Hello Ms. Q,
I know the section of Made or Charged waters is long, but it
does show how important water is used in spell work and ritual work. We take it for granted and waste it with
taking long showers or washing down our sidewalks and drive ways, or filling
luxury swimming pools when it should be measured carefully drop by precious
drop.
Yes we do need to drink it to keep hydrated, yes we do need it to water our plants and animals, yes we do need it to keep clean our clothes, bodies and cooking utensils and home. But it should never be wasted. I would prefer to see lawns of vegetables and fruits than green grass unless its to feed an animal. And trees of sustainable fruits or much needed lumber. But eliminate much of the useless and wasteful sprinkler systems.
I use simple drip irrigation and in the evening a misting system, that uses far less water. Even though I have a dish washer I do not use it unless I'm giving a party and even then I use paper plates and hand wash my metal utensils. Laundry is a full load of the same types of colors and clothes, bathing I do quickly with a timer. I have friends who go so far as to using "grey water". All of this needs to be looked into carefully. Washing the car??? Only the windshield and by hand, if its really bad we go to a car wash that uses recycled water.
When Dracula said “The Blood is the Life, Mr. Renfield” he
could have easily been talking about water as well.
“Waters” in ritual and spell work can also include vinegars,
cologne, and such alcoholic products as whiskey and vodka, that is why in the
previous post I included Vinegar and 4 Thieves Vinegar as well as Florida
Water(a cologne) and Hoyt’s cologne. The
last two were over the many years discovered to have certain qualities in
cleansing and banishing works.
Now I have not mentioned wine (vinegar is an exception),
well that is because wine is, at least according to how I was instructed, the
blood of the fruit of the vine, and it was wine that Jesus spiritually
converted into his blood for he was the fruit of the vine as well as the blood
of the lamb. So wine in ritual should
be offered and drunk as a ritual drink separate from spell work. Only when used as part of a love potion is
wine considered.
So now I will continue and hopefully finish the sections on
Made or Charged waters.
Even with all the mentions of the types of waters that I
listed previously Waters can be charged with magical power and intentions. Not
all charged waters are really waters. Some are alcohol-based formulas, which
recalling that the roots of alchemy, perfumery and liqueur began with magic
brews, philters (drinks) and potions, much like Astrology was the ancestor to Astronomy.
But we have to keep in mind while some potions that you read
about may be consumed, many formulas are for external or ceremonial use only, so
caution must be exercised.
Now Charged or made waters must also be viewed in the
context of perfume designations, such as eau de Cologne (“water of Cologne”) or
of alcoholic beverages, such as whiskey (Gaelic for “water of life”). In the
making of some potions Vodka that is not fruit flavored infused, is recommended as a base, not because it may
be consumed, but due to its minimal scent.
Avoid common rubbing alcohol,
as the strong aroma will interfere with that of the formula. And of course
never consume anything that contains rubbing alcohol as it is highly poisonous.
Some waters are used for Banishing and hexing, some for
blessing so let us continue----
POLLUTION WATER
This is used for banishing unwanted people and/or spirits. To make you grind ashes from a fire or the
burning of holy woods such as cedar, cypress or Palo Santo, sea salt, coriander
and red pepper to fine powder. Add the powder to plain spring water or if you
have something specific in mind then from a sacred spring.
Sprinkle around the house in the four corners, or across the
path of a person you want to leave. In
some cases if you can sprinkle it on the person, make it look like and
accident.
SEVEN SISTERS WATER
There are various mentions of two types of 7 sisters in
spell work, but the most famous are the 7 Sisters of New Orleans sometimes
known as the 7 Sisters of Algiers (an area in New Orleans), I’ll write about
them at length later, but their waters is supposed to help with blessings and
psychic work, what the formulas are I do not know as many traditional
hoodooists protect their formulas as it is passed down word of mouth from
generation to generation, and since my granny never worked with their water or
have need of it I really don’t know of its specific uses except that I include
it here for your information. I do know
that they did Alpha Omega Water, Glory Water, Sacred Heart Water, and others.
ELIJAH WATER OR EVIL EYE WATER
Now this is a bit confusing as Mrs. Bella and her twin
sister Della called it Evil Eye water, Mrs. Washington called it Elijah Water
but Mrs. Byrd was half German and half Russian on her Mother’s side, Mrs.
Byrd’s husband was German as well, but she called this same water Perun water.
According to Russian folk lore, Perun is a thunder spirit.
His feast days are July 20th and July 30th, known as “thunder days.” But Bella and her sister were Italian and
said that those were holy days, and Mrs. Washington was from Louisiana, now
where she learned it I’m not sure but the belief about it is the same. If rain
fell on those days that water was to have magical power. It was important to bottle
it and use for protection against the Evil Eye, or any malevolent magic, and
serious illness.
I’d have to say if we were lucky to get a Summer shower of
any import on either of those two days in the middle of Summer I’d say that it
was very magical and powerful.
BAY RUM
Bay Rum was used and in some areas is still used as an after
shave, especially by old time barbers as an astringent perfume. It has been famously
used by men as an aftershave in the 19th and early part of the 20th
century. It was observed that some men
especially bankers seemed to have extra skills at making good investments after
a shave and a haircut and a splash of Bay Rum from their barber, because of
that it took on a magical import.
The original Bay Rum formula is used for gambling, and luck,
as well as for healing and cleansing spells with the fire element, and to enhance
divination skills.
It can be placed in
baths for personal cleansing, used as an offering to spirits, or placed on the
tip of a broom which is used to sweep a carpet to cleanse it of evil messes.
The “bay” in Bay Rum refers to the berries of a Caribbean
tree, Jamaican bayberry, rather than to the bay laurel leaves that are a staple
of many magic spells. Do not substitute bay laurel leaves for Jamaica bayberry.
Instead, use allspice berries, which have similar magic properties.
Jamaica bayberry is
available as an essential oil, and so a true Bay Rum can easily be created. For
True Bay Rum, you will need essential oils of Jamaica bayberry, petitgrain,
allspice, cardamom and cloves
Add the dry ingredients to one pint of fine dark Caribbean
rum. Or if you use essential oils dilute the essential oils in a fine, fragrant
dark rum and distilled water. Shake it and let it sit for a week. Strain out any
solid ingredients. Place a small bay
leaf in the master bottle. The presence
and fragrance of the Jamaica bayberry should dominate the blend. If you have
access to Jamaica bayberries, dried botanicals may be substituted for essential
oils, and orange zest may be substituted for petitgrain.
A NOTE ABOUT THE WATERS
Water--itself is vital to human life, it has always played an
important role in religious and magickal rituals. Water is commonly used in
religious rites to cleanse people, places, or things. In many churches
especially fundamentalist churches, people were ritually immersed in a natural
body of water by the preacher to symbolize their “rebirth in Christ” this was
and is an outward sign of their inward spiritual transformation.
In the Catholic
Church, Holy Water (water blessed by a Priest) is often sprinkled on people,
objects, or in dwellings such as houses to bless and cleanse them of any
negative energy.
In the Hoodoo Tradition, you will find many different baths
are often prescribed for various conditions. These baths often contain an
herb(s), mineral, or chemical in addition to the water depending on the need of
the individual. With so many people
developing sensitivity to skin conditions I would exercise caution in using
some of these baths
Many spiritual-waters
began as herbal perfumes or colognes and thus often have an alcohol base despite
being identified as water.
But over time spiritual practitioners began using these
perfumes or colognes in accordance with the magickal correspondences associated
with the herbs they contained. For the
herbs used is what made and makes certain colognes spiritually active.
For this reason,
spiritual waters are often added to baths, floor-washes, or rubbed onto the
body. Another use is to use the water to
feed mojo bags, wash talismans, roots, or clean candles before their use in
spells. Finally, some spiritual waters may be used as offerings to spirits or
the ancestors in some cases, again one has to study carefully what would be
correct especially dealing with one’s ancestors.
For example I would not offer my Mother whiskey but I know
she would welcome Spring Water and a bit of her favorite perfume dropped onto a
cotton ball for her to spiritually breathe.
I now come to Lunar Waters---
LUNAR WATERS
Each month on the night of the full moon, you can take
ordinary Spring water and place a glass bowl out where the water can receive
the full charge of the Moon’s rays.
Each month each Moon has a different designation, as well as
it being in a different Astrological sign, so in some cases you can put out 2
bowls of water, one for the spiritual moon and the other for the Astrological
aspect of the sign that the Full Moon occurs in.
Now some people will take it a step further and collect the
rays of the Dark Moon, New Moon, and if there are two Full moon’s the second is
called a Blue Moon (which I talked about in an earlier post), or if there are two
Dark moons in a month the 2nd Dark Moon is called a Black Moon, and
just recently we also had a Blood Moon, that was a full moon but in Eclipse.
Each Lunar water has a different energy and is charged by the powers of the Moon. The
clue for the success of the Lunar Water is to align the procedure with the
waxing part of the Lunar Circle, from the New Moon till the Full Moon without
missing even one day of the Lunar Circle.
This is for Astrological aspects as well as Lunar aspects
but with Black, Dark, Blue or Blood Moons you can only capture those energies
that night.
NEVER EXPOSE THE
LUNAR WATER TO SUNLIGHT FOR IT WILL WIPE OUT ITS EFFECTIVENESS! Get up before the rising of the Sun and place
the bowl of water in to a dark cabinet away from Sunlight.
When you put the water out put the index finger of your
dominate hand (the one that you write with) into the water and call upon whatever
Deity or Angel or guardian spirit to charge your water.
Now I remember my Grandma doing it with a simple request but
she’d call upon Mother Mary, she’d stir the water with her index finger saying
upon each stir “In the name of the Father, (stir) In the name of the Son (stir)
and the name of the Holy Ghost”(stir)
Still keeping her finger in the water and looking up at the
Moon she’d say
I call upon Holy Mary,
Queen of Heaven,
Mother of God incarnate,
Vessel of the Holy Spirit,
as the Moon, your sign, grows stronger,
Bless and make holy this water with
your sacred Light
Through it, in it and
with it
help me with your
Divine Grace and Might.
Accessing the power of the Element of Water requires very little
energy but it has to be done for a long time. It is very important not to miss
even one night of the Waxing Moon! The Water should be charged every night! But through your patience and effort you will
gain an important element in your magickal workings
Here are some easy uses for Lunar Water, through research
over the internet and in books I’m sure you’ll find more:
To increase your Psychic Powers with Lunar Water: Every night when you pick up the bowl but before you put it back into its cabinet, put
your index finger of your strong hand into the water and make a clockwise circle on your
forehead seven times. And just sleep.
To increase Romance in a happy couple and for Fertility:
Pour some into a small glass bowl and every
night put the bowl under your bed and
make love.
To maintain Youth and beauty: When you pick up the bowl prior to sun rise
splash some of it onto your face with the water and if it’s very early in the
morning go back to sleep.
To Banish negativity and be protected from Evil: Each night sprinkle some Lunar Water on you
and your room visualizing that you and your room is sparkling with the
Bright Light of the Moon.
IF YOU ARE A WITCH OR WICCAN:
If you do not believe in the power of Church Blessed Water
but believe that calling upon your own deities will make your water holy, this
is how to consecrate it or charge it.
Making and charging your own holy water
First have rain water selected or if need be plain Spring
water
Prior to preparing the water you need to prepare yourself by
bathing in water in which several drops of
Fiery Wall of Protection and Dragon's Blood oil has been added , if you
don’t have that then either sea or kosher salt, while reciting psalms and/or
sacred verses. Believe it or not the 23
psalm is very effective, the rhythm of the words and you can say “the Lord and
Lady is my Protector”
Prepare the water either nude or in clean ritual clothing. If
you feel uncomfortable doing it nude or do not have ritual clothing then use fresh,
clean clothing, preferably white and made from natural fabrics if possible,
avoid polyester or polyblends.
Pour the uncharged water into a glass or crystal bowl.
Place it between two unlit white candles.
Light incense first (frankincense, copal, benzoin, and/or white
sage) and then the candles.
Pass the bowl of water through the incense smoke.
During this part visualize why you're preparing this water.
Visualize the results this water will bring.
Then return the bowl to its place between the candles,
continue visualizing until you feel it is set and leave everything in place until
the candles burn out, continue to relax and meditate for at least one hour,
then let the candles burn, keep the cell phone, radio, T.V. off do not disturbed
the energies.
Bottle the water.
My Granny had an old 12 inch 78 record that played the “Humming
Chorus” from Madame Butterfly, and I’ve always found that music to be perfect to
set the energy to the water. Later I was
able to put it onto a Cassette tape, for her, more recently I was able to put
it onto CD and have it set to play for an hour when I charge my waters.
I remember my Granny would tell my Uncle who lived with her
(he had an apartment in the bottom half of the house) that he needed to go out
and have some fun, he knew what that meant and asked when it was a good time
for him to return.
So what do you do with your own made holy water? This is some of the many uses:
•Use Holy Water for cleansing and purification in your bath,
or sprinkled on your altar and in corners of your home.
•Holy Water is thought to be capable of magically
transmitting physical relief, especially for headaches and tension, so use it
in compresses or massage oil for healing spells.
•Use Holy Water to cleanse and empower tools, plants and
crystals – they may be sprinkled or soaked, depending on the nature of the
material
Holy water (non-church) can be any water that is held
sacred, or which has special significance for the spell-caster. This may be
water from a shrine dedicated to a deity, or water from a sacred spring.
In modern Wicca, holy
water may be spring, rain, lake or river water with salt added. Some covens
maintain unique recipes, which may include rosemary, thyme and vervain or other
herbs. Crystals may be used to charge holy water.
But no matter what Holy Water or holy water, whether Church,
Wiccan, or other religious belief, must be consecrated and activated via sacred
ritual, either by the Church or by your own visualization.
And that is as far as I can personally take you on Sacred
Waters, Holy Waters, Made Waters, or Charged Waters, as you investigate and
research various beliefs and rituals you will discover more to add to your
book.
What I have given you is by no means definitive but it does
give you a starting point. As I come across more information I will add what is called "Addendums" or extra chapters to this information.
But for now I do need to rest and take a break, I had not realized how exhausting this was, and I've neglected other things. But I will return with information on other things and yes there will be many more posts.
Many Blessings Ms. Q
