"The Secret of Luck"

I found a fascinating video recently that I wanted to share and discuss with you all. It's an episode of Derren Brown's "The Experiments" titled "The Secret of Luck". The goal of the experiment was to spread a rumor in a small town that a dog statue had to power to grant a person good luck if they rubbed it's head. They wanted to see if the belief would take hold, and if rubbing the statue would have an effect on the lives of those that believed. The rumor certainly took hold, and some people did report having their luck change for the better. Of course it is metaphysically possible to endow an object with that kind of power through collective thought and belief. That's not what I found to be the most interesting part of the experiment.

To me this experiment was as much an act of sorcery as an ritual or spell. It is the reminder that deceit and manipulation are a useful skill to have at your disposal. When used the right way it can be used to gain influence over one person, or a group. In my opinion, the difference between a rumor and reputation is how much of the information that you get to control. There are some that would say that this kind of thinking has no place in African American Conjure. To them I would suggest digging a little deeper into their history.

Another interesting thing that this experiment touched upon was the nature of "luck", and those that feel that they have bad luck. The local butcher was sure that he had bad luck. "If it wasn't for bad luck, I would have no luck at all" was the cliche that he gave. What Brown's team found was that due to his personal views, the butcher often overlooked clear opportunities for good things to happen to him. They tested this on different occasions, first by mailing a fake scratch off to him that had he actually scratched it, he would have won a free television. Next the set up a street survey/contest that would have given him $50 had he only stopped and completed the simple task of naming 5 different cuts of meat. Lastly the just put money directly on the ground in his path, and he didn't even see it! This is an important lesson to consider when using a good luck charm. It is important that you are also on the lookout for opportunities. Even with sorcery you can't just wait for things to fall into your lap.

Here is the full episode for you to check out:

Brother Ash's Jack Ball

The Jack Ball or Luck Ball is a traditional conjure charm made to enhance luck, and can also be used as a pendulum to answer yes and no questions. It is sometimes called a Jack ball because of the resemblance to the children's toy of the same name. It also has been called a Jack because some are made with a High John the Conqueror root at the core. At times in High John lore Jack and John are used interchangeably. For example in Zora Neale Hurston's  "Mules and Men" there is a tale of "How Jack Beat the Devil". That story which includes Jack besting the Devil and marrying his Daughter is one usually attributed to the legend of High John. For a good example of how some Luck balls were once made check out "Hoodoo Luck Balls (Jack Balls) By Mary Alicia Owens. In the piece she recounts when she had a luck ball made a conjure man named King Alex  to give as a gift to Charles Godfrey Leland author of "Aradia: Gospel of the Witches". What follows is my version of a Jack ball which does consist of a High John root at it's core. I consider High John to be the primary spirit that empowers my version of this charm.

What You Will Need

1 High John The Conqueror Root

Herbs and Roots of your Choosing

Personal Concerns(hair, nails, etc)

High John Oil (optional)

1 Purple Taper candle

Large Eyed Needle

Beeswax Granules 
1 Bottle of whiskey
Shot glass
Purple Cloth
Red Yarn

First we start off by preparing a place on the altar for Ol' High John. Lay out a piece of Purple cloth (Purple is  a color associated with High John). On that cloth set up your purple candle, shot of whiskey and cigar. These are all offerings to High John for his assistance. On the candle carve in the name HIGH JOHN and anoint with  the oil if you have it. Van Van oil also works fine, or just leave it as is.

Once that is all set up, light the candle and as you do so say something to the effect of, " I light this candle in name of, and in honor of High John the Conqueror". Present him with the offerings, and then in your own words ask him for assistance for empowering the charm and ask him to let his spirit come to dwell in the root that bares his name. Now you are ready to " feed" and wake up his root. To do this, take the root and dip it into the shot of whiskey. This feeds and empowers the root. Next it times to  really wake up the root by knocking on it. We do that by tapping the root in the altar with the rhythm of two quick taps and then one slow. Tap,tap---tap. Do this sequence 3 times for a total of 9 taps. As you do so talk to the root and High John and let him know exactly what you need him to do for you. In this case bringing luck in all aspects of your life, attract money, conquering obstacles, increased sexual power, etc. Now let the root set while we prepare the rest of the charm.

Next make sure you have your herbs, and personal concerns ready to go. I chose things that I associate with attraction, luck, commanding and power.My Jack balls always include a Devil's shoe string (broken into an odd number of pieces), Licorice root powder, Dragon's blood resin, Patchouli, Lodestone Grit, and Periwinkle. This one I also included Frankincense and Myrrh, as the person I was making it for also needs help conquering spiritual and health obstacles. You use whatever herbs and items seem correct to you.

Next you are going to want to heat up your wax granules. I use an oil burner and tea light. You don't want to melt them just heat them up a bit.  Usually only takes about 30 seconds or so. This makes them more malleable sort of like clay. Sprinkle your herbs and roots (leave the personal concerns aside for now) over the wax and then scoop them up. Use a spoon if you like. I actually just remove the glass from the heat and scoop it right up with my hand. I am no stranger to having hot wax on me. Take that last comment however you want.....

You should end up with a lump that looks similar to this. Work quickly before the wax cools, make a divot in the lump using your thumb and add the High John root and personal concerns. Then form the wax around these into the shape of a ball. 

You should end up with something that looks like this. 

Now you start to wrap this ball with your red yarn. Starting with a pattern similar to the one above and continue the process until the entire thing is tightly wrapped. I wrap the ball pulling the yarn directly from the spool instead of trying to cut a set length just yet. 

It should look like this when you are done. Now we are ready to start making the "tail" of the charm which allows it to be used as a pendulum. 

Pull about an additional foot and a 1/2 length of yarn from the spool where you finished wrapping the ball. This will become the first part of the tail. You will want to push the needle under the yarn at the top of the ball and out the other side. Use that to Pull the yarn all the way through which creates what will be the first part of a three strand tail. 

Once you have your single strand on yarn pulled through. Tie that off in a know like so..

I apologize for the fuzziness of this pic. Sometime's my phone just sucks.

Now you will want to cut another long piece of yarn double the length of your current tail and thread it through the top of the ball in the same manner. Pull one end all of the way through.

This should leave you with three tails coming from Jack Ball. Make sure that you square them up to an even length. Now Some people braid the three together. I am not a fan of braiding but if you are then feel free to braid them together. What I do is tie all 9 knots into the tail about as equal lengths apart as I can get them.

What I do to measure is tie the first knot right at the base. From there I use three fingers to measure the distance from that knot and wrap the yarn around the third finger and knot it there. Continue this process until you have all 9 knots. "By knot of nine, what's done is mine". I don't actually say the traditional witches chant as I tie the knots, but it is hard not to have it at the back of my mind during the process.

Now all that is left is to feed and bring life to this charm. This is where your cigar comes into play. Light your cigar and blow some of the smoke at High Johns candle as an offering to his spirit. Usually give it a good three solid puffs. Then I will hold up the Jack Ball and blow smoke directly into the ball itself and focus on breathing energy and life into it. I will then blow smoke up the length of the tail. Leave the cigar still smoking in an ashtray or something fire proof in front of or near the candle. Now it is time to feed it some whiskey. I lay it down on the purple cloth in front of the candle and take a swig from the bottle and pray it onto the ball from my mouth. I then repeat that process for each knot in the tail. Talk to the spirit that now dwells within the Luck Ball and remind it of it's task. Thank High John for his assistance and leave the offerings for him over night while the candle burns and the charm dries.

The next day you will want to cover your Jack Ball.  Some people put there's in a red flannel pouch like a mojo hand. I like to wrap mine in purple cloth and tie it up like so.

\

I assure you that is purple. Again stupid phone!

If possible take the offerings to High John and leave them at a crossroads. If that's not possible Pour the whiskey on the ground outside and dispose of the cigar. Your luck ball is now ready to use. For men it should be kept in your right pocket, for women if possible keep it in your bra or just carry in your purse. You need to feed your Jack ball whiskey regularly, preferably once a week to keep the spirit strong. 

A quick note. Some might ask what to do if they avoid alcohol and don't smoke tobacco. Well Goody two shoes if "ya don't drink, don't smoke",(Kidding of course. Perfectly reasonable and healthy lifestyle choices) there are alternatives. If you don't mind using whiskey, but don't prefer to drink it, then just sprinkle the whiskey where it calls to be sprayed from the mouth. If you choose to avoid alcohol completely use Hoyt's cologne to feed the charm. That is a perfectly acceptable substitute. As far as the cigar goes again if you don't mind tobacco but don't want to smoke it, then burn some on a charcoal block and pass the charm through the smoke, You may omit the tobacco if you like and just have the whiskey be the only offering and method of feeding. While emitting the blowing of the smoke is fine, it is still important that you breath onto the jack ball and infuse it with life. That is essential to it's creation. 

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial. If you make one of your own I would love to see pics of them. Feel free to post them on my wall on Facebook, or just shoot me an email. If you don't care to make your own but would like to experience the power of this awesome charm then head on over to my shop page and pick one today. Here is what one client had to say about my Jack Ball:

"Wtf! I've never been a lucky man, never had much of a chance with the ladies one little ball and holy shit! Rock nd roll all night and party everyday! This guys knows is stuff!  D.K."

Fixed Nutmeg Charm

Nutmeg Charm and Gator Foot Charging on My Altar

There is a traditional Hoodoo charm that calls for drilling a hole in whole nutmeg and putting quicksilver or liquid mercury sealing it with green wax. It used for bringing luck in gambling, games of chance, and money matters Many these days like to avoid using the dangerous liquid metal and instead substitute tin foil, silver mercury dime shavings, and magnetic sand. I don't feel that these substitutions have quite the same energy as the real thing so I prefer to "kick it old school" with my nutmeg charms.I came across an old thread on a message board recently where someone was asking about a spell to win the lottery. The thread had died down but it inspired me to make some fixed nutmegs as well as charge a gator foot that I had for gambling luck as well. I made them today in on the day of and in the hour of Jupiter to utilize the planet's energies in the charms. My process is pretty simple so let me break it down for you.

You Will Need :

• One Whole Nutmeg
• Liquid Mercury
• Dragons Blood Resin
• Van Van Oil
• Money Drawing Oil
• Power Oil
• Bayberry or Money Drawing Incense
• One Blue Candle
• One Green Candle
• One Purple Candle
• Red Flannel
• 3 Cinnamon Sticks
• A Power Drill or Dremel Tool
• Wooden Matches
• Eye Dropper (Optional)

Step One: Drill a Hole in The Nutmeg

Using your power drill or Dremel, drill a hole into your nutmeg. Be careful not to drill all the way through.  Use pliers or something to grip the nutmeg in place while you drill. Tap the nutmeg upside down on the table until all excess dust is clean from the drilled hole.

Drilled Out Nutmeg

Step 2: Add The Mercury

Use your eye dropper to add the quicksilver to the drilled hold. **Be Careful When Working With Mercury**

Step 3: Add Dragon's Blood Resin 


Add a small chunk of Dragon's Blood resin to the hole on top of the mercury. We are going to use the resin as the first seal to the hole. Light one of your wooden matches and use it to heat up the resin so that it form as sticky seal above the mercury. You may have to use more than one match, but the resin will melt a little and form a seal. This little tip was given to me by one of the rootworkers that owns the local shop that I get supplies from. Dragon's Blood is also carried for good luck and to attract riches.

Step 4: Seal with Wax 

Now take your green candle and anoint it with money drawing oil. If you want to scribe a petition or symbols in it you can as well. I carve the $$¢¢$$ sigil into my candle. Light the candle and let the wax drip into the hole until it is full.Set the green candle into a holder to burn completely.   Let the wax solidify before you move on to blessing the charm. 

Completed Nutmeg Charm

Step 5: Bless and Charge the Charm 

 There really is no set way to bless and activate this kind of charm so you can feel free to use the following ritual or design your own. 

Jupiter Symbol

Now that you already have the green candle  set and lit. Position this candle to be the apex of a triangle that will be formed by the other two candles. Anoint your purple candle with power oil and set it as the bottom left point of the triangle. Anoint the blue candle with van van oil and set as the bottom right of the triangle. You can scribe a petition on the  blue candle if you desire. I carved the planetary symbol for Jupiter and $$¢¢$$ sigil into my blue candle. 

Nutmeg and Gator Foot in Triangle

Next lay a square of red flannel in the center of this triangle.You will use this fabric as  a pouch once this is all done. It can be about the size of a sticky note. Doesn't need to be too big for a nutmeg. Anoint the cinnamon sticks with money oil and arrange them in a triangle on top of the flannel. You can now light your bayberry or money incense. Take your nutmeg charm and pass it through the flame of each candle. As you do feel it being charged with the energies represented by that candle. After passing the charm through each flame, hold it over the incense smoke and focusing on charging it with your will as it is further charged with money drawing energies from the smoke. Lastly lay the nutmeg in the center of the triangle and anoint it with van van oil making the sign  of an equal arm cross and recite the 65th Psalms.  Let the candles burn down. Once the candles have burned down use the red flannel to form a small pouch and tie it up. You could also sew a small pouch if you are so inclined. This charm can be fed with van van oil, whiskey, or Hoyt's cologne.

I made three  of these today. One was for my personal use but the other two are available for sell to my readers. You can have can have your very own traditional fixed nutmeg charm made by Brother Ash for only $20! First come first serve, get yours now! I will be doing some additional charging and prayers for the charms over the next few days (those have to remain secret for now. A sorcerer has to have his secrets right? Trust that this charm will be well charged.) and yours will be ready to ship by Monday.

Psalms 65 

1 Praise awaits You, O God, in Zion;

    to You our vows will be fulfilled.

2 O You who hear prayer,

    to You all men will come.

3 When we were overwhelmed by sins,

    You forgave our transgressions.

4 Blessed are those You choose

    and bring near to live in Your courts!

We are filled with the good things of Your house,

    of Your holy temple.

5 You answer us

    with awesome deeds of righteousness,

O God our Savior,

    the hope of all the ends of the earth

      and of the farthest seas,

6 Who formed the mountains by Your power,

    having armed Yourself with strength,

7 Who stilled the roaring of the seas,

    the roaring of their waves,

      and the turmoil of the nations.

8 Those living far away fear Your wonders;

    where morning dawns and evening fades

      You call forth songs of joy.

9 You care for the land and water it;

    You enrich it abundantly.

The streams of God are filled with water

    to provide the people with grain,

      for so You have ordained it.

10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges;

  You soften it with showers and bless its crops.

11 You crown the year with Your bounty,

  and Your carts overflow with abundance.

12 The grasslands of the desert overflow;

  the hills are clothed with gladness.

13 The meadows are covered with flocks

  and the valleys are mantled with grain;

  they shout for joy and sing

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