Begin by mixing black mustard seeds with a blend of powdered red, chile pepper and sulphur. Reserve a few tablespoons and use the rest to cast a small working circle. Within, draw the above seal with red or white chalk.
Upon the seal, take a walnut and carefully crack it open down the “seam” doing as little damage as possible. Remove the nut from within and pulverize it. Blend the powdered nut with the reserved mustard/chile mixture and return it to the shell. You may recite a curse – naming the target, or simply spit maliciously therein with their name (and your intention) on your lips.
Seal the halves as best you can with wax from a black hex-candle (an inverted black candle that has been lit from the bottom) and wrap around with black thread or yarn nine times. You may then seal it further with the wax if you so choose.
Bury this in their yard or place it in a black bag and hang it from a tree upon their property. The madness will come.
Add a little zing to the ritual by tossing in a sprinkle of goofer dust and/or bathing the charm in crossing oil.
I thought it would be interesting to make a sigil that not only had magical meaning, but served the purpose of lending itself to that meaning. So, naturally, I immediately thought patience. Of course, the patience comes from recreation: following the lines in such a way that is almost maze-like. It isn’t pretty, but it isn’t meant to be as it is easy to mimic order, but much harder to mimic chaos.
I don’t suppose any of you have the Dalí Tarot do you? I’m interesting in buying it and I was wondering how you guys felt about it.
Standard
@southernbellewitch a ritual to communicate with a specific person in a cemetary would be amazing
Hey! Just saw this! I actually speak on that in my post Communing With The Dead post! Though if you want more specifics, just shoot me a message or an ask.
I haven’t posted a dream in awhile – they’ve been relatively uneventful or just personal – but this one (which wasn’t a dream, more of a meditation) was intriguing.
The vision began with me following after a woman in a cloak – it seemed as though it was in a desert, the sand glowed a warm pink and orange, as though the sunset was on the horizon, though above the night sky stretched out in either direction. I followed after the woman, who laughed gently at the prospect, chasing the long cape which mimicked the night sky – trailing, and seemingly made of the cosmos. She reached the rocky summit and turned to check my progress and I knew this is where she had been leading me. She had never been trying to evade me, but take me to where I needed to be. I saw her face then, worn and leathery with the deepest creases I had ever seen. She smiled at me and her eyes disappeared beneath her full cheeks. She shot a knobby hand to the sky and I followed it and the stars – which numbered more than I have ever seen – began to connect like a web, then forming into constellations. Both into ones I knew and ones I didn’t. I finally settled on Taurus, and was instantly drawn into another place.
I rode on the neck of a bull, hands holding fast to the sweeping horns, chuckling wildly as I fought to hold on. I flipped over its head, landing on a stone road, surrounded by what looked like warriors. They held spears and shields and I realized I was one of them, a man. We skirmished playfully, and with a swing of the spear, I was beneath the earth – a priestess, draped in gossamer lengths of layered fabric. I seemed to be imprisoned behind crossed, iron bars that formed like a lattice around me. The stone floor was wet and filthy and I sat, soiling the pristine fabric draped about me. Something terrible had happened.
As I looked to the ceiling of my prison, I was in what seemed to be a monastery or an old cathedral. I wasn’t in the sanctuary, but somewhere off in hidden rooms. I was dressed in the garb of a nun, and the atmosphere was hazy, heavy with smoke that rolled from abandoned thuribles/censers. Through the odd haze, I saw through the window an old, cross-shaped grave in the cemetery outside that seemed to glow in the mist. Before me, in the small room sat a woman – her skin was blue (in pigment, not bruised or cyanotic) and bare except for chain jewelry that hung about her arms and waist. She sat on a stool (or perhaps nothing) with one foot beneath her and another hanging free. Her palms faced me – colored the brightest shade of scarlet, like they had been painted – pressed forward as though against glass and between her thumb and index finger hung a rosary or strand of prayer beads. I could not see her face, because over her head had been placed a strange veil or hood. But she sat there, motionless. I walked up to her and touched my palms to hers, looking curiously from beneath my own coif. At that point there came a string of very very fast visions, but I cannot remember them and it was at which point I was pulled back.
It was all very interesting; the blue-woman was most certainly fascinating. And while there was something about it, that such a figure should be seated within the rather impending, rigid setting of a church, it did not feel strange at the time. I felt as though I needed to free her.
Passion and all that entails – lust, infatuation, rage,
aggression, obsession, power, drive and motivation, domination, feminine power,
etc.
She is ruled by fire – the fearsome aspect of the planetary
energy of Venus, volcanic and volatile. In a sense, she is the domineering
match to the masculine Mars, the traitorous seductress. Despite our own moral
connotations with such – she is not marred by our own virtue, for she exists
unabashed and guiltless. She cannot be controlled, she cannot be mastered, and
she cannot be owned. Her rage is explosive, her hunger insatiable, she is decadence
and gluttony, she is wrath and vanity – and she will not be judged for it. What
she wants, she takes; what she desires, she deserves. Conversely, she is the master of passion – with the power to
incite and dispel it. She is the dichotomy – the renunciate, the hedonist – and
everything in between. Under the guise of the Red Sister, she is the picture of
virtue – she who abhors the material and casts away all worldly possessions,
she is the ascetic and the chaste. “You may know my nature – but do not presume
to know my intention.”
Offerings, including but not limited to:
All things beautiful, lush and expensive – fine wines,
champagne, perfumes, sweet cigars/cigarettes, beauty supplies, jewelry, roses,
red candles bathed in oils, sugars and syrups, decadent foods (such as
chocolate or anything deemed an aphrodisiac); but on the darker side: knives, sulphur,
blood, red chiles, illicit substances (though not recommended – for your own
good)
(For the Red Sister: white or red roses, anointing oils,
flavorful “peasant” foods)
Ideal locations for workings:
Taverns/bars, brothels, street-corners,
places of luxury or excess – she is also particularly suited to bath rituals
and mirrors.
To Call Her
Gather a collection of offerings, a square of red cloth or a
mirror on which you have drawn her Seal (above). Drawing it in red lipstick may
garner you some bonus points. Upon this, the offerings will be presented.
Prepare yourself by dabbing on some perfume or inspecting your own image in a
mirror. Music is always a welcome addition to workings with her, as dancing is
a great way to align yourself to her energy. When you are ready, light 3 or 7
red candles and begin your working. Hymns may be sung and prayers may be said,
though I offer none. As with the Black Mother, I recommend speaking freely –
give yourself over to the power and allow the words to flow ecstatically.
Passion is rarely planned, but captured in a moment. Allow it to run through
you.
Once the connection has been made, you might make a plea to
her. What that will be is entirely dependent on what you need, but do so
honestly. She can easily see through lies and she will draw from you truth –
often truths you do not want to face yourself. But without facing them, you
cannot be free, and you cannot grow. Allow your guilt and shame to be expunged
by her fire and let it ignite within you its passion. Be warned, though,
obsession follows her – be sure to set up clear lines when working with her. I
don’t lay a circle often, but for this it is recommended.
When you are through, leave the offerings for her. Thank her
graciously and give her a respectful bow. You may now leave the circle.
It is recommended that upon the completion of your request
that you leave another offering to her as a gift of thanks.
For those familiar with Quimbanda, many manifestations of Pomba Gira are a perfect example of the Red Queen – and much of this working mimics her observance, though less specialized based on aspect.
Darkness, chaos, the
esoteric, the infernal, “demons,” but on a more personal level: things
forgotten, the subconscious, fear and the primal aspects of the psyche.
While
she can be sharp, her teachings are rooted in cosmic understanding – she is the
ever-present, the one who sees all, but remains passive and patient, biding her
time until her force might be unleashed with catastrophic fervor. Do not fear
her – for despite her power and frightful epithets – she is nonetheless a
great, maternal force. “To understand, one must be demanded – for Truth is an elusive concept.”
Offerings, including but not limited to:
Blood – of most any
variety (dark wine will also suffice), meat (raw or otherwise), black candles
(turned upside down), ashes, water – rain, sea, spring, river, lake, black
soil, obsidian, sulphur, spiderwebs, etc. No
fire or lit candles.
Ideal locations for workings:
The darkness – night, caves,
empty fields, near water, anywhere dark and secluded, but even a dark room
stripped of as much light as possible will do.
To Call Her
Gather a collection of offerings, a square of black cloth, and
(optionally) a bell with a low, vibrational tone – a gong or singing bowl would
also work. Before the working, on the black cloth, mark her Seal (above) in ash
(chalk or paint would also suffice). Upon this, the offerings will be
presented. It is important to do this beforehand, as the working should take
place in complete darkness (or as complete as can be arranged). Given that this
should be done blindly, there is no hymn to be sung or prayer to be read –
instead, speak from the heart. Ask her to come, trust your intuition and delve
into recesses of the mind. Present a desire, ask for her help, ask for her presence.
While those with Sight may catch a glimpse of her, she prefers to remain
shapeless, present as a serpentine energy – one that coils about in the shadows
and reassures the practitioner. Do not fear,
but trust the Darkness.
Once the connection has been made, you might make a plea to
her. What that will be is entirely dependent on what you need, but do so
honestly – there are no secrets, she knows – do not try to mask your true
intentions or desires, for they are already apparent to her. Be forward, be
genuine and she will do what she believes is right.
When you are through, leave the offerings for her. Leave the
scene by taking three steps backwards, turning and walking away without looking
back. If you choose to work within a dark room, leave through the door, at
which point, you may reenter and turn the light on to clean up. The offerings
should nonetheless be left somewhere dark (a basement would do), remote, or
buried.
It is recommended that upon the completion of your request
that you leave another offering to her as a gift of thanks.
mmmmohmygod so who is this Black Mother cuz the only deity or anything called “the Black Mother” is Kali…who is a Hindu goddess, and definitely not someone any non-Hindu folks should be uh…invoking.
but i mean esoteric withcraft and aesthetic right?
Ummm…. No. The post is in reference to the Virgin Mary. In some practices, she is seen as mistress Mary, queen of hell, the virgin whore, etc. Basically an inversion from biblical lore. Some also refer to Babylon as the black mother too.
Actually, @gardenofthequeen is mostly right – yes, that aspect of Mother Mary most absolutely fits the bill, but she is not the only one. The Black Mother is not a single entity, but a mantle worn/occupied by those whom it fits. It is a title. In a sense, she occupies much the same space as “The Devil” from TradCraft – only a more primordial manifestation. Not one entity, but the crown worn by a number of entities who preside over her queendom. It isn’t my place to say which spirits/deities occupy that position – and it doesn’t matter, because when you Call the Black Mother, you receive Her – as she comes. The history of that particular manifestation is unimportant, because they sacrificed their autonomy to serve the function of Black Mother – all of whom are privy to the collective knowledge of the Black Mother.
It seems to be human nature to attempt to limit spirit for our own understanding – but this is antithetical to the nature of spirit – which is boundless and unrestricted by the forces of reality that bind us. We as human erect form and faces for the energies that surround us, we give them names and we serve at their altar – and when these spirits and these energies come, they come as we “know” them to be. But these guises we apply to them, these lines and barriers only limit their nature. I’m not saying destroy these “avatar” forms – but that we should understand that these are not the raw, unadulterated form. The freer we allow our ideas of perceptibility to be, the less confining they become to the Divine.
This isn’t to say that all beings are a manifestation of a particular set of values (i.e. all love goddesses can be equated) because that simply isn’t true. Even if they have a common “ancestor” (for lack of a better word) they are unique in the way they have shaped themselves and been shaped by our intercession.
And, to bring it all home, the Black Mother is not simply a way of equating similar divine entities into one, but a mantle worn by those who choose to wear it – those who fit themselves into such a position. And that’s the big kicker – we aren’t simply cramming puzzle pieces that look kind of similar into a spot that it clearly doesn’t fit, but an entity (or collection of entities, rather) that (at least temporarily) reshape themselves to fit into that position. The Black Mother is that empty position.
And, of course, as with any description of faith – which I shouldn’t have to add, but as soon as I don’t someone will inevitably try to start with some beef: you don’t have to agree with me, but I ask that respect my beliefs – at least on my own posts.
Darkness, chaos, the
esoteric, the infernal, “demons,” but on a more personal level: things
forgotten, the subconscious, fear and the primal aspects of the psyche.
While
she can be sharp, her teachings are rooted in cosmic understanding – she is the
ever-present, the one who sees all, but remains passive and patient, biding her
time until her force might be unleashed with catastrophic fervor. Do not fear
her – for despite her power and frightful epithets – she is nonetheless a
great, maternal force. “To understand, one must be demanded – for Truth is an elusive concept.”
Offerings, including but not limited to:
Blood – of most any
variety (dark wine will also suffice), meat (raw or otherwise), black candles
(turned upside down), ashes, water – rain, sea, spring, river, lake, black
soil, obsidian, sulphur, spiderwebs, etc. No
fire or lit candles.
Ideal locations for workings:
The darkness – night, caves,
empty fields, near water, anywhere dark and secluded, but even a dark room
stripped of as much light as possible will do.
To Call Her
Gather a collection of offerings, a square of black cloth, and
(optionally) a bell with a low, vibrational tone – a gong or singing bowl would
also work. Before the working, on the black cloth, mark her Seal (above) in ash
(chalk or paint would also suffice). Upon this, the offerings will be
presented. It is important to do this beforehand, as the working should take
place in complete darkness (or as complete as can be arranged). Given that this
should be done blindly, there is no hymn to be sung or prayer to be read –
instead, speak from the heart. Ask her to come, trust your intuition and delve
into recesses of the mind. Present a desire, ask for her help, ask for her presence.
While those with Sight may catch a glimpse of her, she prefers to remain
shapeless, present as a serpentine energy – one that coils about in the shadows
and reassures the practitioner. Do not fear,
but trust the Darkness.
Once the connection has been made, you might make a plea to
her. What that will be is entirely dependent on what you need, but do so
honestly – there are no secrets, she knows – do not try to mask your true
intentions or desires, for they are already apparent to her. Be forward, be
genuine and she will do what she believes is right.
When you are through, leave the offerings for her. Leave the
scene by taking three steps backwards, turning and walking away without looking
back. If you choose to work within a dark room, leave through the door, at
which point, you may reenter and turn the light on to clean up. The offerings
should nonetheless be left somewhere dark (a basement would do), remote, or
buried.
It is recommended that upon the completion of your request
that you leave another offering to her as a gift of thanks.
Soak rose stems in an oil of your choosing and use them as incense. I use these when working with Pomba Gira, but such could be done with any spirit or deity connected to roses.
Depending on the oil used, equally good for cleansing in place of sage (which I abhor).
//WARNING: Beware of extremely flammable oils. Test outside first. Many essential oils can be very flammable –I’m referring to steeped oils. They will crackle and pop like a fire, but should do so only gently and without consequence.//
What are some oils you would reccomend of this? I have some dried rose stems that need a use, and would like to try this.
It depends on what you’re looking to achieve. Really – steeped oils such as hand-mixed hoodoo or anointing oils (be wary of those that include lots of essential oils or alcohol-based perfumes) which are just infusions of herbs, minerals and curios are the best for this.
I’d also stay away from animal fats, as they have a tendency to be very smoky and pop. Vegetable oils, like castor, almond or olive work nicely as carrier oils for this!
The Qedavian Apocrypha 