One of the more consistent areas of discussion that comes to my door centers around the idea of creating opportunities. Its been my experience that folks often look to cultivate these wonderful circumstances through overt, powerful-feeling extremes, though that's not often the appropriate response.

It is instead more useful to edge forward, one step at a time, being mindful of what you're trying to create without overdoing it. Too much force applied at the wrong time will destabilize oneself enough that taking advantage of fortunate occurences will become arduous. Better instead to conserve energy while taking one step at a time, ever mindful of the ability to create advantageous circumstances through chain reactions.

In whatever you seek, be it friendship or love, gain or stability, these things are achieved through time and consistent efforts, not through grand displays. ;)

Blessings,
SE

Hey there folks,

In relation to my last post on taking back control in 2019, I thought I'd talk a little about the herbs that are controlling in nature here. That's a subject that gets talked about some, but its not enough for my liking.

There are more than a few out there, so I'll be starting with a short list of herb names, their Latin identifiers where possible, and their virtues so that new & practiced hands alike can make use of the information herein.

High John

For starters, we've got the old standard known as High John Root or High John the Conqueror. Its a staple of  many hoodoo-centric conjure practices, and as a result it can be a bit difficult to find. From what research I've done, High John is a member of the Ipomoea family of herbs, though which specific subspecies tends to be a subject of hot debate. I've had really good luck with Ipomoea jalapa and Ipomoea pandurata, but your mileage may vary and you should use what you've got access to locally where possible.

These are a relative of sweet potatoes and Morning Glory varieties, so there's a fair bit to work with here. If you cannot gain access to one of the two specific Latin names mentioned above, look for a Morning Glory type with flowers that are colored according to your needs. If you're looking to straight up control another person in a general sense, pick purple flowers. If you're looking for financial growth, and thus want to inspire your boss to be kind during your reviews, go with a Blue or Yellow Morning Glory. Love? Pink and Red. 

The seeds should not be ingested, as they have a substance in them that can cause you to hallucinate. Bear that in mind if you have small children or animals around. 

If you can get the roots, they should remain whole, as its from their wholeness that they derive their power. You can place a whole High John root into an oil and consecrate it as a means of creating a Compelling Oil.

The seeds should be crushed before use, as the act of macerating them seems to wake up the spirit within and make it more compelling my nature. This is likely owed to the hallucinogenic properties thereof, and once crushed they can be mixed into a fixing powder to be used with candle magic or placed in a sachet to be worn around the neck to create the ability to compel others to do as you ask.

High John works by causing others to want to impress someone of greater perceived power. It doesn't threaten others or anything of the kind, it just inclines others to believe that you are of great spiritual weight and worth adhering to the wishes of.

For a controlling herb, it is actually quite gentle. Powerful, but not aggressive, per se. My two cents, anyway.

Rue

Next up, we have Rue, also called Ruta graveolens. Its a compelling herb that works by way of inspiring others to do as you ask because if not, discomfort will be had by all. Its not an aggressive herb, per se, but its influence is felt poignantly.

When you use this to control another person, you're telling them "if you don't do this, you will be uncomfortable". Only do this if the thing you want them to do is going to be more comfortable by comparison to the spellwork's effects. Otherwise, it will be a wasted effort and won't get you much in the way of results.

Bear this in mind, as too much Rue will seriously unbalance your work and create more trouble in the process. Used correctly, it can be used to cut some of the excess sweetness from sweetening rituals, for instance, as a means of making for longer-lasting results.

I'd recommend using it as an additive to oils and satchets, rather than as the base component of the Work.

Devil's Claw

Devil's Claw, or Harpagophytum procumbens is a controlling herb that grasps the attention of a person, place, or thing. It controls the mind and the processes the mind gets up to, and can thus be used to get someone stuck on an idea or a concept. It incentivizes the idea of going along with a plan, rather than upon resisting the idea or goal, and can thus smooth the road when used in an interviewing process or as a means of generating the attention of another.

For instance, if your crush has a hard time paying attention to you, use some Devil's Claw with Rose petals, Rosehips, and crushed Guarana seeds to cause them to be energized by communicating or interacting with you. Carry it in a sachet that contains the person's photo for best results.

Devil's Shoestring

This is another old favorite, and it is otherwise referred to as Black Haw or Viburnum prunifolium. This is a controlling herb in the surest sense of the word, but engages in this role not by controlling the mind, but rather by controlling what others have the ability to do. Its a constraining herb in this sense, and can be used to create difficulty in getting away from whatever duty or aim you seek to have this person achieve.

As an example, if you've got a partner that's trying to divorce you, use Devil's Shoestring in conjunction with a disruptive herb like Mustard seeds to keep them from being able to get the help they need to do so. You can then follow this with works meant to assist reconciliation, causing leaving to be much more difficult than staying, thereby buying you time to sort out all but the most irreconcilable of differences. 

It works beautifully in powders and oils. Do yourself a favor and keep it out of alcohol, as while technically you can extract the good parts by doing so, it creates a more War Water-like concoction that will not help you as a controlling herb.

Solomon's Seal

Solomon's Seal is a member of the Polygonatum family, and I've had best results with the multiflorum and biflorum varieties. This herb is consumed as tea in places like Korea, and its works wonderfully as a controlling herb when used to seal access to things. In essence, it acts as a kind of ID card, imprinting your image and intent into things.

If you use this, for instance, with Dragon's Blood (Croton lechleri), it creates a kind of sticky insistence that the person abide your wishes. When appropriately blooded and applied, it essentially acts as a "Read Only" effect on your spellwork, making it more difficult to undo or muck about with.

Combined with High John seeds and Frankincense, it can be used as a manifestation base for spirits and inclines them towards fulfilling your aims provided they are realistic. No spirit's going to be willing or able to do ridiculous things if they're outside of the realm of possibility, so bear that in mind.

When mixed with crushed Copal and Palo Santo, Solomon's Seal works wonderfully as a negativity-dismissing concoction, either sprinkled or burned. Its a kind but firm way of claiming a space as yours, and works wonderfully as a floor wash.

Calamus

Calamus, otherwise known as Sweet Flag or Acorus calamus is a domination herb that works by bending the mind towards a specific task. It must be accompanied by other herbs that guide its process if you want the ritual work to be stable and effective over the long term. 

It causes the target to obsess, slightly, over their directed focal point, creating neurosis and a fixed need to achieve that aim. It can be ignored, but its influence creates substantial anxiety, meaning its not a very kind herb in this respect.

Its stubborn and insistent, overpowering other herbs used alongside it, so bear that in mind when portioning out ratios to use. If its outnumbered, it'll start to tame ever so slightly. Otherwise, expect that the person will just be dominated and left without real direction, meaning that a set and forget spell can often be a bad idea with this herb.

There are more controlling herbs out there in the world, but this is enough to get you started.

Enjoy,
​SE

Its a sad state of affairs when folks hit rock bottom - one I've been hearing more and more about over the past few months. It seems the tax-time slowdown was more than a good chunk of society could handle, and now there are more than a few of you looking to pick yourself back up.

I hope to provide some guidance here, as that can feel like a pretty miserable place to be.

The image I've chosen above is a fair means of capturing the essence of descending to your nadir. When one achieves that state of being at the lowest point in their arc, its easy to get side-tracked by despair and feel like the whole world's against you and you'll never get out.

This state of mind is something of a trick, though.

I know, it sounds cliche, but think about it: When you finally hit that point where everything else has been stripped away, you're finally clean. You aren't clothed in finery that traps you, and you're not really bound to anyone or anything. You've given all there is to give and others have taken all there is to take.

From that point forward, you've got optionality. You can cultivate brand new means of generating wealth, making yourself happy, and choose to start over if the thought appeals to you.

So embrace the Fool when you seek to restart your journey. He's a pretty solid advisor when the going gets rough, as he's endured it all before. ;)

Be well,
​SE

In this time of need and financial desperation, I've been noticing that there's been a great deal of interest in getting out-from-under bad debts, vocational entrapment, and in finding better financial straits. Knowing this, I'd like to help.

In this post, I'll be providing several means of helping yourself to achieve success. Some of these things will be magical, whereas others will be somewhat more mundane. Many float somewhere in the middle of those two extremes, as magic is amazing at helping you to grease the wheels.

For those of you who are familiar with Geoff Gray-Cobb, Elubatel is something of an old hand at success rites. Whether E appears to you as male or female, it's essence is powerful and generally pretty positive.

I highly recommend printing this sigil out and lighting a daily offertory candle to Elubatel. It certainly can't hurt.

Jason Miller talks about this a lot in his work, and I feel similarly: offerings are very important. Its like giving thanks for the help you've gotten from others, only it can include spirits too.

To use an analogy, If you're living in a neighborhood and one of your neighbors is generous & friendly, and another is sort of a stingy jerk, you're more likely to help the nice guy out when he needs it. Offerings make you the nice neighbor, and so they really can't be overused in my experience.

Whether you decide to light incense for the spirits around you or pour booze out for them, take the time to do so. Over a few weeks you'll likely notice a substantial shift in your life.

Yep, I know. For some of you, this is the scourge of all that is holy. We frequently don't want to take physical actions to sort ourselves out, but this is an important one.

Take the time to dust off your home, clean your magical goods, reconsecrate them, and remove extraneous crap from your home.

Do you have a bunch of stuff you no longer use, or clothes you no longer wear? Time to take those things to Goodwill (or another such establishment) to donate them, as the very act of donating things can be seen as an offering too.

The less clutter and distraction you have, the better. You don't want to have more & more stuff getting in the way of your focus, as it screws up your energy flow and messes with your juju.

Once you've cleared out your home, its time to do the same thing with your mind.

As time allows, find yourself a comfortable place to relax, sit yourself down with some pleasant-smelling incense and retreat inwards. Close your eyes, stop moving your lips, and just watch what comes to the surface.

Don't try to interact with these things. Just take note of them and keep a journal.

Generate some good-will and aim it at yourself. This might seem like derpy new-age material, but you're a complex organism with a great deal going on. You need to take care of you, just as much as you're inclined to take care of others.

Put another way, generate some good vibes for yourself. Light candles with the intention of looking after yourself. It wouldn't be wrong to view blessings as offerings for the self. :)

If you believe in a higher power, work with Saints, or otherwise have a specific Divine avenue you'd like to use to better your life, backing your work up with prayer is a good way to go.

Pray for happiness, monetary success, and financial health. Those are good goals that most spirits aren't going to take issue with.

For those of you that are like me and secretly love sigil magic (well, not so secretly here), yep, I'm telling you to play around and have it.

In doing all of the above things, you'll have primed yourself for having the mental attitude necessary for magic, so sigils are a good way to go. Here are a few to get you started:

If you can't be positive, be neutral.

Its a simple enough statement, but take it to heart. The calmer you are about your situation, the more available you'll be when opportunity strikes.

Blessings,
SE

As mentioned previously in my post about Timing, astrological happenings can have a major impact on everyone.  How much of an impact and what sort of impact any heavenly changes and transits have upon an individual depends largely upon their personal natal chart, so some folks are bound to be more heavily swayed by an event than others.

Before I proceed further, its worth acknowledging the facts that by & large, astrology is a divisive concept: some love it and swear by it, others hate it and call it silly nonsense. Some fall right in between, and are admittedly rather agnostic where such concepts are concerned. Let there be no mistake: astrology and the associated changes are crucial to understand.  Like it or not, you're at the butt end of a giant cosmic joke where the aforementioned are concerned, and you can either acknowledge and use it or simply be used by those changes. You're never going to free yourself from their influence entirely, as its going to mess with you even if you don't want it to.

Modern science may well say its junk "science", but the reality is that Police Stations staff more officers during the full moon because they've seen this in action. Same goes for Emergency Rooms. If you think this is nonsense, pull up a lunar calendar and watch just how nuts people go during the Full and New moons. Observation trumps "science", in my experience, as there are plenty of things that we simply do not understand at this juncture. Give it another 30 years and we may then have a bead on why these events effect us so.

Having called as much into the limelight, the reason for my post today is that we are currently undergoing a Mercury retrograde. It started as of September 17th and will end on October 9th. Between now and about two weeks from the end date on the 9th of October, you're going to be dealing with the effects thereof.

We're also dealing with a Pluto, Uranus, Chiron, and Neptune retrogrades at this time. That's why things have been uniquely unhinged for the past while.

What that means is relatively simple: when a planet goes retrograde the darker side of its influence comes out to play and the positives get put on the backburner.  The Universe is in a constant balance of woeful and wealful influences, so right now we're dealing with the wealful influences of Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn. We're dealing with the woeful influences of Mercury, Neptune, Uranus, Pluto and Chiron. 

Taking a break from the recent discussions on energy work, it feels appropriate to discuss timing from a magical perspective. It seems its a subject of little discussion.

All things in life have their rhythms, and each of them is cyclical.  Sometimes observing those rotations is crucial to being successful, and others its not all that useful.

In martial arts, one frequently performs drills to get in the habit of observing how another person moves and reacts. One such drill I've used in the past involves staying in contact with a sparring partner as he moves his arms and attempts to attack using short movements. A simple version of this can be found in this video below:

It might look a bit silly, but the purpose of the drill is to get into a flow that speeds up or slows down according to the movements of your training partner. This is one of many such drills, as I've seen the same sort of thing used in Tai Chi, Kenpo, Brazillian Jiu Jitsu, Karate, Kali, and several other arts.

On a spiritual level, it works the same way. One can learn to observe how others flow in order to better help them, for example.  When healing a target, understanding when they sleep, how long they sleep, when they eat, how they respond to those things, and how their internal clocks tick can be used to time work more effectively. Setting a healing rite to occur at the same moment a person eats a tonic-filled meal can be an incredibly potent practice that takes a great deal of work out of the arrangement long-term.

The same concept can be applied to the external rhythms seen in nature through astrology. Understanding lunar phases, the movement of the Behenian Stars, and the transits of the planets can be incredibly potent when applied to workings.  On a simple level, the Moon's status can be used to cause an effect to grow (while the Moon is waxing) or to decrease (when the Moon is waning). This logic applies to any and all states within the Universe so long as they effect what you are attempting to work with.

Keeping this in mind, becoming aware of how those transits and changes affect you is very important as well.  I can't tell you how many times a client has done something harmful as a result of being impacted by a retrograde they didn't know about. Less frequently, sometimes folks get crazy lucky as a result of making a business decision at the right moment, and it catapults them ahead.

Just like watching the stock market, using those energy fields appropriately is a matter of observation and wisdom, so I suggest you start paying attention.

So too, when performing magical work for yourself, this can be useful. If you know what's coming around the mountain in a social situation, you can use it to your advantage. Let's say, for example, a woman you're interested in is going to be at a party and you know you're going to try to ask her out later on in the evening. Blessing her day and then glamouring yourself such that she's more inclined to lower her guard around you can be just enough to make her more likely to pay attention to you and want to make her day even better by acquiescing to your request for a date. Someone's going to be more likely to say yes when the opportunity is seen as positive and they've been having a good day.

Likewise, doing things before their time can sometimes be harmful.  Doing work to get a promotion when none exists, for example, can get you a bunch of attention from your superiors during a financial pinch point. If you get that attention and then don't rise to the occasion, you could well find your job in jeapardy.  

Just some musings to consider.

Be well folks,
SE

Since I've been asked a number of times about vampirism and its application, etc., I thought I'd talk about it here. I've discussed it some on StudioArcanis in the past, and it seems that its brought up a fair deal of interest.

For those who are unaware of what vampirism is, it is essentially the practice of feeding off of the energy of others.  What one does with that energy is a matter of personal choice and one's needs. 

Traditionally, one stricken with vampirism requires the energy to survive.  The use of another's life force is a means of prolonging their own existence. Most folks don't work that way, but there's exceptions to any ruke.

Vampires can be born, made, or the traits can be adopted.  Those are listed in order of respective rarity, with those who are born into it being the most rare.

Those who are born into it, either with some defect or simply some internal need to feed for the sake of internal growth, work differently than those who have been made or who've simply adopted the practice. Their bodies function differently, both on a physical and spiritual level. The energy they're required/programmed to siphon works as an internal mechanism that can automatically cause their bodies to heal more quickly, or can be funneled towards spirital or emotional growth. Its an automatic process that can be changed through will. Usually, those born into it become aware of their tendecies and can choose to modify them in a way that works for them.

Made vampires are usually turned into a sort of parasite through trauma.  Sexual assualt, severe bodily harm, or emotional breakdowns can cause such a thing to occur. They are generally broken individuals who have immense difficulty getting by, so instead of functioning in a normal or healthy way, they intentionally or unintentionally cause harm to others as a means of illicting a negative response. The energy of that negative response is siphoned from and then used to make the offending party feel better for a short while. These folks are often literal drains on society, be it financially, emotionally, or spiritually.  These guys are like the Westboro Baptist Church of the vampire world. They're basically trolls (no offense to the land spirit) who get off on being jerks.

My experiences with those sort of folks has been nothing other than unpleasant.

The third kind are those who make themselves into vamps.  Most techniques for it involve willfully siphoning energy from other targets, as if it were some sort of predatory game.  It can be used to help and heal others or hurt them, depending on the psychological needs and desires of the the vamp in question.

Moralizing aside, each of the three sorts can be harmful or helpful depending on their level of training, their skillsets, and the intentions they decide to adopt. Any of the above can learn to take the pain from others, for example, and then that energy can be transmuted such that it inspires healing and recuperation from whatever damage they've suffered from.

On the flip side, its possible to simply drain a target of their life force. Done long enough by someone with enough skill, one could potentially kill a target.

There are benefits and drawbacks to those who choose to utilize such practices.  While the siphoned energy can be used for personal growth, healing, glamours, protections, and other forms of magic,  there are quite a few risks.  The biggest potential sources of trouble manifest in the form of spiritual diseases. If you were to choose to siphon from the wrong person, you could take on their illnesses - for example, working on a cancer patient could cause you to wind up getting cancer. The same could be said for STDs, chakra issues, emotional problems, spiritual damage, and so on and so forth.

Its an incredibly risky set of practices, especially if you don't know what you're doing. It highlights the need for self control, as most vamps who come to me for help do so because in the process of draining others they've hurt themselves. When things get to that point, they can't heal on their own.

That risk is the reason why I don't teach others how to use such techniques.  The cost is frequently too high for them in the end.

Regards,
SE

Yesterday, I discussed some of the potential uses of energy work. Went over its flexibility and a few applications. I also alluded to the fact that there are some risks. I intend to discuss those here.

When mulling over the particulars of any sort of magic, it's always wise to consider the pros and cons. By factoring in both sides of the coin and weighing the benefits and the drawbacks, you can come to a decision worth acting on (or, potentially, discarding a plan of action should the risks prove to be too great).

Bearing this in mind, as any form of magic has its benefits, energy work, too, has its potential drawbacks.

There's a phrase I've heard time & time again when learning from spirits: "what can harm can also heal". Logically, what can heal can also harm, so the equivocation goes both ways. This night not seem terribly important, but not considering this fact is a good way to get yourself in hot water.

When dealing with any magic, you're channeling forces that potentially may be outside of your control or aptitude. As with anything you eat, anything you draw through yourself changes you all the same. That's why those exercises I wrote about previously are so damned crucial.

Knowing this, consider what you're doing when you cultivate ill-intentioned energy.  If you are what you eat or channel, the reality is tha tyou're basically putting liquid decay in your spiritual, emotional, and physical bodies.  That malice will wear on you, and most folks aren't able to sort themselves out very easily after working with such things. That's why demonic magic, vampirism, blood magic, or other sorts of baneful work tends to cause problems on both ends of the equation.

To make matters worse, its addictive.  If you're emotionally invested in doing the deed, you're going to obsess, focus on, and bathe in that muck.  As Buddha once said, holding on to anger to hurt another is like carrying a hot coal for the same reason.  Bear this in mind, as it will mess with you.

How much will depend on how good you are at letting go and cleansing.  Some things will never wash out of your soul - that may sound melodramatic, but its true nonetheless. Keep it up long enough and you'll require the services of a sin eater like myself to begin to feel better. Sometimes its worth it, sometimes its not - up to you to make the decision. Remember, this isn't an ethical decision, so much as one that has everything to do with your well-being and long-term survival.

I've seen plenty go from magically predating upon others to harming themselves. Many develop psych issues that seriously hamper their ability to be happy or "normal".

Regards,
Chris

As discussed in my previous post on the subject of energy work (Henceforth EW), it can be an incredibly useful tool. As with all tools, however, its use depends on the skill of the one wielding it.  One doesn't need to be a plumber to use a wrench, but they do need a bit of know-how to use it appropriately. Put another way, any person can use a knife, but a delivery man is going to use a blade differently from a chef.  Becoming well-learned in the art of using said knife is one of the many pieces of learning to use this art effectively. Like being a chef, magic through EW is more of an art than it is a science.

The applications are largely endless, but getting to the point where you're able to successfully apply this tool appropriately requires a great deal of development. Some will have a better knack for it than others too, so learning to take stock of your skillsets so you know what to work on is crucial.


Following is a brief overview of the faculties you'll need to develop to effectively utilize energy work:

• Cultivate internal and external awareness. What you feel and see and the intersection of those two types of awareness will drive what you do. What you perceive is key, as perception drives response.
  
  Ideally, you'll want to get to the point where you can shift your focus with ease, as being aware of what's going on within you, being able to become aware of what's up in someone else, and learning to notice what happens as a result of the interaction between yourself and someone else will be incredibly useful.
  
  
• Cultivate the ability to focus intently without being easily swayed by distractions. This is hard, but it is one of the most important skills to learn here.
  
  
• Develop your physical body. As you do so, you'll be better able to manipulate the energies inside of you. Once you've learned how to do that, you'll be better able to work the flows outside of you.
  
  
• Read incessantly.  The more you know about a variety of things, the better able you'll be to apply the aforementioned points in a useful way down the road.
  

This will not be an easy road to follow.  You're going to be training a whole set of muscles that haven't been used all that much. Its easy to make a great deal of progress with a little bit of effort, but you can expect to be mentally "sore" after working through this.

Regards,
SE

For those of you who have followed along the set of posts written recently, by now you should have some idea of how deep the magical rabbit hole can go. If you followed along, you'll have more of an idea of how you can mix and match various magical techs in to get a result.

Protection is an easy subject to start with as its all a matter of how you handle your business.  If things go wrong or you didn't do enough work, or you didn't handle the work properly, the effects are pretty obvious. If you handled the workings appropriately and all went well, life should improve for you.  The proof is in the pudding...or, in this case, the proof is in the response.

Having said as much, now that we've covered herbs, prayers, spirits, etc. and their uses with regard to defensive magic, we can now get into the subject of protection through the use of stones and metals that are amiable to that end.

Like plants, minerals have their uses too.  Each has their own properties and associations, both elemental and planetary. As such, they too are building blocks that can be used to spin your spells.