Monday, May 30, 2011

Dollar Store Conjure: Rootwork on the cheap

Whether you're working on being a Supreme Occult Master or are the average Josephine setting lights for herself now and again, one thing's for certain: you need supplies.  Hoodoo and rootwork come from the African-American Protestant Southern community.  These folks did not have great online retailers, Wal-Mart or even greenhouses to get plants and herbs.  Herbs, roots and flowers were gathered from the wild.  Supplies for spellwork were based on things you could get from around the home or on the farm: salt, red flannel, iron filings, nails, string, and so forth.  Hoodoo workers made their own supplies, oils, and powders for themselves and their clients.  Conjure shops didn't really start popping up in large cities until the turn of the 20th century.

There are so many great conjure shops online today where you can order complete baths, powders, oils, and incense.  Lucky Mojo Curio Company is one example.  However, you can work some great authentic magic with things you find in the dollar store.  If you're a beginning conjure worker or just want to do some work or magic for yourself, take a trip to a dollar store with these tips in mind!

Candles - Get some tea lights for small petitions or altar lights, tapers (often stores will have different colors and you can use those colors for whatever you're working), and some stores (especially those in towns or cities with a high Hispanic population) will have saint candles and 7 day vigils.  Experiment to see if the burn quality is OK on the 7-day vigil; it is a dollar store, after all, and I've found that some brands of candle aren't poured very well and will give a weird burn.

Powders - Get cheap baby powder, cornstarch and arrowroot powder.  All can be used to make sachet powders OR you can add your expensive conjure shop sachet to plain baby powder and use it as a daily dusting powder on your  body.

Ammonia/Floor Washes - Booyah!  You can't beat a dollar for a big bottle of spiritual cleansing fluid!  Get some plain ammonia, which clears away crossed conditions.  Check out the store for some pine-based floor wash (like Pine-Sol) to see if it has real pine oil in it.  If it does, it's a great spiritual cleanser in your home; pine breaks away crossed or jinxed conditions.  Just pray over the bottle when you open it!

Herbs - I know, I know, you're not going to find High John the Conqueror root or Sandalwood chips in a dollar store (but if you do, tell me because I'd love to know where you shop :) ).  But look in the food or cooking aisle and you can find some cheap herbs to add to your conjure cupboard.  Check the expiration dates to make sure they're fresh.  Look for Cinnamon sticks, jars of Honey, Thyme, Basil, etc. etc.

Automotive and House Supply Aisle - "Hey Mary, why are we in this aisle?" Because there's all kinds of cool stuff for conjure in here: twine for tying up packets and binding work, padlocks with keys, cheap knives, scissors, needles and thread, jars and boxes, mirrors (for reversing work), and so on.  Let your imagination run away for a little bit.  Get some aluminum pans to keep vigil candles in while they burn so they don't tip over and start a fire.

Toys - Need a doll baby and you don't want to sew?  Look for a plastic dolly or action figure.  Use paper money or toy bank to decorate your money altar (do not use toy money IN your money work; only use real money when working to attract money, but it's OK to decorate the altar space with fake money). 

Those are just a few ways to work magic while saving money.  What are your ideas?  Let me know in comments!

The Bee Blog!

Happy Memorial Day!  Due to car trouble (grumble *insert expletive here*) I'm unable to work at the extra Regular Day Job(tm) that I have, so I'm at home doing the conjure thing.  As a Cancer, I have a hard time with change but I gave myself a kick in the pants and started getting things organized.  This blog is first up, followed by a new Twitter feed.  You can follow me @MaryBeeConjure.

I organized my herbs by condition: love, money drawing, controlling/compelling, power, and cleansing/healing.  I set some lights on honey jars, set a vigil for general money- and prosperity-drawing, and said a Rosary.  I will try to remain useful throughout the day! :)