Graveyard Dirt: Dig Deep

One of the traditional methods of gathering graveyard dirt for hexing purposes is to dig “one arms length” deep near a grave and obtain the dirt from there. Dirt closer to the grave was believed to possess a particular quality essential to successful cursing. As Zora Neale Hurston explains in her book “Tell My Horse: Voodoo and Life in Haiti and Jamaica”, this was based on more than just mere superstition. She writes:

"Sir Spencer Wells ( "The Disposal of the Dead") Shane found germs of scarlatina in the soil surrounding a grave after thirty years.
Dr. Domingo Foriero of Rio de Janeiro,"If each corpse is a bearer of millions of organisms specific of ill, imagine what a cemetery must be in which new foci are forming around each body! More than twenty years after the death of the body, Shane found the germs of yellow fever, scarlatina, typhoid, and other infectious diseases."

Usually a powder would be made by grinding other poisonous and symbolic ingredients in with the dirt along with any personal items of the intended target. The powder could be administered a number of ways, the most common being sprinkling and blowing. Sprinkling would be done either in a person’s “foot tracks” or within a path that they would be known to walk and step in it. A blown powder would be blown directly into the face of the victim. With the toxic elements in the dirt and other ingredients it is easy to see how harm could befall a person that came in contact with them either from inhalation or absorption through the skin via pores or open wounds. But what about in cases where the body or bloodstream does not come into contact with the poisons? That’s where pharmacology ends and sorcery begins.

Through ritual the powder is charged with the malevolent intent of the black magician as well as the energy of any spirits that they may call upon to aid in the working. Also each physically toxic ingredient carries an equally deleterious subtle energy signature in itself. Once the victim’s astral body comes in contact with these energies the baleful elements go to work a psychic level until it ours over into the physical which should result in illness and in extreme cases even death. So even if a doctor manages to treat each physical ailment that presents itself they will never eliminate the real problem. Dr. House M.D. may be a damn good doctor but a Houngan he is not, the victim is screwed.
So in essence if you plan on doing some good ol’ fashioned goofering with graveyard dirt, dig deep and get to the real poison. May heaven help your victim, or not….That’s the subject for another blog, and another time.

With Regards,

Brother Ash
"You must have the Devil in you to succeed in the arts." Voltaire
"Don't quote me boy cuz I ain't said shit." Eazy-E