Anima Sola and Il Capitano: Calling on The Dead through bone and fire. Part 1: The Anima Sola.

 Well it's been a while, so many spirits so little time...plus sometimes life gets in the way. So apologies, I'd like to get back into this blog and what better way to start with two interesting spiritual entities of Italian origin that capture my imagination and heart. The Anima Sola and The Captain.

These two entities are related as both are part of Italian style worship of the dead in Southern Italy.

The Anima Sola:

The image of the Anima Sola is probably familiar to you if your frequent botanicas, a pretty young lady stood admist flames holding her hands and head up in supplication. "Anima Sola" is Italian for "Lonely Soul".

The two most popular images of The Anima Sola

The image represents all the lone souls who have died in venial sin and therefore after death atone for said sins in the flames of purgatory. These poor souls are too good for Hell and are destined for Heaven, however they must suffer in fire so they can be purified before entering Paradise, as there can be no bad things in Heaven.

Now, the catholic cult of The Holy Souls of Purgatory is far beyond the scope of this blog as its traditions, beliefs, theologies, rituals and customs are truly vast. So this post will focus on the folk aspects of this image and how the Anima Sola can help you.

I'm unsure of where the two main popular images above come from, I'm guessing they are Italian as they are found in and around Naples as well as the art style (particularly the image on the right) is typical of modern Italian religious art.

However Italian or not the image is popular in many cultures and spiritual traditions, especially Hispanic and south american ones.

The Anima Sola has also been syncretised with many spirits:

In Haitian Voodoo she is syncretised with the fearsome Marinette Bwa Che a powerful and much feared Lwa (Voodoo Spirit) associated with fire and werewolves.

In Lucumi she is syncretised with Eshus Alaguana (a devilish tricky crossroad spirit who is a camino of the Orisha Elegua).

In Puerto Rican Sanse she is considered a Misterio, where she may take possession as a benevolent entity who will give healing and guidance.

In some traditions the image is taken to be Maria Celestina Abdenago, who may be a pious Jewish woman trapped in purgatory or an evil witch in Hell (depending on who you ask.....more on her later.)

In some Italian forms of black magic she may be syncretised with the damned souls of suicides, these spirits are souls burning in Hell (not Purgatory) for the sin of self murder. They are employed by a sorcerer/sorceress in dark rites who will turn them against an enemy causing their enemy to commit suicide themselves and so increase the legions of lost infernal souls. 

The list goes on, as she provides a mask for many fiery "hot" spirits.

Some people confuse the Anima Sola with "The Intraquil Spirit" it is important you recognise these are not the same entities.

Folk Customs relating to the Anima Sola

The Anima Sola is amongst the more mystical and magical of the folk saints (if something that doesnt dwell in heaven can be called a saint).

An image of the Anima Sola can be placed in the house and offered water to quieten unhappy ghosts and help them pass on.
 

An Anima Sola spirit package made by me as a gift for a family member.

The image can also be used as a focus for pretty much any petition to the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Suffering the intense flames of purgatory The Poor Souls welcome all prayers and in return bestow large favours and graces in gratitude for those willing to trouble themselves with prayers to cease their suffering and get them into Heaven faster.
In the spirit of the Anima Sola being willing to grant any request an interesting little folk tale has grown up around her:

On the day of the crucifixion as Jesus of Nazareth was carrying the cross to Golgotha, he fell to the ground from thirst, a young woman was in the crowd holding a gourd of water. Jesus begged the young woman for a sip of water to wet his lips so he may continue his journey and die for her and all humanities sins. 
The young woman scoffed at him and refused him a drink. When the young woman died, God in his mercy did not damn her to Hell. Instead he condemned her to purgatory until the day Jesus returned to Earth, whilst in purgatory she was ordained to help, as best she could, any living human who asked her a favour, no matter how big or small, to atone for the sin selfishness towards someone trying to perform the ultimate act of selflessness.

Another version of this folk tale is found in parts of South America, where the name of the Anima Sola is given as Maria Celestina Abdegno. A pious woman who went to Golgotha to offer water to the crucified, she gave water to the 2 thieves but not Jesus out of fear of The Saviour.
Other folk tales tell of Maria Celestina Abdegno actually being a witch who spat in the face of Jesus as he passed her in the street on the way to be crucified. In this guise she is often invoked in black magic spells along with another Anima Sola or Damned Soul (depending on tradition) called Juan Minero, who, legend has it, is currently busy mining coal on the celestial planes to keep the fires of Hell and Purgatory burning.

One of the most interesting things that have come out of the folk cult of the Anima Sola is the prolific use of the image in love magic.

The Anima Sola can be used in spells to return a lover, the flames in the image are seen as flames of passion not punishment, she is seen not suffering from penal fire but tortured by the heated pangs of love. Petitions of this nature request the Anima Sola causes the estranged lover to burn with desire for the jilted partner.

Another, much darker, practice of love magic involves the Anima Sola in one of the most desperate of love spells. Folk Legend has it the woman depicted in the flames of purgatory is a woman who shunned the eternal love of God for the temporal love of a man on Earth, landing her in purgatory when she died. Suffering horrifically day and night with flames continuously burning but never consuming her, she will out of desperation cause anyone to fall in love with you. For a price.
Upon entering a contract with her, she will deliver unto you your hearts desire, though your part of the bargain is that once you die you must take her place among the flames of purgatory and suffer the rest of her sentence ontop of your own, making you the new Anima Sola.


How to work with The Anima Sola.

There are lots of ways to work with the Anima Sola. Heres a few ideas;

Print yourself out a nice picture of the Anima Sola and frame it, or even better get a statue. Lay out a white cloth and place a crucifix at the back and place the image in front of it. You may also like to put images of St Michael and Our Lady of Mount Carmel on the space too (both saints associated with assisting the Poor Souls). Place a white candle on the shrine along with a cool glass of water to soothe the spirits sufferings and give them a medium to travel through. Pray to God for their release from purgatory.  Offer them white flowers and kananga perfume. Pray to God often for them also talk to them offering them kind words of encouragement and asking them to pray to God for you as you have prayed for them.

Temporary shrine for spiritual working.

If you would like something more dramatic and "heated" to gain a more intense relationship with them build a large shrine decorated with red, orange and gold cloths. Place broken chains and skulls on the shrine along with red and orange candles. Have a crucifix and the images of the saints mentioned above along with a large dramatic image of the Anima Sola. Other saints associated with the holy souls may include St Gertrude or San Paolo Della Croce of the passionists. Add a large brass censer and offer up incense with your prayers, perhaps keep a lamp burning with Anima Sola oil in it.

Some say Monday is a good day to pray for them, other say you should offer hard spirits like rum and cigars. Do what your personal tradition dictates.

Prayers to the Anima Sola.

Hear mortal men, the cries of the imprisoned soul, alone and abandoned in a dark prison.
O Anima Sola, soul of peace and war.
Soul of sea and of land.
I desire that all that I have lost be returned.

O Anima Sola, you who are alone and abandoned,
I accompany you in your grief.

  I take pity upon you.

  For I know of the grief and suffering you must endure within your harsh and long imprisonment.
I offer you this prayer and glass of water because I desire to lessen your pain and quench your thirst.
Sad Soul, Lonely Soul, no one calls you, But I call you. 

No one looks for you, but I seek you out. 

No one loves you, but I adore you. 

No one remembers you, but I keep you in my heart. 

I offer you this lit candle so that you may find your way into the light.
In this moment I offer to you my meritorious labour, and all that I have suffered, suffer and will suffer in this life, even though it can never compare to yours.
I humbly pray that you finish paying for your mortal sins of the flesh so that you may find the grace of God, and be lifted from your imprisonment,
With your grace you shall be my benefactor. 

Amen

Eternal rest, grant unto them O Lord

and let perpetual light shine upon them.

May they rest in peace.
Amen




Anima Sola of Heaven and Earth,
Anima Sola of sky and sea,
As you are in the midst of the Blessed Virgin put me in the heart of N, N.  
May s/he not drink, or sleep, or take enjoyment in pleasure without me. 
I turn to you in faith and hope, may you look down on me in good grace. 
By Jesus Christ at the foot of the cross on Maundy Thursday. 
N, N I conjure you again and again,
  so you do not take any pleasure in this world with any man/woman other than me,
under the divine protection of Jesus Christ.
Anima Sola we are united as we are both Lonely Souls.
Grant me my petition, I implore you as you understand the measures that I can not at this time achieve myself. 
Amen.

Spitting Venom and Serpent Tongues. Dealing with Gossip, Lies and Slander

Curses dont put men in hearses but wagging tongues dig mens graves......as the saying goes.

Gossip. Its ugly, nasty and childish.

If someone is spreading unpleasant rumours about you, it can be upsetting and immensely hurtful.

You should strive to rise above it and ignore people who bad mouth you.

But sometimes gossip goes beyond idle chatter and petty cruelty.
Sometimes it can be dangerous, it can cause innocent people to have their reputations and lives ruined.

God forbid anyone should find themselves in a situation like this, but it does happen.

So if you find yourself the victim of vicious slander you should of course contact the authorities or legal advice.

But it wouldn't hurt also to do some hoodoo on the side.......

Pins are placed through the cheeks of a figure candle to "cross up" a wicked tongue in a ritual performed by me for a client.

There are many magical agents and methods to deal with liars, gossips and to silence people who talk too much. Here are a few:

Alum

A type of aluminium salt, its a white powdery mineral you may be familiar with if you are a man who regularly shaves, alum is what styptic pencils are made from, the type you dab your face with when you cut yourself shaving.
This mineral is easily available from chemists (just buy an astringent shaving stick and crush it up in a pestle and mortar)
Alum is also used as a magical ingredient to silence people with big mouths.

Slippery Elm

This powdered tree bark is used magically to silence mouthy people, it also doubles as a pacifier for all manner of bitchiness. Sick of bitching going on in work? Sprinkle it across the threshold for people to walk in whilst reciting Psalm 52.

The Vinegar of The 4 Thieves

Prized by french grave robbers during the plague as an antiseptic to protect against disease this mixture has been credited with magical properties. It is believed to dispel enemies and can be used as part of certain Stop Gossip workings.
Made from vinegars, wormwood and other secret bitter herbs, this concoction can be anything from bright blue to dark brown in colour (my personal mixture is a vivid blue-green colour), it has an immensely acidic acrid scent and will stain.

Scotch Bonnet Peppers

Let the evil doers words burn in their mouths with these flaming hot peppers. 13 of these lethally hot peppers can be stuffed into a beef tongue that has been specially prepared, the tongue is twisted, bound, pierced with 13 coffin nails and buried in a grave, left to rot with prayers and rituals that petition the guilty parties tongue to also rot in his/her mouth.

Maguey Thorns

If used correctly these vicious spikes can prick the tongue and heart of those who speak evil. In extreme cases they can sew the lips permanently shut.

Stop Gossip Oil

Brown in colour with a woody scent, this conjure oil can be used to dress candles for rites in which to stop gossip.

Wasps

Dead wasps stuffed and stitched into the mouth of a doll can do wonders.

Nettles

Nettles can be applied in the same way as dead wasps.

Dumb Cane

(Dieffenbachia) More an obeah than a hoodoo thing, also less of a case of magical poisoning and more of a case of just poisoning.
Dumb cane can be used very effectively to shut people up ritually or just by poisoning people with it as it paralyses the tongue and causes it to swellsometimes blocking the airway silencing them......forever.
Don't even think of feeding this plant to anyone. Ever.





xxxxxxx

Here is a stripped down version of the ritual depicted in the above photograph, you can use this if you ever feel you are the victim of gossip.

 You will need:

• 2 pins
• Black human figure candle depicting the gender of the person spreading the gossip
• Holy water
• Compelling oil
• Stop gossip oil
• Vinegar of the 4 Thieves
• A dish
• Alum
• Slippery elm

Baptise the candle in holy water with the name of the perpetrator and etch their date of birth or name into the candle.
You must now think of and refer to the figure candle as the person you are working on. Never just as "the candle".

Dip the pins in stop gossip oil and pierce them in an X shape through his/her lower cheeks so they are crossing over where the tongue would be.
Anoint the whole thing with Stop Gossip oil.
Blow powdered slippery elm and alum from your left hand into his/her face.
Stand him/her in a hidden corner of your house facing the wall so you can get the idea he/she is an insignificant little midget in your life that you can just step around without consequence.

On a Saturday between the hours of midday and 6pm, stand him/her in a bowl of 4 thieves vinegar and place it on your altar. Light the wick and recite Psalms 37, 52 and 143:12

Desperate times may call for desperate measures.

Leave him/her to burn out. Take the remains in the bowl to the cemetery and dump them at the gates.

Hope you never have to use this ritual. Peace.

So you want to be a hoodoo?

People keep e-mailing me and asking "I want to practise hoodoo, what do I need to start out?".

 Well this is a tough question for me to answer as my own style of conjure is personal, its a mash of American hoodoo, British-Jamaican obeah and of course generic folk catholicism.

Now let me stress my own personal system of hoodoo style conjure isn't something that I slammed together on a rainy Wednesday afternoon whilst I was bored and there was nothing on TV.
It was something that formed over a long time and just sort of happened.
However hoodoo is the dominant element in it, so maybe I can help others, feel free to take from this post what you will if you are just starting out.

If you don't like what I say, that's OK, I am NOT the grand high hoodoo pope (and neither is anyone else....if you don't count Moses!), it is after all your journey and you must do what is right and what works for you, I'm not going to tell you that what you are doing is wrong.

It has been said to me that in order to practise hoodoo conjure you need three things.

1. A glass of water, 
2. A candle,
3. A bible.

This is very true, you really need very little to practice Hoodoo. Most ecroutments are just an extra to aid your focus on the work being done.

I tell this to people and many times they are unhappy, they feel they need more than this to focus their work.

Hoodoo conjure is a tradition of stuff. Brightly coloured powders, mysterious fetishes, exotic smelling oils, big glittery sparkles and things that go bang. Showmanship and drama is all part of the magic of hoodoo and thats partly what makes it so wonderful, but amid all the pomp and charisma it's easy to get dazzled and lose sight of the true bare bones spiritual power behind hoodoo.

Traditional Kongo magic, one of Hoodoos rich historical roots.

 
Make no mistake. In its simplest form Hoodoo is no camp carnival magic show. It is a raw, primal and immensly powerful system of magic that was born from a history of blood and desperation, its roots go way back beyond the Americas to the old world and are truly ancient. When practiced its power comes up from somewhere deep down in the most fundamental human part of us that lays beyond reason, its no play shit to be trifled with, the modern whistles and bells of lotions and potions merely frame a much bigger more ancient picture.

Ive known people spend small fortunes on endless expensive paraphernalia and courses that make them "certified rootworkers", yet after all of the money invested they still couldn't conjure their way out of a wet paper bag. (Not that theres anything wrong with doing online courses or stocking up on hoodoo gear, just dont expect it to make you hoodoo extraordiniare overnight.)

Ive also known other people who have performed miracles with no more than a simple candle,  a handful of herbs and a whole lot of faith.
These are the people who impress me the most and who I strive to be like.


Let me remind you of a little something Jesus said:

"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him."

I believe the true spiritual power behind hoodoo cant just be bought, it is a gift from God and the Spirits that is inherent in every human being.

It not potions and lotions that do the work (though they help a great deal), its our faith, commitment and focus that does it.

Anyway I digress, when I tell people they need little to perform a hoodoo conjure they get upset.
This is because people have a need to perform ritual and tradition.
I totally empathise with this, as there is few feelings more joyous than being at an altar in the company of spirits with candles ablaze and the smell of incense and perfume in the air.

So Ive compiled a few lists for the budding hoodoo to get him or her started performing their own rituals and works. This is just what I recommend and based on stuff that Ive found works. 

It is by no means set in stone.

Remember there are no real set ways of doing things in hoodoo conjure. It either works or it doesn't.
However there will always be themes running through it that remain the same.
For example some people like to work with mojos, dolls and powders, other people (like myself) prefer candle burning, oils and baths.
Some take a protestant approach and only work with psalms. Others enjoy a catholic approach and call on saints.
Its all very personal and you must find what works for you.

Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to break the bank to get started either. Many successful hoodoo conjures where modest people and many still are.

Before you do anything, I strongly recommend setting up a table to do hoodoo work from, I personally do a lot of my hoodoo work from my altar dedicated to God and my Ancestors. I strongly recommend you do the same because without them backing up your work, you are pretty much powerless. Not all Hoodoos work with the dead, but I do and I've found my ancestors to be great allies and teachers when performing conjure. All hoodoos however, work with God.

The Ancestors.

VERY BASIC ALTAR SET UP AND SUPPLIES FOR THOSE ON A TIGHT BUDGET OR WITH LITTLE SPACE:
Your Table:
Take a white cloth and spread it across a table. At the back centre of the Altar place a stand alone crucifix, if you are uncomfortable with catholic imagery then use a protestant cross, if you are uncomfortable with christian imagery in general......tough.
Hoodoo conjure has a large christian tradition attached to it and if you have such a huge problem with Christianity then its probably not for you.
Sure, you can practise hoodoo conjure and not be a christian, however you should show respect to its christian roots and the teachings of Christ if you want to do it.
Place a nice white votive light in the centre along with a brandy glass filled with water.
Keep a bible nearby.

That's it.
A plain white table with a cross, a candle and a glass of water on it, all you need.

The White represents spirituality and attracts good spirits.
The Crucifix represents your connection to God.
The Water is for your Ancestors it gives them a medium to travel through and be present.
The Candle is symbolic of illuminating the whole thing with spiritual power and is a mark of your intentions of comunion with the spirits.

Spend a little time everyday at your table in prayer to God and your Ancestors.
Your Ancestors should be given offerings regularly, at least once a week, that can be placed on the table and left overnight. These offerings can be just a simple candle or something more elaborate such as food and drink.
God on the other hand doesn't need offerings, only offerings of your love and devotion.

Keep your table nice and neat and sprinkle it with cologne on occasion to keep it free of evil spirits and spiritual grime.

Ever remember you are powerless without God, Your Ancestors are the reason you are alive, they will protect, help and guide you always.

Very Basic Supplies:

A deck of playing cards for divination
A pack of white taper candles
A jar of sea salt
A jar of sugar
A jar of graveyard dirt
A bottle of olive oil
A bottle of holy water
A bottle of cologne (I recommend either florida water or 4711, though any eau de cologne will do)

Congratulations! You are now fully kitted out to perform full blown hoodoo rituals! You will be amazed at the array of powerful, effective and wonderful rituals you can do with these simple tools just add faith and a bit of imagination.



BASIC TABLE SET UP AND SUPPLIES FOR THOSE JUST STARTING OUT WANTING TO BUILD UP TO SOMETHING MORE ELABORATE:

The Table:
Again, take a white cloth and spread it across a table. At the back centre of the Altar place a stand alone crucifix or cross, place a nice white votive light in the centre along with a brandy glass filled with water.
Keep a bible nearby.
Place a skull on the table to represent the ancestors and to remind you of your own mortality.
Add other things such as:
Incense holder.
Statues of your favourite Saints.
Framed pictures of your ancestors.
You may also wish to put a pot or ginger jar on the table to place offerings inside for your ancestors to enjoy.
Some nice white flowers for decoration.
Let intuition, inspiration and the spirits guide you as to what to do with the table, if you feel your ancestors want something adding or taking away, do so.

Basic Supplies:
A pack of playing cards
An oil lamp
A censer for incense
A selection of colour taper candles (white, black, red, purple, yellow, brown and orange)
A jar of frankincense
A jar of five finger grass
A jar of camphor
A jar of basil
A jar of chamomile
A jar of ground cinnamon
A jar of laundry bluing
A jar of sea salt
A jar of sugar
A jar of graveyard dirt
A bottle of vegetable oil
A bottle of holy oil
A bottle of holy water
A bottle of cologne
A bottle of dragons blood ink and dip pen
A pack of self lighting charcoal


BARE BASIC PROFESSIONAL SET UP FOR THOSE JUST STARTING OUT DOING PAID HOODOO CONJURE WORK FOR OTHERS:

TABLE:
By this point you should have a good grounding in maintaining your table and it will have taken a form that works for you and your spiritual allies.
If you feel you want to do paid work for other people and feel you are competent to do it, fine, but here are some rules I stick to and some I think you should seriously consider when working for other people:

• I NEVER charge anyone who NEEDS the work doing because they have fallen on hard times, this is people wrongly convicted of crimes, people suffering illnesses, people who are being abused through no fault of their own. These people get freebies from me if I have the resources to spare, if I don't have the resources, I'm happy to pray for them which can be just as effective.
• I only ever charge the cost of the materials and minimum wage per hour for doing the work.
• I only perform spiritual works that I feel confident doing and have the correct resources at hand to do.
• I never make guarantees of anything, I am not a God and I am not omnipotent.
• I always recommend conjure is just part of a solution for a problem, it is not an alternative to legal, medical or financial advice.
• I never make claim to be "more spiritual" than anyone else, we all come from God and are equally spiritual and equally loved by God.
• I never claim superhuman powers, what I do is perfectly human and anyone can learn to do.
• Spirits, such as Saints, who work on my behalf to solve a problem, receive due respect, praise, payment and sacrifice.
• I have made myself familiar with the laws of my country in regards to receiving payment for spiritual works.
• I never reveal a clients name.

• I never throw curses around unless it is to bring justice to an evil doer and even then it is after much careful consideration and divination.

BARE MINIMUM BASIC PROFESSIONAL SUPPLIES:
(N.B this is the ABSOLUTE BARE MINIMUM of supplies I recommend for someone setting themselves up as a paid professional rootworker to have at their disposal if they want to be taken seriously.)

Divinatory Tools:
(Always have AT LEAST two forms of divination, so you can get more than one angle on situation)
Dice
Playing cards, Tarot cards or Lenormand cards.

Candles:
Red, orange, yellow, green, purple, black, white and brown tapers.
Tea lights
Plain white glass encased novena candles (plain so pictures of saints or petitions can be stuck to the side.)
A selection of figure candles, male, female, skull etc

Oils: 
(Base oils)

Almond oil
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Palm oil

(Conjure oils)
Holy oil
Van-van oil
John the Conqueror oil
Road Opener oil
Crossing oil
Uncrossing oil
Crown of Success oil
Red Fast Luck oil
Money Drawing oil
Love Drawing oil

"Minerals":
(not all these items are "minerals" per se, but Ive listed them here for ease.)
Alum
Sea salt
Sulphur
Sugar
Laundry bluing
Graveyard dirt
Lodestones
Magnetic sand
Bicarbonate of soda
Cascarilla
Honey
Molasses
Iron oxide
Vesta powder

Herbs and Roots:
Cinnamon
Basil
Red Pepper
Vervaine
Five finger grass
Bayberry bark
Juniper berries
Gravel root
Star anise
Orris root
John the Conqueror root
Rose petals
Chamomile
Valerian root
Sandalwood

Resins:
Frankincense
Myrrh
Dragons Blood
Pine
Camphor


Colognes and Waters:
Holy water
Storm water
War water
Peace water
Florida water
Kananga water
Cologne 4711
Rose water

Animal Curios:
Black chicken feathers
Chicken bones
Chicken feet
Snake sheds
Cat bones
Black cat fur
Black dog fur (apparently poodle hair is traditional but I use any black dog hair)

Inks:
Dragons Blood
Doves Blood
Bats Blood
Don't forget a dip pen and brown paper!

Reference Books:
Bible or psalter
The Greater Key of Solomon
6th and 7th Books of Moses
Book of Novena prayers to the Saints

Misc:
Empty bottles of various sizes
Charcoal
Swinging censer
Regular censer
Oil lamp
4 thieves vinegar
Ammonia
Green and red cloth bags
Selection of hat pins, dress pins and eyed needles
Voodoo dolls
Selection of soaps: osun dudu, sandalwood, patchouli, cinnamon and savon du marseille.


So there you have it, my thoughts on starting out in hoodoo.

Good Luck and happy conjuring! :)

Italian folk charms.

Ive been asked to write a little on Italian folk magic, so here we go:

I wasn't really sure where to start, so I thought I start with charms, below are a list of magical charms and  symbols utilised in Italy and the diaspora.
The first thing Id like to cover, just because it is so mysterious and intriguing are the trulli hex signs of puglia.


Hex Signs of Puglia:

In the region of Puglia, there are traditional houses called "trulli", these houses are conical stone huts and are very common in the region, they are not really found anywhere outside of Puglia, I think I'm right in saying these houses are the result of Arabic influence on southern Italian culture. Most of these houses are centred around the town of Alberobello, which has become a sort of tourist spot due to its unusual architecture.
Granted I've only ever been to Puglia once and spent most of my time there at a waterpark eating gelato, but on the way there I still got chance to see plenty of trulli and nearly all them had these strange hex signs painted on their roofs in whitewash.
I was immediately intrigued by these strange magical signs, but whats even weirder and i intriguing is nobody is really sure of their origin, not even the families who paint them on the roofs every year, they simply shrug and say "its what we have always done". Their primary function is to ward off evil spirits, deflect witchcraft and attract luck.

Trulli decorated with hex signs 

Many of the signs on the roofs are catholic in nature and therefore self explanatory as magical symbols (catholic imagery extends beyond the realm of religion in Italy and crosses over into the realm of superstition and magic, often being used as general symbols for luck, blessing and reversing evil) for example, the pierced heart of Our Lady, the sacred heart of Jesus, the Host, the Cross etc...
However these catholic images are the exception rather than the rule. Planetary symbols from astrology are much more common and even more common are primitive symbols of suns, stickmen, crudely drawn animals and geometric shapes. And even more seen than these are strange primitive abstract symbols to who's exact origins are any ones guess (including the folk who paint them).

Common trulli hex signs. From left to right; primitive, catholic and astrological
Paint one above your door to keep the malocchio off or just as an interesting conversation piece to friends.


Cimaruta:
This charm is a very old Italian charm and falls under the category of "portafortuna" which translates as a lucky charm but can be used as a catch all term for practically any amulet or talisman. Italians are obsessed with charms that are carried or worn as jewellery. This particular charm is much more popular in the diaspora than in Italy itself, probably due to its heavy associations with witchcraft which carries satanic connotations for many Italians (please don't send me any messages telling me paganism isn't satanic, I already know this, but satanic witchcraft is far more common in Italian culture than pagan witchcraft, this isn't up for debate but a comment made on my own personal experience.)
I personally don't think the charm is satanic and I would happily wear one, I think the charm is wonderful and very magical.

Cimaruta

It can be worn by women or men, but is generally deemed to be more of a feminine thing.
The charm consists of a piece of silver that has been shaped into a triform bunch of rue, from the tips of the rue branches sprout strange arcane symbols. Symbols vary between individual charms however the following symbols are usually always present: A waxing crescent moon, a key, a vervaine flower, a sacred heart and a fish.
The symbolism contained within the cimaruta are a blend of symbols taken from pagan, catholic and peasant folk magic, which reflects the traditional folk spirituality of Italy perfectly.
The sacred heart, the fish and the triform nature of the branch are all catholic symbols, representing Jesus, Christian faith and the Trinity.
The key and the crescent moon are likely pagan symbols of the pagan Gods Hekate and Diana, both two Goddesses associated with witchcraft and magic, these Gods where very popular symbols of magic in renaissance art and literature in Italy which is probably the period of time where the charm originates.
Rue itself is a powerful protector against evil magic in Italian herbal lore as are vervaine flowers, which also bring luck. Silver is also used in many Italian folk charms to bring money (stare at the moon whilst turning a silver coin in your pocket is one charm that springs to mind.)
Like I said previously, the charm is very popular in the diaspora and in recent years has been adopted by witches and magical practitioners within the Italian diaspora as a sort of unofficial badge of identity.

Cornetto:
This charm shaped as a bulls horn is massively popular in Southern Italy especially around Napoli and in the region of Calabria. It is so typical of the Mezzogiorno region that in the diaspora it is often worn by people of Calabrese and Neopolitan descent as a badge of cultural identity. If you are lucky enough to ever visit Calabria or Naples you will see this charm everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Worn as jewellery, hung on rear view mirrors, dangling in shop windows, carried as key rings, printed on t-shirts. The charm is generally considered something men would ware as among its many blessings it grants virility through its obviously phallic shape, the symbolism of bull like virility is also obvious. However it carries many other blessings too, among them luck, wealth, success and therefore is also sometimes used by women too.

Cornetto

The charm should be red in colour, this symbolises the defeat of your enemies (imagine a bulls horn covered in blood after it has gored a rival.). The horn should also should be empty so it can fill itself with blessings ready to be poured out into your life. The top is usually crowned with a gold crown to represent success, mastery and wealth. The blessings of this charm are manifold; luck, protection, virility, strength, success, abundance, wealth to name a few...small wonder it is so popular!

The origins of the cornetto are a bit of a mystery, its very old and probably Roman in origin, taken from the myth of the cornucopia or magical horn of plenty that was carried by the Roman Goddess Abundantia (which is where the word "abundance" comes from), though the traditional cornucopia is generally seen as a goats rather than bulls horn.
Abundantias cornucopia produced never ending supplies of delicious food and gold coins which she poured out generously on those who pleased her.
There is some evidence that the cornetto may be even older, perhaps even Etruscan as Etruscan houses would often hang a bulls horn above the front door for prosperity. Others have suggested a neolithic origin to the magic horn.

Ideally the cornetto should be given to you as gift for maximum luck bringing effectiveness, but if you want to buy one as a gift for yourself, that's fine too.

Mano corno. Careful who you flash it too.

As with all magical charms be a little careful, some conservative folk believe the charm to be satanic, a charm that is said to invoke the devil for financial aid.

Mano Corno:
An alternative to the cornetto, this lucky charm is credited with the power of warding off the dreaded "malocchio" or evil eye, it is also a general charm of luck. it is basically a hand giving a 2 fingered horned salute.





This charm is a little controversial as it is considered offensive, I would personally not recommend wearing it on show when in the company of Italians. The gesture the hand is making is that of the "cornuto" or cuckold man. The idea is that if a mans wife cheats on him, he will grow horns as a mark of shame, making this sign to someone is a sign you think they are a weak, pathetic and foolish. The gesture is immensely insulting and is the equivalent of sticking your middle finger up at someone.
The origin of the charm is strange and I have little idea where it comes from, it is possible that due to the belief that the evil eye being cast is usually through jealousy (especially sexual jealousy), then slamming someone down and taking the wind out of their sails by accusing them of sexual jealousy because their wife is too busy cavorting with other men may be one possible explanation. Another explanation is that the sign is intentionally insulting, meaning it is worn as an insult to the devil and his minions, sort of like throwing salt in the devils eye to bring luck.
Other explanations include it is simply a variation on the cornetto charm, other explanations point to occult gestures used in satanic Italian witchcraft. Truth is I don't know.

if your anyone asks just say its lucky and leave it at that

Mano Figa:
Again another controversial charm that shouldn't be on show in polite company! The Mano Figa literally translates as "c*nt hand" (the word "figa" is a very vulgar term for vagina). It is a gesture made with a fist to resemble a vulva. The slit produced by the middle and index fingers represent the vagina, whilst the protruding thumb a clitoris. The charm is one of protection and prosperity. As a charm of protection, it is likely that the vulgarity of the charm is supposed to be an insult to demons and the devil. The luck bringing side of the charm is probably an allusion to fertility, the vagina, being the exit of the womb, is a source of life and therefore abundance. But again I don't really know.


Coccinella:
Slightly twee but worth a mention is the coccinella, the ladybird charm, a simple harbinger of luck especially in love. Its common so its worth a mention. Probably considered lucky because of its colour (red is very auspicious in Italian culture as it symbolises victory over enemies and averts the evil eye) and because of its beauty.

Coccinella charm

Kitchen Gods:

If you have ever spent time in Italian households you will have seen a mask of the roman god Bacchus on the wall in the kitchen. They are usually clay or pottery of some kind depicted with smiling mouth open and wearing a crown of grapes and vine leaves. You may also see the Goddess Abundtia holding a cornucopia, or a cornucopia by itself or renaissace images of the Goddess Ceres baring her breasts. These are generally kept for their beauty, however they are also symbols of abundance, kept in the kitchen to ensure food is never in short supply. It is important to remember that families who keep these pagan images arent pagans themselves, they simply see these old Gods of Roma as symbols of prosperity and abundance, lucky to have around.

Gobbo:

A strange fetish that comes in the form of a hunchback man depicted as a tramp clutching a horseshoe in one hand and making a horned salute with the other. He is also sometime depicted wearing a battered top hat with a ladybird sat on top of it and a 4 leaf clover through his buttonhole. Other times he is portrayed wearing a white clown outfit and a black venetian mask. He is also sometimes portrayed surmounting a cornetto, this variation of the charm is called a corno gobbo.

Gobbo charms

This is a powerful luck charm especially when it comes to money and gambling, when you need extra luck you should rub the hump on his back.


Well that's all i can think of for now! Of course there are many, many more charms and the like but I hope this covered some interesting basics and cleared up a few of the misconceptions floating around.

Ciao for now.

Mojo magic.

Ive been getting lots of messages recently asking me for help with divination. Not so much divination techniques but rather ritual ways for people to increase their intuition and open up their "third eye".

Ive also had one message requesting I do a post on mojo bags.

So I thought it would be good to kill 2 birds with 1 stone and create a sixth sense mojo to help people with divination and  psychic visions.

For those of you who dont know, a mojo is a little drawstring bag (usually made from  red chamoise or red flannel) filled with roots and curios, the mojo is given life by the root worker by ritual means and treated as a living entity. This means they must be fed and cared for if they are to be effective.







I always carry my own personal mojo for luck, protection and power on my person at all times, Ive had him a long time, he contains a large john the conqueror root, a black cat bone, a medal of my patron saint and other strange secret magical things.

When we make a mojo, we say we "tie a mojo".

There are lots of different ways to tie a mojo, here is how I tie a mojo. If you do not like the way I tie it, do it your own way or feel free to tie it in the fashion of a root worker you know who makes successful mojos.

(Large fancy mojos I made a while back for love drawing and seances.)

 

My personal dos and donts when tying a mojo:

• Do always have an odd number of items in your mojo, this ensures the power of the mojo cannot be cut in half. 3, 5, 7, 9, 13 and 21 are all auspicious odd numbers.
• Do feed your mojo regularly with apropriate conjure oils, whiskey or cologne.
• Do talk to your mojo expressing your desires.
• Do give your mojo a secret name.
• Dont ever tell anyone the secret name or they will have power over your mojo. 
• Dont ever actually tie knots in the strings of your mojo when closing it.
• Dont ever let anyone touch your mojo.
• Dont ever open your mojo.

Ok, now to make a sixth sense mojo you will need the following:

1. A small drawstring bag
2. A purple candle
3. A psalter or bible
4. An apache tear
5. Coltsfoot
6. Star Anise
7. Dirt from the gate of a cemetary
8. Mugwort
9. A rattle
10. A little vial of psychic vision oil

(Apache tears, a type of obsidian. Obsidian has been prized in many cultures, from 17th century Europe to the Aztec Empire, as a scrying medium.)

Take a white plate and set the purple candle going in the middle, arrange around this candle the apache tear, coltsfoot, cemetary dirt, star anise and mugwort. Light the candle and recite the first 4 verses from Psalm 49.

Pick up each item on the plate in turn and talk to it, telling it what quality it is you want it to bring to the mojo and drop it into the bag.

Spirit of obsidian, reflect ontowards me signs and omens.
Spirit of coltsfoot, open up my eyes to the past, present and future.
Spirit of the cemetary gate, draw towards me the voices and wisdom of the departed.
Spirit of star anise; bring me the gift of prophecy.
Spirit of mugwort; bring me success in the psychic arts.

Now pick up your purple candle and snuff it out in the bag, spit in the bag and pull the draw strings tight. Wind the strings tightly around the neck of the bag 3 times but do not tie them.
Now your mojo is ready and he needs to be woken up, take your rattle and shake it over the mojo to wake him up, tell the mojo his secret name and what his job is, tell him you will feed him well if he works good for you.
Feed your mojo a few drops of psychic vision oil by allowing a few drops to fall on him and put him in a safe place such as the box where you keep your tarot cards, a purse, pocket or even on a cord around your neck. Remember to feed him regularly with a few drops of the oil whenever you feel his power is waning.

Seals

Seals, I love them.


A seal, for those of you who dont know, is basically a magical design that exercises some sort of influence over a sphere of life. Seals incorporate lots of strange arcane sigils and symbols, they may contain astrological information, the names of angels and demons, hebrew or latin inscriptions citing holy texts etc, etc.
Seal designs can be found in many grimoires (magic books) such as le dragon rouge, poule noire, the goetia, the greater key of solomon etc.

Magic seal from La Poule Noire

Though I was never really interested much in seals beyond aesthetics at one time, they where always those things seen in grimoires that seemed to be much more style than substance. It was always the overly complicated instructions that accompanied them that put me off. Grimoires often cite impossibly complex rituals to the uses of seals, they often state things like the seal must be engraved on somekind of metal which could be anything from tin or copper to solid gold or fixed mercury, other texts say they must be embroided on finest silk by a virgin or drawn on velum in ink made from the blood of certain animal sacrifices mixed with exotic resins and oils or some other extravagance.

Complicated rituals to activate the seals are usually prescribed by grimoires also, they can only be created at certain times after lengthy invocations and rituals that are described in nauseating detail including what underwear to wear whilst you are doing said ritual and what coloured candle to insert into your butthole whilst pronouncing the unpronoucable divine names of God as you wave a consecrated sword cast by a one eyed uzbekistani blacksmith when the moon was in the eigth of pisces.....

Ok Im being feceatious, but the rituals are usually complex beyond any practical application the finished seal might have, of course thats not to denigrate any of you hardcore sorcerers and enchantresses out there who do follow the grimoires to the letter (on the contrary, kudos to you! you have much more patience and skill than me!)

Thankfully the seals of grimoires have fell into the realm folk magic, particularly the obeah folk magic popular amongst british jamaicans, which is where I first came across the practical aplication of seals.

My first experience of practical seal use came when I was working in a magic shop as a tarot reader. A rather glamourous middle-class jamaican baptist lady came into the shop wanting something to help her with some practical matter that escapes my memory. She suggested the owner of the shop prescribe a seal of empowerment to bend others to her will, he obliged simply by picking up a piece parchment paper (which is just really fancy high quality regular paper), a purple quill pen (purple for power) and a bottle of dragons blood ink. He then selected an appropriate seal design from the key of solomon grimoir and copied it onto the parchment paper with the pen and ink. When he was done he placed it between the palms of his hands and recited some prayers and handed it to the lady who folded it up and put in her purse. The lady said she would keep it in her purse whenever she was around people who "needed telling" and they would do as she said. I noticed other well-to-do ladies from the same jamaican baptist church across the road come in for similar hand drawn seal charms to accompany the magical baths, oils and candles they purchased whilst in the shop.

This is the way that it is done in folk magic. The seals are employed in anyway the practitioner sees fit in order attract the influences they represent.

Ive come across lots of ways the seals are used, none of which are prescribed in the grimoires they are taken from.

For example: I have a young friend who swears by a seal called the 4th pentacle of Venus as part of a powerful love charm. He simply copies the seals out in doves blood, he then folds it up and slips it into a red mojo bag with a few pinches of certain love drawing herbs, he then goes out for a night out on the town. ive never known this charm to fail him.

Ive seen seals chalked on walls and floors for protection or for people to step on. Ive even photocopied pictures of seals and placed them in my shoes as part of footrack magic, leaving the seal to wear away to nothing but literally making every step I take be a step taken with God and his angels. Seals can be cast onto jewellery, carried in pockets, stuck on the side of novena candles, I even met a chap who had one tattooed on the side of his head(!)

The limit is your imagination I guess.

Heck, Ive even seen a little evidence that might suggest the grimoire seals crossed over from the grimoire tradition into other highly structured religious practices, for example, I cant help but notice the similarity between this seal for the demon Vepar (a merman associated with seafaring) and the ve-ve (ritual signature) of the Vodou oceanic naval spirit Agwe:

Seal of Vepar and Ve-ve of Agwe, coincidence?

Now of course, Im not suggesting the honourable and noble Agwe is anyway associated with the infernal demon Vepar. But since, to my understanding at least, the grimoire tradition was (and still is) popular in the carribean, it doesnt take much of a stretch of the imagination to ponder that if the seal of a demon heavily associated war ships just might have somehow inspired a voodoo devotee at sometime in the past to create a ve-ve design to call upon Agwe, who is often envisioned as being the officer of an armed sea vessel. Who knows? Its just an idea someone suggested to me once, but whatever, true or just a coincidence, my point is this, the simple geometric designs within seals speak to us on a deep and primitive level, so their power is a profound language in its simplicity however we utilise these simple shapes.


Anyway, enough pondering.

I recently aquired a pendant inscribed with a magical seal, now I could just wear this but I decided to consecrate it in a little ritual of my own design, you may wish to do something similar.

The pendant is the 1st pentacle of Mars, reputed to bring victory and success to the wearer in all things. So on the day of Mars during the hour of Mars I took the pendant and lit a red candle (because red is a mars colour and mars is fiery), by the light of the candle I called upon the angels associated with mars and asked them to bless the pendant, I then dressed it with a little dragons blood oil (dragons blood for empowerment and strength). Super simple, but sometimes simple is the best, my mars pendant is now hanging from my neck and making me feel super strong and confident ready for victory and success in all things! :)

Now, not everyone may want to use the seals used in grimoires, if you dont the answer is simple. Create your own.
Making your own seals can be fun, these homemade seals are often called "sigils", to make a sigil you simply write out your intention, so for example if I want a sigil for uncrossing a curse I simply write out the word "uncrossing".
I then work the letters into an abstract design:




Simple

This uncrossing seal can be used in any of the way mentioned above, some people like to "charge" these seals in different ways, I find the best way to use these particular homemade seals is simple as a focus to ritual, for example perhaps painting them on the side of a jar candle.

Anyway, whatever you make your seals for and how you use them is up to you, best of luck and have fun.

Peace.

Opening Roads

Ive been playing with an online graphics program and decided to give the blog a new fancy look, hope you all like the oldy worldy dime store magic theme and dont think it too pretentious!

Anyways, on with the conjure :)

Sometimes your just stuck in limbo, things dont seem to be going anywhere, either in general or in specific areas of your life. It happens to the best of us. There are worse things than being stuck in a rut, but sometimes we have just got to get moving, we need to open our roads.

Thankfully the Good Lord has given us roots and power over their spirits to help us on our way.

Id like to talk about a botanical mixture employed in root work called Road Opener.

What exactly is road opener? Road opener is a specific mixture of herbs, spices and resins sometimes also known by its spanish name "abre camino", each botanical in the mix has a specific characteristic that takes people foward, the characteristics include luck, victory,  prosperity, clearing etc.

Road Opener is available in every conceivable form : sprays, floorwashes, incenses, soaps, oils, bath salts etc. It has a strong yet pleasant clean cinnamony-menthol scent.

It can be utilised in many ways. Somefolk like to infuse the mixture in a bucket of hot water and scrub the floors of their home or business down with it whilst reciting the 21st psalm to ensure prosperity and opportunity in all its forms. Other people carve their name into an orange candle and annoint the candle with road opener oils or the powdered road opener herbs and pray over it to overcome certain blocks in their life or to get out of a rut.

Here is a powerful road opener ritual I use that has formed through trial and error in my own practice, its an amalgamation of several different trads (mainly hoodoo), but it has never failed me and hopefully it will also work for you. After this ritual I always feel optomistic, find myself having luck, making new friends, enjoying better communication  and finding new doors opening in even the most unlikely areas of life.

triple wick lamp and road opener oil

To perform this ritual you will need:

• Road opener oil
• A light neutral carrier oil such as vegetable oil (make sure the oil is light or it will not draw up through your lamp wicks)
• 3 cotton lamp wicks (available from hindu shops)
• An oil lamp (I like to use clay puja lamps from the hindu hardware store, but use any container you like.)
• Road opener soap (the soap is available online, if you cant get it, use cinnamon scented soap, not great but workable)
• Road opener bath mix
• A key
• A bay leaf
• red or orange sharpie pen
• A lump of camphor
• Some florida water
• A china saucer
• A basin of hot water

First take your lump of camphor, pass it around your head 3 times imagining all the doubt being sucked out your head and soaked into the little block. Place it on your china saucer. Take it outside and balance your key on top, pour a little florida water on it and light it. Stand well back and do not inhale the fumes or let them get in your eyes(!) The key should heat up and melt through the camphor, this is symbolic of the key cutting through your crap and breaking blocks.

Wait for the key to cool, take it inside and drop it into your basin. Add your bath mix to the basin and recite the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be (if you are not catholic use whatever prayers you like, asking your God/s to bless the bath.)

Take your basin and stand it in your shower stall, get yourself wet and scrub yourself all over with your road opening soap, I use special prayers and songs that are personal to me whilst im soaping up, you use whatever songs and prayers are apropriate to your faith.
 Some folk like to pray psalms, some like to pray to St Peter, some sing to Legba, some pray to Ganesha, Hecate, Inari, Elvis, whoever, God is God and angels are angels, whatever names we ascribe to them, at the end of the day we are all talking to the same, you go with whats best for you and what your faith dictates.
 
Pay special attention to your feet and your head whilst soaping though :)

Once all covered in suds, use a sponge to wash the suds off with the road opening mix in the basin, until all of it is used up and all the suds are gone.
 
Now you are ready for your Road Opening Lamp. Take your container and fill it with carrier oil, add some road opener oil (not too much, remember road opener contains camphor which may sting your nose and eyes as the lamp burns if you put too much in. One teaspoon to every cup of carrier oil is more than enough.)

Take your bay leaf and write your name on it with your sharpie pen, if you have a specific problem you can write the solution to your problem on the reverse of the leaf. For example if you are unemployed write "Employment", if you are struggling with finances write "Money" etc. Drop this into your lamp oil. Now take your cotton wicks, and place them in the container. Set the lamp on a plate and place it on your spiritual altar or somewhere safe. Light the wicks in a clock wise direction and pray over the lamp using any psalms or prayers you feel are appropriate.

Best of Luck!