tools. We become so close that they become family, even if other people think it strange. So grieving the loss of a friend, such as a mojo, packet or vial that has really been a big part of your life for a while, is a natural reaction.

Gather yourself up some Witchfire, just like you did in the Rite of Awakening.

Take your mojo, packet or vial to a fairly private spot outdoors if you can.

Once there, dig a few small holes with a trowel. The number depends on the number of ingredients you have. Of course, if all you’ve got are powdery or dried and ground herbs, then you’ll only need two holes: one for the ingredients and one for the container. Use your better judgment.

Put the ingredients into the holes. Use all but one. And put the container in it’s own hole. Cover the holes over.

Breathe one deep breath on all of the holes. And then take a sip of the liquid you used to feed the mojo, packet or vial (provided it’s safe, like whiskey). Then pour some of the liquid on top of each of the grave spots.

Say thanks to your little friend by name. Draw the sigil over top of each of the graves. And then be on your way. It is done.

Short and simple. But respectful. And an easy way to say “thank you” for service while in your life.

(Essentially, you’re “pouring one for the homie.”)

• PART FIV E: 13 FORMULAS I’VE
  
  MADE AND USED

  Protection from Foul Spirits

• ★ Ash Tree Bark—for protection from foul spirits.

• ★ Devil’s Shoestring—for tying up unwanted negative magical advances and foul spirits.

• ★ Target’s Saliva—to target the subject; you may want to spit on a Kleenex for this, as saliva can evaporate fairly quickly, but once the Kleenex dries out, it will still contain the DNA in your saliva.

• ★ For mojos and packets, use the color black as your container.

• ★ Create on a Saturday in the hour of Saturn, on a Tuesday in the hour of Saturn, or on a Saturday in the hour of Mars.

Steady Income

• ★ Irish Moss—for prosperity.

• ★ High John the Conqueror Root—for mastery over learning new procedures.

• ★ Gravel Root—for job-getting and steady income.

• ★ Target’s Fingernails—to target the subject; use four clippings to continue the planetary influence of Jupiter.

• ★ For mojos or packets, use either blue or purple as your container’s color.

• ★ Create on a Thursday in the hour of Jupiter, or on a Sunday in the hour of Jupiter.

To Master a Talent or Skill

• ★ 3 Guinea Peppers—for success.

• ★ High John the Conqueror Root—for mastery of a skill or talent.

• ★ 2 Strands of Target’s Hair—to target the subject.

• ★ For mojos or packets, use yellow or gold for the container.

• ★ Create on a Sunday in the hour of the Sun, or if your skill or talent is work- or money-related, create on a Sunday in the hour of Jupiter for general mastery of work-related skills; if your talent/skill is related to communication specifically (such as speaking or writing), create on a Wednesday in the hour of the Sun.

Attraction of a New Lover (for females to attract males)

• ★ 2 Lodestones—for attraction.

• ★ Magnetic Sand—for attraction (cover the lodestones with this).

• ★ Queen Elizabeth Root or Orris Root Powder—to attract a male. (These are the same thing; one is powdered, one is not.)

• ★ Lavender Buds—for romantic love.

• ★ Target’s Hair—to target the subject.

• ★ Target’s Saliva—to target the subject.

• ★ For mojos and packets, use green for the container.

• ★ Create on a Friday in the hour of Venus, or on a Sunday in the hour of Venus, or on a Friday in the hour of the Sun.

Attraction of a New Lover (for males to attract females)

• ★ 2 Lodestones—for attraction.

• ★ Magnetic Sand—for attraction (cover the lodestones with this).

• ★ Sampson Snake Root—to attract a female.

• ★ Red Clover—for luck.

• ★ Target’s Hair—to target the subject.

• ★ Target’s Saliva—to target the subject.

• ★ For mojos and packets, use a green container.

• ★ Create on a Friday in the hour of Venus, or on a Sunday in the hour of Venus, or on a Friday in the hour of the Sun.

Attraction of a New Lover (for males to attract males)

• ★ 2 Lodestones—for attraction.

• ★ Magnetic Sand—for attraction (cover the lodestones with this).

• ★ Red Clover—for luck and attraction.

• ★ Saffron—to attract men.

• ★ Target’s Saliva—to target the subject.

• ★ Target’s Hair—to target the subject.

• ★ For mojos or packets, use green as the container.

• ★ Create on a Friday in the hour of Venus.

Multiple Casual Sex Partners/One Night Stands (for gay men only)

• ★ Damiana—an aphrodisiac.

• ★ Poppy Seeds—for sexual arousal.

• ★ Patchouli—for lusty, nasty man-sex.

• ★ Safflower—for finding gay sex partners.

• ★ Sampson Snake Root—for virility of your partners.

• ★ For mojos and packets, use red for the container.

• ★ Create on a Tuesday in the hour of Venus or on a Friday in the hour of Mars.

Respect from Coworkers

• ★ Sampson Snake Root—to command respect.

• ★ Lavender Buds—for general good will.

• ★ Licorice Root—to command respect.

• ★ Gravel Root—to influence coworkers.

• ★ Target’s Toenails—to influence the ground upon which you walk.

• ★ Target’s Hair—to target subject.

• ★ For mojos or packets, use purple, yellow or orange container.

• ★ Create on a Sunday in the hour of Jupiter or the hour of Mercury, or on a Wednesday in the hour of the Sun or the hour of Jupiter.

Protection from the Law

• ★ Mugwort—for protection.

• ★ Comfrey—to ward off the law.

• ★ Devil’s Shoestring—to tie up anything sent at you.

• ★ Target’s Hair—to target the subject.

• ★ For mojos and packets, use a black container or an orange or multicolored container.

• ★ Create on a Wednesday in the hour of Mercury, or on a Wednesday in the hour of Saturn.

For Very Intense Protection from Anything

(Be very careful what you tell the items to protect you from with this. It will do it’s job and do it very well. It uses Martial protection energies, so it will likely burn anything up that comes at you. Secret enemies that you otherwise like, such as a coworker, may very well suffer a lot if they attack you.)

• ★ Devil’s Shoestring—to tie up evil.

• ★ Asafoetida—to make the enemy flee.

• ★ Rue—for protection from the evil eye.

• ★ Ash Tree Bark—for protection from foul spirits.

• ★ Dragon’s Blood Resin (chunk)—for protection from negative magic, foul spirits or negative emotions sent at you.

• ★ For mojos or packets, use either red or black for the container.

• ★ Create on a Tuesday in the hour of Mars or on a Tuesday in the hour of Saturn.

Money Drawing

• ★ Ground Bay Leaf—for money drawing.

• ★ Irish Moss—for money.

• ★ High John the Conqueror Root—for mastery and prosperity.

• ★ Target’s Fingernails—for pulling money into your hands.

• ★ For mojos or packets, use a blue or purple container.

• ★ Create on a Thursday in the hour of Jupiter, on a Wednesday in the hour of Jupiter, or on a Thursday in the hour of Mercury or the Sun.

To Stop a Backbiter

(Note: this formula is used if you are unaware of whom the backbiter is, but you know there’s one around, because things keep getting back to you; if you know who is slandering you or spreading rumors about you, a different kind of spell is best; small container spells may not be the best option. Do not add your own taglocks to this container spell. You are not the target!)

• ★ Lemon Rind—to sour their tongue.

• ★ 2 Devil’s Shoestrings—to tie up their tongue.

• ★ Red Pepper Flakes—to burn their tongue.

• ★ Slippery Elm Bark—to stop their tongue.

• ★ Alum Powder—to pucker their mouths closed.

• ★ Asafoetida—to make them taste crap.

• ★ Sulfur Powder—to make them eat their words.

• ★ For mojos or packets, use a red, black or violet container.

• ★ Create on a Wednesday in the hour of Mars, or on a Saturday in the hour of Mars, or on a Tuesday in the hour of Mercury.

Peace in the Home

• ★ 3 Balm of Gilead Buds—for peace and healing.

• ★ 2 Basil Leaves—for peace.

• ★ Rosemary—for love and peace.

• ★ Lavender Buds—for peace and harmony.

• ★ For mojos or packets, use a green, white or silver container.

• ★ Create on a Friday in the hour of Venus, or on a Wednesday in the hour of Venus, or on a Friday in the hour of the Moon or Mercury. The latter, Mercury, is specifically for peaceful communication (to cease arguments in the home).

FINAL THOUGHTS

aving made my way down the steep slope, I stood silently as I

watched the last of the mist rise above the treetops. Beams of golden light broke through the autumn leaves and cast themselves upon my face. Shades of oranges, reds, browns and yellows blanketed the front yard of my great grandmother’s house.

The swaying leaves of the old, gnarly Weeping Willow caught my eye. Some of them had piled on the ground around the base of the trunk, forming a nice, cushiony carpet. I sat beneath it that day and pondered the wonders of the world around me.

I still ponder the wonders of the world around me. I find it difficult to understand, sometimes, how we, as humans, can jaunt about in our daily lives, never paying attention to what lies just in front of us. We’re so “connected,” so dialed into the Internet, and television, and mobile apps, and social media that we barely realize where we are at any given moment.

Sure it’s easier to get noticed because of social media. It’s also easier to not notice what’s going on around us.

And the natural world around us, with all of its splendor, just sits. Waiting. Patiently. Waiting for the day we wake up. Waiting for the day we open our eyes, and come back home, realizing that our disconnect from nature is not our dominion over it. At some point, we have to become aware, and understand that we’re not alone on this planet. I don’t mean that other people are around us, because that’s obvious. But that we’re not alone.

Somewhere, beneath the surface, there lives an ancient, undulating force, traversing the land beneath us. Deep in the dark recesses of the land, there are the Pale People Below, the ones who are working their hardest to keep us from destroying ourselves (with little success, I might add, because we just keep outdoing them). Somewhere, our ancient ancestors are throwing up their hands because we have all but given up on ourselves.

We need to awaken. To become aware. To fully recognize that our power as humans is not power-over, but power-with. Not domination of nature, but living in harmony with nature as our kin. Cooperating with the Spirits that dwell within the land, within the trees.

Dance with fairies. Sing with trees. Plumb the murky depths of the Otherness. Trod the Starry Road. Remember.

Appendix: Planetary Pentacles

The full collection of Planetary Pentacles, for those interested, can be found in The Key of Solomon. There is a website listed in the Resource section where you can find these online. The following is a selection that I have used in mojos, packets and vials over the years, both for myself and for Clients.

I make no guarantees as to what these Pentacles can or cannot do, but I will list how I have used them in the past. Fair warning: when I hand-draw these for my mojos, packets and vials, I do not use the Hebrew lettering on the outside of the encircling ring. If there is Hebrew writing within the seal itself, it obviously gets included.

This is the First Pentacle of Jupiter. I’ve used this in mojo bags and packets for a Client to gain business, as this, and finding treasure, is what it is meant to do.

This is the Third Pentacle of Jupiter. This pentacle protects the wearer against evil spirits. I used this in a mojo bag to protect a Client against what he believed were foul spirits sent against him by a Witch who practiced negative magic regularly.

Below is the Fourth Pentacle of Jupiter. It is said that the bearer will obtain wealth and much honor. I had a Client who obtained a promotion at her job as a result of carrying this seal with her in a packet for seven days.

The following is the Seventh Pentacle of Jupiter, which is said to protect the bearer against poverty. I carry a packet made of this Pentacle in my wallet.

Below is the Sixth Pentacle of Mars. It is said to cause your enemy’s weapons to turn against him/her. I believe this includes both literal weapons, as in knives, as well as figurative weapons, as in the tongue and negative plans against you.

This is the First Pentacle of Mercury. It is said to give one personal magnetism and charisma. I have a friend who pins a paper packet of this inside her bra every morning before leaving the house.

This is the First Pentacle of Venus. It is said to attract friendship to it’s bearer.

The Third Pentacle of Venus, which follows, is said to attract love, respect and admiration. Carry it in a mojo or packet made of green cloth.

The following is the Fourth Pentacle of Venus, which I have used in moving-candle love spells for Clients. It can also be carried as a packet, in a vial or a mojo, though I have not used these methods with this one so far. This pentacle is said to force one’s desired lover to come to them, and is not gender-dependent.

Next is the Third Pentacle of the Moon. It is rumored to protect against the dangers of travel. I have used this particular pentacle in a mojo bag when on a road trip to protect against the inherent dangers of traveling. I have also used it in mojo bags for the same purpose for Clients.

Below is the Sixth Pentacle of the Moon. When placed in water, it will make the rains come. As long as it is left in water, the rains will stay. When it is removed from the water, the rains will stop. At least, that’s what’s been said about it. I used it once in this capacity and it worked. I have never put this pentacle in a mojo, packet or vial spell.

This is the Second Pentacle of the Sun. I used it in a vial spell for a Client who was feeling downtrodden at her job. It suppresses the arrogance of those around you who would oppose your plans or ideas.

This pentacle is the Third Pentacle of the Sun. It is said to bring renown, riches and glory to it’s bearer. I gave a copy of it to a friend when he moved to California, to seek out work as an actor. It worked for him.

Following is the Fourth Pentacle of the Sun. It is said that if the bearer carries this with them wherever they go, it will reveal the true thoughts that a person is having about you while they’re nearby.

Below is the First Pentacle of Saturn. It is said to compel others to fulfill your requests. I have used this pentacle in a vial spell for a Client (an Attorney) who was making a court appearance where she had to ask for a dismissal of a case, but was feeling that her request might be rejected.

This is the Third Pentacle of Saturn. It is said to actively protect and defend against enemy plots and foul spirits. I used it in a protection mojo bag for a Client several years ago and she still keeps it with her today.

Last but not least, the following is the Fifth Pentacle of Saturn. It is said to protect all of one’s possessions. I put this in a vial spell for a Client who keeps it above her front door, taped to the frame.

Resources

To get the remainder of the Planetary Pentacles, you can find them online athttp://Sacred-Texts.com.

For any herbs that I cannot find locally, I use one of two places. My primary go-to is http://13moons.com carries a wide variety of plant material, as well.

For my planetary days and hours information, I tend to stick with the smartphone app called, “Planetary Times.” It’s made by thereisonlywe and I found it on Google Play. I have an Android phone at the time of this writing, but I have been informed that there is also an iPhone version.

If you cannot find the app or if you just prefer to use a website, you can also find out planetary day and hour information at http://Lunarium.co.uk. In their menu, look for and click on the Planetary Days and Hours link in the Planetarium section of their top menu. Remember to change the location and time zone near the top of the page in the black bar.

For energy running techniques, I highly recommend the book You Are Psychic by Debra Lynne Katz. While I can’t necessarily stand by everything she teaches in the book (as I come from a slightly different school of thought on energy work and psychic abilities), I can say that the methods of running energies that she teaches are phenomenal. I’ve used them for years, and continue to use the techniques she teaches on a regular basis.

If you are in the Louisville, Kentucky, area or you are planning to move to the area soon, you should definitely check out the Facebook Group called Louisville Pagans. The URL is

https://www.facebook.com/groups/louisvillepagans/. At the time of this writing, it is a “closed” group, so I’m not certain if you’ll have to wait for approval of an admin to join. The group posts a lot of local events and news in and around the local Pagan community.

You might also be interested in attending one of my favorite places to visit called Our Haven Nature Sanctuary. My Coven and I have begun the tradition of attending Beltane here as a group annually. While it started as a local hot-spot, it’s now grown to the point where people from all over the country come in for some of the annual festivals. Our Haven is located in French Lick, Indiana. You can visit their website at http://OurHaven.info.

About The Author

Alan Fuller

Alan is an Initiated and practicing Feycraft Witch of over 20 years. His other spiritual and magical influences include Traditional (or “Old”) Craft, a belief in the necessity of living with the Land and the Spirits that dwell there as kin, and Appalachian Folk Magic. He’s currently High Priest for Mystic Star Coven, and lives in Kentucky, with his Life Partner and their cats, Gerty, and Cathy. You can stay in touch with Alan, and find more of his writing, and other projects, by visiting https://witchalan.com