Double up a piece of cloth so that when you cut it, you will cut out two identical copies. If you can use cloth belonging to your intended target, do so, but if not, the color red is best for lust magick. Stitch the edges of the doll together, but leave an opening to stuff the doll. Traditionally, poppets are stuffed with herbs, seeds, cloth, or cotton, depending on the intention. You can stuff the doll with a combination of herbs for lust and sex, but for a truly powerful lust poppet, fill the doll with acorns, charging each acorn for lust and sexual attraction.
In sacred space or in a simple ritual, name and “baptize” the doll to be whomever your chosen recipient of this energy is. Ideally you have to “awaken” the doll in the name of the person it is directed toward, otherwise it’s just a doll with very little magickal power. Anoint the doll with salt and water, or an oil, and name it for the person upon whom you are focused. While holding the doll, think of your intention of increasing the fires of lust within this person. Then put the doll in a closed space, somewhere it will not be touched, like a box beneath your bed. If you’ve made an acorn poppet, the most effective thing you can then do is bury the doll at the grove where the acorns originated. If you made two dolls, you can tie them together with red thread, facing each other, before you put them away to work. The lust of the recipient should soon begin to grow.
For those who want to adapt this spell, you can fill the doll with rose petals and yarrow to make a love, not a lust, spell. You can cast a poppet spell on yourself for self-love using rose, yarrow, and raspberry leaf, and put a rose quartz stone in the heart and/or head of the doll. To deal with conception issues, you can fill the doll with a variety of whole seeds and grains to increase physical fertility in a woman or sperm count in a man. You can enhance any of these spells by stitching appropriate runes onto the doll.
To undo this spell, the dolls must be retrieved and separated, and ideally taken apart in a magick circle during a waning Moon with the intention of dismantling the spell. The remaining parts of the dolls should be burnt, buried, or submerged separately from each other.
Lust & Sex Oils
A variety of scents have been used in sexual attraction magick. Often they come from Hoodoo, New Orleans Voodou, Santería, and other African diasporic traditions. They have made their way into modern American Witchcraft in a variety of forms and recipes. Some are consistent with the original traditions and others have been altered radically, as practitioners will have their own variations of the blends.
Oils work on a variety of levels: as aphrodisiacs, increasing physical response, magnetizing the aura of the wearer to attract others, and they even have aspects of commanding and compelling, so the wearer can get what he or she wants. These oils can be worn on the skin and are traditionally anointed on the neck, wrists, underarms, and pubic region. They can also be used in other charms and spells—added to charm bags, put into poppets, anointed on crystals and talismans, or rubbed on candles.
For these formulas, a base oil is needed to mix the essential oils. Excellent base oils include almond oil, grapeseed oil, or apricot kernel oil. The best oil, jojoba oil, is technically a liquid wax. It is so valued because its waxy nature prevents it from spoiling as quickly as other oils. While olive oil or corn oil can be used as a base, neither lasts long before spoiling, so it’s best to use something more stable.
oil} Queen
4 drops vetiver oil
3 drops juniper oil
2 drops lavender oil
1 drop honey
10 drops base oil
Gold coloring or glitter/crushed pyrite
This oil is used by women to attract men and to promote success in general as well as success in love.
oil} Q Perfume
5 drops myrrh oil
3 drops peppermint oil
2 drops carnation oil
10 drops base oil
Red coloring
Q perfume is similar to queen oil but is more specifically about romantic and sexual attraction. It’s used by women to attract men. It makes the wearer irresistible, though I must admit I don’t find the scent pleasing at all.
oil} Satyr
3 drops musk oil1
2 drops vanilla oil
1 drop civet oil
1 drop patchouli oil
1 drop cinnamon oil
1 drop carnation oil
1 drop bergamot oil
10 drops base oil
1 piece satyrion root/lucky hand root
Named after the Greek myths of the goat men known for their lusty powers, satyr oil is used by gay men to attract other men. While it can attract women, it primarily attracts men and is not the best formula for the heterosexual man. It does work quite well for homosexuals, though, and it also tends to make the user more aroused as well. Satyr oil is powerful as a perfume and works well anointed on red candles for attracting sexual partners.
oil} King of the Woods
3 drops civet oil
3 drops musk oil
2 drops vanilla oil
2 drops cyprus oil
10 drops base oil
Satyrion root/lucky hand root
Green coloring
A formula for men to attract women, king of the woods oil is credited with making a man irresistible. Some see it as a domination formula over women, but it can be used as a man’s everyday power formula to succeed in the world.
oil} Aphrodite
4 drops bergamot oil
3 drops rose oil
1 drop orris oil
1 drop sandalwood oil
1 drop ylang-ylang
10 drops base oil
An oil considered sacred to Aphrodite and used both for arousal and enticement.
oil} Desire Me/Come to Me
4 drops rose oil
3 drops jasmine oil
2 drops gardenia oil
1 drop lemon oil
10 drops base oil
Red coloring
A powerful New Orleans–style formula for sexual attraction, primarily used by women.
oil} Follow Me, Boy
4 drops vanilla oil
4 drops rose oil
2 drops jasmine oil
10 drops base oil
Piece of coral
Gold glitter/crushed pyrite
Another New Orleans formula, particularly used by prostitutes. Legend says that Marie Laveau formulated it both to entice the customers of the prostitutes as well as increase their fortunes and protect them from the law.
An excellent resource of a variety of traditional and new formulas is Ancient Wisdom: The Master Grimoire by Pat Kirven Sawyer. I’ve found it an excellent addition to my library, as it draws from a variety of resources. I also highly recommend Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic by Catherine Yronwode (and her website, luckymojo.com). Many of us who learned New Orleans, Hoodoo, and African diasporic formulas as an addition to Wicca reportedly learned formulas that contain “blinds,” or mistakes in them to make them less potent. While such practices have created some new formulas that work in new ways, it is helpful to look at a wide range of traditional sources in order to know the history of your formulas and how to use them.
A Note on Synthetics
Many of the oils and incenses of lust found in older occult texts call for animal oil products such as musk, civet, and ambergris. Most modern practitioners have problems obtaining these ingredients in nonsynthetics due to rarity and expense or have a moral problem using them. Most commercially sold musk and civet oils are synthetic, as they are technically illegal to purchase in most countries. While there is a certain magick to these older formulas, they can be adapted into new formulas without these animal ingredients. I have had success with the psychology of smell using some synthetics, so if you feel an a
bsolute need to have these scents and can find a synthetic that is satisfactory to your own nose, then the magick can still work. There are some herbals associated with musk, including musk mallow (Abelmoschus moschatus), muskflower (Mimulus moschatus), musk weed (Olearia stuartii), musk wood (Olearia argophylla), and the most popular and easiest to find and use, musk seed (also known as ambrette seed). Some other substitutes for musk from the plant world include amber, angelica, cedar, clary sage, oakmoss, patchouli, sandalwood, and valerian. Combinations of oak moss essential oil and rose essential oil have also been a substitute for musk, as well as labdanum mixed with oakmoss and patchouli. Labdanum alone is sometimes used as a magickal substitute for civet, though it doesn’t really smell anything like civet to me.
Hindu Strikarmani
Though many people seeking spiritual traditions may look down upon Witchcraft and folk magick as “base,” similar needs were fulfilled in the Eastern traditions as well as medieval European Witchcraft. In Hindu Strikarmani, a form of “venereal” magick, we can find questionable spells for love, controlling a spouse, sex, virility, frigidity, fidelity, preventing miscarriage, invoking sterility, and cursing rivals. Such lore first came to my attention through the book Oriental Magic by Idries Shah. In it, he gives translations of two very interesting spells/prayers, one for a man and one for a woman. They should be done on the waxing Moon and recited at least seven times, if not more.
spell} Arousing the Passion of a Woman
Make or obtain an arrow to be your “arrow of love” and hold it when reciting this spell. Like many traditional spells, no other instructions of visualization or energy raising are given. One simply recites the spell or prayer like a story, letting it evoke imagery in the mind naturally, without a specific technique.
With the all-powerful arrow of love do I pierce
thy heart, O woman! Love, love that causes unease that will overcome thee, love for me!
That arrow, flying true and straight, will cause
in thee burning desire. It has the point of my love; its shaft is my determination to possess thee!
Yea, thy heart is pierced. The arrow has struck home.
I have overcome by these arts thy reluctance; thou art changed! Come to me submissive, without pride, as I have no pride but only longing! Thy mother will be powerless to prevent thy coming; neither shall thy father be able to prevent thee! Thou art completely in my power.
O Mitra, O Varuna, strip her of willpower! I, I alone, wield power over the heart and mind of my beloved!
spell} Arousing the Passion of a Man
Like the spell before it, this one should be done on the waxing Moon and recited at least seven times.
I am possessed by burning love for this man: and this love
comes to me from Apsaras, who is victorious ever.
Let the man yearn for me, desire me; let his desire burn for me!
Let this love come forth from the spirit and enter him.
Let him desire me as nothing has been desired before!
I love him, want him; he must feel the same desire for me!
O Matrus, let him become filled with love; O Spirit of the Air, fill him with love; O Agni, let him burn with love for me!
Like the love spells for a specific person in the previous chapter, I would personally question the wisdom of actually performing these spells, but it’s important to understand the entire history of love and sex magick and realize such spells are in all cultures and time periods.
Sexual Healing
Sexual magick is not just about attracting and enticing a lover to have sex. As this book is about love, lust, and relationships, not a manual on the techniques of sex magick, we cannot go into all the details of sex magick. But aspects of sex magick that prepare one for relationship and aid in the sustaining of the relationship are very appropriate to our work here.
There have been so many restrictions on sexual activities in the past because sex is powerful—magickally, spiritually, and personally. It is intense. It causes change. It gives you the opportunity to touch the cosmos. How we use our sexual energy greatly affects us. Because we are not educated in understanding sexual energy as an energy itself, and because there is so much fear and shame associated with sex, we often use our sexual energy unconsciously and unhealthily. Sadly, this reinforces our shame and guilt around sex, rather than breaking the cycle.
Here are three rituals to help restore a healthy relationship with sexual energy in your life.
ritual} Healing Guilt
Many of us have hang-ups and guilty associations with sexuality as remnants from previous religions and societal upbringing. There is nothing in Paganism’s theology to make you shameful of your sexuality or feel guilty for anything. While there are wise and unwise choices, actions than can bring us what we want and actions that are self-destructive, they are not motivated by guilt but by a sense of what is cosmically right for everyone sexually. We learn as we live, and hopefully we make more appropriate choices as we grow wiser. Yet guilt lingers, and we feel shameful about our bodies and our desire for another’s body.
On the waning Moon, fill a pot of water (at least four cups’ worth), bring it to a boil, and add to it the following herbs:
5 tablespoons hyssop
2 tablespoons lemon peel or lemon juice
1 tablespoon your favorite flower or rose petals
Hyssop is the primary herb in healing guilt, used in Pagan purification ritual and even Christian folk magick. Lemon is very cleansing, and flowers in general, particularly roses, are powerful aids in healing.
Let the brew simmer on low heat for at least ten minutes. Strain the herbs out when it has cooled, but do not let it get too cold. Take it into the bathroom. Get naked. Bathe yourself with the brew either by cupping the water in your hands or using a wash cloth. As you wash each body part with the mixture, say “blessed be” and name the part. Thank that part of the body, being sure to include all the places you receive and give pleasure. Bless your entire body. When done, look at your naked body in the mirror. Thank it. Bless it in its entirety. Then take a shower and wash off any remaining herbal residue. Feel yourself blessed and cleansed.
Reclaiming Sexual Power
Whenever we have sex with another, there is a natural exchange of energy. Even within the context of safer sex, when there is not an exchange of body fluids, there is still an exchange of energy for both partners. When we are in a place of freedom and clarity, feeling the flow of divine love, such exchange can be wonderful.
When we are in a relationship, such an exchange can create long-term connections that develop and teach us over the long-term relationship. When we have casual sex, we can make healthy connections to our partners as long as we are in a place of openness and love—not necessarily romantic love, but that divine love where we inherently know our connection. When we enter into sex with fear, guilt, or shame, or are otherwise restricted in our flow of energy, we can create some unhealthy energetic connections, even in otherwise healthy friendships and relationships.
This isn’t a popular view, particularly amongst many Pagans who see it as fear mongering from an ex-Catholic, and I understand. I didn’t like hearing such teachings at first and immediately rejected them. But as I’ve looked to my own life and the lives of my friends, covenmates, students, and clients, I see a truth to this concept.
In the shamanic traditions linked to the controversial figure Carlos Castaneda, particularly in the work The Sorcerer’s Crossing: A Woman’s Journey by Taisha Abelar, sexual connections are described as worms in the belly. Women in this tradition are particularly encouraged to remain celibate for seven years, to “kill off” the worms in the belly. This is supposedly the secret reason spiritual orders teach celibacy.
While I can’t say I agree with all the sexual teachings from this tradition, I think there is an idea here, and it’s no
t limited to women. In my healing training, I learned that we make energetic connections to people, cords that are often the basis for limiting relationships with others and with ourselves. These cords form near the energy centers of the body known as chakras and can drain energy from others or let ourselves be drained. When someone is “pulling your chain” metaphorically, meaning their words or actions really upset you, then you probably have a cord with that person. These limited relationships are not rooted in unconditional love, which is limitless. Cords that form near the root chakra and belly chakra, the two most associated with sex, pleasure, and intimacy, have a sexual component, and those experimenting in this energetic healing exercise often find the cords in this area are to past lovers, former relationships, and unhealthy obsessions. Using techniques to release these unwanted cords and to reclaim the personal spiritual energy you have given away in unhealthy ways, as well as to release any energy you yourself have stolen, is a very healing practice. We get hung up on sexual relationships for years longer than any other type of relationship, because sex is so intense and we are not conscious of the energetic connection.
This is not a moral judgment on sex (casual, committed, or otherwise) but an energetic experience. Since most of us enter into sexual relationships not fully conscious of our own energy, of course our actions can have unwanted consequences. This is really a call to be more conscious about our desires and actions, and to make sure we are acting from a place of integrity and spiritual love. If we do, I believe we are free to pursue anything and anyone at any time, without making unhealthy cords and connections.
ritual} Reclaiming Your Sexual Power
1.Start this exercise by making a list. On the list, working backwards from the present, list all the people you have had sex with that you can remember. Include those that have been “good” and “bad” relationships and casual sex. Also include anybody you might not have had physical sex with but might have had an unhealthy obsession with, a crush that, looking back on it, seemed too intense or went too far without it being an actual relationship. Hold on to that list when you do this guided meditation. Choose perhaps the most recent five to work with first, and repeat the meditation until you go through the entire list.
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