Century of Spells

by Draja Mickaharic

  HAZELNUT

  The hazelnut is the Celtic nut of wisdom. It can be used by people who desire mental stability, calm, or insight into difficulties. A bath made with nine hazelnuts can assist in cleaning the mental body as well as stimulating the mind. The bath is made by boiling nine hazelnuts in an iron pot with a quart of water for an hour or so. Once the liquid cools it is added to a tub bath.

  A necklace made from hazelnuts may be worn to gain the same effect, or to preserve the effect once the mental body has been cleaned. It will take several weeks for the necklace to have the proper effect, and it should be worn almost continuously during this time. Carrying a hazelnut in your pocket has almost no effect, as the vibration of the hazelnut is not particularly intense.

  A tea made from nine hazelnuts will assist a business in obtaining customers. The tea is used to mop the cleaned floors of the business place and is made the same way you would make it for a ritual bath.

  Adding ground hazelnut flour to foods may also assist the mental vibration, particularly if it has been prayed over.

  HIGH JOHN THE CONQUEROR

  High John the Conqueror (jalap) is one of the better known magical roots. It has been prepared and carried as a good luck charm for many years. It is one of the best known good luck charms, and its use dates from the days of slavery in the American South, where it was used and prepared by blacks. In the Gulta region of North Carolina, it is the subject of a number of stories which are legendary in nature. I have heard at least two versions of how an ancestor used the root to convince the “master” to set him free.

  Because it is such a useful root, and because it is a basic part of most American magical practices, it will be used as an example of how a single herbal substance can be used in a number of ways. It is one of the most versatile magical substances available.

  Making the Oil

  Split four or five High John the Conqueror roots into small pieces. As it is a hard root, I recommend a chopping block and an axe. Place the pieces in a small bottle and cover them with olive oil (or cottonseed oil). For more negative work, mineral oil should be used. Place the bottle with the root pieces and the oil in the sunlight for at least a week, which allows the oil to absorb the virtue of the root pieces. You can either leave the root pieces in the oil or strain them out as you desire. As only a little of the oil is used at a time it is probably just as well to keep them in.

  Making the Water

  Boil four or five roots in an iron pot for a few hours. You will have to add water as the pot boils, for if the pan runs dry you will have to begin the process allover again. You should end up with about a pint of water and the roots. Throwaway the roots and save the water. Add two or three shots of vodka to the water and store it away until you want to use it. It is better to store it in a dark place.

  Making the Powder

  File away the outer covering of the root with a wood rasp, and file as much of the powder as you desire. To keep the powder fresh you should only file as much as you are going to use at one time.

  Using High John the Conqueror Root

  The root, in whatever form you desire to use it, is a material which will change conditions. It has gained widespread reputation as a compelling material, to make another person succumb to the desires of the one using it. It may be used to gain love or money, but it is always used to influence another person to your advantage.

  You can use the oil, by praying over it and putting it on someone. You can use the powder as a casting powder to be sprinkled over the doorstep of someone's house. The water can be used to wipe down a chair you know someone will sit in. In any of these cases you can have the other person at a disadvantage when dealing with you.

  The disadvantage of the use of this root is that it must be prayed over for what you specifically want, in as much detail as you can think of. This means that you must know exactly what you want, without any obscurities or fudging. Once you know what you really want you are half way to having it in any event, with or without the use of magic.

  HORSE CHESTNUT

  The horse chestnut has an unusual property. It has the virtue of being able to absorb physical pain from those who carry it or apply it to themselves. It is very useful for people who suffer from arthritis or bursitis, and it is carried in purse or pocket to gain some relief. The nut should be prayed over in the name of the person before it is given to him or her.

  A bowl of nuts, say three or four nuts in a small bowl, may be kept in the sickroom of a person who is in pain. The nuts should be prayed over in the name of the person, and then washed off in cool water every day to increase their ability to accept the pain. Once a nut used for this purpose becomes damaged—its skin cracks, for example—it should be discarded. It has done its work, and needs to be replaced.

  HYSSOP

  Hyssop is the holy herb of Judaism, just as rue is the holy herb of Christianity and aloe the holy herb of Islam. The use of hyssop in Jewish religious practice is described in Psalm 51: “Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean.” Hyssop was used as an aspergillum, to spread holy water around the temple. It still plays some part in the Jewish liturgy, as one of the herbs served at Passover.

  Hyssop has a cleansing quality. It is used in baths for cleansing as well as a sprinkle for cleansing the home. It may also be used as a spray, to lighten the vibrations of a place. It can be used to mop a floor or rug (damp mop) to remove feelings of negativity which may be present.

  Hyssop tea is made by adding a tablespoon of the herb to a cup of boiling water. Let the tea cool, and use it as you desireas a ritual bath, a sprinkle, or whatever.

  LOVAGE ROOT

  Lovage is known as the “loving herb.” In English folklore it is used to bring love to the person who uses it, and it has been used in a variety of ways to attract love. A bath may be made from a tablespoon of the ground root steeped in a cup of boiling water for this purpose. The resulting tea is added to the bath, and a prayer for a lover is made while bathing.

  Lovage root can also be used in another kind of love spell, one more suited for marriage. The root is split open, and a piece of paper with the names of the two lovers is inserted into the root. The root is then tied, paper included, with three threads, one red, one green and one white. The completed packet is buried along the foundation wall of the house in which the two lovers live. The intention of the spell is to provide permanent love between the two people.

  The white string or thread is for purity, to keep the lovers faithful to each other. The red is for mutual passion, while the green is for prosperity and offspring.

  LOW JOHN

  Low John is also known as ground thistle or southern wood. It can be used to reverse spells cast by others (see page 14). Low John is also used in love spells. Its influence is protective, and can be used for any other work being done, and added to charm bags for that purpose. Oil of bergmont is usually the preferred medium for love charms, but a piece of Low John has about the same influence as two or three drops of oil of bergmont. Low John can also be used negatively. Placed over a doorway, for example, it makes negative influences more uncomfortable in the room. It can also be placed under a bed or sewn into a pillow, for the same purpose.

  Low John is not a particularly good incense in my experience. If you use it, be sure to pray over it before you use it.

  MARIGOLD

  The marigold is not only a beautiful garden or house plant, it is one of the most potent plants used in magic. As a plant of both the Sun and the Moon, it has a host of useful magical properties. In the garden, it is planted as a border to protect plants and seedlings from insects. In herbal medicine it has been used for healing damaged flesh and open wounds. It is an herbal specific for cancers which are ulcerous, several cups of the tea being taken each day until the cancer is healed.

  Magically, the tea made with a tablespoon of the flowers and a cup of water. It is an excellent condenser of the astral force. The tea may be placed in a charm bag and prayed over to keep the charm �
�on target,” or a few drops of the tea may be prayed over and rubbed on the hands.

  Magic mirrors may be made through the use of the alcoholic extract of the marigold flowers. The mirror is made by coating the front of a piece of cleaned window glass with the solution, and then it is prayed over to see what one wishes to view. If the glass is not cleaned, the astral charge will reveal itself constantly through such a mirror.

  MARJORAM

  Marjoram is the familiar kitchen herb. It is not used often in American cooking, and it is almost unknown in American magical practice. It does have a very interesting quality, however, which makes it worth mentioning. The herb can be used to clean negative thoughtforms out of a place by sprinkling it on the floor and sweeping the floor. The marjoram absorbs negativity, and is swept out of the house with it.

  While a tea may be made from marjoram (a teaspoon of the chopped herb to a cup of boiling water), it is not as effective as the use of the herb as a sweeping compound. If you do not wish to use marjoram as a sweeping compound it may be used as an incense to rid a place of negativity, but it will work better as a sweeping compound.

  MATE

  The use of this herb in a cleansing bath is mentioned in the section on water and baths.

  Mate is used as a magical powder to rid a person or thing of the influence caused by spirits of the dead. The fine powder is blessed, prayed over, and blown on the person to be cleansed. The influence will last as long as the powder remains on the person. In some of the Afro-Catholic magico-religious practices of South America, powdered mate and finely powdered eggshell are combined for this purpose.

  The powder itself, or a tea made from the herb, can be used to reduce spirit influence in a place. The powder is placed in the corners of the room (or the corners of a drawer), while the tea is used to mop the floor. Add a cup or two of mate tea to a bucket of mop water.

  A friend of mine places teabags of mate tea in the comers of his dresser drawers. I do not feel that spirits are that interested in laundry, but he thinks that there is some advantage to it. I would think that putting the herb in your pillow case would be more effective in reducing nighttime spirit activity in the bedroom.

  MINT (SPEARMINT)

  Mint has a quality which stimulates. It may be used to “spice up” charms to make them work faster, or to tum your mentality so you can be in accord with the effect desired from your charm. As a spray or sprinkle it puts a mentally stimulating vibration throughout the place where it is applied. It would be ideal for a school, but it is also useful in an office or a house that is for sale.

  Mint may be used as a floorwash in a business place, to stimulate business activity. Honeysuckle and cinnamon do better here though.

  If you rinse your hair with mint it will often remove minor mental dullness. Wash your hair and rinse it with a mint tea, made of a teaspoon of dried mint leaf to a cup of boiling water. Allow the water and mint to come to room temperature before you apply it to your head. When rinsing, scrub the scalp thoroughly. This is a first aid treatment for minor forms of malochia.

  MUGWORT

  Mugwort is one of those plants which is usually considered to be a weed. Since ancient times it has been considered a bringer of prophecy through dreams. As an incense it is believed to assist people in trance or when they are asleep to “dream true.” For dreams you bum it as an incense in your bedroom before retiring, or you can make a mugwort “dream pillow,” the more usual method of using the herb.

  A mugwort “dream pillow” is made by filling a pillow case with mugwort leaves. You should sleep alone when you use it, and remember to have a pencil and paper at your bedside to write down any dreams that may come along.

  MYRTLE

  Myrtle is a component of a blend called Angel Water, which is made from myrtle tea, orange water and rose water. Myrtle is used to bring positive spirit influences to a place, but is not as effective as simply burning benzoin incense.

  Myrtle is useful as a magical powder, for either casting or blowing. The powder takes a charge well and, depending on the prayer made over it, can be used to rapidly change conditions.

  Myrtle does not work as well as an incense, but if a small amount is added to other incenses, the effect of the original blend is usually enhanced. Add only a very small amount, however. Too much will make the incense smell like burning leaves.

  ORRISROOT

  Orrisroot (also known as Queen Elizabeth root) is the root of the garden iris. It is a well known love charm, and is often carried by people who wish to draw love to themselves. It can be used in powder form to draw others to yourself. In this case it can be added to talcum powder as a dusting powder. Add a tablespoon of orris root powder to a cup of talcum powder; pray over it for the effect you desire. It can be used to draw others for business purposes or for romance.

  The powder of the root relates to the planetary influence of Mercury, through the greek goddess Iris, a messenger of the gods. Orrisroot is a useful ingredient in any spell where communications or the opening of communications is desired. For this purpose it is added to charm bags or baths.

  Occasionally orrisroot is used as a condiment in Europe. As such, it has the reputation of producing love between those who partake in the meal.

  PARSLEY

  Parsley is a beneficial herb for women. It can be made into a sprinkle which has the effect of calming and protecting the home. In a bath it gives benefit to people's financial problems. For either of the above, make a tea with a teaspoon of dried parsley to a cup of boiling water. Allow the tea to steep until the water reaches room temperature, and either add it to the bath or use it as a house sprinkle or spray. It may also be used as a floorwash if desired.

  Some people avoid eating parsley, as it is supposed to confer financial benefit if one does not do so. The same is held to be true about pumpkins. This may be a superstition, but if one accepts it, it is as firm a belief as any other.

  PEONY

  The leaves and flowers of the common peony are used in washes and baths, particularly in initiatory practices. The root of the peony is used as a good luck charm, and is often added to charm bags for success and to reverse spells sent against the wearer.

  The seeds of the Peony are considered to be very dangerous, as very powerful curses are placed with them. Peony seeds are said to cause disorder and strife when they are scattered in a room. The person who steps on a peony seed usually starts an argument with the one person in the room whom he or she should avoid in the first place!

  The peony seed is the reputed J umby Bean of folk magic, and its use in magic as an agent of cursing is well known.

  POKE ROOT

  This plant is also known as the ink-berry plant. The berries of this plant make a good red dye when crushed, and can be used as the “dove's blood ink” so beloved of occult supply stores. The root of the poke plant is used to break spells and curses. It should be boiled as a tea and added to the bath or scrub water. It is particularly effective immediately after the new moon. To use this bath effectively, first mop your floors, using a cup of poke root tea in a bucket of water. Then take the bath, adding a cup of the tea to your bath water. Any remaining tea can be sprinkled in the corners of the house.

  Poke root has a strong influence on the astral condition, and it can be very effective for certain people who need stabilizing on their path in life. The well-dried root can be ground into an excellent magical powder, and can be used to place an influence on others to respect authority and straighten out their lives.

  ROSEMARY

  Rosemary is supposed to be used for remembrance. It is claimed that it improves the memory, and is used as a hair rinse for this purpose. For some time it has been used as a hair rinse for strictly cosmetic purposes, which seems to be a better use than trying to improve your memory with it.

  In most magical practices, rosemary is used as a protective herb, or for purification of the ritual area, persons, places, and things. In some of the older witchcraft practices, rosemary is sprea
d around the place to be protected before the ritual worship begins. Whole rosemary “needles” are used for this purpose.

  Whole or powdered rosemary can be made into a tea, a teaspoon of the herb to a cup of boiling water steeped until it reaches room temperature. The tea is good for a purification bath for those suffering from bad vibes. It can also be used to rinse off furniture which is brought into the house after having been used by others.

  When either the powder or the leaf (which is needle-like in shape) is placed in the corners of a room, it adds a protective feeling to the place. It is a good thing to use in a child's bedroom during the “terrible two” phase.

  RUE

  Rue is the “herb of grace” in the Christian religion. It holds a place like hyssop in Judaism and aloe in Islam, as the “holy herb” of the religion. Carrying a sprig of rue is supposed to protect the person from the influence of evil spirits.

  Burned as an incense, rue is supposed to add virtue to a place and protect those who use it against temptation. In fact, it strengthens the willpower of people who are in the place where it is burned.