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call-to-yer-ole-population instead of cultural appropriation...
In Hoodoo there is the Mojo-bag – also known as a “hand” or Toby, sometimes Jack or John. Likely one of the techniques that grew into / were developed along with the popular concept of servitors. I really like the idea.
Some interesting quotes from Harry Middleton Hyatt about it:
“Battery hands – those that lose strenght and must be recharged or they weaken and die. Recharging is called feeding and substances fed are whiskey, perfumes, urine and other liquids. Spirits do not eat solid food. A spirit of course never dies; it merely deserts its temporary dwelling place.”
Further down an important thing is said regarding blood:
“Whenever anything going to happen in there – like a fight or any killing, you will take a fearful feeling. That's time for you to leave. If any cutting or anything, any blood is drawn around there it don't work anymore.
If any blood is drawn, it will have to be renewed again.”
An important (maybe the single most important) ingredient of these Toby's is John the Conqueror:
“John de Conker can be many things. Actually it is a mythical, at least a very uncertain, root, identified differently according to various persons in the root-selling business or according to the particular root worker who digs his own.”
*
After reading a bit about the root (that is now commonly acknowledged to be High John) and the legend, there are some things that don't sit well with me.
The first is that this flower really isn't an indigenous plant here in Western Europe and I would have to order it online just to create this spell. That's not really a deal-breaker of course because there's plenty of stuff I buy online, incense for example also isn't made locally.
But the other thing is a bit harder to overcome.
It's not so much that I feel bad about “cultural appropriation”(I just shrug at that term) - but if the namesake of the main component of this Mojo is an African prince-slave who overcame his white masters it would (in my mind) be weird if I, as a white man, would employ this figure in a spell to work on my behalf, because he (in my mind) clearly doesn't like ma peoplez.
So I wrote this neither out of “white guilt” nor “white supremacy”, but as a logical equivalent to this famous type of conjure Magick, and I hope you can / will modify it to fit with your own regional history and folklore.
Having said all dat, here's my boy and I name him
Jan
(the Dutch version of John, the “a” as in father)
Acorn
For as long as Europe has been inhabited, the oak has been regarded as a symbol of power and longevity because it often was the biggest tree in the forest and can live hundreds of years. It is associated with thunder gods like Zeus, Jupiter and Thor, and the fruit of course is associated with the male anatomy.
Flint
A protective stone that is abundant in the soil of Europe, but it can be found all over the world and has been used by humans since the beginning of time to make tools and weapons. As spear tips and arrowheads it gave humanity the advantage of bridging distance, and because it can create sparks it enabled us to make fire. It is also used on sandpaper and therefore associated with making smooth.
Feather
Birds are capable of traveling fast and far, and they can see danger and opportunity before any other creature can. They are at home on the earth, live in the air and (in some cases) comfortable with water, depending on the species.
The overall qualities of this type of Jan would be power and protection.
A “female” version: my girl is called
Janneke
(the shortened Dutch version of Johanna)
Beech
This mighty tree is called the Queen of the Forest, and therefore the partner of the oak. The name is the source for the word “book”, which more than any other tree gives it an association with wisdom. As this was the original wood used for runes it also has a strong connection with divination and Magick.
The beechnut is protected by short hooked spikes on the shell.
Feldspar
A stone that is very common and has various forms in Europe. It is said to have a grounding effect and can stimulate creativity. In modern times it has become an ingredient in te production of glass as well as several cleaning products. This gives it the property of clarity.
Wool
When you think of (counting) sheep, you think of sleeping. The wool was used for blankets and to keep us warm in general. I'm not going to lie, but I was thinking about the tree Greek goddesses of fate and how they make a thread, and in looking up to see if there's a more Northern version, I find the three goddesses Urd, Verdandi and Skuld. These make runes instead, but they are linked with the Wolwa – which takes its name from the staff used in the making of thread from... wool.
The overall qualities of this type of Janneke would be divination and dreaming
+
This is still just an idea at this point because I only wrote it this weekend, but I am enthusiastic about it. I think other ingredients that aren't that prevalent in my part of the world (like a piece of antler, the claw of a crab, some lava) could work great in this type of spell. As a guide I'd say the only rules would be to take 3 materials: one from the floral, one from the animal, and one from the mineral kingdoms – only take animal parts that were given freely, so don't go killing an elephant to get his tusk – and feed it periodically with a good liquid, no blood.
(O.. and of course the name HAS to be your local version of Johan/Johanna..)
The initial procedure is described very good in this archived thread - which inspired me to write the above:
wizardforums.com
In Hoodoo there is the Mojo-bag – also known as a “hand” or Toby, sometimes Jack or John. Likely one of the techniques that grew into / were developed along with the popular concept of servitors. I really like the idea.
Some interesting quotes from Harry Middleton Hyatt about it:
“Battery hands – those that lose strenght and must be recharged or they weaken and die. Recharging is called feeding and substances fed are whiskey, perfumes, urine and other liquids. Spirits do not eat solid food. A spirit of course never dies; it merely deserts its temporary dwelling place.”
Further down an important thing is said regarding blood:
“Whenever anything going to happen in there – like a fight or any killing, you will take a fearful feeling. That's time for you to leave. If any cutting or anything, any blood is drawn around there it don't work anymore.
If any blood is drawn, it will have to be renewed again.”
An important (maybe the single most important) ingredient of these Toby's is John the Conqueror:
“John de Conker can be many things. Actually it is a mythical, at least a very uncertain, root, identified differently according to various persons in the root-selling business or according to the particular root worker who digs his own.”
*
After reading a bit about the root (that is now commonly acknowledged to be High John) and the legend, there are some things that don't sit well with me.
The first is that this flower really isn't an indigenous plant here in Western Europe and I would have to order it online just to create this spell. That's not really a deal-breaker of course because there's plenty of stuff I buy online, incense for example also isn't made locally.
But the other thing is a bit harder to overcome.
It's not so much that I feel bad about “cultural appropriation”(I just shrug at that term) - but if the namesake of the main component of this Mojo is an African prince-slave who overcame his white masters it would (in my mind) be weird if I, as a white man, would employ this figure in a spell to work on my behalf, because he (in my mind) clearly doesn't like ma peoplez.
So I wrote this neither out of “white guilt” nor “white supremacy”, but as a logical equivalent to this famous type of conjure Magick, and I hope you can / will modify it to fit with your own regional history and folklore.
Having said all dat, here's my boy and I name him
Jan
(the Dutch version of John, the “a” as in father)
Acorn
For as long as Europe has been inhabited, the oak has been regarded as a symbol of power and longevity because it often was the biggest tree in the forest and can live hundreds of years. It is associated with thunder gods like Zeus, Jupiter and Thor, and the fruit of course is associated with the male anatomy.
Flint
A protective stone that is abundant in the soil of Europe, but it can be found all over the world and has been used by humans since the beginning of time to make tools and weapons. As spear tips and arrowheads it gave humanity the advantage of bridging distance, and because it can create sparks it enabled us to make fire. It is also used on sandpaper and therefore associated with making smooth.
Feather
Birds are capable of traveling fast and far, and they can see danger and opportunity before any other creature can. They are at home on the earth, live in the air and (in some cases) comfortable with water, depending on the species.
The overall qualities of this type of Jan would be power and protection.
A “female” version: my girl is called
Janneke
(the shortened Dutch version of Johanna)
Beech
This mighty tree is called the Queen of the Forest, and therefore the partner of the oak. The name is the source for the word “book”, which more than any other tree gives it an association with wisdom. As this was the original wood used for runes it also has a strong connection with divination and Magick.
The beechnut is protected by short hooked spikes on the shell.
Feldspar
A stone that is very common and has various forms in Europe. It is said to have a grounding effect and can stimulate creativity. In modern times it has become an ingredient in te production of glass as well as several cleaning products. This gives it the property of clarity.
Wool
When you think of (counting) sheep, you think of sleeping. The wool was used for blankets and to keep us warm in general. I'm not going to lie, but I was thinking about the tree Greek goddesses of fate and how they make a thread, and in looking up to see if there's a more Northern version, I find the three goddesses Urd, Verdandi and Skuld. These make runes instead, but they are linked with the Wolwa – which takes its name from the staff used in the making of thread from... wool.
The overall qualities of this type of Janneke would be divination and dreaming
+
This is still just an idea at this point because I only wrote it this weekend, but I am enthusiastic about it. I think other ingredients that aren't that prevalent in my part of the world (like a piece of antler, the claw of a crab, some lava) could work great in this type of spell. As a guide I'd say the only rules would be to take 3 materials: one from the floral, one from the animal, and one from the mineral kingdoms – only take animal parts that were given freely, so don't go killing an elephant to get his tusk – and feed it periodically with a good liquid, no blood.
(O.. and of course the name HAS to be your local version of Johan/Johanna..)
The initial procedure is described very good in this archived thread - which inspired me to write the above:
[Archive] - [Euoi] Mojo Bags and Sachets
In Hoodoo, one common practice is to create a mojo bag, otherwise known as fixing a hand/Toby. It is usually a red flannel bag filled with herbs and then given life. These can draw luck, love, heal, etc. Although modern hoodoo practitioners often use color symbolism (Working the rainbow) to...
wizardforums.com
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