Package Charms ~ Filipino Conjure & Rootwork

Package Charms


A cut piece of clothing from the target's shirt was made into a packet charm.

Hoodoo packet charms, or some people from the Deep South called 'package,' are magical amulets that root doctors make during spell workings or rituals. These curious objects have evolved from Kongo fetishes called "nkisi wambi." Like their Kongo counterparts and mojo bags, packet charms are spirit-activated bundles of herbs, minerals, animal parts, and other ingredients wrapped in fabric and bound together by ribbons or cords.

Conjure workers use the binding strategy associated with magical packets when working on challenging or difficult conditions or situations such as domination jobs or enemy works but most especially with the fierce spirits summoned to aid the client's request. The tight and harsh binding captures the forces needed to get the owner's prayer answered. It also harnesses and channels mystical powers, which ultimately control other people's behavior, make oneself strict about achieving their desires or allow the spirits of the curios to perform effective work. Their efficacy depends on careful wrapping and binding techniques that include ropes, cords, chains, threads, strings, or locks - seven, nine, or thirteen times - symbolic of an umbilical cord connecting the physical charm to the spiritual world. Given this visual articulation of bondage, they are believed to be useful allies or servants for the conjure worker or his client to materialize things and help them in their endeavors in general. The packages or bundles were then placed in secret locations to protect an area or bring harm to harsh slaveholders or any troublemakers. Artifacts of package charms were found in slave quarters and plantations in Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Virginia, and Maryland.

Dixie Love Mojo and Magical Package prepared and fixed by Tim Soji for our valued client.

Magical packets or packages are said to have the power to attract good juju and empower one's willpower. They can also be used as protective amulets in people's homes, bringing health, wealth, and happiness.

Like any other amulets or charms, these objects fix things. And as aforementioned, like a mojo hand, it also contains a spirit who works according to the owner's instructions. Some root doctors who make packets include personal concerns, providing the individual who owns this charm an opportunity to alter a circumstance. As such, magical packages become extensions of their owner's agency because they become the source and vehicle for change.

Magical dried herbs with hand-trace on the cloth and printed photo of the client have been prepared as ingredients of two seperate package charms.

The practitioner also chooses what to incorporate into these objects and how they will look. Not only do these choices ensure the object's efficacy, but it does also steer a situation toward a particular desired outcome by giving tangible form to a problem and its solution.

(Photo courtesy of Memphis Conjure Shop)

Protection and Empowerment Package Charm

Materials Needed:

- Three orange candles with a sun carved into each

- Protection oil

- Power oil

- St. Michael the Archangel holy card

- Frankincense resins

- Red cloth

- Hair from your head

- Couch grass leaves/root

- Master root

- High John the Conqueror root

- Sampson snake root

- A piece of lightning-struck wood or stone

- Sulfur powder

- Anvil dust

- Jute string

- Match/lighter

- Charcoal disc

- Metal bowl

- Tongs

Ritual Procedure:

Best performed: In the sunlight/daytime.

Set up the metal bowl or an incense burner to place the charcoal disc. Hold the disc with a pair of tongs so you don't burn your fingers, and then light the disc with a match or lighter to set it on fire. Set the disc in the prepared bowl or burner and let it heat up. Put a small piece of frankincense resin on top of the charcoal and let it produce some smoke. Bathe yourself and your items with incense smoke.

Once done, dress the candles in an upward motion with Power oil followed by Protection oil. Then dress all the curios with the same conjure oils. Light all the candles while saying: "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," and place them on your altar before the holy card of Archangel Michael. Assemble all your materials at the base of the candles.

Now, take a moment to visualize what you wish to accomplish with this spell and think of all that will come about. Then bless God for creating the Sun by saying:

"Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, maker of the works of Creation."

Focus on the flames of your candles, and the Sun carved in each. Think of the orange color releasing the negativity and calming yourself. Envision the Sun as the energy and power you need to move past the negativity. Reflect on how you want to eliminate the bad jujus in your life and how your life will improve. Pray to God until you are empowered with positivity and growth. Now that you are empowered, it's time to fix the packet. Recite Psalm 112 three times.

Each recitation has different personal prayers and visualization. The first time, place your hair strands and couch grass onto the red cloth while visualizing the negativity as a weed planted in the ground trying to grow. Next, place the Master root, High John the Conqueror root, and Sampson snake root while visualizing the plant spirits pulling the weed out as the Sun gains in intensity, making it impossible for the weed of negativity to grow. And the last time, add the lightning-struck wood, sulfur, and anvil dust, burning the weed into ashes and the Sun reaching its full potential killing the negativity before it could even grow, thus fully protecting you.

Ask for the intercession of Saint Michael the Archangel, who guards the Sun with a sharp, cutting sword, and request him to defend you too, and not let any weed of negativity grow within or without you.

Take a moment and meditate on the feeling of protection and empowerment that the Sun and its protector, Saint Michael, are giving you. After that, breathe into them three times.

Allow the rest of the candles to burn until they go out, then put the Saint Michael Archangel holy card and wrap them tightly, making a small packet. Bind it thirteen times while praying loudly and reciting the Psalm one last time. When you are finished, tie the package up firmly and roughly with four knots using a jute string. Dress lightly with the oils (occasionally with one or more conjure oils to keep it working for you).

Protection paper packet charm I personally fixed for clients who were victims of a love jinxing trick.

Catholic Saint Packets

Catholic Church practices entered Hoodoo when Black Americans culturally intermingled with Afro-Caribbean and Latino folk Catholic practitioners. The techniques they accorded to some Hoodoo men and women include the veneration of saints and the petitioning of saints as intercessors who carry prayers to The Holy Trinity or The Blessed Virgin Mother Mary. It is a tradition of the Roman Catholic Church to designate saints as patrons of various locations, situations, and jobs that were associated during their lives, or an aspect, a body of knowledge, condition, or place associated with the saint after death due to multiple accounts of the saint's miraculous intercessions.

A mojo bag and package charm being blessed with the aid of Archangel Michael.

Religious folk charms traditionally used for various magical and spiritual purposes in Mexico, the Caribbeans, and other areas of Latin America, were also introduced to some conjure doctors. Depending on local customs, these charms come in various shapes and dimensions and are fabricated from many different materials like cloth, paper, foil, wood, metal, and even wax. As part of a religious ritual or an act of devotion, religious charms can be presented as a votive offering to a saint, as a reminder of a petitioner's particular need; or as a symbol of gratitude for a prayer answered. They can also assist in focusing attention on a specific ailment. A saint packet is an example of a religious charm widely used in the Hoodoo tradition.

Saint Peter - Road Opener Packet

Material Needed:

- 5 white candles

- St. Peter, Road Opener or Olive oil

- Saint Peter holy card/printed photo

- Parchment paper

- White handkerchief

- Crossroad dirt

- 2 skeleton keys or any old keys

- Abre camino or boneset leaves

- White plate

- Jute string

- Sandalwood or pine incense

Ritual Procedure:

Prepare your petition paper by writing your prayer requests on parchment paper.

Next, carve your name on one of the candles with the key. Dress them with oil, the Abre Camino, or boneset leaves, and place the white candle with the carved name at the center of the plate, then put the herb at the base of it.

Around the central candle and the herb layout, the crossroad dirt is in a quincunx pattern. Now, place the remaining candles in the four directions of the quincunx or cross. Sprinkle them five times with a little of the Abre Camino, too. Place the holy card and the keys among them.

Light the candles in this order: the four directions first (north, south, east, west), then the central candle. Light sandalwood or pine incense. While it burns, say your prayer or wishes for road opening out loud and call upon Heaven for aid. Ask for the intercession of St. Peter.

Allow the rest of the candles to burn until they go out. Gather up the dirt, herb, keys, and holy card and wrap them tightly in your petition paper, making a small packet. Tie the package up in the white handkerchief with five knots. Dress it lightly with oil.

See, What Our Path Is

Being immensely interested in African diaspora religions and Folk Catholicism, we primarily honor our ancestors, Church saints, angels, folk saints, and Afro-Caribbean spirits such as loas and orishas. If we absolutely have to put a label on ourselves, we prefer the label of “Folk Judeo-Christian” as we live according to the customs and traditions of conjure workers and root doctors from the Deep South and syncretic followers of Christ in various nations of the Caribbean and Latin America.

Our spirituality includes West African-based Caribbean-style tradition as well as Esoteric Christianity and Yoruba religion. Generally, we practice Gullah folk magic popularly known in the Deep South as Hoodoo or Lowcountry Voodoo; the ancient wisdom founded by Orunmila in Ile-Ife called Ifa, and a bit of Lihim na Karunungan (Filipino Esotericism or Philippine Mystery Tradition).

Respect, What Hoodoo Is

Despite visible evidence of Central West African, Islamic/Moorish, Native American, Judeo-Christian, European, and even a few East Indian/Hindu, Chinese, and Latino/Caribbean retentions, influences, and admixtures, this does not mean that Hoodoo is an open and unrestricted system of eclectic magic.

Conjure, and Rootwork is rooted in African-American culture and Folk Protestant Christianity. Any practitioners of Hoodoo who did not grow up within African-American culture should still have a fuller understanding and high regard for its origin.

In the beginning, the early conjure doctors were entirely Black. The students were all Black, the elders were Black, the teaching was Black, and they focused only on Blacks as their audience. But other races were accepted when they had also been brought into the Hoodoo community and learned the tradition. Even so, we should still acknowledge that Hoodoo, Conjure, or Rootwork is not ours but only belongs to the Black community. We are just believers who are grafted into their rich yet humble tradition and, by word and deed, embrace genuine African-American folk spirituality and magic. This is all we can do for all the blessings we received from God and our Black ancestors.

Hoodoo's lack of religious structure and hierarchical authority do not mean that any person or group can appropriate or redefine it. If one cannot respect Hoodoo as it is and for what it is, then please, do not play with it.

Learn, How Conjure Is Worked On

Authentic Conjure is not all about blending and selling oils and casting spells online to make money. Hoodoo has its own spiritual philosophy, theology, and a wide range of African-American folkways, customs, and practices which include, but are not limited to, veneration of the ancestors, Holy Ghost shouting, snake reverence, spirit possession, graveyard conjure, nkisi practices, Black hermeneutics, African-American church traditions, the ring shout, the Kongo cosmogram, ritual water immersions, crossroads magic, making conjure canes, animal sacrifices, Jewish scriptural magic, enemy works, Seekin' ritual, magical incorporation of bodily fluids, etc.

Unfortunately, they are currently missing in marketeered or commercial Hoodoo, as they are being removed, disregarded, or ignored by unknowing merchants who simply want to profit from an African-American spiritual tradition, thus reducing Hoodoo to just a plethora of recipes, spells, and tricks.

Tim and I are completely aware that we are not African-Americans, so we are doing our best to retain and preserve the customs and traditions of the slave ancestors to avoid unnecessary conflict with the larger Black-Belt Hoodoo community and prevent them from labeling us inauthentic outsiders and our practice as mere 'cultural misappropriation.'

Accept, Who We Are

The byproduct of eons of slave history, Black supremacists believe that only people with African or African-American blood are real Hoodoo practitioners and are often inclined to consider themselves as the elite of the Hoodoo community; a place in which they believed that Whites, Latinos, Asians or any other races who do not have Black ancestry do not belong. Black supremacists are prone to be very hostile towards both “outsiders” and those accepting of them, fearing that their promotion and acceptance would dilute or even negate the Black identity of Hoodoo.

Although we do understand why some Blacks hold this stance, since a lot of people nowadays are misappropriating many aspects of Hoodoo and teaching the spiritual path even without proper education and training (for purely monetary purposes), we would, however, want to say that not all non-Black Hoodoo practitioners are the same.

WE respect what Hoodoo is, and we never try to change it, claim it as our own, disregard its history, take unfair advantage of it, speak against the people who preserve it, and mix it with other cultures (like our own) and call it Filipino/Pinoy Hoodoo, Gypsy Hoodoo or Wiccan Hoodoo because there are no such things.