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Witchcraft 101 - Best Starter Oils for the Newbie to Hoodoo Witchcraft

A modern witch making magick spells

With the modern hoodoo tradition, there's a pre-made formula for near everything. 

Some folks accuse this of being done "just to sell products" but note that this is in fact a longer ongoing tradition than modern Wicca. It's no more done "just to sell products" than a cookbook is "just to sell groceries." It is how these spells are performed.

Those with very little money can struggle with this fact. Now, it's not to say that using pre-made formulas is the only way to practice, and there are also many old workings that can be done with plain herbs. However, if you live in an urban environment as most people do nowadays, you will probably still have to purchase the herbs, and in many cases it's actually cheaper to just buy the made formula than to buy all the herbal ingredients individually. 

For those who really don't like to buy specialty ingredients, I have collected several spells in my book Homemade Hoodoo that can be done using common store bought items. 


But the fact remains, hoodoo is a very ingredient-intense practice. It's not done by visualization or chanting "magic words." It's done with physical objects. 

To help keep things simple, today we are writing on the topic of multipurpose formulas which can be used for all kinds of situations. 

Van Van
This is among the most famous formulas, and its uses range from uncrossing to coaxing back a runaway lover. Some even suggest it can be used in harmful magic, though I have yet to be shown the evidence on this one in the form of a reliable spell or report. It appears to work by way of cleaning away troubles and blockages, and reversing bad luck for any situation. It also contains, primarily, the ingredient lemongrass, which can be used to increase the power of any other spell or ingredient.

Special Oil #20
Another well-known blend, often misrepresented as being a stop-gossip blend. While it can doubtless be used for such, it is useful for uncrossings, love, success, money, spirit work, and pretty much any other type of beneficial spell you can imagine. Beware of blends of this that smell too floral -- there's a recipe making the rounds of gardenia, jasmine, lily of the valley and sandalwood. While this would have some multiple uses to it according to tradition, it wouldn't posses the commanding and money-drawing properties true Special #20 needs to have.

Three Kings
This is usually sold as an incense but once in a while is availible as an oil. Would certainly be a fine incense for any situation. It has an obvious spiritual component, but due to other associations like the ancient expense of the ingredients, and the multi-purpose uses many of them inherently posses, this can be used for money, for uncrossing, and probably even for harmful work if one sought.

Tobacco
Another that can be used for both harm and good. Tobacco's main use is to contact spirits, and spirits can do anything they feel like. It's also used in general communication spells, and communication is often an important aspect of matters like love and business.

Frankincense
Like Van Van, this can be used to strengthen any other ingredient, whether it be for good or bad. It is a vey powerful spiritual ingredient.

Abramelin
Control, luck and spirit work can all be achieved with this one. It's based on a Jewish holy oil, and often is used in more ritualistic magic than the simple spells most hoodoo practitioners tend to favor. Still, ingrediently it's sound for all kinds of workings -- the cinnamon and calamus especially would be good for getting control over situations of numerous types.

Conjure
Theoretically can be used for works of any kind, but in practice seems to most often be used for neutral-to-negative practices. Recipes vary by maker, but I myself used tobacco oil in this place.

Blessing
Another that is generally used for positive workings though from time to time can be used to bless a negative spell if there's potentially righteous motives for it. Most recipes for this formula include frankincense, which is a powerful ingredient in its own right.

Holy
Similar but slightly different from Blessing formula, Holy is seen as being a bit more sacred. Some folks even say that only priests are supposed to be using such formulation, and only use it in a modified form (Abramelin oil is one such modification, and can be used in place.) Nevertheless confident magicians often employ the mixture to increase power.

Witches
Frequently is designed for some effect on mental faculties, to put a person in a mindset more conducive to the practice of magic. Used for beneficial and harmful spells alike.

Most Powerful
Supposed to be the most powerful oil and to lend its properties to other formulas and tools into which it's put in contact.

Frankincense
An ingredient in many of the aforesaid formulas, frankincense alone can be used to enhance other spells.

A stock of these formulas in incense, oils or powders would serve a good caster for most any situation.

 Conjure oils come in so many different types, and it can be hard to know whether you'll be best off buying Good Luck, Lady Luck, Fast Luck, Lucky Mojo, Lucky Hand, Lucky 9, Lucky 7, Lucky 13, etc. Over time one can work up quite a collection -- I myself barely have space to store all the oils I've acquired.

Here are some easy ways to adapt a few staple oils to other purposes by adding 1 extra ingredient to each. This can often save you having to run out and buy a whole new $10 bottle of stuff, especially if it's likely you'll only need the combination one time.

TO A BASE OF VAN VAN
add rose for love
add lavender for peace
add allspice to improve business
add pine for purification

TO A BASE OF MONEY DRAWING
add ginger for fast money
add sage for financial wisdom and skill
add clove for money gifts and favors
add calamus to get money owed

TO A BASE OF JOHN THE CONQUEROR
add galangal for court cases and legal matters
add bay for victory
add dragon's blood for uncrossing and for strength*

TO A BASE OF FRANKINCENSE AND MYRRH
add sage for wisdom
add cinnamon for money blessings
add orange flower for marriage
add bay for success
add lemon verbena for cut and clear


Some other suggestions one can use:


Add to VAN VAN some balm of gilead for returning a lost lover
Add to JOHN THE CONQUEROR some patchouli for gaining power and influence
Add to FRANKINCENSE AND MYRRH some sandalwood for general blessings and good fortune
Add to JOHN THE CONQUEROR some gunpowder for block-buster work

*If you are using the plain resin, be careful how it's applied -- used to directly dress candles, sticky resins sometimes put out the flame as they melt and adhere to the wick, and added whole to washes or baths they can dissolve into a sticky texture like chewed gum, and be just as difficult to remove.
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