The Rose of Jericho, also known as the Resurrection Plant or Selaginella lepidophylla, is a unique plant with a rich history in various magical and spiritual traditions. Its ability to seemingly come back to life after periods of dormancy has made it a powerful symbol of resurrection, rebirth, and transformation. Here’s how to magically use the Rose of Jericho in spells and rituals:
1. Preparing the Rose of Jericho
Before using the Rose of Jericho in your spells, you’ll need to prepare and awaken the plant. To do this:
Place the dried Rose of Jericho in a shallow bowl or dish.
Pour spring water, rainwater, or moon water around the plant, ensuring its roots are submerged but not covering the entire plant.
Allow the plant to absorb the water and slowly open up, which may take several hours or even a day.
As the plant opens, focus on your intentions and the energy you wish to infuse into the plant.
2. Attracting Abundance and Prosperity
The Rose of Jericho is often used in spells to attract abundance and prosperity. To perform a prosperity spell with the Rose of Jericho:
Prepare the plant as described above.
Using coins in the water signify the wealth you want to attract. Cleanse and consecrate the coins: Choose coins that hold personal significance or represent the financial goals you wish to achieve. Cleanse them using any preferred method, such as smudging with sage, rinsing with saltwater, or burying them in the earth for a short period.
Place the cleansed coins around the base of the Rose of Jericho plant. This act symbolizes the infusion of your intentions for financial growth and success into the plant and coins.
Light a green or gold candle beside the plant to enhance the energy of abundance and prosperity. As the candle burns, visualize your financial goals being met and your wealth increases.
Recite a mantra or affirmation related to attracting abundance, such as “Money flows effortlessly into my life” or “I am a magnet for wealth and prosperity.” Repeat this affirmation daily while focusing on the Rose of Jericho and coins.
Allow the candle to burn down safely while the plant absorbs the energy of your intentions.
Keep the plant in a prominent place in your home or workspace to maintain a constant flow of abundance and prosperity.
3. Protection and Cleansing
The Rose of Jericho can also be used for protection and cleansing purposes. To create a protective and cleansing spell with the Rose of Jericho:
Prepare the plant as mentioned earlier.
Light a white or black candle and place it near the plant.
Focus on your intention to cleanse and protect your space from negative energies.
Sprinkle a circle of salt around the plant and candle, creating a protective barrier.
Recite a prayer or affirmation for protection, such as “This space is cleansed and protected from all negativity and harm.”
Allow the candle to burn down safely, and keep the plant in your living space to maintain an ongoing protective and cleansing energy.
4. Personal Transformation and Rebirth
The Rose of Jericho’s symbolism of resurrection makes it an ideal tool for spells related to personal transformation and rebirth. To perform a transformation spell with the Rose of Jericho:
Prepare the plant as outlined above.
Write down aspects of yourself or your life that you wish to release or transform on a piece of paper.
Light a purple or blue candle and place it near the plant.
Hold the paper above the flame (being cautious not to burn yourself) and recite an affirmation or mantra related to releasing the old and embracing positive change, such as “I release the past and welcome new beginnings and growth.”
Safely burn the paper, allowing the ashes to fall into a fireproof dish or container.
As the ashes cool, sprinkle them around the base of the plant, symbolizing the transformation of the old into new growth and opportunities.
The Rose of Jericho is a powerful and versatile plant that can be used in various spells and rituals. Whether you’re seeking abundance, protection, or personal transformation, this unique plant can help you manifest your intentions and embrace positive change in your life.
Angelica root, derived from the Angelica archangelica plant, is a powerful herb with a long history of use in various magical and spiritual traditions. Known as the “Root of the Holy Ghost” or “Archangel Root,” angelica root has been associated with divine protection, healing, and purification. In this profile, we will explore the magical properties and uses of angelica root, providing insights into how it can enhance your spiritual practice.
1. Protection and Warding
One of the most prominent uses of angelica root in magic is protection and warding against negative energies, curses, or malevolent spirits. To harness the protective powers of angelica root:
Create a protective charm or mojo bag: Place angelica root in a small pouch or amulet along with other protective herbs, such as sage or rosemary. Carry this charm with you, or hang it near your entrance to shield yourself and your space from negativity.
Incorporate it into a protection ritual: Use angelica root as an ingredient in a protection ritual by placing it around your sacred space, burying it at the corners of your property, or burning it as incense to create a protective barrier.
2. Healing and Strengthening
Angelica root is also believed to possess powerful healing properties, both physically and spiritually. It can promote strength, resilience, and illness or emotional trauma recovery. To utilize angelica root for healing purposes:
Brew a healing tea: Combine angelica root with other healing herbs, such as chamomile or echinacea, and steep in hot water to create a healing tea. Drink the tea while focusing on your intention for healing and restoration.
Create a healing bath: Add angelica root, along with soothing essential oils like lavender or eucalyptus, to a warm bath to promote relaxation and healing.
It is related to moral courage when it is rooted in one’s moral integrity. According to folklore, Angelica bestows the virtues of emotional restraint and peaceful household life.
3. Purification and Cleansing
Angelica root is often used in purification and cleansing rituals to remove negative energy and restore balance. Here are some ways to use angelica root for purification:
Smoke cleansing: Burn dried angelica root and allow the smoke to cleanse your home, sacred space, or aura of unwanted energies.
Spiritual bath: Add angelica root to a warm bath, along with other purifying herbs like sage or rosemary, to cleanse your energy field and wash away negativity.
4. Enhancing Spirituality and Connection
The divine associations of angelica root make it an ideal tool for enhancing spirituality and deepening your connection with the divine, angels, or spirit guides. To use angelica root for spiritual growth:
Incorporate it into meditation: Hold the angelica root in your hand or place it near you during meditation to enhance your spiritual connection and receive guidance from higher realms.
Create an altar offering: Place angelica root on your altar as an offering to your angels, spirit guides, or deities to invite their presence and support in your life.
Angelica root is a versatile and powerful herb with numerous magical uses, ranging from protection and healing to purification and spiritual connection. By incorporating angelica root into your spiritual practice, you can harness its potent energies to enhance your well-being, strengthen your relationship with the divine, and create a harmonious and balanced energy in your life.
A Simple Protection Spell Using Angelica Root
This simple yet effective protection spell harnesses the powerful protective properties of angelica root to shield you and your space from negative energies, harmful influences, and unwanted attention.
What You’ll Need:
Angelica root
A small pouch or cloth (preferably white or black)
A white or black candle
Optional: Protective crystals such as black tourmaline, obsidian, or amethyst
Instructions:
Find a quiet and comfortable space where you can perform the spell without distractions. Make sure the area is clean and free of clutter to promote positive energy flow.
Light the white or black candle, setting your intention for protection and invoking the divine energies associated with angelica root.
Hold the angelica root in your hands and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths, allowing yourself to become centered and focused.
Visualize a protective shield surrounding you, your home, or any other space you wish to protect. Imagine this shield being infused with the powerful energy of the angelica root, repelling any negative or harmful influences.
While holding the angelica root, recite the following incantation:
“Angelica root, sacred and strong, Shield me from harm and all that is wrong. With your power, I now invoke, A circle of protection, unyielding and bespoke.”
Place the angelica root in the small pouch or wrap it in the cloth. If using protective crystals, add them to the pouch or cloth as well.
Close the pouch or secure the cloth, symbolically sealing the protective energies within.
Allow the candle to finish burning all the way, knowing that the protection spell has been activated.
Carry the pouch with you, place it near the entrance of your home, or keep it in a prominent location to maintain the protective energy.
This simple protection spell can be repeated as needed or incorporated into your regular spiritual practice to ensure ongoing protection and peace of mind.
This spell has fundamental ingredients for freezing out the malicious words of a gossiper. Cut your aluminum foil into a five or six-inch square. Write out the offender’s name on a piece of paper seven times and fold it away from you three times. Lay on the center of aluminum foil. Drop the seven clove buds on top of your petition, then cover with the salt. Now, pour a healthy dose of your favorite brand of condition oil for gossip. Fold aluminum foil into a tight packet and put it at the back or bottom of your freezer.
Curses have been used in literature, theater, and fairy tales for hundreds of years. They are the theme of many movies and television programs and can even be found in gaming. When they are utilized as a plot device, they involve one character casting a curse or hex on another, which moves the story forward as the recipient of the curse must battle or deal with its effects.
CURSES IN FAIRY TALES
Fairy tales thrive on curses. But the original versions of your favorite fairytales might be much darker than you would ever imagine, with stories of cannibalism, child abuse, rape, and graphic violence.
SLEEPING BEAUTY
The Sleeping Beauty 1920 Edition Illustrated by Arthur Rackham Silhouettes Retold by C. S. Evans
This dark tale has gone through many incarnations over the years and is thought to have first been told around 1330. Early versions tell how an evil fairy cursed the princess to fall into a deep sleep after pricking her finger on a piece of flax. One version mentions seven fairies, one who was not invited because she had been locked in a tower for many years and presumed dead. When she shows up at the christening, she bestows the gift of a curse. The Grimm fairytale version replaced the flax with the spindle of a spinning wheel. But those early versions include how a wandering king came across the sleeping girl, raped her while she still slept, and impregnated her with twins. Charming. It is not until she gives birth that one of the babies brings out the flax that initially put her to sleep, thus awakening her. However, we can see how the story of a simple kiss awakening her came to be – it was a much-needed, G-rated interpretation of events.
SNOW WHITE
The original story was published in 1812 by the Brothers Grimm and featured many of the same elements we know today: the vain stepmother, the magic mirror, the poisoned apple, and the seven dwarves (although the dwarves were nameless in the original story.) We are familiar with the evil Queen wanting the Huntsman to bring her Snow White’s heart in the modern telling. Initially, she requested her lungs and liver so that the Queen could eat them. When she finds out the Huntsman didn’t do the job, the Queen sets out to kill Snow White herself. Disguised, she sells Snow a bodice and laces her up so tightly that she collapses but is revived by the dwarves. The second assassination attempt is with a poison-tipped comb, but the dwarves revive her again. The poisoned apple finally does the trick, and the dwarves rest her in a glass coffin.
A prince comes across the supposedly dead Snow White lying in her glass casket during a hunting trip. After hearing Snow White’s narrative from the Seven Dwarfs, the prince is permitted to return to her to his father’s castle, a more appropriate resting place. Suddenly, one of the prince’s servants falls and loses his footing while transporting Snow White. This miraculously resurrects Snow White by dislodging a chunk of poisoned apple from her throat. Of course, they fall in love and plan to wed. The Queen is invited to Snow White’s wedding, where the guests heat a pair of iron shoes over a fire and force her to wear them and dance in torment until she dies.
Both the stories of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White traditionally ended their curses with a magical kiss – not found in either original version of the stories. But what is interesting is the vehicle in which the curses were cast. Neither was simply by chanting a spell or magical words. They both included cursed objects, which brought about the deep sleep of these two maidens. Neither the flax (later spinning wheel) nor the apple caused permanent death – just a cursed, deep sleep. So, you might say that if the goal were to kill them the spell caster didn’t do a very good job. But, as a plot device it makes sense. If you kill off your leading lady right away in your story and she’s dead for good, that doesn’t make for much of a plot.
CURSES IN LITERATURE
We’ve been telling stories with hexes and curses for as long as stories have been told, filled with bad luck, punishments, and redemption. But, whatever the reason behind why they were cast, these curses deliver precisely what we humans crave in literature and in our everyday lives: clear causes for disastrous consequences and explanations for the terrifying and irrational. They are lessons in cause and effect.
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The House of the Seven Gables follows the generations of a Puritan family and the curse that follows them. The Pyncheons are a well-respected family in their little Massachusetts town, but their past is filled with mysteries, inexplicable deaths, and a dying man’s curse. Colonel Pyncheon is a wealthy and influential Puritan from Salem, Massachusetts. He just has one ambition: to bequeath his descendants a magnificent home. After much hunting, he finally discovers the perfect spot for his house, adjacent to a freshwater spring. But there’s a snag. It’s a big one. Matthew Maule, a poor man, owns the property. Colonel Pyncheon refuses to buy Maule’s land since he has already cleared and tilled it. Colonel Pyncheon, on the other hand, is patient. Pyncheon sees his opportunity when witchcraft mania sweeps Salem in 1692. He accuses Maule of witchcraft, and Maule is hanged as a result. Maule curses Pyncheon before dying, warning him that ‘God will give him blood to drink.’
Pyncheon begins construction on a large residence, which he names the House of the Seven Gables, as soon as he obtains Maule’s land. However, Matthew Maule’s curse reappears on the day of Colonel Pyncheon’s housewarming party. Pyncheon is discovered dead, his neck covered in blood. The curse has begun. And so the story continues with the descendants of Colonel Pyncheon being affected by the curse.
THE BOOK OF SPECULATION
In this novel by Erika Swyler, we have Simon and Enola Watson, who are from a line of breath-holding carnival mermaids, but each generation of Watson women suddenly drowns on the same day every year. The clues to the curse of July 24th are weird ecological events, a mysterious ancient book, and a collapsing house. In this novel, the plot is about the investigation of a curse with Simon trying to find out the source of it in order to attempt to end it. I will tell you that the story deals with a cursed object causing the problem, but, not being an author who enjoys publishing spoilers, you will have to give it a read to find out what that object is. It may not be the one you thought.
THE BOY WHO LOST HIS FACE
In this 1989 young adult novel by Louis Sachar, we are introduced to the main character, David, a young boy in middle school. His friend, Scott, wants to hang out with the cool kids, but David isn’t quite cool enough to be accepted into the group. When the boys decide to take an elderly lady’s cane, the old woman casts a curse with David as the target. Everything goes wrong all of a sudden: David smashes his parents’ bedroom window, his fly is never zipped, his pants come down, and he pours flour all over the place. Meanwhile, his “friends” mock him and exclude him from their social circles. While you’ll have to read the book to find out what happens, this is an excellent example of a curse being cast by using nothing but words. Or, do the words create a self-fulfilling curse?
CURSES AND HEXES IN MOVIES
Hollywood and television have used curses and hexes as their plot too many times to count. But here are my two favorite examples, each one using a different type of curse.
PRACTICAL MAGIC
The Owens family curse is one of the fundamental conflicts in the film. The first thing viewers learn about Maria Owens is that she cursed her family (accidentally), resulting in a generational curse that any man who dared to love an Owens woman would die. Her original intention was to call a spell on herself so that she would not feel the pain of love loss. But, over time, it caused her to turn bitter and the spell transformed into a curse. When Sally and Gillian’s father dies when they are only children, we see the curse in action. Their mother passes away as a result of a broken heart, and the two girls are forced to live with their aunts. The curse reappears several years later, this time with Sally’s husband, who also succumbs to the curse and is hit by a truck. The elimination of the curse was one of the many difficulties remedied after the ritual that took care of Jimmy.
There is no curse in Alice Hoffman’s book “Practical Magic.” Sally and Gillian’s parents, as well as Sally’s husband, do pass away. (In the book, he is hit by a car full of teenagers when he steps off the curb.) However, none of these fatalities have anything to do with the curse. These deaths are solely for the purpose of driving the plot forward.
DRAG ME TO HELL
Christine Brown works as a loan officer at a bank, and she is competing for an assistant manager position with a coworker. Because her boss thinks she is incapable of making hard decisions, she declines a time extension on a loan to an elderly woman, Mrs. Ganush, who is facing foreclosure and the loss of her home. In vengeance, the elderly woman casts a curse on her, which she later discovers will result in her being dragged to hell after three days of being tormented by a Lamia demon. (In mythology, a Lamia is a demon who devours children.) She eventually turns to a psychic who has had experience with a Lamia to try and exorcize the demon.
Some spells and curses call upon what is called an ‘intranquil spirit’ to torment someone until they give in to whatever the caster wishes. Here we have a curse that calls upon an outside force, a demon, to carry out its wrath. You will find more on the intranquil spirit in the next chapter.
Whether the curse appears in books, television, the theater, movies, or beloved fairy tales, any good fiction writer will appreciate the one thing they have to offer – they provide the characters with a conflict that seems impossible to hurdle.
excerpted from the book “Hex Appeal.” copyright 2022 Gregory Lee White.
Honey has long been considered to be a magical substance that can bring good luck, love, and prosperity into your life. The history of the honey jar can be traced back to African American folk magic and is mainly considered to be a tradition in hoodoo. When honey jars first became popular in hoodoo, they were mainly used for love to make the other person sweet on them, and the practitioner would choose a sweetening agent based on skin color. To sweeten a white person, corn syrup was used – if the target had brown skin, molasses was the favored choice. Plain sugar or sorghum were other choices. Honey was usually the last option because it was expensive and harder to obtain.
The point of a honey jar is to make your condition, and the people involved sweeter – more accepting, forgiving, tolerable, generous, or loving. It is considered to be slow and steady magic, not one that delivers fast results. But, don’t discount the honey jar because of this. Magic that is slow-pouring and sticky like honey is better than immediate results that fade away as quickly as they are delivered. The jar can be as small or large as you prefer as long as you have enough sweetener to fill it. The jar must have a metal lid because you will be burning candles on top of it.
Always start by taking the time to thoroughly clean and dry your jar. I once witnessed in an online group someone sharing a picture of their honey jar with the Ragu spaghetti sauce label still intact! Of course, I couldn’t scroll by without letting them know I doubted the results they’d get because of the lack of effort they put into creating the jar. Their response was, “Only the intention matters!” My point exactly. Their intention was to do the work quickly with no attention to detail, care, or pride in their spellwork. If you want results, don’t be sloppy in your magic. Put in the effort if you want the work to pay off.
Once your jar is clean and dry, you may add a small number of herbs, roots, or flowers (or a mixture of them) that are magically associated with your situation. Write out your prayer or petition on a small piece of paper, fold it, and place it in the jar. Some prefer to use a picture of their loved one as their petition or a picture of the two of them together. Some write on the image. The choice is yours. Fill the jar with honey almost to the top, leaving a little room for possible (rarely happens) expansion. Say your prayer over the jar, dip your finger in the honey and taste it. Then screw on the lid.
Other items that can go in a honey jar:
• Personal concerns (hair, fingernails, etc.)
• Anointing oils
• Small charms
• Coins or medallions
Honey jars are not meant to be one-time spells.
Traditionally, jars are not reopened and tampered with once the lid is screwed on. They are continuously worked by lighting candles on top of the jar. You may
dress your candles or leave them plain since your magical ingredients are already inside the jar. It is perfectly fine to use a candle holder, although some
choose to warm the bottom of the candle and stick it in place in the center of the lid. When you first create your jar, light a candle every day on it for the first
week or so. After that, you can back off to lighting a few times a week. Some workers light candles on their jars every day for months or even years to keep the work going and the energy building.
Five Cherry Spell
This spell falls between a passion spell and a sweetening spell because of its ingredients. It is meant to awaken your partner’s desire in a way that they only
have eyes for you. (Cherries stand for love, respect, fidelity, passion, honesty.)
What you will need: • 5 cherries
• Glass red wine
• Teaspoon honey
• Red bag or pouch
Pour the glass of wine, imagining that you are pouring it for your lover. Take a single sip of wine. Lick a small amount of honey from the teaspoon and eat a cherry. Take your time and make it a sensual experience as you roll the cherry around your mouth with your tongue while picturing you and your lover in bed.
Take the remaining honey in the teaspoon and stir it into the wine. Spit the cherry pit into the wine. Repeat until you have eaten all the cherries and there are five pits in the glass. Allow the glass of wine with the pits in it to sit overnight. The next day, retrieve the pits from the wine and allow them to dry. You may throw away the remainder of the wine. Put three pits in the bag and place the bag under the center of your mattress. Put one pit in your underwear drawer and one in the bottom of his. If you fear he will find it, tape it to the bottom side of the drawer.
Mother-in-Law Syrup Jar
This is to get an in-law on your side and make them see and appreciate all your good qualities. Print out a small picture of something your mother-in-law enjoys, such as a hobby. It might be something as simple as a picture of a ball of yarn if she enjoys knitting. Write her name across the center of the paper, fold it towards you as many times as possible, and place it in the bottom of your jar.
Add the following ingredients: balm of gilead and cloves for friendship, gravel root for favoritism, blessed thistle for her blessings, alfalfa for friendship, bloodroot for tranquility with family, and slippery elm so she won’t gossip about you. If you know her favorite flower, add a few petals. Fill the jar with maple syrup and seal shut. Anoint a small yellow candle with your saliva and burn it on top of the jar. Repeat the candle burning three times a week, every week, for the first month. After that, burn a candle whenever you feel it is needed.
Sugar Bowl Spell
This spell gives the best results when you live with your target, and they use sugar in their coffee or tea. It is meant to make them act and talk sweeter and be more agreeable towards you. Write their name seven times on a small piece of paper and your name seven times in the other direction, creating a hashtag. Fold towards you several times and tape to the bottom of the sugar bowl. Fill up the bowl. Begin feeding your beloved the sugar in their tea, coffee, etc. If they do not use sugar in their drinks, use a pinch in their food daily – just a few granules.
Many love spell techniques typically involve prayer, visualization and other ritualistic practices. One of the most ritualistic love rituals is the construction of a love altar because its presence and use anchor our intentions and emotions towards creating and maintaining loving emotions or attracting new love to you.
WHAT IS A LOVE ALTAR?
A love altar, also known as a love shrine, can be created in any location: it can be placed on a bookshelf, in your closet or even at work. It is not necessary for the love altar to be anything fancy; there are many that have been created from a simple hanging shelf, a fireplace mantle, or even a wooden box that you keep closed and private when not in use. If you are already in a relationship, the altar should include items that are important to both partners and can be something as simple as a framed picture of you two together, or it could be an elaborate shrine with various symbols of love engraved on it. By including things that are of interest to both of you, you are creating a magical bond.
WHAT ITEMS GO ON A LOVE ALTAR?
The first step in creating your love altar is deciding what kind of symbolism you would like to place on it. Symbols that represent love are often very simple and easy to find like hearts and roses. You might include pink, red, or white candles which can be simple votives or figural candles molded in the shapes of people. Use stones and crystals that represent love such as rose quartz for true love, lapis for good communication, and garnet for passion. Write down the lyrics to a love song that represents what you are feeling or wanting. It could be framed or folded then tied with ribbon as one of your ritual items. If there are any gifts the two of you have given each other, like a necklace, include that as well. It might be something as simple as the ticket stub from a movie the two of you saw together. Or, if you want to go the elaborate route, you might include as your centerpiece a statue of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love (she was Venus to the Romans.)
Love Letters or love notes. It’s true – not many people write love letters these days. But, has your love been texting you sweet (or sexy) messages? If so, print those out to include on your altar. After printing, anoint the four corners and the very center (this is called a quincunx or 5 – spot pattern) with rose or lavender oil then fold the paper towards you several times. If you have a bottle of magical oil for love, even better. Other paper items you might include on the altar are cards you’ve given each other, a love poem you like, or even a sample of your love’s handwriting.
MANIFESTING LOVE
But what is you are still looking for that one true love? It doesn’t matter. You simply have to focus your energy towards attracting the mate that is right for you while your neighbor’s altar might be about celebrating or strengthening their existing relationship. Place magnets or lodestones on the altar to draw new love to you. Write a love letter to your future partner and fix it the same way as the one we mentioned above. By using your altar for ritual prayer or spells focused on love, it will raise your vibration to receive that energy when you go out public. But, don’t forget the most important thing – in order to find that right one, you have to place yourself in situations to meet people. Accept invites to parties. Go with your friends to dinner. Say yes when they ask you to go dancing with them at the club. You never know when or where you might meet someone. Unless your true love is the pizza delivery guy, you’ll probably don’t want to spend all of your time in front of your altar – no matter how romantic and gorgeous you’ve designed it. Take all that loving energy you’ve been conjuring up and share it with the world.
This is an excerpt from my upcoming book, CASTING LOVE SPELLS:
LOVE SPELLS IN POP CULTURE
From Tristan and Isolde to the 1970s television show Bewitched, love spells and magic have worked their way into our daily conversation. Through the powerful influence of plays, books, movies, music, and television series, both the image of the witch and our opinion of the magical arts have changed forever.
In 12th century legend, an Irish Princess, Isolde, is on board a ship from Ireland to marry King Marke of Cornwall. She is escorted by Tristan, the King’s loyalist and nephew. Isolde, having already fallen in love with Tristan, compels him to take poison with her – that they die together instead of her marrying King Marke. However, her maid, Brangane, prepares a love potion instead of poison, making the two fall passionately in love with each other.
The 1959 Clovers song, Love Potion No. 9, tells of a man consulting a gypsy for a love potion that worked a little too well. The song remained so popular over the years that it was later transformed into a movie with Sandra Bullock. After taking the potion, it makes people of the opposite sex become completely infatuated with them simply by the sound of their voice. Then you have the hit song, I Put a Spell on You, made famous first in 1956 by Jay Hawkins and later re-recorded by Nina Simone (my favorite version.) Of course, who can forget the song’s inclusion in the 1993 film Hocus Pocusstarring Bette Midler?
There are three episodes of Bewitched I can recall that focus on the love spell. In the episode “Make Love Not Hate,” a love potion meant for Esmeralda ends up in the clam dip at the Stephens’ party. In “Once in a Vial,” after Samantha rejects an old boyfriend named Rollo, he tries to use a love potion on her that Endora accidentally drinks. In the episode “The Generation Zap,” Endora hexes the daughter of Darrin’s client so that she has the hots for him. So, you can see this theme was prevalent in television of the time. In the I Dream of Jeannie episode, “There Goes the Bride,” Jeannie puts a love spell on Tony, which displeases Haji, the Master of all Genies. Haji makes Tony have several accidents that can only be undone if the love spell is taken off him.
Movie scripts have a long-term relationship with love spells. One of my favorites is the 1958 film Bell, Book, and Candle starring Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak. Adapted from a 1950 play, a witch bored with her life casts a love spell on her neighbor. Many of the characters lead you to believe that the creator of Bewitched, Sol Saks, was a fan of this movie. In the 1998 movie Practical Magic, a spell is cast to keep love away. Young Sally casts a love spell so that she will never fall in love, asking for qualities in a man that couldn’t possibly exist – “He can flip pancakes in the air. He’ll be marvelously kind. And his favorite shape will be a star. And he’ll have one green eye and one blue.” Of course, later in the movie, the man with one green and one blue eye arrives and has all the other qualities and abilities she mentioned. But this is an excellent example of a love spell that requests certain attributes but doesn’t cast upon a specific person.
Another example is the 1987 movie, The Witches of Eastwick, with Cher, Michele Pfeiffer, and Susan Sarandon. Their main characters gather together and begin harmlessly talking about the perfect man and what qualities they would like him to have, followed by Sarandon’s character adding, “a foreign prince riding a great black horse.” The next day, the Jack Nicholson character arrives in a black limousine. So here, you have a love spell that not only describes the perfect person for them but asks that he comes to town. This is a wonderful way to construct a spell – detailing your desire then asking it to be put into action. The problem was that everything they asked for dealt with surface traits – that he be handsome, that you could talk to him, the size of his penis. They didn’t ask that he be a nice person. So, the devil himself shows up. Be specific in your spell work.
Whether it was by watching Charmed or Sabrina the Teenage Witch or humming along to Witchy Woman by the Eagles, we’ve been inviting love spells and witchcraft into our homes and lives for decades. Now that spells have become “normal” to us, more people are turning to the magical arts to help shape their love lives.
(image used, which will also be included in the book is: Wood engraving by Charles Jameson Grant, ca. 1833)
I’ve been working on my new book, CASTING LOVE SPELLS, and just finished writing the section on “WEIRD HISTORICAL LOVE POTION INGREDIENTS.” I thought my patrons might like to read this entire book section — months before the public gets to see it when the book comes out this Fall. The image used is an illustration that will also be in the book. It is the Spanish Fly, also known as the Blister Beetle.
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WEIRD HISTORICAL LOVE POTION INGREDIENTS
When we think of love potions, we picture a corked bottle containing a mystical brew of romance. But history tells us that the ingredients used were not all that appealing and sometimes illegal. Fresh blood, powdered bones, crushed insects – none of this sounds all that romantic by today’s standards where we give bouquets of flowers and boxes of chocolates to entice love. All of these examples are presented for historical purposes. Their inclusion here is not a recommendation by me.
SWEATY LOVE CAKES
But the Medieval Love Cake took elaborate steps to make someone fall in love with you. After mixing all of the traditional ingredients for the cake (more bread-like as we would consider it today), the dough would be rubbed all over the naked body, including the genitals and armpits, to absorb the body sweat into the dough. It was then baked and fed to the object of their desire.
SPANISH FLY
Most people have heard of ‘ Spanish fly’ mentioned in movies, television shows, and books. Also known as the Blister Beetle, it was used in potions dating back to Hippocrates. Latin writers document how the beetles were dried and crushed into a powder and then used as a potent aphrodisiac in numerous potions. These potions were said to be quite popular in the court of the Roman Emperor Augustus. Not recommended since Spanish Fly is considered toxic, causing permanent liver and kidney damage.
BIRD NEST SOUP
It is also known as the Caviar of the East. Popular in China for over 1,000 years, it is used to stir up desire in the bedroom. Astoundingly expensive, it is made up of the saliva found on the nests of swiftlets. The nest is simmered slowly in water to extract the saliva, and the soup has a thin gelatin-like consistency.
WORMS
For those wanting to explore the occult in the 16th century, many turned to the book The Boke of Secretes of Albertus Magnus of the Vertues of Herbes, Stones and Certaine Beastes. One formula for increasing the affections between a husband and wife was to crush earthworms and blend them with periwinkle, which was then mixed into a spouse’s food.
In 17th century Mexico, women would crush worms to mix with herbs, milk, and corn to feed their man to keep him in love and at home. An alternative would be to rub it on his chest at night while they slept.
MURDER
While parts of animals were often used in potions, so were human remains – even though many considered it taboo. A few harmless ways were by using a string of hair or menstrual blood as an ingredient. One especially dark recipe included the bone marrow and spleen of a murdered boy (not at all recommended.) But it could get more ominous, such as collecting bones from the graveyard to grind into powder.
COBRA BLOOD
Throughout history and across many cultures, snakes have played a part in magical practice. In Indonesia and Southeast Asia, the cobra’s blood is thought to kickstart the libido and get the sexual juices flowing. To drink the blood directly from the body of a freshly beheaded cobra is considered to be the most powerful.
RHINO HORN POWDER
Since the horn of a rhino could also be a phallic symbol, it is said that erectile dysfunction can be cured by consuming the powdered horn of this great beast. Keep in mind, as rhinos are on the verge of extinction, poaching them is illegal.
LEAFCUTTER ANTS
In South America, Leafcutter ants have been eaten as an aphrodisiac to enhance sexual desire since pre-Columbian times. They are a traditional wedding gift in the region. What few may realize is that only the queen ants are edible. The legs and wings are removed before they are toasted.
HUMMINGBIRDS
Hummingbirds were thought to be supernatural in many cultures. Even today, practitioners continue to break the law by collecting the bodies of these regal birds on the black market and turning them into love spells. The body is wrapped in the photograph of the two lovers then placed in a jar where it is covered in honey and cinnamon to keep the relationship sweet and spicy.
After writing and rereading this selection of unsavory ingredients, I am reminded of the line from the Meat Loaf song – “I would do anything for love. But I won’t do that.”
First of all, my apologies for being silent for the past couple of weeks. I’ve been working day and night on the illustrations for the upcoming book, How to Use Amulets, Charms, and Talismans in the Hoodoo and Conjure Tradition. With over 150 illustrations, Catherine Yronwode has been feverishly doing all the writing while I’ve been “in the pixel mine” with my graphics pad and coffee. We’re reaching the end of first drafts and finals touches on pictures right now.
But, I sometimes have to give a project a short nap and work on a DIFFERENT project to recharge the brain cells. That is a Taurus for you —- not a rest or an outing but another project to revitalize me! So, all day yesterday, I worked on my next book CASTING LOVE SPELLS. I was able to write the entire Table of Contents (which also doubles as an outline on exactly what to write.) I did a little scanning from my collection of vintage catalogs for a few of the illustrations (like the one featured here) and planned out the 13 categories of spells the book will include — things like spells of attraction, love, reunion, passion, marriage, communication, breakup, etc. I plan for over 100 of these spells to be included in the book. The final touch was to list all the herbs and oils used in love work so my excel planning sheet is full!
Now that my mind has new fat to chew on, I must return to the last of the pictures for the Amulets and Charms book. From there, I’m sure that Cat, Siva, Fred, and I will begin the proofreading process while Grey Townsend adds his final touches to the book cover. Never too many irons in the fire!
Using socks and stockings in hoodoo spells. Part of using ‘personal concerns’ in rootwork deals with using a person’s clothing to work magic on them. I most recently acquired volumes 3,4, and 5, of Harry Middleton Hyatt’s HOODOO CONJURATON WITCHCRAFT and ROOTWORK and they’ve become a goldmine of information that could have easily been long forgotten without his research and interviews.
In volume 5, there is an entire section on using a person’s sock and stockings for spellwork. Some examples are:
“WASH OUT MAN’S SOILED SOCKS – BOTTLE WATER – BURY WHERE HE MUST CROSS OVER IT…”
“MAN’S SOILED SOCKS WASH – BOTTLE THE WATER – KEEP TO CONTROL HIM – AT DOOR POINT TOES OF HIS SOCKS INTO ROOM – HIDE THEM UNDER LINOLEUM OR CARPET AND SOON HE COME A-HELLIN’ IF HE DOES NOT WANT TO RETURN”
This takes HOT FOOTING someone to a whole other level. Taking someone’s dirty socks, washing them out, then bottling the water is also the act of collecting their sweat and skin particles. To me, this a great ingredient to mix with ingredients that are using in hot footing like cayenne, sulphur, black pepper, etc. For those who are still learning about Hoodoo, Hot foot powder is used in African American hoodoo folk magic to drive unwanted people away. It is a mixture of herbs and minerals, virtually always including chili powder, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Other ingredients, such as wasp’s nests, sulfur, and graveyard dirt are sometimes added. What I would do is take Hot Foot oil (we sell this on our Conjure Shop website) and mix it with this water which would create a bond directly connected to the person you are wanting to control. Another old method is to add Hot Foot ingredients to the water in which you wash someone’s socks so that even their clean socks are “fixed” to get them to go.
But the work you’re doing with this ‘sock water’ can also be used to help hold onto a lover or husband (or wife) that strays. Mix with a Return to Me oil and use in your spellwork to keep them from wanting to wander. One ritual mentioned is for a woman to take her husband’s socks and to wear them around her waist to keep him faithful. Or, a woman would nail her man’s left sock under the door’s threshold (door saddle) to keep him home. On a similar note: If you want your husband to stay at home, get a pair of his dirty socks and fold them towards you then bury under the porch steps.
This quote is from my book THE USE OF MAGICAL OILS IN HOODOO, PRAYER, AND SPELLWORK: “Take their left shoe and anoint the bottom of the shoes with RETURN TO ME oil, mainly towards the front of the shoe where the toes would be. Sift together equal parts of salt and pepper and drop them into the shoe. Stand at the front door and point the shoe inside (toes towards the inside of the house). Shake the salt and pepper inside the shoe as you walk towards the back door. Dump the contents out the back door. Salt and pepper the shoe two more times until you have performed this three times total, each time pointing into the house and shake out the contents out the back door. When you have finished, place both shoes back where you found them but make sure to point them in the same direction as if the person were walking into the front door. Finally, dress the threshold of the front door with your RETURN TO ME oil.”
One story out of Memphis, TN, tells to bury a woman’s stockings in a fruit jar to bring her back. This sounds like it has sweetening components to the spell with the use of a FRUIT JAR.
If you were wanting a lover to leave, wash his socks and bottle the water. Then take the bottle and throw it into running water, such as a river, to carry him away from you. Including hot foot oil or powder to this seems like it would give it quite a ‘kick.’
Other than the direction connection with a specific person, using a person’s socks or stockings deals mainly which which way they are WALKING. Are you trying to keep someone from walking out of your life, to keep them home? Or are you needing to convince that person the walk away and leave for good? Whatever way you choose to implement it, I think it’s genius to wash someone’s socks and bottle the water for magical work.
strengthening their existing relationship. Place magnets or 
