Dangerous Knowledge. Pt.2

Hamsa from one of my personal workbooks.

A long time ago I made a post about the situation I found myself in as a youngin, and the horrors I went through as a result. Now, as an adult, I've been going through massive amounts of soul-retreival-type work and discovering... well... the whole woo-woo thing didn't start there, that's just where my memory of it picked up. So, in that respect it's basically just "pretty lucky" that it took until then to get weird/dangerous.

Recently I've had several people mention the "Dangerous Knowledge" post to me, either in passing or in direct reference. When that many mentions happen you need to pay attention, and I've found that it's definitely time to revisit the topic. 

And here's precisely how I dealt with it, though your own needs may vary.

Uncrossing.

When you're under attack is the time to rely on things which have the power ("off the shelf") to do it for you.

My firm belief and experience is that herbs, oils, minerals...etc. are good right as nature makes them. They bring the power to the table and do not need any help. They are the first line of defense, IMO. Witch-grown herbs, awakened herbs, etc. Might pack more of a punch, but they might not. Appealing to the spirit of the plant for aid is really the key in that - it is not just botanical material, it is connected to a live current of raw power.

Take regular cleansing baths, and strong ones at that. Combining herbs of similar attributes in odd numbers (personally I go with nine or higher for Serious Stuff) seems to boost the potency, like adding layers of armor on. Taking some internally (rosemary, garlic, maybe a hot pepper or two with dinner) helps push that outward. I don't advocate drinking holy water, because I know people who have gotten intestinal problems from that, but taking communion if you're of the faith won't hurt.

The first step I suggest, in short, is a thorough campaign of uncrossing work. Over at This Crooked Crown's blog there is a great post on uncrossing work. 

Make your environment inhospitable. 

Burn incense designed to banish, ward, shield, cleanse, comfort..etc. Hang up icons and symbols designed to avert, impede...etc.  Play gospel music, or recite chants designed to drive out bad spirits. Ring bells, have chimes.  Got some black salt? NO? Make it or buy it. Sprinkle it around - especially across doorways and windows. Holy oil from a church? Can't hurt. Holy water? Why the fuck not? If the situation is bad, and you believe it to be real why wouldn't you exhaust every possible solution?

In essence this is like driving out a bad roommate, or a bad neighbor. Territorially piss if you have to, but get it out of your space. 

Call in Firepower.

Know a couple of gods? Don't know a couple of gods? Call 'em anyway. Call spirits you met once at a party that seemed nice. Call on your ancestors or mythic heroes. Call on Harry Potter if you need to because why? Because shit got real, and you need the help. If you are part of a religious institution that frowns upon "lapsed" status? Get caught up real fast. You're dealing with a set of rules that may be very old, and be there for a reason - the system itself may have spirits in it's unknowing employ to fuck with you when your ass ain't in the seat every (blah)day.

Call in Other Practitioners.

THEN call in other people so that they have some Holy Protection working in their favor.  Oh, and I don't even care if you're the most ardent of Pagans... if shit ain't working try going to a Church and having the devil cast out of you. If you don't believe in the devil maybe he crept in when you weren't lookin'.

Why wait until here?  I will out and out not deal with someone if, when they come around, I get the feeling they're trying to pawn off the problem onto someone else's shoulders.  I need to feel that they have done their homework and tried "everything else" first.

From a place of strength, command it out.

Self-exorcism, basically. You are made of dead stars and holy, secret, flame. You are dust and chemicals formed into a thing which knows it is made of dust and chemicals. You? Are a little god. Nothing in this universe or any other universe has permission to fuck with you unless you give it permission - and you haven't, right? Then speak from the 100% assurance that nothing has the right to fuck with you. That you are your territory and they will get the fuck out or so help them god ('cause you won't) there will be blood and intestines everywhere and they won't be yours.

Own up to shit that you've done that might make you vulnerable and stop doing it (or do great aftercare). Own up to possibly having pissed someone off that might do bad things (and then stop pissing said people off). Own up to being marginally interesting enough to have caught the attention of something in the wild (and start learning how to conceal yourself, or alternately strap some eyespots and warning colors to your ass). Own up if you have pulled a total boner and invoked/evoked something you really should not have, or otherwise messed up a ritual (and stop doing that).

But it still had no right, and you still have every right to smoke its ass.

Atropopaic Work to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Keep up your wards. Bless your talismans often. Keep your space clean of things it might feed on, or properly contain those things with wards and locks. Cascarilla around your woo-shit helps, it really does.  Routine smoke cleansings or asperging/misting with herbal brews.

Jason Miller's Protection and Reversal Magic is a wonderful volume on this very topic, and is the one I recommend (and wish everyone owned a copy of so I didn't have to recommend it).

At a later date I may do a more in-depth and instruction-filled post, but for now this is what I've got.