To: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick,alt.pagan.magick,alt.religion.voodoo,alt.paranormal.spells.hexes.magic,alt.witchcraft,alt.lucky.w
From: catherine yronwode 
Subject: Calamus Root to Control Someone (was VODDOO ...)
Date: Wed, 05 Jun 2002 19:33:03 GMT

Robert Scott Martin wrote:
> 
> blackman99   wrote:
> 
> [dolls go away]
> 
> >       additional materials necessary in the spell? Compelling
> >        Oil? Commanding Oil? Calamus? where does the tradition
> >        of associating Calamus root with domination derive?
> >
> >        [Agrippa wasn't decisively behind the association,
> >          at least not in his Three Books of Occult Philosophy.
> >           I found no references to Calamus in Crowley's writings.
> >           the hoodoo literature is full of it. perhaps it derives
> >           from something Germanic (for example see
> >               http://www.luckymojo.com/compelling.html

And also see these, found with a google search on <"calamus root" +
control> and <"calamus root" + dominate>

  http://www.cantrap.net/spellwork/truth.html
  http://www.solsticemoon.com/spiritual/herbs/magicherb.html
  http://www.witchcraftfortoday.homestead.com/ThemagicofHerbs.html
  http://www.luckymojo.com/commanding.html
  http://www.members.fortunecity.com/howlingtempest/herbs.htm
  http://www.luckymojo.com/essenceofbendover.html

> The Germans were indeed fans of this smelly plant (closely related 
> to the rushes that carried Moses to Egypt), but I'm also at a loss 
> as to why it would be singled out for purposes of control. Mundane 
> use revolves around its aromatic virtues (appetite, stimulant, 
> insect repellant).

 The Chinese use it as a heart remedy as well.

> In theory, its use in puppetry could be analogous to that of 
> eyebright and other herbal "fluid condensers" in Bardonian practice.
> 
> Crowley was likely most familiar through it in its role as a 
> significant ingredient in canonical absinthe recipes of the era. 
> There's talk it has both psychoactive and carcinogenic properties.

The herbal literature is replete with warnings about ingesting it,
although it IS ingested. 

In hoodoo, it is useually carried or used to scent oils and powders. For
examples, see the  "Uncle Remus" stories of Joel Chandler Harris' --
Calamus root appears as a "seasoning" in the "Tar Baby" story and, in a
magical context, in "Brother Rabbit and His Famous Foot"
  http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/railton/ projects/riedy/foot.html 
where it is one of three ingredients carried by Bre'r Rabbit in his very
own mojo bag! 

cat yronwode 

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