A Quick Note on Oils by John Bertrum Ford

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Okay so Lola said that oils are very popular and a very round about topic these days and it is definitely worth mentioning. As a conjure man myself oils are among the most important aspects to my workings, we as conjure folk learn how to make these oils and how to use them. So lets get straight to it.

 

Historically speaking, magic oils, generally called conjure oils, ritual oils, hoodoo oil, dressing oils, and anointing oils, have been a part of hoodoo rootwork practice for as far back as oral histories and written records exist. The combination of African traditions of healing, American botanical knowledge and lore, and information derived from medieval European herbals, grimoires and books of wonders such as those attributed to Albertus Magnus is among the most influential aspects to hoodoo and oil making.

 

Some occult symbolism in the hold herbals are based on doctrine or signuatures, whereby the shape, texture, or color of a plant is a sign of its occult use. The scent and color is particularly more important in Brujeria rather than hoodoo. Other magical ascriptions are extensions of the ways that certain herbs are used in folk medicine.

 

Hoodoo root doctors traditionally name magical oil compounds for the conditions they are believed to cause or to cure. So sometimes we get some very interesting names such as Fiery Wall of Protection, Uncrossing, Bend-Over and Reconciliation. These names have also blend well with neo-pagan faiths that took the names into their own practices such as Money drawing or Love Drawing.

 

DRESSING OIL, ANOINTING OIL, CONDITION OIL

In hoodoo, touching of oil to your finger and then placing it on yourself or another person is called "Anointing". Drizzling oil, rubbing it, or touching a drop of it onto an inanimate object is called "Dressing" other words may include fixing and preparing. When a man rubs John the Conqueror Root Oil on his penis, he is anointing himself; when he rubs it on a red penis-shaped candle he is dressing them.

 

A Dressing Oil refers to any oil used in dressing or fixing candles, mojo hands, leather, furniture, money, and other such items.

 

A Anointing Oil refers to primarily to use on the body or any general living organism. The term actually comes from the Bible.These oils are intended to be skin-safe for people, because the term is taken from the Bible.

 

Condition Oil is a term found only in hoodoo conjure practice; it refers collectively to all anointing and dressing oils that are utilized in rites, rituals, or spellcraft to address or remediation an unwanted condition or to bring about desired condition. Formula Oil is another way of saying condition oil-- that is, a conjure oil, hoodoo oil, anointing oil, or dressing oil made according to a conjure doctor's proprietary formula.

 

THE USE OF ANOINTING AND DRESSING OILS

In hoodoo practice, dressing oils are often used as anointing oils and vice versa because most folks don't have the money to spend on two oils for the same purpose, and also all such conjure condition are made skin-safe or should be. This does not mean that dressing oils or anointing oils are diluted to the level of massage oils, however. One can make any condition oil into a massage oil by just adding water or sweet Almond oil or Jojoba oil. This is a great way of saving money, and can also be excellent at deploying your tricks on friends, family or even enemies. 

 

Many folks who use conjure oils that are reputed to improve personal conditions or bring about spiritual improvements prefer to anoint with them.

 

Conjure oils alleged to attract good fortune are used primarily for dressing objects.

 

In actual practice, most hoodoo oils are used both for anointing the person and for dressing charms, candles, or mojo bags. Since many of them have very pleasant scents, they can even be treated as a form of perfume. Growing up I never wore any diorderent or cologne (unless it was something magical) I was taught how to wear condition oils for certain purposes.

 

How to apply or use anointing and dressing the body with hoodoo oils vary from one practitioner to another, and certain forms are only used with certain named types of oil. For example a Kiss Me Quick oil might be applied to the wrists and neck. Here are some techniques you can use with oils.

 

• When using anointing oil for uncrossing or jinx-breaking, rub the body downward from head to feet. Expel bad tricks put on the person by rubbing them down the leg and out the feet and toes. The same is done when bathing someone for uncrossing.
• When anointing oneself in love spells or money spells to draw luck to you, rub the entire body upward from soles of feet to armpits, then from palms of hands to armpits, then up over the head to the mold of the head. This may be administered to the self but is more often a treatment given by a rootworker.  
• When using things for success or wisdom, anoint the head only: place oil on a thumb, index, and middle fingers of your dominant hand. Starting at the bridge of the nose, brush outward, above and parallel to the eyebrows, with thumb and middle finger, then brush upward from the bridge of the nose along mid-line of scalp with index finger. This form of anointing accompanied by appropriate magic spells. 
• Anoint the mold of the head (the under-side of the back of the head, where the skull joins the spinal column) with oils regarding blessing, healing, power-enhancing, and other life-changing magic spells; use your palm and make a massage-like squeezing-rubbing motion, end with an upward brush of the palm.
• When dressing the genitals with oil for love, lust, passion or spells revolving around those domains, or other named formula intended to draw, keep, or inforce faithfulness in a lover, anoint the penis from tip to root, or anoint the vulva from perineum to clitoris; this draws the person closer.
• When dressing the genitals such as cast off evil, break up, get away, keep way or any other named formula intended to break up with a lover, anoint the penis from root to tip, or anoint the vulva from clitoris to perineum. This is for the intent of turning or sending a person away.
• Anoint the palms of both hands right before you go to play, when using money-drawing or gambling oils.
• Anoint the neck to draw something to you, especially that for love.

 

QUICK NOTE ON HOODOO OILS

Hoodoo oils are very important, but how they are fashioned are very different from other magical systems. Hoodoo oils are meant to be mixed together and are also made for all sorts of situations.

Hoodoo oils are meant to be chunky, where the signs of herbs, roots, minerals, zoological curios. Are still very evident and noticeable. This is sometimes seen as more important than anything.

 

Second comes the fragrance. Fragrance is among the most important aspects to hoodoo. Even above so is natural products and essential oils.

Lastly is color. Not very stressed upon, but color is sometimes seen as a big important in hoodoo practices.

 

And there you go. Something brief about oils.