NO...MORE....LOVE......SPELLS!

Okay, I have had it! I honestly don't want to receive another email requesting to get back someone's ex girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, or wife. Also no request to help people have sex with someone that they have no chance of being with. Since this is a blog, I will explain why. First off maybe he/she just not that into you. Yes that sucks and is hard to deal with for sure. That doesn't mean it's worth the time and effort to try and force them to love you. Sometimes you may hit a rough patch and need to sweeten things in a relationship. That is something I can help with. All I ever get is request from people with relationships that are over and the other person is trying to move one. It's been months or years and they are still obsessing. Let it go, it's not healthy. Plus gentlemen as far as sex goes, what makes you think it is acceptable to magically force someone that doesn't want you? You wouldn't physically force yourself on someone (I hope) so don't trying to rationalize doing the metaphysical equivalent.

I am a strong believer that magic needs to come fro a place of power and confidence. Spells like this come from a place of fear and uncertainty. Fear that you can't or won't find someone new. I am more than happy to do spell work to help someone attract someone new for love or just to hook up. 99% of the time when I present that option people aren't interested. They don't want love or satisfaction, just to fulfill an an obsession and ease those fears. It's not how I prefer to work, nor will I waste my time doing so. I charge for workings because my time is valuable, and this isn't worth it. That's another thing, everyone is expecting me to provide them with love struck zombies and have no money to do so! Good luck finding a a worker willing to do what you want basically pro bono. Trust me, this kind of work can be done but it will cost you and more than likely you will be ripped off. One of my things is that I never want to take someone's money just for the sake of making money. I recently refunded someone their money for a reading that wanted to know if I could bring their girlfriend back. I could have just done the reading, gave them a NO and pocketed the money, but that's not how I roll. 

You may have noticed that this post has been generally unsympathetic toward the feelings of the heart broken. That is another reason that I can't do work like this. Sure I have had my heart broken but can not sympathize with thew at all. That keeps me from putting my heart in the work.  In summary the kind of requests that I have been getting lately are fearful, unhealthy, obsessive, and not worth my time. I will however be glad to help anyone that wants to attract something new and progress. That is what I do conjure for and encourage others to use their own for as well. 

You have a Black Cat Bone?

I don't get to rant on this blog often enough, but this one has been on my mind for a while. I see a lot of people online in conjure groups  talking about using black cat bones. They either recommend painting chicken bones, or obtaining ethically harvested bones from a black cat for the work. I think that at least the bones of a black cat are acceptable to work with the spirit of the animal  for luck workings and the like. Brujo Negro has some good information about just that on his website . Of course a chicken bone as a proxy is just plain ridiculous. What most conjure folks are trying to do is create a replacement for the infamous Black Cat Bone charm and avoid the admittedly gruesome ritual involved in obtaining the charm. By all accounts this charm entered Hoodoo practice via the popular grimoire of Saint Cyprian. The ritual is as follows:

"Cook the body of a black cat in boiling water with white seeds and wood from the willow until the meat is loosened from the bones. Strain the bones in a linen cloth and, in front of the mirror, place the bones, one by one in your mouth, until you find that you have the magic to make you become invisible.  Keep the bone with the magic property and, if you want to go somewhere without being seen, place the bone in your mouth."  

I can understand completely not wanting to perform this ritual, and do not personally recommend that anyone do so. That being said, I feel that the rite is an essential part of unlocking the power associated with the charm, and that without carrying out the task one does not have a true black cat bone in the grimoire sense. I draw similarities between this ritual and the equally well known Toad bone rite of Witchcraft tradition. In fact  some hoodooist believed that one method of finding the bone within the ca that contained power was by throwing the bones in a stream and taking the one that floated upstream. This is the method used in the Toad Bone rite. With the Toad Bone, the process of finding the animal, the method of killing it, the harvesting of the bones, the forces called up during the rite, and the obtaining of the bone are essential. In some ways it is a rite of passage and initiatory in some aspects, I would say that the same holds true for the black cat bone spell in a way as well.

This is not just a simple spell, or mindless killing, It is a rite. One can gleam clues of how some workers viewed this process in  the book "Of Mules and Men" where Zora Neale Hurston recounts her own black cat bone ritual, that included a period of fasting before the spiritual undertaking. Periods of fasting usually precede rituals that aim to transform the spirit(s) of those involved in some way. That in my view is part of the aim of the ritual. Lets be honest, this ritual is ghastly and inhumane, which is intended. Mind you it is not as extreme as one of it's predecessors the Taigheirm but I feel it is meant to test the performer on a psychological and thus a spiritual level. Most decent folks would never pointlessly torture an innocent animal, and that is why it tests you. There is a clear line of decency that must be crossed here. Not just one of social convention, or personal moral judgement, but one that you can just recognize on an intuitive level as being "wrong". So then the question that gets asked is, how far are you willing to go for the power that you seek? The process should be hard for you to stomach and get through. If you are a psychopath I just don't think that the rite will have the same deep emotional effect on you.

I am not saying in any way that people should go out and kill a cat if they want an authentic black cat bone charm. I am just saying that we in the conjure community should acknowledge that the ritual served a purpose in empowering the charm, that can't be replaced by any acceptable proxy. One can work black cat magic any way that they see fit, but be honest and know that what you are wielding in no way resembles the legendary charm in my opinion.

Ask Brother Ash

I am going to try out a new segment here for the blog. I love answering questions about sorcery, and in some cases about myself. So every Monday I will answer a question submitted by one of my blog followers. If you have a question  feel free to contact me or shoot me a message on Facebook or Twitter.

My First question comes from - SilverShadow of the Pagan Rapport (@CriticalFault)

"I wondered about geometric placements of candles, incenses, etc. Often you
see people post images of their ritual workings and their materials are
setup in circles, triangles, squares etc. I wondered if you had some insight
on how to use these shapes within a ritual context and what those shapes
meant when they are applied!"

 Like many things with workings I believe that this is a matter of personal preference and based on your own accepted symbolism. I personally tend to use equal arm crosses or "crossroads" quite often, and triangles both in candle configurations, and when laying out certain materials. I use the cross because it symbolizes a metaphysical space and point where all possibilities can be achieved. I use he triangle as a space where spirit can manifest. So my two main go to configurations are a mix of  hoodoo lore, and ceremonial magic thought. Occasionally I will use circles of candles to represent protection as well. If you have a fondness for ceremonial magic or Kabbalistic thought, that can certainly be incorporated into candle workings especially if you are utilizing planetary energies. I would recommend the "Golden Dawn Lecture on Polygrams and Polygons" for reference. In regards to Hoodoo a lot of the candle configurations that you will see are influenced by or come directly from books such as the "Master Book of Candle Burning" by Henry Gamache. In my opinion there are no set rules on this. If it feels right, then do it. If it gets results, do it again. If not, then back to the drawing board.

"Act of Faith" by Alan Moore & Mitch Jenkins

Via Lex Records by way of Dangerous Minds

"It’s raining in Northampton and Faith Harrington has Friday evening ahead of her, her favourite outfit and her favourite face, her top tunes shimmering on the CD player: “When the lamp burns low on the bureau, even though I’m far from you…”

In a curtain-raiser prelude to their forthcoming short film Jimmy’s End, Alan Moore and Mitch Jenkins, with Siobhan Hewlett, introduce us to a world of unfamiliar atmospheres, precarious entertainments, and insidious detail.

Act of Faith unveils an isolated corner of the modern night, where carrion crows become the only comforters and it’s a quarter to eternity…"

(c) Alan Moore 2012

Spirit Offerings

Offerings to Erzulie Dantor 

Anyone that works with spirits knows that presenting offerings to them is a good way to establish or maintain working a relationship.  Everyone gets caught up in knowing which spirits prefer what offerings, or trying to buy the most expensive things that they can.  It is all fine and well to purchase expensive items for your spirit allies that have helped you to attain the means to do so.  It is important to remember the nature of what offerings are and why they are given to get the most out of the act of giving.  To me the act of ritual offering at its core is an energy exchange. Be it food, alcohol, blood, incense, or candles, all offerings are consumed by a spirit on the subtle level. Some workings will even call for giving a direct offering of spiritual energy by way rubbing your hands together until they are hot and then directing energy to flow at the working altar. With this being the case, one of the most important things to consider during the act of presenting offerings is your sincerity.

Why sincerity? Let me offer a somewhat morbid analogy. Consider for a moment flowers left at a grave. Usually a loved one will stand there and have a mix of emotions and feelings going through them at that time. Some of what they are feeling will be expressed vocally in an attempt to reach out and connect to the spirit that is being remembered and honored. Their feelings in that moment are genuine and this act facilitates a flow of energy toward where they are focusing it. The flowers only serve as a token to symbolize what they are feeling and wanting to express. That’s essentially what a spirit offering amounts to in ritual, a symbolic representation of what you want to express rather it’s gratitude or a desire to have them work on your behalf. Even if you view your transactions with spirits to be purely business, sincerity should be considered. If you were to invite a potential client or partner to lunch and simply went through the motions it would be plainly obvious. There is a good chance that you would lose that business. But if during the meeting you were able to show a sincere desire to obtain their business and show how it would benefit them you would have a better chance. In that scenario lunch is the offering, just a token.

So just remember that in the process of giving offerings that your own mindset is just as important to the process as what you give. You can’t bullshit a spirit.

Announcing "High John the Conqueror" and a Twitter Contest!

I am pleased to announce the upcoming release of my booklet, "High John the Conqueror".


Many have heard of High John the Conqueror root, but did you know that High John is also a spirit that you can petition directly? In this pamphlet I lay out my methods for working with this powerful spirit. You will learn:

How to petition High John the Conqueror with a simple ritual.
Traditional offerings given to His spirit
How to make High John Oil
Easy Mojo Hands and Spells
Includes the full tutorial for Brother Ash's Jack Ball.


This 19 page booklet will be available the second week of November in both eBook and print format.

Pre-Order Your Copy Today!

TWITTER CONTEST:

Follow me on Twitter for a chance to win a free copy of "High John the Conqueror" and be entered into a drawing for the Grand Prize! Here is how:

Every Friday afternoon between October 12th and November 2nd I will be tweeting a link to this blog post. If you are the first to re-tweet it that day you will automatically win a free copy of the booklet and be entered into the drawing for the grand prize. Everyone that re-tweets it will be entered into the drawing for the grand prize as well. Every re-tweet is an entry into drawing, so the more times that you re-tweet, the better your chances of winning!. What is the grand prize you ask?

• A copy of the booklet
• Red yarn and wax to make  Jack Ball
• A red flannel pouch for a mojo
• And of course some High John Roots!

Good Luck and thank you for reading Crossroads of Sorcery!

Book Review: "Financial Sorcery" by Jason Miller

The title of this post is a bit misleading. This is not a book review. This is a strong recommendation that you pick up "Financial Sorcery: Magical Strategies to Create Real and Lasting Wealth" by Jason Miller, as soon as possible if you have any interest in the subject. There are plenty of books on money magic, and spell casting systems promising to change your life with one ritual. This is not that book. Miller sets out to answer the question that most practitioners will face in their lifetime. "If magic is real and you can cast sells, why aren't you rich"? For many sorcerers including myself the answer is quite simple. lack of strategy. If you want to talk magical strategy Miller is the man to talk to having already written a book on the subject, and maintaining a blog dedicated to the subject. While this is more than a mere spell book. there is plenty of spiritual and magical information for you to employ in wealth building sorcery. This runs the gamut from meditation and planetary energies, to saints, spirits, and deities to be called upon. There is also plenty here of interest to conjure folk. You will find baths, mojo hands, washes, road opener, and sweetening spells to name a few. The lightening glyphs pf Jupiter are an original and welcome addition to the realm of financial sorcery that I personally plan on employing.

Viral Marketing Glyph

Where the book really shines is in the practical advise in the areas of fiscal planning, entrepreneurial techniques, and job searching. Essentially it reads like a lifestyle design book balanced well with sorcery.If you are a fan of the likes of Tim Ferris or Ramit Sethi you will probably dig this. The book has info on things such as getting out debt, testing business ideas, managing money, interviewing for jobs, and getting promotions. Successful magic hinges on being able to take practical steps toward a goal and backing that up with magic. Financial sorcery has been the hardest nut to crack for many magicians and this is the book to pick up to stat formulating your plan to change all of that, I really can't recommend it enough. In summary,,,,Go cop that s**t son!