Dandelions and a Mojo Hand

The dandelion's bright yellow blooms bring visions of sunny days and spring picnics and its white powder-puffs conjure memories of childhood wishes and hopeful dreams.

I just love them!!

Though considered a weed by most people, dandelions have many culinary, medicinal, and spiritual uses.  Dandelion is crammed full of Vitamins A & C and has more beta carotene than carrots!!  A diuretic, it is used to treat liver, kidney, and digestive problems and to improve skin health.  The white sap in the stems can be used to treat scrapes or bee stings.

All parts of the plant are edible and the flowers make a fabulous addition to a spring salad.  These flowers are slightly sweet and add vibrant color.  The leaves, which can be eaten raw or brewed in a tea, have a bitter taste that allows them to aid digestion.  The roots can be eaten raw or roasted as a non-caffeinated coffee substitute.

All parts of the dandelion, especially the seeds, are used for various magical purposes from divination, to communication with spirits, to bringing good luck. In hoodoo, however, it is the root that we are most concerned with.  Hey, there's a reason they call us rootworkers!

In hoodoo, the root of the dandelion is traditionally dried, chopped, and brewed into a tea.  It is said that if a person drinks this three times a week  they will have "true" or prophetic dreams.  In addition, this brew is said to increase the second sight or psychic awareness.

To grant a wish or bring good luck, one can carry the root on their person.  This can be as simple as carrying the dried root in your pocket -OR- for a little added oomph you can create a wish-granting or good luck mojo hand.

Wish Granting Mojo Hand

Dandelion Root
Mojo Beans - Five
Grain's of Paradise - Five
Small Piece of Parchment Paper
Five Strands of Your Hair
Green Flannel Bag
Holy Oil or Blessing Oil

Write your wish five times on the piece of parchment, each overlaying the previous. Turn the parchment a quarter and cross your wish by writing your full name five times, each overlaying the previous.  Wrap the whole dandelion root with your hair and then place them over your crossed name and wish.  Fold the parchment towards you over the root and hairs. Anoint with Holy Oil or Blessing Oil.

While reciting Psalms 40:5:

Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. 

Place the package inside the green flannel bag.   Repeat the Psalm until it has been recited five times, while adding the Mojo Beans and Grains of Paradise.  In between, each recitation, talk to your mojo hand. Tell it what you are doing, why you are creating it, what you want it to do.  I find, like many rootworkers, that giving it a name helps you connect to it.  Mojo hands are living things with power.  Giving it a name helps the rootworker to really see their mojo hand as alive and vibrant.

Then holding your mojo hand, say a prayer for the wish you want to be granted and sew it shut.

Now, you need to cleanse it, breath life into it, and then feed it.

First, run your mojo hand through incense smoke (I use frankincense and myrrh) and sprinkle it with salt water to cleanse it.  Hold it over a candle flame (not in it) to ignite its power. A fellow rootworker and friend calls this "getting its mojo cookin." I would use a green candle for this particular hand.

Next, to breath life into it.  Holding your mojo hand in your left hand call out to it three times, by name.  Tell it that it's time to wake up and get to work.  Then pat it three times as if trying to wake it up from sleep.  Now, you will literally breathe life into it.  Holding your mojo hand take a deep breath and exhale sharply through pursed lips onto it.  Do this three times.  Your mojo is awake and ready to go to work.  Say Hello!!

Finally, you just need to feed it.  A conditioning oil relevant to your purpose is used for this.  For this mojo hand, we use Holy Oil or Blessing Oil.  Place five drops of oil on the bag.  Repeat this about once a week.  Remember, just like you, your mojo hand needs to eat.  You must keep feeding it for as long as it is needed.

Now, keep your mojo hidden in your pocket and out of sight at all times.

As a final thought, dandelion roots can be real bothersome to harvest.  I have been known to curse and shake my fists at the air during this process.  If you are a first timer, here's a helpful link to make it much easier for you.  Harvesting and Using Dandelion Roots



 

Rose of Jericho/ Saint Expedite Petition Ritual

Due to the personal nature of the petition being made, some details will be omitted from this account.  However, I believe that the important information is being passed along. :)

This blog will illustrate a personal petition ritual I preformed, involving a Rose of Jericho (Resurection Plant) and a Saint Expedite candle.

If you are not familiar with the Rose of Jericho they are remarkable plants.  They are considered talismans for protection, blessing, and prosperity.  When dormant they resemble tumble weeds or dead cedar boughs. Mine looked like this::

As you can see, I have placed it in a bowl containing a couple inches of water.  The plant is not dead, simply dormant.  Once placed in water, it begins to open up.  After two hours, it looked like this::

TWO HOURS:


FOUR HOURS:
 


ONE DAY:
 

SEVEN DAYS:



On the seventh day, I rested.....

No, not really.... :P  On Wednesday (I chose this day because it is the traditional day to work with Saint Expedite.), I removed the Rose of Jericho from its water.  I saved a portion of the water in a small hermetically sealed jar for use in future workings, and discarded the rest.  When the Rose of Jericho is removed from its water source it begins to slowly return to its dormant state, closing up.  The idea is to seal your petition inside the closed plant until the time that it is granted.

At this point, using a small taper candle I lit my Master Candle and allowed it to cook, while I began to construct my petition. Taking a small piece of paper, I wrote my petition out, while concentrating on it being fullfilled.  I then annointed the paper in a five-face-die pattern, one dot in each corner and one in the center.  For this work, I used Lucky Mojo's Blessing Oil.  After the annointing, I folded the paper in half once, towards my body.  Then in half again, and then once more.  Always towards my person, and always concentrating on my desired outcome.  Then, I placed the petition in the middle of the still open plant, on my altar, along with two small personal items. 

With a small taper candle I transfered the light from my Master Candle to my Saint Expedite candle, both on my altar.

(You can read HERE a little about Saint Expedite and about how I made this candle)

 

Then, I said a small prayer to Saint Expedite, asking him to lend his speed to my petition.  To keep anything from delaying it, to "expedite" it if possible, and to provent those involved from procrastinating on anything that might slow down my petition. In return, I vowed that, once the petition was granted, I would light a red candle in his honor every Wednesday for a year, and provide him with offerings of fresh flowers and sponge cake.  I allowed the candle to burn for a few hours before pinching it out, and I will continue to light it every day until it is almost gone, at which point I will blow the candle out.  Once, the petition is granted I will use the empty novena as a vase for offerings of flowers to the Saint.

When the petition is granted, I will place the Rose of Jericho back in water, where it will once again leave its dormant state and open. (They can repeat this cycle for years)  I will remove the petition and items and use the Rose for another work.  I will also begin my offereings to Saint Expedite, for a year, from that day.