SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA    

HIS FEAST DAY AND HIS MANY KINDNESSES

Shop for HoodooRoots formulas

Hoodoo Roots Saint Anthony formula label

I have always been close to Saint Anthony.  My mom was too.  A little image of St. Anthony holding the infant Jesus hung in a little gilded Neapolitan frame by her bed, and I remember gazing at it and feeling peace as a child.
                                                                            Today is Saint Anthony's Feast Day.  This is a special day to remember him, to thank him for his many kindnesses, and to simply and thankfully acknowledge his role in your life.

Saint Anthony of Padua lived from 1195 until 1231 AD. He was originally in the Order of St. Augustine, but later became a Franciscan.  He is a Doctor of the Church,.  He is widely recognized as a miracle worker. His feast day is June 13.  As is common with Roman Catholic Saint Feast Days, this is the anniversary of his death.

Throughout my life, Saint Anthony has been close, warm, responsive, and incredibly helpful.  He is known to help those who have lost items or even had them stolen. Whenever I misplace something, I hunt for a few minutes, then stop and ask St. Anthony for his help. Virtually always, the lost item turns up in very short order.

FINDING LOST OBJECTS

 

St. Anthony holds baby Jesus in this antique polychrome statue

A little while ago, I worked at a gala benefit for Habitat for Humanity. The event was held at a local museum. As I was setting up prior to the arrival of the crowd, one of the museum staff, knowing that I was a reader, asked me if I had any idea where she could have left her keys. She'd been looking for them for three days, and had been incredibly inconvenienced by their loss.  

I asked her if she'd asked St. Anthony to help her find them. She gave me a funny look, and said, 'No, I didn't think of that. My mom would have told me to do that." "Do it", I urged her. "St. Anthony is incredibly good at finding things."

 She walked off to continue getting ready for the event. A couple of minutes later, I heard a woman shrieking. It was the young lady who'd lost her keys! She rushed towards me, holding up a heavy key chain. "I found them!" She said. She was truly spooked.  
She had asked for St. Anthony's help, and as soon as she had done so, she found her keys.

He is very close to us, very kind, and very willing to help. Try asking for his help the next time you misplace something you need. Do so sincerely, and I am sure he will help you.

There are several little rhymes used to ask for his help, such as:

"Saint Anthony, Saint Anthony, please come down, My ___ is lost, and must be found."     
                             

Saint Anthony holds the baby Jesus; both wear silver halos.

Personally, I don't use rhymes to request his help, but many people do.  Some are very familiar with him, in a friendly way, calling him simply "Tony".

You may use a rhyme, or you can simply call his name, visualize your lost item, explain how important it is for you to find it, and sincerely ask for his aid. Your sincerity is key.  You will find your missing object.

It is my feeling that when a Saint intercedes for us and grants our request, we should give sincere thanks.

Everyone appreciates a thank you, and relationships are not one-sided. A candle and a vase of flowers are always appropriate.


  
FINDING A LOST PERSON

Polychrome statue, antique, cedar, Peruvian

Saint Anthony is also invoked when someone is lost. As a result, many people call upon him to help them reconcile with a lost lover.

The traditional statue or image of Saint Anthony shows him wearing brown monk's robes, holding a bible and a lily, with the infant Jesus in his arms. His expression is usually very tender.

Some St. Anthony statues are made so that the infant Jesus is removable. People have been known to remove the baby from St. Anthony's arms until he delivers to them the person whom they long for.  I have heard of people doing this when asking for other favors as well, for instance finding a job.  But I myself would never do this.  I feel that this type of manipulation of the saint is both unnecessary and rude.


Because Saint Anthony finds lost people, his aid can also be requested when praying for someone who is severely struggling, and who seems to be a lost soul.

Antique Peruvian statue, cedar and silver

FINDING A GOOD SPOUSE  

 

Saint Anthony is also recognized as being able to help single people to find a good spouse.  I personally have known of women who have successfully asked St. Anthony's help with this matter; within 12 months, all were happily married.

This process may take a year, and for some, may involve wearing a special blessed silver charm of  St. Anthony, as well as praying and living a good life, and in general, staying open and responsive to the opportunities and people who come to you during that time.
                                                               

SAINT ANTHONY'S LILIES

St. Anthony is often depicted carrying lilies, a sign of purity.

In Roman Catholic iconography, lilies symbolize purity.  One of the stories associated with the lily that St. Anthony holds goes as follows:  on his Feast Day (today!), June 13, 1680, in the church at Mentosca d'Agesco in Austria, someone placed a lily, cut from the garden, into the hand of a statue of St. Anthony.

Miraculously, that cut lily, which should only have lasted a day or two prior to wilting, remained beautiful, full and fragrant, with no sign of browning or wilting, for an entire year!  Further, the following year, two more blossoms grew from the stem, perfuming the entire church with their fragrance.  Lilies remain a perfect gift for St. Anthony, adding beauty and lovely scent to his altar or whenever you wish to thank him for his kindness towards you.

  
A SAILOR'S SAINT      

In 1219, Saint Anthony was very moved by the return of the bodies of the first five Franciscan martyrs, priests who had gone to Seville to preach the gospel in Moorish mosques during the Crusades.  Though they were detained and not permitted to preach, the Sultan allowed them passage to Morocco, where they were promptly tortured and killed.

St. Anthony passionately desired to follow

Statues of St. Anthony are tied onto the mast for protection

their brave lead, hoping to spread the gospel to the Saracens, and committing himself to the possibility of Christian martyrdom.  With the approval of the Augustinian Order, St. Anthony became a Franciscan monk, and set out across the Mediterranean Sea for Morocco.  However, he became very ill during the journey.  He was persuaded to return home, but his ship was beset by wild winds and storms which blew him off course.  Despite the fierce storms, his ship landed safely in Sicily.

In recognition of his survival, in some countries,
Saint Anthony is prayed to by travelers and vacationers for a safe journey, particularly over
the sea.


According to stories, some sailors  keep a statue of Saint Anthony on the mast of the ship, and appeal to him for safety while at sea. He is the patron saint of sailors and fisherman in Spain, Italy, France and Portugal.



My Saint Anthony formula has been made with love and appreciation for this beautiful saint who has been so truly astonishingly helpful to me throughout my life.  This oil can be used as a personal blessing oil, as well as to prepare candles, in the bath, etc.  It is appropriate as an altar offering, as well.  I hope that you will try this beautiful line!  Available as an Oil, Bath, Powder, and a fully dressed 7-Day Candle.

As always with Hoodoo Roots, the botanicals I use are grown by me without pesticides, sourced from reputable organic growers, or wild-crafted from the purest of areas.  The aromatics I use are 100% botanical in nature; no artificial fragrances are ever used.

Baby Jesus with St. Anthony of Padua,
Elisabetta Sirani, Italian, 1656

May you develop and always enjoy your own lifelong relationship with good Saint Anthony!

                                                         

Dara Anzlowar

June 13, 2016  
the Feast Day of St. Anthony    

waxing gibbous moon in Sagittarius   


Visit HoodooRoots informational site

Shop for HoodooRoots formulas

Visit HoodooRoots on Etsy

 

THE BEAUTIFUL FULL MOON, and some protections against lightning

THE SUPERMOON SHINES UPON US     

                                                                                                           Shop for Hoodoo Roots formulas

Full Moons bring the highest tides.  Dream Boats,1924.
Dugald Stewart Walker

     The pearly moon is once again in it's super-moon phase, the first of three such light shows we will enjoy this summer.  This phenomena occurs when the moon orbits closest to the earth, which makes it appear to be significantly larger, brighter and more luminous than usual.  
 
     I especially love witnessing the full moon over the sea, which seems to rise to meet the moon with a bloom of silvery phosphorescence.  Of course, all tides are at their highest during the full moon as well.  Today's full moon occurs precisely at 20 degrees, 3 minutes of Capricorn, exactly opposite the sun in Cancer. 

   

Moon and Stars.   Alphonse Mucha, 1902

     Native American names for this month's full moon, according to the Farmer's Almanac, are The Full Buck Moon (as the deer begin to grow their velvety antlers now) and the Thunder Moon, a nod to July's frequent celestial ninepins, rolling about in the heavens.  

    Here on the coast of beautiful California, I don't believe I've ever heard thunder.  I rather miss it!  Our rainstorms blow in from the sea during the winter months, and all that pours down the rest of the year is sunshine! 


   I grew up on the East coast, where water simply pours down from the sky.  Both at home and while spending lazy weeks at my family's summer house, the thunderstorms would spin and roll about the hills and our ancient, glacial lake,  delivering bone-rattling, ear-splitting booms when directly above us, threatening the tall trees, and sending all of our animals cowering under the beds.  We would count the seconds between the lightning and the thunder, measuring our distance from the heart of the storm, and wait it out until the violence moved off, leaving us with a night of peaceful, soft rain.

 






   
  The designs above are Slavic thunder marks, or "Gromoviti znaci".  These are carved upon the roofs of homes to ward off lightning.   They are believed to be the symbols or signatures of Perun, the Slavic God of Thunder.

Sator Square found in Oppede, Luberon, France

     Similarly, the famous Sator Square has been utilized by many peoples since ancient times to protect them from fire, including those caused by lightning strikes.  According to many, the Square (often carved in clay) should be placed in the very highest part of the home for this purpose.  However, the Sator Square has also been found buried under the floors and on the walls of churches, abbeys, and other historic buildings and sites; it's protection seems very well-rounded, and clearly has been highly valued.

     The Sator Square is mentioned twice in John George Hohman's POW-WOWS:  Or, the Long-Lost Friend, A Collection of Mysterious Arts and Remedies for Man as Well as Animals.  

     I believe that this marvelous little booklet has been in print continuously since it was first published in Berks County, PA, in 1819.   In this volume, the Sator Square is employed against fire.

To Extinguish Fire Without Water

Write the following words (seen on right) on each side of a plate, and throw it into the fire, and it will be extinguished fortwith.


This method can be used not just against a home or wild fire,  but also against fevers.

L'Yerres, Effect de Pluie.  (The Yerres River, Effect of Rain). Gustav Caillebotte, 1875.

 
When I visit the East coast now, I am stunned by the vivid, lush, plump, well-watered greenness of that world.  Here in California, the hills are as dusty and golden as a pride of lions, lazing in the sun.  While this is always true in the summer months, California is in the midst of an epic and historic drought, with 100% of the state now experiencing drought conditions ranging from severe through exceptional, the highest level of water scarcity, according to the United States Drought Monitor.  Our drought conditions are currently the most extreme and widespread of all 50 states.  Think watery thoughts for us, please, and visualize rain, waterfalls, and rivers!

Spellwork and the Moon

Throwing the Wanga

      Hoodoo as a magical system does not absolutely insist that workers observe lunar timing, however, my experience has been that performing a spell for growth or increase during the waxing moon bestows a little tail-wind in the direction you wish.  

     This applies most to when the spell is begun.  For instance, if you have a particular objective which involves increase or the attraction of some condition, person, or situation, beginning that work during the waxing moon is in your best interest.  You may have a spell which requires daily work for weeks or even months, one which will be attended to during the new, waxing, full, and waning moons.  Don't ever worry about the effect of these various phases on your continued work.  Just time the beginning of your efforts so that you start when the moon is waxing, preferably in the first quarter, and you will catch that subtle tail-wind and ride it through to the completion of your spell.

Diana as Personification of the Night.  A.R. Mengs, 1785

  However, if you are in a situation which requires an immediate magical response, go for it.  The important thing is to work when necessary, and the boost that lunar timing gives you, while helpful, is not critical.  Timely handling of your needs is wiser than waiting until everything is just right with the moon.  As observed in an earlier post, you can always elect to begin working for increase when both hands of the clock are moving upwards if your intent is to grow or attract, regardless of the phase of the moon.  Vice-versa also applies:  work for decrease or diminution during the waning moon, or when both hands of the clock are moving downward, regardless of moon phase.

     

     If you wish to develop your intuitive skills, consider using Hoodoo Roots Second Sight formula!  The truth is that every single person has intuitive and psychic potential.  Obviously, some people are more gifted or developed in this regard than others, but everyone has potential.  My Second Sight formula contains organic botanicals and the purest of botanical essences, all of which have a role in encouraging the development of one's innate sixth sense.  This is a beautiful formula to use during the full moon!  Second Sight is available as an Oil, a Powder, a Bath, as a Mojo Bag, and as a candle. Whether your intuitive information comes through meditation, dreams, clairvoyant visions, gut instinct, or simple knowing, I believe that this fine formula will assist in a deeper and surer data flow.
 

Happy Howling, my friends!  Enjoy the full moon!

Dara Anzlowar

July 12, 2014  - Full Moon in Capricorn 

Visit Hoodoo Roots informational site

Shop for Hoodoo Roots formulas

Visit my Etsy shop! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARIE LAVEAU!

The legendary Vodou Queen of New Orleans

Marie Laveau, famed Vodou priestess of New Orleans

On September 10, 1794 in New Orleans - 219 years ago today - Marie Laveau was born.  Her father was a prosperous white planter who served in the Louisiana state legislature.  Her mother, like Marie herself, was a Creole free woman of color, a gens de coleur libre. 



In 1819, at age 24, Marie married Jacques Paris, a Haitian immigrant, one of many Haitians who came to New Orleans following the Haitian revolution.  Their marriage was short-lived,  as Paris died in 1820.

The label of my fragrant tribute to Marie Laveau

Marie Laveau worked as a hairdresser following the death of her husband, eventually taking a lover, Louis Christophe Dumesnil de Glapion ("Christophe").  They lived together in her mother's home in the French Quarter until he died in 1835, and had many children - some reports claim 15!  

There are many stories about the occult power of Marie Laveau.  During her lifetime she was a Vodou practitioner - a priestess, or mambo - of high renown,  In the manner of so much of the African diaspora (which often confuses some people with whom I speak), she remained staunchly Roman Catholic until she died.  She was well regarded throughout her life, reserving her curses for those whose unkindness and ill-treatment of others was unrepentant and extreme. Her ability to wield effective curses generated fear in others, however, her kindness and willingness to help those in need was equally legendary.

This interesting article about Marie Laveau was published in the New York Times on June 23, 1881, a few days following her death.  As always with such period pieces, remember the different sensibility of the times.

Jasmine grandiflorum

I am lighting a candle for Marie Laveau, and offering her some champagne and something very special -  a new perfume!  I am launching, today, a pure botanical perfume formualted in her honor:  La Belle Reine Marie Laveau. 



As with all of my formulas, this perfume is deliberately enchanted, spending time on my altar before making it's way to your home.  This is a gorgeous, rich botanical perfume..  Unlike my Spiritual and Conjure Oils, which are subtly fragrant, the aromatic profile of La Belle Reine Marie Laveau is highly saturated.  As with all pure all-natural perfumes, the scent blooms close to the skin, and the sillage  remains intimate and close to the body.  I truly believe la belle Marie would be pleased.







The all-natural fragrance notes of this perfume include rich, creamy vanilla, deep, sacred woods,  dark honey-sweet labdanum, tobacco blossom, and piquant black pepper, over which floats a beautiful, transparent, fresh jasmine in a base of organic jojoba.  The balance of the green jasmine and deep, translucent amber notes is wonderful.  The jojoba has been infused with magically potent secret botanicals:  this perfume is designed to draw luck, positive attention, and love!



Wishing you all good magic,

Dara Anzlowar
September 10, 2013 - the birthday of Marie Laveau

Return to HoodooRoots.com

Visit my Etsy shop

© Dara Anzlowar and HoodooRoots. All Rights Reserved.
The material on this site may be not be reproduced in print, electronic or broadcast media, and may not be mirrored in whole or in part on any other internet websites, nor reprinted for distribution in any format.
  

THE FEAST DAY OF LA CARIDAD DEL COBRE

THE BEAUTIFUL SPIRIT OF THE SWEET WATERS                            

A peacock fan for the beautiful Oshun

Today is September 8, which is the Feast Day of La Caridad del Cobre.  La Caridad is Our Lady of Charity, the Patroness of Cuba.



In the early 1600s, three Cuban boys were at sea in a small boat, gathering salt.  The weather suddenly turned, and they found themselves in mortal danger, about to be overcome by a furious storm. As they prayed for their lives, a statue of the Virgin Mary, holding the Christ child in one arm and a cross in the other hand, appeared, floating on the rough seas towards them.  The storm calmed and the skies cleared: the boys were spared.

As legend has it, written on the platform or base of the statue was “Yo soy la Virgen de la Caridad”  - “I am the Virgin of Charity.”

This statue of La Caridad came to me on her Feast Day, long ago

There are many miraculous stories associated with this statue. Since 1916, La Caridad del Cobre has officially been the Patron Saint of Cuba. She is adored by Cubans everywhere, and by people around the world. Her feast day is September 8 - today!

La Caridad del Cobre is syncretized in Afro-Caribbean religions with the lovely
Orisha Oshun and with Mama Chola, the beautiful Congolese Power of the sweet fresh waters, the world's streams, creeks, and rivers.  In relation to these powers, La Caridad’s special provenance is love, beauty,wealth, and luxury. She sparkles in the fresh waters, dances sinuously in rivers and streams, and beautifully reveals herself in the rainbow mist of waterfalls. Appeal to her to bring your loved one to you, to draw to yourself new love, and to experience all that is sweet and rich in life!

Beautiful Oshun!  From my Pure Spiritual Mist label

 Hoodoo Roots beautiful, pure and fragrant
La Caridad del Cobre Spiritual Oil, Spiritual Bath, Spiritual Sachet Powders and our amazing Oshun Pure Spiritual Mist are all meticulously formulated with the intention of pleasing and honoring the lovely La Caridad del Cobre, a Roman Catholic Marian figure who is syncretized with the beautiful Orisha, Oshun.

 Anoint yellow, copper, or golden candles with Hoodoo Roots brand La Caridad del Cobre Spiritual Oil, drawing the oil up the shaft of the candle towards you. Luxuriate in a La Caridad del Cobre Spiritual Bath, surrounded by beautiful dressed candles. Offer her a gift - perhaps honey and flowers - by the riverside, with an open and appreciative heart.  Ask for your good to come to you.

Hoodoo Roots La Caridad del Cobre Traditional Spiritual Supplies are made of the finest herbs, roots, flowers, pure botanical essences and absolutes that I am able to source from harvests around the world.

Hoodoo Roots Spiritual Supplies are as pure as can be!

These beautiful LA CARIDAD DEL COBRE products contain pure, beautiful neroli from Tunisia and real, golden honey, as well as organically grown or conscientiously wildcrafted spiritually potent herbs, roots, and flowers with a specific tie to La Caridad and the beautiful Oshun.


I personally love La Caridad and Oshun, and find her to be uniquely beautiful. Both my La Caridad del Cobre formula and my Oshun Pure Spiritual Mist are made with real love for her, and with the intention of offering her the very best.  I have determined to provide the absolute unstinting best products for her devotees and those who ask for her aid.   I am confidant that you will find my formulas to be very fine, and that they will meet your spell-casting and other magical needs!

Purchase Oshun Pure Spiritual Mist here

Purchase La Caridad del Cobre Spiritual Supplies

La Caridad del Cobre is one of the Roman Catholic saints who have had an increasingly strong presence in hoodoo over the past 30 or so years.  Devotions to her, and requests for her aid, did not originate in hoodoo, but reflect the growing influence of Afro-Caribbean practices in the United States and around the world.


May you all be blessed!

Dara Anzlowar
September 8, 2013
The Feast Day of La Caridad del Cobre


Return to HoodooRoots.com
Visit my Etsy shop


Fan image:  detail from La Grande Odalisque, 1814.  Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, French.
Oil on canvas, 36" x 63" (91 x 162 cm), (Musée du Louvre, Paris)

© Dara Anzlowar and HoodooRoots. All Rights Reserved.
The material on this site may be not be reproduced in print, electronic or broadcast media, and may not be mirrored in whole or in part on any other internet websites, nor reprinted for distribution in any format.
 

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF NUMBERS IN TRADITIONAL HOODOO

Hoodoo and Numbers:   

Ingredients, Timing, Hours, and Duration

 

Numbers have some significance in hoodoo spellwork

                     Return to HoodooRoots.com
                           Visit my Etsy shop
 
This morning, someone on my Conjure yahoogroup (which you are all invited to join!) asked an interesting question about the use of numerology and numbers in hoodoo.  I do find this topic interesting, have mused about it from time to time.

Traditionally, hoodoo doesn't involve numerology per se.  There is very little done with common numerological techniques, i.e., the reduction of numbers to significant single digits which are then analyzed, etc.

With that being said, however, numbers are not altogether missing in hoodoo, and there is traditionally often some correlation between some numbers and larger issues or desired outcomes. Numbers may be preferred in relation to the quantity of ingredients, the frequency of ritual performance, or the time of day.

Clover's three leaves mirror the Holy Trinity

One is relatively unusual in hoodoo, though of course a name may be written only once in some rites.  The most common form of this is when a name is inscribed on candle - one time, barber-pole fashion - or when the name is written once on a small piece of paper, dressed with a variety of substances depending upon the worker's intention, and inserted into the worker's shoe for the purpose of controlling that individual.

Two is relatively unusual as well, though of course there may be two candles, two lodestones, etc, each representing one half of a couple, for instance.  However, ritual preparations such as baths, and ritual items like mojo bags which contain only two ingredients are very unusual.  Most will contain at least three separate ingredients or substances.  Two o'clock is not particularly significant in terms of traditional spellwork timing.

The number three is very frequently used in hoodoo in various ways.  Most significantly, this reflects the holy Trinity of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost (or Spirit).  The Trinity is invoked ("In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit") on a near-universal basis, strongly reflecting the living Christian culture to which traditional hoodoo belongs.

Ritual baths virtually always require at least three, and fairly frequently just three, ingredients.  Similarly, mojo bags are generally constructed with at least three distinct elements.

Often the best time is NOW!

Further, three o'clock  (as well as nine o'clock) may be regarded as showing the horizontal axis - the plane of the world - at it's point of intersection with the vertical axis, the plane of spirit.  Traditional hoodoo spells may specify working at three o'clock in spells which require repetitive ritual timing, along with six, twelve, and nine o'clock.

Four is occasionally encountered in hoodoo, usually referring to the four corners the world or the four ends of the earth.  That four hasn't a more pronounced presence in hoodoo is a sign to me that Southern Native American tribes (to whom the number four is foundational and sacred) had a fairly limited influence on the basic beliefs and practices of hoodoo beyond, of course, contributing strongly towards hoodoo's understanding of the uses of and powers ascribed to native plants.  This is not to say that individual workers may not have learned from and perhaps incorporated other aspects of Native beliefs - we know that some did.  However,  this influence was not universal to hoodoo to the extent of having this number, so important to Native culture, be more emphasized.

 

A lucky, protective quincunx pattern

Five is the number of the quincunx, the corner-marked square with a mark in the center.  This correlates to the four corners or the four ends of the earth, with the worker or worked site at it's center.  This configuration is regarded as a mark of luck, power and protection, but can be employed in other ways as well.  For instance, one function of the quincunx can be to draw people from far away to return to the one employing it.  Overall, it has many functions in spell work.

Some spells are done at 6, 12, and 6:00

Six is sometimes seen in spell timing:  six in the morning, six in the evening; usually paired with noon and/or midnight.  In other words, an act may be required to be repeated at those times of day for the spell to be complete.  This requirement may last only one day, or it may go on for several more.


Seven is generally regarded as a lucky number, though it's appearance in hoodoo is usually limited to ingredients in a spell.   Spells may also be required to be done for seven usually consecutive days, though I have seen this less frequently than one might think.



The number nine is generally regarded as a number used for endings, diminishment, curses, and destruction of various sorts.  Nine also correlates to the West, where the sun sets; to the graveyard and thereby the spirit world; and to the waning moon, especially when nearest dark (moon phases are not necessarily used in hoodoo, but are not particularly uncommon, either).  Note that not all endings are curses, and not every diminishment is for an unkind or unwholesome purpose.

The Exhortation to the Apostles. James Tissot, 1886-94

Nine is also frequently encountered, both for good and for ill, in the timing of rituals:  going to the crossroads or to the graveyard for nine consecutive days or nights is common in traditional spells.


Eleven is encountered in hoodoo primarily due to it's connection with the holy apostles (minus Judas Iscariot). We see this in certain court case spells, for instance, where the eleven names are written on a leaf of sage and worn in one's shoe to a court appearance.


Here is an interesting spell, collected by Harry Middleton Hyatt, an Episcopal priest and avid folklorist, some 75 years ago from a rootworker who lived in Fayetteville, North Carolina.  This spell is unusual in that it requires ritual anointing of an object (the silky, flat bow from the inside back of a hat) for twelve days.  In hoodoo, the number twelve much more commonly refers to the time of day or night.   This spell appears in Volume 2, on page 1692 of Hyatt's Hoodoo, Conjuration, Witchcraft, Rootwork:

"Yo' kin take de bow out of de back of a man's hat an' take an' tie on dere left side, a woman can, or either a man kin do a woman's de same.  Tie it on de left side an' take an' yo' git a bottle of Hearts Cologne an' take an' anoint it fo' twelve mawnin's with dat.  An' whenevah dey anoint it fo' twelve mawnin's, den take it an' wear it on de right side fo' twelve mawnin's.  An' dat'll tie dis person [to you]."

The hat bow is located inside, on the interior band of the hat

Twelve noon and especially twelve o'clock midnight are significant in terms of spell timing.  Twelve noon is sometimes required, particularly in spells which are to be repeated during a day, for instance at six in the morning, twelve noon, and six in the evening.

Twelve midnight may also be part of this category, but it may also be encountered as a powerful liminal time to initiate work, including going to the crossroads or the cemetery.

Thirteen is not often seen and tends to be one of those idiosyncratic factors in hoodoo, with some workers using it and finding it beneficial and lucky.  I am amongst them.

Multiples of three and, rarely, of seven are sometimes seen in spells and in the timing of spells.


This brings up something that I have heard many folks repeat as if it is gospel.  It is not.  Some who are relatively new to hoodoo have the notion that a spell must show signs of working within three days, movement within three weeks, and that if it does not deliver your result within 3 months, it is not going to work.  Please understand that this is an example of one worker's personal and idiosyncratic belief rather than a universal truth in hoodoo.  Sometimes it will hold true, of course - but certainly not always.

Crossroads work is often done at 12 AM or before sunrise

For good or for ill, the world is more complex than that, and this is simply not a consistent enough measure by which to gauge your spell's effectiveness.  The truth is that there is a great deal of variability.  Some spells work as you perform them, that second, and the change you desire is immediately manifest (we all love those workings!).  Others may take many weeks and sometimes even months to come to full fruition.   Some may take even longer, though I generally suggest for your own good that you reserve those longer spells for ongoing and increasing success in your life, and for major undertakings involving the development of your own abilities and goals (like finishing college, for instance) rather than those spells which attempt to control others or deliver them, lovesick and panting, to your door. 

The concept of diminishment or increase is also seen in some written workings, which involve writing a goal or a word considered to have magical power over and over, each time increasing or decreasing it's appearance by one digit or letter, in accordance with one's purpose.  However, these types of written spells more frequently have letters than numbers, and are generally recognized as originating in cultures other than that of hoodoo.



Wishing you all well,

Dara Anzlowar                                                        Return to HoodooRoots.com
A beautiful Friday in July                                              Visit my Etsy shop




Photo of five-spot die courtesy Wikipedia
Photo of Tissot's painting courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum


© Dara Anzlowar and HoodooRoots. All Rights Reserved.
The material on this site may be not be reproduced in print, electronic or broadcast media, and may not be mirrored in whole or in part on any other internet websites, nor reprinted for distribution in any format.

Independence Day Greetings

Fireworks, July 4, 2013

Happy 4th of July!                                     Return to HoodooRoots.com
                                                                      Visit me on Etsy

Wishing everyone a wonderful Independence Day!
I am a first-generation American.  My parents were happy and proud to be here, to be making their way in a strange new world after losing their families and their family lands and homes in the turmoil and devastation of Europe during World War II.  While I know this country is not perfect, and while I am grieved by some of the trends I see in politics and economics these days, I still love this country with all my heart. 

The Star-Spangled Banner

I have so many good memories of this day:  sitting in the field behind the high school to watch the stars explode and fall from the sky; participating in the block party my street always held; watching my
not quite two-year-old son's rapt face turned to the dazzling sky; sitting on a blanket with my mother and my son, waving sparklers wildly to make crazy glittering magical patterns in the dark air, laughing madly and loving one another; walking home with my family and friends under the indigo sky, everyone sunburned, happy, still dazzled by the fireworks.  And the parades!  Winding noisily through the heart of the town, with antique cars, floats, firetrucks, marching bands, and clowns tossing handfuls of candy to the watching crowd.  I remember marching in the parade with my Brownie troop - what had seemed very glamorous in theory quickly became less fun than it looked, as mile after mile of parade route was traversed.  And later, great pots of steamed clams, grills full of hotdogs and hamburgers, potato salad, tomato salad, ice cream cones, and all kinds of patriotic cakes with strawberries and blueberries galore, in the company of my family and all of my neighbors.  Wonderful times!

Nocturne in Black and Gold.   J.A.M.  Whistler, 1875

 

I know that this all sounds rather idealized, like a Norman Rockwell illustration - corny even, but this really is the way it was for me, and it was lovely.  July is a beautiful month, hot as blazes, and incredibly steamy where I grew up (where the atmosphere was as dense and hot as Venus) - but still these are some of the best memories I have.

Yet all of these lovely memories are pinned upon an awareness of history, and the cost of liberty, and the wisdom of a middle path, and the dangers of not just communism or even socialism, but also of capitalism run amok.  There is a bullseye in the middle, in which the culture can thrive in all it's diversity.  More folks have to be committed to making ours a truly civilized world.  I am a believer in the Golden Rule.  I think most people are, as well - so I am hopeful.  Here's to a better tomorrow!



May you all make wonderful memories for yourselves and for your loved ones today!

Lady Liberty

Dara Anzlowar
A starry night in July





Return to HoodooRoots.com

Visit my Etsy shop 

Fireworks photo © S.M.Thomsen






© Dara Anzlowar and HoodooRoots. All Rights Reserved.
The material on this site may be not be reproduced in print, electronic or broadcast media, and may not be mirrored in whole or in part on any other internet websites, nor reprinted for distribution in any format.