The Powwow Guy

In the early 1700's in Europe, a book was published called Egyptische Geheimnisse für Menschen und Vieh.. This is, of course, the book we now know as "Egyptian Secrets of Albertus Magnus".

The following charm is meant to cure the "wildfire". In old times, this likely meant shingles. However, in modern times, this can include any sort of skin disorder or condition. 

I strolled through a red forest, and in the red forest there was a red church, and in the red church stood a red Altar, and upon the red altar there lay a red knife; take the red knife and cut red bread. † † †

This charm has many of the trademark symbols found within the Powwow tradition... the color Red, a red Knife, a Red Church, and the three crucifixes which mean that the charm must be spoken in the names of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.

Red is often believed to be the color of inflammation (red, hot, swelling). Also, biblically speaking, it is the color of blood, which is redemption and healing and protection.

Powwow is a very well-established and recorded tradition. We modern practitioners can easily trace our history and track it's Christian roots through academic preservation of historical records.

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The Powwow tradition has little to offer in the way of relieving symptoms of anxiety disorders. However, that does not mean we are without resources! Home remedies, such as herbal infusions and the like, are extremely well-known amongst the Pennsylvania Dutch, and far more accessible to everyday folk nowadays than they were, say, 20 years or so ago.

The following herbal remedies can be prescribed for yourself to help tame those days when your anxiety is overwhelming. As someone who suffers from an anxiety disorder, I can say in all sincerity that these remedies really do help!

Celery

Believe it or not, but just eating celery can help calm feelings of anxiety and even help you fall asleep! Celery contains folic acid and potassium, which can help fight insomnia and restlesness. Celery is also thought to be a "negative calorie" food, which means you literally burn more calories eating it than it provides to you, which is likely why it can make you feel sleepy.. Munch on some celery sticks, add some protein like peanut butter, and it could help you overcome some of that anxiety.

Passion Flower

This is the BEST, in my opinion, for using as a sedative. The Amish use it as such and I've used it many times with great success. Making an infusion of passion flower is a great before-bedtime drink that will help you feel calm and even fall asleep faster.

Valerian

Valerian is a little tricky. If you get the dose too high, you could wake up with a hangover!! But too low of a dose won't do much for you. This one requires some experimentation on your part. Once you find the dose that works best for you, you will be very happy with it's anxiety-reducing affects! 

Asafoetida

Yes, Powwowers use Asafoetida as a means of removing a curse. But did you know that it also acts as a sedative? Despite it's foul smell, the taste of asafoetida is like a very mild onion. If you make an infusion of asafoetida, my advice is also to add a stalk of celery to the mug. This gives the brew a veggie-broth flavor, which makes it more palatable, and it will help you feel calm and sleepy rather quickly!

Always use caution when trying home remedies like this, especially when they have sedative properties. Check with your doctor first to make sure it's safe for your specific body!

I made a video for my youtube page containing the following recipe, but I was having microphone issues so I wanted to share one of the recipes here!

In our area, this is called a "Hot Toddy". I'm not sure if that's what it's called everywhere, or if there are various names for it in different cultures. Nevertheless, it's a very old recipe and it is almost like a miracle cure for chest congestion and annoying cold symptoms!

Fill a small pot with about two cups of water. Heat until it starts to boil.

Pour the water into a mug.

Add the juice of one lemon, 1/4 shot glass of Bourbon, about a teaspoon of honey, 1 lemon slice, and one sprig of fresh mint. 

Stir well with a spoon.

Sip and enjoy the delicious lemony taste and the very beneficial healing qualities!

I taught this information with my six-week course last year but decided that I wanted to share it here as it seems to be a lost practice within Powwow...

Several years ago, I was approached by a gentleman at an event where I was speaking about Powwow. He gave me his number and I later followed up with him and met him just outside of Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania in Schuylkill County. 

He taught me two things that day: the forked "water witch" branch and the "throw" stick.

The Throw Stick was fascinating to me because I had read about them but never received any information about what it was used for, how it worked, etc. Until that day. And he was completely happy to share the information with me AND was fine with me sharing the information publicly. I hesitated to do so until now.

The Throw Stick (also sometimes called a Powwow Cane or Powwow Stick) is a walking stick or cane used by a Powwower. In addition to its practical use as a walking helper, it also serves to "store" the illness and evil you remove from your patient. Then, when you are finished your work for them, you literally use the stick to "throw" the negative energy to the Hexenkopf; which in Easter Pennsylvania is a well-known landmark.

To "throw" the illness, you swing the stick in a tossing motion, such as you might do with a tennis racket or baseball bat, in order to shake it out of the stick and toss it into the Hexenkopf.

There is biblical precedent, of course. The earliest depictions of Jesus showed him with a stick, rod, or wand. 

A throw stick need not be elaborately decorated, although the natural entwined "snake sticks" are favored. 

If you choose to utilize a throw stick, remember to do so in the names of the Holy Trinity.

May God bless you and all that you do!

Powwow has a number of methods for relieving pain. What follows is a very simple ritual that you can do for either yourself or another person/animal. Remember that all that works in Powwow for humans also works for animals, and vice versa.

For this ritual, you will need three sticks. The type of wood does not matter. You can find them easily on the ground, especially after a wind storm! We have a birch tree on our property that is constantly dropping branches, so I always have some on hand in case I need them. Also, you will need a place to dispose of the branches after you use them. I recommend a place in the woods where people seldom travel. 

Take the first branch and gently touch it to the area of hurt and say: "With this switch, and Christ's dear blood, I banish your pain and do you good."

Set the branch down. Pick up the second branch and repeat the words. Then set it down and pick up the third branch and repeat the words. 

Then with your hand, make three crosses over the painful area while saying: "In the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost."

You will then break all three branches in half and dispose of them as we discussed earlier.

There are a few variations of this ritual, but this is the most simple and requires the least amount of "tools". And, it works.

God bless you and your family!

In Pennsylvania Dutch history, a verhexed object is one of the most common ways an innocent individual is verhexed (bewitched). A verhexed object could include a milk pail, a horseshoe, a nail, a penny, a farming tool, or whatever. It was usually a common object that would never arouse suspicion.

Remember when we discussed the difference between Brauche work and Hexen work? Brauche/Powwow is complete surrender to God to do His work. Hexen work is denial of God and embracing of the Ego. For this reason, a Braucher/Powwow does not imbue objects with her/his energies. It just isn't a part of Powwow work. We don't "empower" things, we don't "bless" things, etc. We ask God to do these things for us. In Hexen work, it is the witches own energy that is imbued into objects. A verhexed object is a regular object empowered with hate, anger, vengeance, whatever, in an effort to put that disruptive power into the victim's life.

You can understand how even the most well-intentioned person who wants to "empower" something for you can inadvertently create a verhexed object. None of us are ever in a state of pure ANYTHING. While we can feel joy, we are human and also have doubt. Or pain. Or anxiety. Or worry about something. These feelings and thoughts are always a part of us. So when we think we are filling up an object with "love" or "happiness" or "health" or whatever, none of us are ever truly able to conjure up a 100% pure genuine version of this. Only God is capable of purity of purpose and emotion and intent. And for us to think that we can do this better than God is spiritual arrogance. Hence the Ego steps in and overshadows God. Hence, hexerei.

Some years ago, I accepted a gift from a Powwower. The moment I touched it, a warning alarm went off in my mind and I just knew, somehow, that I needed to get rid of it. I don't know how I knew, I can only say that God was telling me I better not keep it. That gift has been in the Susquehanna River for almost ten years now, hopefully rusting away as the waters of the river carry away the power of the verhexing.

Some of you are probably wondering why a Powwow would verhex a fellow Powwow.

It's been done before. It's Ego. This is why I often say that Powwow is somewhat territorial. We do our best not to intrude on each other's "territory". Sadly, it has been shown throughout history that there are Powwowers who gladly and happily call upon God in the light of day, while serving Ego (the Devil) in the shadows...

What do we do with an object we believe is verhexed?

Easy. We get rid of it.

You can bury it at your hexenkopf, which is a personal area in nature that you have designated as a place to bury all the "yuck" that you've removed from your clients. You can bury it in a churchyard. You can toss it into a river. You can burn it to ash in a fire then bury the ashes at your hexenkopf.

We cannot "cleanse" an object of a verhexing. Once an object is tainted by hate and evil and the Devil, it is always tainted. It is of no constructive use to anyone anymore. It needs to be disposed of.

You can do the disposal of a verhexed object quietly. Simply take it to your hexenkopf, bury it, then be on your way. Toss it into a river without ceremony. Bury it in the most under-traveled section of a churchyard. Don't make a fuss. Just get rid of it. And when you get rid of the object, you also free yourself of the influence of the Hex.

Is there a way to know for sure something is verhexed?

No. Not really. You either know or you do not. If you find something in your home that you never noticed before, if you are gifted something unexpectedly, you may even purchase something and bring it willingly into your home... you will notice the influence of the verhexing eventually.

If you do get rid of a truly verhexed object, you may find that the person who made the attempt to verhex you will resurface in your life. History tells us they will feel compelled to borrow something from us, in an attempt to gain something of ours that they can re-attach their power to and thus regain control over our lives. Don't fall for it.

Every verhexing can be different. But most often, signs of a verhexing include household illness, misfortune, insect infestations, weakness, fatigue, fear, paranoia, physical symptoms like boils or other skin disorders that you never had before. Some people have stated they experienced visions of the Devil. Some believe they can hear the whispering of the Hex who cursed them. Everyone experiences these things differently.

Let me just be clear when I say that there are very few people who can actually pull off a successful verhexing. This is powerful stuff. It takes way more than a few ill wishes toward a person. However, if you experience a true verhexing, you won't soon forget it. And you'll be able to distinguish between a real curse and just a general run of ill luck in the future.

But what about using sage to cleanse things?

Don't. We have no right to sage. It's sacred to the Native Americans and there is literally nothing to prove that burning it does anything other than make your house smell bad.

What about Holy Water?

It's true that Holy Water can impart a divine blessing on us when we use it. It is also meant to remind us of our own baptism by water. Holy Water is believed to cleanse of impurities and unclean things. However, Holy Water should not be thought of as a "magical cure". It is not the bleach of the spiritual world.

Holy Water is best used on ourselves as both a reminder of our baptism and as a means of asking for God's blessing. We should not cheapen the spiritual power and mysteries of Holy Water by submerging objects in it to cleanse of other people's negative powers. This act implies that the object itself is precious to you and you are willing to risk all to keep it.

Just get rid of the object.

Our tradition is not heavy on the use of things like Holy Water or blessed oils or what-have-you. These things come to us from Catholic religion and folk magic, which we as Powwows are not a part of.

Let's stay in our lane.

To finalize this, if you suspect an object is verhexed, get rid of it. That's all there is to it. You can pray and ask God to warn you of any other dangerous objects in your life, and that's about all you can do. Don't overthink it.

This was written by a student and dear friend of mine, who is a Powwow in the UK.

Powwowing – A Christian Folk Magical Healing System

“They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover”

Gospel of Mark 16:18

King James Version

I am a Powwower: a practitioner of the traditional Christian Folk Magical Healing system of the PA Dutch. The PA Dutch are the descendants of the German immigrants to Pennsylvania.

Powwowing is not ‘based’ on the Bible it is Biblical. The Gospel of Mark dwells on Christ’s ministry of healing and it is Christ’s words (quoted above) that form the reason, the justification and the spiritual authority that underpins Powwowing.

Sadly, many people through ignorance or maliciousness have tried to portray Powwowing as having some kind of ‘Pagan’ or non-Christian roots or meaning when the simple fact is that Powwowing is an expression of a Christian faith. Such cultural mutilation can be proved patently false when the historical record is even cursorily consulted. These falsehoods are quite offensive to the memory of the pious Christian practitioners of the past.

The Biblical imagery that Powwowing employs are not masks, veneers or metaphors for pre or non-Christian practices. Powwowing is an extension of a Christian faith. A faithin God the Father. God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Through the practice of Powwow we see the power of the Holy Trinity move and heal in the world.

Powwowing is a Bible based Christian healing tradition but it’s day to day practice were developed in such books as John George Hohman’s ‘Long Lost Friend’ published in 1820. These and other chapbooks were supplementary to, but did not supplant, the Biblical bedrock of Powwowing. All the forms, rituals, gestures and charms used by a Powwower are merely a manifestation of, and confession of, a Christian faith.

In the same way the nature of the Trinity is a mystery so to, ultimately, it is a mystery how this Christian Healing practice came to be called ‘Powwowing’. Yes, there are many theories but no firm answers. Some would say that looking for the roots of the name in the First Nation peoples. However, thisis a semantic exercise that only draws one's attention from it’s Christian core and can lead to the distortion we see promulgated by Neo-Pagan’s.

How I first came to be aware of and drawn to Powwowing is another mystery. I don’t live in Pennsylvania (although I have visited many times) andI am certainly not of Dutch PA stock. In fact, I don’t even currently live in the USA! I have read studied and was ultimately taught by Rob Phoenix a man whose mission is to practice and preserve the true Christian nature of the practice and a true Christian himself.

Through studying and practising Powwow I have become more aware of the power of the Holy Trinity moving and healing in the world,

Powwowing is about healing. Healing of man and beast; healing of mind and body all through Divine Graceand the Holy Trinity. Does one need to be a Christian to be Powwowed or get benefit from being Powwowed? Ultimately we are all healed through Divine Grace and it is not for me to decide who can or can’t receive that Divine Grace. Only God can do that. God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. That is Powwowing.

If you want to know more about Powwowing or want to be Powwowed I can do no better than point you to Rob Phoenix’s wonderful web page and blog (The Powwow Guy (webs.com) . Here you will find more information on Powwowing and details of his students, Powwowers in their own right, who would be happy to help you.

If you are in the UK and need Powwow services, please let me know and I will put you in touch with Michael. God bless you.

Hibiscus flowers have special properties that are believed to help reduce blood pressure and bad cholesterol. As we age, these things are more important for us to worry about, so no time like the present to get started on using home remedies!

Hibiscus flowers are, generally speaking, rather sour. So to make a syrup with them that involves lemon is perfect because the sourness is complimentary to the lemon and it all tastes wonderful!

INGREDIENTS

Petals from 10 large hibiscus flowers (color doesn't matter)

1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1 cup boiling water

Directions:

Cover petals with lemon juice in a deep glass bowl. Microwave for two minutes on HIGH. Mix sugar and boiling water in a saucepan, heat over high heat on stove top until boiling and sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Add the petals and lemon juice mixture to the sugar water. Stir well. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by 1/3 volume (approximately one hour). Strain to remove petals, then store in a covered jar in refrigerator. Syrup keeps for a year and is delicious over fresh fruit, ice-cream, custard, pound cake, etc.

You can also take a teaspoon of the syrup each morning to help keep your blood pressure and bad cholesterol down!

I have arthritis in both of my knees and in my hands (and let's not even talk about my back). I'm getting older. Aches and pains and a little rheumatism are a natural part of the aging process. However,  sometimes the swelling and pain (especially in my left knee) is debilitating.

Sunday afternoon I was washing the bedding. When the dryer was finished, I went down to the laundry room (in our basement) and carried the clean sheets up to the second floor. By the time I got to my son's bedroom, my left knee was swollen and painful. I persevered, made his bed, then made my bed, and that's when I knew I was in trouble.

The swelling and the pain had become so debilitating that I didn't think I'd make it back down the stairs. It's a horrible feeling being frozen by pain and so helpless that you can't even walk down the stairs on your own. 

My personal home office is on the second floor, which is where I keep all of my books and powwow paraphrenalia, so I worked my way into that room and grabbed one of my books. The pain was so intense at this point that I found myself near to tears with desperation. What I WANTED was an injection of morphine, but what I HAD was a powwow book. I flipped open to an anti-swelling charm, put my left hand on the bad knee, and recited the charm like my life depended on it. I finished up "in the name of God the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost" and, this is absolutely the truth, by the time I was saying "and the Holy Ghost" the pain was gone. The swelling was reduced. I could move my leg with no pain whatsoever.

Here is the charm I used, from the Romanus-Buchlein:

Three pure virgins went out on a journey to inspect a swelling and sickness. The first one said, "It is hoarse". The second said, "It is not". The third said, "If it is not, then will our Lord Jesus Christ come". This must be spoken in the name of the Holy Trinity.

Way back in 2010, I did my first public lecture on Powwowing. I remember one of the attendees asking "Can you use these charms on yourself?" and I truly didn't know how to answer! The idea seemed odd to me, even a little bit silly. It hadn't occurred to me, until that very moment, that I might use the charms on myself! From that day on, I began to see Powwow in a whole new light. It didn't need to be just for others, it could be used at home for myself when needed too. What a concept!

To be honest, you'll likely be powwowing for yourself moreso than for other people, and that's ok. It works. And in a pinch, like I was in the other day with my knee, it could literally mean the difference between laying on the floor in pain while trapped on the second floor and being able to walk back down the stairs pain-free and continue with your day.

When you need Powwowing, see yourself as the client. Do for yourself what you would do for anyone who comes to you in need. I believe that God wants His healers to be well, so there is no shame in trying for yourself when necessary. We've been given a great gift, it is only fitting that we use it on ourselves so that we are better equipped to help others.

Because Powwow is a Christian tradition, there are a number of charms that are designed to send your adversary away from you in the spirit of peace and truce. I like these charms because sometimes you just want to separate yourself from an individual with no hard feelings. One such charm is found in John George Hohman's original work, The Friend in Need. It reads as follows:

"Here I go quite light of heart. We have drunk the blood of Jesus Christ. God the Father be by me, God the Son be by thee, and God the Holy Ghost who wisheth us both to part from one another in peace. In the Three Highest Names." + + +

In other words, this charm is both a statement of separation and a blessing. You ask for the blessing of Christ upon your adversary. You acknowledge that you have both "drunk the blood of Jesus Christ".. in other words, you recognize your adversary as a Brother in Christ. And you state that the Holy Ghost wishes you to "part from one another in peace". 

This is a lovely charm that I highly recommend when you know it is time to draw a line between yourself and an individual that you can no longer reasonably see eye-to-eye with.