Buying Graveyard Dirt
Let's talk a little about graveyard dirt.
Oooooooh, spoooky! :)
There are a number of old hoodoo techniques that call for graveyard dirt. Many sources - particularly in the field of neopagan publishing - that claim that this is just "code" for an herb, usually mullein.
It's not. It's dirt. From a graveyard. But not just any old dirt.
The Best Dirt
Dirt, like herbs, stones, colors and all the rest of the correspondences out there modern occultists use, has associations. There is dirt that good for peace-tricks (hoodoo sometimes calls a spell a "trick"), some that's good for getting rid of people, some that's good for healing powder, and some that are good for goofer dust (a type of cursing that is supposed to result in the death of the one crossed).
How do you know what is what? It's simple: figure out who is buried in it. :)
The fact is, graveyard dirt as an ingredient for hoodoo is based extensively in ancestor reverence. According to folklore, a person stores their knowledge in their bones. Or rather, in their blood, but it accumulates in the bones.
So, knowledge and power is in the blood. This means that you can call on any of your ancestors at any time, and ask them for their help with something, because you share the same blood. You call on your Auntie who was a nurse in a war for help with healing, your Granddad who worked on the railroads for protection in travel, and your dear old dad, the world's greatest fisherman, when you need help getting something hooked on that line on your company fishing trip. No problem. But what if you don't know of any ancestors with the kind of know-how or mojo you need?
Well, the answer is simple. You use somebody else's ancestor.
According to hoodoo lore, as a body decomposes in a grave, its knowledge and mojo passes into the soil it is buried in. Thus, you can garner some of that mojo along with the physical component of the soil itself. It is a means of asking for the help of an ancestor that doesn't belong to you by blood.
But you can't just scoop some up, and then expect to get something good out of it. Like all things in magic, there is an exchange, and it has to be done properly.
Buying Dirt
"Buying Dirt" does not mean "going to a website or shop and purchasing little packets of graveyard dirt," though you can find some places that sell them. There's no mojo in those, I'm sorry to say - even if they did properly buy it at the graveyard, the mojo that's in it is for the person who did so, not you.
That said, buying graveyard dirt is pretty easy. You'll need a little container to store dirt in, something to dig with and two nice shiny (and clean!) silver coins (if in the U.S., you're talking dimes - preferably Mercury's Head dimes, because of associations with that psychopomp). If you want, bring along a little bit of whiskey, wine, beer or some other good libation, particularly if you know they liked that drink.
At this point, go to your grave. I was taught to pop the dimes in my mouth (see why you want them to be clean?) while I dug, but that's not ubiquitous to all of hoodoo. If you brought a libation, you take a swig of that liquid, and then pop the dimes in your mouth.
Dig up an amount of the dirt. Don't get greedy - no more than the amount that would fill both cupped hands, at most. Put it in the container, then lean over the hole you made and spit the dimes into the hole, then cover them up with the soil that's left behind. Try and cover the hole up as best you can - remember, the key is respect here, so don't leave the source of your new mojo's grave looking like it's been chewed by moths. If you brought libations, pour a little extra libation, drink a quick toast, and put your gravedirt away.
A Word of Warning: This can be considered defacement of a grave, which is illegal. Also, people can ask some awkward questions of you if they see you just digging up some dirt to take home with you. So, if you don't have the option to do this in privacy (like at night), there is another way, but it'll cost you a little bit.
Stop by a shop and pick up a nice potted plant of flowers to take with you. Then, not only will you be disguising the fact that you're digging up and keeping soil, but you'll also be beautifying the grave, which is an excellent and respectful thing to do. Just save the container the plant came in when you pull the plant out, pile your dirt next to the hole, drop the coins in all sneaky-like, then put the plant in after it, and scoop the dirt into the now-empty pot it came in. Easy, and pretty.
Storing Dirt
Graveyard dirt should be stored in an air-tight container. Make sure to label it, though do so in a way that you know what you got it for. You now have an excellent ingredient used in traditional hoodoo, ready for use in making powders and mojo bags.
Oooooooh, spoooky! :)
There are a number of old hoodoo techniques that call for graveyard dirt. Many sources - particularly in the field of neopagan publishing - that claim that this is just "code" for an herb, usually mullein.
It's not. It's dirt. From a graveyard. But not just any old dirt.
The Best Dirt
Dirt, like herbs, stones, colors and all the rest of the correspondences out there modern occultists use, has associations. There is dirt that good for peace-tricks (hoodoo sometimes calls a spell a "trick"), some that's good for getting rid of people, some that's good for healing powder, and some that are good for goofer dust (a type of cursing that is supposed to result in the death of the one crossed).
How do you know what is what? It's simple: figure out who is buried in it. :)
The fact is, graveyard dirt as an ingredient for hoodoo is based extensively in ancestor reverence. According to folklore, a person stores their knowledge in their bones. Or rather, in their blood, but it accumulates in the bones.
So, knowledge and power is in the blood. This means that you can call on any of your ancestors at any time, and ask them for their help with something, because you share the same blood. You call on your Auntie who was a nurse in a war for help with healing, your Granddad who worked on the railroads for protection in travel, and your dear old dad, the world's greatest fisherman, when you need help getting something hooked on that line on your company fishing trip. No problem. But what if you don't know of any ancestors with the kind of know-how or mojo you need?
Well, the answer is simple. You use somebody else's ancestor.
According to hoodoo lore, as a body decomposes in a grave, its knowledge and mojo passes into the soil it is buried in. Thus, you can garner some of that mojo along with the physical component of the soil itself. It is a means of asking for the help of an ancestor that doesn't belong to you by blood.
But you can't just scoop some up, and then expect to get something good out of it. Like all things in magic, there is an exchange, and it has to be done properly.
Buying Dirt
"Buying Dirt" does not mean "going to a website or shop and purchasing little packets of graveyard dirt," though you can find some places that sell them. There's no mojo in those, I'm sorry to say - even if they did properly buy it at the graveyard, the mojo that's in it is for the person who did so, not you.
That said, buying graveyard dirt is pretty easy. You'll need a little container to store dirt in, something to dig with and two nice shiny (and clean!) silver coins (if in the U.S., you're talking dimes - preferably Mercury's Head dimes, because of associations with that psychopomp). If you want, bring along a little bit of whiskey, wine, beer or some other good libation, particularly if you know they liked that drink.
At this point, go to your grave. I was taught to pop the dimes in my mouth (see why you want them to be clean?) while I dug, but that's not ubiquitous to all of hoodoo. If you brought a libation, you take a swig of that liquid, and then pop the dimes in your mouth.
Dig up an amount of the dirt. Don't get greedy - no more than the amount that would fill both cupped hands, at most. Put it in the container, then lean over the hole you made and spit the dimes into the hole, then cover them up with the soil that's left behind. Try and cover the hole up as best you can - remember, the key is respect here, so don't leave the source of your new mojo's grave looking like it's been chewed by moths. If you brought libations, pour a little extra libation, drink a quick toast, and put your gravedirt away.
A Word of Warning: This can be considered defacement of a grave, which is illegal. Also, people can ask some awkward questions of you if they see you just digging up some dirt to take home with you. So, if you don't have the option to do this in privacy (like at night), there is another way, but it'll cost you a little bit.
Stop by a shop and pick up a nice potted plant of flowers to take with you. Then, not only will you be disguising the fact that you're digging up and keeping soil, but you'll also be beautifying the grave, which is an excellent and respectful thing to do. Just save the container the plant came in when you pull the plant out, pile your dirt next to the hole, drop the coins in all sneaky-like, then put the plant in after it, and scoop the dirt into the now-empty pot it came in. Easy, and pretty.
Storing Dirt
Graveyard dirt should be stored in an air-tight container. Make sure to label it, though do so in a way that you know what you got it for. You now have an excellent ingredient used in traditional hoodoo, ready for use in making powders and mojo bags.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Strata on -
Oak, this is an EXCELLENT post. I've had people ask me about graveyard dirt a few times before. I have a couple questions.
You mentioned mullein. I've seen other herbs mentioned as a "substitution" for graveyard dirt, particularly in Cunningham's "Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs." Are there suitable substitutions in hoodoo, or is this a complete fabrication?
Also, I wonder about the "releasing of mojo" into the soil as the body decomposes. How does this apply to modern burial practices, where bodies are sealed inside lacered caskets inside airtight vaults?? Is it best to find very old burials?
I LOVE your idea about purchasing flowers to plant as a disguise. "all sneaky like" EXCELLENT :) -
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Permalink Reply by Oakthorne on
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Strata: To the best of my knowledge, it's only hoodoo that uses graveyard dirt specifically - at least as far as I'm aware. So, while I can't really comment on all possible instances, there are NO acceptable substitutions in conjure work, no.
The bit about the burial practices is a good one. I know I always get better effects with older gravesites, but I don't know that the physical decomposition is necessarily an issue directly. I haven't heard of any other conjurefolk having any difficulty with newer sites, but again, older sites are usually preferred, because mojo is like wine. :) The older, the better.
Thanks for the participation! :) -
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Permalink Reply by VLM on -
Hey Oak, this is awesome... and I live near 2 very, very old cemetaries, dating from the early and mid 1800's (old for N. America, that is.)
A couple questions...
1. Do you think that graveyard dirt has a "shelf life." Let me explain... as the mojo is released from the blood and bones, does there come a point in time that is "the most saturated," and is there such a thing as a grave that is too old? If the grave is 2000 years old (not likely, but for example,) is the mojo too spread-out into the earth, or is it the vicinity that matters? This is kind of the opposite of "too new."
2. Is it ok to "store" a certain graveyard dirt, and use it for multiple different things... ie: I have my jar of "Old Bob the Murderer," dirt.. can I use that in two different tricks?
I really like the flower idea, as I feel it's actually a little bit "nicer," to the deceased one... I think I will go that route. -
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Permalink Reply by Oakthorne on
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Shawn: Thanks, and awesome questions. :)
As far as a shelf life, I'm not sure. I don't think so, other than when the grave is so old that you have no way of finding anything out about the one buried there. Part of mojo, as you can gather, is that knowing is part of it. I need to know something about that person to "access" their mojo, and not knowing anything about that person effectively shuts me off from their mojo. Ultimately, though - again, as I understand it - the older the mojo, the better.
As far as storage goes, absolutely. There seems to be a spirit wherein the more "complex" the mojo, the better it is all around. Like, a guy who lived an unremarkable life except for the fact that he was a doctor is okay. But a doctor who was also a renowned gambler and lover is even better, and can be used for healing, good luck in gambling and for love mojo. The "layered" nuances seem to make all of them richer in some way. And yeah, it's pretty common to gather a goodly amount of graveyard dirt and use it in multiple tricks. -
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Permalink Reply by Makoons on -
Wonderful post, Oak! I have wondered about the use of graveyard dirt for awhile so thank you for clearing it up.
I have a few questions for ya:
Have you ever had the use of graveyard dirt backfire on you? What if a person uses dirt from the grave of a person who sincerely objects to magic or the purpose of the trick? Is the spirit or "mojo" of the person that involved in the process? Do they have a choice? Thanks in advance! -
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Permalink Reply by Oakthorne on
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I haven't, no. The mojo of a person isn't so much about "magic," as we think of it. It's about a person's skills, talents and knowledges being put to work on your behalf. Hoodoo doesn't really see itself as magic, per se, generally speaking - it sees itself as "loopholes," in the way the world works, if you will.
Also, lots of the prejudices and assumptions that someone carried into death do not survive their death - it has a way of radically changing your perspective on things. The use of magic and the like is, in my experiences, one of those things. Religion is often another.
The main thing that ghosts or ancestors crave is remembrance. Buying grave dirt is a sort of remembrance, and in exchange, the spirit is willing to permit the use of its lingering mojo for such a purpose. Additionally, when a spirit's mojo is employed, that's also like a bit of remembrance as well, giving the spirit additional "food," as it were. It's a deal, basically - the spirit accepts the remembrance, and in return grants access to its mojo. They're rarely interested in what you use it for; most ghosts perceive the events and concerns of the world of the living as fairly petty and short-sighted, truthfully.
Makoons said:Wonderful post, Oak! I have wondered about the use of graveyard dirt for awhile so thank you for clearing it up.
I have a few questions for ya:
Have you ever had the use of graveyard dirt backfire on you? What if a person uses dirt from the grave of a person who sincerely objects to magic or the purpose of the trick? Is the spirit or "mojo" of the person that involved in the process? Do they have a choice? Thanks in advance! -
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Permalink Reply by Sangraal on -
Fantastic post, Oak! Palo also uses graveyard dirt in the nganga (cauldron), too, but it's slightly different as it's not so much an ingredient in tricks, but rather as the vehicle in which the spirit itself is conjured- the nganga becoming the new grave, as it were. Still, very similiar. And, it reminds me to get some more content for the ancestor group...
I am loving this group, and considering RSS feeding it to my phone. -
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Permalink Reply by Sangraal on
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...which brings me to a question. Somewhat similiar to Shawn's question in regards to 'shelf life', must one keep feeding the dirt, in proxy of the spirit, to keep the relationship in tact? In other words, are there subsequent payments made to keep the spirit interested/in service? Or is it that you purchased the mojo from the spirit, and it's a one-time payment?
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Permalink Reply by Oakthorne on
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It's a one-time payment, for that bit of dirt. It'll last you as long as you have the dirt, although I do know that some conjurefolk have a sense when graveyard dirt has gone "past its prime." That's usually measured in years, though, if you do strike up a relationship with that spirit, it can be a good idea to renew occasionally. The difference between the mojo in a new bit of graveyard dirt, and that in graveyard dirt from the same ancestor after you've been working with them for a year can be worth the change-up.
It's also the reason why it's considered poorly done to take too much. Don't be greedy - come back for more later, and keep paying your respects.
Sangraal said:...which brings me to a question. Somewhat similiar to Shawn's question in regards to 'shelf life', must one keep feeding the dirt, in proxy of the spirit, to keep the relationship in tact? In other words, are there subsequent payments made to keep the spirit interested/in service? Or is it that you purchased the mojo from the spirit, and it's a one-time payment? -
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Permalink Reply by Strata on
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*cancels rental on backhoe* sigh :P
Oak, seriously thank you for these posts. I am seriously excited about this, and it's not something I ever even considered looking into.
Oakthorne said:It's a one-time payment, for that bit of dirt. It'll last you as long as you have the dirt, although I do know that some conjurefolk have a sense when graveyard dirt has gone "past its prime." That's usually measured in years, though, if you do strike up a relationship with that spirit, it can be a good idea to renew occasionally. The difference between the mojo in a new bit of graveyard dirt, and that in graveyard dirt from the same ancestor after you've been working with them for a year can be worth the change-up.
It's also the reason why it's considered poorly done to take too much. Don't be greedy - come back for more later, and keep paying your respects.
Sangraal said:...which brings me to a question. Somewhat similiar to Shawn's question in regards to 'shelf life', must one keep feeding the dirt, in proxy of the spirit, to keep the relationship in tact? In other words, are there subsequent payments made to keep the spirit interested/in service? Or is it that you purchased the mojo from the spirit, and it's a one-time payment? -
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Permalink Reply by Sangraal on
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Shawn and I will totally have to go on a 'famous ceremonial magician' grave hunting expedition. Or infamous, even!
Now, time to get out some history books for the area and look for people of interest. -
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Permalink Reply by Oakthorne on
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Heh. The only dirt I keep on hand is a jar of dirt taken from a Civil War era Unknown Soldiers' cemetery. The stone is very old and worn, and clearly untended. It also sits in the shade of a cedar tree. The soil I gathered was gathered when Mars was retrograde, making this a sort of "triple peace" dirt: once for the unknown soldier (who is traditionally thought to resent and regret war, because it severed his ties with his family), once for the cedar tree's influence (because cedar is known as the Tree of Peace in hoodoo lore) and once for Mars in retrograde (hoodoo uses astrology as an "extra" - that is, "good to use if you know what it's for," but not necessary).
You folks ever need a toby or powder for peace purposes, you let me know. :) -
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