Hoodoo, Rootwork, Conjure

 

  1. Railroad Spikes Home Protection Ritual 

    You'll need the following items:

    • A bowl of fresh earth from your yard

    • An assortment of iron nails (railroad spikes work nicely if you can get them)

    • A brown or green candle to represent the land

    • Silver Mercury Dimes or Indian Head Nickels, one for each spike

    • Graveyard Dirt

    2. There is no need to cast a circle before beginning this rite, because you will be casting a magical perimeter as part of the working.

  2. Begin at the entrance to your property that sees the most traffic. If you have a yard and house, this will likely be the end of the driveway, where it connects to the street. If you live in an apartment or town home, you may wish to use your front door, or the hallway in front of your door. You may want to put your supplies on a tray or in a bag, if you're doing this alone. If you have other people participating, give each person some items to carry. You can do this rite at any time of the day, although evening may be better if you don't want your neighbors to come over and ask what you're up to.

  3. Place the bowl of earth at the entrance to your property. If you like, you can place it on a table, or you can just set it on the ground. Place your hands into the bowl, and feel the cool soil on your fingertips. Feel the energy of the earth, traveling from the ground, up into the bowl, through the dirt, and into you.

  4. Focus on the bowl of earth, and say:

  5. Earth, symbol of security and stability,
    bring peace and harmony into my home
    at this season of thanksgiving.
    May my family be well,
    my house be a haven,
    and my table be one of hospitality.
    May the earth, the soil, the land,
    ground me and protect me and
    those whom I love,
    and that which I call mine.
    My property shall be a safe place,
    a secure place, a harmonious place
    for all those who enter.
    As I will, so it shall be.

  6. Leave the bowl in place, and begin slowly walking around the perimeter of your property, traveling in a deosil, or clockwise, direction. Feel the energy of your land, and the way in which you connect with it. Is there a tree you particularly love? Or the big rock where the kids always sit? Or that weird piece of root that you trip over every time? Consider why your property is home instead of just a place to live. Even if you live in an apartment, you can do this -- what about that creaky spot by the door that your mom always hears when you come in late? All of these make a house personal and connect us to it.

  7. Periodically -- and depending on how many iron nails or railroad ties you've got -- stop and touch the ground. Drive a nail or spike into the dirt - iron is known as a protective material throughout many cultures. As you push it into the earth, say:

  8. Iron spike, in the ground,
    protect my home, my family all around
    Keep out that which would cause us harm.

  9. Cover the spike with a silver Mercury Dime or Indian Head Nickel. If you are using an Indian Head nickel, be sure to pray to the Indian to protect your property. Repeat this with each iron nail or spike, until you've placed a protective barrier around your property.

  10.  

  11. By now, you should have returned to your bowl of earth at the entrance. Light the green or brown candle, and place it within the bowl. Pack the earth lightly around it so that the candle doesn’t topple over. Recite the 91st Psalm:

  12.  

  13.  1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
       will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
    2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
       my God, in whom I trust.”

     3 Surely he will save you
       from the fowler’s snare
       and from the deadly pestilence.
    4 He will cover you with his feathers,
       and under his wings you will find refuge;
       his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
    5 You will not fear the terror of night,
       nor the arrow that flies by day,
    6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
       nor the plague that destroys at midday.
    7 A thousand may fall at your side,
       ten thousand at your right hand,
       but it will not come near you.
    8 You will only observe with your eyes
       and see the punishment of the wicked.

     9 If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,”
       and you make the Most High your dwelling,
    10 no harm will overtake you,
       no disaster will come near your tent.
    11 For he will command his angels concerning you
       to guard you in all your ways;
    12 they will lift you up in their hands,
       so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
    13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
       you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

     14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
       I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
    15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
       I will be with him in trouble,
       I will deliver him and honor him.
    16 With long life I will satisfy him
       and show him my salvation.”

     

  14. If there is a particular deity of your tradition that represents hearth and home, now might be a good time to call upon them asking for assistance. If you do so, be sure to make an offering in their honor. If you choose not to call upon deity at this time, just take a few moments to reflect on your home life, and the things that mean security to you. When you are finished, bring the bowl with the candle inside, and place it in a spot where all can see -- on your hearth, or the kitchen table -- and allow it to sit until the candle goes out. When the candle has burned away, return the earth to your property.

Tips:

  1. Even if you just live in one room of a home, you can still do this rite. Simply adapt it so that you're going around the perimeter of the room, beginning with the doorway. Instead of pounding iron spikes into the ground, you can tuck a small nail up under the edge of the carpet.

 

Spells