How Do I Use This Oil?

One thing that I do a lot is create and blend magical oils. There are literally hundreds (probably thousands) of magical recipes out there, some of which are well known, others not.
     Most of the names of the oils seem to have originated with Vodun practitioners, and there are several which are said to have been created by Marie Laveau the famous 19th century Mambo from New Orleans, such as Van Van and Marie Laveau Peace.
     Because they are well known, some of these oils are part of a well established spell or ritual, or have specific spells attached to them. Others are more general purpose. You can buy books which give lists of oils, incenses and powders and a brief idea of the magical purposes they are used for. At Raven we publish Voodoo and Santeria by Merle Patrice (£2.95 plus p&p) which includes a lists of preparations together with magical uses for each. But all of this info should be just a starting point for your own imagination.
     I create new recipes every week, simply because customers ask me for a special oil for a specific ritual, magical spell, or to invoke a particular deity. All of these recipes are based both on my own experience and traditional magical properties of the essential oils and/or the plants they are derived from.
     Each oil can be used in a number of different ways, depending on what kind of magic you are aiming on performing:

Anointing a Candle: basically this is done by putting a little of the oil on your index finger and stroking this onto the candle as you chant a word or phrase which encapsulates your magical purpose. So if you were going to do a spell to increase your personal wealth, you could chant 'Money, come to me!', as you anoint the candle.
     The way you apply the oil to the candle can also vary depending on the magical working, or on your own beliefs. The traditional way to 'dress' a candle (anoint it) is to start in the middle of the candle and stroke downwards to the bottom, then from the middle upwards to the top.
    Another way to do it is to think about the purpose of the ritual and anything you wish to draw towards yourself, stroke the oil onto the candle from the tip down to the base, and anything you wish to get rid of or banish, anoint from the base to the tip.
     Some people will use a single candle on their altar to represent the purpose of the ritual, this is called the 'object' candle. At other times you may use a number of candles, or candles of different colours.

Anointing Yourself: again the way this is done depends on what you are aiming on with your magic. For good luck you could simply put some on your finger tips and touch a lottery ticket, betting slip or playing cards to activate the magic. To draw a lover, wear the oil as you would wear any perfume, a little on your wrists, throat and behind the ears, or wherever seems appropriate to you. To bring influence to bear on someone else you could put a dab in the centre of your palm, then shake hands with them, or touch something you know they will also touch, such as a door handle or even a piece or paper or a letter. In some rituals you can anoint the palms of your hands, feet and the centre of your forehead, so that you can embody the magical universe, or to awaken your own Witchy powers.

In a bath: you will only need a few drops of an oil in your bath water and I would use a little bubble bath too, to make sure that the oil disperses into the water and doesn't just stay in a blob floating on the surface. Used in the bath this makes sure the oil covers all your body and infuses your aura too, so you can become a money magnet or a love magnet. This is also a good way to use any oil before a ritual both to put yourself into the correct magical frame of mind, or to ensure that you will take the correct energies into your magical circle.

Anointing other objects: Sometimes it is nice to make a special pouch for your magical purposes, putting herbs, trinkets or other objects into the pouch, and these can all be anointed with the oil, or the fabric of the pouch can be anointed instead or as well.

Sprinkling the oil: this is often used to ensure that the whole of an area is suffused with a particular kind of psychic energy. Or you could make a large X with the oil across a path leading to an entrance to ensure that whoever uses that doorway will have to cross the X and therefore will be influenced by the magic you desire.
     Sometimes the oil (a few drops only) is added to a bucket of soapy water and this is then used to give a room or larger area a good physical cleansing while also infusing the area with the appropriate magical energy. This is often done if you are preparing a room for use as your magical temple or meditation space. You can use an oil of cleansing or of consecration.

Working with Spirits: In this case you might put a little of the oil on your fingers and then touch this to a talisman which represents the spirit, demon or deity. Or you might use it like a magical ink and go over your drawn talisman using the oil. Or you can put a drop on a deity statue as an offering.

     As you can see from the above, there are LOTS of different ways of using magical oils, and these will all add magic and atmosphere to your rituals. So don't be afraid to have a go.