This year I thought that for the blog I would share a ritual, well really part of a ritual, that I write for my coven for Yule in 2005.  We did this ritual in the dead of winter.  It was so cold and snowy that winter and I remember it just being freezing as we stood in the living room of my 1940s cottage home that lacked insulation.  But the ritual was beautiful and the Yule feast afterward was fantastic.  I have noted all the steps that we took in the ritual but haven’t outlined them all with specifics so that you can add your own personal twists to it if you like.  Everyone has their own ways of setting their sacred space (casting circle, calling the quarters/Watchtowers/Wards/etc) and I wanted to honor that here by leaving these steps open.

Raven’s Hearth Coven 2005 Yule Ritual  by Rowan Pendragon
- Grounding Meditation

- Besom Sweep

- Challenge and Anointing
(for those unfamiliar with this step, this is presenting each participant with a spiritual challenge before allowing them into the ritual space and then anointing them as they enter.  This is often something to the effect of “Do you enter this sacred space with an open mind and an open heart?”  Or it can be specific to the traditions, ritual, or event.  After the person responds in the affirmative they are anointed in whatever manner you choose with either blessed water or a ritual oil.)

- Circle Casting

- Calling the Quarters:

- Blessing the Water and Sealing the Circle
(During this portion the salt and water are blessed and combined and then the whole circle is aspurged with the holy water in order to set the circle and seal the space.)

- Deity Invocation
Goddess
Great Mother Goddess,
As you prepare to give birth to the Sun God,
We call to you!

In the depths of winter when all seem lost in slumber,
We call to you!

With trust that from your holy womb of night
The Sun God will return once again,
We call to you!

Mother Goddess, your children call you forth!
We seek your guidance in our rites
And your blessings on our work.
Hail and Welcome!

God
Great God of the Sun,
You shine dimly now and your children long for your return.
We have watched your time grow short
And now we await your rebirth.

From the Mother’s dark womb and wintery earth
We know you shall return as you have many times before.
God of the Sun,
We call to you!

We hail your rebirth and call you back to us!
Bless us with your return!
Hail and Welcome!

- Sabbat Observance

(Light the Sun candle and walk around the circle deosil raising it higher and higher until it is overhead, then continue to walk lowering it until it is waist height while saying:)

The God was born and grew in strength.
He joined with the Goddess and provided the harvest
And granted His children a sacrifice so that we may live.

(extinguish candle)

It is mid-winter, the shortest day of the year, and we know that the sun is gone from us.
We all die like the Sun God.
And like him we shall be reborn again and again.

(light the Sun candle)

Let us call back the Sun and rejoice in His rebirth.

(Everyone take candle from the basket that is passed and takes a moment to change the candle with blessings for the return of Sun and the returning light and warmth to the earth.)

(Starting in the east each people, moving deosil, comes and lights their candle from the flame of the Sun candle and places it on a spot around the Sun candle.  Ideally each person should place their candle in front of their position in the circle so they know which candle is theirs to light from for the next portion of the ritual.)

Chant – Infinite Sun

We are one with the infinite sun
Forever and ever and ever

(After all candles are lit and the energy is sufficient, the chant stops but the energy raised is now redirected towards the cauldron in front of the altar.)

As we have called for the rebirth of our God and the Sun,
We too shall each be reborn in at least on aspect we have chosen tonight.

On your parchments you have each placed something that you wish to return to the Goddess to be taken within Her cauldron, a symbol of the Mother’s womb, and ask that She make way for new growth in your life.

You need not tell anyone what you are giving back to Her, for She knows what is in your heart.

Light your parchment from the candle you placed on the Sun Wheel and toss it into the cauldron, adding a few pinches of the releasing herbs on the altar to the flames.

Know that as the parchment burns in the cauldron with the herbs placed upon it,

The smoke that rises carries your wishes to the Gods and the Spirits of the Universe to do what is most correct for you.

Chant – Cauldron Chant

Cauldron of Changes
Blossom of bone
Arch of Infinity
Hole in the stone.

(Once everyone has tossed their parchment into the cauldron and have taken their places back in circle, everyone joins hands and continues to chant until all the flames in the cauldron have died down and the energy has been properly raised.  Everyone, while hands raised, reaches up to the sky and releases the energy by letting go with their palms facing up…seeing the energy being set free to the Universe.)

- Cakes and Ale
(cakes and ale are blessed.  A libation made to the bowl for the Gods)

“We have come together today and given our blessings to Sun God as He beings His return.  As we wait in darkest, on this the longest night of the year, we know that the Mother will keep us warm in Her embrace and that the God will awaken the earth with His light once more.”

(cakes and ale are then passed to those in circle with the blessing “May you never hunger.  May you never thirst.”)

- Farewell to the Gods:

Goddess
Great Mother Goddess,
We thank you for being with us this night
And we thank you for aiding in our rites and
Hearing our prayers.
As you return to your realms
We ask you keep us close and safe through this mid-winter.
Stay if you will but go if you must.
Hail and Farewell!

God:   
God of the Sun
We have begun to sing you back home
And we await the arrival of the light once more.
As you make your journey
Know that your children always trust in your return.
Carry with your our blessings of love and peace.
Stay if you will but go if you must.
Hail and Farewell!

- Releasing the Quarters

- Release the Circle

At this time of the year we’re celebrating and honoring the return of the Sun (and the Son in the form of the God). While there are several cards in the tarot that are appropriate for this time of year, there is none more-so than The Sun card.  In the Rider Waite Smith version of the card we see a baby, often said to represent the Child of Hope and Light, riding a white horse carrying a red flag with a bright and glorious sun in the background.  The stone wall with the sunflowers that he is seated in front of traditionally represents the blocks and hurdles that we have had to climb over and reach beyond in order to get to our spot in the sunlight.  How wonderful as an affirmation of the Winter Solstice!

When we place The Sun card on our altars and make it part of the focal points of our Yule rituals, it can help us to find a focus for the energy that we are calling back.  During the winter, especially if you live someone that really lives out that cold, winter weather, it can be hard to imagine the sun at all.  When you don’t see the sun too often and you don’t feel its warmth or see its light it can be hard to feel that energy to call it back.  This card can help with that a bit.

Here are a few other Sun cards from other decks…

Pick out The Sun card from your favorite deck of tarot.  If you don’t have a deck print out one of the images above or find a Sun card from a deck that you find appealing and print that out for your altar.  Place your card in the center of your altar along with a candle of a fire/sun color (yellow, gold, orange, or red).  Take a few moments to look at your card and really put yourself into the scene in the card.  Feel the rays of the sun shining down on you, warming your skin.  Breathe deep and smell the scent of warm grass and dirt on a summer day after the rains have come and gone and the sun is drying things again.  Feel the power of the sun and the life it creates and supports.  Then bring yourself back to this cold and dreary winter season and know that you will once again feel that sun on your skin again soon as now is the time that it is reborn to the earth.

Light you candle and chant the following:
Return O Sun
Return O Lord.
Bring back the light
And light restored!

Let your candle burn down through the night of Yule to help guide the Sun and the God back through the cold and dark earth.

Hello, i have a simple question and can’t seem to find an answer in the books and research i have done. I am going to be casting a banishing spell. But it a spell to banish some one from another person not myself to much. Should i banish them from this person, or from my life or both. They are adversely affecting my life in a very negative way even though i do not have direct contact with them. Just need to know how the spell needs to be worded.

Thank You
Cearúilín Mac Gearailt

There are a few things to consider with this.  For the sake of making this discussion a little easier I’m going to call the person you want to banish Sally and the other person involved Jill.  Do you have Jill completely on board with your plans to banish Sally from her life?  Is she going to be part of the magickal work?  If not she should be, even if it means she’s just sitting in the circle doing nothing; she should be there since this involves her more than you.  What is your problem with Sally?  Does your problem with Sally in any way involve or reflect on Jill?

Ideally Jill wants you do this to help her and she wants you to banish Sally for good.  But also, if Jill is serious about wanting you to do this, she’ll be involved in the work too, even if it just means that she’s going to be sitting there observing.  Her issues aren’t your issues, no matter how much you care for her and want her to be happy and well.  If you have an issue with Sally then you are in the right position to banish Sally from YOUR life for YOUR purpose, but really you don’t have the right or place to banish Sally from Jill’s life, especially without her permission.  Even with her permission it can be a bit of a tricky situation.

With banishing spells remember that you’re sending someone away, most likely for good.  And if they do end up coming back to you the chances are that things are going to be ugly.  So be sure that you’re completely sure you want to send this person away.  Banishings are not spells to do half-ass or half-hearted.  Be positive you want this person gone.

Also, for the best effect, start your spell as close to the waning moon as you can.  By the time the moon is new Sally should be gone for good.  If she’s not, prepare to do your spell again at the start of the next waning moon.  Sometimes banishings take a few times to take full effect so be patient.

But to really answer your question…
No, you shouldn’t banish this person from your friend’s life.  If you have reasons to send them out of your life, that’s one thing, but your friend needs to be responsible for their own situation.  If your friend doesn’t do magick and specifically asks for your help, then that’s different.  In that case I would do it but I would do it with them.  It’s not at all difficult to involve someone who isn’t a practitioner in a spell or ritual, especially if they are the person it concerns.  If your friend wont participate I would be a little hesitant to do the work; they may not be 100% sure that this is what they want.

The wording of the spell itself is not as important as the intent.  I can’t word the spell for you, you need to do this yourself.  The thing to keep in mind is that your words have extreme power, especially in an emotionally and intent charged ritual.  So be sure that you’re aware of what you’re saying.  I don’t know the specifics of your situation so I can’t give you any real pointers there but just know that your words are going to have a lot of power.  Also the way your planning to deliver the spell will have some weight to the words you’ll use.

One of these forms is one that many of us could utilize in every ritual or even on a daily basis through a simple act that many of use do regularly.  It’s called Libanomancy, also sometimes called livanomancy, livanomancy, or knissomancy,  the act of divination through the observation and interpretation of incense smoke.  The signs of messages and information are drawn off of the pops, flares, crackling sounds and the various patterns found within the rising smoke.  Manuals detailing the signs and their meanings and well and the methods employed to do this form of divination date back to about 2,000 -1,600 BC and originated from Mesopotamia eventually traveling to Egypt and Europe.

In one of these original transcripts giving such information, “Three Collated Libanomancy Texts” (which was translated by Irving L. Finkel in 1983-1984) lists some of these recommended ways to read the incense.

1. If when you sprinkle the incense, its flame burns smokily, your army will defeat an enemy.
2. If when you sprinkle the incense, it stops short, and afterwards its flame burns smokily, an enemy will defeat your army.
3. If when you sprinkle the incense, (the smoke) goes to the right and does not go to its left, you will prevail over your adversary.
4. If when you sprinkle the incense, (the smoke) goes to its left and does not go to its right, your adversary will prevail over you.
5. If when you sprinkle the incense, (the smoke) goes to the east and does not go towards the crotch of the diviner, downfall for your adversary.
6. If when you sprinkle the incense, (the smoke) goes towards the crotch of the diviner and does not go to the east, your adversary will prevail over you.
7. If when you sprinkle the incense, (the smoke) goes equally in all directions: equal weapons.
8. If when you sprinkle the incense, (the smoke) clusters: success: the man will enjoy profit wherever he goes.
9. If the top of the incense(-smoke) is fragmented: there will be financial loss and loss of cattle in the man’s estate. (Next line 9a too damaged for translation)
10. If the top of the incense(-smoke) is cleft (in two): madness.
11. If the top of the incense(-smoke) is cut off: the man will experience hard times…
12. If the top the incense(-smoke) (looks) like the brickbasket of Šamaš: there will be di’u disease in the man’s household.
13. If the top of the incense(-smoke) gathers like a date-palm and is thin (down) at its base: hardship will seize the man.
14. If the incense(-smoke) after a while is constricted: hard times will befall the man.
15. If the incense(-smoke) after a while pushes through and gets out: the man will pull through hard times.
16. If the incense(-smoke) pushes through to the east and gets out: the man will pull through hard times.

While many of these specific translations might not pertain to us today (I’m sure many of us aren’t too worried about whether our armies are going to defeat an enemy, we can certainly modify these meanings, taking their essence, and rewording and reworking them to make them more relevant.

The best kinds of incense to use for this sort of divination is loose incense that is cast on burning coals.  Using incense that includes seeds, especially hemp, fennel and coriander seeds, and salt peter, also known as Vesta Powder, allows for more than just divination based on the smoke itself but allows for the pops and flames of flame to be interpreted as well.  When you use cone or stick incense you can always work with any changes in burn patterns, if the incense goes out suddenly etc.  When using loose incense that uses just herbs you may occasionally get some pops or flares but you can instead utilize the patters in the smoke as well as any images that you may see in the pile of herbs as they burn on the coals utilizing the same techniques often used in water, fire or mirror scrying.

If you enjoy creating your own incense you can pick herbs and seeds that might either pertain to the specific type of question that you have or one designed specifically for divination.  Take a few moments to focus on your question or questions while the coals warm, asking for the Spirits, Guides and Gods you work with to guide your divination.  Then when you’re ready toss a good amount of incense on the coals.  You want to be sure to use enough to allow it to burn for a few minutes to give you time to divine from it; a small pinch will not be enough for this, and because of that it is advisable to work in a well ventilated area but being careful not to be working right by a window or outdoors since the wind can play a factor.

Some interpretations used today include:

1. One pop for “yes”.
2. Two quick pops together for “no”.
3. Silence (no pops if you have incense with seeds that should pop) for “answer unclear”.
4. If the smoke quickly moves away from you it can indicate either a negative outcome or things moving away from you.
5. If the smoke quickly moves toward you it can indicate either a positive outcome or things moving toward you.
6. If the incense goes out before it should it can indicate that now is not the time to  ask this question.
7. Look for shapes in the smoke and interpret them much like in tea leaf reading.

Try using this method of divination at your next Esbat or Sabbat rituals.  It’s a simple method that you can customize and personalize to your own needs, working with your chosen Gods and Spirits, and making part of your personal tradition no matter what your spiritual practice is.

What is an amulet?
Amulets are one of the oldest magickal items that we know of.  For thousands of years they have been used to help protect individuals, the homes and even other objects.  Amulets are objects, often worn as ornamentation or used to appear decorative in the home, which have been enchanted with spells or charged with energy, with the specific purpose of protecting someone or some place from evil, harm or negative forces and energy.

An amulet for protection from the Evil Eye.

One of the most well known curses, the Evil Eye, has had amulets employed to protect against it for centuries.  Believed to be nothing more than a look with biting ill intent, the Evil Eye is thought to cause injury, bad luck, even death.  Many feel that if someone holds a powerful feeling of jealousy, envy or dislike for someone they can easily cast the Evil Eye upon them with this look of ill will.  While the belief in the Evil Eye is strongest in places like the Middle East, parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, the belief came to the new world with slaves and immigrants and now you can find people all over the world using and wear amulets designed to ward off or even deflect the power of this curse.

In the case of the Evil Eye there are several symbolic items used and today we often find them together as a single amulet including the eye, the hand, and the horseshoe.  Often you will find two of these together, most commonly the eye placed within a hand.  It combines the traditional Turkish all-seeing eye charm, a symbol of protection from the Supreme Being, placed within a down facing hand, an Arab symbol known as the hamsa hand, hamsa meaning “five” and referring to the fingers on the hand.  The history of the hamsa hand is quite interesting and has been attributed to Jewish and Islamic traditions as well, however archaeological evidence seems to suggest that the down-turned hand as a protective symbol predates Judaism and Islam, suggesting that it is an ancient Middle Eastern symbol of the hand of a Goddess reaching out to offer protection and guidance.

So when we are talking about an amulet we are talking about an object that is mainly worn on the body, it can be in the form of a necklace, bracelet, pin, etc, and is charged with the specific act of protection.  It is means to protect and repel negative, evil and unwanted forces.

What is a talisman?
In the case of a talisman, we are talking about an object that has been crafted with the intention of drawing something to the user.  This can be an object charged and enchanted to draw power, good luck, improved health, or any other similar objective.  The main idea is that with a talisman you are working to draw something toward you. The other and somewhat less crucial piece here with a talisman is that it is an object believed to hold magickal power in and of itself.  This is often the definition seen related to talismans in fiction and even in some historical texts.  And while this may be part of the history of the talisman, and we certainly do see these objects as magickal, today’s modern use is mainly defined as an object created to draw a specific energy or quality to the user.

A talisman worn to draw money to the individual.

Another way that talismans and amulets differ is that while an amulet can be a more general item, like the mass produced and largely recognizable items talked about above (the St. Christopher metals that many people use for protection during travel is another example of a common amulet), a talisman is more person and is tailor made for the individual, or more likely by the individual themselves, for their specific needs at a specific time, such as during a full moon or with the moon in a specific astrological alignment.  Many times a talisman will be made using natural objects such as rocks, feathers, metals and woods, or they can be simply drawn on parchment.  Sigils are sometimes used as markings on rocks or parchment as part of a talisman.

Another form that a talisman can take, and one that many modern practitioners work with at some point, is what we often refer to as a sachet; a small piece of cloth or a small cloth “spell bag” that is filled with specific herbs, stones, parchment sigils or markings, and other meaningful objects, which have been cleansed, blessed and charged together for a specific purpose.  Love sachets are very common.  These often consist of a small red bag, a mixture of herbs related to love such as rose, jasmine, mandrake, and clove, a heart shaped piece of red silk, and a piece of parchment with your name, your astrological symbol and a drawing of two entwined hearts.  The items are all charged and blessed, placed within the bag and the bag is then sewn closed with red string while words of blessing and intent are chanted over the bag to seal and charge it.  The bag is then often carried with the person on their receptive side of the body (e.g. the left side for someone that is right handed).  It can be carried in a pocket or pinned to the inside of a jacket or pants.

The debate about amulets and talismans
There are a few other definitions for amulets and talismans and the two terms are often used interchangeably which can lead to confusion about what sort of object does what.  While in a roundabout way it can be argued that through the very act of protection and warding an amulet draws something to the user, this is not its main objective.  And the reverse can be said of a talisman; while a talisman is doing its job of drawing something to an individual, like in the case of a talisman for good luck, it does somewhat repel bad luck; but again this isn’t its main objective.

Raymond Buckland, in his book “The Complete Book of Witchcraft” has a very different take on amulets and talismans.  He states that an amulet is a natural object, such as a stone or crystal, especially the often talked about “Holy Stones” or “Hag Stones” which is simply a stone with a naturally occurring hole in the center.  Buckland states that an amulet cannot be created and can only be adopted and that if an amulet is engraved and consecrated (e.g. taking a stone from the ocean and carving a sigil for protection on it) it would then become a talisman.

With regards to a talisman, Buckland gives these the definition of a man-made object which has been empowered with magickal energy, especially for either warding off evil or drawing good luck.  He then states that the most common form of a talisman is that of a metal disc worn as a pendant which is often two sided; one side holds the objective of the talisman while the other is personalized by the wearer.

Definitions from Webster’s Dictionary state that an amulet is a charm worn around the neck to protect against evil while a talisman is something with an engraving of figures or symbols to bring good luck and keep evil away and can be a ring or stone.

So while some definitions will vary the essence of the objects are still the same.  An amulet is used to protect and repel negativity while a talisman is used to draw in energy.  Both can be object that can be worn or placed in the home or other space based on what or who it is meant to protect.  And, regardless of which you use or create, your personal interaction in key to the success of the object.

The importance of intention
Whether you’re working with an amulet or a talisman visualization, intention and energy are extremely important.  These objects all need to be given a specific charge and a specific magickal direction which is done through either the act of blessing and charging in the case of an amulet or during its creation in the case of a talisman. With a talisman, creating and working with a ritual to help set its intention is the best way to activate it.  A simple ritual cleansing, blessing and charging is usually all that is needed in the case of amulets.  However, as with all other magickal procedures, research and experiment with things that you feel drawn to but know that the purpose and goal here is to ensure that you are using clear visualization and intent with your objects.

hello,
I have been enjoying your blog, you are a wonderful and clear writer. My question is; is there a real distinction between black and white magic?

~ Elizabeth

Honestly, the simple answer. No.

Now the more complicated answer…
Magick is all about intention.  The intention in the heart of the person that casts it is where the “black or white” resides.  There is also the issue of personal ethics and the ethics of the magickal tradition that a person practices.  What might be labeled as black magick to some might be perfectly find for others.  Frankly I feel that all magick is a grey area until we put our intentions behind it.

So what would be “black magick”?  To many practitioners it would be something that is designed to intentionally cause harm, be it physical, emotional, or spiritual, to another person.  It can also be something that is meant to take away someone’s free will.  Basically we’re talking here about magick that would make someone specific fall in love with you, magick that would cause someone to lose a job or get evicted from their home, anything that would change someone’s life situation for the worse.

“White magick”, as you would imagine, is going to be something that is meant to help heal someone or improve their lives or situation.  Spells and magick for sending love to someone who is in need or support, spells for finding a new job, to find new friends, and to help bring peace to a difficult situation might all be seen as white or positive magick.

But here’s where things are tricky.  For many people one of the big things that makes the difference is: Are you casting the spell for another person, and if you are, did you ask them for permission to do it?  This is where the freewill comes in.  It doesn’t matter if you have the best intentions behind it, but if you haven’t asked them if you can cast this spell for them then you’re violating their ability to make decisions about how their lives will go.  Healing is an example I use a lot to explain this.  We tend to have this idea that all healing magick is OK and positive and so people will cast healing spells for anyone in their lives who is dealing with a health issue without asking for permission.  Sometimes we might want to do a healing spell for someone that is dealing with a serious illness because we want them to get better because we don’t want to deal with the possibility of losing them.  In these situations we tend to not stop and think about the fact that this just might be an experience they need to go through and it might be their time to move on to the next part of their soul’s journey. It’s not up to us to decide that for them.

I think some people take this a bit too far though.  I know some people feel that all magick that would improve your life, especially in any sort of material way (like spells for money) are wrong because there might be someone else that needs it more than you. Frankly I think that’s silly.  The Universe provides for everyone who wants to be provided for.  There’s no reason that you shouldn’t do work for what you need and what you want to create the life you wish to live.

Ethics are the other thing that play into the black and white magick issue and these will vary from one practitioner to the other based on the tradition they practice.  For example someone who’s Wiccan will have the Wiccan Rede and the Threefold Law to consider.  Someone else might just keep into mind the idea of Karmic Return.  And others, like myself, have their own personal ethics that they have formed over the life of their practice that are their own.  What might be white for me will quite likely seem black to someone else.

So, is there a clear way to define black and white magick?  Not really.  But it’s not hard to know which side of things your on if you have your personal ethics defined and you stop to think about your true intentions behind your magick when you cast it.

You might also want to check out this post from a while back…Of Hexing and Cursing.

Obviously the first thing that you’ll need to do is come up with a purpose for your candle spell. We’re going to work with the idea of creating a money drawing candle. For this we’re going to need some items; the first thing that you’re going to want is the most obvious item, your candle.

Color: When you’re picking your candle you need to make a few considerations. The first thing is pick your color. In the case of a money spell you can use green or gold; some people use shades or yellow. Pick whatever color and shade of that color says “money” to you. Many people recommend that you use a candle that is a solid color all the way through; you can tell this by scratching just a small chip off the bottom of the candle with your nail. Personally, while I also prefer solid colored candles, I don’t think that a dipped candle with a white inside will harm or detract from your work. So if you can’t find a solid candle and can only get a dipped one, I say don’t worry.

Shape and Size: Next you’ll need to pick what form you want this candle to take. First consider how long you want to let the candle burn for. Ideally you want to burn the candle down when you light it. One of my personal favorites for this sort of candle work is the large, 7 day jar candles. These, depending on your living situation, can be safely burned without having to extinguish and relight. However, I will say that it is always best to err on the side of caution and snuff them out and relight them (we’ll talk about this later). Some jar candles are not designed to come out of the jars, so look for ones that can be removed, sometimes sold as “pull out candles”. You can use this method with any shape candle but the best are either the large 7 day jar candles, jumbo tapers, or votives if you need something that will burn for a shorter amount of time.

Herbs, Oils and Crystals: Pick some herbs, I personally like to use three, an oil and a crystal that correspond to your intention. The amount of herbs you’ll use will vary based on both the size of the candle and the number of herbs that you decide to work with. You’re going to need enough to cover you candle, full a portion of your candle, and have some either in the jar or holder. Before you start working with putting any of this together, you’re going to want to know if the herbs are safe to burn. Check some references online or books like Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magickal Herbs to be sure about how safe the herbs are for burning ensuring they aren’t toxic or explosive (things like seeds or Vesta powder wouldn’t be a good choice since they will pop and explode which can break glass and other items.

You’re going to want to pick an oil that corresponds to the purpose of your work and you’ll need enough to cover you candle well. You’ll need more than just a few drops like you might use for your usual candle anointing. I tend to use a palm-full for the larger candles.

Next, pick a crystals. The stone is going to be used with the candle but it’s also going to become a talisman for you after the candle has burned down.

A Few Other Things You’ll Need:
Something to carve your candle with
A slip of parchment or plain paper
A pen or quill and ink
A small dish, which needs to be larger than the opening of your candle jar, that you can burn some of your herbs on
Glitter (this is optional but it’s fun, especially if you’re doing something like money magick)

Preparing Your Items:

The first thing you’ll want to do is physically clean everything; the candle holder/jar, the candle itself, and the crystal. Cleanse the crystal in whatever way is best for that stone. Let it air dry and use whatever method you use for charging and programing your stone. For this example I’m going to be walking you through steps for using a jar candle since this is what I typically would be working with. You can certainly make whatever adjustments you need to make based on what I give you here.

Take the candle out of the jar and with warm water (warm but not hot). Use a drop or two of liquid soap and wash out the inside and outside of the jar. Let it air dry completely.

Next, with a small bowl of lukewarm water, take a cotton ball or soft cloth, dampen it and then completely wipe down the entire candle. Set the candle aside and also let this air dry completely.

While you’re waiting for things to dry, take this time to charge your herbs and set up your altar. When you’re doing this sort of work, I personally think incorporating color as much as possible is very helpful. Use an altar cloth that corresponds to the intent and if you have specific types of tools or other items that you might work with when doing (in this case) money magick. Set your altar and then work to charge your herbs. You don’t need to grind them to a powder but if you are using herbs that are large, like star anise for example, you’ll want to grind them to a size that will be safe for burning.

Crafting Your Candle:

Once your candle and jar are dry, gather everything you’ll need at your altar. Keep the candle out of the jar.

In your power hand, hold some of your herbs and bless them, including some words and visualization of your intention. Take your herbs and on the small plate form a pile with a peek to it. Light it and let the herbs start to smolder. Blow out the flame and cover the herbs with the jar so that the smoke will fill the inside of the jar completely. Once the jar is full and clouded with smoke, hold the jar with one hand and the dish with the other and flip them so the herbs fall to the bottom of the jar and the dish is on top of the jar opening. Let it sit like this while you work with your candle so that the herbs can finish smoldering and any smoke that is inside the jar will settle naturally.

Next, take your carving tool and carve a symbol representing your goal in the side of the candle. This can be a single symbol, like in our case a large dollar sign, or you can work with a sigil, a seal, or create an image of your own out of multiple symbols, like a dollar sign topped with a crown for success. While you’re doing this visualize your goal. If you have a specific word or chant that suits your needs, use that as well. As long as your intent is clear, your wording will fall in line with your work naturally. The key here though is to carve deeply. You’ll want to make sure that you go over your carving a number of times so that you’ll have a nice, deep groove in the candle that your herbs will be able be able to stick in the inside the candle.

Once you’re done carving you’ll want to get your oil and pour a good amount into your hand. The oil is not only going to charge your candle and infuse it with energy and power, it’s going to also help herbs adhere to your candle. Use both hands to rub the oil deeply into the candle. Do this with intention and purpose. Now is a great time for changing, visualizing, raising energy and directing that energy with intent into your candle. In the case of our money spell we would rub the candle in long, downward strokes because we’re working on something that we want to draw toward us. If we were working on a spell to break a bad habit, for example, we’d rub the candle from bottom to top to send this energy away from us. Rub the candle with oil, adding more as you need to, until the candle is shiny with oil and filled with energy.

Now you’re ready for your herbs. Take the herbs in your hand and begin filling the carving with herbs. This can be tricky depending on how wide and deep you carved your symbols. Do your best, and once the carving is filled, sprinkle herbs around the rest of the candle surface. Don’t worry if they don’t stick real well because you’ll be putting herbs around the candle and on top of it once it’s in the jar. If you’re going to work with glitter as well, you can add that on the candle now as well.

When you’re done with the herbs, take the plate off the top of the jar and place the candle in the jar on top of the herbs that you burned. Anoint the top of the candle and sprinkle herbs deosil around the top of candle. Take some of the herbs and, if there is space between the candle and the glass, try and sprinkle some down the sides as well.

Take your slip of parchment and write out a written spell with your intent in whatever words you wish. Use runes and symbols as well if you’d like. Anoint the four corners of the paper with oil and place it under your candle jar. Hold your crystal in your power hand and take a moment to also anoint it and infuse it with energy. Place the stone in front of your candle.

You’re just about ready to light your candle. Take a few moments to visualize your intent, say some words of intention calling on whatever God, Goddess or spirit ally you’d like to aid you if you wish. When you have the image of your intent fully in your mind, light your candle. When you light the candle visualize it releasing your power and intent, directing your desires to your goals. Let the candle burn for as long as you can. If you can let it burn completely, that’s perfect, but if not you can snuff it (not blow it out) and then relight it when you’re ready to continue. When you do, relight it with purpose, taking time to focus on your goals and purpose just as you did initially.

When the candle burns out completely, there are two things that you can do. If your spell hasn’t manifested as you desire yet, take the parchment, crystal, wax remnants, and any left over herbs into an appropriately colored spell bag and carry it with you until it does. When it does you can take the crystal out of the bag and either cleanse it to reuse for another time and burn the other items. If when your candle burns down your spell has manifested as you wish, you can burn the paper slip and any other left over herbs, taking the stone to cleanse for reuse later. In either case, scatter the ashes in a natural body of running water or to the winds. Recycle the candle jar or you can clean it out and use it with another candle in the future.

With regards to the crystal, in some cases people don’t like to reuse stones for spells or other work once they’ve been used like this. If you wish, you can take the stone and bury it in the earth or toss it in a river, lake or ocean.

The method here is a nice and involved way for you to really collect and work with energy to add some oomph to candle magick and it’s a great way to add in herbs to candle work. The steps I’ve given you here are vague in some regards on purpose so you can work to create your own spells with your own personal touch. Years after I learned this method, I discovered a book that works with an almost identical method but expands on it adding a few other elements that I have found to be really interesting to work with. The book is called “The Enchanted Candle” by Lady Rhea and Eve LeFey; I don’t believe it’s still being published but it can probably be found on eBay or used through Amazon.com. The authors have a second book that is still in print called “The Enchanted Formulary” which is a great addition to give you some help with creating wonderful oils and potions for your candle spells.

So take this and have fun with it, be creative and let the act of crafting your spell candles be just as magickal as the rituals you use them in.

A lot of spells in Wiccan books on magick involve things like wrapping some herbs in a piece of cloth or adding them to little spell bags and then hiding them somewhere or maybe carrying them around.  But once the ritual act of putting it together is over the work seems to stop and you’re just now walking about with a bag of herbs that will hopefully bring you some energies that you’re after.  In most Wiccan magick the belief tends to lay in the idea that the magick comes from the practitioner, not the object; that the magick is within you.  In Hoodoo, where the use of mojo bags come from, the belief is more in the object and the spirit resident within the herbs and roots, stones and bones, rather than within the person that put it together.

When we work a mojo bag we take the time to commune with the herbs and objects that go inside it.  We awaken it, we talk to it, we tell it what we want it to do for us and how it can help us.  Then we put everything together in the bag, ask for blessings from the Divine or a specific spirit, angel, saint, or Loa (if you’re working within those traditions), and then we bring it to life by feeding it with appropriate liquids and offerings and then smoking it with incense.  But when this process is done and we walk away from our altar or magickal workspace, the spell doesn’t end there.  We need to keep it going.

There are three steps to a mojo bag.  You fix it (which is the process of putting it together with all the ingredients), feed it, and smoke it.  Since the bag at that point is now a living, breathing, magickal vessel, you need to help “keep it alive”.  And what do you do when you want to keep something alive and healthy?  You have to feed it!  So the bag needs to be fed regularly.  This is both an act of offering to the spirits of the bag as well as an act of keeping the spirit of the bag “fed”.

So once your bag is fixed, whether it’s something that you fixed yourself from scratch or something that you purchased from a shop or that someone made for you, you need to keep feeding it and keep working with it.  I like to feed my bags once a week, either on the same day of the week that it was created or on a day that is appropriate to the type of magick.  It’s also highly advisable to spend the first 7 nights after the bag has been completed (meaning fixed, fed, and smoked for the first time) to sleep with it under your pillow to help bond your energy to the bag.

Unlike some spells and some types of work a mojo bag is essentially a spirit, as it were, that has been created by you to do a certain task.  You need to keep active with it and keep working with it, not just toss it on your altar and forget about it.  So if you have a mojo bag and you’re thinking “this silly thing doesn’t do anything for me”, ask yourself if you’ve cared for your magickal spirit ally lately.

What you’re going to need to get this started is:

• A Pot, Bowl, of Jar – I prefer to use a cauldron with at least a 6″ opening or an earthen bowl.  You’ll see as we go along with this that you want to be able to get to the contents with ease so it’s good to use something that will have a wide enough opening that you can see in and reach in.  I’ve seen people try and do this with those cute ceramic jars that say things like “Ashes of Bad Customers” or “Rainy Day Golf Fund” and they just don’t work well for this.
• A Large Lodestone – You can purchase one from Lucky Mojo Curio Company.
• Lodestone Food – You can also purchase this from Lucky Mojo Curio Company.
• Gold Sand or Gold Glitter – Sometimes you can come across gold sand online but gold glitter works well too.  I’ve used glitter every time I’ve made these but I had a friend that used the sand and liked it.
• Money! - You need to have something to get the pot started.  You can use change, use some paper money, a mix of both, whatever you have on hand now.

The first thing you might want to do, if you feel drawn to do it, is decorate your pot, bowl, or jar.  You can pain it green or gold, you can draw symbols that represent money on it like dollar signs, gold coins, or four leaf clovers.  Decide where you want to keep your money pot.  If you are using this in your home you might want to keep it where you pay bills or by your front door.  Most people have a place by their front door where they toss change at the end of the day.  This would be a good place to put it.  Wherever you’re going to put it you’re going to want to keep it there so make sure it’s not somewhere that will need the pot to be moved too much.

Next you’ll add your lodestone.  Place it in the center of pot and sprinkle a little lodestone food on it.  It doesn’t need to be a lot, a few pinches will do. The lodestone draws things to you and it’s going to attract the things that it’s surrounded by which is why we’re going to have it here in the middle of the pot.  It’s going to eventually be surrounded by money so it will help draw money to you.

The glitter goes in next.  You’re going to sprinkle a later of gold glitter along the bottom of the pot.  The glitter does a few things.  First, in general glitter is used in various Hoodoo workings because it acts as mini mirrors and reflects what we desire out into the Universe; they also reflect out the energy of our magickal ingredients and objects to our desires as well.  On a second level, within a spell like this, it acts on a symbolic level.  We want to draw “gold” in the form of money and so by adding something gold to the pot we’re helping to attract money.

Once you’ve got the lodestone in place and fed, and you have the gold sand or glitter covering the bottom, add any money that you have now.  Even if it’s just a few pieces of change, that’s fine.  Add the money and as you do explain to the pot that you want it to keep drawing money to you.  Let it know that you want to be able to keep adding money to it.  Toss it all into the pot.  If you have any specific chants, prayers, or invocations for money that you like to use in money magick you can say them when you add money to the pot.

When you’re leaving the house stop and take a coin at random out of the pot.  When you do, tell the pot why you’re taking it and that you want it to help attract more money to you to add to the pot.  Place the coin someone on you so that you wont spend it or give it away.  As your day goes on pay attention for any found money.  If you find coins in your path pick them up and add them to your pot at home.  But, there’s a way to do this!

If you find a coin that’s heads up, pick it and thank it for finding it’s away to you.  If it’s tails up, before you pick it up, turn it toward you three times.  It will start tails, go heads up, then tails up, then end at heads up.  Then you can pick it up; talk to it and tell it that you’re glad that you find it and that it found you and that you’re going to take it home and make it part of your pot.

Keep doing this with money that you find, adding money every day as you find it, and being sure to replace the coin that you take when you leave the house into the pot.  If you have a day where you don’t leave the house or you come home without any money to add, simply take a pinch of gold sand or glitter and sprinkle around the inside of the pot.  And once a week be sure to add some feed to your lodestone.

What the pot does is help to train money to find you.  By working with picking up money and adding it to the pot you’re also helping to train money to come to you.  Over time, when the pot becomes full, you can empty it, use the money or put it in the bank, and start again.  It’s an ongoing thing.  The energy of the pot will eventually start going beyond just loose change.  You’ll find other opportunities for “found money” will come to you.  The important thing is to be open to money coming to you in whatever way it needs to.  This could mean money comes in the form of a gift, a job opportunity, an investment, anything!  Being open to opportunity is one of the keys to ongoing magick like this.

And if you want to get really into the mode of attracting money, you can build a whole money altar around your money pot!  Since I work a great deal with tarot on my altars I would including the Ace of Pentacles to draw on having money given to you and brought into your life, the 4 of Pentacles to symbolize wanting to hold on to your money, and the 9 of Pentacles to symbolize living in luxury without worry about money. The money pot can serve as a great altar focus for a place used to work to attract money to your home and your life.

Hoodoo is so often misunderstood by those outside of its practice.  So many people, even well versed and studies Pagans, lump it in with Voodoo as one in the same.  Hoodoo and southern conjure is such a rich and fascinating practice, one that is not exclusively part of the Voodoo religion.  People of all faiths and walks of life who come to study and understand Hoodoo and conjure pick it up as a magickal practice and it’s one that many Pagans would do well to open their minds to.

In this inaugural issue of Hoodoo & Conjure Quarterly this is the very subject of the first article; entitled “What is ‘Real’ Hoodoo”, Rootworker Matthew Venus sets the stage and clears up many of the questions and general confusions that surround Hoodoo.  This article helps to create a level playing field, so to speak, for the reader as they venture into other articles in the magazine.  One thing in this short piece that will grab many Pagan readers is the way Mr. Venus approaches Paganism and Hoodoo. He explains how Hoodoo and Pagan magick really aren’t that different from one another and how one who is Pagan might be able to open their mind to approaching Hoodoo more fully.  But, even more importantly than that, the thing that I found most wonderful is that even with his encouragement toward Pagan readers to consider Hoodoo with an open mind, he reminds us that this doesn’t mean we should basically bastardize Hoodoo, removing the traditions of Hoodoo to make it more comfortable.  In other words, as he explains, casting a circle, calling on Pagan deities, and throwing crystals in a bag isn’t working “mojo” and we shouldn’t call it that.  But there’s no reason a Pagan who’s open to working with the Saints and other traditional aspects of Hoodoo can’t use it.

This article is followed by another wonderful piece, this one by Denise Alvarado, addressing the roots and origins of Hoodoo, especially looking at the traditions and history of her native New Orleans.  While Hoodoo and conjure were born in the southern states of America, the fact is New Orleans has its own flavor with Hoodoo and learning these differences helps a great deal with navigating the world of conjure.

For this first issue there is a lot of fantastic pieces that help to give the inexperienced reader a solid foundational understanding of Hoodoo as it’s practiced today as well as where it is rooted.  I was especially pleased to see the including of an article on foot track magick since this is one of the most popular forms of conjure that is also the most unique.  We see little of this in our modern day Pagan or Wiccan magickal work, even in eclectic traditions.  And for those who are Wiccan or Pagan you might be comforted to see the familiar face of author Dorothy Morrison who contributes a piece on visiting cemeteries, one of several pieces that deal with the often taboo subject of graveyard magick.  This again presents some information that might be new and pleasantly workable for many magickal practitioners outside of Hoodoo.

And just when you thought you’d seen everything you were going to see you also get an article on sex magick from a Hoodoo perspective, some money spells, Hot Foot magick, love spells, a pattern for making a doll baby, and instructions for creating a love domination candle dedicated to St. Martha.  You’ll be taken by the Hoodoo related lore of The Devil Baby of Bourbon St., something that anyone who’s been to New Orleans should be familiar with. And they really did save some of the best for last in the fascinating article “The Return of Psalm Magick and the Mixed Qabalah” by Aaron Leitchi.

On a technical note, the magazine is of superb quality. It boasts a light cardstock, glossy cover and perfect bound binding.  The pages are full color and there is nearly 100 pages of content within.   The articles that detail spells and magickal processes all have detailed pictures to help instruct you on working the magick held within.  This is not your average magazine and is one that will be library worthy and something you’ll keep on your bookshelf with your other magickal materials for many years to come.

There is really something for everyone here.  Lore, spells, history, and deep explorations of the occult.  It’s a mixed bag and one that really needs to be opened and rummaged through.  Even if you know nothing about Hoodoo but have a love of the occult and magick or Witchcraft you owe it to yourself to pick up the first issue of Hoodoo & Conjure Quarterly to see what new perspectives it may hold for you.

You can pick up the premiere issue on Amazon.com and you can visit HoodooAndConjureQuarterly.com for details on purchasing a four issue subscription.