Milagro Roots and Readings

Out of Town

I am leaving early next week to teach at the annual Lucky Mojo Curio Company Hands-on Conjure Workshop and to apprentice with miss cat for a week at the shop!  Today is the last day for orders on vigil lights, all spell work for March/April has been completed and the final reports will be sent out shortly.  I will have limited availability for readings until I return back to San Antonio around May 13th or 14th.  Those in need of readings can call or email me to see what times/days I have available.  And for those of you that will be up in Forestville for the workshops--see you then!

Conjure Wildcrafting!

Fresh dill can be used to break jinxes and destroy afflictions in a person's love life.

A Red Ant bed is typically flat and wide, as opposed to an ant hill.  The hole in the picture is the doorway to the bed, which is a series of connected mazes and chambers underground.  Enemies names and personal concerns can be dressed with honey and placed in a red ant bed to encourage confusion, wandering, and cessation of malicious activities.  Red Ants are also traditionally believed to be messengers between this world and the other world.

Two perspectives on red poppy flowers which are used for getting lucky dreams and inspiring confused communication and behavior in enemies.

Mugwort--used for safe travel and psychic work

Snake sheds left in a log can be used as an ingredient in home-made Goofer Dust.

How long until we get there?

Knight of Swords Tarot card from the Rider-Waite-Smith deck.  One of 4 Tarot Knights that can tell one the speed at which a working, situation, or desired outcome will manifest.

A question that I often get from clients that I am doing rootwork for or that I am reading for is "how long until I see results?"  This is a perfectly natural question given the time, energy and resources that individuals dedicate to magical jobs, but it is also a complex question.  One rule of thumb which was presented to me as just that, a rule of thumb, has recently been taken as Biblical law by some, this is the rule of 3--three days in which you should see a sign, 3 weeks for movement towards your goal and 3 months for a completed goal.  The rule of 3 is handy in that it gives us an outline and a progression of sorts--you do not go about looking for a complete manifested result you begin by looking for some encouraging signs, then you perceive slight movements in the direction you want to be headed in and finally you will with some luck get a manifested result.  In other words, typically you do not order up a magical working or perform one yourself and then expect to see the fully manifested result the very next day, usually things simply don't work that way.  I advise my clients to begin counting days, weeks, and months AFTER their working is completed.  So if you are doing a 7 day love spell, you don't start the spell on a Friday and then look for signs on Saturday--maybe you will see them, but most likely you won't start getting information about how successful or not successful the spell was until after it is completed.  While the rule of three gives us a helpful guideline, I have seen results manifest sooner, later, and in rather unexpected ways for different people.  Success of course depends on many factors, for a refresher course on that see my post When Only the Best Will Do.  In the meantime, pay attention to possible signs around you indicating that the work either is or is not taking.  Typically you will see movement in a number of weeks after the ritual has been performed and you will see a desired outcome in a number of months.  If you are not seeing positive signs or experiencing positive movement it is unlikely that you will have a positive outcome to the work fully manifest.  A different angle or new approach may be in order.  Keep in touch with your spiritual worker--if they provide divinatory readings you may want to check in and see what they think a reliable time frame would be.  If they do not provide such readings ask them to recommend you to a reader who can.  And as always whether you are performing work on your own behalf or a pro is doing work for you, during this time you want to have full faith that the best outcome for all will be achieved and that your cup will overflow with good things.

More Plants and Pictures

More wandering in the garden has led to more pictures of plants commonly used in magical practices.

Passion Flower is used in love drawing work because it is a vine and has the quality of "clinging" that we see in other commonly used love-drawing flowers like honey suckle or jasmine.  It can also be worked with for Blessing, Healing and Peaceful Home workings due to its association with the crucifixion and resurrection (known by Catholics as the "Passion") of Christ.

Lemon Verbena has a sharp/sweet lemony fragrance and can be used to clear away messes, break up relationships, and clear away the old in preparation for the new.

Lemon Balm, also known as Bee Balm functions in a similar manner to lemon grass.  Like any lemon scented herb, it is known for clearing away messes and cleansing but it also has the reputation of replacing the bad with the good, especially in cases of love.  So if you are releasing an old relationship and want to find a new lover, consider employing this potent little plant in your work!

Bluebonnets--these are a Texan native wildflower that bloom in the Spring, typically from mid-March until late April, sometimes into early May.  Although they are not used or known about much outside of the Lonestar state, they are believed to be lucky and some folks will carry the seed pods with them all year for good fortune.

Springtime in Texas

Its April and in Texas that means that the roses are starting to bloom.  I have the good fortune of having a mother who not only taught me about magic and divination, but also has quite the green thumb.  Her specialty is Antique Roses, old strains with blooms that have that delicious spicy-sweet rose scent.  (More modern Hybrid Tea Roses are bread more for their bloom than the scent.)  Antique Roses do well in many different climates and unlike their modern day counterparts require very little care and handling.  They are most at home when incorporated into mixed gardens where cutting flowers and herbs are planted around and underneath the rosebush.  In Hoodoo rose petals and rose buds are used for love, friendship, and peace.  Interestingly, in the ancient Indian system of health and healing known as Ayurveda, roses are prized for their medicinal virtues--they are seen as a "cooling" flower believed to strengthen and re-vivify individuals while soothing them at the same time.  Here is an easy to make 3 ingredient recipe for reconciliation work.  This blend can be used to dress candles, stuff doll babies, fill a mojo hand, or as a bath.

1 part dried pink rose petals

1 part dried Althaea leaves

1 part dried Balm of Gilead Buds

Blend together, scent with Reconciliation oil, pray over and put to work!

 

Consider the Egg-a symbol for fertility from a Conjure perspective

April has started out busy with lots of requests--I am happy to say--and among the requests I have been receiving are several inquiries about fertility, infertility, and how such conditions are handled.  As I have been decorating the house and preparing for tomorrow's Easter egg hunt I have been thinking about eggs a lot--their meanings and uses as well as the meanings behind other springtime/easter symbols.  Traditional Hoodoo treats infertility as an "unnatural condition," meaning that from the perspective of a down home rootworker, men and women are meant to procreate--it is their natural, healthy, vital state and anything that blocks that ability is considered unnatural and problematic.  (This does not mean that rootworkers believe everyone should have children, in fact, among other talents some rootworkers were known to possess information about herbs and natural remedies to help eliminate unwanted pregnancies back when such information could get one in deep trouble!) 

We can get a better understanding of the approach a traditional conjurer might take when dealing with a client suffering from infertility by considering the egg.  In Hoodoo we use eggs for cleansing and ridding ourselves of unwanted negativity and conditions.  "Unnatural conditions," including those associated with infertility must be cleansed away from the client in order for restoration of the natural state.  The Black Hen egg is the preferred egg of choice, but in a pinch any egg will do.  We share this tradition with other magical/healing modes like Mexican Curanderisimo which also relies on full body cleansings through the use of eggs.  Methods of cleansing with eggs abound, but in most styles it is agreed that the egg can function like a magnet drawing negativity and malevolent energies off and away from the individual.  In some styles the egg will then be broken into a bowl and the practitioner will examine the yolk and provide the client with valuable information about their condition as well as further recommendations for follow up practices.  In other traditions the eggs will be thrown into running water or at large, older trees to disperse the bad vibes.  

Eggs are also considered to be the symbol par excellence of fertility in many eastern and western cultures.  At Easter, Christians use the image of the egg to remind them about the re-birth of Christ while many Neo-Pagans associate the egg with the ancient Goddess Ostara or Eostara, Goddess of springtime, fertility and sex among other things.  Birth, re-birth, and sensual/sexual connotations are all found in association with the smooth shape of the egg.  Thus we can see the connection between cleansing and fertility illustrated eloquently in these common yet extraordinary every day objects.

It is also worthwhile to note that despite their innocent appearance and the images of happy barnyard chickens that eggs conjure up in most of our minds, the reality of egg production in the US and many parts of the world is a very ugly and grim picture.  As we enjoy our springtime festivities and work with eggs in our magical and creative lives, let us appreciate the humble yet extraordinary creatures that provide us with eggs.  Choose eggs that come from hens with access to sunshine, pasture, clean water, and lots of space--better yet find a neighbor or local producer and buy eggs directly from them.