Untying Yourself With No Ingredients Necessary

Life can be a tangled mess at times. We bind ourselves up to other people's messes or sometimes just to other people. When we try to move forward in life it seems like we are tripping ourselves up constantly. Magic doesn't seem to work or at the very least progress seems extremely slow. We know something is wrong but we aren't sure how to fix it, or maybe our budget is so tight we can't even spare the change to get what we need.

But I'm Totally Broke...

When you are broke or unable to light candles and do magic remember: there is always prayer. Prayer costs you nothing and can give you real relief from your problems. The only things that you need to prayer are your mind, your tongue, your heart, and a glass of water. Many important spirits live in water so it's important that you have a glass of water for them to manifest in.

How Do I Pray?

Many don't know how to begin their prayers so I outlined a simple formula for you to follow here. First, take a moment to relax yourself as completely as possible by tensing and releasing your muscles. Then perform the kabbalistic cross and follow with middle pillar ceremony. It's okay if you have to write down the words in the beginning but you should strive to memorize it as quickly as possible. Take a moment after the middle pillar and collect yourself and call to mind your grief and troubles so that you can give them up into prayer.

Who Should I Pray To?

For those that feel stuck and unable to move forward in their life I recommend praying to Mary Undoer of Knots.  Mary is a powerful intercessor, and will quickly intercede for anyone that prays to her with an open heart. By the virtue of her willingly taking on the command to give birth to the Son of God she undid the first knot that was created by Eve when she defied God by eating of the Tree of Knowledge. As the Undoer of Knots she can help remove those things that are holding you back in your life. Whether the knots in your life are feuding between lovers, quarrelsome neighbors, financial troubles, a lack of peace at home she can help you.

O Virgin Mary,

Mother who never refuses to come to the help of your children in need,

Mother whose hands never stop working for the welfare of your children,

moved as they are by the loving mercy and kindness that exists in your Immaculate Heart,

cast your compassionate and merciful eyes on me and see the snarl of knots that exists in my life.

Oh Mother! You know the difficulties, sorrow and pain that I’ve had because of them.

O loving Mother, I place the ribbon of my life and this knot (these knots) into your loving hands,

hands which can undo even the most difficult knot.

Most holy Mother, come to my aid and intercede for me before God with your prayers.

I cast this knot into your hands (mention your intention/need) and beg you to undo it,

in the name of your son, Jesus Christ, and for the glory of God, once and for all.

Our Lady, Undoer of Knots, pray for us!

9 Days of Prayer

Novenas are powerful Catholic prayers that take place over nine days. It is important that you pray at the same time each day to get the fullest effect. Consistency is key to getting results in desperate times. Her Novena can be found here.

The Power of Psalms

You may also feel that you have extra baggage weighing you down as well. The Book of Psalms has useful prayers that can help remove blockages and negative energies in your way. The most powerful psalm I have found is fifty four as it works quickly to send evil back to its source. However, if you are having issues trying to end a toxic relationship I would recommend number fifty six. If you are worried about your living situation and stressing over bills I recommend number seventy three.

Be Consistent

The most important part of working through prayer alone is consistency. Prayer is a direct means of communication with your spirits, therefor you want to be a consistent as possible. Make sure that you pray at the same times each day. Setting reminders on your phone can be very helpful. The more consistent you are the faster and more consistent your results will be. 

Why A Peaceful Home Is Important

Facebook conjure groups are riddled with questions and requests for love spells, revenge spells, money spells, and so on. I can't remember the last time someone asked, "How do I make my home peaceful?"

A peaceful home is the foundation upon which you create a quality life for yourself.

If your home is chaotic your relationships will be in turmoil, unexpected bills will keep cropping up, and your enemies will seem to be around every corner. A home that lacks peace will never let you feel restful and at ease when you need it most. Your nights may even be disturbed with restless sleep and maybe even nightmares.

Clean House

In order to cultivate a peaceful environment you must first have a clean and tidy environment. Go through your house and do your best to clean up and organize your space. The deeper you clean the better your results will be, don't be shy about getting into all the nooks and crannies to clean. That closet that you never open because of the mess? It's time to get in there.

Burn incense

Next, you want to clean the air with some form of incense. Frankincense is great for this purpose. It will raise the energy and sweeten the home. If you feel that you need something a bit more heavy duty you may wish to try burning some bay, garlic skins, and salt, but I recommend following up with frankincense. Make sure when you fumigate the house that you open all the windows first. Go deliberately from room to room and fan the smoke into the corners, cabinets and closets.

Sweeten the Home

Once you have fumigated the home you may wish to come back with some perfumes and waters to continue sweetening things. I mix some Florida water, sweet herbal waters (sorry its a proprietary recipe!), a little liquor, and seven strong men (for some extra oomf) in a spray bottle. In the same fashion as before go from room to room lightly spritzing each room and speaking your desires for peace and prosperity. 

Pray and Meditate

Your home should be feeling pretty good by this point. Now, you should place yourself before your spiritual or ancestral altar and begin to pray and meditate. Thank your ancestors, guides, and guardian spirits for bringing peace and prosperity into your life as sincerely as you can. You may also wish to clean yourself with a spiritual bath as well to fully get in touch with these energies.

Keep the Peace

At this point you are likely feeling really good about the vibe you have in your home, but what happens from this point forward will dictate how well you maintain it. A peaceful home is as peaceful as the people that cross through your threshold. 

• Be mindful of who you allow into your home. 
• If you have friends that love drama maybe it's better to meet at their place or somewhere else. 
• Consider putting up wards above your door or in your home to better protect your peace. 
• Burn incense regularly to keep the air sweet
• Keep up on the tidiness

If you can maintain your peace you will be free from distraction and allow yourself to prosper.

Why Water?

Water and libations are a key role in maintaining relationships with spirits. A glass of water on their altar or on your nightstand invites communication with spirits, as well as, allows the spirits to refresh themselves. Some traditions even dictate how many glasses of water should be on an altar and how they should be arranged. 

A Medium of Communication

Water is the medium by which spirits are able to communicate with us effectively. Keeping a glass near your head at night will allow them to refresh not only themselves but you as well. When you are offering water to a spirit you are demonstrating peace and respect to them, allowing them to cool themselves and manifest for you. 

Water Helps Manifest the Spirits

We make these types of offerings to keep the spirits manifest in our lives, so that they remain interested in our affair. We also do this in a minimalistic fashion so that we do not give too much to these invisible forces where they dominate us, but rather just enough to keep them present and effective. 

Communication in Dreams

To use water as a medium for communication simply take a glass of water, add a pinch of salt, and place it on your nightstand before you go to sleep. Be sure to speak over the water and ask the spirits to come and speak to you in your dreams. Reciting psalm 23 over the water will also help with the manifestation you are seeking. 

Communication During Prayer

Having water on your spiritual altar will call the spirits to be present when you pray and meditate. your meditations will begin to seem deeper, and your mind should have more revealing messages. Again you want to refresh the water as soon as a cloudiness begins to appear. In the beginning the water may get cloudy quickly, and that is oaky. This is happening because the connection between you and the spirits is being purified. 

Things You Should Know

Don't be surprised if a build up begins to form on the glass that you can't seem to scrub away. That is how the spirits mark their territory. Once you start using a glass for the spirits you are best to consider it to be their glass moving forward. Don't use the glass for other things and DO NOT drink the water. 

If you use tap water, it's best to let it sit out over night before offering it, this is because of chemicals that are used to clean the water need to evaporate. Another misunderstanding with tap water is the bubbles that form, this is a natural process of compressed gas escaping the water. Having bubbles or no bubbles is not an indication of the presence of spirits. 

Incorporating this little bit of knowledge into you regular practices will add a depth that may have been missing before. Many may find they sleep better and remember their dreams more clearly. If you don't already have water out I recommend you start today.

St Anthony The Abbot The Great Saint You Don't Know

While the craze surrounding Saint Cyprian and Saint Expedite is abound in social media and occult blogs, many terrific hardworking and reliable saints often go unnoticed. Saint Cyprian enjoys popularity amongst would be necromancers and goetic magician due to his history as pagan sorcerer that converted, as well as, a body of books written under his name. While Saint Expedite found his claim to fame from folk magicians and practitioners of Afro-Caribbean traditions. Most occultists tend to solely on these two saints and rarely get to know many more.

I want to bring to the table a saint that I have come to know as being extremely reliable and willing to do just about anything the magician would request. Not only is he known to be a reliable spirit, but he can also called upon to defend from and communicate with wrathful dead and demons. I am referring to no less than Saint Anthony the Great, also known as "Anthony the abbot" "Anthony of Egypt" "Anthony of Thebes" and "Anthony the Anchorite."

Born in 251 AD, Anthony, like many early Christians he sought to live as the Apostles lived and set out to live a monastic life of asceticism. After the death of his parents at the age of 20, he received a substantial inheritance of land. Anthony ended up selling and giving away most of his inheritance and giving the funds to the poor before beginning his life of asceticism.

Certain legends claimed that during his early years as a disciple to another monastic near his home where he worked as a swineherd, this is why some of his Roman Catholic depictions place a pig at his side. This form of monasticism was quite common for the time period where many monks would take lodging outside of cities. It is after this point in his life we see a departure from tradition that makes him very unique.

Anthony would depart for the desert at the age of 35 to live in an old Roman fort in absolute solitude. Although he would see no visitors (despite the demand), people would supply food to him by throwing it over the wall. He was known for nourishing himself on only salted bread and water while only eating in the evenings. He would fast for two days at a time for the sake of purity. 

Eventually, he would begin to take in visitors and other would be monastics who turned to him for his guidance. His teachings would become the foundation of monastic lifestyles and he gained the title "The Father of Monasticism." 

At an unspecified time in his history he took a retreat into a tomb or cave. Here he was afflicted with boredom and tempted with visions of lustful women. Further demons came and physically assaulted and tormented him leaving his body for dead. When his disciples found his body and began to morn his death he immediately rose and asked to be brought back into the tomb to confront the spirits again. This time a the demons were driven off by a bright holy light. 

I digress that there are many stories and myths surrounding the mysticism of Saint Anthony the Great, however, this article is merely to bring your awareness to his existence. My personal experiences with this Saint has generally revealed a sense of polite austerity and a sense of willingness to labor. 

Generally when doing service for him, I would have a glass of water offered to him and occasionally a small glass of liquor when I make requests. I would prepare myself with a recitation of the Jesus Prayer "O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner," following with The Lords Prayer, and Hail Mary's. I also have made use of his litany when I ask him to consecrate the wanga I am working: 

Litany of Saint Antony the Great

First of all monks, your name they hail, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

Charity has gained such heights for you, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

Wonderworker known for favors gained, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

Humbly you obeyed with strength and love, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

Shield for those who came to seek your aid, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

Healer of all ills and guide for souls, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

Spring and treasure house of charity, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

Ever shining star and lamp of light, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

Table of the Law and Gospel book, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

Guide of those in doubt and ignorance, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

Lamp of those who walk in darkness now, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

Light of Holy Mother Church, your merits shines, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

Peace for those who dread the enemy, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

Gladness for the sad, strength for the tried, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

Faithful to your word and ever true, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

Sun of monks and nuns and start for all, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

Temple arch who holds the power of God, Great St. Antony, we beg your prayers

V. Pray for us, Great Saint Antony

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ

Let us Pray:

Father Antony, you equaled Elias in his zeal and followed John the Baptist in his holy way of life. You peopled the wilderness and established the world on the firm foundation of your prayers. Intercede with Christ God that He may save our souls. Amen

As a Saint that rebukes evil spirits I have found him very helpful with rooting out troublesome spirits. He sends them off in a hurry with very little effort. For this I will recite Psalm 93 for him.

I cannot emphasize enough the reliability of this hardworking Saint. He is always there when I calling and always willing to help. I hope that you will invite him into your temple space.

Initiation: What You Should First Consider

Initiation has long been a grail of sorts in the West. This is likely because there is no demarcation in Western culture that marks our maturity from childhood to adulthood. For example: unless you were raised in a religious family such as Catholicism and went through catechism, its fair to say that there was no signal in your life that brought you into adulthood. 

This strange paradigm or lack thereof, may likely account for having a generation the laps up nostalgia from their childhood. Most certainly it is behind why many adults have difficulty processing their emotions and also make a fascination of "adulting." At no point in their life were they made aware that their childhood innocence is behind them and now they must be aware of a world of consequence. 

In African based cultures, initiation helped to bring the youth into adulthood. These various rites were put in place to not only mark the individual as a full member of the society but also to stave off the effects of puberty on psychism. More than that it helped to reveal a destiny for the individual in order to live the longest most fruitful life available to them. Beyond such rites within societies initiation brought individuals into the powers of medicine and even trade and commerce as expressed in the Lemba society. Sometimes initiation was the medicine for people with afflicted conditions to save them from misfortune and death. 

In it's simplest form, true initiation is a process of death and rebirth. The initiate is stripped of their past life and reborn into their new life. From my perspective the only meaningful initiation beyond this scope is the initiate being mounted by a spirit, thereby sealing their destiny and being gifted with the spiritual tools needed for self-improvement and mastery. What is done with the gifts after this point rests solely on the shoulders of the initiate.

Initiation is not open to all

Not every person is called to be initiated nor are all those who are called to be considered worthy of initiation. Each house, society, and elder have their own standards by which they judge the prospective initiate and few may live up to those standards. Some houses pride themselves (and rightly so) on how few people pass through their doors. 

The act of taking on an initiate is akin to adopting someone into your own family. A family with a sense of pride may not be so quick to take on someone who doesn't share their moral and ethical views. What's more, the spirits of that house may reject the candidate for any reason at all. Maybe the candidate doesn't live up to the spirit's standards or the spirit sees a flaw that humans do not. 

Take the time to get to know your future god-parents

In an age of social media, it's easy to mistake someone's online presence as representative of who they actually are. Many are in such a rush to be initiated that they don't seem to notice that their motives are never questioned by their would-be god-parents. They produce the money, which is taken with a smile, and they are rushed through initiation given not much more than a pat on the head and forgotten about. They spend the next few years attempting to juggle their spiritual practice and life with little to no supervision and have little offered to them in terms of knowledge. After sometime they will experience buyers remorse and realize that they didn't get what they were promised.

Worse yet, are those that find out their god-parent who had seemed at once hip and knowledgeable turned out to be cruel and uncaring. I have heard horror stories of people being extorted financially, berated publicly, even found themselves being worked on by their own god-parents. That is not to imply that you may not occasionally invoke the wrath of your god-parent, they are there to ensure you grow up right and you may need to be straightened out from time to time. However, you should not live in fear of your god-parent.

Watch out for those that love drama on and off social media. Those that seek too much attention in public spaces. Get to know other initiates in the house or society, talk with them and share your concerns. Do they seem happy? Do they share your values? These are very important questions that you need to have answers for.

Initiation doesn't make you all powerful

A common misunderstanding that is widely repeated is that becoming initiated will grant all sorts of serious juju on you. While it is true that you will have a spiritual connection that the average person does not have, you must still learn how to use it properly and wisely. Most are looking to get paid, get laid, and get even since life up to that point may not have seemed very just to them. Many will get themselves into all sorts of trouble trying to flex their newfound yet untamed abilities on perceived enemies. 

Even if these battles are won, the amount of time wasted is irreplaceable. A first year could have been better spent in introspection, purification, and service to the spirits. Imagine the growth that could take place if someone just slowed down in this fast paced world and focused on their own needs. 

Initiation is a healing process but not a cure-all

Many come to get initiated in hopes that their problems will be solved or that their disease will be healed. While this thinking is not wrong as the process opens doors for healings and the spirits will oftentimes produce miracles, however, some things may not initially improve. Certain problems may be crutches that you will have to bear throughout your spiritual journey and part of the journey may be learning how to cope. The spirits will supply you with the tools you need heal but you may also need to do the work yourself.

Also, not everything can be healed. While alleviation of the disease is likely, it may not provide a "cure" that is being sought. For instance: certain psychological disorders that are the result of structural issues with the brain will likely not be cured, the spirits can help you to cope with the condition.

Initiation is a commitment for life and longerin a world of instant gratification and short attention spans, people have a habit of putting things down when they seem repetitive or difficult. A person might buy a musical instrument and not be gratified with results that are not instantaneous and the instrument will spend the rest of it's time collecting dust in a closet. Unfortunately, once you are initiated there is no putting the spirit back in the box. A deep connection is forged on a spiritual level tying yourself to the ancestors of that society through the rest of your life and even through death. This is not something to take lightly!

When you pass through the gates of initiation your soul is altered and you will forever be changed on a spiritual level. The stakes in the game get considerably higher and you are no longer living a life for yourself as now there are generations of ancestors and spirits that are now with you. These beings are very patient and will seem to let you getaway with a great deal, however, it should always be remembered that eventually you will meet and answer for your behavior

In conclusion

I feel as though I have gone much broader in scope than what I initially intended, but I hope that I gave some eager people pause to assess their desires. There is no rush to get to your spiritual goals, furthermore, rushing will only slow you down in the long run. If you are considering initiation or on your way towards it, I hope you take the time for introspection and determine if it is truly the path for you. Most of the time your problems can be resolved with competent work and not necessarily initiation. A proper cleaning and pocket piece or guard can go very far.

The wisest thing a brother from another tradition told me (among many other words of wisdom) that still rings in my head, "Remember brother, initiation for us is a crutch. We need the spirits just to meet our potential, but not everyone does. We are there for those people."