Am I Crossed?

One of the most frequent things people ask us is to determine the possibility of curses and hexes in their lives. The typical question goes something like this: "Here's my problem. Nothing else has worked, so could it be that a curse or hex may have been placed upon me and/or my family?"

If seemingly unbearable sufferings and terrifying experiences in any form are present in one's life, we can be sure there's a reason for it. But we often fail to recognize the possible causes for our afflictions and adverse conditions – everything from our negative thoughts to chemical imbalance to childhood trauma; I have noticed a disturbing tendency. Novices in magic or those who are generally naive to these kinds of stuff are often too quick to attribute 'curse' to specific symptoms. We need to be very careful here.

This is a D.U.M.E Coffin Spell, alleged to cause trouble, pain, and even death to an enemy. It is always recommended to think very seriously about the reasons and intentions before undertaking this type of work. It is best to work this spell in justified vengeance, not out of anger. 

I have developed a checklist that should be useful to the person suffering and the practitioner called upon to help. Knowledge and discernment involve more than just recognizing the effects of curses. It also means understanding the many forms of suffering and affliction which can beset us. The more we know about the nature of human vulnerabilities - physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual - the greater chance our discernment will be on target. Appropriate knowledge and accurate discernment are the two critical steps in dealing with curses.

Consult Your Guides

Bones, woods, shells, nuts, seeds, stones, tokens, and other curios are ritually tossed onto a mat, and the resulting patterns are interpreted to determine the health or spiritual condition of the client (Photo courtesy of Archaic Honey website).

Certain kinds of problems can make us wonder whether harmful magic may exist. These include prolonged depression, fear and anxiety attacks, nightmares, paranormal activities, unexplained anomalies, violent thoughts, chemical dependencies, compulsive behaviors, sickness and illnesses, financial struggles, and constant tribulations. When we can't see the cause clearly, we could ask our spirits to guide us in determining the truth.

Whatever form of divination we desire to use, whether it be bones, shells, tarot, oracle cards, scrying ball, tea leaves, mirrors, or anything else, use them. Lay out some cards, gaze at our crystal balls or throw the bones and other curios and focus our attention on our struggles; look to see their sources or roots, the possible solutions to them; find out if we can see more obstacles standing in our way. When we divine, it can give us opportunities to see and determine things that aren't visible to the naked eye, as well as many other hidden kinds of stuff about our problems from our subconscious mind. If we are beginners and inexperienced, seek help from psychically or spiritually gifted and skilled people.

We could also directly and personally seek our spirit community (spirit guides, ancestral spirits, angels, saints, etc.) in the place of trouble. Pray, talk to them, and place ourselves in the position of benefiting from their guidance, protection, and aid.

It is also interesting to note that what is seen in our divination are guidance and illumination. If somehow the divination gives us bad probabilities of the future because of the work of a possible curse, then that doesn't mean they aren't necessarily unalterable. Remember that no power is greater than the will of man. A foreseen course of events can be changed by man's will. A vision or a prophecy can be thwarted. This doesn't necessarily prove that they are wrong but that the will of man can overpower what could have been a particular course of events.

Consider Carefully Other Causes of Problems

Do not presume too quickly, based on symptoms or behaviors alone, that yourself being crossed is the cause of your struggle. Several of what I call curse look-alikes are everyday phenomena or disorders with spiritual, physiological, psychological, and emotional roots. Listed below are problems that shouldn't be quickly labeled curses, hexes, or spirit possessions. Professional help should be sought first when dealing with these as there's a whole spectrum of potential causes that requires other remedies than uncrossing spells, reversing spells, or curse-breakers. For instance, problem(s) may be rooted in any one or combination of the following factors:

1. Spiritual/Psychic

• Negative thoughts, emotions, and actions - laboring under the weight of an unclean mind and soul. Some forces result from human thought and emotion and even our sins and transgressions. 
• Heightened extra-sensory perception - a particular spiritual ability or power (like clairvoyance, precognition, astral projection, bilocation, etc.) is in the progress of development, thus giving us spontaneous and uncommon psychic manifestations. Some may even feel difficulty or heaviness in breathing, have headaches, dizziness, nausea, and goosebumps for unknown reasons, and see shadows or apparitions.
• Hauntings and attachments - wrestling with the bondage, oppression, and harassment of spirits and entities that sometimes cross over to our side and latch onto our bodies to feed upon our spiritual forces.
• Isolated psychic attacks include evil eye, tongue, air, susto (soul loss), arrows of bad sha, and foot track poisoning. Any assaults that emanate from an external source stick to the vulnerable area of our mind, emotions, or even body, especially when our protection drops down.
• Spiritually unprotected - weak or irregular protection, ward, and defense against subtle forces and energies, deficient exposure to the spiritual worlds, insufficient nourishment of protective allies, and effects of harmful elements one may carry.

2. Psychological/Emotional

• Emotional damage or trauma - scars that result from rejection, harsh discipline, a broken home, sexual, emotional, or physical abuse, or hostile parenting.
• Anxiety attacks - often, anxiety traces a root cause in one's experience, chemical deficiency, or personality disorder.
• Clinical depression - I've often worked with agonized people who thought they were either hopelessly sick, insane, unfortunate, cursed, hexed, or useless because of their depression. Anyone suffering from prolonged depression should be checked for chemical complications. Sometimes proper medication can bring great relief and enhance progress in counseling therapy.
• Compulsive addictions - primarily alcoholism, drug or substance abuse, sexual compulsions, and eating disorders. Understandably, the difficulty in finding solutions for these problems leads us to suspect we're cursed or possessed. It's worth checking, though, for sometimes, sorcerers use them to inflict more harm and malediction. But these are also behavioral issues themselves.
• Schizophrenia -  I believe this problem can be caused by genetic and environmental factors. Paranoia, delusions, and voices are a function of illness. In some cases, however, baneful energies and malignant entities are also present, adding more affliction to psychiatric suffering. Their destruction and expulsion make the symptoms of the illness more manageable.

3. Physiological

• Organic brain syndromes - epilepsy, senility, Alzheimer's, migraine headaches.
• Tourette's syndrome - also known as 'ticking,' this neurological problem prompts a person to utter strange-sounding ticking noises and often curse words or foul language. At first glance, evil magic or spirit possession seems to occur. But after having worked with several cases, I've realized that the part of the brain that stores negative data is physically affected by this disorder.
• Brain injuries - distinct behavioral changes, new abilities, and some other symptoms just surface and appear suddenly and unconsciously after an accident and head injuries. 
• Biochemical imbalances - premenstrual syndrome, menopause, postpartum depression, hypoglycemia, diabetes, anxiety disease, allergies, manic-depression, Epstein-Barr virus, and other inequalities of body chemistry.
• Stress or fatigue - consequences of exceeding the laws of nature, including such areas as diet, exercise, work, and rest.

4. Circumstantial

• Personal problems -  marital or family disharmony, financial stress, personal tragedies, occupational changes, family illnesses, tragic accidents, and other fortuitous events.
• Relational conflicts - hurt, tension, and resentment that come from a refusal to reconcile, forgive, and admit mistakes.

5. Environmental

• Electromagnetic fields or currents - subtle energies produced by electricity as it circulates throughout wires, cables, and electrical equipment. Many paranormal investigators rely on a device known as an EMF detector, a device used to detect the presence and intensity of EMFs within an environment. Those people who live near high-tension power lines or who use a lot of electrical appliances such as microwave ovens with strong EMF can experience a variety of curse look-alike symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, paranoia, visual hallucinations, and even psychosis.
• Geopathic stress - there are also negative energies found underground. People who live or stay on top of negative earth rays or geopathic stress are more likely to develop certain diseases and illnesses than those residing away from geopathic stress areas. These radiations are caused by changes, distortions, and anomalies in the earth's natural underground movements and vibrations caused by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
• Surrounding factors - affect how we think and feel, such as weather, traffic jams, depressing or frightening television programs or stories, and seasonal stresses.

After reviewing the above factors we may pinpoint one or more elements that may contribute to the problem. If so, pursue a plan to correct the problem. Or we determine that none of these factors apply and that maleficium is a possibility.

Trace the Source of Crossed Condition

Identify the negativities in our lives or contact with persons, places, and even objects that might have crossed or cursed us.

Look for the individuals, especially those well-versed in magic, who hold onto hatred toward us and/or our families. Sometimes we can also acquire a curse when we come into contact with places and objects that may have been charged with baneful energies and curses. We can also encounter the influence of a curse that gained entrance into our bloodline at some point and remained powerful throughout many generations. This is called the generational curse. The harmful energies or powers of the curse leave the deceased family members and attach them to their children.

Perform Uncrossing with Authority

Hand and foot wash water for uncrossing.

If the data and our discernment seem to point toward the possibility of harmful magic, then prepare ourselves to perform uncrossing. Don't forget to consult your spirit guides again to receive some wisdom and understanding, first and foremost.

Any crossed condition or bad rootwork is possible to remove as long as WE are as strong or stronger as the practitioner and our spells are equally elaborate and powerful. Of course, calling help from God or calling upon the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse oneself from any adverse condition and cover in protection from sorcery can sanctify and uplift the troubled heart and lost soul. We can't just uncross, break or remove a curse by positive thinking or cleansing.

Preparation before an Uncrossing ritual.

Uncrossing, jinx removal, or curse-breaker spells to conquer an adverse condition depend on the curse or hex itself. You have to consider several factors: the nature of the curse (was it a magickal assault directed to a person, a crossing from place or object, or a jinx), the nature of the afflicted person/the victim (are they strong of will? Are they experienced in magic? etc.) and the involvement of any entities and spirits.

If we feel we're not comfortable or qualified to figure this out on our own, seek out the assistance of other people. This may not be easy. Look for a conjure man or woman, rootworker or practitioner with proven effectiveness, known to be balanced and strong.

Tips from the Trench: Words to the Wise

1. Knowledge and discernment: master keys

Our human condition is indeed a vulnerable one. Body, mind, soul, and spirit interact in complex ways with the different worlds and planes of existence. Such interactions make for confusing and multi-layered difficulties. Dealing with curses and hexes is ineffective and potentially hazardous without knowledge and discernment.

2. Significance of the harmonious relationship

Anyone who experienced a real curse or got involved in breaking a curse quickly learns that it doesn't only occur in an ethereal vacuum. It always connects in some way to human relationships. Therefore, our most excellent protection and empowerment against negative energies and intentions depend upon our practice of unconditional love.

I've seen curses and hexes that didn't work because a husband and a wife work on reconciling and resolving tensions in relationships. Some folks need to do this before performing spells to break or counteract the curses.

3. Don't give a sorcerer (and her magic) undue credit

One of the dangers in this kind of work is the tendency toward attribution - inaccurately ascribing curses done by wicked sorcerers to non-magical or supernatural problems. Not many people receive authentic curses and hexes. Most folks seem to wrestle with issues rooted primarily within themselves and in the spirit world. Many people's struggles are related to basic psychological and emotional needs or to body chemistry gone awry. Try to avoid the trap of inventing curses that aren't really there. This makes a hypnotic suggestion and ultimately creates a genuine curse in your life driven by yourself.

5. Watch for the wipe-outs

Sometimes we find out we're under attack, and everything seems out of whack. You just feel dispirited, discouraged, and exhausted. Be extra cautious at these times. The malicious and harmful energies of the sorcerer play dirty and hit us when our shield is down. Sometimes we can trace the source of the curse and try undoing it. Other times it remains a mystery. Genuine curses and hexes correspond with a specific vulnerability or strategic activity. Sorcerers who practice harmful magic try to strike us during the lows of life and drive us to despair. Their goal, of course, is to undermine our own power and control in our lives.

We must learn how to weather the blows. Every time you feel the curse finding its way to work again in your life, do this basic uncrossing:

Egg Uncrossing Spell

Materials Needed:

- 2 White candles
- White egg
- Uncrossing/ Jinx Removal/ Van Van oil
- Cleansing mist or Florida Water
- Blessed salt
- Hyssop leaves
- Chamomile flowers
- Needle
- Saucers
- Bible

Ritual Procedure:

Prepare a white candle. With a needle, carve the words "Remove crossed conditions." Dress the candle with the condition oil, light it and set it on a saucer. Dress the white egg with the same dressing oil and place it at the base of the candle. Around the candle, lay out a circle of blessed salt while praying The Lord's Prayer (Our Father).

While it burns, say your prayer for protection out loud and call upon Jesus Christ for aid. Ask for the intercession of an angel or a saint (Archangel Michael, Saint Benedict of Nursia, St. Patrick, etc.). After that, carefully get the egg, close your eyes and make the sign of the cross while holding the egg. Gently roll the egg along the skin's surface, starting from the head down to the torso to the waist, along both arms from shoulder to fingers, and down both legs to the toes and heels, asking God to remove the illness or adverse conditions. When done, carefully put the egg back on the saucer and open your eyes.

Now, bring the white candle to the kitchen while you brew up the hyssop leaves into a tea. When water is at a gentle boil, remove heat and drain the liquid. Then pour the tea into your bath water while praying The Lord's Prayer.

Get the other candle, light it, and set the two candles on the floor outside at the sides of the bathroom door. Take a regular bath and before your last rinse, recite the 37th Psalm for curse and jinx-breaking or the 51st Psalm for purification, then pour the tea-bath water over your head. Cross your arms, right over left, and brush down across your body with both hands, starting from your head down to your torso and uncross your hands as you come across your waist while praying and saying: "remove this condition from me!"

When you have finished the spiritual bath, step out of the bathroom, stand between the candles, and step backward three times, saying, "In the name of Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, I am cleansed!" Do not dry yourself with a towel let the bathwater dry on you in the air as the candles burn. Spray cleansing mist or Florida Water all over your body. Recite the Psalms one more time and thank the Saint(s) you work with and the Holy Trinity for their assistance as you massage your head, heart area, hands, and feet with the condition oil and drinking your chamomile tea.

Rub-down tea rite is traditionally performed as part of the in-person Spiritual Cleansing or Uncrossing ritual.

Take the saucer with salt and egg and place it under your bed or on an altar.

Cleaning Up:

Take the egg and leftover materials (melted wax, salt, needle, etc) and throw them at the crossroad or under a tree. Don't say a word; just turn and walk away home and don't look back.

Egg Uncrossing Ritual using the Christogram or a religious symbol for Jesus Christ. JHS (or IHS) originated in Medieval Western Europe, a Latin acronym for Jesus Honinum Salvator – Jesus Savior of Mankind.