#southern rootwork

[conjuremanj]

What's The Difference Between A Blockbuster, Road Opener and Uncrossing?

Let's start with a uncrossing.

Uncrossing: Is where someone has put something on you or a negative energy of a person is causing a negative effect in your life and the uncrossing will undo all of that.

A Road Opener: This will clear away blockages. When we take a different direction or unexpected path like a left turn onto another road this helps take us back on the original path. It can also help rid the blockages thats be in our way. [Example] If you ask God or the universe for something and you constantly squander those blessings you can lose them and the universe don't want to give help any more then a road opener can help with that.

Last we have the Blockbuster.

Blockbuster: This can help change your course in life, this can put us on the path that maybe we're weren't supposed to be on but really really wanted it to be. [Example: A career, you have a job/career and always wanted to do something else and you know how to do it this working is for that]

[propheticeve]

If someone claims to practice Hoodoo but says they don't pray, then they are not truly practicing Hoodoo. Don't let the trend followers on social media make you believe that prayer is bad. Praying as a beggar is bad because it spiritually opens a portal, and begging is a form of low vibrational energy. This low vibrational energy allows spiritual leeches and parasites to attack you, leading to spiritually transmitted demons, psychic attacks, mental episodes, and freak accidents. However, with proper prayer and an understanding of how your words can access different realms, you are truly practicing Hoodoo correctly.

[spamishmoss]

ADVICE FOR BEGINNER PRACTITIONERS

I'm a generational witch and have worked in the craft for around 10 years, with some experience in conjure. I'd like to disclaim that I am still fairly young - but I feel as though I've gathered a decent well of knowledge. And thus, as I connect with others in this community, I'd like to share it.

1. Know what type of work you're actually doing.

"Witchcraft" is a blanket term often used to describe any type of ritualistic manifestation, however, not all of what you may regard as 'spellwork' is considered to be witchcraft. You see, at their core, any spells, workings, or prayers are examples of folks working with energy to achieve a desired outcome. Many religions that denounce or don't explicitly link themselves to witchcraft manipulate energy in their practices in very similar ways to witches themselves. However, these religions still do not consider what they're doing to BE witchcraft - this could be because of stigma or a variety of different things, but it's usually important to respect this because if you ignore the origins of your work, then you'll miss important cultural context - and the history of any items used or deities called upon DOES affect the results of any ritual significantly. There are also closed practices in which only certain people can work with a type of energy because of heritage, location, age, gender, etc. Participating in closed practices when you are not invited is not only disrespectful, but it can also be extremely dangerous because you can anger the gods of that practice and spirits that have been venerated for thousands of years. This can result in horrible misfortune.

So, to summarize, when you're conducting rituals created by other people or working with gods or spirits venerated by others, it is extremely important to learn the history (mythos, examples of previous use, etc) and cultural background of what it is that you're doing. It may take longer, but your results will be better and you also won't accidentally put yourself in harm's way. This doesn't so much apply to extremely simple things like lighting a white candle to honor a recently passed relative, because it's common knowledge that thousands of cultures around the world have done that for years. But if when researching rituals and whatnot you find something completely unfamiliar to you, do NOT try and work with it until you've looked into it more.

2. People Lie

There is a small number of people who knowingly practice witchcraft or similar works. There is an even smaller percentage of people who tell the truth about their experiences and are skilled enough to make spells work consistently. It is easy to become a 'real' witch, but we are rare in Western society for a variety of reasons - a big one being that it takes lots of time and research. Many people who claim to be psychics or 'witches' are either scam artists, in psychosis, or are too ignorant to realize the errors in their craft that are preventing their spells from working - and they brag about them anyhow as if they do work. It is important to understand that, while you are learning about witchcraft or consuming content related to it, people are going to lie to you. Many people will exaggerate their anecdotes or just makeup stories altogether, either for recognition or to sell a product. On the other hand, witchcraft is WEIRD. Things that shouldn't be possible become more common, and it opens your eyes to the fact that some things just can't be explained with science. In my personal experience, at the beginning of my craft, my spells would manifest slowly as odd coincidences, but now I can control the timing of my work much better, and - since I am more experienced - the results are more effective and shocking than they were five years ago. So, in conclusion, some things that may sound like lies can actually reveal themselves to be true - and the world is actually that much stranger than you thought, while other things that seem fictitious just are. Thus, it's important to ensure you trust any source you may be getting information from - even from me, your dearest Nicasia.

3. Your results aren't going to be consistent at first.

This kind of piggybacks off of the last piece of advice, but when you're a beginner witch without any enchantments already active for whatever reason, it's unlikely that everything you do is going to work - and that is okay. I remember finding this very discouraging when I first started because I thought that if my spells didn't work, it meant that witchcraft itself wasn't real and everything I was doing was stupid. But spellwork is a very old and complicated practice, so when you're a beginner, it can be easy to make mistakes. Like I've said, as I've become more experienced, my spells are more effective. I'd say they work about 85% of the time now as opposed to my former 20, and the sole reason for this is that I'm more knowledgeable. Practice makes perfect, and even the elders can fail sometimes. Spells can fail for a variety of reasons. It can be because of the moon phase, your poor mental health or lack of subconscious belief, unstable energy, previous blocks, etc. Sometimes you can do everything perfectly and your ancestors or spirit guides just won't let something manifest because it's not meant for you - even to the point of your supplies going missing out of the blue. What's important is that you keep trying.

**If you don't have mental health issues, are currently living a privileged lifestyle, or have never been cursed before - this next part likely doesn't apply to you, but certain people will need to do uncrossing or road-opening work to begin spellwork. People can bind your energy, and thus your ability to do witchcraft, and you can even do this to yourself by overthinking too much. Many witches preach beginners learning protection magick first, and I agree that's usually a good idea, but there are cases where you gotta make sure your gates are open before you can receive iykwim.

4. You Don't Need to Spend Money to Have Effective Spells

As with all 'cool people' things, witchcraft is done best when you get creative. In Hoodoo / Conjure, a closed practice of African American folk magic, there's an emphasis on the fact that slave magick was created by those who literally had nothing and just had to learn to work - in secret - with the energy of what they had on hand. It is 1000% doable to do witchcraft without investing in expensive crystals, oils, and herbs. Don't get me wrong, the more you put into your craft the more you can get out - whether it be effort or money, and sometimes expensive supplies are genuinely just better. But if you have a strong intention and know how to call upon the right spirits, you can literally do witchcraft just by thinking. Don't limit yourself by thinking that since you can't afford to buy the angelica root in a spell posted online, you have no chance of doing it successfully. That's when you research substitutions and build upon that ritual to your needs until you finally have your own spells.

5. People are assholes

People suck. When and if you choose to tell people about your craft, you're going to get mixed reactions. Be very careful about who you tell, because witchcraft is very misunderstood and misunderstanding leads to hate and violence. Some people may even respect your work but inform you they don't believe in it: Which is fine, but this may affect your confidence in witchcraft and spells. Thus, sometimes, it's better to keep things to yourself. I'm a very anxious person, and many of my personal friends don't even know I'm a witch for this exact reason. I've found that my craft works better when I don't tell people about it. When I do workings concerning other people, even if they've specifically asked me to do them, I often won't tell them when exactly I conduct their spell. This is because I don't want them overthinking and second-guessing themselves, therefore closing themselves off to receive any new energy.

Opinions and facts matter, remember that. But above all, have confidence in yourself and your craft - and of course, stay safe.

- Nicasia

[gullahconjure]

Hoodoo is the highest form of cultural expression for Black Americans. The weight and divine responsibility can only be handled by one that is of the lineage (Priesthood). This priesthood is exclusively barred.

[marsinthecorner]

Just a backwoods witch in her natural habitat! Self portrait.

[hoodoohoneychild]

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If you have questions, DM me.

[vanilla-cigarillos]

Some Rootwork Terminology

As with most things, it’s good to learn about the terminology of a practice before trying to dive into things. Here’s a short post on some of the common terminology you might come across if you’re looking to get into rootwork.

Anoint - Applying oil to a place, person, or thing prepared for ritualistic purposes

Amulet - An object similar to a charm that is meant to protect the wearer against an entity (illness, evil, etc.)

Blessing - A technique for performing a consecration ritual

Conjured Oil - Consecrated oil used in ceremonies/rituals, and spells

Conjure Water - Water that has been mixed with infused oils, herbs, etc. used in cleansing a chosen place

Crossing/Uncrossing - Refers to adding/removing hexes, negative energy, etc. (uncrossing is meant to cleanse you or a place of hexes, curses, etc.)

Doll Baby - Spirit dolls made to be used in spell or ritual work

Floorwash - Holy or Florida water used on your floors to purify and protect the space

Honey Jar - Spell contained in a bottle with honey and other chosen ingredients to direct positivity

Mojo Bag - Spell packed with ingredients in a drawstring bag meant to attract or dispel intentions; A.K.A. “gris-gris” bags

Oracle - A type of divination used to receive messages from the believed divine

Orisha - (African) spirits that are also associated with forms of voodoo spirits

Talisman - Object made during specific astrological cycles that is meant to bring positivity and/or protection to the wearer

[skinpriestess]

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[conjuremanj]

How To Get A Person To Leave You Alone.

This is a old southern working my teacher taught me when I was learning. I wanted to share it with y'all.

If a person cares more about you the you care about them and that person won't leave you alone here's what you need to do.

First gets some clay and mold it into a clay head. (Make a round head shape, indentations for a noise and a mouth & two eyes)

Hallow out the top and put crossroads dirt in it and a petition paper with their name written 9 times then close it up.

Spin the head three times and whisper in it's ear

"Leave Me Alone" Three Times.

[nyxshadowhawk]

Hi, weird question maybe, I'm just some guy who stumbled on your quora answers and figured you're pretty knowledgeable. I'm Italian and I'm wondering if you knew of any forms of magic that could be compared to what in Italy is referred to as 'low ceremonial magic', usually practiced by farmers / poor people. I'm looking for similar traditions in other parts of the world because I'm trying to figure out what kind of magic is most practiced by low income people historically. Thanks a lot

Great question! I'm still in the process of learning about "low magic" or "folk magic." I usually call it folk magic, to distinguish it from ceremonial magic, although the lines between the two are pretty thin and there's significant overlap. (The difference seems to be mainly a class distinction.) If you want to research it, I recommend using "folk magic" as your keyword.

My own country, the United States, has several robust traditions of folk magic that tend to go unnoticed by people who aren't in contact with them. Appalachian Magic is one of the big ones, and Southern Conjure is another one of the big ones. New England has its own variant of English "cunning." Hoodoo and Rootwork are both African diasporic traditions, based in Vodou and practiced mainly in the South. There's also "Pow-Wow," which is mainly Pensylvannia Dutch, Curanderismo and Brujeria (Hispanic), various magical traditions that stem from indigenous religions, and the extremely popular New Age variant of folk magic (which is apparently called "manifesting"). I'm not intimately familiar with all of these systems, but I highly recommend reading New World Witchery by Cory Thomas Hutcheson for a primer on North American folk magic.

The one I know the most about is English "cunning." I just did a project for which I translated part of Bald's Leechbook, a medieval book of herbal remedies written in Old English that was intermixed with some folk spells. I've observed that folk magic tends to be very Catholic, or Catholic-syncretic, because Catholicism has a lot of folk-magic stuff built right into it (like saints' medallions and votive offerings) that were intentionally rooted out of Protestantism. But hey, new folk traditions are always popping up all the time. Tarot cards are only about two hundred years old, but they're a valid and effective divination method, and you can find them in any mainstream bookstore these days.

Finally, I feel the need to say that folk magic is very dark. There's a common idea, mainly in New Age and neopagan circles, that your spells will rebound on you if they're unethical. This has no historical grounding. Curses, forceful love spells, bindings, and other baneful spells are really common. Frequently, magic was the only source of power or agency for people with no other options. Sanitizing folk magic does it a disservice. That doesn't mean that you have to practice baneful magic, only that you should understand why it exists and respect it.

[madamlaydebug]

Rootwork, also known as rootworking or hoodoo, is a form of folk magic practiced primarily in the Southern United States. It draws upon African and Native American spiritual traditions. Rootwork involves the use of herbs, roots, minerals, and other natural materials in rituals and spells to achieve desired outcomes, such as protection, love, luck, or healing. It often incorporates elements of spiritualism, Christianity, and African spirituality.

[gullahconjure]

Bitter Sweet moments kiss in passing-

Loves dagger stings.

Confusion rules during uncertainty-

Love’s episodes replay like marathons.

No more uncertainty!

-Friendship Termination, Gullah Conjore

[marsinthecorner]

Decided to do a more witchy design for our redbubble shop. I myself am a witch from the American south, so I wanted to do designs to represent that. More will come for this section, designs around southern, Appalachian, and Kentucky folklore and myth.

[ts-wicked-wonders]

Uncle Monday is a powerful ancestral spirit that persists in southern Hoodoo lore. Uncle Monday is said to have been a medicine man of the shape-shifting variety who was brought to South Carolina with the slave trade. As the story goes, he escaped slavery and went to Florida to live among the Seminoles and the maroons, bringing his crocodile medicine with him.

A larger-than-lite figure in African American folklore, Uncle Monday is celebrated among Florida's Seminole and maroon communities. Hailing from Africa and brought to South Carolina through the harrowing transatlantic slave trade, Uncle Monday's story is one of daring escape and unwavering resilience.

Finding sanctuary among the Seminole and maroons in Florida, Uncle Monday's mystical prowess as a medicine man and hoodoo doctor shines through, with his most remarkable shapeshifting ability being the power to transform into an alligator at will! This incredible metamorphosis serves as a powerful symbol of defiance against oppression and the refusal to bow down to slavery's chains.

As the guardian of his community, Uncle Monday's legend pulses with themes of resistance, resilience, and cultural pride, inspiring generations with his indomitable spirit and unyielding courage.

references:

https://museumoffloridahistory.com/explore/collections/19th-20th-century-artifacts/art-and-ephemera/uncle-monday/

American Rootwork Association (ARA) Blog - American Rootwork Association

[vanilla-cigarillos]

Rootwork Amulets

When you get into the intermediate sector of rootwork (A.K.A. Conjure, Hoodoo), you’ll begin seeing amulets. These amulets are typically small and are meant to either attract or dispel chosen intentions/impacts with the wearer.

They are typically made from natural materials (preserved animal parts, plants, bones, stones, etc). 

Ankh Amulet

Probably one of the most popular you’ve seen, the Ankh amulet is meant to represent both the masculine and feminine energies as well as everlasting life. It is also believed by some to represent everlasting life, others believing that when used properly it can help to protect against disease.

Other Amulets

While amulets can genuinely be made from just about anything, there are a few common examples that you’ll probably start noticing once you begin to look. Some of these examples include:

Alligator foot (good luck with money)

Crossbones (absorbs negative energy)

Catclaw (draws power)

Rabbit foot (fertility/good luck)

Wishbone (good luck/wishes)

[whoreofabaddon]

And since it's a long weekend and I am working on reorganizing my bookshelves, I will be slowly putting up a few quotes from some of my books on Satan. My favorites being The Poetics of Iblis and Satan's Tragedy and Redemption.

But also Satan: A Biography, The Origin of Satan, and The Quest for the Historical Satan. I might get around to some of the books on rootwork, conjure, and Southern folklore too. Or maybe a few of the gnostic texts. We'll see how my energy holds up in this damned heat.