03/11/2022
Disposing of Ritual Workings......
How do you dispose of ritual/spell workings?"
People ask,
“I get confused as to what I’m supposed to do with the things that I have when I do a ritual or spell. Some spells say to bury it in my garden, some say to throw it in water and why am I not supposed to look back, how am I supposed to get rid of these things to make them work?”
One of the most basic lessons when someone is learning about doing folk magic is that you are taught to “do it, walk away and don’t look back” Now why do they say to not look back? Well it means that if you do look back then you do not have any faith or belief that your magic or spell will work, it undermines your work. Because all those items or curios that you’ve set is meant to get the magic working, by looking back you will undo all you’ve done because of lack of faith.
Folk magic or Hoodoo is natural magic, it is not “empowered” or “charged with energy” magic that neo-pagans do, it is natural, that is working with things that are natural or have natural substances in them such as herbs, roots, minerals and such used in folk magic because these items have natural energy that the worker or spell caster brings together and focuses. Therefore that makes it naturally powerful.
When I was trying to describe it to my friend I had my music on and it was playing Pink Floyd ‘Great Gig in the Sky’, but I told her to listen how each instrument and voice comes in, how it all builds up and comes together right to the final note, I said to her "That is how folk magic works in that type of principal".
Because of this natural power it is also very important in the folk or hoodoo tradition to properly dispose of any items that are left over after a spell has been cast, a mojo or grie grie bag has been created, a candle has been burned or a trick has been laid or a ritual has been done.
In broad terms the traditional methods for accomplishing or completing the workings generally fall into 10 basic patterns? They are:
1) BURIAL IN EARTH IN THE HOME GARDEN
2) BURIAL UNDER THE ENEMY'S DOORSTEP OR NEXT TO THEIR WALK WAY
3) PUTTING IT IN FOOD OR DRINK
4) PUTTING IT IN CLOTHING, ON OBJECTS,
5) TOSS OR DISPOSING AT A CROSSROADS
6) PUTTING IT IN A QUINCUNX PATTERN IN A BUILDING OR AT A CROSSROADS (it depends on the type of spell or working)
7) BURIAL OR DISPOSAL IN A GRAVEYARD (if you can’t bury it put it in a bin at a graveyard or cemetery
8) HIDE IT IN A TREE
9) TOSSING IT IN RUNNING WATER (river, or fast moving stream, tidal canal, sea)
10) BURNING IT IN FIRE
More specifically:
If you want to keep something close, bury it in your back yard.
If you want to attract something, bury it under your front door step
If you want to destroy its influence, burn it.
If you want it to move away and sink, throw it in running water
If you want to send or scatter it to a distance (i.e. Banish it), throw it into a crossroads (4 way crossroads is best)
If you want to fix its influence, bury it or place it or toss it in a five-spot pattern (look at a dice for the 5 spots which are 4 corners and one spot in the centre)
If you want it to work by the aid of spirits, bury it in a graveyard
If you want to hide who originated it, hide it in a tree
If you want it to work in secret, put it in food or drink (make sure it’s not poisonous)
If you want it to work by stealth or unknown means, hide it in clothing or on objects
If you want its influence to begin or strengthen, throw it East
If you want its influence to end or weaken, throw it West
If you want its influence to rise and fall cyclically, float it in a tidal estuary
Bright Blessings M x
