Hoodoo for Survival in 2026 and Beyond

 Introduction

    I have really sat long and hard on this post in particular, mainly because I wanted to provide those who read my posts with wisdom and motivation through sharing my own journey. Especially the parts of it that aren't glamourous. Hoodoo, rootwork, conjure, ancestral veneration, and being a devout devotee to my respective spirit guides has helped me to overcome a lot of adversity. I don't come from wealth, and a lot of what I have I had to work hard and fight tooth and nail to get it. It would be inauthentic to sell you all dreams that Hoodoo is like snapping your fingers, uttering words, and then the things you need and desire appear. Additionally, it would be inauthentic of me to portray myself in a light of "having it all" and my life being a cake walk because of Hoodoo. I can assure you it isn't. I am not immune to the ups and downs of life (though I wish I were). I get sick, bruise, and find myself continually exhausted by the pain in strife in the world just like most people who are empathic and care about more than themselves.

    That said, I can say that Hoodoo for me has been exactly what it was intended to do and that was to help folks survive and thrive despite the obstacles that life throws. Whether it's calling upon the Ancestors for their wisdom, audacity, and strength on days where I can't get out of bed, or conjuring up some money to help cover bills and hold me over while I am working hard towards my degrees, Hoodoo is the remedy.

    Black people are a hardy people. We kept intact cultural and spiritual identities beyond the Transatlantic Slave Trade, and created new systems in the strange lands we were forced into. Every day, I converse with my Ancestors because I know that they have the answers I would need on how to face adversity in the here in now. They lived through it all, and I trust their guidance, and today I will share with you what was shared with me. Think of this as your unofficial christening into Hoodoo, rootwork, and conjure.

    Also, Happy Juneteenth! I wanted this month's post to be a testament to our ongoing fight for freedom and autonomy. We will continue to not only survive but thrive no matter how hard the systems of white supremacy and capitalism may try to snuff out our spirits. Ase. So mote it be!

Ways of olde

   One of my earliest memories from my spiritual initiation into Hoodoo was crying out in anger and frustration after I left Christianity. I was so used to being reliant upon an entity that continuously turned a deaf ear and blind eye to my suffering and confusion. It started with immense clarity and a feeling of warmth that I hadn't experienced before. Next thing I knew, I was flooded with dreams about water and wide open fields for as long as the eye could see. I dreamt of elaborate ceremonies I had never seen before, and then the gift of knowledge. Recipes and instructions, overwhelming in quantity and sometimes complexity, came to me in the night and always when I needed it.

    I learned that crossing over water relieved any spiritual affliction just as much as having a salted bath did. I was shown alchemy to clear my roads and remove blockages, how to turn saltpeter and mercury into gold. I was also shown myself, and the versions of me throughout my lifetime that needed healing and how to find joy in the darkest of times. Most importantly, I learned about the systems of nature and humanity's place within it - my place within it. I developed a deeper understanding of myself and the empty spaces within me that I needed to heal. It was a metamorphosis that took me into the past and future.

    I know you're probably thinking, "Uh, Mama T...what the hell does any of this have to do with surviving in the here and NOW??" A lot. I'll get to it in the next section but, before that I want to emphasize something - that listening to your intuition, getting close to the Earth, healing, and trusting your benevolent and elevated ancestors will take you far. Much further than a couple of spiritual baths and candle rituals ever could so, keep this in mind as you read on.

 The foundation of staying afloat

- Cleansing and Uncrossing: Everything in life is an energetic exchange. You have positive, negative, and neutral energies around you every day, and you also have your own spirit that you influence and that can be influenced by your surroundings. You must build high levels of self awareness to know where you stand so that you can determine when, how long, and what to use to cleanse and uncross yourself and your space. Water, like all the elements, carries it's own pantheon of spirits alongside the spirits of rebirth and destruction. Baths are some of the oldest and most traditional ways in Hoodoo to accomplish getting off any spiritual gunk that has accumulated since the last time you cleansed (if ever!). The roots and ingredients of a bath vary greatly and as always it depends on the spirits of those roots and their purpose, so choose accordingly. Some classics are vinegar, salt, and even chamber lye a.k.a first morning urine. 

- Protection: I shouldn't have to explain this one and why it is important. There are many ways to shield yourself from most simple afflictions through protection work. You could use red brick dust and railroad spikes around your property, garlic to ward thresholds, and to have on your person a nationsack a.k.a mojo bag and other talismans that carry protective energies. My personal favorite is calling on my Ancestors and Spirit Guides. Ideally, you want to make sure you have a live and well connection with your Ancestors first before you are called to, or a God/Goddess/Deity reaches out to you directly to initiate a closer relationship. If you're into bibliomancy, you can pull out the Psalms like 91, or 23. 

- Road Opening: All roads lead back to you, especially the ones that carry opportunities, blessings, and other positive things and situations that propel you forward in life. When your roads are blocked it can take the shape of bad luck streaks, feeling like you have been crossed or cursed, and stagnation in various ways. Road Openers are most commonly seen as multicolored candles by which you speak over, create a petition for, and burn to the stump uninterrupted. The old school ways use ammonia jars flipped upside with a candle (also flipped and recarved upside down) burned atop it. A simpler technique would be to use a white or orange candle dressed with five finger grass and whiskey. For my advanced practitioners, a road opening may require trips to a three, or four, way intersection with offerings in hand for De Crossroad Man. Not be confused with the Vodou Lwa Papa Legba and the Orisha Elegua! These spirits are all different and unique in their representations, which are respective to the African Traditional Religion (ATR), or African Derived Religion (ADR), they belong to. They all require unique rituals to invoke them.

Final Thoughts

    Once you have done these three tasks then you may follow it up with other things like attraction work to draw money, a new job, and anything else you need and desire your way. Remember, this isn't genie work so, don't forget to do your due diligence in the physical realm too and BE SPECIFIC. Hoodoo creates opportunities but, it's up to you to maximize every chance you get.

    As I close out this post, I wanted to take some time to emphasize that Hoodoo, Rootwork, and other ATRs/ADRs are closed practices that belong solely to the descendants of it's creators. Hoodoo was created by enslaved Africans brought to North America specifically. If that's not you, I highly advise against taking any of this advice, you take the risk of Ancestors and other forces that will not recognize you taking offense to your requests. Heed this warning! I ain't liable for no hardheaded buckra and whoever else wanting to dibble and dabble.

    Anywho, to my beloved Black folks that have been learning to reclaim our spiritual traditions, I appreciate you being here and sharing space with these words. If this spoke to you, feel free to support by sharing, engaging, or connecting with me for readings and spiritual work when aligned (my booking site and contact information can be found underneath services and offerings). Everything I offer is done with intention, care, and respect. Thank you for allowing me to do what I love.