When Things
Get Sticky
The spells and rituals in this chapter are designed for some of those complicated or more unfortunate matters; however, a spell should not be used in place of professional medical care or necessary intervention by the proper authorities.
Hang ’Em High
Ever had one of those months (or years) when it seems that those big corporations have targeted you? Of course, we know that those policies were made by a person (or small group of people) and that a single person (or a smaller group of people) carries them out. Usually, you can get the name of at least one of these people (but you have to be careful, as someone may be carrying out their job with no personal malice to you). Then, there are those instances where the person you are dealing with is the root of your difficulties (you know this for a fact) and they are using the power of the business to make you miserable.
The use of poppet or doll magick is so old that it gives the scholarly mind lots of room for argument and interpretation. We do know that these dolls were never meant to provide hours of play in the enchanted realm of a child’s make-believe. Poppets are designed to represent real people, or in this case, a person attached to the living entity of a company. In order for the poppet to work, you must have something that is in sympathy with the individual or, in this case, the corporation. Poppets can be used effectively in healing spells or in spells like this one where the intent is not to harm, but to balance the energies of the universe in a petition of fair treatment.
Supplies: Straight pins; red vinegar; crushed garlic; enough strips of paper to list the names of those trying to cheat you and the situation; 1 doll (sex appropriate); a 13-inch black cord; the company logo or name (letterhead or business card is good); black thread.
Instructions: Dip the pins in the red vinegar. Let dry. Roll in crushed garlic. Pin the names of all the people who you know are involved in your problem on the clothing of the doll. Write “unknown” on one piece of paper to encompass anyone who is involved that you are unaware of. Tie the cord onto the right ankle of the doll. Hang upside down, as if the doll has been caught in a trap. Sew the business card or other representation of the name to the feet of the doll with black thread. Say:
Deception uncovered, you are discovered,
balance is restored, I won’t be ignored!
Repeat the chant until you move into an altered state, then clap your hands to seal the spell. When the truth comes out, and you are totally repaid, burn the papers, throw the pins in a crossroads, and release the doll into the garbage bin.
To enhance this spell:
• Remember to keep accurate records. This is just as important as the magick.
• Sprinkle the clothing of the doll with justice incense.
• Perform on Tuesday, or in the hour of Mars, or at the full moon.
To Bring an Animal Killer
or Abuser to Justice
To work with the following goddess, a little research is required, thus we turn to Willow. With her incisive prose, we learning the following:
The Morrigan, or Morrig to the Ancient Irish, is a challenging and paradoxical figure, shifting from unearthly beauty to hideousness, from helpfulness to hindrance. There is some disagreement among scholars as to the correct translation of her name: Great Queen or Phantom Queen. From experience, both names apply.
In legend she is often associated with battle, hence her designation of Battle Queen. Looking beneath the visceral aspects of war, these early conflicts were often a matter of sovereignty and self-determination. As Great Queen, Goddess of the Land, she guards and sustains her chosen people.
In an age when most of us do not bear the responsibility of the welfare of our tribe, its territory and herds of cattle, sovereignty takes on a more personal meaning. The vocation of sovereign requires awareness, self-control, and a strong sense of personal responsibility. These same traits apply to sovereignty on an individual level.
Personal sovereignty necessitates a strong center and an awareness of our strengths and weaknesses, not for ego inflation or neurotic obsession but in the wisdom of self-knowledge. Self-knowledge is a tricky thing; from birth we are told repeatedly who and what we are. Add to this the inevitable baggage we gather along the way and the question “Who am I?” takes on stunning complexity. Fortunately much of our self and the reasons for our behavior lie within our unconscious mind. Enter the realm of the Phantom Queen. As the Old Woman of Know- ledge, the Morrig champions our search for wholeness, challenging our conceptions of our selves and our environment. As we bring to light the artifacts of our lives, as we disengage the patterns of our most onerous behaviors, the Morrig stands beside the Well of Life, handing us, if we dare take it, the Cup of Truth, the Truth of Ourselves.19
Once upon a time in the town of we-can’t-say-the-name, there was a big pet store with a flashy sign and lots of neat stuff to buy for your pet. They also sold, of course, animals to the consumer who sought the love of adorable cuddly things. Everyone thought the new store was just a wonderful idea, and many of us frequented the place to pick up neat and nifty things for our pets. At the same time, a very attractive young woman joined the Black Forest Family (my tradition). At the night of her dedication she told us that this wonderful pet store was not so wonderful a place. Any animal they could not sell in a specific amount of time, they sold to scientific organizations for experimentation purposes. In fact, they were making more money on this type of sale than on their entire store merchandise combined, and so they purposefully overstocked on their animals (especially the fluffy, furry kind). The store, she had discovered, was only a front. Was there anything that my students could do?
We can thank David Norris for the words, and a very enterprising and brave lady for her actions.
Dark Goddess Powder
Supplies: Black talc; dried nightshade; dried nettles; black cat hair or dog hair.
Instructions: As you are making the powder, repeat the incantation below to the Raven Mother (The Morrigan):
At this hour of our protection
I call thee, Raven Mother, COME!
Sweep your broom of intercession
I call thee, Raven Mother, COME!
Your wings descend in instant fury
I call thee, Raven Mother, COME!
Shatter doubt, dread fear and worry
I call thee, Raven Mother, COME!
Send your lightning, fire and thunder
I call thee, Raven Mother, COME!
Let these wrongs be ripped asunder
I call thee, Raven Mother, COME!
May no voice be raised against you
I call thee, Raven Mother, COME!
Shout down the lies and see us through
I call thee, Raven Mother, COME!
Let no hand be turned against us
I call thee, Raven Mother, COME!
Let your winds of truth be endless
I call thee, Raven Mother, COME!
Seal your spell so all may hear it
I call thee, Raven Mother, COME!
Loose your hounds of blood and spirit
I call thee, Raven Mother, COME!
And when these ills are all rejected
I call thee, Raven Mother, COME!
I’ll dwell within your cloak, protected
I call thee, Raven Mother, COME!20
Our friend visited the establishment, taking her time going around the store. She sprinkled the powder all around—on shelves, the floor, even on the cash register (how she did that, I’ll never know!). Each time she sprinkled the powder, she whispered, “I call thee, Raven Mother, COME!” She also put protection oil on as many animal cages as she could. It took three months. Eventually, however, the owner of the store was arrested on drug trafficking charges, his wife left him, and the store was sold to better management.
To enhance this spell:
• Perform on a Saturday afternoon around 3:00 p.m. or on Saturday morning at 1:00 a.m.
• Perform on the dark of the moon.
• If you can, get the hair from the abused animal to add to your spellworking. Ask the spirit of the animal to assist you.
Break Apart Those Who
Stand Against You
If a group of people has bonded together to seek your destruction, you need to separate them to remove the energy of the bond.
Supplies: Cinquefoil; mustard; and a list of all the people you know that are working against you.
Instructions: On a large piece of paper, wherever you desire, write the first name like this:
person’s name/separate
person’s name/separate
person’s name/separate
Upside down, on a different area of the paper, write the next name, the same way. If there are only two people, write the person’s name upside down under the first. If there are more, keep turning the paper and putting them any old place, though for four, you can put them in the four directions, all upside down to show them moving away from each other. Sprinkle with cinquefoil and mustard to bring confusion. (Note: This will only work if they have been untruthful.)
Paper spells are by far the easiest type to employ and can be as effective as an all-out ritual, which makes them deceptive indeed. Many individuals feel that a few slashes of the pen on a simple piece of paper carries no power—this is a misguided assumption.
Hold the paper in your hand, and say:
Cease, desist, separate, and break apart
Dissolve, divided, detached, disunited.
I call the earth to bind my spell
Air to speed its travel well
Fire to destroy and pull them apart
Water to sooth my aching heart.
So mote it be!
Draw an equal-armed cross (page 48) in the air to seal the spell. Keep the paper in a safe place until the dissolution takes place, then burn the paper.
If you want to add extra action to the pot, whip up some confusion powder. Use vetivert (curse-breaking and anti-theft); lavender (protection); angelica (cleansing); black pepper (flee evil); and a burnt, knotted shoelace. Grind to a fine powder. Sprinkle over spell paper or where you know those who wish to harm you will walk.
To enhance this spell:
• Perform on a Saturday in the hour of Saturn.
• Perform on the dark of the moon or the full moon.
• Perform on Tuesday in the hours of Mars or Saturn.
• Because paper spells take less time than other spell techniques, pay closer attention to the timing. For example, do not perform this spell (or any spell) when the moon is void of course. Also, if Mars or Saturn are retrograde, the work may take longer to manifest; however, a Saturn retrograde would be terrific for this spell, as those energies lend well to shaking up groups and organizations to bring justice. For this type of information you will need to turn to one of the many astrological almanacs on the market. It doesn’t cost you much to pick up one of these yearly planners and it will certainly pay for itself many times over in your magickal practice.
• On the flip side of this you can bind them so tightly together that they can’t stand each other, resulting in the same occurrence—dissipation of the group.
I Want My Stuff Back!
All righty then—you’ve been traded in for a new model and left high and dry, without a dime in your pocket. Maybe your roommate moved out and took half your stuff with her. What do you do? If Spirit moves someone out of your life, most likely this was the right thing to happen for you. But that’s real hard to take when you are hurting, especially if the person who left you tried to harm you too (like clean out your bank account, take the car that was registered in your name, and run off with your familiar). The idea here is not to harm anyone, but to recover what is rightfully yours.
Most of us have read our horoscopes from time to time, but few of us realize the powerful energies the planets represent, not only in our natal chart, but in the dialogue produced daily as they dance through the heavens. The old adage, “as above, so below”, lets us know that in astrology, what is in the heavens is reflected on earth, and what is on earth is reflected in the heavens.
In this spell we’re going to use two vibrant energies, Mars and Mercury. Mars is the quintessential activator energy in the heavens. This planet kick-starts anything that comes close enough for dialogue, and symbolizes action, assertion, will, focus, courage, passion, the ability to outlast enemies, and, when needed, boosts our survival instinct. Mars always reminds me of a precocious child—you know, the one you look for in a group when amusing tricks come to light.
Mercury is the great communicator, with the added benefit of swift, quicksilver movement. This planetary energy represents the principle of intellect and unemotional, rational, objective thought, and is a wonderful energy to use when you are worried that your heart is not being honest with your best interests. This planet also concerns your speech and, coupled with the rune Asa (
), gives you an extra edge for that public speaking venture or talking yourself out of a difficult situation. Combining these Mars and Mercury planetary energies in a spell gives extra power married to clear, high-velocity energy.
Supplies: Cayenne pepper; nettles; red talc; a red marker; a small brandy snifter or glass bowl; a picture of the individual that took your belongings.
Instructions: Grind the pepper, nettles, and talc together. With the red marker, draw the astrological symbol of Mars (
) on the snifter and beside it draw the symbol for Mercury (
). Drop the picture in the snifter, then cover with the herbal mixture. Say:
Conscience itch
Conscience scratch
You won’t find relief
’Til my stuff comes back.
Keep repeating the spell, then list exactly what was stolen from you or hasn’t been paid. If you don’t get your things back in thirty days, do the spell again. If it’s money you’re missing, you might want to burn a bayberry candle, asking for the spirit of prosperity to enter your home, especially over any holiday where your family usually outlays a large amount of cash.
To enhance this spell:
• Perform on Tuesday in the hour of Mercury.
• Perform on Wednesday in the hour of Mars.
• Add a red candle (for action) inscribed with the symbols of Mercury and Mars.
• Use the god Mercury as your archetype.
Your Cold, Black Heart
Sometimes there are just people in this world who, for whatever reason, are downright malicious. With these people, you could analyze them from Samhain to summer solstice and it isn’t going to do you any good. To stop them in their tracks, and send that energy back, try this spell.
In various magickal systems throughout the world we find all manner of feather magick. In Egypt, the feather was used as a representation of Maat, the Mother of Justice, whose name meant “truth.” Feathers are also a symbol of the element of air, which we will employ here. Maat was said not to judge herself, but to be supreme over the human conscience, making her a part of one’s motivating force when we seek to do moral acts. Upon death, the heart would be placed on one side of a set of scales and the feather of Maat placed upon the other. In this way, one’s deeds became one’s entrance to the Elysian Fields if the scale balanced. If the scales did not balance, then you were considered unworthy and subsequently were consumed by Ammit.
Supplies: Black construction paper; 13 black feathers; glue; a small item that belongs to the mean person (a paper clip from his or her desk, or hair from a brush, or a signed credit card receipt, etc.).
Instructions: Cut a heart out of the black construction paper. Ring with black feathers, then glue in place. Glue the item belonging to the person on the back of the heart. Ask Maat to weigh the heart and protect you from negative actions and energies. Hide in a safe place until you are no longer targeted. Keep if you think they might bother you again. Destroy by fire if you think they’ve gone away or stopped for good.
A note of caution: Call on Maat only if you are positive that your own slate is clean, and that you have not caused your own difficulties.
Getting Rid of a Jealous Lover
In the beginning, you thought they were heaven-sent. Alas, alack, you’d like to give ’em back. Since fouled amour has no return policy attached to it, you might want to try this spell.
Supplies: A white candle; a black candle; your hair and hair from his or her brush; a pair of chopsticks; a thin, black, 13-inch-long ribbon; a cauldron or pot filled with sand.
Instructions: Place the two candles together on a table or altar. Make sure they are touching each other. The white candle stands for you, the black candle represents the other person. Light both candles, first visualizing yourself as you light the white candle, then visualizing the other person as you light the black candle. Take the hair from yourself and the other person and wrap around the chopsticks. Wind the black ribbon around the hair and chopsticks. Do not tie. Take a deep breath and visualize the other person walking (or running, if you prefer) away from you as you move the candles at least three inches apart. Then, when you feel you have the picture securely in your mind, burn the chopsticks in the cauldron. Move the candles apart again. Allow candles to burn completely. Dispose of everything in different places. Put your candle in your yard, the other person’s candle off your property, and the chopstick pieces and sand in the garbage. This spell can take less than twenty-four hours (ask my daughter) or up to thirty days to work to completion. If your unwanted lover still hangs on, feel free to work the spell again. Sometimes a stubborn lover takes awhile to extricate from your life.
To enhance this spell:
• Perform this spell on the beach at dawn or sunset using small candles so that the ritual won’t take as long.
• Entreat the assistance of a god or goddess of the sea.
Practical Tip
Most law enforcement personnel indicate that if someone tries to abduct you in a public place, you should make a scene. That’s right. Kick. Scream. Become a maniac. It is more than likely your abductor will run away if someone notices what is happening. Statistics indicate that if your abductor gets you some place alone, you will not survive.
Shrinking Evil
This is an old Pennsylvania Dutch Pow-Wow spell that takes approximately thirty days to work, though you will probably see the effects within the first week. Its prime directive is to dissipate evil from any home, office, farm, and so on. Pow-Wow is a magickal system that is approximately three hundred years old, an amalgam of High German magick and folk application with tidbits of Native American practices.
Black pepper is made from the berries of the pepper plant and is considered one of the earliest known spices—indeed, the ransom of Rome was paid partly in pepper. Both black and white pepper come from the same source and both have been used for centuries in a variety of folk spells, especially in Pow-Wow magick. The turnip is considered a feminine plant, associated with the moon and earth magick, and is employed primarily for protection.
Supplies: 1 turnip; sharp knife; a tea candle; the name of the individual who is causing the problem, or the situation listed on a small piece of paper; sea salt (cleansing); black pepper (causing evil to flee); black marker.
Instructions: Cut the top off the turnip. Hollow out vegetable with a sharp knife, making a large enough indentation that the tea candle will fit down in the turnip. (This is going to take you a while.) As you are working, concentrate on cutting the evil out of your life. Throw the turnip pieces at a crossroads at midnight (or as close to it as you can get). Put the piece of paper at the very bottom of the hole. Cover the paper with sea salt and visualize the manifestation of cleansing energy. Sprinkle black pepper on top (thinking of evil leaving your environment). Set the candle on the mixture. Use the black marker to ring the outside of the turnip with pentacles.
Hold your hands over the turnip. Visualize a white light glowing, and then growing around the turnip. Light the candle. Think of white light encompassing your environment, leaving no place for evil to hide. Allow the candle to burn completely. Remove the candle. Over the next thirty days the turnip will begin to shrink and collapse in onto itself. Do not remove until your environment feels free of negativity. When you feel comfortable, throw the turnip in the trash.
Practical Tip
What to expect when you call 911—if you are in a situation where you need to call for fire, police, or medical assistance, you need to be prepared to answer some specific questions. The operator will need a brief description of what has happened. They need to know where and when the incident occurred (or is occurring). Is anyone injured? Are there weapons involved? Are any suspects still in the area? What does the person/motor vehicle look like? Who are you (including your name, address, and phone number)? If you are reporting a crime or accident, you can remain anonymous, so don’t call just because you don’t want your name involved. Someone’s life may depend on your action!
Candle Magick for Court Cases
Court case magick can get complicated. As a rule, the complications rise exponentially with each witness or player in the drama. Your attorney expects you to have detailed information and this will help you in your magick. For any court case magick, you will need to write on a piece of paper:
• The name of your attorney.
• The docket number of the case.
• The title of the case (e.g., Spot vs. Piewacket).
You should also try to get the business cards of your attorney and anyone else involved in the case. On another piece of paper, write down the name of the individual going to court against you, and the name of his or her attorney.
The energies of Jupiter are often used in legal matters, as Jupiter is seen as the Great Beneficent, carrying expansive energies. Jupiter’s energy allows us to benefit from our inherent qualities and talents and, more importantly, helps us to recognize opportunities as they become available; therefore, this spell seeks out opportunities that will be beneficial to your case.
Other Supplies: 1 purple seven-day candle; 4 blue candles; a pin or nail; cinquefoil; powdered mustard; a brown candle for anyone testifying against you, or for a civil case; a gold candle for yourself if you are being sued; rose oil; a white candle for the judge (unless it is divorce court, then the candle for the judge should be red).
Instructions: Place the paper with your name, your attorney’s name, the court docket number, and the name of the case under the purple seven-day candle. Inscribe the sign of Jupiter (
) on the four blue candles withs a pin or nail. Surround the purple candle with the blue candles. Say:
The Goddess reigns supreme.
She is clothed with the sun,
the moon beneath her feet.
She holds in her arms the
strength of the universe.
She cannot be dethroned.
She is joy, truth, order, and hope.
None can depose her.
She is the beginning and the end of all things.
The God is my protector and my champion,
and lends his power to her.
The floods of discontent have
lifted up against me,
threatening to engulf me.
The waves are the many voices of my enemies.
The Lord and Lady are mightier than the many waves of mine enemies’ sea.
My testimony and those who testify for me
will be sure, strong, and winning.
In the names of the Lord and Lady,
victory shall be mine!
Clap your hands to seal the spell. Sprinkle cinquefoil and powdered mustard on the paper with the names of those who are against you. Place the names of those testifying against you under the brown candle.
Dress the judge’s candle with rose oil. Place the name of the judge under the white or red candle (depending on what color you chose). Light all remaining candles, and say:
Plead my cause, Goddess, with them
who strive against me. Fight against them
who wish to harm me,
or who speak out against me.
Take hold of your shield and sword,
my Lady and Lord, and stand up for me.
Draw out the spear and stop the way
against those that persecute me.
Let them be confounded and shamed
that seek to hurt me. Let them be turned back
and brought to confusion that devise my pain.
Let them be as chaff before the wind;
and let their Karma chase them.
My Lady, Great Goddess of the angels,
send your messengers on the wild hunt,
seeking them out, bringing their actions to rest
in their own arms. Send them to the pit they,
themselves, have dug.
Let their karmic destruction
come upon them at unawares and let their words
catch them and snare them in their own deceit.
Rescue me, my Lord and Lady,
from this adversity.
Let not my enemies rejoice over me.
Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion
together that rejoice over my hurt;
let them be clothed with shame and dishonor,
and may it be magnified against them.
Rise up now, great Lord and Lady,
and deliver justice in my favor!
So mote it be.
Clap your hands to seal the spell. Allow all candles to burn completely. Note: If you have a sword among your magickal tools, then hold the sword above your head as you repeat the last invocation.
To enhance this spell:
• Jupiter’s energies are magnified by the full moon, therefore you greatly enhance the success of this spell if you can perform it under this moon phase. When the energies of the moon and Jupiter are coupled, the combined force is considered the luckiest moment for a magickal working.
• If you are overwrought by circumstances, add the energies of the planet Venus to your working to put emotions to your advantage, especially if your situation is carried in the media.
• For an extra kick to a slow-moving case, add the energies of Mars, though be careful you don’t inflame the issue.
Legal Assistance Powder
Supplies: Black pillar or votive candle; black talc; High John (protection); Low John (protection); cloves (protection); sage (protection and wisdom); rosemary (protection); pipe tobacco (purification); mortar and pestle; drill.
Instructions: On Tuesday (in the hour of Mars if you can, or when Mars is well aspected) mix the above ingredients to a fine powder with a mortar and pestle. Drill a hole in the bottom of the candle. Load with some of the powder. On your court date, sprinkle some of the powder in your shoes. While you are at court, make sure the black candle is at home, burning in the bathtub or kitchen sink.
Banish Media Lies
This very simple spell comes from West Virginia. In the old days (and there are those of us who can remember them) we did not use plastic bags (or disposals) to get rid of our garbage. Nope. Mom used to wrap the garbage in brown paper or old newsprint, then stuff the smelly parcel in the trash can. If someone has written you a nasty letter, or the media is trying to ruin your reputation, or some nut is just dancing plain havoc through your life, it’s time to banish that negativity. This spell is best done on the dark of the moon.
Supplies: Your garbage (food is best because it rots); brown paper with the individual’s name written on it; newsprint or the offending letter.
Instructions: Dump the garbage in the paper. Wrap it neatly, folding it repeatedly. Each time you make a fold, say:
Ghosts and goblins
Bluebirds and robins
Take back your crap
You filthy rat
Numb your tongue
Be deaf and dumb
May your voice fail
Now turn your tail!
Take the garbage to the dump.
To Overcome Anger at Work
Your career is important. It represents many things (and some it shouldn’t), including your self-worth, your perceptions of others, and your security. You can’t perform well if you are angry. Try this spell to help you keep a clear head.
Supplies: Basil; chili powder; black pepper; angelica; a refillable mechanical pencil.
Instructions: Mix herbs together. Grind into a fine powder. Dump out the lead in the pencil. Replace with powder. Empower pencil to assist you in overcoming anger, and carry with you.
Practical Tip
It’s okay to be mad. We do have emotions for a good reason (mainly to give us a vehicle to release stress). There have been occasions in my life when I’ve been so angry that I did not work magick because I knew that if I did, the person I was angry at would most likely end up in a morgue somewhere if I didn’t walk away and calm down. It is natural to be furious—part of the human condition. As we get older, (hopefully) we mature and things that might have upset us in our teens and early adulthood no longer carry the same impact. A magickal group in Arizona trains their students to wait for seven days before working magick if a situation has made them ballistic, so there is time to think things through. This is a pretty good rule, and I’ve followed it myself many times. However, this doesn’t mean you’re supposed to be an unfeeling iceberg, nor does it mean that if you are in immediate trouble you can’t work good, strong magick. Go ahead and work your magick (giving yourself time to think rationally), and remember that your job is to deflect negativity and ask for justice guided by the energy of Spirit.
To Catch a Thief
Although we often think that murder or rape catches the most statistics in the growing wave of criminal behavior, it is burglary and petty theft that take the top numbers in most American cities. Who better to call on than Hecate, Grecian goddess of knowledge, wealth, magick, moon, and the night? Our lady of the night was considered the queen of restless ghosts, believed to emerge when called, “en-twined with fearsome serpents and leaves of oak, amidst a shimmering blaze of torchlight; while all around her hounds bayed shrilly, all the meadows trembled at her footfall, and the nymphs of marshland and river cried aloud.”21 Unfortunately, too many scholars in our time were quick to cast this powerful goddess in a malevolent light (much like the Celtic Morrigan), only to recently re-evaluate her standing among Roman/Greco deities with a bit more professional savvy, attributing to her the ability to bestow honors and good fortune among her followers, as well as primary dominion over that portion of existence the Witches call “Between the Worlds.”
To catch a thief, use this great little spell.
Supplies: 1 black candle; a needle or nail; honey; spider webs (real ones); a piece of paper with stolen items listed on it.
Instructions: If you know the name of the thief (absolutely, positively, no doubt in your mind), then inscribe their name on the candle with a needle or nail. If you are not 100 percent sure, please don’t inscribe anything. Coat the candle in honey, then roll in old spider webs. (Heck, you needed to clean out that cubbyhole in the basement, anyway.) Write what was stolen on a piece of paper and set the paper under the candle. Say the following:
Hecate, Mother of Night, ruler of the moon
Sweep your dark skirts upon the one
Who has stolen from me.
Turn your all-seeing eyes
Your burning orbs of wisdom
To bring focus on the thief.
Let no shred of darkness
No amount of cover hide them.
Come forth! Great Mother
of the Heavens and starry skies
Bring your justice!
Trap the thief in the web of their deceit!
And let them not rest
Until my things are returned
And justice is served.
So mote it be!
Allow the candle to burn completely. Burn the paper.
Note: You can also use this spell if someone has taken your job away from you, beat you out for a promotion unfairly, or moved into a position of authority that you had fairly earned.
Nailing a Criminal
This is an old folk spell that we’ve changed a bit. Originally, you were to nail the picture of the thief to a living tree. We’ve progressed since then to the understanding that trees are living entities and therefore don’t deserve to be abused with hammer and nail. To catch a criminal (or someone who is doing nefarious, immoral deeds), try the following spell.
Supplies: Hammer; nails (coffin nails if you can get them); graveyard dirt (or the substitute version on page 90); a picture of the criminal (if you do not know who the criminal is, then list the crime(s) on a piece of paper).
Instructions: Under a full or new moon, take the hammer, nails, graveyard dirt, and picture outside. Nail the picture into the ground. Sprinkle with the graveyard dirt. Ask Spirit to help the proper authorities catch the criminal. (If a murder or other violent crime has occurred that was in the newspapers, you can use the newspaper article if you don’t know who did it.) Sprinkle with the graveyard dirt. This spell takes approximately thirty days to manifest. If the criminal is not caught in thirty days, renew the graveyard dirt, again stating your petition. Continue until the issue is resolved.
To enhance this spell:
• Perform on a Saturday in the hour of Saturn.
• Perform on the dark of the moon.
• Design a shrine to Hecate for continued assistance when protection of home or family is needed.
Practical Tip
If you are the victim of a crime, try to remain calm. Do not show any signs of anger or confusion. If the attacker is after your purse or other valuable objects, don’t resist. Make a conscious effort to get a description of your attacker. Prac-tice matching words to things you see to help you remember. Call the police immediately. They will ask you for your name and where you are. Expect it. Contact your local victim assistance agency. You are not weak if you seek help.
Other Inventive Ideas
to Catch Criminals
• Use a mousetrap. Spring the trap on the picture of the criminal, asking that the authorities discover the proper bait to use to catch them.
• Stuff the criminal’s name or detail of the crime in a roach motel. Write the word “Jail” on the outside of the box with black marker.
• Load a black pillar candle with crushed nightshade. Carve the astrological sign of Saturn (
), for constriction, on the black candle. Paint with a sticky substance, such as honey. Empower the candle to bring energies to catch the thief.
• Use fly or mouse paper. Write the crime or the criminal’s name on the back of the paper. Create an effigy of the criminal with toothpicks and stick to the paper.
Practical Tip
Are there such things as moon-influenced crimes? Law enforcement officials think so. Just as the moon affects the tides of our oceans and manipulates our weather patterns, so does she fiddle with human emotions. Remember, the moon represents receptivity, and when full, she is in all her glory. It is no joke that through the history of humankind many spells were performed on the full moon. Why? The ancients knew the powerful forces that could manifest if combined and channeled in a useful way. Magickal people learn to capture the force of their own heightened emotional sensors under her influence, and to use that power to effect change. Workings under the full moon will carry more influence than at any other time of the month. Experts have also noticed a slight increase in criminal behavior the three days prior to the new moon as well.22
Triple Action Protection Incense23
This is for those really nefarious cases. It has a powerful smell, so make sure the room is well fumigated. Best made on the full moon.
Supplies: Mortar and pestle; 1 tablespoon copal resin;
1⁄2 tablespoon frankincense resin; 1 teaspoon myrrh
resin; 3 pinches dragon’s blood resin; 9 drops rue oil; 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed vervain; 1⁄4 teaspoon crushed cinquefoil.
Directions: In mortar and pestle, coarsely grind copal, frankincense, myrrh, and dragon’s blood resins. Add rue oil and mix well. Add vervain and cinquefoil. Mix. Store in a jar or plastic bag. Add to charcoal to burn.
Fearless Phantasm
There are times when a full ritual is required, rather than a spell. This particular ritual is used to bring stalkers, criminals, and abusers to justice. Goddesses of choice would be Kore (early Grecian), Hecate (Grecian), the Morrigan (Celtic), Sekhmet (Egyptian), or Kali. Kali is associated with various energies, including ceremonies, healing, time, death, courage, luck, education, knowledge, and war. She is seen as a primordial being and, as such, is incredibly powerful—a mother guardian for those who seek her assistance. She is a Hindu goddess and the symbol of eternal time. She gives life and she destroys it. Sometimes she is portrayed with the head of a jackal. Although much ado has been made about her aspects of destruction, she also soothes fears and provides a natural death to situations that have gotten out of hand. The Dark Mother of the Hindi, she is the triple goddess of creation, preservation, and destruction. Few Western scholars understood the profound philosophy of the Hindu belief in Kali, seeing her depicted as a man-hungry, man-hating demon, and thus have done her a great disservice over the years using inaccurate interpretations. It is from this goddess, not the Christians who eventually claimed it, that we have the Creative Word. Kali reminds me of a stern Southern mother (like mine) who might say, “I brought you into this world, and I can take you out!” Kali is as her name means: Becoming.
Supplies: Black illuminator candles; sage; 4 white candles (votives will do); person’s picture; 3 tapers (white, red, and black—these are the colors of Kali, known as Guanas: white for the Virgin, red for the Mother, and black for the Crone); the person’s name or the situation written on a piece of parchment in dragon’s blood ink (To make dragon’s blood ink, mix 1 part dragon’s blood, 15 parts alcohol, and 1 part gum arabic).
Setup: Place the two illuminator candles on the altar. Sage the room, or use triple action protection incense. (If you are a practicing magickal person, perform your full altar setup and rite of consecration.) Place the four votive candles at the quarters (north, east, south, and west) around the place where you will be performing the ritual. Put the picture of the person, their name, or description of the situation in the center or your altar or table. Inscribe the sign of Saturn (
), the sign of Mars (
), and the sign of Mercury (
) on the three taper candles (red, white, and black). Set these candles on top of the picture, name, or issue. Light the illuminator candles if you have not done so already.
Circle casting: Cast your magickal circle by walking three times clockwise (deosil) around the room, saying:
I conjure thee, O great circle of protection,
So that you will be for me a boundary
between the world of humans and
the realms of the mighty spirits.
A meeting place of perfect love,
trust, peace, and joy.
A cauldron of protective energies
Containing the power I will raise herein.
I call upon the guardians of the east,
the south, the west, and the north
to aid me in this consecration.
In the names of the Lord and Lady
thus do I conjure thee,
O great circle of protection!
When you are finished, stomp your foot, and say:
This circle is sealed.
Call the quarters: Go to each quarter, beginning in the north, and say:
Hail, Guardians of the North (East, South, West),
I (say your name)
Do summon the element Earth (Air, Fire, Water)
Stir my ancestral dead
And call forth Spirit (or you can insert a god
or goddess name that fits that quarter).
To witness this rite and protect this sacred space.
Hail and welcome!
As you move to each quarter, light the quarter candle.
Body of the ritual: Step forward and pick up the first of the unlit, inscribed candles. Hold this candle tightly in your hands. Visualize the perpetrator being caught for their crimes. Hold the candle until your fingers start to thump from the pressure. Take a deep breath and light the candle. Then, slowly, begin to walk the circle, asking for justice and protection from each quarter. Speak in your own words—the more impassioned, the better. When you have made one pass around the circle, move back to the altar, repeating the process with the other two inscribed candles, one at a time. With the last candle, move to the center. Hold up the candle as high as you can, and say:
Mighty Kali, terrible mother!
Goddess of creation, preservation, and destruction.
Dark mother, hear me! I call for justice!
Then explain to the goddess exactly what you need. Walk the circle again, saying:
I conjure a phantasm
Outside of this circle be.
I conjure a phantasm
To bring justice to thee.
I conjure a phantasm
To haunt your every move
To keep you from harming another poor fool.
I conjure a phantasm
To ruin all your plans.
I conjure a phantasm
To search throughout the land.
I conjure a phantasm
With teeth and wings and fire.
I conjure a phantasm
To do as I desire!
I conjure this phantasm
To bring your evil down
I conjure this phantasm
To move without a sound.
I conjure a phantasm
To sniff out your hate, and greed, and sin.
I conjure a phantasm
To pull the justice in!
Keep walking the circle, saying:
Be off with you now
My phantasm of justice
Find (person’s name)
And bring their Karma to bear!
Return to the ether when your job is done.
Lift your arms in the air and visualize the phantasm lifting outside of the circle and zooming to do his duty. Expect things to crash around outside (it happens), but you are safe inside of the circle. Thank Kali for her assistance. Close up the circle by dismissing the quarters (counterclockwise or widdershins). Take up the circle in your hand, once around, counterclockwise. Stamp your foot, and say:
This circle is open,
but never broken!
Allow all candles to burn completely.
To enhance this spell:
• Perform near the ocean, seen as a representation of the great abyss from which Kali birthed the human race (the primordial deep).
• Add seashells, sand, and other representations of the sea to your altar.
When It Gets Pretty Deep:
The Rite of Thesmophoria
Thesmophoria is actually the name for an ancient ceremony of honor focusing on the law and justice in the name of the Grecian Goddess Demeter. You will need an athame (magickal knife or dagger) for this ritual.
Supplies: Mortar and pestle; allspice (healing); orris (protection); patchouli (lust); cinnamon (power); sandalwood (wishes); clove (exorcism); 1 black pillar candle; situation or person’s name written on a piece of paper, or a photograph; a bowl of honey; a bowl of milk; 2 taper candles; 4 brown votive candles dressed in protection oil; a picture of a loving goddess (we are using Demeter for this one, but you could choose a different goddess if you like); athame.
Setup: Mix allspice, orris, patchouli, cinnamon, sandalwood, and clove with mortar and pestle into a fine powder. Load some of the powder into the bottom of the black pillar candle. Save the remainder and set aside. Put the paper or picture in the center of your altar. Place the black pillar candle on top. Put the milk to the right and the honey to the left of the black pillar candle. Complete setting up the altar using the brown taper candles for illuminator candles. (Magickal people can use their familiar altar devotion and altar setup.) Cleanse and consecrate the altar. Put the quarter candles at the compass points of your circle—north, east, south, and west.
Circle casting: Walk the circle once clockwise (deosil), and say:
Around and about me
Above and below me
I conjure a circle of protection and power.
North and east, south and west
I add these energies to my enchantment.
O great circle of art, I conjure thee now!
And legions await my word!
This circle is sealed.
Call the quarters: Go to each quarter, beginning in the north, and say:
Hail, Guardians of the north (east, south, west),
I (say your name)
Do summon the element Earth (Air, Fire, Water)
Stir my ancestral dead
And call forth Spirit (or you can insert a god or
goddess name that fits that quarter).
To witness this rite and protect this sacred space.
Hail and welcome!
As you move to each quarter, light the quarter’s candle.
Calling Spirit: Stand at the center of your circle. You will now call on Demeter by holding your arms up straight over your head and repeating the following (or words of your choice):
Holy Mother
She of many faces and many names
Bright Mother
Come now to my rite of Thesmophoria
Great Mother
She of fair and equal justice
I ask for your intercession
I give to you the sacrifice of milk and honey
I call you forth into this circle
to assist me in my time of need!
The body of the ritual: State the purpose of your ritual, then dip the athame first in the milk, then in the honey. Hold your athame over the candle, and say:
Queen of the Moon
Queen of the Stars
Queen of the Horns
Queen of the Fires
Queen of Earth
Bring to me the justice I seek
For it is you, bright Lady
Who gives birth to the Hidden Children.24
Light the pillar candle. Hold the athame over your head, then slowly bring it down to the flame, and say:
Gracious Goddess
Holy and Divine
Answer to the call of nine!
One—I stand before thy throne,
Two—I invoke thee alone!
Three—I hold aloft my blade,
Four—Descend! The spell is made!
Five—Lend thy gift to give it life.
Six—Thy unwielding strength into my knife.
Seven—On earth, in sky, and sea,
O gracious Goddess, be with me!
Eight—Come now as the call is made,
Nine—Give thy power unto my blade!25
Poise the blade over the candle flame and think of the justice that you seek. Allow the power to flow through you until you reach an altered state, then think once more of the justice you seek, take a deep breath, and plunge the blade into the pillar candle (be careful not to burn yourself). Then say:
So be it ardane!
Remove the blade. Thank deity. Close quarters by thanking them and wishing them farewell. Take up the circle in your hand in a counterclockwise direction. Put this energy into the candle by holding your hand over the flame (not too close) and visualizing the power of the circle entering the candle. Say:
This circle is open, but never broken!
Clap your hands or stomp your foot. Clean your blade. Allow the candle to burn completely. Offer the milk and honey to the animals on your property. When the candle has finished burning, break the pieces and scatter at a crossroads.
Practical Tip
Date rape is a serious crime that is confusing and often goes without the victim reporting the crime. Rape, regardless of who commits the act against a woman or a man, is a felony sexual assault that leaves the victim injured and traumatized. Victims of rape, especially when that rape is committed by someone they know, often feel that it is their fault, assuming false responsibility for the attack. Therefore, the crime often goes unreported. To avoid date rape: if you don’t know your date well, drive your own car, or better yet, double date. Communicate your limits firmly and clearly. Don’t rely on ESP to get your message across. Stay sober. Listen to your inner self. Don’t be afraid to make a scene if you feel threatened. Attend large parties with friends you can trust. If you are a victim of rape—don’t wait. Contact the authorities immediately. If you wait, valuable evidence will be lost, and the chance of successfully prosecuting your case may be endangered.
Practical Tip
In dealing with domestic violence, doing nothing solves nothing. It is a crime to threaten another person. Don’t stay in your home, get to a safe place. Call a twenty-four-hour battered women’s hotline. Call the police. If you are in this situation, do not think that you can control it. Follow through on your call. Write down the detective’s name that is handling your case. Don’t ever believe “I’ll never hit you again.” Think about your future! If the batterer refuses to seek help, it is unlikely that the beatings will stop. Even if you have never worked before, you can become self-supporting. Don’t stay in a bad situation because you think you have nowhere else to go. You do. Refusing to look at the situation is called denial. Seek counseling after you have gotten out. A large percentage of women go back because they have not had appropriate counseling. A victim of domestic violence has often been brainwashed by the offending party over a period of time, often years. The victim needs to be reprogrammed for her health and continued survival. I ought to know. Twenty-two years ago, I was a battered wife. You can make it. I did.
When Things Get Deeper Still:
The Rite of the Furies
Although this rite works well for all sorts of nasty circumstances, it was originally designed for parents whose children have in some way been harmed by a person or a group of people, or for a woman who is the victim of domestic abuse. The Furies are, perhaps, the oldest images of Greek matriarchal law. This triple goddess combination punishes transgressors who have acted against a maternal line, and were originally called the Erinyes (the Avengers). These are the Daughters of Earth and Shadow, thought to be the most ancient of spirits, perhaps stemming from the belief in ancestral spirits or angry ghosts of the murdered. They will not desist until the expiation of the crime. To see them is to witness strong, determined women carrying weapons of slaughter. As with the last ritual, milk and honey are considered acceptable offerings to these deities.
Supplies: Anointing oil; a bell; an empty journal book; a red pen; a black candle.
Instructions: Anoint your forehead, breastbone, left shoulder, right shoulder, and forehead (again). Cast a magick circle. Hold your palms together at chest level. Close your eyes and breathe deeply for at least one minute. Concentrate on the light of the universe focusing on the criminal(s). It’s okay if you can’t see their faces, just concentrate on universal truth infusing the circle and the situation.
Put your hands down at your sides and move your feet apart. Slowly, raise your arms, accepting the holy light into your body. Say:
Daughters of Earth and Shadow.
Avengers of the universe, hear my plea!
Ring the bell. Place your hands on the open journal book and, with the red pen, poise over the pages. Say:
As I write the name of the criminal,
I ask for justice!
Write the name. Ring the bell three times. Hold your hands over the black candle, and say:
As I light this candle,
I bring forth justice!
Light the candle. Ring the bell three times. Put the bell and the candle on top of the book. Stand back, begin to clap your hands, and say:
Bell, book, and candle;
no more victims, no more scoundrel.
Bell, book, and candle;
Furies right and furies left;
catch them now, justice met;
Bell, book, and candle.
Keep chanting, envisioning the Furies coming down from the heavens and snatching up the criminal(s). If you have a drum or rattle, you might want to use the instrument to help you raise power.
When you are finished, ring the bell three times. Release the circle. Allow the candle to burn to completion. When the criminal has been caught and brought to justice, burn the book. Do not use the book for any other purpose.
Tips for Reporting
Suspicious Activities
So what’s this stuff doing in a magickal book? Just because you want to do spells does not mean that you should practice selective awareness. If you are the witness to a crime or you observe suspicious activity, here are things you should try to remember.
For a vehicle:
• License plate number and state.
• Color of vehicle.
• Body style (2-door, 4-door, SUV, pickup, convertible).
• Location and direction of travel.
• Description of occupants.
For a person:
• Race.
• Gender.
• Clothing: hat, jacket, shirt, pants, shoes, dress,
blouse, skirt.
• Unusual habit or odd characteristic.
• Facial features: hair color, hair length, facial hair,
glasses, scars, missing teeth, height, weight, location
and direction the person was heading.
Be alert. Be aware. Be confident!
Working Things Out
Whenever unfortunate things happen to us, we carry our anger and frustration inside of us. Although we may get involved and do things to change the system that allowed something to occur, we still need to funnel that anger. If we do not deal with our negative emotions, one of the following is most likely to happen:
• You will get sick—cold, flu, or something worse. I’ve noticed a number of back injuries over the years that actually coincide with traumatic events in a person’s life where they thought that the fate of the world was balanced upon their shoulders, and that they would eventually lose.
• Your personality will reflect negativity, bitterness, and so on. You meet these people all the time, don’t you? When I hear of a particularly nasty person, I always wonder what event (or events) brought them to this juncture in life.
• The negativity of your anger affects your environment, pulling you closer to poverty or whatever your deepest fear may be.
• You completely bury the anger in your subconscious where it may manifest years later in an emotionally crippling way.
Over the years I have collected several ideas on how to deal with anger.
• Weave the negativity into cords that you can burn or vines that you can throw into a living body of water.
• Sit down. Put your shoulders back, breathe deeply several times, and imagine that the negative energy is leaving your body, and positive energy is entering. Shoulders still back, extend your right arm so that it is parallel to the floor and stretch those muscles. Turn the palm up and down while stretching. Try not to overstretch. Slowly bring that arm over to rest in your lap, palm of the hand cupped as if you are holding the waters of life. Now do the same thing with your left arm. Take a deep breath and let yourself sink into relaxation. You can spend as much time in this position as you like. Use to begin or end any meditation or visualization sequence. This is also a nice exercise before or after a daily altar devotion.
• Banish your anger by writing a letter that details your feelings. Call the Roman Goddess Vesta, asking for cleansing and purification, then burn the letter in a ritual fire.
Tying Things Up
There will be instances where, although the worst is over, there are loose ends to be handled. Many times we try to avoid those little wigglers, but they’ll come back to haunt us so we might as well do something about it. If these loose ends involve another person that you are still speaking to, then you may wish, as a unit, to do this spell; for instance, two friends who have had a blowup, have resolved the worst, and now must work out the rest of the issues if they are to keep their relationship.
Supplies: Several yards of black ribbon; a small paper plate; a hole punch; tissues (if you are doing this with a partner—trust me, you’ll need them); a plastic resealable bag large enough to hold the plate.
Instructions: Cast a circle and call the quarters. Ask for the attendance of Spirit. Carefully count out pieces of ribbon, 13 inches long, that match the number of issues unresolved, plus one ribbon for the “unknown”—something you forgot or just don’t recognize right now. Punch the matching number of holes in a circular pattern around the small plate. Thread each ribbon through a hole, visualizing the issues as resolved. Tie a knot at both ends of the ribbon, and say:
The circulation of anger, hatred,
and hurt is cut off.
I shall not be carried off by the flow of negativity.
So be it ardane!
If you are doing this with a partner for whom you need resolution, expect to bawl. The catharsis experienced by tears is good for the soul, so don’t bother to hold back.
When finished, offer the beribboned plate to the universe, asking for closure. Place in a plastic resealable bag. You can add healing herbs to the contents of the bag if you like. Bury off your property.
Practical Tip
If you are a victim of a violent crime, you will most likely experience lasting emotional effects. Do not suppress your feelings of anger and frustration. There are a number of agencies in your area that will be willing to help you work through this unfortunate event. There is nothing to be ashamed of. If you are a friend or relative of a victim, please lend your emotional support and be available to listen. It might be wise if you also contact help agencies (check to see if your insurance has a phone helpline service available) so that you are armed with the appropriate responses that your friend or loved one may need. In most states in America, if you are a victim of domestic violence, you have the right to go to court and file a petition requesting a Protection from Abuse order. For more information, call your regional Domestic Violence Program.
It is my sincere hope that the spells and practical ideas in this book enhance your life in a positive, productive way. I’d like to remind you that these spells should not be substituted for intelligent action in any situation, and should not take the place of proper medical or legal counsel.
And remember, don’t call up what you can’t put down, real or otherwise.
Love,
-Silver RavenWolf
19. Willow Ragan is a writer and visual artist with a degree in photography. Her Craft studies began in 1978 and have included various traditions. Currently living in the wilds of the Ohio Valley, she is the editor of Leaves, a publication of the Temple of Danaan.
20. ©1998 David Norris.
21. Robert Von Rudloff, Hekate in Ancient Greek Religion (Horned Owl Publishing: Victoria, Canada, 1999).
22. Lori Reid, Moon Magic (New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1998), p. 34.
23. Made by Morgana of Morgana’s Chamber.
24. Jessie Wicker Bell, Grimoire of Lady Sheba (St. Paul, Minn.: Llewellyn, 1972).
25. Ibid.