What is Hoodoo?
Hoodoo is an African American type of folk magic with its roots in African, Native American, and European traditions. Also called conjure or conjuration, hoodoo developed in the American Southeast and spread mostly through word of mouth. Though there are experts in hoodoo, there is no hierarchy, and the practice of hoodoo is open to anyone. Traditionally, experts in hoodoo, known as hoodoo doctors, traveled to practice their craft and took on apprentices. Hoodoo is often confused in the popular imagination with Voodoo, a religion originating in West Africa. The concept that most people have of Voodoo is actually closer to hoodoo. Hoodoo practices include folk remedies, magic spells, necromancy, and fortune telling, and practitioners are predominantly Christian rather than followers of Voodoo. Though there are spiritual elements in hoodoo, it is not a religion. Many hoodoo spells and remedies make use of physical objects believed to have spiritual or supernatural powers. As in other mag
Hoodoo is defined as “an ancient religion of African origin characterized by the casting of spells using herbs and roots.” If Hoodoo didn’t work, people wouldn’t be afraid of it. But why does Hoodoo work? And how? There are a great many books on how to practice Hoodoo, cast spells and work divinations. But few books say anything on why Hoodoo works. Just how does Hoodoo work? Recent discoveries in quantum physics (the study of the physics of sub-atomic particles) and in cosmology (the branch of astronomy and astrophysics that deals with the universe taken as a whole) shed much light on how mind interacts with the universe. These discoveries compel acceptance of the idea that there is far more than just one universe and that we constantly interact with many of these “hidden” universes. Unfortunately, most books on quantum cosmology are written in language that an ordinary intelligent person cannot understand. Moreover, many if not most scientists are in a state of denial of anything sup
The beliefs and customs of Folk Magick brought to America by African slaves mingled here with the beliefs, customs, and botanical knowledge of Native Americans and with the Christian, Jewish, and pagan folklore of European immigrants. The result was hoodoo. Hoodoo is merely a set of folk traditions to engage in magickal practices – and does not have any specific dogma or theology (so it can be adapted to fit into almost any religious system). Most Hoodoo practitioners are Christian.
