Raisin' the Dead!

What better way to commemorate Halloween then by talking about some good old-fashioned gouls and goblins!

Necromantic arts, or those arts dealing with the dead--be it for the purposes of divination, or for the purposes of magick--have been fringe and shadowy aspects of the Western magical traditions in more modern times. While there is mention of a graveyard working here or there, and perhaps a rite dealing the shades of the dead, generally the approach to the denizens of the underworld has been one that has been a tad neglected these days. Not so in the Afro-diasporic religions and not so for hoodoo!

While modern magicians partaking in the Western magical tradition may have forgotten the goet ancestors, or the magi of the Graeco-Egyptian world who absolutely loved Necromancy, hoodoo considers working with the dead one of the staples of its magical tradition. You have such professionals such Dr. E and myself who work with spirits, especially those of the dead, extensively. In conjure you can quite literally call upon the aid of the dead for nearly anything. Have a court date? Go to the graveyard. Need a love spell with some coercion thrown in? Go to the graveyard. Want to take out an enemy? Go to the graveyard.

The lovely Devi Spring wrote up a beautiful article on praying for the dead so in this post we'll take it in the opposite direction. I'm going to show you how to get a spirit to haunt a house. This particular working is great because it can effectively hot foot a nasty individual right of the area, or it can be used to exact revenge and/or justice against an individual. Before I go on a word of caution, graveyard work is not for the faint of heart, nor for people who don't know what they are doing with the work. If you don't know what you are doing then stay away from such things lest you end messing yourself up. My recommendation for anyone interested in this type of work who doesn't come from a tradition that includes some type of interaction with graveyard spirits is to find a teacher to guide you.

So that said, here's what you need:

9 pennies

3 dimes (I love using Mercury Dimes personally)

Small trowel or a strong spoon.

Little baggie

Couch Grass or Twitch Grass

Red Pepper

Black Pepper

Now take your coins and head over to your local graveyard. Some people prefer to time when they go to the graveyard according to spiritually significant times. Midnight for darker work, sunset for works of decrease, and noon or the rising sun if you are looking to enlist the aid of the spirits for lighter and protective work. Park just outside of the cemetery and as you approach the gate address the Keeper of the Graveyard. You can use your own words or the following prayer.

"I offer up this prayer to the Keeper of the Graveyard,

You who guards and keep the spirits of those who have passed.

I ask you for permission to enter your domain and ask that

you lead me to a spirt that would be willing to work with me.

I give you these coins as a humble offering for your aid

and blessing."

At this point place the 9 pennies by the gate of the cemetery and listen for the answer of Keeper. Once you've receieved the spirit's blessing you may enter and begin your search for a willing helper.

Start by calmly walking through the cemetery. Keep your mind clear and silently pray. Call out in your mind and ask if there is a spirit there that is willing to work with you. Tell them what your purpose and intent is. In this case, let them know you are interested in setting them against a rival in order to haunt them. Make sure you also let them know you are willing to pay for their work.

You'll soon be led to the grave of a spirit that is willing to work with you. Depending on how you interact with the psychic and spiritual worlds you'll arrive there differently. Those with the ability to see spirits will see the spirit leading them there, those who can hear them will hear the answer to them calling out, while others may be led by gut feeling and intution. Whatever the case, you will soon find yourself before a spirit that can aid you.

Once you get to the garve, knock on the headstone three times. This is to wake the spirit up. Kneel down and softly begin to pray and speak to the spirit. Tell them what you want, tell them your desire, and ask if they are willing to aid you. Again let them know that you are able to pay them. When you receive the spirits agreement, then take out your spoon or trowel and start digging where the right hand of that person in the grave would be. You don't have to dig too deep, just enough for you to scrape up a handful of dirt. Place this dirt in your baggie and leave the coins in the hole you've made. Some also leave offerings of whiskey for the spirit, but it's up to you if you wish to do that. Cover up the hole and get up and walk out of the cemetery. As you walk out make sure to keep praying, or speaking to spirit as if it were with you because at this point you are carrying it away with the dirt.

When you approach the gate thank the Keeper of the Graveyard then head home. I recommend taking a different route home then the one used to get the cemetery.

Once you are at home. Take out the dirt you've collected and lay this on your altar. Take your Couch Grass and burn it to ashes. Pray over these ashes that they effect the nerves and mind of your rival, making him/her fearful, nervous, and susceptible to the workings of your spirit. Mix these ashes into the dirt while you continue to pray your intent. As you mix it together add in your Red Pepper, and Black Pepper (make sure you've crushed these). Keep mixing this up while you get the spiritual juices going while praying. You can pray from the heart or use something that goes a little like this:

"(Rival's Name), you are a sore to me and those around you,

you are villan and it is time for you to go.

I set the Hounds of Hell on your heels to chase you right out of my life,

I set the spirits of the dead on your heels to chase you right out town,

I set the spirits of Fire on your ass to burn you right out!

(Rival's Name) so long as you are a thorn in my side,

So long as you live at your current house,

you shall be haunted and tormented and driven to fear and terror

until you leave me be and leave this town.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit! Amen."

Once you've got that power built and you feel the spirit of the dirt jumping, ready for action. Head over to your enemy's home and sprinkle the dirt right on their lawn and front door while instructing to spirit you've contracted to get to work.

The spirit will get to work on that person literally scaring them right out of your life. Once the person leaves, it is best to go back and do a quick cleansing of the property. Even though your curse should be precise on when the conditions stop, it is best to not leave a haunt for the people who might move in next ;-).

Happy Haunting!