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kmartmolotov · 10 months

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#appalachian gothic #southern gothic #southern folk magic #haunted mound #liminalcore #rurex #appalachia #outdoors #nature #oddcore #weirdcore #drainer #north carolina #rural gothic #religous core

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heartshapedcaskett · 1 year

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The night I took these I heard hissing in the woods and a horrendous wave of freezing air rushed over my body. The tell-tale signs of the Carolina haints my grandma spoke of.

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samwisethewitch · 7 months

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Two Banishing Powders from a Southern Folk Witch

In Southern folk magic, the formula used for a banishing spell varies a little bit based on whether you want to banish an actual person (basically getting them to leave you alone) or a spirit/energy/abstract concept.

Banishing formulas for getting rid of living people tend to focus on causing irritation and discomfort to get someone to leave, which may be less effective if they don't have a physical body. Banishing formulas for spirits/energy are more about deep cleansing and making the space inhospitable for undesirable spirits. The herbs and minerals a practitioner might reach for are different in these two situations.

Below are two all-purpose banishing formulas from my practice: one for living people, and one for spirits.

GTFO Powder

For getting rid of unwanted (living) people.

You will need:

The spiciest red pepper flakes/powder you can find (If you like spicy food, use something so hot you can't eat it in large amounts. I like spice and I use Szechuan pepper flakes, but cayenne will work, especially if you know the person you want to banish doesn't like any spice at all in their food. Discomfort is the goal here.)

Black pepper (Used here to cause mild inconvenience/discomfort/bad luck)

Salt (Good, old fashioned banishing)

(Optional) dried, crumbled wasps nest*

(Optional) dirt from the side of a busy road or highway**

*This is actually much easier to find than you'd think, but be careful not to get stung! This is a traditional ingredient in Southern folk magic because wasps are known for how viciously they protect their homes. Fair warning: this is a mean ingredient (since its purpose is to cause pain/discomfort), so I'll leave it up to you whether to include it or not. If you're dealing with a stalking or abuse situation, wasps nest can give you the extra oomph you need to help keep the abuser from returning.

**Only include this if you're trying to make someone physically leave your space or relocate to a different geographical area. And PLEASE be careful collecting this dirt! My advice is to try to collect it during a less busy time of day and to stay several feet away from the actual road.

How to Use It:

When you mix up this powder, speak over it and state your intention. You can enchant this powder for all-purpose banishing, or you could mix up a batch to banish a specific person. Either way, it is important that you tell the powder what it is meant to do. I like to speak directly to the spirits in the powder and ask them for their help.

Traditionally, you would use this powder by sprinkling some in your target's shoes, but that isn't always possible. You can use it in poppet spells by adding it to the feet of the poppet for the same effect. You can also use it to dress candles, add it to jar spells, or incorporate it into other types of banishing spells. Warning: do not burn this powder, as it can cause irritation or injuries to the lungs.

If you need to get rid of a specific person, you'll want to customize the powder to only work on them. The easiest way to do this is with a taglock (an item that has a physical connection to the target). Some of their hair would be ideal, but you can also use a photo of them or even a piece of paper with their name and address written on it, like you were addressing a letter. You'll want to burn the taglock to ash, then mix this ash into the powder. Make sure you burn it outside, because the smoke will be unpleasant.

You can use this powder to keep someone away from your home or another building by sprinkling a line of it across all entrances to the building. If you do this, make sure you've customized the powder for that person with the method above -- otherwise you may accidentally banish ALL visitors.

Ghost-Be-Gone Powder

For getting rid of unwanted spirits or psychic energy. Can also be used to banish non-physical things, like an illness or a bad habit.

You will need:

Asafoetida*

Salt (Again, used here for good, old fashioned banishing)

Garlic (You know how garlic is supposed to repel vampires? That's basically what it's doing here.)

Rosemary (Used for cleansing and banishing)

(Optional) dirt from a church, temple, or other place of worship**

*Honestly, I've used asafoetida by itself for banishing and gotten really good results. This is definitely the Big Daddy of cleansing herbs in Southern folk magic. You can usually find this in international grocery stores or get it online for fairly cheap, and it's one of the few herbs I think are worth going out of your way to get. Warning: a lot of people complain about the smell of asafoetida, but it honestly just smells like a stronger, more pungent garlic to me so your mileage may vary.

**While dirt from a church is traditional, use something tied to a religion YOU believe in. If you aren't Christian, don't use church dirt. For myself, I might use dirt from the Wiccan temple near my home or from another pagan holy site. The point here is to call on your personal spiritual allies for help. If you are an atheist or agnostic, just leave the dirt out entirely.

How to Use It:

When you mix up this powder, speak over it and state your intention. You can enchant this powder for all-purpose banishing, or you could mix up a batch to banish a specific spirit. Either way, it is important that you tell the powder what it is meant to do. I like to speak directly to the spirits in the powder and ask them for their help.

To use this powder to remove a spirit from your home, use it to clean your floors. You can sprinkle it on the floor, let it sit for a few minutes, and then sweep or vacuum it up.

I don't recommend burning this powder as incense, but you can use it in spells. You can place a ring of it around the base of a black candle or add some to a jar spell, for example. You can also use this to cast a circle around your spellwork if you want to protect it from interference in the spiritual realm.

A Note on Cultural Appropriation

Every time I post some of the more folksy parts of my practice online, I get asked whether it's okay for others to use these spells. Specifically, people want to know if these spells come from a closed tradition or if they have to live in the South to use them.

The folk magic tradition I practice is not tied to any closed cultural practice. I will never post anything from a closed practice online. So yes, you can use these powders no matter who you are or where you are from. You don't have to live in the South or be from the South to practice Southern folk magic, but you will get more out of your practice if you have a connection to the region.

On a related note: some of y'all may have noticed that these powders are similar to formulas used in Hoodoo. The GTFO Powder specifically is very similar to Hotfoot Powder, which is used for a similar purpose in Hoodoo. Hoodoo is a semi-closed African-American tradition that is typically passed down in families or communities. When I post about my practice, I do occasionally get comments accusing me of appropriating from Hoodoo.

Here's the thing: my practice does have some overlap with Hoodoo, because I am in the same geographical region and part of the same regional culture that Hoodoo comes from. Over hundreds of years, ideas get exchanged across racial and cultural lines. Just like some elements of Hoodoo come from European traditions, some elements of white folk magic in the South come from African roots. It's not appropriation -- it's a natural result of living in multicultural communities.

All of this is just to say, what I do is not Hoodoo, but I think of my tradition and Hoodoo as cousins. There's some shared DNA, but also a lot of differences. How I do things might look similar to how a Hoodoo practitioner does them, but the theory or exact ritual process may be different.

#southern folk witchcraft #southern folk magic #folk witchcraft #appalachian folk magic #southern appalachia #folk magic #banishing #banishing powder #banishing spell #witchcraft #witch #green witch #green witchery #kitchen witch #kitchen witchery #long post #mine

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serpentandthreads · 1 year

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If there is anything I've learned by working with ancestors and other spirits... whiskey will get you the results you're looking for. I don't think I've come across a spirit that doesn't like whiskey.

#folk magic #folk witch #folk witchcraft #appalachian folk magic #southern folk magic #spirit work #ancestor work

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the-folk-menagerie · 1 year

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By prick of Pin and Cushion of Couch

So the number one rule of folk magic is you don't know why it works you just know that it does. That's about how this little trick was explained to me by my aunty. What you'll need: -A Sewing Pin -A Couch or Mattress So you've lost something. You've overturned every cushion, tossed every blanket, and yet it is still missing. You're at a loss, what do you do? Well if you asked me, I'd say you should stick a sewing pin in your couch or your mattress and ask for the item to return to you. I know. If you're not already folk magic inclined that probably sounds a bit odd but it works. And it's all you have to do. I consider this a must-know for Appalachian & southern folk magic so if that's your end game, next time you loose something; give this a shot!

#folk magic #appalachia #appalachain mountains #Appalachian folk magic #southern folk magic #folk spellcraft #granny worker #granny witch #mountain worker #mountain witch

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forestgreenivy · 1 year

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Dusk and the Lowcountry really speaks for itself. No wonder it’s full of so many ghost stories and folklore.

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ftmwtch · 1 year

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Some Texan Folklore, Remedies, & other Superstitions

I'm unsure if these are strictly Texan specific, or if they may even be something only my small town does, but figured I'd share some of the stuff I heard growing up in South Texas

chewin' tobacco juice for insect stings, mainly bee, wasp, fire ant, and scorpion - its meant to draw the sting out. mud also works in a pinch

aloe or vinegar for sunburns

teaspoon of honey with lemon for a cough

for a cold, a shot (or glass) of whiskey with sugar and lemon. ive also heard it be used for aches, pains, curing a toothache, and ensuring a good nights sleep

biting into a pepper or taking a shot of hotsauce to clear stuffed sinuses

sea salt and a few drops of hot sauce into warm water to gargle for a sore throat

prickly pear juice for ulcers or an upset stomach, and a prickly pear poultice for sores or burns

sweet tea to cool you down and keep you hydrated, and a glass on the porch during sunset is said to be a sure fire way to ease stress or loneliness (a swig of bourbon is sometimes added on rough or celebratory nights)

a glass of buttermilk will cool you down when your overheating or settle an upset stomach

oatmeal bath for poison oak, ivy, etc

a pinch of baking soda in your pitcher is said to give you sweeter sweet tea

dont point at a grave - your finger will rot and fall off

when visiting a graveyard turn your pockets inside out so no spirits can hitch a ride home in your pants

brass cowbells get hung around cows necks to keep them producing milk so its believed ringing them can attract good luck as well

if your ears are ringing, it means someone is talking about you

to make an incoming storm miss your property, stick an axe in the ground - its said to split the cloud

a ring around the moon means bad weather is coming

a buzzards shadow crossing you brings bad luck

Horsehair rope to keep rattlesnakes away. I mainly hear this one about camping and keeping it tied outside your tent to ward them off, but I've known a few older folk who tie it to their bedposts year round

a rightside up (U) horseshoe above your door brings good luck to you and your family and wards away evil. if you hang it upside down or it falls upside down, all your luck is said to have fallen out. its luckier too if you spit on it before hanging it up

dont camp or walk by a river at night, and if you hear a womans cries coming from the river, dont investigate, as most rivers tend to have a vengeful spirit that wants company

Be wary of letting your kids roam during canicula - or the "dog days"/the hottest days of summer - and adults should be vigilant too. It's mainly to do with the heat, but I've also heard this time of year is when fatigue, fevers, and bad luck haunts your step, as well as tales of a serpent who preys on children during this time

A redheaded woodpecker pecking on your roof means a death will happen in your family. I've also heard this said for when a bird flies inside your home

Don't wear your hat backwards, set it on your bed, or set it brimside down - all of the luck will spill out. Setting it on your bed may even bring death upon you or your loved ones. Set it upside down (if you can't hang it up) to keep all your luck inside (I think this one is primarily for cowboy hats, but I've seen most people set their baseball caps upside down too)

tamales are made and eaten at Christmas to represent family coming together

Rain is coming if all your cows lay down in the field, or if spiders, flies, or spiders come into your home

Plant your root vegetables during a new moon and your leafy vegetables during a full moon, both at night, for a better harvest

if your horses mane or tail is in knots, they were visited by fairies (the horses hair tangles because fairies are said to use it as reins to ride the horse). its best to leave the lil riders some milk and honey as thanks for exercising your horse

when you kill a snake, you have to bury its head seperate from the body or either the spirit of the snake will come back for revenge or all of its snake friends will retaliate

An itching right palm will shake a new hand (a new friend or acquaintance will be made) while an itching left palm means money is coming your way

buy a new broom when you move houses for a clean start. bringing your old broom with you will bring all your old problems and bad luck

Salt thrown over your right shoulder stops bad luck (and salt thrown over your left doubles bad luck)

Knocking on wood unjinxes you or wards off evil spirits

Toads and crickets in your garden mean good luck is coming your way

when its sunny and raining at the same time, my family said it meant the devil was kissing his wife, but others also said it meant the devil was beating his wife

Open your windows when it rains so negative energy will leave and the positive energy of the rain will come in

its unlucky to wear yellow

always shave before a competition, job interview, or first date - its said that youre cleaning up to impress Lady Luck

dont eat chicken on new years or before a competition - its unlucky

never buy boots secondhand - youll get all of the old owners troubles

stepping in manure is said to bring you good fortune, especially if your boots are new

black eyed peas and cornbread on new years eve for good luck and greens (either cabbage or collard greens) for wealth in the new year

Have you heard of any of these? Does your family know of or do any of them? Feel free to add any other ones you might know!

#southern folk magic #did not realize most of the ones i know focus mainly on luck #might ask my parents for any others i might have forgotten #folk magic #witchcraft #texas witchcraft #texas folk magic #i know of some others but theyre focus more heavily on cattle or ranching or farming #or some werent really folktales so much as common sense folk sayins #southern witchcraft #texas witch #witch #magic #superstitions #witchblr

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pageofpomegranates · 1 year

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🆘️🆘️🆘️

does anyone have any resources on researching american southern folk magic?

NOT appalachian, im specifically looking for resources on texan (+ surrounding regions) folk magic and practices that are NOT appropriative as a very-much-white person. texas has a long, varied, bloody history of destroying/appropriating/assimilating mexican and native cultures and i am very wary of this as well.

i'm open to learning about other cultures' practices within this region, but i am looking more for things i can include in my own practice.

#witchblr #witchcraft #folk magic #folk magick #southern folk magic #southern folk magick #texas witch #texan witch #texas witchcraft #texan witchcraft #magick #green witch #folk practice #folk practitioner

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killrspringlock · 6 months

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i would like to draw the distinction that im not southern in the “yeehaw” kind of way, im southern in the “kooky, dont whistle at night, dont stare too hard into the trees” kind of way

#folklore #folkways #folk magic #southern gothic #southern goth aesthetic #yallternative

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kimberly40 · 7 months

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The Appalachian region is known for its folklore and storytelling. Stories of myths, monsters, and ghosts. There is currently a trend going around on TikTok where people list the “Rules of Appalachia.” These rules often include: Do not go in the woods at night, do not whistle in the woods, and do not look in the trees.

Should you be scared of these mountains….well, I don’t think so.

The eyes that you see shining in the trees at night..well that’s just an old possum searching for its dinner.

The sounds you hear from inside the forest at night…that’s just the trees talking with the wind.

The shadows you see moving around the bed of the forest…well, that’s just the moonlight pushing through the Laurel.

And if you choose to whistle in the forest at night, the only thing you’ll hear in return is your own echo.

There was a time before technology that people needed a way to entertain each other so they turned to storytelling. There’s a sense of mystery for the unknown and it gives us license to our imaginations.

The Appalachian mountains are old, but they are full of wisdom and I’m surrounded by peace here, rather than fear.

(Kim Wright)

#appalachian #appalachian mountains #north carolina #appalachian culture #appalachia #western north carolina #the south #nc mountains #appalachian folk magic #appalachian folklore #folklore #southern #southern gothic #appalachain gothic

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aditheursula · 6 months

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Whenever I listen to country western music stuff starts happening in my house. I hear a male voice in my bedroom harmonize with Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson sometimes. I hear a woman’s voice harmonize with Coal Miner’s Daughter (that would be my Grannie) damn near every time. Different smells permeate through the house that remind me of family members. Them letting me know that they’re always around. Sometimes I even feel a pat on top of my head.

Music is so powerful in all forms of spirituality including folk pathways, witchcraft, paganism, etc. Music can connect you with people and places when you really need them.

Just thought I would share.

#folk magic #folklore #hedge witch #appalachian folk magic #ancestors #southern magic #folk pathway #ancestor connection #ancestor veneration #witchcraft #paganism #spirituality

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gullahconjure · 8 months

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Class begins Sept. 18th - Oct. 2

*Every Monday from 9am - 9:45am EST

“Hoodoo in the Black American Home”

Topics include: Cleaning and Protection, Soul food, and Child Rearing.

Registration is WIDE OPEN until September 13th. A class fee of $50.00 is required before the close of registration, before you are admitted into the class.

*Dm for more details* see you in September Rootworkers✨

#black americans #hoodoo #african american #rootwork #spiritualism #conjure #earth #magic #folk magic #southern #home & lifestyle #soulfood

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chopsyn · 1 year

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Little birds born without a mother or a father

#mystical #cosmic #magical realism #neutral milk hotel #nmh #little birds #lovecraftian #southern magical realism #mysticism #folk horror #folk #ritual #ritualistic #spriritual #deity #bird god

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samwisethewitch · 5 months

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REVIEW: Backwoods Witchcraft by Jake Richards

I feel like Jake Richards's books are pretty popular with folk witches. If you have any interest in Appalachian folk magic, or even American folk magic more generally, you've probably at least heard of this book. Part of why I put off reviewing it for so long is because I feel like there's already been plenty of attention given to it online, so I'll try to make this brief.

Pros:

Definitely authentic Appalachian folk magic. Jake Richards writes about a lot of things I've seen people do or heard people talk about but never seen written anywhere.

This book is really well researched! I'm very impressed by all the references and footnotes.

I love that Richards uses the correct Tsalagi (Cherokee), Gaelige (Irish), and Gaelic (Scottish) words when talking about the cultures that influence Southern folk magic. I also love that he includes pronunciation guides.

Cons:

I didn't finish this book on my first read. It wasn't until I revisited it recently that I actually read to the end. Something about the writing style and the way the book is organized made it a little hard to follow at times, at least for me.

The research is generally good, but there's definitely more detail given for European and Cherokee cultural influences than for African. When talking about European influences, Richards will usually specify the specific country or culture something comes from, but for African influences he just says "African." While this research is harder to do because the slave trade intentionally cut people off from their cultural traditions, other authors like Luisah Teish and Stephanie Rose Bird have shown that we can often trace these African influences back to a specific culture, or at least a region. I would have liked to see the same level of effort put into researching African practices that went into the European ones.

Other Observations:

Christianity is a big part of the author's practice. This is faithful to traditional Appalachian conjure, but just know that it may be triggering if you've experienced religious trauma in a Christian setting. I found this book harder to read than other books on conjure that incorporate Christian elements, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because it sounded too similar to the Appalachian church where my abuse happened? Just something to be aware of if this is a tricky topic for you.

Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

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serpentandthreads · 1 year

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For my practitioners in the south: what's an old remedy, superstition or general "rule" you grew up with?

I remember the time I got stung by a wasp my dad pulled out his chewing tobacco, got it wet, put it on the sting and made me wear a band-aid over it. Was suppose to "pull out the sting". Can't say I remember if it worked or not, since it was so young.

#witchblr #folk witch #folk witchcraft #folk magic #folk medicine #southern folk magic #southern witchcraft #southern witch

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wishful-seeker · 8 months

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Anyone here know free sources on American deep south folk lore? Or magic related to the south?

#witchcraft #witchblr #folk lore #Southern folk lore #southern magic

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