Conjure 183are employed in conjure. Like incense, oils are diff used in
the air. Oils can also be used for anointing clients and for
dressing candles.
Th e element of earth is fundamental to conjuration be-
cause it absorbs and illuminates energy. It is believed that
earth from certain locations holds certain energy, and it is
oft en used to ground spells. Earth from certain places is
used to enhance certain spells. For instance, it is believed
that earth from a church provides spiritual protection;
earth from the top of a mountain increases psychic abili-
ties and clarity; earth from a cemetery stimulates psychic
ability and strengthens communication with the dead;
earth from a bank attracts money and success; earth from a
courthouse attracts success in legal matters; and earth from
a garden intensifi es love spells. Earth is commonly placed
in a mojo to ground the spell.
Candles are used in conjuration to represent the ele-
ment of fi re and to release certain spirits. Specifi c colors
are used for specifi c purposes. Th e candles must be dressed
fi rst in order to achieve a specifi c end. White candles are
multifunctional and oft en represent peace; pink candles are
used for attraction and healing; purple candles are used for
spirituality and humility; red candles are used for desire and
power; yellow candles are used for creativity and renewal;
green candles are used for money and abundance; blue
candles are used for insight and healing; brown candles are
used for stability and focus; silver candles improve psychic
ability and ease stress; and black candles promote change
and increase occult power.
Th e fourth element, water, retains energy and is oft en
used for cleansing and consecration. Holy water is used for
clarity and consecration of sacred objects; ocean water may
be used for increasing psychic abilities and bringing peace
of mind; and spring rainwater may be used for healing and
fertility.
Aft er slavery, conjuration continued to exist because
blacks could not aff ord the services of a traditional medical
practitioner. However, as blacks migrated to urban areas,
some of them rejected elements of conjure because of its
stigma. City dwellers and educated blacks oft en viewed
conjure as backward and unsophisticated. In an eff ort to
assimilate into mainstream society, many blacks distanced
themselves from the tradition for fear of rejection. Conjure
and all that it encompassed was too closely related to the
African past. Despite eff orts to dismiss conjure as “Negro
superstition,” standard medical care did not succeed inTrees, stones, and roots are important conjuration
tools. In African and African American cultural tradi-
tions, trees represent a spiritual connection between life
and death. Stones are essential tools in conjuration because
they hold energy and may be charged for use in specifi c ap-
plications. For instance, stones may be buried, placed in the
sun, or immersed in a special water soak to evoke desired
vibrations. Conjure stones are also known to heighten the
power of conjure. Roots contain potent medicinal qualities
and thus are a vital tool in conjuration. Some practitioners
believe the Adam and Eve root and John the Conqueror
root are two of the most frequently used roots in conjura-
tion. John the Conqueror, or Conjure John, is recognized
as the most powerful root of the forest, and its uses are di-
verse. Th is root is used in African, American Indian, and
European herbalism. Adam and Eve is an American In-
dian root used to bring love and protection when used in
conjures.
Conjurers adhere to a common set of beliefs. Conjurers
believe there is one god to whom all must be held account-
able for their actions, but there are also several supernatural
forces working as conjuring agents for human beings, act-
ing under the guide of the Supreme Being. To conjurers, the
earth is a sacred, breathing entity that sustains and provides
the sources needed for conjuration. In the African tradi-
tion of ancestral veneration, conjurers respect the benefi cial
powers of the dead to impart wisdom to the living because
they have passed on to a spiritual plane where the past,
present, and future merge. Conjurers believe that the future
can be foretold and rely heavily on divination systems to
assist their clients through spiritual and psychic readings.
Popular divination systems are dream interpretation, play-
ing cards, bones, shells, a candle and glass of water, and
recognition of omens in nature. Conjurers must adhere to
ethical standards. Th ey must not abuse their powers.
In order to maximize the potential of conjuration,
the conjurer must understand the principals of elemental
magic by mastering the use of air, earth, fi re, and water.
Incense is oft en used to represent the element air. Vari-
ous incenses are used for purifi cation, protection, clarity,
meditation, psychic awareness, dream intensifi cation, and
spirit communication. For instance, sage is used for medi-
tation and purifi cation, jasmine strengthens intuition and
intensifi es dreams, eucalyptus provides protection, and
frankincense is used for spirit communication. In addi-
tion to incenses, a wide variety of herb-based scented oils