Laying Tricks

Laying tricks is another reference to the throwing of special herbs, powders and other ingredients in a place where the intended target will touch it, usually by walking on it. It also refers to concealing or disposing of magickal objects by strategically placing the ingredients in certain places in order to fix the trick; in essence, to seal the deal, as it were. For example, if one wants to keep their partner faithful, they could take a pair of their lover’s dirty underwear, tie it in a knot, and bury it in their backyard.

There are a number of ways that tricks can be fixed. I have listed twelve ways below, along with when the particular technique is employed.

Burial in a building structure. A common  place for  laying tricks is in construction sites because the tricks will last forever; or, at least for as long as the building stands. Bank construction sites are good for attracting money; courthouse sites are good for keeping the law away, and church sites are good for protection.

Burial in the earth in the home yard. To ground a trick and keep it working, bury it in someone’s yard. Plant good luck mojos in your own yard, under your porch, or beneath the front steps for fixing blessings, love drawings, money drawing, and protection. Plant a bad luck trick in someone else’s yard to hex them.

Placement under carpets or rugs. This is reflective of adapting hoodoo to modern times. When you don’t have a yard to work with, the same principle can be employed by placing a trick under someone’s rug or carpet.

Burial under the enemy’s doorstep. To hex  or  jinx  and enemy, place a trick under their doorstep or front porch.

Powders placed in food or drink. This method is typically employed in domination spells, to keep a mate faithful, or in enemy works. Scrape some skin from the bottom of your foot and bake it in some food that will be eaten by someone you wish to dominate or jinx.

Thrown into a fire. To neutralize a jinx, burn it in a fire and spread the ashes around a tree. For example, to cause harm to your enemy, burn a bad wish written on paper in a fire and spread the ashes around their doorstep or front porch. Prayers and well wishes can also be accomplished in the same manner. Burn a special prayer in a fire and scatter the ashes near the home for special blessings.

Placed in clothing or on objects. For love spells, money spells, protection spells, and court cases, mojos are often sewn into clothes, curtains, pillowcases, and mattresses.

Disposal at a crossroads. To dispose of ritual remains such as candle wax, ashes from incense, and the like, leave at a crossroads. Bad luck tricks can also be disposed of in the middle of a crossroads where cars will run over it and destroy it. Tossing coins in the middle of a crossroads is considered good luck.

Burial in a cross-mark indoors. As an alternative to a crossroads, an artificial crossroads can be created by making a cross-mark indoors. The basic way of creating an indoor crossroads is by drawing an “X”.

The cross-mark is used for fixing spells, harming an enemy, or as part of protection spells.

Burial in a graveyard. Ritual objects used in extreme magic, such as causing serious illness or death, can be buried at a graveyard.

Placed in running water. Used in wish spells and banishing spells.

Placed in a tree. Trees are believed to have the ability to absorb negativity and evil, so bad mojos and jinxes are often buried at the base of trees to neutralize them. A modern take on this method is done by ritually blessing a potted plant for protection or good luck. Bad mojo can also be delivered to someone through the “gift” of a plant in which war water has been sprinkled and hot foot powder has been placed on the soil. An old practice with origins in the African Congo involves making wishes and placing cobalt blue bottles onto branches of a tree to make a bottle tree that functions as a talisman. My Mama always had a bottle tree in the yard. This practice used to be common in the South; now, they are an infrequent site.