Divination Conjure Style: Reading Cards, Throwing Bones, and Other Forms of Household Fortune-Telling

ISBN-13: 9781578636693

Media Type: Paperback

Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser

Publication Date: 11-01-2019

Pages: 256

Product Dimensions: 6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

Starr Casas holds onto the values of her ancestors. A traditional Conjure woman and veteran rootworker of over 40 years, Mama Starr is a prolific author and hands-on teacher, who presents workshops throughout the US. She also owns the store Mama Starr’s Style LLC in Houston. Find her online at oldstyleconjure.com and on Instagram @starrcasas. Josef Bailey is a tattoo artist at World Class Tattoos in Harvey, Louisiana, and also works as an artist in the New Orleans area and a float painter for Kern Studios Inc., with his artwork on display during Mardi Gras.

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CHAPTER 1

Part One

Preparing Your Tools and Your Space

CALLING ON THE ANCESTORS AND OTHER SPIRITS

The first thing to remember when you are doing divination is that you are opening yourself up not only to the spirits you draw in but also to whatever you or your questioner may have brought in. You need to protect yourself so you don't draw something unwanted into your life. Before I do any consultation, I say a prayer to God, my ancestors, and all the spirits that walk with me for protection and strength. I then ask my ancestors to protect and guide me, and to keep me open and show me the truth while I consult with the client. You never know what may be following someone or what could be attached to them, so this is an important first step.

Before I even start, I have to say that this is just what I have been taught. If you believe something different, that is fine too. I don't think there is one set way to deal with the spirits that walk with us, as we are all different and our spirits are different. It isn't a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. And I write only about spirits and things I work with, so this will in no way be a be-all and end-all list.

We hear folks talk about the spirits that walk with them. What exactly does that mean? Well, I believe these are the spirits that are with us from the time we are conceived in our mother's womb. They are there to help us along the way throughout our lives — to help us navigate situations and be successful and achieve our goals.

I was raised to believe that the spirits are always there to guide me, to uplift me, to protect me, and to show me the directions I should go. By dedicating my cards or other tools to them, I am offering them a way to speak directly to me in a way I can understand. Because spirit can see things that we cannot see. They know things that we do not know. So who better to help us walk in this life that we live?

Now, everyone has an opinion on the ancestors, and you might get a different one from every person you ask. When I say I "work" with my ancestors, I do not mean that I literally send them out and work them. When I am honoring my ancestors and interacting with them, in my world this is considered work.

You can work with more than just your blood kin. Folks come into our lives who mean so much to us they become family. I got into a very heated argument with someone over this many years ago. My sister-in-law, who was also one of my students, got sick and asked me to place her on my ancestor altar should she pass, and I agreed to it. This was about fifteen years ago, and she has been there ever since. I think anyone you have strong feelings for can be placed there.

On the other side of it, you don't necessarily have to work with someone just because they are your kinfolk. Just because someone has passed on doesn't mean they have all of a sudden become this wonderful person. If you had an ancestor who was horrible, you don't have to honor them at all — it is all up to you. Remember that when you are doing spiritual work, you are in charge! (My mama used to say, "A spirit can't hurt you; but it can make you hurt yourself." No matter what you are doing, if you are dealing with spirit you must always stay in control.)

I was taught to believe that any wrong can be righted, any hurt can be mended, and any damage that has been done through the blood can be undone with prayers and petitions. Some may not agree with me, and that is okay; but if it is indeed impossible, as some may think, then our bloodlines would be doomed for past wrongs. That is why I've included a practice for healing past bloodlines, to give you a fresh start.

Most folks say it should be at least a year after someone has passed before they are considered an ancestor. Then again, some folks should not be considered ancestors at all. It really all depends on the person. When my sister-in-law passed, I waited just twenty-one days and then added her photo to my ancestor altar.

You show respect to the ancestors by acknowledging them and the suffering that they went through. By honoring them, I mean lifting their spirits with prayer, a light, smoke, and libation.

Finally, a note of caution. Before you start any type of work, you should call on your God and ancestors to protect you during the work. Once you have called on them for protection, you can call on any other spirit to help in protecting you. This should be done every time you do a reading or stand at your altar.

This may make some folks nervous, but spirits are here to help us, not hinder us. The thing with all spirits is that they can't just step in without being invited. A door must be open for them to step through. Most of the time, these types of spirits want to just hang out. But I have heard stories of spirits running folks and their homes — some to the point that the folks can't rest or live in their own homes anymore. The thing is, something had to have happened — some door was opened — for them to be able to be there. Those are not the spirits that you were born with; those are spirits that have either followed you or may be spirits of place.

If spirits are there to cause havoc, the best way to drive them out is with sulfur. In the old days, folks would say you have to light it and burn it in your home, but sulfur is toxic and should not be burned in closed spaces. I have found over the years that you can simply place it in the corners of a room and it will drive anything unwanted out. (You can learn more about the spirits, ancestors, and spirit work in my other book, Old Style Conjure, which goes deeper into these topics.)

SETTING UP AN ANCESTOR ALTAR

If you don't have an altar already, you'll need to set up a small table so you have somewhere to call on your ancestors and to lay out your cards. (I'm sure most already know this, but I'm just throwing this out there because there may be someone reading who has never set up an ancestor altar in their life or doesn't have a clue where to start. So if you already know this information, please forgive me while I explain how to set up for those who may not yet know how.)

When you have decided where you will be placing your altar, you'll need to cleanse the space. Take your wash (see recipe below) and wipe down the wall and the floor where your altar will be. Also wipe off the table really well. Then cleanse the inside and outside of your doors coming into your home. Finally, cleanse your stoop and sidewalk with the remaining wash.

Multipurpose Spiritual Wash/Spray

You will need:

* 3 bay leaves

* 3 olive leaves

* 4 tablespoons baking soda

Making a wash is really nothing more than steeping tea. Add the bay leaves, olive leaves, and baking soda to a gallon of water on the stove. Bring the water to a boil and stir clockwise.

Pray Psalm 23 over the wash three times:

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Then cover the wash with a plate and let it steep.

Once the wash has cooled, it can be put into a spray bottle or a bath, or added to mop water. Save the used bay and olive leaves and place them on each side of your door coming into and out of your home.

Once your table is clean, you need to take at least one cleansing bath before you set up your ancestor altar. (See below.) This may seem like an awful lot of work, but I promise you it will be well worth it in the end.

I have found that when an ancestor altar is set up right, it can be a powerful place. Let me explain. You are setting up this space where your ancestors will sit; not only that, but you are going to be empowering a deck of cards or other tools that you will work with to help you find answers to questions about life and also fix any issues you may run into. Growing up, I was taught that whatever we think of ourselves is how spirit sees us. In other words, we are what we say we are. So if you've been having a bad day, or you just feel beside yourself, you do not want those feelings going into the tools you will be working with to find answers. A cleansing before you start is a must.

Cleansing Bath

First, mix the following ingredients to make a simple bath salt:

* 4 tablespoons table salt
* 4 tablespoons Epsom salts
* 4 tablespoons baking soda

Pour the mixture under warm running water until the tub is full. While you are sitting in the tub, take three deep breaths, letting each one out slowly. Say your petition, asking that whatever is there that shouldn't be there be removed. Then pray Isaiah 41. (You may also pray before or after your bath instead.)

Once you've taken a cleansing bath, you can start working on your altar. Set the altar up to be as elaborate as you would like, but a simple white handkerchief, a cool glass of water, and a white candle will work just fine to start. It all depends on how you want your space to look. Just remember that you have to have room for a glass of water, some candles, and your cards at the very least — so don't make it too crowded. Sometimes less is more.

When you have your table set up, light the candle and then say your prayer and uplifting petitions for the ancestors and invite them to come and sit on your altar. This doesn't take a lot of hocus pocus; simply call on them from your heart and invite them into your home.

DOES ALL THE HOOPLA MATTER?

I've thought about this for many years now: Do we really need all the statues and altar items we all seem to have plenty of in order to honor spirit? As I'm writing, the thought is once again on my mind. Is it all for us, or for spirit? Will spirit still hear us if we don't have a lamp going for them? Will they still shower us with their blessings if we only have our breath and our words? I think that sometimes the need to have all these material things in order to honor spirit is a hindrance. Before y'all go hollering to the world that I said you don't need these things, though, let me explain.

The work I do was brought over here in the times of slavery. Now do you really think the ancestors were allowed to bring or own such items in such a space? Do you? The answer is no! They were barely allowed to have a set of rags to cover their bodies with and food to stop the hunger pains (notice I didn't say "fill their bellies," because I don't think they got full very often). Let's be truthful for just a moment, please. When Africans were captured and loaded in ships, they had nothing but the spirits that walked with them and the faith that these spirits would get them through it. No statues, no candles, no roots, no curios — absolutely nothing. Yet I'm sure that didn't stop them from praying and petitioning for help.

I'm bringing this up because I think that too many times folks don't do the work because they don't have the money to buy the supplies they are told they "need." In truth, you simply need your breath, your words, and your faith. All the candles, statues, and stuff give you a place to focus, a place to commune with spirit. But in truth you could go to the water's edge or into the woods to commune with the ancestors — and you might even get a stronger message if you did. I am in no way saying that you shouldn't have candles, statues, and so on. I have some very special statues where my spirits now sit, and I wouldn't trade them for the world. But I am saying that if you don't have them or can't afford them at the moment and you've got a job to do, don't let that stop you.

Too many times I think we focus too much on material things and not on the ancestors and spirits that walk with us. I truly believe that our ancestors and the spirits that walk with us hear us whether we are simply speaking to them from our hearts or doing some costly work. They are there for us 24-7, and they take us as we come. After all, they chose us! Don't overthink your work, or overprepare with lots of tchotchkes. Just trust in your ancestors and spirit to hear you and make it a success!

HEALING A BLOODLINE

I decided to share some instructions on how I was taught to bring peace to the bloodline of my family. I wasn't going to add this, but I think that folks too many times feel like their bloodline is cursed, either because some worker has told them so or because nothing seems to go right in their lives. Being a professional reader, I have heard this over and over. I'm a firm believer that once that seed is planted, it will continue to grow whether it is true or not.

If I felt there was an issue with my ancestors, I personally would do the following healing before I offered any type of tool for divination. Folks who come in for consultations trust me to be on point and to be able to help them, and I can't do that if I feel my bloodline is cursed.

Bloodline Working

If you believe your bloodline has some corrupt history, then you can offer prayer, libation, petitions, smoke, and light to heal whatever may be there. First, set up your altar. You can place whatever you need to on it, but be sure to include these things:

* A Bible

* A libation of some kind

* A candle

* A source for smoke

* A machete (a pair of scissors will work)

Open your Bible up to Deuteronomy 28. Say your prayers and call for protection. Then present your offerings: the libation, the candle, and the smoke. Cut the air in front of you and around you with the machete/scissors to release the binds that hold your family down.

Pray Deuteronomy 28:1–14, which is a blessing on the bloodline. This is going to be work; nothing is free in life. If you truly believe your bloodline is cursed, then do the work to heal it and your ancestors. Uplift and draw forth the power of your ancestors!

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe [and] to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

Blessed thou in the city, and blessed thou in the field.

Blessed the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

Blessed thy basket and thy store.

Blessed thou when thou comest in, and blessed thou when thou goest out.

The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways.

And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee.

And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them.

And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, [to] the right hand, or [to] the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

(DEUTERONOMY 28:1–14)

Our ancestors are there to help us become more than they were able to become in their own lives. They support us and help us navigate through life. That's why it's so important to set up an altar for them, a place where their spirit can come and sit; a place where they can be honored and uplifted.

We all have different spirits that walk with us; none of us have the same spirits, because we are all different people. Start with your ancestors and move forward from there. Sometimes more is not better; this is one of those times. Some folks collect spirits to help them like they change their drawers. To me, that is overkill and it weakens the spirits that walk with you. There is no big rush. Take your time, work with your ancestors, and get a feel for the lay of the land. Then move to another helping spirit if you feel the need too. Just don't rush it.

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Excerpted from "Divination Conjure Style"
by .
Copyright © 2019 Starr Casas.
Excerpted by permission of Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Foreword by Judika Illes,
Introduction,
PART ONE: Preparing Your Tools and Your Space,
Calling On the Ancestors and Other Spirits,
Dedicating Your Tools,
Opening and Closing a Reading,
PART TWO: Card Divination,
Getting Started,
Hearts,
Diamonds,
Clubs,
Spades,
Jokers,
Layouts,
Combinations,
Workings,
PART THREE: Other Forms of Divination,
Reading Dem Bones,
Blue Water,
The Candle Speaks,
Divination through Eggs,
Bibliomancy,
The Pendulum,
Witchen' Sticks,
Conclusion,