Unfortunately for the local GOP and Republicans everywhere, the two expelled, deservedly or not, happened to be black, naturally providing a propaganda opportunity for our resident White House “civil rights activist” and ally of former Sen. The rioters/protestors were largely high school students, bent on gun control, instigated, at least in part, by three members of the assembly, two of whom have now been expelled for their behavior. The last few days have been arguably the mother of all distractions when, as reported here at The Epoch Times and virtually everywhere, riots or protests (depending on how you see them) broke out in front and within the Tennessee State Assembly. Lost too in all this is any sense of what really happened that Monday or why it happened. For me, personally, what I do is a mixup of my gift of intuition, my strong knowledge of herbs and oils, and the belief that elements we don’t always understand (some call it magic) surround and influence us every day.This has been ineffably sad for the family and friends of the victims, who are victims themselves, their grief often overwhelmed in a city, indeed a country, now so politicized that our common humanity seems some distant memory from a long ago Jimmy Stewart movie one sees only at Christmas. When I talk about Folk Magic or Rootwork, I mean MY brand of Folk Magic and Rootwork – a magical recipe that consists of a base of my deep-rooted Kentucky heritage, stirred with everything I have learned from people and books, peppered with hands-on practice, and salted with my own intuition. At the heart of what I do, I am a potion maker, a creator of concoctions, an artisan. ![]() So, allow me to sum up how I approach what I do. Practitioners of hoodoo, also known as conjure, are often known as ‘rootworkers’ and was (and is) more predominant in the South. Hoodoo (not to be confused with Voodoo) has a heavy African-American influence. Add to that the influence that African Americans contributed and you have a unique brand of Southern magic. It was then blended with Native American rituals and beliefs into a uniquely American folk magic tradition using a lot of the herbs, roots, and flower that are native to this country. The American folk magic that has been practiced for hundreds of years in Appalachia has a strong Protestant background with Irish and British origins. When my Grandfather gave me a bit of pyrite (fool’s gold) to carry in my pocket to bring me good luck with money, I don’t think he was aware that pyrite is a powerful amulet used in hoodoo and folk magic and used for the exact same purpose. The women in these rural Kentucky communities who placed blue bottles in the kitchen window did so because that is what their mothers and grandmothers had done – not because they knew that blue bottles in the window repelled negativity. To them, these little superstitions had nothing to do with Appalachian folk magic or witchcraft, or hoodoo- at least, to their knowledge (as far as I know). There were always elements in the homes of my grandmothers and great-grandmothers that were distinctly “magical”, some that they knew about, others that were simply thought of as down-home country traditions. It wasn’t until my parents generation when the family finally ventured out into living in larger cities. My family has lived in Kentucky for well over 300 years, primarily in rural communities and secluded farms. I have been interested in and studying magical traditions for 30 years. My latest book: HOW TO USE MAGICAL OILS IN HOODOO, PRAYER, AND SPELLWORK was released April, 2017. I took the name Papa Gee as my root worker name. My best selling soap book, MAKING SOAP FROM SCRATCH is available on amazon, as is my book: ESSENTIAL OILS AND AROMATHERAPY. All products are made by me, by hand in our Nashville, TN one-room workshop. Conjure Shop is my own little corner of our aromagregory company, a place where I can add my magical flair to what I do. My retail company for these products is. I have been making natural soaps, lotions, bath oils, and other natural products since 1999. I was attuned as a Reiki practitioner in 2001, became a Certified Aromatherapist in 2005, then furthered my study in essential oils and became a Certified Clinical Aromatherapist in 2009.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |