Recipes for Potions used in Spell-Casting (2024)

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RECIPES for POTIONS used in SPELL-CASTING

compiled from usenet, 1995 - present, by cat yronwode
These recipes for use in magic spells are copyright bytheir respective authors as noted, and all rights arereserved. In other words, the contributions of these authorsmay not be mirrored to other web sites or copied into printor electronically distibuted in e-lists without the expresspermission of each individual author. If you beleive a postof yours or material copyright by you was archived here inerror, please contact the web-master.Spelling and format editing has occurred within these posts; some email addresses may be out of date.RELATED PAGES:Tools and Materials Used in Spell-CastingPractical Tips and Techniques for Spell-CastingErrata to Herman Slater's Magickal Formulary by John M. Hansen"The Ancient Book of Formulas," a public domain magical formulary
Recipes are in alphabetical order. ============================================INTRODUCTIONMost of the formulas given here were published in usenetduring the late 1990s. A prominent poster of these recipeswas a woman variously known as Witchwoman, Chandralyn,Elizabeth Mack, and Lyz who did not source the recipes butmerely signed her own name to them. Others were posted by awoman called "Cat" who had a hotmail.com account("cat@hotmail.com") and whose other names i do not know.[She and i share the same first name, but one look at theformulas she posted, and their sources, should demonstrateto any knowledgeable person that we are quite differentpeople.] A third set of formulas was posted by an anonymoussource called Jellyface (d1684@strato.net). A fourth set wasposted by an anonymous person called "....."(inept1@usa.net), whom i shall refer to as "inept1." Somewere sourced by author, some were not and thus appeared tobe original contributions. In some cases, my opinion ofthese formulas was asked. In other cases it was not.I decided to compile and compare the formulas posted byChandralyn, "cat@hotmail.com," Jellyface, and "inept1" withthe formulas that i use myself -- even though that meantrevealing some of my own forumlas (usually closely held byperfumers and occult shop owners) because i felt that doingso might help students of this branch of magic. My formulas derive from a combination of four sources: o recipes given to me by friends, customers, clients, andoccult shop owners from the 1960s to the present;o recipes that had been printed in folklore collections, some of whose authors are cited below; o recipes from 19th and early 20th century formularies, some of whose authors are cited below; ando first-hand perfume analysis augmented with a thoroughknowledge of the occult symbolism of flowers and herbs.What interested me about the posted formulas was that theywere a strange mixed bag, some "authentic" and some really"phony" by traditional standards. One, for instance, wassaid to be a 19th century recipe for Cologne, but it was nota true Cologne recipe at all. Others claimed to betraditional hoodoo formulas but contained none of theingredients usually associated with spells or recipesbearing those names in the African-American community.Still others were well-researched and nearly the same as theones i myself had collected.I have made my comparisons -- and in some cases lengthyanalyses -- because people often ask me about formulas and iwant to steer them toward authentic hoodoo sources by givingthem an understanding of the holistic magical system fromwhich such formulas derive. I am not trying to poke holes inthe work of any author, but i docall the shots as i seethem.It is difficult to explain a formula's good and bad pointswithout a close look at each ingredient, and i used theposted formulas to demonstrate how some formulas did -- andsome formulas did not -- derive from an identifiablecultural tradition. In other words, some of the postedformulas were traditional in terms of hoodoo, some weretraditional in terms of European magick, and others werejust concoctions of sweet-smelling synthetics which hadlittle or no symbolic relationship to the magical conditionsfor which the oils were prescribed, either inAfrican-American or European magic.This web page has been online since 1997 and has beenupdated many times.It took me a while to realize that virtually all of theotherwise unsourced formulas posted to usenet were notoriginal to those who posted them. I eventually identifiedsome unsourced recipes from Ray Malbrough's book "Charms,Spells, and Formulas" because i sold it in my shop, and iannotated those recipes with his credit. The recipes fromthe Herman Slater Magickal Childe formulary didn't jump outat me as being from that source immediately because i hadlost my copy of the Slater formulary in 1986 during a floodof the Russian River that carried off almost all the booksand papers i owned. (The entire town flooded, not just myhouse, and it took me a few years to regroup -- and i amstill re-collecting books i lost in that flood all thoseyears ago.)During the late 1990s i was sent an entire electronic fileof the Slater formulary, which bore within its MS Wordcoding a notation that the file had been edited by AidanKelly, a well-known Neo-Pagan author. I used this file toidentify which recipes on this formula-analysis page hadbeen published by Slater, and i added notations to thateffect. The Slater book is currently in print and i havegiven the URL for the publishers after each Magickal Childerecipe cited.============================================ATTRACTION OIL #1 -- Malbrough Mix equal parts of Lovage Herb, Grated Lemon Peel or Lemon Flowers. A small piece of lodestone is added to each bottle. Add 2 Tbls. of this mix to 2 oz. of oil.You can add tincture of benzoin to keep to any oils listed to keep them from going rancid.from "Charms, Spells, and Formulas" by Ray Malbrough© 1999 Ray Malbroughposted by Jellyface (d1684@strato.net)-----Compare this with a traditional Attraction Oil recipethat i collected:ATTRACTION OIL #2 -- Traditional Lovage Root Chips (for love) Cinnamon Chips (for money) Lemon Peel, grated Essential Oil of Sweet Orange Essential Oil of Lemon Piece of Lodestone Piece of Pyrite Top with carrier oil (e.g. almond oil which has been dosed with Vitamin E to prevent rancidity. I use a "glurp" of same to each gallon of almond oil and mix well.cat yronwode, Ms. Oily Fingers of 1999 (cat@luckymojo.com)© 1999 catherine yronwode-----And here is a third Attraction oil, very good to the nose, but with less tradition behind it, since it only symbolizes love-attraction and not money-attraction, whereas the typicalAttraction oil of hoodoo usage draws both money and love.ATTRACTION OIL #3 -- ArthursBlend equal parts Rose oil Lavender oil Vanilla oil Sandalwood oilTouch to pulse points when in the presence of the one you want to attract.Suzanne Arthurs (ankhbrat@aol.com) © 1999 Suzanne Arthurs============================================BAT'S BLOOD INK #1 -- Skater dragon's blood resin myrrh resin cinnamon oil indigo color alcohol gum arabicNo instructions are given, although I suppose you steep theground resins in the alcohol till dissolved, then add thecinnamon oil, indigo, and ground gum arabic. Filter andbottle. from "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman SlaterCopyright © 1999 Herman Slaterposted by "Cat" (cat@hotmail.com)For "indigo color" i presume Herman Slater intended to use synthetic dye; true indigo requires a complex process ofrepeated oxygenation and steeping to produce a blue tint, which would darken the orange and rusty reds of the other ingredients listed. Exact quantities for making this formula are available in "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slaterfor sale at http://www.angelfire.com/ego/magickalchilde-- cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)-----BAT'S BLOOD INK #2 -- TraditionalSlater's formula is useful, but of course, real, authentic Bat's Blood Ink is made by slitting thethroat of a bat and using its blood to write with. But most people don't like that idea, so they use a convenient substitute. Any high quality red ink with Cinnamon and Myrrh essential oils or scent added is appropriate to use as Bat's Blood Ink, in my experience. © 1999 catherine yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)============================================BEND-OVER OIL See ESSENCE OF BEND-OVER============================================BLACK ARTS OIL #1 -- yronwode variationThere are many recipes for Black Arts Oil. Here's a quick one: half a dropper essential oil of patchouli half a dropper essential oil of black pepper a pinch of valerian root a pinch of black poodle dog hair a pinch of black mustard seeds a pinch of spanish moss a pinch of mullein a pinch of powdered sulphur nine whole black peppercorns Blend into one half-ounce carrier oil such as almond.Colour dark brown.catherine yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)Lucky Mojo Curio Co: https://www.luckymojo.com/luckymojocatalogue.htmlThe Lucky W Amulet Archive: https://www.luckymojo.com/luckyw.html © 1999 catherine yronwode============================================BLESSING OIL #1 -- Malbrough 2 parts Frankincense 1 part Benzoin gum. Add 2 tablespoons of this mix to 2 ounces of oil.from "Charms, Spells, and Formulas" by Ray MalbroughCopyright © 1999 Ray Malbroughcontributed by Jellyface (d1684@strato.net)-----Ray Malbrough's recipes tend to be traditional but ratherstripped down in terms of ingredients. Here is a morecomplex formula for Blessing Oil that i collected.BLESSING OIL #2 -- yronwode variation Frankincense Tears Benzoin Gum, crushed Essential Oil of Frankincense Essential Oil of Benzoin Rose scent, which can be one or more of these: Essential Oil of Roses (Rose Otto) Essential Oil of Rose Geranium Rose Fragrance (synthetic) Rose PetalsTop with carrier oil (e.g. almond oil which has been dosed with Vitamin E)You can also add Vitamin E oil for the same purpose. I use a"glurp" of same to each gallon of almond oil and mix well.cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)© 1999 catherine yronwode============================================CHINESE WASH #1 Find a whole page on the history of and uses for Chinese wash at https://www.luckymojo.com/chinesewash.htmlStart with whatever combination of essential oils ofOriental Grasses you normally use for compounding Van Vanoil concentrate https://www.luckymojo.com/vanvan.html(e.g. citronella grass, lemongrass, gingergrass, palmarosa grass, khus khus grass, and vetivert grass, singly ortogether). Cut a bunch of broomcorn straws (from a naturalbroom, or from broomcorn plants, if you happen to grow them)and place the straws in a bottle. Add a goodly squirt of VanVan oil concentrate and a small lump of frankincense gum,then top with your own (or any commercial) preparation ofliquid oil soap. Dilute in water before use, of course. cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)© 1999 catherine yronwode============================================COME TO ME OIL #1 -- HansenTry pure essential oil of sweet pea. It draws peopleto you. Diluted with perfume diluant and used on theclothing it will help you pick up girls in bars. It isvery nice, but it draws all kinds of people, and you have to pick which ones you want to stick around.John M Hansen (jmhansen@erols.com)© 1999 John M Hansen -----COME TO ME OIL #2 -- Slater rose jasmine gardenia lemon oil color: redfrom "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slater© 1999 Herman Slaterposted by "Cat" (cat@hotmail.com)Exact quantities for making this formula are available in "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slaterfor sale at http://www.angelfire.com/ego/magickalchilde-- cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)-----COME TO ME OIL #3 -- yronwode theoriesRecipes vary from person to person. They aregenerally floral in tone and usually red in colour.Scents used in such an oil may include sweet pea andnarcissus (usually only available as synthetic fragrances,not as essential oils), rose (available as a real essentialoil -- called otto or attar of roses -- but so expensive asto be prohibitively costly for most people, who thereforeuse a synthetic fragrance instead), rose geranium (a realessential floral oil that has a very good rose scent), andother floral synthetics, such as wistaria, honeysuckle,violet, and the like.Herbs mixed into in the finished, fragranced oil may includecatnip leaf (to entice a lover), saffron stamens (forlove-drawing), rose petals, (for love-drawing), damiana leaf(to increase passion) and/or patchouli leaf (ditto). QueenElizabeth Root (used to attract men) may be added to themixture if the person using it is a female or a gay male.One difficulty many folk-magicians have with floral scentsas a basis for magical perfume oils is that so many of ourfavourite flowers do not produce a great deal of essentialoil. When this is the case, the oil is very expensive.But that is not the greatest hurdle we must overcome. Someflowers, no matter how lovely they smell, do not producestable essential oils at all. Whenever that is the case,essential oils from these flowers are unavailable at anycost and synthetics are the only recourse one has.The question then becomes one of deciding whether to go withan artificial fragrance that mimics a given floral scent toa greater or lesser degree -- or to forgo that scent infavour of one that is available in actual flower-derivedform.Is the magic in the herb itself -- or in the aroma?How do we decide?We all agree that attar of roses is beyond the financialreach of most working people.We all agree that rose geranium oil comes from a geranium --not a rose. But it SMELLS as much or more like certain typesof roses than synthetic rose oils do.So... is a good, natural rose geranium essential oilmagically more effective than an artificial rose scent? Oris substitution of any kind an automatic obviation of themagical working? Shall only wealthy people have access tothe magic of rose oil?I tend to choose natural essential oils over synthetics or, if i must, mix them half-and-half. But that's just me ... your mileage may vary. catherine yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)© 1999 catherine yronwode============================================CONFUSION OIL #1 -- Malbrough 2 parts of Rue Herb 1 part of Guinea PepperAdd 2 Tbls. of this to 2 ounces of oilfrom "Charms, Spells, and Formulas" by Ray Malbrough© 1999 Ray Malbroughposted by Jellyface (d1684@strato.net)-----CONFUSION OIL #2 -- Slater Vetivert Lavender Galangal Burnt knotted shoelacecolor: blackConfuses those who are trying to cast a spell on you. Breaksall forms of hexes. Acts almost instantaneously. Worksbetter when hex is new, but it is a good idea to keep someon hand for emergencies.from "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slater© 1999 Herman Slatercontributed by "....." (inept1@usa.net)Exact quantities for making this formula are available in "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slaterfor sale at http://www.angelfire.com/ego/magickalchilde-- cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)-----Next, here are two formulae that i personally think are good for sowing confusion and dissent.CONFUSION OIL #3 -- yronwode variationsusage:Causes enemies and opponents to lose their wayessential oils for stock formula: 1 part Vertiver1 part Marjoram2 parts Patchouliherbs for all products: Guinea Pepper GrainsPoppy SeedBlack Mustard SeedTop with carrier oil (e.g. almond oil which has been dosed with Vitamin E)-----INFLAMMATORY CONFUSION OIL #4 -- yronwode variationsusage:Enemies and opponents fight each other instead of youessential oils for stock formula: 1 part Patchouli 1 part Essential Oil of Capsicum (dilute! dilute!)herbs for all products: Guinea Pepper Grains Red Pepper Black Pepper Poppy Seeds Black Mustard SeedsTop with carrier oil (e.g. almond oil which has been dosed with Vitamin E) -----CONFUSION and INFLAMMATORY CONFUSION -- yronwode commentaryA comparison of the above four formulae shows that RayMalbrough and i work closer to the old-style hoodootradition than Herman Slater did, for i know Galangal asLittle John to Chew and consider it primarily a court caseroot, and lavender is something i use for love, not to causeconfusion. Ray and i both include Guinea Grains in ourconfusion formulae, the latter coming out of the Africantradition.cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)© 1999 catherine yronwode============================================DAMNATION POWDER # 1 -- Slater Burnt ashes from palm leaves Holy water Beer Myrrh Lavender color: Black Another very powerful powder used for hexing an individualyou dislike. Sprinkle on burning incense while repeating hisname nine times. Use with extreme caution.from "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slater© 1999 Herman Slaterposted by "....." (inept1@usa.net)-----DAMNATION POWDER #1 -- yronwode commentaryThis is one of the more bizarre formulae in Herman Slater'sbook. It carries obvious religious implications, but theyare BACKWARDS from common practice.In Catholic families, it is common to carry home palm leavesfrom the church services for Palm Sunday (the Sunday beforeEaster). These are kept in the home all year. The next yearthey are burned to ash. Just as the ash from burned PalSunday Palm leaves is used by the priests to mark theforeheads of parishioners for Ash Wednesday, so are theburned ashes of the home-kept Palm leaves used for protection of the home and the person. Mixing them with HolyWater from a church, would provide a carrier medium -- butnot a POWDER, as any child should understand. Adding beer,another water-based fluid, will not create a POWDER either.The addition of Myrrh hearkens back to Biblical formulae,but the Lavender is simply Slater's "gay love" trademark.(Many of the recipes he and his close associates devisedcontain Lavender -- seeErrata to Herman Slater's Magickal Formulary by John M. Hansen for more on that topic). Whether the Myrrh and Lavender are used in the form ofessential oils or dried plant matter is probably notimportant, because no matter which form you use, they cannotbe added to beer and Holy Water to make a "Powder" -- and inany case, the idea of using Holy Water and the ashes of PalmSunday leaves as ingredients for "Damnation" is simplyridiculous, and probably offensive to Catholics as well.Exact quantities for making this formula are available in "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slaterfor sale at http://www.angelfire.com/ego/magickalchilde-- cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)]============================================DOVE'S BLOOD INK #1 -- Slaterdragon's blood resincinnamon oilbay oilalcoholgum arabicrose oil from "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slater© 1999 Herman Slaterposted by "Cat" (cat@hotmail.com)Exact quantities for making this formula are available in "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slaterfor sale at http://www.angelfire.com/ego/magickalchilde-- cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)---DOVE'S BLOOD INK #2 -- TraditionalSlater's formula is interesting, but of course, real, authentic Dove's Blood Ink is made by slitting thethroat of a white dove and using its blood to writewith. But most people don't like that idea, so they use a convenient substitute. Any high quality red ink with rose scent added is appropriate to use as Dove's Blood, because most of the time this magical ink is called for,it is used to write love-talismans and pacts, and rose isone of the primary love-essences. © 1999 catherine yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)============================================DRAGON'S BLOOD INK #1 -- Slaterdragon's blood resinalcoholgum arabic from "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slater© 1999 Herman Slaterposted by "Cat" (cat@hotmail.com)Exact quantities for making this formula are available in "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slaterfor sale at http://www.angelfire.com/ego/magickalchilde-- cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)-----DRAGON'S BLOOD INK #2 -- yronwode commentaryPeople often ask me. "If Dove's Blood Ink used to be madewith the blood of Doves and Bat's Blood Ink used to be madewith the blood of Bats, what did Dragon's Blood Ink used tome made with?" The answer is that "Dragon's Blood" does not refer to thelife-fluid of mythical beasts -- it is the name of the darkred sap or dried resin from a species of palm tree, theDragon Palm. Herman Slater's formula, given above is quite good, ifyou want to make your Dragon's Blood Ink from scratch.However, if ink-making is too much trouble for you, any highquality red ink with chunks of Dragon's Blood resin added toit is appropriate. Most of the time this magical ink is usedto write luck- or protection-talismans and pacts, and theresin itself is also carried on the person or burned asincense for the same purpose.© 1999 catherine yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)============================================DRIVE-AWAY SALT #1 -- yronwodeDrive-Away salt, also known as Get Away Salt, is essentially Hot Foot Powder made with ordinary table salt replacing the talcum powder.For more information about the African roots of this familyof magical compounds (plus the lyrics to Blind WIllieMcTell's "Drive Away Blues") check out these pages Hot Foot: https://www.luckymojo.com/hotfoot.html Salt: https://www.luckymojo.com/salt.html Drive Away Blues: https://www.luckymojo.com/seerockcity.html © 1996 catherine yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com), Ludwig Prin ============================================EASY LIFE POWDER #1 -- Slater Gum Mastic Cloves Ginger Lemon Orange peel Cassia color: Brown A special blend which allows you to relax while others doyour work. Sprinkle on any person you wish to gain controlover. Lets you dominate their thoughts.from "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slater© 1999 Herman Slaterposted by "....." (inept1@usa.net)-----EASY LIFE POWDER #1 -- yronwode commentaryIn some ways, this is a "hotter" version of a famous oldAttraction Powder formula. (See above.) You could substitute cinnamon for cassia if needed. Exact quantities for making this formula are available in "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slaterfor sale at http://www.angelfire.com/ego/magickalchilde-- cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)============================================EASY WRATH POWDER #1 -- Slater Ashes Red Pepper Rose Jasmine Sandalwood color: BlueToss on any person who is angry over something you havedone. Eliminates all feelings of animosity. Also good forovercoming hatred.from "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slater© 1999 Herman Slaterposted by "....." (inept1@usa.net)-----EASY WRATH POWDER #1 -- yronwode commentaryOne thing about Herman Slater's formulae is that healways liked things to smell nice -- and this one surelydoes! The ashes seem to symbolize an end to flames -- but iam unsure why he called for red pepper in an anger-calmingpowder, which "eliminates all feelings of animosity." Generally, red pepper is used to heat things up andto create discord. And think about it -- if you go aroundthrowing red pepper powder on angry folks and it gets uptheir nose or in their eyes, they'll be mad as hell! Well, Herman is gone, and i can't ask him why he added thatodd ingredient, but i would recommend something sweeter,like powdered sugar, in place of the red pepper in thisrecipe.Exact quantities for making this formula are available in "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slaterfor sale at http://www.angelfire.com/ego/magickalchilde-- cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)============================================EAU DE COLOGNE #1 and #2This comparison began in usenet when i posted formulas for some traditional colognes from some standard mid-20th century manuals of perfumery in my collection. Those recipes are now archived at https://www.luckymojo.com/floridakanangawater.html-----EAU DE COLOGNE #3 -- BoothKirsten Rowe then wrote in response:> > From "Perfumes, Splashes and Colognes" by Nancy Booth> > Claims to be an American version of the original Eau de Cologne > introduced in this country in 1808:> > 2 c. distilled water> 1/4 c. vodka or grain alcohol> 6 drops essential oil of lavender> 2 drops essential oil of clove bud> 8 drops essential oil of bergamot> > Mix all ingredients in a sterilized glass container. Seal the bottle > and store in the refrigerator for two weeks for the scents to blend. > Use within two months if refrigerated, two weeks if not.> > Kirsten> > No offense to the author of the first recipe.-----EAU DE COLOGNE #3 -- yronwode commentaryNone taken, for sure! -- i was not the author of those recipes -- i was simply passing along commercial (not new-age or home-made) formulas for Florida Water and Kananga Water.And no offense to you, Kirsten, but i would like to pointout that the Nancy Booth recipe given above is too weak evenfor toilet water -- 2 cups of water to 1/4 cup vodka resultsin a mixture that must be refrigerated for preservation andthen will only keep for two months. That is not the wayperfumes are handled in real life -- we all know that a goodperfume will keep its scent for decades, unrefrigerated.Some ancient Egyptian perfumes sealed in tombs were found tobe still fragrant after millennia!Also, i think that the use of Vodka is not a good idea. I'vetried it, myself -- it's so darned easy to get -- but, as iquoted from Hiscox and Sloane's formulary when giving theirrecipes, spirits of wine supply subtle fragrances of theirown which Vodka lacks -- and Vodka supplies a rather icky(to me) "eau de potato" fragrance that can contrastunfavourably with the subtle delicacy of floral oils.Booth's recipe is obviously NOT "the original Eau de Cologne"introduced in 1808. I have three commercial formulas forColognes, including one also said to be "the original," andi'll gladly post them if anyone wishes to pursue thisfurther. For now, suffice it to say that Eau de Cologne issimilar to the Florida Water version #1 i gave in my post --that is, it is a complex blend of a variety of floral andspicy scents (not just 3 scents as above) and it isalcohol-based, not water-based.Thanks for taking the time to post this recipe, and, as isaid, no offense was intended. I find this discussion veryinteresting because the use of perfumes and perfumed incenseis important in several branches of magic and religion, yetfew people stop to ask what is included in the scents theyuse.Cordially, cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)© 2000 Kirsten Rowe© 2000 Nancy Booth© 2000 catherine yronwode============================================(ESSENCE OF) BEND-OVER OILThere are three recipes here -- or are there?-----BEND-OVER OIL #1 O'Hara rose frankincense honeysuckle vetivert (No specific quantities given) This oil is intended to bend another to the will of the magickal practitioner, this oil is well suited for anointing candles or fith faths (voodoo dolls)from "The Magick of Aromatherapy" by Gwydion O'Hara© 1999 Gwydion O'Haraposted by "Cat" (cat@hotmail.com)-----BEND-OVER OIL #2 -- Slater rose frankincense honeysuckle vetivert (No specific quantities given) Makes other people do your bidding. Use to break any hexes; used to order evil spirits to return to their sender. Said to be extremely potent.from "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slater&copy 1999 Herman Slaterposted by "....." (inept1@usa.net)-----BEND-OVER OIL # 1 and #2 yronwode commentaryInteresting how the Gwydion O'Hara recipe exactly mimicsthe Herman Slater recipe. :-) Slater's formulary, although not without its own flaws, has been used as a source-book by many people working in the Neo-pagan tradition. Exact quantities for making this formula are available in "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slaterfor sale at http://www.angelfire.com/ego/magickalchilde-- cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)-----ESSENCE OF BEND-OVER #3 -- yronwode variationsI wish to take exception to the above recipe as given byboth Slater and O'Hara. I also find Herman Slater'sexplanation of its use in regard to breaking hexes andaffecting evil spirits to be typical of his "fingerpainting"and fakery in matters of hoodoo.First, for more information on one way Bend-Over is used inactual hoodoo practice, see my web page on Spells of FemaleDomination at https://www.luckymojo.com/femaledomination.htmlThat will give you some idea of its value in love and sexmagic; but there is more to the formula than this. For examples of how it is used to rule and control a boss, see my web page on Essence of Bend-Over at https://www.luckymojo.com/essenceofbendover.htmlNext, let's look at the ingredients given by Slater andO'Hara, shall we, and see how (or rather IF) they relate tothe work at hand, namely to bend someone to your will. Theingredients they list are rose frankincense honeysuckle vetivertThese scents may be okay for use in AROMATHERAPY-styledomination, but magically speaking, the herbs in that listhave long been assigned other meanings in MAGICAL herbology.Rose is used for love magic. Real essential oil of roses(rose otto or attar of roses) is so expensive that mostpeople use either essential oil of rose geranium orartificial rose oil as a substitute. Rose has nothing at allto do with raw power or domination.Frankincense is a spiritual scent and is also used forpower. It could be used in Essence of Bend-Over, but it is alittle on the "nice" side for it to carry the entire weightof true domination work in this formula.Honeysuckle is primarily used as a fragrance, and, beingfloral, it is a frequent ingredient in love potions. Theplant itself is a vine that has no strong magicalconnotations that i know, and what's stranger, realessential oil of honeysuckle is unstable, so most makers usethe artificial, synthetic aroma. Looking at honeysuckle fromthe perspective of the "doctrine of signatures," one couldsay that it grows upon trees and somehow dominates them, butit certainly does not make them bend to its will -- andother vines of similar twining habit, such as periwinkle,are always used in love-and-marriage formulas, because oftheir clinging natures. In short, honeysuckle might be goodfor love-domination (as an ingredient in Follow me Boy Oil,for instance, but it would hardly be expected to work onyour boss!Vetivert is one of the five "Asian Grasses" that is used (ina very small proportion) in Van Van Oil and, as such, it isa spiritual cleanser and luck-changer. It is notparticularly associated with efforts of will or domination. So this recipe for Bend-Over, although very commonlyencountered in the Anglo-Saxon world of aromatherapy andplayful spell-cookery -- and despite its wonderful fragrance-- is not exactly what i'd call a powerful aid to dominationor willful control of another's mind or activities throughthe doctrine of sympathetic magic as developed byroot-workers.A look through any good magical herbal will reveal thatthere are three herbs often recommended for control anddomination. They are calamus root licorice root bergamot leaf or essential oil of bergamotCalamus root produces an essential oil and it is alsoavailable as chips or powder, which can be steeped in acarrier oil.Licorice root is available as chips or powder, to steepin carrier oilBergamot is a citrus-relative. Its essential oil must bediluted in a carrier oil because some folks areskin-sensitive or allergic to it in strong concentrations.Calamus root is white and licorice root is a deepyellow-brown. When the two are placed with essential oils ofbergamot and calamus root and a few grains of frankincense in a carrier such as almond oil that has been tinted a rich yellow-orange, the result is impressive both visually and in terms of fragrance. What is more to the point, magically, it will also fulfill the requirements sought in such an oil.You can add all the artificial honeysuckle and rose fragranceyou want then, and you'll be on the right track.Contrarianly,cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)© 1999 catherine yronwode============================================FAST LUCK INCENSE / OIL / FLOORWASH / POWDER / BATH #1A -- Slater Patchouli Rose Juniper color: green from "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman SlaterCopyright © 1999 Herman Slaterposted by "Cat" (cat@hotmail.com)DOUBLE FAST LUCK INCENSE #1B -- Slater Same as Fast Luck with powdered dollar bill added color: greenfrom "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slater© 1999 Herman Slatercontributed by "....." (inept1@usa.net)Exact quantities for making these formulae are available in "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slaterfor sale at http://www.angelfire.com/ego/magickalchilde-- cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)-----FAST LUCK OIL #1A and #1B -- yronwode commentaryThanks very much for posting thiese formulae by HermanSlater, Cat and inept1! Here we have (if we needed it!)clear evidence that Herman Slater was "fingerpainting" hisformulas, like a kid with a bunch of colours and not a lickof direct knowledge.Authentic hoodoo recipes for Fast Luck Oil are very, verywell known. They do not contain what Slater says they do.The evidence i'd like to present is from Zora NealeHurston's "Mules and Men." Ms. Hurston, world famous as anovelist, was also a folklorist, and, because she wasAfrican-American, she did her best folklore work among blackfolks in Florida (her home state) and New Orleans (a hotbedthen and now of professional rootworkers). In material shecollected in the mid 1930s and published first in 1935, youcan find two recipes for Fast Luck. One is the standard(even commercial) recipe and the other is probably apersonal formula or a mistake, as explained below.I am going to start with the more well-known of the twoformulas Hurston gives, which she calls "Red Fast Luck."This is the formula one would get if buying Fast Luck Oiltoday from a manufacturer such as myself.--------------RED FAST LUCK OIL #2 -- HurstonOil of Cinnamon and Oil of Vanilla, with Wintergreen. Usedas above to bring luck.-- Zora Neale Hurston--------------RED FAST LUCK OIL #2 -- yronwode commentaryCinnamon (in powder and chip form) is widely used inAfrican-American folk-magic to draw business and bringmoney-luck, hence its use as an essential oil makes goodsense in this formula. Vanilla appears in numerous formulasfor love-luck, so again, one is not surprised to find it inFast Luck. Wintergreen is an oddity, though -- it has veryfew magical ascriptions, and it seems to function, in myexperience, primarily as a fragrance that mediates andblends the rather contradictory aromas of Cinnamon andVanilla. In any case, without it, one does not get thecharacteristic "Fast Luck" smell.Hurston does not tell what makes her informant's Red FastLuck Oil red, but i was taught to colour it with Alkanetroot, a few flakes per 1/2 oz. bottle. If you use toolittle, it stays pink; too much makes it bloody-brown. Thecolour does not develop instantly, as it would from a synthetic dye, so work carefully and add more root flakesonly if your first batch doesn't colour up red in a day,after a thorough shaking. Alkanet root has magicalproperties of its own, namely it draws luck and protectsyour money, and the red colour indicates increasedlove-luck, so it is a better colourant for Fast Luck thanany synthetic dye could ever be. I also add crushed pyriteto my Fast Luck Oil, for money-drawing purposes.To make Fast Luck Oil, simply add the formula above to acarrier oil such as Almond Oil. Essential oil of Cinnamoncan be irritating to sensitive skin, so wear protectivegloves as you work, don't rub your eyes or nose, and dilutethe product to a useable strength before applying it toanything you might touch.For an entire web page on (Red) Fast Luck, please see theLucky W Amulet Archive at https://www.luckymojo.com/fastluck.htmlNext we come to Hurston's other Fast Luck recipe. Frankly,although someone may have genuinely given her this formula, i personally have never bought any Fast Luck products madeaccording to this recipe. For reasons explained below, ithink there may have been some confusion in the mind ofHurston's informant, or perhaps Hurston herself got theformula attached to the wrong name.--------------FAST LUCK #3 -- HurstonAqueous solution of Citronella. It is put in scrub water toscrub the house. It brings luck in business by pullingcustmers into a store.-- Zora Neale Hurston--------------FAST LUCK #3 -- yronwode commentaryHurston's Citronella-based Fast Luck formula is actually inthe family of recipes usually given for Chinese Wash and VanVan Oil. These products, more than any other, are to be usedas house and doorway scrubs. I have never seen thiscitronella recipe sold as Fast Luck, but i am not surprisedthat someone used it as such. I give a good Van Van Oilrecipe below (under the letter V (which contains the fiveclosely-related Asian grasses Citronella, Lemongrass,Vetivert, Palmarosa, and Gingergrass), and, for comparison,i here append Hurston's very simple Van Van Essence formula:--------------ESSENCE OF VAN VAN (VAN VAN #1) -- Hurston10 per cent Oil of Lemon Grass in alcohol. (Differentdoctors specify either grain, mentholated, or wood alcohol),used for luck and power of all kinds. It is the most popularconjure drug in New Orleans.-- Zora Neale Hurston--------------ESSENCE OF VAN VAN (VAN VAN #1) -- yronwode commentaryThose who work with these essential oils know how similarCitronella and Lemongrass smell. Folks with botanicalknowledge will also realize the close relationship betweenCitronella, Lemongrass, Vetivert, Palmarosa, and Gingergrass(in fact, Gingergrass is simply the lesser quality secondpressing of Palmarosa grass!). As my Van Van recipeindicated, the addition of Vetivert (Khus Khus), Palmarosa,and Gingergrass was to be in very small quantities comparedto the Lemongrass and Citronella, which means that bothChinese Wash and Van Van Oil smell predominantly of citrusyfragrances, with smoky undertones. It is possible that someone Hurston talked to had mistakenthis ubiquitous New Orleans formula-family for Fast Luck ...or, as i said, Hurston herself might have made the error. Inany case, the Fast Luck i know is the Cinnamon, Vanilla,Wintergreen one.For an entire web page on Van Van Oil, please see the LuckyW Amulet Archive at https://www.luckymojo.com/vanvan.htmlFor an entire web page on Chinese Wash, please see the LuckyW Amulet Archive at https://www.luckymojo.com/chinesewash.htmlFor more on the intertwined history of Chinese Wash and VanVan Oil, please see the Lucky W Amulet Archive page onritual baths and floor washes at https://www.luckymojo.com/baths.html-----DOUBLE FAST LUCK INCENSE #1B -- yronwode commentaryNow, as to "Double Fast Luck" -- here Slater has given astrange twist to things. He adds a powdered dollar bill (whynot? although filings from a silver dime would be morelikely in hoodoo, and crushed pyrite even more apropos),and then he colours the oil green.He has, i believe, confused DOUBLE POWER (add moreingredients) with DOUBLE LUCK (make the item work two ways).The two concepts are quite different in hoodoo conjuration,and Slater's formula is only a doubling in POWER of hisalready highly inaccurate formula, it is not two-way or DOUBLE LUCKTrue Double Luck formulas work for both money and love.Thus, Double Fast Luck should work for money and love -- ina hurry.During the 1990s, i interviewed a man named LaRue Marxwho had been an employee of the Lucky Heart Company inMemphis, Tennessee from the 1930s - 1960s, and he gave methe company's formula for Double Fast Luck. It is simplicityitself:--------------DOUBLE FAST LUCK #4 -- MarxUse a tall, thin bottle. Fill it halfway up with a basic redLuck oil. Top it off with an alcohol-based Luck perfume thathas been coloured bright green. The red oil (symbolizinglove and passion) will separate from the green perfume(symbolizing monetary wealth). To use, shake the bottleuntil a temporary purple emulsion is created and sprinkle itout. It will separate between uses.-- LaRue Marx, Lucky Heart Co. --------------DOUBLE FAST LUCK #4 -- yronwode commentaryThe above, i believe, will give complete satisfaction tothose in search of Double Fast Luck.cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)Lucky Mojo Curio Co. https://www.luckymojo.com/luckymojocatalogue.htmlSpells Archive ----------------- https://www.luckymojo.com/spells.htmlLucky W Amulet Archive --------- https://www.luckymojo.com/luckyw.html© 1999 catherine yronwode============================================FIVE HOLY WATERSSee PEACE WATER ============================================FLORIDA WATERFor an entire web page on Florida Water, please see the LuckyW Amulet Archive at https://www.luckymojo.com/floridakanangawater.html catherine yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)© 2000 catherine yronwode============================================FOUR THIEVES WINE -- FOUR THIEVES VINEGAR #1 -- HansenThis formula dates from the fifteenth century, when it wasdeveloped as a healing formula. As an inoculation againstepidemic diseases it actually works. Its use in magic cameabout much later, as with many other substances it becameuseful in the magical arts.While the Bubonic plague raged through southern France inthe 1450s the number of bodies so overwhelmed the gravediggers that they called upon the municipal authorities forassistance. Four thieves who had been jailed together werereleased on the condition that they assist in burying thedead. They agreed, and served so well at their gruesome taskthat they were later pardoned on the condition that theyleft town.One of the magistrates asked them how they had managed toappear to remain so healthy, even though they have beenburying those who had did of the plague. They told him thesecret of the four thieves vinegar, which was made frombottles of cheep wine, which begins to turn to vinegar in afew days if left opened. They filled the wine bottles withgarlic, and allowed it to stand for a while, and then dranka wineglass (2 Oz) with every meal. They continued this fora bit over the three or four months that they had beenengaged in burying the dead.Four Thieves Vinegar is made in the following way: Burgundy(red) wine is divided between two bottles, and both bottlesare filled with peeled, and occasionally crushed, garliccloves. The bottles are placed in the refrigerator or springhouse for a week. Then two ounces of the wine (possibly onthe way to becoming vinegar) are taken twice or three timesa day. During the 1917 flu epidemic my grandfather used iton all his family, beginning as soon as he heard of theepidemic. None of the family became ill, although theneighbors on both sides of them had deaths in theirfamilies.My father gave it to me every summer, when the Polioepidemic was raging around us. I was never ill from that orany of the other epidemic diseases of the time. In fact, ourhouse was never quarantined, but four thieves vinegar was onour menu from the time we were children.In magic it is used for getting rid of people. It worksthere as well. I have also used it for protection, when Ithought malochia was in the offing. I put about two ouncesin a bath, soaking for about five minutes in the tub. I useit when I suspect that I am about to see a particularly evilminded client. It has a variety of other uses, in bothmagic and healing, as well.John M Hansen (jmhansen@erols.com)© 1999 John M. Hansen-----FOUR THIEVES VINEGAR OZARKS VARIANT -- yronwode commentaryThanks, John. The major difference between our recipes for Four ThievesVinegar is that i have been told that it must have fourspices in it, one for each thief -- the four additives being garlic (crushed or whole), red pepper (crushed), black peppercorns (whole), and black mustard seed (whole). Also, in the Ozarks, i was taught to make it with applecider vinegar, not red wine vinegar. This is probably aregional variant based on the fact that wine vinegar isuncommon in the Ozarks. In California, we have plenty of redwine vinegar and i like that much better as a base; however,either way, it tastes great!In addition to providing personal protection from diseaseand magical attack, Four Thieves Vinegar is used to sendaway unwanted people or to make a family quarrel and fallout among themselves. It can be sprinkled or dashed againstan enemy's doorsteps, but it can also be served to an enemyfamily as a condiment, which to me justifies the "thieves"part of the name -- it is a sneaky way to protect yourselfwhile you get them out of your life.For an entire page on Four Thieves Vinegar, go to https://www.luckymojo.com/fourthievesvinegar.htmlcatherine yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)© 1999 catherine yronwode============================================GODDESS BATH #1 -- GreyErzulie Freda is the Vodou lwa (something like a"goddess") of love, luxury, and wealth. I'd like to giveyou all a "recipe" for a bath made to please Erzulie Fredaand attract love and wealth into your life. And no, youdon't have to "believe in Vodou" and this won't makeanything scary happen to you - but it might make that newboyfriend or girlfriend warm up to you, or make your spousemuch more affectionate in a hurry!Obtain as many as you can of the following ingredients. If you can't find each and every one of the ingredientsdon't worry, do what you can.Florida Water [floral cologne] Fresh basilChampagneRose petalsOne small can of evaporated (NOT condensed) milkVanilla extractCoconut milkOrange leavesFresh lettuceFresh aloeThe fresh herbs and the lettuce should be thoroughlycrushed in a basin of water which is then strained as it ispoured into the bath. The Florida water, champagne, a fewdrops of vanilla extract and coconut milk can be poureddirctly into the bath water. Scatter the rose petals on thewater's surface.Light a white or pink candle and bless the water beforeyou bathe. Keep the water pleasantly cool, or at least nottoo hot. Frolic in it, splash and play. Ask Erzulie Freda,the Spirit of Love, to refesh you and cleanse you, and togive you happiness and abundance.When you get out of the tub, dry with a clean, newlywashed and dried white towel, one you haven't used since itwas last washed, you know? Put on a little cologne orperfume, and dress yourself in spotless white. Tie yourhead with white or pink.© 2002 Mambo Racine Sans Bout / Kathey Grey (racine125@ol.com)GODDESS BATH #1 -- Rock commentaryThe use of Florida Water Cologne for this purpose seemsidiosyncratic to the above source. In my house, for thattype of bath you would want something very sweet, andFlorida is too spicy/musky due to the bergamot, clove,cinnamon, and lemon in it. We would use Pompeiia Perfume,Rose Cologne, Rose Water, or other sweet scented perfumeinstead of the Florida Water.© 2006 Mike Rock (mojomiguel@gmail.com)============================================HARVEY'S NECROMANTIC FLOORWASH #1 -- FilanThis preparation is used to clean and prepare areas andtools used in Necromancy. Hyssop [herb]Florida Water [floral cologne]Kolonia 1800 Sandelo (Sandalwood cologne)5 hot peppers [herb]Thyme [herb]Vervain [herb]Lemon JuiceSugar, a pinchKananga Water[floral cologne]Mullein [herb]Mistletoe [herb]Black Pepper [herb]Ammonia, a few dropsOlive Oil, a few drops ("Not too much ... we ain't making salad here") Fey Kapab [twigs] (aka Florida Boxwood: used a lot in Haitian magic)Nutmeg [powdered spice]Cinnamon [powdered spice]Allspice [powdered spice]3-4 cups spring water© 2001 Harvey, c/o Kevin Filan (mrharwer@excite.com)============================================HAITIAN LOVER OIL (FOR MEN ONLY) #1 -- Slater Cinnamon Anise Orris Clove Sassafrascolor: RedAn excellent formula for men only. Very effective when usedon a red female figure candle.from "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slater© 1999 Herman Slaterposted by "....." (inept1@usa.net)HAITIAN LOVER OIL (FOR MEN ONLY) #1 -- yronwode commentaryThis is one of Slater's more unusual concoctions. Thearoma is great. In African-American hoodoo tradition,however, cinnamon and sassafras are used for money-drawing,so one might consider this to be a gigolo's formula as wellas a man's love-drawing oil. Remember that cinnamon oilneeds to be cut with a carrier oil before it can be appliedto the skin -- and even then, i think it should be used onlyas a candle-dressing oil and not as a genital-dressingoil. Exact quantities for making this formula are available in "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slaterfor sale at http://www.angelfire.com/ego/magickalchilde-- cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)============================================HENRY'S GRASS OIL See VAN VAN OIL============================================INFLAMMATORY CONFUSION OIL See CONFUSION OIL============================================JOHN THE CONQUEROR OIL #1 -- yronwode John the Conqueror Oil traditionally consists of brokenpieces of John the Conqueror root (Ipomoea jalapa or I.purga) steeped in Almond or another vegetable carrier oilthat has been tinted purple (or yellow); it is customary toadd essential oils as fragrance to suit. The oil can alsobe made with powdered I. jalapa root. Some folks strain itafterward; i don't.To enhance the actual weird scent of John the Conquerorroot, from which no essential oil can be extracted, icompound a "woodsy blend" scent, which smells quite a lotlike the John the Conqueror root itself. This fragrance isNOT part of the "magic" in the oil, but it does serve as are-enforcer of what the real root smells like.Let the root fragments and/or powder sit in the oil blend atleast a week before use -- a month is better. The root istraditionally left in the bottle as it is used. If you aremaking up small bottles (e.g. a dram vial or 1/2 oz.bottle), you should put two or three pieces of root in eachbottle. If you work out of a large stock bottle (e.g. 4 oz.or 16 oz.) be sure to refresh the root with new pieces eachtime you top up the bottle.BEWARE commercial John the Conqueror and High Conqueringoils! They rarely have the root in them. I will not name mycompetitors whose products are made thus -- but all you haveto do is LOOK IN THE BOTTLE: If there is no root in it, andit was made in a factory, it's very likely a fake.For a picture and more information on Ipomoea jalapa, itslore, and its role in the making of mojo bags as well asoils, please see the Lucky W Amulet Archive page on John theConqueror root at https://www.luckymojo.com/johntheconqueror.htmlCordially, catherine yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)Lucky Mojo Curio Co. https://www.luckymojo.com/luckymojocatalogue.html© 1999 catherine yronwode============================================KANANGA WATERFor an entire web page on Kananga Water, please see the LuckyW Amulet Archive at https://www.luckymojo.com/floridakanagawater.htmlcatherine yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)© 2000 catherine yronwode============================================LOVE BATH #1 Courtesan's Pleasure -- Unknown authorMix together a handful each of the fresh or dried herbs: lavender flowers rosemary mint crushed comfrey root thyme celandine Put the mixture in an earthenware crock and pour 1 quart ofboiling water over it. Let stand covered for 20 minutes, andthen pour the clear portion into the tub. Get in and justrelax for 15 minutes. Take the phone off the hook, lightsome candles, and dim the lights...Mmmmmmm.author uncited, © 2000 unknown authorposted by Witchwoman / Lyz / Chandralyn / Elizabeth Mack-----LOVE BATH #2 Waterfall for Two -- Unknown author Take one ounce each of the following: rose buds acacia flowers orange buds jasmine flowers bay leaf rosemary myrtle thyme Add 1/2 teaspoonful of muskBring 1 quart of water to a boil and add 1 ounce of themixed herbs (save the rest in an airtight jar for your nextliaison). Lower the heat and let simmer for about 10minutes. Then turn off the heat and half fill your tub withwarm water. Strain the mixture and pour the clear liquidinto the tub. Add 25 drops of ambergris tincture and getinto the tub. Then, invite your True Love to come and soakwith you. If this doesn't get him in the mood...check hispulse.author uncited, © 2000 unknown authorposted by Witchwoman / Lyz / Chandralyn / Elizabeth Mack-----LOVE BATH #1 and #2 -- yronwode commentaryNote: Witchwoman failed to credit the original author, buti suspect these recipes came from a book published in the1970s or 1980s. The names of these baths, the chatty patterabout sex, and the unusual use of ingredients (e.g. usingComfrey root in a love bath!) imply a post-modern, hippie,or New Age author. Comfrey root had a great vogue inpopularity as a health and beauty aid beginning in the late1960s. Prior to that time -- and since the 1990s -- itsmajor use in folk-magic was and is as a safe travel amuletensuring the helpfulness of those among whom one sojourns.This is based on the doctrine of signatures, because Comfreycan strike roots anywhere. -- cat============================================MAGIC MASSAGE OIL -- Unknown authorMix: 6 drops of rose essential oil 4 drops of jasmine essential oil 4 drops of bergamot essential oil 8 drops of sandalwood essential oil blended in 50cc of a massage oil base (I would use sweetalmond oil). Begin by massaging yourself until the aroma,warmed by your body, gets to him. Then start to massage him.Let him massage you. Soon the magic mixture will have thetwo of you singing love's old sweet song.author uncited, © 2000 unknown authorposted by Witchwoman / Lyz / Chandralyn / Elizabeth Mack-----MAGIC MASSAGE OIL #1 -- yronwode commenatryAs far as i can tell, this is another of ELizabeth Mack'svoluminous uncited plagiarisms from New Age and Neo-Paganbooks of the 1970s - 1990s. --cat============================================MARIE LAVEAU'S PEACE WATERSee PEACE WATER ============================================MONEY DRAWING OIL #1 -- MalbroughMix equal parts of Frankincense, Myrrh Sandalwood. Add a piece of bayberry to each bottleAdd 2 Tbls. of this to 2 ounces of oilfrom "Charms, Spells, and Formulas" by Ray Malbrough© 1999 Ray Malbroughposted by Jellyface (d1684@strato.net)-----MONEY DRAWING OIL #1 -- yronwode commentaryIt is unclear in the above recipe for Money Drawing Oil ifwhat is added is bayberry leaf or bayberry root, or if thefrankincense, myrrh, and sandalwood are the essential oilsor the actual plant parts (gums and wood chips). -- cat-----MONEY DRAWING OIL #2 -- hoodoo shop formula Bayberry Root Bayberry Oil (usually only available as a synthetic) Pyrite ChipsTop with carrier oil (e.g. almond oil which has been dosed with Vitamin E) cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)Lucky Mojo Curio Co. https://www.luckymojo.com/luckymojocatalogue.html© 1999 catherine yronwode-----MONEY DRAWING OIL #2 -- yronwode commentaryHere is an easy-to-make recipe, from my own collection. Igot this formula from a hoodoo shop owner in the 1970s. Itis simpler than the oil of the same name i make in my ownshop, but it was being sold under the same name for a numberof years.============================================PEACE WATERMARIE LAVEAU'S PEACE WATERFIVE HOLY WATERSSEVEN HOLY WATERSYou can read an entire page about Peace Water at https://www.luckymojo.com/peacewater.htmlAnd you can order Peace Water from the Lucky Mojo page of Baths and Washes at https://www.luckymojo.com/mojocatbaths.htmlIf you want to make your own quick subsitute for PeaceWater, mix a little Olive Oil with Florida Water and SpringWater and shake it up before use. Not much oil, just alittle. The idea is to spread oil upon troubled waters, yousee.Also, there is another item that some folks call Peace Water-- but more properly is called MARIE LAVEAU'S PEACE WATER orFIVE HOLY WATERS or SEVEN HOLY WATERS, depending on how theyprepare it.MARIE LAVEAU'S PEACE WATER or FIVE HOLY WATERS consists of equal parts Holy Water from a church Spring Water River Water Rain Water Ocean Water -- five waters altogether, with no fragrance and no oil.SEVEN HOLY WATERS is an elaboration of FIVE HOLY WATERS, containing equal parts Holy Water from a church Spring Water River Water Rain Water Ocean Water Cologne (Florida Water or Hoyt's Cologne) Whiskey-- seven waters altogether, with some fragrance.Marie Laveau's Five Holy Waters is used for the samepurposes as alcohol-water-and-oil blend recipes called PeaceWater, and i think that's how the name got transferred toit. I have no idea if Marie Laveau used it or invented it --or if "Marie Laveau" is just a name that got put on thecombination of five waters -- but she did live in NewOrleans, where there is a river and an ocean, so she couldhave made it. I could make it too, come to think of it,because i live near an ocean, but i have never offered itfor sale and no one has ever asked me for it. It's veryold-fashioned, and Catholic, to boot.Don't buy so-called Peace Water that comes in a plasticbottle and is thick and off-white, like hand lotion. That'sall it is -- hand lotion. Labelling hand lotion "PeaceWater" is something that dates back to the 1980s or so; ifirst encountered it in L.A. in cheap botanicas back then.It is gross.© 2002 catherine yronwode============================================Q PERFUME OIL # 1 -- Slater Myrrh Peppermint Carnationcolor: Red A highly stimulating oil used to entice anyone you deeplydesire. Impossible to resist.from "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slater© 1999 Herman Slaterposted by "....." (inept1@usa.net)-----Q PERFUME OIL # 1 -- yrownode commentaryThe carnation oil in this would be, perforce, a syntheticfragrance, because carnations, while delightfully aromatic,yield no essential oil. The use of peppermint in (primarilymale) sex-drawing formulae is not unique to Herman Slater --a popular recipe for "erection cream" also uses this scent.Exact quantities for making this formula are available in "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slaterfor sale at http://www.angelfire.com/ego/magickalchilde-- cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)============================================SEPARATION POWDER #1 -- Slater Chili Powder Cinnamon Galangal Black Pepper Iron Filings Vetivert Bitter Aloes Use when you desire to break any relationship. Createsanimosity between lovers and business associates. Forces aneventual separation.from "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slater© 1999 Herman Slaterposted by "....." (inept1@usa.net)-----SEPARATION POWDER #1 -- yronwode commentaryThis is probably the most traditional hoodoo-styleformula in Herman Slater's Neo-Pagan collection. I wouldsubstitute ground-up lemon peels for the cinnamon (thelatter is more commonly found in money-drawing formulae,while the former is one of the "cut and clear" scents) butother than that small quibble, i think this is a good one,and heavily symbolic, too, because Galangal, a.k.a. LittleJohn Chew or Court Case Root might land the couple indivorce court! Exact quantities for making this formula are available in "The Magickal Formulary" by Herman Slaterfor sale at http://www.angelfire.com/ego/magickalchilde-- cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)============================================SEVEN HOLY WATERSSee PEACE WATER ============================================VAN VAN OIL -- yronwode commentaryVan Van is essentially a lemongrass - citronella - palmarosa- gingergrass - vetivert blend. The five species are closelyrelated Asian grasses, long cultivated for their fragrantroots. SIDE NOTE ON THE ERROR OF USING POPULAR NAMES TO DESCRIBE PLANTS:Some people think that because it is named Van Van, this oilmust contain vanilla, but such is NOT the case.Not only does Van Van never contain vanilla, the "rosa" inpalmarosa does NOT refer to roses, the "ginger" ingingergrass does NOT refer to ginger roots, the "lemon" inlemongrass does NOT refer to lemons, and the "citron" incitronella does NOT refer to citrons!!! These are all simplycommon names for species of ASIAN GRASSES.To further complicate matters, vetivert, the last-named ofthe above Asian grasses, is also known commercially askhus-khus but it is not related in any way to the Moroccanfood product called cous-cous, made of wheat and chickpeaflour ... and chickpea flour is not in any way derived fromchickens. :-)It's a common trap. Don't fall into it. END OF ADMONITORY SIDE NOTEThese days, palmarosa oil and gingergrass are difficult to obtain, but they can be found if yoiu are persistent. The ingredients for Van Van Oil have always varied frommaker to maker, but the absence of any one or two of theAsian Grass oils will not hurt the results much, for usuallythe blend will focus on citrusy lemongrass and citronella,with only a hint of musky vetivert, floral palmarosa, andspicy gingergrass. Here is Zora Neale Hurston's very basic Van Van Essence formula:--------------ESSENCE OF VAN VAN #1 -- Hurston10 per cent Oil of Lemon Grass in alcohol. (Differentdoctors specify either grain, mentholated, or wood alcohol),used for luck and power of all kinds. It is the most popularconjure drug in New Orleans.-- Zora Neale Hurston--------------Here's a better variation, made up as an oil:--------------VAN VAN OIL$ $2 -- variation 16 parts lemongrass oil 8 parts citronella oil 1 part vetivert oil 1 part palmarosa oil 1 part gingergrass oil if you can get itMix together and let sit for at least week. This is yourstock oil. Do not apply it directly, for like all uncutessential oils, it can be a skin irritant to some people.Therefore:In each 1/2 oz. bottle of VAN VAN OIL to be made up, place a pinch of dried lemongrass leaves a pinch of crushed pyrite crystals one full standard dropper-full of the above stock blendFill the bottle with undyed almond oil as a carrierThis is an old, authentic formula for VAN VAN OIL and ivouch for it in every way.-------------- A highly simplified, cheap version of Van Van Oil issometimes found under the name Henry's Grass Oil.--------------HENRY'S GRASS OIL #1 -- hoodoo shop, 1980s lemongrass oil a pinch of dried lemongrass leavesPut a dropper-full of the essential oil and a pinch of thedried leaves in a 1/2 oz. bottle and fill the bottle withundyed cooking oil as a carrier.--------------For an entire web page on Van Van Oil, please see the LuckyW Amulet Archive at https://www.luckymojo.com/vanvan.htmlFor more on the intertwined history of Chinese Wash and VanVan Oil, please see the Lucky W Amulet Archive page onritual baths and floor washes at https://www.luckymojo.com/baths.htmlcatherine yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)Lucky Mojo Curio Co. https://www.luckymojo.com/luckymojocatalogue.html© 1999 catherine yronwode============================================YULA PERFUME OIL / YULA DEATH OIL -- SlaterHooDooBear (hoodoobear@aol.com) wrote:> Papa Jim sold a formula called "Yula". Its caption read > "Never use unless the death of an enemy is desired." I don't > know what might be in it, but I also saw it listed in a file I > downloaded called "Magical Formulary." This is what it gave -> > ------------------------------------------>> YULA PERFUME OIL #!> > Black> > Melon> Rose> Lavender> Wisteria> > Never use except when the death of an enemy is desired. > Will reverse its mighty power if used for any other reason.> > ------------------------------------------>> Looks more like a love potion to me. Has anyone ever > heard of it?-----YULA PERFUME OIL / YULA DEATH OIL -- yronwode commentary"The Magickal Formulary" was written by the late Herman Slater, the proprietor of a now-defunct occult shop in New York City called The Magickal Childe. Since theauthor's death, it has been circulating widely on the webwithout his name attached.There is a also web site run by two brothers, one ofwhom was Herman Slater's store manager for a while. Theyclaim exclusive rights to the book and are publishing it inprint form, keeping Herman's name on the book. Their siteis at http://www.angelfire.com/ego/magickalchilde I believe that Herman had no heirs, so this may be acase of their grabbing at something left unattended andtrying to make a buck -- or perhaps Herman did make them hisliterary executors ... who knows? I asked them and theyrefused to tell me, and that's all i know about that.[Disclaimer: My only connection to Herman Slater isthat i used to sell him self-interpreting astrological chartblanks of my own devising and design, which he sold in hisshop.]The Slater "Magickal Formulary" itself, regardless of itsdisputed copyright status, is a completely mixed bag. Forone thing, very little, if any of it, was written by HermanSlater (who also ripped off other works by other authors andplaced his name and copyright notice on them). I have beenin contact with several of his ex-employees who claimed tohave "made up" certain formulas in the book or who namedother people and the formulas they created. The book contains some genuine old-time hoodoo formulassimilar to ones i use, some very good (andexpensive-to-make) resin-and-sandalwood-based incenserecipes Herman must have obtained from an old-timer with abackground in Indian-style incense compounding, somecomeplety faked-together attempts to recreate Medievalperfumes for which better and more accurate formulas can befound in other books, and some truly stupid weirdness whichlooks like his attempt to satisfy customers who asked foroils by names for which he or his store personnel had noformulas. These latter bear no resemblance to the way thoseoils were prepared in other shops or by other manufacturersduring Herman's lifetime, and they contain no link to theattributions or symbolisms bfound in European-American orAfrican-American plant-lore or natural magic.Take Slater's supposed recipe for the "death" oil,Yula Perfume Oil. The ingredients are:> Melon> Rose> Lavender> WisteriaSymbolically, fragrant melons such as cantelope andmusk melons are traditional offerings to the Orisha Oshun,an African goddess or nature spirit whose home is infresh-water rivers, and whose aid is sought in matters oflove. However, these fruits do not yield up an essentialoil, and thus "Melon" is an artifical scent. Melon fragranceappears in some modern fruit-scented shampoos, like Finesse.Its use in this oil marks the Slater formula as fairlyrecent. To roughly date it, i looked through my library.Melon fragrance is not mentioned at all in the 1907Henley edition of the 1897 English translation of "Perfumesand Their Preparation" by Furst, Askinson, and Rice. (Andthis book, by the way, does contain formulae for magicalperfumes like Kiss Me Quick and such!)The earliest recipe for synthetic Melon fragrance i found in my own library appears in the 2-volume 1932 4th edition of "Perfumes, Cosmetics, and Soaps With Especial Reference to Synthetics" by William A. Poucher; the numbers to the left of the ingredients are weights in grammes:----------------------------Melon Base No. 1349150 Ethyl acetate, 100 Ethyl formate150 Ethyl butyrate400 Ethyl valarianate 50 Ethyl pelargonate 4 Benzyl acetone 5 Eugenol 1 Gamma undecalactone100 Ethyl sebacate 30 Lemon oil 10 Vanillin ------1000----------------------------I don't know about you, but i wouldn't offer that mess ofchemicals to a river goddess and i wouldn't associate itwith "death," either.Rose is a traditional love herb. It produces a naturalessential oil called Rose Otto or Attar of Roses. Rose Ottois very expensive, so many modern compounders use asynthetic in its place. Some folks, like me, who aretraditionalists-within-a-budget, mix genuine Rose Otto intoa larger batch of synthetic rose scent to produce asynthetic-natural fragrance blend that is affordable yetstill retains the herbal essence that should be there.Lavender is used in magic for love and friendship, and also has medical uses, for instance, as a revivifier forthose suffering from headaches. It produces a naturalessential oil that is relatively inexpensive and easy toacquire.Wisteria (more properly spelled Wistaria because itwas named after a botanist named Wistar) is a largeflowering vine in the pea family. The flowers are fragrantbut they cannot be used to distill an essential oil,therefore chemists have created an artifical compound tosmell like Wistaria flowers. This artificial Wistaria becamepopular in the 1920s, as i mentioned here recently, and wasespecially noted as the scent in a then-extremely-popularbrand called Vantine's Wisteria Incense, which was burned todraw luck.To get a tentative date on the intrioduction of synthetic Wistaria fragrance, i again consulted my perfumery books:Wistaria fragrance does not appear in the 1907 Henleyedition of the 1897 English translation of "Perfumes andTheir Preparation" by Furst, Askinson, and Rice, but,decades later, it can be found in the 2-volume 1932 4thedition of "Perfumes, Cosmetics, and Soaps With EspecialReference to Synthetics" by William A. Poucher.So my dating Wistaria to the 1920s seems accurate,within the limited research i was able to conduct.In Poucher's book you will find this recipe for creatingWistaria fragrance; the numbers to the left are weights ingrammes:----------------------------Glycine No. 1127 (Wistaria)180 Hawthorn No. 1937 [itself a synthetic compound containing such yummy things as Phenylacetic aldehyde -- cat] 50 Eugenol100 Methyl Ionone120 Hydroxy-citronellal 70 Ylang oil -- Bourbon 80 Rose centifolia No. 1091 [a synthetic blend, not Rose Otto -- cat]190 Jasmin No. 1055 [another synthetic blend -- cat]100 Terpinol 40 Coumarin 60 Heliotropin 30 Musk ketone-----1000----------------------------Well, that's "Wistaria" -- which Herman Slater didnot make up from scratch, of course, but bought from somefragrance supplier.So this supposed "death" oil consists of twolove-herb-based essential oils (for one of which the makerprobably substituted a cheaper synthetic scent), a syntheticfloral scent, and a synthetic fruit scent, plus black dye.I dunno, but even with the black dye, this list ofingredients doesn't smell like "death" to me.I mean, if Herman Slater or Papa Jim were going fora death smell and death ingredients with their Yula Oil,where's the Asafoetida, the Sulphur, the Patchouli, theVandal Root, the Hot Chilis, the Snake sheds, the Spiders,and the Graveyard Dirt?Were they out to kill someone with this mess or justmix up a batch of sweet-and-fruity shampoo?© 2002 catherine yronwodeHoodoo Herb & Root Magic https://www.luckymojo.com/hoodooherbmagic.html----------------------------YULA DEATH OIL and HERMAN SLATER IN MEMORIUM #1 -- Wilson commentaryThe Magickal Formulary" was plagiarized and assembled byHerman Slater. He was first and foremost a thief and acon-man.I had dealings with him back in the very early 70s, whenhe was often referred to in the emerging neo-pagan communityas "Slurman Hater" because of the viciousness with which heattacked anybody who questioned him. He took whatever hecould find and offered it as his own creation, his primarypurpose to sell through his shop. He could care less whereit came from or how accurate it was.An example is "The Book of Pagan Rituals" which wasactually written as a collaborative effort by Ed Fitch,myself, and two others. We circulated the entire thing forthe price of postage. Slater took it, claimed it as hisown, and got Weiser to publish it. There are also otherthings that we created that he appropriated for himself.He was a contemptible piece of sh*t and I hope he rotsin hell.© 2002 Joseph B. Wilson (papabear@shamanist.net)----------------------------YULA DEATH OIL and HERMAN SLATER IN MEMORIUM #2 -- Hansen comentaryHerman Slater opened his original store in Brooklyn NewYork, calling it the Warlock Shop, in or around 1969. Hewas associated with a guy named Edward Buszinski (sp) at thetime, and the association continued for quite some time.Herman Slater moved his business to Manhattan, and laterchanged the name to the Magickal Child. His goal was tobecome more accepted, as the idea of the 'Warlock Shop' puttoo many people off. By 1975 he was established inManhattan. He hired any number of people who came throughhis shop, learned what he could from them, and ditched themas soon as he could. He also sponsored a number ofdifferent groups, covens and so forth. He sponsored theonly nude mixed sex Pagan Way grove I have ever heard of,about 1972. I have no idea how long it lasted.He stole anyone's material that he could. He soldmaterial whenever he could to others to publish for him, andhe published the Necronomicon, first a transcription of aBabylonian religious text, in cunic Babylonian, and later awritten edition which he claimed was 'authentic' that he andsome friends had written while high one night. (Or oneweekend, I disremember which)He sold the rights to the Pagan Way material to DonaldWeiser for $500.00, because he needed the money. DonWeiser had no idea where the material came from. Slateroften identified himself as the publisher and originator ofthe "Crystal Well," a witchcraft magazine of the '70s. Infact, he had nothing at all to do with it.He was diagnosed with AIDS in 1979, and this was theeventual cause of his death. By the time of his death hehad sold the Magickal Child to a British guy, who seems tohave lost it or failed in the business.Joseph Wilson has described Herman's personal characterbetter than I could. Professionally, I will say that he wasa cheat, liar, fraud, and a fake.He is not missed in the community of those who practicethe arcane arts as he was never a member of it.Best Wishes,John M Hansen© 2002 John M Hansen (jmhansen@erols.com)----------------------------YULA DEATH OIL and HERMAN SLATER IN MEMORIUM #3 -- Wilcom commentaryWell, actually I hesitated to say he was a contemptiblepiece of sh*t because I didn't want anybody to think Ithought he had any redeeming qualties.Joseph© 2002 Joseph B. Wilson (papabear@shamanist.net)----------------------------YULA DEATH OIL and HERMAN SLATER IN MEMORIUM #4 -- yronwode commentaryI try to be very circ*mspect with my wording in any postscommenting on the magical formulae of Herman Slater -- ireceived childhood training to not speak ill of the dead --but Joseph B. Wilson and John M. Hansen just came right outand said what they think. I have included their commentsas a fitting tribute to the work of Herman Slater, becausepeople often ask me if his recipes are any good -- and wherehe got them. Henceforth i shall refer querents about Slaterto the YULA DEATH OIL section of the archive, than which nobetter memorial can be found.© 2002 cat yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com)----------------------------YULA DEATH OIL and HERMAN SLATER IN MEMORIUM #5 -- Hansen commentarySee also Errata to Herman Slater's Magickal Formulary by John M. Hansen
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