Backwoods witchcraft, p.14
Backwoods Witchcraft, page 14
5 Prayers to Saint Peter for binding people are widespread and occur in charms given in The Long Lost Friend by John Hohman, or in the Albertus Magnus: Egyptian Secrets, which was widely used in northern Appalachia for Pennsylvania Dutch folk healing practices.
6 Variations of this can be found in Hohman's The Long Lost Friend.
8
CASTING APPLE SEEDS
Spelling and Fortune-Telling
The mind of the mountaineer was filled with fear of the unknown in their new homeland in the mountains. This fear, coupled with a strong faith, furthered the progression of superstition in Appalachia, whether carried over from the Old World or simply coined up. The granny witches and power doctors (often the only medical help available within days of travel) held to a tradition of discerning God's will by following signs and listening to the Spirit. We've seen previously how the formation of roots, star signs, and the weather can foretell fate.
But divination has deeper and more complex roots in these hills than those already covered. Fortunes of work and love, the identity of a husband's mistress, a thief, or an enemy can be found out. Back in the day, gypsies would often travel up and down the mountain range. Some of them were from the usual places such as Italy or Hungary, while others were from Scotland or Britain. They employed the usual playing cards and crystal ball. Some historical root workers in Appalachia did use crystal balls, with one example being Ed Mctear of South Carolina. He was a sheriff who first got into the work in order to understand certain cases more. These cases included the famous Dr. Buzzard, one of the most renowned hoodoos in North American history.
Aside from the usual long layouts of cards and crystal gazing, Appalachian divination methods primarily follow probability like “yes or no.” These are at the bottom of the divination pole since they are the simplest methods found.
YES OR NO, IS OR AIN'T SO
In chapter 2, I mentioned using an egg to determine if a woman is with child. For this, a fresh egg is rubbed counterclockwise over the woman's womb, right beneath her naval. The Lord's Prayer is recited, ending with a prayer like, “Lord, you give dreams and visions of righteousness for Your name. Show me how it is here.” The woman then blows on the egg, and it is dropped into a clear glass of water and then read. If it sinks to the bottom of the glass, she is “heavy” with child. If it floats, she isn't pregnant. Oftentimes, this will predict a pregnancy: if the woman is not pregnant at the moment but the egg still sinks, the woman will very likely become pregnant within six months.
Playing cards can also be used for this. Shuffle a deck three times and draw three cards. The black suits mean no and the red suits mean yes, so the probability is determined by the suit of two out of the three cards.
You can also utilize the “scattering” forms of divination, which entail tossing sunflower or apple seeds on a handkerchief after whispering your question into them. If the seeds are evenly spaced out after landing, it means yes; but if they land in groups or “clods,” it is a no.
FORMATIONS AND PATTERNS
Another method calls for placing something in a particular place or environment and interpreting letters or other signs formed. This is usually done with corn kernels that are thrown in a circle drawn into the dirt, and the resulting patterns are meditated on to find letters, shapes, or other patterns.
Reading coffee grounds is also included in this. A cup of coffee is drunk until the last sip, at which point a teaspoon of coffee grounds is added to the cup. Breathe three times into the cup, and cover it with a saucer. Then pass the cup and saucer over the head in a circle three times and quickly turn it upside down so the mouth of the cup rests on the plate. Once all the liquid has drained, read the grounds inside the cup. An X shows a blockage. Two parallel trails of dots means a busy or tough path. The shape of a dog means death, a heart is someone you love, and so on.
Here's a formula I use to find someone out—a future love, a thief, or an enemy. Set out a large basin of water, enough to hold about a gallon. Take 7, 13, or 21 toothpicks and lay them individually on the surface of the water with your right hand. (The number of toothpicks you use is individual taste; however, the number is traditionally odd. Seven is associated with fortune and luck; thirteen is famous for its connections to witchcraft. Twenty-one has never been explained to me—it is simply a number I was taught had importance, so I use it and it works.) Once all of the toothpicks are in the water, cover it with a white towel and raise one end just enough to whisper into it, “In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, tell me what I wish to see. You tell of all things in righteousness and by Your Word have proclaimed anything asked in Your name will be done. So tell me__________.” Then blow three times on the surface of the water. Leave the pot by the bed, and in the morning the toothpicks will have formed the person's initials. You can also practice this on a smaller scale using 7 toothpicks and a white porcelain bowl of water left by the bed while you sleep.
SAMUELS AND JACK-BALLS
A samuel is a weighted bag of curios suspended on a red cord whose movements are interpreted to see things backstage about a situation. It's basically an ol' country pendulum crafted from roots and red flannel. It is called a samuel, to my knowledge, because of the witch calling Samuel's spirit up for Saul in the Bible:
1 Samuel 28:3–20
3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
4 And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa.
5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
6 And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.
8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
10 And Saul sware to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.
11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.
12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.
15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.
16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?
17 And the Lord hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:
18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day.
19 Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.
20 Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
The spirit the Bible identifies as Samuel told no lie, for everything came to pass. Further examining the use of this charm, we can also connect the birth and naming of Samuel:
Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord. (1 Samuel 1:20)
Samuel was also a just judge, and anointed kings such as David. Samuel told the truth of God handing over Israel and of Saul's death when he was called up through a medium, one of the most forbidden acts named by Scripture. Because of this it's said your samuel cannot lie and must always tell the way things are or will be; and your samuel will not work for other people. The name Samuel also meant “the name is God,” or “God is lifted up,” further adding to its power and roots in Scripture. Another name was a jack-ball or simply jack. You can name it anything you want, but samuel is what my family calls it.
To make a samuel, bring a 4 inch by 4 inch piece of white or red flannel to a Sunday church sermon and lay it open on your lap during the service. Then lay the cloth on a table and place a pinch each of salt and tobacco in the center of the fabric. Two roots are used in this samuel: one thin root of bearded iris (Iris germanica) that ran east and one root of Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) that ran south, each one cut fresh to the length of your thumbs. Bind these with twine to form a cross and lay them over the salt and tobacco. Place a stone from a churchyard over that. Knot a piece of red yarn 13 inches in length three times over itself to make a larger knot, and then tuck it into the center hole. Gather the four corners of the fabric and tie a knot tight with another piece of red yarn.
If you like, a simpler samuel can be made without the roots.
When you have your samuel, call out to it, saying something like,
Samuel! Samuel! Wake up now. In the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, you're gonna tell me what's right and how things are. You are only tied to me under the Most High and will tell His word on things, anything I want to know.
To work it, hold it still by the end of the yarn. Always call it by its name, saying something like,
Alright now, Samuel, tell me—is there somebody working trouble for me? Are they shooting or conjuring me?
If it trembles, or seems to shake or jump, trouble is coming. If it waves from left to right or stands still, that means no. If it swings to and fro or in circles, it means yes. And if it simply remains in the same place and turns or spins, it means there's more to the situation than you know, or you have not asked the right question. The samuel will only tell you the truth in direct answers, so word your questions carefully.
OTHER PENDULUM DEVICES AND DOWSING
One of the most famous southern tricks using a pendulum is determining if a woman is pregnant and what the child's sex will be. The woman's wedding ring was suspended from a red string or seven hairs taken from the crown of her head. Writing this here, I wondered what would be used if the woman wasn't married, so I called my mother. She said there wasn't a substitute since is wasn't really heard of for a girl to be pregnant out of wedlock. However, the wedding ring of the girl's mother could be used. The pendulum is held aloft by another person right over the naval of the laying woman. Movement back and forth meant is was a boy or no, she wasn't pregnant; circular patterns meant it was a girl or yes, she was pregnant.
As recent as two generations ago, “water witches” were well known, and it was customary for one to help you find underground water in order to dig a well, or even to help find lost items, treasure, or people. My great-great-grandfather Oscar was a water witch. A forked stick from a willow, cherry, pear, hazel, or hickory tree, was used, held by the two prongs outward, fists down, with one stoke pointing up toward the sky. The specific type of wood used was solely up to the family. Dowsing rods were always taken from a branch pointing to the east during the full moon, as that's the time all water is being pulled on, and it would likewise help the stick be pulled to the water source.
The prongs are pulled apart and kept at just the right tension before snapping. Held like this, the dowser marks where they began and begins to walk in various directions. As they approach water underground, the stick will begin to bob or wiggle, and as soon as they make it to the full source (the place to dig the well) it will point straight out or “jump down.”
According to my Nana, Papaw Oscar would take the measurement between the place he started and where he found the source, and that would be how far down you'd need to dig to get to the water.
PLAYING CARDS
From a very young age, I remember my family using playing cards from the dollar store for games like rummy, roulette, spades, and solitaire. As one of the most used forms of divination, playing cards have a long line of tradition in Appalachia. Each number and suit is related to an event or a person. They are read in multiple ways just like tarot cards, and some families have their own spreads and ways of cutting the cards.
My mother is the one who taught me how to use playing cards for divination. I vaguely remember sitting in the kitchen with her; the only light was the stove, with all the windows and doors open that summer night to let the heat and cigarette smoke out. She'd flip the cards out on the counter and tell me whatever was about to happen. I still use the deck she taught me on.
I will go over the simplest way she taught me to read the cards for a general overview of how things are in your life. You need a new deck of cards, reserved only for reading—it's important to keep reading cards and game cards separate. Some families will have a deck solely for themselves, and if it's read for other people then that person must supply a brand-new deck or simply use one from their own home. (Now, decks do get old with time, and sometimes cards are lost. The one I use, the deck I learned on, is composed of cards from at least five different decks. Anytime Mama lost a card, she'd grab that same card from an unused deck and add it to her reading one.)
Shuffle the deck three times, then knock the top three times. Part the cards into two stacks and hold them to your mouth and breathe on them. Then shuffle the deck again. Starting from the top of the deck, flip each and every card over so it's faceup. When you get two of the same card in a row, set those aside and keep them in the order they came up. Keep doing this until you reach the last card. Then turn to the doubles you have gathered and interpret them as follows:
Kings represent money and business. If they are of different colors, expect some delays or losses. The king of spades, facing the right, is especially foreboding in this area. Same-color suits predict favorable finances or good luck in the home or business.
Queens represent lovers. If they are facing to the left, they are loyal; to the right means they aren't telling the truth or they are hiding something. If both cards are red, it enforces that they are loyal; if they are black suits, they further the deceit. If the suits are different colors, there is difficulty in the relationship. If one is the queen of spades, there's been infidelity. Different colors can also mean a different lover, such as a new person or one other than the current lover.
Jacks represent jealousy from other people. Someone doesn't always keep you in good thoughts, and they can be further found based on the suits. Matching-colored suits shows it is a close friend who's jealous, while different-colored suits means it is likely a stranger or enemy. The enemy can be seen for sure should the jack of spades rear its ugly head in any combination. This can also be indicative of the “pewter” (evil eye) being present.
Tens represent dreams and desires either fulfilled or thwarted based on other cards. If they're both red, their endeavors will prosper; if they're both black, they'll fall short or be interrupted. If the pair is different colors, this can show indecisiveness or hesitation.
Nines mean trouble, turmoil, or strife is coming. In a reading to figure out the cause of a situation, this can also mean witchcraft or conjuring has occurred. If they are both red, then there's trouble in the home, in a relationship, or with one's health or business; if they're both black, there's trouble in spiritual matters. If they are different colors, then its folk name “the pallbearers” comes into play, meaning something needs to be taken care of—loose ends need to be tied up or someone needs to “bury the hatchet.”
Eights mean sorrow is coming. This can also be related to simple depression, breakups, job loss, etc. For example, two different-color kings, two sixes, and two eights would propose a possible job and financial loss. The colors of each would further determine the severity of the meaning.
Sevens mean there is protection and safety under “God's lucky number.” Sevens also represent tears, worry, waiting, and blood, though. If a spade comes out, then you are at risk. Two sevens, one a spade, can also mean you have lost something dear.
Sixes represent bad news, particularly if the six of spades is in the pair. If it is the left card of the two, then it isn't too serious; if it is on the right side, the bad news is serious business. The colors of the suits will determine what person the news will come from, as explained below for the fives.
Fives mean good news is coming. If the pair is red and black, the news will come from a person of the opposite sex; if the suits are the same color, it will be from someone of the same sex.
