A Stepford Wife's Review of the Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook

OMG, is all I can say when I stumbled upon this review of my book. Okay, maybe I could say a little more...okay a lot more...but I won't. Truly, we are living in a digital age. 

Okay, I lied...I just have to say a little something about this review. First, are you kidding me? I mean, I appreciate the exposure but damn, someone please teach that narrating stepford wife how to say "gris gris"! I've said it before and I'll say it again and again and again until everyone hears me - the "s" is silent! It is not pronounced like it looks when viewed from the English language. It sounds like "gree gree." Is that too much to ask? I think the only thing worse than watching some tutorial by the various "experienced" rootworkers in the New Orleans tradition found on You Tube who also mispronounce the word while attempting to show viewers how to "authentically" create "gris gris," is hearing some computerized female voice make the same glaring mistake - in a book review! Uggh, can we not program our computers more intelligently? More...cultural specific?

I thought I spoke to this bionic woman today on the phone when I was paying my electric bill. And then again when talking to Sallie Mae about my student loans. My, she sure gets around.

Clearly, the mispronunciation of the phrase "gris gris" is a pet peeve of mine and I've owned it before. Maybe I'm being a bit of a New Orleans Voodoo Hoodoo Gris Gris Ju Ju Rootworkin' Spiritualist snob, but I don't care. Just call me honey badger. LOL (I really am laughing at myself here).

Thank you www.spiritualbookmix.com, I do appreciate the review. I don't mean to sound ungrateful (although it really isn't a book review; rather, it is more like a book description). But maybe, if you wouldn't mind, could you erase that pronunciation of the word from the computer's word bank and insert the correct pronunciation? I would be ever so grateful.

Copyright 2013 Denise Alvarado www.planetvoodoo.com, All rights reserved worldwide.

How to Make a Gris Gris Bag

Before you attempt to make a gris gris bag, whether you are a seasoned conjuror or a newbie, be sure to read the page on Gris Gris first. This will give you some insight and deeper knowledge about what gris gris actually is, the many forms it takes, and most importantly, the history of how it came to be such a significant and unique part of New Orleans Voodoo.

What I am going to describe here is how to make a gris gris bag, because that is the most common thing people associate gris gris with, and most people are not making them correctly. Hopefully, after reading this article and the page on Gris Gris, the next time you attempt to make a gris gris bag will be a different experience, and one you will find much more powerful and effective.

Gris gris is a system of magick that is on a continuum of intent and purpose. As in the past, gris gris continues to be used to assist in all matters of living and as charms of empowerment, whatever the intent. What follows is just a short primer on the basics of fixing a gris gris bag. Once you know the basics, the rest is up to you.

Traditionally, a gris gris bag is a 2-inch by 3-inch drawstring bag made out of red flannel, chamois, or leather. Special herbs, stones, personal effects, roots, bones, coins, metal lucky charms, crystals, good luck tokens, carved stones, and European seals and sigils that have been written with magickal ink on parchment paper are placed inside the bag. Other colors can also be used, according to their magickal symbolism. You should only put an odd number of items into your gris gris bag; never less than three and never more than thirteen. The items are blessed as they are placed into the bag and the whole bag is dressed with anointing oil or holy water. It is then smudged in incense of some kind, words of power are spoken into it, and it is breathed upon. These rituals are said to activate the magick of the gris gris.

In New Orleans, gris gris is often hidden from public view. It is always ritually prepared in front of an altar and consecrated to the four elements: earth, fire, water, and air. Here are a few rules of thumb to remember when “fixing” a gris gris bag:

1. Gris gris are created on the cardinal points of the Kongo cosmogram, or on the point of a specific spirit. For the sake of this tutorial, I am focusing on the cosmogram.
2. Color symbolism is important. Choose a color specific to your need.
3. Gris gris must contain an odd number of items: more than three, never more than thirteen.
4. It must be filled with items that are specific to the desired purpose. 
5. It must be dressed with a liquid of some kind.
6. Be very careful of the words you speak when making gris gris. Your words create energy that will become a part of the gris gris itself.
7. Each ingredient can be smudged or smoked in incense, and so can the final bag.
8. A petition written in a magickal alphabet or a magickal seal or sigil drawn on a piece of parchment paper with a magickal ink is placed or sewn into the bag. Magick squares and other talismans can also be added to gris gris bags.
9. Words of power are spoken over the bag as a means of activating the divine energy.
10. The final act is to breathe upon the gris gris to give it life.

To create a gris gris, you should set up a basic gris gris altar or working space. This altar should contain the four elements already mentioned: a bowl of water to represent the element water, incense to represent the element air, a bowl of graveyard dirt to represent the element earth, and a candle flame to represent the element fire. These elements should be arranged according to the Kongo cosmogram, a powerful symbol in Kongo cosmology. The cross pattern represents the crossroads; the division of the spiritual world from the earthly world at a sacred point which is the center. It is a circular cosmology, reflecting the belief that the journey of life is a continuous process as opposed to a beginning (birth) and an end (death). The four cardinal points of the Kongo cosmogram are read counterclockwise, starting at the bottom or southern point and going east, north, and west. Place the graveyard dirt at the bottom or southern point, which is where birth occurs and also where the container of our ancestors resides; the candle is placed in the east where the transformation of the individual begins as a full member of society; the incense is placed in the northern direction, the point of intellectual power; and the bowl of water is placed in the west, where comprehension, understanding, and the point of departure takes place. The gris gris itself should be placed in the center of the crossroads design and created on the center point of the cosmogram. Note that there are other interpretations of the cardinal points and the one I have given is the one of my understanding.

Gris Gris Charms

Following are a couple of examples of gris gris charms that you can make for a variety of purposes. Because gris gris is a highly intuitive magickal system, you should try a few of these and get the feel for how it is done. Then, use your intuition, along with your knowledge of the plants, herbs, and minerals, for making your own gris gris. Remember, gris gris is not confined to a bag. Some gris gris is merely a powder or a potion. Sometimes it can be made into a doll. Gris gris should be assembled in the middle of your gris gris altar, the ingredients asperged with incense and if made as a bag, tied shut using hemp string, wax thread, or leather cording.

Get Even Gris Gris Doll

This is an example of how to make and use a gris gris doll. It is a creepy little revenge spell from my book, The Voodoo Doll Spellbook: A Compendium of Ancient and Contemporary Spells and Rituals, Vol. I.,  which by the way, I am very happy to report has been picked up by Weiser books and will be republished with additional spells in 2013.

Create a small doll baby out of black fabric. Stuff the doll with saffron, salt, gunpowder, graveyard dirt, powdered dog manure, and crumpled newspaper from the obituary section. You can also write your target’s name in the Theban alphabet and put it inside the doll. Place the doll near your enemy—under their front porch, in their dresser drawer, in their purse, in the kitchen cabinets. Be sure to be discreet. Your target will surely suffer three times the anguish they have caused you.

Gris Gris Powder to Remove an Enemy

I am quite confident that the practice of throwing down powders in hoodoo is historically related to the practice of gris gris. Here’s a powerful gris gris for taking down enemies: grind up some snake sheds, dirt dauber nests, powdered blue glass, and a little cayenne pepper (oh hell, make it a lot of cayenne pepper), and mix it up real good. Sprinkle it where your target will be walking. If you are not near them, sprinkle some on a photo of your target and wrap everything up in a neat little package, folding the paper away from you, and bind with black thread. Bury it in a cemetery or throw it away in the trash.

Protection Gris Gris

And last but not least, here is an example of a gris gris bag. Combine the following ingredients in a 2 x 3 red flannel bag to create a powerful protection gris gris.

• Dried toadstool top
• Camphor
• Piece of High John the Conqueror root
• Powdered jellyfish
• A hand drawn protection talisman

 Recite this traditional gris gris prayer of protection from the Koran:

In the name of Allah, by (the help of) Allah, and all Praise is due to Allah Who has taken neither a wife nor a son, and for Whom there is no partner in (His) Kingdom, and there is not for Him any helper against any humility; and all praise is due to Allah, Who describes but (He) cannot be described, Who knows. Who knows the treacherous look of the eyes, and what the breasts conceal; and I seek refuge by the Gracious face of Allah and by the name of Allah, the Great from the evil which created and spread and from the evil of what is beneath the lowest of the low beneath the earth, and from the evil which is hidden and manifest, and from the evil of what I have described and what I did not describe, and all praise is due to Allah the Lord of the worlds.

O Allah! Send Your blessings on Muhammad and his progeny. Aameen.

Alternately, you can say Psalm 44:

Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy. Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them? They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep. But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded. So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away. And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing. The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

Or you can simply say a heartfelt prayer of your own. Hold the bag in the palm of your hands with both hands closed together, bring the gris gris up to your mouth, and gently blow into the bag to activate it with your breath. Soak the gris gris bag in whiskey every Friday to recharge it. Hang the gris gris above the doorway to keep evil from entering your home. Alternately, you can wear it around your neck from a leather cord, or in your pocket, on the right side if a man and on the left side if a woman.

References

Alvarado, D. (2011). The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook. San Fransisco: Weiser Books.

Alvarado, D. (2010). The Voodoo Doll Spellbook: A Compendium of Ancient and Contemporary Spells and Rituals, Part 1. Prescott Valley, AZ: Creole Moon Publications.

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All text, images and graphics Copyright 2012 Denise Alvarado, All rights reserved worldwide. Do not copy without my express permission.

Legend of the Crossroads

"If you want to learn how to make songs yourself, you take your guitar and your go to where the road crosses that way, where a crossroads is. Get there be sure to get there just a little ' fore 12 that night so you know you'll be there. You have your guitar and be playing a piece there by yourself ... A big black man will walk up there and take your guitar and he'll tune it. And then he'll play a piece and hand it back to you. That's the way I learned to play anything I want."

Tommy Johnson

A deal with the Devil, pact with the Devil, or Faustian bargain is a cultural motif widespread wherever the Devil is vividly present, most familiar in the legend of Faust and the figure of Mephistopheles, but elemental to many Christian folktales. According to traditional Christian belief in witchcraft, the pact is between a person and Satan or any other demon (or demons); the person offers his or her soul in exchange for diabolical favours. Those favours vary by the tale, but tend to include youth, knowledge, wealth, or power. It was also believed that some persons made this type of pact just as a sign of recognizing the Devil as their master, in exchange for nothing. Regardless, the bargain is a dangerous one, for the price of the Fiend's service is the wagerer's soul. The tale may have a moralizing end, with eternal damnation for the foolhardy venturer. Conversely it may have a comic twist, in which a wily peasant outwits the Devil, characteristically on a technical point.

Well, that's the Christian version of the crossroads legend. In Voodoo, the legend involves the Guardian of the Crossroads, Papa Legba who is petitioned for favors. Papa Legba is not the devil.

There are many versions of the Crossroads legend. Crossroads magic is particularly pronounced in conjure, rootwork, and hoodoo. In conjure practice, it is said that in order to acquire talent in a particular skill such as playing a musical instrument, throwing dice, or dancing, one may go to a crossroads a certain number of times, either at midnight or just before dawn, and one will meet a "black man," presumably Legba though often mistaken for the Devil, who will bestow upon one the desired skills.

In the folk magic of many cultures, the crossroads is a location where two realms touch and thus represent a place "between worlds" or “neither her nor there” As such, the crossroads is a site where supernatural spirits can be contacted and paranormal events can take place.

In the African-derived traditions, Papa Legba, Ellegua, Elegba, Eshu, Pomba Gira and Exu are the spirits of the crossroads. All of these manifestations of the crossroads spirits serve a similar role in that they act as intermediaries between the divine spirits and humans. They stand at the spiritual crossroads and give or deny permission to speak with the spirits of Guinee, and are believed to speak all human languages.

The crossroads play a prominent role in Voodoo and hoodoo. Not only is it the place where one can petition Legba and interact with the various loas, it is the place where ritual remains are left, the place where leftover water from spiritual baths are disposed of, the place where cursed objects can be nullified, and where any number of spells can be performed. In the Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook, I have provided a few of these spells where you can see some common characteristics between them and eventually create your own crossroads magick. Here is one of those spells.

Crossroads Spell

Get three shiny pennies. Hold them in your right hand and tell them (Legba) your problem. Put them in your left hand and vision the solutions you have to your problems. Now cup both hands together, placing the pennies on the seam line between them and ask Legba to help you decide.

Walk three blocks from your house in either direction. Stop at a crossroads; walk in a square, stopping at each corner. Then, walk diagonally through the crossroads. When you reach the center, toss the pennies over your left shoulder.

Go home and do not worry about your problem anymore. Legba will influence people and situations in such a way that the best option will become clear to you (Teish, 1985).

You can learn more about Crossroads Legends from a variety of cultures here.

Get Rid of a Troublesome Neighbor

Oral tradition is the cornerstone of indigenous knowledge. It is the means by which our ancestors pass on their wisdom and ways of life so that we may benefit and carry them to generations to come. Today, much oral tradition is finding its way to print and paper. The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook represents one effort to preserve the wisdom of our ancestors by writing it down so that it can be enjoyed by all who care to read about it.

Voodoo is a fluid, adaptable, syncretic, and inclusive spiritual and religious practice that embraces the hearts of all people, no matter their race, creed, or origin. The loa, spirits, or mysteries, all terms used to describe the Divine archetypal spiritual forces of Voodoo, are everchanging, manifesting in infinite ways according to the filter of a given culture and geographic location. Because New Orleans was a major port where multiple cultures converged, the influences on New Orleans Voodoo are very diverse and different. For example, there are Cuban-inspired Santeros, Haitian-initiated Mambos and Hougans, Obean rootworkers from the West Indian islands (i.e. Belize, the Bahamas, Dominican Republic), followers of the Spiritualists Churches, Hoodoos who incorporate spells and superstitions, and followers of the Yoruba tradition of Nigeria. New Orleans Voodoo is also influenced by Native American spirituality and herbalism. For example, the famous Indian Chief Black Hawk is considered a Voodoo Saint and is often included in ritual work.

The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook is meant to provide authentic formulas that are southern in origin. My personal influences are Louisiana (New Orleans in particular) and Mississippi in origin and this work reflects those influences. It is not meant to be a complete course, as African-based folk magic is much larger than New Orleans. And, I doubt much of what it means to be a hoodoo can be accomplished through reading and coursework alone. Voodoo and hoodoo as it is experienced in New Orleans is a living, breathing culture. In the Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook however, I have provided some of the basic information to get you started. It is up to you to put it into practice…or not.

Today's sample spell from the Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook:

To Get Rid of a Troublesome Neighbor

1. Light a black candle and dress with castor oil.
2. Write the neighbor’s name on a piece of paper and the word “goodbye”. Place the paper under the candle.
3. Mix powdered mud daubers nest with graveyard dirt and throw it at the neighbor’s front door.
4. Recite psalms 74, 101, and 109 three times each and let the candle burn out.

Enemy Be Gone Voodoo Doll Spell Kit

Enemy Be Gone Banishing Spells! Remove negative influences and obstacles from your path while protecting you from any further harassment with this ritualized magical spell kit. This powerful Voodoo ritual will get rid of your enemies once and for all. This Enemy Be Gone Voodoo Doll Spell Kit comes complete with: a Voodoo doll, small bottle of hand blended Enemy Be Gone Dust, parchment paper, an evil eye bead to ward off negativity, special oil, anointed candle, and detailed instructions to perform your own ancient and authentic Voodoo banishing and protection ritual! Everything comes nested in Spanish moss and tucked away in a neat little handcrafted magickal box.

As with all of Planet Voodoo's Magickal Voodoo Doll Ritual Kits, you will receive outstanding customer support by email or phone should you have any questions or concerns when performing your Voodoo ritual.


As with all of Planet Voodoo's Magickal Voodoo Doll Ritual Kits, you will receive outstanding customer support by email or phone should you have any questions or concerns when performing your Voodoo ritual


$120.00