During this harvest season, I would like to share with you a “Money Pot” spell, that brings wealth and abundance into our lives.
While Southern Conjure is a form of folk magick that I have the most yet to discover, I’ve found over the years that these traditional spells are some of the most creative, and yet down-to-earth spells, you can enact. I appreciate this form of folk magick that is so inherently tied to this “neck of the woods” where I’m from. For me, they work like a charm!
The idea of a “Money Pot” was first introduced to me by Orion Foxwood (1), when he taught workshops here at our local Samhain festival in 2012. Later, I was privileged to work with him further at an intensive training weekend, where he took us into deeper detail about the culture of Appalachian Conjure and Root Work techniques. Now, I make good use of these techniques in just about every magickal working I do.
My money pot has now been a part of my altar for 4 years, and through meandering trial, error, and research it has grown to become a reflection of my unique path and relationship with the Powers. A money pot, like a mojo hand, or any other talisman one nurtures over time, becomes radically personal, and should not be touched or tampered with by anyone other than it’s owner.
I encourage you to “field test” this experiment for yourselves. Start with the basic recipe, but get to know each player for yourself. Feel it, develop a relationship with each spark of consciousness within, and know exactly which powers you are awakening and calling to your aid. Then trust your guts as you evolve the working over time for your own needs. I’m an eclectic, so I have no problem blending what I know from across traditions, so long as I approach both the Spirit within, and the culture, with knowledge and respect. You do what feels right for you.
Money Pot Spell
Materials to gather:
An empty tin can (Jupiter.) Tin brings luck, success, divination and justice. (Tin cans are normally used for non-acidic vegetables.)
OR a copper vessel (Venus) Copper brings luck, love, money and healing, and is the metal of Venus. Antique stores are good places to find cups, pots or little bowls; anything copper that will hold about 12 ounces of material and will not leak, will do. Since copper is a natural conductor of energy, I’ve found the addition of copper to any spell to boost the potency, and “sweeten” the working. As I believe that all physical resources are a form of Divine Love, copper aids any intention that would sustain my life and help me thrive.
Hyssop Oil – Hyssop brings protection and purification.
Sage Smudge bundle or other purifying incense of your choice.
Sea Salt – grounding and purifying.
Small piece of paper with your name or personal sigil on one side, and the seal of Jupiter on the other. Brown
craft paper from which they make paper-grocery bags is a traditional choice. I like to trace the bottom of the can on the paper, and cut it out in a perfect circle to fit the bottom.
Tag-lock–In spells of this kind, that are claimed to work for me alone, I add a tag-lock. This is a bit of your own body that contains your DNA. A strand of hair, a nail clipping, even your own spit, rubbed from the inner cheek on your finger, and anointed over the sigil paper will do.
9 different types of dried beans/legumes–Nine is a number often used in hoodoo spells for timing and numbers of ingredients. I was taught that in mojo hands, for example, there should always be 9 materials added, that odd numbers were lucky, and multiples of 3 the most powerful. 3×3 is a potent number in many traditions.
The beans themselves are seeds. They contain the information and power to grow and expand into vastly more sustenance than merely eating the one bean would bring. We are “planting” these many beans in our pot for their potential to grow into much more. At my grocery store I found: pinto, great northern, black eyed peas, black beans, lima beans, small red beans, chick peas (garbanzo beans,) red kidney beans, and lentils.
1 Natural Lodestone–Lodestone is magnetite that was naturally magnetized, and can attract iron. It is believed to have been in proximity to lightning bolt strikes. (wiki) Magickally, lodestones are used to draw more wealth to its keeper. Lodestone was used in the first compasses, so they also bring the power of guidance and direction to any working.
1 High John the Conqueror Root—This is the most valued of the “Three Johns,” or roots, in hoodoo practice. High John is a hard root of the Ipomoea jalapa plant, in the morning glory family. It is used whole in magick to remove obstacles, draw wealth, luck at games of chance, increased potency, power and personal sovereignty.
Wooden Stick Matches—adding the spark of fire to ignite and empower the pot.
Florida Water Cologne–for feeding the pot once a month or more. Here is a great article on its many uses by Lilith Dorsey. My understanding is that Florida water cologne is created with an alcohol base and essential oils of bergamot, neroli, lavender, clove, cinnamon, rose, and orange flower water (but I’m still looking for a verifiable recipe somewhere.)
Huntin’ money–This needs to be actual currency, like pennies you found on the ground, or unusual money like foreign coins, $2 bills, etc. When you find money on the ground, if it is heads up say, “Huntin’ money, you found me!” pick it up, bring it home and add to your money pot. If it is tails up, you need to “lay tracks” toward you, flipping the coin toward you three times until it is eventually heads up. As you flip, say “Huntin’ money, huntin’ money, huntin’ money, you found me!” Then pick it up.
I always heard the superstition that picking up money that isn’t yours that is “tails up” is considered unlucky. “Laying tracks” would turn that around, should that actually be a thing. (I’m not superstitious, so I leave that to your discretion.)
Timing:
In planetary magick, Thursday is the day of Jupiter, Thor and Zeus and is the day for rites that call for expansion and growth, wealth and money, abundance in the material aspects, power and rulership. Enact this spell on a Thursday (Jupiter) while the moon is waxing. To be even more exact, I would choose the day of Jupiter and the hour of Venus.
To begin the spell, gather all needed materials at your altar and create your sacred space; call on the powers you work with to be present. Jupiter and Venus, by any of their names or aspects, would be a smart choice of ally.
Prepare the Pot:
• Sprinkle the vessel with water and swirl around. Call on the powers of water to purify and empower the work. (Dry it out again)
• Fill the vessel with the smoke of burning sage or any other purifying incense. Call on the powers of Air to purify and empower the work.
• Sprinkle a little sea salt into the vessel and swirl around. Call on the powers of Earth to purify and empower the work.
• Anoint the interior of the vessel with Hyssop oil in a clockwise fashion. Call on the powers of Fire to purify and empower the work. Hyssop oil is like liquid fire that will seal the vessel from all outside influence.
• Claim this vessel as your own; set the intention for the spell. Tap the metal three times (a quick knock of 2 fast, 1 slow) Say, “awake, awake, awaken to your power.” Blow into the pot. Set the paper with your name/sigil and seal of Jupiter in the bottom. Add the Tag-lock.
• “This is my money pot; through this vessel I grow and retain wealth, abundance and prosperity on all levels; resources are attained; my needs are met and I thrive; by Jupiter my resources are generously gained; by Venus my resources may be generously shared, for the highest good of all involved, harming none.”
Fill the pot:
When adding each ingredient, tap three times (twice fast, once slow.) Blow over the item, and say “Awake, Awake, Awaken and remember your power of______. “
Fill the vessel about 3/4 of the way full with the nine different types of dried beans/legumes. Tap them, blow over them, and say: “Awake, Awake, Awaken and remember your power of growth and sustenance. “
Add the lodestone: Tap it, blow over it, and say: “Awake, Awake, Awaken and remember your power of magnetism, attraction and guidance.“
Add the High John the Conqueror Root: Tap it, blow over it, and say: “Awake, Awake, Awaken and remember your power of luck, money and potency.“
Add the found “Huntin” money. Tap it, blow over it, and say: “Awake, Awake, Awaken and remember your power, go huntin’ for more money for me.“
Always bring home the found or unusual money and add it to the pot, and it will attract even more, larger sums of unexpected, or “windfall” money that you earn.
Charge the pot:
After all the ingredients are assembled, I like to use this charm I learned from Orion Foxwood: I tap on the side of the Money pot, and breathe slowly over it, filling it with power, awakening it to life, filling it with power:
“Thrice I knock on the dark one’s door
all things are as they were before
by earth and water, wind and flame
bring magick in the old one’s name.”
Then I strike the wooden match, and quickly as the flame is igniting, and the smell of sulfur is present, I jam it down into the pot, extinguishing it. The fire lends it’s spark of life to the working. I know it is kinda silly, but I always imagine this part like the movie Frankenstein when the Doctor is bringing his creation of assembled parts to life by electrifying it. <giggle>
Another empowerment chant I learned from Orion: “I wind, I bind, this spell be mine…” I repeat while channeling power from all three realms, through my hands into the pot. To spike the power into the pot and seal it, I end with, “As I will, SO MOTE IT BE!”
Feed the Pot
The pot is now “alive” and working for you. It has a Spirit that needs to be fed. Add a few drops of Florida Water Cologne over the High John root, and speak to it at least once a month; share your dreams, hopes, desires, and needs for this wealth that the pot will collect for you. As you begin to receive, come back to the pot, feed it, and offer your thanks to the Powers that aid you.
Over the years, I’ve brought home all manner of fetishes and things that mean “abundance” to me. When I went back through it today I found a green aventurine stone, pyrite, a cowrie shell, Chinese good luck coins, and all manner of currency from around the world.
I’ve also taken the time to decorate the outside of my can with some quilting fabric with US bills printed on it, a metallic silver stretchy string to hold it all together, and a brass pentacle that once fell off of a wind chime. On a whim, I attached it to the outside. For me, the pentacle represents material wealth and good health. While not traditional to Southern Conjure, I like it.
You, too, must get out there and work hard for your resources; it takes some hustle to make way for opportunities and new income streams to start flowing. Work WITH the Universe, like the sovereign being of power and great potential that you were created to become!
Generosity = Abundance
Remember, be careful what you ask for because the Universe has a wicked sense of humor. I suggest that you always add a caveat statement, like “May this working be for the highest good of all involved, harming none.” Because the last thing you want to have happen is to have a tragic accident that hurts you, or someone you love, but brings the wealth of an injury settlement.
As a final note, speaking as a priestess of Aphrodite, consider that you are a Divine Being made of the love of the Gods; therefore, you are worthy of a comfortable life, of thriving and happiness. The goal of any reasonable magickal practitioner should be balance on all levels of existence, including the material. A balance between giving and receiving is paramount, because a heart and a hand gripped tightly in greed, cannot possibly be prepared to open and receive the gifts of an abundant life. That right there is a prime lesson of Lammas and sacrifice.
I love these words from the Wiccan Rede. “Live and let live, fairly take and fairly give.” The key to thriving is generosity of both Spirit and resources. As you grow in abundance, be sure to give back in generous offering in some way that is important to you, so that the world around you also thrives. The more you give on all levels, the more you will receive on all levels.
May this spell bless you this harvest season,
~Heron
(1) To learn more, I recommend reading The Candle and the Crossroads by Orion Foxwood.
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