“After a rainstorm, go to roadside and hunt for the flattened remains of a toad. If these cannot be had, you may substitute with the bones of the same creature. Add the remains to a jar along with a hen’s egg – and to the same: a concoction of equal parts red wine, vinegar and storm water.
Powder the dried leaves of the mayapple and lacy crown of Queen Anne. Mix with shredded tobacco and add to the pot.
Seal the stew with a drop of blood and lid the jar. Swirl the contents three-times clockwise, three-times counter and three-times clockwise once more.
Bury this in the earth [in your own yard] with the lid exposed and let steep for 9 days. On the 9th night, exhume the jar and take it to the graveyard. Remove from within the egg, and bury this at the yard’s center most cross and use the jar’s remains to water the earth above it.”
“After a rainstorm, go to roadside and hunt for the flattened remains of a toad. If these cannot be had, you may substitute with the bones of the same creature. Add the remains to a jar along with a hen’s egg – and to the same: a concoction of equal parts red wine, vinegar and storm water.
Powder the dried leaves of the mayapple and lacy crown of Queen Anne. Mix with shredded tobacco and add to the pot.
Seal the stew with a drop of blood and lid the jar. Swirl the contents three-times clockwise, three-times counter and three-times clockwise once more.
Bury this in the earth [in your own yard] with the lid exposed and let steep for 9 days. On the 9th night, exhume the jar and take it to the graveyard. Remove from within the egg, and bury this at the yard’s center most cross and use the jar’s remains to water the earth above it.”
While serpents ordinarily rule over life/death/rebirth, fertility and the dichotomy of “good/evil” and light/dark, wishes need not be confined to these parameters – apply instead the concept of the kundalini,the force of desire. || for more information on my use of the serpent, see Feeding the Black Serpent ||
A Few Uses
The Wishing Serpent: To use, simply write your desire, beginning where the neck of the serpent meets the head. If you choose to recreate the sigil in favor of printing (when this sigil is used at its exact size, the “uncoiled” measures around 3 feet), ensure there is room to complete your desire. Cut along the lines, which should leave you with a long, serpent ribbon. This is best performed outside, though it may be done inside away from flammables over a large-mouth bowl. Using a candle placed on the ground
(of a fitting color – red works as a default), allow the tail of the serpent to catch, holding the snake by its head, allow it to burn from the bottom to the top. If used inside, scatter the ashes to the wind, otherwise they have already been aptly scattered.
The Healing Serpent: Utilizing much of the same procedure as above, write the name of he/she you wish to heal 7 or 9 times upon the face of the sigil – again, starting from the neck of the serpent. Cut along the lines. Coil the serpent back and flip it over, on the reverse, write 3, 7, or 9 times the name of nature of their ailment(s). Using a black, white or red candle, perform the same process as above – reading the prayer:
Coiled serpent, now – Unwound – Behest: My bidding, go about The soil, Viper tongue splayed – Oh, Black Serpent, Recant the poisoned- Tooth venom, And devour that sickness That you hath cast, Recant – by witch’s will – And feed it to the forge.
The Witches’ Watch: Should an event arise that calls for a timed ritual, this serpent might serve as time-keeper –such as for opening the realms, crossroads work, evocations, invocations and possessions. Simply cut along the lines and drive a piece of cotton cord or thread through the head of the serpent and hang it in a safe place. When you are ready to begun your working, ignite the tail with your working candle – burn times vary based on paper used, circulation, temperature, etc. I recommend trying a test burn using the same paper and location, to get a general idea of your time frame. Play with the size of the sigil to shorten or lenthen your working time.
The Poison Serpent: On the face of the sigil, write out your unsavory desires, perhaps something to the extent of: “May the poison serpent rot the flesh and mind.” On the reverse, write your victim’s name nine times, beginning not at the neck, but at the tail. This pairs the elevation of your desire (over your victim) with the symbol of their force of will (to fight) being eaten away as the serpent is devour by the flame and freed into the aether. Collect the ashes and blend with sulphur powder, a poisonous plant of your choosing (ideally one that’s symptoms match the nature of your desire), iron oxide (optional) and bone dust (optional).
There are countless uses! Please, by all means get creative with it! I’d love to hear what some of you guys [would] do with it!
I have a particular fondness for ivy – admittedly my house
looks like it’s being swallowed by it – but its uses seem rarely discussed.
Even doing a compulsory sweep of the net, few things were turned up that were little
more than speculation and supposition. I can’t speak for all – but I use ivy
(common ivy, English ivy, Hedera helix)
for protection (the leaves grow 5-pointed), love (given its twining nature),
and longevity and strength-of-will (evergreen and resilient). There are other
varying correspondences applied (associated with the rulership of the Moon and
Saturn), but these are the three I note most emphatically.
One of my favorite ways to use ivy is as a purse or satchet –
of which the construction is simple.
You Will Need
(2) Ivy Leaves – large and as alike in size and shape as
possible
Red/Black Thread – any color would do, I just have a
fondness for black and red; white works fine if nothing else is available
Needle
To construct…
Simply trim the woody stems from the leaves and turn their
faces in on one another, aligning them as best you can. Thread your needle and
stitch around the leaf leaving at least a ¼ in. “allowance” around the outside –
though you will not be turning it inside-out. Tight stitching is required,
otherwise once the leaves dry they will shrink and leave spaces for the
contents to fall through. Leave at least an inch, though I recommend two (as
the leaves have very little give) at the top by which you can stuff the purse.
Hint: If you are unaccustomed to sewing (or sewing by hand)
you can hide your initial knot by beginning the first stitch from “inside” the
leaves – simply cut off any excess thread left visible.
With that, step one is complete!
Recipes
Protection
Ivy – used passively as a protector – might divert disaster
or hard-ship when grown on the house and I’ve found it also helps to keep
unwanted or unsavory spirits from entering. For a more “offensive” form of
protection, you can use this. This can be used for the protection of “self” or “home”
(of course, “self” extends to any person) – the only real difference will be
the simple glyph painted on the exterior.
Rose Petals (dried) – red or white
Rosemary
Angelica
Basil
Salt – black or white
&
Brick Dust (just a pinch)
Finish by stitching the purse closed. For “self” upon its
face paint a simple figure (think the little dolls the Blair Witch makes) and
surround it with a circle – this may be carried or place in an actual purse or jar. For “home” just
paint a simple house shape and, again, circle it – hang it above the door
through which guests enter.
**You can also bless it with a prayer to St. Michael**
Love
Ivy has been used in wedding rites for centuries often as a
symbol for protection and longevity – but it also presents an innate love
drawing quality – given its shape.
Lavender
Rose Petals – red, pink or coral
Rosemary
Brown Sugar
Cinnamon
For this one, while unnecessary, I find you can actually
stitch the icy in a heart shape – best with red thread. Fill, and finish by
stitching the top closed. Spritz with a bit of perfume and either carry or
place under the bed to attract love. You can also thread red ribbon through it
and hang it above the bedroom door.
Health & Longevity
Basil
Bay
Apple Seeds
Oak – either dried, crushes leaves or an acorn (if it will
fit)
Fill and finish. On its face you may paint the caduceus – the
double helix – or a sigil/glyph of your choosing. Collect from the four corners
of your yard, a handful of dirt – combine the dirt with a mix of your hair,
blood, etc. and place half of it in a suitable sized jar. Place the purse in
the jar so that it sits vertically and fill the rest of the way with dirt. Lid
and keep near you while you sleep – i.e. under the bed, on a bed-side table,
etc.
The Qedavian Apocrypha 