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A collection of ConjureMan Ali's thoughts about magic, the occult, and spirituality.



Friday, April 22, 2011

False Mages

The history of magic has always included the exploiting figure of the charlatan. For as long as there have been real magical practitioners, there have been those people who claimed magical powers, but in reality were fakes. In my previous post I made some mention about false spiritual merchants and teachers and in this post I'd like to expand upon the topic a bit more.

With the use of the internet these false and fake mages seem to have found an avenue of being able to reach a wide audience, while hiding behind some level of anonymity. However, it is important to note that these figures aren't always trying to sell you things like con-artist spiritual merchants, these people engage in such activities for a variety of different reasons.  I've found they generally come in three forms.

1. The Delusional- This person often makes claims of magical power for the sole reason that they are delusional. They often are very sincere in their beliefs, but are nevertheless deluded. It is at this level you'll hear claims of having such powerful psychic vision that "they've never met anyone who could see like they could," or claims of having dangerous "satanic cults cast spells on them." You see the Delusional Fake, also has delusions of persecution as well as grandeur. Are there truly gifted seers out there and are there dark cults? Sure, but more often than not people are engaging in delusions.

Now a subcategory of this group are people who suffer from mental imbalance. There are people who personality disorders and psychosis who have these delusions simply because of their mental condition.

2. The Authority/Guru- This person is called upon the Authority Fake because one of their most striking features is that they take on the role of teacher. They often show up on online groups and will make posts that seemingly put them in a position of authority. They rely on the ability to present themselves as either an initiate of something, or as holder of some esoteric knowledge. Now, unlike the Delusional Fake who come up with fantastic and chimerical claims that can give them away, the Authority/Guru Fake may have some superficial understanding of whatever they are claiming to be an expert on (note: they don't always expressly claim the term expert; they simply act in a way that puts them in that position).

This person often relies on silly techniques like using random capitalizations to make it seem like they are talking about some spiritual truth. For example, they'll take a verse and add random capitals to words like, "Love," "Truth," "Wisdom," "Power" etc. There are legitimate examples of these words being in capitalizations, but often they refer to very specific concepts (ie, using Truth in Neo-Platonic thought), but in the case of the Authority/Guru Fake, if you check the source they are quoting from, you'll find a rather interesting lack in those capitalizations.

This leads to the third attribute of the Authority/Guru, they'll quote things without citing them. They'll claim they found a certain "powerful magical work" in so and so grimoire and that its truly "powerful," but if you ask them for citation they'll fail to provide. For example, if they claim its from the "Grimoire Verum," they'll fail to provide which translations they found it in, which page, and may make the excuse, "It was in a version I don't have anymore; it was an old, little known version."

Spotting the Authority may be a bit tricky. Unlike the Delusional Fake, these people may be perfectly rational and seem level-headed. What gives them away is two-fold. First, their knowledge will collapse before someone who really knows what they are talking about. Second, they'll get really defensive when called out. If you examine their claims, they superficially sound fine, but closer inspection shows their falsehood. If they claim things like being "graduates of Abramelin," but also talk about how they've come under the sway of demons that made them do hard drugs, then you should be hesitant. A person who really has conversation with their Holy Guardian Angel isn't perfect, but they also don't fall under the sway of a "demon" that force them to do drugs. Superfically their claim may be fine, but closer inspection with a bit of real knowledge of what it means to reach that state, reveals the falsehood.

3. The Name Dropper- This person's claims are always indirect. They have a "buddy" who's a palero, or their "teacher" was this reknown Magus etc. Like the Authority, this person has enough knowledge of the field to pass off as actually having some contact with some traditions, but they often are seeking the same attention of the Authority. They are a little tricky to spot, because they don't make direct claims, but one of the giveaways, is that they seem to have a contact in any magical topic that comes up. If you talk about hoodoo, they know somebody, if you mention Goetia they'll talk about the experience of a friend and so on and so forth.

Like the Authority/Guru, this person may simply appear on an online community and worm their way into a position of "expert" by relating all sorts of information that they picked up from their contacts. What makes them clever is that they don't talk about themselves. For example, there was this one lady on a forum who went on and on about how her grandmother who she put up as a great spiritual worker from a Romani tradition. Interestingly enough a lot of the "magic" her grandmother did was identical to a completely separate and distinctly modern tradition. The anachronism gave her away.

Though I've listed three categories, I am sure there are more. It is important to note that these categories have fluid boundaries and a person pretending to be a magus, rootworker, or spiritual practitioner may fit into more than one category.

The people who pretend they are magicians generally are after two things: attention and control. For the latter, they resort to creating persona that allow them the illusion of control where in real life they have little of. Similarly, they are yearning for feeling special and so they will try to seek out attention by creating this false image of themselves.

What makes this a problem is that such individuals are pretty prevelant in the various online occult and magical communities. They pose as experts, frequent posters, and chances are you've run across them.I'd say there are actually a lot of them out there. One of the beauties of the internet is that along with the fakes we also have some actual magicians and rootworkers to compare them to. You have sincere and real practitioners like Jason Miller, Frater RO, Balthazar, Frater AIT, Argent, C.Mthe Scribbler, Gordon, cat yronwode, Momma Starr, Dr. LoveBug and others who have a great online presence and who can be contrasted with the fakes. You'll find that in comparison to a real practitioner of the spiritual arts, the fake will pale in comparison.

The best approach to online magical communities: take everything with a grain of salt

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

So you'd like to learn hoodoo part 2...

In this second installment of "So you'd like to learn hoodoo" I am going to go over resources that will help you get actual real one-on-one instruction on various conjure practices, how to spot a fake and phoney,  followed up by advice from me on how to get started in this work.

Courses/Teachers/Coaches:

*Lucky Mojo Hoodoo Rootwork Correspondence Course- This is a correspondence course taught in a group setting online and via an instructional text on the basics of getting involved in rootwork. It is aimed at both beginner and professional alike. Miss cat yronwode has put together this course over the decades of her experience and provides this information for those interested. She does have the prerequesite of being a customer of hers and passing a phone interview before she takes you on as a student--a very reasonable requirement that helps her to get to know you and shows that you are of good standing.

*Lucky Mojo Apprenticeship-What most people don't know is that the previous correspondence course is actually meant to be followed up by the apprenticeship. The course is really an introduction and survey of conjure practices and while it goes in-depth on a great deal of things, the apprenticeship gives you the hands-on training that will help you take your studies to the next level. This apprenticeship is free for all graduates and is offered during certain times of the year and will go over the making of various products, history, theory, actual conjure practices etc. You'll get a chance to make real spiritual products, prepare, dress, and set candle for spiritual purposes, make jackballs etc. A must for those interested in pursuing their studies.

*Old Style Conjure Mini Courses- Momma Starr offers a series of mini courses that are done either in person, or over the phone for 2 hours. These mini courses are an immensly valuable resources because they offer real traditional teachings from a conjure woman with a vast knowledge of her craft. Among classes like honey jars and vinegar jars, working with herbs, and similar basic courses, she offers the only place where you can learn real traditional formulae and recipes for crafting mojo hands and oil. Momma Starr offers a no-nonsense approach that is coupled with her approachable style. In addition Momma Starr also offers the only place where you can actually learn about working with saints in the traditional manner. Most people who approach the saints do so in a fashion that is not common in conjure, in my opinion Momma Starr is one of the few people who knows this work for real.

*Note: I have taken both Miss cat and Momma Starr's courses and can attest to their vast knowledge. These women come from different backgrounds and represent two different streams of conjure. You'll find Miss cat teaches from a tradition closely tied to urban settings and spiritual shops while Momma Starr teaches from a tradition closely tied to the rural and old school south. I suggest taking both courses to help broaden one's knowledge of conjure and learning how vast and beautiful this system is.

*Lucky Mojo Hoodoo Workshop Weekend- This is a anual weekend get together where some of the best from the hoodoo world come to present workshops on various conjure practices. This is your opportunity to get to meet your fellow seekers and professionals alike. Set in beautfiul Forestville, California, these workshops are done on the campus of Lucky Mojo itself and provide a great opportunity to do some shoping while learning hands-on from real practitioners. Workshops have covered everything like money conjures, love spells, candle work, lamp work, cleansings and traditional footwashes, making doll babies, divination methods like astrology and tarot etc.

*Folk Magic Festival-Another magical weekend for people looking to learn some conjure. While the Lucky Mojo Workshops are in the Spring, the Folk Magic Festival is in Autumn. Here practitioners and my colleagues from AIRR, Momma Starr, Auntie Sindy, Susan Diamond, join forces with Bloody Mary and notable author and practitioner Orion Foxwood to present a serires of folk-magic and conjure workshops. Set in beautiful New Orleans, this workshop is another great place to get the chance to mingle with fellow conjurers and learn hands-on from some of the top-notch workers. It also is one of the only workshops in the country that includes graveyard/crossroads work as well as Momma Starr's course on the Spirit of BlackHawk. You really don't get opportunities like that elsewhere.

*Magical Coaching from the Association of Independent Readers and Rootworkers- Magical coaching is one of the least known services available from AIRR. Not only is this site a massive resource on spiritual matters and a directory for ethical and talented professional rootworkers and readers, but those some of those same readers and rootworkers offer magical coaching services. This service allows you to hire on one of these talented and knowledgable professionals to act as your coach for your spiritual and magical endeavor. In these sessions you'll be coached step-by-step through the spells, prayers, and work that you need to help deal with the situations at hand. Members like myself (ConjureMan Ali), Miss cat, Momma Starr, Miss Bri etc all offer this service. This is a great resource, but also one that is overlooked. I myself have used this magical coaching service to learn certain tricks and have worked personally with Dr. Johannes, Miss cat, and Momma Starr some of the tricks of the trade. I highly recommend it.

*Conjure Man's Spiritual Practice's Email Courses- This has been a project in the works for a while, but my own private practice will shortly be offering a serires of several week email courses that will cover such things like doll babies, spirit magick, djinn magick, and the basics of hoodoo. I've been developing these courses for a while and they are a nice addition for the learning conjurer and long-time student alike. I used to take on physical apprentices, but my graduate degress and work and research as a professional academic don't allow me that luxury anymore. Look for these courses in the near future.

*Note: I hope that the email courses that I provide will be a valuable resource, but you will find me referring to Momma Starr's Mini Courses and Miss cat's correspondence course quite a bit, so you'd do yourself a favor of checking those out first, it is not a requirement for my courses, but it will help you quite a bit.

How to Spot a Charlatan:

Charlatans and fakes have existed for as long as there has been such a thing as magical practice. Huksters selling talismans, potions, and fake magical work is not a new phenomenon and it is important to keep yourself on guard for them. Here is an article written by Miss cat that deals with of them:

http://www.luckymojo.com/blackgypsies.html

*Certification- Please bear in mind that certification does not ever prove that a person is the real deal. Just because someone claims all sorts of certifications doesn't make authentic. However, there are some that carry a strong reputation and even stronger backing and can help be an indicator of that person's training and ethical standing. The Lucky Mojo Certified Graduate for example is one of these. If a person shows the Lucky Mojo Certified Graduate certification then chances are that you are dealing with someone who has real training in the field and is most likely of good character.

Again a certification isn't always a guarentee and there are plenty of old school, real professions without any type of certification, but some certification carry some weight and can help you come to an accurate conclusion.

*100% Guarentee- In addition to credentials look for "guarentees;" if a person is offering you a "100% Guarentee" for their magical work then run the other way. This is the surest sign of a fraud. Surgeons can't give 100% guarentees, nor can lawyers. The same goes for magical practitioners. Magick is never a 100% guarentee and anyone who is offer this to you is lying and is a fraud.

*Consistency and Ethical Character- Examine a person's moral character. A liar will give themselves away by their actions and their words. If they are a prolific writer this makes the job easier. For example if they are a practitioner of ceremonial magick and they tell you accounts of how they are have acheived Conversation with their Holy Guardian Angel but then go on to talk about how they also do hard drugs because of a demons influence, they are more often than not a fake. In this latter case, being initiated to the degree of gaining a rapport with such a high being doesn't make you perfect, but it also helps you avoid things like the influence of demons to make you do hard drugs. Another example would be a santero who tells you that they can teach you all about Pomba Gira. In this case, the fraud can't even tell the difference between Lukumi and Quimbanda--two separate spiritual practices. Their words and actions will give them away. Check their sources, see if they are ripping off someone else--people who plagerize are generally fakes. Frauds will rip information from others and present it as a means of you thinking that they are authentic.

Examine their moral character, if they are an ethical practitoners they will weigh their decisions on their moral standing, not the money they can make, they will demonstrate a real knowledge in the field not a superficial one, check to their moral standing (are they a liar, do they avoid answering important question, have they ripped people off, or plagerized?) and most importantly for the real deal their interest is not in a transaction, but in you yourself.

*Common Sense- Finally use common sense. Don't disregard your rational mind in your desperation to get teaching or magical help. If something doesn't make sense, ask them about it.

Don't let yourself be victimized by these parasits.

Practical Steps to Conjuring:

1. Cleanse- Many people go through life collecting a great deal of baggage and spiritual blocks. Take the time to really cleanse yourself of the things that have held you back. People have come to magical practice for a variety of reasons; whether it is because you are desperate to change something in your life, or you are seeking more control, or you have a spiritual calling. It doesn't matter, take the time to clear your head and heart of all the mess that life throws at you.

Take nice cleansing baths, do egg cleansings, light healing and uncrossing candles, do some cut and clears. Do whatever it takes to help you start fresh. By laying out a strong foundation for you to build on you'll be doing yourself a world of good.

2. Build Back Up-  Once you've cleared the slate, its time to build yourself back up. Doing some work on yourself. We go through life getting beat down so badly that we forget our god-given power to create, prosper, and succeed. This is the time to reclaim that heritage. Dress yourself with some power oils like John the Conqueror, Master Key/Mastery etc.

Light a few candles here or there to help yourself out in things. The aim is to do things to help build your confidence and support your own power. Take courses to give yourself a great foundation of knowledge. Get out and speak to candle shop owners, don't be afraid to travel. Speak to real practitioners and listen to what they have to say. Its important to learn the "how" before diving in. Learn how to approach a graveyard, learn how to dress a candle--get the technical knowledge along with the spiritual.

3. Develop the Connection- Ceremonial magick can be categorized as ceremonies and rituals aimed at tapping into the "other" or that transcendent numinous power. Conjure/Hoodoo as a form of natural magick works in a different fashion. The key to conjure is developing relationships and connections to the natural world. Spend time outdoors at parks, rivers, and forests. Learning to just be and learning to listen. Take some trips to the crossroads and sit and get a feeling for the power of the pace, do the same with a graveyard. Spend time with the fauna and flora of the land, and especially spend time with herbs, roots, etc that you plan on using in your conjure.

This is the time to develop a strong connection with both your higher power and your ancestors. For the former spend time in daily prayer. Learn to pray so that you can develop that connection where you speak and you are heard. For your ancestors set up an altar to them. Get to know about them when they were alive, dedicate a space for them and welcome them into your home. Set out a glass of water for them and light a small candle. Do this religiously and you'll soon find your life filled with the benevolent guidance of your ancestors. I suggest burning offerings of Acacia and Althaea to help really draw your spirit guides to you and help your ancestors start taking a place in your life.

4. Sharpen The Focus- Pick up a divinatory practice. The power to read and divine is more than predicting the future accurately. A talented reader and diviner is intimiately aware of the connections that bind all of reality and are aware of their own place in that vast web of life. By picking up a divinatory practice you help take the connection to the next level.

It helps to get readings from professional readers and rootworkers. Learn tips from them. When you need guidance don't be afraid to seek it, you'll learn not just from the answers you get, but also from how you arrive to those answers.

Let yourself be guided by your guides to really fine-tune your work. Begin working conjures not just in times of need, but applying what you're learning masterfully to your life. Sweeten bosses, compel debtors, drive off enemies, and bless those who need it. By allowing yourself to get engaged on a variety of levels you are expanding and fine-tuning your focus.

You need to begin thinking like a conjure worker or rootworker. Even if you don't actually do a conjure for a situation examine all the ways that you could approach it with your magical talents. This will help sharpen your mind. Again this is the time to do things like take power baths, make mojo hands to help you in your work etc.

5. Making it Your Own- Hoodoo and conjure is not a set of instructions that you simply follow. It isn't like a machine where you pull a lever and something happens. It is a spiritual practice based off of the powerful natural power that arises from the interconnection of the natural world, us, and the Divine. Learn to make your conjures personal and add something of yourself.

This doesn't mean to go all willy nilly and do what you want and butcher the practices. Rather there conjure has a set of principles that allow you the freedom to explore. You'll find that certain herb combinations work really well for you, you'll find that you get great results when you pray in a certain fasion, you'll find a certain set of practices resonates with you.

The point is to take your studies and transform them from a rote discipline into something alive.

Get this down and you are on a great start on an amazing journey.

Good luck!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

So you'd like to learn hoodoo...

So you’d like to learn hoodoo; well you’re in luck, I have compiled a list of valuable resources to help you on your journey to becoming an aspiring rootworker. Conjure and hoodoo has become extremely popular in today’s internet age with everyone trying to stake a claim. While the positive to this is that there is a general prevalence of information, the down side is that there is a great deal of completely incorrect information that misleads people.

What I have done is outlined a list of resources that can be used to help someone gain a better understanding of the basics of conjure and hoodoo so they are better equipped to deal with the information out there on the web. Each of these resources has been personally checked out by myself or trusted colleagues and are what I consider the best of the best.

Because of the scope, I have divided this post into two sections. Part ONE will include all the books, websites, podcasts, and radio shows that I find useful and valuable. Part TWO will include a list of courses and practical steps to get you on your way.

ConjureMan Ali’s Ultimate Conjure Guide:

Books

*Hoodoo in Theory and Practice-This online book is a great beginning for the aspiring hoodoo practitioner. Compiled by Miss cat this text acts as a great resource into the history and basic techniques of hoodoo.

*Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic- This is the only book of its kind. This text catalogues a list of the herbs, roots, minerals, and curios that are employed in conjure. Not only a great introduction into the magica materia of conjure, but it also presents hundreds of traditional and time-tested spells.

*Old Style Conjure Book-Written by Momma Starr this book presents traditional conjure that remains very much grounded in the old south. This work is an amazing introduction into old style conjure. Momma Starr is one of the few online conjure women who I would consider an authentic and reliable source of this type of work.

*Hoodoo Money Conjure Book-Also written by Momma Starr this will have everything you need to know about a very important condition in conjure: money. Filled with practical conjures for drawing wealth and maintaining it.

*Spiritual Cleansing Book- Momma Starr’s book on spiritual cleansing addressing this oft-neglected spiritual practice that was and is the cornerstone of traditional conjure work.

*BlackHawk: Working with his spirit-This book on the Native American Spirit Blackhawk is the only text that actually addresses how to work with his spirit. Written by a conjure woman who has real experience in the field this text is important for an introduction not only to Blackhawk, but also to spirit work. A large portion of conjure revolves around working with spirits and this book helps set the groundwork for it.

*Rootwork by Tayannah Micquillar -This book presents a series of spells and folk charms as they are related in what would be termed urban hoodoo. It covers spells for various conditions as well as introductions into divination methods practiced by traditional rootworkers.

*Dream-Singers by Anthony Shafton- Dreams are an important facet of the spirituality that is inherent in conjure and hoodoo. This book can help you get a grasp of the role of dreams in African American spiritual practices.

*God, Dr. Buzzard, and the Bolito Man by Cornelia Bailey- Conjure is not merely a magical system, but the product of a unique cultural matrix. This book is written by a woman who was raised in the Saltwater Geechee culture, who along with the Gullah people are the best representations of culture that gave birth to hoodoo. In this society the culture and life of the early African Americans is preserved and honored. This book is written by an amazing story teller who relates amazing tales filled with magic, rich spirituality, and a deeply beautiful culture.

*Master Book of Candle Burning by Henri Gamache- This seminal text forms the very foundation of most candle magic practices in conjure and hoodoo. Adopted by rootworkers with the rise of the mail order supply shop, this book covers the practice of working with candles for a variety of situations.

*The Magic Candle by Charmaine Dey- Equally important to the development of candle magic within hoodoo, this book covers the various candles that gained popularity in the 20th Century. Here you’ll find your 7-Knob Candles, your Adam and Eve candles, and much more.

Note: Both of these books were adopted by hoodoo practitioners, but these books are not necessarily hoodoo books. Both authors write from their own point of view. Conjure workers adopted the elements that were copacetic with their traditions while excluding others. Hence some workers will work with Astral Candles as taught by Henri Gamache, but not all find it necessary.

*The Secret of the Psalms by Godfrey Selig- This books is based off of older Jewish and European texts revolving around the magical uses of the Tehillim, or Psalms. The use of the bible as a conjure book is integral to the practice of hoodoo and this book helped develop this practice for rootworkers.

*Blue Roots by Roger Pinckney-Written by someone who grew up around the culture of African Americans. This book is relates tales and stories that the author heard over the years. It’s filled with interesting accounts of famous conjure doctors.

*Conjure in African American Society by Jeffery Anderson- This book is written from the perspective of an anthropologist who made a study of conjure practices. It is an interesting and revealing book from the perspective of an academic.

*Black Magic: Religion and the African American Conjuring Tradition by Yvonne Chireau- Also written from the perspective of an anthropologist, this book catalogues the development of conjure and its role in African American society.

*The Practice of Magic by Draja Mickharic- A great introduction into the various streams of magical practice, this book outlines the different magical and spiritual traditions that one might come across.

*Century of Spells by Draja Mickaharic- Written by one of the most under-recognized occult authors of our day, this books records various spells from a variety of folk traditions, including hoodoo. The author is a practitioner of Eastern European folk magic traditions and versed in Afro-Caribbean magical systems. As a demonstration of folk magic, this book can help the practitioner learn the general mechanics of folk magic.

*Spiritual Cleansing by Draja Mickaharic- A distillation of spiritual cleansing practices that have been collected over the years by the author, this text presents some of the most important techniques found in folk magic practices across the United States. It touches on various hoodoo practices among others and has quickly been adopted by rootworkers today.

*Voodoo and Hoodoo by Jim Haskins- The author has recorded and preserved a variety of magical workings that he has gathered from real conjure practitioners from both rural and urban root doctor alike. The book approaches the subject from the point of view of a folklorist rather than practitioner, but it lists in detail various works and helps develop a picture of conjure as it was practiced by real practitioners.

*Pow Wows or Long Lost Friend by John George Hoffman- This book is not hoodoo, but it is an integral book to the practice of the Pennsylvania Dutch. This tradition is the cousin of hoodoo and various practices from this book have been adopted into conjure work.

*The Red Church by CR Bilardi- An interesting look into the Germanic magical practices found in Pennsylvania. Some of these practices are similar to conjure and over the years there has been some intermarriage within the traditions. Another great book on American folk magic. 

*Hoodoo-Conjuration-Witcraft-Rootwork by Harry M. Hyatt- This five volume set is very difficult to obtain, but is filled with a collection of interviews by the author with various folks claiming to know a thing or two about rootwork. A great survey of the various methods employed by conjure workers, but these texts should be taken with more than a grain of salt as some of the people interviewed clearly weren’t as familiar with hoodoo practices as they claimed and some downright made stuff up. Some of the stuff can be misleading, but read with a discerning eye.

These are certainly not all the books available on the subject, but these texts I have found most useful in getting a great survey and introduction into rootwork. This tradition is mostly passed down from teacher to student, so read what is written with the understanding that there are limitations to books.

Websites:

http://www.luckymojo.com/ - owned and operated by Miss cat this website is the home of the authentic hoodoo and spiritual goods supplier the Lucky Mojo Curio co. The website is filled with information with thousands of free pages on the topic as well as being a resource of authentic, traditionally-made spiritual products.

http://forum.luckymojo.com/ - The product forum of Lucky Mojo provided free for their customers. You can go register and post about any questions you have on the products they provide. You can ask how to employ the products to your situation and you’ll be answered by helpful volunteers and as well as professional workers.

http://www.oldstyleconjure.com/ - The home of Momma Starr’s Old Style Conjure shop, this website is filled with the writings of a real, down-to-earth conjure woman who has decades of experience. She provides her own line of products and has made available many pages of free information that are extremely worthwhile.

http://www.oldstyleconjure.ning.com/ - An online community developed by Momma Starr and friends where people interested in learning and sharing their experiences with old style conjure may gather.

http://www.readersandrootworkers.org/ - This Association of Independent Readers and Rootworkers (AIRR) is the home of the elite of the conjuring world. This directory includes the best of the best in rootwork and spiritual readings who have gathered together and agreed to work under the aegis of a strict ethical standard aimed at providing a resource for people seeking real magical help. This website stands in direct opposition of the fakes and charlatans who have abused people in need and taken advantage of them emotionally and financially. Here you will find the finest skilled professionals who are out for your best interest. The website is also filled with hundreds of pages on various spiritual matters from around the world.

http://gnostic-conjure.blogspot.com/ - The blog of the skilled conjure doctor, Balthazar. He is an avid blogger whose blog is a great resource for conjure, magick, the tarot, and much more. His posts are always insightful and very worthwhile. His blog covers a variety of topics and you’ll find yourself learning a great deal about magic in general along with conjure. He is also a fellow graduate of the Lucky Mojo Hoodoo Rootwork Correspondence Course. You can also find a link to his private practice here.

http://queenofpentaclesconjure.blogspot.com/ - The blog of the lovely Devi Spring. She has some great articles about various conjure and hoodoo practices and her posts are always a delight. As a fellow graduate of the Lucky Mojo Hoodoo Rootwork Correspondence Course, she knows her stuff. You can also find a link to her private practice.

http://conjuredoctor.blogspot.com/ - This is the blog of my esteemed AIRR colleague, Dr. E. His articles are filled with tons of information on a variety of conjure and hoodoo workings. He is an initiate of Lukumi and a skilled conjure doctor. You can find a link to his private practice listed at his blog.

http://carolinadean.blogspot.com/ - Maintained by fellow HRCC graduate, Carolina Dean, this blog includes several great instructional posts written by a top notch worker. He also has a link to his own website where you’ll find even more great articles.

http://ravenconjure.blogspot.com/ - Of course my own blog ;-). It already has a variety of traditional conjure instructions as well as discussions on the other traditions that form the core of my practice.


Radio Shows:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/starr-casas - Radio show run by Momma Starr and the very talented Dr. LoveBug. A radio show on various conjure practices as it is done old school. Momma Starr and Dr. LoveBug tell it how it is.

http://newworldwitchery.com – I was turned on to them by a colleague and find the blog/podcasts to be insightful and a great resource for people on the search for American folk magic traditions.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/luckymojohoodoorootworkhour - The Lucky Mojo Hoodoo Rootwork Hour is a radio show brought to us by the esteemed Miss cat yronwode. It is actually an hour and half long show by two real practitioners who take your calls, give free readings and advice to those in need.

That’s it for part ONE, watch for part TWO soon.