How To Use Oils In Witchcraft & Folk Magic
Updated: 5 days ago
History of Oils
The use of oils in witchcraft and folk magic that have been fixed or conjured to contain some power has been recently- within
the past 30 years or so- adopted into the wider folk magic and witchcraft space. That isn’t to say they haven't been around: indeed some of these formulas have stood the test of time by a century; some even biblical.
It is well worth mentioning the use of oils in the way they are generally used- that is: used in workings and magical operations to effect change; added to talismans, amulets, or charms; worn about the person or on specific areas of the body to effect change- comes primarily out of African American rootwork & conjure, as well as parts of Mexico. Rarely do we find examples of oils- or even a semblance of standardization of formula or practical means- in grimoire traditions. At its most simplistic: oil lamps may be taken from churches or religious institutions, collected from relics, or simply prayed over. I find this much more commonly the case in the heavily European-influenced folk magic I have been exposed to. In more ceremonialist pursuits, the Oil of Abramelin, Holy Anointing Oil, and A Miraculous Oil to See Aerial Spirits are the primary exceptions that come to mind (unironically, the first two are also widely adopted into Southern Conjure extensively).
Holy Anointing oil: a biblical formula which is detailed in Exodus, tells us that the oil is meant to be odiferous and that it should be used and made only by the High Priests of the temple, and is made thusly:
30 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant calamus, 500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil. Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil. Then use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy.
Abremelin Oil is an adaptation of this and is used to prepare for the conjuration to meet one's Holy Guardian Angel. As it has been adapted into folk magic, however, it is an oil that is commonly used for high spiritual endeavors in general, as well as its use in calling good spirits and spiritual elevation.
The latter of the three oils mentioned can be found in Folger VB 26, and is less an oil and more a bloody unguent that requires slaughtering many birds, and at least one weasel during the day and hour of each planet, separating their blood and fat, conjuring the fairy Sabilya, Delphia, and many others, and anointing the repugnant balm to the eye area to see spirits fly in the air.
Black Cat Oil is another mystifying formula by which we can trace its European influences from Toadsmen rites.
The formulas used primarily in a wider sphere of pop-folk magic today, in fact, are at their truest: American. As stated, the formulas known by many- Attraction Oil, Abremelin Oil, Come To Me Love Oil, Follow Me Boy Oil- are a codification that comes from the railroad and industrialization of the 20th century. We first have to look at where Conjure has been practiced: the Southern and Coastal regions of the United States and Mexico. We see, however, that the formulas that are being sold (typically under subsidiaries of beauty and cosmetic companies) developed with the Westward Expansion, the railroad, mail-order catalogs, creolization, as well as the industrialization of large cities such as Chicago, New Orleans, and Monterrey, Mexico, where some of these formulas are codified and produced. Chicago was one of the largest distributors of mail- order spiritual supplies in the early 20th century.
It wouldn't be until relatively recently, perhaps within the past 20-30 years, that the formulas would be adopted into the wider sphere of folk magic.
Anointing The Body
At its simplest, we might think of an oil as a spell in itself: a container of power or virtue that lends itself to a working, to boost, or feed something. The easiest way to engage with an oil is to anoint it to a charm, or in some cases the body. We should bear in mind the body and its correspondence with how the oil may work, however. For example, Crown of Success should usually be placed on the crown of the head, not the feet (although anointing it with domination oil to the right hand and shaking hands with a potential boss I have found helps people in interviews). I wouldn't recommend wearing Crossing or Confusion Oil, unless you wish to be crossed or confused. If you are using it in a working, make sure to wash it off your hands, and cleanse your hands at least with a cleansing wash.
Here's a brief list of where to use some oils:
Attraction oil: On the palms, anoint the center, and circle counterclockwise
Cleopatra Oil: the pulse points, the neck, the ends of the hair, the hands
Come To Me Love Oil: The pulse points, the neck, over the heart, the right hand
Crown of Success: The crown of the head, the brow, the right hand
Fiery Wall of Protection: Mark the sign of the cross, at the brow, to the heart, to the feet, then from the right shoulder to the left shoulder. On the back of the neck.
Dressing Candles
A traditional way to use oils is to dress candles with them. Any one or more oils can be used to dress candles, and the way the oils are applied, or dressed, on a candle is thought to be of importance. For example, if you wish to draw in a condition- be it luck, money, love, or success- then pouring some oil on your hands, rubbing them together, taking the candle and stroking the oil from the base of the candle to the wick, is a ritual gesture showing that you are drawing that condition to you.
The opposite is to take conditions or remove something. You may use Uncrossing or reversal Oil, pouring oil on your hands, rubbing them together, and stroking the candle from the wick to the base.
With this complete, you may dress the candles in herbs or powders by rolling or sprinkling them.
Feeding Charms and Lodestones
When using lodestones or feeding charms, perfumes, oils, and alcohols are used typically to boost their powers and remind them of their job. When using lodestones, you would dress it in the corresponding condition oil you want the lodestone to attract; for example, if you wanted luck, you may dress the lodestone in Attraction Oil. You would then feed the lodestone some Lodestone Grit, iron filings that strengthen the lodestone. You would then put the lodestone to work in your spells.
If a charm needs to be fed, such as a Gator Paw for money, or a bag with Queen Elizabeth Root to draw love, you may dress them in a corresponding oil such as Money Drawing Oil, or Come To Me Love Oil. This is done at least once a month, if not more, to keep the charm alive and fed.
Preparing Altars
Another example is to dress a space that is designated as a working space or shrine. For example, we may use Holy Anointing oil to mark a shrine dedicated to ancestors or magic dedicated to spiritual progression and betterment. We might anoint our spaces where we are working heavily with spirits to command them with Abremelin, or if we are designating a space to work heavily with the infernal, we might anoint it in Black Arts Oil.
Below is a list of the oils we offer
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