As the month of May unfolds, it brings with it the promise of growth and renewal, a time when the earth awakens with vibrant life. In the Hoodoo tradition, this period is rich with significance, intertwining the practices of gardening and conjuring to harmonize with the rhythms of nature.
Gardening in May is both a practical and spiritual endeavor. It is a time to plant seeds not just in the soil, but in the soul, nurturing them with intention and care. This month, focus on cultivating herbs like mint, basil, and rosemary, which are revered for their money-drawing, grounding, and protective properties. These plants serve a dual purpose, enhancing your garden's biodiversity while also acting as potent ingredients for various Hoodoo workings. They are also delicious culinary herbs full of flavor and vital nutrients.
May's folklore is steeped in the celebration of life and fertility. It is believed that planting during the Full Moon will ensure robust growth, as the moon's energy is said to encourage root development. Conversely, the New Moon is a time for introspection and planning, a moment to decide what seeds of intention you wish to sow in the coming cycle.
Incorporate traditional Hoodoo elements into your gardening this month by creating a moon garden, a sacred space that blooms at night, reflecting the moon's silvery light. White and night-blooming flowers like jasmine and moonflower are not only enchanting but are also associated with peace, psychic awareness, and dreams.
As you tend to your garden, remember that each plant, stone, and creature holds its own energy and spirit. Honor these beings by offering gratitude and by practicing sustainable and respectful gardening methods. In doing so, you align with the Hoodoo principle of reciprocity, acknowledging that what you give to the earth, it returns to you manifold.
MAY GARDENING TIPS
MAY FOLKLORE
I poke thee,
I don’t poke thee,
I poke the quaff that’s under thee,
O Qualyway,
O Qualyway.
A rather curious custom related to Ascension Day (May 29) involves giving friends and family crickets for good luck. If the crickets chirp during the day it is a good omen. If not, bad luck will ensue until the following Ascension Day. Finally, an old Sicilian custom involves making crosses out of mugwort and placing them on the roof of your home on Ascension Day; it is believed Jesus will bless the home during the night.
It was long a popular belief in Eastern and Western Europe, that a maiden, washing herself with dew from the hawthorn on the first day of May at daybreak, would preserve her beauty for ever, the activity repeated annually, of course. Another version of the magickal May Dew entails collecting dew water from magickal plants and herbs throughout the entire month. Using a cobalt blue or purple bottle, collect droplets of dew from plants such as clover, iris, honeysuckle, roses, lemon verbena, hawthorn, daisies and violets each morning. Keep your special elixir in a cool place, even the refrigerator where it will stay good indefinitely.
COLLECTING MAGICKAL RAIN WATER
There is another ritual related to Ascension Day or Holy Thursday. Rain collected on Ascension Day is considered Holy water so it is yet another great day to collect your water for washes and spiritual baths throughout the year. Ascension Day is the 40th day after Easter and celebrates the ascension of Christ into heaven. You only need to add 7 drops of the water to any spiritual bath or formula to infuse it with its magickal energy.
* This article is excerpted from the book Hoodoo Almanac 2014-2015 by Denise Alvarado, Carolina Dean and Alyne Pustanio.